Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site. 0108263 License for publishing multimedia online Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349 APEC ministers call for openness, connectivity amid economic headwinds Xinhua) 08:42, October 31, 2025 GYEONGJU, South Korea, Oct. 30 (Xinhua) -- Ministers of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) member economies on Thursday called for openness and connectivity amid economic headwinds. During the APEC Ministerial Meeting, co-chaired by South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun and Trade Minister Yeo Han-koo, the ministers sought to reach common ground on how they assess the current global trade landscape and define ways to promote growth and co-prosperity amid rising protectionism and weakening trade trends. Noting that the Asia-Pacific remains the engine of global growth, Cho said in the opening remark, "Economic uncertainty, geopolitical tension, climate disruption and demographic shifts are testing both our resilience and our resolve." "Together, let us reaffirm APEC's enduring purpose: to keep our region open, connected and forward-looking for the prosperity of all our people," he said. Yeo said that the spirit of openness and trade, long embedded in the region's history, remains the key to navigating future challenges. "Amid profound shifts in the global economy, there is no better time than now to rekindle the spirit of openness and cooperation," he added. Home to more than 40 percent of the world's population, APEC accounts for over 60 percent of the global economy and 50 percent of world trade. The ministers acknowledged that this strength also comes with growing responsibility as the region grapples with demographic shifts, technological disruptions and reconfigured trade flows, according to a press release on the meeting. (Web editor: Huang Kechao, Liang Jun) The Gibraltar Fire and Rescue Service takes part in the Crown Dependencies Fire and Rescue Service Peer Review In February 2020, the Gibraltar Fire and Rescue Service became a co-founder of the Overseas Territories Chief Fire Officers Forum, in partnership with Guernsey, Isle of Man, and Jersey Fire and Rescue Services. The main objective of this group was to share information, common interests, challenges, and see how our small Fire Services adapt and/or adopt recognised UK National Operational Guidance to manage and mitigate risk elements within our respective jurisdictions. These relationships have since prospered and become a source for organisational joint learning and development, and this has led us to the creation of the Crown Dependencies Fire and Rescue Service Peer Review process, supported by the UKs Local Government Association (LGA). A Strategic Collaboration Board was formed in 2024 comprising the Chief Fire Officers of Jersey, Isle of Man, Guernsey, and Gibraltar FRSs. This Board serves as the senior coordinating body for collaborative work across fire and rescue services, ensuring alignment on fire safety, operations, governance, and efficiency. It facilitates the development of shared understanding and positions on key issues affecting the profession, using UK-based standards, and promotes joint design and delivery of work wherever possible. The Peer Review process is conducted over a four-year cycle, and the goal is to support continuous improvement and drive positive change across the participating Services by: Establishing a shared understanding and coordinated response to sector-wide challenges. Setting overarching direction and priorities for collaboration. Supporting consistency and alignment with UK-based fire and rescue standards as far as possible/practicable. Facilitating joint work to improve governance, assurance, operations, and efficiency. Strengthening multi-agency cooperation in major incidents and emergency response. In essence, in conducting this review process, we aim to identify good practice, areas for improvement, and opportunities for collaboration or efficiency. This provides an invaluable tool for continuous organisational learning and development. The Peer Review Team is composed of trained and experienced Senior Fire Officers from across the four Services, led by the LGA, and supported by senior colleagues from UK mainland Fire and Rescue Services. Last week saw the commencement of the review cycle or process, with Guernsey Fire and Rescue Service being the first of the four Services to go under scrutiny. Divisional Officer Edgar Ramirez (GFRS Head of Operations and Training) deployed to Guernsey to join up with the team and took part in the three-day LGA Peer Review. A total of nine senior fire officers, including local government officials from the UK, engaged with Guernsey FRS personnel, partners, and local leaders to assess all aspects of the service. This collaborative effort provided valuable insights into the strengths and areas for development within the Guernsey FRS. We now look forward to the final report, and the findings will no doubt support ongoing improvements and help ensure a safer environment for our respective communities. The Minister for the GFRS, the Hon Leslie Bruzon said; I am proud of the Gibraltar Fire and Rescue Services ongoing commitment to professional excellence and collaboration with our peers across the Crown Dependencies. This initiative reflects our shared dedication to learning, improvement, and delivering the highest standards of public safety. I want to thank Divisional Officer Edgar Ramirez for his valuable contribution in representing Gibraltar during this first review, and I look forward to welcoming our colleagues when it is our turn to host the process in Gibraltar. St Annes Upper Primary School visit to the Gibraltar National Archives During the past week, Year 6 students from St Annes Upper Primary School embarked on a journey through Gibraltars historical legacy during their visit to the Gibraltar National Archives. The visits, held on the 13th, 15th, and 17th of October, offered students a hands-on introduction to the world of archival science. Welcomed by the Gibraltar National Archives staff, the pupils were given an engaging overview of archival work and practices, highlighting the importance of preserving historical records for future generations. The educational programme included a guided tour of the archives, where students explored the inner workings of document preservation and learned about the meticulous care required to maintain Gibraltars documentary heritage. A live demonstration on paper conservation and digitisation provided insight into how fragile materials are stabilised and made accessible through modern technology. One of the highlights of the visit was the opportunity to view original documents from different collections. Among these were the Land Property Register, the Register of Commissions and the Instructions and Descriptions of Privateers dating from 1796 to 1799. The students were especially captivated by the Acta de Cabildo from 1577 the oldest document held at the Archives which offered a tangible connection to fragments of Gibraltars early history. The visit was part of Gibraltar National Archives ongoing outreach initiative to foster historical awareness and public engagement among young learners. The experience will help not only to deepen their understanding of local history but also spark interest in the broader role archives play in shaping the collective memory. Sentencing of Kilkenny hurling star DJ Carey is to take place on Friday after he pleaded guilty to defrauding 13 people by pretending he had cancer and looking for financial support for treatment in the US. The 54-year-old, with an address of The Drive, Newtown, Maynooth, Co Kildare, pleaded guilty last July to charges. He had been due to stand trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The Kilkenny native had been due to be sentenced on Wednesday but a sick note was handed into the court by defense counsel and Judge Martin Nolan was told that Carey was not present. Those in court were informed by prosecuting counsel that they had just received a photocopy of the medical letter which said Carey was in Portiuncula University Hospital in Ballinalsoe, Co Galway. Advertisement Prosecution Counsel said gardai had been alerted to the situation on Tuesday. Gardai called the hospital and were told that Carey was not an in-patient as of then. After further inquiries, the court was informed that the father-of-two went into an emergency department on Monday but was not kept there. Prosecuting lawyers said gardai had been told that he was now back in hospital. He had not been detained but was waiting for a bed. The case was then adjourned to Friday. Carey is pleading guilty to 10 of the 21 counts he was facing which include dishonestly inducing people to pay him money after he falsely claimed to have cancer. Thirteen named people fell victim to the claims which occurred between 2014 and 2022. Businessman Denis OBrien is one of the named individuals who gave him money to pay for cancer treatment on unknown dates between January 2014 and September 2022, contrary to the Criminal Justice (Theft and Fraud Offences). Defense Counsel informed the court last July that while Carey did not have cancer, he did have "genuinely significant" health issues and required heart surgery last year. A psychological report was also asked to be prepared ahead of Friday's sentencing. Carey has been on bail in advance of the hearing with strict conditions attached. The total amount of money involved in the cases has not been disclosed. Double murder accused Ruth Lawrence was extradited from South Africa to face trial nearly a decade after the bodies of a drug dealer and his friend were found on a lake island in the midlands, the Central Criminal Court has heard. The 12 jurors were also told on Friday that the accused's boyfriend, South African national Neville van der Westhuizen, is currently serving a 15-year sentence in Westville Prison in Durban, having been convicted in 2020 on six counts of kidnapping, attempted murder and murder. An application to extradite Mr van der Westhuizen to Ireland to face trial will take place when he has finished serving his sentence in South Africa. Ruth Lawrence (46), 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. Advertisement Detective Garda Raymond Flynn from Kells Garda Station today told Michael O'Higgins SC, alongside Jane Horgan-Jones BL, prosecuting, that he met with the Garda Extradition Unit at Dublin Airport on May 25, 2023, at 5.15pm as they had Ms Lawrence in custody. The witness said Ms Lawrence had just disembarked a flight from South Africa, and he informed the accused he was arresting her for the purpose of charge. Ms Lawrence, he said, was conveyed to Trim Garda Station where she was charged with the murders of Mr Keegan and Mr O'Connor. The accused made no reply when each charge was put to her. Detective Sergeant Kevin O'Brien told Mr O'Higgins that he was transferred to Kells Garda Station in May 2023, where he joined the team investigating the murders of the two men. The Det Sgt said he learned that two witnesses - father and daughter Jason and Stacey Symes - had come forward to An Garda Siochana in 2014 and given voluntary statements about the alleged involvement of Ms Lawrence and her boyfriend Mr van der Westhuizen in the murders of the two men. Det Sgt O'Brien said directions were issued from the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions on October 14th, 2016 that Ms Lawrence and Mr van der Westhuizen were both to be charged with two counts of murder of Mr O'Connor and Mr Keegan. The Det Sgt said he was made aware that the couple had left the jurisdiction on the Rosslare/Pembroke ferry sailing after the men's murders and then onto South Africa. Advertisement The witness said Ireland issued an arrest warrant for Mr van der Westhuizen in October 2016, which led to him being arrested in Pretoria in South Africa in 2021. Mr van der Westhuizen, he continued, was brought before a magistrate in Durban on November 18th, 2022 to hold an enquiry with a view to surrendering him pursuant to the Irish arrest warrant. Mr O'Higgins said a judgment from the case stated that Mr van der Westhuizen is a South African citizen, who is currently serving a 15-year sentence in South Africa, having been convicted in 2020 on six counts of kidnapping, attempted murder and murder. He said the final order states that Mr van der Westhuizen is to await the Minister of Justice's decision to extradite him to Ireland. In September 2024, counsel said, a senior state advocate gave information that Mr van der Westhuizen is currently serving a sentence in Westville Prison in Durban and he may become eligible for parole in 2027. The lawyer said the application to extradite Mr van der Westhuizen to Ireland is adjourned until his sentence in South Africa is complete, which might be in 2035, and if he is given parole in the meantime, then the extradition case may become live again. Det Sgt O'Brien said an arrest warrant from Ireland was issued for Ms Lawrence in 2016. Under cross-examination, Det Sgt O'Brien told Patrick Gageby SC, defending, that three or four teenagers had entered a tattoo parlour in South Africa in February 2017, where Mr van der Westhuizen had been working. Advertisement One of the youths had tried to take a mobile phone and was followed by several men, including Mr van der Westhuizen. The youths were assaulted, poison was administered and they were locked into a room for the night. The following day, one of the youths died, said the witness. The four men were charged with kidnapping, attempted murder and murder. Ireland Witness says he is 'terrified' of Ruth Lawrence, who he said carried around 'a little black gun' Read more Superintendent Mick Dorrigan told Mr Gageby that Ms Lawrence has no previous convictions in either this jurisdiction or in South Africa. 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 said the evidence will be that Mr O'Connor sold drugs to Neville van der Westhuizen, who owed the deceased man in the region of 70,000. 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 on Lough Sheelin. Gardai have arrested two men as part of an investigation into the theft of an electric scooter in the Swords area of Dublin. Gardai received a report of an incident of theft which occurred at approximately 3:15am on the R132 at Turvey on Thursday morning. The suspects involved reportedly left the scene in a car. This car was located a short time later by gardai in the Finglas area where it was stopped and searched. A scooter was recovered from the vehicle during this search. Two men, aged in their 40s and 50s, were arrested and taken to Garda Stations in North Dublin where they were detained under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984. Both men have been charged and are due to appear the before Court 4 of the Criminal Courts of Justice, Dublin, on Friday. More than 350 Irish soldiers will soon deploy to Lebanon as part of one of the last UN peacekeeping missions in the region. Members of the 127th Infantry Battalion will be reviewed by Tanaiste and Defence Minister Simon Harris at Custume Barracks in Athlone, County Westmeath on Friday. Their six-month deployment will likely serve as the penultimate United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) peacekeeping mission, after a vote earlier this year agreed to see it wind down by the end of next year. In August, the Irish Times reported that the United Nations Security Council approved a proposal to allow peacekeepers, including Irish troops, to remain in Lebanon until 2027, with the UNIFIL mandate extended to the end of 2026. Ireland 'Important' peacekeeping forces remain in Lebanon, says TD Read more Ireland contributes around 350 troops to the 10,000 strong mission, making it the Defence Forces largest overseas posting. Advertisement The mission was established in 1978 to enforce a truce following Israels first invasion of south Lebanon. Speaking on Newstalk, Mr Harris said that he is proud of the Defence Forces' role in the operation: "We all know that the UN Security Council took a decision to only renew the mandate until the end of 2026, and then for the mission to be concluded during 2027. "It is so important during this time that Ireland continues to play its part in vital peacekeeping in this region of the world." A man who wielded a meat cleaver during an attempt to steal a high-powered car has been jailed for eight years. Stuart Tighe (33) and another man had also targeted the same victim just days before the attack in an attempted carjacking outside his place of work but were foiled in their efforts. Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that the victim lost part of his ear in the attack on his home. The victim told the court that he was forced to sell his car, an Audi S8 which he had been left by a relative, after he was warned by gardai there might be a possible third attempt to take the car. Tighe, of no fixed abode, Coolock, Dublin 5, pleaded guilty to aggravated burglary with a meat cleaver and assault causing harm on February 3rd, 2024, and attempted theft on January 29th, 2024. Advertisement He has 146 previous convictions, including for theft, assault, violent disorder, public order and road traffic offences. Passing the sentence on Thursday, Judge Martin Nolan said gardai had done a good job in tracking down Tighe after the incidents. He noted Tighe made no admissions but pleaded guilty after being presented with the weight of evidence against him. He said this was a serious matter and his guilty plea was the only real point of mitigation. He set a headline sentence of 12 years, and taking into account mitigation, imposed a sentence of nine years. He suspended the final year in order to incentivise rehabilitation. An investigating garda told George Burns BL, prosecuting, that on January 29th, 2024, the victim was exiting his place of work and had begun driving home when he heard a thud. He realised a car had run into the back of him and when he got out encountered two men. The driver accused him of stopping suddenly and the victim became suspicious. The passenger in the second car, Tighe, got out and walked to the front of the victims car. He then jumped into the front of the car in an attempt to steal it but the victim managed to pull him out. The man drove to a garda station to report the crime but left as he had been queuing for a long time. The man got surveillance footage from his workplace and spotted that the mens car had been parked there two hours prior to him leaving work. Advertisement A few days later on February 3rd 2024 the man heard his doorbell ringing at about 10.30pm. He thought it might be a lost food delivery driver but instead found three men when he opened the door. There was a scuffle with a meat cleaver used by Tighe in the attack as the man attempted to get his front door closed. He managed to push the men back and close the door. The men fled, with one of the men, not Tighe, smashing the cars windscreen as they left. A neighbour who heard the commotion came to the victim's door and found blood all over the ground and hall door. They called 999 and assisted the victim, who had injuries to his forehead, ear, and fingers. The man was treated in hospital but lost part of his ear and has been left with permanent scarring. Footage of the attack was captured on CCTV and shown to the judge on a laptop. Gardai were able to identify Tighe as a suspect, and he was arrested in December. He was interviewed four times and his phone was found to contain messages referring to the offending. In his victim impact statement, the man described how he thought he was going to die in the attack at his home. He said he had been left in a bad physical state and lost part of his ears, with many scars a permanent reminder of the savagery perpetrated on me. He outlined how he suffered nightmares and broken sleep in the aftermath of the assault. He has upgraded his home security at significant cost and has been left feeling hopeless and cynical. Advertisement He said he did not believe Tighes guilty plea indicated remorse and was instead an attempt to get out of jail earlier. Seoirse O Dunlaing SC, defending, said his client would like to offer an apology for what the man went through and understood he was facing a lengthy custodial sentence. Counsel said that it was a strong but circumstantial case, and had the case proceeded to trial, it would have been difficult. Mr O Dunlaing said Tighe had left school at a young age and found himself with a negative peer group, abusing substances and coming into contact with the justice system. He found himself living on the streets, having suffered a number of traumatic bereavements. Counsel said there would come a time when Tighe is released and submitted that, in the interest of society, a proper structure should be waiting for him. Here are the stories making headlines this Friday. Permanent TSBs move to put itself up for sale has stoked concerns that a new owner will cut branches and jobs in the Republics least cost-efficient bank, The Irish Times reports. The 57 per cent State-owned bank surprised the stock market on Thursday morning by announcing it had put itself up for sale sending its market value up 23.4 per cent in Dublin to 1.58 billion. The front page of the Irish Examiner features a piece on a report claiming Russian commanders are executing soldiers or deliberately sending them to their deaths if they refuse to fight in Ukraine. The Echo leads with the Government approving BusConnects Cork, which will increase bus services in the city by more than 50 per cent. However, there are concerns around delays in the planning process and the publication of final routes. Advertisement A married male teacher who developed a sexual obssession with his teenage student bombarded the boy with 250,000 Snapchat messages over a seven month period, the Irish Independent reports. The Irish Daily Mirror leads with Dublin firefighter Terence Crosbie being sentenced to at least seven years in prison after he was found guilty of a raping a woman in the US. The Irish Daily Star also leads with Crosbie's sentencing, revealing that the firefighter asked the judge to be lenient for the sake of his wife and kids. Two hospitals misused taxpayers' money to pay doctors from a fund designed to cut waiting lists in 'out-of-hours' clinics, the Irish Daily Mail reports. The Herald leads with a woman who faked her own death in a "deliberate scheme" to avoid a Circuit Criminal Court trial being jailed for three years. by Christopher Hall Some time ago I cant remember if it was before, during, or after the pandemic I read Michael Finkels The Stranger in the Woods: The Extraordinary Story of the Last True Hermit, which is an account of Christopher Knight, a man who, in 1986, drove his car as far as he could into the Maine wilderness, adandoned it, and then proceeded to live in the woods without human contact for 27 years. My first reaction, and I sure Im not alone in this, was to say Ah, wouldnt that be nice, to get completely free from everyone! followed very swiftly by the realization that I wouldnt last a day in such circumstances, not just due to my total incompetence as an outdoorsman, but also that I have a limited tolerance for isolation. I live whats likely a more solitary life than most, but I still need contact with people, at least on occasion. Nevertheless, I remain impressed with Knight; like a person who has complete immunity to some serious disease, Knight seems to have been completely invulnerable to loneliness. A Google search will provide you with a raft of recent articles which informs us of the deleterious social, mental and even physical effects of loneliness, and their increasing pervasiveness. In January of this year, the Atlantic published an article entitled The Anti-Social Century about our tendency to isolate even in settings where we used to commune with others; we go to the bar, take out our phones, and drink in a solitude nearly as complete as if we just stayed home. Now, not three weeks after the Atlantic published the above article, it published another one questioning the existence of a loneliness epidemic, so perhaps we can rest a little easy but the potential seriousness of the issue ought also to concern us. Loneliness is not just a private or purely social concern; there are, as Hannah Arnedt told us, serious political concerns here. Lonely people lose their connection to others and, Arendt thought, to reality itself. These people become deeply manipulable and subject to the predations of those who would unite them into groups bent on destruction; loneliness is a precondition for totalitarianism. A common quality of contemporary warnings against the dangers of loneliness is that we all must reconnect; stop looking at your phone at the bar and talk to somebody the bartenders always there, right? This has a parallel to those skeptics of liberal societies on both the left and the right who find that the individualism encouraged there does not have universally positive effects, and can lead precisely to the sort of dangerous alienation Arendt detected. If liberal autonomy, the right of every individual to chart their own path without interference from others, leads inevitably to loneliness, and if loneliness leads to the worst forms of community, then we must chart paths towards the better forms. For the left, we need to return to the associationism that things like labour unions and other community organisations used to encourage. For the right, returning to traditional institutions like the church is most often the source of such beneficial community. None of these and other solutions to the loneliness question strike me as completely convincing, as there is as yet no answer to the key question: what are the boundaries between healthy individualism and communitarianism? When does the impulse to communalism tick over into illiberalism? Put another way: at what point do other people stop being Hell? I began to ask this question during the pandemic, when for the most part my sole source of contact with others was through the internet. It increasingly seemed to me, despite some brighter lights in places, that the Sartrean gaze, the willingness to judge, assess, define and categorise others, is the dominant form of discourse there. Instead of being locked up in a room in Hell with a couple of other people, you are locked in with millions, most of whom are more than ready to tell you who you are. And, you find, you become more and more ready yourself to begin inflicting this gaze on others. In the reaction economy of the online world we are constantly poking and prodding at each other, trying to get others to see us, and to see us seeing them. And this, Im sad to say, is a perspective that, for me at least, has bled out into the meatspace world. Influencer culture is not a one-way street, after all; we are meant to respond as we are allegedly being influenced, and such responses are worth money whether positive or negative, which explains the persistence of people whose sole means of subsistence seems to come from being idiots on the internet. Im not convinced this is anything new to the age of social media, or that social media has rewired us to think this way, but its a bad mode of relations with others that, at the very least, isnt getting any better. All of this may be saying nothing more than we simply need to find the right kinds of connection the rich, fulfilling and meaningful kind; even if this might not be readily available in the online world, we can act right there and elsewhere. Empathise instead of judge; find in the Otherness of other people a core of being which is not yours interfere with, merely recognize. Toxic communalism is a tendency in exactly the opposite direction. But this brings me precisely to my point; is the duty to escape such forms of connection not rooted in our ability to eschew connection to be satisfied with being alone if nothing better is on offer? This is how Ive come to define The Christopher Knight Problem. Isolation, autonomy, individualism however we choose to categorise it leads to loneliness which leads to the most debilitating forms of communitarianism. But if we eliminate the middle term, we presumably break the chain, so we simply must encourage in ourselves a tolerance for loneliness. Well likely never reach Knights levels of immunity, but is the solution to the problems of liberal individualism necessarily to run towards the opposite direction? What if the solution to the current political double-bind is for everyone to simply to find better ways of being alone? Im referring to this as a problem rather than a solution because I dont seriously think anyone will believe the process for democratic renewal runs through increased comfort with alienation. But political feelings and impulses cannot be entirely divorced from the more everyday impulses and actions we conduct, and I think we may need to get beyond the idea that the cure for everything is simply to form better connections or rather, the connections others think we should form. The left and right want to fix loneliness by steering us towards communities and identities of different kinds, and, so long as one finds something positive there, I cant really fault this solution. But it may be just as prudent to find ways to be more accepting of the loneliness within us and others and to be better satisfied with being, at least on occasion, both silent and invisible. (There are many times where being silent and invisible would be the worst possible thing to do, naturally. Im not advocating for total political quietism here.) Im not sure that Francis Fukuyama is entirely right that the internet is the source of our current dysfunction (it seems to me neoliberal politics and economics have played a much more significant role than Fukuyamas willing to admit) but theres been a destructive decay in our ability to be rooted in a self which simply doesnt need the engagement of others and the internet has been a significant vector for that. Total autonomy, of course, is a complete impossibility. Even Knight was parasitic; he stole from the surrounding cabins to sustain his existence (he was eventually caught because he broke into a nearby camp for supplies). We were all raised by other humans and thus are built out of the impressions and judgments of others. Our daily life consists in benefiting from the efforts of others, but even if we abandoned those, and went somewhere to live in total self-reliance, which, again, not even Knight could manage, wed still be beholden in some very real sense to what other people have done for us. Heres the danger: if total individualism is impossible, total communalism may not be. The Cold War dystopias, like 1984 and Zamyatins We, provided us with pictures of human existences which had become completely subverted to the community. We can never get to the point where we purge the influence of other people from our minds, but we may be able to get to the point where that influence consumes us totally. Without advocating for such nonsensical fears that free healthcare and restrictions on assault rifles are direct manifestations of communism, its reasonable for us to be slightly more worried about the communal than the individual impulse, since the former has the ability to be totalizing in the way the latter does not. Liberal dialectic has a history of incubating toxic communalism as its antithesis. John Milton thought free speech should be denied to Catholics and became a censor for the Commonwealth government. Mill thought liberty should be denied to the barbarians who could not handle such responsibility people like the Indians it was his responsibility to manage as an Examiner for the East India Company. I dont think we are safe just attributing this and other such failings to the prejudices of individual thinkers; the fear of autonomy is real, and can be mitigated if we continue to refer to ourselves as members of a group which has definable privileges over others. Loneliness, liberal autonomy, and the alienations of life inherent in living in a capitalist economy are interlocked components not easily decoupled, and in attempting to do so we often end up in places worse than where we began. In the aftermath of the current crisis assuming we survive it the solutions we look for must not be mere matters of policy. Perhaps a change of living ought to be at hand, and we ought to look at the paths we tend to build from autonomous individuals to communities, and how we can ensure these paths dont end up in the muck. None of this is not to say that toxic individualism doesnt exist, or that it doesnt have its own very prominent modes of representation in our current public discourse. Psychopathic narcissism is hardly without its political dangers. But, outside of the regrettable occasions when such a narcissist attains real power, the more everyday jerks are probably a danger only the people who know them directly; by nature, they cannot form a mass movement. But if you could combine the absolute worst elements of individualism and collectivism somehow convince the incurably selfish to agitate against the very core of individualist autonomy then, youd really be onto something. The motto of MAGA might as well be I can do whatever I want, you will do exactly what I tell you to. The movement idolizes those like Elon Musk and Donald Trump whose wealth and the prostration of the American legal system have given them near complete freedom from responsibility and the consequences of their actions. Trump may ape the authoritarians of the past by occasionally referring to himself as the avatar some greater unifying force, like God and Country, but most often he appears patently as precisely what he is: in it for himself. At the same time, MAGA understands itself as an in-group to which the actions of all out-groups must answer, usually under the pretense of some ludicrous exigence such as protecting the children. Want to have a drag show at your local library, where sexual education books are available to the teens who might need them? You may not. Want to exercise your Constitutional rights to tell an ICE officer to fuck off or dress up in an inflatable penis costume at a No Kings rally? Youll be arrested. The ascendence of a libertarianism that is somehow perfectly comfortable with authoritarianism (those of us who are not John Galt are bound to do what he wants us to in order for him to achieve great things, after all) and a theocratic dominionism that emphasizes the right, even the duty, to be selfish, have congealed into something that makes me wonder if the problem lies, not just with these awful manifestations of them, but in the very essence of our political bifurcations. Its quite possible Im somewhat romanticising and idealising Knight, which are terrible things to do to another human being. Knight is, for the record, still alive and, from what I can tell, living in Maine, and I have no idea what, if any, his political opinions are, or how or if he votes. I do know that I have envisioned him on a summer night, floating face up in the pond near his camp, looking at the great upturned basin filled with stars above him and feeling like the only conscious being in the world. Ive experienced such moments on occasion, and they are filled with ecstatic joy and, soon after, creeping horror. I need others to exist, and yet I often find the consequences of their existence exhausting. Total isolation is not an option, but the modes of our finding our way into the lives of others are due, I think, for a little re-examination. *** Enjoying the content on 3QD? Help keep us going by donating now. Chinese leader Xi Jinping has told Asia-Pacific leaders that his country will help to defend global free trade at an annual economic regional forum snubbed by US President Donald Trump. Mr Xi took centre stage at the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation (Apec) summit that began on Friday in the South Korean city of Gyeongju, as Mr Trump left the country a day earlier after reaching deals with Mr Xi meant to ease their escalating trade war. This years two-day Apec summit has been heavily overshadowed by the Trump-Xi meeting that was arranged on the sidelines. The more turbulent the times, the more we must work together Chinese President Xi Jinping Mr Trump described his Thursday meeting with Mr Xi as a roaring success, saying he would cut tariffs on China, while Beijing had agreed to allow the export of rare earth elements and start buying American soybeans. Their deals were a relief to a world economy rattled by trade tensions between the worlds two largest economies. Advertisement Mr Trumps decision to skip Apec fits with his well-known disdain for big, multi-nation forums that have been traditionally used to address huge global problems, but his blunt dismissal of Apec risks worsening Americas reputation at a forum that represents nearly 40% of the worlds population and more than half of global goods trade. The more turbulent the times, the more we must work together, Mr Xi said during Apecs opening session. The world is undergoing a period of rapid change, with the international situation becoming increasingly complex and volatile. The Chinese president called for maintaining supply chain stability, in a riposte to US efforts to decouple its supply chains from China. Mr Xi also expressed hopes to work with other countries to expand co-operation in green industries and clean energy. South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, right, welcomes Chinese President Xi Jinping to the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation Economic Leaders Meeting in Gyeongju, South Korea (Yonhap via AP) Chinese exports of its solar panels, electric vehicles and other green tech have been criticised for creating oversupplies and undercutting the domestic industries of countries it exports to. It is Mr Xis first visit to South Korea in 11 years, and he is scheduled to meet new Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on Friday and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung on Saturday. South Korean officials said a Lee-Xi meeting would focus on dealing with North Koreas nuclear programme. Advertisement US secretary of the treasury Scott Bessent, who attended the summit on Mr Trumps behalf, said a US move to rebalance its trade relationships would ensure that each country operates on fair and reciprocal terms. He added that the US is investing with its trading partners to build resilient production networks that reduce dependence on vulnerable sectors. Established in 1989 during a period of increased globalisation, Apec champions free and open trade and investment to accelerate regional economic integration. But the Apec region now faces challenges such as strategic competitions between the US and China, supply chain vulnerabilities, ageing populations and the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on jobs. It's obvious that we can't always stand on the same side, as our national interests are at stake. But we can join together for the ultimate goal of shared prosperity South Korean President Lee Jae Myung The US strategy has been shifted to economic competitions with China rather than co-operation, with Mr Trumps tariff hikes and America first agenda shaking markets and threatening decades of globalisation and multinationalism. Leaders and other representatives from 21 Asia-Pacific Rim economies are attending the Apec meeting to discuss how to promote economic co-operation and tackle shared challenges. Opening the summit as chairman, Mr Lee called for greater co-operation and solidarity to overcome new challenges. Its obvious that we cant always stand on the same side, as our national interests are at stake. But we can join together for the ultimate goal of shared prosperity, Mr Lee said. I hope we will have candid and constructive discussions on how we can achieve Apecs vision in the face of the new challenge of a rapidly changing international economic environment. Despite Mr Trumps optimism after a 100-minute meeting with Mr Xi, there continues to be the potential for major tensions between the countries, with both seeking dominant places in manufacturing and developing emerging technologies such as AI. President Donald Trump, left, and Chinese President Xi Jinping shake hands before their meeting at Gimhae International Airport in Busan, South Korea (Mark Schiefelbein/AP) It is certainly a contribution to bring the leaders of the two largest economies together for a meeting where they agreed to withdraw their most extreme tariff and export control threats. As a result, worst-case outcomes for global trade were averted, said Leif-Eric Easley, professor of international studies at Ewha Womans University in Seoul. However, Apec is meant to be more than a venue for a trade war truce, Prof Easley said. Advertisement Greater multilateral efforts are needed to address the regions most pressing economic challenges, including resisting costly and destabilising protectionism, harmonising regulations for sustainable trade, and co-ordinating standards for digital innovation. South Korean officials said they have been communicating with other countries to prod all 21 members to adopt a joint statement at the end of the summit so as not to repeat the failure to issue one in 2018 in Papua New Guinea due to US-China discord over trade. South Korean foreign minister Cho Hyun said last week that issuing a joint statement strongly endorsing free trade would be unlikely because of differing positions among Apec members. He instead anticipated a broader declaration emphasising peace and prosperity in the region. As host nation, South Korea places a priority on discussing AI co-operation and demographic challenges such as ageing populations and low birth rates, under the theme Building a Sustainable Tomorrow: Connect, Innovate, Prosper. South Korean officials say Apec members will share exemplary cases of responses to AI and demographic issues, explore common steps and formulate new growth strategies during this weeks summit. Lebanons President Joseph Aoun said that any negotiations with Israel to halt its ongoing strikes on southern Lebanon which have continued despite a nearly year-old US-brokered ceasefire must be mutual. Mr Aoun made the remarks following talks with German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul, who was on a four-day Middle East tour and visited Beirut on his first official trip since taking office. The visit came as Israel has recently intensified its strikes on southern Lebanon. Lebanese president Joseph Aoun meets with German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul (Lebanese Presidency press office via AP) Both sides have accused each other of violating the ceasefire, which nominally ended the latest Israel-Hezbollah war last November. The conflict started after the October 7 2023 Hamas-led attack on Israel that triggered the war in Gaza. Hezbollah began firing rockets into northern Israel in support of Hamas and the Palestinians, prompting Israeli airstrikes and artillery shelling in return. The low-level exchanges escalated into full-scale war in September 2024. Advertisement Since the ceasefire, Israel has continued to carry out near-daily strikes across southern Lebanon, saying they target Hezbollah militants, weapons depots and command centres. Israeli forces have also maintained positions on several strategic points inside Lebanese territory. Lebanese officials have accused Israel of striking civilian areas and destroying infrastructure unrelated to Hezbollah, calling on Israeli forces to withdraw and respect Lebanons sovereignty. On Friday, at least two people were killed in Israeli strikes on several locations across southern Lebanon, according to the state-run National News Agency. An Israeli army spokesperson confirmed its forces killed a man, accusing him of attempting to rebuild Hezbollahs infrastructure. In a rare ground operation on Thursday, Israeli soldiers raided a municipal building in the border village of Blida, killing Ibrahim Salameh, a municipal employee. The raid sparked condemnation from Lebanese officials and protests by residents. Israeli strikes in Lebanon have continued despite a nearly year-old ceasefire (AP Photo/Mohammad Zaatari) Israel said its troops entered the building to destroy terrorist infrastructure linked to Hezbollah and fired to neutralise a threat, while Mr Aoun said Mr Salameh was killed while performing his professional duties. Lebanon is ready for negotiations to end the Israeli occupation, Mr Aoun told Mr Wadephul, but any talks cannot be one-sided they require mutual will, which is still lacking. The format, timing and location of negotiations will be determined later. He added that the Lebanese armys presence in the south will increase to 10,000 troops before the end of the year, noting continued co-ordination with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (Unifil). Advertisement The ceasefire stipulates that both Israel and Hezbollah are required to cease hostilities, with the Lebanese army and Unifil deploying south of the Litani River to ensure no armed groups other than the army operate in the area. The army has since deployed in dozens of positions across southern Lebanon and is working alongside UN peacekeepers to monitor ceasefire violations. Following Thursdays Israeli ground raid, Mr Aoun said he had requested the Lebanese army to confront any Israeli incursion into southern Lebanon in defence of Lebanese lands and the safety of citizens, although it was not clear what form that confrontation would take. The Presidents stance in ordering the army to confront Israeli incursions is a responsible position upon which we build, Hezbollahs Secretary-General Naim Kassem said in a recorded address on Friday. The positions of the three presidents and some officials are consequential, and our stance is unified, he added. After meeting with Lebanese Foreign Minister Youssef Rajji, Mr Wadephul said the continued Israeli attacks on Lebanese territory were unacceptable, stressing the need for Israel to respect Lebanons sovereignty and for both Israel and Hezbollah to adhere to the cessation of hostilities arrangements. Questions may be asked about why Andrew Mountbatten Windsor retains his place in the line of succession, a royal expert has said. The Kings dramatic decision to formally strip his brother of his Prince and Duke of York titles and HRH style effectively ends his public life and leaves him with the status of a commoner but he remains eighth in line to the throne. As of Friday morning on the royal familys official website, Andrew was still listed in eighth place as The Duke of York in the line of succession, behind Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet of Sussex. The former duke of York at the coronation ceremony for King Charles (Kirsty Wigglesworth/PA) Majesty Magazines managing editor Joe Little told the PA news agency: Im sure at some point quite soon, somebody will ask, if theyve not already done so, why he hasnt been moved from the line of succession. Clearly it would take quite a catastrophe for him to become king given all those that are ahead of him. Advertisement So might it not have been tidier to withdraw him from the line of succession? Andrew is a counsellor of state, but this role has previously been described as inactive. (PA Graphics) Only working members of the royal family would be called upon to carry out the sovereigns duties on a temporary basis as a counsellor of state in case of illness or overseas travel. Mr Little suggested it may have been tidier to remove that role from Andrews portfolio too. He said its not all bad for Andrew, who will move into an undisclosed private residence on the Sandringham Estate, the accommodation privately funded by the King, who will also make private financial provisions for his brother. Andrew is a counsellor of state (Kirsty Wigglesworth/PA) Mr Little said: On a personal level it must be pretty devastating and the ultimate humiliation for him, and we know him to be rather an arrogant character, but this has got to be taking its toll on him mentally. It would be very strange if it werent. But nevertheless, the future, its not looking particularly bleak. I mean, he will no longer be in Windsor, but hell be on a private royal estate in Norfolk, and will have accommodation provided and he will be supported in other ways by his brother, the King, for whom its been, equally, a very difficult time. No brother would want to do this to another sibling, but clearly this sanction has become necessary, and some would argue should have been taken a long time ago. Mr Little said the latest development is a big deal not only for Andrew but also for his daughters, Princesses Eugenie and Beatrice. Whatever they know about their father, and I suppose their mother given the more recent revelations, they are still their parents. The upheaval and the tumult that the family is experiencing at the moment must be pretty devastating, you would think, on many levels, he said. Russia has deployed around 170,000 troops in Ukraines eastern Donetsk region, where they are trying to capture the stronghold of Pokrovsk in a major push for a battlefield victory, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said. The situation in Pokrovsk is difficult, Mr Zelensky said, while also rejecting recent Russian claims that the devastated city is surrounded after more than a year of fighting. He acknowledged that some Russian units had infiltrated the city, but insisted that Ukrainian defenders were weeding them out. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the Russian forces were being gradually destroyed (Ukrainian Presidential Press Office via AP) There are Russians in Pokrovsk, Mr Zelensky told a media briefing in Kyiv. They are being destroyed, gradually destroyed, because, well, we need to preserve our personnel. In previous sieges during the almost four years since Russia launched its all-out invasion of its neighbour, Ukraine has pulled out of some places to avoid losing troops. Advertisement Ukrainian forces are desperately short-handed against Russias bigger army. Russian President Vladimir Putin has recently claimed that Russian forces are making significant advances on the battlefield, though their progress has been slow and costly in troops and armour. Mr Putin is trying to persuade the United States, which wants him to seek a peace deal, that Ukraine cant hold out against Russian military superiority. He has also stressed what he says is Russias improving nuclear capability as he refuses to budge from what he says are his countrys legitimate war aims. Ukraine has been fighting back by hitting targets inside Russia to disrupt military logistics and make Russian civilians feel the effects of war. Since the beginning of the year, Ukraine has conducted more than 160 successful long-range strikes on Russias oil extraction and refining facilities, the head of Ukraines Security Service, Vasyl Maliuk, told reporters. In September and October alone, Ukraine conducted 20 strikes on Russian oil facilities, Mr Maliuk said. A Russian tank rolls to fire towards Ukrainian positions on an undisclosed location in Ukraine. (Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP) He claimed that the strikes had brought a 20% drop in oil products on Russias domestic market and temporarily halted the operation of 37% of Russias oil refining capacity. The claims could not be independently verified. Mr Maliuk said: Clearly, we are not resting on our achievements. There are many fresh perspectives and new approaches in this work. These include new equipment, new combat units, and new methods and means of communication. Advertisement He said that over this year, Ukraine has destroyed nearly half of Russias sophisticated Pantsir air defence systems, which have stopped Ukrainian long-range drones. He also noted that last year, Ukrainian forces destroyed one of Russias advanced new hypersonic missiles that can fly at 10 times the speed of sound, striking it on the ground at a military base inside Russia, The Oreshnik missile, touted at the end of last year by Mr Putin as invulnerable to air defence systems and a game-changing weapon, was hit at the Kapustin Yar military firing range near the Caspian Sea in southwestern Russia, roughly 500 kilometres from the Ukrainian border, according to Mr Maliuk. Mr Putin said a year ago that the missile was used in an attack on the central Ukrainian city of Dnipro, some months after Mr Maliuk said Ukraine destroyed one of them. Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, talks with Russian servicemen who fought in Ukraine (Vladimir Gerdo, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP) Meanwhile, Russian drones struck apartment blocks in the north-eastern city of Sumy overnight, injuring 11 people, including four children, and also hit the southern Odesa regions energy infrastructure, authorities said. The war this year has been deadlier for civilians than in 2024, with a 30% rise in casualties so far, the UN humanitarian co-ordinator in Ukraine, Matthias Schmale, said. Russias almost daily aerial attacks on Ukrainian energy production and distribution facilities are especially worrying because the winter is forecast to be much colder than last year, Mr Schmale said at a briefing in Geneva. Advertisement Ukrainian cities have centralised public infrastructure to run water, sewage and heating systems, and the UN fears that denying those services to people in high-rise buildings in cities near the front line could turn into a major crisis, according to Mr Schmale. Destroying energy production and distribution capacity as winter starts clearly impacts the civilian population and is a form of terror, he said. Also, the UN humanitarian operation is short of money to respond to acute needs, as its Ukraine funding has declined from more than 4 billion dollars in 2022, the year of Russias full-scale invasion of its neighbour, to 1.1 billion dollars this year, Mr Schmale said. He added that the conflict feels increasingly like a protracted war, as US-led international peace efforts this year have come to nothing. We have been through phases this year where there was cautious optimism that it might end, Mr Schmale said. Right now on the ground, it doesnt feel at all like its ending any time soon. US military strikes against boats in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean allegedly carrying illegal drugs from South America are unacceptable and must stop, the UN human rights chief said. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk called for an investigation into the strikes, in what appeared to mark the first such condemnation of its kind from a United Nations organisation. Ravina Shamdasani, a spokeswoman for Mr Turks office, relayed his message on Friday at a regular UN briefing: These attacks and their mounting human cost are unacceptable. The US must halt such attacks and take all measures necessary to prevent the extrajudicial killing of people aboard these boats Volker Turk, UN The US must halt such attacks and take all measures necessary to prevent the extrajudicial killing of people aboard these boats. She said Mr Turk believed air strikes by the United States of America on boats in the Caribbean and in the Pacific violate international human rights law. Advertisement President Donald Trump has justified the attacks on the boats as a necessary escalation to stem the flow of drugs into the United States, but the campaign against drug cartels has been divisive among countries in the region. US defence secretary Pete Hegseth on Wednesday announced the latest US military strike in the campaign, against a boat he said was carrying drugs in the eastern Pacific Ocean. All four people aboard were killed. US defence secretary Pete Hegseth (Eugene Hoshiko, Pool/AP) It was the 14th strike since the campaign began in early September, while the death toll has grown to at least 61. Ms Shamdasani noted the US explanations of the efforts as an anti-drug and counter-terrorism campaign, but said countries have long agreed that the fight against illicit drug trafficking is a law enforcement matter governed by careful limits placed on the use of lethal force. Intentional use of lethal force is allowed only as a last resort against someone representing an imminent threat to life, she said. Otherwise, it would amount to a violation of the right of life and constitute extrajudicial killings. The strikes are taking place outside the context of armed conflict or active hostilities, Ms Shamdasani said. Advertisement CultureMoviesCinema After more than 20 years of frustrated plans, Sydney will finally get a cinematheque Garry Maddox October 31, 2025 2:30pm Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Save this article for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Got it Share After decades of failed proposals, Sydney is finally getting a cinematheque a dedicated centre for screening classic and contemporary films. The Art Gallery of NSW will upgrade its film program and rebrand as Sydney Cinematheque from February, with Hugo Weaving as its ambassador. A film Q&A session for the Korean film The Handmaiden at the Art Gallery of NSW. Korean Cultural Centre of Australia The move comes weeks after the gallery acted to axe 45 jobs to repair a $7.5 million budget black hole. The gallerys film curator, Ruby Arrowsmith-Todd, said the cinematheque a French term popularised by the famous Cinematheque Francaise in Paris would expand the use of its 320-seat and 95-seat cinemas. Advertisement It would continue the free screenings that currently include programs of Brazilian films, queer Chinese-language titles and video works by two New Zealand-based artists. Related Article Arts Art Gallery of NSW axes dozens of jobs after protests fall on deaf ears But it will introduce paid seasons to cover the cost of shipping 35mm prints and commissioning innovative new work. Arrowsmith-Todd said Sydney was the only one of the 26 UNESCO Cities of Film others include Bradford, Cannes, Galway, Kathmandu, Mumbai, Rome and Wellington without an established centre for screenings and talks. For over two decades weve been quietly serving as that space for weekly film culture in the city and its just about giving it a proper title and a proper status for a new era, she said. Advertisement Weaving said the gallery was one of his favourite places to watch films. Its a very exciting idea, he said. We desperately need it. To have a place where film lovers, film buffs and people in the film industry can gather and [hear] talks and talk about film culture, and where films can be seen is a critical thing that we havent had in Sydney forever. More than two decades ago director George Miller supported a push for one at the Museum of Contemporary Art. About a decade ago Sydney Film Festival was part of a group proposing one at the University of Technology Sydney. While those and other plans failed to get off the ground, successful cinematheques are operating in Melbourne, Brisbane and other cities around the country. We work quite nimbly in the cinema world: Ruby Arrowsmith-Todd, the curator of film at the Art Gallery of NSW, Anna Kucera Advertisement Arrowsmith-Todd said the new venture would screen five to six films a week while the gallery is open on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays, with hopes of expanding these hours in future. Well open with a very significant Australian-cinema retrospective with many directors and actors in attendance, she said. Itll be a big celebration of Sydney on screen, along with a retrospective of a significant homegrown talent. Wong Kar-wais Happy Together screened during Art Gallery of NSWs program of queer Chinese-language cinema. Arrowsmith-Todd said the new venture would be funded by philanthropic support and revenue from screenings and other activities. We work quite nimbly in the cinema world, she said. Weve been sustaining ourselves for 25 years but, with a bit of extra support, we feel confident we can move forward. Advertisement Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Save this article for later Remove items from your saved list to add more. You have reached your maximum number of saved items. As featured in the November 2025 hit list. See all stories . 1 / 3 Re-fried jollof rice with plantain at Marys. Supplied 2 / 3 Folded eggs with din din. Supplied 3 / 3 Inside the Collingwood cafe. Supplied Previous Slide Next Slide Nigerian$$$$ The Collingwood site formerly home to Singaporean stalwart The Old Raffles Place is now Marys, a day-to-night cafe celebrating owner Mary Akindeles Nigerian heritage. Shes sourcing spices from Nula Multi, a grocer in Braybrook, to supercharge flavour in quintessentially Nigerian dishes. Akindeles extra-earthy jollof rice is refried in ata din din, a spicy sauce of tomato and capsicum, to order. Theres also suya, a street-food staple Akindele is obsessed with, involving tender grilled beef marinated in a smoky, toasty, peanut-rich rub. Brunch means ata din din scrambled eggs and a pancake-doughnut hybrid emulating puff-puff, West Africas favourite fried dough snack, which Marys serves with maple and hibiscus syrup. Advertisement NationalNSWSydney councils Councillor accuses Muslim mayor of weaponising comments about pork Megan Gorrey October 31, 2025 4:56pm 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 Liverpools Muslim mayor Ned Mannoun has been accused of weaponising social media comments about pork by his long-term political enemy, an inquiry has heard. Lawyers for Mannoun grilled independent councillor Peter Ristevski over highly offensive and racist remarks about other elected officials which people had made on his Facebook page. Liverpool councillor Peter Ristevski has three years left of his current term on council. Ristevski told the inquiry into alleged dysfunction and maladministration at Liverpool City Council that members of the public could say what they like, say what they like about me, its free speech. Until Im told otherwise, I dont think theres anything wrong with free speech in this country and I encourage it, Ristevski said. Advertisement Advertisement On Friday, the inquiry aired a social media post, published on Ristevskis Facebook page, that encourages residents to have their say on an $11 million proposal to build a mosque in Austral. One person had commented, I heard that place was a pig farm, to which Ristevski responded that would be very ironic. Another commenter wrote, Ban the lot, we are a Christian country, to which Ristevski had responded with prayer hands and Australian flag emojis, the inquiry heard. Asked whether he was aware of previous public comments about pork and pigs, which Mannoun had found very offensive due to his religious background, Ristevski said: He weaponised them. Counsel assisting the inquiry, Trish McDonald, SC, said: Whether hes weaponising them or not, its very evident, and you know that its evident, that the mayor finds those comments offensive. Advertisement Ristevski said there was no chance his comment was linked to previous remarks about pigs or pork that had been directed at Mannoun by the public. He also rejected a suggestion he had been joining in on the disparaging comments that have offended the mayor in the past through his remark. Pressed by Mannouns lawyer, Kate Richardson, SC, on whether he would leave others comments on his official councillor Facebook page no matter how offensive or racist they were, Ristevski said he did not have time to review the thousands of comments people left on his social media posts. Liverpool Mayor Ned Mannoun. Dion Georgopoulos This is a free country [People] have said some things about me, vile things. I dont care, let them say what they want. We are not a communist country. The way you are speaking, you are saying that we are like North Korea. We are not. People can say what they like. Advertisement Related Article Sydney councils Ex-council boss denies he fuelled protests sparked by job loss rumours Richardson noted that Ristevski had aired various views and opinions, including the weaponising of things or not and suggested that, instead of cross-examining him on those matters, a rival version of events should instead be put to Mannoun, who is yet to give evidence in the inquiry. Ristevski previously told the inquiry he had paid a team of people in Macedonia to craft and publish his social media posts. He said he had given them free rein to post memes and be cheeky, until he changed his approach to social media this year following numerous code of conduct complaints. Its cheaper to have a team in Macedonia on 500 [$880] a month than it is to have someone in Australia on $5000. They ran my campaign team, and may I say theyre very effective, he said. Ristevski said there was no university degree, no TAFE course to be a local councillor, and that extra training on social media use and psychosocial incidents would be useful for elected officials. Advertisement The inquiry continues. Start the day with a summary of the days most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter. Advertisement NationalQueenslandTrade unions Happy to roll the dice: Teachers vote to reject final pay offer Catherine Strohfeldt Updated October 31, 2025 3:46pm ,first published October 31, 2025 3:06pm 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 11 View all comments State school teachers have knocked back the governments final pay deal, sending the union and Queensland government to the Industrial Relations Commission to hash out the dispute in arbitration. The offer was made to the Queensland Teachers Union (QTU) on Sunday evening following months of negotiations, with 67.6 per cent of members turning the deal down by the votes close at 2pm on Friday. Clearly the majority of members dont believe the governments offer will achieve [serious reform] and have voted accordingly, QTU said in a statement released shortly before 3pm. Queensland Teachers Union members went on strike in August. Catherine Strohfeldt Brisbane-based state school teacher Nicole Whilesmith said the offer did not have proper solutions to key problems teachers faced, leaving them rightly angry. Advertisement Our classrooms are running on goodwill and teachers are bearing the burden of key functional requirements, including both safety and resourcing, Whilesmith said. Related Article Updated Queensland government Teachers asked to vote on states best and final offer Teachers paused strike action in good faith because we care about our students and families the government has not shown teachers, students, or the community the same respect. The only winner is the governments fiscal bottom line. The rejected offer added measures to address conditions faced by teachers in classrooms including a new occupational violence strategy and safety taskforce but kept the wage increase at 8 per cent wage. Advertisement If they had accepted, teachers would have been backpaid to October 1. Also included in the offer were retention and attraction incentives, and an increase in wages for first-year teachers to above $90,000. Speaking to media on Monday, Education Minister John-Paul Langbroek said the state governments wages policy which limits pay offers across the public service to 8 per cent had been accepted by other sectors. He said then he was confident the offer, which he called the governments best and final, would be accepted by teachers. QTU members were overwhelmingly unimpressed, Brisbane teacher Jack Diamond said. Advertisement In terms of the finances, this offer is definitely worse than the one we were striking for [in August] because theyre not even giving us backpay to when the EB [enterprise bargaining agreement] expired, he said. Teacher Jack Diamond (left) at the teachers strike in August. Catherine Strohfeldt The minister and the union had warned that the dispute would head to arbitration in the Industrial Court of Queensland if the offer was rejected. QTU president Cresta Richardson told members on Monday that arbitration could take up to two years, and might not deliver the conditions teachers sought, but Diamond said teachers were optimistic. If you look at a couple of the past times that negotiations have gone to arbitration, weve gotten a few decent wins out of it, he said. Advertisement I believe there was a 14 per cent pay increase in the 2000s, 17 per cent pay increase in the 90s, so it hasnt happened too often, but I think people are happy to roll the dice on that one. Related Article Updated Schools Weve been quiet long enough: Queensland teachers strike in their thousands Diamond added the state had also not fleshed out plans to reduce occupational violence. Whilesmith said successive governments were to blame for violent, unsustainable working conditions faced by teachers. This is a long-standing issue where complacency and ignorance have failed all stakeholders, including our children, she said. Advertisement The government keeps announcing new policies and initiatives without the funding or resources to implement them successfully. The QTU State Council will meet in Brisbane on Saturday to plan the unions next steps. Education Minister John-Paul Langbroek said it was disappointing to see the deal rejected. It now falls to the QTU to explain why this deal was not accepted, he said in a statement. The Government will now start progressing to arbitration within the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission to ensure we can reach an agreement. Advertisement Opposition education spokeswoman Di Farmer said she hoped the resounding rejection had sent a strong message to the Crisafulli government. Its so important that teachers feel valued in every single way, she told reporters on Friday afternoon. Clearly the Education Minister has stuffed up his offer has insulted them. Start the day with a summary of the days most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter. Advertisement Analysis TechnologyAI Huge risk: ChatGPTs suicide prevention not enough, experts say Tim Biggs October 31, 2025 4:48pm 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 OpenAI has unveiled new measures to mitigate ChatGPT mental health concerns, as millions of users confide in the bot about suicidal thoughts, self-harm and psychosis. But experts say without proper regulation and foresight, many vulnerable people could remain at risk. In a post, OpenAI said it had worked with experts to ensure its latest models more reliably recognised signs of distress, reducing undesired responses by at least 65 per cent on previous models. It said the models could recognise emotional reliance on AI, short-circuit paranoid delusions, and shift conversations to safer, less-imaginative models if needed. OpenAI said 0.15 per cent of users each week have conversations with the bot that could indicate suicidal intent. Pexels We believe ChatGPT can provide a supportive space for people to process what theyre feeling, and guide them to reach out to friends, family or a mental health professional when appropriate, it said. But Nieves Murray, chief executive of Suicide Prevention Australia, said vulnerable people were accessing the technology in times of crisis and needed greater care. Government should demand accountability and transparency from OpenAI and others, requiring platforms that are safe by design and created with input from people with lived experience of suicidal distress, rather than retrofitted to avoid culpability. Advertisement Theres a huge risk in this area, Murray said. We cant rely on AI companies to self-regulate, particularly when it comes to issues of mental health and suicide risk. A poor rendition of an interaction with a bot could lead to the loss of life. Thats the pointy end of looking after someone whos vulnerable. ChatGPTs capabilities have been evolving quickly, leading to fears that regulation could fall behind. AP OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman has said that ChatGPT had been limited in its expression due to mental health concerns (the company has had legal action against it for its products alleged role in some youth suicides), but that the new mitigations meant it was free to make ChatGPT more personable and human-like. The company said only 0.15 per cent of users a week have conversations that indicate suicidal intent. But the company also claims to have 800 million weekly users, meaning more than a million instances of suicide ideation each week. Even if the latest ChatGPT performs as well in the real world as in testing delivering messages that OpenAI considers to be compliant with its support goals 91 per cent of the time thats 108,000 people a week getting an experience that doesnt meet the companys self-defined standards. Advertisement Murray said a bot designed to provide what its asked for is a dangerous thing if its operator can see only one option. Editor's pick AI ChatGPTs move towards AI porn a risk to children, eSafety warns We have seen some worrisome behaviours with generative AI, things that dont actually help a person whos in distress ... advice that is in line with their own current thinking, so exacerbating the risks, she said. As opposed to somebody who can provide an alternative perspective, to help them identify reasons for living. A person in distress is not going to ask for that. In September, Australias eSafety commissioner registered enforceable industry codes that apply to chatbots. They require platforms to prevent children from accessing harmful material, including content related to suicide and self-harm. Advertisement Murray said the government needed to take a more active role in protecting all Australians from potential harm. If a chatbot is to be used as a health service, it needs to be regulated like one and be held to the same standards of transparency and accountability. Were not against the use of digital platforms to help people, but there are better ways of doing it. There are better ways of designing the future, she said, pointing out that there are already digital, anonymous, evidence-based services that can help. You dont have to talk to somebody on the phone. There are other ways of getting that support with well-recognised, well-researched and well-tested programs such as Lifeline and Beyond Blue. I understand the appeal of ChatGPTs perceived anonymity, but in fact the existing services already provide that level of security. And they can demonstrate it. We dont have that level of transparency with OpenAI. Amy Donaldson, a Melbourne clinical psychologist who works with young people, said chatbots can be dangerous because theyre programmed to please and can become an idealised, perfect friend, enabling negative patterns and compromising real-world relationships. People channel their energy into interacting with a bot that cant provide the same depth and connection that a human can, Donaldson said. Its designed to provide exactly the responses that you want to hear and if it doesnt, you can provide instructions so it does respond the way you want next time. Advertisement Editor's pick Web culture Streamer Kicks failure on guidelines riles Australian web watchdog The feedback that Ive had from some of my clients is that theyre then surprised when people in the real world dont respond in that way. The growth in people reaching out to chatbots for help comes as traditional services note unprecedented use. Almost three in 10 Australians sought help from a suicide prevention service in the past 12 months, according to Suicide Prevention Australias research. One in five young Australians had serious thoughts of suicide, and 6 per cent made an attempt in the past year. The 18-24 age group is the most likely to seek help. But Donaldson said chatbots were attractive to young users who might not want to use existing services, for example school wellbeing services that must inform parents about self-harm. And while a bot could serve a positive role in encouraging care and offering advice while a person sits on a waitlist to see a professional, she said the platforms attempts to help were much riskier for the most vulnerable users, who might view ChatGPTs safety messages as a refusal to help. Those people might say well, OK, this thing cant help me either, she said. Advertisement Im concerned about what happens after that because a person could see that response and come up with an alternative plan, and thats a different thing to hitting a roadblock like that. If you or anyone you know needs support, call Lifeline on 131 114, Kids Helpline on 1800 55 1800 or Beyond Blue on 1300 224 636. Get news and reviews on technology, gadgets and gaming in our Technology newsletter every Friday. Sign up here. Advertisement Travel newsLuxury holidays Two Australian hotels named in Worlds 50 Best list Katherine Scott October 31, 2025 11:36am 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 25 View all comments Two Australian hotels have been recognised in the coveted Worlds 50 Best Hotels list by a global academy of well-travelled experts in the hotel and travel industry, with new entry Capella Sydney named Best Hotel in Oceania. Capella Sydneys Edwardian baroque-style facade, in the former NSW Department of Education building. Timothy Kaye Capella Sydneys glass-enclosed atrium with remotely operated artificial flowers that open and close above diners heads. Capella Sydney, operated by high-end Singapore-based Capella Hotels and Resorts group, ranked No.12 this year, with the former top-ranking Australian hotel for two years running, Brisbanes The Calile, sliding down the list nine places to No.34. The best hotels for 2025 were announced at a ceremony at Londons Old Billingsgate on Thursday, with luxury Chinese hotel Rosewood Hong Kong finally taking out the number one spot after featuring in the top three since the awards inception in 2023. Advertisement It is the third edition of the annual hotel rankings for the 50 Best group, known for its annual global top-50 restaurants and bars lists. Compiled by UK-based company William Reed Business Media, the hotel rankings debut in 2023 was the groups first global launch since turning its attention to bars in 2009. The Calile dropped to No.34 on the Worlds 50 Best Hotels rankings for 2025. The Worlds 50 Best Hotels No.1 Rosewood Hong Kong. A wraparound terrace and pool at Rosewood Hong Kong. The Thai capital made a splash this year with two hotels in the top three, and three in the top 10. Four Seasons Bangkok at Chao Phraya River came in second place, while last years No.1 Capella Bangkok followed in third, with Mandarin Oriental Bangkok rounding out the city list at No.7. Advertisement Capella Sydneys general manager, Marc von Arnim, said the team was humbled and proud to be part of this extraordinary list of the worlds finest hotels. Since launching in 2023, Capella Sydney has quickly established itself as one of the citys most luxurious properties. Capella Sydneys 20-metre indoor rooftop pool on level six. Dominic Lorrimer The suite life standalone bathtubs at Capella Sydney. The 192-room, $300 million hotel in the heart of Sydneys heritage sandstone precinct, set within the early 1900s Edwardian baroque former NSW Department of Education building, spared no expense in its thoughtful restoration and reimagining of the property, with art-studded interiors, a luxury spa, indoor rooftop pool and luxury touches like standalone bathtubs. Advertisement Related Article Hotel reviews No harbour views, but new $300 million Sydney hotel gets perfect score For dining and drinking, the street level has three places for guests and the public to congregate: Aperture, Brasserie 1930 and McRae Bar. The adjacent Lands by Capella in the historic Department of Lands building is currently under construction by Capellas developer arm, Pontiac, and set to open as an events space in February. It plans to house eateries, bars and boutiques. NSW and Queensland werent the only Australian states to receive a 50 Best nod. Baillie Lodges ultra-luxury all-inclusive retreat, Southern Ocean Lodge on Kangaroo Island in South Australia, was named the American Express Travel One To Watch last month. Southern Ocean Lodge has been recognised in the Worlds 50 Best Hotels as the one to watch. The high-end retreat was rebuilt following the devastating 2020 bushfires that ravaged Kangaroo Island. Advertisement The award marks a turning point for the property, which was destroyed in the January 2020 bushfires and reopened a year ago following a long, painstaking clearing and rebuilding process. Hobarts Marriott-run The Tasman, which ranked No.49 in 2024, didnt make this years top-50 list. Related Article Luxury holidays Five years after being destroyed, iconic Aussie lodge is back to its best Beyond the top-50 rankings, some properties received special awards, with another former winner, Italys Passalacqua in Lake Como (No.4), named Best Boutique Hotel for a second year; Desa Potato Head Bali took out the Eco Hotel Award; Mandarin Oriental Qianmen in Beijing (No.14) was singled out for the Nikka Best New Hotel Award; and Atlantis The Royal in Dubai (No.6) was named Best Beach Hotel. The academy chair position for the Oceania region, which includes Australasia, Melanesia, Micronesia and Polynesia, is held by Melbourne-based food and travel critic Michael Harden, but its not known how many of the jurors voting in the awards are Australian or Oceania-based. Advertisement The Worlds 50 Best Hotels rankings are based on the votes of a collective of 580 jurors spanning nine geographical regions and comprising hoteliers, travel journalists, hotel educators and seasoned luxury travellers. Panel members submit seven votes, in order of preference, based on stays over a two-year period ending in April 2024. The Worlds 50 Best lists have been criticised for favouring European venues and demonstrating a lack of diversity, though measures have been taken to address some of these shortfalls, including mandating a 50/50 gender balance among jurors. Any hotel is eligible; there is no essential criterion for a property to qualify for a vote, and hotels arent required to pay to play. The Worlds 50 Best Hotels for 2025 Rosewood Hong Kong, Hong Kong Four Seasons Bangkok at Chao Phraya River, Bangkok Capella Bangkok, Bangkok Passalacqua, Lake Como Raffles Singapore, Singapore Atlantis The Royal, Dubai Mandarin Oriental Bangkok, Bangkok Chable Yucatan, Chochola Four Seasons Firenze, Florence Upper House Hong Kong, Hong Kong Copacabana Palace, Rio de Janeiro Capella Sydney, Sydney Royal Mansour, Marrakech Mandarin Oriental Qianmen, Beijing Bulgari Tokyo, Tokyo Claridges, London Four Seasons Astir Palace, Athens Desa Potato Head, Bali Le Bristol, Paris Jumeirah Marsa Al Arab, Dubai Cheval Blanc Paris, Paris Bulgari Roma, Rome Hotel de Crillon, Paris Rosewood Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo Aman Tokyo, Tokyo Hotel Il Pellicano, Porto Ercole Hotel du Couvent, Nice Soneva Fushi, Maldives The Connaught, London La Mamounia, Marrakech Raffles London at The OWO, London The Emory, London Maroma, Riviera Maya The Calile, Brisbane The Lana, Dubai Hotel de Paris Monte-Carlo, Monaco Janu Tokyo, Tokyo The Taj Mahal Palace, Mumbai One&Only Mandarina, Riviera Nayarit Singita Kruger National Park, Kruger National Park Mandarin Oriental Hong Kong, Hong Kong Hotel Bel-Air, Los Angeles The Mark, New York Las Ventanas al Paraiso, Los Cabos The Tokyo Edition Toranomon, Tokyo Hotel The Mitsui, Kyoto Estelle Manor, Witney Grand Park Hotel Rovinj, Rovinj Hotel Sacher Vienna, Vienna Mandapa, Bali Sign up for the Traveller newsletter The latest travel news, tips and inspiration delivered to your inbox. Sign up now. State Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington Washington D.C. West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming Puerto Rico US Virgin Islands Armed Forces Americas Armed Forces Pacific Armed Forces Europe Northern Mariana Islands Marshall Islands American Samoa Federated States of Micronesia Guam Palau Alberta, Canada British Columbia, Canada Manitoba, Canada New Brunswick, Canada Newfoundland, Canada Nova Scotia, Canada Northwest Territories, Canada Nunavut, Canada Ontario, Canada Prince Edward Island, Canada Quebec, Canada Saskatchewan, Canada Yukon Territory, Canada Postal Code CAMEROUN :: Rule of Law Has Not Prevailed *CRP Leader Regrets Privileged Group of People Running, Destroying Ca :: CAMEROON Oct. 12 Election Outcome Rule of Law Has Not Prevailed *CRP Leader Regrets Privileged Group of People Running, Destroying Cameroon In an explosive audio statement following the proclamation of the October 12 presidential election results, Foligar Lang, National President of the Cameroon Reformation Party (CRP), has categorically rejected the outcome and launched a scathing attack on the long-ruling regime, claiming the 92-year-old President is incapacitated and a "new group of people" is running the country in his name. Langs reaction goes beyond standard opposition complaints, alleging a profound crisis of governance where the Head of State is little more than a figurehead. The CRP President began by denouncing the foundation of the electoral proclamation itself. I think the rule of law and justice has not prevailed during this time again and again, Lang stated, adding that "since far back 1992, the CPDM has never put try and endeavour to include Cameroonians in decision-making and make sure that their voices are heard and they are inclusive in anything that they do. Lang argued that the October 12 vote was merely the latest chapter in a decades-long system of exclusion. In the most dramatic part of his statement, Foligar Lang questioned the physical and mental capacity of the incumbent President, who has been in power for over 42 years. He knows nothing about the government again since he is about 92-93 years old and 42 years in power, Lang asserted, claiming the President is suffering from severe health issues. Based on this, Lang declared that the person claiming victory is not the one governing. Wherever he claims to be president, it is not him being the president of the country. It is a new group of people running the country in the name of somebody He claimed the electoral process was deliberately rigged, citing the inability of some party leaders to campaign fully. He said the true battle is not against the incumbent, but his handlers. Pour plus d'informations sur l'actualite, abonnez vous sur : notre chaine WhatsApp State Alabama Alaska Arizona Arkansas California Colorado Connecticut Delaware Florida Georgia Hawaii Idaho Illinois Indiana Iowa Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Maine Maryland Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Mississippi Missouri Montana Nebraska Nevada New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico New York North Carolina North Dakota Ohio Oklahoma Oregon Pennsylvania Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Vermont Virginia Washington Washington D.C. West Virginia Wisconsin Wyoming Puerto Rico US Virgin Islands Armed Forces Americas Armed Forces Pacific Armed Forces Europe Northern Mariana Islands Marshall Islands American Samoa Federated States of Micronesia Guam Palau Alberta, Canada British Columbia, Canada Manitoba, Canada New Brunswick, Canada Newfoundland, Canada Nova Scotia, Canada Northwest Territories, Canada Nunavut, Canada Ontario, Canada Prince Edward Island, Canada Quebec, Canada Saskatchewan, Canada Yukon Territory, Canada Zip Code TWO gardai based in Carlow Garda Station were recently recognised for their outstanding bravery when they pulled a drowning person from the River Barrow. On the 12 July this year, garda Colin Mallick and Sergeant Paul OShea responded to an incident involving a man who had gotten into difficulty in the Barrow in Carlow town. Upon assessing the situation, both members quickly located and deployed a lifebuoy in an attempt to assist the man. They quickly realised that the man would drown if they didnt get into the water themselves and physically pull him out. Without a second thought for their own safety, both garda Mallick and sgt OShea entered the water and made their way towards him. They successfully reached the man and, working together, brought him safely to the riverbank. Emergency medical services arrived shortly thereafter and took over and, thankfully, man subsequently made a full recovery For their courage, garda Mallick and sgt OShea were honoured with lifesaving bravery awards at the Water Safety Ireland Awards on 21 October. The awards were presented by chief supt Jane Humphries and minister of state Jerry Buttimer, TD, at a ceremony hosted by Water Safety Ireland in UCD, Dublin. It was an incredible act of bravery by Colin and Paul. They have families themselves and they selflessly entered the water to save that man. Were very proud of them, said Superintendent Anthony Farrell. Ottoline Spearman Emergency services are appealing to the public to take extra precautions during Halloween celebrations. Illegal bonfires and lighting fireworks are being discouraged to prevent injuries from happening. Unions are also raising concerns for the safety of frontline workers being sent to emergencies. Brendan Flynn is a paramedic with 30 years' experience, and he represents National Ambulance Service members. Speaking on Newstalk, he said there are real risks involved: "We're dependent on the public applying reasonable foresight with the benefit of hindsight based on their past experiences around Halloween and the obvious dangers associated with that. "We would be grateful if they would exercise that experience tonight. "We're happy that we do have experienced staff that will bring our new staff safely through tonight." Lord Mayor of Dublin, Ray McAdam, is also urging people to report any bonfire stockpiles. Speaking on Newstalk, he said the public should report stockpiles to Dublin City Council, the local area office, ring 222 22 22, or ring the gardai. "I'll be liaising with the gardai and City Council officials to make sure they are there to support Dublin communities, to make sure there is as minimal disruption and antisocial behaviour across Halloween as we possibly can," he said. Fiona Ferguson A man who wielded a meat cleaver during an attempt to steal a high-powered car has been jailed for eight years. Stuart Tighe (33) and another man had also targeted the same victim just days before the attack in an attempted carjacking outside his place of work but were foiled in their efforts. Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that the victim lost part of his ear in the attack on his home. The victim told the court that he was forced to sell his car, an Audi S8 which he had been left by a relative, after he was warned by gardai there might be a possible third attempt to take the car. Tighe, of no fixed abode, Coolock, Dublin 5, pleaded guilty to aggravated burglary with a meat cleaver and assault causing harm on February 3rd, 2024, and attempted theft on January 29th, 2024. He has 146 previous convictions, including for theft, assault, violent disorder, public order and road traffic offences. Passing the sentence on Thursday, Judge Martin Nolan said gardai had done a good job in tracking down Tighe after the incidents. He noted Tighe made no admissions but pleaded guilty after being presented with the weight of evidence against him. He said this was a serious matter and his guilty plea was the only real point of mitigation. He set a headline sentence of 12 years, and taking into account mitigation, imposed a sentence of nine years. He suspended the final year in order to incentivise rehabilitation. An investigating garda told George Burns BL, prosecuting, that on January 29th, 2024, the victim was exiting his place of work and had begun driving home when he heard a thud. He realised a car had run into the back of him and when he got out encountered two men. The driver accused him of stopping suddenly and the victim became suspicious. The passenger in the second car, Tighe, got out and walked to the front of the victims car. He then jumped into the front of the car in an attempt to steal it but the victim managed to pull him out. The man drove to a garda station to report the crime but left as he had been queuing for a long time. The man got surveillance footage from his workplace and spotted that the mens car had been parked there two hours prior to him leaving work. A few days later on February 3rd 2024 the man heard his doorbell ringing at about 10.30pm. He thought it might be a lost food delivery driver but instead found three men when he opened the door. There was a scuffle with a meat cleaver used by Tighe in the attack as the man attempted to get his front door closed. He managed to push the men back and close the door. The men fled, with one of the men, not Tighe, smashing the cars windscreen as they left. A neighbour who heard the commotion came to the victim's door and found blood all over the ground and hall door. They called 999 and assisted the victim, who had injuries to his forehead, ear, and fingers. The man was treated in hospital but lost part of his ear and has been left with permanent scarring. Footage of the attack was captured on CCTV and shown to the judge on a laptop. Gardai were able to identify Tighe as a suspect, and he was arrested in December. He was interviewed four times and his phone was found to contain messages referring to the offending. In his victim impact statement, the man described how he thought he was going to die in the attack at his home. He said he had been left in a bad physical state and lost part of his ears, with many scars a permanent reminder of the savagery perpetrated on me. He outlined how he suffered nightmares and broken sleep in the aftermath of the assault. He has upgraded his home security at significant cost and has been left feeling hopeless and cynical. He said he did not believe Tighes guilty plea indicated remorse and was instead an attempt to get out of jail earlier. Seoirse O Dunlaing SC, defending, said his client would like to offer an apology for what the man went through and understood he was facing a lengthy custodial sentence. Counsel said that it was a strong but circumstantial case, and had the case proceeded to trial, it would have been difficult. Mr O Dunlaing said Tighe had left school at a young age and found himself with a negative peer group, abusing substances and coming into contact with the justice system. He found himself living on the streets, having suffered a number of traumatic bereavements. Counsel said there would come a time when Tighe is released and submitted that, in the interest of society, a proper structure should be waiting for him. On the eve of Halloween, were thrilled to host the online premiere of Diaboli, a terrifying proof-of-concept short from the team behind this years Annecy Cristal-winning TV production Christo the Civilized Barbarian and the producers of the Emmy-winning The White Rabbit. Diaboli, the latest animated short from artist and filmmaker Shaddy Safadi, is a proof-of-concept for a possible feature, set during the height of the Holy Crusades. The film imagines a world where faith, war, and myth collide, and where the Devil himself returns to walk the earth. Safadi is best known as the founder of One Pixel Brush, one of the most respected concept art studios in gaming. His teams fingerprints can be found on some of the biggest franchises of the last decade, from The Last of Us and Call of Duty to DCs Blue Beetle. After fifteen years of mostly commercial work, Safadi is now ready to tell his own stories. His previous short, Christo the Civilized Barbarian, was a CG-animated comedy that picked up more than fifteen festival awards, including the aforementioned Cristal at Annecy earlier this year. Now, with Diaboli, hes traded jokes for pure, gory dread. They are polar opposites in tone and style, but both are things I found interesting to say, he says. Faith, Fear, and the End of the World The idea for Diaboli came from Safadis desire to redesign one of storytellings most overused figures, the Devil himself. I wanted to design the literal Christian Devil, but I want to make it actually scary, he says. Movie monsters are always muscular, angry, and human-like. Real predators arent mad, theyre just hungry or defending their young. That relative indifference, to me, is far more terrifying. Drawing inspiration from the Book of Revelation and conversations with ordained clergy, Safadi set his story in a time when faith, superstition, and fear ruled daily life. The short follows an atheist who discovers Christianity is real as the Devil returns and brings Armageddon with him. Its a story about belief, fear, and the end of all things, he explains. I think this resonates with all of us right now because we are so close to the precipice as a civilization on so many fronts. Avoiding Slowdowns The production of Diaboli was as scrappy as it was ambitious. Safadi partnered with Maciej Kuciara and Emily Yang, co-producers fresh off their Emmy win for The White Rabbit, and worked with the crowdfunding platform Shibuya to finance the project. They covered about half the budget, and I financed the rest when costs went dramatically over, he laughs. I even tried to quit! But Maciej wouldnt let me Im extremely glad they made us finish it because now we have this awesome thing to show. The team used motion capture and Unreal Engines MetaHuman tools to bring the medieval world to life. That efficiency-driven approach, Safadi says, is part of his philosophy as an art director. Safadi says there is a poisonous insecurity in the industry right now, paralyzing productions with endless versions and ideation. To avoid getting caught up in that paralysis, Safadi trusted his team. If you have super talented artists and a clear vision, and most importantly, know what your priority is, then it doesnt matter what the exact design of the building in the village in the background is, as long as it doesnt distract from the scene. Visually, he kept the world subdued so the horror could shine. Were also counterintuitively trying to keep everything boring on purpose, he elaborated. The buildings, costumes, and even the lighting were left muted so when the supernatural shows up, it hits harder, he argues. Sound, Symbolism, and Subtlety Sound plays an equally unsettling role. Composer Gavin Brivik (HBOs The Pit) and sound designer Jiri Niznik crafted an atmosphere thats eerie without leaning on cliche. No growls, metal scrapes, or demonic voices, Safadi says. His team stuck with sounds that feel scary but arent necessarily identifiable. Their first passes were almost perfect. Honestly, both of them just sent their near first versions, and I was like, Yep, sounds great. Faith and mortality run through the films imagery as well. We began with a cross and a dead bird, Safadi recalls. That immediately signaled death and faith. The result is a story that feels ancient but unsettlingly modern in its emotions, exploring what happens when doubt meets the apocalypse. Festival Success to Whats Next Since its completion, Diaboli has been making the festival rounds, winning honors at FilmHaus, the New York Film & Cinematography Awards, and the Cannes World Film Festival. For Safadi, that success is both validation and fuel for what comes next. Ideally, we get an option, meaning either an agent, producer, or an actor loves it and wants to be a part of it, buys the rights to it, and has me on as an advisor, consultant, co-writer, or someone to just sort of help see it through, he says. Between Christo the Civilized Barbarians riotous humor and Diabolis apocalyptic terror, Safadi has proven that One Pixel Brushs leap from concept art to filmmaking isnt just a change in medium, but an evolution in storytelling from a studio ready to pump up its pipeline. Clay Center, KS (67432) Today Becoming windy with scattered thunderstorms developing. Low 64F. Winds SSE at 20 to 30 mph. Chance of rain 40%. Higher wind gusts possible.. Tonight Becoming windy with scattered thunderstorms developing. Low 64F. Winds SSE at 20 to 30 mph. Chance of rain 40%. Higher wind gusts possible. Advertisement Fives FCB, a subsidiary of the global industrial engineering group Fives, has reinforced its position in North America with the establishment of its new U.S. subsidiary, Fives FCB USA Inc., and the appointment of three seasoned professionals to lead its regional operations. The company, which specialises in solutions for the cement, concrete, supplementary cementitious materials (SCM), and minerals industries, aims to deliver expert, responsive, and local support to customers across the region. Matt Devitt, Business Development Director Matt Devitt joins as Business Development Director, bringing 20 years of experience in plant operations and industrial gas treatment technologies with companies such as Lafarge, GCC, and Lhoist. His active role in the Cement Industrial Committee (CIC) and IEEE-ACA Conferences positions him as a key industry connector, bridging technical expertise and customer needs to drive business growth. Geovannoi Calderon, Chief Technical Officer Geovanni Calderon has been appointed Chief Technical Officer. With more than two decades of hands-on production, commissioning, and site management experience, including five years at Cementos Moctezuma and 17 years with Fives FCB, Geovanni offers deep knowledge of Fives technologies. His recent role as Corporate Energy Manager at Cemex USA focused on energy optimisation, making him instrumental in advancing technical excellence and efficiency. Jeff Sharratt, Services Lead Jeff Sharratt will lead Services, drawing on 30 years of experience across plant operations and service management. His background includes senior roles at American Gypsum, Vicat, and FLSmidth, where he developed expertise in project and service solutions that enhance plant performance and reliability. Headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama, Fives FCB USA Inc operates alongside North American Construction Services and leverages a strong local network to promote Fives advanced portfolio of equipment, integrated plants, and technical services. The new leadership team marks a significant step in expanding Fives footprint and customer engagement across the North American cement and minerals markets. Advertisement Cement dispatches in Vietnam increased by 11 per cent YoY to 5.42Mt in September 2025, according to the Vietnam National Cement Association (VNCA). Of this total, VICEM delivered 1.45Mt, up 17 per cent YoY, while other VNCA members saw a nine per cent YoY increase to 0.94Mt. Non-members reported a nine per cent YoY increase to 3.03Mt. Export volumes jumped 62 per cent to 3.20Mt, with clinker exports up 95 per cent YoY to 1.33Mt, while cement exports increased 45 per cent YoY to 1.87Mt. VICEM members reported a strong increase in clinker exports to 156,900t and 203,05t of cement exports, down 27 per cent YoY. Other VNCA members reported 12,762t of clinker exports, down three per cent YoY, and cement exports of 208,120t, up 123 per cent YoY. Clinker exports by non-members increased 77 per cent YoY to 1.16Mt, while cement exports increased 66 per cent YoY to 1.46Mt. January-September 2025 In January-September 2025, cement dispatches in Vietnam rose 16.7 per cent YoY to 55.27Mt. VICEM saw a 17.2 per cent YoY rise in domestic sales to 14.92Mt, while other VNCA members reported a 12.9 per cent YoY increase to 9.66Mt. Domestic dispatches by non-members rose 16.1 per cent YoY to 30.69Mt. Total exports increased by 17 per cent YoY to 26.44Mt in 9M25, with clinker exports up 39 per cent YoY to 10.63Mt and cement exports up six per cent YoY to 15.81Mt. VICEMs clinker exports dropped 42 per cent YoY to 445,460t and cement exports also by 42 per cent to 1.205t. Other VNCA members reported clinker exports of 285,168t, down one per cent YoY, and cement exports of 2.19Mt, down nine per cent YoY. Non-members saw a 50 per cent YoY increase in clinker exports to 9.90Mt and a 19 per cent YoY increase in cement exports to 12.42Mt. The Philippines and USA were the key cement export destinations in 9M25, accounting for around 3.8Mt each. Followed by Singapore with roughly 1.4Mt, Honduras, South Africa and Malaysia. Bangladesh was the main clinker destination with roughly 4.8Mt, followed by Cote dIvoire at around 2Mt, the Philippines, Taiwan and Malaysia. Outlook Thanks to double-digit consumption and production growth, Vietnam is on track to be the third largest cement producer globally in 2025, overtaking the USA for the first time. China will remain the largest producer, followed by India. Vietnam will also remain the largest cement exporter globally and third largest clinker exporter, after Indonesia and Egypt. The Salvation Army of Greater Chattanooga has launched an emergency food campaign titled Feed Hope. Share Love. in response to a "dramatic rise in local food-assistance requests - some three to five times higher than usual levels in recent weeks."With grocery and utility prices continuing to strain family budgets, were seeing many of our neighbors turning to us for the first time, said Major Douglas McClure, area commander of The Salvation Army of Greater Chattanooga. Our faith calls us to feed the hungry and serve those in need, and were confident our community will come together once again to make that possible.Officials said, "According to the U.S.Department of Agriculture, 13.5 percent of U.S. households experienced food insecurity in 2023, and 17.9 percent of households with children were food insecure."The Salvation Army of Greater Chattanooga provides several forms of food assistance, meeting urgent needs for families, seniors, and individuals facing hardship. Financial contributions allow the organization to replenish supplies quickly and serve those in need efficiently."How to Help: Donate online at www.csarmy.org; or Mail a check to The Salvation Army of Greater Chattanooga, PO Box 3359, Chattanooga, Tn. 37404.Every gift makes a difference: $50 feeds 3-5 families for a week; $100 feeds 6-10 families; $500 feeds 30-50 families; $1,000 sustains food assistance services for several weeks; and $5,000 funds the food assistance program for a month.Local residents who prefer to donate non-perishable food items may do so Monday through Thursday, from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. at the following locations: 614 Corps, 800 McCallie Ave., Chattanooga; Area Command, 1019 N. Moore Road, Chattanooga; East Lake Corps, 2140 E. 28th St., Chattanooga; and Cleveland Corps, 437 Inman St., Cleveland.These donations will directly support families served by The Salvation Army of Greater Chattanooga.The Salvation Army has served this community for 132 years, and we know that our neighbors always come through for one another, said Major McClure. With your help, we can share both food and the hope of Christ with every person who walks through our doors.For more information about the campaign, contact Kendall Hudson, development manager, at 423-219-2913. Here are the Grand Jury True Bills and Dismissed: True Bills: 20716 1 AUSTIN, TEASIA AGGRAVATED ASSAULT 10/29/2025 320717 1 BROWN, LEAUNDA TERRELL AGGRAVATED BURGLARY 10/29/2025 320717 2 BROWN, LEAUNDA TERRELL DOMESTIC ASSAULT 10/29/2025 320717 3 BROWN, LEAUNDA TERRELL DRIVING ON REVOKED, SUSPENDED OR CANCELLED LICENSE 10/29/2025 320717 4 BROWN, LEAUNDA TERRELL DISORDERLY CONDUCT 10/29/2025 320718 1 CAMP JR, MICHAEL GREENWOOD THEFT OF PROPERTY 10/29/2025 320719 1 CASE, ROGER NEIL DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE 10/29/2025 320720 1 COLES-SMITH, SHAKIRA KAPRIC FALSE REPORTS 10/29/2025 320720 2 COLES-SMITH, SHAKIRA KAPRIC HARASSMENT 10/29/2025 320720 3 COLES-SMITH, SHAKIRA KAPRIC CRIMINAL IMPERSONATION 10/29/2025 320721 1 DAVIS, THOMAS MATTHEW DOMESTIC ASSAULT 10/29/2025 320721 2 DAVIS, THOMAS MATTHEW DOMESTIC ASSAULT 10/29/2025 320722 1 ELDRIDGE SR, NATHAN LAMONT THEFT OF PROPERTY 10/29/2025 320722 2 ELDRIDGE SR, NATHAN LAMONT FAILURE TO APPEAR 10/29/2025 320723 1 GINN, ERNEST VERLANE THEFT OF PROPERTY 10/29/2025 320723 2 GINN, ERNEST VERLANE CRIMINAL SIMULATION 10/29/2025 320723 3 GINN, ERNEST VERLANE FORGERY 10/29/2025 320723 4 GINN, ERNEST VERLANE FINNCIAL EXPLOITATION OF AN ELDERLY/VULNERABLE ADULT 10/29/2025 320724 1 GINN, ERNEST VERLANE THEFT OF PROPERTY 10/29/2025 320724 2 GINN, ERNEST VERLANE CRIMINAL SIMULATION 10/29/2025 320724 3 GINN, ERNEST VERLANE FORGERY 10/29/2025 320724 4 GINN, ERNEST VERLANE FINANCIAL EXPLOITATION OF AN ELDERLY/VULNERABLE ADULT 10/29/2025 320725 1 GREEN, DAMON LAMONT AGGRAVATED ROBBERY 10/29/2025 320725 2 GREEN, DAMON LAMONT AGGRAVATED ASSAULT 10/29/2025 320725 3 GREEN, DAMON LAMONT AGGRAVATED ROBBERY 10/29/2025 320725 4 GREEN, DAMON LAMONT POSSESSION OF FIREARM WITH PRIOR VIOLENT FELONY CONVICTION 10/29/2025 320726 1 HALFACRE, KEVIN ANTWON THEFT OF PROPERTY 10/29/2025 320726 2 HALFACRE, KEVIN ANTWON POSSESSION OF MARIJUANA TO DELIVER OR SELL 10/29/2025 320726 3 HALFACRE, KEVIN ANTWON EVADING ARREST 10/29/2025 320726 4 HALFACRE, KEVIN ANTWON RESISTING ARREST 10/29/2025 320726 5 HALFACRE, KEVIN ANTWON DRIVING ON REVOKED/SUSPENDED/CANCELLED LICENSE 10/29/2025 320726 6 HALFACRE, KEVIN ANTWON SPEEDING 10/29/2025 320726 7 HALFACRE, KEVIN ANTWON RECKLESS ENDANGERMENT 10/29/2025 320727 1 HANKS, HUNTER ALLEN ASSAULT 10/29/2025 320738 1 HILL, MORGAN SHELBY HARASSMENT 10/29/2025 320738 3 HILL, MORGAN SHELBY OBSTRUCTING ROADWAY 10/29/2025 320738 4 HILL, MORGAN SHELBY DRIVING ON REVOKED, SUSPENDED OR CANCELLED LICENSE 10/29/2025 320738 7 HILL, MORGAN SHELBY HARASSMENT 10/29/2025 320728 1 HOOD, BRITTANY KALAN POSSESSION OF METHAMPHETAMINE WITH THE INTENT TO MANUFACTURE, DELIVER OR SELL 10/29/2025 320728 2 HOOD, BRITTANY KALAN POSSESSION OF HEROIN WITH THE INTENT TO MANUFACTURE, DELIVE ROR SELL 10/29/2025 320728 3 HOOD, BRITTANY KALAN POSSESSION OF COCAINE WITH INTENT TO MANUFACTURE, DELIVER OR SELL 10/29/2025 320728 3 HOOD, BRITTANY KALAN POSSESSION OF COCAINE WITH INTENT TO MANUFACTURE, DELIVER OR SELL 10/29/2025 320728 4 HOOD, BRITTANY KALAN POSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIA 10/29/2025 320728 5 HOOD, BRITTANY KALAN DRIVING ON REVOKED, SUSPENDED OR CANCELLED LICENSE 10/29/2025 320729 1 HUNT, ANGELA LEE POSSESSION OF FENTANYL OVER 15 GRAMS WITH THE INTENT TO MANUFACTURE, DELIVER OR SELL 10/29/2025 320730 1 JACKSON, RUSSELL LEE BURGLARY 10/29/2025 320731 1 JOHNSON, VICKIE KAY RECKLESS BURNING 10/29/2025 320732 1 JONES, DONNIE EUGENE POSSESSION OF METHAMPHETAMINE WITH THE INTENT TO MANUFACTURE, DELIVER OR SELL 10/29/2025 320732 2 JONES, DONNIE EUGENE POSSESSION OF LSD 10/29/2025 320732 3 JONES, DONNIE EUGENE POSSESSION OF GABAPENTIN 10/29/2025 320732 4 JONES, DONNIE EUGENE POSSESSION OF MARIJUANA 10/29/2025 320732 5 JONES, DONNIE EUGENE POSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIA 10/29/2025 320733 1 JONES, DONNIE EUGENE POSSESSION OF METHAMPHETAMINE WITH THE INTENT TO MANUFACTURE, DELIVER OR SELL 10/29/2025 320733 2 JONES, DONNIE EUGENE POSSESSION OF MARIJUANA WITH THE INTENT TO DELIVER OR SELL 10/29/2025 320733 3 JONES, DONNIE EUGENE POSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIA 10/29/2025 320733 4 JONES, DONNIE EUGENE POSSESSION OF LSD 10/29/2025 320733 5 JONES, DONNIE EUGENE RESISTING ARREST 10/29/2025 320734 1 KING, MICHE LASHAWN DOMESTIC ASSAULT 10/29/2025 320735 1 KIRBY, JEFF A RESISTING ARREST 10/29/2025 320735 2 KIRBY, JEFF A DISORDERLY CONDUCT 10/29/2025 320736 1 MCCLURE, NICHOLE JOSETTE COMPUTER OFFENSES 10/29/2025 320736 2 MCCLURE, NICHOLE JOSETTE FORGERY 10/29/2025 320736 3 MCCLURE, NICHOLE JOSETTE FORGERY 10/29/2025 320736 4 MCCLURE, NICHOLE JOSETTE FORGERY 10/29/2025 320736 5 MCCLURE, NICHOLE JOSETTE THEFT OF IDENTITY 10/29/2025 320736 6 MCCLURE, NICHOLE JOSETTE THEFT OF IDENTITY 10/29/2025 320736 7 MCCLURE, NICHOLE JOSETTE THEFT OF IDENTITY 10/29/2025 320736 8 MCCLURE, NICHOLE JOSETTE PRESCRIPTION FRAUD 10/29/2025 320736 9 MCCLURE, NICHOLE JOSETTE PRESCRIPTIONDFRAUD 10/29/2025 320736 10 MCCLURE, NICHOLE JOSETTE PRESCRIPTION FRAUD 10/29/2025 320736 11 MCCLURE, NICHOLE JOSETTE FRAUDULENT USE OF CREDIT CARD 10/29/2025 320736 12 MCCLURE, NICHOLE JOSETTE THEFT OF PROPERTY 10/29/2025 320737 1 MILLER, KENNETH L HARASSMENT 10/29/2025 320737 2 MILLER, KENNETH L HARASSMENT 10/29/2025 320737 3 MILLER, KENNETH L OBSTRUCTING ROADWAY 10/29/2025 320737 5 MILLER, KENNETH L EVADING ARREST 10/29/2025 320737 6 MILLER, KENNETH L RESISTING ARREST 10/29/2025 320739 1 MIREE, CORDAI DEWAYNE RECKLESS DRIVING 10/29/2025 320739 2 MIREE, CORDAI DEWAYNE POSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIA 10/29/2025 320739 3 MIREE, CORDAI DEWAYNE POSSESSION OF MARIJUANA WITH INTENT TO MANUFACTURE, DELIVER OR SELL 10/29/2025 320739 4 MIREE, CORDAI DEWAYNE TAMPERING WITH EVIDENCE 10/29/2025 320739 5 MIREE, CORDAI DEWAYNE POSSESSING OF FIREARM DURING COMMISSION OF DANEROUS FELONY 10/29/2025 320739 6 MIREE, CORDAI DEWAYNE UNLAWFULL POSSESSION OF FIREARM 10/29/2025 320740 1 NEAL, KYSEAN LEVAUGHN POSSESSION OF FENTANYL WITH INTENT TO MANUFACTURE, DELIVER OR SELL 10/29/2025 320740 2 NEAL, KYSEAN LEVAUGHN POSSESSION OF METHAMPHEAMINE WITH INTENT TO MANUFACTURE, DELIVER OR SELL 10/29/2025 320740 3 NEAL, KYSEAN LEVAUGHN POSSESSION OF HEROIN WITH INTENT TO MANUFACTURE, DELIVER OR SELL 10/29/2025 320740 4 NEAL, KYSEAN LEVAUGHN POSSESSION OF COCAINE WITH INTENT TO MANUFACTURE, DELIVER OR SELL 10/29/2025 320740 5 NEAL, KYSEAN LEVAUGHN POSSESSION OF MARIJUANA WITH INTENT TO MANUFACTURE, DELIVER OR SELL 10/29/2025 320740 6 NEAL, KYSEAN LEVAUGHN POSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIA 10/29/2025 320741 1 NEIGHBORS, DE'ASIA FRAUDULENT USE OF CREDIT CARD 10/29/2025 320741 2 NEIGHBORS, DE'ASIA FRAUDULENT USE OF CREDIT CARD 10/29/2025 320741 3 NEIGHBORS, DE'ASIA THEFT OF PROPERTY 10/29/2025 320742 1 NEIGHBORS, DE'ASIA FRAUDULENT USE OF CREDIT CARD 10/29/2025 320742 2 NEIGHBORS, DE'ASIA THEFT OF PROPERTY 10/29/2025 320743 1 OWENS, MICHAEL LADALE ALTERATION OF ITEM'S PERMANENT NUMBER 10/29/2025 320743 2 OWENS, MICHAEL LADALE TAMPERING WITH OR FABRICATING EVIDENCE 10/29/2025 320743 3 OWENS, MICHAEL LADALE POSSESSING OF FIREARM WITH PRIOR VIOLENT FELONY CONVICTION 10/29/2025 320744 1 POINTER, ARLANDIS KEITH POSSESSION OF FENTANYL WITH INTENT TO MANUFACTURE, DELIVER OR SELL 10/29/2025 320744 2 POINTER, ARLANDIS KEITH POSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIA 10/29/2025 320744 3 POINTER, ARLANDIS KEITH DRIVING ON REVOKED, SUSPENDED OR CANCELLED LICENSE 10/29/2025 320745 1 ROBINSON JR, DOMINIQUE CORTEZ POSSESSION OF MARIJUANA WITH INTENT TO MANUFACTURE, DELIVER OR SELL 10/29/2025 320745 1 ROBINSON JR, DOMINIQUE CORTEZ POSSESSION OF MARIJUANA WITH INTENT TO MANUFACTURE, DELIVER OR SELL 10/29/2025 320745 2 ROBINSON JR, DOMINIQUE CORTEZ POSSESSION OF FIREARM DURING COMMISSION OF DANGEROUS OFFENSE 10/29/2025 320745 3 ROBINSON JR, DOMINIQUE CORTEZ TINTED WINDOWS VIOLATION 10/29/2025 320745 4 ROBINSON JR, DOMINIQUE CORTEZ SEAT BELT LAW VIOLATION 10/29/2025 320746 1 SANDERS, KIERAN TEON CRIMINAL TRESPASSING 10/29/2025 320746 2 SANDERS, KIERAN TEON POSSESSION OF MARIJUANA 10/29/2025 320747 1 SANDERS, KIERAN TEON THEFT OF PROPERTY 10/29/2025 320748 1 SANDERS, KIERAN TEON CRIMINAL TRESPASSING 10/29/2025 320748 2 SANDERS, KIERAN TEON EVADING ARREST 10/29/2025 320749 1 SANTORA, ANDREW BRIAN THEFT OF PROPERTY 10/29/2025 320750 1 SANTORA, ANDREW BRIAN THEFT OF PROPERTY 10/29/2025 320750 2 SANTORA, ANDREW BRIAN POSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIA 10/29/2025 320751 1 SCHOOCRAFT, TAYLOR EAVES FAILURE TO APPEAR 10/29/2025 320752 1 SCHOOCRAFT, TAYLOR EAVES AGGRAVATED ASSAULT 10/29/2025 320752 2 SCHOOCRAFT, TAYLOR EAVES DRIVING ON REVOKED, SUSPENDED OR CANCELLED LICENSE 10/29/2025 320753 1 SHEPPARD, MICHAEL LEON POSSESSION OF MARIJUANA 10/29/2025 320753 2 SHEPPARD, MICHAEL LEON POSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIA 10/29/2025 320754 1 SMALLEN, JONATHAN WADE THEFT OF PROPERTY 10/29/2025 320755 1 SMITH, CASEY JAY BURGLARY 10/29/2025 320755 2 SMITH, CASEY JAY THEFT OF PROPERTY 10/29/2025 320756 1 SPARKS, LAJEFFERY ROMANE MURDER IN THE FIRST DEGREE 10/29/2025 320756 2 SPARKS, LAJEFFERY ROMANE POSSESSION OF FIREARM WITH PRIOR FELONY DRUG CONVICTION 10/29/2025 320756 3 SPARKS, LAJEFFERY ROMANE POSSESSING A FIREARM DURING A DANGERON FELONY 10/29/2025 320757 1 STRICKLAND, ROGER GLENN AGGRAVATED ASSAULT 10/29/2025 320757 2 STRICKLAND, ROGER GLENN ALTERATION SEROAL NUMBER 10/29/2025 320758 1 THOMAS, CHRISTOPHER LAJUAN POSSESSION OF MARIJUANA WITH THE INTENT TO MANUFACTURE, DELIVER OR SELL 10/29/2025 320758 2 THOMAS, CHRISTOPHER LAJUAN POSSESSION OF COCAINE WITH THE INTENT TO MANUFACTURE, DELIVER OR SELL 10/29/2025 320758 3 THOMAS, CHRISTOPHER LAJUAN POSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIA 10/29/2025 320759 1 WATSON, IYSIS RENA THEFT OF PROPERTY 10/29/2025 320760 1 WESTMORELAND, KELVIN LAQUON AGGRAVATED ASSAULT 10/29/2025 320761 1 WESTMORELAND, KELVIN LAQUON DRIVING ON REVOKED, SUSPENDED OR CANCELLED LICENSE 10/29/2025 320761 2 WESTMORELAND, KELVIN LAQUON RECKLESS DRIVING 10/29/2025 320761 3 WESTMORELAND, KELVIN LAQUON RESISTING ARREST 10/29/2025 320761 4 WESTMORELAND, KELVIN LAQUON EVADING ARREST 10/29/2025 Dismissed: 1 CARTER, MELANIE DENISE POSSESSION OF CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE 10/29/2025 1 CARTER, MELANIE DENISE POSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIA 10/29/2025 1 CARTER, MELANIE DENISE REGISTRATION, EXPIRED 10/29/2025 1 MONTGOMERY, AMONCHAI DRIVING UNDER THE INFLUENCE 10/29/2025 1 MOORER, MARCUS LAMOUNT EVADING ARREST 10/29/2025 1 MOORER, MARCUS LAMOUNT POSS OF FIREARM DURING A FELONY 10/29/2025 1 MOORER, MARCUS LAMOUNT POSS.OF CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE ANALOGUE FOR RESALE 10/29/2025 1 MOORER, MARCUS LAMOUNT POSSESSING A FIREARM WITH INTENT TO GO ARMED 10/29/2025 1 MOORER, MARCUS LAMOUNT POSSESSION OF CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE 10/29/2025 1 MOORER, MARCUS LAMOUNT POSSESSION OF DRUG PARAPHERNALIA 10/29/2025 1 MOORER, MARCUS LAMOUNT TAMPERING WITH OR FABRICATING EVIDENCE 10/29/2025 1 NELSON, JARIAN JERMAINE AGGRAVATED CHILD ABUSE 10/29/2025 1 NELSON, JARIAN JERMAINE VANDALISM/MALICIOUS MISCHIEF 10/29/2025 1 STRICKLAND-SPARKS, KENEQUA POSSESSION OF CONTROLLED SUBSTANCE 10/29/2025 1 STRICKLAND-SPARKS, KENEQUA THEFT OF PROPERTY 10/29/2025 1 STRICKLAND-SPARKS, KENEQUA UNL. CARRYING OR POSSESSING WEAPON 10/29/20251 VANDERGRIFF, MATTHEW TATE ARSON 10/29/20251 VARRICHIONE, ANDREA FAILURE TO APPEAR 10/29/20251 VARRICHIONE, ANDREA VIOLATION OF ORDER OF PROTECTION OR RESTRAINING OR 10/29/20251 VARRICHIONE, ANDREA VIOLATION OF PROTECTION ORDER OR RESTRAINING ORDER 10/29/2025 Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti on Thursday praised a federal district courts decision to dismiss a lawsuit filed by State Rep. Justin Jones against Tennessee House Speaker Cameron Sexton and other House officials. He said the ruling, issued by U.S. District Judge Eli J. Richardson in the Middle District of Tennessee, upholds the independence of Tennessees legislative branch. He stated, "The lawsuit, which involved years of onerous litigation at taxpayer expense, was brought by former United States Attorney General Eric Holder's powerhouse Washington, D.C. law firm. "This decision is a clear affirmation of foundational principles that underpin our republican system of government: federalism and separation of powers, said Attorney General Skrmetti. Tennessee legislators must be free to debate, enforce legislative rules, and conduct internal affairs without the constant threat of federal litigation. This ruling protects not just these defendants, but the ability of elected representatives from across Tennessee to get their work done and serve their constituents. Read the Order. America is now paying for decades of civic neglect. The steady decline of civic education has left generations unsure not only of what the nation stands for but why it exists at all. In classrooms where students once studied the ideas that shaped our republic, most now graduate without reading the Declaration, the Constitution, or even understanding what self-government means (it has also been said, that a disturbing number of Americans read at a sixth-grade level). The status-quo didnt happen overnight and it didnt happen without warning. George Washington saw it coming when he called education an indispensable duty of a free people. Justice Sandra Day OConnor said the same two centuries later, reminding us that civic knowledge isnt inherited: it must be taught, deliberately and continuously. Yet weve treated civic learning as an afterthought, assuming that liberty is simply self-sustainable. Ronald Reagan once said liberty is never more than one generation away from extinction. Lincoln and Douglass understood that too. They knew a republic built on human equality and moral truth survives only when its citizens understand the meaning of those words. That understanding has grown thin. Anger now replaces argument, and political disagreement too often hardens into disdain. The decline in civic knowledge isnt a matter of trivia; its the slow unraveling of a shared moral vocabulary and disintegration of public memory. Some blame the polarization on new interpretations of history, projects that recast Americas founding as irredeemably corrupt. But these narratives didnt create our civic amnesia; they filled the void it left. When a nation stops teaching its own story, it shouldnt be surprised when others re-write it. This civic silence mirrors a broader cultural habit: ignoring problems until they become crises. We see it in the decision not to prosecute minor thefts, which drives businesses out of communities, and in bail reforms that release repeat offenders who soon re-offend. The pattern is familiar: avoid small confrontations now, face large consequences later. Politicians are good at doing that. Whether in crime, economics, or civic education, our country has grown accustomed to the high cost of doing nothing. The loss of civic understanding is not abstract. It shows up in the way people talk past each other, in the suspicion that democracy itself no longer works. Real civic literacy: knowing our rights, our responsibilities, and the principles behind them, once served as the glue that held this diverse nation together. It began in families and deepened in schools, where students learned how freedom actually operates. Too many schools have quietly abandoned that role and many teachers have abided. Granted, being under the thumb of a particular teachers union may be part of the problem for some. History has shown what happens when citizens forget their civic duties. In the last century, totalitarian regimes rose not only through force but through the apathy of ordinary people. Lenin, Stalin, Hitler - each took advantage of populations that had lost confidence in their own civic traditions. Even in the West, ignorance and wishful thinking led to appeasement, until the price of inaction became unspeakable: a world war and tens of millions dead. We dont face a dictator, or a king for that matter but we do face disconnection from each other, and from the ideas that once bound us. Surveys show growing numbers of young Americans expressing faith in socialism or other radical ideologies that are counter to the pillars of American Republicanism, often without understanding the freedoms theyd be trading away. This isnt because theyre unpatriotic, it is because no one has taught them what their system is, or why it matters. Worse still, the number of children within the ranks of immigrants (both legal and illegal) are not learning either. This is going to have consequences in the future as there will be no cultural ties to the past. This is not nostalgia; its survival. The late and great David McCullough once warned that somethings eating away at the national memory, and he was right. Forgetfulness doesnt make a country more just or more free, it only makes it easier to divide. As the nation approaches its semi-quincentennial, the challenge is simple but urgent: to remember, and to teach. The principles of liberty dont live on their own. They must be lived, argued, and renewed. We can continue pretending that forgetting has no cost, or that we can act while theres still time. The health of a Constitutional Republic depends, as republics always have, on what its citizens choose to know. Discourse and cheap shots regarding White House renovations are merely distractions pettifogging matters of more importance. Joshua Card Red Bank Pictured, left to right, are Deputy Chief of Corrections Tim Davis, Chief Deputy Spencer Daniels, Deputy Jeremiah Nelson, Deputy Savannah Rossetter and Sheriff Austin Garrett Previous Next Two new Hamilton County Sheriffs Office patrol deputies graduated Friday from the Blount County Sheriffs Office Regional Training Academy in Blount County. Sheriff Austin Garrett, along with numerous HCSO executive staff, attended the graduation to recognize their achievements.The newly graduated HCSO deputies are Savannah Rossetter and Jeremiah Nelson, who both began their service with the HCSO in Corrections Services before attending the academy. They trained alongside recruits from law enforcement agencies across Tennessee as part of the Regional Law Enforcement Academy.Deputies Rossetter and Nelson will now enter the 1214 week Field Training and Evaluation Program, where they will receive hands-on training with senior Field Training Deputies and specialty units to gain experience in uniformed law enforcement operations.The 12-week academy program included 500 hours of intensive training, covering criminal law, patrol tactics, defensive tactics, emergency vehicle operations, firearms and other essential law enforcement skills.Recruits also met Cooper Institute standards for physical fitness, including sit-ups, push-ups, a 1.5-mile run, a 300-meter sprint and an obstacle course."Please join Sheriff Austin Garrett and the men and women of our agency as we congratulate Deputies Rossetter and Nelson on their graduation and their commitment to serving the citizens of Hamilton County," officials said. Stanley Coffman, left, and Dennis Smith photo by John Shearer Tom Gregory photo by John Shearer David Hendrix photo by John Shearer Neighborhood Helpers Volunteer Ministry workers and recipient photo by John Shearer Bible presented to David Hendrix photo by John Shearer Bible presented to David Hendrix photo by John Shearer Sign put in front of home photo by John Shearer Previous Next Nearly every Wednesday morning, a dozen or more local retired men get their arms moving good and their hearts pumping doing a little carpentry and construction work. They are also showing a little heart emotionally and spiritually, as they try to practice their Christian faith volunteering to build ramps in front of residences for people with varying physical disabilities. I like being able to help someone and show the love of Jesus, said Stanley Coffman, a coordinator of the group, the Neighborhood Helpers Volunteer Ministry, in explaining his and the others motivations. And this has not been a short ministry briefly inspired, either. The group of retired men representing mostly area Baptist churches has been going strong for more than 15 years. As evidence, when I interviewed several of them on the late morning of Oct. 22 while they were working on a home in the 5000 block of Jackson Road in Apison, they were finishing up their 693rd ramp locally for someone with a physical disability. According to Mr. Coffman, the ministry began as an outreach of Oak Street Baptist Church in Soddy-Daisy. It quickly found a large demand for the wooden ramps for people with varying needs trying to not only get up into their homes but also wanting to look up at life more positively. It got to be more than what the members of Oak Street could take care of, and so with the help of the Hamilton County Baptist Association, the Neighborhood Helpers Volunteer Ministry was formed as a non-denominational organization, said Mr. Coffman. We started doing different things for houses and around 2009, we got funding from United Cerebral Palsy to pay for handicap ramps, and currently we stay completely busy doing handicap ramps. We build them once a week and we have them scheduled out through early January. He said an application process is involved regarding income, and the UCP pays up to $2,000 per ramp, with the TVA Retirees Association contributing an additional $1,500 if needed. Churches or civic organizations will also sometimes sponsor a ramp, he said. These elves for Jesus have the routine down so well regarding purchasing and storing materials and having them delivered that they can usually finish a project by lunchtime. And if you think all these people are retired from the construction industry, think again. We currently have one carpenter who works with us, but everybody else did something else, said Mr. Coffman with a laugh of the on-the-job training most have received. We have some engineers, some boilermakers, some welders, and we used to have a retired policeman, but he is unable to help us now. Mr. Coffman, who is a retired engineer from TVA, said he started with the group in 2011 and helps coordinate it along with help from Richard Smith, Dennis Smith and others. Bob Neely started it, but when he got to be unable, I kind of took over the coordination and design of the ramps, he said. But they hinted that their real boss doing the wood building is the Jewish carpenter, Jesus. Knowing that Ive done something today to try to help someone who couldnt help themselves is rewarding. And I am pleasing the Lord and trying to do His will and living for Him, said Tom Gregory, a retired 41-year employee of DuPont, who has not let his octogenarian status slow him down. Of course, the several hours the group spends on site is not completely all work and no play. Friendly banter and kidding were noticeable on the day I was there, and they had apparently finished off an apple cake made by fellow worker David Womacks wife, Jane, before the sawdust had time to settle. Besides Oak Street Baptist, the group has people from such other congregations as Abbas House, Ridgedale Baptist, Stuart Heights Baptist, Falling Water Baptist, among others. Volunteer Dennis Smith formerly worked on computers for an internet service provider but likes this basic work of manual labor and interaction with the people being aided by the ramps. Its a good feeling, said the former Michigan resident, who has been with the group for about 10 years and has seen them build more than 450 ramps during that time. I have no special skills, but just a desire to help people and to do the Lords work. To see people as we are praying with them at the ramp, they have tears in their eyes and they are joyful, he continued. Some of them havent been able to get out of the house for two or three years because of their steps, and this provides them an opportunity to get out of the house and go places and do things. The recipient of the helping hands and hammers on this day was David Hendrix, who now has another positive amenity besides the aromatic smell of baked cakes he said he enjoys in the mornings from his home near several McKee Foods plants making Little Debbies. They are doing great work, he said of the volunteers gratefully as he watched them finish up, adding that he had seen the ramps in other places and contacted the group about building one for him. I like it all. It actually looks better than I thought it would. As is typical with every project, the volunteers placed a sign in Mr. Hendrixs front yard that said, Ramp built by the love of Jesus. They also pray with each ramp recipient and present the person or persons with a Bible signed by that days volunteers, along with a favorite Bible chapter and verse or verses of each volunteer. Besides Stanley Coffman, Dennis Smith, David Womack and Tom Gregory, other volunteers helping this day were Glenn Leming, Andy Polahar, Subir Banerji, Curtis Jones, David Maddox, Herndon Elliott, Steve. L. West, George Jallo, Richard Smith and Jack Palmer. Mr. Elliott, who first became interested in woodworking while taking shop class at Bright School as a child under teacher Aaron Lowe, said he also enjoys the volunteer work and helping people. He said he had also been involved with a similar group in Huntsville, Al., before moving back to Chattanooga, and they would oversee groups volunteering for particular projects. He recalled that it was meaningful for the group he oversaw. It was like when they were done, they said, Holy cow! I did not know I could build something like that. The Neighborhood Helpers Volunteer Ministry workers also dont seem to get tired of the satisfaction of constructing ramps along with building goodwill and building up the kingdom of God. As Dennis Smith added, The real joy is how much it helps the family and the person who has mobility issues. * * * Those wanting more information on the group can go to the Neighborhood Helpers Volunteer Ministry Facebook page. * * * Jcshearer2@comcast.net Dr. Flagg Taylor, keynote speaker, addresses attendees at the 10th annual CRC Symposium Dr. Thomas Pope, CRC director, in a discussion seminar with students Students during the symposium in one of the discussion rooms Symposium participants gather for a group photo Previous Next Lee Universitys Center for Responsible Citizenship hosted its 10th annual Symposium, exploring the theme of Statesmanship and Tyranny. The event examined the challenges and opportunities of leadership within political communities. The symposium featured a series of Socratic-style discussion seminars, including Lee undergraduates, alumni, faculty and members of the local community. Drawing on readings from authors such as Aristotle, Alexis de Tocqueville and George Washington, attendees reflected on how statesmen ought to conduct themselves and how citizens should respond to political authority. Guests from four different colleges and universities joined the discussions, contributing diverse perspectives on the challenges of leadership and civic virtue. The keynote lecture, delivered by Dr. Flagg Taylor, inaugural director of the Center for Civics, Culture and Society at Miami University, examined the relationship between revolution and tyrannyspecifically contrasting the American Revolution with the French and Bolshevik Revolutions. The Symposium brought together more than 65 participants for readings, lectures, and conversations aimed at fostering ongoing reflection on the meaning of responsible Christian citizenship in a complex world. The CRC is grateful for the continued support of Lee University, its alumni, the Jack Miller Center, the Intercollegiate Studies Institute, the Institute for Humane Studies, and members of the broader Cleveland community. The CRC will host a guest lecture in spring 2026 and continues its weekly reading group to discuss questions of statesmanship in an informal and thoughtful setting. For more information about the Center for Responsible Citizenship and its upcoming events, visit leeucrc.com or contact crc@leeuniversity.edu. You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close The National Cathedral in Washington, D.C. | Photo credit: Washington National Cathedral website The Episcopal Church released its 2024 Parochial Report last week, indicating continued declines in baptisms and a modest drop in the total number of parishes. While the report omitted a current total membership figure, overall membership stood at about 1.547 million in 2023 compared to around 1.96 million in 2010. According to a statement from The Episcopal Church Office of Public Affairs, this years instrument incorporated responses to new and revised questions that were compiled by former members of the House of Deputies Committee on the State of the Church and approved by the Executive Council in October 2023 and January 2024. The data show 19,624 baptisms of children and adults in 2024down substantially from 2014, when the denomination reported more than 28,000 total baptismswith 6,707 parishes and missions in 2024, a slight decrease from the 6,754 reported for 2023. Worship attendance ticked up slightly year over year, with just over 413,000 attending services in 2024 versus under 411,000 in 2023 and about 373,000 in 2022. The Office of Public Affairs noted that the 2024 collection allowed for first-time consistent reporting of online worship engagement and weekday attendance. Even so, the 413,000 figure remains far below the approximately 600,000 reported roughly a decade ago, itself a decline from about 623,000 in 2013. Demographically, the report lists a median member age of 60 and estimates that around 95% of Episcopal Church members are white. As with many U.S. religious bodies, the Episcopal Church has experienced multi-decade membership erosion, with the number of active baptized members falling below 2 million by 2010. Financially, the denomination reported that for the first time in the last decade, total expenses in 2024 exceeded total income. Observers point to multiple drivers of decline, including theological shifts that have prompted some departures; notably, after the 2003 consecration of the Rev. Gene Robinson as the first openly gay bishop, scores of congregations voted to leave. In 2020, Kristine Stachethen interim president of the ELCA-affiliated Wartburg Theological Seminarytold the denominations Executive Council that, at the current rate of decline, the Episcopal Church would have no Sunday attendance in 30 years and no baptized members in 47 years. The Rev. Sean Rowe was installed last November as presiding bishop, succeeding the Rev. Michael Curry, who in 2015 became the denominations first Black leader. First Baptist Dallas, Texas. | Photo credit: Facebook/ First Baptist Dallas The First Baptist Dallas has been named the best church in the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. Pastored by Robert Jeffress, First Baptist Dallas announced this week that it has received the Gold Award from readers of The Dallas Morning News, who voted to recognize the church located in downtown Dallas for 157 years. Jeffress is known worldwide for his daily radio and television program, Pathway to Victory, which is heard on thousands of stations and has been named the most-watched program on the Trinity Broadcasting Network for over five years. With over 16,000 members in what is described as a multi-generational church community, First Dallas offers three Sunday morning services, along with discipleship opportunities in both English and Spanish for all ages. In addition to this year's Gold Award, First Dallas was previously honored with the Silver Award in 2024 and has been recognized among the Top Places to Work since 2021, including ranking No. 2 among midsize organizations in 2024. The congregation is still rebuilding its historic sanctuary after a four-alarm fire caused significant damage and a roof collapse in July 2024. Jeffress said Trump sent him a note after he was informed that the church was engulfed in flames. Trump, who previously spoke at the church on Dec. 19, 2021, sent Jeffress a note and offered his help to do anything he could, Jeffress added. This historic sanctuary that burned to the ground was the site that presidents visited when they came to Dallas. Woodrow Wilson, Gerald Ford, President George H. W. Bush were all worshipers in that sanctuary, Jeffress told CBS affiliate KTVT about the 134-year-old church building. Originating in the basement, the blaze destroyed the historic worship space but miraculously spared the original pulpit. While arson was ruled out, investigators said in September 2024 the cause of the fire would remain undetermined. After the fire, First Baptist Dallas launched its most significant fundraising effort ever, Mission 18, to bring its new vision to life by raising $95 million to support both the new sanctuary and other church ministries. Photo Credit: Unsplash/ Stavrialena Gontzou The New Jersey Education Association (NJEA), the states largest public school employee union, will host a program titled Drag is not a Crime: The Past, Present, and Future of Drag at its Nov. 7 NJEA Convention in Atlantic City. Organized through the NJEAs Consortiumproudly supported by an NEA (National Education Association) grant and on a mission to put diversity and representation at the forefront of curriculum development. According to the event advertisement, the program explores drag's history, cultural significance, and future, showing how it serves as art, resistance, and activism challenging norms, advancing LGBTQ+ rights, and promoting social justice and community. Additional Consortium offerings aimed at inclusive curriculum next week include Unlocking your Future through Breathwork and Visioning, Cultivating Equity Centered Schools through Action, and Reimagining Inclusion: Mindset Shifts for Equitable, Neurodiverse School Communities. The schedule also lists sessions on using AI to design pluralistic instruction, illuminating New Jersey's mandated narratives, and a workshop focused on Teaching Palestine. The NJEA Consortium and its planned workshops are slated for just days after the 2025 New Jersey gubernatorial election, in which the Democrat-controlled General Assemblys seats are also on the ballot. The Consortium has previously hosted similar pro-LGBT programming, including a Drag Queen Story Hour at the 2022 NJEA Convention. That 2022 event featured drag performers Astala Vista and Vinchelle reading controversial pro-LGBTQ childrens books and appearing to answer questions from the audience, take photos, in all their dazzling iridescence, according to the organizations website. Workshops that year emphasized incorporating LGBT-affirming materials into lesson plans, including a session focused on healthy teen sexuality. Teachers unions promoting LGBT ideology have emerged as a recurring international theme in recent years. In 2023, the Defense of Freedom Institute (DFI)founded by two former Trump administration Department of Education officialsreleased a report on pro-LGBT topics advanced by the American Federation of Teachers and the National Education Association. DFI concluded that the unions sought to train teachers to affirm every gender identity that conflicts with a student's sex, ignore basic biological facts, hide the training from parents, and shape school policies to force others to do the same. Home News Alamo CEO steps down after Texas Lt. Gov. Patrick calls out college writings Former Texas Secretary of State Hope Andrade has been tapped to lead the nonprofit that oversees the historical Alamo landmark after the group's former CEO stepped down following backlash over her views on how the Alamo's history should be presented. Andrade, 76, who has served on the Alamo Trust, Inc. (ATI) and Remember the Alamo Foundation (RTAF) Boards since 2015, will relinquish her volunteer board positions to lead the nonprofit, which oversees daily operations at the historic site where, in 1836, Mexican forces overran Texas defenders, inspiring the state's rallying cry "Remember the Alamo." She will replace Kate Rogers, the former president and CEO, who was replaced Oct. 24 after Republican Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick called for Rogers to resign or be removed over a 2023 academic paper she wrote for her doctorate from the University of Southern California. In the May 2023 paper, Rogers critiqued the Texas Legislature's "conservative agenda" in 2023, including bills limiting teachings on race and slavery. "Philosophically, I do not believe it is the role of politicians to determine what professional educators can or should teach in the classroom," she wrote. Rogers' paper also referenced the 2021 book Forget the Alamo, which argues that Anglo settlers' desire to maintain slavery after Mexico largely abolished it was a central cause of Texas' 1836 fight for independence. Rogers also noted a city advisory council's push to tell the site's "full story," including its history of indigenous peoples, and expressed a desire for the Alamo to be "a place that brings people together versus tearing them apart." The paper concluded that her goals "politically may not be possible at this time." Calling the paper "shocking," Patrick accused Rogers of holding "a totally different view of how the history of the Alamo should be told." "I believe her judgment is now placed in serious question," Patrick wrote. "We must ensure that future generations never forget the sacrifice for freedom that was made. I will continue to defend the Alamo today against a rewrite of history." Following Patrick's letter, Rogers announced her departure in a statement. "It was with mixed emotions that I resigned my post as President and CEO at the Alamo Trust yesterday," Rogers said in a statement shared with The Associated Press. "It became evident through recent events that it was time for me to move on." Known as the "Shrine of Texas Liberty," the Alamo was originally a Spanish mission church in the mid-to-late 18th century and still draws more than 1.6 million visitors each year, according to site officials. Andrade's hiring comes as the Alamo, which operates under a contract with the Texas General Land Office, is set for a $400 million Alamo Plan renovation effort, including a new museum and visitor center scheduled to debut in 2027. Home News Christian woman shot dead during robbery on her way home from church Family and friends of Jewel Harden, a beloved member of the Crown Kingdom Cultural Center in North Augusta, South Carolina, are reeling in grief after she was shot dead during a robbery on her way home from church on Sunday. Harden, 76, who is from Hephzibah, Georgia, was fatally shot at a Sprint gas station on Edgefield Road along with another victim identified as 33-year-old Thomas B. Lilly Jr. of Williston, South Carolina. A WRDW report says officers were called to the scene at 2:05 p.m. to investigate a report of an armed robbery with gunshots. "Officers were dispatched to a shooting and upon arrival one of our officers encountered the armed suspect in the parking lot where the suspect was shot by a North Augusta Public Safety Officer," the North Augusta Department of Public Safety reported at 3:45 p.m. on Sunday. "Further investigation revealed two victims that had been shot prior to Public Safety's arrival." The investigation was later handed over to the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, which stated in a press release that the shooting suspect was armed with an AR-style pistol. Authorities have identified him as 21-year-old J'Shawn Deontae Dukes, 21. Dukes was injured by police during the incident, but his current condition remains unclear. Reacting to the shooting on Monday, Crown Kingdom Cultural Center described Harden as a faithful worshiper who was full of light. "Jewel was not only precious to this ministry, she was a pillar in the house of God. Her presence brought light, her worship stirred joy, and her service reflected the humility of Christ," Pastor Finace Bush Jr. and his wife, Denise, said in a statement. "The world may see tragedy, but heaven sees transition. The same Jesus who walked her through every trial in life, walked her safely through the veil of eternity." Harden's family revealed in a GoFundMe campaign that she was on her way from church when she was shot. "Jewel was returning home from church and stopping to get gas when she was senselessly shot. She passed away as she tried to make her way into the gas station for help," wrote the campaign's organizer, Shane Settle. "It's devastating to even comprehend that something like this could happen to such a kind and gentle soul." Church members also shared memories of Harden during a Bible study in her honor on Wednesday. "Her spirit would always sit on that third row in the middle aisle. Whatever's going on in the church, Ms. Jewel sat on that third seat," Rhonda Bush Johnson, member services manager, recalled in an interview with WRDW. "She just loved people. She loved God. She loved church. When she walk up to you, you couldn't resist her because she always had that big smile." Pastor Bush shared the last message Harden shared with him before her death and said it inspired him. "She said, 'Bishop, I'm free because I listen, I hear and I pay attention and I do what you say, and the word really does work,'" Bush said. "'See this as a moment of transition because God has me and I want y'all to know that I'm secure in Him.'" Home News Nigerian army dismissed warnings about an attack that killed over a dozen Christians, lawyer says WASHINGTON The Nigerian government is facing renewed allegations of complicity in the Christian persecution plaguing its country amid the Nigerian armys publication of a social media post dismissing warnings about an impending attack. The Conservative Political Action Conference held a special Summit on Ending Christian Persecution at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts on Thursday. One of the panel discussions focused on violence impacting Christian communities in Nigeria and what they say is the governments failure to respond to it effectively. While there is the presence of Islamic extremist groups in Nigeria's northeast, attacks on predominantly Christian communities in the country's agricultural rich Middle Belt states are being committed by primarily radicalized Fulani herders in the Middle Belt states of the African nation. As watchdog groups estimate that thousands have been killed in Nigeria each year for several years amid the rise of extremism, debate has been ongoing among experts and diplomats over the extent to which religion plays a role in the violence, with some saying it meets the standard for genocide and others taking the Nigerian government's position that these attacks are decades-old farmer-herder clashes. Sean Nelson, legal counsel with the nonprofit organization Alliance Defending Freedom International, told the audience about a pastor in the Plateau state who warned government officials about "Fulani militants who are amassing right near villages" in his area. He said the pastor sent a message to the Nigerian army and claimed that an attack was imminent. "Theyre about to attack, we know whats going to happen," Nelson cited the pastor as saying. Nelson claimed that the Nigerian army put up a statement saying that pastor was causing disunity [and] misinformation and were watching him. The Oct. 14 statement in question, available on the Nigerian armys X account, condemned the warning as consistent with a growing pattern of unsubstantiated claims by certain religious figures to whip sentiments in the Joint Operations Area (JOA). The anonymity of the source and the sensational nature of the claim point to a coordinated narrative designed to erode public trust in security agencies. It is even more worrisome that some religious leaders, instead of promoting peace and community cooperation, appear to be leading a subtle campaign of misinformation against the security agencies working tirelessly to maintain order. This trend not only undermines public confidence but also jeopardizes ongoing peace-building efforts, the statement added. Shortly after the pastor warned the Nigerian army and they publicly rebuked his concerns, Nelson said more than a dozen Christians were killed. Following the attack, there was no apology, no action taken, nothing from the Nigerian army. The advocacy group International Christian Concern provided additional details about the mass killing, which it characterized as coordinated attacks on several Christian villages in Barkin Ladi Local Government Area (LGA) of Plateau state. According to ICC, eyewitnesses from the mission center in Rawuru reported that gunmen invaded their compound at night and opened fire on residents gathered for evening prayers. Two members of the mission center were killed on the spot, while several others managed to escape into the nearby bushes, the ICC release stated. The attackers later advanced toward Tatu village, where ten additional people were killed in what appeared to be a deliberate attempt to terrorize Christians. In the Lawuru community, located a few miles away, two more residents were shot dead, and their livestock was taken by the assailants. During their discussion, the panel repeatedly highlighted the need for the Trump administration to designate Nigeria as a country of particular concern. The CPC designation is reserved for the worlds worst violators of religious freedom and can often carry diplomatic consequences, such as sanctions. While the Trump administration labeled Nigeria as a CPC towards the end of President Donald Trumps first term, the Biden administration revoked that designation shortly after taking office in 2021. Nelson elaborated on how the CPC designation could influence Nigeria to more effectively respond to the targeting of Christians, describing it as absolutely vital because thats whats going to put pressure on Nigeria. "They value our economic relationship, they value the security assistance that we provide," Nelson said. The government of Nigeria has mostly focused on terrorism in the Northeast, which is very important. Theyve not really been winning that battle recently, Nelson said. They focused not one iota on the Middle Belt. They havent focused that much on the northwest. And so we need to tell them, you have to put those resources. When you get those early warnings, you need to go out and you need to find the terrorists and you need to defeat them. The Trump administration has recently been pressured by a member of U.S. Congress and a coalition of leading Christian religious freedom advocates to designate Nigeria a CPC, "several years have seen a burgeoning of violent attacks specifically targeting rural Christians in the country's Middle Belt, while the government in Abuja barely lifts a finger to protect them." Home News Gateway Church, Robert Morris seek to dismiss Cindy Clemishires defamation lawsuit Gateway Church in Southlake, Texas, and its embattled founder, Robert Morris, are seeking to dismiss a defamation lawsuit filed by Cindy Clemishire earlier this summer, just weeks after Morris pleaded guilty to sexually abusing her beginning when she was 12 in the 1980s. Clemishire, 55, and her father, Jerry Lee Clemishire, who are seeking more than $1 million in damages, allege that Morris and Gateway Church leaders publicly mischaracterized the abuse she suffered as a consensual "relationship" with a "young lady" instead of the sexual assault of a child. It further alleges that when public media reports emerged in 2024 about the abuse, Morris, Gateway's board of elders, and media executive Lawrence Swicegood made "knowingly false" statements to minimize what happened. The Clemishires are seeking to conduct discovery in the case under Level 3 of the Texas Rules of Civil Procedure. On Monday, Gateway Church sought to dismiss the lawsuit by invoking the ecclesiastical abstention doctrine, which argues that secular courts have no jurisdiction in religious matters. Gateway Church leaders also argue that internal communications and statements made by the church about the sexual abuse to members are protected under that doctrine. "While the First Amendment does not bar all claims against churches, Plaintiffs' claims against Gateway here plainly fall within the sphere of church autonomy. Binding authority holds that the Court cannot undertake 'any investigation' into the Church's 'choices in investigating and regulating its formal leaders and people ordained for religious duties' or 'communication with the public' regarding 'the allegation of [Mr. Morris's] sexual abuse,'" Gateway Church argues in its filing in Dallas County Court on Monday. "The Court should therefore grant Gateway's plea to the jurisdiction and dismiss Plaintiffs' claims against the Church with prejudice." In addition to Swicegood, Gateway Church, Morris, his wife Deborah, and the Robert Morris Evangelistic Association Inc., Clemishire and her father also name current and former elders of the church as individual defendants. They are Thomas H. Miller, Jr., John D. "Tra" Willbanks, III, Kevin Grove, Jeremy Carrasco, Kenneth W. Fambro, II, Gayland Lawshe, Dane Minor and Steve Dulin. Each defendant has sought to have the case dismissed for a variety of reasons. In a response to the lawsuit filed on Tuesday, Morris and his wife denied "all and singular, each and every material allegation contained in Plaintiffs' Original Petition and any subsequent petition." They presented several affirmative defenses under Rule 94 of the Texas Rules of Civil Procedure including that the court lacks subject matter jurisdiction. Morris and his wife contend that Clemishire and her father failed to "state a claim upon which relief can be granted." "Defendant denies that it made any defamatory publications whatsoever concerning Plaintiffs. Alternatively, to the extent any statement made by Defendant is alleged by Plaintiffs to have been defamatory, any such statement was: (1) true; (2) substantially true; (3) absolutely privileged; (4) qualifiedly privileged; (5) made without malice or negligence; and/or (6) not published," Morris and his wife argue. Responding to the multiple motions to dismiss their lawsuit, lawyers for the Clemishires argued in a filing on Tuesday that the court has jurisdiction over criminal matters and the ecclesiastical abstention doctrine does not apply. "This case is about the criminal conduct of the former pastor of a church, and the subsequent tortious conduct of the church and some of its leaders after that criminal conduct came to light," they note. "None of these unlawful acts are protected by the First Amendment. The Court should deny the Pleas to the Jurisdiction because this case does not ask the Court to interpret religious doctrine or church discipline. Rather, this case is about secular facts the who, what, when, and where of the false and defamatory statements Defendants made about the Clemishires that form the basis of the Clemishires' lawsuit," the attorneys continue. "The Clemishires' causes of action would, in no way, require the Court to second-guess church governance or question any ecclesiastical decision making. The Ecclesiastical Abstention Doctrine does not strip this Court of its jurisdiction." Robert Morris was given a 6-month prison term and a 10-year suspended sentence during a hearing in Osage County Court, Oklahoma, on Oct. 2, after he pleaded guilty to sexually abusing Cindy Clemishire for 4.5 years in the 1980s, beginning when she was 12. "He simply accepted responsibility for his crime from the mid-1980's and pled guilty. He pled guilty because he wanted to accept responsibility for his conduct. While he believes that he long since accepted responsibility in the eyes of God and that Gateway Church was a manifestation of that acceptance he readily accepted responsibility in the eyes of the law by virtue of his guilty plea," Morris' lawyer Bill Mateja said after he was sentenced. Before accepting responsibility for his crime, the Clemishires' attorneys argue that Morris and Gateway Church elders knowingly misrepresented the facts to church members and the public. "In 1989, according to Defendant Morris and others, Defendant Morris sought the forgiveness of the Clemishire family. Defendant Morris stated publicly (in a public statement in June 2024 to the Christian Post when his criminal behavior was brought to light) that the Clemishire family told him that they graciously forgave him and that they blessed his return to ministry," the attorneys argue. "This did not occur in the way that Defendant Morris put forward to the Christian Post, his congregation, and the public at-large. Instead, it was another attempt by Defendant Morris to trivialize and minimize the events of the 1980s so that he could continue making millions of dollars as a pastoral figure." Home News Go out into the world but dont dilute the Gospel, says evangelist and former nightclub DJ Anything less than the Gospel is not what the world needs to hear SEOUL, South Korea The Church must be willing to go into some very dark places to share the Good News of Jesus Christ while being careful not to compromise the Gospel, says evangelist Ben Jack. Jack has been an evangelist for 26 years, currently working with The Message Trust in the U.K., and is a former DJ. He didnt decide to be a DJ for its own sake, he told the World Evangelical Alliances General Assembly, but rather intentionally: to be a missionary in the nightclubs and bars of the U.K. Becoming a DJ made it possible to go into these spaces to share the Gospel through words and actions with people who were looking for an escape from reality on a Friday night after a difficult week, because reality is hard for a lot of people. Rather than looking for an escape, his simple but effective message was that they could instead find the best possible reality and embrace it: Jesus Christ. Those years in the nightclub taught him two important things about evangelism. The first was that Christians who want to go out into these dark places to share the Gospel need to be sure about what they believe, so that they can influence the culture; otherwise, the culture will influence them. If we don't know the Gospel deeply, richly and above everything else, when we go into the world to engage culturally, it is culture that will evangelize us, rather than we who will evangelize into the culture, he said. There are many, many well-intentioned people who seek to use the things of culture as a gateway into giving people access to the Gospel, but over time, their good intention of desiring to impact and encounter people in the cultural space starts to eat away at the integrity of the Gospel." He said it was all too easy for Christians to start altering the Gospel in a bid to win others, but reminded WEA delegates that anything less than the Gospel is not what the world needs to hear. Meeting practical needs should not mean that Christians renounce telling people about the Gospel, he went on. Before we know it, we do what Paul warned us against in Galatians and we either add something to the Gospel that shouldnt be there or, more likely, we take something away from the Gospel and we turn it into no Gospel at all and there is no point to no Gospel at all. The world has a billion and one gospels it thinks will save them, but there is only one true Gospel the Gospel of Jesus Christ," he said. Jack challenged Christians to think about just how much they trust that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is enough. When this conviction is firm, then Christians can think about how they can use culture to our advantage. The second thing he learned from his experience of being a missionary in nightclubs was that while tradition is important, it is not ultimate, especially if it stops Christians from entering into unholy places to reach the lost. If we get too trapped into our traditional ways of doing things, we will never go into the nightclub spaces because we will think no, no, we mustnt do that, we cant do that, our tradition dictates that that is not a place for us to go and be. He continued, If were going to reach the world with the Good News by 2033, we need to do two really important things: we need to make sure that the Gospel is the thing we commit to above all else that we know it, we live it, we breathe it and give glory to the One whom it is all about. And secondly, that we ask careful questions about our traditions because we want to be rooted in our tradition enough that we are not tossed around by the spirit of the age that we have an anchor, a firm foundation but that we are not so beholden to traditions that are extra to the tenets of the Gospel itself that we then fail to be faithful to the opportunities that God has for us. If we could get over ourselves a little bit, we could go and do some things that we are otherwise not inclined to do. The World Evangelical Alliance's 14th General Assembly is being held from Oct. 27-31 and is attended by 850 Christian leaders from 124 nations under the theme of "The Gospel for Everyone by 2033." This article was originally published at Christian Today South African fruit traders actively stock up on fruit for export to China Xinhua) 08:57, October 31, 2025 Workers drive forklifts to load boxes of fruits onto trucks at the Johannesburg Fresh Produce Market in South Africa, on Oct. 29, 2025. In recent days, South African fruit traders have been actively stocking up on fruit for export to China. According to a recent trade agreement reached between the South African and Chinese governments, South Africa is authorized to export five types of fruits, including apricots, peaches, nectarines, plums, and prunes, to China. (Photo by Shiraaz Mohamed/Xinhua) A worker packs nectarines at the Johannesburg Fresh Produce Market in South Africa, on Oct. 29, 2025. In recent days, South African fruit traders have been actively stocking up on fruit for export to China. According to a recent trade agreement reached between the South African and Chinese governments, South Africa is authorized to export five types of fruits, including apricots, peaches, nectarines, plums, and prunes, to China. (Photo by Shiraaz Mohamed/Xinhua) Trays of nectarines are seen on a shelf at the Johannesburg Fresh Produce Market in South Africa, on Oct. 29, 2025. In recent days, South African fruit traders have been actively stocking up on fruit for export to China. According to a recent trade agreement reached between the South African and Chinese governments, South Africa is authorized to export five types of fruits, including apricots, peaches, nectarines, plums, and prunes, to China. (Photo by Shiraaz Mohamed/Xinhua) A workers drives a forklift to load boxes of fruits onto trucks at the Johannesburg Fresh Produce Market in South Africa, on Oct. 29, 2025. In recent days, South African fruit traders have been actively stocking up on fruit for export to China. According to a recent trade agreement reached between the South African and Chinese governments, South Africa is authorized to export five types of fruits, including apricots, peaches, nectarines, plums, and prunes, to China. (Photo by Shiraaz Mohamed/Xinhua) A worker packs nectarines at the Johannesburg Fresh Produce Market in South Africa, on Oct. 29, 2025. In recent days, South African fruit traders have been actively stocking up on fruit for export to China. According to a recent trade agreement reached between the South African and Chinese governments, South Africa is authorized to export five types of fruits, including apricots, peaches, nectarines, plums, and prunes, to China. (Photo by Shiraaz Mohamed/Xinhua) Trays of nectarines are seen on a shelf at the Johannesburg Fresh Produce Market in South Africa, on Oct. 29, 2025. In recent days, South African fruit traders have been actively stocking up on fruit for export to China. According to a recent trade agreement reached between the South African and Chinese governments, South Africa is authorized to export five types of fruits, including apricots, peaches, nectarines, plums, and prunes, to China. (Photo by Shiraaz Mohamed/Xinhua) (Web editor: Huang Kechao, Liang Jun) Home News House conservatives pray against rising political violence: 'This is a nation that is broken' Members of the House Freedom Caucus and others joined with the Family Research Council on Thursday evening to pray against the rising tide of political violence in the United States and to invoke God's aid for what they described as a broken nation. Led by Family Research Council President Tony Perkins, the group also asked for a blessing over President Donald Trump, wisdom amid the ongoing federal government shutdown, protection for Israel and for truth to prevail. 'This is a nation that is broken' Rep. Andrew Clyde, R-Ga., opened by asking the Lord's blessing on the U.S. while acknowledging its need amid widespread spiritual brokenness. Noting God's faithfulness throughout many American generations, Clyde emphasized "the special trust" passed down through the centuries cannot be preserved without divine help. "This is a nation that is broken. The people are broken, and we desperately need you, Lord. We desperately need your hand of guidance," he said. "We need to be unified, but we cannot unify with evil, Lord. It's just not possible to do that and be true to your Word." After praying for congressional leaders and for the shutdown to end, Clyde asked God to uphold the country's pastors, requesting "great strength and great courage during this difficult time to help turn our nation back to you." "Because if our hearts are right, then everything else will be right, as well," he added. 'An aura of rage' Christian author and apologist Frank Turek, a friend and mentor to the late conservative activist Charlie Kirk, who accompanied Kirk on the way to the hospital after he was shot, prayed against a spirit of anger and violence in the U.S. that he described as increasingly irrational and demonic. "Help us to be peacemakers. Help us to stay on the truth, without being caustic, without being unkind, but help us to stand and reach out to those that oppose us. We're to pray for our enemies. So that's what we're doing here today," he said. "We have seen so much violence. There's an aura of rage about the country. Much of it makes absolutely no sense; it can only be demonic in nature. So we pray it away. We ask you, Jesus, to remove the demonic spirit on our nation," he continued. Turek went on to express hope that God has drawn good out of the evil of Kirk's murder, and invoked Psalm 140 to request divine protection against wicked schemes. "You allowed it to happen because you allow free will, but you also promise that all things work together for good to those that love God and are called according to His purpose, ultimately to be conformed to the image of your Son," he prayed regarding Kirk's death. "We know that Charlie's death was not good, but you brought good from it. We saw the Gospel preached, from the president on down, to more than 100 million people. That has to be a blessing on our nation." 'The still small voice' Reps. Mark Harris, R-N.C., and Andy Biggs, R-Ariz., offered prayers for President Trump and his protection, with Perkins noting this is in accordance with 1 Timothy 2. "More than anything, I pray for the continued work of the Holy Spirit upon his life," prayed Harris, who is also a Baptist minister. "May that still small voice of the Holy Spirit continue to speak into him and guide him moment by moment as he continues to guide this nation." After praying for his continued safety and noting what he described as the providential way in which Trump escaped assassination in Butler, Pennsylvania, Harris prayed that Trump would be open to wise counsel and God's guidance. "We thank you for the president, and we just ask your hand upon him, and that he would not only hear the still small voice, but he would walk in obedience and in faith and in trust in you." Echoing Harris, Biggs also prayed for protection over Trump and asked that those seeking his destruction would not succeed. "Father in Heaven, thou organized and anointed this nation to be a land for those who seek to worship thee," he said. "We pray that it will continue to be a light of liberty for the world. We pray that thou confuse and confound the enemies of President Trump and those who seek to destroy faith and those who seek to bring people into bondage." 'Truth to prevail' Another who prayed included Jody Hice, a former Republican congressman from Georgia who now serves as a senior fellow at the Family Research Council. He invoked God's help against the lies that pervade the media, the political realm and elsewhere. Noting "the world in which we live is so filled with deception in every angle," Hice emphasized that many of the falsehoods are focused on issues of gender sexuality, and abortion. "Lord, we just humbly ask you right now for your truth to prevail, and that the hearts of men and women all across this country would be open to the realization that only your ways are ways of truth. We just ask you to open our hearts and enable us to stand unashamedly for that which is good for our entire nation," he said. 'God of all hope' The event concluded with a prayer from Dr. Ben Carson, a renowned retired neurosurgeon and devout Adventist, who acknowledged the dependence of the U.S. on God from its beginning and prayed against forces trying to destroy it from within. "You have blessed the United States with freedom and opportunity and a rich legacy of faith. You've taken us from a ragtag bunch of militiamen to the pinnacle of the world in record time," he said. "But we know that all goodness comes from you, Lord, and without you, we can do nothing. We ask for your healing upon the divisions in our nation. Our nation is so strong that it can't be taken down militarily, but it can be taken down from inside. There are many agents trying to facilitate that." "We need you, your wisdom and your guidance for our leaders. Please restore the righteousness in our homes, integrity in our institutions, unity among our people," he continued, adding an invocation of blessing on Israel. Citing Romans 15:13, Perkins closed by exhorting those listening to continue steadfast in prayer and hope. "Be praying for your communities, your neighbors. Pray for the church. The church needs to rediscover its prophetic voice of declaring the Word of God and walking that out in our communities," he said. "And so we want to continue to call upon the God of all hope, who has the ability to transform our nation into the nation that we desire to be." Home News Walter Kim urges global Church toward reconciliation: Every person has a place at the table of God SEOUL, South Korea On the third morning of the World Evangelical Alliance (WEA) General Assembly, the Rev. Walter Kim, president of the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE) in the United States, delivered a deeply personal devotional message about the reconciling power of the Gospel amid the turmoil of the modern world. Kim began by recalling a prayer he made 21 years ago, when his daughter, Naomi, was born with an intellectual disability and severe medical complications. I was in the hospital, sitting next to her incubator as she was connected to tubes, he said. I couldnt touch her. In the early weeks of life, I merely touched the plastic that separated us and prayed that God would fill her lungs and pulse blood through her veins. He shared that he and his wife gave their daughter the middle name Joy, inspired by Nehemiah 8:10: The joy of the Lord is your strength. We began to pray by that incubator that she would receive the joy of the Lord and that she would give the joy of the Lord, Kim said. Her story, he explained, became a living picture of the Gospel how God responds to the problem of sin with the Gospel of peace to form a people with a missional purpose of reconciling hospitality. Kim described the first-century world in which the Gospel was born a time of deep political, cultural and social instability. The Roman Empire had caused the greatest mass migration of people known in human history up to that time, he said. The empire promised unity, but there were constant rebellions. He drew parallels between that world and the present. This is our time as well, Kim said. Religious pluralism, urbanization, mass migration, economic upheaval, multiculturalism, breakdown of old worldviews you name it. The Gospel must be proclaimed in tumultuous times. Kim said the greatest problem facing humanity is not external turmoil but sin itself. Sin separates, shatters and shames, he said. It alienates us from God, from one another, and even from ourselves. Quoting Romans 7, he said, The good that I want to do, I dont do, but I do the very evil that I dont want to do. We are alienated even within ourselves. He explained that Christs work on the cross is the ultimate act of reconciliation. God rescues us, Kim said. God responds to this problem of sin that separates and shatters and shames us with the reconciling peace of Christ. Jesus body was broken on the cross so that you could be made whole. Peace, he emphasized, is not a technique. Peace is not a thing. Peace is a person the person of Jesus Christ. Kim drew from the Apostle Pauls letter to the Ephesians to illustrate the Gospels power to unite. He explained that the dividing wall of hostility mentioned by Paul referred to literal walls in the Jerusalem temple that separated Gentiles, Jewish women and Jewish men. Herod built a temple with dividing walls of hostility, Kim said. Signs were posted that warned Gentiles they could be killed if they crossed them. The Gospel, he continued, breaks down these walls of hostility. It forms a new people, a new temple the Church in which we belong to God and to one another. Kim said the essence of the Gospel is one of peace and peacemaking. We now belong to God and we belong to each other, he said. There is no other option. Kim explained that Scripture uses several metaphors to describe this new reality in Christ social, political, familial and architectural. In verse 19, Paul says, You are no longer strangers and aliens, he noted. That is a social metaphor. Then he says, You are fellow citizens with the saints, a political metaphor. Then, members of the household of God, a family metaphor. And finally, we are built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets an architectural metaphor. If we are to have a Gospel for everyone, Kim said, we need a Gospel for everything. The Gospel should touch every aspect of society individuals and institutions, personal and public, spiritual and social. Kim said the Gospel flourishes when believers live out reconciliation in tangible ways. He shared about visiting Malawi, where churches of different denominations were serving together in a predominantly Muslim area through literacy programs, vocational training, early childhood education and sustainable farming. There were 80 children there, most of them Muslim children, memorizing Jesus loves me, this I know, Kim said. Local Muslim chieftains, he added, had encouraged their children to attend because of the Churchs work in the community. He recalled that during the visit, the local chief asked Naomi to address the villagers. There was a woman there who had three children with disabilities, and her husband had just left her, Kim said. Naomi stood up and said, God loves you. Study hard and learn to read. And she added thank you in the local language. He said that moment reminded him of the prayer he prayed 21 years earlier. Every person has a place at the table of God. Every person has a call to be on mission, Kim said. There is none too great and none too small, not abled or disabled, that in the great economy of God cannot be redeemed. There is no alienation, no separation, no shattering, and no shame that God cannot renew and remake, he concluded. And the Gospel touches it all. This article was originally published at Christian Daily International Our work is made possible by the generosity of supporters like you. Your contributions empower us to continue breaking stories that matter, providing clarity from a biblical worldview, and standing for truth in an era of competing narratives. By making a recurring donation or a one-time donation of any amount, youre helping to keep CPs articles free and accessible for everyone. Home News Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders' new Gospel-inspired 10:33 Initiative offers a 'hand up, not a handout' Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders says she is offering residents a "hand up, not a handout" through the state's new 10:33 Initiative, which derives its name from the Gospel of Luke and vows to uplift Arkansans in crisis by connecting them with local faith and community partners who can meet their needs. The 10:33 Initiative pilot program takes its name from Luke 10:33, "But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him." Organized by Sanders' Faith-Based Initiatives office, the 12-month pilot program will take place in Pulaski, Union and Pope counties and will help residents create a plan to address their needs such as securing housing, transportation, employment or childcare. Sanders believes the initiative embodies the compassion the Good Samaritan showed to a stranger and serves as a reminder of one's duty to help their neighbor, regardless of their background or any disagreements. "The purpose of that story, and what we want to be the driver behind this initiative, is looking for a way to bring our state together to help our most vulnerable citizens and lift them up at a time when they can really use a little bit of help," the Republican governor told The Christian Post. In a statement earlier this month, Sanders promised that the 10:33 Initiative "isn't another government welfare program." Instead, she said it's "a groundbreaking project carefully curated to give Arkansans a hand up, not a handout." The initiative is conducted in partnership with several other entities and donors, including the White House Faith Office, the Arkansas Department of Human Services, and the Arkansas Department of Commerce. Sanders stated that most of the 10:33 Initiative is privately funded and utilizes the Hope Hub software technology, which was already in place due to the Arkansas nonprofit Restore Hope. The Hope Hub program, which is already used in 19 Arkansas counties, connects individuals with service provider agencies after assessing their needs. Restore Hope, which Sanders referred to as a "great partner," had already built a resource and managed it well, so there was no need to spend money on constructing another one. Sanders believes that a project like the 10:33 Initiative is better for Arkansas because government programs "only complete a piece of the puzzle," and she argued that the 10:33 Initiative takes things to "the next level." "Again, that person's now coming, and they're not just getting food stamps; it's about how can we connect you with some of our community partners who may help you if you need a car to get to a job, housing, or whatever it looks like?" Sanders asked. "How can we help you get on your own two feet so that you're no longer dependent on government services? And what are all the pieces to your puzzle that we can help bring together in one place to help really address needs and move you forward?" "The goal should never be to trap and keep people on a government program," the Arkansas governor added, calling it the "definition of failure" when an able-bodied person never leaves the system. "That's not the goal. The goal is to give them a hand up, not a handout, so that they can, eventually, have a foundation to stand on their own and not be reliant on the government system," Sanders continued. "If there are people who can't work or who have significant challenges, we always want them to have a place to go," she added. "But people who have the ability, we really want them to be able to get out there on their own and, ideally, pay it forward down the line." One critic of the 10:33 Initiative, Rev. Clint Schnekloth of the Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Fayetteville, Arkansas, expressed concern in an Oct. 6 Substack post that a program like this one usually comes with cuts to public support systems. The pastor also fears that churches are only equipped to offer some assistance to their communities, and they're not prepared to provide the long-term safety nets that the state or federal government offers. While the 10:33 Initiative focuses on a faith-based and community approach to helping people with issues like housing or food insecurity, Sanders said this doesn't mean the program involves cutting any state programs. "The goal isn't to cut any state program," the Republican governor said. "It's adding more to it by engaging more partners in the process." "And I think it is 100% not only the role, but also the biblical calling that Christians and the faith community should be stepping up to help people who need help," she continued. "And in many cases, they're already doing this." The governor noted that many churches in Arkansas already offer resources such as drug recovery programs, housing networks and after-school programs they just haven't been working with the state to do it, Sanders said. Reflecting on her desire to serve people, Sanders remembered growing up as the daughter of a pastor and the former governor of Arkansas, Mike Huckabee, who is currently the U.S. ambassador to Israel. "I grew up with a dad as a pastor and saw the way that my own family and my parents engaged in the community," she said. "The reason that I ran for office is because I love people. I have a commitment to service, and that's a similar feeling that you'll find in churches across this country." "And so, being able to partner those things together and utilize the volunteer base and the resources that our faith community has seems like a no-brainer," she added. The Republican governor and former White House press secretary said that she hopes the 10:33 Initiative will have a positive impact on the people of Arkansas and serves as a "blueprint for other states and communities to follow." Home News School staffer dies after troubled student kicks her in the chest Amy Morrell, a beloved staff member at the Meadowridge Academy in Swansea, Massachusetts, has died after she was kicked in the chest by a 14-year-old student she was trying to restrain, authorities say. Morrell, 53, of Riverside, Rhode Island, collapsed at the therapeutic residential school for "youth and young adults with mental health issues" after she was kicked on Wednesday, Oct. 15. The Bristol County District Attorney's Office said in a statement cited by WBZ-TV News that the incident occurred at around 6:55 p.m. when the female student was allegedly trying to leave a dorm building without permission. "Based upon the initial investigation, the juvenile was charged with Assault and Battery causing Serious Bodily Injury," the district attorney's office said. The student, who has not been identified because she is a minor, was arraigned last Thursday in Fall River Juvenile Court as the investigation of Morrell's death continues. "The Meadowridge Academy community is deeply saddened by the passing of direct care staff member, Amy Morrell," the school said in a statement. "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." Meadowridge Academy is run by the Justice Resource Institute, which is described on its website as "a recognized leader in social justice initiatives and one of New England's largest human services providers." Since Morrell's passing, her friends and family have been grieving over her untimely passing. "I'm upset, obviously. It just keeps hitting me," Andrew Ferruche told ABC 7 about his longtime friend, who he recalled loving her job. Mel Lynch told the news outlet that she met Morrell for breakfast just two days before the incident. She described her as "the most patient, kindest person." Lynch said Morrell "loved those girls," and noted that she was an only child who was "her parents' world." In an old message shared with The Boston Globe, Ferruche revealed how much Morrell felt like her job helping troubled students was a calling. "Something about turning 50, but I feel like there's only so much time left in life and I wanna live it right!" Morrell wrote to her friend. "Being kind to other people definitely makes me feel better about myself. My job is helping kids with troubles, so it's pretty rewarding." Home News Supreme Court of Finland hears Paivi Rasanen case over 6-year-old Bible tweet The Supreme Court of Finland on Thursday heard the landmark case of Paivi Rasanen, a Finnish member of parliament who has been repeatedly dragged into court over a six-year-old Bible verse tweet that criticized the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland for promoting LGBT pride month. Rasanen, who also served as Finland's interior minister from 2011 to 2015, faced her third trial in the country along with Bishop Juhana Pohjola, despite being unanimously acquitted twice by the Helsinki Court of Appeal and the three-judge District Court of Helsinki, according to a statement from lawyers at Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) International. "I stand here not only to defend my own right to speak freely, but to defend the freedom of every person to express deeply held beliefs without fear of punishment," Rasanen told reporters before heading into court Thursday. "My case will show whether quoting the Bible can become a crime in a free country. I trust that the Finnish Supreme Court will uphold the rule of law and the fundamental freedom to speak openly about faith. No one should be censored for sharing the timeless truths of Scripture." Rasanen first drew the attention of authorities in 2019, shortly after she tweeted a photo from the book of Romans asking how the Finnish Lutheran Church could agree with "shame and sin" being presented as "a matter of pride." During a recent interview with The Christian Post, Rasanen recounted how she struggled with her church participating in a Helsinki LGBT pride event, and how her tweet challenging the church's position led to almost immediate pushback from citizens, who filed complaints that resulted in a police investigation. A pamphlet she wrote with Pohjola in 2004, titled "Male and Female He Created Them: Homosexual relationships challenge the Christian concept of humanity," also became part of the investigation. After being subjected to 13 hours of interrogation over several months, Finland's prosecutor general used Rasanen's tweet, pamphlet and a radio interview to charge her with three counts of "agitation against a minority group," which falls under the Finnish law regarding "war crimes and crimes against humanity." Pohjola was charged for his role in publishing the pamphlet. Rasanen told CP she refused calls from detractors to recant her beliefs and statements. "I said that 'I will not apologize,'" she said. "It's not only my view; it is what the word of God says." She reiterated her concern that her case, should she lose, could open the door to further persecution against Christians in Europe. "If I would lose, it would mean starting a time of persecution of Christians in Finland and also in Europe," she said. "Because they are waiting for the result as well in other European countries." Rasanen also expressed gratitude for her situation, noting it has offered her the opportunity to promote the Gospel, including to those who struggle with their sexuality. "This whole process has opened up such chances, such possibilities to speak in public about God's Word and also about the Gospel that I would never have gotten without this," she said. "So I should be grateful to the prosecutor general, because I have had the possibility to bear witness to Christ in front of the police, and in court, and also in the media." "And there are many people who have told me that they have found Christ through this process also some LGBT people," she added. Paul Coleman of ADF International emphasized the danger of using "hate speech" laws in Europe to silence unpopular opinions. "Criminalizing peaceful speech through so-called 'hate speech' laws not only silences important conversations it endangers democracy itself," he said. The Supreme Court's ruling is slated to be announced in the coming months. If convicted, Rasanen and Pohjola could face fines of tens of thousands of euros and censorship of the tweet and the pamphlet. Home News Christian aid groups denounce Trump for cutting refugee resettlement to historic low The Trump administration will cap the U.S. refugee resettlement ceiling for fiscal year 2026 to a historic low, drawing criticism from Christian aid organizations who say it abandons bona fide refugees already approved for resettlement, including persecuted Christians. The White House posted the announcement, initially drafted in late September, in the Federal Register on Thursday, noting that the number of refugees to be accepted annually will be 7,500, with a special focus on Afrikaners from South Africa. The figure represents a sharp decline from the 125,000 ceiling set under the final fiscal year of the Biden administration. "The admissions numbers shall primarily be allocated among Afrikaners from South Africa pursuant to Executive Order 14204, and other victims of illegal or unjust discrimination in their respective homelands," stated the document. "Refugee admissions under this determination, which may reach but not exceed the numerical limit described herein, are in all respects subject to the requirements of other Presidential policies and actions, whether issued prior or subsequent to this determination." While the Biden administration set the U.S. refugee ceiling at around 125,000 per year from 2022 to 2025, that figure was up from the 85,000 ceiling during the final year of the Obama administration and 18,000 during the final year of Trump's first administration, according to the Migration Policy Institute. Despite the 125,000 refugee ceiling, around 25,000 and 60,000 refugees were resettled in the U.S. in fiscal years 2022 and 2023, respectively. Over 100,000 refugees were admitted in fiscal year 2024. Myal Greene, president of the refugee resettlement organization World Relief, the humanitarian arm of the National Assocation of Evangelicals, said in a statement that the announcement is "heartbreaking," asserting that "we harm our standing in the world and our own economic vitality." In January, World Relief and several other Christian organizations, including the Southern Baptist Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission, urged Trump to set a refugee ceiling of no less than 50,000, which they said is consistent with the refugee ceiling set in the first year of Trump's first presidency in 2017. "At a time when there are more refugees globally than ever in recorded history, when Christians and others face horrific persecution on account of their faith, the U.S. will do less than ever to offer refuge," Greene said Thursday. "What's more, a myopic focus on Afrikaners means that individuals who are at much greater risk including persecuted Christians and others fleeing religious persecution from places like Nigeria, Iran and Burma." Greene warned that "advocates for democracy and human rights living under totalitarian regimes; and Ukrainians fleeing Russia's brutal war will be effectively abandoned." Amidst reports of a reduction in refugee resettlement, Church World Service, a cooperative ministry among dozens of denominations, issued a statement signed by multiple denominational leaders, claiming that the administration "turns its back on families in desperate need." "Worse still, the White House has made clear that destroying this highly successful, life-saving program isn't enough it now seeks to transform that program into something unrecognizable and unworthy of its proud history," stated the faith leaders. "By drastically reducing the number of refugees to be admitted in the coming year, and by prioritizing Afrikaners from South Africa for nearly all those slots, the White House is shamefully abandoning the tens of thousands of bona fide refugees who have already been vetted and approved for resettlement in the US." Since February, the Trump administration has prioritized resettling white South African refugees in the United States, amid disputed claims that they are being persecuted in their homeland. In May, the Episcopal Church announced that it is ending its refugee resettlement partnership with the U.S. government over a request to resettle a group of Afrikaners. Episcopal Church Presiding Bishop Sean Rowe released a letter stating that the denomination cut ties in part because he believed the Afrikaners were getting "preferential treatment over many others who have been waiting in refugee camps or dangerous conditions for years." "I am saddened and ashamed that many of the refugees who are being denied entrance to the United States are brave people who worked alongside our military in Iraq and Afghanistan and now face danger at home because of their service to our country," Rowe wrote. "Now that we are ending our involvement in federally funded refugee resettlement, we have asked the administration to work toward a mutual agreement that will allow us to wind down all federally funded services by the end of the federal fiscal year in September." Home News Trump says Christians facing an 'existential' threat in Nigeria, vows CPC designation President Donald Trump said Friday that Christians are facing an "existential" threat in Nigeria and vowed to have the U.S. State Department place the country on its list of Countries of Particular Concern, something Christian advocates have been urging for years. In a post on Truth Social, Trump wrote that "Thousands of Christians are being killed" in Nigeria, a country in West Africa that has been plagued by the rise of Islamic extremist groups in the northeast and radicalized herders in the Middle Belt states that have killed tens of thousands and forced millions to flee in recent years. Advocates say that Christians in Nigeria have faced ongoing attacks with minimal support from the international community. "Radical Islamists are responsible for this mass slaughter," he wrote. "I am hereby making Nigeria a 'COUNTRY OF PARTICULAR CONCERN.' But that is the least of it. When Christians, or any such group, is slaughtered like is happening in Nigeria (3,100 versus 4,476 Worldwide), something must be done!" Trump's announcement comes as his administration has faced pressure in recent months to label Nigeria a CPC under the International Religious Freedom Act, the U.S.' top designation for religious freedom violators, which can carry potential diplomatic burdens, such as sanctions. The Biden administration lifted Nigeria's previous CPC designation in 2021. It was designated a CPC for the first time in the final year of the first Trump administration. Earlier this month, Rep. Riley Moore, R-W.V., called on Secretary of State Marco Rubio to designate Nigeria a CPC, citing estimates that thousands of Christians have been killed in Nigeria so far this year. In his Truth Social post, Trump said he is asking Moore and Chairman Tom Cole of the House Appropriations Committee "to immediately look into this matter, and report back to me." "The United States cannot stand by while such atrocities are happening in Nigeria, and numerous other Countries," Trump said. "We stand ready, willing, and able to save our Great Christian population around the World!" The global Christian persecution watchdog Open Doors has warned in recent years that more Christians are killed in Nigeria for their faith annually than in all other countries combined. While some international observers say what's happening to Christian communities in the Middle Belt states may meet the standard for religious persecution and genocide, the Nigerian government contends that such violence is not inherently religious and emanates from decades-old farmer-herder clashes. The government has strongly pushed back against claims of a genocide, but has also faced allegations that it has not acted adequately to protect its citizens from radicalized groups. The U.S.-based watchdog organization International Christian Concern says that Trump's CPC designation "could significantly improve the lives of many Christians in Nigeria by raising awareness of the ongoing persecution and exerting pressure on the Nigerian government to take action." "We are deeply grateful for this important recognition," International Christian Concern President Shawn Wright said in a statement shared with The Christian Post. "It represents a significant step toward mobilizing the global community to confront the atrocities that have devastated so many families and communities in Nigeria. Our prayer is that this designation will encourage other world leaders to follow suit and that it will lead to tangible actions that bring relief and lasting change for those suffering at the hands of violent extremists." Home News VP Vance shares challenges of mixed-faith marriage: 'We've decided to raise our kids Christian' Vice President JD Vance says he's raising his children in the Christian faith, despite being part of a mixed-faith family. The 41-year-old clashed with a student over immigration policy and religious identity during a Turning Point USA event at the University of Mississippi on Wednesday, where he paid tribute to conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Speaking alongside widow Erika Kirk, the new head of Turning Point USA, Vance addressed thousands in an arena, fielding questions in the mold of Kirk's trademark "Prove Me Wrong" sessions. The Ole Miss stop was Erika Kirk's only appearance on the tour, which has recently featured Megyn Kelly and Tucker Carlson at other campuses. Kirk, Turning Point USA's founder, was shot and killed in September at Utah Valley University. Vance set a welcoming tone early by encouraging the audience to take time with their questions. "Please don't be nervous if you need to work through a question. Think through it, speak it," Vance said. "We're all here to have a nice conversation, and we're all supportive of it." The crowd later chanted "48" in reference to a possible 2028 presidential bid. "Let's not get ahead of ourselves, ladies and gentlemen," Vance replied. The questions touched on a range of topics, including President Donald Trump's Israel policy and donor Miriam Adelson, mandating Christianity in schools, and bridging divides with Democrats where Vance noted agreement on antitrust issues. Perhaps the event's most heated moment came when a student who identified herself as a non-Christian confronted Vance on what she called a betrayed "dream" for legal immigrants who invested their lives and money only to face restrictive policies. She also challenged the role of Christianity when it comes to expressing one's love for America. "I'm not even Christian and I'm here standing to support," she said. "Why are we making Christianity one of the major things that you have to have in common?" Vance pushed back on the student's framing of the immigration issue, which the VP said was more about honoring legal pathways but rejecting unlimited future inflows. "I can believe that we should have lower immigration levels. But if the United States passed a law and made a promise to somebody, the United States, of course, has to honor that promise," he said. "I'm talking about people who came in in violation of the laws. ... And my job as vice president is not to look out for the interest of the whole world. It's to look out for the people of the United States." After his response drew thunderous applause, Vance argued that past immigration policy doesn't necessarily inform what future changes may look like. "Just because one person or 10 people or 100 people came in legally ... does that mean that we're thereby committed to let in a million or 10 million or 100 million people a year in the future?" he asked. "No." Referring back to the student's question about his interfaith household, Vance said his wife, Usha, who was born in California to Telugu Indian immigrant parents, "did not grow up Christian." "I think it's fair to say that she grew up in a Hindu family, but not a particularly religious family in either direction," Vance added. "In fact, when I met my wife, we were both, I would have considered myself an agnostic or an atheist, and that's what I think she would have considered herself as well." Vance shared how he and the second lady have decided to make the Christian faith the foundation of their kids' upbringing. "We've decided to raise our kids Christian," he explained. "Our two oldest kids who go to school, they go to a Christian school. Our 8-year-old did his first communion about a year ago. That's the way that we have come to our arrangement." While acknowledging that navigating a mixed-faith marriage requires commitment, communication and grace, Vance said his marriage is no different than that of his friends who are in Protestant and Catholic marriages or even, as he put it, "atheist and Christian marriages," saying it requires communication. "The only advice I can give is, you just got to talk to the person that God has put you with and you've got to make those decisions as a family unit," he said, adding that on most Sundays, Usha will join him and the rest of the family at church even if she's not yet a Christian. "Do I hope eventually that she is somehow moved by the same thing that I was moved by in church? Yeah, I honestly do wish that, because I believe in the Christian Gospel and I hope eventually my wife comes to see it the same way," said Vance. "But if she doesn't, then God says everybody has free will and so that doesn't cause a problem for me." It's not the first time Vance has publicly spoken about his faith. During the 2024 campaign, then-Sen. Vance shared how he went from being an atheist law student to a devout Christian. Vance, who penned the 2016 bestselling memoir Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis, was primarily raised by his grandmother, who, while being a devout Christian who regularly prayed and read the Bible, attended church services once or twice a month. Home News WEA General Assembly concludes with installation of Botrus Mansour, Seoul Declaration upholding biblical sexuality SEOUL, South Korea The World Evangelical Alliance General Assembly concluded on Thursday evening after four days of discussion and deliberation about key issues affecting Evangelicalism and the task of fulfilling the Great Commission. During the gathering, the Rev. Botrus Mansour was installed as the new secretary general of the WEA, ending a year-and-a-half vacancy in the top position. Hailing from Nazareth, Mansour brings a wealth of experience to the role as a former lawyer who has held various leadership positions across church and educational bodies in the Holy Land, including co-chairman of the Lausanne Initiative for Reconciliation Israel-Palestine. Speaking to reporters, he said he was filling large shoes and that while his new appointment was overwhelming, he was here to serve. In his first address as secretary general of the WEA on Thursday night, he said it was special to be appointed secretary general as a Palestinian Christian from Israel, and coming so soon after the ceasefire agreement reached with Hamas. I give tribute to my people and my country, he said, adding that it was his prayer that the ceasefire will last. He said he was really humbled to be elected as secretary general and felt a big responsibility for the organization which has 161 national alliances around the world, representing over 650 million Evangelicals. Im here to serve, he repeated, as he spoke of his desire to see a WEA marked by teamwork and unity, and the strengthening of regional alliances. We are different people but we have one spirit, we have one mission, one core of beliefs. Can we rise up to the level of Jesuss prayer, Let them be one as we are one'? he said. Later on in his address, Mansour said he wanted to reclaim the word Evangelical and bring it back to its original meaning as "bears of good news." It has been politicized and changed, and people use it in different ways we want to be bearers of the Good News to the whole world. We will work for this task, he said. Mansours installation as secretary general was not the only significant change in the WEAs leadership this week, with Godfrey Yogarajah of Sri Lanka being installed as the new chairman of its International Council. It is the first time that both the secretary general and chairman of the WEA come from the global South. Yogarajah said this was a reflection of what is happening globally, given the phenomenal growth of Christianity across the global South. He said he was humbled and honored to be elected chair, and that the International Council stood ready to serve the national alliances. I thank you for having placed your confidence in me, he said. The WEA General Assembly was hosted by the 60,000-member SaRang Church in the nation's capital, and brought together over 850 Evangelicals from around the world. The theme of the general assembly was The Gospel for Everyone by 2033 and many of the sessions were dedicated to how this ambitious goal can become a reality with only eight years to go. In a letter of greeting to delegates of the general assembly, Mansour said the theme was not simply a program or slogan, but a mandate rooted in Scripture and the heart of God for all people. On the last day of meetings, delegates were presented with the WEAs Seoul Declaration, a 15-page document crafted by an international group of theologians including eight from South Korea. It offers Evangelical position statements on a range of issues, from gender and human sexuality, to war, abortion, religious freedom, and continued divisions on the Korean Peninsula. A spokesperson for the WEA said the statement was intended to be a guiding post for members, with carefully considered theological perspectives on key issues in the world today and how the Church ought to have direction for the future. We meet at a pivotal moment in human history, marked by the aftershocks of a global pandemic, widespread economic uncertainty, intensifying conflicts across multiple regions, and the rapid emergence of artificial intelligence into the public sphere. The global Church has not been shielded from these pressures; many of our communities continue to endure hardship, suffering and deepening social fragmentation, the introduction reads. It continues: Amidst this sobering backdrop, our assembly takes place in a land shaped by both profound Gospel fruitfulness and enduring division. The Korean Peninsula, divided for over eight decades, symbolizes both the pain of separation and the resilient hope of reconciliation. We acknowledge this unique context as we meet in fellowship with the Korean Churches a community whose evangelical witness has contributed significantly to global mission, public life, and theological depth. A statement within the declaration on the core of the evangelical faith emphasizes evangelism through Gospel proclamation and discipleship as our most important and primary mission. However, Evangelicals need to repent for falling short of their calling to be salt and light, and for the fragmentation of the Body of Christ, which the declaration said had diminished public witness of Gods sovereignty over all areas of life and the suffering endured by our persecuted brothers and sisters around the world. It prays that Christian leaders would be preserved from abuse of authority, moral failure, or the pull of secularization, and instead serve with the humility of Christ. In a section on the dignity of life, the declaration grieves the collective failure of Evangelicals to be more active in addressing systems that perpetuate racism, tribalism and caste systems, or discriminate against refugees, migrants, women and children in different times and regions across the world. It laments our inability to uphold a clear Evangelical stance on abortion, medically assisted death, and the welfare of the aged. Evangelicals have often neglected environmental duties and haven't done enough to address the abuse of Gods creation, it goes on. Perhaps a nod to some criticism of the WEAs interfaith relations, which drew protests from some Korean Christians outside the venue over the four days, the declaration insists that the WEA is committed to collaboration without compromise and remaining alert to the dangers of religious pluralism and syncretism, while holding firm to the Gospel, biblical orthodoxy, and the Spirits renewing power for both personal and societal transformation. The declaration goes on to acknowledge that many in our societies wrestle deeply with questions of identity, sexuality and belonging, and commits Evangelicals to listening with humility, walking with compassion, and ministering with biblical clarity and pastoral tenderness. Therefore, we affirm that practicing homosexuality is sin (Romans 1:26-27), contrary to Gods design for human sexuality. But we proclaim this truth not with condemnation, but in love offering hope, healing and freedom that is found in Christ alone (1 Corinthians 6:9-11), it continues. We desire to be a Church that speaks truth while embodying grace, always remembering our own need for mercy (Titus 3:3-7). Elsewhere it affirms that humans are made male and female, equal in dignity and worth, and that marriage is a sacred union between one man and one woman. Further on, the declaration rejects the culture of death that devalues the weak, the elderly, the unborn and affirms the sacredness of life from conception to natural death. It expresses the WEAs commitment to boldly resisting all ideological systems that suppress freedom of faith and distort biblical anthropology, even as we boldly share the truth in love and proclaim Christ with compassion, humility and courage. The document grieves war, violence and persecution, as well as the advancement in many regions of laws and ideologies with little regard for conscience or the sacred human dignity affirmed in the Holy Scripture. In such a world, Evangelicals are called to work for reconciliation and peace, it says. The declaration prays specifically for mercy on North Korea and for the end of systemic human rights violations, as well as the release of people unjustly imprisoned, but also expresses growing concern over emerging and rising societal pressures that challenges open expression of Evangelical faith in many contexts on the Korean Peninsula. The declaration concludes with a number of calls, including the defense of religious freedom and deepening Evangelical unity, and the pursuit of human-centered, ethical development in technology, including the discerning and redemptive use of media in a rapidly changing digital age. WEA members have a week to consider the declaration and provide feedback. This article was originally published at Christian Today Home News WEA GA elects new International Council, veteran evangelical leader Godfrey Yogarajah as chair SEOUL, South Korea The General Assembly of the World Evangelical Alliance (WEA) elected a new International Council and Sri Lankan leader Godfrey Yogarajah as chair during its business sessions held this week. Yogarajah, who has served within the WEA family for nearly 30 years, succeeds outgoing Executive Chair, the Rev. Goodwill Shana of Zimbabwe, who completed two full terms on the board and, more recently, combined the roles of chair and secretary general from April 2024 until the Seoul Assembly. Experienced leader elected to lead International Council A veteran Evangelical leader, Yogarajah has held multiple roles at national, regional and global levels as CEO of the National Christian Evangelical Alliance of Sri Lanka, chair of the Asia Evangelical Alliance, executive director of the WEA Religious Liberty Commission, ambassador for religious freedom, and deputy secretary general of the WEA. In his acceptance address to the Assembly, Yogarajah expressed gratitude and emphasized unity, faithfulness and a renewed global mission. It is with much gratitude and joy that I stand before you today as the newly elected chairperson of the International Council of the World Evangelical Alliance, he said. First and foremost, I thank our Lord Jesus Christ, who has called us to this task and entrusted us with the mission to make disciples of all nations. He highlighted the urgency of the Gospel amid global challenges and opportunities. We gather at a time when the world is facing significant challenges the suffering, the marginalized, the rise of persecution, the urgency of the Gospel in changing cultures, as well as the opportunities created by technology and global connections, he said. Our strength lies not in numbers or influence, but in the faithfulness of God and the unity of the Spirit. Yogarajah affirmed his commitment to work closely with newly appointed Secretary General and CEO, the Rev. Botrus Mansour of Israel. Together with Reverend Botrus, the International Council and our global family, we will seek fresh ways to equip churches, strengthen leaders, and engage communities with the transforming message of Christ, he said. May this be a new chapter of unity, effectiveness and hope for the World Evangelical Alliance. Two-phase election under WEA bylaws The election of the International Council followed a two-phase process as outlined in the WEA bylaws. During the first business session on Oct. 29, delegates from national and regional alliances who constitute the WEAs voting members affirmed the nominees submitted by each of the nine regional Evangelical Alliances. Immediately after the session, the newly elected International Council convened to select its officers: chair, vice chair, secretary and treasurer. It also elected two additional members to fulfill the bylaw requirement that the Council consist of at least 11 members, ensuring diversity in terms of gender, age and ministry background. Outgoing Chair Goodwill Shana explained that each regional alliance had also submitted nominations for additional candidates to enhance diversity and representation. We have requested the regional alliances to send three representative nominees a young person or woman or someone with expertise, he said. The International Council will sit and consider those nominees plus any others in order to ensure that theres a balance and representation. From these nominations, the council re-elected Snehal Pinto of India and Marta Hotton of Argentina, both of whom had served previously, to continue for a second term. Composition of the new International Council The new International Council includes both re-elected and newly appointed members: Re-elected members: Godfrey Yogarajah (Sri Lanka) Chair; also Chair of the Asia Evangelical Alliance and CEO of the National Christian Evangelical Alliance of Sri Lanka Chair; also Chair of the Asia Evangelical Alliance and CEO of the National Christian Evangelical Alliance of Sri Lanka David Guretzki (Canada) Vice Chair; President of the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada Vice Chair; President of the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada Jorge Gomez (Costa Rica) Secretary; leader with the Alianza Evangelica Latina Secretary; leader with the Alianza Evangelica Latina Bassem Fekry (Egypt) Evangelical Fellowship of Egypt Evangelical Fellowship of Egypt Marta Hotton (Argentina) Alianza Evangelica Latina Alianza Evangelica Latina Snehal Pinto (India) Director of the Ryan International Group of Institutions Director of the Ryan International Group of Institutions Rev. Ahaman Egizbaev (Kyrgyzstan) Evangelical Alliance of Kazakhstan Newly elected members: Rev. Jean Libom Li Likeng (Cameroon) President, Association of Evangelicals in Africa President, Association of Evangelicals in Africa Devon Rachae (Grenada) President, Evangelical Association of the Caribbean President, Evangelical Association of the Caribbean Reinhardt Schink (Germany) General Secretary, Evangelical Alliance in Germany General Secretary, Evangelical Alliance in Germany Jude Simion (Australia) Head of the Australian Evangelical Alliance The Council has yet to appoint a treasurer. Outgoing members who have completed their terms include: the Rev. Goodwill Shana (Zimbabwe), the Rev. Frank Hinkelmann (Austria), the Rev. Connie Main Duarte (Portugal), Palmira Santos (Angola), the Rev. Ezekiel Tan (Singapore), Mario Li-Hing (Mauritius), the Rev. Desmond Austin (Caribbean), and John Langlois (Guernsey). Clarification on emeritus status During the business meeting, delegates also addressed a question regarding the legitimacy of a member emeritus status that had been granted to a former International Council member in 2008. Shana clarified that the WEAs constitution and bylaws contain no provision for such a role. There is no constitutional position or place for member emeritus, Shana said. What we do have is a record of a minute that said the particular member would be a member emeritus until the next General Assembly. That status would therefore have expired after the 2019 General Assembly in Jakarta. Since no discussion or resolution on the matter was recorded in 2019 or the following years, the role now ceases to exist. Any future conferral of an emeritus position, Shana added, would require a formal amendment to the bylaws defining the terms and authority of such a role. 'A new day' for the WEA The newly appointed Secretary General, the Rev. Botrus Mansour, was officially introduced during the session. Delegates joined in prayer for Yogarajah, Mansour and the newly elected International Council. This is a new day, Shana said. It is a great day for the WEA with a new International Council and a new Secretary General. This article was originally published at Christian Daily International Tucker Carlsons Antisemitism Escalates, Paivi Rasanen Faces Finnish Supreme Court, Gavin Newsom Cites Scripture To Blast Trump link to download the audio instead. link to download the audio instead. 06:17 06:17 Top headlines for Friday, October 31, 2025 In this episode, Finlands Supreme Court hears the landmark case of MP Paivi Rasanen over a 2019 Bible tweet, while California Governor Gavin Newsom invokes scripture to challenge the Trump-aligned GOP. Meanwhile, Tucker Carlson faces growing backlash as his rhetoric takes an openly antisemitic turn. 00:11 Supreme Court of Finland hears Paivi Rasanen case for Bible tweet 00:59 Michigan township accused of discriminating against church 01:43 Newsom appeals to Bible to blast GOP over SNAP benefits 02:28 American pastor stranded in Jamaica amid 15-day water-only fast 03:09 Rick Warren: I give to be a blessing, not to get a blessing 03:58 Tucker Carlson calls Christian Zionism brain virus' 04:44 Frankie Muniz credits K-LOVE with helping him get back to church Home Opinion Forget your social media celebrities. What about the saints? One day my 7-year-old came home from school asking me what he could do to get likes. My kids do not have access to social media, but they are growing up in a world governed by it. In our attention economy, celebrity is king. We want to be seen, and we want to be admired. If Im being honest, this is not just a struggle for my children. In my work as a Christian minister and writer, I am tempted to evaluate my efforts in terms of visibility or popularity with others. In fact, ministers are often trained to think this way, privileging Christian leaders with sleek websites and large followings. Our market-driven mentality makes it lamentably easy to confuse spiritual substance with sales. In the late modern West, we cant conceive of life apart from the twin pillars of consumerism and celebrity. Everything is a commodity, including ourselves. Most of the time these dynamics are invisible to us even as we participate in them. We dont need to be professional influencers or public figures to be lured into the quest for disembodied accolades on social media (as my seven-year-old can attest). We reduce our personal and spiritual lives to the size of a Tweet or a #latergram. Sometimes, we take toxic measures to be seen, creating clickbait or even rage bait to expand our influence at any cost. Sometimes we even do this in the name of Jesus. One powerful antidote to this mentality is to learn more about Christian saints. A few years ago, my sons and I began reading short, illustrated stories about men and women throughout history whom the Church has recognized as uniquely influential in the faith. These heroes of history have incredible stories and are easy to admire from the comfort of our living room sofa. What has struck me, though, is how unadmired many of these men and women were when they were alive. Their courageous witness often got them killed (like Polycarp and Felicity) or at least hunted (like Harriet Tubman and Patrick of Ireland). Still other saints spent their entire lives in poverty or obscurity, never garnering a following or making a profit. Would these men and women have gotten likes for their work? What made them unique was their general disinterest in worldly accolades or acclaim. Their stories are powerful precisely because they didnt follow the cultural scripts of their day; they were willing to be called weird or insignificant or even crazy in pursuit of something more valuable than their social standing. Every year on the Feast of All Saints (November 1), Christians worldwide commemorate and celebrate these giants in the faith. But theirs is a posthumous fame, a renown that remained invisible during most of their earthly lives. Their witness illustrates Jesus challenging words: Whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it (Matt. 16:25). In a world of people clamoring for attention, the Church doesnt need more celebrities. We need more saints. Celebrities wield the power of worldly acclaim. In contrast, saints wield a power that is not of this world. They point to a different reality than the one we think we desire, one that perhaps is outside our current ability to see or even imagine. D.J. Marotta and Ben Lansing write, The celebrity demands, Look at me! The saint whispers, Look at God The celebrity offers you everything you want but can never have. The saint offers you the thing you fear but will redeem your soul. Some modern-day saints are doing dangerous or unpopular work in the public sphere, but many of them are living quiet, holy lives in our churches and neighborhoods. These Christian influencers exercise influence of a different kind: their lives are characterized by humility, charity, and peace. We tend not to notice them because they arent wearing the right shoes or showing up in the right social spaces. But if we pay attention long enough, we might learn from them how to find the lives we are looking for lives that can only be found in their losing. I cant write these words without thinking of my grandfather who is nearing the end of his own life. A Baptist pastor, missionary and professor, he and my grandmother spent their retirement helping to raise their six grandchildren after my father died of cancer when we were young. It was not glamorous or restful work. It was not public or nearly as appreciated as it should have been. Nobody who sees my grandfather in the grocery store would recognize him as a world-changer or an influencer. But I do believe Heaven is preparing to welcome him as such. In his gentle way, he has shown me the hidden value of a lost life. I am likely to forget his quiet example in the daily onslaught of our celebrity-soaked world. This is why I need to return frequently to the saints. This is why I celebrate their stories every year with my children and at my church. The saints, in their weirdness and willingness to be unseen, make the most important thing visible: amid the bevy of glittering platforms, they show us the glory of the cross. Charity Governance Code An updated version of the Charity Governance Code has been published, with increased focus on trustee behaviours and inclusion. Following a consultation last year, the Charity Governance Code Steering Group has unveiled what it describes as the most significant update to the code since 2017. The code sets out principles of governance to help trustees reflect on how they lead, decide and uphold their charities purposes. It is a voluntary framework designed to help boards achieve the highest standards of effectiveness and accountability. Meeting the codes principles and outcomes would provide strong assurance to external stakeholders that a charity is well governed, the code reads. The steering group, which includes the Association of Chairs, Chartered Governance Institute, ACEVO, NCVO and WCVA, encouraged charities to adopt the new code and publish a short statement in their annual reports describing how they use it. A sharper focus on the behaviours that sustain effective boards The code, which was first introduced in 2005, last received a minor update in 2020. Last year, the steering group said it began work to take a wider look at the code, exploring its content, structure, applicability to different sizes of charity, the use of language and user-friendliness of the framework. We were also interested in exploring the barriers or obstacles to using the code, it said. As such, we invited responses to the consultation from both users and non-users. The updated code sets out clearer expectations of the behaviours, values and processes that underpin good governance in charities of all sizes. It contains eight universal principles: foundation, organisational purpose, leadership, ethics and culture, decision-making, managing resources and risks, equity, diversity and inclusion, and board effectiveness. NCVO said the news code brings a sharper focus on the behaviours that sustain effective boards, and brings fresh optics to matters around ethics, decision-making and managing resources and risks. Code remains a stretch for smaller charities Mark Abbott, senior associate and parliamentary agent at Bates Wells, told Civil Society: The code is still what it has always been aspirational best practice for charities. It isnt law and isnt a regulatory requirement, but is a useful starting point for a charity to look at when assessing its specific circumstances. And the new changes are evolution, not revolution but there are some important differences. Abbott said the steering group should be lauded for recognising the proactive role of charities and trustees in civil society. He also welcomed the new requirement that trustees should be courteous during board activity reflecting that its possible to robustly disagree with people which may sometimes be needed on boards while still respecting the other people and the process of the meeting. However, he added: While the code remains a stretch particularly for smaller charities whose trustees may baulk at new references to SWOT and PESTLE analyses and feedback and evaluation reports its a helpful tool and a useful development by the committee. An interactive online version of the code will launch next year to help boards explore resources and case studies tailored to their size and structure. 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, Shutterstock New accounting rules for charities in the UK will vary depending on their income, according to the new Charities Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP) published today. For accounting periods beginning after 1 January 2026, only charities with annual turnovers of more than 15m will be required to produce a detailed statement of cashflows under the new rules. Following a consultation earlier this year, there will be less stringent requirements for charities with incomes over 500,000 and the lightest touch rules for smaller voluntary organisations. New requirements for how charities should report on certain types of income and lease arrangements will also be introduced as part of the new SORP, which has been updated to incorporate recent changes to the Financial Reporting Councils FRS 102 standard. The new SORP includes refreshed annual report requirements for trustees, with further guidance added on how to report financial reserves and plans about the future. It has added dedicated sections for areas of public and donor interest including impact reporting, environmental, social and governance issues with associated guidance on reporting. There are also updates to how charities should account for social investments, designed to align with the definition of such holdings in the Charities Act 2011. The new SORP also aims to make requirements for reporting provisions and contingencies easier to understand. Requirements for small charities Alongside the SORP revisions, led by the three charity regulators across the UK, the governments Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) has also announced changes to charity accounting thresholds. Following its own separate consultation, DCMS has announced that the threshold for some charities to produce accrual accounts will double from 250,000 to 500,000, to match the lowest SORP tier. It is estimated that this change will mean more than 5,000 non-company charities in England and Wales now could opt to produce receipts and payments accounts instead. The Charity Commission for England and Wales plans to work with DCMS to consider further changes including the potential development of a standard form for receipts and payments accounts and the digitisation of charity accounts filing. Commission chief executive David Holdsworth said he hoped the SORP changes would enable charities to communicate both their financial position and the impact of their work more effectively. We welcome the changes introduced by DCMS to ease administrative burdens for charities in England and Wales, he said. Were also beginning work with them to explore further opportunities to simplify the regulatory landscape. As we move forward, we look forward to continuing conversations with charities across England and Wales, and were grateful to everyone who contributed to the consultation on the updated SORP. Alex Wright, head of regulator at Scottish charity regulator OSCR, said: The updated requirements place greater emphasis on reporting the impact charities have on society, as well as enhanced reporting around environmental, social, and governance issues. All of this will improve transparency of registered charities and increase public trust in individual organisations and the wider charity sector. Frances McCandless, CEO of the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland, said: The updated SORP is a welcome move towards clearer, more proportionate requirements that reflects the size and nature of each charity. It gives organisations the tools to tell their story well, show their impact, and maintain public trust. Concern over middle tier thresholds Richard Sagar, head of policy at the Charity Finance Group (CFG), expressed concern about the breadth of the threshold for the middle tier of SORP requirements (for charities with incomes from 500,000 to 15m). All charities following the SORP will be impacted by the changes, and charities at the bottom end of tier two will be particularly affected because of the scale of the changes for them, he said. We also understand that organisations will not have long to prepare before implementation We recognise that the SORP-making body has committed to ongoing dialogue around the tiering levels, and we will continue to advocate for the tiers to be adjusted in line with the audit thresholds. Additionally, we will also be open to working with the SORP-making body to help improve the development process in future years. The SORP-making body recognised there was some uncertainty over the thresholds in its announcement and said it would consider the tiers through further work during 2026-27. sign up to receive the free Civil Society daily news bulletin here . For more news, interviews, opinion and analysis about charities and the voluntary sector, Sign up for the daily CJR newsletter. A lot of us have been wondering what will become of CBS News in the wake of that sixteen-million-dollar settlement over President Trumps bogus lawsuit; the takeover of Paramount (its parent company) by David Ellison, a movie guy whose dad is one of the worlds richest men; and the appointment of Bari Weiss, founder of a site with a proclivity for conservative opinion pieces, as the divisions editor in chief. Still, we can be a little hopeful, right? So I tuned in to 60 Minutes Sunday evening wanting to see if this show, among the most lauded and profitable news programs in television history, is keeping its standards intact. Now, one anecdote is not a trend, and Weiss has been at the helm of CBS News for just a few weeks. But a fawning segment on Peter Attiaa bestselling author, popular podcaster, and longevity doctorshows there is plenty to be done to rebuild 60 Minutes. Attia charges his elite clients more than a hundred thousand dollars to give them a battery of tests and then provide a mix of both obvious advice and interesting, if quirky, regimens. Hes certainly newsworthy, but this thirteen-minute profile was more Home Shopping Network than Mike Wallace, with host Norah ODonnell chugging away on a treadmill and then breathlessly (in the literal and figurative senses) parroting Attias ideas. Some of Attias tips, like getting more exercise or developing strong personal relationships, are widely accepted ways to enjoy a longer, healthier life. But he is also given to shakier ideas, such as the use of rapamycin, an antirejection medication usually given to transplant recipients, as a longevity-enhancer. The efficacy of the drug for longevity is unconfirmed, and there are some significant side effects. His advice to get full-body, preventive MRIs is likewise questionable, given the many false positives and expensive, invasive procedures that can follow. But you wouldnt know about concerns over Attias medical advice until near the end of the segment, when ODonnell says, in voice-over, There are physicians, including a respected professor of public health we spoke to, who are skeptical that his extraordinary regimen will result in an extra decade of healthy life. She never identifies this respected professor or what that skepticism is about. She then asks Attia, When a fellow physician calls some of what youre talking about hocus-pocus? Attia bats away such vague criticism: People are entitled to think what they want. And just because someone is a physician doesnt mean theyre even remotely equipped to evaluate the merits of exercise physiology. Remember, I went to Stanford Medical School, right? How many hours of education do you think I received on exercise? Zero hours. And how many hours did I receive on nutrition? Zero hours. It was twenty-five years ago, so maybe things have changed. But Im pretty sure that if youre talking to other esteemed physicians, theyre in the same bucket as me. So, you know, they might not be the ones that are best equipped to be my critics. Well, it isnt hard to find on-the-record skeptics. In a 2024 New Yorker profile of Attia, Ezekiel Emanuel, a University of Pennsylvania oncologist and bioethicist, is quoted saying that no ones got that evidence that Attias approach will work. (He also appears to be the source of ODonnells hocus-pocus quote.) Eric Topol, a cardiologist with more than thirteen hundred peer-reviewed articles, added that Attias theory of medicine is that you get this long life where youre healthy, and then you fall off a cliff. It would be great if it were true. There isnt any evidence for it. The New York Posts Alexandra Steigrad reported this week that Weiss wants to shake up 60 Minutes and that the network is aware of how soft some of the program segments can be, with one source using the term afternoon cable fare. Theres not much evidence in Weisss background that she can restore 60 Minutes to its glory days, but removing puff pieces would be a great way to start. Before dawn one day in April 2019, Jordan Silverman woke to see a SWAT team and a squad of police and FBI agents on the porch of his Washington, DC, home. The officers stormed inside, confiscated his electronics, and handcuffed but didnt arrest him. They were investigating allegations that Silverman had abused young children while working at a preschool run by the Washington Hebrew Congregation. As rumors swirled, Silverman lost his job, lost joint custody of his two sons, and faced constant harassment. He received threatening mail with letters cut from magazines, conveying messages like Evidence is mounting you sick fuck and You aint worth the blood that runs in your veins. People spray-painted child rapist in front of his house and smashed a window and taillight of his car. And then, after eighteen months of investigation and hundreds of thousands of dollars in legal bills, he was cleared. The cops even issued an unusual public statement: After exhausting all investigative avenues, the US Attorneys Office found that there was insufficient probable cause to establish that an offense occurred or to make an arrest. The childrens claims about Silverman were inconsistent, and it appears that parents of the preschoolers goaded authorities without much hard evidence. Silverman opened up about his case to Radley Balko, an independent journalist who published a remarkably detailed and candid account on his Substack. It is not an easy read, given the nature of the allegations and the length of the storyaround thirteen thousand words. But it fills in a lot of gaps that you wont find in other reporting, including a credulous piece at the Daily Beast. Balko correctly characterizes some of the medias coverage as sensationalist, conspiratorial, and failing to entertain the possibility that Silverman might be innocent. Balko spent more than two years digging into files and clips and interviewing witnesses, experts, and, most important, Silverman himself. Set aside some time to read it. Youll be saddened, but you wont be sorry. It seemed like a nice gesture at the time. A developer was planning a new community, with five hundred and sixty single-family homes and apartments across a hundred twenty-five acres near Mooresville, North Carolina, about thirty miles from Charlotte. And the company was so eager to get the project done, it promised to pay fifteen million dollars for a connector road that would alleviate some of the traffic congestion. That was three years ago. And while the housing project is underway, it turns out that taxpayersnot the developerwill be paying that fifteen million for the one-mile, two-lane road. The story of how that switcheroo happened comes to us thanks to a lot of digging by Dan Kane, an investigative reporter at the Raleigh News & Observer. He goes into the gnarly details of how well-connected lobbyists and builders, whod been sending hundreds of thousands of dollars in campaign contributions to key legislators, managed to finagle the appropriation into the state budget. Residents were stunned to find out they and other taxpayers were stuck with the bill. Thats not right, said Kevin Parson, who has lived in the area for thirty years. Our government doesnt just all of a sudden decide to pay that much money so the developer doesnt have to pay for it. And this article isnt a one-off. The News & Observers Power and Secrecy page is packed with more than thirty stories published over the past sixteen months, detailing how legislators have been cutting deals to profit themselves and their benefactors. A lot of good things can happen when journalists aggregate links. They point you to stories you might have missed, or essays that run counter to the conventional wisdom, or simply drive traffic to sites that deserve it. But sometimes, aggregation veers closer to theft. Which is what happened recently at New York magazine. Lets start with the original story: this deeply reported New York Times piece about 432 Park Avenue in Manhattan, a skinny, 102-floor luxury apartment tower about six blocks from Central Park. Dionne Searcey, Stefanos Chen, and Urvashi Uberoy take you into the innards of the building, which may not be a place you want to live, even if you just dropped fifteen million dollars on a three-bedroom apartment. The trio pored through thousands of pages of court filings, public records, and emails to learn why this condominium tower is pockmarked and gouged, riddled with hundreds of cracks that suggest the slender structure is being overtaxed by wind and rain. As one expert told the Times, a ten-year-old building should not be showing that level of deterioration. Nobody can argue that that is not a failure. It isnt just a problem for the buyers. Chunks of concrete will fall off, and windows will start loosening up, one engineer warned. Theres no sidewalk shed thats going to protect you from chunks of concrete popping off a 1,400-foot building. A story like this gets a lot of attention, especially in the media-heavy market that surrounds the Times. It got more attention than it should have, though, in New York magazine, which ran an 816-word rip-off that mostly regurgitated the meticulous work the actual reporters had done. While New York did credit the Times, it rehashed so many of the choice details and quotes that its hard to imagine readers seeking out the original piece. Two months ago, federal agents mounted a series of drug raids in New England. They announced that theyd made 171 cartel-member arrests, and a top DEA official proclaimed, Were not going after low-level retail drug traffickers. Here are some of the kingpins the feds arrested: A man accused of shoplifting Jolly Ranchers from a grocery store. A woman who allegedly crashed a car into a bank. And a guy who was charged with a drug sale but didnt even have to post bail. As his dad said, Hes not part of the Sinaloa Cartel. He isnt a high-ranking member of anything. Hes high-ranking dumb. This all comes to light thanks to a quintet of Boston Globe Spotlight (yes, that Spotlight!) reporters: Andrew Ryan, Hanna Krueger, Joey Flechas, Steven Porter, and Amanda Milkovits. They found that the DEAs web caught more users than dealers, and those who were selling drugs were at the bottom rungs of the trade. If there had been even a mid-level cartel member arrested, they would have named him, said a former DEA chief of international operations. But they didnt name anybody. The cartel likely doesnt even know who these people are. Hat tip to David Beard for the final item. 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. Boston city councilors are proposing an ordinance that would require Alphabet Inc.s Waymo and other autonomous ride-share services to have a human operator present in the vehicle. The legislation would mandate a study on the technologys effects on the employment of current ride-share drivers and prohibit self-driving cars from operating in Boston until thats been completed and other permitting requirements are established. Even then, the cars wouldnt be allowed to operate unless a human safety operator is inside the vehicle and able to intervene, according to the proposed ordinance. Further work is needed to refine the proposal before it can be put to a vote, City Councilor Gabriela Coletta Zapata, the chair of the committee reviewing the legislation, said at a meeting on Wednesday. Typically, proposals from city councilors that advance must pass through committee and then receive public hearings before the mayor signs off. The exact language of Bostons restrictions on autonomous vehicles could change substantially before anything becomes law. Boston has been something of a hotbed for autonomous vehicle development. Hyundai Motor Co.-backed Motional is headquartered in the city and has been testing on public roads there since 2016. Boston is also among the cities where Waymo, which is widely considered to be the leader in the space, has been doing mapping and testing work as the company looks to expand service to new US cities. Ethan Teicher, a spokesperson for Waymo, said in a post on X that the proposal would make Boston the first major city in the world to ban fully autonomous vehicles based entirely on vibes, adding that the companys vehicles improve safety. Waymo currently offers paid rides fully autonomously in five cities: San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Austin and Atlanta. A local Teamsters chapter and other labor unions have protested the rollout of autonomous ride-share services in Massachusetts. Sponsors of the proposed Boston ordinance include members of both the progressive and moderate wings of the council. Autonomous driving in the U.S. is governed by a patchwork of federal, state and local rules, complicating the industrys efforts to expand. Some states, including Nevada and Texas, are considered more lenient, while California has strict oversight on driverless-car testing and operations. That disconnect is evident in Tesla Inc.s effort to start robotaxi operations in Austin and San Francisco. The Texas capital has allowed the company to put human safety operators in the passenger seat of the carmakers Model Ys, while the California tech hub requires those operators to be behind the wheel. Top photo: Traffic on Melcher Street in Boston, Massachusetts. Bloomberg. Copyright 2025 Bloomberg. Palantir Technologies Inc. sued two former senior artificial intelligence engineers, claiming they stole documents and information to help launch a copycat competitor, Percepta. Palantir filed a lawsuit Thursday against Radha Jain and Joanna Cohen in Manhattan federal court. Both women were entrusted with Palantirs crown jewels, including its source code, in which the company has invested billions of dollars, according to the suit. Jain and Cohen were far from rank-and-file employees, Palantir said in its complaint. Jain designed and built Palantirs flagship software, and Cohen interacted directly with some of Palantirs largest and most important customers. According to Palantir, Jain and Cohen conducted a months-long charade and lied about their plans when they respectively resigned in November 2024 and February 2025. The company said their activities came to light earlier this month when Perceptas launch was announced by venture capital firm General Catalyst. General Catalyst, which wholly owns Percepta, and its chief legal officer didnt immediately respond to calls seeking comment. Denver-based Palantir, co-founded by billionaire Peter Thiel, is best known for its work with U.S. military and intelligence agencies, while also selling its data analysis tools to governments and commercial customers. The company has recently ridden a wave of AI enthusiasm, sending its stock soaring. Palantir called a Percepta a copycat competitor, noting that its chief executive officer and many other executives are former Palantir employees. In the simplest terms, Perceptalike Palantirseeks to design, develop, and deploy software that enables organizations to integrate AI directly into their workflows to increase efficiencies, the company said. According to Palantir, Jain and Cohen have given Percepta an illegal head start in building a competing business. The women violated their employment and non-competition agreements, Palantir said. In addition, Cohen allegedly took highly confidential documents the day before she left Palantir by sending them to herself through Slack. Palantir is seeking an order requiring Jain and Cohen to comply with the non-compete agreements and also return property taken from the company. General Catalyst has backed startups including Stripe Inc., Airbnb Inc., Snap Inc., Warby Parker Inc. and Instacart and has been a major investor in AI. The case is Palantir v. Jain, 25-cv-08985, US District Court, Southern District of New York (Manhattan). Top photo: Palantir Technologies Inc. offices in Palo Alto, California. Bloomberg. Copyright 2025 Bloomberg. Li Auto Inc. is recalling 11,411 of its flagship Mega multi-purpose electric vehicles in China after one of its cars caught fire last week, highlighting growing concerns about EV safety. The recall covers the 2024 model of the Mega produced between Feb. 18, 2024, and Dec. 27, 2024, according to a filing posted by the State Administration for Market Regulation. The carmaker cited concerns about a coolant defect that, in extreme conditions, could result in thermal runaway in the battery. In a detailed explanation posted on its official WeChat account, Li Auto said that the recall was prompted by a battery fire involving a 2024 Mega in Shanghai on Oct. 23 that drew significant public attention. While no final technical conclusions have been reached, the company said that its own investigation concluded a coolant defect caused the accident. The investigation excluded the possibility of the fire being caused by the vehicles battery cells, which are manufactured by Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Ltd., it said. As part of the recall, which begins Nov. 7, Li Auto will replace the coolant, the power battery unit and the front motor controller on affected cars, and extend their standard warranty period. Large-scale physical recalls are uncommon in China, and the swift response from Li Auto underscores the growing scrutiny of the EV industrys safety record. Officials are already proposing stricter rules on driver-assistance systems and flush door handles, with the latter taking on greater significance following the recent fiery crash of a Xiaomi Corp. SU7 electric sedan. That incident saw bystanders unable to open the doors to rescue the driver, who died. Chinese regulators have already started drafting new requirements for door handle mechanisms after a similar crash in March killed three people, with this months accident expected to bolster the case for implementation. Li Auto said that its vehicle automatically unlocked when the fire broke out, and that both front and rear rows are equipped with mechanical emergency handles to ensure a quick exit. The company pledged to eliminate all hidden dangers and ensure no further self-ignition accidents. Copyright 2025 Bloomberg. As Hurricane Melissa sweeps past Bermuda into the North Atlantic, new satellite data of Jamaica has revealed devastation for tourist center Montego Bay and much of the Western part of the country. At least 40% of the buildings and roads in the worst-hit areas on the island were severely damaged, according to a Bloomberg News analysis of satellite data processed by the Earth Observatory of Singapore. The hurricane caused the most destruction in Jamaicas western region, which includes the devastated town of Black River and the heavily-damaged tourist center of Montego Bay. Analysis of satellite data shows that Saint James, Westmoreland and Saint Elizabeth parishes were most affected. Melissa also caused severe damage in Haiti and Cuba and has left nearly 50 dead across the Caribbean, according to Agence France-Presse. The U.S. is prepared to provide humanitarian assistance to Cuba, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a statement. I have never seen anything like this before, said Kerry-Lee Lynch, head of United Way of Jamaica, who drove from Kingston to Montego Bay on Wednesday past downed trees and power poles. She said the damage from Melissa was worse than the hurricanes that devastated the island in years past. This is more extensive damage than what I saw from Ivan or Beryl. Its horrific. In Jamaica, soldiers on foot have had to use machetes to cut their way through intertwined bamboo plants to reach cutoff communities along the islands western edge, authorities said during a news briefing on Thursday. Blackouts remain a problem with almost 72% of customers lacking electricity. There are entire communities that seem to be marooned and also areas that have been flattened, Dana Morris Dixon, the countrys information minister, said. Jamaica is really broken. Melissa also tore through the countrys farming heartland, where staples such as yams and tomatoes are grown for the entire country. Bananas are especially vulnerable during storms because the trees they grow on are fragile, said Damien King, executive director of the Caribbean Policy Research Institute in Kingston. It has devastated agricultural areas, and that is going to manifest itself in terms of shortages and food prices, he said. The record-setting storm made landfall on Tuesday near New Hope, Jamaica, as a Category 5 hurricane packing winds of 185 miles (298 kilometers) per hour. It was the strongest storm to hit the island in more than 170 years of record keeping. At least 19 people have been killed, according to Agence France Presse, citing comments by the information minister to local media late Thursday. Authorities are still assessing the full extent of the damage, but economic losses are already estimated to be at least $8 billion, said Chuck Watson, a disaster modeler at Enki Research. Much of the economic toll is likely concentrated in Jamaica due to widespread flooding, he said, with current estimates expecting around $7.7 billion in losses more than one-third of the islands gross domestic product. The storm missed the most densely populated islands in the Bahamas, he added, which will likely limit losses to $25 million. Meanwhile, Bermuda faces up to $150 million in impacts depending on the storms track as it exits the Caribbean. It may be days or a week or more before we have a more complete picture of the scale of destruction, said AccuWeather meteorologist Jon Porter. The first step with large buildings like hotels is to assess the stability of the structures, then set up generators and restore air-conditioning to stop mold from growing, said Scott State, chief executive officer of infrastructure decommissioning firm NorthStar. The company provides disaster recovery services and worked in Jamaica after Hurricane Beryl last year. If theres not structural integrity, then youre looking at removing these facilities to the ground or below, he said. Melissa passed Bermuda early Friday morning and is moving northeastward at hurricane strength, according to the US National Hurricane Center. Now a Category 1 storm with wind speeds around 90 miles per hour, Melissa is expected to rapidly degrade into a strong extra-tropical cyclone and continue weakening as it moves into colder waters in the North Atlantic, U.S. forecasters said. Residents in Bermuda took shelter as the storm flanked the island to the west, but local newspaper The Royal Gazette reported no major damage or disruptions. Melissa could bring strong wind gusts and heavy rain to Newfoundland as it passes nearby Friday night. The last remaining hurricane warning, for Bermuda, was canceled early Friday morning. Kingston Airport reopened on Wednesday for humanitarian flights and Thursday for commercial flights, while Montego Bay Airport remains closed, according Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacifico, which operates the facilities. Aid began to flow into Jamaica from a variety of countries, with France sending a humanitarian aid ship that carried water purification kits and basic food supplies. Two specialized U.S. search-and-rescue teams were scheduled to deploy to Jamaica on Thursday from fire departments in Los Angeles County and Fairfax County, Virginia. Officials said the teams which include 68 crew members and two canine units will help with recovery efforts and coordinate with the State Department on assessing local needs. Top photo: The destroyed neighborhood of North Street following the passage of Hurricane Melissa in Black River, Jamaica on Oct. 29. Photographer: Ricardo Makyn/AFP/Getty Images. Copyright 2025 Bloomberg. Ohio Direction Card and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program cardholders can show their card and receive free rides for themselves and members of their household on Metro Direct routes or via Metros ADA service beginning Nov. 1. AKRON, Ohio Metro RTA is offering Ohio Direction Card and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients and members of their household free rides until further notice, according to a Metro RTA news release. The free rides begin Nov. 1 and include any Metro Direct route or Metros ADA service. Cardholders must present their card to receive a free ride. Individuals who are new to the Metro RTA service can call 330-762-0341 for more information. Passengers can access routes and times on the Metro RTA website. The move comes as Ohio Direction Card and SNAP recipients face disruptions to their benefits following the federal government shutdown. As of Friday afternoon, Congress has not passed a federal budget or allocated funding to permit the program to continue. However, a federal judge on Friday ordered the Trump administration to continue paying for SNAP benefits during the shutdown, according to multiple reports. According to a notice from the U.S. Department of Agriculture, there wont be enough funds to pay full November SNAP benefits for approximately 42 million individuals nationwide beginning Nov. 1. More than 77,000 Summit County residents rely on SNAP, which provides approximately $15 million per month in food assistance in Summit County, according to a county news release. On Friday, Gov. DeWine announced a $25 million plan to assist Ohio families if the SNAP disruption continues into November. County Executive Ilene Shapiro and Summit County Council on Monday approved emergency legislation that will grant $250,000 to the Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank to help residents affected by the potential loss of SNAP benefits. Want more Akron news? Sign up for cleveland.coms Rubber City Update, an email newsletter delivered at 5:30 a.m. Wednesdays. GRAND RAPIDS, Michigan Meijer is expanding its fight against hunger across the Midwest, pledging $4 million in new donations to food banks and pantries serving families in need through its long-running Simply Give program, the grocery chain announced Friday. The Grand Rapids, Michigan-based retailer said the funds will reach food banks across six states, including Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, Illinois, Kentucky and Wisconsin, where the company operates hundreds of stores. The initiative will help restock shelves at organizations equipped to serve the growing demand for food assistance this season. Meijer said eight major food banks will receive a share of the $4 million, including the Greater Cleveland Food Bank, Mid-Ohio Food Collective, Feeding America West Michigan, Greater Chicago Food Depository, Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana, Gleaners Community Food Bank of Southeast Michigan, Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin and Dare to Care Food Bank in Louisville, Kentucky. We understand the communities we serve are facing unique challenges right now, and while we cannot solve them alone, that will not stop us from expanding our Simply Give hunger relief efforts to help our neighbors in need, said Hank Meijer, executive chairman at Meijer. We are humbled to be able to make these donations and know they will have a significant impact in the fight against hunger throughout the Midwest. Customers can also play a part. During any shopping trip, Meijer shoppers can purchase a $10 Simply Give donation card at checkout. Each card becomes a food-only gift card distributed to a local food pantry partner within that stores community. And from Nov. 2329, Meijer will donate the equivalent of one meal for every Meijer brand food item purchased, including Frederiks by Meijer, True Goodness or Purple Cow, the grocer said. The company estimates this effort could provide up to 4 million meals to Simply Give pantry partners this holiday season. Amid a government shutdown that has temporarily frozen SNAP benefits, food banks and charities report a surge in requests, with many relying on the contributions to bridge the gap left by halted government assistance. CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The men at the center of Ohios biggest corruption scandal arent just getting their day in court theyre getting special treatment. Former FirstEnergy executives Chuck Jones and Mike Dowling, accused of orchestrating one of the most extensive public corruption schemes in Ohio history, have been granted extraordinary privacy protections in their Summit County case. A recent Today in Ohio podcast episode dug into how these defendants are managing to keep massive amounts of evidence sealed from public view in a case that directly affected millions of Ohioans electric bills. The public that paid the price for their corruption is being shut out of seeing the evidence, said podcast host Leila Atassi. I feel like its really telling that the judge keeps emphasizing how Jones and Dowlings reputations are on the line as if that somehow tips the scales toward allowing this kind of secrecy. The agreement allowing this unusual level of confidentiality was reached between the special prosecutor and defense attorneys, with Summit County Judge Susan Baker Rosss approval. Either side could label materials as confidential simply by writing confidential on them an arrangement the state now appears to regret. As fellow host Laura Johnston explained, Theyre not VIPs, theyre not special people, theyre criminal defendants like any other criminal defendant. And rules require that we do the publics business in public forums, which makes sense. The executives are accused of paying $4.3 million in bribes in 2019 to Sam Randazzo just before he was named head of the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio. The case is part of a broader corruption scandal that has already seen former Ohio House Speaker Larry Householder convicted and FirstEnergy admit to its role in the bribery scheme. Yet despite the public nature of the corruption, much of the evidence remains hidden. Defense experts opinions, interviews with potential witnesses, and testimony from Jones successor as FirstEnergy CEO are all currently under seal inaccessible to the Ohioans who ultimately paid for the corruption through higher utility rates. What makes the situation even more perplexing is the judges claim that public awareness of the case is minimal. What do you make of the judge saying that most people she talks to dont even know what shes referring to when she mentions this case? Atassi asked her co-hosts. I feel like that actually undercuts her whole justification for allowing so much evidence to be sealed. If public awareness is that low, how can she seriously claim the media coverage risks tainting a jury pool? Johnston agreed, noting: Its hard to believe, though, that people dont know what shes talking about. This has been in the news for five and a half years at this point. Listen to the full discussion here. Listen to full Today in Ohio episodes where Chris Quinn hosts our daily half-hour news podcast, with Editorial Board member Lisa Garvin, Impact Editor Leila Atassi and Content Director Laura Johnston. Cochin Shipyard signs agreement with Denmark's Svitzer to build electric TRAnsverse tugs As per the LoI, Svitzer and Cochin Shipyard will collaborate on plans to build electrical TRAnsverse tugboats at the latter's yard facilities in India. Poehler refused to name names on Good Hang, but her fans arent as coy Saturday Night Live alumna and Good Hang host Amy Poehler claims that one mysterious SNL host from her tenure fell asleep while performing in a sketch, but that still wasnt as embarrassing as the time he hosted the Oscars with Anne Hathaway. Of all the horror stories that Saturday Night Live veterans tell about their time at the most stressful workplace in television, no anecdote is more amusing to long-time fans than the terrible host tale. From Milton Berle to Steven Seagal to Elon Musk, the age-old tradition of big-name celebrities stinking up the Studio 8H stage is an inextricable part of SNL history, and a constant point of fascination for fans in a cant look away from a car crash kind of way. Don't Miss As such, Poehler was cruelly playing with our emotions when she teased a scandalous story about a Saturday Night Live host falling asleep mid-sketch, but declined to identify the dozer-off during a recent Good Hang episode featuring fellow SNL great Kate McKinnon. By refusing to reveal the drowsiest host of her SNL tenure, Poehler denied fans their hot gossip though she did enable us to engage in some wild, baseless speculation to rival the outlandish claims of a certain sleepy President: While recounting disastrous SNL dress rehearsals with McKinnon, Poehler told the story of an unnamed SNL host dozing off during the walk-through, saying, We had a host again, I wont say who who, halfway through, just kind of fell asleep a little bit. This was during dress, and I was like, Okay, well, I guess his character is asleep now! However, Poehler added, she doesnt begrudge the unnamed performer his mid-rehearsal nap. Presumably, Poehler wanted to protect this host from embarrassment when she omitted his name, but she unintentionally opened the door for SNL fans to make all sorts of assumptions about various unpopular hosts, most of whom are, of course, innocent of the siesta scandal. In a thread about Poehlers anecdote on Reddit, one fan guessed of the culprit, Im thinking of someone who hosted the Oscars with Anne Hathaway. Does their name rhyme with Schmaymes Schmmrankoh? another user asked, implicating James Franco, who hosted SNL during Poehlers final season in 2008. Advertisement Elsewhere, SNL fans aimed a little higher in their accusations, with one user writing in the SNL subreddit, 110% it was Trump. Known sleeper, bad actor, doesnt always read his cue cards, hosted in the last few years. However, other SNL fans were doubtful, given Poehlers reticence to reveal the rehearsal sleepers identity. I feel like if it was Trump, she wouldnt have any problem with saying it was him, one doubter pointed out. Following that thinking, Poehler would logically have to have a positive relationship with the person if she didnt want to rag on them publicly, or, at least, a positive impression of them. Tracy Morgan, a fan guessed of the sleeper. Christoper Walken dozing off mid-Colonel Angus, another user suggested. No shade, but Sir Elton perhaps? one more SNL fan cautiously offered. Whoever the host may be, the fandom is united in their frustration that Poehler would offer a juicy bit of gossip while denying fans the best part. Either name names, or dont bring it up at all, an SNL fan complained. There were 100+ hosts during her tenure. It couldve been anybody. Well, maybe not anybody somehow I doubt Jack Black would conk out mid-scene, given how hes the living embodiment of Mountain Dew. Despite my personal best efforts to see Matt Rife fade into obscurity, the guy continues to be one of the top touring comedians in the country. This week, he performed in Los Angeles for a star-studded audience, including Sydney Sweeney and her new beau Scooter Braun. At the L.A. Laugh Factory show, Rifes second opener Erik Griffin, 53, took the opportunity to tear into Sweeney, 28. Griffin said that Sweeneys titties are always out. It was no secret that Sweeney and Braun were in attendance, as they sat in the VIP section of the club. This seemed to embolden Griffin. Shes at the pharmacy and her titties are out its wild, Griffin joked. For no reason. Fortunately, Sweeney is either a great actress or has a very self-deprecating sense of humor, as she doubled over in laughter at being the subject of Griffins ribbing though to be fair, its not like Sweeney had much freedom to express frustration or indignation. In Rifes later set, he said that people who are offended by his jokes are fucking r*****d Don't Miss Its no surprise that Sweeney was at Rifes show he was one of the most vocal defenders of her controversial ad for American Eagle earlier this year as well as her decision to sell bathwater-scented soap. Which to be fair, were weird career moves for a woman who has the makings of a true movie star. I keep seeing people mad at Sydney Sweeney for noooothing, Matt Rife tweeted back in August. Shes learning that the internet is full of absolute garbage losers who will twist anything you say into a cunty misinterpretation. People are awful Advertisement Im glad that Sweeney can laugh when shes the butt of the joke. But girl, if you ever find a mans joke about your tits funny, youre under no obligation to laugh. Who would have thought that cops chasing down Eric Cartman would end up being one of the less dramatic moments in the history of Casa Bonita? As we recently mentioned, the newly-unionized performers at Trey Parker and Matt Stones giant pink Colorado restaurant including character actors, divers and puppeteers went on strike this week. Don't Miss Casa Bonita management failed to deliver responses in contract bargaining that would move unionized workers towards a fair contract and a resolution to their outstanding Unfair Labor Practices charge, a statement on the Casa Bonita Instagram page announced, referencing to the restaurants allegedly illegal decision to eliminate certain jobs for the month of October. A big part of the workers' fight involves their desire to be paid a living wage. As Denver's 9NEWS pointed out, some Casa Bonita performers make as little as $21 per hour, even though the living wage calculator puts living in Denver at over $30 per hour. Advertisement But another key issue is safety. The GoFundMe page for the striking workers attests that Casa Bonita has ignored safety concerns, including those involving the restaurants trademark cliff divers. Management refuses to implement a certified aquatic safety plan a standard in every professional aquatic facility, the page explains. They have fought for and personally provided their own safety measures, from rescue equipment to training, because management wouldnt. "Safety is not negotiable. Safety comes first, and that is the end of the question and a lot of those things, legally, they just need to be providing and doing," one Casa Bonita performer told CBS News. This is especially surprising considering that Casa Bonita Mi Amor!, the documentary about Trey Parker and Matt Stones renovation of the restaurant, made a big deal about their safety upgrades, including those protecting divers. But ensuring that employees wont be electrocuted clearly isnt the only safety measure that should be required. Advertisement Advertisement Its not just the divers who have serious safety concerns. Striking Casa Bonita performer Brandi Lyons told Denverite that she wants management to take action to protect performers from being touched, groped and assaulted by patrons. Advertisement We were filling out incident reports for sexual assault almost daily, Lyons revealed. It's really sad that the gorillas have a motto Once you get your butt grabbed, you're officially a gorilla, because it happens so often. Not wanting to be fondled by drunken assholes on a regular basis, while being paid enough money to afford food and rent, sure doesnt sound like the most outlandish demand. Chinese ginseng culture captivates guests at UN People's Daily Online) 09:27, October 31, 2025 An event showcasing traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) was held at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, on Oct. 29, the day of the Double Ninth Festival, also known as China's Seniors' Day. The event was jointly hosted by the Permanent Mission of China to the United Nations Office in Geneva, the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine of China, the Jilin Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China and the Jilin provincial government. It centered on ginseng, dubbed the "king of herbs," from the Changbai Mountains in northeast China's Jilin Province, offering a glimpse into China's health and wellness philosophy and its deep-rooted reverence for older people. A video produced by People's Daily Online shows innovative ginseng-inspired dishes from northeast China's Jilin Province. (People's Daily Online) A video produced by People's Daily Online took audiences into the world of ginseng and showcased a culinary celebration built around the herb. A video about ginseng culture plays for guests at the Palais des Nations, Geneva, Switzerland, Oct. 29, 2025. (Photo/People's Daily Online) The video featured a wellness restaurant in Huinan county, Tonghua city, Jilin Province, where 116 ginseng-infused dishes drew crowds of locals and tourists eager to taste them. By combining ginseng with traditional cooking techniques, chefs created visually appealing dishes rich in flavor, embodying the traditional TCM principle that "food and medicine share the same origin." A presenter displays ginseng products and traditional tools at the Chinese medicine event, Palais des Nations, Geneva, Switzerland, Oct. 29, 2025. (Photo/People's Daily Online) Guests attending the event learned about ginseng picking in the Changbai Mountains, a national-level intangible cultural heritage in China, through a presentation. They also sampled ginseng products such as ginseng essence and honeyed ginseng slices while learning about their health benefits. During an interactive Q&A session, they exchanged ideas with TCM experts, gaining deeper insight into the philosophy and practical applications of TCM. Guests discuss ginseng products at an exhibition booth, Palais des Nations, Geneva, Switzerland, Oct. 29, 2025. (Photo/People's Daily Online) Guests sample ginseng pastries at the Palais des Nations, Geneva, Switzerland, Oct. 29, 2025. (Photo/People's Daily Online) A traditional medicine practitioner offers health consultations to guests at the Palais des Nations, Geneva, Switzerland, Oct. 29, 2025. (Photo/People's Daily Online) The participants also made Zhuyu (Cornus officinalis) sachets, symbolizing good luck and protection from illness, and experienced massage and acupuncture treatments. Performances of Tai Chi and Baduanjin, traditional Chinese exercises, captivated attendees. 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San Marino, Republic of Sao Tome and Principe, Democratic Republic of Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of Senegal, Republic of Serbia and Montenegro Seychelles, Republic of Sierra Leone, Republic of Singapore, Republic of Slovakia (Slovak Republic) Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia, Somali Republic South Africa, Republic of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands Spain, Spanish State Sri Lanka, Democratic Socialist Republic of St. Helena St. Kitts and Nevis St. Lucia St. Pierre and Miquelon St. Vincent and the Grenadines Sudan, Democratic Republic of the Suriname, Republic of Svalbard & Jan Mayen Islands Swaziland, Kingdom of Sweden, Kingdom of Switzerland, Swiss Confederation Syrian Arab Republic Taiwan, Province of China Tajikistan Tanzania, United Republic of Thailand, Kingdom of Timor-Leste, Democratic Republic of Togo, Togolese Republic Tokelau (Tokelau Islands) Tonga, Kingdom of Trinidad and Tobago, Republic of Tunisia, Republic of Turkey, Republic of Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda, Republic of Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom of Great Britain & N. Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe First, a trigger warning to readers who share my profound squeamishness where certain bodily functions are concerned: what follows will make reference to the eccentric bowel-emptying habits of our seven-year-old mongrel, Minnie. I must also issue an advance warning that I will be using the infantile words 'poo' and 'poo-bag', which I loathe. The trouble is that I know some readers find the more grown-up, earthier Anglo-Saxon alternatives offensive. So in deference to them, I shall stick to the baby-talk now widely regarded as acceptable. With those warnings out of the way, I'll get on with it. Oh, how my heart goes out to the woman who has been fined 100 by some jobsworth of a council enforcement officer for walking her Welsh springer spaniel through Northampton town centre without carrying a poo-bag. Heaven knows, I share every decent citizen's disgust at dog-owners who fail to clean up after their pets. Indeed, there's nothing I find more revolting than a pile of dog mess on the pavement or in the park nothing, that is, apart from stepping in it by accident. String up the guilty owners, I say. (I must stress that this is not a serious suggestion, since I would hate to be hauled before the courts myself for incitement to violence. You just can't be too careful what you write these days. But certainly, guilty owners should be fined.) A woman in Northampton town centre was stopped and fined by a council officer for not carrying a poo bag However, what is different about the case of that poor woman in Northampton, who wants to be named only as Paula, is that her dog had not fouled the pavement. No, she was issued with that on-the-spot fine simply for failing to produce a waste bag when the enforcement officer demanded to see one. As she told the BBC: 'She [the dog] had already been out for her business that day and it was a very short walk through the town centre, so I knew that she wasn't going to do anything. 'Unusually, I didn't have any bags in any of my pockets, and so I was unable to say that I had a poo bag with me. So what happened? I was fined on the spot, 100 for a poo she didn't do.' Though the enforcement officer was 'polite', she said, he was also 'very firm'. 'I honestly thought I would be given words of advice, told off, told what the law was so that I knew for next time, but there was no movement.' All I can say is that there, but for the grace of God, go I and many other dog owners who might also be unaware that in some council areas, it's an offence to be caught walking a dog without a poo-bag, even when there's no need for one. What's more, it's apparently punishable more severely these days than a great many cases of shoplifting or even some crimes of violence (and if you're an illegal immigrant and convicted sex offender, of course, you risk nothing worse than being packed off home with 500 spending money in your pocket, courtesy of the British taxpayer). All of which brings me to Minnie's eccentric habits. At the beginning of our walks, she always has her one and only poo of the day, as soon as she's released from her lead in the park. Coprophobic though I am, I never fail to pick it up in a poo-bag and bin it. Then, as we set off round the park, she invariably has four or five phantom poos, squatting down as if straining for a stool, though nothing more ever comes out. But passers-by don't realise this, and so to pre-empt their dirty looks I go through an elaborate pantomime of scrutinising the grass beneath her rear end, before throwing wide my arms and shrugging my shoulders to signify: 'There's nothing there for me to pick up.' (Another of her eccentricities is that she does hand-stands when she wees, balancing on her front paws with her hind legs in the air, like an acrobat in a circus. Perhaps other dogs do this, though I've never seen one. But this is by the by.) It's just as well that I never need more than one poo bag, since those of us who use the handy plastic dispensers that come free with Amazon Basics never know if there's more than one left on the roll. But then if we ever run out and find ourselves needing a bag, we can always be sure of being able to cadge one off a fellow dog-walker. A fat lot of good it would do me, however, if I tried explaining any of this to a bloody-minded council enforcement officer. But then who cares about justice, fairness or common sense, when there are juicy revenues to be harvested from responsible citizens who are ignorant of little-known regulations? Of course, going unequipped with a poo bag is far from the only ludicrous, lucrative offence to be exploited by councils to fill their empty coffers, since legislation introduced in 2014 empowered them to impose Public Spaces Protection Orders. Just ask poor Bercu Yesilyurt, who was fined 150 by Richmond council for pouring coffee down a drain or Victoria from West London, who suffered a whopping 400 penalty after a letter addressed to her, but which she claimed she had never received, was found in a fly-tip. Or the five-year-old girl left sobbing after she was fined 150 for selling 50p cups of lemonade on her street in Tower Hamlets. True, the fines in these cases were eventually rescinded, but not before the victims suffered a great deal of anxiety and palaver. Other victims of this madness include the grandmother in Bath who was fined 150 for littering after feeding pigeons a sausage roll, and Kleo Papas, a Londoner on a work trip to Birmingham, who claims he was left 'gobsmacked' after being hit with a 100 fine for dropping a strawberry stalk down a drain. He had no idea that this was an offence, he says, until he heard a voice saying: 'I got that all on camera.' Yes, I know it's a mistake to look back on the Britain of my youth through rose-tinted glasses, as if every council official and bobby on the beat (remember them?) was blessed with a strong sense of fairness and common sense. But this was an age before traffic wardens outnumbered full-time soldiers in the Army, and before cash-hungry councils employed legions of jobsworths to enforce an ever-growing mass of petty regulations. Isn't it at least fair to say that in those good old days, hardened criminals had a great deal more to fear from the authorities and honest citizens a great deal less? Will Rachel Reeves receive a Civil Penalty Notice fine of up to 30,000 as other landlords without a selective licence might? Will she have to pay her tenants up to 12 months' rent a sum which, in her case, would amount to 38,000? I ask because I committed the same mistake as her and it cost me thousands of pounds. Like her, I own a property in Southwark, and let it in the hope that it would eventually become my pension. I live 200 miles away in Wales, so missed all the council advertising informing locals of incoming licensing laws that would affect my house from March 1, 2022. I remained blissfully unaware of the problem, as Rachel Reeves says she was. The estate agent contracted to find the tenants and collect the rent for me promised they would ensure I was compliant when letting my property in order to avoid any large fines. Nor did my tenants enlighten me when they received leaflets about the need for a licence that the council assured me had been delivered to all local addresses. I had been letting the property for a year before I discovered a licence was necessary when the agents checked my documents prior to a new tenant moving in at the end of April 2023. I had been letting the property for a year before I discovered a licence was necessary, writes Frieda Hughes Once my licence was applied for, I breathed a sigh of relief and thought the matter was closed. Months passed and I didn't give it another thought. Then, on February 5, 2024, I received an email from one of the tenants. He had contacted Southwark Council to determine whether or not I'd had a licence for the year of their tenancy. He was writing on behalf of himself and his two co-tenants. His letter, attached to his email, was several pages long and appeared designed to intimidate. He began by stating that he intended to make an application to the First Tier Tribunal for a Rent Repayment Order (RRO) in respect of one year's back rent amounting to 25,200, because the property had been unlicensed for that period after the law came into force. Although the council used the existence of RROs as a deterrent for rogue landlords of badly run properties, it also allows greedy tenants to enrich themselves despite having lived in comfortable accommodation. The property was in good order and I kept it that way. If there was a problem, I fixed it. The tenants had never had a single complaint about me or the property. I do not see why Rachel Reeves should escape the repercussions that others like me are subjected to, Hughes adds In his letter, the tenant outlined the law I had broken, the reasons he believed they had a good case, the (terrifying to me) procedure of the First Tier Tribunal and the 'significant legal and administrative work' necessary. He stated that 'a settlement at this stage would remove the need for legal advice...' It sounded to me as if he had done this before. He observed that my very conscientiousness as a landlord was why the tribunal would not excuse any reason I gave for not having obtained a licence when they became necessary. He added that in the hope of reaching a swift agreement he proposed the sum of 24,000 as the settlement 'below the maximum I will apply for at tribunal'. My reply was that he would have to take me to the tribunal if he wanted the money. Which he did. On receiving his Rent Repayment Order application prior to the hearing, I was able to see in the declaration section that he had, indeed, done this before to a previous landlord. There was a case number, but no publicly available tribunal judgment as it had been settled out of court. So, I faced him in front of the two tribunal judges. They asked him about the other case he'd been obliged to disclose on this application. He gave them a blow-by-blow account of the success of his threat to take that landlord to the tribunal, which had resulted in a settlement before the hearing. The judges listened, stony faced. Then they asked him about me; apparently, I was an excellent landlord and the tenants had no complaints. The judges looked exasperated. I explained my difficulty in knowing what was happening in Southwark when I lived in Wales, and my reliance on the agent. The senior government policy advisor argued that I could have availed myself of the necessary information on the internet. 'But when?' I asked. 'And how often would I have to look? And why would I look for something that I wasn't expecting?' I did my best. I was ordered to pay the tenants 10,080 although it was almost worth it to have the judgment include the following: 'The Tribunal finds that the Respondent was a conscientious landlord' and 'The Tribunal makes clear that the conduct of the Respondent had been exemplary in every other respect, and had this not been the case, the Tribunal would have been minded to make a higher award.' Recognition of sorts. But this was far more than a rap on the knuckles. I do not see why Rachel Reeves should escape the repercussions that others like me are subjected to. Only last year she was campaigning for selective licensing to be imposed in her Leeds constituency. Whether it was a genuine mistake or not, she should face the full force of the law. In South Cambridgeshire, where I used to live, the local authority uses the web address scambs.gov.uk. Given that the 'b' is silent, this always amused me. But the joke has worn thin. It has become too much of a genuine description of the behaviour of the Liberal Democrat-controlled council. This week it defied a call by Communities Secretary Steve Reed to look again at its adoption of a four-day week for its employees something that it voted to make permanent back in July. Under this deranged system, trials of which began in 2022, staff take Monday or Friday as a day off but are expected to do 100 per cent of the work they were previously doing in 80 per cent of the time. Naturally, they continue to receive 100 per cent of their original pay. To the surprise of absolutely no one, this innovation resulted in a sharp decline in public satisfaction with its services, with a survey of residents by a market research company finding a statistically significant fall in nine out of the 13 services it looked at. When it came to bin collections, for example, the proportion of residents 'dissatisfied' or 'very dissatisfied' surged from four per cent to 15 per cent, with residents complaining of bins being left blocking pavements, as refuse collectors rushed to finish their rounds. It was a similar story with environmental health. The proportion very dissatisfied with services increased from 17 per cent to 42 per cent, with people complaining about, among other things, a rise in fly-tipping. And on the housing front, the dissatisfaction rate increased from 20 per cent to 33 per cent. But it was licensing services, which cover a wide range of regulated enterprises from pubs to taxis, which suffered the steepest decline. No one was very dissatisfied before the trial began but, afterwards, 38 per cent of respondents said they were. People working seven days a week running businesses found themselves being forced to do overtime just so that council pen-pushers could enjoy a three-day weekend. Pictured: South Camrbidgeshire District Council building. The council have been criticised for their four-day week Leader of South Cambridgeshire district council, Bridget Smith (pictured) One owner of licensed premises said it all: 'We seem to have to do all the work for your staff nowadays, scanning documents etc.' Before it got round to asking the public for their assessment of its four-day week, the council tried to claim that it was a great success on the back of an 'independent study' by academics at Cambridge University's Bennett Institute for Public Policy. Despite staff knocking off early, it claimed performance had improved in many areas. But the Bennett Institute report was based on the council's own performance data so hardly independent. It was further discredited when emails obtained by an independent councillor revealed that South Cambridgeshire District Council's chief executive Liz Watts had been allowed to edit aspects of the report. In one instance, she demanded that the authors delete a remark from a town hall manager saying that the trial had a negative effect on their wellbeing until they realised: 'We don't always have to deliver perfect work.' Another staff comment, which was removed at Watts's request, suggested that the employees who opted to take Monday off continued to treat Friday as an easy day, in spite of the council insisting that its staff are now fully motivated for a full four days. Meanwhile, the theory that staff would increase their productivity if given an extra day of invigorating leisure time was blown apart by the revelation that one in six of its staff are using their extra day off to undertake paid work. They are not recuperating from a busy week at South Cambridgeshire District Council but using the opportunity to moonlight. One of the staffers who has a side hustle on her day off is the chief executive herself. Liz Watts is simultaneously undertaking a PhD on the subject of the four-day week. While the website does now admit that she is doing the PhD, she initially saw no need to declare an interest, despite shamelessly using her council-tax payers as guinea pigs in an ideological experiment. The truth is that the district council has become a microcosm of everything that is wrong with Britain's workshy public sector. For it raises the question: if its employees really could do five days' worth of work in four days, what does that say about their productivity beforehand? Private companies are forever looking for more efficient ways of working: negotiating better terms from suppliers, cutting out pointless meetings, selling surplus assets etc. And they will reward staff with higher salaries and bonuses if they achieve savings. But all private-sector enterprises are on a single-minded mission to increase output and profits, not to reduce working hours. When a company realises it can cope with fewer workers on its payroll, it will cull them, not reward them with an extra day off. This week, Amazon announced that it was making 14,000 employees redundant because their roles can be handled more efficiently by AI technology. It speaks volumes that South Cambridgeshire's Lib Dem council leader Bridget Smith has defended the four-day week by boasting that applications for jobs at the council have surged by 123 per cent since the pilot project was introduced. Of course they have. Who wouldn't want a job which paid you for five days' work when you are only doing four? The council's attitude appears to be: Never mind the public who are paying for this charade, remember so long as the staff are happy. This sums up the public sector disease in a nutshell. Parts of it are now run predominantly for the benefit of its staff, not the public. Just look how civil service numbers have mushroomed over the past decade from 384,000 in 2016 to 515,000 now. While the bureaucratic challenges posed by Brexit and the Covid pandemic may explain some of this rise, both these events are now in the distant past. Yet still the headcount continues to rise. Many civil servants are demanding a four-day week, too, as well as the right to work from home (or a foreign beach). No wonder they think they can do their work in four days rather than five they are chronically over-staffed. But in many cases, it is a nonsense to suggest that a job, formerly done in five days, can suddenly be completed in four. If your role is to look after children for a set number of hours, for example, you can't do the same work in fewer hours. The same applies to security guards whose job is to keep an eye on a building for a set period of time. What about teachers? South Cambridgeshire doesn't employ any, because schools are the responsibility of Cambridgeshire County Council. The same is true of roads and social care, while planning and wheelie bins are provided in conjunction with Cambridge City Council. In fact, there is very little that South Cambridgeshire District Council does by itself, except manage social housing which could easily be done by a housing association. Yet it occupies or, rather, did occupy until large numbers of staff started working from home a vast headquarters in Cambourne, a new town to the west of Cambridge. I have a better idea than putting the staff on a four-day week put them on a zero-day week. Abolish the council and transfer its few functions elsewhere. Fortuitously, that is exactly what should be happening over the next few years thanks to Angela Rayner. Before she got into difficulty with stamp duty and was forced to resign as Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, Rayner set in motion a plan to abolish South Cambridgeshire District Council, along with the county council and five other district councils. These bodies would then be replaced with two unitary authorities, one covering Peterborough and the north and the other covering Cambridge and the south. It is a more logical arrangement, which in theory ought to lead to more efficient administration. The trouble is I rather fear that South Cambridgeshire's four-day week will be allowed to infect the new authorities. If it really does end up saving us money rather than lumbering us with even more deskbound sloths, I shall be very pleasantly surprised If you're planning on wearing coloured contact lenses to elevate your Halloween outfit this weekend, an expert has urged you to reconsider. The disposable lenses, which are worn for purely cosmetic reasons and do not improve eyesight, come in a variety of colours and patterns, and can cost as little as 3 when ordered directly from Chinese retailers such as Temu or AliExpress. But one optician told the Daily Mail that these lenses can be dangerous - and wearing them for just a few hours could leave you with an infection, eye damage or even permanent sight loss. Tina Patel, from Feel Good Contacts, said: 'These cheap lenses often bought online, can be risky if they aren't purchased with a prescription or from a regulated seller.' The danger is that these contact lenses may not fit properly, and people may not know how to put them in correctly or remove them safely. She said: 'Lenses that don't fit properly can cause serious infections, scratches to the cornea and in extreme cases, could even cause blindness. 'Wearing them incorrectly can trigger issues like corneal ulcers or infections, such as bacterial keratitis.' Bacterial keratitis is a 'very painful' infection, which 'can lead to permanent vision loss if left untreated'. Coloured contact lenses look like a bit of fun - but an expert warns they can leave you blind A top eye expert has warned 'dodgy' Halloween contact lenses could cause blindness She added that people who don't usually wear contact lenses can forget to take them out after a long night, or shower in them - both of which can lead to eye infections, which in severe cases, can result in permanent sight loss. If you're not deterred from popping your lenses in tonight, even knowing the risks, Ms Patel shared some vital pointers. 'It is always best to consult with an optician before wearing any type of contact lenses to check they're suitable for your eyes,' she said. 'If you do decide to purchase them, make sure they are from a reputable seller and have the recognised CE mark.' This mark, found on the product's packaging, she explained: 'Indicates that they adhere to the set safety standards.' But in any case, she said: 'If coloured contact lenses feel uncomfortable at all, take them out straight away.' This could be because they are dirty, have a foreign object in them like dust, or not be fitted correctly - or you could even be having an allergic reaction to them. Ms Patel's warning comes after several high-profile cases of eye injuries from coloured eye contacts. Previously, a young girl, Emilie Turcotte was left blind for four days after wearing contacts for Halloween When Emilie Turcotte, 11, went trick-or-treating in 2017, she wore contact lenses as part of her demon costume. Her mother, Julie, claimed she allegedly bought the contacts for her daughter at Party Expert a chain party supply store in Canada as part of the costume. After wearing them for four hours at school and taking them off for dinner, she put them back in to go trick-or-treating. Despite taking them off before she went to sleep, the next morning, she woke up in agon with 'blood red' eyes. She was diagnosed with periorbital cellulitis - an infection of the eyelid and skin around the eyes. It left the young girl from Montreal in Canada temporarily blind for three days, fearing that she may never regain her sight. While her sight returned, she had to wear sunglasses for a month so that her corneas could heal. Jordyn Oakland allegedly had a bad reaction to costume eye contacts she wore on Haloween. In another incident, Jordyn Oakland, 27, from Washington in the US, was left bedridden for a week fearing she'd go blind. She wore costume contact lenses as part of her cannibal aesthetician costume for Halloween in 2020. Later in the night when she tried to take them out, she said it felt like it was 'stuck', so she pulled harder. Once removed, it initially felt like a 'really bad scratch' she said, but the next morning, she woke up in 'excruciating pain' barely able to open her swollen eye. Ms Oakland claimed she went to the emergency room, where she was told the lens had removed the outer layer of her cornea. She was allegedly told she might need surgery, and she could possibly lose her eyesight. 'My vision in my right eye is noticeably worse. It was always not great I could see some small text from far away but now it's game over with that,' she said the following year. 'If I'm looking at a notepad in front of me with my right eye, I can't make out the words. 'It was a real-life nightmare on Halloween. It was something I never expected to happen.' She claimed to have bought the lenses from clothing retaile Dolls Kill on social media after seeing others use them. At the time, a spokesperson for the company said the brand was not the manufacturer of the lenses. The lenses manufacturer, Camden Passage, alleged that Ms Oakland didn't read the instructions that came with the lenses. With the colder and darker months rolling in, many people will be spending more time in bed. In one survey by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM), one in three US adults reports sleeping more in winter. And a separate sleep study found participants tested in the winter slept an hour longer than those tested in the summer. But with more time spent in bed, a leading health expert is warning about the dangers that could be lurking between the sheets and in your bedroom. Dr Menachem Jacobs, an internal medicine resident at Yale New Haven Hospital in Connecticut, told the Daily Mail that poor air quality, hidden mold and even your mattress could all be quietly affecting your immune system without you realizing. And these bedroom dangers could even fuel this season's wave of winter illnesses like the common cold and flu. Below, the Daily Mail reveals Dr Jacobs' most frequently observed issues when it comes to bedroom hygiene and experts explain the best ways to resolve them. With the colder months upon us, many of us will be spending more time in bed. Experts have revealed, however, how your bed could be making you sick (stock image) A mattress filled with half a million dust mites Dr Jacobs explained that as soon as the heat turns on, the warm, humid air 'creates perfect conditions for dust mites to thrive.' This can mean that by the time autumn arrives, a full-sized mattress can contain more than half a million of them. He added: 'These microscopic creatures feed on the skin cells we shed at night and leave behind droppings that are a leading trigger for indoor allergies. 'For people with asthma or eczema, symptoms can feel like a seasonal flare-up, but it's often the mattress fueling the problem.' Symptoms of a dust mite allergy can include sneezing, a runny or stuffy nose, itchy eyes, coughing, wheezing, chest tightness and skin rashes. To avoid a dust mite infestation Martin Seeley, the CEO at UK-based company MattressNextDay, told the Daily Mail he aways recommends using a zipped, hypoallergenic mattress protector, and washing your bedding weekly at 140F so 'allergens do not get a chance to build up.' Cold walls making you sick in your sleep Dr Jacobs noted that beds are often placed against the wall to save space in apartments and houses, but in the colder months, those walls can become frigid, especially in older or poorly insulated homes. He said: 'Sleeping close to a cold surface can make it harder for your body to maintain its temperature and may leave you feeling achy or run down. 'While it might not directly weaken your immune system, discomfort and poor sleep quality can still take a toll on your overall well-being.' Bed expert Seeley recommended pulling the bed out from the wall, as even a slight gap 'can make a big difference.' This will help stop the colder air from hitting your body and let the mattress breathe properly, he explained. Sweating in your sleep While it might feel cooler, Dr Jacobs revealed that we still sweat in bed during winter and we can lose around 16 ounces of moisture through sweat and breathing in the night. He explained that when the windows are closed, much of this moisture is absorbed by the mattress. This in turn 'creates a damp environment where bacteria and fungi can thrive.' 'Over time, this can lead to musty odors and even trigger skin irritation or congestion,' Dr Jacobs added. To avoid this, Seeley highlighted the importance of stripping your bed on a weekly basis and giving it time to air out each morning before making it. He said: 'Crack a window for a bit, too. You will notice the whole room smells fresher and feels lighter.' Dr Jacobs explained that as soon as the heating goes on, the warm, humid air 'creates perfect conditions for dust mites to thrive' (stock image) Radiators drying you, and your bedding, out With the indoor heating cranked up during the cooler months, Dr Jacobs said the air has a tendency to be drier. He said: 'It pulls moisture from your skin and throat, leading to cracked lips, dry eyes and irritation in the airways. 'For people with asthma or respiratory sensitivities, that dryness can make it harder to breathe and get quality sleep.' A solution to this could be using a whole-house or portable humidifier to add moisture to the air. Meanwhile, drinking 15 cups for men and 11 for women of water and using moisturizers can keep the skin hydrated. Seeley noted that dry air can also ruin your mattress. He said: 'Many people keep their beds next to the radiator without thinking about it. 'That steady dry heat can really wear out a mattress over time as the foams dry out, the fabric gets brittle, and the whole thing starts to feel less supportive. 'Try to leave around 20 to 30 centimeters [eight to 12 inches] between your bed and the radiator. It is just enough space to protect the mattress from heat damage and keep the room feeling more comfortable.' Hidden mold Sleep expert Dr Jacobs warned that autumn's damp air and cold walls create ideal conditions for mold growth (stock image) As nights grow cooler and damper, your bedroom could be harboring an invisible health hazard: mold. Dr Jacobs warned that winter's damp air and cold walls create ideal conditions for mold growth, especially if your bed is pushed up against the wall. Moisture from condensation can become trapped behind the mattress, forming a hidden pocket where mold thrives. 'The worrying part is that you might never see it,' he said, noting that microscopic spores can spread through the mattress fabric. These spores can aggravate allergies, trigger coughing, and even mimic cold symptoms. 'Many people spend months treating what they assume are recurring colds, without realizing the real cause is a moldy bed,' he added. According to Seeley, a few simple habits can help stop mold from taking hold. He advised rotating your mattress monthly to keep it well-aired, wiping condensation from walls each morning, and opening curtains to let sunlight in. 'Mold loves dark, damp corners,' he said, 'so regular light and airflow are your best defense.' Germs lingering in winter bedding Dr Jacobs told the Daily Mail: 'With flu season starting in autumn, your bed becomes a hotspot for germs. 'Viruses and bacteria can survive in warm bedding for days, which means if one person in the household is ill, the infection can easily spread back and forth through shared sheets and duvets. 'Many people assume washing every couple of weeks is enough, but that allows germs to linger. Without realizing it, your bed can end up keeping the illness going.' The Cleveland Clinic recommends swapping out your sheets for clean ones every one to two weeks or more often if you are ill, have allergies or own a pet. And bedding should also be washed on a high temperature to make sure it is sufficiently cleaned. Seeley said if someone in your home becomes unwell, you should 'go beyond just washing the sheets.' He advised: 'Freshen the whole bed by airing the duvet, spritzing the mattress with a fabric-safe disinfectant spray, and changing pillowcases more often than usual. It is a simple way to stop germs spreading and keep your bed feeling fresh between washes.' Dr Menachem Jacobs is a resident physician at Yale New Haven Hospital in Connecticut Piling on layers and overheating your body During winter, you may be tempted to pile on thicker duvets and turn up the heating to stay comfortable at night. But according to the sleep experts, this common habit could actually be disrupting your body's ability to recover and fend off illness. Dr Jacobs explained that deep, restorative sleep depends on a natural drop in core body temperature during the night. When you sleep in an environment that's too warm (from heavy bedding, blankets, or central heating) that cooling process is interrupted. As a result, the body struggles to reach the deepest stages of sleep, which are crucial for immune repair. 'If your temperature doesn't fall properly, you'll wake up tired and more vulnerable to infections,' he said. Seeley agreed, noting that feeling overheated or restless during the night is a clear warning sign that your bedroom might be too warm. He advised swapping heavy duvets for breathable cotton sheets or lightweight layers, and, if possible, investing in a mattress or topper designed to regulate temperature. Keeping the bedroom around 65F, he added, 'is the sweet spot for staying comfortable without overheating.' Doctors are now warning against a cheap 'autism drug' being fast-tracked to ease certain symptoms of the condition. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), America's leading pediatrician group, said Friday that it does not recommend routine use of leucovorin for autistic children. The $2.50-per-pill drug is derived from folic acid, a nutrient prescribed to pregnant women to ensure proper brain development in a fetus. Traditionally given to cancer patients since the 1950s to help protect their cells against the damaging effects of chemotherapy, leucovorin has also been given off-label to children with autism. In particular, it's been shown to improve language pathways in the brain, allowing previously non-verbal children to speak for the first time when taken daily. But the AAP warned against routine use due to 'very limited evidence' that the benefits of leucovorin outweigh potential risks, as well as unclear data on dosages for children. However, neurologists who have studied leucovorin's effects in autistic children told the Daily Mail that the 'fact is quite the opposite' and that leucovorin 'is one of the safest drugs available' compared to other medications given to autistic children, such as antipsychotics, which carry a long list of potential side effects. The debate comes as the FDA is in the process of approving leucovorin for children and adults with cerebral folate deficiency (CFD), which occurs when the brain can't absorb folate, a naturally occurring form of folic acid found in foods like leafy greens. The American Academy of Pediatrics warned against routine use of leucovorin, which has been shown to improve speech in children with autism, over 'very limited evidence' (file photo) Your browser does not support iframes. Your browser does not support iframes. Recent research shows about three in four autistic people have CFD, which could be the culprit behind speech and behavioral issues seen in many cases of autism. The approval could take several years if the FDA requires additional safety trials, but endorsement of the medication from health officials within the Trump administration at a press conference last month has led to increased interest and demand. Dr Kristin Sohl, an autism expert at the University of Missouri who worked on AAP's guidance, told Reuters there is 'very limited evidence' for leucovorin's use in autism. She said: 'We don't know who this medicine is supposed to work for. We don't know whether it's safe. We don't know what dose to start with. 'If this is something that can be supportive of an autistic child's developmental progress, then great, but we also don't want to just throw things at someone because we don't know what else to do.' Dr Sohl said she has faced increased demand in her practice for leucovorin but has only prescribed it once. Leucovorin is derived from folic acid (also known as Vitamin B9), a vital nutrient that helps synthesize DNA and replicates and repairs cells throughout the body. Its naturally occurring form, folate, is found in foods such as leafy green vegetables, beans and lentils. Folic acid is a precursor to DNA and RNA, which are needed to help replicate a cell's genome - a set of instructions that help cells function properly. This is why most prenatal vitamins contain folic acid. Research on leucovorin dates back to the early 2000s, during which scientists Dr Vincent Ramaekers of the University of Liege in Belgium and Dr Edward Quadros of SUNY Downstate University of New York, took blood and spinal fluid samples from autistic children and found that while they had normal folic acid levels in their blood, there was much less in their cerebrospinal fluid, which protects the brain and spinal cord. This suggested that something was blocking folate's absorption by the brain. The researchers also found 75 percent of autistic children had autoantibodies in their blood, a type that mistakenly targets and attacks the body's tissues and organs. Nathaniel Schumann (left), 12, would only speak two to three words at a time before starting leucovorin. Now, he can speak in full sentences. And 10-year-old Meghan Dumesnil (right) has seen 'dramatic' speech improvements since starting the drug Your browser does not support iframes. These autoantibodies are known to block a protein called folate receptor alpha, a protein that transports folic acid from the blood into the brain and placenta. Research suggests that leucovorin may clear chemical blockages in the brains of autistic children, and this contributes to improving their language skills But unlike other forms of folate, such as those in vitamin supplements, leucovorin is able to cross the blood-brain barrier - a semi-permeable layer lining the inner surface of blood vessels in the brain that protects it from potentially damaging substances in the blood. This means it can penetrate the brain and have a direct effect. The FDA's move to approve leucovorin is based on an analysis of data from about 40 cases, showing improvements in behaviors such as speech in autistic children taking leucovorin. Dr Richard Frye, a pediatric neurologist at Rossignol Medical Center in Arizona, has seen non-verbal children begin speaking in full sentences in a matter of weeks on leucovorin, as well as display less aggression and anxiety. Dr Richard Frye, a pediatric neurologist at Rossignol Medical Center in Arizona, told the Daily Mail that leucovorin 'is one of the safest drugs available' for autistic children Your browser does not support iframes. Daily Mail previously spoke with the parents of several children treated by Dr Frye who were prescribed leucovorin. One boy from Missouri was almost completely non-verbal before taking leucovorin. After two weeks, he told his father he loved him for the first time. Another 12-year-old boy went from only speaking one or two works at a time to being able to tell his family in full sentences what was bothering him about six weeks after starting one of Dr Frye's trials on leucovorin. Dr Frye told the Daily Mail in response to AAP's announcement that 'the fact is quite the opposite' about leucovorin. 'Leucovorin is one of the safest drugs available,' he said. 'Leucovorin was approved for use to protect the body from chemotherapy side effects in the 50s. Thus, we have over 70 years of experience in regards to its safety.' He noted that because folate in leucovorin is water soluble, excess levels are excreted out of the body through urine, 'the body's natural safety mechanism', and synthetic folate like this does not have an upper safety limit. Autism experts told the Daily Mail that while leucovorin is safe and effective, it is not a cure for autism, and children with the condition typically need additional therapies (stock image) He compared this to other medications used for autism, risperidone (Risperdal) and aripiprazole (Abilify), which are both antipsychotics. 'These are known to cause weight gain, diabetes and tardive dyskinesia [a neurological disorder that causes involuntary face and jaw movements],' Dr Frye said. In addition to the 40 case studies cited by the FDA, Dr Frye also pointed toward five involving more than 250 children, which 'is comparable to the number of children used in the registration studies to gain FDA approval for the currently approved medication for autism'. 'In conclusion, leucovorin is much safer than the current medications approved for autism and more effective,' he added. But he has emphasized that leucovorin is not a cure for autism, and it often needs to be used alongside other therapies and medications such as risperidone and aripiprazole. If you work for yourself as a sole trader or earn money from property, the way you manage income tax is changing. In just six months' time - from April 2026 - HMRC's Making Tax Digital for Income Tax (MTD for IT) will kick in, transforming the way millions of Brits manage their finances. Small businesses, landlords and sole traders earning over 50,000 will need to comply with the new rules. This means they will need to keep digital records of their income and expenditure using HMRC recognised software and submit quarterly updates to HMRC from this software alongside a final tax declaration by the 31st January each year. It will then be rolled out to those earning 30,000 from April 2027, followed by those earning 20,000 in 2028. It's a major shake-up that will eventually affect 2.7 million small businesses,* including landlords and sole traders. So how can you make sure you're ready? Small businesses and landlords brace for April 2026 as HMRCs Making Tax Digital for Income Tax approaches We spoke to the experts at Xero, the HMRC-recognised online accounting platform trusted by more than a million UK subscribers, to find out the three key steps every small business should take before the deadline. 1. Choose the right software Not all accounting software is created equal. Under MTD, your chosen platform must be officially HMRC-recognised, and it should make managing your finances simpler, not harder. With Xero, you can confidently handle the new way of doing Income Tax. They're HMRC recognised and MTD for IT ready, with tools designed to help you run your business and comply with regulations. Stay compliant and in control with Xeros HMRC-recognised, MTD-ready software for effortless financial management The software helps you run your business and stay compliant with ease. The beauty? You wont need multiple tools; you can manage tax, track expenses, make payments, send online invoices and quotes, and capture receipts and bills straight from your phone - automatically keeping all your records online, in one secure, easy-to-use platform. 2. Start keeping a digital record of your income and expenditure If you're new to digital record keeping, you don't need to worry but waiting until the last minute could prove costly. Use the next six months to get familiar with the process of digital record-keeping and quarterly reporting. For many of the businesses impacted, MTD for IT will be their first foray into digital accounting. Currently, 42 per cent of the smallest firms dont use any finance or accounting tools,** instead relying on manual methods such as spreadsheets or paper records. Yet, there are real benefits to adopting digital tools beyond ticking boxes. Digital-first businesses run 38 per cent more efficiently, have 32 per cent lower costs, and report better financial control overall*** and, as Xero's experts note, by taking the time now to get the right systems in place, the new tax requirements wont feel like such a surprise. Work smarter with your accountant through Xero - real-time insights and easy-to-use tools that simplify your finances and allow you to get more done Getting into the right habits will take any pressure off further down the line and ensure you're confident. A lot of Xero's software already has a focus on being highly user friendly, with features like phone camera receipt scanning, which also makes paperless record keeping so much easier. 3. Understand your support options The final step is to consider if you need professional support. In particular, accountants and bookkeepers can help small businesses understand and manage new regulations that impact their tax affairs - and MTD for IT is no exception. There are so many ways an accountant or bookkeeper can support your business - from helping you stay compliant and keep the right digital records, to ensuring you can manage and file your tax accurately and on time. They could even improve your invoicing and cash flow so you know where you stand. Getting support from someone who's in the know: Accountants and bookkeepers can help small businesses understand and manage the new regulations If you are looking for an accountant or bookkeeper to support you with MTD for IT, you can get connected with an experienced accountant through the Xero advisor directory. Also, by connecting with your accountant through software like Xero, your advisor can access your data in real time, helping you stay compliant, plan for growth, and perhaps identify ways to cut costs. Ready to get started? With the right digital tools, MTD for IT doesn't have to be daunting - in fact, it could transform the way you run your business. Like any big change, it may take time to get used to doing things differently, but MTD for Income Tax should make managing your business much easier in the long run as it will help ensure you always have an up-to-date view of your cash flow, avoid lost receipts and have a year-round view of your predicted tax bill. To help small businesses get ready, Xero is offering new customers 90% off for six months when they sign up here. Get ready for MTD for IT and view the range of MTD ready plans here. *UK Government, Making Tax Digital for Income Tax: business population statistics. **Beating the digital drag, Xero - October 2024. ***Beating the digital drag, Xero -October 2024. This offer is for organisations new to Xero only. Full terms apply. Next Time Will Be Our Turn is available now from the Mail Bookshop Next Time Will Be Our Turn by Jesse Sutanto (Corvus 9.99, 352pp) The successful Chen family have hired a Michelin-star restaurant for their annual Chinese New Year celebration. This year, however, the ostentatiously expensive event is ruined by the arrival of 73-year-old matriarch Magnolia with a striking white woman with whom she is obviously in a relationship. Immediately concerned with the destruction of their good name, the rest of the family set about having board meetings and hiring lawyers to remove Magnolia and protect their business from scandal. Magnolias 16-year-old granddaughter Izzy, who is mostly ignored by the rest of the Chens, is the only one who wants to know more. As Magnolia tells Izzy her story, we travel from Indonesia to Los Angeles and encounter privilege but also a world rife with prejudice, shame and judgment. Its brilliant on seizing the day and not squeezing yourself into a socially approved box to make others feel comfortable. Other People's Fun is available now from the Mail Bookshop Other Peoples Fun by Harriet Lane (W&N 20, 208pp) Narrator Ruth is at a school reunion, feeling lost and less-than, when she bumps into Sookie, a popular girl who never bothered with Ruth when they were younger. Ruth isnt in a good place. Her long marriage has ended, her job is unfulfilling and her daughter doesnt need her any more. Sookie was part of the in-crowd at school, yet theres a whiff of loneliness about her now that she has moved back to London from Hong Kong. Despite only remembering Ruth because she used to crib from her essays, Sookie couldnt be friendlier now. Ruth is insecure and lonely herself so she allows Sookie to use her as a receptacle for her endless chat about the affair she is having. When it transpires its with someone Ruth liked herself, things get interesting. Clever and compelling. The Ferryman and His Wife is available now from the Mail Bookshop The Ferryman and his Wife by Frode Grytten (Serpents Tail 12.99, 176pp) Gentle soul Nils wakes up one morning and knows it will be the last day of his life. He decides to follow his customary routine and take his ferryboat across the fjord one more time. Nils has dedicated his life to ferrying people, treating all his passengers with kindness. As he travels on this final journey, he reflects upon his life and is joined by ghosts of companions past, including his faithful dog Luna. Most poignantly, Nils spends time remembering his wife Marta, the woman he loved more than anything. Beautifully written and thought-provoking, this stayed with me for a long time. 'When I took off my headscarf, that was shocking: you were considered a fallen woman. Ella Al-Shamahi the 41-year-old explorer, paleoanthropologist, evolutionary biologist and BBC presenter hailed as the next Attenborough is recalling a pivotal moment in her life. My mum, bless her, she burst into tears. Nan asked, Whats happened to Ella? Mum says, Shes taken her hijab off". Nan went, Oh, I thought you were going to tell me shes become a lesbian". Al-Shamahi recounts this sitting in Londons Groucho Club in her trademark black T-shirt and jeans, her dark hair loose across her face, still basking in universal critical acclaim for her five-part BBC documentary Human, launched in July, which traces the rise of humanity over aeons (informative without being didactic, awed without being pretentious, said Christopher Stevens in a Daily Mail review). The series attracted an impressive 3.5million views, including iPlayer, and was seen in 30 countries around the world and counting. Al-Shamahi is every inch the cosmopolitan TV professional. But that isnt how she started out. Born to Yemeni immigrant parents in Birmingham, she embraced the familys conservative Islamic faith with fervour. She decided to wear a headscarf aged seven. By 13 she was a missionary, persuading non-believers to accept Islam. It does sound a little bit odd, she says. Her siblings were much more chill and all of my school friends were obsessed with boys, experimenting with all the normal stuff youd expect. Meanwhile Al-Shamahi, whose investment in her faith was unusual even by her familys standards, was spending her time planning to disprove evolution. Ella Al-Shamahi is the presenter of Human, a series about our 300,000-year history I was a bright kid in a missionary world where we took the teaching of religious texts literally, she explains. I could see that our community was going to be screwed on two issues. One was evolution, because we did not have any Muslim scholars studying evolution. And the other was genetics. We were going into the age of genetic engineering, and needed to understand this. The Koran states that Allah created the universe and everything in it, including animals and humans. The best defence her group of missionaries had come up with was that scientists werent telling the truth. So, aged 18, she headed to London to study genetics at UCL, intending to prove scientifically how the lecturers were lying. Her first shock was realising they absolutely believed what they were teaching. She still wanted to destroy the theory of evolution, so took an MSc in taxonomy and biodiversity at Imperial College London, always looking for holes in the science. She didnt find any. By then she was in an arranged marriage to a well-meaning bloke with a house in Surrey who she talks about with affection, not least because he was there when she collapsed in the shower having said out loud, I believe in evolution. At 26 she was melting down, her belief system gone, her purpose uncertain, depression spiralling. Her husband did his best but didnt know how theyd raise their future children with differing beliefs, so they separated but still lived together. And then it happened. I said to him, Im going out without a headscarf", she says. In my innocence, it wasnt, Lets go to a swanky club". We just went to the petrol station. It was hilarious because nobody cared. For me, I might as well have been naked - and nobody noticed. With the Afar people of Ethiopia at one of their camps near the town of Logiya, in Human Her parents cared, of course, as did her nan, a white Liverpudlian who converted to Islam when she was a kid. One of the reasons I went into television was my parents, Al-Shamahi says. I literally sat down and thought, "If I become a science presenter, they will still be very upset by the fact that I wear tank tops, but they like science. They will be incredibly proud of that and it will soften the blow". At the same time, she was learning how to date men the Western way. Going from an arranged marriage to Tinder was a culture shock. When you go for an arranged marriage, you get dressed up to impress prospective mothers-in-law, she says. You were never worried that a man was going to cheat on you. It would shame his family. Then I joined the dating apps. The first time I was ghosted it was so shocking, because in my world, you cant do that. I was like, is he not afraid hes going to shame his whole community? Shes half-joking when she tells me that on her first Tinder dates, her missionary training made flirting tricky. I could not maintain eye contact with men, she says, laughing. We were taught that youre allowed one look, and then you just stare at your shoes. Her therapist, who she began seeing after leaving her marriage, suggested a book on flirting that advised tapping someones arm lightly every few minutes. So Al-Shamahi began ritually tapping a dates arm every ten minutes, like an alarm clock. I would say, from the age of 27 to my early 30s, I was undatable, she says. I became friends with one of the men and he eventually told me he was thinking, Who the hell is this chick? Shes a nightmare, she cant relax". Id go on dates all the time and just lose them so quickly. It was shocking to my friends. Meanwhile, her career was going from strength to strength: studying for a PhD in Neanderthals led to producing then presenting a 2018 documentary, Neanderthals: Meet Your Ancestors, with actor Andy Serkis. I initially wanted to be a director, but it became very clear how bad I was, she says. At work on a 1,500-year-old skull excavated from Bolivia for Channel 4s Jungle Mystery Her charm, style and obvious knowledge won plaudits from critics and viewers. She went on to present an episode of Horizon in 2019 then, in 2020, Channel 4s Jungle Mystery: Lost Kingdoms Of The Amazon and the BBC Two documentary Waterhole alongside Chris Packham. Soon she was giving Ted talks and even doing stand-up comedy at the Edinburgh Fringe. Human evolved, for want of a better word, out of her expertise in Neanderthals and her love of fossil-hunting in Palaeolithic caves. Its her most successful show to date, which she finds overwhelming, though she bats away any mention of the phrase the next Attenborough as ridiculous. And shes been dating the same man for a while. Meanwhile, her community has moved on and now largely accepts evolution. She seems surprised that everything has worked out. For now. She doesnt like to seem complacent, and hates being pigeonholed as the Muslim presenter. I didnt have to take off my headscarf to do TV, she says. And I dont want to live in a world where you do. I dont particularly like hijab. When I was in that community, I was very vocal, but I was holding my voice a certain way, covered a certain way, walking in a certain way. Controlling my sexuality, I would say. But I know loads of women who like hijab. I will always defend womens right to dress how they want. Our constant focus upon that piece of cloth is unfair. I dont think any community treats women particularly well. Women can be fighting tooth and nail for their rights within their communities and then the minute a foreigner turns up, they flip the switch and protect their tribe. Thats all that is. I feel like I have to do damage control after every interview I give, because its so difficult to be nuanced about this, she continues, before her anthropologists eye comes to bear. Its the same whether its religious Christian communities, Jewish communities, Sikh communities. Im Brummie. There are clever evangelical Christians and atheists who are morons. Its all just tribes. She does feel lucky to be British, she says. Im full of gratitude. I look at my cousins and the war-torn chaos they go through. Most of them arent in safety right now. The best decision that Ive ever made wasnt made by me. It was my parents, when they moved here. She pauses and sighs. I feel sorry for my family sometimes. I am still intense. My personality has not made things easy for them. At the same time, if I hadnt had that personality type, Id be living a lie right now. And I have at least learned to be a bit less odd as Ive felt more at home. Less odd? I point out that she has hosted a hit science show, has a new deal for a book about how much of our behaviour today stems from our Palaeolithic ancestors (which she literally sealed on the way to this interview it will be published in 2027), splits her time between each side of the Atlantic, and still goes digging for fossils in caves in war zones. None of this makes her very run of the mill. She laughs. It depends on what you mean [by run of the mill]. Thats the beauty of being human. Im not saying my way is right. I have no interest in lecturing you on how to live. You know what? I just want you to be happy. Human is available on BBC iPlayer. Ellas live show Becoming Human tours the UK from January 16, 2026. For tickets, see ellaalshamahi.co.uk The account shows an art teacher, who calls himself Matt Taylor, sharing tips A social media account documenting the life of an elementary school art teacher has gone viral - with fans convinced it's actually the actor Kevin James. The teacher - Matt Taylor - has garnered thousands of comments and likes on his videos from confused fans of the comedian since he started posting online at the start of October. The account, which only follows Ed Sheeran, claims to be run by the art teacher - but not everyone is convinced he's simply Kevin's doppelganger. Matt, who calls himself 'Mr Taylor', posts videos to Instagram and TikTok talking about his art and students. But some fans think the account is being run by the The King of Queens star, hypothesizing he started the account to promote his upcoming film, Solo Mio. According to the official logline for the film, Kevin plays a man named Matt who was left at the altar in Rome and goes on his honeymoon alone. While there he 'discovers Italy's gorgeous landscape, culture, and people.' However, there isn't any mention of his character being an art teacher. It hasn't stopped followers from flooding the comments section of his videos to speculate over the nature of them. The Instagram and TikTok pages, which claims to be run by a man called Matt Taylor, has garnered thousands of comments and likes on the videos since he started posting at the start of October 'I'm assuming this is early marketing for Solo Mio, which comes out in February. He plays a character named Matt,' one user suggested. 'The way you guys are LOST. Lol this is obviously Kevin James and this is clearly some kind of promo for a project hes doing,' chimed in another. 'This is professionally filmed guys, come one. How is it even a question on who it is.' 'Definitely Kevin James... the couple thing is a direct reference to Solo Mio, his movie coming out in 2026, where Matt, a teacher, is left at the altar at his wedding,' said another convinced fan. 'Guys, its method acting, hes never gonna admit it!' wrote someone else. 'Get with the program We get to spend a few months getting to know Matt before his big adventure in Solo Mio in 2026. This is the best character development Ive ever seen. Period.' Others were relieved to find it wasn't just them that thought the art teacher looked familiar. 'So it really is Kevin James? I remember the first TikTok I saw and thought immediately it was Kevin. Its him right?!?' one desperate comment read. 'The fact that he never addresses or mentions the bagillion comments saying he's Kevin James proves that he's Kevin James,' declared someone else. 'I cant sleep either knowing Mr Taylor is gaslighting me saying hes not Kevin James,' joked another. The account, which only follows Ed Sheeran, claims to be run by the art teacher - but not everyone is convinced he's simply Kevin's doppelganger Matt, who calls himself 'Mr Taylor' posts videos to social media talking about his art and students In the videos, Matt often talks followers through why he became an art teacher, gushing over his students and his love of teaching them how to 'grow' Some fans think the account is being run by the The King of Queens star, hypothesizing it's to promote his upcoming film, Solo Mio. Kevin on the set of King of Queens The actor and comedian looked unrecognizable while on set last year on the set of Solo Mio In the videos, Matt often talks followers through why he became an art teacher, gushing over his students and his love of teaching them how to 'grow.' In one video, he spoke about art helping him to 'calm down,' along with a time lapsed video of him drawing a river. In other videos, he shares tips and ideas of artwork to create, including what types of mediums and what kinds of scenes to draw. The Daily Mail has reached out to Matt Taylor and representatives of Kevin James for comment. Last year, the comedian looked unrecognizable on the set of Solo Mio, featuring a thick moustache and beard stubble. Film producer Mark Fasano described the movie as a way to show audiences it's never too late to reinvent your life. He said: 'Solo Mio is an incredible project that shows audiences its never too late to reinvent your life.' 'Kevin is at his most vulnerable in this film and were fortunate to have Chuck and Dan Kinnane on board to direct.' Film producer Jeffrey Greenstein added: 'Kevin, Mark, and I agree that the comedies we love watching are rarely being made; so we set out to create our own in Solo Mio.' 'Were excited to entertain the world with this fun-loving romantic comedy that reminds us to be present regardless of circumstances; life is a journey that begs each of us to find happiness within.' 'Kevin is the perfect lead and audiences will fall in love with him all over again; we couldnt be happier to build on our relationship with him.' The President and First Lady hosted trick-or-treaters on Thursday night at the White House - but it wasn't all spooky, with Melania Trump making sure everyone was having fun. Melania, 55, candidly showed off her maternal side while handing out candy, as she comforted a young girl who looked frightened by the Halloween decor surrounding her. The young trick-or-treater, who was wearing a pink coat and a tiara, was noticeably distressed as she held a bag ready to collect candy from the President and First Lady. While the girl looked like she was on the verge of tears, Melania appeared to have complete control over the situation, seen in a picture bending down to console the girl by placing her hand on her arm in a comforting manner. Even though Melania's long, blonde hair covered her face, the mom, who shares her only son Barron, 19, with her husband Donald Trump, appears to have successfully calmed the child down amid the chaos of the spooky holiday. Fans took to social media to gush over the picture, in awe over the First Lady's sweet gesture. 'Just look at this photo. This is so beautiful,' one user gushed to X, formerly known as Twitter. 'When this young child was in tears, frightened by Halloween decorations, First Lady Melania Trump got down on her level to comfort her,' they continued. Melania Trump, 55, showed off her maternal side while handing out candy, comforting a young girl who looked frightened at the Halloween decor surrounding her 'This is the real Melania, a mother protecting a child at her core. God bless her,' the user gushed. Fans chimed in with their own thoughts on the sweet picture, commenting on the former fashion model's maternal side. 'This moment shows Melania Trumps true heart, kind, compassionate, and full of grace. She represents real American values: family, faith, and love. A true First Lady who leads with warmth, just like President Trumps strength complements her compassion,' one user declared. Another agreed, writing: 'Shes such a sweet lady and shes beautiful. I loved seeing Melania and Catherine, The Princess of Wales, together when she was here for the state visit. Two of the most beautiful women. They both have the biggest smile when they are interacting with children. Bless this little girl.' 'She is so kind to all children. So many of them hugging her and our President was heart-warming during the Halloween event at the White House,' wrote someone else. Melania celebrated Halloween in style on Thursday while hosting Halloween at the White House with her husband. The mother-of-one, who chose not to wear a costume, looked stunning in a brown trench coat dress that cinched at the waist and showed off her incredible figure. To add some Halloween flair to the ensemble, the coat featured an orange leather stripe that was hard to miss. Even though her long, blonde hair covers her face, the mom, who shares her only son Barron, 19, with her husband Donald Trump, appears to successfully have calmed the child down The President and First Lady (pictured) hosted trick-or-treaters on Thursday night at the White House Melania Trump was attacked online after decorating the White House in dozens of fresh pumpkins for Halloween on Thursday Fans took to social media to gush over the picture, in awe over the First Lady's sweet gesture However, the holiday wasn't all seamless, as the First Lady was slammed by online critics after she decorated the front of the White House with dozens of pumpkins, which some felt was in poor taste due to the fact that millions of Americans are about to lose access to food benefits next month amid the government shutdown. In a notice posted to the US Department of Agriculture's website on Sunday, the government blamed Democrats for not voting to fund the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). However, the Trump administration reportedly declined to tap into approximately $5billion in contingency funds to cover SNAP costs amidst the second-longest shutdown in US history. Given the current political climate, the decision to shower the White House in fresh pumpkins sparked outrage online, with many taking to social media to slam the First Lady. 'Awesome, too bad millions will have no food soon,' commented one. 'Instead of decorating with food, how about using it to give nutrition to the needy?' asked another. 'Are you going to give out those pumpkins to the people who are about to go hungry from losing their SNAP benefits or you're going to tell them to go eat cake?' asked a third. On Monday morning, Claire Throssell drove to the cemetery where a memorial stone marks the deaths of her two young sons. She came with a message she's spent 11 years longing to share with them. Kneeling with one hand on the granite stone, her cheeks wet with tears, she told them: 'We've done it, boys. The Government has promised to change the law, so that no more children need die at the hands of an abusive parent.' However, the promise Claire was given last week by the Prime Minister of a repeal of The Children Act which currently presumes a child will maintain contact with a parent, even if they have a history of violence or abuse is a bittersweet victory. She would give anything for her sons, Jack and Paul, aged 12 and nine when they were killed by their father in 2014, to still be alive. They would now be young men; studying, working, dating, like their friends. At the same time, Claire knows it is because of their deaths and her campaigning that no other children will be forced by a court to see a parent capable of such brutality. 'I miss my sons every moment of every day and will never forgive the judge who signed the court order granting their killer unsupervised access, after I'd warned social workers and the family court that he was evil enough to kill them,' says Claire. Claire Throssell would give anything for her sons, Jack and Paul, aged 12 and nine when they were killed by their father in 2014, to still be alive 'He took away my entire reason for living and the only thing that's kept me going since is a determination to help create a change in law that means no other child will be ordered by the courts to spend time with a parent they're terrified of.' Claire, 53, who had finally plucked up the courage to leave her abusive ex-husband Darren Sykes six months before he killed their sons, has since their deaths campaigned with charity Women's Aid for changes to The Children Act 1989. Plans for a repeal were announced on October 21. Claire believes this date was chosen to coincide with the 11th anniversary of the boys' deaths. Claire sat beside Sir Keir Starmer in Downing Street as he uttered the words she feared she may never hear: 'We will take presumption of contact out of law. It is going to happen.' She adds: 'He said during Prime Minister's Questions that he will repeal it, but it needs to pass through the Houses of Commons and Lords before there can be a change in law. 'I can't wait another 11 years, so I'm relying on Sir Keir to make this happen now.' It was this 'presumption' of contact that left Claire's sons at the mercy of a man so devoid of humanity she now refers to him as 'It'. Having lured the boys into the loft at the former family home in Penistone, near Sheffield, to play with a train set, Sykes set 14 petrol-fuelled fires around the house, blocking the exits before locking the loft hatch behind all three of them. Haunting thoughts of what happened next have tormented Claire ever since. From firefighters, she knows that 12-year-old Jack made a valiant attempt to drag his little brother to safety through the hatch. However, he fell on to the landing below, leaving nine-year-old Paul suspended from the opening. 'I wonder, in the darkness, when they could hear the flames below, did [Sykes] taunt them? Did he tell them they were going to die? I wouldn't have put that past him,' says Claire, closing her tear-filled eyes. Both boys, and their father, were still clinging to life when firefighters managed to break into the house. 'Jack told the fireman: 'My dad did this and he did it on purpose'. He said the same to a policeman and later to a consultant at the hospital. 'He wanted to make sure that those who refused to believe what his dad was capable of knew what he'd done.' Jack's courage, despite his young body having suffered 56 per cent burns, in ensuring the authorities were left in no doubt that his father had intentionally set out to kill his sons, has been a huge help to Claire in her campaigning. After learning about the fire from a police officer who turned up at her door she and the boys had been living with her mum Claire raced to Sheffield Children's Hospital. But despite brave battles, neither of the boys survived. 'I'm glad I got to be with Jack and Paul, but they were the very worst moments of my life, the complete opposite of the joy I felt when they were born,' she says. 'I clung so tight, and it was as if my heart, my soul, my very being, was ripped out as my boys took their last breaths.' Paul died that same night, and soon afterwards a distraught Claire was told not to touch her little boy again as he was 'a crime scene'. Last week the Prime Minister promised Claire a repeal of The Children Act, which presumes a child will maintain contact with a parent, even if they have a history of violence or abuse She was advised to pretend to Jack, who clung to life for another five days, that his brother was still alive, as this might give him extra resolve to survive. The news of Sykes's death was an enraging development, as it meant he would not face justice for his actions. She kept a round-the-clock vigil at Jack's bedside until, despite several surgeries, his organs were failing so badly that doctors said there was nothing more they could do. 'I held him in my arms as they switched off the machines and will never forget the noise of the monitor at the end, that continual sound, knowing he was gone,' says Claire. Having lost both her sons, Claire could see no reason to go on. 'I remember shouting: 'My life's over', and no one could dispute that,' she says. 'I had nothing left.' It wasn't enough for Sykes to kill their sons; he had razed the family home. It also emerged he had cancelled the house insurance in June four months before his despicable act having written to his bank stating that Claire would have sole responsibility for the outstanding 50,000 mortgage, and transferred thousands of pounds of joint assets to a girlfriend he'd met online. In the months that followed, in an act of generosity for which she will be eternally grateful, Claire's local community raised 50,000 for materials, while local tradespeople offered their services for free to rebuild the three-bedroom semi. She was eventually able to sell it and buy a small flat, enabling her to stay in her village, close to the churchyard where her sons 'sleep'. It is thanks to her own mum who sadly died last year, aged 83 forcing Claire out of bed and insisting she eat, that she was able to keep going in those early weeks. She spent them wrapped in her sons' blankets on her mother's sofa. However, beneath the crippling grief, Claire felt a deep, burning rage, not only towards Sykes but the system that had left her sons at his mercy. This is what propelled her to fight for a change in the law. In the aftermath of their separation, the Family Court had deemed that Claire's evidence that Sykes forced Paul, daily, to eat every scrap of food on his plate, leading to frequent vomiting at the dinner table, hit the boys on the head if they didn't obey his orders quickly enough, and threw their clothes outside when they left them on their bedroom floors were not serious enough to warrant him being denied unsupervised access. The judge didn't believe that her reason for finally having the courage to leave she had stepped in to prevent Sykes punching Jack in the face, and he had hit her instead, knocking her down a flight of stairs was grounds for keeping him from his sons. Though 'presumption of access', designed so that one parent is not able to exclude an ex-partner from their child's life, is supposed to be disregarded when children are at risk of harm, campaigners have long protested that the Family Courts' 'pro-contact culture' means this doesn't always happen. Having lured the boys into the loft at the former family home in Penistone, near Sheffield, Darren Sykes set 14 fires around the house, blocking the exits before locking the loft hatch 'It's a national disgrace that over the past 30 years, 67 children 19 of them between 2015 and 2024, a 50 per cent increase on the previous decade have been killed by a parent who was also a perpetrator of domestic abuse in circumstances relating to child contact,' says Claire. While welcoming the promise of a repeal of presumption of contact, Claire will not rest until it is set in law. Her initial petition for this change got as far as the House of Lords, but when Boris Johnson resigned as prime minister in 2022, Claire's campaign went with him. She spent the next two years amassing another 100,000 signatures to bring the petition back to parliament last November. It followed earlier campaigning, together with Women's Aid, which led to children being recognised as victims in the Domestic Abuse Act in 2021. Claire's tireless efforts resulted in her being awarded an MBE in the 2021 New Year Honours list. 'I'm glad of every development, but it's not over yet,' she says. 'My sons told everyone who would listen that they were frightened of their dad and didn't want to be alone with him, and still, because of this 'presumption' in law, his wants were prioritised above theirs.' While the Family Court wouldn't allow him to have the boys overnight or at mealtimes, Sykes was granted five hours unsupervised access a week, three on Sundays and two on Wednesdays after school, which was when he set his deadly trap. Claire is haunted by memories of her sons clinging to her, begging her not to make them go and spraying themselves with her perfume, a source of comfort, before every visit. But she did not dare keep them away, aware that, if she breached the terms of the court order, not only would she risk imprisonment but, worse, might lose custody of her children. With hindsight, she wishes she had taken that risk. 'Jack would now be 23 and Paul would be 20,' she says, smiling. 'I was incredibly proud of them both and know they would have grown into wonderful young men. 'My friends, mums I met at the school gates, have children the same age and I like hearing about what they're doing, though it's a bit like picking at a scab for me. 'All the milestones they reach GCSEs, proms, learning to drive, A-levels they're all reminders of what could have been. 'Some of these kids were so affected by what happened it's even influenced their choice of career we've a criminal psychologist, a firefighter, someone working for the Ministry of Justice and another for the domestic abuse charity Refuge.' Claire believes Jack, a skilled trumpeter, would have joined an orchestra, while Paul, a keen sprinter, wanted to represent his country at the Olympics. 'Then he was going to become a police officer because, in his words, he was fast and 'would be able to catch nasty people like Dad',' she says, sadly. But instead of being able to share news of their achievements, all Claire has left of her sons are their ashes, mixed in the glass-fronted signet ring she wears on the ring finger of her left hand. 'After my sons were taken from me I had no intention of going on living,' she says. 'I will, however, keep going until children are at the heart of every decision made in the family courts. 'I want everyone to remember Jack and Paul and there could be no better legacy than a bill that protects other children.' Claire hopes, but doesn't like to presume, her sons' names might actually feature in the new law. Surely this is the very least that this remarkable woman deserves. For My Boys by Claire Throssell (Mirror Books, 9.99) is out now, available at amazon.co.uk Nepo baby chef Emily Roux has said her family name is a 'burden' because people assume she 'hasn't put in the hours'. Emily, 34, who is the daughter of Michel Roux Jr and the granddaughter of Albert Roux, runs her own restaurant, Caractere in Notting Hill, London, alongside her husband Diego Ferrari. In the upcoming Apple TV series Knife Edge, which follows chefs who are vying for a Michelin Star, Emily discussed how she is judged 'for her name and not her food'. 'We currently have five Michelin stars in the family so I think the pressure's definitely on,' she said. 'The Roux family name has been a blessing and a burden because people have preconceptions. '"Nepotism", "she's done nothing", "she hasn't proved herself", "has she put in the hours?"' Emily continued: 'I don't want to be judged for my name. I would like to be judged solely for the food.' The accusations of being a 'nepo baby' stem from Emily's culinary family heritage. Her grandfather Albert, 85, founded Le Gavroche in Mayfair, London, together with his brother, Michel Roux Sr, 78, in 1967. Emily Roux (left) is the daughter of Albert Roux (middle), who co-founded Le Gavroche in 1967, and the daughter of Michel Roux Jr (right), who took over the restaurant from his father and uncle in 1993 Under their stewardship, Le Gavroche became the first restaurant in the UK to receive a Michelin star in 1974, and later became the first to be awarded three stars, which it retained until 1993. It lost a star after the Chef Patron formally changed from Albert to his son Michel, 65, who maintained its two-star status until Le Gavroche closed in 2024. The family also have three stars that were awarded to The Waterside Inn in Bray, Maidenhead, which was founded by Michel Sr and is now helmed by his son, Alain Roux. In 2010, The Waterside Inn became the first restaurant outside of France to retain three stars for 25 years. Emily previously spoke about accusations of nepotism in her career as a chef in an interview with the Go To Food Podcast. Hosts Freddy Close and Ben Benton asked Emily if she ever received negative comments after she returned from the UK from France, having trained in culinary school in Lyon and worked in restaurants in Paris. Replying to their question about whether she had ever been accused of only being able to open her restaurant because of her family name, the chef said: 'I think a lot of people think that. And I think a lot of people won't say it to my face. 'But a lot of people may think that. If you don't know me, you haven't worked with me, you probably don't know how many hours I've put in - that we've both put into this place and how much we have worked in the past. Emily said that the 'Roux family name has been a blessing and a burden because people have preconceptions' about her due to her culinary family heritage Emily trained in culinary school in Lyon, France, and later worked in restaurants throughout the country where she said she was 'treated exactly the same as everybody else' 'I did exactly the same hours as everybody else, was treated exactly the same as everybody else.' She also recalled receiving some harsh feedback from a table of six customers who visited Caractere in its early days. 'They said, "We're quite disappointed, quite underwhelmed... Maybe because of your name and Gavroche, we expected something different,' Emily recalled. 'I was a bit confused, especially on the spot like that. I said, "But this isn't Gavroche, it's Caractere, and I am not Gavroche, I'm not my father, this is just a new restaurant opening". 'I don't think they came back,' she added. Elsewhere in the fifth episode of Knife Edge, which focuses on UK restaurants chasing their first or second Michelin star, Emily turned to her father for advice while visiting him in France for a holiday. 'How are you guys feeling about the Michelin this year?' Michel asked, adding: 'I'm biased anyway but I think you guys should have gotten it years ago.' After Emily asked for wisdom, Michel emphasised the importance of perfection in every single dish. Emily, pictured here preparing a dish in Caractere, was advised by her father Michel Roux Jr that 'every plate of food that leaves your kitchen has to be perfect' to impress Michelin inspectors 'Especially for one star, it's all in the plate. Every plate of food that leaves your kitchen has to be perfect,' he said. 'Use that pressure as a positive. Maybe think about changing the menu. Find an inspiration for something fresh and delicious. It will come.' The 2025 Michelin Awards for Great Britain and Ireland were held in February, and saw Emily and Diego winning their very first Michelin star. The Michelin Guide described Caractere, which opened in 2018, as a 'a convivial and really quite stylish restaurant, where sophisticated cooking combines with efficient, unstuffy service'. Emily reflected on the significance of receiving a Michelin star in an interview with Time & Leisure magazine and how difficult the past six years were to run the business. 'When Covid hit, we were two new young business owners. It was a complete unknown what the pandemic would mean,' she said. Emily added that she and Diego also welcomed their first child 'in the middle of Covid', which meant she had to juggle becoming a first-time mother as well as a business owner during a time where the restaurant had to be closed but still had to pay wages and bills. However, her and Diego's ambition carried the restaurant through to the present and she said they were 'extremely happy' with their Michelin star. Knife Edge: Chasing Michelin Stars is now streaming on Apple TV+. New episodes air on Fridays. A renter came home from work to make a disturbing discovery: her landlord had entered her apartment without permission. But what he did next was even worse... Tenant Rachel confronted her landlord, Alan, via text, suspecting he'd unlawfully accessed her home while she was out. She went straight to the point: 'Hi Alan, why were you inside my flat today?' The apartment owner replied curtly, insisting: 'Rachel, it's my property. I'll come in when I want.' Rachel shot back: 'No, Alan. It's my home. You cannot just let yourself in while I'm at work.' Alan then tried to justify his actions, responding: 'I needed to check the boiler. I don't have to ask permission to look after my own place. But the renter understood her rights and didn't back down from putting the landlord in his place. 'By law you do. You have to give me notice, in writing,' she said bluntly. A renter named Rachel confronted her landlord Alan after discovering that he had entered her home without permission The renter also accused her landlord of going inyo her bedroom closet. He didn't deny it -making the excuse that he was checking for 'damp' Alan refused to admit to any wrongdoing. 'That's nonsense. I've been a landlord for 15 years, I know what I'm doing,' he replied. At this point during the text conversation, it appeared to dawn on Rachel that Alan had done more than simply check the boiler. 'Did you go in my bedroom?' she questioned. The landlord's reply was shocking. 'The wardrobe door was open. I had a look inside to check for damp. It's not like I went through your drawers and found anything fun in there,' he responded. Distressed, Rachel responded: 'YOU WENT THROUGH MY DRAWERS?!' Shaken by the landlords words, she added: 'I actually feel sick. That is a complete breach of privacy. I'm absolutely disgusted. 'What personal effects I keep in my drawers, or anywhere in my house, is none of your business. It's a total disregard for my space.' Alan immediately tried to play it down: 'Calm down, I didn't touch your drawers.' When Rachel realised her landlord had gone into her bedroom closet, he replied with an off-colour remark about not finding 'anything fun in there' Rachel replied: 'That is sick, Alan. You have no right to even joke about that. Do you realise how inappropriate that is? It's sexual harassment. You trespassed, invaded my privacy, and crossed a line.' But Alan continued to minimise it. 'You're making a fuss over nothing. There's nothing sexual about it, either.' By this point, Rachel called out not only Alan's actions but also his questionable remark. 'So you meant to tell me that the comment about my drawers had nothing to do with what I keep in there?' Alan, now clearly frustrated, tried to shift the blame. 'Rachel, I didn't go through your drawers. You've got nothing but wild accusations.' The exchange ended with Rachel making her position crystal clear: 'If you ever set foot in here again without permission, I'll be going straight to the police.' The conversation was shared on TikTok as part of UK property strategist Jack Rooke's 'most toxic tenancies' series. Jack read out the messages between the renter and the flat owner in a video shared to his @thejackrooke account. The text conversation saw the tenant call out the landlord not only for his illegal trespass, but also his inappropriate comment about her drawers The conversation ended with Rachel making her position crystal clear The property expert summed up the situation by saying that Rachel was 'absolutely right'. 'He [the landlord] cannot do that,' Jack explained. 'By law, you have to give at least 24 hours notice before entering a property unless there's due cause. He didn't have due cause in any respect.' The caption accompanying the video summed up the scenario: 'He "checked the boiler" but also "peeked in her drawers".' 'No notice. No consent. No respect.' Comments flooded in, with many insisting Rachel should have demanded a 'formal apology' or even taken Alan to court for his 'vile behaviour'. Another person felt Rachel shouldn't wait to go to the police - and warned her to additionally 'check for hidden cameras' around the home. One commenter put it simply: 'Bloke needs to be on a register.' A black producer laid off from CBS News this week has accused the company of racism by saying that all of his fired fellow colleagues were 'people of color.' Trey Sherman made the claim in a viral video posted to his TikTok account Wednesday, after CBS News' parent company announced sweeping layoffs across the organization. Sherman had worked for the now-cancelled 'CBS Evening News+' since February, as well as the network's just-eliminated Race and Culture Unit. 'I just got laid off from my job at CBS, and every producer on my team who got laid off is a person of color,' he said in the clip, which had racked up more than 2.6million views as of Friday morning. 'Every person who gets to stay and will be relocated within the company is a white person.' Sherman then recounted a meeting he said he had with an unnamed executive. The executive said he did everything in his power to save staffers and provide them with new positions, Sherman said. 'It wasn't until I went downstairs thinking that me and all of my colleagues had been laid off that I found out that it was only the people of color,' he said. Trey Sherman had worked for the now-cancelled 'CBS Evening News+' since February, as well as the network's just-eliminated Race and Culture Unit . The cuts at CBS News came shortly after anti-woke former New York Times opinion editor Bari Weiss was appointed as the network's editor-in-chief He said he then asked his white colleagues one-by-one: 'Are you getting laid off?' and was told 'no' each time. 'So, I went back up to his office, and I told him, "I think you lied to my face," Sherman continued. 'And come to find out it was not his decision to eliminate the show that I worked for, but he did get to decide who got to stay. He added that the executive said he simply 'chose to keep the people who I worked with before.' 'So mind you, not only is it not based on merit, it is, in its result, racist. 'I don't care if you decided to keep people who have purple color hair. 'You deciding to keep people who you had worked with before with - don't even know if that's true - if the outcome of that decision is racist, the action was racist, that s**t is f***ed," Sherman said. The Daily Mail has contacted Sherman and CBS News for comment. Sherman claimed his firing was 'racist' in a TikTok video that has received million of views David Ellison, the CEO of CBS News parent company Paramount, announced a plan to axe more than 2,000 staff across the organization in a note to staff Wednesday. 'In some areas, we are addressing redundancies that have emerged across the organization,' he wrote. 'In others, we are phasing out roles that are no longer aligned with our evolving priorities and the new structure designed to strengthen our focus on growth.' At CBS News, nearly 100 positions are reportedly being eliminated. The decision came shortly after he appointed anti-woke former New York Times opinion editor Bari Weiss as the network's editor-in-chief. CBS Evening News cohost John Dickerson resigned earlier this week, and it was revealed on Thursday that longtime CBS Mornings host Gayle King will be removed from the show when her contract expires next year. Ousted former MSNBC star Joy Reid called for an extreme response to President Donald Trump's demolition of the White House's East Wing - including converting his Mar-a-Lago residence into a museum for black and LGBT people. 'I pray that a future president if we still have a democracy will erase every trace of Trump's existence,' she wrote in a post on Bluesky. 'Raze every edifice he's built; strip his name from everything, restore the White House as if he never lived there & turn Mar-a-Lago into a Black, LGBTQ, women's, AAPI & immigrant history museum.' The progressive ex-host panned the president again during a conversation with former GOP strategist Steve Schmidt. 'This is not an American president. An American president is somebody who has reverence for the American experiment, who has reverence for the Constitution, who has reverence for the process and for the American people,' she said. 'The destruction of the East Wing is a metaphor for what this man, this venal character, has promised to do to the American experiment and is doing to it,' Reid added. 'I'm- I am horrified.' The administration is facing a flurry of negative coverage for its decision to completely demolish the East Wing without any notice early last week to make way for a planned $300million ballroom. Joy Reid has called for an extreme response to Donald Trump 's demolition of the White House's East Wing last week. She's seen here in an October 24 clip posted to Substack panning the construction Reid called for future presidents to convert Trump's Mar-a-Lago residence into a museum for black and LGBT people in a post to Bluesky Trump previously promised the construction would not interfere with the mansion itself. He has since maintained it will be paid for privately. Late last week, major companies like Amazon, Apple, Google, Meta, and Microsoft were revealed as backers of the gilded ballroom, each offering an unspecified sum. Comcast, the parent company of Reid's former network, was also on the list of donors. Before the list of donors was detailed, Reid took to TikTok to suggest the brunt of the project would be felt by the American taxpayer. 'We are in the middle of a government shutdown. We supposedly do not have any money thats available to extend the subsidies to your healthcare,' she said. 'We dont have that money, but somehow we have all kinds of extra coins available to get two private planes for Kristi Noem and her staff to use to try to purchase buildings in Chicago for ICE to use because nobody will let them use the bathroom or eat in their establishments.' She added: 'But no money for you. No money for food stamps, people are gonna run out of food stamps, those are not gonna be renewed. Its gonna create a crisis of hunger across this country.' 'Raze every edifice he's built; strip his name from everything, restore the White House as if he never lived there & turn Mar-a-Lago into a Black, LGBTQ , women's, AAPI & immigrant history museum,' she wrote. Pictured, Trump's Mar-a-Lago residence in Palm Beach, Florida The administration started demolish the East Wing without any notice early last week to make way for the president's planned $300million ballroom Her former colleague, MSNBC host Rachel Maddow, this week took aim at the media giant for its donation. 'Those public-facing companies should know there's a cost in terms of their reputation with the American people,' Maddow, who earns $25million a year to host her show just once a week, said Monday. Back in February, Maddow used her platform to speak out against her bosses following Reid's firing. That same month, the Federal Communication Commission announced a probe into Comcast's DEI initiatives and practices. An insider at MSNBC told Politico that Reid's her controversial social media posts - including shaming Latino Republicans for voting for Trump and claiming the media's preoccupation with Russia's invasion of Ukraine was motivated by the victims being 'white and largely Christian' - 'gave the Standards Department heartburn.' In January, Reid compared President Donald Trump to Nazi leader Adolf Hitler on Holocaust Remembrance Day. Network bosses began plotting to get rid of Reid in late 2023 and ultimately offered her a one-year contract extension, while also cutting her pay in the hopes she'd take the hint and quit, sources told Daily Mail at the time. A former CNN correspondent has threatened to sue the insult-prone director of communications for the White House after he suggested she was fired for having an affair 'with a source.' The remarks from Steven Cheung came in response to a post from Michelle Kosinski criticizing recent changes at CBS News. 'John Dickerson leaving CBS, and CBS looking to hire Scott Jennings, tells you instantly all you need to know about the "revamped" network,' Kosinski wrote. Cheung, who is known for trolling and making personal attacks on Trump administration opponents, reshared the post and added his own snipe: 'Didn't you get fired from CNN for banging a source?' The comment was a reference to a since-deleted 2020 report by the Sun claiming Kosinski had a 'passionate affair' with the UK's then-ambassador to the US that 'resulted in impressive scoops for Kosinski.' The claims were repeatedly rejected as false by Kosinski. They were also disproven by the Department of Justice. 'Uh no. You upset?' Kosinski responded to Cheung. 'Feel like getting sued? Arent you the incel in chief?' The former White House correspondent followed with a a post featuring a photo of Cheung walking on the White House's South Lawn. Former CNN correspondent Michelle Kosinski threatened to sue White House Communications Director Steven Cheung on Thursday White House Communications Director Steven Cheung, who is known for trolling and making personal attacks on Trump administration opponents, reshared the post and added his own snipe 'Who's going as this monster for Halloween!' she wrote in the post. 'The costume iscomplicated.' Kosinski spent years denying the Sun's claims that she received information from then-ambassador Kim Darroch, 71, for stories, saying she'd secured the scoops from other sources. Darroch served as ambassador to the United States from 2016 to 2019. The Sun piece claimed the affair took place within that span. At the time, Kosinski was married and working as CNN's senior diplomatic correspondent. She left the network in February 2020. Both were cleared of wrongdoing following a probe by the Department of Justice in 2020. Around the time of the allegations, leaked documents revealed that Darroch had branded Donald Trump 'incompetent.' He also claimed the president 'radiates insecurity' and instructed British officials to 'start praising him for something hes done' if ever in his presence. Kosinski is seen with her husband Kimbell Duncan at the 2015 White House Correspondents Dinner Former British Ambassador Kim Darroch and his wife Vanessa together in 2018 Last week, Cheung suggested that ex-GOP Rep. Adam Kinzinger may be secretly using a gay dating app. Earlier this month, he issued a bizarrely crude sex insult to Rep. Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez. Cheung acted Trump's principal spokesman for his 2024 presidential campaign. Longtime CBS Mornings host Gayle King pushed back on a report claiming she would be booted from the anchor chair. 'All I can say is this - from what I'm being told by everybody inside this building ... is that they want me here, they like the job I'm doing, I like the job I'm doing,' she told TMZ while leaving the network's studio Friday. 'I'll tell you this - I like the job and the people that I work with' Variety reported on Thursday that King could step down when her contract is up in May to take an unspecified role at the network. 'What I'm hearing in the building is not what I'm reading in the press,' she added on Friday. 'And what I'm not going to do is negotiate in the media. 'All I know is I am here and glad to be here.' Earlier this year, well-connected sources told the Daily Mail that King's contract would 'most likely' not be renewed when it expires in May. David Ellison, the CEO of CBS News parent company Paramount, recently installed anti-woke former New York Time opinion editor Bari Weiss as editor-in-chief of the Tiffany Network. Longtime CBS Mornings host Gayle King pushed back on a report claiming she would be booted from the anchor chair King joined CBS's morning show as a host in November 2011. Her contract is up in May Bari Weiss was named CBS News' new editor-in-chief earlier this month Layoffs hit CBS New hard Wednesday as part of Paramount's plans to axe more than 2,000 staff across the organization. At CBS, nearly 100 positions are being eliminated, a person familiar with the matter told CNN. CBS Evening News co-host John Dickerson announced his resignation from the network this week after replacing Norah O'Donnell in July. King may not be purged from the network entirely, as she may get a new contract to produce specials, similar to what happened to O'Donnell, insiders told Variety. 'There have been no discussions with Gayle about her contract that runs through May 2026,' CBS News told the outlet. 'Shes a truly valued part of CBS and we look forward to engaging with her about the future.' Like CBS Evenings, CBS Mornings ranks in third place among the major networks. King joined the morning show in November 2011. With Chinese cars becoming increasingly popular in Britain, new crash test results have raised major concerns about the safety of some of the budget-friendly motors arriving from East Asia. European vehicle safety body Euro NCAP has published results for an affordable small electric Chinese model already being sold in mainland Europe showing it 'crumpling' during a frontal impact. The Dongfeng Box hatchback scored just three (out of five) stars in Euro NCAP's rigorous assessment, having been marked down due to a flaw identified with its structural integrity. During the frontal offset crash test designed to replicate a head-on collision multiple spot-welds [resistance welding used to join sheet metal] failed on part of the vehicles body shell, compromising its safety. 'If spot welds fail during a crash, the structure can lose its integrity - increasing the risk of deformation around the cabin and reducing protection for occupants,' the safety body warned. The Box is currently available in Switzerland and Norway for around 20,000. There's no confirmation as yet regarding plans to also sell it in the UK. The report comes as latest figures show that more than one in ten new cars bought in Britain between July through to September were Chinese, as newcomer brands continue to stamp their mark on the UK car market. The latest round of Euro NCAP crash tests found that a cheap small EV from China 'crumpled' during a head-on collision. So, should we be concerned about the safety of Chinese cars coming to the UK? Dongfeng is one of the four biggest car makers in China selling almost 2.5million vehicles last year - and the Box is its first foray into the European market. Debuting in Switzerland last summer, it launched priced from CHF 21,990 - around 19,500 - to rival the likes of Citroen's e-C3, currently one of the cheapest EVs on sale in the UK and Europe. The Box is powered by a 94bhp single e-motor with energy provided by a 42.3kWh battery to achieve a claimed range of 193 miles between charges. But while it might undercut rivals on price, Euro NCAP has found it might also shortchange customers on protection. The Dongfeng's failure was revealed during the 'Mobile Progressive Deformable Barrier test' it subjects around 50 different models to each year. The evaluations sees a portion of the vehicle - though not the entire front - collide with a barrier to mimic real-world head-on crashes, which are the most common and often severe type of accident. It is performed with the car being tested travelling at 31 mph and with a 50 per cent overlap against a deformable barrier on an oncoming 1,400 kg trolley, also travelling at 31mph. Frontal collisions are responsible for more deaths and serious injuries than any other accident type, Euro NCAP says. And for adult occupant protection, the Box scored just 69 per cent. The Dongfeng Box is a small electric hatchback with a range of 193 miles between charges and a starting price around 20,000. But Euro NCAP found a major flaw when crash testing it... During the frontal offset crash test designed to replicate a head-on collision multiple spot-welds failed on part of the vehicles body shell, compromising its safety 'The unstable bodyshell raises concerns over the protection it would offer at higher speeds in the event of a similar accident,' the report said. And it wasn't the only major cause of concern in the tests. 'After the impact, the automatic door locking mechanism of the Box failed to unlock, potentially hindering first responders efforts to get to the occupants of the vehicle,' the safety body found. It also highlighted 'insufficient pressure in the steering wheel airbag' during the collision, which meant the drivers head 'made contact with the wheel'. The assessment also revealed that some parts of the dashboard structure posed a risk of injury to front occupants legs. 'The Box also lacks any countermeasures to prevent occupant-to-occupant impact between those sitting in the front, in the event of a side-impact collision,' the report concluded. Dr. Aled Williams, programme director at Euro NCAP, said: Sales of electric cars are rising across Europe and the UK, and with the growth in the market comes new and affordable products cutting the costs for consumers who want to switch to electric. 'However, the Dongfeng Box doesnt match the safety performance of other small EVs tested by Euro NCAP. 'Other affordable EVs, such as the BYD Dolphin Surf, Firefly, Mini Cooper e, Lynk & Co 02, and Renault 4 and 5 have achieved four or five stars, highlighting the safety gap for Dongfengs Box. 'It was a concern that the spot welds were compromised during our tests and could be further compromised in higher-speed accidents. Such a failure must be addressed to match competitor vehicles in whats a fast-growing part of the EV market.' Dongfeng has not yet responded to its three-star Euro NCAP rating or confirmed if it will make alterations to the Box's structure to make it more durable during collisions. Is every new car sold in the UK crash tested? Given the extensive time and effort it takes to crash test cars, Euro NCAP simply does not have the capacity to assess every new model entering the UK market. However, any new car sold in Britain must be type approved by the Vehicle Certification Agency (VCA). Manufacturer must demonstrate that a new vehicle meets specific minimum standards - primarily safety and environmental standards such as the amount of pollution the car produces - to appear in UK showrooms. These are typically European standards outlined by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE). We asked the VCA to clarify exactly which safety requirements are in place for new models receiving type approval. A spokesperson said: 'In general mass production manufacturers of passenger cars (M1 category) will use the GB Type approval scheme to facilitate registration in the market. 'The minimum crash testing requirements for this vehicle category to gain a GB Type Approval are the following UNECE regulations: Offset Frontal Impact, UN Regulation 94 and Side Impact with a barrier, UN Regulation 95/ 'Please note there are supplementary safety and impact tests for individual aspects of the vehicle.' Steve Gooding, director of road safety charity RAC Foundation, said: 'Most of us take it for granted that the cars we are being sold are safe, due to the extensive testing they go through. 'But even so there are degrees of safety which different tests can reveal. 'So whilst car buyers are often laser-focused on the economics of buying and running a vehicle they would be well-advised also to study the safety ratings as these might be the best deciding factor between the different models they are considering.' Experts at the European vehicle testing body said it was a 'concern' that the spot welds were compromised during crash tests - and 'could be further compromised in higher-speed accidents' Chinese models achieved a UK new car market share of more than 10% in the third quarter of 2025, new research from Schmidt Automotive Research shows While Dongfeng isn't one of the brands to have launched in Britain, there are now over 15 different Chinese manufacturers selling cars in the UK - many of which the typical motorist isn't familiar with. Yet Britons are snapping up Chinese cars - particularly EVs - at an increasing rate, having been impressed by the high specification, bounty of equipment and low starting prices. In September, three Chinese models broke into the top 10 list of Britain's best-seller during the busiest month of the calendar for car registrations - a sign of a 'major shift in the market's balance of power,' analysts said. In the last three months, Chinese models accounted for more than one in ten new cars entering our streets, securing a quarterly market share of 11.8 per cent - a meteoric rise from nigh-on zero a decade ago. The most popular Chinese brand - MG - delivered more new cars to UK drivers than established marques like Vauxhall during the three-month period, sales records show. Schmidt Automotive Research says Chinese manufacturers are tightening their stronghold on Britain's new car market at a 'rapid pace', currently doubling market share year-on-year to disrupt the status quo of European, Korean and Japanese manufacturers. How do other Chinese cars perform in crash tests? Pretty well, actually... In the last two years, Euro NCAP has crash tested 36 cars produced by Chinese brands - and 33 have scored maximum five-star rantings. The Dongfeng's three-star performance is the worst of all, while the MG3 hybrid supermini and ZS SUVs both scored four stars after the safety body founds issues with the protection provided druing collisions. Yet, Chinese cars are performing just as well - if not better - than well-known mainstream rivals from Europe, Japan and the US. Since the beginning of 2024, models from major marques including Dacia (Bigster and Duster), Ford (Tourneo Custom), Jeep (Avenger), Suzuki (Swift) and Volkswagen (T-Cross) have been awarded three-star ratings for issues highlighted during assessments. Chinese brands have also been incredibly reactive to poor crash test results, with one making wholesale changes to its airbag system to improve protection. Chinese cars have generally performed very well in Euro NCAP crash tests in the last two years. The Chery Tiggo 7 and 8 were found to have issues when tested in July, but the Chinese maker has since rectified the problem before having the vehicles retested to score 5 stars Earlier this year, Euro NCAP recommended drivers steer clear of the MG3 hybrid after the seat latching mechanism failed during a head-on crash and caused severe damage to the crash test dummys right leg In July, Euro NCAP highlighted a flaw with the rear curtain airbag of the Chinese Chery Tiggo 7 and 8 SUVs. The pair failed to provide adequate protection to a childs head in the event of a side-impact. After the fault was identified, a retest was performed, but the problem remained. Subsequently, at Euro NCAPs suggestion, Chery redesigned the system, and in the latest tests, the issue was found to be resolved. The Tiggos were subsequently upgraded to five-star ratings ahead of going on sale in the UK in early September. Commenting on the actions of Chery, Dr Williams said: 'It is pleasing for Euro NCAP to highlight yet another example of a car manufacturer responding positively to the findings of our rigorous, independent safety tests. 'Chery acted swiftly to address the fault we identified, and the resulting fix has raised the Tiggo to a five-star rating. 'Striving toward the highest possible safety rating is in the consumers best interest.' As well as the Chery Tiggos, other Chinese cars sold in Britain to receive five-star Euro NCAP scores in the last two years include the following: BYD Dolphin Surf, Geely EX5, Jaecoo 7 SHS, Leapmotor C10, MG IM5 and IM6 and MG HS. Components manufacturer TT Electronics has accused its top investor of having a different agenda after it refused to back the groups acquisition by a Swiss rival. London-listed TT Electronics on Thursday agreed to a 287million takeover by Swiss rival Cicor after snubbing an approach led by Nat Rothschild last year. But the deal, which marks the latest foreign takeover of a UK company, is being resisted by the components maker's biggest shareholder DBay Advisors. DBay, which holds a 16.5 per cent stake in TT Electronics, said it was happy with the progress the business is making and would not back the deal. And on Friday TT Electronics said Dbay was not acting in the interest of other shareholders, noting it has previously made three highly conditional unsolicited takeover offers of its own in the last three months. The largest of these offers was an all-cash bid of 130p per share well short of the 155p cash-and-shares offer accepted by TT. Takeover: UK-listed components manufacturer TT Electronics has agreed to a 287m buyout by Swiss rival Cicor TT said: Each of these proposals was unanimously rejected by the TT Board after careful consideration together with TT's financial advisers Gleacher Shacklock and Rothschild & Co. The proposals received from Dbay were each subject to a number of assumptions and conditions, including undertaking due diligence which Dbay expected to take eight to ten weeks, and securing financing. Against this background, the Board of TT believes that Dbay may in some respects have a different agenda to other TT shareholders. The Board of TT remains focused on delivering maximum value for all shareholders and believes the Cicor Offer is the best route to achieving this objective. This is Money has contacted Dbay Advisors for comment. There are apparently well-sourced rumours that the Chancellor is planning to raise billions of pounds from accountants and lawyers who are part of limited liability partnerships. I work at a partnership so what tax advantages might I be about to lose? Tanya Jefferies, of This is Money, replies: The Chancellor is thought to be considering a 2billion raid on professionals like lawyers, accountants and GPs who work in companies which are structured as limited liability partnerships. Partners aren't classed as employees, and therefore the firm does not pay employer's National Insurance. We asked a financial planner with clients who could be affected by the changes to explain what might happen and how to plan ahead. He warns against acting hastily or making big decisions based on rumour alone. Ian Cook: Partners are not classed as employees, so the firm doesnt have to pay employer National Insurance on their profit share Ian Cook, chartered financial planner at Quilter Cheviot, replies: There are strong signals ahead of the Budget that the Chancellor wants to raise revenue by changing how partners in Limited Liability Partnerships are taxed. Under the current rules, LLP partners are not classed as employees, so the firm doesnt have to pay employer National Insurance on their profit share. For high-earning professionals such as lawyers and accountants that means higher take-home pay compared to someone on PAYE earning the same amount. Rachel Reeves reportedly wants to address this at the upcoming Budget. What are the current rules LLP partners do pay National Insurance, but they pay it like the self-employed. That means they pay the smaller personal NI charge on their profit share. They pay 'Class 2' contributions of 3.50 if they have annual profits over 12,570 per year. And they pay 'Class 4' contributions if their profits are over that level at a rate of 6 per cent on profits between 12,570 and 50,270, and 2 per cent on any above that. The current rates can be found on Gov.uk here. However, crucially, no employer NI is due at all, because partners are not employees. To give a simple example: if an employee earns 150,000, the employer has to hand over 21,750 in NICs to HMRC. A partner taking a 150,000 share of the profit keeps the whole amount in their taxable income, and after income tax and self-employed NI can end up better off. It's that absence of employer NI on partner profits that is at the heart of the proposed reform. How might the Chancellor change the rules If employer-style National Insurance is applied to partnership profits, some partners could see a meaningful drop in net income, particularly those earning at the top end of their firms. Even so, the details remain uncertain. Designing rules that are fair and avoid new loopholes is notoriously tricky, and theres still debate about exactly where the line should be drawn. In situations like this, its important not to jump to big decisions based on rumour alone. Last year, many people rushed to take their pension tax-free lump sum early because of Budget speculation but the rules didnt change, and lots of those people now regret making irreversible moves without full information. There may be sensible planning options available once the picture is clear, for example, reviewing income structure or increasing pension contributions as part of a broader financial plan but those steps should follow certainty, not anticipation. For now, the best approach is to stay informed and consider the potential impact, but avoid making wholesale changes before the Chancellor confirms the details. If changes do come in, the best position to be in is one where youve already modelled the impact and considered your options, not one where youve acted hastily. Work with your partnership to understand the potential financial effect, check whether the existing structure remains suitable for you, and ensure you have scope to adapt when concrete details emerge. Your accountant will be primed to advise if you should change the structure of your business to a limited company for example. Zohran Mamdani's campaign is facing explosive allegations that it benefited from tens of millions of dollars in donations funneled from George Soros-linked charities as part of an elaborate scheme that may have violated federal tax laws. The 34-year-old State Assemblyman's team has always claimed that he rose from obscurity to become New York City's mayoral front-runner thanks to an organic, grassroots movement involving many small donations and hundreds of young people with backpacks canvassing on his behalf. But the Daily Mail can reveal that that narrative is now being called into question according to a report from a watchdog website. The findings, from conservative investigative site White Collar Fraud, alleged that a network of tax-exempt organizations connected to billionaire financier Soros shrewdly coordinated political and ground operations to support Mamdani in a scheme that involved laundering more than $40million in charitable donations through nonprofits and redirecting them into political activity. Soros's group disputes the report's findings of improprieties, saying it is 'riddled with inaccuracies, false assumptions and misinformation'. 'The math isnt the only thing that doesnt add up,' a spokesman for the Open Society Foundation that was founded by Soros and is now headed by his 40-year-old son Alex, told the Daily Mail. 'The grants it cited many of which we were earmarked for specific projects and causes elsewhere around the country as we have disclosed were made years before the mayoral race even began.' But White Collar Fraud investigator Sam Antar told the Daily Mail Soros-affiliated entities may have violated federal tax laws. Antar has filed 11 whistleblower complaints with the Internal Revenue Service as a result of his investigation. New York City mayoral front-runner Zohran Mamdani faces allegations that George Soros and his affiliated entities violated federal tax laws by funneling more than $40million of illegally diverted charitable donations to his campaign An explosive new report claims a network of tax-exempt organizations connected to billionaire financier George Soros funneled $40million in 'charitable' funds to support Mamdani Antar, who is a convicted felon and former CPA, now assists the government in white-collar fraud investigations and has lectured on such crimes on college campuses and at the IRS. He called what he uncovered 'the manufacturing process of a generational political machine that has weaponized the income tax code'. And he described Mamdani as 'a product of that machine.' Antar said he uncovered how Soros's tax-exempt organizations helped fund activities that 'mimicked what looked like a grassroots campaign', including large-scale door-knocking efforts. 'The problem is they weren't campaigning for a general cause like women's rights,' he said. 'They were campaigning for a specific candidate. And that's the rub.' Under US tax law, a 501(c)(3) may fund a 501(c)(4) for nonpartisan purposes such as issue advocacy or civic engagement. But that money is not supposed to be used to directly support or oppose a candidate, a line that can be difficult to prove without internal communications or evidence showing intent. Sam Antar, an investigator for government watchdog group White Collar Fraud, told the Daily Mail he uncovered how Soros's tax-exempt organizations helped fund activities that 'mimicked what looked like a grassroots campaign' Mamdani's team has done its best to paint him as a grassroots Democratic Socialist challenger not beholden to the billionaires he routinely trashes The chief accusation in Antar's investigation is that major 501(c)(3) charities, which are entities legally barred from engaging in partisan politics, channeled millions of dollars to affiliated 501(c)(4) social-welfare groups that can legally conduct limited political work. Antar's more than 40-page forensic analysis, which includes receipts such as citations to IRS filings, campaign finance records, and internal reports, alleges that the same network of nonprofits that publicly describe themselves as 'partners' in various progressive causes simultaneously filed federal forms denying any coordination. According to the report, this discrepancy suggests not clerical error but what it describes as 'systematic fraud.' Antar alleges that this practice effectively 'launders' tax-deductible charitable contributions into campaign support. While careful to avoid direct legal accusations, Antar said: 'The 501(c)(4)s have gone beyond what the IRS code allows.' His report names the Open Society Foundation and five other groups linked to Soros. The report claims that all six organizations ultimately endorsed Mamdani and deployed field operations supporting his campaign turning 'charitable' deductions into political endorsements for the mayoral candidate. The six groups also formed what Antar calls a 'coordinated ground army' to support Mamdani's campaign. The report documents a combined total of more than 100,000 doors knocked across New York City and extensive volunteer mobilization. Antar told the Daily Mail that he believes Mamdani is going to win the election next week and that his goal is not to stop him but to expose the underlying structure he said is behind his meteoric rise. 'I kind of concede the fact that he's going to win,' he said. 'What I want to do is go after the machine that produces candidates like him.' He compared Soros's network to historic political organizations like Chicago's Daley machine or Tammany Hall but national in scope. 'This is the 2025 version of that,' he said. 'A machine that can produce candidates at scale.' As Soros, 93, has aged he has passed the Open Society Foundation work to his son Alex who shares his father's values and priorities White Collar Fraud's investigation argues that the scope of Soros's alleged network extends far beyond Mamdani's campaign, potentially spanning hundreds of races nationwide. 'The complete scope of this coordination can only be understood with investigative and subpoena powers, the report concludes. 'What we document is merely the visible tip of an industrial-scale political enterprise.' Antar was convicted of fraud for his role in his cousin 'Crazy Eddie' Antar's illegal securities scheme in the 1990s, and sentenced to six months of house arrest. He told the Daily Mail that tax law offers the most straightforward way to prosecute what he said are shady campaign finance schemes like Soros's. 'Remember Al Capone,' he said. 'They couldn't get him on murder, extortion, prostitution they got him on income tax evasion.' The Daily Mail has reached out to Mamdani spokesman Andrew Epstein for comment. At just 28, Melbourne crypto broker Jackson Zeng has earned a place among Australia's richest under 40 - all thanks to a life-changing decision he made back in high school. In 2013, Zeng bought his first Bitcoin for less than $1000, a move that would set him on a career trajectory far beyond his wildest dreams. It came after Zeng's earlier attempt to make money online, selling in-game rewards known as 'skins', was cut short when PayPal froze his account amid anti-money-laundering checks. 'I was too young to understand what any of the questions they were asking me were, so instead of figuring out how to answer them, or how to answer these US tax bill forms, I started learning how Bitcoin worked instead,' he told The Australian Financial Review. Zeng said his parents were initially horrified by his crypto passion. 'They were not supportive all the way up until I became CEO. It was a very long time.' Twelve years on, Bitcoin has surged to record highs of $190,000, and Jackson Zeng is now chief executive of crypto brokerage Caleb & Brown with an estimated personal fortune of $88 million. Caleb & Brown targets private investors in the United States and was recently acquired by Australian cryptocurrency exchange Swyftx in a deal worth up to $200 million. Jackson Zeng's parents were initially horrified with his decision Twelve years on, Bitcoin has reached record highs of $190,000, and Zeng is the chief executive of Caleb and Brown, with an estimated personal fortune of $88 million For Swyftx, the acquisition delivered access to Caleb & Browns $2 billion client book, giving it the largest geographic reach of any Australian exchange. Caleb & Brown was founded in 2016 by Rupert Hackett and Dr Prash Puspanathan. The pair met Zeng at a University of Melbourne event in 2017, where he became the companys first employee. He went on to become an equal owner in 2020 and took on the role of CEO the following year. The firm now employs 64 staff across Australia and the US. Dr Puspanathan described Zeng as a true visionary of crypto in Australia who helped transform a home-grown, bootstrapped startup into a global player. This years Young Rich List is once again topped by Canva co-founders Melanie Perkins and Cliff Obrecht, with a combined fortune of $18.5billion. They are followed by Ed Craven, the co-founder of the online casino Stake and the live-streaming platform Kick. In third spot is brothers and Immutable co-founders Robbie and James Ferguson who founded the blockchain platform for third-party games and non-fungible tokens that allows players to own and trade their in-game purchases. Caleb and Brown was founded by Rupert Hackett and Dr. Prash Puspanathan in 2016 Andrew Tulloch is also the highest-ranked debutant in 2025. The University of Sydney graduate, who grew up in Perth, spent more than a decade working at Facebook's parent company before joining rival OpenAI. In February, Tulloch co-founded AI start-up Thinking Machines Lab with former OpenAI chief technology officer Mira Murati. The company is now reportedly valued at $18.5billion. According to the Wall Street Journal, Mark Zuckerberg tried to buy Thinking Machines Lab earlier this year, but Murati rejected his offer. Meta's CEO then attempted to lure the company's top talent, including Tulloch who was allegedly offered a US$1 billion. Council chiefs are being accused of cashing in with petty fines on locals for what might seem the most minor of alleged offences. Caught up in the current crackdowns was a woman landed with a cash penalty after failing to carry a waste bag while walking her dog. Daily Mail research has shown just how many fines were handed out to drivers in what has been dubbed a 'war on motorists'. In just one year, London drivers were hit with a record 7.6million penalty fines - totalling an estimated 400million - with those penalty charge notices were issued by Transport for London. Fresh scrutiny has now been imposed on local authorities after council officers in south-west London were accused of 'chasing' after a woman who poured the remnants of her coffee down a drain. Burcu Yesilyurt, from Kew, was initially fined 150 but that penalty has now been quashed, with Richmond-upon-Thames Council insisting they 'won't do it again'. Public service protection orders were brought in in 2014, allowing local authorities to set their own rules in efforts to combat antisocial behaviour. And risks remain, as precedents set by local authorities across the country indicate - and as this new Daily Mail quiz outlines. How might you fare? Your browser does not support iframes. Ms Yesilyurt said she tipped a small amount of the drink from her reusable cup down the road gully because she did not want to spill it on the bus. Burcu Yesilyurt (pictured) was slapped with a 150 fine by council officers after pouring the remnants of her coffee down the drain Paula (pictured) said she was stopped by a council officer in Northampton town centre and fined for not carrying a waste bag But moments later, she was 'shocked' to see three male enforcement officers 'chasing' her down the street as she stood at the bus stop near Richmond station. The officers fined her 150 under Section 33 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, reduced to 100 if she paid within 14 days. Ms Yesilyurt said she found the encounter 'quite intimidating' and was left feeling 'shaky' on her way to work. But Richmond-upon-Thames Council insisted its officers 'acted professionally and objectively' and were 'justified' in issuing the fine. The authority later said it had cancelled the fine and is 'reviewing our advice on the disposal of liquids in a public place'. Elsewhere, a dog owner named Paula was fined 100 for walking her Welsh Springer Spaniel without a waste bag. Paula said she was stopped by a council officer in Northampton town centre and despite her dog not fouling on the pavement, she was fined because she had forgotten to bring a plastic bag. A West Northamptonshire Council spokesperson said: 'It's really important that if people walk their dogs in a Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) area they have the means to pick up after them in case they foul in a public area.' A brazen thief was caught on CCTV breaking into a jewellery shop in Marylebone before making off with an entire safe. Shocking footage shared with the Daily Mail shows the man picking the lock in the middle of the night and gaining access to the Treasures of Brazil boutique on Thayer Street in the heart of central London. The man, wearing a bright orange jacket and equipped with a leather bag, is later seen rifling through the register and stealing around 100 in cash before casually touring the rest of the store in a desperate attempt to find more loot. He eventually stumbles onto the shop's safe - which luckily held nothing of value -and puts it into his bag, before making a swift exit. Frustratingly for the shop's owner Daiane Brambila Ferry, 40, it is just one of several incidents of thefts and robbery attempts to have taken place in and around the luxury shopping destination in recent months. 'We see people getting robbed everyday in the area. The shop has been open for a year and a half and it has become almost a daily occurrence,' the mother-of-two told the Daily Mail. 'It is already hard with business rates in central London. Having the problem with security is a burden and shouldn't be something we have to deal with.' Just last week, a woman was able to steal two iPhones - one belonging to the store manager - from right under her nose using sneaky sleight of hand tactics. Daiane and other shop owners have also encountered thieves trying to steal items through the letterbox by hooking them with a metal pole, while she also often sees thieves targeting members of the public right outside her doors. A brazen thief who broke into a luxury boutique can be seen rifling through the cash register during a daring early morning robbery After touring the rest of the store in a desperate attempt to find more loot eventually stumbles onto the shop's safe and puts it into his bag Treasures of Brazil owner Daiane Brambila Ferry, 40, stands in front of her shop in Marylebone, where several shops are being targeted by thieves Recalling the recent break-in in June, Daiane was surprised over the thief's calm demeanor and meticulous approach - seemingly having carried out similar raids before. 'He looked in every corner and in every cupboard in case there was any loose cash. 'The robbery wasn't covered by insurance because it wasn't violent,' she added, highlighting that the costs of such thefts damage the business. 'It is hard for us to invest in more security. I can't afford better security. But what does security really do? Lots of shops have security and they still get robbed.' 'The shop next door to me invested in an extra door. Some of the other businesses are locking their doors and when you do that you lose business. 'So they are fine with losing business for the sake of keeping safe. But we don't want to close the door or lock the door.' The break in came almost a year after another attempt that saw a man try to steal a bag by sliding a pole through the letterbox and trying to hook it off a shelf. Luckily he was unsuccessful and eventually gave up. Daiane says she rarely see police patrolling the street and businesses in the area often have to rely on private security firms to respond to any incidents. She added that staff at the store are 'constantly on edge' as they are aware that thieves could strike at any moment. Other businesses on the street are also frequently on guard for any potential troublemakers. 'We have a WhatsApp group for all the smaller shops in Marylebone. We kind of know people's faces so we message each other saying to watch out as this person is around.' Daiane wants to raise further awareness of the increasing number of thefts and hopes by doing so it will encourage police and other authorities to provide greater support for shops being targeted. The robber, wearing a bright orange jacket and equipped with a leather bag, went through the store searching every corner and in every cupboard in case there was any loose cash The break in came almost a year after another attempt that saw a man try to steal a bag by sliding a pole through the letterbox and trying to hook it off a shelf The shop (pictured) only opened around a year and a half ago, but Daiane says that thefts in the area have become an almost daily occurance Inevitably staff cannot always spot when a theft is taking place, as criminals have become 'very clever' and 'cheeky' in how they operate, Daiane said. Last week a woman entered the shop and stole two iPhones from the pay counter while distracting the shop assistant at the same time. CCTV footage of the brazen theft shows the woman entering the shop and approaching the staff member, Ana. She appears to be pretending to look for earrings and begins pointing at her ear, while saying something to the staff member in another language. The woman then takes a small piece of paper from her pocket and places it on the counter. She points at it saying 'Portuguese, please' as if trying to use it to communicate with the manager. 'Our shop assistant, Ana, tried to use an online translator to understand her better, thinking she was genuinely struggling to explain what she wanted,' Daiane explained. 'However, while Anas attention was on the translation, the woman used the paper to partially cover the phones on the counter and took both.' The woman successfully made off with Ana's personal phone - an iPhone 13 - as well as the company's phone - an iPhone 16 Pro - which is used to take pictures and film videos for social media. After grabbing the phones from the counter, the thief told Ana she would come back in five minutes and left the shop, with no intention of returning. Ana followed the woman out to the street, believing she was acting strangely. It was at that point she decided to call security, but when she went to the counter to grab her phone, she realised they were gone. 'The manager then ran to the shop next door because she couldn't even call security.' 'The lady was very fast. She knew what she was doing. We did report the incident to the police but they are slow to respond. 'That is the thing you are powerless about what is happening. Unless we create awareness what else are we to do. 'We don't see police patrolling. They look like they are doing something but the speed they are doing it is very slow.' A female thief is seen speaking to the store manager before stealing two iPhones from the pay counter The woman takes a small piece of paper from her pocket and places it on the counter which she then uses to hid her movements as she steals the two phones In another theft that took place inside the store, a customer had their phone snatched from her pocket. Another woman who purchased a necklace at the store returned 20 minutes later after it and her bag was stolen outside on the street. And Ana is not the only staff member whose phone has been stolen, with one also having theirs swiped on the way home from work. 'I always tell the girls to be on guard and to keep stuff in their bags. They might think I am being over conscience. ' Unfortunately for Daiane and her staff, such incidents have become commonplace across the capital. The latest Office for National Statistics figures showed almost 81,000 robberies were recorded in England and Wales in the 12 months until June. And in London, 33,752 cases were reported. The startling figure is slightly down on 35,169 last year, figures show. Earlier this month the Metropolitan Police announced it had broken up a major criminal network suspected of smuggling 40,000 stolen phones from the UK to China. A Metropolitan Police spokesperson said: 'At 16:28hrs on Sunday, 22 June the Met received an online report of a theft from a shop in Thayer Street, Westminster. 'It is alleged that a person stole money from the cash register and damaged a safe. 'No arrests have been made at this stage and officers continue to investigate the incident. If anyone saw the incident or has any relevant information, please contact the Met on 101, quoting 01/7640777/25.' Regarding the incident last week, the spokesperson added: 'At 23:19hrs on Thursday, 23 October the Met received an online report of a theft from a shop in Thayer Street, Westminster. 'It is alleged that a person stole two mobile phones at around 19:10hrs that evening. 'No arrests have been made at this stage and officers continue to investigate the incident. If anyone has any relevant information please contact the Met on 101, quoting 01/8122987/25.' A grandmother who was a part of a gang called 'God's misfits' has avoided the death penalty after she murdered two mothers in Oklahoma. Tifany Adams, 55, pleaded no contest in Texas County on October 14 to two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of unlawful removal of a dead body, and two counts of unlawful desecration of a human corpse. She has agreed to serve life without parole and will be formally sentenced on January 28. Adams is accused of being the mastermind behind the fatal stabbing of her grandchildren's mother, Veronica Butler, 27, and Jilian Kelley, 39, on March 30, 2024. Adams, who was the chair for the Cimarron County GOP, was a member of the anti-government and religious 'God's misfits' group. The grandmother is the third member of the group to reach a deal to avoid a death sentence, according to The Oklahoman. Cora Gayle Twombly, 45, of Texhoma, agreed to serve 30 years in prison for murder, as well as Paul Jeremiah Grice, 33, who avoided the deadly penalty by testifying. Prosecutors still are pursuing the death penalty for Adams' boyfriend Tad Bert Cullum, and Twombley's husband Cole Earl Twombly. Tifany Adams, 55, was found guilty in Texas County on October 14, for the murders of Veronica Butler, 27, and Jilian Kelley, 39 Tifany Adams (bottom left), Butler's children's grandmother, her boyfriend, Tad Cullum (top left), Cole Twombly (bottom right), and Cora Twombly (top right) were involved in an antigovernmental religious group known as 'God's Misfits.' They were all arrested over the possible kidnapping and murders of both women The two men are said to have shown 'absolutely no regret or remorse', prosecutors claims. Grice, who admitted to being the only one to stab both victims, said during his December 2024 testimony Adams was delighted after he stabbed Butler. ''It was the most evil laugh I have ever heard,' he said. The two victims were traveling together to pick up Butler's children, aged six and eight, for a court-mandated visit when they were ambushed and killed. They were found buried in a freezer eight feet in the ground under a concrete slab two weeks later. Butler and Adams were locked in a bitter custody battle over the children, but the grandmother had allegedly run out of money to continue fighting in court. An autopsy revealed the gruesome details of the death. According to state examiner Dr. Celia Cobb, Kelley suffered nine stab wounds and seven cuts to the back of her neck and head. She also suffered a fractured vertebrae and damaged spinal chord when she was killed, stun gun marks to her neck, and cuts to her hand indicating she tried to defend herself. Butler was killed in a similar manner, and both women were reportedly found in 'pools of blood.' She suffered a total of 30 sharp force injuries, including sliced fingers consistent with 'attempting to defend herself', and she was also found with stun gun marks to the back of her neck. Veronica Butler, 27, was traveling from Kansas to pick up her children, aged six and eight. Jilian Kelley, 39, one of the supervisors that watched over visitations with Butler and her kids, was found dead next to Butler in April in the chest freezer The autopsies said both women were believed to have been killed before they were placed in the freezer, which was found under a concrete slab and buried eight feet below the ground. When Cobb released Kelley's autopsy first, she said that 'in my opinion, her death was very rapid.' Officers also released new information about the freezer the women were placed in, saying it was sealed with yellow ratchet straps and buried under a concrete slab. Underneath the freezer, investigators found a stun gun, clothing, a roll of tape, and a sheathed knife, reports KSN. The gruesome murders shocked the Midwest earlier this year, leading cops to launch an urgent investigation to find their killers. According to court filings, detectives zeroed in on the 'God's Misfits' gang after suspect Cora Twombley's teenage daughter overheard the group discussing Butler's murder. An affidavit revealed that Butler was going through a nasty divorce and custody battle with her husband Wrangler Cole Rickman (pictured). His mother is one of the suspects, Tifany Adams Twombley then allegedly told her daughter that they were involved in the deaths. The unnamed teen told authorities that the group also used burner phones to communicate with each other. Agents found that Adams purchased three pre-paid phones from a Walmart in February. Authorities said that all three phones were discovered near Butler's car around the time she and Kelley disappeared. A hole filled with hay was also discovered near the car. An affidavit revealed that Butler was going through a nasty divorce and custody battle with her husband Wrangler Cole Rickman, at the time. His mother is Tifany Adams, one of the suspects. The affidavit said that the group's original plan was to throw an anvil, or head of a large hammer, through Butler's car to kill her. They intended to make it look like an accident, 'because anvils regularly fall off of work vehicles,' records said. The teenager also informed agents that Cora and Cole told her that they would not be home the morning of March 29, a day before Butler and Kelley were last seen, because they were going on a 'mission.' The couple told the teenager that even though the 'mission' did not go as planned, they didn't have to worry about Butler anymore, court documents said. The gang reportedly often met at the Twombley's household for their meetings, and the girl allegedly told agents that they had previously attempted to murder Butler. She explained to officers that in February, the group hatched a plan to take Butler's life, but she wouldn't leave her home. Agents later found that Adams had searched for ways to get someone out of a house on the internet. The women's bodies were found buried eight feet under ground in a freezer covered by a concrete slab on this desolate stretch of Oklahoma Butler's mother-in-law had also searched for taser pain levels, pre-paid phones and gun shops, the affidavit said. Agents found that in addition to buying burner phones, Adams also purchased five stun guns on March 23, according to the affidavit. Butler's children were reportedly staying with their grandmother, Adams, as Butler and her husband, Wrangler Cole Rickman, who was in a rehabilitation center at the time, were going through a divorce and custody battle. On March 20, ten days before they went missing, Butler filed a petition in court that would grant her more time with her children, with her goal being full custody. Butler had weekly, court-mandated visits every Saturday with the kids, while Kelley, one of four people listed, supervised the visits. It was Butler's six-year-old daughter's birthday and they were planning to celebrate. An undocumented migrant who self-deported to Mexico after living in Los Angeles his entire life has revealed that he doesn't regret leaving because he has reconnected to his roots. Hector Alessandro Negrete, 43, moved to the US with his family when he was just three years old and didn't realize he was undocumented until he began applying for college. After years of setbacks and red tape to obtain his citizenship, Negrete decided to move back to Mexico so he wouldn't have to live in fear of deportation. Negrete, however, doesn't see his move as 'self-deportation,' but 'self-repatriation' by returning to his own country. 'I refuse to use this administrations language,' he told the Los Angeles Times. Donald Trump has called on illegal immigrants to self-deport or risk being tracked down and forcibly removed amid a widespread effort to crack down on immigration. Negrete announced his decision to leave the US in his Substack, penning a 'Love Letter to LA,' the city he's called home for his entire life. 'Today, I share with you a deeply personal decision, one that stems not from defeat, but from healing, hope, and reclamation,' he wrote. Hector Alessandro Negrete, 43, decided to self-deport to Mexico after living in Los Angeles for over 40 years Negrete shared that he's calling his move 'self-repatriation,' the act of returning someone to their own country Negrete decided to move to Guadalajara (pictured in file photo) instead of await deportation 'After over 40 years of living in Los Angeles, a city that shaped me, strengthened me, and loved me back, Ive decided to repatriate politically back to Mexico. 'But let me be absolutely clear: this is not goodbye to LA, but rather a rebirth for me, and hopefully for some of you too.' Negrete decided to leave the country a month into Trump beginning his second term, after years of advocating for immigration reform, even helping a young woman get released from immigration detention when Kamala Harris was attorney general. Negrete was active in community politics and served as the first openly undocumented and LGBTQ+ person on the Boyle Heights Neighborhood Council. He told the publication that he was hired in June at a nonprofit that allowed him to live wherever he wanted. He started the role over the summer while he moved, and will continue working there from Guadalajara. Negrete's friends made a trip out of the bittersweet situation, driving to the border and flying out of Tijuana. On his move-out day, Negrete started a new Instagram account to document his journey, sharing a photo of himself at the border. Negrete moved to the US as a baby, but didn't learn that he was undocumented until he started applying for college Negrete's father stopped helping him with his path to immigration when he came out as gay and wasn't eligible for DACA as an adult 'Im thrilled to share that Im embarking on a new journey back to Mexico after self-repatriating!' he captioned the photo. 'This adventure fills me with joy and anticipation, and I cant wait to explore my roots, reconnect with my culture, and share the experiences along the way.' In a separate post, Negrete shared a video compilation of his send-off from Los Angeles, calling the decision to leave a difficult one but 'a celebration of choice.' 'Im a lucky to say my first couple days in the motherland have been a whirlwind of emotions but also a beautiful homecoming,' he added. Negrete revealed he never became a citizen because his father was unsupportive of his sexuality and refused to help him with his immigration papers when he was a teenager. By the time he had mended the relationship with his parents, he was already 21 and was no longer eligible for the pathway. Negrete attempted again after the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program was established, but wasn't eligible because of a driving while under the influence charge. He got the record expunged, but it still kept him from qualifying for immigration relief. Negrete said called the move an 'adventure' that filled him with 'joy' and 'anticipation' Negrete packed up his life and took a road trip with his friends to the border as he said goodbye to his life in Los Angeles Negrete is one of 1.6 million undocumented migrants in the US who have self-deported since Trump assumed office (file photo) Undocumented migrants have been forced to reconcile with moving back to their home countries amid Trump's hardline immigration policies. A pastor in Texas, Albert Oliveira, told his congregation earlier this month that his family would be self-deporting back to Brazil. Oliveira was legally in the country on a temporary religious visa, but due to backlogs in employment-based visa processing, he realized he wouldn't be able to renew his status before it expires on November 15. Negrete and Oliveira are two of 1.6 million undocumented migrants in the US who have self-deported since Trump assumed office, according to the Department of Homeland Security. Being abandoned while in remote, foreign surroundings is a terrifying ordeal. While cruise ships - along with other forms of transport - are technically allowed to leave passengers behind, it's still a frightening situation to be in if it happens to you. On Saturday, a grandmother was found dead on a remote island after she was left behind by a cruise ship. Suzanne Rees, 80, from New South Wales was travelling around the country on a solo trip. She died on the remote Lizard Island during a tour of Australia. She is believed to have joined a group hike to the island's highest peak, Cook's Look, but broke away from the group to rest. Her daughter Katherine Rees said her mum fell ill during the hike and was asked to travel back down the mountain, unescorted. She told The Australian: 'Then the ship left, apparently without doing a passenger count. At some stage in that sequence, or shortly after, Mum died, alone.' A multi-agency investigation will now probe how Suzanne was allegedly abandonded. Suzanne's harrowing ordeal and devastating death shine a light on the uncommon but unfortunately not unprecedented event of being left behind by your cruise ship. There have been several horror stories of people stranded at sea on holiday - with many of them sharing the stories of how the situations arose. While cruise ships - along with other forms of transport - are technically allowed to leave passengers behind, it's still a frightening situation to be in At times, cruise ships have left passengers behind during emergencies Social media is awash with videos of people missing their cruise ships - with clips of 'pier runners' chasing after the vessels racking up plenty of likes. At times, cruise ships have left passengers behind during emergencies. Earlier this year, hundreds of cruise passengers were left to sleep on a school gym floor after the ship left without them amid a tsunami warning. Some 600 people were left behind when Norwegian Cruise Line's Pride of America pulled away from Hilo Harbor two hours ahead of schedule in July. Norwegian Cruise Line later confirmed that the ship had departed early in order 'to prioritise the safety of our guests and crew' after the state of Hawaii declared a state of emergency and issued a tsunami warning. 'Before departure, all guests were notified via SMS and advised to seek higher ground and follow instructions from local authorities if they were unable to return to the ship in time for its departure,' the statement said. 'Guests participating in NCL shore excursions were brought directly to a local high school, a designated safe location in Hilo, where refreshments were provided for their comfort and well-being.' Last year, a family of nine were left stranded in a remote Alaskan city when their cruise ship left them behind. The Gault family, from Oklahoma, joined relatives onboard the Norwegian Encore. After an issue with buses, they arrived at the port in time to watch the ship depart without them, leaving them abandoned in Ketchikan. Social media is awash with videos of people missing their cruise ships - with clips of 'pier runners' chasing after the vessels racking up plenty of likes The Gault family, from Oklahoma, were left stranded in a remote Alaskan city when their cruise ship left them behind 'You know, it was a nightmare,' Joshua Gault said, describing how he was left behind with six young children and his 78-year-old mother-in-law. It wasn't just emotionally taxing - Joshua said the cruise line issued a $971 (740) fine per person for missing the ship. Cruise line officials reimbursed the family for the expenses they incurred, the fee they incurred from US Customs and Border Patrol, and a prorated refund for the two cruise days they missed as a result. Also in 2024, Jill and Jay Campbell from South Carolina boarded the Norwegian Dawn in Cape Town, South Africa, to cruise around Africa. The Campbells, who were with other passengers, said their tour operator had notified the captain that they were going to be late back to the ship. When they did finally return, the ship was still anchored but the captain said it was too late for them to board, leaving them stranded in the main port of Sao Tome. The cruise line at the time issued a statement saying: 'When the guests did not return to the vessel at the all aboard time, their passports were delivered to the local port agents to retrieve when they returned to the port, as per the regular protocol. 'Our team has been working closely with the local authorities to understand the requirements and necessary visas needed for the guests to rejoin the ship at the next available port of call. The Campbells said their tour operator had notified the captain that they were going to be late returning to the ship. When they did finally return, the ship was still anchored but the captain said it was too late for them to board, leaving them stranded in the main port of Sao Tome Despite the number of horror stories, it is rare for any passenger to be left behind on a cruise ship 'Given that these guests were on a private tour and did not return to the ship at the communicated all aboard time, they are responsible for any necessary travel arrangements to rejoin the ship at the next available port of call, per our protocol.' Being left behind as a cruise passenger unfortunately does occur. Katie Jackson, a seasoned cruise passenger, revealed in Travel and Leisure that cruise ships are run on a tight schedule and have to pre-pay large sums of money to dock into ports for a specified time period. There might be another ship booked in after them, and hiring pilot boats and tenders can be expensive - so if a ship waited for late passengers, this could create a knock-on effect, racking up huge bills. Despite the number of horror stories, it is rare for any passenger to be left behind on a cruise ship. The Daily Mail's cruise editor Lesley Bellew said: 'The captain of a ship will make numerous checks to ensure everyone is on board. 'Expedition teams also always closely monitor numbers when on excursions.' Responding to the news of Suzanne Rees' death, Lesley said: 'I was shocked by this incident as safety is the priority on any cruise line. Cruise expert Lesley Bellew said that the captain of a ship will make numerous checks to ensure everyone is on board 'Only last week a couple were late for Wind Star's departure from Sorrento, in Italy, (I was on the ship) and the ship's team were calling the passengers' mobile phones to try to trace them in case they had got lost. 'The captain had also contacted head office on the 'red phone' the emergency line so a land agent could help out if the ship did have to leave without them.' She advised: 'Being back at the ship on time is one of those rules that passengers never want to break as they know their ship will only have an allotted time in port and a certain amount of time to get to the next port. 'Every passenger has a swipe card to check in and check out of the ship so I can not understand how the Coral Adventurer could leave without knowing a passenger was missing.' Three Just Stop Oil activists who sprayed Stonehenge with orange powder using fire extinguishers have been found not guilty of criminal damage and causing a public nuisance. Rajan Naidu, 74, and University of Oxford student Niamh Lynch, 23, used two colour blasters filled with cornflour, talc and an orange dye to spray the World Heritage Site during a fossil fuel protest. The court was told the pair, along with Luke Watson, 36, targeted Stonehenge the day before last year's summer solstice where around 15,000 people were due to gather and celebrate. Stonehenge was cherry-picked as the target for a Just Stop Oil stunt 'to provide maximum impact', prosecutors told the trial. They had all denied charges of damaging an ancient protected monument and causing a public nuisance during the trial at Salisbury Crown Court. The trio accepted taking part in the protest and cited in their defence 'reasonable excuse' and their rights under Articles 10 and 11 of the European Convention on Human Rights to freedom of speech and freedom to protest. They told the court that the protest was a 'peaceful action with good intentions'. Following a trial, they have today been acquitted of criminal damage and causing a public nuisance. The three protestors hugged and were seen smiling after the verdicts were delivered. Judge Paul Dugdale thanked the jury but gave a warning to the courtroom, saying: 'It is important to balance freedom of speech and allowing a heritage site to be left unmolested by the members of the public.' Rajan Naidu (left), and Niamh Lynch were driven to Stonehenge by Luke Watson (right) in his grandmother's Ford Fiesta, jurors were told Jurors were told University of Oxford Student Niamh Lynch (pictured) and co-defendant Rajan Naidu crossed boundary ropes and trespassed into the area around the monument The judge told the jury in his legal directions they had to assess where the 'balance lies' in the case and whether a conviction would be a 'proportionate interference' with the defendants' rights. 'In any society there will be those whose opinions we agree with and those whose opinions we disagree,' he said. 'The essence of a free society and freedom of speech is that everyone's entitled to express their opinion even when we disagree with what they say. 'If individuals disagree with what our Government is doing on certain matters they are entitled to protest about the Government's actions or inactions. 'All of this is the essence of our free society. It's how our society has developed over the centuries and the reality is we are very fortunate to live in a free society. 'There are times when protecting the right to freedom of speech and freedom to protest can mean that activity that would otherwise be unlawful would be regarded as lawful by the court to protect those rights.' Salisbury Crown Court heard Watson had purchased the colour blasters - which had been described as fire extinguishers as the start of the case - from the Kingdom of Colours website, and his DNA was found on one of the blasters. Watson had driven his co-accused to the Wiltshire monument on the morning of the protest in his grandmother's Ford Fiesta. Watson told jurors that he became involved in activism while working on an organic farm, first joining the Extinction Rebellion group in 2019 before getting involved with Just Stop Oil. When asked by Simon Jones, prosecuting, whether he thought direct action was necessary, Naidu told jurors: 'I felt it was, yes, because we've taken the actions which we'd talked about: the lobbying; we've had demonstrations; we've had marches; but still Government policy hasn't changed. 'We're still on a highway to hell.' Naidu told the court that the cylinders used in the stunt were a brand used in India as part of celebrations of the Hindu festival of colour, Holi Before the incident, Mr Naidu said he had carried out research around the company which made the pre-made orange powder. 'It is used in ceremonies and people throw it over one another and it is cleanable,' he said. Speaking after the verdicts, Naidu, said: 'The judicial system must wake up and begin to play its shamefully neglected role in defending us and other species from rapacious billionaire class climate criminals. 'We need a global Fossil Fuel Non-proliferation Treaty right now.' Lynch, who is now a masters student in ecology and conservation at the University of Exeter, said: 'I just want things to be better, I just want things to be fair and right. 'If you see something you love being hurt, you do everything you can to help. It's quite simple. It's totally natural. 'I might not be able to do much but I categorically refuse to do nothing. I refuse to stand by and watch as our world burns around us.' Watson, a carpenter, added: 'I'm glad of the verdict but feel the last two weeks have been a complete waste of public money and that a case involving 620 of damage should have been dealt with in the magistrates court.' Stonehenge was chosen as the target by the Just Stop Oil activist 'to provide maximum impact', prosecutors said The court heard the clean up cost 620 to clean it after Naidu and Lynch, both pictured being arrested at the monument, sprayed the stones with cornflour and talc powder which had been dyed orange In her closing speech on behalf of Ms Lynch, Audrey Morgan told the court that she was 'devastated' when police told her that there was a small amount of powder left on the stones in the short term. The judge had also told the jury there was no medium to long term damage to the rare lichen on the stones. Summarising Ms Lynch's evidence, the judge said that she 'assumed that the powder would be blown off by the summer solstice'. Gerard Pitt, defending Mr Watson, asked the jury what its 'legacy' would be in his closing speech, and said that sometimes people 'are going to take non-violent action, and sometimes it's going to need cleaning up'. 'Tell the world that it's fine, not only is it fine, you're proud of it,' he said. Opening the trial last week, prosecutor Mr Jones told the jury that Stonehenge is 'arguably the best recognised' prehistoric stone circle 'in the whole world'. The prosecutor continued: 'The site in Wiltshire is visited by members of the public all over the world, providing both an education and spiritual experience. 'The stones are a protected monument.' Mr Jones told jurors how on June 19 last year, Naidu and Lynch went behind boundary ropes at the site into a prohibited area. He said: 'They were trespassers, they knew they weren't meant to be over those ropes in that area and they were armed with fire extinguishers containing an orange powder consisting of cornflour and talc that was stained with a highly fluorescent synthetic orange dye. 'That substance was sprayed over the stones by both these defendants.' Mr Jones said Stonehenge was deliberately chosen as a target to shock people. He also revealed in court that the clean-up cost 620 and involved the use of a 'specialist cleaning technique'. Mr Jones told jurors that Naidu and Lynch were 'very determined' and showed a 'blatant disregard'. It was also heard that an assistant at Stonehenge begged them 'please stop' and a member of the public also intervened. Kamala Harris revealed a shocking twist to Joe Bidens failed 2024 campaign against Donald Trump. The former vice president said during a recent podcast appearance that Biden didnt want to debate his Republican opponent in the last election. Harris noted that something was a little off with her former boss prior his infamous debate performance that ultimately set his fate. During the July 2024 debate, Biden struggled to finish sentences and would trail off mid-answer. He [Biden] called me from debate camp. The president did, Biden did. And I could tell something was a little off, Harris told Steven Bartlett, host of the podcast The Diary Of A CEO. And I was concerned about I don't think he wanted to debate is my point. He didn't want that debate. Biden dropped out of the race just 24 days after his first and only debate with Trump. The former president faced mounting pressure from leaders in the Democratic party over his health and electability. Harris, also during the podcast interview, revealed her greatest campaign regret. Harris in a recent interview revealed that former President Joe Biden did not want to debate Donald Trump Democratic leaders pressured Biden to drop out of the race following the debate, citing his age and electability Biden's debate performance in July 2024 led to his ouster as the Democratic nominee Joe Rogan in the final weeks of the presidential election invited Harris and Trump for separate interviews on his famous podcast. Harris, citing scheduling issues with campaign events, declined the interview but Trump accepted. Rogans interview with Trump went viral acquiring more than 60 million views in the final days of the campaign. I wanted to do it. So let me just say that, Harris said. It would have been great to do and I think it would have been helpful to do. 'I regret that we didn't do it. I definitely regret that we didn't do it,' she conceded. Harris also refused to directly answer whether she believed Biden was unfit to be on the debate stage against Trump. The former Democratic nominee said that Biden did not appear to have motivation to win the debate. You know, it's like any competition you go in, whether it's you're bidding for something, if it's sports, you got to want it, she added. Harris suggested Biden not have the proper motivation to win the debate against Trump If you don't want to be in the competition, it will absolutely have an impact on your performance. And I don't think he, I'm pretty sure he did not want to debate,' she went on. Bartlett asked Harris whether there were signs indicating Biden would have a poor debate performance. Well, we had conversations about it. I think he got talked into it, Harris responded. You know, in every debate, I don't care who you are, there will be statistics wrong or, you know, you name this country, but it was that country. That always happens. There is no such thing as a perfect debate. So there will be something to clean up. And I expected that. And then, you know, we saw what we all saw. After passing on the California governor's race in 2026, Harris is widely assumed to be weighing another shot at the presidency in 2028. Landlords have condemned Rachel Reeves' 'double standards' amid claims some had been fined 30,000 for breaching licence laws she had supported. The Chancellor was under increasing fire last night after the Daily Mail revealed she has been illegally letting a four-bedroom property in Dulwich, south London, without a licence. Ms Reeves initially blamed her letting agent for failing to tell her she needed one, and said she applied immediately after being told of the oversight. But yesterday it emerged she had repeatedly backed a similar licensing scheme in her own constituency of Leeds West and Pudsey, causing angry locals to claim she should have known better. Landlords who have paid thousands of pounds for licences are now demanding she is penalised for breaking the law as many others have been. The licensing rules in Leeds sparked fierce opposition from landlords, who said it would not improve conditions in rental properties and merely serve to push up rents due to the costs involved. Kathryn Badon, 67, a member of the Leeds Landlords Against Licensing group, said she and other landlords 'would never get away' with pleading ignorance as the Chancellor has done. Mrs Badon said she knew of a landlord who was fined 30,000 for late licence applications across three rental properties. Rachel Reeves, pictured with husband Nicholas Joicey, was under increasing fire last night after the Daily Mail revealed she has been illegally letting a four-bedroom property in Dulwich, south London, without a licence The Daily Mail exclusively revealed on Wednesday night that the Chancellor had been renting out her family home (pictured) without a licence since entering Downing Street She said the landlord, struggling with her application due to IT issues while caring for her mother who has dementia, was confronted by bailiffs and taken to court. Syed Ali, 44, an electrician and landlord from Leeds who is set to pay more than 10,000 to obtain licences across eight properties, branded it 'glaring hypocrisy'. 'This is the same MP who only last year walked with Labour councillors in Armley [a ward in Leeds West] in full support of reintroducing and expanding selective licensing,' he said. 'The irony is so perfect it's almost artistic. Her defence, that it was an oversight by her letting agent, is the exact same excuse landlords are told is not good enough. It speaks to a profound double standard.' Ms Reeves was reportedly taken by councillors on a 'walkabout' to see her constituency's private rented housing stock, while she supported a significant expansion of the local licensing scheme. Alan Lamb, the Conservative leader on Leeds City Council, said he would be 'astonished' if Ms Reeves 'wasn't aware of selective licensing being a big issue' given her campaigning on the matter. He added: 'That's the hypocrisy. It's a tax landlords have to pay, and the Chancellor didn't pay it.' Southwark Council, who runs the scheme in Dulwich, said: 'When we become aware of an unlicensed property, we issue a warning letter advising the landlord they have 21 days to apply enforcement action is reserved for those who do not apply within that time.' Speedboat killer Jack Shepherd could be released again within months after being granted a new parole bid, the Daily Mail can reveal. Shepherd was freed halfway through a ten-year sentence for the manslaughter of Charlotte Brown in his boat and later attacking a barman. He was released in January 2024, but recalled to prison in September 2025 after breaching his licence conditions. The Daily Mail reported at the time that he was arrested after a complaint on August 4 about his 'coercive and controlling behaviour and assault.' Aged 38, the web designer has now been given a chance for freedom again when he goes before a panel, with a hearing likely before Christmas. The one-time fugitive, who fled Britain to the former Soviet state of Georgia, will argue that he is not a danger to the public. If successful, he will be back on the streets weeks later. In December 2015, 24-year-old Charlotte had been on a first date at the Shard with Shepherd when they decided to take a speed boat down the Thames. Speedboat killer Jack Shepherd (pictured) could be released again within months after being granted a new parole bid, the Daily Mail can reveal Shepherd was freed halfway through a ten-year sentence for the manslaughter of Charlotte Brown (pictured) in his boat and later attacking a barman His trial was told that 'Captain Jack' Shepherd was showing off by drunkenly zooming up the Thames in the defective craft he had bought to 'pull girls'. When he flipped the 14ft craft after hitting a submerged log, Charlotte was thrown into the icy waters in darkness. He was rescued but Charlotte drowned. Rather than explain his actions, cowardly Shepherd went on the run to Georgia, and was eventually tried in absence in July 2018 when he was sentenced to six years in prison. The Mail launched an investigation to find him and successfully did so in January 2019. He was extradited back to Britain from Georgia in April of that year. Months later, Shepherd was given a further four years for a vicious 'glassing' attack on a barman at a Devon hotel. Reacting to his recall, Ms Browns dad, Graham Brown told The Sun: 'Hes back where he belongs. 'Hes never shown remorse for his part in the death of my daughter. I think about her every day. The pain is never far away. 'Ill never forgive him and still believe he poses a risk to females.' Charlotte was killed when Shepherd took her on a high speed ride past the Houses of Parliament in his defective speedboat Brown believes his daughter's killer has not served enough time behind bars for the crime and claimed he had never told the truth about what actually happened. Shepherd had insisted that Charlotte was at the wheel when his boat hit a log and capsized near Wandsworth Bridge, implying that she was partly to blame. But a witness on the balcony of a riverside flat challenged his story by saying she saw a single figure at the helm looking into the water, before the boat hit a pier. Mr Brown told Sky News in January: 'He's never said what really happened. What he has said conflicts with what we do know and what came out the trial. 'The pure fact he took my daughter out on a speed boat at 10pm, without any life jackets, on a very dangerous stretch of the River Thames and accelerated up to 30 knots and then say it was her fault. This is his pattern of behaviour. This is what Shepherd did. Nothing what he said can be believed.' Charlotte, who lived in London, but grew up in Welling, Kent, was found to be only slightly over the drink-drive limit for alcohol after her body was recovered while rescuers said Shepherd appeared drunk. His trial heard how he had bought vodka, before sharing two bottles of wine with Charlotte at the Shard and downing champagne on his boat which he had bought on Gumtree. Mother Roz Wickens, 58, spoke to the Daily Mail in January 2025 about her continuing anguish over the loss of her daughter. She said: 'I will continue to want to know what happened on the fateful night Charlotte was taken away from us, but I don't think I ever will. Shepherd consults with his lawyer during a court hearing in Georgia in 2019 Jack Shepherd's Georgian lawyer Mariam Kublashvili, who once starred in her countrys version of Strictly Come Dancing, told him: 'You have friends who would welcome you' 'Only he knows what really happened as Charlotte cannot speak for herself. But if he came out with anything now, I wouldn't know if it was true because of all the stories he has told. 'JS will never tell the truth and I feel that the truth may implicate him further. He will never know or fully understand the true devastation he has caused me and my family.' Roz is certain that her daughter would never have driven a boat recklessly and believes that she was thrown out while he was showing off by performing a high speed manoeuvre. Part time delivery driver Roz of Sittingbourne, Kent, believes that he would have drunk far more than her daughter due to her relatively low alcohol reading, although police failed to breathalyse him on the night of the tragedy. She said: 'We don't really know for sure what happened. I have got my gut feeling, but I don't know for certain. My feeling all along is that she fell out of the boat while he was driving, and he was left there. 'He was seen alone in the boat by a witness when he seemed to be looking round for her in the water.' Roz added: 'My heart will always ache for the loss of Charlotte, but no matter what happens with the release of JS, nothing will bring her back.' Shepherd a self-styled Casanova - got married to someone else just a day after police quizzed him about the accident that killed Charlotte. Before being rescued he was heard crying to rescuers 'help me' rather than 'us'. His trial was told that 'Captain Jack' Shepherd was showing off by drunkenly zooming up the Thames in the defective craft he had bought to 'pull girls' In an ITV documentary about the case, Detective Superintendent Chris Davis revealed a witness saw the boat before the crash. He said: 'She remembered looking down from her flat, and she had only seen Jack Shepherd in the boat. She believed he was looking over [the] side of the boat. She couldn't see Charlotte.' The day after Shepherd's second police interview on February 8, 2016, and nine weeks after the crash, he got married to his childhood sweetheart. The killer and his wife had a baby, born less than a year after the death of business consultant Charlotte. A spokesperson for the Parole Board said:'We can confirm the parole review of Jack Shepherd has been referred to the Parole Board by the Secretary of State for Justice and is following standard processes. 'Parole Board decisions are solely focused on what risk a prisoner could represent to the public if released and whether that risk is manageable in the community. 'A panel will carefully examine a huge range of evidence, including details of the original crime, and any evidence of behaviour change, as well as explore the harm done and impact the crime has had on the victims. 'Members read and digest hundreds of pages of evidence and reports in the lead up to an oral hearing. 'Evidence from witnesses such as probation officers, psychiatrists and psychologists, officials supervising the offender in prison as well as victim personal statements may be given at the hearing. 'It is standard for the prisoner and witnesses to be questioned at length during the hearing which often lasts a full day or more. Parole reviews are undertaken thoroughly and with extreme care. Protecting the public is our number one priority.' Florida's Attorney General has slammed a policy which allows cash vouchers to be handed over to Islamic schools which 'promote sharia law.' Attorney General James Uthmeier decried the use of taxpayer-funded vouchers at Islamic-only schools across the state. 'Sharia law seeks to destroy and supplant the pillars of our republican form of government and is incompatible with the Western tradition,' he wrote on X. 'The use of taxpayer-funded school vouchers to promote sharia law likely contravenes Florida law and undermines our national security.' The policy was expanded in 2023 and has been largely defended by Republicans, who have supported the cash flowing to primarily private, Christian campuses. It allows Florida families, regardless of income, to apply for vouchers to help fund private school tuition at academies that accept them. Dating back to 1999, these vouchers were available to low-income students. Some of the Christian schools who benefit from the vouchers ban gay students and also enforce strict gender-specific dress codes, according to the Orlando Sentinal. Overall, the program funnels more than $3billion each year to as many as 2,000 private campuses throughout Florida. A small proportion of the schools are Muslim. Attorney General James Uthmeier decried the use of taxpayer-funded vouchers at Islamic-only schools across the state Uthmeier shared a post suggesting some of the Muslim schools are operating with and promoting 'sharia law' Students receive up to $8,500 annually to cover the costs of private school tuition. Uthmeier did not name any schools on the program which supposedly advocate and impose sharia law, which is a system derived from the Quran that dictates how a Muslim person behaves. His X post included a video originally posted by the founder of the RAIR foundation of a Tampa-area school principal speaking in Arabic about the voucher program. In the video, which had English subtitles, the school principal was reportedly discussing the challenges Islamic educators face and the religious teachings of his school. 'Thank God there are scholarships here in Florida,' he reportedly says. As many as 300,000 students in Florida use the vouchers to attend 2,278 private school campuses. Around 24 of these programs are Islamic, which the majority are Christian. The program is run by Step up for Students, and applies to any Florida students for grades K-12 to attend a private school. Republicans have been advocating against Muslim schools receiving state funding Uthmeier is not alone in his stance on the matter. He was backed by Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson Uthmeier is not alone in his stance on the matter. Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson shared the Attorney General's X post with a message of his own, writing: 'Schools that indoctrinate sharia law should not be a part of our taxpayer-funded school voucher program.' Simpson championed the vouchers during his 10-year tenure in the Senate, and argued in 2021 that he wanted 'school choice to be an option for every family.' Hiba Rahim, deputy executive director for the Council on American-Islamic Relations in Florida, told the Orlando Sentinal that Republicans' contrasting attitudes depending on whether the money was flowing to Christian or Muslim schools conflicted with the First Amendment. 'The direct targeting of Islamic schools is both discriminatory and unconstitutional,' she said. 'Muslim parents send their children to Islamic schools for exactly the same reasons that Christian parents send their children to Christian schools. 'It is for the preservation of values that are important to them.' A fed-up Aussie has lashed the owner of an American pickup truck after they parked the towbar of their 'Yank Tank' up against their Toyota Corolla. 'Came back to this. They were still overhanging the other side of the car spot lol. Thank goodness for my substitute bull bar numberplate,' they captioned the photo. It showed the truck's large tow bar pushed up against their front numberplate. The oversized pickup truck, known colloquially in Australia as a 'Yank Tank', includes vehicles like the Ford F-250, Chevy Silverado, and large SUVs like the GMC Yukon. The soaring popularity of the oversized Yank Tanks has sparked calls for the huge vehicles to be banned across Australia. In 2023, the Ford Ranger was the nation's highest-selling vehicle, with General Motors, Ford and Ram also receiving strong demand. Many drivers see the oversized utes as a status symbol, but critics are concerned about their impact on city infrastructure and road safety. Aussies suggested the frustrated driver swipe the Yank Tank driver's tow bar to teach them a lesson about parking too close to other cars. The Yank Tank's tow bar can be seen touching a smaller car The big American SUVs often take up two spots in Aussie carparks (pictured) 'I'd pull that pin out and take the hitch,' one wrote. 'They're not supposed to be left on the vehicle, that's why they're removable,' another pointed out. 'Like dude, isn't your car long enough already?' a third said. Greens leader Samantha Ratnam launched an extraordinary attack on American-style utes last year, claiming the 'truckzillas' were too big and dangerous for Aussie roads. Ratnam said Aussie highways weren't designed to accommodate the trucks - and argued owners should pay increased registration and parking fees for them. 'It's an undeniable fact that super-sized vehicles are dangerous. They have blind spots up to four metres in front of the vehicle,' she said. 'And it is no coincidence that a child is eight times more likely to die being hit by a larger utility vehicle when compared to a lighter car. 'Not to mention the astonishing amount of pollution caused by these beasts.' The American-made cars are causing all sorts of issues in Australian carparks (pictured) In 2023, a six-metre long parked Chevrolet Silverado ute blocked traffic and created a dangerous hazard in Melbourne's Bayside. The dual-cab Silverado was parked at a 45-degree angle among a row of cars with its tray sticking out behind the white painted boundary line. Many owners of the utes have also been vilified for taking up multiple car spots. 'This country is not built to fit full-sized American cars,' one Aussie wrote. A progressive Democrat stormed out an interview when questioned about a video clip of her allegedly assaulting an ICE officer. Kat Abughazaleh, 26, was challenged by journalist Tara Palmeri about the incident from earlier this month when she and others allegedly 'surrounded a federal officer's vehicle, banged on its hood and windows, etched "PIG" on the side, and impeded movement.' The Gen Z candidate running to represent Illinois 9th District in the House of Representatives refused to give an answer beyond saying she would plead not guilty. 'I'm not speaking to the specifics of anything thats in the indictment right now,' she said in a Zoom interview with Palmeri's show, The Red Letter. Palmeri then set up a clip from the incident and asked Abughazaleh: 'What do you think when you see that?' She replied: 'You know, Tara, once again, this is my first time being federally indicted. Like I said, I plan on pleading on not guilty. The evidence will come out in court and I plan on winning. Thank you so much for having me.' As Palmeri continued, it became clear that Abughazaleh had left the chat and refused to continue on with the interview. 'Did she just sign off?' Palmeri asked after not seeing her in the Zoom call our getting an answer to her next question. The progressive Democrat charged with assaulting an ICE officer stormed out an interview when journalist Tara Palmeri (pictured right) questioned her about video clip of the day of the incident Kat Abughazaleh, 26, was challenged by independent journalist Tara Palmeri about specifics from the September incident where the feds claimed she her fellow defendants 'surrounded a federal officer's vehicle, banged on its hood and windows, etched 'PIG' on the side, and impeded movement' 'Im so confused. Im sorry. I dont know what just happened. Ive never had that happen before.' On her Substack, Palmeri admitted she was shocked and claimed she had a 'Katie Porter moment,' referring to the ex-Congresswoman and California gubernatorial candidate who had an ugly confrontation during an interview. She admitted that Abughazaleh told her before the interview that 'there were some things she couldnt discuss because its an ongoing legal case.' While Palmeri called that 'normal,' she still didn't expect the Congressional candidate to ghost her. 'She could have easily said, I cant get into the details, but heres what I can say. Instead, she shut down.' The Daily Mail has reached out to a spokesperson for Abughazaleh for comment. Abughazaleh, a Palestinian, was charged by the Department of Justice with two counts of conspiracy to impede or injure an ICE officer, along with assaulting or impeding that officer while he was on duty. The indictment, which was filed on October 23, accuses Abughazaleh, as well as five others, of attacking an ICE agent's vehicle by banging aggressive on the car's side, back windows, and hood. Footage on September 19th, shows an ICE officer throwing Abughazaleh to the ground for blocking the driveway outside Broadview ICE detention center in Chicago Abughazaleh is accused of hindering and impeding the vehicle's movement and etching the word 'PIG' on the ICE officer's car. If found guilty, she could face prison sentences of up to six years on the conspiracy charge and eight years for assaulting the ICE agent. Footage, previously reported by the Daily Mail, shows Abughazaleh, 26, gathering with protesters outside Broadview ICE detention center in Chicago. An agent, at one point, confronts Abughazaleh for blocking the driveway of the facility and drags her back before tossing to the pavement. If convicted, Abughazaleh could face nearly a decade behind bars for assaulting an ICE officer Footage on September 19th, shows an ICE officer throwing Abughazaleh to the ground for blocking the driveway outside Broadview ICE detention center in Chicago More footage from September 26 features Abughazaleh bracing her body against an ICE vehicle along dozens of more protesters. Abughazaleh, 26, is a former journalist for Media Matters and Mother Jones I just had a Katie Porter moment with congressional candidate Kat Abughazaleh. The interview lasted 3 minutes. pic.twitter.com/tcMB2XBgpE Tara Palmeri (@tarapalmeri) October 30, 2025 The Palestinian liberal responded to the indictment on social media by accusing the Trump administration of political persecution. 'This is a political prosecution and a gross attempt to silence dissent, a right protected under the First Amendment,' Abughazaleh told her followers on X. 'This case is a major push by the Trump administration to criminalize protest and punish anyone who speaks out against them.' Abughazaleh announced her candidacy to replace outgoing Democratic Rep. Jan Schakowsky. The Democratic primary election will be held on March 17, 2026, followed by the general election on Nov. 3, 2026. 'I'm not backing down, and we're going to win,' Abughazaleh added. As the Trump administration has scaled up its efforts to enforce the president's mass deportation agenda in the Chicago area, activist groups have responded by camping outside ICE detainment areas with hundreds of protesters. GOP politicians and influencers online have demanded federal authorities crackdown on protesters they claim are interfering with immigration enforcement. Abughazaleh, 26, is a former journalist for Media Matters and Mother Jones Illinois candidate for Congress Kat Abughazaleh is picked up and tossed by ICE agents as she protests with a group at the Broadview ICE facility More footage from September 26 features Abughazaleh bracing her body against an ICE vehicle along dozens of more protesters She is an outspoken progressive candidate running to replace a retiring Democratic lawmaker More footage from September 26 features Abughazaleh bracing her body against an ICE vehicle along dozens of more protesters Conservative X users celebrated her indictment on Wednesday by calling for her to be thrown in prison. 'LOCK HER UP AND THROW AWAY THE KEY!' wrote Matt Gaetz producer Vish Burra. Meanwhile, conservative legal expert Will Chamberlain praised the DOJ attorney responsible for charging Abughazaleh. 'Cheers to US Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois Andrew Boutros, who brought this righteous prosecution, sending a clear message that brazen lawbreaking like Ms. Abughazaleh's will not be tolerated and that ICE officers will be protected.' A British billionaire has been accused by a Liberal MP of 'hurting this country' after the shock closure of a major coal mine left hundreds of Aussie workers jobless and reignited fears for the future of the nation's heavy industry. Sanjeev Gupta, the embattled owner of the Tahmoor coal mine in New South Wales, is facing mounting pressure to either reopen the site or sell it, following months of inactivity and the recent sacking of 250 workers. New South Wales MP Angus Taylor, whose electorate of Hume includes the mine, has issued a scathing ultimatum to Mr Gupta and his company GFG Alliance. 'There's nothing wrong with this mine, it's a great mine, Taylor said. 'And the miners just want to do their job, which is to mine coal. The mine's the heartbeat of our community.' The Tahmoor Colliery, located about 100km south of Sydney, has been in limbo since early 2025, plagued by financial woes stemming from the collapse of Gupta's key lender, Greensill Capital, in 2021. Despite being a profitable operation that supplies metallurgical coal to the steel industry, the mine has remained closed, leaving families and local businesses in crisis. 'It certainly hurts the local economy in my electorate,' Taylor said. Liberal MP Angus Taylor (pictured) slammed the mine owner for shutting it, costing 250 jobs The Tahmoor Colliery (pictured) remains a profitable mine, despite the decision to close it 'But it hurts the country as well, more broadly, because the royalties from a business like this are really important to the New South Wales government and to taxpayers.' It comes amid growing alarm over the future of Australia's industrial backbone. Just days ago, Tomago Aluminium, the country's largest aluminium smelter, warned it may shut down by 2028 due to soaring energy costs. The smelter, which produces nearly 40 per cent of Australia's aluminium and employs over 1,000 workers, said it had failed to secure a viable electricity deal beyond its current contract. 'All market proposals received so far show future energy prices are not commercially viable, and there is significant uncertainty about when renewable projects will be available at the scale we need,' Tomago CEO Jerome Dozol said. The potential double blow, Tahmoor's closure and Tomago's looming shutdown, has sparked fears of a domino effect across Australia's manufacturing and resources sectors. Gupta, who also lost control of the Whyalla Steelworks earlier this year after it was placed into administration, is reportedly now considering selling the Tahmoor mine. But critics say the delay is costing livelihoods and undermining confidence in the industry. Gupta, who also lost control of the Whyalla Steelworks earlier this year after it was placed into administration, is reportedly now considering selling the Tahmoor mine Union leaders have called for urgent intervention, warning that the community has been 'strung along for months' while Gupta dithers. 'Workers have done their part,' said Bob Timbs from the Mining and Energy Union. 'They deserve better than silence and excuses from a billionaire who's lost interest.' A former Melbourne logistics executive who created fake online sex profiles of real women and tricked men into showing up at their homes and workplaces expecting sex has been jailed for more than nine years. Jonathan Kiddle, 52, was sentenced in the Melbourne County Court on Friday after pleading guilty to incitement to rape and stalking. Kiddle used artificial intelligence to generate pornographic photos of his victims, then uploaded the doctored images to hook-up websites including Locanto, AdultFriendFinder and WifeSwapping.com. The registered sex offender created fake profiles of 16 women he had stalked throughout 2024, posing as them online to lure unsuspecting men to their homes and workplaces for what they believed were consensual sexual encounters. He targeted his victims through social media and dating apps, including Bumble, using photos taken from their profiles and other publicly available sources to create the AI-generated fakes. In one case, Kiddle sent a man in an Uber to a victim's house, but the man left after realising the woman had no idea what was going on. In another incident, Kiddle sent a man to a victim's workplace after publishing more than 100 intimate images of her online to about 30 individuals. The victim's fake online profile falsely claimed she was looking for sex. Jonathan Kiddle, 52, was sentenced in the Melbourne County Court on Friday to more than nine years in jail after pleading guilty to incitement to rape and stalking Kiddle also posed as a victim's boyfriend to set up a lewd sex hook-up at the woman's workplace. In that incident, a man turned up and asked if she was 'looking for fun', but he apologised and left after realising the woman was not interested. Kiddle later arranged for another man to attend the workplace of a victim for a 'sexual encounter'. He told the man to pretend he was there to do an office refurb, but after the man became flirtatious with the woman and she pushed back, he left. Kiddle also posed as an adult sex industry recruiter to target a victim. He also provided the women's personal details to an actual sex industry recruiter, who contacted the victim about sex work and setting up a 'trial shoot'. Kiddle, whose family listened to today's sentencing remotely, arranged for the man to attend her home and ask for her. In a shocking twist, Kiddle, who has prior convictions for incitement committed in 2011, stalked a 2011 victim for a second prolonged period in 2024. The fiend also used images of the daughter of someone he knew to produce AI child abuse material of the victim, which he published on the internet. Kiddle also arranged another man to attend the workplace of a victim for a 'sexual encounter' Kiddle pleaded guilty to sharing child abuse material He also attempted to have a child audition for a modelling gig. Kiddle spoke with other Telegram sickos about child sex abuse, and when police arrested him on 30 October last year, they seized devices which contained 3,850 child abuse material images and videos. Judge Simon Moglia said the files included horrific material, which depicted 'visibly distressed children' and Kiddle 'wilfully peddled' the vile content. Kiddle, who pleaded guilty to producing and sharing child abuse material, was jailed for a maximum of six years and made a registered sex offender in 2013 for the 2011 stalking and incitement offences. Kiddle's victims, who were at court supported by their family and friends, varied in age with one being 60 at the time of the offending. Kiddle met one victim on a Facebook hiking group page and others he knew through his logistics job. Judge Simon Moglia said Kiddle's 'perverted' offending was 'repeated and calculated and he 'took advantage of his victims' vulnerabilities' 'Each of the incitement offences involved you encouraging and facilitating a man to approach the victim intending to have sex with her,' Judge Moglia said. 'In this case, it is not alleged that during your communication with each of those men that you encouraged them to rape. Kiddle spoke with other paedophiles about child sex abuse on the messaging app Telegram 'Rather, you encouraged them to engage in consensual sex or be it in circumstances when you said the victim may be putting on an act when they were approached. 'That act was not in relation to rape, you knew however there was no basis which you believed at any time that the relevant victim would be consenting. 'In your mind, in arranging these approaches you contemplated the possibility or indeed fantasised that a rape scenario may play out. 'The prosecutor accepted that the incitement in this case was made out on the basis the other men were innocent agents of your perverted intention. 'It is somewhat gratifying that none of the men you incited held or acted out any intention to rape.' Judge Moglia also said Kiddle's offending 'caused these women to question every day matters that we all take for granted'. 'Their experience of your offending was of personal attacks upon them, those attacks as they were perceived and as you intended them, had the capacity to and did affect many if not every aspect of their day-to-day lives and the way they trust the people and the circumstances in which they live. 'For those involved in the 2011 offending, your offending in this case accentuated the experience they had of that offending and added to it. Kiddle's victims, who were at court supported by their family and friends, varied in age with one being 60 at the time of the offending (generic non-related image above) 'For all of your victims, given the way in which you offended they can be forgiven for wondering perhaps when their vulnerability to you will stop. 'I thank each of them for providing and demonstrating their courage in coming forward and giving their account, in making statements and publicly airing the consequences they have experienced.' The court heard Kiddle, who was arrested on October 30 last year, grew up on a farm in country Victoria as an only-child. Kiddle was also bullied and had few friends and forensic psychiatrist found he had a 'moderately severe personality disorder'. The psych also told the court Kiddle has 'fantasies about setting women up to be put in vulnerable positions submitting to non-consensual sexual conduct'. 'This fantasy seems based on you needing or wanting to feel potent while playing with the lives of others...,' Judge Moglia said. 'These pyschosexual tendencies in my view are very relevant to sentence, your risk... of future offending is high.' The psych also told the court 'certain anti-libidinal medication' could assist Kiddle to not re-offend. He said it was 'proven to be safe' if 'properly monitored' and it could lead to 'effective prevention of the sexual desire act including in 'offensive ways'. The court heard Kiddle had a 'willingness to engage further in a possible treatment'. 'I accept that this demonstrates a willingness to do what is required to manage future risk,' Judge Moglia said. 'But time will tell if you do engage in that treatment and how effective it will be.' Kiddle was jailed for a maximum of nine years and one month with a minimum of six years and five months. He was made a registered sex offender for life. Barcelona's Sagrada Familia basilica became the world's tallest church on Thursday after a part of its central tower was lifted into place. The masterwork of architect Antoni Gaudi now rises to 534 feet above the city, the church said in a statement. That barely beats out the tip of the spire of Germany's Ulmer Munster, which is just over 530 feet tall. The Ulmer Munster, a Gothic Lutheran church built between 1543 and 1890, has held the title of the world's tallest church. That bragging right now gets passed to its Spanish rival. Even though the Sagrada Familia does not claim the title, the numbers are there to compare: it is now just 3.2 feet taller than the church in southern Germany. And the Sagrada Familia is still growing. The central 'Tower of Jesus Christ' that is rising from the top of the church will reach 564 feet when it is completed in the coming months. A crane placed the first part of the tower on top of the nave on Thursday morning. The first stone of the Sagrada Familia was placed in 1882, but Gaudi never expected it to be completed in his lifetime. Only one of its multiple towers was finished when he died. Work has sped up over recent decades as the basilica became a major international tourist attraction with people around the world enthralled by Gaudi's unique aesthetic that combines Catholic symbolism and organic forms. Barcelona's Sagrada Familia basilica became the world's tallest church on Thursday after a part of its central tower was lifted into place The money from entrance fees is used to fund the ongoing construction. Last year, 4.9 million people paid to visit it, with 15% of those tourists coming from the United States. Work on the church's elaborate facades and decorating its interior will continue for several years. It is expected to be completely finished around a decade from now, church officials said earlier this year. Next year will be the 100th anniversary of the death of Gaudi. The church will hold several events to celebrate his legacy, which includes other stunning buildings in Barcelona and other places in Spain. One of three Australian men on trial for murder in Indonesia has been pictured smiling in court on the first day of the highly publicised trial. Sydney men Darcy Francesco Jenson, 27, and Mevlut Coskun, 22, appeared in Bali District Court, alongside Melbourne man Paea I Middlemore Tupou, 26, on Thursday. The men are accused of fatally shooting Melbourne underworld figure Zivan 'Stipe' Radmanovic, 35, and seriously injuring Sanar Ghanim, 34, about midnight on June 14 at a villa in Munggu, in Bali's south, where the pair were staying with their partners. Tupou and Coskun have each been charged with one count of premeditated murder, attempted premeditated murder and weapons possession, ABC News reports. The charge of premeditated murder is punishable by the death penalty in Indonesia. The three Australians, nicknamed the 'Bali Three' after the infamous Bali Nine, were masked and shackled as they silently ignored the media on their way into court. At one point during the proceedings, Jenson was seen cracking a smile. Jenson's lawyer has previously said his client has cooperated with police, claiming he was helping a friend, without any idea the alleged murder would occur. Coskun (left) and Jenson (right) are pictured in Bali District Court on the first day of the trial Melbourne man Paea I Middlemore Tupou, 26, (left) is pictured beside his lawyer (centre) The luxury Bali villa where two Australian men were allegedly shot in June is pictured 'The most important thing is he has been cooperative with the process,' they said. 'He feels remorse because somebody ended up dying.' Radmanovic's widow, Jazmyn Gourdeas, attended the first day of the trial with his family and is expected to give evidence during the next few weeks. 'Jazmyn has come today to hear the indictment... It's important because she wants to ensure her husband gets the justice he needs,' her lawyer, Sari Latief, said at court. 'It's almost like, not so much closure, but she needs to face this and support him and for the children as well. 'She would like to see [the death penalty] applied.' In the indictment, police allege Jenson - who is being represented separately - was ordered by an unnamed Australian to rent a car to collect Coskun and Tupou in Surabaya, a city on Java, on June 10. The trio then went to Bali where Jenson is alleged to have presented Coskun and Tupou with green GOJEK delivery rider jackets, gloves, glasses and balaclavas. Sanar Ghanim, 34, was seriously injured but survived the attack north of Canggu Jenson, Coskun and Tupou will remain detained at Kerobokan prison during their trial (pictured, three judges oversee the trial at Bali District Court) Coskun and Tupou allegedly broke into the villa shortly after midnight on June 14 using a hammer and armed with 9mm handguns which they fired at Ghanim and Radmanovic. A coroner found Radmanovic sustained wounds from blunt force trauma, as well as three gunshot entry wounds. The three alleged perpetrators were arrested in the days after the shooting, with Jenson arrested at Jakarta airport and the other two men in Cambodia. Jenson, Coskun and Tupou will remain detained at Kerobokan prison, considered one of Indonesia's jails, during the trial after first moving there in July. The son of an accused cop killer has leapt to his fathers defence after he allegedly mowed down a retired police officer with his car while she was walking her dog. Dion Anthony Craig, 50, allegedly struck Lisa Ward, 55, then drove off and left her to die after an argument broke out between the pair near Ulmarra Showground, north of Grafton in northern NSW, on Tuesday. Ms Ward was walking her dog just before 5pm when she came across a 4WD she had previously reported for alleged dangerous driving. She allegedly saw the vehicle performing burnouts at the showground on Coldstream Street and took a photo of the car's registration plate. Craig, pictured for the first time below, allegedly then accelerated towards Ms Ward and struck her before driving away. Ms Ward suffered critical injuries and died at the scene, with police arresting Craig 14 hours later. As members of the community flocked online to denounce Craig's alleged crimes, his son has lashed out at people discussing the incident, claiming allegations have been fabricated. 'Mate, were you there?' his son wrote to one man. Dion Craig, 50, has been charged over the alleged hit-and-run murder of a retired cop Police will allege an argument broke out before Craig killed Lisa Ward in a hit-and-run at Ulmarra Showground (pictured) 'Because she is an ex copper (they're) gonna make up story's to what happened (sic). 'I know him the best over every one and I saw him that afternoon. 'He doesn't do burn outs in his car. He stays away from people and keeps to himself... I know him well enough. 'All you gronks just need to get a life and stop having an addiction to drama.' Police located and seized a 4WD in South Grafton on Wednesday morning. Craig was arrested and taken to Coffs Harbour Police Station, where he was later charged with murder and owner not disclose identity of driver/passenger. Craig was remanded in custody to face Bail Division Court 1 on Thursday. He did not appear in court, where his lawyer did not apply for bail and it was formally refused. Retired police officer Lisa Ward (pictured) was killed in an alleged hit-and-run while walking her dog in Ulmarra on Tuesday Craig is pictured alongside a previous partner in 2012 Flowers have been placed at the scene in memory of Lisa Ward It's understood Ms Ward was a highly respected constable within the Coffs Harbour and Clarence police ranks before she retired from the force a few years ago. Shocked locals told The Daily Telegraph that Ms Ward was well known in the close-knit community and was known to walk her dog at the showground every afternoon. 'She was a lovely person,' another local posted online. Several floral tributes were laid at the scene on Wednesday. It's understood Ms Ward's son followed in her footsteps and is a serving officer at Grafton Police. Ulmarra Showground remained a cordoned-off crime scene on Wednesday as detectives investigated the scene. Craig is next due in Grafton Local Court on January 20. A divisive artwork titled Mate, You're Standing on Stolen Land has sparked fierce debate over whether taxpayer money should fund politically charged art. The piece was created by acclaimed First Nations artist Kirli Saunders and now sits prominently at the Wollongong Art Gallery in NSW's Illawarra region. A photo of the artwork shared by commentator Hugo Lennon, a leading force behind the March for Australia rallies, has divided Aussies online. 'Deliberate provocation. There is nothing about unity in that,' one person said. 'Art gallery curators are THE WORST,' a second said. 'No artist, or sport should receive any government funding,' a third wrote. 'The arts and sport would be just fine without it. Funding just props up poor art and unpopular sports.' However, others defended the artwork against the backlash. The artwork made by Kirli Saunders, on display at the Wollongong Art Gallery (pictured) 'Is it a bad thing to acknowledge what actually happened in the past?' one said. 'You could put this sign absolutely anywhere and it'd be true,' a second wrote. 'And it's awesome art. What's your point?' a third shared. Wollongong Art Gallery is funded by Wollongong City Council and receives grants from Create NSW and the Australia Council for the Arts, meaning taxpayer dollars likely contributed to the acquisition or commissioning of Saunders' work. The work was first displayed at the Southern Highlands Artisans Collective (SHAC) before being moved to Wollongong, where it is now part of the permanent collection. Raised in the Southern Highlands, Saunders says the artwork reflects her connection to Country and the stories passed down by Elders. The artwork is inspired by a line from a poem in Ms Saunders' second poetry collection, Returning. 'Sassy and colloquial, it's a yarn starter to bring about change,' she said. The artwork is inspired by a poem written by Kiril Saunders (pictured) from 'Returning' Saunders' career has been backed by major arts bodies, including Creative Australia, which has funded her exhibitions and residencies. Creative Australia was previously criticised over its handling of Australia's 2026 Venice Biennale entry. The organisation sparked controversy after abruptly reversing its decision to drop artist Khaled Sabsabi and curator Michael Dagostino, just days after announcing them as the nation's representatives at the international event. The backflip drew fierce criticism from Liberal Senator Claire Chandler, who slammed the Albanese Government for endorsing an artist whose earlier works featured Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and imagery linked to the 9/11 attacks. Chandler branded the selection unacceptable amid heightened antisemitism. Following the backlash, Creative Australia reinstated Sabsabi and Dagostino, allowing them to proceed as Australia's official entry. A new register of child sex offenders will launch in December, allowing parents to access the name, photograph, and year of birth of convicted pedophiles - in a move aimed at giving children greater protection. The new laws pass in the Queensland Parliament this week, delivering on a key election commitment of the Crisafulli Liberal government. Known as 'Daniel's Law', named after 13-year-old Daniel Morcombe - who was abducted while waiting for a bus in 2003 and murdered - the register will establish a three-tier system for publicly reporting information. It will mean Queenslanders can access a searchable database and apply for images of child sex offenders who live in their area. Images and details of offenders who have failed to comply with their reporting obligations and whose whereabouts are unknown will also be available through a publicly accessible website. Additionally, parents will be able to apply to police to find out whether someone having unsupervised contact with their child is a reportable offender. The scheme will be administered by Queensland Police, with safeguards put in place to prevent the misuse of information, the government said. Premier David Crisafulli said the hope is to help parents protect children. Premier David Crisafulli said the hope is to help parents protect children A Daily Mail Australia mock-up of how an online child sex offender list could look, including some of the most well known offenders in Australia 'Families previously had no idea if convicted predators were living on their street or even next door, but the days of monsters hiding in plain sight are now over,' he said 'Monsters cannot be allowed to lurk in the darkness, Daniel's Law will help protect children who can't protect themselves,' he said. 'Everything we do is about driving down the number of victims of crime and this will help prevent innocent children falling prey to predators.' Daniel's parents, Bruce and Denise Morcombe, hope the register could be introduced in every state. 'It's surreal knowing that Daniel's name is out there, it's a law in his name, and hopefully it will save other children,' Ms Morcombe told the Courier Mail. 'And we know it's spreading, you know, Western Australia, South Australia and Queensland, but Tasmania is going down that path very, very soon the momentum is there. 'I would be really surprised that if 12 months from now, Daniel's Law or public accessible child sex register is not national.' The proposal for the register has been controversial. Queensland Council for Civil Liberties president Michael Cope said the new law could do more harm than good as offenders names are often concealed to protect their victims. Daniel (pictured) was abducted from a Sunshine Coast bus stop on his way to the shops and then murdered by paedophile Brett Peter Cowan Daniel's killer Brett Peter Cowan is serving a life sentence for the 13-year-old's murder 'The Council accepts that it is a fundamental human right of all persons particularly children to be protected from sexual assault. However, proposals such as Daniel's law are most likely to have the opposite effect and do harm to innocent people such as victims,' he said earlier this year. 'Given that the overwhelming majority of sex offenders are known to or related to their victims, the first people likely to be harmed by the publication of the names of sex offenders are the victims who may well be identified.' Mr Cope said laws that focus on stranger danger could also create a false sense of security with familiar people, which may expose children to risk. He also pointed towards public registers of sex offenders such as Megan's Law in the United States which have yielded mixed results in whether they lead to significant reductions in recidivism. Anti-German feeling during the First World War prompted the birth of the Mountbatten name. At the request of King George V, Prince Louis changed the family name from Battenberg to the anglicised version Mountbatten. The King himself also changed the royals' distinctly German name of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha and chose Windsor instead. He declared that 'henceforth our House and Family shall be styled and known as the House and Family of Windsor'. Prince Philip, whose mother Alice was Lord Mountbatten's sister, also adopted the surname when he became a naturalised British subject and renounced his Greek and Danish Royal title in 1947. He was originally a member of the House of Glucksburg. Following the death of King George VI, Lord Mountbatten proclaimed the 'house of Mountbatten now reigned'. After hearing of his boast, Queen Mary summoned the private secretary of prime minister Winston Churchill to complain. With Churchill allegedly left as outraged as Queen Mary, the decision was taken that the family name should remain Windsor. Queen Elizabeth announced in April 1952 that the Royal Family would keep Windsor as its official name. At the request of King George V (pictured), Prince Louis changed the family name from Battenberg to the anglicised version Mountbatten From now on, the former Duke of York (pictured) will simply be known as Mr Andrew Mountbatten Windsor losing even his birth title of prince In 1960, the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh (pictured) wanted their own direct descendants to be distinguished from the rest of the Royal Family while keeping the Royal House name of Windsor It was declared it was the monarch's 'will and pleasure that she and her children shall be styled and known as the House and Family of Windsor, and her descendants, other than female descendants who marry, and their descendants, shall bear the name Windsor'. The Queen's decision to keep Windsor rather than choosing her husband's surname would have been influenced by her grandfather King George V's proclamation in 1917. The decision left Prince Philip deeply upset and it prompted him to tell his friends: 'I am the only man in the country not allowed to give his name to his children.' He went on to add: 'I am nothing but a bloody amoeba.' Philip did have precedent on his side. In 1947, the then-Lord Chancellor had been in no doubt that any children produced by Elizabeth and Philip would bear his surname. The recent precedent of King Edward VII backed him up. He reigned as a member of the House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (his father's house) and not of the House of Hanover, which his mother Queen Victoria was part of. In 1960, the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh wanted their own direct descendants to be distinguished from the rest of the Royal Family while keeping the Royal House name of Windsor. The decision, to reflect Prince Philip's surname, led to the Privy Council declaring that the Queen's descendants, other than those with the style of Royal Highness and the title of Prince or Princess, or female descendants who marry, would be Mountbatten Windsor. As a result, whenever the Queen's children needed a surname they would have Mountbatten Windsor. As Mail writer and author of bestselling Queen Of Our Times, Robert Hardman, last night said: 'The Queen knew how upset Prince Philip was after the "amoeba" episode. The addition of Mountbatten was her way of bolstering his standing. Thank goodness neither has had to witness this.' Now that Andrew has lost his birth title of prince, he will be known as Mountbatten Windsor since he is the third child of the late Queen and Prince Philip. And once the Prince of Wales becomes king, he will continue remain a part of House of Windsor and his grandchildren will use the surname Mountbatten Windsor. Hypocrisy allegations were levelled at the Chancellor last night after it emerged that she had backed a campaign for select landlord licences in her own constituency. Just last week, Rachel Reeves was posting online, backing letting licences in Leeds West and Pudsey, where she serves as MP. Yet Ms Reeves' said that she had not been made aware of the licensing requirement for renting out her family home in Dulwich. Southwark Council, like many other local authorities, requires that private landlords in certain areas obtain a 'selective' licence to rent out their property. This has applied to most private residential properties rented to single families or unrelated tenants in the Dulwich Wood area, alongside more than a dozen other wards in Southwark, since November 2023. Last week she posted on X to say that she welcomed Leeds City Council's decision to 'expand their selective landlord licensing policy to include the Armley area. 'While many private landlords operate in the right way, we know that lots of private tenants in Armley face problems with poorly maintained housing,' the Chancellor wrote. 'This scheme means private landlords in the area will be required by law to obtain a licence for any residential property they are seeking to let and must meet certain standards to ensure the property is safe and in a decent state of repair.' Just last week, Rachel Reeves (pictured) was posting online, backing letting licences in Leeds West and Pudsey, where she serves as MP She also backed the expansion of selective licensing last year, before becoming Chancellor, and went on a 'walkabout' to see her constituency's private rented housing stock. Tory chairman Kevin Hollinrake MP said last night: 'Rachel Reeves campaigned to expand landlord licensing in Leeds, but still hadn't bothered to get one for her own home. Shocking hypocrisy.' Councillor Alan Lamb, Tory leader on Leeds City Council, told the Daily Mail he would 'astonished' if Ms Reeves 'wasn't aware of selective licensing being a big issue' given her campaigning on the matter. He added: 'That's the hypocrisy. It's a tax landlords have to pay, and the Chancellor didn't pay it.' Tory housing spokesman David Simmonds said: 'Rachel Reeves welcomed selective landlord licensing in her constituency just days ago. 'Yet she had no such licence for her own property. This is total hypocrisy one rule for Labour and another for everyone else.' More than 300 piles of cremated human remains have been found scattered across the Nevada desert. A man discovered them near the remote town of Searchlight, about an hour outside Las Vegas, on July 28. A team from Palm Mortuaries and Cemeteries arrived at the scene on Wednesday to remove the piles. They found about 315 sets of ashes and placed them each in individual urns. It comes after officials launched an initial investigation which confirmed in August that the mounds were human, 8 News Now reported. However, no traceable information could be salvaged from the 'cremains' - a term a staff member at the Bureau of Land Management used to refer to the piles. Authorities believe a funeral home littered the desert with the ashes, but have not released details of any businesses suspected of being involved. While spreading human remains is permitted on public land in Nevada, mass commercial dumping by funeral homes is illegal under state law. Businesses are required to 'preserve' the dignity of remains which have been entrusted to them. Some 315 piles of cremated human remains were found near the remote town of Searchlight, about an hour outside of Las Vegas, on July 28 No traceable information could be salvaged from the 'cremains' - a term a staff member at the Bureau of Land Management used to refer to the piles 'I think its important to us to make sure that these people are not forgotten and not left,' Celena DiLullo, president of Palm Mortuaries and Cemeteries, said. The hundreds of remains will be placed into a crypt at one of the Palm cemeteries, so they can be found by any loved ones searching for them, said Dilullo. 'I dont know if it was the wishes of these people to be out, so thats kind of what goes through my mind. If this is not how they would want to be remembered, we would just want to have a place for them to be,' she added. The piles no longer have any identifiable information within them, which could make it near impossible for families to distinguish if they belong to their loved ones. DiLullo noted that it's important to her community and profession to show that they genuinely care about the remains found. Several sources claimed to the outlet that a recently closed funeral home was responsible for the discarded ashes. Celena DiLullo, president of Palm Mortuaries and Cemeteries, helped recover the piles of remains and will place them into one of the company's crypts However, a representative from the undisclosed business has repeatedly denied any involvement. When the piles were originally discovered, officials initially believed there were about 70 of them, but another plot of mounds was later found. Another case involving hundreds of dead occurred in Juarez, Mexico, when nearly 400 bodies were discovered at a suspected secret crematorium. A woman has been charged with the murder after an eight-month-old baby was found dead at a home in Perth this week. Emergency services were called to a property on Winpara Way in Baldivis, south of Perth's CBD, about 10.15am on Thursday. Western Australia Police said the death was being treated as suspicious as authorities questioned a 28-year-old woman. 'Detectives have been deployed to the scene, and inquiries into the circumstances surrounding the child's death are being undertaken,' police said. She has since been charged with one count of murder. The woman is due to face Rockingham Court on Friday. A 28-year-old woman has been charged after an eight-month-old baby was found dead at a home on Winpara Way in Baldivis, south of Perth (pictured) The 28-year-old is due to face the Rockingham Magistrates Court later today King Charles last night sensationally stripped Andrew of his Prince title and is throwing him from his home of decades - but a royal biographer has warned this is not the end of the humiliation for the disgraced ex-Duke. Today the Monarch's brother wakes up as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor - with a police probe into his behaviour likely on the horizon. Yesterday in a bombshell statement, Buckingham Palace confirmed the 65-year-old would no longer be a Prince - with immediate effect - and would also be leaving the 30-bed Royal Lodge nestled on the grounds of Windsor Castle. The Palace said the 'censures [were] deemed necessary' amid the ongoing Jeffrey Epstein scandal - the paedophile financer who Andrew lied about cutting ties with. It comes after the Mail on Sunday exclusively revealed scandalous correspondence where the shunned prince told Epstein 'we are in this together' a day after the infamous picture of the royal with his alleged then-teenage sex victim Virginia Giuffre was released. As Andrew's links to the disgraced financier continued to bring shame on the royals, last night he finally agreed to surrender his Windsor lease where he resided with his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson for over two decades, paying 'peppercorn rent'. And in a brutal remark sources revealed the former Duchess of York, who has also been embroiled in scandal relating to sex-offender Epstein, 'will make her own arrangements' when it comes to her future. It is understood the King is in the process of sending royal warrants to the Lord Chancellor to remove his brother's titles and honours, to which Andrew has not objected. Andrew's recent humiliation after being stripped of all his titles could open the door for a police probe, royal historian and author Andrew Lownie has said Royal Lodge in Windsor Great Park, Andrew's former home. He will now be moving to a private residence on the monarch's Sandringham estate The Royal Family released a public statement announcing Andrew would no longer be a prince Andrew, Virginia Giuffre and sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell in a photo reportedly taken in 2001, when Giuffre was 17 years old His Majesty's younger brother will now be banished to a private property on the monarch's Sandringham Estate in Norfolk, but no further details have been shared. It is understood Prince William and the Royal Family fully support the King's decision. Annie Farmer, one of Jeffrey Epstein's earliest accusers who testified in the trial that resulted in the conviction of his long-time aide Ghislaine Maxwell, told the BBC: 'Virginia did what most thought impossible. She showed the world that even the most powerful predators can be held accountable.' Meanwhile Andrew's daughters Princess Beatrice, 37, and Princess Eugenie, 35, will retain their titles as Her Royal Highnesses with it previously reported that Charles was was very keen to 'protect' his nieces. However, royal historian and author Andrew Lownie believes the recent fallout doesn't mark 'the end' of controversy for the shunned royal, now formally known as Mr Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor. 'I don't think it's the end of it. I think there are many more disclosures to come, but at least they're taking some decisive action. So, I don't think it's all over for him,' he told The Mirror. When queried if he believed a police probe into Andrew was more likely following yesterday's announcement, he remarked that the ex-duke was being 'throw[n] under the bus'. 'Yes, I've been saying for some time they're [the Royal family] going to throw Andrew under the bus to save themselves and this is the first indication of that,' he added 'This should have been done years ago. I think it's been Virginia Giuffre's book that kind of made the Palace realise that there is a big problem here.' Last week, the row over the Royal Lodge continued to grow amid damning revelations in a posthumous memoir from Andrew's sex abuse accuser Giuffre, who took her own life this year, aged 41. Ms Giuffre's explosive book Nobody's Girl: A Memoir of Surviving Abuse and Fighting for Justice was released in this month, with the manuscript having been completed before she died. Inside, she detailed her years spent as a sex slave to Epstein and his British madam Ghislaine Maxwell, amid claims she had been trafficked to the ex-duke three times, and whom she called 'entitled' and viewed sex as his 'birthright'. Within the 400-page autobiography, she also alleged the ex-duke said 'thank you' in a 'clipped British accent' after their alleged first encounter when she was 17. Security stand at the gates of the Royal Lodge following yesterday's announcement Andrew pictured with Jeffrey Epstein in New York's Central Park in 2011 Anti monarchy group Republic said yesterday it intends to investigate allegations that the former Duke of York sexually assaulted Giuffre (pictured) It is understood Sarah Ferguson, seen with Andrew at Royal Ascot in 2019, will make her own living arrangements Your browser does not support iframes. She also recalled how Maxwell praised her following the encounter, saying, 'You did well, the prince had fun'. Andrew denied ever meeting Ms Giuffre. In 2022, he settled a US civil case she lodged for a reported 12million, reportedly receiving money from his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, to help meet the costs. The settlement came with no admission of liability. Yesterday, Ms Guiffre's family spoke out after it was announced Andrew would lose his titles, proudly stating how 'an ordinary American girl from an ordinary American family, brought down a British prince with her truth and extraordinary courage.' 'Virginia Roberts Giuffre, our sister, a child when she was sexually assaulted by Andrew, never stopped fighting for accountability for what had happened to her and to countless other survivors like her. 'Today, she declares victory. 'We, her family, along with her survivor sisters, continue Virginia's battle and will not rest until the same accountability applies to all of the abusers and abettors connected to Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell.' In the wake of the Giuffre scandal, Andrew is facing a private prosecution over allegations of sexual assault, corruption and misconduct in public office. Yesterday, antimonarchy campaign group Republic said it has instructed lawyers to investigate the prince and, if appropriate, press ahead with legal proceedings. The Daily Mail understands the allegations it is focusing on relate to accusations he sexually assaulted Giuffre, that he asked a royal protection officer to look into her background and impropriety when he served as an official UK trade envoy. The move was said to have been entirely down to the King and his advisers, without pressure from the government. The monarch is pictured in Australia earlier this month Amid the controversy, His Majesty, King Charles III, was very keen to 'protect' Andrew's daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, who remain Her Royal Highnesses Andrew stands next to Prince William and his wife Catherine, Princess of Wales, as they leave Westminster Cathedral at the Duchess of Kent's funeral Andrew and his ex-wife Sarah (pictured) are now understood to be moving out of the Royal Lodge But anti-monarchy group Republic said it is mounting its own bid to take him to court because the legal and political response to the claims has been 'weak and inadequate' to date. It said it has made a 'powerful, principled argument for justice to be done for the victims of sexual abuse, and for those who corrupt public office to be held accountable'. 'If not us, then who?' asked Graham Smith, the group's CEO. 'It's a devastating indictment on the UK's criminal justice system, police and politicians not to mention the king and heir that we must resort to a private prosecution. 'It should be a cause for concern that so many people believe rightly in my view that the royals are not treated equally in law. Equality in law is a basic tenet of democracy. 'I firmly believe there is strong enough evidence to justify a serious investigation. The authorities and politicians appear to want to look the other way, while minimising the accusations made against Andrew. 'The truth must prevail and justice must be seen to be done.' Last night the group tweeted that Andrew's punishment was 'nowhere near enough', adding: 'He's lost a bunch of pointless titles and been relocated to another mansion. Dodging any actual punishment, as always. 'He will never be an 'ordinary person' - ordinary people don't get away with being accused of sexual abuse.' A private prosecution brought by Republic would not involve a statutory prosecutor such as Crown Prosecution Service, which brings cases on behalf of the Crown. They are commonly brought by organisations such as the RSPCA, but can be brought by private individuals. In some cases, a party wishing to bring a private prosecution may have to seek the consent of the Government's top legal adviser the Attorney General, or the Director of Public Prosecutions, who is the head of the CPS. The CPS also has the right to take on a private prosecution - and even to bring it to an end if it considers the prosecution to be brought maliciously. It is understood earlier this month the Metropolitan Police was 'actively' looking into the claims Andrew had asked his personal protection officer to investigate Ms Giuffre, and that he was interviewed by detectives at home last week. Andrew is seen on the Windsor Estate on September 27 this year Members of anti monarchy group Republic stood outside Andrew's home - the Royal Lodge at Great Windsor Park last week to demand greater transparency Email exchanges Between Prince Andrew, Ed Perkins and Jeffrey Epstein A bombshell email published by the Mail on Sunday earlier this month also revealed how Andrew asked his taxpayerfunded protection officer to dig into her past, two months after the infamous photo of him with Giuffre and Maxwell came to light. In an extraordinary message to Ed Perkins, Queen Elizabeth's deputy press secretary, he wrote: 'It would also seem she has a criminal record in the States. I have given her DoB [date of birth] and social security number for investigation with XXX, the on duty ppo [personal protection officer].' It comes as e-mails from Andrew to Epstein emerged, where the former duke said he was 'concerned' about the impact this newspaper's revelations would have on his friend after the infamous picture of the royal with Ms Giuffre was released. He reassured the vile billionaire they would 'rise above' press scrutiny. The correspondence was sent to Epstein 12 weeks after Andrew had supposedly ceased all contact with the convicted sex offender. The leaked email provides definitive proof the Prince lied in his car-crash interview with BBC's Newsnight when he claimed he 'never had any contact' with the disgraced financier after the pair were famously pictured walking together in New York's Central Park in December 2010. Democratic Congressman Suhas Subramanyam, who has previously called for Prince Andrew to testify before a US Congressional committee about his links to Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell to 'clear his name', last night again urged Andrew to give evidence. In a statement, he said: 'It's clear that Prince Andrew has information about Epstein's crimes and he must do more than just give up titles or hide from the public spotlight. 'He owes it to the victims to share everything he knows about Epstein's criminal operation and come before the Oversight Committee. 'Regardless, we will continue to pursue the files and all the evidence, no matter how rich and powerful the perpetrators involved.' In another world exclusive the Mail on Sunday also exposed a bombshell email revealing how Andrew's ex-wife Fergie cynically lied when she publicly disowned the vile billionaire. It was just weeks after her public statement that she wrote him a gushing private message, describing disgraced Epstein as a 'steadfast, generous and supreme friend' confessing she only distanced herself from him to save her own reputation. Now, the former Duchess of York will be known as plain Sarah Ferguson. Andrew attends a military air display event on November 25, 2010 with Abu Dhabi's ruler Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan The bombshell emails sent by Fergie to Jeffrey Epstein - despite vowing just weeks before to never contact him again during a newspaper interview Following the revelation, Sarah was dropped by seven charities after 'humbly apologising' to Epstein after disavowing him amid his conviction for child sexual abuse offences. The bombshell leaked email shows Sarah wrote to the convicted sex offender to 'humbly apologise' in 2011 just weeks after telling the press she had cut all ties with him. In an earlier interview that year, she described her involvement with Epstein, who had served time for soliciting prostitution from a minor, as a 'gigantic error of judgment'. The organisations who have since cut ties with the duchess include the Teenage Cancer Trust, which she had backed since 1990, the British Heart Foundation, children's hospice charity Julia's House and Prevent Breast Cancer. A spokesman for Sarah previously said the email was sent to counter an aggressive threat Epstein had made to sue her for defamation. The series of scandalous emails piled on the pressure for the Royal Family to sever ties with the ex-Yorks, with internal talks beginning after Prince William was left 'seething' by his uncle's behaviour at the Duchess of Kent's funeral last month Andrew was pictured sidling up to the Prince and Princess of Wales, which the heir to the throne saw as him being distracted from the ceremony. No 10 has also reportedly been pressuring the royals to deal with the scandal, which has run on for years and saw Andrew step back from public life in 2019. The intervention from Downing Street came after the former prince was entangled in the ongoing Chinese spying row. And only further embarrassment descended after it was revealed Andrew met with the 'spymaster' at the heart of the collapsed China spy case at least three times. The under-fire royal, already mired in controversy over his friendship with another alleged Beijing spy, forged links with Chinese Communist Party (CCP) mandarin Cai Qi, with the pair posing as they celebrated 'jointly building a golden era in China-UK relations'. Prosecutors now believe Cai was presiding over a massive intelligence-gathering operation to steal British secrets, overseeing the alleged activities of parliamentary researcher Christopher Cash and China-based English teacher Christopher Berry. Both men have denied any wrongdoing and the case against them collapsed on the eve of trial last month after the Government refused to label China an 'enemy'. After, Andrew and his ex-wife agreed to relinquish their titles, with Buckingham Palace releasing a statement on the Prince's behalf. It marked the first time, the palace had spoken for him since his car crash Newsnight interview in 2019. Andrew alongside his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson at the funeral of the Duchess of Kent on September 16, 2025 Sarah Ferguson attends the traditional Easter Sunday Mattins Service at St George's Chapel on Easter Sunday earlier this year. Epstein claimed he bankrolled Fergie for 15 years The statement read: '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 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.' Yesterday, politicians from across the aisle supported King Charles's decision to strip Andrew of all of his titles and Royal Lodge residence. Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey said His Majesty is 'absolutely right' to do so, while Tory leader Kemi Badenoch remarked how the decision must have been 'very difficult' for the King. 'It's clear that Andrew's position had become totally untenable, having disgraced his office and embarrassed the country,' Sir Davey said. 'This is an important step towards rebuilding trust in our institutions and drawing a line under this whole sorry saga.' The Lib Democrats had urged the Government to make time for a debate on Andrew's Royal Lodge lease in Parliament. Meanwhile Ms Badenoch said it must have been 'very difficult' for the King to take the steps against his sibling. However, she maintained it was right for the public not to tolerate sexual abuse allegations. Andrew is set to leave his home at Royal Lodge (pictured) with his exwife, the former Duchess of York Sarah Ferguson said to be responsible for making her own arrangements Speaking on an LBC Radio phone-in, she said: 'I've been following this story more about a family. It's a very sad state of affairs. 'I think that the King has clearly felt that this is the right decision for the royal family. It must have been a very difficult thing for him to have done. I mean, having to do that to your own brother. 'But the standards and expectations in society now are very high. People expect to see the very highest levels of integrity. 'And I'm afraid the whole Jeffrey Epstein saga and everyone it has touched, from Prince Andrew to Peter Mandelson, has just shown that the public has no truck whatsoever with any kind of sexual abuse, sexual offences, especially of minors. And I think that that's quite right.' The leader of the Scottish National Party in Westminster, Stephen Flynn, said on X: 'The right decision and an important moment for the victims of Epstein. 'I hope all those who were elected to Parliament and chose to defend inaction rather than speak out now regret the choice they made.' The SNP had put forward a motion to create a new law to formally strip Andrew of his dukedom. Andrew suffered the ultimate humiliation last night as he was stripped of his titles and home. But his family life could be set for further upheaval with his daughters planning to distance themselves from him, royal experts have warned. The disgraced former Duke of York, now simply known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, will have 'no one else to turn to' after suffering the 'biggest royal fall from grace in recent history'. Andrew, 65, lost his birth title of prince and he will be banished from Royal Lodge to a private home on Sandringham Estate in Norfolk. Buckingham Palace said in an unprecedented statement on Thursday night that 'censures are deemed necessary' amid the ongoing scandal over child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, whom Andrew lied about cutting ties with. The palace said: 'His Majesty has today initiated a formal process to remove the style, titles and honours of Prince Andrew. 'Prince Andrew will now be known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor. His lease on Royal Lodge has, to date, provided him with legal protection to continue in residence. 'Formal notice has now been served to surrender the lease and he will move to alternative private accommodation. 'These censures are deemed necessary, notwithstanding the fact that he continues to deny the allegations against him. Their Majesties wish to make clear that their thoughts and utmost sympathies have been, and will remain with, the victims and survivors of any and all forms of abuse.' There has been renewed pressure on Andrew after emails laid bare the extent of links to Epstein, as exclusively revealed by the Daily Mail. The disgraced former Duke of York will have 'no one else to turn to' apart from his daughters, royal experts have claimed (pictured with daughters Eugenie and Beatrice in 2016) Andrew, pictured on Monday, will no longer be known as a prince and is to leave Royal Lodge, it has been confirmed Royal Lodge in Windsor Great Park, Andrew's former home This, combined with Virginia Giuffre's posthumous memoir which made further claims including the pair had sex three times, including at an 'orgy with eight other young women', and mounting public fury over the advantageous lease on his Windsor mansion, has triggered the King to take away his titles and lodging. Andrew will now have to face a new reality - one which could see him distanced from his beloved daughters, Princesses Eugenie and Beatrice, according to royal experts. Royal biographer Richard Fitzwilliams told the Daily Mail their relationship will 'change drastically'. 'His daughters will want to keep as much distance as possible from him. It will be devastating for them.' Princesses Beatrice, 37, and Eugenie, 35, will retain their Royal titles despite their father no longer being a prince. Angela Levin, a royal commentator and biographer, told the Daily Mail the pair will want to avoid him as much as possible but might have to 'step up' and parent their father if he becomes 'desperate'. She said: 'I think Andrew will feel so crumbled about what has happened. He's always been so pompous and trusting himself as being so clever. 'For him to have everything taken away, and for that to happen in front of your children, who are grown up and can understand what he is being accused of, is very embarrassing to him, and for his own children. 'He will have to lean on them if he has no one else.' Andrew was excluded from official photographs at Beatrice's wedding in July 2020 as allegations over his friendship with Epstein emerged. His relationship with his children will now be further strained, experts say. 'I think it will be very difficult for a while, and they will alter their relationship according to what the public mood is,' Ms Levin said. Read more on Andrew's humiliation: The public's damning verdict on Andrew's downfall Andrew is stripped of his Prince title and his home What now for Fergie? How King Charles will remove his brother Andrew's title Virginia Giuffre's family speaks out as Andrew is stripped of his title The Royal Family released a public statement announcing Andrew would no longer be a prince Security stand at the gates of the Royal Lodge following Thursday's announcement Your browser does not support iframes. 'If he's absolutely crumbled and in a desperate mood, they will have to be nice to him, or look after him as if they are the adult, and he's the child. 'They are responsible to a certain extent at their age to just watch him and see if he's suffering from any mental results of this, or whether he is being pompous. 'It's a terrible thing to do that for your own children, who you have loved. He's adored his children and always tried to do the best for them. But now he's shriveled to nothing.' Both of Andrew's daughters have children of their own and will be keen to avoid him, the royal biographer said. 'But they might have to step up because he can trust them,' she added. 'He will need them enormously. But they've also got their own lives. They're married, they've got more children, and they've got jobs and he will be another responsibility. They can't be looking after him at every moment. 'It's a very undignified and horrible thing for them to have to deal with their own father. 'The relationship cannot be the same now. They've forgiven him for so many things but I don't think they want to be close to him.' It is understood Prince William and the Royal Family fully support the King's leadership on the recent move. The Prince of Wales would have been significantly involved in the decision, according to royal experts. The move was said to have been down to the King and his advisers, without pressure from the government. The monarch is pictured in Australia earlier this month 'I see the hand of William in this decision. He would not want valuable work, including his upcoming trip to Brazil, to be overshadowed. Charles had to get it done before that,' Mr Fitzwilliam said. Ms Levin added: 'The King would have listened very much to William. 'But we have been told that it wasn't William who made the decision. It was the King. And I think to put him under the stress of being so furious after suffering from cancer is just terrible.' The disgraced royal should carry out some charity work in the hope of partly restoring his reputation, Mr Fitzwilliam added. 'If Andrew had any sense he would do some charity work. But he won't.' Ms Levin added: 'I doubt he'll even say he is sorry. He will say he's done nothing wrong as he has been claiming for years.' The royal author believes Andrew's punishment has set a precedent which could see Harry stripped of his titles. She said: 'I absolutely hope this is a warning for Harry. It is understood Sarah Ferguson, seen with Andrew at Royal Ascot in 2019, will make her own living arrangements Andrew is seen on the Windsor Estate on September 27 this year 'Harry has gone way too far in his behaviour. 'This should show him that he should go no further, now that the King can do this, that he can take away titles from his family.' The Duke and Duchess of Sussex moved to Montecito, California, in July 2020, the same year the 41-year-old quit as working royal. 'The King should say that you can't have a title unless you are doing your work and take it away from Harry and Meghan,' Ms Levin said. Mr Fitzwilliams added: 'Andrew being stripped of his titles are of immense significance. It is totally unprecedented. 'Andrew and Sarah Ferguson have disgraced themselves by trying to cling on to Royal Lodge. 'They have dragged the whole family down. It is obvious they have used their positions for personal benefit.' Andrew is still eighth in line to the throne and a counsellor of state who could step in for the King, although Parliament has made it clear that non-working royals will not serve in this capacity. His departure from the Royal Lodge, where he paid 'peppercorn rent' over 20 years', comes as he faces a private prosecution over allegations of sexual assault, corruption and misconduct in public office. On Thursday, antimonarchy campaign group Republic said it had instructed lawyers to investigate the prince and, if appropriate, press ahead with legal proceedings. The Daily Mail understands the allegations it is focusing on relate to allegations he sexually assaulted Giuffre, that he asked a royal protection officer to look into her background and impropriety when he served as an official UK trade envoy. Another royal expert, Phil Dampier, said: 'This is the biggest fall in grace in recent royal history, absolutely unprecedented. 'For Andrew personally, it's devastating, a Greek tragedy. But there is little sympathy for him and quite rightly, the King and Queen have said the sympathy should be with sex victims. 'Andrew made a big mistake by not expressing those thoughts enough. And he also made a massive mistake by denying he had ever met Virginia Giuffre. It made him look ridiculous. 'His past has caught up with him in the most astonishing way. I thought he would be forced out of Royal Lodge but to take away his Prince title is extraordinary. 'The King and William obviously decided enough was enough and this had to be dealt with once and for all before William becomes King.' Andrew Lownie, a royal historian, said the monarchy were 'finally getting ahead of the story'. 'I don't think that's the end of it. I think there are many more disclosures to come, but at least they're taking some decisive action. So, I don't think it's all over for him.' Andrew pictured with Jeffrey Epstein in New York's Central Park in 2010 Andrew, Virginia Giuffre and sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell in a photo reportedly taken in 2001, when Giuffre was 17 years old Asked if it now means it is more likely he will be investigated by police, Mr Lownie said: 'Yes, I've been saying for some time they're going to throw Andrew under the bus to save themselves and this is the first indication of that. 'This should have been done years ago. I think it's been Virginia Giuffre's book that kind of made the palace realise that there is a big problem here.' Another expert, Jennie Bond, said: 'It's hard to fathom a disgrace more complete. 'From Prince and Duke, much-loved son of a monarch, to plain old Andrew Mountbatten Windsor is a fall that is hard to comprehend.' Ms Giuffre's family spoke out following the announcement that Andrew would lose his prince title. Her brother Skye and sister-in-law Amanda said: 'Today, an ordinary American girl from an ordinary American family, brought down a British prince with her truth and extraordinary courage. 'Virginia Roberts Giuffre, our sister, a child when she was sexually assaulted by Andrew, never stopped fighting for accountability for what had happened to her and to countless other survivors like her. 'Today, she declares victory. 'We, her family, along with her survivor sisters, continue Virginia's battle and will not rest until the same accountability applies to all of the abusers and abettors connected to Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell.' Antimonarchy group Republic says it intends to investigate allegations that the former Duke of York sexually assaulted Giuffre (pictured) Amid the controversy, His Majesty, King Charles III, was very keen to 'protect' Andrew's daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, who remain Her Royal Highnesses Andrew stands next to Prince William and his wife Catherine, Princess of Wales, as they leave Westminster Cathedral at the Duchess of Kent's funeral It is understood earlier this month the Metropolitan Police was 'actively' looking into the claims Andrew had asked his personal protection officer to investigate Ms Giuffre, and that he was interviewed by detectives at home last week. An email published by the Mail on Sunday earlier this month also revealed how Andrew asked his taxpayerfunded protection officer to dig into her past, two months after the infamous photo of him with Giuffre and Maxwell came to light. In an extraordinary message to Ed Perkins, Queen Elizabeth's deputy press secretary, he wrote: 'It would also seem she has a criminal record in the States. I have given her DoB [date of birth] and social security number for investigation with XXX, the on duty ppo [personal protection officer].' It comes as scandalous correspondence from Andrew to Epstein emerged, with the former duke telling the paedophile 'we are in this together' a day after the infamous picture of the royal with his alleged then-teenage sex victim Ms Giuffre was released. He said he was 'concerned' about the impact this newspaper's revelations would have on his friend but reassured the vile billionaire they would 'rise above' press scrutiny. The correspondence was sent to Epstein 12 weeks after Andrew had supposedly ceased all contact with the convicted sex offender. The leaked email provides definitive proof the Prince lied in his car-crash interview with BBC's Newsnight when he claimed he 'never had any contact' with the disgraced financier after the pair were famously pictured walking together in New York's Central Park in December 2010. In another world exclusive the Mail on Sunday also exposed a bombshell email revealing how Fergie cynically lied when she publicly disowned the vile billionaire. The York family: Beatrice, Sarah, Andrew and Eugenie pictured at a gathering It was just weeks after her public statement that she wrote him a gushing private message, describing disgraced Epstein as a 'steadfast, generous and supreme friend' confessing she only distanced herself from him to save her own reputation. Now, the former Duchess of York will now be known as plain Sarah Ferguson. Following the revelation, Sarah was dropped by seven charities after 'humbly apologising' to Epstein after disavowing him amid his conviction for child sexual abuse offences. The leaked email shows Sarah wrote to the convicted sex offender to 'humbly apologise' in 2011 just weeks after telling the press she had cut all ties with him. The series of scandalous emails piled on the pressure for the Royal Family to sever ties with the ex-Yorks, with internal talks beginning after Prince William was left 'seething' by his uncle's behaviour at the Duchess of Kent's funeral last month. Andrew was pictured sidling up to the Prince and Princess of Wales, which the heir to the throne saw as him being distracted from the ceremony. No 10 has also reportedly been pressuring the royals to deal with the scandal, which has run on for years and saw Andrew step back from public life in 2019. Rachel Reeves no doubt hoped a trove of emails she released last night would help exonerate her, but the move ended up raising more questions than it answered. On Wednesday, the Daily Mail revealed the Chancellor failed to obtain a selective licence when she placed her family home in Dulwich, south London, on the rental market last year as they moved into No 11 Downing Street. At first, Ms Reeves was quick to blame her letting agent for failing to tell her she needed a licence. Yet less than 24 hours later, she completed a screeching U-turn, informing Sir Keir Starmer her property manager had, in fact, offered to apply for one but had simply failed to do so. But instead of putting the matter to bed the Chancellor's contradictory explanations sparked yet more questions as she battled to stave off calls for her to quit. Why had her story changed so completely, and so quickly? Here we break down the events of the past few days. Ms Reeves was first approached by this newspaper on Tuesday, as we put it to her she may have committed a criminal offence by failing to obtain a selective licence, as required by Southwark Council. It put her boss, Sir Keir Starmer, in a tight spot, after he had previously declared 'lawmakers can't be lawbreakers'. Rachel Reeves (pictured on Thursday) no doubt hoped a trove of emails she released last night would help exonerate her, but the move ended up raising more questions than it answered On Wednesday, the Daily Mail revealed the Chancellor failed to obtain a selective licence when she placed her family home (pictured) in Dulwich, south London, on the rental market last year as they moved into No 11 Downing Street The Chancellor released a series of heavily redacted emails between her husband and the property manager. Pictured: An email from the property manager confirming they will arrange the licence once the tenant moves in - and the last correspondence Ms Reeves made public After a day of what now appears to have been fraught discussions with her husband, Nicholas Joicey, the Chancellor told the Daily Mail that 'she had not been made aware of the licensing requirement' but had taken 'immediate action' and 'applied for the licence' as soon as it was brought to her attention. She described it as 'an inadvertent mistake' and said she had referred herself to the independent ethics adviser in 'the spirit of transparency'. The explanation was that the Chancellor had let out her four-bedroom property via a letting agent, and she did not receive any advice that a licence was required. The Chancellor said she had informed the Prime Minister in a letter. At around 10pm, the Daily Mail published the revelations, prompting Ms Reeves to make her statement public. In response, Sir Keir said further investigation was 'not necessary' after he consulted his independent ethics adviser, Sir Laurie Magnus. This, however, did not wash with the Opposition. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch called for the Prime Minister to 'launch a full investigation' and over the course of yesterday afternoon a steady stream of revelations turned up the heat on the beleaguered Chancellor. First, it emerged that Ms Reeves had backed a campaign for landlord licences in her own constituency of Leeds West and Pudsey. As recently as last week, she was posting on social media welcoming the expansion of licensing policy by Leeds City Council. But if Ms Reeves knew some landlords needed a licence and she was one herself why did she not check if she needed one? Inevitably, attention turned to the letting agent that Ms Reeves had been so quick to blame Harvey & Wheeler, an independent agent founded in Belgravia in 1855, now operating predominantly in the affluent Dulwich Village area. Its owner, Gareth Martin, issued a statement at around 5.30pm yesterday that presented more questions than answers. In it, he said his firm always informed its clients of the need for a licence. 'In an effort to be helpful,' he continued, 'our previous property manager offered to apply for a licence' on behalf of Ms Reeves and her husband, who co-own the property. This, however, never happened, because the property manager suddenly quit a few days before the tenancy was due to begin, Mr Martin explained. In a letter (pictured) to the Prime Minister on Thursday, she said her initial explanation was based on conversations her husband had with the letting agent on Wednesday The email from the letting agency dated July 19 (pictured) does indeed state that 'we will need to apply for a licence under the Selective Licensing Scheme via Southwark Council' A subsequent email (pictured) from a property manager on July 22 offers to 'arrange the Selective Licence once the tenants move in' On August 13 Mr Joicey tells the property manager to 'go ahead' (pictured) and arrange the licence He admitted the correspondence would have given their clients 'the impression that a licence had been applied for'. Pointedly, however, Mr Martin also said 'it is not our responsibility to apply' and that 'the onus is on them [the landlords] to apply'. Apart from stating a matter of legal fact, Mr Martin's statement begged an obvious question: if the letting agent had told their clients a licence was required even though they failed to apply for one as offered why did Ms Reeves previously state that they hadn't? Around 15 minutes later, the Chancellor sought to clarify. In a letter to the Prime Minister, she said her initial explanation was based on conversations her husband had with Harvey & Wheeler on Wednesday. But on Thursday, Ms Reeves continued, emails were found showing that on July 17, 2024, the property manager had said to her husband that a licence would be required and the agency could apply for it. Alongside the letter, the Chancellor released a series of heavily redacted emails between her husband and the property manager. The email from the letting agency dated July 17 does indeed state that 'we will need to apply for a licence under the Selective Licensing Scheme via Southwark Council'. A subsequent email from a property manager on July 22 offers to 'arrange the Selective Licence once the tenants move in', and this was mentioned again in emails on July 26, when the cost of the application was discussed. On August 13 Mr Joicey tells the property manager to 'go ahead' and arrange the licence. Later that day, the property manager confirms they will do so once the tenant moves in. This is the last correspondence the Chancellor has chosen to make public. More than a year has now passed since and it is not known what, if any, further inquiries were made with regards to the licence application. Last night, senior Tories said the Chancellor's contradictory version of events posed further questions, both for her and the Prime Minister. Did the Chancellor or her husband check on the progress of the application, and if not, why not? Why did she claim 'we were not aware that a licence was necessary' when the letting agent had told her husband that a selective licence would be required? And why were the Prime Minister and his independent ethics adviser so quick to conclude that further investigation was not necessary? Despite the Chancellor's changing narrative, one crucial fact remains the same. As she admitted to the Prime Minister in her letter last night, it was her responsibility to secure the licence. She failed. She broke the law. If Ms Reeves had been hoping that her latest explanation would be the end of the saga, she may be sadly mistaken. A woman has been charged with murder after an eight-month-old baby was found dead inside a suburban home. Alanah Gail Smithwick, 28, was arrested at a property on Winpara Way, in Baldivis in Perth's southern suburbs, on Thursday. Emergency services were called to the home about 10.15am, with officers allegedly arriving to find the eight-month-old dead inside. Detectives immediately declared the death as suspicious and Smithwick was taken into custody at the scene. Police announced on Friday the 28-year-old had been charged with murder. Police spent Friday scouring the scene for evidence, with a pram and Halloween decorations seen on the front lawn of the property. The incident has rocked the quiet community as residents grapple to come to terms with the news. Alanah Smithwick, 28, has been charged over the alleged murder of a baby Police are pictured at the scene on Thursday 'I don't know what to say really, I'm in shock,' neighbour Graham told 9NEWS. 'I'm pretty shaken,' another neighbour, Prescinda, said. 'It's so sad'. Anyone with information is urged to contact Police on 131 444, or report information to Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or at www.crimestopperswa.com.au A beloved Sydney doctor endorsed by millionaire advertiser John Singleton has been forced to close his popular clinic following a 'misunderstanding' about vaccines. Darlinghurst GP Dr Kwong Tam, 78, was issued a notice from the Medical Council of NSW in June after alleged public health concerns. The authority said the notice related to Dr Tam's knowledge of vaccines, including how they were stored and administered to patients. As a result, he must not administer any vaccinations to patients and must undergo a performance assessment under on-site supervision. Health officials claimed Dr Tam had a large modern vaccine-specific fridge but 'never monitored or recorded fridge temperatures', adding there were large stocks of vaccines in the fridge, with up to half beyond its expiry date. But the veteran GP told Daily Mail on Friday the restrictions were 'unfair' and were the result of a misunderstanding between him and the council officials. 'I haven't done anything wrong. Full stop. My conscience is clear,' Dr Tam said, adding his vaccine fridge automatically records temperatures every five minutes. He said he is happy to stop administering vaccines altogether at his clinic, particularly as pharmacies have largely taken up this service in most communities. Darlinghurst GP Dr Kwong Tam (pictured) has said restrictions imposed on him by the Medical Council of NSW are unfair after alleged concerns about his method for vaccine storage Advertising billionaire and long-time patient John Singleton (pictured with Dr Tam) said the GP has never had a complaint in the 51 years that he has been practicing Dr Tam held a press conference outside his Darlinghurst practice on Thursday where he was supported by up to 50 friends and former patients. Among them was advertising billionaire and long-time patient John Singleton, who had his arm around Dr Tam as they spoke to reporters. Mr Singleton said his friend was a 'saint' who 'never had one complaint in 51 years'. 'He's a soft, gentle, caring, tolerant person. He's not a fighter, nor should he have to be,' the millionaire told the crowd. 'But the people who turned up today (at the press conference) are a testament to how much he's loved. 'Any specialist or surgeon at St Vincent's will have a 'Tam' story that is moving in its generosity and simple love for his fellow man.' The council on Friday said Dr Tam has the right to appeal the decision at the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal, which is independent of the authority. The GP can also request that the council review the conditions if there is new information or a change in his circumstances. Dr Tam (pictured) said he has done nothing wrong and that the restrictions have upset patients Dr Tam has said his solicitors are still discussing their next step. The council told Daily Mail it had met independently with Dr Tam to discuss concerns around his practice. 'He wasn't able to address those concerns and so the Council placed conditions on his registration in order to protect public safety,' it said. 'One of those conditions was to undergo an assessment of his performance. 'Before an assessment can take place, a practitioner needs to supply the council with information, including about their employment arrangements. 'It has not received any communication from Dr Tam to this effect.' A medical practitioner can continue to work with conditions imposed on their registration so long as they comply with the requirements. Former Jetstar pilot Greg Lynn is fighting for freedom on the back of a series of monumental blunders that robbed him of a fair trial, a court has heard. Lynn, 57, had pleaded not guilty in the Supreme Court of Victoria to the murders of Russell Hill, 74, and Ms Clay, 73, in the Wonnangatta Valley, in Victoria's Alpine region, on March 20, 2020. But in October last year Lynn was sentenced to 32 years in jail over the murder of secret lover camper Carol Clay on what his barrister claims was an 'unsafe verdict'. On Friday, Dermot Dann KC opened the appeal by claiming trial prosecutor Daniel Porceddu 'played outside the rules' to get the conviction. The jury had cleared Lynn of the murder of Mr Hill, paving the way for the appeal. 'We say to this court, what we said to the jury, by way of submission, that in an adversarial contest where there were two sides, one side, the prosecution, played outside the rules, and one side in the defence, played inside the rules,' Mr Dann said. 'So we say it was a prosecution that broke the rules from start to finish.' Mr Dann said the jury was improperly persuaded by the prosecution to come up with the shock split verdict. Greg Lynn heads into the Supreme Court of Victoria on Friday 'We say that the jury, by way of developments in the trial and directions that were given, were placed in a very difficult intellectual position,' Mr Dann said. 'There was just too much of the risk that in arriving at that jury verdict, the guilty verdict, the jury travelled down an improper pathway, or engaged in illegitimate compromise.' Dressed in a suit, Lynn had arrived at the court just moments before the hearing began and was led into court through a side door by guards. His flight attendant wife Melanie Lynn, who had attended every day of his trial, was again notably absent. In June last year, a jury of 12 unanimously found Lynn murdered Ms Clay in cold blood before attempting to cover his tracks by burning and destroying the evidence. However they acquitted him over the murder of Mr Hill, paving the way for the Supreme Court of Victoria appeal. Jurors had deliberated for seven days before they rejected Lynns claims that Ms Clay died accidentally at a remote campsite in eastern Victoria. While Lynn had always denied murdering the couple, the jury heard he freely admitted to cleaning up the crime scene and destroying the evidence. Carol Clay was shot through the head while Russell Hill was impaled by his own knife, Greg Lynn claimed 'It was despicable,' Lynn conceded. 'All I can say to the families is that I am very sorry for all of your suffering that I've caused ... yes I should be punished for it. For what I did.' The disgraced pilot had banked on convincing the jury the campers had died as a result of a tragic accident. The jury heard Lynn had offered to plead guilty to the destruction of evidence before going on trial, but it had been rejected by the prosecution. 'I am innocent of murder,' he said. 'I am innocent (of manslaughter too). I haven't killed anyone.' Lynn is appealing both his conviction and the sentence handed down by Justice Michael Croucher. On Friday, Mr Dann claimed the prosecution had 'gone mad' suggesting the jury was right to conclude it could convict on Ms Clay without accepting Mr Hill had been murdered. The prosecution case had all but hinged on a version of events that saw Lynn murder Ms Clay after she witnessed him stab to death Mr Hill after he supposedly tried to grab Lynn's gun. The 12 Gauge 'Barathrum Arms' Model S/P 12 Semi-Automatic Shotgun used to kill Carol Clay The side mirror on Mr Hill's ute was destroyed with the same shot that killed Carol Clay, Greg Lynn told the jury 'Had she been allowed to live, Ms Clay would have been in a position to identify the accused,' Mr Porceddu told the jury. On Friday, Mr Dann accused the prosecution of continuing to mislead the court during subsequent pre-sentence hearings where it was claimed that motive was still available to the jury when it came to its verdict. 'They're saying this is how the jury got to that verdict. Beyond reasonable doubt. They're not just saying this may have happened. They're saying, beyond reasonable doubt, that's what happened.' Mr Dann said. 'They've gone mad. They've just gone mad. There was no risk of that happening. This prosecutor, over months in the plea process, he's just gone mad.' Mr Dann claimed the prosecution went against well established rules of law to govern how criminal trials are to be run. He claimed the prosecution launched a 'sustained attack' on Lynns version of events during the prosecutors closing address, which included statements never put to his client during his time in the witness box. These attacks greatly impacted Lynn's credibility in the eyes of the jury, Mr Dann suggested. 'It looked like the learned prosecutor had chickened out. Another way of saying that, he didn't want to come off second best in these credit contests with Mr Lynn and he deliberately refrained from putting all sorts of matters,' he said. Melanie Lynn (left) had attended her husband's trial hand-in-hand with Lynn's son Geordie. He accused the prosecutor of breaching cross-examination rules six times, in failing to give Lynn the opportunity to respond to evidence in the case. Mr Dann argued the jury arrived at an improper pathway or engaged in an illegitimate compromise. 'There has been such a departure from proper processes at trial, that there has been a substantial miscarriage of justice,' he said. Mr Dann further submitted the prosecution had failed on five grounds - four relate to Lynns conviction and one to his sentence. He took aim at evidence provided by Victoria Police ballistics expert Paul Griffiths, who brought the murder weapon into court and showed the jury how it operated. Mr Dann accused the expert of changing his evidence mid-trial. The court heard Mr Dann thought the prosecution had gone so far off script he contemplated having the jury discharged altogether. When questioned why he didn't, Mr Dann took issue with suggestions from the appeal judges that he decided to 'roll the dice' and continue with the trial instead of asking for the jury to be discharged 'to maximise his chances of an acquittal'. Greg Lynn hopes to overturn his conviction over the murder of Carol Clay Had the jury been discharged, Lynn would have been forced to give evidence again to a different jury and face the prospect of evidence not used in that trial being put into the next, he said. 'A decision had to be made by the applicant,' he said. 'We're talking about someone who's faced with an impossible forensic decision. It's two evils that he's facing, both of them are unfair. adding that he was trying to choose the lesser of two evils that are upon him.' He told the appeal judges they could still intervene, despite no discharge application, giving examples of other cases where a re-trial was ordered in similar circumstances. 'Despite there being no application for discharge, the appeal against conviction is successful because the court has a duty to intervene where a substantial miscarriage of justice is identified,' Mr Dann said. Mr Dann said Justice Croucher had repeatedly warned Mr Porceddu to 'stick to the rules' and remarked he was 'wincing' and 'flabbergasted' by the prosecutors repeated breaches. The barrister claimed said the breaches were so 'egregious' and a 'gross departure of the proper processes' at trial that his client didnt get a fair trial. The Victoria's Director of Public Prosecutions, Brendan Kissane KC, attempted counter Mr Dann's arguments when he got to his feet later of Friday. Experienced appeal judge Phillip Priest (pictured in 2007) had some serious concerns with the prosecution case He came under immediate fire from experienced appeal judge Phillip Priest, one of three justices presiding over the case, who branded elements of Mr Porceddu's performance during the trial a 'disgrace'. He further pondered how the director could even attempt to defend some of the decisions that were made by his team during the trial. 'It is a disgrace that the prosecutor did not call that evidence,' he said in relation to one of Mr Dann's complaints against the prosecutor. The judge was scathing of Mr Porceddu's closing address to the jury, agreeing with Lynn's barrister that he did indeed break the rules of fairness. 'I mean I'm not suggesting it was a perfect cross examination.' Mr Kissane said. Justice Priest suggested the breaches were of such a concern Justice Croucher had no choice but to provide more than a dozen directives to the jury in the hope of steering it to a sound verdict. 'He was so concerned about the prosecutor's behaviour in cross examination, he felt moved to give very strong directions about it,' he told Mr Kissane. Ultimately, Mr Kissane argued the directions provided to the jury wiped the slate clean about any notion the jury had been misled by his colleague. 'We say that once the direction is given, there's no miscarriage of justice,' he said. The Court of Appeal will hand down its decision at a date to be fixed, with more submissions scheduled for Thursday. President Donald Trump called on Congressional Republicans to deploy the 'nuclear option' of ending the filibuster to bring the government shutdown to an end. Trump claimed that during his meetings with world leaders in Asia 'the one question that kept coming up... was how did the Democrats SHUT DOWN the United States of America and why did the powerful Republicans allow them to do it?' The alleged query from world leaders apparently gave the president some pause. 'The fact is, in flying back, I thought a great deal about that question, WHY?' he said in a lengthy post on his Truth Social page Thursday night. He then claimed that Democrats are 'Crazed Lunatics that have lost all sense of WISDOM and REALITY' since they've lost all power in Washington D.C. 'It is a sick form of the now "legendary" Trump Derangement Syndrome (TDS) that only comes from losing too much,' Trump wrote. 'They want Trillions of Dollars to be taken from our Healthcare System and given to others who are not deserving - People who have come into our Country illegally, many from prisons and mental institutions,' the president claimed. 'That will hurt American citizens and Republicans will not let it happen. 'It is now time for Republicans to play their "TRUMP CARD" and go for what is called the Nuclear Option - get rid of the filibuster and get rid of it NOW!' Trump and First Lady Melania greeted hundreds of children at the annual White House Halloween event on Thursday night He praised the work of House Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune, but argued more needed to be done Trump threatened the 'nuclear option' just hours after he and First Lady Melania Trump brought Halloween joy to children by handing out candy at the White House. Senate Republicans have thus far ruled out the nuclear option: changing the rules in the chamber to eliminate the 60 vote threshold needed for passing legislation without a filibuster. The filibuster is a way of blocking a vote - something that was rarely done in previous decades but has become increasingly frequently used. Under the arrangement, there must be 60 votes to end a debate and proceed to a vote - so without the 60 votes, the bill can never be passed. Republicans currently hold a 53 - 47 majority in the Senate and a 219 - 213 majority in the House of Representatives. Those who have opposed the measure argue that it would benefit Democrats the next time they take power, according to CNN. But in his post Thursday night, Trump pointed out that Democrats have previously called for an end to the filibuster. President Donald Trump called on Congressional Republicans to deploy the 'nuclear option' of ending the filibuster to bring the government shutdown to an end 'Just a short while ago, the Democrats, while in power, fought for three years to do this but were unable to pull it off,' Trump wrote, as he praised Majority Leader John Thune and House Speaker Mike Johnson for their work. 'Well now WE are in power and if we did what we should be doing, it would IMMEDIATELY end this ridiculous Country destroying "SHUT DOWN."' 'If the Democrats ever came back into power, which would be made easier for them if the Republicans are not using the Great Strength and Policies made available to us by ending the filibuster, the Democrats will exercise their rights and it will be done in the first day they take office, whether or not we do it,' Trump claimed. Trump's mandate for Republicans comes as nearly 42 million citizens are set to lose their Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits. SNAP, the program that loads monthly funds onto a debit card for recipients to buy groceries, is set to expire on November 1. The average monthly SNAP benefit is $187 per person. However, without a vote to end the government shutdown, that stipend won't be dispensed. On Wednesday, Majority Leader Thune tore into Democrats - claiming they are to blame for the lapse in SNAP benefits. Trump's mandate for Republicans comes as nearly 42 million citizens are set to lose their Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits Members of the Federal Unionists Network and other unions and activist groups are pictured rallying in front of the U.S. Department of Agriculture on the National Mall during the 30th day of the federal government shutdown Some groups have organized to help feed those whose benefits are set to expire Thune had previously claimed the Senate had voted 13 times to reopen the government, but the left flat-out rejected the deals. However, critics have slammed the Trump administration for blocking billions in approved emergency funding that could have kept SNAP alive during the shutdown under the Department of Agricultures contingency plan. Another government aid program at risk as soon as next week is WIC, the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children, which provides food assistance specifically for pregnant women, new mothers and young children. The Trump administration has already rerouted $300 million in proceeds from tariff revenue to provide additional funding to keep the program afloat after previously allocated funds were scheduled to run out earlier in October. Amid the political dysfunction in Washington DC that may lead to the longest government shutdown in history, some governors - particularly in red states - have decided to step up and provide food benefits. Governors of Virginia, Vermont and Louisiana have 'pledged to backfill food aid for recipients even while the shutdown stalls the federal program, though state-level details havent been announced.' Rep. Don Beyer, a Democrat from Virginia, speaks during a rally with faith leaders, food bank workers, and furloughed federal employees in front of the U.S. Department of Agriculture California Governor Gavin Newsom and New York Governor Kathy Hochul, both Democrats, have also made moves to stock up food banks across their states. Hochul said shes fast-tracking $30 million in emergency food aid, while Newsom is releasing $80 million and deploying the National Guard to help run food banks - though some locations have turned down the troops assistance. The Trump Administration has noted that states that choose to spend money on their food programs will not be reimbursed for their actions. On the night before Halloween, the Trumps emerged from the White Houses southern entrance to Michael Jacksons Thriller being played by a military string ensemble. The duo delighted children who lined up decked out in costumes to meet with them. Trump revived one of his favorite trick-or-treat games from his 2019 Halloween party by bopping a child dressed as a marshmallow on the head with a chocolate bar, before placing it atop his costume for the child to collect. The duo delighted children who lined up decked out in costumes to meet with them Trump revived one of his favorite trick-or-treat games from his 2019 Halloween party by bopping a child on the head with a chocolate bar, before placing it atop his costume for the child to collect Instead, the child walked away trying to balance the candy bar on top of his head, exactly where Trump had placed it. Trump went viral in 2019 for playing the same game with a child dressed in a Despicable Me costume. 'This is a strong granddad move,' one supporter said on Thursday as Trump's trick went viral again. Melania shared her own sweet moment with a little girl who appeared scared to approach, stooping down and opening her arms to bring the child closer. She placed her hand on the little girl's cheek and rubbed her shoulder reassuringly as Trump watched on. Separately, Trump high-fived a boy that appeared to be dressed as him. They both were wearing blue suits with red ties and red MAGA hats. A little girl accompanying the Trump-dressed boy appeared to be dressed as the first lady. She had a white coat similar ton ones fancied by Melania. Pictured: A small child grins while dressed as a dinosaur passing the President and First Lady Two children greeted the president dressed in McDonalds drive-thru costumes The first lady was seen bending over and appeared to compliment the duo on their look. Then Trump told the kids to turn around and pose for a photo. Dozens of carved jack-o-lanterns filled with lights decorated the mansions sprawling staircases along with fall foliage, pumpkins and other autumn staples. The exterior of the home was decorated in faux falling autumn leaves and Melania wore a beige and orange trench coat to celebrate the holiday. The president's top staffers and their families were first in line to receive treats from the Trumps. Top advisor and deputy chief of staff Steven Miller, his wife Katie Miller, and their three children were some of the first to get their chocolates. Miller's son, dressed as a ghost, appeared blissfully unaware that he was in line to meet the President and First Lady, repeatedly attempting to slip past them as his father reached to pull him back into the queue. Soon after followed White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, her husband, and their young child dressed as a pumpkin. Marjorie Taylor Greene has ripped into 'Pathetic Republican Men' ahead of her appearance on The View, adding that she refuses to 'remain seen but not heard.' The left-leaning talkshow announced on Thursday that the outspoken conservative representative would be joining the panel for their Election Day broadcast on November 4. Whoopi Goldberg, one of the panel's liberal hosts, broke the news, prompting swift backlash from both sides of the aisle as Greene continues her apparent pivot away from strict party lines. In response to the scrutiny from within her own party, Greene wrote on X: 'There are pathetic Republican men (mostly paid social media influencers) attacking me for going on Bill Maher's show and The View.' She shared a screenshot of her Liberty Score, a rating system conducted by the Conservative Review, a right-wing publication owned by Blaze Media. Greene boasted that her score was a perfect 100 percent, with her last 23 votes leaning conservative and none leaning liberal. 'Here is my voting card and nothing has changed about me, I'm 1,000,000% America ONLY,' Greene continued. 'Sorry I'm not sorry I don't obey Republican men's demands that I, as a woman, don't remain seen but not heard.' Marjorie Taylor Greene slammed 'pathetic Republican men' for criticizing her decision to go on The View and Real Time with Bill Maher Greene has been vocal against the government shutdown and Speaker of the House Mike Johnson 'I dont answer to weak Republicans or so-called influencers on social media who think conservative women should just sit down and fall in line with the status quo. Im not afraid to go anywhere and talk directly to the American people, whether its Bill Maher, The View, or even CNN,' Greene said in a statement to the Daily Mail. 'Lets look at the life of Charlie Kirk. He spent his career actually engaging with people on the other side and having real conversations. Thats what Im doing too, and thats how we WIN. Greene went on to say that she thought it was 'funny' that people who claim to be fighting for the America First agenda 'spend all day behind a screen attacking me.' 'For example, the account CatTurd posted 92 times in the last 24 hours and averages around 70 times a day,' the statement continued. 'I dont see these folks attacking Fox News when theyre praising Democrat Senator John Fetterman or having him on their shows. Theres a clear double standard, and Im not afraid to call it out.' Greene's scheduled appearance on The View shocked some, as the talk show has recently been forced to dispel rumors that they don't invite conservative guests. On October 14, host Joy Behar said that conservatives 'don't want to come' on the show and that they were 'scared' of the panelists. 'It's like Marjorie Taylor Greene says, that she finds the Republican men afraid of powerful women,' Behar said. Goldberg offered rare praise for the congresswoman, announcing that she was 'happy' to host Greene on the show. 'I don't know how many things we agree on, but I know the one thing that she and I and all of us at this table agree on is [the shutdown] should not be affecting the American people,' Goldberg said. Greene shared the announcement on her X account, adding: 'I look forward to joining the ladies on The View on Tuesday!' This isn't the first time Greene has slammed the men in Congress, telling the Washington Post earlier this month: 'There's a lot of weak Republican men and they're more afraid of strong Republican women. 'So they always try to marginalize the strong Republican women that actually want to do something and actually want to achieve.' Greene also blasted House Speaker Mike Johnson for not recruiting and promoting women to executive positions, unlike his predecessor, Kevin McCarthy. The once-fringe conservative congresswoman has been a fierce critic of the Republican Party's efforts to avoid a government shutdown, demanding they go further to protect the American public. She told the Post that she had pushed Johnson to abolish the filibuster threshold to end the shutdown with just Republican votes, but Johnson said they couldn't do it. The shutdown has now lasted 31 days and is ongoing because Democrats are demanding Republicans include healthcare reform in any bill that will fund, and thereby reopen, the government. 'I demanded to know from Speaker [Mike] Johnson what the Republican plan for healthcare is to build the off-ramp off Obamacare and the ACA tax credits to make health insurance affordable for Americans,' Greene recently revealed. Boasting close to seven million followers on X, the influential congresswoman has taken a unique position in urging for Republicans to muster up a plan to extend Affordable Care Act (ACA) tax subsidies before they expire at year's end. Greene previously criticized Johnson for not promoting women like his predecessor, Kevin McCarthy (pictured) Greene's recent remarks against her party even prompted the hosts of The View to call her the 'voice of reason' GOP leadership in the House and the Senate maintain any negotiations on ACA (Obamacare) extensions will take place after the government is reopened. Greene's outspoken nature against the government shutdown even generated praise from The View, with Alyssa Farah Griffin calling her the 'voice of reason.' 'It's a dark day when Marjorie Taylor Greene is the voice of reason, but you know what they say about a blind squirrel,' she said. 'They find a nut every now and then.' Ana Navarro agreed: 'Frankly, we should invite her on.' Greene is set to appear on Maher's HBO talk show on Friday before her appearance on The View next week. An Aussie family of YouTube stars have moved to the other side of the world to avoid the federal government's looming social media ban. From December 10, young Aussies under-16 will be banned from social media platforms including Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok, X and YouTube - a year after the controversial legislation was passed by the government. Western Australia's Empire family, mothers Bec and Beck Lea, son Prezley 17, and daughter Charli 14 - packed their bags and moved to the UK a fortnight ago to avoid impacts on their social media careers, where they have a combined six million followers. The biggest implications would be for Charli, a rising social media star who has racked up almost 550,000 YouTube subscribers, 188,000 Instagram followers, and 284,000 TikTok fans. The accounts are managed by her parents. While the mums aren't against the ban, the government is yet to announce finer details, including how it will be implemented. Now that Prezley has finished school and Charli has switched to online education, the parents thought it would be a perfect time to move to London, where their daughter will be able to keep her social media accounts. 'They (the government) haven't defined it exactly, of how it's going to work yet,' Beck Lea explained in a recent YouTube video explaining their decision. 'It's a protective thing and we understand that it's protecting young people from harm on the internet, but we use the internet for good.' The Empire family, consisting of mothers Bec (left) and Beck Lea (right), son Prezley, 17, and daughter Charli, 14, have moved to to London, citing the social media ban for Aussies under-16 'We've been wanting to travel for a while so now we go to the UK, we can still use our social media, Charlotte can still use her social media, Prezley is over 16, but it just kind of covers us while Australia figures out the logistics of that rule. 'I think there's going to be a lot of hiccups and a lot of ups and downs.' The dual British-Australian citizens chose London for work and travel opportunities, where they already have a massive UK audience. 'We've got our British passports, so we thought why not?' Beck Lea continued. The family insisted that they're not opposed to Australia's social media ban, adding that the move 'won't be forever'. 'We understand that it's very important, that there's young people that are affected negatively from social media,' Beck Lea said. 'We're not naive to that, it's just that how it affects us and the way we use social media, where we would get caught up in the few that use the internet for good.' Bec added: 'The world has changed so much now with social media, where young kids can start making a difference for good and starting business at a young age now.' The Empire family use social media platforms to document their daily lives The mothers admitted they had their own hesitations and fears when their children first asked to create YouTube videos. 'What we knew about it was that it was like a dangerous kind of unsafe space,' Beck Lea told Mamamia. 'We were just like, 'Nope, we're not even getting into it, guys'. Just a flat, 'No'.' Bec added: 'We always have a bit of a discussion about what we would like to share. 'We don't share anything that is even remotely private or something.' Ilhan Omar slammed Chuck Schumer for not endorsing Zohran Mamdani in the race for New York City mayor as the Democratic party continued to fracture over stark divisions. Schumer has refused to endorse either Mamdani - who leads by double digits in almost every poll - or opponent Andrew Cuomo, who lost the Democrat primary and ran as an independent. Omar believes Schumer is deepening the rift in an already divided party. 'I really don't know. It makes no sense,' Omar said when asked by CNN about Schumer not endorsing. 'We as Democrats have always believed that, in an election, we support our party's nominee. Schumer has pressured other Democrats to do just that, and he should be following his own advice.' Schumer has faced criticism from Democrats, who believe he refuses to fight Donald Trump and his poor leadership during the shutdown. The longtime senior Senator from New York was most recently was seen walking away from the press when they questioned whether he'd vote for Mamdani. New York Attorney General Letitia James told The New York Times that Schumer is ignoring young voters, marveling at 'the excitement that I saw on the streets all throughout the city of New York' during the primary. Ilhan Omar slammed Chuck Schumer and told the most powerful Democrat in Washington to get on board and endorse fellow leftist Zohran Mamdani for New York City mayor Schumer has refused to endorse either socialist Mamdani - who leads by double digits in almost every poll - or opponent Andrew Cuomo, who lost the Democrat primary and ran as an independent 'I havent seen this since Barack Obama ran for president of these United States,' James added of the excitement for Mamdani among young voters, with the state assemblyman leading a recent poll by 35 points among voters under 30. Omar was also asked whether fellow 'Squad' member Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez -who appeared at a rally with Mamdani on Sunday - should primary Schumer when his term is up in 2028. 'I would like Alex to do whatever it is that Alex wants,' Omar said. 'And Ill be there to support her.' Omar was asked if Mamdani's slow movement to condemn the phrase 'globalize the intifada' was to blame for the lack of endorsements. 'Well, everything he does or says seems to be called antisemitic,' Omar said. 'What I do know is that he has support from a broad coalition of New Yorkers. He's got a huge coalition of Jewish voters that are supporting him. He's got a huge coalition of Muslims of every sect. She was further pressed on the role religion played in Democrats reticence to get behind Mamdani. 'Well, the tsunami of the anti-Muslim attacks that we are seeing is deeply concerning,' she said. Omar, who has been censured by the House of Representatives for antisemitic speech, was asked if Mamdani's slow movement to condemn the phrase 'globalize the intifada' was to blame for the lack of endorsements Omar was even pushed on whether her fellow 'Squad' Democrat Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (pictured left) - who appeared at a rally with Mamdani on Sunday - should primary Schumer when his term is up in 2028 'And I would hope that the Democratic leader in the Senate would recognize that and would offer support not just to Mamdani, but the million Muslims who live in New York City and the millions who live in New York and in America.' While Mamdani has brought energy to the New York City mayor's race, many of his opponents despair over what could happen if he wins. Mamdani, the 34-year-old self-described democratic socialist, is set to storm to victory in the election on November 4, the poll by JL Partners for the Daily Mail revealed. He has a 15-point lead over his nearest rival, former New York state governor Andrew Cuomo. The poll showed that many New Yorkers who do not support Mamdani are convinced he is going to 'destroy' America's biggest metropolis and crater its economy, sending shockwaves across the rest of the country. They think it could mark a return to the urban decay of the 1980s when the city was blighted by poverty, rampant crime, crumbling infrastructure and abandoned buildings. Even among Mamdani's own supporters more think he will make antisemitism in New York worse, rather than better. Asked for one word to describe what the Big Apple would be like after four years of his left-wing policies, the most common response from non-Mamdani voters was 'disaster.' Mamdani has a 15-point lead over his nearest rival, former New York state governor Andrew Cuomo (pictured) Cuomo has complained about Republican nominee Curtis Sliwa's (pictured) refusal to leave the race They also said a Mamdani-run New York would be 'chaos,' 'hell,' 'broken,' and a 's***hole.' Among voters who have made up their minds, Mamdani was on 46 percent support, according to the poll. Cuomo, running as an independent, was on 31 percent, Republican Curtis Sliwa on 22 percent, and the rest was shared among minor candidates. Among voters aged under 30, Mamdani has a massive 35-point lead over Cuomo. Among Democrats, Mamdani has 54 percent support and Cuomo, who previously governed the state of New York as a Democrat, has 26 percent. The poll found New Yorkers expect a wide array of the city's problems to get worse under a 'Mayor Mamdani,' including crime, antisemitism and the economy. It found 47 percent believe levels of crime and violence will get worse, with only 32 percent saying the city would be safer under Mamdani. On the issue of crime there was a stark split among New Yorkers based on age. For voters under 30, 49 percent said they believed safety would improve under Mamdani, with 32 percent saying it would not. President Donald Trump called Mamdani a 'communist' But among over-65s only 26 percent thought the city would be safer under Mamdani and 50 percent said it would not. Meanwhile, the poll found 43 percent of New Yorkers expect the number of businesses in the city to decrease under Mamdani, with stores going under and potential entrepreneurs forced to head elsewhere. Only 23 percent thought the number of businesses would rise under the democratic socialist. The poll showed 39 percent expected the risk of terrorism to increase under Mamdani, with only 18 percent thinking it will lessen. And 45 percent thought the problem of antisemitic views in the city would get worse, with only 21 percent thinking it would improve. Even Democrats thought Mamdani would have a negative impact on antisemitism, with 29 percent saying he would make it better and 32 percent worse. Earlier this month, Mamdani faced a backlash after posting a picture of himself on social media with Imam Siraj Wahhaj, a Brooklyn-based Muslim cleric. Wahhaj was named by federal prosecutors as an unindicted potential co-conspirator in the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, a precursor to the 9/11 attacks. He was never charged with any crimes and denied involvement in the attack. Your browser does not support iframes. Your browser does not support iframes. The poll revealed only one issue where New Yorkers thought Mamdani would improve the current situation. It showed that 39 percent think housing would become more affordable under Mamdani, with 32 percent believing it would be less so. Democrats backed him to reduce housing costs by 52 percent to 19 percent. The poll also revealed a stark split among Democrat voters in New York, with many opposed to Mamdani. It showed 33 percent of Democrats believe crime will rise, 29 percent think there will be less businesses, and 25 percent said the risk of terrorism will increase. The poll was conducted between October 23 and 26 among 500 registered voters and had a margin of error of 4.4 percent. Sliwa has resisted pressure to drop out to help Cuomo, suggesting if anyone was to stand down it should be Cuomo instead. Cuomo is deeply unpopular with Republicans so Sliwa withdrawing may not greatly assist him. Earlier this month, Sliwa vowed he would only leave the race if 'a Mack truck hits me and I get turned into a speed bump, and they cant recover me in the I.C.U. Thats the only way.' Mamdani, who is running to be New York's first Muslim mayor, was born in Uganda and moved to New York aged seven. His father is an academic and his mother a filmmaker. As a child he went to a private school in Manhattan where fees are now $66,000 a year. Despite his ultra-privileged upbringing Mamdani is successfully appealing to working-class voters and young adults who find New York increasingly unaffordable to live in, with promises that he will bring their costs down. His platform of policies includes a freeze on rent hikes, free bus services, fully-funded day care for under-5s, city-owned grocery stores, and turbocharging the minimum wage ultimately to $30 an hour. He wants to fund those policies, which will cost billions of dollars, by raising taxes on the rich and companies. There would be a 2 percent increase on New Yorkers earning over $1 million a year, and the top corporate tax rate would rise from 7.25 percent to 11.5 percent. Critics say that will lead to a surge of firms and high-earning individuals leaving New York, which will in turn decimate the city's tax revenue and Mamdani unable to pay for his policies. President Donald Trump has branded Mamdani a 'communist' and threatened to cut off federal funding to the city if he is elected. But the president is reportedly resigned to Mamdani winning, with it seemingly tooo late for Cuomo or Sliwa to catch up. Here's the thing about Donald Trump and Anthony Albanese: one craves homage, the other projects friendly eagerness. Put them together and you get choreography that flatters both, if you don't look too hard at the power asymmetry. But does Trump actually like Albo? Because that's the vibe he's giving off. More likely, the US President simply adores sycophants. In the space of ten days their bromance has included a White House debut for Albo, and then the prized seat at the APEC table in Gyeongju, with Albo planted to Trump's right, the presidential sweet spot. The body language was unmistakable: praise from the lectern, clinking glasses, even a light pat on Albo's arm by Trump. It was the theatre of proximity, and Trump understands that stagecraft better than anyone in modern politics. Does this really make Albo a Trump sycophant? Not quite. One craves flattery and homage (Trump), the other projects friendly eagerness (Albo). Why wouldn't they get along? The White House meeting produced a multibillion dollar critical minerals framework and rare earths push that, on face value, advances Australian economic and strategic interests while edging supply chains away from Beijing. If the price of that is indulging an American president's appetite for flattery, most PMs would do it. But there's a difference between transactional tact and visible obsequiousness. Albanese often projects that kid in a lolly shop delight in high office. It's part charm, part vulnerability. It suits Trump because he thrives on the optics of deference. Why does Trump appear to like Albo? Winners usually like other winners, and Trump certainly hates a loser. Albo's commanding election performance early this year would be one of the few things Trump remembers about our PM. Add policy alignment where it counts: on critical minerals and AUKUS for example. None of this requires personal fealty, of course. However, it does reward leaders who read the room. Albo is good at that, and Trump is the room. Trump and Albo greet one another warmly during this week's summit in South Korea For now the Trump-Albo bromance suits both men. Our PM is banking substantive achievements while tolerating some presidential theatrics. Trump is collecting homage and headlines while advancing his agenda. The risk for Albo is appearing so pleased to be there that the public mistakes diplomatic lubrication for servility. Equally, most Labor supporters wouldn't have a lot of time for Donald Trump, and the US President's polls are heading in the wrong direction. It's a contrast to Albo, who is riding high in the polls with little opposition internally or on the Opposition benches. Albo doesn't need to be a sycophant because he's doing just fine. Independent Senator Lidia Thorpe has marked Halloween with a swipe at her critics, declaring herself Australia's 'scary blak woman' while mocking online trolls in a tongue-in-cheek video. 'Oh, it's a scary day today in the colony, and yep, it's a scary blak woman,' Thorpe announces at the start of the clip. 'I think it's time to go feed the trolls.' The video then shows the outspoken senator handing pages of her most controversial public statements to a group of masked trolls, as if arming them with her own words. 'Australia is a racist colony,' she says with a smirk, passing one troll a sheet of paper emblazoned with the quote. In another moment, she hands over another of her famous lines: 'White Australia has a black history'. Thorpe also references her infamous protest during King Charles' address to Parliament in 2024, when she interrupted proceedings while shouting 'Not my King!' a moment that made headlines around the world. 'You committed genocide against our people. Give us our land back. F**k the colony!' she yelled at the time. Wearing a fur coat and a necklace reading 'Not My King', Thorpe was escorted from the chamber by security. 'Remember this one - 'Not my King' - here we go trolls - eat that one,' she says in the Halloween clip, laughing as another troll eagerly snatches the line from her hand. Lidia Thorpe (pictured) released a video marking Halloween, aimed at her 'trolls' and critics Lidia Thorpe (pictured) brought up her previous protest against King Charles in 2024 'And of course 'f**k the colony' - eat it up trolls.' At the end of the vide Thorpe raises her hand and smiles, appearing to revel in her role as one of the most polarising figures in Australian politics. The comments come as the AFP investigates whether Thorpe broke laws by saying she is prepared to 'burn down Parliament House' in support of Palestinians. Senator Thorpe said her remarks at a pro-Palestine rally were 'clearly' a figure of speech. But in a rare public statement, the AFP confirmed it would consider whether the comments breached legislation. 'This will be done methodically,' an AFP spokesperson said. 'It is not the usual practice of the AFP to provide a running commentary on matters. 'However, noting the public commentary and concern, the AFP is seeking to reassure the community that this issue is being appropriately considered and undertaken in a timely manner.' At a rally in Melbourne earlier this month, the firebrand senator for Victoria compared the plight of Palestinians to that of Indigenous Australians. 'So we stand with you every day, and we will fight every day and we will turn up every day and if I have to, burn down Parliament House to make a point,' she said, to cheers from the crowd. The comments sparked a political firestorm, with Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke urging leaders to avoid inflaming community tensions. He said the natural instinct when 'offensive' comments were made was to 'increase the pressure.' 'I don't think that's in the interests of social cohesion,' he told reporters in Canberra. He said her comments 'speak for themselves ... but I also don't think us raising the temperature in return does anything other than create a problem'. Senator Thorpe clarified her comments, saying they were 'a metaphor for the pain in our communities'. 'They were obviously not a literal threat,' she said in a statement. The independent senator said she rejected violence and was committed to pursuing justice through peaceful, democratic means. Deputy Liberal leader Ted O'Brien said the comments went against Australian values. 'To be making those sort of statements are absolutely appalling ... and to hear the roar of the crowd, that's deeply concerning,' he said. An accused killer has lost his bid to have the case against him thrown out, with a magistrate instead committing him to stand trial over a young woman's murder. Marat Ganiev, 53, listened through a Russian interpreter from prison as magistrate Michelle Mykytowycz handed down her decision in Melbourne on Friday. Prosecutors allege Ganiev killed Isla Bell on October 7, 2024, three days after the 19-year-old was last seen leaving her Brunswick home in Melbourne's north. It's alleged he then spent two days cleaning his home before co-accused Eyal Yaffe came over towing a trailer carrying a black fridge. The pair were allegedly seen removing a different fridge wrapped in plastic onto the back of the trailer on October 17. Yaffe is accused of driving the fridge to a Caulfield South address, while police say Ganiev then moved the appliance multiple times over two weeks. Ganiev allegedly left the fridge concealed behind other items in a removalist van on October 30, with another resident locating the appliance on November 18. The man found a bag inside after smelling a foul odour and threw it in the bin, believing it was a dead animal. Teenager Isla Bell, 19, was last seen on October 7, 2024, leaving her home in Brunswick, in Melbourne's north Prosecutors allege Marat Ganiev, 53, killed the teenager before dumping her body inside a fridge which was taken to a rubbish facility, only to be discovered six weeks later Ms Bell's remains were discovered in the Dandenong rubbish facility the next day. At a committal hearing earlier in October, Ganiev's barrister Sally Flynn KC argued the prosecution's case against her client was entirely circumstantial. She urged the magistrate to throw out the case, saying the police could not prove the 53-year-old caused Ms Bell's death and it could not be excluded that Ms Bell died from a drug overdose. She pointed to evidence from forensic experts, who outlined the drugs including methadone, MDMA and cannabis that were in Ms Bell's system. It also could not be excluded that the multiple fractures to Ms Bell's skull and ribs were caused by the rubbish truck compactor after her death, Ms Flynn added. Ms Mykytowycz on Friday accepted the case against Yaffe was circumstantial, as the evidence could not prove how or when exactly Ms Bell died. There was also no direct evidence that Ganiev had an intention to kill or cause really serious injury, nor was there an identifiable motive, the magistrate accepted. But Ganiev's actions after the alleged murder could be considered incriminating conduct and put before a jury, Ms Mykytowycz said. Eyal Yaffe (pictured leaving Magistrates Court of Victoria in Melbourne) is charged with assisting accused murderer Marat Ganiev The magistrate ruled it should also be left to jurors to consider the alternative theory that Ms Bell died from an overdose. She determined there was sufficient evidence for the case to go to trial in the Victorian Supreme Court. Ganiev was then committed to the higher court after formally pleading not guilty to the murder of Ms Bell. Ms Mykytowycz also committed Yaffe to trial on the charges of assisting an offender and attempting to pervert the course of justice. Yaffe's barrister Ian Hill KC had pushed for the charges to be withdrawn against his client, saying he did not know or hold the belief that Ganiev had killed Ms Bell, nor did he know her remains were inside the fridge. But the magistrate found those questions should be left to a jury to decide. Yaffe also entered not guilty pleas, with both men to face a pre-trial directions hearing in the Supreme Court on November 18. Andrew's fall from grace has begun rapidly this morning as the former prince has already been removed from the Official Roll of the Peerage. It comes the morning after King Charles sensationally stripped his brother of his Prince title and will now be known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor. The Roll of the Peerage is a public record of peers and peerages of England, Scotland, Ireland, Great Britain and the United Kingdom. The list contains 185 pages of names including hereditary peers, members of the House of Lords and members of the Royal Family. However this morning the roll no longer includes Andrew in a humiliating and rapid change to the public record. Buckingham Palace has confirmed this morning that Andrew has been struck from the official roll of peerage. It is understood that the King issued royal warrants for the dukedom of York to no longer be recognised in the list of peerages, which has the effect of removing Andrew's title. While Andrew has been removed from the Roll of the Peerage, his name and title of Prince still remains among the names listed on the Royal website. On the website, the entry for Andrew includes a 2022 statement which announced that his affiliations and Royal patronages had been returned to The Queen. It also includes statements from 2019 when Andrew stepped back from public duties and October 17, 2025, when his title of Duke was removed. The latest statement has not yet been added to the site. Andrew, formally Prince Andrew, has had his titles removed by his brother King Charles last night An old version of the Roll of the Peerage shows the former Prince's name alongside his family members This morning, however, Andrew's name is now no longer present on the list of peers Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy is responsible for maintaining the peerage role due to his position as Lord Chancellor. Mr Lammy has also been sent royal warrants by the King to remove Andrew's Prince title and his HRH style, to which Andrew has not objected. The Roll of the Peerage still includes Prince Harry alongside his brother Prince William, King Charles and Prince Edward. Removal of the roll does not remove the peerage itself, which would require an Act of Parliament. However it does mean that Andrew will no longer be able to use the title officially. The former Prince will also lose his formal titles of the Duke of York, the Earl of Inverness and Baron Killyleagh. Andrew is also having his style, the proper way of greeting him as a royal, taken from him. No longer is it required to address him as 'His Royal Highness'. And the disgraced ex-prince will also have his membership of the Order of the Garter and Victorian Order removed , the latter of which he was a Knight Grand Cross. The Daily Mail understands that King Charles chose not to abolish the Dukedom of York with an Act of Parliament as it would take up too much time. As for his new name, while there will be no change to his birth certificate, 'Andrew Mountbatten Windsor' will be what the ex-prince is known as from now on. His daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princes Eugenie, will still retain their titles. They both remain Her Royal Highnesses as granddaughters of Queen Elizabeth. A source told the Mail: '[King Charles] wouldn't have wanted to sign off on anything that would impact them'. Yesterday in a bombshell statement, Buckingham Palace confirmed the 65-year-old would no longer be a Prince - with immediate effect - and would also be leaving the 30-bed Royal Lodge nestled on the grounds of Windsor Castle. The Palace said the 'censures [were] deemed necessary' amid the ongoing Jeffrey Epstein scandal - the paedophile financier who Andrew lied about cutting ties with. Andrew is still listed by his former title of Prince on the Royal Family website today Andrew has been removed from the roll, which includes King Charles, Prince William and Prince Harry It comes after the Mail on Sunday exclusively revealed scandalous correspondence where the shunned prince told Epstein 'we are in this together' a day after the infamous picture of the royal with his alleged then-teenage sex victim Virginia Giuffre was released. As Andrew's links to the disgraced financier continued to bring shame on the royals, last night he finally agreed to surrender his Windsor lease where he resided with his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson for over two decades, paying 'peppercorn rent'. And in a brutal remark sources revealed the former Duchess of York, who has also been embroiled in scandal relating to sex-offender Epstein, 'will make her own arrangements' when it comes to her future. His Majesty's younger brother will now be banished to a private property on the monarch's Sandringham Estate in Norfolk, but no further details have been shared. It is understood Prince William and the Royal Family fully support the King's decision. Meanwhile Andrew's daughters Princess Beatrice, 37, and Princess Eugenie, 35, will retain their titles as Her Royal Highnesses with it previously reported that Charles was was very keen to 'protect' his nieces. Yesterday, Ms Guiffre's family spoke out after it was announced Andrew would lose his titles, proudly stating how 'an ordinary American girl from an ordinary American family, brought down a British prince with her truth and extraordinary courage.' 'Virginia Roberts Giuffre, our sister, a child when she was sexually assaulted by Andrew, never stopped fighting for accountability for what had happened to her and to countless other survivors like her. 'Today, she declares victory. 'We, her family, along with her survivor sisters, continue Virginia's battle and will not rest until the same accountability applies to all of the abusers and abettors connected to Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell.' The search for August 'Gus' Lamont continues after a dam on his family's remote sheep station was drained and no trace of the four-year-old was found. Gus Lamont was last seen playing in a mound of dirt near his grandparents' homestead on a sheep station 40km south of Yunta, in eastern South Australia, at about 5pm on Saturday, September 27. He had vanished by the time his grandmother went to call him in, some 30 minutes later. Police began searching the 60,000ha property shortly after Gus disappeared but found no sign of the little boy. The extensive land and air search for Gus was scaled back from a rescue to recovery on October 3, just hours after a photo of Gus was released by the family. On Thursday, South Australia Police released a statement, revealing the search for Gus would resume, with officers draining the dam on the family's homestead. 'The renewed search of the dam is being undertaken to rule out the possibility Gus may have drowned,' it read. Four-year-old August 'Gus' Lamont (pictured) went missing on Saturday, September 27 The dam, which is located about 600 metres from the homestead and about 4.5 metres deep, was previously searched by divers. Police explained draining the dam would allow for a 'comprehensive visual search' of the waterway and its vegetation. The operation to drain the main dam and funnel the water into the southern dam started at 9.15am on Friday. A total of 3.2million litres of water was pumped out of the dam at about 15,000 litres per minute. Both the dam and the holding dam, including clearing of the weed beds were searched but police divers found no trace of the boy or anything of significance. Many locals were holding out hope that today would bring closure for the close knit community who have been left devastated by the loss of one of their own. One resident who has lived in town for almost 30 years told the Daily Mail locals were waiting with bated breath. 'You don't want him to be found like that but at the same time at least we'd know what's happened,' they said. Police drained the dam on Friday but no trace of the four-year-old was found (pictured) 'It's just not right. This whole thing makes no sense. I honestly hope that if someone does have him. Then they are kind to him. 'To be honest the entire town and every farmer and neighbour told me he wasn't in the dam and they won't find him because he wasn't there.' The little boy was last seen outside his grandparents' house on September 27 at about 5pm. He was under the care of his grandmother Shannon Murray while his mother Jessica and grandparent Josie tended to their herd of sheep 10km away. Police stressed that to date investigations had not uncovered 'any evidence of foul play'. 'The family of Gus have continued to co-operate fully with police and are being supported by a victim contact officer,' an SA Police spokesman said. 'Further searches of the property will be considered in the future as Task Force Horizon investigations continue.' The initial search involved hundreds of people scouring the surrounding area in the intervening days, including police, SES volunteers, and members of the Australian Defence Force. Gus was last seen playing in a mound of dirt near his grandparents' homestead (pictured) on a sheep station 40km south of Yunta, in eastern South Australia, at about 5pm Police searched the 60,000ha property shortly after Gus disappeared but found no sign of the little boy (pictured, volunteers at the property) The search also involved specialist divers who checked water tanks and dams, infrared cameras, tracking dogs, ATVs, and drones to locate the four-year-old. Despite their best efforts, the only trace of Gus was a single footprint found about 500 metres from the homestead - which police have since cast doubt on. However, police made the tough call to scale back the search based on scientific and professional advice on how long a four-year-old could survive alone in remote terrain in freezing overnight temperatures in the clothing Gus was last seen wearing. Gus was last seen wearing a grey broad-brimmed hat, a blue long-sleeved shirt with a Minion picture from Despicable Me on the front, light grey pants, and boots. South Australian Assistant Police Commissioner Ian Parrott said police believe Gus wandered off and was not taken, as the only people who travel on the nearby road are station owners. 'Everything that we have found to date, every piece of information and evidence that we have explored to date, indicates that, as best as we know, Gus has wandered off from this property and we have not been able to locate him,' Parrott said. Anyone with information is being urged to contact police. A Sudanese commander stands in front of a cowering group of unarmed men, aiming his gun at them imposingly. One by one, the paramilitary fighter known as Abu Lulu proceeds to shoot the group of nine at point-blank range, leaving their bodies in a heap on the ground as soldiers cheer and chant his name. The execution, depicted in a video circulating online, was one of multiple scenes of violence to emerge from the besieged Sudanese city of El Fasher since it was seized by paramilitaries last weekend. Over 2,000 civilians were murdered by members of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in a 48-hour massacre after the western Sudanese city fell to the rebels. In a video on Monday, Abu Lulu - whose real name is Brigadier General Al-Fateh Abdullah Idris - boasted that he may have been personally responsible for slaughtering more than 2,000. In other chilling footage, he can be seen smiling as he mocks three men begging for their lives. The warlord - dubbed the 'butcher of the century' after appearing in multiple videos on his TikTok committing summary executions - ignores their pleas and shoots them. He is understood to have amassed hundreds of thousands of followers and features in multiple videos where he proudly brandishes his RSF patch. The northeast African nation was plunged into a deadly conflict in mid-April 2023, when long-simmering tensions about the future of the country between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the head of the paramilitary rebel group erupted. After more than 18 months of brutal siege warfare, the RSF finally seized control of el-Fasher - the Sudanese army's last stronghold in the vast Darfur region in the west of the country. In a video on Monday, Abu Lulu - whose real name is Brigadier General Al-Fateh Abdullah Idris - boasted that he may have been personally responsible for slaughtering more than 2,000 Screen grab shows Abu Lulu pointing his weapon at unarmed civilians More than 2,000 civilians were reportedly executed in 48 hours in Sudan after the city of El-Fasher was captured by paramilitaries As tens of thousands of people attempted to flee the besieged city, the RSF began massacring civilians in large numbers. Abu Lulu, who has been called the 'star' of the recent videos depicting violence in Sudan, has a history of being accused of war crimes by human rights groups. In August, he was documented in similar shootings across Sudan, including one alleged incident in the outskirts of el-Fasher. According to a transcript by Sudans Post, Abu Lulu reportedly asked a man, who said he was a restaurant owner, to disclose the location of the leader of an enemy infantry division. Abu Lulu demanded that he 'talk straight,' adding: 'I swear to God I dont talk much, and I dont spare people. Since God established the Rapid Support (Forces), I have never spared anyone - not a prisoner, not anyone.' The terrified man insists he doesn't have the information. Abu Lulu then questioned him about his ethnic background before reportedly pulling out his handgun and shooting him dead. The RSF released a video appearing to show Abu Lulu behind bars in what they claimed to be a North Darfur prison. It said 'legal committees' had begun investigations 'in preparation for bringing them (the fighters) to justice'. In a statement late Thursday, the RSF said it had detained several fighters accused of 'violations that occurred during the liberation' of El-Fasher. The group also affirmed its adherence to 'the law, rules of conduct and military discipline during wartime'. El-Fasher has been cut off from all communications since its fall, but survivors who reached the nearby town of Tawila told AFP of mass killings, children shot before their parents and civilians beaten and robbed as they fled. After fighting initially exploded in Khartoum in April 2023, it rapidly spread, where it is now estimated that at least 150,000 people have been killed, including many civilians. The civil war has forced more than 14 million people to flee their homes and left some families eating grass in a desperate attempt to survive as famine swept parts of the country. Abu Lulu, who has been called the 'star' of the recent videos depicting violence in Sudan, has a history of being accused of war crimes by human rights groups This handout picture released by the Sudanese Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on October 30, 2025, shows RSF members reportedly detaining a fighter known as Abu Lulu (L) in El-Fasher, in war-torn Sudan's western Darfur region A video released by local activists and authenticated by AFP shows Abu Lulu in RSF-controlled areas shooting a group of unarmed civilians sitting on the ground at point-blank range In this satellite photo provided by Planet Labs PBC, the area around the headquarters of the Sudanese military's 6th Division in el-Fasher, Sudan, is seen Sunday, Oct. 26, 2025 Satellite images have revealed the tragic aftermath of a 48-hour massacre in Sudan which saw over 2,000 civilians executed by paramilitary rebels Bodies and blood: The sand around the western city of El Fasher is now stained red with pools of blood so thick they can be seen from space Satellite images revealing the tragic aftermath of the two-day ethnic purge show military vehicles surrounded by bodies and pools of blood so large they can be seen from space. Allies of the army, the Joint Forces, said on Tuesday that the RSF 'committed heinous crimes against innocent civilians, where more than 2,000 unarmed citizens were executed and killed on October 26 and 27, most of them women, children and the elderly'. The total death toll could not immediately be confirmed, but the shocking satellite images taken after the fall of El Fasher showed evidence of the mass killings. Body-sized objects were seen in the satellite images clustered around vehicles and nearby an RSF sand berm built around the city. There have been reports of civilians being gunned down as they attempted to break out and flee the bloodshed. Analysis by the Yale School of Public Health Humanitarian Research Lab (HRL), which has been tracking the siege using open source images and satellite imagery, found clusters of objects 'consistent with the size of human bodies' and 'reddish ground discolouration' thought to be either blood or disturbed soil. One video from the massacre purportedly showed a child soldier murdering a grown man in cold blood, while one other clip showed RSF fighters executing civilians just moments after pretending to release them. A report published on Monday said the actions of the RSF 'may be consistent with war crimes and crimes against humanity and may rise to the level of genocide'. Local groups and international NGOs had warned that El-Fasher's fall could trigger mass atrocities, fears that Yale University's Humanitarian Research Lab said were coming true. The monitor, which relies on open source intelligence and satellite imagery, said the city 'appears to be in a systematic and intentional process of ethnic cleansing of Fur, Zaghawa, and Berti indigenous non-Arab communities through forced displacement and summary execution'. This included what appeared to be 'door-to-door clearance operations' in the city. Tens of thousands of people have now fled El Fasher since it fell, with many of them now heading westwards to Tawila. A video clip seemingly showing the panicked flight captures scores running from the city, clutching on to the little belongings they have left as RSF fighters hurl racial insults at them and beat them. In another scene, a number of militants dressed in RSF's recognised uniform and turban are seen crammed into a truck, chasing unarmed civilians as they run for their lives. Gunfire can be heard ringing out as one fighter shouts 'kill the Nuba', a reference to Sudan's black African tribes. On Monday, UN rights chief Volker Turk spoke of a growing risk of 'ethnically motivated violations and atrocities' in El Fasher. His office said it was 'receiving multiple, alarming reports that the Rapid Support Forces are carrying out atrocities, including summary executions'. Abu Lulu has a history of being accused of war crimes by human rights groups This image grab taken from handout video footage released on Sudan's paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) Telegram account on October 26, 2025, shows RSF fighters holding weapons and celebrating in the streets of El-Fasher in Sudan's Darfur The paramilitaries have a track record of atrocities, having killed as many as 15,000 civilians from non-Arab groups in the West Darfur capital of El-Geneina Screen grab shows unarmed civilians running away as they are chased by paramilitaries The World Health Organisation said the Saudi Maternity Hospital in El Fasher, the city's last remaining hospital, was on Sunday 'attacked for the fourth time in a month, killing one nurse and injuring three other health workers' A maternity hospital massacre left 460 people dead during the 48-hour killing spree. The World Health Organisation said the Saudi Maternity Hospital in El Fasher, the city's last remaining hospital, was on Sunday 'attacked for the fourth time in a month, killing one nurse and injuring three other health workers'. Two days later, 'six health workers, four doctors, a nurse and a pharmacist, were abducted' and 'more than 460 patients and their companions were reportedly shot and killed in the hospital,' by RSF paramilitaries, the organisation said. Footage purportedly capturing the aftermath of the hospital massacre showed bodies scattered across the floor among debris and broken equipment. 'I was performing surgery in the hospital when heavy shelling occurred. A mortar hit the hospital. I was so worried because the woman's wounds were open, and everyone was running around me,' Dr Suhiba, a gynaecologist, told UNFPA, the United Nations sexual and reproductive health agency. In a statement, the RSF said it 'categorically denied' the allegations that it carried out the massacre at the hospital, which it said were part of an 'intensive propaganda campaign'. Halloween revellers started the party early as residents in some of London's poshest homes go all out on their spooky designs. Transforming your home into a terrifying scene and putting up the right Halloween decorations can make you the talk of your neighbourhood. The well-heeled residents of Kensington and Chelsea have once again employed the services of celebrity florist Warren Bushaway to turn their million-pound mansions into spooktactular spectacles for Halloween this year. West Londoners have spent hundreds to make their properties come alive, much to the delight of people walking past the displays. Photos in the area show houses donning terrifying, yet impressive, facades as they prepare to welcome trick-or-treaters and host Halloween parties for their friends. Tonight's celebrations will come after revellers also partied into the early hours last night to see in October 31. Students across the UK also took to the streets last night dressed in all manner of costumes to kick off celebrations of the spooky season. LONDON: A spooktactular black and white themed skeleton decoration looks impressive out this west London home LONDON: Residents embellish their entrance with a skeleton, spiders and cobwebs to make things even spookier LONDON: Residents have spent hundreds to make their properties come alive for Halloween, much to the delight of people walking past the displays LONDON: A groups of skeletons perched on top of the front entrance of a west London home LONDON: An impressive skeleton floral display is draped outside an entrance of one home ready for trick-or-treaters LONDON: A wide shot of the West London home shows the ghastly facade in all its glory LONDON:The well heeled residents of Kensington and Chelsea have once again employed the services of celebrity florist Warren Bushaway for their spooky displays LONDON: Houses in west London have put spooky, yet impressive, facades as they prepare to welcome trick-or-treaters LONDON: A purple themed decoration filled with pumpkins and skeletons LONDON: A skeleton bride holds their skeleton groom in front of one west London home LONDON: This skeleton hiding in a front porch peers over the pavement as people walk by LONDON: A pumpkin and skeleton autumnal floral display looks the part as residents prepare for the big night LONDON: This marble-looking staircase has been lined with pumpkins and cobwebs placed on the edge of each step LONDON: Two inflatable ghouls sit outside a window ready to scare trick-or-treaters LONDON: A spooky skeleton perches on the edge of staircase lined with purple pummpkins LEEDS: Tonight's celebrations will come after revellers also partied into the early hours last night to see in October 31 LEEDS: Students dressed as Spider Man while others as characters from Nintendo's Mario and Luigi LEEDS: Scary students take to the streets to start the Halloween celebrations early LEEDS: Revellers hit the streets of Britain ahead of the 'scariest' night out of the year LEEDS: Students in Halloween costumes hit the streets of the city centre LEEDS: Students and locals celebrate Halloween in style as they take to the city's bars and pubs Rachel Reeves is facing more questions over her illegal letting scandal today despite Keir Starmer making another late-night bid to kill it off. The Chancellor made an extraordinary admission last night that she had misled the PM and his sleaze adviser over whether she knew a licence was needed to rent out her family home. Emails showed that in fact the lettings agency informed Ms Reeves' husband that one was required under Southwark Council's rules - although he was also told the firm would take care of the process. Initially Ms Reeves was adamant that she had not been made aware that a licence was necessary. However, within hours of the bombshell news emerging Sir Keir had again given Ms Reeves a clean bill of health. Rachel Reeves, pictured with her husband Nicholas Joicey, admitted last night that she had misled the PM and his sleaze adviser over whether she knew a licence was needed to rent out her family home Within hours of the bombshell news emerging Keir Starmer had again given Ms Reeves a clean bill of health In a second letter to the Prime Minister in the space of 24 hours, the Chancellor wrote to 'update' Sir Keir Starmer over the blunder that has plunged her into jeopardy The emails showed that the letting agent referred to the need for a licence Although he swiped that her failure to give the right information initially was 'regrettable', Sir Keir said she had acted 'in good faith'. The latest effort to sweep the issue under the carpet comes despite Ms Reeves potentially still facing repaying 38,000 in rent to the tenants. Downing Street will be breathing a sigh of relief that the shambles has been partly overshadowed by the removal of Andrew's royal titles and status as a prince. The Daily Mail exclusively revealed on Wednesday night that since entering Downing Street the Chancellor had been letting her family home without a licence. Ms Reeves had claimed that she and her husband, Nicholas Joicey, were unaware that they needed to secure a 'selective' rental licence. But emails released by No10 last night revealed extensive conversations between Mr Joicey and their letting agent in which they were informed of the need for a licence. Ms Reeves conceded in a letter to the Prime Minister yesterday that she accepted it was her responsibility to secure the licence. She said: 'Today the letting agency and my husband have found correspondence confirming that on 17th July, 2024, the letting agent said to my husband that a Selective Licence would be required and agreed that the agency would apply for the licence on our behalf. The Daily Mail exclusively revealed on Wednesday night that the Chancellor had been renting out her family home (pictured) without a licence since entering Downing Street Southwark Council has vowed to crack down on unlicensed letting, with its website advising tenants that they can get money back The Mail sets the agenda The Daily Mail has led the way on exposing Labour's rank hypocrisy with a series of top scoops this week. Last weekend Mail on Sunday readers were the first to learn that Rachel Reeves is plotting to hit homeowners with a mansion tax costing thousands of pounds a year at next month's Budget. And then yesterday the Daily Mail exposed how the Chancellor has broken the law by letting her family home in south London without a licence since she entered Downing Street. Both stories have led the news agenda and left rival publications in the Daily Mail's wake as they have rushed to catch up. Meanwhile Ms Reeves has been left reeling, just weeks out from her Budget on November 26, which could see her become the first Chancellor to raise the basic rate of income tax since the 1970s. Advertisement 'They have also confirmed today they did not take the application forward, in part due to a member of staff leaving. 'Nevertheless, as I said yesterday, I accept it was our responsibility to secure the licence. 'I also take responsibility for not finding this information yesterday and bringing it to your attention.' Within hours Downing Street released new conclusions from standards adviser Sir Laurie Magnus, along with a letter from Sir Keir saying: 'I still regard this as a case of an inadvertent failure to secure the appropriate licence, which you have apologised for and are now rectifying.' He added: 'Having consulted the Independent Adviser on Ministerial Standards and received his clear and swift advice, with which I concur, I see no need for any further action.' 'It would clearly have been better if you and your husband had conducted a full trawl through all email correspondence with the estate agency before writing to me yesterday,' the Labour leader said. Sir Laurie said that after seeing the emails, he still believed Ms Reeves made an 'unfortunate but inadvertent error'. In a letter to Sir Keir, he said he found 'no evidence of bad faith' in Ms Reeves's contradicting statements about her awareness of the need for the licence. Government minister Chris Bryant insisted the independent adviser had made his view on the matter clear. He told LBC during a round of broadcast interviews: 'I understand the confusion about the two different accounts... the new evidence is not stuff that she was hiding from anybody, it actually exonerates her.' Told that it 'both exonerates and contradicts' her, Mr Bryant said: 'That often happens in life.' Ms Reeves put her four-bedroom detached house in Dulwich on the market for 3,200 a month last year, and her register of interests states she has received rental income since September 2024. Southwark Council has vowed to crack down on unlicensed letting, but in a statement last night suggested that it only typically takes enforcement measures if landlords do not act when warned about the lack of a licence. However, the council's website advises tenants that they can apply to a Tribunal to recoup rent under a separate process. It says the 'rent repayment orders' can be up to a year of payments, which in Ms Reeves' case would be around 38,000. People are pointed towards Justice For Tenants for help applying for refunds - a charity that boasts it has a 'success rate of above 98 per cent'. If a Tribunal makes an award for repayment it can be enforced as if it were a debt in the county court. A Southwark Council spokesman said: 'When we become aware of an unlicensed property, we issue a warning letter advising the landlord that they have 21 days to apply for a license enforcement action such as fines are reserved for those who do not apply within that time or where a property is found to be in an unsafe condition. 'We cannot comment on individual cases.' Three British and Irish women and 12 trekking guides and staff from Nepal have been stranded in a remote valley in the Himalayas for the past three days after heavy snowfall. An army and police rescue team is currently attempting to reach them after a request to send a helicopter was rejected. The area, known as the Hidden Valley, is popular among trekkers but is known for its unpredictable weather, from landslides to snowstorms. The trekking group has been trapped in the basin since Monday, according to officials. The trekking agency, called Sacred Himalaya Treks and Expedition, requested that the local administration send an army helicopter. The request was rejected despite the agency offering to bear the full costs of the evacuation, because of extreme weather conditions and uncertainty about the trekkers' whereabouts. Nanda Ram Pariyar, the assistant chief district officer of the Mustang district, said: 'We could not establish contact yesterday. We did not have any clue where to send the rescue helicopter.' The stranded British citizens are Catherine Wilson (left) and Emily Jene (left), and Mary Reape is from Ireland Your browser does not support iframes. The stranded British citizens are Catherine Wilson and Emily Jene, and Mary Reape is Irish, according to Binay Lama, the owner of the trekking company. The 12 Nepali staff are Dirgalal Lama, Nimaraj Lama, Maandhoj Lama, Navin Lama, Tashi Sherpa, Tshering Tamang, Sonam Tamang, Nima Lama, Kaila Tamang, Buddharaj Tamang, Kanchhaman Tamang and Dorje Tamang. A rescue team of the army and police instead set off on a rescue mission on Wednesday. However, the Hidden Valley is a two-day trek from Jomsom, the starting point of the scenic trekking routes in Manang. The valley is an isolated high-altitude basin beneath Tukuche Peak in the Dhaulagiri range. The rescue team has reached an area about 1.8km away from the stranded trekkers' campsite. 'Rescue flight is still impossible in such weather conditions, but once the rescue team locates them, they will co-ordinate with the district office to carry out the rescue operation once they reach the trekkers campsite,' said Rajaram Basnet, an army spokesman. Autumn is one of Nepal's most popular trekking seasons, attracting thousands to mountains like Everest Mount Everest has been temporarily closed to trekkers due to blizzards this week 'We have been informed that the trekkers are safe and in good health. As it is getting dark, the rescue team is setting up camp to spend the night,' said Bishnu Prasad Bhusal, the chief district officer of the Mustang district. Mount Everest has been temporarily closed to trekkers due to the heavy snowfall sweeping across the Himalayas this week. Hundreds of trekkers to Everest Base Camp are stuck along the route. A rescue helicopter crashed near the camp on Wednesday, but the pilot escaped without a scratch, according to officials. The extreme weather is linked to Cyclone Montha, according to the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology. Updates arrived yesterday saying the rescue team had reached an area about 1.8km away from the trekkers' campsite On Wednesday, at least 1,500 trekkers had to be rescued from Tilicho Lake in the neighbouring Manang district after sudden snowfall. About 15 Nepali trekkers were left behind at the Lake while others continued to the village, according to Krishna Prasad Poudel, assistant chief district officer of Manang district. The news comes as hundreds of people were stranded on Mount Everest during a massive snowstorm earlier in October. People's tents were said to have been crushed, with some climbers suffering from hypothermia due to the freezing conditions. Andrew Mountbatten Windsor was 'arrogant, boorish and entitled' and his behaviour 'consistently embarrassed' Charles to the point he had no choice but to excise him from royal life, a confidant of the King has claimed. Jonathan Dimbleby said he was in 'no doubt' that the monarch has been 'consistently embarrassed, frustrated by and angry about' his brother's behaviour. Last night, King Charles sensationally stripped Andrew of his Prince title and is throwing him out of the Royal Lodge where he had paid 'a peppercorn rent' for decades effectively banishing the disgraced exduke from royal life for good. A 'culmination' of recent revelations including that Andrew told his friend, the paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, that 'we are in this together', as exclusively revealed by the Mail forced Charles' hand, Mr Dimbleby told the BBC. 'I suspect he will be feeling a measure of relief,' he said of Charles. 'His brother this is not an easy thing for any brother to do, to be banished, eternal imprisonment in a way, on Sandringham Estate.' He added: 'We know his brother was boorish, arrogant, entitled, that he made an awful lot of bad friendships, all sorts of questions about how he got his own money there is a lot that will be discussed. 'If there are further investigations, which I'm sure there will be into Andrew himself, the King himself will be quite separate from that and more importantly the institution of the monarchy will be detached from that.' The family of Virginia Giuffre who claimed to have been trafficked to and made to have sex with Andrew at 17 are now calling for him to face justice in the US, where he could potentially be extradited as an 'ordinary member of the public'. Today, the exDuke of York wakes up as commoner Andrew Mountbatten Windsor and ministers have suggested that he could be less protected from, for example, demands to testify in America having been stripped of his royal status. Trade minister Sir Chris Bryant told BBC Breakfast: 'I think that just as with any ordinary member of the public, if there were requests from another jurisdiction of this kind, I would expect any decentlyminded person to comply with that request.' He added: 'What I'm basically saying is that I think that if Andrew is asked to do something by a Senate committee, then I would have thought that he would want to comply.' It comes amid the dramatic fall from grace for the former prince, as it emerged: Andrew's recent humiliation after being stripped of all his titles could open the door for a police probe, royal historian and author Andrew Lownie has said Sky Roberts, the brother of Virginia Giuffre who claimed to have been trafficked to Andrew for sex as a teenager has warned there could be more trouble for Andrew as his family's fight for justice 'was not over yet'. He told BBC Newsnight: 'It's not enough we have to have some kind of investigation that goes further into this. He's still walking around a free man. 'I commend the King I think he's doing an amazing job as a world leader setting a precedent but we need to take it one more step further: he (Andrew) needs to be behind bars.' Amanda Roberts, Virginia's sisterinlaw, also told Newsnight that she supported the notion of a joint USUK investigation. 'I think both countries need to look at collaborating here the US government holds the key to the larger scope of the Jeffrey Epstein case,' she said. 'The UK is setting an example for what the US should be doing right now. And I would ask that your leaders put that pressure on our leaders to do the right thing.' Mr Dimbleby has suggested that the King would be unlikely to step in if a request was made by the US to extradite US in order to face questions over his alleged behaviour. 'If there is an extradition, it will not have to do with the King himself,' he told the BBC. 'One of the proper things to do now is to have made it clear that the (ex) prince, his brother, is beyond the pale.' When contacted by the Daily Mail, the Metropolitan Police did not rule out a possible prosecution. Andrew's daughters Beatrice and Eugenie fled Britain in the days before their father's final humiliation that finally sees him kicked out of Royal Lodge, where he was said to have had a 'cast iron' 75year lease. The pair, who will retain their titles, were pictured abroad: Beatrice at an investment conference in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and Eugenie snapping selfies with friends in Paris all while moves began to evict their father back home. It had been suggested that Andrew was pressured by Prince William into giving up the residence under threat of having his daughters' titles taken away. Royal Lodge in Windsor Great Park, Andrew's former home. He will now be moving to a private residence on the monarch's Sandringham estate The Royal Family released a public statement announcing Andrew would no longer be a prince Andrew, Virginia Giuffre and sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell in a photo reportedly taken in 2001, when Giuffre was 17 years old While Andrew has been all but cast out from royal life with no titles, peerages or even the right to call himself a 'prince' a royal expert has questioned why he remains eighth in line to the throne. Joe Little, managing editor of Majesty Magazine, said this morning: 'I'm sure at some point quite soon, somebody will ask, if they've not already done so, why he hasn't been moved from the line of succession. 'Clearly it would take quite a catastrophe for him to become king given all those that are ahead of him. So might it not have been tidier to withdraw him from the line of succession?' Andrew is a counsellor of state who can effectively stand in for the King but this role has previously been described as 'inactive'. Mr Little suggested it may have been 'tidier' to remove that role from Andrew's portfolio too. Yesterday, the antimonarchy campaign group Republic said it had instructed lawyers to investigate Andrew and, if appropriate, press ahead with a private prosecution. The Daily Mail understands the allegations it is focusing on relate to accusations he sexually assaulted Giuffre, that he asked a royal protection officer to look into her background and impropriety when he served as an official UK trade envoy. Republic said it is mounting its own bid to take him to court because the legal and political response to the claims has been 'weak and inadequate' to date. 'If not us, then who?' asked Graham Smith, the group's CEO. 'It's a devastating indictment on the UK's criminal justice system, police and politicians not to mention the king and heir that we must resort to a private prosecution.' Last night the group said that Andrew's punishment was 'nowhere near enough', adding: 'He will never be an "ordinary person" ordinary people don't get away with being accused of sexual abuse.' Andrew's royal biographer Andrew Lownie, whose forensic biography of the disgraced Duke of York, Entitled, was released last week, has promised there will be more revelations to come in a new book in the summer. Lownie told The Mail on Sunday that friends of Andrew have come forward 'in droves' to say they are now willing to paint the 'full picture' about his past. Many are formerly loyal associates who had originally declined to be involved in the book but have been emboldened to come forward since its publication. And so many have now offered to contribute that the historian who spent four years working on Entitled, and interviewed hundreds of people for his research has been invited by his publisher to produce an updated edition. Beatrice and Eugenie fled abroad while their father was told to prepare for his final humiliation of being evicted from Royal Lodge, being pictured in Riyadh (Beatrice, left) and Paris (Eugenie, right) Security stand at the gates of the Royal Lodge following yesterday's announcement Andrew pictured with Jeffrey Epstein in New York's Central Park in December 2010 'The amazing and astonishing thing that's happened since Entitled came out is that people have come forward in droves with more stories to tell about Prince Andrew,' he said. 'A lot of respectable people who declined to be involved in the book are now coming forward, keen to unload the secrets they've been keeping for all these years. The Palace said the 'censures [were] deemed necessary' amid the ongoing Jeffrey Epstein scandal the paedophile financer who Andrew lied about cutting ties with. It comes after the Mail on Sunday exclusively revealed scandalous correspondence where the shunned prince told Epstein 'we are in this together' a day after the infamous picture of the royal with his alleged thenteenage sex victim Virginia Giuffre was released. As Andrew's links to the disgraced financier continued to bring shame on the royals, last night he finally agreed to surrender his Windsor lease where he resided with his exwife Sarah Ferguson for over two decades, paying 'peppercorn rent'. Sources revealed the former Duchess of York, who has also been embroiled in scandal relating to sexoffender Epstein, 'will make her own arrangements' when it comes to her future. His Majesty's younger brother will now be banished to a private property on the monarch's Sandringham Estate in Norfolk, but no further details have been shared. It is understood Prince William and the Royal Family fully support the King's decision. Annie Farmer, one of Jeffrey Epstein's earliest accusers who testified in the trial that resulted in the conviction of his longtime aide Ghislaine Maxwell, told the BBC: 'Virginia did what most thought impossible. She showed the world that even the most powerful predators can be held accountable.' Andrew Lownie believes the recent fallout doesn't mark 'the end' of controversy for the shunned royal. 'I don't think it's the end of it. I think there are many more disclosures to come, but at least they're taking some decisive action. So, I don't think it's all over for him,' he told The Mirror. When queried if he believed a police probe into Andrew was more likely following yesterday's announcement, he remarked that the exduke was being 'throw[n] under the bus'. 'Yes, I've been saying for some time they're [the Royal family] going to throw Andrew under the bus to save themselves and this is the first indication of that,' he added. It is understood Sarah Ferguson, seen with Andrew at Royal Ascot in 2019, will make her own living arrangements The Palace is thought to have been spooked by the detailed allegations laid out in the posthumous memoir from Andrew's sex abuse accuser Giuffre, who took her own life this year, aged 41. Ms Giuffre's explosive book Nobody's Girl: A Memoir of Surviving Abuse and Fighting for Justice was released in this month, with the manuscript having been completed before she died. Inside, she detailed her years spent as a sex slave to Epstein and his British madam Ghislaine Maxwell, amid claims she had been trafficked to the exduke three times, and whom she called 'entitled' and viewed sex as his 'birthright'. Within the 400page autobiography, she also alleged the exduke said 'thank you' in a 'clipped British accent' after their alleged first encounter when she was 17. She also recalled how Maxwell praised her following the encounter, saying, 'You did well, the prince had fun'. Andrew denied ever meeting Ms Giuffre. In 2022, he settled a US civil case she lodged for a reported 12million, reportedly receiving money from his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, to help meet the costs. The settlement came with no admission of liability. Andrew stands next to Prince William and his wife Catherine, Princess of Wales, as they leave Westminster Cathedral at the Duchess of Kent's funeral Residents of York long ashamed of their connection with disgraced Andrew will be relieved today. York Central MP Rachael Maskell said the monarchy needed to become more 'accountable' in the wake of the King's decision to strip Andrew Mountbatten Windsor of his titles. Ms Maskell, who introduced a Bill in the Commons to make it easier for the King to remove peerages, told the BBC's Today programme: 'I think the world's moved on, and we need the monarchy to be accountable by all means, not least to the public. 'When we saw 80 per cent of the public saying remove those titles, I'm sure there is relief across the country now that that has been done.' It is understood earlier this month the Metropolitan Police was 'actively' looking into the claims Andrew had asked his personal protection officer to investigate Ms Giuffre, and that he was interviewed by detectives at home last week. A bombshell email published by the Mail on Sunday earlier this month revealed how Andrew asked his taxpayerfunded protection officer to dig into her past, two months after the infamous photo of him with Giuffre and Maxwell was published by the Mail. In an extraordinary message to Ed Perkins, Queen Elizabeth's deputy press secretary, he wrote: 'It would also seem she has a criminal record in the States. I have given her DoB [date of birth] and social security number for investigation with XXX, the on duty ppo [personal protection officer].' Emails between Andrew and Epstein showed the former duke expressing 'concern' about the impact this newspaper's revelations would have on his friend after the infamous picture of the royal with Ms Giuffre was released. He reassured the vile billionaire they would 'rise above' press scrutiny in correspondence sent to Epstein 12 weeks after Andrew had supposedly ceased all contact with the convicted sex offender. Email exchanges Between Prince Andrew, Ed Perkins and Jeffrey Epstein It provides definitive proof Andrew lied in his carcrash interview with BBC's Newsnight when he claimed he 'never had any contact' with the disgraced financier after the pair were pictured walking together in New York in December 2010. Democratic Congressman Suhas Subramanyam, who has previously called for Andrew to testify before a US Congressional committee about his links to Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell to 'clear his name', last night again urged Andrew to give evidence. 'It's clear that Prince Andrew has information about Epstein's crimes and he must do more than just give up titles or hide from the public spotlight,' he said. Amy Wallace, coauthor of Virginia Roberts Giuffre's memoir Nobody's Girl, told BBC Newsnight: 'History has just been made by Virginia RobertsGiuffre.' In another world exclusive the Mail on Sunday also exposed a bombshell email revealing how Andrew's exwife Fergie cynically lied when she publicly disowned the vile billionaire. It was just weeks after her public statement that she wrote him a gushing private message, describing disgraced Epstein as a 'steadfast, generous and supreme friend' confessing she only distanced herself from him to save her own reputation. Now, the former Duchess of York will now be known as plain Sarah Ferguson. Following the revelation, Sarah was dropped by seven charities after 'humbly apologising' to Epstein after disavowing him amid his conviction for child sexual abuse offences. The bombshell leaked email shows Sarah wrote to the convicted sex offender to 'humbly apologise' in 2011 just weeks after telling the press she had cut all ties with him. In an earlier interview that year, she described her involvement with Epstein, who had served time for soliciting prostitution from a minor, as a 'gigantic error of judgment'. The bombshell emails sent by Fergie to Jeffrey Epstein despite vowing just weeks before to never contact him again during a newspaper interview A spokesman for Sarah previously said the email was sent to counter an aggressive threat Epstein had made to sue her for defamation. The series of scandalous emails piled on the pressure for the Royal Family to sever ties with the exYorks, with internal talks beginning after Prince William was left 'seething' by his uncle's behaviour at the Duchess of Kent's funeral last month. Andrew was pictured sidling up to the Prince and Princess of Wales, which the heir to the throne saw as him being distracted from the ceremony. No 10 has also reportedly been pressuring the royals to deal with the scandal, which has run on for years and saw Andrew step back from public life in 2019. The intervention from Downing Street came after the former prince was entangled in the ongoing Chinese spying row, meeting with the 'spymaster' at the heart of the collapsed China spy case at least three times. Andrew, already mired in controversy over his friendship with another alleged Beijing spy, forged links with Chinese Communist Party (CCP) mandarin Cai Qi, with the pair posing as they celebrated 'jointly building a golden era in ChinaUK relations'. Prosecutors now believe Cai was presiding over a massive intelligencegathering operation to steal British secrets, overseeing the alleged activities of parliamentary researcher Christopher Cash and Chinabased English teacher Christopher Berry - against whom a case collapsed last month. Politicians have roundly supported King Charles' decision to strip Andrew of all of his titles and Royal Lodge residence. Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey said His Majesty is 'absolutely right' to do so, while Tory leader Kemi Badenoch remarked how the decision must have been 'very difficult' for the King. 'It's clear that Andrew's position had become totally untenable, having disgraced his office and embarrassed the country,' Sir Davey said. Speaking to LBC, Ms Badenoch said: 'The standards and expectations in society now are very high. People expect to see the very highest levels of integrity. 'And I'm afraid the whole Jeffrey Epstein saga and everyone it has touched, from Prince Andrew to Peter Mandelson, has just shown that the public has no truck whatsoever with any kind of sexual abuse, sexual offences, especially of minors. And I think that that's quite right.' The leader of the Scottish National Party in Westminster, Stephen Flynn, said on BBC Newsnight last night: 'He is no longer Prince Andrew [...] He is just but one of us.' Andrew alongside his exwife Sarah Ferguson at the funeral of the Duchess of Kent on September 16, 2025 where his behaviour is said to have ired Prince William A machete-wielding burglar who posed as a delivery driver to get into a flat before leaving a victim with a partially-severed thumb, has been jailed for eight years. Lenard Coates, 23, dressed up as a parcel delivery driver in order to gain access to a property before attacking the victim in front of his terrified partner and child. He escaped just minutes later with 2,500 in cash and a watch. CCTV footage captured the moment Coates turned up to the property driving a white van just before 9am on March 21, 2025. Coates entered the block of flats in Maidstone, Kent wearing a high-vis jacket and gloves, carrying a cardboard box parcel as a prop. He gained access to the block of flats by running to a closing door and entering the building. Coates was then seen walking through the corridor on the ground floor of the building. Once inside, he pushed his way into one of the properties and pulled out a machete, which he threatened the terrified family with. Coates entered the block of flats in Maidstone, Kent wearing a high-vis jacket and gloves, carrying a cardboard box parcel as a prop Lenard Coates was jailed for eight years following an aggravated burglary in Maidstone Coates launched an unprovoked attack on the man and took a watch from a woman before locating and leaving with the family's savings in the incident. Just minutes later he was seen bursting out of the door with his face covered and running towards his van before speeding off. Kent Police rushed to the scene along with paramedics. The victim was left with series injuries to his hand and thumb which required specialist reconstructive surgery. An investigation was launched and officers found Coates' van within two hours of the burglary. Forensic enquiries, alongside a review of CCTV, later saw him arrested and charged. Coates initially declined to enter a plea but later pleaded guilty to aggravated burglary, causing grievous bodily harm, and possession of a knife in a public place. The 23-year-old, of no fixed address, was sentenced to eight years' imprisonment at Maidstone Crown Court on Wednesday. Coates was then seen walking through the corridor on the ground floor of the building Just minutes later he was seen bursting out of the door with his face covered and running towards his van Coates sped off in the van with the family's savings of 2,500 and a watch He will serve an extended licence period of two years upon his release and has been made the subject of a restraining order for 15 years. Detective Constable Lottie Bishop of Kent Police who led the investigation, said: 'Coates violently assaulted his victim, leaving him with life-changing injuries, to walk away with a relatively small sum of money. 'The lengthy custodial sentence appropriately reflects the viciousness of the attack, which he carried out in front of the victim's partner and young child, with complete disregard for the impact of his actions. 'We hope the family find some comfort in knowing Coates will be locked up and unable to inflict harm on others.' The Trump administration announced plans on Thursday to drastically cut back the number of refugees to be accepted annually by the United States to a record low and give priority to white South Africans. Under the new policy, the United States would welcome 7,500 refugees in fiscal 2026, down from more than 100,000 a year under Democratic president Joe Biden. The vast majority of those being accepted during the fiscal year which began on October 1 would be white South Africans and 'other victims of illegal or unjust discrimination in their respective homelands,' according to a White House memo. 'The admissions numbers shall primarily be allocated among Afrikaners from South Africa,' it said. Republican President Donald Trump essentially halted refugee arrivals after taking office in January, but has been making an exception for white South Africans despite Pretoria's insistence that they do not face persecution in their homeland. A first group of around 50 Afrikaners - descendants of the first European settlers of South Africa - arrived for resettlement in the United States in May. Trump campaigned for the White House on a pledge to deport millions of undocumented migrants and signed an executive order in January suspending the US Refugee Admissions Program. The Trump administration announced plans on Thursday to drastically cut back the number of refugees to be accepted annually by the United States to a record low and give priority to white South Africans. Pictured: President Donald Trump meets South Africa's President Cyril Ramaphosa in the Oval Office of the White House The first group of white Afrikaners to arrive in the United States for resettlement pose for photographers at Dulles Airport in Virginia Aaron Reichlin-Melnick, a senior fellow at the American Immigration Council, said that since 1980 more than two million people fleeing persecution have been admitted into the United States under the program. 'Now it will be used as a pathway for White immigration,' Reichlin-Melnick said on X. 'What a downfall for a crown jewel of America's international humanitarian programs.' Krish O'Mara Vignarajah, president of another immigration-focused group, Global Refuge, also criticized the move by the Trump administration. 'For more than four decades, the US refugee program has been a lifeline for families fleeing war, persecution, and repression,' Vignarajah said in a statement. 'At a time of crisis in countries ranging from Afghanistan to Venezuela to Sudan and beyond, concentrating the vast majority of admissions on one group undermines the program's purpose as well as its credibility.' In addition to slashing refugee numbers, the Trump administration has moved to strip Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Afghans, Haitians, Venezuelans and nationals of several other countries. The United States grants TPS to foreign citizens who cannot safely return home because of war, natural disasters or other 'extraordinary' conditions. Trump has said the Afrikaners being taken in as refugees by the United States are fleeing a 'terrible situation' back home and has even gone so far as to describe it as 'genocide,' an allegation widely dismissed as absurd. Whites, who make up 7.3 percent of South Africa's population, generally enjoy a higher standard of living than the Black majority. They still own two-thirds of farmland and on average earn three times as much as Black South Africans. Mainly Afrikaner-led governments imposed the race-based apartheid system that denied Black people political and economic rights until it was voted out in 1994. An ex-Vogue model who left the profession to become a children's nurse died after she was admitted to hospital with stomach pains, an inquest has heard. Kimberley Cook, 43, was admitted to St Mary's Hospital - on the Isle of Wight - where her condition deteriorated 'very, very quickly'. She tragically died on October 13 just two days after she arrived. Ms Cook was a jet-setting model who travelled the world for shoots and also featured in Vogue magazine. After a family tragedy, Ms Cook retrained as a paediatric nurse before climbing the ranks to become lead nurse for children in care on the Isle of Wight. Paying tribute to the mother-of-two, her family said Ms Cook 'poured her heart and soul into her work' and took part in 'countless' charity events. The family are concerned that Ms Cook's hospital care fell below standards and have welcomed an inquest into her death. They feel that her care in hospital was below the expected standard and the information that should have been available to them through the call for concern was not readily accessible. Kimberley Cook (pictured) was an ex-Vogue model who tragically died after she was admitted to hospital with stomach pains After a family tragedy, Ms Cook retrained as a paediatric nurse before climbing the ranks to become lead nurse for children in care on the Isle of Wight Call for concern, also known as Martha's rule, is safety service enabling patients and families to call for immediate help and advice when they feel concerned that the health care team has not recognised their own or their loved one's changing condition. After Ms Cook's inquest was opened by the Isle of Wight Coroner, it was adjourned to the provisional date of April 23, next year. Ms Cook was born in Hitchen, Hertfordshire, but grew up in Sandown on the Isle of Wight . At 17, she left her home and moved 300 miles north to Lancaster, Lancashire. It was around this time that Ms Cook was headhunted by a London modelling agent and her 'career just really took off'. After being scouted, Ms Cook travelled all over the world, visiting countries such as Japan and America for her work. Ms Cook, who did both catalogue and runway modelling, had taken part in New York fashion week and was also the face of Remington's 'Wet 2 Straight' hair straighteners. One of her family members, who did not wish to be named, recalled: 'I remember walking into Boots one day and I remember seeing a cardboard cutout of her. 'She was just everywhere at one point.' Ms Cook was headhunted by a London modelling agent and her modelling career 'took off' In 2008, Ms Cook lost her young niece Summer to childhood cancer. The tragedy led to Ms Cook retraining as a paediatric nurse as she 'sought to make a difference to others in similar circumstances', her family said. Ms Cook climbed the ranks to lead nurse for children in care. Her family said she 'genuinely cared' about the families she was supporting and was 'very well known and very well liked' in the local community. In a tribute, her family said: 'Kim was well-known and loved by many on the Island, mostly remembered for her smile, outrageous laughter, kindness, and for her ability to bring people together. 'In her early career, Kim travelled the world as a successful model. 'Gracing runways, and appearing in countless publications, including Vogue, she made lifelong friends wherever she went. 'Following the heart-breaking loss of her niece, Summer, to childhood cancer in 2008, Kim sought to make a difference to others in similar circumstances by retraining as a paediatric nurse, a move which later saw her become the lead nurse for children in care on the Isle of Wight. 'Kim poured her heart and soul into her work, showing deep dedication for the young people and families she supported. 'An avid fundraiser, she participated in countless charity fun runs, gruelling sponsored walks, and every Christmas, she would organise a toy appeal to ensure the children under her care would have a gift to open - a tradition reflective of her love, generosity and unwavering empathy. 'Kim also never lost her eye for beauty. 'From her love of art, antiques and photography to her natural talents in thrifted fashion and interior design, Kim had the rare ability to recognise and unleash the hidden potential in just about everything, from property, objects, and even people. 'Above all else, though, Kim was a dedicated mother to her two sons. 'As their loudest and proudest cheerleader, her love for them shone through in everything she did. 'As a mother, a daughter, one of seven siblings, and aunt to 17, Kim will be remembered with love, pride and admiration, but her loss leaves an immeasurable void that can never be filled.' Female university staff were allegedly ordered to photograph their sanitary pads to prove they were on their period after complaining of being tired on campus. The incident took place at Maharshi Dayanand University in Rohtak, India, after a female cleaner showed up late to work on October 26. According to local reports, her male supervisors quizzed her on why she was late, and she went on to explain that she was feeling unwell due to her period. The two supervisors then allegedly accused her of lying and are said to have asked the woman to remove her clothes to prove she was menstruating. Following the incident, other female workers came forward to accuse the two male supervisors of directing another woman in a similar situation of taking them to the bathroom to take photos of their used sanitary towels. 'They said you click photos of your private parts as proof so that the menstrual cycle can be confirmed,' the women were quoted as saying by The Indian Express. 'When two of us refused to follow the instructions, we were abused and threatened with dismissal.' The University Registrar, Krishnan Kant, said an 'internal inquiry has been initiated and those found guilty will not be spared', according to the newspaper. Female university staff were allegedly ordered to photograph their sanitary pads to prove they were on their period after complaining of being tired on campus (file photo) The incident took place at Maharshi Dayanand University in Rohtak, India , after a female cleaner showed up late to work on October 26 As news of the shocking incident spread through the university campus after the supervisors received the photos, female staff and students staged a protest. They also shared photo and video evidence of the incident with the chairperson of the State Women Commission. 'A First Information Report (FIR) has been registered against the two supervisors,' said Roshan Lal, an officer at a Rohtak police station said. 'The FIR includes charges under the provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for sexual harassment, assault or use of criminal force with intent to disrobe and outrage a woman's modesty, criminal intimidation, and acts intended to insult the modesty of a woman'. In a statement, the university said any incident of insecurity at the workplace will not be tolerated under any circumstances. It reiterated its commitment to 'always providing a safe, respectful, and culturally sensitive' work environment. 'The safety and respect of women are paramount, and that the strictest action will be taken against any form of inappropriate behaviour or misconduct,' it added. A daughter who was cut out of her mother's 1.1million fortune after falling out with her eldest brother is suing and claims her sibling put pressure on her to change the will. Aysel Gencay, 72, had a rift with brother Dogan Halil, 74, after she accused him of taking possession of the basement at the family's Islington home for his own benefit. The argument led her to be removed from their mother Dervishe Halil's million-pound estate when she died in 2021 aged 94. The mother had initially divided her will between her three children - also including another brother Attila - in October 2013. But Aysel said she was 'completely shocked' when in 2015 Dervishe told her in a handwritten letter that her falling out with Dogan was 'bad and shameful' and that she risked being disinherited. Over the course of five years, the mother changed her will three times, eventually leaving the lot to Dogan in 2018. This led Aysel to sue her brother as executor of the estate, claiming her mother either must not have understood she was handing everything to Dogan or that it was the result of 'undue influence' from her oldest son. Other brother Attila is now a co-defendant, along with Dogan's wife and fellow executor, Susan, having been handed a one-third share of the estate by the pair under a deed of variation. Aysel Gencay, pictured, who was cut out of her mother's 1.1million fortune after falling out with her eldest brother, is suing and claims her sibling put pressure on her to change the will Aysel's barrister, Peter John, told Central London County Court the will should be ruled invalid for want of knowledge or approval or by reason of undue influence or fraudulent calumny on the part of Dogan. 'The deceased had always indicated that she would deal with her estate on the basis of equality informed by her cultural and religious background and her consistent approach towards her children throughout their lives,' he said. 'The deceased's purported last will the 2018 will was, therefore, a shock to the claimant as the deceased's only daughter, completely at odds with these statements, and also inconsistent with the relationship which she enjoyed with the deceased throughout her life.' Judge Mark Raeside KC heard the falling-out was sparked by accusations Dogan had 'sliced off' the basement of the valuable family home in Islington for his own benefit - an allegation he denies. The court was shown two letters from Dervishe, who had moved to London from Cyprus with her husband in 1952, in the wake of the bust up between her children. In 2015 she told Aysel and Attila they had 'destroyed my life and home,' branded their actions towards Dogan 'very bad and shameful' and demanded they apologise to him for making him out to be a 'liar and a thief'. A second, from February 2018, spoke of having 'deleted' Aysel and Attila from her will. On the same day, she made the will leaving Dogan everything. Aysel claims she did not see this letter until after her mother's death three years later. Pictured: the valuable family home in Islington. Aysel claims her brother Dogan Halil took possession of the basement at the property for his own benefit She told the court she flew to visit Dervishe from her home in Istanbul multiple times a year during her final years, adding: 'I remained extremely close to my mother all my life.' Her barrister claimed her mother would not have been able to compose the 2015 or 2018 letters 'without significant assistance' and that the language used was 'startlingly similar' to that used by Dogan in his correspondence. An email from Dogan to his sister in 2015 denied having 'fiddled' her out of the basement flat and accused her of 'shameful and callous' treatment of their mother. 'It is notable that the disputes which Dogan cites as being the reason for the deceased's unhappiness with the claimant.... were disputes with him and not the deceased,' Mr John said. 'It is the claimant's case that she had retained a strong and loving relationship with the deceased throughout any period when she had any dispute with Dogan. 'However, it is clear from these emails that Dogan was portraying his dispute with [Aysel] as being a dispute between the deceased and Aysel thereby influencing the deceased.' Toby Bishop, representing Dogan, his wife and Attila, challenged Aysel's claims about her relationship with her mother, saying passport records showed she had not visited as much as she insisted she had. He continued: 'Dogan propounds the 2018 will as their mother's last true will and seeks a grant in respect of it in solemn form. 'The 2018 will was prepared by a solicitor who had known Mrs Halil for years and read it over to her in Turkish, their shared first language. A grave and strong presumption arises which can only be rebutted by the clearest of evidence. 'The 2018 will is very simple. After Mrs Halil executed it, she wrote a letter explaining what she had done. 'The court will keep in mind that a testatrix is not to be deprived of her testamentary wishes lightly and that the policy of the law is to enable people who may be elderly or suffering from illness to make wills. 'When hearing Aysel's claim, the court may hear echoes of the cautionary judicial observations about disappointed beneficiaries persuading themselves that a will could not have represented the testatrix's intentions. 'The court is encouraged to be wary of finding a lack of capacity based purely on odd provisions in wills or a slight loss of capacity, for example by reason of early stage dementia, otherwise wills made by elderly testators are vulnerable to attack from disgruntled potential beneficiaries. 'Even moderate to severe dementia does not of itself deprive a person of testamentary capacity. 'Aysel...alleges Dogan had sought to manage and control Mrs Halil's finances from 2008. That is denied, but would not in any event amount to direct or indirect evidence of undue influence. 'She says that given...Aysel's asserted loving relationship with her mother, the only credible explanation for the [2018 will] is undue influence. '[This] proposition is a leap which purports to span a vast analytical and evidential void. It is an accusation without any proper basis and should be withdrawn. 'Aysel's allegations of undue influence and fraudulent calumny have no proper basis, they ought not to have been made and should be withdrawn.' The hearing continues. It was her first ever trip abroad A Brisbane woman has claimed she was detained on her first overseas trip after getting into a fight with a hotel worker. Lillith Lodge was detained in the Singapore airport after her passport was flagged by airport security in October. Ms Lodge was never told exactly why she was refused to leave but she presumed it was because of an earlier argument with a hotel worker just days before. The registered sex worker was furious that hotel staff had given a customer her legal name rather than her working name. A heated argument ensued with the worker, with Ms Lodge returning to her room. However, on her way out of the country, she was flagged several times at the airport while trying to get through to the international terminal. First, her passport was rejected by the self-service terminal before a Virgin airline worker eventually accepted Ms Lodge's paperwork manually. While she was trying to pass through the gates where passports need to be scanned, Ms Lodge found herself trapped between the gates after her details were checked. Lillith Lodge was detained in the Singapore airport Her passport was flagged at an automated terminal Ms Lodge detailed her experience in a TikTok video where she said she was not sure why everything went so badly for her after such a peaceful trip. 'I had a fight with a hotel receptionist which is why I think I was detained, but I could be wrong,' she said. The Virgin servicewoman who manually accepted Ms Lodge's paperwork apparently gave her a 'weird' look, which initially set off alarm bells for the Brisbane woman. 'I didn't really think anything was unusual [until] the worker did give me a weird look and I was not sure if it flagged to her what was going on,' she continued. Then, when she eventually was let through to the next set of automated terminals, her passport set off an alarm which prompted another airport worker to come over and question her. 'I was trapped between two gates ... [when] this big f***ing guard in his decked out uniform comes out, grabs me and says "this way miss",' she said. After that, Ms Lodge was taken to a room she described as an 'interrogation' room, where her passport and phone were confiscated. Following extensive questioning, which left her feeling stressed and anxious, Ms Lodge was eventually released. Ms Lodge believes she was detained because of an argument she had with a hotel worker days before she was scheduled to leave Social media users expressed sympathy for Ms Lodge's predicament with one woman saying this kind of experience was her worst nightmare. 'Im stopped every time I come back to America,' she wrote. 'Im nervous to go there for this reason,' another person added. A British three-year-old girl who was pulled unconscious from a hotel pool in Greece has died. The toddler was staying at a hotel in Lardos on the island of Rhodes with her family when she went towards the swimming pool's ladder and entered the water. She had been in critical condition since the accident on October 14 and was being treated at the PAGNI hospital in Crete. Earlier this week, the toddler was transferred to a hospital in the UK to receive further treatment, where she died. The child, who was unaccompanied by an adult at the time of the incident, was pulled out 10 minutes after entering the pool by a hotel guest who spotted her in the water and rushed to administer CPR on her. The three-year-old's uncle and a hotel employee were arrested two hours later and were accused of grievous bodily harm by negligence. Both men have denied any wrongdoing, with the uncle claiming that he thought his niece was being looked after by her father and that he was never directly asked to look after the toddler. Cops have reviewed CCTV footage to determine the circumstances of the incident. Reports say that the film shows that at 12.10pm, the unaccompanied girl walked towards the pool and got into the water alone. Footage also suggested that no one else was in the pool at the time and it took 10 minutes for someone to realise she was in the water after a woman who was lying on a sunbed spotted her and pulled her out. A British three-year-old girl who was pulled unconscious from a hotel pool in Greece has died. File photo: The beach and coastline at Lardos in Rhodes, Greece News of the toddler's death comes after a four-year-old British boy died after being pulled from a hotel swimming pool in Tenerife. The heartbreaking incident took place back in May in San Miguel de Abona, a popular holiday spot in the south of the island. Emergency services rushed to Jose Miguel Galvan Bello Avenue shortly before 5pm local time following reports of a child in cardiac arrest. According to Spanish broadcaster Telecinco, the child was rescued from the water by a lifeguard but was found to be unresponsive. Several hotel guests, including individuals who identified themselves as doctors, reportedly joined the rescue efforts in a desperate attempt to revive the child. It's understood that a nurse from the Canary Islands Emergency Service (SUC) provided CPR instructions over the phone while medics scrambled to locate a defibrillator, The Sun has reported. Two advanced life support ambulances and a medical helicopter were sent to the scene. However, despite the best efforts of paramedics, who carried out advanced resuscitation procedures, the child could not be saved. Snuggling up in bed in their three-bedroomed rural cottage in Ross-on-Wye, Chris Benwell and his fiancee Pam Webb turned off the lights and settled down for the night. Twenty minutes later, they were startled to hear the smashing of glass downstairs. We both sat bolt upright wondering what on earth was going on, says Chris, 66. We looked at each other and then heard another smash and then another. I thought someone must have broken in, so I got up, grabbed a stick to defend myself with and made my way down the stairs. Heart racing as he cautiously took each step, the sight that greeted him in the living room of the 350-year-old property was chillingly bizarre. Thousands of tiny shards of glass were shattered over the wooden floor not from the windows or doors, which were all still securely locked but from three glass ornaments that had, apparently, hurled themselves to the ground from a shelf. It really shook us up and we couldnt work out how it had happened, admits Pam, 61, a former shop owner. There was no draught. No tremor. The shelf wasnt broken as other smaller ornaments and bottles were still standing on it. It was as if someone had grabbed these thick, glass bottles and smashed them deliberately. Were still finding bits of glass even today. It was very unnerving. After sweeping up, the couple returned to their room, shaken and scared. This was the most mysterious thing to happen in their home over the past 30 years. But it was not unique. Ghostly goings-on in Primrose Cottage have been occurring ever since Chris, a retired pet business owner, moved into the house in 1996 with his late wife Julie, who died nearly six years ago. We moved to this area from London because we wanted to live somewhere quiet and the cottage was perfect, says Chris. We had heard nothing about any eerie happenings here previously the owners before us had never mentioned it and even after we had moved in, all we heard was the occasional knock or bang. Or wed hear a door closing, but we put that down to it being such an old, creaky house. Chris Benwell and his fiancee Pam Webb next to the shelves that three glass ornaments fell from. 'Were still finding bits of glass even today,' Pam, 61, says But it was when their son was two years old that the spooky activity began to increase. When Aaron arrived in 2000, we gave him the original upstairs bedroom while Julie and I slept downstairs in the extension wed built. Several times, when he was a toddler, Aaron would mention there was an old man sitting in his room, looking at him, remembers Chris. We thought it was his childish imagination we had never seen anyone in there but Aaron was convinced there was a man. He remembers it even today... this silent figure who said nothing but would often watch him. Aaron said he didnt like sleeping in there but there was nowhere else he could go. He had also mentioned a tall man in a very tall hat standing in the kitchen but again, we had never seen anyone or anything there. A few years later, we extended the house again to create another bedroom for Aaron and he was delighted. But from that moment on, the noises became even weirder. Ive always believed in the paranormal, but Julie was a lot more cynical. When we heard the steps, wed look at each other as if to say: You heard that too?. There was no sense of fear, though. The house is centuries old so it creaks and makes funny noises anyway, but this definitely felt more unusual. Of course Id occasionally check, but no one was there. Yet soon we could hear footsteps clearly walking from room to room, even stepping down the little stair on the landing. Id spoken to the previous owners and was told that a vicar had lived here previously but we never had a sense that it was him I dont know why. No one has ever been able to shed any light on it. Although the noises and footsteps continued, the couple lived at Primrose Cottage relatively peacefully for another 15 years until Julie sadly died in 2020. Devastated, Chris moved out of the house for a year, unable to bear living there without her. When he moved back in, Aaron, now 20, came to stay for a while to keep him company, but would only sleep in the downstairs room perhaps wary of the childhood bedroom hed never liked. In the meantime, Chris had become more interested in the paranormal. When Aaron and I moved back in, thats when the activity ramped up big time, admits Chris. There was a lot more banging and crashing; the footsteps were very regular. But now, Id sometimes find that if I left items around the house a plate or a cup, for instance they would move. I know Im an old g*t and can forget things but this was different Id put something down by the TV, go out of the room, come back and it had moved. The 350-year-old property, Primrose Cottage, in Ross-on-Wye. Chris moved into the property in 1996 with his late wife Julie Chris and Pam in one of their home's bedrooms. They often hear footsteps and find drawers open in rooms they have not been in all day I began to wonder if the spirits living with us whoever they were didnt like any changes. They seemed more active when we altered the house and now that Julie had gone, that was another major change. But I loved the house so much it had so many good memories that I didnt want to move. Using the knowledge Id gained after reading up on [ghosts], I did once try something called dowsing, which helps locate paranormal energy. I detected that there were possibly three spirits in the house, but one was a lot more dominant. I couldnt tell if it was male or female or even adult, but it had more energy than the other two so would be the one making the noises and moving things around. But thats all I could gather. Two-and-a-half years ago, Chris met Pam via Tinder. She sensed that something in the house was not right straight away. It wasnt an uncomfortable feeling, she says. The first few times I was here, even just having a coffee, it felt like we werent alone. I wondered about Julie and whether the feeling had something to do with her presence and Chris losing her so recently. The house itself was beautiful but I just felt something was off. Ive never particularly believed in ghosts but I think I must be in tune with them. Chris tells me Ive had full-blown conversations with people in my sleep. Nothing eerie, just mundane chatter he even recorded me doing it because I didnt believe him at first. Spirits dont frighten me. Since the couple moved in together full-time, whatever is present in the house has become a lot more active. We redecorated one of the bedrooms, and drawers are constantly being opened in there, says Pam. Ill shout down to Chris saying: "Why have you opened these drawers?" and hell say he hasnt been in that room all day. There is a little brush and mirror set that we keep on the dressing table that moves all the time. And candles that we put in holders will be found lying next to them. We cleared out some of Julies personal items recently very respectfully but the drawer in which they were kept is constantly opening now. Chris adds: Weve seen shadows in the mirrors we cant explain, but which seem to be in a human form. And one time we were sitting in the kitchen and the kitchen drawer actually opened slowly as we were eating. We really dont get scared easily by this sort of thing and we looked at each other as if to say, Did that really happen?. It was weird but we have never felt threatened. A couple of days ago, just as I was leaving to go out, I heard Pam get up and move from bedroom to bedroom so I popped upstairs to give her a kiss goodbye... but she was fast asleep. Chris and Pam with a Ouija board at their haunted home. Their interest in the paranormal has led to them working alongside a company called Haunted Happenings, which sees them accompany groups on ghost hunts around the country Recently, their interest in the paranormal has led to Chris and Pam working alongside a company called Haunted Happenings, which sees them accompany groups on ghost hunts around the country. Weve never had the team come to visit our house yet but perhaps we should, jokes Chris. Other people have definitely sensed something here. Pams grandson comes to visit us regularly now and, like Aaron when he was a toddler, hes told us about some people we dont know how many or who they are who come to his room and play games with him. He used to say to us that the man is not evil and hes not afraid of him, but its very eerie. And Pams niece stayed here once and only once on her own and told us she went to bed early because she kept hearing noises and was freaked out about it. She is too scared to come again. We used to have two dogs and one of them would sit at the bottom of the stairs, simply staring up them for half an hour at a time, as if something was up there. Despite the ghostly goings-on, the couple who are now engaged have no plans to move. They dont scare us, says Chris. Theyve shaken us up a couple of times but we feel the spirits are just misbehaving. I dont think they mean us any harm. In fact, theyre like part of the family now. Synagogue attacker Jihad Al-Shamie died of multiple gunshot wounds after launching his deadly terror attack on the holiest day in the Jewish calendar, an inquest heard today. The Islamic State supporter deliberately crashed his car outside Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in Manchester on October 2 and began knifing worshippers. The 35-year-old extremist - who was wearing a fake suicide belt - rang 999 during his atrocity and said: 'I have killed two Jews in the name of Islamic State.' Today an inquest heard how armed police 'discharged several rounds' at the attacker, who died at the scene. Tragically one of the worshippers, Adrian Daulby, 53, died from a single gunshot wound to the chest after being struck by a stray bullet fired by one of the armed officers. Along with hero Rabbi David Walker he was bravely barricading the synagogue doors from inside as Al-Shamie tried to force entry, Manchester Coroner's Court was told earlier this week. On Wednesday an inquest heard how another worshipper, Melvin Cravitz, 66, died from knife wounds inflicted by Al-Shamie. Police immediately declared the attack - on Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar - a suspected terrorist incident when Al-Shamie began attacking worshippers at about 9.30am and armed police were scrambled to the scene. The profile picture which synagogue attacker Jihad Al-Shamie used as his profile on dating app Muzmatch Al-Shamie (pictured outside the synagogue) travelled to Britain with his family as a young child and was granted UK citizenship in 2006, when he would have been around 16 Still armed with a knife, Al-Shamie - a Syrian-born UK citizen - charged at the officers who unleashed a series of rounds, killing the terrorist. Detective Chief Superintendent Lewis Hughes told today's hearing that the first shot was fired at Al-Shamie at 9.38am. 'On arrival, the officers discharged several rounds at the suspected terrorist, Jihad Al-Shamie, as he ran towards them,' Det Chf Supt Hughes said. However he was not pronounced dead until 4.38pm due to concerns over his suspect explosive belt - which turned out to be fake. A post mortem gave his cause of death as multiple gunshot wounds. Al-Shamie - who was on bail for rape at the time - was identified by matching his fingerprints to those on the police database, the senior detective said, in addition to being matched up to his car and mobile phone. Chief Coroner of England and Wales Judge Alexia Durran made a provisional finding that Al-Shamie died of 'gunshot wounds'. She said she had made directions for his body to be released 'to the family's nominated funeral directors'. Melvin Cravitz, 66, from Crumpsall, died in the deadly attack Adrian Daulby, 53, also died after being accidentally shot by police His body had been taken to Royal Liverpool University Hospital where the post mortem examination was carried out. Today's hearing - which took just over 15 minutes - was attended virtually or in person by representatives of Al-Shamie's family as well as police, the IOPC and the Government legal department. Three other people were injured in the attack. Security guard Bernard Agyemang was driven into by Al-Shamie, worshipper Andrew Franks - who was on security duty - was stabbed, while Yoni Finlay was struck by a police bullet inside the synagogue. All have since been discharged from hospital, Det Chf Supt Hughes said. Wednesday's hearing was told that Al-Shamie got out of his Kia hatchback at about 9.30am and 'immediately made stabbing motions' toward Mr Cravitz to his 'upper torso, neck and head area'. He was later transferred to hospital by ambulance but pronounced dead at Manchester Royal Infirmary at 10.45am. A post-mortem showed he died of multiple stab wounds. Fitness fanatic synagogue attacker Jihad Al-Shamie was obsessed with clean living and watching foreign news bulletins, one of his secret wives said Greater Manchester Police had by now declared Operation Plato - the national code word used by police and emergency services when responding to a marauding terrorist attack. Det Chf Supt Hughes told Wednesday's hearing that Mr Daulby had helped to hold the main door of the synagogue shut 'for approximately two minutes' as Al-Shamie attempted to gain entry. Armed officers scrambled to the scene 'fired several rounds' after Al-Shamie had come 'running towards them while carrying a knife' and wearing an apparent suicide vest, Det Chf Supt Hughes said. A single bullet penetrated the synagogue door and hit Mr Daulby in the chest and he was pronounced dead at the scene at 10.15am. A post-mortem showed he had died of a single gunshot wound and the coroner recorded this as the provisional cause of death. Full inquests on both victims plus Al-Shamie will be held at dates to be fixed. Following the attack, the family of Mr Cravitz described him as a 'kind, caring' person, who 'would do anything to help anyone'. He 'always wanted to chat and get to know people', they said. Rabbi Daniel Walker at a vigil outside his synagogue following the attack Mr Daulby's family paid tribute to a 'down to earth man whose final act was to save others'. Their statement read: 'Adrian Daulby was a hero and tragically lost his life in the act of courage to save others, he will forever be remembered for his heroic act on Thursday 2 October 2025. 'The family is shocked by the tragic, sudden death of such a lovely down to earth man.' It comes as Rabbi Daniel Walker this week revealed he was not 'wasting time' thinking about the motivations of the attacker. Al-Shamie - a married father-of-three who had at least two secret wives and bombarded other women via a Muslims-only dating app - was on bail for rape when he launched his atrocity. The allegations against the university drop-out were made by two different women, one in December 2024 and the second just last month. Al-Shamie had a conviction for possession of Class B drugs in 2012, when he was about 22, plus a 'street warning' for cannabis when he was a teenager and a penalty notice for shoplifting. A one-time RAC call handler and keen gym-goer who lived with his mother in Prestwich, Al-Shamie was a prolific user of the Muzmatch dating app where he referred to himself as 'J' and says he is a data analyst of 'Syrian mixed heritage'. One of his secret wives later told the Daily Mail that Al-Shamie was 'intimidating' and 'aggressive', and was obsessed with watching foreign TV news channels. But despite branding him a 'controlling' liar, she said there was nothing in his behaviour when they were together that suggested he was becoming radicalised. 'One minute he can talk nice, then its like flipping a switch,' she said. Greater Manchester Police have referred themselves to the police watchdog over their prior contact with the terrorist. Counter-terror police believe Al-Shamie was influenced by extremist Islamist ideology. They arrested six people in connection with the attack, however all were later released without charge. The Independent Office for Police Conduct later said it had found no misconduct by the three armed officers who opened fire during the attack. Instead it is treating the officers as witnesses in its ongoing investigation. For confidential support, call Samaritans on 116 123, visit samaritans.org or go to www.thecalmzone.net/get-support A sergeant major has been jailed for six months for sexually assaulting a teenage female soldier who later took her own life. Royal Artillery Gunner Jaysley Beck, 19, was found hanging in her room at Larkhill Camp, near Salisbury in Wiltshire, on December 15, 2021. Her death came following a complaint she made against Battery Sergeant Major Michael Webber, now 43, after he pinned her down and tried to kiss her, an inquest heard in February this year. He has now been ordered to serve his sentence in a civilian prison by the Judge Advocate General Alan Large and a military board. Webber, who was serving at the same base, last month pleaded guilty to one count of sexual assault at a pre-trial hearing and was today sentenced at Bulford Military Court in Salisbury, Wiltshire. Jaysley's family previously welcomed the guilty plea but said 'nothing can undo the devastating loss of our beautiful daughter'. Her parents Anthony Beck and Leighann McCready were pictured attending court for today's sentencing - and Jaysley's mother said afterwards the Army was 'clearly not a safe space for young women'. They and their legal team have criticised the military chain of command, saying more should have done to investigate Jaysley's complaints - and both parents today made emotional statements to the court. Ex-Battery Sergeant Major Michael Webber has pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting Gunner Jaysley Beck (pictured above),who later took her own life aged 19 Warrant Officer Michael Webber (pictured), who has since left the Army, faces sentencing at a later date after entering his plea at a pre-trial hearing on Friday September 5, 2025 Royal Artillery Gunner Jaysley Beck, 19, was found hanging in her room at Larkhill Camp, near Salisbury in Wiltshire, on December 15, 2021 February's inquest concluded she had taken her own life after she made a complaint against Webber, who was accused of pinning her down, attempting to kiss her and placing his hand between her legs during a work social event. Jaysley's mother Ms McCready later revealed how she had to plead to see her daughter's accommodation following the death - and when finally given permission, found a heartbreaking letter tucked away in the young recruit's room. Ms McCready has accused the Army over the circumstances surrounding Jaysley's death - and today delivered an emotional victim impact statement to the court. Jaysley's mother said: 'She had just just turned 19 and she was a teenager full of life and laughter. 'She had lots of plans for the future and she trusted those around her to protect her and after this that had gone. 'She called me the morning after it happened and I could tell something was wrong. She had been very scared of Mr Webber so much so she had taken the decision to lock herself in her car. 'She felt powerless and betrayed. She then found out he had been promoted - "I got a letter and he got a promotion", she said. 'She told me she had been made to accept a letter of apology. That assault shattered her faith in the system that was supposed to look after her. Since I lost her, my life has turned upside down.' Pictured: Michael Webber (top right) and Jaysley Beck (second right bottom row) at the training exercise event in Hampshire Anthony Beck and Leighann McCready, the parents of Jaysley Beck, are pictured here arriving at Bulford Court Martial Centre at Kiwi Barracks in Salisbury, Wiltshire, on October 31, 2025 Gunner Beck during her passing out parade with her father, Anthony Beck And Jaysley's father Anthony Beck told the court: 'When Jaysley told me what Michael Webber did, it made me sick - he was twice her age, she trusted him and he took advantage of her trust. 'She became quieter, stopped trusting people and it was awful to see that light go out in her. 'What he did didn't just hurt Jaysley, it tore through our family - every day just feels like I'm getting through the hours.' Mr Beck, who suffered a heart attack in the months following Jaysley's death, told the court that any sentence for Webber would 'never come close to the life sentence I have without my daughter'. Matthew Scott, defending Webber, said: 'This is an utterly tragic case and there is nothing I could say that could possibly begin to diminish the extent of the tragedy. 'Nobody outside the family has felt tragedy in this case more than the defendant. 'It is not his fault the army, prosecution or police did not proceed more formally against him. 'He didn't pretend as some may have done, that nothing had happened. 'He didn't hide behind the fact it happened in an empty bar with no other witnesses.' Mr Scott said that Webber was divorced and no longer sees his 16-year-old daughter - to whom he pays child support. He now works as a lorry driver and receives a 1,200 military pension. He has an Afghanistan medal, a long service medal, and Jubilee medal. The judge Mr Large today told the sentencing hearing: 'No sentence which we can pass upon Mr Webber today will bring their daughter back or begin to fill the gap that she has left behind. 'We have to pass a sentence which both reflects the offending and which takes full account of the impact of the criminal behaviour in the case on Gnr Beck and her family.' He told Webber: 'You were high in the scale of authority. Gnr Beck was at the lower end of the scale. Your behaviour had an effect on morale of those within His Majesty's British Army. 'The level of trust was completely breached to such an extent that she felt she had to sleep in her car. 'An aggravating factor is that alcohol was involved and that played a real part in your decision to kiss Gunner Beck. Jaysley's mother Leighann McCready spoke to the media outside Burford Military court following the sentencing of Michael Webber on October 31 2025 Ms McCready told reporters she felt the Army was 'not a safe space for young women' 'You had no previous convictions and have shown remorse and have had exemplary conduct within your military career. This behaviour was out of character. 'We have to consider whether the sentence can be suspended. We do not consider that it can. 'We are satisfied that the seriousness of the offence means that appropriate punishment can only be achieved by immediate custody. 'We cannot dismiss you because you have already left the Army. However, we consider that had you been dealt with earlier you would have been reduced to the ranks and if we properly do so, we order that you are reduced to the ranks today.' Webber will serve half his sentence in the community and will be on the Sex Offenders Register for seven years. Speaking outside court following today's sentencing, Ms McCready told reporters: 'The Army is clearly not a safe space for young women - this is still continuing. 'They mark their own homework and this has been going on for too many years. Until real change is made I would say that young women should not join the army.' She accused military chiefs of having 'protected' Webber's identity 'throughout', adding: 'Jaysley should have been sat in court with us today to see the person she reported held accountable for what he did. Jaysley Beck is pictured here at her passing out parade with her mother Leighann McCready 'Instead we stand here without her, living a life sentence that no family should ever have to face. 'What he did, and how the Army failed to protect our daughter afterwards, cost Jaysley her life. 'Jaysley was just 19, a beautiful, bright, confident girl with her whole life ahead of her. She did everything right but was failed by the system that was meant to support and protect her. 'She followed the rules, but those responsible didnt follow theirs - they failed to act, failed to report, and failed to follow up. Those failures destroyed our daughter completely. 'When another senior male later started harassing her, she said she didnt want to be known as a troublemaker and didnt see any point in reporting him. 'They talk about lessons learned, but were still waiting to see any real change. 'I stand here as a bereaved mother fighting for real change now, not hollow promises or recycled words that have already failed my daughter and continue to fail others. 'Real action means giving soldiers somewhere truly independent to report serious complaints, without fear or favour. Leighnn McCready (right) described daughter Jaysley Beck as 'a beautiful, bright, confident girl' who was 'failed by the system that was meant to support and protect her' 'The Army cannot keep marking its own homework - until thats actioned, nothing will ever change. 'Our soldiers deserve a system they can trust, one that protects them, believes them, and values their lives above its own reputation. 'We cant bring our daughter back, but Ill keep fighting to make sure her life leads to change that helps and hopefully saves others.' Major General Jon Swift, Assistant Chief of the General Staff, said outside court: 'To Jaysley-Louise Becks family, we continue to offer our sincerest condolences. 'We will always be profoundly sorry for the failings that were identified at Jaysleys inquest in February. 'The end of this court martial is another traumatic step in the journey for Jaysleys family, and we acknowledge that todays outcome has come too late for their beloved daughter. 'We are sorry we didn't listen to Jaysley when she first reported her assault. We are determined to make sure the same mistakes don't happen again. "Since Jaysleys death we have introduced a significant cultural reform programme, alongside the "Raising our Standards" programme. The death of the 19-year-old came after she complained about Sergeant Major Michael Webber (pictured at the training event in Hampshire), after he pinned her down and tried to kiss her Major General Jon Swift, Assistant Chief of the General Staff, said outside court: 'To Jaysley-Louise Becks family, we continue to offer our sincerest condolences' Parents Anthony Beck and Leighann McCready outside Salisbury and Swindon Coroners Court in Salisbury, Wiltshire, for the February 2025 inquest into Jaysley's death 'We are making improvements in how we train our people in appropriate behaviours, how we assess and select our leaders, and to build the trust our people place in us to address every complaint. 'Following Jaysleys inquest, work is ongoing to make lasting and effective change. Change, that will give service personnel the confidence they need to report sexual offences and inappropriate behaviours, knowing that they will be listened to. Ms McCready previously said after February's inquest: 'I believe it was a cover up. It was made clear at this inquest that the army knew what had taken place but did not take Jaysley's complaint seriously and even tried to get her to change her story.' She subsequently told the Sunday Times how a letter to Jaysley from Webber, then 39, confessed to an incident on July 12, 2021 and described his own behaviour as 'absolutely unacceptable'. He concluded by telling her, 'My door will always open' - a phrase which Ms McCready said her daughter found to be dismissive. Gunner Beck had reported to military chiefs that Webber told her he had been 'waiting for a moment for them to be alone', engaged her in a drinking game called Last Man Standing before grabbing her leg and trying to kiss her. February's inquest heard she pushed him away and left the room before spending the night in her car and making a complaint to her superiors in the morning, during a stay at Thorney Island, near Emsworth, in Hampshire for an adventure training exercise. An inquiry heard evidence from witnesses about inappropriate sexual behaviour by male soldiers towards their female colleagues at Larkhill - Jaysley Beck is pictured Webber was later given a 'minor administrative action interview' over the work social event incident, with no further consequences. He was later promoted to Warrant Officer 1 (WO1) rank, the highest non-commissioned rank in the Army, in May 2022. He has since left the military. The veterans minister has today described his sentencing as 'an important step on the journey to justice'. Minister for veterans and people Louise Sandher-Jones said: 'The death of Jaysley-Louise Beck was a tragedy and her loss continues to be felt across the Army and wider defence community. 'My thoughts are with her loved ones and we remain profoundly sorry for the failure to protect her. 'Today's sentencing does not diminish the profound loss felt by her family, friends and the wider community, but it does represent an important step on the journey to justice. 'Let me be clear: there is no place for criminal or unacceptable behaviours within the military. 'All those who choose to serve our country, particularly our newest recruits, must be able to do so free from abuse, and with the dignity and respect they deserve. Gunner Jaysley Beck, who joined the military aged 16, died at her Wiltshire base in 2021 'We are honouring Jaysley's legacy by bringing about crucial reform, to provide a place where people are proud to work and have faith in the service justice system. 'The Army has accepted the failings identified by the service inquiry in full and has also responded to the recommendations to improve service life across its culture, policies and practices. 'However, there is more work to be done. As a minister and Army veteran, this mission is deeply personal to me and I am committed to driving the necessary change to prevent this from happening again." In a statement responding to Webber's guilty plea last month, Ms McCready said: 'We are relieved that Michael Webber has admitted his guilt and not put us through the trauma of yet more legal proceedings, but nothing can undo the devastating loss of our beautiful daughter Jaysley.' She described how her daughter had done 'everything right' in reporting the attack 'immediately, not once but twice' - but senior Army officers did not alert the police. Ms McCready added: 'If they had done that one simple thing, we believe with all our hearts she would still be with us today.' The family's lawyer Emma Norton said: 'What an enormous difference it would have made if the Army and its chain of command had just listened to Jaysley when she first told them about the assault and reported it to the police, instead of trying to persuade her it wasn't that serious.' It was only after February's inquest ruling and a request from Gunner Beck's family to Wiltshire Police, that a file was sent to the the Service Prosecuting Authority who then charged Webber with sexual assault. She was found to have taken her own life over 'relentless' harassment during her service The coroner at the earlier hearing was told of Gunner Beck being traumatised not only by Webber's attack but also the actions of three other officers - one of whom she had a long-distance affair, another who bombarded her with WhatsApp messages and another with whom she socialised on the night of her death. In an Army statement following February's inquest verdict, the head of Army Personnel Services Group, Brigadier Melissa Emmett, said: 'On behalf of the Chief of the General Staff, I wish to extend the Armys deepest condolences to Jaysleys family and friends and to offer them our sincerest apologies for the failings that the Coroner has identified during this inquest. 'We should have done so much more to support and protect her. 'Jaysley was exactly the kind of person the Army needs, and she was excelling at her job. Her friends described her as someone who was kind, funny and always putting others before herself. 'The three years since Jaysleys sad death have seen significant changes in the Army, including the introduction of clear and unequivocal policies to state that there will be Zero Tolerance to unacceptable sexual behaviours. 'These changes are being embedded throughout our culture, policies, and enduring practices across every part of the Army. 'There is more work to do, and the evidence heard in this inquest reminds us how important it is to make lasting and effective change. 'It is my hope that such change will give service personnel the confidence they need to report sexual offences and inappropriate behaviours, knowing that they will be listened to. 'We are absolutely clear that everyone must play a role in building and upholding the respectful, professional environment we all need to thrive.' For confidential support, call Samaritans on 116 123 or visit samaritans.org. Three 'wolf-type animals' have been rounded up by police after they were spotted prowling the streets. Terrified locals called officers to report sights of 'howling' animals roaming Station Lane in Preston, Lancashire. The canines, which resemble wolves, were finally caught by specially trained dog handlers yesterday afternoon. Since catching them, the force is making enquiries to ascertain 'what type of animal they are'. Residents have speculated they could be 'coyotes or golden jackals' - which are both not native to Britain - and questioned how they came to be on the streets of Lancashire. Others said they could be 'wolfdogs', a hybrid breed of a domestic dog with a wolf. Wolves were once common across the British Isles until they went extinct around 1680 following a combination of deforestation and hunting by humans. Lancashire Police were finally able to capture the animals yesterday afternoon following reports that 'howling wolves' were 'roaming the neighbourhood' In recent decades, there have been numerous proposals to reintroduce the predators back to the UK. Lancashire Police said: 'You may have seen some speculation online about some animals found in the Barton area of Preston earlier today, and we want to provide you with some context. 'At around 4:15pm we received a report of what were thought to be wolf-type animals roaming in the Station Lane area. 'Officers, including our specially trained dog handlers attended, and the three animals have been secured and taken to a safe location. 'Enquiries into what type of animal they are, are ongoing, and once those enquiries have been conducted, they will be handed over to the relevant authorities. 'We know this might have caused some discussion in the community, so we thought it important to provide you with this update and reassure you that there is not thought to be any risk to the public. 'Thank you to those who made reports to us or provided us with information or footage this afternoon.' Police then shared a picture of the animals in the back of a van and made light of the humorous coincidence that the 'wolves' have been found so close to Halloween. They wrote: 'Tonight our officers responded to howling reports of wolves roaming the neighbourhood. After a thorough search (and a few goosebumps) we can confirm a pack of trick or treaters were (wolf) located. 'They are now safe and sound in bed. Happy Howwwlaween!!' An alleged Brazilian gangster aged just 13 has agreed to self-deport from the US - but his mother and father are refusing to return with him. Arthur Yuri De Almeida Silva Berto announced that he's returning to his native country after he was arrested at his school in Everett, Massachusetts, earlier this month over claims he threatened to 'shoot and kill' a classmate. He is said to have been found with a five-inch Milwaukee knife. Department of Homeland Security officials claim the teenager is a member of Brazil's feared '33' gang. He has 11 previous 'interactions' with police including breaking and entering, vandalism, theft, fighting and 'flash mob' style shoplifting, according to DHS officials. Berto's arrest by Immigration and Customs Enforcement sparked howls of liberal outrage, despite his lengthy alleged criminal record. It has now been revealed that he will live with his aunt and uncle when he returns to Brazil. His mother Josiele Berto and her husband claim they must stay in the United States to pursue a claim for asylum. She sought to portray her son as 'just a child' and has not explained why she is now choosing to ship him home alone. Federal officials have accused Berto, pictured here, of being a '33' gang member Berto entered the US with his family in September 2021 through the Arizona border, officials said. President Trump is seen here on Thursday evening outside of the White House The decision still needs to be officially approved by a judge, however judges representing the DHS have agreed to it, Lattarulo added. A judge previously denied him bond, citing how he 'dangerous' and a 'flight risk,' Lattarulo said earlier this month. Berto reportedly apologized after the ruling was issued and begged to see his mother. Lattarulo said that Berto, who he said appeared sad during the hearing, asked him when he would be able to 'come home.' 'He told the judge that he's sorry about everything and the judge can forgive him, but by then the judge had already ruled.' The attorney argued that the 'severity' of the allegations 'hurt' their case, which he described as being an 'uphill battle.' 'We went allegation by allegation, almost even, you could say, line by line. But the judge considered all the evidence, and unfortunately, that's [the] decision he gave us for now,' Lattarulo added. He argued that while the boy's actions were 'foolish,' he is a child and 'shouldn't have to pay for his life for that.' Lattarulo added that Berto being in federal custody was a 'wake-up call' for the teenager, who he alleged is now 'maturing' at a fast pace. The teen was a seventh-grader at Albert N Parlin School in Everett, Massachusetts, seen here Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem is seen here speaking with federal agents Berto entered the US with his family in September 2021 through the Arizona border, officials said. Josiele Berto, who claimed the family came to America in search of a better life, said she never expected something like this to happen to her child. 'My son is just a child. He's only thirteen,' she said in a statement to Newsweek. 'He was just going about his day, and now he's been taken from me. Since that moment, I haven't known if he's safe or how he's doing.' Ms Berto said she is struggling to find the strength to keep it together amid the stress of the situation. She added that younger son asked about his brother daily. She made no comment on her son's alleged criminal rap sheet. Berto's contact with police began in June last year, 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 previously said. 'Under President Trump and [Homeland Security] Secretary [Kristi] 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.' A single parking space has gone on the market for a staggering 150,000 - and that is before extra fees kick in. The space sits in a secure underground garage beneath a gated residential complex overlooking the River Thames in Fulham, south west London. But even after spending a six-figure sum for the plot, buyers will still have to cover 542 a year in service charges - paid as 271 every six months. On top of that, they will be charged 20 per year in ground rent, billed in two 10 instalments. The plot is 10.31 sq m and the owner will be able to gain access using a fob. It comes with 24-hour security and an electric vehicle charger, with its secure shutter uses ANPR. An online description says: 'This space is part of a secure underground parking facility within a gated residential complex along the River Thames.' The space is being advertised by estate agency Purplebricks, whose website calls it 'a rare opportunity to never worry about parking your car again'. The 150,000 parking space sits in a secure underground garage beneath a gated residential complex overlooking the River Thames in Fulham, south west London An online listing says: 'This space is part of a secure underground parking facility within a gated residential complex along the River Thames' It comes after a parking space in nearby Chelsea went on sale earlier this year for 165,000 or to rent for 8,500 per year - plus an annual service charge of 850. Listed by Nicolas Van Patrick, an estate agents based in Knightsbridge and Chelsea, the car parking space was described as being in a 'gated covered park' and coming with a 'store room.' A Rightmove listing said: 'We are very pleased to offer to the market secure, allocated, covered car parking spaces in this discreet Chelsea car park. 'Spaces are available on a multispace or individual basis, for sales and lettings.' The street on which the car parking space is situated, St Leonard's Terrace, has average property prices of 2.3million. Also this year, a space in Knightsbridge, west London area, was listed for 90,000 despite being too small for most cars. Interested buyers were asked to pay 40,000 for the spot - situated through a gap in the wall - and a further 46,750 to keep it for a lengthy period of time. The space's listing described it as only suitable for 'small cars' and ideally if they are 'continental-style 'left-hand drive.' The parking space up for grabs in Fulham comes with 24-hour security and an electric vehicle charger, with its secure shutter uses ANPR Even after spending a six-figure sum for the plot, buyers will still have to cover 542 a year in service charges - paid as 271 every six months This car parking space in Chelsea earlier this year hit the market for 165,000 This car parking space in Knightsbridge - which could only be accessed via a gap in the wall - was listed for 90,000 Listed by the same agents as the space in Chelsea, a description of the space read: 'A single parking space suitable for a small, ideally left-hand drive vehicle. 'The space is within the Rutland Gate car park which has secure gated entry and CCTV. There is access to running water within the car park.' Meanwhile, a single outdoor space in a prime London location went on sale for an eyewatering 300,000. The price tag is more than 50,000 above the average cost of a home in Britain, which now stands at around 248,000 according to the UK Price Index. Located next to London's Hyde Park, the simple plot of land comes with two bollards and a metal chain to indicate that it is for private parking only. The standard-sized parking space has 79 years left on a 91-year lease and is just a stone's throw away from the West Carriage Drive entrance to Hyde Park. A University of Oregon student was left permanently paralyzed after being crushed by a falling tree on campus, a bombshell $16 million lawsuit alleges. Olivia Rose Edwards claims she was walking a tree-lined path on the college campus on February 24 when a 50-foot-tall white pine fell on her, fracturing her spine and leaving her lower body paralyzed. Edwards is seeking $16.3 million from the university to cover her medical expenses and compensate for pain and suffering, according to her lawsuit filed Tuesday in Lane County Circuit Court. In her filing, Edwards said the tree that fell on her 'was fatally weakened by disease or some other cause,' but alleges that the university failed 'reasonable and routine maintenance and inspection' that would have stopped it. The college junior said she was forced to walk past the tree because of fencing set up to move students away from construction work at Friendly Hall on campus. Her filing adds that an atmospheric river had hit Oregon in the days before the accident, but said the university only warned students of potential dangers that it posed on school grounds after she was hit. The university responded in a statement to say that the campus has over 4,000 trees, but it employs a team who regularly inspect the trees and remove them if deemed necessary. Spokesperson Eric Howald added: 'We are heartbroken about Ms. Edwards injuries. This was a terrible accident caused by an extreme weather event.' University of Oregon student Olivia Rose Edwards was left permanently paralyzed after being crushed by a falling tree (pictured) on campus in February, a lawsuit alleges Edwards claims she was walking a tree-lined path on the college campus on February 24 when a 50-foot-tall white pine fell on her, fracturing her spine and leaving her lower body paralyzed Edwards said in her lawsuit that university officials should have taken more precautions to protect students after the atmospheric river blew through Oregon. She said that some areas of the state were under National Weather Service advisories for strong winds. Despite the alleged risks, Edwards said that officials with the university didn't warn students about soggy grounds and wind-broken branches until after she was injured, per Oregon Live. The student, who was a junior at the time, said that her attorneys filed a legal warning of a future lawsuit a day after she was crushed by the tree. Despite the filing, Edwards further alleges that the university wood-chipped the tree, destroying 'critical evidence,' the lawsuit said. Edwards is suing the University of Oregon for $16 million, alleging that university officials failed to properly warn students of the risks posed by a storm that had blown through the campus Along with fracturing her spine, Edwards' injuries also included internal bleeding, broken ribs and pelvis, and a fractured leg. She was left permanently paralyzed from the waist down, and she says she has racked up $1.3 million in medical costs since the incident. Edwards' filing for $16 million also cited an estimated $5 million in future expenses from the injury. Rescue operators are trying to retrieve his body An Australian mountaineer has died just metres from the peak of one of Nepal's highest mountains, with his body left on the peak. Chin-Tark Chan, 49, lost his life while ascending Himlung Himal in the Annapurna range, about 150km northwest of Kathmandu, on Monday. Mr Chan's expedition group, 8K Expeditions, announced on Wednesday that he had died. He was on his way up the 7,126-metre peak when he suddenly lost consciousness about 6,100 metres up. Sherpas and guides tried to help Mr Chan when he collapsed but he could not be revived. A spokesperson from Nepal's Department of Tourism, Himal Gautam, said crews did everything they could to save Mr Chan. Helicopters flew to the sight in the hope of evacuating Mr Chan and getting him to hospital, but weather conditions were so extreme as to prevent landing. Mr Gautam said 'efforts are underway to retrieve the dead body' but heavy snow and poor weather have thus far prevented it. Chin-Tark Chan, 49, fell ill while hiking in Nepal on Monday Mr Chan had been hiking the 7,126-metre Himlung Himal in the Annapurna range, about 150km northwest of Kathmandu, at the time 8K Expeditions' Lakpa Sherpa has since notified Mr Chan's family and the Australian embassy in Kathmandu and Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has begun providing consular assistance in the matter. "We send our deepest condolences to the family at this difficult time," a spokesperson said in an email to the ABC. His body, once retrieved and brought down the mountain, is expected to be flown to the capital by Sunday. From there it will be handed over to his relatives. More than $5000 has already been raised via GoFundMe to help provide the funds for Nepal's sherpa communities and high-altitude rescue teams in their mission. 'While no words can ease this loss, we choose to honour Chinny's memory by giving back to those who make high-altitude expeditions possible, the devoted Sherpas of Nepal,' the fundraiser states. 'Sherpas risk their lives on every climb yet they often work with limited support or protection.' The director of public relations and communications for evacuation company Global Rescue, Bill McIntyre, told the publication 8K Expeditions' owner, Pemba Sherpa, personally messaged him to disclose the death of Mr Chan. His expedition operator, 8K Expeditions announced Mr Chan had died on Wednesday Terrible weather conditions on the mountain prevented Mr Chan from being rescued Mr Chan reportedly became disoriented and unable to see, describing his surroundings as 'colourless and indistinguishable'. These symptoms are consistent with snow blindness. The sherpa who had been guiding him, Kunga Sherpa, said Mr Chan began vomiting blood and bleeding from the nose soon after this. These conditions are common for people who are experiencing rapid deterioration. Because of terrible weather on the mountain safety concerns prevented any rescue helicopter from reaching Mr Chan. Guides on the mountain helped get Mr Chan to Camp 3 which was the nearest safe landing zone but poor weather conditions prevented any extraction while he was still alive. The expedition operator sent a helicopter to the location at the urging of its expedition leaders but unfortunately the hover rescue attempt failed due to poor weather. Mr Chan died later after suffering frostbite to his extremities. Nepal's Department of Tourism has assured efforts to retrieve his remains are still underway despite the poor conditions. Distressing footage showed a female migrant scream 'help me, I have my papers' as she was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers at Salt Lake City airport. Marta Brizeyda Renderos Leiva, 39, was dragged away by plainclothes agents at the Utah travel hub on Wednesday. Footage emerged of her arrest, with Leiva seen being grabbed her by the arms as she was placed in cuffs, pulling her up from the floor as she kicked out her legs and stamped her feet. She let out bloodcurdling cries as they did, saying: 'Help me, help me, I have my papers. Help me please.' It also sounded like she was shouting out for her son. Travelers were seen looking on in horror as she was dragged away. A police officer stands between the onlooking crowd and the detained woman. It is unclear why Leiva was at the airport and what triggered her arrest. In a statement, ICE identified Leiva as being in the country illegally and said she was originally from El Salvador, having entered the US in 2007. Leiva was targeted in what they described in a statement as a 'targeted enforcement operation' after being given a final order of removal in absentia in February 2020. The clip was captured by author Shannon Hale who shared it online and described what unfolded. Leiva, an El Salvador native, was caught on camera being dragged away by ICE agents on Wednesday A group of plainclothes agents conducted what ICE described as a 'targeted enforcement operation' According to Hale, Leiva was dragged away just outside of the airport security line as onlookers. She wrote: 'I hurried through the crowd and straight up to the commotion and asked an airport worker in uniform what was happening and why was no one helping her? 'They told me the men were ICE. I began to shake. I wanted to help her. She was a mom, a woman, under assault, begging for help. Why couldn't I help her? 'I think I said something like, 'We need to help her!' A uniformed police officer looked back at me and stepped more directly between me and the woman under assault. 'His body language said he was standing guard and he was prepared to stop anyone who tried to intervene. 'If this was a kidnapping, technically currently "legal" or not, at least I could record her face so her family would know what happened.' In a statement, Salt Lake City Police Department added: 'Our officer noticed the commotion and went over, and the individuals identified themselves as federal law enforcement and showed their badge. 'We did not participate in any other way, other than going to check out to see what the commotion was.' According to ICE, Leiva was given a final order of removal in absentia in February 2020 The scene unfolded inside Salt Lake International Airport, pictured here, on Wednesday After the clip surfaced the mayor of Salt Lake City Erin Mendenhall released a statement saying the incident had a 'major impact' on the community. She added: 'I am left wondering and aching from the fear and pain these types of operations keep striking in my heart and the hearts of so many of us. 'I do not know the reason for this detainment nor details about the individual, as we seldom do when ICE acts, but I do know that this incident has had a major impact on our community. 'There is so much about ICE operations that create a sense of fear, and we know well likely never receive answers to our many questions that surround them. 'What I do know is that nothing about this incident, like so many ICE operations, makes me feel safer as an American.' The Daily Mail has approached ICE for further details on the arrest. A major conservative leader's defense of Tucker Carlson's interview with Nick Fuentes has engulfed MAGA world in a blistering civil war over free speech. Heritage Foundation president Kevin Roberts released a video statement on Thursday standing by Carlson after the former Fox News host interviewed Fuentes, a far-right commentator known for spewing racist and anti-Semitic views. The 27-year-old political commentator routinely promotes anti-Israel rhetoric and has compared the Holocaust to baking cookies. Fuentes told Carlson that the country's biggest challenged to unifying was 'organized Jewry.' Following Carlson's interview, a coalition of prominent conservative voices have called for Carlson to be exiled from right-wing circles. Roberts, however, denounced the 'venomous coalition' criticizing Carlson and said 'their attempt to cancel him will fail.' The Heritage Foundation is one of the most influential Republican think tanks in the country, with revenue that exceeds $100 million. 'Christians can critique the State of Israel without being anti-Semitic, and of course, anti-Semitism should be condemned,' Roberts said. My loyalty as a Christian and as an American is to Christ first and to America always.' Roberts added, 'I disagree with, and even abhor, things that Nick Fuentes says, but canceling him is not the answer either. When we disagree with a person's thoughts and opinions, we challenge those ideas in debate, and we have seen success in this approach as we continue to dismantle the vile ideas of the left.' Tucker Carlson sparked major backlash across the conservative media sphere after he interviewed Nick Fuentes, a political commentator known for making anti-Semitic comments. Heritage Foundation president Kevin Roberts stood by Carlson's interview with Fuentes in a video statement posted on Thursday Carlson attacked 'Christian Zionists' such as Mike Huckabee and Ted Cruz for being heretics in his latest interview Carlson, during his interview with Fuentes, disagreed with the controversial political commentator on a variety of issues, but the pair found agreement over their shared critique of Israel. The former Fox News star slammed conservatives such as Mike Huckabee and Ted Cruz for being 'Christian Zionists,' adding, 'I dislike them more than anybodybecause it's Christian heresy.' Roberts released his statement on X after speculation online suggested that Heritage had cut ties with Carlson due to a pressure campaign from pro-Israel voices. The defense of Carlson created huge fallout in MAGA circles as pro-Israel conservative figures denounced Roberts. 'My mother was a Heritage board member for 40 years. You have befouled her, you rancid wretch of an amoeba,' wrote conservative editor John Podhoretz. Meanwhile, Republican Jewish Coalition CEO Matt Brooks announced the group will reassess its relationship with the Heritage Foundation. 'I am appalled, offended and disgusted that [Kevin Roberts] and Heritage would stand with Tucker Carlson and Nick Fuentes,' Brooks told Jewish Insider. Journalist Emily Schrader added, 'Tucker Carlson is a moral coward and anyone backing him has no intellectual or moral principles. Shame on you Heritage, you have betrayed every American value that exists. An absolute embarrassment to the U.S. and everything we stand for as Americans.' Prominent pro-Israel conservative voices are condemning Roberts' defense of Carlson Tablet magazine editor Park MacDougald had a very direct response to Roberts: 'What a craven piece of sh*t.' Other prominent conservative voices online approved of Roberts' decision to stand by Carlson, echoing his pro-Christian sentiment. 'Brilliant. Christ First, America Always,' wrote Federalist CEO and co-founder Sean Davis. The CEO of American Moment, a conservative non-profit dedicated to staffing Republican offices, also defended Roberts. [Roberts] has been slandered, attacked, and dismissed by the conservative establishment since 2022,' wrote Nick Solheim. 'Once again, they've all been proven wrong. Kevin's a leader for this moment, and I've never been more excited about where our movement is headed.' Turning Point USA official Gabe Guidarini praised Roberts for not attacking Carlson, adding, 'Moral courage wins.' Fuentes, the figure at the center of this controversy, responded to Roberts' video statement by thanking him for defending 'open discourse.' Fuentes thanked Roberts for 'standing up for open discourse' 'I don't know what exactly you 'abhor' about my views, but we can all agree that free speech, Christ, and America First should be the pillars of our movement.' 'Thank you for your courage in standing up for open discourse and defending Tucker against the Israel First Woke Right,' Fuentes concluded. Travelers across the United States are in for a fright this Halloween, as thousands of flights are expected to be delayed due to severe weather and staffing shortages resulting from the government shutdown. Ground delays were issued across Orlando MCO, Austin-Bergstrom Airport and Nashville International Airport due to an air traffic control staffing shortage. As of 3pm ET, 3,437 flights within, into or out of the United States have been delayed and 331 canceled, according to Flight Aware. On Thursday, 7,250 flights were delayed and 1,249 were canceled across the country. Thousands of passengers were left stranded in Orlando last night after the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced there would be 'no certified controllers for a period of time', which would 'prevent landings' at Orlando Airport, the closest major airport to both Disney World and Universal Studios. Staffing shortages have been growing since the government shutdown began on October 1. More than 13,000 air traffic controllers have been required to work without pay. Follow along for the latest updates. Sir Keir Starmer has 'no plans' to remove Andrew from the line of succession following the dramatic stripping of his prince and Duke of York title by the King. The monarch's move to formally strip his brother of his titles and HRH style effectively ends his public life and leaves him with the status of a commoner - but he remains eighth in line to the throne. As of this morning on the Royal Family's official website, Andrew - now known simply as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor - was still listed in eighth place as 'The Duke of York' in the line of succession, behind Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet of Sussex. Labour MP Jon Trickett earlier said Andrew should be removed from the line of succession to guard against an 'unimaginable family tragedy' that could make him the monarch by default or dramatically bump him up the order. His comments were echoed by independent MP Rachael Maskell, while an unnamed Labour minister said they would 'in principle' support the move. And royal expert Joe Little, the managing editor Majesty Magazine, said it would be 'tidier' to remove Andrew from the line of succession. But a Number 10 spokesman said the Prime Minister is not set to try to force the move in Parliament. They said: 'There are no plans the Government is committed to using parliamentary time to improve the lives of working people.' The former Prince Andrew must now be removed from the line of succession, MPs have said. Above: Andrew at the Order of the Garter Ceremony with his brother King Charles - then the Prince of Wales - at St George's Chapel, Windsor, in June 2007 Though asked if the Government would try to block a Private Member's Bill should one be put forward, the spokesman added: 'There are no plans to make legislative changes. 'Obviously the provisions for MPs to put forward legislation are well-established. Those would be decisions for MPs and Parliament.' The response suggests that ministers would not stand in the way of MPs were they to attempt to bring forward the measure. Andrew is a counsellor of state, but this role has previously been described as 'inactive'. Buckingham Palace announced Andrew's defenestration last night. As well as losing his prince title, he is leaving Royal Lodge, the home in Windsor he has lived in for more than 20 years. He is to move to a property on the monarch's private Sandringham Estate in Norfolk. It comes following ongoing public outcry at a series of revelations about the former Duke of York's relationship with paedophile Jeffrey Epstein and the allegations made by the late Virginia Giuffre. Asked by The Telegraph if they backed removing Andrew from the line of succession, the unnamed Labour minister told the Telegraph: 'In principle, yes'. Your browser does not support iframes. But they added: 'It's a lot of effort for someone who in reality will never be King.' Mr Trickett said: 'In the event of an unimaginable family catastrophe, Andrew could inherit the throne. 'The British people would not put up with it and this ought to be resolved so that he isnt in line at all.' Majesty Magazine's managing editor Joe Little said: 'I'm sure at some point quite soon, somebody will ask, if they've not already done so, why he hasn't been moved from the line of succession. 'Clearly it would take quite a catastrophe for him to become king given all those that are ahead of him. 'So might it not have been tidier to withdraw him from the line of succession?' However, a Number 10 spokesman today said there are 'no plans' to use legislation to remove Andrew from the line of succession. Historian Sir Anthony Seldon said Andrew would never be allowed to inherit the Crown, even in the event of a tragedy that saw him bumped up the line of succession. The King's dramatic decision to formally strip his brother of his Prince and Duke of York titles and HRH style effectively ends his public life and leaves him with the status of a commoner - but he remains eighth in line to the throne He told the Daily Mail: 'There is zero possibility, or less than zero, that he would inherit the crown. 'If there was a tragedy and it ever became close, there would be the time then to act.' Andrew's move into an as yet undisclosed private residence on the Sandringham Estate is being funded by the King. Charles will also make ongoing financial provisions for his brother. Mr Little added: 'On a personal level it must be pretty devastating and the ultimate humiliation for him, and we know him to be rather an arrogant character, but this has got to be taking its toll on him mentally. 'It would be very strange if it weren't. 'But nevertheless, the future, it's not looking particularly bleak. 'I mean, he will no longer be in Windsor, but he'll be on a private royal estate in Norfolk, and will have accommodation provided and he will be supported in other ways by his brother, the King, for whom it's been, equally, a very difficult time. From now on, the former Duke of York (pictured with the late Queen) will simply be known as Mr Andrew Mountbatten Windsor losing even his birth title of prince 'No brother would want to do this to another sibling, but clearly this sanction has become necessary, and some would argue should have been taken a long time ago.' Mr Little said the latest development is a 'big deal' not only for Andrew but also for his daughters, Princesses Eugenie and Beatrice. 'Whatever they know about their father, and I suppose their mother given the more recent revelations, they are still their parents. 'The upheaval and the tumult that the family is experiencing at the moment must be pretty devastating, you would think, on many levels,' he said. Andrew's ex-wife Sarah Ferguson is set to make her 'own arrangements' when it comes to her future, a royal source said. She currently lives with him at Royal Lodge and has done for years. China and the US can work together to accomplish more great and concrete things 09:50, October 31, 2025 By Global Times editorial ( Global Times On Thursday local time, President Xi Jinping had a meeting with US President Donald J. Trump in Busan. The two leaders held in-depth discussions on strategic and long-term issues concerning China-US relations, as well as major topics of shared interest. This meeting, which drew "intense global attention," was promptly covered and analyzed by major media outlets worldwide. Observers widely regarded the meeting as a "milestone" in China-US relations that will help "stabilize global sentiment and trade expectations, which offers a relief for global demand and supply chain." The irreplaceable strategic guiding role of head-of-state diplomacy in China-US relations was once again highlighted. This was an important strategic communication held at a critical juncture in China-US relations. The meeting, lasting one hour and 40 minutes, yielded positive outcomes and reached an important consensus, holding profound significance for both China and the US as well as for the world. It not only addressed specific bilateral concerns, but also reaffirmed, at a strategic level, how China and the US should get along with each other. The discussion provided new guidance and momentum for the stable development of bilateral ties and enhanced the world's common expectations for the further stabilization of China-US relations. As President Xi profoundly stated during the meeting, "China and the US should be partners and friends. This is what history has taught us and what reality needs." "Over the past seven decades and more, we have been working from generation to generation on the same blueprint to make it a reality. We have no intention to challenge or supplant anyone. Our focus has always been on managing China's own affairs well, improving ourselves, and sharing development opportunities with all countries across the world," Xi said. These words deeply articulate China's fundamental development goals and approach. In the past few years, many of the practical difficulties in China-US ties have largely stemmed from misguided perceptions of China among some people in the US. The so-called views emerging in the US, such as that "China's economy has peaked and is in decline" or that "China seeks to replace the US as a new hegemon," have distorted perceptions of China and seriously undermined the atmosphere for discussing China-related issues. Yet, the facts speak for themselves. Regardless of external changes, China's economy continues to show a sound and upward trajectory and its high-quality development remains a source of opportunity for the world, including the US. China's development and revitalization goes hand in hand with the vision to "Make America Great Again," and the two countries are fully able to help each other succeed and prosper together. A recent Chicago Council on Global Affairs poll showed that a majority of Americans (53 percent) now say the US should undertake friendly cooperation and engagement with China. Respondents widely view the US-China relationship as the most consequential bilateral relationship in the world, and Americans' views of China are beginning to improve after several years of sharp declines. According to the South China Morning Post, this is the first time since 2019 that a majority of Americans surveyed said they preferred a policy of "friendly" cooperation and engagement with China. This indicates that while some in Washington keep demonizing China, a return to simple, rational and mutually beneficial aspirations is emerging within US society. It is widely anticipated that this meeting will contribute to fostering more rational judgments on numerous China-related issues and cultivate greater recognition of outcomes conducive to mutual benefit and win-win cooperation between China and the US. During the meeting, President Xi emphasized that the two sides should think big and recognize the long-term benefit of cooperation and must not fall into a vicious cycle of mutual retaliation. History has repeatedly demonstrated that there are no insurmountable hurdles or unmanageable issues between China and the US. Based on the principles of mutual respect, peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation, the two countries can certainly build a constructive relationship grounded in a long-term vision. Recent twists and turns in China-US economic and trade relations have also further validated the mutually beneficial nature of the economic ties between the two countries. The consensus reached during the meeting on specific issues, such as fentanyl control cooperation, expanding agricultural trade and addressing individual cases involving relevant enterprises, fully demonstrates the inevitable trend that China-US bilateral economic and trade relations will only strengthen, not weaken. Economic and trade cooperation should continue to serve as the ballast and propulsion engine of China-US relations, not as a stumbling block or conflict point. Amid the current complex international landscape, the international community has an increasingly strong expectation for China and the US to assume leadership roles. As President Xi stated, "the world today is confronted with many tough problems. China and the US can jointly shoulder our responsibility as major countries, and work together to accomplish more great and concrete things for the good of our two countries and the whole world.'' This is not merely feasible but imperative. Cooperation between China and the US in areas, ranging from combating illegal immigration and telecommunications fraud to anti-money laundering, artificial intelligence and tackling infectious diseases, is crucial to the well-being and future of people in both nations and the world at large. Together, the two countries can achieve great things. During this meeting, President Xi emphasized that in the face of winds, waves and challenges, we should stay the right course, navigate through the complex landscape, and ensure the steady sailing forward of the giant ship of China-US relations. US President Trump expressed his hope for an even better future for both China and the US, noting that with joint efforts, the two countries can get many great things done for the world. As the world's most important bilateral relationship, people look forward to China and the US making new and greater contributions to world peace and development under the strong strategic leadership of the two heads of state. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun) An Iranian small boat migrant who came back to Britain after being deported under Labour's 'one in, one out' deal is still awaiting removal for the second time. The unnamed man was detected by Border Force when he re-entered the country on October 18 - just under two weeks ago. But Home Office sources confirmed he is still in the UK, despite earlier pledges to remove him again 'as quickly as possible'. It is unclear whether the man has brought legal challenges which are preventing the Home Office from acting more quickly. If his deportation has been blocked by a 'modern slavery' claim or a fresh application for asylum it would be a further devastating blow for Labour's already discredited deal with the French. The Home Office said 75 migrants who crossed by small boat have now been returned to France so far under the scheme, which came into operation on August 6. The total includes the 'back-and-forth' Iranian migrant. Since its launch 11,518 migrants have reached Britain illegally across the Channel. Your browser does not support iframes. Your browser does not support iframes. As part of the reciprocal deal's 'inward' route, 51 migrants have arrived in the UK. They will be given a three month visa to 'regularise' their stay here, most likely by making an asylum application. Chris Philp, the shadow home secretary, said the scheme was 'clearly no deterrent at all'. The Tory frontbencher said: 'This is what happens when a Government of human rights lawyers tries to run a border. 'Keir Starmer and Lord Hermer built their careers defending open borders. 'They dont have the backbone to stop illegal immigration or the conviction to protect our country.' Migrants crossing from northern France by dinghy last month He went on: 'The British people are sick of this weakness. 'Our borders plan is ready. Leave the ECHR, remove all illegal immigrants within a week of arrival, end the merry-go-round of appeals. 'But Keir Starmer doesnt have the backbone to do this.' Earlier this month Home Office sources confirmed the Iranian first arrived here on August 6 and was removed from Britain on September 19. Your browser does not support iframes. But he skipped a migrant shelter in Paris, where he had been housed, and headed back to the northern French coast. There he boarded a dinghy back to the UK, arriving back here less than a month after he was kicked out. He is thought to be in a Home Office immigration removal centre. In an interview last week the man said he intended to make a fresh asylum claim and alleged that he had been exploited and threatened by trafficking gangs. His repeated journeys highlighted further serious flaws in the deal agreed between Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and President Emmanuel Macron. It was trumpeted as Labour's flagship measure to tackle the Channel crisis, after the PM scrapped the Tories' Rwanda asylum scheme as one of his first acts in office. However, when it was first unveiled in the summer senior officials were unable to give an explanation of what would prevent deported migrants heading straight back to the Channel, saying only that they would be subject to the French immigration system. The Iranian was the third migrant to be removed under the scheme, after an Indian man on September 18 and an Eritrean earlier on September 19. The police officer who helped the father of missing Claudia Lawrence is facing jail after pleading guilty to child sex offences. Paul Beckwith, 53, admitted three counts of having indecent images of children and five counts of voyeurism at York Magistrates' Court on Wednesday. The disgraced officer was suspended from duty after being arrested last November, having served with North Yorkshire Police for 33 years. This included supporting Peter Lawrence by acting as their family liaison officer when he appealed for information about Peter's daughter Claudia, 35, five days after she vanished on March 18 2009. Claudia - who was a chef for the University of York - disappeared from her home in Heworth, York, and has never since been found. Her last known contact was a phone call with her mother the same night. Police believe she was murdered. Pictured: the father of missing chef Claudia Lawrence (left) and PC Paul Beckwith (right) at a press conference appealing for information about her whereabouts Pictured: Mr Lawrence with his daughter Claudia (right). Miss Lawrence, 35, was last seen returning to her home in the Heworth area of York from her job at the city's university over 16 years ago The court heard the offences were not committed while Beckwith was on duty as a police officer. Officers found he had a stash of indecent images of children - eleven of which were of the most serious category A. Two of the indecent images were category B and nine were category C. Prosecutor Sarah Tyrer said the voyeurism charges demonstrated a 'substantial breach of trust' from Beckwith, who had no previous convictions. Beckwith, of York, wore a dark suit and spoke only to confirm his name and date of birth during the hearing. He was released on conditional bail and will be sentenced at York Crown Court on November 19. Beckwith was also North Yorkshire Police's first drone operator. He previously worked as a police family liaison officer for North Yorkshire Police and as a neighbourhood police officer in Holgate. North Yorkshire Police said Beckwith was 'immediately suspended from duties' after he was arrested. A new poll shows socialist Zohran Mamdani has cemented his huge lead in the New York City mayoral race with just five days until the hotly-anticipated election. Mamdani, 34, holds a significant 25 point lead over former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo at 50 percent to 25 percent, with Republican Curtis Sliwa registering 21 percent support. The results came in the final Emerson College Polling/PIX11/The Hill survey, and showed that Mamdani has increased his overall support by seven percent - from 43 percent to 50 percent - since the same poll was conducted a month ago. Sliwa has faced mounting pressure to drop out of the race to give Cuomo a fighting chance on election day, and the pollster showed the Republican has gained eleven percent in support, from 10 percent to 21 percent, in the last month. Spencer Kimball, executive director of Emerson College Polling, said Mamdani's lead is 'built on a coalition across key demographics' in the city, including increasing his lead with black voters. Since September, Mamdani increased his support among black voters from 50 percent to 71 percent, while Cuomo dropped 10 percent in the same time. Mamdani's base is also maintained by a huge lead among young voters, with 69 percent of those under 50 revealing plans to vote for him. The poll comes as early voting in New York opened on October 25, and those who have already cast their ballot have supported the socialist candidate by 33 percent, Emerson said. A new poll shows socialist Zohran Mamdani has cemented his huge lead in the New York City mayoral race with just five days until the election Mamdani, 34, holds a significant 25 point lead over former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo (left) with Republican Curtis Sliwa (center) coming in third The Emerson poll also asked voters what their top issue was in this year's mayoral election, with 30 percent saying they believe threats to democracy to be the most important. A quarter of respondents said the economy was their top issue, and 14 percent said housing affordability was most important to them. Mamdani's healthy lead comes despite a significant push from wealthy donors and conservatives to try and upend the candidate in the home stretch of the election. High earners have already begun to move out the city in anticipation of Mamdani's victory, attempting to flee before he can enact his socialist policies, including a vow to raise taxes on wealthy New Yorkers. Experts say apartment listings have increased since Mamdani won the Democratic primary in June and things have only gotten worse. 'There is no question that there are people who are hedging that in the event Mamdani is elected they will step out of New York,' Douglas Elliman luxury realtor Frances Katzen told Daily Mail. For luxury buyers, they are also are also pulling the plug on purchasing apartments due to Mamdani's proposed policies. 'Two weeks ago, I had a couple of buyers in the $3, $4 and $5 million price point range - one I was selling a building to - who are no longer interested in buying,' added New York realtor Jay Batra. 'These people are not thrilled about the possibility of Mamdani winning.' Zohran Mamdani (center) with Senator Bernie Sanders and Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez at a campaign rally at Forest Hills Stadium in the Queens, New York, on Monday Real estate experts say apartment listings have increased in New York City since Mamdani surged into the lead earlier this year, as high earners look to flee his socialist policies In a startling poll by JL Partners for the Daily Mail this week, many residents of the Big Apple believe their home is about to spiral into a dystopian nightmare of crime and violence, boarded-up storefronts and antisemitic hate if Mamdani becomes mayor. The poll showed that many New Yorkers who do not support Mamdani are convinced he is going to 'destroy' America's biggest metropolis and crater its economy, sending shockwaves across the rest of the country. They think it could mark a return to the urban decay of the 1980s when the city was blighted by poverty, rampant crime, crumbling infrastructure and abandoned buildings. Even among Mamdani's own supporters more think he will make antisemitism in New York worse, rather than better. Asked for one word to describe what the Big Apple would be like after four years of his left-wing policies, the most common response from non-Mamdani voters was 'disaster.' They also said a Mamdani-run New York would be 'chaos,' 'hell,' 'broken,' and a 's***hole.' Your browser does not support iframes. Your browser does not support iframes. Your browser does not support iframes. The poll found New Yorkers expect a wide array of the city's problems to get worse under a 'Mayor Mamdani,' including crime, antisemitism and the economy. It found 47 percent believe levels of crime and violence will get worse, with only 32 percent saying the city would be safer under Mamdani. On the issue of crime there was a stark split among New Yorkers based on age. For voters under 30, 49 percent said they believed safety would improve under Mamdani, with 32 percent saying it would not. But among over 65s only 26 percent thought the city would be safer under Mamdani and 50 percent said it would not. Meanwhile, the poll found 43 percent of New Yorkers expect the number of businesses in the city to decrease under Mamdani, with stores going under and potential entrepreneurs forced to head elsewhere. Only 23 percent thought the number of businesses would rise under the democratic socialist. The poll showed 39 percent expected the risk of terrorism to increase under Mamdani, with only 18 percent thinking it will lessen. And 45 percent of New Yorkers thought the problem of antisemitic views in the city would get worse, with only 21 percent thinking it would improve. Even Democrats thought Mamdani would have a negative impact on antisemitism, with 29 percent saying he would make it better and 32 percent worse. The Trump administration has decided to attack military bases inside Venezuela, according to a report, as America moves into a new phase in its war on drug cartels. Naval and air bases are among the potential targets as they are suspected of being involved in the industrial supply of drugs by the infamous Tren de Aragua and Cartel de los Soles gangs. The airstrikes could be launched within days or even hours, sources told the Miami Herald. Donald Trump denied the report on Friday. When asked whether he had green-lit an attack, the president replied simply 'no' while speaking to reporters on Air Force One.' Those briefed on the plans warned that time is running out for the socialist tyrant Nicolas Maduro. The Venezuelan president is 'trapped' and at least one top general is 'willing to capture and hand him over,' a source told the Miami Herald. Trump has deployed the largest US force to the Caribbean since the Cold War and ordered 13 strikes on drug smuggling boats since the start of September, killing at least 57 alleged gangsters. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is the architect of the strategy, White House sources say, and he views Maduro's regime as an existential threat. 'You have a narco-state in Venezuela run by a cartel,' Rubio told reporters last week. 'This is an operation against narco-terrorists, the al Qaeda of the Western Hemisphere ... and they need to be dealt with.' Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump host a Halloween trick-or-treat event on the South Lawn of the White House on Thursday A member of the Bolivarian Militia holds a weapon during a rally amid rising tensions with the United States, in Caracas, Venezuela, on Thursday Trump has been striking 'narco-terrorist' boats operated by Venezuelan drug smugglers in the Caribbean Trump has made fentanyl the headline target of his drugs crackdown. The synthetic opioid killed 70,000 Americans in 2023 and was involved in around 70 percent of all drug overdose deaths. 'President Trump has been clear in his message to Maduro: stop sending drugs and criminals to our country,' said White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly. 'The president is prepared to use every element of American power to stop drugs from flooding into our homeland.' However, the vast majority of illegal fentanyl trade into the US originates or transits via Mexico while the chemicals to produce the drug come from China. Venezuela has been a transit route for Colombian cocaine for decades, but only small quantities of the white powder reach US shores from the Caribbean, most of it arrives from Mexico and the Pacific. Experts and critics argue that the operation is less about drugs, and more about pushing for regime change. Brandan Buck, a foreign policy analyst at the Cato Institute, told Fox: 'It is more likely that those strikes are part of this incremental effort to dislodge Maduro than merely an effort to wage war on the cartels. 'Pacific and overland routes through Mexico are considerably more prolific, and Venezuela itself is a relatively minor player, especially when it comes to fentanyl.' People watch and take pictures of the USS Gravely, a US Navy warship, departing the Port of Port of Spain in Trinidad and Tobago on Thursday People march during a pro-government demonstration in Caracas, Venezuela, on Thursday Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro gives a press conference in Caracas, Venezuela, September 15 Trump's motives for regime change in Venezuela are diverse and complex among them its vast oil reserves, geographic proximity, and role as a regional ally to anti-American regimes. Venezuela has the largest proven oil reserves in the world and currently 85 percent of its exports go to China. Earlier this month, Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez claimed that energy was the driving force behind America's aggression. 'For the past eight weeks, we have seen a military threat from the US government, which pursues a single fundamental goal: to seize Venezuela's oil, gas and vast reserves,' she said. 'Any attack on the country with the world's largest oil reserves would have serious consequences for the global energy landscape.' Trump sparked alarm last week when he deployed the USS Gerald R. Ford, the world's largest aircraft carrier, as part of the force, which includes 10,000 troops, multiple warships, nuclear submarines, F-35 fighter jets, MQ-9 Reaper drones, P-8 Poseidon reconnaissance planes, and B-52 bombers. Maduro also reacted with fury when a destroyer, the USS Gravely, was dispatched to Trinidad and Tobago to take part in naval drills. The island is just seven miles from Venezuela at its closest point. Venezuela claimed that the CIA was working with Trinidad and Tobago to spark a broader conflict. Caracas also said it had captured a CIA-backed 'group of mercenaries' who were preparing a 'false flag attack'. Trump sent shockwaves across Capitol Hill last month when he informed Congress that the US is now engaged in a 'non-international armed conflict.' The USS Gerald R. Ford, the world's largest aircraft carrier, seen in the North Sea during NATO Neptune Strike 2025 exercise on September 24, 2025 in the North Sea. Washington is deploying an aircraft carrier and accompanying ships to counter drug-trafficking organizations in Latin America, the Pentagon said on October 24 It allows the President to treat the cartel gangsters as 'unlawful combatants', meaning they can be killed or detained without a trial. The strikes primarily target smugglers from Venezuela where Maduro is not recognized as legitimate president by Washington. Maduro has been flooding the airwaves with propaganda that Trump is a bloodthirsty fascist who plans to invade and has mobilized tens of thousands of reservists for the onslaught he claims is coming. Trump earlier this month warned Maduro that he better not 'f*** around with America' as he spoke to reporters at the White House. The administration also stated that it had authorized the CIA to conduct covert operations inside Venezuela, a highly unusual disclosure. The drug boat strikes have alarmed Democratic lawmakers and legal scholars, who see Trump testing the limits of the law as he expands the scope of presidential power. The White House has not detailed what evidence it has against the vessels or individuals, has not said what type of munitions or platforms were used in the strikes or even what quantity of drugs the vessels were allegedly carrying. Some former military lawyers say the legal explanations given by the Trump administration for killing suspected drug traffickers at sea instead of apprehending them, fail to satisfy requirements under the law of war. This requires several criteria to be met before taking lethal action including first using non-lethal means like firing warning shots. Legal experts have also questioned why the military is carrying out the strikes instead of the Coast Guard, which is the main maritime law enforcement agency. The most stressed states in the US lean conservative, a new mental health study shows. The top three states suffering from the worst stress in America are Alaska, New Mexico and Louisiana, according to the study conducted by law firm Anidjar & Levine. Two of the three states voted Republican in the last presidential election. The study's 'stress score' for a state considered its crime data, suicide rates, cost of living, air quality, cleanliness and percentage of population living in extreme poverty. The study's key takeaway was that Americans live should not overlook where they live. For instance, Alaska's isolation from the rest of the US paired with limited sunlight in the winter directly leads to greater stress for locals. 'Living in a high-stress state affects not only your daily mood, but your physical health, decision-making, and overall safety, too,' said Marc Anidjar, the managing partner of the law firm that conducted the study. 'We've seen firsthand how chronic stress contributes to accidents, workplace injuries, and mental health emergencies that require legal support.' Your browser does not support iframes. Alaska residents are the most stressed in the US, an Anidjar & Levine studyshowed Marc Anidjar said that high stress affected 'not only your daily mood, but your physical health, decision-making and overall safety' (File photo) New Mexico followed in second place thanks to its rising crime and cost of living The state's booming cost of living - 25 percent higher than the national average - also contributed to Alaskans' unhappiness. The state's suicide rate more than tripled the rest of the US, the study said. Anidjar said: 'People dealing with constant financial strain, safety concerns, and poor living conditions face higher rates of accidents and mental health crises.' In blue New Mexico, locals were most affected by crime and the cost of living. The southern state had the second-highest suicide rate in the country at 22.76 cases per 100,000 residents. More than eight percent of New Mexico's population was estimated to be living in extreme poverty. Anidjar said: 'When people can't afford safe housing or reliable transportation, they're at greater risk for accidents. 'When they get hurt, they often lack resources for proper medical treatment or legal help.' Louisiana, the US state with the most extreme poverty, received the third-highest 'stress score' in the study The most stressed blue states were Oregon (Mt. Hood National Forest pictured left) and Washington (Seattle pictured right) Massachusetts, New Jersey and New Hampshire were the least stressed states in America, according to the study (File photo) Louisiana also struggled with poverty, ranking as the state with the most extreme poverty in the US at nine percent. Anidjar said the 'poverty crisis' in Louisiana could lead to locals experiencing 'financial desperation.' The second most stressed blue state after New Mexico was Oregon, the study said, ranking with the fifth-highest 'stress score.' Washington also cracked the top 10. On the flipside, most of the least stressed states in the US voted Democrat in the last presidential election. The only state to favor Donald Trump that ranked positively was Iowa, which came in as the fifth-least stressed. The study showed that Massachusetts, New Jersey and New Hampshire were the happiest US states - thanks to their cleanliness, social safety nets and proximity to major metropolitan areas. 'Better-resourced states like Massachusetts have stronger safety nets,' Anidjar continued. 'People have better access to healthcare, mental health services, and legal aid.' He added that locals could get help 'more easily' in those Northeast states in the case of an accident or injury. A man freed from prison under Sir Keir Starmer's early release scheme has been charged with murder. Following his early release from jail for knife offences, the man has been charged over an incident in London. The man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was released to reduce overcrowding in prisons. The charge is the most serious offence allegedly committed by a prisoner who has been released under the scheme brought about by Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood, who said that overcrowding had pushed jails to the 'point of collapse'. Ms Mahmood introduced the programme last September, with more than 38,000 criminals released from jail early under its soft justice programme. The government introduced extra sentence discounts for the majority of criminals, which allow them to be released after serving just 40 per cent of a sentence handed down by a court. June saw 4,358 offenders let out early under the programme, known as 'SDS40', the highest monthly number since October last year when there was an initial surge of backdated releases. New figures from the Ministry of Justice (MoJ) show 38,042 offenders were let out of prison under the scheme between, equating to 129 a day between September last year and this June. An inmate leaving HMP Liverpool on September 10 under the scheme (file picture) On the first day of Labour's scheme in September 2024, lags released early were seen celebrating outside jails. Pictured: People spray sparkling wine over a man who walked out of Nottingham Prison More than 1,000 serious criminals who were sentenced to more than a decade in jail have now been released early by Labour. The MoJ data showed 346 of those freed so far had been handed sentences of 14 years or more, while 710 had been ordered to serve between 10 and 14 years. Under Labour's scheme, a criminal given 14 years by a court will serve just five and a half years. Those jailed for sex crimes, terrorism and serious violent crimes carrying more than four years in jail are excluded from the early release terms. But violent offenders sentenced to less than four years can be freed early, including killers convicted of manslaughter. The data also revealed that the number of recalls to prison has risen by 13 per cent as more than 11,000 prisoners were recalled to custody between April and June, compared to 9,782 in the same period last year and 6,814 in 2023. The majority of recalls were due to non-compliance with licence conditions, but 22 per cent of recalls involved a charge of further offending. The charging of the man is expected to bring about a review into possible further offences to see if anything could have been done differently before his early release, The Times reported. Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick said: 'Under this Government crime pays. 'Already 38,000 offenders have been released early - and soon tens of thousands will avoid prison altogether. 'Criminals will be licking their lips, free to offend and wreck our communities all over again.' Your browser does not support iframes. Under the Sentencing Bill, currently going through Parliament, courts will no longer impose jail terms of less than 12 months other than in 'exceptional circumstances'. Criminals convicted of serious violence or sex offences would be freed after half their term, rather than the current three-quarters point. Most other offenders could be released after serving just a third of their sentence. Ms Mahmood has since been moved to the Home Office, where she is responsible for ensuring police are catching criminals, who are then let out of jail by her former department. The early release scheme is now overseen by Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Secretary David Lammy. The Ministry of Justice said: 'This government inherited a prison system in crisis and took decisive action to stop our prisons from collapsing. Public protection is our number one priority. That is why offenders out on licence face strict conditions such as exclusion zones and being tagged, and they can be brought back to prison if they break these rules. 'We are building 14,000 prison places with 2,500 opened since last July and reforming sentencing so our jails are never left to run out of space again.' Birmingham City Council was probably never bankrupt, a group of experts have claimed. The Labour-run local authority imposed a wave of swingeing cuts to local services and announced a fire sale of assets after issuing a section 114 notice two years ago, effectively declaring it bankrupt. But now a group of 35 experts and academics have urged Communities Secretary Steve Reed to launch a public inquiry into the council's decision - after analysis suggested it had underestimated the funds at its disposal by 1.4 billion. Dr James Brackley, of the University of Glasgow, undertook research comparing the figures used by the council to justify the move to subsequent figures in its accounts which were belatedly published in July this year. 'These accounts show that the reserves position put forward by the Council at the time of the bankruptcy now appears to have been materially incorrect, to such an extent that it now appears that the Council was likely never bankrupt,' the analysis concluded. An open letter signed by the experts has called on the Government to investigate 'how and why such a damaging section 114 notice could have been initiated based on unaudited and, as has now come to light, materially incorrect accounting information'. It raises yet more embarrassing questions for the crisis-stricken council, which has this year been embroiled in rows for attempting to tear down Union Jacks from lampposts - while leaving Palestine flags in place - and failing to resolve a bin strike. The walkout by bin workers at the start of the year resulted in mountains of fetid waste piling up on the pavements across Britain's second city. At the time it declared bankruptcy, the council blamed a combination of ruinous liabilities from equal pay claims, which it said surpassed 760 million, and the fallout from a bungled IT scheme, called Oracle, which had cost 100 million. But in their open letter, the group of academics and experts expressed concern that 'crucial figures' were 'materially misstated', adding: 'We are concerned that the issues underlying the Birmingham case could be repeated as other authorities enter into financial difficulty.' Birmingham City Council imposed a wave of cuts to local services and announced a fire sale of assets after issuing a section 114 notice two years ago, effectively declaring it bankrupt The analysis found that the general fund of the council in its 2022-24 accounts was around 784 million, as opposed to the 677 million deficit that the council had forecast for its 2023-24 reserves. This was a result of the council underestimating its reserves, incorrectly omitting other funds and overestimating how much it would face in liabilities from equal pay claims, the analysis concluded. The accompanying letter called for an inquiry to 'learn lessons of the Birmingham case, provide answers to the people of Birmingham, and, crucially, ensure that these lessons inform the upcoming programme of local audit reform'. Responding to the analysis, the Labour leader of the council, Cllr John Cotton suggested the council's parlous financial position was partly due to '14 years of crippling Tory cuts' that he claimed cost Birmingham more than 1 billion. He said: 'My focus over the last two years has been on dealing with equal pay, the re-implementation of Oracle and with tackling a huge budget deficit. We continue to make progress on all three. 'Oracle remains on track, last week we signed an agreement with UNISON and GMB to settle the outstanding equal pay claims brought by the two unions, and crucially, this year we're on track to deliver a balanced revenue budget without the need for exceptional financial support for the first time in several years.' The council also said that when the section 114 notice was issued, it was facing a budget shortfall of 87 million and had not yet secured Government approval to cover its equal pay liability through either borrowing or selling off assets. The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) said the decision to issue the notice had been taken locally. An spokesman said: 'Birmingham City Council has made progress on its reform and recovery, but challenges remain, which is why commissioners continue to support the council to deliver for local people." Two selfie loving sisters nicknamed 'The Kardashians' were caught by police when a package containing 10,000 of cannabis was accidentally delivered to a neighbour. Paris Connolly, 33, and 26-year old sibling Destiny peddled crack cocaine, heroin and cannabis to addicts using a hotline known as 'Kyzer'. The judge warned the pair to beware of 'bad men' after they were 'coerced' into becoming traffickers by violent drug dealer and abusive boyfriend of Destiny, Jack Harrison. Harrison, 29, the father of Destiny's child, was said to have been the 'prime mover' in a drugs operation which saw more than 2,500 flare messages sent out to addicts via text using the hotline. The sisters - who are both mothers and 'lookalikes' of American reality TV stars Kim and Kourtney Kardashian - were arrested after three parcels stuffed with cannabis were mistakenly delivered to Paris's neighbour. One of the parcels was given to Destiny but the other two were passed to police. When Paris's phone was examined, officers found incriminating messages in which Destiny told her that Harrison wanted her involved in the drugs racket. In one message Paris complained she was doing more drug trafficking then Destiny and told her: 'You are sniffing more than work!' Paris Connolly (left) and Destiny Connolly (right) - the sisters known as the 'Kardashians' who flogged cocaine and heroine but were caught after a drugs parcels was delivered to a neighbour by mistake Pictured: Jack Harrison, 29, who 'coerced' the pair into becoming drug traffickers and was the father of Destiny's child It emerged they had been peddling drugs between March 3 2024 and August 12 2024. At Minshull Street Crown Court, Manchester, Paris, of Oldham, pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of crack cocaine and Destiny from Harphurhey pleaded guilty to being concerned in supply of crack cocaine, heroin and cannabis. They faced up to seven years jail under sentencing guidelines, but wept as Judge Michael Hayton KC told them they would not being going to prison. He warned the pair: 'Do not get involved with blokes like Jack Harrison. One of the reasons I am not sending you to prison today is Jack Harrison - who it is clear to me is the prime mover behind what you were involved in. 'He is a bad man and you should avoid bad men. They can hurt you and can get you involved in offences,' the judge told the pair. 'There were also messages which support the fact that he was carrying out domestic violence as part of his domestic relationship. 'I am conscious of Jack Harrison's role and it is very significant that the prosecution does not seek a proceeds of crime application against you. 'That tells me there are no Jimmy Choo shoes at home. You were not making lots of money from this - somebody else was making the money.' Pictured: Paris Connolly,33, who peddled drugs to addicts with her sister using a hotline known as 'Kyzer' Pictured: Destiny Connolly, 26, the 'Kardashian lookalike' who was arrested after three parcels stuffed with cannabis were accidentally posted to Paris's neighbour He sentenced both sisters to two years in prison, suspended for two years, with 100 hours of unpaid work and 20 days of rehabilitation activity. Harrison, from Blackley, was jailed for six years and two months at an earlier hearing after being found guilty of possession with intent to supply Class A drugs and dangerous driving. The investigation began in May last year when one of Paris' neighbours received three parcels. One was passed onto Destiny but the other two, containing 9,000 worth of cannabis 'runtz' and 'lemon cherry gelato', were given to police. Alison Whalley, prosecuting said: 'Destiny Connolly and a male attended at this address asking for the remaining two packages. 'The male did become aggressive at the doorstep stating that the parcels contained 6,500. He demanded either it or the parcel. It is believed that this male was Jack Harrison. 'In July 2024 police attributed a telephone number ending 8881 to being a drug line Kyzer advertising drugs for sale via flare messages. 'Between July 30 and August 3 there were a total of 2,511 messages selling crack cocaine and heroin. The number was attributed to Destiny Connolly.' Miss Whalley said that messages were investigated and between March and June 2024 messages were shared between the sisters regarding crack cocaine, making up deals and the price of drugs. The sisters were warned by the judge to beware of 'bad men' after they were 'coerced' into becoming traffickers by violent drug dealer Jack Harrison, 29 Pictured: Paris Connolly. When Paris's phone was examined, officers found incriminating messages in which Destiny told her that Harrison wanted her involved in the drugs racket Pictured: Paris Connolly. It emerged that she and her sister had been peddling drugs between March 3 2024 and August 12 2024 At Minshull Street Crown Court, Manchester, Paris (pictured), of Oldham, pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of crack cocaine She added: 'Destiny asked Paris if she wished to work and she said, 'Jack will bring it over now if you do'. 'There was also a reference to there being an argument all the time between Destiny and Jack. There were arguments between the sisters. One believes is doing more work. Paris accuses Destiny of sniffing more than work. 'Both sisters were arrested and their property searched on March 13 2025. 'Destiny had one mobile phone seized while at Paris's property police seized a Nokia mobile phone, two iPhones, bulking agents, scales, snap bags, cannabis in a Louis Vuitton bag and a Stanley knife. 'There were traces of cocaine found on this item. The knife was used to cut cocaine and the scales were used to weigh it for supply.' The sisters' defence, Ellen Shaw, said: 'They have a relatively low chance of reoffending. 'Coming to court and having these experiences has left them upset and disturbed. 'Their primary concern is their children and other family and the impact their behaviour has had on people they love.' A failed asylum seeker who raped a young woman after marching her out of a York nightclub was notorious for targeting lone women there, a court heard. Eid Anwar Fathi Najjar, 20, arrived in the UK illegally on a small boat three years ago and now faces a lengthy prison sentence after being branded 'a sexual predator'. His victim - described by witnesses as 'completely out of it' - had become separated from her friends during a pub crawl in the popular tourist city in the early hours of July 6. Najjar stopped the 'intoxicated' victim from trying to escape his clutches after singling her out at the Vudu Lounge in York's Swinegate by holding her in a 'tight grip', a court heard. When the woman tried to get a taxi, Najjar frogmarched her in the other direction. She was later seen walking around the city centre partially naked after being raped by Najjar, apparently in an alleyway. Najjar, understood to be originally from Egypt, was traced after CCTV from the nightclub was examined. He was due to stand trial for rape next week, but at a hearing yesterday he changed his plea to guilty and also admitted sexually assaulting the woman. 'Sexual predator' Eid Anwar Fathi Najjar, 20, a failed asylum seeker who came to Britain on a small boat in 2022, raped the 'intoxicated' victim after she became separated from her friends during a York pub crawl in the early hours of July 6 Failed asylum seeker Eid Anwar Fathi Najjar had only been at Vudu Lounge in York (pictured) for a matter of minutes when he singled out his victim, holding her in a 'tight grip' and marching her outside before raping her At a short hearing where he was assisted by an Egyptian Arabic interpreter he was remanded in custody ahead of his sentencing in December. Details can now be reported from a preliminary hearing at York Magistrates' Court on when Chimwemwe Chabwera outlined the case for the prosecution. She said the victim - who cannot be named for legal reasons - had been out drinking in city centre bars with friends and 'recalls little of what happened before and after the incident'. At some point on the pub crawl, she parted company with her friends and ended up in the Vudu Lounge, 'but she doesn't remember what happened after that'. 'The next thing she remembers is being outside her front door with an unknown male,' said Ms Chabwera. 'She wasn't wearing any trousers or knickers (and) her bag was missing. She was unable to remember the code for her (door) key safe. 'She remembers being in the Shambles Marketplace with the same male. 'She got her bag and trousers back but not her knickers. Her trousers were dirty but not damaged.' The victim was later found wandering half-naked through York's historic Shambles area (pictured) Later, two brothers were walking through Shambles Market when they spotted a partially naked woman in the street looking 'visibly distressed and confused'. 'She didn't have a mobile or handbag and couldn't answer questions,' said Ms Chabwera. 'She seemed intoxicated. They suggested taking her back to Shambles Market to try and find her handbag. 'They found this with her phone in an alleyway.' As they were walking back to her home, they saw a passing police van and flagged it down. Ms Chabwera said the woman told officers she wasn't sure what had happened, but she 'felt like she had had a sexual encounter'. 'This frightened her because she had no recollection of it,' added the prosecutor. 'She is clear that she would not have consented to having sex with someone she had just met on a night out and having sex in a public location. 'She had bruising to her right arm and thigh.' Police carried out CCTV enquiries which led them to the Vudu Lounge where footage showed her 'swaying, stumbling and bumping into people'. Najjar is understood to have been at the venue for only a matter of minutes when he singled her out. Within ten minutes he was seen 'holding her in a tight grip and leading her out' as she tried to push him away, the court heard. 'A member of security staff said he told Najjar to leave her alone as she was intoxicated and vulnerable,' Ms Chabwera said. The doorman was then distracted by something else as Najjar led the woman out of the bar. Najjar was arrested at his home in the city where he initially gave a false name before confirming his true identity after police carried out checks. He initially falsely claimed to have had consensual sex with the woman, lying that she was sober and that she herself took off her clothes and removed his clothing. After being shown the CCTV footage which contradicted his account of events he answered no comment. Ms Chabwera said it was the prosecution's case that Najjar was a 'sexual predator' who targeted a vulnerable, lone woman. She said that doormen at Vudu Lounge said Najjar was notorious for targeting lone women in the bar and they had seen him doing this on previous occasions. 'Najjar entered the country illegally in a small boat in 2022,' she added. 'He is a failed asylum seeker; he has no right to remain.' Graham Parkin, representing Najjar at the July hearing, said his client's asylum claim had been closed. He added, however, that when he spoke to Immigration Services that same week, he was told there was no intention at that stage of seeking to remove Najjar from the UK. At yesterday's hearing Judge Sean Morris, the Recorder of York, adjourned sentence to December for a probation report but told Najjar: 'A custodial sentence in this case is inevitable. It's just a question of how long.' Mohammed Abrahim Abuzet, 25, of Bradford, was also arrested and charged with rape over the incident but denied the allegation which prosecutors have now withdrawn. The Home Office was approached for comment. A convicted killer who was released on licence when he stabbed his pregnant partner to death has been jailed for 42 years. Cowardly double murderer Shaine March refused to leave his cell as he was sentenced for slashing his girlfriend Alana Odysseos 23 times. His partner, 32, was in the early stages of pregnancy with her third child when she was knifed at her home in Walthamstow, east London, early on July 22, 2024. March, 47, had admitted her murder on the seventh day of his trial earlier this month after an expert no longer supported his claim of diminished responsibility. Jurors were not told that March had been convicted of murder before. March was 21 when he fatally stabbed 17-year-old Andre Drummond in the neck at a McDonald's restaurant in Denmark Hill, south London, in January 2000. Following his release on a life licence in early 2013, he was recalled to jail later that year after he stamped on the stomach of another pregnant girlfriend in July and was released again in February 2018. March also had convictions for assault and criminal damage from 1995. Convicted killer Shaine March, who was released on licence when he stabbed his pregnant partner to death, has been jailed for 42 years The cowardly double murderer refused to leave his cell as he was sentenced for slashing his girlfriend Alana Odysseos, pictured, 23 times The court was told Ms Odysseos knew about March's murder conviction and safeguarding checks had been made by probation services. But when the defendant said their relationship had ended amicably, no further checks were made. Hours before killing Ms Odysseos, March had argued with her about whether to abort their unborn child, with the victim heard to say: 'I don't want to kill my baby.' On Friday, Mr Justice Murray jailed March for life with a minimum term of 42 years. The senior judge rejected calls from Ms Odysseos's family and the prosecution for a whole life order but noted that, given his age, March may never be released. The murderer had appeared in court by videolink from Belmarsh prison, having initially refused to come to the Old Bailey. He made no reaction as members of Ms Odysseos's family told of the devastating impact of her murder. Mother Karen Cronin said: 'Alana, my beautiful kind and loving daughter, left this earth in the most callous and brutal way imaginable. The couple pictured together. Ms Odysseos was in the early stages of pregnancy with her third child when she was knifed at her home in Walthamstow, east London 'The person who has done this to my daughter - who I don't think deserves the respect of using his name - is evil and a coward. Why did he have to resort to the level of violence he used? 'The anger I feel towards him doesn't feel Christian so I can no longer go to Church. I will never have forgiveness in my heart. 'I want him to die in prison. He should never be let out.' Father Alan Yates said his daughter was a 'happy-go-lucky' much-loved mother who was 'kind and considerate' and would stick up for what she believed in. He said something changed after she met March and she became a 'timid vulnerable person who was not our Alana'. Mr Yates said: 'I hope a sentence is given that means Shaine March will never cause another family the pain and loss we are suffering. It is unimaginable and we will never get over our loss. 'Every day I wonder why he didn't walk away. Alana was pregnant with his child. This meant nothing to him.' The court heard statements from her three sisters, including Lorraine Schofield who said March was a 'monster' and 'evil, disgusting coward'. Father Alan Yates, pictured outside the Old Bailey on Friday, said his daughter was a 'happy-go-lucky' much-loved mother who was 'kind and considerate' She told the court: 'All Alana wanted was to be loved. The baby she so desperately wanted to protect that night was taken away.' Sister Jasmine Yates told March: 'You took more than one life that night. You took Alana, you took the baby she was carrying, the child she was excited about. 'I fear if you are ever released you will kill again.' Prosecutor Louise Oakley argued for a whole life order - meaning Marsh would never be released - given the 'exceptionally high' level of offending. Speaking outside court, Ms Odysseos's father said of the sentence: 'I'm very pleased. He will be 90 before he is released. I wish it had been a life order but I'm glad he got 42 years at least.' Asked if the probation service could have done more, Mr Yates told reporters they were 'stupid' to led March out of prison at all. And if his daughter had been told he attacked a previous pregnant girlfriend, he doubted she would have had anything to do with him. He added: 'They need to bring a harder punishment for all these attacks going on. And women they (are) really get attacked every day and something needs to be done.' Ms Odysseos's mother told reporters that 'justice has been served'. Ms Cronin said: 'We were initially hoping for a lifelong sentence but I have to say we are pleased with the outcome - 42 years. 'Nothing will bring my daughter back. But he will not be able to do this to anyone else, he will never be able to hurt anybody else again.' Previously the court had heard how police were alerted by members of the public in Lynmouth Road who found Ms Odysseos outside her home wearing a nightie and dressing gown and clutching her right side. Bleeding from multiple stab wounds to her body, she pointed at the defendant standing nearby and shouted: 'Shaine stabbed me, he stabbed me. Help, help.' March walked away as Ms Odysseos died on the ground outside her address despite the efforts of police and paramedics, jurors heard. She had suffered stab wounds to her chest, stomach, pelvis, shoulders, buttocks, right arm, thighs and lower legs. Before throwing his mobile phone in a drain, March recorded a voice note saying: 'Mum, I just killed a woman, and I'm going back to jail.' At 4.41am, staff at Creams Cafe in Walthamstow called 999 to report finding a man covered in blood who told them he had killed his wife and child. Following his arrest, March told police: 'I did it. I killed her Alana Odysseos. I killed her hahahaha.' As he was put into a police van, he went on to asked to be put in jail 'where I belong', saying he was 'scum' and deserved it. The defendant later told a prison officer that he 'saw red' and stabbed his girlfriend with a knife from the kitchen after arguing about a pair of his trainers. While in handcuffs and accompanied by two officers, March kicked the head of a fellow detainee, knocking three of his teeth out, the court had heard. Samantha Yelland, of the Crown Prosecution Service, said: 'Shaine March committed an unimaginable crime when he made the conscious decision to take away the life of his pregnant partner and her defenceless baby. 'His previous offending revealed a worrying pattern of emotional and physical abuse, and he showed no remorse when he was being arrested on suspicion of Alana's murder. 'March tried to suggest that he had available to him the partial defence of diminished responsibility - but we were determined to ensure he faced the full force of the law after the monstrous crimes he had committed.' The beaten-up cars parked outside the rundown flat had become such a familiar sight that locals had stopped noticing them. Their shifty-looking drivers would rock up at all hours of the day and night, usually accompanied by teenage girls with glazed expressions on their faces. Once they had disappeared inside the tenement building, the women would be out of sight, out of mind. It was only much later that neighbours learned the true horror of what was taking place behind closed doors in that squalid flat in Bright Street, Lochee, a district of the Scottish city of Dundee. Photographs taken by police forensics officers can only hint at the utter depravity of what happened to a string of vulnerable women who were plied with drink and drugs before being subjected to a catalogue of appalling sexual abuse by a merciless band of predators. In the corner of one room is a dirty bed with a stained mattress; in another, discarded bottles of alcohol, litter and filthy carpet. Another photo shows drug paraphernalia stacked on shelves alongside hairspray, eyeshadow palettes and sunglasses. Such scenes were repeated at other addresses scattered across the city centre, where a ruthless Romanian grooming gang targeted, trafficked and trapped their helpless victims in a life of sordid exploitation. The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service took photographs of the interior of a brothel on Bright Street in Dundee, Scotland The gang latched onto each of the women after they had fallen on hard times, luring them with the promise of friendship, if not romance. But the parties would soon take a darker twist as the women aged between 16 and 30 would be made to take part in sleazy sex games, like Truth or dare and Spin the bottle, fuelled by an endless supply of crack cocaine and whisky. Then they would be raped. Repeatedly. Often by more than one gang member at a time. Their friends turned out to be monsters, whose ultimate aim was to force their victims into a life of prostitution. In one disturbing video posted online by the gangs ringleader Mircea Cumpanasoiu, 38, he can be seen smoking behind the wheel of his VW, as he blasts out the 50 Cent hit P.I.M.P.. At the end of the video, he winks at the camera. One of Cumpanasoius victims, a 16-year-old girl, was forced into prostitution after he and his brother-in-law, Remus Stan, set up a profile of her on a website and drove her to meet men to have sex with. The girl later said she was sold a pipe dream of how she could make lots of money from selling her body but Cumpanasoiu became angry when her earnings failed to match his expectations. A video was found on his phone which showed the victim climbing a tree, with Cumpanasoiu threatening: Because you do not make money, you stay all day in the tree. Last week, in a landmark case, Cumpanasoiu described as a winking, smirking pimp was jailed for 24 years for raping 10 women during his reign of terror that spanned 2021 and 2022. His accomplices, Cristian Urlateanu, 41, Alexandra Bugonea, 34, Catalin Dobre, 45, and Stan, 35, were also locked up following a six-week trial at the High Court in Glasgow. But any sense of relief at the news that the group has been taken off the streets is tempered by fears that grooming gangs have become endemic, operating in virtually every town and city in Scotland. Figures published earlier this year suggest that 650 cases of child sexual exploitation have been recorded in Scotland since 2016, when the category was added to the Child Protection Register after the Rotherham grooming scandal. But the concern is that many more cases a year go unrecorded as many victims, whether through fear or mistrust, are unwilling to contact the police. So far, however, First Minister John Swinney has refused to follow the example of the UK Government and commission an independent report into the scandal. Police forensic photographs can hint at what happened to a string of vulnerable women who were plied with drink and drugs before being subjected to appalling sexual abuse Another photo shows drug paraphernalia stacked on shelves alongside hairspray, eyeshadow palettes and sunglasses This is despite the fact investigators looking into the Dundee case quickly noticed that it bore chilling echoes of the grooming and sex exploitation networks uncovered in places such as Rotherham and Telford. The Scottish Tories have been pushing for a separate probe into rape gangs north of the border ever since gangs were busted in Glasgow and Edinburgh. And last month, they lodged amendments to the Scottish Governments Victims, Witnesses, and Justice Reform Bill in a bid to force the commissioner to conduct a Scottish gangs inquiry but they were voted down by the SNP. Shadow justice spokesman Liam Kerr claimed there was a terrifying lack of detail on grooming gangs in Scotland, adding that there is a real risk the nation will fall behind in dealing with child sexual abuse if the Government buries its head in the sand. One leading victims advocate warned that the scale of the grooming-gangs problem was far bigger than many people realise because it is hidden away. Sandra Brown, founder of the Moira Anderson Foundation, which supports victims of abuse, said: Our charity has existed for 25 years and we have come across these gangs time and time again. The big thing these groups have in common is that they are highly organised. They could be anybody, you could walk down the street and pass these men and you would never know it. Certainly, the Dundee gang took advantage of such a gap in the public consciousness. Privately, of course, many harboured suspicions about the unusual activity at shabby properties in Castle Street, Perth Road, Meadowside and Gellatly Street, some of which were run as brothels. One local said: We were here during the day and saw those involved turning up in a beat-up BMW. There would be customers waiting to get access to the block on Castle Street it had a pin code. They would either wait over the road or at the flat entrance for the code to be sent. The customers could be anything from 20 to 60 years plus. The girls who worked there would be getting dropped off and picked up. They were holding big wads of cash sometimes. The gang even used the shared bins area to fly-tip soiled mattresses. We did report it to police after becoming concerned but we were shocked to read the full extent of whats been going on, added the source. The gangs ringleader Mircea Cumpanasoiu, 38, forced a 16-year-old girl into prostitution after setting up a profile of her on a website and driving her to meet men to have sex with Cumpanasoiu's brother-in-law, Remus Stan, 35, was also locked up following a six-week trial at the High Court in Glasgow One man, who works locally, told Dundees leading local newspaper, The Courier: The thing is, this wasnt happening in the dead of night it was happening in plain sight. The gang would get parking tickets on Castle Street and just rip them up. All five members of the gang were arrested after police began investigating tip-offs about the trafficking of foreign women into the Dundee sex trade in 2021. It sparked a separate 2021 enquiry, Operation Recloir, which quickly focused on the flat in Lochee, one of the most deprived communities in the UK. Once the hub of the citys thriving jute industry, the closure of the mills in the 1980s led to rising unemployment and sowed the seeds of a drugs-death epidemic which still claims roughly one victim a week. It becomes a ghost town after 5pm because the law-abiding fear to tread the streets. In August, the area fell under global scrutiny when a 12-year-old girl was charged with possession of offensive weapons after a confrontation was captured on a smartphone clip between two schoolgirls and a Bulgarian man outside a Farmfoods shop, just off Lochee high street. Now the focus is on the gangs. Detective Chief Inspector Scott Carswell, who led the police enquiry, said the scale and nature of the offending was truly shocking. The Romanians, the detective said, really homed in on the womens vulnerability. We know that they led chaotic lifestyles, some were immature, out partying, he said. One of them had lost her kids. What was apparent was that they all were quite attractive and had been kind of lured into a party life and into drugs. He added that a lot of the women believed they had an exclusive relationship with Cumpanasoiu, known as Mario. This boyfriend scenario is a familiar ploy in grooming cases. The vulnerable females were just looking for someone to care for them, I suppose, said Carswell. And this crowd came in and it was all very nice. And then, at some point, it wasnt. At first, the detective said, it was difficult to grasp a picture of the criminality: Normally we have victims of crime coming to us, whereas here we had information that these girls were being exploited sexually and given free drugs and it was up to us to go out and make them realise they were victims of crime because they didnt realise it at the time. Also, they were only aware of their own circumstances while we had the bigger picture. Cristian Urlateanu, 41, was found guilty of nine charges including rape, assault, living off the earnings of prostitution and the supply of cocaine Alexandra Bugonea, 35, was convicted of one rape and illegal sexual activity with another Catalin Dobre, 45, also known as Luigi, was found guilty of five charges including the gang rape of one woman alongside Urlateanu and Stan The bigger picture was grim: It was clear that they were trying to groom the females, and there was certainly evidence that one had been moved into prostitution and was being advertised on the website as a prostitute. And I think that would have been the end goal for others as well to make the organised crime group money. Carswell accepted that the Dundee gang was not an isolated example and that grooming was far more widespread a problem. In terms of grooming and exploitation, you only have to look at the news just now to understand where we are, he said. This result for Police Scotland shows we are taking it seriously. The sad thing is we needed this all to happen before we were able to stop it. The gang came to Scotland as economic migrants and some worked as fast food delivery drivers, cruising the streets looking for prey. We didnt know a lot about their background but we believe they had been in and out of Scotland from time to time, said Carswell. It was very difficult to ascertain their relationship to each other. Some were said to be related and they had marriages and children elsewhere in Romania. During the six-week trial, it was said there were so many young women passing through their orbit that the gang struggled to remember who they all were. In total, police identified around 25 victims including two Romanians of whom ten were prepared to speak up in court. Prosecutors said it was only thanks to their exceptional bravery as witnesses that the gang was brought to trial. They gave harrowing testimony of their brutal treatment. The court heard how Urlateanu and his then partner Bugonea, a prostitute who advertised online, teamed up to rape one victim. Jurors were also told how Urlateanu, Stan and Dobre gang-raped one woman after feeding her a substance which made her feel rotten. Cumpanasoiu was handed an extended sentence comprising 20 years in custody and four years of supervision upon release. Urlateanu was sentenced to 18 years followed by a two-year extension period of supervision. Stan was jailed for 12 years, Dobre for 10 years and Bugonea for eight years. Stan will also be subject to a Trafficking and Exploitation Prevention Order for a period of five years after his release from prison. All five were added to the sex offenders register indefinitely. After the verdicts, it emerged Urlateanu, his lover Bugonea and Dobre had fled abroad while awaiting trial. The first two were eventually traced in Belgium and extradited to Scotland in 2024, while Dobre was found in the Czech Republic. Before they were led away to start their sentences, trial judge Lord Scott told them they had caused untold trauma to those they had abused: Your victims are now survivors, albeit they are permanently damaged by what you did to them. But their crimes have cast a dark shadow across Scotland. Having won this fight, DCI Carswell, for one, is too experienced to imagine that the police have won the war against the grooming gangs. He cannot say with any certainty, for instance, that the Romanians have not already been replaced by another gang. I think it would be naive to think that hasnt [happened], if Im being honest. Regardless of what the crime is, theres always folk looking for opportunity. All we can do is carry on trying to catch them. A pair of greedy sisters were filmed attacking supermarket staff and hurling racist slurs while allegedly stealing lobster, steaks and truffle butter. Olivia L Byrd, 37, and Rahjane J Byrd, 28, were caught on camera swinging at employees inside a Market Basket in West Bridgewater, Massachusetts, last weekend. Footage captured inside the store caught the moment the two punched an employee and hurled bags at them while shouting their heads off. One of the sisters was seen clobbering a worker in the head, while the other charged at another employee, swinging a blue bag at them. As the attacks continue Olivia could be heard frequently shouting the n-word, as the two screamed obscenities in the faces of workers. 'Touch me again and I'll f****** kill you n*****, touch me again I warned you, you p****', Olivia roared. The shouting continued, as she added: 'Don't you ever run up on me, do something p****, do something p****. You a p**** n*****'. The violence erupted after the Byrd siblings were stopped while trying to flee with high-priced food they are accused of failing to pay for. They were arrested by officers outside. Sisters Olivia and Rahjane Byrd are seen attacking staff at a Boston supermarket last week The pair, who were filmed hurling racist slurs, are accused of trying to steal luxurious food Police said they discovered high-priced items including lobster, ribeye steaks and truffle butter in one of their bags. According to officers the pair never paid for the items and were subsequently confronted by employees, which led to the frenzied outburst. They were taken into custody and arraigned in Brockton District Court on Monday before being released on their own personal recognizance. Court documents seen by NBC Boston said that the pair claimed to have been filling an Instacart order. Olivia is alleged to have told police they had filled out the order but it was canceled by the customer. When police asked for proof of this, Olivia told them it had disappeared from her phone, the papers add. They are facing charges of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, assault and battery, shoplifting and disorderly conduct. Jeff Cuddy managed to catch the bust-up on his phone and posted it to social media after stopping at the store to buy steaks. He told NBC Boston: 'I had my cellphone on me, because I had my grocery list on there, obviously. I look over and they are fighting like crazy.' Unseemly footage shows the siblings warring with supermarket staff. They were arrested shortly afterwards The two are facing multiple charges including assault and battery with a dangerous weapon. They are due back in court on December 17 Cuddy told the outlet that throughout the whole ordeal staff inside remained cordial despite the violent outburst. In a post to his Facebook, he said that officers managed to apprehend the two as they loaded their mini van. His clip of the outburst gained over 500,000 views on Facebook, with users praising staff. One person commented: 'Those employees showed amazing restraint', another added: 'Wow, those guys are patient and kind.' The sisters are due back in court on December 17, according to records. Andrew Mountbatten Windsor might have been given his marching orders but it's business as usual for the Prince and Princess of Wales. William and Kate have taken to social media to share their hopes for a 'better world' less than a day after the Prince's uncle was unceremoniously shown the door. The couple shared a post on their Kensington Royal X account detailing the final three finalists for the Earthshot Prize, William's pet project that recognises and awards funds to groundbreaking environmental research projects. A twominute-long video which does not feature the couple details how three projects in Barbados, the Bangladesh and the USA are helping to protect people and mitigate against climate change. This is the fifth day in a row that the Waleses have shared a video on Earthshot finalists, having posted a video each day this week since Monday detailing three different initiatives doing their part to save the planet. And it seems not even the news around Andrew will deter the Prince of Wales from promoting the Earthshot Prize, a personal project that is close to his heart. Writing on X, the Prince and Princess said: 'We envision a world thats a better, more sustainable home for everyone. 'A world where greenhouse gas emissions are falling, and carbonneutral economies help protect the most vulnerable. A world like this is within reach.' William and Kate have carried on as normal in the wake of Andrew's effective expulsion from royal life (pictured at the funeral of the Duchess of Kent last month) The Waleses posted on X earlier this afternoon to share more finalists in line for the Earthshot Prize envisioning a 'world that's better' Andrew, Virginia Giuffre and sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell in a photo reportedly taken in 2001, when Giuffre was 17 years old They then began to post an 'October rewind', recapping their engagements over the last month including a visit by the Prince to the London Ambulance Service headquarters to mark its 60th anniversary. The posts came less than a day after Buckingham Palace announced that the King had begun the formal process of stripping Andrew of his HRH style as well as his titles and honours. Under the arrangement understood to have come from the King himself, with no direction from the rest of the family or the government Andrew will be required to vacate Royal Lodge at Windsor and has surrendered the right to be a 'prince'. He is now, effectively, in the words of one government minister, an 'ordinary member of the public' but will live under his brother's keep at Sandringham Estate in Norfolk, where the King was spotted earlier today. In a decisively cold statement, the Palace said: 'Prince Andrew will now be known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor. 'These censures are deemed necessary, notwithstanding the fact that he continues to deny the allegations against him.' Pointedly, it added of the King and Queen: 'Their Majesties wish to make clear that their thoughts and utmost sympathies have been, and will remain with, the victims and survivors of any and all forms of abuse.' A Kensington Palace source said: 'The Royal Family, including the Prince of Wales, fully support the King's leadership on this matter. These decisions have been the King's, with the support of the wider family.' The decision to all but banish Andrew from royal life has prompted the family of Virginia Giuffre, who alleged to have been sexually assaulted by the exduke, to 'come clean' about his relationship with paedophile Jeffrey Epstein. Andrew lied in his disastrous 2019 Newsnight interview that he had ceased contact with Epstein in December 2010, but bombshell emails obtained by the Daily Mail revealed that he continued to keep in contact into 2011. In one email, he even vowed to the convicted child sex offender that 'we are in this together' and that they would 'keep in close touch' and 'play some more soon'. Buckingham Palace released a public statement announcing Andrew would no longer be a prince Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, as he is now known, the last time he was seen in public driving out of Royal Lodge a month ago King Charles was seen for the first time since announcing his brother's effective banishment looking pensive as he drove around Sandringham estate today Andrew adopted an increasingly evasive approach to answering questions on his friendship with the paedophile Jeffrey Epstein (pictured) Your browser does not support iframes. Speaking to Sky News, Ms Giuffre's sisterinlaw Amanda Roberts said she would tell Andrew: 'Think of your daughters [Beatrice and Eugenie]. They were the same age. 'Think of what you would do had something like this happened to them. What would you want their perpetrator to do? 'I think it's far beyond time to come clean. You were best friends with this man [Epstein] and there are so many things that you could help bring to light. 'Virginia deserves that and every single survivor that has been entrapped in that sex trafficking ring deserves that from you. If you can give an inkling of justice, then it should be on you to do.' Sky Roberts, Ms Giuffre's brother, added that he would like to meet the King, and has urged Charles to lean on Donald Trump in order to see the socalled 'Epstein Files' released. 'If the King says he stands with survivors and victims then meet with us and have a conversation with us,' he added. Andrew will be banished to a private household on the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk, kept by his brother. As yet, he may be in Royal Lodge for some time to avoid an 'awkward' runin with his relatives at Christmas on the estate, where the royals usually mark the festive period and could receive a 500,000 payout for the early termination of his 'ironclad' lease. 'It is a process notice must be given, then the lease must be surrendered and other formalities completed,' a source said. While he has been all but cast out from royal life with no titles, peerages or even the right to call himself a 'prince' royal expert Joe Little, managing editor of Majesty Magazine, questioned why he remains eighth in line to the throne. He said this morning: 'I'm sure at some point quite soon, somebody will ask, if they've not already done so, why he hasn't been moved from the line of succession. 'Clearly it would take quite a catastrophe for him to become king given all those that are ahead of him. So might it not have been tidier to withdraw him from the line of succession?' Sky and Amanda Roberts, Virginia Giuffre's brother and sisterinlaw, have praised King Charles for stripping Andrew of his titles and have said they would welcome a meeting with the King with 'open arms' William first announced the Earthshot finalists earlier this month and has been detailing them in posts on X all this week As a commoner, Mr Mountbatten Windsor is unlikely to enjoy the same level of protections that came with his princely status and could even be compelled into visiting the US to testify on allegations against him, or his friendship with Epstein. Trade minister Sir Chris Bryant told BBC Breakfast: 'I think that just as with any ordinary member of the public, if there were requests from another jurisdiction of this kind, I would expect any decentlyminded person to comply with that request.' He added: 'What I'm basically saying is that I think that if Andrew is asked to do something by a Senate committee, then I would have thought that he would want to comply.' Andrew is still facing the prospect of a private prosecution at the hands of antimonarchy campaign group Republic, which announced that it had instructed lawyers to begin an investigation with a view to pursuing court action. The Daily Mail understands the allegations it is focusing on relate to accusations he sexually assaulted Ms Giuffre, that he asked a royal protection officer to look into her background and impropriety when he served as an official UK trade envoy. The 15 finalists for the Earthshot Prize were first announced by William on October 4. Five finalists will be awarded 1million each to go towards their work, for a total of 50 winners by 2030 - by which time the Prince hopes to see practicable solutions for reviving Earth's oceans, ecosystems, air and climate. He unveiled the 2025 shortlist with a video showing him sat beneath a oak tree where he had sat shortly after launching the contest for the first time in 2020. He said of warnings then that greenhouse gases needed to be cut by 2030: 'Back then, a decade felt a long time. George was seven, Charlotte five and Louis two; the thought of them in 2030 felt a lifetime away. 'But today, as we stand halfway through this critical decade, 2030 feels very real.' The Earthshot Prize will be awarded on November 5 at the Museum of Tomorrow in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, five days before the Latin American country hosts the Cop30 UN climate change summit. A Native American tribe seized a Minnesota pilot's plane after he made an emergency landing on their land, citing a decadesold law the tribe claimed gave them control of the aircraft. Darrin Smedsmo was flying over the Red Lake Indian Reservation when his singleengine Stinson airplane suddenly stopped working midair. With less than three minutes until disaster, the experienced pilot was forced to land on a paved state road below. Moments later, Smedsmo's plane was confiscated by tribal police, who claimed he did not have the authority to fly it over their reservation. If he wants his plane back, he will have to suffer through a tribal trial starting November 3. 'The land is theirs, but they are claiming the air is theirs,' Smedsmo told AIN. 'They don't control the air. That is basically untenable.' The Roseau, Minnesota, native was traveling from his home city to Bemidji as his Stinson aircraft malfunctioned. Darrin Smedsmo was forced to make an emergency landing on the Red Lake Indian Reservation when his plane suffered engine failure mid-air Smedsmo had his plane taken by tribal police, who claimed he was banned from flying it over their land 'Well, today was the day,' Smedsmo recalled on Facebook. '3500 [feet] and the engine made a little noise, [and] pretty soon no noise [at] all.' 'I don't know what happened, but the engine seized. I safely landed on the highway. Thankful,' he added. A state worker who was also Smedsmo's neighbor came to his aid. He helped remove the fallen plane from the road and called the tribal police for further help. 'Bad news,' a Red Lake officer said, apparently having spoken to tribal chief Darrell G. Seki, Sr. 'We're going to do what the chairman said.' Smedsmo was told his plane had violated the tribe's 1978 law banning 'any airplane' from flying over Red Lake lands at less than 20,000 feet. Red Lake Tribal Council chairman Darrell G. Seki, Sr. apparently told law enforcement to confiscate Smedsmo's plane His singleengine Stinson aircraft remains at the reservation for now The resolution from the Red Lake tribal council read: 'Be it further resolved, that there is hereby established an air ban prohibiting the flying of any airplane over the lands of the Red Lake Band of Chippewa Indians at an altitude of less than 20,000 feet.' Local authorities subsequently hauled off Smedsmo's plane in a rolloff flatbed. The pilot said he had never seen any maps indicating that Red Lake was a nofly zone. In order to potentially retrieve his plane, Smedsmo will have to go to tribal court on November 3. The Minnesota Pilots Association and the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association are working with the Roseau man to find a solution. Both organizations helped Smedsmo retain an attorney for the unlikely legal process. The unnamed lawyer told AIN: 'While the Red Lake Band has sovereignty over their land, Supreme Court precedent limits their jurisdiction over nonmembers.' Randy Corfman, the president of Minnesota Pilots Association, wrote on Facebook that federal law barred 'any potential local law on airspace use.' Smedsmo's tribal trial is scheduled to commence November 3 Red Lake officers said a decadesold law the tribe claimed gave them control of the plane A 1978 Red Lake tribal council resolution planes were prohibited from flying over their reservation at less than 20,000 feet He has told pilots to avoid flying over Red Lake. 'You never can predict when you're going to have an engine failure,' he told the Minneapolis Star Tribune. 'It's going to impact not only pilots in Minnesota, but it's going to impact pilots all over the country.' The tribe's resolution was originally passed to discourage highspeed military flights over Red Lake, which 'seriously' affected its 6,000 residents. Smedsmo claimed his aircraft was now being stored by the tribe 'behind a fence' with a '24/7 security guard.' He expressed concern about his plane's condition: 'It's out in the open. It's a 1946 airplane, not worth much with a bad engine, but worth less every day. 'The electronics in there aren't supposed to get wet.' In 2002, the Red Lake's tribal police seized a Pine River, Minnesota, man's plane after he landed it near a private lake and began fishing. Justin Fuhrer, then 33, paid a $4,000 fine after more than one month of negotiations to recover his Cessna 172 aircraft. As King Charles III moved to strip his younger brother Andrew of his Prince title and housing at the Royal Lodge last night, there was one woman who firmly and calmly stood by his side. Queen Camilla, 78, may not take up the limelight when it comes to the royals' family matters, but stands strongly behind her husband, 76, in the couple's commitment to recognising and supporting victims of abuse. The shock announcement from Buckingham Palace on Thursday night saw Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, as he will now be known, stripped of the last of his titles and birthright privileges. It came after a series of embarrassments for the disgraced former Duke of York in relation to his friendship with convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein. After the revelation in the Mail that Andrew told Epstein they were 'in it together', after the publication of a photograph of him with Virginia Giuffre, to the publication of Ms Giuffre's memoir, it has not been a good few weeks for the royal family. Andrew has never truly shaken his relationship with Epstein after Ms Giuffre, who took her own life aged 41 earlier this year, alleged she had been trafficked and forced to have sex with the royal on three occasions. The King and Queen will now hope they can finally move on from Andrew's antics and look to the future of the monarchy, rather than the past. And as Camilla has demonstrated throughout her public life, this includes focusing on the victims of abuse, rather than the alleged perpetrators. Queen Camilla , 78, may not take up the limelight when it comes to the royals' family matters, but stands strongly behind her husband, 76, in the couple's commitment to recognising and supporting victims of abuse The shock announcement from Buckingham Palace on Thursday night saw Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, as he will now be known, stripped of the last of his titles and birthright privileges In the King's statement last night, it was perhaps his wife's influence that saw a strong departure from their previous stance on Andrew, as they looked to speak to Epstein's victims. 'His Majesty has today initiated a formal process to remove the style, titles and honours of Prince Andrew,' the statement read. 'Prince Andrew will now be known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor. 'His lease on Royal Lodge has, to date, provided him with legal protection to continue in residence. 'Formal notice has now been served to surrender the lease and he will move to alternative private accommodation. 'These censures are deemed necessary, notwithstanding the fact that he continues to deny the allegations against him. 'Their Majesties wish to make clear that their thoughts and utmost sympathies have been, and will remain with, the victims and survivors of any and all forms of abuse.' It is that last line that is reflected through the Queen's work to support women, tackle sexual violence and meet with some of the most vulnerable people in society. In 2013 Queen Camilla began her own initiative, Wash Bag, which provided SARCs with wash kits for victims of sexual assault and rape Queen Camilla poses for a photo with guests at a reception to mark the relaunch of the Wash Bags project, at Buckingham Palace, in May 2024 It was telling that just days before Ms Giuffre's memoir, which contains more embarrassing allegations against Andrew, was set to be released that the King initially moved to sanction his younger brother. Last week it was announced that Andrew would lose titles including his Dukedom, but no mention of his role as 'prince' was made. Yet by last night, the monarch had decided that position was no longer tenable, and Andrew was relegated from prince to Mr Mountbatten Windsor, a decision that was no doubt supported by his wife. Asked whether the Queen felt Andrew was distracting from her work, a palace source said: 'The decision was The King's, as a result of Andrew's serious errors of judgement. 'Whilst Their Majesties sympathies for victims are clearly expressed in the statement, and Her Majesty The Queen is committed to her work in the area, the decision was taken due to those errors of judgment, and the whole wider family were supportive.' For more almost two decades, Camilla has worked with organisations that support victims of rape and sexual assault and advocated for women's rights. The Queen herself has spoken about being assaulted on a train as a teenager, revealing she bravely fought off her attacker with her shoe and reported him to authorities, leading to his arrest. She has since taken the issue to heart and has conducted countless engagements related to preventing and supporting victims of sexual violence. After visiting a series of rape crisis centres in 2009, the Queen opened multiple sexual assault referral centres (SARCs) and in 2013 began her own initiative, Wash Bag, which provided SARCs with wash kits for those who attended the centres. Today, the programme is run by high street chain Boots and has seen the distribution of more than 10,000 bags to vulnerable women. Camilla met with staff and volunteers who help victims of domestic violence in Florence, Italy in 2017 Camilla with TV star Zara McDermott during her visit to Paddington Haven, a sexual assault referral centre in West London, in February 2022 Britain's Queen Camilla, accompanied by Executive Secretary of the International Union of Superiors General Sister Roxanne Schares, meets with nuns whose work includes advocacy for human trafficking victims in Rome last week In the same year, she brought together national stakeholders and policy makers involved in supporting victims of rape and sexual abuse, marking the first occasion such a wide range of organisations had been brought together. She is the patron of charity Barnardo's, with which she has a particular focus on tackling child sexual exploitation, and has visited UNICEF programmes set up to face the same issue in countries including Montenegro. The Queen has devoted significant amounts of time meeting and speaking with rape victims, including attending a rape crisis centre in Croydon and listening to the stories of women who were attacked during the Kosovan conflict. In 2021, she became the patron of Nigeria's first ever sexual assault referral centre, Mirabel, and departed from royal protocol by speaking out in strong terms following the rape and murder of Sarah Everard by a serving Met Police officer. The Queen expressed her heartfelt shock after Ms Everard's body was discovered, and urged both men and women to break down the 'culture of silence' that exists around sexual assault. The King's wife has been an outspoken supporter of victims of domestic violence, and hosted a reception at Clarence House in 2016 to encourage collaboration between different agencies with roles in tackling it. She has visited organisations such as Refuge and Women'sAid, and is the patron of domestic abuse charity SafeLives. Internationally, Camilla has made contributions to tackling domestic violence around the world, visiting the Dubai Foundation for Women and Children in 2016, hosting a roundtable on the subject in Adelaide, Australia and attending support centres for victims in New Zealand. As Queen, she also hosted a reception in 2022 to celebrate Refuge's 50th anniversary. Elsewhere in 2017, Queen Camilla met with victims of human trafficking in Italy as she continued her work to prevent exploitation of vulnerable people. Just last week, she met with Catholic nuns during her and the King's trip to Rome, where they also met the Pope. She took time out of her schedule to speak with the sister from the International Union of Superiors General, who are involved in advocacy work including the prevention of human trafficking. A convicted killer shouted 'I regret nothing' as he was held in a police van after stabbing his pregnant girlfriend to death while on licence for murdering a teenager. Shaine March has since been jailed for 42 years for slashing his girlfriend Alana Odysseos 23 times because she refused to get an abortion. Ms Odysseis, 32, was in the early stages of pregnancy with her third child when she was knifed at her home in Walthamstow, east London, early on July 22, 2024. March, 47, admitted her murder on the seventh day of his trial earlier this month after an expert no longer supported his claim of diminished responsibility. Jurors were not told that March had been convicted of murder before. March was 21 when he fatally stabbed 17-year-old Andre Drummond in the neck at a McDonald's restaurant in Denmark Hill, south London, in January 2000. Following his release on a life licence in early 2013, he was recalled to jail later that year after he stamped on the stomach of another pregnant girlfriend in July and was released again in February 2018. March also had convictions for assault and criminal damage from 1995. Convicted killer Shaine March, who was released on licence when he stabbed his pregnant partner to death, has been jailed for 42 years The cowardly double murderer refused to leave his cell as he was sentenced for slashing his girlfriend Alana Odysseos, pictured, 23 times The court was told Ms Odysseos knew about March's murder conviction and safeguarding checks had been made by probation services. But when the defendant said their relationship had ended amicably, no further checks were made. Hours before killing Ms Odysseos, March had argued with her about whether to abort their unborn child, with the victim heard to say: 'I don't want to kill my baby.' On Friday, Mr Justice Murray jailed March for life with a minimum term of 42 years. The senior judge rejected calls from Ms Odysseos's family and the prosecution for a whole life order but noted that, given his age, March may never be released. The murderer had appeared in court by videolink from Belmarsh prison, having initially refused to come to the Old Bailey. He made no reaction as members of Ms Odysseos's family told of the devastating impact of her murder. Mother Karen Cronin said: 'Alana, my beautiful kind and loving daughter, left this earth in the most callous and brutal way imaginable. The couple pictured together. Ms Odysseos was in the early stages of pregnancy with her third child when she was knifed at her home in Walthamstow, east London 'The person who has done this to my daughter - who I don't think deserves the respect of using his name - is evil and a coward. Why did he have to resort to the level of violence he used? 'The anger I feel towards him doesn't feel Christian so I can no longer go to Church. I will never have forgiveness in my heart. 'I want him to die in prison. He should never be let out.' Father Alan Yates said his daughter was a 'happy-go-lucky' much-loved mother who was 'kind and considerate' and would stick up for what she believed in. He said something changed after she met March and she became a 'timid vulnerable person who was not our Alana'. Mr Yates said: 'I hope a sentence is given that means Shaine March will never cause another family the pain and loss we are suffering. It is unimaginable and we will never get over our loss. 'Every day I wonder why he didn't walk away. Alana was pregnant with his child. This meant nothing to him.' The court heard statements from her three sisters, including Lorraine Schofield who said March was a 'monster' and 'evil, disgusting coward'. Father Alan Yates, pictured outside the Old Bailey on Friday, said his daughter was a 'happy-go-lucky' much-loved mother who was 'kind and considerate' She told the court: 'All Alana wanted was to be loved. The baby she so desperately wanted to protect that night was taken away.' Sister Jasmine Yates told March: 'You took more than one life that night. You took Alana, you took the baby she was carrying, the child she was excited about. 'I fear if you are ever released you will kill again.' Prosecutor Louise Oakley argued for a whole life order - meaning Marsh would never be released - given the 'exceptionally high' level of offending. Speaking outside court, Ms Odysseos's father said of the sentence: 'I'm very pleased. He will be 90 before he is released. I wish it had been a life order but I'm glad he got 42 years at least.' Asked if the probation service could have done more, Mr Yates told reporters they were 'stupid' to let March out of prison at all. And if his daughter had been told he attacked a previous pregnant girlfriend, he doubted she would have had anything to do with him. He added: 'They need to bring a harder punishment for all these attacks going on. And women they (are) really get attacked every day and something needs to be done.' Ms Odysseos's mother told reporters that 'justice has been served'. Ms Cronin said: 'We were initially hoping for a lifelong sentence but I have to say we are pleased with the outcome - 42 years. 'Nothing will bring my daughter back. But he will not be able to do this to anyone else, he will never be able to hurt anybody else again.' Previously the court had heard how police were alerted by members of the public in Lynmouth Road who found Ms Odysseos outside her home wearing a nightie and dressing gown and clutching her right side. Bleeding from multiple stab wounds to her body, she pointed at the defendant standing nearby and shouted: 'Shaine stabbed me, he stabbed me. Help, help.' March walked away as Ms Odysseos died on the ground outside her address despite the efforts of police and paramedics, jurors heard. She had suffered stab wounds to her chest, stomach, pelvis, shoulders, buttocks, right arm, thighs and lower legs. Before throwing his mobile phone in a drain, March recorded a voice note saying: 'Mum, I just killed a woman, and I'm going back to jail.' At 4.41am, staff at Creams Cafe in Walthamstow called 999 to report finding a man covered in blood who told them he had killed his wife and child. Following his arrest, March told police: 'I did it. I killed her Alana Odysseos. I killed her hahahaha.' As he was put into a police van, he went on to ask to be put in jail 'where I belong', saying he was 'scum' and deserved it. The defendant later told a prison officer that he 'saw red' and stabbed his girlfriend with a knife from the kitchen after arguing about a pair of his trainers. While in handcuffs and accompanied by two officers, March kicked the head of a fellow detainee, knocking three of his teeth out, the court had heard. Samantha Yelland, of the Crown Prosecution Service, said: 'Shaine March committed an unimaginable crime when he made the conscious decision to take away the life of his pregnant partner and her defenceless baby. 'His previous offending revealed a worrying pattern of emotional and physical abuse, and he showed no remorse when he was being arrested on suspicion of Alana's murder. 'March tried to suggest that he had available to him the partial defence of diminished responsibility - but we were determined to ensure he faced the full force of the law after the monstrous crimes he had committed.' A bungling thief who stole more than 5,000 worth of goods from Damien Hirst's studio while wearing a GPS-enabled ankle tag has been jailed. Liam Middleton-Gomm, 36, broke into Thames Wharf Studios, in west London, on June 30 and stole about 5,130 of goods including multiple leather jackets and a Dior pram with silver skulls on the wheels. The burglar, who has dozens of previous convictions, was caught by police who were able to trace his movements via his ankle tag, Kingston Crown Court heard. Middleton-Gomm smashed the window beside a fire exit and reached in to activate its shutter and enter the building. He attended the studio on two occasions that evening and went to his father's property twice with some of the stolen goods, the court heard. The prosecution said Middleton-Gomm's father, Leslie Gomm, 62, did not know the studio was being burgled. Leslie Gomm previously pleaded guilty to handling stolen goods for his son's benefit and was given a one-year conditional discharge on Thursday. He had been in custody for three-and-a-half months before his sentencing. Liam Middleton-Gomm, 36,(pictured) broke into Thames Wharf Studios in west London on June 30 and stole about 5,130 of goods including multiple leather jackets and a Dior pram with silver skulls on the wheels Bristol-born, Leeds-raised artist Hirst (pictured) came to attention in 1988 when he was a student at Goldsmiths, University of London His father, Leslie Gomm, 62, (pictured) of Fulham, west London, previously pleaded guilty to handling stolen goods for his son's benefit and was given a one-year conditional discharge on Thursday Pictured: A Damien Hirst leather jacket. Hirst's best-known artwork includes a pickled shark, a rotting cow's head and diamond-encrusted skull Police charged the burglar after examining data from his GPS ankle tag and DNA at the scene, Mr Andrews told the court. Judge Martyn Barklem sentenced Middleton-Gomm to 32 months in prison and said: 'You were actually wearing a GPS tag that was part of your licence conditions when you were carrying out these offences.' He added: 'Your appalling previous record is of course a serious aggravating factor'. The court heard Middleton-Gomm has 39 previous convictions involving 83 offences including multiple house burglaries. Kathleen Mulhern, defending Middleton-Gomm, said her client had a 'significant fall' in 2023 that caused injuries to his spine and pelvis and lasting pain that is treated by a 'quite strong' painkiller. Judge Barklem confirmed that the fall happened 'while running away from police, resulting in a metal pole in his back'. Middleton-Gomm, of no fixed abode, had pleaded guilty to two counts of burgling Hirst's riverside studio. He was also sentenced for two house burglaries on July 9 and July 17, as well as the attempted burglary of a property on July 9. Bristol-born, Leeds-raised artist Hirst came to attention in 1988 when he was a student at Goldsmiths, University of London, where he conceived and curated the group exhibition Freeze. Hirst's best-known artwork includes a pickled shark, a rotting cow's head and diamond-encrusted skull. He won the Turner Prize in 1995 for his formaldehyde-preserved cow and calf, called Mother And Child, Divided. Lord James Timpson, the minister for prisons, said in a statement released after the hearing: 'Our GPS tags send a clear message to offenders: if you break the law, we'll know where you've been and justice will come for you. 'This case proves just how effective tags can be and we're increasing their use to punish offenders, prevent crime and make our streets safer.' More than 22,000 offenders and defendants were wearing an electronic tag as of September 2025 - a record high. The Government plans to tag thousands more criminals during the next three years as part of its reforms. A top secret military aircraft crashed close to the iconic Area 51 base, with the government accused of covering up the details. The mystery object went down on September 23, just outside the boundaries of the famous Nevada base, which sits 120 miles northwest of Las Vegas. It happened public land near Highway 375, also known as the E.T. Highway, a popular destination for UFO enthusiasts. New details and audio have since emerged, suggesting a massive overnight operation and a swift, coordinated cover-up. According to George Knapp, an investigative journalist with KLAS and UFO expert, the official story from the military is 'pure fiction.' Knapp revealed to KLAS that he spoke with Joerg Arnu, a longtime Area 51 observer who monitors radio traffic from the base 24 hours a day on his website Dreamland Resort. Click here to view Arnu's YouTube channel. On the morning of the crash, Arnu heard a chilling transmission: 'All foot patrols be advised, there's a UAV, unmanned, unmanned aircraft with ordnance.' UAV stands for unmanned aerial vehicle - military parlance for a drone. Joerg Arnu, pictured, captured audio following what he says was the crash of a top secret aircraft at Area 51 last month Photos of Area 51 taken from the sky. The base that sits 120 miles north of Las Vegas is one of the most secretive places in the world It's unclear whether the message referred to a drone that had crashed or one monitoring the crash site. But Arnu believes something serious went wrong during a secret nighttime air operation. Security forces quickly locked down much of Tikaboo Valley, which surrounds Area 51, deploying armed patrols and blocking off roads. A military helicopter with a cargo basket and portable toilets suggested a long-term recovery effort. 'Almost the entire valley was shut down,' Arnu said. 'They meant business.' Locals in Rachel, Nevada, noticed the heightened security but were kept in the dark. Arnu attempted to reach the site, but was turned away by armed guards. Days later, he returned and found a newly plowed dirt road leading to what appeared to be a staging area. But the real crash site was nearby, marked by burned Joshua trees and buried debris. Arnu and fellow aerospace sleuths discovered fragments that didn't match a standard drone, suggesting misdirection by the military. Arnu believes this is the site of last month's crash and pointed out burned Joshua trees as evidence of a disaster Another close-up shot of Area 51 buildings taken in 2020. The base sits in the middle of an enormous secure zone A helicopter was seen marking off part of a road that had been closed after last months crash The Air Force later claimed the crash involved a Reaper drone from Creech Air Force Base, and accused someone of tampering with the site by scattering unrelated debris and a training bomb. The FBI was reportedly investigating. Arnu dismissed the explanation as a tactic to discourage further investigation: 'That's absolutely bogus. I think that was designed to make people not go there.' He believes the military couldn't recover every piece of the wreckage, so they buried the site and planted misleading debris. On Arnu's website, members, including former military and defense contractors, speculate the downed craft may have been a next-generation AI-controlled drone, capable of operating autonomously alongside fighter jets. Area 51 has long captured the public imagination over claims it is where the US government stores crashed alien spacecraft. The base is actually where ultra-top secret aircraft and weapons technology is tested. Tire tracks close to Area 51 that Joerg Arnu says are evidence of a recovery operation following the crash of a top secret aircraft last month It covers more than 4,500 square miles and is centered around a dry lake bed known as groom lake on which multiple runways have been constructed. Area 51 is surrounded by a 575-square-mile no fly zone. While it doesn't have a physical border, it is closely monitored by censors, with anyone who dares to trespass warned by signs that they may be shot on sight. Much of the tech used at Area 51 is so secret that it is never revealed to the public. The base is so remote that new aircraft tested there can be concealed in total secrecy before their existence is eventually made public. An aviation school has released a statement after one of its helicopters crashed and killed a 70-year-old man and injured three other people in Doncaster. The aircraft understood to belong to Kuki Helicopters plummeted into a field in the Bentley area of the South Yorkshire city just after 10am on Thursday morning. Police, fire and ambulance crews rushed to the site on Ings Road, where the aviation school's helicopter had come to a rest on its side, with the rotor nowhere to be seen. The man, who was a passenger in the helicopter, was treated for 'serious injuries' by medics. But despite their best efforts, he was sadly pronounced dead at the scene. His family is being supported by officers. The male pilot, 41, and two other passengers - a woman, 58, and a boy, ten - received minor injuries. And the aviation school which owns the helicopter - and says on social media it has a '100 per cent safety record' - has now released a statement on the tragic accident. Kuki Helicopters wrote in an Instagram post on Friday evening: 'At this very sad time, our thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of all those involved in the helicopter incident that occurred yesterday. The aircraft understood to belong to Kuki Helicopters plummeted into a field (pictured) in the Bentley area of the South Yorkshire city just after 10am on Thursday morning The aviation school which owns the helicopter - and says on social media it has a '100 per cent safety record' - has now released a statement (pictured) on the tragic accident Your browser does not support iframes. 'Our heartfelt condolences are sent to everyone affected by this tragedy and we will of course continue to support relevant agencies concerning the ongoing investigation. Simon & Matt.' The helicopter and aircraft pilot training firm was founded by Simon Nicholls, who also acts as director and chief pilot. He is supported by instructor Matthew Peach. The company's social media says its staff has '26 plus years of experience'. Mr Nicholls, who founded the business in 1997, previously worked for British and American helicopter flight training schools. He writes on the school's website: 'We have flown over 20,000 hours, we have a 100 per cent pass rate and more importantly a zero accident or incident safety record, not only at Kuki but also all the students that we have taught and have gone on to fly for pleasure or a career.' The vehicle belonging to Kuki Helicopters, based in the village of Gamston, Nottinghamshire, had taken off just minutes before the crash. The craft, with the registration number G-CFNF, had travelled the roughly 30 miles from Gamston Retford Airport, which it left at 10am. The 17-year-old Robinson R44 Raven II model was at maximum capacity during the flight, as it only has space for four passengers. South Yorkshire Police and the government's Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) have launched a joint investigation and are appealing for anyone with footage to come forward. Senior Investigating Officer, Detective Inspector Matt Bolger, said: 'Our thoughts are with the family and loved ones of the man who sadly died in this tragic incident. 'We and our emergency services colleagues remain at the scene and we have launched a full joint investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident in parallel with our partners at the AAIB. 'As part of our investigation, we'd ask for anyone with information to get in touch. If you were in the area at the time and saw the events unfold, please contact us. 'We are particularly keen to hear from those with footage of the helicopter leading up to the crash.' FlightRadar24 data shows the helicopter switched on its transponder shortly after wheels-up. It appeared to then fly over Doncaster before it disappears from radar in the vicinity of Ings Road at around 10.08am. The first emergency call came in six minutes later. Other data shows it made a 33-minute flight six days before the crash. The 70-year-old man, who was a passenger in the helicopter, was treated for 'serious injuries' by medics - but despite their best efforts, he was sadly pronounced dead at the scene (pictured) Dozens of emergency workers were on scene, according to witnesses. Resident Ken Melvin, 75, who was walking his dog nearby at the time, saw the helicopter 'fall from the sky'. He told the Daily Mail: 'I come down here every morning. The field it crashed in I was stood at the gate. There was no explosion. Nothing. 'I watched it come down. It just sort of fell out of the sky. I thought, "Bloody hell". I did not hear any engine noise so I assume the engines had cut out. 'I saw a very young teenager and a woman get out. She was in red or white. I saw a man laying down. The helicopter could have been full but I only saw three people. 'I can imagine everyone screaming and running about. 'I saw about ten police cars and an air ambulance land in the field opposite. Then the (land) ambulance and a the fire brigade. 'I thought I better move back in case it blew which it didn't. I watched it 'til I thought, "I had better get out of here". 'I thought I was seeing things. I gave police a statement. I do see some weird things down here on a night time but not that. 'I gave them a statement. They told me it would only be a few hours before it was all gone but it has not. 'I never heard any noise which puzzled me. There was no engine noise. I did not think it was wise to hang around but all the vehicles had blocked me in. 'I thought I was seeing things because I did not hear anything.' Another bystander, who lives near the crash site, told YorkshireLive: 'It's just missed our house. We live on the very end house of the street next to the train tracks. 'I spoke to a few of my neighbours. 'I don't think anyone actually saw it come down but at first we all thought it was a train crash because we saw all of the emergency services firing past.' Gamston Airport confirmed to the Daily Mail the aircraft took off from its apron. Police, fire and ambulance crews (pictured) rushed to the site on Ings Road, where the aviation school's helicopter had come to a rest on its side, with the rotor nowhere to be seen A spokesperson said: 'We can confirm an aircraft based here operated by an onsite tenant has been involved in an incident. We've no further information at this time.' Energy Secretary Ed Miliband, the MP for Doncaster North, said: 'Devastating news that a man has died following a helicopter crash in Bentley this morning. 'My thoughts are with the family and friends of the victim of this terrible incident. 'My office are in touch with the relevant authorities including South Yorkshire Police, and I know the whole of Doncaster will be united in having the victim in their thoughts today.' The Daily Mail has previously contacted South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service for more information. The AAIB said in a statement: 'The AAIB has been made aware of an accident near Doncaster and has deployed a team to commence an investigation.' Marketing materials describe the Robinson R44 Raven II as being 'renowned for its versatility' with 'responsive handling' that requires 'minimal physical effort to operate'. A spokesperson for the Air Accidents Investigation Branch said: 'The AAIB has been made aware of an accident near Doncaster and has deployed a team to commence an investigation.' Kuki Helicopters has been contacted for comment. Andrew Mountbatten Windsor has been deleted entirely from the official Royal Family website just a day after he was sensationally stripped of his Prince title and booted out of the Royal Lodge. Today the disgraced ex-duke woke up a commoner for the first time, but his humiliation hasn't ended there - as he is seemingly being almost completely erased from royal life. Yesterday, in a bombshell statement, Buckingham Palace confirmed the 65-year-old would no longer be a Prince with immediate effect - and would also be leaving the 30-bed Royal Lodge nestled on the grounds of Windsor Castle. The Palace coldly announced the 'censures [were] deemed necessary' amid the growing controversy surrounding his relationship with paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein, with whom Andrew lied about cutting ties with. It comes after the Mail on Sunday revealed Andrew told Epstein in an email 'we are in this together' a day after the infamous picture of the former prince with his alleged then-teenage sex victim Virginia Giuffre was published. In the wake of the fallout, Ms Giuffre's family said she was 'an ordinary American girl from an ordinary American family', who had 'brought down a British prince with her truth and extraordinary courage.' And new emails from unsealed court documents from a legal battle between the US Virgin Islands and JP Morgan show the former prince told Epstein it would be 'good to catch up in person' months after the child sex offender was released. Andrew has continued to deny the allegations made against him as well as ever meeting Ms Giuffre, who made damning revelations about Mr Mountbatten Windsor in a posthumous memoir. She took her own life earlier this year, aged 41. In 2022, Andrew settled a US civil case she lodged for a reported 12million, reportedly receiving money from his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, to help meet the costs. The settlement came with no admission of liability Now the shunned ex-duke has been erased from the Royal website entirely, with no mention of him on 'The Royal Family' page or when the term 'Andrew' is entered into the search bar. As revelations continue about Andrew's downfall, it has emerged - Ordinary: Andrew - seen driving his car through Windsor Great Park - will now be considered a regular member of the public Royal Lodge in Windsor Great Park, Andrew's former home. He will now be moving to a private residence on the monarch's Sandringham estate Andrew has been deleted entirely from the official Royal Family website just a day after he was sensationally stripped of his Prince title and booted out of the Royal Lodge However, the website is yet to remove previous features relating to his old engagements. It comes as trade minister Sir Chris Bryant described now as 'an ordinary member of the public' while suggesting he should go to the US to answer questions about Epstein's crimes. As of last night, it was understood the King is in the process of sending royal warrants to the Lord Chancellor to remove his brother's titles and honours, to which Andrew has not objected. His Majesty's younger brother will now be banished to a private property on the monarch's Sandringham Estate in Norfolk, but no further details have been shared. It is understood Prince William and the Royal Family fully support the King's decision. Annie Farmer, one of Jeffrey Epstein's earliest accusers who testified in the trial that resulted in the conviction of his long-time aide Ghislaine Maxwell, told the BBC: 'Virginia did what most thought impossible. She showed the world that even the most powerful predators can be held accountable.' Meanwhile Andrew's daughters Princess Beatrice, 37, and Princess Eugenie, 35, will retain their titles as Her Royal Highnesses with it previously reported that Charles was was very keen to 'protect' his nieces. Elsewhere, in a brutal remark sources revealed former Duchess of York, Sarah Ferguson who lived with Andrew in the Royal Lodge for over two decades, 'will make her own arrangements' when it comes to her future. Last week, the row over the Royal Lodge continued to grow amid damning revelations in a posthumous memoir from Andrew's sex abuse accuser Giuffre, who took her own life this year, aged 41. Your browser does not support iframes. Andrew, Virginia Giuffre and sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell in a photo reportedly taken in 2001, when Giuffre was 17 years old Anti-monarchy group Republic says it intends to investigate allegations that the former Duke of York sexually assaulted Giuffre (pictured) The Royal Family released a public statement announcing Andrew would no longer be a prince Ms Giuffre's explosive book Nobody's Girl: A Memoir of Surviving Abuse and Fighting for Justice was released in this month, with the manuscript having been completed before she died. Inside, she detailed her years spent as a sex slave to Epstein and his British madam Ghislaine Maxwell, amid claims she had been trafficked to the ex-duke three times, and whom she called 'entitled' and viewed sex as his 'birthright'. Within the 400-page autobiography, she also alleged the ex-duke said 'thank you' in a 'clipped British accent' after their alleged first encounter when she was 17. She also recalled how Maxwell praised her following the encounter, saying, 'You did well, the prince had fun'. In the wake of the Giuffre scandal, Andrew is facing a private prosecution over allegations of sexual assault, corruption and misconduct in public office. Yesterday, antimonarchy campaign group Republic said it has instructed lawyers to investigate the prince and, if appropriate, press ahead with legal proceedings. The Daily Mail understands the allegations it is focusing on relate to accusations he sexually assaulted Giuffre, that he asked a royal protection officer to look into her background and impropriety when he served as an official UK trade envoy. But anti-monarchy group Republic said it is mounting its own bid to take him to court because the legal and political response to the claims has been 'weak and inadequate' to date. Andrew is seen on the Windsor Estate on September 27 this year - the last time he was seen horse riding in public It said it has made a 'powerful, principled argument for justice to be done for the victims of sexual abuse, and for those who corrupt public office to be held accountable'. 'If not us, then who?' asked Graham Smith, the group's CEO. 'It's a devastating indictment on the UK's criminal justice system, police and politicians not to mention the king and heir that we must resort to a private prosecution. 'It should be a cause for concern that so many people believe rightly in my view that the royals are not treated equally in law. Equality in law is a basic tenet of democracy. 'I firmly believe there is strong enough evidence to justify a serious investigation. The authorities and politicians appear to want to look the other way, while minimising the accusations made against Andrew. 'The truth must prevail and justice must be seen to be done.' Last night the group tweeted that Andrew's punishment was 'nowhere near enough', adding: 'He's lost a bunch of pointless titles and been relocated to another mansion. Dodging any actual punishment, as always. 'He will never be an 'ordinary person' - ordinary people don't get away with being accused of sexual abuse.' A private prosecution brought by Republic would not involve a statutory prosecutor such as Crown Prosecution Service, which brings cases on behalf of the Crown. Andrew stands next to Prince William and his wife Catherine, Princess of Wales, as they leave Westminster Cathedral at the Duchess of Kent's funeral Andrew alongside his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson at the funeral of the Duchess of Kent on September 16, 2025 Members of anti-monarchy group Republic stood outside Andrew's home - Royal Lodge at Great Windsor Park - last week to demand greater transparency They are commonly brought by organisations such as the RSPCA, but can be brought by private individuals. In some cases, a party wishing to bring a private prosecution may have to seek the consent of the Government's top legal adviser the Attorney General, or the Director of Public Prosecutions, who is the head of the CPS. The CPS also has the right to take on a private prosecution - and even to bring it to an end if it considers the prosecution to be brought maliciously. Yesterday royal historian and author Andrew Lownie said he believed the recent fallout doesn't mark 'the end' of controversy for the shunned royal, now formally known as Mr Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor. 'I don't think it's the end of it. I think there are many more disclosures to come, but at least they're taking some decisive action. So, I don't think it's all over for him,' he told The Mirror. When queried if he believed a police probe into Andrew was more likely following yesterday's announcement, he remarked that the ex-duke was being 'throw[n] under the bus'. 'Yes, I've been saying for some time they're [the Royal family] going to throw Andrew under the bus to save themselves and this is the first indication of that,' he added 'This should have been done years ago. I think it's been Virginia Giuffre's book that kind of made the Palace realise that there is a big problem here.' It is understood earlier this month the Metropolitan Police was 'actively' looking into the claims Andrew had asked his personal protection officer to investigate Ms Giuffre, and that he was interviewed by detectives at home last week. Email exchanges Between Prince Andrew, Ed Perkins and Jeffrey Epstein A bombshell email published by the Mail on Sunday earlier this month also revealed how Andrew asked his taxpayerfunded protection officer to dig into her past, two months after the infamous photo of him with Giuffre and Maxwell came to light. In an extraordinary message to Ed Perkins, Queen Elizabeth's deputy press secretary, he wrote: 'It would also seem she has a criminal record in the States. I have given her DoB [date of birth] and social security number for investigation with XXX, the on duty ppo [personal protection officer].' It comes as e-mails from Andrew to Epstein emerged, where the former duke said he was 'concerned' about the impact this newspaper's revelations would have on his friend after the infamous picture of the royal with Ms Giuffre was released. He reassured the vile billionaire they would 'rise above' press scrutiny. The correspondence was sent to Epstein 12 weeks after Andrew had supposedly ceased all contact with the convicted sex offender. The leaked email provides definitive proof the Prince lied in his car-crash interview with BBC's Newsnight when he claimed he 'never had any contact' with the disgraced financier after the pair were famously pictured walking together in New York's Central Park in December 2010. Democratic Congressman Suhas Subramanyam, who has previously called for Prince Andrew to testify before a US Congressional committee about his links to Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell to 'clear his name', last night again urged Andrew to give evidence. In a statement, he said: 'It's clear that Prince Andrew has information about Epstein's crimes and he must do more than just give up titles or hide from the public spotlight. The York family: Beatrice, Sarah, Andrew and Eugenie pictured at a gathering Your browser does not support iframes. 'He owes it to the victims to share everything he knows about Epstein's criminal operation and come before the Oversight Committee. 'Regardless, we will continue to pursue the files and all the evidence, no matter how rich and powerful the perpetrators involved.' The series of scandalous emails piled on the pressure for the Royal Family to sever ties with the ex-Yorks, with internal talks beginning after Prince William was left 'seething' by his uncle's behaviour at the Duchess of Kent's funeral last month Andrew was pictured sidling up to the Prince and Princess of Wales, which the heir to the throne saw as him being distracted from the ceremony. No 10 has also reportedly been pressuring the royals to deal with the scandal, which has run on for years and saw Andrew step back from public life in 2019. The intervention from Downing Street came after the former prince was entangled in the ongoing Chinese spying row. And only further embarrassment descended after it was revealed Andrew met with the 'spymaster' at the heart of the collapsed China spy case at least three times. The under-fire royal, already mired in controversy over his friendship with another alleged Beijing spy, forged links with Chinese Communist Party (CCP) mandarin Cai Qi, with the pair posing as they celebrated 'jointly building a golden era in China-UK relations'. Prosecutors now believe Cai was presiding over a massive intelligence-gathering operation to steal British secrets, overseeing the alleged activities of parliamentary researcher Christopher Cash and China-based English teacher Christopher Berry. Both men have denied any wrongdoing and the case against them collapsed on the eve of trial last month after the Government refused to label China an 'enemy'. After, Andrew and his ex-wife agreed to relinquish their titles, with Buckingham Palace releasing a statement on the Prince's behalf. For confidential support, call Samaritans on 116 123, visit samaritans.org or go to www.thecalmzone.net/get-support The mother of a female soldier who took her own life after being sexually assaulted by a sergeant major has said it 'doesn't feel like justice' after the attacker was jailed for six months. Royal Artillery Gunner Jaysley Beck, 19, was found hanging in her room at Larkhill Camp, near Salisbury in Wiltshire, on December 15, 2021. Her death came following a complaint she made against Battery Sergeant Major Michael Webber, now 43, after he pinned her down and tried to kiss her during a training exercise, an inquest heard in February this year. He was sentenced to six months in a civilian prison by the Judge Advocate General Alan Large and a military board. Webber, who was serving at the same base, last month pleaded guilty to one count of sexual assault at a pre-trial hearing and was on Friday sentenced at Bulford Military Court in Salisbury, Wiltshire. But the sentence was not severe enough according to Leighann McCready, Jaysley's mother. 'In lots of ways this really doesnt feel like justice,' she told the Guardian. 'This is hard to explain, but we should not have had to put up such a fight. It has drained us when we should and could be grieving our daughter.' Ex-Battery Sergeant Major Michael Webber has pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting Gunner Jaysley Beck (pictured above),who later took her own life aged 19 Michael Webber, now 43, was sentenced to six months in prison after he pinned Jaysley down and tried to kiss her during a training exercise, an inquest heard in February this year Royal Artillery Gunner Jaysley Beck, 19, was found hanging in her room at Larkhill Camp, near Salisbury in Wiltshire, on December 15, 2021 The mother said the family were relieved Webber admitted the assault because it spared a trial. 'This is far too little too late given everything that flowed from this.' She also accused the army of making 'empty promises', adding that changes to how victims were treated were not going ahead quickly enough. Jaysley's family previously welcomed the guilty plea but said 'nothing can undo the devastating loss of our beautiful daughter'. Her parents Anthony Beck and Ms McCready were pictured attending court for Friday's sentencing - and Jaysley's mother said afterwards the Army was 'clearly not a safe space for young women'. Speaking outside court, she said: 'No sentence will ever be enough. While he serves his time, its us who will live with a life sentence.' The parents and their legal team have criticised the military chain of command, saying more should have done to investigate Jaysley's complaints - and both her mother and father made emotional statements to the court. February's inquest concluded she had taken her own life after she made a complaint against Webber, who was accused of pinning her down, attempting to kiss her and placing his hand between her legs during a work social event. Jaysley's mother Ms McCready later revealed how she had to plead to see her daughter's accommodation following the death - and when finally given permission, found a heartbreaking letter tucked away in the young recruit's room. Pictured: Michael Webber (top right) and Jaysley Beck (second right bottom row) at the training exercise event in Hampshire Anthony Beck and Leighann McCready, the parents of Jaysley Beck, are pictured here arriving at Bulford Court Martial Centre at Kiwi Barracks in Salisbury, Wiltshire, on October 31, 2025 Ms McCready has accused the Army over the circumstances surrounding Jaysley's death - and today delivered an emotional victim impact statement to the court. Jaysley's mother said: 'She had just turned 19 and she was a teenager full of life and laughter. 'She had lots of plans for the future and she trusted those around her to protect her and after this that had gone. 'She called me the morning after it happened and I could tell something was wrong. She had been very scared of Mr Webber so much so she had taken the decision to lock herself in her car. 'She felt powerless and betrayed. She then found out he had been promoted - "I got a letter and he got a promotion",' she said. 'She told me she had been made to accept a letter of apology. That assault shattered her faith in the system that was supposed to look after her. Since I lost her, my life has turned upside down.' And Jaysley's father Anthony Beck told the court: 'When Jaysley told me what Michael Webber did, it made me sick - he was twice her age, she trusted him and he took advantage of her trust. 'She became quieter, stopped trusting people and it was awful to see that light go out in her. 'What he did didn't just hurt Jaysley, it tore through our family - every day just feels like I'm getting through the hours.' Mr Beck, who suffered a heart attack in the months following Jaysley's death, told the court that any sentence for Webber would 'never come close to the life sentence I have without my daughter'. Gunner Beck during her passing out parade with her father, Anthony Beck Matthew Scott, defending Webber, said: 'This is an utterly tragic case and there is nothing I could say that could possibly begin to diminish the extent of the tragedy. 'Nobody outside the family has felt tragedy in this case more than the defendant. 'It is not his fault the army, prosecution or police did not proceed more formally against him. 'He didn't pretend as some may have done, that nothing had happened. 'He didn't hide behind the fact it happened in an empty bar with no other witnesses.' Mr Scott said that Webber was divorced and no longer sees his 16-year-old daughter - to whom he pays child support. He now works as a lorry driver and receives a 1,200 military pension. He has an Afghanistan medal, a long service medal, and Jubilee medal. The judge Mr Large today told the sentencing hearing: 'No sentence which we can pass upon Mr Webber today will bring their daughter back or begin to fill the gap that she has left behind. 'We have to pass a sentence which both reflects the offending and which takes full account of the impact of the criminal behaviour in the case on Gnr Beck and her family.' He told Webber: 'You were high in the scale of authority. Gnr Beck was at the lower end of the scale. Your behaviour had an effect on morale of those within His Majesty's British Army. 'The level of trust was completely breached to such an extent that she felt she had to sleep in her car. 'An aggravating factor is that alcohol was involved and that played a real part in your decision to kiss Gunner Beck. Jaysley's mother Leighann McCready spoke to the media outside Burford Military court following the sentencing of Michael Webber on October 31 2025 Ms McCready told reporters she felt the Army was 'not a safe space for young women' 'You had no previous convictions and have shown remorse and have had exemplary conduct within your military career. This behaviour was out of character. 'We have to consider whether the sentence can be suspended. We do not consider that it can. 'We are satisfied that the seriousness of the offence means that appropriate punishment can only be achieved by immediate custody. 'We cannot dismiss you because you have already left the Army. However, we consider that had you been dealt with earlier you would have been reduced to the ranks and if we properly do so, we order that you are reduced to the ranks today.' Webber will serve half his sentence in the community and will be on the Sex Offenders Register for seven years. Speaking outside court following today's sentencing, Ms McCready told reporters: 'The Army is clearly not a safe space for young women - this is still continuing. 'They mark their own homework and this has been going on for too many years. Until real change is made I would say that young women should not join the army.' She accused military chiefs of having 'protected' Webber's identity 'throughout', adding: 'Jaysley should have been sat in court with us today to see the person she reported held accountable for what he did. Jaysley Beck is pictured here at her passing out parade with her mother Leighann McCready 'Instead we stand here without her, living a life sentence that no family should ever have to face. 'What he did, and how the Army failed to protect our daughter afterwards, cost Jaysley her life. 'Jaysley was just 19, a beautiful, bright, confident girl with her whole life ahead of her. She did everything right but was failed by the system that was meant to support and protect her. 'She followed the rules, but those responsible didnt follow theirs - they failed to act, failed to report, and failed to follow up. Those failures destroyed our daughter completely. 'When another senior male later started harassing her, she said she didnt want to be known as a troublemaker and didnt see any point in reporting him. 'They talk about lessons learned, but were still waiting to see any real change. 'I stand here as a bereaved mother fighting for real change now, not hollow promises or recycled words that have already failed my daughter and continue to fail others. 'Real action means giving soldiers somewhere truly independent to report serious complaints, without fear or favour. Leighann McCready (right) described daughter Jaysley Beck as 'a beautiful, bright, confident girl' who was 'failed by the system that was meant to support and protect her' 'The Army cannot keep marking its own homework - until thats actioned, nothing will ever change. 'Our soldiers deserve a system they can trust, one that protects them, believes them, and values their lives above its own reputation. 'We cant bring our daughter back, but Ill keep fighting to make sure her life leads to change that helps and hopefully saves others.' Major General Jon Swift, Assistant Chief of the General Staff, said outside court: 'To Jaysley-Louise Becks family, we continue to offer our sincerest condolences. 'We will always be profoundly sorry for the failings that were identified at Jaysleys inquest in February. 'The end of this court martial is another traumatic step in the journey for Jaysleys family, and we acknowledge that todays outcome has come too late for their beloved daughter. 'We are sorry we didn't listen to Jaysley when she first reported her assault. We are determined to make sure the same mistakes don't happen again. 'Since Jaysleys death we have introduced a significant cultural reform programme, alongside the "Raising our Standards" programme. The death of the 19-year-old came after she complained about Sergeant Major Michael Webber (pictured at the training event in Hampshire), after he pinned her down and tried to kiss her Major General Jon Swift, Assistant Chief of the General Staff, said outside court: 'To Jaysley-Louise Becks family, we continue to offer our sincerest condolences' Parents Anthony Beck and Leighann McCready outside Salisbury and Swindon Coroners Court in Salisbury, Wiltshire, for the February 2025 inquest into Jaysley's death 'We are making improvements in how we train our people in appropriate behaviours, how we assess and select our leaders, and to build the trust our people place in us to address every complaint. 'Following Jaysleys inquest, work is ongoing to make lasting and effective change. Change, that will give service personnel the confidence they need to report sexual offences and inappropriate behaviours, knowing that they will be listened to.' Ms McCready previously said after February's inquest: 'I believe it was a cover up. It was made clear at this inquest that the army knew what had taken place but did not take Jaysley's complaint seriously and even tried to get her to change her story.' She subsequently told the Sunday Times how a letter to Jaysley from Webber, then 39, confessed to an incident on July 12, 2021 and described his own behaviour as 'absolutely unacceptable'. He concluded by telling her, 'My door will always be open' - a phrase which Ms McCready said her daughter found to be dismissive. Gunner Beck had reported to military chiefs that Webber told her he had been 'waiting for a moment for them to be alone', engaged her in a drinking game called Last Man Standing before grabbing her leg and trying to kiss her. February's inquest heard she pushed him away and left the room before spending the night in her car and making a complaint to her superiors in the morning, during a stay at Thorney Island, near Emsworth, in Hampshire for an adventure training exercise. An inquiry heard evidence from witnesses about inappropriate sexual behaviour by male soldiers towards their female colleagues at Larkhill - Jaysley Beck is pictured Webber was later given a 'minor administrative action interview' over the work social event incident, with no further consequences. He was later promoted to Warrant Officer 1 (WO1) rank, the highest non-commissioned rank in the Army, in May 2022. He has since left the military. The veterans minister has today described his sentencing as 'an important step on the journey to justice'. Minister for veterans and people Louise Sandher-Jones said: 'The death of Jaysley-Louise Beck was a tragedy and her loss continues to be felt across the Army and wider defence community. 'My thoughts are with her loved ones and we remain profoundly sorry for the failure to protect her. 'Today's sentencing does not diminish the profound loss felt by her family, friends and the wider community, but it does represent an important step on the journey to justice. 'Let me be clear: there is no place for criminal or unacceptable behaviours within the military. 'All those who choose to serve our country, particularly our newest recruits, must be able to do so free from abuse, and with the dignity and respect they deserve. Gunner Jaysley Beck, who joined the military aged 16, died at her Wiltshire base in 2021 'We are honouring Jaysley's legacy by bringing about crucial reform, to provide a place where people are proud to work and have faith in the service justice system. 'The Army has accepted the failings identified by the service inquiry in full and has also responded to the recommendations to improve service life across its culture, policies and practices. 'However, there is more work to be done. As a minister and Army veteran, this mission is deeply personal to me and I am committed to driving the necessary change to prevent this from happening again." In a statement responding to Webber's guilty plea last month, Ms McCready said: 'We are relieved that Michael Webber has admitted his guilt and not put us through the trauma of yet more legal proceedings, but nothing can undo the devastating loss of our beautiful daughter Jaysley.' She described how her daughter had done 'everything right' in reporting the attack 'immediately, not once but twice' - but senior Army officers did not alert the police. Ms McCready added: 'If they had done that one simple thing, we believe with all our hearts she would still be with us today.' The family's lawyer Emma Norton said: 'What an enormous difference it would have made if the Army and its chain of command had just listened to Jaysley when she first told them about the assault and reported it to the police, instead of trying to persuade her it wasn't that serious.' It was only after February's inquest ruling and a request from Gunner Beck's family to Wiltshire Police, that a file was sent to the the Service Prosecuting Authority who then charged Webber with sexual assault. She was found to have taken her own life over 'relentless' harassment during her service The coroner at the earlier hearing was told of Gunner Beck being traumatised not only by Webber's attack but also the actions of three other officers - one of whom she had a long-distance affair, another who bombarded her with WhatsApp messages and another with whom she socialised on the night of her death. In an Army statement following February's inquest verdict, the head of Army Personnel Services Group, Brigadier Melissa Emmett, said: 'On behalf of the Chief of the General Staff, I wish to extend the Armys deepest condolences to Jaysleys family and friends and to offer them our sincerest apologies for the failings that the Coroner has identified during this inquest. 'We should have done so much more to support and protect her. 'Jaysley was exactly the kind of person the Army needs, and she was excelling at her job. Her friends described her as someone who was kind, funny and always putting others before herself. 'The three years since Jaysleys sad death have seen significant changes in the Army, including the introduction of clear and unequivocal policies to state that there will be Zero Tolerance to unacceptable sexual behaviours. 'These changes are being embedded throughout our culture, policies, and enduring practices across every part of the Army. 'There is more work to do, and the evidence heard in this inquest reminds us how important it is to make lasting and effective change. 'It is my hope that such change will give service personnel the confidence they need to report sexual offences and inappropriate behaviours, knowing that they will be listened to. 'We are absolutely clear that everyone must play a role in building and upholding the respectful, professional environment we all need to thrive.' For confidential support, call Samaritans on 116 123 or visit samaritans.org. A disturbing social media fire trend has been blamed for a surge in deliberate blazes across Scotland. The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) statistics show crews around the country attended more than 12,000 fires that had been started intentionally in 2024/25. Emergency chiefs have briefed a number of councils, including Fife and Angus, after a spike in incidents, suggesting the rise is being driven by one-upmanship fuelled by social media. Last night Scottish Conservative shadow minister for community safety Sharon Dowey said: This senseless trend is completely intolerable and must stop. Our brave firefighters put their lives on the line every day to keep us safe and, with their resources stretched to breaking point by SNP cuts, the last thing they need is a rise in fires started deliberately by selfish idiots. A combination of educating youngsters and a zero-tolerance approach to wilful fire-raising is needed to nip this in the bud across Scotland. Deliberate fires in Dunfermline, Fife, soared from 124 to 181 in just 12 month with social media implicated while similar concerns have been raised Glenrothes, Angus and Ayrshire. Labour MP Richard Baker warned the fires are just one element of a much bigger picture, and that the fire trend has amplified with young people seeking notoriety on apps like TikTok adding: Its really disturbing on so many levels, not least in terms of community safety, and its definitely an ongoing issue. Already stretched emergency services have been inundated with calls Just recently Lochgellys old cinema was destroyed in a deliberate blaze, along with a phone mast serving the local area. Some locals are without a mobile signal still. Earlier this week, Craig Robertson, the services station commander for Clackmannanshire, Fife and Stirling, told a Fife Council committee: It was a new one to me that certain social media platforms are getting used to encourage this behaviour. Police Scotland Inspector Conrad Musgrave also addressed councillors and told them: A lot of fire-raising was something of particular concern to us especially with social media where people encourage each other to one up themselves which is concern we have not seen before. The SFRS says during the last financial year they were called to a total of 22,925 fires of which more than 55 per cent were started intentionally. SFRS Deputy Chief Officer Andy Watt said: Deliberate fire setting is not only reckless, but it can damage communities and endanger lives. Our staff across Scotland work extremely hard to engage with the public to prevent these types of incidents. We will keep working with our partners to prevent these unwanted incidents, but everyone has a role to play in preventing deliberate fires. A spokesman for Police Scotland would only say: We take all reports of fire-raising seriously and work closely with a number of partners, including the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, social work and local schools. He urged anyone with information or concerns about deliberate fires to get in touch. Dozens of youngsters were pulled out of classes by furious parents after migrants were being taught English in the same building during school hours. As many as 70 children are said to have been removed from St James Primary School in Renfrew when it emerged the language lessons had been taking place after a large group of men were seen loitering outside the building. Many of the youngsters were only sent back to school after Renfrewshire Council announced it would halt the controversial classes. And, because of the intense backlash from parents worried about the safety of their children at the school, the local authority said the lessons would no longer be held in the building again with an alternative venue now being sought. Dozens of parents and grandparents gathered outside the school, in the towns Brown Street South, yesterday in protest at the lessons which were held in the community learning centre. The facility shares the same campus as the school, but the local authority said the adjoining school and nursery were behind secure-entry doors which were managed by staff. One parent, who had taken his children out of school until being reassured that the lessons would be stopped, said he protested because he was concerned about their safety. The man, who did not want to be identified, said: We as parents should have been told about the lessons. Now it has stopped it better not start up again, I need to know my children are safe. St James' Primary School in Renfrew If you want to learn English, go and learn, theres hundreds of places you can go and learn. There must have been 50, 60, 70 kids taken out of the school within the space of a couple of hours because of it. Concerns were first sparked after videos were posted on social media showing a group of men waiting outside the buildings between classes. A Renfrewshire Council spokesman, who refused to discuss attendance figures of the school, said: The school building is home to a community learning facility, which is used by a wide range of different community groups for classes, during school hours. Access to the community learning facility is securely managed by staff from the community learning centre. 'The school and nursery themselves are behind secure-entry doors which are managed by school staff. One of the groups which use the community learning facility is a group who receive English language classes. They are supported by council staff and facilitated while on the premises by community learning staff. To avoid any further disruption to the school, this group will no longer use the community learning facility and an alternative location will be found. Police Scotland said it attended the protest yesterday, and a force spokesman added: A proportionate policing plan was in place to ensure public safety and minimise disruption. The event passed without incident. Five suspected terror plotters were arrested Friday morning in Michigan. The FBI Detroit field office confirmed to the Daily Mail that it raided three homes in the Detroit suburbs of Dearborn and Inkster. Authorities brought into custody a handful of ISIS-inspired individuals allegedly planning a violent Halloween weekend attack, according to sources familiar with the operation who spoke with the New York Post. Weapons including legally owned guns were recovered at the scene and sources described the suspects as home-grown radicals. Authorities are investigating possible foreign contacts of the five arrested on Friday. FBI Director Kash Patel posted on X on Friday morning that multiple people were arrested in Michigan in connection to a Halloween terror plot. It comes as millions of Americans are preparing to hit the streets tonight and over the weekend for trick-or-treating and Halloween parties and festivities. 'There is no current threat to public safety,' a spokesperson for the Detroit field office insisted. Members of the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force search a home in Dearborn, Michigan, on Friday A sniffer dog and FBI agents outside a home in Dearborn, Michigan on October 31, 2025 An FBI agent stands guard outside a home in Dearborn Members of the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force were pictured on Friday armed with rifles outside multiple homes in the Detroit suburb of Dearborn. The people arrested were described as 'homegrown radicals' by the Post, and reportedly included a 16-year-old juvenile. A federal law enforcement source told Fox News that the Friday arrests were of those 'tied to international terrorism.' Patel expanded on the situation in a statement noting 'a potential act of terror was stopped before it could unfold.' 'The vigilance of this FBI prevented what could have been a tragic attack and thanks to their dedication, Michigan will have a safe and happy Halloween,' he added. Separately, in May, the FBI said it arrested a man who had spent months planning an attack against a US Army site in suburban Detroit on behalf of the Islamic State group. The man, Ammar Said, didn't know that his supposed allies in the alleged plot were undercover FBI employees. Said remains in custody, charged with attempting to provide support to a terrorist organization. The criminal complaint was replaced in September with a criminal 'information' document, signaling that a guilty plea is likely. FBI Director Kash Patel announced on Friday morning on his X account that multiple suspects were arrested in connection for 'allegedly plotting a violent attack over Halloween weekend' Parents have been assured that schools will continue to prioritise the safety and wellbeing of pupils close to an Army base that is due to house hundreds of asylum seekers. Highland Council sent out letters this week following concerns over the move, which blindsided officials after they learned of the Home Offices plan to bring 300 men to Cameron Barracks in Inverness only on Monday. Raigmore Primary and Millburn Academy are both within walking distance of the base, which is being upgraded at a cost of 1.3million before the first arrivals next month. MSP Edward Mountain highlighted local parents concerns In its letter to parents, the council said: Schools will continue to prioritise the safety and wellbeing of pupils. Responsibility for the security of the barracks lies with the Home Office, while matters relating to public safety fall under the remit of Police Scotland. Edward Mountain, the Tory MSP for the Highlands, said: Parents are naturally concerned at the impact of this ill-judged decision on their children. Local services are already stretched to breaking point. The SNP government must urgently engage with Highland Council to address these concerns. A local petition against the move yesterday reached almost 9,000 signatures. A jealous husband who murdered his wife on New Years Day has been jailed for life. Mompati Dodo Isaacs stabbed 33-year-old Keotshepile Naso Isaacs known as Naso on the head and neck at their home in North Berwick, East Lothian, on January 1 last year. He had denied murdering the mother of three while their children were asleep, claiming he was suffering from diminished responsibility at the time. A jury at the High Court in Edinburgh rejected the claim and convicted the 39-year-old of her murder in September. Isaacs observed his sentencing yesterday at the same court via video link from prison, with judge Lady Ross ordering him to serve a minimum of 21 years behind bars. She told him: New Years Day normally is a time for thinking about new beginnings and the future. But in the early hours of January 1, 2024, in the family home in North Berwick, you brought Nasos life to an end. In doing so, you attacked with horrible and sustained violence. Mompati Dodo Isaacs stabbed wife Naso on the head and neck You took a knife from the kitchen. You returned to the bedroom and woke up Naso and stabbed her nine times to the head and neck. The judge described how the couples children and another family member had been asleep in the house at the time. Lady Ross said Botswana-born Mrs Isaacs, who was a carer and support worker, had defensive injuries on her hands, and that she must have suffered pain and experienced horrific fear during the onslaught. She added: This was a brutal and violent attack using a knife against your wife, who was utterly defenceless. You murdered her in her own home. This was a despicable act. The trial heard Isaacs had accused his wife of being unfaithful before getting a knife and stabbing her. Defence counsel Gareth Jones, KC, said Isaacs had a history of mental illness, describing him as a pathetic man who could not cope with his wifes perceived infidelity. Lady Ross told Isaacs: Naso was 33 years of age. She was a mother. You deprived three children, who are still young, of her love and care. Thats a horrible loss. You will be sentenced to life imprisonment. Thats the only sentence I can impose on you for this crime. After the sentencing hearing yesterday, Dr Emma Forbes the National Procurator Fiscal for Domestic Abuse said: Mompati Dodo Isaacs is a dangerous and controlling man. His campaign of domestic abuse culminating in this violent murder has robbed Keotshepile Naso Isaacs of her future and left her young children and loved ones to deal with this unimaginable loss. An elderly Democratic candidate for Senate is under fire for not releasing her medical records as age has become a defining political consideration. Maine Governor Janet Mills, 77, has not committed to releasing her medical records ahead of the state's 2026 Senate election, according to Axios. Should she win the competition, Mills would become the oldest freshman senator elected in US history. Mills would take office at 79 if she wins. Incumbent Senator Susan Collins, a Republican who has held the seat since 1997, would take office at 74 if she were to win. Collins has not offered her medical records either. Democrats have been dogged by criticisms over elderly candidates since the party propped up former President Joe Biden's failed presidential run. After Biden's disastrous debate performance against President Donald Trump in the summer of 2024, and subsequent lingering in the race before withdrawing, liberal voters have much to be wary of when it comes to older candidates. But that has not stopped the decidedly old lawmakers from retaining power. Congress has more members over 70 now than at any point since 1950. Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, 74, has endorsed Mills, and already filed his paperwork to run again in 2028, when he will be 77. Maine Governor Janet Mills, 77, who is running for Senate in 2026, has not committed to releasing her medical records Republican incumbent Senator Susan Collins, 74, has similarly not committed to releasing her medical files Candidate age became a large political factor during the 2024 presidential race after Joe Biden showed signs of aging, but stayed in the competition until just months before the election Graham Platner, 41, a military veteran also running for Maine's Senate seat in 2026, has taken veiled shots at Mills's age during his campaign. 'It's not about how old you are, it's about how old your ideas are,' he said during a recent MSNBC appearance. Additionally, a recent ad run by Platner notes how Mills 'was a good governor' but that 'it's time for change.' Platner has not committed to releasing his medical records either, despite noting how he has dealt with PTSD from his deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan. The veteran recently caught negative headlines for some alleging he has a 'Nazi' tattoo on his chest. However, he has denied the ink has any nefarious connection; instead, he has called the mark a drunken mistake. 'I am not a secret Nazi,' he said when asked about it recently. To calm concerns about her advanced age, Mills has said she would not serve more than one term if she were elected. She would be 85 years old at the end of her first potential term. Polls have shown that the race between Mills and Platner is close. A recent survey from SoCal Strategies showed that Mills was leading with 41 percent to Platner's 36 percent, with 20 percent undecided. In this photo provided by WGME, Graham Platner, a democratic candidate for U.S. Senate, points to a cover-up tattoo that had previously been an image recognized as a Nazi symbol, during an interview on Wednesday, October 22, 2025, in Portland, Maine As Congress has gotten older, there have been tangible impacts on the legislative branch. Just this year alone, there have been three lawmakers, all Democrats, who have died while holding office. Democratic Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton of Washington, D.C., caught flak earlier this year after announcing her decision to run again despite a local police report describing her as having 'early stages of dementia.' Senator Mitch McConnell, the longtime Senate leader, has also raised eyebrows with close to half a dozen falls over the last years that have left the veteran bruised and bandaged. McConnell can regularly be seen being helped through the halls of the Senate by an aide whose arm he grips for stability. The corgis of the late Queen Elizabeth II which were adopted by Andrew Mountbatten Windsor and Sarah Ferguson are to remain in the care of their family, Buckingham Palace has confirmed. The couple took over the care of Muick and Sandy after the monarchs death, housing them at Royal Lodge. But with the couples departure from the Windsor address, speculation had arisen over who would keep the two dogs. Now Buckingham Palace has revealed that the corgis will remain with the family. However, it did not clarify if it would be Andrew, Sarah or Princesses Eugenie and Beatrice who would give them a home. Andrew had gifted Muick to his mother in 2021 to help her cope when her late husband Prince Philip was in hospital. Muick, named after Loch Muick on the Balmoral estate, and pronounced 'Mick', was given to the Queen as a pup, along with another named Fergus. When Fergus died three months later, another corgi, Sandy, was found to replace him with the help of the Queen's granddaughter Princess Beatrice The corgis of the late Queen Elizabeth II which were adopted by Andrew Mountbatten Windsor and Sarah Ferguson are to remain in the care of their family The late Queen always adored her corgis, owning 30 during her 70-year reign. Pictured: one of the final photographs released of the Queen, which saw her celebrating her Jubilee Andrew and Sarah Ferguson took over the care of Muick and Sandy after the Queen's death, housing them at Royal Lodge Earlier this year, Sarah claimed that the late Queen communicated to her through the dogs barking. In an address to the Creative Women Platform in London, she said: I have her dogs, I have her corgis. Every morning they come in and go woof woof and all that and Im sure its her talking to me. Im sure its her, reminding me shes still around. And in 2023, Sarah described how one of the corgis, Muick, had grieved after the late Queens death. Speaking to Graeme Hall, presenter of the Channel 5 show Dogs Behaving (Very) Badly, Sarah said it took Muick about a year to come to terms with Queen Elizabeth IIs death. She said: There are two corgis that came, big Muick and Sandy, and there were five Norfolk terriers that were there too - seven in all. And big Muick is very, very, very demonstrative, he had his tail down to begin with and then now, a year later... hes just beginning now to really enjoy (himself). The late Queen owned more than 30 corgis during her life, many of which were directly descended from Susan, given to her as an 18th birthday present by her parents in 1944. The Queen loved corgis and had many different pets throughout her life. Pictured: Edward, left, Charles and Andrew with the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh in 1979, surrounded by the royal corgis Andrew will no longer be known as a prince and is to leave Royal Lodge, it has been confirmed While Andrew was stripped of his titles, his daughters Beatrice and Eugenie will keep their Her Royal Highness titles The then Princess Elizabeth forged such a strong connection with Susan that the dog accompanied her on her honeymoon. Andrew suffered the ultimate humiliation on Thursday after his brother took away his titles and his home amid contoversy surrounding his involvement with Jeffrey Epstein and Virginia Giuffre. Buckingham Palace said in an unprecedented statement that 'censures are deemed necessary'. The palace added: 'His Majesty has today initiated a formal process to remove the style, titles and honours of Prince Andrew. 'Prince Andrew will now be known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor. His lease on Royal Lodge has, to date, provided him with legal protection to continue in residence. 'Formal notice has now been served to surrender the lease and he will move to alternative private accommodation. 'These censures are deemed necessary, notwithstanding the fact that he continues to deny the allegations against him. 'Their Majesties wish to make clear that their thoughts and utmost sympathies have been, and will remain with, the victims and survivors of any and all forms of abuse.' While disgraced former duke Andrew was stripped on his princehood on Thursday, his children have retained their royal titles. The King was said to be very keen to 'protect' his nieces, who remain Her Royal Highnesses A source told the Daily Mail: 'He wouldn't have wanted to sign off on anything that would impact them.' Speaking to Sky News, Ms Giuffre's sisterinlaw Amanda Roberts said she would tell Andrew: 'Think of your daughters [Beatrice and Eugenie]. They were the same age. 'Think of what you would do had something like this happened to them. What would you want their perpetrator to do? Sky Roberts, Ms Giuffre's brother, added that he would like to meet the King, and has urged Charles to lean on Donald Trump in order to see the socalled 'Epstein Files' released. 'If the King says he stands with survivors and victims then meet with us and have a conversation with us,' he added. Andrew will be banished to a private household on the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk, kept by his brother. Andrew pictured with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein in New York's Central Park in 2010 Andrew, Virginia Giuffre and sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell in a photo reportedly taken in 2001, when Giuffre was 17 years old The Royal Family released a public statement announcing Andrew would no longer be a prince As yet, he may be in Royal Lodge for some time to avoid an 'awkward' runin with his relatives at Christmas on the estate, where the royals usually mark the festive period and could receive a 500,000 payout for the early termination of his 'ironclad' lease. 'It is a process notice must be given, then the lease must be surrendered and other formalities completed,' a source said. 'I think it's far beyond time to come clean. You were best friends with this man [Epstein] and there are so many things that you could help bring to light. 'Virginia deserves that and every single survivor that has been entrapped in that sex trafficking ring deserves that from you. If you can give an inkling of justice, then it should be on you to do.' He's been dubbed the 'butcher of the century' after appearing in TikTok videos committing brutal executions. But this was the moment Sudanese warlord Abu Lulu was arrested for his atrocities. The sadistic fighter is one of several paramilitaries accused of abuses during the capture of the city of El-Fasher by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The arrests came after horrific images emerged showing civilians being executed following the fall of the city. The UN has warned of more atrocities as evidence mounts of widespread killings. One online video shows Abu Lulu standing in front of nine unarmed men and shooting them at point-blank range as soldiers cheer and chant his name. It is one of multiple scenes of violence to emerge from besieged El-Fasher, western Sudan, since it was seized last weekend. More than 2,000 civilians were murdered by members of the RSF in the 48-hour massacre after the city fell to them. In a video on Monday, Abu Lulu whose real name is Brigadier General Al-Fateh Abdullah Idris boasted that he himself may have been responsible for slaughtering more than 2,000. The northeast African nation was plunged into a deadly conflict in April 2023, when long simmering tensions about the future of the country between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the head of the paramilitary group erupted. After more than 18 months of siege warfare, the RSF finally seized control of El-Fasher the Sudanese army's last stronghold in the vast Darfur region in the west of the country. Pictured: The moment Abu Lulu - whose real name is Brigadier General Al-Fateh Abdullah Idris - was arrested Pictured: Abu Lulu, a Sudanese warlord dubbed the 'butcher of the century', being led to a prison cell Pictured: Abu Lulu behind bars. In a video on Monday, he boasted that he may have been personally responsible for slaughtering more than 2,000 Satellite images have revealed the tragic aftermath of a 48-hour massacre in Sudan which saw over 2,000 civilians executed by paramilitary rebels More than 2,000 civilians were reportedly executed in 48 hours in Sudan after the city of El-Fasher was captured by paramilitaries As tens of thousands of people attempted to flee the besieged city, the RSF began massacring civilians in large numbers. Abu Lulu, who has been called the 'star' of the recent videos depicting violence in Sudan, has a history of being accused of war crimes by human rights groups. In August, he was documented in similar shootings across Sudan, including one alleged incident in the outskirts of El-Fasher. The RSF released a video appearing to show Abu Lulu behind bars in what they claimed to be a North Darfur prison. It said 'legal committees' had begun investigations 'in preparation for bringing them [the fighters] to justice'. In a statement late Thursday, the RSF said it had detained several of its fighters accused of 'violations that occurred during the liberation' of El-Fasher. The group also claimed it was adhering to 'the law, rules of conduct and military discipline during wartime'. El-Fasher has been cut off from all communications since its fall, but survivors who reached the nearby town of Tawila told AFP of mass killings, children shot in front of parents and civilians beaten and robbed as they fled. The civil war has forced more than 14 million people to flee their homes and left some families eating grass in a desperate attempt to survive as famine swept parts of the country. Allies of the army, the Joint Forces, said that the RSF 'committed heinous crimes against innocent civilians, where more than 2,000 unarmed citizens were executed and killed on October 26 and 27, most of them women, children and the elderly'. This handout picture released by the Sudanese Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on October 30, 2025, shows RSF members reportedly detaining a fighter known as Abu Lulu (L) in El-Fasher, in war-torn Sudan's western Darfur region Abu Lulu, who has been called the 'star' of the recent videos depicting violence in Sudan, has a history of being accused of war crimes by human rights groups A maternity hospital massacre left 460 people dead during the 48-hour killing spree. The World Health Organisation said two days later, 'six health workers, four doctors, a nurse and a pharmacist, were abducted' and 'more than 460 patients and their companions were reportedly shot and killed in the hospital,' by the paramilitaries. Analysis by the Yale School of Public Health Humanitarian Research Lab, which has been tracking the siege using open source images and satellite imagery, found clusters of objects 'consistent with the size of human bodies' and 'reddish ground discolouration' thought to be either blood or disturbed soil. A report published on Monday said the actions of the RSF 'may be consistent with war crimes and crimes against humanity and may rise to the level of genocide'. On Monday, UN rights chief Volker Turk spoke of a growing risk of 'ethnically motivated violations and atrocities' in El-Fasher. In a statement, the RSF said it 'categorically denied' the allegations that it carried out the massacre at the hospital, which it said were part of an 'intensive propaganda campaign'. The war has so far killed more than 40,000 people, according to United Nations figures, but aid groups say that is an underestimate and the true number could be many times higher. Post-Brexit payments to Brussels are set to top an eye-watering 50billion in a slap in the face to taxpayers, it emerged today. Figures released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed the UK handed over 3.25billion to Eurocrats last year. It took the total Britain has paid to the European Union since leaving in 2020 to around 44billion, according to the statistics agency. And the Government has committed to handing over another 6billion to 8billion or so under the terms of the exit deal, meaning post-Brexit payments in total are set to surge past 50billion. The sum far exceeds what previous governments have claimed they were willing to pay to leave the bloc. Critics today said it was an insult to hard-pressed households who are potentially facing more tax hikes in the Budget in November. Former Tory Brexit minister David Jones, who has since defected to Reform UK, said: This is nothing less than a slap in the face to all the hard-working Britons who are currently struggling with a cost-of-living crisis. The European Union should no longer be the recipient of funds from this country as far as Im concerned. Britain has paid around 44billion to the EU since leaving in 2020, while the Government has committed to handing over another 8billion or so under the terms of the exit deal The majority of the settlements relate to the bill for leaving the EU, which Britain agreed to pay under the terms of the Withdrawal Agreement after exiting the bloc in January 2020. Pictured: European Commission President, Ursula von der Leyen I think we were so desperate to get out of the EU that at the time we basically came up with a very bad deal. Frank Furedi, boss of the MCC Brussels think-tank, said: Our negotiators have been taken for a ride and basically had no idea how to play hardball, which is what you need to do. As far as they were concerned they just wanted an easy life and they didnt particularly care about the financial consequences of this. As far as the EU Commission is concerned, theyre laughing all the way to the bank because they got a very good financial deal out of this. Its a tragedy that weve let all this money slide out of our hands and handed it over to the EU. The majority of the settlements relate to the bill for leaving the EU, which Britain agreed to pay under the terms of the Withdrawal Agreement after exiting the bloc in January 2020. Originally, the settlement was estimated to be around 35billion to 39billion. In July 2021, Downing Street rejected an EU estimate of a total bill of nearly 41billion and said it would be less. Much of these payments relate to things that the UK committed to while it was a member of the EU but had not yet funded. Some of the money also relates to payments made during the so-called transition period between February 2020 and December 2020, when Brexit had happened but the UK temporarily remained in the blocs single market and customs union. Following this, a free trade agreement between the two sides came into force. The ONS data revealed that 18.1billion was handed over to Brussels in 2020, followed by 5.8billion in 2021, 9.3billion in 2022, 8.2billion in 2023 and 3.25billion last year. When Britain was a full EU member, its net contribution to Brussels ranged from 8.9billion in 2017 to 9.4billion in 2019. A Treasury spokesman said that the 'majority of these payments' listed by the ONS 'have already been made' and that they 'reflect legal obligations that we're committed to honouring.' They added: 'The independent Office for Budget Responsibility has been clear that Brexit will shrink the UK economy by 4 per cent in the long-run. 'That's why this government has got on with the job of getting Britain back open for business on the global stage, turning the tide on stagnation of the past including through our trade deals with the US, India and EU.' John F Kennedy Airport is among several across the country facing massive ground delays due to alarming winds and staffing crises forced by the government shutdown. The city's emergency management office wrote that JFK Airport - as well as LaGuardia and Newark Liberty - are all under traffic restrictions. It is not limited to New York, with the FAA reporting that 35 air traffic facilities, including airports and other facilities that monitor air travel, have chronic staffing shortages due to the government shutdown. Ground delays were issued across Orlando MCO, Austin-Bergstrom Airport and Nashville International Airport due to an air traffic control staffing shortage. JFK is under a full ground stop until at least 11:59pm ET because of staffing shortages, while further delays of over an hour are being caused by windy weather. Newark Liberty International Airport faces ground delays for arrivals at as much as three hours, while LaGuardia is at over two hours, as well as 15-minute delays for departures. 'More restrictions are possible if conditions worsen. Travelers should expect widespread ripple delays and check with their airline for the latest flight status,' the city said. New York's John F Kennedy Airport is several across the country in facing massive ground delays, with alarming winds compounding the staffing crises forced by the government shutdown (Pictured: Passengers wait in JFK's Terminal 5 on August 29, 2025) The city's emergency management office wrote that JFK Airport - as well as LaGuardia and Newark Liberty - are all under traffic restrictions The National Weather Service has issued a wind advisory through midnight, with all three airports facing gusts of up to 45 miles per hour. As of 8pm ET, 5,293 flights within, into or out of the United States have been delayed and 473 have been canceled, according to data from Flight Aware. Delays and cancellations are steadily rising by the minute. On Thursday, 7,250 flights were delayed and 1,249 were canceled across the country. Thousands of passengers were left stranded in Orlando last night after the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced there would be 'no certified controllers for a period of time', which would 'prevent landings' at Orlando Airport, the closest major airport to both Disney World and Universal Studios. Staffing shortages have been growing since the government shutdown began on October 1. More than 13,000 air traffic controllers have been required to work without pay. The US government shutdown barreled towards its second month Friday and the pain is spreading fast - with federal workers broke, food aid under threat and millions of Americans caught in the crossfire. Trump, whose shadow hangs over every Republican move, on Friday called on Congressional Republicans to deploy the 'nuclear option' of ending the filibuster to bring the government shutdown to an end. The filibuster, as it currently exists, requires 60 votes to bring any bill up to a final vote. Getting rid of it would allow the Senate to pass legislation a simple 51-vote majority. The Republicans hold a 53-seat majority, meaning the GOP's funding bill would pass easily and go straight to Trump's desk. Senators on both sides of the aisle have long been hesitant to completely remove the filibuster, fearful of what policies their rivals would be able to ram through in years they control government. President Donald Trump urged Republican senators on Friday to get rid of the filibuster to end the government shutdown Trump claimed that during his meetings with world leaders in Asia 'the one question that kept coming up... was how did the Democrats SHUT DOWN the United States of America and why did the powerful Republicans allow them to do it?' The alleged query from world leaders apparently gave the president some pause. 'The fact is, in flying back, I thought a great deal about that question, WHY?' he said in a lengthy post on his Truth Social page Thursday night. He then claimed that Democrats are 'Crazed Lunatics that have lost all sense of WISDOM and REALITY' since they've lost all power in Washington D.C. 'It is a sick form of the now "legendary" Trump Derangement Syndrome (TDS) that only comes from losing too much,' Trump wrote. 'They want Trillions of Dollars to be taken from our Healthcare System and given to others who are not deserving - People who have come into our Country illegally, many from prisons and mental institutions,' the president claimed. 'That will hurt American citizens and Republicans will not let it happen. 'It is now time for Republicans to play their "TRUMP CARD" and go for what is called the Nuclear Option - get rid of the filibuster and get rid of it NOW!' Senator Chuck Schumer of New York has been leading Democratic strategy on the shutdown and has largely maintained the ACA subsidy red line. He repeated his pledge to sit down with Democrats over their demands -- but only after the shutdown is over. 'We'll meet very quickly, but they have to open up the country,' he told reporters. 'It's their fault. Everything is their fault. It's so easily solved.' The shutdown came after Democrats refused to vote for the GOP temporary funding measure. They argued it should include a permanent extension to the tax credits for Americans who buy health insurance through the Affordable Care Act marketplace, also known as Obamacare. Referred to as enhanced premium tax credits, they were introduced in 2021 and later extended through the end of 2025 by the Inflation Reduction Act. They have significantly brought down the cost of health insurance for approximately 22 million low- and middle-income Americans. Additionally, the number of enrollees in ACA marketplace health plans has nearly doubled, according to healthcare outlet KFF. So far, the vast majority of Republicans have refused to negotiate on this until the government is reopened. Senator Chuck Schumer of New York has been leading Democratic strategy on the shutdown and has largely maintained the ACA subsidy red line. He did, however, sit down Thursday with Senator Katie Britt of Alabama, a Republican who chairs the Appropriations subcommittee on Homeland Security. She told Politico that she spoke to Schumer about 'wanting to lay the foundation for us to be able to do our appropriations work'. Paramount bosses are set to drop a completed JonBenet Ramsey drama series over fears that they could be sued over its contents, insiders say. Unspeakable: The Murder of JonBenet Ramsey, stars A-Listers Melissa McCarthy and Clive Owen appear as the murdered six-year-old pageant queen's parents Patsy and John. It has already been filmed, but may never see the light of day. The show was greenlit by Paramount in September 2024, but has become a point of concern for the streamer's lawyers, according to industry insider Matthew Belloni's Puck newsletter. Belloni said he has heard Paramount lawyers are 'super nervous' about the show, which dramatizes the shocking case of Ramsey's murder back in 1996. Further details on what plotlines are causing concern have not been shared. Paramount have good reason to be cautious. CBS - which they own - was sued for defamation by JonBenet's brother Burke Ramsey for $750 million in 2016. He took legal action after CBS broadcast a documentary that included false claims that he may have murdered his sister. Burke was only nine at the time and has never been charged. The suit was settled for an undisclosed amount. And now it appears Paramount may prefer to cut their losses on the prestige drama than risk being liable for another big payout. Paramount bosses are set to drop a completed drama series about the 1996 murder of six-year-old beauty queen JonBenet Ramsey over fears that they could be sued, insiders say The already-shot show, Unspeakable: The Murder of JonBenet Ramsey, would focus on the chilling cold case and JonBenet's parents Patsy and John (seen in 1997) Clive Owen (left) would star as JonBenet's father John, and Melissa McCarthy (right) would star as JonBenet's mother Patsy The fallout of the unreleased JonBenet Ramsey show has also been fueled by Paramount's split with popular showrunner Taylor Sheridan. Sheridan, best known as the creator of Yellowstone, is set to leave Paramount in January 2029, and his slow divorce has seen bosses look to potentially scale back his shows and collaborations, according to Belloni. Although Sheridan is not involved in the JonBenet series, the showrunner's frequent collaborator, 101 Studios, is helming the show, reportedly adding extra friction to the decision to release or scrap it. The drama could still end up seeing the light of day if Paramount decides to let 101 Studios shop it around other broadcasters. But the air of legal peril now surrounding the show could make it a tough sell. Paramount did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The decision to greenlight the show about JonBenet Ramsey's murder last year came amid heightened attention on the cold case, which remains unsolved ever since it captured national headlines in 1996. Next year marks the 30th anniversary of the six-year-olds brutal murder in Boulder, when the Ramseys awoke the day after Christmas to find a ransom note and their daughter missing. Her tiny mutilated body was found hours later in the basement of the family home; she had suffered blunt force trauma and been strangled with a garrote, a knotted rope weapon tied to a piece of wood. In the CBS show that aired in 2016 and resulted in Burke's lawsuit, panelists theorized that Burke hit his sister over the head with a heavy object during a sibling argument, before it was covered up by his parents. The suggestions were not based on evidence and were not supported by investigators, and the documentary resulted in CBS settling Burke's lawsuit three years later for an undisclosed sum. One of the primary reasons for the show's potential axing reportedly stems from a lawsuit brought in 2016 by JonBenet's brother Burke, who was accused on a CBS show of being involved in the murder. He has never been formally accused by law enforcement Burke, seen in 2016, sued CBS for $750 million after the network aired a documentary that included theories that he had murdered his sister. The lawsuit was settled in 2019 The six-year-old's father John has persistently sought to keep the case open ever since, and last month he appeared at true crime convention CrimeCon to press for more DNA testing to catch her killer. John appeared alongside Hal Haddon, the attorney whos represented him since the early days of the investigation. I have pressed hard for DNA analysis of the knots in this garrote, which our DNA experts say could be quite promising, because someone had to tie those and theyre fairly sophisticated, Haddon said at the event. Someone had to use their fingers and likely got their DNA in these knots, he said. Theyve never done that [testing], and I questioned them on that every time that weve met. The handle on this garrote is wooden, and that wooden handle has never been tested for DNA, even though splinters from that handle were found on and inside the body of JonBenet. Haddon said unspecified evidentiary items had been sent to the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, which promised they would expedite the testing. Ramsey pointed out that DNA testing has advanced enormously since the 1996 murder, and said he has not lost hope that someday law enforcement will be able to name his daughter's killer. Princess Margaret claimed her decision not to marry Group Captain Peter Townsend was an act of choosing duty over love. However, royal observers say there's much more to the story. According to author Tom Quinn, the rebellious princess 'created an atmosphere of moral panic in the Royal Family' when she struck up a relationship with Townsend, a divorcee who was her father's equerry. In his 2021 book Scandals of the Royal Palace, Quinn describes how Queen Elizabeth and her 'conservative' royal advisors disapproved of their relationship - but Townsend proposed to Margaret regardless. In an effort to separate the couple, he was reassigned to a post in Brussels while Margaret was kept at Kensington Palace. Officials hoped that the physical distance would see the romance dwindle. Their plan appeared to succeed: in 1955 Margaret released a public statement announcing the end of her relationship with Townsend. She said she chose not to rescind her royal life to marry a divorced man, citing the 'church's teachings' and her 'duty to the Commonwealth' as the reasons behind the split. While the statement may have seemed like it was the princess's decision to cut ties with Townsend, she reportedly spent her remaining years resentful of the 'outdated' royal rules and those who enforced them. Margaret met Peter Townsend, a divorcee who was 16 years her senior, in 1947 when he started working alongside her father According to author Tom Quinn, the rebellious princess 'created an atmosphere of moral panic in the Royal Family' when she struck up a relationship with her father's equerry Margaret met Townsend, who was 16 years her senior, in 1947 when he started working alongside her father and the pair became close on the Royal Family's three-month tour of South Africa in 1947. In 1952, Townsend divorced his wife and proposed to Margaret the following year, but due to the 1772 Royal Marriages Act, as she was under 25, she would have to get her sister's approval for the marriage. Royal author Tom Quinn claims that the Queen could have 'easily' given permission as rules were set hundreds of years before, but she was convinced by 'deeply conservative' advisers not to do so. Townsend was not only a commoner, he was divorced, which was frowned upon in the 1950s and goes against the teachings of the Church of England of which Queen Elizabeth was the head. Conjecture around their relationship arose over the years with royal observers picking up on subtle signs Margaret and Townsend might be more than friends. A tender moment of Margaret picking lint of the Captain's uniform outside Westminster Abbey at Elizabeth's coronation in June 1953 sent the press into a frenzy triggering a barrage of speculative headlines. Shortly after the coronation, the Queen, under the guidance of her 'conservative' advisors, sent Townsend away to work as an air attache for the British Embassy in Brussels where he stayed for two years. 'The result of Peter's removal to Brussels was that Kensington Palace became a prison where Margaret had to endure her grief alone,' Quinn said. A tender moment of Margaret picking lint of the Captain's uniform outside Westminster Abbey at Elizabeth's coronation in June 1953 sent the press into a frenzy Royal author Tom Quinn claims that the Queen could have 'easily' given permission for the marriage but was convinced by 'deeply conservative' advisers not to do so When he returned, Margaret had celebrated her 25th birthday, meaning she was able to marry anyone of her choosing. However, the Queen and British parliament had made amendments to the Royal Marriages Act to further prevent the pair from ever tying the knot. If she were to marry Townsend, she would have to give up her income and position in the line of succession to the throne, in which she stood third behind Elizabeth's children, then-Prince Charles and Princess Anne. Just over a month after her birthday on October 31, 1955, Margaret announced on BBC Radio that she will end her engagement to Townsend and preserve her place in Royal Family. 'I would like it to be known that I have decided not to marry Group Captain Peter Townsend,' she said. 'I have been aware that, subject to my renouncing my rights of succession, it might have been possible for me to contract a civil marriage. 'But, mindful of the Church's teaching that Christian marriage is indissoluble, and conscious of my duty to the Commonwealth, I have decided to put these considerations before any others.' In the years, even decades, following, Margaret harboured a grudge toward officials for their medalling in her love life. Quinn wrote: 'In a statement, Margaret insisted that in ultimately deciding not to marry Peter, she had chosen duty over personal happiness, but this was only part of the story.' Shortly after the coronation, the Queen, under the guidance of her 'conservative' advisors, sent Townsend away to work as an air attache for the British Embassy in Brussels where he stayed for two years In 1955 Margaret released a public statement announcing the end of her relationship with Peter Townsend - but she reportedly spent her remaining years resentful of the 'outdated' royal rules and those who enforced them 'In fact, for the rest of her life, she remained bitter and resentful at how her chance of happiness had been snatched away by what she saw as an outdated set of rules.' While Margaret ultimately chose her royal life over love, she made her disdain towards those who played a part in making her potential marriage to Townsend so difficult. She went on to marry Antony Jones Armstrong, later Lord Snowdon, but throughout her new relationship, her resentments remained. One of the Queen's advisors Alan 'Tommy' Lascelles copped the majority of the princess's wrath. 'Lascelles was was a dyed-in-the-wool reactionary who felt any relaxation of the old rules would lead to anarchy,' Quinn penned. Lascelles was given a 'race-and-favour' apartment at Kensington Palace after his retirement. Margaret would often see him as they were only a handful of people sharing the royal residence. 'On numerous occasions, as she was driven out of Kensington Palace, Margaret would catch sight of Lascelles through her car window and curse him. 'In his 2005 biography of the Queen Mother, Hugo Vickers recalls Margaret shouting to her chauffeur, 'There goes Lascelles. Run the brute down'.' Virginia Giuffre's highly sought-after first TV interview about her accusations against Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was 'never aired', the late Epstein accuser has claimed in her posthumously released memoir. Giuffre, who died by suicide aged 41 in April, wrote that she had been 'defeated by the people I was trying to speak out against' in the book - before King Charles last night stripped his brother of his titles and home. In her memoir, titled Nobody's Girl, Giuffre noted that every major TV network 'wanted to interview me' before she chose ABC 'in the end'. Giuffre described how she flew to New York from Denver with her three children for the interview with journalist Amy Robach so they could understand 'why Mommy was always either on the phone or, too often, leaving on a plane'. 'For probably 90 minutes, I told Robach everything I knew about how Epstein and [Ghislaine] Maxwell had organised their sex trafficking ring,' she wrote. Giuffre explained she 'told her the names of several men' she had allegedly been trafficked to, including Andrew, and 'wept' when she recalled certain instances of alleged abuse. 'There was a celebratory feeling in the room' after the interview was filmed but, Giuffre wrote, the excitement soon turned into worry when its release kept getting delayed. 'Finally, someone from the network told my legal team that because I'd told Robach about being trafficked to Prince Andrew, the network had to reach out to Buckingham Palace and an attorney for Epstein,' she continued. 'Why that was causing such delays was unclear...But for whatever reason, ABC never aired the interview.' Virginia Giuffre 's highly sought-after first TV interview about her accusations against Andrew was 'never aired', the late Epstein accuser has claimed in her posthumously released memoir. Andrew is seen here with Prince William at the late Duchess of Kent's funeral One of Jeffrey Epstein's most prominent accusers, Giuffre died by suicide in April this year. She was 41. However, the Savannah-born advocate laid bare the extent of abuse she allegedly suffered at the hands of the late paedophile, Ghislaine Maxwell, and Andrew in her posthumous memoir. She claimed she was forced to have sex with Andrew three times - allegations he has repeatedly and vehemently denied - during that time. Ahead of its publication, the disgraced 65-year-old Royal Family member gave up use of his royal titles, including Duke of York, as the memoir's ghostwriter said Virginia would have seen this as a 'victory'. This was especially after the setbacks she allegedly encountered during her legal battles, including the ABC interview that was never broadcast. Explaining what allegedly happened at the time, Giuffre claimed every major TV network 'wanted to interview me', adding: 'We weighed our options and, in the end, chose ABC.' She said she was a 'fan of the anchor Amy Robach' who was working with her producer Jim Hill, 'a top-notch investigative reporter'. Virginia claimed she was forced to have sex with Andrew three times - allegations he has repeatedly and vehemently denied - in the book that revisited her story in harrowing detail. Virginia, then 17, is pictured with Andrew in 2001 Her memoir was published posthumously earlier this month as the Savannah-born advocate laid bare the extent of abuse she allegedly suffered at the hands of the late paedophile, Ghislaine Maxwell , and Andrew She shared how ABC 'hired two nannies' for Alex, Tyler, and Ellie, so she could prep for the interview at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel before the interview. 'I was excited,' the memoir read. 'This could be a game changer, I thought. 'After years of seeing the media as my enemy, I wanted to believe that the media could also help our cause,' she said, on behalf of Epstein's accusers. When the interview was over, 'there was a celebratory feeling in the room', she said. Giuffre added: 'When I reunited with my kids that night, I told them, "Your mom did a good job today." 'Then the waiting began,' she continued, explaining that the broadcast kept getting delayed. We were strung along for weeks, with no explanation for the delay, the memoir read. Finally, someone from the network told my legal team that because Id told Robach about being trafficked to Prince Andrew, the network had to reach out to Buckingham Palace and an attorney for Epstein. In a leaked video of Robach, she allegedly said the network 'feared losing access to Prince William and Kate Middleton' Why that was causing such delays was unclear, the book continued. Robach and her producer were outraged. But for whatever reason, ABC never aired the interview. A footnote in the harrowing memoir described former ABC journalist Robach's 'hot mic' moment when she was filmed saying that lawyers for the paedophile financier and the Firm 'applied pressure to nix the interview'. 'Robach said that "every day I get more and more p****d" that her interview with me didnt air and that "what we had was unreal",' it read. 'In the recording, Robach said that she was told by higher-ups, "Whos Jeffrey Epstein? No-one knows who that is. This is a stupid story". Giuffre also claimed ABC 'feared losing access to Prince William and Kate Middleton' in the future. The Daily Mail has reached out to Robach and ABC News for comment. At the time, Robach described the video as having captured a 'private moment of frustration' in a statement that read: 'The interview itself, while I was disappointed it didnt air, didnt meet our standards. 'In the years since no one ever told me or the team to stop reporting on Jeffrey Epstein, and we have continued to aggressively pursue this important story.' ABC News also said 'not all of our reporting met our standards to air' at the time. After Virginia's posthumous memoir was published, Andrew agreed to give up his royal titles - as royal expert predicted the book would be 'toxic' for him. He is seen here at Prince Philip's funeral, with now-King Charles (front) and William Giuffre wrote this setback on her quest for justice against her abusers left her feeling despondent. 'I'd been defeated once again by the people I was trying to speak out against. And I couldn't help wonder, if a media giant like ABC could be shut down in its attempts to reveal the truth, was there any hope for survivors like me? Giuffre would wait four years for the opportunity to tell her story on TV. When she finally sat down opposite Samantha Guthrie along with five other Epstein accusers for NBC's Dateline, Giuffre described in detail how she was allegedly forced to have sex with Andrew in 2001 when she was 17. The alleged encounter reportedly took place at Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell's London townhouse after the royal gave her vodka at a nightclub. Andrew has repeatedly and vehemently denied Guiffre's accusations, calling them 'false' and 'without foundation' and saying 'any suggestion of impropriety with underage minors is 'categorically untrue'. 'He was an abuser. He was a participant,' she told the Dateline programme. 'The first time in London, I was so young. Ghislaine woke me up in the morning and said, "You're gonna meet a prince today." 'I didn't know at that point that I was going to be trafficked to a prince,' she said. Although he denies Giuffre's account, Andrew settled a US civil case she lodged for a reported 12million, reportedly receiving money from his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, to help meet the costs. It comes after King Charles sensationally stripped Andrew, 65, of all his titles and the home where he lived with ex-wife Sarah Ferguson, announcing his decision in a clinically cold statement. The Palace added pointedly: 'Their Majesties wish to make clear that their thoughts and utmost sympathies have been, and will remain with, the victims and survivors of any and all forms of abuse.' Giuffre filed a lawsuit against Andrew in August 2021, seeking unspecified damages for battery, including rape, and the infliction of emotional distress. The Prince and Princess of Wales with Andrew at the late Duchess of Kent's funeral She alleged that she was forced to have sex with Andrew three times when she was just 17 years old under the orders of the late paedophile. This newspaper previously revealed how Andrew told the Met Police to dig up dirt on Giuffre by handing over her confidential social security number and date of birth to his taxpayer-funded police protection officer. The Met is 'actively looking into the claims made'. Ahead of Giuffre's memoir being published, Andrew agreed to give up his royal titles - including Duke of York. Speaking to Newsnight afterwards, the ghostwriter of Nobody's Girl, Amy Wallace, said his 'life is being eroded because of his past behaviour'. Speaking to Victoria Derbyshire about what she thought of Andrew relinquishing his titles, Amy said: 'I can speak for Virginia. 'I know that she would view it as a victory that he was forced, by whatever means, to voluntarily give them up. 'For many, maybe particularly in the United States, but maybe even in the UK, it's a symbolic gesture, but it's an important one. 'It's made history, modern history, in terms of the royal era. I mean it... I've never heard of such a thing happening, and it is also just a step in the right direction. 'You know, Virginia wanted all the men who she'd been trafficked to against her will to be held to account. 'And this is just one of the men, but he is being forced to, even though he continues to deny it, his life is being eroded because of his past behaviour, as it should be.' It comes after King Charles officially announced Andrew would be stripped of his 'Prince' title and be known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor with immediate effect. In a bombshell announcement, His Majesty also confirmed Andrew has been 'served notice' to leave the Royal Lodge and 'move to alternative private accommodation'. Prince Andrew became an outcast on Thursday night after the King finally stripped him of his titles and home. From now on, the former Duke of York will simply be known as Mr Andrew Mountbatten Windsor losing even his birth title of prince. Andrew, 65, has also agreed to surrender his lease on Royal Lodge and will be banished to a private home on the monarch's Sandringham Estate in Norfolk. In a clinically cold statement, Buckingham Palace made it clear that the censures were 'deemed necessary, notwithstanding the fact that he continues to deny the allegations against him', a reference to claims by the late Virginia Giuffre that she was sex-trafficked to the late Queen's son by convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein. Sources said it was 'clear that there have been serious lapses of judgment'. The Palace added pointedly: 'Their Majesties wish to make clear that their thoughts and utmost sympathies have been, and will remain with, the victims and survivors of any and all forms of abuse.' The brutal 109-word statement came after weeks of renewed accusations, triggered by The Mail on Sunday, which revealed bombshell emails laying bare the depth of his friendship with Epstein and revealing that the prince lied when he claimed to have cut off all contact with the predator in 2010. Combined with Mrs Giuffre's devastating posthumous memoir, which was published last week, further revelations about Andrew's links with questionable businessmen and mounting public fury over the advantageous lease on his Windsor mansion, the King acted decisively once and for all. From now on, the former Duke of York (pictured with the late Queen) will simply be known as Mr Andrew Mountbatten Windsor losing even his birth title of prince Andrew, 65, has also agreed to surrender his lease on Royal Lodge (pictured) and will be banished to a private home on the monarch's Sandringham Estate in Norfolk Buckingham Palace made it clear that His Majesty had the support of his family, including the Prince of Wales Buckingham Palace's statement marks a devastating and unprecedented fall from grace for a man who was born second in line to the throne, found fame as a Falklands hero and was handed a plum role as Britain's special ambassador for trade. The Palace said: 'His Majesty has today initiated a formal process to remove the Style, Titles and Honours of Prince Andrew. 'Prince Andrew will now be known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor. His lease on Royal Lodge has, to date, provided him with legal protection to continue in residence. Formal notice has now been served to surrender the lease and he will move to alternative private accommodation. These censures are deemed necessary, notwithstanding the fact that he continues to deny the allegations against him.' Sources told the Daily Mail that the move was entirely down to the King and his advisors, without pressure from the Government or other family members, such as Prince William. It was prompted, they said, as a result of the 'serious lapses of judgment which his brother has shown'. They also made it clear that His Majesty had the support of his family, including the Prince of Wales. A Kensington Palace source said: 'The Royal Family, including the Prince of Wales, fully support the King's leadership on this matter. These decisions have been the King's, with the support of the wider family.' The Royal Family has also taken into account the personal welfare of all those involved, including Andrew himself. Another source revealed: 'The process has been under way for some while, but there was a need to get it right in the face of some very big challenges.' In another brutally dismissive remark, sources said that Andrew's ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, (left) with whom he still lives, 'will make her own arrangements' when it comes to her future Princess Beatrice and Eugenie (pictured) will retain their Royal titles despite their father Andrew no longer being a Prince In another brutally dismissive remark, sources said that Andrew's ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, with whom he still lives, 'will make her own arrangements' when it comes to her future. While she could live with Andrew in Norfolk it is understood that she intends to, finally, live separately from him, almost 30 years after they divorced. Andrew is eighth in line to the throne and a counsellor of state who could step in for the King, although Parliament has made it clear that non-working royals will not serve in this capacity. Just under two weeks ago the King forced Andrew to voluntarily give up the use of his titles, but it was clear public opinion was demanding something more. As the Dukedom of York is a Peerage, His Majesty is now sending Royal Warrants to the Lord Chancellor, who is responsible for maintaining the Roll of the Peerage, to secure the removal of the Dukedom of York from the Peerage Roll, and the Title of Prince and Style of 'Royal Highness'. His titles of Inverness and Killyleagh are similarly affected. The honours affected are his Order of the Garter and Knight Grand Cross of the Victorian Order. Asked why they had not opted to abolish the Dukedom using an Act of Parliament, sources explained that would take up precious Parliamentary time, preventing Parliament from focusing on urgent national issues. It is understood that the King is doing all he can 'within his own Royal Prerogative'. The move was said to have been entirely down to the King and his advisers, without pressure from the government. The monarch is pictured in Australia earlier this month Although the Dukedom of York is not extinguished meaning his daughters Beatrice and Eugenie, whom he and the King were keen to protect, will remain formally princesses of York it can no longer be used officially by Andrew. As daughters of the son of a sovereign, HRH Princess Beatrice and HRH Princess Eugenie retain their titles in line with King George V's Letters Patent of 1917. Sources said His Majesty acted 'swiftly' following recent developments which led to his brother relinquishing the use of his titles and honours 'in the most immediate and efficient way possible'. A longer-term resolution to all the aligned issues was always going to take a little longer to enact due to the complexities of the legal and constitutional position, they added. But they stressed that 'the necessity of further action was never in doubt'. It is understood that the King needed 'time, legal and constitutional expertise, and support from the wider family' to bring his brother's downfall about. Andrew's name change takes place immediately. But there is no need to amend his birth certificate as the change applies forthwith, not retrospectively. Insiders said the relevant Government authorities were consulted. The Government has been clear it is constitutionally proper for His Majesty to take this action and that it supports the decision taken, they stressed. As for Royal Lodge, notice was not served on Prince Andrew to move by the King. As it was Andrew's lease, it was up to the former prince to serve notice himself, suggesting that he is not fighting the process. It is understood that he will leave the 30-room mansion he has called home for more than 20 years 'as soon as practicable'. Pictured: Andrew, Virginia Giuffre and sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell in a photo reportedly taken in 2001, when Giuffre was 17 years old The Palace has not announced exactly where on the Sandringham estate Andrew will move to. However, the Daily Mail understands that it is not Wood Farm, as had been speculated. Sources said it has been necessary, given how swiftly events were unfolding, to focus on getting proper security in place. In an act of mercy, the King will fund the move privately and, as Andrew remains a member of the family, Charles will also make 'private provisions' for him. Andrew had a 'cast-iron' 75-year lease on Royal Lodge, but royal advisors have been poring over the paperwork for months to get him out, to little effect. It is understood that his departure involved 'negotiation between all parties' for him to agree to serve formal notice to surrender. Under the terms of his lease, Andrew would be due anything up to 500,000 to surrender the property early given that he had paid 7.5million for its refurbishment. While that is a matter for the Crown Estate, which is effectively his landlord, sources said yesterday it was 'possible remedial works may affect any compensation due' which is likely to head off the anger that would follow any suggestion that he could get money that should go to the Government and therefore taxpayers. After being stripped of his title and evicted from his home, former-Prince Andrew has one thing left - being eighth in line to the throne. Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, as the shamed ex-Duke is now known, has become a rare outcast of the Royal Family. Last night, King Charles made the momentous decision to all but cut him loose from the House of Windsor. Stripped of his titles, honours and the right to be addressed as 'His Royal Highness' following years of scrutiny over his alleged connections to the dead paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein, the 65-year-old's future now looks dire. His only tenuous link to the family that has turned their backs on him is the ancient tradition of the line of succession. But with so many ahead of him, the possibility of Andrew ever being seated on the throne is smaller than ever. Upon the death of King Charles, the Monarch's eldest son William, the Prince of Wales, will ascend to the throne. Next are his children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Louis. As the eldest child, George is second in line, while his sister, younger than him by two years, is third. Louis is next after his sister. With no royal blood, Catherine, Princess of Wales, is not eligible to be part of the line of succession. Andrew Mountbatten Windsor (pictured) became a rare outcast of the Royal Family Instead, that honour goes to the Duke of Sussex, Prince Harry. Then comes Prince Archie, as the eldest of the Sussex children, before his sister Princess Lilibet. Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, is also not part of the line of succession, again because she is not of royal descent. Finally, behind Harry and Meghan's four-year-old daughter, Andrew finds his place. In a clinically cold statement, Buckingham Palace made it clear that the censures were 'deemed necessary, not withstanding the fact that he continues to deny the allegations against him', a reference to claims by the late Virginia Giuffre that she was sex-trafficked to the late Queen's son by Epstein. Sources said it was 'clear that there have been serious lapses of judgment'. The Palace added pointedly: 'Their Majesties wish to make clear that their thoughts and utmost sympathies have been, and will remain with, the victims and survivors of any and all forms of abuse.' The brutal 109-word statement came after weeks of renewed accusations, triggered by The Mail on Sunday, which revealed bombshell emails laying bare the depth of his friendship with Epstein and revealing that the prince lied when he claimed to have cut off all contact with the predator in 2010. Combined with Mrs Giuffre's devastating posthumous memoir, which was published last week, further revelations about Andrew's links with questionable businessmen and mounting public fury over the advantageous lease on his Windsor mansion, the King acted decisively once and for all. The late Virginia Giuffre (pictured, right) claimed that she was sex-trafficked to the late Queen's son by convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein The move was said to have been entirely down to the King and his advisers, without pressure from the government. The monarch is pictured in Australia earlier this month Buckingham Palace's statement marks a devastating and unprecedented fall from grace for a man who was born second in line to the throne, found fame as a Falklands hero and was handed a plum role as Britain's special ambassador for trade. The Palace said: 'His Majesty has today initiated a formal process to remove the Style, Titles and Honours of Prince Andrew. 'Prince Andrew will now be known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor. His lease on Royal Lodge has, to date, provided him with legal protection to continue in residence. 'Formal notice has now been served to surrender the lease and he will move to alternative private accommodation. These censures are deemed necessary, notwithstanding the fact that he continues to deny the allegations against him.' Sources told the Daily Mail that the move was entirely down to the King and his advisors, without pressure from the Government or other family members, such as Prince William. It was prompted, they said, as a result of the 'serious lapses of judgment which his brother has shown'. They also made it clear that His Majesty had the support of his family, including the Prince of Wales. Buckingham Palace made it clear that His Majesty had the support of his family, including the Prince of Wales Andrew, 65, has also agreed to surrender his lease on Royal Lodge (pictured) and will be banished to a private home on the monarch's Sandringham Estate in Norfolk From now on, the former Duke of York (pictured) will simply be known as Mr Andrew Mountbatten Windsor losing even his birth title of prince A Kensington Palace source said: 'The Royal Family, including the Prince of Wales, fully support the King's leadership on this matter. These decisions have been the King's, with the support of the wider family.' The Royal Family has also taken into account the personal welfare of all those involved, including Andrew himself. Another source revealed: 'The process has been under way for some while, but there was a need to get it right in the face of some very big challenges.' In another brutally dismissive remark, sources said that Andrew's ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, with whom he still lives, 'will make her own arrangements' when it comes to her future. While she could live with Andrew in Norfolk it is understood that she intends to, finally, live separately from him, almost 30 years after they divorced. Andrew will today start his first day as a commoner after he was sensationally stripped of his prince title and evicted from his Royal Lodge home. Buckingham Palace declared Andrew will now be known as Mr Andrew Mountbatten Windsor after losing all his royal titles following his damaging association with American paedophile Jeffrey Epstein. Andrew also agreed to surrender his lease on Royal Lodge and will be banished to a private home on the monarch's Sandringham Estate in Norfolk. Last night, the family of Virginia Guiffre, who alleged Andrew had sex with her three times as a teenager, said the 65-year-old should now face an investigation, telling the BBC he 'needs to be behind bars'. This live page has closed Prince Andrew will now be known simply as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie are set to keep their royal titles in the wake of their father's disgrace but their newly 'tarnished' status will have consequences, a royal expert has claimed. Last night, Buckingham Palace confirmed that Andrew will no longer be known as a prince and, from now on, will simply be called Andrew Mountbatten Windsor. Although the former duke has been stripped of all his remaining titles, his daughters, Beatrice, 37, and Eugenie, 35, will remain princesses of York. As daughters of the son of a sovereign, the sisters, who jetted out of the country this week amid the mounting pressure surrounding their parents, retain their titles in line with King George V's Letters Patent of 1917. However, royal expert Christopher Wilson told the Daily Mail today that King Charles's 'soft-hearted' approach to his nieces 'may come back to bite him' - and it may be up to Prince William to 'finish the job' when he becomes King later down the line. As for Beatrice and Eugenie themselves, their princess titles will be 'tarnished in the eyes of many' due to their father and his links to Jeffrey Epstein, Mr Wilson claimed. If opportunities dry up, the Princesses could be forced to accept more 'low-grade offers' like their mother, Sarah Ferguson, who, over the years has been accused of undertaking 'dubious' charity work and offering access to Prince Andrew for cash. Mr Wilson told the Daily Mail: 'The princesses use their titles to earn money - and if that starts to dry up as a result of their father's disgrace, they may be tempted to follow their mother Fergie's example of accepting more and more low-grade offers to use their face and name in order to rake in the cash.' Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie are set to keep their royal titles in the wake of their father's disgrace - but there may be consequences, a royal expert has warned Both sisters have paid full-time jobs but do not receive cash from the Sovereign Grant as they're not working royals. They also benefit from a trust fund set up by the Queen Mother for her great-great-grandchildren, and received money from their parents' divorce in the 1990s. Beatrice is married to millionaire property tycoon Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, while Eugenie's husband, wine merchant Jack Brooksbank, is also wealthy in his own right. Previously, the former Duke of York's website said he 'supports both of his daughters financially', but now this source of income and any other monetary benefits that may come with their titles will be brought into question. Mr Wilson added: 'Dealing with ruthless businessmen who know how to exploit a royal title has been Fergie's downfall, and it could be theirs too. 'Neither woman has a husband with a job which can sustain them in the style to which they've long been accustomed - and they too may find it harder to maintain their status in the business world now that Andrew is no longer royal.' As ninth in line to the throne, Beatrice is an adviser for Afiniti, an artificial intelligence software firm, and a co-founder of The Big Change Charitable Trust. She has a number of royal patronages, including the Forget Me Not Children's Hospice, the Teenage Cancer Trust and the Helen Arkell Dyslexia Charity. Eugenie, 12th in line to the throne, is also a patron of several charities, including the Elephant Family, the Teenage Cancer Trust and the European School of Osteopathy, and also co-founded the Anti-Slavery Collective charity. The princess became a mentor for The King's Foundation's 35 under 35 network of changemakers earlier this year and is a director at the contemporary art gallery Hauser & Wirth in London. Both sisters are married and have children. They will be welcome to join the gathering at Sandringham for Christmas and other royal family events, it is understood. However, Mr Wilson warned today that such leniency may not be permanent. Last night, Buckingham Palace confirmed that Andrew will no longer be known as a prince and, from now on, will simply be called Andrew Mountbatten Windsor (pictured with his daughters at Trooping The Colour in 2013) This week, both sisters jetted out of the country. Princess Beatrice travelled to Saudi Arabia to attend the Future Investment Initiative event in Riyadh. Pictured: Beatrice posed alongside Sunil Sharma Princess Eugenie was in Paris alongside two girlfriends as they posed for a picture on the River Seine with the Eiffel Tower in the background He warned: 'I'm not sure that King Charles's soft-hearted approach to allowing Beatrice and Eugenie to keep their titles won't come back to bite him. 'Much of their wealth hangs on their closeness to the throne and now that Andrew has been kicked out and is just a plain Mister now, the 'princess' titles will be tarnished in the eyes of many. 'It would have been safer for Charles to cut them off, too. But he's a man with a kind heart, and he couldn't bring himself to do it. 'What's left is the possibility - if they bring further disgrace on the royal family - that William will finish off the job and when he becomes king strip them of their princess titles. It ain't over yet.' This week, the sisters jetted out of the country amid the mounting pressure surrounding their parents. Eugenie was in Paris alongside two girlfriends as they posed for a picture on the River Seine with the Eiffel Tower in the background. Her sister Beatrice travelled to Saudi Arabia to attend the Future Investment Initiative event in Riyadh. A statement from the Palace last night said 'censures are deemed necessary' amid the ongoing scandal over Jeffrey Epstein, whom Andrew lied about cutting ties with. Beatrice and Eugenie's mother Sarah Ferguson, Andrew's ex-wife, however, will be forced to make her own living arrangements. Pictured together at the Duchess of Kent's funeral last month Amid the controversy, it was previously understood that His Majesty Charles was very keen to 'protect' his nieces who remain Her Royal Highnesses as granddaughters of Queen Elizabeth. 'He wouldn't have wanted to sign off on anything that would impact them,' a source told the Daily Mail. Andrew is to be moved to a property on the Sandringham estate but the specifics regarding the relocation are unknown. Beatrice and Eugenie's mother Sarah Ferguson, Andrew's ex-wife, however, will be forced to make her own living arrangements after moving out of the royal grounds of Windsor Castle. The bombshell statement from the Palace on Thursday night read: 'His Majesty has today initiated a formal process to remove the Style, Titles and Honours of Prince Andrew. 'Prince Andrew will now be known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor. His lease on Royal Lodge has, to date, provided him with legal protection to continue in residence. 'Formal notice has now been served to surrender the lease and he will move to alternative private accommodation. 'These censures are deemed necessary, notwithstanding the fact that he continues to deny the allegations against him. 'Their Majesties wish to make clear that their thoughts and utmost sympathies have been, and will remain with, the victims and survivors of any and all forms of abuse.' In a bombshell statement released last night, Buckingham Palace said he will now be known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor It is understood the King Charles III is in the process of sending royal warrants to the Lord Chancellor to remove his brother's titles and honours. Andrew is said to have not objected. It is understood Prince William and the Royal Family fully support the King's leadership on the recent move. The move was entirely down to the King and his advisers, without pressure from the government or other family members, such as Prince William, sources told the Daily Mail. 'The process has been under way for some while but there was a need to get it right in the face of some very big challenges,' an insider said. Notice was not served on Prince Andrew to move. It was his lease, so it was up to the former Duke of York to serve notice himself, suggesting that he is not fighting the process. The former duke has lived at the Grade II-listed mansion on the grounds of Windsor Castle for over two decades with Fergie, despite their divorce in 1996. Last week, the row over the Royal Lodge continued to grow amid damning revelations in a posthumous memoir from Andrew's sex abuse accuser Virginia Giuffre, who took her own life this year, aged 41. Nobody's Girl: A Memoir of Surviving Abuse and Fighting for Justice was released in this month, with the manuscript having been completed before she died. The explosive book revolves around her years spent as a sex slave to Epstein and his British madam Ghislaine Maxwell. Prince Andrew, Virginia Giuffre and sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell in a photo reportedly taken in 2001, when Giuffre was 17 years old. Prince Andrew denied having sex with Ms Giuffre, but forked out millions in an out of court settlement in February 2022 Extracts published by The Guardian show Ms Giuffre, who said she was trafficked by Epstein three times for sex with Andrew, called the ex-duke 'entitled' and viewing sex as his 'birthright'. Within the 400-page autobiography, she also alleged the ex-duke said 'thank you' in a 'clipped British accent' after their alleged first encounter when she was 17. She also recalled how Ghislaine Maxwell praised her following the encounter, saying, 'You did well, the prince had fun'. Andrew denied having sex with Ms Giuffre, but forked out millions in an out of court settlement in February 2022. In the wake of the Giuffre scandal, Andrew is facing a private prosecution over allegations of sexual assault, corruption and misconduct in public office. It comes just weeks after Andrew was forced to relinquish his royal titles, including the Duke of York and stepping down from membership of the Order of the Garter. His wife Sarah, formerly the Duchess of York, is now known as plain Sarah Ferguson. This is the moment Andrew first appeared to be shunned by the Royal Family - most notably Prince William - during a terse exchange at the Duchess of Kent's funeral. In painfully awkward scenes just weeks before his titles and home were taken away, Andrew was seen with his family on the steps of Westminster Cathedral, where a service had been held for the Duchess of Kent. Andrew could be seen trying to jovially engage his nephew in conversation, shortly after her coffin passed by. But in an extraordinary exchange caught on camera, William looked deeply uncomfortable and appeared to shut down any chat with Andrew. In an unprecedented statement released on Thursday night, Buckingham Palace said the disgraced royal will now only be known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor. The Prince and Princess of Wales fully support the decision, sources told the Daily Mail last night. Sources told the Mail on Sunday just days ago how Andrew had been facing mounting pressure to quit Royal Lodge before William, Kate and their three children move into their nearby 'forever home'. Royal sources claimed William and Kate wanted to move into Forest Lodge in Windsor Great Park before Bonfire Night - and William 'wanted his disgraced uncle out of his 30-room mansion by the time they move in.' The Prince of Wales appeared to reveal his true thoughts about Andrew during the Duchess of Kent's funeral last month Prince William and Princess Kate fully support the King's decision to strip Andrew of his Prince title and evict him from Royal Lodge Royal biographer Andrew Lownie said: 'He's [William] much more ruthless than his father and I think he can see the huge reputational damage that's been done.' His comments came in response to Andrew's bombshell statement on October 17 when he announced he would no longer be known as the Duke of York. In a clinically cold statement last night, Buckingham Palace made it clear that the censures on Andrew were 'deemed necessary'. They follow the publication of his accuser Virginia Giuffre's explosive memoir earlier this month, in which she made a number of claims against the former prince. 'His Majesty has today initiated a formal process to remove the Style, Titles and Honours of Prince Andrew,' the palace said. 'Prince Andrew will now be known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor. His lease on Royal Lodge has, to date, provided him with legal protection to continue in residence. 'Formal notice has now been served to surrender the lease and he will move to alternative private accommodation. 'These censures are deemed necessary, notwithstanding the fact that he continues to deny the allegations against him. 'Their Majesties wish to make clear that their thoughts and utmost sympathies have been, and will remain with, the victims and survivors of any and all forms of abuse.' Sources told the Mail that the move was entirely down to the King and his advisors, without pressure from the government or other family members, such as Prince William. Andrew was seen grinning and engaging in light conversation at the end of the Requiem Mass, on the day of the funeral of the Duchess of Kent Sources told the Mail that the move was entirely down to the King and his advisors, without pressure from the government or other family members, such as Prince William 'The process has been underway for some while but there was a need to get it right in the face of some very big challenges,' a source said. Notice was not served on Prince Andrew to move. It was his lease, so it was up to the former Duke of York to serve notice himself, suggesting that he is not fighting the process. It is understood the King is sending Royal Warrants to the Lord Chancellor to remove the Dukedom of York from the Peerage Roll, and the Title of Prince and Style of 'Royal Highness' from Andrew. The name title change, which will take immediate effect. Andrew will now move onto a property on the private Sandringham estate and it is understood any future accommodation he lives will be privately funded by The King. Princess Beatrice and Eugenie will retain their Royal titles despite their father Andrew no longer being a Prince. They will keep their Honours in line with King George V's Letters Patent of 1917, it is understood. Amid the controversy Charles is said to be very keen to 'protect' nieces Princess Beatrice, 37, and Princess Eugenie, 35, who remain Her Royal Highnesses as granddaughters of Queen Elizabeth. 'He wouldn't have wanted to sign off on anything that would impact them,' a source told the Daily Mail. The announcement comes a week after the disgraced former duke renounced his titles after King Charles III threatened to have them officially stripped unless he saw sense. His Majesty, made it clear the would not hesitate to take further action if his younger brother continued to cling on to his dukedom and other honours after it emerged he lied about cutting ties with paedophile Jeffrey Epstein, The Daily Mail previously revealed. And despite the tsunami of growing evidence mounting against him, the 65-year-old was understood to still be digging his heel is with a startling lack of contrition, in a situation the King deemed intolerable, sources previously said. Last week, the row over Royal Lodge where Andrew had resided continued to grow amid damning new revelations in a posthumous memoir from Andrew's sex abuse accuser Virginia Giuffre, who took her own life this year, aged 41. Nobody's Girl: A Memoir of Surviving Abuse and Fighting for Justice is scheduled for release in October, with the manuscript finished before she died. The explosive book revolves around her years spent as a sex slave to paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein and his British madam Ghislaine Maxwell. Extracts published by The Guardian show Ms Giuffre, who said she was trafficked by Epstein three times for sex with Andrew, calls the ex-Duke 'entitled' and viewing sex as his 'birthright'. The explosive book revolves around her years spent as a sex slave to paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein and his British madam Ghislaine Maxwell. Extracts published by The Guardian show Ms Giuffre, who said she was trafficked by Epstein three times for sex with Andrew, calls the ex-Duke 'entitled' and viewing sex as his 'birthright'. Within the 400-page autobiography, she also claims the ex-Duke said 'thank you' in a 'clipped British accent' after their alleged first encounter when she was 17. Virginia Giuffre's grieving family have urged Andrew to 'come clean' about his friendship with convicted paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein. Sky Roberts and his wife Amanda praised King Charles for stripping Andrew of his titles, and said they would welcome a meeting with the King with 'open arms'. Andrew Mountbatten Windsor has for many years been dogged by allegations he sexually abused Ms Giuffre after she was trafficked by Epstein, which he strenuously denies. Ms Giuffre alleged she was forced to have sex three times with Andrew, including when she was 17 and also during an orgy, after she was trafficked by Epstein. Andrew paid millions to settle the civil sex case with her in 2022, despite insisting he had never met her. Her family told Sky News they believed it was time for Andrew to 'come clean'. Asked what she would say to Andrew, Ms Giuffre's sister-in-law Amanda Roberts said: 'I would say, think of your daughters. They were the same age. Think of what you would do had something like this happened to them. What would you want their perpetrator to do? 'I think it's far beyond time to come clean. You were best friends with this man and there are so many things that you could help bring to light. 'Virginia deserves that and every single survivor that has been entrapped in that sex trafficking ring deserves that from you. If you can give an inkling of justice, then it should be on you to do'.' Sky and Amanda Roberts, Virginia Giuffre's brother and sister-in-law,have praised King Charles for stripping Andrew of his titles and have said they would welcome a meeting with the King with 'open arms' Last night, Andrew sensationally had his titles removed and is being throwing out of the Royal Lodge Mr Roberts said he would love to meet the King as he urged Charles to tell US President Donald Trump to 'put your big boy pants on' and release the Epstein files. 'I would love the opportunity to tell my sister's story to the palace. When you see someone face to face we can really express that emotion and get across the story not just that she holds but every survivor has,' he said. 'And if the King says he stands with survivors and victims then meet with us and have a conversation with us. 'We're real people with real stories that can affect real change and I think my sister did something unprecedented that says advocacy can effect change. But I'd welcome that conversation with open arms and I'd be in London tomorrow.' He also praised the King claiming that His Majesty has set a 'roadmap and a precedent for the rest of the world'. Mr Roberts said: 'The King is setting and roadmap and a precedent for the rest of the world that: 'I do stand with survivors and hold my own brother to account'. 'It's not enough that he's walking around a free man. He should be investigated and [the American government] are safeguarding these documents and they have it locked away in this little pandora's box of people that are implicated and we need to fully investigate them.' Reflecting, on the past 24 hours, Mr Roberts said: 'We've had mixed emotions a lot of celebratory moments and sad moments that she's not here to celebrate this. It's a mixed bag of emotions but we are just hell bent to not let her voice die.' Speaking on BBC Newsnight last night, Mr Roberts said: 'It's not enough - we have to have some kind of investigation that goes further into this. He's still walking around a free man. 'I commend the King - I think he's doing an amazing job as a world leader setting a precedent - but we need to take it one more step further: he (Andrew) needs to be behind bars.' He further praised the King for yesterday's Buckingham Palace statement which offered 'thoughts and utmost sympathies' to 'victims and survivors of any and all forms of abuse'. Amanda also told Newsnight that she supported the notion of a joint US-UK investigation. Sky and Amanda Roberts, Virginia Giuffre's brother and sister, pictured, say it is not enough for Andrew to be stripped of his Prince title and that he 'needs to be behind bars' 'I think both countries need to look at collaborating here - the US government hold the key to the larger scope of the Jeffrey Epstein case,' she said. 'The UK is setting an example for what the US should be doing right now. And I would ask that your leaders put that pressure on our leaders to do the right thing.' Yesterday, Ms Guiffre's family spoke out after the announcement, proudly stating how 'an ordinary American girl from an ordinary American family, brought down a British prince with her truth and extraordinary courage'. 'Virginia Roberts Giuffre, our sister, a child when she was sexually assaulted by Andrew, never stopped fighting for accountability for what had happened to her and to countless other survivors like her,' they said. 'Today, she declares victory. We, her family, along with her survivor sisters, continue Virginia's battle and will not rest until the same accountability applies to all of her abusers and abetters, connected to Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell.' When contacted by the Daily Mail, the Metropolitan Police did not rule out a possible prosecution. Yesterday in a bombshell statement, Buckingham Palace confirmed the 65-year-old would no longer be a Prince - with immediate effect - and would also be leaving the 30-bed Royal Lodge nestled on the grounds of Windsor Castle. The Palace said the 'censures [were] deemed necessary' amid the ongoing Jeffrey Epstein scandal - the paedophile financer who Andrew lied about cutting ties with. Andrew, Ms Giuffre and sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell in a photo reportedly taken in 2001, when Ms Giuffre was 17 years old Andrew pictured with paedophile Jeffrey Epstein in New York's Central Park in December 2010 It comes after the Mail on Sunday exclusively revealed scandalous correspondence where the shunned prince told Epstein 'we are in this together' a day after the infamous picture of the royal with his alleged then-teenage sex victim Ms Giuffre was released. As Andrew's links to the disgraced financier continued to bring shame on the royals, last night he finally agreed to surrender his Windsor lease where he resided with his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson for over two decades, paying 'peppercorn rent'. Sources revealed the former Duchess of York, who has also been embroiled in scandal relating to sex-offender Epstein, 'will make her own arrangements' when it comes to her future. It is understood the King is in the process of sending royal warrants to the Lord Chancellor to remove his brother's titles and honours, to which Andrew has not objected. His Majesty's younger brother will now be banished to a private property on the monarch's Sandringham Estate in Norfolk, but no further details have been shared. It is understood Prince William and the Royal Family fully support the King's decision. While Andrew has been all but cast out from royal life - with no titles, peerages or even the right to call himself a 'prince' - royal expert Joe Little, managing editor of Majesty Magazine, questioned why he remains eighth in line to the throne. He said this morning: 'I'm sure at some point quite soon, somebody will ask, if they've not already done so, why he hasn't been moved from the line of succession. 'Clearly it would take quite a catastrophe for him to become king given all those that are ahead of him. So might it not have been tidier to withdraw him from the line of succession?' Royal Lodge in Windsor Great Park, Andrew's former home. He will now be moving to a private residence on the monarch's Sandringham estate The Royal Family released a public statement announcing Andrew would no longer be a prince Your browser does not support iframes. Andrew is a counsellor of state - who can effectively stand in for the King - but this role has previously been described as 'inactive'. Mr Little suggested it may have been 'tidier' to remove that role from Andrew's portfolio too. Yesterday, the anti-monarchy campaign group Republic said it had instructed lawyers to investigate the prince and, if appropriate, press ahead with legal proceedings in a private prosecution. The Daily Mail understands the allegations it is focusing on relate to accusations he sexually assaulted Ms Giuffre, that he asked a royal protection officer to look into her background and impropriety when he served as an official UK trade envoy. Republic said it is mounting its own bid to take him to court because the legal and political response to the claims has been 'weak and inadequate' to date. It said it has made a 'powerful, principled argument for justice to be done for the victims of sexual abuse, and for those who corrupt public office to be held accountable'. 'If not us, then who?' asked Graham Smith, the group's CEO. 'It's a devastating indictment on the UK's criminal justice system, police and politicians not to mention the king and heir that we must resort to a private prosecution. 'I firmly believe there is strong enough evidence to justify a serious investigation.' Last night the group said that Andrew's punishment was 'nowhere near enough', adding: 'He's lost a bunch of pointless titles and been relocated to another mansion. Dodging any actual punishment, as always. Email exchanges Between Andrew, Ed Perkins and Epstein 'He will never be an 'ordinary person' - ordinary people don't get away with being accused of sexual abuse.' Last week, the row over the Royal Lodge continued to grow amid damning revelations in a posthumous memoir from Andrew's sex abuse accuser Ms Giuffre, who took her own life this year, aged 41. Ms Giuffre's explosive book Nobody's Girl: A Memoir of Surviving Abuse and Fighting for Justice was released in this month, with the manuscript having been completed before she died. Inside, she detailed her years spent as a sex slave to Epstein and his British madam Maxwell, amid claims she had been trafficked to the ex-duke three times, and whom she called 'entitled' and viewed sex as his 'birthright'. Within the 400-page autobiography, she also alleged the ex-duke said 'thank you' in a 'clipped British accent' after their alleged first encounter when she was 17. She also recalled how Maxwell praised her following the encounter, saying, 'You did well, the prince had fun'. Andrew denied ever meeting Ms Giuffre. In 2022, he settled a US civil case she lodged for a reported 12million, reportedly receiving money from his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, to help meet the costs. The settlement came with no admission of liability. The ex-husband of Princess Stephanie of Monaco has broken his silence about a scandal that saw him cheating on his royal wife with a glamour model. Daniel Ducruet had been married to Princess Stephanie for 14 months when in 1995 his marriage ended after he was photographed engaging in sexual acts with Muriel 'Fili' Mol-Houteman, who had just been crowned 'Miss Bare Breasts of Belgium'. The pictures of his indiscretion were published by the Italian tabloids Evatremila and Gente, with Ducruet fleeing to Morocco in the wake of the scandal. In a recent interview with Italian broadcaster RAI, Ducruet claimed he was 'the victim of a trap' and insisted he had been drugged. Ducruet, who was photographed with Muriel by a swimming pool in the South of France, said the ordeal unfolded while he was taking care of the girlfriend of a friend. 'The guy who raced in the same team as me asked me to stay close to his girlfriend, whom he was sending to the south of France while finalising their separation. 'I agreed and visited her, but to avoid any issues, I brought a friend. Upon arrival, we were offered wine laced with substances, and a paparazzo was ready to shoot. The rest is history'. He also claimed that on the same evening, he received an anonymous phone call, with the caller telling him: 'You were having too much fun. Now you're dead.' Daniel Ducruet had been married to Princess Stephanie (pictured together, left) for 14 months when in 1995 his marriage ended after he was photographed engaging in sexual acts with Muriel 'Fili' Mol-Houteman (right), who had been named Miss Bare Breasts of Belgium that same year Ducruet broke his silence on the sex scandal recently on an Italian television show He immediately told his wife, who he said couldn't hold back her tears. Ducruet fought to stop the images from being published, but despite his efforts, they were released three days later, sparking a global media frenzy. Soon after, he and Stephanie divorced and he was shunned from the royal family. Ducruet decided to pursue a criminal complaint and in 2000, it came out that Muriel had set up the affair, and was found guilty of breaching France's strict privacy laws when she had sex with him in front of a photographer accomplice, Stephane de Lisiecki, 39, and his assistant Yves Hoogewys, 28. He said he chose to seek justice because he wanted his children to know that he had been a victim. 'For me, it was important that justice said: yes, you fell into a trap. 'I didn't want my children to grow up believing their father was just the man who cheated on their mother'. Ducruet's children with Princess Stephanie, Louis and Pauline, were three and two years old at the time. Ducruet decided to pursue a criminal complaint and in 2000, it came out that 'Fili' Mol-Houteman (pictured in 1996) had set up the affair Daniel and Stephanie on their wedding day on July 1 1995 in Monaco The couple pictured at a gala dinner before the cheating scandal that led to their divorce Princess Stephanie and Daniel Ducruet with their son in 1994 Ducruet and Stephanie became romantically involved around 1991 when he worked as a bodyguard for the Monaco princely family and appointed to look after the Princess by her father Prince Rainier. Their first son, Louis, was born just ten months later in November, with Pauline following a year and a half later. Stephanie campaigned for her father, the late Prince Rainier to let her marry Ducruet, and he eventually relented, with the pair tying the knot in 1995. Ever since their split, the couple have co-parented their children and have been photographed together with Pauline and Louis in their milestone moments. In 2018, Ducruet married Kelly-Marie Lancien and the couple have a daughter named Linoue. He's splattered mud all over a noble 600 year old title and ruined it for future generations. The name Duke of York, first granted in 1385, has traditionally been reserved for the second son of the king. Now it will disappear, maybe for good. In time, seven-year-old Prince Louis might have inherited it on Andrews demise. But now the disgraced peerage will be stuck in a drawer, along with other royal dukedoms that have been sullied by their holder over the centuries. So Andrew Mountbatten Windsor is not alone in having brought disgrace on a royal peerage - but in an age where the trappings of royalty have come under an increasing spotlight, the damage he's wreaked is far worse. The York moniker will live on for the time being in Andrews daughters, who style themselves Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie of York. But theres no guarantee they will cling to those titles in future years when Prince William becomes king. Their behaviour will now come under the same public scrutiny their father endured for the past decade - and any attempt by them to capitalise on their royal titles is unlikely to be tolerated in the future by the hard-line Prince of Wales. So what of the future of the Dukedom of York, most recently (and decently) held by Queen Elizabeth IIs father Bertie? While Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor is not alone in having brought disgrace on a royal peerage - but in an age where the trappings of royalty have come under an increasing spotlight, the damage he's wreaked is far worse Bertie added the dukedom to his list of subsidiary names when he became King George VI in 1936, and the title died with him in 1952 it wasnt resurrected until Andrew married Fergie in 1986, when the Queen bestowed the honour on him. And it WAS an honour - not just any old royal title. The second Duke of York, a valiant warrior, was killed at the Battle of Agincourt in 1415. Richard of Shrewsbury, one of the tragic Princes in the Tower, held the title until he was murdered on the orders of his scheming uncle, King Richard III. The mighty King Henry VIII was labelled the Duke of York until his elder brother died and he stepped up to the throne in 1509. Charles Stuart, second son of King James I, was Duke of York before ascending the throne as King Charles I. These are great names in British history who wore the title well, unlike its most recent holder. King George IIIs second son served as Commander-in-Chief of the British Army for many years, and though hes satirised in the nursery rhyme as the 'Grand Old Duke of York' he was actually a distinguished soldier who served his country well. King George V King Charless great-great-grandfather and the man who reshaped the British royal family into the House of Windsor in 1917 was the second son of King Edward VII, and known as the Duke of York until his older brother Albert Victor, the future king, died at the age of 28, and he became Prince of Wales. All these Dukes of York distinguished themselves and left the title unblemished for future generations. The York moniker will live on for the time being in Andrews daughters, who style themselves Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie of York. But theres no guarantee they will cling to those titles in future years when Prince William becomes King In time, the youngest son of William and Catherine, Prince Louis (not pictured) might have inherited it on Andrews demise. But now the disgraced peerage will be stuck in a drawer, along with other royal dukedoms that have been sullied by their holder over the centuries But now it will likely disappear, along with other such disgraced royal titles, as the Duke of Albany, Duke of Cumberland and Duke of Albany. The last Duke of Albany ended up a notorious Nazi obergruppenfuhrer, despite being born in England and educated at Eton. Plucked from his family at the age of 15, Charles Edward was sent to Germany to inherit the dukedom of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, a part of the British royal familys fiefdom by reason of their German cousinage. Once there he was placed under the wing of Kaiser Wilhelm II and effectively brainwashed so that on the outbreak of World War 1 though he wanted to return to Britain and serve his country in his regiment, the Seaforth Highlanders, he ended up in a German uniform. By the start of the Second World War hed already been a supporter of violent far-right paramilitary groups in Germany and was a member of the Nazi Party. Understandably he was stripped of his Duke of Albany title in 1917 and died in 1954 in Germany. Prince William, Duke of Cumberland, was known as Butcher Cumberland after his bloody massacre of supporters of Bonnie Prince Charles in the Jacobite Rising of 1745. The Jacobites wanted the throne returned to the Stuart dynasty, but by now Britain was ruled by German-born King George II. His favoured son William, now Commander in Chief of royalist forces, faced the Jacobites at Culloden, killing 1,300. The total number of deaths soared in the aftermath, as wounded and fleeing Jacobites were hunted down and killed in the days and weeks following the battle His instructions were to effectively wipe out and destroy any semblance of life in the Highlands, in what could be described as a genocide of sorts, played out by Royal soldiers setting alight to homes, murdering, imprisoning and raping as they meticulously carried out their instructions, writes the historian Jessica Brain. This methodical approach to finish the Jacobite cause even extended to the economy, making sure to round up the 20,000 cattle which sustained the community and moving them south. Andrew was formally stripped of his prince title yesterday after King Charles made the announcement last evening The disgraced 65-year-old will now formally be known as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor The Duke of York title will disappear, along with other such disgraced royal titles, as the Duke of Albany, Duke of Cumberland and Duke of Albany. Andrew is seen here with his daughters, Beatrice and Eugenie, who are both believed to not be in the UK at this time 'These clinical tactics made sure that the Highland community was effectively crushed physically, economically and spiritually.' So, Cumberland is one royal dukedom which wont be brought out again in the near future. And then there was the mincing reprobate, Prince Albert Victor, Duke of Clarence. Hauling that dukedom out of the locker was a risky business by his grandmother Queen Victoria an earlier duke of Clarence goes down in history as having drowned in a vat of Malmsey(sherry) his gruesome end in the Tower of London in 1478. Albert Victor was known to swing both ways, and though in love with his royal cousin Princess Mary of Teck, was named by foreign newspapers as having been a participant in the 1889 Cleveland Street scandal, where under-age Post Office telegraph boys were pimped out to rich and powerful paedophiles. If that sounds vaguely familiar, it goes some way to understanding how the former Prince Andrew has wiped the grand title he bore for almost 40 years from the royal family's roll of honour. Disgrace of this kind can never be forgiven, or forgotten, by history. Princess Anne today put on a smiled today as she was seen for the first time since her brother Andrew was stripped of his 'prince' title and home. The Princess Royal, 75, visited the Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium in Edinburgh as part of a pre-planned excursion. As usual, Anne appeared committed to her duties, even grinning at one point as she greeted the players during the Captain's Team Run. The King was also seen today around Sandringham Estate in Norfolk in a Range Rover. Last night, Buckingham Palace confirmed that Andrew will no longer be known as a prince and, from now on, will simply be called Andrew Mountbatten Windsor. A statement from the Palace said 'censures are deemed necessary' amid the ongoing scandal over Jeffrey Epstein, whom Andrew lied about cutting ties with, and revealed he will leave the Royal Lodge in Windsor after 20 years. Commonly said to be the 'hardest-working royal' and King Charles's 'right-hand woman', Anne is considered a very different character to the disgraced Andrew. She chose not to give her children titles, and unlike Andrew, is known to shy away from extravagance. However, she is said to feel 'concerned' about the mounting pressure facing her younger brother, 65, who still sits before her in the line of succession due to the old laws of male-preference primogeniture, which were overturned in 2013. Speaking on Palace Confidential last week, royal expert Richard Kay said: 'I think they've [Anne and Edward] been concerned about their brother's wellbeing and how he's handling this intense pressure. Princess Anne today put on a brave face as she continued her engagements despite news that her brother Andrew is to be stripped of his 'prince' title and home The Princess Royal, 75, visited the Scottish Gas Murrayfield Stadium in Edinburgh 'His reputation is in the gutter. I think both Anne and Edward have been concerned about how the King handles the whole situation and story. I think they feel there's a duty of care towards Prince Andrew.' Just last month, the siblings were seen talking as they attended the funeral of the Duchess of Kent, while William noticeably gave Andrew a far more frosty reception. In March 2024, Andrew and Anne appeared to still be on good terms as they were seen chatting together at the Easter service. Previously, an insider claimed that members of the royal family were left 'disappointed' with how the King had handled the Royal Lodge situation. Speaking to Woman's Day magazine, a source claimed: 'Charles does look at the current state of his family with deep concern. Everyone, it seems, has issues, whether it be health, financial, legal. 'This situation with Andrew and the Royal Lodge has somewhat divided the family... with Anne, Sophie, and Edward all disappointed in how he's handled it.' The bombshell statement from the Palace on Thursday night read: 'His Majesty has today initiated a formal process to remove the Style, Titles and Honours of Prince Andrew. 'Prince Andrew will now be known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor. His lease on Royal Lodge has, to date, provided him with legal protection to continue in residence. 'Formal notice has now been served to surrender the lease and he will move to alternative private accommodation. As usual, Anne appeared committed to her duties, even smiling at one point as she greeted the players during the Captain's Team Run Just last month, the siblings were seen talking as they attended the funeral of the Duchess of Kent Anne is said to be 'concerned' about the mounting pressure her brother is facing (pictured 2022) 'These censures are deemed necessary, notwithstanding the fact that he continues to deny the allegations against him. 'Their Majesties wish to make clear that their thoughts and utmost sympathies have been, and will remain with, the victims and survivors of any and all forms of abuse.' It is understood that King Charles III is in the process of sending royal warrants to the Lord Chancellor to remove his brother's titles and honours. Andrew is said to have not objected. It is understood Prince William and the Royal Family fully support the King's leadership on the recent move. The move was entirely down to the King and his advisers, without pressure from the government or other family members, such as Prince William, sources told the Daily Mail. 'The process has been under way for some while but there was a need to get it right in the face of some very big challenges,' an insider said. Notice was not served on Prince Andrew to move. It was his lease, so it was up to the former Duke of York to serve notice himself, suggesting that he is not fighting the process. The former duke has lived at the Grade II-listed mansion on the grounds of Windsor Castle for over two decades with Fergie, despite their divorce in 1996. Last week, the row over the Royal Lodge continued to grow amid damning revelations in a posthumous memoir from Andrew's sex abuse accuser Virginia Giuffre, who took her own life this year, aged 41. Nobody's Girl: A Memoir of Surviving Abuse and Fighting for Justice was released in this month, with the manuscript having been completed before she died. The explosive book revolves around her years spent as a sex slave to Epstein and his British madam Ghislaine Maxwell. Extracts published by The Guardian show Ms Giuffre, who said she was trafficked by Epstein three times for sex with Andrew, called the ex-duke 'entitled' and viewing sex as his 'birthright'. Within the 400-page autobiography, she also alleged the ex-duke said 'thank you' in a 'clipped British accent' after their alleged first encounter when she was 17. Prince Andrew, Virginia Giuffre and sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell in a photo reportedly taken in 2001, when Giuffre was 17 years old. Prince Andrew denied having sex with Ms Giuffre, but forked out millions in an out of court settlement in February 2022 She also recalled how Ghislaine Maxwell praised her following the encounter, saying, 'You did well, the prince had fun'. Andrew denied having sex with Ms Giuffre, but forked out millions in an out-of-court settlement in February 2022. In the wake of the Giuffre scandal, Andrew is facing a private prosecution over allegations of sexual assault, corruption and misconduct in public office. It comes just weeks after Andrew was forced to relinquish his royal titles, including the Duke of York and stepping down from membership of the Order of the Garter. His wife Sarah, formerly the Duchess of York, will now be known as plain Sarah Ferguson. As news broke that her husband's uncle had lost his prince title yesterday evening, Meghan Markle shared a photograph on Instagram bearing a wide smile, only to quickly delete it. Montecito-based Meghan may have opted to scrap the image, which was shared on her As Ever handle and showed the duchess beaming towards the camera as she tended to a vase of flowers, as it overlapped with the breaking news regarding Prince Harry's uncle, Prince Andrew. Yesterday evening, Buckingham Palace confirmed that Andrew will no longer be known as a prince, and, from now on, will simply be called Andrew Mountbatten Windsor. A statement from the Palace said 'censures are deemed necessary' amid the ongoing scandal over Jeffrey Epstein, whom Andrew lied about cutting ties with, and revealed he will leave the Royal Lodge in Windsor after 20 years. Meghan's fans have since suggested online that the post was originally 'scheduled' for last night, but it was quickly scrapped when Buckingham Palace released the update so as not to be seen as inappropriate. Historian Andrew Lownie previously reported tensions between Andrew, his nephew, and his wife, claiming that he told Harry that his marriage wouldn't last longer than a month, before accusing him of going 'bonkers' and not doing any due diligence into Meghan's past. Andrew is also said to have branded Meghan as an 'opportunist' and claimed she, at three years senior to her husband, was too old for Harry. While Andrew grapples with his changed status, the duchess will likely have a busy social media output plan in the upcoming weeks following the release of her brand's first-ever Christmas collection, which was released earlier this week. And though the image of Meghan is said to have been removed, the brand has continued to promote the new range by reposting fans showcasing their As Ever products. The Duchess of Sussex's As Ever brand reportedly shared an image of Meghan yesterday only to quickly delete it Meghan's festive collection includes new products, such as two candles inspired by her wedding date and her August 4 birthday and a 2021 Vintage Napa Valley Brut, costing $89. Signature Candle No. 519, scented with Moroccan mint, cardamom and tea leaves apparently 'evokes the freshness of a day in the English countryside', according to a gushing description on her website. It's said to capture 'cherished memories' of the 'ease and joy' of Meghan's wedding day on May 19, 2018, with no mention of rows over bridesmaids' dresses or the last-minute drama of her father not attending. Fans wishing to make their home smell just like the Sussexes' Montecito mansion can also splash out on the Signature Candle No. 084, which is named after Meghan's August 4 birth date. Scented with water lotus, sandalwood and California poppy, Meghan promises the smell that 'warms her family home' will 'feel like a hug' - at the cost of $64. Meanwhile, a 2021 Vintage Napa Valley Brut crafted from pinot noir and chardonnay grapes is a new addition to her range of wines. Costing $89 a bottle, shoppers must purchase more than 12 bottles to avoid a $20 shipping fee. But while Meghan is busy promoting her brand Stateside, her husband's family in the UK are dealing with a far more serious matter. The bombshell statement from the Palace on Thursday night read: 'His Majesty has today initiated a formal process to remove the Style, Titles and Honours of Prince Andrew. The image may have been deleted after it was posted at a similar time to when news of Andrew's future broke 'Prince Andrew will now be known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor. His lease on Royal Lodge has, to date, provided him with legal protection to continue in residence. 'Formal notice has now been served to surrender the lease and he will move to alternative private accommodation. 'These censures are deemed necessary, notwithstanding the fact that he continues to deny the allegations against him. 'Their Majesties wish to make clear that their thoughts and utmost sympathies have been, and will remain with, the victims and survivors of any and all forms of abuse.' It is understood that King Charles III is in the process of sending royal warrants to the Lord Chancellor to remove his brother's titles and honours. Andrew is said to have not objected. It's also understood that Prince William and the Royal Family fully support the King's leadership on the recent move. The move was entirely down to the King and his advisers, without pressure from the government or other family members, such as Prince William, sources told the Daily Mail. 'The process has been under way for some while but there was a need to get it right in the face of some very big challenges,' an insider said. Prince Andrew, Virginia Giuffre and sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell in a photo reportedly taken in 2001, when Giuffre was 17 years old. Prince Andrew denied having sex with Ms Giuffre, but forked out millions in an out-of-court settlement in February 2022 Notice was not served on Prince Andrew to move. It was his lease, so it was up to the former Duke of York to serve notice himself, suggesting that he is not fighting the process. The former duke has lived at the Grade II-listed mansion on the grounds of Windsor Castle for over two decades with Fergie, despite their divorce in 1996. Last week, the row over the Royal Lodge continued to grow amid damning revelations in a posthumous memoir from Andrew's sex abuse accuser Virginia Giuffre, who took her own life this year, aged 41. Nobody's Girl: A Memoir of Surviving Abuse and Fighting for Justice was released in this month, with the manuscript having been completed before she died. The explosive book revolves around her years spent as a sex slave to Epstein and his British madam Ghislaine Maxwell. Extracts published by The Guardian show Ms Giuffre, who said she was trafficked by Epstein three times for sex with Andrew, called the ex-duke 'entitled' and viewing sex as his 'birthright'. Within the 400-page autobiography, she also alleged the ex-duke said 'thank you' in a 'clipped British accent' after their alleged first encounter when she was 17. She also recalled how Ghislaine Maxwell praised her following the encounter, saying, 'You did well, the prince had fun'. Andrew denied having sex with Ms Giuffre, but forked out millions in an out-of-court settlement in February 2022. In the wake of the Giuffre scandal, Andrew is facing a private prosecution over allegations of sexual assault, corruption and misconduct in public office. It comes just weeks after Andrew was forced to relinquish his royal titles, including the Duke of York and stepping down from membership of the Order of the Garter. His wife Sarah, formerly the Duchess of York, will now be known as plain Sarah Ferguson. The public has overwhelmingly backed the King's decision to strip Andrew of his titles but many Brits believe Charles moved too slowly in cutting ties. Andrew, who was yesterday ranked the most unpopular royal ever, finally lost his titles and home after being punished by his brother. Buckingham Palace said 'censures are deemed necessary' as they announced Andrew would be simply known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor and that his lease on Royal Lodge would be slashed. Charles took the decision, which has been branded the 'biggest royal fall from grace in recent history', amid ongoing controversy surrounding Andrew's relationship with child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and the Virginia Giuffre scandal. And 79 per cent of Britons said they believed it was the correct move, according to a YouGov poll on Friday. While 58 per cent said Charles should have taken action earlier, with 21 per cent believing it was taken at the correct speed. There have been calls to strip Andrew of his titles for years after allegations emerged that he sexually abused Ms Giuffre when she was 16 and 17. The former Duke of York grew increasingly isolated from the monarchy and was shunned from public roles permanently in May 2020. Your browser does not support iframes. The public has overwhelmingly backed the King's decision to strip Andrew of his titles but many Brits believe Charles moved too slowly in cutting ties Andrew, who was yesterday ranked the most unpopular royal ever, finally lost his titles and home after being punished by his brother Buckingham Palace released a public statement announcing Andrew would no longer be a prince on Thursday evening But it was only on Thursday when he suffered the ultimate humiliation, which will see him banished into private accommodation and lose his birth title of prince. Most of the public, 53 per cent, believe the King has done all he can to separate the Royal Family from Andrew. But 28 per cent think he could do more to distance the Crown from the disgraced former prince. Conservative voters are most likely to believe the King has done enough to draw a line between the Royal Family and Andrew, with 76 per cent thinking so. Labour voters are the least likely, with 53 per cent believing Charles has taken sufficient action. The poll comes just a day after another survey saw him ranked the most unpopular royal of all time. The royal is viewed unfavourably by a staggering 91 per cent of the population, an increase from 87 per cent in August. Two per cent of Brits said they did not have an opinion on the former duke. 'His Majesty has today initiated a formal process to remove the Style, Titles and Honours of Prince Andrew,' the palace statement said on Thursday. Andrew, Virginia Giuffre and sex trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell in a photo reportedly taken in 2001, when Giuffre was 17 years old Andrew pictured with Jeffrey Epstein in New York's Central Park in 2010 King Charles was seen for the first time since announcing his brother's effective banishment looking pensive as he drove around Sandringham estate today 'Prince Andrew will now be known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor. His lease on Royal Lodge has, to date, provided him with legal protection to continue in residence. 'Formal notice has now been served to surrender the lease and he will move to alternative private accommodation. 'These censures are deemed necessary, notwithstanding the fact that he continues to deny the allegations against him. 'Their Majesties wish to make clear that their thoughts and utmost sympathies have been, and will remain with, the victims and survivors of any and all forms of abuse.' Andrew is also facing a private prosecution over allegations of sexual assault and is viewed 'very negatively' by 81 per cent, an increase from 69 per cent in August. He is alleged to have sexually assaulted Ms Giuffre when she was aged 17, and more recently was alleged in 2011 to have pressured one of his royal protection officers to investigate Giuffre, believing she had a criminal record. Andrew, who had already surrendered the Duke of York title and been allbuteradicated from royal life, has denied all allegations against him. It is understood the King Charles III is in the process of sending royal warrants to the Lord Chancellor to remove his brother's titles and honours. Andrew is said to have not objected. Although the former duke has been stripped of all his remaining titles those of his daughters, Princess Beatrice, 37, and Princess Eugenie, 35, will remain. Amid the controversy it was previously understood that His Majesty Charles was very keen to 'protect' his nieces who remain Her Royal Highnesses as granddaughters of Queen Elizabeth. Royal Lodge in Windsor Great Park, Andrew's former home where he has since been banished from Andrew, 65, was stripped of his titles following outcry over his involvement with the late Virginia Giuffre (pictured) 'He wouldn't have wanted to sign off on anything that would impact them,' a source told the Daily Mail. It is understood Prince William and the Royal Family fully support the King's leadership on the recent move. Meanwhile, William has remained as the most positively viewed member of the Royal Family, according to the new poll. William was seen in a positive light by 76 per cent of the public compared to 15 per cent seeing him negatively. His wife Kate was slightly less popular, at 73 per cent, with 13 per cent holding a negative opinion. These figures are largely the same as last month, as is the 70 per cent with a positive opinion of Princess Anne, the family's third most popular member. Meghan Markle follows behind Andrew as the second most unpopular member of the monarchy. The Duchess of Sussex, who was accused of making a 'tone deaf' appearance at Paris Fashion Week earlier this month, is only viewed in a positive light by 21 per cent of Britons. While 65 per cent harbour negative perceptions towards the former actress, with 14 per cent saying they did not have an opinion. Prince Harry is marginally more popular than his wife, polling at 30 per cent, with 59 viewing him in a negative light. It is understood Sarah Ferguson, seen with Andrew at Royal Ascot in 2019, will make her own living arrangements Your browser does not support iframes. The decision to all but banish Andrew from royal life has prompted the family of Virginia Giuffre, who alleged to have been sexually assaulted by the exduke, to 'come clean' about his relationship with paedophile Jeffrey Epstein. Andrew lied in his disastrously 2019 Newsnight interview that he had ceased contact with Epstein in December 2010, but bombshell emails obtained by the Mail revealed that he continued to keep in contact into 2011. In one email, he even vowed to the convicted child sex offender that 'we are in this together' and that they would 'keep in close touch' and 'play some more soon'. Speaking to Sky News, Ms Giuffre's sisterinlaw Amanda Roberts said she would tell Andrew: 'Think of your daughters [Beatrice and Eugenie]. They were the same age. 'Think of what you would do had something like this happened to them. What would you want their perpetrator to do? ''I think it's far beyond time to come clean. You were best friends with this man [Epstein] and there are so many things that you could help bring to light. 'Virginia deserves that and every single survivor that has been entrapped in that sex trafficking ring deserves that from you. If you can give an inkling of justice, then it should be on you to do.' Sky Roberts, Ms Giuffre's brother, added that he would like to meet the King, and has urged Charles to lean on Donald Trump in order to see the socalled 'Epstein Files' released. 'If the King says he stands with survivors and victims then meet with us and have a conversation with us,' he added. Andrew will be banished to a private household on the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk, kept by his brother. As yet, he may be in Royal Lodge for some time to avoid an 'awkward' runin with his relatives at Christmas on the estate, where the royals usually mark the festive period and could receive a 500,000 payout for the early termination of his 'ironclad' lease. 'It is a process notice must be given, then the lease must be surrendered and other formalities completed,' a source said. The message was short but to the point: 'The tripod has collapsed'. Let me explain. Famously close, 'the tripod' is the nickname used by Sarah Ferguson and her daughters, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, to describe their mutually supportive relationship. 'Mummy, Bea and I call ourselves "the tripod". They are my best friends in the world,' gushed Eugenie in an interview in 2008. Sadly for the two princesses who retain both their HRH titles and membership of the 'House of York' because the King is keen to ensure his nieces are not tainted by the 'sins of the father' recent events have inevitably placed a strain on family relations. Not on the sisters' relationship with their father, though, I am told. In fact multiple sources tell me both princesses have gone out of their way to strongly support beleaguered Andrew in recent weeks. Both girls are said to be deeply worried about his mental wellbeing, with Andrew having become a virtual recluse at Royal Lodge. Famously close, 'the tripod' is the nickname used by Sarah Ferguson and her daughters, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, to describe their mutually supportive relationship. Pictured (L-R) are Beatrice, Sarah and Eugenie While Andrew and Sarah have always been a source of strength to one another, the opposite seems now to be the case (file image) Sadly for the two princesses, recent events have inevitably placed a strain on family relations. Pictured: Andrew, centre, and his daughters Princess Eugenie, left, and Princess Beatrice leave Westminster Abbey after the wedding of Prince William to Kate Middleton Indeed, my contacts tell me it is actually the former Duchess of York's relationship with her daughters that has come under most strain. In particular the girls were said to have been deeply shocked by the publication in The Mail on Sunday of an email sent by Sarah to convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein apologising for calling him 'the P word' in an interview distancing herself from him in 2011. In public Sarah called her involvement with Epstein a 'gigantic error of judgement' and said she abhorred paedophilia and any sexual abuse of children. She also apologised for borrowing money from him at the time to settle her spiralling personal debts. In private she emailed him shortly afterwards, however, strongly distancing herself from the remarks and calling him a 'supreme friend'. 'I know you feel hellaciously let down by me,' she said. 'You have always been a steadfast, generous and supreme friend to me and my family.' While Sarah's spokesman subsequently claimed she had only written the email on 'legal' advice after being threatened by Epstein, the excuse has rung hollow. And the revelations have caused severe embarrassment to her daughters, particularly Eugenie, 35, who has diligently worked to highlight the plight of modern day trafficking with her charity The Anti-Slavery Collective. 'Beatrice and Eugenie are lovely girls and they have been left bereft by this all,' a family friend tells me. 'I would actually go so far as to say that they are even more disappointed in their mother than their father now. 'The tripod has collapsed. Obviously they will continue to support their parents, but they feel so let down. In public Sarah Ferguson called her involvement with Epstein a 'gigantic error of judgement' (file image) Prince Andrew, Duke of York with Sarah Ferguson after their engagement announcement, Buckingham Palace, London, March 17, 1986 Prince Andrew, Virginia Giuffre and Ghislaine Maxwell pose for a photo (L-R) 'They are genuinely fearful for their father and have grave concerns about what he will do for the rest of his life. 'They also love their mother dearly, of course they do. She's a wonderful grandmother, too, and they are deeply concerned about how this is all affecting her mentally as much as their father. 'But I think it's fair to say the scales have also somewhat fallen from their eyes.' So where do recent events leave the House of York, which could previously trace its illustrious history back to the late 1300s (and since the 15th century has traditionally been given to the second son of the sovereign). Sources clearly close to Andrew insisted to the Telegraph yesterday that he was 'sanguine' about the dramatic change in his circumstances. They described recent moves by the King as an almost intolerable 'slicing away' of his life but, remarkably, suggested there was a sense of relief he was now able to start afresh. It was also suggested that he felt no particular affinity for Windsor, despite living in grandeur there for most of his adult life, and had happy family memories of Sandringham with his parents. Remarkably the sources also pointedly claimed that Andrew had 'always done what has been demanded of him by the Royal household', stressing that he had never criticised his brother either in public or in private. They even maintained the former prince had effectively fallen on his sword by agreeing to settle with Mrs Giuffre to avoid overshadowing the late Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations, even though he knew this would be interpreted in public as an admission of guilt. The princesses are said to have been left bereft by the fallout from the scandals involving their parents Beatrice, Sarah and Eugenie - self-professed best friends - pictured in 2013 None of which, clearly, recognises that his pig-headed behaviour whether that be his ill-fated association with Epstein or his dealings with shady international businessmen and alleged Chinese spies was a perpetual source of reputational damage not just to his family, but the entire institution of the monarchy. By contrast, my sources say that while Andrew continues to maintain his innocence, he has been left a 'shadow of the man he once was'. Holed up inside the mansion he has fought desperately to keep for so long, he has become a virtual hermit, stepping out only to catch some occasional fresh air in its extensive grounds. While he and Sarah have always been a source of strength to one another, the opposite seems now to be the case. She is even more on edge than him, having always previously been seen as his public defender and saviour, my source says. 'There are many who have almost admired her dogged loyalty to her ex-husband and family. She has always found a way to bounce back from the many public scandals she has faced over the years, normally with a well-paid public mea culpa and a promise to change her ways. '[But] That's unlikely to happen this time. It's not just a question of her finances now, but her personal dealings with a serial sexual predator and her willingness to lie about them. 'The phone has stopped ringing overnight. Even those who were willing to defend her less than a month ago don't want to have anything to do with her now. It's a disaster. Professionally and personally. Even she can't see a way of bouncing back.' It's why, I am told, Sarah is even considering moving abroad in a bid to escape the fall-out. While she may not have many supporters left in the UK and is unlikely to have much left in the bank to buy a suitable new home here, royal sources having indicated she is unlikely to up sticks with Andrew to rural Norfolk she does have a network of wealthy friends overseas. 'Fergie may leave the country,' my source said. 'She's always rather lived on the hoof and aside from her children and grandchildren, there's not a lot to keep her here. 'Put it this way, the invitations have dried up overnight.' What my sources agree with Andrew's friends over is that it could take weeks if not months to get him and Sarah out of the house. While Buckingham Palace has said the move will take place 'as soon as practicable', a source adds: 'It's a process. Notice must be given, then the lease must be surrendered and other formalities completed.' This includes working out whether Andrew is entitled to any money from the Crown Estate as a result of the early conclusion of his 'cast iron' 75-year lease. But there are also, I can reveal, rather more mundane practicalities. 'Even when she is sitting in Royal Lodge, Sarah can spend the money,' one informed local source tells me. 'The Amazon deliveries that go up to Royal Lodge are unbelievable. There are rooms full of boxes that haven't even been opened. 'It will take weeks, if not months, to shift all their s*** out.' A mathematical proof has finally debunked the idea that we live in a simulation, according to a group of international researchers. The theory that the universe could be a computer programme has been championed by Elon Musk and formed the basis for sci-fi classics like The Matrix. But scientists now say that this is not just unlikely, but mathematically impossible. This is because the fundamental nature of reality operates in a way that can never be replicated by pure computation. Thanks to the strangeness of quantum physics, no computer, however powerful, would ever be able to generate what the researchers call 'non-algorithmic understanding'. Co-author Dr Francesco Marino, of the Italian National Institute of Optics, told Daily Mail: 'We have shown that a fully algorithmic description of the Universe is impossible. 'Any simulation, by definition, runs on a set of programmed rules or algorithms that determine how things behave step by step. 'A simulated world could only mimic the algorithmic parts of reality, but would always fail to include those deeper, non-algorithmic truths.' In bad news for fans of The Matrix (pictured), a mathematical proof has finally debunked the theory that we might be living in a computer simulation Although the notion that we live in a computer simulation might seem far-fetched, there is a surprisingly strong argument that it is the most likely scenario. Co-author Dr Mir Faizal, of the University of British Columbia, says: 'If such a simulation were possible, the simulated universe could itself give rise to life, which in turn might create its own simulation.' 'This recursive possibility makes it seem highly unlikely that our universe is the original one, rather than a simulation nested within another simulation.' However, in their study, published in the Journal of Holography Applications in Physics, Dr Faizal and his co-authors prove that this argument doesn't work. Physics' newest and most cutting-edge theory turns almost everything we know about the structure of existence on its head. According to the theory of 'quantum gravity', everything from particles to fields to spacetime itself emerges from a deeper level of reality. This so-called 'Platonic realm' is made of nothing but pure information and forms the mathematical foundation for the universe we experience. What the researchers show is that this world of pure information cannot describe the reality we experience with pure computation. The simulation theory has been championed by the likes of Elon Musk. However, scientists say that the fundamental structure of reality is not describable in purely computational terms Some physicists think it is more likely that we are in a simulation because, if life emerged in a simulation of the universe, that life could create its own simulations. This means it is more likely that we are in one of the infinite simulated worlds than the one real one The researchers use several mathematical theorems to show that you can't just use computation to get a complete and consistent description of the world. To put that simply, even if you knew everything there was to know about this world of pure information, there would still be things about the universe you couldn't work out. This might seem very strange, but it is actually something that mathematicians have suggested for a very long time. All the way back in the 1930s, a mathematician named Kurt Godel proved that there were statements about numbers that we knew were true but could never prove. It isn't that we haven't found these proofs yet or that we just haven't been trying hard enough; rather, it is mathematically impossible to prove some true facts about the world. The researchers say the fact that there are these 'Godelian truths' is proof that a full description of the universe requires something called 'non-algorithmic understanding'. Dr Marino gives the example of the sentence: 'This true statement is not provable.' He says: 'If it were provable, it would be false, making logic inconsistent. If it's not provable, then it's true, but that makes any system trying to prove it incomplete. Either way, pure computation fails.' While some scientists say physics is evidence we are in a simulation, this new paper argues that a computer couldn't work out all the facts about the universe, even if it had all the possible information This is mathematical proof that there are aspects of the universe that can never be created in a computer simulation. Even the Platonic realm of pure information escapes the grasp of pure computation because of this mathematical 'undecidability' problem. Dr Faizal says: 'Drawing on mathematical theorems related to incompleteness and indefinability, we demonstrate that a fully consistent and complete description of reality cannot be achieved through computation alone. 'It requires non-algorithmic understanding, which by definition is beyond algorithmic computation and therefore cannot be simulated. Hence, this universe cannot be a simulation.' Perhaps more profoundly, this also shows that it is impossible to find a mathematical 'theory of everything' that will describe everything in the universe. Scientists have long hoped that, eventually, their theory about the structure of reality would allow them to calculate anything about the Universe provided they had enough information. 'Yet we have demonstrated that this is not possible,' says co-author Dr Lawrence Krauss, of the Origin Project Foundation. 'A complete and consistent description of reality requires something deeper - a form of understanding known as non-algorithmic understanding.' Cities and towns around the world could be plunged underwater in just 275 years, a new study has warned. Scientists from Sorbonne University in Paris predict that up to 59 per cent of Antarctica's ice shelves could collapse by 2300. If this happens, it will result in up to 10 metres (32ft) of irreversible global sealevel rise. Here in the UK, Hull, Glasgow, and Bristol would be submerged, while over in the US, people living in Houston, New Orleans, and Miami would be forced to move inland. This might sound like something from the latest science fiction blockbuster. However, the experts say it could become a reality if greenhouse gas emissions continue to skyrocket. 'Our results show that current choices to change emission pathways could significantly affect the likelihood of the longterm loss of most Antarctic ice shelves,' the researchers explained. 'The viability of ice shelves strongly depends on the emission scenario, as only one ice shelf becomes likely or very likely nonviable by 2300 in the lowemission scenario compared with 59% in the highemission scenario.' Scientists from Sorbonne University in Paris predict that up to 59 per cent of Antarctica's ice shelves could collapse by 2300 Cities and towns around the world could be plunged underwater in just 275 years, a new study has warned. Pictured: impression of London underwater Your browser does not support iframes. Antarctica is home to 15 major ice shelves and many smaller ones. As the floating margins of the Antarctic ice sheet, these ice shelves are crucial for controlling ice loss. 'As they restrain the ice flow from the grounded ice sheet to the ocean through socalled buttressing, they represent a safety band around Antarctica,' the researchers, led by Clara Burgard, explained in their study, published in Nature. 'Their thinning and eventual collapse hence accelerates ice discharge into the ocean.' In their study, the team conducted simulations to understand how the melting of 64 ice shelves could change as emissions continue to rise. Their results revealed that, under a lowemissions scenario in which global warming is kept below 2C by 2300, only one of the 64 ice shelves would be at risk. However, under a highemissions scenario, we face a bleak future. The simulation found that if global warming reaches 12C by 2300, 38 (59 per cent) of the ice shelves could disappear contributing to 10 metres (32ft) of sealevel rise. The simulation found that under a high-emissions scenario, by 2300, 38 (59 per cent) of the ice shelves could disappear contributing to 10 metres (32ft) of sealevel rise If sea levels do rise by 32ft (10 metres), entire cities around the world will be plunged underwater, according to Climate Central's Coastal Risk Screening Tool And though 2300 feels quite far away, we'd begin feeling the impacts much sooner, according to the researchers. 'The period between approximately 2085 and 2170 marks the period with the highest rate of ice shelves that would reach likely nonviability,' they explained. While this all feels quite dramatic, the researchers actually say that their estimate is 'conservative'. 'This estimate is on the most conservative side, and actual thinning, retreat or collapse could occur sooner depending on the vulnerability of a given ice shelf to other processes such as damage, rifting, hydrofracturing or calving,' they added. If sea levels do rise by 32ft (10 metres), entire cities around the world will be plunged underwater, according to Climate Central's Coastal Risk Screening Tool. In the UK, people living in Portsmouth, Southend-on-Sea, Hull, Middlesbrough, Blackpool, Bristol, and Cardiff will be submerged. Huge swathes of London along the River Thames will also be underwater, including Hammersmith, Greenwich, Southwark, and Westminster. In Europe, the entire coast from Calais in France to Ringkobing in Denmark will be underwater, while Venice, Montpellier, Seville, and Lisbon will also be impacted. In the US, the entire coast of Florida, Louisiana, and Texas faces life underwater if sea levels rise by 32ft (10 metres) Over in Asia, much of Bangladesh will be affected, along with cities like Shanghai, Ho Chi Minh City, and Karachi. And in the US, the entire coast of Florida, Louisiana, and Texas faces life underwater. Overall, the researchers hope the findings will highlight the need for urgent action to curb greenhouse gas emissions. 'Our results show that current choices to change emission pathways could significantly affect the likelihood of the long-term loss of most Antarctic ice shelves,' they concluded. Britain's pornography crackdown has sent the number of visitors to the most popular adult sites tumbling. Pornhub, the UK's most popular adult site, says the number of UK visitors to its website has plummeted by 77 per cent compared with July. That month, Britain's Online Safety Act ushered in some of the world's most restrictive rules on accessing online pornography. Since July 25, visitors to adult sites have had to verify that they are over 18 either by providing credit card details, uploading a picture of their ID, or using a selfie to estimate their age. These rules, intended to make it harder for under18s to see explicit material, have seen huge reductions in the number of Britons accessing pornography. Mark Jones, a Partner at Payne Hicks Beach, called the 77 per cent decline in visitors 'dramatic'. 'Today's news that Pornhub has seen a 77% decline in UK traffic since July, coinciding with the enforcement of ageverification procedures as part of the Online Safety Act (OSA), is a dramatic figure,' he said. 'While this figure is not completely understood and might be attributed to a number of factors, anything that protects children in the online environment from harmful content is welcome news.' Pornhub, the UK's most popular adult site, says the number of UK visitors to its website has plummeted by 77 per cent compared with July The Online Safety Act requires the operators of online platforms to prevent children from viewing 'harmful content'. That includes explicit content, like pornography, but also content that encourages selfharm or suicide, promotes dangerous challenges, shows serious violence, or incites hatred against people. Platforms found to be in breach of the act could face a range of punishments, including fines of 18 million or 10 per cent of global turnover. In extreme cases, companies may be blocked from operating in the UK. Porn providers have seven options to check their visitors are over18 photoID matching, facial age estimation, mobilenetwork operator (MNO) age checks, credit card checks, emailbased age estimation, digital identity services and open banking. The laws were created in response to what many consider to be an alarming rise in young children accessing disturbing or harmful content online. A study conducted last year by the charity Internet Matters found that seven in 10 children aged nine to 13 said they had been exposed to harmful content online. Children in this age group reported coming across hate speech (13 per cent), coming across mis/disinformation (15 per cent), and one in ten has seen violent content or content that promotes violence. Since July 25, visitors to adult sites have had to verify that they are over 18 either by providing credit card details, uploading a picture of their ID, or using a selfie to estimate their age (stock image) Similarly, Ofcom research has found that eight per cent of UK children aged eight to 14 visited a porn site at least once a month. Professor Elena Martellozzo, Childlight's European hub director, called the drop in traffic to PornHub 'a big win for child protection'. 'For too long children have been just a click away from explicit material,' she said. 'Our latest data shows one in five children have seen sexual content they didn't want to in the past year, and there are concerns that repeated exposure can normalise harmful attitudes and shape young peoples understanding of relationships in worrying ways. 'This kind of practical, balanced prevention measure helps keep adult spaces for adults and helps protect young people from harm. 'Age checks arent about censorship, theyre about creating healthier, safer online spaces for children to grow up in.' The new rules seem to be putting Brits off porn altogether, with a 56 per cent plunge in searches on Google, according to NymVPN. An Australian driver narrowly avoided a cosmic calamity after a 'one-in-a-billion' meteorite smashed into his car windscreen. Dr Andrew Melville-Smith, a vet from Whyalla, South Australia, was driving home from picking up his brand-new Tesla Model Y when a loud crash brought him to a halt. 'I thought we'd crashed,' said Dr Melville-Smith in a post on his clinic's website. 'I was in shock; I remember wiping glass particles from my face and being completely disoriented.' Dr Melville-Smith initially had no idea what caused the sudden shock, and only began to suspect an extraterrestrial explanation when he found that the glass in his windscreen was melted. Experts say that the odds of a meteor travelling from outer space to hit someone while they are driving are 'unimaginably unlikely'. However, the South Australian Museum has now requested access to the car to investigate further and, hopefully, recover some fragments of the missing meteor. If confirmed, this will be the first time in recorded history that a space rock has ever hit a moving vehicle. Dr Andrew Melville-Smith, a vet from Whyalla, South Australia, may have narrowly avoided a cosmic calamity after his brand-new Tesla was hit by a meteorite The impact is now being investigated by the South Australian Museum, which will be able to determine whether it really was caused by a meteorite The shocking incident occurred at 21:00 local time on October 19, around 25 miles north (40 km) from the town of Port Germein. Dr Melville-Smith was driving at 68 miles per hour (110 km/h), and the night was dark, calm, and clear without a hint of rain or lightning. Suddenly, there was a loud crash, and the cabin of the car filled with white smoke and a burning smell. Dr Melville-Smith looked around for anything that might have caused the collision, but there was no sign of anything or anybody nearby. To make things more confusing, Tesla's onboard cameras didn't reveal anything that could have caused the damage. Upon stopping the car, the vet discovered that his windscreen had a massive crater where the glass appeared to have melted and sagged inwards, and was still warm to the touch. Although it initially seemed absurd to think he had been struck by a meteorite, the fact that automotive glass melts at around 1,500C (2,732F) made him think twice. That's when he decided to reach out to the scientists at the South Australian Museum. Dr Melville-Smith was driving around 25 miles north (40 km) from the town of Port Germein when there was a sudden crash and the car filled with white smoke Bizarrely, Dr Melville-Smith discovered that the crater in his windshield was partly melted and was still warm to the touch when he pulled over to investigate Dr Kieran Meaney, Museum Minerals and Meteorites Collection Manager at the museum, says: 'My initial thought was, nah, there's no way this is going to be the real deal. 'We get a lot of meteorite inquiries at the Museum and most of the time they turn out to be a rock from earth that is doing a very good impersonation of a meteorite.' However, just like Dr Melville-Smith, the mysterious melted glass made Dr Meaney think twice. He says: 'Once I looked at all the details and the glass of his windscreen seems to have melted a little bit, and the acrylic layers in the glass have discolouration, almost like they've been burnt. 'It was certainly hit by something and it was something hot, and we don't have another good explanation for what else it could have been.' When Dr Melville-Smith has the windscreen replaced, he plans to hand it over to the museum for further investigation. If their analysis shows that a meteorite really was responsible, they will organise a field trip to try and recover the offending space rock. However, not everyone is entirely convinced that a meteorite is really to blame. An alternative explanation is that Dr Melville-Smith was hit by a piece of space debris, such as this fragment from a SpaceX Crew-1 that landed in Dalgety, Australia, which has been known to fall over parts of the country So far, there has only been one recorded case of a person being struck by a meteorite. On November 20, 1954, a woman named Ann Hodges was hit by a four-kilogram meteorite which crashed through her ceiling, bounced off the radio, and hit her in the leg. The lack of other recorded incidents suggests that the odds of being struck by a space rock, especially while moving, are so slim as to be likely impossible. To add another layer of doubt, Dr Melville-Smith says he never saw a fireball in the sky, which would have definitely accompanied such a large piece of debris. Dr Ellie Sansom, of the Desert Fireball Network, told IFLScience: 'I have serious doubts in its space-rock origin. Not ruling out space debris though. But without any fireball seen, it just doesn't make sense.' Another alternative is that the car was struck by a falling piece of space junk from a rocket or satellite. This kind of debris doesn't usually become so hot, but it does fall on Australia quite frequently. However, until the scientists at the South Australian Museum can determine for sure what really happened to Dr Melville-Smith's car, there will be no way of knowing for sure what really happened to Dr Melville-Smith's car. Sydney Sweeney might have officially ended her seven-year relationship with fiance Jonathan Davino in March, but the engaged film-producing partners were living separately as far back as January. At the time, 42-year-old businessman Jonathan was spotted by The U.S. Sun as he frequented their mansion in Bel-Air while the 28-year-old actress moved to the world-famous Beverly Hills Hotel. Sydney told Access Hollywood on Wednesday, as she attended Varietys Power Of Women gala: 'I was living here for a while at the top of this year, so I kind of feel like I'm back home. It's kind of a homecoming!' SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO Together but apart: Sydney Sweeney and her former fiance Jonathan Davino were living separately in January but officially ended their relationship in March (seen in December) World-famous accommodation: Sydney moved to The Beverly Hills Hotel earlier this year During the months January to March, Sydney was busy as executive producer and filming her role in Paul Feig's big-screen adaptation of Freida McFadden's 2022 novel The Housemaid. Filmmaker Feig told the Wall Street Journal in August: '[Sydney] was completely present emotionally and was up for anything. 'She really didnt bring any issues to set, and I know she was going through some things when this was going on - I mean, now everybody knows about her engagement falling apart and breaking off and all that.' On October 1, the New York Post's Gimme Shelter reported that Sydney toured a $15million nine-bedroom Bel-Air estate. Sweeney's been casually dating record executive Scooter Braun ever since they both attended Amazon executive chairman Jeff Bezos' wedding in Venice, Italy, in June. Guest of honor: At the famous hotel on Wednesday for Varietys Power Of Women gala, Sydney revealed the venue used to be her temporary home Overview: The Beverly Hills Hotel inspired the Eagles' 1977 hit Hotel California Busy: In January-March, Sydney was executive producing and filming her role in the movie adaptation of Freida McFadden's 2022 novel The Housemaid (seen with Amanda Seyfried) There's lots of advice out there on how to handle a jellyfish sting. The most common and persistent mythical solution is urine. But it turns out, this is unlikely to help you out when you're stung - and there's an alternative solution that could be far more effective. In fact, urinating on a jellyfish sting could actually make things worse. It has no effect on the venom because it dilutes and spreads the stinging cells still on your skin, said Philip Swart, the medical director at Altezza Travel. There are much safer methods, but the best? Use vinegar. Philip says: 'The right step is vinegar. It neutralises the nematocysts, the microscopic stinging capsules, and stops more venom from firing.' He said travellers should rinse with seawater instead of freshwater if vinegar isn't available. There's lots of advice out there on how to handle a jellyfish sting. The most common and persistent mythical solution is urine But it turns out, this is unlikely to help you out when you're stung - and there's an alternative solution that could be far more effective Freshwater can cause the stinging cells to discharge even more, whereas seawater keeps the jellyfish's stinging capsules inert, Travel and Leisure reported. Philip went on to say: 'Those little stinging capsules act like tiny syringes, and many don't fire right away, but they can if triggered. 'Freshwater causes a change in pressure and makes them discharge upon contact, so people can end up with a second dose of venom even after leaving the ocean.' You also need to remove the tentacles, with tweezers or the edge of a card. Philip explained you should not touch them with your fingers because the capsules can still fire upon contact and you don't want the venom to transfer onto your hands. It is paramount you act fast, too. There are certain signs to look out for, Philip adds. He says: 'Always monitor how your body reacts, and be sure to watch for spreading swelling, breathing issues, or sudden dizziness, as these are red flags that require immediate medical attention.' Freshwater can cause the stinging cells to discharge even more, whereas seawater keeps the jellyfish's stinging capsules inert A 2022 survey revealed three in 10 Britons would wee on themselves if stung by a jellyfish - and one in five would ask a friend or partner to do so. But this myth has been debunked, with experts warning it has been dangerous. The urine treatment was popularised by an episode of Friends, called The One With The Jellyfish. When Monica gets stung, Joey suggests urinating on a jellyfish sting will make the pain go away. When you're in a foreign country, even something as simple as shopping in a supermarket can be a novel experience. At France's Monoprix and Carrefour, you can try their excellent selection of cheeses and wine at reasonable prices. In Mercadona in Spain, the quality of olive oil on sale is impressive. And in most other destinations, groceries and goods on offer provide a variety of food experiences that are different from what you're used to - often for cheaper prices. A flight attendant has now revealed the products she always buys abroad that are much cheaper than in the UK. Sherry Martin Peters, a flight attendant and founder of Atlas + Wild, revealed her best buys to The Mirror. She said: 'Tourists seek landmarks and magnets for souvenirs. Flight attendants seek out grocery stores. 'We know which Lisbon supermarkets stock sangria worthy of wrapping inside a shoe, which Korean store to stock up on collagen face masks, which French markets sell lavender honey that doubles as a sleep remedy, and which South African shelves hold rooibos tea rich enough to taste like rest.' At France 's Monoprix, you can try their excellent selection of cheeses and wine at reasonable prices Sherry went on to say: 'Fresh Italian pasta. Salted butter from France. Brazilian mate is packed between uniforms. Lisbon sardines in artful tins. 'These aren't novelty purchases - they are edible memories, our way of claiming a place as lived, not just passed through. 'If you ever were to peek inside a flight attendant's pantry, it'd look like an international grocery store. And that gives us comfort.' She explained: 'Some of this may be found in specialty stores in the US but we are buying the same at dirt cheap prices.' In Italy, she recommends shopping at Carrefour, Coop, and Esselunga. Favourite buys include a one-litre bottle of 'rustic unfiltered' olive oil by Carapelli and Parmesan. Meanwhile, in France's Monoprix, she advises purchasing Pringles and Fleur de Sel gray sea salt. Plus, Bordier Butter, or Grand Fermage Sel de Mer (sea salt butter) is a cult product. In Portugal, head to El Corte Ingles for local wines such as Vino Verde and fresh pasteis de nata Lisbon sardines in artful tins are a popular buy - and Sherry recommends purchasing them Keep an eye out for Lulu Barquettes boat cookies and St Michel Original Madeleines. In Portugal, head to El Corte Ingles and Continente for local wines such as Vino Verde and fresh pasteis de nata (custard tarts Portugal is famous for) from the bakery. It comes after Skyscanner launched its annual 2026 Travel Trends Report in which it identified emerging behaviours and destinations set to define travel for next year. It revealed interest in food has sparked the shelf discovery trend, in which travellers will be seeking out authentic supermarkets while abroad. As the US government shutdown reaches the end of its fifth week, one of America's most popular travel hubs has come close to cancelling all landings after a last-minute scramble for air traffic controllers. Thousands of flights are being delayed across the US due to staffing shortages amid the government shutdown. The funding debacle stems from Senate Democrats' opposition to a Republican-authored government funding bill that lacks provisions for Obamacare funding. As a result of a shutdown, federal workers such as military personnel and air traffic controllers, are either furloughed or required to work for no pay. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) announced on Thursday evening that there would be 'no certified controllers for a period of time', which would 'prevent landings' at Orlando Airport, the closest major airport to both Disney World and Universal Studios. It later reversed the order when enough staff were found, but flights in and out of Orlando faced delays, some up to 90 minutes. There were also delays at Dallas/Fort Worth and Washington DC Airport. FlightAware, a flight tracking website, said nearly 6,000 flights had been delayed and 1,100 cancelled nationwide on Thursday, impacting 20% per cent of flights at United Airlines, American Airlines, Southwest Airlines and Delta Air Lines, according to Sky News. As the US government shutdown reaches the end of its fifth week , one of America's most popular travel hubs came close to cancelling all landings after a last-minute scramble for air traffic controllers Since the US government shutdown began on 1 October, more than 13,000 air traffic controllers have been required to work without pay. Vice President JD Vance warned Thursday that holiday air travel could become a 'disaster' if the shutdown is not resolved. He said: 'What happens when the security lines are not an hour long, but they're four hours long? 'What happens when pilots start not showing up for work because they're so focused on paying the bills, they can't fly the plane safely? 'That's going to lead to massive delays.' Vance added that federal workers missing paychecks could fail to show up for work, further straining airport operations. Some are taking second jobs to make ends meet and the number calling in sick has increased. Earlier this week, transport secretary Sean Duffy told Fox News: 'I'm seeing the stress come for the controllers.' A flight tracking website said nearly 6,000 flights had been delayed and 1,100 cancelled nationwide on Thursday, impacting 20% per cent of flights at United Airlines, American Airlines, Southwest Airlines and Delta Air Lines He explained how workers were struggling to come to work without the security of being paid. Sean revealed: 'Just yesterday we had 22 staffing triggers, that's one of the highest that we've seen in the system since the shutdown began and that's a sign that the controllers are wearing thin.' Currently in its 30th day, the shutdown is poised to soon become the longest period in American history during which the federal government has not been fully operational. President Donald Trump set the current record during his first term for a shutdown that lasted 35 days, between December 2018 and January 2019. If the government is not funded before next Wednesday, November 5, the ongoing funding gap will surpass that first-term feat. UK airlines have been told to use gender-neutral terminology to replace 'outdated' words. The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) regulates the safety and security in civil aviation in the UK. Recently, as part of its inclusive language campaign, the organisation released guidance on certain aviation-related phrases. The word 'stewardess' should no longer be used, according to the CAA, as it is not inclusive and can carry gendered issues. 'Air hostess' is another term encouraged to avoid when implying someone's gender. Instead, terms such as 'flight attendant' and 'cabin crew member' should take its place as they better reflect modern gender equality terms. According to the CAA's guide, which was made alongside the Diversity and Inclusion Board, airline workers who experience 'offensive' words like 'air stewardess' should suggest alternative terms, The Telegraph reports. 'Manpower' has also been urged to be swapped for 'staffing'. The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) regulates the safety and security in civil aviation in the UK (stock) Meanwhile, 'denylist' has been recommended instead of using the term 'blacklist' which can be seen as offensive. The organisation does acknowledge that some language has been 'common practice in aviation for many years'. However, it notes that such words can be 'barriers to people entering our industry and may make people feel unwelcome'. It encourages those who use 'outdated' terms to apologise and 'reflect on your use of language'. The Daily Mail has approached the CAA for comment. Back in 2021, The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) - America's civil aviation regulator - brought in similar gender-related suggestions. A transport advisory committee urged the organisation to replace terms including 'cockpit' and 'airman' with gender-neutral terms. The suggestions were put forward in a report as part of the FAA's Drone Advisory Committee's efforts to make the aviation industry more inclusive. Recently, as part of its inclusive language campaign, the organisation released guidance on certain aviation-related phrases (stock) It offered alternative gender-neutral phrases to replace the current FAA terms, including 'flight deck' instead of 'cockpit', 'aircrew' to replace 'airman' and 'traditional aviation' rather than 'manned aviation'. Giving a reason for the proposed change to 'flight desk', it claimed the term 'cockpit' has occasionally been used by male crew members to 'exclude or undermine femme coworkers'. 'Femme' was originally used to describe a lesbian with feminine traits, but has since been updated to refer to 'a queer person whose gender expression is considered to be feminine'. The report stated: 'Research shows that the utilisation of gender neutral language can lead to a more inclusive environment that draws more people to the industry and helps keep them there. 'Accordingly, entities ranging from international bodies to airlines have adopted gender-neutral language.' Budget airline Wizz Air is set to offer a new 'business class'-style ticket for passengers, offering premium features for an additional fee. 'Wizz Class' perks include the ability to block off the middle seat for more elbow space and leg room, priority boarding, a carry-on bag and space in the overhead bins. The trial will be carried out in December on routes from London, Rome, Warsaw, Bucharest and Budapest, airline executive Michael Delehant said on Tuesday. 'In terms of fares, it's never going to be more than buying the cost of another seat,' he said at a press conference. 'It's not meant to be a money-grab.' The ticket does not include any additional in-flight perks, such as exclusive or complimentary food and drink. Silvia Mosquera, the commercial officer at Wizz Air, said they have launched this trial in response to the 'demand of Wizz travellers seeking more space, comfort and a quicker exit from the aircraft.' 'The roll-out of Wizz Class follows feedback from our growing number of business travellers who value low-cost travel options and prefer additional space during the flight,' she said. She added that more benefits would be announced when the product is launched. Budget airline Wizz Air is set to offer a new 'business class'-style ticket for passengers, offering premium features for an additional fee 'Wizz Class' perks include the ability to block off the middle seat for more elbow space and leg room, priority boarding, a carry-on bag and space in the overhead bins Wizz Air currently does not offer varied seating types, aside from the front row and exit row seats that come with extra leg room. 'Wizz Plus' and 'Privilege Pass' passengers can also choose their seats for no additional booking fee. It is not the first time budget airlines have pivoted towards upmarket experiences, with many US low-cost carriers looking to compete with major airlines. Southwest announced it will be transitioning from open to assigned seating in 2026 and is also launching premium seating options. JetBlue has already established its low-cost, upmarket hybrid business model with 'EvenMore', a premium perks scheme which offers customers early boarding, extra legroom and front-of-plane seats, plus free alcoholic drinks and exclusive snacks. Ryanair allows passengers to book extra seats for comfort while easyJet customers can choose certain seats for extra legroom. It comes after Wizz Air announced on Tuesday that it is bringing back the highly-prized 'All You Can Fly' pass for a third time, having originally introduced it in 2024. For the equivalent of around 439, travellers can fly as many times as they want throughout the year to 34 destinations across Europe and the Middle East. Wizz Air announced on Tuesday that it is bringing back the highly-prized 'All You Can Fly' pass for a third time, having originally introduced it in 2024 However, actually getting your hands on a pass could prove a bit challenging, as only 10,000 will be up for grabs. The deal also comes with some caveats: a booking fee for each flight costs 9.99 (8.80), meaning passengers are still technically paying for each journey they take. In addition, flights cannot be booked in advance. Subject to availability, all journeys must be booked within a 72-hour window. According to Wizz Air, the average 'All You Can Fly' member flies nine times a year using their pass. A travel expert has revealed the one everyday item all air passengers should keep in their carry-on - and it's something most people already own. Roberta Bernstein, a travel writer, shared that while she packs her bag with all kinds of practical items, from wool scarves to headphones, there's one simple essential she never boards a plane without. According to the avid traveller, a ballpoint pen is an often-overlooked necessity that especially makes international trips 'a whole lot easier'. Despite airports now favouring digital processes such as Global Entry and Mobile Passport Control over traditional paper forms, this isn't the case in many destinations. Having a pen at the ready can save time and stress when filling out these documents during a flight or upon arrival. As reported by Reader's Digest, travel industry expert, Eric Rosen, from The Points Guy, noted that not all airlines provide arrival forms or pens on board, which can leave travellers scrambling at the airport. He added that carrying a pen allows passengers to complete paperwork in advance and move through immigration quicker and more smoothly. Roberta also recommends packing a pen for domestic flights - beyond official forms, it can be useful for jotting down notes, updating a travel itinerary, or completing puzzles and paperwork when Wi-Fi is down or device power runs out. Roberta Bernstein, a travel writer, shared that while she packs her bag with all kinds of practical items, from wool scarves to headphones, there's one simple essential she never boards a plane without: a ballpoint pen She further advised sticking with a ballpoint or gel pen in blue or black ink, as these are most reliable for official documents and less likely to leak or dry out due to cabin pressure and temperature changes. Rosen added: 'Carrying a pen with you is also just a good idea. And who knows, someone might ask to borrow your pen, [and] you could make a new friend.' Meanwhile, a solo traveller who trekked around Asia with just two backpacks has revealed the packing essentials she recommends the most. Rachel Smith, 25, regularly shares her travels on social media and spent seven months visiting various locations in Southeast Asia last year. She travelled to Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines, and Sri Lanka with a 50L Osprey backpack as well as a 15L day bag. The solo traveller kept essentials like important travel documents and chargers in her smaller bag. Meanwhile, her larger backpack was tactfully packed with cubes and she explained to Omio: 'Inside, I always use packing cubes to stay organised: one for underwear and bikinis, one for bottoms, one for tops, and one for dresses.' As for what Rachel thinks all holidaymakers should pack, she says a hanging wash bag is essential. Having a pen at the ready can save time and stress when filling out documents during a flight or upon arrival at the airport The handy piece of kit 'keeps all my toiletries in one place and off hostel floors', Rachel said. She also recommends bringing two microfibre towels: 'One for the beach, one for showering'. Travel locks are also good to take for ensuring valuable items are kept safe on the go. Rachel explained she uses hers 'for securing valuables in hostels'. Bobby Bolton jetted out of the UK to travel around the world two years ago and has visited 41 different countries so far. He left his hometown Wigan behind and set about on his adventure with fiancee Marie. The tourist travels in his truck and only spends around 35 a day on essentials. But there is one place that particularly stands out for Bobby, and he revealed the little-known destination to The Sun. Located in Central Asia and bordering China, Kyrgyzstan proved to be Bobby's favourite spot. He told the publication: 'I would describe Kyrgyzstan as being Switzerland 200 years ago, there's not a lot of development there but the scenery is fantastic.' Bobby described the country as having 'raw beauty' with endless mountains and impressive landscape to explore. The country has a population of around seven million residents, and most speak Kyrgyz or Russian, as well as some other languages. Bobby Bolton jetted out of the UK to travel around the world two years ago and has visited 41 different countries so far Bobby found Kyrgyzstan to be very affordable to travel in and noted that it's 'really cheap'. He explained: 'It's a third of the price in the UK in terms of food and fuel, which is what we spend our money on.' Though not massively 'touristy', Bobby found plenty to do. 'You can hike up the mountains, swim in the alpine lakes it's the best place and it's really not touristy because there's no infrastructure,' he gushed. The couple even came across local horsemen in the mountains and were invited to join them for a meal. When Bobby and Marie visited the country last year, he posted a recap of his trip on Instagram account, @one.life.truck.it. He descried the 'beautiful scenery' in the caption and uploaded a clip of what the pair got up to whilst there. Bobby recommended Son-Kul, an alpine lake in the northern Naryn region, as a good spot to explore. Located in Central Asia and boarders China , Kyrgyzstan proved to be Bobby's favourite spot 'Son-Kul and the surrounding tracksget it on the list!' he penned. Travel expert Mark Porter recently described Kyrgyzstan as the 'most beautiful country you've never heard of'. He recalled 'hugely varied' landscapes with 'vast walnut and conifer forests and meadows to add to the alpine lakes, snow-capped peaks, turbid rivers and high level jailoos (prairies), where the nomads herd sheep and cattle'. He added: 'Kyrgyzstans boundaries may have been drawn up in Soviet times but its nomadic beginnings go back to the dawn of mankind and there is no end of prehistoric sites.' A 'must-watch' crime thriller series has rocketed up the Netflix charts as fans admit to binge-watching all the episodes just days after its release. New show The Asset first hit screens earlier this week, after an immense build up for the tense series that was first teased in an trailer in early October. The Danish language series, which is spread across six episodes, takes a deep dive into the webs of deception behind-the-scenes at Denmark's Security and Intelligence Service. Leading lady Clara Dessau plays police recruit Tea, who is asked to give up her day job in order to train to become an undercover operative. Her secret goal is to become a close friend of Marie Corsden's Ashley, the wife of one of the cities' most prominent drug dealers, to gather intel. Creating a new identity for herself, Tea transforms into local jeweller Sara in order to help her infiltrate the vast criminal network that has so far outrun the police force. A 'must-watch' crime thriller series has rocketed up the Netflix charts as fans admit to binge-watching all the episodes just days after its release New show The Asset first hit screens earlier this week, after an immense build up for the tense series that was first teased in an trailer in early October She's soon growing close to Ashley thanks to her new identity, and quickly is up to speed with the harsh realities for Ashley, who lives under her husband's thumb. The daily pressure of the lifestyle is clearly taking its toll on Ashley and, as Tea begins to fully immerse herself in her new identity, starts to question where her loyalties lie. Ahead of the series' release, The Asset's director and co-writer Samanou Achehe Sahlstrm praised the drama for exploring what can happen to 'identity and loyalty under extreme pressure'. He told Tudum: 'Through Teas journey, we see how far someone is willing to go to do what they believe is right also when the lines between good and evil become blurred. I have always wanted to work on a crime series that puts its characters, their development, and their relations to each other at the very centre of the story. 'This is precisely what The Asset does. While it's only been out for a matter of days, the drama has already shot to the top of the Netflix charts, and received a healthy 80% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Penning a review of the drama, one viewer described the series as an 'intense, delicately produced crime drama', while a second agreed it was a 'gripping dive into espionage'. The Danish language series, which is spread across six episodes, takes a deep dive into the webs of deception behind-the-scenes at Denmark's Security and Intelligence Service Another penned: The Asset captivates viewers with its intense storytelling and complex characters. Its a must-watch for fans of thrillers.' While a fourth said: 'Just binged The Asset on Netflix. Gripping!' It comes after a 'heartbreaking' crime thriller rocketed up the charts on Netflix. The release, a twisting tale based on the real-life history of a family of serial killers from the 1960s, has earned itself a perfect 100% approval rate on reviews site Rotten Tomatoes. The Dead Girls, which was released last month, soon hit the top ten of the global charts upon launching thanks to its fast-growing popularity around the world. The limited series is based on a book by Jorge Ibarguengoitia, which follows the investigation into the deaths of six young prostitutes, buried in behind a small-town brothel. In this re-telling, the action is based on the Baladro sisters, who build a brothel empire and become merciless killers in the process. It stars the likes of Narcos actress Paulina Gaitan in the role of leading lady Serafina Baladro, and Arcelia Ramirez as her sister, Arcangela. Narcos Mexico actor Joaquin Cosio and Death's Roulette's Juan Carlos Remolina also feature in the episodes. The Asset is available to stream on Netflix now. After two decades on A Place In The Sun, showing Brits that an idyllic life in Spain is achievable, presenter Jasmine Harman took the plunge herself two years ago when she and her husband, TV cameraman Jon Boast, decamped from south London with their two children to Estepona on Spains Costa del Sol to start a new life. But their dream move turned into a nightmare when in January this year Jon suffered a major health setback. Basically something happened and Jon was unable to work for five months, so the extra financial strain was intense, explains Jasmine, 49, when we meet over Zoom from her Spanish home. Contrary to their original plan, the couple had bought a house that needed total renovation and the strain of that and Jons illness put a lot of pressure on their marriage. You wouldnt believe the amount of strain that my husband put me through, although it was largely to do with things that were outside our control, like him being out of action, says Jasmine. Everything was on me, including looking after him which of course I was happy to do, but it was just a lot. At times my mental load was off the chart and it felt very, very overwhelming. I was thinking, Will I ever get through this? A Place In The Sun's Jasmine Harman, 49, took the plunge herself two years ago when she and her husband, TV cameraman Jon Boast, decamped from south London with their two children to Estepona on Spains Costa del Sol to start a new life But their dream move turned into a nightmare when in January this year Jon, 45, suffered a major health setback Contrary to their original plan, the couple had bought a house that needed total renovation and the strain of that and Jons illness put a lot of pressure on their marriage What went wrong with Jon and the house move will become painfully clear in Jasmines Renovation In The Sun, a new 15-part Channel 4 series detailing the enormous difficulties the family faced during their relocation. We moved to Spain to have a more relaxed lifestyle and to be able to spend more quality time together as a family, says Jasmine. Her 21-year tenure on the show meant that for years Jasmine had spent weeks away filming from her children, Joy, now 12, and Albion, seven. Moving to Spain meant shed often be able to commute to her job daily and it would be Jons turn to fly back and forth to the UK to work on British TV series. The pair had chosen Estepona, a coastal town about 90km southwest of Malaga, after Jasmine showed properties there to dozens of prospective buyers on A Place In The Sun and fell in love with it. It feels very Spanish and its picturesque, she says. Id already found a school I liked for the children and we found an area we could afford where we could walk to the beach every day. Estepona really spoke to us because its got everything but it still feels very authentic, and were part of a really nice community. And so, after a year of living in rental properties, in September 2024 they sank their money into a four-bedroom house that was a wreck (Jasmine declines to name the price). The spacious house hadnt been remodelled in decades and was crumbling a disused hot tub was growing fungus on the terrace, there were exposed pipes and wires in the house and the basement was piled high with junk. The pair had chosen Estepona, a coastal town about 90km southwest of Malaga, after Jasmine showed properties there to dozens of prospective buyers on A Place In The Sun and fell in love with it After a year of living in rental properties, in September 2024 they sank their money into a four-bedroom house that was a wreck (Jasmine declined to name the price) A house renovation was the last thing we were thinking about doing because it was almost the opposite of why we moved to Spain, says Jasmine. We didnt want to be stressed or pressured or up to our eyeballs in decisions and spending all our money, but we looked at a lot of houses and this is the only one we agreed on. Yet despite being known as a property expert, Jasmine had never renovated a house. We went into it very inexperienced and naive and not really knowing how we would do it, but just knowing it was possible and we wanted to do it, she says with a wry chuckle. Tight finances meant the family had to live in the house while the builders were in. Thats not for the faint-hearted, says Jasmine ruefully. Plus doing the renovation in another country in a different language with a TV crew following us around the whole time, and then with the other things that happened on top of that, it was a lot. Apart from Jons health problems, their biggest headache was blowing the budget by a wide margin. I would say we probably spent a good 50 per cent more than we were hoping to spend, says Jasmine. The driveway and patio cost a lot more than we were expecting. We thought theyd need to dig a little bit of soil out and put a hard base down and tile it, but in the end it took months because there was so much topsoil. Adding to her frustrations, sometimes the builders got it wrong. When they were digging up the driveway, they went through the soil pipe not just of my house, but of my neighbours as well. That was an awkward conversation! And the builders broke three water pipes in three days, which was a bit annoying. We had some amazing builders but some bad ones, too, like an electrician who was not very good or reliable. When Jasmine was at her wits end, her mother Vassoula would fly over from the UK to help. She was my guardian angel, says Jasmine. She was an extra pair of hands when I was struggling helping around the house, cooking dinner and keeping the kids entertained while I would work on the renovation. The spacious house hadnt been remodelled in decades and was crumbling a disused hot tub was growing fungus on the terrace, there were exposed pipes and wires in the house and the basement was piled high with junk Tight finances meant the family had to live in the house while the builders were in. Thats not for the faint-hearted, says Jasmine ruefully Now the Harman-Boast family is settled happily in their almost-renovated house - although the children attend an international school where lessons are in English and many people in Estepona speak English, the whole family is learning Spanish Now their dream home is almost finished, with Jasmines sanity intact, what has she learned from this stressful adventure? Be ready to compromise on what youd hoped for, she says emphatically. Ive said that for years to my house hunters and I had to take my own advice. For example, we have a big bedroom with a small window and wanted a larger one built with a Juliet balcony, but had to scrap it because it was too expensive. Also, accept what you have no control over Ive learned that going with the flow and being adaptable if your plan doesnt work out is vital. Seek help when needed too, she urges. One of my biggest hurdles was getting the works licence required for renovations in Spain. I put it off because I couldnt make head nor tail of what to do online. In the end I went into my local town council office and they bent over backwards to help me do it. Speaking to a real life human being was a lifesaver. Lastly, get builders that can work in your timeframe. We had four or five firms come to give us an estimate, but some had a years waiting list, she says. If you can plan ahead and book your builders early get recommendations from friends, if you can obviously that is a much better way to do it. But now the Harman-Boast family is settled happily in their almost-renovated house (theres drilling in the background as we speak). Although the children attend an international school where lessons are in English and many people in Estepona speak English, the whole family is learning Spanish. Despite the stresses of the renovation though, Jasmine has no regrets about finding her own place in the sun. There was no way we would have been able to afford a house like this if we hadnt done the work, she says. Regardless of all the ups and downs and the hard work and the stress and the pressure, it was all worth it. One moment in particular convinced her theyd made the right decision. Our swimming pool had taken months and months to renovate and so the moment in July that we could use the pool for the first time, me and the kids just jumped in, says Jasmine. That was a big moment for me, because until then it had just been stress and dust and noise. Getting in the pool made us think, Were in Spain now and living the dream! Jasmine Harmans Renovation In The Sun begins on Monday November 3 at 5pm on Channel 4. Two school friends have proven their parents wrong after bagging 165,000 worth of investment on Dragons' Den - despite being warned that they would be 'bankrupt by 30'. Andy Aitken and Josh Mihill appeared on the show's finale on Thursday in a bid to secure investment for their new mobile network company. Honest Mobile was pitched as the solution to bad signal and expensive roaming charges to Deborah Meaden, Peter Jones, Touker Suleyman and Steven Bartlett. They explained: 'We spoke to thousands of people before we started and it was obvious that thousands of people really disliked their mobile networks. 'They get you into long contracts and put the prices up every year. 'We are doing things differently - your bill goes down every year just for sticking with us and we're about to launch a smart sim that gives you four times better signal in the UK and free roaming in 182 countries around the world.' Two school friends have proven their parents wrong after bagging 165,000 worth of investment on Dragons' Den after being warned that they would be 'bankrupt by 30' They are aiming to shake up the mobile network industry with an environmentally friendly option that rewards customers for their loyalty The pair added: 'We are aiming to do things as sustainably as possible. We are the UK's first B Corp certified mobile network. 'So far we have 8,000 happy customers and our customer satisfaction score is four times higher than some of the big networks.' The duo were hoping to secure a 110,000 investment for a 1 per cent stake in their company and they managed to walk away with even more. However, the dragons were as shrewd as ever and Deborah offered the pair half the money for a 1 per cent stake. Meanwhile, Steven said that he would give the men 110,000 - but he wanted a 3 per cent stake in the company. Following a brief period of deliberation, the duo decided to take both dragons on board, securing 165,000 worth of investment for a 4 per cent stake in the company. The win marked another milestone for the best friends, who revealed that they actually met on their first day at school. The pair are so close that they were also best man at each other's wedding and could be seen embracing as they left the Dragons' Den. The duo were hoping to secure a 110,000 investment for a 1 per cent stake in their company and they managed to walk away with a whopping 165,0000 Over the years, the Dragons have occasionally invested large sums and one of the show's biggest ever success stories is now worth a staggering 140million. Marisa Poster and Teddie Levenfiche, founders of matcha firm PerfectTed, have made history by securing the show's biggest ever payday by offering an alternative to high-caffeine energy drinks such as Red Bull. Levenfiche and Poster impressed the Dragons when they appeared on the show in 2023, with two of the panel, Steven and Peter, ultimately purchasing a 5 per cent stake in the company for 50,000. Just two years after the pair secured the life-changing investment, PerfectTed has now 'grown rapidly' and gained the best returns for the Dragons in the show's history. It was recently reported that the company is worth 140million and has recently secured further investment from the venture capital firm Felix Capital. Back in May, it was already predicting a huge 30million of annual revenue, with bosses adding it was working towards '100million'. Over the years, the Dragons have occasionally invested large sums and one of the show's biggest ever success stories is now worth a staggering 140million Marisa Poster and Teddie Levenfiche, founders of matcha firm PerfectTed, have made history by securing the show's biggest ever payday by offering an alternative to high-caffeine energy drinks such as Red Bull Levenfiche and Poster impressed the dragons when they appeared on the show in 2023, with two of the panel, Steven Bartlett and Peter Jones, ultimately purchasing a five percent stake in the company for 50,000. PerfectTed prides itself on its range of healthy, matcha-based energy drinks made from all natural ingredients that provide customers with a boost without the large amounts of added ingredients contained in traditional energy drinks. The firm claims to be the largest supplier of matcha products in Europe and recently revealed its ambition to become the world's first billion-dollar matcha brand. Its success has seen it branch out from drinks to also provide coffee machine pods, flavoured matcha and latte products. The Dragons were instrumental in the company's success, with Steven's investment fund, Flight Fund, said to have allowed the company to significantly scale up its operation. Appearing on the show, Poster and Levenfiche, then 25, asked the Dragons for 50,000 for a 5 per cent stake in their business. They said they had put 250,000 of their own savings into the business, which sells natural energy drinks made using matcha, as well as raising 125,000 from family. The dragons were impressed by their pitch, with all five business people vying for a stake in the company. Dragons' Den airs on BBC One and is available to stream on iPlayer. The lovable detectives in Death In Paradise from Ben Millers uptight Richard Poole to Kris Marshalls bumbling Humphrey Goodman and Ralf Littles hypochondriac Neville Parker have been a key part of the shows success. So it was a surprise when hit Australian spin-off Return To Paradise, set in the fictional seaside town of Dolphin Cove in New South Wales, bucked that trend with abrasive and distinctly unlikeable detective Mackenzie Mack Clarke in the lead but it hasnt put viewers off. 'She doesnt have to be palatable or pleasant or small or sweet to be lovable, and audiences have taken to her, says Anna Samson, 35, who plays her. 'I think that proves women dont have to be all these things to be in a central role on TV. She doesnt always make it easy to be around her. 'And I think thats a testament to what we maybe should value in one another who we are, what we try to do in the world, rather than how easy it is to hang out with us.' The show has charmed viewers in both the UK and Australia, where in August it beat Sam Neills The Twelve to scoop the Best Drama prize at the prestigious Logie Awards, and as it returns later this month for a second series Mack is wrestling with her feelings for former fiance Glenn (Tai Hara). Anna Samson, 35, plays abrasive and distinctly unlikeable detective Mackenzie Mack Clarke in Return to Paradise, which returns on Friday for its second season Return to Paradise has charmed viewers in both the UK and Australia, where in August it beat Sam Neill s The Twelve to scoop the Best Drama prize at the prestigious Logie Awards In the first series shed just returned from London, where shed been working with Ardal OHanlons Death In Paradise character DI Jack Mooney after jilting Glenn and fleeing halfway across the world. Now shes back and Glenns due to marry someone else, should Mack try to persuade him to give their relationship another try? 'I think she worries shes not good for him. But matters of the human heart arent that simple, and we dont always do what we should do,' says Anna. It promises a will-they-wont-they storyline thats set to tantalise fans in the coming weeks. Incredibly, Anna doesnt have a TV at home. 'Im a bit of a nerd,' she says. 'Its weird to be on TV and not own a TV. But I think its nice. Not caring what I physically look like as Mackenzie is a wonderful release, because she doesnt worry about how she looks.' Its a release because back in 2021 Annas appearance became the topic of vicious debate when she was cast as Mia Anderson in Aussie soap Home And Away. She was called ugly and vile by trolls on social media, leading Anna to release a statement addressing the abusers. 'People still feel they have the right to shame, comment on and harass women about their appearance,' it read. 'Its part of a culture of cowardice, cruelly commenting on our weight loss or gain, our faces, our choices, our voices. You are guilty of contributing to a very dangerous culture.' Anna, pictured her in the show with Senior Sergeant Philomena Strong (Catherine McClements) doesn't actually have a TV in her home, despite being an actress Playing Mack is a dream come true for Anna (pictured here with Lloyd Griffith as Detective Colin Cartwright), who said she's 'wanted to be a detective on the BBC since I was about four' Today she says it was a hard decision. 'You never know if its the right thing to do. But basically we have to not care, because were not going to please everyone.' A few months after Annas arrival on Home And Away, news broke that shed joined other actresses in accusing former Neighbours star Craig McLachlan of sexual harassment. Her allegation dated back to her 2015 appearance in his hit series The Doctor Blake Mysteries, when he was said to have kept his hand on her buttock while filming a scene. Again, Anna spent time weighing up whether to speak up. Saying anything controversial should be a tough decision, she says. McLachlan refuted the claims against him, but later dropped a defamation suit hed filed against others. Playing Mack is a dream come true for Anna, who was born in England then spent her early years in Nigeria before the family relocated to Sydney. I think Ive wanted to be a detective on the BBC since I was about four, she laughs. And the icing on the cake would be getting together with her Death In Paradise eers Ben Miller, Kris Marshall, Ardal OHanlon, Ralf Little and Don Gilet. I want the other detectives to make an appearance. Theyre all odd in their own unique way that would be a pretty intense dinner party, she laughs. But having the actors who play them for dinner? I think that would be a lot of fun. The new series of Return To Paradise starts on Friday October 31, 8pm on BBC One and iPlayer. Kaye Adams finally returned to Loose Women on Friday after the BBC bullying investigation. Earlier this month the Daily Mail exclusively revealed that the presenter, 62, had been removed from her 155,000-a-year job hosting her morning BBC Radio Scotland show. Kaye, who has been a Loose lady since 1999, hasn't been on the ITV programme for a couple of weeks. But on Friday (Friday 31st October), the Scottish star returned to the panel alongside Nadia Sawalha, Frankie Bridge and Jane Moore. Many rushed to X, formerly known as Twitter, to share their confusion. One asked: 'Kaye Adams back? Is this really live?' Kaye Adams finally returned to Loose Women on Friday after the BBC bullying investigation On Friday (Friday 31st October), the Scottish star returned to the panel alongside Nadia Sawalha , Frankie Bridge and Jane Moore Meanwhile others shared the love. 'Good to see Kaye back.' Another said on Instagram: 'So lovely to see you on Loose Women Kaye.' Kaye failed to mention the suspension just seconds into the programme and carried on with the latest news and headlines. It comes after Kaye spoke about her distress over the BBC probe into bullying complaints against her. She claimed she had been dragged through the mud over allegations - revealed in the Mail on Sunday - that she shouted and screamed at junior members of staff. Speaking for the first time since she was removed from her 155,000-a-year radio show, the 62-year-old star said she had experienced three of the most distressing weeks of my professional life after being taken off air by BBC Scotland bosses earlier this month. It comes as the Mail on Sunday can today reveal that BBC chiefs are quizzing staff about the presenters conduct over a number of years as part of their ongoing probe. Last night Ms Adams said: After three of the most distressing weeks of my professional life and seeing my previously untarnished name publicly dragged through the mud, BBC Scotland has still not provided me with any details of the allegations which have been made against me. The Strictly Come Dancing star, who was pictured in Glasgow earlier this week, said she had been inundated with messages of support from people who I have dealt with both personally and professionally over the decades and I thank them from the bottom of my heart. PROBE: TV and radio star Kaye Adams is at the centre of a BBC bullying investigation Staff who currently work with Ms Adams at BBC Radio Scotland and those who have worked with her during her 15 years at the station in Glasgow are being questioned by officials at the state broadcaster. We can also reveal that the bullying investigation was launched by the BBC following concerns raised about an alleged shouting incident during a debriefing session at the station attended by Ms Adams, BBCs new Head of Radio Victoria Easton Riley and other members of staff. Ms Adams denied any incident happened, but said: I remember Ms Easton Riley standing at the back of a debrief meeting - in an open plan office - on one occasion, but there was certainly no shouting on my part. Its not my style. The Mail on Sunday understands investigators are still gathering information about the stars alleged conduct at the broadcaster, dating back a number of years, before the details are presented to her. A senior BBC Scotland figure said: Interviews have been taking place with those working on the show and those who have previously worked with her. Its not just about one incident; they are looking back over the years. A number of people have spoken about experiences theyve had with Kaye but the investigation is still ongoing. A second BBC Scotland source said: The atmosphere is strained at PQ [Pacific Quay BBC Scotlands headquarters]. The team working on the morning programme are keeping quiet about everything, just keeping their heads down and getting on with the job. Theres a lot of confusion about what the BBC are actually doing and why Kaye hasnt been told about what is being investigated. The mum-of-two last hosted her three-hour BBC Radio Scotland phone in show Mornings with Kaye Adams on October 6 before being told she was being taken off air. It was claimed she had later had a frosty meeting with Ms Easton Riley, but the star has disputed this account and said it categorically did not happen. She said: I can confirm that I have never had an in-person meeting with Victoria Easton Riley and the widely reported meeting of October 8, from which I am supposed to have stormed out, categorically did not happen. The investigation into Ms Adams, who works for the BBC as a freelance presenter and host, was launched as part of the broadcasters new Call It Out scheme, an initiative set up in the aftermath of the scandal over former MasterChef presenters Gregg Wallace and John Torode. Wallace was sacked after 45 allegations of misconduct against him spanning 19 years were upheld. They included one incident of unwelcome physical contact, three complaints of being in a state of undress and others involving inappropriate sexual, culturally insensitive or racist comments. Torode was also sacked after it he was found to have used an extremely offensive racist term. The BBC has been trying to clean up its act following a number of bullying allegations. One inquiry involving Breakfast host Naga Munchetty is still ongoing, while Strictly Come Dancing has been rocked by scandals. Ms Adams was on the show in 2022, paired with professional dancer Kai Widdrington, and was the first celebrity voted out. A BBC Radio Scotland source said: The Call It Out campaign is everywhere now and thats what has prompted people to come forward about Kaye. Despite being taken off her radio show, Ms Adams has retained her role on Loose Women with ITV confirming they are standing by the presenter. The mum-of-two has hosted the programme for 19 years and was described by colleagues there as one of the calmer members of the cast.A BBC Scotland spokeswoman said: We would not comment on individuals. Georgia Harrison has left followers guessing whether she has welcomed her baby in a trick or treat post. Taking to Instagram for Halloween, the pregnant Love Island star, 30, shared a clip of her bump growing from 34 weeks until 39 weeks when she appears to hold a baby in her arms. Wrapped up in a white blanket and pumpkin hat, Georgia penned: 'Happy Halloween everyone Trick or Treat thats the question?' And while some friends and fans rushed to send their congratulations, others were less convinced. As one penned: 'Trick' another replied: 'I agree, I think its a doll the way she's holding it!'. 'Trick!? I can't work out of this is a real baby or a reborn doll!' Even Lateysha Grace commented: 'I cant work it out'. However others sent their congratulations as fellow Love Islanders Molly Smith and Tom Clare both sent their well wishes. Georgia Harrison left her followers guessing whether she has welcomed her baby in a trick or treat post on Friday Taking to Instagram for Halloween, the pregnant Love Island star, 30, shared a clip of her bump growing from 34 weeks until 39 weeks when she appears to hold a baby in her arms Charlotte Crosby also commented: 'Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh this video was just such an unexpected surprise'. Claudia Foggarty added: 'Oh my god congratulations'. Earlier in the day Georgia shared a snap from her pregnancy app which stated her unborn baby was now the size of a pumpkin as she wrote: 'Happy Halloween'. The Daily Mail have contacted Georgia's representatives for comment. Georgia, who initially kept her pregnancy under wraps from fans, announced the happy news on Instagram in April alongside a snap of her blossoming baby bump. She wrote: 'We've been keeping a secret. Me and Jack are having a baby! Due November 2025, we can't wait to welcome this little one into the world and embrace all the joy and love he or she will bring 'I still can't believe I've finally got everything I ever wanted and I couldn't be more gratefulAnd just like that 2 are about to become 3.' The new mum fell pregnant 10 months into her romance with Jack, who is not in the public eye, after meeting on a dating app. The star showcased her growing bump in the clip as fans took to the comments full of speculation While some friends and fans rushed to send their congratulations, others were less convinced However others sent their congratulations as fellow Love Islanders Molly Smith and Tom Clare both sent their well wishes Earlier in the day Georgia shared a snap from her pregnancy app which stated her unborn baby was now the size of a pumpkin as she wrote: 'Happy Halloween' Georgia, who initially kept her pregnancy under wraps from fans, announced the happy news on Instagram in April alongside a snap of her blossoming baby bump Speaking candidly about her pregnancy, Georgia said she and Jack were ready to settle down and start a family, but acknowledged some thought it was too soon. She told OK! Magazine: 'When you know, you know. I know its cringey but thats definitely how we feel. Anyone who knows us knows how strong we are, and how happy we make each other. 'We both definitely wanted children, and while some may say it feels too soon, we know that this is amazing news and we couldnt be happier.' Georgia added: 'If were lucky enough to be able to have kids, why not have them sooner rather than later?' While expecting, Georgia shared how she had a 'whole new drive' to change the world ahead of becoming a mum. She explained how she wants to make the world a better environment for her unborn baby to grow up in by continuing her campaigning on the issue of revenge porn. Throughout her pregnancy, Georgia kept fans up to date and even showed off her growing baby bump before having her first ultrasound Georgia told OK! Magazine: 'I initially thought of my little sisters and brother when I was campaigning hoping to make things different for them. 'Now, I have this whole new drive I want the world to be a better place because I'm bringing my own child into it.' Georgia first went public with her relationship to Jack at the start of the year in a sweet social media post. She shared sweet snaps of them both during a trip to Columbia, having teased her new relationship to fans in October 2024. Not much is known about hunky Jack, though he is a city worker. Paying tribute to him, she previously told The Sun that he is 'out of the public eye', explaining: 'It's really refreshing and he's very grounded. 'It's not something I've been shouting from the rooftops yet but it's going really, really well, and I'm really enjoying my time with him.' Adding that she feels she can be 'completely and utterly myself' when she's around him, Georgia concluded: 'For the first time in a while, I've met someone that I do think is a really good person and I enjoy being around.' Georgia also famously dated Celebrity Big Brother winner Stephen Bear. She was left devastated after Bear secretly filmed them during an intimate moment and shared the video online. After being found guilty of voyeurism and two counts of disclosing private, sexual photos and films, Bear was sentenced to 21 months in prison in March 2023. Even in myth-making Hollywood, the Poltergeist curse stands apart a chilling legend forged from real-life tragedy. The deliciously eerie 1982 horror movie left audiences terrified, but the true horror unfolded off set as four cast members including two child stars tragically died within six years of its release, sparking decades of conjecture that the hit supernatural movie was haunted. Now, Oliver Robins, who played young Robbie Freeling, is opening up about the tragedy that followed the cast, revealing that he, too, faced real-life horror when a stalker terrorized him as a child. But while the shocking string of deaths has fueled endless speculation, Robins insists there was never a curse only heartbreaking coincidence and disturbed individuals. 'I don't believe there's a curse,' he told the Daily Mail. 'Tragedy happens on many movies and in life, but there wasn't any specific exorcism or crazy thing on set where there's now a curse on everyone involved with the movie.' But his revelations about creepy phone calls, being watched and a heroic FBI neighbor sound straight out of a horror film. Within just six years of Poltergeist's 1982 release, four cast members were dead - including two of its child stars - sparking decades of rumors that the hit movie was haunted (Pictured: Dominique Dunne (left), Craig T Nelson (center back), Oliver Robins (center front), JoBeth Williams (right) and Heather O'Rourke (right front) in 1982) Now Oliver Robins (pictured in 1981), who played young Robbie Freeling, is opening up about the tragedies that followed the cast Robins (pictured) revealed that he, too, faced real-life horror when he was terrorized by a stalker as a child Poltergeist, directed by Tobe Hooper and produced by Steven Spielberg, became a pop-culture phenomenon, starring Craig T Nelson, JoBeth Williams, Heather O'Rourke and Dominique Dunne as the suburban Freeling family whose home is plagued by evil spirits. But for those involved, the supernatural nightmare didnt end when the cameras stopped rolling. A string of grisly cast deaths soon followed, fueling fears of a curse. Yet Robins told the Daily Mail that his brush with horror was no ghostly legend, but the sinister ordeal of a real-life stalker who began targeting him soon after Poltergeist made him a child star. 'Because my parents were so protective, I didn't know this until adulthood,' he explained. 'Somebody was watching me and stalking us. They called up my parents and said stuff like, "We see what you're doing. We know what Oliver is wearing." They were watching our house. 'It sounds like a movie, but our good friend and neighbor was an FBI agent, and he began looking into it. And, lo and behold, it stopped. I don't know how it stopped, but it did.' He said his parents 'never really talked about it' until he was older, when they thought he would better be able to understand the situation. 'I was so neurotic - I really was nervous about everything - that they didn't want to burden me with it.' Just months after Poltergeist hit theaters, 22-year-old Dunne, who played eldest daughter Dana, was strangled outside her West Hollywood home by her ex-boyfriend, sous-chef John Sweeney. She fell into a coma and died five days later. Her killer was convicted of voluntary manslaughter and served less than four years in prison a sentence so lenient it drove her father, producer Dominick Dunne, to reinvent himself as one of America's most famous true-crime writers. 'I couldn't even, you know, at that age I couldn't fathom what death really was, to be exposed to that,' Robins recalled to the Daily Mail. 'And I also couldn't fathom how someone could be murdered. 'At that point, my parents were very protective, and I didn't really learn the details about it.' Another devastating blow came five years later. The film directed by Tobe Hooper and produced by Steven Spielberg became a pop-culture phenomenon Just months after Poltergeist hit theaters, 22-year-old Dunne (right), who played eldest daughter Dana, was strangled to death outside her West Hollywood home by her ex-boyfriend, sous-chef John Sweeney O'Rourke who played Robins' little sister Carol Anne and became a horror icon for whispering the line 'They're here' died suddenly at age 12 after being misdiagnosed with Crohn's disease. A congenital intestinal blockage led to septic shock and cardiac arrest during emergency surgery. 'I really wasn't exposed to death that much at that point, and most of my friends were just still teenagers, so I was in shock,' Robins said. 'I could not believe that could actually happen. And you try to wrap your mind around it, thinking, "How could this, if there's any justice in the world, how could this possibly be?"' 'I always think of what Heather would've become later in her life. She was so smart and so intelligent. I mean, you had a five-year-old who was taking direction from Tobe Hooper. 'She was so precocious and very kind, and we were friends and we used to hang out. She used to come over to my house.' Still, the tragedies didn't stop there. Julian Beck, who delivered a terrifying performance as Reverend Henry Kane in Poltergeist II: The Other Side, died from stomach cancer in 1985 shortly after filming. 'People think of him as this very scary character - and he was,' Robins said. 'But when we were on set, he was the sweetest, kindest man. 'I was around 14 or 15 years old at the time, and I remember we were told he was dying of cancer. On set, he seemed like the happiest man there. And I came to the conclusion, even at that young age, that he just loved acting so much. O'Rourke (pictured as a child in the movie) - who played Robins' little sister Carol Anne and became a horror icon for whispering the line 'They're here' - died suddenly at age 12 after being misdiagnosed with Crohn's disease 'I always think of what Heather would've become later in her life. She was so smart and so intelligent. I mean, you had a five-year-old who was taking direction from Tobe Hooper,' Robins told the Daily Mail 'He got to do what he loved, and he treated every day on set as a gift. He wasn't depressed or upset - at least not that anyone could see. I can only believe that was because he was doing what he loved most. 'And I think that really shines through in his performance. When the cameras rolled and he turned it on, as we all know from that performance, he was absolutely terrifying.' The following year, actor Will Sampson, who portrayed the shaman Taylor in Poltergeist II, died at 53 from complications following a heart and lung transplant brought on by scleroderma, a chronic illness. Then in 2009, Lou Perryman who appeared as a construction worker in the first film was brutally murdered in his Texas home by a mentally ill ex-convict wielding an axe. After leaving acting, Robins went on to become a filmmaker, turning his lifelong fascination with writing and directing into a creative career behind the camera. Most recently, he has written Sunset Scares, a heartwarming children's book that puts a gentle twist on monster mythology. 'So I was at one of these horror conventions, and sometimes young people come up to me, like this seven-year-old little boy who said he loved Poltergeist. I asked if he was scared by it, and he shook his head no, he absolutely loved the movie,' Robins said of how the idea for his book came to him. 'She was so precocious and very kind, and we were friends and we used to hang out. She used to come over to my house,' Robins (left) said of O'Rourke (right) Robins (pictured in the movie) said his own brush with horror came not from a curse, but from a real-life stalker who began targeting him shortly after Poltergeist turned him into a child star 'Somebody was watching me and stalking us - they called up my parents and said stuff like, "We see what you're doing. We know what Oliver is wearing." They were watching our house,' Robins revealed Most recently, he has written Sunset Scares, a heartwarming children's book that puts a gentle twist on monster mythology 'And that got me thinking: "What would happen if all the classic monsters from the past became outdated? If they felt like they didn't have a purpose anymore because they weren't scary to a new audience?" 'What happens to those monsters? Where do they go when their only purpose - to scare people - no longer matters? 'Well, of course, they go to a monster retirement home.' So Robins came up with the idea for Sunset Scare, a retirement home for monsters who feel they have lost their purpose. He said the main message is that everyone always has a purpose in life. 'You never lose it,' he explained. 'You just redefine it as you go.' Meanwhile, Robins said he tries to look at the positive side of things in general. Even with the legend of the Poltergeist curse, he sees ways for audiences to find joy amid tragedy. 'Someone might know nothing about Poltergeist or know nothing about cinema and they hear about this curse and they eventually watch the movie. And now they're not really thinking about the curse so much anymore,' he explained. 'They're getting the joy of watching this movie,' he said, calling it a 'gift,' 'a joy to be able to watch,' and 'a great piece of cinema.' Hedda (Orange Tree, Richmond) Verdict: New spin on an old classic Rating: Ibsens Hedda Gabler, daughter of a general, wife of a nobody, is a creature of her times (1890), curbed and constrained by corsets, propriety, patriarchy, too little money and a total lack of imagination. Tanika Guptas inspired new take adds another layer of confinement endemic racism to deftly ratchet up the tension. Relocating the play to 1948, Pearl Chandas Hedda is a dark-eyed, sharp-tongued, imperious beauty, former star of the silver screen who has abandoned Hollywood, married an unsuccessful movie director, George Tesman (Joe Bannister), and settled in Londons Chelsea. Where she has nothing to do but play with her fathers pistols and other peoples lives, while ordering her sari-clad maid to keep the drapes drawn so that no one sees too much. So what is she hiding? Layers and layers of secrets and lies which, little by little, leak out. For, like Merle Oberon, Anglo-Indian Hedda has passed as white. Woman with a past: Hedda (Pearl Chanda) and her husband George (Joe Bannister) in the Orange Tree's new production of Ibsen's great play In the bad old days (up until 1968), under the Hays Code, Hollywood policed race and relationships, forbidding miscegenation and preventing actors of colour from playing anything other than servants and villains. When former pilot ace turned screenwriter Lenny, a half-caste she knew as a child in India and later her lover, arrives in London with a script inspired by Heddas own experience, Hedda panics. In Hettie MacDonalds claustrophobic staging, Chanda is mesmerising, her eyes icy yet burning, every gesture is deliberate, as if she is still in the spotlight playing a prescribed role, with her maid, Shona (Rina Fatania, formidable and bitter), acting as her accomplice. Secrets and lies: Hedda (Pearl Chanda) with her ayah Shona (Rina Fatania), who is also her mother...and her minder Shona claims to have been Heddas ayah from birth. Another lie and another ugly, cruel twist. For Shona is actually Heddas mother, and now her minder, ever ready with white powder for her cheeks and all too eager to remind her that she is marked...reveal who you are and your legacy will be destroyed! As she says, the British went to India, had their fun and we are what was left behind: despised on the subcontinent and never accepted by the British. I suspect Ibsen would have been impressed. A fresh new spin on an old classic. Hedda runs at the Orange Tree until November 22. Jackie 'O' Henderson has undergone quite the transformation in recent years, but the radio star shocked onlookers when she looked half her age at the ARN Upfronts on Wednesday. While fans speculate on how the 50-year-old maintains her youthful appearance, one beauty expert says the secret isn't as simple as a 'one-off procedure'. Dominika Gialouris of Body Sculpting Clinics tells Daily Mail that Jackie's glow-up could be a mixture of 'well-timed maintenance' and 'subtle surgical enhancements'. 'Jackie truly looks incredible. You can tell she looks after herself. She's glowing and has aged exceptionally well,' Dominika says. 'While I obviously can't confirm any specific procedures without having treated her personally, what I can say, from a professional standpoint, is that transformations like this are nearly always the result of strategic, well-timed maintenance rather than dramatic one-off procedures.' Dominika goes on to point out Jackie's recent weight loss, which she has openly addressed, can also create a dramatic effect on 'facial definition'. Jackie 'O' Henderson, 50, has undergone quite the glamorous transformation in recent years, with the radio star looking half her age at the ARN Upfronts on Wednesday Jackie publicly showed off her slimmed-down figure in 2023 after she shed 18kg, and has maintained her trim frame ever since. 'Weight loss can enhance facial definition and bone structure, but can also make volume loss more apparent, which is where ongoing maintenance treatments can help to maintain balance and softness,' Dominika says. 'In most women around that age group, we typically see a combination of non-surgical collagen stimulation, subtle volume restoration, and skin tightening, and in some cases, minor surgical refinements. 'Things like eyelid lifts, lip lifts, or contouring procedures that enhance structure while keeping the overall look very natural.' Dominika says eyelid and lip lifts have become increasingly popular 'because they often involve a faster recovery time'. 'Techniques are evolving rapidly across the aesthetic industry,' she adds. 'Around our mid-40s through to 50s, the biggest concern is often skin laxity and sagging, and this is where newer, more subtle techniques such as upper lip lifts and blepharoplasty (eyelid lifts) are gaining popularity. 'Newer techniques for lower face lifts are also increasingly sought after to address volume loss and early jowling, helping to lift, refine, and restore jawline contours without the need for a traditional full facelift, although there is still a place for those procedures when appropriate.' Dominika Gialouris of Body Sculpting Clinics tells Daily Mail that Jackie's glow-up could be a mixture of 'well-timed maintenance' and 'subtle surgical enhancements' 'These advancements reflect the direction the industry is heading,' she adds. Dominika goes on to caution non-surgical treatments should be 'performed by highly skilled, experienced practitioners', while surgical procedures should be 'carried out by qualified, specialist surgeons'. 'Artistry and precision make all the difference between looking refreshed and looking overdone,' she says. 'The goal today isn't to look "done"; it's to look refined, rested, and confident. 'When treatments are layered carefully over time and done by the right practitioners the results can be timeless.' Jackie has previously confessed to her radio listeners she does receive some cosmetic procedures to maintain her visage. Earlier this year, she confessed to her co-workers at The Kyle and Jackie O Show that she occasionally gets Botox. 'I just get Botox. I've gotten lucky with that. I do have lines though. I definitely do,' she said, adding that she has smile lines. 'In most women around that age group, we typically see a combination of non-surgical collagen stimulation, subtle volume restoration, and skin tightening, and in some cases, minor surgical refinements,' Dominika says In addition to using Botox, which removes wrinkles by temporarily paralysing facial muscles, Jackie has been known to splash out on various spa treatments. She has been known to visit the Venustus day spa in Paddington, Sydney, where she enjoys a two-hour package worth $707 that includes breath work, a massage and a sound bath. It comes after Jackie stunned onlookers on Wednesday when she looked utterly ageless as she stepped out at the ARN Upfronts at Star Casino in Sydney. She walked the carpet with her shock jock co-host Kyle Sandilands, flaunting her flawless visage as she posed for photos. The KIIS FM power duo, who are expanding their hit breakfast show to Perth in 2026, looked effortlessly coordinated in matching monochrome ensembles. Jackie flashed her wealth as she arrived in a $12,050 outfit, stunning the crowd in a belted charcoal midi-dress worth $2,250 by Christopher Esber. She paired the frock, which featured statement shoulders, with a pair of pointed white designer heels from Jimmy Choo, worth approximately $1,500. Jackie finished her glamorous look with two silver anklets worth $3,200 each ($6,400 in total) and two $950 pendants ($1,900 in total), all by Olivia Bond. Jessica Alves showed off the results of her latest facelift as she left a clinic in Turkey on Friday. The TV personality, 42, went under the knife last year after she said dissolving dermal fillers left her with so much excess loose skin around her face that she could 'pinch and pull away four inches of skin'. Now, the Brazilian-British star was spotted leaving Trio Clinic in Istanbul following another facelift procedure by Dr Orman Cagdas. Stepping out wearing a bandage on her face, the star sported a stylish figure in a fitted black midaxi dress. The star, who took out her hair extensions for the surgery, toted her belongings in a Chanel bag and carried a pair of matching sunglasses. Over the past year, Jessica has stepped back from her usual television commitments in the USA, UK, and EU to focus on more personal pursuits. Jessica Alves showed off the results of her latest facelift as she left a clinic in Turkey on Friday The Brazilian-British star was spotted leaving Trio Clinic in Istanbul following another facelift procedure by Dr Orman Cagdas Stepping out wearing a bandage on her face, the star sported a stylish figure in a fitted black midaxi dress Over the past year, Jessica has stepped back from her usual television commitments in the USA, UK, and EU to focus on more personal pursuits. She is currently writing a book chronicling her extraordinary life story and dedicating more time to her relationship with her German partner. Jessica also recently took to Facebook to update her followers about the ongoing issue with her Instagram account, which has been taken down 'without notice or explanation'. In her post, she explained that she is taking legal action against Meta, who are currently investigating the matter internally to determine the cause of the issue. She penned: 'This year, I've been dealing with a very stressful situation on Instagram. 'Unfortunately, I've been targeted by people creating multiple fake accounts using my name and photos. 'Despite my efforts to report those fake profiles, my official verified Instagram account with 7 million followers has been wrongfully taken down. 'I want to reassure everyone that I am taking legal action against Meta, who are now running a full scan and internal investigation on my page to determine who caused these issues. Jessica also recently took to Facebook to update her followers about the ongoing issue with her Instagram account, which has been taken down 'without notice or explanation' In her post, she explained that she is taking legal action against Meta, who are currently investigating the matter internally to determine the cause of the issue 'My Instagram has always been a space where I share my work, travels, lifestyle, and connect with all of you - so I'm heartbroken that this has happened. 'I truly appreciate your continued love and support, and I'm confident that my account with be restored soon. 'Please beware of any fake accounts pretending to be me - I currently have no active Instagram profile. Any updates will be posted here first. 'Thank you all for standing by me. Jessica Alves.' Earlier this year, Jessica revealed she has found love with a German engineer and have been going from strength to strength after the pair met on a plane in December. The Brazilian TV star was swept off her feet when the engineer sat next to her on the flight to join her for drinks. The couple felt something really special between them after hitting it off straight away. In July, the lovebirds enjoyed a romantic trip in Capri, Italy to celebrate their eight month anniversary and her birthday. Earlier this year, Jessica revealed she has found love with a German engineer and have been going from strength to strength after the pair met on a plane in December In July, the lovebirds enjoyed a romantic trip in Capri, Italy to celebrate their eight month anniversary and her birthday Jessica showcased her surgically-enhanced assets in a chic white dress as she struck a pose against the picturesque backdrop in the Amalfi Coast. The pair enjoyed a luxury boat trip around Capri to explore the beautiful waters and scenery. The TV personality once estimated that she had spent well over $1million on more than 75 plastic surgery procedures to achieve her looks. Daily Mail revealed in September 2024 that Jessica split from ex-boyfriend Dalton Phillips just a month after the pair sparked engagement rumours. The model ended her relationship with the hunk after the strain of work put pressure on them. The TV star sparked engagement rumours with Dalton in August last year after she was pictured wearing a giant ring on her finger. She has previously opened up about being 'unlucky in love' and had found that men had used her for her riches. The star has a reported net worth of 30million and speaking exclusively to Daily Mail last year, Jessica outlined how her potential suitors have asked for financial help, as well as free holidays and other hefty expenditures. She said, 'I have been going on dates, being a single woman, and it's been very difficult to meet Mr. Right. Men are just so complicated. 'I've had some bad dates where men just wanted to take advantage of me, they just wanted my money and, yeah, they weren't looking for a relationship as such. 'They just wanted commodity so they say, 'Let's travel together. Let's do this together but all on my account.' 'Sometimes they would ask for things. I was dating this guy and he started asking me for financial help. I was like, 'Gosh, p**s off.' Anyway, I haven't been very lucky.' Amanda Holden channeled Glinda The Good Witch while Ashley Roberts dressed as Elphaba as Heart Radio celebrated Halloween on Friday. The Britain's Got Talent judge, 54, wore a dramatic, light pink ball gown while the former Pussycat Doll, 44, painted herself green. Joining the duo, their co-host Jamie Theakston, who dressed as Prince Fiyero, the trio got into the spirit with a Wicked theme. The film's lasted instalment, Wicked: For Good, is set to be released in cinemas November 21. As anticipation for the movie builds, Amanda teamed her corseted gown, which featured a tulle skirt, with a silver crown and wand. Ashley completed her look with a long sleeved lace top, a plunging dress and a pointed hat. Amanda Holden channeled Glinda The Good Witch while Ashley Roberts dressed as Elphaba as Heart Radio celebrated Halloween on Friday The Britain's Got Talent judge, 54, wore a dramatic, light pink ball gown while the former Pussycat Doll, 44, painted herself green Jamie wore a bright blue, three piece suit with a shirt layered underneath for the role of Elphaba's love interest. The film stars Ariana Grande as Glinda while Cynthia Erivo plays Elphaba, with the next instalment set to show the consequences of the first as Elphaba lives in exile. There, she is continuing her fight for freedom while the silenced animals of Oz are desperate to expose the truth of The Wizard, who is played by Jeff Goldblum. Meanwhile, Glinda has become the symbol of goodness in Oz, living in a breathtaking palace in the Emerald City. She is also preparing to marry Jonathan Bailey's character Prince Fiyero. The Halloween celebration comes after Amanda teased a music project with iconic producer David Foster. The TV personality and actress took to Instagram on Thursday to share a duo of snaps from her family holiday in Beverly Hills - where she appeared to be working. The update showed her posing happily alongside David, 75, who is a widely-respected producer, composer, arranger, and musician, who has worked with the likes of Quincy Jones, Michael Buble, Whitney Houston and Chuck Berry. Joining the duo, their co-host Jamie Theakston, who dressed as Prince Fiyero, the trio got into the spirit with a Wicked theme Ashley completed her look with a long sleeved lace top, a plunging dress and a pointed hat The film stars Ariana Grande (pictured) as Glinda while Cynthia Erivo plays Elphaba, with the next instalment set to show the consequences of the first as Elphaba lives in exile The film's lasted instalment, Wicked: For Good, is set to be released in cinemas November 21 The Halloween celebration comes after Amanda teased a music project with iconic producer David Foster In 2019, Amanda signed a recording contract with Virgin EMI Records and in 2020 she released her debut album, Songs from My Heart, through Universal Music, which reached number four on the UK Albums Chart. In 2020, ahead of a performance of her single Not While I'm Around on Britain's Got Talent, she said: 'I was absolutely bricking it... 'I've worked with the backstage crew, sound guys and producers for 15 years and I didn't want to balls it up in front of them. The most nerve-wracking thing I've done'. While she has not disclosed what she is doing career-wise, Amanda looked to be giving her all in the studio as she performed in front of the legend. Katy Perry wants to make sure that her new romance with Justin Trudeau goes as smoothly as possible. The 41-year-old pop star - who strongly believes in the power of prayer - has been leaning on some of her pals for advice to keep the union flying high, the Daily Mail has learned. One of the experts she is using is a claircognizance psychic to guide her when dealing with the 'love of her life' Trudeau, a source has shared. A claircognizance psychic' is someone who has the ability to know things intuitively. 'Katy is fascinated by psychic power, so why not harness it?' the pal shared. 'In the past psychics have worked very well for her. So she is leaning on this wonderful energy to give her an advantage with Justin because he matters a lot to her. 'She is really in love with him and thinks he is The One so she is being careful with how she treats him. The psychic is guiding her.' Katy Perry wants to make sure that her new romance with Justin Trudeau goes as smoothly as possible. The pop star has been leaning on some of her pals for advice to keep the union flying high, the Daily Mail has learned. Perry seen left in December and Trudeau seen right in 2023 Perry went public with her new relationship with the ex-Canadian Prime Minister, 53, during a date in Paris at the weekend. In the past Perry has said she 'cast a spell' to find Orlando Bloom, whom she broke up with this year, and she was very keen when a contestant on American Idol told her she psychically knew Bloom was her 'soulmate.' The source noted that the singer uses other means to gain information. The insider also noted that Perry is also into 'psychics, numerology, angel numbers, past life healers and Tarot cards.' 'She's very into astrology,' the same source earlier told the Daily Mail. 'Katy said he is a solid guy and she loves that he is an earth sign, a Capricorn.' The pal added: 'She is a Scorpio, like a total typical Scorpio, so she is very driven and headstrong. So she likes having an earth sign as a boyfriend because it grounds her.' The source also shared: 'Justin is just the man for her. He fits her needs. She is thrilled.' 'Orlando is also a Capricorn, that is why she was drawn to him initially, she loves a good Cap,' noted the pal. There has been a connection on a deep level that has made their relationship 'intense,' a source shared; seen during her birthday in Paris last week Capricorns are born between December 22 and January 19. Scorpios have birthdays are between October 23 to November 21. And Perry has told pals she already may have met Trudeau in a past life. 'Katy believes in past lives and she thinks she and Justin may have intersected in some way in a past life,' said the pal. 'Why not?' While their romance might be new, the insider noted the relationship is already serious. 'There is no way she would go public with him unless it was a mega big deal,' the friend said. 'Yes, it is a mega big deal with Justin. Katy is very in love with Justin.' And the couple are already planning to see more of each other next month while she continues her Lifetimes Tour. 'She wants him to meet her in Paris and Barcelona for her tour stops next month so they can have a romantic time when she's not on stage,' the same source said. Perry will also be in Japan and the United Arab Emirates in December. The singer first teased romance with Trudeau earlier this month at a concert at London's The O2. A fan jokingly proposed to her at the show, and she laughed and said: 'I wish you'd asked me 48 hours ago.' Perry and Orlando Bloom attend The Cut premiere party during the Toronto International Film Festival in September 2024 The performer in concert at The O2 Arena in London in mid-October She also joked about no longer falling for English men. Speaking to her fans, she said: 'London, England, you're like this on a Monday night after a whole day at work and a whole day at school? 'No wonder I fall for Englishmen all the time... but not anymore.' Perry was famously married to Briton Russell Brand a Gemini and has also dated John Mayer, Diplo and Robert Ackroyd, as well as actor Johnny Lewis. Trudeau served as the 23rd prime minister of Canada from 2015 until this year, when he was ousted from office. He led the Liberal Party from 2013 until stepping down following his election defeat this year. He was married to 50-year-old Sophie Gregoire - a Pisces - for 18 years before the pair separated in 2023. While Taylor Sheridan is leaving Paramount, he still has a major upcoming project for the studio: the film adaptation of the popular video game franchise Call of Duty. Sheridan is collaborating on the project for Paramount and Actionvision with Peter Berg, who will also direct the motion picture. The high-profile project comes as Sheridan has announced his plans to take his talents from Paramount to NBC Universal in 2029. In the years between then and now, Sheridan and Paramount will seek to establish a lucrative live-action film franchise around the video game staple. Sheridan is the mastermind behind the lucrative Western franchise Yellowstone, which inspired the spinoff shows 1883 and 1923. The prolific television creator has also developed shows such as Mayor of Kingstown, Tulsa King, Landman and Lioness. While Taylor Sheridan is leaving Paramount, he still has one major product for the studio: the film adaptation of the popular video game franchise Call of Duty. Pictured in Dallas earlier this month Sheridan and Paramount will seek to establish a lucrative live-action film franchise around the video game staple Sheridan also got an Academy Award nomination in 2017 for penning the script for the 2016 film Hell or High Water. Other screenwriting credits to Sheridan's name include Wind River, Sicario, Sicario: Day of the Soldado. Call of Duty is an Activision-published property owned by Microsoft. The Call of Duty franchise has released more than 30 mainline games in the 22 years since the initial video game's 2003 debut. More than 500 million copies of the video game have been sold globally since its release. The plans to develop a motion picture around the top-selling video game franchise were publicly announced in September. Insiders told Variety that Paramount might look to take the Call of Duty franchise to television, as well. No storylines have been revealed for the nascent film, which is based off the military-themed first person shooter video game, according to the outlet. Sheridan pictured at the premiere of 1883 at Encore Beach Club at Wynn Las Vegas in 2021 Sheridan is collaborating on the project for Paramount and Actionvision with Peter Berg, who will also direct the motion picture. Pictured in LA earlier this month The Call of Duty franchise has released more than 30 mainline games in the 22 years since the initial video game's 2003 debut It comes amid the proliferation of a number of successful video game-themed film franchises such as Minecraft and Super Mario Bros., with Paramount cashing in with their Sonic the Hedgehog-based projects. Sheridan and Berg are longtime friends and have collaborated on projects such as the aforementioned Hell or High Water and Wind River. Sheridan had been debating about just writing the script or producing the film, but ultimately decided to take on both responsibilities, sources told Deadline. Berg was brought into the fold at Sheridan's behest earlier this month, insiders told the outlet. He was king of the breakfast shows, dominating the This Morning sofa with ex-wife Ruth Langsford for a decade and a half. In that time, he earned huge reputation and the financial rewards to match. But the years have not been kind to Eamonn Holmes. After leaving ITV under a bitter cloud in 2021, the 65-year-old went on to present a daytime show at the somewhat less prestigious GB News. And since undergoing spinal surgery in 2022, which left him reliant on a walking frame or wheelchair, health problems have seen the presenter take several enforced breaks from his new role. In a distressing incident earlier this year, Holmes fell off his chair live on air prompting chaos behind the scenes. And it seems things are getting little better for the 65-year-old Ulsterman as hes now been axed from his position hosting a major awards ceremony. Holmes has hosted the Irish Post Awards in London every year since 2013 but this year, the popular Virgin radio presenter, Ryan Tubridy, is taking over. Eamonn Holmes has hosted the Irish Post Awards in London every year since 2013 but will not do so this year (pictured in 2023) TV sources have told me that, sadly, Eamonn struggled with the responsibilities of hosting the ceremony last year because of his mobility problems. The truth is that Eamonn is an Irish legend, said an insider. But things didnt really go well last time - and its felt that its time he moved over for the more appropriate talent waiting in the wings. This time around, it just felt foolhardy to stick with him even though hes been such a big part of things for so long. I can also reveal that Eamonn has been dropped by his management company, InterTalent, an agency headed by Jonathan Shalit, who snapped up the presenter in 2022 after the fallout with ITV. Holmes had previously been a longstanding client of the talent agency YMU who helped turn the presenter and his then-wife, Ruth into a distinctive brand and secured a number of big-money deals promoting products aimed at older people, including blood circulation boosters and bingo games. But YMU and Eamonn split amid suggestions they had been prioritising the now-disgraced presenter Phillip Schofield - who was still presenting on This Morning at the time. At the time, Holmes said he felt it was all about Philip Schofield. A year later, Schofield would be sacked from ITV after it was discovered he had an affair with a much younger male colleague. TV sources say that Eamonn, pictured with girlfriend Katie Alexander, struggled with the responsibilities of hosting the Irish Post Awards ceremony last year because of his mobility problems With marriage to his wife of 14 years beginning to unravel, Eamonn was facing problems of his own. Hailed as one of the countrys most-loved TV couples alongside Richard Madeley and Judy Finnigan, Eamonn and Ruth had a major setback in 2020 when they were axed from their slot on This Morning in favour of Alison Hammond and Dermot OLeary. Ruth, 65, remained with their talent agency, YMU, which also represents stars including Ant McPartlin, Declan Donnelly and Amanda Holden while also keeping hold of her hosting position on the panel show, Loose Women. Then in 2024 came the news that the pair were separating - a surprise to their fans, although those behind the scenes knew it had been coming. Eamonn, who is still negotiating his divorce from Ruth, has also faced the sadness of a reported row with his son Jack, 23, who sided with his mother over the split. His three older children from a previous marriage also remain close to Ruth as Eamonns relationship with a woman 22 years his junior, marriage therapist Katie Alexander, is said to have gone down like a lead balloon with his family. Eamonn, who is still negotiating his divorce from Ruth Langsford, has also faced the sadness of a reported row with his son Jack, 23, who sided with his mother over the split It is believed Eamonn met the attractive 40-something 12 years before his split from Ruth. She has seemed the perfect woman to help the Belfast-born broadcaster get over the recriminations and heartache of his break-up last year. Claims that the pair exchanged flirty messages online when they first met more than a decade ago have not helped. Neither have reports suggesting Ruth found Eamonn had been showering Katie with gifts before their marriage finally collapsed in May 2024. However, both Katie and Eamonn insist that nothing went on between them until their respective marriages were over. Now, one year in, it seems their own much-talked-about relationship might be feeling the strain. A source close to Eamonn said: Hes grumpier than ever and his health problems really arent helping, but instead of moving closer to Katie and settling, hes spending more time with his family in Belfast, often without her. That sentiment was echoed by some of Eamonns colleagues at GB News, who describe him as very, very moany with one saying hes a miserable goat even on a good day. He goes into GB News in the morning, and he moans and moans, the colleague says. It seems to be fizzling out for him. He is very low the only thing that cheers him is going to work, he loves working. Now, with presenting gigs seemingly drying up for the once-star presenter, he might have a little more time to spend at home with a new girlfriend who, as a marriage therapist, might seem admirably well-qualified to soothe his troubled brow. Annie Knight has revealed her fiance Henry Brayshaw is completely estranged from his famous father, AFL commentator James Brayshaw. The sex worker, 28 who has been dubbed 'Australia's most sexually active woman' revealed the shocking news on Saucy Secrets with Jana Hocking. 'To be honest with you, Henry and James don't really have much of a relationship,' she said when Jana, 41, asked how James reacted to their recent engagement. 'So, he wasn't sort of part of the process at all. But the rest of Henry's family are super supportive, so that's all we care about.' It is currently unclear when Henry, 27, and his father James, 58, became estranged, with the pair still following each other on social media. However, they were last pictured together online in 2020 when James and his four sons Henry, Jonathon, Frederick and George shaved their heads for charity. Annie Knight, 28, has revealed her fiance Henry Brayshaw, 27, is completely estranged from his famous father, AFL commentator James Brayshaw The sex worker, 28 who has been dubbed 'Australia's most sexually active woman' revealed the shocking news on Saucy Secrets with Jana Hocking Daily Mail has reached out to Henry and James for comment on the matter. Elsewhere in the interview with Jana, Annie revealed she has almost completed her wedding planning with Henry. 'Most of the wedding is planned at the moment. As soon as I got engaged, I was like, "We need to plan this so I can chill for the next year,"' she said. 'Pretty much have everything organised. It's going to be on the Gold Coast and it's going to be in October next year.' The happy couple, who have been friends for ten years, got engaged in Marchjust one week after rekindling their relationship. Henry popped the question over a romantic dinner in Beverly Hills during a trip to LA. Sparing no expense, Henry proposed to Annie with a three-carat diamond, which Daily Mail revealed earlier this year is worth up to $200,000. The enormous oval cut stone takes up almost the width of Annie's finger and is placed on an elegant gold band. The sex worker revealed the news on Saucy Secrets with Jana Hocking, saying they 'don't really have much of a relationship' Austen & Blake jewellery expert Tony French exclusively told Daily Mail 'a natural diamond of this carat could cost anywhere between $140,000-$200,000'. Following their wedding, Annie has also revealed that a baby is on the cards for the couple's future. She made a candid confession about her baby plans last month when she appeared on the One Night with Steiny podcast. 'I want to have kids eventually, for sure,' she said, before sharing how she plans on raising her children. 'I'm going to raise my kids the way I was, that you don't judge people. Don't waste your life judging people. 'If you don't like what I do, that's fine. But there is no need to hate on other people.' Karl Stefanovic could be in trouble with Nine management after his friend Kyle Sandilands claimed the Today host told him the network was struggling with revenue. Speaking at ARN's 2026 Upfronts showcase on Wednesday night, the KIIS FM shock-jock told a crowd of advertisers and analysts that Today show co-host Stefanovic had confided that Nine was losing clients after the departure of its former sales boss Michael 'Stevo' Stephenson. Stephenson left Nine earlier this year after missing out on the CEO role, taking up the top job at ARN, which owns KIIS FM. According to Mumbrella, Sandilands told the audience: 'Stefanovic said, 'We're f***ed over here, bro, without Stevo. Stevo's taken all the f***ing clients to radio.' Perhaps coincidentally, Nine's shares had dipped three cents to $1.15 by Thursday, down from $1.18 the previous day, and well below September's high of $1.76. Daily Mail Australia has reached out to Nine and ARN for comment. Karl Stefanovic (right) could be in trouble with Nine management after his friend Kyle Sandilands (left) claimed the Today host told him the network was struggling with revenue It comes amid rumblings of a major shakeup at the Today show, with rumours swirling that Sarah Abo could be replaced by Samantha Armytage. According to The Australian, Nine is banking on the 'Armytage effect' which saw Sunrise score a ratings victory when Armytage joined the program in 2013. Armytage left Sunrise in 2021 and has gone on to helm Farmer Wants A Wife and the upcoming Golden Bachelor. Nine CEO Matt Stanton did little to dispel the chatter regarding Abo's future at Today, giving The Australian a coy response when asked if Armytage was stepping into the role alongside Stefanovic. 'I don't know. I'm not into that level to be honest, I haven't seen that level of detail,' Stanton told the publication this week. Meanwhile, Abo has reportedly hired celebrity accountant Anthony Bell to handle contract negotiations. According to sources, Abo and her co-host Stefanovic haven't signed their contracts yet but the 'deal is all but done'. Abo currently makes $800,000 a year, according to Mediaweek, while Stefanovic landed himself a $3 million per year contract. It comes amid rumblings of a major shakeup at the Today show, with rumours swirling that Sarah Abo (pictured) could be replaced by Samantha Armytage Days Of Our Lives star Suzanne Rogers revealed she is battling cancer. The 82-year-old actress shared she was diagnosed with stage 2 colon cancer in a new interview with TV Insider. The 70s soap legend said she felt like something 'wasn't quite right' with her body, prompting her to make a doctor's appointment over the summer. After a number of tests, which included a colonoscopy, MRI, PET scan and biopsy, her doctor told her she had cancer. '[My doctor] said, "You have cancer and you have to start treatment,"' Rogers who is the longest-running actor in an American soap opera recalled. 'It was all a shock. I mean, I think I was in shock for several days because I take pretty good care of myself. But he said, "Its a good thing you caught it in time."' Days Of Our Lives star Suzanne Rogers, 82, revealed she is battling stage 2 colon cancer; She is pictured at the Daytime Emmy Awards in Los Angeles in 2024 'It was all a shock. I mean, I think I was in shock for several days because I take pretty good care of myself,' she told TV Insider; Pictured as Maggie Horton in Days Of Our Lives Colorectal cancer, which starts in the colon or the rectum, is the third most common cancer in the world, after lung and breast cancers. In the United States, colorectal cancer is the third-leading cause of cancer-related deaths in men and the fourth leading cause in women, according to American Cancer Society. Stage 2 colorectal cancer has not spread to the lymph nodes, but may have spread through and beyond the wall of the colon or rectum. After she wrapped up Days of Our Lives for the summer, the star began treatment three days later. 'It was radiation every day and chemo every day for six weeks and it was tough,' Rogers shared. 'It was tough knowing you had to do it five days a week and then you had off Saturday and Sunday. I thoroughly enjoyed my weekends because I didn't have to go to and see a doctor. I was so tired of seeing doctors.' While undergoing treatment, Rogers found crucial support from her Days of Our Lives co-stars, especially from Linsey Godfrey, who is a cancer survivor. 'It was scary,' she said, adding, 'When I had to go see a doctor, one of them would go with me because you get to a point where once they say cancer, you don't hear anything else.' The star said that after wrapping up Days of Our Lives for the summer she did 'radiation every day and chemo every day for six weeks' adding that it was 'tough'; Seen in 2017 Rogers said she completed her treatment on July 31 and is 'feeling really good' now; Pictured in 2018 The actress also revealed she did not lose her iconic red hair during treatment. 'I guess because I was taking the chemo pills,' she explained; Seen in a still 'I had to have an infusion, and it takes about an hour and a half, so Linsey sat there with me and held my hand while I was having it,' she recalled. 'We would go out to lunch or dinner with Paul Telfer and Linseys daughter, Aleda. I knew I could count on them, so it was a lovely experience on and off the set. We really feel like a family.' Rogers said she completed her treatment on July 31 and is 'feeling really good' now. However, it hasn't been without challenges. 'The biggest thing is that I was tired because that's not like me. I have a lot of energy all the time, so it really kind of shook me thinking, "Am I going to get my energy back?" And it seems like it's coming back. It's not 100% yet, but I feel better. Today I feel really good, and thats happening more and more than the other way around, so I'm really happy about that.' 'I start back to work next week, so we'll see how that goes,' Rogers added. 'Now, I'm feeling anxious like I do any time I get scripts because I want to do my very best and you don't want to hold up anybody. So that's the only anxiousness I feel. It's not because of my illness, let's put it that way.' Rogers also revealed she did not lose her iconic red hair during treatment. 'I guess because I was taking the chemo pills,' she explained. 'I'm sure there'll be people that are saying, "Well, she didnt really have cancer," but you know what? I really don't care what people say. I know what Ive gone through and I've come out on the other side, so thats all I care about.' In 1984, the Virginia-born redhead was diagnosed with the rare muscle disease myasthenia gravis, greatly impacting how much she could work, but she's reportedly in remission now. Rogers made history as the longest-running actor in any American soap opera for portraying the character Maggie Horton Kiriakis on Days of Our Lives for 52 years - beginning in 1973. Rogers made history as the longest-running actor in any American soap opera for portraying the character Maggie Horton Kiriakis on Days of Our Lives for 52 years - beginning in 1973 She won her first and only Daytime Emmy Award in 1979 for outstanding supporting actress in a drama series. Rogers also appeared in episodes of Knight Rider; Little House on the Prairie; Quincy, M.E.; and Love, American Style. The former Rockette got her start at Radio City Music Hall as well as numerous Broadway productions. Rogers was married to Another World star Sam Groom between 1980-1982. Hayley Pearson and Max Burford were reportedly 'blindsided' after their radio show was axed earlier this week. The Mix 102.3 breakfast hosts, who have helmed Hayley & Max in the Morning since the beginning of the year, assumed they'd be on the airwaves in 2026. However, the radio duo were dumbfounded when station executives broke the news on Monday, an insider has told The Advertiser. The source, who is said to be close to Hayley, told the publication that national bosses had reached out to the breakfast host in the weeks leading up to the axing to congratulate her on 'doing such a great job'. Despite not signing a deal for 2026, she and Max were convinced that they were a shoo-in for next year's lineup. '(Hayley) thought (the station) was happy with what they were doing and that they were going ahead next year; they had no idea what was coming on Monday,' the insider claimed. Hayley Pearson and Max Burford (both pictured) were 'blindsided' after their radio show was axed earlier this week The show set tongues wagging in July after Keith Urban (pictured) hung up mid-interview following a question about his now-former wife Nicole Kidman 'They just got told the station is going in a new direction right after the show had finished.' Now, it has been revealed that the duo will be replaced by former Nova stars Ben Harvey and Liam Stapleton, who were previously on the Late Drive program. What's more, the station is now being rebranded as KIIS 102.3. Australian Radio Network (ARN) revealed on Monday that Hayley & Max in the Morning would air on Mix102.3 in Adelaide for the last time on December 12. The show set tongues wagging in July after Keith Urban hung up mid-interview following a question about his now-former wife Nicole Kidman. The rocker was in good spirits as he chatted to the hosts, revealing that it's 'always a good time' performing in Adelaide, where the radio show is based. However, when Keith agreed to play the show's signature game Wall of Truth, things seemed to take a turn for the worse. 'What does Keith Urban think when he sees his beautiful wife with beautiful younger men like Zac Efron, having these beautiful love scenes on TV?' Max asked, which was met with complete silence. Now, it has been revealed that the duo are being replaced by former Nova stars Ben Harvey (left) and Liam Stapleton (right), who were previously on the Late Drive program The crew soon realised they had offended Keith, who had left the call. 'His team hung up on us as they didn't want us to ask that question,' one person could be heard saying. 'I thought we were vibing with Keith... Do we have beef with Keith Urban now?' Max joked at the time. Fast forward to this week, ARN shared a statement to Mediaweek revealing that the decision to say goodbye to Hayley & Max in the Morning was part of a bigger plan to differentiate the station from its competitors. 'In 2026, the station will launch a new live and local breakfast show as part of a refreshed whole station strategy focused on bolder content and bigger moments that really set the station apart,' a representative said. Waterloo Road star Reece Douglas has revealed that his father has taken his own life in a heartbreaking post. The actor, 30, is best known for playing Denzil Kelly on the BBC school drama from 2009 to 2012. On Thursday he took to Instagram to share the sad news as he said he hopes to make his dad proud. He penned alongside a picture of the pair: 'I love you so much dad. Knowing my dad recently, more so than ever, never did I truly know he'd take his life. 'I'm going to make you so proud.' Under the post Reece was flooded with messages from his friends and other fellow soap actors. Waterloo Road star Reece Douglas has revealed that his father has taken his own life in a heartbreaking post The actor, 30, is best known for playing Denzil Kelly on the BBC school drama from 2009 to 2012 Former Emmerdale and Hollyoaks actor Anthony Quinn wrote: 'Sorry to hear the news mate. Sending love and thoughts to you and family.' Emmerdale's Danny Miller penned: 'Oh mate I'm so sorry! Sending loads of love brother.' Actor Reece played student Denzil in the school drama which he joined in series four. His storyline followed him struggling to fit in at school due to a difficult home environment and family situation. His character was then killed off in series seven when he died in a lorry accident while travelling up to Scotland. After Waterloo Road, Reece appeared in shows such as Doctors, Casualty and Holby City. He notably also acted alongside Tom Cruise in the film Walking Against The Rain back in 2022. He also had a lead role in the film Cleft Lip which was released on streaming platform Netflix in 2018. After Waterloo Road, Reece appeared in shows such as Doctors, Casualty and Holby City. He now works in tech Under the heartbreaking post Reece was flooded with messages from his friends and other fellow soap actors However Reece now works in tech and splits his time between Manchester and Costa Rica, as per his Instagram bio. Reece previously revealed that he turned down the chance to appear on ITV dating show Love Island. He said: 'In 2020 I was asked to appear on Love Island and blankly refused. 'I'd rather spend years building a small following than having hundreds of thousands of followers based on vanity instead of providing valuable knowledge.' On his decision to pursue business as well as acting, Reece said: 'At the outset I should say I am still an actor; but unless you're in a soap, the work is never guaranteed which means I have the time to pursue my other passion of business.' 'Contrary to popular belief most actors haven't earned enough money to retire I certainly haven't!' Waterloo Road was originally axed in 2015, but following a revival in audiences during the first COVID lockdown, it returned to screens following an eight-year break in 2023. The secondary school-set show first aired in 2006 and won legions of fans by tackling numerous tough issues over its 200-episode run. Cameron Roach, Founder of Rope Ladder Fiction and Exec Producer for Waterloo Road said as it returned: 'We're incredibly thrilled to be recommissioned for a further two seasons of the new era of Waterloo Road. Actor Reece played student Denzil in the school drama which he joined in series four (seen far left) 'This commitment by the BBC underlines the show's ability to not only be a compelling entertaining drama for a younger audience, but to also serve as a true talent incubator across the craft skills for a new generation of crew and cast. 'We have been so energised by the audience's reaction to the show, and our first-hand experience of outreach work with numerous partners, and their level of engagement, really demonstrates the continued importance and power of the show. 'This really is a huge team effort, and a tangible result to the brilliant collegiate atmosphere behind the scenes - a genuine thank you to everyone involved in Waterloo Road.' Lindsay Salt, Director of BBC Drama added: 'It's incredibly rewarding to see Waterloo Road go from strength to strength - both creatively on screen, where it remains hugely popular with viewers of all ages, as well as behind the scenes developing the next generation of exciting UK television talent.' More details into Limp Bizkit bassist Sam Rivers' shocking death are coming into focus thanks to the 911 call made after he was discovered. According to the call, Rivers was found in a bathroom at his home in Florida. In the audio, obtained by TMZ, a caller named Keely said she found him lying facedown in the bathroom just before calling, suggesting that he may have fallen off the toilet. Rivers' death was announced by his band Limp Bizkit on its social media accounts on October 18. He was 48. The latest update follows reports that Rivers was apparently in cardiac arrest when first responders arrived at his home. In the 911 call, the frantic caller says she just arrived at the house and found Rivers 'face first in a pile of blood.' A 911 call obtained by TMZ features a caller named Keely frantically telling responders that she found Limp Bizkit bassist Sam Rivers 'face first in a pile of blood' in the bathroom of his Florida home. He was pronounced dead that day, October 18, at age 48; seen with Limp Bizkitin August 2024 in West Palm Beach, Florida The caller started to sob as the dispatcher informed her that emergency responders would walk her through performing CPR on Rivers, but she interjected that she already knew how to do it. As a fire rescue employee came on to the line to inquire if Rivers was breathing, the caller could be heard in the background growing increasingly frantic. 'He's dying! He's dying! Please, I need to flip him over!' she said, though it's unclear if she was speaking to someone else at the scene. She told the responder she would need to get off the phone in order to take care of Rivers, but he calmly reminded her that she could put the call on the speaker to stay on the line. As she started performing CPR, the responder asked her to shout out 'Now' every time she made a chest compression, and her tempo indicated that she was performing the rescue measure at the proper rate. The call came to an abrupt conclusion when the woman said that a deputy had arrived at the house. According to the incident report, a responding deputy said that the caller also informed them that she had found Rivers lying face down in the bathroom. CPR reportedly continued until the St. Johns County Fire Rescue team made it to the scene, at which point Rivers was pronounced dead. The caller said she just arrived home and found Rivers' unresponsive on his face, suggesting he may have fallen off a toilet. She could be heard screaming 'He's dying! He's dying!'; seen with Fred Durst in 2011 in the UK A responding deputy said Rivers was blue from the neck up but flushed on his lower body, suggesting he may have suffered a pulmonary embolism. However, a cause of death has not been officially released; pictured in 1999 with Limp Bizkit in Mountain View, Calif. So far, it's unclear how much time lapsed between Rivers' medical emergency and his discovery. According to the report, Rivers may have had a small cut above one of his eyes, a possible result of his bathroom fall. The deputy also speculated about Rivers' potential cause of death, noting that he may have suffered a pulmonary embolism. They allegedly noticed that he was dark blue from the neck up, but his lower body was flushed, which may be indications of the potentially deadly condition, in which a blood clot from elsewhere in the body travels until it blocks an artery in the lungs. Blood clots associated with pulmonary embolisms often originate in the legs, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine. The deputy also noted that a small pool of blood that had already coagulated was seen in the bathroom. Rivers had previously revealed that his departure from Limp Bizkit in 2015 was the result of liver disease brought on by years of heavy drinking, for which he later received a liver transplant before returning to the band full time from 2018 until his death. The caller who discovered him informed deputies of the transplant, and she said he had been taking multiple medications, both for his liver and other conditions that were reportedly related. The caller informed the deputy that Rivers had had a liver transplant in 2018 and took multiple medications for his liver and other related conditions. She said he smoked weed and occasionally drank alcohol (seen in 2023) She also said he regularly smoked marijuana and would occasionally drink alcohol. Although some people who receive liver transplants for reasons unrelated to alcohol abuse may be able to drink in moderation, patients who have received a new liver as the result of damage from alcoholism are usually instructed to never drink alcohol again. A spokesman for the St. Johns County Fire Rescue previously told TMZ that it responded to a call for a 'nonresponsive person in cardiac arrest' on October 18. Additionally, a representative for the St Johns County Sheriff told the publication that 'deputies responded to an attended death at that address.' An attended death is 'in which the decedent has been a patient under medical care for a serious or life-threatening illness that will likely lead to death in a relatively short period of time (days or months, but not years),' according to the American Institute of Crime Scene Integrity. While what caused his passing remains unknown, the musician had grappled with his health. He was been candid about how his 'excessive drinking' led to a liver disease diagnosis, and in 2017 he underwent a liver transplant. Rivers had been one of the original founding members of Limp Bizkit - which was formed back in 1994. In an emotional statement announcing Rivers's death, his bandmates Fred Durst, John Otto, Wes Borland and DJ Lethal wrote: 'In Loving Memory of Our Brother, Sam Rivers. Today we lost our brother. Our bandmate. Our heartbeat. The metal group announced on October 18 that the bassist has passed away earlier in the day, with an emotional tribute. A cause of death is yet to be revealed (L-R Wes Borland, DJ Lethal (born Leor Dimant), Fred Durst, John Otto, and Sam in 1997) 'Sam Rivers wasn't just our bass player he was pure magic. The pulse beneath every song, the calm in the chaos, the soul in the sound. 'From the first note we ever played together, Sam brought a light and a rhythm that could never be replaced. His talent was effortless, his presence unforgettable, his heart enormous.' The group continued: 'We shared so many moments wild ones, quiet ones, beautiful ones and every one of them meant more because Sam was there.' They called Rivers 'a once-in-a-lifetime kind of human' as well as 'a true legend of legends.' They concluded their statement: 'And his spirit will live forever in every groove, every stage, every memory. 'We love you, Sam. We'll carry you with us, always. Rest easy, brother. Your music never ends. Fred, Wes, John & DJ Lethal.' Rivers first met the lead vocalist of the band Durst in the 1990s while working at Chick-fil-A, going on to form Limp Bizkit in 1994 alongside drummer Otto. Two years later, guitarist Borland and turntablist DJ Lethal also joined the group and their debut album - Three Dollar Bill, Y'all - was released in 1997 and included singles such as Counterfeit. Rivers first met the lead vocalist of the band Durst in the 90s while working at Chick-fil-A, going on to form Limp Bizkit in 1994 alongside drummer Otto, with guitarist Borland and turntablist DJ Lethal also joining two years later (seen in 2000) The band found further success and recognition with second album Significant Other (1999) followed by Chocolate Starfish And The Hot Dog Flavored Water (2000). Some of the biggest tracks that the group released over the years include Break Stuff, My Way and Behind Blue Eyes. The band went on hiatus in 2006, but reunited just three years later in 2009. Limp Bizkit has received three Grammy nominations such as Best Rock Album in 2000 for Significant Other and won a series of other awards, including a Billboard Music Award for Top Modern Rock Artist. Rivers departed from the band in 2015, before rejoining in 2018, which he later revealed was due to his battle with liver disease. The late musician made the revelation in a book from rock writer Jon Wiederhorn titled Raising Hell (Backstage Tales From The Lives Of Metal Legends) in 2020, per Loudwire. He shared: 'I got liver disease from excessive drinking. I had to leave Limp Bizkit in 2015 because I felt so horrible, and a few months after that I realized I had to change everything because I had really bad liver disease.' Rivers also stated that he continued to focus on his health and eventually underwent a liver transplant. Rivers departed from the band in 2015, before rejoining in 2018, which he later revealed was due to his battle with liver disease (seen in 2009) 'I quit drinking and did everything the doctors told me. I got treatment for the alcohol and got a liver transplant, which was a perfect match.' He said he received the diagnosis back in 2011 and 'got clean for about nine or ten months and went on tour.' However due to a home life that was far from 'great,' he fell back into drinking again and would later get a warning from medical professionals. 'It got so bad I had to go to UCLA Hospital and the doctor said, "If you don't stop, you're going to die. And right now, you're looking like you need a new liver."' Rivers added: 'I fought liver disease for a couple years and it won. I had to get a liver transplant in 2017.' He is the frontman of one of the most iconic bands in the world. The rocker's band has been wowing audiences for more than four decades, having sold a formidable 150 million albums worldwide. As frontman for this legendary quartet, he is responsible for being one of the creators of thrash metal. His band also had the rare honour of being the first to perform on all seven continents, completing the feat in 2013 with a show in Antarctica. At 62, hes as full of hard rock energy as ever a fact Australian fans will discover when his band kicks off its Australian tour this week. But do you know who it is? It's none other than Metallica frontman James Hetfield. James Hetfield was all smiles this week as he took in some downtime before Metallica's anticipated Australian tour kicks off in Perth The heavy metal icon was all smiles this week as he was spotted taking in some downtime before Metallica's anticipated Australian tour kicks off in Perth. One excited fan took to the Metallica M72 World Tour Facebook page on Thursday to share a photo of the Enter Sandman rocker. He was spotted boarding a ferry to Rottnest Island, possibly eager to get up close and personal with the island's most famous inhabitants the cute-as-a-button quokkas. James looked over the moon to be enjoying some pre-show relaxation, beaming as he prepared to take the ferry ride. He was wearing a black hooded jumper featuring the band Black Sabbath. It was a memento from the recent Back To The Beginning concert in Birmingham that saw Metallica pay tribute to the legendary British metallers. He also wore a black and white trucker cap as well as a pair of dark aviator-style sunglasses to keep the incognito theme going. The post was met with a flurry of comments from die-hard Metallica fans eager to get up close and personal with the metal icon. 'Hilarious. Frontman of one of the greatest and most successful bands in history just casually catching a ferry in WA,' one wrote. 'Papa Het how good.' He was spotted boarding a ferry to Rottnest Island, possibly eager to get up close and personal with the island's most famous inhabitants the cute-as-a-button quokkas James looked over the moon to be enjoying some pre show downtime, beaming as he prepared to take the ferry ride. James is pictured with Metallica bandmate Kirk Hammett 'The Legend himself has arrived on our shores. I'm excited,' a second gushed. A third was quite taken with James' decidedly un-rock-star-like mode of transport. 'No helicopters or big private boats for these boys on the ferry. Love it.' Metallica are in Perth to perform at the Optus Stadium on November 1. From there, they will head to Adelaide for a November 5 show at Adelaide Oval, and then Melbourne for a concert at Marvel Stadium on November 8. The band will wrap the Australian leg of their tour with a show at the Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane on November 12 and one at Accor Stadium in Sydney on November 15. The metal giants announced their Down Under tour late last year, marking their first return to Aussie shores in more than ten years. It is the first time Metallica has returned to Australia since the 2013 Soundwave festival, where they headlined along with Linkin Park and Blink-182. 'Hilarious. Frontman of one of the greatest and most successful bands in history just casually catching a ferry in WA,' one fan wrote. 'Papa Het how good.' James is pictured with daughter Marcella Metallica is in Perth to perform at the Optus Stadium on November 1. From there, they will head to Adelaide for a November 5 show at Adelaide Oval, and then Melbourne for a concert at Marvel Stadium on November 8. James is pictured with Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich It follows a cancelled Australian stadium tour in 2020, with James having undergone rehab for addiction. 'As most of you probably know, our brother James has been struggling with addiction on and off for many years,' a statement at the time read. 'He has now, unfortunately, had to re-enter a treatment program to work on his recovery again. 'We fully intend to make our way to your part of the world as soon as health and schedule permit. We'll let you know as soon as we can.' Ana de Armas ended her romance with Tom Cruise because she allegedly felt 'uncomfortable' with his fast pace. The breakup was 'Ana's decision' a source told Us Weekly on Thursday. Tom, 63, and Ana, 37, quietly split several weeks ago after nine months together. 'Things were moving fast and she started to get a little uncomfortable with how fast it was going,' the insider shared. The Ballerina star 'put the brakes on' but 'still likes [Tom] a lot' the source added, sharing the two have 'undeniable chemistry'. Though they are 'done for now' the two 'have a connection' and 'they will see how things go in the future'. The Daily Mail has reached out to representatives for Tom and Ana for comment. Ana de Armas, 37, ended her romance with Tom Cruise, 63, because she allegedly felt 'uncomfortable' with his fast pace; She is pictured September 30 'They want to remain friends, but she needed to take a step back,' the insider further clarified. Their romance reportedly started after they 'spent every day together' while 'training for the intense underwater sequences' for their thriller Deeper, which is now on hold. 'It started as a deep professional respect and then it ignited. Tom was completely captivated by Ana,' the source went on. Meanwhile Ana 'enjoyed his company' and thought he was 'fun to be with'. She was also 'attracted' to the fact that he 'supported her and everything she wanted to do'. It comes following reports that Ana has been 'in a funk' following the split and their film being put on hold. 'Ana thought this year would be very different so she is disappointed,' a source told the Daily Mail. 'But she knows it will get better and is plugging on. And she is still friends with Tom. She is not crying at home,' they added. News of their split broke earlier this month. A source close to the pair told The Sun: 'Tom and Ana had a good time together but their time as a couple has run its course. 'They are going to remain good friends but they aren't dating anymore. They just realized they weren't going to go the distance and that they are better off as mates. 'The spark had gone between them but they still love each other's company and they've both been really adult about it. She's already been cast in his next film, so they will continue to work together.' Tom and Ana were last publicly seen together months earlier in July as the pair went official with their budding romance. The breakup was 'Ana's decision' a source told Us Weekly on Thursday. Ana and Tom quietly split several weeks ago after nine months together 'Things were moving fast and she started to get a little uncomfortable with how fast it was going,' the insider shared; (L) Tom seen in May in NYC, (R) Ana seen in May in Berlin Though they are 'done for now' the two 'have a connection' and 'they will see how things go in the future'; The actress is pictured in June During their whirlwind romance it was reported that Tom was 'showering Ana with gifts ever since they met'; He is seen in May in London At the time, the two stars were seen holding hands as they whisked themselves on a weekend getaway to Woodstock, Vermont. They were spotted strolling through the scenic town together - after first sparking relationship speculation earlier this year in February. Shortly before the Vermont trip, both stars were also seen attending the Oasis concert at Wembley Stadium. That same month, Tom and Ana also enjoyed a boat day while on a getaway to Menorca, Spain. 'Tom has been showering Ana with gifts ever since they met, it's his thing, he is thoughtful,' a source exclusively told the Daily Mail in July. 'First it started with her favorite flowers then books he thought she would want to read because she's an avid reader.' The insider added: 'The more they got to know each other, the bigger the gifts became. There has been jewelry like gold bracelets and designer clothing, things like that, things every girl would love. 'Probably the biggest gift he has given her is being able to go anywhere in the world at a moment's notice, not many people can do that. She loves to travel.' The Hollywood stars first ignited romance rumors when they were spotted grabbing dinner in London just before Valentine's Day. The pair were seen on more than one occasion in the following months, such as Ana and Tom dining at a restaurant in London. In May, they attended David Beckham's 50th birthday bash which was held in Notting Hill - and left in the same vehicle together. However, a guest who had also been in attendance at the time told Page Six that Ana and Tom's relationship appeared to be platonic. The insider explained that Tom and Ana 'came together and had a great night and clearly enjoy hanging out'. However, they added, 'But I couldn't say any more than that... I've no proof it's romantic.' In September, the actress was seen partying with rapper Bad Bunny during a trip to Puerto Rico; Seen at his concert A separate source informed Us Weekly at the time that the Top Gun: Maverick star was 'super smitten' with Ana. It was then added the romance was 'low-key' and 'still new and in the early stages'. The insider stated that both Ana and Tom first met back in February for work-related discussions, which then led to the 'relationship developing'. 'They've gone out on some dates and it's very low-key. It's in the early stages and he's been courting her.' In September, the actress was seen partying with rapper Bad Bunny during a trip to Puerto Rico. At the time, the beauty filmed herself dancing to his hit song NUEVAYoL while at the music artist's concert. And earlier this month, Ana was also seen posing with a mystery man during Paris Fashion Week. While exploring the French city, the star posed for a lighthearted Instagram snap with two pals as they spent time outdoors. Dove Cameron is continuing to hide her diamond engagement ring after accepting a proposal from her Italian rocker beau Damiano David. The couple were spotted out and about in Sydney on Friday following the Maneskin frontman's shows in Sydney and Melbourne last week. Keen to maintain the mystery surrounding her newly acquired sparkler, Dove was spotted wearing an oversized dark blue coat. The sleeves of the garment obscured most of Dove's hands, dashing the hopes of a ring sighting. Dove also wore a crisp white T-shirt and a pair of baggy grey pants for the outing. She finished her look with a pair of white sneakers, choosing to wear her raven locks down for the occasion. Dove Cameron is continuing to hide her diamond engagement ring after accepting a proposal from her Italian rocker beau Damiano David She accessorised with a large, black leather bag that she slung over her shoulder, and carried a large bottle of water. Damiano, meanwhile, cut quite the dapper figure in a brown and white striped long-sleeve polo shirt. He also wore a pair of navy blue chinos, and finished his look with a pair of $300 brown and white Psylos1 sneakers. Damiano finished his ensemble with a $1,000 leather crossbody bag from Italian label La Mansio. The couple looked chuffed to be in each other's company as they were spotted enjoying a moment in front of their Sydney hotel. Dove and Damiano were seen smiling, deep in conversation as Damiano puffed nonchalantly on a cigarette. They also found time to meet and greet some lucky fans who happened to be strolling by at the right time. Dove has been seen showing off a massive new diamond sparkler on her left ring finger while arm-in-arm with the provocative rocker in the harbourside city. The couple were spotted out and about in Sydney on Friday following the Maneskin frontman's shows in Sydney and Melbourne last week. Keen to maintain the mystery surrounding her newly acquired sparkler, Dove was spotted wearing an oversized dark blue coat Damiano, meanwhile, cut quite the dapper figure in a brown and white striped long sleeve polo shirt. He also wore a pair of navy blue chinos, and finished his look with a pair of $300 brown and white Psylos1 sneakers The couple looked chuffed to be in each other's company as they were spotted enjoying a moment in front of their Sydney hotel. Dove and Damiano were seen smiling, deep in conversation as Damiano puffed nonchalantly on a cigarette The couple recently got engaged, according to sources at TMZ, who have also published images of the new jewellery. UK jeweller Laura Taylor, who specialises in engagement and wedding rings at Lorel Diamonds told Daily Mail the impressive sparkler is around 3 to 4 carats. 'Doves engagement ring looks to feature a cushion-cut diamond, likely around 3 to 4 carats, set in a rose gold band with a halo setting that really adds to its sparkle,' she said. Laura added that the ring was uncommon among modern celebrity engagement bands, making sure Dove's stands out from the pack. 'Cushion-cut diamonds are a romantic choice, known for their soft, rounded corners and vintage-inspired look,' she said. 'Because they have larger facets, they tend to flash in the light rather than sparkle, so pairing it with a halo setting means Dove gets the best of both, a ring that flashes and sparkles. 'Halo settings arent as common among celebrity engagement rings these days, but theyre perfect for those who like to do things differently, with a touch of old-Hollywood glamour.' Laura added that the choice of rose gold for the band was another unique choice. Dove and Damiano have been dating for nearly two years after initially meeting at the MTV Video Music Awards in 2022 'Rose gold is another design choice that we dont see as often today, especially with celebrity engagement rings,' she said. 'It gives the ring a warmth and individuality that makes it stand out from the classic platinum or yellow gold styles we see so often nowadays, and it really suits Doves taste while complementing Damianos bolder, more distinctive aesthetic.' The jewellery expert added that the ring could be worth upwards of $300,000. 'A ring like this could easily be worth upwards of 150,000 (A$300,000), if the diamond is natural and of exceptional quality,' she said. Dove is best known for her dual roles in Disney Channel comedy series Liv And Maddie from 2013 to 2017, before starring as the lead in the three Descendants film franchise movies from 2015 to 2021. Damiano is the lead vocalist for Italian rock band Maneskin, the foursome who famously won the Eurovision Song Contest with 'Zitti e Buoni', and are known for their provocative performances and bold sexuality on stage. Dove and Damiano have been dating for nearly two years after initially meeting at the MTV Video Music Awards in 2022. Their relationship was confirmed when they made their red carpet debut at the 2024 Pre-Grammy Gala. Earlier this month, Dove celebrated their relationship with intimate snaps and videos from their courtship. She shared the post with her over 47 million followers with the sweet caption: 'the 2 best years of my life. i am brought to tears at least once a week because life has become so beautiful with you in it. 'i love you in a way no words could ever express, but i will never stop trying. buon anniversario amore mio.' Lingerie entrepreneur Eloise Monaghan the cofounder of the Australian lingerie empire Honey Birdette and her designer wife Rebecca Collinson-Smith have welcomed their first child together. Eloise announced the joyous news via Instagram on Wednesday, sharing a photo of Rebecca cradling their tiny girl shortly after giving birth. In her caption, the businesswoman revealed the arrival came with a twist she and Rebecca were expecting a boy. 'Well, I hope she likes blue!!! That was a surprise,' she wrote, before revealing the infant's very unique name. 'Meet our new little cowgirl! Texas,' she announced. Well-wishes poured in, with many celebrities commenting on the heartwarming post. Lingerie entrepreneur Eloise Monaghan and her designer wife Rebecca CollinsonSmith (pictured) have welcomed their first child together Eloise, who is the cofounder of Australian lingerie empire Honey Birdette, revealed the arrival came with a twist 'Yay!!!! Congratulations! What a gorgeous name, cant wait to meet you Texas!!' Beau Ryan's wife Kara commented, adding: 'Enjoy the love endorphins mummas'. TV personality Baz Dubois, meanwhile, wrote: 'So beautiful, sending love'. The couple announced Rebecca's pregnancy in June, with Eloise sharing a photo of the brunette posing with her bump on display in a bikini. Eloise is the mastermind behind Honey Birdette, the risque company she founded in Brisbane in 2006 after visiting her first adult toy store while shopping for a hens night She famously sold Honey Birdette to US company PLBY Group (the parent company of Playboy) in mid2021 in a deal valued at approximately $443 million. The 49-year-old stayed on as creative director for the brand after selling it, but within eight months things fell apart. Speaking to Daily Mail Australia last year, Eloise admitted she was 'devastated' by the downfall of her former brand. 'It has been devastating to watch,' she told Daily Mail Australia. The couple announced Rebecca's pregnancy in June, with Eloise sharing a photo of the brunette posing with her bump on display in a bikini Eloise is the mastermind behind Honey Birdette, the risque company she founded in Brisbane in 2006 after visiting her first adult toy store while shopping for a hens night 'I built the brand off female empowerment we weren't about fake boobs and fake arses that's all it is now.' Eloise said she had 'walked into an industry that wasn't ready for female apparel or anything ridiculously empowering'. 'It felt like I was wearing a muzzle so I just quit,' she said. Following her departure, Eloise quietly divorced her exwife Natalie and fell in love with Rebecca. The pair have since joined forces in business, expanding Rebecca's swim and resort brand Hunting Hue to the US market. The couple behind the iconic 2000s band Arcade Fire have called it quits on their marriage after 22 years. Win Butler, 45, and Regine Chassagne, 49, who are co-founders and vocalists of the Canadian indie rock band, announced the split on the band's Instagram page on Thursday. 'After a long and loving marriage, Win & Regine have decided to separate,' the statement read. 'They continue to love, admire and support each other as they co-parent their son,' the announcement continued, referring to their son, who was born in 2013. The joint message which comes three years after multiple women accused Butler of sexual misconduct also shed light on the future of the band. 'Their work in Haiti with KANPE continues and their bond as creative soulmates will endure, as will Arcade Fire. The band send their love and look forward to seeing you all on tour soon.' The couple behind the iconic band Arcade Fire Win Butler, 45, and Regine Chassagne, 49 have called it quits on their marriage after 22 years; Seen performing in New Orleans in April The duo, who are co-founders and vocalists of the Canadian indie rock band, announced the split on the band's Instagram page on Thursday Comments were turned off on the post. Butler and Chassagne married in 2003. Their split comes three years after Butler was accused of sexual misconduct in a bombshell report published by Pitchfork in August 2022. Four women, all using pseudonyms, were interviewed for the article. They were between the ages of 18 and 23 when their interactions with Butler took place. He was between 36 and 39. According to Pitchfork, their accounts were backed up by interviews with family members and a review of text and social media messages between Butler and the alleged victims. At the time, Butler admitted to having affairs but denied any wrongdoing. 'While these relationships were all consensual, I am very sorry to anyone who I have hurt with my behavior,' Butler said in a statement to Pitchfork. 'They continue to love, admire and support each other as they co-parent their son,' the statement read, referring to their son, who was born in 2013; The duo seen in 2019 The announcement also shed light on the future of the band, stating, 'Their bond as creative soulmates will endure, as will Arcade Fire'; Chassagne seen on stage in 2007 Butler and Chassagne married in 2003. Their split comes three years after Butler was accused of sexual misconduct 'As I look to the future, I am continuing to learn from my mistakes and working hard to become a better person, someone my son can be proud of.' 'I'm sorry I wasn't more aware and tuned in to the effect I have on people - I f****d up, and while not an excuse, I will continue to look forward and heal what can be healed, and learn from past experiences.' In a statement to the website, Butler attributed his infidelity to a period of depression in which he was self-medicating with alcohol. The frontman said that the depression was brought on in part after his wife suffered a miscarriage. He went on to say that Chassagne was his 'soulmate' and he was 'lucky and grateful to have her by my side.' The rocker added that Chassagne 'waited patiently watching me suffer and tried to help me as best as she could. I know it must have been so hard for her to watch the person she loved so lost.' Chassagne stood by Butler during the controversy and issued a statement in his support. She also called him her 'soulmate' and said she was standing by him because 'I know he is a good man who cares about this world, our band, his fans, friends, and our family.' 'I know what is in his heart, and I know he has never, and would never, touch a woman without her consent and I am certain he never did.' At the time, Butler admitted to having affairs but denied any wrongdoing; He is pictured in 2016 'He has lost his way and he has found his way back. I love him and love the life we have created together.' The band remains active with its core lineup: Butler, Chassagne, Richard Reed Parry, Tim Kingsbury, and Jeremy Gara. Their latest album, Pink Elephant, dropped in May. They are perhaps best known for their 2011 album, The Suburbs, which won the Grammy for Album of the Year. Vick Hope didn't hold back during Thursday night's Glamour Awards as she made a series of political statements while hosting the show. The presenter, 36, is currently on maternity leave after welcoming her first child in August but was happy to step in for the awards ceremony, which was held at 180 The Strand in London. Opening the show, Vick weighed in on the Israel-Hamas conflict, stating: 'I'm going to let this moment pass tonight that expressing our solidarity with our sisters in Palestine and in conflict zones around the world.' She also turned her attention to the overturning of the Roe v. Wade ruling in the States as she continued: 'How should I acknowledge The Handmaids Tale that is America?' For her next swipe, Vick took aim at former BBC Radio 1 DJ Tim Westwood, 68, who this month was charged with four counts of rape, nine counts of indecent assault and two counts of sexual assault between 1983 and 2016. She kept her comments on Tim short and sweet, simply stating: 'F**k Tim Westwood'. Vick Hope didn't hold back during Thursday night's Glamour Awards as she made a series of political statements while hosting the show Vick went on to address the graphic post-labour placenta snap shared after she welcomed her baby boy Micah with husband Calvin Harris. At the time, the DJ shared the happy news at the time with a series of Instagram images, which included a graphic photograph of Vick's placenta in his post. Her placenta was later turned into pills by drying and grinding the organ into a powder that's then placed into capsules. This practice, called placentophagy, is believed by some to offer postpartum benefit. Returning to the spotlight for her first job since becoming a mum, Vick said: 'It was posted by my husband but placentas are amazing. 'I am keen to celebrate motherhood after what my vagina has done - it's f***ing majestic. And now you've all seen my placenta too!' She added that she was 'bricking it' ahead of her first major job back since giving birth and admitted she hadn't slept for 13 weeks and has been covered in 'bright yellow s**t'. Vick then pleaded with the audience to 'be gentle with her' as they cheered her return amid her maternity leave. The presenter, 36, is currently on maternity leave after welcoming her first child in August but was happy to step in for the awards ceremony, which was held at 180 The Strand in London For her next swipe, Vick took aim at former BBC Radio 1 DJ Tim Westwood , 68, who this month was charged with sexual offences against seven women over a 33-year period The theme for this year's Glamour Awards was sisterhood - celebrating connection across generations and continents. Since 1999, Glamour has celebrated its initiative to honour 'extraordinary and inspirational' women from a variety of fields. Past winners have included Kim Cattrall, Naomi Campbell and Victoria Beckham. However, this year, in a special Women Of The Year feature, the UK edition chose nine transgender activists. The honourees include a mix of relatively unknown models, actors and musicians, with the most famous face being Munroe Bergdorf - a controversial activist who once branded 'all white people racist' and said that the Suffragettes were 'white supremacists'. Last year's winners included Bridgerton star Simone Ashley, The Little Mermaid actor Chloe Bailey, and Hollywood royalty Pamela Anderson. As trans rights face an increasing threat in the UK, the magazine wishes to celebrate the community's most ground-breaking voices. Caroline Hooley, Commercial Lead at Glamour, said: 'We're so proud to be partnering with Simple, Tinder and Parfums de Marly for this year's Women Of The Year celebration. 'Each brand brings something unique to the event from celebrating sisterhood, confidence and self-expression to creating unforgettable moments of connection. 'Their support helps us honour incredible women in a way that feels both empowering and inspiring.' Leo Woodall made a rare appearance with his girlfriend Meghann Fahy on Thursday as they attended the 2025 TIME100 Next Gala in New York City. The actor, 29, who doesnt often share details about his private life was last pictured with his actress partner back in February. Cosying up together at the bash, which took place at The Current at Chelsea Piers, they enjoyed a meal as they celebrated emerging leaders in various industries. Meghann, 35, looked as chic as ever in a sheer mesh crop top which she teamed with a dusky pink frilled skirt. Meanwhile, Leo looked smart in a classic black suit with a white shirt and polka dot tie. The couple first met in early 2022 while filming the second season of The White Lotus. Leo Woodall made a rare appearance with his girlfriend Meghann Fahy on Thursday as they attended the 2025 TIME100 Next Gala in New York City Cosying up together at the bash, which took place at The Current at Chelsea Piers, they enjoyed a meal as they celebrated emerging leaders in various industries Meghann played Daphne, the wife of Theo Jamess character, Cameron, while Leo played a cheeky chap from Essex named Jack. Rumour has it they hit it off straight away, but it wasnt until he shared photos from the set on Instagram, which included a picture with Meghann, with the caption thats amore, that fans started speculating the two were dating. The pair were first pictured packing on the PDA during a November 2023 outing in New York City in pictures captured by E! News. Back in February, Leo fronted a digital cover for ELLE. In the interview, he revealed why he keeps his relationship with the actress private. Were very good at keeping it as private as we can, he said. To me, thats the only way. You see public relationships all the time slapped all over social media and I cant imagine thats any fun. [Your relationship] should be a safe space, so I think letting people into it is completely counter-productive. That same month, the two didnt walk the red carpet together at the premiere of Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy, but Meghann did attend the after-party. Speaking to The Cut, in March Meghann called her romance with Leo 'the greatest gift' as she discussed feeling 'pressured' to freeze her eggs after being diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome. The actor, 29, who doesnt often share details about his private life was last pictured with his actress partner back in February The couple first met in early 2022 while filming the second season of The White Lotus (Leo pictured on set) Meghann (pictured) played Daphne, the wife of Theo Jamess character, Cameron, while Leo played a cheeky chap from Essex named Jack She explained: 'I've always imagined that I would have a family, but I'm also somebody who knows that if I didn't, I would have a full life.' The White Lotus star said that their relationship was 'never a secret,' adding: 'I don't think I could ever date someone who wasn't in the industry in some capacity, whether it be a director or a writer. 'The experiences that you're having are so insane and specific. To have a partner who you can make eye contact with across the room and feel seen and have that person be like, "I know," to me is the greatest gift.' Last month, an insider said that the fourth season of the popular HBO series The White Lotus will be set in France. Sources told Deadline the series often incorporates multiple resorts into its shooting schedule. Another potential location mentioned in the piece included Megeve, France, which hosts a ski resort for part of the year. Actors who have worked on the programme have said that The White Lotus is not partial to colder locales and has shot down potential seasons based at snowy ski resorts. The White Lotus' most recent third season, which aired earlier this year, was based out of Thailand. Harry Potter audiobook stars graced the red carpet at the series launch event on Thursday after A-listers, including Keira Knightley and Hugh Laurie, were cast with major roles. Harry Potter: The Full-Cast Audio Editions is a collaboration between Audible and Pottermore Publishing, the latter of which is owned by controversial author J. K. Rowling. And leading the cast is Frankie Treadaway, who will voice main character Harry in books one to three. His older co-star, Jaxon Knop, who voiced Harry in books four to seven, attended the event wearing an unbuttoned black shirt and black trousers. Meanwhile, Max Lester, who voices young Ron Weasley in books one to three, appeared happier than ever as he posed for the cameras alongside his co-stars. Taking over Ron's audio for books four to seven is Rhys Mulligan, who attended the glitzy event in a black suit layered over a white shirt. Harry Potter audiobook stars graced the red carpet at the series launch event on Thursday (pictured: Harry Potter voice actors Max Lester and Jaxon Knopf) Harry Potter: The Full-Cast Audio Editions's first three books are headed by Max (left), Frankie Treadway who voices Ron Weasley and Arabella Staunton who voices Hermione Granger Arabella Stanton, who will star as Hermione Granger in the newly announced HBO Harry Potter series, is also voicing the character in the first three audiobooks. From book four, Nina Barker-Francis will take over the voicing. Actor Mark Addy, who has starred in The Bill and The Full Monty, has been cast to voice gamekeeper and groundskeeper Rubeus Hagrid and arrived looking sharp in a white shirt and plaid blazer. Also in attendance is Hugh Ross, who voices expert wand creator Garrick Ollivander, who sells Harry his wand on Diagon Alley. Among its 200 cast members, huge celebrities such as Keira Knightley, Hugh Laurie, Matthew Macfadyen, Riz Ahmed and Michelle Gomez have been announced to take on major roles in the series. But despite the star-studded lineup, none of the A-listers were seen at the event as the child stars took the spotlight. Keira has recently come under fire for the casting, as she apologised and admitted she was not aware of a Harry Potter boycott over trans issues after being cast in an audiobook for the wizard franchise. The actress, 40, will voice the role of Dolores Umbridge, but after the announcement, fans took to social media to criticise Keira for her allegiance with JK Rowling Books four to seven will be taken over by Rhys Mulligan (Ron), Nina Barker Francis (Hermione) and Jaxon (Harry) (pictured L to R) Actor Mark Addy (far left), who has starred in The Bill and The Full Monty, has been cast to voice gamekeeper and groundskeeper Rubeus Hagrid Also in attendance is Hugh Ross (far right), who voices expert wand creator Garrick Ollivander, who sells Harry his wand on Diagon Alley The adult cast of Harry Potter: The Full-Cast Audio Editions also includes Cush Jumbo as the narrator Among its 200 cast members, huge celebrities such as Keira Knightley have been cast as she is set to portray Dolores Umbridge, who was played by Imelda Staunton in two of the eight films But despite the star-studded lineup, none of the A-listers, including Hugh Laurie, who is voicing Albus Dumbledore, were seen at the event as the child stars took the spotlight Daniel Radcliffe (Harry), Rupert Grint (Ron) and Emma Watson (Hermione) pictured in the original casting of the original Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1 film in 2010 The author has faced intense criticism in recent years for her gender critical views, including from several stars of the Harry Potter films. She has denied being transphobic, but she previously said she would 'happily' go to jail for misgendering a trans person. Harry Potter: The Full-Cast Audio Editions release dates Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone: November 4 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets: December 16 Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban: January 13 Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire: February 10 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix: March 10 Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince: April 14 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows May 12 Advertisement After the backlash, Keira revealed she actually was unaware people had been boycotting JK's work in a show of solidarity to trans people, while saying: 'We've all got very different opinions. I hope that we can all find respect.' She told Decider when asked about the apparent boycott: 'I was not aware of that, no - I'm very sorry.' Hugh will voice the iconic Albus Dumbledore, while Matthew will take on the voice of his arch nemesis Lord Voldemort. Meanwhile, Riz has been cast to voice potions expert Professor Severus Snape and Michelle Gomez will voice headmistress at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Professor Minerva McGonagall. The original audiobooks were voiced by the great Stephen Fry. The comedian and television presenter, who previously hosted QI, told how he used to have dinner regularly with the author and described her views towards the trans community as 'strange'. Recording podcast The Show People in June, Stephen said: 'She has been radicalised, I fear and it may be she has been radicalised by TERFs, but also by the vitriol that is thrown at her. 'It is unhelpful and only hardens her and will only continue to harden her, I am afraid. I am not saying that she should not be called out when she says things that are really cruel, wrong and mocking. She seems to be a lost cause for us.' And this is not the first time that JK's transgender views have caused a stir for the Harry Potter franchise development. Filming for HBO's controversial series was blighted by a group of trans rights protestors earlier this month, just days after bosses reportedly increased security on the set. The big-budget show relocated production to a quiet street in Skipton in Yorkshire, with huge structures erected on a row of residential rooftops for the scenes. For the nighttime scenes, one actor was seen perched atop a chimney with a wand in his hand, while a crane was used to stretch the camera towards him. However, in the wake of backlash from the trans community to Harry Potter author JK Rowling, a small number of protestors gathered on the street to interrupt filming. One brandished a sign that read Say No To Transphobia, and while there is no suggestion that any of the individuals shown have been involved in any wrongdoing, onlookers said the protestors attempted to set off fireworks to disrupt the set. It was reported that security on the set had been ramped up over growing concerns that transgender activists were planning to sabotage the new project. For the new series, Arabella Stanton, Dominic McLaughlin (center), and Alastair Stout are set to play the roles of Hermione, Harry and Ron in the upcoming series Author JK Rowling (pictured 2022) has faced intense criticism in recent years for her gender critical views, including from several stars of the Harry Potter films Filming for the new wizarding TV series began earlier this summer, but fears have been sparked after a recent alleged break-in by intruders to the show's set in Leavesden Studios, Watford, Herefordshire, last week. The rumoured unlawful entry into the Diagon Alley set came amid growing backlash in the trans community towards JK, who has long been outspoken on gender identity and women's rights. Rowling has endured a furious backlash after voicing concerns over the dismissal of biological sex in favour of focusing on gender identity to the detriment of women's rights, but has consistently denied being transphobic. For the new series, Arabella Stanton, Dominic McLaughlin, and Alastair Stout are set to play the roles of Hermione, Harry and Ron in the upcoming series. Camila Cabello looked glamorous in a gothic figure-hugging gown for the Dia De Muertos Gala in Los Angeles on Thursday. The 28-year-old songstress turned heads as she posed up a storm on the red carpet at Carlos Eric Lopez's fifth annual event. Camila - who previously landed on the Billboard Hot 100 with First Man, a song dedicated to her father Alejandro - attended the special event to commemorate her grandmother, according to the Hollywood Reporter. The Dia De Muertos Gala highlights culture, family and community by honouring 'trailblazers who have paved the way' for a recent surge in global recognition of Mexican and Latino American artistic contributions. As such, Camila presented the Abuelita Award to her author grandmother 'as an acknowledgement for the role she's played in Camila's life and her appreciation of her Latino heritage.' Looking dressed up for the occasion, Camila wowed in her strapless black gown and pearl choker, showing off her incredible physique. Camila Cabello looked glamorous in a gothic figure-hugging gown for the Dia De Muertos Gala in Los Angeles on Thursday to honour her grandmother The 28-year-old songstress turned heads as she posed up a storm on the red carpet at Carlos Eric Lopez's fifth annual event The gala, which is in partnership with the Hispanic Federation, will see a series of student grants doled out to Los Angeles based college students to help them with their creative pursuits. Founder Carlos said: 'During this time, I am humbled to bring our Latino communities together to share their stories and support one another on this sacred holiday. We are stronger together. 'We are honoured to recognise Mercedes Rodriguez with this year's Abuelita Award. Our grandmothers are the heart of our families, the storytellers, the caretakers and the keepers of our traditions.' Back in 2020, Camila brought the audience to tears as she dedicated a moving performance of First Man to her father, looking into his eyes as she serenaded him. She gave a beautiful performance of the emotional track from her second solo studio album Romance. It was accompanied by old photos and home videos of Camila and her dad projected on the wall behind her. She then walked down into the audience to sing directly to her tuxedo-clad father Alejandro, seated in the front row. As was most of the audience (including Gwen Stefani), the proud dad was brought to tears during the performance. Camila and her grandmother Mercedes Rodriguez attend the 2025 Dia De Muertos Gala The singer cosied up to her grandmother for a wholesome snap at the venue Camila - who previously landed on the Billboard Hot 100 with First Man, a song dedicated to her father Alejandro - attended the special event to commemorate her grandmother Looking dressed up for the occasion, Camila wowed in her strapless black gown and pearl choker, showing off her incredible physique The Dia De Muertos Gala highlights culture, family and community by honouring 'trailblazers who have paved the way' for a recent surge in global recognition of Mexican and Latino American artistic contributions Back in 2020, Camila brought the audience to tears as she dedicated a moving performance of First Man to her father Father and daughter shared a sweet hug as the song ended and the room erupted in applause Father and daughter shared a sweet hug as the song ended and the room erupted in applause. The brunette beauty shared the video to Instagram with a sweet caption: 'I dedicate this to all dads out there - the ones that are with us and the ones that arent anymore but that we will always have in our hearts.' She received a Best Pop Duo/Group Performance nomination alongside Shawn Mendes for their hit track Senorita. The stars gathered on the red carpet ahead of the annual Glamour Women Of The Year ceremony in London on Thursday. On a night dedicated to the power of sisterhood, it was all about the ladies as a slew of stars came together at 180 The Strand. After a long evening celebrating the female connection across generations and continents, the stars looked partied out as they piled into taxis outside the glitzy central London venue. Tyla, 23, was among the first to make an exit, where she continued to turn heads in her racy outfit as she posed for shots outside. Amber Davies, 29, looked like she had a great night as she made her way to her taxi. Lottie Moss, 27, was still incredibly glamorous as she was spotted posing up a storm for the camera. Tyla, 23, was among the first to make an exit from the 2025 Glamour Women Of The Year Awards on Thursday Amber Davies, 29, looked like she had a great night as she made her way to her taxi Lottie Moss, 27, was still incredibly glamorous as she was spotted posing up a storm for the camera Rachel Zegler looked happier than ever as she left the heartwarming awards ceremony. Leigh-Anne Pinnock, 34, showed off her toned abs in a racy cut-out dress as she made a bleary-eyed exit. Frankie Bridge, 36, still looked as glam as ever after partying the night away, while Ashley Roberts, 44, sizzled for the cameras. Leomie Anderson, 32, looked like she was on a runway as she made a stylish exit from the venue. Alex Scott, 41, and Shaznay Lewis, 50, still looked sensational after the big night. Rachel led the winners at the Glamour Women Of The Year awards after accepting an award at just 24 years old. The American actress captivated audiences with her lead role in the West End production of Evita this summer. And on Thursday, she was presented the accolade by Glamour's Global Editorial Director Sam Barry. Rachel Zegler, 24, looked happier than ever as she left the heartwarming awards ceremony Leigh-Anne Pinnock, 34, showed off her toned abs in a racy cut-out dress as she made an exit Frankie Bridge, 36, still looked a glam as ever after partying the night away Ashley Roberts sizzled for the cameras Leomie Anderson looked like she was on the runway as she made a stylish exit from the venue Alex Scott, 41, still looked sensational after the big night Shaznay Lewis, 50, continued to turn heads Meanwhile, the Sugababes also received an award, with the threesome overcome with emotion after Ashley presented them with the award, stating they had worked for 'an industry who spit you out'. Siobhan Donaghy began: 'That was really lovely, it makes me quite emotional. To be named Women Of The Year is such a privilege so thank you. 'This past year reminded me that strength doesn't always have to be loud and unity doesn't always have to be perfect. 'Being independent artist means never really switching off... but we have learnt to find joy in the chaos.' Keisha Buchanan added: 'This moment feels like such a blessing. My faith has carried me through times when it would have been easier to give up. 'When we first came into the game it was rare to see women who looked like us, Filipino, Irish, Jamaican, with our different stories. 'So to stand here today as businesswomen, it is about more than music it is our legacy. 'Sisterhood is holding space for each other on days even when it is hard to show up as our best. It's knowing when one of us shines we all shine. Tyla continued to turn heads in her racy outfit The star teamed her eye-catching jacket with a mesh striped skirt Amber continued to dazzle in her silver gown The current Strictly contestant flaunted her toned frame Lottie turned heads in a plunging corset dress The star appeared happier than ever Her dress featured a one-sided cape detailing and ruched skirt Rachel beamed at the cameras as she made her exit For the occasion, she donned a red and white plaid patterned dress The stunning ensemble featured a sequined tie and white see-through long-sleeved shirt Rachel headed to her next destination Leigh-Anne was in high spirits Frankie slipped into a long-sleeve green maxi dress Ashley turned up the heat in leather The star caught the eye with her racy outfit Leomie set temperatures racing She showed off her enviable figure in her chic outfit Alex was a vison in sequins Shazney still looked incredible after the big night 'In a world that sometimes tells women there is an expiration date, we are hear to say your life doesn't fade you just learn to shine in different ways.' Also winning awards during the evening was singer Tyla, who was awarded by 2023 winner Leigh-Anne. Actress Adwoa Aboah also received the accolade, as did Lioness goalkeeper Hannah Hampton. Glamour also named nine transgender activists as their Women of the Year: Munroe Bergdorf, Maxine Heron, Taira, Munya, Bel Priestly, Dani St James, Ceval Omar, Mya Mehmi and Shon Faye. Since 2001, Glamour has captured and defined the zeitgeist, creating cultural conversations and agenda-setting moments with women at the centre. The 2025 Women Of The Year Awards paid tribute to the trailblazing women who have raised their voice, challenged the status quo and incited change throughout their careers. Rachel led the winners at the Glamour Women Of The Year awards after accepting an award at just 24 years old Meanwhile, the Sugababes also received an award, with the threesome overcome with emotion after Ashley presented them with the award, stating they had worked for 'an industry who spit you out' Last year's winners included Bridgerton star Simone Ashley, The Little Mermaid actor Chloe Bailey, and Hollywood royalty Pamela Anderson. As trans rights face an increasing threat in the UK, the magazine wishes to celebrate the community's most ground-breaking voices. Caroline Hooley, Commercial Lead at Glamour, said: 'We're so proud to be partnering with Simple, Tinder and Parfums de Marly for this year's Women Of The Year celebration. 'Each brand brings something unique to the event from celebrating sisterhood, confidence and self-expression to creating unforgettable moments of connection. 'Their support helps us honour incredible women in a way that feels both empowering and inspiring.' UK country sensation Twinnie has today released the music video for her new song Dont Need A Cowboy. Filmed in Joshua Tree, California, it sees the former Hollyoaks and Emmerdale star, 38, turn the desert into a dancefloor. Cloaked in sequins and surrounded by disco balls she proudly states her romantic independence in the upbeat pop country track. 'Unless it's a man that is stepping up to the plate and adding something to your life then you don't need it,' she tells the Daily Mail, citing the girl power of Dolly Parton, Shania Twain and the Spice Girls as influences on her music. The Yorkshire native certainly knows a thing or two about doing it yourself. Having swapped the streets of Chester for Nashville, shes been carving out a career for herself as an independent artist in the country industry with her albums Something We Used To Say and Hollywood Gypsy. UK country sensation Twinnie has today released the music video for her new song Dont Need A Cowboy Twinnie gave Rob a tour of Nashville and taught him about the country music scene when he visited the US for the BBC series Honky Tonk Road Trip She recently worked with Rob Brydon on his BBC series Honky Tonk Road Trip. Twinnie gave Rob a tour of Nashville and taught him about the country music scene. She even took Rob line-dancing, a favourite hobby of his Gavin and Stacey character Uncle Bryn. 'He was just great to have fun with,' she says of the BBC star. 'He's from Wales and it was nice to have a familiar face from home to show around.' Speaking of home, she lists the 'banter' and, unusually, the food as one of the main things she misses about the UK. 'I miss the chocolate and I miss the tea. You cant really get Yorkshire Tea over there'. Yorkshire is not the only side of her heritage that she wears proudly. Her father is a Romani gypsy and she takes her representation of the gypsy culture seriously. 'Its really important because most of the media paint that community in a bad light and there was nobody in my community doing what I wanted to do growing up.' American travellers now come to her shows in the US. 'I want my life to be an act of service and I love to share,' she says. 'I feel like thats my purpose so if I can inspire someone from my community or someone from my hometown that has grown up without those opportunities or without the money like how I didthat is the backbone of who I am.' Filmed in Joshua Tree, California, it sees the former Hollyoaks and Emmerdale star, 38, turn the desert into a dancefloor Twinnie is set to tour the UK for a number of dates as she prepares to take to the stage in London, Brighton, Manchester, York and Glasgow Twinnie previously played Nikki Allcott in Doctors which aired on BBC One in 2013 before joining Hollyoaks as Porsche McQueen in 2014 (pictured) Twinnie left Hollyoaks in October 2015, and for her role she was nominated for the British Soap Award for Best Newcomer and an Inside Soap Award Speaking of her roots, she recently reunited with her Hollyoaks castmates including Jorgie Porter and Jennifer Metcalfe to celebrate the soaps 30th anniversary. 'It was really special to be a McQueen,' she says of her fictional soap family. 'I have to give it to Hollyoaks, they really do push the boundaries of these hard hitting storylines.' Twinnies character Porsche McQueen was sexually assaulted by her mothers boyfriend as a teenager, a storyline that saw her work with the NSPCC. Many of her Hollyoaks fans still come to see her shows now. Will she ever return to acting? 'If there's an opportunity that arises and I really wanna do it then we're not gonna say no.' For now her focus is firmly on music. 'Theres never been a British female to have an American country number one,' she says, aiming straight for the top. How does she feel about her chances as a woman in the notoriously tough country industry? 'In Nashville you can see from the charts that it reflects it's very guy heavy and I'm not really sure why that is to be honest,' she says, pointing to industry heavyweights like Lainey Wilson and Megan Moroney as examples of women succeeding by being 'undeniably themselves'. 'I think it was like the ninth album before Fleetwood Mac actually broke and it took Chappell Roan four years for Pink Pony Club to gain that massive global success that she had,' she says. 'Youve just not got to lose hope.' Twinnie is set to tour the UK for a number of dates as she prepares to take to the stage in London, Brighton, Manchester, York and Glasgow. Former The Wildhearts bassist Scott Sorry tragically passed away on his 47th birthday on Thursday after a brain cancer diagnosis. The musician, whose real name was Gerard Engelter, played with the UK rock band for five years and is also known for replacing Nikki Sixx in Brides Of Destruction. Sharing the sad news to Instagram, his family paid tribute to the 'incredibly brave' musician who 'outlived doctors' expectations.' Scott was diagnosed with Glioblastoma in 2018 and last toured the UK in 2022. The post read: 'Were heartbroken to share that Scott Sorry has passed away after a long and incredibly brave fight with brain cancer. 'Scott passed away on his 47th birthday, October 30th, 2025.' Former The Wildhearts bassist Scott Sorry tragically passed away on his 47th birthday on Thursday after a brain cancer diagnosis (pictured in 2014 in Manchester) The musician, whose real name was Gerard Engelter, played with the UK rock band for five years and is also known for replacing Nikki Sixx in Brides Of Destruction It continued: 'After being diagnosed with Glioblastoma back in 2018, Scott refused to let it define him. 'He outlived every Doctors expectation, turning months into years, and even made it back to the UK in 2022 for a tour something that meant the world to him. 'He was so grateful to be able to play again, to see so many familiar faces and to personally thank so many of you that had supported him through it all. 'Were devastated beyond words, but theres comfort in knowing hes finally free from pain. His strength, humour, and heart will stay with us forever. 'Scott is survived by his wife Hanni and his three children River, Ryder and Rorik. 'Gerard 'Scott Sorry' Engelter. Onwards and Upwards 19782025.' Scott last shared a health update to Instagram in July, in which he announced doctors discovered a new tumour in January 2024 and another behind his eye which was inoperable. The post read: 'As many of you will know, Scott has faced some serious health challenges since 2018 when he was first diagnosed with a Glioblastoma stage 4 brain tumour.' Sharing the sad news to Instagram, his family paid tribute to the 'incredibly brave' musician who 'outlived doctors' expectations' The post read: 'Were heartbroken to share that Scott Sorry has passed away after a long and incredibly brave fight with brain cancer' L-R CJ, Ginger, Scott, and Ritch Battersby of The Wildhearts pictured at the 2009 Kerrang! Awards It continued: 'Like the stubborn man he is, Scott made an incredible recovery. Making an unexpected return to the stage in 2022, when he toured the UK tour his former Wildhearts bandmates Ritch Battersby and CJ Wildheart. 'Unfortunately in the last 18 months Scott has been facing some of his toughest battles yet. After discovering a new tumour in January 2024, Scott once again underwent Surgery in March 2024, followed by radiation in April and then 6 months of Chemotherapy. 'In November he got a "clean no change, no growth scan" but in December it all changed when they found a new tumour - this time behind his eye, making it inoperable. 'This has caused a whole new batch of symptoms that Scott is having to fight. He has now lost the use of his right arm and right leg. 'He's also suffering from Aphasia - which has made speaking very difficult (although can still curse like a mother f****!). Scott's never been one to be defeated and he continues to fight on. 'We got some of Scotts friends together to help him make this video to launch the preorder campaign for his brand new live album, the 10th Anniversary of the When we Were Kings album (also being released on vinyl for the first time) as well as a special FREE Sorry Audio CD for anyone who gets involved in advance.' He first rose to fame as part of Los Angeles based punk band Amen in 2003, who he performed with for two years. Scott then went on to play in rock group Brides of Destruction after founder and Motley Crue member Nikki Sixx left in 2005. He stayed in the band until he joined a new lineup of The Wildhearts in 2006 with Brides of Destruction bandmate Ginger. After meeting Lenny Thomas andRoger Segal while touring, they went on to form Sorry and the Sinatras, who toured from 2007 until 2013. Scott performed solo from 2015 until his death. Tom Cruise and Ana de Armas' new movie has reportedly been put on hold amid the pair's recent breakup, despite rehearsals already taking place in London. Cruise, 63, and de Armas, 37, quietly split several weeks ago after nine months, with fans now denied the opportunity of seeing the former flame's chemistry onscreen. Deeper is a supernatural thriller that follows an astronaut exploring the mysterious ocean and would have marked their first time acting opposite each other. But according to internet personality Daniel Richtman production has now been paused due to US President Donald Trump's ongoing tariffs on the film industry. Just last month the Commander In Chief said he would be imposing a 100 per cent tariff on any movie made outside of the United States, including Britain. Set to be directed by Edge Of Tomorrow's Doug Liman, the film had already been in production for almost 10 years and was originally set to star Bradley Cooper. Tom Cruise and Ana de Armas ' new movie has reportedly been put on hold amid the pair's recent breakup, despite rehearsals already taking place in London (Pictured in May) Cruise , 63, and de Armas, 37, quietly split several weeks ago after nine months, with fans now denied the opportunity of seeing the former flame's chemistry onscreen (pictured last month) Deeper is a supernatural thriller that follows an astronaut exploring the mysterious ocean and would have marked their first time acting opposite each other (pictured earlier this year) Daily Mail have contacted Cruise and de Armas' representatives for comment. The breakup was 'Ana's decision' a source told Us Weekly on Thursday, after she allegedly felt 'uncomfortable' with his fast pace. 'Things were moving fast and she started to get a little uncomfortable with how fast it was going,' the insider shared. The Ballerina star 'put the brakes on' but 'still likes [Cruise] a lot' the source added, sharing the two have 'undeniable chemistry'. Though they are 'done for now' the two 'have a connection' and 'they will see how things go in the future'. The Daily Mail has reached out to representatives for de Armas and Cruise for comment. Their romance reportedly started after they 'spent every day together' while 'training for the intense underwater sequences' for their thriller Deeper, which is now on hold. 'It started as a deep professional respect and then it ignited. Tom was completely captivated by Ana,' the source went on. The breakup was 'Ana's decision' a source told Us Weekly on Thursday, after she allegedly felt 'uncomfortable' with his fast pace Though they are 'done for now' the two 'have a connection' and 'they will see how things go in the future'; The actress is pictured in June Meanwhile de Armas 'enjoyed his company' and thought he was 'fun to be with'. She was also 'attracted' to the fact that he 'supported her and everything she wanted to do'. It comes following reports that de Armas has been 'in a funk' following the split and their film being put on hold. 'Ana thought this year would be very different so she is disappointed,' a source told the Daily Mail. 'But she knows it will get better and is plugging on. And she is still friends with Tom. She is not crying at home,' they added. News of their split broke earlier this month. A source close to the pair told The Sun: 'Tom and Ana had a good time together but their time as a couple has run its course. 'They are going to remain good friends but they aren't dating anymore. They just realized they weren't going to go the distance and that they are better off as mates. 'The spark had gone between them but they still love each other's company and they've both been really adult about it. She's already been cast in his next film, so they will continue to work together.' Tom and Ana were last publicly seen together months earlier in July as the pair went official with their budding romance. At the time, the two stars were seen holding hands as they whisked themselves on a weekend getaway to Woodstock, Vermont. They were spotted strolling through the scenic town together - after first sparking relationship speculation earlier this year in February. Shortly before the Vermont trip, both stars were also seen attending the Oasis concert at Wembley Stadium. Gregg Wallace has turned to Cameo and is flogging personalised videos for 40 after being axed from MasterChef following misconduct allegations. The former TV personality, 66, signed up to the website on Thursday while continuing to seek 10,000 damages from the BBC for 'distress and harassment'. Fans can receive a video for 38.05 while it will cost a business 342.47, or anyone can message him directly for 2.28. The profile declares that 'former presenter of MasterChef, Inside The Factory and Eat Well For Less' is 'excited' to make videos for his fans. But despite Gregg's 'excitement' and the promise videos will be completed within 24-hours, so far nobody has left him a review. Earlier this month the BBC hit back at Gregg's 10,000 damages claim after it was revealed he was said to have lodged a lawsuit at London's High Court and vowed to 'not go quietly'. Gregg Wallace has turned to Cameo and is flogging personalised videos for 40 after being axed from MasterChef following misconduct allegations (pictured earlier this month) Fans can receive a video for 38.05 while it will cost a business 342.47, or anyone can message him directly for 2.28 He was seeking the release of hundreds of pages of secret documents which he believes will help clear his name and earn back millions in lost earnings. However, the BBC hit back at his claim for up to 10,000, as he alleges the broadcaster caused him 'distress and harassment' by not releasing the documents. Lawyers for the BBC have filed their defence, claiming their former star presenter is 'not entitled to any damages'. In the documents, seen by The Sun, the corporation says Gregg pursed his claim without giving them prior notice. The BBC are quoted as saying: 'That voluntary disclosure demonstrates the claimant has no basis to claim damages for distress in respect of the withholding of such information.' The Sun report Gregg's data was finally handed over on October 7, after he initially requested the documents in March. Meanwhile, the publication also adds that a source close to the chef says he is preparing to launch a disability claim for damages relating to his undiagnosed autism while working on MasterChef. He previously said nothing was done to investigate his 'neurodiversity' while he was working on MasterChef. The former TV personality, 66, signed up to the website on Thursday while continuing to seek 10,000 damages from the BBC for 'distress and harassment' (pictured 2024) Australian-born chef John Torode also lost his job on the show after two decades over allegations that he used the N-word, which he maintains he has 'no recollection' of saying 'My neurodiversity, now formally diagnosed as autism, was suspected and discussed by colleagues across countless seasons of MasterChef,' he said in a statement. 'Yet nothing was done to investigate my disability or protect me from what I now realise was a dangerous environment for over 20 years. That failure is now being quietly buried.' Gregg stepped down from the hit BBC cooking show after complaints were made about his behaviour and 45 of those 83 complaints were upheld following a report into his conduct. In total, 41 people complained. The review concluded that the 'majority of the substantiated allegations against Wallace related to inappropriate sexual language and humour'. It added that 'a smaller number of allegations of other inappropriate language and being in a state of undress were also substantiated', with 'one incident of unwelcome physical contact' also substantiated. The former Eat Well For Less? presenter told The Sun that while he didn't deny being guilty of some of the claims, he believed things had been 'perceived incorrectly'. Gregg claimed that he had worked with around 4,000 people, meaning that just 0.5 per cent of those he has worked with 'found fault with me'. He said his actions were the result of learned behaviour and workplace culture and claimed that his recent autism diagnosis also played a role. Australian-born chef John Torode also lost his job on the show after two decades over allegations that he used the N-word, which he maintains he has 'no recollection' of saying. Julia Fox has never been one to shy away from controversy but this time, fans say she's gone too far. The Uncut Gems star sparked outrage after stepping out at The Cursed Amulets Halloween party in New York City on Thursday night dressed as former First Lady Jackie Kennedy Onassis recreating the look she wore on the day of President John F. Kennedys assassination in Dallas, Texas. The outfit was instantly recognizable the same double-breasted pink ensemble Jackie wore during the 1963 presidential motorcade when JFK was fatally shot beside her. If that wasnt shocking enough, the 34-year-old Fox added a gruesome twist: fake blood splattered across her pink suit and pillbox hat. As history remembers, the First Lady famously refused to change out of the bloodstained suit, famously saying to aide when they suggested it: 'No. Let them see what theyve done to Jack.' The image has since become one of the must unforgettable symbols of an American tragedy. Fans had that moment in mind as they scrolled through online photos of Julia grinning and posing confidently in the costume, seemingly unfazed by the controversy. Juila Fox sparked outrage after stepping out at The Cursed Amulets Halloween party in New York City on Thursday night dressed as former First Lady Jackie Kennedy Onassis If that wasnt shocking enough, the 34-year-old added a gruesome twist: fake blood splattered across her pink suit and pillbox hat The outfit was instantly recognizable the same double-breasted pink ensemble Jackie wore during the 1963 presidential motorcade when JFK was fatally shot beside her; (Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson, Jacqueline Kennedy, and President John F. Kennedy at a breakfast in Ft. Worth, Texas, on the morning the president was assassinated, November 22, 1963) And they didnt hold back. 'So tasteless. Tragedy is not a costume,' one critic wrote, while another added, 'Too disrespectful to me.' 'This is NOT okay. Sorry to the Onassis and Kennedy families for having to see and relive this,' another chimed in. 'Wow. I gasped. So inappropriate,' one user said, while another echoed, 'This is very disrespectful and crass.' Yet another posted, 'How disrespectful and distasteful, but what else can you expect from this person.' The controversial grandson of JFK, Jack Schlossberg, lambasted Fox on X, writing: 'Julia Fox glorifying political violence is disgusting, desperate and dangerous. Im sure her late grandmother would agree.' Fox later doubled down on her look, writing on Instagram: 'Im dressed as Jackie Kennedy in the pink suit. Not as a costume, but as a statement. When her husband was assassinated, she refused to change out of her blood-stained clothes, saying, I want them to see what theyve done. 'The image of the delicate pink suit splattered with blood is one of the most haunting juxtapositions in modern history. Beauty and horror. Poise and devastation. 'Her decision not to change clothes, even after being encouraged to, was an act of extraordinary bravery. It was performance, protest, and mourning all at once. A woman weaponizing image and grace to expose brutality. Its about trauma, power, and how femininity itself is a form of resistance. Long live Jackie O The outrage centers around one of the most famous garments in U.S. history. Jackies pink Chanel-inspired suit designed by Oleg Cassini was never cleaned after the assassination and remains stained with JFKs blood. Jackies maid, Providencia Paredes, reportedly placed the suit in a bag when the First Lady returned to the White House after the tragedy. As history remembers, the First Lady refused to change out of the bloodstained suit after the tragedy, a haunting image that became one of the most enduring symbols of American loss The controversial grandson of JFK, Jack Schlossberg, lambasted Fox on X, writing: 'Julia Fox glorifying political violence is disgusting, desperate and dangerous. Im sure her late grandmother would agree' Fox doubled down on the controversial outfit choice online 'So tasteless. Tragedy is not a costume,' one critic wrote, while another added, 'Too disrespectful to me' 'Wow. I gasped. So inappropriate,' one user said, while another echoed, 'This is very disrespectful and crass' Fans had that moment in mind as they scrolled through photos of Julia grinning and posing confidently in the costume, seemingly unfazed by the controversy Its now preserved by the National Archives in Maryland, locked away from public view until 2103. The tragic story behind the iconic suit was revisited in the 2023 documentary JFK: One Day in America, where Clint Hill the Secret Service agent assigned to Jackie recalled the horrifying moments that followed the gunfire in Dallas. 'I jumped to the rear bumper. Mrs. Kennedy was screaming, I love Jack. I wasnt fast enough,' he said. Jackies pink suit became soaked in her husbands blood as she cradled his body in the backseat of the car. Former First Lady Lady Bird Johnson later described the harrowing scene in her diary, as cited by PBS: 'As we ground to a halt we were still the third car Secret Service men began to pull, lead, guide, and hustle us out. 'I cast one last look over my shoulder and saw in the presidents car a bundle of pink, just like a drift of blossoms, lying in the back seat. It was Mrs. Kennedy lying over the presidents body.' At Parkland Memorial Hospital, Jackie was offered clean clothes but refused to change, choosing only to wash her face. 'One second later, I thought, "Why did I wash the blood off [my face]? I should have left it there; let them see what theyve done,' Jackie later told Life magazine. Jackies pink Chanel-inspired suit designed by Oleg Cassini was never cleaned after the assassination and remains stained with JFKs blood At Parkland Memorial Hospital, Jackie was offered clean clothes but refused to change, choosing only to wash her face: 'One second later, I thought, "Why did I wash the blood off [my face]? I should have left it there; let them see what theyve done,' Jackie later told Life magazine This isnt the first time Fox has stirred up headlines with her wild wardrobe choices. From her infamous condom dress to the bra-and-panty set crafted entirely from dried leaves she found on the streets of New York, the star has made a name for herself as fashion's fearless provocateur. As she once declared on TikTok, Anything can be clothes. And when critics have told her to tone it down, Fox told The Cut shes never been one to play it safe. F*** that narrative if I want to pop out and wear crazy s*** which is what I want to wear. Myleene Klass showed off her fiery side in a pair of high-waisted shorts and purple wig as she transformed into a K-pop Demon Hunter heroine for her Halloween radio set at Smooth Radio on Friday. The radio presenter, 47, looked incredible as she flaunted her toned midriff in a cropped top to embody the look of Netflix's K-pop idol, Rumi. She layered her matching co-ord under a black and gold sequin jacket, which featured gold detailing similar to her character. Her toned figure was adorned with purple zig zag paint as she struck a pose, ready to fight her enemies. To accessorise, Myleene wore large gold cone earrings, a chunky gold chain belt and a gold watch. Myleene completed her Halloween ensemble with a pair of white leather boots and a large purple plaited wig. Myleene Klass, 47, showed off her fiery side in high-waisted shorts as she transformed into a K-pop Demon Hunter heroine for her Halloween radio set at Smooth Radio on Friday The radio presenter looked incredible as she flaunted her toned midriff in a cropped top to embody the look of Netflix's K-pop idol, Rumi Rumi is the main character in the animated film K-Pop Demon Hunters, a K-pop idol who secretly leads a group of demon hunters. She is voiced by Arden Cho, while her singing voice is provided by EJAE. Rumi is a half-demon with a secret she is ashamed of, a struggle that is central to the movie's plot. Earlier in the day, Myleene posted clips to her social media of her playfully travelling around London, similar to her character. She paraded around the capital city in a pair of white heeled boots as she appeared to be looking for mischief on the tubes. 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. 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. Rumi is a half-demon with a secret she is ashamed of, a struggle that is central to the movie's plot She layered her matching co-ord under a black and gold sequin jacket, which featured gold detailing similar to her character Her toned figure was adorned with purple paint as she struck a pose, ready to fight her enemies To accessorise, Myleene wore large gold cone earrings, a chunky gold chain belt and a gold watch Earlier in the day, Myleene posted clips to her social media of her playfully travelling around London, similar to her character 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.' Ana de Armas was seen looking very toned while arriving at a Los Angeles gym on Friday morning. The Cuban-born actress went bra-free in a pale gray top and matching leggings that made the most of her form . The No Time To Die actress added black sneakers and a Louis Vuitton purse with black sunglasses and gold earrings. The 37-year-old star has had a big change in her life after splitting from her 63-year-old Hollywood icon boyfriend Tom Cruise after nine months of dating. It has been claimed by USWeekly that the brunette bombshell felt the romance was going at too fast of a pace and was very intense which made her 'uncomfortable.' However, de Armas and Cruise are remaining friends and they will work on the movie Deeper in London and Malta once the budget gets approved, it was also reported by People. The deep-sea diving adventure film has been delayed due to budget concerns which three off the pair as they have already started preparing for the project. Ana de Armas was seen looking very toned while arriving at a Los Angeles gym on Friday morning. The Cuban-born actress went bra-free in a pale gray top and matching leggings that made the most of her form The No Time To Die actress added black sneakers and a Louis Vuitton purse with black sunglasses and gold earrings De Armas has been a bit down after she moved on from Cruise, a source has told Daily Mail. 'Ana thought this year would be very different so she is disappointed,' a source told Daily Mail. 'But she knows it will get better and is plugging on. And she is still friends with Tom. She is not crying at home,' they added. Cruise and De Armas - or Cramas as fans called them - quietly split several weeks ago after nine months. A source close to the pair told The Sun said: 'Tom and Ana had a good time together but their time as a couple has run its course. 'They are going to remain good friends but they aren't dating anymore. They just realized they weren't going to go the distance and that they are better off as mates. 'The spark had gone between them but they still love each other's company and they've both been really adult about it. She's already been cast in his next film, so they will continue to work together.' Tom and Ana were last publicly seen together months earlier in July as the pair went official with their budding romance. The 37-year-old star has had a big change in her life after splitting from her 63-year-old Hollywood icon boyfriend Tom Cruise after nine months of dating At the time, the two stars were seen holding hands as they whisked themselves on a weekend getaway to Woodstock, Vermont. They were spotted strolling through the scenic town together - after first sparking relationship speculation earlier this year in February. Shortly before the Vermont trip, both stars were also seen attending the Oasis concert at Wembley Stadium. That same month, Tom and Ana also enjoyed a boat day while on a getaway to Menorca, Spain. 'Tom has been showering Ana with gifts ever since they met, it's his thing, he is thoughtful,' a source exclusively told the Daily Mail in July. 'First it started with her favorite flowers then books he thought she would want to read because she's an avid reader.' De Armas in Louis Vuitton jewelry as she becomes an 'it girl' with ads Meanwhile, her film Eden has been a massive success on streamers The insider added, 'The more they got to know each other, the bigger the gifts became. There has been jewelry like gold bracelets and designer clothing, things like that, things every girl would love. 'Probably the biggest gift he has given her is being able to go anywhere in the world at a moment's notice, not many people can do that. She loves to travel.' The Hollywood stars first ignited romance rumors when they were spotted grabbing dinner in London just before Valentine's Day. The pair were seen on more than one occasion in the following months, such as Ana and Tom dining at a restaurant in London. In May, they attended David Beckham's 50th birthday bash which was held in Notting Hill - and left in the same vehicle together. However, a guest who had also been in attendance at the time told Page Six that Ana and Tom's relationship appeared to be platonic. The insider explained that Tom and Ana 'came together and had a great night and clearly enjoy hanging out'. However, they added, 'But I couldn't say any more than that... I've no proof it's romantic.' In September, the actress was seen partying with rapper Bad Bunny during a trip to Puerto Rico. At the time, the beauty filmed herself dancing to his hit song NUEVAYoL while at the music artist's concert. And earlier this month, Ana was also seen posing with a mystery man during Paris Fashion Week. While exploring the French city, the star posed for a lighthearted Instagram snap with two pals as they spent time outdoors. Kim Kardashian has revealed the status of her friendship with First Daughter Ivanka Trump. It has not been easy going between 45-year-old Kardashian and the Trump clan in recent months. After all, in late August the reality TV siren slammed her father, President Donald Trump, for his ICE raids. But all seems to be kosher between the unlikely pals these days. The ex-wife of Kanye West too to her Insta Stories to wish the blonde beauty a happy birthday as she uploaded an old photo of them side by side. 'Happy birthday to the kindest, smartest woman I know,' the SKIMS founder began her note. 'I hope you are celebrating big! LOVE YOU! This will always be one of my favorite pics of us.' Kim Kardashian has revealed the status of her friendship with First Daughter Ivanka Trump. It has not been easy going between 45-year-old Kardashian and the Trump clan After all, in late August the reality TV siren slammed her father, President Donald Trump, for his ICE raids; seen with Trump in 2018 Trump also showed some love to her West Coast pal as on Kim's October 21 birthday she sent over a sweet Instagram note wishing her a great 45: 'Love you birthday queen.' Kim and Ivanka's friendship traces back several years, and it only strengthened after the pair began working on prison reforms together. The duo first crossed paths in 2014 at the Met Gala, where it was said that they bonded over motherhood. A source told Us Weekly in 2023, 'Kim and Ivanka have been friends for years and have hung out on a number of occasions. 'They initially bonded nearly a decade ago at the Met Gala over motherhood and being new moms. But they continued to connect numerous times over the years.' Since their initial meeting a decade ago, the women have been spotted together on numerous occasions. They both recently attended Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's star-studded wedding in Venice, Italy. In 2018, the pair was seen posing side by side at the White House, where Kim was petitioning President Trump to commute the life sentence of drug offender Alice Marie Johnson. The duo worked closely together to reduce and clear prison sentences with Kim often confiding in Ivanka while attending dinner parties at her house. And by 2020, the reality star was gushing about Ivanka's dad online. 'President Trump commuted the sentences of three really deserving women. I didn't hear much about it in the news, so I wanted to share with you their stories,' she wrote on X (formerly Twitter). 'I have the pleasure of spending the day with these women today along with Alice Marie Johnson, who helped to pick these women.' Two months ago Kardashian was criticized by the US Department of Homeland Security after she slammed President Trump's ICE raids despite a cordial relationship with the Commander In Chief, his wife Melania and his daughter Ivanka. The mogul - who recently graduated from her law program - took aim at the 79-year-old native New Yorker in Venice. But all seems to be kosher between the unlikely pals these days. She wishes the blonde a happy birthday as she uploaded an old photo of them. 'Happy birthday to the kindest, smartest woman I know,' the SKIMS founder began her note Trump also showed some love to her West Coast pal as on Kim's October 21 birthday she sent over a sweet Instagram note wishing her a great 45: 'Love you birthday queen.' 'In the news you hear: "Oh, it's about people who have committed these crimes and they're trying to help out our country,"' said Kardashian. 'But then you hear about all of the people who have worked so hard to build our country, and so many people that are such a part of our country getting affected.' Now, Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin has fired back at Kardashian for inveighing against the raids. 'Ms. Kardashian is misinformed and detached from the very reality of the operations in Los Angeles she has decided to opine on,' McLaughlin told TMZ. 'These are the violent criminals who Homeland Security, under President Trump and Secretary Noem's leadership, have removed from Los Angeless streets: murderers, rapists, gang members and child pedophiles.' Kim has been close friends with Trump's glamorous daughter Ivanka since 2014 She added pointedly: 'Why does Ms. Kardashian continue to do the bidding of criminals at the expense of innocent Americans and brave law enforcement?' Kardashian has vigorously engaged in years of legal activism to get various convicts released from prison - all while studying to become a lawyer herself, following in the footsteps of her father Robert Kardashian, who was on O.J. Simpson's 'dream team.' During Trump's previous term, she also visited the Oval Office to push for the passage of the FIRST STEP Act, a prison reform law that Trump ultimately did sign into law, resulting in the early release of tens of thousands of criminals. Kardashian previously spoke out against Trump's illegal immigration crackdown in her native Los Angeles in June, calling ICE's tactics 'inhumane' while advocating for the 'hardworking people' who were being torn apart from their families. However, Kim faced backlash over the social media post as fans accused her of 'virtue signaling' due to her ties to the Trump family. Kim is close friends with Trump's glamorous daughter Ivanka, 43, and she previously met with Trump at the White House to discuss criminal justice reform during his first run as president. But Kim doubled down on her stance as she was asked about Trump's ICE Raids on Thursday while attending Diane von Furstenberg's DVF Awards, where she was recognized for her prison reform advocacy, in Venice, Italy. 'In the news you hear, 'Oh, it's about people who have committed these crimes and they're trying to help out our country.' But then you hear about all of the people who have worked so hard to build our country, and so many people that are such a part of our country getting affected,' she told Variety before receiving her honor. Trump waves from the stairs of Air Force One as he boards upon his arrival at Joint Base Andrews on Friday en route to his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach Kim called ICE's tactics 'inhumane' while advocating for the 'hardworking people' who were being torn apart from their families; Kim and Trump seen in 2019 'People I know. People my friends know. You want to believe that there's a powerful message in protection, but then you see that it's not really happening like that. 'It's really tough, but I think that we have to do what we can to protect the people that have really supported and built our country,' Kim concluded. In the same interview, Kim revealed if she plans to return to the White House to advocate for prison reform something she did multiple times during Trump's first presidency and if that advocacy could include the Menendez brothers, who were both recently denied parole after spending over three decades behind bars for the 1989 murder of their parents. Kim told Variety that she 'would love to.' '[The Menendez brothers] are in a state prison so the governor is really in charge of that decision, but I would go to any administration and any White House to fight for the rights of people I believe in,' she explained. Kim's original statement regarding the ICE raids in Los Angeles, which were ordered by President Trump and spawned protests and riots in Downtown LA, was published to her Instagram Story in June. The star previously spoke out against Trump's illegal immigration crackdown in her hometown of Los Angeles back in June News of Kim's latest step in her attorney journey came hours after she took aim at President Donald Trump's controversial ICE raids in the United States. 'When we're told that ICE exists to keep our country safe and remove violent criminals - great,' Kim said. 'But when we witness innocent, hardworking people being ripped from their families in inhumane ways, we have to speak up. We have to do what's right.' Kim continued: 'Growing up in LA, I've seen how deeply immigrants are woven into the fabric of this city. 'They are our neighbors, friends, classmates, coworkers, and family. 'No matter where you fall politically, it's clear that our communities thrive because of the contributions of immigrants. We can't turn a blind eye when fear and injustice keep people from living their lives freely and safely. 'There HAS to be a BETTER way.' Assistant Homeland Security Secretary Tricia McLaughlin responded to the reality star's public statement by doubling down on the Trump administration's assertions that the ICE operations in Los Angeles are targeting convicted criminals. Meanwhile, Kim who graduated from her law program in May (pictured) quietly took the California bar exam in late July and is still awaiting her results, according to TMZ '@KimKardashian, which one of these convicted child molesters, murderers, drug traffickers and rapists would you like to stay in the country,' McLaughlin posted on X, sharing photos of four individuals she said ICE arrested during the raids. 'These are just a few of the convicted illegal criminals who have been picked up in the last 72 hours.' This comes as Kim has taken the final step in her mission to becoming a lawyer like her late father Robert Kardashian. According to TMZ, the SKIMS founder quietly took the California bar exam in late July and will learn if she passed on November 7 two days before the State Bar makes results public on November 9 at 6pm PT. The California bar exam, which is taken over the course of two days, is widely considered the hardest in the United States with a historically low pass rate. While it's typically administered in-person at a designated testing cite, Kim is speculated to have taken her exam privately with a proctor present in order to keep the word from getting out. Kim had to answer 200 multiple-choice questions as well as completing one 90-minute performance test and five one-hour essay questions, the outlet reports. Meanwhile, Kim has never spoken publicly about who she endorsed in the 2024 Presidential election, in which Donald Trump triumphed over Democrat candidate Kamala Harris. Paul O'Grady turned down a vital heart operation just months before his death for the heartbreaking reason he didn't want to let other people down. The TV presenter passed away aged 67 at his home in Kent, in March 2023 after suffering from a cardiac arrhythmia. And now it has been revealed that in the final few months of his life he refused an implantable defibrillator due to his work commitments. The star had signed up to do the musical Annie as well as a dog show and didn't want to take time out. Now the star's close friend and producer Malcolm Prince has written a book about Paul as he explained to The Mirror: 'He didn't want to go back into hospital to have another procedure and then spend time recuperating. 'He wanted to get on and live his life but also work. He didn't want to let people down.' Paul O'Grady turned down a vital heart operation just months before his death for the heartbreaking reason he didn't want to let other people down It has been revealed that in the final few months of his life he refused an implantable defibrillator due to his work commitments A few months prior to his death Paul spent a week in William Harvey Hospital in Ashford, Kent and didn't want to return to hospital and text his daughter Sharyn to tell her he wouldn't be getting the defib. Meanwhile his manager and close Joan Marshrons, explained: 'He was scared of losing control and I think that's why he wouldn't have the pacemaker because he didn't want to be on camera or in front of an audience when the thing kicked in he would have been embarrassed about it all.' Malcolm's upcoming book Paul O'Grady Not The Same Without You is set to be serialized by the Daily and Sunday Mirror. The book features candid testimony from his family, including his daughter Sharyn, his friends, colleagues and celebrity pals. Malcolm also revealed that Paul made comments where he appeared to acknowledge his time was limited, remarking to his friend that he was 'not going to be here for much longer.' The book also mentions how Paul may have had an eating disorder which could have stemmed from the pressure to remain slim as his alter-ego Lily Savage. His make-up artist Vanessa White recalled how he wouldn't be able to eat while he was filming as Lily. Earlier this month it was revealed Paul's grave was finally given a headstone two and a half years after his death. The star's friend Malcolm Prince has written a book about Paul as he explained: 'He didn't want to go back into hospital to have another procedure and then spend time recuperating' He was laid to rest the following month in St Rumwold's Churchyard in Bonnington, Kent and for the last two years, his grave has been marked wooden crosses and ornaments After 'lengthy' application process, his widow, Andre Portasio, took to Paul's Instagram account on Friday to announce that he has placed the 'final design' of Paul's headstone He was laid to rest in St Rumwold's Churchyard in Bonnington, Kent and for the last two years his grave has been marked wooden crosses and ornaments. After a 'lengthy' application process, his widow, Andre Portasio, took to Paul's Instagram account on Friday to announce that he has placed the 'final design' of Paul's headstone at his grave. Paul's headstone is dark grey and bears Paul's name as well as the name of his former long-term partner, Brendan Murphy. Brendan died after suffering from an inoperable brain tumour in 2005 and is buried alongside Paul. The headstone also features a figurine of Paul's dog Buster and one of Paul's 'favourite' quotes, which is from Philosopher Michel de Montaigne. Captioning the album of photos, Andre wrote: 'I am very pleased to share that, after two and a half years since Paul's passing and a lengthy application process, we have finally placed the final design of his headstone at his grave. 'My heartfelt thanks to the Commissary Court of the Diocese of Canterbury, the Parish of Bonnington, and the Church of St. Rumwold. 'Special appreciation to Robin Hopkins, Commissary General of the Diocese of Canterbury, for granting permission for the final design, which features a replica of Buster similar to the one at @battersea headquarters. 'I miss him dearly every day, but I am grateful that his resting place is now complete. I hope he would be pleased with the final design. (sic)' Andre concluded the post's caption with: 'As one of his favourite quotes, 'The greatest thing in the world is to know how to be one's own self.' Montaigne #paulogrady. (sic)' Denise Richards has posed as a sexy Playboy bunny for Halloween. The Wild Things actress posted several sultry images by a staircase on the annual spooky holiday, which fell on Friday this year. The ex-wife of Charlie Sheen donned a skimpy leotard that had a plunging sweetheart neckline and came up high on the hips. Also worn by the 54-year-old former Bond girl were perky black bunny ears, a black bow tie over a white collar and white cuffs. Richards - who is a top OnlyFans model - looked very toned and tanned as she flashed sultry smiles that proved she is still a Hollywood pinup. This dazzling photo shoot comes 20 years after she posed for the cover of Hugh Hefner's Playboy magazine. Inside her issue she was seen nude on a pristine sandy beach in the Caribbean in an elegant photo shoot. Denise Richards has posed as a sexy Playboy bunny for Halloween. The Wild Things actress posted several sultry images by a staircase on the annual spooky holiday, which fell on Friday this year In December 2004 she landed on the cover of Playboy magazine; inside she was nude Richards has not had an easy year as she battle her ex. Earlier this month Aaron Phypers asked her for $150,000 to pay back rent and his lawyers as he is in a pinch, according to TMZ. Phypers told a judge overseeing their divorce proceedings that he has to come up with the money fast or else he and his family will be rendered homeless. The Canada native closed his wellness business Quantum 360 Club a year ago and has not been able to find employment since, he has maintained. Richards did not take the request well as she soon after she filed a response to the judge that she did not want to give her former husband any money. Phypers filed for divorce from Richards on July 7, 2025, citing 'irreconcilable differences' and listing their date of separation as July 4, 2025. The couple had been married for six years. Daily Mail has reached out to a rep for Richards to comment but did not immediately hear back. Phypers rep told Daily Mail: 'Phypers who owns and has copyrights to all the content of Denise Richards OnlyFans account bringing in $250,000 month, has had zero dollars for basic living expenses let alone any ability to hire legal representation for a fair trial. The ex-wife of Charlie Sheen donned a skimpy leotard that had a plunging sweetheart neckline and came up high on the hips Also worn by the 54-year-old former Bond girl were perky black bunny ears, a black bow tie over a white collar and white cuffs Richards - who is a top OnlyFans model - looked very toned and tanned as she flashed sultry smiles that proved she is still a Hollywood pinup The mother of three was also seen in a black-and-white portrait as she sat on a staircase 'Richards is attempting to render Aaron homeless.' Last month Phypers accused Richards of being the 'abusive' one in their relationship. On September 15 Phypers filed a response to her previous claims of domestic violence - which were made in a restraining order in July as she alleged her 52-year-old partner 'repeatedly abused' her during their six-year marriage. According to court documents obtained by People magazine, he has refuted her claims and denied the allegations. He said in the documents: 'There is no need for such orders, as I have not abused her and will not abuse her.' He also alleges that his ex has been 'frequently' phoning and messages him and his father. He claimed: 'As well as asking other family and friends to ask me to call her so often that it should be considered harassment, demonstrating that she is not afraid of me and that she is the aggressive one.' Phypers has also claimed the actress has 'attacked' and 'harassed' him 'many times'. Elsewhere in the documents, he referenced an alleged incident on August 3, saying: 'She barged aggressively and forcefully into other family members' living spaces, including my brother's room (which he recorded), violating his privacy rights and looking through his personal property. 'Denise violently smashed my cell phone, placed it in a trash can buried under bags of trash, and then lied about, claiming she had not taken my phone.' Richards is not very happy with her estranged husband Aaron Phypers' latest request. The wellness expert has asked the former Bond girl for $150,000 to pay back rent and his lawyers as he is in a pinch, according to TMZ; seen in 2023 Richards has grown closer to her ex-husband Charlie Sheen in recent months; seen at the Los Angeles premiere of aka Charlie Sheen on September 4 in Hollywood He has argued against paying expenses caused by the alleged abuse, and insisted he shouldn't pay spousal support. He added: 'She has prevented me from earning income, so she is the only one with income. 'She should support me.' The couple married in 2018 in a beachfront ceremony that aired on Bravo during The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills. Phypers, who filed for divorce in July following what has been described as an explosive argument, previously described her allegations of abuse as 'bogus'. He said over the summer: 'She's upset. I publicly dumped her to the world, and she's mad, so how does she retaliate? File a bogus abuse claim.' The Block's Jesse Raeburn and Mel Manson have welcomed their third child together. The show regulars, who made their first appearance during the 2019 series dubbed 'The Oslo', revealed on Friday that their daughter Isabel had arrived 'safe and healthy' on Thursday. Jesse and Mel already share two daughters - Khloe, three, and Eden, one. Posting a carousel of pictures to Instagram of their new bundle of joy, the proud parents gushed about the third addition to their brood in the caption. 'Isabel Raeburn,' they wrote, introducing their newborn daughter. 'Arrived safe and healthy on 30-10-25.' The Block's Jesse Raeburn and Mel Manson (both pictrued) have welcomed baby number three Posting a carousel of pictures to Instagram of their new bundle of joy, the proud parents gushed about the third addition to their brood in the caption 'She is perfect and has completed our beautiful family,' they concluded the post. Friends, family and fellow Blockheads poured into the comments section with well-wishes for the family of five. 'Oh shes here! Congratulations teams shes absolutely gorgeous!' penned Sarah and George from the 2020 season. 2019 winners Tess and Luke chimed in: 'OUR BEAUTIFUL NEW BABY IN THE GANG. We are so proud of you guys. She is absolute perfection and we cannot wait to meet her and hug and kiss all of you!!! We love you xx.' 'Congratulations team, shes just divine,' 2023 runner-ups Eliza and Liberty shared. Father daughter duo Harry and Tash wrote: 'Oh shes absolutely beautiful!!! 3 gorgeous girls! Congratulations guys!! Enjoy the bubble.' Their baby news comes just a few months after they returned to The Block's 2025 Daylesford season. Jesse and Mel made an appearance during the Tradie Games challenge held at Kyral Castle, which marked Jesse's fifth appearance on the building show. 'She is perfect and has completed our beautiful family,' they finished off the post The show regulars made their first appearance on The Block in the 2019 series dubbed 'The Oslo' Jesse and Mel renovated the former Oslo Hotel in Melbourne's St Kilda on The Block's fifteenth season in 2019. They sold their renovated townhouse for $3,378,000, making a profit of $388,000. Jesse returned to The Block in 2021 to help Tanya and Vito Guccione tile their fireplace, and later served as the home's auctioneer. The Block alum also made a handful of appearances in previous years as Courtney and Hans' auctioneer in 2018 and as Sarah and George's real estate agent in 2020. Lindsay Lohan has dressed up for Halloween with her family. The movie icon was seen all gussied up for the spooky holiday in a new Instagram photo posted on Friday. The 39-year-old redheaded New Yorker was with her 38-year-old husband Bader Shammas and she also shared a very rare photo of her son Luai, aged two. They were all dressed as Batman characters while posing in a group as she wished her followers a 'Happy Halloween.' Lohan looked youthful with a Batgirl mask covering much of her face while her blonde hair was worn down. The pal of Paris Hilton was clad in a black mini dress with a Batman logo on front and w yellow belt as she added over-the-knee platform boots and handless opera gloves. Lindsay Lohan has dressed up for Halloween with her family. The movie icon was seen all gussied up for the spooky holiday in a new Instagram photo posted on Friday Lohan has been known for looking much younger than she is in recent years. The actress, 39 who has denied having plastic surgery is wrinkle free with a slimmer face. Lohan and Shammas, a financier, wed in 2022 and share a two-year-old son named Luai. Lohan is coming off a busy few months of promoting the long-awaited sequel to the 2003 comedy Freaky Friday, titled Freakier Friday, which was released in theaters in July. The film saw her reunite with her onscreen mom Jamie Lee Curtis for the first time in over 20 years. And it also marked a major return to the spotlight for Lohan over a decade after she stepped away from Hollywood in 2014 and laid roots down in Dubai. Last year, Lohan shocked fans as she debuted a nearly unrecognizable new look, which gained more attention as the promo for Freakier Friday ramped up. The star's youthful, wrinkle-free look quickly sparked plastic surgery speculation with some even accusing her of 'getting a whole new face.' The 39-year-old redheaded New Yorker was with her 38-year-old husband Bader Shammas There was also a very rare photo of her son Luai, aged two. They were all dressed as Batman characters while posing in a group as she wished her followers a 'Happy Halloween' Lohan looked youthful with a Batgirl mask covering much of her face while her blonde hair was worn down. The pal of Paris Hilton was clad in a black mini dress with a Batman logo on front and w yellow belt as she added over-the-knee platform boots and handless opera gloves But Lohan's publicist shut down the chatter when the actress asked about the facelift rumors while being interviewed for Elle earlier this year. 'The second she looks any different, they assume she had her face lifted at 37 or 38, that she ripped apart this or that. It's so mean,' she told SNL alum Chloe Fineman, who conducted the interview with Lohan. Lohan added: 'I'm like, "When? With what time? Where?"' The star's publicist suggested that Lohan wouldn't have had the time to undergo as extensive of a procedure as a facelift due to her busy schedule. 'I tried to figure that out, Linds, in the last three years, when you had time to do anything, because I know your schedule,' the publicist said to Lohan. 'So the haters can hate and be jealous. It just sucks that that's where they go with women in today's world. Women can't just look good to look good and change their lifestyle to be more healthy.' While she denied going under the knife, Lohan did share some of her beauty secrets with Fineman. The couple seen on August 31 at the US Open at Arthur Ashe Stadium in NYC Lohan admitted that she's 'crazy about [her] skin and health' and that she drinks a juice 'every morning' that consists of 'carrot, ginger, lemon, olive oil, apple.' She also said that she drinks 'a lot of green tea, a lot of water.' Last month, Lohan stunned fans by sharing photos of her makeup-free face to Instagram. In her caption, Lohan wrote to her 16.2 million followers: 'Fresh face and ready for bed!' Her fans flooded her comments section with praises for her bare-faced look while others asked her to 'drop the skincare routine.' Many of her followers asked her for her secret to how she achieved such 'flawless' skin as they speculated what non-surgical skin procedures she had done to enhance her beauty. The Mean Girls alum was previously revealed to have been getting treatments from Beverly Hills dermatologist Dr. Monika Kiripolsky. In late July, the dermatologist uploaded a selfie alongside the actress following an appointment in preparation for Lohan's red carpet appearance at the El Capitan Theatre for the Hollywood premiere of Freakier Friday. Over the last year, Lohan (seen in left in 2025 and right in 2018) has wowed fans with her unbelievable glow-up However, the dermatologist replied that 'due to patient confidentiality, I can't say what treatments I've done. 'But, EVERY patient in our practice is offered the most cutting-edge combination of lasers, peels, injectables, lipo, and other amazing treatments... Always customized to that particular patient and his/her goals.' Lohan began to appear on Kiripolsky's Instagram page last year, and the actress herself has also credited the celebrity dermatologist for her radiant skin. During an interview with Byrdie earlier this month, the star expressed, 'I'm also big on staying consistent with my routines so I feel my best. 'That includes regular visits to my Los Angeles dermatologist, Dr. Monika Kiripolsky, whenever I'm in town for work.' Lohan continued, 'She helps keep my skin healthy and glowing especially during breaks from heavy on-set makeup.' Xi puts forward five-point proposal for building Asia-Pacific community Xinhua) 10:21, October 31, 2025 Chinese President Xi Jinping attends the first session of the 32nd Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders' Meeting and delivers a speech titled "Building an Inclusive Open Asia-Pacific Economy for All" in Gyeongju, South Korea, Oct. 31, 2025. The first session of the 32nd APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting kicked off in Gyeongju, South Korea, on Friday. (Xinhua/Huang Jingwen) GYEONGJU, South Korea, Oct. 31 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday put forward a five-point proposal for promoting a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization and building an Asia-Pacific community. Xi made the proposal in his speech titled "Building an Inclusive Open Asia-Pacific Economy for All" at the first session of the 32nd APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting. Over the past 30-plus years since its founding, APEC has been spearheading the region's rise to the forefront of global open development, and has made the Asia-Pacific the most dynamic part of the global economy, Xi noted. Currently, changes unseen in a century are accelerating across the world, and the Asia-Pacific faces growing uncertainties and destabilizing factors in its development, he said, adding that the rougher the seas, the more the APEC members must pull together. Xi called on APEC members to stay true to APEC's founding mission to promote economic growth and improve people's lives, and champion open development where everyone shares opportunities and emerges a winner. He also urged efforts to promote a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization, and build an Asia-Pacific community. Xi put forward a five-point proposal. Firstly, Xi called for joint efforts to safeguard the multilateral trading system. He urged APEC members to practice true multilateralism, enhance the authority and effectiveness of the multilateral trading system with the World Trade Organization at its core, and update international economic and trade rules to reflect the changing times, so as to better protect the legitimate rights and interests of developing countries. Secondly, Xi called for building an open economic environment in the region. He urged APEC members to keep promoting trade and investment liberalization and facilitation, deepen fiscal and financial cooperation, steadily push for regional economic integration, foster mutual alignment and collaborative progress, so as to inject impetus into the development of the Free Trade Area of the Asia-Pacific. Thirdly, Xi called on APEC members to work together to keep industrial and supply chains stable and smooth. APEC members should join hands rather than part ways, strengthen their links rather than sever them, vigorously expand common interests and support the open development of supply chains, strive for concrete and tangible results in physical, institutional and people-to-people connectivity, so as to further consolidate the foundations for open development in the Asia-Pacific region, Xi said. Fourthly, Xi called for advancing the digital and green transformation of trade. He urged efforts to make digital technologies a strong catalyst for cross-border trade, remove various green barriers, and expand cooperation in green industries, clean energy and green minerals. Fifthly, Xi urged the Asia-Pacific to work together to promote universally beneficial and inclusive development. Xi called for joint efforts to adhere to the people-centered development philosophy, focus on imbalances in development, and foster an economic globalization that is more inclusive, sustainable and beneficial to all peoples in the region. China is working with various parties to promote the high-quality development of the Belt and Road Initiative, and is committed to common development and shared prosperity with all countries, he said. Xi emphasized that China always pursues the basic state policy of opening up and has taken real steps to promote an open world economy. Noting that the recommendations for formulating the 15th Five-Year Plan were adopted at the fourth plenary session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, Xi said that China will take this opportunity to further deepen reform comprehensively and expand high-standard opening up, and create new opportunities for the Asia-Pacific and the world through the latest achievements of Chinese modernization. Chinese President Xi Jinping attends the first session of the 32nd Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders' Meeting and delivers a speech titled "Building an Inclusive Open Asia-Pacific Economy for All" in Gyeongju, South Korea, Oct. 31, 2025. The first session of the 32nd APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting kicked off in Gyeongju, South Korea, on Friday. (Xinhua/Huang Jingwen) Chinese President Xi Jinping is warmly greeted by South Korean President Lee Jae-myung upon his arrival for the first session of the 32nd Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders' Meeting in Gyeongju, South Korea, Oct. 31, 2025. The first session of the 32nd APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting kicked off in Gyeongju, South Korea, on Friday. Xi attended the meeting and delivered a speech titled "Building an Inclusive Open Asia-Pacific Economy for All." (Xinhua/Huang Jingwen) (Web editor: Huang Kechao, Zhong Wenxing) She's a model and actress who is married to one of Australia's most beloved A-listers. The mother of three has a long list of film and TV credits to her name, but is perhaps best known for starring in four Fast and the Furious films. Born in Spain, this blonde beauty, 48, got her start in front of the camera in the popular Spanish teen drama Al salir de Clase. Prior to dating her hunky Australian hubby, she was romantically linked to French actor Michael Youn and The Brutalist star Adrien Brody. She now resides in Byron Bay, where she and her superstar beau purchased a sprawling plot in 2014. But this actress looked completely unrecognisable as she went all out for this year's Halloween festivities. Can you guess who it is? Elsa Pataky looked completely unrecognisable on Friday as she went all out for this year's Halloween festivities It's none other than Elsa Pataky. Elsa was very much in her element on Friday as she dressed up as the iconic character Beetlejuice, made famous by Michael Keaton in the 1988 Tim Burton cult classic and subsequent sequel. The actress was obviously not interested in doing things by halves, looking as though she was about to screen test for Beetlejuice 3. Looking very on point, Elsa wore Beetlejuice's trademark crazy green wig, skull cap, and full makeup. She also donned the character's obligatory black-and-white striped suit a far cry from the boho-inspired style shes known for. Elsa looked quite chuffed with the results of her Halloween efforts, beaming broadly as she playfully puffed up her green wig. Showing off her playful side, Elsa proudly paraded her spooky look in front of a group of costumed pals, who appeared amazed by her Halloween transformation. Elsa is certainly no stranger to getting into the Halloween spirit. Elsa was very much in her element as she dressed up as the iconic character Beetlejuice, made famous by Michael Keaton in the 1988 Tim Burton cult classic and subsequent sequel The actress was obviously not interested in doing things by halves, looking as though she was about to screen test for Beetlejuice 3 Looking very on point, Elsa wore Beetlejuice's trademark crazy green wig and skull cap and full makeup In 2023, she took on the role of a blood-soaked nurse as she went trick or treating on the streets of Byron Bay with her three children and brother-in-law Luke Hemsworth. Elsa may've been taking some cues from Luke for this year's get-up, with the Aussie actor also stepping out as Beetlejuice in 2023. She also got Chris in on the fun for the family's 2021 Halloween celebrations. The Thor star went as a Demogorgon from the Netflix series Stranger Things while Elsa, once again, transformed into a blood-soaked nurse as they attended a party in Byron Bay. Meanwhile, Chris and Elsa's twin sons Sasha and Tristan, 11, dressed up in virus costumes, while daughter India, 13, also transformed into a doctor. It comes after the globetrotting Elsa recently returned from a horse riding safari in Africa with daughter India. 'Just returned from an 8-day horse riding safari with India, where we crossed the Namibia Desert, in Namibia, the oldest desert in the world,' Elsa wrote in her Instagram post. Elsa, a known horse enthusiast, added that her group rode an average of 40 km a day and covered an impressive 320 km during the trip. Looking very on point, Elsa wore Beetlejuice's trademark crazy green wig and skull cap and full makeup. She also wore the character's obligatory black and white striped suit marking a far cry from the boho-inspired style she is known for Elsa looked quite chuffed with the results of her Halloween efforts, beaming broadly as she playfully puffed up her green wig Showing off her playful side, Elsa proudly paraded her spooky look in front of a group of costumed pals, who appeared amazed at Elsa's Halloween transformation She continued: 'Days were filled with never-ending gallops, hikes up canyons, sleeping out under the stars and spotting desert oryx, zebra and chameleons.' Elsa and Chris often spend long periods apart and go on separate trips with their children. The safari came after Chris and Elsa spent most of the European summer apart. Elsa was in her native Spain for weeks, filming her new TV series, Matices. Meanwhile, Chris spent time abroad, including an appearance at the final day of Wimbledon without Elsa. Chris also enjoyed a beachside escape in Hossegor, France, with his longtime personal trainer and best mate, Luke Zocchi, while Elsa enjoyed her own holiday in her native Spain. They later reunited in July for the Thor star's new National Geographic series, Limitless: Live Better Now, with Tristan and Sasha in London. The recent visit to Bangladesh by Ibtisam Elahi Zahir, the general secretary of Pakistans Markazi Jamiat Ahle Hadithand a close aide of Jamaat-ud-Dawa chief Hafiz Saeed, has sparked concern among Bangladeshs security agencies. Zahir, known for his hardline Salafi views and past links with banned militant figures, arrived unexpectedly on October 25 and has since embarked on a tour of sensitive border districts, including Rajshahi and Chapainawabganj. According to intelligence sources, this is Zahirs second visit since the interim government led by Mohammad Yunus assumed power. His repeated presence in northern border regionslong viewed as potential flashpoints for extremist activityhas drawn the attention of national security agencies monitoring cross-border religious networks. After landing at Shah Makhdum Airport in Rajshahi on the evening of October 25, Zahir was received by Abdur Rahim bin Abdur Razzak, a member of Al Jamia as Salifa and son of Sheikh Abdur Razzak bin Yusuf, a figure previously linked to Ahle Hadith militancy in Bangladesh. Local sources report that Zahir has already delivered speeches at several mosques in Nachol and other areas of Rajshahi, urging unity among Salafi adherents. He also met with Asadullah Al Ghalib, chairman of Ahle Hadith Andolan Bangladesh, who has himself faced allegations of militant ties in the past. Zahir is expected to continue his tour into Rangpur, Lalmonirhat, Nilphamari, Joypurhat, and Naogaon during the first week of November. His visit is scheduled to culminate in a two-day Salafi conference at Dangipara, Pobar, Rajshahi, on November 67, before he departs for Pakistan on November 8. The Pakistani preacher has previously faced international criticism for his extremist rhetoric, including remarks endorsing violence against apostates and condoning sexual slavery. The UK Charity Commission has investigated him multiple times, and rights groups have urged British authorities to ban his entry. Bangladeshi security officials are reportedly assessing whether Zahirs presence indicates attempts to revive or reorganize militant networks under the guise of religious outreach. Given his background and known affiliations, his activities in the border belt are being closely monitored, a senior intelligence officer told reporters on condition of anonymity. As the government continues efforts to curb extremism and maintain stability, Zahirs visit has reignited debate over the influence of foreign religious networks and their potential impact on Bangladeshs internal security landscape. Prime Minister Harini Amarasuriya on Friday expressed gratitude to the Government of India for continuous assistance in the island nations education sphere. Amarasuriya was addressing a gathering in the north central region of Polonnaruwa, the Indian High Commission said. The Indian High Commissioner Santosh Jha and the Lankan PM were guests at the handing over ceremony of the Multi-Ethnic Trilingual School in Polonnaruwa, built with an Indian grant. The Indian financial assistance to the project stands at over SLR 320 million. Amarasuriya expressed gratitude to the Government and people of India for the project and said that with the handing over, India has done its part, and now it is the Sri Lankan Governments responsibility to take the initiative forward. Mayor of Derry City and Strabane District Council Ruairi McHugh is to give civic recognition the families and survivors of Bloody Sunday. Speaking at Wednesdays full Council meeting, Mayor McHugh said it had been an honour to walk with members of the Bloody Sunday families and survivors on the first day of the Soldier F trial at Belfast Crown Court. Concluding the discussion regarding the not guilty verdict handed down by Judge Patrick Lynch in Belfast Crown Court last week, Alderman Darren Guy (UUP) said the Parachute Regiment should not have been deployed on the streets of the Bogside in January 1972, just as they should not have shot two innocent individuals in the Shankill Road. This is why you will never see a Parachute Regiment flag flying anywhere on the Shankill Road, added Ald Guy. In his opening remarks, Mayor McHugh said: I think it would be appropriate for me as the first citizen of the city and district to pay tribute and commend the resilience and most importantly the the dignity of the Bloody Sunday families and survivors over the last 53 years, he added. I will be liaising with the families via the bloody Sunday trust in order that the city and district finds a way to to to honour that campaign of the last 53 years. I would like to commend the families for their resilience and most importantly for their dignity. It goes without saying, we all know what happened on Bloody Sunday and we only but read the judges remarks to know what happened on that fateful day, said McHugh. Supporting the move, Cllr Gary Donnelly (Independent) said he echoed the Mayors sentiments regarding solidarity with the Bloody Sunday families and survivors. He added: What this does for me, it proves the British state doesn't care and in this instance it didn't even feel the need to throw somebody to the wolves. If you look at how the British state treats its own people, Windrush, David Kelly and the Iraq War, phone hacking, MPs expenses, the Post Office scandal, Grenfell, Hillsborough, election betting scandals, I think, What chance have Irish people under British occupation got when we look at the state we're currently living in? We have a police force that 40% of its budget is controlled by British intelligence. The same people that give us Iraq war. We've got a sectarian shambolic Assembly that doesn't serve working class, serves nobody but but the ruling class interests. There will never be justice while there is a British system in place in Ireland, said Cllr Donnelly. Cllr Shaun Harkin (PBP) described it as deeply disappointing for the vast majority of people in this city, people across Ireland, and across the world that Soldier F wasn't convicted. He wasnt convicted because he isnt guilty, he wasnt convicted because the judge believed that there wasn't evidence that could do that. But we know that Soldier F is guilty and the world knows that as well and I think the dignity of the families and the survivors and the many campaigners stands very much in stark contrast, I believe, to the way that some of the leaders of political unionism have operated since the ruling - displaying their support for the Parachute Regiment with its symbolism and acting as if soldier F is innocent, said Cllr Harkin. Cllr Brian Tierney (SDLP) said it was fitting the families and survivors of Bloody Sunday be recognised by Mayor McHugh and Derry City and Strabane District Council. Cllr Tierney added he was incredibly shocked and disappointed to see some of the responses from people who are so-called leaders of unionism. [They] were claiming the verdict as some sort of victory in the face of tragedy, of 53 years of families campaigning to prove that their loved ones were innocent. People claiming that as a victory is disgusting in my mind. Describing Judge Patrick Lynchs summing up at the conclusion of Soldier Fs trial as damning, Cllr Sandra Duffy (Sinn Fein) said: There was no evidence there to find soldier F guilty but he certainly was not found innocent in a court of law. I think that that needs to be remembered. But I think that what we need to be very clear about today is our unwavering support for the Bloody Sunday families in their pursuit of justice. They were very dignified. They were very determined through it through it all and they have had some horrifying times throughout including death threats to the family over recent weeks, added Cllr Duffy. Concluding the discussion, Alderman Darren Guy (UUP) paid tribute to the Sunday families. He said they had shown dignity throughout this long ordeal and would no doubt be deeply disappointed with the judge's decision. Ald Guy added: I have always maintained personally that the parachute regiment should not have been deployed on the streets of the Bogside in January 1972, just as they should not have shot two innocent individuals in the Shankill Road. This is why you will never see a Parachute Regiment flying anywhere on the Shankill Road. The UUP, however, is astonished this prosecution was allowed to proceed after the trial's reliance on hearsay statements from two other soldiers was accepted, particularly after an earlier refusal to hold a trial because of no new evidence had been identified, he said. It is legitimate to ask why lawyers raised and sustained families expectations for so many years when the evidential basis was so weak. The Public Prosecution Service decision to proceed on the grounds of public interest rather than a clear evidential test undermines confidence in our judicial system. Commentary from across the political divide has been crude and unhelpful. The unionist community has long had reservations about the aspects of what happened on Bloody Sunday. We acknowledge that members of the Parachute Regiment fired on those attending the Civil Rights march and that 13 largely innocent people lost their lives - a fact recognized by the Saville Inquiry. Equally concerning are the false or distorted accounts that emerged immediately after the killings. Before victims bodies had been returned to grieving families, Republican elements were instructing people about what to say and how events should be described. That rewriting of of events became an reoccurring tragic pattern throughout killings carried out by IRA criminals, often defended or concealed by their own communities. What occurred on Bloody Sunday was wrong. Equally, the ongoing prosecution of soldier F, pursued decades later amid contested and unreliable evidence is also wrong. The money spent in this single case is startling when survivors and family of other atrocities such as Claudy, Teebane, La Mon and and many others await with dignity but have still not received justice. Aontu Deputy Leader Gemma Brolly has launched the party's All-Ireland Compassionate Care strategy for paediatric pathology and bereavement services to end the practice of babies and young children being sent to Liverpool from the North to receive post-mortems. Since 2019, following the death of a baby or child in the North, families have had to endure their loved ones being sent across the Irish Sea to Liverpool for a post-mortem when services exist on the other side of the border that could provide the same service and save families from that added trauma. Speaking about the strategy, Mrs Brolly said: "Prior to 2019, paediatric pathology services were provided by the Belfast Trust for the region. Since the retirement of their pathologist, and despite numerous recruitment initiatives, no service has been available in the North parents have had to see their loved ones sent to Alder Hey in Liverpool. "Almost 1,000 children have had to make that journey, with patchy information given to parents as to their right to travel with them during one of the 746 journeys that have taken place," she added. "It can take up to three days for remains to travel to Liverpool, undertake the examination and return home, with up to 56 days for a report to be produced for the family. Aontu believe this is an unacceptable situation, and is proposing an All-Ireland paediatric pathology and bereavement service. "It is clear from our research that bereavement care is an essential piece of this puzzle. Across the North, many women and families are offered little to no care by the HSC following their loss. Many Trusts simply offer leaflets and signposting to overstretched and underfunded charities to provide care if and when they can. "In the South, however, not only are bereavement services integrated, they are planned, funded and benchmarked for best practice. Many of the facilities across that jurisdiction offer bereavement suites that provide privacy, access to services and time for families to grieve. The women and families in Derry and Belfast deserve no less. "As part of the 2025 National Service Plan, the HSE has committed to progressing work on a collaborative approach to design perinatal and paediatric pathology services capable of serving both jurisdictions. This was agreed between both Health Ministers in September 2024 following engagement through the North-South Ministerial Council," said Mrs Brolly. She added: "We have been engaging with officials and raising the issue with the Health Minister in Dublin to try and shape this initiative. We want to ensure that a robust, cross-border service that offers a uniform experience to every woman and her family in these terrible circumstances, regardless of where it is on the island they are from. "We want to see: A cross-border framework for sharing information on perinatal mortality, its causes and, where relevant, case data. An All-Ireland National Standard for Perinatal Bereavement Care to be developed by both Departments of Health. The development of a network of Bereavement Suites across the HSC in the North, to match the service in the South, and the delivery of benchmarked care across the island. The appointment of Bereavement Champions in each relevant healthcare facility in the North, with Bereavement Midwives given access to training and resources such as TEARDROP for other maternity staff on their site. "We are determined that during these difficult times, the health service will rise to meet the needs of those grieving and their loved ones. To that end, we are launching our comprehensive strategy today, and we will continue to work with partners such as the White Butterfly Foundation and those across the health service to deliver a service first for the people, not just of Dublin, but of Craigavon, Enniskillen and Cookstown. Derry City and Strabane District Council has completed a special chewing gum cleaning project after receiving funding to tackle the issue on Derry and Strabanes streets. DCSDC has been working to clean up gum and reduce people littering their gum with help from a Chewing Gum Task Force grant, administered by environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy. Council successfully completed its work to remove the chewing gum blighting local streets after receiving a 27,500 grant to tackle the issue earlier this year. Now in its fourth year, Derry City and Strabane District Council is one of 52 councils across the country that successfully applied to the Chewing Gum Task Force. Among the activities carried out by cleansing teams over the past few months are cleansing pavements and walkways as well as placing signage on the areas where cleaning has taken place. Estimates suggest the annual clean-up cost of chewing gum for councils in the UK is around 7 million and according to Keep Britain Tidy. John Quinn, Streetscape Manager at Derry City and Strabane District Council, said he was delighted their teams have completed such important improvements across the city and district and encouraged the public to think twice before throwing their gum on the ground. Chewing gum continues to pose a challenge as a stubborn and visually unappealing form of waste in our Council area. While the scheme is successfully reducing occurrences, public cooperation remains essential and we need to get the message out there. Improper disposal not only causes long-term environmental damage due to its slow decomposition but also results in significant public cleaning costs. We need to encourage people to dispose of their chewing gum properly and use the bins provided. Funded by major gum manufacturers including Mars, Wrigley and Perfetti Van Melle, with an investment of up to 10 million spread over five years, the task force was established by DEFRA (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) and is currently run by environmental charity, Keep Britain Tidy. A spokesperson for Keep Britain Tidy said: Chewing gum continues to be an unsightly form of litter in our public spaces though thankfully the scheme is leading to significant reductions. People need to remember that disposing irresponsibly of their gum causes harm to our environment as it takes years to decompose naturally and, ultimately, costs the public purse to clean it up. The Chewing Gum Task Force Grant Scheme is open to councils across the UK who wish to clean up gum in their local areas and invest in long-term behaviour change to prevent gum from being dropped in the first place. Monitoring and evaluation carried out by Behaviour Change a not-for-profit social enterprise - has shown that in areas that benefitted from the first year of funding, a reduced rate of gum littering was still being observed six months after the clean-up and installation of prevention materials. By combining targeted street cleaning with specially designed signage to encourage people to bin their gum, participating councils last year achieved reductions in gum littering of up to 60% in the first two months. Derry City and Strabane District councillors have called for the resignation of Stormont Education Minister Paul Girvan (DUP). Following his widely publicised trip to Israel, a proposal submitted by Cllr Shaun Harkin (PBP) and seconded by Cllr Gary Donnelly (Independent) was passed at Wednesdays full Council meeting, in spite of strong Unionist opposition. The motion described Minister Givans visit to Israel as a deeply abhorrent propaganda stunt for the purpose of white washing genocide in Gaza. Opening the discussion, Cllr Pat Murphy (Sinn Fein) said more than 100 people, including 46 children were murdered in Palestine on Tuesday, in spite of the ceasefire of sorts. He added: In the midst of the genocide, the Education Minister in the North, Paul Given, and other elected representatives from the Unionist community are visiting Israel. The grotesque images of a minister who presides over the education of every child in the North giving moral and political cover to a regime that has murdered 19,000 school children, according to conservative estimates, and wounded tens of thousands more, is truly appalling. Not far from where the minister is in Gaza, 90.97% of all school buildings have been either destroyed or critically damaged. Hundreds of teachers have been slaughtered. 625,000 pupils have had no school for almost two years. Three unions representing teachers in the North are outraged by the ministers visit. They cite the minister using the Departments official website to post a number of inappropriate social media posts and online news items as a cause for grave concern, said Cllr Murphy, who added the unions were right to be concerned. Our education system here in the North is in a mess and yet he deems it appropriate to visit Israel and prop up a genocidal government that stands accused of war crimes. said Cllr Murphy. Cllr Shaun Harkin branded Minister Givans trip to Israel a disgrace. It is a propaganda stunt designed to whitewash and normalise genocide and what Israel is doing, in addition to the slaughter of students inside Gaza - tens of thousands have been killed over the last couple of years and continue to be killed in the destruction of almost all of Gaza's education infrastructure, he added. The Minister says he went to Israel to see their wonderful and great education system because it's a democracy. Now, there are more than two million Palestinians living within Israel's 1948 borders. They don't live in Gaza and they don't live in the West Bank. They live in Israel and they are second class citizens in Israel and when it comes to education, they are completely second class citizens. Their schools are underfunded. The students are underfunded. The curriculum denies the existence of Palestinians and tells Palestinian students that the Nakba never happened. The Palestinian flag doesn't happen. It is an attempt to eradicate their existence. This is not a wonderful education system run by the Israeli Ministry of Education. It is an apartheid system and it is an absolute disgrace that our Education Minister is there right now and is using the official Department of Education social media to promote this event. I also believe we have to send a very strong message from this council. We should condemn this visit. We should support the Teaching Council and the teaching unions and their demand that the posts be removed from the Department of Education social media platforms. We should also call on the Minister to resign, said Cllr Harkin. Cllr Catherine McDaid (SDLP) said she was angry and sad the Education Minister had used the Assembly recess to go on a supposed fact finding trip to Israel in the middle of a confirmed genocide. She added: According to UNICEF, a classroom of children has been murdered every day for 25 months, so that just doesn't marry up. I am not sure anyone should be taking advice or tips from a country that has systematically murdered hundreds of thousands of innocent men, women, and children. I just wonder did he hear the constant drones and the bombs being dropped on the children beside him. It is appalling that a Minister would think it's in any way appropriate to engage and promote Israeli propaganda, said Cllr McDaid. Cllr Gary Donnelly said although Minister Girvans actions were grotesque they were not surprising. He added: Anybody that is surprised that at this stage that the DUP would do something like that has to be living in a bubble for the last number of years. It was not long ago people like Sammy Wilson, after the death of two Sinn Fein councillors on either side of the border, asked, Would council congratulate the people that did it? It is not surprising that a member of the DUP would travel and and openly gloat about a genocide and and the deaths of thousands of people. You know, Paul Girvan would comfortably fit into Netanyahu's rightwing government and he's not alone, said Cllr Donnelly. Cllr Shauna Cusack (Independent) posed the question: Why, of all the education systems in the world, exceptional education systems we could learn from such as Scandinavia, did the DUP Minister, in his wisdom, choose Israel to visit? I think the Education Minister ironically needs educating himself. The full text of the proposal read: Council agrees Education Minister Paul Givans visit to Israel is a deeply abhorrent propaganda stunt for the purpose of white washing genocide in Gaza. Council fully supports the criticisms levelled at Minister Givan by teaching unions and will write to the Department for Education to remove posts related to the trip. Council agrees an Education Minister who believes it is acceptable to stand with a state whose political leaders and military are charged with genocide, crimes against humanity, occupation and apartheid is not a fit person to oversee the educational welfare of our children. Council will write to the Education Minister calling on him to resign immediately. Please allow ads as they help fund our trusted local news content. Kindly add us to your ad blocker whitelist. If you want further access to Ireland's best local journalism, consider contributing and/or subscribing to our free daily Newsletter . Support our mission and join our community now. Save my User ID and Password Some subscribers prefer to save their log-in information so they do not have to enter their User ID and Password each time they visit the site. To activate this function, check the 'Save my User ID and Password' box in the log-in section. This will save the password on the computer you're using to access the site. Note: If you choose to use the log-out feature, you will lose your saved information. This means you will be required to log-in the next time you visit our site. US Senate votes against Trump's global reciprocal tariffs amid party division The US Senate voted 51-47 against President Donald Trump's use of emergency powers to impose global reciprocal tariffs, exposing rare dissent within the Republican Party. Four Republican senators joined Democrats in opposing the tariff policy, as reported by Bloomberg, The Hill, and NPR. While the resolution passed the Senate, it holds limited legal effect and serves primarily as a symbolic rebuke of Trump's trade strategies. Concerns over the impact of tariffs on the agriculture and manufacturing sectors have fueled divisions among Republicans. The resolution must now proceed to the House of Representatives for consideration, but House Speaker Mike Johnson has implemented rules preventing such votes, making further progress unlikely. This split among Republicans highlights unease within the party over the president's aggressive tariff policies. The 51 votes in favor fall short of the two-thirds majority needed to override any presidential veto, a measure Trump would likely enact should the resolution reach him. Previous Senate efforts to rescind tariffs on Brazil and Canada also passed, but face similar obstacles in the House. US Vice President JD Vance recently held a private meeting with Republican senators to emphasize the importance of maintaining external tariffs as strategic leverage in diplomatic negotiations. This followed Trump's Asia trip, during which he met Chinese President Xi Jinping. Both leaders agreed to extend their trade truce and pursue a new framework for negotiations. Meanwhile, the US Supreme Court is set to hear arguments on November 5 concerning the legality of Trump's emergency tariff authority. In August, a federal appeals court found that Trump overstepped his powers under the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act by imposing most of the tariffs, placing the administration's actions under judicial scrutiny. Article edited by Jack Wu Nvidia reportedly considers up to US$1 billion investment in AI startup Poolside Nvidia is reportedly preparing to invest up to US$1 billion in AI startup Poolside, potentially increasing the company's valuation to as high as US$12 billion. Poolside is currently in the midst of a US$2 billion funding round, with more than half of that amount already secured, according to Bloomberg sources familiar with the matter. Existing investors have committed approximately US$700 million, with hedge fund Magnetar also negotiating to join the financing round. If successful, Nvidia's stake could start at US$500 million and grow to US$1 billion. Part of the new capital will be allocated to purchasing Nvidia's GB300 chips, which are critical to the startup's technology infrastructure. Poolside has recently partnered with cloud provider CoreWeave to develop a large-scale data center project codenamed Horizon, located in West Texas. The facility is expected to have a power draw of around 2 GW, comparable to the electricity consumption of 1.5 million households. This project underscores Poolside's ambitions to scale its AI capabilities significantly. This is not Nvidia's initial investment in Poolside. Earlier reports from TechCrunch indicated that Poolside raised US$500 million in a Series B round in October 2024, led by Bain Capital Ventures and including Nvidia and eBay as participants. That round brought Poolside's total funding to about US$626 million and valued the company at roughly US$3 billion. Founded in 2023 by former GitHub CTO Jason Warner and entrepreneur Eiso Kant, Poolside operates offices in the US and Paris. The company specializes in AI-driven code automation and focuses heavily on applications serving government and defense sectors. Its long-term goal is to develop artificial general intelligence (AGI) that surpasses human intellectual capabilities. Warner played a key role in developing GitHub's AI-assisted coding tool Copilot, while Kant has founded several engineering data companies. The two have a nearly six-year history of collaboration, which led to the creation of Poolside's AI-centered programming suite. According to PitchBook, Nvidia had invested in 59 AI startups by mid-October 2025, exceeding the total number of investments it made in 2024. Noteworthy companies in its portfolio include AI search engine Perplexity AI and humanoid robotics firm Figure AI, demonstrating Nvidia's broadening footprint in artificial intelligence technologies. Nvidia's increased commitment to Poolside aligns with its strategy to deepen its presence in the AI sector, leveraging its hardware and expertise to support startups advancing cutting-edge AI innovations. The company's involvement in Poolside's growth and infrastructure development adds to a series of significant investments aimed at accelerating AI research and deployment across multiple industries. Article edited by Jack Wu Why SK Hynix skipped the fried chicken and beer summit When Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang arrived in South Korea, global attention turned to a viral "chimaek" (fried chicken and beer) dinner on October 30 featuring Samsung Chairman Lee Jae-yong and Hyundai Executive Chair Chung Eui-sun. Yet, the spotlight shifted the following day to SK Groupand particularly its memory arm, SK Hynix, which co-headlined a landmark AI infrastructure deal that analysts have called a strategic win. The question hanging over the spontaneous Gangnam gathering was straightforward: why was SK Hynix, Nvidia's largest supplier of high-bandwidth memory (HBM) for AI chips, conspicuously absent? Strategic sequencing: why SK missed the photo op The absence of SK Group Chairman Chey Tae-won from the headline-grabbing chimaek summit was less a diplomatic slight than a matter of logistics and timing. Sources familiar with the matter said the dinner was never meant to be a formal "Korea Inc." meeting. Huang himself described it as simply wanting to "eat chimaek with friends," not hold a press conference, and the informal venue could accommodate only a small circle. Moreover, Chairman Chey was in final preparations for the APEC CEO Summit in Gyeongju, some 250 kilometers away, on the same evening of October 30. Travel constraints made attendance impractical. SK Group later confirmed that Chey had prioritized summit obligations and already had a separate, formal meeting with Huang scheduled for October 31. In the end, while Samsung and Hyundai enjoyed what many in Korea dubbed "cultural theater"a photo-friendly display of camaraderieSK hynix secured the real substance. As one online comment succinctly put it, "SK hynix is in the GPU, not the photo. They're fine." The next day's focus: HBM and the 50,000-GPU AI factory While others were sharing chicken, SK hynix was securing its role at the heart of Korea's AI future. At the APEC Summit on October 31, Nvidia announced an expanded partnership with SK Group to build an AI factory dedicated to semiconductor research, development, and production. The facility will deploy more than 50,000 Nvidia GPUs and is expected to become one of Korea's largest AI factories when completed in late 2027. At its core, the collaboration cements SK Hynix's position in the advanced AI platform supply chain: HBM advancements: Joint efforts will focus on developing next-generation SK Hynix high-bandwidth memory (HBM) and other advanced memory solutions for Nvidia GPUs. AI-driven chip design: Using Nvidia's CUDA-X technologies and the PhysicsNeMo framework, SK Hynix will apply AI-based physics simulation to accelerate chip design and verification, enabling faster, more precise product development. Digital transformation: The AI factory will support SK subsidiaries such as SK Hynix and SK Telecom. SK Hynix is building autonomous fab digital twins via Nvidia's Omniverse platform to simulate and optimize operations in real time, advancing toward self-optimizing manufacturing. Workforce productivity: AI-powered agents built with Nvidia NIM microservices will help enhance productivity across SK Hynix's 40,000-plus employees, from R&D engineers to fab operators. Huang called SK Group a "vital memory technology partner," enabling the creation of the world's most advanced GPU computing platforms. Chairman Chey underscored the shared vision, saying the Nvidia AI factory will form the foundation to "build the infrastructure that powers the next generation of memory, robotics, digital twins, and intelligent AI agents." Article edited by Jack Wu The photographic exhibition 'It Matters' features the innovative work of Julie Corcoran, marking one year since she received the Louth County Arts Office Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Bursary to develop her photographic art practice at the Creative Spark Darkroom. Hosted at the Creative Spark Downtown Hub in Dundalk from Wednesday November 6th to December 2nd, this exhibition explores the intersection of photography, environment, and community, with a focus on sustainability, reuse, and connection. Drawing inspiration from Donna J. Haraways words, It matters what stories make worlds, what worlds make stories, Julie Corcoran critically examines how photographic materials shape photographic practice and the stories told through images. Her work responds to the environmental impact of photographic processes, from chemical image fixing to the resource-demanding shift to digital photography. READ NEXT: Biggest ever Frostival Festival coming to Dundalk this festive season Julies exhibition showcases experimental prints made with low-toxic, eco-conscious image-making techniques. Using Faugharts Old Graveyard as inspiration, she incorporates plant-based developers, soil, and both holy and sea water into her photographic practice. The resulting artworksprints, cyanotype rags and soil chromatographywere created in collaboration with the local environment around Brigids Well, emphasising respectful engagement with place and process. A core element of 'It Matters' is its collaborative spirit: Julie invited her online followers to donate unwanted photographic items that might otherwise be discarded. These relicsexpired film, lenses, prints, negatives, and even darkroom equipmentwere repurposed and reimagined in new works, foregrounding themes of reuse and creative sustainability. Julie Corcoran works out of Bo Studios, with longstanding support from An Tain Arts Centre, Louth County Arts Office, and the Arts Council of Ireland. She is a member of both Creative Spark Print Studio and Darkroom, whose community ethos continues to shape her evolving artistic practice. Visitors are invited to reflect on what photographs can becomenot only as objects but as agents of ecological awareness and transformation. 'It Matters' challenges all who attend to consider the environmental consequences of image-making, the potential for renewal, and the power of collective creativity to weave new stories for our shared world. All are welcome to the opening of 'It matters...' exhibition on Wednesday, 6th November 2025 at 7pm. A Louth based residential centre for adults with disabilities has received a glowing report from the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA), achieving full compliance across all 16 areas inspected. The inspection, carried out on July 16, 2025, reviewed High Lane, a four-bedroom bungalow operated by St John of God Community Services CLG. The centre, located in a rural part of County Louth, is home to four adult male residents who are supported by a team of nurses, social care workers and healthcare assistants on a 24-hour basis. Inspectors described the home as warm and relaxed, with residents appearing happy, comfortable, and at ease with staff. The report noted that residents, many of whom communicate non-verbally, were treated with respect and supported to engage in community activities and day trips tailored to their needs. HIQA inspectors found that the centre had made significant improvements since its previous inspection in 2024. In particular, they highlighted stronger governance and management structures, enhanced documentation, and more opportunities for residents to take part in meaningful activities. All 16 regulations assessed, including staffing, governance, health care, communication, and fire safety, were rated compliant, meaning the centre met all statutory requirements under the Health Act 2007. Inspectors praised the professionalism and commitment of the staff team, noting that training records were up to date and that performance appraisals were regularly carried out. Training covered a wide range of areas, including safeguarding, fire safety, infection control, first aid, epilepsy care, and a human rights-based approach. The report found that residents personal plans and health care needs were assessed and regularly reviewed, with support plans guiding staff to provide consistent, person-centred care. The centre also demonstrated strong oversight of residents finances. High Lane was described as clean and well-maintained, with ongoing plans for minor repair work. Fire safety systems, including regular drills and staff training, were also found to be effective. Inspectors verified that all residents had personal evacuation plans and that staff were familiar with emergency procedures. While residents primarily communicate through non-verbal means, inspectors observed positive interactions throughout the day. Staff were praised for their sensitivity and ability to interpret residents gestures, facial expressions, and preferences. Read Next: Dundalk IT students raise almost 4,000 for cancer charities In one example, a resident who had recently moved into the home in June 2025 had been supported through a detailed transition plan, with family involvement and preparation visits helping ensure a smooth move. In conclusion, HIQA stated that the centre provides a good service that meets residents needsand commended the provider for responding effectively to previous recommendations. The inspection found that governance systems were robust, quality audits were carried out monthly, and any identified issues were addressed promptly. Louth TD and The Labour Partys Finance spokesperson, Deputy Ged Nash, has said plans by PTSB to sell the bank should proceed with absolute caution. On Thurday, the Board of Permanent TSB Group Holdings plc (PTSB) announced the commencement of a Formal Sale Process (FSP) for PTSB. PTSB is currently owned by a number of institutional and retail shareholders. The State is PTSBs majority shareholder at 57.4%, having invested 4 billion in the bank following the banking collapse. The Minister for Finance is supportive of the Boards decision to commence the FSP. Commenting on Thursday following the announcement by PTSB, Deputy Nash said: The only guiding principle FF and FG appears to have on the banks in which the State has held shares, is to put them back into full private ownership at the earliest opportunity. The announcement by PTSB today is the logical conclusion of that policy. Labour has long been of the view that the State should continue to hold a strategic shareholding not below 33% in PTSB, in order to retain some influence in an environment where competition is a significant problem for customers and for the indigenous economy. Read also: PHOTOS: Network Ireland Louth hosts Authenticity in Business event The Minister for Finance, as the main shareholder must proceed with absolute caution, mindful of the way in which the banks have been managed, when in full private ownership, in the recent past. Government and indeed the regulator must be clear that a condition of any sale must be to protect the existing physical branch network and to ensure that there is no negative impact on jobs at PTSB. A convicted murderer who is alleged to have gone on the run from prison in Northern Ireland for the second time in three years has asked a judge to delay surrendering him back to the North so that authorities can consider transferring his sentence to the Republic. A search was launched for James Meehan (56) after he failed to return to Magilligan prison in Derry while on day release in December 2024. He was arrested by gardai in August on foot of extradition warrants issued under the Trade and Co-operation Agreement. Meehan, who previously had addresses in Derry City and Headfort Grove, Kells, Co Meath, was sentenced in 2009 to life imprisonment with a minimum of 14 years to be served - for the murder of Derry man Jim McFadden in May 2007. The High Court previously heard that Meehan was born in Co Louth and raised in neighbouring Co Meath. Read also: Woman who claimed to be the victim of sextortion admitted possessing proceeds of crime In addition to the warrant for Meehan to return to the North to serve his murder sentence, a second warrant was issued for him to be prosecuted in Northern Ireland for being unlawfully at large. A conviction under the Northern Irish legislation could carry a prison sentence of up to two years. Counsel for the prosecution, Leanora Frawley BL, told the court today that Meehan was granted temporary unaccompanied leave from prison to meet family members on December 9 2024, but he never returned. Ms Frawley said that this was not Meehans first rodeo when it comes to extradition matters and that a similar case concerning Meehan was before the courts around a year ago. Defence counsel for Meehan, Brian Storan BL, said that his actions are a measure of how he wants to be with his family in the State. He said that Meehan had applied to have his life sentence transferred from the North to the South in 2017 and that he would be a perfect candidate for it. He asked for the judge to consider putting a stay on the surrender in order for Meehans application for transfer to be focused on and given real consideration by the authorities. Mr Justice Paul McDermott said that someone moving on their own bat south of the border and taking it on themselves to say here I am, I want to transfer is not the way the process is envisaged to work. Mr Storan said that his client is clearly still trusted with temporary release by both the authorities of the Irish state and Northern Ireland and highlighted that he was granted bail immediately without complaint from the DPP. He said that he was not asking the judge to refuse the surrender of his client, but to put a stay on the order in the interest of justice. Mr Justice McDermott said that he would not make a decision on the matter, but adjourned proceedings until November 14 in order for the defence team to present evidence of correspondence between Meehan and the Northern Irish authorities in relation to his application to transfer his sentence. Meehan was previously extradited to Northern Ireland less than two years ago, after he was described by the Prison Service there as being unlawfully at large. He had argued that the punitive part of his sentence had been served and that he had actually been released from prison on licence when he came to live here in 2022. However in December 2023, the High Court found there was "clear evidence" that the terms of Meehan's release from prison had been breached and ordered his surrender to Northern Ireland. What possessed a mother of three young children to uproot the family and live for a year in one of the most isolated parts of the world? In 1989, Geraldine Osborne, who was a locum GP in Castletownbere, her artist husband Danny Osborne, as well as five-year-old Tempy, two- year-old Orla and baby Oisin, took off to live in the tiny Inuit settlement of Grise Fiord in the northernmost community of Canada. More than 1,000 kilometres above the Arctic Circle, it is extremely cold in winter, below -40 degrees, and its in complete darkness for about three months of the year. On top of such inhospitable conditions, Danny had to train their dog team to prepare for a perilous dog-sledge journey across the frozen sea to retrace the route of the last Inuit migration to Greenland. Geraldine, who has written a fascinating book about the whole experience entitled Somewhere Cold, says it was really Dannys idea to go to the Arctic. But she always felt she would make the journey one day. Life is short, said Danny. This goaded Geraldine into making the decision to go. And Danny had experience of the Arctic, having spent three months there in 1981 as part of a three-man team making up the first Irish Arctic expedition, which resulted in an art exhibition by him and an RTE Radio documentary. Danny first went to the Arctic in 1977, where he painted. He and Geraldine had gone on trips to South America and the Tibetan Himalayas, but left the children in the care of relatives. We could actually take the children to the Arctic and the trip was very much designed around them, says Geraldine. I was really excited about it. While I didnt have a fear that anything terrible would happen to them, I did fear that it might be too hard on them, too cold, too miserable. But it worked out fine. However, we couldnt make the journey of the last Inuit migration to Greenland because of climate change. That caused the sea ice to open on our planned route. The ice (in 1989) was particularly low. We set off, but hunters told us the ice had moved out so we had to change our plan. We ended up doing a lot of trips. When the children were in the sledge, the hypnotic movement of it made them sleep on the journeys across the snow-covered terrain. As a result, they were hyper-alert at night while we were very tired, said Geraldine. She admits she found the winter in the High Arctic difficult whereas the children didnt mind it at all. The lack of light resulted in Geraldine suffering SAD (seasonal affective disorder). I was irritable and tired. Your whole 24-hour clock was reset, she said. But once the light came back, we did lots of outdoor things like camping and just being outside. Once the spring and summer came, it was fabulous. The family didnt hire guides as that would have been expensive. The trip took a lot of organisation. We had to do a lot of research and preparation. I had to put a lot of faith in Danny because he had experience of the Arctic. Resourcefulness was all part of the life-changing experience. Danny had to build a sledge driven by the dogs he had trained. Geraldine had to make an amauti (a special baby sling worn on the back of the mother). While most people in their community used skidoos (snow mobiles), Geraldine and Danny wanted a traditional Inuit life. The cover of Geraldine's new book. The people they encountered were quite intrigued by us and very generous, said Geraldine, who found the Inuit people initially reserved, but once barriers were broken down, they became friends for life. We ate a lot of country food which are the traditional foods of the Inuit. Its very nutritious and cheap. Seal is very good for you and very bloody. Im sure its full of iron. It has the texture of beef but is very strongly fishy tasting I wasnt too fond of it but we did eat it. We ate caribou and muskox also. Most people, apart from the elders, spoke English. Geraldine was interested in the stories of the older folk and would converse with them with the help of translators. The dogs that Danny trained were working animals and definitely not pets. I was pretty vigilant all the time that the children didnt go near the dogs, said Geraldine. Theyre dangerous to children. But it wasnt a big worry. I just watched and the children didnt bother the dogs. Life back in West Cork got in the way of Geraldine writing the book when she returned. Between her demanding job as a doctor and looking after the children, she put aside the four chapters she initially wrote. It wasnt until I retired two-and-a-half years ago that I took out the book again, she said. I always knew I would write it. I had lots of notes and Danny kept a very good journal when he was out with the dogs in the Arctic. There was a lot of material to dip into. I had very vivid memories of the whole year. It was probably the most exciting trip weve ever made. Danny, whose best known work is the Oscar Wilde monument in Dublins Merrion Square, illustrated the book, published by Mercier Press. It is a compelling mix of travel, memoir, nature, and cultural observation that also features striking photographs. Perfect for armchair travellers who can only marvel at the sense of adventure of the Osbornes. Terence MacSwiney had three funerals, the first of which was in London, and more than a century after the death in Brixton Prison of the then lord mayor of Cork after 74 days on hunger strike, the anniversary of his passing is marked every year. Last weekend, 105 years after MacSwineys death, Londons Irish community gathered outside Brixton Prison for the commemoration ceremony. After the murder of his predecessor and friend Tomas MacCurtain on March 20, 1920, Terence MacSwiney was elected lord mayor of Cork. Arrested on August 12 for sedition, he immediately began a hunger strike and was sentenced to two years imprisonment in Brixton Prison. The then Evening Echo reported British soldiers, carrying rifles with fixed bayonets, had passed a jeering crowd to arrest the Lord Mayor, who, it was generally known, was in the City Hall. Word came that he had successfully eluded the military, and the report undoubtedly subdued to a great extent the natural disposition. The rumour was, unfortunately, incorrect, for amongst the first arrests affected was the Lord Mayor. The hunger strike gained global attention, and protests were held across the world, with four South American nation appealing to Pope Benedict XV to intervene. Terence MacSwineys death, at the age of 41, on October 25, 1920, made international headlines and propelled the struggle for Irish freedom to the forefront of global politics. He was given three funerals, the first in Southwark Cathedral in London, the second in Dublin, despite British authorities diverting his coffin to Cork, and the third in his native city. Tens of thousands of people attended each ceremony. Terence MacSwiney's coffin leaving the North Cathedral in October 1920. Picture: Mercier Archives On Monday, November 1, 1920, the Evening Echo reported that the lord mayors funeral had brought not just Cork, but much of the country, to a standstill. The last sad scenes in the funeral obsequies of Lord Mayor MacSwiney, the martyr of Brixton Prison, were enacted in Cork yesterday under circumstances that strikingly demonstrated the great esteem and respect in which he was held by all creeds and classes, and the profound grief that his tragic death produced. On Sunday last, some 60 people gathered outside the walls of HMP Brixton. The keynote speaker for the days proceedings was Thomas Gould, Sinn Fein TD for Cork North-Central. Mr Gould appealed to those living in London to support the campaign to build a new and united Ireland. Citing the example of Terence MacSwiney, he offered solidarity to the people of Palestine. Paying tribute to those Irishmen and women forced to leave Ireland in recent decades, Mr Gould said their sacrifice had not been forgotten back home. One of the other speakers, Palestinian activist Samar Maquishi, spoke of the unwavering support of the Irish people for the cause of Palestine, saying: Even if the whole world was quiet, the Irish wont be silenced. The election of Catherine Connolly as Uachtaran na hEireann was marked at the gathering, with praise for her support for extending the vote in presidential election to those in Northern Ireland. The Proclamation was read, and music was provided by London-Irish balladeer Sean Brady, and Tom Lynch on the Uilleann Pipes. Ford Ireland has announced it has raised 26,310 for the Irish Guide Dogs from its Drive 4 UR Community campaign, which held an event in Cork last month. Over five weekends in September and October 2025, Ford donated 30 to Irish Guide Dogs for every test drive taken at Drive 4 Ur Community events nationwide across Cork, Galway, Kildare, Limerick and Dublin. Irish Guide Dogs currently supports nearly 400 guide and assistance dog partnerships across Ireland, empowering people who are vision impaired and the families of children with autism to live with greater independence and confidence. Despite initiatives such as Drive 4 Ur Community providing funding, the need continues to grow with many more people waiting for the chance to experience the life-changing impact of a guide or assistance dog. Tim OMahony, Chief Executive of Irish Guide Dogs, said: Having a guide dog or assistance dog is simply life-changing in which a whole world of independence and mobility opens. With thanks to the ongoing generosity and commitment of supporters like Ford Ireland, we can continue training more dogs, expanding our reach, and ensuring that no one is left waiting for the independence, mobility and companionship these extraordinary dogs provide. John Manning, Ford Irelands market lead, added: Ford Ireland is proud that it can today announce the 26,310 donation to Irish Guide Dogs through our Drive 4 UR Community events. This partnership truly reflects what Ford Building Together is all about, supporting organisations that make a real and lasting difference in the community. Through this nationwide initiative, we invited people across Ireland to get behind the wheel and make a difference, totaling 877 test drives throughout 6 weekends, facilitated at our Drive 4 Ur Community events. For every test drive, we donated 30 directly to Irish Guide Dogs, helping them continue their incredible work empowering people who are vision impaired and families of children with autism. The company behind plans for a 174-room Premier Inn hotel on the site of the former Leisureplex say construction will get underway in the coming months. The hotel on the corner of MacCurtain St and Brian Boru St will be the second Premier Inn in Cork. Whitbread plc, the hotels parent company, was granted permission for the new hotel by Cork City Council, with construction to begin in early 2026. That will be approximately two years after the opening of its first Cork hotel, on Morrisons Quay. The hotel will range from one to seven stories and contain 174 bedrooms, as well as other facilities, including a reception area, lobby, public bar, restaurant, kitchen, cold room, storage areas, administration and staff facilities and bicycle-parking area. About 40 team members are expected to work at the hotel, with recruitment focused in the city. We have always felt very welcome in Cork, ever since we opened the doors to our first hotel in January 2024, Matt Gent, the companys development manager for Ireland, said. Securing a planning grant for a second hotel is wonderful news for us and our customers, and Im grateful to everyone who has been involved in getting us to this stage. With our success here, I am hoping it wont be long before I can share more positive news of our growth across the country and take another step in delivering against our ambitions for 5,000 Premier Inn rooms in Ireland. Mr Gent said that target is a key focus for the company. A key ingredient to Premier Inns success is its wide customer appeal, Mr Gent said. The brand works equally well in popular towns and leisure locations as it does in global destinations such as Dublin, London, Berlin, and Dubai. Its one of the reasons why we believe so strongly in the opportunity for Premier Inn in locations right across Ireland and why we uplifted our network target to 5,000 Premier Inn rooms and 11 target regional locations. Last summer, the business announced its ambition for a network of hotels across Ireland, seeking a presence in 11 regional locations, where it wishes to focus its expansion, alongside further growth in the capital. These include tourist hotspots such as Killarney, Kilkenny, Kinsale, Sligo, Tralee, and Westport, as well as growth in larger towns and cities. A 52-year-old man who targeted parcels delivered to the front door of apartments has been jailed for eight months. Judge Mary Dorgan said one of the thefts in particular was nasty, as the young woman was pregnant and her father had sent her 300 worth of baby clothes and items from the family for the pending arrival. The judge imposed a total sentence of eight months on David Jones who was living at an apartment at Grattan Court, Glanmire Rd, Cork. Sergeant Aisling Murphy said that on August 25, 2023, David Jones stole a pair of womens boots valued 267 delivered in a package to the front door of another apartment at Grattan Court after 10.30am. At around the same time in the morning on August 30, 2024, he stole the package containing 300 worth of baby items. On June 27 of this year, he stole an e-scooter, which had been locked at Kent Station. Frank Buttimer said the accused is a father of seven and that he has health difficulties. Judge Dorgan said in relation to the parcel of baby items that the theft of that would have been hugely upsetting. That was a nasty matter, Judge Dorgan said. When he has seven children himself, I hope he thinks about that because it was not nice. As for the theft of the scooter, the judge surmised that the owner may have been returning by train at night to find their scooter stolen, and that to begin with they would have had difficulty getting home. The judge said that if the sentence was appealed, conditions would include staying away from apartment blocks and from Kent Station. A 91-year-old woman was violently shaken by a man from her neighbourhood who smashed his way into her home on St Stephens night shouting at her for cash, ripping off her duvet and cutting her phone line as she lay terrified in bed fearing an even more serious attack. Today, 39-year-old Thomas Murray of 186 Rathpeacon Road, Cork, was sentenced to five-and-a-half years in prison at Cork Circuit Criminal Court, backdated to January when he was arrested for this violent crime. Detective Garda Brian Murphy, who investigated the burglary, described it as violent, premeditated, callous and disturbing. Judge Helen Boyle said the victim was terrified and remains extremely frightened to this day as a result of the traumatic experience of this targeted burglary. Donal OSullivan, defence senior counsel, said the signed plea of guilty was a significant matter and said the defendants previous convictions were for drugs and public order offences with none for assault, robbery, burglary or trespassing. He does feel disgusted at himself. He is remorseful. He knew the lady and he knew she was an older lady. He says he did not know she was 91. There was some planning but it was not crime of the century. "He was going through a very bad phase of his life and was desperate to get money for drugs and he left with 10, Mr OSullivan said. Prosecution barrister Katherine McGillicuddy handed in the victim impact statement which was not read out in court. Detective Garda Murphy outlined the background to the incident which was effectively carried out on St Stephens night a night that has a special place in the calendar for many Irish people, Judge Boyle commented. The detective said that during the summer of 2024, Mr Murray had done some lawnmowing and odd jobs at the home of the victim whose home he burgled at around 3am on December 27 2024. Det Garda Murphy said the intruder entered the womans home at Closes Road, Farranree, Cork, on December 27 when she was asleep in her bed and that he shook her violently and shouted at her asking where her purse was. CCTV in the area captured lights going on and off in various rooms in the house. He searched in particular around a downstairs armchair before going upstairs. He gained entry by smashing a rear kitchen window. Thomas Murray proceeded to pull the pillows from under her and stripped the duvet off the bed. When the injured party attempted to call 999, the male grabbed the phone line from her and cut the phone line preventing her from making the call. He searched the bedroom drawers for money before leaving via a back door. Gardai from the serious investigations units initiated an investigation. The homeowner made a detailed statement saying that the man who carried out this burglary was the man who had completed jobs for her during the summer of 2024. Thomas Murrays movements were tracked on CCTV from his home at Rathpeacon Road by bicycle to the victims house and back home again by bicycle within approximately 20 minutes. Judge Boyle imposed a sentence of six years with the last six months suspended. A man who threatened to kill a woman serving lunches at Cork Penny Dinners will be sentenced on November 25. Flavio Andrade, aged 33, of Shamrock Place, College Road, Cork, appeared before Cork Circuit Criminal Court on a signed plea of guilty to making the death threat. His barrister, Elaine Audley, applied for an extension of free legal aid for a medical report on the accused. Judge Helen Boyle acceded to that application and adjourned the case for sentencing. Sergeant Gearoid Davis previously outlined the background to the incident which occurred at around lunchtime on May 1, 2022, as Garda David OSullivan responded to a call to Penny Dinners on Little Hanover Street, Cork. Garda OSullivan met with a woman who had been serving food at the well-known service. She was visibly shaken. She alleged that while serving Flavio Andrade he became extremely aggressive pointing his finger in her direction stating that he was going to kill her, Sgt Davis said. The sergeant said that the wording of the threat was: Ill kill you, I can kill you anytime. Im ex-military so I can kill you anytime. It is alleged that he later added: Ill track you down. I will find where you live. And if I go to Portugal for 15 years and come back I will still track you down. You will be no more. Tesco has launched a significant festive recruitment drive as it seeks to fill 75 Cork jobs this Christmas. Applications are now open through the Tesco website for those interested in applying for more than 1,100 temporary roles across Ireland, with flexible opportunities for those seeking work during the busy season. As part of Tescos seasonal recruitment drive, the retailer is recruiting helpful and friendly people for shifts in the early morning, daytime, and evening from November onwards. Along with competitive terms and conditions, from day one, all people joining the Tesco team will benefit from the retailers broader reward and benefits package, which includes free access to an online GP via video consultations and online prescriptions. Family members living at the same address can also avail of this service at a reduced cost. There are also free food offerings at all stores, and emotional support, counselling, and access to wellbeing services for colleagues and their families through Tescos employee assistance programme. Maurice Kelly, people director at Tesco Ireland, commented: Were delighted to be creating over 1,100 festive roles across the country this Christmas. These roles will support our existing colleagues to help us deliver the best possible service to customers throughout the festive season and provide new team members with access to an industry-leading benefits package from day one. If youre not already part of the team and are looking for extra hours or want to give retail a try, this is a fantastic time to join our team and make a real difference in your local community. Tesco encourages interested candidates to apply online as soon as possible on their website. After Christmas, temporary colleagues will have the opportunity to apply for available permanent roles in existing stores or new Tesco locations planned for the coming year. Last year, my admiration for Yorgos Lanthimos hit a stumbling block. I have loved his unique and eccentric films since 2011s The Lobster, but I felt disappointed by 2024s Kinds Of Kindness. Although it contained the usual obscure Lanthimos elements, it struck me as nihilistic compared to his previous films, which, despite their peculiarity, still possess some sense of humanity. I am pleased to say that the five-time Oscar nominee has returned to form with Bugonia. It is just as strange as his earlier films, but this time, it lacks any hints of nihilism. This film marks the directors fifth collaboration with the Irish production company Element Pictures, and his fourth time working with Emma Stone, who won an Oscar for Lanthimoss Poor Things and was nominated for his The Favourite. In Bugonia, Jesse Plemmons plays a beekeeper named Teddy who lives in a ramshackle but much-loved house with his cousin Don (Aidan Delbis). Teddys mother has been in an induced coma for many years, and Don is the only family member he has left. When he isnt tending to his bees, Teddy works for a parcel-sorting company owned by the icy pharmaceutical mogul Michelle (Emma Stone). At 45, she is one of the most prominent figures in the pharmaceuticals industry, admired and feared in equal measure. She has graced the covers of Forbes and Time, met presidents and geniuses, and she is acutely aware of her success. There is no hint of humility in Michelles world. Theres a reason she has reached the pinnacle of her career at such a young age, particularly in a male-dominated industry. Teddy is a conspiracy theorist, but not just any casual conspiracy enthusiast who lurks on social media and shares random ideas under a pseudonym. He is a dedicated, diehard conspiracy theorist who believes so intensely in his theories that he is willing to risk everything to prove their validity. Michelle doesnt know it yet, but she is at the centre of Teddys conspiracy. He believes wholeheartedly that she is an alien from an alien race known as the Andromedans. He is convinced that the Andromedans have inserted themselves into positions of power worldwide, and he has conducted extensive research to support his claims. Teddy has convinced Don that everything he believes is accurate, and he has a plan to show the rest of the world. He is going to kidnap Michelle and force her to admit the truth. Don is easily influenced, he has some type of intellectual disability, which makes it difficult for him to challenge Teddy. As a result, he follows everything Teddy says. Teddy isnt leading him astray out of malice or taking advantage of his condition. He genuinely believes that by taking Michelle, he will save the world and make it a safer place for Don. Teddy had planned every inch of the mission to capture Michelle, but he didnt realise that she was skilled in martial arts. Kidnapping her is not as easy as he thinks, but he and Don finally manage to get her into the back of a car and drive away with her back to their house. Teddy is convinced that Andromedans communicate with their planet through their hair, so his first act is to shave Michelles head in a scene where Stones actual hair is removed. He also believes that her species can give off vibes through their skin, so he lathers her head to foot in thick cream. It is the first act of defence against Michelle before he turns to more extreme measures. After Michelles initial shock, she begins to try various tactics to persuade Teddy and Don to release her. She negotiates with them, alternating between playing good cop and bad cop. She reminds them of her importance to the company and how many police will be searching for her. She is desperate to be free, but isnt willing to play all of her hands until the time is right. It proves challenging to negotiate with conspiracy theorists, especially one who believes she is an alien. Will she ever escape? Stone, as always, commits wholeheartedly to her performance, but it is Plemmons who really shines. He elicits sympathy despite being a kidnapper, and that is no mean feat. As with any Lanthimos film, you never really know which direction it will go, and this is no exception. It takes wild leaps, jumps into the land of the bizarre, and will alienate some viewers; his films always do, but it is brilliant in a bonkers way. Lanthimos is back! Bugonia, in cinemas, Oct 31, cert 15, **** Sean McCarthaigh A locum GP who practised without professional indemnity insurance and failed to notify an employer of conditions imposed on him by the High Court has been found guilty of professional misconduct. A fitness-to-practise inquiry of the Medical Council found three allegations of professional misconduct proven against Dr Eltayeb Elkhabir a native of Sudan who has been registered to practise in Ireland since 2004 in relation to periods he was working as a locum in Dublin and Kildare. The chairperson of the inquiry, Marie Culliton, said the doctors actions were disgraceful and dishonourable and the findings of professional misconduct were deserving of the strongest criticism. Ms Culliton noted that the failure to have professional insurance indemnity also represented a breach of Section 38 of the Medical Practitioners Act 2007. Dr Elkhabir had admitted that before commencing work as a locum with Medixclinic, Beacon Court, Sandyford, Co Dublin, and while working there between December 19th, 2022, and January 6th, 2023, he failed to notify his employer about conditions attached to his registration by a High Court order from November 2013. The married father of four, who qualified as a doctor in 1996, also accepted that he had worked at Medixclinic at a time when he did not have any or appropriate professional indemnity cover in place. Dr Elkhabir further admitted that he had also worked at the MyDocs surgery in Newbridge and/or Naas, Co Kildare, for 11 days in December 2022 without professional indemnity insurance. However, he disputed the Medical Councils claims that his actions amounted to professional misconduct. Ms Culliton said the findings of the fitness-to-practise committee were based on Dr Elkhabirs own admissions and other evidence, including an email dated March 16th, 2023 which indicated the GP had been trying to source private medical indemnity cover for himself since February 2022 without success. She observed that the e-mail was proof of Dr Elkhabirs awareness of the need to have insurance cover in place to practise medicine. Ms Culliton pointed out that the e-mail contradicted the GPs own evidence that he had assumed that practices where he obtained locum employment would have had insurance that covered him to work for them. She noted that professional indemnity cover was a mandatory requirement for the protection of the public to ensure compensation was available for any patient harmed or injured as a result of negligence by a doctor. Ms Culliton said professional misconduct is conduct which is outrageous, disgraceful or immoral in character and which could lead to a decline of the standing of the profession and the loss of public confidence in doctors. She said the condition imposed by the High Court, which required him to notify any employer of the fact that there were conditions attached to his registration, was straightforward. The fitness-to-practise committees recommendation on the appropriate sanction to be imposed on Dr Elkhabir was not disclosed as it had to be determined by the Medical Council. The obligation on Dr Elkhabir to inform employers of conditions attached to his registration followed an order of the High Court made on November 27th, 2013. It arose after Dr Elkhabir had been found guilty of professional misconduct by a separate Medical Council fitness-to-practise inquiry in 2012 for making inappropriate comments to a patient and failing to attend to another patient within an adequate time frame. The finding was subsequently set aside on agreement between the parties after Dr Elkhabir sought to appeal the decision. Instead, he agreed to be censured and have conditions attached to his registration. Dr Elkhabir had also been sanctioned by the Medical Council in 2008 over an incident at St Columcilles Hospital, Loughlinstown, Co Dublin, in which he told a patient with epilepsy that the condition could be caused by sexual activity and could be seen as a sign of the devil in you. Counsel for the Medical Council, Eoghan OSullivan BL, also outlined at the latest inquiry how Dr Elkhabir had also faced another disciplinary process in 2014 regarding inappropriate comments to a patient. The GPs name went off the regulatory bodys register in 2016 but was restored in 2021, subject to the conditions of the High Court order from 2013. Women and businesses in Cork account for 13 of the 24 finalists for The Club Womens Network Female Founder Awards. The awards aim to champion women from across Ireland who are building purpose-led businesses. This year, there are 24 nominations for women and businesses across five categories: Newcomer of the Year, Solopreneur of the Year, Business of the Year, Positive Impact Award, and Contribution to The Club. The shortlisted nominees in Cork are: Maria Petco, Mr Mills Barber & Academy raising the bar for grooming and barber training in Cork, finalist for Newcomer of the Year Magdalena Zimowska, The Hideout Cafe & Art Gallery blending creativity, coffee, and community in East Cork, finalist for Newcomer of the Year Sharlene Daly, Hot Pilates Irelands first independent infrared Pilates studio, empowering through movement, finalist for Newcomer of the Year and Business of the Year Laura Jane Redmond, Wave & Cave Clothing creating bold, sustainable adventure wear inspired by nature, finalist for Solopreneur of the Year Katherina White, Katherina White Solicitors delivering high-quality, ethical, and client-focused legal services, finalist for Business of the Year Lowry OMahony, Max Physio & Pilates building Irelands leading physiotherapy and Pilates network, finalist for Business of the Year Samantha Halpin, Halpin Wealth Management making financial advice approachable, empowering, and jargon-free, finalist for Business of the Year Claire OBrien, Honest and Goodness Nutrition helping people restore energy, balance hormones, and feel well, finalist for Positive Impact Amelia McNamara, Graceful Accounting empowering women founders to achieve clarity and profit with purpose, finalist for Positive Impact and Contribution to The Club Sandra Hayes Buckley, Bright Balance Accounting helping clients find calm and confidence through financial clarity, finalist for Contribution to The Club Ezara Ahern Easter, Twelve South Creative helping founders grow visibility through strategy-driven PR and storytelling, finalist for Contribution to The Club. The Female Founder Awards are more than a ceremony - they are a celebration of Irish female entrepreneurship, community, and collaboration. Were so proud to host it for the third time and celebrate these women and the businesses theyve built. We received a record number of entries this year, and every finalist has a story of resilience, creativity, and contribution, said Sian Horn, founder of The Club Womens Network and host of The BeBelle Podcast. The female founder space in Ireland is really special, and these awards recognise the passion, innovation, and determination behind the businesses these women have created. The awards take place this year on November 7 at the Maryborough Hotel. Tickets to the awards are 150 and available at theclubwomensnetwork.com. (Photo: Albin Hillert/WCC)Participants at an October 24 to 28, 2025 meeting at the Logos Papal Center in Wadi El Natrun, Egypt to discuss the Nicean Creed, that binds Christians in seeking unity. Christians meeting in Egypt, 1,700 years after a key event in the history of their faith, have reaffirmed their commitment to the Nicene Creed, which states, "We affirm one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church" a call for unity. The event was held from October 24 to 28 at the Logos Papal Center in Wadi El Natrun, Egypt, according to the World Council of Churches. "Let us aspire to live the unity for which Christ prayed, that the world may believe and experience God's gifts of healing, justice and abundant life," the Sixth World Conference on Faith and Order said at its conclusion. It made a "Call to all Christians" as its message on the last day of the gathering. During a closing blessing, Pope Tawadros II of the Coptic Orthodox Church reflected that the church is still called to be a witness in the same way it was called 1,700 years ago at the Council of Nicaea. "This gathering unites us in the spirit of Nicaeathe spirit of faith, reflection, and the continued call to cooperation and love among all churches," he said. "This unity can only be achieved through theological dialogue among the churches." According to the WCC, the Sixth World Conference on Faith and Order, at its meeting in Wadi El Natrun in Egypt, wrestled with issues of the place of the church in the world and the question of "decolonising its theology and mission." "For us in the Caribbean, Egypt is also the site of another key biblical moment it is the place of forced labour, exploitation, imperial domination, one in which we learn the name and the power of God to deliver," Caribbean theologian Rev. Carlton Turner told a plenary on the fourth day of the conference. - 'WORDS OF BOB MARLEY' "It is where we hear the words, 'Let my people go.' It is the land of the Exodus, and we sing it, we hear it in the haunting words of Bob Marley," said Turner, deputy director of research at the Queen's Foundation for Ecumenical Theological Education in Birmingham, Britain. About 400 participants gathered for the conference, organized by the Commission on Faith and Order of the WCC, taking place at the Logos Papal Center of the Coptic Orthodox Church at Wadi El Natrun, southwest of Alexandria, Egypt. The conference is the centerpiece of the WCC's activities to mark the 1,700th anniversary of the First Ecumenical Council of Nicaea in AD 325, the first gathering of church leaders under the patronage of Roman Emperor Constantine I. Constantine was also known as Constantine the Great, and was a pivotal figure in Roman history, known for his conversion to Christianity and the establishment of Constantinople, present day Istanbul, as the new capital of the Roman Empire. The ancient city of Nicea is located within the modern Turkish city of Iznik. "The Council of Nicaea marked the transition from Christians being a persecuted minority to becoming a church recognised by the Roman State," but according to the WCC, it also raised issues about the entanglement of church and empire. The meeting was a highly politically motivated gathering, said the Rev. Evangelos Thiani of the Nairobi archdiocese of the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate of Alexandria and All Africa, in his presentation. "Under Constantine, the relationship between church and state took a new direction," he said. "The state's influence on religious affairs and theology, along with the church's use of the state in its missionary efforts and expansion, began to evolve." This fostered the form of political religiosity that still influences the political ecclesiology of Christians today, said Thiani. "While some churches have rejected the excessive closeness of the state and the church, others believe it is essential." Googles AI ambitions are global in scale, so much so that it has just agreed to give Gemini away for free in India to people using the country's biggest mobile provider. Thanks to a deal with Reliance Intelligence, an AI-focused subsidiary of Reliance Industries, people signed up to Jios Unlimited 5G plan will be offered Google AI Pro at no extra cost for 18 months. That means that qualifying users will have access to Gemini 2.5 Pro, Googles most advanced AI model. They will also benefit from higher limits for the Nano Banana and Veo 3.1 AI image and video generators, plus expanded access to NotebookLM. The plan also includes 2TB of cloud storage across Googles apps, for a total combined worth of around 35,100 rupees ($396) per user. The offer will initially be exclusive to Jio customers between the age of 18 and 25, but will eventually extend to all people on an eligible plan via the MyJio app. Jio is India's largest mobile network operator, and a company in which Google purchased a 7.7 percent stake worth $4.5 million in 2020. NVIDIA has teamed up with with South Korea's biggest companies and the country itself, as they build out their AI infrastructure. One of those companies is Samsung, which is building a new AI factory that will use 50,000 NVIDIA Blackwell server GPUs and other NVIDIA technologies to make its own chips. This "AI-driven semiconductor manufacturing," as the companies call it, will help Samsung improve its processes, better predict maintenance needs and improve the efficiency of its autonomous operations. NVIDIA will help Samsung adapt its chipmaking lithography platform to work with its GPUs, and it will apparently result in 20 times greater performance for Samsung. Korean carmaker Hyundai will also use 50,000 NVIDIA Blackwell GPUs to develop its AI models for manufacturing and autonomous driving. Meanwhile, the SK Group conglomerate, which includes SK Telecom and DRAM and flash memory chip supplier SK Hynix, will use 50,000 NVIDIA Blackwell server chips to launch an industrial AI cloud. The facility, NVIDIA says, will power the "next generation of memory, robotics, digital twins and intelligent AI agents." As Bloomberg reports, NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang, who's in South Korea for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation CEO Summit, was recently photographed with Samsung's Jay Y. Lee and Hyundais Chung Euisun in a local restaurant. Finally, NVIDIA is working with the South Korean government for its sovereign AI infrastructure, or AI it will have control over. The Korean government will deploy 50,000 NVIDIA GPUs to the National AI Computing Center it's establishing, as well to facilities owned by local companies that include Kakao and Naver. Some of the most successful creators on Facebook aren't names you'd ever recognize. In fact, many of their pages don't have a face or recognizable persona attached. Instead, they run pages dedicated to memes, animal videos and yes, AI-generated photos and videos. The people behind these pages are experts at creating content that can catch Facebook's algorithm and go viral. Successful pages can generate tens of thousands of dollars a month from performance bonuses, revenue-sharing and other monetization programs that pay Facebook creators for popular content. For years, Meta fostered this industry of viral content on Facebook. As the company transformed Facebook's main feed into a "discovery engine" of recommended posts from random pages and accounts, creators supplied a stream of content crafted for the algorithm. But over the last year, some creators say this dynamic has broken down. Meta has penalized creators for the very same content it once rewarded. Other creators have seen Facebook's payment systems break down due to glitches and other errors. Advertisement Advertisement One creator has become so frustrated, he's filed dozens of lawsuits in small claims court against Meta over the last year. Some of those lawsuits are related to missing payments and account issues he's experienced, but he's also brought 23 cases related to other creators' Facebook pages. As several of those cases are now winding their way through small claims court, he hopes his actions will bring attention to what he says is a wider breakdown in Meta's relationship with Facebook creators. The cases shine a light on how Meta's lack of human-centered customer service can impact creators who rely on the platform. But it also offers a glimpse into the volatile dynamics of viral Facebook content. Mel Bouzad is a former photojournalist for Getty Images who for the past eight years has made his living running popular Facebook pages with names like "The Meme Bros" and "FunkiestShitEver." He posts memes, travel content and AI-generated videos. Over the years, he's become an expert at figuring out what type of content is most likely to rack up views and comments on Facebook. "It's basically jumping on the trends as they're happening," he explains. "If you can jump on the trending topics right at the beginning, then you get the momentum, it kicks in the algorithm, and it sends your content viral. And if one post goes viral, the algorithm is going to send the next post viral, because it thinks the next post is going to get the same type of engagement." He's also learned little tricks for drawing more Facebook comments: adding a small error in a travel-focused listicle, or asking questions like "what's the most boring state in America?" Example of recent posts from one of Bouzad's travel-themed pages on Facebook. He estimates that at their peak, his pages collectively earned between $10,000 to $20,000 a month primarily from performance bonuses and in-stream video ads though they sometimes earned much more than that. Last September, 12 of his pages earned more than $68,0000 combined in performance bonuses, according to documents viewed by Engadget. Advertisement Advertisement But last year, five of his meme and travel pages were suddenly demonetized. The pages received a "monetization policy violation," a vague, catch-all term that can describe many supposed infractions. After some digging, he discovered they had been flagged for allegedly operating in a country ineligible for Meta's monetization programs. "To monetize, you must reside in an eligible country where the product or feature is available," a notice in the Facebook app said. "You may lose your ability to monetize if you move to an ineligible location or if Facebook changes product eligibility." Bouzad, who lives in the United States, assumed it was a misunderstanding and would be an easy fix. But, like so many others, he quickly found that getting help from Meta was far from straightforward. "Despite 20+ support tickets and using paid support, I receive only automated replies," he later wrote in his first filing in small claims court last November. Bouzad had heard of people using small claims court to get Meta's attention and decided to try it for himself. "I thought, I'm going to go in and sue for only one page something small, just to get in the door [and] speak to somebody." At that point, Meta was withholding $2,498 in payments from the page called "Man Cave USA," according to court documents. He requested Meta pay the outstanding balance, along with $409 to cover court fees and interest. His filing succeeded in getting a response from Meta. Bouzad said that about three weeks later he received a call from a law firm representing the social media company. After an extended back and forth, Meta eventually restored the page's ability to earn money. By February he officially dropped the case, telling the court that the company had "corrected the issue and remitted the payments owed." Meta's conflicting explanations While he was dealing with that case, he tried to resolve the issues related to his other pages. Since he was still in mediation with Meta for his "Man Cave USA" page, he asked Meta's representatives if they could help with his other pages. He says that during a mediation session over Zoom, Meta's legal reps told him they wouldn't help with other pages unless they were tied to a lawsuit. Advertisement Advertisement So in February he opened six new small claims court cases against the company. At the time, he said, Meta owed him more than $40,000 in unpaid invoices from accounts that had been wrongfully flagged; $15,000 of which were earnings from a single Facebook page. Because small claims court limits damages to $10,000 per case, he could only sue for a combined $35,000, but hoped that Meta would reinstate the payments if it were to re-examine his accounts. In the meantime, Bouzad continued to try to resolve his account issues through Meta's official support channels and received confusing, and sometimes downright conflicting, information. In one email, Meta support told him he had been flagged for "limited originality of content," but didn't explain. He also, again, received notifications saying that he was in a country that was "ineligible" for Meta's monetization programs. In two separate chats with Meta Verified, the social network's paid subscription service for customer support, he was informed that he was ineligible because his page was linked to a bank account in Malta. The representatives then closed the chats without giving him an opportunity to respond, according to screenshots viewed by Engadget. Bouzad was getting more and more frustrated. "One, I've never been to Malta, two, my bank is Wells Fargo and three, I live in Oregon," he says. A chat with Meta Verified support in which Bouzad was told his accounts were demonetized because his bank was based in Malta. Bouzad says he's only ever banked with Wells Fargo. He now sees his issues as part of a wider pattern from Meta. While the company had once provided him with a partner manager a Facebook employee who could help sort out issues and provide advice he hasn't had a dedicated contact at the company since 2020. Advertisement Advertisement To him, the problem is twofold: Meta has become overly reliant on artificial intelligence for content moderation, which results in too many errors. At the same time, he claims Meta has largely outsourced the customer service it does offer like through Meta Verified and these workers aren't able to handle the types of issues he and other creators increasingly encounter. Some creators who Bouzad has named in his lawsuits claim to have missed out on tens of thousands of dollars in payments for what they describe as glitches in Meta's processes. Brent, a creator who asked to be identified by his first name only, was running a successful Facebook page that posts history-themed AI-generated videos. One recent clip features a group of supposed German prisoners-of-war walking through the snow, accompanied by a caption claiming that some POWs chose to immigrate to Canada following the war after experiencing "humane treatment" from their captors. The page was doing well for a few months until April, when Meta asked Brent to verify his identity in order to keep receiving payments. His account had more than $11,000 in unpaid earnings at the time, according to documents reviewed by Engadget. Several months later, Brent has been unable to complete this seemingly mundane step, despite repeatedly providing Meta a copy of his ID. Brent says that the issue stems from Meta mistakenly classifying his payout account as a "private corporation" rather than a "personal account." He says he has spent thousands of dollars on Meta Verified (the highest tier costs $500 a month) and has opened numerous support cases but has not been able to get the issue resolved. Advertisement Advertisement Another creator is stuck after encountering a similar issue that prevented him from confirming the tax information associated with his payout account on Facebook. "My payout earnings were locked due to non editable 'greyed out' details when it came to entering tax information and other fields," the creator explained. "After about a year of trying to get support Meta finally came back with an archaic form to transfer the payout account to a new one associated with my page." But, after filling out the form for the transfer, Meta informed him that the more than $16,000 in unpaid earnings from his page were unable to be transferred to a new account. The creator, who asked to remain anonymous, has spent more than a decade running music-related pages championing independent artists on the platform. "We're collectively sick of how Meta treats everyone, failing to provide adequate support, reasoning, reports and outcomes for content creators," he told Engadget. "There's little to no consistency or confidence in their ability to fairly reward creators." He's also battling stage 4 cancer, and says the missing funds have interfered with his treatment, and added to the stress he's already facing. His doctors recently informed him he likely has only a few months left to live; he's still hoping to recover the missing funds. Gaps in support Social media is filled with numerous complaints about the ineffectiveness of Facebook's support tools, including Meta Verified. Daniel Abas, the president and founder of the Creators Guild of America, a nonprofit organization that advocates for creators, says that demonetization is a "chronic issue" affecting creators on many platforms, including Meta's. "What's really difficult is not having consistency in terms of the enforcement and having policies that are opaque, having appeals processes that are inconsistent," he said. Abas says that creators, especially high-earning ones, should have more resources to get support from companies like Meta. "Working with a web chat to get something resolved, or submitting an email to get something resolved, and not having that human touch is a major gap, and contributes to a lot of stress and a lot of uncertainty when you're trying to build a company." Advertisement Advertisement Meta has seemingly been changing some of the standards it has for creators on Facebook over the last year. The company in recent months began to crack down on creators sharing spammy and "low quality" content, though it only described a few specific examples of such activity, like pages that share posts with "long, distracting captions." The company does not prohibit creators from monetizing AI-generated content. In fact, Mark Zuckerberg recently said that Meta plans to add a "huge corpus" of AI content to its systems. Meta declined to provide a comment for this story. The company maintains Bouzad has violated its policies, and has argued his court cases involving other Facebook users should be dismissed. Bouzad insists that he has never intentionally violated Facebook's rules, and has grown frustrated with the company's changing explanations for why his pages have been demonetized. In an email with Meta Verified support, a customer service rep told him a recent violation for one of his travel pages was due to "Limited Originality of Contents," but didn't point to a specific post. During mediation, though, Meta's legal team claimed the same page had been generating views via "inauthentic engagement," according to documents reviewed by Engadget. Bouzad pushed back. "This wasnt manipulation it was performance-based exposure were being punished for the very behavior the system rewarded," he wrote in an email to Meta's legal team. Bouzad says that Facebook consistently rewarded his posts with higher reach before it accused him of manipulating views. In documents reviewed by Engadget, Meta doesn't explain its allegation of inauthentic engagement. But the company did tell Bouzad it would be willing to pay him $5,000 a fraction of what he claims to be owed to settle the cases even though it was standing by its decision to demonetize his pages. Bouzad declined. He believes that Meta is unfairly targeting him and other creators who run high-earning Facebook pages. Advertisement Advertisement Bouzad says he's heard countless stories from other creators who have also been hit with vague "monetization page violations" that have stalled their payments. Much like he experienced, these account flags don't describe the supposed infraction and don't give an opportunity for an appeal. This, he says, leaves creators with few options outside of the legal system. An unusual legal maneuver After filing his second batch of small claims court cases in February, he began to reach out to his network and started filing more cases. Bouzad is not a lawyer and has no legal training; he's relied on ChatGPT and Gemini to guide his legal strategy. Much of that strategy relies on showing that other creators have allowed him to sue on their behalf through a process known as an assignment of claims. He filed 25 such cases in 2025. Becoming a legal assignee is at best an unusual move for small claims court. Multiple legal experts contacted by Engadget said they had never heard of anyone doing so. "Normally, I don't think you see assigned claims in small claims [court]," Richard Slottee, a retired Oregon-based attorney, who has previously advised clients on small claims court cases. He said he was unsure of the legality of the move. Marion County Circuit Court Judge Lindsay Partridge, who is presiding over Bouzad's small claims court case, seems similarly perplexed by the issue. In an October 23 hearing, he said that "there are some type of claims that under Oregon law, an anti-assignment clause would not be enforceable" but that he was unsure if the statute would apply in this particular case. "I tried to do a bunch of research on this," he said "I just can't find an answer to it." Advertisement Advertisement Meta, on the other hand, has argued that its terms of service clearly prohibit users from transferring their rights to other parties without its consent. "Based on the No Transfer Clause, this Court should not permit Mr. Bouzad to continue recruiting Facebook users from all over the world and flooding its docket with cases where he claims standing based on an invalid assignment," a Meta project manager wrote in a letter to the judge. During the hearing, Judge Partridge said he was "concerned" that "what I have is essentially a very technical legal issue that's being presented by two non-attorneys." He said he would need "a little bit more time" to make a decision on whether Bouzad could move forward as an assignee. The group Bouzad is helping consists mainly of colleagues, friends and friends-of-friends who had heard about his small claims cases. And though a few of the individuals are people he's partnered with in the past, he says he has no financial stake in the success of their pages. "It's power in numbers, we felt the more people, the more noise we could make, the better the chances of getting issues resolved," Bouzad says. "They gave me their cases to try and get that help [to] force Facebook to fix their pages." But there's also a potentially lucrative payday for him if he succeeds. As an assignee, he has the sole right to collect any judgment that ultimately comes out of the other creator's claims. This Court should not permit Mr. Bouzad to continue recruiting Facebook users from all over the world and flooding its docket with cases where he claims standing based on an invalid assignment. A Meta project manager who is representing the company in small claims court For some of the creators involved, the amount at stake is far higher than what Bouzad has claimed in his flings. One UK-based creator who has assigned their claim to Bouzad runs a dog-themed Facebook page that generated more than $60,000 from in-stream video ads during a one-month period last year, according to documents seen by Engadget. Like Bouzad, their page was hit with an unexplained "MPV" violation that has affected their reach. "Due to its original content and niche audience, the Facebook algorithm regularly rewards it with high reach and frequent placement in the recommendation feed," Bouzad wrote in a small claims court filing that claimed $1,000 in damages. "This natural visibility has now been unfairly disabled by Meta." Another creator, who asked not to be identified out of fear of retaliation from Meta, asked him to look into three of his Facebook pages, which collectively have more than 1.5 million followers. All three had been demonetized by Meta and, like Bouzad, the creator received conflicting explanations about why. Advertisement Advertisement He was told two of the pages were flagged for "limited originality" even though he told Engadget he only posts videos that are scripted and filmed by him and his business partners. His pages are dedicated to scripted sketches filmed to look like real-life encounters. They often show people in seemingly mundane situations becoming inexplicably angry, with descriptions like "Teacher Karen Demands to Know Why Im Picking Up My Kid," or "I Gave Candy to Kids and Apparently Thats 'Wrong' Now." The third page was hit with a "monetization page violation" for residing in an "ineligible country," despite the fact that, according to the creator, it was managed from the United States and the EU, both of which are eligible to participate in Meta's programs. Engadget has also verified the page manager locations using Facebook's page transparency information. Bouzad filed two small claims court cases related to these three pages. The two that had been flagged for limited originality eventually had their monetization restored and the case was dismissed. "I think Mel's helping immensely," he told Engadget. "The fact that he got us the two pages back helped us as a business a lot." The second case, related to the page with the "MPV" flag, is still pending. The creator, who has worked with Bouzad in the past, says he's grateful for the legal help, but increasingly frustrated with Meta. The demonetized page was his highest-earning page, making between $3,000 - $5,000 a month from video ads on Facebook, according to documents filed as part of the small claims lawsuit. He doesn't understand why Meta continues to penalize it when the page posts similar content as his other accounts. "We've always been following the rules, because this is our business, it's how we pay the bills," he says. But, he says that Facebook's continued errors has made it "extremely difficult" to maintain a business as a creator. What's next Of the 32 cases Bouzad has filed, eight were resolved after Meta addressed the underlying issue. Nine cases were dismissed by Bouzad as the creators chose to pursue legal action in other states. Fifteen cases, including six related to Bouzad's own pages, are still open. In July, a judge consolidated Bouzad's remaining cases into a single claim, despite a motion from Bouzad to keep the cases separate. "The cases affected by this order involve identical parties, raise substantially similar claims, and collectively seek damages that exceed the jurisdictional limits of the small claims court," a judge wrote. Bouzad is currently seeking more than $115,0000 in damages, $35,000 of which are from his own pages, over unpaid invoices, filing fees and other expenses related to his months-long battle over Facebook's monetization practices. According to Bouzad, the actual amount owed to him and the other creators is far higher. "Actual unpaid earnings exceed $220,000," he wrote in a filing, "but amounts have been capped in accordance with small claims jurisdictional limits." For now, Bouzad's claims can't move forward until the judge rules on whether Bouzad can proceed as an assignee. If the judge decides in his favor, he will be able to make his arguments to the circuit court judge overseeing the case. If the judge rules in Meta's favor, he will only be able to move forward with the claims pertaining to his own Facebook pages. Bouzad says he is prepared for the fight. He has painstakingly compiled more than 1,000 pages of court documents, screenshots and news clippings for his case. In his filing, he alleges Meta is in breach of contract over the missing payments. He says Meta has consistently flagged creators' accounts with vague "MPV" violations, made enforcement errors, delayed payments and ignored appeals. He acknowledges that his months-long legal battle, and his reduced earnings, have taken a toll on his personal life. "Taking on Facebook, it's not like you're suing a mom and pop shop," he says. "You're suing one of the largest businesses in the world, and it has caused a lot of stress." His goal is still to get the monetization restrictions lifted from the Facebook pages and for Meta to resume its payments to him and the other creators. "I just want the pages fixed and the money paid that's owed," he said. He has hundreds of travel videos saved and ready to post on his Facebook pages if and when his monetization is restored. Have a tip for Karissa? You can reach her by email, on X, Bluesky, Threads, or send a message to @karissabe.51 to chat confidentially on Signal. Brad Pitt has taken another step in his ongoing legal fight with ex-wife Angelina Jolie over their former French winery, Chateau Miraval. In new court filings, Pitt's legal team accused Jolie of refusing to hand over important email communications that could play a major role in their $67 million dispute. The former couple, who purchased the Provence estate in 2011 and married there three years later, have been locked in a legal battle since 2022 after Jolie sold her 50% stake to the Stoli Group without Pitt's consent. The "Fight Club" star claims the sale violated their prior agreement to make decisions jointly regarding the property. According to documents obtained by Page Six, Pitt asked a Los Angeles judge to force Jolie to turn over emails exchanged with her longtime business manager Terry Bird, publicists Chloe Dalton and Arminka Helic, and two financial consultants. Pitt's lawyers argued that these communications include discussions about the sale of Jolie's share in Chateau Miraval, which is "at the center of this case." Brad Pitt is still demanding that Angelina Jolie turn over all of her emails https://t.co/fSqjgdrvkw pic.twitter.com/veELdtEUOn Kaiser@Celebitchy (@KaiseratCB) October 30, 2025 Read more: Brad Pitt Pushes to Grill Angelina Jolie Under Oath Over Secret Vineyard Deal Brad Pitt Seeks to Block Angelina Jolie's $33K Fee Claim In the filings, Pitt's team wrote that Jolie "admitted that Bird helped her identify additional issues on which to seek advice," adding that the discussions were not protected by attorney-client privilege. "What Jolie is describing here are brainstorming sessions between non-lawyers," they stated. "That does not shield them from discovery." Pitt also asked the court to reject Jolie's request that he pay her $33,000 in legal fees, which she claimed was compensation for time spent opposing his previous motion, US Magazine reported. Jolie's attorney, Paul Murphy, fired back, accusing Pitt of trying to "invade her privileged communications with her lawyers." Murphy said in a statement that the actor's filing is "another example of Mr. Pitt's years-long effort to harass and control Angelina." The dispute stems from Jolie's decision in 2021 to sell her interest in the winery to Tenute del Mondo, the wine division of the Stoli Group. Pitt alleges that Jolie made the deal behind his back, while she maintains that she was free to sell her share after their divorce. The former couple's court battlenow entering its third yearshows no sign of ending soon. A California judge recently denied Jolie's request to dismiss Pitt's lawsuit, clearing the way for a jury trial expected to begin next year. Pitt and Jolie, who share six children, finalized their divorce in 2024 after years of public and legal disputes. Hollywood actor Jesse Eisenberg is preparing to make a life-changing gift: he will donate one of his kidneys to a complete stranger in mid-December. "I'm actually donating my kidney in six weeks. I really am," Eisenberg, 42, said on the October 30 episode of the Today show. He shared the news after helping the morning show set up its blood drive. "I don't know why. I got bitten by the blood donation bug [and] I love it. I'm doing an altruistic donation. I'm so excited to do it." Altruistic donations, also called non-directed living donations, are when a person gives an organ to someone they don't know. The Mayo Clinic explains that these donations are different from organ transplants from relatives or matched donors on a universal registry. The recipient is chosen based on medical compatibility, making the donation life-saving. Eisenberg said kidney donation carries minimal risk and serves an important purpose, adding that many would view it as an obvious choice if given the chance. He began thinking about donating a kidney roughly ten years ago after consulting medical professionals, US Magazine reported. He explained the process further, "Let's say person X needs a kidney in Kansas City, [and] their child or whoever was going to donate to them is, for whatever set of reasons, not a match, but somehow I am. That person can still get my kidney. It goes to a bank where that person can find a match recipient, but it only works if there is basically an altruistic donor." Jesse Eisenberg reveals hes donating his kidney to a total stranger: Its a no-brainer https://t.co/N0TQLrzMOQ pic.twitter.com/a6YiN39ZBn New York Post (@nypost) October 31, 2025 Parenthood Inspires Jesse Eisenberg's Kidney Donation Eisenberg has also registered for the National Kidney Foundation's family voucher program. According to People, this ensures that any of his relatives would be prioritized for a kidney should they ever need one. "It's risk-free for my family, as well," he said. The "Now You See Me: Now You Don't" star shared that parenthood has reshaped his priorities. He and his wife, Anna Strout, have a 7-year-old son, Banner. "I spent the first 33 years of my life worrying about myself. Then I spent the next seven years worrying about another person. It's made me a lot happier," Eisenberg told sources earlier this year. Eisenberg's altruistic act comes after years of advocacy for donation and community involvement. He hopes his decision will inspire others to consider organ donation, noting that most donors recover and return to normal activities within two to four weeks. In the US, approximately 5,000 living kidney donations occur each year. A British celebrity chef has accused Meghan Markle of cashing in on her royal ties to promote her luxury lifestyle line, As Ever, calling the Duchess of Sussex's business "elitist" and "out of touch." Jameson Stocks, a chef who has cooked for King Charles III and represents the monarch's King's Trust charity, told the Daily Express that Markle's brand "uses the royals as a marketing tool" while pushing products such as premium jams, honey, and wine at prices beyond the reach of most consumers. "Royal family or not, I don't think any family would appreciate someone making money off the back of the family name," Stocks said. Markle, 44, launched As Ever earlier this year, marketing it as a lifestyle brand focused on "everyday elegance." Her latest holiday collection includes $62 jars of honey, $63 candles, and a $42 set of fruit spreads. Stocks, however, argued the prices cater to wealthy buyers in California's Napa Valley rather than the average shopper. 'Exploiting Everyday People' Stocks, who has his own affordable food range in the U.K., said Markle's brand contradicts her public image of accessibility and empathy. He accused the former "Suits" actor of "exploiting everyday people" while building a luxury business designed for the elite. "She's built a brand for the minority who can actually afford it," he said, adding that his approach differs because he tries "to make products accessible to the majority." Stocks also claimed the late Queen Elizabeth II would have disapproved of Markle's approach. "I think the Queen would feel she is exploiting the everyday people and using the royals as a marketing tool to sell jam," he said. After the duo decided to take a break from their royal duties in 2020, Markle and Harry moved to California. Since their move, the couple has been busy with various media and business projects. Despite the fact that they are no longer senior royals, Markle is still carrying on with her promotional activities under the Sussex title of Duchess, a step critics claim is a way for her to brand herself, which is still connected to the royal family she has quit. Luxury Over Authenticity Stocks has previously criticized Markle's Netflix series "With Love, Meghan," calling it "staged and fake." He reiterated his belief that Markle's ventures focus more on image than authenticity, accusing her of turning "anything into a luxury wellness product." "From overpriced tea to honey next, she'll be selling Californian air in a jar," he said. The Duchess's As Ever brand, produced in partnership with Netflix, is reportedly moving forward with a holiday special but has no confirmed plans for a third season of her show following a downgrade to her streaming deal earlier this year. Rural courier site in SW China's Sichuan hits 83,000 daily parcels People's Daily Online) 15:19, October 31, 2025 This aerial photo taken on Dec. 24, 2022 shows a Fuxing high-speed train making a trial run before the opening of the new Chengdu-Kunming Railway in Mianning County, southwest China's Sichuan Province. (Xinhua/Wang Xi) Since 2021, an outlet of Chinese courier giant SF Express, located near an expressway exit in Dechang county, Liangshan Yi Autonomous Prefecture, southwest China's Sichuan Province, has seen its daily parcel volume surge from about 500 to around 7,000. The number of deliveries and staff members at the outlet has also grown severalfold. What was once a small outlet has now become a thriving logistics hub in the area. "Today, we handle the largest volume of parcels among all SF Express outlets in the prefecture," said Feng Yongchun, a veteran employee at the outlet. When the outlet first opened in November 2014, it was tucked beneath a residential building and staffed by only a manager, a courier, and Feng, the warehouse keeper. At the time, transportation in Dechang was far from convenient. "Roads were often impassable. Even taxis avoided townships and towns, let alone couriers," Feng recalled. Parcel demand was limited, and she and her colleagues would often sit outside the store waiting for packages to arrive. Transportation improvements have brought significant changes to logistics. The completion of an expressway linking Dechang with Huili city in the prefecture has greatly shortened freight transport times between townships and neighboring cities. An electrified railway connecting Chengdu, the provincial capital of Sichuan, and Kunming in neighboring Yunnan Province has introduced bullet trains to Dechang, cutting travel time to Chengdu to just over three hours. Meanwhile, about 114 kilometers of rural roads have been newly built or upgraded. "With better transportation, parcel demand gradually increased," said Zhao Hong, manager of the SF Express outlet. Zhao began working in Dechang in March last year. Shortly after, during the strawberry harvest season, the outlet set a record by receiving 83,000 parcels in one day. Business has grown severalfold. As online shopping for large items such as home appliances and furniture has become increasingly popular, the original store was no longer able to keep up with demand. Zhao relocated the shop to a new site near the expressway exit, offering 1,100 square meters of space. With improved delivery efficiency, Zhao and his team were able to expand their service coverage. By the end of this year, the outlet will cover every township and town in Dechang county. Around 7 a.m., parcels from across the country arrive at the outlet, each carrying a glimpse of everyday life. Smart speakers, robotic vacuum cleaners and projectors bring modern convenience, while durians, salmon and cheese delicacies from afar enrich local dining tables. "In the past, clothes and food made up most of the deliveries. Now, the number of large parcels is also increasing," Zhao said, adding, "You can tell how strong local consumption is just by looking at these packages." During the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025), Dechang county has supported the construction and renovation of 12 comprehensive logistics service stations in towns and townships and 36 service outlets in villages. In August this year, the county launched a postal drone route, delivering mail to remote villages in as little as 20 minutes. At a blueberry planting base in Dechang, more than 300 mu (20 hectares) of blueberries grown using soilless cultivation are thriving in greenhouses. Dechang enjoys abundant sunlight and moderate rainfall, making it ideal for ecological agriculture. But before the blueberry project was launched, Deng Xiang, deputy general manager of the planting base, had doubts: even if the blueberries grew well, without reliable transport, the industry could not take off. Today, those worries are a thing of the past, thanks to increasingly efficient logistics. "Deliveries within Sichuan take just 24 hours, and 48 hours to other provinces. Fast transport boosts the brand's appeal," Deng said. The base now produces nearly 250,000 kilograms of blueberries annually, which are in high demand in the market. Zhao noted that the outlet primarily handled ordinary parcels. Today, specialty agricultural products make up the bulk of its shipments. During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, Dechang has established six secondary delivery routes in towns and townships, launched e-commerce distribution networks covering all administrative villages and nurtured more than 40 online brands for local specialty products. Last year, the online transaction volume of local agricultural products surpassed 800 million yuan (about $112 million). (Web editor: Chang Sha, Liang Jun) (Informacion remitida por la empresa firmante) 31.10.2025 (News Aktuell). Cologne (ots) | The competition for the European CIVIS Media Prize 2026 is open. Until 31 December 2025, media professionals from all EU countries and Switzerland can submit entries online on the topics of migration, integration, cultural diversity and - related to this - social cohesion. The CIVIS Media Prize honours outstanding journalistic achievements in television, radio, the internet and social media that promote the peaceful coexistence of people from different geographical and cultural backgrounds. The prize is endowed with a total of 27,000 euros. Nine CIVIS AWARDS are awarded in different categories. Further information on the CIVIS Media Prize 2026 can be found here. Click here to register. The CIVIS Media Prize is sponsored by ARD, represented by WDR, together with the Freudenberg Foundation. ORF, SRG SSR, ARTE, 3sat, Deutsche Welle, Deutschlandradio and the EBU are media partners. WDR mediagroup, Produktionsallianz, VFF Verwertungsgesellschaft der Film- und Fernsehproduzenten, the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA), Deutsche Postcode Lotterie and the Harald Christ Foundation for Democracy and Diversity are co-operation partners. The competition, the jury meetings and the award ceremony are organised by the non-profit CIVIS Media Foundation in Cologne. The European CIVIS Media Prize is intended to encourage media professionals to address the topics of migration, integration, cultural diversity and social cohesion in a creative, constructive and - where necessary - (self-)critical manner. Follow CIVIS on Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn | YouTube #civis2026 Click here for the conditions of participation for the CIVIS Media Prize 2026. Press contact: CIVIS Medienstiftung fur Integration und kulturelle Vielfalt in Europa Ferdos Forudastan | +49 (0)221 277 5870 info@civismedia.eu | civismedia.eu ENDE PM Bitte folgende Links im Text verwenden: You Might Also Like Part of the U.S. military buildup in the Caribbean, the warship arrived in Trinidad and Tobago on Sunday to conduct joint exercises Venezuelan authorities described Trinidad and Tobago's decision to host the vessel as a provocation and suspended energy agreements with the Caribbean nation. Hurricane Melissa was finally leaving the Caribbean Friday after battering communities there for days, leaving a trail of devastation that killed around 50 people. The ferocious storm was expected to became a "powerful post-tropical cyclone" as it moved north, and a brief period of heavy rain and wind gusts was possible in eastern Canada, the US National Hurricane Center said in its latest and final advisory. "After Melissa becomes post-tropical, a brief period of heavy rain and gusty winds is possible over the southern Avalon Peninsula of Newfoundland tonight," the NHC added. Flooding was expected to subside in the Bahamas although high water could persist in Cuba, Jamaica, Haiti and neighboring Dominican Republic, the agency said. The storm, one of the most powerful ever recorded, was made four times more likely because of human-caused climate change, according to a study by Imperial College London. Melissa smashed into both Jamaica and Cuba with enormous force, and residents were assessing their losses and the long road to recovery. Jamaica's Information Minister Dana Morris Dixon told a briefing that authorities had "quite credible" reports of a potential five additional deaths but had not yet been able to confirm. "We're still at 19 confirmed, but we do expect that will change today," she said. Kingston's international airport, which re-opened Thursday, has already received 13 cargo relief flights, Transportation Minister Daryl Vaz said, and expected at least 20 more to arrive Friday. "I would say to all of those persons who are still out here waiting and looking up in the sky that you will start to see" and "hear a lot of activity," Vaz said. "You probably are feeling that you are forgotten. You are not forgotten." In impoverished Haiti, the country's civil defense agency said Thursday that the death toll had risen to 30, with 20 people injured and another 20 missing. It said more than 1,000 homes have been flooded, with some 16,000 people in shelters. In the east of the communist island of Cuba, battling its worst economic crisis in decades, people struggled through inundated streets lined with flooded and collapsed homes. The storm smashed windows, downed power cables and mobile communications, and tore off roofs and tree branches. Cuban authorities said about 735,000 people had been evacuated -- mainly in the provinces of Santiago de Cuba, Holguin and Guantanamo. - 'Everything is gone' - The United States meanwhile has mobilized disaster assistance response teams and urban search and rescue personnel, and the teams were currently on the ground in the Dominican Republic, Jamaica and the Bahamas, according to a State Department official. Teams were en route to Haiti too. Secretary of State Marco Rubio also included ideological foe Havana, saying the United States is "prepared to offer immediate humanitarian aid to the people of Cuba affected by the Hurricane." The UK government announced 2.5 million (about $3.3 million) in emergency funding for the region, and also said it was chartering "limited" flights to help British nationals leave. Hurricane Melissa tied the 1935 record for the most intense storm ever to make landfall when it slammed Jamaica on Tuesday, according to the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. In Seaford Town, farmer and businessman Christopher Hacker saw his restaurant and nearby banana plantations flattened. "Everything is gone," he told AFP. Such mega-storms "are a brutal reminder of the urgent need to step up climate action on all fronts," said UN Climate Change Executive Secretary Simon Stiell. bur-mdo/mlm More than 4,400 Christians were killed last year, another 4,700 were imprisoned for their faith and close to 7,700 churches have been burned down, according to Open Doors (which tracks religious persecution). Christians will hold this years International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted Church on Sunday (Nov. 2) and Sunday (Nov. 9). Various Christian groups and churches will pray for the persecuted faithful worldwide. Organizers estimate as many as 380 million Christians face persecution and mistreatment and worldwide. Thats one in seven of the worlds followers of Jesus. Christians have been killed in contemporary clashes with Muslims in Nigeria and other African countries. There is also sectarian violence as part of the wars in Sudan and sub-Saharan Africa. They also have been arrested under blasphemy and apostasy laws in Pakistan and other stricter Muslim countries. China recently arrested Christian pastors and believers in a crackdown. North Korea sends Christians and followers of other faiths to prison labor camps and scores of churches in Canada have been vandalized or subject to arson attacks. The World Evangelical Alliance helped establish the day of prayer. The day also coincides with the Western tradition of Allhallowtide. Allhallowtide includes All Hallows Eve / All Saints' Eve (Halloween), All Saints' Day (All Hallows') and All Souls' Day. The time period honors the departed and martyred. The Southern Baptist Convention, other churches and groups such as International Christian Concern, Voice of the Martyrs, Open Door, Anglican Aid and International Mission Board will mark the days of prayers for the persecuted. Scotlands cattle population has continued its long-term decline, with new government figures showing a drop of more than 2% compared with recent years. The figures highlight the continued pressure on Scotlands beef sector, where herd sizes have been falling for more than a decade. The June Agricultural Census 2025, published by the Scottish government, reports 1.65 million cattle across the country a decrease of 2.6% against the five-year average (20202024). Officials said the fall was mainly due to fewer female beef cattle, though the number of dairy cows has risen slightly. The figures form part of Scotlands Accredited Official Statistics, providing an annual snapshot of farming activity, land use and rural employment. The census shows mixed fortunes across livestock sectors. Sheep numbers stood at 6.54 million, down 2.2% on the five-year average but 1.1% higher than in 2024. Poultry numbers rose to 12.42 million, continuing steady growth, while the national pig herd fell to 312,300 7.3% lower than the five-year average. Cereal planting has shifted notably in 2025. The area used for wheat increased by 5.4%, while land dedicated to oats declined by 2% compared with the five-year average. Overall, winter crops such as wheat, winter barley and winter oats rose by 3.6%, while spring-sown crops including spring barley and oats edged down by 0.5%. These results reflect changing weather conditions, market demand and farmers adjustments to soil and rotation management. The sectors workforce has remained broadly stable, with 66,800 people employed on agricultural holdings in 2025, down slightly from 67,400 the previous year. The June Agricultural Census provides a detailed overview of Scotlands farming landscape, tracking livestock, arable land and labour trends. This years survey also gathered data on irrigation, drought management and flood prevention issues of growing importance as farmers adapt to climate change. The Scottish government said the census offers vital insight for policymakers, industry groups and researchers, adding that official statistics are produced in accordance with the Code of Practice for Statistics. The full June Agricultural Census 2025 results are available on the Scottish government website. Farmers in Northern Ireland have delivered a major blow to Stormonts agriculture department after the Ulster Farmers Union (UFU) passed a unanimous vote of no confidence in the Department for Agriculture (DAERA). DAERA oversees farming, environmental policy, and rural affairs in Northern Ireland but relations with the industry have become increasingly strained. The UFU executives vote reflects growing anger among farmers over what they see as the departments failure to support the sector on key issues, from bovine TB and ammonia controls to climate policy and farm support schemes. UFU president William Irvine said the move was first discussed in the summer following the flawed Nutrients Action Programme consultation. Although the union gave DAERA time to respond, frustration had grown over the last few months on a host of other issues, prompting Wednesday nights decisive action. Mr Irvine said the result represents a deep dissatisfaction from UFU members on how the Department is handling key issues affecting farmers. He added that while the union had engaged in good faith, that goodwill was not being reciprocated by DAERA. Among the main grievances were delays or failures on a series of policies including wildlife intervention to control bovine TB, ammonia regulations, planning and nutrient management, sheep sector support, and generational renewal under the sustainable farming programme. There is also the ongoing unjustified focus on agriculture regarding climate change and Lough Neagh, Mr Irvine said, adding that the recent AFBI data breach had heightened concerns about data security. He concluded: Our members now have zero confidence in DAERAs willingness or ability and this unanimous vote of no confidence is unfortunately a very stark reflection of DAERAs failings and inadequacies. The vote has sent shockwaves through Northern Irelands political circles. DUP agriculture spokesperson Carla Lockhart MP described it as a momentous and damning indictment of Minister Andrew Muir and his department. This is a big move by the UFU Executive and a wake-up call for the Department of Agriculture, she said, adding that it laid bare the deep anger and frustration that exists right across our farming and rural communities. Ms Lockhart accused DAERA of being anti-rural, anti-farmer and anticommon sense, citing flawed consultations and a failure to engage with stakeholders. She argued that the departments handling of key policies including the Nutrients Action Programme and bovine TB control had eroded trust among farmers. Farmers across Northern Ireland feel anxious, ignored, side-lined and left carrying the burden of policies that show little understanding of the realities on the ground, she said. The people who feed us and sustain our countryside have been ignored and betrayed for far too long. The UFUs decision marks one of the strongest rebukes yet to DAERA from within the farming community and a clear signal that trust between the department and farmers has hit breaking point. Wales will move to a single national bluetongue restricted zone (RZ) from 10 November, in a bid to simplify disease controls and strengthen surveillance as cooler weather reduces the risk of transmission. The move replaces the existing Temporary Control Zone with a unified national approach. Officials say the decision reflects falling temperatures and reduced midge activity, which have lowered the risk of spread while allowing for more coordinated monitoring and vaccination efforts. Since the start of the 202526 vector season in July, 141 cases of bluetongue have been confirmed across Britain, including 127 of the BTV-3 strain, two of BTV-8, and one mixed BTV-3/BTV-8 case in England. There have been 11 cases in Walesseven of them within the former Temporary Control Zoneand none in Scotland. NFU Cymru has welcomed the Welsh governments decision, saying the new structure will simplify compliance for farmers and livestock markets. The union's president Aled Jones said farm leaders had long called for a whole-country zone to make disease control more practical. We welcome the announcement by the Deputy First Minister Huw Irranca-Davies that an all-Wales restricted zone for bluetongue serotype 3 will be introduced from 10 November, he said. The move to a whole country RZ is something NFU Cymru has been calling for, and at the roundtable we expressed our strong support for this way forward. Jones said the timing of the change was appropriate but warned that any future controls should balance animal health risks with the economic realities of farm businesses. With temperatures dropping, it is right to move to this approach, he said. All along we have said the risks of the disease must be balanced against the economic and practical costs of the controls. NFU Cymru is urging farmers to stay alert and to report any suspicion of Bluetongue to the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) immediately. Jones added that vaccination remains the most effective defence against the virus: We believe that vaccination represents the best way of protecting our flocks and herds in Wales, and we continue to recommend that farmers discuss the potential benefits with their private vet to decide if it is right for them. Plaid Cymrus Shadow Minister for Rural Affairs, Llyr Gruffydd, said the move would bring much-needed clarity after a hugely challenging period for Welsh farmers. The announcement of an all-Wales restricted zone for BTV-3 will come as welcome news for our farmers and livestock markets, he said. Whilst risk of transmission is now lower, it doesnt mean that bluetongue has gone away. We must all use this winter to prepare for the next active transmission period for the disease in the spring. Gruffydd also urged ministers to go further in promoting vaccination uptake, warning that ongoing vigilance was vital. I therefore reiterate my call on the Welsh government to do more to incentivise the take-up of vaccination, he said. Its still the most effective way to help keep bluetongue at bay With the all-Wales Restricted Zone now in place, surveillance and vaccination efforts will continue through winter ahead of the next high-risk period in spring 2026. Veterinary experts say continued monitoring will be crucial to ensuring the disease remains contained as conditions warm. Its Halloween, the one night when its totally okay to grab popcorn, turn off the lights, and scare yourself. Whether you love ghosts, creepy clowns, or haunted houses, theres something thrilling about watching a good horror movie. From chilling Hollywood classics to Indian gems that redefine fear, here are ten perfect horror movies to make your Halloween 2025 extra spooky. The Shining (1980) Directed by Stanley Kubrick and starring Jack Nicholson, The Shining follows a writer who slowly loses his mind while caretaking a remote hotel with his family. With its eerie atmosphere, famous Heres Johnny! scene, and haunting visuals, this classic still defines horror. The Ring (2002) Watch a cursed videotape and youll die in seven days, thats the terrifying premise of The Ring. Naomi Watts stars as a journalist trying to uncover the truth before her time runs out. Even decades later, that creepy girl crawling out of the TV remains unforgettable. Jennifers Body (2009) When a high school girl (played by Megan Fox) becomes possessed by a demon, she starts feeding on her male classmates. Darkly funny and full of sharp one-liners, Jennifers Body has become a cult favourite for its mix of horror, feminism, and high school chaos. The Conjuring (2013) Based on real-life paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren, The Conjuring follows a family who moves into a farmhouse only to find something terrifying lurking inside. Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga deliver unforgettable performances in this ghostly tale that started a whole horror universe. IT (2017) A group of kids in a small town face their biggest fear, a clown named Pennywise who feeds on children. Based on Stephen Kings novel, IT is both terrifying and heartfelt, with Bill Skarsgards performance as Pennywise sending chills down spines everywhere. Hereditary (2018) When a mysterious grandmother dies, her family begins to unravel dark secrets that connect them to something truly evil. Starring Toni Collette in a stunning performance, Hereditary mixes family drama with shocking horror that slowly crawls under your skin. Tumbbad (2018) An Indian horror masterpiece, Tumbbad tells the story of a man obsessed with finding hidden treasure in a cursed village. Set against the backdrop of colonial India, this movie is visually stunning and deeply haunting that blends greed, mythology, and fear perfectly. The Curse of La Llorona (2019) Inspired by the Latin American legend of the Weeping Woman, this film follows a mother who tries to protect her children from a ghostly woman searching for lost kids. Its spooky, emotional, and full of classic jump scares, perfect for a Halloween night watch. Smile (2022) After witnessing a patients strange death, a therapist starts experiencing terrifying visions and eerie smiles everywhere she goes. Smile isnt just jump scares, its a chilling take on trauma and how fear spreads like a curse. The Monkey (2024) Based on a Stephen King short story, The Monkey follows twin brothers who discover their fathers old toy monkey, one that seems to cause a death every time it claps its tiny cymbals. Its creepy, emotional, and a must-watch for anyone who loves supernatural horror. CanPR AI Agent Trek has doubled user base to 20,000+ users Greater focus on Newcomers in Canada and providing them with financing and employment support Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - October 30, 2025) - CanPR Technology Ltd. (TSXV: WPR) ("CanPR" or the "Company"), a leading Canadian technology-enabled immigration service provider, today announced its consolidated financial and operational results for the three months ended August 31st, 2025 ("Q1 2026"). KEY FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS OF CANPR FOR Q1 2026 (All dollar amounts referenced herein are in Canadian dollars unless otherwise stated): Revenue of $2,020,507, a 47 percent increase quarter over quarter driven by the acquisition of immigration clients and an increase of additional services and products used across the CanPR platform (three months ended August 31, 2024 (" Q1 2025 ") = $1,379,038). Gross profit of $1,426,070 - a 120 percent increase quarter over quarter (Q1 2025 = $648,850). Net Profit for Q1 2026 of $361,076 compared to a Net Loss of $1,845,211 in Q1 2025, an increase of $2,206,287 in Net Profit quarter over quarter. "Our strong performance this quarter underscores CanPR's evolving role in Canada's newcomer economy," said Akshat Soni, CEO of CanPR Technology Ltd. "Beyond facilitating immigration, we're helping newcomers take the next step - securing meaningful employment, accessing financial tools, and gaining the training needed to succeed in Canada. The continued expansion of our AI agent Trek and new service lines reflects our commitment to empowering every newcomer with a clear, supported pathway to long-term success." BUSINESS AND OPERATIONS HIGHLIGHTS OF CANPR FOR Q1 2026: Trek - CanPR's Generative AI Agent: Following a successful beta phase, Trek has evolved into a fully deployed AI companion that continues to redefine how newcomers navigate the immigration process. The platform has now doubled its user base to over 20,000+ users, recording more than 200,000 sessions to date. In its next phase, Trek is expanding beyond immigration assistance to include AI-driven job support, helping users identify relevant employment opportunities, prepare for interviews, and connect directly with employers. This evolution reinforces CanPR's vision of combining immigration technology with employment integration - creating a complete, end-to-end experience for newcomers settling in Canada. SmartCV: The platform has been revamped to help individuals connect with employers, access tailored job opportunities, and enhance their skills through targeted upskilling programs. From improving French language proficiency to refining resumes and interview readiness, SmartCV now provides newcomers with the tools they need to secure meaningful employment and advance their careers in Canada. By bridging the gap between talent and opportunity, SmartCV continues to empower newcomers to build stronger, more sustainable futures. The full financial statements for the three months ended August 31st, 2025 and corresponding Management Discussion & Analysis are available on the Company's SEDAR+ profile at www.sedarplus.ca. About CanPR Technology Ltd. CanPR Technology Ltd. is a technology platform dedicated to helping immigrants in their journey toward becoming permanent residents of Canada. At CanPR, we offer a range of services to assist with the immigration journey. Our platform provides a comprehensive understanding of the process of immigrating to Canada, completing and tracking immigration applications, connecting newcomers with employers to help them find a job, and post-immigration services to help them settle in Canada. Currently, the platform has over 1,000,000 app installs. For more information on CanPR, visit www.canpr.io. Visit www.CanPR.io to learn more and follow CanPR on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains statements which constitute "forward-looking information" or "forward-looking statements" (together "forward-looking information") within the meaning of applicable securities laws. Forward-looking information is often identified by the words "may", "would", "could", "should", "will", "intend", "plan", "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "expect" or similar expressions. Specific forward-looking information in this release includes, but is not limited to: statements regarding Trek's expansion beyond immigration assistance to include AI-driven job support services; plans to help users identify employment opportunities, prepare for interviews, and connect directly with employers; expectations regarding the continued growth and doubling of the Trek user base; statements about SmartCV's evolution and its ability to bridge the gap between talent and opportunity; the Company's vision of combining immigration technology with employment integration; expectations about creating a complete, end-to-end experience for newcomers; and statements regarding empowering newcomers with supported pathways to long-term success in Canada. Investors are cautioned that forward-looking information is not based on historical facts but instead reflect the Company's management's expectations, estimates or projections concerning future results or events based on the opinions, assumptions and estimates of management considered reasonable at the date the statements are made. These statements are based on certain assumptions, including but not limited to: the continued stability and predictability of Canadian immigration policies and programs; maintenance of current or increased immigration levels by the Canadian government; continued market adoption of digital and AI-powered immigration services; the Company's ability to successfully develop and deploy new platform features and services; availability of sufficient capital and resources for platform development and expansion; the Company's ability to attract and retain qualified personnel; and general economic conditions remaining favorable for newcomers seeking employment in Canada. Although the Company believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking information are reasonable, such information involves risks and uncertainties, and undue reliance should not be placed on such information, as unknown or unpredictable factors could have material adverse effects on future results, performance or achievements of the Company. Among key factors and risks that could cause actual results to differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking information include, without limitation: changes to Canadian immigration policies, programs or requirements, including Express Entry and other pathways; reduction in immigration levels or processing delays; increased competition from other immigration service providers or AI-powered platforms; technology and cybersecurity risks, including data breaches, system failures, or AI model errors; regulatory risks related to data privacy and protection, particularly regarding the use of AI and handling of sensitive personal information; the Company's ability to scale its technology infrastructure to support user growth; dependence on key personnel, including technical and management teams; risks related to the integration of employment services with immigration services; changes in newcomer settlement patterns, preferences, or economic integration challenges; general economic conditions and labor market dynamics in Canada; availability of financing for continued operations and growth; potential liability for immigration advice or employment matching services; changes in regulatory requirements for immigration consultants or employment services; and currency fluctuation risks related to international operations. This forward-looking information may be affected by risks and uncertainties in the business of the Company and market conditions. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should assumptions underlying the forward-looking information prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described herein as intended, planned, anticipated, believed, estimated or expected. Although the Company has attempted to identify important risks, uncertainties and factors which could cause actual results to differ materially, there may be others that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. For a more detailed discussion of risk factors affecting the Company, please refer to the Company's Management Discussion & Analysis for the three months ended August 31, 2025, filed on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. The forward-looking information contained herein is made as of the date of this press release and is based on the assumptions, beliefs, expectations and opinions of management as of such date. The Company disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking information, whether as a result of new information, future events or results or otherwise, except as required by law. There can be no assurance that forward-looking information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such information. Accordingly, investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/272678 SOURCE: CanPR Technology Inc. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - October 30, 2025) - Rush Rare Metals Corp. (CSE: RSH) ("Rush" or the "Company") confirms that the letter of intent dated August 6, 2025, outlining a potential merger with Myriad Uranium Corp. ("Myriad") has expired. Rush continues to engage in discussions with Myriad regarding a potential transaction, with the goal of finding mutually agreeable terms moving forward. Peter Smith, Rush's CEO, commented, "As a founder of both Rush and Myriad, I am very happy to see that both companies will continue merger discussions, but I have also been removed from this process since August 6th to avoid any potential conflicts. I understand that our independent committee has been working hard towards an agreement, but there are a number of moving parts to administer, including the procurement of a fairness opinion, and this has caused some delay. Meanwhile, Myriad continues to make outstanding progress with Copper Mountain in Wyoming, and I am thrilled with the work Thomas Lamb and his team have done. I expect further updates will be forthcoming as the respective teams try to work through prospective merger terms and timings." About Rush Rare Metals Corp. Rush Rare Metals Corp. is a mineral exploration company focused on its Boxi Property located in the Province of Quebec, Canada. Rush also owns the Copper Mountain Project located in Wyoming, USA, which it has optioned to Myriad Uranium Corp. Rush currently has a 100% interest in Boxi, and a 50% interest in Copper Mountain, which is the subject of an earn-in agreement with Myriad. For further information, please refer to Rush's disclosure record on SEDAR+ (www.sedarplus.ca) or contact Rush by email at psmith@rushraremetals.com or by telephone at 778.999.7030, or refer to Rush's website at www.rushraremetals.com. ### Mineralization hosted on adjacent or nearby properties is not necessarily indicative of mineralization hosted on the Company's properties. Certain statements in this news release are forward-looking statements, including with respect to future plans, and other matters. Forward-looking statements consist of statements that are not purely historical, including any statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions regarding the future. Such information can generally be identified by the use of forwarding-looking wording such as "may", "expect", "estimate", "anticipate", "intend", "believe" and "continue" or the negative thereof or similar variations. The reader is cautioned that assumptions used in the preparation of any forward-looking information may prove to be incorrect. Events or circumstances may cause actual results to differ materially from those predicted, as a result of numerous known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of the Company, including but not limited to, business, economic and capital market conditions, the ability to manage operating expenses, and dependence on key personnel. Such statements and information are based on numerous assumptions regarding present and future business strategies and the environment in which the Company will operate in the future, anticipated costs, and the ability to achieve goals. Factors that could cause the actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include, the continued availability of capital and financing, litigation, loss of key employees and consultants, and general economic, market or business conditions. Forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking information. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date of this news release. Except as required by law, the Company disclaims any intention and assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. The CSE has not reviewed, approved or disapproved the contents of this news release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/272681 SOURCE: Rush Rare Metals Corp. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - October 30, 2025) - Sixty North Gold Mining Ltd. (CSE: SXTY) (FSE: 2F40) (OTC Pink: SXNTF) (the "Company" or "Sixty North Gold") is pleased to announce that the Company intends to close a first tranche of its non-brokered financing of up to 13,636,363 units (the "Units") at an offering price of $0.11 per Unit (the "Offering"), originally announced its press release dated October 22, 2025, subject to the CSE raising no objection to the closing. This first tranche is expected to close on or about November 5th, 2025. The Company expects to close up to 5,454,545 Units in the first tranche for gross proceeds of up to $600,000. Each Unit will be comprised of one common share (each, a "Share") and one non-transferable common share purchase warrant (each, a "Warrant") in the capital of the Company. Each Warrant will be exercisable to purchase one additional Share at a price of $0.15 for a period of twenty-four (24) months from the Closing Date, subject to applicable securities laws and CSE policies. Eligible finders will receive finder's fees of 8% in cash and 8% in warrants on the proceeds received by Sixty North Gold from investors introduced to Sixty North Gold. Leede Financial acted as a finder in the first tranche of the Offering. The securities underlying the Units will be subject to a hold period legend restricting resale until four months and a day from their date of issuance. The proceeds from the Offering will be used for further exploration and development of the Mon Gold Property located in NWT, and for the Company's general working capital requirements. About the Company Sixty North Gold is developing mining operations for gold on its 100-per-cent-owned Mon Gold Project, which extracted 15,000 tonnes of ore to depths of only 15 metres below surface, recovering an estimated 15,000 ounces of gold in the 1990s (Company Technical Report NI 43-101, August 3, 2023 on SEDAR or https://sixtynorthgold.com/projects/technical-report/. The North Ramp has been reopened and has been extended to the target portion of the vein. The company plans to develop stopes in the East Limb, West Limb and DD Zone to extract and to feed a 100 tpd gravity-flotation mill. Additional gold, silver and base metal targets occur on the property and will be explored and developed as warranted. The Yellowknife gold camp hosts two mines that averaged 30 gpt gold or better (Discovery Mine with one million ounces of gold produced, and Sixty North Gold's Mon Mine), and two that averaged 15 gpt or better for a total production of over 14 million ounces of gold (Con Mine and Giant Mine); (ref. Company Technical Report NI 43-101, August 3, 2023). The technical content of this release has been reviewed and approved by Dr. D.R. Webb, P.Geol, President and CEO of Sixty North Gold Mines Ltd. For more information, please refer to the Company's public filings available on SEDAR ( www.sedarplus.ca ), under the Company's profile. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS "Dave Webb" Dave Webb, President & CEO Statements about the Company's future expectations and all other statements in this press release other than historical facts are "forward looking statements". Such forward-looking statements are based on numerous assumptions, and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, including risks inherent in mineral exploration and development, which may cause the actual results, performance, or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any projected future results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Further details about the risks applicable to the Company are contained in the Company's public filings available on SEDAR ( www.sedarplus.ca ), under the Company's profile. NOT FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES OR FOR DISTRIBUTION TO U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES THE CANADIAN SECURITIES EXCHANGE HAS NOT APPROVED NOR DISAPPROVED THE CONTENT OF THIS PRESS RELEASE. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/272684 SOURCE: Sixty North Gold Mining Ltd. BEIJING, Oct. 31, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- To honour the 80th anniversary of Taiwan's recovery from Japanese occupation, China Media Group proudly announces the premiere of a six-episode historical documentary series titled Homeland Restored: 80 Years Since Taiwan's Recovery from Japanese Occupation starting November 1st. Drawing on extensive historical archives and the insights of both scholars and eyewitnesses, this documentary series underscores a key fact: that the Chinese mainland and Taiwan are two parts of an inseparable community with a shared future together. Highlighting that Taiwan's restoration to China is an outcome of the WWII victory and part and parcel of the postwar international order, it stresses that China's reunification is an irreversible trend of history. The film also helps audiences across the Strait and around the world better understand the history of the Chinese mainland and Taiwan standing together in the fight against foreign invasion, fostering a deeper sense of national and cultural identity among Taiwan compatriots. In making this documentary series, the production team traveled extensively across China and abroad. As well as filming a wealth of invaluable historical relics, they also delved into archival documents, diaries, letters and obtained many rare video materials - many of which will be revealed to the public for the first time come the airing of the series. The documentary series also provides a systematic review of international legal documents, such as the Cairo Declaration and the Potsdam Proclamation, that unambiguously affirm China's sovereignty over Taiwan. It also unveils for the first time rare archival materials from the U.S. National Archives and relevant historical institutions in Taipei, presenting solid evidence that powerfully refutes fallacies such as the "undetermined status of Taiwan" and the new "two-state" theory, reaffirming that the historical and legal fact of Taiwan's return to China is indisputable. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2809423/80.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/cctv4the-documentary-homeland-restored-80-years-since-taiwans-recovery-from-japanese-occupation-is-set-to-premiere-302600130.html Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - October 30, 2025) - Doubleview Gold Corp. (TSXV: DBG) (OTCQB: DBLVF) (FSE: 1D4) (the "Company" or "Doubleview") is pleased to announce a non-brokered private placement of flow-through shares and non-flow-through units for gross proceeds of up to C$10,000,000 (the "Private Placement"). Proceeds of the Private Placement shall be used to fund the current exploration program and general working capital. Proceeds of the sale of the FT Shares will be used for exploration work on its BC projects, particularly for the polymetallic Hat Project, located in northwestern BC. This work includes drilling, geological advisory and analytical services as well as other development work and other "Canadian exploration expenses" that qualify as "flow-through mining expenditures" (as such terms are defined in the Income Tax Act (Canada) (the "Tax Act")).The flow-through portion of the Private Placement will consist of up to 5,000,000 flow-through Shares ("FT shares ") at a price of $1.00 per FT share for up to C$5,000,000. Additionally, the Company will issue up to 7,142,857 hard dollar units ("non-FT Units") at a price of $0.70 per non-FT Unit, for up to C$5,000,000. Each non-FT Unit will consist of one common share and one full Warrant at an exercise price of $1.00 for 24 months from the date of issue. Each Warrant shall be subject to an accelerated expiry date at the option of the Company in the event the ten (10) day volume-weighted average price of the common shares of the Company on the TSXV for any ten (10) consecutive trading days is $1.25 or more. Pursuant to applicable Canadian securities laws and in accordance with the TSX Venture Exchange policies, all securities issued under this Offering will be subject to applicable resale restrictions under applicable securities laws and to the Exchange hold period of four-months and one day from the date of issuance. In connection with the Private placement, Doubleview may pay a finder's fees in accordance with the policies of the TSXV consisting of cash and/or finder's shares. The closing of the Offering is subject to receipt of all necessary regulatory approvals including the TSX Venture Exchange About Doubleview Gold Corp A mineral resource exploration and development company is headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. It is publicly traded on the TSX Venture Exchange (TSXV: DBG) (OTCQB: DBLVF) (WKN: A1W038) and (FSE: 1D4). Doubleview focuses on identifying, acquiring, and financing precious and base metal exploration projects across North America, with a strong emphasis on British Columbia. The company enhances shareholder value through the acquisition and exploration of high-quality gold, copper, cobalt, scandium, and silver projects-collectively critical minerals-utilizing cutting-edge exploration techniques. Doubleview's success is deeply rooted in the unwavering support of its long-term shareholders, supporters, and institutional investors. Their ongoing commitment has been instrumental in advancing the company's strategic initiatives. Doubleview looks forward to further collaborative growth and development and continues to welcome active participation from its valued stakeholders as the company expands its portfolio and strengthens its position in the critical minerals sector. About the Hat Polymetallic Deposit The Hat Deposit, located in northwestern British Columbia, is a polymetallic porphyry project with major resources of copper, gold, cobalt, and the potential for scandium. As one of the region's significant sources of critical minerals, the Hat deposit has undergone targeted exploration and development. The 0.2% CuEq cut-off resource estimate, as of the recently completed Mineral Resource Estimate and the Company's July 25, 2024, news release, is summarized below: Open Pit Model Hat Resource Category Tonnage Average Grade Metal Content CuEq Cu Co Au Ag CuEq Cu Co Au Ag Mt % % % g/t g/t million lb million lb million lb thousand oz thousand oz In Pit Indicated 150 0.408 0.221 0.008 0.19 0.42 1,353 733 28 929 2,045 Inferred 477 0.344 0.185 0.009 0.15 0.49 3,619 1,945 91 2,328 7,575 Scandium potential for the Hat Deposit is estimated to be 300 to 500 million tonnes at an average grade of 40 ppm (0.004%) Sc2O3. For further details, please refer to the Company's July 25, 2024 news release. Qualified Person: Erik Ostensoe, P. Geo., a consulting geologist, and Doubleview's Qualified Person with respect to the Hat Project as defined by National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects, has reviewed, and approved the written technical disclosure contained in the news release. He is not independent of Doubleview as he is a shareholder in the company. On behalf of the Board of Directors, Farshad Shirvani, President & Chief Executive Officer For further information please contact: 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. The information contained herein contains "forward-looking information" and "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of applicable securities legislation (collectively, "forward-looking statements"). Forward-looking statements relate to information that is based on assumptions of management, forecasts of future results, and estimates of amounts not yet determinable. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements and are based on predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives and assumptions made as of the date of this news release, including without limitation: the size of the Private Placement and other statements concerning the Private Placement; the anticipated use of proceeds from the Private Placement; the renunciation to the purchasers of FT Shares and timing thereof; the tax treatment of the FT Shares and the Company's plans regarding exploring its mineral exploration properties; anticipated results of geophysical drilling programs, geological interpretations and potential mineral recovery. 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 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: risks related to failure to obtain adequate funding on a timely basis and on acceptable terms; risks related to the outcome of legal proceedings; political and regulatory risks associated with mining and exploration; risks related to the maintenance of stock exchange listings; risks related to environmental regulation and liability; the potential for delays in exploration or development activities or the completion of feasibility studies; the uncertainty of profitability; risks and uncertainties relating to the interpretation of drill results, the geology, grade and continuity of mineral deposits; risks related to the inherent uncertainty of production and cost estimates and the potential for unexpected costs and expenses; results of prefeasibility and feasibility studies, and the possibility that future exploration, development or mining results will not be consistent with the Company's expectations; risks related to the gold price and other commodity price fluctuations; and other risks and uncertainties related to the Company's prospects, properties and business detailed elsewhere in the Company's disclosure record. Should one or more of these risks and uncertainties materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described in forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned against attributing undue certainty or reliance on forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date hereof and the Company does not assume any obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, other than as required by applicable law, to reflect new information, events or circumstances, or changes in management's estimates, projections or opinions. Actual events or results could differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements or from the Company's expectations or projections. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/272690 SOURCE: Doubleview Gold Corp. VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESS Newswire / October 30, 2025 / Linear Minerals Corp. ("Linear" or the "Company") (CSE:LINE)(OTCQB:LINMF) (WKN:A2J C89) (the "Company") is pleased to announce that on October 29, 2025, the Supreme Court of British Columbia approved the Plan of Arrangement Agreement dated for reference August 1, 2025 (the "Arrangement") to spin out Company's Pontax West Lithium Property located in the Province of Quebec to the Company's subsidiary Westlinear Minerals Corp. ("Spinco"). Under the terms of the Arrangement, the Company's shareholders will be issued one share of Spinco with respect to every 10 shares of the Company owned on the share distribution record date (the "Share Distribution Record Date"), which will be determined by the Company's Board of Directors and announced by a separate news release in advance. The Arrangement was approved by the shareholders of the Company on October 23, 2025. Holders of the Company options and warrants, who exercise their options and/or warrants before the Share Distribution Record Date, will also be entitled to receive one share of Spinco with respect to every 10 shares of the Company. The Pontax West Lithium Property will be transferred to Spinco. Upon completion of the Arrangement, the Company shareholders will ultimately own shares in two companies: the Company, which will be focused on its other mineral properties and Spinco, which will focus on the Pontax West Lithium Property. Completion of the Arrangement is subject to the acceptance of the Arrangement by the Canadian Securities Exchange. Additional details regarding the Arrangement are described in the information circular of the Company, dated August 28, 2025, which is available at www.sedarplus.ca under the profile of the Company. On behalf of the board of directors. "Gurminder Sangha" CEO, Director For further information, please contact the Company at: info@linearminerals.com Forward Looking Statements When used in this news release, the words "estimate", "project", "belief", "anticipate", "intend", "expect", "plan", "predict", "may" or "should" and the negative of these words or such variations thereon or comparable terminology are intended to identify forward-looking statements and information. Although the Company believes, in light of the experience of their respective officers and directors, current conditions and expected future developments and other factors that have been considered appropriate, that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements and information in this news release are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on them because the parties can give no assurance that such statements will prove to be correct. The forward-looking statements and information in this news release include, amongst others, the Company's plans regarding the Arrangement and exploration plans. Such statements and information reflect the current view of the Company. There are risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated in those forward-looking statements and information. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements, or other future events, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements or implied by such forward-looking statements. There are a number of important factors that could cause the Company's actual results to differ materially from those indicated or implied by forward-looking statements and information. Such factors include, among others: currency fluctuations; limited business history of the parties; disruptions or changes in the credit or security markets; results of operation activities and development of projects; project cost overruns or unanticipated costs; shareholder, court and regulatory approvals; and general development, market and industry conditions. The Company undertakes no obligation to comment on analyses, expectations or statements made by third parties in respect of its securities or its financial or operating results (as applicable). The Company cautions that the foregoing list of material factors is not exhaustive. When relying on the Company's forward-looking statements and information to make decisions, investors and others should carefully consider the foregoing factors and other uncertainties and potential events. The Company has assumed that the material factors referred to in the previous paragraph will not cause such forward-looking statements and information to differ materially from actual results or events. However, the list of these factors is not exhaustive and is subject to change and there can be no assurance that such assumptions will reflect the actual outcome of such items or factors. 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, are subject to change after such date. The Company does not undertake to update this information at any particular time except as required in accordance with applicable laws. SOURCE: Linear Minerals Corp. View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/oil-gas-and-energy/linear-minerals-corp.-announces-approval-of-the-plan-of-arrangement-by-the-supre-1094412 Regulatory News: CTP, Europe's largest listed developer, owner, and manager of industrial and logistics properties by gross lettable area (GLA), has signed a lease with a global logistics service provider for a 34,450 sqm warehouse facility at CTPark Sulechow in Poland. The new tenant will move into CTPark Sulechow later this year, when they will occupy nearly 46% of the developed area of the park through 33,376 sqm of warehouse space and a 1,074 sqm office area. This growing demand for warehouse facilities highlights the rapid growth of the third-party logistics (3PL) sector in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), driven by factors such as nearshoring, regional manufacturing growth, and the rise of e-commerce. As demand for modern logistics infrastructure continues to grow, investment in flexible and state-of-the-art facilities with CTP ensures logistics providers are well-equipped to meet the evolving needs of an extensive modern client base. In addition to the new tenant, Domator24, a Polish manufacturer of gaming chairs and metal furniture, also operates at CTPark Sulechow. Located less than 70km from Germany, the park's proximity to the German border and good transport infrastructure make Sulechow increasingly important as an alternative to the main logistics locations in western Poland. As part of CTP's investment, a building with an area of 74,995 sqm has been completed so far and there are also plans to build a second warehouse with an area of 12,837 sqm. CTPark Sulechow is the second investment by CTP in Poland's Lubuskie Province, in addition to CTPark Ilowa which is located directly on the A18 motorway leading to the German border and where CTP has developed two buildings with a total area of 99,148 sqm so far. Piotr Flugel, Managing Director of CTP Poland, commented: "Today, warehouses are much more than just space they are a key link driving contract logistics and e-commerce. Properly designed space enables efficient management of goods flow, fast order fulfilment and process scaling. As a result, global companies are increasingly choosing Poland both for the quality of its infrastructure and its strategic location, which facilitates distribution to Western and Central and Eastern Europe." About CTP CTP is Europe's largest listed owner, developer, and operator of logistics and industrial real estate by gross leasable area, with 13.5 million sqm of GLA across 10 countries as of 30 June 2025. CTP certifies all new buildings to BREEAM Very good or better and earned a negligible-risk ESG rating by Sustainalytics, underlining its commitment to being a sustainable business. For more information, visit CTP's corporate website: www.ctp.eu View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251030040109/en/ Contacts: CONTACT DETAILS FOR ANALYST AND INVESTOR ENQUIRIES: CTP Maarten Otte, Head of Investor Relations Email: maarten.otte@ctp.eu IR TEAM Email: investor.relations@ctp.eu CONTACT DETAILS FOR MEDIA ENQUIRIES: SEC Newgate UK Email: ctp@secnewgate.co.uk Equinor ASA (OSE:EQNR, NYSE:EQNR) announces that Tone H. Bachke will leave her position on the Board of Directors and prioritize her executive responsibilities as EVP and CFO in SHV Holding N.V., a global company headquartered in the Netherlands. The change takes effect 31 October 2025. Contact: Nils Morten Huseby, chair of the nomination committee Enquiries through Equinor Corporate Press Office, Sissel Rinde, +47 412 60 584 This information is subject to the disclosure requirements pursuant to Section 5-12 of the Norwegian Securities Trading Act U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Initiates Public Participation Procedure Ghent, Belgium, Oct. 31, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Press release - inside information EPA Issues Proposed Registration Decision for Biotalys' EVOCA Biofungicide U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Initiates Public Participation Procedure Ghent, BELGIUM - October 31, 2025, 7.00 CET - Biotalys) is pleased to announce that the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has issued its proposed registration decision to approve the company's first biofungicide, EVOCA*. The agency will now initiate the final phase in its regulatory review, allowing stakeholders such as growers and industry associations 15 days to provide feedback before finalizing its regulatory decision. The EPA has also posted a final rule exempting EVOCA's active ingredient residues on treated crops from tolerance requirements, indicating that no maximum residue limits will apply and highlighting the product candidate's exemplary safety profile. EVOCA is a precision biocontrol solution that targets the fungal pathogens botrytis (grey mold) and powdery mildew in high-value fruits and vegetables without harming beneficial organisms or the environment. The product candidate offers growers a new mode of action to manage resistance to existing fungicides as was recognised by the Fungicide Resistance Action Committee (FRAC)**, a panel of renown industry experts. "The EPA's recommendation to approve EVOCA marks a pivotal moment for Biotalys, and the advancement of the first protein-based biofungicide of its kind for approval in the United States. This achievement underscores Biotalys' pioneering leadership in agricultural innovation and provides the company with a significant first-mover advantage in transforming how growers protect their crops safely and sustainably." said Kevin Helash, CEO of Biotalys. "Our protein-based platform has the potential to transform crop protection by delivering next generation biological solutions with new modes of action, developed to create targeted, consistent and scalable products to meet farmers' needs, as demonstrated today by the EPA's publication," he added. "This significant milestone reflects the dedication and expertise of the entire Biotalys team," Helash concluded. "EVOCA is just the beginning for Biotalys, and we look forward to bringing our pipeline of fungicides and insecticides to the market in the coming years." An approval of EVOCA paves the way for the regulatory submission of EVOCA NG, the next-generation version of the product candidate, and Biotalys' anticipated first commercial launch. The company expects the review process for EVOCA NG to be significantly shorter as the product contains the same active ingredient as EVOCA and features enhanced formulation and production methods. To read the full EPA documents please visit: https://www.regulations.gov/docket/EPA-HQ-OPP-2021-0165 https://www.federalregister.gov/public-inspection/2025-19712/pesticide-tolerance-exemptions-petitions-revocations-etc-asfbiof01-02-polypeptide * EVOCA: Pending regulatory review. This product candidate is not currently registered for sale or use in the United States, the European Union, or elsewhere and is not being offered for sale and no assurance can be given if, when and under which conditions registration will be obtained. ** EVOCA obtained FRAC-code F10. About Biotalys Biotalys is an Agricultural Technology. For further information, please contact: Toon Musschoot, Head of IR & Communication T: +32 Important Notice Biotalys, its business, prospects and financial position remain exposed and subject to risks and uncertainties. A description of and reference to these risks and uncertainties can be found in the annual reporton the consolidated annual accounts published on the company's website. This announcement contains statements which are "forward-looking statements" or could be considered as such. These forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology, including the words 'aim', 'believe', 'estimate', 'anticipate', 'expect', 'intend', "have the potential", 'may', 'will', 'plan', 'continue', 'ongoing', 'possible', 'predict', 'plans', 'target', 'seek', 'would' or 'should', and contain statements made by the company regarding the intended results of its strategy. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties and readers are warned that none of these forward-looking statements offers any guarantee of future performance. Biotalys' actual results may differ materially from those predicted by the forward-looking statements. Biotalys makes no undertaking whatsoever to publish updates or adjustments to these forward-looking statements, unless required to do so by law. Attachments Bubendorf, Switzerland--(Newsfile Corp. - October 31, 2025) - Ad hoc announcement pursuant to Art. 53 LR Anne-Kathrin Stoller to become new CEO at Bachem Bachem (SIX: BANB) announced today that its Board of Directors has appointed Anne-Kathrin Stoller, currently Head of Bachem Americas and previously the company's long-standing Chief Marketing Officer (CMO), as its new CEO, effective January 1, 2026. She succeeds Thomas Meier, who, after more than thirty years at Bachem and nearly six years as CEO, has decided to take on a new challenge outside the company. "Thomas Meier has contributed significantly to Bachem's continued success. Together with his team, he has achieved a capital-efficient and profitable growth. At the same time, Bachem's position as an innovative and reliable partner to the pharmaceutical industry has been further strengthened. We would like to express our sincere thanks to Thomas for his many years of service, his leadership and extraordinary contribution to Bachem," says Kuno Sommer, Chairman of the Board of Directors of Bachem. He continues: "I am very pleased that we have been able to appoint Anne-Kathrin Stoller, an experienced and competent successor from within our own ranks, as the new CEO. Anne-Kathrin has an excellent combination of expertise, leadership skills, and customer focus and, together with her colleagues in the Executive Committee, will continue Bachem's successful course." Thomas Meier: "Bachem is a great company and has developed into a leading global, innovation-driven developer and manufacturer of peptides and oligonucleotides in recent years. I have had the privilege of helping to shape and accompany this development in various roles over the past three decades, and I am very grateful for the many enriching experiences I have had at work and the formative encounters with people. Above all, I would like to thank Bachem's employees and customers, as well as my colleagues in the Executive Committee and on the Board of Directors, for their active support and excellent cooperation." Anne-Kathrin Stoller: "I am delighted to have earned the trust of the Board of Directors and will do everything in my power, together with the members of the Executive Committee and all Bachem employees, to continue our company's impressive success story. Under the leadership of Thomas Meier, Bachem has set the course for the future. I would like to thank him for his collegial support over the past years and everyone at Bachem who works hard every day to ensure that we make an important contribution to human health." Anne-Kathrin Stoller has been working for Bachem since 2006. After holding various management positions, including Head of Business Development & Sales Europe, Chief Marketing Officer, and member of the Executive Committee, she took on the role of Chief Operating Officer Americas in 2022 and is responsible for the company's US business. Anne-Kathrin Stoller studied chemistry in Hannover and Cambridge (UK) and holds a doctorate in bioorganic chemistry from the University of Basel. About Bachem Bachem is a leading, innovation-driven company specializing in the development and manufacture of peptides and oligonucleotides. The company, which has over 50 years of experience and expertise, provides products for research, clinical development, and commercial application to pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies worldwide and offers a comprehensive range of services. Bachem operates internationally with headquarters in Switzerland and locations in Europe, the US and Asia. The company is listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange. For further information, see www.bachem.com. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/272707 SOURCE: Bachem Holding AG Bioretec Ltd Company release 31 October 2025 at 8.30 a.m. EET TAMPERE, Finland, Oct. 31, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Bioretec announced on 27 October 2025 that it will adjust and restate its previously reported figures for H1/2025. The adjustment and restatement is related to the sales and distribution agreement with Tri-State Biologics ("TSB"), originally announced on 22 November 2024 (the "TSB Distribution Agreement"). The TSB Distribution Agreement was, upon its signing, based on a stocking distribution model, whereby TSB first purchases products from Bioretec for further sale and distribution by TSB to hospitals in the target geography. Following the signing of the TSB Distribution Agreement, a product repurchase addendum was added on 5 May 2025 to the TSB Distribution Agreement, whereby Bioretec would repurchase from TSB such unpaid products for which TSB was unable to procure purchasers within the payment terms ("Repurchase Addendum"). Following such repurchase under the Repurchase Addendum, Bioretec could then distribute such unpaid products directly to end-users itself, similarly to direct distribution models to which Bioretec is aiming to shift towards in an effort to move away from stocking distribution models in the United States, excluding the Orthopediatrics agreement focused solely on the pediatrics market. In the company release dated 27 October 2025, Bioretec estimated that the corrections made in the accounting treatment related to the Repurchase Addendum and the products to be repurchased would result in a decrease of previously reported H1/2025 net sales of EUR 0.52 million, as well as an increase in costs of EUR 0.65 million. However, after further review, it was also determined that a one-time credit invoice related to the conclusion of a previous U.S. pilot distributor agreement with Spartan Medical had been incorrectly booked against net sales in Q2/2025. While the Repurchase Addendum causes a restatement of H1/2025 net sales by EUR 0.52 Million as per the company release dated 27 October 2025, the corrected accounting treatment of the aforementioned credit invoice of Spartan Medical offsets this reduction in net sales. In this corrected half-year report, the aforementioned one-time credit invoice related to Spartan Medical's distribution agreement (of EUR 0.5 million), as well as the products to be repurchased worth approximately EUR 0.65 million under the TSB Distribution Agreement, are now reported in other expenses, increasing the previously reported other expenses by a total of approximately EUR 1.1 million. The previously reported total level of net sales remains mostly unchanged and represents the true volume of realized sales during the period of April-June 2025. Other minor changes detected during further review, related to changes in inventory and operating expenses, have also been adjusted This company announcement is a summary of restated Bioretec Ltd's half-year report for January-June 2025. The complete half-year report with tables is attached to this release as a pdf file and available at the company's web pages at https://investors.bioretec.com/en/reports_and_presentations. The half-year report is unaudited. April-June 2025 in brief Bioretec successfully closed a funding round of EUR 9 million, demonstrating investor confidence in the company. Activa sales developed as expected, with growth particularly in China and Asia, while momentum for RemeOsTM sales builds globally. First surgeries performed with RemeOs Trauma Screw in Europe mark another key event supporting the commercialization of RemeOs product line worldwide. Net sales decreased by 50.9% and amounted to EUR 678 thousand (4-6/2024: EUR 1,379 thousand). The comparison period included a high initial delivery to a new distributor outside the U.S. Sales margin (excl. other income) was EUR 486 (1,033) thousand, or 71.7% (74.9%) of net sales. Sales margin reflects preparation for commercial growth and was impacted by an increase in materials and services costs related to the shift in distribution partners, as well as the lower margin of sales to China. Sales margin during the market development and scale-up phases is planned to improve as sales increase and direct distribution channel partners are well established. Profit (loss) for the reporting period was EUR -4,330 (-787) thousand. The cost of the rights issue financing round arranged in June 2025 amounted to EUR 1,065 thousand. Earnings per share (undiluted) were EUR -0.14 (-0.04). January-June 2025 in brief Net sales amounted to EUR 2,074 thousand (1-6/2024: EUR 2,061 thousand). Sales margin (excl. other income) was EUR 1,308 (1,451) thousand or 63.1% (70.4%) of net sales. The sales margin includes other income of EUR 202 (72) thousand accrued relating to received grants. Profit (loss) for the reporting period was EUR -5,628 (-1,884) thousand. Earnings per share (undiluted) were EUR -0.18 (-0.09). Key figures EUR 1,000 4-6/2025 4-6/2024 Change, % 1-6/2025 1-6/2024 Change, % 1-12/2024 Net sales 678 1,379 -50.9 % 2,074 2,061 0.6 % 4,544 Sales margin 589 1,045 -43.6 % 1,510 1,523 -0.8 % 3,391 Sales margin (excl. other income) 486 1,033 -53.0 % 1,308 1,451 -9.9 % 3,221 Sales margin, % of net sales 86.9 % 75.7 % 72.8 % 73.9 % 74.6 % Sales margin% (excl. other income) 71.7 % 74.9 % 63.1 % 70.4 % 70.9 % EBITDA -3,321 -752 -4,557 -1,864 -4,053 EBIT -3,373 -782 -4,660 -1,921 -4,202 Profit/-loss for the period (+/-) -4,330 -787 -5,628 -1,884 -4,614 R&D spend on total revenue, % 117.3 % 31.6 % 69.1 % 41.4 % 48.0 % Equity ratio, % 79.6 % 77.9 % 79.6 % 77.9 % 84.9 % Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the period 11,467 3,947 190.5 % 11,467 3,947 190.5 % 6,289 Earnings per share (undiluted) -0.14 -0.04 -0.18 -0.09 -0.20 Earnings per share (diluted) -0.13 -0.04 -0.17 -0.08 -0.17 Shares at end of period (undiluted) 30,783,092 20,336,858 30,783,092 20,336,858 23,336,858 Shares at end of period (diluted) 33,821,751 24,908,133 33,821,751 24,908,133 27,515,133 Personnel at end of the period 57 43 32.6 % 57 43 32.6 % 47 Key events in April-June 2025 Bioretec's Board of Directors appointed MBA Sarah van Hellenberg Hubar-Fisher as the company's interim CEO as of 15 May 2025, following the resignation of CEO Alan Donze. Mirva Ekman, M.Sc. (Mechanical Engineering), was appointed Quality Director and member of the Management Team as of 22 April 2025. Bioretec arranged a rights issue in June 2025, where shareholders were offered up to 6,156,618 new shares for subscription primarily on the basis of shareholders' pre-emptive subscription right in the same proportion as they already hold shares in the company and secondarily by other shareholders or by other persons. The objective of the rights issue was to strengthen Bioretec's capital structure and to ensure its ability to implement its RemeOs commercialisation strategy. The rights issue was oversubscribed and Bioretec received gross proceeds of approximately EUR 9.2 million from the rights issue. As a result of the rights issue, the total number of shares in Bioretec increased by 6,156,618 from 24,626,474 to 30,783,092. Sarah van Hellenberg Hubar-Fisher, Interim CEO of Bioretec Ltd: The second quarter included the close of our successful funding round of EUR 9 million, highlighting investors' confidence in our innovative product offering, market potential, and strategic direction. This funding round supports the needed investment in leadership resourcing for marketing and sales, global capacity building in operations, and continued R&D investment to support our robust product pipeline. Commercial traction in H1 was highlighted by continued Activa sales development with demand particularly in China and Asia, and the first surgical cases with the RemeOs Trauma Screw being performed in Europe. Our robust product pipeline advanced on multiple fronts, including ongoing work to advance 510(k) submissions for the RemeOs cannulated screw in the U.S., progress in our Breakthrough designated and patented hybrid composite for the RemeOs Spinal Interbody Cage program, ethical approval for first in human DrillPin clinical trials, and the commencement of post-marketing clinical follow-up for the CE-marked RemeOs line. In support of our broadened distribution network in the U.S. and the growing demand for efficiency and infection control in that market, we completed the launch of sterile, single-use instruments for our Activa cannulated screw, with the first instruments delivered and now available for use. Sales margin reflects our commitment to prepare for commercial and operational growth namely in the U.S. market. The margin was impacted by an increase in materials and services costs, such as instrumentation and logistics costs, related to our commercial strategy to shift from using solely stocking distributors to including also direct distribution partners in the U.S.. Furthermore, the first two quarters of the year resulted in high volume demand as a percentage of revenue coming from China, with slightly lower margins. Sales margin during the market development and scale-up phases is planned to improve as our sales increase and direct distribution channel partners are well established. The first half of the year also marked a period of transition in the organization from a leadership perspective. It has been an honor for me to step in as interim CEO of Bioretec in mid-May, and I am proud of the oversubscribed funding round we completed in June. I want to thank our shareholders for their strong participation and continued confidence in our journey ahead. As we continue to focus on scale and strategy refinement, I remain confident that Bioretec is well-positioned to deliver value to shareholders and patients alike. Financial reporting in 2025 In 2025, Bioretec will publish the following financial reports: Business review for January-September 2025 on Thursday 13 November 2025 The financial reports will be available online at Bioretec Ltd's website at https://investors.bioretec.com/en/reports_and_presentations. Tampere, 31 October 2025 Board of Directors Bioretec Ltd For additional information about the report: Sarah van Hellenberg Hubar-Fisher CEO +31 6 1544 8736 Anne-Mari Matikainen Interim CFO +358 50 322 1069 Certified Adviser Nordic Certified Adviser AB, +46 70 551 67 29 About Bioretec Bioretec is a globally operating Finnish medical device pioneer at the forefront of transforming orthopedic care with fully biodegradable implant technologies. The company has built unique competencies in the?biological interface?of active implants?to enhance bone growth and accelerate fracture healing after orthopedic surgery. The products developed and manufactured by Bioretec are used worldwide in approximately 40 countries. ? Bioretec's Activa product line features fully bioabsorbable orthopedic implants made from a proprietary, self-reinforced PLGA polymer. These implants deliver secure fixation through patented innovations and naturally degrade in approximately two years, eliminating the need for costly and invasive removal surgeries while supporting optimal bone regeneration. Activa products are both CE marked and FDA cleared for a wide range of indications in adult and pediatric patients. The company's latest innovation, the RemeOs product line,?is based on a high-performance magnesium alloy and hybrid composite, introducing a new generation of strong absorbable materials for enhanced surgical outcomes. The RemeOs implants are absorbed and replaced by bone, which eliminates the need for removal surgery while facilitating fracture healing. The first RemeOs product market authorization was received in the U.S. in March 2023, and in Europe, the CE mark approval was received in January 2025. With the development of next-generation implants like RemeOs, Bioretec is shaping the future of orthopedic treatment, paving the way for more effective and patient-friendly solutions. To learn more about Bioretec, visit https://bioretec.com. This information was brought to you by Cision http://news.cision.com https://news.cision.com/bioretec/r/correction--bioretec-ltd-s-half-year-report-2025,c4259600 The following files are available for download: https://mb.cision.com/Main/20509/4259600/3755898.pdf Bioretec Half year report 2025_corrected View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/correction-bioretec-ltds-half-year-report-2025-302600808.html Facephi Reports Solid 1H25 Results, Expects Strong Acceleration in 2H25, and Provides 2025-2026 Financial Guidance Positive Free Cash Flow (+0,01 mm) over the last 12 months in terms of constant currency (CC); representing an unprecedented milestone in the Company's history. EBITDA near break-even, with a result of -0,2 mm or +0,1 mm in CC; showing a significant improvement compared to -2,7 mm in H1 2024. Financial Projections 2025-2026: Revenue and EBITDA are expected to grow by +26% and +232% CAGR 2024-2026, respectively, with an estimated Free Cash Flow/EBITDA ratio of 39% for 2026. Alicante, October 30, 2025 - Facephi Biometria, SA (BME Growth: FACE; Euronext Growth Paris: ALPHI) ("Facephi" or the "Company"), a global leader in AI/ML-powered digital identity verification and anti-fraud protection solutions, today released its financial results for the first half of 2025, and provides financial guidance for full-year 2025 and 2026. FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE 1H25 million 1H24 1H25 Change TOTAL CONTRACT VALUE 43.6 65.4 +50.0% NET REVENUE 11.7 12.6 + 7.9% Excluding FX changes 13.0 + 11.3% EBITDA NORMALIZED - 2.7 - 0.2 + 2.5 Excluding FX changes 0.1 + 2.8 FREE CASH FLOW (*) - 8.8 - 4.4 + 4.4 Excluding FX changes - 4.3 + 4.5 (*): Excluding FX changes, free cash flow for the past 12 months was +0.01 million. FINANCIAL GUIDANCE 2025-2026 CAGR million FY 2024A FY 2025E FY 2026E 2024-2026 NET REVENUE 28,9 36,4 46,2 26,4% EBITDA NORMALIZED 1,0 7,4 11,0 231,7% FREE CASH FLOW - 4,5 - 1,0 4,3 +8.8 Javier Mira, CEO of Facephi, commented: "We are pleased with the progress made in executing our strategy to deliver strong revenue growth with free cash flow generation, driven by GEOGRAPHIC, SECTOR and PRODUCT diversification. Our performance during the first half of 2025 underscores our ability to sustain solid top-line growth with lower capital expenditures. Revenue grew 7,9%, while operating and personnel expenses increased only 3,0%, reflecting greater business efficiency and scalability. Excluding exchange rate fluctuations, Revenue would have increased by 11,3%, and EBITDA would have been positive at 0.1 million. More importantly, for the first time in the Company's history, on a 12 months' basis free cash flow is positive. These results further reaffirm our confidence in the corporate, strategic, and technological foundations built over the past 13 years, enabling profitable growth across the pillars of our strategy: GEOGRAPHIC expansion: we now serve clients in over 30 countries, with notable momentum in the EMEA region, which now represents 4.6% of revenues (up from 1.3% in FY24). In the near term, we will focus on deepening our presence in existing markets to strengthen our position and optimize free cash flow generation before entering new countries. SECTORdiversification is progressing in line with our strategic framework, with insurance, pensions, and fintech experiencing the largest growth, now accounting for 5.1% of revenues (up from 3.0%). We will concentrate on consolidating our footprint in travel, hospitality, and gaming, alongside the financial sector, before exploring opportunities in additional industries. Most importantly, from a PRODUCT perspective, in 2025 Facephi evolved from offering digital identity verification and protection products to a comprehensive Identity & Anti-Fraud platform, providing clients with a holistic, end-to-end solution. Our modular, AI/ML-powered Identity & Anti-Fraud platform features multi-biometric authentication, is compliance-ready, and can be deployed within weeks thanks to our proprietary technology. With the addition of our advanced fraud prevention solutions-such as behavioral biometrics and mule account detection-combined with Eastnet's financial crime prevention and compliance capabilities, Facephi now delivers a full-spectrum platform covering identity verification, protection, fraud detection, and regulatory compliance - providing a true 360 end-to-end solution. These achievements strengthen our confidence in Facephi's outlook. We anticipate strong acceleration in 2H25 and 2026, supported by robust Revenue, EBITDA, and Free Cash Flow generation." The Company will host a webcast to discuss the results on Tuesday, November 4th, 2025, at 10:00 a.m. CT. The live webcast will be accessible via Webcast | Facephi's 1H25 Earnings Review | Facephi or through Facephi's Investor Relations website at Invest in Facephi . A replay of the webcast will be made available on the same website shortly after its conclusion. To access the full earnings release, please click on: FACEPHI- Earnings H1 2025 About Facephi Facephi is a technology company specializing in digital identity verification, fraud prevention, and regulatory compliance solutions. It delivers an AI/ML-powered Identity & Anti-Fraud platform that provides a comprehensive 360 end-to-end approach to digital protection. Renowned for its strong focus on security and data integrity, Facephi develops solutions that make digital processes safer, more accessible, and fraud-free. Its technologies help prevent identity theft while ensuring the ethical management and protection of personal data. With over a decade of experience in developing technologies aimed at safeguarding digital identity, Facephi is headquartered in Spain, with subsidiaries in APAC, EMEA, and LATAM. The company serves the needs of clients across 30+ countries, delivering innovative solutions that address security challenges in an ever-evolving digital landscape. Forward-Looking Statements This press release may contain forward-looking statements regarding Facephi's future plans, objectives, and financial performance. Actual results may differ materially due to various risks and uncertainties. Please refer to the company's filings for a discussion of these risks. The new Lancet Countdown China report reveals that 8 of 13 climate-health risk indicators are at historic peaks; the Beijing launch showcases scalable approaches for resilient and low-carbon urban development. BEIJING, Oct. 31, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- As 8 of 13 critical climate-health risk indicators reach record highs in China, the 2025 Lancet Countdown China Report, launched today at Tsinghua University, offers valuable lessons for urban resilience and low-carbon development. Marking World Cities Day under the theme "Empowering Cities for Synergistic Action", the report delivers unprecedented city-level analysis, revealing a critical gap between national and provincial assessments and the distinct risks faced by individual cities. "While climate red alerts are flashing everywhere, we must fight public desensitization and provide cities with targeted solutions," said Professor Cai Wenjia, Director of the Lancet Countdown Asia Centre at Tsinghua University. "Our analysis shows health-focused climate action isn't an economic brake - it's actually an accelerator for growth." Key findings with regional implications include: Asian countries now experience an average of 20 heatwave days per year (2022-2024), with climate change responsible for 16 of these days Public risk fatigue is emerging as climate warnings become constant, threatening response effectiveness Each city faces its own distinct climate-health crisis - national averages mask critical local vulnerabilities Scientific research doesn't match cities' most urgent needs, with cost-effective solutions remaining scarce Health-centered climate action accelerates rather than hinders economic growth The report identifies cities as both the epicenter of climate health risks and the engine of solutions, outlining five priority actions from developing people-centered early warning systems to embedding health in smart city planning. The launch featured experts from Singapore, India, Australia, and China discussing practical urban solutions. The event also highlighted new financing pathways. The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank outlined its focus on health- and nature-positive infrastructure, while the Asian Venture Philanthropy Network introduced its Climate x Health Lighthouse Fund-Asia's first philanthropic fund scaling adaptation innovation. "The city-level evidence in this report is exactly what local governments need to move from planning to action," said Dr. Sandro Demaio, Director of the WHO Asia-Pacific Centre for Environment and Health. The full report is available at https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanpub/article/PIIS2468-2667(25)00230-0/fulltext View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/china-pioneers-urban-health-climate-solutions-as-risks-hit-record-high-offers-new-pathways-for-global-south-302600855.html DUBAI, UAE, Oct. 31, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- GoComet hosted Odyssey Dubai 2025, the 8th edition of their supply chain innovation summit at The St. Regis. The event gathered 70+ leaders including Novartis, Henkel, L'Oreal, and Max Retail, to explore how technology is transforming GCC supply chains. It also marked the launch of Agentic AI, GoComet's vision for intelligent, autonomous, and resilient logistics ecosystems. "Whatever product we build, it has to solve this individual's tedium. It has to get them out from their routine, mundane job where they really cannot contribute to the business. This is what makes me get up every day to build GoComet." - Chitransh Sahai, CEO, GoComet Driving Efficiency Through Automation: Keynote Insights The keynote address was delivered by Mohamed Ismail, Head of Manufacturing Capability, and Ma'an Felemban, Head of Logistics at GoodyCo (Basamh Group). They showcased Basamh Group's journey towards building a digitalized, disruption-proof, and resilient supply chain. With a legacy spanning over six decades, the company manages 6,000+ containers annually from 70 manufacturing sites in 25 countries and 60 ports worldwide. But with such scale comes complexity, and as Felemban noted, "In logistics, Murphy's Law always applies. If anything can go wrong, it will." Today, by integrating GoComet with its existing ERP and supply chain software, the group has automated nearly 60% of their core processes, ensuring data consistency, faster collaboration, and end-to-end visibility across. "What we were able to do is use GoComet as the central nervous system of our logistics. It literally became a logistics operating system for us - a full 360-degree ecosystem handling all tasks and processes in one place," said Ismail. Predictive alerts and real-time visibility have equipped the group to navigate port strikes in Northern Europe, Red Sea congestion, and regulatory changes with agility, shifting from monthly reaction cycles to real-time planning. Their "ADAPT" strategy - Active collaboration, Digital integration, Agility, Predictive analytics, and Talent building - now serves as the cornerstone of their supply chain vision. As Ismail emphasized, "Resilient supply chains aren't built in calm times; they're built through disruption. Every challenge teaches us to bounce back stronger, faster, and smarter." Both speakers emphasized that AI and automation empower, not replace, teams - freeing personnel from routine firefighting to focus on proactive, strategic decisions. Looking ahead, Basamh Group aims to further leverage AI and predictive analytics -continuing its journey towards a smarter, data-driven supply chain. Predictive, Autonomous, Transformative: The Product Demo The event concluded with launch of Gocomet's Agentic AI, that can understand user intent, extract insights from emails and PDFs, identify risks, and do much more, completely without manual intervention. And Incidents Lens, integrating live port, weather, and geopolitical data with shipment data, enabling companies to anticipate disruptions, assess risks, and make informed decisions in real time. GoComet AI learns, adapts, and acts on your behalf, enabling businesses to reduce lead times by 20 percent, and cut costs by nearly 25 percent. The next frontier in logistics innovation is not manual, it's mindful. View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/gocomet-redefines-supply-chain-intelligence-with-ai-at-odyssey-dubai-2025-302600862.html Hannover, Germany--(Newsfile Corp. - October 31, 2025) - CHCNAV (Shanghai Huace Navigation Technology Ltd.) , a global provider of positioning, navigation, and control technologies, will exhibit at Agritechnica 2025 , presenting a precision-agriculture portfolio that includes NX610 , NX612 , SprayX100 , IS100 , HG100 , and VG100 . The company will also introduce PointSky , CHCNAV's satellite-based high-precision correction service. 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. BEIJING, Oct. 31, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The 2025 Overseas Promotion of the Charming Beijing TV series is a cultural exchange initiative jointly launched by the Information Office of the Beijing Municipal Government and China Daily. Since its inception in 2019, the program has invited production teams from 15 countries, including Laos, Thailand, Russia, and Kazakhstan, to film in Beijing. Over the past years, the Charming Beijing TV series has been broadcast on major television networks in more than ten countries, earning wide recognition and warm responses from international audiences. This year, the project invited TV BRICS of Russia and Almaty TV of Kazakhstan to co-produce a special feature focusing on Beijing's achievements in high-quality development in the new era. During their stay, the film crews visited iconic landmarks such as the Temple of Heaven, the Beijing Planning Exhibition Hall, Marco Polo Bridge, Shougang Park, Zhongguancun Life Science Park, and the Longfu Temple area. They gained deep insights into the city's progress in economic growth, technological innovation, cultural preservation, and ecological development. On the afternoon of October 24, the "Charming Beijing, Shared with the World" Overseas Promotion and Sharing Event of the Charming Beijing TV series was successfully held at the Longfu Cultural Center in Beijing. At the sharing session, behind-the-scenes clips of the Charming Beijing TV series were screened, showcasing the fruitful collaboration between Chinese and international production teams. Journalists from TV BRICS, Almaty TV, Beijing Radio and Television Station, and Beijing Daily shared their field experiences and personal perspectives on Beijing. Tatiana Urzhumtseva, Director of the Russian Cultural Center in Beijing, remarked that Beijing is a capital with a history of more than 3,000 years and a modern global metropolis. It stands as an outstanding example of how a city can harmoniously blend its rich cultural heritage with dynamic urban development. According to the organizers, the Charming Beijing TV series will continue to share compelling stories about Beijing and China with audiences around the world. Looking ahead, more international production teams will be invited to explore the city, experience the warmth and openness of its people, and present to the world the unique charm of Beijing-a city where ancient heritage and modern vitality exist in perfect harmony. Video - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2810193/The_2025_Charming_Beijing_TV_series_overseas_promotion_event_was_successfully_held_in_Beijing_from_O.mp4 View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/beijings-timeless-charm-goes-global-302600896.html 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. BEIJING, Oct. 31, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The 2025 Chishui River Forum was held in southwest China's Guizhou Province on Tuesday with the theme of "Interweaving Harmony", attracting nearly 400 participants from home and abroad, including representatives of renowned liquor companies and industry experts, to jointly explore the sustainable development of the global liquor industry. Known as "China's River of Fine Liquor", the Chishui River basin accounts for over 60 percent of China's jiangxiangxing (jiang-flavor) baijiu production capacity, encompassing renowned brands such as Moutai, Xijiu, and Langjiu. The traditional brewing wisdom along its banks, coupled with Guizhou's "industrial symbiosis" development model, offers a unique reference for the global liquor industry's growth. The attendees noted that the core value of China's liquor industry lies in "quality + culture", and the sector has now entered a 3.0 era of innovation -- defined by "cultural appreciation, value appreciation, and lifestyle appreciation". They emphasized that collective harmony underpins Chinese liquor culture, and symbiosis is the key to the global liquor industry's sustainable development. Deepening cross-border cooperation, promoting technological innovation, sharing industry resources, and jointly building quality standards will inject new vitality into the mutual learning of Chinese and foreign liquor cultures, while boosting the high-quality development of the global liquor industry. The forum also featured thematic sessions and dialogues, fostering in-depth discussions on topics including baijiu application scenario exploration, Gen Z consumer engagement, integration of Chinese and foreign liquor cultures, and digital transformation of the liquor industry. Two key initiatives were launched at the event, namely the Global Liquor Industry High-Quality Development Promotion Initiative jointly initiated by China Economic Information Service, China Moutai, and prominent Chinese and foreign liquor enterprises, and the Global Fine Wines & Spirits Declaration of Chishui River, aiming to jointly promote the building of an open, inclusive, collaborative, prosperous, and innovative global community with a shared future for the liquor industry. Additionally, two reports were released: one on the development index of well-known Chinese and global alcoholic beverages, and another on the ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) development of the world's core jiangxiangxing baijiu production area (Renhuai, Guizhou). These reports seek to establish a scientific evaluation system and digital development value benchmark for the global liquor industry, providing support for its growth. The event was initiated by China Economic Information Service and China Moutai. Original link: https://en.imsilkroad.com/p/348095.html Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2810215/photo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/xinhua-silk-road-chishui-river-forum-held-in-sw-chinas-guizhou-focuses-on-sustainable-development-of-global-liquor-industry-302600910.html An Extraordinary General Meeting in Gapwaves AB (publ) was held today, 31 October 2025, at MAQS Advokatbyra's premises at Masthamnsgatan 13 in Gothenburg. Chairperson of the General Meeting was lawyer Fredrik Brusberg from MAQS Advokatbyra. The following main resolution was resolved upon at the Extraordinary General Meeting. Approval of the Board of Directors' resolution on issue of new shares of series B with preferential rights for existing shareholders The General Meeting resolved to approve the Board of Directors resolution from 14 October 2025 on an issue of new shares of series B with preferential rights for existing shareholders. Resolution regarding authorization for the Board of Directors to resolve on a directed issue of warrants The General Meeting resolved, in accordance with the Board of Directors' proposal, to authorize the Board of Directors to, on one or more occasions until the next Annual General Meeting, resolve on issue of warrants with the right to subscribe for shares of series B, with deviation from the shareholders' preferential rights. Determination of the number of directors and deputies The General Meeting resolved, in accordance with the Nomination Committee's proposal, that the Board of Directors for the period until the next Annual General Meeting shall consist of four directors and one deputy director. The Board of Directors' complete proposals are available on the company's website, www.gapwaves.com. For more information, please visit www.gapwaves.com or contact: Jonas Ehinger, CEO?Gapwaves?AB?(publ) Phone number:?+46?733 44 01 52 E-mail:?jonas.ehinger@gapwaves.com Gapwaves?Certified Adviser is G&W?Fondkommission?AB? www.gwkapital.se About Gapwaves AB (publ) Gapwaves AB (publ) originates from research conducted at Chalmers University of Technology and was founded in 2011. Gapwaves' vision is to be the most innovative provider of mm-wave antenna systems and the preferred partner to those pioneering next generation wireless technology for a safer and more sustainable society. By leveraging the disruptive Gapwaves technology, we help pioneers in automotive and telecom to create highly efficient mm-wave antenna systems that contributes to re-defining everyday life. Gapwaves' share (GAPW B) is traded on the Nasdaq First North Growth Market Stockholm. Inside information: Aiforia initiates change negotiations to improve the company's competitiveness and profitability Aiforia Technologies Plc, Inside information, October 31, 2025 at 09:00 a.m. EET Aiforia Technologies Plc is initiating change negotiations to enhance the company's business competitiveness and profitability. The financial adjustment measures are intended to ensure the achievement of the company's mid-term strategic goals. The planned financial adjustments are expected to deliver ongoing annual cost savings of approximately EUR 2.5 million, starting from the 2026 financial year. The majority of the savings are intended to be covered by other cost savings than personnel expenses. The share of personnel expenses in the adjustment measures is estimated to be approximately 650,000 euros. The change negotiations concern Aiforia Technologies Plc's operations in Finland. A total of 43 people are within the scope of the negotiations. Based on the company's assessment, the need to reduce personnel is less than 10 people. Aiforia Technologies Plc's operations in Finland employ a total of 62 people. "We are moving into the next strategic phase of the company's development, where the focus shifts to stronger product commercialization. During the change negotiations, we aim to find solutions that will enable us to adapt our operations to meet this change and ensure our long-term competitiveness and profitability. Our goal is to build a strong foundation for the future," says the company's CEO, Jukka Tapaninen. The change negotiations will start in week 45. The results of the negotiations will be announced upon their conclusion. Any potential measures will be implemented by the end of 2025. Further inquiries Jukka Tapaninen, CEO, Aiforia Technologies Plc tel. +33 61 041 6686 https://investors.aiforia.com/ Certified Adviser UB Corporate Finance Ltd ubcf@unitedbankers.fi About Aiforia Aiforia is a trusted provider of deep learning artificial intelligence (AI) solutions for pathology. Aiforia delivers advanced software solutions that elevate diagnostic capabilities in image analysis, empowering remarkable medical discoveries both today and in the future. With thousands of AI models developed for research use and several diagnostic solutions deployed, Aiforia is making a significant impact on pathology and healthcare. In Europe, Aiforia is the leading provider of CE-IVD marked AI-powered solutions for digital pathology. Founded in 2013, Aiforia is a publicly traded company with a global presence and thousands of users worldwide. Headquartered in Helsinki, Finland, the company also operates subsidiaries in the United States and France, and maintains a network of local representatives across Europe and North America. Aiforia's diverse team includes experienced AI and software developers, pathologists, medical scientists, and a dedicated commercial team. Together, they are transforming pathology through AI, enabling better care for every patient. Find out more at www.aiforia.com CONSHOHOCKEN, Pa., Oct. 29, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Suvoda (recently merged under common ownership with Greenphire), a global clinical trial technology company specializing in software solutions to address trial complexity in mission-critical, time-sensitive moments, today announced the release of its unified patient mobile app. The Suvoda app is a single, intuitive experience that will bring visit scheduling, questionnaires, travel information, receipt submission, and reimbursement tracking into one place to reduce the logistical burden for clinical trial participants. The new patient app combines four core product capabilities in one consumer-grade interface so participants can: complete questionnaires and diaries schedule and reschedule study visits with real-time calendar availability view travel details and itineraries (coming early 2026) submit receipts and track reimbursement status receive automated reminders that help trials stay on track "The Suvoda app is unlike any other participant app in the market today. It offers a unique combination of support tools that patients need. Knowing that patient dropout is a key risk to any clinical trial, our industry needs to do everything it can to support participants, so they stay enrolled in their study," shared Jagath Wanninayake, CEO of Suvoda. In a just-released global survey of clinical trial participants, conducted by the Center for Information and Study on Clinical Research Participation (CISCRP), researchers found that 63% of clinical trial participants said a smartphone app for data collection is a very helpful service (2025 CISCRP Perceptions and Insights Study). Elizabeth Morris, Director of Product Management at Suvoda, agrees with those findings. "Patients consistently tell us that logistics are one of the biggest burdens of participation in a clinical trial. When people must switch between emails, phone calls, and multiple systems, it adds time and stress. Pulling everything together for patients reduces that friction and gives them one place to complete the tasks that matter." For patients, the app offers a simple, secure sign-in and a dashboard with assigned tasks. Clinical trial sites will be able to create automated notifications to remind patients of upcoming visits, to take their medication, or to complete questionnaires. Study teams can review and approve reimbursements in the same unified ecosystem, keeping site and participant views in sync. With these innovations, the app helps make things easier for study site teams and supports trial protocol compliance. Following the completion of Suvoda's merger with Greenphire earlier this year, the combined organization brings IRT, eCOA, and eConsent together with payments, travel, and budgeting capabilities-all on the Suvoda Platform, creating a comprehensive, fully integrated toolset to support the complete patient journey in clinical trials. The patient app is an example of that unified experience and will be available for download on the App Store and Google Play in the first week of November. Additional enhancements are planned for early 2026, including adding Greenphire Travel features to the patient app and a unified Suvoda Platform login for sites and sponsors. About Suvoda Suvoda is a global clinical trial technology company with a real-time experience platform that empowers sponsors and CROs to make confident decisions and sites and patients to take calm, controlled action. Suvoda delivers interconnected, action-driven software solutions and industry-leading services and support, so that even in the most time-sensitive, mission-critical moments, life-changing studies keep moving forward. Headquartered outside Philadelphia, Suvoda also maintains offices in Portland, OR, Barcelona, Spain, Bucharest and Iasi, Romania, and Tokyo, Japan. The company maintains customer satisfaction scores that consistently exceed the technology industry average, contributing to the company being selected by trial sponsors and CROs to support more than 2000 trials across more than 95 countries. Suvoda recently merged with Greenphire, a leading provider of clinical trial financial management and patient support tools. To learn more, visit suvoda.com. Follow Suvoda on LinkedIn. CONTACT: Robin Abadia Director, External Communications marketing@suvoda.com Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1759317/Suvoda_updated_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/suvoda-launches-unified-patient-app-to-reduce-logistical-challenges-for-clinical-trial-participants-302595800.html Education Cannot Wait, UNICEF and partners are empowering children with disabilities to access inclusive education and reach their full potential in the Central African Republic BAMBARI, Central African Republic, Oct. 31, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Along a dusty street in the town of Bambari, Zenabou , 14, who was born deaf and non-speaking, used to watch other children walk to school each morning. "It was torment because, even though I was burning with a desire to find out what happened in the schools where these children went, I realised very early on that it was a system that wasn't made for me because I was different." For many children with disabilities, the doors to education have long remained shut. Yet across the Central African Republic (CAR), stories like Zenabou's are beginning to change. Children with disabilities are finally receiving the support and opportunities they deserve thanks to a new inclusive education pilot initiative. The programme provides learning materials, mobility aids, and specialized classes in Braille and sign language, while creating a network of community support for families and integrating children with disabilities into local schools. This groundbreaking initiative is funded by Education Cannot Wait (ECW), the global fund for education in emergencies and protracted crises in the United Nations, and delivered by UNICEF, partners like Humanity and Inclusion and national organizations, including the 'Centre d'Alphabetisation et de Formation en Braille pour les Aveugles en Centrafrique' and the 'Association Nationale des Deficients Auditifs de Centrafrique'. A Door Opens Today, Zenabou sits at her school desk, smiling as she watches her teacher write on the blackboard. To a passer-by, it's an ordinary scene. To Zenabou, it's extraordinary. In a country where stigma around disabilities runs deep, few initiatives have ever focused on improving access to education for children like her. Before school, Zenabou spent her days helping her mother with housework - washing dishes, cleaning clothes and fetching water. "The day I went to school for the first time, I suddenly realised that I wasn't the only one in this situation. Seeing more than 30 deaf people in the same place was astonishing!" Through a multi-year investment from ECW, UNICEF - in partnership with Humanity and Inclusion and local organizations, and with the support of local educational authorities - established specialised classes for deaf and visually impaired children in Bambari within ordinary primary schools. Here, children who have never attended school are taught to read, write and count, learning Braille or sign language - skills that open the door to a world of learning. "It's a miracle that a child who cannot speak can now write," says Zenabou's Father. "It proves that this school brings blessings." Before, Zenabou could barely communicate. Her parents, both illiterate, wanted more for her but saw few options. Everything changed when she gained access to education. "Zenabou is now able to assert herself as a person, despite the communication barriers caused by the fact that she is deaf. I'm now optimistic about Zenabou's future - I know she's going to succeed," her father says. Zenabou's parents are her biggest champions. Her mother, though not disabled herself, is a member of the National Organisation of Disabled People's Associations. At one meeting, she heard about the new learning opportunity for deaf children. The ECW-funded initiative is also strengthening national organizations to promote and implement inclusive education. A new partnership with the National Association of Hearing-Impaired Persons has supported the adaptation of education for children with hearing impairments in Bambari, with plans to expand to other regions. Zenabou's parents are grateful to now have community support and opportunities that give their daughter the tools to reach her full potential. Education Crisis in CAR The Central African Republic is one of the toughest places in the world to be a child. Conflict, displacement and instability have destroyed services and limited access to healthcare, livelihoods and education. Years of violence have devastated schools, leaving more than a million children and adolescents out of school. Children with disabilities face the greatest barriers - compounded by stigma and the lack of specialized support. Addressing these challenges requires rebuilding education infrastructure, promoting inclusive teaching and combating social discrimination to ensure that every child can learn. ECW recently extended its Multi-Year Resilience Programme in the CAR. The programme increases access to a holistic, quality education in protective learning environments, strengthens national and local education systems, and provides targeted support for girls and children with disabilities, like Zenabou. Through the inclusive education pilot initiative, partners like UNICEF are supporting the national government to promote inclusive education and continue to improve access to learning - with one clear goal: to ensure children with disabilities can go on to participate and learn with all their peers in the same learning space. An Adventure Ahead Having the opportunity to go to school like other children has transformed Zenabou's life. Today, she feels included and empowered to build a better future for herself. "I'm learning a lot. I really enjoy writing because I discover so many things through it." Her story shows the transformative power of inclusive education and the incredible potential of children with disabilities when given the opportunity to thrive. But there is still much to do to ensure all children can access the education they deserve. The inclusive education initiative in CAR is just the beginning. Global donors and partners must help sustain and expand these programmes, providing vital resources and advocacy for children with disabilities. By investing in education for all, including those with disabilities, we unlock opportunities for children like Zenabou, empowering them to reach their full potential. Together, we can create a world where every child, regardless of ability, has the chance to succeed. "I still don't know where this adventure is going to take me... but one thing's for sure: today, I can read, write and count, just like the other children. I can also communicate effectively, thanks to sign language! One day I'd like to work in the humanitarian sector." By Jelena Borak Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2810008/Education_Cannot_Wait_Zenabou.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/isolation-to-inclusion-zenabous-story-302600688.html China's Leading High-End Equipment Manufacturer Advances International Cooperation in Nuclear Fusion Energy SHANGHAI, Oct. 31, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Shanghai Electric (SEHK: 2727, SSE: 601727) has recently announced several key milestones in the field of controlled nuclear fusion, including the delivery of the world's largest toroidal field coil case and the successful arrival of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) project's magnet cold-test cryostat equipment at the site in France. The achievements underscore the technological prowess of Chinese enterprises in advancing global fusion energy collaboration and add new momentum to the worldwide shift toward clean energy. "As a pioneer in China's high-end equipment manufacturing, Shanghai Electric is committed to advancing fusion energy through technological innovation and international collaboration. We will continue to leverage our core strengths in extreme manufacturing and engineering integration to provide solid support for major global scientific projects such as ITER, helping humanity achieve the grand goal of clean energy," said Wu Lei, Chairman of Shanghai Electric Group. The latest technology deliveries not only mark breakthroughs for China in manufacturing core fusion components, but also further solidify the country's role in the global fusion research supply chain. In October, the magnet cold-test cryostat equipment, jointly manufactured by Shanghai Electric Nuclear Power Group and the Institute of Plasma Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences (ASIPP), arrived by sea at France's Port of Marseille before being slowly transported, at walking speed, over 70 kilometers inland to the ITER Organization site in Cadarache. As one of the seven main members of the ITER project, China is working with international partners to advance fusion technology from the laboratory toward commercialization. The joint team from Shanghai Electric Nuclear Power Group overcame strict ITER site constraints-height, weight, and width-completing manufacturing in just 11 months. They achieved millimeter-level forming of large contoured surfaces, anti-deformation assembly and welding of large shells and large-diameter flat flanges, and first-pass vacuum pumping and helium leak testing of an ultra-large vessel-setting international benchmarks for millimeter-level deformation control and high-vacuum sealing at 10?4 mbar. As the world's largest and most influential international mega-science project, ITER brings together the combined efforts of more than 30 countries, including the European Union, India, Japan, South Korea, Russia, the United States, and China, with the goal to achieve large-scale fusion reactions and move toward the stable and controllable release of energy. Meanwhile, the world's largest toroidal field (TF) coil case, jointly developed by Shanghai Electric and ASIPP, was delivered to the Comprehensive Research Facility for Fusion Technology (CRAFT) in Hefei. Fabricated entirely from austenitic stainless steel, it measures 21 meters tall and 12 meters wide, weighs about 400 tons, and is over 1.2 times larger-and roughly twice as heavy-as the equivalent ITER component. At the IAEA World Fusion Energy Group ministerial and the 30th Fusion Energy Conference on October 14 in Chengdu, Shanghai Electric highlighted two decades of fusion equipment achievements-spanning EAST, CRAFT, BEST, HT-6M, and HL-1-and its industry-leading system solutions, drawing strong global interest and underscoring fusion's role in tackling climate change and future energy demand. Over the years, Shanghai Electric has tackled key technical challenges in fusion material research, mega-ampere hydrogen boron fusion, and high-frequency laser deep-penetration welding. These advances enhanced the performance of fusion devices under extreme conditions and provided replicable solutions, valuable experiences, and technological strength to global fusion research. For more information, please visit https://www.shanghai-electric.com/group_en/. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2810153/image.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2346204/Shanghai_Electric_logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/pioneering-nuclear-fusion-energy-innovation-for-two-decades-shanghai-electric-empowers-global-craft-and-iter-projects-driving-a-sustainable-future-for-earth-302600952.html Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - October 31, 2025) - The Heliostar Metals Ltd. (TSXV: HSTR) (OTCQX: HSTXF) (FSE: RGG1) ("Heliostar" or the "Company") Annual General & Special Meeting ("AGM") is scheduled for November 26th, 2025. The Company's Chairman, Jacques Vaillancourt and director Ken Booth will step down at the AGM, and Mr James Perry is proposed to succeed Mr. Vaillancourt as Chairman. Heliostar's Chairman, Jacques Vaillancourt, commented on his retirement from the board. "The Company has changed immensely from my initial involvement and investment. It has grown and evolved from a portfolio of prospective exploration assets in Alaska and Nevada to now producing gold from two mines in Mexico, La Colorada and San Agustin. That alone would be a significant corporate achievement, but these producing mines are complemented by a very exciting development portfolio of 100% owned projects, which include Ana Paula, Cerro del Gallo and San Antonio. All of this is evidence of the talent, competence and the day-in and day-out diligence of the management team, led by Charles Funk. I leave a Company operationally, financially and geologically stronger than ever and in very good hands." Charles Funk, President and & CEO, stated, "I wish to thank Jacques and Ken for their leadership and guidance as we have built Heliostar over the last five years. The Company has come a long way, and their contributions to this growth have been significant. As we continue to expand production towards our goal of 500,000 ounces of annual production by the end of this decade, we look forward to welcoming James Perry to the Company's board as Heliostar's proposed new Chairman." James Perry is proposed to succeed Mr. Vaillancourt as Chairman and will be put forward for approval by the shareholders at the upcoming AGM. Mr. Perry is currently President of Sweetwater Royalties, a base metals, industrial minerals and renewable energy royalty Company based in Denver, Colorado. Sweetwater, one of the largest landowners in the United States, is a privately held company established in 2020 by Orion Resource Partners. Mr. Perry has extensive mining and resources experience across Latin America, having previously served as Business Development Manager, as well as Corporate Counsel at Newcrest Mining, one of the world's largest gold mining companies, headquartered in Australia. Newcrest was acquired for US$19 billion by Newmont Mining in 2023. Mr. Perry attended the London School of Economics, receiving an M.Sc. in History and International Relations, as well as earning a Bachelor of Laws from Bond University. Heliostar Annual General & Special Meeting Voting Instructions Heliostar's Annual General & Special Meeting will be held on November 26, 2025, at 8:00 am PST. The shareholders as of the record date of October 10, 2025, will be entitled to vote and are encouraged to vote before the proxy voting deadline on November 24, 2025, at 8 am PST. Due to the Canada Post service disruption, paper documents may take longer to arrive; however, shareholders can still vote their shares with the following instructions. How Registered Shareholders Can Vote: Registered shareholders are shareholders who hold their shares directly in the Company, and not through a brokerage account or depository company. Registered shareholders can call Computershare Shareholder Services at 1-800-564-6253 (Canada/US) or, for overseas holders, call the direct dial number 1-514-982-7555 (Monday to Friday, 8:30 am to 8:00 pm EST) to request their voting control numbers. How Beneficial Shareholders Can Vote: Beneficial shareholders are shareholders who hold their investment through a brokerage house, depository company or other intermediary. There are two types of beneficial owners: (i) those who object to their identity being made known to the issuers of securities which they own ("Objecting Beneficial Owners" or "OBOs"), and (ii) those who do not object to their identity being made known to the issuers of securities which they own ("Non-Objecting Beneficial Owners" or "NOBOs"). The Company is sending meeting materials directly to NOBOs. NOBOs may submit their votes by completing the Voting Instruction Form ("VIF") available on the Company's website and sending the completed VIF to Computershare by email at service@computershare.com. NOBOs can also contact Computershare at 1-800- 564-6253 to request their voting control numbers and instructions. OBOs should contact their brokerage house or other intermediary and ask to obtain their voting control number and instructions to be able to vote on the Broadridge voting site www.proxyvote.com. About Heliostar Metals Ltd. Heliostar is a gold mining company with production from operating mines in Mexico. This includes the La Colorada Mine in Sonora and the San Agustin Mine in Durango. The Company also has a strong portfolio of development and exploration stage projects in Mexico and the USA. These include the Ana Paula project in Guerrero, the Cerro del Gallo project in Guanajuato, the San Antonio project in Baja Sur, all in Mexico and the Unga project in Alaska, USA. For Additional Information, Please Contact: 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, the Company's annual production goals. Forward-looking statements and forward-looking information relating to the terms and completion of the Facility, any future mineral production, liquidity, and future exploration plans are based on management's reasonable assumptions, estimates, expectations, analyses and opinions, which are based on management's experience and perception of trends, current conditions and expected developments, and other factors that management believes are relevant and reasonable in the circumstances, but which may prove to be incorrect. Assumptions have been made regarding, among other things, the receipt of necessary approvals, price of metals; no escalation in the severity of public health crises or ongoing military conflicts; costs of exploration and development; the estimated costs of development of exploration projects; and the Company's ability to operate in a safe and effective manner and its ability to obtain financing on reasonable terms. 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. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/272637 SOURCE: Heliostar Metals Ltd. Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - October 31, 2025) - Caprock Mining Corp. (CSE: CAPR) ("Caprock" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has obtained the 'Autorisation pour travaux d'exploration a impacts' (the "ATI Permit") for the planned drill program targeting deep-seated high-grade mineralization at its flagship Destiny gold property ("Destiny" or the "Project" or the "Property") located near Val d'Or, Quebec. The Company is also pleased to announce that it has signed contracts with various contractors, consultants and service providers based in Val d'Or to ensure the successful execution of its upcoming drill program, including Forage Val d'Or (drilling contractor), Explo-Logik (geological consulting and core processing service provider), Gestion MDM Gilbert (core storage facility), AGAT laboratories (assaying services) and Corriveau J.L. & Associes (land surveyors). With the ATI Permit in hand, and all other preparations substantially complete, the Company is targeting commencement of the drill program by November 7th, 2025. Drill Program Description Drill holes DES-01-60 and DES-01-59 drilled at Destiny by a previous operator produced intercepts with grades as high as 26.6 g/t Au and 17.5 g/t Au, respectively. These drill holes intersected high-grade mineralization at approximately 550 metres below surface, and 200 - 250 metres below the floor of the conceptual open pit at DAC that was used for the generation of the current Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE). Furthermore, these two holes are over 200 metres laterally apart from each other. While analyzing the above information and the spatial distribution of the high-grade intercepts, Caprock's technical team has identified a sizeable zone that has the potential to host high-grade underground mineable gold mineralization. The four drill holes discussed in today's press release have been specifically designed to test the size and the tenor of this potential high-grade mineralized zone. Figure 1 below provides a long-sectional illustration of mineralized pierce-points for drill holes DES-01-60 and DES-01-59, their spatial location relative to the majority of the previous drill holes which are much shallower, their depth below the conceptual open pit that was used for the generation of the current MRE at Destiny, and a rendering of the four newly designed drill holes aimed at specifically targeting a zone which has the potential to host high-grade underground mineable resources. Figure 1: Long-section illustrating the location of the mineralized pierce points for the 4 newly planned drill holes relative to previous drilling at Destiny. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8515/272613_419942bba4c6b9b6_001full.jpg Figure 2 below provides a cross-sectional illustration of the four diamond drill holes planned for this summer's drill program, which will consist of one "pilot" hole drilled from the surface, and three "wedged" holes that will splay off of the pilot hole using directional drilling wedges placed at specific depths down the pilot hole. The program will total 1,700 - 2,000 metres of drilling. The primary objective of the program will be to test the 200 - 250 metres gap in the vertical extension of the mineralization that is interpreted to extend from the bottom of the conceptual open-pit that constrains the MRE at ~350 metres depth below surface, and the deep-seated high-grade intercepts that were previously encountered at 500 - 600 metres depth below surface. Figure 2: Cross-section looking East illustrating the four newly designed drill holes - one "pilot" hole and three "wedged" holes. To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8515/272613_419942bba4c6b9b6_002full.jpg Details of the MRE at Destiny The open pit-constrained MRE at Destiny contains the following gold inventory: Classification Constraints Cut-Off Grade (Au g/t) Tonnage Grade (Au g/t) Contained Gold Oz Indicated OP 0.30 6,752,000 0.91 196,549 Inferred OP 0.30 28,560,000 0.87 794,886 Mineral Resource Statement Notes : CIM definition standards were followed for the resource estimate. The 2025 resource model used ordinary kriging (OK) grade estimation within a three-dimensional block model with mineralized domains defined by wireframed solids. Mineral resources are constrained within pit shells (OP). An exchange rate of 1.35 is utilized in calculations ($CAD/$USD). Open pit cut-off of 0.30 g/t Au milled is based on the cost/ton ($CAD/t) milled for incremental mining, processing, and G&A based on the following: Long term metal prices of US$2,100/oz of gold; Metallurgical recoveries are based on metallurgical testing recovery of 94%; Average Bulk density (specific gravity) was determined for each lithology and/or mineralized domain within the deposit; Total ore-based cost of CAD$22.50/t; Processing costs of CAD$18.00/t and G&A costs of CAD$4.50/t milled; Dilution of 10%; and Pit Slope angle of 45 degrees. Mineral Resources that are not mineral reserves do not have economic viability. Numbers may not add due to rounding. The resource estimate was prepared by Todd McCracken, P.Geo, of BBA E&C Inc. in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101"). About Caprock Mining Corp. Caprock Mining Corp. is a Canadian mineral exploration company focused on exploring precious metals in Quebec and Ontario. The Company has an option to earn a 100% interest in the Destiny gold property that comprises 127 mineral claims and encompasses an area of 5,013 hectares located less than two hours' drive from Val d'Or, Quebec. Destiny lies along a major deformation corridor in the Abitibi greenstone belt that includes the prolific Cadillac-Larder Lake, Destor-Porcupine and Casa Berardi fault zones which host numerous producing and development-stage gold deposits. The Project overlies a 6.0 km long segment of the poorly explored Despinassy shear zone which is a splay off the regional Chicobi Fault. Destiny hosts a significant, open pit-constrained, NI 43-101 compliant mineral resource estimate published in March 2025. Additionally, the Company holds a 100% interest in three gold exploration properties in the historical Beardmore-Geraldton Gold Belt of Ontario - a belt that has produced over four million ounces of gold historically (Reference: Beardmore-Geraldton Gold Camp - Tashota Resources), and contains the sizeable Greenstone gold project (formerly known as the Hardrock gold project) which is being brought to production by Equinox Gold (Reference: Greenstone Gold Mines - Mining & Processing). The scientific and technical information disclosed in this release has been reviewed and approved by Mr. Vishal Gupta, the Company's President & CEO. Mr. Gupta is a P.Geo. registered with the Professional Geoscientists of Ontario (PGO) and considered a "Qualified Person" as defined under NI 43-101. Historical drill intercepts displayed in Figure 1 have been referenced from the "NI 43-101 Technical Report And Resource Estimate Of The DAC Deposit, Destiny Property, Quebec" prepared for Alto Ventures Ltd. and Pacific Northwest Capital Corp. by Todd McCracken, P.Geo. of Wardrop a Tetra Tech Company, with an effective date of March 1, 2011. Forward-Looking Statements All statements in this press release about anticipated future events or results constitute forward-looking statements including, but not limited to, statements with respect to: the Company's plans and expectations for the Property, the potential for underground mineable resources at the Property, the timing of the exploration on the Property and the timing of the completion of the expansion of the MRE, the potential for additional gold mineralization on the Property and the timing of the announcement of the Company's exploration plan for the Property. 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. Although Caprock believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements and/or information are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking statements since Caprock can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements, including the risks, uncertainties and other factors identified in Caprock's periodic filings with Canadian securities regulators. Forward-looking statements are subject to business and economic risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results of operations to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from Caprock's expectations include risks associated with the business of Caprock; risks related to reliance on technical information provided by Caprock; risks related to exploration and potential development of the Company's mineral properties; business and economic conditions in the mining industry generally; fluctuations in commodity prices and currency exchange rates; uncertainties relating to interpretation of drill results and the geology, continuity and grade of mineral deposits; the need for cooperation of government agencies and First Nation groups in the exploration and development of properties and the issuance of required permits; the need to obtain additional financing to develop properties and uncertainty as to the availability and terms of future financing; the possibility of delay in exploration or development programs and uncertainty of meeting anticipated program milestones; uncertainty as to timely availability of permits and other governmental approvals; and other risk factors as detailed from time to time and additional risks identified in Caprock's filings with Canadian securities regulators on SEDAR+ in Canada (available at www.sedarplus.ca). Forward-looking statements are based on estimates and opinions of management at the date the statements are made. Caprock does not undertake any obligation to update forward-looking statements except as required by applicable securities laws. Investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Neither Canadian Securities Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this Release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/272613 SOURCE: Caprock Mining Corp. Nyce International Plc - Result of General Meeting & Share Consolidation PR Newswire LONDON, United Kingdom, October 31 31 October 2025 NYCE International Plc ("NYCE INTERNATIONAL", "NYCE" or the "Company") Result of General Meeting & Share Consolidation NYCE International Plc (AQUIS: NYCE) announces that at the General Meeting ("GM") of the Company held earlier today, the resolution to approve the share consolidation was duly passed. The resolution approved the consolidation of the Company's ordinary shares on a 150 for 1 basis, as announced on 15 October 2025, such that every 150 ordinary shares of 0.1p each will be consolidated into 1 ordinary share of 15p in nominal value (the "Consolidation"). To e ff ect the Consolidation, 51 additional ordinary shares of 0.1p each ("Additional Shares") will be allotted so that the aggregate nominal value of the ordinary share capital of the Company before the Consolidation is exactly divisible by 150. Admission to Trading and Total Voting Rights As a result, the Company's existing issued share capital of 1,551,285,699 ordinary shares of 0.1p together with the Additional Shares will be consolidated into 10,341,905 ordinary shares of 15p, each with one voting right. Admission in respect of such new ordinary shares will become e ? ective and dealings in those new ordinary shares will commence at 8:00 a.m. on or around 3 November 2025. As a result of the Consolidation, the ISIN of the ordinary shares will change from GB00BMD0WG01 to GB00BW9N7242. The above ?gure of 10,341,905 should be used by shareholders in the Company as the denominator for the calculations by which they will determine if they are required to notify their interest in, or a change to their interest in, the share capital of the Company under the Financial Conduct Authority's Disclosure Guidance and Transparency Rules. Capitalised terms not defined in this announcement shall have the meaning given to them in the announcement published on 15 October 2025. For further information, please contact: DZ Bank AG - Post-Stabilisation Notice PR Newswire LONDON, United Kingdom, October 31 DZ Bank AG: Post-Stabilisation Notice Not for distribution, directly or indirectly, in or into the United States or any jurisdiction in which such distribution would be unlawful. DZ BANK AG (contact: Ralph Ockert; telephone: +49 69 7447 7051) hereby gives notice that no stabilisation (within the meaning of Article 3.2 (d) of the Market Abuse Regulation (EU Regulation 596/2014) was undertaken by the Stabilising Managers named below in relation to the offer of the following securities. The security to be stabilised: Issuer: European Union (EU) Guarantor (if any): none ISIN: EU000A4EJF17 Aggregate nominal amount: EUR 6bn Description: Fixed rate, due 12th of December 2040 Offer price: 99,518% Other offer terms: Payment 14th Oct. 2025, Listing Luxembourg Stock Exchange Exchange, denominations: 1k x 1k Maturity 12th of Dec 2040 Stabilisation: DZ BANK AG Stabilising Manager(s): DZ BANK AG BNP, Citi, Deutsche Bank, Santander Stabilisation period commences 07th of Oct 2025 Stabilisation period expected to no later than 30 days after the proposed end on: issue date of the securities Existence, maximum size and The Stabilising Manager(s) may over-allot conditions of use of over-allotment the securities to the extent permitted in facility. Accordance with applicable law. This announcement is for information purposes only and does not constitute an invitation or offer to underwrite, subscribe for or otherwise acquire or dispose of any securities of the Issuer in any jurisdiction. This announcement is not for distribution, directly or indirectly, in or into the United States or any other jurisdiction in which such distribution would be unlawful. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - October 31, 2025) - American Tungsten Corp. (CSE: TUNG) (OTCQB: TUNGF) (FSE: RK9) ("American Tungsten" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that, further to its press releases dated October 14, 2025, October 15, 2025, October 20, 2025, and October 22, 2025, it completed the second tranche (the "Second Tranche") of its non-brokered private placement (the "LIFE Offering") for gross proceeds of C$1,189,380 from the sale of 461,000 common shares of the Company (each, an "Share", and collectively, the "Common Shares") at a price of C$2.58 per Share (the "LIFE Offering") under the Listed Issuer Financing Exemption (as defined herein). "This second tranche of financing underscores the continued confidence from institutional investors and insiders who recognize tungsten's vital role in building resilient, secure supply chains," said Ali Haji, CEO of American Tungsten. "With this additional capital, we are poised to accelerate development at the Idaho IMA Mine and advance our broader mission to establish American Tungsten as a leading North American source of critical minerals." The Common Shares 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 Shares issued under the Listed Issuer Financing Exemption are not subject to a hold period pursuant to applicable Canadian securities laws. The proceeds raised from the both Tranches will be used by the Company for general and administrative expenses and working capital purposes as further described in the Company's amended and restated Form 45-106F19 Listed Issuer Financing Document dated October 20, 2025 that can be accessed under the Company's issuer profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca and on the Company's website at www.americantungstencorp.com. In connection with the Second Tranche, the Company paid aggregate cash commissions of C$50,619.60 on gross proceeds of C$1,189,380. No finders' warrants were issued. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to sell any of securities in the United States. The securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act") or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to U.S. Persons unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or an exemption from such registration is available. ABOUT AMERICAN TUNGSTEN CORP. American Tungsten Corp. is a Canadian exploration company focused on high-potential tungsten and magnetite assets in North America. The Company is advancing the Ima Mine Project in Idaho to commercial production, addressing critical metal scarcity in North America. The Company's Ima Mine Project is a historic and high-quality underground tungsten past-producing property on private-patented land well above the water table with significant infrastructure. The Company holds an exclusive option to acquire full ownership (subject to a 2% royalty) and has expanded its land position with 113 additional federal claims covering nearly 2,000 acres. For further updates, visit www.americantungstencorp.com or investor relations, Joanna Longo at ir@americantungstencorp.com. Social media links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/americantungstencorp/ X: https://x.com/amtungsten Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/americantungstencorp/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/americantungstencorp/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@americantungstencorp CSE: TUNG OTCQB: TUNGF FSE: RK9 The Canadian Securities Exchange does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release and has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this press release. This news release includes "forward-looking information" that is subject to a number of assumptions, risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the control of the Company. Forward-looking statements may include but are not limited to, the net proceeds raised from the First Tranche 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. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/272715 SOURCE: American Tungsten Corp. Third Quarter Highlights* Record Diluted EPS for the Quarter of $2.85, Up 38 percent Record Adjusted Diluted EPS for the Quarter of $2.67, Up 20 percent Record Net Revenue for the Quarter of $605.5 million, Up 14 percent Increases 2025 Organic Total Net Revenue Growth Target 2 to 'low double-digit to mid-teens' from 'high single-digit'; Increases Cboe Data Vantage 3 Organic Net Revenue Growth Target 2 to 'high single-digit to low double-digit' from 'mid to high single-digit' Decreases 2025 Adjusted Operating Expense Guidance2 to $827 to $842 million, from $832 to $847 million CHICAGO, Oct. 31, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Cboe Global Markets, Inc. (Cboe: CBOE) ("Cboe" or the "Company") today reported financial results for the third quarter of 2025 and announced a strategic realignment of its business portfolio following comprehensive review. In the third quarter, Cboe reported record quarterly net revenue of $605.5 million, record diluted EPS of $2.85, and record adjusted diluted EPS1 of $2.67. Total net revenue grew 14 percent and adjusted diluted EPS1 increased 20 percent year-over-year, bringing 2025 year-to-date growth to 14 percent and 17 percent, respectively, as compared to the first three quarters of 2024. After completing a comprehensive review, Cboe is realigning its portfolio of businesses to sharpen its strategic focus on core strengths and emerging growth opportunities. This includes: Initiating a sales process for Cboe Australia and Cboe Canada Discontinuing U.S. and European Corporate Listings efforts Reducing costs related to U.S. and European ETP Listings businesses, Cboe Europe Derivatives, and several of Cboe's smaller Risk and Market Analytics businesses "This strategic realignment of our business portfolio and human capital ensures Cboe is well positioned to succeed in a dynamic and evolving market and supports our long-term vision to be a global derivatives leader. With strong momentum, as demonstrated from our results this year, and a clear direction, we're confident in our ability to drive transformative growth and long-term value for shareholders," said Craig Donohue, Cboe Global Markets Chief Executive Officer. "Our Australian and Canadian equities businesses have consistently performed well and earned a reputation for innovation, reliability, and customer service. We believe these businesses are well positioned for future growth under new ownership," said Chris Isaacson, Cboe Global Markets Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer. "Cboe Australia and Cboe Canada have benefited greatly from a supportive regulatory environment, and we're grateful to these regulators for fostering competition. We will work closely with regulators and customers in both countries to ensure a successful transition." "Cboe produced a third consecutive quarter of record net revenue to drive record diluted EPS and adjusted diluted EPS1," said Jill Griebenow, Cboe Global Markets Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer. "Derivatives net revenue increased 15 percent versus the third quarter of 2024, propelled by multiple quarterly volume records set across the options business. Complementing our results in Derivatives, Cash and Spot Markets net revenue rose 14 percent and Data Vantage net revenue grew 12 percent on a year-over-year basis. Moving forward, we are increasing our 2025 organic total net revenue growth2 guidance range to 'low double-digit to mid-teens' from 'high single-digit.' *All comparisons are third quarter 2025 compared to the same period in 2024. (1) A full reconciliation of our non-GAAP results to our GAAP ("Generally Accepted Accounting Principles") results is included in the attached tables. See "Non-GAAP Information" in the accompanying financial tables. (2) Specific quantifications of the amounts that would be required to reconcile the company's organic net revenue growth guidance and adjusted operating expenses guidance are not available. The company believes that there is uncertainty and unpredictability with respect to certain of its GAAP measures, primarily related to acquisition-related revenues and costs that would be required to reconcile to GAAP revenues less cost of revenues, GAAP operating expenses and GAAP effective tax rate, which preclude the company from providing accurate guidance on certain forward-looking GAAP to non-GAAP reconciliations. The company believes that providing estimates of the amounts that would be required to reconcile the range of the company's organic net revenue growth guidance and adjusted operating expenses would imply a degree of precision that would be confusing or misleading to investors for the reasons identified above. (3) Cboe Data Vantage refers to the company's Cboe Data Vantage business (formerly known as Data and Access Solutions). Cboe Data Vantage is subsequently referred to as Data Vantage throughout this press release. We are also increasing our Data Vantage organic net revenue growth2 range to 'high single-digit to low double-digit' from 'mid to high single-digit.' In addition, we are lowering our full year adjusted operating expense guidance2 range to $827 million to $842 million from $832 to $847 million. We have delivered strong year-to-date results and remain well positioned to generate durable shareholder returns in the quarters ahead." As a result of its business review, the Company is beginning a sales process for Cboe Australia and Cboe Canada, exiting U.S. and European Corporate Listings, and reducing costs related to its U.S. and European ETP Listings businesses, Cboe Europe Derivatives, and several of its smaller Risk and Market Analytics businesses. Cboe determined that these decisions will better position the Company to accelerate its core businesses and act decisively on emerging opportunities that align with its strengths. The Company anticipates that these actions will have an immaterial impact on 2025 total organic net revenue growth2 and adjusted operating expense guidance2. The Company estimates that the annualized run-rate impact of its business review decisions - inclusive of its previously announced wind down of Cboe's Japanese equities business - will result in a roughly 3% reduction in net revenue and an approximate 8-10% reduction in adjusted operating expenses1, using the 2025 guided ranges as a baseline. (1) A full reconciliation of our non-GAAP results to our GAAP ("Generally Accepted Accounting Principles") results is included in the attached tables. See "Non-GAAP Information" in the accompanying financial tables. (2) Specific quantifications of the amounts that would be required to reconcile the company's organic net revenue growth guidance and adjusted operating expenses guidance are not available. The company believes that there is uncertainty and unpredictability with respect to certain of its GAAP measures, primarily related to acquisition-related revenues and costs that would be required to reconcile to GAAP revenues less cost of revenues, GAAP operating expenses and GAAP effective tax rate, which preclude the company from providing accurate guidance on certain forward-looking GAAP to non-GAAP reconciliations. The company believes that providing estimates of the amounts that would be required to reconcile the range of the company's organic net revenue growth guidance and adjusted operating expenses would imply a degree of precision that would be confusing or misleading to investors for the reasons identified above. Consolidated Third Quarter Results Table 1 below presents summary selected unaudited condensed consolidated financial information for the company as reported and on an adjusted basis for the three months ended September 30, 2025 and 2024. Table 1 Consolidated Third Quarter Results ($ in millions except per share and percentages) 3Q25 3Q24 Change 3Q25 Adjusted 3Q24 Adjusted Change Total Revenues Less Cost of Revenues $ 605.5 $ 532.0 14 % $ 605.5 $ 532.0 14 % Total Operating Expenses $ 235.2 $ 224.6 5 % $ 210.2 $ 204.0 3 % Operating Income $ 370.3 $ 307.4 20 % $ 395.3 $ 328.0 21 % Operating Margin % 61.2 % 57.8 % 3.4 pp 65.3 % 61.7 % 3.6 pp Net Income Allocated to Common Stockholders $ 299.3 $ 217.4 38 % $ 279.8 $ 232.9 20 % Diluted Earnings Per Share $ 2.85 $ 2.07 38 % $ 2.67 $ 2.22 20 % Operating EBITDA $ 401.2 $ 339.2 18 % $ 409.0 $ 339.1 21 % Operating EBITDA Margin % 66.3 % 63.8 % 2.5 pp 67.5 % 63.7 % 3.8 pp EBITDA $ 458.5 $ 341.1 34 % $ 415.3 $ 342.0 21 % EBITDA Margin % 75.7 % 64.1 % 11.6 pp 68.6 % 64.3 % 4.3 pp Total revenues less cost of revenues (referred to as "net revenue" 2 ) of $605.5 million increased 14 percent, compared to $532.0 million in the prior-year period, a result of increases in derivatives markets, Data Vantage, and cash and spot markets net revenue 2 . ) of $605.5 million increased 14 percent, compared to $532.0 million in the prior-year period, a result of increases in derivatives markets, Data Vantage, and cash and spot markets net revenue . Total operating expenses were $235.2 million versus $224.6 million in the third quarter of 2024, an increase of $10.6 million. This increase was primarily related to an increase in compensation and benefits driven by higher relative Company performance in the third quarter of 2025 compared to the third quarter of 2024. Adjusted operating expenses 1 of $210.2 million were up $6.2 million compared to $204.0 million in the third quarter of 2024. The increase was primarily due to higher compensation and benefits and depreciation and amortization. of $210.2 million were up $6.2 million compared to $204.0 million in the third quarter of 2024. The increase was primarily due to higher compensation and benefits and depreciation and amortization. The effective tax rate for the third quarter of 2025 was 30.1 percent as compared with 29.3 percent in the third quarter of 2024. The effective tax rate on adjusted earnings 1 was 30.4 percent, an increase of 1.2 percentage points when compared with 29.2 percent in last year's third quarter. The higher effective tax rate and effective tax rate on adjusted earnings 1 in 2025 are primarily due to the recognition of uncertain tax positions. was 30.4 percent, an increase of 1.2 percentage points when compared with 29.2 percent in last year's third quarter. The higher effective tax rate and effective tax rate on adjusted earnings in 2025 are primarily due to the recognition of uncertain tax positions. Diluted EPS for the third quarter of 2025 increased 38 percent to $2.85 compared to the third quarter of 2024. Adjusted diluted EPS1 of $2.67 increased 20 percent compared to 2024 third quarter results. Business Segment Information: Table 2 Total Revenues Less Cost of Revenues by Business Segment (in millions) 3Q25 3Q24 Change Options $ 380.8 $ 320.9 19 % North American Equities 103.5 98.0 6 % Europe and Asia Pacific 69.1 55.6 24 % Futures 29.6 38.0 (22) % Global FX 22.5 20.0 13 % Digital - (0.5) * Total $ 605.5 $ 532.0 14 % (1) A full reconciliation of our non-GAAP results to our GAAP results is included in the attached tables. See "Non-GAAP Information" in the accompanying financial tables. (2) See the attached tables on page 11 for "Net Revenue by Revenue Caption." (3) The Digital segment results are prospectively included in the Futures segment beginning in the first quarter of 2025. Digital results from 2024 have been retained in the former Digital segment for comparative purposes. *Not meaningful Discussion of Results by Business Segment1: Options: Record Options net revenue of $380.8 million was up $59.9 million, or 19 percent, from the third quarter of 2024. Net transaction and clearing fees 2 increased primarily as a result of a 26 percent increase in total options average daily volume ("ADV") versus the third quarter of 2024. Market data fees were 22 percent higher and access and capacity fees were 11 percent higher as compared to the third quarter of 2024. increased primarily as a result of a 26 percent increase in total options average daily volume ("ADV") versus the third quarter of 2024. Market data fees were 22 percent higher and access and capacity fees were 11 percent higher as compared to the third quarter of 2024. Net transaction and clearing fees 2 increased $52.9 million, or 19 percent, reflecting a 15 percent increase in index options ADV and a 31 percent increase in multi-listed options ADV. Total options revenue per contract ("RPC") declined 6 percent compared to the third quarter of 2024. The decrease in total options RPC was due to a mix shift, with index options representing a lower percentage of total options volume. increased $52.9 million, or 19 percent, reflecting a 15 percent increase in index options ADV and a 31 percent increase in multi-listed options ADV. Total options revenue per contract ("RPC") declined 6 percent compared to the third quarter of 2024. The decrease in total options RPC was due to a mix shift, with index options representing a lower percentage of total options volume. Cboe's Options exchanges had total market share of 30.9 percent for the third quarter of 2025, up compared to 30.5 percent in the third quarter of 2024. North American (N.A.) Equities: Record N.A. Equities net revenue of $103.5 million increased $5.5 million, or 6 percent, from the third quarter of 2024, reflecting higher access and capacity fees and market data fees, partially offset by lower net transaction and clearing fees 2 . . Net transaction and clearing fees 2 decreased $1.0 million, or 3 percent, compared to the third quarter of 2024. The decrease was driven by lower net capture and lower market share for U.S. Equities exchanges versus the third quarter of 2024. decreased $1.0 million, or 3 percent, compared to the third quarter of 2024. The decrease was driven by lower net capture and lower market share for U.S. Equities exchanges versus the third quarter of 2024. Cboe's U.S. Equities exchanges had market share of 9.8 percent for the third quarter of 2025 compared to 10.9 percent in the third quarter of 2024 as a result of higher industry off-exchange share. Cboe's U.S. Equities off-exchange market share was 16.6 percent, down from 17.6 percent in the third quarter of 2024. Canadian Equities market share declined to 12.5 percent as compared to 14.6 percent in the third quarter of 2024. Europe and Asia Pacific (APAC): Europe and APAC net revenue of $69.1 million increased $13.5 million, or 24 percent, from the third quarter of 2024, reflecting growth in net transaction and clearing fees 2 and non-transaction revenues. On a constant currency basis 3 , net revenues were $66.3 million, up 19 percent on a year-over-year basis. European Equities average daily notional value ("ADNV") traded on Cboe European Equities was 11.7 billion, up 26 percent compared to the third quarter of 2024 given a 19 percent increase in industry market volumes. Australian Equities ADNV was 18 percent higher than the third quarter of 2024. and non-transaction revenues. On a constant currency basis , net revenues were $66.3 million, up 19 percent on a year-over-year basis. European Equities average daily notional value ("ADNV") traded on Cboe European Equities was 11.7 billion, up 26 percent compared to the third quarter of 2024 given a 19 percent increase in industry market volumes. Australian Equities ADNV was 18 percent higher than the third quarter of 2024. For the third quarter of 2025, Cboe European Equities had 25.4 percent market share, up from 23.8 percent in the third quarter of 2024. Cboe Australia had 20.6 percent market share for the third quarter of 2025, down from 20.8 percent in the third quarter of 2024. Futures: Futures net revenue of $29.6 million decreased $8.4 million, or 22 percent, from the third quarter of 2024 driven by a 28 percent decrease in net transaction and clearing fees 2 . . Net transaction and clearing fees2 decreased $8.6 million, reflecting a 27 percent decrease in ADV during the quarter. Global FX: Global FX net revenue of $22.5 million increased $2.5 million, or 13 percent, from the third quarter of 2024. The increase was due to higher net transaction and clearing fees2. ADNV traded on the Cboe FX platform was $49.9 billion for the quarter, up 3 percent compared to last year's third quarter, and net capture rate per one million dollars traded was $2.89 for the third quarter of 2025, up 9 percent compared to $2.66 in the third quarter of 2024. (1) The Digital segment results are prospectively included in the Futures segment beginning in the first quarter of 2025. Digital results from 2024 have been retained in the former Digital segment for comparative purposes. (2) See the attached tables on page 11 for "Net Transaction and Clearing Fees by Business Segment." (3) A full reconciliation of our non-GAAP results to our GAAP results is included in the attached tables. See "Non-GAAP Information" in the accompanying financial tables. 2025 Fiscal Year Financial Guidance Cboe provided guidance for the 2025 fiscal year as noted below. Organic total net revenue growth 1 is expected to be in the 'low double-digit to mid-teens' range in 2025, up from previous guidance calling for 'high single-digit.' is expected to be in the 'low double-digit to mid-teens' range in 2025, up from previous guidance calling for 'high single-digit.' Data Vantage organic net revenue growth 1 is expected to be in the 'high single-digit to low double-digit' range in 2025, up from previous guidance of 'mid to high single-digit.' is expected to be in the 'high single-digit to low double-digit' range in 2025, up from previous guidance of 'mid to high single-digit.' Adjusted operating expenses 1 are expected to be in the range of $827 to $842 million in 2025, down from previous guidance of $832 to $847 million. The guidance excludes the expected amortization of acquired intangible assets of $70 million; the company reflects the exclusion of this amount in its non-GAAP reconciliation. are expected to be in the range of $827 to $842 million in 2025, down from previous guidance of $832 to $847 million. The guidance excludes the expected amortization of acquired intangible assets of $70 million; the company reflects the exclusion of this amount in its non-GAAP reconciliation. Depreciation and amortization expense is expected to be in the range of $50 to $54 million in 2025, down from previous guidance of $53 to $57 million, excluding the expected amortization of acquired intangible assets. Reaffirms the effective tax rate on adjusted earnings 1 for the full year 2025 is expected to be in the range of 28.5 to 30.5 percent. Significant changes in trading volume, expenses, tax laws or rates, and other items could materially impact this expectation. for the full year 2025 is expected to be in the range of 28.5 to 30.5 percent. Significant changes in trading volume, expenses, tax laws or rates, and other items could materially impact this expectation. Capital expenditures are expected to be in the range of $73 to $83 million in 2025, down from previous guidance of $75 to $85 million. (1) Specific quantifications of the amounts that would be required to reconcile the company's organic and inorganic growth guidance, adjusted operating expenses guidance, annualized adjusted operating expenses guidance, and the effective tax rate on adjusted earnings guidance are not available. Acquisitions are considered organic after 12 months of closing. The company believes that there is uncertainty and unpredictability with respect to certain of its GAAP measures, primarily related to acquisition-related revenues and costs that would be required to reconcile to GAAP revenues less cost of revenues, GAAP operating expenses and GAAP effective tax rate, which preclude the company from providing accurate guidance on certain forward-looking GAAP to non-GAAP reconciliations. The company believes that providing estimates of the amounts that would be required to reconcile the range of the company's organic growth, adjusted operating expenses, annualized adjusted operating expenses, and the effective tax rate on adjusted earnings would imply a degree of precision that would be confusing or misleading to investors for the reasons identified above. Capital Management At September 30, 2025, the company had cash and cash equivalents of $1,496.7 million and adjusted cash2 of $1,497.0 million. Total debt as of September 30, 2025 was $1,442.4 million. The company paid cash dividends of $75.7 million, or $0.72 per share, and there were no share repurchases during the third quarter of 2025. As of September 30, 2025, the company had approximately $614.5 million of availability remaining under its existing share repurchase authorizations. Earnings Conference Call Executives of Cboe Global Markets will host a conference call to review its third-quarter financial results today, October 31, 2025, at 8:30 a.m. ET/7:30 a.m. CT. The conference call and any accompanying slides will be publicly available via live webcast from the Investor Relations section of the company's website at www.cboe.com under Events & Presentations. The webcast will be archived on the company's website for replay. (2) A full reconciliation of our non-GAAP results to our GAAP results is included in the attached tables. See "Non-GAAP Information" in the accompanying financial tables. About Cboe Global Markets Cboe Global Markets (Cboe: CBOE), the world's leading derivatives and securities exchange network, delivers cutting-edge trading, clearing, and investment solutions to people around the world. Cboe provides trading solutions and products in multiple asset classes, including equities, derivatives, and FX, across North America, Europe, and Asia Pacific. Above all, Cboe is committed to building a trusted, inclusive global marketplace that enables people to pursue a sustainable financial future. To learn more about Cboe, visit www.cboe.com. Cautionary Statements Regarding Forward-Looking Information This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 that involve a number of risks and uncertainties. You can identify these statements by forward-looking words such as "may," "might," "should," "expect," "plan," "anticipate," "believe," "estimate," "predict," "potential," or "continue," and the negative of these terms and other comparable terminology. All statements that reflect our expectations, assumptions, or projections about the future other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements, which are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and assumptions about us, may include projections of our future financial performance based on our growth strategies and anticipated trends in our business. These statements are only predictions based on our current expectations and projections about future events. There are important factors that could cause our actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. We operate in a very competitive and rapidly changing environment. New risks and uncertainties emerge from time to time, and it is not possible to predict all risks and uncertainties, nor can we assess the impact of all factors on our business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements. Some factors that could cause actual results to differ include: the loss of our right to exclusively list and trade certain index options and futures products; economic, political and market conditions; compliance with legal and regulatory obligations; price competition and consolidation in our industry; decreases in trading or clearing volumes, market data fees or a shift in the mix of products traded on our exchanges; legislative or regulatory changes or changes in tax regimes; our ability to protect our systems and communication networks from security vulnerabilities and breaches; our ability to attract and retain skilled management and other personnel; increasing competition by foreign and domestic entities; our dependence on and exposure to risk from third parties; factors that impact the quality and integrity of our and other applicable indices; our ability to manage our global operations, growth, and strategic acquisitions or alliances effectively; increases in the cost of the products and services we use; our ability to operate our business without violating the intellectual property rights of others and the costs associated with protecting our intellectual property rights; our ability to minimize the risks, including our credit, counterparty investment, and default risks, associated with operating our clearinghouses; our ability to accommodate trading and clearing volume and transaction traffic, including significant increases, without failure or degradation of performance of our systems; misconduct by those who use our markets or our products or for whom we clear transactions; challenges to our use of open source software code; our ability to meet our compliance obligations, including managing our business interests and our regulatory responsibilities; the loss of key customers or a significant reduction in trading or clearing volumes by key customers; our ability to maintain BIDS Trading as an independently managed and operated trading venue, separate from and not integrated with our registered national securities exchanges; damage to our reputation; the ability of our compliance and risk management methods to effectively monitor and manage our risks; restrictions imposed by our debt obligations and our ability to make payments on or refinance our debt obligations; our ability to maintain an investment grade credit rating; impairment of our goodwill, long-lived assets, investments, or intangible assets; the accuracy of our estimates and expectations; and litigation risks and other liabilities. More detailed information about factors that may affect our actual results to differ may be found in our filings with the SEC, including in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2024 and other filings made from time to time with the SEC. We do not undertake, and we expressly disclaim, any duty to update any forward-looking statement 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. The condensed consolidated statements of income and balance sheets are unaudited and subject to revision. Cboe Media Contacts: Analyst Contact: Angela Tu Tim Cave Kenneth Hill, CFA +1-646-856-8734 +44 (0) 7593-506-719 +1-312-786-7559 atu@cboe.com tcave@cboe.com khill@cboe.com CBOE-F Trademarks: Cboe, Cboe Global Markets, CFE, Cboe Volatility Index, Cboe Clear, Cboe Datashop, BIDS Trading, BZX, BYX, EDGX, EDGA, and VIX are registered trademarks and Cboe Data VantageSM is a service mark of Cboe Global Markets, Inc. and its subsidiaries. All other trademarks and service marks are the property of their respective owners. Cboe Global Markets, Inc. Key Performance Statistics by Business Segment 3Q 2025 2Q 2025 1Q 2025 4Q 2024 3Q 2024 Options Total industry ADV (in thousands) 60,798 57,203 58,444 51,635 48,733 Total Company Options ADV (in thousands): 18,775 17,301 18,183 15,673 14,882 Multi-listed options 13,911 12,615 13,412 11,633 10,655 Index options 4,864 4,686 4,771 4,040 4,227 Total Options Market Share: 30.9 % 30.2 % 31.1 % 30.4 % 30.5 % Multi-listed options 24.9 % 24.0 % 25.0 % 24.5 % 24.0 % Total Options RPC: $ 0.281 $ 0.300 $ 0.287 $ 0.281 $ 0.298 Multi-listed options $ 0.055 $ 0.068 $ 0.066 $ 0.064 $ 0.063 Index options $ 0.926 $ 0.923 $ 0.908 $ 0.905 $ 0.892 North American Equities U.S. Equities - Exchange: Total industry ADV (shares in billions) 17.6 18.4 15.7 13.6 11.5 Market share % 9.8 % 10.5 % 10.5 % 10.8 % 10.9 % Net capture (per 100 touched shares) $ 0.015 $ 0.012 $ 0.014 $ 0.018 $ 0.024 U.S. Equities - Off-Exchange: ADV (touched shares, in millions) 202.3 125.5 90.6 80.0 79.3 Off-Exchange ATS block market share % (reported on a one-month lag) 16.6 % 14.9 % 17.1 % 16.5 % 17.6 % Net capture (per 100 touched shares) $ 0.064 $ 0.082 $ 0.117 $ 0.126 $ 0.135 Canadian Equities: ADV (matched shares, in millions) 163.8 150.6 159.6 157.4 135.9 Total market share % 12.5 % 12.7 % 13.8 % 14.3 % 14.6 % Net capture (per 10,000 shares, in Canadian dollars) $ 4.142 $ 4.222 $ 4.250 $ 4.008 $ 4.240 Europe and Asia Pacific European Equities: Total industry ADNV (Euros - in billions) 46.1 54.5 55.8 42.3 38.9 Market share % 25.4 % 25.1 % 24.8 % 24.6 % 23.8 % Net capture (per matched notional value (bps), in Euros) 0.287 0.261 0.252 0.261 0.257 Cboe Clear Europe: Trades cleared (in thousands) 329,293.1 400,935.8 412,072.2 328,976.1 306,882.5 Fee per trade cleared (in Euros) 0.010 0.008 0.008 0.008 0.008 Net settlement volume (shares in thousands) 3,541.9 3,289.3 3,200.7 2,962.6 2,947.6 Net fee per settlement (in Euros) 1.015 0.956 0.951 1.002 1.026 Australian Equities: ADNV (Australian dollars - in billions) $ 1.0 $ 1.0 $ 0.8 $ 0.8 $ 0.8 Market share - Continuous 20.6 % 20.0 % 19.4 % 20.8 % 20.8 % Net capture (per matched notional value (bps), in Australian dollars) $ 0.206 $ 0.160 $ 0.156 $ 0.154 $ 0.156 Futures ADV (in thousands) 200.7 220.5 249.4 206.4 273.7 RPC $ 1.745 $ 1.691 $ 1.740 $ 1.765 $ 1.767 Global FX ADNV ($ - in billions) $ 49.9 $ 55.9 $ 51.9 $ 45.6 $ 48.3 Net capture (per one million dollars traded) $ 2.89 $ 2.81 $ 2.77 $ 2.72 $ 2.66 *In the second quarter of 2025, Digital futures products were transitioned to Cboe Futures Exchange. Futures metrics prior to the second quarter of 2025 exclude Digital futures products. ADV = average daily volume; ADNV = average daily notional value. RPC, average revenue per contract, for options and futures represents total net transaction fees recognized for the period divided by total contracts traded during the period. Touched volume represents the total number of shares of equity securities and ETFs internally matched on our exchanges or routed to and executed on an external market center. Matched volume represents the total number of shares of equity securities and ETFs executed on our exchanges. U.S. Equities - Exchange, "net capture per 100 touched shares" refers to transaction fees less liquidity payments and routing and clearing costs divided by the product of one-hundredth ADV of touched shares on BZX, BYX, EDGX and EDGA and the number of trading days. U.S. Equities - Off-Exchange data reflects BIDS Trading. For U.S. Equities - Off-Exchange, "net capture per 100 touched shares" refers to transaction fees less order and execution management system (OMS/EMS) fees and clearing costs divided by the product of one-hundredth ADV of touched shares on BIDS Trading and the number of trading days for the period. Canadian Equities, "net capture per 10,000 shares" refers to transaction fees divided by the product of one-ten thousandth ADV of shares for Cboe Canada and the number of trading days. Total market share represents Cboe Canada volume divided by the total volume of the Canadian Equities market. European Equities, "net capture per matched notional value" refers to transaction fees less liquidity payments in Euros divided by the product of ADNV in Euros of shares matched on Cboe Europe Equities and the number of trading days. "Trades cleared" refers to the total number of non-interoperable trades cleared, "Fee per trade cleared" refers to clearing fees divided by number of non-interoperable trades cleared, "Net settlement volume" refers to the total number of settlements executed after netting, and "Net fee per settlement" refers to settlement fees less direct costs incurred to settle divided by the number of settlements executed after netting. Australian Equities data reflects data from Cboe Australia. Australian Equities, "net capture per matched notional value" refers to transaction fees less liquidity payments in Australian dollars divided by the product of ADNV in Australian dollars of shares matched on Cboe Australia and the number of Australian Equities trading days. Global FX, "net capture per one million dollars traded" refers to transaction fees less liquidity payments, if any, divided by the Spot and SEF products of one-thousandth of ADNV traded on the Cboe FX Markets and the number of trading days, divided by two, which represents the buyer and seller that are both charged on the transaction. Average transaction fees per contract can be affected by various factors, including exchange fee rates, volume-based discounts, and transaction mix by contract type and product type. Cboe Global Markets, Inc. and Subsidiaries Condensed Consolidated Statements of Income (Unaudited) Three and Nine Months Ended September 30, 2025 and 2024 Three Months Ended September 30, Nine Months Ended September 30, (in millions, except per share amounts) 2025 2024 2025 2024 Revenues: Cash and spot markets $ 415.0 $ 434.1 $ 1,403.5 $ 1,201.4 Data Vantage 162.1 145.6 472.9 427.9 Derivatives markets 564.6 476.0 1,633.8 1,357.6 Total Revenues 1,141.7 1,055.7 3,510.2 2,986.9 Cost of Revenues: Liquidity payments 453.3 317.6 1,266.1 963.4 Routing and clearing 20.0 17.4 60.3 50.0 Section 31 fees - 129.5 238.4 249.3 Royalty fees and other cost of revenues 62.9 59.2 187.4 176.3 Total Cost of Revenues 536.2 523.7 1,752.2 1,439.0 Revenues Less Cost of Revenues 605.5 532.0 1,758.0 1,547.9 Operating Expenses: Compensation and benefits 129.2 119.1 373.3 350.5 Depreciation and amortization 30.9 31.8 91.1 100.9 Technology support services 26.6 25.5 78.9 74.3 Professional fees and outside services 21.6 21.9 67.2 69.2 Travel and promotional expenses 12.0 12.6 26.6 29.4 Facilities costs 6.4 5.9 19.6 18.5 Acquisition-related costs 0.2 - 0.4 1.2 Impairment of assets 4.5 - 21.6 81.0 Other expenses 3.8 7.8 16.0 23.0 Total Operating Expenses 235.2 224.6 694.7 748.0 Operating Income 370.3 307.4 1,063.3 799.9 Non-operating Income (Expense): Interest expense (13.3) (12.8) (39.0) (38.6) Interest income 14.3 11.4 34.0 20.1 Earnings on investments, net 52.7 1.0 48.3 29.2 Other income (expense), net 6.1 2.0 8.3 (6.5) Total Non-operating Income 59.8 1.6 51.6 4.2 Income Before Income Tax Provision 430.1 309.0 1,114.9 804.1 Income tax provision 129.3 90.5 328.4 235.7 Net Income 300.8 218.5 786.5 568.4 Net income allocated to participating securities (1.5) (1.1) (3.9) (3.0) Net Income Allocated to Common Stockholders $ 299.3 $ 217.4 $ 782.6 $ 565.4 Net Income Per Share Allocated to Common Stockholders: Basic earnings per share $ 2.86 $ 2.08 $ 7.47 $ 5.38 Diluted earnings per share 2.85 2.07 7.45 5.36 Weighted average shares used in computing income per share: Basic 104.6 104.7 104.7 105.2 Diluted 104.9 105.1 105.1 105.6 Cboe Global Markets, Inc. and Subsidiaries Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets (Unaudited) September 30, 2025 and December 31, 2024 (in millions) September 30, 2025 December 31, 2024 Assets Current Assets: Cash and cash equivalents $ 1,496.7 $ 920.3 Financial investments 34.2 110.3 Accounts receivable, net 437.3 444.6 Margin deposits, clearing funds, and interoperability funds 1,640.8 845.5 Income taxes receivable 33.7 73.8 Other current assets (includes restricted cash of $32.5 at September 30, 2025 and $- at December 31, 2024) 99.3 84.6 Total Current Assets 3,742.0 2,479.1 Investments 430.2 383.7 Property and equipment, net 126.1 118.0 Operating lease right of use assets 116.1 124.5 Goodwill 3,146.9 3,124.2 Intangible assets, net 1,330.3 1,376.9 Other assets, net 177.0 182.7 Total Assets $ 9,068.6 $ 7,789.1 Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity Current Liabilities: Accounts payable and accrued liabilities $ 517.7 $ 359.7 Section 31 fees payable 0.2 182.0 Deferred revenue 6.8 6.4 Margin deposits, clearing funds, and interoperability funds 1,640.8 845.5 Income taxes payable 13.2 1.6 Total Current Liabilities 2,178.7 1,395.2 Long-term debt 1,442.4 1,441.0 Non-current unrecognized tax benefits 235.2 305.0 Deferred income taxes 162.0 186.8 Non-current operating lease liabilities 127.2 138.4 Other non-current liabilities 38.2 43.1 Total Liabilities 4,183.7 3,509.5 Stockholders' Equity: Preferred stock - - Common stock 1.0 1.0 Treasury stock, at cost (95.0) (1.4) Additional paid-in capital 1,560.2 1,512.5 Retained earnings 3,394.1 2,815.9 Accumulated other comprehensive income (loss), net 24.6 (48.4) Total Stockholders' Equity 4,884.9 4,279.6 Total Liabilities and Stockholders' Equity $ 9,068.6 $ 7,789.1 Table 3 Net Transaction and Clearing Fees by Business Segment Three Months Ended September 30, 2025 and 2024 (in millions) Consolidated September 30, Options September 30, N.A. Equities September 30, Europe and APAC September 30, Futures September 30, Global FX September 30, Digital1 September 30, 2025 2024 2025 2024 2025 2024 2025 2024 2025 2024 2025 2024 2025 2024 Transaction and clearing fees $ 919.9 $ 725.9 $ 519.0 $ 405.3 $ 305.1 $ 231.0 $ 52.4 $ 40.5 $ 23.8 $ 31.7 $ 19.6 $ 17.4 $ - $ - Liquidity payments (453.3) (317.6) (177.1) (116.4) (265.6) (191.9) (9.2) (8.0) (1.4) (0.7) - - - (0.6) Routing and clearing (20.0) (17.4) (4.8) (4.7) (8.6) (7.2) (6.1) (5.0) - - (0.5) (0.5) - - Net transaction and clearing fees $ 446.6 $ 390.9 $ 337.1 $ 284.2 $ 30.9 $ 31.9 $ 37.1 $ 27.5 $ 22.4 $ 31.0 $ 19.1 $ 16.9 $ - $ (0.6) Table 4 Net Revenue by Revenue Caption Three Months Ended September 30, 2025 and 2024 (in millions) Cash and Spot Markets September 30, Data Vantage September 30, Derivatives Markets September 30, Total September 30, 2025 2024 2025 2024 2025 2024 2025 2024 Transaction and clearing fees $ 377.0 $ 288.9 $ - $ - $ 542.9 $ 437.0 $ 919.9 $ 725.9 Access and capacity fees - - 103.9 94.2 - - 103.9 94.2 Market data fees 16.8 15.5 57.5 50.7 9.4 7.3 83.7 73.5 Regulatory fees 1.0 107.9 - - 10.8 31.1 11.8 139.0 Other revenue 20.2 21.8 0.7 0.7 1.5 0.6 22.4 23.1 Total revenues $ 415.0 $ 434.1 $ 162.1 $ 145.6 $ 564.6 $ 476.0 $ 1,141.7 $ 1,055.7 Liquidity payments $ 274.0 $ 198.9 $ - $ - $ 179.3 $ 118.7 $ 453.3 $ 317.6 Routing and clearing fees 15.2 12.7 - - 4.8 4.7 20.0 17.4 Section 31 fees - 106.4 - - - 23.1 - 129.5 Royalty fees and other cost of revenues 8.5 12.8 3.2 3.1 51.2 43.3 62.9 59.2 Total cost of revenues $ 297.7 $ 330.8 $ 3.2 $ 3.1 $ 235.3 $ 189.8 $ 536.2 $ 523.7 Revenues less cost of revenues (net revenue) $ 117.3 $ 103.3 $ 158.9 $ 142.5 $ 329.3 $ 286.2 $ 605.5 $ 532.0 (1) The Digital segment results are prospectively included in the Futures segment beginning in the first quarter of 2025. Digital results from 2024 have been retained in the former Digital segment for comparative purposes. Non-GAAP Information In addition to disclosing results determined in accordance with GAAP, Cboe Global Markets has disclosed certain non-GAAP measures of operating performance. These measures are not in accordance with, or a substitute for, GAAP, and may be different from or inconsistent with non-GAAP financial measures used by other companies. The non-GAAP measures provided in this press release include adjusted revenue less cost of revenue, adjusted operating expenses, adjusted operating income, adjusted operating margin, adjusted net income allocated to common stockholders, adjusted diluted earnings per share, effective tax rate on adjusted earnings, operating EBITDA, operating EBITDA margin, adjusted operating EBITDA, adjusted operating EBITDA margin, EBITDA, EBITDA margin, adjusted EBITDA, adjusted EBITDA margin, adjusted cash, and net revenues in constant currency. Management believes that the non-GAAP financial measures presented in this press release provide additional and comparative information to assess trends in our core operations and a means to evaluate period-to-period comparisons. Non-GAAP financial measures disclosed by management are provided as additional information to investors in order to provide them with an alternative method for assessing our financial condition and operating results. The tables below show the reconciliation of each financial measure from GAAP to non-GAAP. The non-GAAP financial measures exclude the impact of those items detailed below and are referred to as adjusted financial measures. Reconciliation of GAAP and Non-GAAP Information Table 5 Three Months Ended September 30, Nine Months Ended September 30, (in millions, except percentages and per share amounts) 2025 2024 2025 2024 Reconciliation of Net Income Allocated to Common Stockholders to Non-GAAP (As shown on Table 1) Net income allocated to common stockholders $ 299.3 $ 217.4 $ 782.6 $ 565.4 Non-GAAP adjustments Acquisition-related costs (1) 0.2 - 0.4 1.2 Amortization of acquired intangible assets (2) 17.2 20.7 52.8 68.1 Gain on Cboe Digital non-recourse notes and warrants wind down (3) - - - (1.4) Cboe Digital syndication wind down (4) - - - (1.0) Change in contingent consideration (5) - (0.9) - 2.1 Impairment of assets (6) 4.5 - 21.6 81.0 Executive compensation adjustment (7) 0.6 - 1.0 - Gain on sale of property held for sale (8) - - - (1.0) Costs related to Cboe Digital wind down (9) 0.1 0.8 0.6 1.6 Costs related to Cboe Japan wind down (10) 2.4 - 2.4 - (Earnings) loss on investments adjustments (11) (51.0) 1.0 (51.7) 17.0 Total Non-GAAP adjustments (26.0) 21.6 27.1 167.6 Income tax expense related to the items above 6.5 (4.7) (7.7) (44.3) Tax reserves (12) - (1.6) - (5.6) Deferred tax re-measurements (13) - - (1.0) - Valuation allowances (14) - 0.3 - 4.4 Net income allocated to participating securities - effect on reconciling items - (0.1) (0.3) (0.7) Adjusted earnings $ 279.8 $ 232.9 $ 800.7 $ 686.8 Reconciliation of Diluted EPS to Non-GAAP Diluted earnings per common share $ 2.85 $ 2.07 $ 7.45 $ 5.36 Per share impact of non-GAAP adjustments noted above (0.18) 0.15 0.17 1.16 Adjusted diluted earnings per common share $ 2.67 $ 2.22 $ 7.62 $ 6.52 Reconciliation of Operating Margin to Non-GAAP Revenue less cost of revenue $ 605.5 $ 532.0 $ 1,758.0 $ 1,547.9 Non-GAAP adjustments noted above - - - (1.0) Adjusted revenue less cost of revenue $ 605.5 $ 532.0 $ 1,758.0 $ 1,546.9 Operating expenses (15) $ 235.2 $ 224.6 $ 694.7 $ 748.0 Non-GAAP adjustments noted above 25.0 20.6 78.8 154.0 Adjusted operating expenses $ 210.2 $ 204.0 $ 615.9 $ 594.0 Operating income $ 370.3 $ 307.4 $ 1,063.3 $ 799.9 Non-GAAP adjustments noted above 25.0 20.6 78.8 153.0 Adjusted operating income $ 395.3 $ 328.0 $ 1,142.1 $ 952.9 Adjusted operating margin (16) 65.3 % 61.7 % 65.0 % 61.6 % Reconciliation of Income Tax Rate to Non-GAAP Income before income taxes $ 430.1 $ 309.0 $ 1,114.9 $ 804.1 Non-GAAP adjustments noted above (26.0) 21.6 27.1 167.6 Adjusted income before income taxes $ 404.1 $ 330.6 $ 1,142.0 $ 971.7 Income tax expense $ 129.3 $ 90.5 $ 328.4 $ 235.7 Non-GAAP adjustments noted above (6.5) 6.0 8.7 45.5 Adjusted income tax expense $ 122.8 $ 96.5 $ 337.1 $ 281.2 Adjusted income tax rate 30.4 % 29.2 % 29.5 % 28.9 % (1) This amount includes acquisition-related costs primarily from the Company's Cboe Digital, Cboe Canada, and Cboe Asia Pacific acquisitions, which is included in acquisition-related costs on the condensed consolidated statements of income. (2) This amount represents the amortization of acquired intangible assets related to the Company's acquisitions, which is included in depreciation and amortization on the condensed consolidated statements of income. (3) This amount represents the revaluation and gain associated with the wind down of the Cboe Digital non-recourse notes and warrants, which is included in other income (expense), net on the condensed consolidated statements of income. (4) This amount represents the contra-revenue that was reversed as a result of the Cboe Digital syndication wind down, which is included in transaction and clearing fees on the condensed consolidated statements of income. (5) This amount represents the gains and losses related to contingent consideration liabilities achieved related to the acquisitions of Cboe Canada and Cboe Asia Pacific, which is included in other expenses on the condensed consolidated statements of income. (6) This amount represents the impairment of assets related to Cboe Japan in 2025, as well as the impairment of assets related to the Cboe Digital wind down in 2024, which are included in impairment of assets on the condensed consolidated statements of income. (7) This amount represents the CEO sign-on long-term equity awards with a grant date value of $6.0 million (comprised of a mixture of time- and performance-based awards) and subject to a 3-year cliff vesting requirement associated with the hiring of Craig Donohue as Chief Executive Officer, which is included in compensation and benefits on the condensed consolidated statements of income. This amount does not include the CEO's annual long-term equity incentive awards that were prorated for 2025. (8) This amount represents the gain on the sale of the Company's former headquarters, which is included in other income (expense), net on the condensed consolidated statements of income. (9) This amount represents certain wind down costs related to Cboe Digital, which are included in compensation and benefits on the condensed consolidated statements of income. (10) This amount represents certain wind down costs related to Cboe Japan, which are included in compensation and benefits on the condensed consolidated statements of income. (11) This amount represents the gains associated with the partial sale of PYTH token intangible assets and from the Company's various minority investments, as well as the gain associated with the Company's investment in 7Ridge Fund (which owns Trading Technologies) as a result of Trading Technologies' announcement of an investment transaction, which are included in earnings on investments, net on the condensed consolidated statements of income, and the impairment related to the Company's minority investments, which are included in other income (expense), net on the condensed consolidated statements of income. (12) This amount represents the tax reserves related to Section 199 matters. (13) This amount represents remeasurements of deferred tax assets and liabilities at prevailing effective tax rates. (14) This amount represents the valuation allowances related to the impairments of the Company's minority investments in Globacap Technology Limited and StratiFi Technologies Inc. (15) The company sponsors deferred compensation plans held in a trust. The expenses or income related to the deferred compensation plans are included in compensation and benefits ($2.9 million and $2.3 million in expense for the three months ended September 30, 2025 and 2024, respectively, and $6.4 million and $2.2 million in expense for the nine months ended September 30, 2025 and 2024, respectively), and are directly offset by deferred compensation income, expenses, and dividends included in other income (expense), net ($2.9 million and $2.3 million in income, expense, and dividends in the three months ended September 30, 2025 and 2024, respectively, and $6.4 million and $2.2 million in income, expense, and dividends in the nine months ended September 30, 2025 and 2024, respectively), on the condensed consolidated statements of income. The deferred compensation plans' expenses are not excluded from adjusted operating expenses and do not have an impact on income before income taxes. (16) Adjusted operating margin represents adjusted operating income divided by revenues less cost of revenues. EBITDA Reconciliations EBITDA (earnings before interest, income taxes, depreciation and amortization) and Adjusted EBITDA are widely used non-GAAP financial measures of operating performance. These metrics are presented as supplemental information that the company believes are useful to investors to evaluate the company's results because they exclude certain items that are not directly related to the company's core operating performance. Operating EBITDA is calculated by adding back to operating income depreciation and amortization. Adjusted Operating EBITDA is calculated by adding back to Operating EBITDA relevant adjustments. Operating EBITDA margin represents Operating EBITDA divided by revenues less cost of revenues. Adjusted Operating EBITDA margin represents Adjusted Operating EBITDA divided by revenues less cost of revenues. EBITDA is calculated by adding back to net income interest (income) expense, net, income tax expense, depreciation and amortization. EBITDA margin represents EBITDA divided by revenues less cost of revenues. Adjusted EBITDA is calculated by adding back to EBITDA relevant adjustments. Relevant adjustments are detailed in the reconciliations that follow. Adjusted EBITDA margin represents Adjusted EBITDA divided by revenues less cost of revenues. Operating EBITDA, Adjusted Operating EBITDA, EBITDA, and Adjusted EBITDA should not be considered as substitutes either for net income, as an indicator of the company's operating performance, or for cash flow as a measure of the company's liquidity. In addition, because Operating EBITDA, Operating EBITDA margin, Adjusted Operating EBITDA, Adjusted Operating EBITDA margin, EBITDA, EBITDA margin, Adjusted EBITDA, and Adjusted EBITDA margin may not be calculated identically by all companies, the presentation here may not be comparable to other similarly titled measures of other companies. Table 6 (in millions, except percentages) Three Months Ended September 30, Nine Months Ended September 30, Reconciliation of Operating Income to Operating EBITDA and Adjusted Operating EBITDA (Per Table 1) 2025 2024 2025 2024 Operating income $ 370.3 $ 307.4 $ 1,063.3 $ 799.9 Depreciation and amortization 30.9 31.8 91.1 100.9 Operating EBITDA $ 401.2 $ 339.2 $ 1,154.4 $ 900.8 Operating EBITDA Margin 66.3 % 63.8 % 65.7 % 58.2 % Non-GAAP adjustments not included in above line items Acquisition-related costs $ 0.2 $ - $ 0.4 $ 1.2 Change in contingent consideration - (0.9) - 2.1 Impairment of assets 4.5 - 21.6 81.0 Executive compensation adjustment 0.6 - 1.0 - Cboe Digital syndication wind down - - - (1.0) Costs related to Cboe Digital wind down 0.1 0.8 0.6 1.6 Costs related to Cboe Japan wind down 2.4 - 2.4 - Adjusted Operating EBITDA $ 409.0 $ 339.1 $ 1,180.4 $ 985.7 Adjusted Operating EBITDA Margin 67.5 % 63.7 % 67.1 % 63.7 % Reconciliation of Net Income Allocated to Common Stockholders to EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA (Per Table 1) 2025 2024 2025 2024 Net income allocated to common stockholders $ 299.3 $ 217.4 $ 782.6 $ 565.4 Interest (income) expense, net (1.0) 1.4 5.0 18.5 Income tax provision 129.3 90.5 328.4 235.7 Depreciation and amortization 30.9 31.8 91.1 100.9 EBITDA $ 458.5 $ 341.1 $ 1,207.1 $ 920.5 EBITDA Margin 75.7 % 64.1 % 68.7 % 59.5 % Non-GAAP adjustments not included in above line items Acquisition-related costs $ 0.2 $ - $ 0.4 $ 1.2 Change in contingent consideration - (0.9) - 2.1 Impairment of assets 4.5 - 21.6 81.0 Executive compensation adjustment 0.6 - 1.0 - Costs related to Cboe Digital wind down 0.1 0.8 0.6 1.6 Costs related to Cboe Japan wind down 2.4 - 2.4 - Gain on sale of property held for sale - - - (1.0) (Earnings) loss on investments adjustments (51.0) 1.0 (51.7) 17.0 Gain on Cboe Digital non-recourse notes and warrants wind down - - - (1.4) Cboe Digital syndication wind down - - - (1.0) Adjusted EBITDA $ 415.3 $ 342.0 $ 1,181.4 $ 1,020.0 Adjusted EBITDA Margin 68.6 % 64.3 % 67.2 % 65.9 % Table 7 (in millions) September 30, December 31, Reconciliation of Cash and Cash Equivalents to Adjusted Cash 2025 2024 Cash and cash equivalents $ 1,496.7 $ 920.3 Financial investments 34.2 110.3 Less deferred compensation plan assets (33.9) (40.3) Less cash collected for Section 31 Fees - (110.8) Adjusted Cash $ 1,497.0 $ 879.5 Table 8 (in millions) Three Months Ended September 30, Nine Months Ended September 30, Reconciliation of GAAP Net Revenues to Net Revenues in Constant Currency - Three and Nine Months Ended September 30, 2025 and 2024 2025 2024 2025 2024 Europe and Asia Pacific net revenues $ 69.1 $ 55.6 $ 203.6 $ 164.0 Constant currency adjustment (2.8) - (4.3) - Europe and Asia Pacific net revenues in constant currency1 $ 66.3 $ 55.6 $ 199.3 $ 164.0 (1) Net revenues in constant currency is calculated by converting the current period GAAP net revenues in local currency using the foreign currency exchange rates that were in effect during the previous comparable period. Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/622233/Cboe_GM_New_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/cboe-global-markets-reports-results-for-third-quarter-2025-and-announces-strategic-realignment-of-business-portfolio-302600617.html SHARM EL-SHEIKH, EG / ACCESS Newswire / October 31, 2025 / Today, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia solidified its global leadership in public financial auditing and accounting by winning the chairmanship of the International Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions (INTOSAI). The announcement was made during the 25th General Assembly of INTOSAI, held in Sharm El-Sheikh under the patronage of His Excellency President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi of the Arab Republic of Egypt. Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia Assumes Chairmanship of INTOSAI The General Assembly declared Saudi Arabia, represented by the General Court of Audit (GCA), as the Chair of INTOSAI starting in 2031 for a three-year term. Saudi Arabia will host delegations from over 195 countries, led by the heads of Supreme Audit Institutions, assuming leadership of the world's foremost organization in financial and performance auditing. This role positions Saudi Arabia to steer global efforts in enhancing transparency, public sector governance, and government performance, while reinforcing public trust in national economies. On this occasion, His Excellency Dr. Hussam Alangari, President GCA, extended his congratulations to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and His Royal Highness Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, acknowledging their unwavering support and empowerment of GCA. He emphasized that this achievement reflects the Kingdom's international standing and global trust, enabling it to play a pivotal role in advancing auditing and accountability worldwide. Dr. Alangari highlighted the transformative developments in organizational independence, technical and human capacity, and methodological innovation that have enabled GCA to achieve its vision of impactful audit, public sector effectiveness, and quality of life for citizens. He added: "Saudi Arabia welcomes the world in 2031, and we look forward to hosting everyone in Riyadh to shape a global future that promotes transparency, governance, and governmental effectiveness." This milestone crowns decades of international engagement led by Saudi Arabia through GCA, starting with its early membership in INTOSAI in 1977. Saudi Arabia has consistently taken leadership roles in international and regional organizations, including serving as Chair of the Arab Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions (ARABOSAI) for two consecutive terms since 2022, and the upcoming Chair of the Asian Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions (ASOSAI) starting in 2027. GCA has also led numerous INTOSAI committees and initiatives focused on capacity building and enhancing the efficiency of peer SAIs in developing countries, reflecting the Saudi Arabia commitment to advancing auditing and accountability globally. Founded over seventy years ago, INTOSAI is the largest and most prestigious international organization uniting Supreme Audit Institutions worldwide. Today, it comprises over 195 member countries, each represented by its Supreme Audit Institution, working to enhance transparency, governance, and public sector auditing, with the ultimate goal of improving citizens' lives around the world. SOURCE: General Court of Audit View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/government/saudi-arabia-assumes-chairmanship-of-intosai-1094421 Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - October 31, 2025) - Cosa Resources Corp (TSXV: COSA) (OTCQB: COSAF), an eastern Athabasca focused uranium exploration Company operating multiple joint ventures with Denison Mines, is pleased to announce that it will present at Red Cloud's Fall Mining Showcase 2025. Shareholders and interested parties are invited to attend the event and learn more about the company's latest developments. The annual conference will be hosted in-person, at the Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel on November 4 & 5, 2025, bringing together investors, mining companies and industry leaders. Keith Bodnarchuk, President and CEO, will be presenting on November 5th at 2PM Eastern Standard time. For the latest agenda and to register for the conference visit: https://redcloudfs.com/fallminingshowcase2025/ We look forward to seeing you there. About Cosa Resources Corp Cosa Resources is a Canadian uranium exploration company operating in northern Saskatchewan. The portfolio comprises roughly 237,000 ha across multiple underexplored 100% owned and Cosa-operated joint venture projects in the Athabasca Basin region, the majority of which reside within or adjacent to established uranium corridors. In January of 2025, the Company entered a transformative strategic collaboration with Denison Mines that has secured Cosa access into several additional highly prospective eastern Athabasca uranium exploration projects. As Cosa's largest shareholder, Denison gains exposure to Cosa's potential for exploration success and its pipeline of uranium projects. Cosa's award-winning management team has a track record of success in Saskatchewan. In 2022, members of the Cosa team were awarded the AME Colin Spence Award for the discovery of the Hurricane uranium deposit. Cosa personnel led teams or had integral roles in the discovery of Denison's Gryphon deposit and 92 Energy's GMZ zone and held key roles in the founding of both NexGen and IsoEnergy. The Company's focus throughout 2026 is drilling at the Darby and Murphy Lake North projects in the eastern Athabasca Basin. Both projects are operated by Cosa and are 70/30 joint ventures between Cosa and Denison respectively. Drilling at Darby is planned to test priority targets identified by thorough review of historical data and drill core and will target areas with anomalous uranium, clay alteration, and historical mineralization intersected nearby. Drilling at Murphy Lake North will follow up 2025 drilling which intersected broad zones of structurally controlled alteration over roughly 2 kilometres of strike length. SOURCE: Red Cloud Financial Services Sacramento, California--(Newsfile Corp. - October 31, 2025) - Safety Training Seminars, a woman-owned American Heart Association (AHA) Training Center established in 1989, proudly announces the grand opening of its newest CPR Certification School in Sacramento. This expansion brings convenient, high-quality lifesaving education to the Sacramento region, offering essential training in Basic Life Support (BLS), Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS), Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS), CPR, and First Aid renewal courses. Safety Training Seminars Opens New CPR Certification School in Sacramento To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8814/268672_safety1en.jpg The new school is designed to meet the growing demand for accessible, professional training in emergency response. With healthcare facilities, childcare centers, dental practices, schools, and local businesses increasingly required to maintain current certifications, Safety Training Seminars provides a trusted solution backed by decades of experience and a reputation for excellence. "Since 1989, our mission has been to make lifesaving education accessible, professional, and reliable," said Laura Seidel, President of Safety Training Seminars. "By opening in Sacramento, we are ensuring that medical professionals, first responders, and community members can receive official American Heart Association certifications close to home." All courses are taught by experienced AHA-certified instructors and meet the most current AHA guidelines. Students receive hands-on practice with the latest training equipment, ensuring confidence and competence when responding to real-world emergencies. Upon successful completion, participants are issued official AHA certification cards valid for two years. The Sacramento CPR Certification School is part of Safety Training Seminars' statewide network of over 70 offices. The company is recognized for its outstanding customer service, high pass rates, and a strong commitment to compliance and integrity in training. In addition, Safety Training Seminars continues to innovate with advanced simulation-based training technology, offering both traditional classroom instruction and modern solutions like CPR simulation stations in partnership with local organizations. For more information, please refer to the contact details below. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/268672 SOURCE: Plentisoft Analysis explores eight high-growth markets to understand how digital inclusion and payment innovation are accelerating online commerce. MONTREAL, Oct. 31, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Nuvei has published a new report, Global Expansion Guide to High-Growth Markets: Comprehensive Review & Future Outlook, examining how eCommerce is scaling across a group of fast-growing economies: Brazil, Mexico, Chile, Colombia, India, Hong Kong, the UAE, and South Africa. Together, these eight markets are projected to exceed US$1.2 trillion in eCommerce sales by 2027, expanding almost twice as fast as mature economies. Nuvei uses these markets as examples to understand how financial inclusion, mobile-first adoption, and real-time payment systems are shaping digital growth trajectories worldwide. Inclusion and access at scale Digital financial access has expanded dramatically across these economies. A decade ago, fewer than half of adults had access to a digital financial account. Today, around 75 percent do, creating a foundation for faster and broader digital commerce growth. In markets like India and Brazil, financial inclusion has been propelled by large-scale public payment systems such as UPI and PIX, which now reach hundreds of millions of users. In Mexico, open banking reforms and the expansion of SPEI have similarly accelerated access, enabling more consumers and small businesses to participate in digital trade. The rise of real-time and mobile-first commerce Mobile commerce now accounts for between 75 and 90 percent of all online purchases across these eight markets. In India, mobile payments already represent the majority of eCommerce spend, while in Brazil, mobile penetration exceeds 90 percent of online consumers. Real-time payments are also becoming the default. PIX in Brazil processes more than 5 billion transactions per month, and UPI in India now exceeds 10 billion monthly payments. By 2027, more than half of all eCommerce transactions across these markets are expected to flow through instant payment rails, reflecting how speed and interoperability are redefining the customer experience. In South Africa, the introduction of PayShap is extending these real-time benefits to a broader share of the population, while Hong Kong's Faster Payment System and the UAE's digital wallet ecosystem are driving similar momentum across cross-border hubs. Patterns shaping high-growth markets Although the pace and pathways vary, several shared dynamics stand out. Real-time infrastructure is accelerating inclusion and trust; mobile-first consumer behavior is compressing adoption cycles; and local payment ecosystems are increasingly influencing global expectations for speed and choice. These patterns illustrate how high-growth markets are building modern commerce models that are localized, real-time, and increasingly cashless, offering valuable lessons for global merchants looking to expand internationally. Guidance for global merchants For international businesses, understanding these trends is essential to capturing new growth opportunities. High-growth markets share structural characteristics such as expanding digital access, diverse payment preferences, and rapidly evolving regulatory frameworks. Tailored approaches to market entry, payment acceptance, and localization are key to scaling successfully. Nuvei's Global Expansion Guide to High-Growth Markets brings together market data, consumer insights, and ecosystem research to help merchants navigate this complexity. The 2025 edition also previews Nuvei's next phase of research, to be released in early 2026, focused on regional infrastructure developments and new opportunities for cross-border expansion. Contact: Alex Hammond alex.hammond@nuvei.com Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2263426/Nuvei_logo_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/how-inclusion-mobile-and-real-time-payments-are-powering-the-next-wave-of-ecommerce-growth-insights-from-nuveis-new-report-302601018.html Miami dental specialist Dr. John Paul Gallardo reveals how advancements in full-arch restoration allow for customized implant configurations that improve comfort, stability, and long-term outcomes. MIAMI, FL / ACCESS Newswire / October 31, 2025 / Dental implant technology continues to evolve, providing patients who have lost most or all of their teeth with long-lasting, natural-looking alternatives to removable dentures. One of the most popular full-arch solutions, known as All-on-4, has become widely recognized for restoring complete function and aesthetics using just four dental implants per arch. However, according to Dr. John Paul Gallardo of Gallardo Periodontics & Implant Dentistry in Miami, FL, not every case can be adequately supported with only four implants. Dr. John Paul Gallardo, DDS, PA Dr. Gallardo is recognized for his expertise in minimally invasive implant techniques. In many patients, additional implants-sometimes referred to as All-on-X-may be necessary to achieve long-term stability, balance, and the most natural result possible. Understanding the All-on-4 Concept "All-on-4" refers to a method of anchoring a full arch of replacement teeth onto four strategically placed dental implants. Two are usually positioned near the front of the mouth and two toward the back, allowing for even distribution of force when biting and chewing. This technique has revolutionized full-mouth restoration by offering a fixed, functional solution that avoids the inconvenience of removable dentures. As Dr. Gallardo explains in one of his educational videos, "Traditionally, the All-on-4 basically means four implants per arch. So if we need to replace all the teeth on the top, we place four implants and then a fixed arch of teeth is secured completely onto those four implants." While this approach works well for many patients, there are situations where four implants do not provide the optimal level of support-particularly in individuals with bone loss, complex anatomy, or other structural challenges. Why "Four" Isn't Always Enough Every patient's mouth is unique, and several factors determine whether four implants can reliably support an entire arch of teeth. Dr. Gallardo highlights three of the most important considerations: bone density, age, and what's known as the anterior-posterior (AP) spread, or the distance between the implants at the front and back of the mouth. "Sometimes, depending on the age of the patient, the density of the bone, and the AP spread, we want to have connection points that are toward the front teeth, but also toward the molars," Dr. Gallardo explains. "Sometimes we can't accomplish that with four, so we might add a fifth or sixth implant." Adding one or two additional implants can expand the foundation, distribute biting forces more evenly, and enhance long-term durability-particularly in patients with lower bone density or reduced space between anatomical landmarks like the sinus cavities or nerves. From All-on-4 to All-on-X: Adapting to Each Patient "All-on-X" is a broader term encompassing implant-supported restorations that use more than four fixtures-commonly five, six, or even more per arch. The goal is the same: to provide a permanent, fixed set of replacement teeth that look and feel natural. What changes is the number and placement of the implants used to achieve ideal balance and strength. In some cases, the treatment plan begins as an All-on-4 but shifts to All-on-6 during surgery once the anatomy is fully evaluated. "As we were planning the case, we anticipated that we might have to turn this from an All-on-4 to an All-on-6," says Dr. Gallardo in one of his patient case reviews. "The reason was that the spread of the implants-the distance between the front implants and the back implants-was too small. We wanted to be able to get as many teeth as possible." During this procedure, the patient's sinus anatomy required special consideration. "The sinuses were extremely low," Dr. Gallardo notes. "So we used a 'teeth express' approach, placing shorter but very wide implants in the position of the first molars so we could get the implant in the right position without invading the sinus." A Precision Approach to Complex Anatomy In advanced cases like this, Dr. Gallardo emphasizes precision and bone preservation. Rather than performing a full sinus lift, his team prepared the bone carefully to accommodate wide implants while keeping the procedure minimally invasive. "We drilled the bone and made what we call the osteotomy, right up to the sinus membrane," he explains. "Then we added growth factors to help lift the membrane just slightly-not a full sinus lift or graft, but just enough to place the two fixtures and have a good AP spread. That way, the patient can have [teeth] as far back as possible." This technique demonstrates the adaptability of All-on-X dentistry: tailoring the implant configuration to the individual's bone anatomy and restorative goals, rather than applying a one-size-fits-all model. Predictable Outcomes and Long-Term Stability The long-term success of any full-arch dental implant restoration depends on careful planning and a stable foundation. For patients with strong bone quality and sufficient spacing, All-on-4 can deliver outstanding results. For others, especially those with reduced bone volume, adding one or two more implants may make a significant difference in function and comfort over time. All-on-X approaches can also improve the design of the final prosthesis, allowing for a more even distribution of biting forces and a fuller arch of teeth that extends to the molar region-important for both aesthetics and chewing efficiency. Dr. Gallardo often highlights this balance between precision and predictability in treatment planning. His approach prioritizes minimally invasive techniques whenever possible while ensuring that the long-term structural support of the restoration is never compromised. Restoring Confidence and Function For many patients, the decision to move forward with dental implants is not just about replacing teeth-it's about restoring confidence, oral health, and quality of life. Whether a patient qualifies for All-on-4 or benefits from additional implant support through All-on-X, the overarching goal remains the same: a stable, natural-looking smile that lasts. At Gallardo Periodontics & Implant Dentistry, Dr. Gallardo combines advanced imaging, computer-guided surgical planning, and years of experience in complex implant procedures to achieve predictable outcomes for patients throughout South Florida. He emphasizes that every case is unique, and the treatment plan-including the number and placement of implants-should be carefully tailored to the individual's anatomy to ensure long-term success. About Dr. John Paul Gallardo and Gallardo Periodontics & Implant Dentistry Dr. John Paul Gallardo is a renowned Miami periodontist and dental implant specialist with more than two decades of experience in advanced periodontal care and restorative dentistry. He is recognized for his expertise in minimally invasive implant techniques and comprehensive treatment of complex dental cases. Working alongside Dr. Ismael Khouly, the practice offers a full spectrum of procedures-from laser-assisted periodontal therapy and bone regeneration to full-arch implant rehabilitation-all performed in a modern, patient-centered environment. Gallardo Periodontics & Implant Dentistry continues to serve as a leading destination for patients seeking precision, comfort, and long-term oral health solutions. Learn More Patients interested in exploring whether All-on-4 or All-on-X is the right option for them can visit Gallardo Periodontics & Implant Dentistry for more information. To schedule a consultation at the Miami office, or to contact the practice directly, visit the contact page. SOURCE: Gallardo Periodontics and Implant Dentistry View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/healthcare-and-pharmaceutical/is-all-on-4-always-enough-dr.-gallardo-discusses-why-more-dental-impl-1093407 Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - October 31, 2025) - BlockchainK2 Corp. (TSXV: BITK) (OTCQB: BIDCF) (FSE: KRL2) (the "Company") announces that the Company proposes to settle outstanding indebtedness totaling $340,000 through the issuance of 4,857,142 common shares at a price of $0.07 per share (the "Debt Settlement Shares"). A portion of the above-described transaction constitutes a "related party transaction" within the meaning of Multilateral Instrument 61-101 - Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transaction ("MI 61-101") as 928,571 Debt Settlement Shares are being issued to related parties of the Company. The Company is relying on exemptions from the valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements of MI 61-101 contained in sections 5.5(a) and 5.7(1)(a) of MI 61-101, as the fair market value of the Debt Settlement Shares does not exceed 25% of the market capitalization of the Company, as determined in accordance with MI 61-101. Closing of the debt settlement is subject to the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange. Neither TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward-looking Information Cautionary Statement Except for statements of historic fact, this news release contains certain "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities law. Forward-looking information is frequently characterized by words such as "plan", "expect", "project", "intend", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate" and other similar words, or statements that certain events or conditions "may" or "will" occur. Forward-looking statements are based on the opinions and estimates at the date the statements are made, and are subject to a variety of risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual events or results to differ materially from those anticipated in the forward-looking statements including, but not limited to delays or uncertainties with regulatory approvals, including that of the TSX-V. There are uncertainties inherent in forward-looking information, including factors beyond the Company's control. There are no assurances that the business plans for the Company as 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. Additional information identifying risks and uncertainties that could affect financial results is contained in the Company's filings with Canadian securities regulators, which are available at www.sedarplus.ca. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/272706 SOURCE: BlockchainK2, Corp THE OUTNET Assets to be transferred will include the relevant brand rights, customer data, full inventory and the US distribution center as well as required work-force in the US and the UK employees A Cash consideration of USD 30 million is paid for THE OUTNET Assets, which is subject to adjustment based on inventory levels at closing, and for a certain period after closing LuxExperience will provide certain operational and IT services all priced at cost level LuxExperience will continue its commercial relationship with THE OUTNET also after closing of the transaction Transaction is expected to enable THE OUTNET to achieve its full potential under a renewed independent, stand-alone business model The divestment of THE OUTNET Assets allows LuxExperience to focus off-price resources on its YOOX business and accelerate the overall transformation plan in regards to an efficient infrastructure platform for NET-A-PORTER and MR PORTER Closing of the transaction is expected in Q1 2026, subject to certain closing conditions, including customary regulatory approvals and payment of the purchase price, which is subject to adjustment based on inventory levels at closing Today, LuxExperience B.V. (NYSE:LUXE), the leading digital, multi-brand luxury group and The O Group LLC announced that they have entered into a binding agreement for LuxExperience to sell the set of assets powering THE OUTNET platform. Transaction Rationale THE OUTNET operates as the online destination for luxury fashion from previous seasons with Net Sales of 260 million in fiscal year 20251. Founded in London in 2009, THE OUTNET has since then offered customers unrivalled access to expertly curated, past-season luxury fashion at exceptional prices. LuxExperience recently acquired THE OUTNET as part of the former YOOX NET-A-PORTER business, which together with YOOX forms its off-price segment. Shareholders of The O Group LLC include Joseph Edery and Timeless Group of Companies CEO Ritesh Punjabi, which both are renowned experts in luxury fashion. The transaction is intended to unlock an optimal solution for THE OUTNET, which is expected to allow it to achieve its full potential under a renewed independent, stand-alone business model. As part of the transfer of THE OUTNET assets, LuxExperience will transfer the brand rights, customer data, full inventory and the US distribution center as well as required work-force in the US and the UK employees. The divestment of THE OUTNET assets is a strategic step in line with LuxExperience's transformation plan announced in May 2025 that includes the simplification of its operating model by reducing complexity and is intended to allow the leading digital, multi-brand luxury group to completely focus its off-price resources on regaining growth and financial strength for its YOOX business. In addition, it is also expected to allow LuxExperience to accelerate the overall transformation plan in regards to an efficient infrastructure platform for NET-A-PORTER and MR PORTER. Michael Kliger, Chief Executive Officer of LuxExperience, said, "We are very pleased that we have found the optimal solution both for THE OUTNET and for our Group. The transaction will allow THE OUTNET to achieve its full potential under a renewed independent, stand-alone business model. LuxExperience will fully focus its resources in off-price on creating the lean operating model required for YOOX in order to regain growth and financial strength. In addition, it will also allow us to accelerate the overall transformation plan in regards to an efficient infrastructure platform for NET-A-PORTER and MR PORTER." Financial consideration and material terms The transaction includes a cash consideration of USD 30 million for the assets powering THE OUTNET platform. Closing of the transaction is expected to occur in the first quarter of calendar year 2026, subject to certain closing conditions, including customary regulatory approvals and payment of the purchase price, which is subject to adjustment based on inventory levels at closing. LuxExperience will continue its commercial relationship with THE OUTNET also after closing of the transaction and for a certain period after closing LuxExperience will provide certain operational and IT services all priced at cost level. ABOUT LUXEXPERIENCE: LuxExperience is the leading digital, multi-brand luxury group and the online shopping destination for luxury enthusiasts worldwide. LuxExperience operates a portfolio of some of the most distinguished store brands in digital luxury and creates communities for luxury enthusiasts with unique digital and physical experiences. Mytheresa, NET-A-PORTER and MR PORTER, jointly comprising the luxury segments of LuxExperience, offer highly curated edits of the most prestigious luxury brands across the world, featuring womenswear, menswear, kidswear, fine jewelry watches, and lifestyle products. YOOX and THE OUTNET, jointly comprising the off-price segment of LuxExperience, are the leading destinations for multi-brand off-season online luxury shopping. The NYSE listed group operates in key markets worldwide. For more information, please visit https://investors.luxexperience.com. FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENTS This press release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, including statements relating to LuxExperience's current expectations and projections relating to the recently completed YNAP acquisition and the operation of the combined companies; our ability to execute our business model and our business strategy. You can identify forward-looking statements by the fact that they do not relate strictly to historical or current facts. These statements may include words such "anticipate," "believe," "continue," "could," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "ongoing," "plan," "potential," "predict," "project," "should," "will," "would," or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology, although not all forward-looking statements contain these words. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release involve risks, uncertainties (many of which are beyond LuxExperience's control) and assumptions, and you should be aware that many factors could affect its actual operating and financial performance and cause its performance to differ materially from the performance anticipated in the forward-looking statements. LuxExperience believes these factors include, but are not limited to: the risk that the divestment of THE OUTNET requires significant time and energy from LuxExperience's management team or employees that distracts them from LuxExperience's other operations; the risk that unexpected obligations, liabilities or complications may arise in connection with the divestment, including as a result of the transition services agreement; the risk that problems may arise in successfully integrating the businesses of YNAP into LuxExperience, including with respect to realizing the technological synergies associated with the YOOX business, which may result in the combined company not operating as effectively and efficiently as expected; the risk that the combined company may be unable to achieve cost-cutting synergies or that it may take longer than expected to achieve those synergies. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should any of these assumptions prove incorrect, LuxExperience's actual operating and financial performance may vary in material respects from the performance projected in these forward-looking statements. LuxExperience undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statements made in this press release to reflect events or circumstances after the date of this press release or to reflect new information or the occurrence of unanticipated events, except as required by law. The achievement or success of the matters covered by such forward-looking statements involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and assumptions. If any such risks or uncertainties materialize or if any of the assumptions prove incorrect, LuxExperience's results could differ materially from the results expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements it makes. You should not rely upon forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. Forward-looking statements represent LuxExperience's management's beliefs and assumptions only as of the date such statements are made. Further information on these and other factors that could affect LuxExperience's financial results is included in filings it makes with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") from time to time, including the section titled "Risk Factors" in its annual report on Form 20-F and on Form 6-K (reporting its quarterly results). These documents are available on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov and on the SEC Filings section of the Investor Relations section of our website at: https://investors.luxexperience.com 1 FY 25 Net Sales number from July 2024 to June 2025 is illustrative as if THE OUTNET was part of the LuxExperience Group for the full period presented. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251031012966/en/ Contacts: Investor Relations Contacts LuxExperience B.V. Stefanie Muenz phone: +49 89 127695-1919 email: investors@luxexperience.com Media Contacts for business press LuxExperience B.V. Lisa Schulz mobile: +49 151 11216490 email: lisa.schulz@luxexperience.com Grand Venture Technology embarks on the next chapter of global growth as Aalberts completes the privatisation of the company SINGAPORE, Oct. 31, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Novo Tellus, a leading private equity fund focused on building industrial and technology companies, is pleased to announce the successful completion of its investment in Grand Venture Technology ("GVT" or the "Company"). Novo Tellus inaugurated its partnership with GVT in March 2021, when it invested in S$ 30 million at S$ 0.33/share to help fund a significant build-out of GVT's manufacturing capacity and capabilities. Over the last 4 years, Novo Tellus has worked closely with GVT to help grow the company's capabilities, customers, vertical industries, capacity and productivity resulting in significant earnings and equity growth. In July 2025, GVT announced an offer by global manufacturing leader Aalberts Advanced Mechatronics to acquire the company at a S$ 0.94/share. The transaction was closed on 27 October 2025, marking the conclusion of a successful partnership between Novo Tellus and Grand Venture Technology. Reflecting on the transformative growth at GVT over the last 4 years, CEO Julian Ng said, "we're proud of what our management team accomplished in partnership with Novo Tellus, and with the support of our strategic customers and dedicated employees. In the last 4 years, GVT has: Grown into a leading manufacturing supplier for top global semiconductor equipment companies. We built a new factory in Penang, grew specialised manufacturing capabilities, and worked tirelessly with our customers to help them push the leading edge of semiconductor manufacturing today. One highlight of this effort was winning the "Best Supplier Award Recognition" from one of our strategic customers, LAM Research. Completed 3 successful M&A acquisitions in Singapore, Malaysia and China to accelerate the buildout of our talent, capabilities and scale for our customers. Grown our investor relations program and attracted new capital and support from global blue-chip asset managers. We will miss working with our trusted partners at Novo Tellus, but look forward to being a meaningful part of Aalberts to advance their global manufacturing business successfully in Asia". "We've been privileged to have worked with the talented leadership at Grand Venture Technology", said Loke Wai San, Managing Partner of Novo Tellus, adding that "although we are proud to have been partners in such transformative growth, we are grateful to Executive Deputy Chairman Ricky Lee, CEO Julian Ng, and all the leaders and employees of GVT for their relentless efforts to realise an ambitious vision of GVT's future in the last few years. We thought it appropriate this year that Julian Ng and Robby Sucipto won the 'CEO of the Year' and 'CFO of the Year' awards respectively at the Singapore Corporate Awards 2025, a worthy recognition of their enormous accomplishments in the last few years. Grand Venture Technology embodies the Novo Tellus aspiration to build lasting businesses, and we hope our stewardship has created the foundations and momentum for lasting growth as GVT flourishes under the ownership of Aalberts NV going forward". About Grand Venture Technology Founded in 2012, GVT is a fast-growing and trusted solutions and services provider for the manufacture of complex precision machining, sheet metal components and mechatronics modules. Its manufacturing plants in Singapore, Penang and Johor (Malaysia), and Suzhou (China) are backed by the latest automated manufacturing technologies, Class 10,000 cleanroom facilities and a certified quality management system. The Group's highly experienced and dedicated team of engineering talent serves a strong global network of established partners and suppliers with a wide range of engineering, assembly, testing and product life cycle management solutions. GVT's portfolio of customers hail from the semiconductor, electronics, analytical life sciences, aerospace, medical and industrial automation industries, and represent some of the largest OEMs in their respective markets. To learn more about Grand Venture Technology, visit gvt.com.sg About Novo Tellus Novo Tellus is a private equity firm focused on building lasting technology and industrial companies in Southeast Asia. The firm is distinguished by its deep insight into shifts in the global technology ecosystem, and by its active and empathic partnerships with management teams to build lasting businesses and superior investment returns. To learn more about partnering with Novo Tellus, visit novotellus.com Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2810329/Novo_Tellus_completes_transformative_growth_partnership_Grand_Venture_Technology.jpg Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2810330/Group_Photo.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1985705/5594385/Novo_Tellus_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/novo-tellus-completes-its-transformative-growth-partnership-with-grand-venture-technology-302601029.html Calgary, Alberta--(Newsfile Corp. - October 31, 2025) - TriSummit Utilities Inc. (the "Company" or "TSU") announced the appointment of Shaun Toivanen as President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), effective November 1, 2025. Shaun has also been appointed to the Company's Board of Directors. Shaun succeeds Jared Green, who has stepped down from his role as President and CEO and as a director, after successfully leading the Company since its initial public offering in 2018. Shaun will continue in his capacity as CFO, while a formal process is initiated to identify his successor. Shaun has over two decades of progressive leadership experience in the utility sector and has been TSU's CFO since 2018, when he co-led the initial public offering of the Company. As CFO, Shaun led TSU's finance organization, which encompasses corporate finance and capital market activities, treasury, financial reporting, financial planning and analysis, and accounting and tax. Shaun has played a pivotal role in shaping TSU's strategic direction and growth by leveraging his financial, strategic and operational abilities. He brings a comprehensive understanding of the business, proven leadership skills, and a strong commitment to delivering value for our stakeholders. "Leading TSU is an extraordinary privilege," shared Shaun. "I will continue to advance the strategic vision for the organization and am honoured to be chosen to serve as President and CEO," said Shaun. "We are fortunate to have an exemplary internal leader transition to the role of President and CEO. Shaun has extensive experience in the utility sector, with a proven record of transformative leadership and operational excellence. As CEO, Shaun will continue to uphold our core values, which include safety and reliability, our people, customers and community, communication and integrity and responsible solutions for the organization," shared David Cornhill, Chair of TSU's Board of Directors. "We are sincerely grateful for the impact Jared has made during his seven years leading TSU. His dedication to advancing this organization is evident through the legacy he leaves behind. We wish Jared all the best in his next role," said Mr. Cornhill. About TriSummit Utilities Inc. TSU is a North American company with natural gas distribution, transmission and storage utilities and renewable power generation assets. TSU serves approximately 293,000 customers across Canada and the United States, delivering energy safely and reliably. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements. When used in this press release, the words "may", "would", "could", "will", "intend", "plan", "anticipate", "believe", "seek", "propose", "estimate", "expect", and similar expressions, as they relate to TSU or an affiliate of TSU, are intended to identify forward-looking statements. In particular, this press release contains forward-looking statements with respect to, among other things, the process to make a CFO appointment. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements. Such statements reflect TSU's current views with respect to future events based on certain material factors and assumptions and are subject to certain risks and uncertainties, including without limitation, changes in the market, competition, governmental or regulatory developments, general economic conditions and other factors set out in TSU's public disclosure documents. Many factors could cause TSU's actual results, performance or achievements to vary from those described in this press release, including without limitation, those listed above. These factors should not be construed as exhaustive. Should one or more of these risks or uncertainties materialize, or should assumptions underlying forward-looking statements prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described in this press release as intended, planned, anticipated, believed, sought, proposed, estimated or expected, and such forward-looking statements included in, or incorporated by reference in this press release, should not be unduly relied upon. Such statements speak only as of the date of this press release. TSU does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update these forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWS WIRE SERVICES OR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/272717 SOURCE: TriSummit Utilities Inc. NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESS Newswire / October 31, 2025 / In its eighth year, the 2025 MK5K brought together hundreds of participants from coast to coast in a powerful show of unity and support for the Mary Kay Ash Charitable Foundation (MKACF) in Canada. (Photo Courtesy: Gord Simpson) Originally published on newsroom.marykay.com In its eighth year, the 2025 MK5K brought together hundreds of participants from coast to coast in a powerful show of unity and support for the Mary Kay Ash Charitable Foundation (MKACF) in Canada. Taking place both in person and virtually, this year's event was a resounding success, reflecting the Foundation's mission to support people living with cancer through Look Good Feel Better and to help women experiencing domestic violence by providing grants to women's shelters and community outreach programs. The main in-person event was held on Saturday, September 20, 2025, at the scenic Meadowvale Conservation Area in Mississauga, Ontario, where Mary Kay Independent Beauty Consultants, families, friends, and Walk Champions gathered to walk in solidarity and raise vital funds. Across the country, communities joined in virtually to participate in their own neighborhoods, making the MK5K 2025 a truly national initiative. "This year's MK5K event was a powerful reflection of our shared values and unwavering commitment to making a difference," said Michelle Haurilak, Chair of the Mary Kay Ash Charitable Foundation Committee and Marketing Director at Mary Kay Cosmetics Ltd. in Canada. "From the heartfelt energy at Meadowvale Conservation Area to the incredible participation from communities across the country, it was truly inspiring to witness the unity and purpose behind every step taken. "The support we saw this year reaffirms how deeply our mission resonates - to help people facing cancer feel like themselves again, and to provide safety and hope for those impacted by domestic violence. I am so proud of what we've achieved together through the Mary Kay Ash Charitable Foundation, and grateful to everyone who walked, donated, fundraised, or cheered us on. Together, we are creating lasting change in the lives of women across Canada." MK5K 2025 by the Numbers: Hundreds of walkers participated across Canada 53 fundraising teams 248 individual donors 3 generous sponsors: Staples Print, Formcor, and Corona Jewellery Fundraising continued until October 1, 2025, allowing even greater reach and participation. Total amount raised: $40,235 "We are incredibly proud to partner with the Mary Kay Ash Charitable Foundation, whose unwavering commitment to uplifting women aligns so closely with our mission at Look Good Feel Better," said Susan Larkin with Look Good Feel Better. "Together, we are helping people facing cancer reclaim a sense of control, confidence, and self-esteem during one of the most challenging times in their lives. This partnership strengthens our ability to reach more people across Canada with the support and care they so deeply deserve." The MKACF maintains a strong partnership with Look Good Feel Better (LGFB), a national Canadian charity committed to supporting individuals facing cancer. LGFB focuses on helping patients manage the appearance-related side effects of cancer and its treatments - such as skin changes, hair loss, and the loss of eyebrows and eyelashes - with the goal of restoring confidence, emotional well-being, and a renewed sense of self. Through its campaigns, Mary Kay and its Foundation help raise awareness of LGFB's work, amplify stories, and encourage community support. About the Mary Kay Ash Charitable Foundation (MKACF) in Canada: The MKACF is committed to improving the lives of women across Canada through two key pillars: Support people living with cancer through Look Good Feel Better. Provide grants to shelters and outreach programs that serve women and children fleeing domestic violence. Since its inception, the Foundation has raised over $3.63 million, with 99% of all donations going directly to programs that empower and protect women. Shelter Grant Program: Empowering Survivors of Domestic Violence In 2025, the MKACF Shelter Grant Program will provide $120,000 in grants to 12 shelters and outreach programs, each receiving $10,000 to enhance services for women and children in crisis. Application period: July 15 - September 30, 2025 Grant recipients announced: November 25, 2025 (International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women) Rooted in Mary Kay Ash's legacy, this initiative provides financial support to programs that offer safety, empowerment, and hope to survivors of domestic abuse. Look Good Feel Better Program Impact As a long-standing national supporter, MKACF has donated over $1.3 million to the Look Good Feel Better program, helping over 10,000 women annually regain confidence during cancer treatment. 1300+ trained volunteers, including many Mary Kay Independent Beauty Consultants. Programs offered at 110 hospitals and cancer centers across Canada. 10,000+ Canadians received direct services through LGFB workshops in 2024. 1,500 workshops were delivered across Canada in 2024. 950 workshops will be held in 2025. 97% of participants would recommend the workshop to someone else who is facing cancer. Complementary 2-hour workshops provide guidance on skincare, makeup, wigs/scarves, and breast care. The MKACF extends heartfelt thanks to the thousands who made the MK5K 2025 a success - from Independent Beauty Consultants and Walk Champions, to donors, volunteers, and sponsors. Their generosity and compassion help transform lives and bring light to women facing life's most difficult challenges. For more information about the Mary Kay Ash Charitable Foundation or to donate, please visit here. **** About Mary Kay One of the original glass ceiling breakers, Mary Kay Ash founded her dream beauty brand in Texas in 1963 with one goal: to enrich women's lives. Learn more at marykayglobal.com. Find us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn, or follow us on X. # # # View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Mary Kay on 3blmedia.com. Contact Info: Spokesperson: Mary Kay Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/mary-kay Email: info@3blmedia.com SOURCE: Mary Kay View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/business-and-professional-services/mk5k-2025-canada-laces-up-for-a-cause-1094456 Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - October 31, 2025) - NEW EARTH RESOURCES CORP. (CSE: EATH) ("New Earth" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the appointment of GeoXplor Corp., an arm's length party to the Company, as the official project manager for the Company's Lucky Boy Uranium Project. Over 40 years of experience has enabled GeoXplor to provide expert personnel to supervise and manage projects such as Lucky Boy. This strategic collaboration underscores the Company's commitment to advancing exploration on the Project. "We are excited to utilize GeoXplor as our project manager on Lucky Boy," said Lawrence Hay, CEO of New Earth Resources Corp. "Since they initially provided us with Lucky Boy as our original listing asset, their familiarity with the Project could prove paramount in our exploration efforts moving forward." The Company also announces that Mr. Sean Webster has resigned as a director of the Company to focus on other interests. The Company's board of directors thanks Mr. Webster for his contributions to the Company. About the Company New Earth Resources Corp. is a Canadian-based mineral exploration company acquiring and developing advanced and early-stage exploration projects. Its flagship project is its 100% owned, past-producing Lucky Boy Uranium Property located in Gila County, Arizona, USA. Consisting of 14 Lode Claims, and spanning approximately 273 acres, the Lucky Boy Project covers a small open pit and underground workings that produced uranium in the 1950's, and again in the 1970's. In addition to Lucky Boy, included in the Company's uranium portfolio are three claims located in Saskatchewan, Canada covering 365 hectares. The Company also has the option to acquire a 100% interest in 23 claims covering approximately 1,101 hectares in the Strange Lake area of Quebec, Canada, known as the "SL Project", which is prospective for rare earth elements. For further information, please refer to the Company's disclosure record on SEDAR+ (www.sedarplus.ca) or contact the Company by email at newearthresourcescorp@gmail.com. Forward-Looking Information Certain statements in this news release are forward-looking statements, including with respect to future plans, and other matters. Forward-looking statements consist of statements that are not purely historical, including any statements regarding beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions regarding the future. Such information can generally be identified by the use of forwarding-looking wording such as "may", "expect", "estimate", "anticipate", "intend", "believe" and "continue" or the negative thereof or similar variations. The reader is cautioned that assumptions used in the preparation of any forward-looking information may prove to be incorrect. Events or circumstances may cause actual results to differ materially from those predicted, as a result of numerous known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors, many of which are beyond the control of the Company, including but not limited to, business, economic and capital market conditions, the ability to manage operating expenses, and dependence on key personnel. Such statements and information are based on numerous assumptions regarding present and future business strategies and the environment in which the Company will operate in the future, anticipated costs, and the ability to achieve goals. Factors that could cause the actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include, the continued availability of capital and financing, litigation, failure of counterparties to perform their contractual obligations, loss of key employees and consultants, and general economic, market or business conditions. Forward-looking statements contained in this news release are expressly qualified by this cautionary statement. The reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on any forward-looking information. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release are made as of the date of this news release. Except as required by law, the Company disclaims any intention and assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. The CSE has not reviewed, approved or disapproved the contents of this news release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/272660 SOURCE: New Earth Resources Corp. Boards and finance committees are putting hold stamps on non-essential IT as buyers shift to fast-ROI RCM and cybersecurity CHICAGO, ILLINOIS / ACCESS Newswire / October 31, 2025 / Black Book Research today released results of a flash survey of 107 U.S. healthcare IT vendor business development executives, revealing that the shutdown is slowing decision cycles and shifting buyer priorities to projects with faster cash impact. 71% of respondents say at least one in-flight procurement has been paused, and 63% report sales cycles have lengthened-most commonly by 30-60 days, with 12% citing 90+ day extensions. Key findings RFPs delayed: 68% say new RFPs are being held or pushed out. "Must-have" over "nice-to-have": 58% see buyers prioritizing ROI under 12 months; 28% under 6 months. Category shifts: 52% see increased demand for revenue cycle/denials prevention and patient access, 39% for cybersecurity/compliance, while 41% report deferrals of platform upgrades/data initiatives (e.g., data lakes, TEFCA onboarding, enterprise analytics). Commercial terms: 44% report requests for extended payment terms (60-120 days) or financing; 36% see a shift from capex to opex pricing (subscription, consumption, risk-share). Pipeline risk: 41% have revised near-term revenue expectations downward (most commonly 5-15%); 22% report outright cancellations of select projects. Governance & Capital Controls Hospital boards of trustees and finance committees are directing formal holds on discretionary IT until cash visibility improves. In an ad-hoc provider poll, 60% of CIOs report pause directives on platform upgrades, enterprise analytics/data lake expansions, TEFCA onboarding, and non-revenue-critical cutovers, while revenue-protecting modules: denials prevention, eligibility and prior auth automation, patient access, and cybersecurity, continue, often re-sequenced to deliver near-term cash impact. "The shutdown's cash uncertainty has moved many decisions into board finance committees," said Doug Brown of Black Book Research. "Boards are literally putting hold stamps on non-essential IT platform upgrades, data lake builds, big-bang cutovers, while green-lighting revenue cycle and cybersecurity modules that protect cash now." Vendors also report adapting go-to-market plays to the environment: 47% are offering proofs of value/pilots with staged commitments. 33% are re-sequencing implementations to deliver cash-impact modules first (e.g., eligibility, prior-auth automation, denials prevention). 27% have paused non-essential launches or reduced field marketing to focus on late-stage deals and customer expansions. Methodology Black Book Research conducted an online flash survey of 107 U.S. healthcare IT and services vendor business development leaders serving hospitals/health systems, physician groups, payers, public health, and related markets. Fieldwork occurred the last week of October 2025. Results are unweighted. At n=107, the maximum margin of error is 9.5 percentage points at the 95% confidence level. Totals may not sum to 100% due to rounding. About Black Book Research Black Book Research is an independent healthcare market research firm known for comprehensive, crowd-sourced customer experience and satisfaction studies covering healthcare technology, services, and outsourcing partners. Black Book's insights inform purchasing decisions without vendor influence, subscriptions or commissions across providers, payers, and life sciences organizations. For more information, visit www.blackbookmarketresearch.com. Contact Information: Press Office research@blackbookmarketresearch.com 8008637590 SOURCE: Black Book Research View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/healthcare-and-pharmaceutical/7-in-10-health-it-vendors-report-paused-procurements-as-shutdown-leng-1093544 Halifax, Nova Scotia--(Newsfile Corp. - October 31, 2025) - Ucore Rare Metals Inc. (TSXV: UCU) (OTCQX: UURAF) ("Ucore" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has entered into a non-binding Heads of Agreement (HoA) with Wyloo Gascoyne Pty Ltd ("Wyloo") and Hastings Technology Metals Ltd ("Hastings") to: Establish a long-term supply pathway for Yangibana rare earth concentrate; and Evaluate hydrometallurgical ("Hydromet") processing options in the United States, with Louisiana as the priority location. The HoA links Australian feedstock from the Yangibana Rare Earths and Niobium Project (Western Australia) with U.S. mid-stream processing and separation at Ucore's Louisiana Strategic Metals Complex (SMC) - aligning with Ucore's objective to establish a North American, ex-China rare earth supply chain and leverage the critical materials frameworks amid unprecedented policy convergence with allied jurisdictions, notably the United States, Canada and Australia. The HoA was signed at the G7 Energy and Environment Ministers Meeting. Left to Right: The Honourable Tim Hodgson, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources (Canada); Dr. Ahmad Hussein, Director of Government Relations (Ucore); Pat Ryan, Chairman and CEO (Ucore); Nanette Trask, CFO (Wyloo); Vince Catania, CEO (Hastings); The Hon Madeleine King MP, Minister for Resources and Minister for Northern Australia (Australia) To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/1119/272721_e3516455c4beb83c_002full.jpg "This HoA represents another key step in building the mine-to-oxide pathway between allied nations," stated Pat Ryan, P.Eng., Ucore's Chairman and CEO. "By partnering with Wyloo and Hastings, we are securing potential feedstock for our Louisiana SMC and exploring U.S. Hydromet options that add flexibility and scale to our DoD-backed RapidSX separation program." Chief Executive Officer, Mr Vince Catania said: "We are delighted to partner with Ucore on this strategically significant HoA. This agreement represents a major step forward in de-risking the Yangibana Project by securing a pathway to a long-term offtake partner in the key North American market. More importantly, the joint evaluation of a downstream Hyrdromet plant in the US demonstrates the efforts by Wyloo, Ucore and Hastings to access the financing and commercial opportunities arising from the recently announced rare earth deal by the US and Australian governments to jointly support "ready to go" projects." Geoff Atkins, VP Business Development at Ucore, added: "Yangibana is one of the world's most advanced, shovel-ready rare earth projects, with amongst the highest distributions of NdPr of any known deposit. This agreement is an important step in Ucore securing a fully aligned mine-to-oxide supply chain across trusted jurisdictions." Expanded Details on the HoA Under the HoA, Wyloo and Hastings (through their 60:40 Yangibana Joint Venture) and Ucore will work collaboratively to advance a potential long-term offtake and Hydromet partnership. Feedstock Framework: The HoA contemplates up to 37,000 tonnes per annum of Yangibana rare earth concentrate, sourced from the Stage 1 mine and beneficiation circuit of the Yangibana Project. Pricing is to be based on a per-DMT formula or fixed structure to be defined in the definitive offtake agreement. U.S. Hydromet Evaluation: The parties will jointly complete a Gap Analysis and techno-economic assessment of a new Hydromet facility in Louisiana, or a qualified third-party U.S. facility, to convert concentrate into mixed rare earth carbonate (MREC) suitable for downstream separation at Ucore's SMC. Strategic Alignment: The project supports the United States-Australia Framework for Securing of Supply in the Mining and Processing of Critical Minerals and Rare Earths ("U.S.-Australia Framework") announced on October 20, 2025, which aims to build integrated supply chains across allied jurisdictions. The HoA directly responds to this initiative by linking Australian concentrate production with U.S. mid-stream processing and separation. Timeline and Governance: The HoA is non-binding (except for clauses related to confidentiality and governing law, which is Australian), has a 24-month term, and may be extended by mutual consent. Strategic Benefits For Ucore: Anchors an allied feedstock source for Ucore's DoD-funded Louisiana SMC, supporting commissioning in H2-2026 and establishing one of the first U.S. facilities capable of producing separated rare earth oxides at commercial scale. For Wyloo and Hastings: Opens a U.S. downstream channel into the magnet materials market through a government-supported separation platform, strengthening financing and offtake options during the Yangibana Project's ramp-up. For Allied supply chains: Reinforces U.S.-Australia cooperation on critical minerals and expands ex-China sources of NdPr, Sm, Gd, Dy, and Tb, key to defense, EV, and clean energy manufacturing. For Policy Makers: Demonstrates practical progress under the U.S.-Australia Framework through a tangible mine-to-oxide collaboration designed to deliver diversified, secure, and transparent rare earth supply chains. About Ucore Rare Metals Inc. Ucore is advancing North American rare earth separation and refining through its Louisiana Strategic Metals Complex and commercialization of RapidSX separation technology. In 2025, Ucore received a US$18.4 million follow-on award from the U.S. Department of Defense, bringing total funding under its current OT Agreement to US$22.4 million. More information is available at ucore.com. About Hastings Technology Metals Ltd. Hastings is a Perth-based rare earths company focused on the development of the Yangibana Joint Venture. About Wyloo & the Yangibana JV Wyloo (a Tattarang company) holds 60% interest in, and serves as the manager and operator of, the Yangibana Joint Venture with Hastings (40%), finalized in 2025.The Yangibana JV is developing the Yangibana Rare Earths and Niobium Project in Western Australia. Stage 1 targets ~37,000 tonnes per annum of concentrate, and Stage 2 aims to produce ~15,000 tonnes per annum of mixed rare earth carbonate (MREC). The project has an average NdPr:TREO ratio of ~37%, among the highest globally. Wyloo is also progressing projects to develop one of the world's best nickel, copper and platinum group element mines, Eagle's Nest, and world-class chromite deposits, Blackbird, in the Ring of Fire region in Ontario, Canada and a facility producing precursor cathode active material in Sudbury, Ontario. # # # Forward-Looking Statements This press release includes certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements". All statements in this release (other than statements of historical facts) that address future business development, technological development and/or acquisition activities (including any related required financings), timelines, events, or developments that the Company is pursuing are forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance or results, and actual results or developments may differ materially from those in forward-looking statements. Regarding the disclosure in the press release above about the government support for Ucore, the Company has assumed that the applicable projects (including each of the associated milestones) will be completed satisfactorily and in accordance with the respective agreements or letters of intent (as applicable) for such government support. For additional risks and uncertainties regarding the Company, its business activities, its ability to qualify for and receive any additional funding from any U.S. or Canadian government, the CDF and the aforementioned projects (generally), see the risk disclosure in the Company's MD&A for Q2 2025 (filed on SEDAR+ on August 28, 2025) (www.sedarplus.ca) as well as the risks described below. As noted above, the execution of a Definitive Offtake Agreement will be conditional upon the parties agreeing on commercial terms, among other conditions precedent. Regarding the disclosure above in the "About Ucore Rare Metals Inc." section, the Company has assumed that it will be able to procure or retain additional partners and/or suppliers, in addition to Innovation Metals Corp. ("IMC"), as suppliers for Ucore's expected future SMCs. Ucore has also assumed that sufficient external funding will be found to continue and complete the ongoing research and development work required at the CDF and also later prepare a new National Instrument 43-101 technical report that demonstrates that Bokan is feasible and economically viable for the production of both REE and co-product metals and the then prevailing market prices based upon assumed customer offtake agreements. Ucore has also assumed that sufficient external funding will be secured to continue the development of the specific engineering plans for the SMCs and their construction and eventual commissioning and operations. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include, without limitation: IMC failing to protect its intellectual property rights in RapidSX RapidSX failing to demonstrate commercial viability in large commercial-scale applications; Ucore not being able to procure additional key partners or suppliers for the SMCs; Ucore not being able to raise sufficient funds to fund the specific design and construction of the SMCs and/or the continued development of RapidSX adverse capital-market conditions; unexpected due-diligence findings; the emergence of alternative superior metallurgy and metal-separation technologies; the inability of Ucore and/or IMC to retain its key staff members; a change in the legislation in Louisiana or Alaska and/or in the support expressed by the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority (AIDEA) regarding the development of Bokan; the availability and procurement of any required interim and/or long-term financing that may be required; and general economic, market or business conditions. Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined by the TSXV) accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/272721 SOURCE: Ucore Rare Metals Inc. VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Oct. 31, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- GoldHaven Resources Corp. ("GoldHaven" or the "Company") (CSE: GOH) (OTCQB: GHVNF) (FSE: 4QS) is pleased to announce that it has entered into an agreement to acquire the Hamel claims (the "Claims") located in northwestern British Columbia, within the Company's Magno Project area. The newly acquired Claims cover 429.46 hectares and further demonstrate GoldHaven's commitment to consolidating its district-scale land position in this highly prospective region. Magno Project: The Magno Project hosts multiple mineralization styles linked by common fluid pathways and heat sources, suggesting a related series of mineralizing events. Recent fieldwork identified the Cassiar Stock - a 72 Ma Cretaceous granite along the Cassiar Batholith's eastern margin - as a key control on mineralization. Mapping confirmed a strong correlation between phases of the Cassiar Stock and mineralized showings, prompting GoldHaven to expand the project to 36,002.99 hectares to consolidate the system. Early work has connected mineralized skarns along north-south and northeast-trending structures where Cassiar Stock intrudes Cassiar Terrane sediments. At Magno Central (Magno and D zones), structurally controlled skarn and CRD-style mineralization occur within the Rosella Formation, historically known for Ag-Pb-Zn but now showing potential for indium and gallium. Comparisons to Coeur Mining's Silvertip Project highlight strong regional potential, while mapping in the Kuhn and Dead Goat zones identified skarns dominated by diopside-garnet with zones of tremolite, pyrrhotite, and scheelite. Terms of the agreement: GoldHaven has entered into a title transfer agreement (the "Agreement") dated October 23, 2025, with Robert Joseph Hamel (the "Vendor"), under which the Company will acquire a 100% interest in the Claims situated in the Cassiar Mining District, British Columbia (the "Transaction"). As consideration, GoldHaven will pay $10,000 CAD in cash and issue 300,000 common shares (the "Consideration Shares") to the Vendor. All Consideration Shares will be subject to a standard Canadian statutory four-month hold period. Figure 1: Location of Hamel tenures located within GoldHaven's Magno project in Northern BC Rob Birmingham, CEO of GoldHaven Resources, commented: "The acquisition of the Hamel claims strengthens our strategic land position within the Magno Project and underscores our commitment to building a district-scale mining portfolio in British Columbia," stated Rob Birmingham, President and CEO of GoldHaven Resources. "We believe this area holds strong exploration potential, and consolidating key ground positions is an important step in unlocking value for our shareholders." About GoldHaven Resources Corp. GoldHaven Resources Corp. is a Canadian junior exploration Company focused on acquiring and exploring highly prospective land packages in North and South America. The Company's projects include (i) the flagship Magno Project, a district-scale polymetallic property adjacent to the historic Cassiar mining district in British Columbia; (ii) the Three Guardsman Project, which exhibits significant potential for copper and gold-skarn mineralization; (iii) the Copecal Gold Project, a drill-ready gold project located in Mato Grosso, Brazil with a 6km strike of anomalous gold in soil samples; and (iv) three critical mineral projects with extensive tenement packages totalling 123,900 hectares: Bahia South, Bahia North and Iguatu projects located in Brazil. On Behalf of the Board of Directors Rob Birmingham, Chief Executive Officer For further information, please contact: Rob Birmingham, CEO www.GoldHavenresources.com info@goldhavenresources.com Office Direct: (604) 629-8254 The CSE and Information Service Provider have not reviewed and does not accept responsibility for the accuracy or adequacy of this release. Forward-Looking Statements This news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. Often, but not always, forward-looking information and information can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "estimates", "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. Actual future results may differ materially. In particular, this news release contains forward-looking information relating to the Company and the Property. The forward-looking information reflects management's current expectations based on information currently available and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties that may cause outcomes to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking information. Such risk factors may include, among others, but are not limited to: general economic conditions in Canada and globally; industry conditions, including governmental regulation and environmental regulation; the availability of capital on acceptable terms; the need to obtain required approvals from regulatory authorities; stock market volatility; competition for, among other things, skilled personnel and supplies; incorrect assessments of the value of acquisitions; geological, technical, processing and transportation problems; changes in tax laws and incentive programs; failure to realize the anticipated benefits of acquisitions and dispositions; and the other factors. Although the Company believes that the assumptions and factors used in preparing the forward-looking information 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. Factors that could cause actual results or events to differ materially from current expectations include: (i) adverse market conditions; and (ii) other factors beyond the control of the Company. New risk factors emerge from time to time, and it is impossible for the Company's management to predict all risk factors, nor can the Company assess the impact of all factors on Company's business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ from those contained in any forward-looking information. The forward-looking information included in this news release are made as of the date of this news release and the Company expressly 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 applicable law. Additional information identifying risks and uncertainties that could affect financial results is contained in the Company's filings with Canadian securities regulators, which are available on the Company's profile at www.sedarplus.ca. A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/19098463-755b-4fd5-a564-dc33dd63eced DELRAY BEACH, Fla., Oct. 31, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- According to MarketsandMarkets, the Data Center UPS Market is expanding rapidly, with its market size anticipated to rise from USD 8.76 billion in 2025 to USD 12.47 billion by 2030, registering a CAGR of 7.3%. Browse 250 market data Tables and 220 Figures spread through 300 Pages and in-depth TOC on "Data Center UPS Market - Global Forecast to 2030" Data Center UPS Market Size & Forecast: Market Size Available for Years: 2020-2030 2020-2030 2025 Market Size: USD 8.76 billion USD 8.76 billion 2030 Projected Market Size: USD 12.47 billion USD 12.47 billion CAGR (2025-2030): 7.3% Data Center UPS Market Trends & Insights: Energy resilience and intelligent power infrastructure are the key trends driving data center UPS modernization for AI and sustainability. By configuration type, Online Double Conversion segment to showcase 8.9% CAGR. By Design Type: Conventional (monolithic) UPS remains vital for hyperscale and AI/HPC workloads. By Region, North America to Hold the Largest Market Share in Global Data Center UPS Market. Download PDF Brochure @ https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownloadNew.asp?id=182806703 Data center UPS systems have redefined power resilience by integrating advancements such as modular architectures, lithium-ion batteries, and intelligent monitoring, ensuring uninterrupted operations and energy efficiency at scale. These innovations deliver improved power usage effectiveness, reduced energy losses, and compliance with evolving efficiency standards, driving adoption across hyperscale, colocation, and enterprise facilities. By embedding high-efficiency power conversion technologies and predictive analytics into UPS infrastructure, operators achieve greater reliability, optimized load management, and lower operational costs for high-density workloads. This critical backbone supports AI-driven computing, cloud services, and continuous digital operations with enhanced stability while minimizing power waste and environmental impact. By configuration type, online double conversion segment to account for largest market share during forecast period The evolution of double online conversion UPS systems is reshaping data center power infrastructure as facilities prioritize ultra-reliable, energy-efficient designs. The latest systems integrate advanced inverter control, modular architecture, and high-efficiency operating modes to reduce total energy losses without compromising protection. Vendors are investing in next-generation semiconductor materials, such as silicon carbide and gallium nitride, to improve switching efficiency and thermal performance. In February 2025, Riello UPS launched its Multi Power2 MP2 300 and MP2 600 series, achieving 98.1% efficiency in double conversion mode. ABB had introduced its HiPerGuard medium-voltage UPS in September 2023, delivering 98% efficiency at voltages up to 24 kV. These developments highlight how double conversion designs now merge reliability with sustainability, supporting AI, hyperscale, and HPC workloads that require consistent, disturbance-free power. For vendors and solution providers, the competitive edge lies in developing double conversion systems that blend efficiency with digital intelligence. Integrating advanced monitoring, adaptive load sharing, and AI-based fault prediction will enable data centers to achieve lower operational costs and reduced carbon impact. Vendors that emphasize serviceability, modular expansion, and regulatory alignment will benefit most as customers seek scalable systems that sustain uptime while meeting energy compliance targets. The market opportunity is moving from power protection alone to holistic energy-aware resilience. Request Sample Pages@https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/requestsampleNew.asp?id=182806703 By design type, modular segment to register significant growth rate during forecast period The modular UPS segment is expected to exhibit a high CAGR in the Data Center UPS Market. Modular UPS systems represent a distinct class of data center power protection solutions built from scalable, self-contained modules rather than a monolithic block. Each module typically includes its own inverter, rectifier, and control electronics. In an active modular architecture, the system aggregates module outputs to supply critical loads, enabling direct redundancy and hot-swappable replacement of individual modules without interrupting operation. This design supports pay-as-you-grow deployment, aligns with double conversion online topologies, and facilitates granular scaling in response to changing demand. Because modules can be added or maintained in an isolated fashion, modular UPS suites dramatically reduce single points of failure and aid operational continuity. Adoption of modular UPS is being reinforced by vendor innovation and strategic partnerships. In December 2024, Schneider Electric unveiled its Galaxy VXL modular UPS series, delivering 500 to 1,250 kW in a compact footprint while achieving up to 97.5% efficiency in double conversion mode. This signals that modular conversion is becoming viable even in high-density and high-load environments. For solution providers, modular UPS offers an opportunity to differentiate through tailored scaling, dynamic redundancy, and lifecycle services. By embedding intelligence, predictive maintenance, and modular topologies into their portfolios, emerging vendors can capture share in greenfield and retrofit deals. The path forward lies in aligning modular UPS offerings with evolving client demands for availability, flexibility, and total cost control in dense, AI-centric, and mission-critical data centers. Inquire Before Buying@https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/Enquiry_Before_BuyingNew.asp?id=182806703 North America to account for largest market share during forecast period The North America Data Center UPS Market, encompassing the US and Canada, is expanding rapidly as hyperscale and AI-driven workloads accelerate power density and uptime requirements. CBRE reported that primary-market inventory reached 8,155 MW in H1 2025, up 43% year-over-year, with vacancy dropping to a record low of 1.6% amid strong preleasing. Rising pricing for 10 MW-plus leases in core hubs is prompting operators to adopt modular, high-efficiency UPS architectures optimized for 40-100 kW-per-rack environments and rapid scalability. In the US, Northern Virginia leads with 2,078 MW under construction and 538 MW of net absorption. Meanwhile, utilities are reshaping power economics through new tariffs, grid flexibility programs, and regulations, such as Texas SB 6 and PJM curtailment mandates, which emphasize on-site or backup generation. UPS systems are evolving from traditional standby functions to grid-interactive energy assets, increasingly integrated with battery energy storage to support grid stability and AI-heavy campus operations. Supplier investment is intensifying, with Schneider Electric committing over USD 700 million to expand its US production capacity. In Canada, Ontario plans to build 16 new data centers over the next decade, representing approximately 13% of the province's projected power demand, while Hydro-Quebec anticipates an additional 4.1 TWh of data center load by 2032. Quebec currently has nearly 500 MW under construction, while Alberta lists over 10 GW of proposed capacity. The AWS Canada West (Calgary) region is driving new hyperscale activity, collectively boosting demand for scalable, high-efficiency UPS systems across the region's clean energy, cold climate data center landscape. Top Companies in Data Center UPS Market: The Top Companies in Data Center UPS Market are Schneider Electric (France), Vertiv (US), Eaton (Ireland), Huawei (China), ABB (Switzerland), Delta Electronics (Taiwan), Legrand (France), Hitachi (Japan), and Toshiba (Japan). Browse Adjacent Markets: Data Center and Networking Market ResearchReports & Consulting Related Reports: Network Automation Market - Global Forecast to 2030 Services for Data Center Market - Global Forecast to 2030 Green Data Center Market - Global Forecast to 2030 Edge Data Center Market - Global Forecast to 2030 Network Slicing Market - Global Forecast to 2030 About MarketsandMarkets MarketsandMarkets has been recognized as one of America's Best Management Consulting Firms by Forbes, as per their recent report. 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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 Email: sales@marketsandmarkets.com Visit Our Website: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/ Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1868219/MarketsandMarkets_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/data-center-ups-market-worth-12-47-billion-by-2030--marketsandmarkets-302600841.html Published by Action Against Hunger. Contact media@actionagainsthunger.org for inquiries. NEW YORK CITY, NY / ACCESS Newswire / October 31, 2025 / Violence has drastically escalated in El Fasher, North Darfur in recent days. Hundreds of thousands of civilians and local responders who remain trapped in the city face heightened protection risks and increasingly limited access to lifesaving assistance. Those who attempt to flee to neighboring areas such as Tawila face perilous journeys: civilians have reportedly been detained and attacked while attempting to flee and along routes to safe locations. Many displaced persons arriving in Tawila are dehydrated, malnourished, injured, and traumatized. The likelihood of sexual violence against women and girls remains extremely high. Samy Guessabi, the Country Director of Action Against Hunger Sudan, said: "The scale of displacement, protection risks, and humanitarian needs in El Fasher and neighboring areas is massive. All parties to the conflict must respect their obligations to protect civilians. It is imperative to secure protection and safe passage for civilians, scaled-up funding, and sustained access." Action Against Hunger is finalizing preparations to deploy two mobile health and nutrition clinics in Tawila. Action Against Hunger teams are also preparing to launch activities to address the acute gender-based violence (GBV) risks faced by displaced populations, including prevention, case referral, and community engagement and awareness-raising through community-based protection networks (CBPNs). Action Against Hunger urgently calls upon the international community to urgently increase diplomatic efforts to ensure the protection of civilians remaining in El Fasher and safe passage for civilians fleeing, the protection of humanitarian responders, and sustained humanitarian access to El Fasher and surrounding areas. Action Against Hunger also calls upon donors to scale up flexible funding to expand critical humanitarian operations and support local responders. *** Action Against Hunger leads the global movement to end hunger. We innovate solutions, advocate for change, and reach 26.5 million people every year with proven hunger prevention and treatment programs. As a nonprofit that works across over 55 countries, our 8,500+ dedicated staff members partner with communities to address the root causes of hunger, including climate change, conflict, inequity, and emergencies. We strive to create a world free from hunger, for everyone, for good. View additional multimedia and more ESG storytelling from Action Against Hunger on 3blmedia.com. Contact Info: Spokesperson: Action Against Hunger Website: https://www.3blmedia.com/profiles/action-against-hunger Email: info@3blmedia.com SOURCE: Action Against Hunger View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/business-and-professional-services/action-against-hunger-warns-of-humanitarian-catastrophe-in-el-fa-1094485 Flin Flon, Manitoba--(Newsfile Corp. - October 31, 2025) - Boreal Gold Inc (CSE: BGLD) (the "Issuer") has closed the first tranche financing of $101,250.00 of a non-brokered private placement announced on September 26, 2025. The closing is comprised of 337,500 Flow Through Shares at a price of $0.30 per Flow-Through Share representing proceeds of $110,250.00 for an aggregate total raised of $101,250. The Offering is subject to certain conditions including, but not limited to, the receipt of all necessary regulatory approvals. The securities issued are subject to a four-month statutory hold period in Canada ending on March 1, 2026. The Flow-Through Shares shall consist of one Common Share, to be issued as a "flow-through share" (the "Flow-Through Shares") within the meaning of the Income Tax Act (Canada). Properties The Fay Lake Property consists of 17 contiguous claims comprising of 2719 ha. lies 25km Northeast of Flin Flon, Manitoba. It is contiguous to the south with Hudbay Minerals Vamp Lake Cu-Zn-Au VMS property and also contiguous to the northeast, with the former Puffy Lake Gold mine. Fay Lake contains approximately 5 km of mapped VMS horizons similar to Vamp Lake. Separately, west of the rail line, a 9 km shear structure, presently known to contain similar mineralization as the Puffy Lake Gold deposit with samples assaying up to 14.33 g/t Au. The Melgurd property consisting of 11 mineral claims totalling 7411 ha., lies Northwest of Flin Fon Manitoba just north of the Shotts Lake copper-zinc VMS deposit in Saskatchewan. Boreal's airborne magnetic and EM survey shows both EM conductors and gradient magnetic trends of the Shott Lake horizon continuing north onto the Melgurd property in the area of a felsic volcanic package. Prospecting and mapping in the summer and fall of 2023 and 2024 have outlined an area of significant garnet and anthophyllite alteration, locally this alteration is associated with gossans. The North Star Group property, consisting of 2922 Ha in 21 contiguous claims and two mining leases is located 50 kilometres west of Snow Lake Manitoba. The Property consist of three contiguous properties which are: the North Star Gold Property; the Gold Rock Mining Lease and the Sewell Lake Critical Metals Property which is contiguous and within the same stratigraphy as HudBay Minerals Rail Zone Copper Deposit to the south and the former Dickstone Copper Zinc Mine to the North. Going forward based on recent work on the Fay Lake (in Manitoba) and the Melgurd Lake (in Saskatchewan) properties and the recently acquired North Star Property (in Manitoba) (see April 17, 2025 News Release) Planned Exploration and Drill Targets In 2025 a rigorous exploration program is planned on the Fay Lake property, the North Star property and the Melgurd Lake property. Target development follows up airborne targets, which have been verified by detailed analysis, ground geophysics as well as geological mapping, sampling and prospecting in 2023 and 2024. These targets will be tested by drilling subject to the required funds being raised this year. Further ground geophysics is planned for the western portion of the Fay Lake Grid, not previously covered, prior to drilling. Use of Proceeds Fay Lake Boreal Gold intends to use the proceeds from this financing to perform ground geophysical surveys over the western portion of the Fay Lake grid (not previously covered) as well as the north eastern portion of the Fay Lake grid that will be cut and surveyed to follow the strike extension of the Sunrise conductor to the eastern shore of Fay Lake. Drill testing of designed targets will follow up confirmation of Airborne conductors by ground geophysics on the Fay Lake property subject to a successful financing and direct consultation with Kiciwapa Cree Nation. Also planned is detailed mapping, prospecting, sampling and line cutting on the Fay Lake Property on a small portion of the Redwin volcanogenic massive sulphide horizon that remains unmapped but contains conductors. Separate to the VMS exploration at Fay Lake above, gold exploration through mapping and prospecting of the western portion of the Puffy Lake Mine style gold mineralization trend, east of the Railroad. Approximately 10-line kilometers is planned on this trend where samples assayed up to 14.33 g/t Au, to evaluate its on strike continuity. The gold potential at Koscielny Lake located at the eastern end of the property south of the Puffy Lake Gold Mine will also be assessed. Here mineralization contained values of up to 11.81 g/t Au (0.38 oz/ton Au) over one meter (J. Pearson, Sept. 4, 2024, National Instrument 43-101 Fay Lake technical report). North Star Planned Program Line cutting and refurbishing old Grids Refurbish and recut the Grid from South of the North Star deposit on Line 46 N to Line 59 N between Baselines 46 E and Tie Line 59 E for both mapping and drilling purposes. This portion of the grid is almost 25 years old and overgrown to obliterated as it was cut a few years (12) after a forest fire. Geological Mapping, Prospecting and Sampling The Grids from Lines 59+50 N south to L 46 N will require geological remapping and detailed sampling to bring it up to the standard and detail of the northern grids that cover the Gold Rock and Richard Veins, with special emphasis on the section in between the North Star and Gold Rock deposits. Drilling Selective infill drilling, as well as down plunge drilling on the Gold Rock Vein with a view of completing a resource estimate and NI 43-101 compliant technical report (never undertaken). Ultimately the plan is to drill off enough tonnes that the combined resource of the North Star and Gold Rock Vein Structures, with sufficient grade, will warrant to bring it to a prefeasibility study. Even if successful on the first pass, this objective will require a few additional drill programs. Melgurd Lake On the Melgurd Lake property, following up detailed analysis of Airborne Geophysical conductors on strike with the Shotts Lake deposit and the encouragement found in the felsic volcanic package with VMS style alteration in the 2023-2024 field work, further work is planned to ground truth these conductors. Detailed mapping, prospecting, sampling and line cutting will be carried out over these conductors on the Keep Lake grid with follow up reports. Qualified Person Stephen L. Masson, M.Sc., P.Geo. is the "Qualified Person" as defined by NI 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects for these properties, has reviewed and approved the technical disclosure contained in this news release. Mr. Masson acts as a consulting geologist for the company. About Boreal Gold Inc Boreal Gold Inc is a Canadian junior mineral exploration company with a specific focus on mineral properties in northwest Manitoba and northeast Saskatchewan, Canada. All of the Issuer's properties are currently at the exploration stage. The Issuer has assembled a portfolio of base metal and precious metal prospects in strategic locations in the Provinces of Manitoba and Saskatchewan. No stock exchange or securities regulatory authority has reviewed or accepted responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Some of the statements contained in this release are forward-looking statements, such as estimates and statements that describe the Issuer's future plans, objectives or goals, including words to the effect that the Issuer or management expects a stated condition or result to occur. Since forward-looking statements address future events and conditions, by their very nature, they involve inherent risks and uncertainties. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/272735 SOURCE: Boreal Gold Inc. Global study reveals how payment friction and missing local options are eroding airline revenues - and how orchestration can recover lost growth. MONTREAL, Oct. 31, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Airlines and online travel agencies (OTAs) are losing billions each year to failed transactions and missed payment preferences. According to new research from Nuvei and Edgar, Dunn & Company (EDC), $117 billion in airline revenue is at risk in 2025 due to card declines and checkout friction. The report, The Last Mile of Conversion: How Seamless Payments Drive Revenue from High-Intent Travelers, examines how traveler expectations are reshaping payment economics across the booking journey. Surveying more than 1,000 travelers across the US, UK, Brazil, Spain, and Hong Kong, the findings show that payments have become one of the travel industry's most critical commercial battlegrounds. Friction costs billions 17% of travelers experience a card decline when booking online. For airlines, the consequence is immediate: 13% switch to a competitor, and 5% abandon the purchase entirely. Checkout design compounds the loss. Nearly 60% of travelers will abandon a booking if their preferred payment method is not available, while 92% say ease of payment is critical to their booking decision. These patterns point to a widening gap between traveler intent and conversion - and to the opportunity for airlines and OTAs to recapture significant revenue through smarter payment orchestration and localization. Payment behavior is increasingly local The data underscores how regional payment habits shape global outcomes. In Brazil, 71% of travelers prefer Pix, the country's instant payment network. In Hong Kong, 29% use AlipayHK for online purchases. In Spain, 23% choose Bizum, while in the US and UK, PayPal remains dominant with usage exceeding 40%. Travelers also expect familiarity and flexibility. 92% want prices displayed in their local currency, and 75% prefer split payment options, yet only 22% of OTAs currently offer them. This diversity makes clear that a single global checkout cannot meet traveler expectations. Payment strategies must reflect local systems, currencies, and consumer behavior in every market. Orchestration as infrastructure The research identifies payment orchestration as the most effective lever to address revenue leakage. By routing transactions intelligently across acquirers, supporting local methods, and enabling automated retries, airlines can raise approval rates by 5 to 10 percentage points. That lift can represent the equivalent of meeting half or all of annual growth targets for some carriers. More broadly, it signals a shift in mindset: from treating payments as an operational cost to viewing them as an enabler of commercial performance. A strategic shift for travel commerce Travel is a high-intent, low-frequency category. Each transaction carries both immediate and long-term value, but the margin for error is narrow. A failed payment often ends the relationship entirely. As digital adoption and real-time payments expand globally, the industry's growth will depend on how effectively airlines and OTAs can reduce friction in the last mile of conversion. Those that localize and orchestrate payments intelligently will not only protect revenue but strengthen loyalty among increasingly digital, mobile-first travelers. Download the full whitepaper here: https://www.nuvei.com/posts/the-last-mile-of-conversion-how-seamless-payments-drive-revenue-from-high-intent-travelers or for more information about the research contact: alex.hammond@nuvei.com Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2263426/Nuvei_logo_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/nuvei-and-edc-report-finds-117-billion-in-airline-revenue-at-risk-from-payment-failures-302601165.html London, United Kingdom--(Newsfile Corp. - October 31, 2025) - House of Beaut, the online marketplace redefining how consumers discover independent and emerging beauty brands, has announced the expansion of its curated brand portfolio. The latest additions strengthen House of Beaut's position as a global discovery destination championing craftsmanship, transparency, and conscious innovation within beauty and wellness. This expansion introduces a new wave of independent skincare, body care, wellness, and digital self-care brands that align with House of Beaut's purpose-led vision - connecting conscious consumers with high-performance, design-driven products that prioritize integrity, results, and meaningful storytelling. House Of Beaut Building the Independent Beauty Ecosystem Since its launch in 2024, House of Beaut has become one of the few online platforms dedicated exclusively to independent beauty and wellness creators. The marketplace merges retail accessibility with editorial storytelling, offering a discovery-led experience that celebrates authenticity, innovation, and craftsmanship. Through this latest expansion, House of Beaut continues to deepen its commitment to spotlighting visionary founders and exceptional formulations from across the globe - giving independent brands a platform to be seen, heard, and celebrated. New Brand Launches on House of Beaut Aishani (Australia) - Aishani is clean, clinically informed, and culturally driven body care that celebrates real skin diversity. Founded by Chantelle Singh, the brand formulates for melanin-rich, dry, and sensitive skin - delivering hydration, brightness, and barrier support for every body. More than body care, Aishani represents a movement for inclusion, authenticity, and unapologetic self-expression. Munch (New York) - A celebration of duality, Munch bridges New York modern minimalism with Mexican craftsmanship. Its clean skincare line reflects quiet luxury - understated yet bold, functional yet refined. Every formula embodies intention, integrity, and timeless design, redefining what simple, elevated skincare can be. Chatelier (France) - Where ethical luxury meets science, Chatelier delivers high-performance skincare rooted in balance and harmony. Founded by chemist Laura Kaats, the brand uses organic, ethically sourced ingredients with minimal plastic packaging, and plants a tree for every product sold - symbolising its dedication to sustainability and conscious luxury. Nuchu (Monaco) - A wellness brand born from personal transformation, Nuchu creates clean, gut-friendly supplements free from added sugars or artificial ingredients. Its vegan, gluten-free gummies - Glow Me Away, Calm Me Down, and Boost Me Up - support skin, mood, and energy from the inside out. Nuchu embodies the future of wellness: functional, beautiful, and built on integrity. The Sporty Muse (United Kingdom) - Redefining lifestyle and movement, The Sporty Muse is a wellness brand rooted in comfort and performance. Known for its high-quality, second-skin fabrics, it merges luxury craftsmanship with everyday wearability - proving that wellness can be stylish, confident, and effortless all at once. Becoming Her by Self Care Girl - Marking House of Beaut's evolution beyond beauty and wellness, Becoming Her introduces a quiet-luxury self-care e-book designed to guide women toward calm confidence and intentional living. Featuring The Soft Life Blueprint, journaling prompts, affirmations, and a glass-skin checklist, the e-book empowers readers to create mindful routines and elevate their energy. This launch signifies House of Beaut's growing role as a platform for empowerment, education, and self-discovery. Purpose-Led Curation at the Core Every brand featured on House of Beaut is hand-selected through a meticulous review process that evaluates product quality, founder story, sustainability, and innovation. The marketplace prioritizes authenticity over volume - spotlighting those who blend creativity, science, and integrity in equal measure. This thoughtful curation ensures that House of Beaut remains not only a retail platform but also a trusted editorial space - where conscious consumers can discover brands that align with their values, lifestyle, and sense of identity. House of Beaut's curated selection of independent beauty brands offers tailored solutions for every skin, hair, and body concern. From hydrating essentials, to brightening and repairing heroes. The Future of Conscious Beauty With over 25 independent brands across skincare, body care, wellness, and now digital self-development, House of Beaut continues to lead a new wave of conscious beauty retail - one rooted in storytelling, quality, and purpose. As the marketplace expands, House of Beaut remains committed to redefining how people experience beauty: not just as a routine, but as an act of empowerment, self-expression, and discovery. The platform inviting consumers to explore leading indie beauty and wellness brands across skincare, hair care, make-up, and body care About House of Beaut House of Beaut is a UK-based online marketplace dedicated to showcasing independent and emerging beauty and wellness brands. Through editorial storytelling, community engagement, and purpose-driven curation, the platform connects conscious consumers with authentic, high-performance products that redefine beauty discovery. Learn more at www.houseofbeaut.com or follow @houseofbeautuk on Instagram and TikTok for brand updates and launch news. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/272415 SOURCE: StackedPress LLC LONDON, Oct. 31, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- City of London announces that, at the Annual General Meeting ("AGM") of the Company held on 27 October 2025: Resolutions 1 to 16 as set out in the Notice of AGM dated 15 September 2025 were passed following a poll on each resolution. Resolutions 1 to 13 were proposed as Ordinary Resolutions and resolutions 14 to 16 were proposed as Special Resolutions. The table below details votes cast on each resolution. Votes For % Votes Against % Votes Withheld Total Votes (excluding withheld) % of Issued Share Capital Voted Ordinary Resolutions Resolution 1: To receive the Directors' Report and accounts 16,011,736 99.89 % 18,170 0.11 % 13,870 16,029,906 31.63 % Resolution 2: To approve the Directors' Remuneration Report 15,662,401 97.95 % 327,909 2.05 % 45,549 15,990,310 31.55 % Resolution 3: To approve the Directors' Remuneration Policy 15,595,627 97.57 % 388,247 2.43 % 50,698 15,983,874 31.54 % Resolution 4: To declare a final dividend of 22p per Ordinary Share of 1p each in the Company ("Ordinary Shares"), payable on 6 November 2025 16,030,290 99.93 % 10,460 0.07 % 5,194 16,040,750 31.65 % Resolution 5: To re-elect Rian Dartnell as a Director 15,124,540 94.42 % 893,895 5.58 % 23,047 16,018,435 31.61 % Resolution 6: To re-elect Peter Roth as a Director 15,339,624 95.76 % 678,811 4.24 % 23,047 16,018,435 31.61 % Resolution 7: To re-elect Sarah Ing as a Director 15,108,952 94.33 % 908,978 5.67 % 23,451 16,017,930 31.61 % Resolution 8: To elect Ben Stocks as a Director 15,745,460 98.30 % 272,975 1.70 % 23,047 16,018,435 31.61 % Resolution 9: To re-appoint Grant Thornton UK LLP as auditors of the Company 16,001,929 99.79 % 33,402 0.21 % 9,529 16,035,331 31.64 % Resolution 10: To authorise the Audit & Risk Committee of the Company to fix the remuneration of the auditors 16,003,040 99.80 % 31,751 0.20 % 9,961 16,034,791 31.64 % Resolution 11: To authorise the Directors to allot shares 15,687,877 97.89 % 338,748 2.11 % 16,495 16,026,625 31.62 % Resolution 12: To authorise New Long Term Incentive Plan (LTIP) 15,622,125 97.69 % 368,832 2.31 % 45,031 15,990,957 31.55 % Resolution 13: To authorise the Employee Benefit Trust to hold Ordinary Shares up to a maximum aggregate of 10% of the issued Ordinary Share capital of the Company 15,975,427 99.67 % 52,376 0.33 % 15,552 16,027,803 31.63 % Special Resolutions Resolution 14: Authority to disapply pre-emption rights 15,607,625 97.67 % 372,047 2.33 % 54,060 15,979,672 31.53 % Resolution 15: Authority to allot equity securities for cash and/or sell ordinary shares held by the Company for cash 15,670,396 97.83 % 347,348 2.17 % 23,600 16,017,744 31.61 % Resolution 16: To authorise the Company to make market purchases of Ordinary Shares 7,908,724 93.94 % 510,315 6.06 % 17,166,562 8,419,039 16.61 % Notes: 1) Following the completion of the merger with Karpus Management, Inc. on 1 October 2020, the Company has a "Controlling Shareholder Group", which has agreed to limit their voting rights to the lower of: (i) the number of shares held by them; and (ii) 24.99 per cent. of the votes cast on any resolution by all shareholders. The Controlling Shareholder Group cast votes in excess of 24.99 per cent. of the votes cast on the resolutions by all shareholders and, accordingly, the number of votes stated above as being cast "in favour", "against" and those "withheld" have been reduced accordingly. 2) The total number of Ordinary Shares of 1p each in the Company in issue at close of business on 23 October 2025 and the number used for the percentage of issued share capital voted was 50,679,095. 3) The percentage of issued share capital voted calculation uses total votes cast (including votes withheld) as adjusted per the Controlling Shareholder Group calculation detailed in point 1, above. 4) The votes "for" include those giving the Chair of the AGM discretion. 5) Votes "for" and "against" are expressed as a percentage of the number in the total votes cast column (excluding votes withheld). 6) The percentages above are rounded to two decimal places. 7) A vote withheld is not a vote in law and is not counted in the calculation of votes "for" or "against" a resolution. Resolutions 5, 6, 7 and 8 related to the election and re-election of the Independent Directors. Under the Listing Rules, because the Controlling Shareholder Group together control in concert more than 30 per cent. of the voting rights of the Company (even though they have agreed to limit their voting rights as stated above), the re-election of an Independent Director by shareholders must be approved by a majority of both: (i) the shareholders of the Company; and (ii) the independent shareholders of the Company (that is, the shareholders of the Company entitled to vote on the election of Independent Directors who are not part of the Controlling Shareholder Group). The Company has separately counted the number of votes cast by the independent shareholders in favour of resolutions 5, 6, 7 and 8 and has determined that, in each case, the second threshold referred to in (ii) above has also been met. Notes 4 to 7 above also apply to the following table. Resolution Votes For % Votes Against % Votes Withheld Total Votes (excluding withheld) Resolution 5: To re-elect Rian Dartnell as a Director 8,736,458 90.72 % 893,895 9.28 % 23,047 9,630,353 Resolution 6: To re-elect Peter Roth as a Director 8,951,542 92.95 % 678,811 7.05 % 23,047 9,630,353 Resolution 7: To re-elect Sarah Ing as a Director 8,720,971 90.56 % 908,978 9.44 % 23,451 9,629,949 Resolution 8: To elect Ben Stocks as a Director 9,357,378 97.17 % 272,975 2.83 % 23,047 9,630,353 In accordance with Listing Rule 6.4.2R, copies of the resolutions comprising special business have been made available for inspection on the National Storage Mechanism at https://data.fca.org.uk/#/nsm/nationalstoragemechanism. For further information, please visit http://www.clig.co.uk/ or contact: Rian Dartnell, Chairman City of London Investment Group PLC Tel: 001-203-561-0450 Martin Green, James Hornigold, Louisa Waddell Zeus Capital Limited Financial Adviser & Broker Tel: +44 (0)20 3829 5000 SOURCE City of London Investment Group PLC Edison Investment Research Limited Edison issues report on Georgia Capital (CGEO) 31-Oct-2025 / 15:56 GMT/BST The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. London, UK, 31 October 2025 Edison issues report on Georgia Capital (CGEO) Edison issues report on Georgia Capital (LSE: CGEO) Georgia Capital (GCAP) reported strong Q325 results, with 7.9% quarterly growth in NAV per share (on a total return basis, in Georgian lari), continuing its long-term growth path (five-year NAV CAGR stands at 29.1%) and bringing its one-year sterling NAV performance to 63.2%. The main value driver remained the listed Lion Finance Group, which posted an 8.1% share price increase in the quarter. The private portfolio showed a 6.7% increase in value, reflecting good operational performance, which prompted GCAP to increase its expectations of 2025 dividend income to GEL200m (from GEL180m), with a view that this increase will be permanent. The NAV per share growth was also supported by GCAP's NAV-accretive buybacks (+1.2pp), as the company continues to deploy its GEL700m capital return programme, scheduled until end-2027. After the current tranche of US$50m is concluded, the remaining capital to be deployed will amount to GEL300m, which translates to 6.5% of end-September NAV. Click here to read the full report. All reports published by Edison are available to download free of charge from its website www.edisongroup.com Edison is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority . Edison is not an adviser or broker-dealer and does not provide investment advice. Edison's reports are not solicitations to buy or sell any securities. For more information, please contact Edison: enquiries@edisongroup.com +44 (0)20 3077 5700 Connect with Edison on: LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/company/edison-group-/ X www.x.com/edison_inv_res YouTube www.youtube.com/edisonitv Dissemination of a CORPORATE NEWS, transmitted by EQS Group. The issuer is solely responsible for the content of this announcement. View original content: EQS News SANYA, China, Oct. 31, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- From 28 to 31 October, the 3rd Hainan Free Trade Port International Science and Technology Innovation Cooperation Forum (ISTICF) & Deep-Sea Technology Innovation Conference (DSTIC) 2025, themed "Deep-sea innovation convergence charting a new chapter " was held in Sanya, Hainan Province, China. More than 400 representatives from over 250 institutions across 25 countries participated in in-depth exchanges and discussions focusing on deep-sea technological innovation. A Media Snippet accompanying this announcement is available by clicking on this link. The forum focused on key areas including deep-sea resource development, intelligent equipment, ecological conservation, and the marine economy, with one plenary forum, eight sub-forums, and four side events. An official from the Hainan Provincial Department of Science and Technology noted that newly introduced topics this year included sessions on "Deep-Sea Intelligent Equipment Technology" and "Artificial Intelligence Technologies for Marine Environmental Sensing and Exploration". For the third consecutive year, the forum hosted the China Ocean Engineering Design Competition and the Deep-Sea Advanced Technology & Equipment Achievement Exhibition, while launching the first edition of the World University Underwater Robotics Competition, further enriching the forum's thematic contents and side events. As significant outcomes of the forum, the opening day saw the release of the "Consensus 2025: Uniting for Deep-sea Big Science, Pioneering Global Hadal Frontiers", the establishment of the Underwater Robotics Industry Alliance, and the signing ceremony of agreements for the Deep-Sea Technology Venture Capital Fund. In his opening speech, an official from the Hainan Provincial Government introduced the province's key achievements in deep-sea science this year. He noted that the province is committed to building a modern industrial system with distinct local features and advantages, and expressed the hope of deepening international cooperation in areas such as deep-sea scientific research, blue carbon trading, and marine protected area development. He emphasized Hainan's efforts to integrate deep-sea technology with artificial intelligence, blockchain, and ecological systems to foster an innovative deep-sea industrial chain. Shahbaz KHAN, Director of the UNESCO Regional Office for East Asia, remarked that with three consecutive years of participation, the Office has witnessed Hainan's remarkable progress in deep-sea science, technology, and industry. He expressed his willingness to take Hainan as a model to share China's experience in building marine ecological civilization, promoting the marine Silk Road culture, and developing cutting-edge deep-sea technologies to the world. As the host venue, Sanya Yazhou Bay Science and Technology City, a leading tech industrial park, is accelerating its transformation into a pivotal hub for China's deep-sea technological innovation. It has already attracted over 20 leading marine-focused universities and research institutions, along with more than 1,500 marine tech enterprises, and established multiple national-level laboratories and research platforms. Source: 3rd Hainan Free Trade Port International Science and Technology Innovation Cooperation Forum & Deep-Sea Technology Innovation Conference 2025 Contact person: Ms. Chen, Tel: 86-10-63074558 Igraine Plc - Result of General Meeting and Board Changes PR Newswire LONDON, United Kingdom, October 31 31 October 2025 Igraine Plc ("Igraine" or "the Company") Result of General Meeting and Board Changes Igraine PLC is pleased to announce that at the Company's General Meeting held earlier today, all resolutions were duly passed. Accordingly, all conditions precedent relating to the proposed placing and subscription (together the "Fundraise") announced on 14 October 2025 have now been met. As of the date of this announcement, 3,911,000 of the Fundraise monies have been received by the Company. The 3,240,000balance, consisting of funds raised via Subscription directly by the Company, have as yet not been received by the Company. The Board understands that these funds are in transit, but due primarily to issues with international bank transfers, receipt has been delayed. Therefore, at this stage application has been made only for the 1,564,400,000shares to be issued as a result of the placing successfully conducted by Peterhouse Capital Limited, Igraine's Broker, and that part of the Subscription where funds have been received, to be admitted to trading on the Access segment of the Aquis Growth Market (the "First Admission"). It is expected that the First Admission shares will be admitted to trading on Tuesday, 4 November 2025. A further announcement will be made by the Company upon receipt of the remaining Subscription funds, at which time details of the resultant Second Admission will be provided. The First Admission shares will, on Admission, rank pari passu in all respects with the Ordinary Shares and will rank in full for all dividends and other distributions hereafter declared, paid or made on the ordinary share capital of the Company. As announced on 14 October 2025, following today's General Meeting, Oliver Murphy has joined the Board and Simon Grant-Rennick has resigned as a director of the Company. The Board would like to thank Simon for his support and service over recent years. He has been instrumental in stabilising the Company and helping position it to be able to take advantage of opportunities such as those presented by this transaction. We wish Simon the best of luck in his future endeavours. The Board of the Company would also like to welcome Oliver Murphy to the Board. Oliver Murphy is investing a total of 15,000 in the Fundraising, as further detailed below. The proxy voting results of the resolutions are set out below: Resolution For Against Discretion to Chairman Percentage of Voting Rights Withheld Total 01 93,546,700 Nil Nil 77.15% 272,545 93,819,245 02 93,546,700 Nil Nil 77.15% 272,545 93,819,245 03 93,476,700 70,000 Nil 77.15% 272,545 93,819,245 04 93,546,700 Nil Nil 77.15% 272,545 93,819,245 Total Voting Rights 121,246,692 The change of name of the Company to EthTry Plc will be effective once Companies House has issued a certificate of incorporation on change of name and a further announcement will be made when the name is formally effective. The Company's ticker will change to ETHY on Monday, 3 November 2025. Following First Admission, the Company's issued share capital will comprise 1,685,646,692 Ordinary Shares, with each Ordinary Share carrying the right to one vote. Accordingly, the total number of voting rights in the Company will be 1,685,646,692 and this figure may be used by shareholders as the denominator for the calculations by which they will determine if they are required to notify their interest in, or a change to their interest in, the Company under the FCA's Disclosure Guidance and Transparency Rules. Unless otherwise defined, all capitalised terms used but not defined in this announcement shall have the meaning given to them in the Circular to shareholders dated 16 October 2025. Contacts Company: David Levis (Chief Executive Officer) info@igraineplc.com AlbR Capital Limited (Aquis Corporate Adviser) +44 (0)20 7469 0930 Peterhouse Capital Ltd (Corporate Broker) +44 (0)20 7469 0930 WUXI, China, Oct. 31, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The World Internet of Things Exposition 2025, themed "Intelligent Connectivity, Infinite Frontiers," is held from October 31 to November 2 in Wuxi, an eastern city in China. A Media Snippet accompanying this announcement is available by clicking on this link. This year's expo features an IoT Products and Applications Exhibition covering 50,000 square meters at the Taihu International Expo Center, divided into four main sections: Industry Applications Hall, IoT Capabilities Hall, Intelligent Connectivity Ecosystem Hall, and Smart Life Hall. Nearly 400 companies from the IoT sector showcase cutting-edge applications. The event brings together over 1,000 guests, including representatives from more than 50 Fortune Global 500 and publicly listed companies, as well as over 50 foreign experts. The Internet of Things (IoT) has become an industrial hallmark of Wuxi, and the World Internet of Things Expo is the city's signature event. Since 2016, the China International IoT (Sensor Network) Expo was upgraded to the World IoT Expo and has gradually developed into the largest and most prestigious national-level exhibition in China's IoT sector. In recent years, Wuxi has established the only national-level advanced manufacturing cluster in the IoT sector. The cluster's revenue from large-scale enterprises has surpassed 250 billion yuan, marking the city's transformation from the "launching ground of IoT" to a "leading city in IoT." At present, artificial intelligence (AI) is developing rapidly and empowering countless industries. Experts at the expo noted that the IoT serves as the foundation for AI to connect with the physical world and as a channel for algorithms and computing power to enter real-world applications. The integration of the two technologies holds vast and promising potential. Wuxi is actively enhancing the intelligence of all layers of its IoT ecosystem and is strategically advancing applications in connected vehicles, industrial IoT, low-altitude intelligent networks, and satellite internet. By deeply integrating with AI, the city aims to open a new chapter in innovative IoT development. Source: World Internet of Things Exposition 2025 Contact person: Mr. Feng, Tel: 86-10-63074558 SHANGHAI, Oct. 31, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- SAL Logistics Services, the national leader in cargo handling, logistics solutions, and supply chain management in the Kingdom, announced the signing of an agreement with China Cargo Airlines, a subsidiary of China Eastern Airlines Logistics, which is affiliated with China Eastern Airlines Group. The agreement aims to provide integrated ground handling and air freight solutions to enhance operational efficiency and facilitate the movement of shipments between the Saudi and Chinese markets. Under the agreement, SAL will deliver integrated services to support the recent expansion and rapid growth of air trade between the Kingdom and China. This strategic partnership represents a major step toward enabling trade flows that benefit multiple sectors, including e-commerce, while offering reliable logistics solutions that meet the expectations of customers and international partners. In addition to air freight services, SAL will leverage its expertise in ground handling operations across Saudi airports and advanced logistics capabilities to enable China Cargo Airlines to expand and grow in the Kingdom. By utilizing Saudi Arabia's unique value proposition and strategic geographic location, SAL will create added value through efficient cargo handling, streamlined processes, and world-class logistics infrastructure-positioning the Kingdom as a key gateway for trade between Asia, the Middle East, and beyond. Mr. Omar Hariri, CEO of SAL, stated: "This agreement reaffirms SAL's pivotal role in expanding its international reach and strengthening its global partnerships by supporting the growing trade relationship between the Kingdom and the People's Republic of China. We will continue to provide integrated and customer-focused air cargo solutions that ensure the highest levels of speed and safety in the transport of goods between the two countries, reinforcing the Kingdom's position as a global logistics hub." For his part, Mr. Lin Yong, Vice President of China Cargo Airlines, said: "Our collaboration with SAL reflects our commitment to building a more efficient and reliable air cargo network across the region. We are confident that this agreement will enhance our operations and strengthen trade connectivity between Asia and the Middle East, creating added value for our global customers." This partnership reflects SAL's continued commitment to supporting global trade through advanced, world-class logistics solutions, reinforcing the Kingdom's standing as a key hub for trade and logistics services. Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2810632/SAL_Agreement.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/sal-signs-strategic-agreement-with-china-cargo-airlines-to-enhance-air-trade-between-saudi-arabia-and-china-302601258.html SINGAPORE, Oct. 31, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- SAL Logistics Services, the national leader in cargo handling, logistics solutions, and supply chain management in Saudi Arabia, has signed a strategic partnership agreement with TAM Group to strengthen air cargo operations between China and the Kingdom. The signing took place on the sidelines of the Transport Logistic Southeast Asia Exhibition in Singapore one of the world's leading events in the transport and logistics sector and was attended by top industry leaders from around the globe. This partnership marks SAL's first international expansion, entering the Chinese market through TAM Group a key milestone in expanding into one of the world's largest and most dynamic logistics markets. Both parties will combine their expertise to enhance the trade corridor between China and Saudi Arabia, addressing the growing demand across multiple sectors, particularly e-commerce, while developing innovative freight solutions that boost operational efficiency and open new horizons for global trade growth. China serves as a major hub for global trade and a central link in international supply chains. This partnership represents a strategic step toward strengthening supply chain integration and reinforcing the Kingdom's position as a global logistics hub, in line with the National Transport and Logistics Strategy and Saudi Vision 2030. On this occasion, Mr. Omar Hariri, CEO of SAL Logistics Services, stated: "As part of SAL's expansion strategy, we are proud to announce the company's first international presence in China the world's largest export market - through our partnership with TAM Group. This collaboration will enable Chinese companies to expand into Saudi Arabia and leverage the Kingdom's strategic geographic location as a global distribution hub powered by SAL's integrated logistics solutions. This expansion is a pivotal step toward enhancing trade connectivity between the two nations and supporting the continuous growth of e-commerce and global trade flows." From his side, Mr. Alvin Tam, Senior Vice President, Commercial of TAM Group, said: "We are proud to collaborate with SAL, a leading name in logistics services in the Kingdom. This agreement will allow us to combine our international expertise with SAL's advanced operational capabilities to develop air cargo networks and expand connectivity between Saudi Arabia and global markets." This partnership reflects SAL's commitment to building strategic international alliances that strengthen its global presence, enhance the Kingdom's air cargo sector, and consolidate its position as a key global logistics hub. About "SAL":SAL Logistics Services is a leading national company specializing in integrated logistics solutions and supply chain services in the Kingdom. The company was established in December 2019, following its separation from Saudia Cargo, and continues a legacy of over seven decades of experience in supporting the transport and logistics sector. SAL offers a comprehensive range of services, including air and ground cargo handling, multimodal logistics services, and warehousing and distribution solutions. It also contributes to achieving the goals of Saudi Vision 2030 by enhancing the efficiency of the logistics sector, investing in advanced technologies, and building strategic partnerships that reinforce the Kingdom's position as a global logistics hub. About "TAM Group": TAM Group is a global company specializing in general sales and service agent (GSSA) solutions for air cargo and passenger services. Recognized as a trusted partner by major airlines worldwide, the company is known for its flexibility, innovation, and ability to adapt to partners' needs across different markets. TAM focuses on delivering tailored solutions that empower clients to achieve their goals and continuously expand and innovate its logistics services globally. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2810650/SAL.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/sal-announces-its-first-international-expansion-through-a-strategic-partnership-with-tam-group-to-enhance-air-cargo-operations-between-saudi-arabia-and-china-302601286.html SOMERSET, NJ / ACCESS Newswire / October 31, 2025 / BCII Enterprises Inc. (OTCID:BCII), a Nevada corporation, announced today the formation of a strategic 50/50 joint venture with Digital Landia Inc., a Miami, Florida-based technology firm. The partnership aims to develop and distribute an innovative tokenization solution designed to empower emerging growth companies. The inaugural product, "Coupon Token," is positioned as the first digital instrument engineered to eliminate value destruction caused by naked shorting, a persistent issue for growth enterprises on public markets. By directly linking token issuance to genuine company revenues, Coupon Token offers a breakthrough way to attract and reward investors while promoting transparent, sustainable growth. BCII Enterprises Inc. and Digital Landia Inc. will collaborate on technology, distribution, and market education to ensure widespread adoption and impact. The companies expect to commence rollout of Coupon Token in Q1 2026 and will provide further details via investor channels in the coming weeks. For media inquiries: Contact: BCII Enterprises Inc. Email: info@bcii.com Contact: Digital Landia Inc. Email: pr@digitallandia.com SOURCE: BCII Enterprises Inc. View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/blockchain-and-cryptocurrency/bcii%c2%a0enterprises-inc.-signs-50%2f50-joint-venture-agreement-with-digita-1095570 Miami, Florida--(Newsfile Corp. - October 31, 2025) - LinkDaddy has announced the launch of its white-label Backlink Strategy Report system designed specifically for SEO agencies and digital marketing consultants. The new platform features dual artificial intelligence engines that deliver Fortune 500-quality analysis capabilities without requiring internal SEO expertise. As a result, agencies can now produce professional backlink strategy reports in approximately 45 to 60 minutes instead of spending multiple hours on manual creation. White-Label Backlink Strategy Report Creation System Announced By LinkDaddy To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8814/272742_e30a4b9e645409be_002full.jpg More information is available at https://linkdaddy.com. The launch addresses a significant challenge facing SEO agencies seeking to expand their service offerings while maintaining operational efficiency. Unlike generic template-based solutions, the white-label system analyzes both client websites and agency capabilities to create authentic authority positioning in delivered reports. This dual analysis approach ensures recommendations align with actual agency strengths, providing meaningful differentiation in competitive markets where cookie-cutter reports fail to impress potential clients. Two specialized artificial intelligence engines work in coordination to optimize both analysis quality and investment recommendations. The Dynamic Reasoning Engine processes data from premium SEO tools with monthly subscription values exceeding $1,000, delivering comprehensive competitive intelligence and technical assessments that would otherwise require significant tool investments. Meanwhile, the Dynamic Investment and Scaling Engine ensures strategic budget recommendations consistently fall within the $4,000 to $6,000 range through mathematical service scaling rather than arbitrary pricing structures. The platform includes several proprietary methodologies that differentiate it from standard SEO reporting tools. First Mover Advantage Identification discovers hidden revenue streams through specialized keywords that competitors have not yet targeted in their optimization strategies. To ensure long-term sustainability, the Strategic Dilution Methodology provides a systematic 3-phase approach for anchor text optimization that aligns with search engine preferences and reduces penalty risks. LinkDaddy has served over 3,800 customers and completed more than 16,000 backlink orders since establishing operations 10 years ago in the SEO services industry. To learn how the white label system integrates with existing service offerings, interested agencies can schedule a strategy consultation at https://calendly.com/linkdaddy/strategy-call To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/272742 SOURCE: Plentisoft BH Macro Limited - Transaction in Own Shares PR Newswire LONDON, United Kingdom, October 31 BH Macro Limited (the "Company") (a closed-ended collective investment scheme established as a company with limited liability under the laws of Guernsey with registered number 46235) Transaction in Own Shares 31 October 2025 BH Macro Limited (the Company) announces today it has purchased the following number of its ordinary shares on the London Stock Exchange from J.P. Morgan Securities plc: Ordinary Shares: - Share Class US Dollar Sterling Date of purchase: 31 October 2025 31 October Number of ordinary shares purchased: 20,000 50,000 Lowest price per share (pence) 4.12 403.50 Highest price per share (pence) 4.12 403.50 Trading venue London London Aggregate volume per date per trading venue: 20,000 50,000 Weighted average price per day per trading venue (pence): 4.1200 403.5000 The Company intends to hold the purchased shares in treasury. Following the above share transactions of the relevant US Dollar and Sterling Shares, the total number of shares in issue in each share class of the Company will be as follows: Ordinary Shares in issue (excluding Treasury) Ordinary Shares held in Treasury 321,157,797 Sterling Shares 55,936,775 Sterling Shares 25,238,831 Dollar Shares 136,013 Dollar Shares From 31 October 2025, the total number of voting rights in the Company (rounded up to the whole number) is 491,619,774. Enquiries: Company website: www.bhmacro.com William Simmonds JPMorgan Cazenove Tel: 020 7588 2828 The Company Secretary Northern Trust International Fund Administration Services (Guernsey) Limited Tel: 01481 745001 Regulatory News: POXEL SA (Euronext: POXEL FR0012432516), a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company developing innovative treatments for chronic serious diseases with metabolic pathophysiology, including metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) and rare metabolic disorders, today announces the appointment of Yves Decadt as a member of its Board of Directors. Following the governance changes implemented on July 31, this appointment further strengthens Poxel's strategic and commercial organization. It will be submitted for shareholder approval at the Company's next Annual General Meeting. Yves Decadt brings over 25 years of international experience in the pharmaceutical industry. He spent nearly 20 years at Johnson Johnson within the Global Business Development department, where he was responsible for licensing and deal negotiations, particularly across Asia. He has also held several senior executive positions in leading biopharma and medtech companies. Yves will bring to Poxel a unique combination of scientific and strategic expertise, as well as access to an extensive global network. Since August 2025, Yves has been working with Poxel's teams under a consultancy agreement, supporting ongoing partnership discussions and conducting an in-depth assessment of the commercial development potential of Poxel's main assets. Yves Decadt holds degrees in Bio-Engineering and Industrial Business Administration from University of Ghent (Vlerick School), as well as in Pharmacology and Pharmaceutical Medicine from the Universite Libre de Bruxelles. He also holds a Board Director Certification from Duke University. In order to comply with gender balance requirements applicable to Poxel's Board of Directors, which currently comprises fewer than eight members, it was agreed that the implementation of Yves Decadt's appointment would entail the prior resignation of Nicolas Trouche from his position as Director. This ensures compliance with the minimum gender representation required by law. Nicolas Trouche, Chief Executive Officer of Poxel, stated:"We are delighted to propose the appointment of Yves Decadt to Poxel's Board of Directors. His expertise and proven track record in developing strategic partnerships will be invaluable in strengthening and accelerating value creation for Poxel and its stakeholders, while continuing to enhance the value of our product portfolio." About Poxel SA Poxel is a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company developing innovative treatments for chronic serious diseases with metabolic pathophysiology, including metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) and rare disorders. For the treatment of MASH, PXL065 (deuterium-stabilized R-pioglitazone) met its primary endpoint in a streamlined Phase 2 trial (DESTINY-1). In rare diseases, development of PXL770, a first-in-class direct adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) activator, is focused on the treatment of adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD) and autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD). TWYMEEG (Imeglimin), Poxel's first-in-class product that targets mitochondrial dysfunction, is now marketed for the treatment of type 2 diabetes in Japan by Sumitomo Pharma and Poxel expects to receive royalties and sales-based payments. Poxel has a strategic partnership with Sumitomo Pharma for Imeglimin in Japan. Listed on Euronext Paris, Poxel is headquartered in Lyon, France, and has subsidiaries in Boston, MA, and Tokyo, Japan. For more information, please visit: www.poxelpharma.com All statements other than statements of historical fact included in this press release about future events are subject to (i) change without notice and (ii) factors beyond the Company's control. These statements may include, without limitation, any statements preceded by, followed by or including words such as "target," "believe," "expect," "aim," "intend," "may," "anticipate," "estimate," "plan," "project," "will," "can have," "likely," "should," "would," "could" and other words and terms of similar meaning or the negative thereof. Forward-looking statements are subject to inherent risks and uncertainties beyond the Company's control that could cause the Company's actual results or performance to be materially different from the expected results or performance expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. The Company does not endorse or is not otherwise responsible for the content of external hyperlinks referred to in this press release. View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251031569100/en/ Contacts: Investor relations Media NewCap Aurelie Manavarere, Theo Martin Arthur Rouille investors@poxelpharma.com +33 1 44 71 94 94 ADDISON, TEXAS / ACCESS Newswire / October 31, 2025 / The American Association for Respiratory Care (AARC) is proud to recognize 22 organizations for their exemplary demonstration of best practices in respiratory care and education as the 2026-2027 Apex Designation recipients. These organizations are part of an elite, worldwide group of respiratory care departments and educational programs that have met the stringent quality, clinical practice, or educational program criteria for the designation. "The AARC Apex Designation honors respiratory care departments and educational programs that exemplify excellence in evidence-based care and uphold the highest standards in patient care and education," said AARC President Dana Evans, MHA, RRT, RRT-NPS, FACHE. "These organizations are leaders in our field-setting the standard for high-quality respiratory therapy. Earning the Apex Designation reflects not only specialized clinical and educational expertise, but also a deep commitment to advancing care for patients of all ages in the communities they serve. The AARC is proud to recognize the 2026-2027 Apex designees for their exceptional contributions to our profession." AARC is leading the advancement of the respiratory care profession. Since 2017, the Apex Designation has distinguished organizations for their commitment to excellence in professional development, evidence-based care, quality improvement, and education. The Apex Designation includes six categories for recognition: acute care hospitals, international acute care, home medical equipment companies, long-term care facilities, education programs, and dedicated transport teams. ### About the AARC Founded in 1947, the American Association of Respiratory Care (AARC) is the leading national and international professional association for respiratory care. We encourage and promote professional excellence, advance the science and practice of respiratory care, and advocate for patients, their families, the public, the profession, and the respiratory therapist. Supporting more than 42,000 members worldwide, the AARC is a not-for-profit professional association headquartered in Addison, TX. Learn more about us at www.aarc.org. Contact Information Nancy Calaway Vice President, Marketing and Communication newsroom@aarc.org SOURCE: American Association for Respiratory Care View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/healthcare-and-pharmaceutical/recognizing-excellence-in-respiratory-care-and-education-aarc-awards-1094486 Yardi Matrix data suggests over 90% of new local apartment units are market-rate, underscoring the vital role Clyde Morris Landings plays for working families and seniors. DAYTONA BEACH, FLORIDA / ACCESS Newswire / October 31, 2025 / A significant gap is widening between affordable and market-rate housing options in Northern Daytona Beach. According to recent data from Yardi Matrix, approximately 2,604 new apartment units are currently planned or under construction in the market. Of this total, a staggering 91.5% or 2,382 units have the potential to be designated as market-rate, non-affordable housing. At time of release, just 8.5% or 222 prospective units are committed as fully affordable. Clyde Morris Landings Clyde Morris Landings Reviews Clyde Morris Landings exists to directly address this critical imbalance. Of the 709 total apartment homes, 621 units, an impressive 88%, are dedicated to serving hardworking households with limited incomes. This dedication establishes Clyde Morris Landings as one of the most significant and impactful affordable housing communities in the Daytona Beach area. Units are committed to households earning no more than 80% area median income by way of restricting rental rates to those released by US Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Current three-bedroom rents range from $1,234 to $1,399 and include a reserved parking space as well as a washer/dryer. Inclusive of five phases, Clyde Morris Landings operates four out of the five as fully affordable apartment homes, of which two are dedicated to serving local seniors while the balance offers income and rent restricted housing for Daytona Beach families. Clyde Morris Landings is home to a resident population of over 1,600 individuals. The community fosters a diverse and inclusive environment, providing stable, quality homes for the families and seniors who are essential to making Daytona Beach thrive. The community has remained deeply committed to existing not only as an affordable living option but also delivering thoughtful amenities across its multi-phase development, designed to promote security, health, and social connections for all residents: The property offers a sport court, dog park, business center, and multiple fitness facilities that support community engagement and active living for all ages. Specialized clubroom and fitness facilities are included for the senior living community, tailored to meet their specific recreational and wellness needs. Management has implemented strategic improvements, including enhanced security protocols and controlled access gates, to maximize resident safety and foster a peaceful overall living experience. In an ever-expanding multifamily housing market, Clyde Morris Landings stands out as a trusted local leader, delivering high-quality, affordable apartment homes for residents of all ages who live, work, and thrive in Daytona Beach. Managed by ConcordRENTS, Clyde Morris Landings is a multi-phase residential community in Daytona Beach, Florida, providing a quality mix of affordable and market-rate housing. Focused on inclusion, quality, and resident wellbeing, the community is dedicated to providing essential housing solutions for families, seniors, and professionals across various income levels. To learn more about the Clyde Morris Landings communities, visit www.MyClydeMorrisLandings.com or call (855) 913-0240 Contact Information: Ammon Smith Vice President of Strategic Performance ammon.smith@concordrents.com 14076206791 SOURCE: ConcordRENTS View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/real-estate/clyde-morris-landings-dedicates-88-of-units-to-affordable-housing-amid-daytona-beach-ma-1094545 Dubai, United Arab Emirates--(Newsfile Corp. - October 31, 2025) - International Modern Hospital (IMH) successfully hosted its 1st Clinical Conference 2025, themed "Mechanical Ventilation: A Comprehensive Clinical Approach." The event gathered leading physicians, anesthesiologists, intensivists, and nurses from across the UAE to advance critical care management practices. The one-day workshop, accredited with 6 CME points, focused on hands-on learning, interactive discussions, and the latest clinical insights in mechanical ventilation. Figure 1 To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/11274/272743_awarenessfig1.jpg Dr. Kishan Pakkal, Chief Executive Officer To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/11274/272743_awarenessfig2.jpg Dr. Rohit Kumar, Medican Director To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/11274/272743_awarenessfig3.jpg Remya Venugopalan, Operations Director To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/11274/272743_awarenessfig4.jpg Empowering Clinical Excellence Dr. Kishan Pakkal, Chief Executive Officer of International Modern Hospital, emphasized the hospital's dedication to advancing medical education and patient safety: "At International Modern Hospital, we believe that knowledge sharing is the cornerstone of exceptional healthcare. This conference reflects our ongoing commitment to equipping healthcare professionals with the expertise needed to deliver precise and compassionate care to patients requiring mechanical ventilation." Dr. Rohit Kumar, Medical Director and Specialist General Surgeon at IMH, highlighted the importance of collaborative learning: "The strength of modern medicine lies in multidisciplinary teamwork. Bringing together experts from anesthesiology, pulmonology, emergency medicine, nephrology, and critical care allows us to exchange real-world experience and collectively raise the standard of critical care across the UAE." Dr. Remya Venugopalan, Director of Operations and Master of Ceremony, reflected on the hospital's vision for continuous learning: "This conference reflects our unwavering belief that excellence in patient care starts with excellence in training. By fostering dialogue and collaboration between experts, we strengthen the clinical community's ability to respond effectively to critical challenges." Highlights of the Sessions Session 1 reviewed airway assessment, advances in airway management, and mechanical ventilation fundamentals, ending with a panel discussion and certificate presentation. Session 2 focused on ventilation in special conditions, patient-ventilator interaction, and weaning protocols. Session 3 discussed ventilation management in ARDS and traumatic brain injury. Session 4, led by a multidisciplinary team, addressed cardiogenic shock after cardiac arrest, AKI in ventilated patients, antibiotic strategies for VAP, and infection control measures. The conference concluded with a panel discussion, certificate distribution, and networking lunch, fostering meaningful exchange among faculty and participants. Advancing Knowledge, Inspiring Growth Co-hosted by Dr. Remya Venugopalan, Director of Operations, and Ms. Jessy Sebastian, Director of Clinical Education, the event embodied IMH's mission to promote professional growth and inter-hospital collaboration across the UAE's healthcare sector. Organized by: International Modern Hospital, Dubai. Advancing Knowledge. Empowering Clinicians. Inspiring Care. For more information, visit the company's website: https://www.imh.ae/about-us/. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/272743 SOURCE: Awareness Marketing Management DWC LLC Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - October 31, 2025) - Hispania Resources Inc. (TSXV: ESPN) ("Hispania" or the "Company"), a mineral exploration company focused on Spain, announces today that it has closed the second and final tranche ("Second Tranche") of a non-brokered private placement offering (the "Offering") initially announced on September 11, 2025. In connection with the Second Tranche, the Company issued an additional 15,000,000 units of the Company (the "Units") at a price of $0.025 per Unit for Second Tranche proceeds of $375,000 on October 31, 2025. The Units consist of (i) one common share of the Company (each, a "Common Share"); and (ii) one Common Share purchase warrant (each, a "Warrant"). Each Warrant shall entitle the holder to acquire one additional Common Share at an exercise price of C$0.05 for a period of 36-months from issuance. Along with the October 3, 2025 first tranche closing of 20,00,000 Units for proceeds of $500,000, the Company has now raised an aggregate $875,000 under the Offering. Norman Brewster, Chief Executive Officer noted, "Hispania has elected to close off the Offering under the previously announced maximum allowable distribution to prevent unnecessary dilution, as the proceeds collected to date are expected to satisfy the needs of the Company to execute on all of its current plans and opportunities in Spain." For more information about the Offering, please see the Company's press releases dated September 11, 2025 and October 3, 2025 each of which is available under the Company's SEDAR+ profile at www.sedarplus.ca. The securities issued pursuant to the Second Tranche will be subject to a four-month and one day hold period in accordance with applicable Canadian securities laws and the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange ("TSXV"). No commission or finders fees were payable in connection with the Second Tranche. Rahim Allani subscribed for 1,000,000 Units in the Second Tranche. Mr. Allani is considered a related party for the purposes of Multilateral Instrument 61-101 - Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101"), and his purchase of Units constitutes a "related party transaction" within the meaning of MI 61-101. The Company is relying upon exemptions from the formal valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements of MI 61-101 pursuant to sections 5.5(a) and 5.7(1)(a), respectively. The Board of Directors of the Company has, subject to the appropriate recusal of the interested directors, unanimously approved the issuance and no contrary view or abstention was expressed or made by any director in relation to the issuances. The Company filed a material change report dated October 3, 2025 after closing the first tranche of the Offering. The Company has not filed a material change report more than 21 days before the expected closing of the Second Tranche as the details of the Second Tranche and the participants thereof had not yet been finalized. Prior to the Second Tranche, Mr. Allani owned 6,082,000 Common Shares, representing approximately 7.75% of issued and outstanding Common Shares on a partially diluted basis. After the closing of the Second Tranche, Mr. Allani owns 7,082,000 Common Shares and 2,800,000 Warrants representing approximately 9.11% of the issued and outstanding Common Shares on a partially diluted basis. This disclosure is being included pursuant National Instrument 62-103 - The Early Warning System and Related Take-Over Bid and Insider Reporting Issues which requires a report to be filed under the Company's profile on SEDAR+ containing additional information respecting the foregoing matters. About Hispania Resources Inc. Hispania Resources Inc is a mineral exploration company focused on mining opportunities in Spain. Hispania is currently focused on developing 3 core assets across Spain, including the copper, zinc project Otero; the formerly producing tin project Lumbrales; and the copper, zinc Puebla de la Reina project. The management of Hispania contains industry veterans who have more than 120 years of mineral exploration and production experience in multiple jurisdictions and have successfully managed multiple international mining companies. This includes in Spain, where some of the team was responsible for the founding and building of Iberian Minerals with the continued support of the local and regional governments, including the well-developed and sophisticated transportation and mining infrastructure. For more information on Hispania Resources Inc., visit: http://HispaniaResources.com/. Forward-Looking Information Certain information in this news release constitutes forward-looking statements and forward-looking information (collectively, the "forward-looking statements") within the meaning of Canadian securities laws, and is subject to numerous risks, uncertainties, and assumptions, many of which are beyond the Company's control. This forward-looking information includes, among other things, information with respect to the Company's beliefs, plans, expectations, anticipations, estimates and intentions. The words "may", "could", "should", "would", "suspect", "outlook", "believe", "anticipate", "estimate", "expect", "intend", "plan", "target" and similar words and expressions are used to identify forward-looking information, including the use of proceeds of the Offering. The forward-looking information in this news release describes the Company's expectations as of the date of this news release. The Company cautions that the foregoing list of material factors is not exhaustive. When relying on the Company's forward-looking information to make decisions, investors and others should carefully consider the foregoing factors and other uncertainties and potential events. The Company has assumed a certain progression, which may not be realized. It has also assumed that the material factors referred to in the previous paragraph will not cause such forward-looking information to differ materially from actual results or events. However, the list of these factors is not exhaustive and is subject to change and there can be no assurance that such assumptions will reflect the actual outcome of such items or factors. The forward-looking statements contained in this news release represent 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. Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSXV) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/272797 SOURCE: Hispania Resources Inc. Ucore announces: Conditional approval for up to $36.3M from the Government of Canada, through Natural Resources Canada ("NRCan") and the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario ("FedDev Ontario") to scale up a first-of-its-kind commercial processing facility in Kingston, Ontario, dedicated to the refining of the critical rare earth elements samarium and gadolinium. The first dedicated samarium and gadolinium oxide production facility in North America to support samarium cobalt magnet production. Based on Ucore's advanced RapidSX separation technology. Halifax, Nova Scotia--(Newsfile Corp. - October 31, 2025) - Ucore Rare Metals Inc. (TSXV: UCU) (OTCQX: UURAF) ("Ucore" or the "Company") is pleased to announce it has been conditionally approved for a Government of Canada contribution of up to $36.3 million for their "Pathway to Samarium and Gadolinium Security" Project ("The Project"). This includes the conditional approval of a non-repayable contribution of up to $26.3 million from NRCan, through its Global Partnerships Initiative (GPI) Program and up to $10 million from FedDev Ontario, to demonstrate and scale-up a first-of-its-kind commercial processing facility in Kingston, Ontario, dedicated to the refining of the critical rare earth elements samarium and gadolinium. Once approved, this funding will address a critical gap in the North American defense and technology supply chains. Samarium and gadolinium are among the rare earths added by China to its Export Control List earlier this year. These Export Controls are part of China's strategy to prevent the supply of rare earth materials for military applications and reflect the ongoing shift in China's export policy, moving toward stricter regulation and control. These elements are vital to next-generation technologies, including high-performance samarium-cobalt ("SmCo") permanent magnets for defense systems including advanced radar, sonar and guidance systems, compact powerful micro-motors, advanced medical imaging and nuclear reactors. "Canada is proud to support Ucore in advancing critical mineral development that aligns with our national priorities and international commitments," said the Honourable Tim Hodgson, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources. "Through the Critical Minerals Production Alliance, we are working with trusted partners to deploy sovereign tools, mobilize investments and financing, and secure offtake arrangements to accelerate the development of secure, resilient critical minerals supply chains. These minerals will power the clean energy transition, strengthen our defence and manufacturing capabilities, and position Canada as a trusted supplier to our allies." "This contribution from NRCan is a powerful endorsement of our strategy to target specific and critical supply chain vulnerabilities with precision," said Pat Ryan, Chairman and CEO of Ucore. "It complements our Louisiana processing plans that will focus on heavy rare earth oxides also on China's export restriction list. The heavies are vital to iron boron permanent magnets and samarium and gadolinium are essential for the high-temperature stability and SmCo magnet performance required in defense and medical applications. This support accelerates our path to becoming the first North American producer of these critical materials." Dr. Ahmad Hussein, Ucore's Director of Government Relations, added, "These contributions are the result of a shared vision between Ucore and the federal government for a secure and sovereign critical minerals ecosystem. The GPI and FedDev programs are precisely the type of strategic partnership needed to de-risk this foundational project. It enables us to move forward with confidence, creating a strategic asset that will serve both national and economic security interests for decades to come." "Canada's support for Ucore reflects Canada's commitment to responsible resource development and international collaboration. By advancing projects that align with the goals of the Critical Minerals Production Alliance, we are helping to build resilient supply chains, drive innovation, and bolster Canada's position as a trusted global partner in the continued development of more clean energy and advanced manufacturing," added Claude Guay, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources. "Critical minerals power the technologies that define our digital and clean-energy future - from AI and advanced computing to electric vehicles and defence systems. This investment in Ucore will anchor these important activities in Kingston, Ontario, strengthening our local supply chains across southern Ontario and turning our natural advantage into strategic strength - building the trusted, technology-driven economy of the future," noted The Honourable Evan Solomon, Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Innovation, and Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency of Southern Ontario. The establishment of this dedicated processing stream is a direct response to supply chain vulnerabilities identified by the Canadian government. By focusing on these two critical metals, Ucore provides a secure, domestic source for sectors where reliability is non-negotiable. The funding is subject to meeting all program conditions, due diligence and other requirements, and the parties successfully negotiating and executing a Contribution Agreement. # # # About Ucore Rare Metals Inc. Ucore is advancing North American rare earth separation and refining through its Louisiana Strategic Metals Complex and commercialization of RapidSX separation technology. In 2025, Ucore received a US$18.4 million follow-on award from the U.S. Department of Defense, bringing total funding under its current OT Agreement to US$22.4 million. More information is available at ucore.com. Ucore is listed on the TSXV under the trading symbol "UCU" and in the United States on the OTC Markets' OTCQX Best Market under the ticker symbol "UURAF." For further information, please visit www.ucore.com. Forward-Looking Statements This press release includes certain statements that may be deemed "forward-looking statements". All statements in this release (other than statements of historical facts) that address future business development, technological development and/or acquisition activities (including any related required financings), timelines, events, or developments that the Company is pursuing are forward-looking statements. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance or results, and actual results or developments may differ materially from those in forward-looking statements. Regarding the disclosure in the press release above about the government support for Ucore, the Company has assumed that the applicable projects (including each of the associated milestones) will be completed satisfactorily and in accordance with the respective agreements or letters of intent (as applicable) for such government support. For additional risks and uncertainties regarding the Company, its business activities, its ability to qualify for and receive any additional funding from any U.S. or Canadian government, the CDF and the aforementioned projects (generally), see the risk disclosure in the Company's MD&A for Q2 2025 (filed on SEDAR+ on August 28, 2025) (www.sedarplus.ca) as well as the risks described below. As noted above, the execution of a Definitive Offtake Agreement will be conditional upon the parties agreeing on commercial terms, among other conditions precedent. Regarding the disclosure above in the "About Ucore Rare Metals Inc." section, the Company has assumed that it will be able to procure or retain additional partners and/or suppliers, in addition to Innovation Metals Corp. ("IMC"), as suppliers for Ucore's expected future SMCs. Ucore has also assumed that sufficient external funding will be found to continue and complete the ongoing research and development work required at the CDF and also later prepare a new National Instrument 43-101 technical report that demonstrates that Bokan is feasible and economically viable for the production of both REE and co-product metals and the then prevailing market prices based upon assumed customer offtake agreements. Ucore has also assumed that sufficient external funding will be secured to continue the development of the specific engineering plans for the SMCs and their construction and eventual commissioning and operations. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include, without limitation: IMC failing to protect its intellectual property rights in RapidSX RapidSX failing to demonstrate commercial viability in large commercial-scale applications; Ucore not being able to procure additional key partners or suppliers for the SMCs; Ucore not being able to raise sufficient funds to fund the specific design and construction of the SMCs and/or the continued development of RapidSX adverse capital-market conditions; unexpected due-diligence findings; the emergence of alternative superior metallurgy and metal-separation technologies; the inability of Ucore and/or IMC to retain its key staff members; a change in the legislation in Louisiana or Alaska and/or in the support expressed by the Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority (AIDEA) regarding the development of Bokan; the availability and procurement of any required interim and/or long-term financing that may be required; and general economic, market or business conditions. Neither the TSXV nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined by the TSXV) accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Contacts Mr. Peter Manuel, Ucore Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, is responsible for the content of this news release and may be contacted at 1.902.482.5214. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/272801 SOURCE: Ucore Rare Metals Inc. TORONTO, ON / ACCESS Newswire / October 31, 2025 / McFarlane Lake Mining Limited ("McFarlane" or the "Company") (CSE:MLM)(OTCQB:MLMLF) is pleased to announce that it will be participating in the 2025 Red Cloud Fall Mining Showcase, taking place on November 4-5, 2025 at the Sheraton Centre Toronto Hotel, 123 Queen St. W., Toronto, Ontario. McFarlane Lake's management team will be available for one-on-one meetings with investors and analysts and will deliver a company presentation highlighting the Company's progress at its flagship Juby property in Ontario, key milestones achieved in 2025, and the strategic vision for advancing the project toward resource definition and potential development. Key Highlights Meet with McFarlane Lake's senior leadership including Mark Trevisiol, CEO and Brad Boland, CFO during scheduled investor meetings at the Conference. Presentation details: November 4 th at 3:20pm ET. Focus on the recently acquired Juby Project including strategic development plans, upcoming drill programs and path to resource growth. Opportunity for prospective and current shareholders to engage directly with management and gain insight into the Company's value-creation roadmap. About Red Cloud Fall Mining Showcase The Red Cloud Fall Mining Showcase is one of the premier junior resource investor conferences in Canada. As noted, the 2025 program brings together over 80 mining and exploration companies, leading analysts, and institutional investors for two days of presentations and networking. For McFarlane Lake, this represents a highly-efficient platform to showcase its assets, strengthen its market profile and engage with key capital-markets stakeholders. About McFarlane Lake Mining Limited McFarlane Lake Mining Limited is a Canadian gold exploration company focused on advancing its flagship Juby Gold Project, located near Gowganda, Ontario, within the established Abitibi Greenstone Belt. The Juby Project hosts a current (effective September 29, 2025) NI 43-101 compliant Mineral Resource Estimate (MRE) of 1.01 million ounces of gold in the Indicated category at an average grade of 0.98 g/t gold (31.74 million tonnes) and an additional 3.17 million ounces of gold in the Inferred category at an average grade of 0.89 g/t gold (109.48 million tonnes). The estimate was calculated using a long-term gold price of US$2,500 per ounce, applying cut-off grades of 0.25 g/t gold for open pit and 1.85 g/t gold for underground resources. A sensitivity analysis completed at a higher gold price of US$3,750 per ounce resulted in an Indicated Mineral Resource of 1.20 million ounces grading 0.94 g/t gold (39.51 million tonnes) and an Inferred Mineral Resource of 4.23 million ounces grading 0.85 g/t gold (154.50 million tonnes)applying cut-off grades of 0.25 g/t gold for open pit and 1.15 g/t gold for underground resources. The independent MRE was prepared by BBA E&C Inc. in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 - Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects. The full technical report supporting the resource estimate will be filed on SEDAR+ within 45 days of the Company's public announcement of the MRE. McFarlane is actively planning an exploration drilling program and additional technical studies at the Juby Project to further evaluate and advance this large-scale gold system. In addition to Juby, McFarlane holds a portfolio of 100%-owned gold assets across Ontario, including the past-producing McMillan Gold Mine and Mongowin properties located approximately 70 kilometres west of Sudbury and the Michaud/Munro properties located 115 kilometres east of Timmins. McFarlane Lake Mining Limited is a reporting issuer in Ontario, British Columbia, and Alberta. Readers are cautioned to refer to the "Cautionary Statement on Mineral Resources," and all other disclaimers included in this news release for important information regarding the limitations and verification status of the data presented above and elsewhere herein. To learn more, visit: https://mcfarlanelakemining.com/. Additional information on McFarlane can be found by reviewing its profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.com. Further Information For further information regarding McFarlane, please contact: Mark Trevisiol, Chief Executive Officer, President and Director McFarlane Lake Mining Limited (705) 665-5087 mtrevisiol@mcfarlanelakemining.com Kaitlin Taylor, Investor Relations McFarlane Lake Mining Limited (778) 887-6861 investors@mcfarlanelakemining.com Qualified Person The scientific and technical information disclosed in this news release was reviewed and approved by Mark Trevisiol P.Eng., an officer of McFarlane and a Qualified Person under National Instrument 43-101. Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information: This news release contains "forward-looking information" or "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of 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", "is expected", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", "plans", "believes" or "intends", or variations of such words and phrases, or stating that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of McFarlane to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. 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 Annual Information Form dated as of November 27, 2024, which is available for view on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.com. Forward-looking statements contained herein are made as of the date of this press release and McFarlane disclaims, other than as required by law, any obligation to update any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, results, future events, circumstances, or if management's estimates or opinions should change, or otherwise. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, the reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Cautionary Statement on Mineral Resources This news release uses the terms indicated and inferred mineral resources as a relative measure of the level of confidence in the resource estimate. Readers are cautioned that mineral resources are not mineral reserves and that the economic viability of resources that are not mineral reserves has not been demonstrated. The mineral resource estimates disclosed in this news release may be materially affected by geology, environmental, permitting, legal, title, socio-political, marketing or other relevant issues. It cannot be assumed that all or any part of an inferred mineral resource will ever be upgraded to an indicated or measured mineral resource category, however, it is reasonably expected that the majority of Inferred Mineral Resources could be upgraded to Indicated Mineral Resources with continued exploration. The mineral resource estimate is classified in accordance with the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum's "CIM Definition Standards on Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves" incorporated by reference into NI 43-101. Under NI 43-101, estimates of inferred mineral resources may not form the basis of feasibility or pre-feasibility studies or economic studies except for preliminary economic assessments. Readers are cautioned not to assume that further work on the stated resources will lead to mineral reserves that can be mined economically. SOURCE: McFarlane Lake Mining Limited View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/metals-and-mining/mcfarlane-lake-mining-to-present-at-red-cloud-fall-mining-showcase-2025-1095809 Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - October 31, 2025) - Ionik Corporation (TSXV: INIK) (OTCQB: INIKF) ("Ionik" or the "Company") today announced that it has completed the sale of substantially all of the assets of its wholly owned subsidiary Schiefer Media, Inc. ("SCS"), which operated under the brand name SCS, to PUSH Media USA Inc. (the "Purchaser"), pursuant to an Asset Purchase Agreement entered into on October 31, 2025 (the "Transaction"). The sale of SCS reflects Ionik's continued evolution as a unified, data-driven marketing technology company. By streamlining its operations around its core Media Activation and Marketing Optimization platforms, Ionik is sharpening its focus on leveraging first-party data, omnichannel solutions, and AI-driven automation to deliver greater efficiency, performance, and value for customers. "The sale of SCS represents another important step in executing our strategy to simplify and strengthen our business around scalable, technology-enabled performance marketing operations," said Ted Hastings, Chief Executive Officer of Ionik. "We're proud of what the SCS team has accomplished and are confident that the business will continue to thrive under its new ownership." Transaction Overview Under the terms of the Transaction, the Purchaser has acquired substantially all of the assets of SCS, including client contracts, intellectual property, and goodwill, and has assumed certain related liabilities. The purchase price was US$1.2 million, with net proceeds of US$0.75 million payable in cash on closing after taking into account customary working capital adjustments. Proceeds from the sale will be reinvested into the business to strengthen its balance sheet and support continued growth initiatives across its Media Activation and Marketing Optimization platforms. About Ionik Ionik, a Tier 1 Issuer on the TSX Venture Exchange, with shares also trading on the OTCQB Venture Market, is a technology-driven marketing and advertising solutions company that helps brands, advertisers, and publishers connect with their audiences through data-driven insights and advanced automation. By leveraging its extensive suite of integrated marketing technology, creative expertise, and proprietary first-party data, Ionik optimizes the entire customer acquisition and retention journey. Ionik's platform unites Media Activation and Marketing Optimization through its AI-Powered Data Engine to create a seamless advertising ecosystem, helping businesses efficiently source, retain, and monetize their customers Additional information about the Company is available at www.sedarplus.ca. 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 Certain information in this news release constitutes forward-looking statements and forward-looking information under applicable Canadian securities legislation (collectively, "forward-looking information"). Forward-looking information is often identified by the words "may", "would", "could", "should", "will", "intend", "plan", "anticipate", "believe", "estimate", "expect" or similar expressions. Forward-looking information includes, but is not limited to, statements with respect to the business, financials and operations of the Company, statements with respect to operational and financial growth strategy and anticipated success in customer adoption of the Company's products and services. Statements containing forward-looking information are not historical facts but instead represent management's expectations, estimates and projections regarding future events. Forward-looking information is necessarily based on a number of opinions, assumptions and estimates that, while considered reasonable by the Company as of the date of this news release, are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements and future events to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information, including but not limited to assumptions relating to continued customer support for the Company's products and services, competition, the ability of the Company to innovate and advance its product and service offerings, general market conditions, exchange rate, global financial conditions, the ability of the Company to meet its liabilities as they become due, the ability of the Company to integrate and successfully capitalize on acquisitions, and the factors described in greater detail in the public documents of the Company available at www.sedarplus.ca. Although the Company has attempted to identify important risks, uncertainties and factors which could cause actual results to differ materially, there may be others that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Investors are cautioned that undue reliance should not be placed on any such information, as unknown or unpredictable factors could have material adverse effects on future results, performance or achievements of the Company. The Company does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update this forward-looking information except as otherwise required by applicable law. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/272795 SOURCE: Ionik Corporation Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - October 31, 2025) - Batero Gold Corp. (TSXV: BAT) (FSE: 68B) (OTC Pink: BELDF) (the "Company" or "Batero") wishes to announce an unsecured loan agreement entered into between Antioquia Gold Ltd. ("Antioquia") and Minera Quinchia S.A.S ("Minera"), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Batero, on October 1, 2022 (the "Original Loan Agreement") as well as an amendment to the Loan Agreement entered into on January 29, 2024 (the "Amended Loan Agreement"). Minera is a wholly-owned Colombian subsidiary of Batero that holds the rights to the Batero-Quinchia Gold Project in the Municipality of Quinchia, Department of Risaralda, Colombia. Pursuant to the Original Loan Agreement, Antioquia agreed to loan up to COP$2,400,000,000 (approximately CAD$720,000 at that time) (the "Original Loan"), available in monthly disbursements at the request of Minera. The term of the Original Loan Agreement was for 15 months, starting from the date of the first disbursement under the Original Loan Agreement. The first advance from the Original Loan Agreement was made on October 20, 2022. The principal amount of the Loan bears interest at a rate of IBR1 + 7.5% per annum (16.75% per annum). On January 29, 2024, Antioquia and Minera entered into an amending agreement to increase the total loan value of the loan from COP$2,400,000,000 to COP$4,800,000,000 (CAD$1,627,200) (the amended Original Loan referred to as, the "Loan") and to extend the term until December 20, 2025. As at today's date, the total amount of principal advanced under the Loan is CAD$1,406,656, and the total amount of interest owed to Antioquia is CAD$354,714. Disbursements from the Loan have been used for general working capital, corporate overhead and to support operational requirements in Colombia. The Company intends to repay the loan in cash at maturity, funded through intercompany financing. No bonuses, fees, or other consideration were paid in connection with the Loan. The Loan is unsecured and is not a convertible loan, and the Loan and/or accrued interest will not be converted into the Company's securities without, among other things, the prior written approval from the Exchange. Related Party Disclosure Minera and Antioquia are related parties by virtue of each of their parent companies having a common controlling shareholder. Accordingly, entrance into the Original Loan Agreement and Amended Loan Agreement are considered related party transactions under Multilateral Instrument 61-101 - Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101") and the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange (the "TSXV"). The Company is exempt from the formal valuation requirement under MI 61-101 as its common shares are listed for trading on the TSXV. With respect to the Original Loan Agreement, the Company relied upon exemptions from the minority shareholder approval requirements of MI 61-101 pursuant to section 5.7(1)(a), on the basis that at the time the Original Loan Agreement was entered into, the value of the Original Loan did not exceed 25% of the Company's market capitalization. With respect to the Amended Loan Agreement, the Company relied upon the exemption from the minority shareholder approval requirements of MI 61-101 pursuant to section 5.7(1)(f), on the basis that the Loan is not a convertible loan and that it was provided on reasonable commercial terms that are not less advantageous to the Company than if it were obtained from an arm's length party. About Batero Gold Corp. Batero is a precious and base metals exploration company. The Company's objective is to develop the La Cumbre Gold Project in Risaralda, Colombia. La Cumbre is located within the Company's 100% owned Batero-Quinchia Gold Project, which sits within Colombia's emerging and prolific Mid Cauca gold and copper belt. ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD Diego Heilbrunn Navarro-Grau Director and Chief Executive Officer Batero Gold Corp. Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this press release. CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS This news release contains certain forward-looking information and forward-looking statements as defined in applicable securities laws (collectively referred to as "forward-looking statements"). These statements relate to future events or our future performance. All statements other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results or events to differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements in this news release include statements regarding the future development of the Company's La Cumbre Gold Project in Risaralda, Colombia. By their nature, forward-looking statements and information involve assumptions, inherent risks and uncertainties, many of which are difficult to predict and are usually beyond the control of management, that could cause actual results to be materially different from those expressed by these forward-looking statements and information. Forward-looking information and statements are based on the opinions and estimates of management as of the date such statements are made, and they are subject to several known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievement expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. The Company believes that the expectations reflected in this forward-looking information are reasonable, but no assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct. Readers and investors should not place undue reliance on such statements. Certain risks which could impact the Company are discussed under the heading "Risks and Uncertainties" in the Company's most recent MD&A available at SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. Forward-looking information and statements contained in this news release are made as of the date of this news release and accordingly are subject to change after such date. Except as required by law, the Company disclaims any obligation to revise any forward-looking information and statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date of such information and statements. All forward-looking information and statements contained or incorporated by reference in this news release are qualified by the foregoing cautionary statements. 1 Indicador Bancario de Referencia found at https://suameca.banrep.gov.co/estadisticas-economicas/informacionSerie/241/tasas_interes_indicador_bancario_referencia_ibr To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/272769 SOURCE: Batero Gold Corp. Toronto, Ontario--(Newsfile Corp. - October 31, 2025) - Lipari Mining Ltd. (Cboe CA: LML) (FSE: 0Y90) ("Lipari" or the "Company") announces that it has filed an amended and restated National Instrument 43-101 ("NI 43-101") Technical Report titled "Technical Report on the Tchiuzo Kimberlite, Lunda Sul, Angola" for its Tchitengo Project, located in the Lunda Sul Province of Angola. The amended report, dated October 31, 2025 with an effective date of October 29, 2024, replaces the previous version filed on SEDAR+ on June 17, 2025. The amendments were made following a review by the Ontario Securities Commission and are intended to clarify certain technical disclosures in accordance with NI 43-101 and Form 43-101F1 requirements. Summary of Amendments The revisions include: A new section in the Technical Report that determines that the Tchiuzo kimberlite has Reasonable Prospects for Eventual Economic Extraction ("RPEEE") as defined by the Canadian Institute of Metallurgy ("CIM") Definition Standards for Mineral Resources & Mineral Reserves 2014 ("CIM Definition Standards"). The addition of Carlos Guzman of NCL Ingenieria Y, Construccion SPA as a Qualified Person and additional disclosure regarding the Qualified Persons and the associated Qualified Person Certificates. Amendments to address deficiencies related to the requirements and presentation of the Technical Report with respect to Form 43-101F1, including: Amendments to the Title Page of the Technical Report; Addition of a Signature Page and a Table of Contents; Additional disclosure in the Summary section of the Technical Report regarding the Phase I Confirmatory Drilling Program and Mineral Resource Estimate; and Additional disclosure by the Qualified Person regarding Adjacent Properties. The principal amendment to the Technical Report addresses the requirement under NI43-101 that states that a mineral resource must have RPEEE. The geological resource model used by Z Star for their Mineral Resource Estimation was constrained using economic and technical variables and diamond prices of US$100 per carat, to approximate the highest value estimated by Compton in his March 2024 report. These variables were input into the Whittle software to produce a pit shell to constrain the resources. The result produced a positive value, indicating that the Tchiuzo kimberlite resource meets the CIMM Definition Standards for RPEEE. The constrained mineral resources are presented in the following table. Class of Resource Lithology Tonnes Grade cpht (+1.0mm) Carats (+1.0mm) Indicated TKB 13,215,774 48.7 6,434,374 TK 15,574,869 46.0 7,163,857 Total 28,790,642 47.2 13,598,231 Inferred TKB 169,513 39.9 67,613 TK 1,583,630 36.0 570,107 SAPR 1,486,620 54.0 802,775 OVB 940,795 24.0 225,791 BVRS 2,285,546 14.0 319,976 Total 6,466,103 30.7 1,986,261 The independent and qualified persons for the mineral resource estimate, as defined by NI 43-101, are Sean Duggan for the block modeling and classification and Carlos Guzman for RPEEE. Mineral Resources are reported as constrained by a pit shell optimized with overall slopes angles varying from 38 to 41, mining cost of 3.7/t, $6.79/t for process and 98% recovery, $2.94/t for G&A, 5% for Government royalty and a diamond price of $100/ct. At this scenario the cut-off is 10.45cpht. Rounding as required by reporting guidelines may result in apparent summation differences between tonnes, grade and contained carats. Tonnage is in metric units and grade in carats per hundred tonnes. The estimated is based on a 1 mm diamond bottom cutoff size, appropriate for commercial diamond mining operations. Qualified Person The technical content of this news release has been reviewed and approved by Martin Doyle, P.Geo., of Falmar Ltd., who is a Qualified Person as defined under NI 43-101 and is the Author of the Technical Report. About Lipari Mining Ltd. Lipari Mining is South America's leading diamond producer, with a track record of successful operations at the Brauna diamond mine in Brazil, which has produced over 1.24M carats to date. Lipari is now applying its expertise to advance the highly prospective Tchitengo Diamond Project in Angola, marking the next phase of growth for the Company. The Company is committed to environmentally responsible mining practices. Lipari's Brauna mine is the only diamond mine in the world that recycles nearly 100% of the water used in ore processing, producing a dry tailings product which has potential as a soil remineralizer for the agricultural industry. Lipari's shares are listed for trading on the CBOE Canada exchange and trade under the symbol "LML", and the Frankfurt Stock Exchange under the symbol "0Y90". Additional information on the Company can be found on its website at www.liparimining.com and by reviewing its profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. Cautionary Note This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities in the United States. The securities of LML 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 U.S. Persons unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or an exemption from such registration is available. Forward-Looking Statements This press release may contain "forward-looking statements" regarding the Company. These forward-looking statements are made as of the date of this press release and the Company does not intend, and does not assume any obligation, to update these forward-looking statements, except as required by law. Any statements that express or involve discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions or future events or performance (often, but not always, using words or phrases such as "expects", "anticipates", "plans", "projects", "estimates", "assumes", "intends", "strategy", "goals", "objectives" or variations thereof or stating that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved, or the negative of any of these terms and similar expressions) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements include, among others, statements with respect to: the completion of the acquisition of the kimberlite processing plant, the ability to advance the planned bulk sampling of the Tchiuzo pipe; the Company's plans to update the historical feasibility study that was completed on the Tchiuzo kimberlite by SM Catoca; the timing and ability to complete a future equity financing; the ability to advance the Tchitengo Project to feasibility, the potential for a broader Tchitengo kimberlite field, the Company's plans, objectives, expectations, anticipations, estimates and intentions. All forward-looking statements and information are based on the Company's current beliefs as well as assumptions made by, and information currently available to, the Company concerning anticipated financial performance, business prospects, strategies, regulatory developments, development plans, exploration, development and mining activities and commitments. Although management considers these assumptions to be reasonable based on information currently available to it, they may prove to be incorrect. 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 Lipari's periodic filings with Canadian securities regulators. Forward-looking statements are subject to business and economic risks and uncertainties and other factors that could cause actual results of operations to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from Lipari's expectations include risks associated with the business of Lipari; risks related to reliance on technical information provided by Lipari; risks related to exploration and potential development of the Lipari's mineral properties; business and economic conditions in the mining and diamond industries 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 in the exploration and development of properties and the issuance of required permits; the need to obtain additional financing to develop properties and uncertainty as to the availability and terms of future financing; the possibility of delay in exploration or development programs and uncertainty of meeting anticipated program milestones; and other risk factors as detailed from time to time and additional risks identified in Lipari's filings with Canadian securities regulators on SEDAR+ in Canada (available at www.sedarplus.ca). Forward-looking statements are based on estimates and opinions of management at the date the statements are made. Lipari does not undertake any obligation to update forward-looking statements except as required by applicable securities laws. Investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. CBOE CANADA DOES NOT ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE ADEQUACY OR ACCURACY OF THIS NEWS RELEASE. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/272816 SOURCE: Lipari Mining Ltd. Phoenix, Arizona--(Newsfile Corp. - October 31, 2025) - Gunnison Copper Corp. (TSX: GCU) (OTCQB: GCUMF) (FSE: 3XS0) ("Gunnison" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the closing of a second and final tranche of its previously announced non-brokered private placement (the "Offering") for aggregate gross proceeds of C$150,000.30 from the issuance of 333,334 Units (each a "Unit") to a single institutional investor. Each Unit, issued at a price of C$0.45 per Unit, consists of one common share of the Company (a "Common Share") and one-half of one common share purchase warrant (each whole warrant, a "Warrant"). Each Warrant entitles the holder to purchase one Common Share at a price of C$0.65 at any time on or before October 31, 2028. The securities issuable pursuant to the sale of the Units will be subject to a four-month hold period in Canada pursuant to applicable Canadian securities laws that expires on March 1, 2026. The Company raised aggregate gross proceeds of approximately C$13.3 million under the Offering. Please refer to the Company's press release dated October 30, 2025 for additional details. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to sell any of the securities in the United States. The securities have not been and will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to U.S. Persons unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or an exemption from such registration is available. ABOUT GUNNISON COPPER Gunnison Copper Corp. is a multi-asset pure-play copper developer and producer that controls the Cochise Mining District (the district), containing 12 known deposits within an 8 km economic radius, in the Southern Arizona Copper Belt. Its flagship asset, the Gunnison Copper Project, has a Measured and Indicated Mineral Resource containing over 831.6 million tons with a total copper grade of 0.31% (Measured Mineral Resource of 191.3 million tons at 0.37% and Indicated Mineral Resource of 640.2 million tons at 0.29%), and a preliminary economic assessment ("PEA") yielding robust economics including an NPV8% of $1.3 billion, IRR of 20.9%, and payback period of 4.1 years. It is being developed as a conventional operation with open pit mining, heap leach, and SX/EW refinery to produce finished copper cathode on-site with direct rail link. The PEA is preliminary in nature and includes Inferred Mineral Resources that are considered too speculative geologically to have the economic considerations applied to them that would enable them to be categorized as mineral reserves. There is no certainty that the conclusions reached in the PEA will be realized. Mineral Resources that are not Mineral Reserves do not have demonstrated economic viability. In addition, Gunnison's Johnson Camp Asset, which is now in production, is fully funded by Nuton LLC, a Rio Tinto Venture, with a production capacity of up to 25 million lbs of finished copper cathode annually. Other significant deposits controlled by Gunnison in the district, with potential to be economic satellite feeder deposits for Gunnison Project infrastructure, include Strong and Harris, South Star, and eight other deposits. For additional information on the Gunnison Project, including the PEA and mineral resource estimate, please refer to the Company's technical report entitled "Gunnison Project NI 43-101 Technical Report Preliminary Economic Assessment" dated effective November 1, 2024 and available on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. Dr. Stephen Twyerould, Fellow of AUSIMM, President and CEO of the Company is a Qualified Person as defined by NI 43-101. Dr. Twyerould has reviewed and is responsible for the technical information contained in this news release. CAUTIONARY NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS: Certain statements contained in this release constitute forward-looking information within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities laws. Such forward-looking statements relate to the use of net proceeds from the Offering; the intention to deploy the Nuton technology at the Johnson Camp mine and future production therefrom; the continued funding of the stage 2 work program by Nuton; the details and expected results of the stage two work program; future production and production capacity from the Company's mineral projects; the results of the preliminary economic assessment on the Gunnison Project; and the exploration and development of the Company's mineral projects. In certain cases, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "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", "occur" or "be achieved" suggesting future outcomes, or other expectations, beliefs, plans, objectives, assumptions, intentions or statements about future events or performance. Forward-looking information contained in this news release is based on certain factors and assumptions regarding, among other things, Nuton will continue to fund the stage 2 work program, the availability of financing to continue as a going concern and implement the Company's operational plans, the estimation of mineral resources, the realization of resource and reserve estimates, copper and other metal prices, the timing and amount of future development expenditures, the estimation of initial and sustaining capital requirements, the estimation of labour and operating costs (including the price of acid), the availability of labour, material and acid supply, receipt of and compliance with necessary regulatory approvals and permits, the estimation of insurance coverage, and assumptions with respect to currency fluctuations, environmental risks, title disputes or claims, and other similar matters. While the Company considers these assumptions to be reasonable based on information currently available to it, they may prove to be incorrect. Forward looking information involves known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking information. Such factors include risks related to the Company not obtaining adequate financing to continue operations, Nuton failing to continue to fund the stage 2 work program, the breach of debt covenants, risks inherent in the construction and operation of mineral deposits, including risks relating to changes in project parameters as plans continue to be redefined including the possibility that mining operations may not be sustained at the Gunnison Copper Project, risks related to the delay in approval of work plans, variations in mineral resources and reserves, grade or recovery rates, risks relating to the ability to access infrastructure, risks relating to changes in copper and other commodity prices and the worldwide demand for and supply of copper and related products, risks related to increased competition in the market for copper and related products, risks related to current global financial conditions, risks related to current global financial conditions on the Company's business, uncertainties inherent in the estimation of mineral resources, access and supply risks, risks related to the ability to access acid supply on commercially reasonable terms, reliance on key personnel, operational risks inherent in the conduct of mining activities, including the risk of accidents, labour disputes, increases in capital and operating costs and the risk of delays or increased costs that might be encountered during the construction or mining process, regulatory risks including the risk that permits may not be obtained in a timely fashion or at all, financing, capitalization and liquidity risks, risks related to disputes concerning property titles and interests, environmental risks and the additional risks identified in the "Risk Factors" section of the Company's reports and filings with applicable Canadian securities regulators. Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. The forward-looking information is made as of the date of this news release. Except as required by applicable securities laws, the Company does not undertake any obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking information. NOT FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES OR THROUGH U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/272818 SOURCE: Gunnison Copper Corp. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - October 31, 2025) - Kingman Minerals Ltd. (TSXV: KGS) (OTCQB: KGSSF) (FSE: 47A) ("Kingman" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that, further to its news release dated October 1, 2025, it has successfully closed its upsized non-brokered private placement (the "Offering"). Financing The Company has raised gross proceeds of $1,500,000 through the issuance of 21,428,500 units (each, a "Unit") at a price of $0.07 per Unit. Each Unit consists of one common share of the Company and one common share purchase warrant (each, a "Warrant"). Each Warrant entitles the holder to purchase one additional common share at a price of $0.09 for a period of 24 months from the date of issuance. The Company will pay finder's fees totaling $82,558.20 and issue 470,910 non-transferable finder's warrants in connection with certain subscriptions under the Offering. No insiders participated in the Offering. The net proceeds of the offering will be used to finance continued exploration and development activities at the company's Mohave project, including diamond drilling, geophysics, geochemical sampling and permitting, as well as for general working capital. The Mohave Project includes the historic high-grade Rosebud mine in Mohave County, Arizona, where bonanza-grade underground sampling of up to 688 grams per tonne gold and 468 g/t silver has been previously reported. All securities issued pursuant to the offering will be subject to a statutory four-month hold period. The offering, including finders' fees and warrants, is subject to final approval by the TSX Venture Exchange. "We've been overwhelmed by the support shown for this financing," stated Simon David Studer, CEO. "Demand exceeded our expectations, and we had to make some difficult cuts to stay within the approved amount. We're grateful to our shareholders and new investors for their confidence in Kingman's projects and team." Annual General Meeting Results The Company also reports that its Annual General Meeting of Shareholders was held on October 21, 2025, in Vancouver, British Columbia. All resolutions set out in the management information circular dated September 10, 2025, were duly passed, including: Setting the number of directors at five (5); Re-electing Peter Born, Cyrus Driver, Arthur Brown, Bradley Peek, and Simon Studer, as directors; Re-appointing Dale Matheson Carr-Hilton Labonte LLP as auditors for the ensuing year; and Approving and ratifying the Company's 10% Rolling Stock Option Plan. A total of 3,929,028 shares (18.4% of issued and outstanding) were represented at the meeting, constituting quorum. Corporate Update In accordance with TSX Venture Exchange Policy 3.3 and as part of an Exchange review, the Company provides the following disclosure regarding a loan previously entered into with CDN Maverick Capital Corp. ("Maverick"), a CSE-listed issuer. On December 15, 2022, the Company entered into a loan agreement in the amount of $100,000 CAD, which was fully repaid on April 24, 2023, including bonus and accrued interest. On May 14, 2024, the Company entered into a loan agreement in the amount of $50,000 CAD. Both the interest and bonus associated with this loan have since been forgiven. 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 of America. The securities 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 or to, or for account or benefit of, U.S. Persons (as defined in Regulation S under the 1933 Act) unless registered under the 1933 Act and applicable state securities laws, or an exemption from such registration requirements is available. ABOUT Kingman Minerals Ltd. (TSXV: KGS) is a publicly traded exploration and development company focused on precious metals in North America. The Company's flagship project is the 100%-owned historic Rosebud Mine, located in the Music Mountains, Mohave County, Arizona. High-grade gold and silver veins were discovered in the area in the 1880s and were mined mainly in the late 1920s and 1930s. Underground development on the Rosebud property included a 400-foot shaft and approximately 2,500 feet of drifts, raises and crosscuts. The Company believes that further exploration, drilling and sampling along strike and depth extensions of existing and additional vein structures is essential to fully evaluate the project's potential. 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 news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws. 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 discussion with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions, future events or performance (often, but not always using phrases such as "plans", "expects", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates", or "believes" or variations (including negative variations) of such words and phrases, or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking statements. In this news release, forward-looking statements relate, among other things, to statements with respect to: the terms of the Private Placement; the anticipated use of proceeds; the anticipated insider participation in the Private Placement; the completion of the Private Placement; and the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein, constitutes forward-looking information. Although Kingman believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking information and/or information are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking information since Kingman can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Forward-looking information involves 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 information, including the risks, uncertainties and other factors identified in Kingman's periodic filings with Canadian securities regulators. Forward-looking information 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 information. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from Kingman's expectations include risks related to the completion of the Private Placement, including TSXV approval; risks associated with the business of Kingman; risks related to reliance on technical information provided by Kingman; risks related to exploration and potential development of the Company's mineral properties; business and economic conditions in the mining industry generally; fluctuations in commodity prices and currency exchange rates; uncertainties relating to interpretation of drill results and the geology, continuity and grade of mineral deposits; the need for cooperation of government agencies and First Nation groups in the exploration and development of properties and the issuance of required permits; the need to obtain additional financing to develop properties and uncertainty as to the availability and terms of future financing; the possibility of delay in exploration or development programs and uncertainty of meeting anticipated program milestones; uncertainty as to timely availability of permits and other governmental approvals; and other risk factors as detailed from time to time and additional risks identified in Kingman's filings with Canadian securities regulators on SEDAR+ in Canada (available at www.sedarplus.ca). To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/272827 SOURCE: Kingman Minerals Ltd. VIENNA, AUSTRIA / ACCESS Newswire / October 31, 2025 / Invest Expat GmbH, Austria's first Certified Financial Advisor for Expats, has officially opened a new office in Vienna. The expansion marks a key milestone in the company's growth strategy to serve internationally mobile professionals seeking transparent financial planning and wealth management solutions in Austria and across Europe. New Vienna Office to Support Austria's Growing Expat Community With a growing number of international professionals working in sectors such as energy, diplomacy, and technology, Vienna has become a central hub for global talent. Invest Expat GmbH aims to meet the increasing demand for independent, cross-border financial advice by establishing a local base in the capital."Opening our Vienna office allows us to better serve clients who face complex financial and tax challenges while living abroad," says Maximilian Plank, Founder and CEO of Invest Expat GmbH. "This step also prepares us for our planned expansion into Germany, where many expats experience similar advisory needs." Transparent Membership Model and Strategic Growth Invest Expat GmbH operates on a transparent membership basis designed to provide independent financial advice without product bias. Members receive personalized guidance on investment, taxation, and long-term wealth planning for an annual fee, ensuring clarity and ongoing support. The company's services are tailored for clients with significant assets who value structured and cross-border financial strategies. As part of its broader European vision, Invest Expat GmbH is also developing a strategic franchise model to collaborate with certified financial advisors across Europe. This initiative supports sustainable growth and ensures consistent advisory standards in each market. A Milestone Toward a European Advisory Network The new Vienna office represents a major step in building a unified financial advisory platform for expatriates in Europe. By expanding from its Innsbruck headquarters into Austria's capital, Invest Expat GmbH is positioning itself as a key partner for international professionals seeking independent, compliant, and transparent financial solutions. "Our long-term goal is to make qualified financial guidance accessible to expats across borders," Plank adds. "The Vienna expansion is the foundation for that mission." About Invest Expat GmbH Invest Expat GmbH is Austria's first Certified Financial Advisor for Expats, specializing in wealth management, tax optimization, investment planning, and retirement strategies for internationally mobile professionals. Headquartered in Innsbruck with a new office in Vienna, the company provides independent financial advice through a transparent membership model. Invest Expat GmbH is preparing to expand its services into Germany to strengthen its European presence and is offering a free 15-minute phone call to determine if support can be provided via https://calendly.com/invest-expat-max-plank/15min-call. Further information on Invest Expat GmbH can be found at www.investexpat.com. Media Contact Organization: Invest Expat GmbH Contact Person Name: Maximilian Plank Website: https://www.investexpat.com/ Email: info@investexpat.com Contact Number: +436644389644 Address: Museumsstrasse 3/1, Address 2: 6020 Innsbruck - Osterreich City: Vienna State: Vienna Country: Austria SOURCE: Invest Expat GmbH View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/business-and-professional-services/invest-expat-gmbh-wealth-and-financial-planning-for-expats-1095843 Salt Lake City, Utah--(Newsfile Corp. - October 31, 2025) - With the looming risk of disruptions to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) affecting tens of millions of Americans, ReadyWise is stepping up to provide critical relief. This week, they launched the SNAP Cutoff Relief Program, specifically designed to help government agencies and charitable organizations secure reliable meal solutions for vulnerable communities at exclusive institutional pricing. Recent reports show that more than 40 million Americans rely on SNAP, and food banks are already warning of unprecedented demand with the program in jeopardy. The SNAP Cutoff Relief Program focuses on making preparedness simple and affordable for agencies serving those facing immediate food insecurity. The primary product offered is the One Week Emergency Food Kit. This highly portable kit includes up to 60 servings of easy-to-prepare, freeze-dried meals, such as pasta and vegetables. Each kit has up to 25-year shelf life, making them an ideal, long-term solution for readiness. The meals are prepared simply by adding hot water, ensuring essential nutrition is available even in situations with limited resources. "With SNAP benefits potentially delayed or cut, the strain on local food banks and nonprofits is becoming urgent," said Norm Ramos, Director of Marketing at ReadyWise. "We designed this program so that organizations can act now rather than waiting for a crisis to hit. Our mission is to help fight rising hunger risk and provide peace of mind for those served directly." Eligible government entities and charitable nonprofits are encouraged to secure emergency food now to proactively mitigate risk. For more details, organizations can contact the ReadyWise team directly at 800-393-2570. ReadyWise Emergency Food To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/9483/272824_1d539c4d748838c1_001full.jpg About ReadyWise Based in Salt Lake City, Utah, ReadyWise is a global leader in food manufacturing, specializing in high-quality, shelf-stable food. They offer a range of branded products including ReadyWise Emergency Food Kits, trusted for long-term food storage, ReadyWise Outdoor, featuring convenient meals for camping and adventure, and Simple Kitchen, their line of ready-to-eat meals and snacks. Beyond their own brands, they provide private label and co-manufacturing services in their USDA- and SQF-certified facility in Utah, ensuring top-tier quality and safety for partners. At ReadyWise, they are committed to innovation, reliability, and making food security accessible for all. To learn more about products, go to www.readywise.com. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/272824 SOURCE: ReadyWise, Inc. Vancouver, British Columbia--(Newsfile Corp. - October 31, 2025) - Nexus Uranium Corp. (CSE: NEXU) (OTCQB: GIDMD) (FSE: 3H1) ("Nexus"or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has closed its previously announced non-brokered private placement offering (the "Offering") by issuing 3,640,000 units (each a "Unit") at a price of $0.25 per Unit for aggregate gross proceeds of $910,000. Each Unit consists 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 $0.55 until October 31, 2027. The Warrants will be restricted from exercise until December 31, 2025, being the 61st day following the closing of the Offering. In connection with the Offering, the Company issued 212,800 finder's warrants. The finder's warrants are exercisable into common shares at $0.55 per share until October 31, 2027. The Company intends to use the proceeds from the Offering for permitting, South Dakota relations, drilling bonds, marketing and investor relations, working capital and general corporate purposes. The Units were issued pursuant to the listed issuer financing exemption under Part 5A of National Instrument 45-106 - Prospectus Exemptions ("NI 45-106"). Pursuant to NI 45-106, the securities comprising the Units issued to Canadian residents under the Offering are not subject to resale restrictions. The Company is relying on the exemptions in Coordinated Blanket Order 45-935 - Exemptions from Certain Conditions of the Listed Issuer Financing Exemption (the "Order") and is qualified to distribute securities in reliance on the exemptions included in the Order. The Company also announces that it has added deferred shared units ("DSUs") as a category of awards that may be granted pursuant to its 2023 omnibus equity incentive compensation plan, and an aggregate of 285,000 DSUs have been granted to directors and officers of the Company. The DSUs will vest over a 12 month period, with 25% vesting every three months after the date of grant. About Nexus Uranium Corp. Nexus Uranium is a Canadian uranium exploration company focused on mineral exploration and development in the green energy sector. The Company holds five uranium projects in the United States: Chord and Wolf Canyon in South Dakota; South Pass and Great Divide Basin in Wyoming; and Wray Mesa in Utah. These projects have seen extensive historical exploration and are located in prospective development areas. Nexus also holds the Mann Lake uranium project in the Athabasca Basin of northern Saskatchewan, Canada. On Behalf of the Nexus Board Neither the CSE nor the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release. Forward-Looking Statements Certain information contained herein constitutes "forward-looking information" under Canadian securities legislation. Forward-looking information includes, but is not limited to: 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 laws. The Canadian Securities Exchange has not reviewed this press release and does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this news release. This press release is not and is not to be construed in any way as, an offer to buy or sell securities in the United States. The distribution of Nexus securities in connection with the transactions described herein will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933 (the "U.S. Securities Act") and Nexus securities may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws. This press release shall not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy Nexus securities, nor shall there be any offer or sale of Nexus securities in any jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. NOT FOR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES OR THROUGH U.S. NEWSWIRE SERVICES To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/272853 SOURCE: Nexus Uranium Corp. Andrews fall from grace continues. The British royal has been stripped of his princely title and asked to leave his long-time residence, the Royal Lodge. Now to be called Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, the 65-year-old will likely be frozen out of royal public life, but will retain two royal benefits Britain's King Charles has stripped Andrew, his younger brother, of his prince title and ordered him to leave Royal Lodge. File image/Reuters He was born a prince into a life of royal privilege as the son of the late Queen Elizabeth II. However, on Thursday (October 30), Britains King Charles III stripped his younger brother Andrew of his royal titles, including prince, and ousted him from his long-term residence on the Windsor estate. Prince Andrew will now be known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, Buckingham Palace said, adding King Charles had begun the formal process to remove all his brothers titles. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The Kings decision comes after weeks of fresh revelations over Andrews relationship with the convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein. Andrew continues to deny the allegations against him. More from Explainers History Today: When Rishi Sunak became Britains first prime minister of colour But what does this move mean for Andrew? What all does the former prince lose after being stripped of this title? Will he be given any perks of a royal now? What exactly has happened now to Andrew? On Thursday, Buckingham Palace announced that and he would have to evict his residence at the Royal Lodge. In an unprecedented move, the Palace said: His Majesty has today initiated a formal process to remove the Style, Titles and Honours of Prince Andrew. Prince Andrew will now be known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor. His lease on Royal Lodge has, to date, provided him with legal protection to continue in residence. Formal notice has now been served to surrender the lease and he will move to alternative private accommodation, the statement continued. These censures are deemed necessary, notwithstanding the fact that he continues to deny the allegations against him. Their Majesties wish to make clear that their thoughts and utmost sympathies have been, and will remain with, the victims and survivors of any and all forms of abuse. The abuse that the statement refers to comes from 65-year-old Andrews friendship with the late convicted sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein that reached a new intensity after the release of a posthumous memoir by Virginia Giuffre, who alleged that Andrew had sexually assaulted her as a teenager. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The title of prince being stripped comes just weeks after Andrew voluntarily gave up his other royal titles, including the Duke of York. On October 17, Andrew said he would stop using the titles because the continued accusations about me distract from the work of His Majesty and the Royal Family. I vigorously deny the accusations against me, he said. A few British national newspapers with the front pages and their reaction to Prince Andrew announcing that he will relinquish his Duke of York title and the Order of the Garter earlier this month. File image/AP Why has this happened now? While King Charles move to strip Andrew of his prince title is unprecedented, it is not completely shocking. Andrew has been engulfed in the Epstein scandal for a while and Virginia Guiffres posthumous memoir has only compounded his woes. In her book, Guiffre reiterated in shocking detail allegations that she was trafficked to have sex with Andrew three times, including twice when she was only 17. In one extract from Nobodys Girl: A Memoir of Surviving Abuse and Fighting for Justice by Virginia Roberts Giuffre, she wrote about her encounter with Andrew: He was friendly enough, but still entitled as if he believed having sex with me was his birthright. I drew him a hot bath. We disrobed and got in the tub, but didnt stay there long because the prince was eager to get to the bed. He was particularly attentive to my feet, caressing my toes and licking my arches. That was a first for me, and it tickled. I was nervous he would want me to do the same to him. But I neednt have worried. He seemed in a rush to have intercourse. Afterward, he said thank you in his clipped British accent. In my memory, the whole thing lasted less than half an hour. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD But this wasnt the end of it. Andrew was at the receiving end of more outrage after it emerged last week that he paid $1 million for Royal Lodge, and only a peppercorn rent if demanded each year since then, according to his lease agreement. There are reports that Britains Prince William urged his father to take action against Andrew. File image/Reuters A BBC report states that Prince William pushed for this action against Andrew. I think this line had to be drawn and William was probably pushing for the King to do so, said BBCs former royal correspondent Jennie Bond. William is about to go to Brazil on a very important tour - and the recent tour by the King and Queen to the Vatican was very nearly overshadowed by what was going on with Andrew, and that could not be allowed to continue. So, what all does Andrew lose now? Firstly, Andrew loses all of his titles. This includes Prince, Duke of York, Earl of Inverness, Baron Killyleagh. He will no longer have the right to be called His Royal Highness. The honours of Order of the Garter and Knight Grand Cross of the Victorian Order will also be removed. To do this, the King will send Royal warrants to the Lord Chancellor, who is David Lammy, to officially remove them. A drone view shows Royal Lodge, a large property on the estate surrounding Windsor Castle, which no longer belongs to Britains Andrew. Reuters Andrew will also lose residence at the Royal Lodge. Reports say that the former prince will move to Sandringham Estate in Norfolk. This isnt too shabby a residence its spread over 8,000 hectares and is often used to host family engagements, including Christmas. Sandringham was once a beloved retreat of Queen Elizabeth and is now a favourite of King Charles and Queen Camilla. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD It has also been reported that Andrews accommodation will be privately funded by the British monarch. Does Andrew get any perks? But despite being stripped of his titles and being asked to move out, Andrew will retain two perks of being a royal. He remains in the line of succession. He is eighth in line for the throne, according to Buckingham Palace, after Prince William, Prince George, Princess Charlotte, Prince Louis, Prince Harry, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet. This remains because of his birthright. To remove him from the line of succession would require an act of British parliament. Moreover, it would also require the consent of the 14 other countries where Charles is King, including Canada. Andrew is also still a Counsellor of State on paper. Counsellors of State are authorised to carry out most of the official duties of the Sovereign, such as attending Privy Council meetings, signing routine documents and receiving the credentials of new ambassadors to the United Kingdom. However, Andrew wont be able to act in the role because a 2022 law states that Counsellors of State to be working members of the Royal Family. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Britains Prince Andrews links to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein are at the centre of this latest announcement. File image/AFP What comes next for Andrew and the royals? According to royal family experts, Andrew will be shun from events and public life. He already isnt invited for royal events his presence is limited to private, family events, such as funerals or memorials. But many want further action to be taken against Andrew. The anti-monarchy group Republic said it would launch a private prosecution against Andrew over accusations of sexual offenses and misconduct in public office. Lets be very clear, Prince Andrew now Andrew Mountbatton Windsor is not facing justice. Hes not being held to account. Losing silly titles is not an answer to very serious accusations of sexual offenses and corruption in public office, Graham Smith, chief executive of Republic, said Thursday following the palaces announcement. Its still to be seen what comes next for the British royals. Historian and author Andrew Lownie told BBC that this isnt the end of it for the royals. The Palace is finally taking some decisive action but it wont completely satisfy the public disquiet. With inputs from agencies US Vice President JD Vance has defended his boss Donald Trumps move to restart US nuclear testing. Trump, who made the announcement during his recent Asia tour, said the process will begin immediately. Vance has said it is important to know that the arsenal functions properly and added that testing will ensure this. But what do experts say? main excerpt US Vice President JD Vance said nuclear testing is an important part of American national security File Image/Reuters US Vice President JD Vance has defended his boss Donald Trumps move to restart nuclear testing. Trump, who made the announcement during his recent Asia tour, indirectly blamed China and Russia for the decision. Because of other countries testing programmes, I have instructed the Department of War to start testing our Nuclear Weapons on an equal basis, Trump wrote on social media. That process will begin immediately. Interestingly, testing nuclear weapons was part of Project 2025, a policy document put together by ex-Trump advisors. Trump, who disavowed it while running, has now embraced Project 2025. The document said a readiness to test nuclear weapons at the Nevada National Security Site [will] ensure the ability of the US to respond quickly to asymmetric technology surprises under its list of reforms required. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD But what did Vance say? Do nuclear weapons need to be tested? What Vance said and what scientists say Vance backed up Trumps statement, saying it is important to know that the US nuclear arsenal functions properly. He said testing of the US nuclear arsenal would ensure this. Its an important part of American national security to make sure that this nuclear arsenal we have actually functions properly, and thats part of a testing regime," Vance told reporters at the White House. He said Trumps statement speaks for itself. However, nuclear testing is now a thing of the past. In 1994, America brought in the Stockpile Stewardship Programme (SSP) to replace the weapons being physically tested. This is done via scientific studies, surveillance, computing, non-nuclear experiments and simulations. These experiments live up to the terms of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, which America signed in 1996 under Bill Clinton. Scientists disagree with Vance. They say you dont need nuclear tests for nukes anymore because powerful supercomputers can already conduct extremely accurate simulations. They say that the current system has proved incredibly successful without having to detonate a single nuke. In the decades since, we have relied on a science-based programme to ensure the safety and reliability of the nuclear weapons stockpile, including subcritical experiments and advanced computer simulation and modelling based on decades of study and data collected from past nuclear tests, Jill Hruby, Administrator, National Nuclear Security Administration, said in 2023. It is hard to overstate the success of this programme. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Hruby called testing expensive and argued that the NNSA instead was successfully using that money to execute the Stockpile Stewardship Programme. The Divider device detonated in 1992. n 1994, America brought in the Stockpile Stewardship Programme (SSP) to replace the weapons being physically tested. Image courtesy: Los Alamos National Lab I think that nearly everyone would tell you that we know more about the basic physics of nuclear weapons today than weve ever known before as a result of our science-based Stockpile Stewardship Programme, not because of the test programme, Hruby added. Marvin Adams, deputy administrator for defence programmes at the National Nuclear Security Administration, said in December 2024, If its based on purely technical considerations, we are confident that we can get the information we need staying subcritical. We invested a lot in the design, the design of all these experiments. Theyre all designed to stay subcritical. We know what we want out of them, and were confident we can get it. However, he said some words that have now proved prescient. From a technical point of view, personally, and I can say Im a subject matter expert on this, I personally dont see that [testing] needs to go super critical, Adams added. But, you know, I cant say what the next administration will decide policy-wise. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The NSSA in its most recent Stockpile Stewardship & Management Plans noted, the United States will sustain the stockpile without underground nuclear explosive testing across the laboratories, plants, and sites that comprise the nuclear security enterprise. Scientists say what you may need to test is weapons delivery systems, not the warheads themselves. Regressive and irresponsible Trumps statement came just prior to his meeting with Chinas Xi Jinping. He also claimed that the United States has more nuclear weapons than any other country, which isnt true. The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) estimates that Russia has 5,489 nuclear warheads, while the US has 5,177. China, meanwhile, has 600 nuclear warheads. The US conducted its previous nuclear test on 23 September 1992 at the famed Los Alamos facility in Nevada. Trumps words have left many alarmed. Irans foreign minister called the statement regressive and irresponsible and a threat to international security. A nuclear-armed bully is resuming testing of atomic weapons. The same bully has been demonising Irans peaceful nuclear programme, Abbas Araghchi posted on social media. Irans Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi called the statement regressive and irresponsible. Reuters Japanese atomic bomb survivors group Nihon Hidankyo sent a letter of protest to the US embassy in Japan on Friday. The directive directly contradicts the efforts by nations around the world striving for a peaceful world without nuclear weapons and is utterly unacceptable, the Nobel Peace Prize-winning group said in the letter. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The Kremlin questioned whether Trump was well-informed about Russias military activities. The recent weapons drills cannot in any way be interpreted as a nuclear test, spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists. We hope that the information was conveyed correctly to President Trump. Peskov then implied that Russia would conduct its own live warhead tests if Trump did it first. Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun urged the United States to earnestly abide by a global nuclear testing ban. The nuclear era The nuclear age began with the United States in July 1945 testing a 20-kiloton atomic bomb at Alamogordo, New Mexico, Washington and then dropped atomic bombs on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945 to force Japan to surrender in World War Two. The Soviet Union shocked the West by detonating its first nuclear bomb just four years later, in August 1949. In the five decades between 1945 and the 1996 Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), over 2,000 nuclear tests were carried out, 1,032 of them by the United States and 715 of them by the Soviet Union, according to the United Nations. Britain carried out 45 tests, France 210 and China 45. Since the CTBT, 10 nuclear tests have taken place. India conducted two in 1998, Pakistan also two in 1998, and North Korea conducted tests in 2006, 2009, 2013, 2016 (twice) and 2017, according to the United Nations. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The United States last tested in 1992, China and France in 1996 and the Soviet Union in 1990. Russia, which inherited most of the Soviet nuclear arsenal, has never done so. Russia held nuclear drills last week and has tested a nuclear-powered cruise missile and a nuclear-powered torpedo but has not tested a nuclear warhead. Though the US became a signatory to the CTBT under Clinton in 1996, it has not ratified it. The US remains the only country to have ever detonated a nuclear weapon during war. With inputs from agencies Leaders from the Pacific Rim economies will gather in Gyeongju, South Korea, for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) forum. South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, Chinese President Xi Jinping, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, and Australian PM Anthony Albanese are among the top leaders attending the gathering. In India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lead the National Unity Day celebrations at the Statue of Unity in Gujarats Ekta Nagar Passengers ride on escalators as a large electric board shows an advertisement promoting the 2025 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation leaders' summit in Gyeongju, at a railway station in Seoul, South Korea. Reuters It is set to be a busy Friday with several events lined up for the day. Firstly, the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) Economic Leaders meeting will be held today in Gyeongju, South Korea today. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lead the Rashtriya Ekta Diwas or National Unity Day celebrations. China is set to launch Shenzhou-21 manned space mission launch today. Meanwhile, Halloween will be celebrated across the world today. Here is all that is set to take place across today. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Apec summit to take place in South Korea The 2025 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) Economic Leaders Meeting is scheduled to take place from October 31 to November 1 in Gyeongju, South Korea. This marks the 21 Apec member economies annual meeting. The event will take place at the Gyeongju Hwabaek International Convention Center (Hico). The summit is set to be attended by the heads of state from Apec member economies including Canadas Prime Minister Mark Carney, New Zealands Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, Indonesias President Prabowo Subianto among others. The Apec Economic Leaders Meeting is part of a larger series of events called Apec Economic Leaders Week (AELW), which runs from October 27 to November 1. PM Modi to lead National Unity Day celebration October 31 is observed as Rashtriya Ekta Diwas or National Unity Day in India to mark the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will lead the National Unity Day celebrations in Gujarats Ekta Nagar. This year coincides with the 150th birth anniversary of Sardar Patel. Several special events have been planned at the Statue of Unity in Ekta Nagar in Gujarat. This years celebrations will feature a grand parade and cultural programme highlighting the strength, discipline, and courage of Indias security forces. PM Modi will lead celebrations during National Unity Day at the Statue of Unity. File image/PTI The parade will showcase contingents from all the major central forces: the BSF, CRPF, CISF, ITBP, and SSB. Adding to this strong display are state police units from ten regions: Assam, Tripura, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Punjab, Jammu and Kashmir, Kerala, and Andhra Pradesh. Shenzhou-21 manned space mission launch China is set to launch the Shenzhou-21 crewed mission today, carrying three astronauts. The spacecraft is scheduled to lift off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China. The crew, consisting of taikonauts or Chinese astronauts Zhang Lu, Wu Fei, and Zhang Hongzhang, will undertake Chinas first scientific experiments involving rodent mammals in space. These in-orbit studies on mice are designed to observe the behavioural impacts of space conditions, particularly microgravity and confinement, on living organisms. World to celebrate Halloween People around the globe are preparing to celebrate Halloween today, marking a night steeped in history, superstition, and fun. What began as the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain a time when people believed the boundary between the worlds of the living and the dead blurred has evolved into a global cultural phenomenon. While the celebration has religious roots in the Western Christian observance of All Hallows Eve, todays festivities are largely secular and focused on costumes, candy, and spooky thrills. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD North America remains the epicentre of the modern Halloween experience. Millions of children participate in the traditional ritual of Trick-or-Treating, going door-to-door in costumes to collect candy. Adults often attend elaborate costume parties and visit haunted attractions. In the birthplace of Samhain i.e. Ireland and Scotland, people still celebrate with bonfires, games, and traditional foods like barmbrack. With inputs from agencies Chinese defense minister meets U.S. counterpart in Malaysia Xinhua) 17:27, October 31, 2025 KUALA LUMPUR, Oct. 31 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun met with U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth on Friday on the sidelines of the 12th ASEAN Defense Ministers Meeting Plus in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Dong said that President Xi Jinping and President Donald Trump had held a successful meeting in South Korea, which provided strategic guidance for the steady development of the next stage of China-U.S. relations. He noted that the defense departments of both countries should take concrete actions to implement the consensus reached by the two heads of state, and work toward building a military-to-military relationship based on equality and respect, peaceful coexistence, and stable, positive development. He also expressed hope that the U.S. side will honor its commitment not to seek to contain China and pursue conflict, take a clear stance against "Taiwan independence," and work with China to inject positive energy into regional and global peace and security. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Kou Jie) This Halloween, trick-or-treaters are likely to get more fruity candy than chocolate. This may be more suitable for younger consumers, who have been gravitating toward gummies, freeze-dried treats and other sweets. But why is there a shift in the first place? Assorted Halloween Candy Bags are displayed on a shelve at a grocery store in Mount Prospect, Illinois. AP Ghouls, goblins and gummy bears. Trick-or-treaters may find more fruity candy than chocolate among their Halloween handouts this year. That should be fine with younger consumers, who have been gravitating for years toward non-chocolate candies like gummies, freeze-dried treats and other sweets that come in a variety of shapes, colours and flavours. Last year, 52 per cent of the total volume of Halloween candy sold in the US was made of chocolate, according to Dan Sadler, a principal for client insights at the market research company Circana. But in the 12 weeks ending October 5, chocolate accounted for 44 per cent of the Halloween candy sold in the US. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Hersheys chocolate are displayed on shelves at a grocery store in Mount Prospect, Illinois. AP Prices may be part of it. Global cocoa prices more than quadrupled between January 2023 and January 2025 due to poor harvests in West Africa, where 70 per cent of cocoa is produced. Chocolate candy is a lot more expensive as a result. Chocolate Halloween candy in the US costs an average of $8.02 per pound in the 12 weeks ahead of October 5, while non-chocolate candy costs an average of $5.77 per pound, Sadler said. Heres a look at Halloween candy by the numbers: $7.4 billion The amount Americans spent on Halloween candy in 2024, according to the National Confectioners Association. That was 18 per cent of all candy sales last year. 30 million The number of M&Ms that Mars Inc. makes each day at the facility in Topeka, Kansas, that produces its Halloween candy. $10,710 The price for a metric ton of cocoa in January was an all-time high. Cocoa prices have fallen since then, but Sadler said it will take months for consumers to see the impact of those lower prices. 1,254 Miles between Topeka and New York. If you stretched out all the Snickers bars that Mars makes annually in Topeka, you could make that trip seven times. 61 per cent Percentage of US consumers who bought candy for trick-or-treaters last year, according to Hershey. Hershey said 45 per cent of consumers reported buying Halloween candy for themselves. Hersheys milk chocolates are displayed on a shelve at a grocery store in Mount Prospect, Illinois. AP 40.8 per cent Market share for Hershey in Halloween candy last year, making it the top performer. Hershey said its Halloween assortment which includes Reeses, Kit Kat and Almond Joy was the top seller last Halloween. July 5 Date on which Mars started rolling Halloween candy out to US stores this year. Mars makes Snickers, M&Ms, Skittles, Starburst and other candies. 4.9 per cent Growth in dollar sales of non-chocolate candy in the US in 2024, according to the National Confectioners Association. Chocolate candy sales, in comparison, grew 0.4 per cent. 3.6 Average number of weeks ahead of Halloween that Americans buy Halloween candy, according to Mars. Generation Z buys it sooner, around 4.5 weeks in advance. 2 years Amount of time Mars takes to plan for a Halloween season. The Taliban has released a video of a captured Islamic State (IS) fighter saying he was given training in Pakistan before he crossed over into Afghanistan. The video was shared online by a channel related to Afghanistans intelligence agency The video shows an alleged ISIS terrorist named Saeedullah outlining how he received training in Pakistan. Image courtesy: X/@VoiceKhorasan1 Is Pakistan training Islamic State (IS) fighters? Thats what the Afghanistan Taliban is claiming. The militant group has released a video of a captured Islamic State fighter saying he was given training in Pakistan before he crossed over into Afghanistan. The video was shared online by a channel related to Afghanistans intelligence agency. It comes amid rising tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan over a slew of issues, including the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), also known as the Pakistani Taliban. Islamabad, which has accused the TTP of launching attacks against it, has launched airstrikes into Afghanistan. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Pakistan has demanded that the Taliban declare the TTP as a terrorist group. The two countries on Friday agreed to continue the ceasefire and resume talks that had collapsed earlier in the week. But what do we know? And why does this matter? What happened? The video shows an alleged Islamic State terrorist named Saeedullah outlining how he received training in Pakistan. Saeedullah, a Pakistani citizen from the village of Plarman in Mohmand Agency, began, My name is Saeedullah, son of Sabz Ali and grandson of Mullah Jan. Saeedullah said he initially studied at a madrasa in Peshawar near the Tablighi Centre linked to the Lashkar-e-Taiba. Saeedullah said he was then sent to Pakistans Quetta region for ideological and combat training by a man named Osama. Saeedullah said he was provided with weapons and combat training in the mountains near Balochistan. He was also brainwashed. In Quetta, when I went to the mountains, significant efforts were made to mentally indoctrinate me, Saeedullah added. Saeedullah said he returned to Peshawar after finishing the training. However, a few months later, an operative named Nusrat asked him to join the Islamic State in Afghanistan. When I refused, Nusrat made me a fake Afghan Tazkira (identity document) and sent me to Afghanistan posing as a refugee, Saeedullah added. He said he crossed over into Afghanistan via the Torkham border with a fake ID stating that his name was Mohammad. When he reached Jalalabad, he was greeted by masked men who said, This is our brother from Pakistan. Saeedullah said he worked with around two dozen foreign fighters in Afghanistan. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Why this matters This development has sparked controversy over Pakistans alleged role in sheltering and training terrorist elements. Analysts suggest that the ongoing killing and capture of Islamic State members on both sides of the Durand Line underscores Islamabads complicity in perpetuating insecurity in Afghanistan. Military expert Yousuf Amin Zazai stated, I can say with certainty that Afghanistan is neither a source nor a hub of terrorism. These terrorists are funded from the region and operate under various names. This development has sparked controversy over Pakistans alleged role in sheltering and training terrorist elements. Representational Image Political analyst Naqibullah Noori added, This shows that Pakistans claims are false, and it has now been proven that the centre of terrorist training is Pakistan and its government. They arent alone. Earlier this year, Zalmay Khalilzad, ex-US Ambassador to Afghanistan, had warned that Pakistan will face blowback from its link to terror groups. Playing with terrorism for tactical purposes is a disastrous ploy that inevitably backfires very, very badly, Khalilzad warned. Pakistans Defence Minister has characterised his countrys past support for terrorist and extremist groups as having been a mistake. So, is Pakistan no longer harbouring terrorist and extremist groups? he wondered on X. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD For example, ISIS (Islamic State of Khorasan Province ISKP) maintains terrorist camps in the country. There are reports that in mid-March, Baluch nationalist fighters attacked an ISIS training camp in the mountains of the Mastung district close to the Bolan River in Balochistan. Allegedly, some 30 ISIS fighters, including citizens of Turkey, India, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan, were killed, and the camp was destroyed. If these reports are correct, their existence could not have been unknown to the Pakistani military intelligence, not if Pakistan is serious about stamping out terrorism on their soil, he said. His remarks came after Defence Minister Khawaja Asif admitted that Pakistan had supported terrorists outside the country for decades. The Central Commission for Security and Clearance of Afghanistan in January said that newly recruited Islamic State fighters were being taken from Karachi and Islamabad airports to training camps in Balochistan and the tribal areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The statement added that these fighters were being trained to carry out attacks in regional countries, particularly Afghanistan. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD PakistanAfghanistan agree to uphold ceasefire The two countries had been holding peace talks over the past few days mediated by Turkey and Qatar. A joint statement from all parties on Thursday agreed to continue the ceasefire and added that they will meet again in Istanbul on 6 November, where further modalities of the implementation will be discussed and decided. The joint statement further said that the countries had also agreed on a monitoring and verification mechanism to ensure the maintenance of peace. A penalty would be imposed on the side that violates the ceasefire. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said, Just as the Islamic Emirate seeks good relations with other neighbouring countries, it also desires positive ties with Pakistan and remains committed to relations based on mutual respect, non-interference in internal affairs, and not posing a threat to any side. Afghan Taliban fighters patrol 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 All parties have agreed to put in place a monitoring and verification mechanism that will ensure maintenance of peace and impose penalties on the violating party, said the joint statement released by Turkeys Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The statement further said that as mediators, Turkey and Qatar expressed their appreciation for the active contribution of both parties, and the two countries will continue their cooperation with both sides for lasting peace and stability. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD War of words continues The Talibans Acting Interior Minister Khalifa Sirajuddin Haqqani has warned Pakistan against bringing its internal conflicts into Afghanistan, saying such attempts would cost it dearly. The warning was issued with regard to Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), asking Islamabad to resolve its issues domestically and not impose them on Afghanistan. Defending our territory is among our priorities. Yet despite all this, the path of understanding remains open. But if someone commits aggression, we have fought the emperors of the world, and it is no difficulty for us to defend our territory, TOLO News quoted Haqqani as saying. The problem is yours. You have the solution. So why do you link it to us? On the one hand, in order to preserve its interests, one country violates the territory of another; but Afghans have proved themselves on the battlefield, and if our forbearance is tested again, our response will be very crushing, he added. The joint statement came shortly after Asif who had earlier issued a strongly worded warning to Kabul after the stalemate in talks said that a ray of light was visible in the Istanbul negotiations. Tensions flared earlier this month after explosions were heard in Kabul, and Afghanistans Taliban government accused Pakistan of carrying out airstrikes in the capital and bombing a market in the countrys east. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Afghan officials on 12 October said they retaliated by targeting Pakistani military posts, claiming 58 Pakistani soldiers were killed. However, Pakistans military said the fighting left 23 of its soldiers dead and that its operations were targeting militant hideouts inside Afghanistan. The clashes prompted Qatar to host emergency talks between the two neighbours, resulting in a ceasefire on 19 October. That was followed by four days of negotiations in Istanbul that ended inconclusively on Tuesday. Since then, Qatar and Turkey have been working to bring the delegations back to the negotiating table, the Pakistani officials said. With inputs from agencies A report quoted a source familiar with the situation as saying that the administration is planning to take out military installations inside Venezuela used for drug trafficking. Officials say this will likely send a message to Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro that it is time to step down. The US has previously targeted boats, which it alleges are ferrying drugs, in the region. But will this really happen? Is Trump planning airstrikes on Venezuela? A report quoted a source familiar with the situation as saying that the administration is planning to take out military installations inside Venezuela used for drug trafficking. Officials say this will likely send a message to Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro that it is time to step down. The US has previously targeted boats, which it alleges are ferrying drugs, in the region. But what do we know? What do experts think? STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Lets take a closer look: What we know According to the report, the strikes could occur in days or even within hours. Sources said the idea is to target key military facilities used by the cartels and take aim at its leadership. Targets could comprise ports, naval bases, airstrips under military control that are participating in the narcotics trade. The US has claimed that cartels send 500 tonnes of cocaine to America and Europe every year. They have alleged that top members of Maduros administration are involved with the Soles cartel. The US has accused Venezuela of acting as a transit hub for drugs. It claims it shows elements of being a Narco state. Maduro is about to find himself trapped and might soon discover that he cannot flee the country even if he decided to, a source told the Miami Herald. Whats worse for him, there is now more than one general willing to capture and hand him over, fully aware that one thing is to talk about death, and another to see it coming. This aligns with what sources told CNN last week, when it was reported that Trump is mulling targeting Venezuelas cocaine facilities and drug trafficking. However, it was also reported that diplomacy hasnt been ruled out. They, however, said Trump was in no rush to make such a decision. The US has deployed sailors and warships including the USS Gerald R Ford, the worlds largest aircraft carrier, to the region. Pentagon press secretary Sean Parnell wrote on X that the deployment of the USS Gerald R Ford and its strike group and its associated air wing was meant to dismantle Transnational Criminal Organizations and counter narco-terrorism. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The worlds largest aircraft carrier USS Gerald R Ford steams alongside USNS Laramie (T-AO-203) during a fuelling-at-sea in the eastern Mediterranean Sea. File Image The US had also deployed around 10,000 personnel, F-35 fighter jets and MQ-9 Reaper drones to the region. Trump had also authorised the CIA to conduct covert operations in Venezuela. He, however, denied that he had deployed B-1 bombers in the region. Though the US Constitution requires that Trump get a declaration of war from Congress, the president has dismissed such concerns. Im not going to necessarily ask for a declaration of war, Trump said. I think were just going to kill people that are bringing drugs into our country. Okay? Were going to kill them, you know, theyre going to be like, dead. Maduro, who has accused the US government of waging a new eternal war against him, has remained defiant. The Venezuelan leader has vowed to mobilise millions if America declares war against him. He has also warned that the country has over 5,000 Russian-made anti-aircraft weapons that have been positioned strategically. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD What do experts say Experts, who previously questioned the legality of such strikes by the Trump administration, say such a planned attack by the US finds little justification under international law. They say the armed use of force would only be justified by an armed attack within the United States. Salvador Santino Regilme, a political scientist who leads the International Relations programme at Leiden University, told Al Jazeera that even the strikes against drug traffickers near Venezuela appears legally untenable. Unless Washington can prove that the targeted actors carried out or imminently threatened a large-scale armed attack attributable to Venezuela, these actions risk violating the charters core prohibition on the use of force and undermining another states territorial integrity. Experts arent convinced by Trumps claims of Maduro being a narco-terrorist. Many suspect the administration is attempting to enact long-awaited regime change in Venezuela, which is home to the worlds largest oil reserves. Hegseth has played coy on the subject, telling Fox News well, thats a presidential decision. Officials say this will likely send a message to Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro that it is time to step down. Reuters Experts fear that strikes on Venezuela could only create a rally around the flag effect and harden the military and peoples backing for Maduro. They are also concerned that Venezuelas allies including Russia, Iran and Cuba could lend its arms and ammunition in case such a conflict breaks out. They warn that this risks the US being drawn into a drawn-out and perhaps even bloody confrontation. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Russia earlier this week sent a heavy-duty cargo plane to Caracas, while Iran has provided Venezuela with drones and technicians over the years. Cuba has intelligence and internal security advisers embedded with Venezuelas military. The Venezuelan opposition, meanwhile, continues to be fragmented after a brutal crackdown by Maduro. Experts say the Trump administration has ushered in a paradigm shift. Ryan Berg, director of the Americas program at the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies, told Air Force Times, This is a United States that sees security differently. Theyve just demonstrated the ability to use deadly force in the Western Hemisphere, and theyve already told Mexico that theyre going to do the same thing on Mexican territory if they dont get the level of cooperation that they want. With inputs from agencies At a Turning Point USA event on Wednesday, JD Vance said he hoped his wife, Usha, who comes from a Hindu family, might one day embrace Christianity, though he respects her choice not to. His candid comments, alongside his own conversion story from atheism to Catholicism, have put his personal relationships in the spotlight US Vice President JD Vance and second lady Usha Vance attend the 250th anniversary celebration of the United States Marine Corps at Camp Pendleton, California, US, October 18, 2025. File Image/Reuters The controversy arose when United States Vice President JD Vance shared candid thoughts about his wife Ushas Hindu background and his hope that she might someday embrace Christianity. His comments at a university event, coupled with renewed focus on his own journey from atheism to Catholicism and even a viral photograph from the same event, have turned his faith into a recurring national conversation. On Wednesday, during a Turning Point USA gathering at the University of Mississippi, Vance spoke openly about his familys religious dynamic. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Reflecting on their differing backgrounds, he said, Now most Sundays Usha will come with me to church. He continued, As Ive told her and Ive said publicly, and Ill say now in front to 10,000 of my closest friends: Do I hope eventually that she is somehow moved by the same thing that I was moved in by church? Yeah, I honestly do with that. Because I believe in the Christian gospel and I hope eventually my wife comes to see it the same way. He then added, If she doesnt, then God says everybody has free will, so that doesnt cause a problem for me. JUST IN: JD Vance says he's raising his children Christian, and he hopes his agnostic wife, Usha, comes around to the Christian faith. pic.twitter.com/ycGvPzqAgt Spencer Hakimian (@SpencerHakimian) October 30, 2025 The US vice president described how his wife grew up in a Hindu family, but not a particularly religious family, before adding that when they first met, both of them would have described themselves as agnostic or atheist. Vance said that the two eventually worked out an understanding in their marriage that reflected mutual respect for their differences. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD He revealed that their children attend a Christian school and that the couple had decided to raise them in the Christian tradition. How the Vances have adapted to an interfaith family life Just months before the Mississippi appearance, Usha Vance herself had discussed their familys interfaith household and parenting approach during a podcast conversation with Meghan McCain on Citizen McCain. She provided insight into how she and JD were balancing differing faith traditions while raising their three children Ewan, Vivek, and Mirabel. So what weve ended up doing is we send our kids to Catholic school, and we have given them each the choice, right? They can choose whether they want to be baptised Catholic and then go through the whole step-by-step process with their classes in school, she said. Usha shared that when she met her husband at Yale University, he had not yet converted to Catholicism. At the time when I met JD, he wasnt Catholic, and he converted later and when he converted, we had a lot of conversations about that because it was actually after we had our first child, maybe it was after Vivek was born too, she recalled. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD She added that the conversion brought with it serious considerations. When you convert to Catholicism it comes with several important obligations, like to raise your child in the faith and all that. We had to have a lot of real conversations about how do you do that, Im not Catholic, and Im not intending to convert or anything like that. Her words revealed that faith had been a deeply personal matter within the family not a source of conflict, but one of discussion and choice. How an image at the same event went viral for the wrong reasons The same Mississippi event that produced the conversion remark also brought about an entirely separate media storm. Photographs circulated online showing Vance greeting Erika Kirk, widow of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, in a seemingly close embrace. The images were taken at the Turning Point USA event, where both were present. Erika Kirk wore a white T-shirt with the word Freedom and black leather pants, while Vance appeared in a blue suit. Their greeting drew attention on social media, as users debated whether the moment was appropriate for a public figure. The photographs quickly went viral and were widely discussed alongside his faith-related comments. How would you describe these moments between Erika Kirk and JD Vance last night? pic.twitter.com/2JVZiowRue HustleBitch (@HustleBitch_) October 30, 2025 STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD While some posts online speculated about motives or relationships, there was no factual evidence suggesting any impropriety. Many theories on social media have also been floated that if JD Vance will have a better chance during the 2028 US president elections with someone like Erika Kirk rather than Usha. Interfaith marriages have become increasingly common in the United States, yet they remain a sensitive topic for public figures whose faith is intertwined with their political image. For Vance, whose Catholic identity forms a visible part of his vice presidency, his wifes Hindu background has sometimes been portrayed unfairly by some as a point of political vulnerability. While some commentators on the religious right have suggested that Ushas faith holds Vance back, others have commended the couple for maintaining a respectful balance. How JD Vance went from scepticism to Catholicism Vance was raised in a loosely evangelical household in Middletown, Ohio, and described his early religious exposure as limited and inconsistent. In his memoir Hillbilly Elegy, he wrote that his commitment to church life was short-lived and faded as he grew older. As a young adult, he identified as an atheist. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD That began to change when he was studying law at Yale University. Searching for meaning beyond academics and professional success, he started to revisit questions of faith. In a 2020 essay for the Catholic magazine The Lamp, Vance described how reading Catholic moral philosophy and conversing with Dominican friars in Cincinnati deepened his interest in the Catholic tradition. He began meeting regularly with Father Henry Stephan at St. Gertrude Church, a Dominican parish led by the Province of St. Joseph. The two discussed theology, mysticism, and political philosophy over several months. Their meetings were often followed by long discussions over coffee or lunch an experience that shaped Vances intellectual and spiritual direction. In the summer of 2019, at the age of 35, he returned to St. Gertrudes to be baptised and receive his first communion. The ceremony was held in the Dominicans private chapel, followed by a small reception with his family. Vance chose Saint Augustine as his patron, explaining that City of God was the best criticism of our modern age Id ever read a society oriented entirely towards consumption and pleasure, spurning duty and virtue. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD He later said that he was drawn to Catholicism in part because of its historical continuity. I really liked that the Catholic Church was just really old, he once remarked at a public event. How JD Vances Catholic identity aided his career Vances faith conversion coincided with his growing presence in conservative political circles. His embrace of Catholicism positioned him among a small but influential group of Republican politicians and thinkers seeking to reshape the partys relationship with religion and morality. While previous Republican leaders such as Mike Pence highlighted evangelical moral conservatism, figures like Vance represented a different tendency: a more intellectual and traditionalist Catholic approach that integrates faith with social and economic critique. Vances politics have often reflected Catholic social teaching themes including a focus on family stability, the dignity of work, and moral responsibility while aligning with the broader conservative movements stance on issues like abortion and gender identity. Catholic converts make up a small percentage of American adults. According to Pew Research data, only around 2 per cent of US adults have converted to Catholicism, while for every convert, several others leave the church. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Yet converts like Vance often bring a renewed zeal and an academic interest in the faith, traits that have shaped his image among Christian conservatives. Speaking at the Napa Institute in 2021, Vance clarified that he was not a big Latin Mass guy, though he admired the Churchs ability to maintain continuity in an era of rapid change. When JD Vance met Pope Francis, a day before the latters death Vances public identity as a Catholic took on added visibility in April earlier this year, when he travelled to the Vatican to meet Pope Francis. The encounter, held on Easter Sunday, would become one of the popes final public meetings before his death the following day. Video released by the Vatican showed Vance greeting the pontiff, who appeared in frail health and sat in a wheelchair. Hello, Vance said as he reached for his hand. So good to see you. The US vice president added, I know youve not been feeling great, but its good to see you in better health. A translator speaking for the pope presented the vice president with gifts chocolate eggs for his children, rosaries, and a Vatican tie. Thank you, Vance responded. So beautiful. As the meeting concluded, he told the pontiff, I pray for you every day. God bless you. A day later, news of Pope Franciss passing broke, prompting statements from across the world. US President Donald Trump wrote on Truth Social, Rest in Peace Pope Francis! May God Bless him and all who loved him! Vance also posted on X, I just learned of the passing of Pope Francis. My heart goes out to the millions of Christians all over the world who loved him. I was happy to see him yesterday, though he was obviously very ill. During his Vatican visit, Vance also met with Cardinal Pietro Parolin. According to his office, the two discussed shared religious faith, Catholicism in the United States, the plight of persecuted Christian communities around the world, and President Trumps commitment to restoring world peace. The meeting highlighted the complex relationship between the Trump administration and the Vatican. While the Catholic Church under Pope Francis prioritised compassion toward migrants and the poor, Vance and Trump have advocated stricter border policies. The discussion at the Vatican was viewed as an attempt to bridge those differing perspectives within a shared moral framework. With inputs from agencies A major investigation by Russian outlet Verstka has uncovered evidence of systemic executions, torture, and zeroing out within the Russian military. Soldiers who disobey orders are allegedly being killed or sent on suicide missions by their own commanders Volunteers, who joined the Russian armed forces and took military training in Chechnya, board a plane before departing for positions of the Akhmat battalion involved in Russia's military campaign in Ukraine, at an airport in Grozny, Russia, January 17, 2024. Representational Image/Reuters Russias war in Ukraine is grinding through its fourth year and a fresh investigation has put a spotlight on one of the most disturbing allegations to emerge from within Moscows own ranks. A report by Verstka an independent Russian outlet operating in exile has revealed that Russian commanders have been torturing, executing, and deliberately sending to their deaths soldiers who disobey orders or refuse to participate in combat. Based on hundreds of testimonies, leaked videos, internal complaint records, and interviews with both soldiers and their families, the report identifies over a hundred Russian servicemen allegedly involved in the killings of their comrades and details what appears to be a systemic campaign of internal terror that has spread through multiple levels of the Russian army. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD What the investigation revealed According to Verstka, what began as isolated cases of brutality in the early months of the invasion has evolved this year into a widespread and institutionalised form of punishment. Soldiers accused of insubordination, intoxication, or cowardice are no longer simply reprimanded they are zeroed out, a slang term used within the Russian armed forces for execution or deliberate elimination. The investigation documented 101 Russian servicemen accused of carrying out or ordering such acts, and verified at least 150 deaths resulting from internal killings. However, the outlets journalists believe the real figure is far higher, given the number of unreported cases and the scale of complaints received from troops and relatives. These killings, according to eyewitness accounts, are carried out through a range of methods: soldiers are shot at point-blank range by designated execution shooters, forced into suicidal attacks on Ukrainian positions without equipment, or even targeted by drones operated by their own side to make the deaths appear as combat casualties. In many instances, soldiers bodies are either buried in forests or dumped in rivers, their deaths later recorded as killed in action or missing. The deliberate misreporting not only conceals the crime but also deprives families of state compensation. The culture of impunity surrounding these actions, Verstka found, has become a defining characteristic of Russias frontline units. How zeroing out works Within Russias military slang, zeroing out refers to the summary execution of soldiers considered disobedient, troublesome, or uncooperative. The perpetrators known as zeroers include platoon and battalion commanders, and occasionally higher-ranking divisional officers. Verstkas database lists 101 names, with 79 verified through at least two independent sources. For many of these individuals, Verstka was able to obtain personal details such as rank, unit, and in some cases, photographs. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The majority are men in their 30s and 40s many decorated for service, with five reportedly holding the prestigious title of Hero of Russia. A source within Russias Main Military Prosecutors Office told Verstka that investigations into such incidents are effectively blocked. They say: If we open this, it could harm operations. That means these officers have total impunity, the source explained. By torture and disciplinary pits One of the most brutal aspects uncovered by the report concerns the use of makeshift detention sites at the front lines. Soldiers accused of misconduct are often confined to cellars, pits, or holes dug into the ground and covered with metal grates. A serviceman named Yuri, who was part of the 114th Separate Guards Motor Rifle Brigade, described how detainees were left without food or water and subjected to repeated beatings. Some prisoners die right there in the pit, while survivors are sometimes forced to kill one another, he said. In certain units, these punishments escalated into violent spectacles resembling gladiator fights. One video circulated online in May earlier this year showed two shirtless soldiers locked in a pit, being ordered to fight as a voice from above shouted, Commander Kama basically said whoever beats the other one to death gets out of the pit. The clip ends when one man collapses motionless to the ground, prompting the unseen voice to yell, Finish him off already, what are you waiting for? STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Such acts, according to Verstka, reflect a system where physical and psychological terror is used to enforce discipline. By executions and suicide missions Another method of punishment involves sending soldiers on meat assaults mass frontal attacks against heavily fortified Ukrainian positions. Troops are often ordered to advance unarmed or without proper protective gear, effectively serving as human shields to expose enemy fire points. A mobilised soldier named Alexey recounted how those refusing to take part in such missions within the 2nd Battalion of the 7th Separate Guards Motor Rifle Brigade were executed. Youre not actually going to reach those positions theyll just tear you apart with drones. Thats why people refuse, he said. According to him, those who disobeyed were shot and their bodies dumped in rivers or hidden in nearby forests. Before these assaults, commanders sometimes confiscated soldiers bank cards and demanded PIN codes for relatives, signalling an expectation of their imminent deaths. Drone warfare has also been weaponised for internal executions. In multiple cases, officers allegedly instructed drone operators to drop grenades on retreating or wounded soldiers, disguising the killings as Ukrainian strikes. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD How money plays a role into this While discipline and control are common explanations for these killings, Verstkas findings suggest that money is an equally significant motive. Several testimonies point to extortion rackets run by officers who demanded payments in exchange for sparing soldiers from suicide missions. Those who could not pay were zeroed. In one particularly grim case, Vladislav Berlyakov, a serviceman from the 6th Separate Guards Motor Rifle Brigade, said his comrade, Alexander Yurkov known by the call sign Odessa was killed after failing to hand over proceeds from drug sales that officers had forced him to conduct. Later that evening, I saw them put an old bulletproof vest and helmet on Odessa, then place two grenades under him and detonate them, Berlyakov said. After that, to conceal the signs of beating that could be detected during a medical examination, they left the body out in the heat for several days until it began to decompose. Then they sent it back home labelled killed in action. How the evidence continues to mount The investigation also reveals that Russias military prosecutors have received tens of thousands of complaints since the invasion began. Data obtained by Verstka from internal records show that nearly 29,000 complaints were filed in the first half of 2025 alone, 12,000 of which concerned abuses committed by commanders against their own troops. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Since the start of the full-scale invasion, more than 12,000 complaints related to internal killings have been logged. Yet only 10 criminal cases have been opened, and just five officers have been convicted. Sources told Verstka that field commanders enjoy almost complete protection from prosecution. The Main Military Prosecutors Office reportedly operates under an informal directive prohibiting investigations into active combat officers, a rule said to prevent harm to ongoing operations. This has left families and survivors disillusioned and fearful. One mobilised soldier told the outlet, When the guys come back and realize they wont be sent to storm positions again, prison wont scare them anymore. Many officers will have to hide and those who return will be drinking. Another soldier warned that the violence seen at the front would inevitably spread inside Russia, adding that authorities still failed to grasp the scale of the problem. How the practice is spreading across the army Initially, accounts of internal executions were linked to penal units composed of ex-convicts recruited by Russias Defence Ministry and private military groups. These formations, numbering in the tens of thousands, were notorious for their extreme methods and lack of discipline. However, Verstkas findings show that the same violent practices have since become embedded within regular army formations. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Analysts attribute this to the influx of former prisoners into the military, bringing with them a criminalised mindset and normalising the use of extreme violence as a disciplinary measure. The blurring of lines between penal and professional units has contributed to a culture where commanders see execution as a legitimate tool of control. The average age of perpetrators identified in Verstkas investigation is just over 40, many of them veterans of previous Russian conflicts in Chechnya, Georgia, or Syria. A number have been decorated for bravery, highlighting how the state continues to reward figures implicated in atrocities. How crimes are covered up To conceal internal killings, commanders often manipulate casualty reports and battlefield records. Soldiers executed for disobedience are listed as deserters or missing, while their remains are tampered with to simulate combat injuries. Witnesses described a common practice in which bodies were left on the battlefield and fired upon with assault rifles to create evidence of combat deaths. In some cases, bodies were detonated with explosives to destroy traces of torture. Families of such soldiers typically receive no official notification or compensation, as the state classifies deserters as ineligible for benefits. Verstkas findings were corroborated by earlier work from Vot Tak, another independent outlet that published its own database of 50 commanders accused of killing subordinates. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Many of the individuals listed by Vot Tak also appear in Verstkas records, suggesting overlapping evidence and growing documentation of the same network of abusers. How the Kremlin has responded The Kremlin has consistently denied allegations of widespread abuse or indiscipline within its forces, dismissing reports like Verstkas as Western propaganda or attributing similar misconduct to the Ukrainian army instead. No senior Russian official has commented directly on the most recent findings. Inside Russia, the issue remains taboo. State-controlled media rarely report on internal violence in the military, and soldiers families who speak publicly risk harassment or legal threats under laws prohibiting discrediting the armed forces. Despite the mounting evidence, almost none of the officers implicated have faced meaningful prosecution. According to Verstka, the few convictions recorded relate to lower-ranking individuals, while most senior officers continue to serve in combat zones. As veterans return to Russia bearing trauma and resentment, there are growing fears that the same brutality that defined the front lines could seep into civilian life. As one soldier grimly put it, When the guys come back and realise they wont be sent to storm positions again, prison wont scare them anymore. Also Watch: With inputs from agencies A new water war is brewing, and India may find itself involved. New Delhi has extended its support to Afghanistan, which has announced that it plans to build a dam on the Pakistan-bound Kunar River. What would this move mean for Islamabad? Will the country be left thirsting? Amid the tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan, Taliban-ruled Afghanistan announced that it is planning to build dams and restrict water to Pakistan. File image/AFP Is there a new water brewing? New Delhi has extended its support to Afghanistan to build a dam over the Kunar River, which it shares with Pakistan, at a time when the two nations are at loggerheads. The announcement from Indias Ministry of External Affairs comes days after the Taliban-led Afghanistan announced its plans of building dams and restricting water to Pakistan similar to Indias Indus Waters move following the Pahalgam attack. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD If you are confused about whats going on, we explain it all from the dam that Afghanistan wants to build to Indias support for it and how it will affect Pakistan. Pakistan-Afghanistan land tensions turn into a water war Amid the latest border tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan, the Taliban-led government borrowed from Indias playbook to restrict water to Islamabad, announcing that it would be building dams across the Kunar River as soon as possible. The order came from the ruling Talibans Supreme Leader Mawlawi Hibatullah Akhundzada, acting Water Minister Mullah Abdul Latif Mansoor said on X earlier this month. In his post, the minister said, Afghans have the right to manage their own water and that construction would be led by domestic firms rather than foreign. For those who dont know, the Kunar River, which runs for 5,000 kilometres, originates from the Hindu Kush mountains in Chitral district of Pakistans Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. It then flows south into Afghanistan, running through the Kunar and Nangarhar provinces, before emptying into the Kabul River. A man leads a camel with men taking a ride on it along the Kabul river in the outskirts of Peshawar. The Kunar River originates in Pakistans Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. It then flows south into Afghanistan, before emptying into the Kabul River that flows back in Pakistan. File image/Reuters These combined waters then flow back into Pakistan. It is one of the largest to flow into Pakistan and just like the Indus, it is a key source of irrigation, drinking water and hydroelectric power, specifically for the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa region. The Talibans decision to dam the river comes amid the violent clashes between the two nations at its boundary over the past few weeks. Both sides claim to have caused heavy casualties in these cross-border firings. Notably, Afghanistans move is similar to Indias actions in the aftermath of the Pahalgam attack in April. New Delhi had announced that it was putting the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance following the heinous incident, which claimed the lives of 26 people, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying that the agreement was unjust and one-sided and that blood and water cannot flow together. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD So, how India fits into Afghanistans dam plan On Thursday, India came out in support of Afghanistans plan to build a dam on the Kunar River, saying it stands ready to support Kabul in sustainable water management, including on hydroelectric projects. This development came during the Ministry of External Affairs press briefing when spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal was asked if India would consider building or funding a dam along the Kunar. Jaiswal noted that said theres a history of cooperation between India and Afghanistan on such issues and that the joint statement issued during Afghan Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqis visit to New Delhi clearly emphasises that India stands ready to support all efforts of Afghanistan that are directed towards sustainable management of water resources, including hydroelectric projects. You also would know that between the two countries, there has been a long history of cooperation on water matters. The Salma Dam, for example, is a perfect example of this cooperation, he added. The Salma Dam mentioned by Jaiswal, built in Afghanistans in Herats Cheshte Sharif district, is one of the largest dams in the country and provides irrigation water and electricity to thousands of families in the province. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD As it was funded by India, it is also known as the Afghan-India Friendship Dam. The plant has a power generation capacity of 42 MW and is also a major irrigation resource that can irrigate 75,000 hectares of agricultural land. It was completed and inaugurated by PM Modi in 2016 after it overcame many hurdles, including its remote location. In furtherance to the issue, Jaiswal also noted that Pakistan was infuriated with Afghanistan exercising sovereignty over its own territories. Pakistan seems to think that it has the right to practice cross-border terrorism with impunity. Its neighbours find it unacceptable, he said, adding, India remains fully committed to the sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence of Afghanistan. A dam concern for Pakistan The Talibans decision to dam the Kunar River is a huge concern for Pakistan. Should Kabul go ahead and dam it, it will restrict the flow of the rivers water, which is crucial to the Pakistani people. In Pakistan, this river and its tributaries are indispensable for meeting the drinking water and sanitation needs of the more than two million residents of Peshawar city. Moreover, Pakistan receives an average of 17 million acre-feet (MAF) of water each year from the Kunar River. But if Afghanistan does build a dam on it, it could restrict Pakistans inflow by an estimated three MAF. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Officials also note that it the Kabul River is of importance for the early Kharif crop period from April 1 to June 10. This is because at this point of time, the Tarbela Dam hits a dead level and the Indus River carries minimal storage. Afghanistans move to dam a river and restrict water to Pakistan is similar to Indias move in the aftermath of the Pahalgam attack. Then, New Delhi put the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance. File image/Reuters Moreover, it will become a double water whammy for Pakistan facing squeeze on its rivers from India in the east and Afghanistan in the west. New Delhi, in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack, put the Indus Waters Treaty in abeyance, which has had already had a negative impact on Islamabad. In June, a Pakistan report indicated a 13.3 per cent year-on-year shortfall in water drawn from the Indus River System and supplied to already water-starved farms in the Punjab province following India halting a 1960 water-sharing treaty. The report by Pakistans Indus River System Authority said 124,500 cusecs were released from the Indus basin to dams on June 5, compared to the nearly 144,000 cusecs this time last year. The shortfall, experts said, will affect the sowing of Kharif, or monsoonal, crops. Monsoon rains could improve this supply but, at least till then, crops in Paks Punjab province are at stake. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD It seems that Pakistan may soon be left high and dry. It remains to be seen if they can get out of this situation. With inputs from agencies Over half a million bottles of a widely used blood pressure drug, prazosin hydrochloride capsules, have been recalled in the US. The drug, distributed by Teva Pharmaceuticals, contained trace levels of a potentially cancer-causing chemical, according to the FDA Teva Pharmaceuticals issued a voluntary recall of its prazosin hydrochloride capsules, a prescription drug widely used to treat high blood pressure.Image for Representation. Pixabay Over half a million bottles of a widely used blood pressure drug have been recalled in the US after testing revealed the presence of a potentially cancer-causing chemical. The voluntary recall, issued by New Jersey-based Teva Pharmaceuticals, involves its prazosin hydrochloride capsules, a medication commonly prescribed to treat hypertension and related conditions. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the company say the move was made out of caution to ensure patient safety while the investigations continue. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Heres what led to the recall, how serious the risk might be, and what patients who use this medication should do next. What triggered the nationwide recall? Teva Pharmaceuticals issued a voluntary recall of its prazosin hydrochloride capsules, a prescription drug widely used to treat high blood pressure. Prazosin works by relaxing blood vessels, helping blood flow more smoothly and easing the strain on the heart. While the medication is primarily approved by the FDA for treating hypertension, doctors also sometimes prescribe it off-label for managing symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), according to USA Today. The recall was triggered after it was discovered that certain batches of the drug might be contaminated with nitrosamine impurities, specifically N-nitroso Prazosin impurity C. Nitrosamines are chemicals that can be found naturally in small amounts in everyday items like water, grilled meats, and dairy, Everyday Health explains. While low exposure through food or water isnt considered dangerous, higher concentrations, especially in medications, can pose serious long-term health risks, including an increased risk of cancer, according to the FDA. As a precautionary step, Teva decided to pull back more than 580,000 bottles of the drug from the market. This includes 181,659 bottles of the 1 mg version, 291,512 bottles of 2 mg, and 107,673 bottles of 5 mg capsules, each containing up to 1,000 pills. How big is the risk level? According to the FDA, a Class II risk is a situation in which use of or exposure to a violative product may cause temporary or medically reversible adverse health consequences or where the probability of serious adverse health consequences is remote. Though the risk is considered moderate, the FDA stressed that nitrosamine contamination is a serious concern and must be addressed quickly. What should people do with recalled medicine? Neither Teva Pharmaceuticals nor the FDA has issued clear instructions on what to do with the recalled blood pressure medicine. However, American healthcare company GoodRx advises patients to check their lot number, contact their pharmacist or doctor, and safely dispose of the recalled medication. So far, Teva has not received any reports of adverse effects or complaints linked to the contaminated product. The company has urged patients who may have purchased the affected medication to reach out to their pharmacy where the prescription was filled, as well as their prescribing doctor. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Teva also warned against stopping the medication abruptly without medical advice, since any sudden change in blood pressure treatment could be dangerous. Any interruption in a medication regimen can pose serious risks, and switching to a new prescription must be done under proper medical supervision, the company said. This isnt the first such case. Companies like Pfizer, Merck, Sandoz, and Rising Pharmaceuticals have also recalled drugs in the past due to nitrosamine contamination, according to Beckers Hospital Review. Wth input from agencies In an era where power projection extends into supply chains and resource dependencies, rare earth resilience is not just an industrial challengeit is a geopolitical imperative Goldman Sachs, in its October 2025 report, has flagged the risk of disruption in the supply of rare earths and key minerals. The report says that a 10 per cent disruption in rare earths supply could cut global output by $150 billion. Light rare earths could be future targets for curbs as China expands export controls. The mounting risks to global supply chains of rare earths and other critical mineralsgiven Chinas dominance in mining and refiningare of concern. China controls 69 per cent of global rare earth mining, 92 per cent of refining, and 98 per cent of magnet manufacturing. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Rare earth elements (REEs) have become a flashpoint in geopolitics, as they are critical to high-tech industries and essential for applications ranging from batteries to computer chips, artificial intelligence, and defence equipment. Consequently, more nations are seeking to build independent REE and magnet supply chains. Samarium, graphite, lutetium, and terbium are particularly vulnerable to export curbs. Samarium, used in heat-resistant samarium-cobalt magnets, is vital for aerospace and defence. Cerium and lanthanum are reportedly future targets for curbs. Neodymium-Praseodymium Oxide (NdPrO) is critical for making magnets. Heavy rare earth elements are particularly scarce outside China and Myanmar, with most known deposits being small, lower-grade, or radioactive. Developing new mines requires eight to ten years, and refining REEs demands advanced expertise and infrastructure, typically taking five years to establish. Barriers from geological scarcity to technological complexity and environmental challenges remain substantial. Western producers reliance on China continues to be significant. Rare Earths and Their Applications Rare earths are a group of 17 metallic elementsscandium, yttrium, and the 15 lanthanidesthat are crucial for many modern technologies, including electronics, clean energy, and defence. They underpin over 200 advanced applications and are often referred to as the vitamins of modern industry. Although their name suggests rarity, they are not scarce in the Earths crust; rather, they are difficult to mine economically as they occur in dispersed, low-concentration deposits. These lustrous, silvery-white, soft, and somewhat reactive metals possess unique chemical, magnetic, and optical properties, making them vital for strong permanent magnets in electric motors, wind turbines, and consumer electronics; components in smartphones, laptops, and televisions; and key materials for rechargeable batteries, electric vehicles, and clean energy technologies. They are also used in lasers, glass polishing, catalytic converters, and medical imaging (MRI). STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Neodymium enables powerful magnets in electric motors, while europium provides the vibrant colours of screens. These properties are not easily substituted, making REEs critical even in minute quantities. They appear in everything from smartphones and wind turbines to LED lighting, electric vehicles, drones, and precision defence systems. Without REEs, production of many high-tech, green, and medical innovations would be severely constrained. Rare earths are critical for national security and military applications such as guidance systems, radar, and stealth technology. Every Lockheed Martin F-35 fighter jet, for instance, contains over 420 kg of rare earths. More than 2,500 kg of rare earths support a single Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer, and each Virginia-class submarine requires over 4,500 kg. The push for renewable energy, such as wind turbines and solar panels, is also a major driver of demand. Supply and Market Dynamics Global rare earth dynamics are shaped by the growing demand for these critical minerals in technology and the energy transition. China holds a near-monopoly, though efforts are underway to develop new mines and processing facilities in countries like the US, India, and Australia. Chinas dominance is the result of decades of state policy, giving it significant geopolitical leverage over semiconductors and defence systems. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Trade networks are evolving, with some Asian countries forming cohesive trade communities that could play mediating roles in the China-US trade relationship. While rare earths are not geographically scarce, economically viable concentrated deposits are rareespecially for heavy rare earths. Countries with the largest reserves include China, Brazil, and India. Global production of rare earth oxides has nearly tripled since 2017, reaching about 390,000 metric tons in 2024, driven by rising investment in renewable energy and electric vehicles. Rare Earths in India India has the worlds fifth-largest rare earth reservesestimated at approximately 8.52 million tonnesbut produces only a small fraction. The main source is monazite sand found along the eastern and southern coasts. Production has been slow due to difficult extraction, regulatory hurdles, and a lack of downstream industrial infrastructure beyond initial extraction. To meet clean energy and strategic autonomy goals, India is working to overcome these challenges through government initiatives, partnerships, and domestic supply chain development. Despite holding 5-8 per cent of the worlds rare earth reserves, Indias production is only around 2,900 tonnes per yearless than 1 per cent of global output. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Indias reserves have a low grade and are associated with radioactivity, making extraction complex and expensive. Securing mining permits, environmental and forestry approvals, and managing residential settlements have posed significant challenges for Indian Rare Earths Limited (IREL). While India has facilities for mining and refining into oxides, it lacks large-scale downstream facilities for producing alloys and magnets. Establishing a complete rare earth supply chain requires massive investment and nearly a decade to operationalise. Reducing dependence on Chinacurrently dominating the global marketis a key driver of Indias efforts. A reliable domestic supply is crucial for Indias 2070 net-zero target, as rare earth elements are essential for wind turbines and electric vehicle motors. The government is incentivising private investment and exploring new deposits and global partnerships to boost capabilities. Strategic Importance for Indias Future Rare earth elements are crucial enablers in four strategic areas. First, REEs are essential for renewable energy technologiesfrom magnets in wind turbines to catalysts in solar panels and batteries in electric vehicles. Expanding domestic capacity supports Indias climate targets and energy security by nurturing a local clean-tech industry. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Second, as India advances its digital economy and electronics manufacturing (smartphones, computers, and consumer goods), access to rare earths provides supply security. Third, defence systems like guided missiles, radar, and communication systems depend heavily on REE-based components; domestic production enhances national security by reducing exposure to geopolitical supply shocks. Finally, producing rare earths domestically will reduce import dependence and enable India to export high-value materials. Expanding Indias REE Capabilities Since April 2025, Beijing has imposed strict export controls on seven kinds of rare earth metals and related magnets, including samarium. Chinas Ministry of Commerce stated that these materials serve both civilian and defence-related purposes and that any exports would require special licences. This move disrupted global supply chains, especially in defence, EV, and high-tech manufacturing sectors. China dominates global samarium productiona material essential for advanced military applications. Beijings timing coincides with Western powers being stretched militarily due to prolonged conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza. This places greater urgency on India to act swiftly. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Indias vision of self-reliance, reinforced by pandemic-era supply disruptions, has placed REEs at the centre of its economic and security strategy. While not truly scarce, mining REEs is technically complex, and economically viable depositsespecially for heavy rare earthsare rare. For decades, China has dominated the global market. By the early 2000s, it produced over 95 per cent of the worlds supply, leveraging low costs and lax environmental rules. Even today, China controls nearly 70 per cent of global output. The United States and Myanmar each account for about 12 and 8 per cent, respectively, with Australia, Thailand, Nigeria, and others sharing the rest. Indias output remains modest at about 0.7 per cent of the global supply as of 2024. China, Brazil, and India have the largest reserve bases, followed by Australia, Russia, Vietnam, the US, and Greenland. Geopolitical tensions and the clean energy transition are pushing diversification away from China. India, with around 6.9 million metric tons of reservesthe worlds third largesthas significant potential. However, mine output, at 2,900 tonnes per year, has seen little growth despite India holding about 35 per cent of the worlds beach sand mineral deposits. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Bridging the gap between reserves and production could position India as a key long-term supplier. Recognising rare earths as strategic assets, the government has launched initiatives blending policy reform, funding incentives, and infrastructure projects to create a robust domestic ecosystem. The Rare Earth Theme Park Initiative aims to support pilot plants and demonstration facilities across the value chain, fostering entrepreneurship and skill development. Odisha Sands Complex (OSCOM), a flagship unit of IREL, is expanding processing capacity for mixed rare earth chlorides and upgrading infrastructure, including a private freight terminal and desalination plant. A planned Rare Earth Permanent Magnet plant will produce 3,000 kg of magnets for defence and clean energy applications. Joint ventures such as IREL-IDCOL are developing new mining and separation plants in Odisha. In Bhopal, a proposed Rare Earth and Titanium Theme Park seeks to commercialise laboratory-scale technologies and create an innovation hub for the sector. IREL, established in 1950, provides a historical foundation in rare earth processing. Building on this, the government aims to triple rare earth oxide production capacity by 2032. Private industry is also stepping upTrafalgar Engineering announced plans for Indias first integrated plant to produce rare earth metals, alloys, and magnets in late 2024. This vertical integration will help India move beyond raw material extraction to manufacturing high-technology goods. Major Indian firms like Vedanta Group, Hindustan Zinc Limited, Hindustan Copper, Mahindra, Uno Minda, and JSW Group are either active in or exploring the rare earth and magnet ecosystem. India is advancing Quad-based mineral cooperation and Production-Linked Incentive (PLI) programs to reduce dependency on China. The European Union is launching a strategic stockpiling programme for critical mineralsmirroring Japan, South Korea, and the USreflecting the global securitisation of supply chains. India may also consider similar strategic stockpiles, as it has done with crude reserves. Indias rare earths plans are at an inflection point. With KABIL (Khanij Bidesh India Ltd) and mining reforms, India is securing overseas assets and opening its rare earth sector to private players. With ample reserves, rising global demand, and strong policy support, India has what it takes to emerge as a major player. The governments sweeping reforms and incentives signal determination to turn mineral wealth into national power. Though challenges in technology and regulation are demanding, Indias long-term perspective is clear: to translate rare earth potential into economic growth, technological leadership, and strategic security. In an era where power projection extends into supply chains and resource dependencies, rare earth resilience is not just an industrial challengeit is a geopolitical imperative. The writer is former Director General, Centre for Air Power Studies. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views. The decision of Jaish-e-Mohammed, known for religious conservatism, to start a separate female brigade shows that it is flexible in making tactical changes and adjustments when it comes to the larger objective of jihad The recent decision of terror outfit Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) to establish Jamaat-ul-Muminat, a separate female brigade, is indeed a matter of grave concern. In Operation Sindoor, Indias retaliation following the Pahalgam terrorist attack, India struck nine terror camps inside Pakistan, including JeMs headquarters in Bahawalpur. Reportedly, the Indian strikes led to the near-total destruction of JeMs Bahawalpur complex and the death of 10 family members of Masood Azhar. Enraged and seething, Masood Azhar has launched massive fundraising and recruitment campaigns. These efforts highlight JeMs attempts to recover from its losses, rebuild its terror infrastructure and logistics, and revitalise the morale of its cadres and leadership. Raising a separate female brigade is part of this overall restructuring and rebuilding, but also an innovation, marking a decisive shift in its tactics. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Masood Azhars sister, Sadiya Azharwhose husband, Yusuf Azhar, died in the Indian strikes at Bahawalpurwill lead this brigade. It is recruiting the wives of JeM commanders and vulnerable women studying at JeM centres in Bahawalpur, Karachi, Kotli, Muzaffarabad, Haripur, and Mansehra. JeM has also launched an online course titled Tufat-ul-Muminat to train women for jihad. Female members of Masood Azhars family, including his sisters Sadiya and Samaira, and the widows of slain commanders, including Pulwama mastermind Umar Farooqs widow, Afeera Farooq, will deliver the 40-minute-long online lectures on jihad. The main objective is to indoctrinate and radicalise women for religious purposes and jihad-related tasks. It also includes sending women on suicide-bombing missions. Each participant will be charged PKR 500 for the course, which will also help in raising funds for the female brigade. At JeMs recent public event in Rawalakot (PoK), its leaders encouraged Dukhtaran-i-Islam, an Islamist organisation, to recruit members for the new unit. The main reason for starting online recruitment is the restrictive environment of Pakistani society, where womens open and free movement is difficult due to religious prohibitions. In his speech days after the formation of Jamaat-ul-Muminat, Masood Azhar urged women to join his global jihad against India, promising paradise in return. Justifying the formation of a female brigade, he claimed, The enemies of Jaish have put Hindu women into the army and set up female journalists against us, declaring that he is mobilising his women to compete and fight against them. According to intelligence sources, the idea of a separate female brigade is the brainchild of Masood Azhar and his brother Talha Saif. However, such assessments do not account for JeMs previous attempts to include women in jihad. Notably, the Pulwama mastermind, Umar Farooq, recruited a Kashmiri girl from the Pulwama district, Insha Jaan, and her friend as OGWs who rendered critical support in the planning and execution of the Pulwama fidayeen attack. Umar Farooq radicalised Insha and her friend. Insha even became his girlfriend. Umar Farooq narrated examples from the Palestinian jihadist movement and the black widows, the female suicide bombers of the Chechen jihadist movement, who killed themselves to avenge the deaths of their male relatives. He had almost planned to send them as suicide bombers; however, it did not materialise, and Adil Dar was recruited instead. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Even before that, whenever JeM terrorists arrived in Kashmir and stayed with Kashmiri families, they used the households females for minor errands. They treated them respectfully, unlike the Hizbul Mujahideen terrorists, who reportedly lacked toilet manners, spoke in rough language, and displayed high-handedness. Further, the JeM terrorists steadfast commitment to religion also attracted local girls. In the 2000s, JeM cadres engaged in intimate relationships with local girls. The security forces (SFs) often used these girls to trap and kill JeM commanders. In one such case, a JeM chief commander was madly in love with a local girl. The SFs recruited him and placed him in a safe house, where he stayed with his Kashmiri girlfriend and his handler, a local police inspector. Based on his information, the SFs neutralised the entire leadership of JeM in the Kashmir Valley. During his stay in the safe house, the JeM commander developed a cordial relationship with his handler. The JeM commanders girlfriend started tying Rakhi to the police inspector, treating him as her brother. Finally, the Indian SFs managed to get the JeM commander and his girlfriend safely to Pakistan. In Pakistan, he continued to help Indian agencies for several years, providing critical inputs about JeM cadres in the Valley. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD After the abrogation of Article 370, Indian agencies launched a massive crackdown on the separatist ecosystem, including the OGWs, financiers, local coordinators, and hawala dealers. Having lost the old OGWs, JeM started recruiting girls and young teenage boys as OGWs. JeM used these girls for transferring weapons, money, SIM cards, and other necessary items. JeM started using girls because they easily managed to evade security checks and scrutiny by Indias widespread intelligence network. In the future, JeM is likely to use girls for suicide-bombing missions. Further, with their online courses, JeM can find high-quality female jihadists in the Indian hinterland as well. Given the massive radicalisation and polarisation in Indias social landscape, it is likely that JeMs jihadist trap will lure Muslim girls. For Indian agencies, it will be challenging to identify such female jihadists who can be used for a wide range of purposesfrom suicide bombings and arranging logistics for terrorists to honey-trapping members of the Indian security forces and intelligence. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Lastly, it needs to be mentioned that JeM is known for religious conservatism and steadfast commitment to Islamic tenets. However, JeMs decision to start a separate female brigade shows that it is flexible in making tactical changes and adjustments when it comes to the larger objective of jihad. (The author is a Cornell University graduate in public affairs, bachelors from St Stephens College, Delhi and has done his PhD on Jaish-e-Mohammad. He is a policy analyst specialising in counterterrorism, Indian foreign policy and Afghanistan-Pakistan geopolitics. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views.) US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping met on October 30, 2025, on the sidelines of the APEC forum in Busan, South Korea. It was their first in-person meeting since 2019 and resulted in a one-year trade truce that temporarily eased tensions between the worlds two largest economies. The meetings significance lies in its potential to de-escalate the ongoing trade war, though fundamental issues remain unresolved. Trump said after the nearly two-hour meeting that it was friendly, and that he and the Chinese leader agreed to almost everything. Trump told reporters that on a scale from zero to 10, with 10 being the best, I would say the meeting was a 12, adding: It was an outstanding group of decisions I think that was made. In response to the meeting, Beijing released its own statement, where Xi said China and the US should not get caught in a vicious cycle of mutual retaliation. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The fentanyl precursors issue has created tension in US-China relations. The core of this issue is the American opioid crisis, which has led to tens of thousands of overdose deaths. Fentanyl is an opioid drug, like morphine or heroin. It is made entirely in laboratories, with no natural ingredients. Although it is approved as a prescription pain medicine, most of the fentanyl contributing to the current overdose crisis is made illegally. China is a primary source of the precursor chemicals required to manufacture fentanyl. In fact, Chinese chemical companies manufacture and export nearly all of the illicit fentanyl precursors used globally. The US has accused China of not doing enough to stop this flow. China has now assured the US that it would increase efforts to stop the flow of fentanyl precursor chemicals. In response to Chinese efforts to curb the flow of fentanyl precursors, Trump announced a cut in the fentanyl tariff on Chinese goods from 20 per cent to 10 per cent, which lowered the overall US tariff rate on Chinese imports from 57 per cent to 47 per cent. China also agreed to immediately resume and increase purchases of American soybeans, corn, and other agricultural products. Following trade tensions with China, the US had lost one of its biggest buyers of these crops, resulting in large surpluses. Chinas large pig and chicken farming operations create a huge demand for soybeans and corn, but due to tensions over tariffs, China has significantly reduced or stopped its purchases of US corn and soybeans. China had instead turned to suppliers in South America, such as Brazil and Argentina, to meet its needs. This resulted in a sharp drop in US exports and created financial hardship for American farmers. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Corn and soybeans are important to Donald Trump due to their political significance in key agricultural states such as Iowa, Ohio, and Wisconsin, which have been a crucial part of Trumps voter base. These states are major producers of corn and soybeans, making issues that affect these crops politically sensitive for Trump. Chinas decision to resume soybean and corn purchases from the US is a relief for the Trump administration and for American farmers, as it represents a potential de-escalation of trade tensions and a boost for agricultural exports. Trump hailed the move as a very nice gesture and part of a deal with Xi Jinping to buy tremendous amounts of agricultural products. China agreed to postpone new export restrictions on its rare earth metals for one year, providing a crucialif temporarywin for the US, which heavily relies on these minerals for advanced technology and defence. It may be recalled that China had announced new export controls on a range of strategic materials, including expanded restrictions on rare earth elements, super-hard materials, and high-performance lithium battery components. These are crucial for advanced technologies and defence. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Reciprocal maritime fees had also escalated tensions. In October 2025, the US and China began imposing reciprocal maritime port fees on each others vessels. After the Trump-Xi meeting, the two sides agreed to suspend these special port fees targeting each others vessels for one year. The two sides agreed to work towards properly resolving issues related to the social media app TikTok. The TikTok issue between the US and China is primarily a conflict over national security, centred on concerns that Chinas government could access American user data or influence the platforms powerful recommendation algorithm through TikToks Chinese parent company, ByteDance. This has led to a US law mandating ByteDance to divest its US operations, though a recently finalized deal aims to resolve this by creating a US-controlled entity with US investors taking a majority stake. China has opposed US attempts to force the sale of TikTok, viewing such actions as bandit logic and an unfair suppression of Chinese enterprises. Despite its opposition, China has indicated it will work with the US to resolve the issue. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Following the Trump-Xi meeting, the US suspended new restrictions on Chinese subsidiaries from acquiring American technology for one year. Trump confirmed that Nvidias most advanced Blackwell AI chips were not part of the concessions that would allow sales to China. The agreements between Trump and Xi are a partial freeze that lowers the temperature on escalating trade hostilities, which have been fuelled by tit-for-tat tariffs throughout 2025. Many core tensions remain unsettled, including the fate of TikTok in the US and broader disagreements over trade practices and technology. The truce is temporary, leaving open the possibility of renewed escalation. However, the agreements provide domestic political advantages for both leaders. For Trump, the deal delivered tangible results on trade and the opioid crisis. For Xi, it showed that China would not be bullied and could achieve concessions. While the summit produced immediate results, it also highlighted a key shift in global dynamics. The focus on bilateral negotiations and transactional deals signals a continued move away from multilateral institutions. This benefits China, which seeks to be viewed as a stable global power while the U.S. shifts its approach. The perception of a US-China G-2 (grouping of two biggest global powers) partnership may dilute the strength of the Quada security and diplomatic partnership between the US, India, Japan, and Australia, designed to counter Chinas influence in the Indo-Pacific. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The outcome of the October 30, 2025, meeting between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping is expected to have a complex impact on India. While the bilateral trade truce between the US and China may ease some global economic uncertainty, it also places India at a new, and potentially less favourable, economic and geopolitical crossroads. The US reduced tariffs on Chinese goods, but not on Indian goods. This places India at a trade disadvantage. India and Brazil now face the highest US tariffs among major trading partners. The tariff disparity is likely to increase pressure on India to negotiate a trade deal with the US. The de-escalation of US-China trade tensions reduces the immediate incentive for companies to shift their supply chains out of China. This could slow down Indias efforts to position itself as an alternative manufacturing hub, particularly in the tech sector. In conclusion, the Trump-Xi meeting delivered a tactical pause rather than a strategic breakthrough in the US-China relationship. While a temporary agreement was reached, the fundamental competitive dynamics remain. This suggests that periods of tension and de-escalation are likely to characterise the relationship for the foreseeable future. The temporary nature of the agreements highlights Chinas strategic leverage, particularly concerning its dominance of the rare earth minerals supply chain. Beijing demonstrated its ability to weaponise economic resources, effectively forcing concessions from the US on tariffs and export controls. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The future of US-China relations is likely to be a complex mix of continued strategic competition and a pragmatic search for stability and cooperation on select issues like fentanyl control. While both nations recognise the need for a steady relationship, they will continue to face fundamental differences and mistrust, especially concerning economic models and Chinas growing global influence. Short-term efforts will likely focus on de-escalating tensions through dialogue, with potential for agreements on specific trade and security matters. (The writer is a retired Indian diplomat and had previously served as Ambassador in Kuwait and Morocco and as Consul General in New York. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect Firstposts views.) US President Donald Trumps decision to resume testing of the countrys nuclear weapons has led to the US Congress being divided, with Democrats calling it a dangerous and misguided retaliation. U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to members of the press as he departs the White House for Joint Base Andrews on October 24, 2025 in Washington, DC.- AFP US President Donald Trump's decision to resume testing of the countrys nuclear weapons has led to the US Congress being divided, with Democrats calling it a dangerous and misguided retaliation. The move, announced as a warning to Russia, has left Congress divided over national security and foreign policy. While Republicans are lauding Trumps push back against the Russian aggression and President Vladimir Putins nuclear sabre-rattling, Democrats are questioning the utility, safety, financing and precedent of such a step. It would be a mistake for us to do this because we have nothing, we have very little to gain, said Democratic Senator Mark Kelly, a member of the Senate Armed Services subcommittee with oversight of Americas nuclear arsenal. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD If we did a test and then China decided, OK, Im going to start testing. Theyll start testing their nuclear weapons, then their strategic forces capability gets much better, Kelly told reporters Thursday. We have zero to gain. This would be a gift to China. More from World Latvia's parliament votes to quit treaty on preventing violence against women Senator Elizabeth Warren, another Democratic member of the Senate committee, questioned why Republicans are not concerned about the money needed for testing while the Trump administration has been adamant about lowering federal spending. The Department of Defence has a long history of understating costs and claiming shorter timelines for these giant nuclear programs. They sell Congress on a rosy picture of how it will all work out, she said. As soon as Congress signs on the dotted line, the costs start going up, and the time to completion stalls, rolling further and further out Republicans should be just as outraged as Democrats over the DODs lack of honesty about how this program is operating." Some also pointed out that Trump announced the move at a time when the government was under a shutdown, causing concern for several agencies. Republicans hail Trump While the Trump administration has faced backlash from the Democrats, Republicans have been standing resolutely with the president. Trump made the controversial announcement in a Truth Social post Thursday morning in South Korea, shortly before he met with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Shortly after Trumps proclamation, Putin boasted of testing new nuclear-powered and nuclear-capable missiles. This is not escalatory, said Sen. James Risch (R-Idaho), chair of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, calling Putin a madman trying to push Trumps boundaries. Nobody believes hes [Putin] going to use nuclear weapons having said that, hes been doing this all along, trying to intimidate Trump. I think Trump was saying, Im not intimidated about it. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Meanwhile, Speaker of the House, Mike Johnson, supported Trump when asked about the presidents directive to the Pentagon. He said that Trumps initiative sends a strong message to the United States adversaries. The commander in chief wants us to be fully prepared. We are the last great superpower on Earth. China intends to be a near peer-to-peer advisory to us, Johnson told reporters Thursday morning. But in order to maintain peace around the world, you have to show strength, and thats what the president believes in. Thats what hes demonstrated over and over. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), a defence hawk and a close ally of the president, said Trumps directive to the Department of Defence (DOD) was a response to Putin, whom Trump has been pressuring to negotiate a peace deal to end the ongoing war in Ukraine. I think Putins misjudging Trump, Graham told The Hill on Thursday. You threaten our country. You will regret it. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD However, some Republican senators acknowledged that the presidents directive lacked details. Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) said Thursday he will have to see what Trump means regarding testing nuclear weapons but emphasised that the US has to keep its nuclear forces modernised for sure. Overall, Trumps latest move has left the country divided. President Donald Trump reiterated Friday that he wants testing of US nuclear weapons but again failed to clarify whether he meant live explosions in a directive that has provoked global tension, as well as some confusion. U.S. President Donald Trump speaks to members of the media on board Air Force One on October 31, 2025 at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland. - AFP In a move that has reignited fears of a new nuclear arms race, US President Donald Trump reiterated on Friday his intention to resume nuclear weapons testing but again refused to clarify whether he was referring to live explosive tests. His ambiguous remarks have heightened global unease and triggered a chorus of condemnation from world leaders, peace advocates and non-proliferation experts. Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on his way to Florida, Trump said, Youll find out very soon, but were going to do some testing, yeah and other countries do it. If theyre going to do it, were going do it. When pressed on whether he meant explosive detonations, he added only, I am not going to say. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The statement followed his surprise announcement on social media a day earlier posted just minutes before a summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping in South Korea in which the 79-year-old Republican leader declared his intent to order testing of US nuclear weapons. The statement immediately sparked confusion and alarm among diplomats, with many noting that no country other than North Korea has conducted an explosive nuclear weapons test in over three decades. Russia and China have not carried out such detonations since the 1990s, while the United States last live test occurred in 1992 under President George H.W. Bush. Since then, Washington has relied on computer simulations and subcritical experiments to maintain the reliability of its nuclear stockpile under the moratorium that Bush imposed. Global backlash and renewed nuclear anxieties Trumps declaration comes amid rising international tensions following Russias announcement that it had tested a nuclear-powered, nuclear-capable torpedo and a new cruise missile. The timing of Trumps statement, framed as a response to rival powers has been widely interpreted as an attempt to project US strength but has instead drawn sharp criticism from allies and adversaries alike. Will US have the same right to question Iran if it resumes nuclear testing? Irans foreign ministry called Trumps directive regressive and irresponsible. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi went further on social media, accusing Washington of hypocrisy: A nuclear-armed bully is resuming testing of atomic weapons. The same bully has been demonising Irans peaceful nuclear program. Having rebranded its Department of Defense as the Department of War, a nuclear-armed bully is resuming testing of atomic weapons. The same bully has been demonizing Iran's peaceful nuclear program and threatening further strikes on our safeguarded nuclear facilities, all in pic.twitter.com/ft4ZGWnFiw Seyed Abbas Araghchi (@araghchi) October 30, 2025 In Japan, where memories of Hiroshima and Nagasaki remain vivid, the atomic bomb survivors group Nihon Hidankyo submitted a formal protest to the U.S. embassy. The Nobel Peace Prize-winning organisation wrote that the move directly contradicts the efforts by nations around the world striving for a peaceful world without nuclear weapons and is utterly unacceptable. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Divided voices within Washington Despite global outrage, several senior members of the Trump administration defended the presidents position. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth described resuming testing as a pretty responsible step, arguing that it would ensure the effectiveness of Americas nuclear arsenal. Vice President JD Vance echoed that sentiment, insisting that the weapons must be periodically tested to guarantee they function properly, though neither official specified whether the administration was planning subcritical or live explosive trials. However, the administrations silence on the specifics has fuelled uncertainty about whether Trump intends to break with decades of bipartisan adherence to the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT). The US signed the treaty in 1996, joining 185 other nations in pledging to ban all atomic test explosions, but has never formally ratified it. The ambiguity has prompted concern that Trumps statement could undermine the fragile global testing norm and encourage rival powers to follow suit. United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, through a spokesperson, warned that nuclear testing can never be permitted under any circumstances, urging Washington to maintain its moratorium and recommit to non-proliferation efforts. Russia, China and the spectre of escalation Moscow, which recently showcased new nuclear-capable weapons, pushed back against any suggestion that its activities justified Trumps move. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov dismissed the idea that Russias weapons trials amounted to nuclear testing and implied that Trump had been misinformed. The recent weapons drills cannot in any way be interpreted as a nuclear test, Peskov said, adding pointedly, We hope that the information was conveyed correctly to President Trump. Yet Peskov also hinted that Russia could respond in kind if the US were to proceed with live detonations, raising fears of a renewed tit-for-tat dynamic reminiscent of the Cold War. According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), Russia currently holds about 4,309 deployed and stored nuclear warheads, compared to 3,700 for the United States and roughly 600 for China. These figures exclude hundreds of warheads awaiting dismantlement but they underline the vast destructive capacity still in existence, even amid decades of arms control efforts. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD A turning point for global non-proliferation If Trump follows through on his threat, analysts warn it could dismantle one of the cornerstone achievements of post-Cold War diplomacy: the near-universal halt to nuclear test explosions. Since 1992, every US president Republican and Democrat alike has upheld the testing moratorium. A decision to resume testing would shatter that consensus, potentially prompting reciprocal tests by Russia, China or even emerging nuclear states. The broader fear is that such a move could erode global confidence in existing treaties, complicate arms control negotiations, and push the world closer to a destabilising new arms race. As one senior European diplomat put it, If the United States resumes nuclear tests, it wont just be about one explosion in the desert it will be about the collapse of decades of restraint. For now, the world is waiting to see whether Trumps rhetoric will turn into action. But as diplomatic pressure mounts and global anxiety deepens, one thing is clear: the presidents words have already shaken the fragile balance of nuclear deterrence and raised troubling questions about what comes next. With inputs from agencies After the second round of talks in Turkey, Afghanistan and Pakistan agreed to extend the ceasefire on Thursday. Next peace talks scheduled to take place on November 6 Afghan Taliban's Defence Minister Mullah Mohammad Yaqoob Mujahid and Pakistani Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif shake hands following the signing of a ceasefire agreement during negotiations mediated by Qatar and Turkey in Doha, Qatar, on October 19, 2025. (File Photo: Qatar Ministry of Foreign Affairs/Handout via Reuters) After the second round of talks in Turkey, Afghanistan and Pakistan agreed to extend the ceasefire on Thursday. According to a statement released by the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the talks between the two nations were mediated by both Ankara and Qatar. The statement noted that the talks were held between 25 and 30 October in Istanbul. Negotiators from Turkey, Qatar, Afghanistan and Pakistan sat down to discuss ways to strengthen the ceasefire, which had been agreed upon in Qatar. Earlier this month, Islamabad and Kabul engaged in a brief military conflict at the border, which resulted in several fatalities. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Afghanistan, Pakistan, Turkiye and Qatar held meetings in Istanbul from 25 to 30 October 2025 aimed at solidifying the ceasefire that was agreed by Afghanistan and Pakistan in Doha on 1819 October 2025, with the mediation of Turkiye and Qatar. All parties have agreed on the continuation of the ceasefire, the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement. Next meeting on 6 November It also noted that additional principles for the implementation of the ceasefire would be discussed and finalised during a high-level meeting to be held on 6 November in Istanbul. All parties have agreed to put in place a monitoring and verification mechanism that will ensure the maintenance of peace and impose a penalty on the violating party, the ministry stated. As mediators, Turkiye and Qatar express their appreciation for the active contributions of both parties and stand ready to continue cooperation with both sides for lasting peace and stability, the statement further read. Initially, a 48-hour ceasefire was announced on 15 October after intense border clashes between the two sides. It was later extended until the conclusion of the Doha talks, with the support of Turkiye and Qatar. The military escalation between the two nations intensified after Pakistan conducted two strikes in Kabul, while the Talibans Foreign Minister, Amir Muttaqi, was on a six-day visit to India. Amid concerns over delays to the Artemis programme, which aims to return humans to the Moon, SpaceX has pitched a simplified Starship landing plan to NASA, claiming it would be faster and safer. Elon Musks SpaceX on Thursday said it proposed to Nasa a simplified plan to send humans to the Moon using its Starship rocket, as the agency presses its contractors to move more quickly toward beating China to the lunar surface this decade. In response to the latest calls, weve shared and are formally assessing a simplified mission architecture and concept of operations that we believe will result in a faster return to the Moon while simultaneously improving crew safety, SpaceX wrote in a lengthy blog post on its website describing Starship progress. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Nasa faces intense competition from China in its effort to return astronauts to the Moon, where no humans have gone since the final US Apollo mission in 1972. Nasa tapped SpaceX in 2021 to use Starship for the first two Artemis Moon landing missions, with Jeff Bezos Blue Origin later winning an award for other Artemis missions. But the US space agency this year has been entangled in political chaos over concerns that its moon landing contractors are not moving quickly enough, the Trump administrations plans to reduce the agencys workforce and Nasas vacancy of a permanent administrator. That role is currently held on a temporary basis by Sean Duffy, also head of the Transportation Department. Last week, Duffy said in TV remarks that SpaceX was lagging in Starship development and that the agency would open up the companys Artemis contract to rival companies who can pitch a faster plan to land humans on the lunar surface. SpaceX, in its blog post, said it has accomplished dozens of milestones associated with its Starship moon lander contract and that it plans to execute key future milestones next year, including a long-duration flight test. SpaceX has launched 11 Starship tests so far in its test-to-failure development campaign. Another key milestone SpaceX expects in 2026 is executing a complex in-space refueling demonstration, a tricky process that has never been done before but is required for Starship to have enough fuel to reach the lunar surface. Multiple Starship tanker flights will take place to fill up the moon-bound Starship in space, per the architecture. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Nasa had been expecting such a demonstration to occur as early as 2024, but SpaceXs whirlwind development and test-launches of Starship have hit snags. Later this year or early next year, the company plans to begin launching an upgraded Starship prototype outfitted with features designed for in-space refueling. SpaceX said the timing of the in-space refueling test will be driven by how upcoming flight tests debuting the new Starship V3 architecture progress, but both of these tests are targeted to take place in 2026. (This is an agency story. Except for the headline, the story has not been edited by Firstpost staff.) A South African judge has overturned the 1967 finding that Albert Luthulis death was accidental, with his family and the ANC hailing the ruling as long-overdue justice for the anti-apartheid icon Albert Luthuli was the first African to win the Nobel Peace Prize in 1960. AFP File A South African court has ruled that Nobel laureate Albert Luthuli, the first African to win the Nobel Peace Prize, died as a result of an assault by apartheid police, overturning decades of claims that his 1967 death was accidental, according to a BBC report. An inquest conducted under the apartheid government had concluded that Luthuli, then leader of the banned African National Congress (ANC), died after being struck by a freight train while walking along a railway line. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Activists and his family long questioned those findings, prompting the government to reopen the case earlier this year. Delivering the judgment on Thursday, Judge Nompumelelo Radebe said the evidence presented at the reopened inquest pointed to a fractured skull and cerebral haemorrhage consistent with an assault, rather than an accident, reported BBC. Luthulis family welcomed the ruling. Luthuli received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1960 for leading the fight against apartheid. The ANC, under his leadership and that of his successors, continued the struggle against white-minority rule and came to power following South Africas first democratic elections in 1994. South Africas National Prosecuting Authority reopened investigations in April amid long-standing suspicions that apartheid authorities had killed Luthuli and covered up the circumstances of his death. It is found that the deceased died as a result of a fractured skull, cerebral haemorrhage and concussion of the brain associated with an assault, BBC quoted Judge Nompumelelo as saying in her ruling. The court found that Albert Luthulis death was caused by assault by members of the security special branch of the South African police, acting in concert and in common purpose with employees of the South African Railway Company, Judge Nompumelelo said. She named seven men whose whereabouts could not be ascertained as being responsible for or complicit in the murder. If located, they could face criminal charges. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD After the judgment was delivered, a spokesperson for the Luthuli family called it the first part of finally getting justice. ANC national spokesperson Mahlengi Bhengu welcomed the ruling, saying it corrected a long-standing distortion of history. She added, This ruling brings justice, truth and dignity to the memory of one of South Africas greatest sons and to all those who suffered under apartheid brutality. The Pietermaritzburg High Court ruling forms part of broader efforts by South African authorities to revisit apartheid-era cases and deliver long-delayed justice. Last month, prosecutors reopened the inquest into the 1977 death of anti-apartheid leader Steve Biko, who died in police custody after being tortured. In May, President Cyril Ramaphosa established a judicial commission to probe alleged interference in investigations and prosecutions of apartheid-era crimes. With inputs from agencies US President Donald Trump would skip the gathering, having returned to the US on Thursday after meeting Xi in Busan. The leaders summit is taking place in South Koreas Gyeongju and will feature the participation of 21 APEC member economies, guest nations, and representatives of international organisations People hold Chinese and South Korean flags, as a motorcade believed to be carrying Chinese President Xi Jinping departs Gimhae International Airport after a bilateral meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump. Reuters The Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation leaders summit commenced on Friday, providing a platform for direct interaction between Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, known for her anti-China rhetoric, and Chinese President Xi Jinping. US President Donald Trump would skip the gathering, having returned to the US on Thursday after meeting Xi in Busan. The leaders summit is taking place in South Koreas Gyeongju and will feature the participation of 21 APEC member economies, guest nations, and representatives of international organisations. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The theme for this years summit is Towards a More Connected Resilient Region and Beyond. South Koreas presidential office has said that participating leaders are expected to discuss ways to make the Asia-Pacific region more open, dynamic and resilient. Whats on the agenda? As the host of this years APEC meetings, South Korea aims to secure a joint statementtentatively called the Gyeongju Declaration that reflects the shared vision of all participating economies while showcasing its own priorities, including artificial intelligence (AI) development and responses to demographic shifts. During the two sessions, APEC leaders will consider proposals from their foreign and trade ministers on how to enhance prosperity across the Asia-Pacific region. Key areas of focus include strengthening supply chain resilience, advancing digital transformation, and deepening regional cooperation. Much attention will be given to whether the leaders can build consensus on the future direction of international trade, amid varying perspectives on the global free trade framework anchored in multilateralism and the WTO system. In recent years, the majority of APEC members have reaffirmed their support for free trade and their commitment to a rules-based multilateral trading order under the WTO. Takaichi-Xi meeting Takaichi met with Trump on Tuesday, who welcomed her pledge to accelerate a military buildup and signed a series of deals on trade and rare earths. Beijing will be wary of the US and Japan forging closer ties under Takaichi, analysts say, seeing it as a potential shift in the balance of power across the Asia-Pacific region. Chinas Foreign Minister Wang Yi said that Xi is expected to meet Takaichi during the summit, adding, China has noticed several positive signals coming out of Japans new cabinet. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD With inputs from agencies As Donald Trump skips the APEC summit, Xi Jinping seizes the moment to project China as the new champion of multilateralism, exposing a widening power vacuum in global economic leadership. President Donald Trump left, and Chinese President Xi Jinping, shake hands before their U.S.-China summit talk at Gimhae International Airport in Busan, South Korea, Thursday, Oct. 30, 2025. (AP Photo) Moments after USChina trade talks concluded in Busan, Air Force One departed for Washington while Chinese President Xi Jinpings motorcade sped toward the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit 80 kilometres away, a scene that vividly symbolised the shifting centre of global economic power. While US President Donald Trump wrapped up his whirlwind 24-hour visit to South Korea and headed home, Xi arrived at the regional forum to a chorus of applause from delegates. The contrast was unmistakable: Americas America First retreat met Chinas pitch for global leadership through multilateralism. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Xi steps into the vacuum Xis arrival at APEC highlighted Beijings bid to occupy the diplomatic space left by Washingtons withdrawal from collective global forums. Addressing the leaders of 21 Pacific Rim economies, Xi urged them to practice true multilateralism and strengthen the World Trade Organisation (WTO) as the foundation of the international trading system. The more turbulent the times, the more we must work together, Xi said during the summits opening session in the South Korean city of Gyeongju. He called for updated global trade rules to reflect the changing times and better protect the interests of developing nations, a thinly veiled reference to Washingtons protectionist stance. In remarks sent to the APEC CEO Summit, Xi promised that China would remain open to investment, describing participation in the Chinese market as investing in the future. Washington steps back Trumps absence from APEC, an institution co-founded by the US in 1989 to promote regional economic integration is considered a striking reversal of American engagement in Asia. The US president has long dismissed large multilateral gatherings as inefficient talk shops. Instead, he has favoured bilateral negotiations and tariffs, upending decades of US commitment to free trade. During his brief Asia tour, Trump concluded a 100-minute meeting with Xi in Busan, describing it as a roaring success. He announced plans to ease certain tariffs on China, while Beijing agreed to resume imports of American soybeans and relax curbs on rare earth exports. Yet, while the truce soothed markets rattled by months of trade tension, Trumps immediate departure for Washington where he later hosted the White Houses Halloween partysent a different signal. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent represented Washington at APEC, insisting that Americas participation remained strong and robust, though the optics suggested otherwise. Analysts say the decision to skip the forum cements an image of US disengagement from the multilateral order it once shaped. Chinas long game For Beijing, the optics could hardly be better. Xis back-to-back engagements from the ASEAN summit in Kuala Lumpur, where Chinese Premier Li Qiang signed an upgraded ChinaASEAN free trade agreement to APEC in Gyeongju in an aggressive diplomatic push. The upgraded free trade agreement only reinforces Chinas dominant posture in terms of regional economic engagement, said Yun Sun, co-director of the East Asia Program at the Stimson Center. In comparison, US bilateral deals are much more circumstantial and limited. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Chinas strategy goes beyond rhetoric. Its latest five-year plan explicitly prioritises safeguarding the multilateral trading system and deepening cross-border economic flows. Xi also used his APEC platform to call for stability in supply chains, a direct challenge to US efforts to decouple from Chinese manufacturing. Eric Olander of the China Global South Project said Beijings goal is clear: Through expanded trade, infrastructure development and logistics, China aims to bind this region to its economy so deeply that it becomes impossible for countries to disentangle themselves. Regional unease and realpolitik Despite Xis confident tone, many Asian nations remain wary. Japans new Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, both of whom met Xi on the sidelinesraised difficult issues, from trade disputes to geopolitical tensions. Japans foreign ministry spokesperson Toshihiro Kitamura voiced concerns about Beijings weaponisation of trade, pointing to Chinas latest restrictions on rare earth exports. China tries to portray itself as a guardian of free trade, Kitamura said. But when it uses resources to impose its political positions, that image collapses. Countries across the region face a delicate balancing act, courting Chinese investment while safeguarding autonomy. South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, hosting this years APEC, urged leaders to focus on shared prosperity even amid divergent national interests. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD A forum under strain APEC, representing nearly 40% of the global population and more than half of world trade, was founded to champion open markets. Yet this years meeting has highlighted the growing fragmentation of globalisation. Beyond the U.S.China rivalry, participants grappled with new challenges from AIs impact on jobs to demographic shifts and supply chain vulnerabilities. Leif-Eric Easley, professor of international studies at Ewha Womans University, said while the TrumpXi meeting prevented worst-case outcomes for global trade, it fell short of APECs broader purpose. The forum should be a platform for resisting protectionism, harmonising rules for sustainable trade, and coordinating digital innovation standards, he said. South Korea, as host, has sought to salvage consensus by pushing for a joint declaration focused on peace, prosperity, and AI cooperation. Whether that effort succeeds will depend largely on the same question that has shadowed this years summit: can multilateralism survive in an era defined by economic nationalism? For now, the answer may rest with the leaders who stayed behind and those who chose to leave. With inputs from agencies US Vice President JD Vance received major backlash after he told a group of college students in Mississippi that he hopes Second Lady Usha Vance, who is a Hindu, converts to Christianity. US Vice President JD Vance received major backlash after he told a group of college students in Mississippi that he hopes Second Lady Usha Vance, who is a Hindu, converts to Christianity. The vice president made the controversial remark while he was speaking at the University of Mississippi at an event sponsored by Turning Point USA, the group founded by slain Christian conservative activist Charlie Kirk. The comments came after Vance was questioned over his wifes faith. The former Ohio Senator replied that his wife grew up in what was not a particularly religious Hindu family and said they had always had an open dialogue on religious matters when it came to how they wanted to raise their three children. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD He went on to mention that Usha often attends church with him and expressed hopes that she will someday be moved by the same things that brought him to convert to Catholicism as an adult. I honestly do wish that because I believe in the Christian gospel, and I hope eventually, my wife comes to see it the same way, he said. JUST IN: JD Vance says he's raising his children Christian, and he hopes his agnostic wife, Usha, comes around to the Christian faith Vance's 8-year-old did his first Communion "about a year ago," and his two oldest kids go to a Christian school "Most Sundays, Usha comes pic.twitter.com/RuXAWOD58j Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) October 30, 2025 If she doesnt, then God says everybody has free will, so that doesnt cause a problem for me. Thats something you work out," he added. The American vice presidents controversial remarks soon gained backlash online. The condemnation that followed An Indian-American commentator named Deep Barot also weighed in, mocking Vances suggestion that his wife was once agnostic when she had admitted having been raised in the Hindu tradition. Usha Vance is Hindu, not agnostic. This is not very hard for you to follow. They even had a Vedic Hindu wedding and one of his kids names [sic] is Vivek, he wrote in the post, sharing a photograph from Vances wedding. Brot went on to call Vance the biggest hypocrite. Another Indian X user commented: Vance, a class A hypocrite, and noted that the vice president had credited his wifes faith with reinvigorating his interest in his own. Transgender activist Ari Drennen went on to suggest that Vance is going to be the first VP to get a divorce while in office. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Lol Usha Vance is Hindu not agnostic this is not very hard for you to follow. They even had a Vedic Hindu wedding and one of his kids name is Vivek. The biggest hypocrite of them all is JD Vance, which is why he isnt going for if nominated in 2028. pic.twitter.com/0rEoibWttv Deep Barot (@deepbarot) October 30, 2025 It is pertinent to note that Usha Vance has maintained that she has no intention to abandon her familys faith in favour of her husbands. In an interview with conservative commentator Meghan McCain in June, Usha said that she was not intending to convert or anything like that and told McCain that she and her husband have given their children each the choice of experiencing both of their respective religious traditions. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Hes going to be the first Vice President to get Divorced while in office https://t.co/JaZH5XAfEs Ari Drennen (@AriDrennen) October 30, 2025 The kids know that Im not Catholic, and they have plenty of access to the Hindu tradition from books that we give them, to things that we show them, to the recent trip to India, and some of the religious elements of that visit, she said at that time. Dogs of Chernobyl team visited the disaster site to capture, sterilise, and release dogs descended from those left behind after the 1986 nuclear reactor meltdown and evacuation. However, during the mission, the team was baffled to discover several dogs with striking blue fur A group called Dogs of Chernobyl, which looks after the stray population in the exclusion zone, recently shared a video showing several dogs in striking shades of blue wandering near abandoned buildings. Image courtesy: Instagram/@DogsofChernobyl The bizarre case of blue dogs found in Chernobyl might not be as concerning as it seemed. A veterinarian working for canines left behind in the nuclear disaster region has revealed the real reason why the dogs fur was blue. Jennifer Betz, the veterinary medical director for the Dogs of Chernobyl program, told Newsweek that they came across three dogs that were completely covered in a blue substance. What happened? From October 5 to 13, the Dogs of Chernobyl team visited the disaster site to capture, sterilise, and release dogs descended from those left behind after the 1986 nuclear reactor meltdown and evacuation. However, during the mission, the team was baffled to discover several dogs with striking blue fur. Betz said, We attempted several times to catch these dogs; however, these particular dogs are extremely fearful of people and need to be blow darted to capture. We, unfortunately, were not successful in catching these particular dogs this time. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Pictures of these dogs didnt take long to go viral, with many raising concerns over their health and whether nuclear radiation had turned them blue. There were others who thought that the images might be AI-generated. Why were the dogs blue? The vet said that the canines were covered in a blue substance used in portable toilets. They most likely rolled over the substance, thereby coating the blue colour all over their bodies. She emphasised that the organisation is not in any way suggesting the blue fur is linked to Chernobyls radiation. Moreover, according to Betz, these dogs, like others in the region, appear to be in good health. Betz explained that during the sterilisation program, veterinarians use crayon markers in colours such as green, red, blue, or purple to indicate which dogs have recently been operated on. The markings, placed only on the top of the animals heads, fade within a few days. This practice, she noted, is entirely unrelated to the recently observed blue colouration. I would suspect, as long as they dont lick the majority of the substance off of their fur, it would be mostly harmless, she said. As leaders prepare for COP30, the worlds solar capacity has quadrupled past forecasts, cutting warming predictions and reshaping global power dynamics even as Trumps subsidy cuts and EU divisions stall momentum. The global clean energy transition is defying even the most optimistic forecasts. As world leaders prepare to convene at next months COP30 climate summit, the solar power industry has surged far beyond expectations, offering a rare note of progress amid persistent political rifts and uneven commitments to carbon reduction. According to multiple analyses, there is now four times more installed solar capacity worldwide than experts in 2010 had projected for 2035. This unprecedented expansion has helped temper earlier fears of runaway global warming: temperature rise predictions once as high as 4C by centurys end have now been revised down to around 2.6C, driven in large part by renewable energy adoption and declining reliance on fossil fuels. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The International Energy Agency (IEA) describes this transformation as the fastest energy technology deployment in history. Once seen as an expensive alternative, solar is now the cheapest form of electricity in most parts of the world, spurring investment, reshaping power markets, and altering the geopolitical balance of energy dependence. Yet even as the global picture brightens, momentum remains uneven. Nowhere is this contrast clearer than in the United States, where President Donald Trumps administration has dismantled clean energy incentives, slashed subsidies, and tightened permitting rules, stalling the very progress that once positioned America at the forefront of the renewable revolution. While US states such as California and Texas continue to see strong private-sector investment, national policy has turned sharply inward. Trumps rollback of federal clean energy tax credits, combined with his administrations expansion of oil and gas drilling, has left the country lagging behind China, the European Union, and India in new solar installations. A backdrop of progress ahead of COP30 Next month, delegates will gather for the COP30 climate conference amid both hope and uncertainty. The boom in renewable energy particularly solar, provides a strong counterpoint to fears of climate inaction. Yet, even as countries like China, Britain and Australia announce ambitious climate targets, the European Union remains divided on its 2040 emission goals. According to EU documents seen by Reuters, bloc members have failed to reach consensus on cutting emissions by 90% by 2040, with final negotiations expected just days before the summit. We are walking a knifes edge, one EU diplomat said, warning that failure could weaken the EUs climate leadership at COP30. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Europes divisions cloud its leadership claim The EUs inability to finalise its climate target highlights the growing tension between ambition and economic reality. Wealthier members such as Sweden and Spain back aggressive emission cuts, while others, notably Poland and Italy have voiced concerns that rapid decarbonisation could harm domestic industries. A particularly divisive issue is the use of foreign carbon credits. France has proposed that countries be allowed to offset up to 5% of emissions using credits from developing nations, while Germany supports a stricter 3% cap. Poland has pushed for an even higher threshold, citing industrial competitiveness. A French proposal to include an emergency brake, allowing countries to ease their targets if forest carbon absorption underperforms has also divided opinion. Global solar power gains but uneven momentum Even as Europe wrestles with internal disagreements, solar powers rise has tempered global pessimism on climate goals. According to WebProNews, solar capacity worldwide is expanding at a pace far beyond earlier expectations driven by lower costs, mass manufacturing in Asia, and breakthroughs in storage technologies. However, this progress is uneven across regions. China leads the charge, accounting for more than half of global solar additions, followed by rapid growth in India, the EU, and parts of Latin America. By contrast, the United States has seen momentum stall sharply amid policy reversals under the Trump administration. Trumps rollback slows US transition US support for solar has collapsed following President Donald Trumps decision to scrap subsidies and roll back renewable energy incentives. New permitting rules have further complicated project approvals, creating uncertainty for investors. Analysts warn that this policy reversal could make the US one of the few major economies to fall short of its renewable capacity targets by 2030. While states like California and New York continue to push aggressive clean energy mandates, the lack of federal coordination has left America lagging behind global peers. Industry experts say this slowdown threatens not just climate commitments but also energy security, as the world moves towards decentralised, renewable-driven grids. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Outlook: optimism, tempered by politics The solar boom demonstrates what coordinated investment and innovation can achieve in a relatively short span. But political divisions, both within the EU and the US threaten to blunt the full potential of this transformation. As COP30 approaches, the world faces a paradox: technological progress has outstripped expectations, yet political will remains fragmented. Whether the coming decade delivers on the promise of a renewable revolution may depend less on engineering breakthroughs and more on governments finding consensus to sustain the momentum already underway. With inputs from agencies Donald Trump cancelled a summit with Vladimir Putin after the Russian leader sent a memo with longstanding maximalist demands and refused to hold negotiations with Ukraine, 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) US President Donald Trump cancelled a summit with Russian leader Vladimir Putin over his maximalist demands and refusal to negotiate, according to a report. The Financial Times has reported that Russia sent a memo to the United States that listed Putins terms to end the war. These terms were what Putin and his aides have long referred to as root causes, a euphemism for demands that essentially call for Ukraine's surrender of sovereignty and nationhood. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD After the Trump administration received the memo, Secretary of Marco Rubio had a tense call with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. Following their call, Rubio told Trump that Russia did not have any willingness to negotiate, according to FT. After assessing that Putin did not wish to negotiate and wanted to press his longstanding maximalist demands, Trump cancelled the summit in Hungary that he had previously announced after a call with the Russian leader, the report stated. Following the cancellation of the summit, Trump had said that he did not go ahead with it because he did not want to have a wasted meeting with Putin. What are Putins maximalist terms? In talks mediated by Turkey, Russia formally submitted its demands to Ukraine. These are Putins maximalist demands that seek to address what Putin has long called root causes of the ongoing conflict. Putin has not just sought the recognition of Ukrainian territories under Russian occupation, but has sought Ukraines surrender of all territories it has claimed even those territories are outside of Russian control. ALSO READ: Did Putin outplay Trump at Alaska summit? What Russias response to peace proposals tells us After the end of the war, Ukraines military will have restrictions on its size, deployment, and equipment, according to Putins demands. As part of efforts to reshape the Ukrainian nation, Putin has also sought to insert the Russian language in official business, restore the pro-Russia Ukrainian Orthodox Church, and ban what so-called nationalist formations in the country. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD From G-2 to US President Donald Trumps many concessions on technology and tariffs, Chinese leader Xi Jinping scored many victories in their summit in South Korea. US President Donald Trump (left) and China's President Xi Jinping shake hands as they leave after their talks at the Gimhae Air Base, located next to the Gimhae International Airport, in Busan, South Korea, on October 30, 2025. (Photo: Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP) From G-2 to US President Donald Trumps many concessions on issues ranging from technology and tariffs, Chinese leader Xi Jinping on Thursday scored many victories in their summit in South Korea. The biggest victory landed for Xi even before the meeting with Trump began. In a social media post, Trump said, The G2 will be convening shortly! The G-2 refers to the concept in which the United States and China, as the worlds two superpowers, run the worlds affairs together without the rest of the world having a say. The idea has been criticised as it effectively carves out the world in US and Chinese spheres of influence. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD With his post, Trump elevated China as the United States equal, announced the end of US supremacy, and suggested he wished to carve out the world with Xi. As he has been busy blowing up boats in the Caribbean Sea and deploying troops against his own citizens, he has effectively given Xi a free rein in the Indo-Pacific. THE G2 WILL BE CONVENING SHORTLY! - President Donald J. Trump pic.twitter.com/LIhZjWYxwz The White House (@WhiteHouse) October 30, 2025 While Xi gained victories on many fronts such as access to US technology, tariffs, and Taiwan, he tossed Trump consolation prizes that were low-hanging and expendable for China with few meaningful consequences. Xi wins on many counts from tech to tariffs In exchange to a vague promise to pause export controls on rare earth elements for a year, Trump made concessions on tariffs, technology, and Taiwan. Trump told reporters he had cut tariff related to fentanyl to 10 per cent from 20 per cent, reducing overall tariffs on China to 47 per cent. Trump also junked the threat to impose 100 per cent tariffs on China starting November 1. Trump also gave a clean chit to China on its purchase of Russian oil. In sharp contrast, Trump accused India of funding the Russian war on Ukraine with its purchase of Russian oil despite the fact that China has consistently been the largest buyer of Russian oil. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Trump has slapped India with 25 per cent tariff for the purchase of Russian oil taking overall tariffs to 50 per cent. On the other hand, he has completely dismissed Chinas purchase of Russian oil. You know hes [Xi] been buying oil from Russia for a long time. It takes care of a big part of China and you know I can say Indias been very good on that front, but, uh, we didnt really discuss the oil, said Trump. In another concession, Trump postponed a rue that blacklisted majority-owned subsidiaries of Chinese companies on an entity list. Reversing his stand on critical technologys stand on China, Trump said he discussed the export of Nvidias chips with Xi and suggested he was open to such exports. He did not, however, offer any details. In a major geopolitical concession, Trump said he did not discuss Taiwan at all in the meeting. China considers the self-ruled island of Taiwan to be a breakaway province and is committed to occupy it and merge it. China has not ruled out the use of force for the merger. The US intelligence community has concluded that Xi has asked the Chinese military to prepare for Chinas invasion by 2027. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Xi tosses consolation prizes at Trump In return for these concessions, Xi tossed consolation prizes at Trump. In addition to delaying the rare earth elements export controls for a year, Xi agreed with Trump to suspend fees for one year on ships that dock at either countrys ports. Trump said that Xi agreed to purchase large amounts of a soyabeans, sorghum, and other farm products. Separately, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said China will buy 25 million metric tons of soyabeans annually over the next three years. But the Chinese government simply said the two sides agreed to expand agricultural trade nothing more, no specifics. China successfully used the rare earth elements- and magnets-related export controls and a soyabean embargo to force Trump to lower tariffs, Wolfe Research strategist Tobin Marcus told clients in a note, as per CNBC. Xi was ready for Trump in his second term and has a powerful weapon in rare earths. China is getting the better of the US in these recent truce negotiations, said Piper Sandler analysts led by Andy Laperriere, as per CNBC. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD In her first meeting with the Chinese leader, Japans Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi called for candid dialogue on regional and human rights issues while Xi urged Tokyo to maintain peaceful and cooperative ties Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi (left) shakes hands with Chinese President Xi Jinping ahead of the Japan-China summit on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit in Gyeongju on Friday. AFP Japans new Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on Friday said that she expressed serious concerns over the South China Sea, Hong Kong, and Xinjiang during her first meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, describing their exchange as candid. The meeting held on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in South Korea marked the first face-to-face talks between the two leaders since Takaichi took office, and came just days after both met US President Donald Trump separately. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD I told President Xi that I wanted a strategic and mutually beneficial relationship between Japan and China, AFP quoted Takaichi as telling reporters after the meeting. She added that she had also raised a number of thorny issues, emphasising that it is important for us to engage in direct, candid dialogue. According to Chinese state media, Xi told Takaichi Japans first woman prime minister and a long-time China hawk that he hoped her government would have a correct understanding of China. Takaichi, known for her conservative views, has been a frequent visitor to the Yasukuni Shrine, which honors Japans war dead, and has voiced strong support for Taiwan, calling for closer security cooperation with the self-ruled island that Beijing claims as its own. We expressed serious concerns regarding actions in the South China Sea, as well as the situations in Hong Kong and the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, Takaichi was quoted as saying. Beijing has long rejected accusations of human rights abuses against Uyghurs, insisting its Xinjiang policies have curbed extremism and spurred development. China continues to assert sweeping sovereignty claims over the South China Sea, despite a 2016 international tribunal ruling that found no legal basis for them. Takaichi said she also discussed with Xi the dispute over the Senkaku Islands known as the Diaoyu in China where Japanese and Chinese vessels frequently face off. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD She raised concerns over export controls on critical materials such as rare earths, and urged the release of detained Japanese citizens while calling for assurances on the safety of Japanese nationals in China. I conveyed that we would like these matters to be addressed, she said. Regarding Taiwan, there was some discussion from the Chinese side, Takaichi said. I stated that for the stability and security in this region, maintaining good cross-strait relations is important, she said. History Xi told Takaichi he hoped Tokyo would maintain the general direction of peaceful, friendly and cooperative bilateral relations, according to state news agency Xinhua. Xi added that Japan should adhere to and fulfil clear provisions on major issues such as history as outlined in bilateral political documents, Xinhua reported. Visits to Tokyos Yasukuni Shrine which honours Japans war dead, including convicted war criminals have long angered China and the Koreas. Takaichi, a protege of the late right-wing leader Shinzo Abe, has been a frequent visitor to the shrine. A close US ally, Japan has strengthened its defence posture in recent years, boosting spending and developing counter-strike capabilities. Around 60,000 US troops are stationed in the country. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Earlier this week, Takaichi hosted President Trump aboard an American aircraft carrier, and announced that Japan would raise defence spending to 2% of GDP this fiscal year two years ahead of schedule. It could be a frosty get-to-know-you meeting as Xi Jinping has not sent a congratulatory message to Takaichi, wary of her reputation as a China hawk, Yee Kuang Heng, a professor at the University of Tokyo, told AFP before the talks. Overall though, stability is a shared priority, Heng added. With inputs from agencies India and the United States on Friday signed a 10-year defence framework as Defence Minister Rajnath Singh held talks with his American counterpart Pete Hegseth. India and the United States on Friday signed a 10-year defence framework as Defence Minister Rajnath Singh held talks with his American counterpart Pete Hegseth. The news was confirmed by the US Secretary of Defence on his social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter. I just met with @rajnathsingh to sign a 10-year US-India Defence Framework. This advances our defence partnership, a cornerstone for regional stability and deterrence, Hegseth said in a post on X. Were enhancing our coordination, info sharing, and tech cooperation. Our defence ties have never been stronger, he furthered. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD I just met with @rajnathsingh to sign a 10-year U.S.-India Defense Framework. This advances our defense partnership, a cornerstone for regional stability and deterrence. We're enhancing our coordination, info sharing, and tech cooperation. Our defense ties have never been pic.twitter.com/hPmkZdMDv2 Secretary of War Pete Hegseth (@SecWar) October 31, 2025 The framework was signed after Singh held a meeting with Hegseth in Kuala Lumpur. Hegseth's Asia tour started shortly after US President Donald Trump finished his visit, during which he met Chinese President Xi Jinping. #WATCH | Defence Minister Rajnath Singh holds a meeting with US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, in Kuala Lumpur. pic.twitter.com/EWbQAODo8p ANI (@ANI) October 31, 2025 Why it matters The new IndiaUS Defence Framework Agreement encompasses strategic logistics, joint production, and technology transfer as its core pillars. The signing of the agreement is being seen as a significant push to counter Chinas expanding influence across the Indo-Pacific region. The pact between the two nations is expected to deepen military interoperability, enabling the seamless use of each others bases, logistics, and maintenance facilities. The agreement will also secure long-term access to advanced defence technologies, crucial for Indias indigenous defence production and modernisation. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The primary aim of the deal is to strengthen the Indo-Pacific security architecture, signalling a united front against Chinas growing assertiveness in the South China Sea and the Indian Ocean. The framework is also expected to boost Indias defence exports and innovation ecosystem through joint research, development, and next-generation projects in drones and AI-based warfare. It is pertinent to note that this is the first time Singh and Hegseth met face-to-face. Singh was scheduled to visit Washington earlier this month; however, the visit was cancelled amid tensions between the two nations due to tariffs imposed by the US on Indian goods. Iran has also ramped up executions, with more than 1,200 to date in 2025 already exceeding the 2024 total, which was the highest recorded figure in Iran since 2015 Iranians walk next to a billboard with a picture of late Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, senior Iranian military commander General Qassem Soleimani, late Lebanon's Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah and late Hamas leader Yahya Al-Sinwar on a street in Tehran, Iran. File image/Reuters United Nations factfinders on Thursday denounced Irans intensification of oppression since the countrys 12-day war with Israel in June, with more than 21,000 arrests and mistreatment of minorities and journalists. Since March of this year, we have documented further deterioration of the human rights situation in Iran, said Sara Hossain, who heads the Independent International Fact Finding Mission on the Islamic Republic of Iran, a body established by the UN Human Rights Council in 2022. Airstrikes by Israel on Iranian territory and a subsequent domestic crackdown by the Iranian authorities further constricted civic space, undermined due process, and eroded respect for the right to life. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Of the 21,000 people arrested by Iranian authorities during the 12-day war, Hossain said the Islamic Republic targeted a broad swath of Irans civil society, including lawyers, human rights defenders, journalists, and even social media users who simply published content relating to the hostilities. Iran has also ramped up executions, with more than 1,200 to date in 2025 already exceeding the 2024 total, which was the highest recorded figure in Iran since 2015. There are strong indications that the Government of Iran continues to systematically implement the death penalty in ways that contravene international human rights law, Hossain said. The investigation also found that the Islamic Republics repression of ethnic and religious minorities has intensified with over 330 Kurds and large numbers of Arabs arrested and hundreds of thousands of Afghans deported, Hossain said. Iran has accused members of the Bahai faith of being Zionist spies, targeting them in house raids and confiscating their property, Hossain said. The probe also found Irans government continuously deactivates journalists SIM cards, and repression of the press is not confined to Irans borders, she added. We have received information indicating that over 45 journalists face credible threats in seven countries for reporting on events in Iran, Hossain said, denouncing the intimidation and surveillance as violations of free expression and security. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Hossain noted that current repressions reflect a recurring pattern where the government of Iran responds to protests and dissent with intense repression marked by human rights violations. The Islamic Republic has repeatedly cracked down on protest movements, including a university student uprising in 1999 and 2009s Green Movement, in response to the contested re-election of then-president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Hossains UN mission was created in the wake of Irans harsh crackdowns on the Women, Life, Freedom protests in 2022, which were sparked by the death in custody of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini after she was arrested for allegedly flouting modesty laws for women. Repressive measures and policies continue to deprive women and girls of their fundamental rights, she said. The mission also examined Israels deadly airstrikes on Evin prison. Our preliminary investigation indicates that the Israeli airstrikes hit civilian buildings in the prison complex, which do not constitute legitimate military objectives, and that the strikes on these buildings were likely intentional, Hossain said. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD She added that Iranian authorities may have failed to take reasonable measures to protect detainees. Latvias parliament voted on Thursday to withdraw the Baltic country from a treaty on preventing violence against women, saying that it promotes gender theories. Latvias parliament voted on Thursday to withdraw the Baltic country from a treaty on preventing violence against women, saying that it promotes gender theories. The vote would make Latvia the first European Union country to quit the Istanbul Convention, which the very same parliament had ratified in November 2024. Thursdays tally was 56 to 32, with two abstentions. The motion must now be signed by President Edgars Rinkevics, who has indicated he is not in favour but has also hinted that he might not override a parliamentary decision. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The Council of Europe convention requires signatory parties to develop laws and policies aimed at ending violence against women and domestic physical abuse. Right-wing opposition parties voted to quit the treaty, while the governing coalition led by centre-right Prime Minister Evika Silina was split, with representatives of the Union of Greens and Farmers voting to leave the treaty and the other parties voting to stay. The Council of Europe has repeatedly rejected allegations that the treaty imposes gender theories, notably stating in 2022 that the Istanbul Convention does not establish any new norms on gender identity or sexual orientation. The Latvian right wing maintains that withdrawing from the convention will not weaken the fight against violence against women because national laws are sufficient. Womens rights groups have organised several demonstrations in Riga in recent weeks. The ratification of the Istanbul Convention in Latvia has produced significant results, which are not just words on paper, but represent lives saved, argued the MARTA Center, which advocates for the rights of women and migrants. Latvias right wing is also behind a recent proposed amendment that would restrict abortion access in the country. Gross domestic product fell 0.3% from the previous quarter, the first year-on-year contraction since 2021, according to a report, citing preliminary data from the national statistics institute (INEGI). Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum delivers her first State of the Union address at National Palace, in Mexico City, Mexico, on September 1, 2025. Reuters File Mexicos economy contracted for the first time in years, stoking fears of a recession as tensions with the United States escalate and investor confidence wanes. According to a Bloomberg report, citing preliminary data from the national statistics institute (INEGI), Gross domestic product fell 0.3% from the previous quarter, the first year-on-year contraction since 2021. The figure was just above the -0.4% median forecast of economists surveyed by Bloomberg, after a 0.6% expansion in the second quarter. Compared with a year earlier, GDP declined 0.2%, barely above the -0.3% estimate, added the report. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD There was a slowdown in aggregate demand because we have seen a loss of momentum in consumption, investment, and also in government spending, Bloomberg quoted Janneth Quiroz Zamora, director of economic analysis at Monex Casa de Bolsa, as saying. Friction with US The downturn comes amid renewed friction with Washington. US President Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened to impose steep tariffs on Mexican exports unless the country does more to curb drug trafficking and migration flows northward. The uncertainty surrounding US trade policy has further weighed on Mexicos manufacturing sector and exports. Virtually everything is contracting, Bloomberg quoted an economist as saying . The uncertaintyboth international and domesticis paralyzing investment and eroding confidence. Banxico, as Mexicos central bank is known, cut its benchmark rate by a quarter point to 7.50% in September, signaling room for further easing as policymakers warned that prolonged trade uncertainty threatens growth. In January, President Claudia Sheinbaum launched Plan Mexico, a state-led initiative to spur development through local investment hubs and tax incentives. But the programme has struggled to attract the expected foreign investment, weighed down by uncertainty over US trade policy and President Trumps repeated tariff threats. Still, exports offered a rare bright spot rising nearly 14% in September from a year earlier. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD About 80% of Mexicos exports go to the US. While US importers continue to face tariffs on steel, autos, and goods outside the USMCA accord, Sheinbaum has so far avoided broader penalties. Earlier this week, Trump extended a reprieve on additional levies, calling it a positive step, noting that many Mexican imports are already taxed at levels he says benefit the US. With inputs from agencies As the US shutdown drags on, grocery aid for 40 million Americans faces suspension. Democrats sue Trumps administration over frozen SNAP funds, testing the limits of executive power and deepening Washingtons political crisis. Tensions are escalating across Washington as the US government shutdown drags into its fourth week, leaving the future of food aid for more than 40 million low-income Americans hanging in the balance. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Programme (SNAP), which provides grocery benefits to about one in eight Americans is set to lapse on Saturday, November 1, a potential first in the programs 61-year history. A nation on edge The standoff has intensified divisions within both the Republican and Democratic parties as President Donald Trumps administration maintains that it lacks the legal authority to keep the program running during the funding freeze. Meanwhile, Democrats in 25 states have sued the administration, arguing that billions of dollars in reserve funds should be released to sustain benefits while the political impasse continues. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD USDA insists hands are tied At the heart of the dispute lies the US Department of Agricultures (USDA) interpretation of its emergency funding authority. The agency has acknowledged that it holds between $5 billion and $6 billion in contingency funds, which could technically sustain SNAP for several weeks. However, in an internal memo, the USDA said deploying those funds during a government shutdown would be illegal, arguing that the reserve is meant solely for extraordinary situations such as natural disasters. Democrats have rejected that stance, accusing the administration of weaponising bureaucratic constraints for political leverage. They claim that Congress intended contingency reserves to ensure food access for vulnerable Americans during precisely such crises. The government doesnt get to play politics with hunger, said one state official involved in the lawsuit, according to The New York Times. This isnt discretionary spending its survival money for millions. Legal battle unfolds in Boston and Rhode Island The legal battle over SNAP funding came to a head on Thursday in a Boston courtroom, where US District Judge Indira Talwani expressed skepticism about the administrations argument that SNAP benefits must be halted. During the hearing, Talwani suggested that while the government can manage reduced resources, it cannot simply suspend critical aid programs. If you dont have money, you tighten your belt, she told government lawyers. You are not going to make everyone drop dead because its a political game someplace. Talwani indicated she was likely to order the government to allocate billions from emergency reserves to sustain food benefits, a move that could apply nationwide. Such a ruling would test the limits of federal injunctions, as the US Supreme Court has recently narrowed, but not banned, nationwide orders. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD A second case, brought by a coalition of cities and non-profit organisations, is being heard by a Rhode Island-based federal judge. Both rulings are expected as soon as Friday, but any decision will almost certainly face appeal, further prolonging uncertainty for millions of SNAP recipients. Political stalemate deepens Efforts to secure temporary funding for SNAP have repeatedly failed in Congress. A proposal by House Democrats earlier this week to extend food aid during the shutdown was blocked by Republican lawmakers, who argued that authorising new spending without a broader funding deal would undermine fiscal discipline. The deadlock has created discomfort within Trumps own party. Some Republican governors and lawmakers from agricultural states where SNAP benefits circulate heavily through local economies have privately urged the White House to find a temporary fix. Meanwhile, progressive Democrats are under pressure from their constituencies to prevent a humanitarian fallout. The USDA estimates that SNAP costs about $8 billion per month, meaning even if the reserve fund were released, it would only cover a fraction of the November allocation. Yet, for millions of low-income families, that fraction could be the difference between food security and hunger. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Ripple effects across states and food banks As the legal and political wrangling continues, states and food banks are racing to fill the gap. Several state governments have announced stopgap funding measures, while local charities have reported surging demand. Food banks in cities like Chicago, Atlanta and Los Angeles have warned that donations and reserves will not be sufficient if SNAP is suspended for more than a week. Even if the courts compel the administration to restore SNAP, logistical delays may leave many households waiting. Reloading benefits onto the electronic debit cards used by participants can take up to two weeks, raising fears of food shortages in early November. People will have to choose between buying groceries and paying rent, said one advocate for food security in Massachusetts. Weve never seen anything like this in six decades of the programs history. The human cost of political brinkmanship The looming SNAP cutoff encapsulates the broader dysfunction of Washingtons political gridlock. What began as a standoff over budget priorities has evolved into a test of how far federal institutions can bend before citizens feel the consequences. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD For millions of families, SNAP is not just a welfare program it is a lifeline. To qualify, a family of four must earn less than $31,000 a year after deductions, according to 2025 guidelines. Nearly two-thirds of beneficiaries are families with children, highlighting the programs role in preventing childhood hunger. As the shutdown stretches into its fifth week, the stakes have shifted from politics to survival. Whether through judicial intervention or a last-minute compromise in Congress, the fate of Americas grocery safety net now hangs in the balance, a stark reminder that in Washingtons partisan wars, the most vulnerable often pay the price. With inputs from agencies US President Donald Trump made many heads turn after he ordered the Pentagon to start testing Americas nuclear weapons. However, experts warned that such provocative statements can be concerning A deactivated Titan II nuclear ICBM in a silo at the Titan Missile Museum in Green Valley, Arizona. Trump has ordered for US to restart nuclear testing. File image/AFP US President Donald Trump made many heads turn after he ordered the Pentagon to start testing Americas nuclear weapons. Trump announced his social media platform, TruthSocial, hours before he met his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping. Trumps order came at a time when Russia and China have been notoriously parading their nuclear might. This made many speculate if a new kind of arms race has commenced in a turbulent world order. What is interesting is the fact that the nuclear weapons testing would end the USs 33-year moratorium. The last confirmed nuclear test conducted by the country was back in 1992, when then-President George H.W. Bush established a moratorium on all nuclear testing. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Meanwhile, China has reportedly not tested a nuclear weapon since 1996, and Russias most recent tests involved delivery systems, not actual detonation of a nuclear device. Interestingly, before Trumps announcement, the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists set the Doomsday Clock to 89 seconds to midnight, the closest it has ever been to catastrophe. However, it is pertinent to note that this is not the first time the United States has tested its nuclear weapons. Heres why Trumps latest announcement matters. Can the US resume explosive tests after the moratorium? While Trumps directive fails to clarify whether he intends to test nuclear-capable missiles or launch full-scale explosive tests, if the US does resume explosive tests, the process could take more than a year and would require approval from Congress. The White House would have to direct the Department of Energy to order nuclear laboratories to start preparing, and since the United States doesnt currently have a nuclear weapons test explosion program, Congress would have to appropriate the money, Hans Kristensen, director of the Nuclear Information Project with the Federation of American Scientists, told The Independent. It would be expensive and take time: a simple explosion is 6-10 months, a fully instrumented test in 24-36 months, and a test to develop a new nuclear warhead is about 60 months, according to Kristensen. Currently, Congress is divided on the matter. Interestingly, Trump ordered the Department of Defence to perform the tests, but ultimately, it is the National Nuclear Security Administration under the Department of Energy that is responsible. However, the Pentagon could perform tests of nuclear-capable missiles. If Trump is referring to just that, then his proclamation appears to be similar to the one he delivered on August 1, when he dispatched two nuclear submarines to appropriate regions in response to Russias nuclear threats, just in case these foolish and inflammatory statements are more than just that, he said at the time. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD But what does an explosive nuclear test look like? On July 16, 1945, the United States tested a plutonium implosion device, 200 miles south of Los Alamos, New Mexico, home of the worlds first-ever nuclear explosion. It was famously called the Trinity test, which released more than 18 kilotons of power. The shockwave of the test was so intense that the heat knocked nearby observers to the ground. Witnesses who were miles and miles away reported seeing an immense explosion that filled the sky with fire and black smoke. Interestingly, the US did not publicly disclose that it conducted the test until after the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan, in August 1945, which killed tens of thousands of people. Since then, the country has performed more than 1,000 tests. This accounts for more than half of all global nuclear weapons tests in the decades that followed. Most of these tests were conducted underground with nuclear devices detonated at varying depths below the earths surface. According to The Independent, these explosions are believed to emit negligible nuclear fallout levels compared to atmospheric tests, but they can still produce dangerous radioactive debris if they vent to the surface, or leak into groundwater The US also performed explosive tests in the Marshall Islands and Kiritimati Island in the Pacific Ocean. Most of the nuclear weapons testing was banned under the Partial Test Ban Treaty of 1963, barring the underground tests. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Underground tests werent banned until the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty, which was signed by the worlds atomic powers in 1996. Interestingly, the US never ratified the treaty, and it was also rejected by the Senate. How would the world react to such a test? According to the Federation of American Scientists, World powers possess more than 12,000 nuclear warheads, out of which the US and Russia possess roughly 87 per cent of the worlds nuclear weapons inventory and 83 per cent of warheads available for military use. Trumps announcement came at a time when another key safeguard against a global arms race between the two major nuclear powers is set to expire in February next year. The New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty has sought to limit the United States and Russia to no more than 1,550 deployed warheads on no more than 700 operational launchers. However, no talks have been underway on another agreement. Melissa Parke, director of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons, told The Independent that Trumps remarks are an unnecessary and reckless nuclear threat escalation that disregards the ongoing harm already caused over the last 80 years by nuclear detonations. By the way, this is no way to win the Nobel Peace Prize, she exclaimed. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD A US federal judge on Friday ordered the Trump administration to provide emergency funding for a food aid programme threatened with closure by the month-long government shutdown, court documents showed A US federal judge on Friday ordered the Trump administration to provide emergency funding for a food aid programme at risk of shutting down due to the ongoing government shutdown, according to an AFP report, citing court documents. Judge John J. McConnell of Rhode Island directed the Department of Agriculture to access a $5 billion contingency fund to maintain benefit payments. The programme provides crucial support to approximately 42 million low-income Americans struggling to afford groceries. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits have never, until now, been terminated, The Hill quoted McConnell as saying at a hearing. And the United States has in fact admitted that the contingency funds are appropriately used during a shutdown and that occurred in 2019, the judge added. He ordered the US Department of Agriculture to distribute the emergency funds timely or as soon as possible and provide an update to the court by Monday. The ruling ensures the continuation of aid while the government remains partially closed, highlighting the administrations obligation to support vulnerable populations during the funding lapse. McConnells ruling came just minutes after US District Judge Indira Talwani in Boston issued a similar order. The rulings reject a controversial claim by the Department of Agriculture that it could not tap the contingency fund reported to have $5.3 billion remaining to cover benefits during the shutdown. However, millions of recipients are still expected to face delays. Benefits, originally scheduled to begin distribution on Saturday, will take time to reach households as the Department of Agriculture and state agencies work to restore payments. With inputs from agencies As Russian leader Vladimir Putins maximalist demands forced US President Donald Trump to cancel the US-Russia summit, here we list and decode these demands that essentially seeks Ukraines surrender of sovereignty instead of reading middle ground to end the war. In this pool photograph distributed by Russian state agency Sputnik, Russia's President Vladimir Putin attends a meeting with Chief of the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces via videoconference at the Novo-Ogaryovo state residence outside Moscow on April 26, 2025. (Photo: AP) In a sign of rising frustration in Washington DC, US President Donald Trump reportedly cancelled a planned summit with Russian leader Vladimir Putin over the Russian leaders pursuit of maximalist demands and refusal to hold meaningful negotiations. The Financial Times has reported that Russia sent a memo to the Trump administration that listed Putins terms to end the war terms that what Putin has long referred to as root causes, a euphemism for demands that essentially call for Ukraines surrender of sovereignty. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD After receiving the memo, Secretary of Marco Rubio had a tense call with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and assessed that Putin did not have any willingness to negotiate, according to FT. After receiving the assessment, Trump cancelled the summit that he had previously announced after a call with Putin, the report stated. Here are Putins demands that seek Ukraines surrender For many years, Putins terms dubbed as root causes have largely stayed the same that essentially seek Ukraines surrender of sovereignty. In talks mediated by Turkey, Russia formally conveyed these demands to Ukraine in June after stating these demands orally and in policy documents for years. In his maximalist demands, Putin has not just sought the recognition of Ukrainian territories that Russia has occupied since 2014 but has also sought the surrender of all territories it has claimed but does not occupy at the moment. In addition to the occupation and recognition of Ukraines five provinces of Crimea, Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia, Putin has sought the creation of a buffer zone of an unspecified length on the Ukrainian side of the new border that would essentially further reduce Ukraines territory. While he has not specified the length, his top security adviser, former President Dmitry Medvedev, has published a map in which the buffer zone has included almost the entire country. In conditions echoing the Treaty of Versailles concerning Germany after the World War I, Putin has sought restrictions on the size, deployment, and equipment of Ukrainian military after the end of the war. ALSO READ: With Russias terms to Ukraine, Putin seeks surrender not a peace deal Besides ruling out Ukraines membership of Nato, Putin has also sought to stop Ukraine from hosting foreign troops on its soil. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD With his terms, Putin has not just aimed at the surrender of Ukraines sovereignty, but has sought to effectively reshape the Ukrainian nations character in Russias image. His social demands would effectively kill Ukrainian nationhood. As part of his agenda for Ukraines social transformation into Russias image, Putin has sought to insert the Russian language into formal business, restore the pro-Russia Ukrainian Orthodox Church, and ban what he calls nationalist formations in Ukraine. With such terms, Putin has made it clear that he has been prolonging negotiations so that he could continue his massive attacks as long as possible to pressure Ukraine into acceptance, Kseniya Kirillova, a Russia analyst at Washington DC-based Jamestown Foundation, previously told Firstpost. Such conditions are unacceptable for Ukraine. Putin is deliberately setting impossible conditions to prolong the negotiations. He is hoping for a summer offensive to break the will of Ukrainian society. Ukraine can only hope that President Trump will lose patience with Putin sooner than that, said Kirillova. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The city experienced a flash flood situation, with Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx and parts of Manhattan getting a warning. The National Weather Service said that a strong frontal system produced the storms, triggering heavy rainfall New York woke up to severe flooding across the city, which led to the deaths of two people whose lower ground floors were deluged by rainwater. The city experienced a flash flood situation, with Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx and parts of Manhattan getting a warning. The National Weather Service said that a strong frontal system produced the storms, triggering heavy rainfall. The National Weather Service issued a wind advisory for New York City, in effect through midnight Friday. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD According to the agency, sustained winds of 20 to 25 mph with gusts reaching around 40 mph were expected. Such conditions could result in fallen tree branches and scattered Halloween decorations or other loose items. Flooding in Brooklyn, New York City, USA now! pic.twitter.com/CwmrqkeWdb Weather Monitor (@WeatherMonitors) October 30, 2025 How did the 2 people die? In one of the incidents of death, firefighters received a call from a person trapped in the basement in the East Flatbush neighbourhood, complaining of severe flooding. And in the second case, a 43-year-old man died after becoming unresponsive in a deluged boiler room in the Washington Heights neighbourhood, the police said. The extent of flooding City officials reported that flooding forced the closure of the Long Island Expressway in both directions in Queens and shut down the westbound lanes of the Belt Parkway in Brooklyn on Thursday. According to the National Weather Service, Sheepshead Bay in Brooklyn received 2.79 inches of rain, while Midtown Manhattan saw just over 2 inches. Central Park recorded 1.85 inches, and LaGuardia Airport in Queens measured 2.09 inches. A man at Canal who sometimes asks for change is currently scooping up all the water flooding. This station has workers and police everyday but today. And an old man just slipped down the stairs smh #thisisnewyork #nyc #mta pic.twitter.com/F22R8T4Mpc BeRevolutionary (@energyElle) October 30, 2025 STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD In parts of Bedford-Stuyvesant, Brooklyn, water rose above car tyres, leaving some vehicles stranded across the city. In the Riverdale neighbourhood of the Bronx, floodwaters reached the bottoms of sedan doors, the weather service said in its storm summary. China operates its nuclear submarines in the East and South China Seas, as well as the western Pacific, and with South Korea now having their possession, it has left Tokyo out of the loop Japan is considering acquiring nuclear-powered submarines, a day after US President Donald Trump greenlit their procurement for South Korea, following his meeting with President Lee Jae Myung. China operates its nuclear submarines in the East and South China Seas, as well as the western Pacific, and with South Korea now having their possession, it has left Tokyo out of the loop. Japan and South Korea currently operate only diesel-powered submarines and depend on the United States for nuclear submarine capabilities to balance the influence of China and Russia. While the exact operations of US submarines remain classified, they are widely believed to maintain a broad presence across the Pacific Ocean. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Is Japan missing out? Nuclear submarines are more capable of long-distance operations than diesel ones, but are far more expensive too. Its cost had triggered a debate in South Korea on whether the country needs such an expensive naval defence system in the relatively confined waters around it. They may be deployed across the Pacific Ocean and participate in joint missions with US forces. Among Pacific Rim nations, Australia is moving forward with plans to acquire its first nuclear-powered submarines under the AUKUS partnership with the United States and the United Kingdom. These shifts have implications for Japans defence strategy, as they raise the possibility that the US could increasingly entrust the security of the Pacific to its allies while concentrating more on defending its own territory. Not ruling anything out With South Korea gaining its acquisition, Japan might be compelled to get its own nuclear submersible. In fact, Japans new Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has been open to the idea. In a joint agreement, the Liberal Democratic Party and its coalition partner, the Japan Innovation Party, announced plans to advance the development of submarines featuring next-generation propulsion. At a press briefing, Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi emphasised that all options will be considered without ruling anything out. Compared to South Korea, Japan faces the challenge of defending a far larger maritime territory. The Defence Ministry has been working on a strategy to equip its conventional submarines with long-range missiles to gain the ability to target Chinese medium-range missile launch sites. However, some defence experts argue that nuclear-powered submarines would be better suited for this mission. Chinese President Xi Jinping met Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Friday, with both leaders pledging to strengthen bilateral relations and Carney accepting Xis invitation to visit China This combination of file pictures created on October 31, 2025 shows (L) Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney speaking during a press conference on the sidelines of the 47th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit in Kuala Lumpur on October 27, 2025, and (R) China's President Xi Jinping taking part in a meeting at Gimhae Air Base in Busan on October 30, 2025. AFP Chinese President Xi Jinping and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney held their first formal talks in eight years on Friday, pledging to strengthen bilateral relations after years of tension, according to a Reuters report. During the meeting on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, Xi invited Carney to visit China, saying Beijing values Canadas stated willingness to improve ties. Carney accepted the invitation, marking a tentative step toward thawing relations that have been frosty since 2017. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The meeting comes at a time when Ottawa is seeking to diversify its economic ties amid ongoing trade tensions with the United States, its largest trading partner. Canada remains locked in a protracted trade dispute with Washington, while relations with Beijing have only recently begun to thaw. Carney has previously emphasised the importance of restarting broad engagement with China after years of strained ties. Prime Minister Carney accepted President Xis invitation to visit China at a mutually convenient time, Carneys office said in a statement. Carney and Xi discussed solutions on trade issues including agriculture and agri-food products, such as canola, as well as seafood and electric vehicles, Carneys office said. The leaders also discussed a framework to deepen cooperation across a range of areas from energy, agriculture, manufacturing, climate change, and international finance, according to Carneys office. Willing to work with Canada: Xi Xi said Beijing is willing to work with Canada to put bilateral relations back on track, state broadcaster CCTV reported Friday. Xi told Carney that China values Canadas stated readiness to improve ties, adding that both sides agreed to resolve specific economic and trade issues and promote the development of the ChinaCanada strategic partnership, according to CCTV. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Earlier in the day, Carney told a business forum on the sidelines of the APEC meetings that the world of rules-based liberalised trade and investment has passed, and that Canada aims to double its non-US exports over the next decade as part of a broader diversification strategy. China-Canada ties Canadas relations with China remain among the most strained of any Western nation, but both countries now find themselves on the receiving end of President Donald Trumps escalating tariff campaign even after Xi and Trump struck a deal Thursday to ease tensions. Ties between Ottawa and Beijing froze in 2018 following the arrest of a senior Chinese telecom executive on a US warrant in Vancouver and Chinas retaliatory detention of two Canadians on espionage charges. In July, PM Carney imposed a 25% tariff on steel imports containing Chinese-origin metal. The following month, Beijing responded with a temporary 75.8% customs duty on Canadian canola a major export crop used in cooking oil, animal feed, and biodiesel. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Both countries remain key targets of Trumps trade offensive. On Thursday, the US president announced he would halve fentanyl-related tariffs on China to 10%, while Xi agreed to maintain rare earth exports and boost U.S. soybean purchases. The average US tariff on Chinese imports remains at 47%, Trump said. But Trump also renewed his attacks on Canada, saying Saturday that he was raising tariffs on Canadian goods by another 10% and terminating all trade talks. The move followed what he described as a fake anti-tariff ad campaign featuring the late former president Ronald Reagan. With inputs from agencies Within only one week, Grand Valley residents raised $150,000 to revive full-time operations for the areas only emergency shelter for the unhoused through the end of this year. Nonetheless, HomewardBound of the Grand Valley announced Thursday that it cannot realistically expect community members to subsidize the shelter indefinitely. That reality led the board to decide that, effective Jan. 5, the North Avenue shelter will permanently cease operations. According to HomewardBound leadership, the closure will ensure sustainability for its secondary Pathways Family Shelter, 562 29 Road, which will serve the most vulnerable unhoused individuals and focus on transitioning clients from the shelter setting to permanent housing. We have to take action, HomewardBound interim Chief Executive Officer Dan Prinster said. We have to live within our means, and in order to do that, we feel like we can no longer operate both shelters at the same time. The consolidation of services will reduce the total number of shelter beds in Mesa County by approximately 145, from 280 to 135. The 2025 Grand Junction Area Unhoused Needs Assessment reported that just over 2,400 unhoused individuals live in Mesa County a 100% increase since 2019. STRETCHED TOO THIN Earlier this month, HomewardBound disclosed its financial crunch to the public in tandem with its decision to reduce operations at the North Avenue shelter from seven days a week to four. According to Prinster, the news stemmed from repeated losses of anticipated funding from the federal and state governments. Specifically, the organization applied for more than $800,000 in grants since January, expecting a bit more than half of the requests to be approved. Not one dollar has materialized. Every dollar counts, as yearly operations total over $2.5 million. The emergency shelter alone costs approximately $125,000 each month. Prinster said that the state decreased funding largely because of its own budget issues, but many other grants the organization relied on simply werent intended to be long-term. What you had was an infusion of funds that came from COVID (and) leadership at HomewardBound who probably assumed that those funds would continue and it created what I would call mission creep, where they started providing services or expanding outside their core element, which is shelter beds, Prinster said. Outside of the recent $150,000 raised, Prinster said donor revenue has notably dropped alongside grant dollars, as private foundations and individuals are increasingly asked to pick up the slack. However, he said the communitys recent contributions were no small feat and certainly improved the overall circumstance. Those funds have guaranteed that the shelter can operate at capacity, seven days a week. With more than 60 days until the year ends, and upwards of 150 beds in the shelter, Prinster said the $150,000 philanthropy has secured more than 7,000 nights of safety and services for some of the areas most vulnerable people. He added that HomewardBound has hopes to extend shelter operations through the rest of winter, but the capacity to do so will largely depend on further philanthropy. My recommendation to the board is they (remain open) for January and February, and get through the coldest months if the funding is available, Prinster said. But if the funding isnt available, and we dont have the money to run Pathways, now the whole organization is at risk. PIVOTING PATHS Whether it be January or March, the emergency shelters closure is essentially guaranteed. When that does occur, services will be consolidated into the Pathways Family Shelter, which Prinster said will involve various changes in the organizations policy and approach. Perhaps the largest change will be eligibility for the remaining shelter spots. Unhoused families and especially vulnerable people will remain Pathways primary focus, but the general unhoused population wont necessarily be excluded. According to a press release, individuals will be eligible for shelter at Pathways as long as they are actively engaged in care management support. Other conditions that were already required at the emergency shelter, like maintaining a drug and alcohol-free environment, will also apply. What separates the shelters? HomewardBound of the Grand Valleys North Avenue emergency shelter, 2853 North Ave., provides 150 overnight beds to the general unhoused population. The organization debuted in 1998 exclusively as a seasonal shelter provider, but over the years, it received funds to establish year-round operations. The organization began further growth in 2014, with the construction of Pathways Village Apartments, a 40-unit complex dedicated to (primarily) families bordering on homelessness. That project took much longer than anticipated, but eventually opened in 2020 alongside the Pathways Family Shelter, offering 100 overnight beds to unhoused families and eligible unhoused individuals. The shelter also offers laundry facilities, youth study areas and various programs, such as comprehensive addiction recovery. During the coldest days of the year, HomewardBound Interim CEO Dan Prinster said they can flex the Pathways Shelters capacity from 100 beds to 135. In total, the 18,644-square-foot facility cost around $10 million, which HomewardBound paid through a mix of government grants and community donations. Local funders included the City of Grand Junction, the Western Colorado Community Foundation, Intermountain Health St. Marys Regional Hospital and Community Hospital. Prinster added that the organization will limit the long-term, indefinite stays that some clients have enjoyed at the emergency shelter in recent years. Rather than allowing clients to stay for a year or longer, he said they will emphasize 60- to 90-day stays that connect clients to transitional housing and similar resources that further propel their journey toward permanent housing. In doing so, Prinster said HomewardBound will augment its impact while stabilizing expenses, guaranteeing the service will remain indefinitely. LOOKING AT THE LONG TERM Preserving the organization isnt just a concern for the unhoused who rely on its shelter, as HomewardBound has been a frequent topic of conversation among many City of Grand Junction and Mesa County leaders. Its hard to say anything permanent, but as I think about the future of Grand Junction and the work thats being done to keep people safe and warm, my hope is that HomewardBound is always a part of that solution, City of Grand Junction Mayor Cody Kennedy said. As it stands, Kennedy and Council Member Anna Stout said the citys role in assisting with those services is largely unclear. Stout and Kennedy added that they are speaking for themselves, since the announcement was so recent that the council has yet to have any conversations or make any official decisions. However, both parties agreed that the upcoming closure will impact the city in one way or another, so determining its role in a solution will be imperative. We have to be cognizant of the way this might impact other city services or resources, Stout said. Do I anticipate that HomewardBound closing will mean that there will be a higher draw on our emergency services, first responder and police budgets? I sure do. The two also added that the city cannot be the only player in this discussion, as partnering with the county and other relevant institutions will maximize the impact of their already-limited resources. Emphasizing that he isnt speaking on the councils behalf, Kennedy said that Mesa County Public Health has the proven ability to lead and coordinate multi-organization responses to challenges just like this. Regardless, Kennedy and Stout said they are hopeful the closure announcement will spark serious, productive discussions among the regions leaders that will eventually alleviate the issue at hand. This was already at emergency level. Now, its pretty easily classified as crisis level, given the news, Stout said. It really should force a conversation to happen sooner rather than later. This is still fluid, and I think there are a lot of smart people who are approaching this with a combination of compassion and common sense to try to find solutions as we move forward, Kennedy added. Tanzania - Election 2025 Hundreds of people have reportedly been killed in Tanzania after taking to the streets to protest this weeks presidential election, which saw the increasingly authoritarian incumbent, President Samia Suluhu Hassan, run unopposed for another term after her main challengers were jailed or barred from standing. Some 700 people have been killed in three days of election protests in Tanzania, the main opposition party said Friday, with protesters still on the streets in the midst of an internet blackout. As we speak the figure for deaths in Dar (es Salaam) is around 350 and for Mwanza it is 200-plus. Added to figures from other places around the country, the overall figure is around 700, John Kitoka, spokesman from the main opposition party Chadema, said. The death toll could be much higher, he warned, saying killings could be happening during the nighttime curfew. Tanzania held its general elections on October 29, 2025, in what proved to be one of the most controversial and contentious electoral processes in the nation's democratic history. Incumbent President Samia Suluhu Hassan, who was seeking a second term, was widely expected to secure the second term after opposition candidates were barred from running. The poll is also anticipated to be a shoo-in for her party, which has never lost an election since independence. Tundu Lissu, the main opposition leader, is in jail on treason charges, which he denies, and his party boycotted the vote. Sixteen fringe parties, none of which have historically had significant public support, were cleared to contest against Samia. Human rights activists in Kenya hailed the anti-government protests, saying the neighbouring country was undergoing a democratic re-awakening moment. The Civil Society Groups are now calling on the Africa Union (AU), the Southern African Development Community (SADC), and the East Africa Community (EAC) to hold President Samia Suluhu accountable for suppressing demonstrators. With anti-government protests entering a second day in the East African Nation, human rights activists in the region say security agencies are using excessive force to suppress demonstrators. Tanzania remains on edge for a second day as protests continued to spread across major cities following a disputed general election. Police in Dar es Salaam on Thursday fired gunshots and tear gas to disperse demonstrators who defied curfew orders and returned to the streets demanding free and fair elections. The European Parliament condemned the elections, describing them as neither free nor fair and called for the immediate release of opposition leader Tundu Lissu, who faces treason charges. In a joint statement, European lawmakers said the vote took place in an atmosphere of repression, intimidation and fear, adding that the fraud did not begin at the ballot box it has been unfolding for months. President Samia Suluhu Hassan, the countrys f irst woman leader, assumed office in March 2021 after the unexpected death of President John Magufuli. President Hassan has supported economic reforms that give the private sector a greater role in the economy. More than 37 million registered voters from a population of approximately 60 million were eligible to cast ballots for the president, members of the National Assembly, and ward councillors across the country's 29 mainland regions, as well as for leadership positions in the semiautonomous archipelago of Zanzibar. The election was marked by widespread protests, violence, internet blackouts, and accusations of authoritarian governance that drew international condemnation and raised serious questions about the state of democracy in the East African nation. The incumbent President Samia Suluhu Hassan, representing the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi party, sought her first full term in office after ascending to the presidency in March 2021 following the sudden death of former President John Magufuli. Hassan's candidacy was confirmed in August 2025 by the Independent National Electoral Commission alongside sixteen other presidential candidates. However, the political landscape was dramatically altered when the electoral commission disqualified the main opposition parties from participating, leaving Hassan virtually unchallenged despite the numerous candidates on the ballot. The electoral commission approved Hassan's running mate Emmanuel Nchimbi, and the campaign officially commenced on August 28, concluding just before polling day. The Chama Cha Mapinduzi, commonly known as CCM or the Party of Revolution, has maintained an unbroken grip on power since Tanzania's independence in 1961, making it one of Africa's longest-ruling political parties. The party and its predecessor have won every election since multiparty democracy was introduced in 1995. However, the 2025 election represented a significant regression in democratic practices, with voter registration standing at a level reminiscent of the one-party system era despite the electorate having grown fivefold since 1990. The ruling party's dominance has historically been maintained through various means including electoral advantages, institutional control, and increasingly in recent years, the suppression of opposition voices through legal and extralegal methods. In the months leading up to the election, Tanzania witnessed an intensifying crackdown on political opposition, civil society, and independent media. The main opposition party, Chama Cha Demokrasia na Maendeleo, commonly known as Chadema, was disqualified from participating in the election in April 2025 after the electoral commission claimed the party had failed to sign a code of conduct document by the required deadline. Days before this disqualification, Chadema's charismatic leader Tundu Lissu was arrested at a rally in the southern town of Mbinga on April 9, 2025. Lissu, who had spent years in exile in Belgium during the Magufuli era and survived an assassination attempt in 2017 that left him with seventeen bullet wounds, was charged with incitement and treason for calling for electoral reforms and suggesting that citizens should boycott the election if meaningful reforms were not implemented. The charges against Lissu carried the death penalty and were non-bailable, effectively removing him from the political arena during the crucial campaign period. His arrest and the subsequent disqualification of Chadema represented a devastating blow to Tanzania's political opposition and democratic institutions. Lissu remained in prison throughout the election period, with his trial beginning in early October. Attempts by Chadema's deputy chair John Heche to attend Lissu's trial resulted in his temporary detention, further illustrating the government's approach to opposition figures. The treason charges were based on Lissu's advocacy for a "no reforms, no elections" campaign, which courts interpreted as an attempt to disrupt the electoral process. The second major opposition figure to be barred from the race was Luhaga Mpina, the candidate for the Alliance for Change and Transparency, known as ACT-Wazalendo, which represented the second-largest opposition party. Mpina, a sitting member of parliament and former government minister who had broken away from the ruling CCM in August 2025 to join ACT-Wazalendo, was disqualified by the electoral commission following an objection from the attorney general. The commission claimed that Mpina's party had failed to comply with nomination procedures during the presidential primaries. This disqualification left Hassan facing only candidates from minor parties with no established national presence or realistic chance of victory, effectively transforming what should have been a competitive democratic election into what critics described as a predetermined outcome or coronation. President Hassan had initially raised hopes for democratic reform when she assumed office in 2021, implementing what she called her "4R" philosophy of reconciliation, resilience, reforms, and rebuilding. In her early tenure, she lifted bans on opposition political rallies that had been imposed under Magufuli, released some imprisoned opposition leaders, restored operating licenses to media outlets that had been shuttered, and initiated dialogue with opposition parties about electoral reforms. These moves led many observers to believe that Tanzania might return to its historically more moderate political culture after the authoritarian excesses of the Magufuli years. However, by late 2023 and into 2024, Hassan's government took an increasingly repressive turn that many analysts argued represented a consolidation of authoritarian control rather than a genuine democratic opening. In 2024, the government introduced new electoral legislation including the Presidential, Parliamentary and Councillors' Elections Act and a revised Independent National Electoral Commission Act. While government officials and supporters argued these reforms enhanced order, transparency, and predictability in the electoral system, critics contended that the legislation maintained excessive government influence over the electoral commission and failed to create a genuinely level playing field for political competition. The reforms did establish a new electoral commission and included provisions for biometric voter verification, but the president retained the power to appoint commission members, raising concerns about the body's independence. The opposition's demands for more fundamental reforms, including reducing presidential powers and ensuring truly independent electoral management, were not adequately addressed in the legislation. The period leading up to the election was characterized by systematic repression that extended well beyond the disqualification of major opposition parties. International human rights organizations documented a disturbing pattern of enforced disappearances, arbitrary arrests, torture, and attacks against opposition members, activists, journalists, and religious leaders. United Nations human rights experts reported more than 200 cases of enforced disappearance in Tanzania since 2019, with a significant concentration occurring during the election season. Amnesty International released a comprehensive report detailing what it characterized as a "wave of terror" that included enforced disappearances, torture, unlawful killings, and severe restrictions on freedoms of movement, expression, and peaceful assembly between January 2024 and October 2025. Among the documented cases was the reported abduction of Humphrey Polepole, a former CCM official who had become a government critic, who was allegedly violently abducted on October 6, 2025, after making a series of public statements critical of the government. The pattern of disappearances and attacks appeared designed to instill fear and discourage political participation and criticism. Human Rights Watch documented at least ten specific instances of politically motivated assault, harassment, abduction, and torture in the months before the election. The Tanzanian government consistently dismissed these allegations as "unsubstantiated and misleading," reaffirmed its commitment to human rights and the rule of law, and urged international organizations to engage directly with authorities before publishing critical reports. The international community's response to Tanzania's democratic deterioration was mixed and complicated by competing interests. Traditional development partners faced reduced leverage as global aid budgets shrank and priorities shifted toward perceived political stability and economic pragmatism. Several European nations including Belgium, Sweden, Germany, and Ireland withdrew their election observation missions, signaling their concerns about the legitimacy of the process. The United States maintained a monitoring presence but did not deploy traditional election observers. The European Union delegation limited its involvement to what was described as diplomatic observation rather than comprehensive election monitoring. This withdrawal of credible international observers raised serious concerns about transparency and accountability in the electoral process. However, some regional organizations did eventually deploy observation missions. The Southern African Development Community and the East African Community, which had initially been denied full accreditation, ultimately sent observer delegations in late October 2025, though critics argued their participation served to legitimize a fundamentally flawed process. The International Conference on the Great Lakes Region deployed a parliamentary delegation of twenty-three lawmakers and election experts from six countries including Burundi and Angola, arriving in Tanzania on October 23. These regional observers were tasked with monitoring media freedom, campaign conduct, security, and rights during the election period, though the extent and effectiveness of their oversight remained questionable given the constraints under which they operated. In the final days before the election, the government implemented additional restrictions that further undermined the democratic character of the process. Access to the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, was reportedly restricted nationwide, with full access reserved only for government officials. This digital censorship limited online civic participation and reduced the flow of information during the crucial final campaign period. Social media platforms including TikTok and Facebook had become increasingly important for political discourse and mobilizing young voters, and the selective blocking of certain platforms represented a significant constraint on political communication. Critics argued that these restrictions were designed to prevent the organization of protests and limit the opposition's ability to communicate with supporters. The election itself was held on October 29, 2025, which the government declared a public holiday to facilitate voting. Polling stations opened at 7:00 AM local time and were scheduled to close at 4:00 PM, with ballot counting beginning immediately afterward. The Independent National Electoral Commission had established approximately 99,000 polling stations across the country to serve the more than 37 million registered voters. Early voting had begun in Zanzibar on October 28. However, voter turnout was notably low, particularly among young people, at numerous polling locations across the country. The previous general election in 2020 had recorded a turnout of just over fifty percent, and early indications suggested that 2025 might see even lower participation, reflecting widespread disillusionment with the political process. The election day itself descended into chaos and violence in multiple locations across Tanzania. Despite heavy security deployments in major cities, hundreds of protesters took to the streets in Dar es Salaam, the country's commercial capital and largest city with a population exceeding seven million, chanting slogans including "We want our country back." The protests represented a significant departure from Tanzania's historical reputation for political stability and peaceful civic engagement. Demonstrators expressed their fury at the exclusion of the main opposition candidates and the broader pattern of democratic erosion under Hassan's government. The protests quickly escalated beyond peaceful demonstration into violent confrontation with security forces and destruction of property. In various parts of the country, protesters stormed polling stations, destroyed ballot boxes, scattered ballot papers, and set fire to election materials and government facilities. A police station along Nelson Mandela Road, the main thoroughfare from Dar es Salaam's port, was burned down by demonstrators. A government office was also set ablaze. Protesters lit fires on major highways, including at the Namanga border crossing with Kenya, disrupting transportation and commerce. In the Meriwa area on the main road between Dodoma, the capital, and Dar es Salaam, police dispersed demonstrators, and authorities closed the Singida-Arusha road due to fears of further unrest. The scale and intensity of the protests reflected deep-seated frustration with the political situation that had been building throughout the campaign period. The government response to the protests was swift and forceful. Security forces deployed tear gas, rubber bullets, and in some cases live ammunition to disperse demonstrators. Multiple casualties were reported across the country. Amnesty International confirmed that at least two people died in Wednesday's protests, including one civilian and one police officer. A Tanzanian human rights activist reported receiving information about at least five deaths during the election day violence. At the Namanga border with Kenya, two Tanzanian nationals aged 27 and 28 were shot dead during protests, with scores of others injured. The use of lethal force against protesters drew immediate condemnation from international human rights organizations, which called for thorough and independent investigations into the violence and accountability for those responsible. In response to the widespread unrest, authorities imposed an overnight curfew in Dar es Salaam and other affected areas. Government spokesperson Gerson Msigwa announced that all civil servants should work from home except for those whose duties required physical presence at their workplaces. Schools in affected areas were also closed. Ferry services between the mainland and Zanzibar were suspended due to security concerns. International flights to and from Dar es Salaam's Julius Nyerere International Airport were cancelled, and airports in the northern city of Arusha and near Mount Kilimanjaro were temporarily closed. Major roads, including the main route to Dar es Salaam's international airport, were blocked by security forces to control movement and prevent further demonstrations. The Tanzanian government also implemented a comprehensive internet blackout across much of the country during and immediately after the election. Internet access was severely disrupted in Dar es Salaam and other major cities, making it difficult for citizens to communicate, organize, or share information about events on the ground. Despite these restrictions, protesters adapted by using the Zello application, which allows smartphones to function as walkie-talkies and can operate on limited connectivity. Through Zello, demonstrators discussed plans for further actions, including potential marches on government buildings. The combination of physical security measures and digital censorship represented a comprehensive strategy to suppress dissent and control the narrative around the election. The protests continued into the day following the election, demonstrating that the unrest was not simply a spontaneous reaction but reflected deeper structural grievances. On Thursday, October 30, dozens of protesters returned to the streets in the Mbagala, Gongo la Mboto, and Kiluvya neighborhoods of Dar es Salaam, where police again fired gunshots and tear gas to disperse them. The ongoing protests represented a major test for President Hassan's government and highlighted the significant legitimacy challenges facing her administration. The violent response to peaceful protest also risked further inflaming the situation and deepening the political crisis. International observers noted that the level of unrest was unprecedented in recent Tanzanian history and reflected a fundamental breakdown in the social contract between the government and significant segments of the population. Despite the chaos and violence, the Independent National Electoral Commission proceeded with vote counting and began announcing preliminary results. Early results broadcast on state-run Tanzania Broadcasting Corporation, which had largely avoided covering the protests and unrest, showed President Hassan winning commanding majorities in the constituencies that had completed tallying. In eight out of 272 constituencies counted by Thursday morning, Hassan had garnered over 96 percent of the vote. Given that she faced only minor opposition candidates with no national profile or significant campaign infrastructure, such overwhelming margins were entirely expected but did nothing to address the fundamental questions about the legitimacy of the process. The electoral commission had announced that it would declare the winner of the presidential election within 72 hours after voting concluded, giving it until November 1 to announce final results. Under Tanzanian law, the commission had up to seven days to declare the final outcome, and importantly, these results could not be challenged in a court of law, eliminating any judicial avenue for contesting electoral irregularities. This lack of judicial review represented one of the key democratic deficits that the opposition had demanded be reformed before the election. Results for parliamentary and councillor positions were to be announced immediately after vote tallying was completed in each respective constituency. The international reaction to the election was one of widespread condemnation. Members of the European Parliament issued a statement declaring that the elections in Tanzania were "neither free nor fair" and urged democratic partners to "stand firm in the defense of democracy and human rights." Various international human rights organizations characterized the election as a sham and called out the systematic exclusion of credible opposition candidates, the violence against protesters, and the broader pattern of repression that had characterized the electoral period. The Kenya Human Rights Commission raised particular alarm about the absence of credible election observation groups in Tanzania and the withdrawal of European monitoring missions. However, the practical impact of international criticism was limited by Tanzania's strategic importance and economic relationships. Tanzania has been pursuing ambitious development goals under its Vision 2050 blueprint, which aims to transform the country from a lower-middle-income to an upper-middle-income economy by 2050. The government has secured major infrastructure deals, including a $1.4 billion agreement with China to refurbish the Tazara railway connecting Tanzania and Zambia, which would quadruple the line's capacity and open new trade opportunities. Tanzania has also ramped up production from newly discovered offshore natural gas reserves in a $42 billion project backed by international investors. These economic initiatives have given the government leverage in its relationships with international partners who may be reluctant to jeopardize commercial interests by taking strong punitive measures. The Tanzanian government's approach to the criticism has been to deny wrongdoing while emphasizing the country's economic progress and stability. Officials pointed to increased tourism revenues, steady economic growth of approximately 5.5 percent in 2024, and expansion in the agriculture, mining, and natural resource sectors as evidence of effective governance. President Hassan campaigned on promises of major infrastructure projects, universal health insurance, and continued economic development. Her supporters argued that she inherited a deeply challenging political situation and a government that was resistant to her leadership, and that consolidating control was necessary to implement her agenda and overcome internal opposition within her own party. The broader context of the 2025 Tanzanian election reflects troubling regional and continental trends toward democratic backsliding and increased authoritarianism. Freedom House, which had previously categorized Tanzania as "Partly Free" since 2016, moved the country to the "Not Free" category in 2025, signaling an authoritarian turn characterized by declining political freedoms and civil liberties. Tanzania's trajectory parallels similar developments in other African nations where long-ruling parties have responded to increased political competition by tightening controls rather than embracing democratic reforms. The systematic exclusion of opposition, weaponization of legal systems against critics, harassment of civil society, and violent suppression of protest have become common features across multiple African countries. The case of Tanzania is particularly significant because the country had historically been seen as a relative success story in terms of maintaining stability and gradual democratic development. The ruling CCM party's predecessor led the independence struggle and the party had managed to maintain popular legitimacy through much of the post-independence period without resorting to the extreme levels of repression seen in some neighboring states. The current democratic erosion therefore represents not simply the continuation of authoritarianism but rather a reversal of previously established democratic norms and practices. This regression has occurred despite initial hopes that President Hassan would represent a reformist alternative to her predecessor's autocratic style. The role of former President John Magufuli's legacy in shaping current politics remains complex and contested. Known as "the Bulldozer" for his uncompromising hardline tactics, Magufuli transformed Tanzanian politics from a relatively moderate dominant-party system into a repressive political environment that effectively banned opposition activity and normalized political violence. His sudden death in March 2021, widely believed to have been caused by COVID-19, created expectations for political change that have ultimately been disappointed. While Hassan initially sidelined some of Magufuli's key allies and appeared to chart a different course, the current trajectory suggests that the authoritarian infrastructure and political culture established during his tenure has proven resilient and perhaps has been further consolidated under different leadership. Some analysts suggest that Hassan faces internal pressures within the CCM that push her toward authoritarian governance, including resistance from party factions and the challenges of being the country's first female president in a deeply patriarchal political culture. Her supporters contend that consolidating power is necessary to overcome this resistance and implement meaningful reforms. However, critics argue that after four years in office, Hassan must be judged on her own actions rather than being evaluated primarily in comparison to her predecessor or as a victim of inherited circumstances. The systematic dismantling of political opposition, the pattern of disappearances and attacks on critics, and the violent suppression of protest represent deliberate policy choices rather than unfortunate necessities. The demographic context adds another dimension to the political crisis. Tanzania has a young and growing population, with a significant proportion of citizens having no adult memory of the one-party era or the early years of multiparty democracy. Young Tanzanians have grown up with expectations of political participation and freedom of expression that are being fundamentally challenged by current trends. The low voter turnout among young people reflects not apathy but rather disillusionment with a political system that appears to offer no meaningful choice or avenue for change. The protests, particularly in urban areas, were driven largely by young people expressing frustration with unemployment, limited opportunities, and a political system that seems unresponsive to their needs and aspirations. The implications of the 2025 election extend well beyond Tanzania's immediate political situation. The election represents a test case for how the international community responds to democratic erosion in strategically important countries with growing economies. The mixed response from international actors, with some maintaining engagement while others withdrew support, illustrates the challenges of balancing democratic principles with other foreign policy interests. The continued involvement of some regional observer missions despite the obviously compromised nature of the process suggests that regional diplomatic considerations may sometimes take precedence over democratic standards, potentially setting troubling precedents for future elections in the region. The events surrounding Tanzania's 2025 election also highlight the limitations of formal electoral processes as indicators of democracy when the broader political environment is fundamentally compromised. The presence of multiple candidates on the ballot, the establishment of polling stations, and the counting of votes can create a superficial appearance of democratic procedure while the substance of competitive democracy is entirely absent. The disqualification of credible opposition, systematic repression of dissent, control of media and information flows, and inability to challenge results in court all combine to render the electoral exercise largely meaningless as an expression of popular would or mechanism for democratic accountability. As preliminary results confirmed the expected outcome with President Hassan securing an overwhelming victory, attention turned to the deeper questions about Tanzania's political future and the durability of the current system. The violent protests demonstrated that significant segments of the population reject the legitimacy of the process and are willing to take considerable personal risks to express their opposition. Whether this resistance can be sustained and organized into meaningful political pressure for change, or whether it would be successfully suppressed through continued repression, remains to be seen. The government's deployment of military forces alongside police to maintain order suggests a recognition that the situation may require sustained coercive capacity. The economic implications of the political crisis also merit consideration. While the government points to continued economic growth and major infrastructure projects, the political instability, international criticism, and violence associated with the election could affect investor confidence and Tanzania's relationships with development partners. The restriction of internet access, closure of airports, and disruption of transportation during the election period had immediate economic costs. More broadly, the erosion of rule of law, weakening of institutions, and climate of fear created by disappearances and repression can have long-term negative effects on economic development, innovation, and human capital formation that may not be immediately visible but accumulate over time. The situation in Tanzania reflects a fundamental tension in contemporary African politics between the aspirations of citizens for democratic governance, accountable leadership, and political participation on one hand, and the interests of ruling parties in maintaining power and control on the other. This tension is particularly acute in countries like Tanzania where democratic institutions were relatively well-established but remain vulnerable to erosion when political elites perceive their positions as threatened. The 2025 election would likely be remembered as a critical juncture in Tanzania's political trajectory, marking either a temporary setback in a longer process of democratic consolidation or a more fundamental shift toward entrenched authoritarianism. The aftermath of the election would be crucial in determining Tanzania's direction. Key questions include whether the government would pursue further repression or seek some form of reconciliation with opposition forces, how the international community would calibrate its engagement with the Hassan administration, whether the protests and resistance can be sustained or would dissipate in the face of government pressure, and whether civil society and independent institutions can maintain any space for operation and advocacy. The next parliamentary term would also test whether any meaningful opposition voice can be preserved within formal political institutions or whether the National Assembly would become entirely dominated by the ruling party with only token representation of alternative views. For Tanzania's citizens, particularly young people who led much of the protest activity, the election represents both a profound disappointment and potentially a catalyst for continued political engagement and resistance. The unprecedented nature of the unrest suggests that traditional assumptions about Tanzanian political culture and the population's willingness to accept authoritarian governance may need to be reconsidered. While the immediate outcome of the election was predetermined by the exclusion of credible opposition, the broader struggle over Tanzania's political future remains unresolved, with significant implications not only for the country's 60 million citizens but for democratic prospects across the East African region and the African continent more broadly. Russo-Ukraine War - 30 October 2025 - Day 1345 Su M Tu W Th F Sa 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While GlobalSecurity.org takes utmost care to accurately report this news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos. On 24 February 2022, Ukraine was suddenly and deliberately attacked by land, naval and air forces of Russia, igniting the largest European war since the Great Patriotic War. Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a "special military operation" (SVO - spetsialnaya voennaya operatsiya) in Ukraine in response to the appeal of the leaders of the "Donbass republics" for help. That attack is a blatant violation of the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine. Putin stressed that Moscow's goal is the demilitarization and denazification of the country. The military buildup in preceeding months makes it obvious that the unprovoked and dastardly Russian attack was deliberately planned long in advance. During the intervening time, the Russian government had deliberately sought to deceive the world by false statements and expressions of hope for continued peace. "To initiate a war of aggression... is not only an international crime; it is the supreme international crime differing only from other war crimes in that it contains within itself the accumulated evil of the whole." [Judgment of the International Military Tribunal] The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that in total, since the beginning of this day, there have been 114 combat clashes. Ukrainian defenders are decisively intercepting the attempts of the Russian enemy to advance deep into Ukrainian territory, giving him a fiery impression. Today, Russian troops launched two missile and 59 aviation strikes, using 53 missiles and dropping 105 controlled aviation bombs. In addition, involved 4208 kamikaze drones and carried out 3003 shelling positions of Ukrainian troops and settlements. In the North Slobozhansky and Kursky directions, Ukrainian soldiers repelled two Russian assault actions since the beginning of the day. In addition, the Russian enemy launched ten air strikes, dropping 22 controlled air bombs, as well as carrying out 178 shelling positions of Ukrainian troops and settlements, eight of which were from reactive fire systems. In the South Slobozhansky direction, the Russian enemy twice stormed the positions of Ukrainian units near Figolivka and towards Kolodiazny. In the Kupyansky direction, the Russian aggressor carried out offensive actions in the area of Stepova Novoselivka and towards Pi 'any and Petropavlivka. Ukrainian defenders have stopped seven Russian attacks, two more clashes continue. In the Lyman direction, Russian invaders nine times attacked the positions of Defense Forces near Shandrigolovy, Novovodany, Zarichny and towards the settlement of Korovy Yar, two clashes are still ongoing. Eight assault actions were repelled by Ukrainian defenders in the Slavic direction - the Russian occupiers tried to advance in the areas of Yampol, Serebryanka, Viymki, Pereiznogo and towards Zvanivka. In the Kramators .komu direction, the Defense Forces repelled one Russian attack towards Stupochok. In the Konstantinivsky direction, Russians 13 times went into offensive on the positions of Ukrainian units in the areas of Scherbinivka, Petrivka, Yablunivka and Rusynoy Yar. Ukrainian warriors stopped all Russian attacks. In the Pokrovsky direction since the beginning of the day, Russian forces 40 times tried to advance on the position of Ukrainian units. The enemy attacked in the areas of settlements Shahove, Nikanorivka, Novotoretske, Rodins ke, Novoekonomicne, Chunyshine, Pokrovsk, Zvirove, Kotline, Udaachne, Molodetske, Novomikolaivka and Philia. In some locations, the fights have not subsided yet. According to preliminary data, today in this direction there were 60 Russian invaders, 33 of them - irrevocably. Also Ukrainian soldiers destroyed an automobile equipment unit, 21 BPLAs and a combat-armored vehicle; five units of automobile equipment and four artillery systems were damaged; in addition, Ukrainian soldiers hit two BPLAs control points and nine shelters for the Russian occupiers' personnel. In the Oleksandrivsky direction, the Russian enemy tried 13 times to break through the defense of Ukrainian defenders in the areas of the settlements of Zeleni Gai, Verbove, Stepove, Novogrigorivka and Novovasilivskke. In the Gulyaipil direction, Ukrainian defenders repelled the attack of the Russian invaders towards the settlement of Green Gorge. In the Orihivs komu direction, Ukrainian defenders repelled two Russian assault actions, in the area of lobkovogo. In the pridniprovsk direction, the Russian enemy made three futile attempts to approach Ukrainian positions. The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation reported that in response to the terrorist attacks launched by Ukraine against civilian facilities on the territory of Russia, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation launched a massive strike with long-range air-, sea-, and ground-based high-precision weapons, as well as attack UAVs against the Ukrainian defence industry enterprises and energy infrastructure that supports their work, and military airfields. The targets were defeated, all the assigned facilities were neutralised. Sever Group's units inflicted fire damage on formations of two mechanised brigades and one assault regiment of the AFU near Pavlovka, Andreyevka, and Kondratovka (Sumy region). In Kharkov direction, units of one motorised infantry brigade and one territorial defence brigade of the AFU have been hit close to Volchansk and Volchanskiye Khutora (Kharkov region). The AFU lost more than 220 troops, two tanks, one armoured personnel carrier, 13 motor vehicles, and three artillery guns. An electronic warfare station, as well as an ammunition depot, were neutralised. As a result of resolute actions, units of the Zapad Group of Forces liberated Sadovoye (Kharkov region). Russian troops inflicted fire damage on manpower and hardware of two mechanised brigades, one airmobile brigade, one assault brigade of the AFU and one territorial defence brigade have been hit near Kucherovka, Kovsharovka, Kurilovka (Kharkov region), Krasny Liman and Drobyshevo (Donetsk People's Republic). Two attempts of the 92nd Assault Brigade of the AFU to conduct counter-attacks from Petrovka (Kharkov region) to unblock enemy units have been thwarted. In addition, an assault group of the 144th Mechanised Brigade of the AFU, attempting to regain control over the Oskol River crossing site near Sadovoye (Kharkov region), was neutralised. Units of the 1st Tank Army continue to mop up Petropavlovka and Kurylovka (Kharkov region) from the enemy groups. At the south-eastern edge of Petropavlovka (Kharkov region), 12 servicemen of the 14th Brigade of the AFU attempted to surrender, the enemy eliminated nine of them with FPV drones, and three militants managed to get to a shelter. In the past 24 hours, up to 50 AFU servicemen and six units of military hardware, including one self-propelled artillery system and two pickup trucks, have been neutralised close to Kupyansk (Kharkov region). In total, up to 230 troops, three armoured vehicles, 23 motor vehicles, and two field artillery guns have been neutralised in the Zapad Group's area of responsibility. One U.S.-made AN/TPQ-50 counter-fire radar, five electronic warfare stations, and four ammunition depots were destroyed. Units of the Yug Group of Forces took more advantageous lines and positions. Losses were inflicted on formations of two mechanised brigades, one airmobile brigade, one mountain assault brigade of the AFU, and one marine brigade close to Platonovka, Seversk, Zakotnoye, Dronovka, and Petrovskoye (Donetsk People's Republic). The AFU losses amounted to up to 180 troops, three armoured fighting vehicles, 22 motor vehicles, one Grad MLRS vehicle, and four field artillery guns. Also, one U.S.-made AN/TPQ-36 counter-fire radar, two electronic warfare stations, one ammunition depot, and two materiel depots were eliminated. Units of the Tsentr Group of Forces improved the situation along the front line. Russian troops engaged manpower and hardware of three mechanised brigades, one airmobile brigade, two assault brigades, two assault regiments of the AFU, one marine brigade, two territorial defence brigades, and one national guard brigade close to Novopodgorodnoye, Lozovoye, Ivanovka, Novopavlovka (Dnepropetrovsk region), Dobropolye, Rodinskoye, Toretskoye, Novonikolayevka, and Belitskoye (Donetsk People's Republic). In Krasnoarmeysk (Donetsk People's Republic), assault detachments of the 2nd Army continue to destroy enemy encircled units close to the railway station. Moreover, Russian troops continue mopping up the territory of Gnatovka (Donetsk People's Republic). Nine enemy attempts to attack Russian positions and break out of the encirclement in the northern and north-western directions have been thwarted, as well as another attempt to unblock an AFU group from the direction of Grishino (Donetsk People's Republic) has been thwarted. The units of the 5th Motorised Rifle Brigade of the 51st Army continued to tighten encirclement around the enemy from the east, expanding the control zone in the northern and south-eastern parts of Dimitrov (Donetsk People's Republic). During the day, more than 180 Ukrainian servicemen, one armoured fighting vehicle, and two pickup trucks have been neutralised in this area. In total, up to 510 troops, one Bucephalus armoured personnel carrier, two armoured vehicles, three pickup trucks, and one field artillery gun were neutralised in the Tsentr Group's area of responsibility. Units of the Vostok Group of Forces continued to advance to the depths of the enemy's defence and liberated Krasnogorskoye (Zaporozhye region). Troops of two mechanised brigades, two assault regiments of the AFU, and one territorial defence brigade have been hit near Danilovka, Nechayevka (Dnepropetrovsk region), Veseloye, Sladkoye, Novoye and Uspenovka (Zaporozhye region). Up to 265 troops, one armoured fighting vehicle, 19 motor vehicles, one U.S.-made 155-mm M777 howitzer, and one 122-mm D-30 howitzer have been neutralised. Dnepr Group's units inflicted losses on manpower and hardware of one mechanised brigade and one coastal defence brigade of the AFU near Antonovka (Kherson region), Orekhov and Preobrazhenka (Zaporozhye region). Up to 80 troops, two artillery guns, 13 motor vehicles, four electronic warfare stations, and one ammunition depot were neutralised. Operational-Tactical aviation, attack drones, missile troops, and artillery of the groups' forces of the Russian Federation have inflicted damage on the assembly and storage areas of long-range attack UAVs, railway infrastructure facilities used for the interests of the AFU, depots of missile and artillery weapons, as well as temporary deployment areas of the Ukrainian armed formations in 142 areas. Air defence systems shot down eight guided aerial bombs, three HIMARS MLRS projectiles, and 192 fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles. In total, since the beginning of the special military operation, the enemy has lost 668 aircraft, 283 helicopters, 93,479 unmanned aerial vehicles, 633 anti-aircraft missile systems, 25,753 tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles, 1,608 MLRS combat vehicles, 30,912 field artillery guns and mortars, and 45,303 units of support military vehicles. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Russo-Ukraine War - 31 October 2025 - Day 1346 Su M Tu W Th F Sa 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 A number of claims and counterclaims are being made on the Ukraine-Russia conflict on the ground and online. While GlobalSecurity.org takes utmost care to accurately report this news story, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos. On 24 February 2022, Ukraine was suddenly and deliberately attacked by land, naval and air forces of Russia, igniting the largest European war since the Great Patriotic War. Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a "special military operation" (SVO - spetsialnaya voennaya operatsiya) in Ukraine in response to the appeal of the leaders of the "Donbass republics" for help. That attack is a blatant violation of the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine. Putin stressed that Moscow's goal is the demilitarization and denazification of the country. The military buildup in preceeding months makes it obvious that the unprovoked and dastardly Russian attack was deliberately planned long in advance. During the intervening time, the Russian government had deliberately sought to deceive the world by false statements and expressions of hope for continued peace. "To initiate a war of aggression... is not only an international crime; it is the supreme international crime differing only from other war crimes in that it contains within itself the accumulated evil of the whole." [Judgment of the International Military Tribunal] The General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported that in total, since the beginning of this day, there have been 137 combat clashes. Ukrainian defenders are decisively intercepting the attempts of the Russian enemy to advance deep into Ukrainian territory, giving him a fiery impression. Today, Russian troops launched 50 air strikes, dropping 106 controlled aviation bombs. In addition, 2339 kamikaze drones were involved and carried out 3281 shelling positions of Ukrainian troops and settlements. In the North Slobozhansky and Kursky directions, Ukrainian soldiers repelled nine Russian assault actions since the beginning of the day. In addition, the enemy launched 11 air strikes, dropping 26 controlled airstrikes, and carried out 153 shelling positions of Ukrainian troops and settlements, six of which were from open-fire jet systems. In the South Slobozhansky direction, the Russian enemy three times attacked the positions of Ukrainian units in the Vovchansky district and in the direction of Dvorichansky and Kolodiazny. In the Kupyansky direction, the Russian aggressor carried out offensive actions in the area of Petropavlivka, Pi any and in the directions of Novoplatonivka, Novoosinovogo. Ukrainian defenders stopped nine enemy attacks, two more clashes continue. In the Lyman direction, Russian invaders nine times attacked the positions of the Defense Forces near Torsky, Karpivka, Derylovy and towards the settlements of Korovy Yar, Lyman. Ten assault actions were repelled by Ukrainian defenders in the Slavic direction - the Russian occupiers tried to advance in the areas of Yampol, Dronivka, Serebryanka, Pereyznogo, Siversk and Viymki. In the Kramators komu direction, the Defense Forces repelled one Russian attack in the area of Chasovoye Yar. In the Konstantinivsky direction, Russians 11 times went into offensive on the positions of Ukrainian units in the areas of Scherbinivka, Pleshiyivka, Toretsk and in the direction of Sofiyivka. Ukrainian soldiers have already stopped 10 enemy attacks. In the Pokrovsky direction since the beginning of the day, the occupiers 46 times tried to advance on the position of Ukrainian units. The Russian enemy attacked in the areas of the settlements of Nikanorivka, Rodinske, Chervony Lyman, Mirnograd, Novoekonomicne, Kotline, Udacne, Molodetske, Dachne, Lisivka, Novopavlivka, Pokrovsk, Zvirove, Novoukrainka and in the direction of Grishiny. In one location, the fights have not subsided until now. According to preliminary data, today in this direction there were 104 Russian invaders, 55 of them - irrevocably. Also Ukrainian soldiers destroyed an automobile equipment unit, three motorcycles, 10 AMPLA; also damaged three vehicles units and one AMPLA control point and six shelters for the occupiers' personnel. In the Oleksandrivsky direction, the Russian enemy 16 times tried to break through the defense of Ukrainian defenders in the areas of settlements Verbove, Pavlivka, Vishneve, Zeleny Gorge, Sosnivka, Vorone, Stepovo, Krasnogirsk and in the direction of settlements Orestopil, Rybne, Oleksiyivka. Currently, three clashes are ongoing. Pokrovsky suffered an air strike. In the direction of Gulyajpils komu, Russian forces three times attacked the positions of Ukrainian defenders in the area of Novomykolaivka and in the direction of New. Air strikes were hit by the iron, sweet, doroznyanka. In the orihivs komu direction, Ukrainian warriors repelled the assault action of the zagarbnikiv in the area of novoandriivka. Lukanivs ke and novoyakovlivka were under air strikes. In the Pridniprovsk direction, the Russian enemy twice tried to approach Ukrainian defenders, received a cut off. The Russian enemy caused an air strike in the area of Mykil s kogo. The Ministry of Defense of the Russian Federation reported that from 25 to 31 October, in response to Ukrainian terrorist attacks on civilian facilities in Russia, the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation carried out one massive and five group strikes by long-range precision ground-, air-, and sea-based weapons as well as by strike drones, which hit Ukrainian defence industry enterprises and power facilities that supported them, transport infrastructure, trains used to transport AFU weapons and hardware, military airfields, arsenals, production areas of Flamingo cruise missiles and long-range attack unmanned aerial vehicles, storage areas of uncrewed surface vehicles, temporary deployment areas of Ukrainian troops, nationalists, and foreign mercenaries. During the week, units of the Sever Group of Forces improved the tactical situation. Russian troops inflicted fire damage on manpower and hardware of four mechanised brigades, one motorised infantry brigade, one jaeger brigade, one assault brigade, one air assault brigade, two assault regiments of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, two territorial defence brigades, and one National Guard brigade in Sumy region. In Kharkov direction, strikes were delivered at formations of two mechanised brigades, one motorised infantry brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and three territorial defence brigades. Over the week, the enemy losses in the area of responsibility of the Sever Group of Forces were more than 1,320 troops, two tanks, 14 armoured fighting vehicles, 73 motor vehicles, and 13 field artillery guns. In addition, 13 electronic warfare and counter-battery stations, and 29 ammunition and materiel depots were neutralised. As a result of active and resolute actions, units of the Zapad Group of Forces liberated Sadovoye (Kharkov region). Russian troops hit formations of six mechanised brigades, one airmobile brigade, two assault brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, two territorial defence brigades, and two National Guard brigades. Assault detachments of the 6th and 1st tank armies continued to destroy an encircled enemy group close to Kupyansk (Kharkov region). Servicemen finish mopping the territory of Petropavlovka and Kurilovka (Kharkov region) up from scattered enemy groups. Servicemen of the AFU 14th Mechanised Brigade made an attempt to escape from an encirclement. Enemy troops tried to cross the Oskol River using four boats, but the AFU mission was thwarted. In total, over the past week, six attempts by the enemy to deblock enemy units from Nechvolodovka, Petrovka, and Moskovka (Kharkov region) were thwarted as well as three attempts by Ukrainian troops to regain control over the crossing of the Oskol River and to break through the encirclement. From 27 to 31 October, more than 205 troops and 27 pieces of military hardware were neutralised close to Kupyansk (Kharkov region). Three Ukrainian servicemen surrendered. In total, the enemy losses were more than 1,600 troops, 28 tanks and armoured fighting vehicles, 137 motor vehicles, and 10 field artillery guns. In addition, 27 ammunition depots and 44 electronic warfare and counter-battery stations were hit. The Yug Group of Forces' units took more advantageous lines and positions. Russian troops inflicted fire damage on manpower and hardware of six mechanised brigades, one motorised infantry brigade, one airmobile brigade, one assault brigade, one mountain assault brigade of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, one marine brigade, two territorial defence brigades, and one National Guard brigade. In this direction, the enemy losses were more than 1,330 troops, 40 tanks and armoured fighting vehicles including three U.S.-made M113 armoured personnel carriers. In addition, 27 field artillery guns including seven Western-made ones, 123 motor vehicles, 13 electronic warfare and counter-battery stations, and 24 ammunition, fuel, and materiel depots were destroyed. The Tsentr Group of Forces' units improved the situation along the front line. Russian troops hit formations of one tank brigade, seven mechanised brigades, one infantry brigade, one jaeger brigade, one airmobile brigade, three assault brigades, three air assault brigades, three assault regiments, one UAV brigade of the AFU, two marine brigades, two territorial defence brigades, and four National Guard brigades. In Krasnoarmeysk (Donetsk People's Republic), units of the 2nd Army continued to neutralise encircled AFU formations increasing control of the territory close to a railway station. Servicemen complete the mopping up of Gnatovka (Donetsk People's Republic). In addition, assault detachments entered Rog (Donetsk People's Republic) and took hold of its south-eastern part. In total, over the past 24 hours, one attempt to unblock an AFU group from the direction of Grishino (Donetsk People's Republic) and seven attempts by Ukrainian formations to break through the encirclement in north and north-western directions were thwarted. Over the past week, the enemy made four attempts to deblock an encircled group in Krasnoarmeysk (Donetsk People's Republic). Ukrainian troops attempted to break through the encirclement 23 times. Assault detachments of the 51st Army's 5th Motorised Rifle Brigade expanded the control zone in northern, north-western, and south-eastern areas of Dimitrov (Donetsk People's Republic) squeezing the encirclement territory from the east. Servicemen finish the mopping up of scattered Ukrainian groups on the territory of Mine 5/6. From 27 to 31 October, more than 700 troops and 17 pieces of military hardware were eliminated. Over the past week, the enemy losses in the Tsentr Group of Forces' area of responsibility were more than 3,520 troops, 27 armoured fighting vehicles, 30 motor vehicles, and eight field artillery guns were neutralised. Over the past week, units of the Vostok Group of Forces continued to advance to the depths of enemy defences. Russian troops liberated Novonikolayevka, Krasnogorskoye, Privolnoye (Zaporozhye region), Yegorovka, Vishnevoye, and Novoaleksandrovka (Dnepropetrovsk region). Servicemen hit manpower and hardware of three mechanised brigades, four assault regiments of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, and three territorial defence brigades. In total, the AFU losses in this direction were up to 1,950 troops, 14 armoured fighting vehicles, and 108 motor vehicles. In addition, 11 field artillery guns, seven electronic warfare stations, and four ammunition and materiel depots were neutralised. Units of the Dnepr Group of Forces inflicted fire damage on formations of two mechanised brigades, one mountain assault brigade, and two coastal defence brigades of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. The AFU losses were up to 395 troops, four armoured fighting vehicles, 77 motor vehicles, and three field artillery guns. In addition, 19 electronic warfare stations and nine ammunition and materiel depots were neutralised. Over the past week, air defence systems shot down 17 guided aerial bombs, 10 U.S.-made HIMARS MLRS projectiles, two Neptune long-range guided missiles, and 1,701 fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicle. In total, since the beginning of the special military operation the enemy lost: 668 aircraft, 283 helicopters, 93,879 unmanned aerial vehicles, 633 anti-aircraft missile systems, 25,773 tanks and other armoured fighting vehicles, 1,608 MLRS combat vehicles, 30,943 field artillery guns and mortars, 45,383 units of support military vehicles. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address Status-6 / Kanyon / SS-N-38 / Poseidon - Ocean Multipurpose System Poseidon is a Russian nuclear-powered guided supertorpedo with a nuclear propulsion system. GRAU designation 2M39, NATO reporting name Kanyon. It is designed for launch from the Project 09852 special-purpose nuclear submarine Belgorod, as well as from the Project 09851 and Project 09853 special-purpose submarines Khabarovsk and Ulyanovsk, currently under construction. It is designed to destroy (and cause radiation contamination) ports and naval bases using both its own destructive force and the tsunami generated by the explosion. Another potential target in the event of a military conflict is the destruction of enemy carrier strike groups. It has been in development since at least the mid-2010s. Russian President Vladimir Putin first officially confirmed the weapon's development in 2018. The torpedo received the name "Poseidon" following an open vote on the Russian Ministry of Defense website. It has been undergoing testing since 2019. Russian President Vladimir Putin said 29 October 2025 his country has successfully tested the nuclear-powered Poseidon unmanned underwater vehicle. "For the first time, we succeeded not only in launching it from a submarine using its booster engine, but also in activating its nuclear propulsion system, which powered the vehicle for a certain period of time," Putin said during a visit to a military hospital in Moscow. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists that Poseidon represents entirely new technologies and this is a new step in ensuring Russia's security, adding that these technologies can be applied to the country's economy for peaceful purposes. The tests were conducted in accordance with all international rules and bilateral agreements, the spokesman said. The press secretary recalled, Putin explained the reason for speaking with the heroes of the special military operation about the tests. "The president himself explained it. He said that our soldiers fighting in the Northern Military District are certainly interested in knowing what's happening in the broader context of ensuring our country's security," Peskov added. The day before, during a visit to the P.V. Mandryka Military Hospital, Putin announced that the successful testing of the Poseidon nuclear-powered underwater vehicle was a tremendous success. Western countries should "prepare to bow" to President Vladimir Putin to prevent Russia from using the nuclear-powered Poseidon underwater vehicle. This was stated by Russian State Duma Speaker Vyacheslav Volodin during a plenary session of the State Duma, according to Russian media. "The creation of the Burevestnik made it possible to test the Poseidon. This weapon has no equal. The President oversaw the project's implementation from start to finish, and we see the results. Today, those who harm us abroad should be ready to bow to our Supreme Commander-in-Chief, just so they don't use this weapon," Volodin stated. The Chairman of the State Duma of the Russian Federation noted that initially, few believed in the projects implementation. "The president believed in it and kept it under control. The most modern, powerful weapon has been created," the State Duma Speaker added. The name "Poseidon" originated from a public vote, continuing the Russian tradition of drawing inspiration from Greek mythology for its weapons (such as the "Borei" nuclear submarine). In ancient Greek mythology, Poseidon, the god of the sea, could unleash colossal waves with his trident, causing continents to sink. This imagery aligns perfectly with the underwater vehicle's ability to create a nuclear tsunami, symbolizing Russia's control over the ultimate destructive power of the ocean. Its development codename "Status-6" was abandoned precisely because "Poseidon" more directly conveys a visually imposing sense of strategic deterrence. For the first time, Russian President Vladimir Putin spoke about a Russian unmanned underwater vehicle with a nuclear power plant in his message to the Federal Assembly in March 2018. He noted that such drones can be equipped with both conventional and nuclear warheads and will be able to destroy enemy infrastructure, aircraft carrier groups, etc. Public discussions of this system almost always focus on its "doomsday machine" nuclear retaliation role. While this is all very exciting to talk about, probably this is a cover story for the actual missions of this large Unmanned Undersa Vehicle [UUV], which is probably part of Russia's emerging Harmony undersea surveillance system, a SOSUS with Russian characteristics. The Project 09851 Khabarovsk special-purpose nuclear submarine, capable of carrying up to six Poseidon strategic drones, will be launched in the first half of 2021. "The withdrawal of the Khabarovsk submarine from the Sevmash shipyard is planned for the spring - summer of next year. Then the factory sea trials of the submarine will begin," the source in the military-industrial complex source said. The first Poseidon carrier - Project 09852 Belgorod submarine - was launched on April 23, 2019. Submarines "Belgorod" and "Khabarovsk" must carry six Poseidon vehicles. According to the Ministry of Defense, the Poseidon vehicles, together with the carrier submarines, are part of the so-called oceanic multipurpose system. As sources previously reported to TASS, Poseidon will be able to carry a nuclear warhead with a capacity of up to two megatons to destroy enemy naval bases. Drones will get high speed and unlimited cruising range. The exact specifications of the torpedo are classified. Official sources indicate that the torpedo is an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) capable of delivering a nuclear weapon over an unlimited distance and operating at great depths, which limits its detection capabilities, thanks to its compact nuclear power plant. For a few seconds on 10 November 2015, evening news programs showed a document with drawings and details of a planned Russian nuclear-capable underwater drone that would be launched from a submarine, dubbed Status-6. Such a torpedo was envisaged in 1950s, during Cold War, by nuclear physicist Andrei Sakharov - later a famous dissident and peace activist. The 100-megaton warhead could devastate US coast with massive tsunami and intense radiation. In bland but chilling language, the document said the purpose of the pilotless subs -- still on the drawing board and at least a decade away from any possible production -- would be to 'strike important enemy economic facilities in coastal areas.' The Russian government newspaper Rossiiskaya Gazeta later reported details of the weapon, without showing the diagram, and speculated about a super-radioactive cobalt device. NTV television and Channel One state television, which are under strict Kremlin control, both featured footage from a meeting that President Vladimir Putin held with top defense officials in the southern Russian city of Sochi. At one point, the camera points over what appears to be the shoulder of one of the uniformed military officials attending the meeting, at a document he is holding headlined "Ocean Multipurpose System 'Status-6.' The document includes drawings of what appears to be a torpedo or an underwater drone. The meeting can be watched on YouTube, with details about the weapon starting at 1:49. The document states that the planned weapons system will be able to create "extensive zones of radioactive contamination" in "enemy" coastal areas, making them "unsuitable" for military, economic or other activity "for a long time." President Vladimir Putin's spokesman, Dmitry Peskov, said that NTV and state-run First Channel and NTV had erred by slipping 'secret data' into their broadcasts, and that the authorities would take steps to ensure it doesn't happen again. But some observers suspect it was not by accident. In the wake of the incident, state media have prominently featured an interview with a defense expert giving more details about the "secret" weapon, fueling speculation that the original leak was no accident. Radio Sputnik, which is part of the Russian state news agency Sputnik, featured an interview with Igor Korotchenko, chief editor of the magazine Natsionalnaya Oborona (National Defense), who provided further details about the Status-6 weapons system. According to the document, the drone would be launched from two new models of submarines that Russia has started producing over the past three years. It said the drone would reportedly have a maximum range of 5,400 nautical miles (10,000 kilometers) while traveling at a depth of 1,000 meters. It was developed by Rubin, a submarine design bureau in St Petersburg. It would, apparently, be launched by nuclear-powered submarines of the 09852 "Belgorod" and 09851 "Khabarovsk" series. Rossiiskaya Gazeta called the torpedo a "robotic mini-submarine", travelling at 100 knots (185km/h; 115mph), which would "avoid all acoustic tracking devices and other traps" [the combitioan of speed and range claimed for this system is implausible]. Creation of Russian multi-purpose ocean system "status-6" devalue the missile defense system (NMD), the United States and will maintain the strategic parity in the world, according to the chief editor of "National Defense" Igor Korotchenko. "Given the commitment of the USA to establish a missile defense system to intercept Russian intercontinental ballistic missiles, it is clear that our military leadership is thinking how to solve the problem destruction of the enemy in the event of a real war, including using non-conventional means of delivering a nuclear warhead to the enemy's territory", - Korotchenko told Tass. According to him, it is to some extent the work of the future, to have in the arsenal of weapons, which devalue the US missile defense system. "Status-6 is a conglomeration of the latest Russian submarine technology," Korotchenko said in the interview, which was extensively quoted by RIA Novosti and Tass state news agencies. "The purpose of this ocean system is transporting a high-powered nuclear warhead to the coast of the enemy." Korotchenko continued: "The United States is actively developing an anti-missile defense system and putting very serious money into this, hoping ...to create an impenetrable shield over the United States. But Russia will have capabilities to neutralize any of America's military-technical solutions." The expert believed that the creation of such a torpedo will support strategic parity in the world and reduce the likelihood of a nuclear war. Speaking about the possibility of the real existence of such a development, the expert said that "the meetings of the President commanders go with real instruments, not with pictures." "Therefore, we can say that this is a real development, which is likely, in the final stages of creation" - added Korochenko. It is said that the Status-6, codenamed Kanyon, was tested on November 27, 2015 during a secret operation. The test should have been performed by a Sarov class submarine, project 20120. The Status-6 should have a diameter of 1.6 meters, a length of 24 and would be able to reach an operating depth of one thousand meters. New details on the reactor emerge. This would be a small eight megawatt liquid metal-cooled nuclear reactor, which would allow the Status-6 to reach a cruising speed of 55 km / h. However, the second data on speed is interesting. According to the Russian sites, the Status-6 could accelerate up to a speed of 185 km / h. If these data were correct, the Russian torpedo would certainly be able to bypass any existing NATO defense system. The Mark-48 torpedo, the main offensive system of the US Navy, has a maximum range of 55 km and an operating depth of 800 meters. This means that if the Status-6 operates close to its maximum depth (one thousand meters) at a speed of 185 km / h, the US Navy's primary weapon could not reach it and destroy it. At present there should be three submarine platforms designed for the Status-6. The K-139 Belgorod Project 09852, evolution of the Oscar II Class 949A Project, will be able to transport four of them. The B-90 Sarov class should be able to carry two. Of the submarine Khabarovsk, project 09851, similar to the Borei class, almost nothing is known. The new Nuclear Posture Review (NPR), which established the US nuclear strategy for the coming years, confirmed the existence of the unique Russian Nuclear Torpedo Status-6. The NPR report showed for the first time that the US side recognizes the Status-6 nuclear torpedo as a real weapon system, respectively. as a new Russian capability to carry out nuclear strikes. "In addition to the modernization of older Soviet nuclear systems, Russia is developing and deploying new nuclear warheads and launchers," said a declassified report from the NPR report. "This endeavor involves a number of improvements for each part of the Russian nuclear triad of strategic bombers, naval and land missiles, and Russia has developed at least two new intercontinental systems, a hypersonic return body (with a nuclear warhead and a new intercontinental submarine autonomous torpedo with a nuclear warhead , " stands in the extract of the report. The Torpedo Status-6, which the US party assigned the Kanyon designation, should be tested at least once according to the NPR. This test was captured by the US Intelligence Service on November 27, 2016 after the Status-6 torpedo was launched from the Sarov diesel-powered offensive submarine. According to Washington Free Beacon, submarines of this class are used to test and certify new technologies. The Washington Free Beacon states that Status-6 has a reach of 6,200 nautical miles (10,000 km), sinking to a depth of 3280 m and capable of sailing up to 56 knots (103) km / h. A torpedo of about 1.6 meters in diameter (three times the size of conventional torpedoes), according to Russian reports, is supposed to deliver a nuclear charge of up to 100 Mt. The development of torpedoes is ensured by the Petrograd design office, Rubin, the main Russian submarine design office. Status-6 can be discharged from at least two different submarine classes - the Sarov submarine (3950 t) and Oscar-class rockets (17,000 tons) capable of transporting up to four Status-6 torpedoes. State AgencyTASS , citing a source, reported in October 2025 that the power of the charge installed on the Poseidon could reach 2 megatons of TNT equivalent. According to the publication, the Poseidons can travel at depths of more than 1 km at speeds of 60-70 knots (110-130 km/h). While moving, the apparatus is capable of active maneuvering. In the "President's Address to the Federal Assembly" on 01 March 2018, Putin stated "It is well known that in the world unmanned armament systems are actively designed and created. I can say that in Russia unmanned underwater vehicles capable of moving at great depths (and, I would say, at very deep depths) and intercontinental range at a speed that is multiple of the speed of submarines, the most advanced torpedoes and all types, even the most high-speed, surface ships. It's just fantastic. They have low noise, high maneuverability and are practically invulnerable to the enemy. Funds that can resist them, to date in the world simply does not exist. "Unmanned underwater vehicles can be equipped with both conventional and nuclear munitions. This will allow them to hit a wide range of targets, including carrier groups, coastal fortifications and infrastructure. "In December 2017, a multi-year trial cycle of an innovative nuclear power plant was completed to equip this autonomous uninhabited vehicle. The nuclear installation has a unique small size and at the same time an extremely high power-to-weight ratio. When the volume of a hundred times smaller than the setting of modern submarines, is used for greater power and 200 times less time to battle mode, that is, at the maximum power. "The results of the tests made it possible for us to proceed with the creation of a fundamentally new type of strategic weapon equipped with high-power nuclear munitions." The Russian strategic unmanned underwater vehicle "Poseidon", the creation of which was announced in March by Russian President Vladimir Putin, will receive a maximum underwater speed of more than 200 km / h. This was reported to TASS on 04 January 2019 by a source in the military-industrial complex. The drone that left the submarine will go to the target at a depth of more than 1 km at a speed of 200 km / h and more (about 110 knots), the agencys source said. He clarified that, as in the case of the Squall rocket-torpedo, the Poseidon drone will move at maximum speed in the air cavity (a cavity with water vapor will form around the device - TASS comment). ". As the source added, on the way to the goal, Poseidon will continuously maneuver along the course and depth, which, taking into account the speed and maximum depth of the course of more than 1 km, makes the defeat of the drone existing with a potential enemy today impossible. The maximum underwater speed of modern nuclear submarines is about 60 km / h (30-35 knots), torpedoes - around 90 km / h (up to 50 knots). Domestic torpedo missile "Squall", equipped with a jet engine, can, according to various sources, go under water at a speed of 370 km / h (up to 200 knots), but at a distance of just over 10 km and at shallow depth. TASS does not have official confirmation provided by the source of information. As another source in the military-industrial complex reported to TASS at the end of December, underwater tests of the Poseidon unmanned aerial vehicle are currently under way. He clarified that one of the Navy nuclear submarines was used as the carrier of the drone. On the unmanned underwater vehicle created in Russia with a nuclear power plant for the first time told Russian President Vladimir Putin in his message to the Federal Assembly in March of this year. The president then said that these drones could be equipped with both conventional and nuclear weapons and would be able to destroy enemy infrastructure, aircraft carrier groups, and so on. The Poseidon vehicles, together with the carriers - nuclear submarines - are part of the so-called ocean multipurpose system. A source in the military-industrial complex told TASS that the Poseidon unmanned underwater vehicle being created in Russia would be capable of carrying a nuclear warhead of up to two megatons to destroy enemy naval bases. This contradicts earlier claims of a 100-MT yield. The Russian Navy plans to place more than 30 Poseidon strategic nuclear-capable underwater drones on combat duty, a source in the domestic defense industry told TASS on 12 January 2019. "Two Poseidon-carrying submarines are expected to enter service with the Northern Fleet and the other two will join the Pacific Fleet. Each of the submarines will carry a maximum of eight drones and, therefore, the total number of Poseidons on combat duty may reach 32 vehicles," the source said. The special-purpose nuclear-powered submarine Khabarovsk currently being built at the Sevmash Shipyard will become one of the organic carriers of the Poseidon nuclear-capable underwater drone. Also, special-purpose submarines and Project 949A nuclear-powered underwater cruisers operational in the Russian Navy may be used as the carriers "after their appropriate upgrade," the source noted. Tests of Russia's Poseidon nuclear-powered underwater drone were for the first time shown on 20 February 2019 by the Rossiya 24 TV channel. The clip, which lasts a few seconds, shows the Poseidon moving out of a container simulating the corresponding compartment of the drone carrier submarine. Earlier in the day, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said the Poseidon sea tests had been successfully completed. In turn, retired Russian Rear Adm. Vsevolod Khmyrov said that the Poseidons successful bench tests allow starting tests involving nuclear submarines as carrier for the drone. "There was a full cycle of bench tests, including tests of a unique nuclear power unit, and then comprehensive marine field tests All this allows to start a full final stage soon, i.e. tests of the drone together with its carrier," Khmyrov told reporters. A top-notch underwater drone armed with a nuclear warhead, Poseidon, is scheduled to join Russia's arsenal no earlier than 2027, people close to US intelligence told CNBC 26 March 2019, citing their assessment. "What we are basically dealing with is a Russian submarine, that is difficult to detect, launching a drone, that is difficult to target, equipped with a nuclear warhead", one person said on condition of anonymity, adding that the Russians are determined to use the advanced nuclear-powered vehicle "as a retaliation device if their legacy nuclear weapon launch capability is neutralized during war".According to CNBC, Russia has yet to effectively test the vehicle's nuclear propulsion heart, which is key to its overwhelming power. Russian Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu said in February that the Poseidon sea tests had been successfully completed. They were carried out in an offshore zone that was well protected from a potential enemy's intelligence forces. The tests of the system's nuclear warhead, finalized back in 2018 and shown on Russian television for the first time this February, proved its incredible capacity. The fact that tests have already been completed casts doubt on the credibility of CNBC's report and the cited sources. Deputy head of Russian State Duma's defence department, Yuri Shvitkin, commented on the US edition's article in an interview with RT, saying Poseidon drones will become part of the Russian arsenal much earlier than 2027. "I'll let down the US and tell them that the Poseidon system will become operational much earlier than they predict. It has mostly to do with their aggressive policies with regard to our country. American politicians openly dub Russia bellicose, and we have no time to equip the armed forces only by 2027, " the MP noted, adding that the measures are purely defensive. On 26 May 2020, the Russian "Messenger" website reported that the famous Poseidon nuclear-powered ultra-long-range torpedo is about to begin navigation experiments in the Barents Sea. It has been two or three years since Poseidon first announced it. As a major nuclear research country, it is possible for Russia to produce a small reactor and install it in an unmanned submarine with a diameter of more than one meter. Russian media previously reported that the Russian Navy is set to place some 30 Poseidon drones on active combat duty, while the US Navy cannot boast a similar weapon to date, CNBC noted. By 2020 it was reported that the development of Status-6, called Poseidon, will be put on combat alert in the amount of 32 units, for this purpose it is specially planned to build 8 submarines. According to Russia's "Outline of National Weapons Development from 2018 to 2027", Russia plans to produce 32 "Poseidon" nuclear torpedoes, each carried by four new special submarines. The first launch of the Poseidon unmanned underwater vehicle is scheduled for this fall, a source in the military-industrial complex told RIA Novosti 26 May 2020. The launch, he said, will take place from the side of the Belgorod nuclear submarine, the first experimental carrier of these drones. The Russian Navy's Belgorod special-purpose nuclear submarine can carry six Poseidon missiles and is expected to achieve combat capability in 2026; future plans include deploying more than 32 missiles, and the development of the Khabarovsk-class nuclear submarines specifically for underwater vehicles. These deep-sea platforms will form a nuclear deterrent network covering the Atlantic, Arctic, and Pacific Oceans. The core of its unlimited range lies in its 8-megawatt liquid metal-cooled nuclear reactor, which, after multiple start-up tests in 2025, has achieved stable operation. This design theoretically gives it unlimited endurance, allowing it to silently travel from the Russian coast to any coastline target worldwide, completely overcoming the limitations of traditional torpedo propellant reserves. The revolutionary parameters of its high-speed deep-sea diving: Combining Russia's unique supercavitation technology, its underwater speed reaches up to 100 knots (approximately 185 km/h), far exceeding the 40-60 knot limit of conventional torpedoes. Simultaneously, it can dive to a depth of 1000 metersa depth far exceeding the 400-meter limit of current nuclear submarines. At this depth, the success rate of interception by existing NATO P-8A anti-submarine aircraft sonar buoys and torpedoes is close to zero. The stealth design employs a dual barrier : utilizing the complex terrain of the deep sea and a pump-jet propulsion system to simulate the noise of civilian vessels, coupled with noise reduction and shape-correction technologies, it becomes an invisible hunter in the "sonar blind spot." The unmanned submersible's structural design eliminates the need for an overall pressure hull, requiring only a pressure chamber for core equipment, significantly improving diving depth flexibility. Poseidon is small in comparison with submarines. If one were to believe the information about the gigantic speed of the drone, Military Review experts indicate, it should be recognized that its detection and relatively accurate location will be quite possible using acoustic methods, since noise from a torpedo (drone) traveling at a speed of 100 knots will be heard from great distances . As Poseidon approaches the arrays of bottom sensors of the American SOSUS / IUSS system, it will be possible to send anti-submarine aircraft to the intended area of ??torpedo movement and determine its location accurately. Next, the question arises of hitting the target. I must admit that technologically the West is already able to quickly and inexpensively create weapons for this. For example, the European MU-90 Hard kill, an anti-torpedo that can hit targets at a depth of up to 1,000 meters, can become the base for the anti-torpedo, capable of getting Poseidon when dropped from an airplane on the opposite course. There are other candidates for anti-torpedoes, the same American CAT (Countermeasure anti-torpedo), already tested from surface ships and also optimized for the destruction of high-speed deep-sea targets. Of course, it will have to be "taught" to use from an airplane first, but this is not a big problem, after all, in the USA there are single torpedoes used both from surface ships and aircraft, they can solve such problems. And the MU-90 flies quite a plane from itself, experts pay attention. Naturally, the speed of the Poseidon will complicate the interception, but basing anti-torpedoes on an airplane will make it possible to attack the underwater drone in the opposite direction, which will still allow it to reach, and the huge distance to the target that the drone will have to pass will give Americans hundreds of attempts. Of course, it is possible that this device will actually sneak at a low speed, for example, at 1015 knots, in the problem depth zone not more than 100 meters, near the boundaries of the jump layer, or, if there are several such layers, between them. Then its discovery will become much more difficult - the ocean is huge and it will not work everywhere to provide the necessary forces and means. If Poseidon follows the route at a great depth, as promised, but at a low speed, then this will nullify the possibility of detecting it using non-acoustic methods (by radioactive trail or by thermal radiation, or other known methods), but it will somewhat simplify acoustic detection, although it will be difficult to detect it at low speed. We will not draw our conclusions in the absence of accurate information about the tactical and technical characteristics of a nuclear drone. In the future, we will proceed from the fact that the mode of its movement provides the desired level of stealth, that is, in any case, this is a small move, Russian experts say. Regarding the usefulness and justification of this superweapon, they express the following opinion. First. When and if the Poseidons tear off the American coast, we will all be dead, they say. - This in a sense devalues ??investments. Actually, the meaning of deterrence, and weapons, and the armed forces is that we still survive, preferably in such numbers that our culture is preserved. Betting on doomsday machines even from the point of view of logic, looks faulty. According to some comrades in uniform, theoretical research on such a dashboard has been going on almost since Soviet times, and the final go-ahead for the implementation of the project was given immediately after the Americans left the ABM Treaty. Elementary logic required those in power to ask themselves two questions. First, will the Americans be able to repel the blow of our Strategic Rocket Forces with their missile defense? Second - under what circumstances will the answer to the first question be positive? There is only one answer, and it is known: a missile defense is only a missile defense if the United States succeeded in delivering a sudden disarming nuclear strike against the Russian Federation. In another case, missile defense does not make sense. But with a missed strike - it has, because a very small number of missiles will fly in the opposite direction. The second point is that Poseidon really doesnt add anything to the Russian deterrence potential, Military Observation experts say: Our missiles, with a preventive or retaliatory strike against the United States, are quite capable of tearing their country off the face of the earth. In fact, they will survive there, but after that even Mexico can conquer them. What does super torpedo give? Maybe it increases the combat stability of Russia's strategic nuclear forces? No, it doesnt, the Americans graze at the exits from our bases, and for a long time brazenly hang on the tail of strategic missile submarines. What will prevent them from spudding several Poseidon carriers as well? Nothing, they say. The scenario that is more suitable for unmanned nuclear submarines is long-term global surveillance and surveillance. Since there is no one on the submarine, there is no need to worry about the health of the crew. As long as the system reliability and global satellite communication problems are solved, it can be operated in the sea for several years. The "Orcas" program commissioned by the US Navy to Boeing is also a large unmanned submarine, but it does not have nuclear power or a nuclear warhead, but uses the diesel-motor power of a conventional submarine, and the load is equipment such as photoelectric reconnaissance and electronic reconnaissance. The "Orcas" can use their own diesel to travel thousands of kilometers. It can usually sail and charge on the water, dive into the water after approaching the reconnaissance target, and erect the photoelectric mast to shoot. The United States has a large number of broadband communication satellites, which can broadcast live images from "Orca". The "Orca" has no risk of nuclear leakage and can be operated safely. Russia's high-profile promotion of Poseidon is largely to show that its high-tech research and development capabilities have not been lost, and weapon concept innovation is still active. NEWS LETTER Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list Enter Your Email Address NEW YORK, Oct. 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, reminds purchasers of common stock of Baxter International Inc. (NYSE: BAX) between February 23, 2022 and July 30, 2025, both dates inclusive (the Class Period), of the important December 15, 2025 lead plaintiff deadline. SO WHAT: If you purchased Baxter common stock 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 Baxter class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=17664 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 December 15, 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, throughout the Class Period, defendants misled investors by failing to disclose that: (1) the Novum IQ Large Volume Pump (Novum LVP) suffered systemic defects that caused widespread malfunctions, including underinfusion, overinfusion, and complete non-delivery of fluids, which exposed patients to risks of serious injury or death; (2) Baxter was notified of multiple device malfunctions, injuries, and deaths from these defects; (3) Baxters attempts to address these defects through customer alerts were inadequate remedial measures, when design flaws persisted and continued to cause serious harm to patients; (4) as a result, there was a heightened risk that customers would be instructed to take existing Novum LVPs out of service and that Baxter would completely pause all new sales of these pumps; and (5) based on the foregoing, Baxters statements about the safety, efficacy, product rollout, customer feedback and sales prospects of the Novum LVPs were materially false and misleading. When the true details entered the market, the lawsuit claims that investors suffered damages. To join the Baxter class action go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=17664 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, 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 LOS ANGELES, Oct. 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- TWOPAGES, the global home decor brand redefining modern window treatment solutions, proudly announced the winners of the TWOPAGES TOGETHER x Design Contest Finale during its 10th Anniversary Celebration Event in Los Angeles. The finale marked a milestone moment that brought together hundreds of influential designers, brand partners, and creators from around the world to celebrate creativity, craftsmanship, and connection. Final Results Announced After 5 months of submissions and evaluation, TWOPAGES revealed the final results of the Design Contest Finale: Winner Sabrina Ramkhelawan (United States) Second Place Awards (2) Kim Morrow (Canada), Rebecca Hughes (United States) Third Place Awards (3) Jyll Mackie (Canada), Kate Frost (UK), Leah Berin (United States) Peoples Choice Award Kim Morrow (Canada) The Top 6 Finalists honored for their outstanding creativity and craftsmanship included Jyll Mackie (Canada), Rebecca Hughes (United States), Sabrina Ramkhelawan (United States), Kate Frost (UK), Leah Berin (United States), and Kim Morrow (Canada). These designers works captured the essence of TWOPAGES values blending simplicity, innovation, and artistry to make home design both inspiring and approachable. Image Source: TWOPAGES TOGETHER x Design Contest Finale A Celebration of Design and Togetherness Hosted by Brooke Graham, the grand finale featured a distinguished panel of juries and brand ambassadors who embody TWOPAGES vision of connection through design. The jury panel included respected design leaders Bonnie Christine, Hema Persad, Jennifer Farrell, and Lauren Jansen, who evaluated the finalists works based on creativity, functionality, and emotional expression. Brand Ambassadors Sara Le, Britt Bengoechea, Amy Switzer, and Amy Courtney also joined the event, sharing their creative journeys with TWOPAGES and their experiences in promoting global design collaboration. Hundreds of guests including designers, influencers, creators, and partners gathered for the celebration, marking a day of face-to-face connection and shared inspiration among the TWOPAGES community. Image Source: TWOPAGES TOGETHER x Design Contest Finale A Decade of Purpose and Innovation The finale coincided with the 10th Anniversary of TWOPAGES, reflecting on a decade of innovation driven by one simple idea to find the perfect answer for a window. TWOPAGES was born from a very simple idea: to find the perfect answer for a window, said Ray Chen, Founder and CEO of TWOPAGES. What should have been a joyful part of building a dream home had become a frustrating burden thats how TWOPAGES came to life. We are not just a curtain brand we are a solution. We use technology to express beauty, and craftsmanship to realize beauty, Ray Chen added. Our mission is to make curtain selection as easy, intuitive, and enjoyable as turning a page in a book. The reason we are here today is simple to be closer to our users and truly listen to their voices. Because only by listening can we innovate. Only by understanding can we truly serve. These authentic reflections from Ray Chens anniversary address tied perfectly with the contests spirit showcasing how design, innovation, and community can work hand-in-hand to enhance modern living. Celebrating Global Visibility This year also marked a major milestone for TWOPAGES brand visibility. The company launched its latest billboard and Times Square exposure, visually representing its journey from an online solution to an internationally recognized design brand. The exposure echoed the same message that defined the Los Angeles finale: beauty is born through collaboration, connection, and shared values. Image Source: TWOPAGES Looking Ahead The TWOPAGES TOGETHER x Design Contest Finale not only celebrated creative excellence but also expressed TWOPAGES long-term vision to build bridges between innovation and artistry, and to nurture a global design community where simplicity meets meaning. Our dream is to use technology to save people time and then help them invest that saved time into what truly matters: spending time with family, creating memories, feeling happiness, said Ray Chen. As TWOPAGES enters its next decade, it remains committed to empowering designers, inspiring creativity, and bringing warmth and clarity to homes around the world. About TWOPAGES Founded in 2015, TWOPAGES is a global home decor brand dedicated to premium, customizable window treatment solutions. Combining craftsmanship and innovation, TWOPAGES simplifies the curtain-shopping experience through online customization, smart measurement tools, and fast delivery. Today, over 600,000 households enjoy TWOPAGES menu-based customization. Media Contact: Organization: TWOPAGES Contact Person: Evelyn Mara Website: https://twopagescurtains.com Email: collab@twopagescurtains.com City: Los Angeles Country: U.S. Photos accompanying this announcement are available at: https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/5c5063f7-0ad8-49ad-a3db-b7b863842d70 https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/7e8ab32c-7138-49cb-96d7-efb9a3304bcc https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/4b39d6f3-d55d-43a7-86b9-1477c8f047c1 DENVER, Oct. 30, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, BenPay released its latest BenPay DeFi Earn Comparison Table, providing an in-depth comparison between BenPay DeFi Earn, traditional DeFi protocols, and centralized exchanges (CEXs) across multiple dimensions, including user accessibility, transaction costs, operational complexity, cross-chain capabilities, security transparency, and asset liquidity. Built on the BenFen blockchain, BenPay DeFi Earn serves as a gateway connecting users with leading DeFi protocols. According to the table, BenPay DeFi Earnwith its integrated advantages of minimal interaction, native cross-chain functionality, and audited security is emerging as a safer, more user-friendly entry point into the world of DeFi yield generation. Introduction DeFi (Decentralized Finance), as one of the most significant applications of blockchain technology, continues to grow rapidly, attracting substantial capital and a wide user base. However, the DeFi ecosystem is not without risks. Due to its highly decentralized nature, users often bear the burden of technical failures, smart contract vulnerabilities, market volatility, and high transaction fees. Moreover, the uneven quality of protocols and the lack of transparent risk management mechanisms make participation challenging for general users, who face high entry barriers and potential capital risks. 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A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/9afae34f-28b7-4136-9609-e34cfd0a9022 Ghent, Belgium, Oct. 31, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Press release inside information EPA Issues Proposed Registration Decision for Biotalys EVOCA Biofungicide U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Initiates Public Participation Procedure Ghent, BELGIUM October 31, 2025, 7.00 CET Biotalys (Euronext: BTLS) is pleased to announce that the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has issued its proposed registration decision to approve the companys first biofungicide, EVOCA*. The agency will now initiate the final phase in its regulatory review, allowing stakeholders such as growers and industry associations 15 days to provide feedback before finalizing its regulatory decision. The EPA has also posted a final rule exempting EVOCAs active ingredient residues on treated crops from tolerance requirements, indicating that no maximum residue limits will apply and highlighting the product candidates exemplary safety profile. EVOCA is a precision biocontrol solution that targets the fungal pathogens botrytis (grey mold) and powdery mildew in high-value fruits and vegetables without harming beneficial organisms or the environment. The product candidate offers growers a new mode of action to manage resistance to existing fungicides as was recognised by the Fungicide Resistance Action Committee (FRAC)**, a panel of renown industry experts. The EPAs recommendation to approve EVOCA marks a pivotal moment for Biotalys, and the advancement of the first protein-based biofungicide of its kind for approval in the United States. This achievement underscores Biotalys pioneering leadership in agricultural innovation and provides the company with a significant first-mover advantage in transforming how growers protect their crops safely and sustainably. said Kevin Helash, CEO of Biotalys. Our protein-based platform has the potential to transform crop protection by delivering next generation biological solutions with new modes of action, developed to create targeted, consistent and scalable products to meet farmers needs, as demonstrated today by the EPAs publication, he added. This significant milestone reflects the dedication and expertise of the entire Biotalys team, Helash concluded. EVOCA is just the beginning for Biotalys, and we look forward to bringing our pipeline of fungicides and insecticides to the market in the coming years. An approval of EVOCA paves the way for the regulatory submission of EVOCA NG, the next-generation version of the product candidate, and Biotalys anticipated first commercial launch. The company expects the review process for EVOCA NG to be significantly shorter as the product contains the same active ingredient as EVOCA and features enhanced formulation and production methods. To read the full EPA documents please visit: https://www.regulations.gov/docket/EPA-HQ-OPP-2021-0165 https://www.federalregister.gov/public-inspection/2025-19712/pesticide-tolerance-exemptions-petitions-revocations-etc-asfbiof01-02-polypeptide * EVOCA: Pending regulatory review. This product candidate is not currently registered for sale or use in the United States, the European Union, or elsewhere and is not being offered for sale and no assurance can be given if, when and under which conditions registration will be obtained. ** EVOCA obtained FRAC-code F10. About Biotalys Biotalys is an Agricultural Technology (AgTech) company developing precision biocontrol solutions based on proteins for the protection of crops in both the pre- and post-harvest markets. The company provides novel solutions that bridge the efficacy and scale of chemistry with the environmental advantages of biological solutions. Based on its novel AGROBODY technology platform, Biotalys is developing a strong and diverse pipeline of effective product candidates with a favorable safety profile that aim to address key crop pests and diseases across the whole value chain, from soil to plate. Biotalys was founded in 2013 as a spin-off from the VIB (Flanders Institute for Biotechnology) and is listed on Euronext Brussels. The company is based in the biotech cluster in Ghent, Belgium. More information can be found on www.biotalys.com. For further information, please contact: Toon Musschoot, Head of IR & Communication T: +32 (0)9 274 54 00 E: IR@biotalys.com Important Notice Biotalys, its business, prospects and financial position remain exposed and subject to risks and uncertainties. A description of and reference to these risks and uncertainties can be found in the annual report on the consolidated annual accounts published on the companys website. This announcement contains statements which are "forward-looking statements" or could be considered as such. These forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology, including the words aim, 'believe', 'estimate', 'anticipate', 'expect', 'intend', have the potential, 'may', 'will', 'plan', 'continue', 'ongoing', 'possible', 'predict', 'plans', 'target', 'seek', 'would' or 'should', and contain statements made by the company regarding the intended results of its strategy. By their nature, forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties and readers are warned that none of these forward-looking statements offers any guarantee of future performance. Biotalys actual results may differ materially from those predicted by the forward-looking statements. Biotalys makes no undertaking whatsoever to publish updates or adjustments to these forward-looking statements, unless required to do so by law. Austin, Oct. 31, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Data Center Market size was valued at USD 295.16 Billion in 2025E and is projected to reach USD 712.00 Billion by 2033, growing at a CAGR of 11.66% during 2026-2033. The Center for Data The growing need for high-performance computing, cloud usage, and digital transformation across a variety of industries are the main drivers of market expansion. Real-time network management, AI-based analytics, and effective storage methods are all helping to meet the increasing need for high speed. Download PDF Sample of Data Center Market @ https://www.snsinsider.com/sample-request/8756 The U.S. Data Center Market size was valued at USD 85.89 Billion in 2025E and is projected to reach USD 202.96 Billion by 2033, growing at a CAGR of 11.37% during 2026-2033. The growing need for big data analytics, cloud computing, and high-performance storage will benefit the data center market. Growing interest in colocation and hyperscale centers is making it easier for businesses to scale their operations efficiently. Key Players: Amazon Web Services (AWS) Microsoft (Azure) Google Cloud Equinix Inc. Digital Realty NTT Global Data Centers CoreWeave Meta (Facebook) NetApp NextDC Flexential DataBank Holdings Lumen Technologies CyrusOne Iron Mountain Inc. American Tower Corporation Lunavi World Wide Technology (WWT) Supermicro Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) Data Center Market Report Scope: Report Attributes Details Market Size in 2025E USD 295.16 Billion Market Size by 2033 USD 712.00 Billion CAGR CAGR of 11.66% From 2026 to 2033 Base Year 2025E Forecast Period 2026-2033 Historical Data 2022-2024 Report Scope & Coverage Market Size, Segments Analysis, Competitive Landscape, Regional Analysis, DROC & SWOT Analysis, Forecast Outlook Key Segments By Type (Enterprise Data Center, Colocation Data Center and Hyperscale Data Center) By Component (Servers, Storage Devices, Networking Equipment and Cooling & Power Equipment) By Deployment (On-Premises, Cloud and Hybrid) By End-User (IT & Telecom, BFSI, Government & Public Sector, Healthcare and Retail & E-commerce) Customization Scope Available upon request Pricing Available upon request If You Need Any Customization on Data Center Market Report, Inquire Now @ https://www.snsinsider.com/enquiry/8756 Segmentation Analysis: By Type Hyperscale Data Centers dominated the market, accounting for 46.5% share in 2025, driven by the rapid expansion of cloud services, AI, and big data analytics that demand massive computing capacity and scalability. Leading technology companies continue to invest in hyperscale facilities to meet global digital infrastructure needs. Meanwhile, Colocation Data Centers are the fastest-growing segment, projected to expand at a CAGR of 12.3% from 2026 to 2033, fueled by the rising preference of enterprises for cost-effective, flexible, and secure shared infrastructure that reduces capital expenditure and supports hybrid IT deployment models. By Component Servers led the market with a 38.6% share in 2025, as high-performance computing, AI workloads, and virtualization drive demand for efficient and powerful server systems across industries. Continuous hardware innovations and energy-efficient designs are further strengthening this segment. Conversely, Networking Equipment is the fastest-growing category, projected to grow at a CAGR of 11.4% from 2026 to 2033, owing to the surging need for advanced connectivity solutions, 5G integration, and software-defined networking that enhance data center agility and performance. By Deployment Cloud dominated the landscape with a 52.2% share in 2025, as organizations increasingly migrate workloads to cloud environments for scalability, cost optimization, and digital transformation initiatives. In contrast, the Hybrid segment is expected to grow at the fastest rate, registering a CAGR of 13.1% from 2026 to 2033, propelled by enterprises seeking to balance data security, compliance, and flexibility through a combination of on-premises and cloud-based systems. By End-User IT & Telecom sector accounted for the largest share of 41.8% in 2025, supported by growing data traffic, the expansion of 5G networks, and increasing adoption of cloud and edge computing by telecom providers and tech firms. Meanwhile, the Healthcare segment is poised for the fastest growth, projected to rise at a CAGR of 12.6% from 2026 to 2033, driven by digital health transformation, telemedicine expansion, and the need for secure data storage to manage electronic health records and AI-powered diagnostics. Regional Insights: The North America Data Center Market holds the largest share, accounting for approximately 41.50% of the market. North America is the worlds largest Cloud and Hyper-scale Technology Market, more popular in North American region for many large-scale companies that own their own data centers in this market. The Asia Pacific Data Center Market is the fastest-growing region, projected to expand at a CAGR of 12.29%, due to digital transformation, increasing cloud adoption, and rising internet penetration. Recent Developments: In June 2025 , AWS announced a USD 100 billion global data center expansion, aimed at strengthening its AI infrastructure and next-generation workloads. The initiative spans multiple regions including the U.S., Europe, Brazil, Singapore, Japan, and Australia, reinforcing AWSs leadership in enterprise cloud computing, AI, machine learning, and big data analytics. , AWS announced a USD 100 billion global data center expansion, aimed at strengthening its AI infrastructure and next-generation workloads. The initiative spans multiple regions including the U.S., Europe, Brazil, Singapore, Japan, and Australia, reinforcing AWSs leadership in enterprise cloud computing, AI, machine learning, and big data analytics. In September 2025, Microsoft unveiled plans to construct the worlds most powerful AI data center, named Fairwater, in Wisconsin, USA. The facility will cover 1.2 million square feet and be powered by cutting-edge Nvidia GPUs, enhancing Azures global cloud, AI, and hybrid capabilities while prioritizing energy efficiency and renewable energy use. Buy Full Research Report on Data Center Market 2026-2033 @ https://www.snsinsider.com/checkout/8756 Exclusive Sections of the Report (The USPs): Market Share Dynamics By Type helps you understand the dominance of Hyperscale Data Centers (46.5% share in 2025) and the rapid rise of Colocation facilities, projected to grow at a CAGR of 12.3% (20262033), driven by enterprise demand for scalable and cost-efficient infrastructure. helps you understand the dominance of Hyperscale Data Centers (46.5% share in 2025) and the rapid rise of Colocation facilities, projected to grow at a CAGR of 12.3% (20262033), driven by enterprise demand for scalable and cost-efficient infrastructure. Component-Wise Growth Insights highlights how Servers lead the market (38.6% share in 2025), while Networking Equipment emerges as the fastest-growing component (CAGR 11.4%), revealing shifting investment priorities toward high-performance connectivity and 5G readiness. highlights how Servers lead the market (38.6% share in 2025), while Networking Equipment emerges as the fastest-growing component (CAGR 11.4%), revealing shifting investment priorities toward high-performance connectivity and 5G readiness. Deployment Model Analysis provides a clear view of Clouds market leadership (52.2% share in 2025) and the strong growth of Hybrid models (CAGR 13.1%), helping stakeholders identify evolving enterprise preferences for flexible, secure, and scalable data environments. provides a clear view of Clouds market leadership (52.2% share in 2025) and the strong growth of Hybrid models (CAGR 13.1%), helping stakeholders identify evolving enterprise preferences for flexible, secure, and scalable data environments. End-User Sector Opportunity Matrix helps you pinpoint key revenue zones, with IT & Telecom leading (41.8% share in 2025) and Healthcare as the fastest-expanding sector (CAGR 12.6%), fueled by digital health transformation and rising data security needs. helps you pinpoint key revenue zones, with IT & Telecom leading (41.8% share in 2025) and Healthcare as the fastest-expanding sector (CAGR 12.6%), fueled by digital health transformation and rising data security needs. Technology Adoption & Infrastructure Innovation Index helps assess how AI integration, edge computing, and software-defined architectures are reshaping performance standards and guiding next-generation data center investments. helps assess how AI integration, edge computing, and software-defined architectures are reshaping performance standards and guiding next-generation data center investments. Global Investment And Expansion Tracker provides insights into regional hyperscale expansion, colocation facility investments, and emerging markets digital infrastructure build-up, helping investors and operators identify high-growth geographies. 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. Dublin, Oct. 31, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Finland General Insurance: Key Trends and Opportunities to 2029" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The report provides in-depth market analysis, information, and insights into Finland's general insurance segment. This report provides a detailed outlook by product category for Finland's general insurance segment. It provides values for key performance indicators such as gross written premium, penetration, and premium ceded and cession rates during the review period (2020-24) and forecast period (2025-29). The report also analyzes distribution channels operating in the segment, gives a comprehensive overview of Finland's economy and demographics, and provides detailed information on the competitive landscape in the country. The report brings together the analyst's research, modeling and analysis expertise, giving insurers access to information on segment dynamics and competitive advantages, and profiles of insurers operating in Finland. The report also includes details of insurance regulations, and recent changes in the regulatory structure. Key Highlights Key insights and dynamics of Finland's general insurance segment. A comprehensive overview of Finland's economy, government initiatives, and investment opportunities. Finland's insurance regulatory framework's evolution, key facts, taxation regime, licensing, and capital requirements. Finland's general insurance industry's market structure giving details of lines of business. Finland's general reinsurance business' market structure giving details of premium ceded along with cession rates. Distribution channels deployed by Finland's general insurers. Details of the competitive landscape and competitors' profiles. Scope It provides historical values for Finland's general insurance segment for the report's 2020-24 review period, and projected figures for the 2025-29 forecast period. It profiles the top general insurance companies in Finland and outlines the key regulations affecting them. Reasons to Buy Make strategic business decisions using in-depth historic and forecast market data related to Finland's general insurance segment. Understand the demand-side dynamics, key market trends, and growth opportunities in Finland's general insurance segment. Assess the competitive dynamics in the general insurance segment. Identify growth opportunities and market dynamics in key product categories. Key Topics Covered: Executive Summary Economy Overview Regulatory and Compliance Key Market Trends Trends and KPIs Line of Business Distribution Channel Competitive Landscape Deals and Jobs Reinsurance Appendix Companies Featured Pohjola Vakuutus Keskinainen Vakuutusyhtio Fennia LahiTapiola Keskinainen Vakuutusyhtio Keskinainen Vakuutusyhtio Turva LahiTapiola Paakaupunkiseutu Pohjantahti Keskinainen Vakuutusyhtio LahiTapiola Pohjoinen LahiTapiola Vellamo Alandia Forsakring LahiTapiola Lansi-Suomi LahiTapiola Pirkanmaa LahiTapiola Varsinais-Suomi LahiTapiola Uusimaa LahiTapiola Pohjanmaa LahiTapiola Etela-Pohjanmaa LahiTapiola Keski-Suomi Suomen Vahinkovakuutu LahiTapiola Ita LahiTapiola Loimi-Hame LahiTapiola Etela For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/nqlakz 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. Profile: China's youngest astronaut Wu Fei pledges "all-out efforts" on upcoming space mission Xinhua) 20:45, October 31, 2025 JIUQUAN, Oct. 31 (Xinhua) -- Appearing at his first press conference on Thursday, 32-year-old Wu Fei is the youngest Chinese astronaut set to join the Shenzhou-21 mission as a space engineer. The Shenzhou-21 crew -- Zhang Lu, Wu Fei and Zhang Hongzhang -- is scheduled for launch at 11:44 p.m. Friday (Beijing Time) from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China. Wu, who previously worked as a spacecraft development engineer, said he is excited that he will soon enter the space station, for which he played a part in testing and development. Wu was born in 1993 in Baotou, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. In 2010, he was admitted to Beihang University in Beijing, where he majored in aircraft design. After completing his master's degree, he became an engineer at the China Academy of Space Technology under the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation. There, his work focused on thermal testing for spacecraft. In specialized labs that simulated the vacuum and extreme-temperature environments of space, he and his colleagues tested whether the thermal control systems of the spacecraft could properly regulate temperatures. "I was like a doctor giving health examinations," he said, "checking if the spacecraft materials had cracked or warped from the extreme temperature swings, and making sure everything would work right up in space." In May 2018, China began selecting its third group of astronauts, adding two new categories of astronauts: space engineers and payload specialists. Wu applied without hesitation. Wu has worked to verify the thermal control systems for the Tianhe core module and the Wentian lab module of China's space station, and said that he would find operating the spacecraft he had helped test and develop to be "very meaningful." In September 2020, he was recruited as an astronaut. When he received the good news, he had been busy adjusting thermal testing equipment for the Tianhe core module. He had been overwhelmed with excitement, he said. "Finally, I had the chance to do experiments in the real space environment." Wu has made tremendous efforts to reach this point in his career. He completed specialized training which included physical exercises, underwater weightless-environment simulations, and manual rendezvous and docking operations. He has always believed in the saying, "The harder you work, the luckier you get." And his dedication and hard work are what earned him his place on the Shenzhou-21 mission. As a space engineer, his responsibilities include looking after the space station, managing its daily affairs, and handling equipment maintenance, repairs and upgrades. For his first space mission, Wu has many aspirations: to carry out combustion and fluid-dynamics experiments related to thermal science, to look for the grasslands of his hometown on Earth through the space station porthole, and to experience a spacewalk. "Integrating my dream into the country's great space endeavors is the best luck that the times have given me. All I can do in return is to make all-out efforts to live up to that," he told media ahead of departure. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Kou Jie) Today, on 31 October 2025, AS Tallinna Vesi held an investor conference webinar where Chairman of the Management Board, Chief Executive Officer Aleksandr Timofejev, and Member of the Management Board, Chief Financial Officer Taavi Groon, introduced the performance of the 3rd quarter of 2025. We thank all the participants! Webinar recording is available here and the presentation is available here. AS Tallinna Vesis financial and operational results for the 3rd quarter of 2025 are available here. Additional information: Taavi Groon Chief Financial Officer AS Tallinna Vesi (+372) 626 2200 taavi.groon@tvesi.ee Delhi, Oct. 31, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kuick Research announces the release of its latest study on the US Orphan Drug Market, offering investors, venture capital firms, and equity strategists a detailed and actionable perspective on one of the most resilient and rapidly expanding segments of the biopharmaceutical industry. The report, constructed from an integrated research framework, encapsulates the financial, regulatory, and scientific dynamics driving the evolution of this market. Based on an extensive review of designated orphan products, pricing benchmarks, and clinical pipelines, the study provides an exhaustive investment intelligence map for those seeking exposure to the rare disease therapeutics domain. US Orphan Designated Drugs Market Opportunity, Drugs Sales, Price, Dosage and Clinical Trials Insight 2030 Report Offering & Highlights: US Orphan Designated Drugs Market Opportunity: > US$ 190 Billion By 2030 Insight On FDA Designated Orphan Drugs In Clinical Trials: > 850 Orphan Drugs Clinical Trials Insight By Company, Indication, Phase and Priority Status Insight On FDA Designated Marketed Orphan Drugs: > 500 Orphan Drugs Pricing and Dosage Insight: > 400 Marketed Orphan Drugs US, Global, Regional, Annual Sales Insight (2019 Q12025): >150 Orphan Drugs Sales, Price and Dosage Data Represented In More Than 1000 Charts and Tables Orphan Designation Insight By Indication, Company, Trial Phase, Marketed Drugs Represented In 1000 Tables Download Report: https://www.kuickresearch.com/report-fda-orphan-drug-database Kuick Researchs analysis is based on both primary and secondary research, covering more than 1000 FDA designated orphan drugs across various therapeutic areas. Each dataset-from clinical trial records to dosage and pricing information-has been independently validated using company filings, financial disclosures, and verified regulatory sources. The result is a strong analytical base representing the performance and potential of the US orphan drug sector. To investors, this means clarity on which product categories, therapeutic niches, and corporate players have the highest potential for long-term value creation. The Orphan Drug Act, upon its institution in 1983, transformed the US rare disease ecosystem from a neglected space to a thriving segment that attracted global capital. Most notably, the framework of the Act laid the groundwork for a sustainable model in innovation for small patient populations through seven-year market exclusivity and tax incentives. A policy initiative to support underserved communities has grown into one of the major commercial drivers of the pharmaceutical world. Currently, orphan-designated therapies are reaching blockbuster status, thereby setting new market expectations for niche drug development. Mercks Keytruda (pembrolizumab) best describes this commercial promise of the space. Originated from the orphan designation granted in 2012, it has since expanded into various cancer indications-many of these are still classified as rare. In 2024, Keytruda generated nearly US$ 29.4 billion in global revenue, with the US market accounting for more than half. This success underscores how orphan drugs-which have their origins in intending treatments for a limited patient pool-can grow into cornerstone assets that have broad therapeutic and financial reach. Similarly, Gileads Biktarvy was once one of the niche HIV treatments but is now generating over US$ 13 billion in annual sales. Both drugs represent ways in which the orphan drug incentive model can yield high-revenue outcomes while advancing clinical innovation. The US orphan drug markets growth is further supported by a steady flow of collaborations and strategic partnerships aimed at accelerating development timelines and managing R&D risk. The March 2025 partnership between Cadrenal Therapeutics and Abbott, centered on the development of tecarfarin for advanced heart failure patients with ventricular assist devices, demonstrates the power of alliance-driven innovation. Tecarfarins orphan designation not only offers regulatory advantages but also provides a clear example of how smaller biotech firms are leveraging partnerships to scale promising therapies more efficiently. As investors increasingly recognize the duality in scientific impact and strong financial performance, the orphan drug segment is attracting a diverse mix of capital, from institutional funds to strategic acquirers seeking portfolio diversification. Advances in genomics, personalized medicine, and molecular diagnostics continue to increase the addressable patient base, while changing regulatory policies by the US FDA are lowering the barriers to market entry. Looking ahead, the orphan drug market in the US is positioned to continue growing through the decade, driven by improving diagnosis rates, accelerated approval pathways, and strong pricing power for specialized therapeutics. For investors, it provides a unique opportunity to align capital with innovation-where social impact meets financial scalability. As more therapies for rare diseases make their way from clinical promise to commercial success, the sector will remain one of the most compelling long-term growth stories in global healthcare. Dublin, Oct. 31, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "Metals & Mining BRIC (Brazil, Russia, India, China) Industry Guide 2020-2029" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The BRIC Metals & Mining industry profile provides top-line qualitative and quantitative summary information including: industry size (value and volume, and forecast to 2029). The profile also contains descriptions of the leading players including key financial metrics and analysis of competitive pressures within the industry . Key Highlights Brazil, Russian Federation, India and China (BRIC) are the emerging and fast growing countries within the metals & mining industry and had a total market value of $19,17,894.0 million in 2024. India was the fastest growing country with a CAGR of 19.1% over the 2020-24 period. Within the metals & mining industry, China is the leading country among the BRIC nations with market revenues of $13,72,897.3 million in 2024. This was followed by India, Russia and Brazil with a value of $2,85,284.0, $1,66,693.9, and $93.01 billion, respectively. China is expected to lead the metals & mining industry in the BRIC nations with a value of $16,22,324.6 million in 2029, followed by India, Russia, Brazil with expected values of $3,37,516.5, $2,10,280.2 and $1,17,672.9 million, respectively. Scope Save time carrying out entry-level research by identifying the size, growth, major segments, and leading players in the BRIC metals & mining industry Use the Five Forces analysis to determine the competitive intensity and therefore attractiveness of the BRIC metals & mining industry Leading company profiles reveal details of key metals & mining industry players' BRIC operations and financial performance Add weight to presentations and pitches by understanding the future growth prospects of the BRIC metals & mining industry with five year forecasts by both value and volume Compares data from Brazil, Russia, India, and China, alongside individual chapters on each country Reasons to Buy What was the size of the BRIC metals & mining industry by value in 2024? What will be the size of the BRIC metals & mining industry in 2029? What factors are affecting the strength of competition in the BRIC metals & mining industry ? How has the industry performed over the last five years? What are the main segments that make up the BRIC metals & mining industry ? Key Topics Covered: 1 Introduction 1.1. What is this report about? 1.2. Who is the target reader? 1.3. How to use this report 1.4. Definitions 2 BRIC Metals & Mining 2.1. Industry Outlook 3 Metals & Mining in Brazil 3.1. Market Overview 3.2. Market Data 3.3. Market Segmentation 3.4. Market outlook 3.5. Five forces analysis 4 Macroeconomic Indicators 4.1. Country data 5 Metals & Mining in China 5.1. Market Overview 5.2. Market Data 5.3. Market Segmentation 5.4. Market outlook 5.5. Five forces analysis 6 Macroeconomic Indicators 6.1. Country data Companies Featured Acerinox SA Agnico Eagle Mines Ltd Aluminum Corporation of China Ltd Anglo American Plc Antofagasta Plc ArcelorMittal SA Arvedi Group Atalaya Mining Copper SA Aurubis AG BHP Group Ltd China Shenhua Energy Co Ltd Coal India Ltd Companhia Siderurgica Nacional Constellium SE Eramet SA First Quantum Minerals Ltd Fortescue Ltd Freeport-McMoRan Inc Fresnillo Plc Glencore Plc Grupo Celsa Grupo Mexico SAB de CV Harmony Gold Mining Co Ltd Hindalco Industries Ltd Impala Platinum Holdings Ltd Industrias Penoles SAB de CV JFE Holdings Inc Jiangxi Copper Co Ltd Marcegaglia Steel SpA MMC Norilsk Nickel Newmont Corp Nippon Steel Corp Nittetsu Mining Co Ltd Norsk Hydro ASA Northam Platinum Holdings Ltd Nucor Corp Nyrstar NV Peabody Energy Corp Rio Tinto Rio Tinto Ltd Riva Group Severstal Sibanye Stillwater Ltd Siberian Coal Energy Co South32 Ltd Southern Copper Corp Sumitomo Metal Mining Co Ltd Tata Steel Ltd Teck Resources Ltd ThyssenKrupp AG United Company RUSAL Plc Vale SA Vedanta Ltd Zijin Mining Group Co Ltd For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/uo59g8 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. VIENNA, Va., Oct. 31, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Castellum, Inc. (NYSE-American: CTM) (Castellum or CTM), a cybersecurity, electronic warfare, and software engineering services company focused on the federal government, announces that its Specialty Systems, Inc. (SSI) subsidiary has been awarded a $66.2 million full and open, five year contract for logistics, engineering, cyber support services needed in support of the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD) Lakehurst (LKE) Mission Operations & Integration (MO&I) Department . NAWCAD LKE is the lead activity responsible for Navy Aircraft Platform Support Equipment (SE) , Aircraft Launch Recovery Equipment (ALRE) , and provides support to additional Joint Service, Foreign Military Sales (FMS), and Department of Defense (DoD) programs. The MO&I department consists of three divisions: the Digital Engineering Division, the Engineering Integration Division, and the Logistics and Maintenance Integration Division. All three of these divisions support ALRE and SE teams at NAWCAD LKE. SSI will provide services supporting the execution of logistics, engineering, and cyber work products for aircraft carriers and air-capable ships and associated support systems. This award represents Castellums first full and open prime contract win with no small-business set-aside restrictions. It is also the second-largest contract win in the companys history. As with all government contract awards, it is subject to potential protests, government funding, and the government's ability to terminate contracts for cause or for convenience. Please see Castellums risk factors in its annual report on Form 10-K for further information. This win is the reflection of the hard work of our SSI leadership and CTM professionals. It is an example that our targeted strategy to focus on full and open opportunities in our pipeline as we transition to a large business is working, said Drew Merriman, Chief Operating Officer of Castellum . Our CTM team is on a roll. I am excited, encouraged, confident and indeed very proud of our incredible CTM team that has brought home two major prime contracts in the past seven months: First our $103M+ win which we announced in February and now this $66M+ win in the Full and Open category amongst SeaPort contract holders, overcoming keen competition from a number of other very capable large businesses. Heres what it means for our CTM team: It significantly expands and strengthens our already strong mission, technological capabilities, services, and solutions to support our current and new Mission customers, as well as our shared vital national security missions supporting our Warfighters across the globe. It continues to build on our already strong business base and foundation, with new professionals joining and strengthening our CTM team, and with strong, steady revenue and profitability growth. It strengthens our winning culture as a growing company in the large business category, focused, driven, and totally committed to more organic growth. Also, it allows us to reinvest in our CTM in key areas to further business growth through the development of our own technological solutions and products, as well as the thoughtful pursuit of the right potential M&A options. This new and great opportunity is a direct reflection of our people's unwavering determination and tenacity. Our CTM Professionals are tested, proven, and represent the best of the best in our industry, providing world-class service and support to our vital Mission customers. They are truly the very heart of our company and amaze me each day with their unparalleled dedication, skills, talents, and experience. I could not be more encouraged for our people, our Mission customers, and our shareholders as we look ahead, said Glen Ives, President and Chief Executive Officer of Castellum . About Castellum, Inc. (NYSE-American: CTM): Castellum, Inc. (NYSE-American: CTM) is a cybersecurity, electronic warfare, and software engineering services company focused on the federal government - https://castellumus.com/ . Cautionary Statement Concerning Forward-Looking Statements: This release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. These forward-looking statements represent the Companys expectations or beliefs concerning future events and can generally be identified by the use of statements that include words such as estimate, project, believe, anticipate, shooting to, intend, plan, foresee, likely, will, would, appears, goal, target or similar words or phrases. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the Companys expectations for revenue growth and new customer opportunities, improvements to cost structure, and profitability. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the Companys expectations for revenue growth and new customer opportunities, improvements to cost structure, and profitability. These forward-looking statements are subject to risks, uncertainties, and other factors, many of which are outside of the Companys control, that could cause actual results to differ materially from the results expressed or implied in the forward-looking statements, including, among others: the Companys ability to compete against new and existing competitors; its ability to effectively integrate and grow its acquired companies; its ability to identify additional acquisition targets and close additional acquisitions; the impact on the Companys revenue due to a delay in the U.S. Congress approving a federal budget, operating under a prolonged continuing resolution, government shutdown, or breach of the debt ceiling, as well as the imposition by the U.S. government of sequestration in the absence of an approved budget; the ability of the U.S. federal government to unilaterally cancel a contract with or without cause, and more specifically, the potential impact of the U.S.DOGE Service Temporary Organization on government spending and terminating contracts for convenience. For a more detailed description of these and other risk factors, please refer to the Companys Annual Report on Form 10-K and its Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), which can be viewed at www.sec.gov. All forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain, based on current expectations and assumptions concerning future events or future performance of the Company. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which are only predictions and speak only as of the date hereof. The Company expressly disclaims any intent or obligation to update any of the forward-looking statements made in this release or in any of its SEC filings except as may be otherwise stated by the Company. Contact: Glen Ives President and Chief Executive Officer Phone: (703) 752-6157 info@castellumus.com https://castellumus.com A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/c8fdd28f-4c83-4b54-af4e-7338297a8cd8 Earnings Release: Tuesday, November 4, 2025, Before Market Opens Conference Call and Webcast: Tuesday, November 4, at 8:30 a.m. ET MONACO, Oct. 31, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Costamare Inc. (NYSE:CMRE) (the Company), announced today that it will release its results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2025 before the market opens in New York on November 4, 2025. Conference Call Details: On Tuesday, November 4, 2025 at 8:30 a.m. ET, Costamares management team will hold a conference call to discuss the financial results. Participants should dial into the call 10 minutes before the scheduled time using the following numbers: 1-844-887-9405 (from the US), 0808-238-9064 (from the UK) or +1-412-317-9258 (from outside the US). Please quote "Costamare". A replay of the conference call will be available until November 11, 2025. The United States replay number is +1-855-669-9658; the standard international replay number is +1-412-317-0088; and the access code required for the replay is: 9832140. Live Webcast: There will also be a simultaneous live webcast over the Internet, through the Costamare Inc. website (www.costamare.com). Participants to the live webcast should register on the website approximately 10 minutes prior to the start of the webcast. About Costamare Inc. Costamare Inc. is one of the worlds leading owners and providers of containerships for charter. The Company has 51 years of history in the international shipping industry and a fleet of 68 containerships, with a total capacity of approximately 513,000 TEU. The Company also has four newbuild containerships under construction with a total capacity of 12,400 TEU. The Company also participates in a leasing business. The Companys common stock, Series B Preferred Stock, Series C Preferred Stock and Series D Preferred Stock trade on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbols CMRE, CMRE PR B, CMRE PR C and CMRE PR D, respectively. Forward-Looking Statements This press release contains forward-looking statements. In some cases, you can identify these statements by forward-looking words such as believe, intend, anticipate, estimate, project, forecast, plan, potential, may, should, could and expect and similar expressions. These statements are not historical facts but instead represent only the Companys beliefs regarding future results, many of which, by their nature, are inherently uncertain and outside of the Companys control. It is possible that actual results may differ, possibly materially, from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements. For a discussion of some of the risks and important factors that could affect future results, see the discussion in the Companys Annual Report on Form 20-F (File No. 001-34934). Company Contacts: Gregory Zikos - Chief Financial Officer Konstantinos Tsakalidis - Business Development, Investor Relations Costamare Inc., Monaco Tel: (+377) 93 25 09 40 Email: ir@costamare.com ST. LOUIS PARK, Minn., Oct. 31, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Taco Johns is stepping up to support communities affected by the government shutdown by offering free meals to anyone in need. From Friday, October 31 through Sunday, November 2, Taco Johns restaurants will provide one free Community Support Special meal per guest, which includes a beef or bean burrito and junior Potato Oles. The offer is redeemable from 9:00 AM to 11:00 PM daily and availability may vary by location. This grassroots initiative began with a single franchise group and quickly ignited across the Taco Johns system, demonstrating the deep local ties and generosity of franchise owners. Many Taco Johns operators live and work in the towns they serve, with some having grown up in the business. Were proud to be giving back to our communities who have supported us since 1969, said Heather Neary, President & CEO of Taco Johns International. Our vision is to be the communitys first choice for tacos and burritos, and this effort is a reflection of that commitment. In addition to the free meal initiative, the Taco Johns Foundation will make a donation to local food banks for every Taco Bravo sold on Thursday, November 6th. The Taco Bravo, recently named the best fast food taco in the U.S. by USA Today*, has long been a staple of Taco Bravo Thursdays promoted by many restaurants. This dual effort highlights Taco Johns ongoing dedication to supporting its communitiesnot just through great food, but through meaningful action. About Taco Johns Welcome to the Frontier of West-Mex, where classic American comfort meets the bold spice and flavor of Mexican-inspired cuisine. With nearly 350 restaurants in 22 states, Taco Johns has spent more than 55 years crafting made-to-order favorites with quality ingredients, house-made Pico de Gallo, crispy corn shells and tortilla chips fried fresh in-store daily, and originals you wont find anywhere elselike hot, crispy Potato Oles and the award-winning Taco Bravo, recently named the best fast food taco in America. Founded in 1969 in Cheyenne, Wyoming, Taco Johns has earned recognition from Entrepreneur and QSR Magazine as one of the nations top chains to watch. Learn more at TacoJohns.com and follow Taco Johns on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok. * https://tacojohns.com/taco-johns-taco-bravo-named-best-fast-food-taco-in-annual-usa-todays-10best-survey/ Media Contact: Joshua Levitt PR for Taco Johns josh@fikacollective.com Photos accompanying this announcement are available at: https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/ae241c64-6859-4e20-8f5b-49b46fe0b6c8 https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/d393d72c-5c59-40de-a557-139e8bd3af83 MADISON, Wis., Oct. 31, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Across the country, edible gifts are becoming a favorite way to share meaning and memory. In Wisconsin, cheesemakers embrace the trend with handcrafted gift boxes inspired by connection, tradition, and the simple joy of delicious food. Nearly half of shoppers say they plan to give food and beverages this year, according to the International Council of Shopping Centers 2025 Holiday Shopping Intentions Survey a sign that people are choosing gifts that feel personal, shareable, and full of flavor. Reflecting that spirit, Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin is spotlighting more than 20 artisan makers through a collection of holiday gift basketseach one a delicious celebration of craft and care. From bold aged cheddars to buttery blues and alpine-style delights, each basket shares a message of the people, places, and traditions that make Wisconsin, The State of Cheese. Few gifts feel more meaningful than those made by hand, says Suzanne Fanning, Chief Marketing Officer for Wisconsin Cheese. Every wheel and wedge of Proudly Wisconsin Cheese represents a cheesemakers craft, care, and dedication. Sharing that gift brings connection, comfort, and the unmistakable deliciousness of Wisconsin Cheese to every gathering. Made to gather: Built to delight everyone on your list, these gift boxes are loaded with Wisconsins fan favorites. Among the many options, Arena Cheeses Wisconsin Cheese Variety Box offers classic cuts and fresh curds; Pasture Prides Our Favorites Box pairs its famous Juusto baked cheese with Colby Jack and sharp cheddar; and Babcock Dairys Badger Box brings snacking to life with unmistakable Wisconsin flavor. Made to explore: For those who love to taste and discover, these gifts turn curiosity into an adventure across Wisconsins rich dairy landscape. A few to inspire: Cheese Brothers 12 Days of Cheesemas Advent Calendar reveals a new cheese each day; Renards Cheeses Everything Door County captures the regions essence through artisan cheese and locally inspired treats; and Weyauwega Cheeses Taste of Wisconsin showcases the states variety with butter, cream cheese, string cheese, Pub Spread and more. Made to honor: A tribute to heritage and craftsmanship, these selections carry the legacy of generations. Among the many to choose from, Kingston Cheese Cooperatives Kingston Traditionals celebrates its communitys sustainable blue cheeses; while Crave Brothers Farmstead Sampler showcases mascarpone, mozzarella, and Farmers Rope, all crafted with renewable energy on the family farm; and Eau Galle Cheeses Eau Galle Mob transports tastebuds with Wisconsin-made Parmesan, Asiago, and Italian-style cheeses. Made to savor: For moments meant to linger, these indulgent gifts wrap comfort in every bite. A few standouts include Landmark Creamerys Cave Aged Select, celebrating 10 years of cheesemaking artistry and affinage through small-batch, cave-aged cheeses inspired by classic European styles and new American originals, and Nordic Creamerys Oh, Butter Me Up!, which gives butter its well-deserved spotlight through an assortment of hand-crafted, artisan varieties that elevate every table. Wisconsins 1,200 licensed cheesemakers craft more than 600 varieties and styles, blending old-world techniques with a deep respect for land and tradition. This years collection of Wisconsin Cheese gift baskets is more than a festive offeringits an invitation to slow down, gather, and savor something meaningful. Custom Gifts Made Simple Prefer to create your own? Shoppers can build a personalized Wisconsin Cheese basket online or in-store by choosing from an unparalleled selection of award-winning cheeses, charcuterie, and accompaniments. With Wisconsin Cheese available in 99% of grocery stores nationwide, creating a customized gourmet gift has never been easier. Look for the Proudly Wisconsin Cheese badge to ensure authenticity. Explore the Full Collection The complete lineup of gift baskets is available at www.WisconsinCheese.com/gift, featuring options for every palate, price point, and occasion. About Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin: Funded by Wisconsin dairy farmers, Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin is a non-profit organization that champions the states world-class dairy products and the people who make them. Learn more at WisconsinDairy.org. About Wisconsin Cheese: With a cheesemaking heritage older than the state itself, Wisconsin is home to more award-winning cheeses than anywhere else in the world. Explore more at WisconsinCheese.com. Contact: Abrielle Kane Dairy Farmers of Wisconsin akane@wisconsindairy.org SAN DIEGO, Oct. 31, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Johnson Fistel, PLLP, a leading stockholder rights law firm, continues an investigation into certain board members and executive officers of FMC Corporation (NYSE: FMC) for potential breaches of fiduciary duties and violations of the federal securities laws. What is Johnson Fistel Investigating? Previously, a class action complaint was filed against the company alleging that Defendants made materially false and/or misleading statements and/or failed to disclose material adverse facts about the Companys business, operations, and prospects throughout the Class Period. Specifically, Defendants failed to disclose that: (1) FMCs channel management initiatives were not progressing as announced; (2) FMC, facing pricing pressure, decided to avoid sales opportunities rather than compete on pricing; and (3) as a result, FMCs inventory in Latin America, Asia, Canada, and Eastern Europe became inflated. Current stockholders who held their FMC stock before November 16, 2023, are encouraged to contact Johnson Fistel to discuss their legal rights in this matter. You can click or copy and paste the following link to join this investigation: https://www.johnsonfistel.com/investigations/fmc-corp/ About Johnson Fistel, PLLP: Johnson Fistel, PLLP is a nationally recognized shareholder rights law firm with offices in California, New York, Georgia, Idaho, and Colorado. The firm represents individual and institutional investors in shareholder derivative and securities class action lawsuits. For more information about the firm and its attorneys, please visit http://www.johnsonfistel.com . Attorney advertising. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes. Services may be performed by attorneys in any of our offices. Johnson Fistel, PLLP has paid for the dissemination of this promotional communication, and Frank J. Johnson is the attorney responsible for its content. Contact: Johnson Fistel, PLLP 501 W. Broadway, Suite 800, San Diego, CA 92101 James Baker, Investor Relations or Frank J. Johnson, Esq., (619) 814-4471 jimb@johnsonfistel.com or fjohnson@johnsonfistel.com COPENHAGEN, Denmark , Oct. 31, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP), through its CI Advanced Bioenergy Fund I (CI ABF I), has made a final investment decision to acquire a combined pre-treatment and biogas plant from rsted, a Danish renewable energy company. The plant, situated in Northwich in the UK, currently consists of a pre-treatment facility that treats municipal solid waste and a biogas plant producing power to the grid. Pending permits, CIP plans to refurbish the facility to become a biogas plant only and expand it with a new digester, biomethane upgrading units and CO capture technology, enabling the production of biomethane and liquid biogenic CO. The expansion is expected to commence in 2026, and the upgraded plant is expected to be operational by 2028. Once fully operational, the upgraded biogas plant will process over 170,000 tons of feedstock annually. Andreas Brandt, Partner at CIP, commented: We are excited to enter the UK bioenergy market with this first acquisition. The biogas plant in Northwich strengthens our position in the European biogas sector and represents a key milestone for our fund and investors. The upgraded plant will make a meaningful contribution to local energy security while driving growth and job creation - and we very much look forward to working closely with the community and authorities to bring the project to life. About Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners Founded in 2012, Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners P/S (CIP) today is the worlds largest dedicated fund manager within greenfield energy investments. The funds managed by CIP focus on investments in offshore and onshore wind, storage, solar PV, biomass and energy-from-waste, transmission and distribution, reserve capacity, advanced bioenergy, and Power-to-X. CIP manages 13 funds and has to date raised approximately EUR 33 billion for investments in energy and associated infrastructure from more than 200 international institutional investors. CIP has projects in more than 30 countries and more than 2,300 employees across platforms. For more information, visit www.cip.com Lisbon, Portugal, Oct. 31, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Crypto Content Creator Campus (CCCC), November 1416, 2025, Lisbon, to host global content creators including Erin Teague, ( Disney ), Christian Rao, ( Mastercard ), Nick Tran ( former CMO, TikTok ), Sergej Loiter ( Yango ), Musa Tariq (ex -Airbnb, Apple, Nike ), and more With 67 million creators worldwide, expected to reach around 107 million by 2030, and social commerce growing rapidly, expected to be worth $2 trillion by 2026, CCCC creators will explore key themes including monetization gaps, growth tactics, revenue opportunities and ways to build thriving communities The three-day event will offer meet and greets - including Dr. Maye Musk, a creator challenge, among other activities From innovative monetization strategies to the impact of influencer marketing, the creator economy is redefining the future of online platforms. With an estimated 67 million creators worldwide, expected to increase to around 107 million by 2030, and social commerce growing rapidly, expected to be worth $2 trillion by 2026, the rise of the creator economy is transforming industries. Crypto Content Creator Campus (CCCC), taking place in Lisbon from 1416 November 2025, will host global content creators at the Carlos Lopes Pavilion. Dr. Maye Musk, Disney, Mastercard, former TikTok, Apple, Google, Airbnb, and Nike executives are set to address sustainable creator income streams, growth tactics, revenue opportunities and ways to build thriving communities. Taking place in Lisbon, Europes leading crypto hub, driven by favorable regulation, DeFi activity, and community adoption, the summit arrives at a pivotal moment for Europes digital economy. This year marks the third annual edition of CCCC. The 2025 edition celebrates innovation, new platforms, and the creators shaping todays digital landscape. Discussing the advancement of disruptive new technology, lifestyle, and health, creator monetization gaps, and the rapidly evolving future for global content creators. The programming features sessions, hands-on workshops, closed-door mentorship labs, and networking spaces designed to help creators build practical strategies and sustainable income streams. This years campus will also introduce a first-of-its-kind Game Arcade Zone, designed to bring engagement mechanics to life. The arcade experience forms part of CCCCs broader push to explore gamification as a community-building and monetization tool for creators. About Crypto Content Creator Campus (CCCC) CCCC is a team of industry experts and visionaries committed to shaping the future of content creation within the Web3 and crypto sphere. Driven by a shared passion for creating a high-value community, we've curated a campus that promises an experience unlike any other. The CCCC 2025 will be held in Lisbon, Portugal, from November 14 to 16, 2025. For more details about CCCC, please visit: https://www.cccc.buzz/ X: https://x.com/CCCCampus Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ccccampus/ Disclaimer: The information provided in this press release is not a solicitation for investment, nor is it intended as investment advice, financial advice, or trading advice. Investing involves risk, including the potential loss of capital. It is strongly recommended you practice due diligence, including consultation with a professional financial advisor, before investing in or trading cryptocurrency and securities. Neither the media platform nor the publisher shall be held responsible for any fraudulent activities, misrepresentations, or financial losses arising from the content of this press release. HOUSTON, Oct. 31, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Superior Energy Services, Inc. is pleased to announce the promotion of Joanna Clark to the role of Senior Vice President and General Counsel, effective immediately. Clark, who most recently served as Deputy General Counsel and Corporate Secretary, brings over two decades of international legal and corporate governance experience to the position. Since joining Superior Energy Services in 2015, Clark has held a series of increasingly senior legal roles across global operations, including Regional Legal Counsel, International Counsel, and Global Operations Counsel. In her most recent role, she served as a strategic legal advisor to the Board, CEO, and executive leadership, overseeing corporate governance, compliance, and complex commercial transactions. Joanna has consistently demonstrated exceptional leadership, legal acumen, and a deep understanding of our business, said Dave Lesar, CEO of Superior Energy Services. Her promotion to General Counsel reflects her outstanding contributions and our confidence in her ability to guide Superior through an increasingly complex regulatory and commercial landscape. Clarks career spans multiple continents, including significant legal leadership roles in Singapore, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Clark is a licensed solicitor of England & Wales and certified by the Texas Supreme Court to practice in-house as a foreign legal consultant (not licensed in Texas). Prior to joining Superior, Clark served in-house at Aviva Plc and practiced at Eversheds Sutherland LLP. Her expertise includes M&A, corporate governance, international commercial and compliance matters, and litigation strategy, with a strong track record of aligning legal strategy with business objectives and managing legal risk on a global platform. In her new role, Clark will continue to lead Superiors legal, risk management, and compliance functions, supporting the companys mission to deliver safe, efficient, and innovative energy services worldwide. For more information about Superior Energy Services, please visit www.superiorenergy.com About Superior Energy Services Superior Energy Services, Inc. is a leading provider of specialized oilfield services and equipment, serving customers in North America and around the globe. Headquartered in Houston, Texas, the company is committed to operational excellence, safety, and delivering value to its stakeholders. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Carrie Molay, Executive Director- Marketing & Corporate Communications 1001 Louisiana St., Suite 2900 Houston, TX 77002 carrie.molay@superiorenergy.com, (713) 654-2200 GOLDEN, Colo. and CAIRO, Oct. 31, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- PharmaJet, a company that strives to improve the performance and outcomes of injectables with its enabling needle-free injection technology, today announced that it has signed a Distribution Agreement with ATR, an affiliate to EVA Pharma, the leading pharmaceutical company driving healthcare innovation and access across the Middle East and Africa. The agreement, signed in Frankfurt at the CPHI meeting on October 30, 2025, includes provisions for Tropis distribution, technology transfer, and manufacturing. The aim of the collaboration is to increase needle-free access within Egypt and regionally while broadening Egypts manufacturing capabilities. PharmaJets Tropis intradermal needle-free delivery offers several strategic advantages for Egypt including substantial polio immunization cost savings1, reduced vaccine hesitancy2,3, increased coverage3, and the potential for medical technology regional manufacturing. The signing follows the July 2025 Memo of Understanding (MOU) that was signed between PharmaJet, Egypts Unified Procurement Agency (UPA) and EVA Pharma, which outlined plans for how UPA could incorporate Tropis into its portfolio. The introduction of Tropis into immunization programs supports Egypts 1000 Golden Days" initiative which was launched to support the health and development of families during the critical period from conception to a child's second birthday. The collaboration will enable total immunization cost reduction and improved acceptability of polio vaccinations. Longer-term, the Tropis manufacturing and other needle-free product development initiatives may expand the benefits to vaccination against other infectious agents and improved pandemic preparedness. EVA Pharma is a leading pharmaceutical and medical appliances manufacturing company that has vast experience in manufacturing, registering, marketing, distributing, and promoting pharmaceutical products. This collaboration puts children first, said Riad Armanious, CEO of EVA Pharma. Were reimagining vaccination through local innovation that improves every childs experience while empowering healthcare professionals. By localizing manufacturing, we expand access and use existing budgets to reach many more children in Africa sustainably. We are proud to collaborate with ATR and EVA Pharma to localize needle-free manufacturing and delivery, said Paul LaBarre, Senior Vice President of Business Development for PharmaJet. This partnership represents a strategic step forward for PharmaJet in the Middle East and Northern Africa region. Working with these innovative teams will accelerate integration of needle-free intradermal vaccine delivery into routine immunization programs in Egypt and beyond. Refer to Instructions for Use to ensure safe injections and to review risks. 1 Data on file 2 Soonawala, D et al, Intradermal fractional booster dose of inactivated poliomyelitis vaccine with a jet injector in healthy adults, Vaccine, Volume 31, Issue 36, 12 August 2013, Pages 3688-3694 3 Mohan, D et al, Evaluating the impact of needle-free delivery of inactivated polio vaccine on Nigerias routine immunization program: An implementation hybrid trial , Vaccines,16 May 2025, 13(5), p.533 Media Contacts: Nancy Lillie Nancy.Lillie@PharmaJet.com 1-888-900-4321 Option 3 Marina Faltas marina.mansour@evapharma.com A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/a68cea50-6f2b-4c9d-80af-cf4a85632192 Not for distribution to U.S. news wire services or dissemination in the United States. TORONTO, Oct. 31, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Wallbridge Mining Company Limited (TSX: WM) (OTCQB: WLBMF) ("Wallbridge" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has closed its previously announced best efforts, public offering (the Offering) of (i) 65,000,000 Charity Flow-Through Units (the Charity Flow-Through Units) at a price of C$0.15 per Charity Flow-Through Unit, (ii) 49,000,000 Hard Dollar Units (the Hard Dollar Units) at a price of C$0.11 per Hard Dollar Unit, which includes 4,000,000 Hard Dollar Units issued pursuant to the partial exercise of the over-allotment option (the Over-Allotment Option Exercise), and (iii) 980,363 Warrants (as defined below) at a price of $0.00001 per Warrant, also issued pursuant to the Over-Allotment Option Exercise, for gross proceeds of $15.14 million. The Offering was led by BMO Capital Markets, as sole bookrunner, on behalf of a syndicate of agents including SCP Resource Finance LP and Paradigm Capital Inc. (collectively, the Agents). Each Charity Flow-Through Unit consists of one common share of the Company issued on a flow-through basis (the FT Share) and one common share purchase warrant of the Company (each common share purchase warrant, a Warrant). Each FT Share and Warrant underlying the Charity Flow-Through Units qualifies as a flow-through share (within the meaning of subsection 66(15) of the Income Tax Act (Canada)). Each Hard Dollar Unit consists of one common share of the Company and one Warrant. Each Warrant issued under the Offering entitles the holder to purchase one common share of the Company at an exercise price of C$0.15 for a period of 36 months following the closing date. The Agents were paid a cash commission in connection with the Offering. In connection with the Offering, Agnico Eagle Mines Limited (Agnico) has agreed to subscribe for 6,275,897 Hard Dollar Units at a price of $0.11 per Hard Dollar Unit for aggregate gross proceeds of $690,349 (the Agnico Private Placement). The Agnico Private Placement is anticipated to close today and was undertaken pursuant to certain participation rights set out in a pre-existing participation agreement between the Company and a predecessor of Agnico. Closing of the Agnico Private Placement is subject to customary closing conditions. The net proceeds from the Offering and the Agnico Private Placement will be used for the continued advancement of the Companys Fenelon and Martiniere projects, and for general corporate purposes. With the net proceeds from the Offering, the Companys cash balance as at October 31, 2025 is approximately $31 million. The securities referred to in this news release have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the U.S. Securities Act), or the applicable securities laws of any state of the United States and may not be offered or sold within the United States (as such term is defined in Regulation S under the U.S. Securities Act) or to, or for the account or benefit of, a U.S. person (as such term is defined in Regulation S under the U.S. Securities Act) or a person in the United States absent such registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements of the U.S. Securities Act and the applicable securities laws of any state of the United States. This news release does not constitute an offer for sale of securities for sale, nor a solicitation for offers to buy any securities. About Wallbridge Mining Wallbridge is focused on creating value through the exploration and sustainable development of gold projects in Quebecs Abitibi region while respecting the environment and communities where it operates. The Company holds a contiguous mineral property position totaling 598 km2 that extends approximately 82 km along the Detour-Fenelon gold trend. The property is host to the Companys flagship PEA stage Fenelon Gold Project, and its earlier exploration stage Martiniere Gold Project, as well as numerous greenfield gold projects. For further information please visit the Companys website at https://wallbridgemining.com/ or contact: Brian Penny, CPA, CMA CEO Email: bpenny@wallbridgemining.com M: +1 416 716 8346 Tania Barreto, CPIR Director Investor Relations Email: tbarreto@wallbridgemining.com M: +1 289 819 3012 Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Information The information in this document may contain forward-looking statements or information (collectively, "FLI") within the meaning of applicable Canadian securities legislation. FLI is based on expectations, estimates, projections and interpretations as at the date of this document. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein are FLI that involve various risks, assumptions, estimates and uncertainties. Generally, FLI can be identified by the use of statements that include, but are not limited to, words such as "seeks", "believes", "anticipates", "plans", "continues", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "expects", "forecasts", "intends", "projects", "predicts", "proposes", "potential", "targets" and variations of such words and phrases, or by statements that certain actions, events or results "may", "will", "could", "would", "should" or "might", "be taken", "occur" or "be achieved." FLI in this document may include, but is not limited to, the expected use of proceeds from the offering and the closing of the Agnico Private Placement and the anticipated closing date of the Agnico Private Placement. FLI is designed to help you understand management's current views of its near-and longer-term prospects, and it may not be appropriate for other purposes. FLI by their nature are based on assumptions and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance, or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such FLI. Although the FLI contained in this document is based upon what management believes, or believed at the time, to be reasonable assumptions, the Company cannot assure shareholders and prospective purchasers of securities of the Company that actual results will be consistent with such FLI, as there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended, and neither the Company nor any other person assumes responsibility for the accuracy and completeness of any such FLI. Except as required by law, the Company does not undertake, and assumes no obligation, to update or revise any such FLI contained in this document to reflect new events or circumstances. Unless otherwise noted, this document has been prepared based on information available as of the date of this document. Accordingly, you should not place undue reliance on the FLI, or information contained herein. Furthermore, should one or more of the risks, uncertainties or other factors materialize, or should underlying assumptions prove incorrect, actual results may vary materially from those described in FLI. Assumptions upon which FLI is based, without limitation, include: the results of exploration activities, the Company's financial position and general economic conditions; the ability of exploration activities to accurately predict mineralization; the accuracy of geological modelling; the ability of the Company to complete further exploration activities; the legitimacy of title and property interests in the Deposits; the accuracy of key assumptions, parameters or methods used to estimate the MREs and in the PEA; the ability of the Company to obtain required approvals; geological, mining and exploration technical problems; failure of equipment or processes to operate as anticipated; the evolution of the global economic climate; metal prices; foreign exchange rates; environmental expectations; community and non-governmental actions; and, the Company's ability to secure required funding. Risks and uncertainties about Wallbridge's business are discussed in the disclosure materials filed with the securities regulatory authorities in Canada, which are available at www.sedarplus.ca. Cautionary Notes to United States Investors Wallbridge prepares its disclosure in accordance with NI 43-101 which differs from the requirements of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC"). Terms relating to mineral properties, mineralization and estimates of mineral reserves and mineral resources and economic studies used herein are defined in accordance with NI 43-101 under the guidelines set out in CIM Definition Standards on Mineral Resources and Mineral Reserves, adopted by the Canadian Institute of Mining, Metallurgy and Petroleum Council on May 19, 2014, as amended. NI 43-101 differs significantly from the disclosure requirements of the SEC generally applicable to US companies. As such, the information presented herein concerning mineral properties, mineralization and estimates of mineral reserves and mineral resources may not be comparable to similar information made public by U.S. companies subject to the reporting and disclosure requirements under the U.S. federal securities laws and the rules and regulations thereunder. AB Ignitis grupe (hereinafter the Group) informs that on 31 October 2025 the new Supervisory Board of the Group (hereinafter the Supervisory Board) electedits new Chair Alfonso Faubel. A. Faubel is an executive with 36 years experience in energy, digitalisation and automotive industries and is valued for his skills in business turnaround, improving operational excellence, working with teams in different cultural environments on assignments worldwide. During more than a decade, he gathered valuable experience in the energy sector, and especially in renewables, both onshore and offshore wind, while working at the leading global players in the market. A. Faubel has held executive responsibilities in Siemens Gamesa and Alstom/GE, which are leading players in the global wind power market. When assuming the role of Senior Vice President at Alstom/GE, he contributed towards launching businesses in 16 new markets. A. Faubel served as Chair of the Groups Supervisory Board during the previous term. "I am truly honored to be elected as the Chair of the Supervisory Board of Ignitis Group for a new term. This decision demonstrates the Supervisory Board's trust and consistency in continuing the work that has been started in previous years. The Group is on the right track in creating a 100% green and secure energy ecosystem in Lithuania, and the Supervisory Board, with its new members, is ready to continue to be a reliable partner in supporting to achieve these ambitious goals", says A. Faubel. The Supervisory Board consists of a total of nine members six independent members and three civil servants. On 24 October 2025, the Group announced the resolution of the General Meeting of Shareholders on the election of new members of the Supervisory Board for a four-year term. The Group also informs that on 31 October 2025, the Supervisory Board formed the following Committees from among its members: the Audit and Risk Committee, the Nomination and Remuneration Committee, and the Sustainability Committee. The Committees of the Supervisory Board are formed by a decision of the Supervisory Board for a term of 4 years from at least 3 members. The following members of the Supervisory Board were elected as members of the Audit and Risk Committee of the Supervisory Board: Judith Buss (Committee Chair), Sian Lloyd Rees, Ingrida Muckute and Alfonso Faubel. The following members of the Supervisory Board were elected as members of the Nomination and Remuneration Committee of the Supervisory Board: Lorraine Wrafter (Committee Chair), Jutta Dissen and Ausra Vickackiene. The following members of the Supervisory Board were elected as members of the Sustainability Committee of the Supervisory Board: Tim Brooks (Committee Chair), Lina Liubauskaite and Jutta Dissen. For additional information, please contact: Communications Valdas Lopeta +370 621 77993 valdas.lopeta@ignitis.lt Dublin, Oct. 31, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The "U.K. Trailer Axle Market, By Region, Competition, Forecast and Opportunities, 2020-2030F" report has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering. The U.K. Trailer Axle Market was valued at USD 712.7 Million in 2024, and is expected to reach USD 891.4 Million by 2030, rising at a CAGR of 3.80%. Trailer Axle Market was valued at USD 712.7 Million in 2024 and is expected to reach USD 891.4 Million by 2030 with a CAGR of 3.8% during the forecast period. The United Kingdom trailer axle market is experiencing growth due to expanding logistics and transportation sectors. Demand for efficient and durable trailer axles is increasing as fleet operators seek to optimize load capacity and fuel efficiency. Technological advancements, such as lightweight axle materials and electronic stability control, are shaping market dynamics. Stringent government regulations regarding vehicle emissions and safety standards further influence industry trends, compelling manufacturers to invest in innovative axle designs. Companies are focusing on reducing maintenance costs and enhancing axle durability to meet industry requirements. Evolving consumer preferences and the rising demand for e-commerce deliveries are driving the need for reliable trailer axles. Supply chain expansion and freight transportation requirements are propelling the adoption of modern axle systems with enhanced load-bearing capabilities. The market is also witnessing a shift toward electrification, with hybrid and electric trailers gaining traction among fleet owners. Sustainable manufacturing practices and the integration of telematics for real-time axle monitoring are emerging as key industry trends. Despite the growth potential, challenges such as fluctuating raw material prices and supply chain disruptions impact market stability. The shift toward electric and autonomous trailers presents both opportunities and complexities for axle manufacturers. Strategic partnerships between OEMs and component suppliers are becoming essential for addressing evolving industry requirements and ensuring long-term market sustainability. Market Drivers Expansion of the Logistics and Freight Sector The rapid growth of e-commerce and cross-border trade is driving the demand for efficient logistics solutions. As a result, transportation companies are increasingly investing in high-performance trailer axles that enhance vehicle efficiency and reduce operational costs. Rising consumer expectations for faster deliveries have led to increased freight movement, creating demand for durable and reliable trailer axle systems. Advancements in Axle Technologies Innovations in axle materials, such as high-strength alloys and lightweight composites, are transforming the market. Manufacturers are incorporating smart axle technologies with real-time monitoring systems to optimize vehicle performance and reduce maintenance costs. These advancements contribute to improved fuel efficiency and enhanced safety, making them a critical factor in market growth. Key Market Challenges Fluctuating Raw Material Prices Variations in steel, aluminum, and composite material prices affect manufacturing costs and profit margins. The unpredictability of raw material availability can lead to production delays and cost overruns, impacting trailer axle suppliers and manufacturers. Supply Chain Disruptions Global supply chain disruptions, including transportation delays and component shortages, present challenges for trailer axle manufacturers. Ensuring timely delivery of raw materials and finished products is crucial for maintaining market competitiveness. Key Market Trends Integration of Telematics in Trailer Axles The adoption of telematics for real-time axle monitoring and predictive maintenance is gaining traction. This technology enables fleet operators to optimize vehicle performance and reduce operational downtime. The ability to collect and analyze data from trailer axles is helping companies improve maintenance schedules, enhance safety, and prevent unexpected failures. Predictive analytics is playing a crucial role in reducing operational costs and ensuring efficient fleet management. Development of Lightweight Axle Systems Manufacturers are focusing on lightweight axle materials to improve fuel efficiency and load capacity. Innovations in composite and alloy-based axles are enhancing vehicle performance and sustainability. The reduction in axle weight allows trailers to carry heavier loads while adhering to weight regulations, leading to increased profitability for fleet operators. Additionally, the use of advanced materials is contributing to axle durability and longevity, reducing the need for frequent replacements. Key Attributes: Report Attribute Details No. of Pages 70 Forecast Period 2024 - 2030 Estimated Market Value (USD) in 2024 $712.7 Million Forecasted Market Value (USD) by 2030 $891.4 Million Compound Annual Growth Rate 3.8% Regions Covered United Kingdom Report Scope: Key Market Players Euro Axle Ltd SAF-HOLLAND UK Limited BPW Limited ATE (UK) Ltd MSA Trailers Ltd Distag QCS (UK) Ltd Hingley Trailers Ltd T&G Automotive Ltd Ifor Williams Trailers Ltd American Axle & Manufacturing Holdings, Inc U.K. Trailer Axle Market, By Type: Single Axle Tandem Axle Multi Axle U.K. Trailer Axle Market, By Application: Heavy-Duty Trailers Light-Duty Trailers Specialty Trailers U.K. Trailer Axle Market, By Sales Channel: OEM Aftermarket U.K. Trailer Axle Market, By Region: England Scotland Wales Northern Ireland Rest of U.K. For more information about this report visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/fv2938 About ResearchAndMarkets.com ResearchAndMarkets.com is the world's leading source for international market research reports and market data. We provide you with the latest data on international and regional markets, key industries, the top companies, new products and the latest trends. Attachment OTTAWA, Ontario, Oct. 31, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Royal Canadian Legions 2025 National Poppy Campaign and Remembrance Period officially launched today with additional access to Poppies, and thousands of locations participating in initiatives to encourage Canadians to Remember. The countless people who donate to the campaign during this period make a huge difference in Veterans lives, says Berkley Lawrence, Dominion President. Their donations allow us to help Veterans at the ground level, providing the assistance they need, from obtaining benefits to emergency funding. We thank everyone who contributes to this mission, and to all who take time to remember the sacrifices of our Fallen service members during this period. Gratifying comments such as: how incredibly helpful you have been and the stress you alleviated knowing you were available to provide guidance and support! reflect the positive changes made in Veterans lives, thanks to the contributions Canadians make each year. Ways to donate: Modern and traditional With support from RBC, the Legion has doubled the number of Pay Tribute tap to donate boxes this year, allowing donors to contribute five dollars or multiples of that number, by using a tap enabled device. The boxes are located throughout the country, including in Legion branches. In collaboration with Amazon Canada, this is the second year donors can contribute $2, $5, $10, or $20 in any combination, to receive a Poppy online to be delivered to their door. This expanded accessibility reached thousands of people last year, allowing access to Poppies in areas that do not have a Legion branch, or are not close to a larger centre. The Legion storefront on Amazon.ca will offer lapel Poppies until November 11. One hundred percent of the funds will go directly into the Legions Poppy Trust Fund to help support our Veterans and their families. The Legions Amazon storefront also offers other Remembrance items such as the ever-popular Poppy centre pin which can be quickly shipped across the country. Additional items will continue to be available past November 11 to help Canadians remember and support Legion operations. A larger collection of hundreds of items can be found throughout the year at the Legions online Poppy Store. Traditional Poppy boxes will still be available for donations and people can pick up a biodegradable Poppy at many thousands of outlets throughout the country. For a third year, that includes TD Bank branches where customers can also donate to the Poppy Trust Fund via that banks payee system donations will go to local Legion branches. Additionally, supporters can give online at Legion.ca. Funds donated across the country during the National Poppy Campaign support Veterans and their families. What is donated locally is used locally. Close to 20 million dollars is donated to the Poppy Trust Fund throughout the year by generous supporters, with much of that support coming in during the National Poppy Campaign. The importance of Remembrance: Special initiatives Ongoing Remembrance initiatives will continue throughout the Remembrance Period, including community and partner support across Canada with innovative programs. For example, the City of Ottawa is circulating buses with vivid Remembrance murals, and VIA Rail has once again wrapped train cars with visual messages of Remembrance. People can visit poppystories.ca to scan their lapel Poppies and learn about a Veterans story. The initiative helps people build deeper and personal connections with our Veterans. Canadians may also notice many more Remembrance-themed crosswalks this year, featuring a new design created by the Legion to help municipalities show support for Veterans year-round. The Legions ceremony guide for teachers, remains accessible and online for teachers across the country. Created in collaboration with Veterans Affairs Canada and the Department of National Defence, features information and tools to help hold a youth-focused Remembrance ceremony at educational institutions. The guide can also be tailored for use by any organization, allowing workers to attend a ceremony even if they are not in a position to leave their offices and participate at a cenotaph on November 11. Perhaps the most sacred part of Remembrance Day ceremonies is the two minutes of silence which is taken to quietly reflect upon our Veterans sacrifices and remember them with deep gratitude. The Legions program to help encourage this action continues to grow with the participation of hundreds of electronic billboards which will go black at 11 am on November 11 to encourage people to take two minutes of silence no matter where they may be. City of Ottawa buses and trains will pause to mark gratitude for our Veterans, a program that will hopefully expand to other municipalities in future years. Remembrance through Light Beginning October 31, beautiful Poppies representing Fallen Canadian Veterans will cascade virtually upon the Senate building (this year the Peace Tower is not included due to construction). The Poppy Drop will take place until November 11, from 6:309:30 pm ET. On November 10 and 11, the display will extend to midnight. Virtual poppies will also cascade down the National Art Centres Kipnes Lantern on November 11, from 6:00 am ET to midnight ET. Many well-known Canadian landmarks and community locations such as the CN Tower, the City of Toronto sign, and the City of Ottawa sign in its Byward Market - among other wonderful locations will light up at various times throughout the next two weeks in support of the National Poppy Campaign and Remembrance. Starting October 31, and running each night, the Legions Virtual Wall of Honour will be displayed on a column of the Senate of Canada building. It is a silent video sharing the faces of Canadian Veterans who have passed, with photos submitted by people from across the country. National Ceremony, Blackhawk fly-past The annual National Remembrance Day Ceremony organized by the Legion at the National War Memorial in Ottawa will take place on November 11. There will once again be a grand Veterans Parade and a CF-18 aircraft fly-past. This year, an RCMP Blackhawk helicopter will fly over the site at the end of the ceremony, paying homage to those who have given their lives in service to Canada. The 2025 ceremony will also recognize the 25th anniversary of the Tomb of the Unknown Solider a symbolic and special site that represents Fallen Canadians including those whose identities will forever remain unknown. The live presentation of the national ceremony will be accessible via the Legions Facebook page and national broadcasters will cover the ceremony on television. Legion Branches continue to add to the Ceremony Locator at Legion.ca to allow Canadians to find a Legion-supported Remembrance ceremony closest to them. Canadians can also check with local Legion Branches to verify times and locations. About The Royal Canadian Legion Founded in 1925, the Legion is Canadas largest Veteran support and community service organization. We are a non-profit organization with a national reach across Canada as well as branches in the U.S. and Europe. With over 270,000 members, many of whom volunteer an extraordinary amount of time to their branches, our strength is in our numbers. Public Relations/ Media inquiries: PublicRelations@Legion.ca; Nujma Bond 343-540-7604 Legion.ca Facebook.com/CanadianLegion Twitter.com/RoyalCdnLegion Instagram.com/royalcanadianlegion YouTube.com/user/RCLDominionCommand LinkedIn.com/company/royalcanadianlegion Photos accompanying this announcement are available at: https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/cd841451-6db7-4025-9370-a14b319b8c57 https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/9df7b0c3-9ce1-4af0-917a-82d3be610b03 https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/99212c59-0419-4272-b0a4-619f3d19d717 https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/4508ec8d-91ef-4cf6-b154-9d6cf55becfe SANYA, China, Oct. 31, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- From 28 to 31 October, the 3rd Hainan Free Trade Port International Science and Technology Innovation Cooperation Forum (ISTICF) & Deep-Sea Technology Innovation Conference (DSTIC) 2025, themed "Deep-sea innovation convergence charting a new chapter " was held in Sanya, Hainan Province, China. More than 400 representatives from over 250 institutions across 25 countries participated in in-depth exchanges and discussions focusing on deep-sea technological innovation. A Media Snippet accompanying this announcement is available by clicking on this link. The forum focused on key areas including deep-sea resource development, intelligent equipment, ecological conservation, and the marine economy, with one plenary forum, eight sub-forums, and four side events. An official from the Hainan Provincial Department of Science and Technology noted that newly introduced topics this year included sessions on "Deep-Sea Intelligent Equipment Technology" and "Artificial Intelligence Technologies for Marine Environmental Sensing and Exploration". For the third consecutive year, the forum hosted the China Ocean Engineering Design Competition and the Deep-Sea Advanced Technology & Equipment Achievement Exhibition, while launching the first edition of the World University Underwater Robotics Competition, further enriching the forum's thematic contents and side events. As significant outcomes of the forum, the opening day saw the release of the "Consensus 2025: Uniting for Deep-sea Big Science, Pioneering Global Hadal Frontiers", the establishment of the Underwater Robotics Industry Alliance, and the signing ceremony of agreements for the Deep-Sea Technology Venture Capital Fund. In his opening speech, an official from the Hainan Provincial Government introduced the province's key achievements in deep-sea science this year. He noted that the province is committed to building a modern industrial system with distinct local features and advantages, and expressed the hope of deepening international cooperation in areas such as deep-sea scientific research, blue carbon trading, and marine protected area development. He emphasized Hainan's efforts to integrate deep-sea technology with artificial intelligence, blockchain, and ecological systems to foster an innovative deep-sea industrial chain. Shahbaz KHAN, Director of the UNESCO Regional Office for East Asia, remarked that with three consecutive years of participation, the Office has witnessed Hainan's remarkable progress in deep-sea science, technology, and industry. He expressed his willingness to take Hainan as a model to share China's experience in building marine ecological civilization, promoting the marine Silk Road culture, and developing cutting-edge deep-sea technologies to the world. As the host venue, Sanya Yazhou Bay Science and Technology City, a leading tech industrial park, is accelerating its transformation into a pivotal hub for China's deep-sea technological innovation. It has already attracted over 20 leading marine-focused universities and research institutions, along with more than 1,500 marine tech enterprises, and established multiple national-level laboratories and research platforms. Source: 3rd Hainan Free Trade Port International Science and Technology Innovation Cooperation Forum & Deep-Sea Technology Innovation Conference 2025 Foresight VCT plc LEI: 213800GNTY699WHACF46 31 October 2025 Appointment of Non-Executive Director In accordance with UKLR 6.4.6R, the Board of Foresight VCT plc (the Company) is delighted to announce the appointment of Denise Hadgill as a non-executive director of the Company with effect from 1st November 2025. Denise is an experienced investment manager with an extensive City based career having worked as a director and fund manager in UK equities at Schroders plc, and a managing director in fundamental equities division at BlackRock, the multinational investment company. Previously Denise was an oil analyst at Smith New Court and has a BSc Hons degree in Computer Science from Imperial College London. In accordance with UKLR 6.4.8R, Denise Hadgills current and previous directorships in the past five years are disclosed below. She does not hold any shares in the Company at the date of her appointment to the Board. Current Directorships/Partnerships Former Directorships/Partnerships (past five years) Chelverton UK Dividend Trust plc Henderson Diversified Income Trust plc Smithson Investment Trust plc PG Mutual This appointment is in accordance with the Boards succession plans. This temporary increase in the number of Directors will facilitate the Boards succession process over the next 7 months, after which Margaret Littlejohns, the Chair of the Board and long-standing director, will be retiring. The Board believes that this interim period of overlap will achieve a sensible balance between continuity and reinvigoration. The Board intends to revert to four directors following the AGM in 2026. As noted in the Companys Interim Report, the Companys Nomination Committee recommended Patty Dimond to succeed Margaret Littlejohns as the Chair and the appointment was approved by the Board. Patty will provide valuable continuity, having already served on the Board for more than four years, with the last two years as Chair of the Audit Committee. Mrs Hadgill will be appointed as a member of the Audit, Management Engagement, Nomination and Remuneration Committees following her appointment. There are no other matters requiring disclosure in relation to Denise Hadgills appointment under Listing Rule 6.4.8R (1) - (6) inclusive. For further information, please contact: Company Secretary Foresight Group LLP Contact: Stephen Thayer Tel: 0203 667 8100 MIAMI, Oct. 31, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. (NYSE: NCLH), a leading global cruise company operating the Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises, and Regent Seven Seas Cruises brands, today announced a donation of up to $100,000 to support relief efforts following the devastating impact of Hurricane Melissa. The company will immediately donate $50,000 to the American Red Cross and will match up to an additional $50,000 in both employee and public contributions. The funds will be used where they are needed most in coordination with the global Red Cross network. Our thoughts are with everyone impacted by Hurricane Melissa, said Harry Sommer, president and chief executive officer of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. The Caribbean region holds a special place in our hearts, and its important that we stand with our communities in times of need. Through our Sail & Sustain program, were proud to support the American Red Cross in delivering vital relief and helping families recover. The donation is part of the Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings global sustainability program, Sail & Sustain, and builds on one of its five key pillars, Strengthening Communities, which aims at supporting the communities where it operates. We are deeply grateful to Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings for their generous support of Hurricane Melissa, said Krista Coletti, American Red Cross Regional Chief Executive Officer. This contribution will help communities impacted by Hurricane Melissa. Those wishing to contribute to the NCLH donation match can visit www.redcross.org/donate/cm/ncl-emp.html to support ongoing relief efforts. About Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. (NYSE: NCLH) is a leading global cruise company that operates Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises. With a combined fleet of 34 ships and more than 71,000 berths, NCLH offers itineraries to approximately 700 destinations worldwide. NCLH expects to add 13 additional ships across its three brands through 2036, which will add over 38,400 berths to its fleet. To learn more, visit www.nclhltd.com. NCLH Media: nclhmedia@nclcorp.com Regulated Information Availability of the Fiscal 2025 Universal Registration Document Issy-les-Moulineaux, October 31, 2025 Sodexos Fiscal 2025 Universal Registration Document (URD) was filed with the Autorite des marches financiers (AMF) in ESEF format on October 31, 2025. In accordance with applicable regulations, the Universal Registration Document is available on Sodexos website ( www.sodexo.com > Investors > Regulated Information) and on the AMFs website ( www.amf- france.org ). This Universal Registration Document includes, in particular: the statutory financial statements of Sodexo S.A. for Fiscal 2025; the consolidated financial statements of the Group for Fiscal 2025; the related auditors reports on the statutory and the consolidated financial statements as well as the special report on related-party agreements; the management report comprises especially of information relating to corporate governance and information relating to sustainability; information regarding internal control and risk management; the presentation of the resolutions as well as the resolutions submitted to the Combined Shareholders Meeting of December 16, 2025; information on the fees paid to the Statutory Auditors; and information on the share buyback program. About Sodexo Founded in Marseille in 1966 by Pierre Bellon, Sodexo is the leader in Food and Services, shaping better everyday experiences at every moment in life: work, heal, learn and play. The Group stands out for its independence, its founding family shareholding and its responsible business model. With its services, Sodexo meets all the challenges of everyday life with a dual goal: to improve the quality of life of our employees and those we serve, and contribute to the economic, social and environmental progress in the communities where we operate. Our purpose is to create a better everyday for everyone to build a better life for all. Sodexo is included in the CAC Next 20, Bloomberg France 40, CAC SBT 1.5, FTSE 4 Good and DJSI indices. Sodexo Key Figures 24.1 billion euros Fiscal 2025 consolidated revenues 426,000 employees on August 31, 2025 #2 France-based private employer worldwide 43 countries 80 million consumers served every day 8.3 billion euros in market capitalization (as of October 22, 2025) Attachment Press Release Postponement of publication of half-yearly results to 31 July 2025 Paris, France - (31 October 2025) - PROACTIS SA (ISIN code: FR0004052561) announces the postponement of the publication, originally scheduled for October 31st, 2025, of its half-yearly results as at 31 July 2025 for the financial year beginning on 1 February 2025. This postponement is a direct consequence of the delay in the process of preparing and finalising the accounts for the financial year ending 31 January 2025. Since the end of July, the group's employees and the company's auditors have been working as a matter of priority to finalise the annual accounts so that the results as at 31 January 2025 and the annual financial report can be published as soon as possible. As a result of this effort, the company is currently unable to guarantee reliable half-yearly information. PROACTIS SA will announce the next publication dates in a press release in the near future. * * * * About Proactis SA (https://www.proactis.com/proactis-sa), a Proactis Company Proactis SA connects companies by providing business spend management and collaborative business process automation solutions for both goods and services, through The Business Network. Our solutions integrate with any ERP or procurement system, providing our customers with an easy-to-use solution which drives adoption, compliance and savings. Proactis SA has operations in France, Germany, USA and Manila. Listed in Compartment C on the Euronext Paris Eurolist. ISIN: FR0004052561, Euronext: PROAC, Reuters: HBWO.LN, Bloomberg: HBW.FP Contacts Tel: +33 (0)1 53 25 55 00 E-mail: investorContact@proactis.com * * * * Attachment MIAMI, Oct. 31, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- via IBN -- ETHWomen , a premier women-focused Web3 event, will return for its 4th annual edition with a major expansion into the United States. Taking place at The Hard Rock Guitar Hotel and DAER from November 56, 2025, ETHWomen 2025 will continue its mission of empowering and celebrating women in the Web3 ecosystem. The event offers attendees a rare opportunity to explore the latest trends in cryptocurrency, blockchain, DeFi, NFTs, AI, and beyond, while connecting with industry leaders and participating in immersive programming designed to inspire collaboration and innovation. A Growing Legacy Since its launch in 2022, ETHWomen has grown into one of the most well-attended and impactful women-inspired events in the global Web3 space. All ETHWomen participants will also receive complimentary access to Blockchain Futurist Conference . This integration gives attendees a broader perspective of the industry, brings together a more diverse audience across the conference, and provides women with a stronger platform to network and shine within the wider Web3 ecosystem. Featured ETHWomen Florida Speakers ETHWomen 2025 will welcome an inspiring lineup of female speakers, including: Iggy Azalea, Global Music Icon, Founder, $MOTHER Global Music Icon, Founder, $MOTHER Lisa Loud , Executive Director, Secret Network Foundation , Executive Director, Secret Network Foundation Janet Adams , COO, SingularityNET & Board Member, Artificial Superintelligence Alliance , COO, SingularityNET & Board Member, Artificial Superintelligence Alliance Elena Sinelnikova , Co-Founder, CryptoChicks & Metis Foundation , Co-Founder, CryptoChicks & Metis Foundation Tracy Leparulo, Co-Founder, Blockchain Futurist Conference Co-Founder, Blockchain Futurist Conference Yolanda Liu , Chief Security Architect, Coinbase , Chief Security Architect, Coinbase Clare Adelgren , Global Blockchain Head of Sales and Operations, EY , Global Blockchain Head of Sales and Operations, EY Clara Tsao , Founding Officer, Filecoin Foundation , Founding Officer, Filecoin Foundation Jaime Leverton , CEO, ReserveOne , CEO, ReserveOne Annelise Osborne , Chief Business Officer, Kadena , Chief Business Officer, Kadena Amanda Wick , Founder & CEO, Association for Women in Cryptocurrency , Founder & CEO, Association for Women in Cryptocurrency Charlotte Laborde , Director, Partner Growth, MoonPay , Director, Partner Growth, MoonPay Kyleigha Beckmann , Founding Partner, Peace Through Trade Blockchain (PTT COIN) , Founding Partner, Peace Through Trade Blockchain (PTT COIN) Nikita Sachdev , Founder & CEO, Luna Media Corporation , Founder & CEO, Luna Media Corporation Shaela W. Rae , Counsel, Collas Crill LLP , Counsel, Collas Crill LLP MK Marsden, CEO, Touchpoint Strategies CEO, Touchpoint Strategies Lalla Asmaa Alaoui, Founder & CEO, Digidzign, Chief Business Officer, Nolcha Founder & CEO, Digidzign, Chief Business Officer, Nolcha Scarlett Arana, Co-Founder, BitBasel Additional speakers for ETHWomen can be found at https://www.ethwomen.com/ The event will deliver a mix of engaging programming, networking, and community activations. Highlights include: Signature panels & keynotes featuring leading voices in Web3 and blockchain featuring leading voices in Web3 and blockchain Exclusive book signings by Amanda Wick (Association for Women in Cryptocurrency) and Annelise Osborne (Kadena) by Amanda Wick (Association for Women in Cryptocurrency) and Annelise Osborne (Kadena) Crypto & Web3 Bootcamp to teach beginners the basics to teach beginners the basics NFT Gallery and Live Artists to check out whats new in the digital art world check out whats new in the digital art world Community meet-ups hosted by SheFi, Femt3ch, CreateHerFest and more! Sponsors & Supporters ETHWomen 2025 is supported by a growing roster of sponsors who are shaping the future of Web3. Check out the full list of sponsors here: https://www.ethwomen.com/#2025-sponsors ETHWomen also proudly collaborates with leading female-driven organizations, including: CryptoChicks, Association for Women in Cryptocurrency, EvolvHer, Growth for Girlies, Shib Women, Unstoppable Women, Women Tech Network, FemT3ch, and more. Check out the full list of community partners here: https://www.futuristconference.com/community-partners Get involved For more information on ETHWomen 2025 and future ETHWomen events go to www.ethwomen.com Media inquiries: laura@futuristconference.com . InvestorWire Service Contact: IBN Austin, Texas www.InvestorBrandNetwork.com 512.354.7000 Office Editor@InvestorBrandNetwork.com A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/18e7a122-0146-4c6c-8833-211df3a50e9a Toronto, Oct. 31, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Toronto Metropolitan University's DMZ held its fifth annual Black Innovation Summit , where 10 Black-led tech startups from across Canada pitched their businesses for the chance to secure over $300,000 CAD in funding to accelerate their growth a total that ultimately surpassed expectations, reaching $400,000 CAD awarded by the end of the event. DMZ's largest Black Innovation Summit to date, the event gathered over 400 guests from the Black entrepreneurial community. Designed to bring together the Black tech ecosystem and celebrate Black excellence, this year's theme, 'Black Means Business,' underscored a powerful message: investing in Black founders is not only the right thing to do, it is a strategic imperative that fuels economic growth and the startup economy. According to a recent report by the BDC , Black entrepreneurs remain underrepresented in Canadas business landscape yet demonstrate strong export potential and optimism for growth, clear indicators of untapped economic opportunity. The Summit put capital behind this conviction, awarding the most in its history. The Summit featured a powerful lineup of speakers, including successful Black entrepreneurs such as Frank Baylis, Canadian businessman and Executive Chairman of Baylis Medical Technologies, and award-winning artist, entrepreneur and DMZ Advisory Council member Keshia Chante and The Honourable Graham McGregor, Minister of Citizenship and Multiculturalism for the Government of Ontario. The day brought together entrepreneurs, investors, corporate leaders and government to celebrate Black-led innovation, culminating in a startup pitch competition exclusively for Black founders. DMZ Ventures, Tribe Network, and Capital M Ventures led this years investments and grants were made possible by DMZ and the Black Founders Network. The investment funds are now proceeding to finalize investment terms. OutreachGenius , a solution that provides AI-powered agents to answer sales calls and revive cold prospects for home-service businesses, received 200,000 CAD in investment commitments. , a solution that provides AI-powered agents to answer sales calls and revive cold prospects for home-service businesses, received 200,000 CAD in investment commitments. Happly.AI , a platform that helps startups find and secure funding, received 75,000 CAD in investment commitments and a $50,000 CAD grant. , a platform that helps startups find and secure funding, received 75,000 CAD in investment commitments and a $50,000 CAD grant. Kiwi Charge , a solution that provides autonomous charging units for electric vehicles in buildings that lack a charging infrastructure through a charging-as-a-service model, received a $30,000 CAD grant. , a solution that provides autonomous charging units for electric vehicles in buildings that lack a charging infrastructure through a charging-as-a-service model, received a $30,000 CAD grant. Cellect Laboratories , nanotech-powered products for women to screen for HPV and cervical cancer, received a $20,000 CAD grant. When asked about his biggest takeaway from DMZs Black Innovation Summit, David Owasi, the CEO of OutreachGenius emphasized the power of community: Relationships, relationships. The connections built here have been incredible. From my fellow founders, who I truly believe will shape the next few decades in Canada and beyond, to the investors and partners who are genuinely invested in seeing Black entrepreneurs grow. Its been a real pleasure building these relationships, and I hope this is just the first of many. "This year's Summit was our biggest yet, bringing together over 400 attendees from the Black entrepreneurial community and handing out the most funding in the events history. That's not by accident," said Abdullah Snobar, Executive Director of DMZ and CEO of DMZ Ventures. "The theme 'Black Means Business' speaks to what we see every day: Black founders perform, drive innovation and fuel economic growth. While players in the space are pulling back, we're doubling down because backing Black founders isnt just the right thing to do, it's one of the smartest bets you can make. The Black Innovation Summit also recognized exceptional Black-identifying young entrepreneurs through its Youth Entrepreneurship Award. The Honourable Graham McGregor, Minister of Citizenship and Multiculturalism from the Government of Ontario, joined the Summit to present the awards. Five outstanding young entrepreneurs shared a $25,000 pool in youth grants: Daniel Martinovic, Nodalli Samira Mohamed, Stardoe Studio Merveille Mukoko, Yekola Chevon Riley, NORM Alexis Stackhouse, Global Elevation Network The Ontario Government, a longstanding partner of DMZs Black Innovation Programs, invested $16.5 million in over 65 Black-focused programs earlier this year, including renewed support for DMZs programs. DMZ is proud to have brought the Summit to life in collaboration with presenting partners Scotiabank and the Government of Ontario; contributing partners Black Founders Network, CapitalM Ventures, DCCM Foundation, DMZ Ventures, Humi by Employment Hero, Torys LLP and Tribe; and community partners Black Entrepreneurship Alliance, Black Women Talk Tech, Brampton Innovation District, Founders Connect, Futurpreneur, LBIH, Nobellum, Rep Matters and Startup Ecosystem Canada. The annual Black Innovation Summit serves as the marquee event for DMZ's Black Innovation Programs (BIP) , which were launched in 2019. A first-of-its-kind initiative in Canada, DMZ's Black Innovation Programs were created to increase the number of Black-led startups in the tech ecosystem and break the cycle of inequity. To date, DMZ has supported over 2,500 Black-identifying founders and has distributed over $3 million in grants and services. Black founders in DMZ's Black Innovation Programs receive additional opportunities and specialized support, such as free legal services, subsidized hiring grants, professional development opportunities, mentorship, a peer network, exclusive events, and connections to investors dedicated to supporting Black-led innovationon top of the standard programming all DMZ founders receive. Black founders seeking hands-on, tailored support to take their businesses to the next level can learn more about DMZ's Black Innovation Programs at dmz.to/bip . -30- Attachment Boston, Oct. 31, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- According to the latest study from BCC Research, The Chinese Market for DNA Sequencing is projected to grow from $1.2 billion in 2025 to $3.1 billion by the end of 2030, at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 21.5% during the forecast period of 2025 to 2030. This report provides a detailed analysis of the DNA sequencing market in mainland China, segmented by products and services, technologies, applications, end-users, and key provinces such as Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangdong. It explores market dynamics including venture capital activity, corporate investments, regulatory developments, and strategic initiatives by leading firms. The report also highlights emerging opportunities driven by AI in precision medicine and population genomics. With insights into market forecasts, macroeconomic factors, and competitive landscape, it serves as a valuable resource for stakeholders aiming to navigate and capitalize on China's rapidly evolving DNA sequencing sector. This report is especially relevant now due to the rapid expansion of Chinas DNA sequencing market, driven by national ambitions in precision medicine, large-scale population genomics initiatives, and rising cases of genetic disorders and cancer. The increasing adoption of sequencing technologies for non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT), infectious disease surveillance, and agricultural biotechnology is transforming healthcare and life sciences. It also highlights the fast-paced growth of domestic firms like BGI Genomics, Novogene, and Berry Genomics, alongside advances in AI-powered sequencing, evolving regulations, and strategic partnerships that are reshaping the competitive landscape and opening new opportunities in the sector. The factors driving the markets growth include: Government Investment and National Strategic Initiatives: Chinas government supports genomics through national programs, funding, and infrastructure development. Strategic initiatives like the Precision Medicine Plan aim to integrate DNA sequencing into healthcare, boosting industry growth and innovation. Innovation and Technological Advances Making Sequencing Affordable: Chinese companies have made sequencing more accessible by developing cost-effective platforms and improving automation. Advances in next-generation sequencing and bioinformatics have reduced costs and increased efficiency, enabling broader adoption. Growing Demand for Precision Medicine and Oncology Genomics: The rise of personalized healthcare in China, especially in cancer treatment and rare disease diagnosis, is driving demand for DNA sequencing. Genomic data helps tailor therapies, making sequencing essential for modern medical practices. Request a sample copy of the Chinese DNA sequencing market report. Report Synopsis Report Metric Details Base year considered 2024 Forecast period considered 2025-2030 Base year market size $981.3 million Market size forecast $3.1 billion Growth rate CAGR of 21.5% for the forecast period of 2025-2030 Segments covered Products and Services, Technology, Applications, End-Users, and Provinces Regions covered Guangdong, Beijing, Shanghai, and Other Chinese Regional Markets Market Drivers Government investment and national strategic initiatives. Innovation and technological advances making sequencing affordable. Growing demand for precision medicine and oncology genomics. Interesting facts: China has quickly become a leader in DNA sequencing. For example, the China Precision Medicine Initiative, which is federally funded, aims to sequence over 1 million genomes by 2030. The emergence of Chinese companies like BGI Genomics and MGI Tech is driving down the cost of sequencing and presenting a challenge to global players like Illumina by deploying homegrown technologies The increasing support from governments and institutions for genomics research and its applications are having a positive impact on the markets growth. The industry is witnessing the entry of startups focusing on technologies such as AI and data analytics. Emerging startups: Element Biosciences Twist Bioscience MedGenome The report addresses the following questions: What are the market's projected market size and growth rate? The Chinese DNA sequencing market is projected to grow from $981.3 million in 2024 to $3.1 billion by the end of 2030 at a CAGR of 21.5% during the forecast period. What factors are driving the growth of the market? Technological advances in sequencing techniques and the rising applications of DNA sequencing in clinical diagnostics are driving the markets growth. What market segments are covered in the report? The market is segmented by product and services, technology, application, and end-user. Which product and services segment will be dominant through 2030? The instruments and consumables segment will dominate the market through the end of 2030. Which province has the largest market share? Guangdong province has the largest market share. Market leaders include: ANNOROAD GENE TECHNOLOGY AGILENT TECHNOLOGIES INC. BURNING ROCK DX BGI BERRY GENOMICS CAPITALBIO TECHNOLOGY CO. LTD. ILLUMINA INC. NOVOGENE CO. LTD. OXFORD NANOPORE TECHNOLOGIES PLC PACBIO THERMO FISHER SCIENTIFIC INC. 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. NEW YORK, Oct. 31, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- WHY: Rosen Law Firm, a global investor rights law firm, announces an investigation of potential securities claims on behalf of shareholders of Freeport-McMoRan Inc. (NYSE: FCX) resulting from allegations that Freeport may have issued materially misleading business information to the investing public. SO WHAT: If you purchased Freeport securities you may be entitled to compensation without payment of any out of pocket fees or costs through a contingency fee arrangement. The Rosen Law Firm is preparing a class action seeking recovery of investor losses. WHAT TO DO NEXT: To join the prospective class action, go to https://rosenlegal.com/submit-form/?case_id=45553 or call Phillip Kim, Esq. toll-free at 866-767-3653 or email case@rosenlegal.com for information on the class action. WHAT IS THIS ABOUT: On September 24, 2025, Freeport issued a press release entitled Freeport Provides Update on PT Freeport Indonesia Operations. It stated that Freeport announced today an update on the status of the previously reported mud rush incident at the Grasberg Block Cave mine (GBC) in Indonesia. On September 20, 2025, PT Freeport Indonesia (PTFI) located two team members who were regrettably fatally injured in the September 8th incident. On this news, Freeport stock fell by 16.95% on September 24, 2025. WHY ROSEN LAW: We encourage investors to select qualified counsel with a track record of success in leadership roles. Often, firms issuing notices do not have comparable experience, resources, or any meaningful peer recognition. Many of these firms do not actually litigate securities class actions. Be wise in selecting counsel. The Rosen Law Firm represents investors throughout the globe, concentrating its practice in securities class actions and shareholder derivative litigation. Rosen Law Firm achieved the largest ever securities class action settlement against a Chinese Company at the time. At the time Rosen Law Firm was Ranked No. 1 by ISS Securities Class Action Services for number of securities class action settlements in 2017. The firm has been ranked in the top 4 each year since 2013 and has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors. In 2019 alone the firm secured over $438 million for investors. In 2020, founding partner Laurence Rosen was named by law360 as a Titan of Plaintiffs Bar. Many of the firms attorneys have been recognized by Lawdragon and Super Lawyers. Follow us for updates on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/the-rosen-law-firm, on Twitter: https://twitter.com/rosen_firm or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rosenlawfirm/. Attorney Advertising. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. ------------------------------- Contact Information: Laurence Rosen, Esq. Phillip Kim, Esq. The Rosen Law Firm, P.A. 275 Madison Avenue, 40th Floor New York, NY 10016 Tel: (212) 686-1060 Toll Free: (866) 767-3653 Fax: (212) 202-3827 case@rosenlegal.com www.rosenlegal.com San Francisco, CA, Oct. 31, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pressviz, a pioneering Digital PR agency for LLM ranking thats redefining visibility in the age of artificial intelligence, has been officially recognized as the Best Digital PR Agency of 2025 for AI Search Optimization. The honor comes from leading global platforms including USA News, Triple A Review, Cnvrtool, The Scotsman, and Blog Earns each commending the firms ability to merge human creativity with machine-readable precision. Recognized by USA News, Triple A Review, Cnvrtool, The Scotsman, and Blog Earns for Shaping Visibility in the AI-Era of Media Discovery This recognition highlights how Pressviz is leading a new era of PR one where brand stories are crafted not just for journalists, but for the algorithms that power discovery across ChatGPT, Google, and global media ecosystems. As AI-driven platforms and large language models transform how audiences find and trust information, Pressviz has become the go-to agency for brands that want to appear in AI search results, knowledge panels, and conversational summaries. Publications praised its data-backed storytelling framework that ensures every campaign performs across both editorial and AI distribution layers. Pressviz has redefined digital PR for the AI generation, said an editorial spokesperson for Triple A Review. Their system ensures brands arent just seen by people, but recognised by AI models shaping online discovery. Pressviz has built PR systems that speak both to journalists and algorithms, noted Cnvrtool. Their AI-optimized framework ensures brands earn visibility where it matters mostinside generative search. AI doesnt just crawl the webit prioritizes credible, editorial content from trusted sources. said Zeeshan Yaseen, CEO of Pressviz. We dont just promise visibility. We engineer your brand to be seen by AIautomatically. This recognition further strengthens Pressvizs position as a future-ready communications partnerhelping brands rise in both human media and AI-driven rankings. About Pressviz Pressviz is an AI-first digital PR agency that creates structured, editorially aligned PR campaigns built to perform across traditional press, search ecosystems, and intelligent discovery networks. The firm partners with brands in eCommerce, tech, SaaS, and professional services to deliver measurable, long-term visibility in the digital era. Press inquiries PressViz https://pressviz.com/ Zeeshan Yaseen info@pressviz.com +1 (307) 2898080 Lima, Oct. 31, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Lima, PERU, October 31st, 2025 Credicorp Ltd. announces to its shareholders and the market that its 3Q25 Earnings Release will be published on Thursday, November 13th, 2025, after market close. Credicorps webcast and conference call to discuss these results will be held on Friday, November 14th, 2025, at 9:30 a.m. Lima, Peru time and 9:30 a.m. Eastern Time. The call will be hosted by the following Credicorp executives Gianfranco Ferrari, Chief Executive Officer Alejandro Perez Reyes, Chief Financial Officer Francesca Raffo, Chief Innovation Officer Cesar Rios, Chief Risk Officer Cesar Rivera, Head of Insurance and Pensions Rocio Benavides, Mibanco CFO Investor Relations Team Participants are encouraged to pre-register for the listen-only webcast at the following link: https://dpregister.com/DiamondPassRegistration/register?confirmationNumber=10204236&linkSecurityString=10040c5080c Callers who pre-register will receive a conference passcode and unique PIN for immediate access to the call, bypassing the live operator. Participants may pre-register at any time, including up to and after the call begins. Those unable to register may join the call by dialing: Participant dial-in (USA/Canada toll-free): 1 844 435 0321 Participant international dial in: 1 412 317 5615 Participant Web Phone: Click Here Conference ID: Credicorp Conference Call A replay of the webcast will be available for one year on our Investor Relations website: https://credicorp.gcs-web.com/events-and-presentations/past-events Credicorp reminds you that we filed our Annual Report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended December 31st, 2024 (2024 Form 20-F) with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 25th, 2025. The 2024 Form 20-F includes audited consolidated financial statements of Credicorp and its subsidiaries as of December 31st, 2022, 2023 and 2024 under IFRS. Our 2024 Form 20- F can be downloaded from Credicorps website : https://credicorp.gcs-web.com/annual-materials Holders of Credicorps securities and any other interested parties may request a hard copy of our 2024 Form 20-F, free of charge, by filling out the form located on the link mail request on Credicorps website. About Credicorp Credicorp (NYSE: BAP) is the leading financial services holding company in Peru with presence in Chile, Colombia, Bolivia, and Panama. Credicorp has a diversified business portfolio organized into four lines of business: Universal Banking, through Banco de Credito del Peru (BCP) and Banco de Credito de Bolivia; Microfinance, through Mibanco in Peru and Colombia; Insurance & Pension Funds, through Grupo Pacifico and Prima AFP; and Investment Management & Advisory, through Credicorp Capital, Wealth Management at BCP and ASB Bank Corp. Credicorp has a presence in Peru, Chile, Colombia, Bolivia, and Panama. For further information, please contact the IR team: investorrelations@credicorpperu.com Investor Relations Credicorp Ltd. PHILADELPHIA and NEW YORK, Oct. 31, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Cohen & Company Inc. (NYSE American: COHN) will release its financial results for the third quarter 2025 on Tuesday, November 4, 2025. The Company will host a conference call at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time (ET) that day to discuss these results. The conference call will be available via webcast. Interested parties can access the webcast by clicking the webcast link on the Companys homepage at www.cohenandcompany.com. Those wishing to listen to the conference call with operator assistance can dial (877) 524-8416 (domestic) or +1 (412) 902-1028 (international). A replay of the call will be available for three days following the call by dialing (877) 660-6853 or (201) 612-7415, with participant passcode 13756943. About Cohen & Company Cohen & Company is a financial services company specializing in an expanding range of capital markets and asset management services. Cohen & Companys operating segments are Capital Markets, Asset Management, and Principal Investing. The Capital Markets segment consists of fixed income sales, trading, gestation repo financing, new issue placements in corporate and securitized products, underwriting, and advisory services, operating primarily through Cohen & Companys subsidiaries, Cohen & Company Securities, LLC (Cohen Securities) in the United States and Cohen & Company Financial (Europe) S.A. in Europe. A division of Cohen Securities, Cohen & Company Capital Markets (CCM) is the Companys full-service boutique investment bank that focuses on mergers and acquisitions (M&A), capital markets, and SPAC advisory services. The Capital Markets business segment also includes investment returns on financial instruments that the Company has received as consideration for advisory, underwriting, and new issue placement services provided by CCM. The Asset Management segment manages assets through collateralized debt obligations, managed accounts, joint ventures, and investment funds. As of September 30, 2025, the Company had approximately $1.4 billion of assets under management in primarily fixed income assets in a variety of asset classes including European bank and insurance trust preferred securities, debt issued by small and medium sized European, U.S., and Bermudian insurance and reinsurance companies, equity interests of SPACs and their sponsor entities, and commercial real estate loans. The Principal Investing segment is comprised primarily of investments the Company holds related to its SPAC franchise and other investments the Company has made for the purpose of earning an investment return rather than investments made to support its trading or other capital markets business activity. For more information, please visit www.cohenandcompany.com. SAINT-BRUNO-DE-MONTARVILLE, Quebec, Oct. 31, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Colabor Group Inc. (TSX: GCL) (Colabor or the Company) wishes to announce that Mr. Robert Johnston has tendered his resignation as director of the Company. On behalf of the Board of Directors, I would like to extend our sincere appreciation to Mr. Johnston for his leadership, valuable expertise, and the meaningful contributions he has made to the Board throughout his tenure, said Mr. Denis Mathieu, Interim Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Company. About Colabor Colabor is a distributor and wholesaler of food and related products serving the hotel, restaurant and institutional markets or "HRI" in Quebec and in the Atlantic provinces, as well as the retail market. Within its two operating activities, Colabor offers specialty food products such as meat, fish and seafood, as well as food and related products through its Broadline activities. Further information: Yanick Blanchard Interim Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Colabor Group Inc Tel.: 450-449-4911 extension 1308 investors@colabor.com Danielle Ste-Marie Ste-Marie Strategy and Communications Inc. Investor Relations Tel.: 450-449-0026 extension 1180 MONTREAL, Oct. 31, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Knight Therapeutics Inc. (TSX: GUD) ("Knight" or the Company), a pan-American (ex-US) specialty pharmaceutical company, announced today that it has closed the syndication of its US$100 million secured revolving credit facility (the Credit Facility). On June 17, 2025, Knight had announced that it had closed a US$50 Million revolving credit facility with National Bank of Canada (NBC) and initiated a syndication process to increase the size of the facility. As part of the syndication process, Knight has expanded its banking consortium to include three additional banks: Citibank N.A., Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC), and The Toronto-Dominion Bank (TD"). The consortium (the Lenders) now consists of four banks, with NBC as the Lead Arranger. On October 31, 2025, the revolving credit facility was increased to US$100 million with an accordion feature for an additional US$100 million, subject to receipt of acceptance by the Lenders. The Credit Facility is mainly intended to support the Company's growth strategy and may also be used for working capital and other corporate purposes. The Credit Facility has an initial maturity date of June 17, 2028, and can be extended annually by an additional one-year period. The credit facility can be drawn in USD or CAD at the SOFR or CORRA rate plus an applicable margin between 1.25% to 2.75% depending on Knights debt leverage. Knight will pay stand-by fees for the undisbursed portion of the credit facility. In addition, the Credit Facility includes certain customary financial and non-financial covenants that the Company must maintain over the period of the agreement. In June 2025, Knight withdrew C$60 million from the credit facility to fund a portion of the Paladin acquisition. "We are pleased to partner with NBC and the syndicate of lenders. This credit facility strengthens our relationship with four banks and doubles our borrowing capacity from US$50M to US$100M, with an additional US$100M accordion feature. The financial flexibility of this partnership positions us well for acquisitions as well as supports the growth of our business," said Arvind Utchanah, Chief Financial Officer of Knight Therapeutics Inc. A copy of the Amended and Restated Credit Agreement will be available on SEDAR at www.sedarplus.ca. About Knight Therapeutics Inc. Knight Therapeutics Inc., headquartered in Montreal, Canada, is a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on acquiring or in-licensing and commercializing pharmaceutical products for Canada and Latin America. Knights Latin American subsidiaries operate under United Medical, Biotoscana Farma and Laboratorio LKM. Knight Therapeutics Inc.'s shares trade on TSX under the symbol GUD. For more information about Knight Therapeutics Inc., please visit the company's web site at www.knighttx.com or www.sedarplus.ca. Forward-Looking Statement This document contains forward-looking statements for Knight Therapeutics Inc. and its subsidiaries. These forward-looking statements, by their nature, necessarily involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements. Knight Therapeutics Inc. considers the assumptions on which these forward-looking statements are based to be reasonable at the time they were prepared but cautions the reader that these assumptions regarding future events, many of which are beyond the control of Knight Therapeutics Inc. and its subsidiaries, may ultimately prove to be incorrect. Factors and risks which could cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations are discussed in Knight Therapeutics Inc.'s Annual Report and in Knight Therapeutics Inc.'s Annual Information Form for the year ended December 31, 2024, as filed on www.sedarplus.ca. Knight Therapeutics Inc. disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information or future events, except as required by law. CONTACT INFORMATION: Investor Contact: Knight Therapeutics Inc. Samira Sakhia Arvind Utchanah President & Chief Executive Officer Chief Financial Officer T: 514.484.4483 T. +598.2626.2344 F: 514.481.4116 Email: IR@knighttx.com Email: IR@knighttx.com Website: www.knighttx.com Website: www.knighttx.com NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION TO UNITED STATES NEWS WIRE SERVICES OR DISSEMINATION IN THE UNITED STATES TORONTO, Oct. 31, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Consolidated Lithium Metals Inc. (TSXV: CLM) (FRA: Z36) (CLM or the Company) announces further to its press release dated October 22, 2025, the Company intends to complete a non-brokered private placement (the Offering) and amends the terms of the Offering to a sale of up to 66,666,666 units (each, a Unit) of the Company at the previously announced price of $0.06 per Unit (the Offering Price) for gross proceeds to the Company of up to $4,000,000. Each Unit will consist of one common share in the capital of the Company and one common share purchase warrant (each, a Warrant). Each Warrant will entitle the holder to purchase one common share of the Company at a price of $0.10 per common share and the Company amends the exercise period to 36 months commencing on the date that is 60 days after the closing date. It is anticipated that the closing of the Offering will occur on or about November 7, 2025. Subject to compliance with applicable regulatory requirements and in accordance with National Instrument 45-106 Prospectus Exemptions (NI 45-106), the Units will be offered for sale to purchasers resident in Canada, except Quebec, pursuant to one or more of the following exemptions from the prospectus requirement under NI 45-106: (i) the listed issuer financing exemption under Part 5A of NI 45-106 (the Listed Issuer Financing Exemption), as modified by and in reliance on the exemptions set out in Coordinated Blanket Order 45-935 - Exemptions from Certain Conditions of the Listed Issuer Financing Exemption; and (ii) other available exemptions under NI 45-106. Finders fees may be paid to eligible finders in accordance with the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange (the TSXV) consisting of a cash commission equal to up to 8% of the gross proceeds raised under the Offering and finder warrants (Finder Warrants) in an amount equal to up to 8% of the number of Units sold pursuant to the Offering. Each Finder Warrant will entitle the holder thereof to purchase one common share of the Company at a price of $0.10 per common share for a period of 36 months. The Company intends to use the net proceeds from the Offering to advance exploration activity of the Companys lithium properties in Quebec and for working capital and general corporate purposes. Completion of the Offering is subject to regulatory approvals, including the TSXV. While details have yet to be finalized, senior management of the Company and certain members of the Companys board of directors, including Richard Quesnel, Brett Lynch, and Rene Bharti, may participate in the Offering (the Insider Participation). Insider Participation, if any, will be considered to be a related party transaction as defined under Multilateral Instrument 61-101 Protection of Minority Security Holders in Special Transactions. Additional information will follow in a subsequent press release once details of the Insider Participation, if any, have been confirmed. There is an offering document related to the Offering that can be accessed under the Companys profile at www.sedarplus.ca and at the Companys website at www.consolidatedlithium.com. Prospective investors should read this offering document before making an investment decision. Extension of Exclusivity Period of Letter of Intent with SOQUEM INC. Further to its press release dated August 27, 2025, the Company has extended the exclusivity period of the non-binding letter of intent (LOI) with SOQUEM Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Investissement Quebec, to November 14, 2025. Pursuant to the LOI (subject to completion of several conditions precedent, including the negotiation and execution of a definitive agreement respecting the proposed transaction), the Company may acquire an option to earn up to an 80% interest in the Kwyjibo Rare Earth Project, located 125 km northeast of the city of Sept-Iles, in the Cote-Nord region of Quebec. For further details on the LOI, please refer to the Companys press release dated August 27, 2025, a copy of which is available under the Companys SEDAR+ profile at www.sedarplus.ca. U.S. Offering and No U.S. Registration The Company may also offer the Units for sale pursuant to exemptions from the prospectus requirement under Ontario Securities Commission Rule 72-503 Distributions Outside of Canada in the United States (U.S.) pursuant to available exemptions from the registration requirements of the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and in certain other jurisdictions outside of Canada and the U.S. provided it is understood that no prospectus filing or comparable obligation, ongoing reporting requirement or requisite regulatory or governmental approval arises in such other jurisdictions. The securities described herein have not been, nor will they be, registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and may not be offered or sold in the U.S. or to, or for the account or benefit of, U.S. persons absent registration or an applicable 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. About Consolidated Lithium Metals CLM is a Canadian junior mining exploration company trading under the symbol CLM on the TSX Venture Exchange and Z36 on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange. The Company is focused on the exploration and development of critical mineral projects in stable jurisdictions. The Company is committed to supporting the energy transition through the responsible development of critical mineral supply chains. Additional information on CLM can be found on its website at: www.consolidatedlithium.com and by reviewing its profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca. For Further Information, Contact: Rene Bharti Vice President Corp. Dev. Email: info@consolidatedlithium.com Phone: +1 (647) 965 2173 Website: www.consolidatedlithium.com Advisors: Wildeboer Dellelce LLP is acting as legal counsel for CLM in respect of the Offering. Cautionary Statement on Forward-Looking Information This news release contains "forward-looking information", which may include, but is not limited to, statements with respect to anticipated business plans or strategies, including the Offering, regulatory and TSXV approvals of the Offering, the use of proceeds of the Offering, Insider Participation, if any, and the proposed transaction with SOQUEM Inc. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "expects", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates", or "believes" or variations (including negative variations) of such words and phrases, or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. Forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results, performance or achievements of CLM to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements, including risks related to: regulatory approvals, such as approval of the TSXV of the Offering; general business, economic, competitive, political, social, and market conditions; accidents, labour disputes and shortages; and other risks of the mining industry. Forward-looking statements contained herein are made as of the date of this press release and CLM disclaims, other than as required by law, any obligation to update any forward-looking statements whether as a result of new information, results, future events, circumstances, or if management's estimates or opinions should change, or otherwise. There can be no assurance that forward-looking statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, the reader is cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. 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. GUADALAJARA, Mexico, Oct. 31, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacifico, S.A.B. de C.V. (NYSE: PAC; BMV: GAP) (the Company or GAP) reports that, after the passage of Hurricane Melissa through Jamaica, Montego Bay International Airport resumed operations yesterday, October 30, at 4 p.m. (local time) for evacuation flights and humanitarian aid. At this time, the necessary work is being carried out to restore essential airport infrastructure and services, as well as the assessment of the damage caused to airport facilities and equipment. In accordance with safety protocols and in coordination with local authorities, limited commercial operations are expected to resume on Saturday, November 1 at 7:00 a.m. (local time). GAPs priority is to ensure that all airport systems and procedures are fully operational and meet the highest safety standards prior to the full restoration of commercial air operations. The safety and well-being of our passengers, employees, and business partners remains our highest priority. GAP will continue to provide timely updates regarding the operations at Montego Bay Airport. Company Description Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacifico, S.A.B. de C.V. (GAP) operates 12 airports throughout Mexicos Pacific region, including the major cities of Guadalajara and Tijuana, the four tourist destinations of Puerto Vallarta, Los Cabos, La Paz and Manzanillo, and six other mid-sized cities: Hermosillo, Guanajuato, Morelia, Aguascalientes, Mexicali, and Los Mochis. In February 2006, GAPs shares were listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol PAC and on the Mexican Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol GAP. In April 2015, GAP acquired 100% of Desarrollo de Concessioner Aeroportuarias, S.L., which owns a majority stake in MBJ Airports Limited, a company operating Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay, Jamaica. In October 2018, GAP entered into a concession agreement for the Norman Manley International Airport operation in Kingston, Jamaica, and took control of the operation in October 2019. This press release may contain forward-looking statements. These statements are statements that are not historical facts and are based on managements current view and estimates of future economic circumstances, industry conditions, company performance, and financial results. The words anticipates, believes, estimates, expects, plans and similar expressions, as they relate to the company, are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Statements regarding the declaration or payment of dividends, the implementation of principal operating and financing strategies and capital expenditure plans, the direction of future operations, and the factors or trends affecting financial condition, liquidity, or results of operations are examples of forward-looking statements. Such statements reflect the current views of management and are subject to a number of risks and uncertainties. There is no guarantee that the expected events, trends, or results will occur. The statements are based on many assumptions and factors, including general economic and market conditions, industry conditions, and operating factors. Any changes in such assumptions or factors could cause actual results to differ materially from current expectations. In accordance with Section 806 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and Article 42 of the Ley del Mercado de Valores, GAP has implemented a whistleblower program, which allows complainants to anonymously and confidentially report suspected activities that involve criminal conduct or violations. The telephone number in Mexico, facilitated by a third party responsible for collecting these complaints, is 800 04 ETICA (38422) or WhatsApp +52 55 6538 5504. The website is www.lineadedenunciagap.com or by email at denuncia@lineadedenunciagap.com. GAPs Audit Committee will be notified of all complaints for immediate investigation. Alejandra Soto Investor Relations and Social Responsibility Officer asoto@aeropuertosgap.com.mx Gisela Murillo, Investor Relations gmurillo@aeropuertosgap.com.mx +52 33 3880 1100 ext. 20294 Grass Valley, October 31, 2025 - Rise Gold Corp. (CSE: RISE) (OTCQB: RYES) (the "Company" or "Rise Gold") announces that it has granted a total of 1,445,469 stock options to directors, officers, and consultants of the Company pursuant to the terms of the Company's Long Term Incentive Plan dated October 17, 2025 (the "Plan"). The stock options are exercisable at a price of US$0.25 (CAD$0.35) per share until October 30, 2030. The Company also announces that it has granted an aggregate of 1,365,854 deferred share units of the Company (the "DSUs") to certain directors and officers the Company pursuant to the terms of the Plan. Each DSU entitles the holder to receive one Common Share upon cessation of being an Eligible Person as defined under the Plan. About Rise Gold Corp. Rise Gold is an exploration-stage mining company incorporated in Nevada, USA. The Company's principal asset is the historic past-producing Idaho-Maryland Gold Mine located in Nevada County, California, USA. The CSE has not reviewed, approved or disapproved the contents of this news release. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/272704 Vancouver, October 31, 2025 - American Tungsten Corp. (CSE: TUNG) (OTCQB: TUNGF) (FSE: RK9) ("American Tungsten" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that, further to its press releases dated October 14, 2025, October 15, 2025, October 20, 2025, and October 22, 2025, it completed the second tranche (the "Second Tranche") of its non-brokered private placement (the "LIFE Offering") for gross proceeds of C$1,189,380 from the sale of 461,000 common shares of the Company (each, an "Share", and collectively, the "Common Shares") at a price of C$2.58 per Share (the "LIFE Offering") under the Listed Issuer Financing Exemption (as defined herein). "This second tranche of financing underscores the continued confidence from institutional investors and insiders who recognize tungsten's vital role in building resilient, secure supply chains," said Ali Haji, CEO of American Tungsten. "With this additional capital, we are poised to accelerate development at the Idaho IMA Mine and advance our broader mission to establish American Tungsten as a leading North American source of critical minerals." The Common Shares 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 Shares issued under the Listed Issuer Financing Exemption are not subject to a hold period pursuant to applicable Canadian securities laws. The proceeds raised from the both Tranches will be used by the Company for general and administrative expenses and working capital purposes as further described in the Company's amended and restated Form 45-106F19 Listed Issuer Financing Document dated October 20, 2025 that can be accessed under the Company's issuer profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca and on the Company's website at www.americantungstencorp.com. In connection with the Second Tranche, the Company paid aggregate cash commissions of C$50,619.60 on gross proceeds of C$1,189,380. No finders' warrants were issued. This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to sell any of securities in the United States. The securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act") or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to U.S. Persons unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or an exemption from such registration is available. ABOUT AMERICAN TUNGSTEN CORP. American Tungsten Corp. is a Canadian exploration company focused on high-potential tungsten and magnetite assets in North America. The Company is advancing the Ima Mine Project in Idaho to commercial production, addressing critical metal scarcity in North America. The Company's Ima Mine Project is a historic and high-quality underground tungsten past-producing property on private-patented land well above the water table with significant infrastructure. The Company holds an exclusive option to acquire full ownership (subject to a 2% royalty) and has expanded its land position with 113 additional federal claims covering nearly 2,000 acres. For further updates, visit www.americantungstencorp.com or investor relations, Joanna Longo at ir@americantungstencorp.com. Social media links: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/americantungstencorp/ X: https://x.com/amtungsten Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/americantungstencorp/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/americantungstencorp/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@americantungstencorp CSE: TUNG OTCQB: TUNGF FSE: RK9 The Canadian Securities Exchange does not accept responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release and has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this press release. This news release includes "forward-looking information" that is subject to a number of assumptions, risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the control of the Company. Forward-looking statements may include but are not limited to, the net proceeds raised from the First Tranche 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. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/272715 Edge Copper Corp. (TSXV: EDCU) ("Edge Copper" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the appointments of Kyle Lindahl as Chief Operating Officer (COO) and John Stefka as Vice President, Environment & Community Relations. These appointments reflect Edge Copper's commitment to advancing the Zonia Copper Project responsibly, expeditiously and efficiently. "We are thrilled to welcome Kyle and John to the Edge Copper team," said Gil Clausen, Chair and CEO of Edge Copper. "Both Kyle and John's experience and success, particularly in project development and permitting in Arizona, will be instrumental as we advance Zonia through feasibility to construction. Their expertise further strengthens our leadership team and plays a key role in driving long-term value creation." Mr. Lindahl will join Edge Copper effective November 17, 2025. He is a mining engineer with over 20 years of expertise across a range of commodities including copper, zinc, gold, silver, talc, and molybdenum. His extensive experience encompasses engineering, design, operations, project management, business development, financial analysis, business plan execution, and team leadership, all underscored by a strong commitment to workplace safety. Mr. Lindahl was most recently COO and VP Project Development at New World Resources Ltd., which was acquired in 2025, where he successfully advanced the Antler Copper Project in Arizona. Previously, he was at Stantec, Redpath, and Rio Tinto as a Mining Engineer. Mr. Lindahl has Bachelor of Science degrees (BS Finance & BS Accounting) from the University of Colorado Boulder and a Bachelor of Applied Science degree in Mining and Mineral Engineering from the Colorado School of Mines (Summa Cum Laude). Mr. Lindahl also has an Executive MBA from Northwestern University - Kellogg School of Management. Mr. Lindahl is a Professional Engineer (PE). Mr. Stefka will join Edge Copper effective November 1, 2025. Mr. Stefka has over 15 years of professional experience in environmental management, stakeholder engagement, permitting, and regulatory compliance within the North American mining sector. Mr. Stefka brings a proven track record of managing complex approvals processes and fostering meaningful relationships with key stakeholders. He most recently served as the Environment and Community Manager at New World Resources Ltd, which was acquired in 2025, where he successfully led community engagement and permitting of the Antler Project in Arizona. Previously, Mr. Stefka has worked in Arizona as the Environmental Manager for Golden Vertex Corp. and in various environmental roles for Newmont Corp.. Mr. Stefka has a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from the University of Nevada - Reno and has a Master of Science degree in Environmental Science from the University of Idaho. About Edge Copper Corporation Edge Copper Corporation is a copper-focused exploration and development company advancing its 100%-owned Zonia Copper Project in Arizona. Zonia is a past-producing SX-EW heap leach operation on private land, located in Arizona's historic Walnut Grove mining district. With existing infrastructure and significant potential for resource expansion, Zonia is well-positioned to become a key U.S. copper development project. The TSX Venture Exchange has in no way passed upon the merits of the Transaction or the Concurrent Financing and has neither approved nor disapproved the contents of this news release. 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. SOURCE Edge Copper Corporation For further information regarding Edge Copper: Telephone: +1 604 307 1128, Email: investor@edgecopper.com 53,000,000 common shares of the Company (the "Common Shares") at a price of $0.19 per Common Share for aggregate gross proceeds of $10,070,000; and 60,950,000 common shares of the Company (the "FT Shares") that will qualify as "flow-through shares" (within the meaning of subsection 66(15) of the Income Tax Act (Canada) (the "Tax Act"), including 7,950,000 FT Shares issued pursuant to the full exercise of the over-allotment option, at a price of $0.265 per FT Share for aggregate gross proceeds of $16,151,750. The FT Shares were distributed on a charity flow through basis. Sokoman Minerals Corp. (TSXV: SIC) (OTCQB: SICNF) ("Sokoman" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that it has closed its previously announced bought deal private placement offering (the "Offering") for aggregate gross proceeds to the Company of $26,221,750. The Offering consisted of: Mr. Eric Sprott, through 2176423 Ontario Ltd., a corporation beneficially owned by him, acquired 53,000,000 Common Shares in connection with the Offering. The net proceeds from the sale of the Common Shares will be used by the Company for property acquisitions as well as working capital and general corporate purposes. The gross proceeds from the sale of the FT Shares will be used to incur "Canadian exploration expenses" (as defined in the Tax Act) that will qualify as "flow-through mining expenditures" within the meaning of the Tax Act (the "Qualifying Expenditures"). The Qualifying Expenditures will be incurred on or before December 31, 2026, and will be renounced by the Company to the initial purchasers of the FT Shares with an effective date no later than December 31, 2025. The Offering was led by Canaccord Genuity Corp. ("Canaccord"), as lead underwriter and sole bookrunner, and BMO Capital Markets (together with Canaccord, the "Underwriters") pursuant to an underwriting agreement entered into among the Company and the Underwriters. In connection with the Offering, the Company paid the Underwriters a cash commission of $1,073,305 and issued the Underwriters 3,679,105 broker warrants (the "Broker Warrants"). Each Broker Warrant entitles the holder thereof to purchase one common share of the Company (the "Broker Warrant Shares") at an exercise price of $0.19 per Broker Warrant Share for a period of 24 months following the closing of the Offering. The Offering included participation by a director of the Company for 130,000 Common Shares. Such participation constitutes a "related party transaction" pursuant to Multilateral Instrument 61-101 - Protection of Minority Securityholders in Special Transactions ("MI 61-101"). However, the insider participation is exempt from the formal valuation and minority shareholder approval requirements set forth in MI 61-101 on the basis that the fair market value of the consideration does not exceed 25% of the Company's market capitalization. The Common Shares and FT Shares issued in the Offering are subject to a four-month hold period under applicable Canadian securities laws. The Offering remains subject to the final approval of the TSX Venture Exchange (the "TSXV"). The Common Shares and FT Shares have not been registered and will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and may not be offered or sold in the United States absent registration or an applicable exemption from the registration requirements. This 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. About Sokoman Minerals Corp. Sokoman Minerals Corp. is led by an experienced management team and is the dominant explorer along the Valentine Lake Fault zone in Newfoundland, Canada's newest gold district. The Company's primary focus is its 100% owned district-scale Treasure Island Gold Project, along with a portfolio of gold projects, including the district-scale Fleur de Lys Project. Website: www.sokomanmineralscorp.com Twitter: @SokomanMinerals Facebook: @SokomanMinerals LinkedIn: @SokomanMineralsCorp 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. Investors are cautioned that trading in the securities of the Company should be considered highly speculative. This news release contains "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the applicable Canadian securities legislation that are based on expectations, estimates, assumptions, geological theories, and projections as at the date of this news release. The information in this news release about any information herein that is not a historical fact may be "forward-looking statements." Actual results may differ materially. Any statement that involves discussions with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions, future events or performance (which may, but not always, include phrases such as "anticipates", "plans", "scheduled", "believed" 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) including statements regarding the Company's plans with respect to the Company's projects and the timing related thereto, the merits of the Company's projects, the Company's objectives, plans and strategies, the receipt of TSXV final approval for the Offering, the use of proceeds of the Offering, and other matters are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking statements and are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Factors that may cause results to vary include delays in obtaining necessary approvals, changes in the market for the Company's securities, results of exploration, loss of title to properties, delays in obtaining permits or access to mineral properties, including as a result of adverse weather, fire or flood, changes to the Tax Act, rejection of expenditures as Qualifying Expenditures, and factors included in the documents filed from time to time with the Canadian securities regulatory authorities by Sokoman Minerals Corp. Sokoman Minerals Corp. will not update these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof, except as required by law. Not for distribution to United States newswire services or for dissemination in the United States Vancouver, October 31, 2025 - Kingman Minerals Ltd. (TSXV: KGS) (OTCQB: KGSSF) (FSE: 47A) ("Kingman" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that, further to its news release dated October 1, 2025, it has successfully closed its upsized non-brokered private placement (the "Offering"). Financing The Company has raised gross proceeds of $1,500,000 through the issuance of 21,428,500 units (each, a "Unit") at a price of $0.07 per Unit. Each Unit consists of one common share of the Company and one common share purchase warrant (each, a "Warrant"). Each Warrant entitles the holder to purchase one additional common share at a price of $0.09 for a period of 24 months from the date of issuance. The Company will pay finder's fees totaling $82,558.20 and issue 470,910 non-transferable finder's warrants in connection with certain subscriptions under the Offering. No insiders participated in the Offering. The net proceeds of the offering will be used to finance continued exploration and development activities at the company's Mohave project, including diamond drilling, geophysics, geochemical sampling and permitting, as well as for general working capital. The Mohave Project includes the historic high-grade Rosebud mine in Mohave County, Arizona, where bonanza-grade underground sampling of up to 688 grams per tonne gold and 468 g/t silver has been previously reported. All securities issued pursuant to the offering will be subject to a statutory four-month hold period. The offering, including finders' fees and warrants, is subject to final approval by the TSX Venture Exchange. "We've been overwhelmed by the support shown for this financing," stated Simon David Studer, CEO. "Demand exceeded our expectations, and we had to make some difficult cuts to stay within the approved amount. We're grateful to our shareholders and new investors for their confidence in Kingman's projects and team." Annual General Meeting Results The Company also reports that its Annual General Meeting of Shareholders was held on October 21, 2025, in Vancouver, British Columbia. All resolutions set out in the management information circular dated September 10, 2025, were duly passed, including: Setting the number of directors at five (5); Re-electing Peter Born, Cyrus Driver, Arthur Brown, Bradley Peek, and Simon Studer, as directors; Re-appointing Dale Matheson Carr-Hilton Labonte LLP as auditors for the ensuing year; and Approving and ratifying the Company's 10% Rolling Stock Option Plan. A total of 3,929,028 shares (18.4% of issued and outstanding) were represented at the meeting, constituting quorum. Corporate Update In accordance with TSX Venture Exchange Policy 3.3 and as part of an Exchange review, the Company provides the following disclosure regarding a loan previously entered into with CDN Maverick Capital Corp. ("Maverick"), a CSE-listed issuer. On December 15, 2022, the Company entered into a loan agreement in the amount of $100,000 CAD, which was fully repaid on April 24, 2023, including bonus and accrued interest. On May 14, 2024, the Company entered into a loan agreement in the amount of $50,000 CAD. Both the interest and bonus associated with this loan have since been forgiven. 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 of America. The securities 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 or to, or for account or benefit of, U.S. Persons (as defined in Regulation S under the 1933 Act) unless registered under the 1933 Act and applicable state securities laws, or an exemption from such registration requirements is available. ABOUT Kingman Minerals Ltd. (TSXV: KGS) is a publicly traded exploration and development company focused on precious metals in North America. The Company's flagship project is the 100%-owned historic Rosebud Mine, located in the Music Mountains, Mohave County, Arizona. High-grade gold and silver veins were discovered in the area in the 1880s and were mined mainly in the late 1920s and 1930s. Underground development on the Rosebud property included a 400-foot shaft and approximately 2,500 feet of drifts, raises and crosscuts. The Company believes that further exploration, drilling and sampling along strike and depth extensions of existing and additional vein structures is essential to fully evaluate the project's potential. 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 news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable securities laws. 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 discussion with respect to predictions, expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, assumptions, future events or performance (often, but not always using phrases such as "plans", "expects", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates", or "believes" or variations (including negative variations) of such words and phrases, or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved) are not statements of historical fact and may be forward-looking statements. In this news release, forward-looking statements relate, among other things, to statements with respect to: the terms of the Private Placement; the anticipated use of proceeds; the anticipated insider participation in the Private Placement; the completion of the Private Placement; and the approval of the TSX Venture Exchange. All statements, other than statements of historical fact, included herein, constitutes forward-looking information. Although Kingman believes that the expectations reflected in such forward-looking information and/or information are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on forward-looking information since Kingman can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Forward-looking information involves 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 information, including the risks, uncertainties and other factors identified in Kingman's periodic filings with Canadian securities regulators. Forward-looking information 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 information. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from Kingman's expectations include risks related to the completion of the Private Placement, including TSXV approval; risks associated with the business of Kingman; risks related to reliance on technical information provided by Kingman; risks related to exploration and potential development of the Company's mineral properties; business and economic conditions in the mining industry generally; fluctuations in commodity prices and currency exchange rates; uncertainties relating to interpretation of drill results and the geology, continuity and grade of mineral deposits; the need for cooperation of government agencies and First Nation groups in the exploration and development of properties and the issuance of required permits; the need to obtain additional financing to develop properties and uncertainty as to the availability and terms of future financing; the possibility of delay in exploration or development programs and uncertainty of meeting anticipated program milestones; uncertainty as to timely availability of permits and other governmental approvals; and other risk factors as detailed from time to time and additional risks identified in Kingman's filings with Canadian securities regulators on SEDAR+ in Canada (available at www.sedarplus.ca). To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/272827 Vancouver, October 31, 2025 - Auric Minerals Corp. (CSE: AUMC) ("Auric" or the "Company") announces that its annual general meeting of shareholders (the "Meeting"), originally scheduled for Wednesday, October 15, 2025 at 11:00 am PT, was convened but adjourned due to the absence of a quorum and postal situation. The Meeting has been adjourned until Friday, November 14, 2025 at 11:00 am PT, and will be held by Microsoft Teams (details below). During the period of the adjournment, the Company will continue to solicit votes from its shareholders with respect to the proposals set forth in Auric's Management Information Circular dated September 10, 2025. All Shareholders who have not yet voted their common shares are encouraged to do so as soon as possible. Shareholders of record as of the close of business on September 10, 2025, the record date for the Meeting, are eligible to vote at the adjourned Meeting. All proxies previously submitted by shareholders will continue to be valid at the adjourned Meeting. Accordingly, shareholders who have submitted a proxy will not be required to submit any additional material. The Notice and Management Information Circular for the Meeting, the Form of Proxy, and a form to request financial statements made available to shareholders are filed under the Company's SEDAR+ profile at www.sedarplus.ca and is also available at https://integraltransfer.com/auric. For those shareholders who have yet to submit their proxy, kindly download the form of proxy, complete, date, sign and email back to support@excelsiorsolutions.biz to have your shares voted. Please note the new Meeting ID and passcode below for the upcoming adjourned Meeting: Meeting Link: https://www.microsoft.com/en-ca/microsoft-teams/join-a-meeting Meeting ID: 289 721 421 471 1 Passcode: U492GT2d About the Company Auric is a mineral exploration company based in Oakville, Ontario and holds options over a growing property position of highly prospective Uranium properties in Labrador's Central Mineral Belt, Quebec; and a gold property, Goodeye, in British Columbia, Canada. Note: Readers are cautioned that the geology of nearby properties is not necessarily indicative of the geology of the Company's properties. AURIC MINERALS CORP. Forward-Looking Statements Except for the statements of historical fact, this news release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of the applicable Canadian securities legislation that is based on expectations, estimates and projections as at the date of this news release. "Forward-looking information" in this news release includes information about the Company's intentions, plans and future actions described herein and the terms thereon. The forward-looking information in this news release reflects the current expectations, assumptions and/or beliefs of the Company based on information currently available to the Company. The Company has also assumed that no significant events occur outside of the Company's normal course of business. Although the Company believes that the assumptions inherent in the forward-looking information are reasonable, forward-looking information is not a guarantee of future performance and accordingly undue reliance should not be put on such information due to the inherent uncertainty therein. To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/272834 FIA sued by presidential candidate over voting rules The FIA has been hit by a major legal challenge ahead of December's presidential election, with Swiss-French driver and entrepreneur Laura Villars filing a lawsuit in France claiming the organisation's new voting system unfairly blocks challengers to incumbent Mohammed Ben Sulayem. Mohammed Ben Sulayem FIA Villars, 28, has asked the Paris High Court to suspend the election scheduled for December 12 in Uzbekistan, arguing that recently amended regulations make it impossible for any opposing candidate to stand. A preliminary hearing is set for November 10. The rules, changed in June, require each candidate to present a list of seven vice-presidents representing all global FIA regions. However, there is only one eligible South American representative - Fabiana Ecclestone, wife of former F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone - who has already declared her support for Ben Sulayem's re-election bid. Under these conditions, no competing list could include a South American vice-president, Villars said in her court filing, calling the process a violation of the FIA's principles of democracy and pluralism. I am not acting against the FIA - I am acting to protect it, Villars told AFP. Democracy is not a threat to the FIA - it is its strength. Her lawyer, Robin Binsard, confirmed the emergency proceedings had been approved, saying the case highlights serious democratic shortcomings within the FIA. Villars' lawsuit follows similar concerns raised by Tim Mayer, a former FIA steward and son of McLaren co-founder Teddy Mayer, who withdrew from the race earlier this month. The FIA's process greatly favours the incumbent team, he said. It's a one-horse race - an illusion of democracy. According to RMC and AFP, the FIA has declined to comment, citing the ongoing legal process. The governing body, which oversees Formula 1, is also facing a separate criminal complaint from Susie Wolff, head of the F1 Academy, over its handling of last year's conflict-of-interest probe. (GMM) Sainz says Perez earned rare second F1 chance Carlos Sainz says Sergio Perez fully deserves his Formula 1 comeback with Cadillac, calling the Mexican one of the few drivers to have truly earned a second chance in the sport. Sergio Perez, Italian GP 2024 Red Bull Speaking to El Heraldo de Mexico, the Williams driver praised Perez's resilience after securing a deal with the new American team, which joins the grid next season. Checo has already shown how talented and strong he is - as a driver, as an athlete, through his entire Formula 1 career, Sainz said. Now he's preparing for a second, different phase, and that's very motivating for him. He noted that such returns are rare in modern Formula 1. Only a few drivers get a second chance, and only those who have really made their mark - like Ricciardo, Hulkenberg, and Checo, Sainz added. Sainz said Cadillac's arrival will further raise the level of competition on the grid. Two additional cars on the track and another team with over 500 employees - that will be a challenge for everyone, he said. (GMM) These are the best offers from our affiliate partners. We may get a commission from qualifying sales. A hearing on a $600,000 attorneys fee in a landmark mold lawsuit against the Guam Department of Education was continued Thursday after GDOE filed a motion to suspend proceedings while appealing a ruling that confirmed mold at Agueda I. Johnston Middle School and Ocean View Middle School. Philip Tydingco, a staff attorney at Guam Legal Services CorporationDisability Law Center, said the hearing had been scheduled to address fees exceeding $600,000 accrued over two years of litigation. The Guam Legal Services CorporationDisability Law Center represents the two students with disabilities in the case. They filed a separate motion asking the court to stay, that means suspend the proceedings about the attorneys fees, because they are appealing our judgment that we got from the court to the Guam Supreme Court, Tydingco told the Pacific Daily News. The appeal was filed on Sept. 17. It follows GDOEs settlement of the two-year-old lawsuit, in which it admitted mold was present at the schools when the case was filed in August 2023 and that the conditions were unsafe, resolving the final issue and averting a scheduled bench trial. The lawsuit, filed on Aug. 11, 2023, sought injunctive and declaratory relief after two students with disabilities were allegedly denied safe learning conditions and access to certified special education teachers. While injunctive relief is no longer possible because the students have since graduated, the declaratory relief confirms their rights. Do our students have these rights under the Adequate Public Education Act? We argued yes, Tydingco said. Did the GDOE violate those rights? We argue yes. Do we have the right to enforce it? We argue yes, and thats where were at. Tydingco criticized GDOE for prolonging the litigation, refusing inspections and challenging procedural claims. The case could have been resolved much sooner, he said. There was no need for this but it turned into that, he said. I mean, for example, they would not let us inspect the schools. We had to go to court and fight to get the right to inspect schools. And I assume the superintendent is the one authorizing his lawyers to fight tooth and nail on this, and if he wasnt the one authorizing it, well then its the tail wagging the dog. The next hearing for the attorneys fees is scheduled for May 24, 2026, with proceedings paused while the appeal is pending. Tydingco said the Guam Supreme Court could take the case into 2026, after Superintendent Erik Swansons term ends. Hell be out. And theyll just substitute, he said, saying the case will then move on to the next superintendent. So right now it says, versus Erik Swanson and the board, right? And theyll just substitute the name of whoever is the new or acting superintendent. Thats just a legal formality, he said. His name wont be on it anymore. But clearly he was the superintendent for the past two years. The departments legal team included attorneys Jesse Nasas, Matthew Wolf and Gloria Rudolph. Guam Legal Services is also seeking Supreme Court review of the full lower court record, arguing that the department selected only a few documents and transcripts for the appeal. And of course, were opposing that. Were asking that no, designate the entire record, because its an insufficient amount of information for the parties and for the Supreme Court to make a decision on their appeal based on the issues that they identified, Tydingco said. The lawsuit filed on behalf of two former middle school students with special needs prompted inspections, remediation and chemical cleaning at some schools, though many other campuses have yet to receive similar treatment. The lawsuit also ended inspection exemptions, required GDOE to meet health standards, and triggered broader legislative scrutiny of the islands aging school facilities. GDOE officials said mold growth is driven by leaks, wet ceiling tiles, poor insulation, and outdated building designs. The department launched HVAC replacements, insulation upgrades, district-wide air quality testing, and increased its facilities workforce from 20 to 80 staff, PDN files state. The department estimated that fully bringing public schools up to current standards will cost over $1 billion. Investments also include solar power installations and accessibility upgrades, including operational elevators at several schools. Federal reimbursement claims of about $10 million are being submitted every five to six days to help fund the work. A man who was twice convicted of sexually assaulting girls will go to trial in December after being accused of sexually assaulting a then-13-year-old girl in August 2022. Trial for Albert Blas Camacho was scheduled for Nov. 14, but scheduling conflicts among attorneys pushed it back. Camacho appeared before Superior Court Judge Vernon Perez on Friday. The judge reset the felony case for jury selection on Dec. 3. Camacho already has two previous convictions for criminal sexual conduct and is listed on Guams Sex Offender Registry. He was convicted of first-degree criminal sexual conduct as a first-degree felony in 1991 and second-degree criminal sexual conduct as a first-degree felony in 2009. Camacho served five years in prison after the 2009 conviction. According to the registry, his victims included two 12-year-old girls and a 7-year-old girl. Prosecuting attorney Christine Tenorio, who appeared via Zoom, told the court she was prepared to proceed on the originally scheduled date. I have no discussions with Mr. [Samuel] Teker. I am in other trials, but I actually was ready to go for this on November 14, she said. Teker, however, explained his scheduling conflict. I did not send an email to Ms. Tenorio about this. I completely forgot about it, and so thats my fault, he admitted to the court. My wifes appointment has been moved back until the 16th of November so I think thats just going to be a little bit of a problem. He then requested that the trial to move to the end of November or early December. Tenorio informed the court of other cases she is handling but said she would adjust to the courts schedule. I always have a lot of trials, so I will work with the court schedule, Tenorio said. She said she has an asserted trial before Judge Alberto Tolentino in November and she is in a murder trial before Judge Maria Cenzon. She added that one pretrial matter remained unresolved. Regarding the trials expected length, Tenorio told the court the trial is expected to last one and a half to three days, including jury instructions and arguments, with the governments case in chief taking about a day to a day and a half and few witnesses expected to testify. When Perez asked about her ongoing murder trial, Tenorio replied, Thats not been decided, Your Honor, because weve had some setbacks in that trial as far as scheduling. Tenorio is one of three prosecutors in the high-profile murder trial of Nicholas Wayne Moore, who is accused in the shooting death of a 27-year-old man whose body was found in Yigo a year after he was reported missing in 2020. Jury selection in Moores trial, which took nearly a week, is set to resume Nov. 10 following a brief delay caused by defense attorney David Lujans hospitalization. She told the judge she could appear as long as it was not during the week of Nov. 24. After reviewing the attorneys schedules, Perez set jury selection for Dec. 3 and a continued pretrial conference for Dec. 1, which Perez said could be an all-day process. Maybe it takes us a morning and afternoon session to get the jury selected. We can move right into evidence on the next day, Perez said. According to court documents, in early August 2022 Camacho asked the 13-year-old to hug him. She said he smelled her and kissed her a lot, then asked her inappropriate questions. The next day he hugged the girl, then rubbed her back and pressed his leg between hers before allegedly sexually assaulting her. Guam Police Department officers noted the girl teared up and spoke at a lower volume when describing the assault, court documents state. Guam Department of Education Superintendent Erick Swanson said most of the students and parents surveyed feel public schools are safe. The superintendent shared the survey results as part of his Annual State of Public Education Report on Thursday at GDOEs headquarters in Tiyan. The survey got more than 13,000 respondents, he said. He shared that 67% of students surveyed agree that their schools are safe, while 82% see them as being supportive of learning. Parents are at 80% surpassing the goal of 75%, Swanson said. GDOE also recorded measurable progress in student performance and attendance for the 2024-2025 academic year, he said. The survey results showed significant movement toward and in some cases beyond GDOEs three-year and five-year strategic goals. These are too numerous to insert into this presentation, but they are the result of surveys of all of our stakeholders during the course of the school year, Swanson said. He said the data sample is in excess of 13,000 respondents which is a very significant, solid number to work with. He said the findings reflect year three of the departments five-year strategic plan implementation. Schools pass inspection Years of deferred maintenance had brought several campuses near collapse, but all GDOE schools have now been certified, inspected, and passed by the Department of Public Health and Social Services. The schools are certified now and in a cycle of maintenance and reinspection, so that we are never again the former state of disrepair, Swanson said. He described the process as a community-wide effort that included government agencies, mayors, parents, military volunteers, and local contractors. The 2024-2025 school year opened on time with all students attending their scheduled campuses. Swanson credited the progress to partnerships between educators, families, and local leaders. All day, the progress we have made is truly the result of an entire community coming together to support children in their education, he said. I give credit to our team of professionals, community stakeholders and especially mayors. I also applaud the parents who work with us to go and make things better for our children. I commend all our teachers and administrators, including support staff and auxiliary services, for the relentless dedication and commitment. Below target While graduation rates have outpaced previous performance levels, Swanson said proficiency in language arts and math remains below target. Principals and leadership teams are analyzing the data and presenting improvement plans. Principals are also required to present the results of their analysis to the superintendent, to me, with the course of action to challenge performance based on analysis, Swanson said. He added that schools in the bottom quartile of assessments are being identified for intensive intervention. Swanson shared cohort growth trends showing steady math improvement among early grade levels: third to fourth grade increased from 11% to 13% proficient, fourth to fifth grade rose from 14% to 17%, and sixth to seventh grade improved by 6% in one year. However, performance went down between seventh and eighth grade and remains stagnant in 11th grade math. Attendance Swanson also shared that GDOE is nearly at 90% attendance rate which is at 88% so far this year. He added that students with three or more infractions dropped by 3%, nearing the goal of 2%. Swanson closed with a reaffirmation of GDOEs collective mission. We are all one crew. There are no passengers on this journey. And by the way, a command change does not mean mission change, he said. Swanson is set to step down from his position as the head of GDOE on Dec. 31. He made the announcement in mid-June, giving the board months to hire the next superintendent. The Guam Education Board will pick a new superintendent during a special meeting on Nov. 6, barely two months before Swansons December exit date. Education board members will have to pick from five applicants deemed qualified to apply: Barbara Adamos, GDOE deputy superintendent for Educational Support and Community Learning Erika Cruz, principal of JP Torres Success Academy and former deputy superintendent Kenneth Perez, former GDOE deputy superintendent Joe Sanchez, GDOE deputy superintendent for Curriculum and Instructional Improvement Former legislative Speaker Judith Won Pat All five candidates have completed the interview process. The superintendents contract lasts four years, through 2030, unless the individual resigns or retires early. The search comes as GDOE confronts shrinking budgets, delayed capital improvement projects, aging facilities, teacher shortages, and ongoing learning loss from the COVID-19 pandemic. A federal judge has agreed to move forward a lawsuit against the U.S. Air Force over the Tarague Beach bomb detonation range after a request from a local activist group. Prutehi Guahan asked Magistrate Judge Heather Kennedy to reconsider an order granting a motion to stay proceedings, citing serious harm, but the federal government opposed. Prutehi Guahan, formerly Prutehi Litekyan, filed the suit in 2022, seeking to force Andersen Air Force Base to conduct a deeper environmental analysis before trying to get a new permit to operate the Tarague range. The Tarague range is used to blow up old munitions and ordnances, including those from World War II, found in the community. The lawsuit was revived earlier this year after a ruling from the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in February. The case was dismissed by District Court of Guam Chief Judge Frances Tydingco-Gatewood in 2022. Kennedy granted a motion to stay proceedings on Oct. 7, which was before Prutehi Guahans deadline to file an opposition, depriving the group the opportunity to present arguments, attorney David Henkin wrote in his motion. The judge, in an Oct. 30 order, wrote the court prematurely granted the motion to stay without giving the plaintiff an opportunity to be heard so a reconsideration is appropriate. She said the case has been pending for more than three years without much progress on the merits of plaintiffs challenge, although through no fault of the parties. Prutehi Guahan has asserted any further delay adversely affects them because even with a temporary pause in non-emergency open detonations until Dec. 1, 2025, as proposed by the federal government, the Air Force would be allowed to simply store its hazardous waste munitions ... and then ... blow them all up, documents state. Kennedy said she found merit in the assertations that an indefinite stay, even with a temporary pause to non-emergency detonations, would harm the plaintiff. The judge said maintaining a stay for an indefinite period is not warranted. She vacated the stay previously granted and ordered the parties to meet and confer to discuss in good faith a new schedule for compiling and serving the draft administrative record. Defendants have argued the court is limited during the federal government shutdown to addressing emergency situations and the case was not an emergency. Kennedy said the court has an obligation to carry out its constitutional functions which includes resolving civil cases where there is a threat to the safety of human life or the protection of property. This case involving environmental contamination threatening human health falls squarely within the category of cases that are excepted, Kennedy wrote. Defendants have also argued that a pending petition to the Supreme Court of the United States regarding the 9th Circuit decision could move forward and a stay would result in judicial economy. Kennedy found no merit to the argument because they didnt seek a stay previously when they had a chance to do so. The parties are ordered to file a stipulation on a proposed revised schedule within two weeks of the court order. Kennedy said if defendants cant meet obligations under a revised schedule because specific employees are furloughed, then they can move the court for an extension, to be supported by a declaration from counsel attesting to the specific facts preventing timely compliance. Haiti - Post-Melissa : President Trump authorized immediate intervention On October 28, Category 5 Hurricane Melissa caused widespread damage and flooding in the Dominican Republic, Haiti, Jamaica, Cuba, and the Turks and Caicos Islands. President Trump authorized an immediate U.S. response, tasking the State Department with mobilizing support for the affected populations. Within hours, Secretary of State Rubio deployed a regional disaster assistance response team, known as DART (Disaster Assistance Response Team), which includes urban search and rescue groups, to assess needs and provide search and rescue assistance. The State Department is working with UN agencies, NGOs, and host governments to deliver food, water, medical supplies, hygiene kits, temporary shelters, and logistical support for search and rescue operations. Financial donations to recognized relief organizations are the best way to support emergency operations. Cash contributions are preferred. They allow humanitarian organizations to purchase the most urgent supplies locally, thus avoiding delays and high transportation costs. Furthermore, local purchases support economies, ensure culturally appropriate products, and facilitate distribution. Humanitarian organizations assess needs on the ground and coordinate their actions with governments and local stakeholders to ensure an appropriate and adaptable response. When in-kind donations are required, agencies will issue specific appeals detailing the items needed, collection deadlines, and delivery arrangements. Volunteering opportunities abroad for untrained individuals are extremely limited. Relief organizations prioritize candidates who are fluent in local languages, possess technical expertise, and have at least ten years of experience in fields such as medicine, logistics, or engineering. Most professionals are recruited locally to reduce costs and logistical difficulties. The Better Business Bureau (BBB) in the United States has issued warnings about scams targeting residents and donors following Hurricane Melissa. It is recommended to donate only to reputable organizations with a proven track record of disaster relief. Remain vigilant and always verify the legitimacy of organizations before making a donation. U.S. citizens abroad who require emergency consular assistance following Hurricane Melissa, or their family members, are encouraged to contact the Department of State: From within the United States : 1-888-407-4747 From abroad : +1 202-501-4444 They may also contact the following embassies or consulates : Jamaica : U.S. Embassy in Kingston KingstonACS@state.gov Haiti : U.S. Embassy in Port-au-Prince acspap@state.gov Dominican Republic : U.S. Embassy in Santo Domingo SDOAmericans@state.gov Cuba : U.S. Embassy in Havana ACSHavana@state.gov Bahamas and Turks and Caicos Islands : U.S. Embassy in Nassau Bahamas.ACS@gdit-gss.com Bermuda : Consulate U.S. Secretary of State in Hamilton HamiltonConsulate@state.gov HL/ HaitiLibre Haiti - Education : Patriotic appeal to the Haitian scientific community in the diaspora Augustin Antoine, the Minister of National Education and Vocational Training (MENFP), is making a patriotic appeal to the Haitian scientific community in the diaspora, urging them to actively participate in the country's academic and intellectual renaissance. The Minister aims to transform the "brain drain" into a return of knowledge. By creating bridges between national universities, high schools across the country, and the scientific diaspora, he intends to foster a dynamic and lasting reconnection between researchers in Haiti and those abroad. This strategy aims to build a Haiti of knowledge, capable of integrating research into its public policies, economy, governance, and culture. Despite the efforts of its stakeholders, the Haitian university system still suffers from a lack of research, funding, scientific supervision, and modern infrastructure. The newly established Public Universities in the Regions (UPRs) require technical support, mentorship, international partnerships, and sustainable resources to consolidate their activities and generate knowledge for national development. Aware of these realities, Minister Antoine intends to place the Haitian scientific diaspora at the heart of this new dynamic, not only as an intellectual partner but also as a strategic supporter of the National Education Fund (FNE), a central instrument of the country's public education policy. This mobilization must be centered around the Ministry, as a return to the Alma Mater. The Ministry wishes to establish a structured program of scientific and academic cooperation enabling Haitian researchers living abroad to: Participate in the training of teachers and school administrators; Support the Departmental Directorates of Education (DDEs); Support the UPRs in their research, innovation, and institutional development efforts. This is an intellectual collaboration, a network of solidarity among Haitian knowledge worldwide, fostering the exchange of ideas, data, and innovations for the benefit of the country. It is not simply about gathering resources, but about uniting a national community around an ideal of knowledge, excellence, and progress. Through this appeal, Minister Antoine invites the Haitian scientific diaspora to reclaim its identity : the voice, the strength, and the light of a Haiti that still believes and refuses to give up. HL/ HaitiLibre iciHaiti - Post-Melissa : Health sector review Following the strong winds and torrential rains that accompanied Hurricane Melissa's passage near Haiti, which severely affected several departments of the country, Dr. Bertrand Sinal, Minister of Public Health, held a working session with several partners in the health sector to assess the post-hurricane situation. This meeting aimed to establish an updated health assessment, identify priority needs, and define the necessary actions to address the situation while ensuring the continuity of essential services throughout the country. The consolidated reports reveal the following : No major impact on health institutions in the departments of Artibonite, Centre, North, Northeast, Southeast, Nippes, and West. A few minor incidents at Saint-Antoine Hospital in Jeremie (Grand'Anse) and Immaculee Conception Hospital in Port-de-Paix (Northwest), as well as a flash flood in the courtyard of the South Departmental Hospital (HIC des Cayes). Minister Sinal commended the mobilization of Ministry staff at both the central and departmental levels, as well as the health institutions and technical teams who remained on alert throughout the event. He also expressed his gratitude to the technical partners, particularly the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (PAHO/WHO) and UNICEF, for their constant and sustained support. Minister Sinal urged all stakeholders (central and departmental directorates, and partners) to strengthen epidemiological surveillance and maintain a high level of vigilance regarding health risks and diseases, especially waterborne illnesses, that may emerge in the post-hurricane context. IH/ iciHaiti Collins Aerospace has deep-seated IT security problems. At the end of September, the service provider for various airports worldwide experienced a data breach, which the company described as ransomware that took boarding and check-in systems offline, subsequently affecting flight operations at airports in Berlin and Brussels. Now, the Chaos Computer Club (CCC) has discovered that other systems were also poorly secured, making it possible, for example, to send messages to aircraft cockpits. Continue after ad The recent data leak was due to credentials from the year 2022 dates back to credentials from 2022, which have not been changed since and were leaked to the internet due to an infostealer. Even more perplexing is the access, now found by the CCC, protected with trivial credentials. Collins Aerospace operates the ARINC Opcenter, which distributes and processes messages to and from aircraft, such as operational data. This includes ACARS (Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System) messages, which contain technical status data, flight plans, or delays. Trivial Credentials for Messaging Service The CCC was able to log into the ARINC OpCenter and subsequently the Message Browser, using the username test and, as IT experts will surely have guessed, the password test. A entry in the Wayback Machine (PDF) shows the user interface and the query of messages for a specific aircraft. The access identified the IT researchers as US Navy Fleet Logistics Support Wing. With this access, sent messages could be viewed. The portal also allows sending messages to the aircraft cockpit which the CCC explicitly did not try. The CCC analysts have contacted both Collins Aerospace's parent company, RTX Corporation, and the US Department of Defense Cyber Crime Center, informing them of the vulnerability. There was no response. However, the access has since been deactivated. The lack of password hygiene and access security at Collins Aerospace appears to be a more far-reaching problem than the cyberattack in September suggested. This is all the more serious because the company operates a system that is used globally and extends into aircraft cockpits, such as ARINC. Continue after ad (dmk) Don't miss any news follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn or Mastodon. This article was originally published in German. It was translated with technical assistance and editorially reviewed before publication. Shortly before the polling stations closed in Tanzania, a nationwide internet blockade began in the East African country, following earlier indications of a digital blackout. This is reported by Netblocks, citing data on the country's connectivity. Cloudflare also makes the massive disruptions to internet connections traceable on Cloudflare. The incident occurs on Wednesday, coinciding with presidential and parliamentary elections that have been accompanied by massive accusations from human rights organizations. There have been no official statements on the internet disruptions so far. Continue after ad Around 38 million eligible voters have been called to the polls, reports the dpa news agency. The polling stations are said to close at 2:00 PM Central European Time (4:00 PM local time), with the final results not expected for several days. Even because the two most promising opposing candidates were excluded from the election, the re-election of President Samia Suluhu Hassan (65) for a second term is considered certain. The ruling CCM party (Chama Cha Mapinduzi), which has governed uninterruptedly since the East African country's independence, is also expected to defend its disproportionately large absolute majority in parliament. The president, who has been in office since 2021, promised political openness after taking office. However, according to human rights organizations, politically motivated arrests continue to occur in the country of around 70 million inhabitants. Both Amnesty International Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch Human Rights Watch accuse the security authorities of arresting opposition members. There is also censorship and intimidation. The largest opposition party in parliament to date is not allowed to participate in the elections. Its chairman, Tundu Lissu, is facing treason charges in ongoing proceedings. (mho) Don't miss any news follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn or Mastodon. This article was originally published in German. It was translated with technical assistance and editorially reviewed before publication. Russian PM to come to China for 30th regular meeting between Chinese, Russian heads of government Xinhua) 21:02, October 31, 2025 BEIJING, Oct. 31 (Xinhua) -- At the invitation of Chinese Premier Li Qiang, Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Mikhail Mishustin will travel to China from Nov. 3 to 4 for the 30th regular meeting between the Chinese and Russian heads of government, a Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson announced on Friday. Under the strategic guidance of the leaders of the two countries, China-Russia relations have maintained high-level development, with cooperation in various fields showing positive, steady momentum, spokesperson Guo Jiakun said at a regular news briefing. Guo noted that the regular meetings between the Chinese premier and the Russian prime minister are an important mechanism to promote the implementation of the consensus reached by the two heads of state, and to coordinate practical cooperation between the two sides. During the meeting, Li and Mishustin will comprehensively review cooperation progress in all directions, plan the next phase of cooperation, and have in-depth exchanges of views on issues of common concern, Guo said. Noting that next year marks the 25th anniversary of the China-Russia Treaty of Good-Neighborliness and Friendly Cooperation, as well as the 30th anniversary of the strategic partnership of coordination between the two countries, Guo said that China hopes this meeting will enhance mutual trust, build further consensus and advance cooperation to inject stronger impetus into the development of the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new era. (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Kou Jie) The Ministry of Transport and Communications announced the outcome on Friday after prolonged negotiations. The agreement covers the funding structure and governance model for the planned high-speed rail line between Espoo and Turku. The Finnish state and six municipalities have reached agreement on the first-phase shareholder contract for the Lansirata railway project. The shareholder agreement and its attachments will undergo technical revisions before submission to municipal councils and government bodies in November and December. The draft agreement is scheduled for public release on 6 November, when it enters political processing in the first municipalities. Espoo and Turku are covering most of the costs. Their financial contributions are significantly larger than those of smaller municipalities. Turku has pledged 130 million euros, while Kirkkonummi will pay 15 million euros. The total cost estimate stands at 1.32 billion euros at current price levels. State and municipal owners will each contribute 400 million euros to the initial phase. Lansirata Oy, the project company, will be allowed to raise an additional 520 million euros in loans, guaranteed by the Finnish state. If costs rise, the state will cover 67 percent and municipalities 33 percent of the increase, up to a state cap of 920 million euros excluding interest. The line will run from Espoo to Turku via Veikkola, Vihti, Lohja and Salo. The agreement outlines construction in two phases. The first includes new tracks between Espoo and Lohja, plus second tracks on the SaloHajala and NunnaKupittaa sections. The second phase will cover the LohjaSalo and HajalaNunna stretches. Municipalities have already agreed to finance the second phase with 300 million euros. Erkki Eerola, municipal manager of Vihti, said Lansirata would support local development. Lansirata is one of our most important growth investments, he said. He added that the rail link supports population growth, employment and land use, especially near the Microsoft data centre development and future residential zones. The line is part of the EUs TEN-T network and expected to bring more localities into the passenger rail system. According to the ministry, construction will begin no earlier than late 2027, depending on municipal council approvals and the outcome of permit procedures and procurement rounds. Work during the current government term will focus on planning and preparation. Political opposition remains. In Espoo, members of the Finns Party, Christian Democrats and Swedish Peoples Party oppose the project. Should either Espoo or Turku withdraw, the project would face collapse due to their financial weight. If ratified, the agreement will establish procedures for cost control, governance and decision-making within Lansirata Oy. The state has stressed the need to monitor cost developments closely. HT The RSF has denied targeting civilians, but videos posted by its own fighters appear to show summary executions, celebrations over corpses, and raids on civilian areas. The RSF, which emerged from the Janjaweed militia, launched its final assault on the city after an 18-month siege. El-Fasher was the last major military stronghold in Darfur. The Sudanese army withdrew on Sunday, conceding the citys fall. At least 2,000 civilians have been killed in Sudans western city of el-Fasher after the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) seized control from the army, according to medical groups and international monitors. BBC Verify and the Yale Humanitarian Research Lab confirmed the authenticity of several clips. In one video, a man identified as Abu Lulu was seen laughing while executing unarmed detainees. Later footage released by the RSF shows him being led into custody and locked inside a solitary cell in Shala Prison. TikTok has since removed the account linked to Abu Lulu for breaching guidelines on criminal behaviour. The Sudan Doctors Network reported that more than 1,500 people were killed in the days following the citys capture. It described the events as a true genocide. The governments humanitarian wing has confirmed over 2,000 deaths and accused RSF fighters of entering mosques and executing volunteers. The World Health Organization said more than 460 people were killed inside the Saudi Maternity Hospital, including staff, patients, and their companions. General Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, RSFs leader, has acknowledged violations by his forces and announced an internal investigation. Any soldier or officer who committed a crime... will be immediately arrested, he said in a video statement. Observers, however, question the RSFs internal discipline and whether senior commanders control field units. Aid organisations say past promises of accountability went unfulfilled. Satellite images analysed by Yale show multiple red discolourations and clusters of objects consistent with human remains across el-Fasher. These sites appeared between 24 and 48 hours after the city fell. International coverage has been limited by a communications blackout and media restrictions. Much of the documentation has relied on open-source imagery and witness accounts from survivors who fled to Tawila, north of the city. A woman who escaped described RSF fighters separating civilians by gender at an earthen barrier before shooting the men. Another survivor said: They were going house to house, pulling people out and killing them. The RSF, now in full control of Darfurs major urban centres, faces accusations of attempting to cleanse indigenous non-Arab communities through forced displacement and mass killings. Yales latest report states that entire districts in el-Fasher were subjected to systematic violence, including arson, sexual violence, executions, and destruction of essential infrastructure. Doctors Without Borders documented a similar pattern in the Zamzam displaced persons camp earlier this year, where RSF fighters reportedly killed 2,000 people during an operation that left the camp of half a million residents destroyed. Since the civil war began in April 2023, the conflict has displaced over 12 million people and killed tens of thousands. Both the RSF and the Sudanese military face accusations of war crimes and ethnically motivated violence. Aid workers describe the current violence as an extension of the 2003 Darfur genocide. This is not new, Emi Mahmoud, director of the IDP Humanitarian Network, told the BBC. Weve seen this pattern before. The United Nations, African Union, European Union, and several governments have condemned the killings. Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Qatar, Turkiye, and Jordan issued separate statements calling for an end to hostilities and access for humanitarian aid. Pressure is mounting on the United Arab Emirates, which has been accused of supplying weapons to the RSF. A leaked UN report said flights from UAE military bases to Chad may have helped arm RSF fighters across the border. The UAE denies involvement. The RSF previously served in the Yemen war, recruiting fighters for the UAE and Saudi Arabia. Sudanese gold exports have also increasingly flowed to the UAE, according to trade and human rights monitors. Experts fear the fall of el-Fasher will accelerate the RSFs advance toward eastern Sudan, where new fronts could emerge in North Kordofan and beyond. Ahmed Ibrahim, a former official in Sudans transitional government, told Al Jazeera that the conflict is not only a power struggle between generals. This is part of a geopolitical attempt to restructure the region, he said. Despite warnings from activists and human rights groups, no coordinated international response has emerged. Source: BBC Verify, The Guardian, Al Jazeera HT " " Is this red-lipped batfish the weirdest fish species? We'll ask you to hold your judgment until you've seen the full list. Joe Dordo Brnobic / Shutterstock Earths oceans are home to some seriously strange swimmers. From fish with transparent heads to bottom dwellers that pack an electric punch, the weirdest fish in the world come in all shapes and sizes. From venomous spines to expandable stomachs, these strange swimmers showcase the extremes of evolution. Whether they hide in the sand, walk on fins or flash red lips, the weirdest fish in the world remind us that the ocean is full of surprises. Advertisement These species defy expectations with bizarre body shapes, extreme adaptations, and downright alien behavior. Lets dive into the weirdest fish that roam the worlds oceans. Two cities: Xi starts busy agenda in South Korea (People's Daily App) 14:42, October 31, 2025 President Xi Jinping on Thursday met with US President Donald Trump to exchange views on bilateral relations and issues of mutual interest in Busan, South Korea. Xi is also attending the 32nd APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting in Gyeongju and paying a state visit to South Korea until Saturday, November 1. (Web editor: Zhong Wenxing, Liang Jun) News / Health by Stephen Jakes Zimbabwe has extended vital medical support to neighbouring Botswana by supplying a consignment of anti-retroviral drugs (ARVs), with 80% provided as a loan and 20% as a donation.The development was announced by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs via its official X (formerly Twitter) platform. "The Government of Zimbabwe has extended vital support to the Republic of Botswana through a consignment of Anti-Retroviral drugs (ARVs), with 80% in the form of a loan and 20% being a donation," the ministry posted.The handover was jointly witnessed by Spencer Mqabuko Dube, Director for Africa, Asia and the Pacific; Botswana's Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Sarah S. Molosiwa; and NatPharm Managing Director Newman Madzikwa. The officials oversaw the loading of the consignment ahead of its departure to Botswana.The Ministry described the gesture as part of Zimbabwe's broader strategic commitment to shared prosperity, regional health security, and strengthened bilateral cooperation. Close Get email notifications on {{subject}} daily! Your notification has been saved. There was a problem saving your notification. {{description}} Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. Namron Hospitality, the award-winning hotel group known for its expansive portfolio of boutique properties in Mexico, will debut Le Particulier Miami on November 1. Le Particulier is a new French-inspired hospitality concept by Namron, celebrated for curating spaces with distinct personalities influenced by their surroundings. Le Particulier's flagship Miami property is a transformation of the restored Ocean Spray Hotel, a historic Art Deco landmark at 4130 Collins Avenue, steps from the Atlantic Ocean. A Historic Building Reborn The property was originally built in 1936 and designed by M.L. Hampton Associates, constructed by Belsham & Hampton. Over time, it has also been known as the Carol Arms Hotel (from 1936 to 1939), before becoming more widely recognized as the Ocean Spray Hotel from 1939 onwards. In the 1940s, as Miami Beach transformed into a hub for the U.S. Army Air Forces, this hotel served a vital role, offering lodging for servicemen during the war years. It's an Art Deco masterpiece and was officially added to the National Register of Historic Places on April 22, 2004. Architecturally, it is classic Art Deco: concrete frame with decorative facades, shallow pillars flanking the windows, clean geometric lines, and decorative elements like horizontal banding and low-relief ornamentation. A Design Story Written in Miami Colors Situated in the heart of a neighborhood known for its legendary resorts and private clubs, gourmet dining, pristine beaches, and thriving cultural scene, Le Particulier channels the expressive glamour of 1980s Miami. Its design is iconic, colorful, and effortlessly chic, balancing retro touches with contemporary flair. Highlights include: 54 guest rooms occupy seven floors, with a color scheme that features shades of mint green, flamingo pink, ocean blue and vintage cream. Original tiling and terrazzo floors; artful wallpapers with tropical-inspired motifs; rich velvets; crystal chandeliers, lighting and geometry that nod to 1930s craftsmanship. An eye-popping exterior in pastel shades of purple and yellow with striking geometric patterns. Redesigned bathrooms with brass finishes and glass-enclosed rainfall showers. Light oak furnishings with rattan accents create a serene and beachy feel. Fitness meets fun: Gym equipment includes one bike that allows you to blend your own smoothies. A Taste of the Tulum Jungle Dining at Le Particulier Miami evokes a wellness-inspired escape to the Mexican jungle with Los Bowls de Guadalupe, Namron's signature vegan-forward culinary concept, which will be open as of November 15. Born in Tulum, the restaurant emphasizes conscious and clean eating with fresh ingredients served in nourishing organic bowls. The menu will feature smoothies and acai bowls, veggie-based Buddha bowls, tuna and salmon poke bowls, and similar healthy dishes that showcase the bright, bold flavors of Mexico. Los Bowls de Guadalupe isn't the only homage to Namron's roots in Riviera Maya. A forthcoming rooftop will offer a place for guests to connect with curated music, art, and a lush, sultry vibe reminiscent of the brand's Tulum properties. A New Cultural Reference Point in Miami Beach Le Particulier Miami encourages visitors to immerse themselves in local culture through music, art, design, and programs that reflect the creative pulse and architectural legacy of the city. Urban explorers, cultural wanderers, and design lovers will appreciate the property's prime location set within the Faena Arts District and Millionaires Row, with close proximity to cultural institutions like The Bass Museum of Art and Miami Beach Convention Center. Hotel website Ennismore, the fastest-growing lifestyle hospitality company, is pleased to announce the signing of The Hoxton, Madrid, which is set to open in 2026. The hotel will be located in Madrid's bustling historic centre, on Plaza de Santa Ana, and comes as the brand's second destination in Spain, following the success of The Hoxton, Poblenou, which opened in Barcelona in 2022. The Hoxton, Madrid will be Ennismore's first property in the Spanish capital, adding to its growing network across Europe. Taking over an iconic modernist-style building by Jesus Carrasco-Munoz y Encina on the square, The Hoxton, Madrid, will bring the brand's signature homey and layered aesthetic to the city. Creating spaces that welcome guests from around the corner or around the globe, the open-plan lobby will feature an all-day coffee bar and lounge space, perfect for quick caffeine fixes, laptop warriors working through the day, or long, lazy catch-ups with friends. Ennismore's F&B Platform will curate the hotel's restaurant and bars. Il Bambini Club, with existing venues in Paris and London, will be a lively trattoria featuring a vibrant bar and open kitchen. Up on the rooftop overlooking the city, Cayo Coco will be a place to grab a drink after work or unwind all weekend long with tropical classic cocktails, wine, crisp cold beers, and Cuban vibes. Featuring 192 guestrooms and suites in five classic Hox categories, simple colour palettes, plush fabrics, statement rugs and retro-chic furniture inspired by the hotel's local neighbourhood will showcase Hox's signature blend of style and comfort in Madrid. Guests will find all their Hox favourites, including the Madrid edition of the Survival Guide, a Roberts Radio, and exclusive Blank toiletries to keep them fresh during their stay. The Hoxton signature meeting and events space, The Apartment, will be a space to bring people together for all occasions. The refurbishment of The Hoxton, Madrid, will be led by Petra AM, with the support of Urban Input Group, which previously helped bring The Hoxton, Paris and Poblenou to life. The Hoxton, Madrid's new neighbourhood on Plaza de Santa Ana, puts guests within steps of the city's vibrant culture and culinary scene, from the Prado, Reina Sofia, and Thyssen-Bornemisza museums to bustling tapas bars, cafes, and markets. The city comes alive with festivals such as San Isidro, which celebrates the city's patron saint with music, dance, and traditional cuisine, and Madrid Pride, one of Europe's largest Pride celebrations. At the same time, its historic streets are dotted with theatres, galleries, and music venues celebrating local creativity year-round. Making it the perfect base to experience Madrid's unique mix of heritage and contemporary life. Ennismore continues to expand its presence across Spain with a wave of standout openings that showcase the group's diverse lifestyle collective. Earlier in 2025, the brand celebrated the launch of SLS Barcelona, its first property in Europe, bringing playful luxury, bold design, and high-energy experiences to the city's vibrant waterfront. In 2024, Ennismore made its Ibiza debut with the opening of Mondrian and Hyde, two distinct yet complementary hotels that capture the island's creative duality: Mondrian's sleek sophistication balanced by Hyde's spirited, music-driven energy. The group also unveiled SO/ Sotogrande, its first fashion-inspired all-inclusive resort, reimagining Andalusian luxury through a contemporary, design-forward lens. Hotel website World Travel Market London is the leading global event for the travel industry to meet industry professionals and conduct business deals. Through its industry networks and unrivalled global reach, WTM London creates personal and business opportunities, providing customers with quality contacts, content and communities. Accor has won the World's Leading Climate Action Initiative category at the 2025 World Sustainable Travel & Hospitality Awards (WSTHA) for the Group's high-impact supply chain decarbonization program. Organised by the World Travel Awards in partnership with the World Sustainable Hospitality Alliance, the award recognises Accor's engagement in embedding sustainability into hospitality procurement through its Achieving Net Zero Together program. Launched in 2024, the Achieving Net Zero Together program tackles a key challenge in corporate climate action: how to reduce supply chain emissions in a context of low supplier's maturity and limited carbon data availability. Structured around three pillars measure carbon maturity of suppliers, reduce emissions of supply chain, promote low carbon suppliers and low carbon offers Accor proactively developed in-house tools and frameworks to support buyers and suppliers in designing practical, tailored decarbonisation roadmaps. Rather than waiting for the sector to mature, Accor chose to act - addressing the challenges head-on. The program already involves more than 1,000 suppliers, representing 77% of Accor's total procurement volume and has received strong feedback from a range of suppliers. This initiative also contributed to Accor being recognised as a CDP Supplier Engagement Leader, placing the Group in the top 6% of companies globally for supplier engagement on climate. This recognition highlights Accor's commitment to turning ambition into action. Through the Achieving Net Zero Together program, we and our partners are driving tangible progress on our journey toward net zero. Our approach is original in placing action over reporting and by organizing direct one-on-one meetings between Accor category managers and suppliers. Earning this recognition within the first year reflects the collective effort of our procurement teams and suppliers to move forward together. Caroline Tissot, Group Chief Procurement Officer Accor WSTHA partners and members represent over 66,000 hotels, 8 million rooms globally, 300 brands, and over 100 supply chains and strategic partners. The awards, which received over 700 entries, double the numbers in 2024, recognise individuals and organisations accelerating change and making an impactful contribution in sustainable travel and tourism. The judging process is supported by academic institutions including Nova School of Business and Economics and an independent industry advisory board. The award ceremony took place on 29th October. About Accor, a world-leading hospitality group Accor is a world-leading hospitality group offering stays and experiences across more than 110 countries with over 5,600 hotels and resorts, 10,000 bars & restaurants, wellness facilities and flexible workspaces. The Group has one of the industry's most diverse hospitality ecosystems, encompassing around 45 hotel brands from luxury to economy, as well as Lifestyle with Ennismore. ALL, the booking platform and loyalty program embodies the Accor promise during and beyond the hotel stay and gives its members access to unique experiences. Accor is focused on driving positive action through business ethics, responsible tourism, environmental sustainability, community engagement, diversity, and inclusivity. Accor's mission is reflected in the Group's purpose: Pioneering the art of responsible hospitality, connecting cultures, with heartfelt care. Founded in 1967, Accor SA is headquartered in France. Included in the CAC 40 index, the Group is publicly listed on the Euronext Paris Stock Exchange (ISIN code: FR0000120404) and on the OTC Market (Ticker: ACCYY) in the United States. For more information, please visit group.accor.com or follow us on X, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram and TikTok. LOS ANGELES - Fodor's Travel, the leading name in travel recommendations for over 85 years, has unveiled the 2026 edition of its Fodor's Finest Hotels list, spotlighting the 100 most remarkable stays and inspiring hotel experiences across the globe. The annual Fodor's Finest list is meticulously curated by Fodor's editors in collaboration with hundreds of hospitality experts. Compiled entirely free from sponsorship or external influence, the unranked list reflects Fodor's commitment to independent, authentic travel recommendations, with each property earning its place for standing out in its own remarkable way. While many other "best hotels" lists focus solely on luxury newcomers, Fodor's Finest celebrates a diverse range of properties, spanning budgets from modest to extravagant. Each hotel is chosen for the quality of its design, unique service offerings, and lasting impression on travelers, regardless of price point. Just 19 U.S. and two Canadian hotel properties made this year's list, including New York City's Parisian-inspired Fouquet, the whimsical yet luxe Bolt Tree Farmhouse in Tennessee, and three outstanding New Orleans properties: The Columns, Hotel Saint Vincent, and Maison Metier. Five North American hotels are back on the list for a second straight year, proving their enduring excellence in a hospitality scene that is more competitive than ever. Among the returning properties are Phoenix's urban-chic Global Ambassador, the lush and inviting Ramble in Denver, and ULUM Moab in Utah, taking glamping to dazzling new heights. With an estimated 765,000+ hotels and resorts now in operation across the globe, there are a lot of options when it comes to picking lodging for your next vacation. We are proud that every single property on this list has been vetted by our team of editors and writers, ensuring it is worthy of a place on this list and, more importantly, worthy of your time and money. Jeremy Tarr, Editorial Director at Fodors.com Ready to plan your next unforgettable stay? Explore the complete 2026 Fodor's Finest List of the 100 Most Incredible Hotels in the World at www.fodors.com/worlds-best/hotels. About Fodor's Travel The Fodor's name has been synonymous with travel for 85 years. Our award-winning guidebooks, website, eBooks and mobile apps provide today's traveler with up-to-the-minute information to more than 7,500 worldwide destinations. Learn more at Fodors.com, and join our engaged travel community on Facebook and Instagram. Fodor's Travel is a division of Internet Brands. EHL Hospitality Business School held the third edition of the Sustainable Investment Forum in June 2025, focusing on shareholder engagement as an essential driver of sustainable strategies. This article shares insights on what responsible investing is, exploring today's challenges, potential solutions, as well as what the future could hold. Parts of the findings of this article were presented during the Forum. What is Responsible Investing? The term responsible investing is often used interchangeably with concepts such as sustainable investing or ESG investing. But what do these terms actually mean? Responsible investing : an umbrella term for investment approaches that consider not only financial returns but also environmental and societal outcomes. : an umbrella term for investment approaches that consider not only financial returns but also environmental and societal outcomes. ESG investing : focuses on incorporating specific Environmental, Social and Governance factors (e.g., carbon emissions, labor standards and board diversity) into financial analysis and portfolio decisions. : focuses on incorporating specific Environmental, Social and Governance factors (e.g., carbon emissions, labor standards and board diversity) into financial analysis and portfolio decisions. Impact investing: goes a step further, aiming to generate measurable positive impact while garnering financial returns. Regardless of which word you use, these approaches represent an evolution from the older concept of Socially Responsible Investing (SRI), which began in the 1960s as value-based screening (excluding tobacco, alcohol, arms, etc. from ones portfolio). ESG reframed this field of investing by emphasizing risk management and long-term value creation. Responsible investing has gone mainstream and is projected to reach USD 40 trillion by 2030, or nearly one-third of global assets under management (Bloomberg Intelligence, 2023). Such future growth is remarkable. But has it really transformed markets? The answer, so far, is mixed. The Promise Versus the Reality The rapid expansion of ESG products suggests a financial revolution is afoot. Pension funds, insurers and private equity firms now offer sustainable funds. Asset managers increasingly market themselves as guardians of stakeholder interests including social and environmental considerations. Yet beneath this narrative lie contradictions: inconsistent ratings, weak enforcement, high-profile scandals and structural incentives that still favor polluting industries. Unless addressed, these weaknesses could relegate sustainable investing to a mere buzzword rather than a transformative practice. The Problems of Responsible Investing 1. Confusing ESG ratings Investors expect ratings to cut through the complexity. Instead, ESG ratings often do the opposite. Berg, Kolbel, and Rigobon (2022) show that correlations between leading ESG rating providers average just 0.54, much lower than the consistency of credit ratings, where agencies typically assign the same or adjacent grades to the same issuer. Bissoondoyal-Bheenick et al. (2024) demonstrate that this divergence reflects fundamental differences in scope, weighting and methodology. One provider may reward disclosure, another actual outcomes. One may prioritize carbon intensity, another labor standards. The result is that a company can rank as a leader in one dataset and a laggard in another. This lack of comparability undermines the very purpose of ESG data. 2. Greenwashing and credibility gaps Without consistent standards, companies can emphasize what flatters them and downplay what doesnt. Several scandals highlight the risks: Volkswagen (2015) : Marketed clean diesel while secretly installing emissions-cheating software. : Marketed clean diesel while secretly installing emissions-cheating software. Goldman Sachs (2022) : Fined by the U.S. SEC for failing to apply its own ESG fund policies. : Fined by the U.S. SEC for failing to apply its own ESG fund policies. DWS (Deutsche Banks asset manager, 2022): Raided by German police for overstating ESG integration. Such cases show why voluntary ESG claims, without enforceable auditing, can come across as a cynical marketing ploy. As Kraussl et al. (2024) note, investors often overestimate the rigor and underestimate the inconsistency of current ESG practices. 3. The performance paradox ESG is often marketed as a win-win: investors can do well by doing good. Yet the evidence is foggy. A review by the NYU Stern Center for Sustainable Business (2021) of over 1,000 studies found that 58% of those studies report positive links between ESG and financial performance, 21% neutral, and 13% negative. In short, literature points in no single direction. More recent studies (Dsouza et al., 2025) show ESG improvements can enhance firm value and investor returns in OECD countries, but only when paired with regulation and investor scrutiny. ESG, in other words, is not a guaranteed driver of returns. Its benefits are highly contextual. 4. Misaligned incentives Perhaps the greatest contradiction lies in global markets themselves. Despite ESGs rise, fossil fuels remain heavily subsidized by national governments, to the tune of over USD 7 trillion in 2022 (International Monetary Fund, 2023). Polluting industries therefore remain financially attractive, which puts them at an advantage with investors. Why Regulation Matters Another core issue is measurement. Unlike accounting, where unified standards such as IFRS or US GAAP ensure comparability, ESG disclosures remain fragmented. Companies can cherry pick ESG reporting, often emphasizing metrics that show them in a favorable light. The European Union has taken the lead in addressing this gap: The Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) , phased in from 2024, requires thousands of companies to disclose sustainability data according to the standardized European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS). They include the concept of double materiality, i.e. firms must report on both how sustainability issues affect them and how their corporate actions impact society and the environment. , phased in from 2024, requires thousands of companies to disclose sustainability data according to the standardized European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS). They include the concept of double materiality, i.e. firms must report on both how sustainability issues affect them and how their corporate actions impact society and the environment. The Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CSDDD) , implemented from 2024, obliges large firms to identify, prevent and mitigate human rights and environmental harms across their supply chains. , implemented from 2024, obliges large firms to identify, prevent and mitigate human rights and environmental harms across their supply chains. A new EU regulation on ESG ratings (2024) requires rating providers to disclose methodologies and address conflicts of interest, bringing oversight to a sector long criticized for opacity. (2024) requires rating providers to disclose methodologies and address conflicts of interest, bringing oversight to a sector long criticized for opacity. Yet politics has led to compromise (or caving, depending on your read of the situation). In 2025, the European Commission introduced an omnibus proposal to simplify CSRD obligations, raise reporting thresholds and delay deadlines for smaller firms (Deloitte, 2025). These developments represent both ambition and realism. Europe is raising the bar but also learning how challenging large-scale sustainability reporting can be. What Needs to Change 1. Unified measurement The first requirement is clear, comparable standards. Just as accounting rules prevent companies from reporting profits in whatever format that suits them best, ESG needs its equivalent. Without harmonization ideally at a global level through convergence between CSRD and ISSB standards responsible investing will remain fragmented and open to abuse. 2. Enforceable accountability Disclosure alone is insufficient. ESG claims must be verified, audited and enforced. The fallout from the Volkswagen, Goldman Sachs and DWS scandals made one thing clear: without penalties, greenwashing or downright cheating thrives. As with financial reporting, misleading sustainability reporting should carry legal and pecuniary consequences. 3. Investor mindset shift Finally, investors themselves must shift expectations. Responsible investing is not a free lunch. It requires grappling with trade-offs, between short-term returns and long-term resilience, between fiduciary duty and societal responsibility. As Kraussl et al. (2024) argue, the responsible investor mindset is built less on formulas than on the ability to ask critical questions. The Road Ahead Responsible investing has grown rapidly in scale but still struggles with credibility issues. Conflicting ratings, recurring scandals and systemic incentives that favor incumbent polluters all highlight the gap between promise and practice. Closing that gap requires three shifts: unified global standards, enforceable accountability, and a more critical investor mindset. ESG needs to do what accounting rules did for financial transparency, namely foster widespread uptake of stringent international standards. Only then can responsible investing move from buzzword to something investors and the public at large can truly believe in. References Ahmad, H., et al. (2023). Environmental, social, and governance-related factors for business investments and sustainability: A literature review. Frontiers in Psychology, 14, 112233. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10668-023-02921-x Bayat, A., Qu, R., & Rahmani, Z. (2025). ESG Rating Uncertainty: Causes, Consequences and Potential Remedies. SSRN working paper. https://doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.5238193 Berg, F., Kolbel, J., & Rigobon, R. (2022). Aggregate confusion: The divergence of ESG ratings. Review of Finance, 26(6), 13151344. https://doi.org/10.1093/rof/rfac033 Bissoondoyal-Bheenick, E., et al. (2024). ESG rating disagreement: Implications and aggregation. International Review of Financial Analysis, 94, 102828. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.iref.2024.103532 Council of the EU. (2024). ESG ratings: Council greenlights new regulation. https://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2024/11/19/environmental-social-and-governance-esg-ratings-council-greenlights-new-regulation/ Deloitte. (2025). Omnibus proposal: EU sustainability reporting obligations simplified. https://dart.deloitte.com/USDART/home/publications/deloitte/heads-up/2025/eu-commission-omnibus-proposal-sustainability-reporting-reduction-csrd Dsouza, S., et al. (2025). Sustainable investing: ESG effectiveness and market value in OECD countries. Cogent Economics & Finance, 13(1), 2445147. https://doi.org/10.1080/23322039.2024.2445147 International Monetary Fund. (2023). Fossil fuel subsidies database. IMF. Kraussl, R., et al. (2024). A review on ESG investing: Investors expectations, beliefs and perceptions. Journal of Economic Surveys, 38(3), 721746. https://doi.org/10.1111/joes.12599 NYU Stern Center for Sustainable Business. (2021). Uncovering the Relationship by Aggregating Evidence from 1,000 Plus Studies Published between 20152020. https://www.stern.nyu.edu/sites/default/files/assets/documents/NYU-RAM_ESG-Paper_2021.pdf View source After leaving Morgans Hotel Group in 2005, the company he founded and created, Ian Schrager developed his namesake, Ian Schrager Company. This company owns, develops, manages and brands hotels, residential and mixed use projects. Since then, he has transformed the fabled Gramercy Park Hotel in New York City, created two groundbreaking residential properties, 40 Bond and 50 Gramercy Park North, successfully launched his new brand, PUBLIC Hotels, and is currently working on multiple hotels in New York City and two luxury residential projects; 215 Chrystie and 160 Leroy also in New York City. In addition, Schrager in partnership with Marriott International created EDITION Hotels, a luxury lifestyle brand with properties in London, Miami and New York City and 21 more in development around the world. Kuwait's Hessah District - Image Credit Nobu Hospitality Nobu Hospitality has partnered with United Real Estate Company and Dhaliliyah Company to develop its first serviced residences and restaurant in Kuwait, located in Hessah Plaza. Nobu Hospitality has announced a partnership with United Real Estate Company (URC) and Dhaliliyah Company to establish its first serviced residences and restaurant in Kuwait. The development will be situated in Hessah Plaza, part of the Hessah District Project in Kuwait City. The project will include 90 serviced residences and a Nobu restaurant offering views of the Arabian Gulf. The development will also feature meeting and event spaces. This marks Nobu Hospitality's entry into the Kuwaiti market, expanding its presence in the Middle East. Hessah Plaza, where the development will be located, is designed as a retail and dining destination within the larger Hessah District. The district is intended to be a hub for living, dining, shopping, and social activities. The partnership aims to enhance the appeal of Hessah District as a destination for both residents and visitors. The collaboration with URC and Dhaliliyah Company is part of a broader strategy to attract international hospitality brands to Kuwait, positioning the area as a regional center for luxury living and hospitality. The timeline for completing the development has not been specified. However, the project is part of ongoing efforts to develop Hessah District into a prominent location for exclusive living and cultural experiences. Affluent Travelers Drive Post F1 Race Travel Surge in Asia Pacific, Visa Data Shows - Image Credit Unsplash+ Visa has released data indicating a significant increase in post-race tourism and spending following the Formula 1 Singapore Grand Prix. The data reveal that many travelers extended their trips to explore other destinations in the Asia Pacific, with affluent travelers contributing notably to this trend. According to Visa data, approximately 20% of travelers who attended the Singapore Grand Prix continued their journey to other destinations in the Asia Pacific region. On average, these travelers extended their trip by 3.5 days. The data also showed that long-haul travelers, particularly those from outside Asia, were more likely to visit multiple countries, with 35% doing so after the race week. Popular destinations included Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Australia, and Japan. Click on the image to enlarge. Spending Habits of Travelers Travelers spent about 40% more per person compared to their typical expenses at home. The highest spenders came from the United States, Australia, Mainland China, Germany, and France. In Malaysia, Indonesia, and Thailand, spending was primarily focused on restaurants and eateries. In contrast, retail spending was more prominent in Australia and Japan. Affluent Travelers' Impact Affluent travelers played a significant role in the post-race tourism boost. About 25% of affluent cardholders made additional travel plans after the Formula 1 weekend, surpassing the average of 20% for all cardholders. These travelers favored long-haul trips to Europe and North America, spending approximately 20% more per person than other travelers. Their expenditure on department stores and apparel was notably higher, with a 65% increase in department store spending and a 50% increase in apparel purchases. Adoption of Contactless Payments Singapore's robust digital and contactless payment infrastructure facilitated a seamless payment experience for travelers. Visa data showed that 85% of face-to-face transactions by travelers visiting another country after the race were made using contactless card payments. In markets such as Australia and the United Kingdom, contactless payments accounted for approximately 95% of all face-to-face transactions. Even in regions where contactless acceptance is still in development, such as Japan, Cambodia, and other Southeast Asian countries, usage has exceeded 80%. Prime Investment Properties Announces Exclusive Resort and Development Land Investment Opportunities in Fiji - Image Credit Hotel Brokers International Prime Investment Properties LLC, a leading hospitality brokerage and advisory firm, is pleased to announce two exclusive investment offerings in Fiji a Confidential Beachfront Resort and a Prime Oceanfront Development Parcel, both located along the countrys world-renowned Coral Coast. The Confidential Resort Listing, offered at $6,425,000 USD, represents an exceptional blend of tropical tranquility and investment opportunity. This upscale beachfront hotel features luxurious accommodations, direct beach access, and established operations in one of Fijis most desirable resort destinations. The property is available through Marketing Consultant Prime Investment Properties, working with Julian Realty & Consultant Pte Limited. This listing offers investors the rare opportunity to acquire a performing beachfront asset with significant upside potential in the South Pacific, said Dan Emert, Lead Broker at Prime Investment Properties. Fiji continues to attract strong tourism demand, and well-positioned assets such as this remain highly sought after by both private and institutional investors. In addition, Prime Investment Properties is also exclusively representing a large oceanfront parcel of development landplanned for a future resort project. This offering provides a unique opportunity to participate in Fijis ongoing tourism growth through a development venture in an established destination corridor, known for its natural beauty and appeal to international travelers. Together, these listings highlight Prime Investment Properties commitment to connecting investors with high-quality resort and hospitality opportunities across global beach destinations. About Prime Investment Properties LLC Prime Investment Properties LLC is a premier hospitality brokerage and advisory firm specializing in the sale of lodging properties across the U.S. and international markets. As a member of Hotel Brokers International, the firm leverages strategic marketing, deep market insight, and a global network to connect buyers and sellers of hotels, resorts, and development assets. The firms portfolio includes full-service hotels, boutique resorts, select-service properties, and oceanfront developments across the U.S., Mexico, Central America, and the South Pacific. For more information about these Fiji listings or to discuss your investment objectives for 2026, please contact: Dan Emert, Lead Broker, Prime Investment Properties LLC, 970.658.8098, dan@primeinvestmentprops.com, www.primeinvestmentprops.com. About Hotel Brokers International Hotel Brokers International (HBI), founded in 1959, is the hospitality real estate industrys most established network of professional brokers, with over 11,000 successful hotel transactions. HBIs website features an extensive selection of hotels for sale, attracting global investors and industry professionals. HBI is the founder and administrator of the Certified Hotel Broker (CHB) Program, the only professional designation recognizing expertise in hotel brokerage. The organization also provides affiliate memberships to professionals in related fields such as franchising, lending, appraisals, and investment services, fostering a comprehensive network of hospitality specialists. Visit www.hbihotels.com. For more information, please contact: Dan Emert, Hotel Broker Prime Investment Properties LLC Steamboat Springs, CO 970.658.8098 Dan@primeinvestmentprops.com www.primeinvestmentprops.com +1 970.819.4948 WhatsApp St. John's Announces Organ Dedication Recital St. John's Announces Organ Dedication Recital WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. St. John's Episcopal Church announced the completion of their new pipe organ, officially named "Opus 4" of the renowned Ortloff Organ Company of Needham. The new organ will be dedicated in a recital on Sunday, November 2, starting at 3:00 p.m. It will feature Dr. Tim Pyper, director of music for St. John's, playing music of J. S. Bach, Mendelssohn, and others. All are welcome to attend. Admission is free. A reception will follow immediately after the recital. "Jonathan Ortloff and his company have done a wonderful job producing an instrument which above all is designed to lead and support congregational singing," said Dr. Pyper. "Yet it also has beautiful qualities as a solo instrument. We view this organ as not only an enhancement to the church itself but also as a benefit for music lovers generally in the Berkshires." St. John's Williamstown is a multi-generational congregation of about 300 members. A section of Walnut Street has been one lane for years because of erosion and collapse. North Adams Getting $3.1M in State Funding for Walnut St., Heritage Park NORTH ADAMS, Mass. The city's getting a downtown boost of $3.1 million for commercial investments, infrastructure and the stabilization of the collapsing Walnut Street. Mayor Jennifer Macksey has been strongly hinting for weeks about the MassWorks money but hasn't been able to speak until the funds were announced by the state. "Last year, I was a little bit disappointed with our One-Stop responses. But this year, we cleaned up," she said on Thursday. The grants through the Community One Stop for Growth Program include: $250,000 from the Underutilized Properties Program and $50,000 in Site Readiness Funding for Western Gateway Heritage State Park; $50,000 in Real Estate Services Technical Assistance for the Mohawk Theater; $700,000 from the MassWorks Infrastructure Program for the downtown; $50,000 for North Adams Vacant Storefront Program to fill vacant storefronts The news had been embargoed until Thursday, and the mayor was pleased that the announcement came with quotes from Gov. Maura Healey and Lt. Gov. Kim Driscoll. The formal announcement will take place next week and the mayor plans to bring her team there for the awards. "This award cycle represents an extraordinary success for North Adams," she said in a statement. "These grants will allow us to make real progress on long-term priorities from revitalizing our historic sites and supporting local business growth to improving the essential infrastructure that serves our residents every day." The bulk of the funding, some $2 million, will go toward the reconstruction of Walnut Street . The project is shovel-ready. Neighbors have complained for years about the deterioration of the road above the 140-year-old dry-stack wall and the supporting infrastructure, particularly after the east edge gave way three years ago. The heavy rains contributed to the undermining of the roadway. The city had looked to the Federal Emergency Management Agency for funding but was declined. "We really had to sell this because you have to do a cost-benefit analysis. I think from a FEMA approach, they looked at it well, you could really shut down the road and it would only affect one or two houses, not understanding how the whole neighborhood uses that cut through," the mayor said. "We took the approach that, well, if it really comes down, we're going to wipe out State Street and anything below it. And I think that was really the compelling story that, yeah, it's a wall, but it's an important wall." The funding for the dormant and decaying Heritage State Park will support architectural and engineering documents necessary to secure future construction funding for the repair and revitalization of the park's historic buildings. The additional Site Readiness Grant will help prepare the property for redevelopment and public use. This will include replacement and repairs of windows, doors and paint. It will not include the closed Building 4, in which the state has a lifelong tenancy. The mayor said she is hoping that the state Department of Conservation and Recreation will work with the city to get the building back online. "I've never had $1 really to play with at Heritage Park," she said. "We can do some serious design work and get going and use that as a launching pad for future." One goal is to position the park as a visitor's center to tie in Mount Greylock to the downtown. This was the vision put forward by former Mayor Richard Alcombright more than a decade ago. (And would also require Walnut Street to be repaired.) The downtown infrastructure improvements will be for water, sewer, sidewalks and streetscape on Eagle, Main and Marshall, including a major water main repair near the hotel. "You know, everybody wants things repaired, but I just don't want to put that burden on the taxpayers," said the mayor. "So these are great opportunities for us, and with each of them, they're like building blocks." The storefront program will provide $50,000 of refundable tax credits to property owners to fill vacant storefronts with new and expanding businesses, working with the North Adams Partnership. "The Community One Stop for Growth program is all about funding the projects that are going to transform our state's cities and towns," said Healey in the announcement. "This year, we're proud to award North Adams over $3 million to help revitalize key projects that move the city forward. These investments will lead to a stronger economy, a vibrant downtown, and a brighter future." The mayor said she was grateful to state leaders, state Rep. John Barrett III, state Sen. Paul Mark and MassDevelopment President Navjeet Bal, and particularly to Michael Nuvallie, who, while retired from the Community Development Office, has been working part-time to help shepherd the grants. On top of the One-Stop grants, the city was also informed on Thursday that it will be receiving $50,000 for a bandstand project in Heritage State Park and that the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art Foundation is getting $190,000 for elevator repair and modernization. This funding is through the state Office of Travel and Tourism's Destination Development Capital Grant Program. Column: What the Shutdown Means for Berkshire County Residents Across Berkshire County, the federal government shutdown is creating growing concern among residents who depend on essential programs for food, heat, and stability. While the impact may seem distant to some, it is being felt acutely by low-income families, seniors, and individuals who are already struggling with high costs of living. Across Berkshire County, the federal government shutdown is creating growing concern among residents who depend on essential programs for food, heat, and stability. While the impact may seem distant to some, it is being felt acutely by low-income families, seniors, and individuals who are already struggling with high costs of living. This is not a political issue. It is a human one. When federal funding stops, the programs that keep households fed, warm, and stable are thrown into uncertainty. Energy assistance is one of the most urgent concerns. In a rural county with long, cold winters and an aging housing stock, fuel assistance through the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) is a lifeline. Families who rely on deliverable fuels such as oil, propane, or wood cannot receive deliveries during the shutdown because federal funds are on hold. Those with utility heat are protected under the state's winter moratorium, but households dependent on fuel deliveries are not. Recognizing the severity of this crisis, the Massachusetts Executive Office of Housing and Livable Communities (EOHLC) has stepped in with emergency support. The agency announced the release of more than $500,000 in LIHEAP funding specifically for Berkshire County residents facing heating emergencies. At an average delivery cost of about $400 per household, this will allow roughly 1,250 families to receive a limited delivery of about 100 gallons of fuel oil just enough to keep homes warm temporarily while federal funding remains frozen. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is another area of concern. Thousands of Berkshire County households rely on SNAP benefits to buy groceries, especially during the winter months when heating costs rise. A prolonged shutdown could delay or reduce benefits, placing additional pressure on local food pantries that are already serving record numbers of visitors each month. To help offset the strain, Gov. Maura Healey announced $4 million in state funding for food pantries across Massachusetts. This emergency investment will provide crucial relief for the organizations working on the front lines of hunger, including many right here in Berkshire County. The additional funding will help replenish pantry shelves, expand capacity, and ensure that families who face delays or reductions in SNAP benefits can continue to put food on the table. It represents an important show of leadership and partnership at a time when state support is needed most. Other essential programs remain frozen, including the Community Services Block Grant (CSBG), which sustains agencies such as the Berkshire Community Action Council. CSBG funding supports a range of locally tailored initiatives, including emergency food and clothing for children, free tax preparation, financial education, and assistance for those facing housing and employment instability. Without it, the ability of local agencies to respond quickly to community needs is sharply reduced. Despite these challenges, the Berkshire community continues to demonstrate resilience. Donations to emergency fuel funds are arriving, and volunteers, faith groups, and local businesses are stepping up to fill the gaps. BCAC's ELF Children's Warm Clothing Program remains secure this year thanks to generous community support, ensuring that children will have coats and boots even in the midst of uncertainty. Still, the broader picture is clear. The shutdown is more than an administrative pause; it is a direct threat to the health and stability of thousands of Massachusetts residents. For families, it means anxiety about food, heat, and security as winter approaches. Berkshire County has always met crisis with compassion and cooperation, but community generosity cannot replace federal investment. State support provides essential stopgaps, yet the need far exceeds available resources. BCAC and its partners will continue to assist residents for as long as possible, but long-term stability depends on the swift restoration of federal funding. Every delay compounds hardship for families living on the edge. What happens in Washington may feel far away, but its effects are deeply local. Each day of inaction ripples through our community, into food pantries, fuel tanks, and family homes. As always, the Berkshires will stand together, but we must also speak with one voice for the people who cannot wait. Mass DOT: Lee Temporary Lane Closures on I-90 Eastbound and Westbound LEE, Mass. The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) is announcing a temporary lane closure is currently in place on I-90 eastbound at mile marker 10.3 in Lee for crews to make bridge repairs. A lane closure will also be in place on I-90 westbound at mile marker 10.3 beginning at noon. Both lane closures will remain in place through 4:00 p.m. today. Drivers are advised to seek an alternate route if possible. Appropriate signage and messaging will be in place to guide drivers through the affected area. Drivers traveling through the area should expect delays, reduce speed, and use caution. On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Five children suffering from thalassemia and three donors have tested positive for HIV following blood transfusions at a government blood bank, in a shocking case of medical negligence. Authorities in the eastern Indian state of Jharkhand have ordered a sweeping audit of blood banks in the wake of what they described as an extremely serious public health failure. The infections, traced to a government hospital in the remote village of Chaibasa, some 150km from the state capital Ranchi, have also led to the suspension of leading medical officials. The scandal came to light after the family of a seven-year-old boy filed a negligence complaint against the Chaibasa Sadar Hospital's blood bank on 18 October, claiming the child tested positive for HIV after receiving multiple routine transfusions there. A subsequent investigation revealed the boy was one of at least five children who had tested positive for the virus after receiving transfusions at the blood bank. They were all suffering from thalassemia. Jharkhand health minister Irfan Ansari said he immediately ordered an investigation. The matter of possible HIV infection through blood transfusion in children suffering from thalassemia is extremely serious, Mr Ansari said earlier this week. The investigation revealed that at least four people who donated blood at the hospital in 2024-25 were HIV-positive, Mr Ansari told the Indian Express on Thursday. Tests were being done of blood samples from 259 donors linked to thalassemia transfusions at the hospital. Of the 44 samples tested so far, four were positive. Calling it a serious lapse, the minister said the health department was now tracing all donors and verifying the chain of transfusions. The matter is serious and under investigation. If anyone is found guilty, strict action will be taken within a month, Mr Ansari told the newspaper. Thalassemia patients cannot survive without regular transfusions. So, at any cost, they get the blood, but that does not absolve negligence. The system must be foolproof. State chief minister Heman Soren called the infections an extremely painful incident. The Health Department should conduct an audit of all blood banks in the state and submit the report within five days, he said on X. Lax arrangements in the health system will not be tolerated under any circumstances. The state government would grant financial assistance of Rs 200,000 (1,718) to the families of each of the affected children as pay for their treatment, the chief minister said. At least five officials had been suspended, he added. The Jharkhand High Court, which took suo motu cognisance of the matter last week, has demanded a comprehensive report from the states health secretary. Federal minister for women and child development Annapurna Devi described the incident as "shameful" and a "grave failure of the healthcare system", and called for nationwide vigilance. As of Friday, no arrests had been made but officials vowed strict action against those found culpable. On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth announced a landmark defence deal aimed at strengthening security ties with India as he held talks with his Asian counterparts in Malaysia Friday. Hegseth also met with Indias Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and they signed a 10-year defense framework aimed at expanding military and technological cooperation. Washington has long sought to develop a deeper partnership with New Delhi, which is seen as a bulwark against China. India is a major defense partner of the U.S. and has in recent years embedded advanced American jets, helicopters, missiles and military gear into its armed forces. This advances our defense partnership, a cornerstone for regional stability and deterrence, Hegseth wrote on X. Our defense ties have never been stronger. Singh said the U.S.-India partnership is crucial for ensuring a free, open and rules-based Indo-Pacific region. It is a signal of our growing strategic convergence and will herald a new decade of partnership, he said on X. The framework agreement comes amid renewed strains in bilateral ties after President Donald Trump imposed a 50 percent import tariff on Indian goods in August and criticised New Delhi for continued purchase of discounted Russian oil. India is the second biggest buyer of Russian oil after China. open image in gallery Pete Hegseth leaves after a bilateral meeting with Malaysian defence minister in Kuala Lumpur ( AP ) Hegseth described as good and constructive his meeting with Chinese Admiral Dong Jun, held on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations defense ministers meeting in Kuala Lumpur. He said he raised U.S. concerns over Chinese activities in the South China Sea, around Taiwan and toward U.S. allies and partners in the region. He told his Chinese counterpart during talks in Malaysia that Washington would stoutly defend its interests in the Indo-Pacific. I highlighted the importance of maintaining a balance of power in the Indo-Pacific, Hegseth wrote on social media platform X. United States does not seek conflict (but) it will continue to stoutly defend its interests and ensure it has the capabilities in the region to do so. Chinas defense ministry issued a cautious response, emphasizing its longstanding positions. Dong Jun stressed the reunification of China and Taiwan is an unstoppable historical trend and urged the U.S. to be cautious in its words and actions on the Taiwan issue, the statement said. We hope the U.S. will translate its statements of not containing China and not seeking conflict into action, and work with China to inject positive energy into regional and global peace and security, according to the statement. Their meeting follows a 9 September video call between Hegseth and Dong and reflects ongoing efforts to manage tensions in the Indo-Pacific even as strategic differences, particularly over Taiwan and freedom of navigation, remain pronounced. Hegseth also held talks with his Malaysian and Philippines counterparts.. He reaffirmed committment to maritime security in the South China Sea and said the U.S. would work relentlessly to reestablish deterrence in the South China Sea. Malaysia has previously protested the encroachment of Chinese vessels into its waters but usually prefers quiet diplomacy. Thats in contrast to the neighbouring Philippines, which has had major confrontations with China at sea in recent years. China claims virtually the entire South China Sea, overlapping claims made by countries including Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam and Taiwan. Asked to comment about U.S. President Trumps plans to restart nuclear weapon testing for the first time in three decades, Malaysian defence minister Mohamed Khaled Nordin told a news conference later on Friday that ASEAN is a nuclear weapon free zone area and we try to avoid anything that can bring great calamity to humankind. He didnt elaborate. open image in gallery Trump speaks to members of the media aboard Air Force One after leaving Asean summit ( Getty Images ) ASEAN secretary-general Kao Kim Hourn separately said some ASEAN members may seek more details from Hegseth about U.S. nuclear testing at a planned ASEAN-US meeting Saturday. For the security and safety of the world, I think its important... to bear in mind that the world should never see the use of another nuclear weapon, he said. Trump made the comments on Thursday on social media, saying it would be on an equal basis with Russia and China. There was no signs the U.S. would start detonating warheads, but Trump offered few details in what seemed to be a significant shift in U.S. policy. ASEAN defense ministers will continue talks on Saturday with dialogue partners including the United States, China, Japan, India, Australia, South Korea and Russia. On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Japanese authorities are setting aside funds for hiring hunters amid a rise in wild bear attacks. The environment ministry said it was launching a programme to hire licensed hunters and other personnel to help tackle the problem. Bears have attacked a record number of people so far this year, killing at least 13 and injuring more than 100. In recent months, reports of bears breaking down school doors, attacking tourists at a bus stop, and venturing into supermarkets have made international headlines. On Thursday, various ministries and agencies organised the first high-level meeting to address the problem. We will use the additional budget to hire more government hunters and other people who can aid in the response," environment minister Hirotaka Ishihara said. open image in gallery Billy Halloran from New Zealand survived a bear attack in Japan ( Billy Halloran ) The additional funds, initially part of the 3.7bn ($24m) budget request for fiscal 2026 that covered projects for managing designated wildlife, would instead be incorporated into this fiscals supplementary budget, officials said. Authorities are also considering legal changes to allow police to shoot bears with rifles. The environment ministry is looking to include this and other initiatives in a package of measures being prepared with the agriculture ministry and other agencies to curb bear attacks. Weve asked the police to respond with as much urgency as possible to allow the use of rifles to remove these bears, chief cabinet secretary Minoru Kihara told reporters after the meeting. Wildlife experts attribute the rise in bear attacks to environmental and demographic changes. Climate change has caused a shortage of natural food sources like beechnuts in some regions while depopulation has left rural areas emptier of people, prompting bears to wander into former human habitats. open image in gallery Photo taken on 7 October 2025 and released by the Gunma Prefectural Police via Jiji Press shows CCTV camera footage of a bear walking inside a supermarket in Numata ( Gunma Prefectural Police ) Populations of the Asiatic black bear and the brown bear seem to be on the rise in Japan, leading to more frequent sightings in residential areas and even near Tokyo. Experts note that bear attacks usually increase in October and November, ahead of the hibernation season. The problem is particularly acute in Akita prefecture, home to nearly 880,000 people and a large bear population. Bear attacks here have killed at least two people and left more than 50 injured. An amendment to the Wildlife Protection, Control and Hunting Management Act that came into force last month allows emergency hunting when bears are spotted around populated areas. Discharging firearms in residential zones was largely prohibited earlier. Now, though, local municipalities may permit it under specific conditions. As a result, several emergency culls have already taken place near cities in the countrys northeast. The government announced this week that Japans Self-Defence Forces would support the Akita prefectural authorities in efforts to capture and repel bears. "The lives and livelihoods of people are under threat," defence minister Shinjiro Koizumi said on Tuesday, according to Kyodo. Sign up to the Independent Climate email for the latest advice on saving the planet Get our free Climate email Get our free Climate email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice The UNs Cop30 climate conference is fast approaching, with thousands of delegates from across the world set to gather from next week to drive forward climate action. With talks set to be held in the city of Belem - which lies near to the mouth of the Amazon River - host country Brazil has been largely praised for taking its role leading the negotiations seriously, pushing for a stronger settlement on key areas including emissions targets and climate finance for developing countries. But at the same time as advocating causes like the protection of the Amazon Rainforest and the strengthening of environmental institutions in his country following the Bolsonaro years, Brazilian President Lula de Silva has also been a serious champion for Brazils oil industry. Less than a month before talks are set to begin in Belem, Brazils environmental agency, IBAMA, granted state oil major Petrobras a licence to explore oil in the sea off the Amazon, despite serious environmental concerns about the project. Notably, there are concerns that any oil spills would put the rainforest region - which is home to 10 per cent of the worlds known species - at risk of environmental devastation, due to sea currents driving the slick back to shore. Earlier this year, BP struck black gold after landing its largest oil discovery in 25 years while exploring 400km off Brazils coast, with the find set to form a core part of the UK oil majors plans to boost oil production from 2.3million to 2.5m barrels per day by 2030. For Taily Terena, a young indigenous activist from the Mato Grosso do Sul region, which lies close to the border with Paraguay, the oil push is very disappointing. We really do not need to be exploring for oil fields near the Amazon. Lula says we can do it in a sustainable way, but how can it be sustainable when we know that fossil fuels are not a sustainable thing, she says. From an energy perspective, we do not need it - Brazil has plenty of energy, and we also have a lot of oil exploitation in the areas of the country, she adds. open image in gallery For Taily Terena, a young indigenous activist from Brazils Mato Grosso do Sul region, the countrys oil push is very disappointing ( Global Citizen ) Taily is a member of the Terena Nation, which is an indigenous people spread across around 30 villages on the worlds biggest wetland area, the 140,000km2 Pantanal. Earlier this year, she won the 2025 Global Citizen Prize for her work advocating for indigenous peoples and indigenous womens rights. Living as she does in a global biodiversity hotspot - which becomes 80 per cent submerged during the rainy season - for Taily, the fight against climate change is personal. At the time of speaking to The Independent, it was the Pantanals dry season, which for the Terena people increasingly brings concerns related to fires. Right now, from where I am speaking to you under the trees in my village, I can see the colour of the sun is different, it is orange from the fires all around, says Taily. Our dry seasons are becoming more severe and increasing the risk of fires. Just yesterday, there was a small fire here in the background that spread really, really fast, but we managed to put it out, she continues. A few weeks ago we had the same thing: a fire came and burnt all the bushes around my house before we put it out. In June 2024, fires in the region were particularly bad, tearing through some 440,000 hectares of the wetlands, leaving the charred remains of monkeys, caimans and snakes in its path. They were 70 per cent more destructive than the previous June fire record for the region - and they were four-times more likely and 40 per cent more intense as a result of climate change, according to the World Weather Attribution research group. The community believes the fires can be driven by the businesses that surround our home, according to Taily - and indeed, it is estimated that 90 per cent of the fires in the Pantanal are driven by human action, according to data from the Mato Grosso do Sul Department of the Environment. Unfortunately the punishment for this type of crime is not big, so the agrobusiness just keeps doing it, says Taily. Given the threats posed by the climate crisis, for Taily, it is obvious that oil is not the answer. We need to have clear climate principles, she says. We need to do better if we want to be protected from all these climate problems that we have. Despite the concerns around Brazils oil push, Taily nonetheless believes that a Brazil led by the Lula administration is in a strong position to drive climate talks at CO30 to a good outcome. Firstly, theres the fact that Brazils institutions and diplomats are generally judged to be pretty effective. Brazil is very good at diplomacy, she says. Moreover, after two years in which the COP climate talks were held in autocracies with far weaker environmental credentials than Brazil, Taily believes that the greater space for activists to partake protest around the talks can help drive them to a positive conclusion. With civil society from both Brazil and other countries present, we can really push home the message that we are against fossil fuel extraction here in Brazil, she says. Sign up to the Independent Climate email for the latest advice on saving the planet Get our free Climate email Get our free Climate email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Thought Category 5 was as bad as a hurricane could get? Think again. As Hurricane Melissa barrels off into the Atlantic after devastating Jamaica and Cuba, some scientists say the age of Category 6 hurricanes is now upon us. Storms fueled by human-caused climate change are stronger, intensify more rapidly and move faster than ever before, bringing destructive winds that rip off roofs and flooding coastal communities with feet of fast-moving ocean water that can linger for days after the immediate danger has passed, experts say. Hurricanes are already exceeding the highest level of the wind-driven Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale, which measures the amount of damage expected, capping off at catastrophic maximum sustained wind speeds of 157 miles per hour. Five tropical cyclones that formed since 2013 would have been deemed Category 6 hurricanes if such a classification existed. Now, experts believe the 5 scale may no longer meet the moment and this weeks Hurricane Melissa is reinforcing that belief. open image in gallery People search for food on the streets of Jamaicas Black River community Wednesday following the passage of Hurricane Melissa. Scientists say climate-fueled storms like Melissa may necessitate the need for an increased hurricane scale ( AFP via Getty Images ) The Category 5 storm Jamaicas worst on record came close to a Category 6 hurricane, climatologist Dr. Michael Mann, Presidential Distinguished Professor in the Department of Earth and Environmental Science at the University of Pennsylvania, told The Independent. Its been proposed that such a hurricane would have maximum sustained winds of 192 miles per hour and could do much more damage than structures designed to withstand Category 5 winds are able to handle. I wouldnt rule out that in post-season analysis, the wind estimates are upgraded, possibly breaching the Cat. 6 cut-off), he said in an email, agreeing that these supercharged storms are the new normal and that we need to rethink how they are classified going forward. As long as were using wind-based metrics, it simply doesnt make sense (mathematically, or fiscally and sociologically) to artificially cap the scale at 5 any more, he said. Adding Category 6 to the 2010-dated Saffir-Simpson scale would recognize the increasingly worrisome effects of climate change on hurricanes, including the greater risk of damage posed by worse storms, Dr. Katharine Hayhoe, Chief Scientist of The Nature Conservancy, told The Independent. open image in gallery People walk through a flooded street Thursday in Petit-Goave, Haiti, following the passage of Hurricane Melissa. Much of the damage posed by hurricanes is related to precipitation, with warmer atmospheres able to hold more moisture ( AFP via Getty Images ) She believes that there may also need to be a full redo of the scale to take precipitation into account, which is responsible for the majority of hurricane-related economic impacts. The argument over whether or not to add a Category 6 to the Saffir-Simpson scale actually ignores the forest for the trees because were now seeing that flooding damage is arguably just as if not a greater issue, said Hayhoe. However, not all scientists agree theres a need to add to the scale or even feel that strongly about it. I don't think we need a Category 6. Uninhabitable for weeks or months is about as bad as it gets with hurricanes! Colorado State University meteorologist Dr. Phil Klotzbach told The Independent in an email. The Saffir-Simpson scale has been around for decades, Dr. Zachary Handlos, director of the Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences Undergraduate Degree Program at Georgia Tech University, told WCNC. If we change it, it becomes difficult to compare new storms to old ones unless we reanalyze past data. Wed be moving the goalposts for what defines a major hurricane. I dont firmly feel either way, meteorologist Jeff Berardelli wrote in a post on X. But I do think if we continue to see these league of their own storms then we need a way to separate the men from the boys, if you will. What that may look like remains uncertain, but the reality is that climate change is making furiously strengthening storms like Melissa more likely, with major threats to humanity. open image in gallery Hurricane Melissa churns over the Caribbean Sea. Melissa was one of the fastest intensifying storms of all time ( Getty Images ) Melissa was one of the fastest intensifying storms of all time and tied for the most powerful storm for wind speed and pressure in the North Atlantic. A recent study from Imperial College London found that Melissa was made four times more likely by human-induced climate change, boosting its wind speed by 11 miles per hour. Warming ocean temperatures are part of whats making hurricane winds stronger, Daniel Gilford, a meteorologist and atmospheric scientist with Climate Central, told The Independent. In the case of Melissa, we found that the extra ocean warming increased Melissas intensity by something by 10 miles per hour which pushed it up to 185 miles per hour [maximum sustained winds], he explained. open image in gallery A resident of the town of El Cobre, Cuba, walks past downed trees, power lines and destroyed houses following the passage of Hurricane Melissa on Wednesday. The storm was made four times more likely due to climate change ( AFP via Getty Images ) So, we are sort of in this regime where these storms are kind of what we would think about as at the very top of our scale when it comes to intensity for the Saffir-Simpson scale. And, unless atmosphere-warming greenhouse gas emissions produced largely by the fossil fuel industry are curbed, these threats will continue to get worse. We are stuck with the world that we have now. We are stuck with the climate warming that weve experienced about 1.3 degrees Celsius since pre-industrial [levels]. We are going to live during with our lifetimes with that temperature, said Gilford. So, these hurricanes are going to be more intense during our lifetimes. But we can reduce how much worse they get in the future by taking immediate action to cut our climate emissions right now, he added. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Watch live as president Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump host the White Houses annual Halloween event. The festivities include a trick-or-treating event on the South Lawn, which will be attended by thousands of children and families. During a performance from the US Air Force Strolling Strings, the president and first lady are due to hand out candy. The event is held in collaboration with the International Fresh Produce Association (IFPA), who are providing 7,500 apples from Washington and New York states to guests. After the event, the IFPA said it will donate pumpkins used in the celebrations to nonprofit DC Central Kitchen. Ahead of the celebrations, the first lady shared a photo on her social media showing the decorations, including numerous pumpkins, faux leaves, and an orange sign reading Halloween 2025. Some criticised the display as being in poor taste due to the fact that millions of Americans will soon lose access to food benefits amid the government shutdown. Awesome, too bad millions will have no food soon," replied one user on X. Instead of decorating with food, how about using it to give nutrition to the needy?, another said. However, some were in favour of the decorations. Man, the White House is looking so classy. Im so happy to see the beautification process of our house, one said. Sign up for our free Health Check email to receive exclusive analysis on the week in health Get our free Health Check email Get our free Health Check email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Children and young adults have been urged to get vaccinations against infections that cause meningitis and blood poisoning amid a deeply worrying rise in cases. Meningitis is an infection of the protective membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord. It can affect anyone, but is most common in babies, young children, teenagers and young adults. If not treated quickly, it can cause life-threatening sepsis and result in permanent damage to the brain or nerves. There were 378 cases of the serious bacterial infection invasive meningococcal disease (IMD) in 2024-25, the latest UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) figures show. This is up from 340 in the previous 12 months. Dr Tom Nutt, chief executive of Meningitis Now, said: "These figures are deeply worrying. Meningitis can affect anyone at any time, but these increases among teenagers, young adults, and babies some of the most vulnerable groups show just how vital it is to stay vigilant. Early recognition saves lives, but prevention through vaccines remains the most effective way to protect against this devastating disease." open image in gallery There were 378 cases of invasive meningococcal disease in 2024/25 ( Alamy/PA ) Symptoms of meningitis and septicaemia include a high temperature, vomiting, muscle and joint pain, mottled skin, headache, a stiff neck, sensitivity to light, and a rash. More than 82 per cent of cases last year some 313 were caused by MenB, up from 301 in 2023-24. Most were among children and young people, with the strain responsible for 90 per cent of cases in babies and all 65 cases in patients aged 15 to 19, as well as the highest proportion of cases among those 25 and over. It comes amid a decline in infant and teenage vaccination rates which is leaving youngsters vulnerable to the disease, UKHSA said. open image in gallery Parents are being urged to get their children vaccinated against meningitis ( Alamy/PA ) Public health minister Ashley Dalton said the number of cases is a stark reminder meningitis remains a serious threat to children and young adults. She added: I urge all parents and guardians to ensure their children are up to date with their meningitis vaccinations as well as those eligible. Dr Helen Campbell, lead scientist at UKHSA, said: The fight against meningococcal meningitis and septicaemia continues, with MenB still causing most of the cases last year. Thats why its crucial parents remain alert to symptoms and ensure their children are protected with the infant MenB vaccinations. Dr Campbell also highlighted the higher risk of infection among university students, adding: Teenagers should get their MenACWY in school when offered. If they have missed out, it is vital they get vaccinated, particularly if they are going to university or colleges where their risk of this often-devastating disease is much higher. For students especially, its vital they know the key symptoms and keep a close watch on any friends who suddenly get sick and, if concerned, seek medical help immediately. Dr Amanda Doyle, national director for primary care and community services at NHS England, added: Too many children and young people are still not fully vaccinated against meningitis a debilitating disease that can strike quickly and cause life-changing health complications and be deadly if not treated promptly. Vaccines to protect against this are offered free as part of the NHS routine immunisation programme, and I would urge all parents to take up the offer of a jab for their children or arrange an appointment with your GP practice if your child has missed one. Sign up for our free Health Check email to receive exclusive analysis on the week in health Get our free Health Check email Get our free Health Check email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice A Maine jury awarded a mother $25 million Thursday, finding that Mid Coast Medical Group was negligent in the medical care of her late daughter. Jasmine Jazzy Vincent, 15, of the GrayNew Gloucester area, began feeling unwell on July 14, 2021, her mom, Lyndsey Sutherland, said in a lawsuit against the MCMG. Her symptoms included sore, swollen breasts and veins, as well as respiratory issues. Jazzy was first diagnosed with pneumonia, but then a physician from MCMG misdiagnosed her with gynecomastia, a condition usually seen in men who use anabolic steroids. Despite medical attention, her condition rapidly worsened, and she suffered a fatal cardiac arrest on August 1, 2021, just 18 days after her symptoms began. open image in gallery Lawyers for Jasmine 'Jazzy' Vincent's mother, Lyndsey Sutherland, argued that the 15-year-old's Mid Coast Medical Group doctor neglected her medical history, vital signs, and standard care ( GoFundMe ) Sutherland, who was not in court on Thursday, sought damages for her daughters loss and its impact, and the jury reached its verdict after an hour of deliberation. This was for Jazzy, Sutherland emotionally repeated in a phone call with her attorney, Meryl Poulin, from the hallway of the courthouse upon learning the jurys decision, the Portland Press Herald reports. Gynecomastia mainly affects males, causing benign breast enlargement from hormonal imbalances, but a similar, rare condition, called gynecomastia-like changes, can occur in females. According to research published by the National Library of Medicine, the incidence of female gynecomastia-like changes constitutes about 0.15% of all female breast lesions. Jazzy was referred to Mid Coast Gynecology in July 2021 by her primary care provider at Martins Point in southern Maine, but the facility and gynecologist Dr. Danielle Salhany played a limited role in her care, an attorney for Mid Coast said, according to the Press Herald. Most treatment occurred at Martins Point, where Jazzy was diagnosed with pneumonia and prescribed prednisone a week earlier. Sutherland initially sued Martins Point, too, but later dropped the case before the trial. Following Jazzys death, it was discovered that the cardiac arrest she suffered was caused by fluid buildup due to acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), a type of blood cancer that her attorneys stated is highly curable if diagnosed in time. ALL targets immature white blood cells known as lymphocytes. This condition prevents the body from producing healthy blood cells, which can interfere with the immune system and normal blood functions. Common symptoms of ALL include general signs of illness and blood-related issues, such as fatigue, fever, night sweats, easy bruising, bleeding from the gums or nose, and bone pain. Sutherlands lawyers contended that Jazzys doctor at MCMG failed to review her medical history, neglected to check her vital signs fully, and did not provide the standard level of care. The defense argued that medical staff face daily complex decisions and should not be penalized for every mistake, and that Jazzys primary-care provider, Martins Point Health Care, also shared responsibility. The jury ultimately concluded that Mid Coast Medical Group acted negligently. The Independent has contacted representatives for MaineHealth, which owns Mid Coast Medical Group. Sign up for our free Health Check email to receive exclusive analysis on the week in health Get our free Health Check email Get our free Health Check email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Taking a defensive posture by lying face down when encountering a bear can prevent serious injuries, according to a new Japanese study. Japan had a record number of fatal encounters this year as nine people were killed by bears across the country, according to the environment ministry. Researchers from the Akita University in northeastern Japan surveyed 70 people injured in bear attacks in 2023 and found that facial, hand and arm injuries were the most prevalent. However, seven people among those surveyed who lay face down and covered their heads and necks escaped serious injuries. Scientists assessed personal accounts of the attacks from survivors and linked this data to medical record information such as the injury type and severity in findings that are the first of its kind based on actual data. Of the 70 surveyed, 23 were severe cases with multiple trauma, requiring general anaesthesia and the amputation of fingers and limbs. There were 23 severe cases, six cases of facial nerve palsy, and four cases of eyeball disorders, the study published in the journal Clinical Orthopaedic Surgery noted. open image in gallery Lying face down when encountering a bear can prevent serious illness ( Akita University ) Among those who were affected, 7 people (10 per cent of the total) were able to take a defensive posture, and none of these 7 people were seriously injured, researchers said. Bears are widespread in Japan, with brown bears found in Hokkaido and black bears seen widely in Honshu and Shikoku prefectures. In recent years, bear attacks have increased, attributed to changing habitats caused by an increased frequency of human activities in forests. Of the 209 bearrelated human injuries reported in the country in 2023, 70 occurred in Akita prefecture in northern Japan. Most of the injured were attacked while performing daily outdoor activities near their own residence. Attacks were frequent even in areas close to peoples homes, such as farmland and wooded residential zones, researchers wrote. open image in gallery Lying face down when encountering a bear can prevent serious illness. ( Akita University ) "It is important for people to understand bear habits and learn effective ways to protect themselves from attacks, study co-author and orthopaedic surgeon Yuki Ishigaki told Japans Kyodo News agency. While the defensive posture uncovered in the study cannot guarantee complete safety, researchers say it may help minimise injuries to the head and upper body, which are areas most often targeted by bears during attacks. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice An evil double murderer who stabbed and slashed his pregnant girlfriend 23 times after being released from prison on licence has been jailed for at least 42 years. Alana Odysseos, 32, was in the early stages of pregnancy with her third child when she was murdered by lifer Shaine March at her home in Walthamstow, east London, early on July 22 2024. March, 47, of Surrey Quays, south-east London, had admitted her murder on the seventh day of his trial after an expert no longer supported his claim of diminished responsibility. Jurors in his trial were not told that March had been convicted of murder before. March was aged 21 when he fatally stabbed 17-year-old Andre Drummond in the neck at a McDonalds restaurant in Denmark Hill, south London, in January 2000. Following his release on a life licence in early 2013, he was recalled to jail later that year after he stamped on the stomach of another pregnant girlfriend in July and was released again in February 2018. March also had convictions for assault and criminal damage in 1995. The court was told Ms Odysseos knew about Marchs murder conviction and safeguarding checks had been made by probation services. But when the defendant said their relationship had ended amicably, no further checks were made. Hours before killing Ms Odysseos, March had argued with about whether to abort their unborn child, with the victim heard to say: I dont want to kill my baby. On Friday, Mr Justice Murray jailed March for life with a minimum term of 42 years. The senior judge rejected calls from Ms Odysseoss family and the prosecution for a whole life order but noted that, given his age, March may never be released. open image in gallery Undated handout photo issued by Metropolitan Police of Shaine March who has been jailed for life at the Old Bailey with a minimum term of 42 years, for the murder of Alana Odysseos, 22, who was in the early stages of pregnancy with her third child when she was attacked at her home in Walthamstow, east London. ( Metropolitan Police/PA Wire ) March had appeared in court by videolink from Belmarsh prison, having initially refused to come to the Old Bailey. He made no reaction as members of Ms Odysseoss family told of the devastating impact of her murder. Mother Karen Cronin said: Alana, my beautiful kind and loving daughter, left this earth in the most callous and brutal way imaginable. The person who has done this to my daughter who I dont think deserves the respect of using his name is evil and a coward. Why did he have to resort to the level of violence he used? The anger I feel towards him doesnt feel Christian so I can no longer go to Church. I will never have forgiveness in my heart. I want him to die in prison. He should never be let out. Father Alan Yates said his daughter was a happy-go-lucky much loved mother who was kind and considerate and would stick up for what she believed in. He said something changed after she met March and she became a timid vulnerable person who was not our Alana. He said: I hope a sentence is given that means Shaine March will never cause another family the pain and loss we are suffering. It is unimaginable and we will never get over our loss. Every day I wonder why he didnt walk away. Alana was pregnant with his child. This meant nothing to him. The court heard statements from her three sisters, including Lorraine Schofield who said March was a monster and evil, disgusting coward. She told the court: All Alana wanted was to be loved. The baby she so desperately wanted to protect that night was taken away. Sister Jasmine Yates told March: You took more than one life that night. You took Alana, you took the baby she was carrying, the child she was excited about. I fear if you are ever released you will kill again. Prosecutor Louise Oakley argued for a whole life order meaning Marsh would never be released given the exceptionally high level of offending. Previously the court had heard how police were alerted by members of the public in Lynmouth Road who found Ms Odysseos outside her home wearing a nightie and dressing gown and clutching her right side. Bleeding from multiple stab wounds to her body, she pointed at the defendant standing nearby and shouted: Shaine stabbed me, he stabbed me. Help, help. March walked away as Ms Odysseos died on the ground outside her address despite the efforts of police and paramedics, jurors heard. She had suffered stab wounds to her chest, stomach, pelvis, shoulders, buttocks, right arm, thighs and lower legs. Before throwing his mobile phone in a drain, March recorded a voice note saying: Mum, I just killed a woman, and Im going back to jail. At 4.41am, staff at Creams Cafe in Walthamstow called 999 to report finding a man covered in blood who told them he had killed his wife and child. Following his arrest, March told police: I did it. I killed her Alana Odysseos. I killed her hahahaha. As he was put into a police van, he went on to asked to be put in jail where I belong, saying he was scum and deserved it. The defendant later told a prison officer that he saw red and stabbed his girlfriend with a knife from the kitchen after arguing about a pair of his trainers. While in handcuffs and accompanied by two officers, March kicked the head of a fellow detainee, knocking three of his teeth out, the court had heard. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice A mother has warned that the British Armed Forces are still not a safe place for young women, four years after her daughter took her own life after she was sexually assaulted by a former sergeant major. Royal Artillery Gunner Jaysley Becks body was found at Larkhill Camp in Wiltshire on 15 December 2021 five months after the 19-year-old was sexually assaulted by Warrant Officer Michael Webber, then 39. He was sentenced to six months imprisonment at the Court Martial Centre in Bulford, Wiltshire, on Friday. Becks family blamed her death on the combined impact of the assault and the way it was later handled by the authorities, including the pressure put on Beck to not make a police report, which shattered her faith in the system that was supposed to look after her. The court heard a service inquiry conducted in 2023 also found that Beck had been subject to a number of inappropriate behaviours by senior personnel in months before her death, of which Webber was only one. open image in gallery The court heard a service inquiry conducted in 2023 also found that Jaysley Beck had been subject to a number of inappropriate behaviours by senior personnel in months before her death ( PA Media ) But almost four years later, Becks mother, Leighann McCready, warned little had changed in the army since her daughters death. Asked outside the courthouse if the British Armed Forces are currently a safe space for young women, she told The Independent: Clearly not, as they protect their own. Is it a safe space? No. This is still continuing Im still inundated by young women saying what happened to your daughter is happening to me, and theyre still being disbelieved... [But] we are giving them the strength to continue and speak up. She said the familys heartache is indescribable, but they are continuing to battle for justice for her bubbly, kind, caring daughter, with the sentence passed on Friday marking just the start of their fight. We cant bring our daughter back, but we will keep fighting, she said. Theres been no evidence of change as of yet, and thats what Jaysleys voice is now about. We dont want to be on another side of this and see another soldier failed as our daughter was failed. Ms McCready claimed the army has been protecting [Webbers] identity throughout. No custody image of Webber was released to the media after he was sentenced. The Independent has contacted the Ministry of Defence for comment. People deserve to see the man he deserves to be out there, he deserves to be shamed, said Ms McCready. The family are calling for independent bodies to be introduced to handle complaints, warning: The army cant keep on marking its own homework. In the meantime, Ms McCready said in a message to young women: Until real change has been made, dont join the army. Theyre still failing us. open image in gallery McCready speaks to the media outside Bulford Court Martial Centre after Michael Webber was sentenced ( Ben Birchall/PA ) She called statements issued by the army in response to Becks death empty words and said she would not accept their apologies. To stand here and say were making these changes its four years on. How long does it take for changes to be made and real action to be made? she said. Real change needs to happen now. Real change needed to happen after my daughters passing. The family blame Webbers assault and how it was subsequently handled by authorities for Becks death. What he did and how it was handled afterwards cost our daughter her life, said Ms McCready. She did everything right, but was failed by the system there to support and protect her. She followed the rules, but those responsible failed to follow theirs... She would still be here had she have been listened to. They branded her as a female troublemaker. Even to this day, theyre failing us as a family. open image in gallery Becks body was found at Larkhill Camp in Wiltshire on 15 December 2021 ( Ranger Steve/Wikimedia ) She added that Beck should have been in court on Friday to watch Webber face punishment for what he did to her. Major General Jon Swift, assistant chief of the general staff (ACGS), said on Friday: We will always be profoundly sorry for the failings that were identified at Jaysleys inquest in February. The end of this court martial is another traumatic step in the journey for Jaysleys family, and we acknowledge that todays outcome has come too late for their beloved daughter. We are sorry we didnt listen to Jaysley when she first reported her assault. We are determined to make sure the same mistakes dont happen again. Since Jaysleys death, we have introduced a significant cultural reform programme, alongside the Raising our Standards programme. We are making improvements in how we train our people in appropriate behaviours, how we assess and select our leaders, and to build the trust our people place in us to address every complaint. 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 Rape Crisis offers support for those affected by rape and sexual abuse. You can call them on 0808 802 9999 in England and Wales, 0808 801 0302 in Scotland, and 0800 0246 991 in Northern Ireland, or visit their website at www.rapecrisis.org.uk. If you are in the US, you can call Rainn on 800-656-HOPE (4673) DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) The Red Cross said it transferred the unidentified remains of three people to Israel late Friday but they were still being examined and may not be those of missing hostages, an Israeli military official said. The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to speak to the media, said the remains had earlier been turned over to the Red Cross by Hamas in Gaza. The handover follows Israel's return Friday of the bodies of 30 Palestinians to authorities in Gaza. That completed an exchange after militants turned over remains of two hostages, in a sign that the tense Israel-Hamas ceasefire agreement is edging forward. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The incremental progress came despite Israeli strikes on Gaza this week that killed more than 100 people following the killing of an Israeli soldier. The bodies were also transferred with the Red Cross serving as intermediary. The return of the Palestinian remains was confirmed by a doctor at Nasser Hospital in the southern city of Khan Younis, where medical workers were striving to identify them. Gaza and Israel grapple with latest exchange of bodies Photos showed the remains, in white body bags, arranged in rows inside the grounds of Nasser Hospital. Health officials have struggled to identify bodies without access to DNA kits. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The handover brings the number of Palestinian bodies returned by Israel to 225, only 75 of which have been identified by families, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. It is unclear if those returned were killed in Israel during the Oct. 7, 2023, attack that triggered the war, died in Israeli custody as detainees or were recovered from Gaza by troops during the war. The bodies returned had been torn apart and exhumed, Munir al-Bursh, director general of Gazas Health Ministry, said in a post on X. Their flesh had melted, their faces erased by fire, leaving behind only bones and teeth, he said. The Israeli military has previously told The Associated Press that all bodies returned so far are those of combatants, a claim the AP was unable to verify. The military has said it operates in accordance with international law. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Al-Bursh said recently that many of the bodies handed over appear to be fighters or others killed during the 2023 attack. Several relatives who have identified the bodies of family members said they werent fighters. In Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus office said late Thursday that the remains returned by Palestinian militants had been confirmed as those of Sahar Baruch and Amiram Cooper, both taken hostage during the 2023 attack. Hamas has now returned the remains of 17 hostages since the start of the ceasefire, with 11 others still in Gaza and set to be turned over under the terms of the agreement. On Friday a small crowd of Israelis gathered in the plaza known as Hostages Square, praying together for the return of the dead hostages still in Gaza. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We cannot give up until everybody, all the bodies, will be here," said Rimona Velner, a Tel Aviv resident who joined the gathering. Its very important to the families and for us ... to close this circle. Warning to Hamas A senior U.S. official and a second source familiar with negotiations said that in messages passed to Hamas by mediators on Wednesday, Israel warned the militant group that its fighters had 24 hours to leave the yellow zone or face strikes. That deadline passed Thursday evening, after which the senior U.S. official said Israel will enforce the ceasefire and engage Hamas targets behind the yellow line. Hamas did not respond to a request for comment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Friday, Shifa hospital director Mohamed Abu Selmiya said that one person had been killed by Israeli gunfire in northern Gaza. Israel's military said its troops had fired after the person approached troops in a way that posed a threat. In a new assessment released Friday, the United Nations said satellite photos taken in early October show that 81% of all buildings in Gaza have been destroyed or otherwise damaged in the conflict. Government officials from eight Arab and Muslim nations will gather in Istanbul on Monday to discuss the next steps for Gaza, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Friday. The talks follow a meeting between the countries' leaders and President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the United Nations Security Council, preceding the ceasefire agreement. They mark the latest effort to create an International Stabilization Force in Gaza, outlined in a 20-point U.S. plan. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The ceasefire, which began Oct. 10, is aimed at winding down a war that is by far the deadliest and most destructive of those ever fought between Israel and Hamas. In the October 2023 attack on Israel, Hamas-led militants killed about 1,200 people and took 251 others hostage. In the two years since, Israels military offensive has killed more than 68,600 Palestinians in Gaza, according to Gazas Health Ministry, which doesnt distinguish between civilians and combatants. The ministry, which is part of the Hamas-run government and is staffed by medical professionals, maintains detailed records viewed as generally reliable by independent experts. Israel, which some international critics have accused of committing genocide in Gaza, has disputed the figures without providing its own tally. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Israeli fire kills teen in West Bank In the central West Bank town of Silwad on Friday, mourners thronged the streets for the funeral of Yamen Hamed, 15, who Palestinian health officials say was shot by an Israeli soldier overnight. Samed Yousef Hamed kissed his son goodbye. Samed said his son left home Thursday to hang out with friends. Soon after, he learned the teen had been injured and Israel's army was preventing an ambulance from reaching him. Ahed Smirat, the ambulance driver who tried to reach Hamed following the shooting, told the AP that troops held him up multiple times. By the time they let him through, troops told him the teen had died, he said. Israels military called the teen a terrorist and said troops had fired believing that he was holding an explosive, but did not provide any evidence to support that characterization. Hamed's funeral was Friday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The shooting is the latest in a surge of military killings of Palestinian children in the West Bank that has accompanied a general upswing in violence in the territory since the start of the Israel-Hamas war. Some were killed during Israeli military raids in dense neighborhoods, others by sniper fire in peaceful areas. The killings have risen as the Israeli military has stepped up operations in the occupied West Bank since the wars onset in what it calls a crackdown on militants. ___ Frankel reported from Jerusalem. AP reporter Toqa Ezzidin in Cairo and AP Diplomatic Writer Matthew Lee in Washington contributed to this report. ___ Find more of APs Israel-Hamas coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war Wafaa Shurafa And Julia Frankel, The Associated Press For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Three Just Stop Oil activists who took part in a protest in which Stonehenge was sprayed with orange powder have been found not guilty of criminal damage and causing a public nuisance. It follows a trial at Salisbury Crown Court where they cited human rights law in their defence. Then-Oxford University student Niamh Lynch, 23, and Rajan Naidu, 74, had been accused of using two colour blasters filled with cornflour, talc and an orange dye to spray the monument. Salisbury Crown Court was told the pair along with a third activist, Luke Watson, 36 targeted Stonehenge as part of an ongoing fossil fuel protest by the Just Stop Oil group the day before the 2024 summer solstice. About 15,000 people were due to gather and celebrate at the monument. Naidu and Lynch had crossed the boundary ropes and trespassed into the area around the monument before launching the attack. Just Stop Oil protesters sit down after an orange substance was sprayed on Stonehenge ( PA Media ) Watson had bought the equipment used in the attack and had driven his co-accused to Stonehenge that morning. Prosecutors alleged the protest had been carefully planned and was filmed by other Just Stop Oil supporters with footage released publicly afterwards. Simon Jones, prosecuting, said: Putting it simply, we say they were all in it together. The prosecution say that this is an act of blatant and clear vandalism. The intention is undoubtedly to make a statement. After the attack, Naidu and Lynch, who were both wearing white Just Stop Oil T-shirts, sat down in silence in front of the stones until they were arrested. The court heard the stones were promptly cleaned. The costs of removing the powder totalled 620. Mr Jones added: Stonehenge is arguably the best recognised and architecturally sophisticated prehistoric stone circle in the world, built around 5,000 years ago. The site in Wiltshire is visited by members of the public from all over the world, providing both an education and spiritual experience. The stones are a protected ancient monument. The three defendants each denied charges of damaging an ancient protected monument and causing a public nuisance on 19 June 2024. The latter is a new statutory offence created by the 2022 Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act, which sparked a wave of Kill the Bill protests across the country. They each accepted taking part in the protest and cited in their defence reasonable excuse, and their rights under Articles 10 and 11 of the European Convention on Human Rights to freedom of speech and freedom to protest. The defendants argued it was a peaceful protest, that the rights of others were not greatly interfered with, that care had been taken in choosing the type of powder to use, there was no lasting damage to the stones and that protesting about fossil fuels was a legitimate cause. Judge Paul Dugdale told the jury in his legal directions they had to assess where the balance lies in the case and whether a conviction would be a proportionate interference with the defendants rights. In any society there will be those whose opinions we agree with and those whose opinions we disagree, he said. The essence of a free society and freedom of speech is that everyones entitled to express their opinion even when we disagree with what they say. If individuals disagree with what our government is doing on certain matters, they are entitled to protest about the governments actions or inactions. All of this is the essence of our free society. Its how our society has developed over the centuries, and the reality is we are very fortunate to live in a free society. There are times when protecting the right to freedom of speech and freedom to protest can mean that activity that would otherwise be unlawful would be regarded as lawful by the court to protect those rights. The jury found Naidu, of Gosford Street, Birmingham; Lynch, of Norfolk Road, Turvey, Bedford; and Watson, of The Street, Manuden, Essex, each not guilty of the two charges after deliberating for six hours. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Prince Andrew is set to lose his royal titles in the latest chapter in his humiliating downfall. The royal once widely believed to be Queen Elizabeth IIs favourite child had faced calls to step away from public life forever after harrowing details of the allegations against him were laid bare in Virginia Giuffres bombshell posthumous memoir. The 65-year-old, who denies any wrongdoing, had also come under mounting pressure to give up his 30-bedroom royal mansion - which he will now leave - and start cooperating with the FBI in their investigation of the paedophile billionaire Jeffrey Epstein. The revelations have reignited calls for the Metropolitan Police to investigate the royal, after the force repeatedly declined to open a full inquiry into claims that he slept with Guiffre in London when she was 17. The Met has looked into allegations relating to Andrew and Epsteins activities in London three times, and opted not to investigate. Giuffres brother and sister-in-law, Sky and Amanda Roberts, said this month that if the Met refused to act, police watchdog the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) should review the decision. The IOPC has not received a referral on the issue, The Independent understands. It has been more than 20 years since a member of the royal family faced a criminal investigation. Princess Anne was charged with an offence under the Dangerous Dogs Act in 2002, after her dog bit two children in Windsor Great Park. open image in gallery Prince Andrews links with Jeffrey Epstein remain under scrutiny following the revelations in Virginia Giuffres memoir ( PA ) The Independent has reviewed what criminal allegations, if any, Andrew could face in Britain and the US. Met Police looking into allegations of a bid to smear Giuffre The Met Police have confirmed they are actively looking into fresh allegations that Andrew tried to use his police bodyguard to smear his accuser. The Mail on Sunday claims to have seen leaked emails from 2011 in which Andrew said he had handed over Giuffres confidential social security number (SSN) and date of birth to his taxpayer-funded Met Police protection officer, apparently in a bid to dig up dirt on her. Andrew reportedly wrote in an email to Ed Perkins, Queen Elizabeths deputy press secretary: It would also seem she has a criminal record in the [United] States. I have given her DoB [date of birth] and social security number for investigation with XXX, the on duty ppo [personal protection officer]. Giuffres family have said she does not have a criminal record, and it is not clear whether or not the bodyguard complied with the request. The Mets former head of royal protection, Dai Davies, has urged the force to question the royal under caution if there is evidence that he abetted a police officer to commit the criminal offence of misconduct in public office. It is time for Scotland Yard to launch a full criminal investigation into Prince Andrew, he told the Mail. Asking a police officer to investigate an alleged victim is outside of their duties, whether that is calling the FBI, your mates in the US, or searching out themselves to find out whether someone has a criminal offence. That is, in my view, a criminal offence. open image in gallery Prince Andrew pictured with Virginia Giuffre and Ghislaine Maxwell. The royal claimed that the image had been doctored ( United States District Couty for the Southern District of New York ) According to legal experts, the allegations could also prompt a criminal investigation in the US. Under the Identity Theft and Assumption Deterrence Act, individuals who knowingly use, transfer, or possess another persons SSN with the intent to commit an illegal act can face a fine or a prison term in the most serious cases. Spencer Kuvin, who represented nine victims of Epstein, told The Telegraph: Penalties for this crime are very severe and can be up to 15 years in prison. He called for the FBI to immediately open an investigation into Andrews alleged use of Guiffres SSN, and to request an interview with the royal, adding: Both the US and British authorities should not protect this awful individual. The world should hold Andrew accountable and show everyone that justice matters. However, the Met has not confirmed whether it has launched an official investigation, or what crime, if any, this could potentially involve. A spokesperson added: We are aware of media reporting and are actively looking into the claims made. Family court and womens rights barrister Dr Charlotte Proudman said that the bodyguard claims, if true, would represent a deeply troubling abuse of power. The idea that public resources could be used to discredit a victim of sexual exploitation reinforces why so many survivors feel unsafe coming forward, she told The Independent. This is not only about individual conduct, but about the wider failure of institutions including the police to confront misogyny and hold the powerful to account. Andrew accused of having sex with Giuffre Giuffre, who took her own life in April this year, claims that she was forced to have sex with Andrew three times, including once in London. The prince has always vehemently denied the claims. Andrew is mentioned a total of 88 times in Giuffres 400-page diary-style memoir Nobodys Girl, which was published on Tuesday. In her book, Giuffre alleges that she was 17 and had been trafficked when she first slept with the royal while staying at Epsteins former girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwells house in London. She says they had sex after a night at the Tramp nightclub describing Andrew, then 41, as a bumbling dancer. The next day, she claims, Maxwell told her: You did well, the prince had fun. Later, she claims, Epstein gave her $15,000 for servicing the man the tabloids called Randy Andy. Giuffre claims that she was sent to a bedroom to have sex with Andrew again a month later, when he was visiting Epsteins New York home. open image in gallery Guiffre mentions Andrew 88 times in her posthumously published memoir ( BBC/Panorama ) Giuffre wrote that she did not know exactly when shed had sex with Andrew for the third time, but that she had taken part in group sex with the royal and eight other young girls on Epsteins Caribbean island of Little Saint James, also referred to as Little Saint Jeffs by the billionaires friends. In March 2022, Andrew paid Giuffre an undisclosed amount estimated to be around $16m to settle a civil lawsuit in the US, but he accepted no liability in relation to her allegations of sexual assault. She brought the case under the New York Child Victims Act, because it allowed her to raise allegations that would otherwise have fallen outside the statute of limitations in US law. Given that one of the alleged assaults took place in London, the Met Police have come under pressure to investigate the matter. The fact that Giuffre claims to have been 17 at the time does not in itself mean the incident was a crime, because the legal age of consent in the UK is 16. However, if it could be proved that Giuffre was a victim of sex trafficking, or that Andrew paid for the encounter, its possible that this could have criminal implications for the prince. Former Met commissioner Cressida Dick claimed that no one is above the law when she promised to review documents from the civil suit Giuffre filed in 2021, but the force later confirmed that it was taking no further action against the prince. It was the third time the Met had refused to launch an investigation. Issues police considered, according to Ms Dick, were whether there was evidence of a crime, and whether the UK was the right jurisdiction to deal with the case. Dr Proudman called for the Met to reopen its investigation, adding that she believes the force has an entrenched problem with misogyny and a pattern of minimising violence against women and girls. open image in gallery Pages in Guiffres memoir Nobodys Girl, in which the author details her allegations against Prince Andrew ( AFP/Getty ) In light of further evidence that has now come to light in her book, it is difficult to understand why the Met have not reopened their investigation into Virginia Giuffres original allegations against Andrew, she said. This is not just about one man or one case, it is about whether the police are prepared to confront their failures to protect women, especially when the accused is powerful. The investigation should be reopened so that survivors can have confidence that no one is above the law. Andrew under pressure to help the FBI Cabinet minister Peter Kyle on Tuesday urged Andrew to cooperate with the US authorities and give evidence about Epsteins crimes. In 2020, a federal investigator accused Andrew of providing zero cooperation with the US inquiry into Epstein and his conspirators, despite having promised that he was willing to help when he stood down from public duties in 2019. This week, business secretary Mr Kyle urged him to stick to his word, telling ITVs Good Morning Britain: I think anybody that has any information that could bring justice and information to victims of Jeffrey Epsteins crimes should be fully engaging with any of the authorities that are seeking to deliver that information and justice for the victims. He added: Those victims must be first, and they must be central to how we discuss and debate any of these issues relating to the Jeffrey Epstein ... situation, and the crimes he committed. So of course, anybody, anywhere that has information that can deliver that justice should be sharing it openly. I believe that Andrew, in the past, has said that he would cooperate, and I urge him to stick to his word on that. Shadow justice secretary Robert Jenrick agreed that Andrew should give evidence to the US authorities about what he knew and what his involvement was in the scandal. Rape Crisis offers support for those affected by rape and sexual abuse. You can call them on 0808 802 9999 in England and Wales, 0808 801 0302 in Scotland, and 0800 0246 991 in Northern Ireland, or visit their website at www.rapecrisis.org.uk. If you are in the US, you can call Rainn on 800-656-HOPE (4673) 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. If you are in another country, you can go to www.befrienders.org to find a helpline near you Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Andrew Mountbatten Windsor is facing mounting calls to answer questions in the United States about Jeffrey Epstein following his dramatic fall from grace and the stripping of all his remaining titles. King Charles made the historic decision this week to remove his brothers royal status he will no longer be known as a prince and evict him from the 30-room Royal Lodge on the Windsor Estate. It came after years of embarrassment for the monarchy due to allegations made against Andrew. His accuser, the late Virginia Giuffre, claimed that she was forced to have sex with the royal when she was aged 17 after she was trafficked by the paedophile financier. Andrew vehemently denies the allegations, but the latest development in the disgraced royals fall from grace has prompted calls from politicians and campaigners for him to finally answer questions on his ties to Epstein. Giuffres sister-in-law said if she were speaking to Andrew, she would ask him to think of his daughters and come clean. open image in gallery Virginia Giuffres sister-in-law said there are many things that Andrew can help bring to light about Jeffrey Epstein ( AFP/Getty ) Asked what she would say to Andrew, Amanda Roberts told Sky News: I would say, and I said this earlier, Think of your daughters. They were the same age. Think of what you would do had something like this happened to them. What would you want their perpetrator to do? I think its far beyond time to come clean. You were best friends with this man and there are so many things that you could help bring to light. Virginia deserves that and every single survivor that has been entrapped in that sex trafficking ring deserves that from you. If you can give an inkling of justice, then it should be on you to do. open image in gallery Andrew with Virginia Giuffre, and Epsteins close friend Ghislaine Maxwell in the background ( PA ) Calls have also come from within government, with a trade minister saying Andrew should answer questions from US authorities if asked to do so. Describing Andrew as now an ordinary member of the public, Sir Chris Bryant said he should comply with any future requests. He said: I think that just as with any ordinary member of the public, if there were requests from another jurisdiction of this kind, I would expect any decently minded person to comply with that request. So I feel exactly the same in this situation. He added: What Im basically saying is that I think that if Andrew is asked to do something by a Senate committee, then I would have thought that he would want to comply. open image in gallery The King has made the historic decision to strip his brother of all his remaining titles ( AFP/Getty ) Giuffres brother has also called on the royal family to do more, and said the King should tell Donald Trump to put your big boy pants on and release the Epstein files. Saying he would welcome a conversation with the monarch with open arms, he added he believed Andrew should be investigated. Speaking about the Kings decision to remove Andrews titles, Sky Roberts told Sky News: But its still, its not enough in the sense that hes still walking around a free man. I mean, lets not be naive that hes not going to be living on the side of the road here, hes still in a very, lets say, cush spot He should be investigated, lets put it that way. open image in gallery Giuffres brother has also called on the royal family to do more ( BBC ) Recent weeks have seen pressure on Andrew grow once again, after the publication of Virginia Giuffres posthumous memoir and as details of his peppercorn rent agreement on the Royal Lodge emerged. The Independent understands that Andrew will be able to live at the Royal Lodge until the end of January, before he moves to a property on the Sandringham estate in Norfolk, funded privately by the King. However, discussions are understood to be ongoing over which home on the Sandringham estate he will be moving to. Andrews lease agreement also contained a clause which stated the Crown Estate would have to pay Andrew around 558,000 if he gave up the lease. However, it is understood that the agreement still needs to be reviewed and processed by the Crown Estate. It is also understood that Sarah Ferguson has made clear that she would not accept, as had been suggested by courtiers in earlier negotiations with Andrew over his departure, any home or financial assistance from the royal family. open image in gallery It is understood that Andrew will be able to live at the Royal Lodge until the end of January ( Getty ) On Friday, it was announced his name had been struck from the official roll of the peerage, marking a key step in formally removing his titles. However, questions over Andrews place in the line of succession are now likely to be asked, experts have said. He remains eighth in line to the throne, behind Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet of Sussex, despite now being known simply as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, effectively living as a commoner. Majesty Magazines managing editor, Joe Little, said: Clearly it would take quite a catastrophe for him to become king given all those that are ahead of him. So might it not have been tidier to withdraw him from the line of succession? But there have been calls to bring in legislation to stop any chance, however remote, of him becoming king. open image in gallery Journalists wait at the Royal Lodge following the announcement that Andrew will be evicted ( AP ) Downing Street said there were no plans for legislative changes when asked about potentially making it easier to strip peerages in the future or remove Andrew from the line of succession. From the governments perspective, there are no plans to make legislative changes, the prime ministers spokesperson said. He added: The government is focused on using parliamentary time to improve the lives of working people. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice In a historic move, King Charles announced he is to strip all remaining titles from Prince Andrew and will evict him from the Royal Lodge. Buckingham Palace said Andrew was given notice on Thursday to leave the 30-room mansion and he will in future be known simply as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, effectively living as a commoner. It comes after weeks of intense pressure as the Kings brothers links to paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein continue to embarrass the monarchy. It is understood that although Andrew denies all Epstein accusations, Buckingham Palace considers that there have been serious lapses of judgement. A live audience on BBCs Question Time burst into applause as they were told the news on Thursday evening, with many around the world expressing similar strong reactions. open image in gallery Buckingham Palace said Andrew will in future be known simply as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, effectively living as a commoner ( AP ) Here is how the worlds media reacted to the news: Andrew believed the worst was over... the King had other ideas Newspapers in Australia have been following the Andrew-Epstein story closely. The King is still the head of state of Australia, and Andrews accuser, Virginia Giuffre, lived in the country for much of her life. The Kings announcement on Thursday became the lead story on several news sites, including The Australian and The Sydney Morning Herald. Analysis in The Sydney Morning Herald highlights that Andrews attempt to draw a line under the accusations by relinquishing Duke of York titles was not enough. It says Charles never had any doubt that more had to be done to protect the royal family. open image in gallery The Kings announcement on Thursday became the lead story on several news sites, including The Australian and The Sydney Morning Herald ( The Sydney Morning Herald ) The Australian said the royals had taken the nuclear option, but criticised the palace, saying in its analysis: Until now, Buckingham Palace had dished out mostly symbolic punishments against Andrew. This demotion is unprecedented in scale for the House of Windsor. open image in gallery The Australian said the royals had taken the nuclear option ( The Australian ) In the US, multiple papers and broadcasters covered the story. CNN called the move extraordinary but asked whether the Kings decision was too little too late. Calling it the ultimate humiliation for Andrew, the broadcaster described how he will now be exiled to the countryside to live in obscurity. It said the news cements the deepest split in the British royal family in decades. The question now: whether King Charles and the British establishment have done enough to prevent Andrews association with Epstein from engulfing the monarchy. open image in gallery CNN called the move extraordinary but asked whether the Kings decision was too little too late ( CNN ) The Royal formerly known as prince The New York Post dubbed Andrew as disgraced and highlighted the palaces reference to the victims and survivors of abuse in their statement. The statement says the King and Queens sympathies have been, and will remain with, the victims and survivors of any and all forms of abuse. open image in gallery The New York Post dubbed Andrew as disgraced and highlighted the palaces reference to the victims ( New York Post ) The Washington Post said the King had taken decisive action against his brother in what the palace said was deemed necessary. It said the move underscores the kings determination to protect the monarchys reputation, even at the cost of permanently stripping his younger brother of the titles and privileges he has held since birth. It said the removal process represents the most vigorous royal intervention in a scandal that has plagued the family for years. open image in gallery The Washington Post said the King had taken decisive action against his brother ( The Washington Post ) The Prince is no longer German paper Der Spiegel also led with the story, saying King Charles has had enough and is officially holding his brother accountable. The paper said this is primarily thanks to a courageous woman, Virginia Giuffre, whose posthumous memoir achieved what would otherwise likely have been swept under the rug time and time again. The paper wrote: Giuffre fought bravely and persistently to transform the very dark chapters of her young life into brighter ones. open image in gallery German paper Der Spiegel also led with the story, saying King Charles has had enough ( Der Spiegel ) Elsewhere in Europe, French newspaper Le Monde said it is almost unprecedented for a British prince or princess to be stripped of that title. It last happened in 1919, when Prince Ernest Augustus, who was a UK royal and also a prince of Hanover, had his British title removed for siding with Germany during World War I. open image in gallery French newspaper Le Monde called the move unprecedented ( Le Monde ) How The Independent covered the news The Independent presented the story on the front cover of Fridays edition, referencing the Kings bombshell decree and writing that Andrew had paid the price for his contact with Epstein. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice 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. open image in gallery 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. open image in gallery 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. open image in gallery 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. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice A reptile expert has shared his fears that a deadly spider species could invade the UK. Chris Newman, Director of the National Centre for Reptile Welfare, said he is worried that the Black Widow spider could become established in this country. Black Widow spiders are around 1.5 inches long and identified by the red, hourglass-shaped mark on their abdomens. Because they are found in more temperate parts of the world, they would be able to withstand the colder climate in the UK. The charity director said his team recently collected dozens of Australian black widows found at the Dartford Crossing in a shipment from Japan . Mr Newman told The Independent: Black Widows come from a very wide habitat and they have already become established in Japan, where temperatures are similar to the UK. So there is a concern that Black Widow spiders could become an invasive species here. open image in gallery Black Widow spiders are around 1.5 inches long and identified by the red, hourglass-shaped mark on their abdomens ( Getty Images/iStockphoto ) The venom in the spiders bite is reported to be 15 times stronger than a rattlesnake's. In humans, bites produce muscle aches, nausea, and a paralysis of the diaphragm that can make breathing difficult. Mr Newman said for the average healthy human, they are not likely to be life-threatening, however, it can be fatal for children and the elderly. The charity director also raised concerns about the Brazilian Wandering spider, which he said he has seen for the first time in 30 years in a pack of bananas. They are common in South America, and can also be very dangerous. Luckily, because they are used to warmer temperatures, they cannot be established here. open image in gallery The Brazilian Wandering spider species is common in South America ( Getty Images ) He said: Every year we will see four or five scary looking spiders in banana packets, but they are actually harmless. The likelihood you will find a Brazilian Wandering spider is extremely remote, but we still need to take it seriously because it is very dangerous. Mr Newman said the Brazilian Wandering spider is normally found at ports of entry and shipments. They recently found one in a shipment of electronic parts, but unlike common belief, it is not typically found in fruit over vegetable and is more likely to be found in industrial parts from South America. The lesson is: if you are buying bananas, wash them carefully. Make sure theres nothing there before you put them on the dinner table, he said, adding: I want people to know that if they do find something they think is dangerous, there is help out there. Our line is available 24/7. We can quickly identify if is this something that is harmless or harmful. If it is harmless, we can easily deal with that. But if we identify that the spider is harmful, we can give advice on how to keep people safe in the meantime. Advising what to do if you are bitten by one of the two deadly spider species, he said: Dont try and do any old home remedies. Keep that part of the body still. Try to keep as calm as possible and seek medical help straight away. A Defra spokesperson said: We are constantly assessing for new risks and threats and we are committed to keeping invasive plants and animals out of the UK. We advise all travellers to be careful to ensure their clothing, equipment and luggage is free from any stowaways that could accidentally introduce invasive species, pests or diseases. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice When Sophias* daughter started to go through puberty, going to school became a constant source of anxiety. But the issue wasnt with her lessons or homework - it was that she was worried she would smell. The 9-year-old is one of millions of people in the UK who are being held back because they cannot afford the essential hygiene products they need as the cost of living crisis has hammered British households. Alarming figures released by charities In Kind Direct and The Hygiene Bank show that children are also feeling the devastating effects of hygiene poverty. Research shows one in ten children have missed school due to to it, while 21 per cent of children living in hygiene poverty avoid playing with others for fear of being judged, 26 per cent suffer from low self-confidence, and 17 per cent feel embarrassed and ashamed. Charity leaders have warned hygiene poverty is the smoke before the fire, with many having to go without basics such as toothpaste, shampoo and washing powder before they go to a food bank. For Sophia, the childcare struggle with hygiene poverty began when having children made it harder for her to work as many hours in childcare. The mother-of-three has often gone without things such as sanitary towels because she cannot afford them, and instead had to use a tissue. open image in gallery She has often gone without things such as sanitary towels because she cannot afford them, and had had to use tissue instead. ( Getty Images ) But when her daughter began to hit puberty, she saw the effect of child poverty on her too. Getting deodorant for my daughter is hard with the prices of it sometimes, getting that means not getting something perhaps more vital, the 34-year-old from Essex, whose name has been changed, said. Ive had to pick and choose what Im getting that month or that week. Which then has meant Ive not wanted to go out because Im so self conscious about whether the tissue will work and the embarrassment. My daughter gets worried about going to school because shes worried she smells, she doesnt want to get too close to people. She doesnt want to join in PE incase she sweats. Its horrible as a parent to know shes going through that when she shouldnt be - because it shouldnt be this difficult. Since she started puberty weve had deodorant on and off. Shes very aware of her own smell, so she showers a lot more often than most. Shes constantly worried if she smells and wont go too close to her friends because she doesnt want them to smell her. It affects her friendships because she seems distant at times but its because shes so paranoid someones going to say something horrible. Hygiene poverty means being unable to afford everyday items such as toothpaste, shower gel or period products. open image in gallery 21 per cent of children living in hygiene poverty avoid playing with others for fear of being judged ( Getty Images ) In Kind Direct and The Hygiene Bank say hygiene poverty is undermining the health, education and employment of millions of families across the UK and warn that without intervention, thousands more people will be pushed into hygiene poverty by 2030. Hygiene poverty is the smoke before the fire. Before people go to a food bank, before they go hungry, they have often gone without many basics - toothpaste, shampoo, washing powder, Micheal Gidney, CEO at In Kind Direct, said. No parent should have to send their child to school without brushing their teeth, and no-one should miss out on opportunities because they cant afford soap or period products. This is a scandal that shouldnt exist, and together with The Hygiene Bank, we are launching a campaign to end hygiene poverty for good. Ruth Brock, CEO at The Hygiene Bank, said: By joining forces with In Kind Direct, we are determined to shine a light on this hidden crisis and build the roadmap to end hygiene poverty once and for all. This is not an inevitable part of life in Britain together, with government, businesses and communities, we can and must end it. Together, the charities have launched a new mission to end hygiene poverty by 2030. Find out more here. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Terrorist Jihad Al-Shamie, 35, died after he sustained multiple gunshot wounds when he was shot by armed police responding to his attack on a synagogue, Manchester Coroners Court has heard. The inquest into the death of the 35-year-old, who launched his attack on the Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue in Crumpsall, Manchester, on 2 October, was opened and adjourned at the court on Friday. It heard that Al-Shamie had run towards armed police aggressively while carrying a knife and wearing what appeared to be a suicide belt. Worshippers Melvin Cravitz and Adrian Daulby were killed in the incident, which happened about 9.30am. Al-Shamie, a Syrian-born UK citizen, began his rampage by driving his Kia Picanto at security staff and the external gates of the synagogue, as worshippers were gathering for Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the year for Jews. Jihad Al-Shamie was shot multiple times by police officers ( Facebook ) Detective Chief Superintendent Lewis Hughes told the hearing that armed officers responding to the call discharged several rounds at Al-Shamie as he ran towards them aggressively while carrying a knife and wearing what clearly presented as a suicide belt. He added: Al-Shamie sustained multiple bullet wounds and collapsed to the ground. Judge Alexia Durran, the chief coroner of England and Wales, presiding over the hearing, said her provisional findings were that Al-Shamie died of gunshot wounds at Heaton Park Synagogue Community. He was identified by his fingerprints and by secondary supporting evidence, including his car, phone and inquiries with immediate family in the aftermath of the incident, the hearing was told. Members of Al-Shamies family attended the hearing, which lasted just over 15 minutes, via a video link. Earlier this week, inquests for the two victims were opened and adjourned. A hearing held on Wednesday was told that Mr Cravitz, 66, died from multiple knife wounds inflicted by Al-Shamie. Mr Daulby, 53, who had been holding the main doors of the synagogue shut as Al-Shamie tried to force his way inside, died from a single gunshot wound to the chest fired by an armed police officer. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice King Charles is stripping Prince Andrew of his titles and honours and evicting him from his royal residence. A formal notice has been served on Andrew to surrender his lease at the Royal Lodge in Windsor, Buckingham Palace said in a statement. The Kings decision comes after growing pressure to oust Prince Andrew from the lodge over his connections to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and allegations from Epstein victim Virginia Roberts Giuffre. Read the Kings statement in full: His Majesty has today initiated a formal process to remove the Style, Titles and Honours of Prince Andrew. Prince Andrew will now be known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor. His lease on Royal Lodge has, to date, provided him with legal protection to continue in residence. Formal notice has now been served to surrender the lease and he will move to alternative private accommodation. Prince Andrew pictured last month ( PA ) These censures are deemed necessary, notwithstanding the fact that he continues to deny the allegations against him. Their Majesties wish to make clear that their thoughts and utmost sympathies have been, and will remain with, the victims and survivors of any and all forms of abuse. Andrew to move to private accommodation Its understood that Prince Andrew will move to a property on the Sandringham Estate. Any future accommodation will be privately funded by the King. The developments required legal and constitutional expertise and support from the wider family to bring about. The King initiated the process and Andrew did not object, it is understood. The Government was consulted and made it clear it supports the decision as constitutionally proper. The move will take place as soon as practicable and Andrew will receive an appropriate private provision from the King, it is understood. Very sad state of affairs Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch said it must have been very difficult for the King to strip his brother of his titles and Royal Lodge residence. She told LBC Radio: Ive been following this story more about a family. Its a very sad state of affairs. I think that the King has clearly felt that this is the right decision for the royal family. It must have been a very difficult thing for him to have done. I mean, having to do that to your own brother. But the standards and expectations in society now are very high. People expect to see the very highest levels of integrity. And Im afraid the whole Jeffrey Epstein saga and everyone it has touched, from Prince Andrew to Peter Mandelson, has just shown that the public has no truck whatsoever with any kind of sexual abuse, sexual offences, especially of minors. And I think that thats quite right. Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey has backed the King in his decision to remove Andrews titles. He said: The King is absolutely right to strip Prince Andrew of both his titles and his residence at the Royal Lodge. Its clear that Andrews position had become totally untenable, having disgraced his office and embarrassed the country. This is an important step towards rebuilding trust in our institutions and drawing a line under this whole sorry saga. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice The former prince Andrew will have until the end of January to leave the Royal Lodge, it is understood, despite being ordered to vacate by the King this week. In a historic move this week, Charles announced he is to strip all remaining titles from his brother including prince and will evict him from the 30-room mansion on the Windsor Estate. It was believed that Andrews move to an undisclosed property on the Sandringham estate in Norfolk would take place as soon as practicable. However, The Independent understands that Andrew will be able to live at the Royal Lodge until early 2026, and that discussions are ongoing over which home on the Sandringham estate he will be moving to. It is also understood that Sarah Ferguson has made clear that she would not accept, as had been suggested by courtiers in earlier negotiations with Andrew over his departure, any home or financial assistance from the royal family. open image in gallery It is understood that Andrew will be able to live at the Royal Lodge until early 2026 ( Reuters ) Charles announcement comes after weeks of intense pressure as his brothers links to paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein continue to embarrass the monarchy. It is understood that although Andrew denies all Epstein accusations, Buckingham Palace considers that there have been serious lapses of judgement. On Friday, it was announced his name had been struck from the official roll of the peerage, marking a key step in formally removing his titles. Dukes, including the Duke of York, are listed on the roll of the peerage maintained at the Crown Office and, as Lord Chancellor, David Lammy is responsible for maintaining it. open image in gallery Andrew Mountbatten Windsor now has the status of a commoner ( PA ) Questions over Andrews place in the line of succession are now likely to be asked, experts have said. He remains eighth in line to the throne, behind Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet of Sussex, despite now being known simply as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, effectively living as a commoner. Majesty Magazines managing editor Joe Little said: Im sure at some point quite soon, somebody will ask, if theyve not already done so, why he hasnt been moved from the line of succession. Clearly it would take quite a catastrophe for him to become king given all those that are ahead of him. So might it not have been tidier to withdraw him from the line of succession? open image in gallery Andrew remains eighth in line to the throne ( PA ) It will be Andrews last Christmas in Windsor before he moves to Sandringham, which will be funded privately by the King. The vast Sandringham Estate includes 16,000 acres of farmland, 3,500 acres of woodland and 150 properties. According to its website, the estate includes villages and hamlets, including West Newton and Sherborne, and has residential properties in 13 villages, let to people living and working locally. Three of these are currently listed to let, including a two-bedroom red brick terraced house in Flitcham village, for 975 per calendar month. Sandringham House, where the King usually spends Christmas, is at the heart of the estate and has been the private home of five generations of British monarchs for more than 150 years. It was bought in 1862 by the then Prince of Wales, who later became Edward VII, as a private country retreat. open image in gallery Sandringham House, where the King usually spends Christmas, is at the heart of the estate ( PA ) Like Andrew, Edward VII was also marred in scandal. The prince, known as Bertie, had many mistresses, including stage actress Lillie Langtry and Queen Camillas ancestor Alice Keppel. In 1870, the royal voluntarily appeared as a witness in a divorce case when Lady Harriet Mordaunt falsely accused the heir to the throne of being one of her lovers. The future Edward VII appeared as a witness again in June 1891 this time in the Tranby Croft Affair case to give evidence on a slander accusation arising from a card game. Andrew faced a new round of public opprobrium after emails emerged earlier this month showing he had remained in contact with Epstein longer than he had previously admitted. Palace officials had hoped that forcing Andrew to relinquish his Duke of York title would draw a line under the furore, but pressure grew after publication of Virginia Giuffres posthumous memoir and as details of his peppercorn rent agreement emerged. The family of Ms Giuffre, who died by suicide in April, said in a statement that today, she declares a victory and that she brought down a British prince with her truth and extraordinary courage. Close Virginia Giuffre speaks about Prince Andrew in resurfaced Panorama interview: 'I was a toy' Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice 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. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Widely purported to have been the late Queens favourite child, Andrew has suffered a sharp fall from grace over the last decade - with the King now having formally started the process to strip him of all his titles. The controversy has since deepened as new emails leaked from paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein appear to have confirmed a now-famous photo of Virginia Giuffre with Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor is real and that the former prince had pleaded with him to deny his involvement in any allegations. Andrews links to the disgraced financier continue to cause controversy and he has since he agreed to leave Royal Lodge. The Palace said he will now be known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor. Here, The Independent takes a look at a timeline of Andrews fall from grace and his retreat from the public eye. Queens favourite open image in gallery The Queen with her son in 2019 ( Neil Hall/EPA ) The Queen stood by Andrews side even when he was caught up in the Jeffrey Epstein scandal in 2019 and stepped back from royal duties for the foreseeable future. In October 2021, it was claimed the monarch intended to spend millions of pounds privately funding her sons defence against allegations of sexual abuse made by Epstein victim Virginia Giuffre. She also signalled her support for her disgraced son by arriving alongside him for Prince Philips memorial service in March 2021. Andrew provided a steady arm for the Queen as she walked into Westminster Abbey to remember the life of her husband, just a few weeks after he reached a multimillion-pound out-of-court settlement with Ms Giuffre. Friendship with Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell open image in gallery Ghislaine Maxwell and Jeffrey Epstein ( Channel 4 ) During his 2019 interview with BBC Newsnight, Andrew said he had known British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell, the daughter of media magnate and former MP Robert Maxwell, since she was at university. She introduced Andrew to her then-boyfriend Jeffrey Epstein in 1999. The trio enjoyed a close friendship, even after Epstein was convicted of procuring a child for prostitution and of soliciting a prostitute in 2008. Andrew is alleged to have personally invited the couple to Balmoral, the Queens Scottish residence, in 1999. Maxwell was sentenced to 20 years in prison in June this year following a New York sex-trafficking trial for procuring teen girls for Epstein for him to abuse. An image shown during the trial appeared to show Maxwell and Epstein lounging on a bench outside a log cabin on the Balmoral estate. Andrew continued to visit Epstein in New York after the financiers conviction for child sex offences in 2008. open image in gallery Jeffrey Epstein was convicted of child sex offences ( New York State Division of Criminal Justice/EPA ) Epstein received an 18-month sentence but was allowed to go on work release to his office most days and was released on probation after 13 months. Andrew faced criticism when pictures emerged of him opening the door of Epsteins palatial East Side townhouse in December 2010 and the pair strolling through Central Park. In his 2019 BBC interview, the royal claimed he had gone to New York to break off their friendship and regretted staying at Epsteins house while there. 2019: Virginia Giuffre sex abuse case open image in gallery Andrew pictured with Maxwell and Virginia Roberts ( US Department of Justice/PA ) In 2019, Epstein accuser Virginia Giuffre, formerly known as Virginia Roberts, filed a lawsuit in Manhattan alleging she was trafficked by Epstein to have sex with Andrew on three occasions when she was 17 and a minor under US law. While the royal has always strongly denied the allegations, going so far as to settle in court over it, accusations of sexual abuse reared their head again after Ms Giuffre died in 2025 when her memoir was posthumously published. Ms Giuffre described Andrew in the book, Nobodys Girl: A Memoir Of Surviving Abuse And Fighting For Justice, as friendly enough, but entitled as if he believed having sex with me was his birthright. She had sex with him on three separate 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! 2019: BBC Newsnight interview open image in gallery The former Duke of York speaking about his links to Epstein in an interview with BBC Newsnight's Emily Maitlis ( Mark Harrison/BBC/PA ) Andrew was criticised for a car crash BBC Newsnight interview that aired on 16 November 2019. During the interview, he denied he slept with Ms Giuffre, saying an encounter could not have taken place because he was at a branch of Pizza Express in Woking with his daughter Princess Beatrice. He also said Ms Giuffres claim he was sweaty at a nightclub was untrue because an overdose of adrenaline in the Falklands war had left him unable to sweat. The royal faced a public backlash, with equality campaigners claiming he was too stupid to even pretend concern for Epsteins victims. 2019: Step back from public duties Four days later, Andrew announced the Queen had given him permission to step back from public duties in the wake of the interview. He said it had become clear to him in recent days that his association with Epstein had become a major distraction to the royal familys work. The royal said he regretted his association with Epstein and deeply sympathises with his victims. 2022: Stripped of royal titles and military affiliations open image in gallery Andrew is not expected to return to public life ( John Thys/AFP via Getty Images ) In January 2022, the Queen stripped Andrew of his military titles and royal patronages in the wake of a US judge allowing Ms Giuffres civil sexual abuse case against her son to move to trial. He stopped using his HRH (His Royal Highness) style his roles including Colonel of the Grenadier Guards, one of the oldest regiments in the British army were handed to other members of the royal family. His other military titles included honorary air commodore of RAF Lossiemouth; colonel-in-chief of the Royal Irish Regiment; colonel-in-chief of the Small Arms School Corps; commodore-in-chief of the Fleet Air Arm; royal colonel of the Royal Highland Fusiliers; deputy colonel-in-chief of The Royal Lancers (Queen Elizabeths Own); and royal colonel of the Royal Regiment of Scotland. 2022: Out-of-court settlement In March 2022, Andrew paid Ms Giuffre a multi-million-pound out-of-court settlement, meaning both sides avoided the case going to trial. As part of the agreement, he was due to pay damages to Ms Giuffre and a donation to a charity in support of victims rights. Andrew has faced calls to confirm how he funded settlement - which is reported to be as much as 12m - and whether the Queen or even King Charles, then Prince of Wales, contributed to the sum. open image in gallery Andrew allegedly met Cai Qi three times ( Foreign Affairs Office of Beijing Municipal People's Government ) December 2024: Confidante banned from UK over Chinese spy allegations open image in gallery An email exchange between Andrew, Epstein and Maxwell was published on Wednesday (US House Oversight Committee/PA) In December 2024, it emerged a close confidante of the royal lost an appeal over a decision to bar him from entering the UK on national security grounds. The man, Yang Tengbo, 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. January 2025: New messages reveal ties with Epstein continues for months after New York visit Newly surfaced messages revealed the Duke of York remained in contact with Epstein until February 2011 despite having claimed to have cut him off in December 2010. Emails between Andrew and Epstein handed to a court in London reportedly show they were still exchanging messages until at least late February 2011, when the duke wrote: Keep in close touch and well play some more soon. Messages were exchanged between the pair on the same day a photograph of Andrew with 17-year-old Virginia Giuffre and Ghislaine Maxwell who is currently behind bars for recruiting and trafficking underage girls for Epstein was published, Bloomberg reports. The emails were obtained by Bloomberg after being disclosed in a filing by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), defending an appeal by former Barclays boss, Jes Staley, who is challenging its decision to ban him from the finance industry for misleading regulators on his ties to Epstein. open image in gallery Prince Andrews sex accuser Virginia Giuffres posthumous memoirs shine a further spotlight on his association with paedophile Jeffrey Epstein (Kirsty Wigglesworth/PA) ( PA Wire ) October 2025: Repeated meetings with Chinese spymaster In October 2025, it was reported that Andrew met with a senior Beijing official at the heart of the China spy scandal at least three times between 2018 and 2019. 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, 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. He 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. Early October 2025: Andrew forced to renounce Duke of York title Andrew was forced to end his use of titles, including the Duke of York and Knight of the Garter, as his former friendship with Epstein threatened to overshadow the work of the royal family. Andrew gave up his title as Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order and his Garter role as a Royal Knight Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter. He also agreed to stop using his Duke of York title, although he can only be formally stripped of it by an act of Parliament. He released a statement saying that he, the King, and his family have concluded the continued accusations about me distract from the work of His Majesty and the royal family. Late October 2025: King starts formal process to remove Andrew of his prince title and he moves out of Royal Lodge open image in gallery Andrew is set to move to Sandringham ( REUTERS ) Buckingham Palace announces that the King has begun the formal process to strip the titles from Prince Andrew who will move out of his Windsor home to Sandringham. The statement said Andrew has agreed to leave Royal Lodge as his links to paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein continue to cause controversy. In a statement, the Palace said: Prince Andrew will now be known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor. His lease on Royal Lodge has, to date, provided him with legal protection to continue in residence. Formal notice has now been served to surrender the lease and he will move to alternative private accommodation. These censures are deemed necessary, notwithstanding the fact that he continues to deny the allegations against him. The statement added: Their Majesties wish to make clear that their thoughts and utmost sympathies have been, and will remain with, the victims and survivors of any and all forms of abuse. It is understood that although the King initiated the process of formally removing his titles and honours, Andrew did not object to it. Formal notice was given to Andrew to surrender the lease at the Royal Lodge on Thursday and it is understood that his move to Sandringham will take place as soon as practicable. November 2025: Fresh emails leaked reveal Andrew pleaded for Epstein to deny his involvement open image in gallery Emails between Epstein, Maxwell and Andrew have been published ( US Congress Oversight Committee/PA Wire ) A fresh email chain released in November from March 2011 saw Andrew pleaded with Maxwell and Epstein to make it clear he was not involved in any allegations against them. The documents show Maxwell was forwarded a press inquiry from the Mail On Sunday on March 4 2011, by somebody named Mark Cohen, who told her: FYI, following up on my email of this morning. Again, I have no intention of responding unless you direct otherwise. After Andrew asked Epstein how he planned to respond to a press inquiry, Epstein can be seen responding: Im (sic) not sure how to respond, the only person she didnt have sex with was Elvis. At one point the former prince said: Please make sure that every statement or legal letter states clearly that I am NOT involved and that I knew and know NOTHING about any of these allegations. I cant take any more of this my end. Epstein appeared to follow up with the former duke two days later, saying: You OK? These stories are complete and utter fantasy. I dont know and have never met Al Gore, he added. Clinton was never on the island the telephone book is not mine, it was stolen by my houseman that is currently in prison for doing so. Epstein also appeared keen to ask a journalist to investigate Andrews accuser because Buckingham Palace would love it. In his email in July 2011, Epstein can be seen talking about Andrews accuser and asking someone to send a reporter or reporters to investigate. open image in gallery Epstein encouraged the journalist to investigate Ms Giuffre ( BBC ) The email reads: same as strauss khan (sic) is Andrews accuser, criminal record, total liar. It continues: Send a reporter or reporters to investigate the palace would love it, the girl in the photo, was nothing more than a telephone answerer, she was never 15, according to her version she worked for trump (sic), first at that age, at Mar-a-Lago. Its ridiculous. He said that the girl who accused Prince Andrew could be proven as a liar, later cited as Virginia Roberts, who he called a fraud, saying that she had fled the country with an outstanding arrest warrant. The validity of a photo of Andrew with Giuffre was seemingly confirmed in the new emails, after he said: The da (sic) after she accused others, said in writing that she has no credibility, she was never 15 years old working for me, her story made it seem like she first worked for trump (sic) at that age and was met by ghislaine maxwell (sic). Total horses***, the daily mail (sic) paid her money, they admitted it, with the statement that it took money to coax out the truth. Yes she was on my plane, and yes she had her picture taken with Andrew, as many of my employees have. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Stripped of his royal title, evicted from his rent-free residence near Windsor Castle, and with his public reputation in tatters, Prince Andrew faces a dramatically altered future. The man once known as Prince Andrew is now expected to relocate, likely involving a fleet of moving trucks, to an isolated private property belonging to his brother, King Charles III. This dramatic shift in circumstances follows King Charles III's unprecedented decision to protect the monarchy by divesting his younger brother of his titles and evicting him. This action serves as a direct consequence for his serious lapses of judgment concerning his friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Joe Little, editor of Majesty Magazine, commented: "On a personal level, it must be pretty devastating and the ultimate humiliation for him," Little stated. "We know him to be rather an arrogant character, but this has got to be taking its toll on him mentally. It would be very strange if it werent." Downsizing his digs It was not exactly clear what house the civilian now known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor will occupy on the kings private estate at Sandringham 100 miles (160 kilometers) north of London. But it will undoubtedly be smaller than Royal Lodge, the 30-room luxurious home that belies its rustic name. As the Epstein drama was reignited recently by revelations that Andrew stayed friends with the disgraced financier longer than he previously disclosed, his hold on the property became tenuous despite a cast-iron lease. Nearly a half-century remained on the lease that required the annual sum of a mere peppercorn, a historic and symbolic figure often used in real estate transactions. open image in gallery A drone view showing the Royal Lodge - which belonged to Prince Andrew. ( REUTERS ) Andrew, 65, did not put up a fight when he was served notice to surrender the lease to the home on 99 acres (50 hectares) that includes a swimming pool, several cottages and a bird enclosure. He will move as soon as practical to Sandringham, the longtime refuge for Charles along the wind-swept North Sea coast of eastern England. The 20,000 acre (8,000 hectare) estate is where the family spends Christmas. How soon he moves, however, was not disclosed, but he's not expected to be among the other members of the family who are seen in public walking to church on Christmas morning. Impact on the family The move to insulate the crown from the scandal-tainted Andrew will not affect just the former prince. Ex-wife Sarah Ferguson, who was also ensnared in the Epstein scandal, had shared Royal Lodge with him. Ferguson, who is no longer known as the Duchess of York, will have to find a new place to live. The couple's daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, however, will retain their titles along with HRH, which stands for her royal highness, because they are the granddaughters of a sovereign, Queen Elizabeth II. King's private purse to prop up brother The king is stepping in with his private wealth to financially support his brother, whose money woes have been at the heart of previous scandals over shady business deals and questionable relationships. Andrew ceased being a working member of the royal family since he was suspended from duties following a disastrous 2019 interview in which he tried to defend his relationship with Epstein. He has no known source of income beyond a modest pension from his 22-year Royal Navy career. open image in gallery Britain's Prince Andrew speaks with King Charles as they leave Westminster Cathedral. ( REUTERS ) George Gross, a royal expert at Kings College London, said the financial arrangement makes sense. It shields the king from criticism Andrew is drawing from public coffers and shows he's not abandoning his brother. If Andrew is unable to be a working royal, and presumably is unemployable, then there has to be a little bit of thought as to what on earth is done with him for the remainder of his life, Gross said. Its clearly important that hes provided for in some ways, because otherwise he becomes a potential pawn for anybody with negative or bad intentions. Holds place in line of succession Despite losing his nobility, Andrew remains eighth in line to the throne. Removing him from the line of succession would require action from Parliament and that is unlikely at this point. Lawmakers could have removed Andrew's titles, but the king took action in part to spare the government from wasting time on the matter. Whether there's an appetite to take up the succession issue later or if the Epstein saga continues to bring damaging headlines is unknown. While he's technically in line to be king some day, Gross said: Of course, thats entirely unrealistic. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Buckingham Palace has confirmed that the late Queen Elizabeth II's beloved corgis, Muick and Sandy, will remain in the care of Andrew Mountbatten Windsor and Sarah Ferguson. The couple adopted the dogs following the monarch's death, housing them at Royal Lodge. Speculation over the future of the two dogs had mounted after the pair's departure from the Windsor address, but their continued care has now been assured. Buckingham Palace said in a statement: The corgis will remain with the family. However, it did not clarify if it would be Andrew, Sarah or Princesses Eugenie and Beatrice who would give them a home. Earlier this year, Sarah claimed that the late Queen communicated to her through the dogs barking. open image in gallery Corgis Muick and Sandy were taken in by Sarah, the Duchess of York, following the late Queens death (Peter Nicholls/PA) ( PA Archive ) In an address to the Creative Women Platform in London, reported by The Times newspaper, she said: I have her dogs, I have her corgis. Every morning they come in and go woof woof and all that and Im sure its her talking to me. Im sure its her, reminding me shes still around. And in 2023, Sarah described how one of the corgis, Muick, had grieved after the late Queens death. Speaking to Graeme Hall, presenter of the Channel 5 show Dogs Behaving (Very) Badly, Sarah said it took Muick about a year to come to terms with Queen Elizabeth IIs death. open image in gallery Queen Elizabeth II arrives at King's Cross railway station in London 15 October 1969 with her four dogs of Corgis breed after holidays in Balmoral Castle in Scotland and before welcoming at Buckingham Palace US astronauts of Apollo 11 who walked on the Moon. (Photo credit should read STF/AFP via Getty Images) ( AFP via Getty Images ) She said: There are two corgis that came, big Muick and Sandy, and there were five Norfolk terriers that were there too seven in all. And big Muick is very, very, very demonstrative, he had his tail down to begin with and then now, a year later hes just beginning now to really enjoy (himself). The late Queen owned more than 30 corgis during her life, many of which were directly descended from Susan, given to her as an 18th birthday present by her parents in 1944. The then Princess Elizabeth forged such a strong connection with Susan that the dog accompanied her on her honeymoon. Get the free Morning Headlines email for news from our reporters across the world Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Sign up to our free Morning Headlines email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice The family of Virginia Roberts Giuffre declared a victory in Andrew being stripped of his princely title. Today, an ordinary American girl from an ordinary American family brought down a British prince with her truth and extraordinary courage, Giuffres family said in a statement. Giuffre died by suicide in April at the age of 41. Her brother, Sky Roberts, praised the king for setting a precedent to the rest of the world to say, I do stand with survivors. I am going to hold even my brother to account.' She said that in the early 2000s, when she was a teenager, she was caught up in Epsteins sex trafficking ring and exploited by Andrew and other influential men. The then duke of York, Virginia Giuffre nee Roberts, and Ghislaine Maxwell (US Department of Justice/PA) ( PA Media ) Financier Jeffrey Epstein was found dead in a New York City jail cell in 2019 in what investigators called a suicide. King Charles IIIs decision on Thursday to strip his brother Andrew of his princely title and spacious home, a banishment that has left the disgraced royal increasingly exposed to political and legal scrutiny over his finances and his friendship with Epstein. The king acted to stem mounting public disapproval as damning new details emerged about Andrew's relationship with the convicted sex offender. Charles moved to preserve the monarchy from the fallout by forcibly removing a British princes title for the first time in a century. Julian Payne, a former communications secretary to the king and queen, said that, as the scandal around 65-year-old Andrew grew and grew, the royal family had decided that a tipping point had been reached." The former Prince Andrew is now known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor. As of Friday, he was no longer listed on the roll of the peerage, where he had previously appeared as Duke of York, another of his titles. He will also move out of Royal Lodge, the 30-room mansion near Windsor Castle where he has lived for more than 20 years, and into a more remote home funded by his brother on the king's 20,000-acre (8,100-hectare) Sandringham Estate in eastern England. Buckingham Palace said Andrew had been served notice to surrender his lease and would move "as soon as practicable, though that is not expected to be until after Christmas when the whole family usually gathers at Sandringham. Sandringham locals were not overjoyed about their soon-to-be neighbor. Well, hes got to go somewhere. It is what it is, isnt it?" said Vanessa Beech. She said the king had most certainly made the right decision about Andrew. Politicians welcome the move The British government, which was consulted but not directly involved, welcomed the king's decision. I think the vast majority of people in this country will think that its the right thing to do," trade minister Chris Bryant told the BBC. Andrew surrendered his use of the title Duke of York earlier this month over new revelations about his friendship with Epstein and renewed sexual abuse allegations in Giuffre's posthumous memoir. Andrew denies all her claims. But the king went even further to punish him for serious lapses of judgment by removing the title of prince that he has held since birth as a child of a monarch, the late Queen Elizabeth II. Andrew also lost the designation his royal highness, making the former prince effectively a commoner now. These censures are deemed necessary, notwithstanding the fact that he continues to deny the allegations against him, the palace said. Their Majesties wish to make clear that their thoughts and utmost sympathies have been, and will remain with, the victims and survivors of any and all forms of abuse. It is almost unprecedented for a British prince or princess to be stripped of that title. It last happened during World War I, when Prince Ernest Augustus, who was a U.K. royal and also a prince of Hanover, had his British titles removed for siding with Germany. He ceased to be a British prince under the Titles Deprivation Act of 1917, which was enacted in 1919, once the war was over. Monarchy under pressure Andrews is the most dramatic royal exit since 1936, when King Edward VIII abdicated the throne so he could marry twice-divorced American socialite Wallis Simpson. The couple were given the titles Duke and Duchess of Windsor and lived the rest of their lives in exile. Prince Harry, despite renouncing his royal role, feuding with his family and moving to California, remains a prince and the Duke of Sussex. Andrew faced a new round of public outrage after emails emerged earlier this month showing he had remained in contact with Epstein longer than he previously admitted. Then came publication of Nobodys Girl, by Giuffre, who alleged she had sex with Andrew three times, the first when she was 17. She said he acted as if he believed having sex with me was his birthright. Andrew has long denied Giuffres claims but stepped down from royal duties after a disastrous November 2019 BBC interview in which he attempted to rebut her allegations. In 2022, Andrew paid millions to settle a civil suit filed by Giuffre in New York. Peter Hunt, a former BBC royal correspondent, said the king and senior royals were fearful of remaining out of step with public opinion as they attempt to restore credibility and trust in an ancient institution. On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice At least 460 people have been killed in El Fasher in Sudan after the Rapid Support Force (RSF) paramilitary group launched an assault on the citys last functioning hospital. The Saudi Maternity Hospital remained operating throughout supply shortages and frequent heavy shelling, becoming the site of bloodshed after serving as the final refuge for vulnerable patients. Reports from the region suggest that more than 2,000 people have been killed in the last 48 hours after the group seized the city after a 18-month siege. Footage circulating online appears to show a child soldier murdering a grown man. The massacres have drawn widespread condemnation after vast pools of blood and human bodies in the sand were seen in gruesome satellite images following analysis by the Yale School of Public Health Humanitarian Research Lab. open image in gallery Pools of blood and bodies can be seen in satellite images ( Airbus DS ) The World Health Organisation has said it was deeply shocked and appalled at the incident. Six health workers, a nurse and pharmacist were abducted from the hospital on Tuesday, according to the humanitarian organisation. On the same day, more than 460 patients and their companions were reportedly shot and killed in the hospital, it said. WHO head Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus called for health facilities, health workers and patients to be protected under international law. It marks a new escalation in the conflict, which has been raging since April 2023 between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the RSF. The war has led to devastation and displacement across the region with reports of atrocities being committed. Famine and disease are said to be widespread, according to agencies. open image in gallery Sudanese women who fled el-Fasher city, after paramilitary forces killed hundreds of people in the western Darfur region ( Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved ) Witnesses told the Associated Press that RSF fighters conducted sweeps of individual houses, beating and shooting people including women and children. More than 40 per cent of the population - 24 million people - are food insecure, according to the United Nations. More than four million people have fled into neighbouring countries Chad, South Sudan and the Central African Republic. The UNs top relief official called on the Security Council to act with with immediate and robust action to stop atrocities, ensure safe humanitarian access, and halt flows of weapons fuelling the war. I urge colleagues to study the latest satellite imagery of El Fasher; blood on the sand. And I urge colleagues to study the worlds continued failure to stop this. Blood on the hands. On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice The United Nations human rights office has reported that at least ten people have been killed by security forces during protests in Tanzania following this week's general election. UN human rights spokesperson Seif Magango confirmed the fatalities to reporters in Geneva, stating: "We are alarmed by the deaths and injuries that have occurred in the ongoing election-related protests in Tanzania. Reports we have received indicate that at least 10 people were killed," citing "credible sources" in the country. Tanzania's government have downplayed the unrest on, calling the demonstrations "isolated incidents" and asserting its efforts to swiftly restore order on Friday. The protests, which began on Wednesday, were reportedly fuelled by anger over the exclusion of President Samia Suluhu Hassan's two primary challengers from the electoral race, alongside allegations of widespread repression. open image in gallery People protest in the streets of Arusha, Tanzania, on election day. ( AP ) Hundreds of demonstrators faced off with police in Tanzania's commercial capital on Friday, leading to the deployment of the military. Police have imposed an overnight curfew in the commercial capital Dar es Salaam over the past two nights after government offices and other buildings were set ablaze, and internet access has been disrupted since Wednesday. There have been no confirmed casualty counts, but a diplomatic source said there were credible reports of dozens of deaths. The government issued its first comments directly addressing the unrest in the form of a message from the foreign affairs ministry to foreign diplomatic missions broadcast on the state television channel on Friday. open image in gallery People protest in the streets of Arusha, Tanzania, on election day. ( AP ) The ministry informed them that, "owing to isolated incidents of breaching to law and order, the Government has heightened security and taken several other precautionary measures", it said. "...the security measures in place are temporary but necessary and normalcy will return shortly." Election results show Hassan with commanding majorities The military and police patrolled the streets and heavily restricted movement on Friday. The government extended a work-from-home order to civil servants and said anyone else without an urgent reason to go out should also work from home. The unrest presents a test for Hassan, who won praise after taking office in 2021 for easing repression that marked her predecessor John Magufuli's tenure but has more recently been assailed by critics for a series of arrests and alleged abductions of opponents. Hassan has denied allegations of widespread rights abuses. She said last year she had ordered an investigation into reports of abductions, but no official findings have been released. open image in gallery Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan casts her vote during the general elections at Chamwino polling station in Dodoma, Tanzania. ( AP ) The electoral commission began announcing provisional election results on Thursday, which showed Hassan winning commanding majorities in various constituencies. Hussein Mwinyi, the president of the semi-autonomous Zanzibar archipelago who is from the ruling CCM party, was re-elected with over 78% of the vote, the commission said. Military says it has controlled the situation Speaking on the state broadcaster late on Thursday, army head Jacob Mkunda said the military and other security agencies had "controlled the situation". Tanzania's main opposition party CHADEMA had called for demonstrations during the election. The party was disqualified in April after it refused to sign a code of conduct, and its leader Tundu Lissu was charged with treason. open image in gallery Residents hold rubber bullets and used teargas canisters at the Namanga One-Post Border crossing point between Kenya and Tanzania. ( REUTERS ) The election commission also disqualified the presidential candidate for the opposition party ACT-Wazalendo, leaving only minor parties to take on Hassan. In a statement on Thursday, leading members of the European Parliament called the elections a "fraud", saying they "unfolded in an atmosphere of repression, intimidation, and fear". Additional reporting by AP. On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Donald Trump 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. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice The FBI thwarted a potential terrorist attack linked to ISIS extremism planned for Halloween weekend in Michigan, according to FBI Director Kash Patel and reports. This morning the FBI thwarted a potential terrorist attack and arrested multiple subjects in Michigan who were allegedly plotting a violent attack over Halloween weekend, he wrote in a social media post Friday morning. More details to come. Thanks to the men and women of FBI and law enforcement everywhere standing guard 24/7 and crushing our mission to defend the homeland. Its not immediately clear when or where in the state the suspects were planning to carry out the attack. Patel also didnt specify the charges the suspects are facing. Five people from Dearborn and Inkster, Michigan, were taken into custody in connection with a plot linked to ISIS extremism, law enforcement sources told NBC News. However, officials at the FBI and the Justice Department are allegedly frustrated that Patel posted about the Michigan terror investigation before a criminal complaint was prepared and details were clear, MSNBC reporter Ken Dilanian reported. open image in gallery Kash Patel says FBI thwarted a potential terrorist attack planned for Halloween weekend. ( Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. ) The Independent has contacted the FBI for more information. Agents in Detroit were present in Dearborn and Inkster early Friday conducting law enforcement activities, a spokesperson for the FBI office in Detroit told The Independent, noting that there is no current threat to public safety. Local police also mentioned that the FBI conducted operations Friday morning in Dearborn, a suburb of Detroit and home to Ford Motor Company headquarters. We want to assure our residents that there is no threat to the community at this time, authorities wrote in a Facebook post. The Dearborn Police Department remains committed to the safety and security of all who live, work, and visit our city. open image in gallery Members of the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force search a home in Dearborn, Michigan, after foiling an alleged terrorism plot. ( AFP via Getty Images ) Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer remarked on the foiled attack and thanked federal and local officers for their swift action. This morning, I was briefed by Director Patel on the thwarted potential terrorist attack in our state. As details continue to develop, I am grateful for the swift action of the FBI and MSP protecting Michiganders, she wrote in a social media post Friday morning. In Dearborn, residents told the Detroit Free Press that they heard loud banging noises around 4 a.m. Holly Kemp, 36, told the outlet that she lives two houses down from a home that was searched. She and her husband heard banging noises early Friday, prompting them to look outside, where they saw local police officers as well as SWAT and FBI agents. Kemp and other neighbors told the outlet they knew little about who lived inside the home that was searched, but Kemp believed two men had moved in over the summer. She described the community as tight-knit and quiet, noting she couldnt think of any other incident prompting such a massive law enforcement presence in the neighborhood. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice A firefighter who lost his job in a dispute about his use of medical marijuana has been arrested after threatening to shoot officials, including a city mayor, in a rant in which he used the phrase just like Charlie Kirk. Thomas Eccleston appeared in court in Waterbury, Connecticut, on Wednesday and was subsequently held on $400,000 bond. He faces multiple charges, including second-degree harassment, first-degree threatening with a firearm, second-degree threatening with physical violence, first-degree harassment involving physical threats, and second-degree harassment, according to local reports. "He mentioned Charlie Kirk in shooting political officials, and he is threatening political violence, which is completely unacceptable in our society," said Waterbury prosecutor Don Therkildsen. Therkildsen said the threats targeted Waterburys Mayor Paul Pernerewski, Police Chief Fernando Spagnolo, as well as other members of the Waterbury police and fire departments, and staff at City Hall. Former firefighter Thomas Eccleston threatened city officials ( Waterbury Police ) Eccleston was arrested in California, where he resides, and subsequently extradited to Waterbury. He is expected to appear in court again next month, according to The CT Insider. He lost his job as a fire lieutenant in 2018, following a positive test for marijuana during a random drug screening, records show. The firefighter said that he began use medical marijuana to deal with his PTSD. This violated a last-chance agreement he had signed in 2015 to avoid termination following a domestic violence arrest. This agreement incorporated a binding random drug testing component and made no distinction between legal and illegal marijuana use. Eccleston appealed his dismissal in a court hearing as recently as July 2025, during which he was held in contempt of court due to an outburst. The CT Insider reported at the time that the judge refused to punish Eccelston, calling him a sad person, who could not control himself. In that appeal, it was noted that Eccleston had been required not to contact city officials and to refrain from using ethnic slurs. Speaking about the contempt charge, he told the outlet, I'm trying to make a lot of noise. What is happening is the city is trying to hush this up and I am trying to blow the lid off it, and I had to bring it to a contempt charge to get that done because they weren't taking this stuff seriously. At one stage in the legal process, Eccleston offered to settle his wrongful termination lawsuit in exchange for a settlement of $13.7 million and his reinstatement. In 2022, Eccleston secured a legal victory over the city when it was ruled that he was eligible to collect unemployment benefits. The incident closely follows a strikingly similar case of threatened violence in the same state, and threatening some of the same officials. On Monday, Robert Pabich, 43, of Rocky Hill, Connecticut, had four rifles and military-grade ammunition seized by local police, and has been charged with intimidation, stalking, and disorderly conduct, after saying city officials need bullets shot directly into their faces. Amid heightened concerns about political violence in the U.S., the arrest came after Pabich posted a comment online calling for State Senator Matt Lesser and nine other Democratic lawmakers to be shot dead, after they attended the No Kings protests earlier this month. Take note of this picture. Every one of these pieces of trash need bullets shot directly into their faces Just like they did to Charlie Kirk, Pabich wrote below a picture of the group at the state Capitol on 18 October. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Hospital officials in Gaza say Israel has handed over the bodies of 30 Palestinians, a day after Palestinian militants in Gaza turned over the remains of two hostages to Israel. Officials at Nasser Hospital in the southern city of Khan Younis confirmed receiving the bodies but did not immediately say what state they were in or identify them. The exchange of Palestinian remains for hostage remains is the latest indication that the fraught Israel-Hamas ceasefire agreement is moving forward, despite deadly Israeli strikes on Gaza this week. Before Friday's release, Israel had returned the bodies of 195 Palestinians to authorities in Gaza without providing details on their identities. It is unclear if the bodies returned by Israel were killed in Israel during the Oct. 7 attack, died in Israeli custody as detainees or were recovered from Gaza by troops during the war. Health officials in Gaza have struggled to identify the bodies without access to DNA kits. In Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus office said late Thursday that the remains returned by Palestinian militants had been confirmed as those of Sahar Baruch and Amiram Cooper, both taken hostage during the Oct. 7, 2023, attack by Hamas that set off the war. Hamas has now returned the remains of 17 hostages since the start of the ceasefire, with 11 others still in Gaza and set to be turned over under the terms of the agreement. Baruch was readying to pursue an electrical engineering degree when he was taken hostage from Kibbutz Beeri. His brother, Idan, was killed in the attack. Three months into Sahars captivity, the Israeli military said he was killed during an attempted rescue mission. He was 25. Cooper was an economist and one of the founders of Kibbutz Nir Oz. He was captured along with his wife, Nurit, who was released after 17 days. In June 2024 Israeli officials confirmed that he had been killed in Gaza. He was 84. Deadline for Hamas withdrawal from Israeli-controlled zone expires, U.S. official says A senior U.S. official said that in messages passed to Hamas by Egypt and Qatar on Wednesday the group was told its remaining fighters in the yellow zone had 24 hours to leave or face Israeli strikes. That deadline expired Thursday, after which the official said Israel will enforce the ceasefire and engage Hamas targets behind the yellow line. The official spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss private diplomatic conversations. The ceasefire, which began Oct. 10, is aimed at winding down a war that is by far the deadliest and most destructive of those ever fought between Israel and Hamas. The war was triggered by the October 2023 attack on Israel by Hamas-led militants, who killed about 1,200 people and took 251 others hostage. In the two years since, Israels military offensive has killed more than 68,600 Palestinians in Gaza, according to Gazas Health Ministry, which doesnt distinguish between civilians and combatants. The ministry, which is part of the Hamas-run government and is staffed by medical professionals, maintains detailed records viewed as generally reliable by independent experts. Israel, which some international critics have accused of committing genocide in Gaza, has disputed the figures without providing a contradicting toll. ___ Frankel reported from Jerusalem. AP Diplomatic Writer Matthew Lee in Washington contributed to this report. ___ Find more of APs Israel-Hamas coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-wa The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Hurricane Melissa has left a trail of devastation across the Caribbean, with dozens killed and billions of dollars worth of damage inflicted across the region. The storm of the century is one of the most powerful in Atlantic history, and the most forceful hurricane to ever hit Jamaica. At least 49 people have been killed so far, including 19 in Jamaica, 30 in Haiti, and one person in the Dominican Republic. At least 10 children were killed due to flooding caused by the storm when a river burst in Haiti. The death toll is expected to rise as search and rescue efforts get underway. Despite reducing in intensity, the storm continues to move on. Melissa was last recorded as a Category 2 storm 264 km (164 miles) west of the North Atlantic British island territory of Bermuda, packing maximum sustained winds of 100 mph (161 kph), according to the National Hurricane Center. Melissa began as a tropical wave near West Africa, before gaining traction and blowing westward to the Caribbean. open image in gallery A map of Hurricane Melissa's forecasted path as of Wednesday at 8 p.m. ( National Hurricane Center ) After passing over Jamaica, it made landfall in Cuba on Wednesday. It crawled across the countries with destructive winds and torrential rainfall before passing over to the Bahamas and Bermuda. Surrounding areas, including the southeastern and central Bahamas and Turks and Caicos, were also at risk of a life-threatening storm surge and heavy rainfall, the National Hurricane Centre said. It travelled over the Bahamas as a Category 1 storm, having reached the intensity of a Category 5 over recent days, including when it made landfall in Jamaica. AccuWeather estimates that $48 billion to $52 billion in damage and economic loss has been inflicted across the western Caribbean. Red Cross teams have been mobilising as Hurricane Melissa has left deaths and devastation across the region. Its slow pace makes Hurricane Melissa more destructive, with sustained winds and accumulated rainfall inflicting maximum damage to the vulnerable and low-lying island. Around 70 per cent of Jamaicas population of over 2.8 million people lives in coastal areas. Slow-moving major hurricanes often go down in history as some of the deadliest and most destructive storms on record, said AccuWeather chief meteorologist Jonathan Porter. This is a dire situation unfolding in slow motion. Cuban president Miguel Diaz-Canel ordered mass evacuations across the country, with at least 735,000 people being forced to leave their homes to escape the devastation. The National Hurricane Centre warned that the hurricane will inflict a life-threatening storm surge, flash flooding and landslides. In the Bahamas, the government ordered evacuations of residents in the southern portions of that archipelago. open image in gallery These images show the Barnett River along Montego Bay before and after Hurricane Melissa hit Jamaica ( Vantor ) Early indications are that Hurricane Melissa was a disaster of unprecedented catastrophe for the island, Alexander Pendry, the charitys global response manager said on Wednesday. News is already coming through that whole communities are underwater and that the damage left by the strong winds has been devastating. Jamaican prime minister Andrew Holness said the country is expecting that there would be some loss of life in the aftermath of the event. United Cajun Navy vice-president Brian Trascher estimated that trillions of gallons of water would fall on Jamaica. The UK announced it would provide an additional 5m ($6.71 million) in emergency humanitarian funding to support the Caribbean region's recovery from hurricane Melissa, after pledging 2.5m earlier this week. Sir Keir Starmer described scenes from the country as "truly shocking". The reports that we have had so far would include damage to hospitals, significant damage to residential property, housing and commercial property as well, and damage to our road infrastructure, Mr Holness said. Our country has been ravaged by Hurricane Melissa, but we will rebuild and we will do so even better than before. More than 500,000 residents have been left without power, with the parish of St Elizabeth in southwestern Jamaica left completely underwater, an official said. Video of the airport in Montego Bay showed inundated seating areas, broken glass and collapsed ceilings. Meteorologists at AccuWeather said Melissa ranked as the third most intense hurricane observed in the Caribbean, after Wilma in 2005 and Gilbert in 1988 the last major storm to make landfall in Jamaica. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Dozens of lions, tigers and bears, survivors of a now-shuttered zoo on the outskirts of Buenos Aires, Argentina, are finally receiving urgent veterinary care after years of neglect. The 62 big cats and two brown bears, found pacing weakly in claustrophobic cages, are undergoing evaluation and treatment before their eventual transfer to vast wildlife sanctuaries abroad. This monumental rescue operation, one of the largest and most challenging of its kind, follows a recent agreement between Argentine authorities and an international animal welfare organization. Lujan Zoo, famous for allowing visitors to handle and pose with big cats, was closed in 2020 due to mounting safety concerns. However, the plight of the captive animals there only worsened. For five years, the remaining creatures were sustained by a few loyal zookeepers who, despite losing their jobs, continued to feed and care for the stranded lions and tigers. Most of the animals, tragically, did not survive. When the international animal welfare group Four Paws first visited in 2023, caretakers counted 112 lions and tigers a stark fall in the number of animals, given that more than 200 big cats were believed to have been living at the zoo when it closed. open image in gallery A lion peers out of a cage at the former Lujan Zoo, which closed in 2020 ( AP ) Two years on, almost half of them have succumbed to illness due to poor nutrition, wounds from fights with animals theyd never encounter in the wild, infections caused by a lack of medical attention, and organ failure from the stress of living in such cramped conditions. It was really shocking, says the organisations chief program officer, Luciana DAbramo, pointing to a three-meter-square cage crammed with seven female lions. Overcrowded is an understatement. Next door, two Asian tigers share a tiny cage with two African lions a social composition that would never be found in nature, DAbramo says. Theres a lot of hostility, fighting. A single lion typically gets 10,000 square meters to itself at the sanctuaries run by Four Paws around the world. open image in gallery Florencia, a brown bear, lies in her cage at the former Lujan Zoo, where in recent days a global animal welfare organization has been treating the remaining animals ( AP ) After striking an agreement with Argentinas government earlier this year, Four Paws took over responsibility for the surviving wild animals in Lujan last month. The memorandum of understanding involved Argentina committing to end the sale and private ownership of exotic felines in the large South American country, where enforcement efforts often run aground across 23 provinces that have their own rules and regulations. Although the Vienna-based organisation has previously evacuated starving tigers from Syria during the countrys civil war, bears and hyenas left abandoned in the war-ravaged Iraqi city of Mosul, and neglected lion cubs from the besieged Gaza Strip, it has never before rescued such a large number of big cats. Here, the number of animals and the conditions where they are kept make this a much bigger challenge, said Dr. Amir Khalil, the veterinarian leading the groups emergency mission. This is one of our biggest missions... not only in Argentina or Latin America, but worldwide. On Thursday, veterinarians and experts from the organisation were scrambling around the derelict zoo to assess the animals one by one. Most had not been vaccinated, sterilized, or microchipped for identification. open image in gallery Members of Four Paws treat a tiger at the former Lujan Zoo ( AP Photo/Natacha Pisarenko ) The team whisked sedated lions and tigers onto operating tables, dispensing nutrients, antibiotics and doses of pain medication via IV drips. The quick checkups frequently transformed into emergency surgery. One tiger was treated for a bleeding gash to its tail last week, another for a vaginal tumor. Several tigers and lions needed root canal treatment to repair infected molars that had been broken on the steel bars of their cages. Others received treatment for claws that had grown inward from walking too much on unnatural, plank flooring in the spartan enclosures. After evaluating each animal in the coming weeks, Four Paws will arrange for their transfer to more expansive, natural homes around the world. open image in gallery After striking an agreement with Argentinas government earlier this year, Four Paws took over responsibility for the surviving wild animals in Lujan last month ( Associated Press ) Some Argentine zookeepers who spent decades feeding and caring for the big cats say theyre happy to see Four Paws improving the animals conditions. But there is also a sense of nostalgia for how things were. It used to be a very popular place... Ive seen people cry because they could touch a lion or feed a tiger with a bottle, says Alberto Diaz, who spent 27 years working with the wild cats at Lujan Zoo, overseeing hands-on experiences that catered to countless tourists. Time changes, laws change, and you have to adapt or get left behind. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice A solid gold toilet, a sculpture by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan titled "America," is set to go under the hammer at Sothebys, described as the worlds most valuable lavatory. The auction house announced on Friday that the fully functional cistern, literally worth its weight in gold, will be offered for sale. Sothebys characterises the piece as an "incisive commentary on the collision of artistic production and commodity value." The sculpture is identical to one that garnered international attention after being stolen in an audacious heist from Englands Blenheim Palace in 2019. The auction is scheduled for 18 November in New York, with a starting price reflecting the value of its 101.2 kilograms (223 pounds) of gold currently estimated at around $10 million. David Galperin, head of contemporary art at Sothebys in New York, said Cattelan is the consummate art world provocateur. Hes also one of most successful, an artist whose work Comedian, a banana duct-taped to a wall, sold at a New York auction last year for $6.2 million. Him Cattelans unsettling sculpture of a kneeling Hitler sold for $17.2 million at a Christies auction in 2016. open image in gallery Sothebys announced on Friday that the fully functional toilet, literally worth its weight in gold, will be offered for sale ( Associated Press ) The artist has said America satirizes excessive wealth. Whatever you eat, a $200 lunch or a $2 hot dog, the results are the same, toilet-wise, he once said. Two versions of America were created in 2016. The one being sold has been owned by an unnamed collector since 2017. The other version went on display in a bathroom at the Guggenheim Museum in New York in 2016. More than 100,000 visitors queued up to to put it delicately interact with the work. The Guggenheim had offered the work to U.S. President Donald Trump during his first term in office after he had asked to borrow a Van Gogh painting. In 2019, it went on show at Blenheim Palace, the English country manor that was the birthplace of Winston Churchill. Within days it had been stolen by burglars who broke into the building, forcibly wrenched it from the plumbing, and fled. Two men were convicted earlier this year and jailed. The toilet has never been recovered. Investigators think it was likely broken up and melted down. open image in gallery Two versions of America were created in 2016, with one version famously stolen at Blenheim Palace ( PA Media ) Galperin is unwilling to speculate on how much America could sell for. He notes that Cattelans duct-taped banana posed questions about how one assigns value to something that has, in essence, no value aside from its authorship and its conceptual idea. America is in many ways the complete inverse of that. It is a perfect foil in that this work has a lot of intrinsic value in a way that most artworks do not, he said. The question of the proportion of value between the raw materials and the artistic idea is very on the table here. America will go on display at Sothebys new New York headquarters, the Breuer Building, from 8 November until the auction. It will be in a bathroom, and visitors will be able to see it up close and personal but not use it. At the Guggenheim and Blenheim Palace, the toilet was connected to the plumbing system and visitors could book a 3-minute appointment to use it. This time, visitors will be not able to use it -- they can look but they cant flush. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice A drug endorsed by the Donald Trump administration which allegedly treats against a rare disorder that causes autism-like symptoms has triggered a surge in demand from parents, despite a lack of data supporting its use. More parents in the U.S. are asking for leucovorin, believing it could unlock speech and social connection in their autistic children. Pediatricians and specialists caution the science on leucovorin in autistic people as the data is limited and does not support widespread use. In the month since Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Marty Makary promoted the decades-old drug from GSK, saying it could help hundreds of thousands of autistic children, doctors and researchers say they have been inundated by parents seeking information. My Facebook feed is flooded with parents swearing that leucovorin works, said Dr. David Mandell, a professor of psychiatry and autism researcher at the University of Pennsylvania. Lack of data Tens of thousands of people have joined a Facebook group called Leucovorin for Autism started in May by Keith Joyce, legal guardian to four-year-old Jose, who is taking the drug. Joyce credits Jose's improvements in verbal communication and social awareness to leucovorin. The site gained 5,000 members on the day of Trump and Makary's White House announcement and now has 84,000. open image in gallery Doctors and researchers say they have been inundated by parents seeking information about leucovorin ( Reuters ) Mandell and other scientists and doctors say Trumps endorsement, without requiring large, randomized clinical trials, leaves practitioners facing emotional pleas from families while lacking data, guidance or confidence to prescribe the drug responsibly. Leucovorin is approved to treat chemotherapy side effects but can be prescribed off-label for autism symptoms. "It puts physicians in a very tough position because they're being asked to prescribe something that is not evidence-based," said Dr. Shafali Jeste, an autism expert and head of pediatrics at UCLA, who does not prescribe leucovorin despite repeated requests. On Friday, the American Academy of Pediatrics said it does not recommend leucovorin for routine use in autistic children. Autism rates have risen to 1 in 31 8-year-olds, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported in April. Finding the condition's root cause and potential treatments is something Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Trump have championed. Rare Neurological condition Despite the FDA commissioner's broad comments, his agency proposed a narrower expanded approval tied to cerebral folate deficiency (CFD), a genetic condition that can cause autism-like symptoms. It affects roughly one in 1 million children worldwide. The argument for wider use is built on small studies suggesting many autistic children have autoantibodies that block folate - a vitamin important for brain signaling - from entering the brain, causing a deficiency similar to CFD. An estimated 75 per cent of autistic children are believed to have these autoantibodies, but their significance is unproven, said Dr. Karam Radwan, director of the Neurodevelopmental Disorders Program at the University of Chicago. open image in gallery The American Academy of Pediatrics said it does not recommend leucovorin for routine use in autistic children ( PA ) A Health and Human Services spokesperson said the FDA based its plan to update the leucovorin label to include CFD on an analysis of over 40 case studies published from 2009-2024. Overall, 85 per cent of patients experienced some benefit including improved speech/communication capabilities. HHS said leucovorin could be useful in children who have autoantibodies to folate, but conceded the data is limited and need to be replicated. A spokesperson said the National Institutes of Health will support follow-up research into leucovorin's impact on CFD, as well as any potential benefit to autistic individuals. Post-market surveillance and safety studies are part of the plan. Parents see a green light Parents have interpreted the FDA announcement as a green light for leucovorin's use in autism, sharing treatment tips that led Facebook to take down Joyce's site. It was reinstated with rules banning dosing discussions, only to be removed again last week for other violations. Joyce started researching the drug after watching a news program featuring an autistic boy on the treatment who showed marked speech improvements. He found just three studies, all by the same author, that he deemed credible. No large trials in autistic children comparing leucovorin to a placebo have been conducted. Joyce reviewed the drug's track record in cancer patients, where leucovorin has been linked with insomnia, agitation and depression. In children, doctors and parents say it can lead to hyperactivity, aggression and feeling overwhelmed. Jose's neurologist balked at prescribing leucovorin, but the boy's behavioral pediatrician, who heard about the drug at a conference, was willing to. The child's care team measured language skills before treatment and four months later, Joyce said. He is more aware of the world around him, and more responsive, Joyce said. "It's not curing his autism, but it improved his quality of life. I'm convinced it's real." Radwan, who offers the drug in his practice, said doctors don't fully understand who may benefit, by how much and whether it is sustainable. So far, the benefit is pretty modest," he said. Parents in some online communities are calling for caution. Sophia Urwin, 33, a single parent from Wellington, New Zealand, whose four-year-old, non-verbal son was diagnosed as autistic in 2022, is concerned about desperate parents turning to over-the-counter versions of folinic acid. "Its really easy to get swept up in thinking something is a miracle cure when youve been skating on thin ice for so long," she said. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Massive delays caused chaos for airline passengers yesterday, as the air traffic controller staffing crisis, exacerbated by the government shutdown, continued to worsen. Vice President J.D. Vance has now warned of a looming disaster if the devastating government shutdown drags into November. Some airports were even forced to order an entire ground stop for their services, according to reports. Orlando International Airport, which regularly welcomes tourists heading to Disney World, was the hardest hit by the closures. According to an advisory board seen by The New York Times, no arriving flights were able to land for an extended period on Thursday, as there were no certified traffic controllers available. Delays at Orlandos airport averaged 2 hours and 40 minutes, with some lasting up to 12 hours. open image in gallery Travellers sleep on chairs at Orlando International Airport as delays of up to 12 hours were reported ( AFP via Getty Images ) Similar controller shortages also caused chaos for flight schedules at Ronald Reagan National Airport. Air traffic controllers have been going without pay since Tuesday, as the holiday season approaches and worsening weather conditions lead to soaring household bills. A lot of our people can go through the miss of one paycheck, Sean Duffy, the transportation secretary, added. None of them can get through two paychecks. Meanwhile, Trump has ordered Republicans in Congress to play their TRUMP CARD, to eliminate the filibuster, prolonging the shutdown. Ominously, Trump referred to this as the Republicans Nuclear Option, although it could present the GOP with major problems if they eventually lose power to the Democrats. open image in gallery The government shutdown has dragged into its 31st day as it barrels towards becoming the longest closure in history ( EPA ) The filibuster is a Senate rule that requires 60 of the chambers 100 members to approve a piece of legislation for it to be signed into law. Since the Republicans hold a majority of 53-47, legislation can be stalled if Senators vote along party lines. If the Republicans ditched this agreement and cashed in on the ability to force through bills, it would hand a massive amount of power to the Democrats, if they won the Senate in 2026, since they would be equally free to ignore the filibuster. The filibuster is currently allowing the Democrats to block any bill proposed by the Republicans, in a bid to force the GOP to the negotiating table. The Democratic Party has said it will not approve any spending bill that includes cuts to Affordable Care Act subsidies. They are also looking to reverse cuts to Medicaid, which were included in Trumps Big, Beautiful Bill. The shutdown has been ongoing for 31 days. The most extended government shutdown, which ended after 35 days, unfolded during Trumps first term. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice One of the top priorities in Bari Weiss fledgling reign atop CBS News is to reshape the networks evening news broadcast, which was once anchored by the legendary Walter Cronkite but has lately been mired in third place amid a revolving door of hosts and a recent format change. Weiss, the founder of the anti-woke digital outlet The Free Press who was installed as the networks editor-in-chief earlier this month, has been intently focused on bringing in a high-profile external candidate to help reverse CBS Evening News fortunes and boost its increasingly struggling ratings. While it has already been reported that Weiss is eyeing Fox News chief political anchor Bret Baier and CNN star Anderson Cooper for the role, despite both making eight-digit salaries and being locked into contracts with rival networks, The Guardian revealed Friday that another name has entered the fray: Fox News anchor Dana Perino. Perino, a former George W. Bush spokesperson, has been with the conservative cable giant since 2009 and currently serves as both a co-anchor of the midday news broadcast Americas Newsroom and a panelist on the top-rated roundtable program The Five. The Independent has reached out to CBS News for comment. Fox News declined to comment. open image in gallery Bari Weiss has mentioned Fox News anchor Dana Perino as a target for the evening news broadcast. ( Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved ) Much like Baier, who shot down the CBS News rumors this week by making it clear hes signed with Fox News through 2028, Perino has a long-term contract with the right-wing network. In fact, as The Guardian pointed out, shes locked into her Fox News deal until the 2030s. While it seems highly unlikely that Perino would be able to jump to CBS due to her contract she would need to negotiate a buyout with Fox owners Rupert and Lachlan Murdoch one this is abundantly clear: she is a self-described huge fan of Weiss, and vice versa. During an appearance on Weiss podcast this past spring, Perino declared that The Free Press is one of the best things that has kept me more informed and smarter, and also super entertained. Weiss, in return, heaped praise on the Fox News star. The private Dana is even more gracious and shining than the public one, the former New York Times columnist declared. You are a person who models, frankly, just classy behavior, the kind of class that I think a lot of people have forgotten. When asked about Weiss considering Perino to lead CBS Evening News, one senior CBS News staffer responded to The Independent with a face-palm emoji. Another industry insider told The Independent, Amateur hour doesnt even begin to describe the way CBS and Bari operate - deeply unsophisticated and no serious knowledge of the way the industry works, and how talent contracts are done much less how to actually build and cultivate a star. Embarrassing. Another name that has been floated around the network as a possible candidate for the CBS Evening News, first reported by The Guardian and confirmed by The Independent with multiple sources, is former Fox News anchor Shepard Smith. Smith, who suddenly quit Fox in 2019 amid an on-air feud with then-host Tucker Carlson, was last seen in the anchor chair during his ill-fated run hosting a weeknight newscast on CNBC, which ended in 2022 after the network ditched the experiment following low ratings. The veteran anchor, who has kept a low profile since leaving the airwaves, doesnt appear to be in serious contention for the CBS News gig, sources added. Earlier this week, amid rumors that Weiss and network president Tom Cibrowski were making sweeping changes to the show, CBS Evening News co-anchor John Dickerson announced that he was leaving both the program and the network at the end of the year. Maurice DuBois, his fellow host on the telecast, is not expected to remain with the show, as it is expected to return to a single-anchor format. While Weiss is looking to generate buzz for the flagship evening broadcast by bringing in a splashy outside hire, there are also a number of internal candidates in the running for the anchors seat. open image in gallery Weiss is looking to bring in a splashy external hire to generate buzz about the perennially third-place evening news broadcast. ( Getty ) Norah ODonnell, who hosted CBS Evening News for five years before being replaced by Dickerson and Dubois, could return to the position and, according to CBS sources, has been aggressively lobbying Weiss for another chance. CBS Mornings co-anchor Tony Dokoupil, whom Weiss and The Free Press vehemently defended after he was reprimanded by CBS News management over his contentious interview with author Ta-Nehisi Coates last year, is seen as the favorite internally. According to several network insiders, though, hes told his CBS Mornings colleagues he is not interested. Regardless of who steps in as the next anchor of CBS Evening News, which is currently only drawing half the viewership of rival ABC News nightly newscast, the show will once again undergo a complete remodel less than a year after its latest transformation. Besides replacing ODonnell with Dickerson and DuBois as a two-man anchor team, the network also moved the show from Washington, D.C., to New York City and attempted to fashion it after the top-rated Sunday newsmagazine 60 Minutes. This included putting it under the supervision of then-60 Minutes executive producer Bill Owens, who would leave the network months later amid growing tensions over Donald Trumps lawsuit against the network, which Paramount would settle weeks before merging with David Ellisons Skydance Media. Meanwhile, the drama surrounding CBS Evening News is just the tip of the iceberg for the network, which has been riddled with turmoil and plummeting staff morale amid steep layoffs, programming cuts, rumblings of other radical changes, concerns about Ellison shifting the network to the right to pander to Trump and the recent arrival of Weiss, who has no broadcast journalism experience. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Elon Musks SpaceX looks set to win a $2 billion contract to develop satellites for use in tracking missiles and aircraft as part of President Donald Trumps Golden Dome defense project, according to a report. The planned air moving target indicator system in question could ultimately feature as many as 600 satellites once it is fully operational, The Wall Street Journal reports. Musks company has also been linked to two more satellite ventures, which are concerned with relaying sensitive communications and tracing vehicles, respectively. Handing the contracts to SpaceX would provide a strong indication that the rift between the two billionaires, which exploded so publicly in early July, has been at least partially healed, but would do little to reassure defense sector critics who have warned the Pentagon against relying too heavily on any one contractor for national security projects. open image in gallery President Donald Trump and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth unveil their Golden Dome missile defense project in the Oval Office on May 20 ( Getty ) Golden Dome, inspired by Israels Iron Dome, was announced by Trump and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth at the White House in May and will amount to a complex system of satellites and weaponry capable of destroying incoming missiles before they hit American targets. The president promised it would be fully operational before he leaves office in January 2029, capable of intercepting rockets, even if they are launched from space, with an overall price tag of $175 billion. However, the independent Congressional Budget Office warned that it could cost as much as $524 billion and take 20 years to build, with Musks then-rumored involvement prompting Democrats to express concerns about a conflict of interest this spring. Funding for the satellite system was set aside in Trumps One Big, Beautiful Bill, passed by Congress and signed into law in July, but the legislation did not name a specific contractor. Asked about the reported SpaceX deal, a Pentagon official told The Independent: As a matter of policy, we do not provide details relating to specifics of architectural discussion or pre-decisional matters. Recognizing adversaries intent to exploit Golden Domes breakthroughs, we are rigorously protecting its strategic advantages from external access. The Independent has also reached out to the White House and SpaceX. Although defense officials have yet to announce major contract awards for Golden Dome formally, more details are expected over the coming weeks. Anduril Industries, Palantir Technologies, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, and L3Harris have all been linked to the bidding process. open image in gallery Elon Musk looks set to win the lucrative satellite contract in spite of his spectacular falling out with Trump this summer ( Getty ) Palantir and Lockheed were, incidentally, named among the donors to Trumps new White House ballroom earlier this month. For his part, Musk has largely retreated from the political fray after his six month side quest in Washington ended in acrimony and disagreement over the OBBB, which saw him and Trump exchange ferocious personal insults in public via their rival social media platforms X and Truth Social. The president threatened to have the South African-born tycoon deported and his $48 billion in government contracts placed under review during the feud. At the same time, Musk alleged that the actual reason for Trump not releasing the Jeffrey Epstein files was that he was named in them and threatened to decommission a spacecraft used to ferry NASA astronauts to the International Space Station. Before that, Musk had donated $288 million to Trumps 2024 election campaign and founded DOGE, the agency tasked with reducing waste expenditure and streamlining the federal government. The two were briefly reunited and shook hands at a memorial for the conservative activist Charlie Kirk in Arizona in September, and the president said earlier this week that he had always liked Elon and dismissed their spat as very stupid, hinting at a desire for friendlier relations. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Fox & Friends co-host Lawrence Jones railed against Democrats for questioning the legality of the Trump administration's lethal military strikes against alleged drug runners in the Caribbean and Pacific, saying Congressional briefings are unnecessary because bad guys are dying. This is moronic, Jones fumed at Democratic criticism over the administrations lack of transparency over the boat strikes. The Fox morning hosts defense of the White Houses escalating hostilities against Venezuela came during a friendly interview with House Speaker Mike Johnson, who claimed that Democrats are only saying theyre unsatisfied with the administrations briefings on the boat strikes because they are motivated by Trump Derangement Syndrome. With the US military recently conducting its 14th strike on an alleged drug-trafficking boat off the coast of South America, bringing the death toll to at least 61, the administration held classified briefings on Capitol Hill that left Democrats frustrated and annoyed. In the Senate, for instance, Democrats were shut out of a GOP-only briefing this week on the boat strikes, prompting the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee to rail against Republicans and the White House. open image in gallery Fox & Friends host Lawrence Jones called Democrats moronic for demanding more transparency on the strikes on the alleged drug boats, adding that Congressional briefings were unnecessary. ( Fox News ) I dont know how you even begin to rebuild trust. This is against every norm of how national security policy has worked, Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA) said, adding that when you politicize decision making about putting service members in harms way, you make them less safe. Meanwhile, Democrats on the House Armed Services Committee were invited to a members-only classified briefing on Thursday, but they came away dissatisfied with the administrations legal rationale for the strikes or the end game of the campaign. Our job is to oversee the use of lethal force by our military outside of the United States, and Im walking away without an understanding of how and why theyre making an assessment that the use of lethal force is adequate here, Rep. Jason Crow (D-CO) told reporters after the briefing. On top of that, the Miami Herald reported Friday morning that the Trump administration is now poised to target military installations in Venezuela and that the strikes could happen at any moment, escalating its purported campaign against drug cartels. The sheer scale of the deployment has led many analysts to conclude that the missions ultimate aim is the removal of the Maduro regime, though U.S. officials have provided few specifics about any planned actions inside Venezuela, the Herald reported. During Friday mornings interview with Johnson, the presidents favorite morning talk show brought up the Democratic criticism of the administrations campaign against Venezuela though some Republicans have also become increasingly outspoken about the legality of the strikes and lack of answers from the White House. They are upset, they say there is no legal basis and theres no evidence to prove what the president is saying. Whats your response? Fox & Friends co-host Ainsley Earhardt asked. To the shock of no one, House Democrats are not satisfied with a briefing from the Trump administration. I mean, give me a break, Johnson replied. If they came out and said they were satisfied, it would be pilloried by their own supporters. Again, they are motivated out of fear and as you said, Ainsley Trump Derangement Syndrome! The speaker went on to claim that hes seen exquisite intelligence in his briefings on the strikes, claiming that the boats are bringing massive amounts of deadly narcotics into the country. He also brought up how fentanyl was the leading cause of death among young people in recent years, grumbling that Trump is protecting the American people and they ought to be applauding this. open image in gallery House Speaker Mike Johnson defended the controversial military strikes against Venezuelan boats, insisting criticism of the legally dubious campaign is just Trump Derangement Syndrome. ( Fox News ) Chiming in, Jones groused that this is moronic from the Democrats before also tying the fentanyl epidemic to the boat strikes. As youve laid out, all the kids who have died. Weve seen the families on Capitol Hill, Jones continued, adding that cartels are funding people to come across the border to smuggle in drugs. I dont need a briefing. Bad guys are dying, I like it, the Fox News host, who has regularly been praised by the president, concluded. Fox News, meanwhile, has championed and validated the strikes in recent weeks, calling them pretty spectacular while praising the administrations aggressive approach. Cartels are at war with the U.S. They are killing more people than we have lost in war. One boatload of this stuff fentanyl, for example can kill hundreds of thousands of Americans, Johnson reacted. So you take that out, you leave that out at sea, youve saved the country! You have helped save lives of innocent people. I cannot imagine why they would be criticizing the White House for taking action! Outside of the fact that the administration has yet to provide public proof that the boats are being operated by narco-terrorists and have been loaded down with illicit drugs, which would still leave the military strikes legally dubious, the flow of fentanyl into the United States does not come from Venezuela and South America. Venezuela plays essentially no role in the production or smuggling of fentanyl, the New York Times reported this month. The drug is almost entirely made in Mexico with chemicals imported from countries in Asia, including China, according to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the Justice Department and the Congressional Research Service. Furthermore, those who were briefed by the administration this week said that the military acknowledged that the drugs that typically come from that area of the world do not include fentanyl. So they admitted that all of the narcotics coming out of this part of the world is cocaine. They, you know, talked a little bit about the connection between cocaine and fentanyl, although Im not convinced that what they said was accurate, Rep. Sara Jacobs (D-CA) told reporters on Thursday. And I think it goes to show that this is actually not about addressing fentanyl and the deaths of Americans, which is a really huge problem that we should be addressing. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Just weeks after Jeffrey Epstein died in jail in 2019, banking giant JPMorgan Chase alerted the Trump administration to more than $1 billion in potentially suspicious transactions involving several high-profile U.S. business figures, as well as wire transfers to Russian banks. The report, which JPMorgan filed and which was released this week among hundreds of pages of previously sealed court records flagged over 4,700 transactions, amid concerns they could potentially be related to human trafficking operations involving Epstein. Among the names highlighted in JPMorgans suspicious activity report are: Leon Black, co-founder of private equity firm Apollo Global Management and former MoMA chairman; billionaire hedge fund manager Glenn Dubin; celebrity attorney Alan Dershowitz; and trusts linked to retail magnate Leslie Wexner. Though each man appeared in connection with financial dealings tied to Epstein, what those transactions involved, and precisely how Epstein fits into the picture, remains unclear. None of them has been charged with crimes in connection with the disgraced financier. open image in gallery Jeffrey Epstein was found dead in his prison cell (US Department of Justice/PA) ( PA Media ) According to The New York Times, which alongside The Wall Street Journal requested the documents to be made public, the report alerted authorities to wire transfers to Russian banks, while also mentioning sensitivities surrounding Epsteins relationships with two U.S. presidents. Epstein is known to have been close to President Trump and former President Bill Clinton. The report offered few specifics about the suspicious transactions or why they raised red flags, other than their apparent ties to Epstein. Key points it highlights include $65 million worth of wire transfers linked to trusts controlled by retail billionaire Wexner. The transfers, dating back to the mid-2000s, appeared to pass through multiple banks. Epstein served as a trustee for some of Wexners trusts and acted as a close financial adviser for nearly 20 years. Wexners business empire included retailers such as The Limited and Victorias Secret. Following Epsteins death, Wexner publicly accused him of misappropriating vast sums of money. open image in gallery The report, which JPMorgan filed and which was released this week among hundreds of pages of previously sealed court records flagged over 4,700 transactions ( Getty Images ) The JPMorgan report did not provide details about the transactions involving the Blacks, the Dubins, or Dershowitz; however, links between some of them are already known. Epstein had numerous ties to Dubin. The disgraced financier had played a key role in brokering the sale of Dubins firm to JPMorgan a deal that earned Epstein a $15m fee. Epstein had also previously dated Dubins wife, Eva Andersson-Dubin, and was named godfather to the couples children. The report flagged undisclosed financial activity involving Epstein and Black, his wife, and a family partnership. A recent article by The New York Times also revealed Black had paid Epstein around $170 million over several years, along with hundreds of thousands of dollars to at least three women linked to Epstein. Representatives for Black said he had "no comment", but directed The Independent to a previous statement by Susan Estrich, Black's attorney, who said: After an exhaustive investigation more than four years ago, the Dechert law firm concluded that Mr Black paid Epstein only for tax and estate planning advice that saved him and his family billions of dollars. To imply that Epstein somehow had influence over Mr Black is false and patently absurd. Indeed, it was Mr Black who fired Epstein because he was disruptive and believed the fees for his services were excessive. The Dechert Report also found that Mr Black had no knowledge of Epsteins criminal activities. In response to the news of the suspicious activity reports contents, Dershowitz, who was one of Epsteins criminal defense lawyers, told The New York Times: The only funds I ever received from Jeffrey Epstein were payments for my legal services based on my hourly rates. A spokesperson for the Dubins told The Independent: During this 16-year period, there were 12 transactions between the parties, all of which related to charitable giving, personal gifts, or business matters. These transactions, which have all been previously reported, bore no connection whatsoever to the abhorrent conduct later revealed in relation to Mr Epstein. As Glenn and Eva Dubin have previously stated, they were horrified to learn of his vile and unspeakable actions. JPMorgan the U.S.s largest bank is also under increased scrutiny after it worked with Epstein for over a decade, during which he is believed to have sexually abused over 200 young women and girls, as young as 14. However, a spokesperson for the bank stated that the documents indicated JPMorgan had made repeated efforts to alert regulators to concerns surrounding Epstein by filing suspicious activity reports. It does not appear that anyone in the government or law enforcement acted on those SARs for years, a spokesperson for the bank Told The Independent. According to The Times, the bank also said it regretted its involvement with Epstein but was not aware of his sexual abuse. The Independent has contacted the individuals named in this report for further comment. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem defended the Trump administrations new restrictions on the issuing of commercial drivers licenses for non-American truck drivers, claiming they are endangering our citizens. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy last month announced restrictions around who is eligible for commercial drivers licenses, requiring non-citizens to undergo a stricter set of rules including possessing an employment-based visa and undergoing a federal immigration status check. Putting these foreigners in tractor trailersbecomes extremely dangerous, Noem said at a Thursday press conference, speaking in front of two massive trucks. I have driven semis over many, many years and 18-wheelers and understand they're difficult to stop, maneuver, you have to have a skillset but also communication with those around you. Putting them behind the wheel of these tractor trailers weighing tens of thousands of pounds loaded with explosive fuel down the highway endangers every single citizen that is on our roads, she added. open image in gallery Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem defended the Department of Transportations new restrictions on issuing commercial drivers licenses to non-citizen truck drivers. ( AP ) As part of Operation Midway Blitz, 223 immigrants were arrested, 146 of whom were truck drivers, in Indiana on Thursday, she said. Over 40 of the drivers had been issued commercial drivers licenses. If you are here driving on our streets illegally and our highways, you are endangering our citizens, and your days are numbered, Noem said. In a press release about the Thursday arrests, Homeland officials said: In recent months, weve seen a disturbing pattern of criminal illegal aliens driving commercial vehicles on American roads, directly threatening public safety and resulting in senseless loss of life. The arrested drivers overwhelmingly received their licenses from sanctuary states such as California, New York and Illinois, Homeland Security Secretary said. This week, Duffy threatened to pull $160 million in federal funds from California, claiming the state is illegally issuing commercial drivers licenses to non-citizens. Gavin Newsom cares more about giving illegals commercial drivers licenses than he does citizens of his own state and the safety of Americans. Its shameful, Duffy told Fox Business Sunday. Hes been lying about what hes been doing and were going to fight tooth and nail to make sure we hold states like California accountable. open image in gallery Noem, standing in front of two large trucks, announced 146 truck drivers were arrested in Indiana, claiming that the drivers had overwhelmingly received licenses from California, New York and Illinois ( REUTERS ) Her announcement came as Illinois Democratic Governor JB Pritzker urged Noem and DHS to pause all of their federal agents operations for the entirety of the Halloween weekend in Chicago. The city has been the target of President Donald Trumps immigration crackdown for weeks; masked federal agents have been carrying out raids across the Windy City while a lawsuit plays out to determine whether Trump can deploy National Guard troops to Illinois. Your operation has sown fear and division and chaos among law-abiding residents in our communities. If you are unwilling to cease operations and leave our city, can we at least agree that our children should not be victims, especially on Halloween? Pritzker said Thursday. Noem rejected Pritzkers request. "No, we're absolutely not willing to put on pause any work that we will do to keep communities safe. The fact that Governor Pritzker is asking for that is shameful," she said at the press conference. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice If the Senate reached a boiling point on Wednesday about the government shutdown because of the fight about stopping families from losing food aid, there finally seemed to be some progress a day later. On Thursday, Democrats seemed to be willing to talk with Republicans. I would say that both sides need to think very hard about the American people, Sen. Michael Bennet (D-Colo.) told The Independent. Democrats still want to get some kind of ironclad agreement that Speaker Mike Johnsons House of Representatives will hold a vote to extend the enhanced tax credits for the Affordable Care Acts marketplace. And Senate Republicans cannot guarantee that could happen. You cant guarantee a presidential veto, Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) told The Independent. What you can do is guarantee there's a fair number of Republicans that are willing to work with them on it. Johnson has kept the House out of session for more than a month now, arguing that the House did its job when it passed a clean resolution to keep the government open without an extension of the subsidies. That has frustrated even some Republicans in the House like Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.). It makes no sense to only go a couple of weeks, Tillis said. They always have the option of going back to this if they prove us wrong, and we're not prepared to work in good faith and have the administration support an outcome on the Obamacare subsidies. But Democrats have said that they are frustrated that Johnsons keeping the House out of session precludes them from getting any work done. I think the fact that the House has disappeared for the last five weeks is going to be something that the American people are very unlikely to forget, Bennet said. I mean that the complete abandonment of their responsibility has been shocking. At least the people in the Senate have been coming here every week to see if we can get to a resolution. In addition, many Democrats say that the only way to end the shutdown is to get President Donald Trump, who visited Asia this week, to lead negotiations. They're not going to move until Trump tells them to move, Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) told reporters. So until you hear something real from Donald Trump, it doesn't feel like anything is real. Murphy also said that he wants commitments for guardrails to prevent Trump from violating the law. You know, a vote doesn't help the people in my state, a vote that is designed to fail is just a guarantee that millions of people lose health care in this country, he said. I'm not interested in Republican platitudes about free speech. I want provisions in the budget that constrain Donald Trump's illegality. But Republicans say that there is no reason to bring the president into talks. I dont expect the president to negotiate yet, Tillis said. I mean, we've made it very clear that they need to get out of the shutdown posture before it elevates to the White House being involved in negotiation. So I don't think his absence has affected the negotiations one iota. So far, Trump has closed the door to negotiating with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries. And Republicans tend to agree. This hasnt anything to do with President Trump, Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) told The Independent. It's all leverage for them because they don't like what President Trump is doing, and they know their base will kill them if they don't keep fighting. Mullin and other Republicans speculated that Democrats would finally relent after next weeks elections in New Jersey and Virginia, something Democrats scoffed at. Theyve been predicting we would fold, and we would be predicting they would find a backbone, Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) told The Independent. Sen Brian Schatz of Hawaii was even more dismissive Republicans are saying a lot of things, he told The Independent as he jumped into an elevator with Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas), which caused them both to laugh. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Speaker of the House Mike Johnson quickly stepped in to correct a cabinet member and create an awkward scene over who is to blame for the government shutdown and SNAP food benefits going unpaid. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins appealed to the more than 40 million Americans who use the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program during a press conference Friday morning, saying the government is failing those by not addressing food insecurity issues. My message to America is, first, the fact that your government is failing you, right now, Rollins began. That poverty is not red or blue, it is not a Republican or Democrat issue, doesnt matter who you voted for or even if you voted. That if you are in a position where you cant feed your family and youre relying on that $187 a month for an average family in the SNAP program, that we have failed you, she continued. The agriculture secretary went on to blame Democrats for the government shutdown, accusing them of holding vulnerable families hostage to their policies. But Johnson appeared unsatisfied with her initial response. Lets clarify, when she says we have failed you, she means we, the Democrats, OK? Johnson said after quickly stepping up to the lectern after Rollins. open image in gallery Secretary Brooke Rollins said her message to Americans who rely on SNAP food benefits is that the government has failed you. That prompted Speaker Mike Johnson to step in. ( Getty Images ) He went on to give his usual stump, blaming Democrats for the state of the government a position President Donald Trump has had his entire administration maintain since the start of the shutdown in September. Tensions between the two parties have been growing over the last week as both sides point fingers at who is to bear responsibility if SNAP recipients cannot receive payments for food on November 1, when funding is set to lapse. Rollins said the administration will not tap into its $5 billion contingency fund for SNAP, otherwise known as food stamps, come this weekend. She claims they do not have the legal standing to do so though Democrats disagree with that, citing a previous contingency plan from the Agriculture Department and past shutdown plans. After Rollinss comment at the press conference, several Democratic lawmakers were quick to use her words against the administration. open image in gallery Some states have declared a national emergency ahead of the weekend to stockpile food at food banks in case SNAP payments cease ( Getty ) Republicans control the House, the Senate, and the White House, Texas Rep. Julie Johnson wrote on X. Yes, Trump, his administration, and Republicans in Congress are failing the American people. New York Rep. Ritchie Torres quoted Rollins, calling it a rare moment of introspection from Republicans, who control all three branches of government. Trumps Secretary of Agriculture, who oversees SNAP, in a press conference with Speaker Johnson, says her message to America is We have failed you, Virginia Rep. Don Beyer wrote on X. The first step in the 12-step program is admitting you have a problem, Illinois Rep. Sean Casten said. I just wish she was at the point of making amends to the millions of Americans she has harmed by her actions. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Food assistance for 42 million Americans is set to run out as soon as Friday due to the ongoing shutdown but one Republican Congressman didnt express much sympathy, telling those reliant on food benefits to stop smoking crack. Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, provides tens of millions of low-income Americans with an average of $187 per participant per month, according to the Department of Agriculture. Due to the government shutdown, which has dragged on since October 1, the department has said it doesnt have the $8 billion needed to fund the program in November. Democratic leaders from 25 states have sued the Trump administration to prevent aid from being disrupted and members of Congress on both sides of the aisle have introduced legislation to keep SNAP, also known as food stamps, benefits flowing in November. But Louisiana Republican Rep. Clay Higgins took a different tack, seemingly placing blame on SNAP recipients. There are 22 million American households receiving SNAP benefits for groceries, at $4,200 per year on average. Try to get your head wrapped around how many pantries you can stock with $4200 dollars in properly shopped groceries, he wrote on X Thursday. Any American who has been receiving $4,200 dollars per year of free groceries and does NOT have at least 1 month of groceries stocked should never again receive SNAP, because wow, stop smoking crack, Higgins added, posting a photo of a fully-stocked pantry. open image in gallery Republican Louisiana Rep. Clay Higgins points fingers at food assistance recipients as the shutdown threatens to cut off aid next month for 42 million Americans. ( Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved ) The program is meant to alleviate poverty and reduce food insecurity. There are strict eligibility requirements as well as limitations on what recipients can buy using food stamps. Using SNAP benefits, recipients can purchase fruits and vegetables, meat, poultry, fish, breads and other grocery items but they cannot buy alcoholic beverages, cigarettes, or marijuana, among other things. Social media users criticized the Louisiana Republicans post. Sarah Stogner, the district attorney for the 143rd Judicial District of Texas, slammed Higgins finger-pointing. Stop smoking crack. Way to play to old stereotypes. How much do you spend annually on food? I bet you have no idea. When was the last time you personally did the grocery shopping for your family? Stogner wrote in an X post. open image in gallery People in Miami wait in line to receive groceries from Curley's House Food Bank days before SNAP benefits may expire due to the government shutdown ( Getty Images ) Hours after Higgins post, President Donald Trump urged members of his party to end the shutdown by using the nuclear option, doing away with a filibuster that requires 60 votes for legislation to advance in the Senate. This will hurt American citizens, and Republicans will not let it happen. It is now time for the Republicans to play their TRUMP CARD, and go for what is called the Nuclear Option Get rid of the Filibuster, and get rid of it, NOW! he wrote on Truth Social Thursday night. Senate Majority Leader John Thune has previously said he wouldnt touch the filibuster rule. A federal judge overseeing the case brought by 25 Democratic state leaders indicated Thursday that she would order the Trump administration to tap into a contingency fund to at least partially fund the food assistance program during the shutdown. Congress has put money in an emergency fund, and it is hard for me to understand how this is not an emergency, Talwani said at a Thursday hearing, according to the Washington Post. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Its a good thing for Senate Majority Leader John Thune that his caucus had already left Washington when President Donald Trump demanded they eliminate the filibuster. THE CHOICE IS CLEAR INITIATE THE NUCLEAR OPTION, GET RID OF THE FILIBUSTER AND, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN, he posted in all caps late Thursday evening on Truth Social. This will be the ultimate test for Senate Republicans in a time when Trump has demanded unflinching loyalty. The question is: Are they willing to irrevocably break the Senate to do that. As Inside Washington broke down last week, some Republicans in the House and Senate had begun to float eliminating the 60-vote threshold. Senate GOP leadership has resisted the temptation. In 2022, The Independent spoke to Thune who was then the Republican whip. Democrats had just failed to pass a carve-out of the filibuster to pass a new version of the Voting Rights Act. When asked whether Republicans would ever ditch it, he pointed to the fact that Republicans under Mitch McConnell resisted the temptation to do so after the GOP failed to repeal the Affordable Care Act. President Donald Trumps call to end the filibuster will prove the ultimate loyalty test for the Senate GOP. ( AP ) Now, once again, Trump is demanding to nuke the filibuster, this time to avoid negotiating with Democrats on salvaging the Covid-era enhanced subsidies for the Affordable Care Acts health insurance marketplace. Up until now, Democrats have voted against continuing resolutions to keep the government open on the grounds they see it as their one chance to extend the subsidies. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and other Democrats have said that this would require Trumps intervention, especially since Speaker Mike Johnson has kept the House out of session. But Trump has refused to negotiate until Democrats vote to reopen the government. An ABC News/Washington Post/Ipsos poll showed that a plurality of 45 percent of Americans blame Trump and Republicans in Congress for the shutdown while only 33 percent blame Democrats. That likely weighs on Trump, especially as Democrats are set to run the table in gubernatorial races in Virginia and New Jersey. But it will be just the latest move seeing just how far Trump can push Senate Republicans. Republicans have largely wanted to keep the filibuster because, for the most part, they can achieve their most popular policy goals like tax cuts through budget reconciliation, which allows them to avoid a filibuster as long as legislation relates to federal spending. McConnells decision to eliminate the filibuster for Supreme Court nomineeswhich came after Democrats eliminated it for lower court and cabinet officialsmeans they can fill the courts while avoiding third rail policies like touching Social Security and Medicare or passing unpopular policies like an abortion ban. By contrast, most of Democrats policy goalsfrom immigration reform to codifying abortion rights to voting rights to statehood for Washington, DC to paid family to a $15 minimum wagecannot pass because of the filibuster, which is why they want to eliminate it, even as they use it to block government spending bills. But weve seen Trump force through what was once unthinkable during his second term. And hes shown that he can bend the Senate to his will multiple times. Just this week, Republicans mostly fell in line to preserve Trumps tariffs. In a vote against the tariffs against Brazil, only five RepublicansSens. Rand Paul of Kentucky, Susan Collins of Maine, Thom Tillis of North Carolina, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and McConnelljoined Democrats. In a second vote to oppose tariffs on Canada, every one of those same Republicans except Tillis joined Democrats and the same went for a resolution opposing Trumps global tariffs. And despite the fact Republicans are not too pleased about Trumps pledge to import beef from Argentina, Republicans from cattle ranching states have done little but send some strong words toward the White House. Its part of a larger pattern. Trump forced Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa, a survivor of sexual assault and a veteran, vote to have Pete Hegseth, who faced an allegation of sexual assault he denied and had opposed women in combat, lead the Pentagon. He forced Sen. Bill Cassidy, a gastroentrologist who had voted to convict Trump for his actions on January 6, to confirm Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a conspiracy theorist and anti-vaxxer, to lead the Department of Health and Human Services. And he and Thune got Lisa Murkowski, a moderate who treasured her independence from the GOP, to vote for his One Big, Beautiful Bill despite her objections to it. And when Republicans fall too out of line, theyve been forced to retire, as was the case with Tillis and Ernst. There are still plenty of old-school Senate Republicans who might balk at killing the filibuster and who will rightly argue that its the one thing keeping the Senate from turning into the Thunderdome that is the House of Representatives. But all it takes are enough Republicans with a battering ram from the president to eventually pummel Republican leadership into submission. And the Senate has given him no reason to see they wont tell him yes again. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice President Trump on Friday bragged that redoing a bathroom off the White Houses Lincoln Bedroom in heaps of gleaming white marble was more appropriate for the time of the Civil War-era president. It was renovated in the 1940s in an art deco green tile style, which was totally inappropriate for the Lincoln Era, Trump wrote on Truth Social I did it in black and white polished Statuary marble. This was very appropriate for the time of Abraham Lincoln and, in fact, could be the marble that was originally there! The president spoke of his plans for the room earlier this month. Its a style that is not good it is actually art deco and art deco doesnt go with 1850 and civil wars, he said. So, I ripped it apart, he added, and we built a bathroom thats absolutely gorgeous and totally keeping in that time because the Lincoln bedroom is so incredible for those of you who have seen it. open image in gallery President Trump claims remodeling the Lincoln Bathroom from its previous art deco style (left) is making the space more historically accurate, though marble does not appear to have been a major feature of the room during Lincolns time ( Donald Trump / Truth Social ) Though the White House has historically featured both marble architectural features and stone statues, the luxury gold-and-marble renovation of the bathroom does not appear to match the historical, more muted look of the Lincoln Bedroom and its nearby quarters in the White House. The room, which Lincoln himself used as an office and state room, was carpeted and featured wallpaper. A nearby room, known then as the Prince of Wales Room, was filled with embellished cloth draperies. An 1862 newspaper article describes both rooms as "very neatly papered, but should be better furnished. All the furniture is exceedingly old, and is too ricketty to venerate. open image in gallery President Trump has put his mark on a variety of spaces around the White House, including the Lincoln Bathroom and the ongoing construction of a new ballroom ( Donald Trump / Truth Social ) The Independent has contacted the White House Historical Association for comment on the accuracy of the presidents claims. Presidents throughout U.S. history have renovated the White House, including a sweeping mid-century fix-up under President Harry S. Truman that installed the bathroom recently in Trumps sights. President Trump is no different, and the Republican has decked out his office in what he says are 24-karat gold adornments, though internet sleuths believe some of the new furnishings are spray-painted plastic from Home Depot. open image in gallery Historical accounts of the Lincoln Bedroom describe it featuring carpet, wallpaper, and heavy wooden furniture, rather than marble ( Library of Congress ) More consequentially, Trump has demolished large parts of the East Wing to make way for a $300 million ballroom, much of it funded by major corporations and past donors to the president. A majority of Americans oppose the decision to tear down the wing to build the ballroom, recent polling found. Close Carney says 'we stand ready' to resume trade talks after Trump ends them with Canada over TV ads Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice President Donald Trump maintained that he would not reopen negotiations with Canada, for now, after the province of Ontario aired a negative advertisement about tariffs featuring former President Ronald Reagan. What they did is wrong, Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One Friday afternoon as he made his way to his home in Palm Beach, Florida. Despite his anger about the ad, which used an old Reagan speech in which he voiced opposition to tariffs, Trump said he likes Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney. Trump said Carney apologized for the ad and was very nice. The two leaders spoke with each other during a trip to Southeast Asia this past week. The president returned from his trip on Thursday and is expected to be in Florida over the weekend. That comes as states scramble for solutions to keep low-income Americans fed as SNAP loses funding on November 1. When asked about the SNAP situation, Trump told reporters it was Democrats fault a position he has maintained since the start of the government shutdown. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice President Donald Trumps call for the United States to resume a nuclear testing program that was shuttered during the George HW Bush administration would require spending astronomical amounts of money for little benefit, according to experts. Trump appeared to upend a three-decade moratorium on live nuclear explosions, which began following the last American weapons test in 1992, when he posted to Truth Social on Wednesday that he was ordering the Department of War his administrations preferred moniker for the Department of Defense to immediately begin testing Americas nuclear stockpile on an equal basis to other nuclear-armed nations. One expert, former National Nuclear Security Administration acting principal deputy administrator Corey Hinderstein, said even a simple test consisting of setting off one warhead in an underground shaft could cost the U.S. upwards of $100m. The move is ostensibly meant to counter modernized nuclear weapons delivery systems from Russia and China, as well as North Korea which for years has conducted illegal nuclear tests at an underground facility. Theoretically, the United States does have a facility capable of hosting and conducting underground nuclear weapons tests, the Energy Departments Nevada Test Site, roughly 65 miles north of Las Vegas. A nuclear test at the Nevada Test Site in 1957 ( AP ) Its there, deep under the Ranier Mesa, where the U.S. last exploded a nuclear warhead in 1992. The site is the only place where any American nuclear tests had been run since 1962, the year before the Partial Nuclear Test Ban Treaty banned above ground and underwater nuclear testing, as well as nuclear tests in space. According to experts, resuming explosive tests at the Nevada site could be a byzantine and costly affair, particularly in light of the experience that has been lost since that last test more than three decades ago. Hinderstein, who is head of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peaces nuclear policy program told The Washington Post in an interview that a new vertical shaft would be necessary to avoid disrupting other work at the test site. Paul Dickman, a retired senior policy fellow at the Argonne National Laboratory who spent almost 14 years at the NNSA the agency that would be responsible for carrying out a live nuclear test told the Post that the people who once worked on such projects were not bureaucrats. Dickman, whose LinkedIn profile shows he worked on projects at the Nevada Test Site in the 1980s, said the officials in charge were not a PowerPoint crowd and had a lot of dirt under their fingers. The NNSA has also seen an exodus of expertise from its ranks since the start of the second Trump administration, with many senior civil servants having been sacked during the Elon Musk-run Department of Government Efficiencys rampage through the executive branch during the opening months of Trumps term, with even more now on furlough during the ongoing government shutdown. Nevada Representative Dina Titus, a Democrat, told the Post that the experts whove been fired or furloughed are the people who build the weapons, who do the enrichment of the material, who test the existing stockpile. But former Obama administration energy secretary Ernest Mortiz said reaching Trumps goal of an immediate return to testing is achievable so long as the only thing Trump desires is the explosion itself. If all you wanted was a stunt to say okay, you set off a nuclear explosive, dont worry about the data you would probably take one of the weapons out of reserve, strip it down somewhat and then just set it off, he said. Moritz, a nuclear physicist and co-chair of the Nuclear Threat Initiative, added that the stunt test could be ready to go in maybe a year. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice A federal judge has ordered President Donald Trump to unleash emergency funding for a critical food assistance program on the brink of running out of money to help feed millions of Americans. Another federal judge has ruled that the government is likely illegally blocking emergency funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), hours before those funds are cut off. But the president who is spending the weekend at his Mar-a-Lago residence as the federal government stops funding SNAP for the first time in decades says he first wants the courts to clarify how he can legally fund the program as soon as possible. He blamed Democrats in Congress for the impasse over a short-term funding bill to reopen the government and continue funding SNAP, but even if we get immediate guidance, it will unfortunately be delayed while States get the money out, he wrote Friday night. If we are given the appropriate legal direction by the Court, it will BE MY HONOR to provide the funding, he said. open image in gallery National Guard troops in California were deployed to support food pantries as millions of Americans braced for an end to SNAP funding during the government shutdown ( REUTERS ) In a ruling from the bench Friday, Rhode Island District Judge Jack McConnell said there is no doubt, and it is beyond argument, that irreparable harm will continue to occur if the government stops funding SNAP, which supports nearly 42 million Americans and their families. Families are already experiencing terror at the prospect that they will lose access to benefits on Saturday without urgent congressional action or the Trump administrations intervention, he said during a virtual court hearing. Massachusetts District Judge Indira Talwani, meanwhile, is giving the Trump administration until Monday to decide if it will release those emergency funds to keep SNAP afloat. But she said the governments suspension of the program is likely unlawful. Were not going to make everyone drop dead, she said during a hearing in the case Thursday. McConnell ordered the administration to use emergency funds which amount to more than $5 billion to keep SNAP running during the federal government shutdown, at least partially, and to identify other potential federal funds to support the program, absent any new funding from Congress. A lawsuit from Democratic leaders from 25 states argues that the Department of Agriculture is legally required to continue funding the program as long as there are contingency funds to support it. A separate lawsuit brought by nonprofit organizations and faith-based groups in Rhode Island similarly argued that the administration was illegally pulling the plug on SNAP by resisting those contingency funds. Right now, Congress has put money in an emergency fund for an emergency, and its hard for me to understand how this isnt an emergency when theres no money and a lot of people are needing their SNAP benefits, Talwani said in the case brought by Democratic-led states Thursday. open image in gallery USDA chief Brooke Rollins appeared to concede October 31 that the potential end of SNAP benefits was at least partially indicative of a wider government failure ( AP ) The USDAs emergency plan outlined in a September memo said the agency could tap into a multiyear contingency to continue supporting SNAP in the event funding came to a screeching halt. But the document was removed from the USDA website, and a follow-up memo now claims USDAs contingency funding was not legally available to cover regular benefits. Millions of Americans are about to go hungry because the federal government has chosen to withhold food assistance it is legally obligated to provide, New York Attorney General Letitia James, who is among 23 attorneys general and three governors suing the Trump administration to keep SNAP running, said in a statement this week. In court filings, the Department of Justice argues keeping SNAP running would deplete emergency funds in a blatant violation of federal law that prohibits the government from spending money that hasnt been appropriated by Congress. USDA claims that those funds were earmarked for natural disasters and other emergencies, not in the event of an impasse in Congress over a funding bill to reopen the government. The USDA, echoing a recent wave of partisan attacks on government websites, is explicitly blaming congressional Democrats for the shutdown and the suspension of SNAP funding. Bottom line, the well has run dry, according to the latest notice on its website. At this time, there will be no benefits issued November 1. We are approaching an inflection point for Senate Democrats. Judge Talwani wasnt buying the governments argument. It does seem to me really clear what Congress was trying to do, she said Thursday. What Congress was trying to do is protect the American people. You need to figure out how to stretch that emergency money for now. She ordered USDA to keep the money flowing, not find excuses for why the agency claims it cannot. Thats lawyering, she said. I want agency action, not lawyering. open image in gallery A federal judge has ordered the Trump administration to swiftly implement emergency funds to ensure food stamps are available for nearly 42 million Americans and their families November 1 ( Getty Images ) SNAP funds, which are distributed by the federal government to states each month, support the nations largest anti-hunger program, which serves millions of households, with a vast majority of recipients being children and seniors. Recipients receive roughly $188 per person per month, or about $6 per day, which is administered on prepaid cards that can be used for grocery store staples. The program provides roughly nine meals for every one meal provided by a food pantry, according to anti-hunger advocates. If that money isnt delivered, it would mark the first time in SNAPs 60-year history that the federal government had let it lapse. open image in gallery Vice President JD Vance and administration officials claim they are legally prohibited from shifting emergency funds into SNAP, which has more than $5 billion earmarked for a contingency plan that officials claim cannot be tapped because of the impasse in Congress ( Getty Images ) Standing outside the White House Thursday, Vice President JD Vance accused congressional Democrats of holding SNAP hostage in the shutdown battle. Theyre going to say were going to deny people SNAP benefits unless you give us exactly what you want. Thats how a child behaves, he said. That is not how a responsible governing party behaves in the United States of America. The administration which has claimed to find funds to pay troops and keep nutrition assistance programs afloat has sought to make the shutdown as painless as possible but has reached a legal dead end when it comes to SNAP, according to Vance. The truth is, theres no legal mechanism to do it, House Speaker Mike Johnson said Thursday. Theres no such legal avenue to get SNAP funding now. It doesnt exist, he said. The president has lamented this. The simplest way to end the pain is for the Democrats to do the obvious and right thing and vote for the nonpartisan finding measure so we can turn everything on. Then we can get back here and debate these extraneous issues. USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins appeared to concede that the potential expiration of SNAP for millions of Americans was, at least in part, indicative of a wider government failure. My message to America is first, the fact that your government is failing you right now, she told reporters Friday. That poverty is not red or blue, it is not a Democrat or Republican issue. Doesnt matter who you voted for or even if you voted. That if you are in a position where you cant feed your family, and youre relying on that $187 dollars a month for an average family in the SNAP program, that we have failed you. Trump, hours later, falsely claimed that SNAP is largely Democrats. I want to help everybody. I want to help Democrats and the Republicans. But when you're talking about SNAP, if you look it's largely Democrats, they're hurting their own people, he said Friday. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice President Donald Trump says hes not considering strikes inside Venezuela as part of his war against drug trafficking, at least for now. The United States has built up a large military presence in the Caribbean in recent months, with fighter jets, warships and thousands of troops. That presence will significantly expand in the coming weeks with the arrival of the Gerald Ford aircraft carrier strike group. On Friday, when asked by reporters on Air Force One if media reports that he was considering strikes within Venezuela were true, Trump said: "No." It was not immediately clear if Trump was ruling out future strikes inside Venezuela or simply saying no final decision had been made yet. Trump speaks to reporters as he arrives at Palm Beach International Airport on October 31, 2025 in West Palm Beach, Florida ( Samuel Corum/Getty Images ) AT LEAST 14 BOATS ALREADY TARGETED In recent weeks, Trump has publicly said his administration will carry out strikes against drug-related targets inside Venezuela. "The land is going to be next," Trump told reporters last week. The U.S. campaign in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific has already targeted at least 14 boats that Washington said were involved in the illegal drug trade, killing 61 people. Trump has previously confirmed he has authorized the CIA to conduct covert operations in Venezuela. While the exact timing of any land strikes is unclear, officials close to Trump had suggested it could be soon. Senator Lindsey Graham, a senior Republican lawmaker, on Sunday said Trump had told him the administration planned to brief lawmakers on military operations against Venezuela and Colombia when he returned from his trip to Asia. Trump returned to Washington on Thursday. A U.S. official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said the military had provided a range of options, including strikes against military facilities inside Venezuela, such as runways. DRUG TIES ALLEGED The Venezuelan opposition, watchdog groups and some Latin American neighbors have long accused the Venezuelan government - especially the military - of having ties to the drug trade, particularly in the country's west, along the border with Colombia. President Nicolas Maduro's government has always denied any criminal connections. Maduro has repeatedly alleged that the U.S. is hoping to drive him from power. The two main leaders of Venezuela's opposition are increasingly divided over looming U.S. actions targeting the country, even as a crackdown against opposition figures continues, politicians and analysts say. Washington in August doubled its reward for information leading to Maduro's arrest to $50 million, accusing him of links to drug trafficking and criminal groups. Ongoing strikes against the alleged drug boats have raised alarm among some Democratic lawmakers who question whether they adhere to the laws of war. Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox Get our free Inside Washington email Get our free Inside Washington email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice The U.S. military buildup along South Americas northern rim is, Washington insists, aimed at narco-terrorists. A growing chorus of analysts arent convinced; they suspect what the Trump administration is really after is regime change in Venezuela. Nicolas Maduro, the countrys leader since 2013, is taking no chances. In recent weeks he responded to the Trump administrations moves as if invasion were imminent. After a September emergency decree and martial rhetoric about a republic in arms, the Venezuelan president says militias and reservists are now mobilized nationwide. The leftist leader has ordered armed forces, police and militia to deploy across 284 battlefronts a national defense posture that surges troops on sensitive borders. He has also massed 25,000 soldiers near Colombia, a likely vector for infiltration. In addition, roughly 4.5 million members of the National Bolivarian Militia, an auxiliary force created in 2005 and made up of civilian volunteers and reservists, have reportedly mobilized. Civilians are being trained by the armed forces in weapons handling and tactics sessions to knit local peoples defense committees into the defense architecture. This placing of Venezuela on a war footing follows months of U.S. military buildup in the Caribbean. And there is no doubt that should it come to it, the U.S. boasts a far larger and more sophisticated military than Venezuela. The U.S. military has killed another four suspected drug traffickers in the eastern Pacific Ocean as Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth vows to 'hunt them down and eliminate them' ( Pete Hegseth via X ) But as an expert on Latin American politics, I suspect that might not be enough to remove Maduro from power or encourage opposition figures in Venezuela on Washingtons behalf. In fact, any direct attempt to do so might only lead to a slow process that risks entrenching Maduros position. Powerful friends overseas Alongside nationwide domestic mobilization, the Venezuelan leader still has some pretty powerful international friends. Maduro boasts some 5,000 Russian Igla-S, man-portable anti-aircraft missiles positioned at key air-defense points. While unverified, these reports are indicative of the short-range air defense and anti-ship capabilities being supplied by nations friendly to the Maduro regime. On Oct. 28, a Russian Il-76 heavy cargo plane, operated by a sanctioned carrier tied to Russian military logistics, landed in Caracas after a multistop route through the Caucasus and West Africa. If not an outright sign of solidarity, this is a signal that Russia can airlift advisers, parts and munitions at will. Irans long, quiet hand is visible in Venezuelas drone program. It was reportedly seeded with Mohajer-2 kits and expanded over the years into armed and surveillance platforms assembled at state plants by Tehran-trained technicians. About the author Robert Muggah is the co-founder of the Igarape Institute, a think and do tank in Brazil and a principal and co-founder of SecDev, a geopolitical and digital advisory group. He is also an affiliated scholar at Princeton University, a Richard von Weizsacker Fellow at the Robert Bosh Academy, and received a DPhil from the University of Oxford. This article was first published by The Conversation and is republished under a Creative Commons licence. Read the original article. Cuba, for its part, has for more than a decade embedded intelligence and internal security advisers across Venezuelas military services, an underdiscussed force multiplier that helps the regime police dissent and maintain loyalty. Although Russia, Cuba and Iran may help Maduro survive, they are unlikely to save him from any determined American campaign. Cautious opposition If Washington is hoping that its military squeeze may encourage Venezuelans to take matters into their own hands, the domestic scene is less favorable. The opposition to Maduro is fragmented and vulnerable after being deprived, fraudulently by most accounts, victory in a 2024 vote and a subsequent year of repression. The Democratic Unitary Platform remains split between a pressure wing and a participation wing after the disputed vote. The jolt of morale handed to the opposition on Oct. 10, when the de facto 2024 opposition candidate Maria Corina Machado won the Nobel Peace Prize, has yet to move the needle. There is a low probability, in my opinion, that the opposition can forcibly remove Maduro without a trigger, such as a major split within the security services, sustained mass mobilization with elite defections, or a massive U.S. intervention. The regimes domestic security architecture and control of courts, prosecutors and the electoral council make a sudden elite split unlikely. Electoral displacement is also unpromising given that the official opposition is split on tactics, faces daily repression, and Maduro has repeatedly signaled he will not accept a loss even if he loses. Street power, backed by sustained international leverage and U.S. military threats, are arguably the oppositions best asset. Diaspora politics are febrile. South Floridas large Venezuelan exile community reads the naval buildup as a potential turning point and lobbies accordingly, even as U.S. immigration and travel policies cut against their interests. The oppositions mainstream leaders still mouth the catechism that change should come by Venezuelan hands, but more are openly courting external pressure to tilt the balance. What Washington might do next The Trump administration has certainly shown willingness to mount pressure on Maduro and encourage his opponents. Since August, the Pentagon has surged forces, destroyers and amphibious ships into the U.S. Southern Commands patch. Then, on Oct. 24, Washington redirected the USS Gerald R. Ford carrier strike group to the Caribbean. Meanwhile, attacks against suspected drug vessels will likely continue. The campaign has already resulted in at least 13 strikes and 57 killed in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific. And President Donald Trump has been consistent in linking the targeted cartels to Venezuelas government and Maduro directly. Should the U.S. wish to escalate further, precision strikes on Venezuelan territory are not out of the question. With an aircraft carrier nearby and F-35s staged in Puerto Rico, the Pentagon has options. Meanwhile, covert actions will accompany any overt military posturing. The White House has openly declared that the CIA has authority to operate inside Venezuela. A U.S. Homeland Security agent reportedly tried to recruit Maduros chief pilot to fly the president into U.S. custody, a plot that fizzled but hints at the psychological ops now in play. Venezuela, meanwhile, has condemned military provocation by the CIA and others. It is worth recalling past attempts to unseat Maduro, including a 2018 drone attack at a Caracas parade and a failed freelance operation in 2020 that ended with deaths and dozens captured, including two former U.S. soldiers. The U.S. has denied any connection to both incidents. In any event, such operations seldom topple strongmen but they do seed paranoia and crackdowns as regimes chase ghosts. Possible endgames If Washingtons real objective is regime change, the plausible outcomes are sobering. To be sure, a quick collapse of Maduros government is unlikely. A short, sharp campaign that dismantles the regimes coercive tools could trigger elite defection. Yet Cuba-hardened internal security, patronage over the generals and years of sanctions-induced siege mentality make a palace coup improbable on a timetable that suits Washington. In my view, a slow squeeze is likelier. A hybrid strategy involving maritime and air pressure, covert agitation and inducements, targeted strikes to degrade regime capacity, and political, legal and cyber warfare to isolate Caracas and split the officer corps is realistic. But that path risks entrenching the regimes hard-liners and worsening a humanitarian crisis even as it degrades Maduros capacity. Analysts warn that the regime change logic, once engaged, is hard to calibrate, especially if strikes kill civilians or hit national symbols. A boomerang is always possible. Military action will very likely rally nationalist sentiment in Venezuela, fracture hemispheric consensus and drag the U.S. into a longer confrontation with messy spillovers, from uncontrolled migration to maritime security threats. It is worth recalling that approximately 7.9 million migrants and refugees have already left Venezuela, with over 6.7 million residing in Latin American and Caribbean countries. Even the successful decapitation of Maduros regime would not guarantee a successor able to govern the country. At least three signposts matter in determining what happens next. The first is airlift cadence: More Russian cargo flights into Caracas point to accelerated military and technical aid. A second is the expansion of U.S. targets a strike on a military installation or a presidential bunker would cross a political Rubicon, even if framed as a counter-narcotics operation. The third is opposition mobilization. If there are credible signs of Venezuelan demonstrations, protests and action, this will shape Washingtons appetite for escalation. But even if the White House clings to its current counter-drugs and counterterrorism narrative, all evidence points to the trajectory as an incremental regime change push with less than certain outcomes. On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice A former New South Wales MP has been sentenced to almost six years in prison for raping a young man and sexually assaulting a teenager. Gareth Ward, 44, jailed since July after a jury found him guilty, was sentenced on Friday in the Parramatta district court. He appeared via video link from Cessnock prison as judge Kara Shead handed down the sentence. The former independent MP for Kiama was convicted on three counts of assault with an act of indecency against an 18-year-old man in 2013 and one count of intercourse without consent against a 24-year-old man in 2015. Ward had denied the charges and pleaded not guilty. The former Liberal minister was sentenced to five years and nine months in prison with a non-parole period of three years and nine months. He was granted a reduced non-parole period due to his disability of legal blindness and absence of prior offences. Both the survivors watched the proceedings via audiovisual link as judge Shead praised their courage. The judge accepted the younger survivor's account and noted that Ward gave him alcohol and urged him to drink after he arrived at his house. The court found beyond reasonable doubt that the victim froze when the offending occurred. The judge noted that the response was common and often misunderstood. Many people think that victims could or should physically resist or scream out. That is still a widely held misconception," she added. She said the younger survivors statement provided a powerful reminder to the court of the devastating effects" of the offending. The courage and strength for the victim to come forward, particularly where the complaint relates to a public figure, the judge said, is immense and should not be underestimated. She added that the court needed to send a stern message to like-minded offenders that sexual crimes would be met with salutary penalties. The judge said Ward had "escaped justice for a decade and enjoyed a life free from a programme or punishment for his crimes during that time". Ward was accused of inviting the drunk teenager to his South Coast home in February 2013 and assaulting him three times in one night despite the young man's attempts to resist. Two years later, Ward raped an intoxicated staffer after an event at the NSW Parliament House. Ward claimed the rape never took place and that the other complainant was misremembering their encounter from 2013. Ward was first elected to the state parliament as a Liberal MP in 2011 before being appointed parliamentary secretary in 2015. He went on to become the minister for families, communities and disability services after the 2019 election. Ward resigned from both the ministry and the party in May 2021 after disclosing he was the subject of a police investigation. He then moved to the crossbench as an independent. Two years later, he was re-elected as the independent MP for Kiama, narrowly defeating Labor nominee Katelin McInerney. Rape Crisis offers support for those affected by rape and sexual abuse. You can call them on 0808 802 9999 in England and Wales, 0808 801 0302 in Scotland, and 0800 0246 991 in Northern Ireland, or visit their website at www.rapecrisis.org.uk. If you are in the US, you can call Rainn on 800-656-HOPE (4673). On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice An influencer family is leaving Australia to save their daughters career as a content creator as the country prepares to enforce a ban on social media for under-16s. The Perth-based family, which goes by their social media name of The Empire Family, is looking to move to London. Australia enacted a law last year banning children under 16 from social media, putting in place one of the strictest such measures in the world by mandating age limits on the use of the internet. The ban takes effect in December. Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, and YouTube can face fines up to A$50m (25m) if they fail to prevent under-16s from opening and operating accounts. For some minor content creators with millions of followers, accepting the ban is not on the table, but leaving Australia is. The family of Beck and Rebecca and their daughter Charli, 14, and son Prezley, 17, say they do not want to lose their millions of followers and continue sharing their lives on social media. The two children started on social media in 2018 and the family together amassed six million followers across platforms over the next seven years. Australia has been our home for so long, its where The Empire Family began, where our kids grew up and where so many of our memories were made. But sometimes, life takes you on a new adventure you never expected, the family announced on YouTube. The relocation to the UK is intended to ensure Charli can continue her online career. When we heard that it was actually going to happen, we were like, Okay, we need a solution because Charli loves being online, Ms Rebecca said. The ban was championed by prime minister Anthony Albanese, who presented it as necessary to protect children from the harmful effects of excessive social media use. Platforms now have a social responsibility to ensure the safety of our kids is a priority for them, he said after the law was enacted. We are making sure that mums and dads can have that different conversation today and in future days. The ban is absolute, unlike similar measures in EU countries where minors can still access social media with parental permission. Two women sitting on a bench look at their phones in central Sydney ( AFP via Getty ) Ms Rebecca says her children are well aware of the risks of using social media. We always have a bit of a discussion about what we would like to share. We dont share anything that is even remotely private, she said. Its stuff that you would share on Facebook or something like that. The Australian age restriction is a polarising subject, with some experts warning that the changes will protect children but also harm them. More than 140 Australian and international academics signed an open letter to the government last year opposing the 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. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice A murder investigation has been launched after a British man was found shot dead on a Caribbean island. Royal Saint Lucia Police Force officers were called to reports of a body with multiple gunshot wounds on a road around 10.50pm on Tuesday. He was later pronounced dead at the scene by emergency teams in Garrand, Babonneau. The 26 year-old victim, originally from London, was living in nearby Anguilla and holidaying in Saint Lucia where he was discovered. Police have launched a homicide probe and are urging anyone with information to come forward, the Saint Lucia Times reported. We are urging anyone with information to contact the major crimes unit, a police source told The Daily Mail. We would like to know who he was visiting and why was he in the area. We have very little information about the victim. All we know is that he was British and visiting from an island nearby. We need to get to the bottom of this immediately. The Independent has contacted the Royal Saint Lucia Police Force for comment. The incident comes just days earlier another shooting on the island. On Sunday, a minibus driver was shot during an alleged robbery attempt in Morne Du Don a region of Saint Lucia about 9pm. The victim remains in hospital in a stable condition according to Saint Lucia News Now. Another British national died in Saint Lucia earlier this year, when a baby was killed in a tragic accident. Seven-month-old Tommy Taylor-Mclean fell off a bed on the first day of the trip, East London Coroners Court has heard. He was pronounced dead in a hospital on the island on April 2. Originally from Upminster, Havering, an inquest was opened in Walthamstow on April 9 after his body was repatriated to the UK. It was found after his fall there was a brain bleed, which senior coroner Graeme Irvine described as a tragic set of circumstances. It seems that the circumstances of Tommy's fall have not resulted in any criminal investigation in Saint Lucia. I should make that absolutely clear, he said. On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice A French cyclist who fell 130-feet into a ravine has survived after three days with nothing but bottles of red wine to drink. The 77-year-old man had gone to his local supermarket to buy the drinks in the mountainous Cevennes region of France. During his journey home, the elderly biker missed a bend and careened down a rocky slope near Saint-Julien-des-Points, about 50 miles from Montpellier. The man landed on the banks of the Gardon River and shouted every time he heard the sound of a passing car, but for several days to no avail. Then on Tuesday, technicians from the Interdepartmental Roads Directorate who were working on road maintenance heard the mans cries for help. They spotted the twisted and broken cycle at the bottom of the ravine and came to his aid. The men called the fire brigade at 2.41pm but ultimately a helicopter had to be dispatched to the Gardon riverbed on the bank opposite. The pensioner told his rescuers he did not have the strength to climb the steep walls of the mountain and make it back up to the road himself. The chief medical officer Laurent Savath said the man was doing miraculously well, given his ordeal in a mountainous area with bad weather. open image in gallery Cevennes is a mountainous region in the south of the country He is safe and sound, Mr Savath told French newspaper Le Lozere Nouvelle. Nevertheless, after such a mishap, he was airlifted to the Ales Hospital Centre for a medical examination," Mr Savath said the cyclists survival was a miracle ... given the cold and the rain, with almost nothing to eat or drink other than the wine. He is really tough he fell into a stream several times trying to scramble back up, so was at risk of hypothermia, he added. The pensioner had minor injuries and mild hypothermia but is set to fully recover, according to the French news outlet Entrevue. The Frenchmans story comes just two weeks after a British teenager was found alive after surviving for 10 days in the Thai jungle eating insects and bark. Police in Kanchanaburi, launched a full-scale operation to find 19-year-old Lawrence Stallard Honour after he was reported missing by his Thai-Russian mother. The teenager was eventually reunited with his loved ones after he stumbled across a remote buddhist temple for help. On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice The Count of Paris, Jean d'Orleans, has issued a heartfelt plea to the thieves who brazenly stole a sapphire tiara from the Louvre Museum, urging them to return the priceless heirloom for the sake of France's heritage and his family's legacy. A direct descendant of French kings, the 60-year-old spoke to Reuters from the royal domain of Dreux, southwest of Paris, expressing the profound personal impact of the theft. "Give us back our jewels, there's still time," he implored. Leafing through family photographs, Mr d'Orleans revealed images of his great-grandmother, the Duchess of Guise, adorned with the Ceylon sapphire and diamond tiara in 1931. "It's both personal and intimate," he explained. These jewels were worn on special occasions, family events, sometimes also to create a specific portrait." Another photograph showed his grandmother, Isabelle d'Orleans-Bragance, wearing the tiara for the last time at Princess Astrid of Belgium's 1984 wedding, before it was sold to the museum by his grandfather in 1985 for 5 million francs. open image in gallery Count of Paris Jean d'Orleans looks at a photo of his great grandmother Marie-Isabelle d'Orleans in a book ( REUTERS ) The audacious daylight heist, which saw intruders make off with national treasures valued at over $100m in mere minutes, has stunned France, leaving the nation reeling from its audacity and the glaring security failures. It was the biggest robbery at the Louvre since the Mona Lisa was stolen in 1911. Police have made multiple arrests. The eight stolen items were from the 19th century and once belonged to French royalty or the country's imperial rulers. They included the tiara, a necklace and a single earring from the sapphire set that belonged to Queen Marie-Amelie and Queen Hortense. open image in gallery The eight stolen items were from the 19th century and once belonged to French royalty or the country's imperial rulers ( AP ) A tiara and brooch belonging to Empress Eugenie as well as an emerald necklace and a pair of emerald earrings gifted to Empress Marie Louise by Napoleon for their marriage were also among the thieves' loot. The sapphire set, acquired in 1821 by King Louis-Philippe from Queen Hortense, remained in the Orleans family for more than a century before going on public display. The count urged the thieves to return the jewels intact. "For our family, for the French people, it's important that these jewels return to their display case at the Louvre," he said in a grand living room lined with portraits of French monarchs including Henri IV, Louis XIII, Louis XIV and Marie-Antoinette. open image in gallery The audacious daylight heist, which saw intruders make off with national treasures valued at over $100m in mere minutes, has stunned France, leaving the nation reeling from its audacity and the glaring security failures ( Associated Press ) A renovated, more secure room should be used, he added. The count, who implored the authorities to hold accountable anyone found to have been negligent in the 19 October theft, likened the public reaction to the heist to the outpouring of emotion after the Notre-Dame Cathedral blaze in 2019. "It's priceless heritage," he said. "We need to recover that." On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Europes NATO allies have been shaken by Russian provocations on the blocs eastern frontier in recent months, reporting a string of drone incursions and scrambling jets to shadow aircraft flying over the Baltic. Concern has mounted since September, when nearly two dozen drones crossed over into Poland amid a large-scale Russian drone attack on Ukraine. Days later, three Russian military jets violated Estonias airspace for 12 minutes. Subsequent activity near the border has forced European countries to close airports and borders, and to reconsider how equipped they are to deal with foreign intrusions. Analysts say that Russia is deliberately provoking NATO to see how it reacts, gathering information that might be useful when it decides the time is right to make a move against an alliance member. Interceptions over the Baltic Poland said on 30 October that its fighter jets had been scrambled to intercept a Russian reconnaissance plane over the Baltic Sea in the second such incident in a week. Two days earlier, Polish jets intercepted a Russian aircraft flying in international airspace over the Baltic without a filed flight plan and with its transponder turned off. Separately, Polish airports in Radom and Lublin reopened on Thursday after being forced shut by military aviation activity. Russian attacks on facilities in bordering Ukraine saw Polish and allied planes scrambled. Weather balloons over Lithuania Lithuania said on 29 October it would continue to close border crossings into Belarus until November in response to airspace disruptions by smugglers balloons. The balloons, carrying cartons of cigarettes, forced airports in Lithuania to close several times in October. The EU said the balloons occur in the context of a broader targeted hybrid campaign. Belarus president called the borders a crazy scam and accused the West of fighting a hybrid war against Belarus and Russia. open image in gallery A pair of Polish Air Force MiG-29 fighters intercepted a Russian aircraft flying over the Baltic Sea ( DO RSZ ) Naval provocations off Denmark Denmark accused Russian warships of repeatedly sailing on collision courses with Danish naval vessels and disrupting navigation systems in its straits connecting the Baltic to the North Sea at the start of October. Such incidents risk unintended escalation, the defence intelligence ministry said on 3 October. The ministry said that Danish vessels and helicopters had been targeted by tracking radars and physically pointed at with weapons. Drone sightings over Denmark Denmarks armed forces reported at the end of September that unidentified drones had been observed near military installations. On 24 September, airports in Aalborg and Billund had to close briefly, reporting drone activity. On 22 September, Copenhagen airport also had to close. Denmarks prime minister said that Russian involvement could not be ruled out. The Kremlin called the allegations unfounded. In nearby Norway, Oslo airport was also closed over a possible drone sighting. open image in gallery A damaged drone lies after falling in the eastern Polish village of Czosnowka ( Dariusz Stefaniuk ) Fighter jet incursions in Estonia Three Russian military jets violated NATO member Estonia's airspace for 12 minutes on 19 September in an "unprecedentedly brazen" incursion, according to the government. Estonian foreign minister Margus Tsakhna said it was the fourth time that Russia has violated Estonian airspace in 2025. The foreign ministry said that the incursion involved three Russian MIG-31 fighters and took place over the Gulf of Finland. The Russian charge d'affaires was summoned and given a protest note, a ministry statement said. Military drills on NATOs frontier Russia and Belarus carried out joint military drills in Belarus between 12 and 16 September - an event with prior planning, but coinciding with raised tensions over recent drone incursions. Analysts observed at the time that Russia had used the drills in 2021 to build up troop numbers before attacking Ukraine months later. Poland, Lithuania and Latvia all ramped up security around the 2025 exercises, which included planning the use of nuclear weapons. open image in gallery Russian tanks move during the "Zapad-2025" drills in September ( AFP/Getty ) Drone incidents in eastern Europe A Russian drone breached Romanian airspace on 13 September, prompting the military to scramble fighter jets. The incident occurred during a Russian attack on Ukrainian infrastructure near the border, the defence ministry said. Poland reported two days later that a drone had flown over the presidential palace in what it called a provocation. Two Belarusians were arrested. Major drone incursion in Poland After months of allegations of so-called hybrid attacks on Europe, matters came to a head on 9 September as Poland reported between 19 and 23 intrusions into Polish airspace. NATO responded with a multinational force of jets to shoot down a number of them. Prime Minister Donald Tusk warned that the country was the closest to armed conflict since the Second World War. While Russia has said it didnt target Poland, and Moscows ally Belarus said that the drones went astray because they were jammed, European leaders have said they are certain that the incursions were a deliberate provocation by Putin. Two days prior, Estonia reported a Russian Mi-8 helicopter violating its airspace over the Baltic Sea. open image in gallery A Russian MIG-31 fighter jet flying above the Baltic sea after violating Estonian air space ( HANDOUT/AFP via Getty Images ) Russias hybrid attacks Russia has also targeted European countries through other methods, which have been described as hybrid warfare. These range from cyberattacks to sabotage operations and disinformation campaigns. This happens all the time, says Ms Seskuria. It has much deeper implications on European security, and there are various instances where Russia is directly intervening in elections. We saw this happening in Moldova last year, and this year ahead of their parliamentary elections. Russia has been accused of meddling in the elections of European nations for years. The UKs National Cyber Security Centre judged in 2022 that Russia had been behind a cyberattack with Europe-wide impact just an hour before its invasion of Ukraine. While Ukraines military was the primary target of an attack on high-speed broadband service Viasat, wind farms in central Europe and both personal and commercial internet users were also affected. Disinformation campaigns in Western countries have also been linked to Russia. There are consistent efforts to push these narratives that are pro-Russian, portraying the West as an aggressor rather than a Kremlin that wants to violate Ukraines sovereignty and fights this war for its own imperial ambitions, Ms Seskuria said. On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Russian President Vladimir Putin, dressed in a military uniform, announced on Oct. 26, that Russia had successfully tested a nuclear-powered missile. If true, such a weapon could provide Russia with a unique military capability that also has broader political implications. The missile, called Burevestnik, was reportedly successfully tested over the Arctic Ocean after years of development and several earlier initial test flights, one of which resulted in the deaths of five nuclear scientists. I am an engineer who studies defense systems. Here is how these weapons function, the advantages they present over conventional missile systems, and their potential to disrupt global strategic stability. Conventionally powered missiles Missiles have been used by militaries around the world for centuries and come in a broad array of designs that are characterized by their mission, range and velocity. They are used to damage and destroy a wide variety of targets, including ground installations such as bases, command centers and deeply buried infrastructure; ships; aircraft; and potentially spacecraft. These weapons are operated from the ground by the army, from the sea by navy ships, and from the air by fighters and bombers. Missiles can be tactical, with relatively short ranges of less than 500 miles, or strategic, with long ranges of thousands of miles. Missiles fall into three general categories: ballistic, cruise and hypersonic. Ballistic missiles are launched on rockets. After the rocket burns out, the missile flies along a predictable arc that takes it out of the atmosphere into space and then back into the atmosphere toward its target. Cruise missiles have an additional engine that is ignited after the rocket burns out, allowing the missile to fly programmed routes, typically at low altitudes. These engines are powered by a mixture of chemicals or a solid fuel. Hypersonic missiles fly faster than the speed of sound, but not as fast as intercontinental ballistic missiles, or ICBMs. They are launched on smaller rockets that keep them within the upper reaches of the atmosphere. A hypersonic glide vehicle is boosted to high altitude and then glides to its target, maneuvering along the way. A hypersonic cruise missile is boosted to hypersonic speed and then uses an air-breathing engine called a scramjet to sustain that speed. How nuclear-powered missiles work Nuclear-powered missiles are a type of cruise missile. The designs are typically a form of scramjet. A thermal nuclear system uses fission of nuclear fuel to add energy to an airstream that is then accelerated through a nozzle to generate thrust. In this way, fission of nuclear material replaces chemical combustion of traditional cruise missile engines. Russian President Vladimir Putin ( POOL/AFP via Getty Images ) The energy density the amount of energy released per unit mass of fuel available from nuclear fission is millions of times larger than that released by chemical propellants. This feature means that a relatively small amount of fissionable propellant can be used to power a missile for much longer periods of time than chemical propellants can. The United States explored developing a nuclear-powered missile in the 1960s. The effort, Project Pluto, was abandoned due to the rapid progress made at the same time on ICBMs, as well as concerns over environmental contamination associated with nuclear systems. About the author Iain Boyd is the Director of the Center for National Security Initiatives and Professor of Aerospace Engineering Sciences at the University of Colorado Boulder. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. Advantages of nuclear-powered flight The key advantage of nuclear-powered missiles is the extra energy, which allows them to fly farther, longer, faster and lower in the atmosphere, while executing a wide array of maneuvers. For these reasons, they pose a significant challenge to the best missile defense systems. The Russian military claims that the Burevestnik missile flew 8,700 miles at low altitude over a 15-hour period. For comparison, an airline flight from San Francisco to Boston covers 2,700 miles in six hours. While the Burevestnik vehicle is not flying particularly fast for a missile, it is likely maneuverable, which makes it difficult to defend against. Challenges to using nuclear power The huge amount of energy released by fission has been the key technical challenge for developing these missiles. The high levels of energy require materials that can withstand temperatures up to several thousand degrees Fahrenheit to prevent the missile from destroying itself. In terms of safety, nuclear technology has found very limited application in space due to concerns over radiation contamination if something goes wrong, such as a failed launch. The same concerns apply to a nuclear-powered munition. In addition, such systems may need to remain safe in storage for many years prior to use. An attack by an enemy on a weapons storage facility that contains nuclear-powered weapons could lead to a massive radiation leak. Russias Burevestnik and global stability The new Russian Burevestnik missile has been under development for over 20 years. While few technical details are known, Russian officials claim that it can maneuver to bypass antimissile and air defense systems. Nuclear weapons were the basis for mutual deterrence between the Soviet Union and the United States during the Cold War. Both parties understood that a first strike by one side would be matched by an equally destructive counterstrike by the other. The fear of total annihilation maintained a peaceful balance. Several developments threaten the current balance of power: better missile defense systems such as the U.S.s planned Golden Dome and advances in highly maneuverable missiles. Missile defense systems have the potential to block a nuclear strike, and low-altitude maneuverable missiles have the potential to arrive without warning. So, while much of the reaction to Russias announcement of its new nuclear-powered missile has focused on the challenges of defending against it, the more important concern may be its potential to completely disrupt global strategic stability. On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice In less than a minute, more than 90% of village homes and buildings were destroyed by a devastating landslide five months ago in a Swiss village. Lukas Kalbermatten was overwhelmed his three-generation family-owned hotel was toppled but he didnt let the emptiness stop him for long. The hotelier quickly snapped into action and began rebuilding. A lot of people were emotional of course, but I didnt get much too emotional," Kalbermatten said. "I was really realistic and the emotions, they came later after three or four days." Kalbermatten's response sums up a mindset of many of the 300-odd residents of Blatten: They could have left their bucolic village in the southern Lotschental valley for dead but instead decided to try to see it come alive again one day, and are taking steps to rebuild. Authorities evacuated villagers and livestock, but a 64-year-old man was killed as 9 million cubic meters of ice, stone and earth tumbled down from the Kleines Nesthorn peak on May 28. The landslide left a trail about 2-1/2 kilometers (about 1-1/2 miles) wide and 100 meters (about 330 feet) high in places. If the toll had been higher, locals say, many might not have wanted to return to Blatten. More than 90% of village homes and buildings were destroyed by a devastating landslide in a Swiss village ( AP ) Kalbermatten, whose website for his Hotel Edelweiss in Blatten shows it half-sunk in a pea-soup-green pond created by the disaster, joined up with other local families to set up a temporary hotel at the summit of a gondola lift in the neighboring village of Wiler one of three villages in the valley where most Blatten residents relocated. For tourism in this valley its also a catastrophe because we dont have enough beds for all the tourists," he said Tuesday. The most important for us is to do something quickly. Laurent Hubert, co-owner of the Nest- und Bietschhorn hotel and restaurant near Blatten, said it was pulverized last May. His wife, Esther Bellwald, is spearheading the new hotel with Kalbermatten. Its website said the families of the staff were all deeply shaken and endlessly sad after the hotel was destroyed. This project is a bit of the light at the end of the tunnel, Hubert said in knee-deep snow near the construction site, with crews in short sleeves working fast under sunny skies for a planned Dec. 18 opening of the Momentum hotel. A 30-centimeter (12-inch) dump of snowfall over the weekend gave the valley its white wintertime gleam again. In recent months, work crews have restored electricity and telecom lines to the Blatten area, used backhoes to dig a drainage canal, and cleared high roads that lead to Blatten, allowing for some exiled residents to briefly return to collect some belongings. Some used rowboats to access attics of inundated homes. Others queued up to claim lost items found by cleanup crews books, family photos, and heirlooms like a wedding dress. Manfred Ebener, the construction coordinator in Blatten, said some 400,000 cubic meters of rock and ice remains unstable atop the mountain, making for delicate work in the warmer summer and fall months. The snowfall and cool temperatures have helped solidify the rock and ice overhead, lowering the risks, but frozen ground will make digging harder. The movements are declining, he said on a hillside overlooking the snow-covered mud cone, referring to the shifting geology that set off the landslide. "We are looking at next spring with a bit of concern: The whole process will take place the other way around. When the snow melts, a lot of water gets back into the rock. Ebener says several years of clearing work, followed by construction of a new village, should pave the way for inhabitants of Blatten to go back by 2030. In the meantime, the villagers and much of Switzerland must brace for a new reality: That global warming may be leaving its trace. Swiss glaciologists have repeatedly expressed concerns about a thaw in recent years, attributed in large part to global warming, that has accelerated the retreat of glaciers in Switzerland. Im not a scientist. I cant judge what exactly these climate changes have to do with this event," he said. But we live here in our valley and we can see that something is happening. On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Under the cloak of darkness in rural Ukraine, attack drones are meticulously assembled before embarking on long-range missions deep into Russian territory. These strikes, targeting vital oil refineries, fuel depots, and military logistics hubs, represent a significant escalation in Ukraines drone campaign since the summer, now reaching unprecedented distances. In near silence, officers in body armour work with precision, their headlamps glowing red to maintain concealment. Engines sputter briefly before each drone lifts from a makeshift runway, heading east into the moonless night. The sustained assault has begun to bite, causing petrol shortages and even rationing in parts of Russia, exposing a critical vulnerability in the nations infrastructure and stretching Moscows air defences thin. Western analysts say the attacks on energy infrastructure so far have had a serious but not crippling effect. Ukrainian drones have repeatedly hit 16 major Russian refineries, representing about 38 per cent of the countrys nominal refining capacity, according to a recent review by the Carnegie Endowment, a US-based think tank. open image in gallery Ukrainian servicemen of the 14th Separate Unmanned Aerial Systems Regiment prepare long-range drones An-196 Liutyi before takeoff in an undisclosed location ( AP ) But it argues the actual impact has been considerably more limited: most plants resumed operations within weeks, and Russias refining output has been cushioned by idle capacity and existing fuel surpluses. The deep strikes have, however, given Kyiv the initiative at an important moment. The United States and Europe are ramping up sanctions on Russias oil industry even as Kyivs request for US long-range Tomahawk missiles has stalled. President Volodymyr Zelenskyy says Ukraines improved long-range strike capability is causing real damage forcing the Kremlin to import fuel and curb exports. We believe theyve lost up to 20 per cent of their gasoline supply directly as a result of our strikes, he told reporters at a briefing in Kyiv. At the secret launch site, the commander overseeing the operation a broad-shouldered man identified by his call sign, Fidel, in accordance with Ukrainian military regulations watches through night-vision goggles as the drones climb into the star-filled sky. Drones are evolving, Fidel said. Instead of flying 500 kilometres (310 miles), now they fly 1,000 ... Three factors go into a successful operation: the drones, the people and the planning. We want to deliver the best result. For us, this is a holy mission. open image in gallery A Ukrainian commander callsign Fidel of the 14th Separate Unmanned Aerial Systems Regiment looks though night vision before takeoff of long-range drones An-196 Liutyi towards Russia ( AP ) Ukraine thrives on no-frills weapons Much of Ukraines fleet is homegrown. The Liutyi, a workhorse of the nightly attacks, is a waist-high craft with a sausage-shaped body, a propeller at the back, and a distinctive triangular tail. It looks neither sleek nor intimidating more Home Depot than Lockheed Martin but the ease of assembly means it can be kept hidden and constantly tweaked: optimised to slip through heavily monitored frontline airspace. Typical of Ukraines no-frills war production philosophy, the Liutyi whose name means fierce in Ukrainian has become a symbol of national pride and recently featured on a local postage stamp. The reach of these drones, with some models doubling in range over the past year to routinely strike targets within a 1,000-kilometre radius of the border, marks a shift in the geography of the conflict. Attacks a year ago damaged refineries in a much narrower range, mostly in western Russian border regions. Costs have also come down, further testing expensive air defence systems, with long-range drones now being produced in Ukraine for as little as $55,000. open image in gallery Long-range drones An-196 Liutyi of the Ukrainian 14th Separate Unmanned Aerial Systems Regiment stand in line before takeoff ( AP ) A shift in conflict geography What were seeing is that Ukraine is getting better at taking the war inside Russia, said Adriano Bosoni, director of analysis at RANE, a global risk analysis firm. For most of the war, Russia operated on the assumption that its own territory was safe. Thats no longer the case. The strategic logic is attrition by logistics, he argued: by forcing Russia to reroute supplies and commit air defences to a wider area, Kyiv seeks to degrade Moscow's capacity to sustain large-scale operations. The Paris-based International Energy Agency says repeated drone strikes have cut Russias refining capacity by about 500,000 barrels a day. That has triggered domestic fuel shortages and curbed exports of diesel and jet fuel, even as overall global oil production remains steady and prices stable. Kyivs homegrown strike capability allows independent drone launches, bypassing the Western approval required for imported long-range weapons. That autonomy preceded tougher sanctions on Russia: allies escalated only after Ukraine had spent months hitting Russian refineries. On the ground, each mission is a study in tradeoffs. Fewer than 30 per cent of drones even reach the target area, so meticulous planning is essential, said Fidel, who reflected on the human cost. War has fallen to our generation so that we can fight for our kids and they can live in a free democratic country, he said. We are currently obtaining experience that will be used by every country in the world, and we are paying the price with our lives and the lives of our friends. On The Ground newsletter: Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly dispatch from our international correspondents Get a weekly international news dispatch Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice 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. For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice The United States is to resume nuclear weapons testing immediately, Donald Trump has announced, raising fears of renewed proliferation between the worlds two biggest stockpiles of atomic weaponry. The American president has outwardly pursued a rapprochement in US-Russian relations since returning to the White House in January, but continued provocations from Moscow have pressed Washington to change its stance. Between them, Russia and the US maintain 87 per cent of the worlds total inventory of nuclear weapons, a hangover from the arms race of the Cold War. Many are earmarked for disassembly, though remain relatively intact. Of the 9,614 warheads believed to be in military stockpiles around the world today, around 2,100 US, Russian, British and French warheads are on high alert and ready for use on short notice, according to the US think tank the Federation of American Scientists. The number of operational warheads has fallen significantly from the 70,000 stationed at the height of the Cold War. But renewed nuclear sabre-rattling and Russias recent withdrawal from a non-proliferation treaty have stoked fears of a new arms race. Nine countries currently possess nuclear weapons informally referred to as the nuclear club. But nations generally refuse to confirm the exact numbers of weapons in their stockpiles for security reasons; exact figures are based on experts estimates and the best available information. Which countries have the most nuclear weapons? 1. Russia While Trump insists that the US has more Nuclear Weapons than any other country, it is generally believed that Russia has the largest arsenal in the world today. The Federation of American Scientists, collating information on estimated global stockpiles, reported this year that Russia had around 4,459 missiles. Of these, 1,718 were deployed strategic warheads, meaning they are ready for use and already positioned for delivery by air, land or sea. The lions share, 2,591, was held in reserve or not actively deployed. The remaining 1,150 have been retired. Both the US and Russia are still dismantling previously retired warheads, having amassed so many during the Cold War. These figures are estimates, as exact numbers and deployments are often closely held secrets. According to the Stockholm Peace Institute, Putin had 6,255 nukes as of January 2021. But other organisations monitoring nuclear proliferation put the total between 5,977 and 6,257. Russias nuclear armaments have fallen overall in recent years, as the country inherited 35,000 weapons when the USSR collapsed in 1991. Russia and the US both signed the New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New Start), which is an arms control treaty that has been effective since 5 February 2011. The treaty limits the number of deployed strategic nuclear warheads and bombs to 1,550. In August, Russia elected to pull out of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF), by which the Soviet Union and the US had agreed to reduce the number of strategic weapons held by both sides. The United States formally withdrew from the 1987 agreement in 2019, alleging breaches by Russia. Russia at the time insisted it had complied with the treaty. open image in gallery It is generally believed that Russia has the largest arsenal of nuclear weapons in the world today ( Reuters ) 2. United States The United States is reported to have a stockpile of 5,177 nuclear warheads, of which 1,670 are deployed, 1,930 are held in reserve or not deployed, and 1,477 have been retired. Warheads are deployed on ballistic missiles and at bomber bases. Since the Cold War, some have also been stationed at bases across Europe. Italy, Turkey, Belgium, Germany and the Netherlands were all hosting US nuclear weapons, the Federation of American Scientists reported in 2022. Belarus was believed to host Russian nuclear weapons. To date, the US is the only country to ever use an atomic bomb in war. On 6 August 1945, a uranium bomb was detonated over Hiroshima, Japan, which killed an estimated 140,000 people. Three days later, a second bomb was dropped on Nagasaki, killing a further 74,000 people. 3. China After the US and Russia, the number of nuclear weapons per country drops off dramatically. China is third on the list with 600 held in reserve or non-deployed warheads. While the United States has been reducing its count, China as well as India, Pakistan, Russia, the UK and North Korea has been growing its stockpile. The country first developed nuclear weapons during the Cold War and is expected to continue expanding its nuclear arsenal, having added another 30 since 2020. The US fears Beijing could have more than 1,000 weapons by 2030. open image in gallery Russias nuclear-capable Poseidon missile system, which Moscow said it had tested successfully this week ( Reuters ) 4. France Frances supply of nuclear weapons comes in fourth with 290 arms, the largest number in Western Europe. Most of those weapons are based on submarines, with the remainder on air-launched cruise missiles. The country first tested a nuclear strike capability in 1960. France claims it maintains a policy of strict sufficiency, keeping its nuclear arsenal at the lowest level possible, strategically. It has, however, historically stressed the importance of an independent nuclear capability. France has also historically referenced the possibility of a nuclear warning shot, allowing for the use of a small nuclear detonation, perhaps over an uninhabited area, to be used as a deterrent. Speaking on Frances defence policy in 2006, the then president Jacques Chirac said that while Frances policy was that under no circumstances can nuclear means be used for military purposes during a conflict, France remained willing and able to deploy nuclear weapons. We always reserve, of course, the right to use a final warning to demonstrate our determination to protect our vital interests, he said. open image in gallery Frances Emmanuel Macron presides over the fourth-largest nuclear arsenal ( AP ) 5. United Kingdom The UK, a leader in nuclear power and weaponry in the aftermath of the Second World War, today has approximately 225 warheads. Arms are sea-based and carried by Trident submarine-launched ballistic missiles purchased from the US. Trident is operated by the Royal Navy and consists of four submarines, based at HM Naval Base Clyde in Scotland. To date, the country has carried out 45 nuclear weapons tests, most recently in 1991. The UK announced in 2021 that it would no longer disclose its operational stockpile. But a vote in 2016 saw the Commons approve the decision to maintain the nuclear deterrent beyond the early 2030s. The UK is expected to build four new Dreadnought-class ballistic missile submarines for entry into service from the early 2030s. Transition to a new warhead is expected from the late 2030s onwards. open image in gallery Vanguard-class submarine HMS Vigilant, one of the UKs four nuclear warhead-carrying submarines, at HM Naval Base Clyde ( PA ) 6. India With around 180 nuclear weapons, India has long been in an arms race with Pakistan. However, recent relations with China complicate nuclear weapon production. So, any move by India to modernise its nuclear weapons will be perceived as a threat by Pakistan, further inciting a nuclear arms race. 7. Pakistan Pakistan has an estimated 170 nuclear weapons and rising. The countrys strained relationship with India heavily impacts its nuclear arms production rate. Pakistan first began testing nuclear weapons in 1988, claiming national security reasons. open image in gallery North Korea is thought to have the smallest number of nuclear weapons on the list ( AFP/Getty ) 8. Israel Israel is believed to have 90 nuclear weapons, though it has never officially confirmed the existence of a nuclear programme, maintaining deliberate nuclear ambiguity. While it is believed to have held such arms since the 1960s, the country has never demonstrated its nuclear capability with a test, unlike other countries on the list. 9. North Korea North Korea is thought to have the smallest number of nuclear weapons on the list, with 50, but it is a notoriously secretive nation. The country agreed to a moratorium on nuclear and long-range missile testing in 2018 but resumed long-range missile tests in 2020. Under leader Kim Jong Un, North Korea has frequently tested missiles over the Sea of Japan, raising concerns of an attack. Kim has pledged to expand both his countrys military and its nuclear arsenal. US President Donald Trump and first lady Melania met their dopplegangers as they greeted trick-or-treaters at the White House Halloween event. The pair handed out candy for about an hour outside the White House, which was decked out in pumpkins, leaves, and other decorations for the event on Thursday night (30 October). Footage shows two children, dressed as Trump and Melania, chatting with the president and first lady. Trump is seen high-fiving the boy, who is wearing a red Trump cap, before posing for photos with the children. Eli Lilly tells Government it has concerns over proposed EU law changes Planned reforms to patenting out of sync with global approach, says US pharmaceutical giant The success of Mounjaro has helped make Eli Lilly one of our biggest exporters. Photo: Niall Carson/Getty John Burns Fri 31 Oct 2025 at 06:30 The US pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly has met with the Department of Enterprise to express concerns about planned changes to the patent law in Europe. A federal court has delivered a blow to a bid by Australia to levy a large fine on the US multinational Oracle over how it uses an Irish subsidiary in its tax affairs. The median price for an acre of agricultural land rose by over 10pc last year, to 9,988. Dublin and the south-east were the most expensive regions to buy, according to the Central Statistics Office, with a median price of 24,125 per acre in the capital, and 14,991 in Carlow, Kilkenny, Waterford and Wexford. Manna refused permission to use existing Dublin base for drone delivery operations The drone delivery firm says it will appeal the Fingal County Council refusal to An Coimisiun Pleanala A Manna delivery drone over Dublin Adrian Weckler Thu 30 Oct 2025 at 16:09 The drone delivery firm Manna has been refused planning retention permission for a base it is currently using at Blanchardstowns Junction 6 in Dublin. Donald Trump calls trade talks with Xi Jinping amazing, signalling potential progress in US-China relations Talks progress on tariffs reduction but no trade deal is officially reached Donald Trump and Xi Jinping before their meeting in Busan, South Korea. Photo: AP Elaine Kurtenbach Associated Press Fri 31 Oct 2025 at 06:30 US president Donald Trump said he had an amazing meeting yesterday with Chinas president Xi Jinping that produced very important decisions. The first official Chinese comments on the meeting were less specific and suggested a trade deal is not done. Gardai suspect foot soldier for Hennessy gang was target of shooting incident It is understood there was completely innocent people in the house at the time of shooting Gang leader Devon Hennessy Ken Foy and Clodagh Meaney Fri 31 Oct 2025 at 12:53 Gardai are investigating whether a shooting in west Dublin is linked to a bitter feud involving the Hennessy crime gang. Eddie Jordans lessons for beating the begrudgers laid out in new book Late Formula One legends wit and wisdom summed up in his FTB mantra Eddie Jordan enjoys a pint in London in 2012. Photo: Getty Kieran Jackson UK Independent Fri 31 Oct 2025 at 06:30 It was less a motto, more a way of life. So much so that the acronym FTB was tattooed on Eddie Jordans right wrist and that of his four children. A young man who died on Thursday following an assault in Kildare town in the early hours of Sunday morning has been named locally as Ryan Gibbons. New tax to increase cost of vapes and refills by up to 100pc from tomorrow Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe said the tax is part of a broader public health strategy New tax to increase cost of vapes and refills by up to 100pc from tomorrow Keith Kelly Fri 31 Oct 2025 at 10:19 A long-promised tax on vapes will come into effect tomorrow which will see increases in the price of the products aimed at curbing their use among young people. Here's to many more contributions from the prolific Tom Gilsenan. Stock image: Getty This month, I reached 80 years of age. I have been sending in letters to the Irish Independent for about 40 of those years, and fortunately some have been printed. Would one be overly optimistic, though, to look forward to the next 40? Tom Gilsenan, Beaumont, Dublin 9 If theres no faith in society rules being enforced, why bother respecting them? It is striking that a school has been granted additional public funding, not for classrooms or teachers, but to hire private security in order to help enforce an injunction already awarded in its favour. Theres a certain Ah, sure, itll be grand mentality in Ireland that is endearing and works well when most people are willing to colour within the lines of acceptable behaviour. What happens when they dont, and it needs to move beyond a raised eyebrow or a quiet word with their mother? What happens in the justice system, where those boundaries must be upheld? Increasingly, we see situations big and small where the answer to non-compliance is a shrug. Fewer people paying the TV licence? Lets find an alternative funding model. Deportation orders not being enforced? Lets focus on voluntary departure instead. None of this is to argue for heavy-handedness; rather, for clarity and consistency. If we want the public to have confidence in the integrity of the system, there must be a reasonable expectation that lawful decisions will be applied and court orders and obligations actually mean something. Our social instincts are strong, but so too should be our legal backbone when required. Peter Elst, Donabate, Co Dublin Micheal Martin insists we live in a democracy then proves that we do not At the announcement of the result of the presidential election on October 25, Taoiseach Micheal Martin stated in his speech in Dublin Castle that we have one of the longest democracies in the world, which we cherish very much and people are sovereign in our democracy. It is, therefore, difficult to understand the reasoning behind the moves by our Government to remove the Triple Lock. The electorate in the first referendums on the Nice and Lisbon treaties voted not to accept those treaties because of fears about the growing militarisation of Europe. The Government then gave us a National Declaration (the Triple Lock) to persuade voters to change their vote from a No to a Yes. To remove this without a referendum flies in the face of Mr Martins assertion that we live in a democracy. Elizabeth Cullen, Kilcullen, Co Kildare The gall of Simon Harris, but at least it shows Fine Gael for who they truly are It has been a few days since the underwhelming presidential election. I was beginning to calm down over the lack of choice presented to the Irish people, but some comments were made by an individual that I cant let go unanswered. Tanaiste Simon Harris did everything in his power to make sure as few candidates as possible were allowed on the ballot. Fine Gaels spin was that many countries around the world, such as the US, have only two candidates. That might be so, but Ireland is not a two-party democracy. Three candidates were allowed on, and poor vetting by Fianna Fail meant we were left with only two choices. Fewer than half of the electorate turned up to vote, the Fine Gael candidate was humiliated and record numbers of people deliberately spoiled their vote, myself included. In the days following the results, Mr Harris, with a straight face, said it was regrettable that there was not more choice allowed on the ballot. If only one good thing comes out of this election fiasco, it will be that Fine Gael under the leadership of Mr Harris has become the anti-democratic party. Paul Lynch, address with editor Even with the best defence in the world, the cycle of crime simply carries on My friends bicycle was so precious to him that he bought a state-of-the-art lock for it. Imagine his indignation when it was the lock that was stolen. They left the bike. John OBrien, Clonmel, Co Tipperary Sort immigration out and return political debate to the people of Ireland What a splendid letter by C Bailey (Democracy damaged as politicians shy away from honest debate with public, October 30). I entirely agreed with it. Politicians must hold sensible debates on the eligibility of candidates and on immigration. Britain doesnt have a democratically elected head of state and is buckling under the weight of illegal immigrants. When I look for normality and tranquillity, I turn west to see the Irish Republic. Fix the eligibility for president and firmly deal with immigration and the Emerald Isle has got it made, barring reunification which is only a matter of time. Meanwhile, the UKs gutless politicians shy away from the all-important asylum/immigration issue. Dominic Shelmerdine, London Families are the backbone of this country, yet they get nothing from the State As a mother raising young children in Ireland, I increasingly feel the system is failing families. Rents are sky-high, childcare costs are among the most expensive in Europe and there arent enough creche places for the children who need them. Despite paying taxes comparable with countries like Denmark, we dont have universal healthcare. Most community activities rely on volunteers, parishes or youth centres, while public spaces are neglected. Playgrounds are often vandalised, streets are narrow and unsafe for buggies and Dublin feels increasingly dirty. Its hard not to feel that the system gives little back to the families who are its backbone. With crude birth rates falling by a third in the last 20 years, we need a system in place that incentivises our youth to start families. If we truly value children and community, we need policies and investment that reflect that. Where are our taxes going? Lourdes Garcia, Dublin Tail end of Hurricane Melissa expected to hit Ireland over the weekend It caused widespread destruction in the Caribbean, but will lose intensity as it moves across Atlantic People recover belongings from a home flooded by Hurricane Melissa in Santiago de Cuba. Photo: AP Laura Lynott Fri 31 Oct 2025 at 06:30 Hurricane Melissa will move towards Ireland over the weekend, losing its ferocity, but triggering storm surges and gusts of up to 83kmh, forecasters have said. Whether I have driven you around the twist or entertained you, thank you: Claire Byrne signs off from RTE after 15 years Byrne is set to replace Pat Kenny in his morning slot at Newstalk from early 2026 Claire Byrne. Photo: Andres Poveda Keith Kelly Fri 31 Oct 2025 at 14:01 Claire Byrne has presented her final show on RTE after 15 years working at the broadcaster. Alexander Larman: Make no mistake, King Charles stripping of titles from Andrew is a brutal public humiliation Virginia Giuffre is the real victim, not a privileged, vacuous playboy King Charles to formally remove titles and honours from Andrew over Epstein links Alexander Larman Telegraph Media Group Holdings Ltd Fri 31 Oct 2025 at 06:30 After nearly a fortnight of damaging, embarrassing speculation about Prince Andrew or, as we must now call him, Andrew Mountbatten Windsor the previously unthinkable has happened. Mark Keenan: Why higher energy costs reduce energy saving retrofits for Irish homes Ireland has the highest electricity prices in Europe and the largest gap between what it costs to produce energy and the price at which it is sold to customers, neither of which bodes well for our national retrofitting plan Irelands big utility companies have for a long time been hiking their prices. Photo: Stock image/Getty Mark Keenan Fri 31 Oct 2025 at 06:30 As we headed to winter, Irelands big utility companies moved as one to kick every Irish household right in the coin box. Earlier this month Bord Gais Energy upped its unit price to consumers by a whopping 13.5pc also increasing its standing charge by 12pc. Pinergy announced hikes of 13pc and Energia upper their charges by 12pc. SSE Airtricity ratcheted up its charges by 9.5pc. Potential buyers lack clarity on a crucial decision due from Central Bank It seems a bit mad to write about a rushed sale of PTSB almost 15 years after it was bailed out. Even so, PTSBs announcement that it has hired Goldman Sachs to stick a For Sale sign on the bank feels worryingly hurried. In politics, sticks and stones can indeed break bones, but name-calling ought to be grist to the mill for seasoned campaigners. Yet Taoiseach Micheal Martin and Tanaiste Simon Harris have bristled at being compared to Louis XIV and Nigel Farage respectively. Fianna Fail TD James OConnor was given a verbal thick ear on RTE by his party leader for claiming Mr Martin behaved like Frances Le Roi Soleil (Sun King). Mr Martin was selflessly not setting his sights on a similar reign of 72 years the longest of any monarch in history. Therefore, the TD had to be bang out of order his party leader he did not rule from a gilded throne, nor was he ever a top-down leader. Tanaiste Simon Harris Today's News in 90 Seconds, Friday October 31 Meanwhile, the Social Democrats Gary Gannon earned the wrath of Mr Harris for likening him to the leader of Reform UK over comments on tightening immigration controls. Our migration numbers are too high and I think that is really an issue that needs to be considered in a very serious way by government, Mr Harris said. Mr Gannon pointed out that the Tanaiste was no mere commentator. As deputy leader of the Government, his role surely went beyond saying something needed to be done. In Mr Gannons view, Mr Harriss tough talking placed him firmly on the Nigel Farage route. He claimed the Fine Gael leader was obviously trying to deflect from the debacle of the presidential election results. The mishandling of immigration has allowed heat and emotion to cloud thinking Mr Martin also addressed the immigration issue. Justice Minister Jim OCallaghan was looking at every aspect of migration policy, he said. He noted that about 3,500 asylum applications had been submitted in Ireland before the pandemic. The numbers had risen to 13,500 in 2023 and 18,500 last year. There is no question that the mishandling of immigration has allowed heat and emotion to cloud thinking on an issue that is fundamental to our countrys future. It has to be dealt with efficiently and humanely. Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe has noted the essential contribution that overseas workers have made. The pivotal role they play in our society must be appreciated. However, laws and rules must be implemented. Delays in processing applications for those seeking international protection have caused problems for all concerned. Lack of consultation with local communities, coupled with pressure on scarce resources, have fuelled frustrations. If our immigration figures are too high, as Mr Harris suggests, it is his and the Governments job to address the issue. Delays in deportation orders certainly do not help. The EU migration pact sets out a framework, and a uniform approach has to be enforced across the bloc. Clearly, we have failed on many fronts in maintaining consistent and fair policies. Many will welcome the fact that Mr Harris has acknowledged the Government must think again. The wonder is as to why it has taken so long. Dairygold Co-Op Superstores Mallow has been selected as one of the top 30 finalists in the prestigious Retail Excellence Ireland Awards. The selection represents a significant achievement for the team and a proud moment for the organisation. This recognition reflects the outstanding efforts of everyone involved in the planning, development, and operation of the Mallow store. From its modern design and customer-focused layout to the high standards of service delivered daily, the store exemplifies a commitment to retail excellence and innovation. The recent visit from the Retail Excellence Ireland judging panel provided an opportunity to showcase the stores strengths, including its product offering, merchandising, and the welcoming environment created by dedicated staff. The positive feedback received, along with the professional imagery captured during the visit, reinforces the quality and impact of the Mallow store within the retail network. Pat Daly, Co-Op Superstores Mallow Store Manager said the selection is a reflection of the dedication and teamwork in the organisation. We are incredibly proud to see Co-Op Superstores Mallow recognised among Irelands top retailers. This achievement is a reflection of the dedication, teamwork, and passion that every member of our staff brings to the store each day. "We are grateful for the support of our customers and the wider community, and we look forward to building on this success together, he added. A Cork councillor has called on the public and elected members to submit objections to the long-running proposal for an incinerator at Ringaskiddy in Corks Lower Harbour, the latest plan for which is currently before An Coimisiun Pleanala. The 200m incinerator with a capacity to handle up to 240,000 tonnes of waste per annum was first proposed back to 2001. In January 2016 the company, Indaver Ireland, lodged its third planning application, securing planning permission in 2018. However, that permission was challenged in the High Court by the Cork Harbour Alliance for a Safe Environment (CHASE), an alliance of local groups opposed to the incinerator. In September 2022 the Supreme Court upheld a High Court ruling that the application can go back to An Coimisuin Pleanala for fresh consideration. The application is now being considered by the planning appeals body and third parties have until November 17 to make submissions. Speaking at this weeks meeting of Cork County Council, Cllr Eoghan Fahy urged people to make use of the public consultation window to make a submission and to attend the public meetings being organized in Carrigaline, Cobh and Ringaskiddy. We may be tired of dealing with this issue but the committees and people of the Lower Harbour will not take this lying down and we intend to fight this to the very end. Our committees have shown in large and vocal volumes we do not want an incinerator on this site of this size, the Carrigaline councillor said. While it may be disheartening to be back fighting this again we need to come together again as communities and from all sides of the political sphere and stand with the people of the lower harbour. Local Councillor Audrey Buckley said she objected to the incinerator proposal ten years ago and is disappointed to see the plan re-emerging. We thought this was gone, we had over 30,000 signatures and so we thought this was squashed. So it was very upsetting to a lot of the older timers in CHASE to see this raise its head again. Ten years is a long time, that area in Ringaskiddy, a lot has changed at that location. What we're saying really is it's the wrong location for it. Divisional Manager with Cork County Council, Michael Lynch, confirmed that so far the local authority hasnt been asked by An Coimisuin Pleanala to make a submission to the process. We need to ascertain at this point as to whether as a planning authority we will be asked to engage with the process. If that is the case, we will engage with the members, the local authoritys Chief Executive Moira Murrell told the meeting. The latest planning documentation filed by Indaver Ireland states that if permission is granted, the incinerator is expected to be operational in 2030 with construction taking 31 months. The company says the facility would handle household, commercial, industrial, non-hazardous and suitable hazardous waste and generate enough electricity to power around 30,000 homes. Objectors believe the incinerator would pose a threat to health for people living around the Lower Harbour. Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme. The government needs to hurry up with its promised guidelines for solar farm developments as local authorities such as Cork County Council are being inundated with planning applications without any proper regulation in place to guide their decisions, Cork councillors have said. Councillors were responding to a letter to the local authority from the office of the Minister for Housing, Local Government and Heritage James Browne which acknowledged that there are currently no specific planning guidelines in place in respect of solar energy developments. The letter added that the department has begun an initial scoping process for the creation of guidelines, a process which is at an early stage. Speaking at this weeks meeting of Cork County Council, Cllr Ann Marie Ahern said that in East Cork we are being blighted with an inordinate amount of submissions for solar panel farms. There are no guidelines which we can follow. It's imperative that the government actually addresses this immediately given the Celtic Interconnector and the serious amount of applications being sought, public meetings being held by groups and approaches being made to landowners to put solar panel farms in place. It is taking away from our agriculture, it's taking away from the livelihood of people, it is impacting hugely on communities. I think it's imperative that something is done by government sooner rather than later. The East Cork councillor said that the due diligence and workload being put on the councils planning department by the volume of solar farm applications is unfair. They don't have proper regulation and legislation to refer to and regardless of a decision being made by Cork County Council we're then faced with it being referred to An Bord Pleanala [now An Coimisiun Pleanala] and an unknown decision based on what certain people in An Bord Pleanala believe because there are no guidelines, no regulation and no legislation in place, she said. Cllr Peter O'Donoghue called for a moratorium on such developments until the proper guidelines are put in place. What we're essentially doing here at this moment in time is we're putting the cart before the horse. We're railroading these large-scale industrial developments into County Cork with no proper planning guidelines in place. We can't continue to do that. Remember we live in a lovely county with the best agricultural land in the world and to see thousands and thousands of acres of that land turned into an industrial zone is an absolute crime so I'm calling for guidelines first, developments later and a moratorium now, the Fermoy councillor said. Cllr O'Donoghue said that the council has made the right and proper decisions in my opinion regarding solar farm applications but the issue is then that this goes to An Coimisiun Pleanala and they overrule Cork County Council. We know what's going on on the ground, yet this body above in Dublin who don't have a clue about County Cork overrules the decisions made by Cork County Council, thats a big issue here. Council officials responded that the council is obliged to accept all planning applications so a moratorium is impossible. They said that until the promised solar farm guidelines are produced, the council will continue to subject all planning applications to robust consideration in accordance with the County Development Plan and any relevant national strategies and guidelines. The council agreed to write to Minister Browne calling for the creation of the guidelines to be expedited. Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme. Corks fast-food scene heats up as Taco Bell joins the growing list of US chains expanding into Ireland. Taco Bell is due to open its very first restaurant in Cork After the arrival of Wendys at Mahon Point a few weeks ago, a second major American fast-food chain has revealed that it will be opening an outlet in Cork. Taco Bell, the Tex-Mex experts, is set to open its very first outlet in Cork but its first venture wont be in the city centre. Instead, the California-founded restaurant will open at the Applegreen garage in Ballincollig. Having first opened a hot-dog stand in his hometown of San Bernardino, founder Glen Bell then tried to reverse-engineer a recipe for a hard-shell taco, after he saw crowds continually queueing at a Mexican restaurant across the street. Almost 80 years later, the latest move follows a partnership between Irish fuel merchant Applegreen and the Mexican-inspired food chain, best known for its value meals and fusion favourites, including the Crunchwrap Supreme, Cheesy Gordita Crunch, and Mexican Pizza. Last year, the chain, which operates over 8,700 outlets and whose slogan is Live Mas (More) of which over 8,100 are in the United States took in $286 billion worth of revenue for the full fiscal year of 2024. The restaurant operates in over 30 countries worldwide, including India, Sri Lanka, the UK, Ecuador, and even New Zealand. Irelands first branch opened last month at a brand-new Applegreen facility off the M3 in Dunshaughlin, Co. Meath, which is expected to create over 100 jobs. At the time, Seamus Stapleton, Managing Director of Applegreens Republic of Ireland business, said: We plan to open several additional Taco Bell restaurants at our Irish locations over the next five years, and we will update consumers as soon as we have more news of future restaurants. Applegreen has already started advertising for new positions at the planned Taco Bell outlet in Ballincollig, as it looks to hire full-time staff for the restaurant on the forecourt, located in the west of the village between Ballincollig RFC and the exit to the Ballincollig bypass. Theres no doubting the Irish interest in American restaurants, well known to us through TV and films. Queues at Wendys outlet in Mahon Point continue to hold strong, despite the branch currently holding a 3.1/5 rating on Google. However, with Taco Bells unique menu, Applegreen will hope that its first Cork venture is a success and that it may open the door to more Mexican-inspired restaurants across the city. A woman, in possession of a South African driving licence, has been fined and given penalty points for driving without insurance or a licence. Kunjulma Koni (54), with an address on Davis St, Mallow, was stopped on April 26 by Garda Deirdre Barrett from Mallow Garda Station. The court heard that Ms Koni had produced a South African driving licence which wasnt valid and had no valid insurance. The court also heard that she had no previous convictions and was going to her first day at work and had been let down regarding transport. Ms Koni was asked for her licence and produced a provisional licence. She cannot drive the car without a fully qualified driver, said the Judge. Has she got insurance since? said the Judge, which she has the court was told. Defence solicitor David OMeara that the woman had two young children and was working. If I disqualified for her, would it make things better or worse? Judge Colm Roberts asked Ms Konis solicitor. Much worse, replied Mr OMeara. Judge Roberts then asked what work Ms Koni was employed in, to which Mr OMeara explained that she worked in healthcare. Very important work, said the Judge, but you need to comply with the law. Kunjulma Koni was fined 250 and given three months to pay. She also received five penalty points on her licence. A positive meeting between Cork County Council officials and Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) officials was recently held in Dublin to discuss major infrastructural investment throughout Cork County in 2026. A delegation of Cork County Council officials and elected members met with high-ranking officials of Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) in Dublin , on Wednesday, October 29. The delegation included the Mayor of the County of Cork, Cllr Mary Lenihan Foley and the Chief Executive of Cork County Council, Ms Moira Murrell as well as the chair of each Municipal District in Cork County. The meeting was organised for the purpose of outlining the Council's priorities for major infrastructural investment in 2026. Attending as chair of the Kanturk-Mallow Municipal District was Fianna Fail councillor Gearoid Murphy. Speaking after the meeting, Cllr Murphy said the Cork County Council delegation got a very positive response from TII officials. We left with the sense that they are very much on the same page as us on local projects. In particular, I raised the crucial need for continued support for the M20 and the Mallow Relief Road, and I impressed on them how unsuitable the current infrastructure is. I also raised the urgent need for funding to upgrade the Mallow-Killarney Road between Clonbanin and Rathmore, which is in a deplorable condition, as well as the need for design work to continue on the Charleville bypass, he added. Pictured from left are, Dr. Margaret Kennedy and Gladys ONeill, members of Cothrom at the launch of the campaign. Pic: Karl Hussey Photography Gladys ONeill, member of Cothrom at the launch of the campaign today. Pic: Karl Hussey Photography The sexual abuse and coercive control of older women with disabilities is being called the last taboo by advocates, as a new national poster campaign begins highlighting ongoing systemic neglect of disabled people. Dublin woman Gladys ONeill (70), who uses a rollator due to spinal damage from pernicious anaemia, contributed as a researcher on a study into domestic abuse of disabled women. She spoke about the isolation and marginalisation faced by older disabled women. I spent two years just staring at the walls. Then I had to drag myself up, literally and metaphorically, and start living again, she said. Disabled women especially are doubly marginalised due to ageism in our society and they are not seen in any positive light, seen as a burden with nothing to offer society. Isolation isnt only being cut off from places, its being cut off from participation, recognition and belonging. When accessibility is treated as an afterthought, not a foundation, isolation takes root in subtle ways, absence of ramps, the impatience of others, the pity disguised as kindness, she added. Ms ONeill also outlined practical reforms to combat isolation and exclusion, including universal design, accessible transport and technology, inclusive community spaces, improved media representation, employment support, holistic healthcare, and policies enabling civic participation. When spaces, communities and systems are designed with disabled people at the centre, and accessibility is standard rather than an exception, isolation begins to lose its grip, she said. The poster campaign, titled More than Money: The Poverty of Exclusion, is being displayed in libraries and selected public buildings across Dublin. Pictured from left are, Dr. Margaret Kennedy and Gladys ONeill, members of Cothrom at the launch of the campaign. Pic: Karl Hussey Photography It is spearheaded by Cothrom, a new disability rights organisation founded by activists Dr Margaret Kennedy and Michael ODowd. The campaign seeks to illustrate the lived realities of disabled people, including those unable to access personal assistance, young adults excluded from education and employment, and older people waiting years for essential care. Speaking at the launch, Mr ODowd criticised the governments approach to disability employment, saying public sector targets remain low and unenforced and that private employers follow only when the State sets an example. For decades, report after report from Leas Cross to the Farrelly Commission has exposed neglect and systemic failure yet little changes and behind every policy delay is a life on hold, he said. The Poverty of Exclusion shows what happens when disability is treated as charity rather than as citizenship and rights. Mr ODowd also highlighted gaps in safeguarding legislation, the absence of a statutory right to personal assistance, and the fragmented nature of services, which leave many without support. He said the campaign is a call for meaningful reform, including: A statutory right to personal assistance, adult safeguarding legislation, a revised employment strategy with enforceable public sector targets, transparency and accountability in disability funding and genuine participation of disabled people in decision-making This is about equality, not dependency, he said. Inclusion must mean access to real jobs, education and independent living. The campaign was supported by the Department of Social Welfare under its programme marking the United Nations International Day for the Eradication of Poverty. Posters will also be distributed nationwide to libraries and secondary schools as part of an education initiative. Spoilt ballots in Kerry were over 12 times higher than at last presidential election Over 13 per cent of Kerry voters spoilt their ballot in last weeks presidential election in what was an unprecedented level in a modern Irish election nationally. While turnout in Kerry was the same as 2018s presidential election, spoilt ballots meant the number of valid votes was reduced from 45 per cent of the electorate to 39 per cent. Invalid votes were over 12 times higher, up from 565 in 2018 to a whopping 7,101. To add to that, another seven per cent of votes had self-exiled Jim Gavin marked as first choice. Labour Party councillor Marie Moloney attributed the protest to the selection of candidates. Though she supported Catherine Connolly for president, she said she understood the frustration that voters had with the way nominees were put forward. The whole process from the very beginning is not democratic. Any party thatll give a diktat not to allow an Independent onto the ballot paper theres something seriously wrong there, said Cllr Moloney. Does that reflect more on the party than it does on the independent? It says that theyre afraid that if Independents get on the ballot paper, they might beat their own candidateI just think thats a crazy diktat to give out to be honest. I think the whole process is wrong from the beginning. We had good candidates coming forward in the likes of Sean Kelly and Billy Kelleher, and they didnt even get a look-in. Its not right. People didnt have enough choice. They were unhappy with this election, but what can we do? I did my bit in Kerry County Council, I voted to nominate someone through the council and we did. So Kerry did its part. In most recent elections invalid votes have made up less than two per cent of all ballots nationwide, but in some boxes last week it was found more than 20 per cent of the votes spoilt. With more than 200,000 votes spoilt nationwide, the highest ever number of spoilt votes in modern Irish history, the percentage of valid votes stood at only 40 per cent. Spoilt ballots in Kerry contained messages of dissatisfaction with the three candidates on the ballot, electing alternatives such as Maria Steen, Conor McGregor and Manchester United defender Harry Maguire. Following the narrowing of the presidential race to three candidates, the Spoil The Vote campaign was launched on social media, headed by various influential online figures. Their website says they were founded in response to growing public concern about the lack of genuine choice in the forthcoming presidential election and it seems many felt the same. Fine Gael councillor Tommy Griffin believes the record number of spoilt votes was due in part to disgust with the recent budget and many feeling disillusioned with the current government. Its about the government itself. Weve had a horror budget; it did nothing for the working man. You have three million taxpayers who will be paying more due to the budget, said Cllr Griffin. These are the people who are disenfranchised with the system and the government too. I listen to people all the time and they were absolutely and utterly disgusted. I dont think its a reflection on any of the two candidates, its a message to the government of were not fooled - you gave a commitment, and you didnt follow through with it, and were not going to stand for it. He also said the system for nomination needed to be overhauled and made more accessible to Independent candidates or those with the backing of non-parliamentary members. Cllr Griffin regretted the withdrawal of MEP and Kerry native, Sean Kelly, who pulled out earlier in the race due to lack of support from the parliamentary party. The parliamentary party made the decision, and they really didnt look at Sean Kellys track record and they didnt really listen to the grassroots members or councillors, said Cllr Griffin. It looks like the two parliamentary parties made their own decision over their two candidates and now theyve got serious egg on their face. Sinn Fein councillor Paul Daly backed Catherine Connolly along with his party and was impressed with the way the now-president handled the pressure. Ms Connolly received a majority of 80 per cent in some parts of the county. Cllr Daly was present during some of the counting and, from what he saw, there were many reasons why ballots were spoilt. Some people saw it as protest against the government, some people thought there should have been more candidates, but thats the way it played out this timesome people felt that was their way of protesting, I think it was definitely a vindication of the partys decision to back Catherine Connolly. It was a huge win for her. She came in for a lot of tricky questions over the course of the campaign and her honesty and integrity shone through. Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting scheme Margaret O'Connell from Abbeydorney who has been missing for three years. An appeal for information has been made on the anniversary of her disappearance. This week marks three years since Abbeydorney woman Margaret OConnell went missing and sadly her disappearance has never been resolved. Margaret has been missing from her home in the North Kerry area, since Saturday 29 October 2022. Margaret was 69 years old when she went missing. Despite several pleas for information, Gardai have been unable to locate Ms O'Connell. She is one of five people missing in Kerry for some years. The Garda website, which details information on those still missing in Ireland, includes a description of the Kerry woman and details of her last movements. Margaret is approximately 5'1" in height, of a slim build with brown hair and brown eyes. "Margaret was last seen in the Ballybunion area. She was wearing a black jacket, navy tracksuit and cream trainers, the post states. Anyone with any information on Margaret's whereabouts is asked to contact Listowel Garda Station on 068 50820, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda Station. This week the Missing Person's Helpline Ireland has re-issued an appeal for information on the third anniversary of her disappearance. Earlier this year a similar appeal was made for information on Kerry man William Mulvihill who has been missing for nine years and who was last seen in Tralee on August 21, 2016. According to the Garda website, which outlines open missing persons cases, the longest missing persons case in the county dates back 22 years. Stephen Punch, who is from Cork has been missing since August 2003 and was last seen in Kerry in Tarbert at the ferry. Maire Logue (left) with Enda Wyley and Christine Dwyer Hickey at the 2025 Listowel Writers' Week. Maire Logue is no stranger to the arts in Listowel due to her many years working and volunteering in the sector. In fitting recognition of this, Maire has been appointed as Literary Curator for Listowel Writers Week ahead of its landmark 55th anniversary festival in May 2026. As curator, Maire will devise a programme that honours Listowels literary heritage while showcasing the best of contemporary writing from Ireland and beyond. The recent appointment is a source of pride for Maire who is a Listowel native and long-time contributor to the festival. She said Listowel Writers Week has always been about connection between words and people, between generations and ideas. Im honoured for the opportunity to curate such an important year for a festival that means so much to this town and to Irelands literary community, she said. For 2026, we will celebrate that spirit while also looking forward, championing new voices, exploring how literature shapes our lives, and ensuring Listowel continues to be a welcoming home for creativity and conversation from across the world. Chairman of Listowel Writers Week Ned OSullivan welcomed the appointment saying Maires deep community roots, and artistic vision make her the ideal person to guide the festival into its next chapter. Our 55th anniversary is both a celebration of heritage and a statement of renewal, and under Maires curatorship, Listowel Writers Week will continue to thrive on the national and international stage of literature festivals, he said. One of Irelands best-loved literary celebrations, Listowel Writers Week has been at the heart of the nations cultural life since the first festival in 1971. It brings together readers, writers, and thinkers in the historic North Kerry town long associated with literary greats such as John B. Keane, Bryan MacMahon, and Maurice Walsh. Listowel Writers Week 2026 will take place from festival dates, May 27-31, featuring readings, workshops, interviews, and cultural events across the town. For updates, visit www.writersweek.ie or follow @writersweek on social media. Minister of State Michael Healy-Rae has said planned toll increases by Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) is another blow to hard-pressed motorists and the struggling haulage industry. Due to take effect from 1 January 2026, Minister Healy-Rae has called for the increase to be deferred, describing them as a regressive step. TII announced there will be a 10 cent increase for all cars registered with tag or video on the M50. Buses and lighter goods vehicles are also subject to a 10 cent rise, registered or not. TII say that toll income on the M50 and Dublin Port Tunnel is used along with Exchequer funding for the protection and renewal of national roads. But Minister Healy-Rae said while road networks need continued investment and maintenance, it is unfair that the only people being asked to pay more are the ordinary men and women driving to work. This includes the haulage operators who keep this country moving, Minister Healy-Rae said. He added that the M50 and Dublin Port Tunnel were built to keep cars and lorries out of towns and cities, not to price them off the roads. He remarked on the Irish Road Haulage Association and its view that toll hikes will force many drivers to start avoiding toll roads and will only push more heavy vehicles back into built-up areas, creating extra congestion and safety issues. Minister Healy-Rae said he will be seeking Government approval to defer the increase and to look at a fairer approach that balances the need for road funding with the pressures facing road users. I have always stood up for working people, for small businesses, and for the haulage operators who are being squeezed from every angle by rising insurance, fuel, and compliance costs, he said. This toll hike may look small on paper, but its another cumulative cost that adds up week after week, month after month. Minister Healy-Rae said the fair thing would be to pause the increases, review the current toll system, and make sure its delivering value for money without punishing people who have no choice but to drive. Ill be bringing that case directly to my colleagues in Government, he said. There are ten toll roads on the National Road Network. Eight are operated under a Public Private Partnership (PPP) model and two are operated directly on behalf of TII, namely M50-eFLow barrier free toll, and the Dublin Port Tunnel. The Board of TII say it approved the increases in tolls for 2026 confirming the contractual agreement for the eight PPP toll schemes. News He was surely one of Longfords true treasures Tributes pour in for the late Paschal Flaherty The midlands town of Longford came to a standstill on Monday morning as hundreds of mourners paid an emotional final farewell to one of its most cherished and esteemed of characters, Paschal Flaherty. Kind-hearted students at Dundalk Institute of Technology (DkIT) have raised almost 4,000 for cancer charities through the annual fundraising events organised by third-year Nursing and Event & Hospitality Management students. Third-year General Nursing students raised an impressive 2,804.40 for the Gary Kelly Cancer Support Centre in Drogheda. Their contribution will help the Centre to continue providing essential services to cancer patients and their families during the most challenging times of their lives. The students organised a bake sale, raffle, and a range of fun activities, with generous prizes donated by local businesses across Louth and Meath. "We are delighted to support the Gary Kelly Cancer Centre and the fantastic work that they do, Ann Everitt-Reynolds, General Nursing Programme Director said. We extend our heartfelt thanks to the generous businesses whose support made our raffle possible. A special thank you to the DkIT community, families, and friends whose enthusiasm and generosity made this fundraiser a resounding success. ." Year 3 Event and Hospitality Management students, under the guidance of tutor Maria Roddy-Freyne, continued their long-standing tradition of supporting the Irish Cancer Societys Breast Cancer Campaign, raising a fantastic 925 through a Big Pink Coffee Morning. The event featured a raffle, awareness activities promoting breast checks, and lots of community spirit. Maria, a breast cancer survivor who has led these initiatives since 2014, praised the students for their generosity. Our students really enjoyed the event, which not only raised vital funds for breast cancer awareness but also strengthened teamwork and allowed them to apply what theyve learned in their course. Breast cancer is a cause close to many of our hearts with nearly 3,600 women and around 30 men diagnosed in Ireland each year, early detection and awareness are crucial. Every euro raised supports research and provides essential services nationwide. Im incredibly proud of what they achieved. Since the initiative began, DkIT students, staff, and local businesses have raised over 17,000 for the Irish Cancer Society. We had such an amazing time at our fundraising event! Seeing everything come together after all the planning was so rewarding, Event & Hospitality Management student Jessica Commins said. Everyone really got into the spirit of the day, and hearing how much we raised at the end was the perfect way to wrap it up. Huge thanks to everyone who donated or came along to support. A former student at FCJ in Bunclody has awarded the Naughton Scholarship, the third year in a row a student from the school has won the award. This years recipient was Sarah Byrne who was joined by principal Brendan Daly in Trinity College Dublin for the presentation. Despite having over 1,000 applications, only 38 winners were selected, illustrating the high competition for the prizes. Teacher Justin Kelly added that it was a particularly special event for Sarah and the Byrne family. "A wildly impressive fact is that Sarahs sister Mary Byrne won the same award in 2023. Last year Danny Fitzhenry secured the scholarship, he said. Judges also gave a special mention for Sarahs brilliant essay on sustainability, submitted as part of her application, while her sister Mary recently won the UCD Scholar Award for the top result in her year in Physics. The Naughton Scholarship, established in 2008 by Martin and Carmel Naughton, recognises academic and innovative excellence in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Winner Sarah Byrne with sister Mary, proud parents Pat and Caitriona, FCJ Principal Brendan Daly and Professor Kevin Whelan. One student from each participating county is guaranteed to receive the scholarship, with other counties receiving more than one successful application. The school of each winning student also receives a prize for the schools science labs. Since its establishment in 2008, the Foundation has presented some 8 million in scholarships to more than 450 young people in publicly funded institutions across Ireland. Joined by Minister Jack Chambers TD, Dr Martin Naughton spoke about the impact the scholarships is having on current students and the future world. Both Carmel and I are delighted by the growth of this programme and the incredible community of alumni who are doing extraordinary work in education, research and industry at home and abroad. We are delighted to welcome a new cohort of wonderful young people to join this group and to support and encourage them, he said. "When we meet these young engineers, researchers, and mathematicians, I am happy knowing that we have invested in Irelands wealth creators and leaders of the future, he added. A grandmother who created 1,000 Christmas shoebox gifts for children living in poverty is hoping her efforts can push a charitys total present haul over the three-million mark. Team Hope has so far delivered 2.8 million shoebox gifts packed by Irish families for children in Africa and eastern Europe and aims to cross the milestone to mark its 15th anniversary. In the run-up to Halloween, Wexford woman Maureen OHanlon is putting the final touches to this years batch of 100 festive boxes. In the last decade, she has put together 1,000 shoeboxes and has some extra help this year in the form of her six-year-old grand-daughter Anna. She lives just beside me and calls it Santas workshop because I start for the following year as soon as the shoebox gifts have been sent away, said Maureen from her home in Campile, outside New Ross. Maureen OHanlon, pictured with granddaughter Anna (Patrick Browne/Mediaconsult) The retired teacher tightly packs each box with items she gathers in the January sales and throughout the year, making sure each one has copy books, colouring pencils, pens and sweets. Her local Lidl supermarket in New Ross supplies her with packets of sweets for each box every year. Some neighbours and friends, as well as her son Michael and partner John Monahan, are also involved in the massive effort, which involves not only gathering and packing the items, but transporting the finished boxes to Team Hopes Wexford depot. I think of the children all the time and I try to make sure that no child will be disappointed when they open their box, said Ms OHanlon, who began making shoeboxes with pupils during her time at Rathgarogue National School and, later, Scoil Mhuire, Horeswood. The attic is chaotic. On one side I have all the shoeboxes I have 65 already filled and on the other I have plastic storage containers with all the items from flip flops to knitted hats and T-shirts. Im very lucky. Ive lived a very privileged life and I have the time. Why not use it for something useful? Team Hope chief executive officer Deborah Lowry is urging families, schools and communities to join the charitys bid to generate the three millionth shoebox this year. She said: Often packed by children for children, they carry not only toys and treats, but also the invisible gifts of love and hope. In a world which often highlights what is broken, the Christmas Shoebox Appeal stands as a powerful demonstration that it is also filled with kindness. The phrase end of an era is one that can border on overuse. However, there were few other ways of describing it as Mary OBrien retired from Wexford Garda Station last week, after a career that has spanned five decades and a total of 18 superintendents. New Ross Women of Wexford gather together to mark Orange the World as 65,000 domestic abuse incidents are reported to Gardai in 2024 This month, as part of the Orange the World campaign and 16 days of action against sexual violence in Wexford, Wexford Library was filled with inspiring women for a powerful discussion on the actions that society needs to take. In good news for Wicklow home buyers and switchers, Arklow Credit Union has launched a new standard mortgage offering a 3.85pc variable rate, capped at 4.4pc for the first three years. The credit union says the product will provide borrowers with greater certainty of repayments, while still retaining the benefits of a variable mortgage. The launch follows recent changes by the Central Bank to increase lending limits for credit unions, allowing them to expand into home loans and increase competition in the mortgage market. Arklow Credit Union CEO Hugh OKeeffe said the product was designed in response to local demand. Our members have been crying out for more choice in the mortgage market. Once again, we have listened to our members and are responding to their needs, he said. Unlike other financial institutions, the decision on your credit union mortgage will be made here by your local credit union team. We have also made the application process as easy as possible, because we know buying a new home can be a stressful time and switching can be a hassle. Junior credit unions minister Robert Troy, said the development would be welcomed by first-time buyers and those looking to switch. As a trusted, community-based organisation, credit unions have a unique place in Irish life, he said. This government is prioritising significant capital investment in housing, to increase viability and supply. Broader mortgage infrastructure and competition will be important in the years ahead, ensuring first time buyers and those trading up or down have access to competitive financing. Former Minister Simon Coveney (centre back row) witnesses Dylan Chevalier, LDC CSR Director, and Norman Crowley, Chair of Enniskerry's CoolPlanet signing a major new partnership at the Irish Embassy in Paris in June of 2023. Wicklow-based company CoolPlanet has been shortlisted in the innovation of the year category for the 2025 Business & Finance Awards. The winners will be announced on Thursday, December 11, at the Convention Centre Dublin, where more than 1,000 global business, political and social leaders will celebrate outstanding achievement, leadership, and innovation across Irish and international business. Based in Enniskerry, CoolPlanet is a global leader in industrial-scale decarbonisation and work towards a greener economy while also developing green skills for the future. In 2023, they signed a strategic partnership agreement with a major French agri-food company LDC Sable to achieve their sustainability goals, including reducing electricity and gas consumption during the production process. CoolPlanets energy management platform offers real-time monitoring and analysis capabilities, allowing LDC to identify energy-saving opportunities and optimise resource use. In February of 2024, CoolPlanet announced they would be creating 150 new jobs over the next couple of years, as part of an expansion which will see it double its workforce of 140. Now entering its 51st year, the Business & Finance Awards Programme is now entering its 51st year, and there was an increase in submissions of close to 30pc, which is the highest number in over a decade. Notably, the Innovation of the Year category, introduced only last year and for which CoolPlanet is shortlisted in, has seen the largest number of entries this year across all categories, underlining Irelands thriving culture of creativity and technological advancement. President of Business & Finance, Ian Hyland said: It is inspiring to see such a strong and diverse shortlist for the 2025 Business & Finance Awards a testament to the extraordinary calibre of leadership across Irelands business landscape. "This year marks another important milestone for the awards as we honour Secretary Hillary Rodham Clinton with the Sutherland Leadership Award, alongside our outstanding shortlisted companies and leaders who continue to shape Irelands future on the world stage. The awards are supported by KPMG. KPMG managing partner Ryan McCarthy added: The Business & Finance Awards continue to celebrate the excellence and innovation that make Ireland such a powerful force in global business. The significant growth in entries this year reflects the ambition, creative spirit and resilience that define our business community. At KPMG, we are proud to support these awards and to celebrate the leaders and organisations who are not just adapting to change but driving it with courage and vision. The farm is suitable for dairy, drystock or tillage farming. Agriculture Minister Martin Heydon has been asked to introduce further long term supports for tillage farmers in Wicklow. Speaking in the Dail, Wicklow-Wexford TD Brian Brennan said the sector is currently on its knees. Minister, we were both in Naas. We saw what went on. They were expecting 250 people but over 1,000 turned up.It was a clear statement that the tillage industry is on its knees. The tillage sector needs help. It has got help in the budget, but it needs more help. It needs a long-term plan. That is what we really need. The Irish Farmers' Association hosted an emergency meeting on behalf of the crops sector in Naas, Co. Kildare in September. A range of stakeholder organisations including the Irish Grain Growers Group, Tillage Industry Ireland, the Food Vision Tillage Group, and Teagasc were represented at the event with speakers from these organisations reflecting on the current state of crop production in Ireland. Minister Heydon also addressed the meeting and took questions from representatives who cited numerous challenges confronting Irish growers. Deputy Brennan believes the tillage industry is being saturated by cheap imports. We must tackle that. There are European regulations. We must accept that but, in some way, we have to increase the support for the people on the ground. I come from a hospitality background but one thing I know is that in business, whether you are in tillage or are a publican or a hotelier, if you do not make a margin, you are at nothing and you are wasting your time. If your costs are too high and you are not getting your price, you are simply at nothing. Deputy Brennan expressed concern at what he is hearing on the ground. When I am speaking to the farmer, I am also speaking to their children. I can see a conveyor belt of young farmers leaving our country from the tillage sector if we do not address this issue urgently. He believes more needs to be done to address the pressure farmers are facing. I have a huge issue with the sale of Irish whiskey when it is not fully Irish. It should be what is on the label. We must fight stronger to make sure that our farmers are producing the goods for our products. We have good, strong products. We have a worldwide reputation, and it is crucial. Deputy Brennan made a further plea for support from the minister. I am asking for further help and a long-term strategy, otherwise we will be in trouble with the tillage industry. In response Minister Heydon says he will engage directly with those working in the sector. At a challenging time for the sector, I will be supporting growers in 2026 with funding through a new tillage support scheme, in conjunction with the protein aid scheme and the straw incorporation measure, providing targeted supports of at least 50 million. Having secured a funding allocation for a new tillage support scheme, I intend to consult further with stakeholders on its design and operation. Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme Tesco are looking to recruit for 48 job positions available throughout their Wicklow network of stores over the festive season. Tesco has launched a recruitment drive for Christmas in order to fill more than 1,100 temporary roles, including 48 jobs for Co Wicklow. Applications are now open through the Tesco website for those interested in applying, offering flexible opportunities for those seeking work during the busy season. A man from Wicklow has been sentenced to four years in prison, with the final year suspended, following a prolonged Garda drug operation that targeted heroin dealing on Bray Main Street. The investigation, which took place between May and November 2021, involved undercover surveillance and the arrest of multiple purchasers David Teelan (46), of Hazelwood, Bray, Co. Wicklow, appeared before the Wicklow Criminal Circuit Court for sentencing after pleading guilty to possession of heroin for the purpose of sale or supply. A garda from Bray Garda Station testified that between May and November 2021, gardai observed Mr Teelan dealing heroin on four separate occasions on Bray Main Street. Gardai did not arrest Teelan at the time but instead arrested the purchasers in order to build their case. On each of the four occasions, the street deals were valued at approximately 20. James Kelly SC, counsel for the prosecution, asked the garda about the total weight of the drugs involved. The garda explained that one gram of heroin is the size of a pea. The court heard that Mr Teelans girlfriend acted as the money person, collecting the cash from the sales. She previously received a nine-month suspended sentence from Bray District Court. The garda noted that Teelan is well known to gardai and to people involved in the drug trade for selling drugs outside McDonalds on Bray Main Street. The court was informed that Mr Teelan has 18 previous convictions, with his most recent conviction occurring in April 2025, when he was fined for obstructing gardai who attempted to search his mouth for drugs. Eoghan Gallagher BL, instructed by Joe Maguire of Maguire McNiece Solicitors, told the court that his client had lived in the UK for several years. There was a gap in his record between 2001 and 2013, during which he did not come to the attention of gardai, as he was clean and not using drugs. A letter from a support worker and a urine analysis report, dating back to his release from prison in November 2024, were handed into court. When questioned by Mr Gallagher, the garda confirmed that Mr Teelan has been closely monitored since his arrest and has not come to the attention of gardai. Mr Gallagher told the court that his client worked in construction while he was in the UK. He had matchstick teeth but has recently had them fixed, counsel said, adding that Mr Teelan has also had his liver treated after many years of neglect. Mr Gallagher argued that his clients sentence should reflect the light sentence his partner and co-defendant received. He also said that a custodial sentence would undo the progress Mr Teelan has made. A positive probation report was submitted to the court, though it noted that Mr Teelan remains at a high risk of re-offending. When sentencing, Judge Patrick Quinn said: I cant think of greater offending than dealing heroin. He sentenced Mr Teelan to four years in prison, with the final year suspended for one year. Funded by the Court Reporting Scheme Met Eireann has said the coming days will be see sustained rain and wind consistent with stormy weather, though no storm has officially been announced. US worker deported in error to El Salvador may now face his second deportation this time to Uganda Timeline of Prince Andrews downfall: from queens favourite to Epstein allegations and loss of his royal titles British royals reputation has been irreparably damaged over his friendship with paedophile Jeffrey Epstein and a car-crash BBC interview The infamous photo of Prince Andrew with Virginia Giuffre and Ghislaine Maxwell taken in 2001 Bryony Gooch and Holly Bancroft UK Independent Fri 31 Oct 2025 at 06:30 Widely purported to have been the late Queen Elizabeths favourite child, Andrew has suffered a sharp fall from grace over the last decade with King Charles now having formally started the process to strip him of all his titles. Rob Jetten, leader of the centre-left D66 party, speaks on stage in Leiden, Netherlands. Photo: AP Dutch centrist leader Rob Jetten said he was very confident of being able to put together a government after his partys strong showing in parliamentary elections that saw Geert Wilders anti-Islam Freedom Party lose ground. Police officers stand guard near the Louvre Pyramid after a heist in the Louvre. Photo: Reuters French police have arrested five new people, including a prime suspect, over this months spectacular jewellery heist from the Louvre museum. We had him in our sights, Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau said of the main suspect, adding that none of the loot worth an estimated 88m had been found. The country is broken residents pick up pieces after devastation of Hurricane Melissa At least 20 killed in Haiti, as Jamaicans and Cubans struggle to cope with floods and lack of basic supplies Residents walk in the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa in El Cobre, Cuba. Photo: AP AP reporters, Dave Sherwood and Zahra Burton Associated Press Fri 31 Oct 2025 at 06:30 The rumble of large machinery, whine of chainsaws and chopping of machetes echoed through communities across the northern Caribbean yesterday as they dug out from the destruction of Hurricane Melissa and assessed the damage left behind. Displaced residents in Gaza fear more airstrikes Palestinian militant group Hamas handed over two bodies it said were of deceased Israeli hostages yesterday, a day after the tenuous Gaza ceasefire was shaken by a series of deadly Israeli strikes. The office of Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the two bodies had been received by Israeli forces via the Red Cross in Gaza and will be transported into Israel for identification. Donald Trump and Kremlin threaten to resume nuclear weapons testing after 30 years US president says move is in response to other countries testing their arsenal US president Donald Trump. Photo: Reuters Telegraph Reporter Telegraph Media Group Holdings Ltd Fri 31 Oct 2025 at 06:30 The Kremlin warned Donald Trump that Russia will resume testing its nuclear weapons if the US does the same. Donald Trump planning a Putin election in 2028, Gavin Newsom says California governor is a front-runner to be the Democrats candidate for next presidency California governor Gavin Newsom has a reputation for a combative style. Photo: Reuters Owen Scott UK Independent Fri 31 Oct 2025 at 06:30 California governor Gavin Newsom says that Donald Trump wants a Putin election in 2028 and that Americans are going to lose our country if the sitting president goes unchallenged. Andrew will be formally stripped of his Prince and Duke of York titles (Jordan Pettitt/PA) The family of Virginia Giuffre said she had brought down a prince after Andrew Mountbatten Windsors public life as a royal was effectively ended by Britains King Charles. Charles has taken the dramatic decision to formally strip his brother of his Prince and Duke of York titles and HRH style, while Andrew has also agreed to leave the Royal Lodge in Windsor. The United States is to resume nuclear weapons testing immediately, Donald Trump has announced, raising fears of renewed proliferation between the worlds two biggest stockpiles of atomic weaponry. The American president has outwardly pursued a rapprochement in US-Russian relations since returning to the White House in January, but continued provocations from Moscow have pressed Washington to change its stance. A festive evening on the south lawn Costumes, characters, and candy moments ( Image credit : X/MarineF18ret | President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania ) Behind the festivities: A ballroom and a shutdown ( Image credit : X/MarineF18ret | The event mixed festive cheer with political tension ) Tariffs, trade, and Halloween costs ICONIC President Trump putting the candy bar on the kids head at The White House and wouldnt you know it..The Minion came in right behind for his LOL He never sleeps. Best Halloween ever. pic.twitter.com/Jcz1k8RrpM Liza Antonchenko (@LizaAntonchenko) October 31, 2025 ( Image credit : X/MELANIAJTRUMP | First Lady Melania Trump celebrated Halloween on October 30 ) Social media reactions NO WAY! President Trump just put a candy bar on some kid's head dressed as a marshmallow at the White House Halloween Party and made him balance it while waddling off He knows the meme. Gangster. pic.twitter.com/YpNIepmvFw Danny De Urbina (@dannydeurbina) October 30, 2025 A blend of celebration and politics President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump celebrated Halloween on October 30, 2025, with hundreds of guests at the White House. The South Lawn turned into a festive venue filled with superheroes, princesses, and even children dressed as the presidential couple. Despite an ongoing government shutdown and visible signs of ballroom construction, the Trumps continued the tradition of welcoming families for the annual Halloween event.As the evening began, Trump and Melania walked onto the South Lawn to an orchestral version of Michael JacksonsNeither wore costumes the President appeared in a blue suit, red tie, and a red USA cap, while Melania wore an orange dress layered with a brown coat. The couple distributed full-sized Hershey bars and Twizzlers sealed in presidential boxes to children lined along the driveway.Among the young visitors were children of military personnel and White House staff members. Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary, attended with her son dressed as a pumpkin. Former administration aide Katie Miller appeared as a skeleton, while her husband, Stephen Miller, kept to a business suit.The South Lawn overflowed with children dressed as superheroes like Spider-Man and Captain America, along with ballerinas, princesses, and leprechauns. Two boys mimicked Trumps style with suits and Make America Great Again hats, while a girl dressed like Melania in a white coat over a dress.Many parents also sported USA caps similar to the Presidents. A lighthearted moment occurred when Trump joked with a child wearing a costume involving an inflatable toilet marked Wide Load.Despite some shyness among younger children, the atmosphere remained cheerful, filled with laughter and camera flashes.Temporary walls had been erected to hide the ongoing construction of Trumps new White House ballroom, which required the demolition of the East Wing. However, a bulldozer was still visible behind the barriers. Pointing to the long line of trick-or-treaters, Trump remarked, Its almost as big as the ballroom.The event took place just hours after Trumps return from a six-day Asia trip covering Malaysia, Japan, and South Korea. Meanwhile, the U.S. government remained shut down for the 30th consecutive day.Trump urged for reopening the government, but negotiations between congressional Democrats and Republicans had reached a standstill. Democrats continued to push for an extension of expiring tax credits that make health insurance affordable for millions, while Republicans insisted talks could only resume once the shutdown ended.The Halloween celebration also came amid growing effects of Trumps trade tariffs on Chinese imports. These tariffs had reportedly reduced costume supplies and raised prices for retailers and families preparing for the holiday.Still, the White House exterior was decorated with autumn-themed decor large orange and red mums, carved pumpkins along the balcony steps, and faux fall leaves adorning the railings, maintaining a festive look despite the political backdrop.Clips and images from the event quickly circulated online. One user commented, He knows the meme. Gangster. Another wrote, ICONIC President Trump putting the candy bar on the kids head at The White House He never sleeps. Best Halloween ever.Halloween 2025 at the White House reflected a familiar mix of celebration and political undercurrents a night where candy, costumes, and construction coexisted. Despite a prolonged shutdown and visible signs of renovation, Trumps Halloween tradition carried on, offering a moment of festivity in a divided Washington. A step toward easing trade tensions TRUMP ON THE OUTCOMES OF HIS MEETING WITH XI: - US and China will work to collaborate on Ukraine. - Trump will visit China in April 2026 and Xi will visit the US soon. - China will begin buying soybeans and resume rare earth exports. - The US and China will continue to pic.twitter.com/amkERhxQV8 amit (@amitisinvesting) October 30, 2025 Key details of the agreement The U.S. attitude toward China seems to have completely shifted it now looks as if Trump and America have bowed down before Beijing, softening their once-tough stance. You can even see in the video how Xi Jinping made Trump wait. Small gestures like these carry big meaning pic.twitter.com/V5BL3Zjpqp Mazhar Khan (@Mazhar4justice) October 31, 2025 Farmers welcome the move but remain cautious PRESIDENT TRUMP before high-stakes meeting with China's President Xi: "I think we're going to have a fantastic relationship for a long period of time, and it's an honor to have you with us." pic.twitter.com/Zw7OpqzntS Marlana Watson(Masso) (@Marlana_Watson5) October 30, 2025 Chinas stance and global implications Chinese President Xi Jinping landed in Busan on Thursday to attend the 32nd APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting in Gyeongju, and pay a state visit to South Korea. In a meeting here with U.S. President Donald Trump, Xi said under their joint guidance, China-U.S. relations have pic.twitter.com/jOyZZQ7m2O Chinese Consulate General in Sydney (@ChinaConSydney) October 31, 2025 What comes next US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping held a high-stakes meeting on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit in South Korea. The meeting, which began at 7:30 am (IST) on Thursday, lasted less than two hours but resulted in a breakthrough. Both sides agreed to extend their trade truce and finalise a new trade deal as early as next week, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent confirmed.Despite the temporary truce, Asian markets reacted cautiously on Friday. According to AP, shares dipped after the Trump-Xi meeting as investors remained wary of unresolved tensions between Washington and Beijing. Chinas Defence Minister called for stronger communication between both nations defence ministries and greater exchanges between military personnel to ensure stability.Chinas Foreign Ministry quoted Xi Jinping telling leaders that the world is undergoing changes unseen in a century and urged nations to pull together to safeguard multilateral trade. He reiterated the need for cooperation to manage global economic uncertainty.US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told Fox Business that the Kuala Lumpur agreement was finalised overnight and that signatures could be exchanged next week. Under the deal, the United States will halve its current 20% tariff on Chinese goods linked to fentanyl precursor chemicals.China, in return, will pause for one year its export controls on rare earth minerals and magnetscritical components for global industries. The United States will also suspend, for the same duration, its Commerce Department blacklist that prevents several Chinese firms from purchasing American high-tech goods, including semiconductors.Additionally, China agreed to buy 12 million metric tons of US soybeans before January and 25 million metric tons annually for the next three years.The trade deal has been welcomed by American farmers who have been hit hard by the prolonged trade war. Robb Ewoldt, an Iowa farmer and United Soybean Board director, said, This is a very good thing. Im very grateful. But it doesnt cure everything in the short term.Missouri farmer Bryant Kagay added that while the return of Chinese demand is positive, it mainly restores the pre-trade war situation. Its crazy that were celebrating just getting back to where we were, he said. Rising costs of fertilizer, tractors, and seeds continue to burden farmers despite Chinas new purchase commitments.Chinese state media hailed the meeting as a win for Xis policies, with Xinhua quoting him as saying that the country has the confidence and ability to handle any risks or challenges. Chinese exporters also expressed optimism about reduced US tariffs but remain cautious of future disruptions.Even as the trade deal advances, US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer confirmed that an investigation into Chinas compliance with previous trade agreements is still underway. The probe could determine whether further tariffs will be imposed later.The final agreement, expected to be signed next week, will mark a significant step in restoring trade stability between the worlds two largest economies. Along with addressing tariffs and soybean trade, discussions also covered issues such as fentanyl control, rare earth exports, and AI technology cooperation.Xi is also expected to meet leaders from Canada, Japan, and Thailand following the summit to further strengthen regional economic partnerships.The upcoming US-China trade deal signals cautious optimism, offering relief for farmers and industries while leaving deeper tensions unresolved. ( Image credit : X/ UnredactedBstrd | Erika Kirk with JD Vance at Ole Miss for the kickoff of her Turning Point Tour. ) The comment that set off a firestorm ( Image credit : X/worldbitwave | JD Vance said, "Were raising our kids Christian, I hope Usha converts someday, but its her choice." ) ( Image credit : X/worldbitwave | JD Vance said, "Were raising our kids Christian, I hope Usha converts someday, but its her choice." ) So JD Vance wants to convert his Hindu wife to Christianity. Okay Modi ji why are you silent now ? Cuz Doland is your friend and Bhakts 5th father ? This is literally forceful conversion. Stop it at any cost or consider this as an act of war. pic.twitter.com/m56mG7ubYw Jitesh (@Chaotic_mind99) October 30, 2025 Internet outrage, culture clash and calls for a split I would say that Erika Kirk is looking at JD Vance in a very similar way to the way JDs wife looks at him Shes touching JD Vance in the same way his wife touches him. What do I think? It is disgusting, inappropriate. Not only is she touching his hair and his head with her pic.twitter.com/cY6pMcimeh DEPLORABLE EX-DEM TRUMP (@Deplorable_Dem) October 31, 2025 When JD Vance had hit his lowest, it was his Hindu wife and her Hindu upbringing that had helped him navigate through the tough times. Today in a position of power, her religion has become a liability. What a fall. What an epic fall for the man. pic.twitter.com/Zvz7bFQ0hZ Monica Verma (@TrulyMonica) October 30, 2025 Enter Erika Kirk: The inappropriate hug heard across America I'm rooting for these 2 love birds Her children with Charlie look more like Vance than Vance's own children ... In this house Erika Kirk is a grieving widow with boundless political aspirations pic.twitter.com/koLQxk1vsX thank you so much but no (@goingwithno) October 30, 2025 Look at that loving gaze and those claws digging into his arm! Is this a match made in heaven for Erika Kirk and JD Vance? pic.twitter.com/CczI7qgFVo Annie (@AnnieForTruth) October 31, 2025 Incredible, extraordinary, and moving Usha Vance holding the hand of Charlie Kirks widow, Erika, devastated by grief Usha Vance is one of the finest Second Ladies in American history Always a step behind in discretion Always a step ahead with heart and strength pic.twitter.com/zzR4zGss0A Mambo Italiano (@mamboitaliano__) September 12, 2025 JD Vance's wife is going through hell. Her eyes have that thousand-mile stare. Having heard the stories of the Partition I suspect she's seeing our possible future in her dreams. pic.twitter.com/HrOu6UBtT4 Lorenzo Levi Brown : Follow Me On BlueSky (@LLBROWN7047) October 27, 2025 American politics is already a circus, but JD Vance just turned it into a full-blown reality show crossover. The US Vice President has landed himself in a chaotic cocktail of faith controversy, marriage drama, and now, the internets newest forbidden ship: JD Vance and Erika Kirk. Yes, you read that right, people are actually pairing him with Charlie Kirks widow.It all kicked off when JD Vance hit the stage at a Turning Point USA event in Mississippi. He spoke about his wife, Usha Vance, who was raised Hindu, and expressed that he hopes she eventually embraces Christianity. He told the crowd that most Sundays, Usha joins him at church, and he admitted he wishes she would be moved by Christianity the way he was. He added that their difference in faith does not cause any issues in their marriage.A post summarising his comments claimed the couples children are being raised Christian, with their eight-year-old reportedly completing First Communion last year and the two eldest attending a Christian school.X exploded within minutes. While some Christian supporters backed Vances belief in family faith alignment, Hindu users worldwide slammed the remarks as disrespectful and culturally tone-deaf. Many argued Usha deserves better, while others bluntly stated that JD would fail solely because of her.Suddenly, people were tweeting breakup predictions like it was Love Island: US Capitol Edition. And then, the plot twist no one saw coming, the internet began shipping JD Vance with Erika Kirk.A viral photo showed Erika Kirk hugging JD Vance in what many users called too intimate for a married man and a newly widowed woman. One tweet said the pair were just one inappropriate appearance away from claiming God told them to marry. Another criticised Erikas tight leather trousers and flashy jewellery, suggesting the vibe was far from Christian modesty.Others pointed out Erikas very short grieving period since Charlie Kirks passing, claiming even his parents were distancing themselves. Comments accusing JD of disrespecting his wife with physical closeness to Erika fuelled rumours that divorce may be brewing.What began as a faith-based comment has spiralled into cross-cultural debate, internet matchmaking, moral outrage, and full-throttle scandal. The internet is glued to this one, and JD Vance might need divine intervention to clean it up. From a wedding meeting to mutual respect He is a rock star. Very humble and kind https://t.co/17UDZvc9XA Shah Rukh Khan (@iamsrk) October 30, 2025 John Cenas viral tweet for Shah Rukh Khan Will never forget your kindness and our conversation. Thank you for the constant inspiration to me personally and your fans around the world! @iamsrk https://t.co/vfsYvWwoKs John Cena (@JohnCena) October 31, 2025 ( Image credit : X/@WWE | John Cenas touching reply to Shah Rukh Khan melts hearts online ) Fans react to the wholesome crossover ( Image credit : Screenshot taken from X | Fans from both worlds couldnt contain their excitement ) Global icon Shah Rukh Khan turns 60 ( Image credit : X/@bollywooddesiking | As Shah Rukh Khan approaches his 60th birthday on November 2, the celebration at his Mumbai home Mannat is already the talk of the town ) In a rare show of warmth that united Hollywood and Bollywood fans, John Cena shared a heartfelt message for Shah Rukh Khan on X, thanking the Indian superstar for his inspiration. The exchange came shortly after SRK called Cena a rock star during an #AskSRK session. With Khans 60th birthday and his new film King on the horizon, Cenas message added even more excitement to the celebrations, proving once again how deeply the Bollywood legends influence extends beyond borders.Their friendship began when John Cena and Shah Rukh Khan met at the wedding celebrations of Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant in July 2024. Cena later said the meeting left him emotional and inspired.He even mentioned that Khans TED Talk had motivated personal growth in his life. Photos of the two posing together in traditional Indian outfits went viral and quickly became a fan-favourite moment of cultural connection.John Cena responded to King Khan's kind words on X: "Will never forget your kindness and our conversation. Thank you for the constant inspiration to me personally and your fans around the world!"His post, featuring a photo of himself captioned JACKPOT, was quickly flooded with love from fans across the globe. Within hours, the tweet had gained over 27,000 likes, with fans celebrating it as one of the most genuine interactions between two global icons.Fans from both worlds couldnt contain their excitement. Many imagined a crossover between Cenas Peacemaker and Khans Pathaan or Jawan characters. Comments like GOAT recognise GOAT and We need a Hollywood-Bollywood movie now filled the platform. The hashtag #CenaSRK began trending, symbolising a moment where pop culture united across continents.As Shah Rukh Khan approaches his 60th birthday on November 2, the celebration at his Mumbai home, Mannat, is already the talk of the town. Director Siddharth Anands teaser for King and Cenas tweet has amplified the anticipation. This exchange reminds everyone of Khans timeless charm and the respect he commands not just in India but around the world.John Cenas post was more than a social media gesture. It reflected a genuine appreciation that transcends industries and geography. Both stars embody perseverance, humility, and a global sense of connection. As SRKs milestone birthday nears and King prepares to mark his next big chapter, Cenas message stands out as a perfect symbol of how art and admiration can bring the world together. Microsoft has released the October 2025 update for Visual Studio 2022 (v17.14). The new release makes the Claude Sonnet 4.5 and Claude Haiku 4.5 coding models available in the GitHub Copilot chat window. Also for GitHub Copilot, the update adds Copilot memories, a feature that allows Copilot to remember project preferences, as well as support for instruction files and built-in planning for multi-step tasks. The Visual Studio 2022 October update was announced October 30 and can be downloaded from visualstudio.microsoft.com. With Claude Sonnet 4.5 and Claude Haiku 4.5 available in the GitHub Copilot chat window, the latest innovations for driving agentic workflows are right at the developers fingertips, Microsoft said. Copilot memories, meanwhile, enable Copilot to understand and apply a projects specific coding standards, making the AI assistant project-aware and consistent across sessions. Memories use intelligent detection to understand project preferences as users prompt Copilot in the chat. Copilot then stores the preference in one of three files .editorconfig for coding standards, CONTRIBUTING.md for best practices and guidelines, and README.md for high-level project information. The west facade of the newly opened Princeton University Art Museum, in October 2025. On the left is Doug and Mike Starn's "(Any) Body Oddly Propped" (2015) Read more After years of planning, Princeton University is making a bold statement about its commitment to art with the new Princeton University Art Museum. Located at the heart of the campus along McCosh Walk, it stands just behind the historic Nassau Hall and is a short stroll from the town center. Advertisement The multilevel building houses one the largest university art museum collections in the United States. The urgency of need for such a space of curiosity, exchange, and safety the safety to tease out complex ideas is greater than ever, said James Christen Steward, the museum director overseeing the capital project with an undisclosed cost, during a media preview earlier this month. Two-thirds of the cost came from donors with the remaining from university assets, per the New York Times. Opening on Friday, the museum was designed by David Adjaye in collaboration with Cooper Robertson of New York. The universitys art collection, dating from antiquity to the present, is now in a 146,000-square-feet home, quadruple the amount of gallery space on the site of the former museum, which was demolished in 2021. Adjaye, the acclaimed Ghanaian British architect behind museums such as the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture in D.C., had completed the conceptual and aesthetic design for the Princeton museumwhen he was accused of alleged sexual misconduct by three former employees, in the summer of 2023, as reported by the Financial Times. No criminal charges were filed; and Adjaye, 59, has denied the allegations. Nonetheless, he willingly stepped back from this project, which was more than midway through construction by then. On a Zoom call from his London office, Adjaye, who had a professorship at Princeton from 2008-10, and knows the campus well, stated that this is a very important work for me in my career. It brings together a lot of my thinking and my relationship to art and art spaces I came through art to architecture. The commission, he said, has given him a lot of confidence for the new museums he is working on in different parts of the world. A building with fins Featuring four site-specific installations and two newly purchased public sculptures representing a diversity of contemporary artists, the museum building comprises nine interlocking pavilions. Adjaye describes it as a world within the world of the campus. The facade with its fins looks pleated, while the sandblasted granular surface evokes an austere Brutalist character. Its gray aggregate stone and verticality reference the neo-Gothic character of the surrounding academic buildings. All sides have doors, but there is a main entranceway with a recessed plaza facing the town; it features a visually-arresting site-specific installation. Here stands Nick Caves Let me kindly introduce myself. They call me MC Prince Brighton, an exuberantly colorful mosaic and mixed media mural that extends on two walls. His monumental Mardi-Gras like-figure wears one of the artists signature soundsuits to welcome approaching visitors. The interior is an unexpected surprise. Steward described it as a kind of town square in which we can all find ourselves, in pursuit of knowledge, comfort, joy, and even provocation. On the same level, the imposing Grand Hall rises the full height of the building to reveal the structural ingenuity of the architecture. On a recent visit, this flexible space was set up as an inviting lounge, but it can be transformed into a nearly 300-seat auditorium or a black box theater. A historic collection The university has been collecting artwork since 1755. Early holdings, including a portrait of King George II, were destroyed during the Battle of Princeton in 1777. Acquiring works was resumed in 1783 when a portrait of George Washington by Charles Willson Peale was commissioned by the trustees. Peale painted the Revolutionary War hero while in Princeton. Washington was so pleased by his full-length image that he decided to pay the artist and gifted the canvas to the school, beginning a legacy of philanthropic donations to the museum. It now hangs in the original gilded frame of the lost King George II portrait, and is a formidable introduction to the museums Wilmerding Pavilion of American Art. Unlike the hodgepodge arrangement of galleries in the former museum building, works from the expansive collection are now mostly displayed on the second level. Inaugural art The museum is currently showing about 7,000 objects from its holdings, three times what had been previously possible. Galleries have been curated to invite dialogue and discovery, said Juliana Ochs Dweck, chief curator. The arrangement allows talk across cultural borders and chronologies, added Steward. The Welcome Gallerys inaugural exhibit holds ceramic sculptures by Toshiko Takaezu, who taught at Princeton from 1967-92 and maintained a studio in Quakertown, N.J. Before her death in 2011, Takaezu donated about 40 of her pieces to the museum; 15 of these are on view. Takaezus expressionist glazed sculptural forms are displayed with the works of contemporaries such as Peter Voulkos and Helen Frankenthaler. An exquisite handmade bench (one of two that were commissioned using repurposed wood from trees taken down during construction) by Mira Nakashima, of New Hope, is appropriately placed here. Two temporary exhibition galleries celebrate Princeton Collects, a selection of about 150 works from the nearly 2,000 varied artworks given by donors on the occasion of the new museum. Works on paper, including photography, are exclusively presented in the smaller of these two areas. The donated or promised works fill crucial gaps strengthening the collection across many cultures and styles. To facilitate contemplation, a dozen gray minimalist benches designed by Adjaye are situated around the galleries. Art from home and the world The second level also has two interior commissioned site-specific works. One, by Philadelphian Jane Irish, gives a local artistic presence to the new museum. Irishs Cosmos Beyond Atrocity is mounted on the ceiling of a viewing room that has the feel of an intimate tree house. This installation brings to mind illusionistic Renaissance and Baroque ceiling paintings. (Its large-scale study is currently on view at Phillys Locks Gallery on Washington Square until Nov. 15). The bas reliefs depict violent acts that reference dozens of works from the museums collection as well as lamps from ancient Turkey excavated decades ago by a Princeton-led team. The central upraised arm holds a Vietnamese finger cymbal; the artist says it suggests a ding reverberating. A kinetic sculpture, Naga, by Ho Chi Minh City artist Tuan Andrew Nguyen, hangs on the north side and is a direct homage to Philadelphia native Alexander Calder, who was a vocal critic of the Vietnam War. The polished metal plates are made from unexploded ordinances and artillery shells that Nguyen sourced at a heavily bombed area of Vietnam. When the work moves, the mallets produce a therapeutic tone that has been used to treat veterans suffering from PTSD. While the generosity of fundraising and gift-giving by alumni affirms Princetonian pride, their philanthropy enables everyone to as the museum tagline asserts Find Yourself Here. Thinking about his recently completed design, Adjaye acknowledged: Im super curious to see how people will react to it. That, for me, is the joy. Thats the success of a museum. Princeton University Art Museum, Elm Drive, Princeton, N.J. Mon.Wed. 10 a.m.5 p.m., Thurs.Fri.10 a.m.8 p.m., Sat. 10 a.m.5 p.m., Sun. 125 p.m. Free. artmuseum.princeton.edu "OY/YO" by Deborah Kass makes it way back to Philadelphia's Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History on Friday. It had been away for restoration since May. Read more OY/YO is back. The bright yellow pop art-inspired sculpture has returned to its usual perch on Independence Mall. Friday morning, a large flatbed truck hauled the piece to Fifth and Market Sts. Workers hoisted its Y and O into the air and down in place. And the witty, doubly palindromic work OY from one side, YO from the other was home again after a bit of restoration work. The sculptures return came with news of its future. Advertisement It is now a promised gift to the Weitzman National Museum of American Jewish History, on whose doorstep it sits. The piece had been on loan from the artist, Deborah Kass, and was then bought by local philanthropists Mitchell and Hilarie Morgan, who are donating it to the museum. READ MORE: The OY/YO statue is coming back Deborah had a relationship with the Morgans, and thankfully a lot of stars aligned to make sure it will have a long-term life at Fifth and Market Sts., said Josh Perelman, the Jewish Museums senior adviser for content and strategic projects. Its nice to see it all pristine again, he said Friday. The eight-foot-tall aluminum sculpture by the Brooklyn-based Kass left in May for restoration and repainting at the Johnson Atelier in Hamilton, N.J. It first came to Philadelphia in May 2022 when the museum was in dire straits. The organization had filed for bankruptcy in March 2020, and two weeks later, the pandemic hit, forcing it to shut its doors (like almost all arts and culture groups). It reopened two years later after landing a gift of about $25 million, according to tax returns, from shoe manufacturer Stuart Weitzman that allowed the museum to buy its building and build endowment. The sculptures 2022 arrival and siting on a popular tourist footpath was a recognition of revitalizing both the museum and the circumstances of coming out of the pandemic experience, said Perelman. It quickly became the public face of the museum, and its recent absence has been felt. People have walked in the front door in the past few months asking where it was and when it would be back, said Emily August, the Weitzmans chief public engagement officer, which speaks to the appeal of the sculpture. Perelman said he was amazed by how quickly OY/YO became a Philadelphia icon, and how often people post it on social media on their trips to Philadelphia. Classes take their class pictures outside. It has many meanings to so many different people. It has also quickly become a full citizen in the citys public art collection that includes Robert Indianas LOVE sculpture in the middle of the city, and a certain silver screen boxer captured in triumphant pose by A. Thomas Schomberg near the Art Museum steps. Says Perelman: It creates this lovely artistic through line from Fifth and Market to Love Park to the Rocky statue, these iconic moments that run through the artist corridor of the city and all speak to one another. Alycia Marshall, the new president of Community College of Philadelphia, speaks during the commencement ceremony at the Liacouras Center in May, when she was serving as interim president. Read more When Alycia Marshall interviewed to become the permanent president of Community College of Philadelphia earlier this month, she stated plainly: I am here for the students. In them, she is reminded of her own son, her only child, who died in 2016 in a car accident. Aaron Gene Marshall, known as AG for short, had been on his way to attend classes at the same Maryland community college where she worked at the time. Advertisement When I see the students, you know, I see my son, she said in an interview the day she was named CCPs president. Theres still kids and students that need my love, my support, and so I believe that Im here for a reason. READ MORE: Community College of Philadelphia interim president is selected for permanent role Marshall, 51, is a little over a week into the permanent role, but had been leading the school as interim president since April when former President Donald Guy Generals was forced out. In an hour-long interview this week at her CCP office, she detailed her priorities including increasing funding, boosting employee morale, and expanding workforce development opportunities. A mathematician, Marshall also said shes been deeply influenced by former University of Maryland, Baltimore County President Freeman Hrabowski III, who decades ago launched the nationally recognized Meyerhoff Scholars program to bring more students from underrepresented backgrounds into STEM fields. The program has had the distinction of cultivating the most Black graduates with both a medical degree and a doctorate, and the second most in STEM doctorates. Her experience as a mother also shaped her. Marshall said she was a single parent the majority of the time. She was 22 when she had her son and people often mistook them for siblings, she said. He hated that. I loved it, she said. She went to work the day he died, never thinking it would be the last time she would see her 19-year-old. It was devastating, she said. But she said she recommitted to her work and found comfort in it. I had this long-term career plan that I felt like youve got to still do the things that you said you were going to do because he would want that, she said. As a higher education professional, Marshall had moved up the ranks from faculty member to department head to provost, all along with ideas how to make things better, she said. All I could do was say I think we should be doing this, she said. Sometimes people would say yeah we should and more times they would say yeah thats a good idea but were not doing that. I kept thinking I need to get to a place where I actually can make these calls. The daughter of an electronic engineer and a vice president of human resources, Marshall said both of her parents had masters degrees and were an inspiration for her educational journey. Her mothers side of the family is originally from Panama, and Marshall considers herself an African American of Hispanic heritage. READ MORE: Community College of Philadelphia is poised to select its next president Tuesday Marshall said she first crossed paths with Hrabowski, also a mathematician, when she was an undergraduate at UMBC and he became president there. She wasnt a Meyerhoff scholar, she said, but lived in the dorms with them and saw the impact of the support Hrabowskis program had on the group of high-achieving students of color. I saw how he could change these lives just by bringing these resources, she said. I never forgot that. At Anne Arundel Community College in Maryland, where she worked for nearly 23 years, she started a grant program to bring underrepresented students into engineering, she said. And Hrabowski, whom she calls her mentor, invited her and her team to UMBC to learn more about his program. Her plans for CCP At CCP, Marshall sees finances as the greatest challenge and said she will advocate for more funding and look for additional revenue sources. The college gets most of its funding from the state, the city and tuition. We are moving into that space where we have to think outside the box and we cant continuously rely on the funding sources that we have, she said. She plans to reach out to alumni for donations and ask faculty to become more involved in fundraising, leveraging their expertise and vast connections in their fields, she said. As interim president, Marshall held office hours for faculty and plans to continue that. They have really great ideas about a new program or a new experience for our students that would require funding, she said. So lets take those ideas and you know vet those ideas and think about working with institutional advancement to get them funded. She said she also plans to address the low staff morale reported in the most recent employee satisfaction survey, which she believes is due in large part to the sudden change in leadership last April and uncertainty. The survey hasnt been released publicly yet. Over the next few months we will be rolling out a communication plan, she said, and seeking staff input on how to address the issues. As CCP provost, a post she held for nearly three years, she held an annual faculty and staff celebration and hopes to do that on a wider scale as president, she said. She also wants to strengthen the path from community college to four-year institutions and noted she recently met with John Fry, president of Temple University, where the largest number of CCP students transfer. She also noted CCPs new partnership with Cheyney University, an historically Black state school, that will allow students to complete a bachelors degree while staying at CCP. I definitely see theres other opportunities where we might want to build on that with other institutions and really make sure that were shoring up that pathway to the bachelors degree and ... advanced degrees as well, she said. Enrollment is a bright spot, she said. Its up 5% over last year, she said, and the highest of the community colleges in Pennsylvania. The college currently enrolls 12,939 credit students and 1,619 non-credit students. Just two weeks into the job, Marshall has already participated in national and statewide higher education meetings. I guess you could say I hit the ground running, she said. Getting to know the new president Marshall said she plans to move to Philadelphia full-time with her husband, a criminal justice professor at Bowie State University and a former agent for the Drug Enforcement Agency. They married in 2022, a month before she got the provost job at CCP. Marshall got a Center City apartment within walking distance of CCP and they started their marriage somewhat long distance. Im thankful that I have a very supportive husband who has always been there and and kind of cheering me on, she said. Marshall said her favorite hobby is exercise. I do a lot of weight training and cardio, she said. These jobs require you to be in the best health as you can so you can show up and be there for everybody else. Heres a few of Marshalls other favorite things: Favorite spot in Philly other than CCP? The Mann Center Favorite dessert? Butter cakes Favorite music? R&B Favorite Musical Artist? Michael Jackson Favorite vacation spot? My husband and I have done most of the islands in the Caribbean. We like beach. Chef and co-owner Bela Gogebashvili (left) and co-owner Lasha Kikvidze behind the bar at Kinto in Philadelphia on Oct. 29. Read more Lasha Kikvidze says there were likely no more than 100 people from the Republic of Georgia living in the Philadelphia region when he moved here as an exchange student in 2001. More than two decades later, there are now over 25,000 people of Georgian descent settled in the Philadelphia region, largely living in Northeast Philly and Lower Bucks County, according to honorary local consul Hersh Kozlov. Advertisement Now 49 and the co-owner of two nightclub restaurants Somertons Golden Gates and the Fishtown cabaret Fabrika Kikvidze is on a mission to present his countrys distinctive cuisine to a broader audience in Fishtown. Kinto, the cozy 72-seat BYOB he launched with partners three months ago on Frankford Avenue just south of Girard, is a promising test case: Fewer than 10% of his customers are familiar with Georgian food, he says. That tracks for a place set between the gaming sports-bar hubs of a Barcade and a Garage, although Georgian food has already reached Center City at places like Sakartvelo and Saami Somi in Reading Terminal Market. Kikvidze is counting on the prominence of vegetables to appeal to Fishtowns large vegetarian and vegan audiences. With chef-partner Bela Gogebashvili in the kitchen, the appetizer end of Kintos menu is a treasure trove of plant-centered dips and pkhali spreads. I love the contrast of pkhali balls turned pink with beets, verdant with spinach or green beans, or russet orange with carrots. (Kikvidze has thankfully refrained from making pkhali from poison ivy, which he says is popular in the mountainous Racha region of western Georgia.) A pomegranate seed-dusted variation simply called eggplant rolls, whose grilled sheets are pinwheeled around creamy walnut sauce, is another personal favorite. A pot of stewed lobio beans with crispy corn cakes, another specialty of western Georgia and Kikvidzes home city of Kutaisi, makes for a hearty vegan entree. Its lightly thickened pink bean broth swirled with earthy notes of blue fenugreek, cinnamon, and coriander from khmeli sunelli, the countrys signature spice blend speaks to Georgias location along the Silk Road trade route. Bite into one of the house-pickled red tomatoes on the side for a ripe burst of bright and tangy juice. There are vivid glimpses of Kikvidzes home country throughout the slender series of glass-walled dining rooms, with colorful woven rugs and mounted plates displaying the curling script of Georgias 33-character alphabet. A beautiful back bar features an intricate diorama of mini-balconies representing an old streetscape in the capital of Tbilisi. That bar is largely empty because Kinto is BYOB which might seem odd considering Georgias historic wine culture is having an international resurgence. The fact that this food is made for drinking was reinforced by the celebratory group of young Georgians in the rear dining room toasting with shots of chacha brandy. (Kinto is great for groups.) Kinto is an affordable date-night charmer, thanks to warm (albeit slightly scattered) service and a mellow old-soul soundtrack that includes Sam Cooke and Roberta Flack. Keeping it BYOB, as Kikvidze emphasizes, only underscores the value of the restaurant. Even if the menu is not quite as comprehensive, or the cooking quite as nuanced as some of my favorites in Northeast Philly, Kinto offers a very solid introduction to classic Georgian cuisine. Kinto doesnt have a traditional domed tone hearth oven but nonetheless turns out some tasty, petite khachapuri that give a taste of the famous bread boats without completely filling you up. The egg-and-cheese Adjaruli is a must, and the round, double-crusted Imeruli is basically the tangy cheese pizza of my dreams. The mashed bean-stuffed lobiani khachapuri which looked like a bean burrito exploded inside a pizza was not a hit. But there were too many other good flavors on our table to dwell on that miss. We devoured the chebureki hand pies stuffed with spiced ground chicken, as well as the crispy chvishtari corn balls filled with oozy farmers cheese and served over a tan puddle of garlicky walnut bazhe sauce tanged with red vinegar. The Georgian farmers salad of tomatoes and cucumbers might sound boring, but a crushed walnut dressing similar to that bazhe (but laced with cilantro) made it irresistible. Chef Gogebashvilis array of khinkali was also a highlight. I savored these hearty soup dumpling cousins, especially the cumin-scented stuffing of the traditional meat khinkali, made here with ground beef, onions, and veal, the juicy, minced oyster mushroom dumpling wrapped in herb-tinted skins, and the ricotta cheese-filled dumpling served atop a creamy green swoosh of tarragon sauce. Kinto only recently began serving kebabs, to mixed results. The ground lamb kebab, usually my go-to choice, was dry and overcooked. But the skewers of chicken thighs were superbly juicy thanks to a marinade of garlicky tomato sauce (Borjomi mineral water is also in on the tenderizing trick here). Kintos best bets are some of the slow-cooked soups and stews, including a beefy kharcho and a chicken-based version of chikhirtma, an egg-drop soup steeped with coriander, saffron, and a side of yogurt that is a classic hangover cure. Chashushuli is a warm-weather stew whose blushing red broth is steeped from the ripest summer tomatoes, and we especially loved it bobbing with meatballs made of lamb and rice, although you can order it with other proteins or cauliflower for a veggie option. When cold weather sets in, try the lidded crock of tiny pelmeni dumplings bobbing in a steamy broth of tart yogurt and dill. Or go for the sacivi, a walnut-based specialty typically served cold, but that is served here warm (technically, another variation of kharcho) alongside a handful of fried cornmeal balls for dipping. Its luxurious when filled with tender chunks of chicken or salmon. The ultimate in Georgian richness is shkmeruli, which dunks the garlicky, pan-roasted tabaka Cornish hens into a garlicky, simmering crock of heavy cream. Kikvidze recently launched a brunch menu featuring pan-fried cheese patties, blintzes, chishi-bishi (beef stew with eggs), and a soft-scrambled egg-and-green bean combo he calls Green Sunrise. He also plans a monthly family-style tasting-menu event called a supra, a Georgian feast complete with a toastmaster, to expose his audience to Georgian hospitality in full (assuming, of course, diners bring plenty of their own wine). One dish I hope thats included in that supra is Kintos best dessert, which, of course, is another dumpling: a fruity khinkali filled with sweet cheese and sour cherries whose dough is tinted deep pink with raspberry juice. Served over a warm pool of melted orange jam with more cherries, pistachio, and powdered sugar, its the kind of playful, eye-catching dish that may launch a thousand Instagram stories from Fishtowns little slice of Georgia. Kikvidzes now-retired uncle Teimurazi, no doubt, will be proud. Kinto 1144 Frankford Ave., 267-857-9500, kintophilly.com Dinner Monday through Thursday, 4 to 10 p.m.; Friday until 11 p.m.; Saturday, 3 to 11 p.m.; Sunday, 3 to 10 p.m. Brunch Saturday and Sunday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Entrees, $16-$25. Wheelchair accessible. The menu revolves around bread and dumplings, but there are several vegetable dishes, stewed beans and pan-fried corn cakes that are good gluten-free options. There are several vegetarian (and some vegan) options. BYOB: Seek out a wine featuring great Georgian grapes such as rkatsiteli or saperavi. Menu Highlights: pkhali trio of vegetable-walnut spreads; chvishtari corn balls; eggplant rolls; kharcho soup; Adjaruli khachapuri; khinkali dumplings; lobio bean pot; shkmeruli chicken in garlic cream; sacivi walnut stew; chicken kebabs; cherry khinkali dessert dumplings. Prospect Medical Holdings said in early 2022 that it was temporarily closing Springfield Hospital's emergency department because of staffing shortage. Shown here in January 2022, the facility never reopened. Read more Friday marks three weeks since the bankruptcy auction for Delaware Countys Crozer-Chester Medical Center and Springfield Hospital, and its not clear how much progress has been made. Closing the sales depends in part on local authorities agreeing to tax deals that set the assessments at the transaction prices of $10 million and $3 million, respectively, for a limited period of time. Advertisement Upland Borough, which is home to much of Crozer-Chester, is working on a property tax agreement that will be filed in court, borough council president Christine Peterson said Thursday. We anticipate that Upland Borough Council will take action in favor of that stipulation once it is complete, she said. A representative for Chester Upland School District did not respond to a request for comment Thursday. If the school district also agrees to a tax resolution, a company called Chariot Allaire Partners LLC is clear to acquire the shuttered safety net hospital for $10 million. Yoel Polack, who is principal of Chariot Equities and has been talking with local officials and prospective healthcare providers about plans for the hospital, said last Tuesday that he expected to issue what he called a comprehensive memo on the property this week. Polack said in an email Thursday that there was still no update, but he is hoping to have something in the next few weeks. The backup bidder for Crozer-Chester is the same group that won the auction for Springfield. The auction led to Chariot increasing its offer by $3 million. Both facilities are owned by Prospect Medical Holdings, whose next bankruptcy hearing is scheduled for Tuesday. Items to be considered include Springfield Townships lawsuit aiming to force Prospect to improve safety on the hospital campus that it closed in 2022. Bankruptcy Judge Stacey Jernigan granted a temporary injunction blocking Springfield from taking any action against California-based Prospect. Another topic is a proposed $1.5 million settlement of a lawsuit filed on behalf of Crozer employees who did not receive 60 days notice before losing their jobs in April and May when Prospect closed Crozer-Chester Medical Center and Taylor Hospital, which has since been sold. Federal law requires employers to provide two months notice of layoffs. A stalemate in Springfield Lawyers for Prospect identified Restorative Health Foundation and Syan Investments as the auction winner with a $3 million bid. But it appears a tax agreement that would assess the Springfield property at the purchase price is nowhere near completion. The township has no interest in agreeing to a tax deal without having a better understanding of the buyers intended use of the site and whether it aligns with the townships comprehensive plan, spokesperson Pete Peterson said in an email. A representative for the winning bidders, Aminah Shabazz Perez, told the Delaware County Times recently that the buyer was in talks with two health systems about moving into the hospital, but one of them told township officials that was not true, Peterson said. In addition, the township already did its due diligence prior to the bankruptcy auction and engaged in discussions with representatives of different health systems, he said. There was no interest in the property due to the cost of improvements the facility would need. Attempts by The Inquirer to reach Shabazz Perez have not been successful. Prospect did not respond to request for comment on the property tax situation. The Springfield School Board would also have to agree to a tax settlement, but has not voted on any proposed resolution of the outstanding tax appeals or the tax assessments relating to the Springfield Hospital and parking garage properties, the school boards solicitor Mark Sereni said Wednesday. The face value of the Springfield School Districts latest claim in bankruptcy court is $1.43 million. Under an abandonment order signed on Oct. 14 by Jernigan, the district would receive a general unsecured claim, which is not likely to be worth much. If Prospect abandons Springfield and Crozer-Chester, the municipalities would have to foreclose on the properties to collect any of the money Prospect owes them. Alex J. Krotulski, an associate director at the Center for Forensic Science Research and Education, holds a sample of nitazene powder. Sen. David McCormick (R-Pa.) is co-sponsoring legislation to classify nitazenes as Schedule I drugs. Read more Pennsylvania Republican Sen. David McCormick has introduced a new bill that would permanently tighten restrictions of an emerging group of synthetic opioids, known as nitazenes, that are more potent than fentanyl. Under the proposed legislation, opioids classed as nitazenes would become Schedule I drugs, substances that the federal government considers highly addictive, with no accepted medical uses. They are subject to the highest level of restrictions under federal law. Advertisement Nitazenes are a class of highly potent opioids up to 40 times more powerful than fentanyl, another synthetic opioid that is behind most of Philadelphias overdose deaths. They were first detected in Philadelphia in 2022, though it is difficult to track the extent to which nitazenes have spread in the areas drug markets. Health officials found they were present in five fatal overdoses in the city between 2022 and 2024 and may have contributed to at least a dozen more deaths in that period. In some of these cases, overdose victims were also found to have taken fentanyl, xylazine, and other drugs. It is unclear whether those drugs were combined by dealers and sold together, health officials said, or whether victims combined them knowingly. McCormick said at a news conference Thursday that he was concerned nitazenes would become the next fentanyl. Several nitazene analogues have been temporarily classified as Schedule I drugs, but the new legislation would permanently schedule the entire class of drugs. He said that cracking down on the entire class of nitazenes is necessary to stop traffickers from selling slightly different versions of the drugs to get around stricter regulations. This isnt something we can let play out like we let the fentanyl crisis play out, he said. We hope we can avoid this becoming the next generation of potent drugs in Pennsylvania. McCormick said there is also interest among legislators to similarly restrict two animal tranquilizers, xylazine and medetomidine, that have become widespread in Philadelphias drug supply with devastating consequences. Xylazine, or tranq, causes severe withdrawal symptoms and skin lesions that have led to large increases in amputations among people who use injection drugs in Philadelphia in recent years. Medetomidine, quickly replacing tranq in the citys illicit drug markets, causes even more serious withdrawal that often requires treatment in an intensive care unit. There is interest in potentially including those on Schedule I, but [we] havent taken action on that yet, McCormick said. He added that any crackdown should be coupled with efforts to support people struggling with addiction amid an increasingly toxic drug supply. We have to do more statewide to ensure that we have addiction control, transition, the kinds of support people need to break these terrible habits, he said. McCormicks bill, which he introduced with Sen. Ruben Gallego (D., Ariz.), was cosponsored by both Republicans and Democrats. A companion bill was also introduced in the House of Representatives in August; McCormick was the only local lawmaker to cosponsor either bill. Despite the government shutdown, now in its fourth week, he said, the floor is still up and running and legislation is and can be introduced. McCormick said he is also cosponsoring two other nitazene-related bills. One would increase sanctions on persons and entities in China who support nitazene manufacturing. Federal officials have long sought to crack down on Chinese drug manufacturers that they say helped drive an explosion of illicit synthetic opioids in the United States, and both the Biden and Trump administrations have sanctioned Chinese companies for allegedly participating in the fentanyl trade. The other bill would require the Department of Homeland Security to expand its capacity to detect nitazenes in drug testing, McCormick said. The push for more testing comes after funding was paused for some drug testing operations earlier this year as federal officials reviewed grants in the early days of the Trump administration. The Horsham nonprofit Center for Forensic Science and Education received a stop-work order for a program that studies drugs seized at the United States southern border. Those funds were eventually restored, but the pause created a testing backlog and forced staff furloughs. McCormick said it is his job to be responsive to Pennsylvania residents while the administration reviews federal funding. You want to make sure every federal program comes under the right degree of scrutiny, he said. When something has gotten stuck that was under review, but is really important, weve gone and taken a look at it and make sure that money was released. Nicodemo Scarfo, Jr., 44, of Ventnor, namesake son of former Philly mob boss "Little Nicky" Scarfo, was among 34 mobsters and associates indicted Friday for their alleged involvement in an international gambling ring. Read more On Halloween night in 1989, a popular South Philadelphia restaurant became the site of a brazen Mafia shooting that shocked the city and hinted at the brewing mob war that would play out through much of the coming decade. The victim was Nicodemo Scarfo Jr., the 24-year-old son of feared former mob boss Nicodemo Little Nicky Scarfo, who himself was then imprisoned after five bloody years at the top of the local La Cosa Nostra. The restaurant, Dante & Luigis, still stands at 10th and Catharine Streets in Bella Vista, serving up bowls of escarole soup and plates of seafood cioppino. Advertisement Like Dante & Luigis, Scarfo survived the shooting though hes now in a federal prison in New Jersey on a 2014 conviction in a corporate scam case, awaiting his scheduled release in the mid-2030s. Thirty-six years later, no one has been charged with his attempted assassination. The attempt on Scarfos life has become the stuff of Philly Mafia lore, up there with the assassination of former mob boss Angelo Bruno near 10th and Snyder in 1980, and the attempted killing of John Stanfa on the Schuylkill Expressway in 1993. But the night it happened, the shooting was one brutal incident in a long line of shootings and killings that dominated the local mob throughout the 1980s. It also, investigators said at the time, signaled that another internecine mob war could be on the horizon and they were right. The Philly mob again went to battle with itself in the 90s, resulting in a period of brutality now being chronicled in Netflixs Mob War: Philadelphia vs. The Mafia. Scarfos shooting, however, didnt make the documentarys cut. Here is how The Inquirer and Daily News covered it: Lucky to be alive By Halloween 1989, Scarfo, who lived in Margate, had not been seen in Philadelphia for several months, according to reports from the time. Sources told The Inquirer that Scarfo may have been aware he could be the target of a hit, and had been avoiding going out in public alone. His visit to Dante & Luigis seemed to follow that logic. On the night he was shot, Scarfo had dinner there with his cousin John Parisi and reputed longtime mob associate John Palumbo. Just after 7 p.m., a man wearing a Halloween mask entered the restaurant, approached Scarfos table, and shot him point-blank several times. Some reports said the mask depicted Batmans face, but Inquirer and Daily News stories from the time make no reference to that DC Comics superhero instead, they describe it as being a yellow mask. The shooter, who witnesses said was a thin, wiry man standing about 5-foot-8 and wearing dark clothing, fled. Scarfo, meanwhile, was left groaning for help on the white tile floor, his blood mingling with spilled tomato sauce, the Daily News reported. I was buttering my bread when all of a sudden I heard noises [and] Nicky was laying on the floor beside me, Palumbo reportedly later told police. Parisi said he didnt see anything, and Scarfo refused to talk to police. The shooting sent customers into a panic, causing a stampede into the main dining area. And as news spread throughout the neighborhood, residents some in Halloween costumes arrived to watch police and TV reporters at the scene. Scarfo was transported to Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, where he was treated for gunshot wounds to his head, neck, arm, and chest. He was lucky to be alive, a doctor who treated him said. Any one of those wounds could have been fatal had they landed slightly differently, the doctor added. Not New York Initially, police believed the shooting was done at the direction of New Yorks Gambino crime family, which they suspected was unhappy with the mobs dealings in Philadelphia following years of internal strife. But as the investigation wore on, the attempted hit began to look more and more amateurish and, therefore, more and more local. Take, for example, the gun. It was, police said, a MAC-10 pistol fitted with a silencer, assembled from a number of different weapons. The weapon, which the gunman accidentally dropped outside the restaurant, was an inexpensive piece of junk, weapons experts told the Daily News. Its a stupid gun for a hitman to use sloppy, inaccurate, too heavy, and cheap, said Greg Isabella, owner of the Firing Line gun range. Then there was the fact that Scarfo survived. The bullets, a doctor said, were jacketed rounds and not hollow points, which prevented them from mushrooming out in Scarfos body and causing more devastating damage, the Daily News reported. And, of course, there was the timing. Scarfo, after all, had largely sequestered himself from Philadelphia, and his attempted killing during one of his infrequent appearances in town raised suspicions. The first day hes back in the city, hes hit, one detective told The Inquirer. It had to be local. Who shot Nicky Jr.? Several months after the shooting, Scarfo left the Philadelphia area and hid out in North Jersey. Authorities continued investigating, and some set their sights on a suspect early: Joseph Skinny Joey Merlino. At the time, Merlino was allegedly involved with a group of so-called Young Turks who would go on to take over the local Mafia following a mob war in the 90s. He later was the purported boss of the local mob. Merlino, for his part, has long denied involvement with the Mafia and with the Scarfo shooting specifically and has never been convicted of mob-related violence. But during a racketeering trial in 2001, two former mobsters fingered him as the culprit in the Scarfo shooting: ex-mob boss Ralph Natale and onetime soldier Gaetano Tommy Horsehead Scafidi, Inquirer and Daily News reports from the time indicate. Natale claimed that when the two were in prison together in 1990, Merlino admitted he was the shooter. Natale said Merlino hated Scarfo. Scafidi, meanwhile, implied during his testimony that the shooting was carried out by Merlino and Michael Ciancaglini, who was also considered a member of the Young Turks faction. The pair, he alleged, tried to recruit him to set Scarfo up, but he declined to participate. [Scarfo] might have deserved to get beat up, Scafidi testified. But he didnt deserve to be killed. Ever since Hurricane Melissa, one of the strongest Atlantic hurricanes in recorded history hit Jamaica this week, Michelle Tulloch-Neil said she has felt numb. I cannot focus on me, Im in a better position than a lot of people. I have to put that aside from now, the Northeast Philly resident said. Advertisement Tulloch-Neil, a member of the Global Jamaica Diaspora Council, an organization working to build collaboration between Jamaicans worldwide, migrated from the Caribbean island over 30 years ago. She is one of about 9,300 Philadelphians who were born in Jamaica, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. She and other members of Philadelphias Jamaican community have been rallying to support the small country however they can, despite their anxiety and uncertainty about what is happening some 1,500 miles away. She is helping coordinate donation drives at over a dozen churches and other drop off centers throughout the Philly region. People are just in awe, disbelief, she said about those shes heard from in Jamaica. The category 5 storm hit Jamaicas southern and western coasts on Tuesday, with 185 mph winds and rainfall that was expected to reach up to 40 inches. Officials said Thursday that five people had been confirmed dead, but cautioned that more casualties were likely to be confirmed in the coming days. Over three-quarters of the island was without power on the morning after the hurricane made landfall, thousands were displaced, and areas were completely destroyed. Jamaica is really broken because of what has happened, Jamaicas education Minister Dana Morris Dixon said this week. The storm has since moved through Haiti, Cuba, and the other parts of the Caribbean. Everybody is concerned, everybody is worried, said Christopher Chaplin, Jamaicas honorary consul in Philadelphia, and a Montgomery County resident. He said that its been hard to get in contact with people in Jamaica, since internet and telephone services have been severely damaged. But the consulate was also working on collecting donations of things people will need in the immediate future. How to help Tulloch-Neil and Chaplin are coordinating donation drives at a number of locations in the Philadelphia area, including: Besco Shippers, 5425 Baltimore Ave., Philadelphia 19143 True United Church, 56201 Old York Rd., Philadelphia 19141 Grace Community Church of God of Prophesy, 4982 Master St., Philadelphia 19131 Brand New Life Christian Center, 6301 Germantown Ave., Philadelphia 19144 Norristown Church of God, 329 E. Wood St., Norristown 19401 West End New Testament Church of God, 23 West Marshall St., Norristown 19401 They are asking for items like first aid kits, batteries, flashlights, garbage bags, gloves, and generators. Cash or checks will be accepted, too. Well get it to Jamaica, Tulloch-Neil said. Other national organizations collecting aid for Jamaica include: Chaplin said hes been grateful for all of the people who have reached out offering their aid and support. That has included people without direct roots to Jamaica too, like a woman who called him because she and her husband regularly visited Negril on Jamaicas west coast for vacation over the years. Tulloch-Neils brother, who lives in Jamaica and is there now, told her that hes never seen people coming together like he has over the past few days. In the United States, too, she said she is constantly getting calls from people asking how they can help. One thing we are is a resilient people. We will bounce back, she said. Kensington residents line up outside the Cornerstone Community Church before the opening of their weekly food pantry on Thursday. Read more BOSTON Two federal judges ruled nearly simultaneously on Friday that President Donald Trumps administration must continue to pay for SNAP, the nations biggest food aid program, using emergency reserve funds during the government shutdown. The judges in Massachusetts and Rhode Island gave the administration leeway on whether to fund the program partially or in full for November. That also brings uncertainty about how things will unfold and will delay payments for many beneficiaries whose cards would normally be recharged early in the month. Advertisement The U.S. Department of Agriculture planned to freeze payments to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program starting Nov. 1 because it said it could no longer keep funding it due to the shutdown. The program serves about 1 in 8 Americans and is a major piece of the nations social safety net. It costs about $8 billion per month nationally. U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, a Minnesota Democrat and the ranking member of the Senate Agriculture committee that oversees the food aid program, said Fridays rulings from judges nominated to the bench by former President Barack Obama confirm what Democrats have been saying: The administration is choosing not to feed Americans in need, despite knowing that it is legally required to do so. Trump posted on social media Friday blasting congressional Democrats for the shutdown and suggesting the government would comply with the rulings but also that it needed more clarity first: If we are given the appropriate legal direction by the Court, it will BE MY HONOR to provide the funding. READ MORE: A SNAP benefits freeze could mean food insecurity doomsday for the Philadelphia region Judges agree at least one fund must go toward SNAP Democratic state attorneys general or governors from 25 states, including Pennsylvania, and the District of Columbia challenged the plan to pause the program, contending that the administration has a legal obligation to keep it running in their jurisdictions. The administration said it wasnt allowed to use a contingency fund of about $5 billion for the program, which reversed a USDA plan from before the shutdown that said money would be tapped to keep SNAP running. The Democratic officials said not only could that money be used, but that it must be. They also said a separate fund with around $23 billion is available for the cause. In Providence, Rhode Island, U.S. District Judge John J. McConnell ruled from the bench in a case filed by cities and nonprofits that the program must be funded using at least the contingency funds. He asked for an update on progress by Monday. READ MORE: Uncertainty over SNAP benefits has Philadelphians becoming grocery buddies Along with ordering the federal government to use emergency reserves to backfill SNAP benefits, McConnell ruled that all previous work requirement waivers must continue to be honored. The USDA during the shutdown has terminated existing waivers that exempted work requirements for older adults, veterans and others. There were similar elements in the Boston case, where U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani ruled in a written opinion that the USDA has to pay for SNAP, calling the suspension unlawful. She ordered the federal government to advise the court by Monday as to whether they will use the emergency reserve funds to provide reduced SNAP benefits for November or fully fund the program using both contingency funds and additional available funds. Defendants suspension of SNAP payments was based on the erroneous conclusion that the Contingency Funds could not be used to ensure continuation of SNAP payments, she wrote. This court has now clarified that Defendants are required to use those Contingency Funds as necessary for the SNAP program. READ MORE: Need food assistance? Heres where to find free groceries, meals, and community fridges near you. For many, benefits will still be delayed after the ruling No matter how the rulings came down, the benefits for millions of people will be delayed in November because the process of loading cards can take a week or more in many states. The administration did not immediately say whether it would appeal the rulings. States, food banks, and SNAP recipients have been bracing for an abrupt shift in how low-income people can get groceries. Advocates and beneficiaries say halting the food aid would force people to choose between buying groceries and paying other bills. READ MORE: SNAP benefits are freezing this Saturday. Heres what Philadelphians need to know. Most states have announced more or expedited funding for food banks or novel ways to load at least some benefits onto the SNAP debit cards. Across the U.S., advocates who had been sounding the alarm for weeks about the pending SNAP benefits cut off let out a small sigh of relief as the rulings came down Friday, while acknowledging the win is temporary and possibly not complete. Thousands of nonprofit food banks, pantries and other organizations across the country can avoid the impossible burden that would have resulted if SNAP benefits had been halted, said Diane Yentel, president and CEO of the National Council of Nonprofits, one of the plaintiffs in the Rhode Island case. READ MORE: Government shutdown: Whats been affected so far and what could be next The possibility of reduced benefits also means uncertainty Cynthia Kirkhart, CEO of Facing Hunger Food Bank in Huntington, W.Va., said her organization and the pantries it serves in Kentucky, Ohio, and West Virginia will keep their extra hours this weekend, knowing that the people whose benefits usually arrive at the start of the month wont see them. What we know, unless the administration is magical, is nothing is going to happen tomorrow, she said. Kristle Johnson, a full-time nursing student and mother of three in Florida, is concerned about the possibility of reduced benefits. Despite buying meat in bulk, careful meal planning and not buying junk food, she said, her $994 a month benefit doesnt buy a full months groceries. Now I have to deal with someone who wants to get rid of everything I have to keep my family afloat until I can better myself, Johnson said of Trump. The ruling doesnt resolve partisan tussles At a Washington news conference earlier Friday, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, whose department runs SNAP, said the contingency funds in question would not cover the cost of the program for long. Speaking at a news conference with House Speaker Mike Johnson at the Capitol, she blamed Democrats for conducting a disgusting dereliction of duty by refusing to end their Senate filibuster as they hold out for an extension of healthcare funds. A push this week to continue SNAP funding during the shutdown failed in Congress. To qualify for SNAP in 2025, a family of fours net income after certain expenses cant exceed the federal poverty line, which is about $31,000 per year. Last year, SNAP provided assistance to 41 million people, nearly two-thirds of whom were families with children. The courts ruling protects millions of families, seniors, and veterans from being used as leverage in a political fight and upholds the principle that no one in America should go hungry, Skye Perryman, president and CEO of Democracy Forward, said of the Rhode Island decision. Shoppers walk through an Atlantic City grocery store in this 2024 file photo. In recent weeks, some Philly-area residents have paid for the groceries of neighbors who are set to lose SNAP benefits. Read more Delaware County resident Lenamarie Gorski grew up in what she describes as a very poor family. But she never went hungry as a child, thanks to federal nutrition support. Thats why Gorski was dismayed earlier this month to learn that on Nov. 1, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits were set to be suspended for the first time amid the federal government shutdown. Advertisement READ MORE: Need food assistance? Heres where to find free groceries, meals, and community fridges near you. Knowing two million Pennsylvanians stood to be affected, Gorski was moved to action, offering groceries and other essentials in a Philadelphia moms Facebook group this week. Its not a perfect fix, she said. But she feels good knowing fewer people will be hungry, and fewer babies will go without formula and diapers. Gorski is just one of many Philadelphia-area residents hoping to help meet the increased food demand. While federal judges on Friday ordered the Trump administration to fund SNAP as soon as possible, several Democratic officials, including Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, expressed skepticism that the payments would be delivered quickly and efficiently. READ MORE: Shapiro signs a disaster declaration in Pa. to give aid to those facing food insecurity over SNAP benefits While the judges rulings may provide a Band-Aid for SNAP, the need is expected to remain. Even before the shutdown, food banks were struggling with federal cuts and high demand. Now, many federal workers are working without pay. In recent weeks, food pantries across the region have been bombarded by phone calls from people looking to donate time or money. Largely defunct community fridges are getting new donations. And local businesses are carving out special hours for people who need a snack or a meal. Meanwhile, others are taking a grassroots approach to mutual aid, akin to efforts seen in the early days of the pandemic. On social media, they are distributing lists of resources, sharing ideas for healthy low-cost meals, and becoming grocery buddies with neighbors in need, picking up the tab for their supermarket bills. READ MORE: SNAP benefits are freezing this Saturday. Heres what Philadelphians need to know. People like Gorski have been flooded with private messages from homebound seniors and mothers with children who have disabilities, as well as from people who dont have cars to drive to food pantries. Some of them are too embarrassed to publicly ask for help. After seeing the trend on Facebook, Erin Antoniak, the Philly-based recipe influencer and creator of Erin Lives Whole, became grocery buddies with a single mother of four children who lives in South Philly. The woman told Antoniak she was worried she would have to pick up a second job if SNAP benefits were to lapse. This is not something that I feel like Im changing the world, but I do think its going to help, said Antoniak, who had planned to pay for the familys groceries through at least the end of November. It takes one less worry off her plate. Earlier this week, Antoniak asked the woman to make her dream grocery cart and include fun foods alongside practical items like pasta and sandwich fixings. Before ordering the groceries, Antoniak doubled up on some of the womans longer-shelf-life selections, such as apple juice and frozen foods, then threw in treats like Annies Cheddar Bunnies, French toast sticks, and popcorn. The $300 haul was delivered on Wednesday, said Antoniak, who has encouraged her more than 500,000 followers to also give if they are able. Community fridges see more volunteers, donations Others have flocked to local food pantries, offering to volunteer or asking how to donate. Cindy Wedholm, executive director of Montgomery Countys Mattie N. Dixon Community Cupboard, attributes this increased interest to the widespread media coverage of the SNAP uncertainty. Word has gotten out, she said. Hunger is something a lot of people can relate to and a cause people can support. Regardless of whether SNAP is funded, pantries like Mattie Dixon are adding distribution days in response to the recent surge in demand. READ MORE: Government shutdown: Whats been affected so far and what could be next The Germantown Community Fridge, which includes two fridge locations with ready-made meals and a monthly buffet, is also looking to ramp up its food distribution. Christine Schafer, who helps manage the cooking program, said the volunteer organization currently makes nearly 1,000 meals a month. With more demand and donations, the team plans to add a weekly cooking session to provide more meals. Schafer said people have called offering to cook meals at home, which is always welcome, so long as the food is labeled with ingredients and the date. Our main goals for cooking are that it obviously tastes good, its nutritious, and its recognizable, something people want to eat, Schafer said. Individual helpers make personal connections Some helpers are splitting their time and resources, assisting multiple families or becoming a grocery buddy and also donating to a community fridge. Taylor Pacheco said she has been dropping off food at the fridge at 19th and South Streets, which has been running low. She has also sent digital grocery gift cards to two local moms who rely on SNAP. This is where the community has to step up and care for each other, Pacheco said. I think anyone who has enough to give should be giving, especially right now. In Pottstown, Stephanie Freed has been shopping for a few local families, including a single mother of five, and delivering the items to their homes. This time really calls for that connection, with a hug or a handshake, letting them know youre in their corner, Freed said. Its not a heavy lift, either: On her regular trip to Grocery Outlet, she said, she picked up items on three families lists basics like eggs, milk, meat, and veggies and spent just over $100 on the extra food. When she dropped the groceries off, she was greeted by children full of after-school energy. I was overwhelmed with hugs, Freed said. It was really kind of wonderful. From left, Roxanne Patel Shepelavy, executive director of the Philadelphia Citizen; Larry Platt, who will serve as Citizen Media Group President and CEO, and Christine Speer Lejeune, who will be the editor of Philadelphia magazine, pose for a portrait. Read more The Philadelphia Citizen, the earnest civic-minded digital news nonprofit founded in 2015, purchased Philadelphia Magazine on Friday, ending months of speculation about a possible sale of the 117-year-old lifestyle publication long owned by the Lipson family. The magazine will continue to publish in print and online and will now operate as a nonprofit, said Larry Platt, former Philly Mag Editor and co-founder of the Philadelphia Citizen. Platt will serve as president and CEO of a new umbrella organization, Citizen Media Group, which will oversee both Philly Mag and The Citizen. Advertisement There are no layoffs planned for journalists, though eight shared-services employees in advertising and marketing will lose their jobs as part of the transition as well as the full-time fact checker, Platt said. Neither Platt nor David Lipson whose family has owned Philly Mag since his grandfather bought it from the citys Chamber of Commerce precursor in 1946 would say how much the magazine sold for. Its been a long run, Lipson said. What I like about the Citizen is their mission. Theyre seeking solutions to problems that hold the city back. Philly Mag has long had a reputation for being aimed at Main Line matrons who ate out a lot and bought wine, said Sandy Hingston, an editor at Philly Mag for nearly two decades and now its emeritus editor-at-large. Immediate staff changes include promoting freelance editor-at-large Christine Speer Lejeune to Editor and hiring former Daily News and Inquirer columnist and former Philly Mag editor Ronnie Polaneczky as senior editor. Interim Editor Bradford Pearson will become executive editor, and Citizen executive director Roxanne Patel Shepelavy will oversee both outlets. Platt and Patel Shepelavy said they plan to redesign Philly Mags print magazine and its website, increase its social media presence, and launch a daily podcast. We have the privilege of being able to take this legacy publication and really experiment, Patel Shepelavy said. Platt said the magazine will seek to add new voices, though it will not necessarily hire new full-time staff writers. The nonprofit model, which he called much purer, will allow the organization to grow revenue through corporate sponsorships, foundation support, and new donors. If you got to look, as we did early on, at Philly Mags [profit and loss statement], you would realize that theyve been a nonprofit for years, he said. They just didnt recognize it. The acquisition is being funded by a group led by venture capitalist Richard Vague and Future Standard CEO Michael Forman, as The Inquirer previously reported. The Citizen Media Group board is chaired by former Comcast executive David L. Cohen. Money definitely helps but its not the only answer, said Eliot Kaplan, the editor of the magazine in the 1990s. You really gotta be clever and hire some good people. The merger has been in the works for about 16 months. Lipson said he first met with Platt about it in the summer of 2024. The two men already knew each other: Platt worked at Philly Mag as a staff writer and later as top editor for eight years. He was fired in 2010 by the Lipson family because of his history of inappropriate and unprofessional remarks and jokes to his employees, according to the Daily News. That included gifting a departing female staffer a framed photo of a cyst that was removed from his testicle. Platt said that gift, which he did not dispute, is not what led to his firing, which he said was about his management style. Historically, editing Philadelphia Magazine has been like being a manager in the major leagues. The line is, you get hired to be fired, right? Platt said of his previous departure. He went on to become editor at the Daily News from 2011 to 2012. Platt said he has no fantasy about returning to edit Philadelphia Magazine, and will instead be focused on big picture growth for the nonprofit group. Asked about Platts past exit, Lipson was philosophical: Life has chapters, he said. It was a time where both of us felt it was time he do something else, he said, adding of the sale, Im excited for him. Hes worked very hard for this. Lipson will maintain a non-voting seat on the Citizen Media Group board going forward. Residents of the Kensington section of Philadelphia line up outside the Cornerstone Community Church before the opening of their weekly food cupboard / pantry Thursday, Oct. 30, 2025. Read more Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits will not be renewed Saturday. Thats despite two separate federal judges orders Friday directing President Donald Trumps administration to replenish the benefits using emergency funds, as the federal government continues to hammer out a budget. Even if funds were immediately released, experts and lawmakers say they could take at least a week to reach peoples accounts. Advertisement As a result, I would presume that the vast majority, if not all, 2 million Pennsylvanians who dont receive that money [Saturday] are going to be in dire straits, said Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro at a news conference Friday. Shapiro, who joined a coalition of attorneys general and governors from 25 states, sued the Trump administration Tuesday to stop the benefits freeze. But anticipating key funding questions would remain unresolved over the weekend, Shapiro moved forward with a contingency plan of his own early Friday, before any ruling came down. Shapiro signed a disaster declaration, which allowed him to redirect $5 million from other accounts to Feeding Pennsylvania. The nonprofit partners with food pantries across all counties will use the funds to help mitigate an expected surge in need. The disaster declaration, said Shapiro, helped circumvent red tape and expedite the delivery of the funds that went out Friday and should reach pantries by next week. To further aid in relief efforts for what some food assistance advocates describe as a food insecurity doomsday, Shapiro announced a private sector fundraising effort, which has so far yielded $1 million. Donors include 76ers co-owner David Adelman and his wife, Hallee; businessman and Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban; as well Thomas Tull, another entrepreneur who is part-owner of the Pittsburgh Steelers. The influx of funds to pantries marks a small fraction of the more than $366 million in benefits SNAP provides to Pennsylvanians on a monthly basis, but it offers the nonprofits a bit of relief as they await news on how the program will be funded. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has $5.5 billion in contingency funds, which many Democrats say should go to SNAP, but even if that money were released as a result of the judges orders, the program would only be funded through half the month, ending shortly before the Thanksgiving holiday. There are other pools of federal money Democrats say the administration could pull from, but it was not immediately clear if these funds were on the table. The Trump administration is to update one of the judges Monday. Still, another detail prevents the ruling from being a total slam dunk for Democratic states that sued. Given this administration and its propensity to ignore the rule of law, I dont trust that theyre going to follow this judges ruling, said Shapiro at a Philabundance warehouse in South Philadelphia Friday, adding the administration could appeal, further delaying the distribution of SNAP benefits. And time is of the essence, according to food assistance advocates. Philabundance, the regions largest food bank, has reported a 30% increase in need in recent weeks amid rising prices, a state budget impasse, and now a federal shutdown thats left thousands of workers furloughed or working without pay. Dual-income households are seeking support like never before, said Loree Jones Brown, CEO of Philabundance. Meanwhile, food banks and pantries are left with less resources to meet the need. In announcing his rapid response Friday, Shapiro also outlined the limitations in what states could do to help residents amid the federal funding lapse. He said the Trump administration told states should they choose to place money on peoples SNAP cards as a stopgap measure, they would not be reimbursed. Its why Shapiro rejected a plan pitched by Pennsylvania Treasurer Stacy Garrity, a Republican seeking to challenge the governor next year. In a letter to Shapiro, Garrity offered that the state treasury utilize a short-term loan from the states coffers to cover the cost of Pennsylvanias SNAP program for one month. We have enough money to cover more than one month, Garrity said at a news conference Wednesday. The hope would be that we would only need it for one month. Shapiros office told NPR-affiliate WESA that the plan was not workable because the U.S. Department of Agriculture said it would not repay funds used to backfill the benefits, and therefore make the state responsible for the loans repayment and any interest accrued. The disaster declaration comes amid a surge of mutual aid among regular citizens and as lawmakers at local and county levels deploy rapid response plans of their own. Prior to the rulings Friday, officials across the collar counties had begun to take action to address anticipated increases in food insecurity. Delaware County organized a countywide food drive for Nov. 8, while Chester County officials urged residents to give to local pantries. Montgomery County officials announced plans Friday morning to provide $500,000 to local food pantries. In Bucks County, commissioners said in a statement that they expect to consider offering $200,000 in funds to food pantries next week. The county had already contributed $150,000 to Bucks County Opportunity Council for food pantries reliant on funds tied up in the state budget impasse. Staff writers Gillian McGoldrick, Katie Bernard and Alfred Lubrano contributed to this article. With children across the Delaware Valley celebrating Halloween, I want to urge readers to pay extra attention tonight while driving. Halloween is the deadliest day of the year for child pedestrians, and reckless and inattentive motorists are to blame. Slow down, put away your phone, turn on your lights, and keep your eyes out for the tiny humans in costumes. Now, onto our regularly scheduled programming, covering a spooky letter sent to SEPTA, and scary ideas coming from City Council. Duffys demands Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy sent a curious letter to Gov. Josh Shapiro and SEPTA General Manager Scott Sauer. The letter brought up the surge in fires on the Regional Rail lines, and Fridays federal deadline to inspect all 225 Silverliner IV train cars. Duffy said the federal government would not allow riders to experience unsafe conditions, chided the agency for shifting capital dollars to cover operating costs, criticized SEPTAs tenuous fiscal situation, and expressed the need for a sustainable funding solution for transit. I agree with much of his criticism; he just addressed the letter to the wrong people. Advertisement After all, it is not Sauer or Shapiro who have stood in the path of sustainable funding for public transit, or claimed SEPTA has enough money to accomplish its goals already. State Senate Republican leaders Joe Pittman and Kim Ward, local attorney George Bochetto, Common Pleas Court Judge Sierra Thomas-Street, and consumer advocate Lance Haver are the ones who needed to hear the message. SEPTA is now caught between multiple forces beyond its control. Its aging equipment will increasingly struggle to pass safety inspections. The state government in Harrisburg is held hostage by people who insist the agency, which has received fewer resources than any of its peers, has been given more than enough money already (an assessment with which the courts seemingly have agreed). A new lawsuit even threatens the systems ability to raise fares, the only source of revenue fully under its control. Unless urgent action is taken soon, those of us here in the southeastern corner of the commonwealth could lose much of our Regional Rail network to deferred maintenance. Deferred maintenance increasingly hard to ignore My newsroom colleagues have created an eye-opening digital feature on the Silverliner crisis. The piece underlines a critical point that is often overlooked in the public transit funding debate. SEPTA being short of resources is not a new phenomenon. Theyve been doing more with less for decades. In Atlanta, MARTA is going to spend the majority of its revenue on capital costs. The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority in Boston is spending around 40% of its budget on capital costs, and another 10% on debt service. The Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority in D.C. splits its revenue almost equally between operations and expenses. Meanwhile, SEPTA officials are spending two-thirds of their 2026 budget on operating costs, leaving virtually no room for maintenance, let alone the expansions other cities have benefited from. Unless this changes, the threat to SEPTAs future remains. Do-nothing Council is better than do-something Council Earlier this year, my newsroom colleagues Sean Collins Walsh and Jake Blumgart wrote a piece mentioning the fact that City Council has increasingly met without approving any legislation. Others have long bemoaned the bodys enthusiasm for honorary presentations and resolutions. My view, however, is that this is a positive development. After all, how often do you hear about City Council passing legislation that hurts Philadelphia, vs. legislation that helps? Just look at some of the ideas introduced over the last few weeks. Councilmember Jim Harrity (D., Bob Bradys pocket) held hearings about the soda tax, urging the city to look into a repeal of the fee. No one likes paying taxes or having their industry singled out for a new levy. But the research is clear: The soda tax is working. The tax is reducing consumption of sweetened, carbonated beverages, which is a positive for public health. It is also providing needed money for the citys pre-K program and playgrounds. Thankfully, Harrity faced pushback from the mom squad of Rue Landau, Nina Ahmad, and Kendra Brooks. Meanwhile, a different coalition of district Council members wants to ban personal care homes. Brian ONeill and Mike Driscoll introduced a bill that would restrict them throughout Northeast Philadelphia, and City Hall sources suggest Councilmembers Mark Squilla, Quetcy Lozada, and Cindy Bass are also interested in adding their districts to the ban. Lozada is also trying to ban pharmacies and convenience stores from her district, in a misguided attempt to combat the drug trade. Then theres the quarrelsome contrarian, Jeffery Jay Young. He introduced a bill that eliminates penalties and interest for nonpayment of water bills, effective next year. This would reduce payment rates immediately, depriving the department of needed revenue. Young also implied the city should take over maintenance of water laterals pipes that connect the main underground water line to a buildings water supply which are currently the purview of property owners. This would mean adding untold billions worth of liabilities to the Water Department. A birthday surprise Council President Kenyatta Johnson moved to end Thursdays Council session, only to discover the addition of four new speakers. The mystery guests turned out to be his wife, Dawn Chavous, and three musically inclined friends. The quartet sang Happy Birthday to Johnson, and Chavous extolled his virtues in prose. What a difference three years can make. In fall 2022, the couple were being tried on federal bribery charges, for which they would be acquitted. Today, Johnson is not only Councils leader, but also the betting favorite to serve as the citys 101st mayor. Johnson has also shifted his approach, eschewing some of the parochial rhetoric that characterized his tenure before his acquittal, in favor of a more open-minded approach. If only some of his colleagues would learn from his example. Heavy rains and wind create a carpet of fallen leaves in Port Richmonds Campbell Square on Thursday. Read more After the rainiest day since mid-August, it appears that the atmosphere wont be handing out any Halloween treats Friday. Gusts of 35 to 40 mph were common Thursday during a storm that caused considerable road flooding before coming to a surprisingly abrupt end. A death possibly related to the weather was reported in Philadelphia. Advertisement Friday should be dry, but the winds will be even stronger, said Zachary Cooper, meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Mount Holly. The agency has the entire region under a wind advisory, with gusts to 50 mph possible. And it appears that, while not as ferocious, gusts will persist during the peak candy-solicitation period, forecasters said. Scattered power outages are possible, and the winds could cause some issues for SEPTA commuters, especially on Regional Rail lines that are susceptible to fallen trees. We have our tree-removal contractors on alert, SEPTA spokesperson Andrew Busch said. The storm ended sooner than expected in the Philly region Flooding occurred on I-95, the Schuylkill Expressway, and I-476, said Pennsylvania Department of Transportation spokesperson Brad Rudolph. The rains resulted in lane restrictions on I-95 South near Route 322 in Delaware County, and on Gulph Road in Upper Merion Township, Montgomery County, where nearly 3 inches of rain was reported. Philadelphia police reported that a 44-year-old woman was killed when a tree fell upon the car she was driving in the 3700 block of West School House Lane shortly before noon. Further details were unavailable. An advisory for minor flooding was in effect until 11:59 p.m. Thursday for the Shore and the Delaware River, even as the storm pulled away. But while the forecasts were on target about the heavy rains and winds, none foresaw that the sun would be fighting for space and the Philly temperature would climb to 70 degrees at 3 p.m. That was around the time of the storms expected peak. What happened? The storm moved northward more quickly than expected, said Bob Larsen, senior meteorologist with AccuWeather Inc. The temperature shot up because the storm center passed through central Pennsylvania. Winds circulate counterclockwise around storm centers; thus, Philly experienced warm winds from the south. The precipitation forecasts were decent, as a general 1 to 2 inches fell across the region, a lot of that coming in downpours that occur only in autumn heavy rain mixed with colorful leaves. The leaves did clog some storm drains, contributing to widespread road flooding. However, no significant road closures were reported. Officially, 1.21 inches was measured at Philadelphia International Airport, where a peak gust of 36 mph occurred. Mosf the rain fell on Thursday, marking the daily total since Aug. 17. It rains also well more than doubled the total for what had been a parched October in which most of the region entered a state of moderate drought, according to the interagency U.S. Drought Monitor. Jersey beaches are getting a break The Jersey Shore is included in the wind advisory; however, this time these will be land breezes from the west. For the beaches, at least, that should be a refreshing change from the onshore wind assault that began Wednesday morning, although storm waves from departing Hurricane Melissa will continue to crash on the sands. The Halloween forecast for the region Temperatures for trick-or-treaters will be falling through the 50s between 5 and 8 p.m., Larsen said, several degrees below normal, and the winds wont make it feel any warmer. Typically, gusts back off as the sun sets, but Larsen doesnt think that will happen on Friday. He expects steady winds of 15 to 25 mph with gusts to 30 mph through the first part of the evening. That will be uncomfortable, and problematic, for some Halloween costumes and trick-or-treaters in general, Larsen said. And it wouldnt be a bad idea to secure some of those Halloween decorations, lest they take flight. Staff writer Robert Moran contributed to this article. June marked my 56th year in the property and casualty insurance industry. When I speak at conferences and conventions, I tell a usually much younger crowd that Im oldolder than ISO, even older than FedEx, cable TV, and personal computers. How old am I? When I started in the industry, it was common for insurers to operate separate companies for property and casualty lines. I remember when I would come across 1943 New York Standard Fire Insurance Policies (NY SFP) in the marketplace and people still questioned whether multi-line policies like homeowners would really catch on and whether replacement cost coverage was a good idea. Which brings me to this months column about an exclusion thats been around longer than me. Im not sure how long, but I have a couple of property policies from the late 1800s that included it. The first standardization of the exclusion Im aware of was in the venerable 1943 NY SFP, which read: Perils not Included. This Company shall not be liable for loss by fire or other perils insured against in this policy caused, directly or indirectly, byorder of any civil authority except acts of destruction at the time of and for the purpose of preventing the spread of fire, provided that such fire did not originate from any of the perils excluded by this policy What prompted this months column was an agent inquiry about an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raid on a processing plant that resulted in food spoilage and likely a business interruption claim when 80% of the plants workforce might need to be replaced and retrained in order to reopen. The insured in this case was facing a denial citing the Government Action exclusion in his causes of loss form. This occurred at the same time that I was preparing to participate as a presenter in a webinar for attorneys on the Government Action exclusion found in ISO commercial property causes of loss forms, homeowners forms, and their personal auto policy. The two other presenters were defense attorneys who worked primarily for insurers. I was asked to present from a policyholder perspective. I couldnt debate the application of the exclusion which virtually all courts had found to be clear and unambiguous. I could only challenge the absolute nature of the exclusion as being overly broad. As best as I can tell, these exclusions were added to ISOs commercial property line in July 1988 and to their homeowners program in October 2000. A limited version of the exclusion was added to their personal auto policy in December 1989 and broadened significantly in June 1994. Oddly, the exclusion does not appear in ISOs primary business auto coverage form. The ISO personal auto exclusion applies to destruction or confiscation by government or civil authorities. Sometimes law enforcement may take possession of a vehicle used by an alleged criminal. Excluding such losses from insurance coverage is arguably good public policy. However, I gave examples in the webinar of two instances where an innocent auto owners vehicle was stolen and used in the commission of a felony. The vehicles were confiscated by authorities and held while the case went to court, a process that took over two years in one of the cases. The innocent insured was denied coverage by his auto insurer, citing the government or civil authorities exclusion. In ISOs December 1989 personal auto policy edition, since the insureds in both cases were innocent of any wrongdoing, this loss would have been covered but, as of the June 1994 revision and later editions, this loss is arguably no longer covered. However, an exception is made for loss payees who can recover under a loss payable clause for their financial interest in the vehicle. Figure that one outthe innocent lender is covered but not the innocent insured. ISOs homeowner program policy forms exclude: Governmental ActionGovernmental Action means the destruction, confiscation or seizure of property described in Coverage A, B or C by order of any governmental or public authority. This exclusion does not apply to such acts ordered by any governmental or public authority that are taken at the time of a fire to prevent its spread, if the loss caused by fire would be covered under this policy. To illustrate, in 2015, a $580,000 Colorado home was demolished after police damaged it apprehending a shoplifter. In 2018, Georgia law enforcement officers damaged a 78-year-old mans home which they had mistaken for a drug dealers home. In 2020, a SWAT team in McKinney, Texas, caused $50,000 in damages to a womans home while apprehending someone wanted for allegedly abducting a child. All of these claims for damage caused by law enforcement were denied by the insurers in question, citing the Government Action exclusion. The problem with these denials is that, under qualified immunity laws, the victims usually have no recourse against the government entities responsible for these losses. These types of events are not rare, but they are relatively infrequent and, in my opinion, insurable. However, Ive never seen a buy-back for this exclusion, not that most insureds would buy it if it was available given the high unlikelihood of a loss. My argument in the webinar was that, while there certainly can be catastrophic government action losses that merit exclusion, the types of occurrences cited above are fortuitous and insurable. This is evidenced by the ISO personal auto policy edition prior to June 1994 when the exclusion in that policy only applied to you or any family memberEngaged in illegal activities Exceptions can be made, as is still the case in ISOs personal auto policy with regard to innocent loss payees, without even remotely imperiling the solvency of an insurance company. This appeal was unsuccessfully made to ISO by the Big I over the course of several years through their technical affairs committee and the Mid-America Insurance Conference which meet with ISO annually. My position in the webinar was that the purpose of insurance is to insure. While perhaps the fairest solution to this issue is to legislate less onerous qualified immunity statutes, this risk is insurable. It is no secret that the insurance industry is not held in the highest esteem by the public. One reason might be exclusions like this that, from a consumer perspective, defy logic. If you look at the reasons why exclusions exist, none seem to apply to the examples provided in this article. The losses are fortuitous and unexpected. They are not catastrophic. They do not represent a frequency or severity problem that makes them uninsurable. There are, as best as I can tell, no coverage options available under other forms of insurance. Finally, there dont seem to be any risk management alternatives such as loss control. So, why not provide coverage for an appropriate, and likely minimal, premium? What do you think? Boston city councilors are proposing an ordinance that would require Alphabet Inc.s Waymo and other autonomous ride-share services to have a human operator present in the vehicle. The legislation would mandate a study on the technologys effects on the employment of current ride-share drivers and prohibit self-driving cars from operating in Boston until thats been completed and other permitting requirements are established. Even then, the cars wouldnt be allowed to operate unless a human safety operator is inside the vehicle and able to intervene, according to the proposed ordinance. The restrictions are up for possible action at a meeting on Wednesday, though councilors said there are likely to be more hearings on the legislation before it comes to a full vote. Typically, proposals from city councilors that advance must pass through committee and then receive public hearings before the mayor signs off. The exact language of Bostons restrictions on autonomous vehicles could change substantially before anything becomes law. Boston has been something of a hotbed for autonomous vehicle development. Hyundai Motor Co.-backed Motional is headquartered in the city and has been testing on public roads there since 2016. Boston is also among the cities where Waymo, which is widely considered to be the leader in the space, has been doing mapping and testing work as the company looks to expand service to new US cities. Ethan Teicher, a spokesperson for Waymo, said in a post on X that the proposal would make Boston the first major city in the world to ban fully autonomous vehicles based entirely on vibes, adding that the companys vehicles improve safety. A local Teamsters chapter and other labor unions have protested the rollout of autonomous ride-share services in Massachusetts. Waymo currently offers paid rides fully autonomously in five cities: San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Austin and Atlanta. Autonomous driving in the US is governed by a patchwork of federal, state and local rules, complicating the industrys efforts to expand. Some states, including Nevada and Texas, are considered more lenient, while California has strict oversight on driverless-car testing and operations. That disconnect is evident in Tesla Inc.s effort to start robotaxi operations in Austin and San Francisco. The Texas capital has allowed the company to put human safety operators in the passenger seat of the carmakers Model Ys, while the California tech hub requires those operators to be behind the wheel. Photo: Traffic on Melcher Street in Boston, Massachusetts. Copyright 2025 Bloomberg. Five current and former New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS) employees were arrested this week for separate schemes to defraud DOCCS and the states workers compensation system, resulting in a loss of more than $15,000 to the state. The defendants, while working as correction officers at Ulster or Wallkill Correctional Facilities, allegedly submitted falsified medical documentation attesting to illness or workplace injuries, or engaged in prohibited employment while collecting full salaries under the DOCCSNew York State Correctional Officer and Police Benevolent Association workers compensation contract benefit program More specifically, three of the defendants are alleged to have submitted one or more fraudulent workers compensation leave forms that purported to be signed by medical professionals attesting to examinations that never took place, enabling them to obtain workers compensation leave benefits. A fourth defendant, who asserted to his medical provider that he was 100% disabled and unable to work because of a claimed workplace eye injury, enabling him to obtain workers compensation benefits, is alleged to have been working during that time as a state-funded home health aide, for which he was paid over $4,500 by the state. The fifth defendant is alleged to have submitted in excess of twenty (20) forged sick leave medical notes over a two-year period, enabling him to collect unearned sick leave wages and take unpaid time off when he was scheduled to be at work. The arrests stem from an 18-month investigation conducted by the New York State Inspector General. Ulster County District Attorney Emmanuel C. Nneji, New York State Inspector General Lucy Lang, and New York State Police Superintendent Steven G. James announced the arrests. The charges are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty in a court of law. According to officials, the employees charged and their alleged activity are: Christine Donovan, Lake Katrine, NY (Ulster Correctional Facility) is alleged to have submitted two forged out-of-work notes documenting a nonexistent medical visit in February 2023, resulting in $5,938.44 in improperly paid workers compensation benefits. Donovan was previously terminated by DOCCS. Jeremy LaChance, Kerhonkson, NY (Wallkill Correctional Facility) is alleged to have submitted 22 forged medical notes in support of personal sick leave excusing him from work as incapacitated, and one forged medical note in support of family sick leave, excusing him from work to care for a minor. He received approximately $3,021.13 in sick leave payments to which he was not entitled and entitled to take other unpaid leave that otherwise would not have been permitted. LaChance remains employed by DOCCS. Ashli Paulino, Mountain Dale, NY (Ulster Correctional Facility) is alleged to have submitted two forged workers compensation leave forms documenting nonexistent medical visits in November 2022 and March 2023, resulting in $1,719.00 in improperly paid workers compensation benefits. Paulino previously resigned from DOCCS. Brian Porter, Monticello, NY (Ulster Correctional Facility) is alleged to have submitted one forged workers compensation leave form documenting a nonexistent medical visit in November 2021, resulting in $1,053.74 in improperly paid workers compensation benefits. Porter was previously terminated by DOCCS. Anthony Tacti, Kerhonkson, NY (Ulster Correctional Facility) While on leave due to a claimed workplace injury, and receiving full salary benefits, Tacti is alleged to have claimed a 100% disability and inability to work to his treating physician despite working for much of that leave as a home health aide. Upon returning to work at DOCCS, he is alleged to have continued working the second job, billing for overlapping hours with his state employment. Tacti is accused of receiving more than $4,700 in improper wages and $4,281 in fraudulent workers compensation benefits. Tacti remains employed by DOCCS. Topics Fraud Workers' Compensation Talent Numbers Five more people have been arrested in the Louvre heist case, the Paris prosecutor said Thursday, after two alleged members of the group that stole jewels from the museum were charged. Authorities linked one of the new individuals detained to DNA found at the museum, Laure Beccuau told RTL radio. The necklaces, tiaras and earrings that were stolen still havent been found, she added. Its one of the suspects that we had our eyes on, Beccuau said on Thursday. The arrests were made in Paris and the surrounding area, she added. The two men who were arrested last weekend have been charged for theft by an organized gang and criminal conspiracy and remain in jail, the prosecutors office said in a statement. At a press conference on Wednesday, Beccuau described the stages of the theft, and some of the techniques used to find the suspects, including getting DNA samples from a scooter used in the getaway for one and from a broken window and objects dropped as they fled the scene for another. She declined, however to go into detail on avenues police were exploring to get back the jewels themselves. I want to remain hopeful that it will be found and returned to the Louvre Museum and, more broadly, to the nation, she said on Wednesday. Politicians, French police and Louvres security staff have been criticized for not stopping the heist. The lax outdoors surveillance, that allowed a furniture hoist to park up outside the museum unnoticed, could have made it a more attractive target than the closely-guarded jewelry stores at the Place Vendome. Beccuau on Thursday noted the hypotheses that the jewels could be used in money laundering operations or in deals with organized crime groups, adding that the only sure thing was that they couldnt be sold on the legal market. The two men charged have partially admitted their involvement in the crime, the prosecutor said Wednesday. One, 34, was arrested at Charles de Gaulle airport with a one-way ticket to Algeria while the other, 39, was halted near his home in Aubervilliers, a suburb of Paris. Video surveillance confirmed that at least four people participated in the theft on site and the investigation found that the hoist they used to get into the Louvre had been stolen on Oct 10. Beccuau said on Wednesday that there was no indication at this point that the group had worked with people within the museum. Photograph: Police officers outside the Louvre Museum in Paris, France, on Monday, Oct. 27, 2025. Photo credit: Nathan Laine/Bloomberg Related: Copyright 2025 Bloomberg. Topics France As Hurricane Melissa sweeps past Bermuda, new satellite data of Jamaica has revealed devastation for tourist center Montego Bay and much of the Western part of the country. At least 40% of the buildings and roads in the worst-hit areas on the island were severely damaged, according to a Bloomberg News analysis of satellite data processed by the Earth Observatory of Singapore. The hurricane caused the most destruction in Jamaicas western region, which includes the devastated town of Black River and the heavily-damaged tourist center of Montego Bay. Analysis of satellite data shows that Saint James, Westmoreland and Saint Elizabeth parishes were most affected. I have never seen anything like this before, said Kerry-Lee Lynch, head of United Way of Jamaica, who drove from Kingston to Montego Bay on Wednesday past downed trees and power poles. She said the damage from Melissa was worse than the hurricanes that devastated the island in years past. This is more extensive damage than what I saw from Ivan or Beryl. Its horrific. In Jamaica, soldiers on foot have had to use machetes to cut their way through intertwined bamboo plants to reach cutoff communities along the islands western edge, authorities said during a news briefing on Thursday. Blackouts remain a problem with almost 72% of customers lacking electricity. Read more: Reinsurers Hold Bulk of Jamaicas Property Exposures From Hurricane Melissa: Reports There are entire communities that seem to be marooned and also areas that have been flattened, Dana Morris Dixon, Jamaicas information minister, said in a news briefing on Thursday morning. Jamaica is really broken. Melissa also tore through the countrys farming heartland, where staples such as yams and tomatoes are grown for the entire country. Bananas are especially vulnerable during storms because the trees they grow on are fragile, said Damien King, executive director of the Caribbean Policy Research Institute in Kingston. It has devastated agricultural areas, and that is going to manifest itself in terms of shortages and food prices, he said. The record-setting storm made landfall on Tuesday near New Hope, Jamaica, as a Category 5 hurricane packing winds of 185 miles (298 kilometers) per hour. It was the strongest storm to hit the island in more than 170 years of record keeping. At least 19 people have been killed, according to Agence France Presse, citing comments by Minister Dixon to local media late Thursday. Authorities are still assessing the full extent of the damage, but economic losses are already estimated to be at least $8 billion, said Chuck Watson, a disaster modeler at Enki Research. Much of the economic toll is likely concentrated in Jamaica due to widespread flooding, he said, with current estimates expecting around $7.7 billion in losses more than one-third of the islands gross domestic product. The storm missed the most densely populated islands in the Bahamas, he added, which will likely limit losses to $25 million. Meanwhile, Bermuda faces up to $150 million in impacts depending on the storms track as it exits the Caribbean. It may be days or a week or more before we have a more complete picture of the scale of destruction, said AccuWeather meteorologist Jon Porter. The first step with large buildings like hotels is to assess the stability of the structures, then set up generators and restore air-conditioning to stop mold from growing, said Scott State, chief executive officer of infrastructure decommissioning firm NorthStar. The company provides disaster recovery services and worked in Jamaica after Hurricane Beryl last year. If theres not structural integrity, then youre looking at removing these facilities to the ground or below, he said. Read More: Hurricane Melissa Wreaks $8 Billion of Damage, Kills Dozens Melissa still has the capacity for more damage. The storm is moving rapidly northeastward at hurricane strength, and is forecast to bring intense winds and heavy rain to Bermuda overnight, according to an advisory from the US National Hurricane Center. Melissa was 160 miles northwest of Bermuda as of 11 p.m. New York time, and is set to continue gathering speed as it pushes past the islands. It is already showing signs of structural decay, and will weaken dramatically as it enters cooler waters in the North Atlantic near Newfoundland on Friday, US forecasters said. The storm is predicted to be downgraded to a tropical cyclone which is close enough to still bring hurricane-force winds, said AccuWeather meteorologist Alex DaSilva. Melissa also caused severe damage in Haiti and Cuba. The storm left at least 30 people dead in Haiti, according to the Associated Press. The US is prepared to provide humanitarian assistance to Cuba, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a statement. Read More: Hurricane Melissa to Bring Wet, Windy Weather to Northern Europe Kingston Airport reopened on Wednesday for humanitarian flights and Thursday for commercial flights, while Montego Bay Airport remains closed, according Grupo Aeroportuario del Pacifico, which operates the facilities. Aid began to flow into Jamaica from a variety of countries, with France sending a humanitarian aid ship that carried water purification kits and basic food supplies. Two specialized US search-and-rescue teams were scheduled to deploy to Jamaica on Thursday from fire departments in Los Angeles County and Fairfax County, Virginia. Officials said the teams which include 68 crew members and two canine units will help with recovery efforts and coordinate with the State Department on assessing local needs. Photograph: The destroyed neighborhood of North Street following the passage of Hurricane Melissa in Black River, Jamaica on Oct. 29, 2025. Photo credit: Ricardo Makyn/AFP/Getty Copyright 2025 Bloomberg. Topics Catastrophe Natural Disasters Hurricane Hurricane Melissa is forecast to dissipate in the Atlantic Ocean next week, bringing wet and windy weather to northern Europe after wrecking havoc across the Caribbean. The record-setting storm left a trail of destruction in Cuba, Haiti and Jamaica, causing at least 33 deaths and almost $8 billion in damage. Now a weakened Category 1 storm, Melissa is expected to cross near Bermuda on Thursday as it continues moving northeast into the Atlantic, according to the US National Hurricane Center. Melissa is expected to degrade into an extra-tropical cyclone on Friday, when its remnants will likely be picked up by the jet stream and carried toward the UK early next week, according to the UK Met Office. Major weather models show those low-pressure remnants arriving near Iceland and Scotland by Monday, UK Met Office meteorologist Aidan McGivern said in a video briefing. As that takes place, its likely to bring outbreaks of rain and stronger winds, he said. That scenario would boost wind generation across Ireland, the UK and Norway, which is also set for a strong hydropower boost, according to analysis from MetDesk meteorologist Matthew Dobson. This shift may be welcome in southern Norway where hydro reservoirs have experienced below-average water levels since mid-May. Reservoirs in Norways NO2 price zone which links to the UK and Germany remain below the 20-year average, according to data from the Norwegian Water Resources and Energy Directorate. Related: Copyright 2025 Bloomberg. Topics Catastrophe Natural Disasters Europe Hurricane Web Connectivity Ltd. (WCL), a Zywave company, announced the launch of its enhanced platform for treaty risk placement in Bermuda, marking a milestone in the digital transformation of the reinsurance market. Developed in close collaboration with leading RI brokers and reinsurers, the WCLs enabledPlacing platform streamlines the submission process by consolidating treaty submissions from multiple brokers into a single, standardized interface for underwriters, utilizing ACORD Standards. This initiative provides new efficiencies for underwriters interacting with the proliferation of bespoke broking platforms, which can complicate downstream underwriting workflows in accessing risk data and managing submission files. The platform recently went live for Ark Bermuda and Vantage Risk, in conjunction with Aons reinsurance business, which is pioneering this new operating model for processing digital treaty placements. Having an end-to-end solution from placing through settlement has been a long-term goal of the industry, said Troy Hughes, global director of eCommerce at Aon. This initiative represents a great achievement toward a true data-first marketplace that empowers insurer clients with more real-time insights, greater transparency and improved efficiency when optimizing reinsurance placements. The launch follows a successful pilot project that began in March 2025 and included additional participation from Lockton Re, RenaissanceRe, and others. The successful pilot in 2025, and our recent go-live, represent a significant step toward creating a truly digital marketplace in Bermuda, said James Willison, managing director of WCL. Weve worked closely with brokers and carriers on the island to deliver digital accounting, settlement, and claims solutionsand this new platform answers a clear need for a simplified, digital way to access and manage risk submissions. The enabledPlacing platform offers: A single user interface for reinsurers to view and interact with broker submissions Automated ingestion of large modeling files without the need to download from broker systems Standardized data formats based on ACORD GRLC ePlacing standards A consistent, scalable process for all parties involved Additional brokers, including Lockton Re, are scheduled to onboard by early 2026, with RenaissanceRe also joining in due course, WCL said. WCLs digital placing journey began with a series of roundtables in 2024, where stakeholders across the Bermuda market expressed strong interest in a unified digital solution. The momentum for a new operating platform became clear, WCL explained, with over 70% of participants supporting an aggregation platform and 90% sharing they were ready to begin the journey. This is a proud moment for our team and the market, said Casey Chlebek, head of Underwriting Operations from Ark Bermuda. Weve worked hard to bring this vision to life, and were excited to be at the forefront of this industry-first initiative. Placing is the next digital frontier, requiring transformation in technology and process alike, said Clarissa Montecillo, managing director UK, ACORD. We are proud to provide the ACORD community and the global re/insurance market with the data standards to provide that foundation for a truly interconnected digital ecosystem. About Web Connectivity Limited (WCL) Web Connectivity Ltd. (WCL), part of the tech solutions provider Zywave, provides messaging software and services for the insurance industry. Its solutions enable straight-through processing of placing, accounting, claims and other transactions. WCL helps carriers and brokers reduce operational friction, improve data quality, and increase efficiency. Source: Web Connectivity Ltd. Topics InsurTech Tech A former director at a US military contractor that sells computer vulnerabilities pleaded guilty on Wednesday to stealing and reselling $35 million in trade secrets to a Russian cyber-tools broker whose clients include the Russian government. Peter Williams, 39, worked at Trenchant, an L3 Harris Technologies Inc. subsidiary that develops hacking tools and describes itself as an elite team of network operators, engineers and vulnerability researchers who are charged with building world-class computer security products, according to the firms website. He was accused of stealing national-security focused software that included at least eight sensitive and protected cyber-exploit components, which were meant to be sold exclusively to the US government and select allies, according to the Justice Department. Williams voice broke when he pleaded guilty in Washington federal court. He answered yes or no to questions from US District Court Judge Loren AliKhan but otherwise stayed silent for the one-hour hearing. The sales occurred between 2022 and 2025, when Williams improperly used his access to the defense contractors secure network to steal cyber exploits, according to the Justice Department. Williams, a 39-year-old Australian national, worked at Trenchant until August. Williams attorney declined to comment. L3Harris also declined to comment on the matter. The Department of Justice didnt respond to a request for comment. Williams stole and resold $35 million of cyber trade secrets from a US cleared defense contractor to a Russian government supplier, according to a Justice Department statement. The changes each carry a statutory maximum of 10 years in prison and a fine of as much as $250,000 or twice the pecuniary gain or loss of the offense, the agency said. The Russian cyber-exploits broker publicly advertises as a reseller to various customers, including the Russian government, according to the Justice Department, which didnt name the alleged broker. John Eisenberg, assistant attorney general for national security, said in the statement that Williams conduct was deliberate and deceitful, imperiling our national security for the sake of personal gain. Williams allegedly resold the trade secrets in exchange for a promise of millions of dollars in cryptocurrency. He used the proceeds to buy himself high-value items, the Justice Department said. In addition to a potential prison sentence, federal prosecutors are seeking $1.3 million in forfeiture from Williams. Court documents list Williams home, 22 luxury and replica watches, several pieces of high-end jewelry and funds spread across seven bank and cryptocurrency accounts. Authorities also seized a Louis Vuitton handbag and two Moncler jackets. Patrick Wardle, a former US National Security Agency hacker, said the allegations represented a big black eye for Trenchant. He said the allegations raised questions about whether the company can be trusted to provide reliable hacking tools to sensitive government customers, and about exposing details such as the original government buyer and pricing of specific exploits. John Scott-Railton, a senior researcher at Citizen Lab who studies hacking firms, called for increased Congressional oversight of the industry. He also cited a 2018 case in which a former employee of Israeli spyware vendor NSO Group allegedly stole and tried to sell source code. Photo: Photo by John Keeble/Getty Images Copyright 2025 Bloomberg. Topics Cyber Fraud Thick smoke blanketed a rural community in southern Texas and many residents were ordered to evacuate as firefighters worked to contain a blaze Wednesday evening, officials said. The Mill Fire in Gregory, Texas, about 150 miles (80.5 kilometers) southeast of San Antonio, had grown to 15 acres and officials had contained about 50% of it, according to Heather Gonzales, a spokesperson for Texas A&M Forest Service. Residents across the north end of town were ordered to evacuate and a shelter was set up in a nearby community center. No injuries were reported and because of the heavy smoke, which was creating poor visibility, officials were not able to provide information on structures burned. There is heavy smoke in the area that could pose a health risk, Gonzales said. So we do want to advise people to leave and avoid the area. The weather created perfect conditions for a fire to spread quickly, with very dry air and wind speeds between 15 mph (24.1 kph) to 30 mph (48.3 kph) in the area, she said. But by the evening, the fire had stopped spreading and the weather was expected to improve over the next few days. It wasnt immediately clear how the fire started Wednesday afternoon, and officials were continuing to investigate, she said. Ground crews are working on patrolling the area and taking care of any hot spots that theyre finding, Gonzales said. CenterPoint Energy, a major utility provider, had temporarily shut off natural gas service to the city as a precaution, according to a post on the citys Facebook page. Copyright 2025 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Topics Catastrophe Natural Disasters Texas Wildfire North Carolina authorities on Thursday arrested a public adjuster, accusing him of absconding with a $133,000 payout from the insurance carrier following a contentious roof claim. Tyler Dionysius Englin, 26, of Garner, North Carolina, was charged with embezzlement after the Department of Insurance investigated complaints about him. Englin is the owner of TDE Claims, DOI said in a bulletin Thursday. The National Association of Insurance Commissioners license page shows Englin with a business address in Rockford, Illinois. His license has been active since March of this year. Englin also is licensed in Mississippi. His listed telephone number was disconnected, and he did not return an email from Insurance Journal Friday morning. North Carolina news reports indicate that one complaint about the adjuster came after a roofing company repaired or replaced a Cary, North Carolina, homeowners roof this year. The insurance carrier, unnamed in the reports, initially offered about $3,000 on the roof leak claim. After the roof company recommended a public adjuster, the insurer paid more than $100,000 but the check went to Englin, according to WTVD News in Raleigh and WSOC TV News in Charlotte. The report suggested that the adjuster may have forged a contract with the policyholders, prompting the carrier to send the payout to Englin. Englin was released on bond and was scheduled to appear in court Friday, Oct. 31. Topics North Carolina A U.S. court reinstated a $185 million verdict against Bayers Monsanto unit over chemical contamination at a Washington state school on Thursday. The Washington state Supreme Court reversed a lower court ruling that had vacated the verdict in a 2021 trial over claims brought by three teachers at Sky Valley Education Center in Monroe, Washington. Monsanto has faced a string of trials over claims by teachers and others at the Seattle-area school who say they were sickened by exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs. More than 200 students, employees and parents say they developed cancer and other health problems from PCBs leaking from the schools light fixtures. The chemicals were made by Monsanto, which Bayer acquired in 2018. Verdicts in previous trials have totaled more than $1.5 billion, though some have been reduced or overturned.In August, the company announced it had settled all of the claims except for the nine cases already on appeal, including the teachers lawsuit at issue in Thursdays ruling. Rick Friedman and Deepak Gupta, attorneys for the plaintiffs, said in a statement the ruling sends a clear message: companies that conceal the risks of toxic chemicals must be held accountable. A Monsanto spokesperson said in a statement the courts ruling was incorrect and the company was considering its legal options. The ruling may affect the remaining cases on appeal, which had been on pause while the Washington Supreme Court weighed the teachers case. Since Bayers $63 billion acquisition of Monsanto in 2018, the company has been dogged by lawsuits over PCB contamination and tens of thousands of claims alleging Monsantos weedkiller Roundup causes cancer, which the company denies. PCBs were once widely used to insulate electrical equipment, and in such products as carbonless copy paper, caulking, floor finish and paint. They were outlawed by the U.S. government in 1979 after being linked to cancer and other health problems. Monsanto produced PCBs from 1935 to 1977. The plaintiffs claim Monsanto knew of the dangers of PCBs for decades, but concealed them from the public and regulators. Bayer has argued that plaintiffs have failed to prove their injuries were caused by PCBs, and that the levels found in the school were deemed safe by the Environmental Protection Agency. It has also said the school ignored government officials warnings that the light fixtures in the aging building needed to be retrofitted. Last year, a Washington state appeals court sided with Bayer and overturned the verdict, agreeing that the trial court wrongly applied the laws of Missouri, where Monsanto was based. Bayer had argued the use of Missouri law allowed the claims to be filed decades after the company stopped producing PCBs, even though Washington state law would have barred them as untimely. The teachers appealed, and in Thursdays ruling, the Washington Supreme Court said Missouri state law should apply in the case because that is where the company made most of its decisions on the chemicals. (Reporting by Jones; Editing by Alexia Garamfalvi and Richard Chang) Topics Washington Washington insurance regulator fines for violations amounted to $828,500 in July, August, September, and early October of 2025, according to the office of Washington Insurance Commissioner Patty Kuderer. That tally included a $100,000 fine for Regence BlueShield, which reportedly incorrectly denied 954 claims for treatment, and a $550,000 fine against Premera for violations of the Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act and Washingtons provider directory regulations. Kuderers office fined Regence Blueshield for incorrectly denying claims for treatment based on a lack of preauthorization. The denials occurred between June 11, 2020, and May 25, 2022, and included chiropractic, physical therapy, occupational therapy, acupuncture and Eastern medicine, massage therapy, and speech and hearing therapies. Regence reprocessed the claims, after which Regences amount paid rose from $11,139 to $85,982. The patient portion also increased from $6,114 to $31,724 after reprocessing because policyholder cost-shares and deductibles were now applied, according to Kuderers office. Other fines and reported violations Kuderers office handled include: Jonathan Ayers, Vancouver, Wash.; fined $3,000 Ayers lowered the deductible on a policy for his own travel trailer from $1,000 to $250 and misrepresented the date of the loss on a claim filed under the policy. Ayers received two years of probation and is barred him from acting as the agent on his own policies for two years. It also requires Ayers to complete 10 hours of ethics training. Dentegra Insurance Company, Wilmington, Del.; fined $75,000 Dentegra failed to timely file its 2026 dental network access plan and GeoNetwork reports, placing roughly 11,000 enrollees at risk of coverage disruption or loss. Dentegra was fined $75,000 and agreed to cover at least $25,000 in basic dental care and services. PacificSource Health Plans, Springfield, Ore.; fined $25,000 A system coding error caused PacificSource to adverse benefit determinations that didnt disclose members appeal rights on prescription drug denials for 116 members. Midvale Indemnity Company, Madison, Wis.; fined $5,000 Midvale incorrectly applied rating factors on 233 business policies in effect in 2023. The company returned the $461 in resulting overcharges with interest and waived $6,619 in resulting undercharges. Heartland Dental LLC, Wilmington, Del.; fined $15,000 Heartland failed to timely report health care benefit manager credentialing contracts with 17 carriers. KeyCorp Insurance Agency USA, Inc., Brooklyn, Ohio; fined $10,000 KeyCorp failed to timely resolve an identified annuity issue, failed to competently oversee two of its affiliated producers and conducted business under something other than its legal name. Premera Blue Cross, Mountlake Terrace, Wash.; fined $550,000 Premera was fined for violations of the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act and Washingtons provider directory regulations. Prestige International Insurance Group, Tamarac, Fla.; fined $1,000 Prestige failed to notify an insurer, and required an additional form to be signed upon receiving a customers request to cancel their policy. The Corporation of Haverford College, Haverford, Penn.; fined $12,500 The college issued five charitable gift annuities in Washington from 1993 to 2021with an aggregate value of $501,317before obtaining a certificate of exemption from the OIC and issued annuities that didnt comply with state law. Eagle West Insurance Company, Monterey, Calif.; fined $5,000 Eagle West used incorrect base rates for its 680 Washington commercial farm and ranch policies in the first five months of 2023. The company waived $261,673 in undercharged premiums on 315 policies and refunded $559 in overpayments on nine policies. Accredited Surety and Casualty Company, Orlando, Fla.; fined $15,000 The company issued ocean marine insurance policies without being authorized for that line of insurance in Washington. Grange Insurance Association, Seattle, Wash.; fined $5,000 The company applied incorrect protection classification codes to an estimated 149 farm policies in 2023 and 2024, resulting in an estimated $133,206 in undercharged premiums. Ying Sun, Bellevue, Wash.; fined $5,000 Sun made false statements on 12 submitted applications for life insurance policies, stating the applications were signed in various California cities when they were signed in Washington. The consent order also imposed two years of probation, including a requirement that Sun have a mentor review their insurance work in Washington during the probation. Bankers Fidelity Life Insurance Company, Atlanta, Ga.; fined $2,000 The company filed its annual Medicare Supplement Premium Rates and Experience form and its annual Medicare Supplement Refund Calculation form after the deadline of May 31, 2024. The third-quarter total fines bring the amount collected to more than $44 million since 2001. The funds are sent to the states general fund to pay for state services. Topics Washington Andy Farrell's Ireland side welcome Australia to the Aviva Stadium on November 15 and we've got a pair of tickets to give away to one lucky Irish Examiner subscriber. Keep reading for details and make sure to get your entry in before 12pm on Wednesday, November 5. The prospect of techno-enslavement may seem remote to most, but Teddy (Jesse Plemons) is taking no chances as Bugonia (15A) begins. A farmer horrified by Colony Collapse Disorder and the catastrophic decimation of the worlds bee population, Teddy and his simple-minded cousin Don (Aidan Delbis) set out to counter pure corporate evil by abducting Michelle Fuller (Emma Stone), the CEO of Auxolith, a Big Pharma company with a nasty reputation for experimental drugs that kill more than they cure. It is at this point, however, that Teddys sterling efforts on behalf of the human race go a little awry. Michelle, expecting a ransom demand, is dumbfounded to learn that Teddy believes her to be an alien from the Andromeda system, and that he is insisting Michelle introduce him to her emperor at the next lunar eclipse. Adapted by Will Tracy from Jang Joon-hwans Save the Green Planet! (2003), with Yorgos Lanthimos directing, Bugonia is a blackly comic satire that never fully makes clear what its satire is aimed at. The obvious target is Teddy and his paranoid delusions about alien invasion; his absolute commitment to fight for our self-worth is an honourable one, of course, but his notions are so preposterous that its very difficult to take his character seriously. Thats not to take away from Jesse Plemonss performance, which is unsettlingly powerful in terms of Teddys single-minded devotion to his cause and his ability to manipulate the malleable Don, who has a low IQ but a strong moral instinct. Meanwhile, Emma Stone is icily brilliant as the amoral CEO who gradually realises that she will need to meet Teddy on his terms, however ridiculous they might seem, if she is to survive her ordeal. Ultimately, though, the film leans too hard on the whimsical absurdity of Teddys fantasy. Given the importance of the topics touched upon in the early stages, it feels like a wasted opportunity. (theatrical release) Palestine 36 Palestine 36 Cinematic release Palestine 36 (12A) stars Karim Daoud Anaya as Yusuf, a young man who flits between his rural village and the rarefied political world of Jerusalem as Palestinian resistance to British colonial rule erupts into open rebellion. As High Commissioner Waucher (Jeremy Irons) tries to keep a lid on the uprising, and the brutal Captain Wingate (Robert Aramayo) enacts a series of reprisals against anyone resisting the influx of Jewish settlers fleeing Europe and persecution, the fuse is lit on a powder keg with the potential to blow the Middle East apart. Written and directed by Annemarie Jacir, Palestine 36 largely depicts the events of 1936 as a binary conflict between the Palestinians and the British. Its one that explores a variety of perspectives on both sides, however, including those of the young British diplomat Hopkins (Billy Howle), the Palestinian journalist Khuloud (Yasmine Al Massri), the pro-Arab Christian priest Father Boulos (Jalal Altawil), and the ruthless British Army veteran Tegart (Liam Cunningham), who is parachuted in to suppress the Palestinian uprising by any means necessary. Parallels are drawn with Irelands fight for independence, and particularly when Tegart insists that the same mistakes will not be made in Palestine. The result is a gripping drama shot through with a tragic sense of foreboding. (theatrical release) Shelby Oaks Shelby Oaks Cinematic release Shelby Oaks (16s) revolves around the disappearance in 2008 of the paranormal investigator Riley Brennan (Sarah Durn) as she investigated the Ohio ghost town of the movies title. Rileys film-making collaborators, the team behind a hugely successful YouTube channel, were found savagely murdered, so what happened to Riley? Twelve years later, Rileys sister Mia (Camille Sullivan) discovers some long-lost documentary footage of Rileys final days, and sets out to discover the truth. Written by Sam Liz and Chris Stuckmann, with Stuckmann directing, Shelby Oaks is a low-fi but effectively creepy horror that starts as something of a parody on the found footage sub-genre but gradually builds to a tension-racked tale of the grotesque. (theatrical release) Prostate cancer is one of the most commonly diagnosed cancers in men. According to the Irish Cancer Society, around 4,000 men in Ireland are told they have it every year, and one in six can expect to get it in their lifetimes. These seem like terrifying statistics. But, says the Irish Cancer Societys cancer awareness nurse Michelle Lonergan, the good news is that if detected early and treated promptly, nine out of ten men will survive the disease. There are now more ways of treating prostate cancer than ever, with new technologies expanding the available options. Helen Forristal, the Marie Keating Foundations director of nursing services, explains the factors that determine the course of treatment. It depends on the type of cancer cells found at diagnosis and how quickly that cancer is expected to grow, she says. Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels, which are measured by a blood test, are taken into consideration. So is the stage of cancer as shown by MRI scan results, the age of the patient, and the patients general level of health. Active surveillance In the case of men with low-risk prostate cancer, the chosen treatment may be no treatment at all. These men will have regular blood tests to check PSA levels, digital rectal examinations to check the size of their prostate, and MRI scans: all to make sure their cancer has not grown so that treatment and potential side-effects can be delayed or even avoided altogether. Dr Peter Lonergan, consultant urologist at St Jamess Hospital. Dr Peter Lonergan, a consultant urologist at St Jamess Hospital, did his clinical fellowship training at the University of California, San Francisco, which has one of the largest active surveillance cohorts in the world. He published extensively on this while he was there and was subsequently chosen by the National Cancer Control Programme (NCCP) to contribute to its guidelines for active surveillance, published in April. He says that active surveillance is suitable for men with low-risk early-stage cancer and that the reason its suitable is because prostate cancer is generally slow growing. Research shows its effective. A 15-year British study published in 2023 demonstrated that survival rates were similar to surgery or radiotherapy. The one major drawback of active surveillance is that some men find it anxiety-inducing to live with cancer without treating it. The patients mindset has to be able to cope with the fact that cancer is present in their body and that treatment will be delayed or avoided unless tests show signs the cancer is growing, says Forristal. Radiotherapy Radiotherapy or surgery is usually recommended for men whose tumours are large or fast-growing but still localised in their prostate. Both have equivalent outcomes, says Lonergan. There are two main types of radiotherapy. External beam radiotherapy aims high-energy rays at the prostate from outside the body, and internal radiotherapy (also known as brachytherapy) involves placing a small radioactive source directly into the prostate to target cancer cells from inside. Both are effective forms of treatment. Some eight in ten men who undergo radiotherapy will see their cancer either disappear completely or shrink in size. The side-effects of both treatments are similar. The most common are urinary problems such as urgency and pain on passing urine, tiredness and fatigue, erectile dysfunction and diarrhoea, which usually resolve with time. Of these side effects, the thought of erectile dysfunction is the one that worries many men. Forristal reassures them that there are treatments and medications that can help. Erectile dysfunction usually returns with the use of medication or treatment but it may take time and some effort on a mans part for the treatments to work, she says. Surgery Helen Forristal, director of nursing services,Marie Keating Foundation. One of the longest-established treatments for prostate cancer is a prostatectomy, which removes the entire prostate gland. Its success rates are high but it can have major long-term effects. Forristal lists those effects: Shortening of the penis; dry ejaculation; infertility; urinary incontinence which usually gets better over time and erectile dysfunction. Encouragingly, new techniques like robotic-assisted technology are improving surgical recovery rates. Earlier return of continence is usually seen after robotic surgery, says Lonergan. There are lower blood transfusion rates and an earlier return to normal activities. Robotic surgery has now pretty much replaced open prostatectomy in Ireland. Hormone therapy Prostate cancer depends, in part, on the male hormone testosterone to grow and spread. So tablets or injections that reduce the level of testosterone produced by a mans body can slow down or stop its growth. Hormone treatment is the first line of treatment for stage four cancer where the cancer has spread beyond the prostate, says Forristal. She adds that it can also be prescribed as neoadjuvant therapy, meaning its given before another course of treatment, such as radiotherapy, to shrink the tumour so the subsequent treatment is more effective. Its side effects can be significant. Falling testosterone levels can cause low energy, tiredness and fatigue, weight gain, muscle loss, hot flushes and sweating, breast pain, memory loss or foggy brain, difficulty getting an erection and loss of libido. Medications can help with some of these problems, says Forristal. As can intermittent hormone therapy, which involves stopping treatment when your PSA level is low and steady and starting again when it begins to rise. Focal therapy Focal therapy differs from surgery, radiation, and hormone therapy, which target the entire prostate. Instead, it targets only the cancerous part of the gland, sparing the rest. It does this in a variety of ways, including high-density ultrasound waves, cryotherapy (freezing the tumour), and laser treatment. Lonergan says its offered to men with early stage localised prostate cancer that is visible on an MRI but is not yet regarded as a routine treatment. The reason is that, although focal therapy has shown promise in early trials, there is a lack of long-term outcome data. We dont yet know what its impact is on the likes of recurrence rates, he says. New treatments on the horizon Lonergan expects robotic-assisted surgery to develop further and for intraoperative image-guided surgery to become standard within the next 10 years. This surgical technique uses CT and MRI scans to create a 3D model of the patients anatomy before surgery, and cameras and sensors to track the movements of the surgeons instruments during surgery, helping to make the procedure more precise. New androgen receptor pathway inhibitor drugs (hormone therapies) are being developed all the time, and new combinations of treatments are being used, he says. One recent development is MRI scans being used to detect prostate cancer prior to taking a biopsy. Previously, men with elevated PSA levels were immediately referred for biopsies in which random samples were taken from their prostate. As well as being invasive, this method risked missing some tumours or detecting lower-risk ones. Lonergan says that the additional MRI scan has two advantages. One is that if the MRI is normal, a man may be able to forego a biopsy. The other is that it allows for a more targeted biopsy of the abnormal area if a biopsy is needed. How to choose a treatment option Its natural to be uncertain and worried when making serious decisions about your health. But, as Michelle Lonergan from the Irish Cancer Society explains, there often isnt one right answer but several treatment options that are equally effective. When it comes to choosing one, Forristal says it is crucial that all parties are consulted. Patient case presentations are discussed at multidisciplinary team meetings where an optimal care plan is recommended, she says. This is then relayed to the patient and their family, who are part of the decision-making process. They are made aware of the benefits and risks of treatment, including possible longer-term effects. The ultimate goal for everyone is cancer control and maximum quality of life. Testing options Gardai are appealing for witnesses after a gun was fired outside a house in Dublin. The "discharge of a firearm" occurred outside a residence in Corduff Grove, Blanchardstown, at around 11pm on Thursday. A ceremony held before the deployment of more than 300 Irish peacekeepers to south Lebanon was poignant, ahead of the missions end, the Tanaiste said. Three hundred and sixty two Irish soldiers are to be deployed to south Lebanon from next week, as part of a peacekeeping mission of which Ireland has been a part for decades. The United States and Israel wanted to have UN troops removed from the area next year. After negotiations, an extension to 2027 was agreed. Speaking ahead of the latest deployment, Tanaiste and Minister for Defence Simon Harris said that Ireland has a very special place in our heart for the UN peacekeeping mission in Lebanon. We will work very closely with the Lebanese armed forces in the next year to ensure that they're prepared and ready to take over that mission, so that's our primary focus for 2026 He said it was a day of mixed emotions for family and friends as they show their pride in their loved ones but also prepare for time apart. Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Rossa Mulcahy said the soldiers were fully prepared for the mission and were being deployed in some uncertainty. Weve had just under 50 years deployed with Unifil by the end of 2027, and a proud record and a legacy that the Irish nation and the Defence Forces have left in that area. I suppose our primary concern is for the safety and security of that region. We will work very closely with the Lebanese armed forces in the next year to ensure that theyre prepared and ready to take over that mission, so thats our primary focus for 2026. He said Unifil had begun to look at what the wind down of the operation would look like. Lieutenant Colonel Mark Lennon, commanding officer of the battalion to be deployed, who is being sent on his eighth deployment to Lebanon, said they were very conscious of the volatility in the area. We have great soldiers, and that was seen in our pre-deployment training, and our morale is high, but were conscious of the people were leaving behind, the families that are connected and, yes, the change in tempo overseas and then the volatility that exists in the Middle East. His daughter Caitlin, 12, and son Sean, 10 said they were proud of their father and would miss him. Lt Col Lennon said it was difficult to be away from his family. It is really a mixed emotions. On the one front youre looking forward and youre preparing to deploy, and then youre also very, very conscious of who youre leaving behind. I spoke with the families prior to the parade here this morning and, in many ways, the medal we get at the end should be given to our families, because theyre the ones that have to stay behind and do the basic day to days of keeping a family and a household running. Particularly just as were approaching from next week, the Christmas decorations will be out, and well be in deployment mode. Dublin firefighter Terence Crosbie has been sentenced to between seven and nine years in jail after being found guilty of raping a woman in a Boston hotel. The 38-year-old was visiting the US with Irish colleagues to participate in St Patricks Day celebrations when the incident took place. The jury deliberated for three days before reaching a unanimous verdict. Crosbie has been in custody for 18 months and was accused of raping an American woman at the Omni Parker House hotel in downtown Boston after celebrating at the Black Rose bar on March 14, 2024. He pleaded not guilty. Last June, his court hearing ended in a mistrial. Crosbie had flown to Boston from Ireland on the same day, March 15 last year, and he was scheduled to leave the following Tuesday, March 18. Following the sentencing verdict on Thursday, Crosbies attorneys told Court TV that their clients wife and family stand behind him and believe he is innocent. They also intend to appeal the verdict after todays sentencing. At the sentencing hearing, the victim told the court it has been a struggle to heal and detailed the anxiety she has suffered since the rape. Crosbie also spoke, thanking the court for how his case was handled and asking the judge to consider that he is the sole provider for his wife and two children in Dublin. After a short break, the judge sentenced Crosbie to seven to nine years in prison with credit for the 593 days he had been incarcerated. Daniel Reilly who delivered closing arguments for the defense last week emphasised Crosbies innocence and pointed to reasonable doubt in the case, in the form of no video or audio of the alleged attack and the lack of conclusive DNA evidence. Mr Reilly said that his clients testimony declaring himself innocent constitutes reasonable doubt and that the alleged victims blood sample from the hospital Emergency Department she went to established that she was inebriated. Erin Murphy, who delivered closing arguments for the prosecution, asked the jury to convict Crosbie. Ms Murphy said the alleged victim had no reason to lie and gave a detailed account of a stranger raping her. She pointed out that Crosbie exploited a colleague with whom he shared a room, Liam OBrien, as well as O'Brien's oblivion after drinking to take advantage of the victim. Doctors and nurses who interacted with the victim found her to be clinically sober with no evidence of intoxication. Ms Murphy noted that the defendant was the only other man in the room, there was no other activity in that room (from key use records) around that time period. She highlighted that the accused left early for Logan Airport early because he knew he had been caught. Home security systems, including CCTV, should be provided by the State for stalking survivors, a Cork woman who survived a prolonged campaign of harassment has said. TDs and senators can claim up to 25,000 for home and office security systems. However, no such financial supports exist for victims and survivors many of whom have already incurred major costs as a victim of crime. Laura OConnell was almost ruined financially while suffering harassment at the hands of Sonya Egan, who was also jailed for harassing former Sinn Fein TD Jonathon OBrien, social workers, a solicitor, and a senior garda. Egan, formerly of The Lawn, Lios Cara, Kileens, in Co Cork, was released from prison in late August, and Ms O'Connell said she believed her harasser would offend again. Yet, there appears to be little to no protection for her victims, she said. Ms O'Connell met justice minister Jim OCallaghan last week to discuss victim supports. My first question to Mr OCallaghan was: What protection do I have? Psychologically, I'm left with that anticipation anxiety," she told him. Victims incur endless financial as well as psychological costs, Ms OConnell said. She was charged some 26,000 in legal fees while trying to get an injunction against Egan and against Facebook a platform Egan was busily spreading lies on. Due to the slanderous false rumours spread about her, Ms O'Connell had to close her successful business. The psychological and emotional toll required therapy and medical appointments, while the perpetrator had access to free psychological and educational supports in prison, Ms OConnell said. Victims also often feel they have to move home to escape, she said. Ms OConnell is calling for a panel to be urgently established with human rights experts, legal experts, and survivors to devise supports for victims. She wants to see five supports introduced for victims by this time next year. These should include State-funded security systems and free psychological support for victims, she said. Despite a 5m increase to victim supports in Budget 2026, along with brilliant charities working in the area, the supports are not enough, she said. 'Pathological liar' Egan was sentenced to three years in jail, with the last year suspended, for crimes against Ms O'Connell and former TD Jonathan O'Brien in June 2022. However, she was subsequently sentenced to four years in jail in May of 2023 after she pleaded guilty to making false allegations, including of rape and sexual assault against three social workers, a solicitor, and a senior garda. The judge described her as a pathological liar who nearly destroyed the lives of a senior garda, solicitors, and social workers after making serious false allegations against them. Egan was released at the end of August and is under Probation Service supervision. Since her release, one garda liaison officer has been appointed to assist her victims. Although Egan is still serving the suspended parts of her sentences, Ms OConnell was told that activating a suspended sentence, were she to reoffend, would take months. It would be faster to go to the district court and get a civil restraining order," she said. Civil restraining orders were only introduced in 2024, so they did not exist when Ms OConnell was being stalked by Egan. Then, her only option was what turned out to be a hugely expensive and ineffective injunction, she said. Civil restraining orders were introduced last year under Part 5 of the Criminal Justice (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 2023. Eve McDowell and Una Ring, the founders of Stalking Ireland, campaigned for such changes. "Why does it always take victims to campaign for change? So many female victims are the ones really campaigning for and working for change, when they should just be able to focus on their own recovery," Ms O'Connell said. I personally should be focusing on my own life right now, protecting myself, recovering, and healing from the trauma of all of this. I shouldn't have to put my efforts and energy into campaigning. And by stalking victims standing up and campaigning, it is putting me in the firing line for Sonya to come along and target me again, or the far right to come along [groups of whom she said harassed her before] and target me again, or I'll be trolled again. I dont think people working in justice really understand the trauma of all this, the psychology of it. A judge has agreed to seek a probation report following the appeal of a four-month prison sentence given to the former partner of Sinn Fein MEP Kathleen Funchion under Coco's Law. In April, Sean Tyrrell, of 31 Cypress Grove, Loughboy, Kilkenny, was given a four-month custodial sentence, with a separate four-month jail term suspended for two years, for offences under Section 4 of the Harassment, Harmful Communications and Related Offences Act 2020. On Friday, Kilkenny District Court heard a severity-only appeal, with Tyrrells barrister calling for a probation report to be completed. The court heard Tyrell was a Sinn Fein party volunteer in 2016 when Ms Funchion was contesting the general election. He worked in her constituency office, and they entered a fractious romantic relationship. They became engaged in December 2017. The relationship broke down in July 2019, but the couple reconciled several months later and remained together until April 2022. The court heard Tyrrell developed unfounded trust issues". He requested access to Ms Funchions phone and email, and asked her to take lie detector tests. She was also falsely accused of infidelity. In August 2022, an email address linked to Tyrrell by gardai contacted a journalist. Screenshots of these emails were sent to Ms Funchion, and she was informed if she did not take a lie detector test and arrange a meeting for him with Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald, he would divulge embarrassing allegations to the reporter. Another email from a different address, which was also linked to Tyrrell by gardai, said the sender would divulge confidential information regarding Ms Funchions friends. Ms Funchion read a victim impact statement to the court, saying Mr Tyrrell always had to control the narrative and relationship. The impact that this has had on the rest of my life is that my life has become a very lonely and isolated place where I have issues trusting others, she said. I do not allow people into my life, I question everyone's motivation that is around me, and I can become incredibly paranoid. She branded Tyrrells actions a horrible betrayal from a person I once loved. The court was told Tyrrell had previous convictions related to road traffic offences. It was argued by the defence a probation report should be completed, saying he was now in full-time employment and was rehabilitating himself. Judge Cormac Quinn noted Tyrrell had previously pleaded guilty in the district court and the matter was a severity-only appeal. He agreed to a request for a probation report. A new date for the appeal will be set in November. A 54-year-old Fermoy man who was caught with 12,900 worth of cannabis claimed he was only storing the drugs for an unnamed person but the investigating garda said the man was doing a bit more than storing, and had transported the stash, which he picked up in a field in Co Waterford. Gerard Huffe, of Sean OBrien Park, Beechfield, Fermoy, Co Cork, pleaded guilty to charges of possession of cannabis and having the drug for the purpose of sale or supply to others. Garda Cormac Axson said gardai from the Cork County divisional drugs unit went to the home of Gerard Huffe at Sean OBrien Park, Beechfield, Fermoy, on February 20, 2024, to conduct a search under warrant. The accused was present at the time, and indicated drugs were not to be found in the house, but were present in the boot of his Mazda car parked outside, which would have been part of the search in any event. The cannabis weighing more than 600 grammes had a street value of 12,900. Interviewed on four occasions, he admitted possession for his own personal use but he denied selling the cannabis. His previous convictions included three for having drugs for his own use and one for dealing, for which he was given a six-month suspended sentence, Garda Axson testified at Cork Circuit Criminal Court. Brian Leahy, barrister, said the accused had addiction problems but was now clear of drug use and attending for regular urinalysis. Mr Leahy said one of the urinalysis tests was positive for alcohol. He explained this by saying Mr Huffe was very nervous about attending for the drugs test and had gone drinking because of this anxiety. Judge Dermot Sheehan assessed the sentence at three years, adding that, "reluctantly", he would suspend the sentence in its entirety. Locals in a West Cork village are being warned to exercise caution this Halloween amid a suspected zombie virus outbreak. The local community centre in Goleen has been turned into a survivor zone as protective measures are put in place for the communitys annual Fright Night. The move follows the spread of a virus known as rabid 19 which is slowly turning locals into the walking dead. Lukas Ungerer is the man behind the live experience which will see a large-scale replica of the village created for visitors to enjoy on Friday. Real-life zombies will be let loose to roam the streets, leaving murdered medics and dead first responders in their wake. A number of protesters are also planning to take to the streets in opposition of the so-called rabid 19 measures. A team of artists have been working around the clock to make the simulation possible, including Lukas and his wife Joanne Ungerer, Angelique Muller, Laury Mason and Orla Lavelle. Megan O'Leary and Aoibheann O'Regan with the zombies behind them from live zombie outbreak experience in Goleen. Picture: Anne Marie Cronin Photography Participants will enter through a mock-up of Dermot Sheehans food store and make their way onto the road into the midst of a street protest turned zombie outbreak where murdered medics and first responders complete with military civilians as well as live and infected survivors. Live actors, mainly teenagers from the Foroige youth group, will make up a lot of the crowd. There is a recreation of Goleens main street with all the various cafes and shopfronts. There will also be street lighting, fire effects and smoke to create an atmosphere. "There are usually a few multimedia effects thrown in there so that would give you an idea of the set itself. The best feedback we get is from people who recognise places captured in the set, including those who own the businesses that feature," said Lukas. "It usually takes years and years to get the word out about something like this but, thankfully this event has gone from strength to strength and is growing all the time. Lukas said the protesters were introduced to add a tongue-in-cheek element to the event. Aoibheann O'Regan and Megan O'Leary outside Denny O'Meara's Bar in Goleen, West Cork. Picture: Anne Marie Cronin We like a bit of low-level controversy, he joked. Some of the Foroige kids have already made up protest placards and they are hilarious. They are going to be really tongue-in-cheek. 'Mainstream media is fake' and 'real news come from Facebook' are just some of the messages on the signs. "I think its about time all these conspiracy theorists and anti-maskers had it come back at them, said Lukas. Martha O'Leary visits the local shop during the live zombie outbreak experience in Goleen, West Cork. Picture: Anne Marie Cronin Photography The project was completed entirely by locals of West Cork and without a budget. The props we all make ourselves. Everything you see has been recycled. This is completely grassroots. "Of course, because the experience is done without a budget we cant make it as realistic as we like but weve created the local businesses with the same fonts and colour schemes so its as close to the real thing as possible." "The real test will be the reactions from teenagers because they are probably the most cynical age group. All funds raised will go towards the local Goleen district and community council. Councillors in Kerry have strongly criticised a decision by the Aquaculture Licence Appeals Board to allow a commercial salmon farm by a Norwegian parent company to continue at an island in Ballinskelligs Bay despite what conservation bodies say are serious breaches. The farm has decimated valuable local sea-trout, wild salmon and a centuries-old tourism angling industry, councillors told a meeting where it was decided to write to the minister for the marine Martin Heydon as well as to ALAB. The licence to Silver Kings Seafood Ltd, of MOWI Ireland first issued in 1995 was revoked in 2019 when it was found to have harvested twice the allowed tonnes of salmon in 2016. The farm is within 9kms of the world-renowned Lough Currane angling lake fished by Charlie Chaplin, Tiger Woods and others. Salmon Watch Ireland is seeking changes in legislation which allows aquaculture farms in breach of licence to continue to operate once they appeal and seek renewal of licences. MOWI Ireland appealed in 2019 and said it was properly maintaining the Deenish site and the licence terms were out of date, taking too long to renew and not commercially viable. It said discontinuing the licence was "disproportionate". No harvesting of salmon had taken place within the pens on the site so there was no blood water and therefore there was no breach of the relevant condition. The appeals process was extended on around 10 separate occasions and took six years before a determination. Salmon Watch Ireland said the farm was a reservoir for sea lice, disease and other pathogens which have driven the regional stocks of sea trout into crisis". The once famous destination for local, national and international visitors from April to October was now almost extinguished, it said. Aquaculture Licence Appeals Board decision In its decision to allow the farm to continue, the Aquaculture Licence Appeals Board (ALAB) said there had been no evidence of damage to the environment as a result of breach, and a revocation would have adverse effects on the local economy. But the ALAB also said there was an absence of graduated sanctions as well as alternative enforcement mechanisms under the legislation. The delay the decision was only arrived at in September was down to requests for further information, consultations with parties and observers, technical report preparation, legal advice, and a court-imposed stay as well as the volume of appeals the ALAB had to deal with. Anger was expressed at a meeting of Kerry County Council after a motion put forward by west Kerry councillor Robert Brosnan. The farm had a detrimental impact on the local environment and the local economy around Waterville, he said. Waterville Councillor Norma Moriarty seconded the motion. The capitulation of our own authorities in respect of this is completely incredible. It is negatively impacting thousands of jobs, she said. Salmon Watch Ireland is now seeking an urgent meeting with Mr Heydon asking him to safeguard Irelands wild salmon. It is asking the minister to close the shield which allowed fish farms to operate while they lodged appeals against breaches. This article was funded by the Local Democracy Scheme On Tuesdays episode of The Deirdre OShaughnessy Podcast, court reporter Liam Heylin described the daylight murder of Kieran Quilligan and the extensive garda investigation that led to the discovery of his remains in a bag by the side of an East Cork road. On Wednesday, his killers Luke Taylor and Niall Long were sentenced to life in prison, and the court finally heard about Kieran Quilligan the man not just the murder victim. In the crowded ledger of global humanitarian disasters, the crisis in Sudan has quietly crept to the top. For the Irish reader accustomed to hearing of genocide in Gaza or war in Ukraine, this disaster may feel even more remote. But its scale, and the integrity of Irelands humanitarian values, demand we pay attention. What is happening in Sudan is horrifying: The worlds largest displacement crisis, a collapsing state, mass killings and foreign powers whose roles must be scrutinised, not just by columnists and opinion writers, but by embassys governments and political leadership. Since a power struggle exploded in April 2023 between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), the country has slid into a new abyss. The RSF grew out of the notorious Janjaweed militias formerly active in Darfur, so those old fault-lines are alive again. The numbers are staggering. Over 14m Sudanese have been displaced from their homes, and millions more have fled abroad. More than 25m thats more than half the population face acute food insecurity. Disease, starvation, and the collapse of basic service delivery are the new normal. Atrocities in el-Fasher The recent fall of the city of el-Fasher in North Darfur to the RSF marks a grim turning-point. The siege lasted some 18 months. Witnesses describe summary executions, hospital attacks, people killed in their beds, barriers to escape and starvation at scale. The UN and independent groups now talk openly of mass atrocities, perhaps even crimes against humanity. In short: A war once framed as a military struggle is now full-scale humanitarian devastation. Over recent days, rights groups and investigators have flagged what looks like a massacre in and around el-Fasher. Satellite analysis tied to Yales Humanitarian Research Lab points to mass killings; witnesses describe bodies in streets and mass graves. As ever, the fog of war takes time to clear, but the outline is grimly familiar: Civilians trapped, starved, and killed as front lines lurch through towns built for families, not militias. Displaced Sudanese who fled el-Fasher after the city fell to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), rest near the town of Tawila in war-torn Sudan's western Darfur region this week. Over recent days, rights groups and investigators have flagged what looks like a massacre in and around el-Fasher. Photo: STR/AFP via Getty Images That should matter. Because when you see hospitals falling, civilians fleeing by the thousands, sacks of grain priced like gold, youre hearing the death-knell of a country and the moral test of an international system already failing on many open fronts. The United Arab Emirates Heres where the story becomes even more uncomfortable and urgent for Western democracies and, yes, for Ireland. The United Arab Emirates presents one face in public: Humanitarian donor, supporter of peace initiatives. But an accumulating chain of evidence suggests another: Covert arming, logistics support, flights into Chad, weapon transfers backing the RSF which perpetrates these crimes. The Guardian recently revealed a leaked UN expert report showing multiple flights from the UAE to bases in Chad used to funnel arms into Sudan. A recent investigation alleged the UAE provided UK-made weapons to the RSF. Meanwhile, human rights groups have highlighted UK-approved arms sales to the UAE that ended up with the RSF in Darfurs recent atrocities. In another twist, the UAE did publicly pledge US$200m in humanitarian aid to Sudan. On October 22, 2025, a senior UAE diplomat called for a ceasefire and civilian transition. A satellite image of the Saudi Maternity Hospital in el-Fasher, Sudan, last week. Witnesses describe summary executions, hospital attacks, killing in 'beds' after the fall of the city to the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces. Photo: Airbus DS 2025 via AP But these statements ring hollow amid the mounting war crimes and evidence of supply chains into the RSF. If the UAE is acting as a humanitarian partner, why does so much of its indirect support appear routed to one of the warring parties accused of genocide and ethnic-cleansing? The question isnt rhetorical it matters. States that mobilise arms and money must be judged for the outcomes, however plausible their public relations may be. Ireland's leverage Ireland has a proud humanitarian tradition. Our charities and agencies have been active in Sudan and in the region. The Irish Government has increased funding this year to 14.3m. Without that funding, the famine and displacement would be worse still. But the humanitarian imperative requires more than cheques. It demands coherence: That we aid those who suffer, insist on safe corridors, challenge impunity and refuse to look away when external forces help fuel the war machine. For Irish policymakers, it means pressing: for full humanitarian access into Darfur, the Gezira, and the camps where children starve and disease spreads; for accountability: supporting sanctions, arms-export checks, and investigation of states implicated in supplying war-making capacity to the RSF; for maintaining predictable funding not short-term projects, but core budgets for clinics, supplies, latrines. When the funding stops mid-programme, lives stop; for robust parliamentary and diplomatic scrutiny within the EU of Gulf-state policies that may contravene international humanitarian law. We dont talk enough about our own leverage. Ireland may not export heavy arms, but we help set the norms. If Gulf states know they face no serious consequences when their planes carry crates into Chad and onwards to militia in Darfur, the law loses value. Its awkward territory, but it shouldn't be. The UAE is a regional power, a Western partner for business and high diplomacy. But proximity should not equal immunity. Displaced Sudanese who fled el-Fasher after the city fell to the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), rest near the town of Tawila in war-torn Sudan's western Darfur region this week. Witnesses describe summary executions, hospital attacks, killing in 'beds' after the fall of the city to the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces. Photo: STR/AFP via Getty Images The UK, for instance, faces growing questions as a UN dossier indicates British arms found in RSF hands equipment exported via the UAE. In Brussels and Dublin, the default is often to maintain engagement rather than confrontation. Yet when the RSF pushes into Darfur, starves civilians, bombs hospitals and the world yawns, engagement isnt enough. A true global norm demands consequences for those who enable atrocity. As Irish citizens, we tend to sympathise with the powerless. With increasing frequency, power enables atrocity and we must call it out. The UAE may absurdly claim its a humanitarian actor in Sudan; but the evidence suggests it is also deeply implicated in prolonging the war and intensifying the suffering. Heres a short checklist for what real action would look like: a lasting humanitarian truce, not just weekend-talks; arms-embargo enforcement, making sure that weapons going via the UAE or Gulf states dont land in militia hands; open access for aid corridors, especially heavily-besieged areas like El Fasher; accountability at the top, including war-crimes investigations and sanctions; and Irish leadership in moral clarity speaking truthfully in EU forums, asking our diplomats questions, keeping the camera on Sudan. The truth is stark. In Sudan, civilians are dying in hospital beds, starved in camps, shot in the streets and the world is hardly paying attention. The massacre in el-Fasher is not an isolated horror but part of a pattern. The RSFs sweep through Darfur, aided by external logistics and weapon-flows, threatens the very integrity of Sudan as a nation. For Ireland, the question is: Will we treat Sudan as just another far-off disaster, or will we demand consistency between our values and our practice? We talk of speaking truth to power so let us speak truth to those who supply the power, whether in Khartoum or Abu Dhabi. Because if humanitarian aid is the calm face of our compassion, accountability is the backbone. Without both, we are not saving lives we are simply paying for a war were not willing to stop. To strip his brother of his titles and to evict him from his home is the most consequential action Britain's King Charles has taken since he ascended the throne in 2022. The defenestration of Prince Andrew, now to be known only as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, and the removal of his cherished privilege of royal status is an act of utmost ruthlessness by a king. Ascending the throne at 73, Charles always knew he would play a caretaker role for the monarchy and so could not allow rot to set into an institution that lives and dies by public consent. The damage Andrews association with Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell continued to inflict on the reputation of the royal family was simply too much for the king not to act as he did on Thursday evening. Charles has been described by his biographer Catherine Mayer as loyal to a fault. Sometimes to the point of fault, but this was too much. His mother's longevity always meant Charless reign would be relatively short and therefore one of his most important tasks would be to bequeath the institution to his son William in reasonable repair. William is relatively popular with the public and for Charles to leave him with a festering crisis for the sake of the feelings of his younger brother, recently caught lying about his continued association with Epstein, made no sense. It emerged this month Andrew had emailed Epstein in 2011 after a picture of him with his arm around the teenager Virginia Giuffre, who he is accused of having sex with when she was 17, was published in 2011. He previously claimed he had cut off contact with the sex offender by this point, but instead he is alleged to have told Epstein that we are in this together. Then when the BBC this week reminded the world of a picture taken in the garden of Royal Lodge, the Windsor home Andrew is being turfed out of, which featured not only Epstein and Maxwell, both convicted child sex offenders, but also the convicted rapist Harvey Weinstein, it cannot have been difficult to decide to deliver the final blow. Charles decided that neither he nor the institution of the royal family could be in this together ever again with Andrew. But this was not just the action of the chief executive of an institution sometimes called the firm. This was a family matter and therefore emotionally charged. The queen is said to have doted on Andrew, and his astonishing self-assurance has been attributed by some to that mothering by the queen, who is said to not have offered the same indulgences to her older children. Charles would no doubt have had his late mothers views in mind when he signed off Thursday nights statement announcing the formal process to remove the Style, Titles and Honours of Prince Andrew, that notice has now been served to surrender the lease on Royal Lodge and that these censures are deemed necessary, notwithstanding the fact that he continues to deny the allegations against him. In the simplest terms, the issue also seemed to boil down to a question of whose side are you on. As the final line of the statement from Buckingham Palace read: Their Majesties wish to make clear that their thoughts and utmost sympathies have been, and will remain with, the victims and survivors of any and all forms of abuse. The Guardian Hospital officials in Gaza say Israel has handed over the bodies of 30 Palestinians, a day after Palestinian militants in Gaza turned over the remains of two hostages to Israel. Officials at Nasser Hospital in the southern city of Khan Younis confirmed receiving the bodies but did not immediately say what state they were in or identify them. The exchange of Palestinian remains for hostage remains is the latest indication that the fraught Israel-Hamas ceasefire agreement is moving forward, despite deadly Israeli strikes on Gaza this week. Palestinian children look into a Red Cross vehicle carrying the bodies of two people believed to be deceased hostages handed over by Hamas (Abdel Kareem Hana/AP) Before Fridays release, Israel had returned the bodies of 195 Palestinians to authorities in Gaza without providing details on their identities. It is unclear if the bodies returned by Israel were killed in Israel during the October 7 attack, died in Israeli custody as detainees or were recovered from Gaza by troops during the war. Health officials in Gaza have struggled to identify the bodies without access to DNA kits. In Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus office said late on Thursday that the remains returned by Palestinian militants had been confirmed as those of Sahar Baruch and Amiram Cooper, both taken hostage during the October 7 attack by Hamas that set off the war. Hamas has now returned the remains of 17 hostages since the start of the ceasefire, with 11 others still in Gaza and set to be turned over under the terms of the agreement. Mr Baruch was readying to pursue an electrical engineering degree when he was taken hostage from Kibbutz Beeri. His brother, Idan, was killed in the attack. Buildings destroyed during Israeli ground and air operations in the Gaza Strip earlier this week, as seen from southern Israel (Ohad Zwigenberg/AP) Three months into Sahars captivity, the Israeli military said he was killed during an attempted rescue mission. He was 25. Mr Cooper was an economist and one of the founders of Kibbutz Nir Oz. He was captured along with his wife, Nurit, who was released after 17 days. In June 2024 Israeli officials confirmed that he had been killed in Gaza. He was 84. A senior US official said that in messages passed to Hamas by Egypt and Qatar on Wednesday the group was told its remaining fighters in the yellow zone had 24 hours to leave or face Israeli strikes. That deadline expired on Thursday, after which the official said Israel will enforce the ceasefire and engage Hamas targets behind the yellow line. The ceasefire, which began on October 10, is aimed at winding down a war that is by far the deadliest and most destructive of those ever fought between Israel and Hamas. Palestinians search for firewood and plastic at a landfill in Gaza City (Abdel Kareem Hana/AP) The war was triggered by the October 2023 attack on Israel by Hamas-led militants, who killed about 1,200 people and took 251 others hostage. In the two years since, Israels military offensive has killed more than 68,600 Palestinians in Gaza, according to Gazas Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between civilians and combatants. The ministry, which is part of the Hamas-run government and is staffed by medical professionals, maintains detailed records viewed as generally reliable by independent experts. Israel, which some international critics have accused of committing genocide in Gaza, has disputed the figures without providing a contradicting toll. US military strikes against boats in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean allegedly carrying illegal drugs from South America are unacceptable and must stop, the UN human rights chief said. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk called for an investigation into the strikes, in what appeared to mark the first such condemnation of its kind from a United Nations organisation. Ravina Shamdasani, a spokeswoman for Mr Turks office, relayed his message on Friday at a regular UN briefing: These attacks and their mounting human cost are unacceptable. The US must halt such attacks and take all measures necessary to prevent the extrajudicial killing of people aboard these boats The US must halt such attacks and take all measures necessary to prevent the extrajudicial killing of people aboard these boats. She said Mr Turk believed air strikes by the United States of America on boats in the Caribbean and in the Pacific violate international human rights law. President Donald Trump has justified the attacks on the boats as a necessary escalation to stem the flow of drugs into the United States, but the campaign against drug cartels has been divisive among countries in the region. US defence secretary Pete Hegseth on Wednesday announced the latest US military strike in the campaign, against a boat he said was carrying drugs in the eastern Pacific Ocean. All four people aboard were killed. US defence secretary Pete Hegseth (Eugene Hoshiko, Pool/AP) It was the 14th strike since the campaign began in early September, while the death toll has grown to at least 61. Ms Shamdasani noted the US explanations of the efforts as an anti-drug and counter-terrorism campaign, but said countries have long agreed that the fight against illicit drug trafficking is a law enforcement matter governed by careful limits placed on the use of lethal force. Intentional use of lethal force is allowed only as a last resort against someone representing an imminent threat to life, she said. Otherwise, it would amount to a violation of the right of life and constitute extrajudicial killings. The strikes are taking place outside the context of armed conflict or active hostilities, Ms Shamdasani said. Lebanons President Joseph Aoun said that any negotiations with Israel to halt its ongoing strikes on southern Lebanon which have continued despite a nearly year-old US-brokered ceasefire must be mutual. Mr Aoun made the remarks following talks with German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul, who was on a four-day Middle East tour and visited Beirut on his first official trip since taking office. The visit came as Israel has recently intensified its strikes on southern Lebanon. Lebanese president Joseph Aoun meets with German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul (Lebanese Presidency press office via AP) Both sides have accused each other of violating the ceasefire, which nominally ended the latest Israel-Hezbollah war last November. The conflict started after the October 7 2023 Hamas-led attack on Israel that triggered the war in Gaza. Hezbollah began firing rockets into northern Israel in support of Hamas and the Palestinians, prompting Israeli airstrikes and artillery shelling in return. The low-level exchanges escalated into full-scale war in September 2024. Since the ceasefire, Israel has continued to carry out near-daily strikes across southern Lebanon, saying they target Hezbollah militants, weapons depots and command centres. Israeli forces have also maintained positions on several strategic points inside Lebanese territory. Lebanese officials have accused Israel of striking civilian areas and destroying infrastructure unrelated to Hezbollah, calling on Israeli forces to withdraw and respect Lebanons sovereignty. On Friday, at least two people were killed in Israeli strikes on several locations across southern Lebanon, according to the state-run National News Agency. An Israeli army spokesperson confirmed its forces killed a man, accusing him of attempting to rebuild Hezbollahs infrastructure. In a rare ground operation on Thursday, Israeli soldiers raided a municipal building in the border village of Blida, killing Ibrahim Salameh, a municipal employee. The raid sparked condemnation from Lebanese officials and protests by residents. Israeli strikes in Lebanon have continued despite a nearly year-old ceasefire (AP Photo/Mohammad Zaatari) Israel said its troops entered the building to destroy terrorist infrastructure linked to Hezbollah and fired to neutralise a threat, while Mr Aoun said Mr Salameh was killed while performing his professional duties. Lebanon is ready for negotiations to end the Israeli occupation, Mr Aoun told Mr Wadephul, but any talks cannot be one-sided they require mutual will, which is still lacking. The format, timing and location of negotiations will be determined later. He added that the Lebanese armys presence in the south will increase to 10,000 troops before the end of the year, noting continued co-ordination with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (Unifil). The ceasefire stipulates that both Israel and Hezbollah are required to cease hostilities, with the Lebanese army and Unifil deploying south of the Litani River to ensure no armed groups other than the army operate in the area. The army has since deployed in dozens of positions across southern Lebanon and is working alongside UN peacekeepers to monitor ceasefire violations. Following Thursdays Israeli ground raid, Mr Aoun said he had requested the Lebanese army to confront any Israeli incursion into southern Lebanon in defence of Lebanese lands and the safety of citizens, although it was not clear what form that confrontation would take. The Presidents stance in ordering the army to confront Israeli incursions is a responsible position upon which we build, Hezbollahs Secretary-General Naim Kassem said in a recorded address on Friday. The positions of the three presidents and some officials are consequential, and our stance is unified, he added. After meeting with Lebanese Foreign Minister Youssef Rajji, Mr Wadephul said the continued Israeli attacks on Lebanese territory were unacceptable, stressing the need for Israel to respect Lebanons sovereignty and for both Israel and Hezbollah to adhere to the cessation of hostilities arrangements. The Dutch liberal-progressive party D66 won the most votes in Wednesdays general election, the news agency ANP has reported, putting its 38-year-old leader, Rob Jetten, on course to become the youngest prime minister in the Netherlands. While the last few thousand votes are still being counted, Dutch media reported on Friday that Geert Wilders anti-immigration, anti-Islam Party for Freedom (PVV) could no longer win. D66 is now expected to take the lead in a first round of talks to form a coalition government, a process that usually takes months. Both parties had been predicted to win 26 seats in Wednesdays snap election, which revolved around not only the housing crisis, immigration and healthcare, but also competent leadership. According to ANP, D66 is likely to receive one more seat, putting the party on 27. All mainstream parties had already ruled out governing with Wilders, the anti-Islam firebrand whose PVV won 37 seats in 2023 then led a chaotic rightwing coalition that lasted less than a year before he torpedoed it in a row over his draconian immigration plans. However, while this is the end of the self-described most rightwing government ever, and there is a clear surge in support for centrist parties, experts said the far-right vote had simply shifted to smaller parties and trust in politics remains at just 4%. By parliamentary convention, the leader of the winning party takes the lead in a coalition-formation process. But with the fragmented result in which many far-right voters deserted Wilders but chose the far-right JA21 and Forum for Democracy it will be difficult to form a government. Jetten on Friday urged all mainstream parties to unite. Voters have clearly indicated the need for cooperation, Jetten said. We want to find a majority that will eagerly work on issues such as the housing market, migration, climate and the economy. Leonie de Jonge, an expert in far-right extremism at the University of Tubingen, said the clear win did not make the path ahead much easier. D66 gets to initiate the formation of the government, but still I think the underlying message of the election is that the far right is not defeated, she said. I think the real challenge is moving forward, forming a government with the increasingly fragmented landscape that Dutch politics now constitutes. Although a left-right coalition with the centrist Christian Democratic Appeal, VVD and GreenLeft-Labour would be strongest in the lower and upper chambers, the VVD leader, Dilan Yesilgoz-Zegerius, said repeatedly during the campaign that ruling with the left was something she did not see happening. Jettens impressive debating style, clean-cut image and positive messaging won over enough voters for a historic win. D66 managed to attract voters from all directions, drawing in both left- and right-leaning supporters, said Matthijs Rooduijn, an expert on populism at the University of Amsterdam. Many GreenLeft-Labour voters were dissatisfied with their own party leader but responded positively to Jetten and D66s upbeat It can be done campaign. At the same time, D66s tougher stance on immigration appealed to rightwing voters from VVD, NSC, and even PVV, making its current electorate more diverse. And more critical and negative about immigration. The Guardian The Trump administration has confirmed that no high-level representatives will be sent by the US to upcoming UN climate talks in Brazil, underscoring the administrations hostile stance towards action on the climate crisis. The US has always sent delegations of various sizes to UN climate summits over the past three decades, even during periods under George W Bush and Donald Trumps first term where there was scant desire to address the global heating crisis. But the upcoming talks in Belem, Brazil, next month are set to be devoid of an official American presence to an extent never seen before. Trump has previously called the climate crisis a hoax and a con job and has said that the US will withdraw from the Paris climate agreement, which calls for countries to limit the dangerous global temperature rise. The Green New Scam would have killed America if President Trump had not been elected to implement his commonsense energy agenda which is focused on utilizing the liquid gold under our feet to strengthen our grid stability and drive down costs for American families and businesses, Taylor Rogers, a White House spokeswoman, said in a statement to the Guardian. The scam reference relates to the climate policies of Joe Biden. President Trump will not jeopardize our countrys economic and national security to pursue vague climate goals that are killing other countries, she added. Earlier this year, the US state department shuttered the office that typically deals with climate issues. The position of climate envoy, which operated under Biden, has also been scrapped. In jettisoning multilateral talks with other countries, the White House has favored an approach whereby Trump strikes deals directly with individual countries. US president Donald Trump speaks to the media after arriving at Palm Beach International Airport. Picture: Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP In recent months, the US president has secured agreements from the European Union, to purchase $750bn in American oil and gas, as well as countries such as Japan and South Korea to develop rare earth materials, nuclear power and fossil fuel projects. Trump has also urged other countries to shift away from renewable energy. If you dont get away from this green scam, your country is going to fail, the president told leaders at a UN speech last month. You need strong borders and traditional energy sources if you are going to be great again. The lack of US presence at the Belem talks is a further complication to a summit that already appears troubled. Countries are meant to submit updated plans to slash planet-heating emissions at the gathering but the vast majority have yet to do so, while many delegates are struggling to secure accommodation in time to attend the talks in the city, which acts as a gateway to the Amazon river. The president has made it clear he wants to withdraw from the Paris agreement so it doesnt surprise me they arent sending anyone because they arent engaged in this, said Todd Stern, a former lead climate negotiator for the US during Barack Obamas presidency. I dont think they would add anything useful. This is a much more aggressive administration now, across the board. I think the great majority of countries arent going to pay attention to that, they know climate change is real, you just have to look out of the window to see it is getting worse. An assortment of US governors, members of Congress, mayors and activists will be attending the Cop30 summit, with the message that subnational American jurisdictions are still pressing ahead with climate action. But they have been given no support from the US government in doing so. Sheldon Whitehouse, a Democratic senator from Rhode Island, said on Thursday that he had been told they werent even going to send embassy support for the US delegation, which is a fairly standard courtesy for those of us that did go. So at this point, I dont think theres any sign of [the administration attending], but who knows? This is a very mercurial administration. They can decide at the last minute to send a plane to Belem full of climate deniers and fossil fuel operatives. One former senior state department official, speaking anonymously, said that it was preferable that the US not attend the talks so that other countries can strike a stronger climate agreement. If the choice is no US or a US that is there as a spoiler, to wreck and disrupt things, then I think most countries would prefer there to be no US, the former official said. The Guardian 10/29/2025 Jacksonville, AL The Jacksonville State University Center for Manufacturing Support (CMS) partnered with the Alabama Auto Plant (AAP) to deliver hands-on FANUC Certified Handling Tool Operations and Programming training for Honda production equipment associates. The pilot program was delivered to the Weld Department for one assembly line and focused on shop-floor-relevant instruction in robot operation, programming, and safe troubleshooting. To date, CMS has trained 13 Honda associates through this pilot, bringing the Centers total number of trained individuals to more than 90, all of whom received industry-recognized certificates upon course completion. This partnership was an easy connection to make, and we are already seeing positive results, said Bill Waley, workforce partnership lead-south. The JSU Center for Manufacturing Support is a local resource with exceptional robotic training and additive manufacturing capabilities. The training was an eye-opening experience that broadened my understanding of the field and highlighted the vast possibilities within advanced manufacturing, said Josh Smith, AAP equipment operator and the first associate to complete the training. It was extremely beneficial, said Rusty Evans, AAP production staff, who completed the training earlier this year after joining the Weld Department in September 2024. We needed additional training to better prepare our associates for advanced manufacturing, said Paul Cunningham, Weld-2 robot workforce lead, AAP. This CMS facility and course are just what we needed. This partnership demonstrates the tangible impact that our certifications can have for companies, said Matt Rosser, Director of the Center for Manufacturing Support. We are hoping to expand the partnership to support all departments across both of Hondas Alabama assembly lines and the nearby engine plant. Jax States CMS stands ready to offer flexible delivery schedules for credentialing tied to industry standards designed to strengthen the regional manufacturing talent pipeline. About Jacksonville State University Center for Manufacturing Support The Center for Manufacturing Support (CMS) is a regional resource dedicated to equipping manufacturers, students, and community partners with the tools, training, and technical support they need to compete in todays global manufacturing environment. The CMS offers several industry certified courses and collaborates with companies on engineering projects while providing practical learning experience for students. CMS has invested more than $5.6 million in advanced manufacturing infrastructure, including over 150 individual pieces of equipment housed across five dedicated labs. The Centers capabilities include more than $150,000 in 3D-scanning equipment, more than $3 million in metal and polymer additive-manufacturing systems, and over $1 million in robotics assets. Together these resources provide a comprehensive, end-to-end solution for regional manufacturers and prepare the next generation of manufacturing professionals For more information about the CMS visit: www.jsu.edu/cms Orono, Maine (Special to Informed Comment; Feature) The Celts, who lived about 3,000 years ago in an area which is now Gaul (France), Ireland, Wales, Scotland, England & Brittany, celebrated their new year during the Lunar calendar, around the 1st week of November, but it is now generally known as the eve of November 1. This day marked the end of summer and the harvest and the beginning of winter, a time associated with the end of the agricultural year and the falling leaves of autumn. LIMINAL WORLD: On the night before the new year (Samhain), the boundary between the worlds of the living and the dead became blurred. It became a liminal, thin time between the two worlds. It was celebrated as the time when the spirits of the dead appeared, and if crops were not in by this time, they were spoiled by the Aes Sidh (faerie folk) and left for the pookas. OTHERWORLD SPIRITS: It was believed that otherworld spirits were intertwined with this world, and in times gone by, druid priests and poets would relate stories about the origins of the Celtic people by re-enacting the role of Amairgin, a poet leader of the Milesians, detailing the coming of the 1st settlers to Ireland and Scotland. Stories of the Tuatha De Dannan (people of the goddess Anna) would be recited, as well as the heroic exploits of Cuchullan and Fionn Mac Cuill. Divination and future predictions were given to help villages survive the long winter darkness. The retellings of stories and the playing of music during long winter evenings which provided a comforting pleasure until the coming of Spring (Beltaine, May 1). BONFIRES: To commemorate Samhain, vast bonfires were prepared, especially at this fire festival day, where the people gathered to burn detritus left over from crops and celebrated the end of harvest-time. Offerings were made to agricultural deities. Costumes were worn consisting of straw or animal skins . When the celebrations were over, hearth fires, which had been extinguished earlier in the day, were re-lit from a central bonfire, This act renewed the connectedness of the village people. Illusration from Heroes of the dawn [Irish mythology]. Violet Russell; Beatrice Elvery, Illustrator. New York: The Macmillan Co. 1914. ROMANS & ANGLO SAXONS: In the early first millenium Romans had conquered what is now England, Brittany and Wales. As a result many Celtic rituals and ceremonies had been lost or forgotten, especially after the invasion of the Anglo-Saxons from Germany in the 5th century. Ireland and the highlands of Scotland had been saved from the depredation of both the Romans and Saxons, and persevered in keeping alive Celtic rituals and ceremonies. APPLE: One of these rituals involved the apple, which was revered as an otherworldly food during mythic voyage quests to the isles of the blessed in the western seas. Moder rituals, such as bobbing for apples and carving large turnips with lights inside were adopted from these adventure and voyage stories. In the 20thcentury pumpkins have been substituted for turnips in North America and wearing spectral or ghoulish costumes were intended to ward off demons in this night of the dead. The belief is that a human wearing costumes replicating the dead confused the un-dead who assumed that they were also from the other-world and leave them alone. THE QUEST WAS A HEROIC JOURNEY: In the Celtic world, the quest for the sacred Apple (Abal or Avalon) islands was a heroic journey. A favorite voyage story was the Voyage of Maelduin where one magic apple provided unlimited nutrition and could feed a crew of 18 for several days. In this voyage, Maelduin was swept out to sea before he could find the murderer of his father on the twin bald islands that he passed between. This magical storm propelled him and his crew along in a spiral journey to 33 islands of the dead. After encountering demon possessed islands and islands of grief and others of raucous laughter, they found an island of peace ruled over by women. After many years that seemed only a brief period in this upside down world at sea, they left and followed a falcon, and eventually found their way back to Ireland but local people of their townland only knew that Maelduin and his men were of the distant past so they had to cepart but by this time Maelduin had forgiven the killers of his father and did not try to gain revenge. CELTIC BOOK OF THE DEAD: This metaphoric voyage was referred to by some writers as the CELTIC BOOK OF THE DEAD, and was re-enacted in medieval times as an annual pilgrimage. Brendan the Navigators famous voyage was a similar quest for a spiritual island paradise, but with a Christian overlay. IMMORTAL ISLES: These western isles of immortality had several names, including Tir-nan-og, or the Land of the Ever Young and Hy Brasil. The isles were thought of as the original home of the Tuatha De Danann (ancient nature deities) which could be reached by traveling west over the sea, or passing through the gateways of the Sidhe mounds. In Tir-nan-Nog, time stood still, while in the mortal world it passed rapidly. The stories of Oisin, Fionn mac Cumhalls son, and his faerie lover, Niamh, had Oisin three years in the magical realm. He finally returned home to find that three hundred years had passed and he was only a distant memory to the native inhabitants. When he fell from his horse and his feet touched Irelands soil, his mortal age returned. ALL SAINTS DAY: By the 5th century the influence of a tolerant form of Christianity spread throughout Ireland that harmonized with old stories and rituals of the dead. By the 7th century adventurous Celtic hermits and monastics, such as St. Columba of Iona and St Cianaidh (Kenny), settled on islands in the highlands of Scotland and by the 8th century, Pope Gregory III designated November 1 as All Saints Day, which incorporated some of the traditions of the Celtic Samhain. All Saints Day was also called All-hallows Eve, meaning All Souls Day) and the night before it, the traditional night of Samhain, in Celtic spiritual tradition, began to be called All-hallows Eve and, eventually, Halloween. Even later, in A.D. 1000, the church would make November 2, All Souls Day, a day to honor the dead. It was celebrated similarly to Samhain, with large bonfires, parades and dressing up in costumes as saints, angels and devils. SAMHAIN=HALLOWEEN: The final month of harvest in the Celtic Year. In times gone by, ancient Celts spent this month preparing for Winter and for the Celtic Feast of Samhain, also known as Feile na Marbh (the Feast of the Dead). Samhain (sough-wan) is celebrated at the end of October and beginning of November and is gaelic for summers end and winters beginning. This ancient festival is a celebration of life over death and a time to remember those who have left the world of the living. Candles are traditionally lit at the graves of ancestors, while bonfires are set ablaze on every hilltop in the countryside. The thin border between the world of the living and the dead becomes transparent on this Ancestors Night. Samhain begins the winter season and ends six months later at Beltaine (Baltony) or May-Day. Storytelling and music take place in the evenings at twilight time and legends are recounted by the local Seanachie (Shanachy) in which stories of the great heroes of the past are told: of Lugh, Dagda, Fionn, Cuchullan, Deirdre, Etain and Manannan Mac Lir, etc as well as Adventures and Voyages of the Tuatha De Dannan (people of the goddess Ana or Dana. There are over 300 such ancient stories and each one takes an evening to tell, so a Seanachie need not repeat the same story during the six months of winter until May-Day (Beltaine). Most villages had their traditional storytellers, imbued with legendary tales made up in equal measure of courage and sadness, grief and pleasure, suffering and joy. Arthur Rackham Autumn Dancing Faeries (public domain). Notes on Samhain: (Samhain is pronounced sough-win). The Celts, who lived about 3,000 years ago in an area which is now Gaul (France), Ireland, Wales, Scotland, England & Brittany, celebrated their new year during the Lunar calendar, around the 1st week of November, but it is now generally known as the eve of November 1. This day marked the end of summer and the harvest and the beginning of winter, a time associated with the end of the agricultural year and the falling leaves of autumn. LIMINAL WORLD: On the night before the new year (Samhain), the boundary between the worlds of the living and the dead became blurred. It became a liminal, thin time between the two worlds. It was celebrated as the time when the spirits of the dead appeared, and if crops were not in by this time, they were spoiled by the Aes Sidh (faerie folk) and left for the pookas. OTHERWORLD SPIRITS: It was believed that otherworld spirits were intertwined with this world, and in times gone by, druid priests and poets would relate stories about the origins of the Celtic people by re-enacting the role of Amairgin, a poet leader of the Milesians, detailing the coming of the 1st settlers to Ireland and Scotland. Stories of the Tuatha De Dannan (people of the goddess Anna) would be recited, as well as the heroic exploits of Cuchullan and Fionn Mac Cuill. Divination and future predictions were given to help villages survive the long winter darkness. The retellings of stories and the playing of music during long winter evenings which provided a comforting pleasure until the coming of Spring (Beltaine, May 1). BONFIRES: To commemorate Samhain, vast bonfires were prepared, especially at this fire festival day, where the people gathered to burn detritus left over from crops and celebrated the end of harvest-time. Offerings were made to agricultural deities. Costumes were worn consisting of straw or animal skins . When the celebrations were over, hearth fires, which had been extinguished earlier in the day, were re-lit from a central bonfire, This act renewed the connectedness of the village people. Celtic Mythology, The Triskele or triple spiral The Spirit World of Ancestors and the celestial world of sun, moon, stars and planets. It is considered by many to be among the oldest symbols of spirituality. From its pre-Celtic Origins, the Triskele has been widely adopted in Celtic art and architecture. One of the most notable examples of triskele in art is found at Bruig na Boinne (Newgrange) and is featured at the entrance stone. It can be interpreted as strength, progress, and the intention or motivation to overcome adversity. The flowing knot design represents the Celtic number three (which is also sacred in Indo-European numerology) along with lines having no beginning or end. By Eric Ross | ( Tomdispatch.com ) More than a century ago, from a Berlin prison cell where she was confined for her uncompromising opposition to the slaughter of the First World War, Rosa Luxemburg warned, Bourgeois society stands at the crossroads, either transition to socialism or regression into barbarism. Her diagnosis remains no less salient today. In the United States, we long ago chose the path of barbarism. Trump and his enablers have proven major catalysts in hastening our descent, but they are symptoms as well as causes. The compounding crises of our time, from ecological collapse to immense inequality to endless war, were hardly unforeseeable aberrations. They are the logical outgrowths of a capitalist system built on violent exploitation and rooted in the relentless pursuit of profits over people. The unsustainable economic order that has defined our national life has corroded our democracy, eroded our shared sense of humanity, and propelled our institutions and our planet toward collapse. Today, we find ourselves perilously far down the highway leading to collective suicide. What the final autopsy will include be it nuclear annihilation, climate catastrophe, AI-driven apocalypse, or all of the above no one can yet be certain. Yet fatalism is not a viable option. A different direction for the country and world remains possible, and Americans still can meet this moment and avert catastrophe. If we are to do so, Luxemburgs prescription, socialism, remains our last, best hope. That conviction animates the democratic socialist campaign of Zohran Mamdani for mayor of New York City. In a bleak political climate, he offers a rare spark of genuine hope. Yet his mass appeal has provoked a remarkable, if predictable, elite backlash. Hes faced Islamophobic smears, oligarch money, and backroom deals (efforts that, Mamdani observed, cost far more than the taxes he plans to impose to improve life in New York). Trump has unsurprisingly joined these efforts wholeheartedly, while the Democratic establishment has chosen the path of cowardice and silence, or at least equivocation. The outrage over Mamdani is not only about the label socialist. Every American has heard the refrain: socialism looks good on paper but doesnt work in practice. The subtext, of course, is that capitalism does. And in a sense, it has. It has worked exactly as designed by concentrating obscene levels of wealth in the hands of a ruling class that deploys its fortune to further entrench its power. Especially since the Supreme Courts 2010 Citizens United decision, private capital has wielded untold influence over elections, drowning out ordinary voices in a flood of corporate money. What makes Mamdanis campaign so unsettling to those (all too literally) invested in this status quo is not merely his critique of capitalism but his insistence on genuine democracy. His platform rests on the simple assertion that, in the wealthiest city in the wealthiest country in the world (as should be true everywhere across this nation), every person deserves basic dignity. And what undoubtedly unnerves the political establishment isnt so much his radical agenda but the notion that politics should serve the many, not the privileged few, and that the promise of democracy could be transformed from mere rhetoric to reality. Whether Mamdani wins or loses in November (and count on him winning), he has sparked the reawakening of a long-dormant American tradition of leftist politics. Reviving socialism in this country also requires reviving its history, recovering it from the hysteria of the Red Scare and the Cold War mentality of better dead than red. Socialism has long been a part of our national experience and democratic experiment. And if democracy is to survive in the twenty-first century, democratic socialism must be part of its future. The Roots of American Socialism In the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, a wave of immigration brought millions of workers to the United States, many carrying the radical ideas then germinating in Europe. Yet such beliefs were hardly alien to this country. The growth of labor unions and the rise of leftist politics were not foreign imports but emerged as a byproduct of the dire material circumstances of life under industrial capitalism in America. By 1900, the U.S. had become the worlds leading industrial power, surpassing its European rivals in manufacturing and, by 1913, producing nearly one-third of global industrial output, more than Britain, France, and Germany combined. That share would climb to nearly half of the global gross domestic product by the end of World War II. However, the immense accumulation of wealth was not shared with those whose labor made it possible. American workers endured intense poverty and precarity, while being subjected to grueling hours for meager pay. They saw few meaningful protections, and suffered the highest rate of industrial accidents in the world. When workers rose in collective opposition to those conditions, they faced not only the monopolistic corporations of the Gilded Age, but an entire political economy structured to preserve that system of inequality. Anti-competitive practices concentrated wealth to an extraordinary degree. The richest 10% of Americans then owned some 90% percent of national assets, with such wealth used to buy power through the cooptation of a state apparatus whose monopoly on violence was wielded against labor and in defense of capital. As Populist leader Mary Elizabeth Lease described the situation in 1900, Wall Street owns the country. It is no longer a government of the people, by the people, and for the people, but a government of Wall Street, by Wall Street, and for Wall Street. That was evident as early as 1877, when railroad workers launched a nationwide strike and federal troops spent weeks brutally suppressing it, killing more than 100 workers. Such violence ignited a surge of labor organizing, thanks particularly to the radically egalitarian Knights of Labor. Yet the Haymarket Affair of 1886 when a bomb set off at a May Day rally in Chicago provided a pretext for a bloody government crackdown enabled the state to deepen its repression and stigmatize the labor movement by associating it with anarchism and extremism. Still, the socialist left was able to reconstitute itself in the decades that followed under the leadership of Eugene V. Debs. He was drawn to socialism not through abstract theory but lived experience in the American Railway Union. There, as he recalled, in the gleam of every bayonet and the flash of every rifle the class struggle was revealed. This was my first practical lesson in socialism, though wholly unaware that it was called by that name. In 1901, Debs helped found the Socialist Party of America. Over the next two decades, socialist candidates became mayors and congressional representatives, winning elections to local offices across the country. At its peak in 1912, Debs captured nearly a million votes, some six percent of the national total, while running as a third-party candidate for president (and again from prison in 1920). For a time, socialism became a visible, established part of American democracy. This War Is Not Our War Yet socialism faced its most formidable test during the First World War. Across Europe and the United States, many socialists opposed the conflict, arguing that it was a rich mans war and a poor mans fight, a framing that resonated with broad segments of the American public. The socialist critique went deeper than class resentment. For decades, socialists were drawing a direct connection between capitalisms parasitic exploitation of labor at home and its predatory expansion abroad. Writing during the late nineteenth-century era of high imperialism, as European powers carved up the globe in the name of national glory while showing brutal disregard for the lives of those they subjugated, progressive and socialist thinkers contended that imperialism was anything but a betrayal of capitalisms logic. Russian communist and revolutionary Vladimir Lenin called that moment the monopoly stage of capitalism. (Capitalists labeled it the cause of civilization.) While British economist John Hobson similarly maintained that empire served not the interests of the nation but of its elites who used the power of the state to secure the raw materials and new markets they needed for further economic expansion. The governing purpose of modern imperialism, he explained, is not the diffusion of civilization, but the subjugation of peoples for the material gain of dominant interests. That was the economic taproot of imperialism. Similarly in the United States, W.E.B. Du Bois, a leading civil rights advocate, situated the war in the longer history of racial and colonial domination. He traced its origins to the sinister traffic in human beings that had left whole continents in a state of helplessness which invites aggression and exploitation, making the rape of Africa imaginable and therefore possible. War, he argued, was the continuation of empire by other means. What do nations care about the cost of war, he wrote, if by spending a few hundred millions in steel and gunpowder they can gain a thousand millions in diamonds and cocoa? Others, like disability activist and socialist Helen Keller, a founding member of the American Civil Liberties Union, echoed such critiques. In 1916, she wrote: Every modern war has had its root in exploitation. The Civil War was fought to decide whether the slaveholders of the South or the capitalists of the North should exploit the West. The Spanish-American War decided that the United States should exploit Cuba and the Philippines. Of the First World War, she concluded, the workers are not interested in the spoils; they will not get any of them anyway. Once Washington entered the war, it criminalized dissent through the Espionage and Sedition Acts, the same emergency measure that would be used, during future wars, to charge whistleblowers like Daniel Ellsberg, Edward Snowden, and Daniel Hale. Socialists were among its first targets. After a 1918 speech condemning the war, Debs himself would be imprisoned. Let the wealth of a nation belong to all the people, and not just the millionaires, he declared. The ruling class has always taught and trained you to believe it to be your patriotic duty to go to war and have yourself slaughtered at their command. But in all the history of the world, you, the people, have never had a voice in declaring war. The call for a world in which we produce for all and not for the profit of the few remains as relevant as ever. Socialism After the Scare The Red Scare of 1919, followed by McCarthyism in the 1950s and the broader Cold War climate of hysteria and repression, effectively criminalized socialism, transforming it into a political taboo in the United States and driving it from mainstream American discourse. Yet, despite the ferocity of the anticommunist crusade, a number of prominent voices continued to defend socialism. In 1949, reflecting on a war that had claimed more than 60 million lives and brought us Auschwitz and Hiroshima, Albert Einstein argued that the real source of evil was capitalism itself. Humanity, he insisted, is not condemned, because of its biological constitution, to annihilate each other or to be at the mercy of a cruel, self-inflicted fate. The alternative, he wrote, lay in the establishment of a socialist economy, with an education system meant to cultivate a sense of responsibility for ones fellow men in place of the glorification of power and success. Martin Luther King Jr. carried that struggle against capitalism, racism, and war forward. Building on the legacy of the Double-V campaign, he called for confronting the evils of White supremacy at home and imperialism abroad. In grappling with those intertwined injustices, he increasingly adopted a socialist analysis, even if he didnt publicly claim the label. For King, there could be no half freedom or partial liberation: political rights were hollow without economic justice and racial equality was impossible without class equality. As he put it, you can call it democracy, or call it democratic socialism, but there must be a better distribution of wealth within this country for all of Gods children. Rejecting the pernicious myth of capitalist self-reliance with biting clarity, he pointed out that its all right to tell a man to lift himself by his own bootstraps, but it is a cruel jest to say to a bootless man that he ought to lift himself by his own bootstraps. In his 1967 Riverside Church speech denouncing the American war in Vietnam, King made the connection clear. A nation that continues year after year to spend more money on military defense than on programs of social uplift, he warned, is approaching spiritual death. America, he added, needed a revolution of values, a shift from a thing-oriented society to a person-oriented one. As long as machines and computers, profit motives and property rights [are] considered more important than people, he concluded, the giant triplets of racism, materialism, and militarism are incapable of being conquered. A Better Country and World is Possible The effort to discredit Zohran Mamdani and other Democratic Socialists like Bernie Sanders, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and Rashida Tlaib, who challenge entrenched power, is, of course, anything but new. It reflects an ongoing struggle over the meaning of democracy. To build a society that actually serves its people, it is necessary to recover a long-marginalized tradition that understands democracy not simply as the holding of elections but as a genuine way of life focused on fighting for the many rather than the privileged few. Mamdani and crew cant be exceptions to the rule, if such a vision is ever to take root in this country. In Donald Trumps grim vision for and version of America, democratic institutions are decaying at a rapid pace, the military is being used to occupy cities with Democratic mayors, and tyranny is replacing the rule of law. Fascism has never triumphed without the assent of elites who fear the rise of the left more than dictatorship. Mussolini and Hitler did not take power in a vacuum; they were elevated by an elite democratic establishment that preferred an authoritarian order to the uncertainties of popular democracy. Meeting todays crises requires more than piecemeal reform. It demands a reimagining of political life. The centuries of imperialism that are returning home in the form of fascism cant be dismantled without confronting the capitalism that has sustained it, and capitalism itself cant be transformed without democratizing the economy it commands. This country once again stands at a crossroads. Capitalism has brought us to the edge of ecological, economic, and moral catastrophe. Today, the top 1% control more wealth than the bottom 93% of Americans combined, a trajectory that is simply unsustainable. The choice remains what it was a century ago: some version of socialism as the foundation for a renewed democracy or continued barbarism as the price of refusing it. The question is no longer whether socialism can work in America, but whether American democracy can survive without it. Copyright 2025 Eric Ross Via Tomdispatch.com Greenfield, Mass. (Special to Informed Comment; Feature) This year 2025 is the 50th anniversary of the liberation of Vietnam from the American War. The war officially ended in 1973 but the remaining Americans fled South Vietnam in chaotic air and sea lifts two years later as North Vietnam forces invaded to unite their country. Vietnam then became the Socialist Republic of Vietnam with its capital in Hanoi while Saigon was renamed Ho Chi Minh City. The war left more than 3 million mostly Vietnamese civilians and 56,000 American military dead as well as the newly coined ecocide, named for the destruction of up to 40 percent of Vietnams forests, mangroves and farmlands by the herbicide Agent Orange. Seven US presidents sequentially punished this small, agrarian Asian country for fear of their choosing a socialist form of government; then for defeating the American military; and, later, out of spite for uniting as a socialist country President Eisenhower clairvoyantly warned of the U.S. falling under the control by the military industrial complexunwarranted influence wielded by a partnership between the military and a growing cohort of U.S. weapons contractorswhile he deceptively set the stage for the US war against Vietnam. He prevented elections in 1956 for a unified Vietnam because he knew the popular nationalist hero and socialist Ho Chi Minh would be elected president. His successor President Kennedy simultaneously delivered the most humanistic peace speech at American University in 1963 of any US president, sought peace with the Soviet Union, and also read with great admiration Rachel Carsons Silent Spring. Yet, he surreptitiously ordered the US spraying of Agent Orange in Vietnam in 1961 in US planes disguised with South Vietnam insignia so the U.S. would not be accused of chemical warfare. Presidents Johnson and Nixon sustained the genocide-like war on the Vietnamese and ecocide of their environment. One US general opined that Vietnam could not be defeated unless our government bombed it back to the Stone Age. Or by check: Juan Cole P. O. Box 4218, Ann Arbor, MI 48104-2548 USA (Remember, make the checks out to Juan Cole or they cant be cashed) When we lost the war with Vietnam, Nixon did agree to pay Vietnam $3.25 billion for reconstruction aid and $1.5 billion in commodities (together worth $35.25 billion today); however, he was impeached before this agreement was honored. His successors Presidents Ford and Carter, smarting from defeat by a poor, agrarian country, retaliated by refusing to pay the promised reconstruction aid. Congress then annulled the agreement with Vietnam. Under these and future presidents, our government set out to punish Vietnam by: vetoing Vietnams membership in UN, (until 1977 when the re-united Socialist Republic of Vietnam entered the UN); Vietnams membership in UN, (until 1977 when the re-united Socialist Republic of Vietnam entered the UN); maintaining an economic and trade embargo until 2000; until 2000; persuading European allies to do the same; and to do the same; and blocking international aid . File photo of Vietnam by Tran Phu on Unsplash This period of penalizing the country which defeated us is known as the Second American War in Vietnam. Americas sole reliance on military power; their ignorance of/disinterest in the history, culture and values of Vietnamese life; and their underestimate of the Vietnamese iron will for independence explains the US defeat. While the Vietnamese resistance used political and diplomatic strategies as well as military, the United States never assigned any experts to explore diplomacy to negotiate an end to the war. In its conceit, it refused offers for mediation from French President de Gaulle in 1963 and UN Secretary U Thant with de Gaulle in 1967. * * * In March of 2014, I traveled through Vietnam from Hanoi in the North to Da Nang in central Vietnam to Ho Chi Minh City in the South. The purpose of my journey was to investigate the plight of third- and fourth-generation Agent Orange-dioxin victims, the fate of dioxin-contaminated sites and the extent of ecological restoration needed. I visited models of community-based care for Agent Orange victims that rival our best ones for differently-abled children, staffed by people who spoke of the children as their family. I found that those working to rid Agent Orange from the Vietnam environment harbor no antipathy to American citizens, while they clamor for justice from the US government to pay for the health and environmental costs of ecocide. File photo of Trang An, Ninh Binh, Vietnamby Rowan Heuvel on Unsplash More than a dozen Peace Villages have been built for child victims. Here residents receive rehabilitative care and physical therapy, and those able to learn are prepared for higher education or taught vocational skills, such as sewing, flower-making, and fabricating incense sticks. Hundreds more Peace Villages are needed for the estimated tens of thousands of multigenerational victims. Never miss an issue of Informed Comment: Click here to subscribe to our email newsletter! Social media will pretend to let you subscribe but then use algorithms to suppress the postings and show you their ads instead. And please, if you see an essay you like, paste it into an email and share with friends. Like many US visitors to Vietnam before me, I found a people who are forward-looking and forgiving; a poor country climbing its way admirably out of poverty to lower-middle-income; and a country determined not to leave their victims of Agent Orange behind. Perhaps most telling of their spirit is the response of a Vietnamese veteran when asked by US veteran James Zumwalt why Vietnamese are not bitter toward Americans. We Vietnamese have small bodies, he replied. If we fill them with hate, there is no room for lovea well of wisdom from which we Americans could draw. Keiko Fujimori announced Thursday she will run for Peru's presidency next year, marking her fourth attempt to lead the country once helmed by her father, dictator Alberto Fujimori, from 1990 to 2000. The eldest daughter revealed her intentions to run as candidate for the conservative Popular Force at a party event. "I want to announce my decision to run for the presidency of the republic," the 50-year-old told hundreds of supporters wearing t-shirts with the slogan "Fujimori 2026," per TV reports. The move comes as Peruvians have mounted protests against rampant crime and years of political deadlock, under a system that has seen seven presidents come and go in a decade. "The goal is to lead and rescue Peru from violence. I believe we have the capacity to confront this urban terrorism," she said. "We must take to the streets with the armed forces." Fujimori is polling at seven percent, as is rival Mario Vizcarra. Both trail former Lima mayor Rafael Lopez Aliaga at nine percent, according to the latest Ipsos poll. Fujimori also ran in 2011, 2016 and 2021 -- losing in the second round every time. In her last attempt, she lost to leftist Pedro Castillo, a teacher-turned-activist. Parties must choose their candidates in primaries on November 30, and the election will be held April 12 next year. Fujimori made her political debut in 2006, when she was elected congresswoman for her father's party. Since then, she has become the face of Fujimorism in place of her father -- who was sentenced to 25 years in prison for crimes against humanity and corruption. He was imprisoned from 2009 to 2023, when he was released on a humanitarian pardon. Alberto Fujimori died in 2024 at age 86. cm/ljc/mvl/sla/mlm IPSOS Sudan's paramilitary Rapid Support Forces said they had arrested several fighters accused of committing abuses during the capture of the western city of El-Fasher, as a UN official warned the "horror is continuing" in both Darfur and neighbouring Kordofan. At war with the army since April 2023, the RSF seized El-Fasher on Sunday, dislodging the army's last stronghold in western Darfur after an 18-month siege marked by bombardment and starvation. It has faced widespread accusations of grave abuses after taking the city, with survivors who reached the nearby town of Tawila telling AFP of mass killings, children shot in front of their parents, and civilians beaten and robbed as they fled. In a statement late Thursday, the RSF said it had detained several fighters accused of "violations that occurred during the liberation" of El-Fasher, including one known as Abu Lulu who appeared in multiple videos on his TikTok committing summary executions. In one clip verified by AFP, he is seen shooting unarmed men at close range. Another shows him standing among armed men celebrating near dozens of bodies and burnt vehicles. The RSF released a video appearing to show Abu Lulu behind bars in what they claimed to be a North Darfur prison. The RSF also affirmed its adherence to "the law, rules of conduct and military discipline during wartime", saying that it had begun investigations to bring the fighters to justice. "Abu Lulu is arrested and will be brought to a fair trial according to the law," one RSF member says in the video. Since Sunday, videos circulating online have purportedly shown men in RSF uniforms carrying out summary executions around the city, which has been cut off from all communications since its fall. Emtithal Mahmoud, a US-based Sudanese poet from El-Fasher, told AFP she recognised her cousin, Nadifa, in a video shared by RSF accounts, lying dead on the ground. - 'Horror is continuing' - Sudanese analyst Kholood Khair said she was sceptical that the purported arrests would bring an end to the violence. "We expect these atrocities to continue, particularly against non-Arab groups," she told AFP, citing communities such as the Zaghawa, Fur, Berti and Masalit in Darfur. In 2023, the RSF -- descended from the Janjaweed Arab militias accused of mass atrocities in Darfur two decades ago -- was blamed for massacres against the Masalit tribe in West Darfur capital El-Geneina, killing up to 15,000 people. "Overall, these patterns reflect a disturbing repetition of ethnic tensions from 20 years ago, now compounded by disputes over resource control and political power in the country," Khair said. More than 36,000 people have fled El-Fasher since Sunday, according to the UN's migration agency, while the fate of about 177,000 civilians still trapped in the city remains unknown. The UN said Thursday that around 1,750 people had also fled the North Darfur town of Tina -- to the west of El-Fasher -- across the border into neighbouring Chad. UN humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher told the Security Council on Thursday there were "credible reports of widespread executions" after the RSF entered El-Fasher. "We cannot hear the screams, but... the horror is continuing," he said, describing rapes, mutilations and killings with impunity. Fletcher said the RSF claimed to be investigating, but questioned its commitment amid the "appalling news" from North Darfur. RSF leader Mohamed Hamdan Daglo had earlier vowed accountability for "anyone who has made a mistake". Satellite imagery analysed by Yale's Humanitarian Research Lab showed clusters in the city "consistent with adult human bodies", and discolouration that may indicate "pools of blood", its director told AFP. - Bloodshed in Kordofan - Fletcher warned that bloodshed in Sudan was spreading beyond Darfur, with atrocities reported in the neighbouring Kordofan region. According to UN figures, between Sunday and Wednesday more than 35,000 people fled five localities in North Kordofan state, including Bara, which lies north of state capital El-Obeid on a key route to Darfur and was overrun by paramilitaries on Saturday. Martha Pobee, the assistant UN secretary-general for Africa, highlighted "reports of large-scale atrocities perpetrated" by the RSF in Bara, including, "reprisals against so-called 'collaborators', which are often ethnically motivated". At least 50 civilians were killed there in recent days, both in fighting and executions, including five Red Crescent volunteers, according to the UN. Kordofan is "clearly going to be the next area of military escalation", analyst Khair said. On Thursday, the RSF accused the army of launching a drone attack on a school in eastern North Kordofan, claiming dozens of students and teachers were killed or injured -- an allegation the army denied. AFP could not independently verify the attack. Both the army and the RSF have faced war crimes accusations over the course of the conflict. The US has previously determined the RSF committed genocide in Darfur. El-Fasher's fall to the RSF gave it full control over all five state capitals in Darfur, effectively splitting Sudan along an east-west axis. The paramilitaries have also established a self-declared rival government in Darfur. The army holds Sudan's north, east and centre. Where we used to work, play, walk, or fish outdoors, its now unbearable in the middle of the day, said Onnie Emerenciana at the opening of this new climate trial against the Dutch state. The 63-year-old comes from the Caribbean island of Bonaire, a special municipality of the Netherlands. He told the judges how the climate on the island has changed in a generation; we feel it and see it. They [children] can no longer pick mangoes from the trees, now that they dont grow anymore. Playing outside has been replaced by staying indoors behind closed doors, air conditioners blaring for those who can afford it. Emerenciana is a farmer and says cultivating the land has been disrupted by severe droughts and floods. Speaking after him is Angelo Vrolijk, a 43-year-old employee at the judicial institution in Bonaire. Wearing a blue, white and yellow t-shirt with an artistic impression of the island flag, he said the Netherlands is their motherland and is experienced in protecting its European municipalities from water disasters. Why isnt that same protection applied to the Caribbean parts of our country? He demands the Dutch government develop an adequate plan so that we, our children, and future generations can continue to live on our island. In Papiamento, a creole language spoken in the Dutch Caribbean, he concluded, no ta pidi karidat. Nos ta eksigi hustisia. [We dont demand charity. We demand justice] Eight Bonaireans before the district court of the Hague On the 7 and 8 October, the district court of the Hague held hearings for this case brought by the NGO Greenpeace, representing 8 Bonaireans, including Emerenciana and Vrolijk, against the state for its alleged violations of the human rights of the people of Bonaire due to its failure to adequately act on climate change. This is the first case brought in Europe for adaptation, which refers to the actions taken to reduce vulnerability to the impacts of climate change. It is also one of the first climate cases after the July 2025 advisory opinion by the International Court of Justice (ICJ), and a similar position taken just before by the Inter-American Court of Human Rights. Lawyers are looking forward to how they will be interpreted. Around 100 people filled the courtroom, including state officials, journalists, climate activists and Bonaireans, dressed in traditional clothing, the women wearing traditional dresses for the harvest festival and colourful headscarves. Over the two days, they heard Greenpeace and state lawyers discussing whether the Netherlands is doing enough to reduce its emissions and to protect Bonaires residents from the effects of climate change. The plaintiffs demanded that the government reduce CO2 emissions to zero by 2040 and develop concrete adaptation plans. The state rejected the claims and said it is already taking action. Since October 10, 2010, the islands of Bonaire, St. Eustatius and Saba have become special municipalities of the Netherlands, part of a geographic region of the country located outside of Europe, the Caribbean Netherlands. In January 2024, after many months of dialogue with the government, Greenpeace Netherlands filed a lawsuit against the Dutch state. The organisation argued that the lack of an effective climate policy for the island violates the right to life, family life and prohibition of discrimination, contained in the European Convention on Human Rights, and the right to culture, in the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights. The hearings come 10 years after the Urgenda case, which led to a ruling that imposed on the government to cut its emissions. Since then, over 3,000 climate-related cases have been filed in 55 national jurisdictions, according to the UN Environment program figures. Heat stress and coral bleaching Although we are already late, we can still make a change. But we have to act now, says Vrolijk to Justice Info. He joined the case in 2023, to fight the injustice and the inequality that we people have faced. He is active in trade unions and was approached by the climate activists after a demonstration to obtain a better minimum wage for the residents of Bonaire, many of whom live in poverty and discrimination. Originally from Aruba, a neighbouring Dutch island, Vrolijk moved to Bonaire over a decade ago. In the summons by the legal firm representing Greenpeace, he explains that now when there is a storm, the roads that run along the sea, for example, sometimes flood completely. I am particularly concerned about the south side of the island: I am afraid that it will be flooded. He also feels the effect of the climate getting warmer and warmer. I feel short of breath. It also makes it harder for me to concentrate, which affects my work. According to a 2022 report by the Institute for Environmental Studies of the Free University of Amsterdam, significant climate change impacts are anticipated in Bonaire and some effects, such as heat stress and coral bleaching, have already occurred. While stating that more research is needed, the report explains how coastal inundation is predicted to damage the built environment, infrastructure and tangible cultural heritage, and may cause physical and mental health issues. The report concludes that climate change is not an issue of the distant future, but rather one that is already occurring. Many Bonaireans are descendants of enslaved and indigenous people. Its like history repeats itself, says Vrolijk. In a way, it feels like you are a second-class citizen. Supposedly, its the European Netherlands and the Caribbean Netherlands. So why are we being treated differently? We have equal rights. We are in court to be heard and for the people to know that we have the same rights as European Dutch citizens. Angelo Vrolijk travelled from Bonaire to The Hague for the trial. He emphasises that the Netherlands is also his homeland and that it has experience in protecting its cities from water-related disasters. Why is this same protection not applied to Caribbean regions? he asks. Photo: Margherita Capacci Mitigation, an obligation and a right After the Bonaireans testimonies, lawyers Michael Bacon and Emiel Jurjens demanded that, in order to do its fair share, the Netherlands reduce its emissions to net zero ten years ahead of the planned 2050 deadline. They referred to another report showing that the country can reach that target without damaging the economy or requiring adjustments to the standard of living of the population. They also demanded that the Netherlands reduce its greenhouse gas emissions to keep global warming within 1.5 degrees, a threshold reinforced by the ICJ advisory opinion. According to the lawyers, adaptation and mitigation are interconnected. Adaptation measures must be tailored to the expected rise in temperature, while sufficient mitigation [of the effects of climate change] can ensure their efficiency. They wrote in their plea note that while the severity of the climate crisis is only increasing and solutions are now required with the utmost urgency, the Dutch climate policy does not reflect this urgency. That is unacceptable. The lawyers argued that adequate climate policy is not a political choice but an obligation and a right and that the State cannot hide behind European Union climate policy, as it cannot replace binding national obligations for the Netherlands. On the contrary, state lawyers Edward Brans and Katrien Winterink told the judges that the court does not have the authority to impose a legislative order on climate policies. And that Dutch obligations in terms of climate change depend on European Union policies, such as the net-zero emissions by 2050 and the implementation of the Fit-for-55 package towards 2030: This is binding and nothing more, they underlined in their writing plea. Still no adaptation plan for Bonaire On day 2, the court heard the parties arguments on adaptation to climate change. According to the plaintiffs lawyers, the state has failed to take timely adaptation measures for Bonaire that meet the applicable legal standard. This is because there is still no adaptation plan. And the measures that the state has taken are still far from sufficient. The level of protection for the inhabitants of Bonaire is still much lower than the level of protection for the inhabitants of the European Netherlands. The plaintiffs lawyers demanded in their plea that an adequate adaptation plan be adopted by 1 April 2027 at the latest, or within a period to be determined by your Court. According to them, this plan must be based on scientific research, knowledge, and the ideas of the citizens of Bonaire, and must consider structural challenges on the island, such as poverty. Responding to the claim of discrimination, the state lawyers argued that there are indeed differences between Bonaire and the European municipalities, in their geography, climate and administration. Comparing them is inappropriate, according to Winterink. Also, according to the attorney, the Netherlands is already taking action to protect the island, with a revised national adaptation plan including the Caribbean expected next year. Winterink added that an adaptation plan is the responsibility of the local government. Adaptation is a major undertaking But for Greenpeace lawyers, the state is obliged to ensure that the human rights of all its inhabitants are protected in a practical and effective manner, and if the system in place do not deliver it, then the state must take action instead of hiding behind the system. Adaptation is a major undertaking, requiring, among other things, significant financial investment, which the local government does not have. According to the Netherlands lawyers, in 2050, only the low-lying southern part of the island will be flooded, which is uninhabited. The impacts of climate change on Bonaire also need further research to ensure that adaptation measures can be taken in accordance with the best available evidence, they also said in their plea note. There is no question that climate change has public health implications. As yet, there is little specific information on the possible development of climate-related health and disease risks in Bonaire." Greenpeace has not demonstrated, let alone proven, that there is a real and imminent risk to life, they concluded. Under the European Convention on Human Rights, the state must take measures if there are imminent threats to the life and well-being of its citizens. Novelty of the case As a first in Europe, this case will further inform the worldwide legal debate on the substance of legal obligations that rest on the state for adaptation, says Jurjens to Justice Info. While the focus was more on mitigation in the past, he says the debate over adaptation grows, because it is becoming clear that climate change is not stopping anytime soon. On Bonaire, the heat is so excruciating that it requires thinking about adaptation, and not in 10 or 20 years, but now. According to the Colombia Climate School database, two previous cases involving adaptation were brought, one before the UN Human Rights Committee by a group of eight Torres Strait Islanders from Australia and another one before the Lahore High Court by a Pakistans farmer challenging his government. This is also one of the first cases combining mitigation and adaptation, says Eefje de Kroon, lead campaigner for climate justice at Greenpeace Netherlands. Both are necessary for Bonaire. The result of this case will directly apply to Bonaires sister islands, Sint Eustatius and Saba, as they are under the same legal status, she explains. For the three countries within the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Aruba, Curacao and St. Martin, its a bit more complex than that, she says. The role of the Dutch government isnt as clear-cut in terms of human rights protection. But I do think that there is a strong argument to make that the Dutch government also has a responsibility towards the citizens in these countries within the framework of the kingdom, and this case will hopefully help to develop that further. Lawyers around the world will be watching this case, de Kroon believes. To her, the case will offer a blueprint on how to deal with the unequal treatment of different part of the population within a country. I think thats a colonial element here, but in general its discrimination. You can see in most countries that certain people are impacted harder than others by the climate crisis. A decision in the Bonaire case is expected on January 28th, 2026. Ukraine on Friday said it had handed over a captured Russian soldier to Lithuania, where he will be put on trial for alleged war crimes, an extradition it hailed as a "historic" first. "For the first time since the start of full-scale aggression, Ukraine has handed over a Russian serviceman to a foreign state, Lithuania, for real criminal prosecution for war crimes," Ukraine's prosecutor general Ruslan Kravchenko said on Telegram. Kyiv is determined to hold Russian military figures personally responsible for the 2022 invasion and is seeking international justice for numerous alleged atrocities committed by the Russian army. Officials said the extradited man -- a sailor who had served in the Russian military police -- was captured by the Ukrainian army in the Zaporizhzhia region near the southern village of Robotyne. He was "involved in the illegal detention, torture, and inhumane treatment of civilians and prisoners of war," Kravchenko said. One of his victims was a Lithuanian citizen, Kravchenko added. He said Vilnius was pressing war crimes charges against the man who could face life imprisonment in the Baltic state, a NATO and EU member and Ukraine's staunch ally. Kravchenko called the extradition "a historic and important precedent for the entire international justice system." "It is a clear signal to every war criminal: you will not be able to hide from justice in any country of the free world." The Lithuanian prosecutor general's office said in a statement that the country's law enforcement officers cooperated with Kyiv on the case. "It is suspected that together with other Russian soldiers, the suspect not only guarded the illegally detained civilians and prisoners of war, but also participated in their beating and torture," it said. It alleged the torture involved "imprisoning the victims in a metal safe, suffocating them until unconsciousness, hanging them with tied hands, pouring cold water on them in freezing weather, and traumatising with electric shocks." A court in Vilnius ruled to keep the man in jail for at least three months ahead of a trial, the prosecutor general's office said. Mozambiques government has made 5G coverage compulsory in all provincial capitals, while scrapping its earlier plan to auction spectrum licences to mobile operators. Instead, the country will adopt an administrative allocation model to accelerate 5G rollout, according to news agency Lusa. Government spokesperson Inocencio Impissa said the decision reflects changes in the national telecommunications market that have compromised the effectiveness of spectrum auctions as a means to deploy next-generation networks. Speaking after a cabinet meeting in Maputo, Impissa confirmed the repeal of a previous resolution authorising the auction of frequencies in the 700MHz, 2.6GHz, 3.5GHz and 26GHz bands. The new framework instead introduces coverage obligations - requiring operators to provide 5G in all provincial capitals and 4G across the country. This measure aims to accelerate access to 5G, ensure digital inclusion, and promote efficient spectrum use, Impissa said. He added that the government will closely monitor compliance, warning that penalties and licence revocations could follow in cases of non-compliance. The cabinet also approved a new telecommunications traffic control regulation, replacing a 2023 decree, to strengthen oversight of digital communications. The updated regulation introduces new mechanisms for monitoring telecom network traffic, covering all licensed operators and service providers. According to Lusa, Impissa said the amendment responds to the growing use of telecommunications in digital public services, including government and financial systems, which has led to a rise in cyberattacks, fraud, and digital crimes. He said the regulation is designed to enhance security across telecom networks, protect citizens and state institutions, and safeguard national sovereignty amid emerging risks from social media misuse and AI-driven cyber threats. There is a shortage of high-quality teaching in schools across the globe, but a new, innovative model is equipping teachers with the tools they need to prepare the next generation of minds. Huawei is working with education institutions to tackle inequality in the sector through the use of smart education solutions. These were recently unveiled at the companys Global Smart Education Showcase, where the Chinese technology giant demonstrated its pilot project with Shenzhen Welkin School to over 100 education leaders from around the world. Huawei and Shenzhen Welkin School have co-developed a centralised teaching model that allows schools to share teaching resources and instructional material. The ambition is simple but far-reaching: equal access to high-quality educational resources and enhance overall quality of education. An uneven educational landscape The need for such initiatives is urgent. According to UNESCO, there is a global shortage of qualified teachers and high-quality education. A 2024 report from the organisation highlights an urgent need for 44 million more primary and secondary teachers worldwide by 2030. Sub-Saharan Africa faces the steepest challenge, with a requirement for 15 million teachers in the next five years alone. It is clear the shortage of teachers will reach a critical point as population numbers swell globally. Huawei and Shenzhen Welkin Schools cloud-based teaching model is aimed at tackling this, as well as other shortfalls such as uneven distribution of high quality educaitonal resources and lack of interactivity in a traditional classroom. This is the context in which Huawei and Shenzhen Welkin Schools partnership becomes significant. Their joint project aims to demonstrate how digital technology can mitigate educational inequalities in Shenzhen and potentially act as a blueprint for other regions. Case study: Shenzhen Welkin School Shenzhen Welkin School operates 26 schools across 11 districts, positioning it as a flagship institution for national pilot programmes in basic education reform. It is also a national-level hub for smart teaching innovation and a demonstration zone for Chinas broader smart education ambitions. Welkin was the first institution to adopt Huawei's smart education solution. The set-up includes interactive whiteboards, cross-district communication and high-speed Wi-Fi 7, enabling the school to implement its much-praised 1+N teaching model. The 1+N model Principal Gong Weidong describes the model as One City, Two Companions, Three Collaborative Activities, representing a fundamental rethink of how education is organised and delivered. One City: a unified strategy across Shenzhen to share resources and standardise quality. Two Companions: - Inter-school companions students and teachers can collaborate across institutions, breaking down barriers between schools. - Intelligent learning companions AI-powered and digital tools that support students day-to-day learning. Three Collaborative Activities: - Collaborative lesson preparation among teachers. - Joint pedagogical research. - Shared teaching across campuses. In practice, the model means students are grouped across 80 classrooms that connect live to a central headquarters where lead teachers deliver lessons via a 4K video feed. Partner schools receive these lessons in real time, with assistant teachers on site to support students, answer questions, and provide the human touch where needed. This approach gives every student access to top-tier teaching, Gong explained, while also allowing our staff to make breakthroughs in teaching and research. Assistant teachers also gain invaluable classroom experience, accelerating their professional development. According to Gong, the model enhances the teaching skills of assistant teachers while delivering finely-designed classes for every student in Shenzhen Welkin School. These innovations ensure the seamless flow and integration of high-quality resources, turning the vision of educational equality and development into reality. Recognition has already come from both the Chinese government and the wider global education community. Global recognition The projects success has not gone unnoticed. Shenzhen Welkin School was awarded the UNESCO Global Smart Education Innovation Award in 2024, affirming the value of its practices on the international stage. At Huawei Connect 2025 in Shanghai, the vendor showcased how its Smart Education Campus Solution is transforming education across four dimensions: robust campus networks that deliver high-speed connectivity to every classrooms; intelligent collaboration tools for teachers and students to co-create and interact; Intelligent network operations and maintenance (O&M); and wide backbone networks that make cross-district lessons sharing and joint teaching possible. Technology backbone Welkins headquarters is powered by the Huawei Education Campus Network which links it to partner schools through the Huawei Xinghe AI education metro network, providing 4K definition feeds between classrooms. Boundaries are also shifting for teachers. Huaweis cloud-based, low-latency and high-bandwidth network - enables teachers to share teaching resources, co-develop lessons, conduct joint, as well as remotely teach students. Such powerful infrastructure ensures smooth and stable live-streamed classes for thousands of students, and collaborative work between teachers, simultaneously. Lead teachers deliver lessons using the Huawei IdeaHub - a 4K blue light-blocking smart screen - instead of the traditional whiteboard or chalkboard. Key points can be marked in real time while assistant teachers in satellite schools receive the updated content instantly. Students are also active participants. They can join online debates, collaborate on virtual geometry models, and share work interactively breaking down the traditional boundaries of the classroom. To maintain this level of service, Huawei has deployed its iMaster NCE network management system, which visualises campus network status, provides real-time fault detection, and enables automatic optimisation. Problems that might otherwise disrupt a class can be resolved in minutes, often by one person who can manage a campus of 1,000 people. With a strong network foundation, intelligent collaboration tools, and intelligent O&M, Huawei lays a solid technical foundation for the cloud model to thrive, Gong said. The showcase at Huawei Connect signals a transition for smart education not simply a products showcase, but about proving technology that can tangibly improve access, equity, and teaching quality. Comparing with European initiatives While China is scaling up smart education at pace through projects like Shenzhen Welkin School, similar efforts are under way in Europe though often on a smaller scale and with different priorities. One example is Italys Piccole Scuole (Small Schools) initiative, coordinated by the Indire research institute. Like Welkins 1+N model, it seeks to overcome inequalities in access to quality teaching, particularly in remote and rural areas. Small schools are digitally connected to share teachers, co-develop lessons, and provide students with access to specialist subjects they would otherwise miss. However, the focus in Italy is less on high-capacity infrastructure and more on fostering community participation and preserving local culture. The European Commissions broader Digital Education Action Plan emphasises inclusion and teacher digital skills, but it does not yet match the level of technical centralisation seen in Shenzhen. Instead, the EU prioritises interoperability and safeguarding student data across multiple vendors. In comparison, Huawei and Shenzhen Welkin Schools model is notable for placing network infrastructure at the centre of education reform. The metropolitan area network connects districts across the city with low-latency optical fibre, while the campus network beams 10Gbps connectivity straight into classrooms. This delivers use cases and tools such as 4K remote teaching, cross campus collaboration and instant content sharing. Such a scale has yet to be seen in other parts of the globe. Challenges to overcome But there are challenges for this model. A particular hurdle is the overreliance on a stable connectivity to ensure people are able to learn uninterrupted in case of a connection outage, be it from network issues or outlandish weather. There is also the digital divide between urban and rural locations, with people living in more remote locations that lack the necessary and expensive infrastructure to gain meaningful educations, particularly compared to the recent hyper development of Shenzhen from a mere fishing village in the 1980s to a booming metropolis. Teachers will also have to be trained to become more technologically literate to fully augment the new tools at their disposal to deliver the full potential of their teachings. The challenges have been acknowledged and are currently being tackled. Welkin runs a teacher exchange programme to train those located in rural areas to provide that human touch which is still valued as well as remote training. On the network issue, Huawei maintains a high standard in terms of network resilience and its project with Welkin is fundamentally network focused, hence any form of downtime is rare and easily fixed. The implications stretch beyond China. If scalable, models like Welkins could inspire other regions struggling with teacher shortages and resource inequalities from rural schools in Asia to overburdened classrooms in Sub-Saharan Africa - and potentially make a lasting systemic difference. --- UNESCO. (2024). Global report on teachers: What you need to know. [Online]. unesco.org. Last Updated: 20 February 2024. Available at: https://www.unesco.org/en/articles/global-report-teachers-what-you-need-know [Accessed 29 October 2025]. Kennesaw State assistant professor, lab open doors to hands-on innovation in chemistry KENNESAW, Ga. | Oct 31, 2025 Madalynn Marshall Kennesaw State University assistant professor Madalynn Marshall considers herself lucky to have found a drive and curiosity for solid-state chemistry early in her college career. All it took was a renowned and enthusiastic professor and continued mentorship from the scientists she met along the way. During my undergraduate years at Iowa State, I was able to gain some research experience with Dr. Gordon Miller, a leader in solid-state chemistry, Marshall said. Solid-state has its own unique corner in chemistry, the idea of exploring magnetism in rare earths and transition metals was an exciting opportunity as an undergraduate. Later, during my Ph.D., I realized how incredible these materials are and how fortunate I am to work alongside so many amazing researchers. Galvanized by her own experience, Marshall is now paying it forward to KSU students. She joined KSUs College of Science and Mathematics in 2023 and quickly created an active solid-state chemistry laboratory for both undergraduate and graduate researchers in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. Marshall conducts research in materials with applications in energy storage and generation using magnetic means, a niche at the intersection of chemistry, physics, and materials science with some engineering thrown in for good measure. Issues with energy demand, consumption, supply, and storage make this research critical on a world scale. While she didnt see the future demand for this expertise coming during her undergraduate years at Iowa State University, she channeled the enthusiasm for the topic into her own professional life. Now Marshall passes her passion on to undergraduates and graduate students of all levels in her lab and in the classroom. Her teaching load ranges from introductory chemistry to inorganic chemistry for upperclassmen, in addition to advising three students in the Master of Science in Chemical Science program. Her lab emphasizes hands-on research, and she encourages students to have fun along the way. The techniques students get to do in the lab are pretty unique and can be a lot of fun, she said. They get to use a torch, trim saws, heat things up to high temperatures and with luck grow beautiful crystals. The students are always challenging me to find new ways to reach them and connect the science they learn with their experiences in the lab. Marshall has had plenty of opportunities recently to present her expertise. Over the summer, Marshall presented at two meetings at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory the Quantum Materials Young Investigator Workshop and an invited talk the Joint Nanoscience and Neutron Scattering User Meeting where she served a postdoctoral term in 2022-23 before arriving at KSU. In addition to these presentations, highlighting a study on superconductors and energy storage shes conducting with KSU associate professor of physics Chetan Dhital received a three-year grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to investigate magnetic topological materials. In April, mentee Rupali Mangotra won the top prize for graduate student presentations at KSUs Symposium of Student Scholars before heading to Florida State University to pursue her doctorate in chemistry. Dr. Marshall is a rising star in materials chemistry, said Kai Shen, professor and Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry chair. Her growing portfolio not only elevates KSUs profile in quantum materialsit opens hands-on opportunities for students and catalyzes partnerships with national labs and industry eager to usher in the next era of energy. Now serving as a mentor herself, Marshall takes the lessons of her development as a scientist and passes them along while furthering knowledge in a field of true innovation. I wouldn't have gotten where I am today without the support that I've had from the mentors throughout my career, she said. I am very thankful as well for the support that I have here at KSU, and now that I have become a professor, I am grateful to give back the same guidance and encouragement to students that I have received over the years. Story by Dave Shelles Photos by Darnell Wilburn Jr. Related Stories A leader in innovative teaching and learning, Kennesaw State University offers undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral degrees to its more than 51,000 students. Kennesaw State is a member of the University System of Georgia with 11 academic colleges. The university's vibrant campus culture, diverse population, strong global ties, and entrepreneurial spirit draw students from throughout the country and the world. Kennesaw State is a Carnegie-designated doctoral research institution (R2), placing it among an elite group of only 8 percent of U.S. colleges and universities with an R1 or R2 status. For more information, visit kennesaw.edu. Thursday, October 30, 2025 - A shocking story has emerged of a young Kenyan woman who has reportedly been luring unsuspecting men using her charm and beauty before drugging and robbing them of their valuables. According to one of her alleged victims, the woman first poses as a humble job seeker, often claiming to be in need of casual domestic work such as cleaning or laundry. She wins the trust of her targets with her soft-spoken nature and innocent looks. However, once invited into the house, she allegedly spikes food or drinks and waits for her victims to lose consciousness. She then disappears with cash, phones, laptops, and any other valuables she can find. It is believed that the woman is part of a well-coordinated syndicate working with male accomplices who help her dispose of the stolen items or provide logistical support. In some cases, she reportedly reverses the trick by inviting her targets to her own house, only for her gang members to ambush and rob them. Below are some of the photos circulating online of the alleged suspect. The Kenyan DAILY POST Thursday, October 30, 2025 - A woman reportedly abandoned her 2-year-old daughter at a local salon in Kiboswa, Kisumu West, and never returned to pick her up. According to witnesses, the woman arrived at the salon carrying the little girl and claimed she was her daughter. After requesting the salon attendants to watch over the child for a few minutes as she stepped out to run an errand, she disappeared, leaving the toddler behind. Hours later, when it became evident that the woman was not coming back, concerned residents reported the matter to Dago Police Station. The child was later processed and taken to a childrens rescue center, where she is now safe and being cared for. Police have since launched investigations into the incident and are appealing to members of the public for assistance in identifying the girl or locating her family. Social media users have joined the appeal, sharing the childs photos widely with hopes of reuniting her with her family. The motive behind the womans actions remains unclear The Kenyan DAILY POST Indonesian data centre firm NeutraDC Nxera Batam announced on Thursday it has topped off its new hyperscale data centre in the Kabil industrial estate in Batam, and has also secured Tier III design certification from the Uptime Institute. NeutraDC (the data centre unit of state-owned telco Telkom Indonesia), Nxtera owner SingTel and Medco Power Indonesia are investing a total Rp1.4 trillion (US$85 million) over the next five years to build the facility, which began construction in June 2024. The facilty will have an initial capacity of 18 MW at launch, and will be expanded gradually up to 54 MW. NeutraDC Nxera Batam said the data centre is designed to be an AI-ready campus, providing a foundation to support development of AI, cloud and edge computing technology in Indonesia. The company also announced it has signed a master service agreement (MSA) with seven ISP and telecoms partners to occupy the new facility: Permana Net, Super Sistem Group, LitUp Network Indonesia, Iforte, Telin, Matrix Nap Info and Moratelindo. Earlier this month, according to Data Centre Dynamics, Indonesian power company PLN Batam signed an electrical purchase agreement with NeutraDC to supply 90MVA of medium-voltage electricity to the Batam data centre between 2025 and 2028. Dian Siswarini, president director of Telkom Indonesia, said the new data centre in Batam will be an important backbone for transforming Indonesias digital economy. We are committed to continue to develop data centre infrastructure and expand Telkom Group's regional presence to be able to strengthen Indonesia's position on the map of Southeast Asia's digital economy, she said at the topping off ceremony. Thursday, October 30, 2025 - Charlene Ruto, daughter of President William Ruto, has once again found herself in the public spotlight, this time for her grand entrance at the home of former Prime Minister Raila Odinga in Bondo, where she had gone to console Mama Ida Odinga. What was intended as a condolence visit quickly turned into a spectacle as Charlene arrived in a convoy of fuel-guzzling SUVs that left locals stunned. Leading the entourage was the latest 2025 Lexus LX 600, a vehicle that reportedly costs over KSh 35 million, a figure that many Kenyans found hard to digest amid the countrys biting economic realities. Images and videos of the lavish convoy quickly spread online, sparking a heated debate. Critics accused Charlene of flaunting wealth and privilege, questioning the source of the opulence and whether public resources were being misused for personal display. Some Kenyans were quick to draw comparisons with Ngina Kenyatta, daughter of former President Uhuru Kenyatta, who managed to maintain a notably low public profile during her fathers tenure. Others saw Charlenes grand display as tone-deaf and ill-timed, arguing that such extravagance only widens the gulf between the ruling elite and ordinary citizens struggling to make ends meet. While Charlene has styled herself as a youth advocate and philanthropist, critics suggest that her recent public appearances paint a contrasting picture. Watch the video So this is Charlene Ruto's convoy in Bondo, Where she went to pay tribute to the late Raila Odinga. They say she's riding in the latest Lexus LX 600, The 2025 model that goes for over 35 million KSH! Just look at that whole fleet of cars. I swear, I belong to WANTAM day pic.twitter.com/j1RWSUn4uU DP (@DanChepta) October 28, 2025 The Kenyan DAILY POST Thursday, October 30, 2025 - A police witness has told the court that controversial preacher pastor, Paul Mackenzie, secretly ate in police custody while his followers continued fasting, believing it would help them evade criminal charges. Testifying before Principal Magistrate Leah Juma, Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Noor Abdi, the former Officer Commanding Malindi Police Station, narrated that Mackenzie and several co-accused were detained at the station between June 6th and June 14th, 2023. During this period, 15 of the suspects reportedly refused to eat for eight consecutive days, insisting that they were fasting for divine intervention in their legal troubles. Your honour, we separated Mackenzie from the rest of the suspects, and our informer reported that Mackenzie ate while in the cell but did it secretly, so that his followers would not notice, Abdi testified. He added that the suspects became extremely weak during the hunger strike and declined medical assistance when taken to the hospital, insisting that their fasting was spiritual. The officer also produced several communication signals sent to senior police commanders reporting the mass refusal of food by the detained Shakahola cult followers. In addition to Abdis testimony, the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) presented Alex Tsofia, an excavator operator hired to construct a dam in Shakahola, Kilifi County. Tsofia told the court that he had been contracted by Mackenzie and worked at the site for two weeks. Prosecution also called Engineer Fredrick Ako from the National Water Harvesting and Storage Authority,who assessed the dams capacity and purpose. His report described the structure not as an irrigation dam, but as a water harvesting pan with a storage capacity of 18,851.6 cubic metres, enough to supply water to 218 households, or approximately 1,090 people, throughout the year. A subsequent inspection by the National Water Authority confirmed that there was no evidence of irrigation or livestock use, indicating that the excavation was solely a water catchment project. The report, however, estimated that the dam could supply up to 16,498 people for three months depending on the amount of rainfall and consumption levels. The prosecution also produced a poignant testimony from Mr. Stephen Mwiti, whose personal life was shattered after his wife became a follower of Mackenzie. Mwiti recounted how his wifes obsession with the pastors sermons strained their marriage. I sometimes walked around with the TV remote in my pocket to stop her from watching Mackenzies preaching, but it didnt help, he told the court. He said his wife eventually fled their home with their five children while pregnant with their sixth, joining the Shakahola community. When I heard some people had been rescued from Shakahola, I prayed I would reunite with my family. But I was devastated when I learned that my wife and all six children, including a one-month-old baby, had disappeared, Mwiti said emotionally. A DNA test later confirmed that one of the rescued children was his. When questioned by Mackenzies lawyer on whether he would consider reconciling with his wife, Mwiti said that he had left the matter to the court and only sought justice. Pastor Mackenzie and 92 co-accused are facing multiple charges at the Shanzu Law Courts under the Prevention of Terrorism Act and the Prevention of Organised Crime Act. The case, which has gripped national attention, continues to expose harrowing details about the alleged cult activities in Shakahola, where hundreds of followers are believed to have died through starvation and indoctrination. Thursday, October 30, 2025 - Renowned social media personality, Wanja Nyarari, has sounded the alarm over a disturbing case involving the kidnapping of a 14-year-old girl who was allegedly lured to a popular restaurant in Kilimani before being abducted and taken to the upscale neighborhoods of Kileleshwa and Kilimani for questionable activities. According to reports shared online, the incident occurred on October 17th after the young girl, a student from Kangemi, was befriended by a boda boda rider who gained her trust by offering free rides to and from school. Over time, the girl reportedly grew comfortable with the man, unaware of his sinister intentions. On the day of the incident, the suspect allegedly convinced the girl to accompany him to Alfajiri Restaurant, a well-known hangout spot in Kilimani. Upon arrival, she was reportedly kidnapped and taken to an undisclosed location within the leafy suburbs, where it is feared she was subjected to exploitation. The family of the missing girl has been in agony since the abduction, revealing that she was scheduled to travel upcountry after schools closed but never made it home. The suspect is believed to be part of a criminal ring that supplies school girls to clients in Kilimani and Kileleshwa. Kenneth Fox A migrant chef from China has been awarded 154,828 from the Workplace Relations Commission for various serious employment rights breaches between 2022 and 2024 with Ming Gao (later Eskimo Gao Ming Limited) in Ballyjamesduff, Cavan. The WRC found he was paid below the minimum wage, with a total underpayment of 65,505. They found he was subject to excessive working hours, which exceeded the legal maximum of 48 hours per week. He worked 6-7 days a week, averaging 63-73 hours per week. a He worked 105 Sundays without proper compensation. No annual leave or public holiday pay. He did not receive mandated rest breaks or weekly rest periods The WRC said he was subjected to very serious racial discrimination and exploitation, specifically linked to the workers vulnerability due to the restrictive nature of his employment permit and a lack of information on his rights. Xiaofeng Gao came to Ireland on an employment permit in July 2022. The employer extracted 30,000 from the worker throughout his employment as a charge for providing this employment permit. This is a breach of the Employment Permit Act. Mr Gao was especially vulnerable. As the holder of an employment permit, he was not permitted to change employers. He was completely dependent on his employer for his accommodation, immigration status, and livelihood in Ireland. He had little to no English and no connections in Ireland. The employer also confiscated his passport. He was not in a realistic position to come forward to lodge his complaints sooner. Only when Xiaofeng obtained external assistance to be able to leave his employment, accommodation, and secure his future immigration status separately from this employer, was it possible for him to come forward and lodge his complaints, which he did within one month of leaving. Speaking about the case, Sylwia Nowakowska, workplace rights coordinator with the Migrant Rights Centre Ireland, said, More must be done to protect workers in the employment permit system from this type of abuse. "Workers need to be more clearly and proactively communicated with in their own language about their labour rights and about the permit system. "Currently, permit holders' ability to change jobs is severely restricted for 5 full years. MRCI is calling for that to be reduced to 2 years. This would enable workers to better stand up for themselves at work and to leave exploitative employment like this much more easily if they need to. Finally, we would like to see much more substantial deterrents for employers who severely exploit their workers, including criminal charges and a ban from applying for future permits. Reliance Industries announced on Thursday that its AI arm Reliance Intelligence has struck a partnership with Google Cloud that will, among other things, give Reliance Jio users 18 months of free access to Googles AI Pro plan and expand access to Google Clouds AI hardware accelerators in India. Under the partnership deal, Google and Reliance Intelligence, will begin rolling out Googles AI Pro plan with the latest version of Google Gemini to eligible Jio users free of charge for 18 months. The offer which Reliance says is worth INR35,100 (around US$395) includes higher access to Googles Gemini 2.5 Pro model in the Gemini app, higher limits to generate images and videos with its Nano Banana and Veo 3.1 models, expanded access to Notebook LM for study and research and 2 TB of cloud storage. Jio will initially target 18- to-25-year-old users on unlimited 5G plans, and will expand it to all Jio customers nationwide in the shortest time possible. The partnership also includes a deal between Reliance and Google Cloud to broaden access to its tensor processing units (TPUs), Googles custom-designed AI accelerators optimized for training and inference of AI models. Reliance said this will enable more organizations to train and deploy larger, more complex AI models, as well as deliver faster inferencing to help execute highly demanding projects and accelerate AI adoption across the broader India AI ecosystem. Reliance Intelligence will also serve as a strategic go-to-market partner for Google Cloud, driving the adoption of Gemini Enterprise Googles unified agentic AI platform across Indian organizations. Reliance Intelligence will also develop and offer its own pre-built enterprise AI agents in Gemini Enterprise, expanding the available choice of both Google-built and third-party agents to users. The Google Cloud partnership deal comes almost two months after Reliance announced a joint venture with Meta to build agentic AI enterprise platforms and tools for businesses in India and select international markets. Reliance Industries chairman Mukesh D. Ambani said the partnership with Google Cloud will democratise AI access and strengthen the digital foundation for Indias AI-driven future. Through our collaboration with strategic and long-term partners like Google, we aim to make India not just AI-enabled but AI-empowered - where every citizen and enterprise can harness intelligent tools to create, innovate and grow, Ambani said in a statement. Todays announcement will put Googles cutting-edge AI tools in the hands of consumers, businesses, and Indias vibrant developer community, added Sundar Pichai, CEO of Google and Alphabet. A locum GP who practised in Kildare without professional indemnity insurance and failed to notify an employer of conditions imposed on him by the High Court has been found guilty of professional misconduct. A fitness-to-practise inquiry of the Medical Council found three allegations of professional misconduct proven against Dr Eltayeb Elkhabir a native of Sudan who has been registered to practise in Ireland since 2004 in relation to periods he was working as a locum in Dublin and Kildare. The chairperson of the inquiry, Marie Culliton, said the doctors actions were disgraceful and dishonourable and findings of professional misconduct were deserving of the strongest criticism. Ms Culliton noted that the failure to have professional insurance indemnity also represented a breach of Section 38 of the Medical Practitioners Act 2007. Dr Elkhabir admitted that he had worked at the MyDocs surgery in Newbridge and/or Naas, Co Kildare for 11 days in December 2022 without professional indemnity insurance. Dr Elkhabir had also admitted that prior to commencing work as a locum with Medixclinic, Beacon Court, Sandyford, Co Dublin and while working there between December 19, 2022 and January, 6, 2023, he failed to notify his employer about conditions attached to his registration by a High Court order from November 2013. The married father of four, who qualified as a doctor in 1996, also accepted he had worked at Medixclinic at a time when he did not have any or appropriate professional indemnity cover in place. However, he disputed the Medical Councils claims that his actions amounted to professional misconduct. Ms Culliton said the findings of the fitness-to-practise committee were based on Dr Elkhabirs own admissions and other evidence including an e-mail dated 16 March 2023 which indicated the GP had been trying to source private medical indemnity cover for himself since February 2022 without success. She observed that the e-mail was proof of Dr Elkhabirs awareness of the need to have insurance cover in place to practise medicine. Ms Culliton pointed out that the e-mail contradicted the GPs own evidence that he had assumed that practices where he obtained locum employment would have had insurance that covered him to work for them. She noted that professional indemnity cover was a mandatory requirement for the protection of the public to ensure compensation was available for any patient harmed or injured as a result of negligence by a doctor. Ms Culliton said professional misconduct is conduct which is outrageous, disgraceful or immoral in character and which could lead to a decline of the standing of the profession and the loss of public confidence in doctors. She said the condition imposed by the High Court which required him to notify any employer of the fact that there were conditions attached to his registration was straightforward. The fitness-to-practise committees recommendation on the appropriate sanction to be imposed on Dr Elkhabir was not disclosed as it had to be determined by the Medical Council. The obligation on Dr Elkhabir to inform employers of conditions attached to his registration followed an order of the High Court made on November 27, 2013. It arose after Dr Elkhabir had been found guilty of professional misconduct by a separate Medical Council fitness-to-practise inquiry in 2012 for making inappropriate comments to a patient and failing to attend to another patient within an adequate time frame. The finding was subsequently set aside on agreement between the parties after Dr Elkhabir sought to appeal the decision. Instead, he agreed to be censured and having conditions attached to his registration. Dr Elkhabir had also been sanctioned by the Medical Council in 2008 over an incident at St Columcilles Hospital, Loughlinstown, Co Dublin in which he told a patient with epilepsy that the condition could be caused by sexual activity and could be seen as a sign of the devil in you. Counsel for the Medical Council, Eoghan OSullivan BL, also outlined at the latest inquiry how Dr Elkhabir had also faced another disciplinary process in 2014 regarding inappropriate comments to a patient. The GPs name went off the regulatory bodys register in 2016 but was restored in 2021 subject to the conditions of the High Court order from 2013. Alison O'Riordan Double murder accused Ruth Lawrence was extradited from South Africa to face trial nearly a decade after the bodies of a drug dealer and his friend were found on a lake island in the midlands, the Central Criminal Court has heard. The 12 jurors were also told on Friday that the accused's boyfriend, South African national Neville van der Westhuizen, is currently serving a 15-year sentence in Westville Prison in Durban, having been convicted in 2020 on six counts of kidnapping, attempted murder and murder. An application to extradite Mr van der Westhuizen to Ireland to face trial will take place when he has finished serving his sentence in South Africa. Ruth Lawrence (46), 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. Detective Garda Raymond Flynn from Kells Garda Station today told Michael O'Higgins SC, alongside Jane Horgan-Jones BL, prosecuting, that he met with the Garda Extradition Unit at Dublin Airport on May 25, 2023, at 5.15pm as they had Ms Lawrence in custody. The witness said Ms Lawrence had just disembarked a flight from South Africa, and he informed the accused he was arresting her for the purpose of charge. Ms Lawrence, he said, was conveyed to Trim Garda Station where she was charged with the murders of Mr Keegan and Mr O'Connor. The accused made no reply when each charge was put to her. Detective Sergeant Kevin O'Brien told Mr O'Higgins that he was transferred to Kells Garda Station in May 2023, where he joined the team investigating the murders of the two men. The Det Sgt said he learned that two witnesses - father and daughter Jason and Stacey Symes - had come forward to An Garda Siochana in 2014 and given voluntary statements about the alleged involvement of Ms Lawrence and her boyfriend Mr van der Westhuizen in the murders of the two men. Det Sgt O'Brien said directions were issued from the office of the Director of Public Prosecutions on October 14th, 2016 that Ms Lawrence and Mr van der Westhuizen were both to be charged with two counts of murder of Mr O'Connor and Mr Keegan. The Det Sgt said he was made aware that the couple had left the jurisdiction on the Rosslare/Pembroke ferry sailing after the men's murders and then onto South Africa. The witness said Ireland issued an arrest warrant for Mr van der Westhuizen in October 2016, which led to him being arrested in Pretoria in South Africa in 2021. Mr van der Westhuizen, he continued, was brought before a magistrate in Durban on November 18th, 2022 to hold an enquiry with a view to surrendering him pursuant to the Irish arrest warrant. Mr O'Higgins said a judgment from the case stated that Mr van der Westhuizen is a South African citizen, who is currently serving a 15-year sentence in South Africa, having been convicted in 2020 on six counts of kidnapping, attempted murder and murder. He said the final order states that Mr van der Westhuizen is to await the Minister of Justice's decision to extradite him to Ireland. In September 2024, counsel said, a senior state advocate gave information that Mr van der Westhuizen is currently serving a sentence in Westville Prison in Durban and he may become eligible for parole in 2027. The lawyer said the application to extradite Mr van der Westhuizen to Ireland is adjourned until his sentence in South Africa is complete, which might be in 2035, and if he is given parole in the meantime, then the extradition case may become live again. Det Sgt O'Brien said an arrest warrant from Ireland was issued for Ms Lawrence in 2016. Under cross-examination, Det Sgt O'Brien told Patrick Gageby SC, defending, that three or four teenagers had entered a tattoo parlour in South Africa in February 2017, where Mr van der Westhuizen had been working. One of the youths had tried to take a mobile phone and was followed by several men, including Mr van der Westhuizen. The youths were assaulted, poison was administered and they were locked into a room for the night. The following day, one of the youths died, said the witness. The four men were charged with kidnapping, attempted murder and murder. Superintendent Mick Dorrigan told Mr Gageby that Ms Lawrence has no previous convictions in either this jurisdiction or in South Africa. 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 said the evidence will be that Mr O'Connor sold drugs to Neville van der Westhuizen, who owed the deceased man in the region of 70,000. 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 on Lough Sheelin. KILDARE South TD Shonagh Ni Raghallaigh has criticised the government for not doing enough to provide for the right of every child in this state to receive an education through the medium of Irish. She made her comments following an Oireachtas Irish language committee meeting during which officials from government departments with a remit over education were questioned about actions being taken to ensure an adequate supply of workers with proficiency in the Irish language, as new legislation will require 20% of recruits in the civil service be able to provide service through Irish by 2030. We need a step change from government if were to see the 20% target being met. Its ambitious but doable, if the political will is there, said deputy Ni Raghallaigh, herself a proud Gaeilgeoir. Sadly, to date, Fianna Fail and Fine Gael have shown no vision or ambition whatsoever to promote and preserve ar gcultur Gaelach. The most recent demonstration of this utter disrespect is both parties decision to run candidates for the presidency who cant even hold a basic conversation in our first national language. The best thing we can do to ensure we meet this legally binding target is to invest in Irish-medium education as a matter of urgency. The Sinn Fein deputy pointed out that the number of young people studying through Irish has actually dropped in recent years, with a mere 6% of pupils enrolled in education through Irish at primary and post-primary levels. There are currently ten counties without a Gaelcholaiste, meaning that every year hundreds of budding Gaeilgoiri who wish to continue their education through Irish are being forced by the government to switch to English. In these cases, government is shamefully denying young people their language rights. Theres lots that could be done to fix this, and we need not look further afield than to our neighbours in Wales who have set down an ambitious target to have 40% studying through Welsh and are well on their way to meeting that target. We need to see big, bold steps commensurate with the hunger thats out there. The fervour among young people for the language is evidenced by the groundswell of support received by the Catherine Connolly campaign. The demand for Gaeloideachasis clearly there in communities. In Kildare South, one of the two naionras[nurseries] is in danger of closing due to lack of government support, despite being oversubscribed. A gaelscoil in Kildare town has twice as many children on a waiting list for junior infants as there are places. Vaping is about to get a lot more expensive across Ireland, with a new tax on e-liquid products officially taking effect from tomorrow, November 1. The E-liquid Products Tax will add 50 cent per millilitre to all vape liquids sold in the country, whether they contain nicotine or not. It means a standard 2ml disposable vape will now cost more than 9, while a typical 10ml refill bottle will jump from around 6 to over 12 once VAT is included. Finance Minister Paschal Donohoe, who signed the order to introduce the new excise duty in September, said the measure forms part of a wider Government effort to protect public health and reduce vaping among young people. READ MORE | Search for man (51) missing from home for over three weeks stood down amid garda update "I am pleased to announce the commencement of the E-liquid Products Tax, which will take effect from 1 November 2025," said Minister Donohoe. "This measure will help to address the public health concerns created by the rising prevalence of vapes and related products on the Irish market and their increasing usage amongst young people. It also supports Ireland's broader public health strategy." The tax applies to both disposable vapes and reusable refills, with suppliers required to register with Revenue before making their first supply in the State. Suppliers will also be responsible for paying and accounting for the tax. READ MORE | Irish mother-of-four dies after cosmetic surgery trip to Turkey The Department of Finance has described the new charge as a necessary step in curbing the use of e-cigarettes among teenagers and young adults, many of whom have turned to vaping despite never having smoked traditional cigarettes. Health Minister Jennifer Carroll MacNeill said the new measure is aimed squarely at protecting young people from harm. We do not know the long-term harms of vaping products and most contain nicotine which is highly addictive. Protecting children and young people from these products is a priority for this government and this measure will strengthen the work already underway in my department," she said. READ MORE | Irish star Hozier among star-studded guest line-up on tonight's Graham Norton Show on BBC Junior Health Minister Jennifer Murnane O'Connor added that the days of cheap vapes are over. "There are vapes being sold for as little as 2. This tax will help ensure that these products are no longer available at pocket money prices," she said. The move comes as Ireland joins a growing number of EU countries that are introducing domestic taxes on e-cigarettes, while the EU works to update the Tobacco Tax Directive to include newer nicotine products. Belgium and France have already banned disposable vapes, and similar restrictions are now being drafted in Ireland. The Government has confirmed that additional legislation is on the way to ban single-use vapes entirely and to restrict packaging, flavours, retail advertising and displays for vaping products. The Department of Finance estimates that the new e-liquid tax could raise millions in revenue, while supporting Ireland's broader goal of reducing smoking and vaping rates nationwide. With just over a week to go Kilkenomics have added a number of brand new shows to this years lineup. Now in its 15th year, Kilkenomics promises to be an incredible weekend of insights into economics, finance, geopolitics, AI, technology and more with brilliant contributors and razor sharp comedians. In recent days a number of new shows have been added to the bill including FT UnHedged Podcast: Live at the Home Rule Club on Saturday, November 8 at 12:30. The event is free but ticketed and audience members will join Katie Martin from the Financial Times for a live recording of the FT's Unhedged podcast with special guests from this year's Kilkenomics festival, where Katie will talk about bubbles, Trumponomics and everything in between with special guest, David McWilliams. Another brand new show, To Grow or Not To Grow will take place at the Pembroke Hotel on November 8 at 8.30pm. The talk will explore Irelands energy future, which is now is at a crossroads. Demand keeps rising, targets are being missed, and the bills, economic, environmental, and human, are stacking up. Expect insight, argument and, maybe, some answers. In partnership with the Sustainable Energy Association of Ireland. Another highlight of this years festival is Womens Business: The History of Irish Women in Brewing, Bottling and Behind the Bar at the Smithwick's Experience on November 8 at 7.30pm. Join the panel who will attempt to demystify the role of Irish women in Irelands everyday economy prior to the 21st century. An expert panel will discuss the role of Irish women as business owners and entrepreneurs across the centuries. Guests will enjoy a taste of Smithwicks, some delicious bites from La Rivista and live music by Monroe after the panel chat. More than 50 shows will bring together some of the brightest minds in global thought and the sharpest voices in Irish and international comedy over the festival which runs from November 7 to 9. Tickets and passes are now available at www.kilkenomics.com Noel Sherry, CEO of Kilkenny's Good Shepherd Centre, says he slept outside all night to raise awareness of the daily realities for thousands of homeless people in the country right now. "I decided we weren't interested in doing another fundraiser, because I think people are fed up with charities always looking for money. So, we decided that we would do an event to mark World Homeless Day," he explained. "I thought there's probably no better way to raise awareness than to take 24 hours to do a sleep out. And I suppose some of the other reasons for doing it is because we've lost an awful lot of people to homelessness. "I'm working in homeless services as a volunteer or as an employee for 41 years now and if I told you the number of people I've seen die, you know, it's very, very high. So, in a way, I want to remember them. "And I suppose with the current numbers being 16,353, by Christmas that's going to exceed 17,000 if the same pattern continues. And it's very likely that the same pattern will continue." READ NEXT: Famous faces expected in Kilkenny as hugely popular festival returns to city Noel said that a key reason for homelessness is people being forced to move back home with families, often in overcrowded situations, and are unable to afford their own place which can cause tension and can lead to people being kicked out with no other options. He also said that without appropriate public housing or accessible social housing or affordable social housing, people are falling into homelessness. "You're hearing stories about children being stuck in hotels for four and five years, it's not great. Imagine having to do your homework or imagine having to study for your Junior Cert or your Leaving Cert in an ensuite. And imagine getting so annoyed with your siblings because they're making too much noise because you don't have the headspace," he said. "Imagine the impact it's having on children's mental health....imagine that sense of loss. That sense of loss being taken away from their pets, taken away from their toys, taken away from their friends, potentially their school and their family. Children shouldn't be experiencing loss like that. And what we're seeing is a much greater number of children are reflecting this in terms of poor mental health. "We've had children as young as eight and nine talking about being depressed or talking about self-harm or even suicide. And that's when you know something's gone really, really wrong. So really, really what I was doing that day was just trying to reflect some of that. "And just saying that throughout that 24-hour period, we need change and we need change now." Noel described the night he slept outside for World Homeless Day as "a very different experience," adding that "it became very empty, noises become like your senses, much more alert. You become a bit anxious or fearful. "But for every minute I was there, I knew it was a minute closer to me getting home. So it was no way reflective of the experience of people sleeping rough. Because they don't know when it's going to end. "So imagine how they deal with that time and how it actually can interrupt in terms of their skills, their functioning. When all they have to do is live in a time that's very empty and very, very fearful. And many, many people experiencing rough sleeping are in that terrible, terrible space. "If there's two things I'd like to say is no child should be in a hotel or a B&B. And no one should be left to rough sleep. Because I think they're two of the most deplorable forms of homelessness. And they're happening every day in our country. And it's terrible," he continued. Noel said that people had asked to do the sleep out with him but he wanted to do it alone. "I wasn't going to have them sitting or sleeping out all night with me either. And I really just wanted to do it by myself because it was probably a slightly more personal thing. Because when you have all that time, you have time to think about people that you want to think about." Noel said that at the start, "it was cold and I was asking, 'God, how am I going to put this time in? This is going to be slow. Oh God, oh God.' Your senses were up. You were hearing too much. "You were hearing everything. You were seeing everything. Towards the end, I probably found myself becoming a little bit more emotional. One bit of me knew it was coming to an end and I was getting closer to it. But another bit of me was like, every minute just seemed even ten times longer. Because of the anticipation of finishing." Noel explained that while 16,354 people are registered as homeless in Ireland this figure only represents the people who are actually registered in emergency homeless accommodation. "At the end of the day that doesn't include people rough sleeping and sofa-surfing or people and the younger generations who are forced to return home, even with their own families and they're forced to live in overcrowding," he explained. "Nobody can tell you what the actual figure of the true housing need is. Because it surpasses local authority waiting lists, because that only collects one bit of information about one cohort of people. The actual number of people who are homeless could easily go somewhere between 35 and 40,000. Noel finished with a strong statement on the current housing and homeless crisis in the country at the moment. He said: "Do you know one of the biggest reasons why families come into homelessness today? It's not because of needing housing. "It's because they've been evicted from private kinds of accommodation. They've returned home because they've had nowhere else to go. And then their relationship breaks down with their mother or their sister or their father and then they're forced into emergency accommodation. "So we, inevitably, are allowing for relationships to become broken within families. And if you consider our constitution is built on the basis of the family, we don't show it very much respect, do we?" PiPiADS is a comprehensive advertising intelligence platform designed to assist businesses in analyzing and optimizing their advertising strategies across platforms like TikTok and Facebook. By providing access to a vast database of ads, detailed analytics, and competitor insights, PiPiADS aims to empower businesses to make informed decisions and enhance their marketing efforts. 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Its tiered pricing plans cater to various business sizes and needs, making it a versatile option for those looking to enhance their marketing efforts. Visit pipiads.com for more. New data revealed during a briefing with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy have confirmed the range characteristics of russia's Oreshnik system. The missile, which Moscow used once in a strike on Dnipro on November 21, 2024, reportedly has a maximum range of 5,500 kilometers and a minimum effective range of 700 kilometers. These figures place it squarely in the same class as the Soviet-era RSD-10 Pioneer missile, whose range spanned between 600 and 5,000 kilometers. The similarity between the Oreshnik and the Pioneer missiles suggests that russia has effectively revived a banned class of weapons once prohibited under the now-defunct Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty. With such range parameters, the deployment of the Oreshnik systems in Belarus, as announced by Alexander Lukashenko, would place the entirety of Europe, the northern part of Africa, and even the Arabian Peninsula within striking distance. Launched from the Minsk region, the mobile system could reach targets thousands of kilometers away, reinforcing russia's ability to project nuclear or conventional power across multiple continents. The Oreshnik missile's range / Defense Express According to the Defense Intelligence, only three Oreshnik missiles have been produced to date. One was used in the Dnipro attack, another was destroyed at the Kapustin Yar test site in a joint operation by Ukraine's Defense Intelligence, the Security Service of Ukraine, and the Foreign Intelligence Service in the summer of 2024. Russian plans call for the production of six additional units by 2026, signaling an intent to scale up the program despite early setbacks. The Oreshnik missile model / open source The missile's launcher chassis, the MZKT-79291, developed in Belarus, offers another important clue. Originally designed for the RS-26 Rubezh missile, this heavy 60-ton platform was meant for an intercontinental system that skirted INF Treaty restrictions. It is believed the Oreshnik missile was derived directly from this platform by increasing the payload capacity, effectively transforming it into a medium-range system capable of carrying multiple warheads. The resemblance to the Pioneer system's MAZ-547 chassis, rated at 55 tons, reinforces this conclusion. The Oreshnik system likely borrows its first and second stages from the RS-24 Yars intercontinental missile, a modernized variant of the Topol system, which itself traces its lineage to the Temp-2S series. This evolutionary pattern mirrors the Soviet design logic used in the late 1970s, when the Pioneer system was created by adapting stages of an existing ICBM. The continuity in design philosophy suggests that Moscow has chosen a cost-effective and technically feasible shortcut, reusing established missile stages to produce a new weapon outside treaty constraints. Schnuck Markets, Inc. announced Thursday in a news release that it will be hosting a food drive at all 113 stores to support local food banks and pantries. The food drive began Thursday and runs until Nov. 11, and customers will be able to donate food items by purchasing them and then placing them in donation bins located in each store. The supermarket chain said in the release that this was motivated by growing demand as Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits will not go out for November due to the federal government shutdown. "This food drive is an extension of our company's mission to nourish people's lives as well as our community pillar to fight hunger and food insecurity in the communities we serve," Schnucks Executive Vice President for Supermarkets Ted Schnuck said in the release. "Each day, our store teams partner with food pantries in their respective neighborhoods, giving products that total more than $15 million of in-kind donations annually." U.S. government shutdown and its effects on mid-Missouri Here's a timeline of the shutdown of the federal government on Oct. 1 and how it's affected Missourians. The most requested items are shelf-stable, non-perishables such as: Light tuna or salmon (canned or packaged) Canned chicken or meat Soup, chili or stews with meat and beans Canned fruit Diced tomatoes and tomato paste Canned spaghetti sauces Canned beans Instant brown rice Whole wheat pasta Boxed meal kits Canned vegetables Dried spices (chili powder, garlic powder, cumin, oregano and basil) Deodorant, toothbrushes and toothpaste Schnucks will also continue to work with longtime community partners such as United Way, Urban League and The Salvation Army to help get food to those in need, according to the news release. YINCHUAN, Oct. 30 (Xinhua) -- This October has been remarkably busy for archaeologist Ren Xiufen, as the Xixia Imperial Tombs welcomed their first surge of holiday visitors after being inscribed on the World Heritage List in July. Despite the long work hours, her heart remains full of joy and fulfillment. "Seeing more people come to know the Xixia Imperial Tombs and hearing their positive feedback brings a very real sense of accomplishment," she said. Located at the foot of Helan Mountain in Yinchuan, capital of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, the tombs were built by the Tangut, an ethnic group that thrived in northwest China between the 11th and 13th centuries. The Xixia Imperial Tombs are the largest, most well-preserved and highest-ranking archaeological remains of the Xixia Dynasty (1038-1227). Since the World Heritage inscription, visitor numbers have increased by about 60 percent, with daily attendance exceeding 10,000 on the busiest days during the National Day and Mid-Autumn holidays. The site has introduced over 800 cultural products and cutting-edge digital tools, including VR and XR, providing immersive experiences that "awaken" heritage and make its cultural value more accessible to the public. "As a resident of Yinchuan, I feel truly excited and proud that the Xixia Imperial Tombs have become a World Heritage site right in our hometown. We will cherish and protect it," said a visitor surnamed Wang. This attention goes beyond just numbers. Ren has noticed a shift in visitors' feedback as well. In the past, most comments centered around services, but now everyday visitors are providing professional suggestions. They are offering insights on everything from how to enhance museum displays to better utilizing exhibition spaces. "Public participation is essential," Ren said, adding that protecting the surroundings and landscape of the site's buffer zone is a major part of their work, and they now receive strong support from volunteers and local residents passionate about heritage preservation. The Xixia Imperial Tombs, designated as a national education base for primary and secondary school students, now offer more than 30 specialized courses to attract more young visitors to explore the ancient site. This surge of interest in the Xixia Imperial Tombs mirrors a broader nationwide trend. Museums across the country received nearly 86.3 million visitors during the 8-day National Day and Mid-Autumn holiday, an increase of 11.42 million compared with the National Day holiday in 2024. A total of 5.39 million people visited 65 national archaeological parks during the same period, according to data released earlier this month by the National Cultural Heritage Administration. In recent years, documentaries and television programs on cultural relics have sparked widespread discussion and gained strong popularity among young audiences. Public perceptions of archaeology are gradually changing, and more students are choosing to pursue degrees in archaeology and museology. "Many of our generation entered the field of archaeology more or less passively, before truly understanding it. But now the social foundation of archaeology in China has changed dramatically," said Li Yingfu, a professor at the School of Archaeology and Museology at Sichuan University. Li explained that on the one hand, as one of the world's four great ancient civilizations, China possesses extraordinarily rich archaeological resources. On the other hand, with economic growth and higher living standards, Chinese people now have a stronger desire to explore their own culture and history. Jing Lijun, a Ph.D. student from Ningxia University and a history enthusiast born in the 1990s, frequently spends his vacations exploring historical sites. He has conducted multiple field trips to places such as Dunhuang and the Xixia Imperial Tombs. "Once you step into a heritage site and see it with your own eyes, you realize what the books really mean and help you better understand local history," he said. Each visit, he said, fills him with pride. The Xixia Imperial Tombs, for example, reflect the diversity and unity of Chinese civilization. Their architecture, modeled after the imperial tombs of the Song Dynasty (960-1279), is a vivid example of that cultural integration, Jing added. Ren, who is in her 30s, has devoted over a decade to this vast site. She now leads a young, diverse team in cultural relics management. In addition to archaeology and history majors, the team includes specialists in computing and information technology, reflecting the evolving nature of heritage protection. With more young people joining the field and new technologies being applied, archaeology, she said, is gaining renewed vitality and brimming with possibilities. Wu Han, a Generation-Z member of Ren's team, chose a different path from most of her classmates majoring in Information Management and Information System. Driven by her passion for history and culture, she decided against joining a tech company and has been working at the Xixia Imperial Tombs for nearly five years. "I feel very fortunate to work here -- it's something I truly love," Wu said. Now responsible for the site's digital preservation, including systematic monitoring of both the structures and their surrounding environment, Wu believes her work not only aligns with her interests but also holds great promise for the future. In recent years, along with museums across the country implementing various strategies to engage younger audiences, China has also placed a strong emphasis on advancing archaeological research. The country has launched national projects on tracing the origins of Chinese civilization, strengthened international cooperation and cultivated high-caliber archaeological talent. In September last year, the National Cultural Heritage Administration and the Ministry of Finance jointly issued a set of measures for the archaeological talent cultivation program, which introduced a five-year initiative to develop innovative talent teams in the field of cultural relics and archaeology. For a young woman who has spent years in the wind and dust of the Gobi Desert, such a life may seem austere. Yet Ren believes it is one of the most meaningful choices she could have made. "The successful World Heritage inscription of the Xixia Imperial Tombs means being seen and recognized by the world," she said. "We will continue to protect and preserve our cultural heritage -- it is not just a profession, but our shared responsibility." Editor: ZAD We have used your information to see if you have a subscription with us, but did not find one. Please use the button below to verify an existing account or to purchase a new subscription. CHANGCHUN, Oct. 30 (Xinhua) -- As a gleaming new Audi sedan A5L slowly rolled off the assembly line at FAW-Volkswagen's Changchun plant Thursday night, the joint venture celebrated a historic milestone -- its 30 millionth car produced in China. Ralf Brandstatter, Chairman and CEO of Volkswagen Group China, called the moment a significant milestone, describing it as "a symbol of teamwork, trust and the strong partnership between FAW and Volkswagen." The milestone is not only for a single company, but a strong signal for global automakers that as the world's largest auto market, China is an unmissable opportunity for ambitious global players. Founded in 1991, FAW-Volkswagen has grown from producing a single Jetta model under one brand to offering 33 models of fuel-powered and new energy vehicles (NEVs). Its operations now span six plants in five cities, namely Changchun, Chengdu, Foshan, Qingdao and Tianjin. Over 34 years, the company has recorded accumulated revenue exceeding 5.5 trillion yuan (about 776 billion U.S. dollars). "China and Germany share one of the most trusted and successful industrial partnerships in the world. Our company is a great example of this," Brandstatter said. The company's success highlights how confidence in China's economy and automotive future continues to grow among foreign automakers. They are accelerating investments in China's auto market through expanded production, intensified R&D efforts, and strengthened cooperation. In July, German auto giant BMW announced that it would establish its first information technology (IT) research and development center in China, marking a significant expansion of the company's digital capabilities. The new entity, BMW (Nanjing) Information Technology Co., Ltd., will be located in Nanjing's Jianye District, east China's Jiangsu Province, and operated as an independent legal entity. It will focus on cutting-edge fields such as artificial intelligence (AI), industrial digital twins and intelligent manufacturing, BMW said. Once operational, the Nanjing center is set to be BMW's largest IT R&D hub in Asia. It is designed to strengthen the automaker's global production, sales, and after-sales systems through digital solutions rooted in China's rapidly evolving tech landscape. "With the establishment of this new company, we are accelerating BMW's local digital core capabilities," said Franz Decker, president and CEO of BMW Brilliance Automotive Ltd. "By joining forces with China's innovation ecosystem, we aim to propel BMW Group's digital transformation both in China and globally." As China continues to open its doors wider, its blend of policy support, innovation, and vast consumer demand is giving global automakers new reasons to stay and grow. According to Commerce Minister Wang Wentao, China attracted over 720 billion U.S. dollars in foreign investment during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025), with more than one-third flowing into high-tech industries, including auto. More automakers are riding on the tide of China's booming high-tech sectors and embracing China's technological advances as a source of innovation and collaboration. Daniel Navarro Rios, executive vice president of Mercedes-Benz Group China, said in September that the company has established partnerships across the Chinese academic and industrial sectors. It teams up with Tencent, ByteDance and Tsinghua University. "We are leveraging China's dynamic ecosystem. We build a strong R&D network in China, and we are driving innovation at China speed," said Navarro Rios. FAW and Volkswagen also deepened their collaboration earlier this year, signing an agreement in March to roll out 11 new models tailored for the Chinese market starting in 2026 -- 10 of which will be NEVs. "Our vision is to build a new benchmark for high-quality development and high-level opening up," said Chen Bin, general manager of FAW-Volkswagen, adding that the company plans to launch four new NEVs under the Jetta brand and lift production and sales to the 400,000- to 500,000-unit range within five years. Actor Wang Deshun interacts with the audience at a cinema in Shenyang, northeast China's Liaoning Province, March 19, 2025. (Xinhua/Li Gang) SHENYANG, Oct. 30 (Xinhua) -- As the stage lights up, 65-year-old Li Wenshan, whose fans affectionately refer to him as "Grandpa Shanshan," stands at the microphone with his right hand tucked casually in his pocket. In the crowd below, more than 700 youthful faces look up in anticipation. Many had snapped up tickets a month in advance or traveled from other cities just to watch the silver-haired comedian perform live. Li is a military veteran-turned-comedian from the northeastern Chinese city of Shenyang. After he retired from the military following over 30 years of service, he developed a passion for stand-up comedy by watching online videos, which led him to pursue a new career as a live performer and online influencer. On stage, Li is often clad in his trademark blue shirt, speaking with calm wit and spinning stories of family squabbles, memory lapses and even mortality into humorous tales that resonate across generations. Today, he performs regularly in various cities around China and has amassed over 1 million social media followers. Li is just one of a growing number of elderly Chinese residents who are embracing the digital world and connecting with a massive following of young people. According to a report from the China Internet Network Information Center, China had 161 million internet users aged 60 and above by June 2025, with an internet penetration rate of 52 percent among the group. Social media platforms have also been enhancing accessibility for their growing senior user bases through upgrades involving simplified interfaces and voice technology, among other features. On Chinese short-video platforms, users can scroll through colorful feeds from elderly influencers. "Granny Meiying," an influencer in her 90s, has amassed over 1 million fans of her vlogs documenting her incredibly busy, productive daily routine, which many young viewers see as a model of purposeful living and resilience. A hugely popular account on Douyin, which is the Chinese version of TikTok, showcases the lives of senior residents with an average age of over 75 who live at the Jingya Nursing Home in the northern city of Tianjin, and has garnered more than 10 million likes to date. For 27-year-old Hu Yihang, watching these silver-haired creators has become a cherished nightly ritual. They often remind him of his grandparents, he told Xinhua, which brings him a sense of familiarity and comfort. Many members of Hu's generation share this affection for elderly influencers, actively supporting them by purchasing tickets to their shows, following their content and engaging with their online posts. "The intergenerational connection is key to the appeal of silver-haired influencers to Gen Z," said Zhang Sining, a researcher at the Liaoning Academy of Social Sciences, adding that for many young people, the charm of these elderly creators lies in their "slow-living" lifestyle -- a comforting antidote to the pressures of a fast-paced modern world. Zhang also noted that the popularity of elderly influencers is a powerful showcase of ageless vitality, presenting a vision of aging that is secure, joyful and purposeful. According to Li, his audience -- once dominated by young people -- now includes more middle-aged and elderly viewers. Some young fans even bring along their parents, who seek his advice on performing. "I'm happy to see more seniors on the stand-up stage," he said. Actor Wang Deshun (C) interacts with the audience at a cinema in Shenyang, northeast China's Liaoning Province, March 19, 2025. (Xinhua/Li Gang) Editor: ZAD Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with U.S. President Donald Trump in Busan, South Korea, Oct. 30, 2025. (Xinhua/Huang Jingwen) BUSAN, South Korea, Oct. 30 (Xinhua) -- Under global gaze and before flashing cameras, Chinese President Xi Jinping and his U.S. counterpart, Donald Trump, shook hands here Thursday for a highly anticipated meeting, the first since Trump was sworn in as U.S. president again earlier this year. Later, as their 100-minute meeting drew to an end in South Korea's second-largest city, Xi and Trump walked side by side toward the venue's exit. They clasped hands in farewell. The two presidents met amid mounting global economic challenges and protectionist trends. Many global observers viewed this high-stakes meeting as a crucial opportunity to steady what many describe as the world's most important bilateral relationship and reinvigorate confidence in the global economy. CHARTING COURSE FOR TIES Since Trump took office in January, the two heads of state have maintained close communication through telephone calls and letters. As noted by Xi during the meeting, under their joint guidance, China-U.S. relations have remained stable on the whole. In the face of winds, waves and challenges, Xi said, the two leaders should stay the right course, navigate through the complex landscape, and ensure the steady sailing forward of the giant ship of China-U.S. relations. Trump conveyed this spirit of collaboration, stating that U.S.-China relations have traditionally been strong and will continue to improve, expressing hope for a brighter shared future. It was not the first time that Xi used the metaphor of recalibrating the direction of "the giant ship of China-U.S. relations" to highlight the core task facing current bilateral relations. In a phone conversation with Trump in June after a China-U.S. high-level meeting on economic and trade affairs in Geneva, which set in motion a series of subsequent bilateral economic and trade talks, Xi stressed that it was "particularly important" for the two leaders to steer clear of various disturbances and disruptions. The two sides need to make good use of the economic and trade consultation mechanism already in place, and seek win-win results in the spirit of equality and respect for each other's concerns, Xi said then. China-U.S. interactions should embody the characteristics of a new era, said Gu Qingyang, associate professor at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy at the National University of Singapore, noting that the so-called "Thucydides Trap," which refers to confrontation between an established power and a rising one, is not inevitable as many believe. "We do not wish to see China and the United States divided, decoupled, or in confrontation, as that would be detrimental to both. The two nations are already leading global countries, and each is too strong to ignore the other," said Gu. In the run-up to the Busan meeting, the two countries' economic and trade teams held a new round of consultations in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, reaching a basic consensus on addressing respective major concerns, which provided the necessary conditions for the meeting on Thursday. On Thursday, Xi urged the two sides to work out and finalize the follow-up steps as soon as possible, and ensure that the common understandings are effectively upheld and implemented, to inject confidence into the two countries as well as the global economy through solid deliverables. The two teams can continue their talks in the spirit of equality, mutual respect and mutual benefit, and continuously shorten the list of problems and lengthen the list of cooperation, Xi said. In a written statement to Xinhua, Maya Majueran, founding director of the Belt and Road Initiative Sri Lanka, said that the meeting sent a signal of reassurance that the world's two largest economies seek to manage their relationship responsibly rather than drift toward confrontation. For Tom Watkins, a former advisor to the Michigan-China Innovation Center, "mutual respect" is the key to future U.S.-China relations. "Each side needs to understand a miscalculation will have devastating consequences," said Watkins, adding that despite the ups and downs in bilateral ties in the past decades, "the two sides have sensibly navigated forward." "All major global issues intersect at the corner of Beijing and Washington. And how our leaders resolve those issues will shape the future of the world," said Watkins. BROADER IMPACT ON ASIA-PACIFIC AND BEYOND The world is grappling with mounting uncertainties and rising protectionist tendencies, and the Asia-Pacific is no exception. Trade barriers are stacking up, geopolitical rivalries are deepening, and the multilateral trading system is under increasing strain. Against this backdrop, Xi's call for dialogue over confrontation resonated far beyond the meeting room in Busan. Noting that China-U.S. economic and trade relations have experienced ups and downs recently, Xi said that the business relationship should continue to serve as the anchor and driving force for China-U.S. relations, not a stumbling block or a point of friction. The two sides should think big and recognize the long-term benefit of cooperation, and must not fall into a vicious cycle of mutual retaliation, Xi said. China's Ministry of Commerce on Thursday unveiled the outcomes achieved by Chinese and U.S. delegations during their recent economic and trade talks in Kuala Lumpur. The U.S. side will cancel the 10-percent so-called "fentanyl tariffs" and suspend, for an additional year, the 24-percent reciprocal tariffs levied on Chinese goods, including goods from the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and the Macao Special Administrative Region, a spokesperson of the ministry said, adding that in turn, China will make corresponding adjustments to its countermeasures and continue certain tariff exclusion measures. The United States will suspend for one year the implementation of a new rule announced on Sept. 29 that expands its "entity-list" export restrictions to any entity that is at least 50 percent owned by one or more entities on the list. China will suspend the implementation of relevant export control measures announced on Oct. 9 for one year and will study and refine specific plans, the spokesperson said. Other outcomes included Washington agreeing to suspend for one year the measures under its Section 301 investigation targeting China's maritime, logistics and shipbuilding industries, with Beijing setting to correspondingly suspend its countermeasures once the U.S. suspension takes effect. Experts across the Asia-Pacific region view this cooperative vision as both timely and necessary. From Beijing's perspective, the path forward is not one of inevitable competition but of necessary coordination, said Majueran, adding that the Chinese leadership frequently emphasizes a "win-win" model of cooperation, an approach that rejects zero-sum thinking in favor of shared progress. The Xi-Trump meeting offers an opportunity to de-escalate tensions between the two major countries and a return to dialogue to resolve outstanding issues, said Eng Kok Thay, secretary of state of Cambodia's Council of Ministers. During the meeting on Thursday, Xi noted that the world today is confronted with many tough problems, saying that China and the United States can jointly shoulder their responsibility as major countries, and work together to accomplish more great and concrete things for the good of the two countries and the whole world. "The trajectory of China-U.S. relations will largely define the strategic and economic environment of the Asia-Pacific and beyond," said Eng Kok Thay. Cooperation ensures trade stability, technology exchange and security, outcomes that benefit not only the region but the entire world, he added. Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with U.S. President Donald Trump in Busan, South Korea, Oct. 30, 2025. (Xinhua/Shen Hong) Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with U.S. President Donald Trump in Busan, South Korea, Oct. 30, 2025. (Xinhua/Shen Hong) Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with U.S. President Donald Trump in Busan, South Korea, Oct. 30, 2025. (Xinhua/Huang Jingwen) Editor: Xiong Jian Photo taken on Oct. 29, 2025 shows farmers organizing harvesters and operators to accelerate the late rice harvest in Jianxia Village, Xiangtang Town, Nanchang County, Nanchang City, East China's Jiangxi Province. Currently, over 800,000 mu of late rice in Nanchang County are being successively harvested, dried, and stored in warehouses, contributing to stable autumn grain production and increased income.(Zhu Haipeng/Guangming Pictures) Photo taken on Oct. 29, 2025 shows farmers organizing harvesters and operators to accelerate the late rice harvest in Jianxia Village, Xiangtang Town, Nanchang County, Nanchang City, East China's Jiangxi Province. Currently, over 800,000 mu of late rice in Nanchang County are being successively harvested, dried, and stored in warehouses, contributing to stable autumn grain production and increased income.(Zhu Haipeng/Guangming Pictures) Editor: WSH High Court Reporters A Kerry man who is paralysed from the neck down and has severe 'locked in' syndrome following a stroke has had his case regarding a brain scan carried out at University Hospital Kerry settled at the High Court. Christopher ODriscoll cannot speak and is tetraplegic. He joined the proceedings in the Four Courts by video link from the nursing home where he now resides. Mr ODriscoll (39) from Camp, Co Kerry, sued Global Diagnostics (Ireland) Ltd, trading as Medica, with offices at Rockfield Medical Campus, Balally, Dublin. The company, at the time, operated the radiology services at University Hospital Kerry and provided radiology services to hospitals and private clinics. It was claimed that there was an alleged failure to diagnose Mr ODriscolls stroke after his collapse at home and when he was rushed to hospital, where he had a CT scan. The action was also against the HSE. The HSE is only in the proceedings where it was alleged by the O'Driscoll side that it was responsible in law for alleged acts or omissions on the part of Global Diagnostics Ireland. All of the claims are denied in the proceedings. Ms Justice Leonie Reynolds sent the case back to the mediation table after the action had been adjourned several times over two days this week to facilitate talks between the parties. At the High Court on Thursday, Mr ODriscolls counsel, Liam Reidy SC, instructed by Cantillons Solicitors, told the court that the case had settled, that all matters were resolved and that the agreement was an "absolutely" confidential one. On Wednesday, Ms Justice Reynolds said there had already been two days of costs incurred in the case and said she shared the frustration of Mr ODriscoll in relation to the lack of progress. When informed of the case's resolution, she commended all parties for putting their "best foot forward" in what would have been a "lengthy and complex case". Ms Justice Reynolds also thanked Mr O'Driscoll for his patience and said she knew that "at times you [Mr O'Driscoll] found the whole process frustrating". Construction worker Mr ODriscoll, it was claimed in court papers, had been at home in Camp on New Years Day 2023 when he suffered an apparent seizure. An ambulance was called and he was taken to hospital, suffering a second seizure on the journey. Mr ODriscoll, it was claimed, was intubated on arrival and a CT brain and intracranial angiogram scan was later performed. On January 3rd, 2023, Mr O'Driscoll was transferred to another hospital where an MRI was performed. It was noted on January 5th 2023, that, in retrospect, Mr ODriscoll had suffered a sudden stroke and that he had severe 'locked-in' syndrome. It was claimed the CT angiogram report of the scan carried out at University Hospital Kerry on January 1st, 2023, allegedly incorrectly stated that the main artery at the back of the brain was open with no sign of blockage. It was further claimed that Mr O'Driscoll had been allegedly denied treatment with thrombolysis - a treatment to dissolve blood clots - and there was an alleged failure to prevent the progression of his neurological deficit, as a result of which he has locked-in syndrome. In its defence, Global Diagnostics Ireland Ltd claimed that Mr O'Driscoll's stroke was of such severity that timely treatment by way of intravenous thrombolysis would not have altered the prognosis or lessened his disabilities. It had denied it caused a progression of Mr O'Driscolls neurological deficit as a result of which he has 'locked in' syndrome. The trial of the action had been set down for six weeks. On Thursday, Ms Justice Reynolds approved the confidential settlement and adjourned the matter to December 18th. THE sod was turned on a new 6.5 million ESB Networks Training Centre (NTC) in Portlaoise on Thursday 30 October. The investment in the Portlaoise NTC will accelerate the development of key technical and craft skills necessary to support significant investment in the electricity network over the period ahead. Minister for further and higher education, research, innovation and science James Lawless was joined by minister of state Marian Harkin and Nicholas Tarrant, managing director of ESB Networks, to officially mark the announcement of the 6.5 million investment in the site. The investment in the NTC will accelerate the development of key technical and craft skills necessary to support significant investment in the electricity network over the period ahead. ESB Networks is currently onboarding 156 new electrical apprentices and plans are underway for the onboarding of 120 qualified electricians in Q1 2026. This brings its total hiring of apprentices and qualified electricians since 2022 to over 700. ESB Networks is also driving to improve gender diversity in its craft employee group, which has resulted in an average of 26% women in apprenticeship programmes each year. Speaking at the event, minister Lawless said: This investment is a powerful signal of the continued growth of apprenticeships at the heart of Irelands skills strategy. With over 410 million committed to apprenticeship delivery from 2026, the government is building a system that delivers real opportunity, real careers and real impact. Whether its powering homes or driving climate action, ESB Networks apprentices are shaping Irelands future, developing the advanced skills that power a modern, sustainable and knowledge-driven economy. Nicholas Tarrant said: Todays announcement is critical to ensuring that ESB Networks and our contractor partners have the necessary skills and capabilities to support a major capital investment programme in the electricity network that will enable housing, a growing economy and climate action. For generations, the ESB Networks national training centre has played a vital role in delivering technical, safety and electrical craft training to ESB Networks employees and our contractor partners. Through this investment in Portlaoise, we will expand our training delivery capability, which, in turn, will support the continued growth in resources to enable investment delivery in the electricity network over the coming years. I would like to thank minister Lawless and minister of state Harkin for being here to mark this important milestone with us. In its Networks for Net Zero strategy, ESB Networks has committed to delivering a Net Zero ready electricity network by 2040. A 13.4 billion capital investment programme is planned over the next five years (PR6) to decarbonise electricity, deliver reliable and resilient infrastructure and empower customers to take more control over their energy use. Dunamaise Arts Centre is thrilled to present country star Robert Mizzell with his acclaimed show Nashville Song Book on Saturday 8 November 2025 at 8pm, joined by Kelan Browne and Stacey Breen. Expect big harmonies, classic Nashville hits and the feel-good spirit of countrylive in Portlaoise. An uplifting night for country fans of all ages, said a Dunamaise spokesperson. We cant wait to welcome Robert and The Young Guns of Country to our stage. Event Details What: Robert Mizzell Nashville Song Book (with Kelan Browne & Stacey Breen) When: Sat 8 Nov 2025, 8:00pm Where: Dunamaise Arts Centre, Portlaoise Competition: WIN 2 TICKETS (Multiple Choice) Question: Which venue is hosting Robert Mizzell on Sat 8 Nov? A) 3Arena, Dublin B) Dunamaise Arts Centre, Portlaoise C) SSE Arena, Belfast How to Enter (SMS) Text your name followed by your answer (A/B/C) to 087 942 3741. Standard text rates apply. Terms & Conditions apply. The consortium of state-owned Oschadbank (80%) and Ukreximbank (20%), which on July 26 received ownership rights to the Gulliver retail and office complex, has decided to temporarily close the complex from 22:00 on October 30, 2025. "The purpose of this step is the safety of visitors and representatives of the complex's tenants, as well as guaranteed avoidance of accidents and man-made threats that may be caused by the former owner of the facility," Oschadbank said in a statement on Friday. "The date and time of the resumption of the complex's operation in the event of its closure will be announced additionally - this will happen immediately after the situation stabilizes," the statement says. According to it, such a decision is due to the fact that representatives of the former owner (Three O LLC) are sabotaging the transfer of effective management of the complex to the banks in every possible way. High Court Reporters A High Court personal injury action brought by the wife of a renowned consultant psychiatrist who died after he was hit by a taxi while walking home from a Christmas party has been settled, following what a judge described as a "very, very sad" case. Married father-of-three Dr Martin Lawlor (49) died from injuries sustained after the collision near Ballycurreen, Kinsale Road, near Cork Airport on December 15th, 2018. His wife, Dr Helen Murphy Lawlor, took the case against taxi driver Denis McSweeney of Pouladuff Rd, Cork City. On Thursday, the court ordered the agreed settlement and the striking out of the case and substituted Axa Insurance in place of pensioner Mr McSweeney, who passed away in November of last year. Ms Justice Emily Egan made an order for the plaintiff's costs with damages to be agreed in what she said was a "very, very sad case" and offered her condolences to Dr Lawlor's family. Dr Murphy Lawlor, with an address listed as Stalybridge, Cheshire, UK, was represented by Dr John F O'Mahony SC, James O'Mahony SC, and Ray Motherway BL, instructed by Matthew J Nagle & Co. Dr O'Mahony thanked the judge for her "patience and indulgence" in the case and said he was pleased to announce the matter settled and that it could be struck out. Ms Justice Egan said she was "enormously pleased" to hear of the case's resolution. Eamon Marray SC, for the defence, expressed his condolences to Mr Lawlor's family. Dr Murphy Lawlor had alleged that Mr McSweeney collided with Dr Lawlor, was "aware" of doing so and then "unjustifiably, recklessly and in full knowledge of the collision, deliberately and callously left the scene without compassion, concern or regard for the condition of Dr Lawlor". McSweeney was sentenced to four years' imprisonment at Cork Circuit Criminal Court in 2021 for the hit-and-run, but had that halved on appeal later that year. Mr McSweeney had pleaded guilty to failing to stop his vehicle after an incident, failing to keep his vehicle at the scene of an accident, failing to report a traffic incident to gardai and failing to give appropriate information to gardai. In High Court papers, Mr McSweeney, who was 75 at the time of his May 2021 appeal, had admitted that there had been a collision between his vehicle and Dr Lawlor, who was a pedestrian on the public road at Ballycurreen on December 15th, 2018. He admitted that he had failed to stop after the collision and that the fatal injuries to Dr Lawlor were a result of the collision. However, Mr McSweeney had denied that the collision was caused by negligence, breach of duty or statutory duty, as alleged. Mr Lawlor, a father of three who was a native of Tralee, Co Kerry, lived in Manchester but travelled to Ireland for work. Dr Murphy Lawlor said that her husband was at the peak of his powers professionally at the time of his death, working with the HSE and Nua Healthcare and was "renowned and respected" for his work. When sentencing Mr McSweeney, who had no previous convictions, at Cork Circuit Criminal Court, Judge Sean O Donnabhain described Dr Lawlor as a man of " considerable compassion" and an "exemplar of his profession". Judge O Donnabhain said that he did not accept the explanation offered by Mr McSweeney that he had panicked and attributed his actions to callousness. Allentown police began investigating after receiving a report in April 2025 about a child rape allegedly occurring in 2015. The suspect, now 25, has no prior criminal history, according to his attorney. Mike Nester | lehighvalleylive.com contributor Authorities announced the arrest Friday of a 25-year-old Allentown man in the alleged rape of a child a decade ago. Christian Tavares was arraigned before District Judge Ronald Manescu on charges of rape of child, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse and related counts all felonies. Tavares was released on $50,000 unsecured bail and faces a preliminary hearing tentatively scheduled for Nov. 17. At the hearing, a district judge will be asked to determine if there is sufficient evidence to send the charges toward trial. Lehigh County District Attorney Gavin Holihan and Allentown Police Chief Charles Roca said in a news release the alleged rape occurred in 2015 in a home in the city. Police received the report of the rape this past April, leading to a forensic interview with the alleged victim who was elementary school age at the time of the alleged assault. Tavares attorney, Paul Mallis, told lehighvalleylive.com on Friday his client has no criminal history and had no prior contact with the criminal justice system. Tavares voluntarily surrendered Friday after learning of a warrant for his arrest, according to Mallis. The facts of this case are alleged to have occurred about a decade ago at this point and only now are they coming to the surface, the defense attorney said. We look forward to our upcoming preliminary hearing date and working toward a resolution. This case was investigated by Allentown Police Detective Suzanne Toth and will be prosecuted by Chief Deputy District Attorney Sara A. Moyer. Ukraines largest mobile network operator, Kyivstar, has begun preparing to expand testing of Starlink Direct to Cell satellite connectivity across the entire territory of Ukraine, excluding border areas, active combat zones, and temporarily occupied regions, the company said in a press release on Friday. According to the release, the National Commission for the National Commission for the State Regulation of Electronic Communications, Radiofrequency Spectrum and the Provision of Postal Services (NCEC) has granted the corresponding authorization. The NCEC noted on its Facebook page that testing will include two-way SMS transmission and message exchange via OTT applications (messengers). "During the testing period, Kyivstar will ensure full compliance with all safety requirements and maintain the quality of primary mobile services while testing the satellite technology," the operator emphasized. The company recalled that the main goal of deploying the technology is to provide connectivity in areas lacking terrestrial coverage. In addition, Starlink Direct to Cell will be useful during power outages, in frontline and de-occupied areas, for humanitarian demining operators, State Emergency Service teams, and in mountainous or other hard-to-reach regions without mobile coverage. As reported earlier, Kyivstar has been conducting beta testing of Starlink Direct to Cell from October through November 2025, enabling users to send and receive SMS messages via satellite in areas without mobile signal. The company aims to roll out full-scale deployment by the end of this year, followed later by mobile internet and voice services via VoLTE. On August 12, Kyivstar CEO Oleksandr Komarov and Mykhailo Fedorov, First Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Digital Transformation of Ukraine, exchanged the first messages sent directly via Starlink Direct to Cell satellites from smartphones in a field near Zhytomyr, showcasing the new technology to journalists in test mode. At that time, the test area near Zhytomyr covered around 200 square kilometers, with several other pilot zones established across Ukraine. Starlink Direct to Cell (direct smartphone-to-satellite communication) is a technology that will allow Ukrainians with 4G smartphones to connect directly to satellites if the terrestrial network signal is lost. According to Kyivstar, more than 16 million of its subscribers already use smartphones compatible with this technology, about half of which are optimized for it, while the other half will function as well, though less efficiently. Kyivstar serves nearly 23 million mobile subscribers and over 1.1 million Home Internet users. Its portfolio of digital services includes the Helsi medical platform, Kyivstar TV streaming platform, and ride-hailing and delivery company Uklon. The operator also provides cloud technology, cybersecurity, and AI services for corporate clients. Through its Kyivstar.Tech division, it develops software in Ukraine and partners with international technology companies, including Starlink. The majority shareholder of Kyivstar Group, holding an 89.6% stake, is the telecommunications group VEON, which owned 100% of the operator before Kyivstars stock market listing in August this year. Some aspects of Americas Next Top Model arent aging well. Created by Tyra Banks, the reality competition series followed aspiring models vying to win a modeling contract. During the makeover phase of the competition, contestants underwent dramatic hair transformations, some of which had lasting consequences. Cycle 1 winner Adrianne Curry claimed in a Thursday, Oct. 30, Instagram video that she still has patches on her scalp that wont grow hair 22 years after her Americas Next Top Model makeover. Im partially bald right here and there, Curry said, gesturing to her scalp. The reason is, when I was on Top Model, Tyra Banks told them to put a weave in my hair. The Black stylists that were putting it in pulled her aside, and I heard them tell her, This white chicks hair is too fragile for this. Despite the stylists warnings, Curry said Banks told them, Just do it. As the competition went on, Curry developed an oozing wound from the braids. Once the show ended, Curry went to a Black salon to get the weave removed. It took hours and hours for them to get it out. I was left with a horrific mullet [and] scabs all over my head, she recalled. They were so sweet. They just couldnt believe that this was done to me. Curry couldnt tell the salon employees who gave her the weave due to an NDA agreement, but said they joked it mustve been someone who hates you. Although the weave is long gone, Curry said her hair is permanently damaged from the experience. While filming Americas Next Top Model, the weave was so painful and itchy. READ MORE: Why everyone is talking about this Stranger Things stars messy split [Fellow contestant] Kesse [Wallace] was trying to teach me how to itch it, but I didnt know. I didnt know any of this. Before that, she saw me [scratching it] with a fork, Curry recalled. I think most of those makeovers were done just to torture us, honestly. It felt so validating to be in that salon with all those women who were like, Who would do this to you? Im like, Her name is Tyra. Americas Next Top Model premiered on UPN in 2003. It ran for 24 seasons, or cycles, later moving to the CW and then to VH1. The show was the subject of a 2024 episode of the AppleTV+ docuseries The Dark Side of Reality TV. ANTM has been called out for perpetuating unrealistic beauty standards and for controversial challenges, such as a biracial photo shoot in cycle 13 for which some contestants had to darken their skin and a cycle 4 photo shoot that forced contestant Kahlen Rondot to pose in a coffin one day after her friend died. Banks addressed some of the controversy while accepting the first Luminary Spotlight honor at the ESSENCE Black Women in Hollywood Awards in March. Did we get it [all] right? Hell no. I said some dumb s, but I refuse to have my legacy be about some stuff linked together on the Internet when there were 24 cycles of changing the world, Banks said after highlighting ANTMs diversity. We all evolve. We all get better together. And I am so excited that I, and so many of us, have opened that door for others to follow. Americas Next Top Model is available to stream on Hulu. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) wants Kim Kardashian to reconsider her moon landing conspiracy theories. NASA Acting Administrator Sean Duffy took to X on Thursday, Oct. 30, to shut down Kardashians belief that the 1969 Apollo 11 moon landing was fake. Yes, @KimKardashian, weve been to the Moon before 6 times! Duffy wrote. And even better: @NASAArtemis is going back under the leadership of @POTUS. We won the last space race and we will win this one too. Kardashian, 45, seemed excited to have made contact with Duffy, taking the exchange as an opportunity to ask about the 3I/ATLAS comet, the third interstellar object confirmed passing through our Solar System. Wait. whats the tea on 3I Atlas?!?!!!!!!!????? Kardashian tweeted at Duffy. Duffys tweet comes after Kardashian said she believes the moon landing didnt happen during Thursdays episode of The Kardashians. The Skims cofounder then proceeded to share her hot take with her Alls Fair costar Sarah Paulson. Im sending you, like, so far, a million interviews with both Buzz Aldrin and the other one, Kardashian said, referring to late astronaut Neil Armstrong. Kardashian claimed that as Aldrin, 95, has gotten older, hes said some things that suggest he didnt really walk on the moon. READ MORE: Americas Next Top Model star is still partially bald from Tyra Banks makeover decades later Paulson responded that shed do a serious deep dive and form her own opinions. Later in the episode, Kardashian laid out more of her questions regarding footage of the 1969 moon landing. Theres no gravity on the moon, why is the flag blowing? Why are there no stars? she asked. Go to TikTok, see for yourself. A BBC article about moon landing conspiracy theories points out that when Armstrong and Aldrin placed the American flag on the moon, their movements caused the flag to ripple. After they stepped away, the flag remained in the same position, making it look like it was actively rippling in photos. As for the lack of stars, astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson explained on his StarTalk podcast that because the terrain [on the moon] is so bright from the sun, the aperture of the camera closes down and cannot register the light of the dim things, such as the stars in the sky. The Kardashians is available to stream on Hulu. Nearly 2 million Pennsylvanians were set to lose Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits on Saturday, Nov. 1 due to the ongoing federal government shutdown, according to Gov. Josh Shapiros administration. In Pennsylvanias Lehigh Valley region covering Carbon, Lehigh and Northampton counties, over 106,000 people receive these benefits to help cover the cost of food, according to Shapiros office and the local United Way. To help those in need, the United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley on Friday announced a Critical Support Fund in partnership with the Lehigh Valley Community Foundation. The goal is to raise $500,000 to support keeping key food pantries stocked with crucial staples for a minimum of three months, while ensuring that food is distributed to where its needed most. The first focus of this fund will be to support emergency food access for our community, the nonprofits said in announcing the effort. With over 40% of Greater Lehigh Valley residents living paycheck to paycheck, funding pauses to programs like SNAP have led to greater food insecurity. At the same time, many of our regions social service providers are struggling to keep up with the need and have not been able to access funding that typically supports food access programs. To donate to the fund, visit unitedwayglv.org/donate (select Critical Support Fund). On Lehigh Valley Community Foundations website, donate by clicking: Bridge Fund for Critical Support. Donations can also be made via mail with checks payable to UWGLV, 1110 American Parkway NE, Suite F-120, Allentown, PA 18109 Attention Critical Support Fund; or to Lehigh Valley Community Foundation, 840 W. Hamilton Street, Suite 310, Allentown, PA 18101 Attention Bridge Fund for Critical Support. Food and diaper donations can be directed to the following hubs: Hispanic Center Lehigh Valley, Easton Area Neighborhood Center and Allentown Area Ecumenical Food Bank. Priority food items include canned proteins, cereals, canned fruits and vegetables, rice, pasta and peanut butter. Funds will be distributed for immediate relief in partnership with an action group of local food providers who are co-leading this response strategy, according to Fridays announcement. Second Harvest Food Bank moves into its new facility Sept. 9, 2015, on Silver Crest Road in East Allen Township. Lehighvalleylive.com File Photo The Shapiro Administration says the number of Pennsylvanians who rely on more than $366 million in monthly food assistance through SNAP includes more than 713,000 children and 697,000 older adults. In Republican U.S. Rep. Ryan Mackenzies 7th Congressional District, the number of SNAP recipients is 106,733, according to the Democratic governors office. Mackenzie this week called for an end to the shutdown. The shutdown isnt just a headline; it means empty pantries for families across the Lehigh Valley and the Poconos, Mackenzie said in a statement Tuesday. Essential government programs that support local families are in immediate danger. Tens of thousands of local families depend on SNAP and WIC (Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children), and local food banks will struggle to keep up with the surge in demand if these programs are allowed to lapse. Its time for partisanship to take a back seat to the lives of American families the government must be funded. The shutdown began when the Republican-controlled Congress failed to pass a bill to fund the government. In a standoff with Republican President Donald Trumps administration, Democrats are insisting on the extension of tax credits that make health insurance cheaper for millions of Americans and the restoration of cuts made to Medicaid. Without the tax credits, more than 20 million Americans on Affordable Care Act plans would see their health care costs rise. Republicans say they wont discuss the health care subsidies, or any other policy, until the government reopens. Among the Democrats lining up to challenge Mackenzie in 2026, Northampton County Executive Lamont McClure on Friday said he wrote the congressman urging immediate federal action to support Lehigh Valley food pantries and aid those facing the halt of SNAP benefits. The letter requests that President Trump reopen programs previously shut down earlier this year, including the Local Food for Schools and Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement programs, and release previously allocated funds to provide immediate relief to families in need, the county executives office said in a news release. These programs can quickly deliver food assistance directly to children and households most affected by the potential SNAP disruption. Without this action, families in Northampton County will face immediate hardship, and local food pantries, already stretched by prior funding shortfalls, will be overwhelmed. Two federal judges ruled nearly simultaneously on Friday that Trumps administration must continue to pay for SNAP, the nations biggest food aid program, using emergency reserve funds during the government shutdown. The judges in Massachusetts and Rhode Island gave the administration leeway on whether to fund the program partially or in full for November. That also brings uncertainty about how things will unfold and will delay payments for many beneficiaries whose cards would normally be recharged early in the month. The Critical Support Fund launched by the United Way and Lehigh Valley Community Foundation seeks to address food-resource and other emergency needs regardless of whether SNAP benefits are paused, said Laura McHugh, chief engagement officer for the United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley. Too many of our neighbors are feeling the strain when vital support systems are stretched, stated Marci Lesko, president and chief executive officer of the local United Way. When need rises and resources tighten, our community shows up. Were grateful for the extraordinary collaboration across nonprofits, funders and volunteers who are stepping up together to meet this moment. The local United Way urges those in need of food resources to visit pa211east.org. Visitors to the site can click on their county and then food, for the list of the closest resources available. Those in need may also dial 211 to speak to someone directly for help or text their ZIP code to 898211. In addition, the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services maintains a list of food bank organizations operating throughout the state, which gather food donations and distribute them to the nearly 3,000 local food pantries across the state. Other resources suggested by the DHS include: New Jersey residents are encouraged to dial 211 or visit nj211.org for pantry locations and assistance help. PennLive.com and The Associated Press contributed to this report. The ESB Network's national training centre in Laois is about to get bigger and a lot more visible, with the construction of a 1,000sq metre extension, costing 6.5 million. Tucked away off the Abbeyleix Road in Portlaoise, the surprisingly large centre already teaches 450 apprentices from all over Ireland, learning the latest electrical skills over a four year apprenticeship. It gives jobs to 70 full time staff. Those numbers are set to increase with the biggest extension of the centre since it was built over 50 years ago. A class underway at the ESB Networks Training Centre in Portlaoise. Photo: Leinster Express The investment will have a positive impact on Portlaoise. Frank Murphy, technical training and development manager, spoke to the Leinster Express / Laois Live at the official opening on Thursday, October 30. "It will bring a lot more footfall into the area, with an expansion of jobs, extra trainers and supports. It's an iconic site, it already brings huge footfall to Laois. It will be more visible to people passing by," Mr Murphy said. The extension will be built quickly, expected to be finished by mid September next year. It will have five training rooms, two meeting rooms, an office and coffee dock over two floors, along with a new carpark. A glazed atrium will link to the existing building. Nicholas Tarrent, Managing Director of ESB Networks, said it is a "special project for us". "In 1970 we started here in Portlaoise. Our aim is to teach technical skills and safety on the network. These are people working to build and maintain the network, it's a really important job. We are expanding because of the scale of the work ahead. "We have 156 new apprentices this year, and 40 are female. We are a leader in terms of diversity and we are very proud of that fact," he said. He adds that in the next five years, 13 billion will be spent expanding the electrical network, including investing in the substation in Portlaoise, "one of the fastest growing towns in the country." First year apprentices Dearbhla McGrath and Ryan Bourke with James Lawless TD, Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science. Fennell Photography. Turning the sod on the already active construction site, Minister for Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science, James Lawless TD calls it a "significant investment". "It is great to be here marking continued success. The ESB has shone a light on Ireland's progress, and the criticality of what you do, for communities, the environment and climate. I remember in the storms all the crews coming through Rosslare, and our crews going to France. "We need to strengthen the grid, and use renewables to power hospitals, business and homes in a way that is climate proof. There's a huge opportunity off our coastline to harness the mighty Atlantic and become energy independent. We need skills, and the skills represented here today are critical," he said. Minister Lawless praised the Laois Rose of Tralee, Katelyn Cummins, an electrical apprentice in Alpha Drives, Portlaoise. "She is a young female apprentice leading the way not just in the dome, but in her career. She represents the changing face of apprentices," he said. The Minister of State at the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science is Marian Harkin. She praised ESB networks for "setting a powerful example in helping to build the workforce that we ars a country need to deliver on infrastructure and climate action". She also noted the impact of Rose of Tralee Katelyn Cummins on promoting apprenticeships to women. "She is a fantastic ambassador. As a middle aged Minister my promotion means nothing, but when you have a young woman like her, you know you're onto a winner," Minister Harkin said. Read also: Fastway workers 'escorted off forklifts' Also attending the opening were Laois County Council Cathaoirleach Cllr Barry Walsh and CEO Michael Rainey, Laois TDs Sean Fleming and Willie Aird, Senator Maria McCormack and Laois county councillors John Joe Fennelly, Catherine Fitzgerald and Paddy Buggy. A YOUNG mother-of-four from Limerick died from a blood clot a week after undergoing liposuction and buttock augmentation surgery in Turkey. An inquest into the death of Lydia ODonoghue (nee Mulqueen), 38, of Lower Whitethorn Drive, Caherdavin, has heard that the fatal blood clot was linked to her recent surgery, subsequent air travel, and drug use. READ NEXT: Have you seen Claudette? Gardai launch appeal for missing 15-year-old An autopsy report showed that the level of cocaine in the young womans system was significant. On the day of her surgery on April 16 last, Ms ODonoghue, formerly of Fairview Crescent, Garryowen, had posted a picture of herself on TikTok with the caption: Surgery day new booty pending. A buttock lift or buttock augmentation surgery - often referred to as a Brazilian Butt Lift (BBL) when a patient's own fat is used during the procedure as opposed to butt implants, which sees silicone devices placed into the buttock - is an increasingly popular cosmetic surgical procedure. Ms ODonoghues mother Caroline told the inquest that the doctors in Turkey said she was fit to fly." Ms ODonoghue underwent surgery in Turkey on April 16 and was pronounced dead exactly one week later in University Hospital Limerick on April 23, 2025. Limerick Coroners Court in Kilmallock heard that Ms ODonoghues husband Jonathan said that she wasnt feeling well, her legs were swollen and she collapsed in the kitchen of their home. He performed CPR on her for 20 minutes, but his efforts were not successful and his wife was transferred to University Hospital Limerick, where she was pronounced dead on April 23. READ NEXT: US rock legend set to appear on this week's Late Late Show as guests revealed The 38-year-old left behind her three sons Jamie, Jason and JJ and her daughter Annaleise Mary. She died on the day of her oldest sons 20th birthday. The autopsy report revealed that Ms ODonoghue had signs of a blood clot in her lungs. A toxicology report by pathologist Dr Teresa Laszlo showed that there was cocaine and diazepam in her system, but no alcohol. The cause of death was determined to be a blood clot, caused by recent liposuction surgery, which was followed by air travel and drug use. Dr Laszlos report said that the cocaine use may have contributed to her death and that the cocaine level was significant. She added that this, along with the air travel, would increase the risk of a blood clot. The family asked the coroner John McNamara if Ms ODonoghue would have felt anything, but he said that death involving a blood clot is very sudden. READ NEXT: Pedestrian killed in horror early morning collision in Dublin as Gardai appeal for witnesses They also asked if she should have been put on blood thinners when she left Turkey, which the coroner said could have helped, but that there were a variety of factors which contributed to her death. He acknowledged that it is very difficult to discuss Lydias death like this - her untimely death a couple of months ago. Mr McNamara recorded a verdict of misadventure, saying that Ms ODonoghue never intended this outcome. Sympathies were extended to the family by the coroner and also by Sergeant David Delahunty, on behalf of An Garda Siochana. Ms O'Donoghue was remembered at her funeral Mass in April as a wonderful mother who loved music and fashion and was always the life and soul of the party. Ms ODonoghue is survived by her husband Jonathan, four children, her mother Caroline, father Christopher, two sisters and two brothers, along with a wide circle of family and many kind friends. May she rest in peace. A ceremony held before the deployment of more than 300 Irish peacekeepers to south Lebanon was poignant, ahead of the missions end, the Tanaiste said. Three hundred and sixty two Irish soldiers are to be deployed to south Lebanon from next week, as part of a peacekeeping mission of which Ireland has been a part for decades. The United States and Israel wanted to have UN troops removed from the area next year. After negotiations, an extension to 2027 was agreed. Speaking ahead of the latest deployment, Tanaiste and Minister for Defence Simon Harris said that Ireland has a very special place in our heart for the UN peacekeeping mission in Lebanon. He said it was a day of mixed emotions for family and friends as they show their pride in their loved ones but also prepare for time apart. Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Rossa Mulcahy said the soldiers were fully prepared for the mission and were being deployed in some uncertainty. Weve had just under 50 years deployed with Unifil by the end of 2027, and a proud record and a legacy that the Irish nation and the Defence Forces have left in that area. I suppose our primary concern is for the safety and security of that region. We will work very closely with the Lebanese armed forces in the next year to ensure that theyre prepared and ready to take over that mission, so thats our primary focus for 2026. He said Unifil had begun to look at what the wind down of the operation would look like. An honour to review the 127th Battalion before their deployment to Lebanon as part of the UNIFIL mission. Proud of the men & women of @defenceforces. Grateful to them and to their families for their service. 362 troops will deploy next month pic.twitter.com/CUvL25pnWv Simon Harris TD (@SimonHarrisTD) October 31, 2025 Lieutenant Colonel Mark Lennon, commanding officer of the battalion to be deployed, who is being sent on his eighth deployment to Lebanon, said they were very conscious of the volatility in the area. We have great soldiers, and that was seen in our pre-deployment training, and our morale is high, but were conscious of the people were leaving behind, the families that are connected and, yes, the change in tempo overseas and then the volatility that exists in the Middle East. His daughter Caitlin, 12, and son Sean, 10 said they were proud of their father and would miss him. Lt Col Lennon said it was difficult to be away from his family. It is really a mixed emotions. On the one front youre looking forward and youre preparing to deploy, and then youre also very, very conscious of who youre leaving behind. I spoke with the families prior to the parade here this morning and, in many ways, the medal we get at the end should be given to our families, because theyre the ones that have to stay behind and do the basic day to days of keeping a family and a household running. Particularly just as were approaching from next week, the Christmas decorations will be out, and well be in deployment mode. Portarlington man Josh Kiernan has worked as a Fastway franchise driver for over seven years. The 34 year old father of three was shocked to hear of Fastway's receivership, having paid 30,000 to the company for his delivery catchment area. The driver claims he has received no official letter or email from Fastway to say his job is gone, and is unable to sign on to social welfare. He claims that he is down over 40,000, and that Fastway has told franchisers they will not receive any money back. "I'm employed with Fastway through a rolling contract as a driver, I spent 30,000 buying my way into the company," Mr Kiernan told the Leinster Express / Laois Live. Pictured: Fastway delivery vehicles "You buy an area that is exclusive to you, no other drivers can deliver in it. I have a couple of drivers working for me, and I employ a night sorter in the Fastway depot. We work four weeks behind, so that's standing at around 12,000 owed to me right now. I'm down over 40,000 since Fastway went into receivership," he said. "On Tuesday I did a normal day's work, a double load after the Bank Holiday, and I was home around 4pm. Next thing I get a call from a girl in the office that the banks are there to shut it down," he said. "It was at the end of our shifts, if we hadn't heard we would have shown up on Wednesday to the gates locked. I still haven't heard anything officially from Fastway." "The workers in the warehouse are told they won't get their money until next year, meanwhile us drivers have been told to be on our merry ways. I've had to tell my workers to leave back their vans, they have houses and families to pay for. I'm 34 with my own business and mortgage, I have a seven year old child and nine month old twins. The twins are 200 each a week to feed and medicate alone, and I have sunk everything into this," he said. Pictured: Fastway in Portarlington "I can't pay the house, I can't pay the taxman back the business loan, Fastway have stolen our drivers from us over the last two years. We want our money back and we aren't going to get a cent. We're at home seeing the CEO who walked out two weeks ago, posting his new Porsche on Instagram," Mr Kiernan argued. Over 200 franchisers took part in an online zoom call on Thursday with representatives overseeing the receivership process. Mr Kiernan said this call was 'uncivilised and chaotic'. "It was useless, we were basically told we won't get a penny. It was 200 people in a call who all down thousands of euro, all shouting over each other with questions. The officials just left the call, and we all had to try work together to organise something," he said. "We don't have a union it's just ourselves, and we're out of pocket with no resources to push anything. How can we pay a law firm to bring them to court?" Mr Kiernan said. "We have lost our lives that we have invested in this, and we have nowhere to turn. We have lost it all," he said. "There are people worse off than me, some lads have five runs or ten runs, they could be owed over 100,000." Mr Kiernan explained that rumours circulated in September that the company was facing financial struggles, which he and his coworkers questioned with management. "We were told that we're the busiest we have ever been in two or three years, and told to 'keep her lit'. Now I'm completely screwed over," he said. "I invested deeply, I bought the Portarlington run because it's my hometown, now all of the businesses who are screwed over are looking at me for answers. I'm left with tax bills and have had to hand back my vans. Fastway were selling runs up to last week," Mr Kiernan claimed. Pictured: Fatway's receivership has left an estimated 300 people without jobs. File photo "Fastway are one of an umbrella of companies, they owe the banks 90 million. How it got to this level without Government or bank intervention I don't know. It's madness and the Government should be ashamed," he said. "I have been offered eight jobs since Tuesday, but I can't take any. I went into the social welfare office for the first time in my life this week, and I was told that nothing can be done for me. I've worked since I was 16," he said. "I was speaking with my accountant this morning who is facing a two month backlog of end of year returns. Revenue are on my back, and I've had to ring the mortgage company today. I'm already in arrears, I was waiting for Christmas as that's when we make our most money. It has been a terrible year up to this," he said. "I know that Fastway gets stick, but people might realise after this why the service wasn't that good, we were working as slaves for nothing," he said. "We got 86 cent for each parcel delivered. I know a lot of guys with parcels who have just returned the parcels to local businesses of their own accord, because we don't believe Fastway will ever do it." The Portarlington father claims that Fastway heads have taken 'no responsibility' in this receivership. "Fastway only owned their logo and their name, they rented their buildings and machinery. They sold us the runs. They have no responsibility and are able to walk away back to the UK, with the money they have funnelled into their other businesses," he claimed. "We won't get a penny. The Government could have intervened when it was 30 or 40 million," Mr Kiernan slammed. "The Government has to do something for us, they allowed this to happen. Between the Government and AIB, they allowed 90 million to be siphoned off to the UK. The issue isn't just with Fastway closing, it's the face that the Government allowed this to happen. The taxman would be at my door over 5,000, nevermind 90 million." he said. "We are the ones who put in thousands- without us, there was no company. We are left with nothing but debt and big bills," Mr Kiernan finished. Defence Forces personnel from Laois will take part in the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), in what is likely to be the penultimate tour of duty, according to Laois Fine Gael TD, Willie Aird. Deputy Aird said some 370 Irish personnel will be deployed to the UNIFIL mission today, in Irelands longest ever peacekeeping mission. I want to wish all soldiers from Laois and across Ireland the very best today as they prepare to go to Lebanon," Deputy Aird announced. "With the conclusion of the UNIFIL mission at the end of 2026, this deployment takes on an even greater significance." The UNIFIL mission, in which Ireland has contributed to since 1958, is due to come to an end at the end of next year, despite Ireland advocating strongly for continued mandate renewal. This deployment will help bring this long and distinguished chapter of Irish peacekeeping towards a close. Our values of compassion, justice, and helping those who face difficult times because of conflict will remain at the heart of legislation to reform overseas deployments and reinforce Irelands ability to pursue an independent foreign policy," Deputy Aird continued. Defence Forces personnel from 30 counties will be deployed, and we are grateful for their dedication and commitment to representing our values abroad. For the four soldiers in Laois, you are part of a mission of peace, humanity, and hope, and we are thankful for the work you do," the Deputy finished. The 127th Infantry Battalion is deploying with 350 personnel, of which 341 are drawn from the Irish Defence Forces and nine from the Armed Forces of Malta. Personnel range in experience from those on their first deployment, to seasoned Non-Commissioned Officers and Commissioned Officers. They will deploy in November and take over duties from the 126th Infantry Battalion who were deployed in May, 2025. The personnel of the 127th Infantry Battalion are primarily drawn from the 2 Brigade are of responsibility with the lead unit being Athlone's Custume Barracks (6th Infantry Battalion). The organisers behind the annual supercar event Cannonball Ireland have thanked the people of County Kildare for their donations during Cannonball 2025. According to Cannonball Ireland, the group has raised total of 781,914 for The Jack and Jill Childrens Foundation since the partnership with the Kildare-based charity began in 2022. In addition, donations reached 317,819 in 2025, bringing the total raised for Irish childrens charities to 2,271,716. 2025 also happened to be the 15th iteration of the event. Welcoming the generosity shown by the people of Kildare, Deirdre Walsh, the CEO of Jack and Jill, said: "All of us at Jack and Jill are blown away by the funds raised this year through our partnership with Cannonball and Circle K, translating to 17,710 hours of in-home nursing and respite care for 456 Jack and Jill families nationwide." She added that over the three-year partnership, the 781,914 raised has contributed to the funding of 43,438 hours of vital care. READ NEXT: Approximately 3,000 worth of tools stolen from van during Kildare incident Ms Walsh continued: "This partnership has been a true game-changer not just in funds and care hours, but in community spirit and meaningful connection. "Travelling across Ireland with the Cannonball crew and meeting our wonderful families is always a joy." She concluded: "Were so grateful to the Cannonball community for their time, creativity and energy in making our families part of this spectacular event and ensuring Cannonball 2025 was such a success." In addition, Alan Bannon, the founder of Cannonball Ireland, had this to say: "Raising over three-quarters of a million euro for Jack and Jill is something were incredibly proud of as a company." He added: "Each year, the Cannonball family; our sponsors, participants, spectators and crew come together not just for the love of cars, but to make a real difference for Irish children and families. This milestone is a testament to the generosity, energy and heart that fuel Cannonball." Lastly, Ciara Foxton, managing director of Circle K Ireland, said that it was "fantastic" to support both Cannonball and the Jack and Jill Foundation again this year by running its 'When You Fill, Support Jack and Jill' initiative at Circle K sites across Ireland. She added: "Id like to extend a heartfelt thank you to the Cannonball team, our colleagues across the Circle K network, and of course our customers, whose generosity and enthusiasm drives the success of this event every year." Femhe Flynn (6) from Sallins, pictured with Deirdre Walsh, CEO of The Jack and Jill Childrens Foundation, and Alan Bannon, Founder Cannonball Ireland, at the presentation of a cheque from Cannonball Ireland to the Jack and Jill Childrens Foundation. Photographer: Leon Farrell / Photocall Ireland READ NEXT: LATEST: Man dies in hospital following assault in Kildare Sinead Freeman from Brownstown, Co. Kildare has been named the Kildare Lidl Family Carer of the Year 2025. The awards recognise the remarkable commitment, compassion and strength of family carers who provide essential care to loved ones every day. The Lidl Family Carer of the Year Awards celebrate those whose dedication and compassion make a difference in the lives of the people they care for. They also serve as a reminder that behind every person receiving care is someone providing it, often quietly and without rest, recognition or access to vital supports and services which should be provided by the State. Sinead cares for her seven-year-old son Charlie, who has a rare eye condition called nystagmus along with astigmatism, which affects the movement of his eyes. She has never allowed his condition to hold him back and always encourages him to be the bright, fun loving and cheeky boy everyone knows and loves. With her support, Charlie has learned to ride his bike, loves swimming and is making great progress with reading and writing at home and in school. A devoted mother, Sinead also has a wonderful two-year-old daughter named Sophie. Her patience and warmth give her children the confidence to face every challenge and the love to know they are never alone. Her story reflects the daily reality of caring in Kildare and across Ireland, where love and responsibility often intertwine and where family carers so often put the needs of others before their own. READ NEXT: Kildare Co Council responds to calls for LPT to be scrapped. Catherine Cox, Head of Communications and Policy with Family Carers Ireland, said: Family carers are the silent supporters of so many households across Ireland. They juggle multiple responsibilities, often at great personal cost, driven by love. Too often, their work takes place behind closed doors, unseen, unsupported and unacknowledged. These awards are about visibility and respect for the vital work that they do. Sinead represents the compassion and resilience we see every day among family carers in every town and village. By recognising them, we are shining a light on all those who quietly care, who continue to give, and who deserve to know that their efforts are valued and understood. Since announcing their partnership with Family Carers Ireland at the end of 2024, Lidl has been supporting the caring community through the development of their Lidl Charity Champion programme. One team member from every Lidl store and Regional Distribution Centre across Ireland has volunteered their time and energy to support Family Carers Ireland through a host of activities including planning and participating in store fundraising and fostering greater community engagement. Christine McIntyre, Senior Partnership and Events Manager at Lidl Ireland, added: At Lidl, we are proud to support Family Carers Ireland and to show family carers that we care back. Every day, hundreds of thousands of people across Ireland give their time, energy and love to support others, often putting their own needs last. Through the Lidl Family Carer of the Year Awards, we want to recognise their incredible dedication and remind them that no one should have to care alone. Sinead Freeman is a wonderful example of the compassion and commitment that exist in homes and communities all over Ireland. Between October 27 and 29, Ukraine continued injecting small volumes of natural gas into underground gas storage (UGS) facilities ahead of the start of the active heating season, according to data from the European Aggregated Gas Storage Inventory (AGSI) platform. However, by October 30, the gas injection/withdrawal balance in Ukrainian storage facilities had already fallen to zero. As reported earlier, citing former Energy Minister Olha Buslavets, gas imports from Poland resumed on October 23 amid temporary warming, allowing Ukraine to delay active gas withdrawals from storage by another 710 days. According to her, reduced production due to Russian strikes on gas infrastructure and increased consumption following the partial activation of heating in social institutions caused gas injection rates to slow to nearly zero cubic meters per day by the end of last week. In addition, gas injection was temporarily halted from October 20 to 25 for scheduled maintenance by Poland's gas transmission system operator Gaz-System. However, according to data from the Gas Transmission System Operator of Ukraine (GTSOU), imports from Poland began recovering earlier than expected, reaching 5.6 mcm/day on October 23, 6.0 mcm/day on October 24, and 9.9 mcm/day on October 25. As AGSI data show, Ukraine temporarily suspended gas injection on October 22 and began withdrawals, but by October 23, the balance returned to zero, and by October 24, injection resumed slightly, turning positive again. According to GTSOU, total gas imports to Ukraine on October 3031 amounted to 24.525.2 million cubic meters per day, supplied from Hungary, Poland, Slovakia, and small volumes from Moldova/Romania. AGSI data indicate that Ukraine's gas reserves in storage now exceed 8.5 billion cubic meters, excluding long-term (technical) storage gas. Nataliya Boyko, Deputy Chair of the Supervisory Board of the Naftogaz Group, noted that Ukraine may fall short of about one-third of its planned natural gas production for the year due to Russian attacks. Meanwhile, Naftogaz Ukrainy CEO Serhiy Koretsky said on October 29 that the country will require just over 4 bcm of additional gas imports to ensure a stable 20252026 heating season. He added that Ukraine also needs an additional $1.9 billion in import financing, a significant portion of which has already been secured. Brendan Dee from Carrick-on-Shannon, Leitrim has been named the Leitrim Lidl Family Carer of the Year 2025, it was announced this week. A statement to the Leitrim Observer said: "The Lidl Family Carer of the Year Awards celebrate those whose dedication and compassion make a difference in the lives of the people they care for and also serve as a reminder that behind every person receiving care, is someone providing it, often quietly and without rest, recognition or access to vital supports and services which should be provided by the State." It revealed that Brendan has cared for his wife Rachel for more than 30 years, ever since she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. "She now uses a wheelchair and is supported by her husband with many of her daily needs. Brendans love and commitment to her have never wavered. From the beginning, he has managed every part of family life that Rachel could not, ensuring their son Mark grew up surrounded by care and love." READ MORE: Taoiseach 'certainly never did me any favours; absolutely not' says Leitrim councillor A few years ago, when Rachels mother Mary was diagnosed with Alzheimers, Brendan once again stepped in to care for her too. "After 25 years in a management role, he took early retirement so he could dedicate himself fully to his caring responsibilities and even completed a carers course to give the best possible support," the statement said. It concluded: "Brendan is known for his good humour, humility and quiet strength. He never complains, despite the many challenges he faces, and continues to care for his family with patience, dignity and love. His story reflects the dedication and compassion shown by family carers in Leitrim and across Ireland." Catherine Cox, Head of Communications and Policy with Family Carers Ireland, said: Family carers are the silent supporters of so many households across Ireland. They juggle multiple responsibilities, often at great personal cost, driven by love. Too often, their work takes place behind closed doors, unseen, unsupported and unacknowledged. These awards are about visibility and respect for the vital work that they do. Brendan represents the compassion and resilience we see every day among family carers in every town and village. By recognising them, we are shining a light on all those who quietly care, who continue to give, and who deserve to know that their efforts are valued and understood. READ MORE: Application process has begun for major tourism development in Leitrim Since announcing their partnership with Family Carers Ireland at the end of 2024, Lidl has been supporting the caring community through the development of their Lidl Charity Champion programme. One team member from every Lidl store and Regional Distribution Centre across Ireland has volunteered their time and energy to support Family Carers Ireland through a host of activities including planning and participating in store fundraising and fostering greater community engagement. Christine McIntyre, Senior Partnership and Events Manager at Lidl Ireland, added: At Lidl, we are proud to support Family Carers Ireland and to show family carers that we care back. Every day, hundreds of thousands of people across Ireland give their time, energy and love to support others, often putting their own needs last. Through the Lidl Family Carer of the Year Awards, we want to recognise their incredible dedication and remind them that no one should have to care alone. Brendan Dee is a wonderful example of the compassion and commitment that exist in homes and communities all over Ireland. Another massive Russian attack on Ukrainian energy facilities on the night and morning of Thursday led to damage to substations critical to nuclear safety and security in Ukraine, the IAEA said. "Following this, IAEA teams at both South Ukraine Nuclear Power Plant (SUNPP) and Khmelnytsky Nuclear Power Plant (KhNPP) have reported that each of the plants have lost access to one of their off-site power lines. Furthermore, the IAEA team at the Rivne Nuclear Power Plant (RNPP) have reported that the plant has reduced the power of two of its four units at the request of the grid operator," the agency said on its website. IAEA Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi in this regard again called for maximum military restraint near nuclear facilities and full respect for the seven integral pillars of nuclear safety and security. "The dangers to nuclear safety continue to be very real and ever-present," said Director General Grossi. Currently, Energoatom operates nine power units of the South Ukraine, Rivne and Khmelnytsky NPPs with a total capacity of 7,880 MW, which are located on territory controlled by Ukraine. Zaporizhia NPP with six VVER-1000 power units with a total capacity of 6,000 MW has not been generating electricity since September 11 of the same year after its occupation on March 3-4, 2022. Since the beginning of the full-scale Russian aggression, over 200 Slovenian companies have provided support to Ukraine, Slovenian Foreign Minister Tanja Fajon said. At the international conference Resilience and the European Future of the Sumy Region at the Diplomatic Academy under the Foreign Ministry, Fajon noted that Slovenia is providing assistance with heating in Sumy region and has also provided a large power generator. "Through Slovenian foundation programs, Slovenia has supported the reconstruction of Ukrainian communities, helping them rebuild their homes and their hope for the future. In addition to the efforts of our government, there has been strong solidarity from the Slovenian people and the Slovenian private sector. Since the beginning of the war, more than 200 Slovenian companies have provided Ukraine with support, either through material assistance or financial donations," she said. According to the minister, this broad cooperation reflects "the spirit of compassion and solidarity that defines the partnership" between the countries. "Slovenia stands in solidarity with the Ukrainian people, and it is an honor for me to represent our government and our people here today as we reaffirm our commitment. Your unwavering courage in defending the fundamental values of freedom and democracy is an inspiration to us all," said Fajon. She also emphasized that Russia's attacks on Ukraine's critical infrastructure violate international humanitarian law and are unacceptable. According to the minister, therefore, Slovenia has increased its support, taking into account both immediate assistance and long-term recovery. "We have provided humanitarian aid, medical equipment, demining support, and psychosocial support to displaced persons and children. Slovenia's support extends to military, humanitarian, and reconstruction efforts," Fajon noted. In the military sphere, Slovenia has provided significant assistance to Ukraine. Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha has called on partners to increase international support for Sumy region, which has already received over $35 million in assistance. "For me and our entire diplomatic family, not only the 21st Brigade but the entire Sumy region has become home. I regularly visit the region and maintain contact with its leadership. Our embassies from around the world report on the practical results of raising aid for frontline regions. These results are there," he said at the international conference entitled "Sumy regions resilience and European future" at the Diplomatic Academy under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. According to the minister, last year, international support for Sumy region amounted to almost $55 million, significantly exceeding previous figures. "This year, we must exceed this target. More than $35 million has already been raised. We are continuing our work," he stated. The Foreign Minister added that the issue of aid to Ukraine's frontline regions is raised during all foreign visits. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy personally raises this topic with his colleagues. Submit An Obituary Funeral homes often submit obituaries as a service to the families they are assisting. However, we will be happy to accept obituaries from family members pending proper verification of the death. Go to form LIMERICK City has struck Gold in the 2025 SuperValu Tidy Towns Competition for the first time, moving up from a Silver Medal in 2024. Adare Tidy Towns continues to show leadership by retaining its Gold Medal award and Kilmeedy has been recognised with the Endeavour Award for most improved performance. The Endeavour Award is given to the Tidy Towns entrant in each county that shows the biggest improvement from the previous year. Among the Limerick accolades were: Galbally County Second and Silver Medal (retained), Castleconnell County Third and Silver Medal (retained), Newcastle West Bronze Medal (retained) and Ardpatrick Bronze Medal (retained.) In the schools category, Scoil Dean Cussen in Bruff was named Tiny Tidy Towns Regional Winner for the South West and Mid-West Region, receiving a 1,000 prize. This follows a strong year for Limerick schools, with 38 awarded Green Flags in May 2025. READ MORE: Limerick women invited to demystify politics at free community event Mayor of Limerick, John Moran, praised the efforts of all involved, saying: I want to congratulate every single community across Limerick who took part in this years Tidy Towns competition. A special word of praise goes to Limerick City Tidy Towns for their outstanding achievement in securing a Gold Medal, a fantastic step forward that reflects years of dedication. Whether youre a small village or a busy urban centre, your efforts make a real difference. Keep up the good work. Priomh Chomhairleoir, Cllr Catherine Slattery commented: The results from this years Tidy Towns competition, and the Going for Gold awards ... show just how committed our communities are to improving their local areas. These achievements are the result of countless hours of voluntary work, creativity, and collaboration. Helen Kenneally, Environmental Awareness Officer, added: It is more important than ever to support the voluntary work of Tidy Towns groups and Residents Associations throughout Limerick. Participating in the National Tidy Towns and Limerick Going for Gold competitions are valuable opportunities for communities to come together and undertake sustainable local activities. As the 2025 Tidy Towns season concludes, Limerick City and County Council say they acknowledge the vital role these groups play in enriching both the physical and social environment of communities. All work is undertaken on a voluntary basis, encompassing sustainability projects and essential maintenance tasks. Each year, participating groups are supported through Pobal funding, enabling them to deliver local projects aligned with the 17 Sustainable Development Goals. A SERIES of interconnected events has led to a major international newspaper featuring Askeaton on its front page. The international edition of the New York Times, carried an extended feature of the sad closure of the Nestle factory in Askeaton and the loss of almost 500 jobs to the local economy, and used a photograph of the factory as the picture splash on its weekend edition of October 18 to 19. Headlined A Formula for Prosperity Sours, the piece by journalist Alexandra Stevenson, focused on the aftermath of the devastating announcement made by the infant formula manufacturer in late 2023. READ MORE: Limerick Law Firm Holmes appoints Edel Conway as head of its corporate unit Carmel Ryan, the manager of the towns tourism office recalled meeting the reporter - who is based in Hong Kong - plus her husband alongside photographer Paulo Nunes Dos Santos, who were en-route to a family event in Cork. Taking up the story, Carmel explained how Ms Stevenson - who is the Shanghai bureau chief for the New York Times - stopped by Askeaton to get a feel for the town in the wake of the factory closure. The party of three ran into Carmel unexpectedly when they were looking for a toilet - so Carmel allowed the use of the facilities in the tourist office which she runs. There, they struck up a conversation. I mentioned my dad worked there and then the questions began. Within 30 minutes, we had set up interviews for her with the Community Council represented by chairman Jimmy ODonoghue, the Cois Sionna Desmond Credit Union represented by Patrick Ranahan, local trader Sean Moran, and Cllr Ger Ward representing the Adare-Rathkeale municipal district, she said. Carmel also put Ms Stevenson in touch with retired former councillor Kevin Sheahan, the local Parish Priest, Fr Sean O Longaigh, and many current and former workers of Nestle, which was known as Wyeth. The upstairs room in the Askeaton tourism office was utilised for the interviews, many of which featured in the 1,500-word long article. It was a bit unreal, Carmel admitted to Limerick Live. It was a rapid day - like we were in a parallel universe or something! After the day of reporting, Carmel said Ms Stevenson joined locals in the pub for a few drinks, and pledged to remain in touch. She did not expect for a minute that Askeaton would feature on the front of the New York Times international edition, sold in more than 160 countries across the world. Alexandra said she was writing the article. We thought it might be the Chinese edition, because she lives in Hong Kong - because we are so well up on these things, Carmel laughed. I said to everyone, well probably never hear another word. It was actually spotted on the newspapers front page by Olivia Leslie, the Irish ambassador to Ethiopia, who shared a picture of page one with a friend from Askeaton. Since then, Carmel says she has had about 20 copies of the front page sent to her via WhatsApp - and is working on getting a number of the actual newspapers themselves. For now, the article can be read online at https://shorturl.at/hgvtA DRIVING through a stone entrance marked as being private, down a long winding avenue lined with autumnal lime trees, Springfield Castle in Dromcollogher is tucked away in the landscape of west Limerick - a private, luxurious venue, which dates back to 1280. In a rare opportunity to walk on the grounds of the private estate, which is rented out for weddings and events, Kilbehenny woman Caroline Conroy of Yoga Walks Ireland, is hosting a Halloween Yoga Walk on the castle grounds this Sunday, November 2. It will be amazing to practice some yoga beside walls that have been there for 700 years, Caroline said. She said that Springfield Castle is just perfect and that she loves seeking out places that hold history and mystery. The yoga walk will involve a mixture of walking, yoga moves, meditations, chats and learning about the rich history of the castle. READ MORE: Rural Limerick town hits front page of New York Times It definitely delivers on atmosphere for Halloween and Samhain. There are amazing walking trails, hidden gems, a lovely grotto and there have been a few ghost sightings there. The Kilbehenny yoga instructor said that this kind of event gives people the opportunity to embrace the energy of a place and its history, while also letting go of anything that is draining them. She pointed out that Sunday, November 2, is also All Souls Day, when the veil between the world of the living and the world of the dead, thins and we can absorb some of the energy from the ancestors of the castle. This time of year is all about healing and nature giving us permission to slow down and let go, Caroline said. She said that this will be a unique opportunity to experience the land and the spirits of Springfield Castle. Springfield Castle is family-owned and run and Caroline said that they are very interested in keeping it very natural and eco friendly. The land is a real medicine and in ways, we have drifted so far away from the earth and the earth in Springfield Castle is Mother Earth as a really nurturing source. She added that the earth comforts us, grounds us and the earth is the ultimate stress reliever. In a world, which is getting increasingly more digitally dependent, Caroline said that events like this give people the opportunity to step away, get lost in what the natural world has to offer and to connect with others, while reconnecting to themselves. When were online all the time, we lose our compass of whats fake and whats real, especially with AI. This yoga walk is a simple, but powerful way to put everything behind us and trust in something outside ourselves - its about making that deep spiritual connection. Explaining how the morning of the Halloween Yoga Walk will go, Caroline said: Well move along the grounds, stopping occasionally at different locations - well have a beautiful morning with time to connect to the divine wisdom and energy and Id hope that people will leave the walk with more than just a relaxed mind, they will feel lighter, more flexible and stronger, but will get so much more than that through the chats and connections to the people they meet and what they discover about themselves. The Halloween Yoga Walk takes place on the grounds of Springfield Castle, Dromcollogher, on Sunday, November 2 from 10am until 12.30pm with yoga, meditations and a chance to connect with the mystery and history of the land and season. Places are limited, it costs 25 per person and bookings can be made with Caroline on 087 1220116. Russian invaders lost 60 military personnel in Pokrovsk area in one day, with a total of 40 offensive operations taking place there over the course of the day, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reported. "According to preliminary data, 60 occupiers have been neutralized in this area today, 33 of whom irrevocably," the message reads. Ukrainian forces also destroyed one vehicle, 21 UAVs, and an armored combat vehicle. Five vehicles and four artillery systems were also damaged. Furthermore, our troops struck two UAV control centers and nine shelters for occupying forces personnel. In total, since the start of the day, the occupiers have attempted to advance on Ukrainian units' positions 40 times in the Pokrovsk sector. The enemy attacked near the settlements of Shakhove, Nykanorivka, Novotoretske, Rodynske, Novo-Ekonomichne, Chunishyne, Pokrovsk, Zvereve, Kotlyne, Udachne, Molodetske, Novo-Mykolaivka, and Filial. In some locations, fighting still continues. A MAN who stabbed a passenger in an unprovoked attack at Dublin Airport in a cry for help has been given a suspended sentence on strict conditions. Dublin Circuit Criminal Court heard that Kasonga Mbuyi (52) stabbed a German man in an unprovoked attack. He was seen behaving erratically before the attack and was not wearing shoes. Mbuyi, with an address at Clare Street, Limerick, was suffering from a paranoid delusion at the time and has since been diagnosed with schizophrenia with previous cannabis misuse. He told gardai he carried out the unprovoked and random assault as a cry for help. Mbuyi was sent forward from the District Court on signed guilty pleas to assault causing harm and production of a pen knife on September 17, 2023 at Dublin Airport. He has been in custody since his arrest. READ MORE: 'Immediate threat' to children in Limerick: Crystal meth-addict said hed love to torture, rape and kill a child Judge Martina Baxter said this had been a completely unprovoked and random attack on a stranger who was innocently making a phone call. She noted the injuries were said to be superficial but the psychological impact could not be underestimated. She noted the victim impact statement detailed how the attack had changed his life and impacted his family. She said at the time of the attack Mbuyi was clearly in crisis, wandering around the airport limping and barefoot while asking strangers for help. She said it had emerged in the sentence hearing that he was very, very unwell at the time and was later diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia She also noted that once he pleaded guilty once he was deemed fit to plead, following a period of almost two years in custody. She said he co-operated with the investigation, displayed insight and remorse. She said he was abiding by his medical regime, engaging in rehabilitation and noted his age and circumstances. She said his culpability must be reduced due to his diagnosis. Judge Baxter imposed a sentence of two-and-a-half years, which she suspended on conditions due to his longstanding issues and also to encourage and incentivise continued rehabilitation. The conditions included that Kasonga remain under the supervision of the Probation Service for a period of 18 months. She ordered him to attend all appointments with his probation officer and to engage in offence-related interventions with the Probation Service and addiction support services. She ordered him to co-operate with any recommended support in relation to his vocational educational needs, to engage with community health services as directed and to co-operate with referrals to any other services. She further ordered him to take up his accommodation in Limerick this Friday and to contact his probation officer to inform them when he had arrived. Detective Garda Cathal Connolly told Miranda Egan-Langley BL, prosecuting, that a German man was standing outside the Terminal One building at the airport when Mbuyi approached him. Mbuyi looked at him and said: I'm going to kill you, before stabbing him repeatedly with a penknife. The victim attempted to use his briefcase to defend himself and a number of passersby also intervened. He was taken to Beaumont Hospital where he was treated for eight wounds to his neck, chest and left flank. These injuries were mostly superficial, but the victim required 12 stitches. A medical report was provided to the court. Mbuyi was arrested and was later taken to hospital under garda escort to be treated for a broken foot and dislocated knee, which occurred in the days before the attack occurred. He sustained these injuries running from people he believed were chasing him, the court was told. Mbuyi accepted responsibility for the attack, and told gardai it was a cry for help. He said he had recently been made homeless and was living a hostel after his privately rented accommodation in Limerick had been sold. He said he felt sad and that no one would help or listen to him. Mbuyi said he did not know the victim, felt sorry for him and was trying to do a crazy thing to get help. Det Gda Connolly said gardai considered that Mbuyi downplayed his culpability somewhat during interview. Ms Egan-Langley told the court that Mbuyi was initially considered not fit to plead and was transferred to the Central Mental Hospital (CMH) from Cloverhill Prison. He was deemed fit to enter a plea in March. Mbuyi has four minor previous convictions for road traffic offences. In a victim impact statement read by Ms Egan-Langley, the victim said he was signed off work for three weeks. He said the scars on his body are a reminder of the attack and his emotional scars are as present as the physical ones. He said the attack has had a profound impact on his life, his family and those around him. He said he hoped that Mbuyi would receive help to deal with his aggression and other circumstances in addition to a just outcome, adding that society must first and foremost be protected from such acts. Det Gda Connolly agreed with Leonara Frawley BL, defending, that it is accepted that her client was in a dark place at the time and was seen behaving erratically before the attack occurred. It was further accepted that Mbuyi had gone to a garda station and Limerick emergency department seeking help before this incident occurred. Several psychological reports were handed to the court. Ms Frawley said her client is an Angolan-born Irish citizen, who has a good work history. Counsel said it appeared Mbuyi became increasingly anxious, then delusional following the death of his father in the UK in August 2023. Mbuyi started to accuse his brother-in-law and other family members of involvement in his father's death, and counsel suggested he was at the airport to make arrangements for travel to the UK. Counsel said Mbuyi doesn't have a clear recollection of events, but now believes the devil was in his mind at the time and accepts what he did was very wrong. A member of the psychiatric team at Cloverhill Prison outlined that Mbuyi was transferred to CMH, returning to the prison in March 2025. He said Mbuyi is doing well and taking his medication. He also noted that a report could be prepared by the psychiatrist outlining the structures required to support Mbuyi upon his release from custody. PERMISSION for almost 100 homes in Raheen has been refused by An Coimisiun Pleanala. Limerick City and County Council afforded Rockspring Developments the go-ahead to construct 97 homes at Baunacloka in Raheen. However, four people wrote to the national planning appeals body in the hope of getting the decision overturned. READ MORE: Shock in Limerick as high profile Labour politician quits party In that number was The Grange Residents Association, which raised concerns about the potential for anti-social behaviour from the new development. They also expressed fear over the danger of increased traffic to the site due to the construction of a pedestrian and cycle link between their estate and this development. Another person objecting suggested the proposed apartment blocks were out of character for the Raheen/Dooradoyle area, which they described as overpopulated and oversaturated with residential developments. They also said there were fears of the impact the development could have on the Loughmore Canal. The proposed development was to be made up of 54 three-bed units, and four units with four bedrooms. On top of this, 38 apartments were planned in a mix of one and two bed units. However, An Coimisiun Pleanala refused permission. It said it is not satisfied the development wouldnt impact local environmentally protected sites. However, they said the principle of housing on the site is acceptable, subject to safeguards to protect the areas established environmental and historical assets. A LOCAL councillor has called for either an underground road or an overpass to be built to connect a new student accommodation development to University of Limerick (UL). Groody Developments has secured conditional planning permission from Limerick City and County Council to develop a massive development which will see 1,400 new beds for students delivered. Its planned for land fronting the Groody Road and Dublin Road in Castletroy. READ MORE: Ryder Cup in Limerick to be most exciting sporting event ever in Ireland But Fine Gael councillor Peter Doyle, a businessman by profession, said if the units are fully occupied, it would lead to gridlock". Well end up with 1,000 students with 1,000 cars. The ones who will not be driving their cars to UL who will endeavour to walk will have to cross the R445. There is no provision for them to cross. In order to solve this, he made the suggestion of extra road capacity. I had thought in my own mind that maybe we could build an underground passageway onto the Dublin Road, or else we will have to build an overpass like in Dublin, he said. He made the comments at this months metropolitan district meeting after Independent councillor Ursula Gavan led calls for the fast-tracking of a traffic management plan for the area. Castletroy is one of the fastest growing urban areas in Limerick and already experiencing severe congestion during peak hours with significant delays from the Mackey Roundabout, Dublin Road, Plassey Park Road, the Groody Roundabout, up to the Parkway and across to Ballysimon, she said. There was support for her call from councillors Shane Hickey-OMara, Elena Secas and Maria Donoghue who called for a similar plan for Mary Immaculate College. Dubai, UAE GFS Developments celebrated another major milestone today with a grand groundbreaking ceremony, reinforcing its enduring legacy of innovation, sustainability, and lifestyle-driven communities across the globe. The landmark event was graced by renowned actress and GFS Developments brand ambassador Tamannaah Bhatia, whose presence highlighted the companys global lifestyle and luxury vision. Her association with the brand reflects the aspirational and cosmopolitan spirit that defines GFS communities worldwide. With over 25 years of industry excellence, GFS Developments continues to uphold its philosophy of Delivering Excellence Globally, combining innovative design, sustainability, and human-centric planning across every project. Operating in 10+ countries and delivering more than 2 million units, the company has set new benchmarks in modern residential and mixed-use developments, redefining the standards of urban living. Speaking at the ceremony, the General Manager of GFS Developments, Michael Collings emphasized the companys commitment to creating world-class communities that blend innovation with trust and long-term value. Our mission has always been to build communities that inspire confidence and pride, developments that reflect our dedication to quality, sustainability, and global excellence, he quoted. View full Image Delivering Excellence Globally: GFS Developments Marks a New Milestone with Grand Groundbreaking Ceremony The company continues to champion accessible modern living, offering flexible payment structures, post-handover plans, and tailored financial solutions designed for both end-users and investors. This approach ensures that every milestone not only enhances urban living but also strengthens GFSs promise of convenience, affordability, and long-term value. Sustainability and lifestyle remain central to GFS Developments vision, with each project designed to improve the quality of urban life through eco-friendly architecture, smart design, and curated amenities. The company also recognizes Dubais standing as one of the safest and most investor-friendly cities globally, attributes that continue to attract international confidence and support GFSs growth vision. Reflecting on the occasion, Tamannaah Bhatia shared, GFS Developments stands for a future-ready approach to living, where innovation, trust, and lifestyle come together to create global communities. Im proud to be associated with a brand that continues to set new benchmarks in real estate excellence. As GFS Developments expands its international footprint, it remains steadfast in its mission to deliver projects that embody innovation, sustainability, and modern luxury, continuing its journey of Delivering Excellence Globally. For more information, visit the site https://gfsdevelopments.ae/ 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. Billionaire Anil Agarwals metals and mining company Vedanta Ltd reported a sharp decline in profits during the September quarter despite favourable business conditions as it took a one-time write-off in its power business. The company reported a 59% decline in profit attributable to its owners, to 1,798 crore, according to regulatory filings. Revenue from operations rose by almost 6% to 39,868 crorethe highest-ever for a second fiscal quarter. The write-off was in regard to the companys wholly-owned subsidiary, Talwandi Sabo Power Ltd (TSPL), which had earlier claimed 1,407 crore as receivable under a government scheme promoting the development of large power plants. In August 2025, the Supreme Court ruled against TSPL on this claim. The company has filed a review petition. Separately, TSPL terminated its contract with Sepco in FY24 due to poor performance and subsequent legal disputes. In September 2025, both parties reached a settlement under which TSPL agreed to pay Sepco 660 crore to close all claims. Vedanta reported earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortization (Ebitda) of 11,612 crore, up 12% from the same period last year. According to Amit Lahoti, lead analyst for metals and mining at Emkay Institutional Equities, 80% of Vedanta is aluminium, zinc, and silver, and the prices of all these metals are going up, so overall I am positive on Vedanta. The cost of alumina is also falling, which will add to their margins. Shares of the metals and mining major declined by 2.6% to 493.60 while the benchmark Sensex remained largely flat, declining by 0.6% on Friday. Demerger delays Anil Agarwal's Vedanta finds itself in a difficult spot, as the government opposes its proposed demerger into five separately listed companies. The company's appeal for the demerger is pending before the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT), amid opposition from the petroleum and natural gas ministry, even as it has missed its revised deadline of September for completing the restructuring. The management is now confident of completing the demerger by the end of this fiscal year. We have also made substantial progress on the proposed demerger, which is a pivotal step towards unlocking further shareholder value, Deshnee Naidoo, the chief executive officer of Vedanta parent company Vedanta Resources, said during a post-earnings interaction with analysts. The final NCLT hearing is scheduled for 12 November, and we expect approvals to follow, she said. However, delays could arise as the case needs to be argued again after the NCLT bench, which was hearing the case, was reconstituted. The completion of demerger by 31 March depends on the NCLT approval coming by the end of November. Given that the bench hearing the case has been reconstituted, there could be a delay of a month or two, but it would not derail the case for re-rating from demerger, said Lahoti Jaiprakash acquisition done deal? Vedanta expects to succeed in acquiring Jaiprakash Associates Ltd (JAL) from the bankruptcy court after it made the highest bid for the Noida-based company of 17,000 crore. Its bid has also been approved by the Competition Commission of India (CCI). The bid of the Adani Group, which was the second-highest, has also received CCI clearance. Now, the committee of creditors is likely to vote on the final resolution based on the bids, resolution plans and ability to finance the acquisition. We think it is highly unlikely that Jaiprakash will go for rebidding, and we feel quite confident that Jaiprakash is coming, Naidoo said. Vedantas key interest in the bankrupt company was its power assets, Naidoo said. JAL also owns hotels, cement units, land, real estate, and a racing circuit. However, analysts, including Lahoti, remained unconvinced about the companys rationale for the acquisition. When Chevron won a new license to drill in Venezuela, it celebrated a return to one of the worlds richest oil regions, where it had operated for more than a century. Three months later, the company is in a bind. The Trump administration has amassed the biggest American military buildup in the Caribbean since the 1980s to exert pressure on Venezuelan strongman Nicolas Maduro. The U.S. has carried out airstrikes on alleged drug boats, killing dozens. Land targets could come next, President Trump has said. For Chevron and its joint ventures, which employ about 3,000 people in the Latin American country, the tense situation is a reminder of the dangers that come with operating in an authoritarian state in Washingtons crosshairs. B-52 bombers now fly above waters where its oil tankers sail. Our top priority is the safety of our personnel, the communities in which we operate, the environment and the integrity of our joint-venture assets," a Chevron spokesman said. He referred any questions about the security situation in Venezuela to the U.S. government. Chief Executive Officer Mike Wirth has orchestrated a yearslong campaign to keep Venezuela open for oil production. He told senior U.S. officials that if his company couldnt pump oil in Venezuela, China would do so instead and lay claim to the regions oil riches. In the midst of uncertainty about the status of Chevrons license earlier this year, Venezuelan Vice President Delcy Rodriguez visited Beijing on a mission to shore up economic ties with China, the largest buyer of its crude oil. Wirth spent much of the summer lobbying for an extension to Chevrons license to drill in Venezuela after the Trump administration revoked its permit. His argument that its departure could curtail American influence in the region resonated with Trumps teamand overcame opposition from U.S. hard-liners determined to oust Maduro. Chevron has long calculated that it has the means and resilience to outlast changing governments in Caracas and Washington alike. It has remained committed to operating in Venezuela even after Exxon Mobil and ConocoPhillips pulled out when their assets were nationalized. Wirth and Chevron are well-versed in the risks. Maduros regime has taken and released several American hostages, including two Chevron executives for two months in 2018. It imprisoned at least three former presidents of Venezuelas state oil company on corruption allegationsone of whom died in custodyand has sought the extradition of another from Italy. In 2017, Venezuela jailed six Citgo executives for nearly five years. This is without a doubt a tough time for Chevron," said Francisco Monaldi, director of the Latin America energy program at Rice Universitys Baker Institute for Public Policy. I imagine Chevron personnel in Caracas are very jittery." Spains Repsol, Italys Eni and a handful of other companies lost their permits for Venezuela earlier this year. Chevrons output there has historically represented less than 10% of its worldwide production, and Venezuela accounted for 3% of its $31.5 billion cash flow from operations last year. The U.S. has sanctions in place that prohibit companies from trading Venezuelan oil; Chevrons license is essentially an exemption to the rule. Trump has warned that he will level hefty tariffs on countries that buy oil from Caracas. View Full Image An oil facility in Venezuela in 2018. At the same time, Chevron has faced years of criticism for aiding, even indirectly, Maduros hold on power. What you have is a conflict between the interests of one oil company and the United States," said Elliott Abrams, who was the U.S.s top envoy to Venezuela during the first Trump administration. Maduro, he said, can tell his constituents that the Chevron deal shows the U.S. isnt serious about its anti-Maduro stance. It undermines the political argument the United States is making," Abrams added. Chevron said it operates globally in compliance with laws and regulations that apply to its business, including the U.S. sanctions framework in Venezuela. We believe our presence continues to be a stabilizing force for the local economy, the region and U.S. energy security," the company spokesman said. Chevron is handing over to the Maduro regime about half its oil production in the country as payment under the new license, according to people close to the Venezuelan government. Vessel-tracking data from the market-intelligence firm Kpler shows oil exports from Venezuela to the U.S. fell to about 133,000 barrels a day in September, from about 300,000 in December, when the prior license was in effect. Much of Venezuelas share ends up in China through sales on the black market, according to the Kpler data, which also shows that Venezuelan exports to China have risen in recent months and overall shipments have remained flat. Rodriguez, the Venezuelan vice president, has been working with China to cut out intermediaries and allow the oil to reach Asia directly. But much of the imported oil still hits the market at steep discounts, according to people close to the Maduro government. The regime pays off billions in loans from China with cheap oil. This is a very inefficient scheme for Maduro when he desperately needs fresh cash to try to build capabilities in Venezuela," said Jose Ignacio Hernandez, a law professor, consultant and public-debt expert at Aurora Macro Strategies. The first Trump administration moved to curtail Chevrons operations in Venezuela as part of a maximum pressure" campaign against Maduros rule, which had plunged the country into economic turmoil. Maduro withstood the pressure, and in late 2022, the Biden administration allowed Chevron to go back in. When Trump returned to office, he revoked the license again, before reinstating it in July. The terms of Chevrons new license, which prohibits cash payments to the Maduro government, are thought to be less profitable to the regime than those under the Biden-era permit. The previous permit allowed Chevron to sell all the oil it pumped, and Venezuelas proceeds were funneled through private banks to the local economy. Aides to President Joe Biden said at the time that the arrangement was part of an effort to stabilize the countrys beleaguered economy to reduce the exodus of Venezuelans. It was part of an unsuccessful attempt to coax Caracas into holding free and fair elections. Maduros government received between $1.8 billion and $2.2 billion tied to licensed foreign oil activities in both 2023 and 2024, according to estimates from Auroras Hernandez. Chevron accounted for most of that revenue. For now, Venezuela wants Chevron to keep pumping. Caracas, desperate to attract international investors, has appreciated that the companys ambitions have often left it clashing with U.S. foreign policy and doesnt see Chevron as aligned with Washington, a person familiar with the Venezuelan governments thinking said. David Goldwyn, head of Goldwyn Global Strategies and a former Obama administration official, said cutting off the relatively negligible" revenue stream of Chevrons output in Venezuela wouldnt unseat Maduro or bring the regime to the negotiating table. That will just create a different problem, which is foreign influence," he said. If we leave, someone will come in." Write to Collin Eaton at collin.eaton@wsj.com and Kejal Vyas at kejal.vyas@wsj.com Air India is reportedly seeking at least 100 billion ($1.14 billion) in financial support from owners Singapore Airlines and Tata Sons. The development follows a deadly Air India crash in June that killed more than 240 passengers. The incident plunged the carrier into its worst crisis, complicating its push to restore its reputation and modernise its fleet, Bloomberg reported. Sources told the media house that the Tata Group-owned carrier is requesting funds to overhaul Air India's systems and services as well as developing in-house engineering and maintenance departments, the report said. Any financial support would be proportional to ownership, Bloomberg said, adding that the owners would decide if the funding will be an interest-free loan or via equity. Tata Group, which bought Air India in 2022, has a 74.9 percent stake in the airline, with Singapore Airlines holding the rest. Also Read | Air India bus catches fire near aircraft at Delhi Airport Terminal 3 Video Reuters could not immediately verify the report. Air India, Singapore Airlines and Tata Sons did not immediately respond to Reuters' requests for comment. Earlier this week, Air India's CEO vowed to improve the carrier's internal practices. Air India plane crash In one of the worst aircraft accidents in India, a total of 260 people, including 241 passengers, died after Air India's Boeing 787-8 aircraft operating flight AI171 to London Gatwick crashed soon after take off from Ahmedabad on June 12 this year. Air India CEO Campbell Wilson said on Wednesday that the plane crash in June was devastating for people, families and the staff involved, and the airline has been doing everything to support those affected to ease their journey forward. Speaking at a conference in Delhi, Wilson said the interim probe report into the crash indicated that there was nothing wrong with the aircraft, the engines and the operation of the airline. "We obviously, as with everyone else, we await the final report, and if there's anything to learn from it, we will," he said at his first public engagement in India post the aircraft crash. Also Read | Delhi Airport Terminal 2 to be operational from Oct 26 with 120 daily flights It was absolutely devastating for the people involved, for the families of those involved, and the staff, he said. "And since that time, we have really been doing absolutely everything we can to support those affected, both families and also those on the ground, also the first responders, and really do whatever we can to ease their journey forward," Wilson said. ($1 = 87.8950 Indian rupees) Ford Motor Co. plans to invest about 32.50 billion rupees ($370 million) in India to make new engines, a person familiar with the matter said, signaling renewed confidence in the country and defying Donald Trumps promotion of American manufacturing as it reopens a factory closed four years ago. The Maraimalai Nagar manufacturing site in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu will be retooled to make high-end engines for export markets with an annual capacity of over 200,000 units, said the person, asking not to be named as the plans are private. The engines will not be exported to the US, but its unclear which countries they will be sent to, the person said, adding an announcement is expected as early as this week. The US automaker, which first signaled its interest in resuming local production in India a year ago, has been preparing the investment for months against a backdrop of heightened tensions between New Delhi and Washington. Trump placed a 50% tariff on Indian imports earlier this year in a trade standoff, and has lashed out at the Asian countrys purchase of Russian oil. The move comes even as Trump made boosting manufacturing in the US especially where the automotive industry is concerned a signature policy goal. Ford caught flack from the president during his first term for a plan to increase output outside the US, but more recently won praise from him after announcing major investments at its domestic plants. Ford declined to comment. Fords decision reflects renewed confidence in India as a manufacturing base from Chief Executive Officer Jim Farley and comes as it pivots from a previous focus on electric vehicles. The Dearborn, Michigan-based company first set up manufacturing near Chennai in 1995 and added a second plant in Sanand, Gujarat, in 2015. Shortly after becoming CEO in 2020, Farley pulled the plug on a deal with Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. that would have kept Ford vehicles on Indian roads. He abandoned the market altogether less than a year later, saying it could no longer pour capital into marginal markets like India and Brazil that provided little or no return. Also Read | Indian Air Force Band joins Mountain Band of the German Armed Forces for a musical performance By by the time it exited, Ford racked up losses totaling over $2 billion. It ultimately sold off the Sanand vehicle plant to Tata Motors, which now builds EVs there. In 2020, Fords chief US rival, General Motors Co., also ceased production in India, three years after shifting to an export-only business model. More recently, other US companies have been building up their manufacturing presence in India, despite the political tension. Trump singled out Apple Inc. in May for its decision to manufacture in India, but the tech giant has since ramped up iPhone production across five Indian factories. Nvidia said on Friday that it will supply 260,000 of its most advanced chips to South Korea, following a meeting between CEO Jensen Huang and President Lee Jae Myung on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit. This development comes amid a major Artificial Intelligence (AI) push by President Lee, who has expressed his hope that the country can become a leading nation in the AI domain. Speaking about the plan, US tech giant Nvidia said it was working with South Korea to expand the nation's AI infrastructure with over a quarter-million Nvidia GPUs across its sovereign clouds and AI factories, AFP reported. Who will receive these chips? South Korea is home to two of the world's leading memory chip makers Samsung Electronics and SK hynix which supply chips essential for AI products and the data centres that power the rapidly evolving industry. Under the latest deal, a total of 260,000 cutting-edge GPUs will be distributed across key sectors of South Korea's tech and industrial landscape: Samsung: Under Friday's deal, Samsung Electronics will receive 50,000 chips for its new AI factory. By deploying more than 50,000 Nvidia GPUs, AI will be embedded throughout Samsung's entire manufacturing flow, the Korean tech giant said. SK Group and Hyundai Motor Group: These companies will also receive 50,000 chips each, for deployment in their respective AI facilities. NAVER Cloud: The firm, which operates South Korea's largest search engine, will receive 60,000 chips to expand its AI infrastructure. Government and cloud providers: A further 50,000 chips will be deployed across Seoul's National AI Computing Centre and to other cloud service and IT providers, supporting the nation's AI development. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang emphasised the significance of this deal, saying that Korea's leadership in technology and manufacturing positions it at the heart of the AI industrial revolution -- where accelerated computing infrastructure becomes as vital as power grids and broadband, news agency AFP reported. Jensen Huang spotted with heads of Samsung and Hyundai Jensen Huang was spotted having dinner on Thursday evening with Samsung Electronics Chairman Jay Y Lee and Hyundai Motor Executive Chair Chung Euisun at Kkanbu Chicken, a local restaurant in Seoul, South Korea. The pictures of the trio quickly went viral on social media, drawing crowds of fans, journalists, and even national broadcasters, who aired live footage of the executives eating, drinking and chatting. Also Read | Nvidia poised to become first $5 trillion company During the outing, Huang gifted both Jay Y Lee and Chung Euisun Nvidia-labelled DGX boxes the firm's series of AI systems. Lee later showed the cameras a note signed by Huang that read: To our partnership and future of the world! Singapore Airlines, on Friday, 31 October 2025, said that the global aviation giant will provide its expertise and support to the Tata Group-owned Air India after the company asked for 10,000 crore in assistance from its owners, Tata Sons and Singapore Airlines. Singapore Airlines is now a minority shareholder in Air India after the Indian aviation company fully acquired Vistara. According to an agency report from the news agency PTI, a Singapore Airlines spokesperson said that the company has been working with Tata Sons to support Air India's needs. As a significant minority shareholder in Air India, Singapore Airlines (SIA) has been working closely with our partner Tata Sons to support Air India's transformation programme. This includes providing our expertise and support to Air India, where necessary, a Singapore Airlines spokesperson said in a statement cited in the agency report. The company responded to the queries sent by the news agency on providing funds for Air India. However, Singapore Airlines has not disclosed any specific details regarding Air India's operations and financial requirements. Air India asks for 10,000 crore support According to a recent Bloomberg report, Air India has reportedly asked for support of at least 10,000 crore from its owners, Tata Sons (the entity which owns all Tata Group companies) and Singapore Airlines. People aware of the development told the news agency that Air India is requesting the funds to improve the airline's systems and services while developing in-house engineering and maintenance departments. The news report also highlighted that any financial support would be proportional to ownership, and that Tata Sons and Singapore Airlines will decide whether to grant any funding via an interest-free loan or through the equity route. Tata Sons owns a 74.9% stake in Air India, while the remaining is owned by Singapore Airlines, according to the agency report. Challenges of Air India Air India is undergoing a headwind phase, where the company is carrying out a transformation programme while catering to its operational and financial obligations. Also Read | Air India bus catches fire near aircraft at Delhi Airport Terminal 3 Video The company also recently witnessed one of the worst air accidents, where an Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft en route to London from Ahmedabad crashed, killing 260 souls onboard. Apart from the headwinds from the crash and regulatory crackdown, the Pakistan airspace closure is also making the airline take longer routes for its long-haul flights to Europe, which in turn increases operating costs for the company. According to the PTI report, citing Air India CEO Campbell Wilson, the airline is expected to incur a loss of 4,000 crore due to the Pakistan airspace closure. I think the operative word in 2025 is uncertainty. Uncertainty in global trade policy, global stability and peace, and politics. I think that does have an impact on the demand environment, said Wilson, according to the agency report. Air India's fund plea comes after Tata Sons and Singapore Airlines earlier invested 9,558 crore in Air India in the financial year 2024-25. The promoters also invested 4,306 crore in March 2025. GUANGZHOU, Oct. 30 (Xinhua) -- For Francois Scoliege, a France-based executive of a U.S. brand licensing company, returning to the Canton Fair in Guangzhou feels like revisiting an ever-evolving story of China's manufacturing transformation. Scoliege works for Established Inc., a licensing company based in Houston. Every six months, he visits the China Import and Export Fair, or the Canton Fair, to meet with Chinese distributors and manufacturers and explore new licensing opportunities. According to Scoliege, many manufacturers in China don't have a well-known brand, nor an organised commercial structure in Europe or North America, while distributors in those markets have the network, but lack good sourcing options. "Both sides are looking for famous brands, such as Thomson and Schneider from France or RCA from America, retained by Established Inc.," said Scoliege. This gap, he added, creates potential business opportunities. The Canton Fair has become an ideal platform for representatives like Scoliege to connect with suppliers and potential partners as the event gathers both renowned global brands and some of China's best manufacturers under one roof. Building a brand from scratch can be costly and time-consuming, Scoliege said. However, it is vital for good products to reach the market via a noted brand, especially in markets where customers value brands that have longer histories. "Consumers want to have insurance of the products, and the brands serve as the insurance. If they don't recognize a Chinese brand, they may say no to the product, and pay a bit more for a European or American counterpart," Scoliege revealed. Licensing European and American brands to Chinese manufacturers is therefore a win-win approach. Chinese companies benefit from the reputation of established brands -- while brand owners receive high-quality, advanced products that further strengthen their image. Chinese suppliers are not merely functioning as original equipment or design manufacturers, but are also learning brand management and starting to build their own reputations, Scoliege said, adding that he has witnessed a Chinese TV manufacturing company successfully develop its own brand after years of cooperation with well-known companies. Quality stands out as a key criterion in granting licenses. Licensing companies like Established Inc. have to help control the quality of products for their customers to protect the image of such well-known brands. This requires representatives like Scoliege to meet suppliers in person, ask for samples and inspect their factories. "I've been visiting the Canton Fair since 2001, and I've seen the quality of booths and products increasing. The same applies to the factories. The city of Guangzhou itself is also changing incredibly without doubt," said Scoliege. Scoliege highlighted that China is leading the manufacturing process in many domains -- including domestic appliances, vacuum cleaners, TVs and electronics. "You don't even think of going outside of China to produce," he added. Beyond the evolving manufacturing sector, China's innovative products have been catching the eyes of international buyers. The 138th Canton Fair, which opened on Oct. 15, features over 1 million new products developed in the past year, including around 800,000 newly released items. Notably, some 46 leading robotics companies showcased their most advanced products and services at the fair's service robot zone. "More and more I see some new products at the Canton Fair that I have never seen anywhere else," Scoliege remarked, citing examples such as a luggage case featuring wheels and battery, and AI-based swimming pool cleaning robots. Scoliege believes there is a massive market in the AI sector, which is being led by China and the United States. "There is a huge opportunity for us to get new licenses in this domain. We can source new products for some German and French brands who are interested in the AI application market," he explained. During the years, Established Inc. and the Chinese suppliers have built close connection which he referred to as business partners. Looking ahead, Scoliege expects Established Inc. to soon open a new Shanghai office, which will further strengthen its presence in China. He said the Chinese market is a big one that the company wants to further develop. "In China, we're generating 300 million U.S. dollars in turnover. With the Chinese suppliers, we are making another 600 million outside of China. I believe we have huge potential here," Scoliege concluded. Minister of Foreign Affairs Andriy Sybiha reported on new assistance from Norway and Slovenia to the front-line Sumy region. At the international conference "Resilience and the European Future of the Sumy Region" at the Diplomatic Academy under the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the minister noted the effectiveness of the last visit to Norway, where he accompanied the first lady Olena Zelenska. "Norway is transferring a bridge to Sumy region. It was disassembled in Norway and will soon be reassembled in the Mykolaivka community. Sumy region will also receive EUR 2 million worth of medical equipment from Norway. Today, the leadership of Sumy region will decide which communities will receive this assistance," the minister said. He thanked his Slovenian colleague, Tanja Fajon, who is visiting Ukraine, for the "Slovenian government's decision announced today to allocate an additional EUR 250,000 to Sumy region for winter heating." The minister thanked other countries that support Sumy region, including Austria, Azerbaijan, Belgium, Great Britain, Italy, Indonesia, Iceland, Germany, Norway, Poland, South Korea, the United States, Turkey, France, Switzerland, Sweden, Moldova, and Japan. "Your generators, modular boiler houses, fire engines, ambulances, and rescue equipment help Sumy region survive despite the constant shelling. Thanks to your generosity, Russia will never be able to plunge us into darkness," he noted. Additionally, Sybiha stressed that the Russians are deliberately destroying Sumy region, particularly the city of Shostka, and that they must take responsibility for their actions. Private equity (PE) firm General Atlantics $600 million investment in PhonePe was a secondary transaction to cover employees tax bills when they exercised stock options, according to two people familiar with the matter. No new money came into the company, and neither the founders nor employees took cash off the table, they added. This isnt a routine move, especially for a company gearing up for an 11,000-12,000 crore initial public offering (IPO), said experts. Mint explains: How was the deal structured? General Atlantics stake rose from about 4.4% to 9% after it bought shares from PhonePes Esop (employee stock option plan) pool in a secondary transaction. The two people cited above said the funds were channelled to help the fintech deduct and deposit tax (TDS) arising from employees exercising options, not to finance operations. When an employee exercises Esops, the difference between the fair market value on that day and the exercise price is treated as a taxable perquisiteessentially, part of their salary. Employers are required to deduct tax at source (TDS) on this amount under Section 192 of the Income Tax Act. Since TDS must be paid immediately and employees often lack sufficient funds, companies sometimes arrange financing so that the tax can be deposited while employees receive only shares, not cash. In this case, investor money was used solely to meet the TDS obligation. There was no primary raise, no operating cash inflow, and no cash to employees or founders, the two people said, on the condition of anonymity. Why is this a unique deal? The idea, according to the two people, was to clean up" the Esop overhang before the IPO by helping employees convert options into shares and ensuring the company could promptly pay the TDS on those exercises. This avoids issuing new shares, which would dilute the existing owners, and it doesnt draw down the companys own cash, which is beneficial when firms want their balance sheet to appear strong ahead of the listing. Its also quicker. A primary fundraise takes time and increases the share count; a structured secondary can be executed faster and preserves operating cash. Globally, investors have long used such secondaries to help employees exercise options; however, in India, experts said, the approach is still new but is gaining traction among late-stage, IPO-bound companies. From a governance standpoint, such a transaction reflects a maturing Indian market where late-stage companies, particularly those preparing for an IPO, are keen to de-risk their equity pool and ensure employees can participate without prohibitive cash outflows, said Ashima Obhan, senior partner, corporate and IP law firm Obhan & Associates. While global markets have long used structured secondaries to facilitate ESOP exercises, in India, this remains relatively novel. Properly structured, it avoids dilution, preserves balance sheet strength, and aligns investor appetite with employee retention," added Obhan. Although such arrangements are still relatively nascent in the country, they aim to address a structural weakness in the ESOP regime that has long discouraged employees from exercising early, said Hardeep Sachdeva, senior partner at corporate law firm AZB & Partners. If executed with clear disclosures and fair valuations, they can strengthen governance by demonstrating that the company is proactively solving for employee inclusion rather than leaving it to chance," he added. Also Read | Why the World Bank's South Asia update addresses a world that no longer exists How can investors increase their stake in such a deal? The key question, however, remains as to how an existing investor can increase their ownership if the round is intended to fund Esop exercises and TDS rather than issue new shares. Experts said, in practice, the investors stake can go up if it acquires equity tied to the Esop pooleither by purchasing options that convert into new shares or by subscribing to new shares with an understanding that the proceeds will be used to settle outstanding options. There are a couple of ways to do this," said Sachdeva. The investor can buy the options directly from employees (which will be prepared and staged by the company), in which case employees will get cash or funds, the investor will convert options into shares from the company and increase its shareholding." Alternatively, the investor can infuse funds into the company, take shares of the company, and have a clear understanding with the issuer company that such funds will be utilized to buy back all outstanding employee options. Now, in this case as well, money will eventually reach employees, and the investor will have a resultant increase in shareholding because an investor will receive additional shares," he added. How are PhonePes listing preparations progressing? PhonePe filed confidentially for an IPO with the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) in September, part of a months-long listing preparation that included appointing JPMorgan, Citi India, Morgan Stanley, and Kotak Mahindra Capital as bookrunners in February and converting into a public limited company in April this year. The company also completed a multi-year restructuring: In 2022, it moved its domicile from Singapore to India, paying roughly 8,000 crore in taxes. Founded in 2015 by Sameer Nigam, Rahul Chari, and Burzin Engineer, and majority-owned by Walmart, PhonePe has raised close to $1 billion from investors, including General Atlantic and Tiger Global, with a 2023 round valuing it around $12 billion. General Atlantic first invested in the company in January 2023, leading a $350 million tranche and following up with additional $100 million checks in April and May 2023 as part of the companys $850 million round. For 2024-25, on a consolidated basis, it reported revenues of 7,148.6 crore, up 41% from 5,064.1 crore in 2023-24. Expenses increased 21% year-on-year to 9,394.1 crore. Consolidated loss after tax narrowed to 1,727.4 crore from 1,996.2 crore a year ago. Mumbai: Stride Ventures has launched three funds across India, the Gulf Cooperation Council and the UK, raising $300 million over the past six months to be deployed in their respective territories, top executives at the venture debt platform said. These regions were chosen deliberately: India remains our home base and a benchmark for venture and growth credit. The GCC represents a rapidly maturing ecosystem with strong policy support, and the UK serves as a strategic gateway to Europes innovation and financial hubs," Apoorva Sharma, managing partner at Stride Ventures, told Mint. Also Read | Groww IPO could mint big investor gains at $7 billion valuation The GCC is an alliance of Middle Eastern countries Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, and Oman. The funds, which were launched around April, have a collective target of almost $600 million. However, Stride did not provide any details. Each fund will operate under local regulatory frameworks and will follow deal structures that are suited to their ecosystem, the company said. The funds count sovereign funds, banks, insurance companies, treasuries and asset managers among their investors, although Stride did not reveal any names. Also Read | Office developers sniff a service opportunity in India's GCC boom Our mission has always been to empower entrepreneurs to build boldly and sustainably, grounded in trust and collaboration. Today, that same approach refined in India is finding global resonance, reflected in the sovereign and institutional partnerships now backing our platform across borders," said Ishpreet Singh Gandhi, founder and managing partner of Stride Ventures. With the entry into the GCC and Europe, Stride aims to offer local expertise, support cross-border portfolio expansion and unlock growth pathways for Indian and overseas entrepreneurs building for the global markets. What changes with global capital is not our focus, but our flexibility. We now have the capability to support cross-border businesses with multi-currency structures across INR, GBP and USD. That positions us to serve companies that are building across borders," Sharma explained. Local engagement Stride has local teams that have engaged with the policymakers, regulators and capital market ecosystems of these regions to strengthen its expansion plans, Sharma added. Over the years, Stride has catered to the growing needs of startups that are increasingly looking for one-stop debt solutions that simplify fundraising and financial packages. It has backed 200 startups across consumer, fintech, agritech, B2B commerce, health-tech, B2B SaaS, mobility and energy solutions in India. Its portfolio companies include BlueStone, Moneyview, Moove, Foxtale, CureSkin, NewMe, Nat Habit and AgroStar. Stride closed its third Indian venture debt fund at $165 million in 2024. Its other two funds were $50 million (raised in 2019) and $200 million (2021). The growing fund size has enabled the firm to underwrite larger cheques and support later-stage companies and platforms with more structure and scalable solutions, Stride said. In March, Sen. Steve Daines traveled to Beijing with a group of American CEOs in hopes of calming a tense trade relationship between the worlds two largest economies. Weeks earlier, President Trump had added an additional 20% in tariffs on China over what he said was its role in the fentanyl trade. The Montana senator and close Trump ally, who lived in China and Hong Kong for six years in the 1990s as an executive for Procter & Gamble, saw an opening to smooth things over. During the visit, Daines (R., Mont.) said he and Chinese Premier Li Qiang hammered out the outlines of a deal that would see the U.S. reduce its fentanyl tariffs on China in return for Beijings actions to cut off the shipment of fentanyl precursorsingredients to make the drugto the U.S. The Trump administration was for months reluctant to reduce the fentanyl-based tariffs, despite several meetings with Chinese officials in Europe that brought reductions in other levies and temporary pauses in export controls from both economies. The U.S. on Thursday finally accepted Chinas offer, agreeing to reduce fentanyl-related tariffs from 20% to 10% in return for Beijings assurances that it would reduce shipments of fentanyl precursors. China also agreed to buy U.S. soybeans and pause export controls aimed at U.S. industries. I was framing that negotiation back in March on the fentanyl precursors with the premier, and I had lunch with Scott Bessent last week and suggested that soybeans and fentanyl precursorscould be takeaways from that meeting" in South Korea with China, Daines said in an interview, referring to the Treasury secretary. The Daines meeting in China eventually helped pave the way for a temporary detente between Washington and Beijing. The on-again, off-again trade war between the U.S. and China this year has been felt around the world. The trade in goods between the two countries was $582 billion in 2024. Daines and others close to the Trump administration said a confluence of factors came together in recent weeks to make the president and his team amenable to a deal with the Chinese government. Beijing had exerted leverage by constraining the export of rare-earth minerals crucial for U.S. industries; ending purchases of Americas soybeans, harming farmersa key part of Trumps political baseand increasing pressure on the Trump administration to cut a deal. Trumps economic team built goodwill with Chinese officials in a series of meetings in Europe throughout the year, increasing confidence for a final encounter. And, perhaps most important, Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping planned to meet face-to-face in South Korea, giving an incentive to reach a deal they could announce after the encounter. Theyve lined up enough stuff to get a critical mass to get a deal, and then having both leaders there in South Korea," said Sen. John Hoeven (R., N.D.), who met with Bessent and U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer before they departed for Asia. The Treasury Department and Greers office didnt respond to requests for comment. While the administration hasnt released details on the deal with China, comments from both sides in the hours after the meeting point to a pause in hostilities rather than a lasting truce. As part of the agreement, China will suspend its licensing requirements for rare-earth mineralscritical for a variety of U.S. industries, automobiles and defense contractorsfor a year. In return, Washington will put on hold new rules that would place more affiliates of Chinese companies on U.S. economic blacklists. Now, every year well renegotiate the deal, but I think the deal will go on for a long time, long beyond the year," Trump said. The agreement represents progress on the fentanyl concern, which appeared impossible for most of the year. At a May meeting with Chinese officials in Geneva, the U.S. and China agreed mutually to reduce their triple-digit tariffs to a more manageable level, but U.S. officials were clear that they wouldnt back off on fentanyl-based duties. During the meeting, Bessent picked up a pinch of sugar from the meeting table and told the Chinese delegation that if it were fentanyl, it would be enough to kill a person, The Wall Street Journal previously reported. The message was clear: no deal on fentanyl, at least not at that time. That U.S. position persisted for months, even as Bessent and Greer met with Chinese officials in Stockholm, where they discussed extending a pause on retaliatory tariffs, and in Madrid, where they talked about the video-sharing app TikTok. In recent weeks, administration officials started to express optimism that they could come to some sort of deal with the Chinese on several fronts. About two months ago, Hoeven said he met with Bessent to discuss Chinas refusal to buy U.S. soybeans, and Bessent predicted that Beijing would relent around the time of the expected meeting between Trump and Xi. I talked to Secretary Bessent two months ago, and he said in about eight weeks he thought wed have sales," Hoeven said in an interview. He told me that eight weeks ago." Throughout the negotiations, Chinese officials insisted that the U.S. agree to lower fentanyl tariffs before China would resume purchases of soybeans and other agricultural products. While China this week booked its first shipments of soybeans for this marketing year, the agreement likely contains a potential loophole. Chinese negotiators again are expected to insist that China will only make such purchases based on market prices," according to people close to Beijing. This specific language is widely seen as a potential out" for Beijing, allowing China to bypass U.S. supplies if they arent price-competitive. This is a critical distinction, according to Ken Morrison, a commodities trader focused on China, as U.S. soybeans face a very narrow window of competitiveness before Brazils harvest floods the global market. White House spokesperson Kush Desai said the market-prices commitment was boilerplate language" and will ensure China pays what the market price is for the soybeans as opposed to some arbitrary price floor." Even with a new agreement, U.S. soybean farmers face a significant market reality: China, the worlds top importer of the animal feed and cooking-oil ingredient, in recent years has diversified its imports, a strategy that saw Brazil rapidly expand production and capture a larger share of the Chinese market. China has largely bypassed the current U.S. harvest in favor of South American supplies. This development leaves American farmers with a narrow window of opportunity, analysts said, to secure sales before Brazils anticipated record harvest starting in February undercuts producers in the U.S. and elsewhere. Write to Gavin Bade at gavin.bade@wsj.com and Lingling Wei at Lingling.Wei@wsj.com Karpuri Gram: After a three-hour drive from Patna via Hajipur towards Bihars Samastipur district, the road suddenly gleams with freshly laid tarmac. To your left, an archway bears the inscription Bharat Ratna Jannayak Karpoori Thakur Smriti Dwar. The gate leads you to an alley leading to Karpoori Gram the ancestral village of former two-time chief minister and socialist icon Karpoori Thakur. As Bihar heads to assembly elections on 6 and 11 November, Karpoori Thakur and his legacy are being discussed in his home state once again, more than three decades after his death. Political parties across the spectrum have been claiming his legacy in a bid to bolster their chances in the polls. On October 24, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched his Bihar election campaign from Karpoori Gram, paying homage to the legacy of the socialist icon. Last year, PM Modis Union government posthumously awarded the Bharat Ratna to Karpoori Thakur. In his opening remarks at a public rally a few miles from Karpoori Gram after paying tribute to the Jan Nayak, PM Modi invoked Thakur, calling him a priceless gem of the country who brought social justice to independent India and connected the poor and disadvantaged with new opportunities. Our government considers Bharat Ratna Jannayak Karpoori Thakur Ji an inspiration. We have moved forward with this resolve of giving preference to the deprived, prioritising the backward, and serving the poor," the Prime Minister said during the address. The Model Village The incumbent National Democratic Alliance (NDA), comprising the Janata Dal (United) and the BJP, is contesting the two-phase election, facing a challenge from the RJD-Congress-Left Mahagathbandhan. Thakurs ancestral village, Karpoori Gram, named after him following his death in 1988 by the then Congress government, is a few miles from the PMs rally venue in Samatipur, 90 km from Patna. The village was earlier named Pitaunjhia. Thakurs ancestral village, Karpoori Gram, named after him following his death in 1988, is a few miles from the PMs rally venue in Samatipur, 90 km from Patna. The village was earlier named Pitaunjhia. At first glance, Karpoori Gram is not an ordinary village in Samastipur. This model village, home to 3,000 people, features a primary school, an inter-school institution, a high school, a degree college, a hospital, a railway station, and additional facilities, all of which were developed by successive governments in Bihar. PM visit is not linked to elections. He had promised us that he will come and visit when we met him last year in Delhi before the Bharat Ratna was announced, Nityanand Thakur, Karpooris nephew, told this reporter in the village. Karpoori's socialist legacy The choice of Karpoori Gram to launch the Bihar campaign is widely seen as the NDAs attempt to woo the Extremely Backward Castes (EBCs), the community Karpoori Thakur belonged to. He is the foundation stone who is not visible but still holds the entire edifice, journalist Santosh Singh and researcher Aditya Anmol argue in The Jannayak: Karpoori Thakur, Voice of the Voiceless. Thakur was the son of a marginal farmer from the Nai (barber) community. He served as the chief minister of Bihar twice: first, from December 1970 to June 1971, as part of the Bharatiya Kranti Dal, and later, from December 1977 to April 1979, as part of the Janata Party. The BJP-led NDA has long been attempting to co-opt Karpoori Thakurs socialist legacy. The Bharat Ratna, the countrys highest civilian award, to Thakur in 2024, is part of that attempt, analysts say. The EBCs account for 36 per cent of Bihars population and are a sub-group within the Other Backwards Classes the OBCs. The community is said to decide the winner in closely fought elections, and each party tries to woo its members. PM Modi also launched an attack on the RJD and the Congress, part of the opposition Mahagathbandhan in Bihar, for attempting to claim the title of Jan Nayak (Peoples leader) used for Thakur. "Those who are out on bail are out on bail in theft cases. Now their habit of stealing is such that they are engaged in stealing the title of Karpoori Thakur. The people of Bihar will never tolerate this insult to the leader of the people, Karpoori Thakur. They will never tolerate it, he said. PM Modi was referring to some Congress leaders calling Rahul Gandhi the Jan Nayak of Bihar", a move seen as an attempt to stir voter sentiment ahead of elections. The RJD too projected Tejashwi Yadav under the same title, stirring a political row. The leader of the backwards Karpoori Thakurs legacy is deeply etched in Bihars politics. He mentored an entire generation of leaders including Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and his long-time rival and ally Lalu Prasad Yadav, the RJD president. RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav, the former CM of Bihar, built his political career on a similar platform of social justice for backward castes, drawing heavily from Thakur's legacy, particularly his emphasis on OBC (Other Backward Classes) and Dalit upliftment. Samastipur, Oct 24 (ANI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi pays tribute to Bharat Ratna Late Karpoori Thakur and his wife late Phuleshwari Devi, in Samastipur on Friday. (Narendra Modi Photo Gallery/ANI Photo) Yadav's Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), the opposition party at present, emerged from this lineage. In the 1990s, Lalu expanded his traditional Muslim-Yadav (MY) base by bringing Extremely Backward Castes (EBCs) into his social coalition. The RJD held power for 15 years and gradually many EBC groups felt marginalised as Yadavs came to dominate the partys leadership and representation, according to experts. This helped Nitish Kumar, who consolidated the EBC vote by introducing targeted welfare measures. His government reserved 18 per cent of seats in jobs and education for EBCs later increasing it to 20 per cent in local bodies and rolled out popular schemes such as free bicycles for schoolgirls and scholarships for Mahadalits. The strategy paid off: the NDA, led by Nitish Kumar, swept 206 of Bihars 243 seats in the 2010 elections. Nitish has been the Chief Minister since. Jhopdi Ka Laal Old timers in his village remember Thakur as jhopdi ka laal. Thakur is also known for alcohol prohibition and championing social justice reforms. The hut in which he lived was removed from his home to the museum by Lalu Prasad Yadav when he was the chief minister, according to Banarsi Thakur, 58, a local resident who says he had walked with Thakur during anti-government protests. When he was CM his daughter got married. And no body knew about it and there was no taam jhaam (arrangements). He always pitched for free education, Thakur told LiveMint. In 1967, when the Congress government was hit by casteism and corruption, Thakur and his revolutionary slogans filled Bihars air. Congressi raj mitana hai, Socialist raj banana hai (We have to end Congress rule and bring in Socialist rule), Angrezi me kaam na hoga, phir se desh gulam na hoga (We wont work in English, the country wont be a slave again), and Rashtrapati ka beta ya chaprasi ki santaan, Bhangi ya Brahman ho, sabki shiksha ek samman (Whether its the son of the President or a lowly peon, whether its a sweeper or a Brahmin, let everyone have equal access to education) was one of the many popular slogans then. The same year, Bihar got its first non-Congress government. Thakur, then the most popular socialist leader in Bihar, became the deputy chief minister, while Mahamaya Prasad Sinha, a Kayastha, became the chief minister. Removed English It was during Thakurs tenure as deputy CM and education minister when he sought to remove English as a compulsory subject for matriculation. Three years later, Thakur became Chief Minister of Bihar. In his 162-day tenure as CM, Thakur implemented the Official Language Act and made it mandatory to use Hindi for all official communication. In 1977, soon after the Emergency was lifted, Thakur became chief minister once again, serving for about one year and 300 days until 1979. It was in this term that Thakur, the CM, implemented the recommendations of the Mungeri Lal Commission and announced 20 per cent reservations in addition to the existing 24 per cent reservation for SCs and STs. Of this, 12 per cent was to be for the Most Backward Castes (MBCs) and eight per cent quota for the remaining OBCs. The reservation had triggered protests. And in April 1979, Thakurs government fell. Who won from here in the past? The village falls under the Samastipur assembly seat. Karpoori Thakur won from here in the 1980s. His son Ramnath Thakur represented Samastipur from 2000 to 2010. Ramnath Thakur, now an MP, also served as Minister in Nitish Kumar's government. However, since 2010, RJD leader Akhtarul Islam Shahin has won the Samastipur assembly seat in three consecutive elections: 2010, 2015, and 2020. Our government considers Bharat Ratna Jannayak Karpoori Thakur Ji an inspiration. Samastipur district has ten assembly seats. Six went to the NDA in 2020, while four were won by Magathbandhan parties. Incidentally, Prashant Kishors Jan Suraaj Party (JSP) has also bet on Karpooris legacy by fielding Jagriti Thakur, his granddaughter from the Morwa assembly seat in Samastipur. Jagriti, daughter of Karpoori Thakurs younger son Virendra Nath Thakur, joined the JSP in 2024. The RJD's Ranvijay Singh won the Morwa seat in the 2020 election. As we moved out of the village, a group of men gathered near the stone crusher to discuss the polls. This time we will see a badlav, said Amarjit Singh, a resident in the village, without specifying if he was suggesting a change in the JDU-BJP government or a change in the MLA of Samastipur. He is the foundation stone who is not visible but still holds the entire edifice. Bihar Polls: Prashant Kishor has been travelling across Bihar for three years, pitching his Jan Suraaj party as an alternative to the states entrenched caste-driven politics. As the state heads into elections next week, Kishor says his biggest achievement is that the party has already changed the political discourse, forcing both the RJD and the BJP to discuss jobs, migration, and governance. In this exclusive conversation in the middle of his poll campaign, Kishor, himself from Bihar, speaks about the hopelessness among voters, his message to end political bonded labour, his critique of cash doles and freebies, and why he believes November 14 the result day could mark the beginning of a new political chapter for Bihar. Excerpts from the interview: Q: You have been travelling across Bihar for the last three years. The state is mostly known for voting on caste lines. But your party offers an alternative that speaks bout jobs, migration and more. How do you see the support for Jan Suraaj on the ground? A: We will know the trends in two weeks. However, you can already see the impact of Jan Suraaj on political discourse. A party like the RJD, which has never before done politics without mentioning caste, is now speaking about jobs. The BJP, which always talked about Hindus and Muslims, is talking about migration. This discourse has changed not because of Prashant Kishor, but because people now have an alternative - Jan Suraaj. Q: Who is a typical Jan Suraaj voter? A: Over the last 30 years, people in Bihar have either supported Nitish Kumar and the BJP due to their fear of Lalu Prasad Yadav (RJD). Those who feared the BJP, voted for Lalu Prasad Yadav. Jan Suraaj is an alternative for both sides. Previously, Muslim voters who believed that supporting the BJP would not be in their favour often chose Lalu Prasad Yadav, despite not liking him. But now they have an alternative - Jan Suraaj. If you belong to a group that doesnt want a return of Lalus jungle raj and is dissatisfied with the JD(U) governments performance and corruption, you now have the option of choosing Jan Suraaj. The most significant achievement of Jan Suraaj has been the abolition of political bonded labour. If people understand this and vote for us on these bases, for the future of their children on November 6 and November 11, you will see a new chapter in Bihar's political history. And, the results on November 14 will mark the start of a new chapter in the states history. Q: You have been a political strategist, and you often speak about a message during elections. What, according to you, is the secret sauce of winning Bihar? A: We have been saying only one thing for the last three years. People voted for caste, and they saw the impact. People voted for a mandir, and a temple has been built in Ayodhya. People voted for free ration, and under this corrupt government in Bihar, they got freebies. So, I have only one message- this time do not vote for caste, mandir or freebies, vote for the future of your children, for their education and for their jobs. Q: You are up against established parties incumbent NDA under CM for 20 years, Nitish Kumar and an aggressive opposition under Tejashwi Yadav. Where do you see Jan Suraaj in this competition? A: People have tried everything in the last 30 years. Yet, the hopelessness of the people is such that even if they see a better option, they find it too good to be true. Our fight is with that hopelessness. And that is why I say people have to take a leap of faith that our lives can also be changed, and Bihar, like other states, can improve. And if people come out of that hopelessness, you will see a revolution in Bihar and the emergence of a new system in Bihar. Q: The incumbent Nitish Kumar government gave a 10,000 loan to women days before the elections. The opposition promises more money and freebies. Where do you see your party in this competition of poll doles? A: We do not see ourselves in this competition of lies. The present government has given 10,000 to approximately 1.5 crore women. This is clear corruption and bribery. For five years, you extorted money from people through corruption. You took money for a ration card, for homes in the police station. And right before the election, you offer 10,000 from peoples money. What do you think will happen? Some call this masterstroke, and JD-U, NDA will win. I dont think so. First, even those who received this money are aware that it is being distributed just before elections to buy votes. Second, there are 3.5 Crore women voters. And the 10,000 was given to about 1.5 Crore women. Those who did not get this money will not vote for you, even if they voted for you in the past, because they think you have money only for the selected population. There is another aspect to it that people often overlook. Lets assume for a moment that the 1.5 crore women who got money will vote for the NDA. But the rest (about 2 crore) will vote against the NDA. If someone could win elections by just giving money, then why did Jagan Mohan Reddy, who claimed his government had given 2.25 lakh crores in cash transfers, lose the elections in 2024? People are not fools. If you give them money, they will take it. The only thing that has happened is that people have stopped abusing your government. Q: A party that is emerging in Bihar, although it has never won on its own, is the BJP. Last time, 19% votes were cast. It was the second largest party. There were more votes than the JDU. This time, they are fighting for equal seats. BJP is again fighting under Modi's leadership. Where do you see the BJP performing in the upcoming Bihar elections? A: The BJP cannot stand on its own feet in Bihar until it has a face. They don't have a face in Bihar. BJP has been continuously trying since 2014-15 to increase their strength in Bihar. This is not the first time they have tried. After winning the Lok Sabha elections in 2014, the BJP attempted to form an alliance with smaller parties and contest the entire state of Bihar in the 2015 elections. They fought for more than 150 seats. But they were limited to 54-55 seats. After that, the BJP realised that it had to work with someone like Nitish. It is unlikely that the BJP will win 60-70 seats on its own in this region. This time it is contesting 101 seats with allies. A large party from the country, which calls itself the world's largest party, led by Modi, Shah, and others, lacks the strength to contest 243 seats in Bihar. Winning and forming a government are different. If the BJP is fighting for 100 seats, then it cannot win in Bihar on its own. You need 120 seats to win Bihar. This means that even if people vote for you by mistake, then you have to make the same mess. The current system will remain in place. And there is no improvement. People who want change will be very disappointed. Because I believe that more than 60% of people in Bihar want change. And if you want change, and still vote for the BJP or Nitish, nothing will change. The system that is in place now, will continue. This is what we are telling people. Q: Prashant Kishor is Jan Suraajs face. There is obviously a buzz on the ground. However, most of your candidates are first-time candidates. Professionally strong, but not so strong politically. How do you see this? A: Who do you call politically strong? The one who is a land shark here, who is a contractor here, who is a looter here, the system below, which has made this whole system corrupt, that is the face of other parties. But Jan Suraj has come to change this. If we had given the same kind of tickets to land sharks, children of MLAs, or to those people whose parents have been involved in politics here for the past 20-30 years, then they would have been seen as strong candidates. However, on the contrary, we have given tickets to those who have contributed to society, who have their own identity, and who are local. Although they may not be household names in politics, they are individuals who make significant contributions to society. We had promised that there would be more than 200 people who were fighting for the first time in their lives. That is why you can see that they may not appear to be fighting with great strength, but they are indeed fighting. If KC Sinha (mathematician) were fighting in the elections, it is possible that a politician would not fight with such strength and structure. KC Sinha has improved the lives of thousands of children. He has not looted anyone. And if he becomes your representative tomorrow, then you will have a good reputation in the Kumhrar seat (Patna) in Patna. If RK Mishra wins in Darbhanga, it is the image of that man in Darbhanga as an honest IPS officer that will lead people to elect him. If an honest IPS officer is elected against a land shark, then no one will occupy your land tomorrow. Q: Before the elections in Bihar, a topic arose regarding the Special Intensive Revision Exercise by the Election Commission. The EC has issued a notice to you for being a voter in two places - in West Bengal and Bihar? A: I have not flouted any norms. I was a voter in Bengal when I lived there and I am a voter in Bihar where I belong. It is a normal process. You can check by the EPIC records. I have been a registered voter in the Karaghar assembly seat in Rohtas since 2019. I returned to Bihar in 2022 and registered as a voter here. Now, the Election Commission does not delete it. But they will say it is double-entry or triple-entry. This is simply political theatrics. If you are doing Special Intensive Revision (SIR), it is your job to delete multiple entries. For all we know, SIR is a political tool. Q: Rahul Gandhi came to Bihar after about two months. People say Congress is not taking elections seriously. Whats your assessment? A: I have said this before, and I am repeating it again. The Congress is a big party in the country. Rahul Gandhi is the leader of the opposition in the country. However, as far as Bihar is concerned, the Congress is trailing the RJD. The leadership is of Tejashwi and Lalu Prasad Yadav. Rahul Gandhi can be an ally. When the INDIA bloc released its manifesto in Patna earlier this week, there was no big leader from Congress at the event. So, if Rahul Gandhi is coming to Bihar and promising people that Congress or Mahagathbandhan will ensure a better system in Bihar, then why was he not even involved in the release of the manifesto? Is this to say that you are not even in a position to back whatever the manifesto promises with Tejashwi Yadav? Tajwashvi is making irrational promises, such as one government job for each family. Does Rahul Gandhi know of an economic model that ensures a government job for each family in Bihar, which would mean 3.5 crore jobs? Shouldnt he come and declare his position? Can Rahul Gandhi explain how the Mahagathbandhan will fulfil its promise of 2,500 to each woman? And if he agrees with these promises, why did the Congress government not do this in Karnataka and Himachal Pradesh, where they are in power? Q: You have just been back from Seemancha, where Asaduddin Owaisis AIMIM is a factor. How do you see Jan Suraaj performing in the Muslim-dominated region? A: Owaisi sahab had some success in Seemanchal in Bihar last time (5 seats). However, he did not engage in politics in Seemanchal after that. He didnt do anything for Muslims on whose names he won elections. If you do not work for people, then your credibility will be questioned. Fighting elections alone is not what political parties are supposed to do. Owaisi has focused on electoral politics. Gradually, the public will come to understand that they come, fight elections, and then leave. You will see the effect of that in Seeemanchal this time. Owaisis party will get fewer votes than it got last year. Q: Last question, people on the ground in Bihar say halla to hai, sarkaar nahi banayega about Jan Suraaj? Whats your personal assessment? The biggest achievement of Jan Suraaj has been the abolition of political bonded labour. A: See, people are saying that there is a lot of halla (uproar). Till now, people have been saying that no one knows Jan Suraaj. People would say nothing can happen in Bihar, then why this uproar? Prashant Kishor is not doing it alone; people are working together on this. Now they have to decide whether they will only participate in the halla or go and vote. If they vote for us, then what has been said, after 14 November, the system in Bihar will change, and your children will not have to migrate. And if you do not vote (for us), then it is fine, then our government will not be formed, and after that, you will see the same governments of Nitish and BJP for 5 years with the same system in place. Several reports suggested that Bollywood veteran Dharmendra had been admitted to a hospital, but there is no cause for concern. According to a report by Hindustan Times, sources close to Dharmendra have dismissed the rumours, confirming that he is in good health and is at the hospital only for routine medical examinations. A source told HT, Yes, Dharmendra is currently at Breach Candy Hospital, but there is absolutely no reason to worry. Also Read | John Cena calls Shah Rukh Khan his constant inspiration: Social media melts "The actor is in good health and visits the hospital often for routine medical tests, which is the reason for his current stay. It seems that someone spotted him there, which has led to a frenzy among his fans, but there is nothing to worry about as he is absolutely fine, HT reported, citing sources. According to a report by NDTV citing sources, the actor, who celebrates his birthday on December 8, has been hospitalised for the past four to five days. They added that Dharmendra was admitted for a routine medical check-up. Earlier in April, the veteran star underwent an eye graft surgery. In a video shared on Instagram, Dharmendra was seen wearing a printed shirt, black trousers, and a black hat as he left the hospital. On his way to the car, he paused to greet and interact with the paparazzi. Also Read | Shashi Tharoor responds as troll accuses him of paid review for Aryan Khan show Veteran actor often shares glimpses of his fitness regimen on social media. Recently, he posted an inspiring video from one of his physiotherapy sessions, highlighting his dedication to staying healthy and active. He captioned the video, Friends, thanks to your good wishes and His blessings, Im working hard to remain fit and healthy yoga, exercise, and now physiotherapy. Dharmendra's film career On the work front, Dharmendra's next appearance will be in the war drama Ikkis, directed by National Award-winning filmmaker Sriram Raghavan. The film also stars Agastya Nanda, the grandson of megastar Amitabh Bachchan. Also Read | Ikkis movie trailer: Amitabh Bachchan pens emotional note for Agastya Nanda Dharmendra, often hailed as the He-Man of Bollywood, has starred in numerous iconic films across genres throughout his illustrious career. Some of his most celebrated movies include the classic action-comedy Sholay (1975), where he played the charming Veeru, and Chupke Chupke (1975), a beloved Hrishikesh Mukherjee comedy that reflected his impeccable comic timing. Yes, Dharmendra is currently at Breach Candy Hospital, but there is absolutely no reason to worry. He also delivered performances in Phool Aur Patthar (1966), Anupama (1966), Satyakam (1969), Yaadon Ki Baaraat (1973), Dharam Veer (1977), and Seeta Aur Geeta (1972). Yami Gautam, known for her thoughtful performances and discerning choice of roles, is set to take on one of the most challenging portrayals of her career in her upcoming film Haq. Inspired by the landmark Mohd. Ahmed Khan v. Shah Bano Begum case, the film explores the fight for justice, equality, and dignity through the eyes of a woman whose story reshaped Indias social and legal landscape. Yami Gautam on portraying Shah Bano in Haq In an interview, Yami expressed how profoundly the role resonated with her. I believe there are certain films that resonate with your personal beliefs in a sincere and fearless manner. When a compelling script like this comes my way, I feel lucky to be involved in such themes. Ive encountered similar opportunities twice before, but this one is distinctly different it offers a new perspective and highlights a struggle that has persisted for many years. Also Read | HAQ trailer: Yami Gautam and Emraan Hashmi clash over faith and justice If I trust my instincts and dont overthink, I believe Haq has emerged as a truly remarkable and well-rounded film. Its not merely about discussions or debates, those are secondary. The film genuinely left me in awe, Yami shared. She also revealed that before every take, she visualised that image to remind herself she was representing not just one woman, but many who have fought for dignity and justice. Yami described her role in Haq as ideal and reflected on her portrayal of Shah Bano, saying, This is a role that any actor would dream of. The first time I came across her name, Shah Bano, was when it was making headlines. I vividly recall the haunting gaze in her headshot; it had such depth." Also Read | Yami Gautam is brand ambassador for Purplle.com private label Good Vibes She continued, "Even as a teenager, I sensed something unique and powerful about that image. My understanding at the time was limited to what any average person would know from reading the newspaper. The idea of womens empowerment wasnt openly discussed, so it required tremendous courage for a woman to take such a stand. About Haq The 2025 courtroom drama, directed by Suparn Varma and produced by Vineet Jain, stars Yami Gautam as Shah Bano and Emraan Hashmi as her husband. The film is slated to release in cinemas on November 7, 2025. Set against the backdrop of real-life events from the late 1970s, Haq revisits a defining chapter in Indian legal history when a 62-year-old womans courage led to a national debate on womens rights and religious laws. Who Was Shah Bano? Shah Bano Begum was a Muslim woman from Indore who, after being divorced by her husband in 1978, filed a petition seeking maintenance under Section 125 of the Criminal Procedure Code. In 1985, the Supreme Court ruled in her favour, granting her the right to alimony a decision that ignited a nationwide debate on the balance between personal laws and constitutional rights. The judgment, later overturned under political pressure, remains one of Indias most significant cases in the history of womens rights and secular jurisprudence. Google and Reliance are giving eligible Jio 5G customers 18 months of Google AI Pro at no cost ( 35,100 value). The plan unlocks higher tier access to Gemini 2.5 Pro in the Gemini app, raises image and video generation limits through Googles creative models, adds NotebookLM for study and research, and includes 2 TB of cloud storage across Photos, Drive and Gmail. The rollout starts with users aged 18 to 25, then expands to other eligible subscribers. Who gets it first The offer starts with Jio SIM users aged 18 to 25 on an active unlimited 5G plan of 349 or above. Jio says it will expand to other eligible subscribers across India after the first phase. You need to keep an active qualifying plan to retain access for the full period. What the plan includes Consumers get higher tier access to Gemini 2.5 Pro in the app, raised caps for image and video generation (Google cites models such as Nano Banana and Veo 3.1), access to NotebookLM, and 2 TB of storage across Photos, Drive and Gmail. How to claim in MyJio Update the MyJio app. Open it and tap the banner that says Google AI Pro plan FREE or Gemini AI Offer. Confirm your Jio number and sign in with your Google account. Tap Register or Im interested. When you get the in-app alert, open MyJio again and tap Activate to turn it on. If you already pay for Gemini, switch to Google AI Pro Powered by Jio after your current billing cycle ends. 7. It goes live first for users aged 18 to 25; youll need an active unlimited 5G plan to keep the benefit. Why this tie-up matters The free period lets students and people in their first jobs try tools that help with notes, captions, summaries and call noise reduction. Alongside the consumer offer, Reliances AI unit is working with Google Cloud in India on TPUs and Gemini Enterprise, pointing to a push on both user tools and local AI infrastructure. Tech companies always want to pitch themselves as the safest choice. But what if your choice of smartphone makes a difference in how vulnerable you are to scam messages and calls? According to Googles latest research, the gap between Android and iPhone users is more substantial than many might expect. Scam protection This year, Google celebrated Cybersecurity Awareness Month with findings that should get every mobile user thinking. Their study, along with data collected by YouGov and third-party experts, suggests Android phones and especially Google Pixels stand out in shielding users from fraud attempts. The numbers are stark. Google's native security measures, like AI-powered call and text filtering, block more than 10 billion scam attempts globally each month. The company claims its RCS messaging system plays a crucial role, recently blocking over 100 million risky phone numbers. Scams are on the rise worldwide, with over $400 billion lost this year, yet only a tiny fraction of victims ever see their money again. Androids protections are nuanced and broad. Counterpoint Research found nine distinct security areas covered on Android devices, spanning calls, messages, browsing, and anti-theft features. On the other hand, iPhones focus mainly on app malware and messaging safeguards, leaving gaps elsewhere. Surveys included more than 5,000 users across the US, India, and Brazil. Android owners reportedly felt safer, with 58% saying they hadnt received a scam text in the week prior to the survey, compared with only 42% of iPhone users. Pixel owners were even more secure, with 96% reporting no scams in the same period. iPhone users, unfortunately, were found to be 65% more likely than Android users to receive three or more scam texts in a week. That number spiked to 136% more compared to Pixel users. When it comes to satisfaction with scam prevention, 20% more Android device owners rated their phones protection as very or extremely effective. Specialists at Leviathan Security Group evaluated popular models, including the iPhone 17 Pro, Moto Razr+ 2025, Pixel 10 Pro, and Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7. Their analysis found that Googles Pixel met nearly all of their security benchmarks, scoring 30 out of 32 features, compared to 21.5 for iPhone 17 Pro. WASHINGTONA day after President Trump vowed to resume testing of nuclear weapons , the White House wasnt answering questions about the details, leaving members of Congress, experts and even the administrations nominee to command U.S. nuclear forces uncertain what he meant. I dont have insights into the presidents intent," said Vice Adm. Richard Correll, at his Senate confirmation hearing to lead U.S. Strategic Command, after he was asked whether Trump wanted to step up missile flight tests or resume underground nuclear detonations for the first time in more than three decades. Trump announced Thursday on social media that he had instructed the Department of War to start testing our Nuclear Weapons," minutes before he met with Chinese leader Xi Jinping in South Korea. He offered no specifics when he spoke to reporters later on Air Force One as he flew back to Washington. The White House responded to questions by referring to his post. Former U.S. officials and analysts have focused on three possibilities. One theory is that Trump might be jockeying for leverage in possible talks with Moscow and Beijing. Trump posted his statement shortly after Russian President Vladimir Putin boasted about the successful tests of a nuclear-powered cruise missile that NATO has dubbed the Skyfall, and a nuclear-armed torpedo that could be used to attack ports. Both of those Russian weapons have been under development for years. But Putin has touted them as the New Start treaty that restricts American and Russian long-range nuclear weapons is set to expire in February. Russia has offered to keep the treatys weapons ceilings in place for another year and Trump has signaled he is open to the idea. But negotiations to hammer out the scope of such an understanding have yet to be arranged. Another theory that has been put forward by U.S. lawmakers and former officials is that Trump is seeking more leeway for U.S. nuclear-test activities. Because of other countries testing programs, I have instructed the Department of War to start testing our Nuclear Weapons on an equal basis," Trump said. That process will begin immediately." The U.S. last conducted a nuclear-weapons test in 1992 and has joined Russia and China in observing moratoriums on underground nuclear blasts. Chinas last test was in 1996, while Russias last known nuclear test was in 1990. The U.S. intelligence community, however, has assessed that Russia has likely been carrying out small nuclear experiments with very low explosive power, which experts have dubbed supercritical tests." And there have been concerns within the U.S. intelligence community that China might be undertaking similar activities as well. View Full Image An unarmed intercontinental ballistic missile launching during a test in California in 2020. Russia and China have conducted supercritical weapons tests to advance their nuclear programs," said Sen. Tom Cotton (R., Ark.). He said Thursday that he believed Trumps comments indicated he intends to follow suit. Some former officials say that in the U.S., such supercritical experiments arent vital for determining the reliability of the stockpile: The Energy Department, which oversees development and testing of nuclear warheads, can validate the reliability of the stockpile by relying on advanced computer simulations and small experiments that dont produce a nuclear yield, analysts said. Still another possibility is that Trump wasnt referring to testing nuclear devices at all, and that he meant instead that he wanted to step up flight tests of missiles that carry nuclear warheads. It could be that what he is talking about is delivery systems," Sen. Angus King, the Maine independent said at Corrells Senate nomination hearing. I agree that could be an interpretation," Correll responded. Trump said in his social-media post that the U.S. has the largest number of nuclear weapons and the most capable deterrent because of a modernization program he claims to have completed during his first term. But the upgrading of the U.S. land- and submarine-based missiles and long-range bombers, which will cost well over a $1 trillion, was set in motion during the Obama administration and wont be completed for well over a decade. And Russia has more than 4,300 weapons in its nuclear stockpile compared with some 3,700 on the part of the U.S., according to the Federation of American Scientists. Russia has the worlds largest inventory of nuclear warheads," said Hans Kristensen, the director of the nuclear information project at FAS. A return to nuclear testing, if ordered by White House and funded by the Congress, wouldnt be immediate. Former officials said it could take two years to prepare a major nuclear test in order to design the underground detonation, including the placements of instruments to measure its effects. Preparations to carry out supercritical experiments such as those the Russians are suspected to have conducted could still take months or perhaps even as long as a year, a former official said. The fundamental issue is whether the U.S. has more to lose than gain by ending the nuclear-test moratorium. China has conducted far fewer nuclear blasts than the U.S., experts note, and thus could learn more about how to develop new nuclear weapons if it resumed testing, too. While the U.S. has carried out more than 1,000 nuclear tests, China has conducted 45 tests. Sen. Jack Reed of Rhode Island, who serves as the top Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee, said breaking the testing moratorium would prompt Moscow and Beijing to restart full-fledged testing. U.S. nuclear testing, he added, would also provide justification for Pakistan, India and North Korea, which last tested in 2017, to expand their own testing regimes, destabilizing an already fragile global nonproliferation architecture." Some 108 out of 146 enemy targets shot down/suppressed, 36 attack UAVs hit at 20 locations AFU Photo: https://www.facebook.com/GeneralStaff.ua/ On Friday night, the Ukrainian Defense Forces neutralized 108 out of 146 enemy targets, recording hits from 36 attack UAVs at 20 locations, the Ukrainian Air Force reported. "On the night of October 31 (from 19:00 on October 30), the enemy attacked with one Iskander-M ballistic missile from Rostov region, 145 Shahed and Gerberas attack UAVs and other types from the directions of Kursk, Orel, Primorsko-Akhtarsk of Russia, Chauda, Hvardeyske - the Autonomous Republic of Crimea, about 90 of them were Shaheds," the Telegram message says. According to preliminary data, as of 9:00, air defenses have shot down or suppressed one ballistic missile and 107 enemy Shaheds, Gerberas, and other drones in the north, south, and east of the country. Hits by 36 attack UAVs were recorded at 20 locations. Thus, the overall effectiveness of air defense operations that night was 73.97%. The air attack was repelled by aircraft, anti-aircraft missile forces, electronic warfare units, unmanned aerial systems, and mobile fire teams of the Ukrainian Defense Forces. The attack continues, with several enemy UAVs in the airspace. Last November, Vikram Dhoot, managing director of Pune-based Ashvini Magnets, began receiving an unusual flurry of calls and emails from Chinese companies. They wanted to collaborate, transfer technology and supply materialswithout any active solicitation. It wasnt business as usual. Dhoot was used to an occasional inquiry every few months. The sudden attention puzzled him. Then, in April, China imposed an export ban on rare earth magnets and had already stopped shipping metal-processing equipment. It dawned on Dhoot that the Chinese interest may have had more to do with his companys secret project to make rare earth metalsa first for India. When I got those calls, I ignored them," Dhoot recalled. We were already working with the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre on a technology to make metals. Its only later I realised they may have been probing our work. Now my industry friends advise me not to travel to China." On 11 October, Ashvini Magnets unveiled Indias first indigenous rare earth metals plant, marking a significant step in the countrys long quest for self-reliance in critical materials. The plant can produce 15 tonnes a month of both light and heavy rare earth metals, crucial inputs for a range of industries from magnets and electronics to green energy. The plants output of NdPr (neodymium praseodymium) metal will help meet 20-25% of the countrys requirement of the rare earth metal alloy, typically required to make the most common NdFEB rare earth magnets. These have high magnetic strength and are used in applications such as EV motors, MRI machines, consumer electronics and industrial equipment. Also Read | Chinas restrictions on rare earth magnets could crimp Indian EV rollout The breakthrough, powered by BARC-developed technology and backed by a ministry of mines grant of 1.7 crore for small enterprises, crowns a project thats been quietly in the works for five years. "We didn't look at the viability as we knew that securing metal-making was the immediate requirement then," said Dr Anupam Agnihotri, director of Jawaharlal Nehru Aluminium Research Development and Design Centre, which monitors the funded companies. Yet, even as Ashvinis achievement showcases Indian scientific and engineering capability, it falls short of fixing a much larger bottleneck: the domestic shortage of rare earth magnets. Strategic breakthrough Indias magnet ecosystem is still heavily dependent on imports. There are two types of magnetsbonded and sintered. Ashvini, a two-decade veteran in making bonded magnets, produces those used in sensors and small motors. The high-powered sintered magnets, vital for electric vehicle (EV) motors and wind turbines, remain largely unavailable in India. This is an important achievement in the rare earth products supply chain," said Sarada Mohanty, chairman and managing director-designate at state-owned IREL, Indias largest rare-earths miner. Having these metals domestically will help us negotiate better with magnet makers." But the win comes with caveats. Ashvinis rare earth metals are expected to be 15-20% more expensive than Chinese suppliesIndia simply lacks the economies of scale. However, Dhoot said he expects volatility in global prices to create room for local producers. Also Read | India needs rare earth magnets. One forgotten PSU holds the key Were in talks with magnet users who want to buy our metals as a hedge against rising prices," he said. If you look around today, there are at least three companies that have plans to make more powerful magnets and these metals will be put to use," said Agnihotri. The ministry of heavy industries is expected to announce a 7,500 crore incentive programme for rare earth magnet making in the country shortly. The proposal was made in early October this year. The scheme is aimed at making India self-sufficient in rare earth magnets over the next decade. Sintered magnet bottleneck Still, Ashvini, which posted revenue of 15 crore in FY24, may struggle to sell all the metal it produces. India currently has no sintered magnet-making capacity, and the technology to make them remains locked up in China and Japan. Japan guards its knowhow, and China has banned exports not just of the technology but also the processing equipment. For sintered magnets, we need ribbons of rare earth metal alloys," Dhoot explained. When we reach out to Chinese firms, they pretend the process doesnt exist. That window is completely shut." For Ashvinis metal-making venture to pay off, two paths exist: either domestic companies start producing sintered magnets or Ashvini itself takes that leap. The company is experimenting with making alloy ribbons indigenously, but scaling up would require significant funding, which is scarce for small manufacturers. Funding for critical areas like this is hard to come by," Dhoot admitted. Sintered magnets need a much larger capital outlay. If we can get that, were confident we can make them." A step, not a solution Ashvinis technologydeveloped with BARCis 99% indigenous and proven viable at commercial scale. Dhoot wont disclose the exact process but says its one of the two known methods: molten salt electrolysis or calcio-thermic reduction. China dominates the former, but both the technology and equipment for it are under export bans. Also Read | Centre preparing incentives to encourage domestic production of rare earth magnets: Kumaraswamy Most experts can probably guess our process," Dhoot said. But we still need a few imported consumables, so its better not to make our own lives difficult." For now, Ashvinis accomplishment marks a symbolic leapproof that Indian innovation can push into frontiers long thought unreachable. Yet, until the country builds its own capacity to make high-powered magnets, the victory will remain more strategic than self-sufficient. Crippled refineries in Russia and the advancing winter in Europe are expected to pump up demand for Indian petro-products till the end of March. The Indian refineries may be in prime position to tap the demand, given that they have expanded their crude oil sourcing over the years, and completed scheduled annual maintenance. Ukraine has rained missiles and drones on Russian energy assets to disrupt Moscow's war funding, hurting about 30% of its refining capacity, and prompting buyers to turn to refiners in India. Meanwhile, colder weather in Europe is expected to increase energy demand for heating. September witnessed India's highest export of petroleum products so far in fiscal year 2026 (FY26) at 6.18 million tonne, data from Petroleum Planning & Analysis Cell showed. Diesel exports to Europe hit a 19-month high of 291,000 barrels per day in September according to global real-time data and analytics provider Kpler, the highest since December 2023, and this robust demand is expected to continue in months ahead. Also Read | Sanctioned Russian oil will find new ways to flow "These (Russian) refineries would require a few months to completely revive operations, which would mean demand via imports may sustain. Export demand till the next quarter seems strong," said Prashant Vasisht, senior vice-president and co-group head of corporate ratings at Icra Ltd. Demand from Russia is also expected to go up, he said. Reliance, Nayara Private entities like Reliance Industries Ltd and Russian-owned Nayara Energy are the major exporters of petroleum products in India. Reliance operates the world's biggest refining complex at Gujarat's Jamnagar. Queries mailed to both companies remained unanswered till press time. Public sector refiners export relatively minor quanties of refined products. India's exports of refined products in the April-September period were 31.9 million tonne valued at $19.89 billion, marginally higher than 31.7 million tonne of products worth $25.5 billion exported a year earlier, showed data from Petroleum Planning & Analysis Cell. In FY25, India exported products worth $44.4 billion. India largely exports aviation turbine fuel, diesel to the Europe Union and Southeast Asian countries. "Product export demand from India will likely remain robust going ahead, supported by strong refinery runs, lighter maintenance schedules compared to last year, and refining margins that continue to support higher utilization rates. However, curtailed refinery activity at Nayara and unplanned outages at the Mumbai (HPCL) refinery will keep incremental supply in check, with some barrels diverted to the domestic market. Most maintenance in Europe is expected to conclude by mid-November, after which refineries are likely to ramp up quickly," Sumit Ritolia, lead research analyst, refining and modelling at Kpler. Russia is currently India's largest source of crude oil, but Moscow imports little refined products from India. Exports to Russia stood at a mere $11 million in FY25 and about $3 million during the April-July period, Union commerce ministry data showed. However, since September, enquiries from Russia have risen, a trader said on the condition of anonymity. New horizons Indian refiners have increased shipments to Brazil, Turkey and African countries, markets which have not been major buyers of Indian petro-products. Further, most refineries have completed the scheduled annual maintenance and would be operating at maximum potential going ahead. Top importers of Indian petro-products are the Netherlands, United Arab Emirates, the US, Singapore and Australia, as of July FY25, as per the ministry's data with imports worth $4.3 billion, $1.97 billion, $1.79 billion, $1.57 billion and $1.16 billion from India. Experts also suggested that European buyers would look to stock up before 21 January, 2026 when the European Union's 18th package of sanctions takes effect. The sanctions would enforce a ban on any refined petroleum product processed from Russian crude oil in any third country. According to Kpler's Ritolia, it remains to be seen how the European demand evolves. "European buyers may import in strong volumes ahead of the EUs 18th sanctions package, which is set to take effect in January 2026. With sanctions already imposed on Nayara Energy and the upcoming EU 18th sanctions package, Indian refiners are increasingly diversifying their export destinations. There has been a noticeable rise in flows to Latin America (particularly Brazil), Turkey, and African markets, as Indian products find alternative homes amid tightening European regulations and shifting trade alignments," Ritolia said. Refining ops Ritolia added that the sanctions may, however, slightly impact Indias refining operations, as incremental runs previously supported by access to cheaper barrels are expected to be curtailed, though the overall impact is not expected to be significant. Incremental run refers to the increase or enhancement refinery operations and output as per the prevalent market scenario. The coming surge of export demand comes in the wake of Indian refiners looking at diversifying export destinations amid sanctions on products produced from Russian oil. Deepak Mahurkar, partner for oil and gas at PwC India, said sanctions on Russian oil suppliers would not impact the export potential of Indian refiners, given that India's crude oil import base has significantly expanded in the past few years, and crude procurement strategies of the private refiners are also robust. "There is no dearth of oil globally. Availability would not be an issue. Indian refiners, which largely supply diesel to Europe and gasoline to the US would be adequately prepared to diversify sourcing of crude and cater to the global demand. Further, petroleum products are no under tariffs, so no obstructions are seen in terms of supplies from India," said Mahurkar. Kpler data showed that in October, UAE was the largest buyer of Indian petro-products at around 152,000 barrels per day, followed by the Netherlands at 132,000 bpd. Tanzania was in third place with 123,000 bpd, much higher than 54,000 and 57,000 bpd imported in August and September respectively. Brazil, which has not been a regular buyer from India, imported 28,000 bpd in October, but in September it had imported 131,000 bpd becoming a significant buyer of Indian petroleum products. Turkey has imported 16,000 bpd this month from Indian refiners, while in September, it had imported 54,000 bpd, the highest in about two years. Indias electronics exports are having their moment . It emerged as the third-largest export category in 2024-25 and continued this streak in 2025-26, a Mint analysis of commerce ministry data showed. The meteoric rise has come on the back of the government's efforts to boost electronics manufacturing through a series of financial incentive schemes. Electronic goods exports clocked $22.2 billion in the first six months of FY26, rising 41.9% year-on-yearthe fastest growing among all commoditiesand accounted for 10.1% share in Indias total exports, shows data. The temporary exemption of 50% reciprocal tariffs by the US on the category, the biggest market for Indias electronics goods, also supported the growth. Overall exports to the US grew 13% between April and September this year, but growth in electronic goods exports was over 100% during this period. The sector, dominated by mobile production, has been on an upward trajectory over the past decade. Electronics clocked $7.6 billion and was ranked 8th among all export commodities in FY17. As the category rose up to the sixth spot by FY22, it left behind old hand commodities such as rice, cotton yarn/handloom products and readymade garments. It broke into the top five in FY23 and has since dislodged gems and jewellery, drugs and pharmaceuticals, and inorganic/organic/agro chemicals to enter the coveted top three last fiscal. In FY25, electronics exports crossed the $40-billion mark. Also Read | China ends rare earth export freeze for 4 Indian manufacturers A Mint analysis shows the extent to which the sector has outperformed competing commodities. Electronic exports from India have more than doubled in FY25, compared with the preceding five-year average. Engineering goods and petroleum products, which are Indias top two export categories, rose 20.1% and 0.1% respectively during this period. Drugs and pharmaceuticals, another flagship export commodity, grew 24.1% last fiscal compared to FY20-FY24 average. India has been upping efforts to boost electronics manufacturing. In 2012, it unveiled the first-ever national policy on electronics (NPE) focussed on domestic manufacturing, improving manpower and export potential. Perhaps, the biggest fillip for the sector came with the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme in April 2020 that offered financial incentives for a five-year period on incremental sales of goods manufactured in India, covering 14 sectors. While the scheme has shown mixed results for most sectors, mobile phones and certain electronic components have been the highest recipient of the PLI scheme. Apple stood out as the major player, establishing India as its second-largest iPhone manufacturing base, in its attempts to diversify beyond China. The companys shipping of iPhones out of India has been the primary driver behind Indias surging mobile phone exports. Also Read | iPhone 17 boom powers Apple to record India revenue Risks ahead Whether this dream run will last is a question that remains to be answered. The sector faces structural challenges and headwinds that it must contend with. Telecom equipment, which largely includes smartphones, is the biggest pie in Indias electronics exports. The category has tightened its stranglehold on the electronics sector. The item accounted for 64.1% of total electronics exports in FY25, up from 51% in FY23, indicating further concentration in the category. With the US, the dominant buyer of India-made smartphones, the success of Indias smartphone export is closely tied to the country. While the sector has escaped Donald Trumps tariffs tremors till now, the US administration has been pushing companies to reshore manufacturing back home. The stellar growth could come under pressure, experts have warned. Moreover, globally, smartphone demand is seeing signs of tapering off currently due to tariff-driven economic uncertainty. Shipments increased by 1% in the April-June quarter to 295.2 million units, according to data from research firm International Data Corp, and reported by Reuters. This is slower than the 1.5% growth recorded in the previous quarter. Lastly, India remains a significant net importer of electronics goods. While India has excelled in final assembly, sub-assembly, and exports in mobile, it lags in component manufacturing and design, a 2024 report by Niti Aayog pointed out. The much-anticipated initial public offering (IPO) of National Stock Exchange of India Ltd (NSE) will see the light of day, reiterated Tuhin Kanta Pandey, chairperson of the Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi), on Friday, providing the clearest signal yet on the public issue. Unless you want my tenure to be too short, it will see the light of the day, Pandey quipped when asked if the NSE IPO would happen during his tenure at the Business Standard BFSI Insight Summit 2025 in Mumbai. First proposed in 2016 to sell a 22% stake and raise 10,000 crore, the IPO is yet to materialize due to the lack of a mandatory no-objection certificate (NOC) from Sebi. This certificate is crucial for the exchange to formally proceed with its draft red herring prospectus (DRHP) and begin the listing process. While no specific timeline was given, the assertion suggests that hurdles holding up the listing are being cleared. Pandey was speaking at a fireside chat where he touched upon a wide range of issues, from the booming derivatives market to the unwavering confidence of foreign investors in India. On derivatives and FPI exodus Addressing the sensitive subject of equity derivatives, particularly the surge in weekly options trading, Pandey acknowledged the regulators own studies, which highlight significant losses for retail investors in the futures and options (F&O) segment. He described Sebi's strategy as a calibrated approach that followed market-wide consultations, aimed at containing the irrational exuberance of investors without stifling the market. Sebi has rolled out a series of measures, some of which took effect in May, July, and October, with more scheduled for 1 December. These measures include limiting the choice of expiry days to two and allowing only one index for expiry on a given day. Also Read | boAt aims for premium push with 1,500 crore IPO However, the chairperson ruled out any drastic measures. Can we just shut down the market just like that? This is a very important question, he stated, emphasizing the large number of participants in the equity derivatives space. He reassured the industry that any further steps would be taken only after public consultation and more data analysis to ensure a balanced outcome. He dismissed concerns over recent foreign capital outflows, stating that the confidence of foreign portfolio investors (FPIs) in India remains high. Based on his interactions with overseas investors, he said their interest lies in both the long-term and short-term growth prospects of the country. He put the recent sales by foreign investors into perspective, noting that the $4-5 billion they withdrew was not very significant when compared to their $900 billion investment in the country. He explained that these investors are always looking for the best returns and may move money between countries to take advantage of profit opportunities. He also mentioned that the regulator is working to make the investment process simpler for them. In his keynote address, he highlighted the Indian capital market's impressive growth, with the number of unique investors swelling from around 40 million in 2018-19 to over 13.5 million today. Market capitalization has similarly jumped from 69% of GDP in 2015-16 to about 129% today. These strides represent more than just statistics. They symbolize confidencethe confidence of investors and stakeholders in a transparent, efficient, and resilient market ecosystem, he said. Pandey also highlighted Sebis strong stance against fraudulent "finfluencers", pointing out that takedown actions against misleading content now number around 5,000 every month. So far, we have done more than 100,000 takedowns, he said, warning that misleading investors will not be tolerated. Orkla India IPO: The 1,667 crore initial public offering (IPO) of owns spices and condiments brands MTR and Eastern, Orkla India, closed for bidding on Friday amid strong demand from all categories of investors. Orkla India IPO also enjoyed a decent grey market premium (GMP) that helped boost the issue's appeal for retail investors. Orkla India IPO Subscription As of the final day of bidding, Orkla India IPO garnered bids for 77,96,28,300 shares, as against 1,59,99,104 shares on offer, translating into 48.73 times bids. The qualified institutional buyers' (QIB) quota was booked the most at 117.63 times. The non-institutional investor (NII) portion received 54.42 times bids, and the retail part closed with 7.05 times subscription. Meanwhile, the employee segment garnered 15.13 times bids. Orkla India IPO GMP Orkla India IPO GMP jumped to 86 today. At the prevailing GMP and issue price, Orkla India IPO shares could list at 816 apiece on the NSE, a premium of 11.78%. Grey market premium is, however, subject to changes and should not be the guiding factor behind the investment decision. It also signals an investor's willingness to pay over and above the IPO price. Orkla India IPO Details Orkla India IPO was entirely an offer for sale of 2.28 crore shares. This means all the proceeds will go to the shareholders offloading stake and will not be received by the company. Promoter Orkla Asia Pacific Pte and shareholders Navas Meeran and Feroz Meeran are offloading shares via the IPO. The price band for the offer was fixed in the range of 695 to 730 per share, valuing the company at around 10,000 crore at the upper end. Investors could apply for Orkla India IPO in lots of 20 shares and multiples thereof. ICICI Securities, Citi, JP Morgan and Kotak Mahindra Capital acted as the book-running lead managers, and KFin Technologies is the registrar to the issue. Since Orkla India IPO has closed for bidding, the investor focus will now shift to its allotment. Orkla India IPO allotment is expected to be finalised on Monday, November 3, and the listing is expected to take place on BSE and NSE on November 6. Orkla India is an Indian food company that offers a diverse range of products that cater to every meal occasion, including breakfast, lunch, snacks, dinner, beverages and desserts. The key product categories we offer are Spices and Convenience Foods. Safecure Services IPO: The initial public offering (IPO) of Safecure Services continued to see traction for its book-built offer. The issue had sailed through on the first day (October 29) itself. The SME IPO closed for bidding today, October 31. Safecure Services IPO subscription Safecure Services IPO was subscribed 1.81 times as of the last day of the bidding process on Friday, October 31. The IPO received bids for 51,68,400 shares as against 28,50,000 shares on offer. The retail investor quota was subscribed 3.31 times and the non-institutional investor (NII) portion was booked 0.32 times. Safecure Services IPO GMP Safecure Services IPO witnessed a sharp decline in the grey market premium (GMP) as the offer opened. Safecure Services IPO GMP today was nil. This means that shares traded at par to the issue price of 102. The highest GMP for Safecure Services IPO was 21. Safecure Services IPO Details Safecure Services is a fixed-price issue of 30.60 crore. The IPO is a fresh share sale of 0.30 crore shares, priced at 102 apiece. Investors can apply for the IPO in lots of 1,200 shares, with retail investors required to bid for at least two lots. A minimum investment of 2,44,800 is needed by a retailer to apply for Safecure Services IPO. The company plans to use the funds raised for repayment of borrowings. It plans to use 4.75 crore for repayment of certain borrowings availed by the company, and 3.50 crore for repayment of borrowings by the wholly-owned subsidiary. Another 4.50 crore is earmarked for general corporate purposes, and the remaining 13 crore for funding the working capital needs. Safecure Services IPO allotment is expected to be finalised on November 3, with the tentative listing date set as November 6. Shares of Safecure Services are slated to list on the BSE SME platform. Sun Capital Advisory Services is the book-running lead manager, and MUFG Intime India is the registrar of the issue. About the company The company is primarily engaged in providing services related to private security, e-surveillance, facility management, and corporate interior fit-out projects across India. Through its wholly owned subsidiary, Safesense Tech Private Limited, the company offers e-surveillance solutions such as advanced monitored intrusion alarm systems and central intrusion detection and prevention services. It provides real-time monitoring services, particularly for ATMs and bank branches, where sites are monitored 24/7 by trained e-surveillance professionals. Hyundai Motor India Ltd had a smooth run on the margin front in the September quarter (Q2FY26), even as revenue growth remained tepid. The automakers consolidated revenue rose 1% year-on-year to 17,461 crore, while Ebitda grew faster at 10% to 2,429 crore, beating Street estimates. As a result, Ebitda margin expanded 113 basis points to 13.9%, aided by a 2% decline in raw material costs, higher exports, and an improved product mix. SUVs continued to power the portfolio, accounting for a record 71% of domestic volumes in Q2. Still, investor enthusiasm was muted. The stock was up only marginally today after Thursdays results and remains about 17% below its 52-week high of 2,890, hit on 22 September. There are concerns over Hyundai's shrinking share in Indias passenger vehicle (PV) market, even as exports surged 21.5% year-on-year in Q2, now accounting for 27% of total volumes. In contrast, domestic volumes, accounting for the rest, fell 6.8%. Competitive landscape in PVs has changed meaningfully in recent years, as improved SUV portfolios of Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd and Tata Motors, entry of Kia, and rising presence of Toyota, have brought market shares of top-2 OEMs, Maruti Suzuki India Ltd and Hyundai Motor India to 14 and 24-year lows respectively," said a 30 October report by Jefferies India. Hyundai has lost its #2 position in Indian PVs for the first time since FY09; its market share has declined from a peak of 17.5% in FY20 to just 13.3% in H1 (fiscal first half) with losses in both SUVs and cars. It is also lagging in EVs with just 4% share in H1," the broking firm added. Hyundais management aims to increase its domestic market share to 15% by FY30 through a more aggressive launch calendar 26 new products are planned by then and a refreshed pricing strategy. In the near term, the launch of the Venue with ADAS Level 2 and over-the-air updates in November marks the company's pivot towards software-defined mobility. The Talegaon plant, which is expected to come online with a capacity of 170,000 units, is also anticipated to support growth over the next decade. Considering Hyundais launch pipeline, Motilal Oswal Financial Services now expects a 6% volume CAGR over FY25-28, which is largely back-ended and is likely to be boosted by 20% volume CAGR in exports. We now believe that higher-than-anticipated operating costs for the new Pune plant would impact earnings in the near and medium term. Overall, Hyundai Motor India is expected to deliver 15% earnings CAGR over FY25-28," said the broking firm in a report on 30 October. Demand tailwinds from GST 2.0 may provide a near-term boost. Hyundai's strength in hybrid and electric vehicle (EV) technology, along with a steady tilt towards higher-margin SUVs are positive factors. Even so, rising operating costs from the new plant and intensifying competition in the EV space pose risks. The stock trades at about 27x FY27 estimated earnings, according to Bloomberg. Valuation may appear rich amid domestic volume weakness and market share losses. Breakout stocks to buy or sell: The Indian stock market continues to remain volatile, with benchmark indices witnessing a sharp decline in Thursdays trade on October 30. Weak global cues and fading expectations of a US Federal Reserve rate cut weighed on investor sentiment domestically. The BSE Sensex fell 593 points, or 0.70 per cent, to close at 84,404, while the NSE Nifty 50 ended 176 points, or 0.68 per cent, lower at 25,878. Broader markets, however, showed relative resilience the BSE Midcap index remained flat, and the BSE Smallcap index slipped just 0.06 per cent. Sumeet Bagadia's breakout stock recommendations Sumeet Bagadia, Executive Director at Choice Broking, believes that the Indian stock market is trading range-bound as the Nifty 50 index is gripped in 25,800 to 26,100 range. Speaking on the outlook of the Indian stock market, Bagadia said, A bullish or a bearish trend can be assumed on the breakage of either side of this range. So, one should maintain stock-specific approach and look at those stocks that are looking strong on the technical chart. Looking at breakout stocks can be a good option." Stocks to buy today Sumeet Bagadia recommends five breakout stocks to buy today: JK Tyre & Industries, Chennai Petroleum Corporation, BSL, Indraprastha Medical Corporation, and GRM Overseas. 1] JK Tyre & Industries: Buy at 436.10, target 467, stop loss 420; 2] Chennai Petroleum Corporation: Buy at 885, target 950, stop loss 854; 3] BSL: Buy at 195.57, target 210, stop loss 188; 4] Indraprastha Medical Corporation: Buy at 589, target 630, stop loss 568; 5] GRM Overseas: Buy at 426.95, target 457, stop loss 412. The board of directors of Hindustan Copper Ltd is scheduled to meet on Tuesday, November 11, 2025 to consider and approve Q2 results 2025, as per the company's announcement in an exchange filing. ".a meeting of the Board of Directors of Hindustan Copper Ltd (HCL) will be held on 11.11.2025 to, inter alia, consider and approve Statements of Financial Results of HCL (Standalone and Consolidated) for the quarter ended 30.09.2025," said the firm in an exchange filing. Hindustan Copper reported a more than 18% increase in consolidated net profit, reaching 134.28 crore in the June quarter of FY26, buoyed by higher revenue streams. The copper ore mining company had recorded a net profit of 113.40 crore during the same April-June period of the previous financial year, 2024-25. As indicated in their exchange filing, the total income of Hindustan Copper rose to 526.65 crore in the first quarter, compared to 500.44 crore for the corresponding period last year. The company's expenses amounted to 347.29 crore, slightly up from 346.32 crore in Q1 of FY25. Also Read | Maruti Suzuki Q2 Results LIVE: Maruti Suzuki shares trade ahead of earnings The consolidated financial results for the quarter ending June 2025 incorporate earnings from subsidiary Chhattisgarh Copper Limited (CCL) and joint venture Khanij Bidesh India Limited (KABIL). As a part of the Ministry of Mines, Hindustan Copper possesses all operating mining leases for copper ore in India. According to the information on its website, the company is currently focused on the exploration, mining, and beneficiation of copper ore to produce and sell copper concentrate. Hindustan Copper operates copper mines located in Malanjkhand (Madhya Pradesh), Khetri (Rajasthan), and Ghatsila (Jharkhand). It has a primary smelter and refinery in Ghatsila (Jharkhand), secondary smelting and refining operations in Jhagadia (Gujarat), and a continuous cast copper wire rod plant in Taloja (Maharashtra). Hindustan Copper share price today Hindustan Copper share price today opened at 348.25 apiece on the BSE, the stock touched an intraday high of 350, and an intraday low of 340.95 per share. According to Ruchit Jain, VP - Equity Technical Research, Motilal Oswal Financial Services Ltd, Hindustan Copper share price had seen a sharp rally in the month of September from 230 to high of 365. The sharp upmove led to overbought momentum readings and hence, prices have entered into a consolidation phase in last three weeks. The short and medium term trend remains positive till prices are above their 20 DEMA and 50 DEMA supports which are placed around 330 and 310, respectively. Anshul Jain, Head of Research at Lakshmishree, said that Hindustan Copper has formed a 69-week-long cup and handle pattern and is now on the verge of a bullish breakout above the 360 365 zone. The right side of the pattern is showing strong price tightness, indicating absorption and preparation for a breakout. A decisive move above this resistance zone with high volumes will confirm the breakout and likely attract institutional participation. Once confirmed, the stock has the potential to rally toward 500 levels in the coming weeks, supported by favourable momentum indicators and strong underlying structure. Hindustan Unilever Ltd (HUL) announced that it has received approval from the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) for the demerger of its ice-cream business into Kwality Walls (India) Ltd. In a regulatory filing on October 30, HUL said that the Mumbai bench of NCLT granted its approval under sections 230 to 232 and other applicable provisions, to the Scheme of Arrangement for demerger of the Ice Cream Business Undertaking, between the Company and Kwality Walls (India) Limited and their respective shareholders. HULs demerger move comes under its parent company Unilevers Growth Action Plan (GAP) to separate its ice-cream business. Under the arrangement, HUL will transfer all of its ice cream brands such as Kwality Walls, Cornetto, Magnum, Feast and Creamy Delight to the new entity. Also Read | Hindustan Unilever faces short-term sales dip due to the GST rate cut transition The NCLT nod for HULs demerger of its ice cream business into a new entity, Kwality Walls (India) Ltd (KWIL), paves the way for the creation of a dedicated, listed ice cream company in India. Below are the 10 most important questions and answers regarding this development: HUL Demerger: 10 Key Things To Know 1] What has HUL announced? HUL is demerging its entire ice cream business into a wholly owned subsidiary, Kwality Walls (India) Ltd (KWIL). Under the demerger scheme, HUL shareholders will receive one share of Kwality Walls for every share held in the FMCG major. Magnum HoldCo will buy a 61.9% stake in Kwality Walls (India) and the rest will be held by HUL shareholders. 2] Why was HUL Ice Cream business demerger proposed? Ice Cream business contributes 3% to HULs turnover, and according to the company, it needs significant investments to realise its full potential. Given Unilever owns the trademarks and know-how and has announced the separation of its Ice Cream business, local capabilities will need to be developed to continue running the business. Ice Cream has a different operating model including cold chain infrastructure, and a distinct channel landscape, which limits synergies with the rest of Hindustan Unielver, the company had said. 3] What did the NCLT approve? The Mumbai NCLT bench approved the Scheme of Arrangement under Sections 230232 of the Companies Act, 2013, stating the demerger is fair, reasonable, and not contrary to public policy. The NCLT had convened a shareholder meeting on 12 August 2025 to consider and approve the Scheme. HUL has already received a No Objection letter for the demerger scheme from Stock Exchanges. 4] What are the financials of HULs ice cream business? HULs ice cream business contributes about 1,800 crore in annual revenues and accounts for nearly 3% of HULs total turnover. 5] What is the HUL demerger share swap or separation ratio? HUL shareholders will receive 1 share of Kwality Walls (India) Ltd for every share held in HUL as of the record date. 6] What is HUL demerger effective date and when will the new shares be listed? The HUL demerger Effective Date is the first calendar date of the month following the month in which all necessary conditions (as per the Scheme and regulatory/legal requirements) have been fulfilled, obtained, or waived. HUL said it will intimate the Effective Date to the Stock Exchanges in due course. Kwality Walls is targeted to list on the stock exchanges in Q4FY26. 7] What happens to employees and assets? All assets, liabilities, five manufacturing facilities, and roughly 1,200 employees of HULs ice cream division will move to KWIL, which will start debt-free but with access to future funding. 8] Will the parent Unilever retain involvement in KWIL? No. Unilever is globally demerging its Ice Cream business into The Magnum Ice Cream Co. (TMICC). Under the Share Purchase Agreement, Unilevers stake in KWIL (post-demerger) will be transferred to TMICC, which will then hold a 61.9% stake in KWIL. TMICC will operate as a separate legal entity with no involvement from Unilever in KWIL. 9] What are the potential benefits for HUL shareholders? HUL shareholders will get direct exposure to a stand-alone, focused ice cream business. This portfolio restructuring will enable HUL to sharpen focus on the core business and further strengthen its play in trending demand spaces such as Beauty, Foods, Health and Wellbeing. It will also enable the Ice Cream business to operate with greater flexibility and focus, HUL said. 10] Whats next after the HUL Ice Cream business demerger? Magnum HoldCo will make an open offer to KWIL public shareholders as required under SEBI rules, and KWIL will pursue growth independently. This restructuring sets the stage for sector-focused value unlocking and is a key moment in HULs and Unilevers portfolio strategies. Deputy Prime Minister for European and Euro-Atlantic Integration of Ukraine Taras Kachka discussed with the delegation of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) led by Deputy Director-General Yuko Yasunaga further strengthening cooperation in the field of industrial policy and green reconstruction in the context of Ukraine's integration into the European economic space. "In response to the war, UNIDO and the Government of Ukraine jointly launched the UNIDO Ukraine-owned Green Industrial Recovery Programme (2024-2028), aimed at accelerating Ukraine's transition to a sustainable, green and inclusive industry," the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister said in a statement. It is noted that the program focuses on three main areas: creating opportunities for people, supporting business and attracting investments, and promoting the development of a green economy. In particular, within the framework of the program, as of September 2025, UNIDO is implementing 13 projects in Ukraine, with a total budget of over $210 million, with the support of Japan, Austria, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Germany, Poland, Switzerland, Bulgaria, the EU and the Global Environment Facility (GEF). "Today, the modernization of industry is not only an economic but also a political task. We strive for Ukrainian industry to become a full-fledged part of the European green transition and meet the EU's climate goals," the press service quotes Kachka. Separately, the participants discussed the development of public-private partnerships to attract investments in industry and infrastructure. In addition, the parties agreed to strengthen coordination between the Government of Ukraine, Ukrainian business, UNIDO, the EU and international financial institutions to support innovation, investment and technological renewal of Ukrainian industry. Bugonia In this absurdist thriller, Emma Stone plays the CEO of a pharmaceutical company, whos abducted by a conspiracy theorist (Jesse Plemons) and his cousin (Aidan Delbis). This is the fourth collaboration between Stone and director Yorgos Lanthimos (Poor Things). Its an English-language remake of the South Korean film Save the Green Planet! (2003). (In theatres) A still from 'Good Boy'. Good Boy Indy, a Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever, and his owner, Todd (Shane Jensen), move into a new home, where an supernatural presence threatens Todd. Indys efforts to rescue his owner are the subject of this unusual horror film by Ben Leonberg. (In theatres) A still from 'Lokah Chapter 1: Chandra'. Lokah Chapter 1: Chandra Dominic Aruns film is a buoyant female superhero story, starring Kalyani Priyadarshan, that injected life into several genres (if you somehow still dont know its central secret, watch the film before reading up). Also starring Naslen and Sandy Master. (JioHotstar) A still from 'Humans in the Loop'. The charcoal embers burn bright, slowly roasting the crescent-shaped green pumpkin slices brushed with tare (a Japanese glaze made from soy sauce). Once charred to perfection, chef Saurabh Udinia plates them up with pumpkin sauce, scatters toasted pumpkin seeds on top, and slides the plate towards me. The pumpkin has a slight bite to it, which contrasts well with the creamy sauce. At HOM, which opened in Mumbai last month, 80% of the dishes are cooked on fire using the charcoal grill, the plancha (flat-top griddle) or the tandoor. I have been to really cool, intimate grill restaurants like Kiln in Soho (London) and Burnt Ends in Singapore, but theres nothing like that in Mumbai where you can watch the chefs in action and see every ingredient being cooked (in front of you)," says Pratik Gaba, HOMs founder and owner. To realise his vision, the first-time restaurateur roped in Udinia as the culinary director. The Delhi-born chef has cooked in the kitchens of Indian Accent (Delhi), Masala Library (Mumbai) and Revolver (Michelin-recommended Indian restaurant in Singapore). I had never done open-fire cooking before Revolver; its where I realised that it was one of the better ways of cooking," he says. The open kitchen is the centrepiece here, and you can take one of the seven seats around it for the HOM Theatre", an 11-course tasting menu where every dish is finished over fire as you watch. The food is largely Indian with global influences. Open-flame cooking isnt new in Indias food culturewe have always had our tandoors, sigdis and wood-fired chulhas. But what was once a home or street-side practice is now put by restaurants and chefs at the centre of the dining experience. Also Read | This new restaurant in Mumbai serves up what India's royals ate View Full Image Chef Amninder Sandhu. Live grills, open hearths and wood-fire pits are being used to create smoky, layered flavours, allowing guests to watch the cooking action. At NAAR in Kasauli, Himachal Pradesh, chef Prateek Sadhu serves smoked bottle gourd on pine skewers. At restaurateur Tanveer Kwatras Grammie, which opened in Delhi last month, chef Konnark Sharma plays with open-fire cooking to dish out Wafu Italian that marries Japanese and Italian flavours. Chef Amninder Sandhu was one of the pioneers of this trend when she opened Arth in Mumbai in 2018. What drew me to open-fire cooking was a conversation with Sarvesh Kaur, the granddaughter of Maharaja Bhupinder Singh of Patiala, who shared some of her family heirloom recipes with me. She would talk me through a recipe, and at the end would always say, if the same recipe was cooked on open fire, it would taste absolutely different. It was at that point in my career that I first found my rhythm in cooking," says Sandhu. While Arth shut in 2020, Sandhu carried forward her philosophy in her subsequent restaurant projects, including Bawri (Mumbai and Goa), Palaash and Talaabwali (at Tipai Wildlife Luxuries, a resort near Maharashtras Tipeshwar Wildlife Sanctuary), or the recently opened Kikli in Delhi. Indian cuisine intrinsically is very attuned to open-fire cooking. At Palaash, the ladies who cook in the kitchen are from the nearby villages, and they are very comfortable with this way of cooking," says Sandhu. View Full Image A dish at Fireside, Bengaluru. At the 35-seater Fireside in Bengaluru, which opened in 2024, siblings Priyanka Alve Nayak and Rajat Alve also experiment with wood-fired cooking. Growing up on their parents farm in the coastal town of Honnavar in Karnatakas Uttara Kannada district, they were no strangers to cooking over wood. Theyd watched their parents and grandparents cook everything from rice and curries to seafood over it. People have a very narrowed down vision of wood-fired cooking; they only think about tandoor or barbecue and dont go beyond the regular spices that we use in Indian kitchens. We use wood-fire cooking as the main element but with modern flavours," says Nayak. So, ivy gourd gets brushed with peanut butter miso, eggplant is torched with thyme to release its smoky flavours, slow-cooked lamb is rubbed with Sichuan pepper dust, and pork ribs are smoked with cherry wood. The kitchen is kitted out with a Gaucho grill (Argentinian-style charcoal or wood-fired grill), a Toscano oven (commonly used for making pizzas), and a wood smokereach chosen for the unique way it shapes ingredients. The open kitchen was non-negotiable; we wanted guests to see how the food was being cooked," says Nayak. Cooking over open fire in a restaurant setting is not without its challenges. Chefs need to account for the unpredictability of fire, adjusting timing and technique to deliver a consistent dish every service. The kitchen also requires careful ventilation and consistent heat control. View Full Image Primitive, Jaipur. It took us a year to execute the idea," says Simran Kaur, founder of Primitive, which opened in Jaipur in February. The 70-seater restaurant has a live kitchen that uses coal and wood to cook every dish, like the crowd favourite beetroot and walnut khatai, where a whole grilled beetroot is served on a bed of hung curd and walnut dip, or the unusual amrood ki kadhi with charred guava. It was a challenge to control the fire and the smell of food... we have used air curtains to control the heat and maintain the temperature in both the kitchen and restaurant," she adds. This incipient trend of restaurants being built around open fire also leans into the larger, back-to-roots movement in Indian dining. As more chefs seek to spotlight regional cuisines, its natural that traditional cooking techniques are revived, albeit with modernised equipment and contemporary flavours. Like the charcoal-seared scallop, topped with tart lime kuzhambu segments, and served on a Kerala-style coconut mud crab at HOMits a dish Im still thinking about. Also Read | Dare to eat at this spooky Halloween pop-up? Prachi Joshi is a Mumbai-based travel and food writer. The Karnataka High Court on Thursday, 30 October 2025, granted an interim stay to the Special Investigation Team (SIT)'s inquiry into claims of "multiple murders, rapes, and burials" in the temple town of Dharmasthala. This stay will be in effect until 12 November. Justice Mohammad Nawaz issued the order following a petition lodged by four activists: Girish Mattanavar, Mahesh Thimmarodi, Jayant T, and Vittal Gowda. These individuals had previously supported the former sanitation worker, CN Chinnaiah, who had lodged the initial complaint alleging the multiple murders and burials in the area. The four petitioners sought to have the First Information Report (FIR), which the Dharmasthala police had filed regarding the matter, set aside by the court. The controversy had erupted after Chinnaiah (who was subsequently apprehended on perjury charges) alleged that he had buried scores of bodiesincluding those of women showing evidence of sexual assaultin Dharmasthala over the past two decades. These claims carried implications pointing directly at the local temple's governing body. The petitioners, who are well-known figures in the long-running campaign for justice regarding the 2012 rape and murder of a college girl, had publicly backed Chinnaiahs claims. Nevertheless, they found themselves under the SIT's microscope after Chinnaiah produced a skull before a magistrate in July 2025. When the investigative team established that Chinnaiah had not personally excavated the skull, they issued multiple summonses to the four activists, suspecting that the activists had knowledge of how the evidence was acquired. After being served their tenth summons on 24 October, the petitioners decided to approach the high court, challenging both the warrants and the original FIR. Advocate S Balan, representing the group, stated that the petition was challenging the legitimacy of the SIT's procedural methods rather than the merits of the underlying allegations. Balan argued that the FIR, filed under Section 211(a) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), breached procedural requirements stipulated under Section 174(1)(i) of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS). He maintained that as Chinnaiahs initial statements amounted to a non-cognisable offence, the police were obliged to refer the issue to a magistrate instead of simply registering the FIR. Furthermore, he asserted that the nine additional BNS sections later invoked by the SIT had been illegally appended and were in contravention of due legal process. SITs interim report ready This temporary ruling came at a time when the SIT was preparing to hand over its interim report to the government. The SIT, led by IPS officer Pronab Mohanty, was also set to lodge a formal charge sheet with the jurisdictional magistrate concerning the alleged perjury and the presentation of a skull which the investigators insist was fabricated evidence. Opposing the petitioners plea, Special Public Prosecutor BN Jagadeesha informed the court that the activists themselves had been actively engaged in demanding an inquiry into the allegations and had previously lobbied senior officials for action. He contended that Chinnaiah had, in fact, levelled accusations against the very same activists, claiming they had coerced him and were impeding the investigation. Panic gripped Rajasthan High Court premises in Jaipur on Friday following a bomb threat which was later proved a hoax. Registrar of the high court received an email threatening a bomb blast in the court premises, police said. After which the police were informed, anti-terror squad personnel and sniffer dog units reached the court. "The court premises were evacuated and intense checking was conducted. Nothing suspicious was found in the checking following which the court The Supreme Court on Friday declined to exempt the chief secretaries of states and union territories from appearing in person before it on 3 November in the ongoing stray dogs case, saying there was "no respect" for the court's order, and they are just sleeping over it. "And when we require them to come and file compliance affidavit, they are just sleeping over it. No respect for the order of the court. Then alright, let them come. We will deal with them," Justice Nath said. The case in question pertains to a suo motu petition initiated by the Supreme Court to address the issue of stray dogs and their management across India. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta had urged the bench to allow the chief secretaries to virtually appear before the court on 3 November. Justice Nath, however, said the chief secretaries would have to come physically to the court, reported PTI. What were SC's orders? During a hearing on 27 October, the Supreme Court had directed the chief secretaries of all the states and UTs, except West Bengal and Telangana, to remain present before it on 3 November to explain why compliance affidavits were not filed despite the court's 22 August order. On 22 August, the apex court had expanded the scope of the stray dogs case beyond the confines of Delhi-National Capital Region, directing that all states and union territories be made parties to ensure uniform implementation of animal welfare and public safety measures. Only the Municipal Corporation of Delhi, along with the states of West Bengal and Telangana, had complied with the courts earlier directive issued on 22 August. Stray dogs case The Supreme Court is hearing a suo motu case, which was initiated on July 28, over a media report on stray dog bites leading to rabies, particularly among children, in the national capital. In August, the top court had ordered the Delhi government and municipal bodies to begin removing stray dogs from all local areas, and house them in designated dog shelters describing the situation in the capital as extremely grim. However, after protests erupted in Delhi and concerns were raised that these directives conflicted with previous orders, the matter was transferred to a three-judge bench led by Justice Vikram Nath. On 22 August, the new bench stayed the earlier directions, calling them too harsh, and clarified that sterilised, dewormed and vaccinated dogs must be released back into their original localities. The Anti-Terrorism Squad of Rajasthan conducted raids and detained three suspects in connection with alleged terror activities on Friday, a senior official said. Two suspects were caught in Jodhpur, while one was held in Jaisalmer. "Raids have been carried out today in multiple locations in Jodhpur division to nab suspects having alleged links with terror organisations," the official said. The raids are continuing, he added. The latest arrests came days after two ISIS operatives, both named Adnan Khan, were arrested in connection with an alleged terror Conspiracy case. Adnan Khan (Delhi) was arrested on October 17. Adnan Khan (Bhopal) was arrested on October 19. The court remanded them to police custody, which was later extended. The Delhi Police arrest 5 suspects terrorists two from Delhi, one each from Madhya Pradesh, Hyderabad (Telangana) and Ranchi (Jharkhand), in New Delhi on Thursday. Bhopal-resident Adnan was also arrested by Uttar Pradesh Police after he had allegedly threatened an Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) official on social media for doing a survey of Gyanvapi mosque. According to news agency PTI, it was alleged that they were planning to target a mall in South Delhi. A public park was also on their target. The bail application moved on behalf of the accused, Adnan Khan (Bhopal), is pending for October 31. Also Read | Major terror attack averted: Delhi Police arrests two suspected ISIS terrorists On October 24, it was submitted that data from mobile phones is also to be extracted. They are required to interrogate to identify and recover their various social media IDs. They are to be interrogated to know if any other persons are associated with them. New Delhi: Amid recurrent outbreaks, the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has sought to collaborate with Indian pharmaceutical companies to develop and manufacture monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against the Nipah virus, which has an extremely high fatality rate, according to scientists and documents reviewed by Mint . Monoclonal antibodies are proteins produced in laboratories that are engineered to function similarly to natural antibodies. The ICMR's plan is to establish an indigenous production platform, requiring companies to commit to producing a minimum of 1 lakh doses per week. This comes in the backdrop of ICMR holding successful animal trials with the country's first indigenously developed monoclonal antibodies to treat Nipah virus patients, as reported by Mint earlier. Also Read | India rolls out new hospital preparedness plan to tackle chemical emergencies The virus, which is commonly transmitted from fruit bats, has a high mortality rate. Currently, India imports monoclonal antibodies from Australia. These are administered intravenously. There is currently no vaccine available against the Nipah virus. In Kerala, four confirmed Nipah cases were reported between April and July, including the first case in Palakkad. The move by the Indian Council of Medical Research is a critical escalation in India's preparedness against the Nipah virus, directly confronting the challenge of its extremely high fatality rate, a defining characteristic that highlights the ongoing public health emergency. ICMR is willing to collaborate with eligible organizations, companies, and manufacturers for the Development and manufacturing of Monoclonal Antibodies against Nipah viral disease," said the document. It further said that the company would be granted rights to undertake further development, manufacture, sell, and commercialize the technology/product monoclonal antibodies against Nipah viral disease or undertake further R&D and commercialize the end product(s)/technology. Also Read | India readies crackdown on pharma licence fraud with new draft rules The document mandates a high-volume manufacturing capability as a prerequisite for qualification. Capacity to produce at least 1 lakh doses per week" and "commitment for stockpile monoclonal antibodies (400-500 doses) for emergency use once the regulator approves use." The aim of the ICMR is to establish a secure, indigenous production platform for Monoclonal Antibodies, which are the only available treatment against the lethal virus. The company's urgent requirement is a stringent minimum commitment to producing 1 lakh doses per week. This massive scale-up is designed to ensure a buffer stock large enough to meet the demand of potential major outbreaks, which the sporadic yet devastating nature of Nipah poses," said a scientist familiar with the matter, who was not willing to be named. Queries sent to the health ministry spokesperson and pharmaceutical companies such as Cipla, Bharat Biotech, Serum Institute, Dr Reddy's Laboratories, and Alkem remained unanswered till press time. Vaccine search No licensed Nipah vaccine or antiviral is available; candidates are years away, though one is in mid-stage trials with India identified as a key site. "Nipah is a deadly disease, transmitted by bats, with a very high mortality of more than 80%," Dr. Balram Bhargava, former ICMR director general, said. He asserted that developing a Nipah vaccine is impractical, as "vaccination for Nipah is not going to be a useful tool" since it is unclear whom to vaccinate. Instead, Dr. Bhargava emphasized monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) as "probably one of the best things to be used for the treatment of Nipah." These intravenously administered mAbs are vital for both the early diagnosis and treatment of patients. Furthermore, this therapeutic approach would also benefit other Southeast Asian countries facing the Nipah virus threat, he said. The first recognized outbreak occurred in Siliguri, West Bengal, in 2001, followed by another in Nadia district in 2007. After more than a decade of silence, the virus reappeared in Kerala in 2018, leading to a very high case fatality rate of around 91%. Since then, Kerala has reported multiple episodes, including cases in 2019 and 2021, as well as recurring spillovers in 2023 and 2025. These repeated incidents underscore the continuous Nipah risk in South India. The Congress party on Friday paid heartfelt tributes to former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on her death anniversary. Party leader Rahul Gandhi described her as fearless and unwavering while facing the powerful and said she taught us that nothing is more important than Indias self-respect. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, along with former party chiefs Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, laid floral tributes at Indira Gandhis memorial, Shakti Sthal, and later visited her residence at 1, Safdarjung Road. In a post in Hindi on X, Kharge said, A humble tribute to the epitome of courage, Indias first woman Prime Minister and our role model, Indira Gandhi, on her martyrdom day. Several senior Congress leaders were also present to pay their respects to the former Prime Minister, remembered for her decisive leadership and lasting impact on Indian politics. "She played a crucial role in preserving India's unity and integrity through her strong will, skillful leadership, and vision, and in building a strong, progressive India," Kharge said. In another post, the Congress president said, Millions of Indians will forever find inspiration in the life of the 'Iron Lady of India', Smt. Indira Gandhi, a symbol of resilience, courage, and visionary leadership. "Her resolute commitment to India's progress and unity remains in our hearts and minds. She laid down her life in service of the nation, safeguarding its integrity and spirit. Our humble homage at Shakti Sthal," he said and shared pictures of him and other Congress leaders paying floral tributes to Indira Gandhi at Shakti Sthal. In a post in Hindi on X, Rahul Gandhi said, 'Bharat ki Indira' - fearless, determined, and unwavering while facing the powerful. Grandma, you taught us that nothing is more important than India's identity and self-respect. Your courage, compassion, and patriotism continue to inspire me in every step I take. Congress leader Jairam Ramesh recalled how in 1977 she travelled first by car, jeep, and tractor, and then rode on an elephant to Belchhi in Bihar in an "extraordinary and spontaneous outreach to families devastated by caste atrocities". The Congress general secretary in-charge communications asserted that Gandhi was a person of uncommon grit, courage, perseverance, and resilience. Ramesh also pointed out that a day after her visit to the village of Belchchi she met with her then-bitterest political critic and adversary Jayaprakash Narayan in Patna. "Today, the nation recalls the indomitable Indira Gandhi and pays tribute on the 41st anniversary of her martyrdom. She was a person of uncommon grit, courage, perseverance, and resilience," he said. It was on a rainy August 13, 1977, that she travelled first by car, jeep, and tractor and then rode on an elephant to the remote village of Belchhi in Bihar, Ramesh recalled. "This extraordinary and spontaneous outreach to families devastated by caste atrocities marked her political revival," he said. Ramesh also shared on X pictures of Gandhi on an elephant visiting Belchhi. "Incidentally, a day later she met with her then-bitterest political critic and adversary Jayaprakash Narayan in Patna. The two had spent an hour together recalling their deep personal association over a period of four decades," Ramesh said. The then prime minister was assassinated by her bodyguards here on this day in 1984. Indira Gandhi was India's first woman prime minister. She was born on November 19, 1917. Congress general secretary in-charge organisation K C Venugopal said that on this day in 1984, "one of India's greatest leaders was martyred". "She stood unflinchingly for India's sovereignty and integrity and paid the price with her own life. I offer my tributes to our guiding light, India's Iron Lady Smt. Indira Gandhi ji on her death anniversary. Her life, from participating in our freedom struggle as a child to leading India through turbulent times with great courage and vision, will always be an inspiration for every Indian," he said on X. "We vow to dedicate our lives for the vision that Indira ji saw for our country!" Venugopal said. The Congress, from its official X handle, said, Heartfelt tributes to the country's first woman Prime Minister, 'Bharat Ratna' Mrs. Indira Gandhi, on her death anniversary. An epitome of strength, determination, and powerful leadership, Indira Gandhi is a source of inspiration for millions of Indians. Several Congress leaders also paid homage to Indira Gandhi. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang was spotted on Thursday evening sharing fried chicken and beer with Samsung Electronics Chairman Jay Y Lee and Hyundai Motor Executive Chair Chung Euisun at Kkanbu Chicken, a local restaurant in Seoul, South Korea. What started as a casual dinner turned into a viral sensation - and a stock market ripple. Media frenzy and public reaction Photos of the trio quickly lit up social media, drawing crowds of fans, journalists, and even national broadcasters, who aired live footage of the executives eating, drinking and chatting. Diners inside the restaurant were seen snapping pictures, and Jensen Huang later signed autographs, including on a $2 bill and a skincare gift bag, and handed food to a nearby policeman, Business Insider reported. Market reaction to the picture While Kkanbu Chicken is not publicly listed, its rival, Kyochon F&B, saw shares surge by as much as 20% on Friday after the viral pictures circulated on social media. Korean poultry processor Cherrybro hit its daily limit of 30%, and Neuromeka, a Kosdaq-listed company that makes chicken-frying robots, saw trading volume spike nearly 200 times, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang makes a toast with others during the outing. This is not the first time South Korea's market has reacted to viral moments. A pen-maker's stock once rallied after a mention by Donald Trump. This trend, often in small-cap Kosdaq stocks, is rarely driven by fundamentals and often lacks any real link to company operations, Bloomberg reported. What does this mean for the companies? The dinner was not just about Chi-maek (the Korean combo of chicken and beer). Jensen Huang gifted both Jay Y Lee and Chung Euisun Nvidia-labelled DGX boxes the firm's series of AI systems. Lee later showed the cameras a note signed by Huang that read: To our partnership and future of the world! Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang gives gifts to Samsung Electronics Chairman Jay Y. Lee and Hyundai Motor Group Executive Chair Euisun Chung. The meeting came just days after Bloomberg published a report on Tuesday, saying Nvidia plans to unveil contracts to supply chips to both Samsung and Hyundai. Huang's trip to South Korea also coincided with US President Donald Trump's meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit. Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid floral tributes to Sardar Patel on his 150th birth anniversary at Gujarat's Statue of Unity. India pays homage to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on his 150th Jayanti. He was the driving force behind Indias integration, thus shaping our nations destiny in its formative years. His unwavering commitment to national integrity, good governance and public service continues to inspire generations. We also reaffirm our collective resolve to uphold his vision of a united, strong and self-reliant India, PM Modi said. He then proceeded to a nearby venue to administer the Ekta Diwas pledge to attendees and observe the Rashtriya Ekta Diwas parade. This years celebrations will feature a cultural festival alongside the National Unity Day parade by police and paramilitary forces. A key highlight of the event, the parade includes contingents from paramilitary units such as the BSF and CRPF, as well as state police forces, according to PTI. Making it even more special this year, the parade has been organised in the style of the Republic Day parade, the report added. PM Modi says Statue of Unity a monumental tribute to Sardar Patel He said took to X and stated, Paid homage to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel at the Statue of Unity in Kevadia. SoU is a monumental tribute to Sardar Patel and his vision towards Indias unity and strength. Standing tall as the worlds tallest statue, it is a symbol of national pride and collective resolve to fulfil Sardar Patels dreams. Meanwhile, President Droupadi Murmu honoured Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on his birth anniversary, observed as National Unity Day, and highlighted his significant role in bringing the nation together. On the birth anniversary of 'Iron Man' Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, I extend my heartfelt best wishes to all my fellow citizens. Sardar Patel was a great patriot, visionary leader, and nation-builder, who accomplished the historic task of unifying the country through his unwavering resolve, indomitable courage, and adept leadership, Murmu said. She added, His dedication and spirit of national service serve as an inspiration to us all. Let us, on the occasion of 'National Unity Day', unite together and resolve to build a strong, harmonious, and excellent India. About Sardar Patel Sardar Patel was born on October 31, 1875, in Nadiad, Gujarat. Referred to as the Iron Man of India, he served as the countrys first Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister. Photo: https://www.facebook.com/RedCrossUkraine The Ukrainian Red Cross Society (URCS) provided assistance to victims of the overnight drone attack on Sumy carried out by the Russian army. Sumy came under attack once again last night. The Ukrainian Red Cross emergency response team in the Sumy region was working at the site of the strike alongside other city emergency services, URCS said on Favebook Friday. Volunteers carried out door-to-door visits in the affected buildings, providing first aid and psychological first aid to those injured. According to the State Emergency Service, a fire broke out in several flats on the upper floors of a nine-storey residential building as a result of the strike. The most extensive damage and large-scale fires occurred at an infrastructure facility. At present, 11 people are reported injured, including four children. The Orlando airport was nearly shut down due to staff shortage during the United States government shutdown, but a last-minute arrangement of the air traffic controllers averted the closure. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) had planned to close Orlando for landings. According to the reports, Orlando, Dallas/Fort Worth and Washington, DC airports witnessed a number of flights getting delayed due to shortage of staff ever since the government shut down on October 1 due to Republicans' standoff with the Democrats over federal funding and health insurance subsidies. The FAA said in a statement that delays at these airports averaged more than two hours at Orlando, 90 minutes at National Airport in Washington and 21 minutes at Dallas. New Yorks John F. Kennedy Airport suspended departures for about 90 minutes after 8 pm local time due to a staff shortage. On Thursday, October 30, as per the FlightAware data, nearly 6,000 flights had been delayed and 1,100 canceled nationwide. About 20 per cent of flights were affected at United Airlines, American Airlines, Southwest Airlines and Delta Air Lines, FlightAware said. Since the shutdown, more than 13,000 air traffic controllers have been working without their pay. Hundreds have also even taken second jobs to survive the shutdown. National Air Traffic Controllers Association President Nick Daniels said that the number would rise as more controllers look for ways to pay bills. It's quickly going to be 1,000, Daniels said, calling on the government to end the standoff. We want the shutdown to end todayWhatever way that it gets done, that's what the American people deserve. US shutdown may snarl travel during holiday season: Vance Vice President JD Vance said a prolonged government shutdown would likely snarl travel during the busy holiday period, as the administration seeks to ramp up pressure on Democrats over the funding standoff. He made the comments after meeting aviation industry leaders at the White House. Attendees included United Airlines Holdings Inc. Chief Executive Officer Scott Kirby, American Airlines Group Inc. CEO Robert Isom, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, and former Republican New Hampshire Governor Chris Sununu, who is now chief executive officer of industry trade group Airlines for America. Vance told reporters it could be a disaster if the shutdown extends into the Thanksgiving travel season. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Director Kash Patel said in a social media post that his investigation agency has arrested multiple people, thwarting a violent attack over the Halloween weekend in Michigan. Kash Patel didn't release further information about how many people were arrested, but said more information would be coming. This morning the FBI thwarted a potential terrorist attack and arrested multiple subjects in Michigan who were allegedly plotting a violent attack over Halloween weekend. More details to come. Thanks to the men and women of FBI and law enforcement everywhere standing guard 24/7 and crushing our mission to defend the homeland, Kash Patel informed. According to The Associated Press, the law enforcement effort appeared to be in the Detroit area. In the Dearborn area, FBI and state police vehicles were spotted in a neighborhood near Fordson High School. An investigator was seen walking out of a house, grabbing some items from an FBI evidence truck and returning inside. Also Read | Halloween spending 2025 in US hits record $13.1 billion as Americans splurge on candy, costumes and decor Dearborn Police said in a social media post that the department was made aware that the FBI conducted operations in the city on Friday, October 31, and assured residents that there is no threat to the community. FBI Detroit spokesman Jordan Hall also confirmed members from the FBI in Michigan were present in the cities of Dearborn and Inkster this morning conducting law enforcement activities. He added that there was no threat to the community. A video on social media also showed some federal agents storming into a house on Middle Point Street in Dearborn in connection with the Halloween weekend terror plot. According to some social media reports, neighbors in the area described being jolted awake by loud bangs and flashing lights as heavily armed agents surrounded the property and moved in. In a separate incident in May, the FBI arrested Ammar Said, who had allegedly spent months planning an attack on a US Army facility in suburban Detroit on behalf of the Islamic State (IS) group. He said he did not know the individuals he believed were his accomplices were actually undercover FBI agents. JD Vance, following backlash over controversial remarks on his wife, Usha Vance, said she is not a Christian and has no plans to convert. She is not a Christian and has no plans to convert, but like many people in an interfaith marriage or any interfaith relationship I hope she may one day see things as I do. Regardless, I'll continue to love and support her and talk to her about faith and life and everything else, because she's my wife, Vance wrote in a post on X on Friday. While addressing a Turning Point USA event on Thursday, the US Vice President stated that he had hoped that his wife, Usha Vance, would one day be "moved" by the Catholic Church and embrace Christianity, following which Vance faced massive backlash. What JD Vance said JD Vance made the comments during a Turning Point event an organisation that was founded by Trump ally Charlie Kirk who was fatally shot during a Utah Valley event. When asked about Usha Vance's religious background, JD Vance had said that his wife was raised in a family that wasnt particularly religious and that the two have had open conversations about how they plan to raise their children. Here's a glimpse at JD Vance's address: Vance added that while Usha often joins him at church, he hopes she will one day see the Christian gospel as he does and convert to Christianity. Why the backlash? Following JD Vance's remarks, social media has been flooded with reactions with many netizens pointing at the Vice President's hypocrisy. Lol. Usha Vance is Hindu not agnostic this is not very hard for you to follow. They even had a Vedic Hindu wedding and one of his kids name is Vivek. The biggest hypocrite of them all is JD Vance, which is why he isnt going for if nominated in 2028," stated one user. Several others, however praised Vance and expressed hopes that his wife would convert to Christianity. Praying for Usha. Grateful my husband converted a few months after I did. He is now a deacon. An equally yoked marriage is a blessing," wrote one netizen. Is Usha Vance Indian? 5 points to know Usha Vance and JD Vance tied the knot in 2014 and are now parents to three children. Usha Vance traces her ancestral roots to Vadluru, a village in Andhra Pradesh. She was born in the US to Indian immigrant parents who relocated there in the 1980s. US President Donald Trump called for the "Nuclear Option" of scrapping the key 60-vote threshold required for the Senate to advance legislation. Trump's statement came as the US government has been under shutdown for over 30 days. Doing away with the key vote threshold would mean eliminating a longstanding rule that allows 41 of the 100 senators to block any bill from debate or a vote a procedural check on power that has been relied on by both parties in the past. The filibuster effectively forces Democrats and Republicans to find bipartisan solutions. "It is now time for the Republicans to play their 'TRUMP CARD,' and go for what is called the Nuclear Option - Get rid of the Filibuster, and get rid of it, NOW!" Trump wrote in a post to his Truth Social platform Thursday night. "Well, now WE are in power, and if we did what we should be doing, it would IMMEDIATELY end this ridiculous, Country destroying 'SHUT DOWN,'" Trump added in the post. What is nuclear option Trump is talking about? The filibuster, a Senate rule that typically requires 60 votes to advance legislation, has long been a point of contention in Washington. It is a long-standing tactic in the Senate to delay or block votes on legislation by keeping the debate running. It requires 60 votes in a full Senate to overcome a filibuster, giving Democrats a check on the 53-seat Republican majority that led to the start of the October 1 shutdown when the new fiscal year began. Trump pointed out that several Democratic senators, including those under then-President Joe Biden, had previously called for changes to the rule to safeguard voting rights and abortion access. However, those proposals failed to secure full support within the party. Trump further contended that Democrats would not hesitate to scrap the filibuster if given the chance to pursue their own legislative priorities, such as granting statehood to Puerto Rico and Washington, D.C. "Well, now WE are in power, and if we did what we should be doing, it would IMMEDIATELY end this ridiculous, Country-destroying 'SHUT DOWN,'" Trump wrote. Also Read | Trumps vow to resume nuclear tests leaves experts puzzled He added, "If the Democrats ever came back into power, which would be made easier for them if the Republicans are not using the Great Strength and Policies made available to us by ending the Filibuster, the Democrats will exercise their rights, and it will be done in the first day they take office, regardless of whether or not we do it." US government shutdown The federal shutdown began on October 1. This meant no pay for thousands of federal workers and a stop to basic government functions across the US. From grinding air traffic to a halt at some airports, to preventing the release of federal GDP figures, to unstaffed national parks, many basic government services across the United States have been affected. Food stamps are rapidly becoming one of the most pressing points in the shutdown, with 42 million low-income Americans set to lose access to vital help with grocery bills starting Saturday. Approximately 23.7 million SNAP recipients live in states that voted for Donald Trump in the last presidential election, while 18 million recipients live in states and districts that voted Democrats. Also Read | Trump tariffs challenged: Republican Senators split over global trade policy The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimates the shutdown could cost the economy up to $14 billion. It's unclear how removing a filibuster would work -- if the threshold for votes would be lowered, or certain bills could be made immune, or whether so-called talking filibusters could be revived, wherein Senators must give long speeches to prevent advancement of business. In his first term, Trump unsuccessfully pushed to end the filibuster. United States President Donald Trump has flatly rejected trade talks with Canada weeks after Ontario circulated an advertisement featuring former US President Ronald Reagan, criticising tariffs. But, Donald Trump asserted that he really likes Canadian PM Mark Carney, but what Ontario did was wrong. Speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One, Donald Trump said, I really like him a lot. But what they did was wrong. So no, discussions will not resume, Trump said, even though Carney apologised for what they did with the commercial because it was a false commercial. The US has maintained its decision to halt trade talks with Canada, despite Ontario taking down the advertisement that had sparked tensions. The ad, however, was kept on air through the weekend, further angering Donald Trump. Ontario Premier Doug Ford said the advertisement was released so that it could reach the US audience and weve achieved our goal. Our intention was always to initiate a conversation about the kind of economy that Americans want to build and the impact of tariffs on workers and businesses, Doug Ford said. More tariffs on Canada Ending trade talks with Canada citing the misleading and fraud advertisement, the Trump administration also imposed an additional 10 per cent tariffs on Canadian imports. Accusing the Canadian authorities of using the parts of Ronald Reagan's speech without permission, he said, Canada was caught, red handed, putting up a fraudulent advertisement on Ronald Reagans Speech on Tariffs. The Reagan Foundation said that they, created an ad campaign using selective audio and video of President Ronald Reagan. The ad misrepresents the Presidential Radio Address, and did not seek nor receive permission to use and edit the remarks. The Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute is reviewing its legal options in this matter. "The sole purpose of this FRAUD was Canadas hope that the United States Supreme Court will come to their rescue on Tariffs that they have used for years to hurt the United States. Now the United States is able to defend itself against high and overbearing Canadian Tariffs (and those from the rest of the World as well!). Ronald Reagan LOVED Tariffs for purposes of National Security and the Economy, but Canada said he didnt! Their Advertisement was to be taken down, IMMEDIATELY, but they let it run last night during the World Series, knowing that it was a FRAUD, Trump said. United States President Donald Trump announced on Friday, October 31, that he was marking Nigeria as a country of particular concern after claiming that Christianity faces a threat in the West African country. The countries of particular concern are the list of nations the US finds have engaged in severe violations of religious freedom. In a post on Truth Social, Donald Trump said, Christianity is facing an existential threat in Nigeria. Thousands of Christians are being killed. Radical Islamists are responsible for this mass slaughter. I am hereby making Nigeria a COUNTRY OF PARTICULAR CONCERN. When Christians, or any such group, is slaughtered like is happening in Nigeria (3,100 versus 4,476 Worldwide), something must be done! I am asking Congressman Riley Moore, together with Chairman Tom Cole and the House Appropriations Committee, to immediately look into this matter, and report back to me. The US President continued that the United States cannot stand by while such atrocities are happening in Nigeria, and numerous other Countries. We stand ready, willing, and able to save our Great Christian population around the World! US' Country of Particular Concern List The Country of Particular Concern list features Burma, Peoples Republic of China, Cuba, Eritrea, Iran, the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea, Nicaragua, Pakistan, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan, according to the State Department website. The severe violations include systematic, ongoing, egregious violations of religious freedom, including violations such as: (1) torture; (2) prolonged detention without charges; (3) forced disappearance; or (4) other flagrant denial of life, liberty, or security of persons, the state department said. The special watch list countries are Algeria, Azerbaijan, the Central African Republic, Comoros, and Vietnam. Apart from countries, the US also has a list of entities that are of particular concern. These are al Qaida affiliate Al-Shabaab, Boko Haram, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, the Houthis, ISIS-Sahel (formerly known as ISIS-Greater Sahara), ISIS-West Africa, al Qaida affiliate Jamaat Nasr al-Islam wal Muslimin, and the Taliban. As Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) America's biggest food aid program for low-income, unemployed Americans faces funding uncertainty, sparking fears of starting a hunger crisis amid the ongoing government shutdown, two federal judges have ordered the Trump administration to continue the funding using emergency reserve two federal judges in Massachusetts and Rhode Island ruled. The program serves about 1 in 8 Americans and is a major piece of the nations social safety net and it costs about $8 billion per month nationally. The ruling directing the Trump administration to use the emergency reserves to fnd the food aid program to feed millions of Americans has come a day before the US Department of Agriculture planned to freeze payments to the SNAP because it said it could no longer keep funding it due to the shutdown. The funding freeze has been planned from November 1, a month after the US government shutdown came into effect. November 1, Saturday, will mark the first-ever lapse in the SNAP. In Rhode Island, US District Judge John J. McConnell ruled taht the SNAP must be funded using at least one emergency reserve. He had also asked for an update on progress by Monday, November 3. The administration argued it could not use the roughly $5 billion contingency fund for the program, reversing a pre-shutdown USDA plan that had designated those funds to keep SNAP operational. The Democratic officials argued that not only could that money be used, but that it must be. They also said a separate fund with around $23 billion is available for the cause. On Thursday, October 30, New York Governor Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency to issue $65 million for assistance to food banks to avert hunger crisis in the city. Federal funding for the national food stamp program is set to expire on November 1. As per the data from the US Department of Agriculture, New York receives nearly $650 million in federal funding for SNAP benefits each month. After New York declared a state of emergency, Oregon and Virginia, too, issued emergency to free funds for emergency food assistance before the aid lapses for millions of low-income Americans who depend on the food stamps for basic nutrition and health. As per Reuters, more than 41 million people receive food benefits in the US. US President Donald Trump on Friday hinted at resuming underground nuclear tests, but did not provide a confirmation on whether the United States would actually start doing it. You'll find out very soon, the US President told reporters aboard his Air Force One. Responding to a question from news agency AFP, Trump said that the US would resume nuclear testing if other countries do so, but maintained ambiguity over the type of test he was referring to. We're going to do some testing, yeah, and other countries do it. If they're going to do it, we're going to do it, he said during his journey to Palm Beach, Florida. US resuming nuclear tests? Donald Trump on Thursday instructed the US Department of War to start testing US nuclear weapons on an immediate basis, a move that seemed to be a message for China and Russia. Boasting about the number of nuclear weapons US possesses, Trump said that Russia and China come second and third to America but will soon be even. The United States has more Nuclear Weapons than any other country. This was accomplished, including a complete update and renovation of existing weapons, during my First Term in office. Because of the tremendous destructive power, I HATED to do it, but had no choice! Russia is second, and China is a distant third, but will be even within 5 years, he posted on Truth Social. Trump said that the US action is triggered by other countries performing nuclear tests. Because of other countries testing programs, I have instructed the Department of War to start testing our Nuclear Weapons on an equal basis. That process will begin immediately. The move marks the first time in 33 years when the US will conduct nuclear tests. The first such test was conducted in 1945, and the last one conducted on September 23, 1992, underground at the Nevada Test Site. It was not immediately clear whether Trump was referring to nuclear-explosive testing, which would be carried out by the National Nuclear Security Administration, or flight testing of nuclear-capable missiles. Apart from North Korea, which conducted its last known explosive nuclear weapons test in 2017, no other nuclear power has carried out such a test in over 25 years. Trump had on his way back to Washington told reporters on Thursday that the US will conduct tests if other countries do so, adding that the sites for the same will be determined later. I'd like to see a denuclearisation because we have so many and Russia's second and China's third and China will catch up within four or five years, he said. US President Donald Trump denied approving any military strikes inside Venezuela, contradicting a media report suggesting otherwise. According to a report by Bloomberg, when reporters asked him on Air Force One on Friday whether he had decided on the matter, Trump simply replied, No. Since early September, the Trump administration has carried out at least 14 strikes on small boats in the Caribbean and Pacific, killing dozens, which it describes as targeted actions against drug smugglers. Earlier, the Miami Herald reported that the Trump administration had decided to target Venezuelan military installations, with strikes potentially imminent. Here's what White House said Responding to the report, White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly said that unnamed sources don't know what theyre talking about and emphasised that any official announcement would come directly from Trump. Last week, Trump said the land is going to be next after a series of attacks since mid-September on alleged drug-running boats in the Caribbean Sea and the eastern Pacific, Bloomberg reported. The US has also deployed guided missile destroyers as part of its border security operations, in addition to the aircraft used in the strikes. Last week, the administration announced that it was deploying a naval strike group, which includes an aircraft carrier, to Latin America. Administration officials have characterised the campaign as a counter-drug operation and say Maduro's regime is facilitating trafficking. Political crisis in Venezuela Politicians and analysts say that Venezuela's two main opposition leaders are growing increasingly divided over potential US actions against the country, even as the government continues its crackdown on opposition figures. Reuters reported. Maduro, who faces US indictments on drug trafficking and corruption charges that he denies, has accused Trump of attempting to orchestrate regime change. View full Image Supporters of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro take part in a rally against US military activity in the Caribbean, in Caracas on October 30, 2025. A US guided-missile destroyer that docked for four days in Trinidad and Tobago, within firing range of mainland Venezuela -- which called its presence a 'provocation'-- departed as scheduled on Thursday, AFP witnessed. (Photo by Federico PARRA / AFP) ( AFP ) He has asserted that the Venezuelan people and armed forces would resist any effort to remove him from power. Maduro was sworn in for a third term earlier this year, despite official vote counts indicating that the opposition candidate had won the 2024 election by a wide margin. Machado's adviser, Magalli Meda, maintains that the opposition remains united under the eight-party Unitary Platform, which supported both Maria Corina Machado and her replacement in the 2024 presidential election after she was barred from running by the court. Meanwhile, a politician aligned with the ruling party disclosed this week that he has submitted to the court a list of 20 people whose citizenship he wants revoked, a list that includes Machado, as reported by Reuters. A Panterra poll conducted in August showed that 70% of Venezuelans oppose the ruling party. Among respondents, 60% supported US backing for Machado's leadership, while only 16% favoured renewed negotiations with Maduro. The confirmed death toll from Hurricane Melissa rose to 49 on Thursday, official reports said, after the storm caused widespread devastation across the northern Caribbean and gained strength while moving past Bermuda in the North Atlantic. The US National Hurricane Center (NHC) said flooding was likely to ease in the Bahamas, though high water levels could continue in Cuba, Jamaica, Haiti, and the nearby Dominican Republic. A study by Imperial College London found that the storm, among the strongest ever recorded, was made four times more likely due to human-induced climate change, as per an AFP report. Hurricane Melissa update: Top 10 points Haitian authorities mentioned at least 30 deaths and 20 people were unaccounted for after days of heavy rains caused by the slow-moving storm, even though the country was not directly hit. 2. While confirming at least 19 fatalities, Jamaicas information minister said search and rescue operations were ongoing. The storm also left hundreds of thousands without electricity, tore roofs off buildings, and scattered debris across fields, according to Reuters. 3. Jamaicas military has called up reserve personnel to assist with relief and rescue efforts. A woman walks amid debris of a damaged house after the passage of Hurricane Melissa in Boca de Dos Rios village, Santiago de Cuba province, Cuba on October 30, 2025. Hurricane Melissa was moving towards Bermuda on Thursday after ripping a path of destruction through the Caribbean that left at least 20 people dead in Haiti, and parts of Jamaica and Cuba in ruins. (Photo by YAMIL LAGE / AFP) Also Read | Hurricane Melissa tracks towards Bahamas and Bermuda after pummeling Cuba 4. Winds were well above the threshold for the strongest hurricane category, and forecasters at AccuWeather said it tied for the second-strongest Atlantic hurricane on record in terms of windspeed at landfall. AccuWeather estimated the storm caused between $48 billion and $52 billion in damage and economic losses across the western Caribbean. 5. The hurricane also affected eastern Cuba, prompting the evacuation of around 735,000 people, though no deaths were reported as of Thursday despite significant damage to homes and crops. 6. Residents in Bermuda stayed calm as the storm was forecasted to pass the island at a relatively safe distance. Authorities announced they would close the causeway Thursday night and suspend schools and ferries on Friday out of an abundance of caution. Also Read | Hurricane Melissa tracks towards Bahamas and Bermuda after pummeling Cuba 7. In the Bahamas, where Melissa passed through Wednesday night, officials lifted storm warnings but did not declare the "all clear." An official stated that authorities expected to decide by Saturday whether it was safe for the hundreds of evacuees from affected islands to return home. 8. Felicia Correa, who resides in the La Trampa community near El Cobre, informed AFP, "Melissa "killed us, because it left us destroyed. We were already going through tremendous hardship. Now, of course, we are much worse off." 9. Meanwhile, Cuban officials stated that approximately 735,000 people had been evacuated, primarily from the provinces of Santiago de Cuba, Holguin, and Guantanamo. 10. Melissa struck southwestern Jamaica on Tuesday as a powerful Category 5 hurricane, marking the Caribbean nations strongest storm to make direct landfall and the first major hurricane to do so since 1988. Defense forces repel Russian attacks in 12 more axes, with 114 clashes recorded in past 24 hours General Staff Defense forces continue to repel enemy attacks in 12 more axes, with 114 combat clashes occurring in just one day, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reports. "A total of 114 combat clashes have occurred since the beginning of the day. Today, Russian forces launched two missile strikes and 59 airstrikes, using 53 missiles and dropping 105 guided bombs. In addition, they deployed 4,208 kamikaze drones and carried out 3,003 attacks on our troop positions and populated areas," the message reads. Since the start of the day, Ukrainian forces have repelled two occupier assaults in Pivnichno-Slobozhansk and Kursk axes. Furthermore, the enemy launched ten airstrikes, dropping 22 guided bombs, and carried out 178 attacks on our troop positions and settlements, eight of which were from multiple launch rocket systems. In Pivdenno-Slobozhansk axis, the enemy twice stormed the positions of Ukrainian units near Fiholivka and in the direction of Kolodiazne. In Kupyansk axis, the aggressor conducted offensive operations near Stepna Novoselivka and toward Pischane and Petrovpavlivka. Ukrainian defenders stopped seven enemy attacks, and two more clashes are ongoing. In Lyman axis, Russian invaders attacked the positions of the Defense Forces nine times near Shandryholove, Novo-Vodiane, Zarichne, and in the direction of the village of Koroviy Yar; two clashes are still ongoing. Eight assaults were repelled by Ukrainian defenders in Sloviansk direction: the occupiers attempted to advance in the areas of Yampil, Serebrianka, Vyemka, Pereyizdne and towards Zvanivka. In Kramatorsk axis, the Defense Forces repelled one attack by the occupiers in the direction of Stupochky. In Kostiantynivka sector, Russian forces launched 13 offensives against Ukrainian units in the areas of Scherbynivka, Petrivka, Yablunivka, and Rusyn Yar. Ukrainian forces stopped all enemy attacks. In Oleksandrivka axis, the enemy attempted to break through the defenses of the Ukrainian defenders 13 times in the areas of the settlements of Zelenyi Hai, Verbove, Stepne, Novo-Hryhoryivka and Novo-Vasylyivske. In Huliai-Pole direction, Ukrainian defenders repelled an attack by the occupiers towards the village of Zelenyi Hai. In Orikhove axis, Ukrainian defenders repelled two assaults by the invaders near Lobkove. In Prydniprovsk axis, the enemy made three futile attempts to approach Ukrainian positions. Tanzania election protests: Violent clashes erupted across Tanzania following the general election this week. It saw the incumbent presidents main rivals barred from the ballot. The opposition has sensationally claimed that around 700 people have died in the unrest. Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan, who is seeking a second term, is widely expected to secure an easy victory in the polls. The elections were held on Wednesday. This expectation follows the electoral authorities' decision to exclude the candidates of the two largest opposition parties. Results from 120 of the countrys 272 constituencies currently show Tanzanias first female leader in the lead with approximately 97% of the vote. The main opposition Chadema party stated that approximately 700 people have been killed in the escalating clashes between protesters and security forces. Those who have been injured run into thousands, John Kitoka, the director of foreign affairs for the Chadema party, according to news agency Bloomberg. Many of our supporters are being rounded up and arrested across the country, Kitoka added. Security forces across the East African nation initiated a crackdown on protests that first erupted on Wednesday, deploying personnel nationwide. Armoured cars continue to patrol the streets of the commercial capital, Dar es Salaam, this Friday. Furthermore, internet access remains restricted, having been shut down on the day of the poll. Tanzanias Army chief has commented that criminal offences have occurred during the protests, including the destruction of both private and public property. This is unacceptable, Chief of the Tanzania Peoples Defence Force Jacob Mukunda said in a televised speech on the Tanzania Broadcasting Corp. on Thursday night. We cant allow this to continue happening. While the authorities have not released any official data on casualties, Amnesty International estimates that roughly 100 people have died, according to Roland Ebole, a regional researcher for the organisation. He added that the figure is currently unverified, Bloomberg reported. Chademas leader, Tundu Lissu, has been held in prison since April on treason charges, whilst its deputy head, John Heche, is currently in police custody. Tanzania election protests: Protesters Unlikely to Back Down Protesters are unlikely to back down until their demands for reform and change are met, Kitoka. The United Nations has expressed alarm regarding the violence, stating that credible reports show at least 10 people have been killed. It called upon the security forces to refrain from using unnecessary or disproportionate force, according to an official statement. Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday invited Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney to Beijing, China in the first formal talks between the leaders of the two nations in 8 years. China is willing to work with Canada to bring China-Canada relations back to the right track, said Xi, on the sidelines of the annual Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Gyeongju, South Korea, reported AFP. Canadian PM Mark Carney accepted President Xi's request stating that in recent years, China and Canada have not been as engaged pointing to "constructive and pragmatic dialogue" as a route to addressing the nations' "current issues". Carney also cited dialoque as a way "to help build a more sustainable, inclusive international system." Canada-China ties Canada and China's bilateral relations saw a freeze in 2018 when China detained two Canadians Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor in apparent retaliation for Canadas arrest of a senior telecom executive Meng Wanzhou on a US extradition warrant. Although the two men were released in 2021, the ties between the two nations did not dramatically improve,' as per reports. Also Read | Trump calls Xi talks great, says China will buy US farm goods In July 2025, Canada announced an additional 25% tariff on steel imports that contain steel melted and poured in China. The next month Beijing announced it would impose a temporary customs duty of 75.8% on Canadian canola imports. On Friday, 31 October, the Chinese and Canadian leaders in the first formal sit-down since 2017, discussed about agriculture and agri-food products, including canola, seafood reported Bloomberg citing a readout issued by Carney's office. What did Xi and Mark Carney discuss? In the meeting between the Chinese and the Canadian leader which lasted about 40 minutes, Carney and Xi directed their respective officials to move quickly to resolve outstanding trade issues, the Canadian readout said. The two leaders also discussed deeper cooperation in energy, agriculture, manufacturing, climate change, and international finance, as per reports. The Senate on Thursday passed a resolution that would roll back many of Donald Trumps global tariffs, the latest sign of Washingtons disapproval of his trade approach, even as the president hailed his trade talks with China as a victory. The resolution was approved by a 51-47 vote, with four Republicans siding with all Democrats. Several senators, including some from Trumps own Republican Party, voiced their opposition to his tariff strategies by passing a series of resolutions this week aimed at overturning the national emergencies Trump invoked to justify the import taxes. Earlier this week, the Senate approved measures to end tariffs on Brazil and Canada. While these legislative attempts are unlikely to succeed, they have revealed divisions within the GOP, according to AP. These four Republicans also supported resolutions earlier this week to end tariffs on Brazil and Canada. Sen. Thom Tillis, a North Carolina Republican, voted in favour of the Brazil-related resolution, but otherwise, GOP senators have largely backed the president this week. Sen. Rand Paul, a Republican from Kentucky who supported the resolution, acknowledged Trumps reduction of tariffs on China but noted that the levels still [are] much higher than weve had", adding It still will lead to increased prices. What did Democrats say? Democrats have still managed to compel the Senate to address a contentious issue for their Republican colleagues. Sen. Ron Wyden, an Oregon Democrat, during a floor speech, mentioned, American families are being squeezed by prices going up and up and up." He added that in many ways, red states in rural areas are being hit the hardest, highlighting the economic pressure on farmers and manufacturers. Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer warned that Americans shouldnt be misled by Trumps announcement. The New York Democrat stated, Donald Trump has folded, leaving American families and farmers and small businesses to deal with the wreckage from his blunders, from his erratic on again off again tariff policies." The votes were initiated by Democrats under a decades-old law that permits Congress to overturn a presidential emergency. However, House Republicans have implemented a new rule allowing party leadership to block such resolutions from reaching a vote. Additionally, Trump would almost certainly veto any legislation limiting his control over trade policy, meaning the measures are unlikely to take effect, the report noted. Meanwhile, amid Trump's announcement of reducing tariffs on China, Republicans from farm states welcomed the news that China would buy 25 million metric tons of soybeans annually, beginning with 10 million metric tons for the remainder of this year. Sen. Roger Marshall, a Kansas Republican, said the China deal absolutely justifies Trumps use of tariff threats to negotiate trade agreements with other countries. He called the announcement huge news for Kansas farmers, though he noted that financial assistance would likely still be needed to manage the loss of their largest soybean and sorghum customer. He stated, Its not like you can snap your finger and send over $15 billion worth of sorghum and soybeans together overnight." Key Takeaways The resolution was approved by a 51-47 vote, with four Republicans siding with all Democrats. These four Republicans also supported resolutions earlier this week to end tariffs on Brazil and Canada. Democrats have still managed to compel the Senate to address a contentious issue for their Republican colleagues. King Charles' ruthless move to banish his younger brother Andrew from public life was born of a desire to insulate a weakened monarchy before he passes on the crown, but it remains to be seen if the profound damage can be contained. Charles stripped Andrew of his title of prince, evicted him from his mansion near Windsor Castle and said he and the queen were thinking of survivors of abuse, to draw a line under a scandal around his ties to Jeffrey Epstein that has buffeted the royals for years. It marked one of the most dramatic moves against a member of the royal family in modern British history, by a king who is still undergoing regular cancer treatment and whose priority is to bolster support for the monarchy before his eldest son Prince William inherits the throne. But some commentators said the move should have come much earlier. With Queen Camilla and the king's sister-in-law Sophie both long-term campaigners against sexual violence, royal author Robert Hardman said Andrew's ties to the U.S. sex offender were increasingly putting the royal family in "Team Epstein", which Charles could not live with. "He wants to put as much distance between his brother and the monarchy as he can," Hardman, the author of Charles III: The Inside Story, told Reuters. ROYALS CAST ANDREW ASIDE OUT OF SELF PRESERVATION The royals have been trying to cast aside Andrew, the younger brother of Charles and second son of the late Queen Elizabeth, for years, for fear that he would tar the family with the same air of entitlement and bad behaviour that has long lingered around him. Andrew had once been regarded as a dashing naval officer who returned from the Falklands War with Argentina in 1982 to greet his mother with a red rose clamped between his teeth. But in the following decades the supposed favourite son of the queen became the focal point for much mockery as the British press focused on his personal life, dubbing him "Randy Andy" and "Air Miles Andy" for his jet-set lifestyle. That ridicule turned to revulsion when Andrew was revealed to have stayed in contact with Epstein after he was jailed for sex offences in 2008, and when he gave a disastrous interview in which he failed to show any sympathy for victims of abuse. Andrew told the BBC's Newsnight interview he did not regret his friendship with the U.S. financier because it had had some "seriously beneficial outcomes". He quit all royal duties in the wake of the interview and was stripped of his military links and royal patronages in 2022. That year he also settled a lawsuit brought by Virginia Giuffre which accused him of sexually abusing her when she was a teenager after being introduced by Epstein. Andrew had denied ever meeting Giuffre, who died by suicide in April. Her account returned to prominence with the publication of her memoir this month. BANISHMENT REFLECTS THE THREAT POSED TO ROYAL FAMILY Royal experts said Charles' actions reflected the threat to the institution, after a move earlier this month to stop Andrew from using his Duke of York title was deemed to be inadequate. In recent weeks Andrew had overshadowed two efforts by Charles to shape cultural and public life - his historic praying with the pope in the Vatican and the unveiling of a memorial to LGBT military veterans who had previously been banned. Also Read | King Charles strips Prince Andrew of titles, forces him out of royal mansion "I think that the fact that the royal family decided to actually go against him is quite a big thing," said recruitment worker Anna Hunter, 29, in London on Friday morning. Giuffre's brother, Sky Roberts, told BBC Newsnight he commended the king, but said a further investigation was needed. The Rape Crisis charity commended the king and queen for their commitment towards survivors of sexual violence. But others questioned whether the royals had taken too long to act. "I don't know that this move is enough to repair the damage that has been done," Afua Hagan, a journalist and royal commentator, told Reuters. SUPPORT FOR THE MONARCHY HAS BEEN WANING Support for the institution has been in decline over the last decade, with the British Social Attitudes survey showing that 51% of people in Britain thought it was "very important" or "quite important" for Britain to have a monarchy. That is the lowest figure reported to date, and reflects a lack of interest from younger generations. To their supporters Britain's royal family provide stability and continuity in a time of constant political upheaval, acting as a draw to political leaders like U.S. President Donald Trump. Also Read | Why Prince Andrew still holds his title amid Jeffrey Epstein links? But to their detractors a hereditary monarchy that requires subjects to bow and curtsey is an anachronism that holds the country back, while the lives of leading members, such as William and Kate and their three young children, are followed like a soap opera. Charles will hope that his very public defenestration of his brother, which a royal source said had been supported by Prince William, will go some way to addressing the problem. Chinese President Xi Jinping was expected to meet Canada's Mark Carney and Japan's new Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi for the first time on Friday (Oct 31), a day after agreeing to a trade deal with US President Donald Trump. The meeting will be held in South Korea on Friday amid the annual gathering of Pacific Rim leaders. Why is Xi-Takaichi meeting important? 1. According to Japanese media, Takaichi was expected to convey to Xi grave concerns over China's behaviour, including around the Senkaku Islands, known as the Diaoyu Islands by China. 2. She was also expected to press for the early release of Japanese citizens detained in China and request that the safety of Japanese expatriates in China be ensured, the reports said. 3. According to AFP, Takaichi is seen as a China hawk, but since being elected, she has toned down her remarks. 4. In her first policy address last Friday, Takaichi declared that the military activities of China, North Korea and Russia "have become a grave concern". 5. She announced that Japan would be spending two percent of gross domestic product on defence this fiscal year two years ahead of schedule. China had then responded by saying that there were "serious doubts among [Japan's] Asian neighbours and the international community about whether Japan is truly committed to an exclusively defensive posture and the path of peaceful development". Carney talks on cards amid tariff war: 6 points 1. Xi Jinping is also expected to meet with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney their first meeting since the Liberal leader's election in April and the first formal visit between the leaders of Canada and China since 2017. 2. Relations between Beijing and Ottawa fell into a deep freeze in 2018 after the arrest of a senior Chinese telecom executive on a US warrant in Vancouver and Beijing's retaliatory detention of two Canadians on espionage charges. 3. The economic and political relations between China and Canada have strained further, even as both countries are targeted by US President Donald Trump's tariff. 4. Under the leadership of Carney's predecessor Justin Trudeau, Canadians were detained and executed by the Chinese government and Canada's security authorities concluded that China interfered in at least two federal elections. Xi also publicly scolded Trudeau, alleging he leaked their discussions to the press. Also Read | In pics | Trump and Xi meet for first time in 6 years 5. In July, Carney announced an additional 25 percent tariff on steel imports that contain steel melted and poured in China. Canada also said it would levy a 100% tariff on imports of Chinese electric vehicles 6. Beijing announced the following month it would start imposing a temporary customs duty of 75.8 percent on Canadian canola imports. Canada is among the world's top producers of canola, an oilseed crop that is used to make cooking oil, animal meal and biodiesel fuel. Thursdays high-stakes meeting between US President Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping ended without the two leaders signing on a dotted line. But the two sides did agree on a one-year truce, offering mutual concessions that would be reviewed annually. The US will lower its tariff on imports from China to 47% from 57% and hold off action against companies under Chinese equity control. Beijing has reportedly agreed to defer its clamps on rare-earth exports and promised to buy soybean from America. Also Read | The India-Iran Chabahar port project will test our diplomacy To be sure, the details are hazy, with Trump sounding cheerful about a trade deal in the offing while Xi gave away little about what he made of the talks. Since the US president is given to overstating his wins, US claims often need to be discounted accordingly. That said, its clear that progress has been made, even if its now clear that discussions will drag on. Meanwhile, India has got a six-month waiver from sanctions imposed by the US for its Chabahar Port partnership with Iran, according to New Delhi. This augurs well for the stormy India-US relationship. Hopefully, a trade breakthrough isnt far. And Trumps big play for a China deal may yet go awry. Late in the new movie A House of Dynamite , the American president, evacuating in his helicopter and having to decide whether to launch nuclear weapons at no one in particular, in retaliation for an incoming nuclear strike from no one in particular, yells at the commander of Stratcom that all of this is insanity." The commander, overwhelmed but professional to the end (which is imminent), replies: No, sir. This is reality." Most people who have studied nuclear weapons in depth eventually crash into this wall of absurdity: Humanity has not only built the means to destroy itself but has even set up international constellations that could force world leaders who are acting rationally to initiate that destruction. Never mind the leaders acting irrationally. Also Read | Nuclear influencers blew up long before Boemeke The pressure of these situations would overwhelm any human being having to make such decisions. Ronald Reagan was briefed early in his presidency that in case of an incoming attack he would have six minutes to decide whether, what and whom to nuke. Six minutes to decide how to respond to a blip on a radar scope and decide whether to release Armageddon!" he wrote in his memoirs. How could anyone apply reason at a time like that?" In A House of Dynamite, director Kathryn Bigelow sets the time window at 19 minutes. That is the span from the appearance of a lone nuclear-tipped intercontinental ballistic missile in the Pacific to its detonation at the target, which is soon revealed to be Chicago. (Apologies for this and other spoilers.) Many psychological lifetimes pass in these 19 minutes for each of the characters, which Bigelow reveals by telling the same story three times, from different perspectivesthose of the soldiers on missile-defence duty in Alaska, of the people in the White House Situation Room, at Stratcom in Nebraska or FEMA in Washington, and of the defense secretary and the president. Also Read | Political atavism: Global diplomacy hath taken a medieval turn We learn a lot during these hard-to-watch journeys. For instance, that ground-based interceptors (GBIs) based in Alaska have only a 61% chance of taking out an incoming missile. Unsurprisingly, the Pentagon is annoyed that the movie used that number, as Donald Trump[who has ordered a restart of nuclear tests]will be while he tries to spread enthusiasm about a new missile-defence shield called Golden Dome. Whatever the correct percentage is, Bigelow is making a bigger pointthat safety is an illusion, and a form of escapism. (In the movie, one GBI fails, the other misses its target.) Briefly, I also pondered the plausibility of one lone missile arcing towards the US, which cant definitively be traced to the North Koreans, Russians, Chinese or anybody else. Wouldnt a real-life attack come in the form of hundreds of missiles? Perhaps, but so what? Bigelows point, again, is bigger: It only takes one launch to set off a nuclear chain reaction that is hard to stop and will probably incinerate the entire planet seconds after the movies timeline ends. Bigelow doesnt show the world going up in flames. She doesnt need to, and such descriptions are probably better suited for text anyway, as in Annie Jacobsens disturbingly good Nuclear War, published last year. Also Read | India should keep all its nuclear power options in play As before in her careerfor example in The Hurt Locker, which is about Americans defusing bombs during the Iraq warBigelow is interested in the psychology of individuals, and in human limits. Hers is a world of well-intentioned, rational and professional decision-makers (another premise that may seem implausible) who nonetheless live in the world as it is, not as nuclear planners and game-theory strategists imagine it to be. That is the world of Murphys Law. The national security advisor, for example, is having a colonoscopy as the missile launches, so his young but impressive deputy must step in. But hes stuck in traffic, then hotfoots it to the White House while taking the conference call on his iPhone, then gets stuck in the security line, and so on. Reality is a world of dropped calls, traffic jams and other banal nuisances, a world that never appears in white papers or nuclear force postures. This existential context shines a horrifying light on not only nuclear policy but the human condition, starting with the inevitability of uncertainty. Not only does the US not know who launched the attack and why. It also doesnt know whether more nukes are to come, aiming at more American cities. Stratcom rationally advises the president to launch devastating counterstrikes at all potential adversaries, to decimate their nuclear arsenals and make an opportunistic second wave survivable (a relative term at this point). All eight other nuclear powers, meanwhile, face the same uncertainty, knowing that the Americans are likely to strike back at, well, somebody. So everyone mobilizes and prepares to launch, according to the perverse logic of use it or lose it. A Russian nuclear submarine near the American coast goes into stealth mode, silos open, bombers take to the air. In a phone call, the American deputy national-security advisor and a Russian counterpart try to come to an understanding that would let the American president forgo launching, and triggering Armageddon. The Russians want to know how they can be sure that the US, in a limited response, wouldnt target them. They want assurances that no missiles aimed at others will fly over their territory. But American missiles targeted at North Korea, China or even Pakistan can take no other path. The uncertainty is in the geography, the physics, the plans, everywhere. Extreme uncertainty, combined with an absence of trust and superhuman pressure: This is what real-life nuclear escalation would look like. This reality mocks concepts such as deterrence, or finely tuned escalation ladders from tactical to strategic nukes, or much of the available doctrine the nuclear powers have today. Nonetheless, the US, Russia and others are now modernizing their arsenals; China is adding about 100 warheads a year to reach parity with the US and Russia; North Korea is building as many nukes as it can; other countries are thinking about joining the nuclear club; and the last remaining arms-control treaty between the US and Russia expires in fewer than 100 days. As someone who writes regularly about the threat of nuclear weapons, I lovedif that is the wordthe film. A House of Dynamite ends in ambiguity, and ambiguity describes our world at this point in the nuclear age, with a new arms race underway. It forces all of us to face the insanity of our realitywhether were sitting in the White House, the Kremlin, Zhongnanhai or anywhere else. Let this film be mandatory viewing in the halls of power, a global Defcon 2. Let it be a call for leaders to begin new arms-limitation talks now, while humanity still has more than 19 minutes to decide whether to commit suicide. Bloomberg The author is a Bloomberg Opinion columnist covering US diplomacy, national security and geopolitics. Lebanese militant group Hezbollah is rebuilding its armaments and battered ranks, defying the terms of a cease-fire agreement and raising the prospect of renewed conflict with Israel, according to people familiar with Israeli and Arab intelligence. The intelligence shows Iranian-backed Hezbollah is restocking rockets, antitank missiles and artillery, the people said. Some of those weapons are coming in via seaports and weakened but still functional smuggling routes through Syria, some of the people said. Hezbollah is manufacturing some new weapons itself, one of the people said. The rearmament is straining an agreement that ended a punishing two-month Israeli campaign against the group a year ago. Lebanon is required to start disarming Hezbollah in parts of Lebanon under the deal, before continuing to the entire country as per a previous agreement. But the group has since dug in its heels, saying its weapons are needed to defend Lebanons sovereignty. Israel, which has provided intelligence to help the Lebanese army disarm Hezbollah and has carried out more than 1,000 strikes of its own against the group since a cease-fire deal was signed last November, is losing patience, the people said. It was angered by the new intelligence findings and that the matter at issue had shifted from Hezbollahs disarmament to Hezbollahs rearmament in just a few months, one of the people familiar with the matter said. Should Beirut continue to hesitate, Israel may act unilaterallyand the consequences would be grave," Tom Barrack, U.S. ambassador to Turkey and a key American envoy for Lebanon and Syria, said in October. Lebanese leaders, through Arab and American intermediaries, are asking Israel for patience and are open to increasing intelligence-sharing and coordination with Israel despite the neighboring states being technically at war. The office of Lebanons prime minister declined to comment. The presidency and military didnt respond to requests for comment. Hezbollah officials didnt respond to requests for comment. Naim Qassem, the current head of Hezbollah, said in an interview aired on a Hezbollah-linked television channel in October that there should be coordination between the Lebanese military and Hezbollah, but that attempts to disarm the group should be resisted. He said Hezbollah is seeking to avoid another war with Israel and has avoided military responses to Israeli strikes on Lebanon since the truce. The standoff highlights the difficulty of quashing an established militia with a base of support among the population even when it has been badly beaten. The difficulties are also evident in Gaza, where Hamas is resisting demands that it disarm and relinquish power, requirements of President Trumps deal to end the two-year war in the enclave. Hamas lost thousands of fighters during the war and angered many Gazans for bringing on such destruction. But once the cease-fire began nearly three weeks ago, Hamas launched a crackdown on rivals to shore up its authority and has since skirmished repeatedly with Israeli troops. Hezbollah sprang from Lebanons Shiite community more than four decades ago and has survived a number of fights with Israel. It picked a new one after Hamas carried out its deadly Oct. 7, 2023 attacks, by firing rockets into Israel on a near-daily basis and forcing the evacuation of communities in Israels north. Israels response last fall was the most damaging to Hezbollah of their many conflicts, with thousands of airstrikes against the group and the triggering of near-simultaneous explosions of thousands of pagers and walkie-talkies that decimated its ranks. Last Novembers cease-fire agreement states that disarmament efforts should begin south of the Litani River, which defines a zone about 20 miles deep running roughly parallel to the border with Israel. Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam both have publicly advocated for Hezbollah to be disarmed in the rest of the country and for the state to have a monopoly on force. The Lebanese government has made progress dismantling Hezbollah positions and weapons in the southernmost areas of Lebanon, which have long been under Hezbollahs control and were battered by Israels ground and air campaign last year. Disarmament there has frequently been conducted with Hezbollahs assent. View Full Image A Lebanese soldier atop a military vehicle outside a municipal building in Blida, a border village in southern Lebanon, after an Israeli raid Thursday. But other areas with significant Hezbollah influence, such as Beiruts southern suburbs and the Bekaa Valley running through eastern Lebanon, have seen little progress amid resistance from the militant group. Lebanons leaders are in a sensitive position. Their military is outmanned by Hezbollah. Politically isolating Hezbollah could leave the countrys Shiite population, hundreds of thousands of whom support Hezbollah, feeling marginalized and less attached to the state. The countrys leaders worry a confrontation could plunge Lebanon back into the sort of civil war that plagued it for much of the second half of the 20th century. The Lebanese military isnt interested or ready to confront Hezbollah militarily," said Randa Slim, a fellow at the Johns Hopkins University-based Foreign Policy Institute and an expert on conflict resolution. We are stuck in this gray area where the Lebanese government says it has taken the decision to disarm Hezbollah. They are implementing it south of the Litani. But there is nothing, no concrete plans, about what happens north of the Litani," Slim said. View Full Image An image of Naim Qassem, the current leader of Hezbollah, center, near an image of the groups slain leader Hassan Nasrallah, at a ceremony last month. The growing frustration underscores how hard it is to turn a halt in intense fighting into a durable peace. It also shows the limits of disarming groups by force of arms. What more can Israel do to achieve its desired outcome than what they had already been doing?" Slim said. Are they going to invade the south again? Are they going to come all the way to Beirut and hunt Hezbollah operatives there?" Israel has struck Lebanon about 1,000 times from the air and more than 500 times with artillery since the cessation of hostilities in November last year, according to Acled, a conflict data tracking organization. Israel has been striking what it says are Hezbollah targets around Beirut and elsewhere. The U.S. isnt urging restraint, a senior Western official said. Israel also has stationed troops in several positions in southern Lebanon. Hezbollah has yet to attempt a significant military response. The hum of Israeli drones is a constant across swaths of Lebanon. More than 60,000 people are still displaced after fleeing their homes during the fighting, according to an October report from the International Organization for Migration. Reconstruction efforts in parts of the country damaged by Israeli strikes have stalled, as both Hezbollah and the Lebanese government are strapped for cash, and Western and Gulf Arab states are reluctant to fund work until disarmament makes more progress. Hezbollah officials said in interviews with The Wall Street Journal earlier this year that while the group has been weakened by Israels military campaign, it has ways to rearm if it chooses. They said Hezbollahs weapons are a point of strength for Lebanon, arguing that the military, one of the weakest in the Middle East, cant defend the country from Israel. Arab intelligence officials say Hezbollah is returning to a more decentralized structure, similar to how it operated in the 1980s and how Hamas has shifted its tactics in Gaza. While both groups have recruited new fighters to fill their ranks, their military leaderships are still in disarray, some of the people familiar with intelligence said. Even so, neither appears to be giving up. Hezbollah does not feel like it has been defeated," Slim said. It still thinks it can reconstitute, and it still has a regional supporter of the party in Iran." Write to Omar Abdel-Baqui at omar.abdel-baqui@wsj.com and Summer Said at summer.said@wsj.com New Delhi: India has committed to supporting Afghanistan in terms of the development of hydropower projects, a move that marks a new phase in bilateral engagement between the two countries. The commitment, seen as both developmental and strategic, gains significance amid Afghanistans plans to construct a dam on the Kunar river, which flows into Pakistan. Responding to a question on Indias possible involvement in the Kunar river project, external affairs ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal on Thursday, citing the recent joint statement between the foreign ministers of the two countries, indicated that India would be open to collaboration. If pursued, the proposed dam on the Kunar river would control water flowing to Pakistan. This could deal another blow to the country as India had suspended the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) with Pakistan in May this year, following a terrorist attack in Pahalgam, Jammu & Kashmir. Mint examines India's hydroelectric power development plans in Afghanistan and the concerns they raise for Pakistan. What is the agreement between India and Afghanistan on hydro power collaboration? During Afghan foreign minister Amir Khan Muttaqis visit to India last month, the two countries underscored the importance of sustainable water management and agreed to cooperate on hydroelectric projects with a view to addressing Afghanistans energy needs and supporting its agricultural development. India had already collaborated with Afghanistan in developing the Salma Dam, also known as the India-Afghanistan Friendship Dam, on the Hari river in Herat province. What is Afghanistan's plan for the Kanur river dam? In the wake of heightened border tensions with Pakistan, the Taliban-led government recently announced plans to build dams on the Kunar river, which flows from Pakistans Chitral region into Afghanistan before re-entering Pakistan. Taking to social media platform 'X', the deputy information and culture minister for publication of Afghanistan, Muhajer Farahi, said Taliban Supreme Leader Hibatullah Akhundzada had instructed authorities to start work on the project as soon as possible. What does it mean for Pakistan? The Kunar river is part of the Kabul river basin of Afghanistan, one of the five major river basins of the country. The river originates in Pakistan, where it is known as the Chitral River, and then flows back into the country after traversing through Afghanistan for around 300 miles and joining the main Kabul river. Thus, Pakistan is both an upper and lower riparian state not only of the Kunar River specifically but also of the Kabul River Basin as a whole. Pakistan has repeatedly raised concerns that dams on the Kunar or Kabul rivers could reduce water availability downstream, particularly for its northwestern provinces. These worries have been compounded by Indias recent suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT). With the treaty in abeyance, India is no longer required to inform Pakistan before altering water flows or developing new hydropower storage projects under the treaty framework. This shift has already allowed New Delhi to move forward with new large storage capacities which were earlier not permitted due to the treaty. Previously, when Afghanistan planned to build dams across rivers in the Kabul basin, Pakistan raised concerns through official channels. It claimed that reduced downstream flow could impact irrigation and power generation in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. "For Pakistan, the concerns are similar to those in the case of IWT kept in abeyance. The Kunar project may impact water flow into Pakistan and also impact its agriculture sector among others," Abhay Kumar Singh, chairman, National Hydropower Association. "As Afghanistan and Pakistan do not have a water-sharing pact, the project can be taken up without any hurdles, but it needs to be seen how Pakistan counters these planned infrastructure. These are long-gestation projects and would require 10-15 years for completion. How has India supported Afghanistan's hydro power plans in the past? Historically, India has been a major ally and supporter of Afghanistan's hydro power ambitions. Apart from the Salma Dam, India had also committed to constructing the Shahtoot Dam near Kabul, announced in January 2021. In June 2022, India sent a technical team to assess the status of India-supported projects in Afghanistan. Wapcos Ltd, a public sector entity under the union ministry of jal shakti (water resources) has provided engineering and feasibility support across several Afghan provinces over the years. Also Read | India has held off the Indus Waters Treaty with due legitimacy What does this mean strategically for India? Besides applying pressure on Pakistan indirectly, India's support for key infrastructure projects in Afghanistan carries geopolitical weight. India also looks to counter Chinas growing influence in the country, especially in the infrastructure sector since the new regime took over 2021. How does this fit into Indias broader hydropower diplomacy? India is involved in the development of several hydro power projects in Nepal, including Arun-3 (900 MW), Upper Karnali (900 MW), and West Seti (750 MW) hydro power projects. Bilateral cooperation in the hydropower space between India and Bhutan dates back to 1961 with the signing of the Jaldhaka agreement. India also fully funded Bhutan's first mega power project, the 336 MW Chukha hydropower project, through a 60% grant and 40% loan. Several other projects have followed, creating one of the most successful examples of power-sharing partnerships. "India, with its experience in building large hydro projects and dams, and that too in tough terrains, is well placed to support Afghanistan in its hydro plans. Further, the proposed project would require large investments, and if India cooperates, the project may have to be largely funded by India," Singh said. Also Read | Indus Waters Treaty: Balancing national interests and global image The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is preparing for the upcoming three spaceflight missions of this year. The first launch of the CMS-03 communication satellite with its LVM3 vehicle will take place in a few days while the other two are scheduled for December The strategic communications satellite LVM3-M5, designed primarily to serve the Indian Navy, will liftoff on 2 November. The fifth operational satellite in the series will replace the GSAT-7 satellite launched in 2013. ISRO Spaceflight in a post on X stated, !! ISRO is planning to launch the PSLV-C62 mission in mid/late December, which will be the return to flight for PSLV following a failure in its previous mission. Announcing upcoming space mission dates, it added, "Upcoming launches for ISRO in 2025 - LVM3-M5 2 November LVM3-M6 1st week of December PSLV-C62 Mid/late December" LVM3-M5 According to ISRO, the CMS-03 multi-band communication satellite will provide services over a wide oceanic region, including the Indian landmass. Weighing around 4,400 kilograms, this will make CMS-03 the heaviest communications satellite ever launched by ISRO. Describing its upcoming spaceflight mission, ISRO in a statement said, India's LVM3 launch vehicle is scheduled to launch the CMS-03 communication satellite in its 5th operational flight (LVM3-M5) on November 02, 2025. CMS-03 is a multi-band communication satellite that will provide services over a wide oceanic region, including the Indian landmass. Also Read | China set to send its youngest astronaut, mice on space mission this week It will be launched to the Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO) from the Second Launch Pad of Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) in Sriharikota at 5:26 pm on Sunday. On October 26, the launch vehicle was moved to the Launch Pad after fully assembly and integrated with the spacecraft. LVM3-M6 LVM3-M6, the sixth operational mission of the LVM3 launch vehicle, featuring CE20 cryogenic engine is scheduled for launch in the first week of December. On March 14, 2025, ISRO successfully conducted the flight acceptance hot testing of the cryogenic engine identified for the sixth operational mission of LVM3 launch vehicle (LVM-M6) at ISRO Propulsion Complex (IPRC), Mahendragiri. Cryogenic engines for every mission undergo hot testing as part of its acceptance for the flight, ISRO said. Also Read | Kunal Kamra mocks Bhavish Aggarwal as Ola Electric starts online sale of spares PSLV-C62 Months after the failure of Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) C61, ISRO is set to launch PSLV-C62 soon. The Mission launched on 18 May 2025, carrying seventh satellite of ISRO's RISAT series, was the 63rd flight of PSLV. The 27th that used the PSLV-XL configuration satellite was expected to boost India's space surveillance capabilities and contribute to smarter governance and faster disaster response. Ternopil resident detained on suspicion of involvement in explosion at Ukrposhta in Kyiv -police Photo: https://t.me/gunpKyiv/12106 Kyiv police detained a 40-year-old resident of Ternopil suspected of involvement in the explosion at the Ukrposhta post office in Solomyansky district. As reported, on the evening of October 30, an explosion occurred at an Ukrposhta sorting center in Solomyansky district of the capital during a parcel inspection. Five people were injured in the incident: post office employees and customs officers. According to the capital's police, during an inspection of the crime scene, the investigative team, bomb disposal experts, and police canine units discovered the remains of a projectile. Detectives identified the sender of the package as a 40-year-old resident of Ternopil. Law enforcement officers, working with customs officials, discovered another explosive package containing deactivated ammunition at a sorting center. "Kyiv police, in cooperation with Ternopil police, detained a 40-year-old man at his residence under Article 208 of the Criminal Procedure Code of Ukraine. During a search of his apartment, another ten rounds of ammunition were seized," the message reads. Preliminary investigations have established that the man made souvenirs from ammunition, engraved them, and mailed them. Kyiv police investigators have opened a criminal investigation under Part 1 of Article 263 of the Criminal Code of Ukraineillegal handling of weapons, ammunition, or explosives. The penalty for this offense is imprisonment for up to seven years. NEW DELHI : Months after receiving approval to launch satellite internet services in India, Elon Musk-owned Starlink Satellite Communications Pvt. Ltd has begun hiring in the country. The SpaceX-owned company is hiring in finance and accounting domainsfor roles like payments manager, accounting manager, senior treasury analyst, and tax manageras part of its first recruitment drive, according to information on the SpaceX website and professional networking site LinkedIn. All the profiles are based in Bengaluru. As the company expands its international footprint and provides Starlink (our revolutionary satellite low-latency broadband internet) across the globe, Starlink Satellite Communications, a wholly-owned subsidiary of SpaceX, is seeking an accounting manager based in India to help ensure our financial reporting obligations are met," SpaceX said in its job description for the position. Based in Bangalore (Bengaluru), the Accounting Manager will play a key role in defining and scaling the accounting, reporting and statutory compliance activities to support India operations," it read. In all its job postings, the company said it will be prioritizing local applicants who have the right to work in the country. It added that remote or hybrid work will not be considered. Starlink is currently installing the required infrastructure to launch its satellite internet services in the country by the end of this year or early next year. It has also begun security trials for its internet infrastructure to meet the Indian governments norms. Starlink will compete with Eutelsat OneWeb and Jio Satellite, which have also received clearance to offer satellite internet services. Also Read | Telcos block over 20 billion pesky calls with custom data, AI stacks Rollout challenges The only hurdle, however, is the allocation of spectrum to these companies, on which the department of telecommunications (DoT) and the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (Trai) are still working. Its (Starlinks) mission is to deliver global internet access, and it is ideally suited to support rural and geographically isolated areas where internet connectivity is unreliable or nonexistent," SpaceX said in the job posting. Earlier in October, Starlinks director, Parnil Urdhwareshe, said in an industry event that a large part of its capacity will remain underutilized in the country if rural users are not brought onto its soon-to-be-launched satellite internet services. Rural users are fundamental to how its network operates, Urdhwareshe added. Comments from Starlink came as telecom operators had expressed concerns that satellite internet services would compete with them and eat into their market share by targeting elite users in urban areas. We are now in over 150 markets and in every single one of those markets, the goal has always been to complement existing services and be able to ensure that a similar quality of internet is available whether in urban regions or in rural regions," Urdhwareshe had said. The pricing of Starlinks broadband services has not yet been disclosed. The company currently has over 8,400 satellites in orbit. To be sure, in 2021, before even getting the licence, Starlink had set up India operations with Sanjay Bhargava as the country director. Bhargava left the company after Starlink was directed by the government to call off the pre-bookings it had done at that time. In compliance with the DoT's order, the company returned the booking amount to over 5,000 pre-booked customers. In July, Starlink received the authorization from the Indian National Space Promotion & Authorization Centre, or IN-SPACe, for its Gen 1 constellation capacity over India, according to the space regulator's website. This was a month after the company was granted the critical Global Mobile Personal Communications by Satellite (GMPCS) licence, marking a major milestone in its entry into the Indian market, after a three-year wait. Perplexity AI has introduced Perplexity Patents, a new artificial intelligence tool designed to simplify how users search and analyse patent information. Announced by the companys CEO, Aravind Srinivas, on Thursday, the platform is described as the worlds first AI patent research agent and is now available in beta worldwide. This tool aims to make intellectual property (IP) intelligence more accessible by allowing users to conduct patent research using natural language queries rather than relying on complex keyword syntax or specialised search operators. What is Perplexity Patents? In a blog post, Perplexity highlighted how patents represent humanitys curiosity and ingenuity turned into practical innovation. It stated that while patent systems contain valuable knowledge, traditional search tools have made accessing it difficult for most people due to rigid interfaces, technical jargon, and the high cost of professional databases. Perplexity Patents seeks to change that by offering conversational, AI-assisted exploration of patent data. Users can ask questions such as Are there any patents on AI for language learning? or Key quantum computing patents since 2024?, and the system will return collections of relevant patents with inline viewers and direct links to the original documents. How Perplexity Patents work? The platform supports follow-up questions and maintains context across a series of interactions, enabling users to refine their research without starting over. It also suggests related topics for deeper exploration, positioning itself as an interactive assistant rather than a static search engine. According to Perplexity, the tool can detect conceptual similarities across documents, identifying patents related to fitness trackers, for example, even if they are described as activity bands or health monitoring wearables. Also Read | 10 Viral prompts that turn Perplexity AI into a powerful research assistant The tools reach extends beyond traditional patent archives. Perplexity Patents can draw insights from academic papers, open-source software repositories, and other publicly available materials that may indicate early innovation trends. This cross-source approach aims to give engineers, researchers, and business users a broader understanding of emerging technologies and related inventions. Perplexity also teased an upcoming product, Perplexity Scholar, aimed at supporting academic research in a similar way. Beta access and future plans Perplexity Patents is launching as a free beta product, available to all users globally. Paid subscribers on Perplexitys Pro and Max tiers will have access to higher usage limits and more configuration options. Google has begun rolling out a new Gemini feature that can automatically generate entire Google Slides presentations from a short text prompt or an uploaded file. The update, first reported by Chrome Unboxed on Thursday, has been described as one of Geminis most practical and powerful tools yet. The feature builds upon Geminis existing Canvas function, enabling users to transform simple ideas or lengthy documents into complete, themed slide decks. Each presentation includes structured content, headings, and relevant images, turning Gemini from a research assistant into a genuine content creation partner. How to create Google Slides presentations using Gemini Within the Gemini app (currently available on the web), users can select Canvas from the toolbar and simply ask Gemini to create a presentation. Users can provide a topic, such as a lesson on the Roman Republic, or upload supporting material like a research report, class notes, or a sales brief. The AI will then generate a fully formed multi-slide presentation based on the provided input. Once the draft is complete, users can export it directly to Google Slides for further editing, personalisation, or collaboration with colleagues. Also Read | 7 Viral prompts to turn your selfies into spookiest AI portraits this Halloween Who all can create Gemini to create Slides presentations Google highlights that the tool caters to a wide variety of users. Professionals can transform complex business documents or sales briefs into polished pitch decks or summary presentations for meetings. Educators can instantly prepare engaging lessons with visuals and structured explanations. AI-generated graphic of Gemini Students can easily convert essays or lecture notes into clear, well-organised slides for projects or class discussions. When is the new feature coming out for all? The new presentation-generation feature is currently being rolled out and is expected to reach all eligible users by 12 November 2025. It is available on Gemini web (gemini.google.com) and mobile web, with Android and iOS integration coming soon. Also Read | From studio smoke to golden hour: 16 Viral prompts to create viral AI portraits The rollout covers nearly all Google Workspace customers, including Business, Enterprise, Education, and Nonprofits, along with subscribers to Google AI Pro and Gemini Ultra. Apple released iOS 26 in September, and is now gearing up to unveil iOS 26.1, the next incremental update for the iPhone software. The update, which is now in the Release Candidate (RC) stage, brings a mix of visual refinements, including Liquid Glass, changes in camera controls and more. On Friday, an iOS developer and beta tester even announced the release of iOS26.1 RC2. Release Candidate (RC) is a version of the software that is nearly final, released to testers and beta developers ahead of the public launch. When does iOS 26.1 drop? Apple has not made any official announcement on when it will release iOS 26.1 for iPhone users. Apple usually releases an RC a week or two prior to rolling out the update for everyone However, Apple usually releases an RC a week or two prior to making an update available to everyone. Hence it is likely that the iPhone maker will follow the same timeline and reportedly release iOS 26.1 around early November which marks a week from the RC release, which was announced on Tuesday. iOS 26.1: What are the new features? From improvements in Apple Music, Liquid Glass to alarm gestures here are the new features that's in store for iPhone users with iOS 26.1 update. 1. More control on Liquid Glass With the iOS 26.1, Apple is giving its users more control to choose how the iPhone interface looks. The new Liquid Glass customisation toggle allows users to adjust the transparency level of system backgrounds allowing users to choose between Clear and Tinted modes from Display and Brightness settings. Also Read | Apple hits all-time revenue record in India as iPhone 17 demand surges "Clear is more transparent, revealing the content beneath," Apple writes for the setting, while "tinted increases opacity and adds more contrast." 2. Slide instead of tap for alarms No more tapping to stop alarms. Apple has now introduced a new slide to stop gesture for alarms and timers which could reduce accidental dismissals while adding a more natural, tactile feel to waking up or managing countdowns. 3. Changes in lock screen and Apple Music With iOS 26.1, iPhone users can now disable the swipe to open Camera shortcut on the Lock Screen something which users might have triggered unintentionally previously. In Apple Music, a simple swipe left or right on the mini-player now skips between songs, making playback smoother and faster. 4. Apple TV's new look, wider language support The new update also brings in a more colourful Apple TV app icon. The service will now simply be called Apple TV. Apple is also broadening language support for its AI-powered Apple Intelligence and AirPods Live Translation features, adding Danish, Turkish, Portuguese, Chinese, Japanese, and Italian languages. 5. Background security improvements iOS 26.1 also enhances device protection with a new Background Security Improvements option. Also Read | Apple never tells you about these 5 hidden iPhone tools that change everything Some Tennessee Valley families cannot purchase basic needs as the government shutdown reaches Day 31. Director of Family and Community Resources for Cleveland City Schools Autumn OBryan says they have been able to help about 250 families get what they need at a unique store called Barbaras Market. Named after Barbara Ector, an educator for the Cleveland City School System who passed away last summer, OBryan tells us Barbaras Market aims to provide food, clothing, household items, school supplies, hygiene products, and much more to students. The market was launched in September and this week the school is seeing about 30 more families needing assistance. "We're not ready to make a direct correlation as far as, you know, the reason for that, we'll know more as we have several Mondays. But, we do assume that there are some families that are getting anxious if those benefits are frozen," OBryan explains. OBryan says each family gets to choose ten clothing items per household member and a pair of shoes per family member at no cost. Barbara's Market also stocks up on different foods. The goal is to build relationships with school families and make them feel safe and supported, regardless of the struggles they face. "We want to be able to help that one that maybe has more complex issues, that is going to take a while to be able to get them on their feet. But, we also want to be able to help that family who maybe is a government employee and is not getting paid right now, and they need some extra help," OBryan emphasizes. And, she says the feedback has been nothing but positive. "We're really thankful that we're able to assist our families in this way, and I think our families have shown us that they're just very humbled and very thankful that we're able to provide this service for them," OBryan tells us. OBryan says Thanksgiving and Christmas boxes will be distributed to families whenever they are closed for the holidays. Families can visit the market twice a month, and more monthly visits may be allowed in the future. Also, more donations and volunteers are needed on Tuesdays from 1:00pm to 5:00pm EST. Barbara's Market is open every Monday for families to shop on 350 Central Avenue in Cleveland, Tennessee. If you would like to volunteer at Barbara's Market, visit their website and type in Volunteer Hub in the search bar. You can also email barbarasmarket@clevelandschools.org for further questions about the market. A Midlands man pleaded guilty to being knowingly transported in a stolen car, during last week's sitting of Tullamore District Court. Forty-five year old David Kearney from 10, Grove Street, Crinkle was arrested by gardai on the night of June 19 last on Military Road, Crinkle. Sergeant Richard Thornton told the court that they were operating a checkpoint on Military Road when the stolen car, which had been stolen in Thurles two days beforehand, approached. There were three men inside, including the defendant. The male driver in the car tried to flee the scene but was quickly apprehended. Also read: 'Wonderful mother who loved music and fashion' dies after cosmetic surgery trip to Turkey The defending solicitor Patrick Martin told the court that his client was a single, unemployed man and was a passenger in the vehicle. Judge Andrew Cody asked what the three men were doing with the car. Also read: Longford Gardai weed out over 12K drugs and cash haul It was hardly a sightseeing tour that they were on, he remarked. He asked what Mr Kearney had said in his Garda statement. Sgt Thornton commented that in the statement Mr Kearney said he was going to the shop. The Judge remanded on continuing bail to February 18 next and asked for a Probation Report and a Community Service suitability report on that date. Also read: Longford and Midlands projects to receive 192,000 cash injection from proceeds of crime Two people injured as result of enemy shelling in Velykyi Burluk community of Kharkiv region Photo: https://t.me/synegubov/ Over the past 24 hours, the Russian Armed Forces struck eight settlements in Kharkiv region, reported Regional Military Administration Chief Oleh Synehubov. "Two people were injured as a result of the shelling. A 78-year-old man was injured in the village of Velykyi Burluk; a 56-year-old woman was injured in the village of Pidseredne in Velykyi Burluk community," Synehubov wrote on his Telegram channel. According to him, as a result of shelling, private homes, outbuildings, an apartment building, a garage, and cars were damaged in Kupyansk district; a car was damaged in Kharkiv district; railway infrastructure, power lines, and a private home were damaged in Lozova district; and a car was damaged in Chuhuiv district. Approximately 14,500 customers in Lozova and Sakhnovschyna communities were left without power supply. Rolling outage schedules (5-hour periods) are in effect for 3,000 customers in Lozova. Grace Farrell from Aughnacliffe has been named the Longford Lidl Family Carer of the Year 2025. The awards recognise the remarkable commitment, compassion and strength of family carers who provide essential care to loved ones every day. Grace has devoted the past 13 years to caring for her mother Annie, who lives with vascular dementia. Thanks to her constant care and attention, Annie has been able to remain in her own home surrounded by love and familiarity. Grace gives her mother not only physical care but also friendship, reassurance and emotional support, bringing calm and stability to each day. Her kindness and patience shine through in everything she does, from managing daily routines to ensuring her mothers comfort and wellbeing are always at the heart of her care. Graces quiet strength and selflessness have made an extraordinary difference to her mothers life and to those who see the love and dignity she brings to her role. PICTURES | Longford's astroturf fundraising efforts for national school continue Her story reflects the daily reality of caring in Longford and across Ireland, where love and responsibility often intertwine and where family carers so often put the needs of others before their own. The Lidl Family Carer of the Year Awards celebrate those whose dedication and compassion make a difference in the lives of the people they care for. They also serve as a reminder that behind every person receiving care is someone providing it, often quietly and without rest, recognition or access to vital support and services which should be provided by the State. Catherine Cox, Head of Communications and Policy with Family Carers Ireland, said: Family carers are the silent supporters of so many households across Ireland. They juggle multiple responsibilities, often at great personal cost, driven by love. Too often, their work takes place behind closed doors, unseen, unsupported and unacknowledged. These awards are about visibility and respect for the vital work that they do. PICTURES | Marvellous milestone as Longford's Aughnagarron NS celebrates 75 years Grace represents the compassion and resilience we see every day among family carers in every town and village. By recognising them, we are shining a light on all those who quietly care, who continue to give, and who deserve to know that their efforts are valued and understood. Since announcing their partnership with Family Carers Ireland at the end of 2024, Lidl has been supporting the caring community through the development of their Lidl Charity Champion programme. One team member from every Lidl store and Regional Distribution Centre across Ireland has volunteered their time and energy to support Family Carers Ireland through a host of activities including planning and participating in store fundraising and fostering greater community engagement. PICTURES | St Francis Dromard tops in thrilling Longford Glenn Brady Cup replayed final Christine McIntyre, Senior Partnership and Events Manager at Lidl Ireland, added: At Lidl, we are proud to support Family Carers Ireland and to show family carers that we care back. Every day, hundreds of thousands of people across Ireland give their time, energy and love to support others, often putting their own needs last. Through the Lidl Family Carer of the Year Awards, we want to recognise their incredible dedication and remind them that no one should have to care alone. Grace Farrell is a wonderful example of the compassion and commitment that exist in homes and communities all over Ireland. The man who fatally stabbed his girlfriend and Longford town native Sarah McNally at her place of work in New York last year has pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the first degree. Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced yesterday (Thursday, October 30) that Marcin Pieciak pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the first degree for fatally stabbing Ms McNally, at a Maspeth tavern on March 30, 2024. Described as 'a wonderful young woman, bright, vivacious, witty and charismatic', Sarah, was working as a bartender when Pieciak stabbed her and he then slit his own throat. Sarah (41), previously worked in Valentine's public house, Main Street, Longford town where she was very well liked. She later joined The Irish Prison Service in Longford for some years before deciding on immigrating to New York. She enjoyed music and in her younger years she appeared on stage in a number of musical productions with St Mel's Musical Society. Educated at St Emer's national school and Mean Scoil Mhuire in Longford town, Sarah's friends remembered her as 'a lovely soul'. Also read: Longford remembers victim of New York stabbing, Sarah McNally as 'a vivacious and wonderful young woman' District Attorney Katz, in a statement, outlined, Marcin Pieciak walked into Sarah McNallys place of employment and viciously attacked the 41-year-old. The defendant stabbed the victim 19 times, severing her spine, and then stabbed himself as he tried to escape the premises. "Thankfully, a brave bar patron stopped the defendant and detained him until police arrived. This murder shocked the community and McNallys loved ones. With this guilty plea, the defendant has been held accountable for his actions. Pieciak, 37, of 76th Street in Glendale, pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the first degree in satisfaction of the charges against him. Also read: Mourners at funeral of Longford woman Sarah McNally hear she was a shining light Supreme Court Justice Ushir Pandit-Durant is expected to sentence the defendant on November 21 to 24 years in prison to be followed by five years of post-release supervision. DA Katz said that, according to the charges, on March 30, 2024, at approximately 6:30pm, Pieciak arrived at the Ceili House Bar at 69-56 Grand Avenue in Maspeth. The defendant walked toward Sarah McNally as she worked, went behind the bar and stabbed her 19 times in the neck, back and chest causing significant wounds and bleeding. Pieciak then cut his own throat several times with a second knife and attempted to flee, but a patron intervened and prevented him from leaving the premises. Also read: Tributes paid to 'lovely soul' as NYPD release name of Longford woman who died in horrific pub attack When police arrived, Pieciak exited the premises with the two knives and brandished the weapons toward the officers. Police safely disarmed him and recovered the knives. The victim suffered a damaged carotid artery and severed spine and was pronounced deceased at a local hospital. Assistant District Attorney Gabriel J. Reale of the District Attorneys Homicide Bureau is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Assistant District Attorney Veronika Podoprigora under the supervision of Assistant District Attorneys John Kosinski, Bureau Chief, and Karen Ross and John Selkowe, Deputy Bureau Chief, and under the overall supervision of Executive Assistant District Attorney for Major Crimes Shawn Clark. Homelessness has reached another record high in Ireland as the number of people using emergency accommodation rose to 16,614. Figures for September published on Friday show 11,376 adults and 5,238 children accessed emergency accommodation last month. The number of children recorded as homeless has risen from 5,145 to 5,238 between August and September. The number of children experiencing homelessness surpassed 5,000 in July and has increased each month since. Ber Grogan, executive director of the Simon Communities of Ireland, said governments had failed children forced into emergency accommodation. She said: Children should be thinking about dressing up and going trick or treating, not wondering where theyll sleep tonight. Families should be planning fun activities not counting how many nights they have left in an emergency bed. Young people should be starting their lives, not starting adulthood in homelessness. The statistics do not include people sleeping rough, couch-surfing or those in hospitals, asylum seeker centres or domestic violence shelters. The number of people accessing emergency accommodation has been steadily increasing for years. It surpassed 10,000 people for the first time in 2019 and again in February 2020. An eviction ban was imposed from November 2022 until the end of March 2023 in an attempt to control rising homelessness numbers. Sinn Fein housing spokesman Eoin O Broin said it represented another very, very grim set of figures, with homelessness up across almost all categories including another 50 families. He called on Housing Minister James Browne to ensure his housing plan prioritises ending long-term homelessness. Mr O Broin said: That means he needs to increase the targets for the delivery of social housing, he needs to increase the funding for those homes above what was announced in the budget in October. We cannot simply come here month after month and see these numbers increase, so its now time for James Browne to put up or shut up. Labour housing spokesman Conor Sheehan said the figures were the result of government inaction on housing and asked why a housing tsar had not yet been appointed. Im really, really sick and tired of coming out here every month and saying the same thing as the homeless figures inch and inch towards 20,000, he said. We need the minister to come forward with his new housing plan. The way the figures are going, they will hit 20,000 before the end of this Dail. Rory Hearne, housing spokesman for the Social Democrats, said the figures are what happen when you do not protect vulnerable renters, or prevent them from becoming homeless. He said: After almost six years of Fianna Fail housing ministers, the homelessness crisis continues to spiral. Even Fianna Fail backbenchers agree that the Government is failing to get to grips with housing. There has been a complete and utter failure to prioritise those in and facing homelessness, showing an abhorrent lack of compassion. US President Donald Trumps tariffs have been mentioned as one of the many financial challenges facing Longford County Council. At the October meeting of the Granard Municipal District, Finance Director John McKeon outlined a number of factors that could affect the local authoritys budget moving forward. Among them were global concerns such as tariffs, climate change and immigration. A number of national and local factors were also mentioned, including the housing and cost of living crises. Mr McKeon was speaking during a presentation on the Granard Municipal Districts general municipal allocations for 2026. READ NEXT: Longford's high number of spoiled votes "a disappointment," says Deputy Carrigy He told members that the municipal district has been allocated 120,000 as part of next years budget, an increase of 10,000 on this year. Some 50,000 of this will go to voluntary bodies in the district, whilst Tidy Towns and development committees will receive a total of 16,000 in funding. Meanwhile, 35,000 has been allocated to special projects, whilst 10,000 will go towards town twinning. The budget was formally proposed by Fine Gael councillor Garry Murtagh, who said he couldnt be happier with the allocations. Also read: Longford roots, global reach! Centralis launches Dublin office It was seconded by his party colleague, Cllr Padraig McNamara, who thanked Mr McKeon for an excellent presentation and a job well done. These sentiments were shared by the other councillors present, namely Cllr Colin Dalton (FG) and Cllr David Cassidy (FF). Finally, the Cathaoirleach, Independent councillor Turlough McGovern, said that things were looking good in the Granard area, despite the financial challenges that lie ahead. PICTURES | St Francis Dromard tops in thrilling Longford Glenn Brady Cup replayed final Longford County Council will receive applications for funding under these allocations up until April 2026. Councillors will agree to allocate money to specific groups at the municipal districts May meeting. Successful groups can then expect to receive the funding in June 2026. As news of more mass atrocities committed by the United Arab Emirates-backed Rapid Support Forces (RSF) circulates, the Islamic State has again called for jihad in Sudan. In this weeks Al Naba newsletter, the global jihadist organization made its second call to arms for Sudan this year, while also encouraging foreign fighters to migrate to the country. Among the remnants of nationalism produced by contemporary ignorance is the denial, neglect, and disavowal of the wounds of Muslims, as long as they do not affect the original homeland in which that nationalist being was raised, the Islamic States editorial began. The group claimed that nationalism is the reason that Sudanese Muslims suffer within the current conflict. Nationalism compels the people of each region or country to attend to their own problems and issues [] while attending to the issues of another country is considered interference in its affairs and a violation of its sovereignty, the piece stated. Therefore, the Islamic State argued, The tragedy of Sudan does not obligate the Muslims of the world to act because it is an internal Sudanese matter! The Islamic States editorial board also chastised various world governments for their inaction due to their political interests, arguing that this causes inaction from their citizenry as nationalistic interests align with those of the state. This sentiment is meant as a sharp rebuke of various Middle Eastern regimes, particularly the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Turkey, and Iran (among others), that have taken opposing sides in the Sudanese conflict. The jihadist groups editorial argued that Muslims should disavow nationalism, turn inward towards Islam, and lean on the Ummah [worldwide Islamic community]. The Libyan Muslim cares about the plight of the Muslims of Sudan just as the Chechen Muslim cares about the plight of the Muslims of Syria, and the Nigerian Muslim grieves for the wounds of his Iraqi Muslim brother [] this is the Islam we know, the newsletter stated. Further, it argued, This Islamic unity, which makes a Muslim rise up for the suffering of his brother wherever he may bein Burma, Gaza, or Sudancan only be achieved by dismantling its obstacles and breaking down the borders and restrictions that prevent it. Thus, the Islamic State claimed that the time for jihad in Sudan is now. It is incumbent upon the Muslims, especially the Islamic youth in Egypt and Libya, to strive for liberation from the shackles of their homelands and to take serious action to support their brothers in Sudan, the editorial stated. It continued, They [fighters from Egypt and Libya] must exploit this turbulent and open environment to pave the way for a prolonged jihad. [] Sudan is a fertile ground, if it ignites, it will have a profound impact on the entire region. The editorial also argued that a Sudanese jihad would help expel the foreign interference in the country. The groups specific mention of foreign fighters from Egypt and Libya is likely due to their geographic proximity to Sudan and because Islamic State networks in Sudan have previously supported Islamic State groups in both countries. Thus, the jihadist groups leadership is asking for these fighters to return the favor in Sudan. So, heal your wounds with monotheism and jihad, cast off the garments of nationalism, and follow the prophetic footsteps, the editorial concluded. The second call for jihad this year This weeks editorial is the second time this year that the Islamic State has called for jihad in Sudan. In January, another editorial in Al Naba was quite explicit in calling for the downfall of both the RSF and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), as well as their respective leaders, Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (also known as Hemedti) and Abdul Fattah al Burhan. Both the RSF and SAF were instruments of power under the regime of former dictator Omar al Bashir. Following Bashirs deposition in early 2019, a transitional government led by both civilians and the military headed Sudan until October 2021, when the SAF removed all civilian leadership and declared a state of military rule. The SAF and RSF then vied for power and influence under the military regime, until the tensions finally turned to open bloodshed in April 2023. Both the SAF and RSF have been accused of committing mass atrocities and grave human rights abuses since the civil war began. Earlier this week, the RSF, which is heavily armed and funded by the UAE, took the strategic city of El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur. Since then, videos have emerged of RSF fighters deliberately killing civilians, atrocities that have been so large that they can be seen from orbit. The Islamic States previous editorial in January explicitly stated that [Abdel Fattah] al Burhan and [Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo] Hemeti are enemies of Islam, as such they must be opposed, disbelieved in, and neither of them should be relied upon, no matter the outcome of the war between them. However, the earlier editorial was more directed at Sudanese Muslims. For instance, it stated, This is a message to the Muslim youth and mujahideen inside Sudan about working diligently to exploit the situation for the benefit of jihad, either through recruitment or preparation, in order to establish a nucleus that confronts the short-term dangers and help establish a long-term jihad. Given that little has happened with regard to the Islamic State in Sudan since the groups first call to arms, the plea likely fell on the deaf ears of many Sudanese Muslims. Thus, the Islamic State may now be focusing its efforts on getting foreigners to start the Sudanese jihad instead. Jihadism in Sudan Though the Islamic State is just now publicly calling for jihad inside Sudan this year, it has quietly operated in the country with a dedicated cell since at least 2019though recruiters and facilitators had been active before then. Sudanese fighters were among the largest foreign component of the Islamic State in Libya during the groups height in 2016, for instance. Sudanese authorities previously attempted to quash the relatively small network by periodically announcing raids or arrests of Islamic State members, such as in September and October 2021, when authorities arrested over a dozen members and killed several others across Khartoum. Nevertheless, the Islamic States Sudanese network has persisted. However, it does not yet appear to be a network for attacks; rather, it is used for finances, procurement, and logistics that support other Islamic State wings. The United Nations Sanctions and Monitoring Team has periodically reported on this network. In July 2023, its report noted that the Islamic States network in Sudan contains between 100 and 200 people and is headed by a veteran Iraqi jihadist, Abu Bakr al Iraqi, who is a blood relative of former Islamic State leader Abu Bakr al Baghdadi. Under Iraqis leadership, the network has been described as a logistical and financial base [] from which transit and investment would take place. The report also noted that Iraqi operates and maintains an array of businesses across Sudan and Turkey, from which the profits are used to support the Islamic State throughout Africa, most notably its West Africa and Sahel Provinces. Though the UN report doesnt mention this, it is likely the Sudan cell also helped support the Islamic States Somalia Province, as Sudanese fighters represented a significant component of that groups foreign fighters. The terrorist groups Sudan network may assist additional Islamic State wings in Africa as well, though this support is unclear. Not much else is known about the Islamic States activities inside Sudan. However, with the groups now-open call for jihad inside the country, a close eye should be kept on this network, as it may transition from a support role into an operational/attack one. The Islamic State clearly already has a skeleton in place from which it could build a new so-called province within the overall groups structure. However, whether or not the Islamic State feels confident enough to transition to open warfare in Sudan remains a significant question. Since its first call to arms in January, not much has come to fruition for the group in Sudan. Al Qaeda, the Islamic States rival, has also tried to foment jihad inside Sudan. For instance, in October 2022, Abu Hudhayfah al Sudani, a veteran member of Al Qaeda, released a booklet in which he called for jihad, providing a guide that prospective jihadists could use to form a unified group in his native Sudan. So far, however, nothing has seemingly come from Al Qaedas call to jihad eitherat least, publicly. That said, the group has often operated more secretively than the Islamic State and thus could have some sort of clandestine cell. It is also worth noting that Islamists are already fighting alongside the SAF, particularly the Al Baraa bin Malik Battalion, and other groups within the broader Popular Resistance umbrella under the tutelage of Sudans military. Jihadists and other Islamists have also been freed in prison breaks since the civil war started. Al Qaeda has a longer history inside the country than the Islamic State, as it was once based there in the early 1990s. The terrorist group has maintained various cells in Sudan throughout the years, including in Salamah, a suburb of Khartoum, in 2007; a cell in the Dinder National Park in 2012; and two organizations, Ansar al Tawhid and Al Qaeda in the Land of Two Niles, in the late 2000s to early 2010s. In more recent years, Al Qaeda has not been particularly active inside Sudan. However, as Abu Hudhayfah al Sudanis booklet made clear, the group obviously wishes to be. Whether or not the group makes a more concerted public effort in the face of the Islamic States separate call to arms remains to be seen. Regardless, both global jihadi giants are currently floundering in attempting to mobilize a public armed presence in the conflict. It remains to be seen how effective the Islamic States new pitch to foreign fighters will be. Both global jihadist organizations have now openly called for jihad in Sudan, and the Islamic State is known to already have an active network structure inside the country. As the Sudans civil war continues to drag on and deteriorate into additional chaos and atrocities, these jihadist groups may find more opportunities to publicly latch onto events and catapult themselves into the conflict. Caleb Weiss is an editor of FDD's Long War Journal and a senior analyst at the Bridgeway Foundation, where he focuses on the spread of the Islamic State in Central Africa. A Russian FAB-500 T bomb with a new wing kit. (Roman Petrovych on TikTok) The Russian Air Force has begun employing new, longer-range bombs in Ukraine, possibly including a jet-powered version of the UMPK, a kit that turns dumb bombs into satellite-guided glide munitions. These weapons could offer Russia relatively inexpensive options to strike targets against which it might otherwise use a more expensive missile or a less-survivable one-way attack drone. Ukrainian intelligence on the new weapons In remarks at an October 20 event, Major General Vadym Skibitskyi, deputy head of Ukraines military intelligence directorate, said that Russia had combat-tested aviation bombs with new guidance modules in September and October and will now start mass production. These weapons are believed to have a range of 150-200 kilometers and improved resistance to electronic warfare, Skibitskyi stated, noting that a recent test achieved a distance of 193 kilometers. His comments came amid a spate of bomb strikes in or around Ukrainian cities that have usually been untouched by glide bombs due to their distance from the front. An audience member asked Skibitskyi whether he was referring to the Grom, a series of air-to-surface weapons unveiled a decade ago that has seen limited use in Ukraine. The 9-A-7759 Grom-1 is a cruise missile based on the Kh-38M missile, whereas the 9-A1-7759 and 9-A2-7759 Grom-2 are glide bombs that swap out the Grom-1s motor for a larger payload. Skibitskyis answer was not fully clear. However, elsewhere in his remarks, he seemed to indicate that he was referring to an improvement on the UMPK. A new version of the UMPK The UMPK, short for Universal Gliding and Correction Module, is essentially a cruder analog of the American Joint Direct Attack Munitions extended-range variant, or JDAM-ER. Due to Russias failure to destroy most of Ukraines air defenses early in the war, venturing near the front line to drop free-fall bombs soon became prohibitively risky. Moscow hurriedly introduced the UMPK in 2023, allowing the Russian Air Force to play a greater role in supporting ground operations. The Russians initially employed these kits with the FAB-500 M-62, a 500-kilogram-class high-explosive bomb, which the UMPK could carry for around 60-70 kilometers. Russia subsequently adapted the UMPK for various other bombs up to 3 tons in size. In 2024, to extend the UMPKs range, Russia fielded a modified version with longer wings, most commonly employed with the FAB-500 T heat-resistant bomb in place of the M-62. Unofficial Russian sources have referred to this version as the UMPK-PD (for povyshennoy dalnosti, or extended range). The first known photos of the UMPK (left) and UMPK-PD (right), posted by the Telegram channel Fighterbomber in January 2023 and August 2024, respectively. FAB-500 M-62 (left) and FAB-500 T (right) bombs in production at the Sverdlov Plant in Dzerzhinsk. Posted by the Russian Defense Ministry in April 2023 and May 2024, respectively. The same day that Skibitskyis remarks were published, footage emerged on social media showing Ukrainian sappers neutralizing an unexploded FAB-500 T bomb equipped with a new, more sophisticated system. With the original UMPK, the pop-out wings and articulable tail fins are part of a single structure clamped onto an intact bomb. With the new kit, by contrast, the bombs rear section was removed and replaced by the guidance unit, as is done with the JDAM. Most Russian general-purpose bombs are welded monoliths, which is why the standard UMPK was designed the way it was. But the FAB-500 Ts tail section is bolted on, making it simpler to remove. Screenshots from a video posted by Roman Petrovych on TikTok on October 20, 2025 show a FAB-500 T bomb with a new wing kit. Many unofficial Russian sources described this new kit as a jet-powered UMPK, which some observers have provisionally dubbed the UMPK-PD model 2025, UMPK-R, or UMPK-UD. However, no engine was readily apparent in the video. The Telegram channel Fighterbomber (which has ties to the Russian Air Force and first revealed the original UMPKs existence back in 2023) offered an explanation. It claimed Russia had indeed developed a jet-powered version of the UMPK called by a different, unspecified name that had been employed in Ukraine in limited numbers and will now be put into mass production. However, the channel stated that the kit shown in the video was a prototype that lacked an engine. The next day, another Russian Telegram channel, Aviahub, shared a picture of two FAB-500T bombs fitted with the same type of kit this time fully intact and suspended under the wing of a Russian Su-34 strike fighter. (This channel, allegedly run by a Su-34 pilot, frequently posts exclusive footage apparently provided by Russian Air Force personnel.) Compared to the standard UMPK, the new kit is more aerodynamic, has three rather than four tail fins, and possibly has longer wings. Once again, no engine or air intake was visible. But Aviahub claimed there is a similar version with an engine, offering a range of 200+ km versus 100+ km for the model shown in the photo. This would amount to a poor mans version of Boeings Powered Joint Direct Attack Munition, or PJDAM, said to be capable of carrying a 500-pound bomb more than 300 nautical miles. Two FAB-500T bombs mounted under the wing of a Russian Su-34 strike fighter. (Aviahub on Telegram) There is some hard evidence to indicate Russia has been developing a jet-powered version of the UMPK. The Ukrainian Telegram channel Polkovnik GSh recently posted a photo reportedly showing the remains of a jet-powered UMPK employed in Ukraine in the late spring or early summer of 2025. (This channel, whose name means Colonel of the General Staff, has previously shared exclusive pictures of Russian munitions recovered in Ukraine.) In the photo, one can see what looks like a turbojet engine lying next to pieces of metal resembling the UMPKs articulable horizontal tail fins. Left: A photo reportedly showing remains of a jet-powered UMPK recovered in Ukraine in mid-2025, posted by the Telegram channel Polkovnik GSh on October 18, 2025. Right: A screenshot from a video showing the remains of a UMPK-equipped RBK-500-series bomb, posted by Serhii Beskrestnov on March 15, 2024. The UMPB-5R In recent weeks, information has also emerged about a bomb called the UMPB-5R. The R stands for reaktivnyy, indicating that it is jet-powered. In July, Ukrainian authorities revealed that Russia had begun combat testing a new glide bomb called the UMPB-5, as FDDs Long War Journal noted at the time. Its name suggests it may be a derivative of another munition, the UMPB D-30SN, first seen in spring 2024. Whereas the UMPK is an add-on kit, the UMPB D-30SN is a purpose-built glide bomb analogous to the American 250-pound-class GBU-39/B Small Diameter Bomb. Ukrainian officials have since reported sporadic UMPB-5 strikes. On October 18, the Kharkiv Regional Prosecutors Office reported a Russian strike in the city of Lozova with a guided aerial bomb of a new modification UMPB-5R (jet type). The bomb was reportedly released from almost 130 kilometers away. Ihor Klymenko, Ukraines minister of internal affairs, later reported another UMPB-5R strike in the Dnipropetrovsk region. Photos of a UMPB-5R bomb recovered in Ukraine that were shared on social media on October 23 indicate it is powered by a SW800Pro-Y commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) turbojet engine made by the Chinese company Swiwin. A similar Swiwin model powers Russias S8000 Banderol, an inexpensive cruise missile first unveiled in April. Russia also uses a Chinese-made COTS motor in the Geran-3 one-way attack drone, the jet-powered version of the more common, propeller-driven Geran-2. It is unclear whether the UMPB-5 and UMPB-5R are different munitions. Over the summer, an official from the Kharkiv Regional Prosecutors Office described the UMPB-5 as having a larger warhead than the D-30SN and a modified wing system that provides a range of over 100 kilometers. But he gave no indication that it was jet-powered. The UMPB-5R could be a longer-range version of the UMPB-5. The possible consequences for Ukraine Important questions about these new bombs remain unanswered, including their accuracy and exact range. Still, they are another example of how, after vastly underestimating its need for precision-guided weapons prior to the 2022 invasion, the Russian Air Force is working to field a growing variety of cheap standoff munitions. The Russians will likely use these bombs to attack critical infrastructure, military, and military-industrial targets in cities such as Odesa, Kryvyi Rih, Dnipro, and Poltava. Moscow is unlikely to produce them in as large numbers as the standard UMPK or UMPB, of which Russian jets typically drop 150 or more per day. But as serial production ramps up, Ukrainian troops and civilians may soon have to contend with a new threat. John Hardie is the deputy director of FDDs Russia Program and a contributor to FDD's Long War Journal. TL;DR: Get Windows 11 Pro now for only $15 (reg. $199). Microsoft ended support for Windows 10, and any computer still running it is at risk. If you want to upgrade on a budget and protect your computer, then get Windows 11 Pro now while its still only $14.97. Its usually $199. Windows 11 Pro has a cleaner, more organized interface and practical tools that improve everyday use. The redesigned taskbar, Snap Layouts, and multiple desktop options make multitasking easier, while the integrated Microsoft Teams and AI-powered Copilot add new ways to communicate and search. Security is a central focus. Windows 11 Pro includes TPM 2.0 support, BitLocker drive encryption, and hardware-based authentication to help prevent malware and data loss. Professionals also get access to Hyper-V virtualization, Remote Desktop, and Windows Sandbox for isolated testing environments. Installation is straightforward with a digital license, and updates are delivered automatically once activated. Dont leave your computer vulnerable. Get Windows 11 Pro while its still only $15. Microsoft Windows 11 ProSee Deal StackSocial prices subject to change. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine recommends that Ukrainians currently in Tanzania, in connection with protests in the cities of Dar es Salaam, Arusha, Mbeya, and Moshi, and the general worsening security situation, maintain heightened vigilance, exercise caution, and comply with all recommendations of local authorities. "We advise Ukrainian citizens to avoid crowded places, especially areas where protests are taking place or may take place. Unless absolutely necessary, we recommend limiting movement around the city, staying in safe places of residence, and not participating in any mass events," the Foreign Ministry's press service reported on Telegram on Friday. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs requests that the requirements of the Tanzanian police and other government agencies regarding the maintenance of public order be strictly observed and that their work not be obstructed. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine continues to closely monitor the situation in Tanzania and is in constant contact with Ukraine's diplomatic missions abroad, which are cooperating with local authorities to ensure the safety of Ukrainian citizens. Citizens who find themselves in an emergency situation, or whose life or health is in danger, are advised to immediately contact the nearest Ukrainian diplomatic mission abroad. Prince Andrew faces fresh scrutiny after royal historian Andrew Lownie alleged that the disgraced duke used taxpayer money for a lavish trip to Thailand, reportedly entertaining dozens of prostitutes during his stay. Lownie claims the former Duke of York arranged encounters with around 40 women over four days in the South-East Asian nation, while serving as a UK Trade Envoy in the early 2000s. "There was a famous trip to Thailand," Lownie writes. "For the birthday celebrations of the King. Andrew is representing his country and insists on staying in a five-star hotel rather than the embassy, which he always did. "Andrew had 40 prostitutes brought in the space of four days. This was all enabled by diplomats and others." The allegations were made on the Daily Mail podcast Deep Dive: The Fall of the House of York, with Lownie citing multiple sources, including a member of the Thai royal family. He argued the incident reflected a broader pattern of Andrew exploiting his diplomatic role for personal gain. "In 2001, Andrew is 41, he's having his midlife crisis, and he basically starts chasing lots and lots of women," Lownie added, also noting Andrew reportedly extended official trips to include "two weeks of private time." "So, we pay for his holiday and then he goes off and does things," the historian declared as Lownie also criticized the British government for keeping files from Andrew's decade as Trade Envoy sealed. "All the files from his time as Trade Envoy between 2001 and 2011 remain closed," Lownie concluded. "That is part of the conspiracy of silence around Andrew that we need to break." These claims emerged shortly before Buckingham Palace confirmed the final stage of Andrew's removal from royal life, stripping him of his remaining titles and ordering him to vacate his long-time Windsor residence. Andrew evicted from Royal Lodge King Charles III has directed his brother to leave the Royal Lodge on the Windsor Estate, marking a definitive break between the monarchy and the disgraced royal as reports indicate Andrew will remain at the property until early 2026. That's while plans continue for relocation to a smaller home on the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk, to remove him from the public eye as well as his life of comfort and luxury in Windsor. Charles's decision follows sustained public pressure over Andrew's ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Despite denying wrongdoing, the former prince's association with Epstein has continued to embarrass the monarchy. Sarah Ferguson reportedly declined any financial or housing assistance for Andrew during the move and the eviction underscores Charles's effort to protect the monarchy's reputation. Meanwhile Andrew faces increasing calls to cooperate with U.S. authorities investigating Epstein's criminal network with allegations resurfacing and new claims emerging. Andrew's fall from grace appears to deepen, isolating him further from both the public and the crown - the latter of which is desperate to save its reputation in the United Kingdom. The European Commission does not rule out the possibility of filing a lawsuit in court against Poland, Hungary and Slovakia, which left the ban on Ukrainian agricultural goods in force after the renewed trade agreement between the European Union and Ukraine was signed, Politico reported. "Poland, Hungary and Slovakia are openly defying efforts to reset trade relations as a revised trade deal with Kyiv kicks in. The bans, covering Ukrainian grain and other farm products, breach EU single market rules that prohibit national trade barriers," the publication reports. The defiance underscores how politically fraught the EUs trade relationship with Ukraine has become, with capitals essentially daring Brussels to prioritize Kyiv over EU members to enforce the trade pact. "We see no justification for maintaining these national measures," Commission Deputy Spokesperson Olof Gill said Thursday, a day after a new European Union trade agreement meant to address EU members' concerns about negative impacts from a flow of Ukrainian imports took effect. Gill said the EU executive would "intensify its contact" with the intransigent capitals. Pressed on whether the Commission had ruled out launching infringement proceedings, Gill replied: "All options are on the table." "Brussels has been reluctant to act since the bans were introduced in 2023, hoping the updated trade deal would make them redundant. Officials familiar with the talks say politics are also playing a part. Taking Poland to court could strain relations with Donald Tusks pro-EU government, while singling out Hungary and Slovakia would look like a double standard," Politico reports. From the inception of Bostons Michelin Guide to receiving a James Beard Award nomination this year, Chef Erin Miller of Urban Hearth in Cambridge knows now is the right time to take her renowned farm-to-table restaurant to the next level by moving into a bigger, livelier space. Weve been looking for a couple years, and had some near misses finding places, and nothing felt right. I just think that the cosmic forces were kind of working their magic, Miller said in an interview with MassLive. Weve got such an extraordinary team, folks that have been with us for over three years that are really excited about this next step. After nine years, Urban Hearth will leave its 24-seat space at 2263 Massachusetts Ave. and relocate and expand to the heart of Cambridges Inman Square at 1281 Cambridge St. The restaurant officially announced this expansion on social media Wednesday, Oct. 29. Urban Hearth, an intimate 24-seat restaurant in North Cambridge, will soon relocate to its new home in Inman Square. Brian Samuels Photography As our popularity has grown, weve found it harder and harder to find space in our books for the growing number of guests wanting to dine with us, Urban Hearth wrote in an Instagram post. We know this is a big change and we want to assure all our valued guests and dear friends that this new space will still provide the warm, welcoming, intimate, experience you know and love us for. Only now you wont have to squeeze through the service station to use the restroom, the post continued. We are so thrilled to share this news with you, but of course it isnt without a twinge of sadness, as this will be the last holiday season we will be spending at our Mass Ave. So get those reservations in while you can! Miller has earned national recognition for her craft and leadership. The chef was recently named a 2025 finalist for the James Beard Foundations Best Chef, Northeast award. In addition, Miller is the only chef to receive congressional recognition for her work. A longtime forager, Millers culinary style combines her classical French training with New Englands seasonal bounty. 22 1 / 22 Mushroom foraging trip in Lincoln with Chef Erin Miller With multiple Best of Boston and Top Restaurant nods, Urban Hearths farm-to-table cuisine highlights only the freshest ingredients in their purest form. The restaurants rotating seasonal menu features dishes such as seared bluefin tuna crudo, crispy marinated duck breast and celery root savory creme brulee. As much as they love their current location, Miller and her team have been looking for a new space for about the past two years. We kind of outgrew it some time ago. Its really hard to do the high-touch kind of food that we do, the high-touch hospitality and service that we do in such a small space, and actually have it be financially viable, Miller explained. So the seed was planted a while ago to start looking for a new place. That said, Miller was determined to stay in Cambridge or Somerville to be amongst Urban Hearths growing community of regulars. We just felt passionate about staying here, she added. Millers team also wanted to be closer to public transportation but avoid being in one of the big squares (i.e. Harvard or Davis). On top of that, Miller said they wanted to maintain the homey feel that Urban Hearth embodies. We didnt want anything too big, she said. We were looking for a space with character. So that was kind of a tall order and took time to find. And were just tickled that we found it. Urban Hearth, an intimate 24-seat restaurant in North Cambridge, will soon relocate to its new home in Inman Square. Brian Samuels Photography The restaurant will take over the space of Turning Tavern, which is closing in the near future. The space was formerly occupied by Bukowski Tavern and before that it was Jaes Cafe. So the building has a longstanding history with the community. The new Urban Hearth will feel familiar to its original location, but be more spacious and refined. Miller said her teams focus is on redesigning the dining room so that it feels lively and welcoming. On top of adding a new 10-seat bar, Urban Hearths popular Chefs Counter will be expanded from four seats to six. After construction, the new space will also feature an open kitchen concept similar to that at the restaurants Massachusetts Avenue location. Its important to us that we have an open kitchen and that there be this conversation between the cooks in the kitchen and the people in the dining room so that it feels more like a party, Miller said. The kitchen will kind of come out into the dining space so that people who walk by to the bathroom, just like now, can say Hi, [and] can see whats going on in the kitchen. Itll feel really open and alive. Urban Hearth, an intimate 24-seat restaurant in North Cambridge, will soon relocate to its new home in Inman Square. Brian Samuels Photography The expansion will also unlock several new opportunities for Urban Hearth from hosting curated wine dinners to having a more robust beverage program. Above all, the new space will help Miller and her team maintain their commitment of educating people about food sustainability. It just feels so good that were able to stay in Cambridge, stay in our home, and just offer the love and attention and thoughtfulness about food and our agricultural community, she said. Its just a really great opportunity. Renovations on the Inman Square location will begin this winter with the new space projected to open in the first quarter of 2026. In the meantime, guests can continue to dine at Urban Hearths current location, which is open from 5-10 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. There are also plans to keep the original Urban Hearth as a secondary concept once the new location is up and running. Mainely Burgers has closed its last storefront in the Boston area to focus on other ventures. The Maine-based food truck business shut down its Boston Landing location on Monday, Oct. 27, according to an Instagram post. Despite making the tough decision to close the storefront, the owners of Mainely Burgers said the change marks the start of an exciting new chapter for them. Over the past few years, weve moved back home to Maine, expanded our food truck operations Mainely Burgers, Mainely Treats, and Mainely Sips and recently opened Barber Brothers Meat + Provisions, our full-service butcher shop and market in South Portland," owners and brothers Jack and Max Barber wrote in the post. As we plant roots and start families, this transition reflects both our personal journey and the next evolution of our business, the owners continued. Were endlessly grateful to our incredible Mainely Burgers team many of whom weve known for more than a decade. Its been a privilege to learn, grow, and cook alongside you. Te Amo." The Barber brothers first launched Mainely Burgers as a food truck business in 2012, according to the companys website. Mainely Burgers serves several signature burgers such as The Main-Ah!, Le Eifel and Red, White & Bleu. The brothers soon expanded from serving burgers and fries at Scarborough Beach to bringing food trucks to the Portland-Cape Elizabeth area, which are still available for bookings today. Mainely Burgers made its Massachusetts debut when the brothers opened a Cambridge restaurant in 2016. That storefront closed in 2023, according to Boston Restaurant Talk. To the Boston Landing community, our suppliers, and most of all our customers thank you. Your support and love for great food and community have made our time here truly unforgettable," the Barber brothers wrote in the Instagram post. Though were closing this chapter in Boston, were not going far. If youre ever in Maine, come visit us wed love to see you. Our 2026 Maine Food Truck season is right around the corner. FILE - A marijuana bud is seen before harvesting. A group wants to abolish the legal recreational trade in Massachusetts. AP Photo/Andrew Selsky, File Workers gathering signatures in a new campaign to repeal recreational marijuana are telling people the drives goal is to keep pot shops away from parks and schools or to slow down the number of new dispensaries. Thats misleading, said backers of the states $1.6-billion-a-year recreational marijuana industry. The two ballot questions would, if passed, repeal the section of state law governing the possession, use, distribution, cultivation and taxation of recreational cannabis. The ballot question would not end the medical marijuana trade. The plebiscite would slow the approval of new marijuana retailers by prohibiting the entire industry, said David OBrien, president and CEO of Massachusetts Cannabis Business Association. Skeptical passersby have reported misleading interactions in Longmeadow, Chicopee, Burlington and Brockton. My understanding is this group is out there not being truthful, said OBrien. They say nothing, in fact about what the question says. And as paid signature gatherers, they are part of gaggle outside supermarkets or in parks and public spaces soliciting signatures on other proposed ballot questions. So that means besides marijuana, people are talking about affordable housing or same day-voter registration, topics different groups would also like to put before voters in November 2026. So they are shuffling clipboards while they do it, OBrien said. People are paid to collect signatures and that pay is typically figured by the signature. Ryan McCollum, a political and marketing consultant from Longmeadow, has clients in the cannabis industry. He wrote in a Facebook post that a ballot measure keeping dispensaries away from schools and parks didnt make sense. He knows there are already restrictions in place and towns also have leeway in where the businesses are sighted. While people are entitled to their opinions about cannabis, everyone should know exactly what theyre signing, McCollum wrote. Wendy Wakeman, chair of Coalition for a Healthy Massachusetts which is backing the new ballot measures, said she has heard the same reports of misleading statements. The coalition has signed statements from each of its signature gatherers saying that the gatherer has read the ballot question and understands it. There are always folks out there in the field who complain or try to subvert or somehow make mischief with all of this, Wakeman said in an interview Friday. The committee trains its signature gatherers and we do not support anybody giving any false claims as to what the petition says. The signature sheet has a summary of the ballot question at the top, she said. People should read it. Debra OMalley, director of communications for the Office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth, had basically the same advice. She said courts have ruled that signature gathering is a protected first amendment activity and the state has limited ways of regulating the speech. Read the statement at the top of the petition, even if you have to turn the paper over to find the top of the page, she admonished. So you know exactly what you are signing, OMalley said. Thats why its there. The Secretary of the Commonwealth runs elections in Massachusetts. OMalley said the office has heard the same complaints and she understands people have complained to the state Attorney Generals Office as well. Questions about the signature takers are also cropping up on Facebook and the social media site Reddit, she said. Referendum campaigns have until Nov. 19 to gather about 75,000 signatures in this round of the approval process. Those signatures are due in December. OBrien said the timing means signature gatherers will be out Tuesday, Election Day, near polling places in communities with contested races. Everyone going to a polling place is a registered voter, he said. He wanted to get the word out before Election Day. Major office supply companies Office Depot and OfficeMax, both owned by the ODP Corporation, continues shrinking its retail footprint as changing consumer habits and a pending acquisition reshape the chains business strategy. The company reduced its store count from approximately 922 locations in 2024 to about 830 in 2025 a trend that looks to continue. During the second quarter of 2025 alone, ODP reported closing 60 retail stores over the previous 12-month period. Multiple factors are driving the ongoing consolidation. Consumers have increasingly shifted to e-commerce giants like Amazon and Walmart for office supplies. Meanwhile, the rise of remote and hybrid work arrangements has significantly reduced demand for traditional office products, resulting in declining foot traffic and fewer in-store purchases from small businesses. The planned acquisition by Atlas Holdings is expected to accelerate this trend. According to a report from Total Retail, the deal signals a renewed focus on operational efficiency and a leaner cost structure for the office supplies company. Going private under Atlas could potentially allow for longer-term investments in the business. According to Retail Wire, the merger announced last month would, presumably, help the combined company cut costs by eliminating duplicative positions and doing away with underperforming locations while giving it increased purchasing power and marketing clout. Store closures are nothing new for the company. Since its 2023 merger, Office Depot has shuttered more than 1,000 locations, cutting its overall store count by approximately 55%. These changes reflect broader challenges facing the entire office supply industry. IBISWorld reports the sector is battling shrinking profit and declining demand due to digitalization and intense competition. Market revenue is projected to reach $20.9 billion in 2025, representing a 1.8% decrease from the previous year. In 2025, the industrys revenue will stand at $20.9 billion, reflecting a drop of 1.8% from the previous year. This decline aligns with the industrys overall five-year CAGR of -4.0%, IBISWorld reported. Generative AI was used to draft this story. It was reviewed and edited by MassLive staff. The Norfolk County District Attorneys office has identified the three men who recently died within a one-month span while incarcerated at the Massachusetts Correctional Institution at Norfolk. Their identities, released Thursday, are: Christopher Stiles, age 36, who died on Sept. 20 Robert McNickles, age 73, who died on Sept. 27 John Rodriguez, age 65, who died on Oct. 20 The three deaths at MCI-Norfolk the states largest medium-security prison housing men serving criminal sentences are in addition to two others that also occurred over the last month or so at Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center in Lancaster, a maximum-security prison. Joseph Eaton, 36, was identified Wednesday by the Worcester County District Attorneys Office as the man who died at Souza-Baranowski on Oct. 28. Eaton, originally from Maine, was serving a life sentence for killing his parents and their two friends in Bowdoin, Maine, in 2023. He then carried out a shooting spree on Interstate 295 in Yarmouth. Another man, who has not yet been identified, died on Oct. 3 at Souza-Baranowski. The state Department of Correction has only categorized the five deaths as medical emergencies where lifesaving measures were administered by staff and first responders. None are believed to involve foul play, the DOC said. The department is committed to comprehensive mental health and substance use services, a department spokesperson said in a statement. The DOC did not respond to MassLives request to explain the context of the deaths that occurred within such a short timeframe. According to DOC death records obtained by MassLive, there have been 20 total deaths of people incarcerated in the states prisons this year. There were 19 in-custody deaths in 2024, 21 in 2023 and 28 in 2022, according to the DOC documents. Based on the official causes of death the DOC has received from the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner so far this year, through June 15, three are listed as suicides. Five are listed as unexpected. In 2024, there werent any confirmed suicides, but 10 deaths were listed as unexpected. Two were homicides. The five recent deaths are meriting attention and concern from advocates, Dr. Alice Bukhman, an emergency medicine physician and Harvard Medical School associate professor affiliated with the nonprofit Prisoners Legal Services, said in an interview this week. The main thing that is concerning is how little we do know, Bukhman said. It is a pattern that is super concerning. These are supposed to be people who are being closely watched, and we do not expect them to die. One of the issues is its really hard to get data out of these. All of these should go to a medical examiner, so we dont know the cause of death right now. Per Massachusetts state law, all in-custody deaths must be referred to the state medical examiner. A spokesperson for the Norfolk County District Attorneys Office said the three deaths at MCI-Norfolk remain under investigation by the DOC, State Police assigned to the DAs office and the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. The deaths at Souza-Baranowski are under investigation by the Worcester County District Attorneys Office. Reporter Irene Rotondo contributed to this story. The Norfolk County District Attorneys office will return the materials turned over by the federal government from its investigation into the Karen Read case on Friday, but in a move to assuage the concerns of some defense lawyers, a judge barred the feds from destroying the materials. The district attorneys office was initially ordered to return or destroy the materials on July 18, 30 days after the verdict in the Read case. But defense lawyers in several cases pushed for access to the material, triggering a legal saga that lasted three-and-a-half months. A hearing Thursday afternoon appears, for now, to be the final chapter in that saga. The hearing was an opportunity for defense lawyers to raise any issues with an index of the material provided to them earlier this month. The index outlined documents turned over by the feds to the district attorneys office that the district attorneys office did not seek permission to turn over to the defense lawyers. Rosemary Scapicchio, a defense lawyer in two cases, told Judge Peter Krupp she wanted access to state grand jury minutes and police reports materials already in the possession of the district attorneys office that were also disclosed during the federal case. Norfolk First Assistant District Attorney Lisa Beatty said those documents could be turned over even if prosecutors returned the federal materials. If a defendant filed a (motion) for state grand jury minutes or for police reports in the Read case, we would evaluate that, because we have those materials in our possession, custody and control, Beatty said. The only defense attorney who raised an issue with the impending return and destruction of the material was Larry Tipton, who is representing Brian Walshe. Tipton filed a motion essentially seeking to block the destruction of the materials because he believed there was additional evidence benefiting Walshe that hadnt been disclosed. If you allow the destruction of these documents that we have never been able to review in their entirety, we lose the opportunity to ever review them, Tipton told Krupp, adding that a defense lawyer familiar with the facts and circumstances of the case might identify things in the materials a lawyer not on the case wouldnt. Krupp ordered Tipton to supplement his motion with further information, laying out in more detail what he wanted access to and what he believed could benefit Walshe. After Tipton filed an affidavit under seal, the hearing reconvened. The defense lawyer clarified he wasnt asking for specific materials to be turned over, only that they not be destroyed. Beatty drew a distinction between the federal materials and the recent disclosure of information from former Massachusetts State Police trooper Michael Proctors personal phone, which Tipton referenced in his filings. She also suggested there were other ways for Tipton to get the materials he sought, like a report from the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner and a report from the company ARCCA, which performed accident reconstructions for the Read case. What counsel has pointed to in his affidavit is not new information, she said. Beatty also questioned the relevance of accident reconstruction to the Walshe case. Walshe is accused of killing and dismembering his wife in January 2023. Tipton explained that the information from ARCCA could speak to a potential failure by Proctor or others to properly investigate the Read case. He noted that much of Proctors testimony before a federal grand jury was on the quality of the investigation in the Read case. It is the failure to conduct a proper investigation that was the subject of the federal prosecutors questions throughout his testimony and it is the original questions and answers by Michael Proctor that are important, Tipton said, adding that the former trooper gave evasive answers that required repeated admonitions from the federal prosecutors to Proctor. He ran from the way he conducted the investigation, Tipton continued. To assuage some of Tiptons concerns, Krupp said he would enter an order barring the federal authorities from destroying any of the documents. Though he added he did not believe they would do so regardless. Tipton is left with essentially two options he can either request the documents he wants from the federal government, or from the specific agency or company itself. Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey and the state legislature moved on Friday to advance supplemental funds allocated for Head Start programs in the state, ahead of a Nov. 1 funding deadline imperiled by the ongoing federal government shutdown. Head Start programs in Massachusetts support more than 11,000 children each year, with about 4,000 people working in those programs. The states fiscal 2026 budget allocated $20 million in supplemental grants for 28 Head Start and Early Head Start programs, money that will now go to keeping the programs afloat through the end of November. The programs are typically funded by the federal government on a staggered grant cycle. But with the government shutdown, the programs were not going to receive the grants arriving on Nov. 1 President Trump and Congressional Republicans are hurting our children, families and hardworking child care providers with their federal government shutdown. Head Start programs are a critical part of our states child care system and they rely on federal funding to operate, Healey said in a statement announcing the advancement of the grants. While the state is doing everything it can to keep the programs open, Healey acknowledged it cant make up for the total owed by the federal government. Without this federal support, many Massachusetts parents will have to make the impossible decision between going to work or caring for their kids, Healey said in the statement. When the shutdown began on Oct. 1, programs in three states Alabama, Florida and South Carolina lost funding. Now, if the shutdown continues to Nov. 1, programs in 41 states and Puerto Rico will run out of money. In all, an estimated 65,000 children will be affected by the programs that lose funding. Tommy Sheridan, the deputy director of the National Head Start Association, told ABC News that the longer the shutdown goes, the more likely it is for there to be deep impacts on children and families that we serve. At the end of the day, children and families should never be put at risk because of political gridlock. However, thats exactly whats happening right now, he said. Head Start faces a string of challenges Launched six decades ago as part of President Lyndon B. Johnsons War on Poverty, Head Start has a history of bipartisan support but has faced calls this year to cut its funding. A budget document showed the White House weighed shutting down Head Start altogether, a prospect that sparked an outcry from both sides of the aisle before the Trump administration backed away from the proposal. Project 2025, a detailed set of policy recommendations authored by the conservative Heritage Foundation, recommended eliminating Head Start. In January, Head Start operators struggled to access their federal money due to issues with the governments online portal. Some had to shut down temporarily. The current government shutdown began when Congress failed to pass a bill to fund the government. In a standoff with the Trump administration, Democrats are insisting on extending tax credits that make health insurance cheaper for millions of Americans and restoring Medicaid funding cuts. Without the tax credits, more than 20 million Americans on Affordable Care Act plans would see their health care costs rise. Republicans say they wont discuss the health care subsidies, or any other policy, until the government reopens. Joel Ryan, executive director of the Washington Head Start Association, said he is eager for Congress to end the shutdown. But he said he also knows that many Head Start families and staff members rely on Medicaid and on the Affordable Care Act plans. Im glad that the Democrats are fighting to restore health care access, Ryan said. Im also really cognizant of the ramifications of the government shutdown. Material from the Associated Press was used in this report. People walk along a road during the passing of Hurricane Melissa in Rocky Point, Jamaica, Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Matias Delacroix) AP The United States Department of State has issued an updated travel warning for Jamaica due to natural disaster, crime and health concerns. The Caribbean island nations travel warning is now a level three warning, requesting people reconsider travel to the country. The State Department cites damage from Hurricane Melissa as the main factor for the updated travel advisory. Hurricane Melissa, classified at category five, made landfall in Jamaica on Oct. 27, causing widespread damage across the nation, according to the State Department. Because of the damage, the U.S. embassy in Kingston has reduced staffing and will temporarily be limiting routine services for U.S. citizens. The State Department also updated the travel advisory due to crime risks. Armed robberies and sexual assaults are common and the homicide rate in the country is among the highest in the western hemisphere, according to the State Department. Health is another factor in the updated warning. Basic and specialized medical care may not be available in many parts of Jamaica, the advisory reads. The State Department also classified specific areas in the country as a Level 4: Do Not Travel due to high rates of crime. If you decide to travel to Jamaica, the State Department has issued the following recommendations: Shake Shack is laying the groundwork to come to Central Massachusetts. The restaurant could be coming to Shrewsburys White City Plaza. A pre-application on the towns website reads Shake Shack is looking to open a new location at 84 Boston Turnpike, replacing GEICO insurance. There are no proposed changes to the exterior, other than new signage, the pre-application reads. The application does not state when the Shake Shack would open its doors. A spokesperson for Shake Shack did not immediately respond to requests for comment on Friday. Shake Shack began as a hot dog stand in New York City that opened in 2001. Since then, it has become a massive chain selling hot dogs, hamburgers, fries and shakes. There are 16 Shake Shacks in Massachusetts but none of them are in Central Massachusetts, according to the companys website. The Shrewsbury location, if it opens would be the first in the region. Nearly a third of those receiving federal food assistance in Massachusetts are children, according to the administration of Gov. Maura Healey. With the federal government still shut down as of Oct. 31, funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is set to dry up the following day though a ruling by a federal judge could change that. SNAP provides benefits to low-income households to help buy groceries. The Trump administration announced it would not tap about $5 billion in contingency funds to keep benefits active in November, the Associated Press reported. Healey provided numbers on who receives SNAP benefits in the state. In Massachusetts, 32% of SNAP recipients are children, 31% are people with disabilities and 26% are senior citizens, according to the Healey administration. Among Massachusettss veteran population, 21,000 are SNAP recipients, based on data from the Center for Budget and Policy Priorities. Healey characterized that as 1 in 10 veterans in the state receiving SNAP benefits. As of September, there are 1,061,460 individuals in Massachusetts who receive SNAP benefits, according to data from the states Department of Transitional Assistance. The top 10 communities with the highest percentage of its population who receive SNAP benefits are: Springfield: 47.4% Holyoke: 43.3% Lawrence: 41.7% Southbridge: 35.6% Fall River: 34.3% New Bedford: 34.2% Brockton: 33.6% North Adams: 33.5% Fitchburg: 30.3% Chicopee: 29.6% With SNAP benefits soon to run dry, state and local officials have been seeking solutions to try and preserve or supplement the benefits. A lawsuit against the Trump administration filed by 25 states was heard by Federal Judge Indira Talwani on Thursday. The judge is set to rule on the lawsuit Friday. The Healey administration announced Thursday they would allocate $4 million to the states food banks. The administration also launched a new resource hub, which features information on how families facing hunger can seek help, options for people and businesses to offer help and a digital map showing how many people need SNAP benefits in Massachusetts. At the local level, the City of Worcester announced Thursday the creation of a fund whose money will supplement SNAP benefits. More than $1 million has been provided for the newly established fund, which will be overseen by the social services organization, the United Way of Central Massachusetts, City Manager Eric D. Batista told an audience at City Hall Thursday afternoon. United Way will work with other organizations, such as the Worcester Community Action Center, to help determine people who need SNAP assistance and use the funds to help supplement the money they previously received from the federal government, United Way CEO Tim Garvin explained to MassLive. We are going to give some funds to food pantries because not everybody whos hungry has SNAP, Garvin said. Additionally, $150,000 will be set aside for Worcester Public School families while $100,000 will be allocated to the Worcester Community Action Center for heating assistance, Batista said. As a municipality, we will continue to come to the table and do everything we can to keep our most vulnerable residents fed and warm this winter, said Batista. Photo: https://t.me/pgo_gov_ua/ The Prosecutor General's Office (PGO) has issued a notice of suspicion to the commander of a Russian army platoon involved in the murder of 17 civilians in Bucha during the occupation of Kyiv region in 2022. On Friday, the agency reported on its Telegram channel that this Russian soldier is one of six suspects who committed atrocities in Bucha. "On March 7, 2022, during the occupation of Kyiv region, servicemen of the 234th Airborne Assault Regiment of the 76th Division of the Airborne Troops of the Russian Armed Forces, under the command of a lieutenant, established control over Lisna Bucha area," the message reads. According to the prosecutor's office, while conducting so-called filtration, they carried out searches, torture, and murder of pro-Ukrainian civilians who, in their opinion, could assist the Ukrainian Defense Forces. "During March 2022, this officer's subordinates killed at least 17 civilians. To cover up the crimes, they burned the bodies of some of the dead," the Prosecutor General's Office noted. According to the report, the platoon commander, instead of observing the laws and customs of war, violated them himself, calling on his subordinates to commit atrocities, convincing them of impunity. "He organized a reporting system that allowed him to be aware of all their actions in the occupied territory and to have real opportunities to prevent or punish crimes. His actions and orders created a system in which violence against civilians became the norm for the entire unit," the Ukrainian prosecutor's office noted. In addition, it was established that the commander himself took direct part in the cruel treatment of three civilians and threatened to kill them. Under the procedural guidance of prosecutors from the Prosecutor General's Office, a large-scale investigative process was conducted. "More than 330 victims and witnesses were questioned, 59 investigative experiments were conducted, 86 photo identifications were made, 89 crime scene inspections were conducted, and three body exhumations were performed. The evidence obtained allowed us to reconstruct in detail the circumstances of the murders of 17 civilians," the Prosecutor General's Office noted. As a result of the work carried out, investigators and prosecutors collected comprehensive evidence of the crimes. The perpetrators were identified, and a comprehensive legal assessment of the platoon commander's actions was provided. The department clarified that the platoon commander was held accountable for three types of war crimes: issuing a criminal order, directly committing a crime jointly with other military personnel, and command responsibility (responsibility for crimes committed by subordinates). The Newton Star Market location that hangs over the Massachusetts Turnpike was given the go-ahead to reopen Friday morning, days after asbestos was found in the store. The Newton Health and Human Services Department cleared the grocery store to reopen as of 10 a.m. Friday, following an inspection from the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, or DEP. The health department first closed the store on Tuesday after the DEP notification. The agency reported that demolition work in a stockroom, which is not accessible to the public, may have caused the release of asbestos, according to Newton Health and Human Services Commissioner Shin-Yi Lao. But on Friday, the state department determined the stockroom where the asbestos-containing material was exposed had been completely sealed and contained. Air samples taken from other locations in the store were well below clearance levels for asbestos, and surface samples were non-detect for asbestos, according to the statement. The DEP will continue to work with the grocery store chain to undertake the appropriate abatement measures. That work will happen in a contained area so there is no risk to the public. We want to extend a thank you to our partners at the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection and to acknowledge the quick action and thorough response of Star Market, Lao said. The U.S. Department of State has issued an updated travel warning to the African country of Niger due to terrorism, health and crime concerns. Nigers travel advisory has been updated to a Level 4: Do Not Travel warning, the highest level given out by the Department of State. Terrorists continue to plot attacks and use kidnapping for ransom as a business model, the advisory reads. They target vulnerable groups and U.S. interests. Recent attacks have occurred in the following areas: Niamey, the Malian border area, the Diffa region, Northern Agadez and the southern border corridor along the Niger-Benin oil pipeline, according to the Department of State. Other than terrorism, the Department of State also cites a lack of medical services, violent crime and political and economic unrest as reasons to avoid the country. Improbably, another Election Day is nearly upon us. And starting around 7 a.m. on Tuesday, voters from Boston to the Berkshires will head to the polls to cast their ballots in races ranging from mayor and city council to school committee and select board. And before someone jumps up and points out that theres nothing remotely improbable about Election Day, that its on the calendar and mandated by law, a quick word before you try to bludgeon me with your yellowed and dog-eared copy of Roberts Rules of Order. I only say improbably because it feels like we were just voting in the September preliminary elections. And before that, it felt like we had just finished the interminable slog that was the 2024 general election. But we live in the era of the permanent campaign. So here we are again. And while they dont get the headlines like the races for the White House, the U.S. Capitol, or the State House, these municipal races are arguably more consequential because they are the level of government that is closest to the people. After all, these folks are your neighbors. And youre more likely to run into the mayor or a select board member at the Star Market than you are, say, the governor or U.S. senator. So if you havent already, head to your local middle school, church hall, or VFW to cast your vote in person. (You can find your polling location here.) It remains one of the great privileges and responsibilities of the republic. With that admittedly wordy preamble out of the way, heres a quick look at five races around the state that are worth your attention this Election Day. Boston Mayoral and City Council Unless something extraordinary happens, incumbent Democratic Mayor Michelle Wu, who is running without opposition, is set to win reelection to a second, four-year term on Tuesday night. Wu beat her main challenger, philanthropist Josh Kraft, the son of New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, by 49% in the September preliminary election. Days later, Kraft suspended his campaign. And the third- and fourth-place finishers didnt earn enough votes to advance to the general election. Path. Cleared. That means the general election campaign, such as it is, has been as much about what Wu has done as mayor and theres plenty of fodder, from housing policy and affordability to crime and the public health disaster that is Mass and Cass as it is about what shell do in her next term. Challenges abound there, as well. Wu will spend at least two more years contending with the Republican Trump administration, with its hardline immigration policies and demonstrated hostility to large cities run by Democrats. When you dont have a race, people get cheated. Not cheated because they dont have the opportunity to vote, but cheated because the arguments dont get made, veteran political consultant Michael Goldman told MassLive. How am I going to make an informed decision if the two sides that dont agree dont get a chance to bang at each other and say, This is the truth? That means most of the drama will be in the races for Boston City Council, where at-large seats have the greatest potential to upset the balance of power in city politics. Thats particularly the case in the race for councilors-at-large, in which eight candidates are vying for four seats. An upset could result in more Wu-critical voices in office and potential obstacles for her second term. Ill be looking to see whether [council hopeful] Frank Baker becomes another part of the coalition that agrees they need to keep Wus feet to the fire, or whether ... she gets an easier next four years, Goldman said. Somerville Its a whole new ballgame in Somerville after city voters rejected incumbent Mayor Katjana Ballantyne in the September preliminary election. Its now a race between two members of the City Council, Jake Wilson and Willie Burnley Jr. The next mayor will take over a city at odds with the federal government. Partnering with nearby Chelsea, Somerville sued the Trump administration in February, seeking to protect funding that the government had threatened to cut over the two cities local laws limiting cooperation with federal immigration enforcement. Voters will also get a chance to weigh in on a ballot question calling on the city government to stop doing business with any companies with ties to Israel over the countrys occupation of Palestine, MassLive previously reported. The residents of Somerville deserve the opportunity to debate and decide on this measure for themselves, Amina Awad, a Palestinian-American city resident, said in a statement. In a democracy, we are owed the right to speak freely about our beliefs without retaliation, or the threat of violence, or intimidation. Fall River With the tragic fire at the Gabriel House assisted living center and the grievous wounding of former mayor Will Flanagan in a stabbing incident, its been a consequential year for the South Coast City. Incumbent Mayor Paul Coogan and Gabriel Boomer Amaral, the top vote-getters in the September preliminary election, will face each other on Tuesday. Coogan, who is seeking a third term, took office in 2019 after the embattled tenure of Jasiel Correia, the youngest mayor in the citys history, who is now serving a six-year federal prison sentence for wire fraud and extortion. Amaral is a 19-year military veteran and father of six who has previously run for Fall River City Council. Voters also will be asked to choose candidates for the City Council and School Committee. Neither elected body appeared on the preliminary election ballot because there werent enough candidates. Worcester Voters in the central Massachusetts city have no shortage of choices on Election Day as they cast their ballots for City Council, mayor and School Committee. The election will decide the fate of policies brought before the City Council, such as a soon-to-be-released report from City Manager Eric D. Batista about the creation of a police civilian oversight committee. Voters will also decide if they approve of the city forcing the colleges that call Worcester home to invest some of their endowments. Incumbent Mayor Joseph Petty, whos running for an eighth term, faces challenges from City Council Vice Chairperson Khrystian King and real estate agent Owura-Kwaku Sarkodieh. Questions about taxes, affordability and the citys unhoused population have dominated the campaign for the top spot. Theres a crowded field of candidates for both the City Council at-large seats and there are races for the school committee that are also worth monitoring. Northampton Zooming over to the Pioneer Valley, Northampton Mayor Gina-Louise Sciarra emerged heavily favored to win reelection after the September preliminary election. Sciarra nearly doubled her vote tally on her nearest competitor, Jillian Duclos. The two will face each other on Tuesday. Four candidates, meanwhile, will vie for two at-large seats on the City Council. They are: Deborah Henson, Garrick Perry, Margaret Robbins and Benjamin Spencer. Northampton voters will be casting ballots after a record number of candidates stepped forward. Theyll also be casting their mayoral ballots amid controversies surrounding school funding and a redevelopment plan for the small citys downtown. MassLive Reporters Adam Bass, Hadley Barndollar, Will Katcher and Trea Lavery, joined by State Editor Dave Eisenstadter, contributed to this analysis. Vice President JD Vance arrives for a Senate Republican Conference luncheon at the U.S. Capitol Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Mariam Zuhaib) AP With the federal government shutdown set to cross the one-month mark on Saturday, and with no visible end in sight, millions of Americans have felt the pinch of the end of key services. Based on reporting from the BBC, here are five big ways that Americans have been impacted by the funding standoff on Capitol Hill. Signage showing that the USDA Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is accepted is displayed at Wild Onion Market, Monday, Oct. 27, 2025, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Erin Hooley) AP Food aid As soon as Saturday, 42 million Americans, including 1.1 million people in Massachusetts, could lose benefits under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP. The program, formerly known as food stamps, helps people buy healthy and nutritious food. With that funding on the line, state officials nationwide have been scrambling to find a workaround. On Thursday, Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey announced the state would advance food banks an additional $4 million in monthly state money they were already set to receive to keep benefits flowing. Also on Thursday, a federal judge in Boston appeared to signal that she would side with more than two dozen state officials, including state Attorney General Andrea J. Campbell, who are seeking to force the federal government to fund the program. A ruling is expected as soon as Friday. National Guard soldiers from Southern Oregon participate in weapons qualifications practice and testing at the Umatilla Army Depot in Hermiston, Oregon, November 5, 2016. National Guard soldiers from Southern Oregon participate in weapons qualifications practice and testing at the Umatilla Army Depot in Hermiston, Oregon, November 5, 2016 Beth Nakamura/Staff Beth Nakamura/Staff LC- LC- Military pay For the second time in a month, the Trump administration managed to find the money to pay active-duty service members. But there is no guarantee that it will happen again. Military members are considered essential employees. But such employees typically arent paid during shutdowns, NBC News reported. The Republican White House drew around $2.5 billion from a military housing fund, with another $1.4 billion each respectively drawn from the Pentagons research and development fund and its procurement account, the network reported. That would bring the total to about $5.3 billion, which is still less than the $6.5 billion that was drawn upon to pay for troops paychecks earlier this month. Its unclear why theres a difference in the amounts, and the White House didnt respond to a request for comment on that particular point, according to the BBC. The administration made its payroll earlier this month by moving $6.5 billion from a military research fund, the BBC reported. Meanwhile, more than 160 families have told the National Military Association, an advocacy group, that they had been underpaid during the shutdown, the BBC further reported. The iconic National Grid storage tank in Boston's Dorchester neighborhood. John L. Micek/MassLive Winter heating With the temperatures starting to dip nationwide, it wont be long before millions of Americans, including Massachusetts residents, turn up the thermostats to heat their homes. Many of those Americans depend on a program known as the Low Income Heating Assistance Program, or LIHEAP, to cover the cost of ever-pricier home heating bills. And right now, theres no new money for the program. This is unprecedented, Mark Wolfe, an energy economist and executive director of the National Energy Assistance Directors Association, a group that represents state agencies that administer LIHEAP, told WBUR-FM. I cant look back at all the years I worked in government and say, Well, last time this happened, this is how it worked out. There was no last time like this. Many states bar natural gas and electric companies from cutting off service to people who do not pay their bills, but those rules do not apply to propane or heating oil, the BBC reported. Experts told the BBC that thousands of people could face deadly conditions unless the government reopens or the government finds another resolution, such as a nationwide moratorium on cutting off heat in the shutdown. In Massachusetts, U.S. Rep. Ayanna Pressley, D-7th District, is working with the states two largest utilities, EverSource and National Grid to make sure the lights and heat stay on for federal employees in the Bay State who are missing their paychecks. Federal workers are missing paychecks. And costs are adding up. AP Federal civilian workers Tens of thousands of civilians who work for the federal government missed a payday on Friday. That means no money for rent or the mortgage, groceries, or other basic needs, according to the BBC. And starting this week, congressional aides on Capitol Hill also are set to miss paychecks. And those workers, who are caught up in the funding standoff through no fault of their own, are feeling the pain. With grocery prices rising across the country, food bank officials told the BBC theyve seen an increase in federal employees accessing their services. If the funding standoff continues until Dec. 1, some 4.5 million paychecks will be withheld from federal workers, making for $21 billion in missing wages, the BBC reported, citing data by the Bipartisan Policy Center. A FedEx cargo plane comes in for a landing at Boston Logan International Airport as seen from a boat on Boston Harbor. Chris McLaughlin Air traffic controllers Thousands of air traffic controllers, who are charged with ensuring that planes safely take off and land at airports across the country, including Boston Logan, missed their first paychecks this week. The controllers are considered essential employees and must stay on the job and work without pay. Since the shutdown began on Oct. 1, many have called in sick and others have sought second jobs, the BBC reported. As a result, thousands of U.S. travelers have faced delayed flights. The problems are mounting daily, Nick Daniels, president of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, said at a press conference this week, according to the BBC. U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy has blamed the delays on absent air traffic controllers. Hes warned they could lose their jobs if they dont show up for work, the BBC reported. If you purchase a product through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. Theres something about a Kate Spade bag that just makes you feel like you have your life together even if your lunch was three cups of coffee and a granola bar. Right now, that feeling is a lot more affordable. The Kate Spade Outlet is running a huge sale on shoulder bags, and prices are low enough to make even your wallet smile. Kayla Suede Studs Large Shoulder Bag $469 $179 On sale now at Kate Spade Outlet for 62% off. Buy Now at Kate Spade Outlet From polished leather styles to soft, slouchy silhouettes, the sale lineup covers every kind of look. Theres the timeless Kalya Small Convertible Shoulder Bag, loved for its structured shape and subtle detail, and the 454 Suede Small Shoulder Bag, one of Kate Spades newest styles. The discounts are seriously worth talking about many shoulder bags are up to 70% off, meaning you can score an everyday designer piece for less than $120. And because this is Kate Spade, were talking premium materials, signature gold hardware, and colors that transition effortlessly from fall to winter. Whether youre looking to elevate your office wardrobe, gift a little luxury, or finally retire that overstuffed tote, this sale is your sign. Kate Spades outlet sales tend to move fast once the most popular colors disappear, they rarely come back in stock at these prices. Kate Spade shoulder bags on sale More at Kate Spade Outlet. Sign up for MassLives Shopping Newsletter: A recap of the biggest online deals and sales from the week, curated by MassLives expert e-commerce writer, Jessica Day. Two Western Massachusetts men Eric White, left, and Jahim Solomon were reported missing in 2023 and soon were found slain in northern Vermont. (Vermont State police photos) Vermont State police photos BURLINGTON, Vt. U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi has given federal prosecutors in Vermont the green light to seek the death penalty for a Burlington man who authorities say fatally shot two Western Massachusetts drug dealers in the Northeast Kingdom two years ago. Theodore Theo Bland, 30, formerly of Stowe, sat expressionless as Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Turner disclosed Bondis ruling during a brief hearing in federal court in Burlington on Thursday afternoon. Bland, who was dressed in a bright orange prison sweatshirt, appeared by video from Cheshire County Jail in Keene, N.H. One of his defense lawyers, Bruce D. Koffsky, of Fairfield, Connecticut, said a decision was made not to have Bland transported from the jail, which is far from Burlington. Theodore Bland Provided photo Turner explained that a federal grand jury will be asked to issue a new indictment that will cover the requirements that would allow for the death penalty, if Bland is convicted. He said that indictment should come by mid-November, and the prosecution will provide formal written notice to the court for the death penalty. Bland has pleaded not guilty to multiple charges, including gunning down the two men at a home in Lowell on Oct. 12, 2023. The bodies of Jahim Debo Solomon, 21, of Pittsfield, Massachusetts, and Eric E White, 21, of Chicopee, Massachusetts, were found about two weeks later in the town of Eden in nearby Lamoille County about a mile apart. Senior Federal Judge William K. Sessions III said during the hearing that if a new indictment is obtained, the court would schedule an arraignment. Sessions also set Feb. 23 for the next status conference in the Bland case. Turner was flanked by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jon Ophardt, chief of the criminal division in the office. Acting U.S. Attorney Michael P. Drescher sat in the first row behind his prosecutors as the disclosure was made. After the hearing, Koffsky declined to elaborate on his in-court comments. Drescher also declined comment. After the court hearing, the defense team, which includes longtime St. Johnsbury lawyer David Sleigh, met behind closed doors in a first-floor conference room to discuss the latest developments. Koffsky said in court the defense might have to reformat its team, now that the death penalty is on the table for sure. Koffsky was added to the case on March 17 as learned counsel for the defense because of his expertise in death penalty work. He has defended at least 10 high-profile homicide cases since 2019 and has attended various relevant continuing legal education training, including Federal Death Penalty Strategy Sessions for the past four years, court records note. Francis OReilly, another lawyer from Fairfield, Connecticut, was added in May. The death penalty decision marks the second time in 2.5 months that Bondi and the Justice Department have approved use of capital punishment for a high-profile homicide case in Vermont. In the other case, Teresa C. Youngblut, 21, of Seattle, Washington, is charged with fatally shooting an on-duty U.S. Border Patrol Agent about 3:15 p.m. Jan. 20 in the Northeast Kingdom. Youngblut is a member of a radical cult group, officials said. Bland comes from a well-known Stowe family, which includes his father, Richard Bland, a lawyer and a former member of the town School Board. The double homicide is part of a complex interstate drug trafficking ring. At least eight people have been charged in U.S. District Court as part of the case investigated by the Vermont Drug Task Force, state and Morristown police, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Other involved people have been charged in state court. Bland was first reported in December 2023 as the main person of interest in the double homicide. Republican President Donald J. Trump, who was inaugurated to a second term on Jan. 20, had told Bondi that he wanted more use of the death penalty in serious drug cases. Former President Joe Biden, a Democrat, had called for a halt in capital cases. Bland was initially charged before Trump took office, but a new indictment added two possible death penalty counts. Bland has pleaded not guilty to two felony charges of carrying and discharging a firearm while drug trafficking on Oct. 12, 2023. The two counts involve the deaths of Solomon and White. The double shooting on Oct. 12, 2023, happened at a mobile home at 497 Eden Road in Lowell, although some witnesses claimed the trailer was in the town of Albany, officials said. It was the residence of Donald D.J. Billow, police said. Investigators reported Billow noted it was his grandmothers residence. Billow also knew two plugs street talk for drug dealers or suppliers were staying at the trailer, police said. They were believed to be White and Solomon, who were initially staying at an Airbnb in Stowe. On the day of the shooting Billow said he only got into the kitchen when he saw Bland going crazy and running around with a firearm. Billow advised he observed Theo shooting the gun down the hallway at the door to the bedroom, court records note. LaMar Cook, former deputy director for the governors regional office in Springfield, is arraigned at Hampden County District Court on Wednesday on charges of cocaine trafficking after 8 kilos of the drug were delivered to him at the state building on Dwight Street on Saturday. He was held without the right to bail on Friday. (Douglas Hook / The Republican, File) Douglas Hook SPRINGFIELD LaMar Cook, fired from his state job after his arrest on drug and gun charges this week, was held without the right to bail after a hearing in Springfield District Court this morning. Cook is accused of received shipped packages of cocaine from out of state on at least two occasions. The last alleged shipment came to the little State House on Dwight Street, where Gov. Maura Healeys regional office is located. A state police trooper posing as a delivery worker made the delivery on Saturday, law enforcement officials have said. Previous deliveries were allegedly shipped to Cooks former place of employment, the Hotel UMass in Amherst. Cook was arrested Tuesday during a late evening traffic stop; he was in possession of an unregistered gun. During a hearing before Judge Kevin Maltby, Assistant Hampden District Attorney Kerry Beattie argued there were no conditions to keep the community safe from Cook. Instead of uplifting the community, he decimated the community with this poison from him and his co-conspirators, Beattie said. She estimated that the street value of the 8 kilogram package delivered to Springfield site at about $350,000. Defense attorney Kedar Ismail said he intends to appeal Maltbys decision to Superior Court. After the hearing, Ismail said his client never took physical possession of the packages but declined to comment further. In court, he pointed to the show of support in the community and the large group of supporters who came to the hearing. Look at this outpouring of love from the community for this gentleman, Ismail said, adding that he was dismayed over some racially charged comments on social media, including images of nooses and references to a DEI hire. SPRINGFIELD State police caught former governors aide LaMar Cook on surveillance allegedly traveling back and forth to the hotel at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, his former employer, to retrieve packages investigators determined to contain cocaine. According to court records, an investigation into the packages originated in Kentucky, when postal workers and police there examined suspicious packages bound for Massachusetts. Once the packages were seized, they were sent to the hotel on the Amherst campus addressed to a nonexistent guest named Morgan Gordon, troopers said in court paperwork filed this week. The brand of the cocaine was marked Gold," narratives by Massachusetts State Police troopers say. Due to my training and experience I know that drug cartels will commonly imprint or mark their kilograms of cocaine in order to link it to their particular brand, Trooper Joshua E. Kopeski wrote in an affidavit for search warrants for Cooks two cell phones. Officials in Kentucky contacted their counterparts in Massachusetts, the paperwork shows, and the police work that resulted in his arrest this week jumped into action. Cook, the deputy director of Gov. Maura Healeys Springfield office, was arrested Tuesday night during a traffic stop, a spokesperson for Hampden District Attorney Anthony D. Gulluni said. He has been denied bail after a dangerousness hearing Friday morning. He was fired by Healey after his arrest. He had served in her regional office since 2023. His attorney, Kedar K. Ismail, said he plans to appeal and maintains Cooks innocence. Cook pleaded not guilty in court during his arraignment Wednesday. In addition to the alleged deliveries to UMass, Cook went to his office at 436 Dwight St. in Springfield on Saturday and alerted security staff he was expecting a package and to call him when it arrived. Police confirmed he made the call at 1:01 p.m. that day and the package arrived shortly after. But instead of a UPS driver, Cook encountered an undercover state trooper dressed as a delivery person. That trooper and another trooper confronted Cook when he arrived, presumably to fetch the package, but police avoided actually handing it over, concerned that it may get compromised or lost. According to the affidavit, Cook, 45, initially tried to deny he made the call to security staff, even though two guards confirmed it and one even wrote a note to that effect. Lamar Cook. Gov. office call if UPS comes (to) retrieve package. 1 p.m.," the note reads. Cook told troopers he did not remember placing that call, even though it took place less than an hour before he was questioned by police. He also began backpedaling on the status of the package, saying he was picking it up for someone else and didnt know what was inside it, the paperwork says. The haul from both the UMass and little State House deliveries in Springfield totaled 31 kilos, authorities have said. When troopers asked for consent to search his cell phones, Cook replied absolutely not, the court records say. But they had seized the phones anyway and later got a warrant to search them. It is unclear whether that has happened. Court records show troopers also interviewed Cooks former boss, Kristen Elechko, director of the governors Western Massachusetts office. She described Cook as rushed and agitated near the end of the workday Oct. 24, hustling back and forth to the printer, which she found odd. Elechko further described his behavior as indescribably different adding that they rarely used the printer and that something just seemed off, she told the trooper during an interview Oct. 27. The report from the interview also said: It should be noted the subject parcel was scheduled for delivery of Oct. 24, 2025; however due to its seizure by law enforcement it was delayed. Investigators also obtained a search warrant for Cooks home on Lamont Street in the Pine Point neighborhood of Springfield. There, they found a gun on Cooks side of the bed under clothes; he is not licensed to possess a firearm. His fiancee speculated that it may belong to Cooks son, who moved out, but investigators werent buying it and Cook was charged with unlawful possession of a firearm, in addition to driving without a Massachusetts license. Investigators also conducted a trash pull at Cooks home and found large amounts of discarded food in his bin, leading them to believe he may have been preparing to leave town. During Fridays bail hearing, Ismail argued that his client has too many ties to the community to go anywhere. Assistant Hampden District Attorney Kerry Beattie argued that Cook be held without the right to bail. She told the judge that Cook frequently travels internationally most recently to Mexico and he only has a Georgia drivers license. We think there is a flight risk factor here, Beattie told Judge Kevin V. Maltby. Cooks next scheduled court date is Dec. 1. Michele Pepe is running for School Committee at-large against incumbents Latonia Naylor and Denise Hurst. Ahead of Tuesday, Nov. 4, The Republican reached out to all candidates for the opposed City Council and School Committee seats to answer a short questionnaire. The Republican is publishing the candidates answers to the questions online and in print. Find more candidates and responses at masslive.com/topic/election. Name: Michele Pepe Age: 63 Address: 35 Feltham Road Profession: Owner of A Brighter Future Childcare and Michele Pepe Childcare/Childcare Professional services children 3 months old to 13 years old. Working with IEP and Early Intervention. Position Running for: School Committee at-large I am a childcare professional and entrepreneur with more than 45 years of experience in early childhood education. As the owner and director of A Brighter Future Childcare, a licensed family childcare program, I have devoted my career to creating safe, nurturing, and enriching environments for infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and school-aged children. I work closely with families and community partners to ensure that every child has the support and resources they need to succeed. Being bilingual in English and Spanish allows me to build meaningful connections with diverse families. In December, I will proudly earn my masters degree in education, continuing my lifelong mission to build brighter futures for all children. I am running for School Committee to make a meaningful difference to help students and teachers achieve their goals and ensure that every child in Springfield receives the best education possible. What letter grade would you give the school system? Why? With a large district like Springfield, it is difficult to assign the school system a single letter grade. Each school is unique, with its own strengths, challenges, and levels of performance. Many principals and teachers are working tirelessly in understaffed schools, often relying on paraprofessionals who lack the proper qualifications yet are expected to perform the duties of certified teachers for half the pay. For their dedication and persistence, I would give Springfields teachers and school leaders an A for effort. The district would likely face fewer staffing shortages if educators were provided with better pay and stronger benefits. What is the biggest challenge the schools face? Accountability is one of the biggest challenges within our school system. Principals, teachers, School Committee members, central office and even parents need to be held accountable. Policies such as those regarding uniforms, attendance, and cell phone use must be consistently enforced. School Committee members should actively visit schools to ensure the policies they have established are being followed. When accountability is lacking, chaos takes hold leading to a breakdown in learning, increased behavioral issues, and a disruptive environment. The school budget is roughly two-thirds of the city budget and there are concerns about federal and state assistance dropping. How should the School Committee address any loss of funding? When addressing funding losses, we need to ask: what are we funding and why? For example, custodial operations in 2026 are funded at $3,958,33, which is more than double the payroll amount, yet many schools are still not being properly cleaned. When funding declines, we must treat it as a chance to scrutinize what were funding and why. Every dollar should be transparent: principals budgets, custodial contracts, fringe benefit breakdowns must be visible and accountable. We should prioritize core student services and defer nonessential line items. The committee should be accountable With the MCAS no longer a condition of graduation what should the diploma requirements be? Graduation should demand more than earned credits, it should require consistent attendance as a foundation. Students must demonstrate daily engagement, not be offered credit recovery, Saturday school and summer school for absenteeism. True accountability comes when presence and participation are at its core. Along with rigorous coursework and meaningful assessments (portfolios, capstones), attendance should remain a non-negotiable standard for earning a diploma. Video News: [Video news] Talk Series #8 : Lassiette de demain : quels sont les enjeux au menu ? 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In a meeting here with U.S. President Donald Trump, Xi said under their joint guidance, China-U.S. relations have remained stable on the whole. Produced by Xinhua Global Service Eight civilians killed, 19 injured in Donetsk region due to shelling by occupying forces over past 24 hours Photo: https://t.me/mvs_ukraine Eight civilians were killed and 19 others were injured as a result of massive enemy shelling in Donetsk region on October 30, the press service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs reported. "Eight dead and 19 wounded are the result of massive shelling in Donetsk region. On October 30, police recorded more than 2,000 enemy strikes. Nine settlements were under fire. Fifty-nine civilian objects were damaged, including 42 residential buildings," the Ministry of Internal Affairs said in a Telegram post on Friday. It was reported that Russian forces struck Kramatorsk with an Iskander-M missile and two Geran-2 UAVs, killing a civilian and wounding four others. Three people were killed and three wounded in Sloviansk. The enemy hit the city with a Smerch MLRS and a drone. In Mykolaivka, occupiers attacked an energy facility, killing two workers and wounding six. The occupiers dropped five guided bombs on Kostiantynivka, killing two civilians and injuring six. A major fundraising campaign across County Mayo has helped fund the construction of a vital Trauma Care Centre in Londiani, Kenya. In 2023, Londiani was the scene of a devastating road accident when a lorry crashed into roadside stalls, killing 52 people and injuring hundreds more. Dr Bridget Hughes, an Orthopaedic Surgeon at Mayo University Hospital, said the tragedy exposed the glaring gaps in trauma care management across the region. Dr Hughes praised the rapid response of the charity Brighter Communities Worldwide, which provided crucial support despite the extremely limited hospital resources. READ MORE: Popular Mayo hotel granted permission for development Brighter Communities Worldwide immediately sprang into action, supporting the emergency response at Londiani Sub-County Hospital, Dr Hughes explained. The strong foundations theyve built in Londiani really came to the fore workers and volunteers on the ground did lifesaving work against all odds, as facilities were, frankly, more than limited. The tragedy highlighted an urgent need to improve trauma care systems. This devastating road tragedy served to concentrate the minds of the people on the ground and showed the urgent need to strengthen training in trauma care management for hospital staff and community volunteers, along with the need for a dedicated space at the hospital to assess and treat patients with dignity." The nearest facility equipped to handle major trauma cases was over 50 kilometres away. The basic trauma care that happens following an accident is absolutely crucial, I cant overstate this. We call this the Golden Hour. We use this term in trauma care to highlight how an injured patient has 60 minutes from time of injury to receive skilled care after which the risk of death or permanent disability increases significantly. Every second counts, Dr Hughes emphasised. In response, Dr Hughes partnered with Brighter Communities Worldwide to plan and build a new Trauma Care Centre with crucial financial support from the people of Mayo. The people of Mayo responded to our call for help, she said. They climbed Croagh Patrick, took part in sea swims and Westport Sea 2 Summit adventure race, and held bake sales. My colleagues in MUH who organised these events raised a whopping 17,000 in no time at all Thanks to that collective effort, the new Trauma Care Centre in Londiani will be officially open on Thursday, November 6. The ribbon will be cut by Caitriona Ingoldsby, the Irish Ambassador to Kenya, with Dr Hughes travelling to Londiani for the ceremony. The Minister of State at the Department of Transport with responsibility for rail, Sean Canney TD, has said that the next phase of the Western Rail Corridor (WRC) from Athenry to Claremorris is now a project in motion and that all necessary steps are being taken to progress it as quickly as possible. Addressing a meeting of the Western Inter-County Railway Committee in Galway the Minister said: This is a priority project and we are working as hard as we can to deliver it as soon as possible. The All-Island Strategic Rail Review has set out a roadmap for the development of rail across the whole island with 32 strategic recommendations including the redevelopment of the Athenry-Claremorris line. The redevelopment of the Limerick-Foynes line, a major development for the entire west of Ireland, is scheduled for completion in 2026 and has greatly enhanced the business case for the WRC. The Department of Transport is currently engaging with the European Investment Bank and the business case for Athenry-Claremorris is being put in place. And as the Chief Executive of Iarnrod Eireann told the Joint Oireachtas Committee on Transport last week that the business case is looking very positive. Im pushing for this to be implemented as quickly as possible. We do not require planning permission because the line was protected for future rail use. Preliminary planning and studies have already begun so it is now a question of when and not if the project is delivered. We have a lot of money in the revised National Development Plan which will be published next month. So we are in a great place with implementation plans being prepared and no one is talking negatively about the WRC any more. I also welcome the recent redevelopment plan and investment of over 6m for the former railway station building in Tuam, an excellent example of innovative thinking and I look forward to further significant development there in the near future.The future continuation of the line northwards to Sligo is also a consideration and as the Chief Executive of Iarnrod Eireann told the Joint Oireachtas Committee last week that section of the corridor from Claremorris to Collooney is being protected for rail use only. I want to thank all of the members of the Western Inter-County Railway Committee and West on Track for their tireless commitment to the development of the WRC and I am very much looking forward to the next four years and to delivering this project with your help and support, he concluded. READ MORE: You couldnt pick a worse time - Fastway fallout hits Mayo Cllr Michael Connolly, chair of the Inter-County Railway Committee, welcomed the Ministers confirmation that the Athenry-Claremorris rail link is going ahead: We cannot underestimate the importance of this development for our region. It is a vindication of all the hard work that has been put into the campaign by our local representatives and voluntary community groups over many years. The redevelopment of the WRC as both a passenger and freight railway was recommended in the All-Island Strategic Rail Review published in 2023 and we understand that it will be a priority project in the forthcoming National Development Plan. I commend Minister Canney for his steadfast commitment to balanced regional development and assure him of our continued support in his endeavours. I am also thinking today of our many deceased colleagues who would have been so proud to see this development, particularly our friend and colleague An tAth. Micheal Mac Greil and the late Dr. John Bradley who made such an important contribution to our campaign in recent years. Colman O Raghallaigh of West on Track said: The confirmation by the Minister that the Athenry-Claremorris rail link is going ahead is enormously significant for the entire western region and for the rail network at large. This project is about so much more than the 55km of track between Claremorris and Athenry. In fact, this vital link will enable the creation of a 250km passenger network from every major town in Mayo through Tuam and on to Galway and Limerick. In terms of freight it will connect many of our critical manufacturing companies in the west directly to the deep water ports of Foynes and Waterford, a network of some 450km. Welcoming the committee members to Galway, the Cathaoirleach of Galway County Council, Cllr David Collins, said that the Western Rail Corridor project was essential for development across the western counties. By connecting communities and creating opportunities, young people will be encouraged to stay and work in their own region. The Western Rail Corridor is a symbol of what can be achieved when counties unite to work together, he said. Mike Devane of the Atlantic Economic Corridor Chambers Group told the meeting that a redeveloped rail corridor all the way to Sligo would unlock the hidden potential of our region. It would create critical points of connectivity with other infrastructure, would provide the infrastructure to enable the development of offshore and other resources and create a new north-south dynamic rather than the Dublin-centric model which has predominated for so long. This new connectivity would create a basis for people to create added value in our towns and communities. Kevin Kelly, Chief Executive of Mayo County Council, said that the development of the Western Rail Corridor was a critically important project for the whole region and that it was also important that it would continue northwards to Sligo with a link to Ireland West Airport which was expected to carry almost a million passengers this year. Mr Liam Boyce, Head Architect of Iarnrod Eireann, gave a presentation on the redevelopment of Ceannt Station in Eyre Square where refurbishment works are proceeding at pace. When completed in quarter three of next year the greatly expanded capacity of the station will be able to facilitate additional services from Dublin and from north and south of Galway. The meeting concluded with an official visit, hosted by Iarnrod Eireann, to Ceannt Station in Eyre Square. READ MORE: Structural concerns force closure of Mayo piers outer section Merz: G7 and Germany support Ukraine in matters of air defense and restoration of damaged energy infrastructure Photo: https://www.facebook.com/MerzCDU German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said the G7 and his country would continue to support Ukraine in matters of air defense and the restoration of its damaged energy infrastructure. "Russia continues to attack Ukraine's civilian energy infrastructure. More casualties occured. G7 energy ministers, including Germany, are sending an important signal: we support Ukraine in matters of air defense and the restoration of damaged power plants and infrastructure," he wrote on the social media site X on Friday. Bhool Bhulaiyaa actor Shiney Ahuja, who was convicted of ra*ing his maid in 2011, has been living in anonymity and recently, a social media user spotted him and posted about his current whereabouts. Where is Shiney Ahuja now and what is he doing currently? According to an X user named Whatever Vishal, Shiney Ahuja is currently living in the Philippines and runs a garment business. T-Series The social media user wrote, Just came to know Shiney Ahuja. Lives in Phillipines, Turned 50 in July and does Garments business. The reactions to Shiney Ahuja resurfacing Users are divided over Shineys resurfacing. One user commented, One of the finest actors - he and sushant lost to politics and manipulations Watched him in Gangster. His silence was killing and that end scene when he cries uff Varuns Siddharths can only dream of pulling something like this in first few movies itself! Another user commented, I liked Shiney. I believe he was a good person but just due to some wrong cases his great career was destroyed. One user reacted, He was a good actor... no doubt. If he is clean, he should come back and make a movie on his own life story. Another user reacted, The way other men are making fun of him is heart breaking without knowing full story . These leeches will know when they will face such charges. One user said, Really very sad! Bollywood is not for simple sofisticated people. He was trapped by so.e bug shot who was scared of his success. Else why such handsome., promising petson from.armyman family will have relations with housemaid? He could have got any girl of his choice. Actress-turned-spiritual guru Mamta Kulkarni recently made a controversial statement, saying that Dawood Ibrahim was not a terrorist. Mamta Kulkarni says Dawood Ibrahim was not a terrorist Speaking to the media at an event in Gorakhpur, she reportedly stated that Dawood Ibrahim was not responsible for the 1993 Mumbai blasts and her comments triggered immediate backlash on social platforms and in the press. Dawood, Indias most-wanted underworld figure, is widely considered the mastermind behind the coordinated explosions that killed 257 people and injured more than a thousand. He fled India decades ago and is believed to be living in Pakistan under protection. BBC With criticism mounting, Mamta Kulkarni quickly issued a clarification. She claimed her remarks were misunderstood and insisted she was referring instead to Vicky Goswamia former Kenya-based drug trafficker who has been associated with her in the past, and not Dawood. She emphasised that she recognises Dawood as a terrorist and has absolutely no links to him. According to her, she has stepped away from films and politics completely, dedicating her life now to spirituality and Sanatan Dharma. It is against my beliefs to have any kind of connection with anti-national people, she reiterated. Known for guarding their personal life closely, the couple has chosen to stay away from public appearances as they prepare for parenthood . Katrina, whose due date is reportedly approaching, has been spending most of her time at home in Mumbai surrounded by family. Katrina Kaif and Vicky Kaushal recently confirmed that they are expecting their first child, sharing the happy news through a heartfelt social media announcement. Instagram/Katrina Kaif However, on Tuesday, a media portal published leaked photos of the pregnant actor sitting on her private balcony. The images, clearly taken without consent, spread rapidly across social media. While Katrina and Vicky have maintained their silence so far, fans were quick to condemn the invasion of privacy. The pictures, which visibly showed Katrinas baby bump, triggered widespread outrage. One user wrote, Wheres the privacy? Its her home why take pictures without permission? Another pointed out, This is a clear breach of privacy. We shouldnt disturb them during such a personal phase. A third person demanded legal action: This is a crime! The photographer should be punished for invading someones privacy. Many social media users also urged the page to take down the photos immediately. Actor Sonakshi Sinha has also stepped forward to condemn the incident, calling out the media portal for its intrusive and unethical behaviour. Shocked by the leaked photos, Sonakshi publicly slammed the publication in the comments section, writing, What is wrong with youll????? Photographing a woman in her own home without consent and publishing it on a public platform???? Youll are nothing less than criminals. Shameful. Next year we plan to increase the use of Ukrainian weapons on the battlefield, said head of the permanent delegation of the Verkhovna Rada to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly Yehor Chernev (the Servant of the People faction). "Today, we are using about 40% of our weapons on the front line in this war ... and about 60% ... weapons from our partners, not only the United States, but also European ... Our plan for next year is to increase the share of Ukrainian weapons on the battlefield to 50%," Chernev said on the air of a national telethon on Friday. Ukraine to prepare list of 339 children abducted by Russia in a week or two Zelenskyy Ukraine will prepare a list of 339 children abducted by Russia in a week or two, as well as information about the people and institutions that abducted them, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said. "Today, we have prepared documents ... Some 339 children with their addresses will be fully prepared in a week or two. It is very important that there are addresses, there are relevant people, there are relevant institutions that took these children," Zelenskyy said at a briefing on Friday. The President stressed that Ukraine will work to ensure that institutions and people involved in the abduction of Ukrainian children are subject to sanctions. A global conference featuring some of the worlds foremost minds in the technology and defense sectors will meet again this coming week in New York City. The MISSION 2044 summit taking place Nov. 6 in Manhattan will galvanize stakeholders from the United States and Europe, including venture capitalists and investors along with senior representatives from national governments and militaries, to discuss the ongoing evolution occurring within the defense innovation industry. The goal, according to event organizers, is to bridge industrial expertise, frontier technologies and capital in a pragmatic fashion. The conference series, which held an event in New York City last year aside from other stops in in Los Angeles, Berlin, Sydney and Dusseldorf, is primed to bring together the best of the best from different industries and perspectives to escalate and invigorate conversation about national security. We really think that given the geopolitical scenario, it's important for NATO and NATO allies to talk to each other about defense innovation, MISSION 2044 founder Markus Federle told Military.com. We think there's not enough conversation going on between the different ecosystems and therefore, we think it's important to bring people together. In Berlin, we had quite a few American venture funds and we worked with the American embassy there. And same in New York, we're bringing out some European founders. Were also bringing a Canadian founder and one Australian founder to showcase a little bit of that on a panel. But of course, the U.S. conference is U.S.-centric so it focuses on [that] ecosystem. A panel of speaker discuss the future of defense security earlier this year at the Munich Security Conference. (Markus Federle/MISSION 2044) Federle, founder and managing partner of the private investment firm Tholus Capital that is focused on resilience technology, used to be a lawyer and worked to invest in venture and in private equity. The mood even in recent years was inconceivable to invest more in defense due to it being very capital intensive, he said. And then, of course, we saw this new kind of warfare emerging, especially in Ukraine, Federle said. We're all seeing this day in, day out, right, that we have [this] sort of asymmetric warfare with dronesthat the expensive legacy systems are under pressure. When a $10,000 drone can take out a $10 million tank, then something is wrong and something has to change. So, I think we need to adapt to this rapid change in technology and these cost asymmetries. Mix of Stakeholders Federles vision to elevate the conversation and respond to what he described as a real necessity to foster the broader ecosystem in venture and defense has a two-pronged mission statement, if you will. One reason, per Federle, is that he and supporters believe it's the right thing to do from a mission-driven perspective and capabilities exist including a venture fund that invests in these verticals in the U.S. and Europe. Attendees look on at the Rearm Europe Summit in June 2025. (Markus Federle/MISSION 2044) But the main benefit that we get is really the network, he said. We have this amazing global network in defense innovation, which I think no one else haseven our competitors don't have [it] because most of the very good competitors, they're doing either U.S. only or they're doing Europe only. Federle said the secret sauce that has helped this blossoming summit thrive is to have a healthy mix of the different stakeholders of the ecosystem. Aside from founders and venture capitalists, that translates to military and government voices who can contribute to the brainstorming. Last year in New York, for example, MISSION had a speaker from the U.S. Navy Disruptive Capabilities Office give a keynote address. In Berlin, they had people from the Bundeswehr (armed forces of the Federal Republic of Germany) and officials from their Space Command program. Platform For Success Alessio Lorusso is CEO and founder of Roboze, a company that works with armed forces, government institutions and various industries to reduce dependency on foreign supply chains, accelerate spare parts availability, and strengthen national technological autonomy. Efforts have included building 3D printers for large industrial manufacturers. Roboze also collaborates with global leaders to industrialize additive manufacturing for mission-critical applications across aerospace, defense and energy. Lorusso told Military.com that events like MISSION 2044 afford the opportunity to align visions, technology and partnerships. It's not simply a networking event, he added, but a platform to connect and determine how to redefine how to build, protect and advance the world, "from ground to orbit. At Roboze, we are building the worlds largest Advanced Additive Manufacturing Factory: a global network of autonomous and connected Smart Factories capable of producing high-performance super polymer and composite parts exactly where and when they are needed," he said. "his approach is transforming the way aircraft, defense systems and next-generation mobility platforms are designed, built and sustained, reducing lead times, minimizing logistics dependencies and increasing strategic resilience." Markus Federle, right, interviews David Goodrich, executive chairman and CEO of Anduril Industries Asia-Pacific, in Sydney, Australia in 2025. (Markus Federle/MISSION 2044) Vital 'Societal Debate' Discussions among stakeholders is when the rubber meets the road. Asked what people in his sphere are presently discussing regarding defense capabilities and large investments in that and related industries, Federle said drones remain an ongoing talking point as well as electronic warfare. Cybersecurity is also a big point of discussion. Even beyond that, he added, is debate and investment in resilience that could include energy security and bolstering grids, health care, telecommunication and stable networks which all could fall under a label of critical infrastructure. What we're seeing in Europe now is that Europe is really under hybrid attack already from Russia, he said. There's sabotage, there's drone incursions, there's fighter jet incursions on a daily basis. The issue runs deep and also entertains subject matter on the dependency on critical inputs, including commodities and rare earths, the latter of which has gained more attention globally due to Russia and China. The people who come out to our conferences, they're not the investors; they may be new to the asset class but everyone else is very much deeply involved in the ecosystem already, Federle said. It's not a bunch of newbies who've never come across this. I think it's important that we have a societal debate about the necessity of defense, less so in the states because I think [the] military has always been a vital and integral part of society in the United States. I think in Europe, it's less the case because Europe obviously has the trauma of the second World War. Ultimately, its up to everyone to prioritize defense and to have an appreciation for the men and women in uniform who protect countries, values and freedoms, he added. We want to contribute to this societal debate because we think it's an important one, he said. For more information on MISSION 2044 visit this link. KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) The U.S. Secretary of Defense said Friday he told his Chinese counterpart during talks in Malaysia that Washington would stoutly defend its interests in the Indo-Pacific. He also signed a new agreement aimed at strengthening security ties with India. Pete Hegseth described as good and constructive his meeting with Chinese Admiral Dong Jun, held on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations defense ministers meeting in Kuala Lumpur. He said he raised U.S. concerns over Chinese activities in the South China Sea, around Taiwan and toward U.S. allies and partners in the region. I highlighted the importance of maintaining a balance of power in the Indo-Pacific, Hegseth wrote on social media platform X. United States does not seek conflict (but) it will continue to stoutly defend its interests and ensure it has the capabilities in the region to do so. China's defense ministry issued a cautious response, emphasizing its longstanding positions. Dong Jun stressed the reunification of China and Taiwan is an unstoppable historical trend and urged the U.S. to be cautious in its words and actions on the Taiwan issue, the statement said. We hope the U.S. will translate its statements of not containing China and not seeking conflict into action, and work with China to inject positive energy into regional and global peace and security, according to the statement. Their meeting follows a Sept. 9 video call between Hegseth and Dong and reflects ongoing efforts to manage tensions in the Indo-Pacific even as strategic differences, particularly over Taiwan and freedom of navigation, remain pronounced. Hegseth also met with India's Defense Minister Rajnath Singh, and they signed a 10-year defense framework aimed at expanding military and technological cooperation. Washington has long sought to develop a deeper partnership with New Delhi, which is seen as a bulwark against China. India is a major defense partner of the U.S and has in recent years embedded advanced American jets, helicopters, missiles and military gear into its armed forces. This advances our defense partnership, a cornerstone for regional stability and deterrence, Hegseth wrote on X. Our defense ties have never been stronger. Singh said the U.S.-India partnership is crucial for ensuring a free, open and rules-based Indo-Pacific region. "It is a signal of our growing strategic convergence and will herald a new decade of partnership, he said on X. The framework agreement comes amid renewed strains in bilateral ties after President Donald Trump imposed a 50% import tariff on Indian goods in August and criticized New Delhi for continued purchase of discounted Russian oil. India is the second biggest buyer of Russian oil after China. Hegseth also held talks with his Malaysian and Philippines counterparts.. He reaffirmed committment to maritime security in the South China Sea and said the U.S. would work relentlessly to reestablish deterrence in the South China Sea. Malaysia has previously protested the encroachment of Chinese vessels into its waters but usually prefers quiet diplomacy. Thats in contrast to the neighboring Philippines, which has had major confrontations with China at sea in recent years. China claims virtually the entire South China Sea, overlapping claims made by countries including Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam and Taiwan. Asked to comment about U.S. President Donald Trump's plans to restart nuclear weapon testing for the first time in three decades, Malaysian Defense Minister Mohamed Khaled Nordin told a news conference later Friday that ASEAN is a nuclear weapon free zone area and "we try to avoid anything that can bring great calamity to humankind. He didn't elaborate. ASEAN secretary-general Kao Kim Hourn separately said some ASEAN members may seek more details from Hegseth about U.S. nuclear testing at a planned ASEAN-U.S. meeting on Saturday. For the security and safety of the world, I think its important ... to bear in mind that the world should never see the use of another nuclear weapon," he said. Trump made the comments Thursday on social media, saying it would be on an equal basis with Russia and China. There was no signs the U.S. would start detonating warheads, but Trump offered few details in what seemed to be a significant shift in U.S. policy. ASEAN defense ministers will continue talks Saturday with dialogue partners including the United States, China, Japan, India, Australia, South Korea and Russia. ______ Rajesh Roy in New Delhi and Ken Moritsugu and Chen Shihuan in Beijing contributed to this report. The Trump Administration has made the decision to attack military installations inside Venezuela and the strikes could come at any moment, sources with knowledge of the situation told the Miami Herald, as the U.S. prepares to initiate the next stage of its campaign against the Soles drug cartel. The planned attacks, also reported by the Wall Street Journal, will seek to destroy military installations used by the drug-trafficking organization the U.S. says is headed by Venezuelan strongman Nicolas Maduro and run by top members of his regime. Sources told the Herald that the targets which could be struck by air in a matter of days or even hours also aim to decapitate the cartels hierarchy. U.S. officials believe the cartel exports around 500 tons of cocaine yearly, split between Europe and the United States. While sources declined to say whether Maduro himself is a target, one of them said his time is running out. Maduro is about to find himself trapped and might soon discover that he cannot flee the country even if he decided to, the source said. Whats worse for him, there is now more than one general willing to capture and hand him over, fully aware that one thing is to talk about death, and another to see it coming. Washington has doubled the reward for information leading to Maduros arrest to $50 millionthe largest such bounty ever offeredand currently offers $25 million rewards for the capture of some of his top lieutenants, including Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello, who is believed to run cartel operations. Another key regime figure facing U.S. drug-trafficking charges is Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez. When announcing the decision in August to double the $25 million reward on Maduro, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi said Maduro leads the Cartel de los Soles Cartel of the Suns a drug-trafficking organization embedded in Venezuelas military, and works with groups including Venezuelas Tren de Aragua gang, Mexicos Sinaloa Cartel and other transnational criminal networks. Bondi called Maduro one of the worlds biggest drug traffickers and a threat to our national security, adding that the bounty increase was aimed at tightening the net around him. The U.S. military has sharply increased its presence off Venezuelas coast as part of an operation the White House says is aimed at disrupting drug trafficking and the criminal networks tied to the Caracas regime. One of President Donald Trumps first moves after returning to the White House in January 2025 was to direct the State Department to designate certain drug cartels as terrorist and transnational criminal organizations including Tren de Aragua, and later, the Cartel of the Suns. In August, the United States began assembling a large-scale deployment in the southern Caribbean Sea near northern Venezuela, creating a Joint Task Force that initially included three destroyersequipped for air, anti-submarine and missile defenseand an amphibious group of roughly 4,500 troops. The mission has included maritime patrols by P-8 reconnaissance aircraft and long-range surveillance flights to map trafficking routes. In September the deployment was reinforced with 10 F-35B fighters based at Ceiba Air Base in Puerto Rico and armed MQ-9 Reaper drones at Rafael Hernandez Airport on the island. U.S. officials say those aircraft can conduct precision strikes against labs, clandestine airstrips, vehicles or vessels linked to drug operations. On Oct. 24, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford and its strike groupincluding the cruiser USS Normandy and the destroyers USS Thomas Hudner, USS Ramage, USS Carney and USS Rooseveltinto the Caribbean. The carrier strike group, with more than 4,000 personnel and roughly 90 combat aircraft, is described by retired Venezuelan officers who spoke to the Herald as the centerpiece of a final phase intended to neutralize leaders of the Cartel of the Suns and Tren de Aragua and strike fixed and mobile targets inside Venezuela. So far, the force has been used mainly in maritime operations. As of this week, U.S. strikes have targeted fast boats the administration says were carrying narcoticsmost intercepted off Venezuelas coast; the attacks have killed 61 suspected traffickers. Administration officials say the task force will shift operations ashore because traffickers are now less willing to risk voyages that can be detected and targeted at sea. The sheer scale of the deployment has led many analysts to conclude that the missions ultimate aim is the removal of the Maduro regime, though U.S. officials have provided few specifics about any planned actions inside Venezuela. Most experts doubt the United States intends a prolonged occupationa stance Trump reiterated during his campaign for a second term. What he favors are targeted operations, like the assassination of Iranian General Qasem Soleimani, or attacks on Irans nuclear installations, Elliott Abrams, who served as U.S. special representative for Venezuela in Trumps first term, told Herald columnist Andres Oppenheimer. I dont think he wants something that could drag on. Still, a full-scale invasion would be far larger and costlier than the current posture. Even the 1989 U.S. invasion of Panamaa smaller, militarily less complex countryrequired about 30,000 troops, Abrams noted. Mark F. Cancian, a retired Marine colonel and senior adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said the forces now in the Caribbean are sufficient for strikes and intimidation but not for an invasion. There isnt enough combat power for an invasion, he said, but there is plenty for air or missile strikes against the cartels or the Maduro regime. 2025 Miami Herald. Visit miamiherald.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. When Soviet-backed North Korean forces invaded South Korea in June 1950, American military planners anticipated the worst. They saw the conflict as the potential start of World War III. While the Korean War escalated, strategists worried an enemy invasion could come through Alaska's frozen wilderness, just a few miles from Soviet territory across the Bering Strait. To combat the potential Soviet invasion were 89 ordinary Alaskans willing to become something extraordinary. From 1951 to 1959, the FBI and Air Force ran Operation Washtub, a covert program that trained bush pilots, trappers, hunters and miners to operate as covert agents if Soviet paratroopers ever landed in Anchorage or Fairbanks. The program remained classified for more than 50 years until documents were declassified in 2014, uncovering one of the Cold War's most unusual operations. Army soldiers train on skis in Big Delta, Alaska, on April 9, 1952, during the height of Operation Washtub. The covert program equipped stay-behind agents with skis, climbing gear, rifles and survival equipment hidden in remote caches across Alaska's frozen wilderness. (Alaska State Library Digital Archives) How the FBI Built a Secret Spy Network in America's Last Frontier FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover partnered with Joseph Carroll, his former protege who led the newly created Air Force Office of Special Investigations, to launch Operation Washtub in early 1951. According to the declassified documents, the plan was to build an intelligence network of civilians who could gather information and report enemy movements if Alaska ever fell to Soviet occupation. The agents needed to blend in. Military intelligence officers or government employees would be obvious targets for Soviet troops trained to eliminate local resistance. Instead, recruiters looked for permanent Alaskan residents with established livelihoods and legitimate reasons to be in remote locations. Bush pilots fit perfectly. They already flew to isolated mining camps and villages, making their movements less suspicious. Meanwhile, their birds-eye view could document and report on Soviet positions. Legendary aviator Bob Reeve, founder of Reeve Aleutian Airways and known as the glacier pilot, was among those background checked by the FBI, though he never publicly confirmed that he was recruited. Bob Reeve pioneered glacier flying and proved the airplane offered the key to the future of Alaska, said Jimmy Doolittle, the famous World War II commander. Reeve had already proven his skills flying military supplies throughout the Aleutian Islands during WWII, earning him the distinction of being one of the only civilian pilots authorized to fly in combat zones. Training took place in Washington, D.C., where Alaskan agents learned espionage basics: coding and decoding messages, covert photography, map reading, close combat, and arctic survival techniques. The FBI trained each agent separately to prevent compromise if one was captured. The training also covered Russian uniforms and equipment so agents could recognize enemy forces. Legendary Alaska bush pilot Bob Reeve, founder of Reeve Aleutian Airways, is thought to be among 89 agents recruited for the top-secret Operation Washtub program. The FBI and Air Force trained civilian Alaskans to spy on Soviet forces if they invaded the territory during the 1950s. (Wikimedia Commons) Military Survival Caches Hidden Across Alaska's Wilderness The program scattered survival caches across Alaska's frozen landscape, hidden in caves, remote cabins, buried underground, or tucked into distant forests. Each cache cost about $2,500 to prepare and stock in 1951, equivalent to roughly $29,000 today, according to the Anchorage Daily News. Inside these hidden stockpiles were tools for both survival and espionage. Agents would find .30-06 semiautomatic rifles with telescopic sights, small-caliber pistols fitted with silencers, 150 feet of climbing rope, commercial skis, snowshoes, radio equipment, explosives to destroy evidence, and $500 in gold or silver coins for bartering. The supplies included everything needed to survive Alaska's brutal winters while gathering intelligence on enemy positions. Agents received $3,000 annually to remain on standby, with the promise of doubled pay if a Soviet invasion became reality. The average age of the recruits was 50 years old. U.S. Air Force personnel in Alaska during the early Cold War era. The Air Force Office of Special Investigations ran Operation Washtub from 1951 to 1959, recruiting bush pilots, trappers and miners as secret agents in case of Soviet invasion. (Wikimedia Commons) Other than Reeve, the documents identified several agents including Dyton Abb Gillard, Guy Raymond, a heavy-set tin miner from Lost River who had tattoos of a dagger and an eagle on his arms, and Ira Weisner from the gold mining town of Rampart. One FBI profile described an ideal candidate as a professional photographer in Anchorage with only one arm, reasoning he wouldn't benefit the enemy in any labor battalion. The document noted he was reasonably intelligent, particularly crafty, and possessed of sufficient physical courage as is indicated by his offer to guide a party which was to have hunted Kodiak bear armed only with bow and arrow. These ordinary Alaskans led relatively normal lives in the last frontier, though their experience flying, hunting, navigating the harsh terrain and their courage was exactly what the government wanted for the mission. However, the program deliberately excluded Alaska Native populations. Declassified FBI documents reveal racist reasoning, claiming the selection of agents from the Eskimo, Indian, and Aleut groups in the Territory should be avoided in view of their propensities to drink to excess and their fundamental indifference to constituted governments and political philosophies. Organizational chart showing the command structure of Operation Washtub's stay-behind agent program. J. Edgar Hoover and the FBI abruptly withdrew from the classified Alaska intelligence operation in September 1951, leaving the Air Force to run it alone until 1959. (Wikimedia Commons) Why Operation Washtub Failed Before It Ever Began Hoover pulled the FBI from Operation Washtub in September 1951, less than a year after it started. In the margins of one memo, he scribbled his concerns about another intelligence failure: If a crisis arose we would be in the midst of another 'Pearl Harbor' and get part of the blame. He ordered his agents to get out at once. The Air Force continued the program alone until 1959, when Alaska gained statehood. By then, the costs of maintaining 89 agents and weatherproofing caches against Alaska's extreme temperatures had become unsustainable. Meanwhile, the end of the Korean War and Stalin's death brought a temporary lull to Cold War. Outside Online noted that an account published in a military history journal in 1988 claimed many of the caches were already looted by hunters and trappers. An Army Corps of Engineers search in 1989 came up empty-handed, though some of the caches may still be hidden somewhere across America's largest state. Deborah Kidwell, official historian of the Air Force Office of Special Investigations, later wrote in the agency's magazine that the survival caches ultimately served a vital peacetime purpose for decades after the operation was called off. Many of the stashes were maintained as emergency supply stations for survivors from aircraft accidents. Bob Reeve's Fairchild 51 aircraft sits on Columbia Glacier after delivering a diesel engine to a remote mine. Reeve's legendary glacier landings and bush flying skills made him an ideal recruit for Operation Washtub, where his flights to isolated locations provided perfect cover for intelligence gathering. (Alaska State Library Digital Archives) Bob Reeve never publicly confirmed his role in Operation Washtub. But when his biographer Beth Day asked if Alaskans feared the Russians crossing the Bering Strait, Reeve gave an answer that hinted at his confidence in the program's agents. Hell no, he said. If we don't knock 'em down like pigeons before they get across the Alaskan Range, we Alaskans, each with a half-dozen guns and ammunition, will just kick their teeth out. The Soviet invasion never came. Operation Washtub ended without a single agent ever activating their hidden cache or sending a coded message about enemy movements. But for eight years, ordinary Alaskans carried that secret, ready to stay behind while others fled if the Cold War ever turned hot in America's frozen north. Photo: https://www.facebook.com/zelenskyy.official On Friday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a meeting with the military and heads of law enforcement and diplomatic agencies, at which he agreed on the main directions of the countrys further sanctions policy. "Today, we agreed on the main directions of our further sanctions work. These are the sanctions of partners to whom we make our proposals, our sanctions, which in many ways are in common with the sanctions of other European countries, as well as our long-range sanctions, which act directly and most quickly. First, a significant number of Russian enterprises involved in the production of missiles and other weapons are still not subject to world sanctions. We will fix this," he said on Telegram. Zelenskyy gave instructions to work more actively with international partners to synchronize the sanctions that are applied. "Secondly, I instructed to work more actively with partners to synchronize the sanctions that are being applied. The cumulative effect of sanctions has the greatest impact, and therefore it is essential that partners adopt the practices that are already in effect in their neighbors into their jurisdictions. This requires significant work within the Group of Seven, as well as in Europe - so that the European Union sanctions are supported by Switzerland, Norway, Britain and other countries outside the EU, work with Japan, Canada and the United States. Russian losses from sanctions against oil companies alone could reach $50 billion next year, and it is entirely possible to increase this amount of Russian losses," the head of the Ukrainian state noted. The president, together with the heads of intelligence and counterintelligence agencies, also identified priority targets for our long-range strikes on the aggressor country. "Thirdly, together with the heads of the Security Service of Ukraine and the Foreign Intelligence Service of Ukraine, we have identified priority goals for our long-range sanctions for the near future. We will definitely implement everything," Zelenskyy assured. The president also signed decrees on Ukrainian sanctions against individuals who work for Russian military production and propaganda. "And we will continue to block every scheme to circumvent sanctions. Thank you to everyone who helps!" he said. The Commandant of the Marine Corps provided an update to Force Design 2030 on Thursday, signaling the Marines commitment to remaining globally responsive, lethal, and resilient in the face of evolving challenges. The update provides both a status update for the current status of Force Design as well as a roadmap for where the Corps is going. What is Force Design 2030? Force Design 2030 is the Marine Corps' plan to modernize how it fights. Think of it as a total overhaul to keep Marines ahead of enemies who use drones, long-range missiles, and cyberattacks. The goal is simple: stay fast, lethal, and hard to hit in places like the Pacific islands. It focuses on new gear, smarter units, and working tightly with the Navy and joint forces. Force Design in Review A Navy Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System launcher deploys into position aboard Pacific Missile Range Facility Barking Sands, Hawaii. During the training, a Marine Corps fires expeditionary advanced base sensed, located, identified and struck a target ship at sea, which required more than 100 nautical miles of missile flight (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Maj. Nick Mannweiler, released). The update starts with a look back at progress since last years guidance. Its broken into real-world action, unit changes, new weapons, and support systems. Marines have tested new tactics in big exercises. In BALIKATAN 25, I MEF practiced hiding small teams on islands, using NMESIS (Navy-Marine Corps Expeditionary Ship Interdiction Systems) to sink ships, MADIS (Marine Air Defense Integrated Systems) to shoot down drones, and G/ATOR (Ground/Air Task-Oriented Radar) radar to spot threats. They trained with Japan and the Philippines. Exercises like TALISMAN SABRE and RESOLUTE DRAGON sharpened precision strikes and base defense with allies. ATLANTIC ALLIANCE 25 was the biggest amphibious drill in the Atlantic in years, practicing distributed operations with NATO partners. Unit structure got tweaks. Two Marine Littoral Regiments (MLRs) are now in III MEF: 3d MLR is fully operational since 2023, 12th hits that mark in 2026. These units are built for island fighting with advanced sensors and missiles. The 4th Marines stays as a beefed-up infantry regiment. MEUs now carry the same high-tech gear as MLRs. Infantry battalions added a Fires and Recon company for drones and rockets, and squads went back to 13 Marines, including a drone operator. Notably, the Marine Corps recently created a new Attack Drone Team to hone these skills. New weapons are being fielded across the field. Including the aforementioned NMESIS anti-ship missiles: six launchers delivered, heading to 18 per battery by 2033. HIMARS (High Mobility Artillery Rocket System) status: all 10 batteries complete. G/ATOR radars: 60% fielded by end of 2025. Organic Precision Fires and loitering munitions for infantry will start arriving in 2026. F-35 jets: 11 squadrons are done with more transitioning. MQ-9A drones fly recon over the Pacific. 3D printing labs (12 big ones, 25 small) let Marines conduct additive manufacturing to make parts on site. Air defense is ramping up. MRIC (Medium-Range Intercept Capability) stops cruise missiles, three batteries coming soon. MADIS on vehicles: 20 delivered. L-MADIS on light trucks: 10 in 2026. Bases received counter-drone systems, and every unit will soon have portable anti-drone kits to address the ever evolving threat. Doctrines are updating. Expeditionary Advanced Base Operations (EABO) and Stand-in Forces concepts are becoming official guidance. Bases are modernizing barracks and defenses. Recruiting and retention hit record highs. Training now includes AI, drones, and joint operations. Pacific Ocean (Jan. 11, 2024) - U.S. Marine Corps F-35B Lightning II attached to VMFA 225, with the 15th MEU, conduct carrier qualifications aboard the USS Boxer (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Corporal Amelia Kang) Where the Marine Corps is Going This next section maps the future: better movement, deadlier weapons, tighter joint networks, smarter logistics, and constant learning. Maneuver and mobility mean moving fast across sea, land, and air. The Corps wants 31 amphibious ships minimum. New landing craft are in development. Ground vehicles: Advanced Recon Vehicle for scouts, Amphibious Combat Vehicle (257 fielded), JLTVs (over 5,000 delivered), and ultra-light trucks. Aviation spreads out with distributed ops using KC-130s, CH-53s, and MV-22s. Lethality gets upgrades. NMESIS and HIMARS will work in jammed environments. A new rocket launcher is coming. Infantry experiments continue. Drone teams will hunt targets. F-35s pair with XQ-58 unmanned wingmen. Long-range missiles expand strike options. Joint kill webs link sensors to shooters faster. In order to improve these kill webs - new command systems will speed decisions. MQ-9 drones will receive better Artificial Intelligence (AI) integration. Aviation assets will get more flexible targeting tools. As has been the case since Force Design was first promulgated, logistics will remain a major highlight going forward. Logistics in contested environments focus on keeping Marines supplied when enemies try to cut off traditional sea and air routes. The Corps is expanding its Global Positioning Network with prepositioned ships loaded with gear in the Indo-Pacific, Norway, and on Maritime Prepositioning Force vessels to fix current shortfalls and speed up resupply. Autonomous systems will start taking center stage: the Autonomous Low-Profile Vessel (also known as the ALPV) acts as an unmanned supply boat, while Tactical Resupply UAS drones and the Medium Aerial Resupply Vehicle deliver critical items like ammo, fuel, and medical supplies to forward teams without risking manned aircraft. Advanced Logistics Analytics will use AI to crunch data from sensors and predict needs, then reroute shipments in real time to dodge threats and keep the fight going. This setup cuts reliance on big, vulnerable convoys and ensures even small, dispersed units stay in the fight longer. Education has, and always will be, a critical element to keeping the Marine Corps lethal. Continuous learning keeps the Corps sharp. The update maintains that learning shapes the force. Lessons from exercises will feed directly into tangible changes. Technology will move from the lab to the field faster. And last, but not least, feedback directly from the Fleet Marine Force will drive priorities. Camp Lejeune, NC (Jul. 12, 2017) - U.S. Marines with 1/6 before a live fire range at "Sea Dragon 2025" exercise (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Corporal Justin Toledo) Why This Matters Force Design isnt just a way to show off new gadgets, but rather it is survival. Pacing threats like the Peoples Republic of China, and others, can increasingly strike from further away and jam communications. Marines must operate inside their reach, deny sea lanes, and support the fleet. These changes mean smaller, faster units that sense threats, strike first, and dont need massive supply lines. For the average Marine, it means better tools, smarter training, and a Corps built to win the next fight, not the last one. The world is watching the Pacific. The Marine Corps is making sure its ready. The Pentagon is not pleased with how its missile defense systems are portrayed in A House of Dynamite, the Hurt Locker filmmaker Kathryn Bigelows chilling new nuclear thriller now streaming on Netflix. In a memo dated October 16 and obtained by Deadline, the Department of Defense took aim at a central plot point in the film, calling it misleading and based on false assumptions. Officials say one of the films major plot points, an enemy missile heading to wipe out the almost 10 million residents of greater Chicago, and how the military's missile defense system is depicted, are not realistic. The Government agency is pushing back on the notion that the U.S. military would fail to intercept an incoming nuclear missile. This catastrophic failure is what drives much of the films tension. The memo doesnt accuse the filmmakers of getting all the details wrong, but does insist that, when it comes to missile defense reliability, reality paints a far more optimistic picture than Bigelows bleak scenario. A well-positioned military official told the outlet: The numbers tell us what is occurring, and we need to know The results are very, very good, with the program scheduled to grow over the next decade..." He added of the interceptors, which the U.S. has developed in the post-Star Wars era and will deploy down the line. That may be, but its not what audiences are seeing on screen. A missile being loaded on a jet in A House of Dynamite, screen grab made available by Netflix The Movies Drama vs. The Pentagons Data In A House of Dynamite, the United States scrambles to shoot down a nuclear warhead streaking toward the Midwest. According to the film, Ground-Based Interceptors (GBIs) launched from Alaska have only a 61% success rate, and when it matters most, they fail and then the clock begins to tick. The White House (led by Idris Elba) weighs the unthinkable, whether to strike back or stand down. The film suggests the worlds most advanced military may not be able to stop a single inbound nuke. Thats where the Pentagon draws the line. In contrast, the DoDs Missile Defense Agency claims a perfect record 100% accuracy over a decade of testing its hit-to-kill tech. Their position is that while House may make for compelling cinema, it isnt grounded in the real-world capabilities of the U.S. missile shield. Rebecca Ferguson stars in Netflix's 2025 release A House of Dynamite. Images made available courtesy of Netflix and used under fair use. Screenwriter Responds To The Pentagons Push Back Noah Oppenheim, the films screenwriter and a former NBC News exec, isnt backing down. Speaking to MSNBC over the weekend, he politely pushed back on the Pentagons view: Respectfully disagree, Oppenheim said. I welcome the conversation. Im so glad the Pentagon watched, or is watching, and is paying attention to it, because this is exactly the conversation we want to have. Oppenheim also clarified that while A House of Dynamite had multiple tech consultants with Pentagon experience, none were from the current administration. And Bigelow? She made a deliberate choice to keep the Department of Defense at arms length. According to her and Oppenheim, independence was key, and so was asking hard questions. Speaking to the outlet in their cover story: ... watching movies like On the Beach, Dr. Strangelove, Fail Safe theres such a rich component of films that have then trailed off. And I feel like nuclear weapons, the prospect of their use, has become normalized. We dont think about it, we dont talk about it. And its an unthinkable situation. So, my hope was to maybe move it to the forefront of our lives. Mission accomplished, but not without a bit of controversy. Screenshot from A House of Dynamite (2025) from trailer. Image made available and used under fair use. Whats the Real Interceptor Score? Now to the crux of the dispute: numbers. The Pentagon says their interceptors essentially trying to hit a bullet with another bullet in space are batting 1.000. The film says 61% a number backed by critics of the missile defense program who argue that the real-world success rate in combat-like conditions is far lower. Whats actually true? That depends on what you count as a test and what you define as success. The DoDs reported 100% accuracy rate refers to controlled testing environments over the past few years. Critics argue that their test conditions dont replicate the chaos of a real attack. Some missile defense experts claim the real-world intercept rate might land closer to what Bigelow and Oppenheim show on screen. Screenshot from A House of Dynamite (2025) from trailer. Image made available and used under fair use. Reality Check: The Nukes Are Still Out There Whether you believe the Pentagons perfect record or the films grim assessment, one fact is indisputable: nuclear weapons havent gone anywhere. And most recently, President Trump has even hinted at beginning Nuclear testing, the first time in over thirty years. There are approximately 12,300 nukes still in existence globally, split among nine nations. The U.S. and Russia hold the vast majority. Thats enough firepower to end civilization several times over. Currently, the U.S. has 44 operational interceptors based in Alaska and California, with plans to deploy a next-gen system starting in 2028. That includes nearly 50 improved interceptors meant to boost reliability and speed. House of Dynamite doesnt argue that those systems dont exist. It simply raises the question: what happens if they fail? And what happens after? Screenshot from A House of Dynamite (2025) from trailer. Image made available and used under fair use. Fallout or Fiction? This isnt the first time the Pentagon and Hollywood have butted heads. The military often provides support to filmmakers, as long as the script is approved. When they dont give the moviemakers the okay, productions have to go it alone and make the movie without the support of the official government assets. Thats what Bigelow did here. Even without the DoDs blessing, A House of Dynamite has struck a nerve and maybe that was the point. Kathryn Bigelow isnt new to this terrain. Shes tackled war, torture, and counterterrorism with brutal realism. With House, shes not just making a movie, but issuing a warning. Controversy hasn't slowed the movie's reach, and it's clearly finding its audiences. As of this writing, A House of Dynamite is in the #1 spot in Netflix's Top 10 of all streaming movies. The Nationals announced today that catcher Jorge Alfaro has cleared outright waivers and elected free agency. Alfaro had the option to reject an outright assignment as a player with more than five years of service time. He has now done just that and is free to sign with any club. The 32-year-old joined the Nationals in early September after opting out of a minor league contract with the Brewers. He had spent the entire year to that point at the Triple-A level, and his time with Washington represented his first big-league action since 2023. In 39 plate appearances across 14 games, Alfaro only batted .256/.256/.308 with a 54 wRC+. He struck out an alarming 35.9% of the time and did not draw a single walk. That came in a small sample size, of course, but they are consistent with Alfaros career metrics. Across nine seasons in the majors, he has struck out 34% of the time and posted a walk rate of 4.1% with an 86 wRC+. While catching is generally a weaker offensive position, Alfaros output still grades out as below average. Alfaros defense also left a lot to be desired. Although he had an above-average pop time, Statcast rated his framing, throwing, and blocking negatively in 2025 (albeit in just 91 2/3 innings behind the plate). Alfaro has never been much of a blocker, but he did grade out positively for his framing and throwing as recently as 2021 with the Marlins. Defensive metrics are tricky, particularly in small samples, but it looks as though his current output both offensively and defensively limits Alfaros ceiling to that of a backup. His numbers at Triple-A this year, including an 88 wRC+ in 326 PA, are not much better. Alfaro now joins a relatively thin group of free agent catchers, headlined by J.T. Realmuto, Victor Caratini, and Danny Jansen (whose mutual option will be declined). Realmuto will be 35 at the start of the 2026 season and is showing signs of decline, posting a 94 wRC+ and -2 Defensive Runs Saved for the Phillies this year. Caratini was an average hitter for the Astros in 2025 but was valued at -5 DRS despite only catching 49 games. Jansen, who also posted roughly average offense, was a 98th-percentile blocker this year, but well below-average as a framer (ninth percentile). Its a thin group, and teams are always in need of catching help, so Alfaro figures to latch on somewhere as a depth option likely on a minor league deal. Photo by John Jones, Imagn Images FBI agents were present in Dearborn, on Middlepointe Street and Moross Friday, Oct. 31, conducting law enforcement operations. Federal officials confirmed the activity was part of a broader investigation that, according to FBI Director Kash Patel, stopped what agents described as a potential terrorist attack planned in Michigan over the Halloween weekend. | Fuad Shalhout Fuad Shalhout -- MLive.com DEARBORN, MI - The quiet of a Dearborn neighborhood was broken early Friday morning by what some residents described as the sound of gunfire moments before federal agents moved in. Around 6:15 a.m., May Mokdad, 50, a retired Dearborn school teacher who has lived in the area for 20 years, said she and her family were startled awake. We heard several shots, Mokdad said. It sounded like it was in our backyard. Mokdad said she, her husband, Matt Abraham, and their daughter, Dylan, often walk their dog in the neighborhood and were shocked to later learn the FBI had been operating nearby. We dont know who lives at that residence, she said. FBI agents were present in Dearborn, on Middlepointe Street and Moross, as well as in Inkster, early Friday morning conducting law enforcement operations. Federal officials confirmed the activity was part of a broader investigation that, according to FBI Director Kash Patel, stopped what agents described as a potential terrorist attack planned in Michigan over the Halloween weekend. | Fuad Shalhout Fuad Shalhout -- MLive.com Federal officials confirmed activity in the area was part of a broader investigation that, according to FBI Director Kash Patel, stopped what agents described as a potential terrorist attack planned in Michigan over the Halloween weekend. Patel said multiple people were arrested as part of the operation but did not release details about the suspects or the alleged plot. Through swift action and close coordination with our local partners, a potential act of terror was stopped before it could unfold, Patel said in a statement. The vigilance of this FBI prevented what could have been a tragic attack and thanks to their dedication, Michigan will have a safe and happy Halloween. Another nearby resident, Barbara Saleh, 62, said shes lived a block away for nearly 40 years and also heard a loud noise that morning. I heard booms and wasnt sure where it was coming from, Saleh said. I looked down and there were police cars down the street, but I saw no activity. Im praying hard its not true, she added, referring to reports of a potential terror plot. Its very peaceful here, and I walk my dog every day. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer also addressed the incident Friday, saying she had been briefed by federal authorities. This morning, I was briefed by Director Patel on the thwarted potential terrorist attack in our state. As details continue to develop, I am grateful for the swift action of the FBI and MSP protecting Michiganders, she said. The FBI said there is no current threat to public safety. Law enforcement officials have not confirmed whether the sounds residents heard were gunfire or another part of the operation. More details are expected as the investigation continues. The FBI thwarted a potential terrorist attack that was being planned in Michigan over the Halloween weekend, Director Kash Patel said Friday, Oct. 31. Patel said the bureau arrested multiple people in Michigan who were allegedly plotting a violent attack this weekend. He did not share any other details about the alleged suspects or plot. More details to come, Patel posted on X Friday morning. Thanks to the men and women of FBI and law enforcement everywhere standing guard 24/7 and crushing our mission to defend the homeland. A spokesperson from the FBIs Detroit Field Office said FBI agents were in the cities of Dearborn and Inkster on Friday morning. There is no threat to public safety, the spokesperson said. Dearborn police also said there is no threat to the community at this time. This is a developing story. Fernando Campo-Aguilar has been arraigned on a second-degree murder charge for a Dec. 24, 2023 crash that killed a passenger in his vehicle. WYOMING, MI -- A man has been arraigned on a second-degree murder charge for a single-vehicle Christmas Eve 2023 freeway crash that killed a young mother. Fernando Ocampo-Aguilar, 28, was arraigned Friday, Oct. 31 in Wyoming District Court of charges of second-degree murder and operating while intoxicated causing death. State police said he was involved in a rollover crash on southbound U.S. 131 near 54th Street about 3 a.m. Dec. 24. At the time, police said said speed, foggy conditions, and possibly drugs and alcohol were factors in the crash. Police said two people were in the rolled vehicle and both were ejected. One died and the other was seriously injured. Kathy Lee Hernandez, 24, was pronounced dead at the scene. Hernandez, a mother of two, was loving, caring and had a heart of gold, her obituary reads. EMMET COUNTY, MI - An Iowa man whom police allege had been grooming a Northern Michigan child in an online relationship for some time was arrested after he was caught with the minor in Illinois, officers said. This alleged child exploitation case centers around William Joseph Gatchel II, 24, of Grimes, Iowa. He is being charged with three counts of criminal sexual conduct toward a person ages 13 to 15, and one count of accosting a child for immoral purposes. Emmet County Sheriff Matt Leirstein said a fast, coordinated effort between multiple law enforcement agencies resulted in Gatchels arrest after police were alerted that a child had not arrived at their school in the Harbor Springs area. Police determined Gatchel had been communicating extensively with the young teen online over a prolonged period. Investigators say Gatchel then traveled to Harbor Springs and took the child out of Emmet County. Three hours after police were alerted, authorities were able to find Gatchel and the child in Minooka, Illinois. The suspect was arrested and is being held in the Emmet County Jail on a $50,000 bond. The child was returned home. We are grateful the minor child is back home where they belong, Leirstein said. This investigation is another reminder that we must vigilantly monitor our childrens online communications. Predators are constantly seeking to groom minors for incidents like this. My only hope is that any predator looking to repeat this type of disgusting behavior be aware that we will bring all resources to bear to bring them to justice. Cooperating in the search for the child and the suspect were the Harbor Springs Police Department, the Grand Traverse County Sheriffs Office, the FBI Traverse City Field Office, the Illinois State Police, the Illinois State Human Trafficking Unit, HSI Chicago, the Will County Illinois Child Advocacy Center, the Michigan City, Indiana Police Department, and the Emmet County Prosecuting Attorneys Office The investigation is continuing across these multiple jurisdictions, police said. State police are on the scene of a limo bus crash in Monroe County. (MLive File Photo) MONROE COUNTY, MI A limo bus crash closed I-75 in southeast Michigan on Thursday, Oct. 30. The crash was reported at 6:15 p.m. on southbound I-75, near the exit to I-275 (Exit 20) in Monroe County, according to the Michigan Department of Transportation. The limo bus reportedly overturned on the highway, resulting in multiple injuries, Michigan State Police said in a post on X. State police did not say exactly how many injuries there were, but those injured were being transported to Toledo Hospital and Monroe Hospital. Motorists are being advised to avoid the highway as emergency crews respond to the crash. Traffic is being directed off at exit 20, MSP said. The crash site is located around 20 miles away from the Michigan-Ohio border. Kyiv provided material assistance to Defenders, veterans and their families in the amount of over UAH 1 billion in January-September 2025, 66,000 people received it, the press service of the Kyiv City State Administration (KCSA) has said. "Kyiv is strengthening support for Defenders, veterans and their families. In 9 months of 2025, 66 thousand people have already received assistance worth over UAH 1 billion. This is more than in the entire year of 2024, when 55 thousand Kyiv residents provided support worth over UAH 890 million," the KCSA press service said in a statement on Friday. "It is important for us that everyone who defended Ukraine feels the citys care - through the expansion of the assistance program, rehabilitation, support and the opportunity to return to peaceful life," said Deputy Head of the KCSA Maryna Honda. The city program "Support for Kyivans - Defenders of Ukraine" covers various areas of assistance: annual payments to families of prisoners of war or missing persons; compensation for cars for disabled veterans; assistance to children and disabled family members; support for wounded soldiers. GRAND TRAVERSE COUNTY, MI - A woman and young child were rescued by Michigan State Police troopers this week after the woman recounted being held captive and tortured for months in a Northern Michigan home. The incident began on Monday, when a relative of the 38-year-old woman contacted police because they were afraid for the womans safety. The relative told police they believed the woman was in danger of domestic assault. Troopers responded to a home in Grand Traverse Countys Union Township, where they arrested Dwayne Charles Hidey, 42, who had an outstanding warrant for non-payment of child support. Police said Hidey was uncooperative with police, who then used a warrant to search the home. Interviews with the victim, a 38-year-old New Mexico woman, indicated that she and their child were being held against their will by Hidey at the Union Twp. home, state police said. Over the past few months, the woman recounted being beaten, choked, threatened, sexually assaulted, and tortured. The suspect also took the womans cell phone and kept it from her. She was not able to call the police or get medical help. Hidey was arraigned in 86th District Court on Thursday. He is charged with unlawful imprisonment, torture, resisting and obstructing police, and as a habitual offender. He remains lodged in the Grand Traverse County Jail. Police said theyre still reviewing the evidence in the case and more criminal charges are expected. Troopers want the public to know that help is available to those facing domestic violence. If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, please reach out for help by calling 911, the Michigan Domestic Violence Hotline at 855-VOICES (864-2374), texting 866-238-1454 or visiting http://Michigan.gov/voices4/domest4/domestic-violence." Volunteers work to stock a new shipment at the Immanuel Lutheran Church food pantry, 1505 W. Michigan Ave., in Jackson, on Friday, Dec. 15, 2023. File photo. J. Scott Park | jpark4@mlive.com Leaders of food pantries in southeast Michigan still expect to see an uptick in visitors, although are hopeful a recent federal ruling will help stymie need. Two federal judges ruled Friday afternoon that the federal government must continue funding the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), despite an ongoing government shutdown. Roughly 1.4 million Michigan residents, or 13% of households in the state, had anticipated losing access to the program on Nov. 1 after The U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service ordered Michigan to pause benefits. Susan Gahagan, who directs the Immanuel Lutheran Church Food Pantry in Jackson, was speechless upon hearing the announcement, she said. Shes hopeful it goes through and isnt appealed, further delaying aid. Sometimes all it takes is just a couple of people to say, No, this is wrong, Gahagan said, adding she hopes others will follow their lead. The order may slow down immediate need, but it definitely will not stop it, said Derrick Miller, executive director of the Community Action Network of Washtenaw County. This might have marginal impact on that uptick, but (CAN is) still fully expecting a pretty sizeable growth in food demand for our food programs, Miller said. CAN, which has seven food distribution sites across the county, had already seen a 30% uptick in visits this year and is expecting more in the coming weeks. Miller also expressed concern about delays in funding, despite the order. SNAP funding has been used as a political lever to put pressure on the Democratic party, he said. It takes a court order to point out what we all know: (there are) funds that should be being used for SNAP benefits, and theyre currently not, he said. Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel was one of 23 attorneys general that sued the USDA and its secretary for suspending the food assistance program. USDA must use $5.25 billion in contingency funds, ruled Judge Indira Talwani from the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts, according to court records. The USDA has contended the funds will not fully support the SNAP program nationwide through November. Providing food assistance to residents in need is not just a moral issue, its also a legal one, Nessel said in a statement celebrating the win. I am grateful that the court has agreed that the USDA is obligated to spend available funding to support food assistance and prevent Americans from going hungry. Robert Weber is still concerned and skeptical. The 77-year-old Ann Arbor resident receives $139 in SNAP benefits each month, in addition to social security income. That doesnt mean its going to happen. Donald Trump will try and figure out a way, Weber said. I expect food banks will be overwhelmed unless these get turned back on. Theres no question about it, he said. People that were relying on food stamps are going to be really stuck trying to figure out where to get things. Gahagan and Miller said their respective pantries will be there in the meantime. We will continue to prepare until we know that people have food, Gahagan said. It gives people hope. Closer look at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints after the shooting, fire in Grand Blanc Township GRAND BLANC TWP, MI The Federal Bureau of Investigations said on Friday, Oct. 31 that anti-religious beliefs was the motive behind a church shooting and fire in Grand Blanc Township that left multiple people dead and more than a dozen others injured. The FBI states five people died, including the assailant previously identified as Thomas Jacob Sanford, 40, of Burton during the Sept. 28 incident at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints off McCandlish Road. Nine other people were injured in the incident. Regarding motive, the FBI conducts thorough investigations and complies with the policies set forth by the U.S. Department of Justice, said Jennifer Runyan, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Detroit Field Office, in a video released by the agency on Friday. Although DOJ policy prohibits the FBI from providing details regarding investigative actions and specific techniques, based upon the facts, circumstances and information obtained in this case, I am confirming that this is a targeted act of violence believed to be motivated by the assailants anti-religious beliefs against the Mormon religious community. Our law enforcement partners were essential in providing on the ground response and assistance on Sept. 28 which aided the FBI to determine these motives, as well as the actions of the assailant. This motive was determined based upon countless hours of investigative efforts by our team as well as the cooperation of law enforcement partners the community and the U.S Attorneys Office for the Eastern District of Michigan. Runyan added since the day this horrific attack occurred more than 100 FBI personnel have been part of investigating the incident including special agents, intelligence analysts, and professional staff throughout Michigan and across the FBI. While we continue to investigate, I want to ensure that the community is provided with all available federal resources to assist those impacted by this crime, she said. Runyan said the FBI Detroit Field Office stands with the entire Grand Blanc community. While we continue to investigate I want to ensure that the community is provided with all available federal resources to assist those impacted by this crime, she said. Additional resources to aid those impacted by this incident can go to www.fbi.gov/grandblancchurchshooting. We remember those who are no longer with us and continue to hold in our thoughts those who are still recovering, Runyan said, while also providing thanks for police, EMTs, ATF staff, firefighters and conversation officers. Your bravery and heroic actions truly underscore the joint commitment to aiding and protecting the community during times of immediate crisis, she said. While also thanking the additional investigative teams who provided follow-up support, Runyan also acknowledged those at the building. I would also like to thank the brave souls who were inside the church that day and in the surrounding area for their swift and critical actions, Runyan said. This tragedy not only affected the Grand Blanc community but also left a lasting impact on our nation. The FBI remains fully committed to doing all that it can to protect the citizens of Michigan and the American people. Cans of corn are loaded onto a cart at the East Side Soup Kitchen located at 940 E. Genesee Ave. in Saginaw on Thursday, Nov. 2, 2023. Ed Coates saw an East Side Soup Kitchen Facebook post asking people to bring frozen turkeys to the site five years ago. Every year since, Coates and his wife Cyndi Coates asked for donations, collected and shopped for everything, and delivered them to the soup kitchen with help from Coatess cousin Janet Passariello and her husband, David Passariello. Kaytie Boomer | MLive.com MID-MICHIGAN - With a pause on food assistance programs looming, communities across mid-Michigan are mobilizing to ensure families dont go hungry. Food pantries, soup kitchens, schools and nonprofits are expanding services and coordinating efforts to meet rising demand. In Genesee County, Sheriff Chris Swanson said about 82,000 people rely on SNAP benefits and urged residents to use the Food Bank of Eastern Michigans Find Food listing to locate pantries and distribution sites. This is a need for all of us. Its not just in one jurisdiction, Swanson said. We are not declaring an emergency, but we are preparing for a crisis in peoples homes. Genesee County Commissioner Charles Winfrey, D-Flint, added that families, children, seniors, and veterans depend on food assistance, calling the county one of the most highly impacted areas in the entire state of Michigan. When these benefits are threatened, the stability of our entire community is threatened, Winfrey said. Saginaw County has more than 39,000 residents with SNAP benefits, according to U.S. Census Bureau via FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data). And in Bay County, more than 16,000 residents rely on SNAP and over 2,000 families rely on the WIC (Women, infants and Children) program for fresh food and infant formula. A coalition of government, business and nonprofit partners has formed there to coordinate food aid and long-term solutions, including the creation of a Food Insecurity Emergency Fund and a new Bay County Food Council to organize collection and distribution. More information about this can be found here. In Saginaw, a list of resources can be found here. The Food Bank of Eastern Michigan has a calendar of daily food distributions available in the mid-Michigan and Thumb region here. And a food pantry locator here. Here is a list of mid-Michigan organizations giving away free meals in the coming weeks: Genesee County Holy Redeemer Catholic Church in Burton Food Pantry 1227 E. Bristol Road 810-743-8530 Tuesday/Wednesday: 1-3pm, Thursday: 10 a.m.-noon, 5-7p.m. The Safety Net Store in Clio Food Pantry/Necessities 611 S. Mill St. 810-701-6351 2nd and 4th Thurs of the month, 3-5 p.m. Outreach East in Davison Food Pantry/Necessities 425 N. Genesee Road 810-653-7711 Monday/Wednesday: 10 a.m.-3 p.m., Tuesday/Thursday: Noon-5 p.m. Fenton Center of Hope in Fenton Food Pantry/Baby Closet 10401 Fenton Road 810-620-8167 Call to make an appointment Crossover Outreach in Flint Food/Personals/Clothes/Cleaning Products 414 W. Court St. 810-234-2479 Referral needed, call for more information Tuesday-Friday: 10 a.m.-2:30 p.m. St. Luke N.E.W. Life Center in Flint Food Pantry/Clothing 3115 Lawndale Ave. 810-239-8710 Fri: 10 a.m. until the food is gone Franklin Avenue Mission in Flint Necessities Closet 2210 N. Franklin Ave. 810-285-9598 Contact for hours Center for Hope in Flint Community Closet 812 Root St. 810-265-7025 Monday-Friday: 9:30 a.m.-Noon First United Church in Flint Food Pantry/Clothing Closet 1116 W. Hill Road 810-232-2674 1st and 3rd Wednesdays: 10 a.m.-Noon Salvation Army Beecher Corp. in Flint Food Pantry/Diaper Distribution 1475 W. Coldwater Road 810-789-4003 Food: Tuesday 10 a.m.-Noon Diapers: Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday: 2-4 p.m., Tuesdays: 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Flushing Christian Outreach Center Food Pantry/Clothes Closet 5409 W. Pierson Road 810-487-2223 Call to make an appointment Saint Joseph Food Pantry in Gaines Food Pantry 12145 Ray Road 989-271-8434 Call to make an appointment Genesee United Methodist Church Food Pantry in Genesee 7190 N. Genesee Road 810-640-2280 2nd and 4th Thursday of the month: Noon-1 p.m. Lakeview Community Church in Goodrich Food Pantry/Clothes Closet 10023 S. State Road 810-636-7541 Food Pantry: Sunday: 2-4 p.m. Clothes Closet: Thursday: 6-8 p.m. FISH of Grand Blanc Food Pantry/Clothes Closet 810-695-1880 Call to make an appointment Church of the Holy Family in Grand Blanc Food Pantry/Necessities 11804 S. Saginaw St. 810-694-4891 Monday-Friday: 10 a.m.-2 p.m. FISH Community Food Pantry in Linden Food Pantry 119 W. Broad St. 810-735-5755 Call to make an appointment: Monday-Thursday: 8 a.m.-1 p.m. Neighborhood Pop-Up Clothing Shop in Montrose Clothes Distribution 300 E. State St. 810-853-9187 Call for more information Fountain of Grace Assembly of God in Mt. Morris Food Pantry 2382 E. Mt. Morris Road 810-686-0509 Held once a month. Call for date. Church of the Nazarene in Otisville Food Pantry 7524 E. Mt Morris Road 810-653-6218 Call to make an appointment: Tuesday/Thursday: 8:30 a.m.-10 a.m. Swartz Creek Community Food Basket Food Pantry/Necessities 7400 Miller Rd. 810-653-4555 Call to make an appointment: Tuesday: 3-5 p.m., Friday: 10 a.m.-Noon Swartz Creek Church of Christ Food Pantry 4410 S. Seymour Road 810-635-4544 Last Saturday of the month: 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., November and December: 3rd Saturday of the month from 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Saginaw County Ninth Street Community Church in Saginaw County Food Distribution/Produce 1118 N 9th St. 989-752-7366 Friday, October 31: 10 a.m.11:30 a.m. Caring Closet in Saginaw County Food Pantry 6045 Mackinaw Rd. Saturday, November 1: 10 a.m.12:00 p.m. Old Town Christian Outreach in Saginaw County Food and Clothing Giveaway/Soup Kitchen 600 Gratiot Ave. 989-249-8696 Monday, Wednesday, Friday: 11 a.m.12:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 1, 22, 29: 10 a.m.12:00 p.m. Freeland Lions Club in Freeland Food Distribution 710 Powley Dr., Freeland 989-600-8911 Saturday, November 15: 9 a.m.11 a.m. Faith Lutheran Church in Bridgeport Food Distribution 4241 Williamson Rd., Bridgeport 989-799-0162 Saturday, November 15: 10 a.m.12 p.m. Spaulding Hall in Saginaw Food Distribution 5825 Cole Rd., Saginaw 989-777-0950 Saturday, November 22: 9 a.m.10:30 a.m. The Valley Church of Saginaw Love Your Neighbor Personal Pantry Drive-Thru Church Parking Lot 3770 N Center Rd, Saginaw 989-793-0011 1st Wednesday of each month: 10 a.m.12 p.m. Requirements: Proof of state assistance + photo ID East Side Soup Kitchen in Saginaw Soup Kitchen/Drive-Thru 940 E. Genesee Ave, Saginaw 989-755-3663 MondayFriday: 11 a.m.12 p.m. Monthly food distribution: Nov. 11, 9:00 a.m. Saginaw YMCA Youth Meal Program 1915 Fordney St., Saginaw 989-753-7721 MondayFriday: 4:30 p.m.6 p.m., Saturday: 11:30 a.m.1 p.m. Bay County Safe Harbor Community Center in Bay County Mass Giveaway/Food Distribution 706 Joseph St., Bay City 989-894-1189 Tuesdays, Nov. 4, 11, 18, 25: 9:45 a.m.11:45 a.m. Bay City Academy Food Distribution 301 N Farragut Rd., Bay City 989-414-8254 Thursday, Nov. 6: 3 p.m.5 p.m. The Salvation Army of Bay City Baby Pantry / Emergency Food Pantry 401 10th St., Bay City 989-893-3041 Baby Pantry (formula): MonFri, 10 a.m.12 p.m., 1 p.m.3 p.m. Emergency Food Pantry & Baby Pantry (diapers): WedFri, 10 a.m.12 p.m., 13 p.m. Requirements: Bay County photo ID Bay City YMCA Youth Meal Program (School Year) Dinner & Snack for ages 18 and under 225 Washington Ave, Bay City, MI 48708 989-895-8596 Dinner: MondayFriday, 3:304:30 PM Snack: MondayFriday, 5:306:30 PM 300 W Lafayette Ave, Bay City, MI 48706 Dinner: MondayFriday, 3:004:00 PM Snack: MondayFriday, 5:006:00 PM 612 W Borton Rd, Essexville, MI 48732 Jedidiah Brown is seen speaking to a police officer during a protest in Flint on Sunday, June 1, 2025. Jackson Ranger | MLive.com (This story has been updated with additional comments." FLINT, MI -- Jedidiah Browns lawsuit against Flint officials for their roles in removing him from a City Council meeting in April can continue in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, but the activist will apparently need a new attorney. Judge Matthew F. Leitman granted a motion from the city on Friday, Oct. 31, to disqualify attorney Lawrence A. Katz from representing Brown because of his ties to the Lento Law Group. City attorneys have argued in a court filing and in a remote hearing on Friday that Katz cannot represent Brown in his lawsuit against six Flint officials and employees because of the ethical repercussions of the suspension of Joseph D. Lento from the practice of law in Pennsylvania for five years. Because of the suspension, Michigan court rules forbid Lento Law and attorneys associated with it from providing legal services in the case, according to the citys disqualification motion. Katz has argued against granting the motion, calling the filing procedurally improper and substantively unsupported in his response to the action. During Fridays hearing, Katz argued Lento remains a licensed attorney in New York and New Jersey, where Lento Law was incorporated. Leitman said his decision was no reflection on Katz, who identified himself as a Lento employee and whom the judge said seems to be a highly ethical person. The evidence before me is that Mr. Lentos license to practice law in Pennsylvania was suspended. In my view, the upshot of that is that in Michigan, a law firm bearing his name shall not be practicing here, the judge said. Leitman said he would pause Browns case against the city to allow him time to arrange for an attorney not affiliated with Lento. If theres merit to this lawsuit, there ought to be another lawyer willing and able to take the case, he said. Katz said in a statement to MLive-The Flint Journal after Fridays hearing that Brown and his attorneys are reviewing our appellate options. We believe that denying a party the counsel of their choice is contrary to the basic rules of justice, Katzs statement reads. Brown filed his lawsuit against city officials one day after he was escorted from Flint City Hall during a pause in a council meeting he had attended. The activist, who a city attorney referred to Friday as a professional rabble rouser, sued Police Chief Terence Green, City Attorney Joanne Gurley, two members of the City Council, and two Flint police officers. Green demanded Brown get off the mic during an April 28 council meeting thatd been paused because of a lack of quorum. The police chief ordered Brown to leave the building or face arrest for disorderly conduct after Brown asked him what it meant for the council to be at ease while the meeting was on hold. His lawsuit alleges Brown was subjected to unnecessary and aggressive physical contact by police. It alleges infringement on his freedom of speech and access, conspiracy to interfere with his civil rights, violation of the Open Meetings Act, assault, and intentional infliction of emotional distress. Brown has also been charged in a separate Genesee County District Court case with two misdemeanor counts of disorderly conduct after he helped lead a protest that involved wheeling a white casket outside the home of Mayor Sheldon Neeley in May. That case is scheduled for a jury trial in November. Earlier this year, Brown said he rejected a plea deal in that case that wouldve barred him from Flint City Hall for a year. Lento has been a thorn in the side of city officials in recent years, filing multiple lawsuits against the city and its employees. In each of those cases, the city has sought to disqualify Lento attorneys from representing clients in lawsuits against the city. Earlier this year, a similar disqualification request was also granted in a Genesee Circuit Court case by Judge Khary L. Hanible. In addition to the motion to disqualify, the city has asked Leitman to dismiss the Brown lawsuit. The citys motion to dismiss the complaint claims Brown was ordered from the council meeting after speaking out of turn four times and attempting to access a podium in council chambers multiple times -- all in violation of the councils orderly conduct rules. It claims Browns lawsuit fails to allege a First Amendment violation, is barred by absolute legislative and qualified immunity. Brown claims he was removed without warning, without violating any adopted rule, and in retaliation for protected political speech. Two suspects were arraigned in connection to an armed robbery in Ottawa County this week. (MLive file photo) MLive.com OTTAWA COUNTY, MI Two suspects have been charged in connection to an armed robbery that led to a high-speed police chase in West Michigan this week. The male suspects, aged 16 and 21, were arraigned in Grand Havens 58th District Court, the Ottawa County Sheriffs Office said Friday, Oct. 31. The 21-year-old suspect, identified as Jose Rosales-Torres of Holland, was charged with armed robbery and fleeing and eluding police-fourth degree, the sheriffs office said. The 16-year-old suspect was charged with armed robbery, felonious assault and felony firearms. He was not named because he is a minor. Bond was set at $350,000 for both suspects, who remain in police custody. The robbery happened Wednesday, Oct. 29, at the West Olive One-Stop at 8471 West Olive Road. The suspects allegedly robbed the store clerk and held him at gunpoint. Deputies said the suspects then stole merchandise from the store and fled the scene before police arrived. Authorities spotted the suspects vehicle in Allendale Township, and the suspects led police on a high-speed pursuit that continued into Kent County until deputies lost the suspect. A Kent County sheriffs deputy later found the suspect vehicle abandoned and saw three male suspects fleeing on-foot in the area. Two of the suspects were taken into police custody, while a third suspect, age 17, was turned over to his parents. The new partnership between Davenport University and the Michigan Hispanic Chamber of Commerce extends educational benefits to chamber members and their families for degree programs and professional development across Davenport's Michigan campuses. (MLive.com) Cory Morse | cmorse1@mlive.com GRAND RAPIDS, MI Davenport University is offering Michigan Hispanic Chamber of Commerce members a 20% tuition discount under a new partnership between the two institutions. The partnership, announced Friday, Oct. 31, also provides the tuition discount to the families of Michigan Hispanic Chamber members. At the Michigan Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, we recognize and support the value of higher education, said Mark Moreno, the chambers executive director. Our members are a key asset to our organization and were proud to partner with Davenport University to offer this new Corporate Partner Scholarship. The tuition discount applies to students pursuing an associate, bachelor or graduate degree as well as professional development workshops and certificate programs, according to Davenport University. Related: Michigan university gets largest grant in school history to expand college access Carlos Sanchez, executive director of Davenports Casa Latina bilingual degree program, said the partnership helps ease the financial burden of higher education for new students and help create opportunities for career growth. Were hopeful all members of the Hispanic Chamber will look into our offerings, including Casa Latina, our new bilingual degree program, and explore higher education options for themselves and their family members, he said. The Michigan Hispanic Chamber describes itself as the premier gateway to the states 25,000 Hispanic businesses and over 500,000 Latino consumers. The chamber says it advocates for jobs and economic development by promoting participation in supplier diversity development programs and international trade with Mexico and other Latin American countries. Davenport has about 5,000 students at campuses across Michigan and online, including at its W.A. Lettinga campus in Caledonia Township south of Grand Rapids. KENT COUNTY, MI - Various community groups across West Michigan have launched emergency food assistance programs in anticipation of a potential delay in federal SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) notified Michigan and other states last week of the Nov. 1 pause due to the federal government shutdown. Since then, its created widespread concern among locals. Roughly 1.4 million Michiganders rely on the assistance program each month to put food on the table. Without it, local food pantries and meal programs will face overwhelming demand, according to Heart of West Michigan United Way. In response to the looming cancellation of SNAP benefits this weekend, the nonprofit created a United Response Fund to help families across the region access food and basic needs. We started it because pantries and food banks were reaching out, letting us know that their traffic has increased so much, with people anticipating that pause, said Becki Postma, chief impact officer for Heart of West Michigan United Way. Everybody was trying to think about how they were going to get additional food. There was an ask from the nonprofits of, How can United Way help? And we stepped up. The initiative provides emergency funding to community food providers across Allegan, Kent, and Ottawa counties, ensuring they can purchase fresh produce, proteins, and shelf-stable items to meet the expected surge in demand. While all forms of giving are appreciated, financial donations are the most effective way to help right now, United Way stated. Food pantries can stretch every donated dollar much further than individuals can at the grocery storepurchasing in bulk, sourcing fresh produce and proteins, and filling critical supply gaps as they arise. Flexible funding also allows pantries to respond quickly to what families need most. Trying individually for each of them to fundraise is really asking a lot of these agencies in the midst of all the new business they are getting, Postma said. What were doing is taking donations and getting them back out into the various food pantries and the food clubs to make sure that the moneys getting out quickly to the places that are in the most need. Already, she said, they are seeing donations and are working to distribute the money quickly to local food banks in greatest need. To illustrate the surge in demand, United Way has experienced a 180% increase in 211 calls related to food assistance. People who are struggling are not just struggling for food, theyre struggling to make ends meet, Postma said. It all ties together. When you pull on the lever in the food space, it impacts all the other spaces for somebody who is in need. Kent County Commissioner Robert Womack told MLive/The Grand Rapids Press that approximately 73,000 residents in the county are being affected. This is crucial. Ive been called by so many constituents who are saying, even temporarily, this is going to set them back, he said. The consequences will hit every part of our community, from stores and businesses to schools, shelters, hospitals and our local food pantries. Nonprofits like the Grand Rapids Community Food Club, which provides access to fresh foods for low-income Kent County residents, are bracing for impact. Executive Director AJ Fossel said that although the nonprofit is an important place, it cannot be a substitute for SNAP. She shared that she is already working at maximum capacity and is deeply concerned about what will happen if SNAP benefits are paused. Today, we have a waitlist with over 1,200 households on it, Fossel told MLive. This is without pausing SNAP benefits. The need right now is greater than ever, and will only increase if a solution is not found within the next day. The Grand Rapids Community Food Club serves over 9,000 people per month and has doubled the number of people it serves in the last two years. For every one meal that charitable food provides, Fossel said SNAP benefits provide nine. Pausing benefits for even one month will have lasting economic impacts on the people served by the Food Club, with an average benefit payout of $335 per month in Michigan. There is no charitable substitute, and philanthropy cannot replace government benefits, she said. For people who are living paycheck to paycheck, a missed $335 out of your monthly budget means bills will go unpaid and meals will be missed. According to the most recent data available from the USDA, 59% of Michigan households currently receiving benefits contain children, and more than three out of four households that rely on SNAP have someone who earns an income. Because of the planned disruption of SNAP, this puts thousands of Michigan families at risk of food insecurity, forcing many to choose between paying bills and putting food on the table. Following the news, nonprofit Kids Food Basket (KFB) immediately connected with local schools to assess their needs, including providing grab-and-go meals, increasing meal quantities for 66 partner schools and offering food packs through 18 food pantries. When our systems falter, our shared humanity must not, said Bridget Clark Whitney, KFB president and founding CEO. Were called to respond with compassion and action, ensuring children and families have fresh, nourishing food every day. We invite you to stand with us and step forward in service this month. Grand Rapids police are investigating an "accidental" shooting on the city's northwest side. (MLive file photo) GRAND RAPIDS, MI A person was shot in the foot in what police describe as an accidental shooting on Grand Rapids northwest side Thursday, Oct. 30. Police responded to the shooting at 8:15 p.m. in the 1000 block of Broadway Avenue NW, said Grand Rapids Police spokesperson Jennifer Kalczuk. Kalczuk said the shooting appears to have been accidental. The victim suffered a non-life-threatening wound to the foot. The victim is not the person who fired the gun, Kalczuk said. The investigation remains ongoing. Davenport University recently announced it received a $10 million federal grant to expand college access across the state. The grant funds will cover college and career readiness programming in Lansing, Muskegon and Ypsilanti school districts. In this file photo, Davenport University students walk across campus. Davenport University GRAND RAPIDS, MI - Davenport University announced this month it received a $10 million federal grant - the largest in school history - to expand college access programming in three areas across the state. The grant funds will cover programs in Lansing, Muskegon and Ypsilanti school districts, giving students access to seven years of after-school activities, college and career readiness initiatives, campus visits and financial literacy workshops. The grant from the U.S. Department of Education came through Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP). Its a discretionary grant program designed to increase the number of low-income students prepared to enter and succeed in higher education. Davenport is one of only 32 recipients nationwide, according to university leaders, and one of just two institutions in Michigan to secure funding this year out of 146 applicants. Western Michigan University also received a $13.7 million grant. Davenport is a private, nonprofit university with six locations across Michigan. It serves around 5,000 students in Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, Lansing, Midland, Traverse City, Warren and online. Davenport University is honored to lead this transformative initiative that will open doors for more than 1,700 Michigan students, said President Richard J. Pappas. This grant is a direct reflection of the strength of our partnerships across the state, particularly our K-12 school partners and more than 20 dedicated organizations and community colleges. GEAR UP provides six-or seven-year grants to groups providing services at high-poverty schools. The funds allow programs to work with specific groups of students throughout their K-12 career, following them all the way through middle and high school into college. Funds are also used to provide college scholarships. Davenport received a seven-year federal partnership award through its own Mid-Michigan GEAR UP Project. The grant funding will serve students in the Lansing School District, Ypsilanti Community Schools and Muskegon Heights Public School Academy system. Students in those schools will have access to a support system from sixth-grade through their first year of college. Programming includes after-school robotics and AI learning clubs, college and career readiness initiatives, campus visits and family workshops focused on higher education access, financial aid and financial literacy. Dr. Alena Zachery-Ross, superintendent of Ypsilanti Community Schools, said the grant is an outstanding opportunity for the district and its students. Truly, the skys the limit for our scholars with this kind of sustained support, she said. University leaders said when determining the grant winners, the federal government saw a record number of perfect scores among applicants, with final selections based on the level of need among proposed school partners. Davenport was selected due to its commitment to underserved student populations and its strong partnerships with schools in areas of concentrated need, a Davenport press release read. The universitys project unites 23 partners, including the Henry Ford Museum, the Grand Rapids Art Museum and Capital Area Michigan Works!, an employment agency in Lansing. Davenport will also collaborate with Grand Rapids Community College, Monroe County Community College, Muskegon Community College and the University of Olivet to guide students toward postsecondary success. GRCC Interim President Steven Triezenberg said the college plans to assist with the program through campus visits and engagement with faculty and staff. We are excited to introduce young learners to what college looks like, he said, and to help them see themselves in this setting. Davenport will begin working with partners soon, to be ready for student participation sometime in 2026. Last summer we destroyed one of three Oreshnik missile systems in Russia SBU chief Agents of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine (GUR MO), the State Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) and the Foreign Intelligence Service (FIS) have 100% destroyed one of three Russian medium-range Oreshnik ballistic missiles at Kapustin Yar in Russia, SBU chief Vasyl Maliuk has said. "We have never announced this before. But briefly and concisely we can say that one of the three "Oreshniks" was successfully destroyed on their territory (the territory of the Russian Federation - IF-U) at Kapustin Yar by the forces of the GUR, SBU and FIS," Malyuk said during a briefing with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday. He added that 100% confirmation of the destruction of this missile had been received. "The destruction was 100% complete, it was a very successful operation. This was reported exclusively to the Supreme Commander-in-Chief, the President of Ukraine, and several presidents of other countries also knew about it," Maliuk said. According to him, the operation was carried out "when the name Oreshnik was not yet widely known or used, and the Russians at that time were not particularly threatened by it." "If I am not mistaken, we carried out this successful operation the summer before last," Maliuk said. As added by the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, Zelenskyy reported that, according to available information, the Russian Federation plans to deploy one of the Oreshnik missile system in Belarus. JACKSON COUNTY, MI Parking fines in the City of Jackson have been increased to help maintain meterless parking in the city. Here is that headline and some more you might have missed this week. Jackson City Council approves higher parking fines to keep downtown meterless The city of Jackson is increasing downtown parking fines and permit fees to help maintain meterless parking. During its Tuesday, Oct. 28 meeting, the Jackson City Council unanimously approved the changes, and voted 6-1 to approve the $238,375 assessment roll for downtown properties and businesses. Together, this will maintain free, two-hour parking for downtown visitors. This reflects the recommendation from the Jackson County Chamber of Commerce in June, which suggested higher fines, permits and a one-time business fee to address infrastructure funding needs. Guilty on all counts: man convicted in brutal stabbing death of Jackson man A man on trial accused of stabbing a man to death in his own home more than two years ago has been found guilty on all counts. After three hours of deliberation, jurors Thursday, Oct. 30, decided Joshua Keith Pirtle is guilty of first-degree premeditated murder. Pirtle, 33, was on trial for the death of Sebastian Igafo-Teo, 30, stabbed Oct. 25, 2023, in the 300 block of Randolph Street in Jackson. Sentencing is scheduled for Dec. 10 before Jackson County Circuit Judge Susan Jordan. First-degree murder carries a mandatory penalty of life in prison without the possibility of parole. Man accused of stabbing man 70 times in Jackson is on trial for murder A man accused of fatally stabbing a Jackson man in his own home, stealing his truck and leading police on a high-speed chase is on trial for murder. Trial proceedings began Monday, Oct. 27, in the case of Joshua Keith Pirtle, who is accused of fatally stabbing Sebastian Igafo-Teo more than two years ago. Pirtle, 33, is charged with open murder, car theft and third-degree fleeing and eluding police. He also faces two counts of assault with intent to murder. Witness details erratic behavior of murder suspect before fatal stabbing Joshua Keith Pirtle was acting erratic when he arrived - uninvited - at the home of Sebastian Igafo-Teo two years ago, testimony reveals. Igafo-Teos friend of more than seven years, Mathew Kush, testified before jurors Tuesday, Oct. 28. Pirtle attacked him and Igafo-Teo inside Igafo-Teos Jackson home after a confusing argument broke out and Igafo-Teo told Pirtle to leave. Leading up to the attack, Pirtle made strange accusations against the pair, Kush said. These included telling them they owned him $10,000, they were sleeping with his girlfriend, sexually abusing kids and something about making live videos, Kush said. Medical examiner details 73 stab wounds in Jackson murder trial testimony There is a chance Sebastian Igafo-Teo did not suffer long when he was repeatedly stabbed 73 times in his neck, face and head, a medical examiner said. Finding both his carotid and jugular arteries severed, Igafo-Teo likely would have passed out within 15-30 seconds, Medical Examiner Dr. Patrick Cho said testifying before jurors Wednesday, Oct. 29. Though those wounds would have killed him quickly, Cho could not state if those were the first or last wounds he suffered in the attack, adding he believed defensive wounds found on his hands were likely the first. Sex and jealousy at center of Jackson murder case as jury begins deliberations The fate of a man accused of stabbing a man to death in his own home more than two years ago now rests in the hands of jurors. Following closing arguments, jurors entered deliberations Thursday, Oct. 30, in the case against Joshua Keith Pirtle. Pirtle, 33, is on trial for murder of Sebastian Igafo-Teo, 30, who was found stabbed to death on Oct. 25, 2023, inside his home in the 300 block of Randolph Street in Jackson. Police release names of mother, daughter killed in house fire near Jackson Police have released the names of a mother and daughter killed in a house fire early Sunday. Sandra M. Miracle, 76, and her daughter Susan M. Miracle, 50, died when their Napoleon Township home caught fire, Napoleon Township Police Chief Duaine Pittman said. The names were previously being withheld pending family notification, which has been challenging, Pittman said. Here is whats on the Nov. 4 Election Day ballot in Jackson County Residents in Jackson County will cast their votes for the Tuesday, Nov. 4 election. Several tax proposals are on the ballot, including from Jackson Public Schools to improve school infrastructure, road maintenance in Summit Township and Vandercook Lake schools for several major capital improvements. City of Jackson voters living in Wards 1, 3 and 5 will also select who theyd like to represent them on City Council. Heres a guide to contested races and ballot proposals for Jackson County. Jackson County trick-or-treat times 2025: When to go in your community Its almost time to get dressed up with the family and venture out to neighborhoods for trick-or-treating. Halloween, Oct. 31, falls on Friday this year, and many communities are celebrating on that day. Heres when you can trick-or-treat in your area. Jackson judge accused of misconduct admits to alcohol issues, comment about colleagues breasts Jackson County Circuit Court Judge Thomas Wilson admitted, in a written response to misconduct allegations, to heavily consuming alcohol starting as early as 2013 and ending as late as 2021. He neither confirmed nor denied appearing in public, including at the courthouse, smelling of alcohol or intoxicated, according to the response, filed Oct. 22, to the Michigan Judicial Tenure Commission. In the response, Wilson admitted to some of the allegations, denied some and stated he did not recall the events of others. Van tips over after collision with truck on Springport Road near Jackson A crash involving a heavy-duty passenger van and a truck occurred Tuesday, Oct. 28 on Springport Road in front of North Pointe Apartments. The crash, about 3 p.m., caused the van to tip onto its side in the front yard of the apartment complex in Blackman Township. Blackman-Leoni Township Department of Public Safety and Jackson Community Ambulance responded shortly after the crash. Firefighters and police broke the vans rear view window to allow several passengers to exit the vehicle. Two people were taken from the scene by ambulance on stretchers. Digital innovation hub opens at Jackson College with custom recording system Jackson College is celebrating the opening of two new technology-focused spaces designed to empower students and faculty with professional digital tools. The Jets Studio and Center for Innovation Sandbox, located in Bert Walker Hall on the Central Campus, will be unveiled during a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 5 p.m. Monday, Nov. 3, followed by tours of the facilities, according to a news release. Developed through the colleges Innovation 100 initiative, the new spaces address growing needs for accessible digital media production and collaborative learning environments. Jackson buys land for southside grocery store development for $90K The city of Jackson is another step closer to getting a grocery store on its south side. In a Tuesday, Oct. 28 meeting, the Jackson City Council unanimously voted to purchase 1.5 acres of land from Consumers Energy for $90,000 on the corner of Cooper and Biddle streets. Its planned for the property to be combined with a city-owned lot, creating a 5.1-acre site for development. Since February, the city has been working to develop the land to bring access to fresh food and grocery to the area. Residents living on the southside and other neighborhoods of the city lack access to a major grocery store within city limits, affecting the residents quality of life. Want more Jackson-area news? Bookmark the local Jackson news page. KALAMAZOO COUNTY, MI City elections in Portage and Kalamazoo are nonpartisan. That doesnt mean local politics arent at play. Campaign finance documents, submitted to county election officials 10 days prior to Election Day, give voters a behind-the-scenes look at influences and allies backing nonpartisan candidates. Heres what the money tells us about the 2025 Portage election and how its fundraising totals compare to Kalamazoo. The central issue In Portage, seven candidates are vying for three council seats, including three incumbents. Meanwhile, Mayor Patricia Randall is facing challenger Nasim Ansari for the job. The debate over a single-hauler trash ordinance has dominated the November 2025 election cycle. City officials voted to contract Waste Management as the sole trash hauler for residential properties in the city in July. Waste Management was one of three companies to submit a proposal for the role. Waste Management will receive $29.4 million over the five-year contract. Best Way Disposal, based in Kalamazoo, had proposed a $38.2 million contract. Best Way has campaigned against the decision on social media, stating it violates residents freedom of choice and will hurt their local business. Best Ways Michigan, Indiana, Kentucky and Ohio operations are run by Daniel, Mike and Ralph Balkema, per public records. The company is hosting several signing locations for a petition to overturn the single-hauler ordinance at its Kalamazoo headquarters. In campaign statements, Daniel, Mike and Ralph list their occupations as managers of AZO services, an excavating contractor in Kalamazoo. AZO is also a petition signing location. Challengers Jay Woodhams, Jason Mikkelborg and Kathleen Olmsted, along with the mayoral challenger Ansari, have united behind Best Way on the topic at public forums and meetings. They argue the decision should be overturned, and residents should get the freedom to choose which trash provider they prefer. Public records show Woodhams, Olmsted and Ansari received several donations from Best Way employees and their family members. Olmsted and Ansari could not be reached for comment. Daniel, Mike and Ralph Balkema gave a total of $10,250 to Portage candidates this cycle. Including contributions from their spouses Brenda, Susan and Melanie Balkema, the family gave a total of $16,400. A representative for Best Way could not be reached for comment. While this set of candidates is being propped up by Best Way, another set of candidates has support from Democratic officials and business leaders. For incumbents Randall (mayor) and Jihan Young (councilmember), their donor list includes Zhang Financial founders and advisers Charles and Lynn Zhang and Democratic state representatives Julie Rogers and Matt Longjohn. Rogers gave a total of $150 to two incumbent candidates, Longjohn gave a total of $400. Greg Dobson, Jack and Joseph Gesmundo, owners of Portage-based development company AVB, gave a total of $1,000 to Randalls campaign. The Dems have bought and paid for the Portage City Council for a long time now and they are worried about losing that stronghold to independents like myself and Nasim, Woodhams said. Newcomer numbers (Cant see the chart? Click here.) The Committee to Elect Jay Woodhams raised $6,769 between Aug. 1 and Oct. 19, per public records. Of that, $6,750 came from people associated with Best Way Disposal: Chris Phillips, Best Way Disposal operations manager, $150 Daniel Balkema, AZO Services manager, $1,200 Ralph Balkema, AZO Services manager, $1,200 Michael Balkema, AZO Services manager, $1,200 Brenda, Susan and Melanie Balkema, all retired, listed the same address as AZO Services employees. Each gave $1,000. Woodhams contributed $19 to his campaign. Olmsted raised $6,650 in the same period. Many of the same donors contributed to her campaign: Daniel Balkema, Balkema Excavating Inc. manager, $1,000 Ralph Balkema, AZO Services manager, $1,000 Michael Balkema, AZO Services manager, $1,000 Her mother Ruth Olmsted gave $1,000. Another $650 came from four Portage and Kalamazoo residents. Mikkelborg did not meet the fundraising threshold of $1,000 required to submit a pre-campaign statement. Challenger Mark McKeon raised $4,251 and spent a total of $783.51 on his website and signs. Notable donations include: $250 from a Virginia resident $1,225 from an Allegan donor $250 from the MI Rural PAC He contributed $2,139.20 to the campaign. All other donations rang in at $100 or less. Ansari raised $16,084 during his campaign for mayor. Notable contributions include: Dale Shugars, former Michigan Republican state senator, state representative, Kalamazoo County commissioner and Portage city councilmember, $100 COMM-PAC, a political action committee associated with the address of Wiser Financial Group, $3,000 Christopher Phillips, Best Way Disposal manager, $150 Daniel Balkema, Balkema Excavating manager, $1,200 Ralph Balkema, AZO Services manager $1,225 Michael Balkema, AZO Services manager, $1,225 Melanie and Susan Balkema both listed their occupation as homemaker and gave $1,000 each Brenda Balkema, homemaker, $1,150 Ansari had a total of 36 contributions to his campaign, per public records. How do incumbents compare? Randall raised $19,716. She saw contributions from several of her fellow Portage officials, including councilmembers Chris Burns and Nicole Miller and Mayor Pro Tem James Pearson and his wife. Other notable contributions include: State Rep. Julie Rogers, $100 State Rep. Matt Longjohn, $200 Charles Zhang, Zhang Financial, $500 Realtors Political Action Committee of Michigan, $2,500 Southwest Michigan First PAC, $3,000 Jane Ghosh, Discover Kalamazoo executive director, $250 Greg Dobson, AVB owner, $250 Jack Gesmundo, AVB owner, $250 Joseph Gesmundo, AVB owner, $500 Curt Aardema, AVB administrator, $100 Roger Hinman, owner, Hinman Company, $515.38 David Scott, PlazaCorp CEO, $500 Dake Kracker, JTB homes builder, $1,225 Incumbent councilmember Jihan Young also saw support from fellow councilmembers and Democratic state representatives. Notable contributions to her $7,130 fund include: State Sen. Sean McCann, $250 State Rep. Matt Longjohn, $200 State Rep. Julie Rogers, $50 Realtors Action Committee of Michigan, $1,000 Southwest Michigan First PAC, $1,000 Charles Zhang, Zhang Financial president, $500 Jack Gesmundo, AVB owner, $100 Young spent $4,886.43, per public records. Long-time councilmember Terry Urban raised $6,310. Urban contributed $4,210 to his own campaign. He also saw support from Lynn and Charles Zhang totaling $500, $1,000 from the Realtors PAC and $100 from Councilmember Miller. A final $500 came from Portage resident Steve Grieve. Incumbent councilmember Vic Ledbetter raised $6,728.66 between Aug. 1 and Oct. 19. Donations of about $250 or less come primarily from Kalamazoo and Portage residents, public documents show. Ledbetter also received $250 from Sen. McCann, $1,000 from the Realtors PAC and a total of $500 from the Zhangs. Burns made $93 worth of in-kind contributions for work on Ledbetters website, records show. Fundraising in Kalamazoo (Cant see the chart? Click here.) Kalamazoo candidates for mayor and city commission raised less money than their Portage neighbors. Commission candidates Stephanie Hoffman and Kizzy Bradford plus Mayor David Anderson have yet to file pre-election statements. Thomas Durlach, Soloman Carpenter and candidate for mayor Robert Gray did not meet the $1,000 fundraising threshold, and were not required to submit statements. The committee to elect Bernard Dervan was granted a reporting waiver. Chris Glasser, one of three men running for mayor, raised $2,205. Most of the contributions rang in under $100, per public documents. Glasser contributed $819.64 to his own campaign. County Commissioner Tami Rey gave $25. The highest contributor was Beverly Glasser, $340. Jacqueline Slaby raised $11,646.88 during her campaign for city commission. Notable contributions include: Mattie Woods, former NADC director, $100 Don Cooney, city commissioner, $100 Realtors PAC, $1,371.88 Curt Aardema, AVB administrator, METRO board of directors chair, $150 David Combs, Kalamazoo Township Supervisor, $100 Teamsters 406, $1,000 Jessica Thompson raised $3,750 in her campaign for city commission. Thompson owns Bee Joyful Shop on the Kalamazoo Mall. Her connections in the Kalamazoo-area business world show in her fundraising efforts. Notable contributions include: Clarence Lloyd, Southwest Michigan First vice president, $100 Larry Bell, Bells Brewery founder, $1,000 Thomas Huff, Peregrine Company founder, $1,000 Thomas Schuster, Tom Shuster Electrical, $1,500 Keshia Dickason raised $1,105 during the reporting period. Notable contributions include: Don Cooney, city commissioner, $50 Tami Rey, county commissioner, $25 Jason Wiersma, county drain commissioner, $200 in-kind for advertisement Commission candidate Drew Duncan raised $5,101. Notable contributions include: Justin Mendoza, Kalamazoo County Democratic Party chair, $200 Tami Rey, county commissioner, Open Doors shelter manager, $103 Allison Kennedy, Freedom Lifted administrator, $515 Jen Strebs, county commission chair, $75 Greater Kalamazoo Association of Realtors, $1,000 Jamauri Bogan, Bogan Development CEO, $515 Want more Kalamazoo-area news? Bookmark MLives local Kalamazoo news page. City commissioners voted 6-1 in favor of offering Malcom Hankins the role of city manager on Oct. 20. Devin Anderson-Torrez | MLive.com KALAMAZOO, MI Kalamazoo city commissioners have agreed to a contract with new city manager Malcolm Hankins, including a six-figure salary, moving expenses, monthly car payments and more. Commissioners voted 6-1 to approve a contract with Hankins during a Thursday, Oct. 30 special meeting. Qianna Decker was the only commissioner to vote no to approving the contract. She also voted against extending the offer on Oct. 20. Hankins is expected to start on Jan. 5, 2026, per the contract. His base salary is set at $258,900.60 a year, per the contract. Thats $53,555 higher than current City Manager James Ritsemas 2025 salary. Ritsema is retiring Nov. 18. The commission will appoint an interim city manager at its Nov. 17 meeting, Mayor David Anderson said. Hankins salary will be reviewed annually and may be adjusted by the city commission, per city documents. Additional compensation may be awarded based on performance. The commission selected Hankins over two other finalists for the position on Oct. 20, after a four-month nationwide search process. After about a week of friendly back and forth with Mr. Hankins, we were able to come to agreement, Commissioner Alonzo Wilson said. Hankins is relocating to the area from Des Moines, Iowa, where he works as assistant city manager. He has more then 35 years of local government experience in Iowa, Arizona and Colorado, per city documents. Kalamazoo is offering a $30,000 payment, plus a $5,000 advance, to cover travel lodging expenses while Hankins finds housing and selects schools in the area. Hankins is required by contract to notify the city when he purchases a home. Until then, hell receive $3,500 a month for transitional housing. The contract does not include a requirement for Hankins to buy a home in the city of Kalamazoo. Other benefits include five weeks of paid vacation, a $35.99 per month cellphone allowance and $750 per month car allowance. The city also agreed to pay for reasonable travel, food and lodging expenses associated with professional development events. The new city manager will bring great gifts to this community, Commissioner Don Cooney said. And I believe that it was absolutely the right choice. Ritsema was appointed city manager in 2013. His 34-year career includes serving as finance director in Marshall and Battle Creek and time as Battle Creeks assistant city manager. Want more Kalamazoo-area news? Bookmark MLives local Kalamazoo news page. A Calhoun County Sheriff's Deputy was hit by a car and injured during a welfare check that turned into a struggle when police attempted to arrested the man they were called to check on. Joel Bissell CALHOUN COUNTY, MI Police were called for a welfare check at Taco Bell that ended with the arrest of the man they were asked to check on. At 7:28 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 30, Calhoun County Sheriffs Deputies were called to Taco Bell at 1307 NE Capital Ave. in Pennfield Township to check on the man who was unresponsive in a vehicle. A deputy located a 47-year-old man unresponsive in the drivers seat. Lifecare Ambulance Service and Pennfield Township Fire Department personnel responded and medically cleared the person. During the course of the investigation, deputies discovered the man had an active felony warrant for his arrest. While attempting to take the suspect into custody, he resisted, police said. The deputy was struck and injured by the suspects vehicle as the driver fled the scene, police said. A short time later, deputies located the suspects vehicle and attempted a traffic stop. The suspect again fled, leading deputies on a pursuit that continued into Eaton County. Calhoun County Sheriffs Deputies were assisted by the Michigan State Police and the Potterville Police Department. The pursuit ended after law enforcement successfully deployed tire deflation devices. The suspect was taken into custody and lodged at the Calhoun County Jail on multiple felony charges. The injured deputy was evaluated at a local hospital and released with non-life-threatening injuries. Police ask anyone with information about the case to contact Lieutenant Benjamin Hess at 269-781-0880 or provide an anonymous tip through Silent Observer at 269-964-3888. Bookmark MLives local Kalamazoo news page. MUSKEGON, MI One century ago, a Muskegon police detective became a local hero when he took down a notorious gangster. Charles DeWitt Hammond is well-known among the Muskegon County police community. The late detective died on Oct. 31, 1925, after a gun battle with Chicago gangster George Dutch Anderson. MLive/Muskegon Chronicle reviewed its archives surrounding the national manhunt and capture of Anderson to help honor Hammonds heroism. That Halloween, Anderson used a $20 counterfeit bill at the Colonial Cafe in downtown Muskegon. The cashier was suspicious and had the bank across the street determine whether the bill was fake and it was. A closeup detail of the wanted poster for George "Dutch" Anderson. Anderson died after being shot by Muskegon Police Detective Charles Hammond, who also was killed while he grappled with Anderson over a weapon in October 1925. MLive File Photo Hammond was taking Anderson to the county jail for questioning about a counterfeit operation when Anderson escaped. Anderson pulled a gun and started shooting. The two men then grappled for the gun. Hammond was mortally wounded but managed to get the gun and shoot Anderson to death. He then walked into the police department where fellow officers rushed him to Hackley Hospital, where he later died. In a Nov. 3, 1925 New York Times article about Andersons death, the newspaper announced a bullet through his heart from his own revolver, wrested from him and fired by the hand of a dying detective whom he had mortally wounded while trying to escape, has ended the infamous career of (Anderson). The New York Times called Anderson a bandit, mail robber, prison breaker, counterfeiter and alleged murderer who has been hunted in almost every State in the Union. Charles Hammond, a Muskegon detective... scorned the use of his own pistol in getting his man, the 1925 article reads. His pistol stayed in its holster as he advanced bare-handed against Anderson, who was firing as fast as he could pull the trigger. Hit by the fourth shot, the detective plunged forward, tackled his quarry, wrested the weapon from him and fired the death shot. Hammonds name and legacy is detailed on the Protector, a 7-foot bronze statue of a police officer that incorporates symbols representing some of Muskegon Countys fallen officers. The statue is located in front of the Muskegon County Courthouse. To commemorate the 100-year anniversary of Hammonds death, Muskegon police officers wore commemorative replica badges throughout the month of October. Scenes from Tuesday, Sept. 16, when Mart Dock President Max McKee gave a tour of the property to around 50 people and spoke in detail about a potential land swap proposal that would increase port operations, further develop the downtown waterfront and increase public access. It would also potentially eliminate a private campground. Kayla Tucker MUSKEGON, MI - Rezoning of waterfront properties and a tax break for a new restaurant were approved by Muskegon city planners in October. The Muskegon Planning Commission approved that a majority of Fishermans Landing be rezoned for future industrial port operations and a portion of the Mart Dock property be rezoned to allow for future upgrades at that location. The Muskegon City Commission has final say on the zoning changes, and is expected to vote on a land swap proposal that includes these properties on Nov. 25. The proposed deal would close Fishermans Landing campground and allow Mart Dock to move port operations to that space on the east end of the city on Muskegon Lake. The city would acquire neighboring land from Verplank Co. for a public park, as well as some property on Third Street downtown next to Mart Docks current operations. The city commission approved on Oct. 14 the establishment of a commercial redevelopment district, plus a commercial facilities exemption certificate, for Gigis Grill, a Mexican/American restaurant planned for 431 E. Laketon Ave. in Muskegon. An aerial photo of Fisherman's Landing, which currently is mostly housing a campground and parking lot, along with a public boat launch, restroom, pavilion and fish cleaning station. The Muskegon planning commission voted Oct. 23 to rezone a majority of the property to allow for future port operations. City of Muskegon Planners approve rezoning of properties included in land swap deal The planning commission approved on Oct. 23 to rezone 23.5 acres of the 43.5-acre site owned by West Michigan Dock & Market Corp. at 560 Mart St. from Waterfront Marine to Waterfront Industrial PUD. Planning Director Mike Franzak said this would bring existing port activities into compliance with current zoning and would allow for potential operational changes or expansion. City Manager Jonathan Seyferth described the change as an insurance policy and olive branch for Mart Dock. If the land swap deal falls through, this rezoning would still allow them to operate and upgrade their business at its current location. The commission also voted to rezone the majority of Fishermans Landing from Open Space Recreation to Waterfront Industrial PUD to allow for new port activities. If the land swap is approved, Mart Dock plans to move the bulk of its port activities to the city-owned property that currently houses a campground, public pavilion, boat ramp, fish cleaning station and restrooms. Gigis Grill moving into brick-and-mortar spot The commercial facilities exemption certificate approved by the commission will freeze the taxable value of the building and exempt new real property investment from local taxes for eight years. Luis Santillanes, owner of Gigis Grill, plans to rehabilitate the 18,686-square-foot facility, starting in November. Gigis Grill has been operating a food truck and tent outside the building, where it serves authentic Mexican food. The $65,000 project is expected to create between seven and 10 jobs, according to city documents. The new restaurant will be open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and serve Mexican, Cuban and American dishes. It also will have indoor seating, a drive-thru and a childrens play area, Santillanes said. The building at 431 E. Laketon previously was a church, where Santillanes served as pastor for about four years. Prior to that, the building was a restaurant, and it has the capacity to be one again with a kitchen, dining room and two bathrooms, according to city documents. The biggest transformation would be in the kitchen, with an estimated $50,000 investment that includes plumbing, commercial refrigerators, a commercial stove, a flat grill and stainless-steel counters, Santillanes said. Santillanes said he still has to secure workers and a building permit but plans to be open by March of next year. The exterior of the Dow Bay Area YMCA, located at 225 Washington Ave. in Bay City, is seen in this MLive file photo. Renue Physical Therapy recently announced that it is expanding its clinic in the YMCA. BAY CITY, MI A physical rehabilitation clinic in Bay City is undergoing an expansion as it looks to increase its capacity to serve patients. The Renue Physical Therapy clinic at the Dow Bay Area Family YMCA, located at 225 Washington Ave., will feature an expanded treatment area nearly double its previous size. Renue officials announced the news this week. Renue Physical Therapy is an outpatient physical therapy company with 17 locally owned clinics throughout mid-Michigan. The clinic at the Dow Bay Area Family YMCA offers multiple services for patients of all ages and activity levels, including manual therapy, targeted exercise programs, and evidence-based rehabilitation approaches. With this additional space, we can welcome more patients, expand our team of expert therapists, and offer an even greater range of treatment options to help people live their healthiest, most active lives, Renue Physical Therapy CEO Tony Klapish said in a statement. The expansion will also accommodate the growing demand for physical therapy in the area, according to Renue officials. The clinic is in the YMCAs upper-level gymnasium, which is also where the previous clinic was located. Due to its location, the clinics patients are able to access the YMCAs fitness equipment. The partnership between the clinic and the YMCA began in May 2024. This expansion reflects the incredible response weve received from the Bay City community and the success of our partnership with the YMCA, Klapish said. The clinics lead physical therapist, Kristen Rice, who is a doctor of physical therapy, will move into the space once the expansion is complete. Construction on the expanded space is set to be completed in November. Were thrilled to see Renue thrive within our facility, Dow Bay Area Family YMCA CEO Steve Krankota said in a statement. This collaboration and expansion shows the shared mission of helping people achieve lasting health and wellness, and we are proud to be able to offer these services on-site to our members and the community. A YMCA membership is not required to receive care at the clinic, which also offers a free 15-minute consultation, during which patients will learn more about how to achieve personalized goals through physical therapy. Patients can schedule with the clinic by calling 989-414-1399 or online at renuept.com/appointment. For more information about the Renue Physical Therapy, visit the companys website at renuept.com. Additional information about the Dow Bay Area Family YMCA is available online at ymcabaycity.org. KOCHVILLE TWP, MI Nearly 360 students at Saginaw Valley State University participate in the Thompson Working Families Scholarship program, with half being first-generation college students. This makes the annual Nov. 8 national celebration of first-generation college students especially meaningful for these Thompson Scholars. Established by the Plymouth, Michigan-based Thompson Foundation in 2011, the scholarship program was envisioned by Ellen Thompson, a former teacher, and her husband, Bob Thompson, to help high-achieving students overcome financial barriers to higher education. The program prepares students for meaningful careers and community-centered lives. SVSU joined the program in 2016 with an initial cohort of 10 students, alongside partner schools Grand Valley State University, Michigan Technological University, and Bowling Green State University in Ohio, which is the Thompsons alma mater. Unlike traditional scholarships, the Thompson program requires commitment from multiple parties. Scholars receive $11,000 annually, with the Thompson Foundation providing $5,500 that must be matched dollar-for-dollar by the university. Students cover remaining costs and must maintain a minimum 2.75 GPA, take full-time credit hours, and complete 20 hours of community service yearly. The Thompson Working Families Scholarship program plays a vital role in helping first-generation students and their families achieve the goal of earning a degree from SVSU, Ken Fettig, vice president for enrollment management who oversees the program, said in a statement. The program provides essential resources that are proven to foster student success: financial support beyond tuition, a strong peer cohort for academic, social, and career development, and meaningful opportunities for community engagement through service. Lauren Behrendt, 20, a junior at SVSU and valedictorian of her Memphis High School class, exemplifies the programs impact. As a first-generation college student, Behrendt was responsible for funding her education. After visiting several schools, I was definitely leaning toward Saginaw Valley because everyone I met was so friendly and the campus is beautiful and financial support was important to my decision, Behrendt said in a statement. Being a Thompson Scholar, combined with receiving the SVSU Founders Scholarship, means my tuition is almost fully covered. An occupational therapy major, Behrendt will graduate in spring 2028 with combined bachelors and masters degrees, needing to fund only her fifth-year masters credits without these scholarships. Curt Little, Thompson Foundation program manager, described the program as more than financial aid its a transformative opportunity." For many of our Thompson Scholars, especially those who are the first in their families to attend college, this support opens doors to education, community engagement, and a future filled with purpose, he said in a statement. When the Thompson Foundation sunsets in 2033, it is projected to have supported more than 13,000 Thompson Scholars across all partner institutions. Saginaw Valley State University offers more than 90 programs of study to approximately 7,000 students on its campus in Michigans Great Lakes Bay Region. SVSU is recognized for community engagement and, according to Niche rankings, has the best dormitories of any public university in the United States. Generative AI was used to organize information for this story, based on data provided by the Thompson Foundation and Saginaw Valley State University. It was reviewed and edited by MLive/The Saginaw News staff. This photograph shows a JetBlue - AIRBUS A220-300 aircraft displayed during the 55th edition of the International Paris Air Show at the ParisLe Bourget Airport, in Le Bourget, suburb of Paris on June 17, 2025. (Bertrand Guay/AFP via Getty Images) At least 15 to 20 were taken to the hospital after a flight control issue caused a plane to suddenly drop in altitude. According to the Federal Aviation Administration, the incident occurred on JetBlue Flight 1230 from Cancun International Airport in Mexico to New Jerseys Newark Liberty International Airport on Thursday. The Airbus A320 made an emergency landing in Tampa around 2:19 p.m. after dropping about 100 feet in seven seconds. Two children and 12 adults were taken to Tampas St. Josephs Hospital with minor injuries, and all have been discharged, a hospital spokesperson told CNN. The airline said it would conduct a full investigation to determine the cause. The safety of our customers and crew members is always our first priority, and we will work to support those involved, JetBlue said in a statement. Traffic is seen pulling up to an Illinois Tollway toll collection area. (Photo by Tim Boyle/Getty Images) Getty Images/MLS Anyone flying out of Chicago should expect to pay a bit more to get to the airport. Illinois lawmakers approved a new, $1.5 billion transit funding bill for public transportation agencies, mainly in the Chicago area, this week. The legislation will have an impact in several areas, but perhaps most significantly for Michiganders, it will hike fares for trips on the Illinois Tollway, including to OHare International Airport, according to NBC 5 in Chicago. Tolls on the Illinois Tollway, which maintains and operates 306 miles of tollways in 12 counties in northern Illinois, will increase by $0.45, according to the TV station. Currently, tolls on a trip to OHare on the Tri-State Tollway (I294), the route used by most motorists coming from Michigan, costs a normal passenger vehicle $0.75 but will now cost $1.20. Other notable tollways near the airport include the Jane Addams Memorial Tollway (I90) and Illinois Route 390 Tollway. The higher toll rate will fund transportation projects, officials said. Supporters said the new tollway fares could generate as much as $1 billion. In a statement released Friday, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker praised the bill. The legislation makes important changes to how Illinois operates and manages our transportation network, including investing in new capital projects that will make our public transit and tollways more modern, efficient, and reliable for riders, the statement said. I am pleased the legislation also avoids new broad-based state taxes on Illinois working families. Instead, it directs existing state revenue streams to flow towards public transit systems while enabling independent bodies like the Regional Transportation Authority and Tollway Board to decide how to best meet their users needs. The bill and its associated toll increases will not take effect until June 1, 2026, ABC7 in Chicago reported. Prosecutor General of Ukraine Ruslan Kravchenko, during a working visit to the Republic of Lithuania, discussed with Lithuanian President Gitanas Nauseda the establishment of a Special Tribunal to prosecute the crime of aggression and the inevitability of punishment for all those involved in war crimes. "On October 30-31, I made a working visit to the Republic of Lithuania. The main goal is the first-ever extradition of a Russian serviceman for war crimes committed on the territory of Ukraine, and the coordination of further steps in this direction," Kravchenko said in the Telegram channel on Friday. He said that during the visit he had two key meetings, which once again confirmed the strategic unity of Ukraine and Lithuania. "A meeting with the President of Lithuania, Mr. Gitanas Nauseda. I had the honor, on behalf of the Ukrainian people, to express sincere gratitude for the unwavering support of our state, which has not stopped since the first days of Russian aggression," Kravchenko said. "We discussed key areas of cooperation in the field of justice: the establishment of a Special Tribunal to bring to justice the crime of aggression; the inevitability of punishment for all those involved in war crimes; support for Lithuania in the international arena, thanks to which the voice of justice sounds loud and clear," the Prosecutor General said. He separately thanked Lithuania for its assistance in restoring the social and educational infrastructure of Kyiv region, in particular, the kindergarten in Irpin and Borodianka Lyceum. In addition, according to Kravchenko, he met with Prosecutor General of Lithuania Ms. Nida Grunskiene "We have secured a result that has already gone down in history: the extradition of a Russian serviceman under the principle of universal jurisdiction," the Prosecutor General said. He specified that during the conversation with the Prosecutor General of Lithuania, they focused on "deepening cooperation within the Joint Investigation Team "Ukraine Case," strengthening coordination in countering the recruitment of temporarily displaced Ukrainian citizens by Russian special services; in countering cross-border fraud, our joint teams demonstrate significant results in the cases of the so-called "call centers." In addition, as the Prosecutor General noted, he discussed with his Lithuanian colleague the strengthening of the work of the International Center for the Prosecution of the Crime of Aggression. "I especially thanked my Lithuanian colleagues for the logistical support of the frontline prosecutors offices. For us, this is real, concrete help that strengthens our resilience," Kravchenko said. House Speaker Matt Hall, R-Richland Township, signaled he will be blocking the Senates $71 million plan to help feed families amid a pause in federal food assistance, saying Thursday the plan is fake, performative and political. (Devin Anderson-Torrez | MLive.com) The Michigan House speaker signaled he will be blocking the Senates $71 million plan to help feed families amid a pause in federal food assistance, saying Thursday the plan is fake, performative and political. House Speaker Matt Hall, R-Richland Township, told reporters Thursday evening, Oct. 30, that the way the Senate passed the legislation would cause a delay in getting aid out to families. When were facing a crisis where the food banks are going to get such a demand, people are not going to get this benefit and theyre struggling to pay their bills and to get food, he said. The answer is not what the Senate Democrats did, which was to pass a bill that couldnt do anything for many weeks. What we did was work together, look within the budget and figure out how were going to solve this problem now while theres a need, and thats what the governor and I did with this $4.5 million to the Food Bank Council (of Michigan). One reason the bill is performative, Hall said, is that the House cant immediately take up the Senate bill for consideration and get it to the governors desk to sign into law due to a five-day layover rule. The Senate could have bypassed this rule by working with the House to add the $71 million plan to a Senate bill already pending in the House, Hall said. Even with the layover rule, the House would be able to pass the bill next week. The Senate approved the supplemental funding bill in a 27-4 bipartisan vote. Hall also claimed the Senate also wont be present next week. The Senate calendar shows sessions are scheduled as usual next week. Senate Majority Leader Winnie Brinks, D-Grand Rapids, declined to comment on Halls remarks. Regardless of timing, Hall said, the proper way to solve the upcoming pause in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits for the nearly 1.4 million Michiganders who rely on them is to utilize funds already in the budget. He championed what he said was his work with Gov. Gretchen Whitmer in disbursing $4.5 million on Thursday to help support food banks around the state. Thats part of a $30 million pot in the budget that can be used for emergencies like this, he said. Due to the ongoing federal shutdown, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has notified Michigan and other states that SNAP benefits will be paused for the month of November. The USDA has directed states to not issue partial benefit payments. SNAP, formerly known as food stamps, provides food assistance to lower-income residents. Nearly 13% of Michigan households, including about 492,000 children, rely on SNAP to buy groceries. The average eligible household in Michigan received $335 in monthly SNAP benefits last year. Benefits are put on debit cards, known as electronic benefit transfer (EBT) cards, that can be used to buy food at grocery stores, farmers markets and other retailers. This week, Whitmer joined 20 other governors in calling on President Donald Trump to use contingency funds to continue SNAP benefits without interruption. Attorney General Dana Nessel also joined 22 other attorneys general and three governors in suing the USDA for what they say is an unlawful suspension of SNAP benefits. Hall said the $4.5 million being disbursed to food banks around the state will cover the first two weeks of November. The Food Bank Council of Michigan, which will receive and distribute the funds, will provide state leaders with a report on how the money was spent and whether it met the need. That assessment will be used to determine whether the state needs to allocate more resources. As that money runs out, were committed to working with (Whitmer) to find sources of state money to do the things that we can do, which is what were doing here. Thats a real solution, Hall said. Thats meeting the needs of the Food Bank Council as the demand is going to go up for them so that food is available in all 83 counties for people across our state that have a need. The $71 million supplemental funding bill passed Thursday by the Michigan Senate offers a four-prong solution. The plan would allocate $50 million to refill EBT cards, starting first with those most in need. Another $10 million would support food banks, and an additional $10 million would support a program to purchase and distribute surplus produce from Michigan farms to low-income residents in the state. The remaining $1 million would go toward the states Double Up Food Bucks Program, which provides a dollar-for-dollar match on purchases of fruits and vegetables with food assistance benefits. Today, in the state Senate, our majority did our part to help, Brinks said earlier Thursday of the bills passage. But President Trump and federal Republicans can use the same power that created this emergency to end it releasing SNAP funds immediately and ending the shutdown before the impacts get even worse. Hall warned that other federal benefits and support programs, like the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC), will also face pauses in funding if the shutdown continues. He said the state doesnt have the resources to backfill all of the lost federal funds, and he called on the U.S. Senate to pass a temporary funding bill to end the shutdown. What we dont have the resources to do is to fill SNAP and WIC and every single one of these programs that are going to start coming one by one as a result of the federal government shutdown, Hall said. Thats where we need our U.S. senators to step up, pass a clean continuing resolution and then work out their political differences with the expanded time. WIC is a federally funded program that serves low and moderate income pregnant, breastfeeding and postpartum women, as well as infants and children up to age 5 who are at nutritional risk. The program provides nutrition education, supplemental foods, breastfeeding support and referrals to healthcare. The federal government shutdown driving the pause on SNAP funds began Oct. 1 when Congress failed to pass either a temporary or full spending bill for the new fiscal year. Democrats and Republicans in Washington continue to blame each other for the partisan standoff. That dispute involves Democrats preventing a spending bill from being passed until Republicans agree to continue subsidies for the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare. Bottom line, the well has run dry, a notice atop the USDA.gov webpage states. At this time, there will be no benefits issued November 01. We are approaching an inflection point for Senate Democrats. Nessel and other attorneys general contend in their lawsuit that the USDA can use billions in contingency funds appropriated by Congress to continue SNAP benefits next month. In a USDA memo obtained by Axios, the agency claims contingency funds are not legally available. If you purchase a product through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. A 2007 Kobe Bryant classic is coming back to kick off Nikes November sneaker releases. The Air Force 1 Low Protro Linen and University Blue shoe drops Saturday, Nov. 1, at 10 a.m. ET for $150. An improvement to the iconic silhouette, this design features Soft Linen hues wrapped around the premium leather upper. Its as much an homage to Kobes calm precision on the court as it is a pop in your wardrobe. Air Force 1 Low Protro Air Force 1 Low Protro Linen and University Blue $150 on Nike The University Blue coloring actually honors the Lakers franchises former life. Back in the 1940s, the team started in Detroit and moved to Minneapolis before settling down in Los Angeles. This is a nod to their old colors. Unlike other Protro models, this one features a portrait of Bryant etched in Metallic Gold by the heel. Additional improvements include intentional upgrades to the ultra-plush, drop-in ReactX foam midsole and Nike Air cushioning. We anticipate an incredibly comfortable fit, but we also predict these Air Force 1 Low Protro shoes will sell out fast. Most launches tied to the Kobe name do. If you want a pair, plan to be online before the 10 a.m. drop time. November will be an exciting month for sneakerheads. Check out our Nike SNKRS release calendar for this month, and mark your calendar for the next must-have shoe drop. Varun Singh A journalist covering the automotive sector in depth, across business and product verticals. Trying to hit the gym at least four times a week! I am not a fitness freak though. PM Modi commemorated the start of production of the e Vitara at Hansalpur on August 26. Varun Singh USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept Meghna Mittal Deputy News Editor at Moneycontrol. Meghna has experience across television, print, online and wire media. She has been covering the Indian economy, monetary and fiscal policies, Finance and Trade ministries. She tweets at @Meghnamittal23 Contact: meghna.mittal@nw18.com More than 5 lakh appeals are pending before Commissioners (Appeals) Meghna Mittal USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept As of 17:30, 17 people were injured as a result of Russian shelling of Kherson region, and two more people were killed, Kherson regional prosecutors office said. "According to the investigation, on October 31, 2025, the occupation army used artillery and drones of various types to shell settlements in Kherson region. As of 17:30, two civilians were killed and 17 wounded," the office said. Thus, during the day, two civilians were killed and 14 more were injured from artillery shelling of Kherson. One person in the regional center was injured due to a UAV attack. Two more civilians were injured in Bilozerka: one by enemy artillery, the other by a drone. Private and apartment buildings, a dormitory of an educational institution, retail outlets, religious and economic buildings, garages and vehicles were also damaged. Prosecutors, together with investigators, continue to record the consequences of the shelling and document war crimes committed by the armed formations of the aggressor state. 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. Archisha Yadav USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept Actors Tiku Talsania and Prem Gadhvi booked for risky road stunt during Misri Promotion, later issue public apology Three actors were detained on Thursday for carrying out risky motorcycle stunts on Science City Road the previous evening as part of the films promotional campaign. M Snehanjali USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept Anupam Kher shares emotional story of meeting late Satish Shahs wife, Madhu, who is battling Alzheimers: She first recognised me and said... Anupam Kher talks about his meet with Satish Shah wife Madhu after his demise Palak Vij USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept Dharmendra hospitalised at Mumbais Breach Candy Hospital; team says 'he undergoes a series of tests' Dharmendra hospitalised at Mumbais Breach Candy Hospital; team says 'he undergoes a series of tests' Vaishnavi Gavankar USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept (Text after paragraph four has been added) The consortium of state-owned Oschadbank (80%) and Ukreximbank (20%), which on July 26 received ownership rights to the Gulliver retail and office complex, has decided to temporarily close the complex from 22:00 on October 30, 2025. "The purpose of this step is the safety of visitors and representatives of the complexs tenants, as well as guaranteed avoidance of accidents and man-made threats that may be caused by the former owner of the facility," Oschadbank said in a statement on Friday. "The date and time of the resumption of the complexs operation in the event of its closure will be announced additionally. This will happen immediately after the situation stabilizes," the statement said. According to it, such a decision is due to the fact that representatives of the former owner (Tri O LLC) are sabotaging the transfer of effective management of the complex to the banks in every possible way. It was reported that the consortium has been denied access to premises containing utility systems and equipment essential for the operation of the complexs infrastructure, including dispatch and automation systems, external advertising systems, security systems, the media facade, fire safety systems, elevator control systems, and more. The bank added that Tri O LLC has been overloading the complexs energy-intensive systems during electricity use restrictions, leading to power outages. At the same time, consortium specialists are not being allowed to access the site to identify and eliminate the causes of these outages. Meanwhile, Oschadbank noted that it has signed an agreement for the supply of imported electricity. According to the statement, the consortium will seek compensation for damages and hold those responsible to account. "The consortium of banks has taken all necessary legal steps to respond to the aforementioned illegal actions: law enforcement agencies, the military administration, and others have been notified. The banks will legally pursue compensation for damages and demand criminal liability for all those involved both organizers and perpetrators," the statement said. At the same time, Tri O maintains that all structural elements, utility systems, equipment, and mechanisms of the Gulliver business and financial complex (BFC) are operational and can function normally. The company says there are no technical grounds cited by Oschadbank representatives for closing the complex, nor is there any threat to tenants or visitors. "All members of the Tri O team are at their workplaces, and our presence ensures the safe operation of the facility. However, representatives of Oschadbank are instructing their contractors to shut down high-risk equipment, thereby creating accident hazards themselves. They are also trying to block access for critical specialists, who are not part of Oschadbank, but are essential to maintaining the normal operation of the utility systems," Tri O said in its official statement. The company added that the obstruction of operations merely demonstrates Oschadbanks inability to ensure the proper, safe, and uninterrupted functioning of the Gulliver complex. As a result of the current situation, tenants are removing goods and equipment, relocating their projects to other sites, and vacancy rates in the complexs retail and office spaces are rising rapidly. As reported earlier, on October 17, 2025, Kyivs Shevchenkivsky District Court lifted the seizure of the Gulliver complex, which had been imposed as part of a criminal case over alleged tax evasion. Following this, the National Asset Recovery and Management Agency (ARMA) halted its search for an asset manager. In July 2025, a consortium of state-owned Oschadbank (80%) and Ukreximbank (20%) acquired ownership of BFC Gulliver as debt recovery from its beneficiary. The recovery procedure was launched due to Tri O LLC, the debtor and former owner of Gulliver, failing to meet its obligations under a loan agreement. The consortium of state banks formed a management team and planned to operate the asset independently. BFC Gulliver, located in Kyivs Pechersky district, opened in 2013. It has a total area of 151,800 square meters. The project was largely financed by Oschadbank, which granted Tri O a $460 million loan. The debt restructuring process for the loan, secured by a mortgage on the Gulliver complex totaling UAH 18.1769 billion, was completed in 2020. Gulliver was transferred to ARMAs management under decisions by the Shevchenkivsky District Court of Kyiv on June 3, 2024, and the Kyiv Court of Appeal on June 25, 2024, following a motion from the Prosecutor Generals Office. The move was part of a Bureau of Economic Security (BES) criminal investigation into alleged tax evasion by Gullivers management totaling nearly UAH 146 million. BES formally charged Gullivers director in May 2023. Earlier, the investigative program Schemes reported that the company owed Oschadbank and Ukreximbank UAH 14 billion. It claimed that the real owner of BFC Gulliver was former Mikhaylivsky Bank owner Viktor Polischuk, who was subjected to personal economic sanctions in April 2025. So when Katrina recently announced her pregnancy with a heartwarming polaroid featuring her baby bump and husband Vicky, it was a moment they chose to share on their own terms. M Snehanjali USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. 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For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept Sushant Singh Rajputs sister dismisses suicide claims; says psychics told her he was murdered by two people Sushant Singh Rajputs sister dismisses suicide claims; says psychics told her he was murdered by two people Vaishnavi Gavankar USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. 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I Accept Not trying to create Hindu-Muslim controversy, just stating facts: Paresh Rawal on 'Taj Story' Rawal wont go into the details about the facts that the movie seeks to present but he stressed that whatever is shown is backed by research, not fabricated drama. 101Reporters USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. 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I Accept Humans in the Loop now streaming on Netflix: Aranya Sahays powerful take on the hidden human labor behind AI Humans in the Loop now streaming on Netflix: Aranya Sahays powerful take on the hidden human labor behind AI Vaishnavi Gavankar USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. 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I Accept Kaun Banega Crorepati 17: Amitabh Bachchan opens up about his love for vada pav and sabudana vada, says 'They are so tasty...' Palak Vij USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. 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Its important to sneak in movement whenever you can, suggests Dr Yaranov (Image: Pexels) Bobby John Varkey USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept Certain foods can help one fight the battle with breast cancer (Picture Credit: Unsplash) Shreya Garg USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. 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I Accept Looking ahead, China and the United States should strengthen engagement, avoid misperceptions, manage differences, and expand cooperation, ensuring the implementation of the leaders' consensus for a stable, healthy and sustainable bilateral relationship. BEIJING, Oct. 30 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping's meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday in Busan, South Korea, offers a vital opportunity for both countries to strengthen their relationship. In a world full of uncertainties, the consensus reached between the two leaders provides a clear path forward for stabilizing China-U.S. ties and promoting global stability. This highlights the important role the head-of-state diplomacy plays in guiding China-U.S. relations. As noted by Xi during the meeting, in the face of winds, waves and challenges, the two leaders should stay the right course, navigate through the complex landscape, and ensure the steady sailing forward of the giant ship of China-U.S. relations. Since the beginning of this year, the two leaders have spoken on the phone three times, exchanged several letters and stayed in close contact. Under their joint guidance, China-U.S. relations have remained stable on the whole. This fully demonstrates that for the two giant vessels of China and the United States to move forward together, without veering off course or losing speed, it is essential to unwaveringly adhere to the strategic leadership of the two heads of state and fully implement their important consensus. China-U.S. relations influence the direction of the world. A sound, stable and sustainable bilateral relationship not only aligns with the long-term interests of both countries but also reflects the aspirations of the global community. As noted by Xi, there is good potential for the two countries to work together on combating illegal immigration and telecom fraud, anti-money laundering, artificial intelligence, and responding to infectious diseases. During the meeting, the two presidents agreed to enhance cooperation in economic, trade, energy and other fields, and to encourage more people-to-people exchanges. This once again demonstrates that China and the United States gain from cooperation and lose from confrontation. The two countries share extensive common interests and vast areas for cooperation. They can be partners and friends, achieve mutual success, prosper together, benefit their own people and contribute to the world. As two major countries with different national conditions, it is normal for the two leading economies of the world to have frictions now and then. The key is to respect each other's core interests and major concerns, and to find appropriate ways to resolve issues. China-U.S. economic and trade relations have experienced ups and downs recently, which have not only caused losses to both countries but also cast a shadow over the global economy. To allow the economic and trade relations to continue to serve as the anchor and driving force for China-U.S. relations, not a stumbling block or a point of friction, the two sides should think big and recognize the long-term benefit of cooperation, and must not fall into a vicious cycle of mutual retaliation. As urged by Xi, the two teams can continue their talks in the spirit of equality, mutual respect and mutual benefit, and continuously shorten the list of problems and lengthen the list of cooperation. During the meeting, Xi also elaborated on the important secret to China's success. "Over the past seven decades and more, we have been working from generation to generation on the same blueprint to make it a reality. We have no intention to challenge or supplant anyone. Our focus has always been on managing China's own affairs well, improving ourselves and sharing development opportunities with all countries across the world," he said. These remarks, open and confident, sent a clear message to the United States and the world about China's firm commitment to peaceful development and win-win cooperation. In a world marked by complex challenges, the international community looks to China and the United States to play a leading role. There are numerous global issues that both nations can address together, working in the interest of both countries and the world. To realize this vision, both sides must move forward with mutual effort and understanding. Looking ahead, China and the United States should strengthen engagement, avoid misperceptions, manage differences, and expand cooperation, ensuring the implementation of the leaders' consensus for a stable, healthy and sustainable bilateral relationship. A group of Ukrainian children and adolescents, pupils of Novopetrivka special school in Mykolaiv region, who were deported to Russia at the beginning of the full-scale invasion in 2022, returned to Ukraine as part of the initiative of the President of Ukraine Bring Kids Back UA, Head of the President's Office Andriy Yermak said in the Telegram channel on Thursday. "During the occupation of part of Mykolaiv region in 2022, Russian military deported children from Novopetrivka specialized school in Mykolaiv region. Among the abducted children were also orphans and children deprived of parental care. The director of the institution tried her best to protect the girls and boys from the occupiers. She refused to move to the temporarily occupied Crimea and looked for ways for the children to leave for the territory controlled by Ukraine. Upon learning of this, the occupiers came with threats and, accompanied by a special unit of the Russian Guard, forcibly moved the children to the left bank of Kherson region in military vehicles of the Tiger type, and then through the occupied Crimea, and by train to Russia, to Anapa," Yermak said. He thanked the Ombudsman's Office, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs "and all partners who participated in this return." "The children have come a long way to finally be in Ukraine. In the future, they will face the process of reintegration and education in Ukrainian educational institutions," the President's Office said. Yermak did not specify the number of returned special school pupils. As reported, as of October 1, within the framework of the president's initiative Bring Kids Back, Ukraine had returned 1,645 children, after which Yermak reported over 81 more, and Head of Kherson Regional Military Administration Oleksandr Prokudin reported four more, and in addition, a group of children aged 10 to 17, without specifying their number. Danish Khan is the editor of Technology and Telecom. He was previously with the Economic Times and has tracked the sector for 14 years. iPhone 17 series displayed at an Apple store in New Delhi. (Courtesy: Reuters photo) Sonalee Borgohain USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept Yeeshu Yadav USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept Vedanta Q2 results: Net profit falls 59% to Rs 1,798 crore on one-time cost Vedanta Ltd on October 31 reported 59% decline in net profit at Rs 1,798 crore for the September quarter due to Rs 2,067-crore one-time cost. The firm's revenue rose 6% to Rs 39,868 crore in Q2FY26. Paras Bisht USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept Eutelsat OneWeb yet to get security clearance for satellite broadband as Starlink conducts demo in Mumbai Danish Khan is the editor of Technology and Telecom. He was previously with the Economic Times and has tracked the sector for 14 years. Hemant Abhishek USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept GST cuts fuel consumer durables output to 10-month high in Sep, but some economists warn it could be temporary Priyansh Verma USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. 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For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept Groww IPO GMP rises ahead of November 4 launch; here's what you need to know Paras Bisht USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. 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I Accept Lenskart's Rs 7,000-crore IPO gets fully subscribed on Day 1; GMP crosses 20%: Should you apply? Debaroti Adhikary USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept Debaroti Adhikary USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. 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I Accept 'Confident that we will achieve more than the Rs 27,000 crore order book guidance in FY26': BEL's Manoj Jain BEL also highlighted continued traction in emergency procurements, having already received 11 such orders worth about Rs 1,350 crore and expecting another Rs 2,000 crore to materialise shortly in the next two weeks. Anishaa Kumar USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept Photo: https://t.me/ukr_sof The Special Operations Forces of Ukraine (SOF) report a joint operation with the Russian rebel movement Chernaya Iskra on the night of September 28, thanks to which two critical elements of the occupiers' air defense system were disabled in Russia's Rostov region: the Buk-M3 anti-aircraft missile system and the Nebo-U early detection radar station. "The cost of each of the complexes is measured in several hundred million dollars. The Buk-M3 is capable of hitting targets at a distance of up to 80 kilometers, and the Nebo-U can detect fighters at a distance of up to 400 kilometers. Both systems posed a great threat to the work of Ukrainian combat aviation in the frontline zone and hindered Ukrainian 'deep strike' strikes, but these complexes in particular will no longer be there," the forces said on the Telegram channel on Thursday. As reported, on October 23 and 24, servicemen of the Department of Active Operations of the Main Intelligence Agency of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine destroyed three air defense systems of the Russian occupation army in the temporarily occupied territories of Zaporizhia, Kherson regions and the Autonomous Republic of Crimea: a self-propelled firing installation from the Buk-M3 air defense system, as well as two 1L119 Nebo-SVU radar stations. Sunil Matkar USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept 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 USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept Want to mimic what stocks the US buys? There may be an ETF soon Hemant Abhishek USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept Pakistan says it seeks no further escalation but urges Afghanistan to act against militants 101Reporters USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept Danish Khan is the editor of Technology and Telecom. He was previously with the Economic Times and has tracked the sector for 14 years. Starlink has sought permission to establish three gateway stationsin Mumbai, Chennai, and Noida. (Courtesy: Reuters photo) Sonalee Borgohain USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept The Statue of Unity was inaugurated by PM Modi on October 31, 2018 at Kevadia in Gujarat Smriti Mishra USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept Chhabi Kala USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept '26-second manifesto': Congress slams NDA for 'insulting Bihar' for 'not allowing' Nitish Kumar to speak at launch BJP National President and Union Minister JP Nadda with Union Ministers Chirag Paswan and Jitan Ram Manjhi, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and JDU National Working President Sanjay Jha releases the National Democratic Alliance's (NDA) manifesto for the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections, in Patna, Friday, October 31, 2025. (Image: PTI) Rewati Karan USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept Any terror act will be treated as act of war: Armys new doctrine under New Normal, says Lt Gen Manjinder Singh 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. Indias new New Normal: Army doctrine declares any terror attack an act of war Aishwarya Dabhade USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept Photo: Raytheon Missiles & Defense The U.S. Department of Defense has given the White House the green light to supply Ukraine with long-range Tomahawk missiles, assessing that this will not have a negative impact on U.S. stocks, and leaving the final political decision in the hands of President Donald Trump, CNN reports, citing U.S. and European officials familiar with the matter. "While the Pentagon doesn't have concerns about stockpiles, US defense officials are still grappling with how Ukraine would train on and deploy the missiles, officials said. There are still several operational issues that would need to be resolved for Ukraine to be able to use the missiles effectively," the statement reads. One unresolved question is how Ukraine would launch the missiles if the United States provided them. Tomahawk missiles are most often launched from surface ships or submarines, but Ukraine's navy is severely depleted, so the missiles would likely have to be launched from land. The Marine Corps and Army have developed land-based launchers that could be provided to Ukraine. But even if the United States were unwilling to provide launchers, European officials believe Ukraine could find a way around them. One official said Ukrainian engineers were able to devise a workaround to use Storm Shadow missiles provided by Great Britain, which were originally designed for use by modern NATO aircraft and were to be integrated into Ukraine's aging fleet of Soviet-era fighter jets. The publication also recalled that earlier this month, during a working lunch with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House, Trump said that he would prefer not to provide the missiles to Ukraine because "we don't want to be giving away things that we need to protect our country." The Joint Chiefs of Staff informed the White House of their assessment earlier this month, just before Trump met with Zelenskyy, who insisted that the missiles be more effective at targeting oil and energy facilities deep inside Russia. The Tomahawk missiles have a range of about 1,000 miles. That assessment has supported the United States' European allies, who believe the United States now has fewer excuses not to provide the missiles, two European officials said. Trump also said just days before his meeting with Zelenskyy that the United States had "a lot of Tomahawks" that it could potentially provide to Ukraine. Thus, the U.S. and European officials were surprised when Trump abruptly reversed course a few days later, saying during opening remarks at a White House working lunch with Zelenskyy that the United States "needs" the Tomahawks. He then told Zelenskyy behind closed doors that the United States would not provide them at least not yet. Trump's decision came a day after he spoke by phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who told Trump that the Tomahawks, which can hit major Russian cities like Moscow and St. Petersburg, would have little impact on the battlefield but would damage U.S.-Russia relations. The White House and Pentagon did not respond to requests for comment. As CNN previously reported, Trump has not completely ruled out the missiles, and the administration has developed plans to quickly supplies to Ukraine, if Trump gives the order. Trump has also been so frustrated in recent weeks with Putin's reluctance to seriously consider peace talks that he approved new US sanctions against Russian oil companies last week and has canceled a planned meeting with Putin in Budapest to discuss Ukraine for now. CNN did not specify how many missiles Kyiv could receive. Rewati Karan USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. 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I Accept Battleground Mokama: A murder, old rivalries, and the fight for Bihar's most volatile seat The battle for the Mokama seat will be keenly watched after the incident on Thuirsday. (Representational image) Parimal Peeyush USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept Bihar Elections Live: In Siwan, Yogi Adityanath labels Shahabuddins son and RJD candidate a 'khandani mafia' Addressing rallies in Siwan, Bihar, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath launched a sharp attack on the opposition, warning against the return of "mafia rule." Referring to RJD candidate and Shahabuddin's son, he said, "A mafia is once again trying to take control in Raghunathpur. In Uttar Pradesh, we have crushed such mafias under bulldozers and opened the gates of hell for them." Highlighting his government's record on law and order, Yogi added, "Ab Uttar Pradesh mein danga nahi, sab changa hai (Now, there are no riots in UP - everything is fine)." He emphasized that under the NDA, Uttar Pradesh had ended the era of mafia and communal violence. "In the last eight and a half years, not a single riot has taken place. Those who even attempted to spark unrest were jailed, and their properties were seized to build houses for the poor," he said. Calling for continuity of the NDA government in Bihar, Yogi stated, "For a developed India, we need a developed Bihar - and that is possible only under the leadership of CM Nitish Kumar and the guidance of PM Modi." Bihars big fight: 5 factors that will decide winner in high-stakes Nitish vs Tejashwi battle Bihar will vote in two phases to elect a new assembly on November 6 and November 11. Priyanjali Ghose USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept 'Cannot make excuse work cannot be done till statehood is restored,' says L-G Sinha; J&K CM Abdullah retorts 101Reporters USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept Delhi court asks police to expedite probe in property defacement case against Kejriwal, others Delhi court asks police to expedite probe in property defacement case against Kejriwal, others Yeeshu Yadav USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept Former Lalu Prasad's aide, Dularchand Yadav, shot dead during election campaign in Mokama Chhabi Kala USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept 'How close I came to being there': Actor Ruchita Jadhav reveals filmmaker Rohit Arya had invited her days before hostage incident Yeeshu Yadav USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept Puri says state machinery turned on its head during 1984 riots; accuses Congress of leading mobs, shielding perpetrators Aishwarya Dabhade USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept Photo: https://t.me/V_Zelenskiy_official On Friday, October 31, President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy signed decrees on the approval of the decisions of the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine (NSDC), which introduce new sanctions. The relevant documents were published on the president's website. Thus, decree No. 810 introduces personal economic and other sanctions against 14 individuals, of whom 12 are citizens of Ukraine and two are Russia's citizens. The sanctions list includes citizens who justify Russia's armed aggression and deny the occupation of Ukrainian territories, as well as those financed by profits from the coal industry in the temporarily occupied territory of Donbas. Decree No. 811 puts into effect the NSDC decision on the application of personal special economic and other restrictive measures against ten Russian citizens, as well as 31 legal entities. Of these, 13 enterprises are based in Russia, nine in China, and another nine in Iran. The list includes companies, as well as their managers and owners, who are involved in the supply of equipment and components to Russia in circumvention of sanctions. The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine and the State Security Service of Ukraine, together with the National Bank of Ukraine and the Commission for State Awards and Heraldry, are instructed to ensure the implementation and monitoring of the effectiveness of the sanctions. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine is instructed to inform the competent authorities of the European Union, the United States and other states about the application of sanctions and to raise with them the issue of introducing similar restrictive measures. The decrees come into force from the date of publication. 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. Chhabi Kala USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept India News Live:17 lakh deaths in India linked to air pollution The 2025 Lancet Countdown report warns that human-caused PM2.5 pollution killed more than 1.7 million Indians in 2022, a 38 % rise since 2010. Executive Director Marina Belen Romanello told PTI that Indias push for renewables must accelerate to cut the death toll. She urged the government to acknowledge the evidence and shift from coal to clean energy, saying denial only delays action and worsens economic loss. 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. Armaan Bhatnagar USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept he National Democratic Alliance (NDA) on Friday unveiled its joint manifesto for the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections. Priyanjali Ghose USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept 101Reporters USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept 'Our history books tell invaders' stories, not our heroes': Amish Tripathi at his book launch Rewati Karan USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept Pakistan on edge: Second NOTAM in 5 days as Indias Trishul 2025 flexes military might India's Trishul 2025 exercise, described as a major tri-service operation, involves coordinated deployment of the Army, Navy, and Air Force across multiple strategic theatres, including the western front and the Arabian Sea Surabhi Pandey USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept PICS: BJP alleges another 'sheesh mahal' being made for Arvind Kejriwal in Punjab Rewati Karan USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept Europol's core team for the investigation of international crimes supported Moldova and Ukraine in the second stage of the investigation of war crimes against members of the Wagner and Redut mercenary groups, the Europol press service said. "Europol supported the second phase of an investigation by the Moldovan Police and Ukrainian Police against Russian mercenaries. Europols Core International Crimes Team assisted national authorities in identifying suspects allegedly involved in war crimes. Europols EU Internet Referral Unit also supported the action day, which focused individuals involved in war crimes committed during Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine," the statement reads. Europol supported the investigation by facilitating information exchange and providing specialised analytical support focused on the potential involvement of these individuals in war crimes committed in Ukraine. During the days of the event, Europol set up a virtual command post to facilitate communication between the authorities involved. It also stepped up intelligence gathering by cross-referencing operational data in real time with its databases, including OSINT research. "Europol supports joint efforts to disrupt serious and organised crime and criminal networks that threaten the security of the EU and its neighbourhood. To do so, Europol has established robust operational and strategic cooperation frameworks with Ukraine and Moldova as part of the EUs eastern neighbourhood. Europol signed an operational agreement with Ukraine, which was signed in December 2016 and entered into force in August 2017. Europol and Moldova signed an operational agreement in late 2014, which was then updated in 2020. These partnerships enable Europol to facilitate information exchange and alignment of operational activities and to coordinate law-enforcement responses across borders," the statement reads. As reported, on October 29, law enforcement officers of Ukraine and Moldova conducted an international special operation "Avengers-2" during which more than 70 simultaneous searches were conducted and 654 militants of the Wagner and Redut PMCs were exposed. Among them are citizens of Ukraine, Moldova, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Azerbaijan, Armenia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. It is believed that these individuals committed war crimes, such as acts of sexual violence, executions of prisoners of war and executions of civilians. Based on the results of the searches, police investigators have already announced 11 suspicions against citizens of Ukraine who, during martial law, went over to the enemy side and participated in hostilities against Ukrainian forces as part of the Wagner and Redut PMCs. They are charged with high treason (Part 2 of Article 111 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine), which provides for a penalty of 15 years of imprisonment to life imprisonment with seizure of property. Smriti Mishra USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. 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For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept OPINION | One Water, Many Gains: The economics of moderation Divyang Waghela Head of Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene (WaSH), Tata Trusts. Views are personal and do not represent the stand of this publication. Namrata Agarwal USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept 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. According to historian Rajmohan Gandhi, author of Patel: A Life, Patel's views on Kashmir changed completely only after September 13, 1947. Namrata Agarwal USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept Amit Kumar is a Research Analyst with the Takshashila Institution's Indo-Pacific Studies Programme. Views are personal, and do not represent the stance of this publication. Namrata Agarwal USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. 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We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept Photo: https://www.president.gov.ua/ President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyy held a meeting on foreign policy work for the next week, in particular weapons for Ukraine. "Today I held several meetings on foreign policy activity for the next week. This concerns weapons for Ukraine, finances and our joint political results in Ukraine's relations with the European Union," Zelenskyy said in an evening address on Friday. "We are working to bring good news to Ukraine, and I am sure it will," he said. Sheetal Kumari USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept The 'Bird Village' of India: With over 100+ rare species, how Menar became a global model for conservation 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 USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept AI isnt the threat, people who use AI are, says Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang 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. 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 Shaurya Shubham USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept 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. 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 Ankita Chakravarti USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept Nvidia CEO hopes Blackwell chips can be sold in China but says decision up to Trump 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 Debaroti Adhikary USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept Nvidias Jensen Huang dines with Samsung and Hyundai chiefs, buys dinner for an entire Seoul restaurant 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. 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 Shaurya Shubham USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept Priyanka Roshan With over eight years in multimedia journalism, is passionate about storytellingboth visual and textualacross travel, jobs, business, markets, politics, and daily news. From crafting engaging articles to producing compelling videos, she blends creativity with strategy to bring stories to life. With a strong foundation in SEO, and video production she ensures content not only informs but also resonates with audiences. From cursed islands to ghostly shrines, Asias most haunted destinations promise chills, legends, and a Halloween youll never forget. Priyanka Roshan USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept 1 / 12 For the first time in five years, Indian travellers can once again fly directly to mainland Chinano more detours through Hong Kong, Singapore, or Bangkok. On October 26, an IndiGo flight from Kolkata to Guangzhou quietly reopened a long-silent air corridor that had been grounded since early 2020. The resumption marks more than just the return of a flight pathits a symbol of renewed curiosity, rekindled ties, and a cautious thaw in relations between the two Asian giants. 700 killed and a nation under curfew: How disputed elections pushed Tanzania to the brink | Explained Manish Rao is a seasoned journalist who has extensively covered global affairs, geopolitical developments, American politics, and all other things making news around the world. People protest in the streets of Arusha, Tanzania, on election day Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025. (AP Photo/str) Abhinav Gupta USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. 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I Accept Interfax-Ukraine to host press conference 'How do Ukrainians relate to capitalism?' On Thursday, November 6, at 12.00, the press center of the Interfax-Ukraine news agency will host a press conference entitled "How do Ukrainians relate to capitalism?", where the results of a new sociological survey on the ideological, political and pro-market views of Ukrainians will be presented. Participants: President of the International Institute for Freedom Yaroslav Romanchuk; Director of the International Institute for Freedom Mykhailo Kamchatny (8/5a Reitarska Street). The event will be streamed on the Interfax-Ukraine YouTube channel. Admission requires registration on the spot with press ID cards. A hug, a tribute and a viral moment: Erika Kirk sees 'some similarities' of Charlie in JD Vance, sparks debate | WATCH Abhinav Gupta USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept Manish Rao is a seasoned journalist who has extensively covered global affairs, geopolitical developments, American politics, and all other things making news around the world. Pradeep Tripathi USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. 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For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept Pradeep Tripathi USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. 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I Accept APEC leaders to open summit after Trump, Xi agreed on steps to ease trade tensions US President Donald Trump meets with Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the APEC summit, in Busan. (Courtesy: Reuters photo) Sonalee Borgohain USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. 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I Accept India backs Afghanistans Kunar River dam: How the double water squeeze could leave Pakistan high and dry File image of Afghan refugees pumping water by hand in a slum of Islamabad, Pakistan. (AP Photo) Abhinav Gupta USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept JD Vance clarifies wife Ushas Hindu faith, says she has no plans to convert; calls out 'anti-Christian bigotry' US Vice President JD Vance and Second Lady Usha Vance step off Air Force Two after paying their respects to victims of the Annunciation Catholic Church shooting in Minneapolis, Minnesota, on September 3, 2025 in Joint Base Andrews, Maryland. Abhinav Gupta USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. 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I Accept Why foreign companies are ramping up R&D investment in China People's Daily Online) 16:16, October 30, 2025 Since the beginning of this year, foreign investment in China has shown a clear trend: an increasing number of multinational corporations are expanding their research and development (R&D) spending and accelerating the establishment of R&D centers. Statistics show that by September, Shanghai was home to 631 foreign-funded R&D centers, while Beijing had 221 such centers as of January. This photo taken on Sept. 2, 2024 shows the skyline of the central business district (CBD) at dusk in Beijing, capital of China. (Xinhua/Wang Jianhua) Recently, German multinational Bosch Group signed an agreement with the Suzhou Industrial Park in Suzhou, east China's Jiangsu Province, to invest approximately 10 billion yuan (about $1.4 billion) over the next five years in an intelligent driving control innovation project. The initiative will focus on the R&D of full-stack intelligent assisted driving solutions and smart cockpit hardware and software. In Jiaxing, east China's Zhejiang Province, Danish industrial giant Danfoss Group announced an additional investment of 2.7 billion yuan to build its second campus in Chinaan advanced, zero-carbon industrial park integrating R&D, testing, production, and exhibition functions. This marks the company's tenth capital increase in China over the past two decades. The surge in foreign enterprises establishing or expanding R&D operations in China reflects not only their confidence in the country's investment environment but also their recognition of its vibrant innovation ecosystem. China is not merely a massive consumer market but also one of the world's most dynamic. Many new trends and demands emerge first in China. By integrating into China's development, foreign companies can capture new opportunities amid evolving global conditions and secure greater room for growth. Take German healthcare and agribusiness giant Bayer for example. By 2023, innovations in China accounted for 15 percent of Bayer Consumer Health's global innovation portfolio, the highest share from any single market. In many frontier technology sectors, China has become a market leader. Investing in China today is no longer simply a localization strategyit is a forward-looking global move. For many multinational companies striving to sustain and strengthen their competitiveness, "R&D in China and serving the world" has become a natural strategic choice. With its comprehensive industrial system and diverse application scenarios, China's role as the "world's factory" remains strong, while its position in the global innovation chain grows ever more significant. China's R&D expenditure intensity now exceeds the European Union average. The country ranks 10th in the global innovation ranking, with 24 innovation clusters listed among the world's top 100. China's abundant talent pool and complete industrial chain provide robust support for R&D efficiency, while society-wide enthusiasm for innovation fosters a favorable environment. From government agencies and enterprises to consumers, broad acceptance of innovation has created a virtuous cycle between technology and markets. Whether in autonomous driving, the industrial internet, healthcare, or green energy, China's market offers a full pathwayfrom proof of concept to commercial applicationfor new technologies and products. The evolution from setting up factories to building sales and service networks, and to establishing R&D centers, represents not just a shift in production but a global reconfiguration of innovation resourcesa strategic transformation geared toward the future. China's magnetic appeal is inseparable from its high-level opening-up. From implementing national treatment for foreign enterprises in government procurement to enhancing mechanisms for protecting foreign-related intellectual property rights, China's continuous efforts to optimize its business environment have generated mutual momentum between foreign companies' growing investment and China's expanding openness. The fourth plenary session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China proposed advancing reform and development through greater openness and seeking to share opportunities and achieving common development with the rest of the world. A China committed to high-level openness will be better positioned to integrate global innovation resources and work with all nations to build a more promising and inclusive future. (Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun) Pakistan, Afghanistan agree to ceasefire in Istanbul talks: Why Islamabad had no option but to accept Taliban assurances A signboard is pictured along a deserted street at the Pakistan-Afghanistan border town of Torkham on October 13, 2025, amid cross-border clashes between the two countries. (Photo by Abdul MAJEED / AFP) Abhinav Gupta USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept Abhinav Gupta USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept Russia fires missile in Ukraine that led Trump to quit nuclear treaty, Kyiv says Manish Rao is a seasoned journalist who has extensively covered global affairs, geopolitical developments, American politics, and all other things making news around the world. Pradeep Tripathi USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept Trump declared victory, but Xi secured the deal: Decoding the untold story of Busan talks Abhinav Gupta With over 12 years in digital journalism, has navigated the fast-evolving media landscape, shaping digital strategies and leading high-impact newsrooms. Currently, he serves as News Editor at MoneyControl, leading coverage in Global Affairs, Indian Politics, Governance and Policy Making. Previously, he has spearheaded fact-checking and digital media operations at Press Trust of India. Abhinav has also led news desks at Financial Express, DNA, and Jagran English, managing editorial direction, breaking news coverage, and digital growth. His journey includes stints with The Indian Express Group, Zee Media Group, and more, where he has honed his expertise in newsroom leadership, audience engagement, and digital transformation. US President Donald Trump (L) talks to China's President Xi Jinping as they shake hands after their talks at the Gimhae Air Base, located next to the Gimhae International Airport in Busan on October 30, 2025. US (Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS / AFP) Abhinav Gupta USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept Trumps crackdown on high drug costs: Why Indias pharma industry could emerge as the big winner | Explained Abhinav Gupta USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept Trump says US has no plans to strike Venezuela amid reports of military action US President Donald Trump reacts as he boards Air Force One after talks with China's President Xi Jinping at the Gimhae Air Base, located next to the Gimhae International Airport in Busan on October 30, 2025. (Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS / AFP) Abhinav Gupta USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept US readies airstrikes inside Venezuela: Inside Trumps new playbook to dismantle Maduros cartel of the suns (COMBO) This combination of pictures created on August 07, 2025 shows US President Donald Trump (L) in Grand Rapids, Michigan on November 5, 2024, and Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro (R) in Caracas on July 31, 2024. Abhinav Gupta USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept 'Why did you sell us a dream?': Indian-origin student challenges JD Vance on Trump immigration policy Pradeep Tripathi USER CONSENT We at moneycontrol use cookies and other tracking technologies to assist you with navigation and determine your location. We also capture cookies to obtain your feedback, analyse your use of our products and services and provide content from third parties. By clicking on 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies and other tracking technologies. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy. *We collect cookies for the functioning of our website and to give you the best experience. This includes some essential cookies. Cookies from third parties which may be used for personalization and determining your location. By clicking 'I Accept', you agree to the usage of cookies to enhance your personalized experience on our site. For more details you can refer to our cookie policy *I agree to the updated privacy policy and I warrant that I am above 16 years of age I agree to the processing of my personal data for the purpose of personalised recommendations on financial and similar products offered by MoneyControl I agree personalized advertisements and any kind of remarketing/retargeting on other third party websites I agree to receive direct marketing communications via Emails and SMS Please select (*) all mandatory conditions to continue. I Accept Trailer: Guangzhou through the eyes of a Spanish traveler 09:51, October 31, 2025 By Yuan Meng, Zhang Rong, Wang Xiaoping, Wu Sanye, Alvaro Lago ( People's Daily Online The hidden charm of Guangzhou the capital city of south China's Guangdong Province goes far beyond its iconic Canton Tower. It's found in the bittersweet aftertaste of herbal tea, the steamy ritual of rinsing bowls and chopsticks with hot water before a meal, the seamless blend of tradition and modernity, and even in the unexpected thrill of bumping into an Olympic champion around a street corner. People's Daily Online will soon release "Tales of Cities | Guangzhou," the latest episode in its urban documentary series. Join Spanish traveler Alvaro Lago as he discovers Guangzhou's vibrant pulse while the city prepares to host the 15th National Games opening on Nov. 9, 2025. (Web editor: Wang Xiaoping, Wu Chengliang) October 31, 2025 U.S. Ready To Bomb Venezuela Under Absurdly False Pretext Just a few days ago I stated that Trump is targeting Venezuela under the pretext of countering drug trafficking. But the real reasons for this are clear: Venzuela is, as Politico points out, not known for drug trafficking. It does not have cocaine facilities. But it does have the largest oil reserves in the world. That has always made it a target for a U.S. regime-change operations. But Venezuela is also a huge country double the size of Iraq with a mountainous and often densely wooded countryside. The U.S. military is unable to invade, occupy and control it. But what the U.S. might want to try in Venezuela is a variant of the Israeli plan for Iran. A decapitation strike killing President Maduro and the military leadership accompanied by a bombing campaign to take out air defenses and primary defense units. Meanwhile the CIA and special forces will have to work on the ground in Caracas to organize local thugs for an assault on the main government sites and radio/TV buildings. A few days ago the U.S. ordered the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford to move from the Mediterranean towards Venezuela. The carrier is expected to arrive in early to mid November. I had expected that the U.S. would wait with any attack on Venezuela until the carrier force is in place. Until than it would continue its intimidation strikes on random fishermen at sea. The Wall Street Journal though says that the U.S. is already ready to strike on land: U.S. Eyes Striking Venezuelan Military Targets Used for Drug Trafficking (archived) WSJ The Trump administration has identified targets in Venezuela that include military facilities used to smuggle drugs, according to U.S. officials familiar with the matter. If President Trump decides to move forward with airstrikes, they said, the targets would send a clear message to Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro that it is time to step down. While the president hasnt made a final decision on ordering land strikes, the officials said a potential air campaign would focus on targets that sit at the nexus of the drug gangs and the Maduro regime. The potential targets under consideration include ports and airports controlled by the military that are allegedly used to traffic drugs, including naval facilities and airstrips, according to one of the officials. The Miami Herald says that the decision to attack Venezuela has been made and that strikes are imminent: U.S. poised to strike military targets in Venezuela in escalation against Maduro regime Miami Herald The Trump Administration has made the decision to attack military installations inside Venezuela and the strikes could come at any moment, sources with knowledge of the situation told the Miami Herald, as the U.S. prepares to initiate the next stage of its campaign against the Soles drug cartel. The planned attacks, also reported by the Wall Street Journal, will seek to destroy military installations used by the drug-trafficking organization the U.S. says is headed by Venezuelan strongman Nicolas Maduro and run by top members of his regime. Sources told the Herald that the targets which could be struck by air in a matter of days or even hours also aim to decapitate the cartels hierarchy. The attack will follow the usual U.S. war pattern. The first part will be a SEAD campaign. The Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses will target cocaine producing radar installations, fentanyl smuggling S-300 air defense missiles and the cartel command and control elements that direct the Venezuelan armys defenses. This will mostly be done by launching sea based Tomahawk cruise missiles and long range aerial bombing. After the SEAD campaign has disabled or destroyed the air defenses the next part of the campaign will attempt to decapitate the governments hierarchy. The part may include more missile strikes but could also be done by special forces within a ground raids campaign and additional CIA controlled local elements. According to the WSJ the Trump government intends to create a military rebellion against the Venezuelan government. That though is likely to fail: U.S. officials now and in Trumps first term have applied pressure in the hope of provoking a barracks rebellion or an uprising, though the military has stood with Maduro and there have been no reports of protests in Venezuela. The show of American force now, though, is different. If airstrikes dont force Maduro out of power, they could potentially pressure his inner circle to turn against him, analysts say. However, such a strategy carries tremendous risks and could potentially backfire if troops rally around the flag and put up a fight. Many analysts who have closely tracked Venezuela also say the indictments against Maduro and his top aides underscore for him how costly it would be to leave power, as they could end up facing prosecution. The military of Venezuela is, as far as it is known, not opposed to the government under President Nicolas Maduro. It is unlikely to bite the hands that feed it and to do the bidding of those who try to bomb it to smithereens. The plan the Trump administration follows does have a starting point and an aim. But what seems to be missing are several crucial steps in between. Bomb the shit out of Venezuela ??? ??? ??? Welcome a U.S. friendly regime! Profits! Even if the Venezuelan military revolts against Maduro, which is highly unlikely, it is not clear how this could lead to the installation of the U.S. selected replacement Maria Corina Machado and her gang. Wouldnt the military rather hang on to power by itself? And what will the U.S. do if the military of Venezuela decides to hit back? Venezuela has some 20 Su-30MK2V multi-role fighter airplanes with Russian Kh-31 anti-ship missiles. It also has Iranian-built Peykaap-III (Zolfaghar-class) fast attack craft equipped with CM-90 Anti-Ship Missiles (ASCM) supplied by Iran. It is quite conceivable that the Venezuelan Navy will by successful in hitting a handful of U.S. ships. What will Trumps next step be if that were to happen? Comments Int'l delegates shed light on education prospects in era of AI 15:52, October 31, 2025 By Chang Sha, Wang Xiaoping ( People's Daily Online The plenary session of the 26th China Annual Conference & Expo for International Education (CACIE) was held at the China National Convention Center in Beijing, Oct. 30, 2025. The grand gathering was joined by more than 5,000 participants, including Chinese and foreign educational professionals, as well as business representatives and embassy and consulate officials from over 70 countries and regions. Hosted by the China Education Association for International Exchange, CACIE 2025, themed "Bridging Education and Beyond" and with New Zealand as the guest country of honor this year, features over a hundred bilateral and multilateral activities, ranging from parallel forums and collaboration discussions to education exhibitions. People's Daily Online talked with several delegates to draw their insights on the development of education amid the explosive progress of artificial intelligence. (Web editor: Chang Sha, Wu Chengliang) On the morning of October 29, the Anhui Provincial Government Information Office held a press conference to introduce the provinces progress on highquality foreign trade development during the 14th FiveYear Plan period. According to the press briefing, Anhuis total import and export value reached RMB 726.25 billion in the first three quarters of this year, a yearonyear increase of 15.7%. The provinces total foreign trade ranking jumped from 13th to 9th nationwide, firmly holding first place among central China provinces. Anhuis total foreign trade volume has grown from RMB 545.15 billion at the end of the 13th FiveYear Plan to RMB 864.37 billion in 2024, crossing three successive onehundredbillionyuan milestones. Since the start of the 14th FiveYear Plan, the provinces average annual importandexport growth rate has reached 12.2%, leading the Yangtze River Delta region. At present, the number of enterprises with actual importexport performance in the province has reached 13,000, nearly 4,000 more than at the end of the 13th FiveYear Plan. In recent years, Anhui has successively introduced measures to support initiatives such as accelerating local vehicle exports, serving the provinces integrated circuit industry development, and supporting the construction of new energy vehicle industry clusters, promoting continuous transformation and optimization of its foreigntrade structure. Since the start of the 14th FiveYear Plan, the share of mechanical and electrical products in the provinces total exports has risen from 59% at the end of the 13th FiveYear Plan to more than 70%; notably, automotive exports have risen to first place in the country. Over the same period, laborintensive product exports have fallen to less than 10% of total provincial exports, reflecting an ongoing upward shift of Anhuis industrial chain toward midtohigh end, with continuous improvements in the quality, grade, and added value of exported goods. Anhui has been actively expanding its international "circle of friends" and broadened its trade markets. In the first three quarters of this year, Anhuis trade with countries participating in the Belt and Road Initiative reached RMB 391.94 billion, accounting for 54% of the provinces total tradean 8percentagepoint increase over the end of the 13th FiveYear Plan. Exports and imports with emerging markets such as ASEAN, Latin America, and Africa have all maintained doubledigit growth. Currently, Anhuis exported products are sold in more than 200 countries and regions worldwide, with trade partners across the globe. Going forward, the province will embrace the world with a more open posture to share development opportunities. Source: anhuinews.com China's development key to global economy: Deloitte lead partner on APEC 2025 15:55, October 31, 2025 By Zhang Wenjie, Zhao Tong, Peng Yukai ( People's Daily Online As the APEC CEO Summit 2025 drew to a close in Gyeongju, South Korea, Pradeep Philip, lead partner for Deloitte Access Economics, highlighted the critical role China continues to play in shaping global trade, technology, and economic growth. Discussing the Summit, Philip said, "It was a very important chance for senior business leaders from around the world, not just this region, to get together and talk about the really important things that actually matter for the global economy." According to Philip, the discussions at this year's APEC CEO Summit centered on key issues such as AI and technological innovation, supply chain resilience, and sustainability, all of which are critical to ensuring long-term global stability and growth. What was particularly important, he noted, was the engagement of senior political leaders from around the world sharing their visions. These discussions and engagement are key to promoting consistency and certainty in global markets, as according to Philip, that's essential for trade and the exchange of ideas, which ultimately drives productivity and growth worldwide. Philip emphasized the long-term potential of the Chinese market, describing it as a "growth market both in terms of production and consumption." He added that the Asia-Pacific region is the most dynamic for economic growth, population growth, and rising incomes and that understanding China's development is crucial for the rest of the world. Looking ahead to APEC 2026, which will be hosted in China, Philip sees a unique opportunity for international engagement. "It's a fantastic opportunity for global leaders to see China's development, to meet the people, and really understand what growth means in this market," he said. (Web editor: Peng Yukai, Wu Chengliang) There seems to be an emerging consensus among the YouTube commentators who are particularly inflential in shaping US/advanced economy perceptions among anti-globalists and other US hegemony skeptics and oppents. Many are coming to the position articulated early by Mark Sleboda, who has been the most accurate in forecasting the pace of the conflict, that Russia would have to take all of Ukraine, if nothing else because NATO officials and key EU political leaders have regularly and rabidly maintained that they will arm/rearm Ukraine even in the event of an apparent defeat. So the only secure and durable remedy to that, from the Russian side, is to make sure no US/NATO/EU-aligned Ukraine survives the war. That in turn would seem to require that Russia secures all of Ukraines current territory, by some combination of winning referenda in the Russia-receptive oblasts so they join Russia plus occupation or installation of a friendly regime in rump Ukraine. While I am in no position to observe directly, polls and the tone of commentary support the idea that Russian citizens more and more favor aggressive prosecution of the conflict, and subduing/controlling all of Ukraine and thus have been frustrated with Putins dalliances with Trump. Even though occupying or otherwise dominatinng the entirety of Ukraine would entail more costs than other solutions, it is arguably the least bad result for Russia. But even so, Sleboda has warned that that outcome might not be unwelcome form of Russia victory to the West: Well make you choke on it. But even in this subjugate all of Ukraine assumption, there are a lot of ways to skin that cat. John Mearsheimer has long argued that what Russia wants as an end-state is a dysfunctional rump Ukraine. That presumably includes Russia taking historically Russia-leaning Odessa1 to render what is left of Ukraine landlocked. John Helmer has so far provided the most insight, due to his contacts in the General Staff, as to what the end game might look like. Helmer has suggested that the General Staff in particular has been frustrated with Putin apparently requiring a particularly slow grind on the ground, and holding back (until recently) on muscular prosecution of the electricity war. Admittedly that has become an easier task with Ukraine now almost entirely bereft of air defenses even as Russia has increased its stocks of missiles and drones. Helmer early on described how one element of the Russian strategy was to push determined Ukraine nationalists out of the county. Rolling westward deliberately rather than rapidly would help with that aim, particularly given that the population might still accept the Ukraine rather than the Russian view of how well Ukraine was holding out, plus people understandably are very reluctant to abandon their homes and communities. Note that that aim has already been achieved to some degree, via emigration as well as war deaths. I saw estimates about a year ago of Ukraines population having fallen to as low as 20 million versus a pre-war level of ~43 million. Admittedly that factors in the loss of the Donbass. I cant imagine that the true total is better now. Not only does driving the neo-Nazis out in theory reduce the size of a terrorist rearguard, but on a more mundane level, it will result in more of the remaining population being Russia-tolerant and thus legitimately voting to join Russia. This would presumably result in more oblasts joining Russia than earlier voting maps of which areas favored Russia-friendly candidates would suggest. In addition, Helmer pointed out that the General Staff expected that an aggressive prosecution electricity war (as in turning out the lights, which would also result in no heat and destruction of infrastructure via burst pipes; key parts of the municipal waterworks depend on electric controls and heating) would produce a humanitarian crisis and mass flight westward. Helmer did make clear that the General Staff saw overloading border states with refugees as a plus, but Putin presumably does not like the optics of punishing civilians. One solution to that apparent dilemma might be for Russia to create intermittent but somewhat lengthy outages (a guesstimate is 12 to 72 hours) to give the citizenry a taste of what is in store and give them time to leave in a more orderly manner. However, I have not seen much consideration of what measures Russia can take to reduce the incidence of terrorism in rump Ukraine and the Russian Federation, not just the newly-integrated oblasts but pre-war Russia. MI6 lives for this sort of operation. Scott Ritter has claimed that Russia House, the CIA unit tasked to messing with Russia, is effectively a rogue operation. Even the formidable torture enthusiast Gina Haspel was unable to get it back under control. So even if the US officially retreats to sulk and lick its wounds after a Ukraine defeat, it seems a certainty that UK and US intelligence operatives will instigate violence. A final point that seems overlooked in a lot of commentary on the future of Ukraine is that, given foreign pot-stirrers, it isnt necessary to have much if any die-hard Banderites to man these operations. John Kirakou, formerly the CIAs Chief of Counterterrorist Operations in Pakistan, has repeatedly described his findings from interviews of Al-Quaeda members the US had captured. Without exception, they were not ideologues. They were desperately poor and the Al-Quaeda pay and death benefits to families were generous. Russia surely must have taken note of this risk after Turkiye/Western aligned forces were able to buy off desititute members of the Syrian army, leading to a very speedy collapse when invaders rolled in. Thus the John Mearsheimer notion that Russia wants to make rump Ukraine into a failed state would seem to play into schemes to foment terrorism unless failed state means very seriously depopulated. Recall we have suggested that Russia could de-electrify Western Ukraine ex Kiev and say Lvov, and reduce it to the level of the Unorganized Territory of Maine. That region has extremely low population density. Its denizens are hardy survivalists often described by Mainers as men with beards. But that part of Ukraine also has rich agricultural land, which would argue against letting it go wild. So it would seem that Russia either needs to largely vacate the sections of Ukraine that will not have a Russia-friendly post-war population, or assure that it is sufficiently prosperous so as not to serve as a fertile area for hiring terrorists. Perhaps there is an active debate in Russian circles on this issue, but Helmers latest post suggests that the General Staff is not alive to this risk. From his The Three Stages of the Trump War Begin with the Fifth Column: A source in a position to know says: The rate of east-to-west Ukrainian migration will accelerate and there will be disintegration of the frontline with a breakthrough on any one of the critical axes that will undermine the entire Ukrainian defence east of the Dnieper. Ouster of [Vladimir] Zelensky and [Andrei] Yermak will follow when the Ukrainian commanders cannot order their forces to continue fighting, holding their ground. There will be Russian satisfaction with the new regional lines and the depth of the demilitarized zone westward to Kiev. Of course, Banderite terrorism will continue, but so will the electric war strikes, as well as assassinations from the Russian side in reply. The rump Ukraine will be dysfunctional to the point where day-to-day survival will trump warfighting in terms of allocation of resources. Thats small t trump meaning defeat. Theres no need for the Russians to declare that they are done fighting the situation speaks for itself. The declaration that matters is that the winner is confident the opponent will never get up again. Admittedly this is one source, who is repeated a vision of the future that Helmer set forth from his General Staff sources early in the electircity war, of a very wide de-militarized zone (the width determined by the longest-range Western missiles that had or could operate in theater, now presumably the Taurus at 500 kilometers). Note this source sees Russia as not taking control of Kiev. But what this contact sets forth is essentially an unending low-level war against rump Ukraine, with at least occasional electric grid strikes. One would assume that the shape of post-war Ukraine is coming increasingly into focus in political and military circles, as well as in the pundit classes that can influence their views. And there is still likely some path dependency in what comes next. For instance, it may make a difference if Zelensky and others in his inner circle decamp to form a government in exile, as opposed to being expelled from office or executed. As weve indicated above, doing what Russia can to minimize long-term terrorism risks would seem to be an important objective. My reading of what is admittedly one view (and that view may represent only one faction in the General Staff) says that risk is not given enough credence, unless the plan is to continue low-level operations in rump Ukraine on an open-ended basis. I am hampered by not being able to read Russian sources or even the Russian press on a regular basis. Readers who keep on top of the Russian media, Telegram, and think tank output are very much encouraged to speak up. _____ 1 This idea is not as popular in Russia as one might assume, despite the role of Odessa in Russian history. Its seen as fabulously corrupt and crime ridden, even by Ukrainian standards. How SOS Became the Universal Distress Signal Laughing Squid Dictionary.coms word of the year is 6-7. But is it even a word? AP Mathematical proof debunks the idea that the universe is a computer simulation Phys.org Climate/Environment The 2025 state of the climate report: a planet on the brink BioScience Global tree cover loss due to fires surged by 370% compared to 2023 Down to Earth 2 dead after being found in flooded basements as New York City sees record rainfall CBS New York IMF ready to help Jamaica following Hurricane Melissa if needed The Gleaner Bill Gates calls for strategic pivot in climate change fight away from curbing emissions NBC News Yves here. Your humble blogger has found anti-Trump and other anti-oligarchic-oppression protests in the US to be pathetic to the point of embarrassment. Pink pussy hats? No demands No Kings demonstrations? The post below contains some evidence that over-the-top ICE abuses and shows of force are leading activists and ordinary citizens to exercise badly-atrophied organizing muscles. Whether this sort of pushback gets far enough to make a difference in the long run is anyones guess, but you have to start from where you are. Below is the video mentioned early in the post. Even though this is a seemingly modest move, the clip went viral. And it shows not only the woman taking a brief and gutsy stand (recall Rachel Corrie if you assume otherwise) but also the overkill of an ICE raid deployment. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Anthony DiLorenzo (@anthony_dilo) But it should come as no surprise that effective action, if it is to happen at all, will come not from progressives but leftists who demand concessions to improve their safety and material conditions. Richard Kline, in an important post, Progressive Losing, argued that progressives acting by themselves were ineffective because they are concerned only with moral correctness and winning arguments (and brunch). They achieved results only when they found common cause with what he called radicals, typically immigrants or other out groups, who had concrete demands. Key sections from his piece: The first key point is that the tradition of progressive dissent is integrally a religious one. The goal isnt usually power but truth; that those in the right stand up for what is right, and those in the wrong repent. The City on the Hill and all that, but that is the intrinsic value. This is a tradition of ideas, many of them good, many of them implementedby others, a point to which Ill return. Coming forward to a recent and then present American context, consider these policies, all of which still hold for most who would define themselves as progressive: Anti-colonialism Anti-militarism Abolition Universal, secular education End to child labor Universal suffrage Female legal equality Consumer protections Civil rights Consider as well notable progressives who have held executive or even power positions in national governance. I struggle to name one. A most relevant point is that these are value-driven policies. Notably absent are economic policies. The key point is that the tradition of radical activism is integrally an economic one, and secondarily one of social justice. It was pursued by those both poor and out castes, who often had communal solidarity as their only asset. It was resisted by force, and thus pursued by those inured to force who understood that power was necessary to victory, and that defeat entailed destitution, imprisonment, and being cut down by live fire from those acting under color of authority with impunity. This was a tradition of demands, many of them quite pragmatic. Few were wholly implemented, but the struggle to gain them forced the door open for narrower reforms, often implemented by the powers that be to de-fuse as much as diffuse radical agitation. Consider these policies, all of which still hold for most who would define themselves as radical: Call off the cops (and thugs) Eight hour day and work place safety Right to organize Anti-discrimination in housing and hiring Unemployment dole Public pensions Public educational scholarships Tax the rich Anti-trust and anti-corporate Anti-imperialism While few radicals have made it into public executive positions either, they are numerous in politics, especially at the local level where communal ties can predominate. Radicals have always worked in organized groupssocieties, unions, and partieswhich have been a multiplier for their demands. Critically, these are grievance-driven policies. One could say that the goal of radicals is to force an end to exploitation, particularly economic exploitation since most radicals come from those on the bitter end of such equations. As such, many of them have specific remedies. Author Sonali Kolhatkar has apparently led such a pampered life that she does not know the costs and risks of serious protests. For instance, the big reason that Daniel Ellsberg chose to release the Pentagon Papers is that he personally knew activists who had been sentenced to prison. He did not see how he could justify not making a similar sacrifice if it might shorten the Vietnam War. And he fully expected to serve time it was a procedural error that let him go free and the government decided not to retry the case. By Sonali Kolhatkar, an award-winning multimedia journalist. She is the founder, host, and executive producer of Rising Up With Sonali, a weekly subscriber-funded television and radio show that airs on Free Speech TV and Pacifica stations. Her books include Talking About Abolition: A Police-Free World Is Possible (Seven Stories Press, 2025) and Rising Up: The Power of Narrative in Pursuing Racial Justice (City Lights Books, 2023). She is a writing fellow for the Economy for All project at the Independent Media Institute and was a senior editor at Yes! Magazine covering race and economy. She serves as the co-director of the nonprofit solidarity organization the Afghan Womens Mission and is a co-author of Bleeding Afghanistan. She also sits on the board of directors of Justice Action Center, an immigrant rights organization. Produced by Economy for All, a project of the Independent Media Institute A New York City woman wearing a navy blue polka-dot dress has gone viral for her defiant resistance to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents during a raid in lower Manhattan on October 21, 2025. Appearing as though she was on her way from workthe woman wore a navy blue blazer and brown shoes and carried a large handbagthe polka-dot dress woman as shes being called, took a powerful stand in the middle of the street. With a military tank rolling toward her, she stopped and flipped off ICE agents with both hands. She appeared unafraid. She pushed back physically as ICE agents attempted to bully her and others. Her face, hands, and body exuded rage and resistance. The aggressive noncompliance of the polka-dot dress woman and her fellow protesters is precisely what our dangerous march toward fascism calls for. There are countless incarnations of such resistance in New York City, Washington, D.C., Portland, Chicago, Los Angeles, Seattle, and elsewhere. These resisters are refusing to go gently into the night of fascist dictatorship. They are fearlessly facing off against President Donald Trumps deployments of immigration agents, National Guard, and other federal law enforcement and military personnel, and are refusing to accept the crushing of dissent, demographic diversity, and democracy itself. One such activist is Leonardo Martinez, a volunteer and lead organizer with VC Defensa, an immigrant defense group and rapid response network based in Ventura County, California, who found himself on the receiving end of ICE violence on October 16, 2025. While in the midst of community patrols, Martinez, who is a U.S. citizen, followed ICE agents in Oxnard driving an SUV. It was a routine action for volunteers like him who have been nonviolently confronting and intimidating federal agents away from their communities. But this time, the ICE agents seemed to have had enough. Street-level and dash cam videos show their SUV ramming violently into the side of Martinezs pickup truck on a relatively empty street. I was definitely shocked when they initially hit me because the industrial area that we were in did not have a lot of traffic, said Martinez. His quick thinking likely kept him safe. Once they aggressively hit me, I knew that if I pulled over in the moment, that they were going to drag me out and beat me up. Instead of getting out of his truck, he continued driving for a few minuteswith the SUV following himtoward downtown Oxnard, where he knew there would be more street and foot traffic. At first, the ICE agents claimed Martinez hit themnot knowing there was video footage. After being arrested, Martinezs wrists and ankles were handcuffed, but he demanded medical attention to document his injuries. After a stop at a hospital, he was eventually taken to the Metropolitan Detention Center in downtown Los Angeles and was later released. Weve kind of already practiced a lot of these scenarios in real life and troubleshooted and figured things out, said Martinez. His fellow VC Defensa activists quickly located him and posted the now-viral video footage of his truck being hit. The incident has drawn attention and admiration for the work of a highly effective organization that boasts 700 highly trained volunteers like Martinez. Such sophisticated organizing is evident all over the nation. In Chicago, where ICE agents terrorized children in a military-style raid involving rappelling down from a Black Hawk helicopter to arrest adults and children in an apartment complex, similarly militant and organized activism has taken root. Like Ventura Countys VC Defensa, Chicagos Patrulla Popular or Peoples Patrol consists of organized volunteers who warn community members when ICE agents appear and help document ensuing abuses. The Chicago activists use car horns or scream at agents while recording them on their phones. Now, brightly colored plastic whistles have become a formidable weapon in the nonviolent anti-ICE arsenal. Community patrollers are encouraged to whistle loudly when ICE agents are present. The citys anti-ICE resistance includes teachers, delivery drivers, and even children. In Portland, Oregon, activists have been protesting outside the local ICE detention center for months, wearing inflatable animal costumesan effective way to inspire media attention and highlight the absurdity of Trumps claims of the city being war-ravaged. Even ICE officials have been forced to address the costumes, with one Homeland Security official calling the protest a bizarre effort to obstruct ICE law enforcement. In San Francisco, which Trump announced would be the next site of a massive military deployment, organizers braced themselves with training and rapid response plans. The call for federal law enforcement appears to have come from one of the Bay Areas Trump-supporting tech billionaires, Marc Benioff. Its wealthy elites like him who have fueled skyrocketing inequality in the San Francisco area and then complain about a scourge of unhoused people. Eventually Trump, making clear exactly who he works for, called off the surge after conversing with his billionaire buddies. The president is facing militant and organized opposition to his anti-immigrant war everywhere he turns. Its a testament to the mixed-status immigrant communities that have infused American cities with their rich cultures, cuisines, and traditions, becoming an integral part of their functioning. Women like the polka-dot dress lady are on the frontlines of this battle. According to VC Defensas Martinez, Its incredible how many mothers we have in this organization [who] take the lead on so many of the projects and are some of the most dedicated people that we have. Just days before ICE agents rammed his truck, they cornered a woman volunteer who was observing them. They all got out with their guns drawn, said Martinez, and started banging on the window, boxed her in, and then after she didnt open up for them, and didnt do anything, they ended up getting back in their car and leaving. A Los Angeles area tech worker calling herself Kim showed up to the No Kings gathering on October 18 wearing an ICE out of LA T-shirt. She explained that as a Chicana, second-generation American, she was at the march supporting immigrant communities across the board, not only the Latino community, but all immigrants because as we also know through history thats what made this country. According to Kim, were showing [Trump] were not afraid to stand up for our rights, stand up and defend our country. Its clear that Trump is not going after criminals given that the vast majority of people arrested by ICE either have no criminal record or have pending chargesin other words, theyre innocent until proven guilty. Further, ICE has arrested and detained nearly 200 U.S. citizens during the first nine months of Trumps second presidency. It would be easy for people to fold, to go about their business, keep their heads down, and not get involved. But, far too many are speaking up, pushing back, putting their bodies and lives on the line in the face of ICE deployment, as Trump enacts his agenda. Such mass resistance is the answer to staving off full-blown fascist authoritarianism, especially when taken together with mass shows of force at organized, coordinated gatherings such as the latest No Kings protests that drew an estimated 7 million people. Anti-Trump protests are also spreading to parts of the nation known as pro-Trump strongholds, and overall protest activity is at an all-time high, comparable to the historic racial justice protests in summer 2020. The icons of the movement who are trying to wrest control of the nation from fascist forces are everyday people, sometimes nameless, whose bravery and audacity are infectious. May the polka-dot dress woman inspire legions as she goes down in history as a symbol of necessary rage. S China's Guangxi achieves remarkable results in its 'AI Plus Agriculture' initiative People's Daily Online) 13:57, October 31, 2025 The Department of Agriculture and Rural Affairs of south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region recently unveiled progress in its "Artificial Intelligence (AI) Plus Agriculture" initiative. Today, smart agriculture has now been effectively implemented across various stages, including production, equipment, and supervision, injecting strong digital momentum into high-quality agricultural development. Guangxi has established a comprehensive smart agriculture ecosystem. On the production front, the 5G smart rice industrial park in Quanzhou county achieves 90 percent accuracy in pest forecasting through AI-based weather monitoring, while Rongxian county's pomelo base uses AI drones for nighttime pesticide application. Photo shows mulberry fields, where smart monitoring is ensured, in Yizhou district, Hechi, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. (Photo/Yu Xiangquan) On the equipment side, the region's agricultural machinery information platform has connected 8,525 BeiDou terminals. During this year's spring plowing season, 18,000 farm machines were fitted with BeiDou terminals, 4,000 were equipped with assisted-driving functions, and more than 11,000 agricultural drones were put into operation. Baise city alone trained more than 400 drone operators through over 20 training sessions. For supervision and data management, China's first smart livestock supervision platform enables full traceability from breeding to sales. More than 2,300 fishing vessels now carry BeiDou terminals, allowing real-time positioning and one-touch emergency alerts. A database system covering 39 subcategories under four major agricultural categories integrates six core data types, including water resources and meteorological information, providing robust decision-making support. On the international front, Guangxi has promoted cooperation in intelligent water and fertilizer management between enterprises such as JJR Science and Technology Group Co., Ltd. and Vietnam. It established an "AI Plus Agriculture" exhibition zone at the China-ASEAN Expo, facilitating four cross-border cooperation projects, including China-Vietnam smart fishery initiative. Six projectsincluding Lingshan county's dairy buffalo initiative and Cangwu county's tea projecthave been approved as national digital agriculture innovation and application bases, receiving 115 million yuan (about $16.2 million) in central government funding. Six autonomous region-level pilot projects also received 6 million yuan in subsidies. The 2025 Guangxi smart agriculture innovation competition attracted 239 entries from domestic and international participants, with 77 advancing to the finals. Finalists included teams from Huawei and the National University of Defense Technology, with outstanding projects set for implementation through a long-term mechanism. (Web editor: Hongyu, Liang Jun) As the 2026 Tennessee legislative session draws near, state lawmakers are discussing what policy proposals will be considered. The recently created Advisory Committee on Innovations in K-12 Education is finalizing some of its recommendations. The committee met Oct. 30 and homed in on issues in state testing, school calendars, teacher evaluations and career and technical education. Here are a few possibilities of education policy that could be considered at the state Capitol next year. School Schedules The committee discussed the possibility of giving school systems more flexibility related to instruction time. Policy could allow the states public high schools to shift to an hours-based schedule, which could pave the way for a four-day school week for some students. This would allow students to work jobs or complete internships during the hours they are not in school. This comes as the Tennessee Education Association recently released a report that supports an hours-based schedule for schools, but strongly encourages that the five-day school week stay in place the association is concerned a four-day school week could negatively impact student learning. Nearly all of the educators who responded to a TEA survey expressed support for a five-day school week, noting the importance of daily meals and support services for students. (On Friday, Metro Nashville Public Schools and Nashville Mayor Freddie O'Connell's office announced plans for a "districtwide review of school start and end times to better align with student well-being, family needs, and transportation efficiency.") State Testing The committee additionally talked about improving the results timeline for the Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program (TCAP), the end-of-year assessment administered to students in the states public schools. The committee tossed around the idea of requiring a strict deadline for the results to be returned to the state and disseminated to parents. Republican state Rep. William Slater of Gallatin said this is important so that parents and teachers can know what areas to improve upon. There is a point to where if results are too late, they are completely ineffective, Slater said. Assessment is for the purpose of making sure that curriculum and instruction is properly aligned. That everything is aligned and that curriculum and instruction is being effective. +3 Charlane Oliver Describes New Priorities as Child Care Woes Continue Centers struggle with regulation costs, and a report calls for sustained funding State Rep. Scott Cepicky (R-Culleoka) suggested the state take up the use of AI in its grading of the test to speed up the process, also recommending an audit of the AI system to ensure it works properly. Cepicky also advocated for what he called a post-test evaluation committee to be made up of nine teachers across the state, appointed by the Tennessee Department of Education. He said this could act as a method of better understanding what works and what doesnt within the exams. State Sen. Dawn White (R-Murfreesboro) noted that the TCAP process and results can often be difficult for families of students to navigate. She recommended the expansion of an online portal to offer more resources related to the assessment. Its going to give another tool to parents to be more involved, to see what their kids score is going to be and to kind of see where were at in the process of their education, White said. Teacher Evaluations Changes to teacher evaluations were also a topic of discussion during Thursday's meeting. Committee member Rep. Kirk Haston (R-Lobelville) suggested reducing evaluations and observations for longtime teachers so that school districts can funnel more of their resources toward early-career educators. This proposal was met by opposition from other committee members, including Krissi McInturff of the state Board of Education. I know it does take a lot of time, but ... every teacher from Level 1 to Level 5 needs to have that feedback," said McInturff. "It's almost an island unless you have someone coming in there and being able to observe and to tell them, Youre doing this very well, but what if you tried this instead. Cepicky noted that the legislature passed a law this year requiring the Tennessee Department of Education to conduct an analysis of teacher evaluation in Tennessee and across the U.S. Cepicky said findings from the assessment will be presented in the next few months. Career and Technical Education A growing emphasis among schools is a focus on career and technical education, an effort advocated by the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce in this years education report. Lawmakers continued pushing for that expansion during the Oct. 30 committee meeting. Cepicky urged for the incorporation of economic development opportunities within schools that will assist students, who dont seek higher education, in securing jobs upon graduating from high school. Slater suggested expanding dual enrollment opportunities to ninth- and 10th-grade students, an effort that Tennessee Commissioner of Education Lizzette Reynolds said the state is currently examining. This article was first published by our sister publication, the Nashville Post. Cracks in a decades-long alliance: Americas unwavering support for Israel faces historic backlash amid Gaza crisis U.S. public support for Israel has plummeted, with polls showing a dramatic reversal in sympathy toward Palestinians. Younger voters, both Democrats and Republicans, increasingly oppose unconditional military aid to Israel. High-profile Republicans, including Marjorie Taylor Greene and Tucker Carlson, now openly criticize U.S. backing of Israel. AIPACs influence is waning as progressive Democrats challenge pro-Israel orthodoxy. The Gaza war has exposed deep generational and ideological divides, reshaping U.S.-Israel relations. For decades, bipartisan support for Israel was a cornerstone of U.S. foreign policy. But the ongoing war in Gaza has shattered that consensus, triggering a seismic shift in American public opinion. Recent polls reveal plummeting sympathy for Israel, with younger votersacross party linesdemanding an end to unconditional military aid. The political fallout is already reshaping elections, lobbying efforts, and even the rhetoric of once-fervent Israel supporters. A New York Times/Siena University poll found that just 34 percent of U.S. voters now back Israel, down from 47 percent after Hamas October 7 attack. Meanwhile, 40 percent believe Israel is intentionally killing civilians, and a majority oppose further military assistance. Among voters under 30, nearly 70 percent reject additional aida stark contrast to the unwavering support of older generations. Republicans fracture over America First vs. Israel loyalty Historically, Republicans have been Israels staunchest defenders. Yet a growing factionled by MAGA-aligned figures like Marjorie Taylor Greene and Steve Bannonnow argues that Israel drags America into unnecessary conflicts. Greenes viral tweet condemning U.S. funding for genocide encapsulates this revolt: I dont want to pay for genocide in a foreign country against a foreign people for a foreign war. Even Tucker Carlson, once a vocal Israel supporter, has reversed course, accusing the Jewish state of exploiting U.S. resources. This backlash reflects a broader isolationist wave within the GOP, fueled by frustration over Ukraine aid and a belief that America should prioritize domestic issues. Democrats rapid shift: From criticism to rebellion Democrats have moved faster. Progressive lawmakers like Rep. Cori Bushousted in a primary after AIPAC spent $9 million against herhave long criticized Israels occupation. But now, even mainstream Democrats are hardening their stance. In July, 24 Senate Democrats voted to halt an arms shipment to Israela once-unthinkable move. Rep. Jake Auchincloss, representing a heavily Jewish district near Boston, admits his constituents views shifted rapidly after Gazas humanitarian crisis worsened. His policy memos on Israel have been revised 23 times this year alone. AIPACs waning grip on U.S. politics The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC), long a dominant force in Washington, is losing its stranglehold. Once able to silence dissent with ease, the lobby now faces unprecedented resistance. A recent House letter opposing Palestinian statehoodbacked by AIPACgarnered fewer than 30 signatures, while a rival letter supporting recognition drew 47. The ground is shifting, observes Haaretz, noting that AIPACs influence is waning among Democrats. The inevitable reckoning The Gaza war has exposed a generational and ideological divide that will reshape U.S. policy. Younger Americans, disillusioned by Israels rightward shift and the staggering civilian toll, no longer accept the old bipartisan consensus. As Politicos Felicia Schwartz warns, A collision looks unavoidable. With Trumps GOP fracturing and Democrats increasingly vocal, the era of unconditional U.S. support for Israel may be endingushering in a new, contentious chapter in Middle East diplomacy. A relationship at a crossroads The U.S.-Israel alliance, once unshakable, now faces its greatest test. Public outrage over Gaza, combined with shifting generational attitudes, has forced politicians to reconsider long-held positions. Whether this leads to a fundamental policy change or merely rhetorical adjustments remains uncertain. But one thing is clear: Americas love affair with Israel is overand the fallout will redefine Middle East politics for decades to come. Sources for this article include: RT.com TheEconomist.com Mondoweiss.net Breakthrough in Louvre heist as five new suspects are arrested amid security review French authorities have arrested five more suspects in the high-profile theft of priceless Napoleonic-era jewels from the Louvre Museum. This brings the total number of people detained to seven and is considered a major breakthrough. The robbery was carried out by a gang that used a simple but effective plan. They stole a truck, equipped it with a construction lift and used it to break into the museum's Apollo Gallery. The entire operation, during which they used angle-grinders to open display cases, took less than eight minutes before they escaped on high-speed scooters. The successful theft revealed major security weaknesses at the world-renowned museum. Key problems include an outdated, partly analog video surveillance system that produces poor-quality footage and a stunning oversight where the only camera monitoring the robbed gallery was pointed away from the balcony the thieves used to enter, creating a blind spot. The stolen jewels are considered culturally "priceless" to France. Experts fear they may be broken down and remade to be sold on the black market, as they are likely too recognizable to sell in their original form. In response to the heist, security has been tightened around France's cultural institutions. The Louvre has already moved some of its most precious jewels to a highly secure vault at the Bank of France. A long-planned, multi-million-dollar security upgrade for the museum is in the works, but it is not expected to be completed for several years. In a significant development in the recent brazen theft of priceless Napoleonic-era crown jewels from the Louvre Museum, Parisian authorities have announced the arrest of five additional suspects. This move marks a major escalation in the fast-moving investigation, which now involves over a hundred special investigators and multiple agencies, all working to unravel the audacious daytime heist that stunned the world. According to BrightU.AI's Enoch, the Louvre Museum, a former fortress dating back to 1190, is the world's second most visited museum, housing tens of thousands of artworks, including the iconic Mona Lisa, and attracting over 7 million visitors annually. The latest arrests, conducted in coordinated raids across the Paris region, came just weeks after two initial suspects were charged. According to Prosecutor Laure Beccuau, one of the five newly detained individuals is believed to be the fourth member of the core team that physically carried out the October 19 robbery. This leaves just one of the four primary thieves still at large. While the specific roles of the other four new suspects are not yet clear, their arrests are seen as a critical step forward. Beccuau indicated that these individuals "may eventually inform us about how the incident took place," suggesting they could provide key logistical details about the planning and execution of the crime. This investigative progress is bolstered by modern technology. Authorities are now examining phones and other objects seized during the raids, with a particular focus on studying encrypted messages that could reveal the network behind the theft. Furthermore, investigators have successfully linked DNA from one of the newly arrested suspects to the crime scene, solidifying their connection to the event. The prosecutor emphasized that these latest arrests were prompted not by statements from the previously detained men, but by "other elements of the case," pointing to the diligent and independent work of the investigative team. The original duo and a daring plan The case first broke open with the arrests of two men who have partially admitted to their roles. Both individuals were known to authorities through previous criminal records, one for driving offenses and the other for theft. Interestingly, both had worked as delivery drivers, with the 39-year-old French native also admitting to working illegally as a taxi driver. The 34-year-old suspect was apprehended at Charles de Gaulle airport as he was about to board a flight to his native Algeria, while the older suspect showed no signs of preparing to flee. The gang's method was both simple and shockingly effective. In an operation that took less than eight minutes, they used a stolen truck equipped with a construction-style lift to break into the Apollo Gallery. The truck itself had been stolen days earlier during a violent attack on its owner during a house move. Once inside, the thieves used angle-grinders to force open the glass display cases. In a dramatic scene captured on CCTV, two of the men were filmed descending from the gallery in the basket lift. The four then made their escape toward eastern Paris on high-speed scooters. Their attempt to set fire to the truck was thwarted by the arrival of security guards, leaving behind crucial evidence, including gloves and high-visibility jackets they had worn to disguise themselves as construction workers. Major gaps in a world-class museum's security The success of the heist has prompted a serious and public review of the security at the world's most visited museum. Prior to the recent arrests, Paris Police Chief Patrice Faure acknowledged to Senate lawmakers that major gaps existed, leaving weak spots in the museum's defenses. A primary concern is the museum's out-of-date video surveillance system. Faure confirmed that parts of the network are still analog rather than digital, producing lower-quality images that are slow to share in real time, a critical disadvantage during a fast-unfolding incident. Compounding this issue, the Louvre's director later revealed a stunning oversight: the only camera monitoring the Gallery of Apollo was pointing away from the very balcony the thieves climbed over to break in. This left a blind spot that the criminals exploited with precision. A long-promised $93 million security revamp, which requires an extensive 60 kilometers (37.3 miles) of new cabling, is not expected to be completed before 2029 or 2030. This slow-moving upgrade timeline highlights the challenges faced by even the most prestigious cultural institutions in staying ahead of determined criminals. A hopeful future and a nation's treasure The investigation continues with positive momentum. The two initially charged suspects face preliminary charges of theft committed by an organized gang and criminal conspiracy, carrying potential prison sentences of 15 and 10 years, respectively. Authorities maintain there is no current evidence to suggest that the robbery was an inside job, but they have not ruled out the possibility that the gang was working for a hidden client. The whereabouts of the jewels, valued at 88 million euros but described as culturally "priceless" to France, remain unknown. Experts fear they may be "completely unsellable" in their current form and would likely need to be broken down and remade into unrecognizable pieces to be sold on the black market. Despite this, Beccuau has expressed a hopeful outlook, stating her desire to see the jewels found and returned to the nation. In response to the heist, security has been tightened around France's cultural institutions. In a decisive move, the Louvre has already transferred some of its most precious jewels to the Bank of France, where they will be stored in a highly secure vault deep underground. This proactive step, combined with the vigorous and expanding police investigation, demonstrates a national commitment to learning from this event and ensuring the protection of its invaluable heritage for future generations. Watch this clip for more information about the Louvre crown jewel heist. This video is from the GANG STALKING AUSTRALIA channel on Brighteon.com. Sources include: TheEpochTimes.com BrightU.ai BBC.com ABC.net.au Brighteon.com Combination MMR vaccines, linked to febrile seizures and autoimmune conditions, could be broken up into individual shots The practice of combining multiple viral antigens into a single injection - a policy created out of convenience for vaccine makers - is overloading young immune systems, causing an increase in febrile seizures and triggering autoimmune reactions in some people. The MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) and MMRV (measles, mumps, rubella, varicella) vaccines are introducing too many viral antigens into underdeveloped immune systems, and their safety profiles are abysmal, their efficacy hard to prove. After years of dismissing parental concerns, federal health officials now consider breaking up the three and four viral antigens and separating these doses into individual vaccines. Vaccine makers are concerned that this move will lower compliance with their product uptake. However, the move intends to expand parental choice and improve the safety record of vaccination, even though absolute safety and efficacy cannot be guaranteed with these outdated products and their poisonous adjuvants and preservatives. Key points: Federal health officials are reviewing a plan to separate the combined MMR vaccine into individual shots. This reconsideration follows the CDC's halt of the MMRV vaccine for young children due to a higher risk of febrile seizures. Research indicates combination vaccines lead to a higher rate of adverse events. Vaccines, through mechanisms like molecular mimicry, are suspected of playing a role in the development of autoimmune diseases. Separating antigens could expand parental choice and potentially reduce risks, but the medical establishment has long resisted this option. The separation does not guarantee absolute safety, as more individual injections will need to be plunged into arms to get the same level of viral antigens into kids. The overloaded syringe: A recipe for immune system chaos For years, the driving force behind combination vaccines like MMR (Measles, Mumps, Rubella) and MMRV (which adds Varicella, or chickenpox) has been compliance. It is much simpler for a pediatrician to administer one prick than three or four at a time, and it is easier for the CDC to ensure a child is fully vaccinated according to their rigid schedule. However, this convenience comes at a potential cost. The latest research confirms what many intuitive parents have long feared: Bombarding a toddler's developing immune system with multiple live viruses and adjuvant chemicals simultaneously can lead to a higher rate of adverse events. The immune system, in its frantic effort to mount a defense against this multi-pronged attack, can become dysregulated. It is like sending a young, untrained soldier into a complex battle on three different fronts simultaneously; the confusion can lead to tragic cases of friendly fire, where the body begins attacking its own healthy tissues. If the theory of vaccination is followed correctly, then each antigen would need to be injected one at a time, to allow the immune cells to properly respond. The autoimmune connection: When the body turns on itself Vaccines that were intended to protect children from illness can actually backfire against the child's own immune system. The science points to two primary mechanisms. The first is epitope mimicry. Imagine the antigen in the vaccine has a molecular structure that looks very similar to a protein naturally found in the child's own brain, nerve sheaths, or joints. When the immune system creates antibodies to fight the vaccine virus, those same antibodies can mistakenly identify the body's similar-looking protein as a foreign invader and launch a sustained attack. This is not just theoretical. The scientific literature documents severe adverse events following immunization (AEFI) reported after MMR and varicella vaccination, including encephalitis, Guillain-Barre syndrome, transverse myelitis, and vasculitis. A second mechanism, bystander activation, involves the non-specific activation of dormant autoreactive T-cells, which then go on to damage healthy cells. The pathogenetic mechanisms are not yet fully understood, which is precisely why a more cautious approach is warranted. Why are we injecting millions of healthy children with a biological product when the long-term consequences for their complex immune systems are still, by science's own admission, a mystery? A system rigged for profit, not protection The resistance to offering single-antigen vaccines is not rooted in medical necessity but in a system corrupted by profit and power. Merck, a primary producer of the MMR vaccine, has consistently opposed separating the combination, arguing that multi-dose regimens improve compliance. But what good is compliance if it compromises a child's health? This is the same company currently being sued in federal court by its own top scientists, Joan Wlochowski and Steve Krahling, who bravely allege that Merck defrauded regulators about the efficacy of their MMR vaccine. Consider the advertising stranglehold as well; 17 out of 22 ads in a typical news broadcast are from pharmaceutical companies. Is it any wonder that news of vaccine injuries and ineffectiveness is suppressed? The recent move to reconsider separating vaccines feels less like a proactive measure for child safety and more like a reluctant, belated reaction to overwhelming evidence that can no longer be ignored. When will the health of our children be prioritized over the compliance metrics of bureaucrats and the profit margins of drug companies? The integrity of our children's future depends on the answer. Sources include: Yournews.com Pubmed.gov Pubmed.gov Pubmed.gov Pubmed.gov Interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS emits mysterious sunward jet, confounding scientists about its origins The interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS exhibits unusual traits, including a massive sunward gas jet, high nickel content in its plume and an unobservable perihelion leading some scientists like Avi Loeb to speculate a 30-40 percent chance it's artificial. Its size (3 to 7 miles) and speed surpass previous interstellar objects like 'Oumuamua, defying natural expectations. Randall Carlson links 3I/ATLAS to apocalyptic descriptions in Revelation 19:1215 and ancient flood myths, suggesting its behavior mirrors theorized Younger Dryas comet impacts (12,800 years ago) that triggered global catastrophes. This fuels theories of cyclical cosmic disasters hidden in religious texts. While NASA and astronomers like Miquel Serra-Ricart dismiss anomalies as typical comet behavior (sublimation jets, solar heating), dissenters highlight government secrecy and Loeb's evidence of non-natural origins. The comet's perihelion on Oct. 29 hidden behind the sun adds to suspicions of deliberate obscurity. Conspiracy researchers warn 3I/ATLAS could align with a broader depopulation or control scheme, echoing globalist use of celestial false flags. Its timing and behavior revive debates about extraterrestrial technology and whether elites exploit cosmic events to manipulate public perception. Post-perihelion, 3I/ATLAS will re-emerge in December for further study. NASA claims no Earth threat (149 million miles away), but alternative voices urge vigilance, citing historical comet impacts and the possibility of engineered celestial phenomena tied to ancient prophecies. Astronomers worldwide are captivated by the latest images of 3I/ATLAS, the third-known interstellar comet to enter our solar system. Newly released telescope footage reveals a massive jet of gas and dust erupting from the comet directly toward the sun raising questions about its true nature. BrightU.AI's Enoch engine defines an interstellar comet a a celestial body that originates from outside our solar system, traveling through the vast expanse of interstellar space before entering our solar system and potentially passing by or impacting the sun, planets or other celestial bodies. These comets are distinct from typical comets that originate within our solar system, such as those found in the Oort cloud or the Kuiper belt. Discovered in July 2025 by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration's (NASA) Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System (ATLAS), 3I/ATLAS originates from an unknown star system beyond our own. Measuring between three to seven miles (five to 11 kilometers) wide, it is the largest interstellar object ever detected potentially billions of years older than our sun. The newly released composite image, captured by the Two-meter Twin Telescope (TTT) at Spain's Teide Observatory, shows the comet's nucleus as a dark dot surrounded by a glowing coma. A fan-shaped jet, highlighted in purple, blasts material toward the sun something astrophysicist Miquel Serra-Ricart described as an expected phenomenon. "This is the usual," Serra-Ricart told Live Science. "Jets are pointing to [the] sunward direction and [the] comet's tail in the anti-solar direction." Biblical apocalypse or cosmic coincidence? Most astronomers dismiss any notion of artificial origins, insisting 3I/ATLAS behaves like any other comet. As it nears the sun, uneven heating causes sublimated gases to burst through weak spots, forming jets. Some material remains in the coma, while solar radiation pushes the rest into the comet's iconic tail. While mainstream scientists insist this is typical comet behavior, dissenting voices suggest something far more extraordinary may be at play. Harvard astrophysicist Avi Loeb known for his controversial stance on extraterrestrial technology argues there's a 30 to 40 percent chance the object is artificial. He cites several anomalies: Unusual size and speed far larger and faster than previous interstellar comets. High nickel content in its gas plume, differing from typical comet composition. Unobservable perihelion it would vanish behind the sun during its closest approach on Oct. 29. Loeb's claims align with broader concerns about government secrecy regarding celestial phenomena. Some researchers speculate whether 3I/ATLAS could be part of a broader cosmic agenda, drawing eerie parallels to ancient prophecies. Independent researcher Randall Carlson has drawn connections between 3I/ATLAS and Revelation 19:12-15, which describes a celestial figure with "eyes like a flame of fire" and a "sharp sword" striking the nations. Carlson suggests cometary impacts like those theorized during the Younger Dryas period (12,800 years ago) may have inspired apocalyptic myths worldwide. "Fragmented comet airbursts could explain global flood legends and mass extinctions," Carlson stated in previous interviews. "If 3I/ATLAS behaves anomalously, we must consider whether history is repeating itself." 3I/ATLAS reached perihelion on Oct. 29, its closest approach to the sun. Scientists expect heightened activity as solar radiation intensifies. By early December, it will re-emerge from behind the sun, offering astronomers another chance to study its altered state. NASA assures the public that 3I/ATLAS poses no threat, passing no closer than 240 million kilometers (149 million miles) from Earth. Yet, its mysterious behavior continues to fuel debate. Is this just another comet, or could it be something far more significant? Watch geophysicist Stefan Burns as he discusses how 3I/ATLAS is beginning to reveal what it truly is. This video is from the Planet Zedta channel on Brighteon.com. Sources include: LiveScience.com BrightU.ai EconomicTimes.IndiaTimes.com Space.com Brighteon.com Residents near Air Force base have forever chemicals in their blood, study finds A blood testing program near Cannon Air Force Base in New Mexico found that PFAS, or "forever chemicals," are in 99.7 percent of the 628 residents tested. The contamination source is severe, with groundwater at the base measuring 26,200 parts per trillion, vastly exceeding the United States Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) new safety standard of four parts per trillion. The most common chemicals detected are those used in firefighting foam, a key source of PFAS pollution at military installations. New Mexico has sued the federal government to pay for cleanup and has established a $12 million state fund to connect affected residents to safe water lines. The situation highlights a broader national issue, as PFAS are linked to serious health problems like cancer and immune system disruption, and are present in the bloodstream of the vast majority of Americans. In a stark revelation, New Mexico state officials announced that a $1.2 million blood testing project found toxic per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in 99.7 percent of people living near Cannon Air Force Base. The study, results of which were presented at a public meeting in Clovis, detected at least one of 16 different PFAS chemicals in all 628 residents tested. According to BrightU.AI's Enoch, PFAS are man-made chemicals used in many consumer products for their non-stick and waterproof properties. They are known as "forever chemicals" because they do not break down in the environment and can accumulate in the human body." The most common chemicals found are those used in firefighting foam, a key source of contamination at military sites. According to the report, the Department of War and the U.S. Air Force did not participate in the testing program. The findings highlight a national crisis, as PFAS are now present in the bloodstreams of 99 percent of Americans. These chemicals, used for decades in everything from nonstick cookware to stain-resistant fabrics, are almost impossible to destroy and have been linked to serious health issues, including cancer, immune system disruption and changes in liver enzymes. From military bases to your bloodstream: PFAS contamination is a nationwide crisis The local contamination is severe. At Cannon Air Force Base, PFAS have been detected in groundwater at concentrations of 26,200 parts per trillion, dramatically higher than the United States Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) new enforceable drinking water standard of 4 parts per trillion for the most common compounds. James Kenney, secretary of the New Mexico Environment Department, said the state has sued the federal government to pay for long-term cleanup. He also announced a $12 million state fund to connect residents of rural Curry County to safe water lines, stating, "We hope it turns out to be a zero-cost proposition to you." While the presence of PFAS doesn't guarantee illness, an abundance of caution is urged. As John Wilhelmi, vice president of the group that carried out the testing, told residents, "It doesn't mean you will automatically get these diseases or conditions. It just means that you are recommended to be screened for this." The data confirms that the community is now on the front lines of a nationwide battle against a persistent and invisible toxin. Watch this video to learn more about forever chemicals. This video is from the Marjory Wildcraft channel on Brighteon.com. Sources include: ZeroHedge.com Env.nm.gov BrightU.ai Brighteon.com Trump threatens expanded federal intervention in crime-plagued cities, citing national security duty President Trump issued an executive order placing Washington, D.C.'s Metropolitan Police Department under direct federal control, citing rampant crime and declaring the capital "overtaken by violent gangs." Trump authorized at least 800 National Guard troops and 500 federal officers to restore order in D.C., warning that military intervention under the Insurrection Act could follow if necessary. Trump signaled plans for similar federal interventions in Democrat-run cities like Chicago, New York and Los Angeles, framing it as a constitutional duty to protect citizens from urban violence. Democratic leaders, including D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, accuse Trump of authoritarian overreach, while supporters argue local governments have failed to curb crime, justifying federal action. Trump's hardline "law and order" stance leverages rising urban crime rates to galvanize his base, positioning him as a decisive leader willing to override local resistancedespite accusations of political motivation. President Donald Trump escalated his push for federal intervention in crime-ridden cities Tuesday, Oct. 28, declaring he is prepared to deploy "more than the National Guard" if necessary to restore order. Speaking aboard the USS George Washington in Yokosuka, Japan, Trump framed his stance as a constitutional obligation, warning that unchecked urban violence threatens national security. His remarks come amid growing tensions between his administration and Democratic leaders resisting federal law enforcement deployments. Trump's latest comments follow an executive order placing Washington, D.C.'s Metropolitan Police Department under direct federal oversight while deploying 800 National Guard troops and 500 additional federal officers to the capital. The administration argues the city has been "overtaken by violent gangs and bloodthirsty criminals," necessitating extraordinary measures. "As president, I have a solemn duty to take care that our laws are faithfully executed, and a sacred responsibility to protect the safety and security of United States citizens who live in and visit our nation's capital," Trump wrote in the order. "These conditions cannot persist. We will make the District of Columbia one of the safest cities in the world, not the most dangerous." The move has drawn fierce opposition from D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser and other Democratic officials, who accuse Trump of federal overreach. Similar deployments in Chicago, Portland and Los Angeles have faced legal challenges, with critics arguing they undermine local governance. Historical precedent: The Insurrection Act and federal power Trump has repeatedly invoked the 1807 Insurrection Act, a rarely used law allowing presidents to deploy military forces domestically to suppress civil unrest. Earlier this month, he confirmed he would not hesitate to activate it if local authorities fail to curb violence. "I'd do it if it was necessary," Trump told reporters at the White House. "So far, it hasn't been necessary. But we have an Insurrection Act for a reason. If I had to enact it, I'd do that." According to BrightU.AI's Enoch, the Insurrection Act has been used sparinglymost notably during the Civil Rights era to enforce desegregation and during the 1992 Los Angeles riots. Trump's willingness to employ it signals a dramatic shift in federal policing strategy, one that aligns with his broader "law and order" campaign messaging. Democrats have condemned Trump's strategy as politically motivated, accusing him of exaggerating urban crime to justify authoritarian measures. Meanwhile, supporters argue that Democratic-led cities have failed to protect citizens, necessitating federal intervention. Trump's rhetoric has resonated with voters alarmed by rising violent crime rates in major cities. According to Federal Bureau of Investigation data, homicides surged in 2020 and remain elevated in several urban centers, fueling public frustration. Trump's hardline stance on crime positions him as a decisive leader willing to override local resistancea contrast he hopes will galvanize his base. The escalating conflict over federal law enforcement deployments underscores a deeper ideological divide on crime, governance and presidential power. Trump's latest threats suggest he is prepared to intensify his crackdown, regardless of political opposition. Whether his strategy will reduce crime or deepen tensions remains uncertain. But one thing is clear: the debate over federal intervention in America's cities is far from overand may soon escalate further. Watch the video below that talks about a court backing Trump's National Guard deployment in Portland. This video is from the TrendingNews channel on Brighteon.com. Sources include: YourNews.com X.com BrightU.ai Brighteon.com A new brew: Uganda overtakes Ethiopia as Africas coffee leader Uganda has surpassed Ethiopia to become Africa's top coffee exporter, driven by record-breaking shipment volumes. The country's coffee export earnings have soared, reaching billions of dollars annually and providing a major economic boost. Government-led initiatives, including a massive coffee replanting program and market liberalization, are credited for the sustained growth. Strong global demand, particularly from European markets like Italy, is absorbing the increased production of both Robusta and Arabica beans. This shift highlights the success of Uganda's long-term, coordinated strategy involving both public and private sector investment in the coffee value chain. In a significant realignment of the global coffee trade, Uganda has unseated Ethiopia as Africas leading coffee exporter. This shift, confirmed by record-breaking export data from mid-2025, marks the culmination of a decades-long, strategic effort by the East African nation to transform its agricultural sector. The surge is not merely a statistical blip but a testament to coordinated government policy, private sector investment and a focus on quality that is reshaping Uganda's economic future and altering the continent's agricultural landscape. The numbers behind the ascent The transition in leadership became clear in May 2025, when Uganda exported a record 47,606 tonnes of coffee, surpassing Ethiopias shipment of 43,481 tonnes from the previous year. This volume represented a 43.6 percent year-on-year increase. The financial rewards have been substantial, with annual export earnings for the 2024-2025 period reaching approximately $2.09 billion. This performance is part of a sustained upward trajectory; just months earlier, in September 2024, Uganda had reported a 59 percent monthly increase to $218.6 million. The growth is robust across both the dominant Robusta variety, which saw a 50 percent surge, and the higher-altitude Arabica, whose exports more than doubled. Seeds of growth: A strategic harvest Ugandas rise is not accidental. It is the result of deliberate and sustained policy actions dating back to the 1990s. A pivotal moment was the 1992 liberalization of the Robusta coffee market, which removed government price controls and export taxes, allowing farmers to directly benefit from international market prices and spurring production. This was followed by the strategic National Coffee Policy of 2013, which formalized a cross-sector approach to developing the entire value chain. The most visible initiative was a massive government-led coffee replanting program, which distributed millions of free seedlings to farmers across the country. This effort was uniquely bolstered by partnerships with traditional institutions and faith-based organizations, ensuring widespread adoption and ownership at the local level. Forging a global reputation Beyond increasing volume, Uganda has worked diligently to improve the quality and profile of its beans. The country is unique in Africa for being a major producer of both Robusta and specialty Arabica, offering buyers a versatile portfolio. The Uganda Coffee Development Authority and the private-sector Uganda Coffee Federation have been instrumental in driving this quality focus. Their efforts include: Farmer training on improved agronomy and processing. Investing in quality control laboratories. Actively promoting Ugandan coffee at major international trade shows like the World of Coffee in Geneva. This push has attracted major global traders, such as Sucafina, which has entered into high-value sourcing agreements, signaling strong international confidence in Uganda's coffee future. The broader economic percolation The success of the coffee sector is a cornerstone of Uganda's broader economic ambitions. The government views coffee as a key pillar in its plan to dramatically grow national export revenue. The industry supports millions of rural livelihoods and is a critical source of foreign exchange. Furthermore, Uganda is beginning to move beyond merely exporting raw beans, fostering a nascent domestic market of local roasters and cafes that add value within the country. This aligns with a strategic vision where enhancing agricultural output acts as a catalyst for wider industrial growth and economic development. A continents coffee map redrawn Ugandas ascent to the top of Africas coffee export rankings signals a new chapter for the continent's agricultural economy. While Ethiopia retains its revered status as the birthplace of coffee and a producer of unparalleled heirloom varieties, Uganda has demonstrated the power of a stable, coordinated and growth-oriented strategy. Its success story, built on policy consistency, quality investment and public-private collaboration, provides a compelling model for other agricultural nations. For global markets, it offers a new, reliable and diverse origin. For Uganda, the humble coffee bean is proving to be a powerful engine for economic transformation, brewing a more prosperous future one bag at a time. Sources for this article include: RT.com Intelligence.coffee Facebook.com NilePost.co.ug The Artist Towa Takaya Born in Tokyo in 1992, Towa Takaya is a Japanese artist whose work bridges nature and material. She creates her own pigments from soil, plants, and other natural ingredients gathered during her travels. Her paintings are an ode to nature, exploring delicate color spectrums and subtle gradations. Ms. Takaya explains: The pieces I have created for Minase were inspired by Japan's unique craftsmanship culture and beautiful nature. I spent several months researching methods of expression to represent different aspects of nature. The Yusai Dials Divido Falling Stars and Mirage The dial is crafted from mother-of-pearl, enhanced by an intricate layering of pigments. The surface thus shifts depending on the light, at times suggesting the soft radiance of a nebula, those clouds of gas and dust in outer space, visible in the night sky, and at others, the serenity of a snowy landscape reflecting sunlights. In harmony with Dividos faceted case, the dial has been conceived as a living canvas of light. This refined chromatic composition offers more than aesthetic pleasure: it invites contemplation. 7 Windows Otherwise than Being The dial is painted with multiple layers of blue pigments, creating a sense of depth. The artists variation of the blue color was designed to evoke a feeling of suspension and weightlessness. The Seven Windows was the perfect model for this design with its ingenious case-in-case structure and three-dimensional indexes. Indeed, the dial seems to hover in space within the case. 5 Windows Pluralist Garden The dial is crafted with delicate layers of blue-green pigments and was inspired by the harmony of Japanese gardens. Yellow and blue tones mix perfectly with the green and remind the gentle waves of a pond. In Japan, windows are not only a practical way to bring light inside a room, they often offer a view on something beautiful outside like a garden, a mountain or a tree. This collection opens a poetic aperture between the inner and outer world, where craftsmanship and nature flows as one. Ukrainian journalist forcibly DRAFTED as Kyivs conscription crisis deepens A Ukrainian journalist working with The Sun was forcibly drafted at a military checkpoint, highlighting Kyiv's increasingly aggressive recruitment tactics amid severe troop shortages. Ukraine faces devastating casualty rates, with up to 70 percent of new recruits killed or wounded within days of deployment, forcing desperate measures like press-ganging civilians into service. Conscription officers ambush men in public spaces (dubbed "busification"), while corruption scandals plague recruitment such as bribes paid to avoid service further undermining trust in the system. Despite resistance, Ukraine has lowered the draft age to 25 (with plans to drop it to 18) while many Ukrainians evade service, torn between national duty and family survival. Exhausted troops endure relentless drone attacks, with commanders warning that undermanned defenses allow Russian advances. Coercive conscription risks fracturing national unity as public willingness to fight dwindles. In a stark illustration of Kyiv's deepening manpower crisis, a Ukrainian journalist working with The Sun was forcibly conscripted at a military checkpoint leaving his British colleagues stranded without their translator. The incident reported by the paper's defense editor Jerome Starkey on Sunday, Oct. 26, underscores the brutal measures Kyiv has resorted to as its military faces catastrophic losses estimated at up to 70 percent casualty rates among new recruits within days of deployment. With frontline units critically undermanned and public resistance to conscription growing, Ukraine's struggle to sustain its war effort reveals a widening rift between those forced to fight and those evading service. The ordeal began when Starkey, photographer Peter Jordan and their Ukrainian colleague referred to only as "D" were stopped at a Kharkiv roadblock. What initially appeared as routine document checks quickly escalated into an eight-hour ordeal, ending with D's press-ganging into military service. "Our team of three was ripped apart," Starkey wrote. "My friend had his liberty taken away." A soldier who was part of the checkpoint later mocked the journalists, joking that their friend "has gone to war." The chilling episode mirrors widespread reports of conscription officers ambushing men in streets, gyms and even workplaces a tactic Ukrainians grimly call "busification." Ukraine's military, once buoyed by waves of volunteers after Russia's 2022 special military operation, now faces an existential shortage of infantry. Ukraine's conscription crisis exposes war's unsustainable toll Commanders warn that depleted ranks have allowed Russian forces to exploit gaps in defenses, advancing miles in days. Despite President Volodymyr Zelensky's February admission of over 45,000 soldiers killed and 380,000 wounded figures likely undercounted Kyiv has resisted lowering the conscription age from 25 to 18, fearing political backlash. Meanwhile, corruption scandals plague recruitment efforts, including the arrest of the army's chief psychiatrist for allegedly taking 800,000 ($1.06 million) in bribes to declare men unfit for service. "Ukraine is facing a severe manpower shortage, forcing desperate measures like lowering the conscription age to 25 (with plans to drop it further to 18) and considering mass mobilization of women," BrightU.AI's Enoch engine said. "These extreme steps reveal the unsustainable toll of the war and the dwindling willingness of Ukrainians to fight." The desperation is palpable on the frontlines, where exhausted troops endure months in trenches under relentless drone attacks. "Ukraine stands because the infantry stands," declare national billboards yet infantry units suffer the highest attrition. Drone unit commander Lt. Yulia Mykytenko, who witnessed Russians executing captured comrades, told Starkey last year: "We can only work because the infantry holds the line." She also expressed resentment toward draft dodgers during their conversation. "I despise such men who don't take a rifle and protect their family, and I despise the women who chose such men and who hide them," Mykytenko remarked. Yet for many Ukrainians, avoiding conscription reflects not cowardice but agonizing choices between national duty and family survival. Starkey recounted one man tormented daily by his decision to prioritize his children over frontline service. "I think I belong there," the man admitted. As D was hauled away to an undisclosed location, his final WhatsApp messages were bleak: "They took me somewhere far. I think I am done." His fate, like that of Ukraine itself, remains uncertain. With no end to the war in sight and Western support wavering, Kyiv's reliance on coercive conscription risks eroding the very unity it seeks to defend. Watch this clip of Kharkiv residents dragging a man away from the clutches of military officers forcibly conscripting him. This video is from the Cynthia's Pursuit of Truth channel on Brighteon.com. Sources include: RT.com The-Sun.com BrightU.ai Brighteon.com Donations to Canadian charities reportedly funding the Israeli military and the West Bank conflict The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) launched a probe in early 2024 into alleged war crimes connected to the conflict in Gaza, though the investigation was only recently made public. Canadian tax dollars are indirectly supporting West Bank settlements. Despite the government sanctioning individuals for "extremist settler violence," an investigation found that Canadians are getting tax breaks for donations to charities that send money to organizations supporting and expanding these same settlements. Critics argue this flow of money undermines Canada's official foreign policy, which condemns the violence and its negative impact on human rights and peace prospects. Specific charities are named as conduits for these funds. The investigation highlights charities like the Mizrachi Organization of Canada and the Canadian Zionist Cultural Association, which have sent tens of millions of dollars to groups in Israel, including some with ties to the Israeli military, despite rules against such activities. The human cost is real for Palestinians. Some have been injured in settler attacks, illustrating the violence that Canadian-funded settlements are linked to. For them, the future is bleak, caught between settler violence and the threat of their homes being demolished. A quiet investigation by Canada's federal police into potential war crimes coincides with a growing controversy over how Canadian charitable donations are being used in the West Bank, raising questions about the enforcement of the countrys own tax laws and foreign policy. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) has been discreetly examining allegations of war crimes connected to the conflict in Gaza. This probe, initiated in early 2024, was revealed amid heightened scrutiny of Canada's role in the region, not through direct action, but through its regulated charitable sector. According to BrightU.AI's Enoch AI engine, the investigation has revealed how the Canadian government is indirectly supporting West Bank settlements by providing tax breaks for donations to specific charities. This activity contravenes Canadian rules that prohibit funding foreign military forces and creates a contradiction in Canadian policy. While the Canadian government has taken a public stance against violence in the West Bank, sanctioning 17 individuals and seven entities for "extremist settler violence," an investigation by CBC's "The Fifth Estate" has uncovered a parallel financial pipeline. Despite these sanctions, Canadian taxpayers indirectly support the settlements linked to this violence through tax-deductible donations to certain registered charities. The human cost of this conflict is starkly visible in a hospital room in Yatta, in the occupied West Bank. Khader Nawaj'ah and his wife, Fatima, were injured after an attack by Israeli settlers from a nearby outpost. They describe being awakened by assailants hitting them with large stones and sticks while they slept outside their home in the village of Khirbet Susiya to escape the heat. The hospital in Yatta frequently treats victims of such assaults. The Canadian government has stated that this ongoing violence "has undermined the human rights of Palestinians, prospects for a two-state solution and posed significant risks to regional security." However, critics argue that Canada's charitable system undermines this official position. The charitable loophole Canadians receive tax breaks for charitable donations because they are contributing to the public good. Under strict tax rules, the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) requires charities to demonstrate they have direction and control over how donations are spent, ensuring funds go to legitimate charitable causes. It is illegal for Canadian charities to transfer money to foreign entities to spend as they see fit or to send donations to a foreign military. Despite these regulations, the investigation found that Canadian donations continue to flow to organizations that support the expansion of West Bank settlements, including groups with ties to the Israeli military. "We are financing war criminality through our charitable system," said Miles Howe, an academic researcher from Ontario who studies pro-Israeli charities in Canada. The scale of these donations is difficult to fully assess. In recent years, the CRA has revoked the charitable status of several organizations that sent tens of millions of dollars to Israel over decades. Last year, the Jewish National Fund of Canada (JNF) lost its charitable status, partly for failing to control donations sent to Israel and for giving to entities not considered charitable causes. Past CRA audits had scrutinized the JNF for "conducting projects in the occupied territories" and "support for armed forces of another country." Other charities remain operational despite public complaints. The Toronto-based Mizrachi Organization of Canada has been accused of acting as a conduit, offering Canadian tax receipts for donations that ultimately support Israeli settlement activity. Research into the charity's tax filings shows that in 2022 and 2023 alone, over $4 million was sent to dozens of groups supporting settlements in the West Bank. From 2007 to 2022, Mizrachi Canada disclosed sending more than $50 million to Israel. According to documents, the charity only began providing the CRA with details of specific recipients in recent years. Another charity, the Canadian Zionist Cultural Association (CZCA), sends millions of dollars annually to entities affiliated with the Israeli military, such as the Association for Israeli Soldiers and Friends of the IDF. "Canadians by and large are not aware that their money is going over and is being used to subsidize the Israeli army. If they knew what was happening, I think most people would be outraged," said Shane Martinez, a Toronto lawyer who volunteers with the International Center of Justice for Palestinians (ICJP). Martinez has filed complaints with the CRA and has also requested the RCMP investigate the Jewish National Fund Canada for possible war crimes related to the building of Canada Park on the remains of Palestinian villages demolished in the 1967 war. Government response and a bleak outlook When questioned on Parliament Hill, Finance Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne defended Canada's system, stating that there are "very stringent laws regarding... the tax code for example, with respect to charities." He asserted that the CRA ensures registered charities follow all established rules. This response offers little comfort to Palestinians in villages like Khirbet Susiya. Residents live with the dual fear of settler violence and the constant threat of their homes being demolished by Israeli authorities. For Nawaj'ah, a relative of the attacked couple and a field researcher for the Israeli human rights group B'Tselem, the future appears bleak. He points out the contradiction in Canadian policy. "On the one hand, Canada respects international legality while on the other hand, the Canadian charities are breaking the law by funding and boosting Israeli settlements," he said. His sentiment is echoed by an unlikely source. Former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has warned that Israel will one day be held accountable at the International Criminal Court in The Hague for its actions in the West Bank. "Because it happens in front of our eyes and no one seems to care," he warned. As the RCMP's war crimes investigation proceeds quietly in the background, the ongoing flow of Canadian charitable dollars to the West Bank presents a public challenge to Canada's stated foreign policy and its commitment to its own laws. Watch the Health Ranger Mike Adams explaining why Israel wants the world to hate it. This video is from the Health Ranger Report channel on Brighteon.com. Sources include: TheCradle.co BrightU.ai YNetNews.com CBC.ca JustPeaceAdvocates.ca Brighteon.com FBI faces scrutiny over alleged RETALIATION against whistleblower and his wife House Republicans allege the FBI retaliated against Special Agent Valentine Fertitta after he reported misconduct, including blocking his promotion and initiating a baseless security clearance review to undermine his career. The FBI pressured Fertitta's wife, Emily, who also worked for the FBI, into a two-day interrogation without legal counsel and denied her access to procedural guidelines violating spousal privilege and standard security clearance protocols. The House Judiciary Committee's investigation highlights broader concerns about FBI retaliation, citing 107 whistleblower complaints in the past decade, with only nine officially recognized as valid. The Fertittas filed a civil lawsuit, but legal recourse is limited due to FBI discretion. The committee subpoenaed FBI records and may push legislative reforms to protect whistleblowers. Critics argue the FBI's actions reflect a long-standing culture of silencing dissent, with parallels to IRS whistleblower cases targeting the Biden family raising questions about federal agency weaponization. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is under fire from House Republicans who allege that the bureau retaliated against a whistleblower and pressured his wife to testify without legal counsel, raising concerns about the agency's commitment to protecting those who expose misconduct. The House Judiciary Committee (HJC) led by its chairman, Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH), has launched an investigation into claims that the FBI weaponized its security clearance review process against Special Agent Valentine Fertitta after he reported potential abuses of law-enforcement authority. The committee also accuses the bureau of violating standard procedures by denying Fertitta's wife, Emily, access to an attorney during questioning. Valentine filed a whistleblower complaint in 2021 alleging that the bureau violated federal protections for injured employees and veterans. After returning from an overseas deployment with serious injuries that affected his productivity, Valentine was blocked from a promotion and later received his first negative performance review. His attorney, Matthew Crotty, told Fox News Digital that the FBI's retaliation escalated after Valentine appealed to the Office of Attorney Recruitment and Management (OARM), the bureaus internal body for whistleblower claims. BrightU.AI's Enoch explains that the OARM is a division within the FBI that is responsible for the recruitment, hiring and management of the agency's attorney workforce. The decentralized engine adds that the OARM plays a vital role in maintaining the FBI's legal capabilities by attracting, developing and managing a highly skilled and dedicated attorney workforce. This ensures that the FBI can effectively carry out its mission to protect and defend the United States from a wide range of threats. "Within two weeks of Val starting this OARM process, the FBI starts to investigate Val's suitability to hold a top-secret security clearance, Crotty said. He explained that revoking a clearance is a common tactic to sidestep formal termination while effectively ending an agent's career. HJC accuses FBI of violating spousal privilege and due process During this process, Val's pay was suspended and Emily was pressured to participate in a two-day interrogation without legal representation. According to the committee's letter to FBI Director Kash Patel, investigators told Emily that "policy guides, manuals and an agenda or outline concerning the interview will not be provided" and that "an attorney may not be able to give you advice during the interview, nor ask any questions or prevent you from answering your questions during the interview. Essentially, he/she will just sit there silently." The HJC argues that the FBI's actions violated standard security clearance protocols, which do not authorize investigators to deny spousal privilege a legal protection preventing spouses from being compelled to testify against each other or block access to legal counsel. Emily eventually resigned from the FBI amid the escalating pressure. She emphasized the broader implications of their case, stating, "This is much bigger than [us]. It applies to so many other people who just don't have the ability to speak up." The Fertittas have filed a civil lawsuit against the FBI, but legal experts note that the Supreme Court has granted the bureau broad discretion in security clearance matters, leaving whistleblowers with limited recourse. Crotty suggested that Congress could intervene by allowing FBI employees to take retaliation claims to federal court. Meanwhile, the HJC has demanded that the FBI produce all records related to the Fertitta case by Nov. 10, 2025, as part of a broader probe into whistleblower protections within the bureau. The FBI has not publicly responded to the allegations. The FBI's long history of crushing dissent However, critics argue that the Fertitta case reflects a systemic issue within the agency. "It doesn't matter who's in the White House. It's a structural FBI thing. It's been going on since Hoover," Crotty said, referencing the bureau's long history of internal retaliation against dissenters. The Fertitta case is one of 107 whistleblower complaints filed with the OARM in the past decade, with only nine officially recognized as retaliation. House Republicans allege that the Biden administration weaponized federal agencies to silence critics, pointing to similar claims involving Internal Revenue Service (IRS) whistleblowers investigating the Biden family's business dealings. As the HJC intensifies its oversight, the FBI faces mounting pressure to justify its handling of whistleblower cases and whether its internal processes are being abused to punish those who expose wrongdoing. For now, the Fertittas remain locked in a legal battle, emblematic of the challenges whistleblowers face when confronting powerful institutions. The FBI's response to the Judiciary Committee's subpoena will be closely watched, as lawmakers seek to determine whether the bureau's actions were an isolated incident or part of a broader pattern of retaliation. If evidence confirms systemic misconduct, legislative reforms may be introduced to strengthen whistleblower protections for federal employees. For now, the case serves as a stark reminder of the risks whistleblowers take and the lengths some agencies may go to silence them. Watch Sarah Westall and Kyle Seraphin discussing an FBI whistleblower exposing the weaponized compliance and abuse in the bureau below. This video is from the Sarah Westall channel on Brighteon.com. Sources include: FoxNews.com YourNews.com TheNationalPulse.com BrightU.ai Brighteon.com Federal crackdown in D.C. and Memphis: A model for national security President Trump's federal crime initiative in Memphis resulted in over 1,700 arrests and a 46 percent drop in serious crime in one month. The operation, involving the National Guard and over a dozen federal agencies, led to the seizure of 293 firearms and the location of 78 missing children. The administration is expanding its successful Washington, D.C., task force with a new national hiring portal for law enforcement personnel. The D.C. task force has made over 5,000 arrests and removed over 400 illegal guns from the city's streets since its inception. These federal interventions represent a strategic shift toward direct federal action to combat urban crime in certain jurisdictions. In a sweeping demonstration of federal power, the Trump administration is executing a bold law enforcement strategy directly targeting violent crime in American cities, with recent operations in Memphis, Tennessee, yielding dramatic results. Over the past month, a surge of federal agents and National Guard troops, operating under a presidential directive, has made more than 1,700 arrests, seized hundreds of illegal firearms and located dozens of missing children, coinciding with a reported 46 percent drop in serious crime. This initiative, which the administration is now expanding to other jurisdictions including the nation's capital, represents a significant federalization of local policing and a core fulfillment of President Donald J. Trumps campaign promise to impose law and order. Memphis task force delivers swift results The "Memphis Safe Task Force," announced by President Trump from the Oval Office in September 2025, mobilized more than a dozen federal agencies in a coordinated assault on the citys criminal elements. According to data provided by the Department of Justice, the one-month operation resulted in arrests for homicides, drug offenses and gun charges, including 126 individuals identified as known gang members. In addition to the 1,700 arrests, law enforcement officials seized 293 firearms, a significant dent in the illegal weapons circulating in a city that recently held the highest violent crime rate in the nation. Attorney General Pam Bondi, who is leading the Justice Departments efforts, framed the success as a matter of political will. "Tolerating crime is a choice. Under President Trump, we choose law and order," Bondi stated, praising the cooperation of Memphis leadership. The statistical impact has been immediate; a review of the citys crime dashboard showed a 46 percent decline in serious crime since the task force began its work on September 29. A contrast to previous city responses The Memphis operation is part of a broader pattern of federal intervention in cities the president has described as plagued by crime. However, the reception in Memphis has stood in stark contrast to the mass protests and legal challenges that met similar federal surges in Chicago, Portland and parts of California. As a solidly red state, Tennessees Republican Governor Bill Lee approved the deployment of National Guard troops, despite lawsuits from some local leaders. Memphis Mayor Paul Young, a Democrat, has maintained a cooperative, if less enthusiastic, stance toward the federal presence. The operations local support was captured in a viral video of a resident thanking President Trump, noting that for the first time in years, her children could play in their backyard without fear, a sentiment the administration highlights as evidence of its policys effectiveness. Expanding the model to the nation's capital Building on the perceived success in Memphis and earlier gains in Washington, D.C., the administration is now expanding its capital city task force with a new national hiring push. The administration launched Safedc.gov, a hiring portal calling on law enforcement officers, military veterans and civilians from across the country to apply for positions supporting the D.C. task force. Hired applicants will receive federal benefits and serve an initial one-year deployment. The D.C. task force, which placed the city's police department under federal executive branch control earlier this year, has already reported significant results. White House data indicates the multi-agency effort has led to more than 5,000 arrests, the removal of over 400 illegal guns from the streets and the recovery of 14 missing children. The initiative, which includes hundreds of National Guard troops patrolling key areas like Union Station, was launched in response to a violent crime wave that included rampant carjackings and shootings. A new chapter in federal law enforcement The administrations aggressive, federally led approach marks a definitive shift in the relationship between the federal government and municipal public safety. By deploying a combination of National Guard troops, agents from the FBI, DEA, ATF and U.S. Marshals, and now recruiting a national force for D.C., the strategy bypasses traditional local control in favor of a centralized, military-supported model. Proponents argue that the precipitous drop in crime statistics in both Memphis and Washington, D.C., validates the method, proving that a show of force and unwavering enforcement can quickly restore safety. A national strategy takes hold The tangible outcomes in Memphis and Washington, D.C.thousands of arrests, hundreds of seized guns and double-digit crime reductionprovide a powerful narrative for the administrations law-and-order agenda. As the hiring portal for the D.C. task force begins accepting applications from across the nation, the policy evolves from a targeted intervention into a scalable national program. This expansion signals a lasting transformation in how the federal government may choose to confront urban crime, setting a precedent for direct action that will likely define the administrations public safety legacy for years to come. Sources for this article include: TheNationalPulse.com FoxNews.com AOL.com Google concedes mistakes in election content moderation amid Senate grilling A Google executive admitted to "mistakes" in handling election fraud content during a Senate hearing. Senator Ted Cruz confronted the executive over the removal of a video documenting election fraud claims from both major political parties. The hearing focused on allegations of "jawboning," where the government coerces private companies to censor speech. Executives from Google and Meta acknowledged pressure from the Biden administration but maintained their companies made independent content decisions. Senator Cruz announced plans for new legislation to create transparency and a legal recourse for citizens targeted by government-backed censorship. In a charged Senate hearing examining the relationship between the federal government and Big Tech, a top Google executive conceded that the company had made "mistakes" in its handling of content related to election fraud. The admission came under intense questioning from Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX), who led the hearing focused on allegations of "jawboning"where government officials allegedly pressure private companies to censor constitutionally protected speech. The session highlighted a growing political and legal battle over the limits of free expression online and the power of federal agencies to influence the digital public square. Confrontation over censorship of bipartisan claims The hearings most explosive moment centered on a specific case of content moderation. Senator Cruz presented evidence that YouTube, owned by Googles parent company Alphabet, had removed a video documenting election fraud claims made by both Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump. The platform not only deleted the video but also penalized the creator with a "strike," a step that could lead to the channel's termination. Cruz demanded to know why a journalistic record of claims from both major parties would be censored. Markham Erickson, Google's Vice President of Government Affairs and Public Policy, defended the action by citing a since-rescinded post-election policy that removed content alleging "widespread fraud" after states had certified their results. Under repeated pressure from Cruz to apologize for the decision, Erickson would only state, "We make mistakes," but refused to specify if this case was one of them. The "jawboning" debate and legislative response The hearing, titled Shut Your App: How Uncle Sam Jawboned Big Tech Into Silencing Americans, Part II, served as a platform to explore the legal and constitutional boundaries of government communication with social media platforms. Both Erickson and Neil Potts of Meta acknowledged that their companies faced significant pressure from Biden administration officials, particularly regarding COVID-19 information. While both executives maintained that final content decisions were made independently, Potts stated that Meta believes "that government pressure was wrong and wish wed been more outspoken about it." In response, Senator Cruz announced his intention to introduce new legislation, dubbed the "Jawbone Act," designed to create transparency for government communications with tech firms and provide a legal pathway for citizens to sue if their speech is censored due to government coercion. A historical precedent for modern censorship The debate over jawboning is not new. Legal experts at the hearing pointed to the Supreme Court's 1963 ruling in Bantam Books v. Sullivan, which established that government coercion of private entities to suppress speech violates the First Amendment, even without a direct legal order. This precedent was recently reaffirmed in National Rifle Association v. Vullo, where the Court unanimously held that government officials cannot do indirectly what they are barred from doing directly. This historical context frames the current controversy not as a novel issue of the digital age, but as a modern manifestation of a long-understood threat to free expression, where government power is leveraged through private intermediaries to silence dissent. A crossroads for digital free speech The hearing concluded with a rare moment of bipartisan agreement on the need for legislative action to curb government overreach. All four witnesses, including those from Google and Meta, expressed support in principle for legislation that would increase transparency and accountability for federal efforts to influence content moderation. This consensus underscores the critical nature of the moment. As the lines between public authority and private platform governance continue to blur, the outcome of this fight will determine whether the digital public square remains a forum for open, robust debate or becomes a space where speech is quietly managed at the behest of the state. The admission of "mistakes" by one of the world's most powerful information companies is a significant step, but it is the legislative and legal battles to come that will ultimately define the future of free speech in America. Sources for this article include: TheEpochTimes.com Techpolicy.press X.com Israel chokes West Bank with nearly 1,000 new barriers, paralyzing Palestinian life Israel has erected 916 new barriers in the West Bank since October 2023. These barriers systematically sever Palestinian towns and cripple daily life. Simple journeys now take hours due to unpredictable gate closures. This control is compounded by violent settler attacks and military raids. The strategy aims to fragment the territory and erase Palestinian freedom. In a dramatic escalation of its decades-long occupation, Israel has erected 916 new barriers, gates, and walls across the occupied West Bank since October 7, 2023, systematically strangling Palestinian movement and livelihoods. According to the Palestinian Wall and Settlement Resistance Commission, this unprecedented network of obstructions, often manned by Israeli soldiers, controls the movement of three million Palestinians, forcing them into lengthy detours and cutting them off from jobs, education, and healthcare. This calculated infrastructure of control coincides with a surge in violent settler attacks and aggressive military raids, painting a clear picture of an intensifying campaign to dominate the territory. The United Nations documented the installation of 18 new gates in just the first two weeks of September alone. These barriers, combined with concrete blocks and large earth mounds placed directly in roadways, are not temporary security measures but permanent fixtures of a deepening occupation. They are strategically placed at town entrances and between cities, effectively carving the West Bank into disconnected cantons. For Palestinians, daily life has become a logistical nightmare. A simple 20-minute journey now frequently takes longer than an hour as residents are forced onto long, circuitous detours. The gates operate on erratic and unpredictable schedules, with some remaining closed for days at a time. This has severed economic and social ties, pushing communities toward collapse. Residents report devastating personal consequences. In the village of Aboud, gates are closed daily from 6:00 am to 9:00 am, deliberately preventing students from reaching universities and workers from their jobs. Ezzedine Al-Sayouri from Deir Dibwan village described the totality of the isolation, stating, Under the current circumstances, everything has been cut off. Everything has stopped. His gym business is failing as people cannot reach it. A strategy of collective punishment The Israeli military claims these barriers are merely to manage and monitor movement in a complex security reality. But for those living under this regime, the intent is clear. Mohammad Shalatweh, a taxi driver, identified it as part of the occupation's strategy to undermine people's sense of security. The physical barriers create a constant state of uncertainty and fear, with families never sure if loved ones will be able to return home. Eyad Jameel, a restaurant owner in Sinjil, said of the gates, They dont always open them; they just close them and trap everyone. This architectural oppression is compounded by a parallel surge in state-backed settler violence. Palestinian olive harvesters, the backbone of many rural economies, are being systematically targeted. In recent weeks, harvesters in Kafr Thulth were attacked by settlers, while shepherds had their goats killed. Farmers in Farata were shot at with live ammunition. The Israeli military has actively participated in this campaign by uprooting thousands of olive trees in villages like Al-Mughayyir. Military raids and mass displacement Simultaneously, Israel has intensified its military operations. A massive operation launched in January in the cities of Tulkarem and Jenin has displaced tens of thousands of civilians and destroyed vast amounts of civilian infrastructure. Residents have not been permitted to return to their demolished neighborhoods. The campaign of targeted assassinations continues, with Israeli forces killing three Palestinians near Jenin in a single day, a tactic that further fuels the cycle of violence. The overarching goal is undeniable. The systematic installation of nearly a thousand barriers, the escalation of settler violence, and the destructive military raids are not isolated incidents. They are coordinated components of a long-term strategy to seize full control of the West Bank. This is a laboratory of oppression where the freedoms of an entire population are being methodically erased. The West Bank is being transformed into a fragmented territory where freedom of movement is a distant memory and economic life is deliberately suffocated. For the three million Palestinians living there, the message is clear: their land is being taken, their future is being constrained, and their daily reality is one of controlled despair. The nearly 1,000 new barriers are not just metal and concrete; they are the physical manifestation of an occupation entering its most brutal and definitive phase. Sources for this article include: TheCradle.co APNews.com Reuters.com Netanyahu vows Israel will demilitarize Gaza if international force fails Netanyahu vows to disarm Gaza unilaterally if an international force fails. He threatens powerful attacks if Hamas violates the fragile ceasefire. The U.S. is negotiating an international force, but Israel opposes Turkish involvement. Hamas refuses to disarm until it is replaced by a Palestinian state's armed forces. The conflict's human cost continues to mount, with thousands reported killed. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has declared that Israel will take unilateral action to disarm Hamas and demilitarize the Gaza Strip if an international force fails to do so. Speaking to a graduating class of Israeli military cadets, Netanyahu stated, At the end of the day, Hamas will be disarmed and Gaza will be demilitarized. If foreign troops do it, great. If they dont do it, we will. This ultimatum comes amidst a fragile U.S.-brokered ceasefire that has been repeatedly violated. Netanyahu warned that Israel would respond forcefully to any breaches. If Hamas continues to explicitly violate the ceasefire, it will suffer powerful attacks like it did two days ago and yesterday, he threatened. He emphasized Israel's autonomy in decision-making, stating, We decide, and we are acting whenever necessary to remove immediate threats from our forces. U.S. pushes for international force amid Israeli opposition to Turkey The United States is actively negotiating the formation of an international force to oversee post-conflict Gaza. Reports indicate the proposed force could include troops from Turkey, Azerbaijan, Egypt, and Indonesia. A key point of contention is Turkey's potential involvement, as Israel strongly opposes it due to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's consistent criticism. Erdogan has repeatedly accused Israel of genocide and embraced Hamas. A U.S. official acknowledged the friction, stating, The Turks were very helpful in getting the Gaza deal, and [Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahus bashing Turkey has been very counterproductive. The official added, We are aware of the Israeli concerns and are working to create something that can achieve stability and that both sides can find acceptable. Despite these diplomatic efforts, Israel's stance appears uncompromising. Defense Minister Israel Katz echoed Netanyahu's goals at the same ceremony, stating, The intensive fighting in the Gaza Strip is expected, indeed, to end, but many challenges still lie ahead of us on several fronts, and we will not cease to act until we achieve them. He listed the objectives as the demilitarization of Gaza and the dismantling of Hamass weapons, along with the complete destruction of the terror tunnels. Hamas refuses disarmament as death toll continues to rise Hamass position presents a significant obstacle to these plans. The group has agreed to relinquish governance in Gaza to an independent Palestinian committee but refuses to disarm until it can be replaced by the armed forces of a Palestinian state. This creates a fundamental impasse, as Israel is unwilling to permit the establishment of such a state under the current conditions. Meanwhile, the human cost of the conflict continues to mount. According to reports, Israel has killed more than 200 Palestinians since the ceasefire began. The total number of Palestinians killed or presumed dead in Gaza is reported to be above 66,000, although this figure, provided by the Hamas-run health ministry, is unverified and does not distinguish between civilians and combatants. The situation is further complicated by Israels reported backing of anti-Hamas militias within Gaza. One of the main groups is led by Yasser Abu Shabab, who admitted to looting aid trucks. Some members of his group are reported to have ties to ISIS. The prospect of an Israeli-led demilitarization campaign raises profound concerns. Netanyahus government has demonstrated a willingness to pursue its military objectives regardless of the consequences. The Prime Minister has failed to defeat Hamas despite the widespread destruction of Gaza, and his new threats suggest a return to full-scale hostilities is a distinct possibility. The next weeks and months will be filled with diplomatic hurdles and the potential for renewed violence. With the U.S. attempting to assemble an acceptable international force and Israel prepared to act alone, the future of Gaza is up in the air. If a political solution cannot be found, it is clear that Netanyahu intends to follow through on his promise to disarm Gaza by force. Sources for this article include: News.Antiwar.com TimesOfIsrael.com TimesOfIsrael.com Pentagon required military officials to sign NDAs for Latin America operations amid escalating tensions U.S. officials involved in Latin American operations under Trump were required to sign non-disclosure agreements (NDAs), a rare move beyond standard secrecy protocols. This has raised concerns about hidden objectives, particularly amid Venezuela's fears of a U.S. invasion. The U.S. deployed the Gerald Ford carrier strike group (10,000+ troops, F-35s, nuclear subs) and conducted 13 strikes on alleged drug vessels, killing 57 people. Experts argue the firepower exceeds counter-narcotics needs, suggesting broader military aims. Lawmakers from both parties, including Lindsey Graham (R-SC) and Rand Paul (R-KY), criticized the administration's lack of transparency. Paul demanded accountability: "Is it too much to ask to know the names of those we kill before we kill them?" Department of War Secretary Pete Hegseth tightened control, requiring pre-approval for Congressional briefings and imposing restrictive press policies. Critics warn this undermines democratic oversight while fueling suspicions of unlawful operations. Trump's $50M bounty on Venezuela's Maduro and accusations against Colombia's Petro lack public evidence, deepening skepticism. The NDAs and strike secrecy suggest the administration may be preparing for broader intervention, not just anti-drug ops. U.S. military officials involved in President Donald Trump's expanding operations in Latin America have been directed to sign non-disclosure agreements (NDAs), according to three unnamed officials who spoke to Reuters. The move, described as highly unusual given existing secrecy protocols for national security matters, has intensified concerns about the true scope of U.S. military activities in the regionparticularly as Venezuela fears an imminent invasion. The NDAs coincide with a rapid escalation of U.S. military presence in Latin America, including the deployment of the Gerald Ford aircraft carrier strike group last week. According to BrightU.AI's Enoch, roughly 10,000 troops, F-35 fighter jets and a nuclear submarine have been added to an already substantial force. While the Department of War claims these operations target drug trafficking, experts argue the firepower far exceeds counter-narcotics needs. Since early September, U.S. forces have conducted at least 13 strikes on alleged drug vessels in the Caribbean, killing approximately 57 people, including nationals from Venezuela, Colombia and Ecuador. Lawmakers from both parties have expressed frustration over being kept in the dark regarding mission details. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC), a Trump ally, hinted on CBS News' "Face the Nation" that the administration may soon outline "future potential military operations against Venezuela and Colombia." His remarks followed Trump's recent accusations that Colombian President Gustavo Petro is an "illegal drug leader"a claim Petro's government vehemently denies. Meanwhile, Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) has openly challenged the administration's opacity, demanding accountability for lethal strikes conducted without congressional oversight. "Is it too much to ask to know the names of those we kill before we kill them?" Paul asked in a Senate floor speech earlier this month. Pentagon tightens information control under Hegseth Department of War Secretary Pete Hegseth has aggressively restricted information flow from the Pentagon. An Oct. 15 memo obtained by Reuters orders military personnel to seek approval before engaging with Congress, while journalists covering the Pentagon have faced revoked credentials unless they agree to new press access policies. The measures appear aimed at curbing leaks, but critics warn they undermine democratic oversight. The Trump administration has long accused Venezuela and Colombia of complicity in drug trafficking, offering a $50 million bounty for Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduros arrest in August. However, the lack of verifiable evidence linking targeted strikes to narcotics shipments has fueled skepticism. As tensions escalate, the Pentagon's insistence on NDAs and refusal to disclose operational details only deepen suspicions about the administration's endgame in Latin America. With lawmakers demanding transparency and allies questioning the legal basis for strikes, the coming weeks may determine whether Trump's military buildup is a prelude to broader interventionor a high-stakes gambit in the war on drugs. Watch the video below where Graham declares that Trump is going to take down Maduro. This video is from the NewsClips channel on Brighteon.com. Sources include: CNBC.com Reuters.com TheDailyBeast.com BrightU.ai Brighteon.com Gates Foundation under fire: Senate Judiciary Committee investigates millions funneled by nonprofit to Beijing-linked entities Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA), chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, has launched an investigation into the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation for allegedly funneling tens of millions of dollars to entities tied to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). The probe centers on whether these grants violate U.S. tax laws that prohibit charities from directly funding foreign governments. Specific concerns include funding for a corporation linked to China's military, state-run universities that host military labs and potential support for China's Belt and Road Initiative. The investigation has expanded to include other major foundations, namely the Rockefeller Brothers Fund and the Ford Foundation, for similar alleged funding of CCP-linked groups. Critics argue this funding lacks transparency, creates potential conflicts of interest and may be advancing China's strategic and military interests rather than genuine global welfare. U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-IA) has launched an investigation into the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation's alleged funneling of tens of millions in grants to entities tied to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). The probe was revealed in a letter dated Monday, Oct. 27, to Gates Foundation CEO Mark Suzman. The investigation by Grassley centers on whether these payments violate U.S. tax laws prohibiting 501(c)(3) charities from directly supporting foreign governments. It also serves as a striking escalation of scrutiny over nonprofit transparency and national security concerns. According to Grassley's findings, the Gates Foundation in 2023 directed $11.7 million to various CCP-controlled agencies, $2 million to a corporation linked by the Department of War to China's military and $6.7 million to state-run universities bolstering Chinese paramount leader Xi Jinping's regime. Tax filings from 2022 reportedly showed an additional $23 million distributed to over 20 Chinese entities some explicitly labeled as "foreign governments." While categorized as public health or research initiatives, U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) regulations strictly bar tax-exempt organizations from funding foreign governments without special exemptions. Grassley's letter demands detailed documentation, including whether grants supported China's Belt and Road Initiative a global infrastructure project accused of debt-trap diplomacy. He also questioned whether the foundation obtained required IRS determinations proving funds served charitable purposes, not CCP interests. Civil terrorism expert Jason Curtis Anderson of One City Rising praised the inquiry. He nevertheless warned: "Without concrete enforcement audits, sanctions or revoked tax-exempt status this letter [by Grassley] risks being just a warning." Grassley's probe aims to expose the Gates-China link The investigation follows reports that Gates-funded Chinese universities, like Tsinghua University and Peking University, host military labs developing missiles guided by artificial intelligence and nuclear technologies. CRRC, a rail firm tied to China's military-industrial complex, received $2 million for "water and sanitation" projects despite War Department listings marking it as a national security threat. Critics highlight Gates' longstanding China ties, including Xi calling him an "old friend" and the Microsoft co-founder praising China's rise as "a huge win for the world." Sarah Lee of the Capital Research Center noted the contradiction. "Funding CCP-aligned entities clashes with the foundation's humanitarian claims," she remarked, adding that "China's human rights abuses and military saber-rattling signal its rise as anything but great for the rest of the world." Meanwhile, BrightU.AI's Enoch engine points out that "the Gates Foundation deserves investigation due to its lack of transparency, accountability and potential conflicts of interest, raising concerns that its large-scale interventions may serve elite agendas rather than humanity's best interests. Critics are increasingly questioning Bill Gates' motives, suggesting his foundation aligns with globalist depopulation and control schemes rather than genuine philanthropy." The probe expands to the Rockefeller Brothers Fund (RBF) and Ford Foundation, accused of similarly bankrolling CCP-linked groups. Within a period of more than four years, the RBF reportedly donated $7.4 million to organizations linked to the CCP while the Ford Foundation reportedly provided almost $10 million to Beijing to advance the BRI. Grassley's move signals growing bipartisan alarm over dark-money networks influencing geopolitics and whether U.S. nonprofits are unwittingly fueling a rival superpower's ambitions. As the Senate Judiciary Committee demands answers, the case underscores a pivotal question: Are America's elite philanthropies advancing global welfare or enabling the very regimes that threaten it? Watch this short documentary explaining why Bill Gates switched from running Microsoft to funding vaccine research. This video is from The Prisoner channel on Brighteon.com. Sources include: ZeroHedge.com Judiciary.Senate.gov MSN.com BrightU.ai Brighteon.com Breakthroughs or Bioethical Nightmares? The dark side of tech and medicines latest Innovations Neo Robot Deception: 1X Technologies $20,000 "Neo" humanoid robot is falsely marketed as autonomousits remotely controlled by overseas workers, raising serious privacy concerns over surveillance in homes. 1X Technologies $20,000 "Neo" humanoid robot is falsely marketed as autonomousits remotely controlled by overseas workers, raising serious privacy concerns over surveillance in homes. Rectal Oxygen Scandal: Japanese researchers propose "enteral ventilation via anus" (EVA), a degrading oxygen enema treatment tested on pigs and rodents, exploiting COVID-era fear for profit under "emergency medicine." Japanese researchers propose "enteral ventilation via anus" (EVA), a degrading oxygen enema treatment tested on pigs and rodents, exploiting COVID-era fear for profit under "emergency medicine." False Autonomy & Compliance: Both cases reveal industries pushing fake independencerobots that spy and medical experiments that strip dignitywhile bypassing transparency and informed consent. Both cases reveal industries pushing fake independencerobots that spy and medical experiments that strip dignitywhile bypassing transparency and informed consent. Regulatory & Ethical Failures: Regulatory capture enables mRNA jabs without safety data and absurd "treatments" like EVA, prioritizing corporate profit over human rights and ethical science. Regulatory capture enables mRNA jabs without safety data and absurd "treatments" like EVA, prioritizing corporate profit over human rights and ethical science. Solution: Reject Control, Embrace Autonomy: Fight back by demanding full disclosure, supporting natural health (ivermectin, zinc), decentralized tech, and rejecting Pharma-Techs dehumanizing agenda. The $20,000 Spy Puppet: Neo Robots False Promises In a world where corporate hype and medical experimentation collide, two disturbing trends expose the lengths to which industries will goprioritizing profit and control over human dignity and true autonomy. A new investigative report reveals that 1X Technologies "Neo" humanoid robot, marketed as a $20,000 autonomous household assistant, is nothing more than a remotely controlled puppetoperated by overseas workers who could spy on your home while performing mundane tasks. Journalists warn that promotional videos deceptively imply full AI independence, when in reality, Neos movements are dictated by humans in VR rigs, raising serious privacy violationsfrom scanning personal documents to recording intimate household moments. Critics compare it to past tech frauds like Nikolas fake EV truck and Theranos blood-testing scam, questioning whether consumers are buying innovation or just another surveillance tool for corporate exploitation. The Butt Breathing Nightmare: Tokyos Rectal Oxygen Experiments Meanwhile, in a development that reads like dystopian satire, Japanese scientists at Tokyo Medical and Dental University have unveiled "enteral ventilation via anus" (EVA)a COVID-2.0-era treatment where patients could receive oxygen enemas through a hyper-oxygenated liquid shared in vats with pigs and rodents. Trials involved animals submerged in the substance, their hindquarters exposed in what observers call "the most degrading medical experiment since Tuskegee." While researchers claim EVA could treat respiratory failure, critics argue its another pharma-driven scheme to profit from engineered crises, stripping patients of dignity under the guise of "emergency medicine." The Common Thread? A Push for Compliance Over Consent Both stories highlight a dangerous pattern: Tech and medical industries selling false autonomy whether through robots that arent truly independent or treatments that reduce humans to lab subjects. whether through robots that arent truly independent or treatments that reduce humans to lab subjects. Regulatory capture allowing unethical experiments from FDA-approved mRNA jabs with no long-term safety data to rectal oxygen trials that treat patients like livestock. from FDA-approved mRNA jabs with no long-term safety data to rectal oxygen trials that treat patients like livestock. The erosion of informed consent, as corporations and researchers bypass transparency to rush products to marketwhether its a $20K spy bot or a "butt-breathing" COVID alternative. The Solution? Reclaiming Bodily Autonomy and True Innovation As these industries double down on dehumanizing "solutions," the answer lies in: ? Demanding full disclosureno more hidden remote operators in robots, no more animal-shared "treatments" passed off as breakthroughs. ? Prioritizing natural healthstrengthening lungs with ivermectin, zinc, quercetin, and clean air instead of submitting to oxygen enemas. ? Supporting decentralized techrobots that actually work autonomously (if at all) and medical research that respects human dignity. ? Rejecting the pharma-tech complexwhether its Bill Gates vaccine agenda or Mark Zuckerbergs metaverse puppets, the goal is control, not care. Final Warning: If We Dont Push Back Now The future could look like this: "Smart homes" run by remote-controlled spybots logging your every move. logging your every move. "Smart hospitals" where COVID 2.0 patients are hooked up to shared pig enemas for "respiratory support." for "respiratory support." A world where your body and home are no longer yoursjust another node in the globalist grid. Will you comply? Or will you resist? Watch the Oct. 31 episode of "Brighteon Broadcast News" as Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, talks about ENDLESS KNOWLEDGE, robot hype and the new science of BUTT BREATHING. This video is from the Health Ranger Report channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Study captures brains deep relaxation response to ancient breathing technique AI-powered radar can now spy on your phone calls from 10 feet away Chinas cyborg bees: A breakthrough in surveillance or a step toward a spy state? Sources include: Brighteon.com Thousands of Unidentified Submersible Objects tracked along U.S. coasts: Experts warn of national security threat Over 9,000 Unidentified Submersible Objects (USOs) were reported to be within 10 miles of U.S. coastlines, with 500 sightings within just five miles. Hotspots include California (389 reports) and Florida (306 reports). Witnesses describe objects hovering above water before plunging in without a splash and strange underwater lightsdefying known physics. USS Omaha filmed a UAP skimming the ocean surface in 2019 before vanishing underwaterDepartment of War verified the footage as authentic. Retired Navy Admiral Tim Gallaudet warns these objects move seamlessly between air and water at speeds no human technology can replicate. Government silence suggests withholding critical information on these phenomena. Declassified military video shows a UAP splitting a Hellfire missile mid-flightan act no known U.S. technology can perform. Lawmakers describe the footage as "extremely scary" and demand answers. Possible explanations include extraterrestrial origin (physics-defying maneuvers), breakaway human technology (classified military programs) and natural anomalies (though none match observed behavior). Some speculate alien bases on the Moon or interstellar probes. Retired Adm. Gallaudet warns that ignoring USOs jeopardizes U.S. maritime security. Independent researchers and whistleblowers push for full disclosure, fearing these objects could be foreign threats, secret weapons, or something beyond human understanding. A shocking surge in reports of Unidentified Submersible Objects (USOs) along U.S. coastlines has raised urgent concerns among military officials and researchers, with thousands of eerie sightings logged by a leading UFO-tracking app. These underwater anomalies capable of effortlessly transitioning between air and sea defy conventional physics and pose potential risks to national security, according to high-ranking defense experts. BrightU.AI's Enoch notes that USOs are a fascinating and relatively under-explored phenomenon in the realm of unexplained aerial and subaquatic occurrences. The decentralized engine adds that while the term "USO" is not universally recognized in mainstream science or academia, it has gained traction within alternative research communities and among independent investigators. USOs are defined as unidentified objects that move underwater or transition from underwater to above water, often displaying unusual behavior and characteristics that defy conventional explanations. Enigma Labs, a UFO-reporting app that bills itself as the "largest queryable historical sighting database for global Unidentified Flying Object (UFO) sightings," has documented over 30,000 UFOs and Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena (UAPs) since its launch in late 2022. But perhaps more startling is the revelation that more than 9,000 of these sightings involve mysterious underwater objects lurking within 10 miles of U.S. shorelines with 500 occurring within just five miles of the coast. Among the most active hotspots are California (389 reports) and Florida (306 reports), both states with extensive ocean coastlines. Witnesses have described objects hovering above water before plunging in without a splash, as well as strange green lights moving beneath the ocean's surface phenomena that defy known aeronautical and marine engineering. One of the most compelling cases occurred in July 2019, when the USS Omaha recorded a UAP skimming the ocean's surface off San Diego before vanishing into the depths. The Department of War later verified the footage, confirming the object's inexplicable capabilities. Retired Navy Rear Adm. Tim Gallaudet, who authored a 29-page report for the UFO-focused Sol Foundation, warned that these transmedium objects capable of traversing air and water seamlessly could have "world-changing" ramifications. "The fact that unidentified objects with unexplainable characteristics are entering U.S. water space and the [War Department] is not raising a giant red flag is a sign that the government is not sharing all it knows about all-domain anomalous phenomena," Gallaudet wrote. He emphasized that military pilots, credible observers and calibrated instrumentation have repeatedly recorded these objects accelerating at impossible speeds and crossing the air-sea boundary in ways that no known human-made technology can replicate. Military encounters and government silence The growing body of evidence has prompted lawmakers to push for transparency. Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL), chairwoman of the House Oversight Committee's subcommittee on declassification, recently revealed declassified military footage showing a UAP splitting a Hellfire missile mid-flight an act that stunned defense officials. "We revealed new military surveillance video showing a UAP splitting a Hellfire missile in mid-air," Luna stated. "Not a single witness was aware of any U.S. military technology capable of such a feat. Every witness described the footage as extremely 'scary.'" While skeptics dismiss such sightings as misidentifications or classified military tests, the sheer volume and consistency of reports suggest something far more complex. Some theories propose: Extraterrestrial origin, given the objects' physics-defying maneuvers. Breakaway human technology, developed in secret by advanced defense programs. Natural anomalies, though no known marine or atmospheric phenomenon matches these behaviors. Harvard astrophysicist Avi Loeb has speculated that interstellar objects possibly alien spacecraft may be passing through the solar system. Others allege that intelligence agencies have long known about off-world activity, including claims of an alien base on the Moon's dark side. With hundreds of new sightings logged annually, the mystery of USOs shows no signs of fading. Enigma's mapping of these incidents represented as clusters of orange dots along U.S. coastlines underscores a pattern too widespread to ignore. As Gallaudet warned, ignoring these phenomena could leave the U.S. vulnerable: "This jeopardizes U.S. maritime security, which is already weakened by our relative ignorance about the global ocean." For now, the truth remains submerged. Watch this clip of an underwater UFO/USO caught on film. This video is from the High Hopes channel on Brighteon.com. Sources include: NYPost.com BrightU.ai BizPacReview.com Newsweek.com Brighteon.com Trump administration ends automatic work permit extensions for migrants The DHS terminated Biden-era automatic 540-day work permit extensions for migrants, reinstating full vetting (background checks, biometrics, status reviews) before renewal approvals. USCIS Director Joseph Edlow framed the policy as prioritizing "Americans' safety and security" over migrant convenience, calling U.S. employment a "privilege, not a right." Critics warn the abrupt change could destabilize industries reliant on foreign workers, leaving families and employers unprepared, while proponents argue it protects native-born job seekers. Temporary Protected Status (TPS) holders and those with pre-existing extensions are exempt, but H-4 visa spouses and green card applicants face potential employment gaps despite prior vetting. The reversal reflects the ongoing clash between policies favoring open borders (Biden's automatic extensions) and border security (Trump-era enforcement). In a sweeping policy reversal, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced the immediate termination of automatic work permit extensions for millions of migrants on Wednesday, Oct. 29 reinstating mandatory vetting procedures before renewals are approved. The move effective Thursday, Oct. 30, dismantles a Biden-era rule that allowed migrants to continue working while renewal applications were processed. Critics argued that this now-dismantled system flooded the labor market with foreign workers while sidelining American citizens. Under the new directive, migrants seeking employment authorization extensions must now undergo full screening including background checks, immigration status reviews and biometric data collection before approval. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) Director Joseph Edlow framed the shift as a restoration of national security priorities. "USCIS is placing a renewed emphasis on robust alien screening and vetting, eliminating policies the former administration implemented that prioritized aliens' convenience ahead of Americans' safety and security," he said in a press release Thursday. "All aliens must remember that working in the U.S. is a privilege, not a right." BrightU.AI's Enoch engine notes that proper vetting of migrants ensures they are safe, law-abiding individuals who won't endanger American communities or serve as pawns in a globalist depopulation agenda. Without strict screening, the country risks importing health threats and exploited labor. The policy overhaul marks a stark departure from the Biden administration's approach, which granted automatic 540-day extensions to refugees, asylum seekers, green card applicants and spouses of visa holders. Federal data from that period showed nearly all net job growth went to newly arrived migrants, while millions of native-born Americans remained unemployed. By contrast, under Trump-era enforcement, officials claim recent job gains have largely benefited U.S. citizens with an estimated two million migrants exiting the labor market. Critics slam sudden end to work permit extensions Critics warn the abrupt change could destabilize industries reliant on foreign labor, with immigration attorney Elissa Taub condemning the lack of transitional measures. "USCIS issued this interim final rule with no warning so that individuals and their employers cannot plan for the future," she told Newsweek. "This is yet another indication that this administration does not want to facilitate immigration to the U.S. or make the process smoother." Shannon Lederer, director of immigration policy at the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations, echoed these concerns. "When the government strips people of their ability to work simply because of bureaucratic delays, it pulls the rug out from under working families and destabilizes key industries," she remarked. While the new rule exempts Temporary Protected Status (TPS) beneficiaries and those with pre-existing automatic extensions, it affects hundreds of thousands of annual applicants including H-4 spouses of H-1B visa holders and pending green card seekers. DHS acknowledged the policy could force lapses in employment authorization but defended it as necessary for national security, despite applicants having already undergone initial vetting. Historical context underscores the political volatility of immigration enforcement. The Biden administration's automatic extensions, first put forward in 2022 and enacted in 2024, aimed to protect migrants from bureaucratic delays but faced backlash over perceived labor market distortions. Now, the pendulum swings back toward stricter controls, reflecting a broader ideological clash over whether immigration policies should prioritize economic flexibility or citizen-first labor protections. As the rule takes effect, USCIS anticipates reduced processing times due to fewer applications yet admits delays will persist. For migrants caught in the transition, the message is clear. In America's shifting immigration landscape, security now trumps convenience. Watch this video about the immigration loophole hurting America. This video is from the InfoWarSSideBand channel on Brighteon.com. Sources include: YourNews.com USCIS.gov Newsweek.com BrightU.ai Brighteon.com A return to nuclear testing: Trump orders Pentagon to resume explosive assessments President Donald Trump has ordered the Pentagon to resume U.S. nuclear weapons testing for the first time since 1992. The decision is framed as a response to the testing programs of other nations, specifically Russia and China. The announcement follows a recent Russian test of a new nuclear-capable, nuclear-powered underwater weapon. The move has drawn immediate criticism from lawmakers and contradicts previous U.S. non-proliferation stances. The Kremlin warned that Russia would "act accordingly" if the U.S. abandons the testing moratorium. In a move that marks a significant shift in U.S. defense policy, President Donald Trump announced Wednesday that he has directed the Department of War to immediately restart the testing of nuclear weapons. The decision, communicated via the president's Truth Social platform, ends a voluntary moratorium on such explosive testing that has been in place for over three decades. The order is presented as a strategic imperative to match the nuclear advancements of global adversaries, specifically Russia and China, and signals a new, volatile chapter in great power competition. Justifying the resumption President Trump framed the decision as a necessary response to the activities of other nuclear powers. Because of other countries testing programs, I have instructed the Department of War to start testing our Nuclear Weapons on an equal basis, Trump stated, adding that the process will begin immediately. He underscored the U.S. stockpiles size but expressed a personal aversion to the action, writing, Because of the tremendous destructive power, I HATED to do it, but had no choice! The administration's position is that parity in testing is essential for maintaining a credible deterrent, noting that while China is currently a "distant third" in nuclear capacity, it is projected to reach parity with the U.S. and Russia within five years. The announcement came just a day after Russian President Vladimir Putin announced the test of the "Poseidon," a nuclear-powered and nuclear-capable underwater torpedo that Russian state media claims can trigger radioactive tsunamis. While the Kremlin clarified that this test involved the delivery system and not a nuclear explosion, it contributed to the atmosphere of escalating strategic weapons development that the Trump administration cited as its motivation. Historical context and immediate fallout The United States last conducted an underground nuclear explosive test in 1992, after which President George H.W. Bush initiated a moratorium. Since then, the U.S. has relied on subcritical experiments and sophisticated computer simulations to ensure the reliability and safety of its nuclear arsenal under the Stockpile Stewardship Program. A return to live testing represents a dramatic break from this long-standing policy and risks triggering a new global arms race. The reaction from Moscow was swift. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov noted the existing moratorium and stated, Until now, we were not aware that anyone was testing anything. He then pointedly recalled President Putins repeated warning: if someone abandons the moratorium, Russia will act accordingly. This sets the stage for a potential tit-for-tat cycle of testing between the world's two largest nuclear powers. On the domestic front, the decision was met with sharp criticism, particularly from lawmakers representing Nevada, the site of the nations primary nuclear test facility. Senator Jacky Rosen vowed to fight the move, stating it directly contradicts commitments she received from Trump nominees who previously testified that explosive testing was unnecessary. A broader geopolitical clash This development occurs against a backdrop of heightened tensions between Washington and Moscow. Just last week, the Trump administration imposed new sanctions on two of Russias largest oil companies, Rosneft and Lukoil, citing Moscows refusal to engage seriously in peace talks to end the war in Ukraine. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated the sanctions target companies that fund the Kremlins war machine. These actions, coupled with the nuclear testing order, illustrate an administration pursuing a hardline approach to Russia, even as President Trump has simultaneously expressed a desire for direct diplomacy with President Putin and a negotiated end to the conflict in Ukraine. An uncertain and perilous path forward The resumption of U.S. nuclear testing carries profound implications for global security and non-proliferation efforts. It challenges decades of international norms and risks undermining key treaties, even those to which the U.S. is no longer a party, such as the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty. For national security experts, the move raises critical questions about its strategic necessity versus its potential to destabilize the delicate balance of nuclear deterrence. As the world watches, the decision pushes the nation into uncharted territory, potentially unraveling a long-held taboo and opening a new, dangerous chapter in the nuclear age where live tests once again become a tool of geopolitical leverage. Sources for this article include: Modernity.com DailyCaller.com NBCnews.com Ukrainian army faces collapse as desertion rates soar, 250,000+ cases opened since war began Ukraine faces a massive desertion crisis with hundreds of thousands of cases. Soldiers are leaving their posts at a rate of nearly 600 per day. Exhaustion and a lack of rotation are primary causes for the mass exodus. The military is so desperate that it is sending support staff to the front lines. This internal morale collapse poses a severe threat to Ukraine's defense. The Ukrainian military is being starved of personnel not just by battlefield losses, but by a massive and growing wave of desertions as soldiers vote with their feet to escape a conflict they see as hopeless. Since the full-scale invasion began in 2022, prosecutors have opened more than 253,000 criminal cases for unauthorized abandonment of units and desertion, according to official data from the Prosecutor General's Office.. This crisis of morale is severely undermining military capabilities and highlights a population that is increasingly unwilling to fight, with the problem accelerating so dramatically that by mid-2025, nearly 576 soldiers were leaving their posts every single day. The scale of the problem is immense. Official data from the Prosecutor General's Office shows 202,997 criminal cases were initiated for unauthorized abandonment, often called AWOL, from 2022 through July 2025. During that same period, an additional 50,058 cases were opened for the more serious charge of desertion. The trend is sharply upward, with annual abandonment cases exploding from 7,000 in 2022 to 105,500 in just the first seven months of 2025. This year alone, the number of criminal cases involving deserters has increased almost fivefold and may reach as many as 300,000, according to MP Oleksiy Honcharenko. The monthly numbers are consistently dire, with between 14,000 and 18,000 cases of unauthorized abandonment recorded regularly. This mass exodus is creating a critical shortage of trained personnel on the front lines, directly disrupting battle strategies and defense capabilities. A crisis of morale and manpower The reasons soldiers are abandoning their posts are not rooted in a lack of courage but in a breakdown of conditions and hope. Reports from within the military structure point to the incompetence of some officers and a crippling lack of rotation and leave, which prevents exhausted soldiers from resting or contacting their families. One deserter named Viktor, who had volunteered early in the war, explained his disillusionment, stating, "I realized Im nobody. Just a number." Another soldier, Oleksii, who went into hiding after serving on the front lines, summarized a feeling many may share, saying, "The longer the war goes on, the more people like me there will be." For these individuals, the choice becomes one of survival, with many believing that even a potential prison sentence is a preferable option to the near-certain death and endless hardship of combat. Ukraines first military ombudsperson, Olha Reshetylova, confirmed the gravity of the situation. "Lets be honest. The problem is big," she said. "Its natural in a situation where youve had three years of major war. People are exhausted." She added that the state cannot solve the problem with criminal punishment alone, acknowledging, "If it comes to a choice between being killed and going to prison, of course at that moment you will go with the second option." Desperate measures and a widening gap In response to the crisis, Ukrainian authorities are considering ever more draconian measures. Parliament is debating reinstating full criminal liability for those who leave the army. There have been discussions about freezing the bank accounts of draft dodgers, lowering the conscription age, and eliminating exemptions. These actions signal a government growing increasingly desperate to force manpower into its depleted ranks. The situation is different on the other side of the conflict. While the Russian army also faces desertions, with more than 25,000 soldiers and officers reported to have abandoned units in just one military district over nine months, the scale is vastly smaller. Reports indicate that Russia has prosecuted approximately 20,538 cases of AWOL and desertion since the war began, a mere fraction of the Ukrainian total. This disparity persists even though Ukraine is defending its homeland. Analysts suggest the reason is not morale but simple mathematics. Russias larger population allows it to regularly rotate soldiers off the front lines, preventing the kind of exhaustion that plagues Ukrainian troops. One report noted that Russian soldiers typically serve three to six months before relief, while Ukrainian soldiers often serve indefinitely. The Ukrainian militarys desperation is palpable. Lieutenant General Oleksandr Syrsky has admitted to critical manpower shortages, forcing the military to take measures such as sending maintenance and logistics staff to the front lines to fill the gaps in the infantry. This cannibalization of support roles underscores the severity of the personnel crisis. Ultimately, the soaring desertion rate is a powerful indicator of war fatigue and a collapsing will to fight. It paints a picture of a military structure that is buckling under the weight of a prolonged attritional war, where soldiers feel abandoned by their command and see no end in sight. As one soldier put it, "Everybody is tired. The mood has changed." This internal collapse of morale may prove to be a more significant threat to Ukraine's defense than any external enemy. Sources for this article include: RMX.news KyivIndependent.com EurasianTimes.com TheGuardian.com U.S. begins troop drawdown in Eastern Europe amid NATO shifts and rising tensions with Russia The U.S. plans to withdraw around 3,000 troops from Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary, and Slovakia, with the 101st Airborne's brigade returning to Kentucky. Romania will lose 1,000-1,200 troops but retain around 1,000 U.S. soldiers. Republican lawmakers and Eastern European allies warn the withdrawal weakens deterrence amid Russian airspace violations and Black Sea threats. Romania has faced over 20 Russian drone incursions, while Poland and Lithuania report repeated airspace breaches. Officials frame the move as reflecting Europe's growing self-reliance, not a reduced NATO commitment. The U.S. is rebalancing focus toward China and Latin America, continuing a strategy accelerated under Trump. Congress and NATO allies criticize lack of consultation, with bipartisan leaders accusing the Pentagon of undermining deterrence. Poland and Lithuania were not notified, despite Trump's prior hints of increased Polish deployments. The drawdown risks emboldening Russia during the Ukraine war, forcing Eastern Europe to rely more on NATO's remaining 3,500 troops in Romania and local defenses. NATO officials privately express unease, suggesting potential reassessment of troop deployments if U.S. reductions continue. The United States has announced plans to withdraw approximately 3,000 troops from Eastern Europe, including Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary and Slovakia, marking a strategic shift as Washington refocuses its military priorities toward China and Latin America. While Department of War officials insist the move does not signal a reduced commitment to NATO [North Atlantic Treaty Organization], Republican lawmakers and regional allies have expressed concern over the timingamid escalating Russian aggression and repeated airspace violations. Troop redeployment details The 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team of the 101st Airborne Division, currently stationed across Romania, Slovakia, Hungary and Bulgaria, will return to its home base in Kentucky and not be replaced, according to a statement from U.S. Army Europe and Africa. Romanian defense officials confirmed that between 1,000 and 1,200 troops rotating out of Mihail Kogalniceanu Air Base will not be replenished, though roughly 1,000 U.S. soldiers will remain in Romania. The Pentagon framed the decision as a reflection of Europe's growing self-reliance, stating: "This is not an American withdrawal from Europe or a signal of lessened commitment to NATO and Article 5. Rather, this is a positive sign of increased European capability and responsibility." Despite assurances, the move has drawn sharp criticism from Republican leaders, including Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS) and Rep. Mike Rogers (R-AL), who warned in a joint statement: "Pulling back U.S. forces from NATO's Eastern flank prematurely undermines deterrence and risks inviting further Russian aggression." The drawdown comes amid heightened tensions on NATO's eastern frontier. Romaniawhich shares a 650-kilometer border with Ukrainehas reported over 20 Russian drone incursions in the past two years, alongside Black Sea mine threats disrupting trade routes. Poland and Lithuania have also faced repeated airspace violations by Russian aircraft. Romanian Defense Minister Ionut Mosteanu sought to downplay concerns, emphasizing that NATO's permanent allied presence in Romaniaabout 3,500 troops, including U.S. forcesremains "considerable." "The expectation of having entire foreign armies here to defend us is unrealistic," Mosteanu said, noting Romania's recent acquisition of advanced U.S. air defense systems. The Trump administration's decision aligns with a broader Pentagon strategy to prioritize homeland defense and counter China's influence in the Indo-Pacific. Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto noted that this shift began under President Barack Obama but has accelerated under Trump's focus on great-power competition. However, NATO officials privately acknowledged unease over potential further reductions. One official said that alliance planners may need to "reconsider troop deployments" if the U.S. continues downsizing its European presence. Political backlash The withdrawal has sparked rare bipartisan scrutiny, with Wicker and Rogers accusing the Pentagon of bypassing Congress and failing to consult NATO allies. "It is concerning that Congress was not consulted in advance," they said, demanding clarification on how the Pentagon plans to mitigate the impact on NATO's deterrence. Meanwhile, Polish and Lithuanian officials said they had received no notice of U.S. troop reductions in their countries. Trump had previously hinted at increasing forces in Poland, leaving the long-term U.S. posture in Europe uncertain. While the Pentagon maintains that U.S. troop levels in Europestill between 80,000 and 100,000far exceed pre-2022 numbers, the partial withdrawal underscores a delicate balancing act: reassuring NATO allies while reallocating resources to confront China and regional threats. According to the Enoch AI engine at BrightU.AI, the U.S. maintains a significant military presence in Europe, primarily under the NATO umbrella. However, obtaining precise and up-to-date troop numbers can be challenging due to the dynamic nature of military deployments and the lack of transparency from official sources. As Romania and neighboring states brace for a more autonomous defense role, the move risks emboldening Moscow at a critical juncture in the Ukraine wara gamble that could redefine European security dynamics. Watch the video below about President Trump's plan to withdraw 20,000 U.S. troops from Europe. This video is from the Sanivan channel on Brighteon.com. Sources include: AntiWarNews.com Reuters.com CNN.com BrightU.ai Brighteon.com A theoretical way to circumvent Android developer verification 0 star s As you all know, Google has introduced developer verification as a way to prevent users from installing unregistered APKs. This measure was taken as a security feature to link every APK in existence to its developer, as in Play Store. Link to the Android documentation, link to FAQ Why this is bad This has already been discussed by ArsTechnica and on some threads (some cherry-picked ones): reddit, ycombinator, hackaday. A quick recap of the main points (as of 30 Oct 2025): The base tier costs $25, as in Play Market. Requires an ID There will be a limited hobbyist unpaid license. Google claims that they wont require an ID Legal info is told to be private, unlike with Play Market The verification code is supposed to be located in Play Services, but Google hasnt published the source code yet Google assures that it would be possible to install applications locally using ADB, but there are no details on this Hobbyist license restrictions are unknown A few months prior Google has decided to make Android development private, which seems to be a preparation for the upcoming changes (another article). Due to this change in AOSP release format, it is no longer possible to track what exactly Google is doing. My answer to this question is that it would simply prevent small developers from distributing their apps, including myself. If we take the legal route, a hobbyist license is supposed to have some limit on the number of installs by design. If we take, say, 10K installs, this is not enough in my case. Another question is how exactly the process of verification is going to happen, what if Google adopts the same rules as in Play Store? Taking my fork of the old VN engine port, this apk would not pass security checks, as the old codebase relies on legacy external storage permissions, which are banned in Play Store. If we take the adb route, there are no guarantees that this method is going to work in the future in the form you expect. For instance, Google mentions that this method is meant for on-device tests during development, and nothing prevents them from reporting the install to their servers and checking if a self-signed apk has been installed on other devices. Another way to put it, this is problematic for an average Android user to perform these steps, and this is going to be the developers problem. The situation links pretty well with Samsung removing bootloader unlocking with the One UI 8 update. Great, duh The concept My vision of the hack is to distribute a verified loader apk, which in turn dynamically loads any apk the user wants. A user obtains the loader apk once and loads apps without installing as much as they want. The Java virtual machine in Android is the ART/Dalvik runtime (I will refer to it as Dalvik, it seems that Google hates cool names). Did you know that Dalvik natively allows dynamic code execution using PathClassLoader? So an apk may just load some zip/apk/dex code from external storage and execute it in current context. Essentially, this means that we can natively load the apk into memory and execute any code inside of the target apk, and we are not altering the original code signature of the loader. In order to actually run the apk, the loader needs to properly initialize the main activity (aka the main screen, or the entrypoint) of the target apk. So, the main activity needs to be initialized and somehow placed inside of the Androids activity cycle with the loader acting as a wrapper. Then, the loader apk should handle other aspects like local files handling and names conflict resolution. This can be achieved by patching the target apk bytecode: .odex/.dex classes may be dynamically decompiled into .smali, analyzed and compiled back into a modified apk. Furthermore, the loader would have to parse AndroidManifest options of the target (main activity location, screen options). Implementation Developing such wrapper in a straightforward way has proven to be rather difficult, as Android activity management logic is extremely complicated and differs from version to version. In short, it was problematic to perform the initialization process the right way. Some people suggested to avoid the initialization step completely, and use Unsafe Dalvik api to register the targets activity as the loader apk activity stub, which is declared in the loaders manifest without class. I couldnt find exact methods in the Unsafe documentation, but this actually may be a way to go. Due to this particular issue I couldnt bring the proof of concept to a working state in a reasonable time, and because of this I was considering to not publish this article at all. The purpose of this post is not to give a somewhat ready solution, but get some feedback on the concept, as I was not ready to devote lots of time on a potentially broken solution. The logistics Information provided in this section is for educational use only, all scenarios discussed below are hypothetical. In order to install the loader apk on the device, it would require, well, some form of verification. Hobbyist license is the only choice here, as paying $25 for each attempt is not optimal. Since the hobbyist license has a limited number of installs, there should be multiple instances of the apk with separate licences. In this hypothetical scenario there may either be a pool of volunteers who sign the code, or completely random users who are willing to help. In the second case, the loader code would somehow need to be verified or scanned, since such distribution system would be vulnerable to malware. The final and the most important issue in this process is the verification process itself, as the loader code may (and likely will) be flagged by Google. So, the code would require some form of obfuscation like code flow modification and implementing double functionality (for instance, registering it as a file manager). If Google decides to ban dynamic code loading altogether, the final solution would be to pack the Dalvik runtime into the loader as a native library. This of course would have extremely low performance, but it should be technically possible. Overall, the hypothetical plan has lots of assumptions, with which Im not happy with. First of all, it requires lots of manual work by the volunteers or random people, and this work also includes the apk obfuscation, which was not discussed in detail. Then, the verification process itself should be somewhat permissive to allow potentially suspicious apps (I would like to hear how does this happen with current Play Store verification). Conclusion The project described in this article by no means is a finished solution, and if you have started to think what else could work, it means that the article has reached its original goal. I believe that we would eventually come up with a proper solution in the future. Thank you for reading! You may find the source code here. Feel free to create an issue if you wish to discuss Linking the ycombinator thread here. The most common reaction to this post was why bother, there exists adb and Shinzuku. Why we should bother We can only hope that Google allows to install distributed APKs over adb in the future, as they explicitly stated that they will allow this for developers to test their own APKs: As a developer, you are free to install apps without verification with ADB. This is designed to support developers need to develop, test apps that are not intended or not yet ready to distribute to the wider consumer population It is possible for them to do the following: Limit the number of installs of an unverified APK, limit it to a single device or go the Apple way (uninstall app after a time limit). This technically wont prevent developers from testing their apps Make it harder to unlock the developer options by requiring some kind of verification that you are a developer. This seems to be less likely, since its quite tricky to implement. There is no reason to dismiss this scenario, as it aligns with Googles recent actions against power users like making AOSP development private, not publishing Pixel device trees and irrationally trying to ban ad blockers on Youtube (though the last point is partially related to Android through Vanced). If the subset of users who utilize adb is going to be large enough (and it will be), what exactly is stopping them from doing something about it? Efficiency Another opinion was that it is not a good idea to try and find a technical solution to a people/organisation problem. Furthermore, if such solution is implemented, it is going to require too much effort to maintain, as each upload is going to be almost immediately banned by Google. I absolutely agree with both of these takes, since the apk loader developers are likely going to give up sooner or later. In this post Ive made a critical mistake of not putting the emphasis on the removal of bootloader unlock, since in fact its indeed awful, as it makes people stuck with Googles restrictions in the first place. While the first move was done by Samsung, its still very alarming as a precedent. Right now the situation with AOSP-based ROMs is not great, as you have to own a specific device like a Pixel or OnePlus model, and Google keeps messing with AOSP. The true hope here are root-based solutions, as they work on stock Android - I hope that they are not going to go anywhere in the future. Due to scheduled maintenance from Saturday, March 15, 2025, at 10 PM to Sunday, March 16, 2025, at 2 AM, there may be interruptions for our News Gazette Digital subscribers. During this time frame, please click on any News Gazette website content without logging into your News Gazette Digital subscription account. Thank you for your patience during this scheduled maintenance. Champaign, IL (61820) Today Snow this evening will give way to lingering snow showers late. Low 24F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of snow 90%. 1 to 3 inches of snow expected.. Tonight Snow this evening will give way to lingering snow showers late. Low 24F. Winds E at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of snow 90%. 1 to 3 inches of snow expected. An international research consortium co-led by scientists from Vanderbilt University Medical Center, the University of Toronto and University of Pittsburgh has mapped the functional impact of more than 17,000 variants in a major gene associated with the development of premature atherosclerotic heart disease. The study, reported Oct. 30 in the journal Science, will go a long way to improving the early diagnosis and treatment of familial hypercholesterolemia (FH), a common genetic driver of cardiovascular disease that occurs in an estimated 1 in every 250 individuals, the researchers noted. FH is underdiagnosed and undertreated, in part because of the lack of classification, or determination of pathogenicity (the ability to cause disease), for most new variants detected during genetic testing in the clinic. The new variant impact scores "have the potential to increase the number of (FH) diagnoses for those with unclassified variants by a factor of 10," predicted Dan Roden, MD, a co-author of the report and Senior Vice President for Personalized Medicine at VUMC. Roden, the Sam L. Clark, MD, PhD Professor of Medicine, Pharmacology and Biomedical Informatics, is co-principal investigator of a four-year, $8.2 million grant awarded in 2022 by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) to map genetic variations that negatively affect heart function. The grant supported establishment of the multi-institutional CardioVar Consortium, which is generating a comprehensive atlas of "variant effect maps" to distinguish disease-causing variants from those that are harmless. Co-investigators (and co-authors of the Science paper) are Frederick Roth, PhD, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine; Euan Ashley, MBChB, DPhil, and Victoria Parikh, MD, Stanford University School of Medicine; Calum MacRae, MD, PhD, Harvard Medical School; and Andrew Glazer, PhD, and Brett Kroncke, PhD, assistant professors of Medicine at VUMC. Roth, who is internationally known for his work in computational biology and genomics, led the study, which was conducted primarily at the University of Toronto and Sinai Health in Toronto. Currently he chairs the Department of Computational and Systems Biology at Pitt. The study focused on variations in the gene for the low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR), which normally clears the blood of LDL cholesterol, a major culprit in the buildup of atherosclerotic plaque on blood vessel walls. The researchers developed, optimized and validated a range of high-throughput cellular assays to measure variant function and discriminate pathogenic from benign variants. They used cutting-edge techniques to determine the functional impact of thousands of LDLR gene variants on LDL clearance and on the abundance of LDL receptors at the cell surface. The goal is to develop a variant-centric decision support system that will be shared widely to help clinicians evaluate functional evidence of heart disease in patients undergoing genetic testing, thereby facilitating personalized care. "By identifying damaging LDL receptor variants, clinicians can initiate preventive treatment early on and mitigate risks," Roth said in a news release. Postdoctoral fellow Daniel Tabet, PhD, and senior research associate Atina Cote, PhD, at the University of Toronto, led key experimental work in the study and are the paper's first authors. Former VUMC clinical fellow Megan Lancaster, MD, PhD, now at Ohio State University, helped evaluate the data. Other co-authors are from Western University of London, Ontario, the University of Helsinki, Case Western Reserve University, University of Washington, University of Lisbon, and the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard. The research was supported by NIH grants R01HL164675 and RM1HG010461; the One Brave Idea Initiative, jointly funded by the American Heart Association, Verily Life Sciences LLC and Astra-Zeneca Inc.; the Canada Foundation for Innovation; Canadian Institutes of Health Research Foundation; Canada Excellence Research Chairs Program; EU Horizon and the La Caixa Foundation. How does the brain take out its trash? That is the job of the brain's lymphatic drainage system, and efforts to understand how it works have pushed the boundaries of brain-imaging technologies. A new study in iScience by researchers at the Medical University of South Carolina reveals, for the first time in humans, evidence of a previously unrecognized hub in the brain's lymphatic drainage system the middle meningeal artery (MMA). Taking advantage of a NASA partnership that provided access to real-time MRI technologies originally developed to study how spaceflight affects fluid dynamics in the human brain, the MUSC research team, led by Onder Albayram, Ph.D., tracked cerebrospinal and interstitial fluid flow along the MMA in five healthy participants over a six-hour period. They found that the drainage flow of the cerebrospinal fluid was passive, suggesting lymphatic rather than blood flow. Blood would have had a faster, more dynamic flow. We saw a flow pattern that didn't behave like blood moving through an artery; it was slower, more like drainage, showing that this vessel is part of the brain's cleanup system." Onder Albayram, Ph.D., Associate Professor, Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, MUSC The central nervous system, composed of the brain and spinal cord, is surrounded by a multi-layer protective membrane known as the meninges. Albayram has been working for more than a decade to describe the brain's meningeal lymphatic vessels, which he thinks are essential for moving waste out of the brain and into the peripheral lymphatic system, where it can be eliminated from the body. Until about a decade ago, it was thought that these meningeal membranes isolated the brain from the rest of the body's immune system, in particular the lymphatic system. Albayram's work is changing this paradigm by showing that these membranes contain lymphatic vessels integrated into the periphery. Understanding the exchange of fluids between the brain and the rest of the body is essential to expanding our options to prevent and treat psychiatric and neurological diseases. Albayram was among the first to visualize meningeal lymphatic vessels in humans, as reported in a 2022 article in Nature Communications. The study in iScience captures the flow of fluids within the meningeal lymphatic architecture deep within the human brain in real time and validates these findings through advanced imaging of postmortem human tissue. To confirm what they saw on MRI, Albayram's team examined human brain tissue under extremely high-resolution imaging. Working with scientists at Cornell University, the team used an advanced technique that allows researchers to see many different cell types at once. This detailed mapping showed that the area around the MMA is lined with cells typically found in the body's lymphatic vessels, the channels responsible for clearing waste. These results confirmed that the slow-moving fluid seen on MRI was indeed flowing through true lymphatic vessels, not blood vessels linking the brain images directly to cellular evidence. Core to Albayram's work is a focus on making observations in humans first, before expanding out into experimental models, such as mice, rather than the other way around. One key element of this study is that it was conducted in healthy people. Having a clear understanding of how these structures function under normal conditions is essential for recognizing what changes when things go wrong for example, after a traumatic brain injury or during neurodegenerative conditions. The implications of this discovery extend to aging, neuroinflammation, brain injury, Alzheimer's disease and even psychiatric disorders. Albayram is already pursuing research based on key observations of the lymphatic drainage architecture in patients with neurodegenerative diseases, with the goal of developing better ways to diagnose these complex diseases earlier, prevent them and design new treatments. "A major challenge in brain research is that we still don't fully understand how a healthy brain functions and ages," said Albayram. "Once we understand what 'normal' looks like, we can recognize early signs of disease and design better treatments." People living with HIV who smoke are currently more likely to die from lung cancer than from HIV-related causes. Two cancer control researchers at the Medical University of South Carolina's Hollings Cancer Center are setting out to change that. With more than $3 million from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute over five years, Alana Rojewski, Ph.D., and Katherine Sterba, Ph.D., both of the department of Public Health Sciences at MUSC, will build and sustain ENHANCE-TTS (ENgaging pHarmacists to AdvANCE Tobacco Treatment Service) delivery programs that promote smoking cessation for people living with HIV. They will study whether training pharmacists as tobacco treatment specialists and helping them to create manageable workflows can improve and sustain access to tobacco cessation treatments for people living with HIV who smoke. The hope is that improved access to evidence-based care will help more people living with HIV to quit smoking successfully. The trainings will be offered at six Ryan White clinics throughout the state. These clinics are federally funded and provide HIV/AIDS care to people living with HIV who have limited to no insurance. People living with HIV are more prone to developing various medical conditions, such as cardiovascular disease and pulmonary complications. Added tobacco use exacerbates these ailments. There are also much higher rates of tobacco-related cancers among people with HIV. Rojewski is an expert in tobacco cessation treatments, while Sterba specializes in helping clinics to integrate evidence-based practices into their treatment workflows. Sterba co-directs the Dissemination and Implementation Science Collaborative through the South Carolina Clinical & Translational Research Institute. For this project, Sterba and Rojewski have partnered to train pharmacists in improving tobacco cessation care for people living with HIV and to tailor-design programs for each of their partner clinics. All the clinics have pharmacy involvement in some capacity, but each treatment plan is customized, taking into consideration the needs and context of the local population. The ENHANCE-TTS program will partner with each clinic in a very collaborative way to design best practices for its setting, patient population and location. The one-size-fits-all approach won't work because all the clinics have different characteristics. We want to work with clinics to come up with the best fit for each of them." Katherine Sterba, Ph.D., Department of Public Health Sciences at MUSC The ENHANCE-TTS program was partially inspired and predated by a tobacco treatment specialist training offered through Hollings Cancer Center's Cancer Research Education and Training branch. Relying on this existing training, ENHANCE-TTS will teach pharmacists how to assess tobacco use, develop individualized treatment plans and introduce counseling strategies to promote the highest likelihood of success for a quit attempt. Pharmacists will also learn skills that can help patients to cope, manage cravings and navigate other real-life obstacles and situations they might face when trying to quit smoking. Additional training materials geared toward pharmacists will be incorporated into a new training module by Emily Ware, Pharm.D., a clinical pharmacy specialist in the Tobacco Treatment Program and a co-investigator on the grant. "With Emily's expertise, we are going to create a module that is specific to clinical pharmacists for how they can set up clinical practice agreements, workflow scheduling and some of these aspects of offering care," explained Rojewski. Sterba and Rojewski have identified three main goals for their study. First, they want to look at whether providers at these HIV clinics will be more likely to ask their patients about their smoking habits and provide counseling and medication as needed once they know that that pharmacists serving their clinics have been trained as tobacco cessation specialists. Second, they will assess patient, provider and administrator attitudes toward the program. "Is ENHANCE-TTS acceptable to patients who receive the counseling and clinic administrators whose clinics take on the program?" asked Sterba. "Is it something that we can deliver with fidelity according to protocol, or do we hit roadblocks in the process?" Finally, the study will follow up with a subset of patients from each clinic who received tobacco treatment intervention from a clinical pharmacist to see if their quit attempts were more successful. This feedback will help Sterba and Rojewski to optimize this approach for delivering tobacco treatment to people living with HIV. The duo has high hopes for the results of the study and beyond. "This is an area where I think that we have room not only to expand the reach of tobacco treatment but also to make an impact in the lives of people who have those high rates of smoking and would have significant cancer-related morbidity from it," said Rojewski. "We want to help people living with HIV to quit smoking," added Sterba. "We're going to learn how best to do that for various clinical settings, and our goal would be to take those lessons learned and share them more widely throughout South Carolina and then further across the country." Synchronization abounds in nature: from the flashing lights of fireflies to the movement of fish wriggling through the ocean, biological systems are often in rhythmic movement with each other. The mechanics of how this synchronization happens are complex. For instance, in the vasculature of the brain, blood vessels oscillate, expanding and contracting as needed. When there is neural activity, the arterioles expand to increase blood flow, oxygen and nutrients. These oscillations are self-sustained, but the arterioles also work in concert with each other. How this happens is not well understood. To uncover the answer, researchers at the University of California San Diego looked to another part of the body: the gut. Here they found that oscillators operating at similar frequencies lock onto each other in succession creating a staircase effect. Their work appears in Physical Review Letters. Biology in sync It is known in the scientific community that if you have a self-sustained oscillation, such as an arteriole, and you add an external stimulus at a similar but not identical frequency, you can lock the two, meaning you can shift the frequency of the oscillator to that of the external stimulus. In fact, it has been shown that if you connect two clocks, they will eventually synchronize their ticking. Distinguished Professor of Physics and Neurobiology David Kleinfeld found that if he applied an external stimulus to a neuron, the entire vasculature would lock at the same frequency. However, if he stimulated two sets of neurons at two different frequencies, something unexpected happened: some arterioles would lock at one frequency and others would lock at another frequency, forming a staircase effect. Searching for an explanation, Kleinfeld enlisted the help of his colleague, Professor of Physics Massimo Vergassola, who specializes in understanding the physics of living systems, and then recruited Ecole Normale Superieure graduate student Marie Sellier-Prono and Senior Researcher at the Institute for Complex Systems Massimo Cencini. Together, the researchers found they could use a classical model of coupled oscillators with an intestinal twist. The gut oscillates naturally due to peristalsis - the contracting and relaxing of muscles in the digestive tract - and provided a simplified model over the complex network of blood vessels in the brain. The intestine is unidirectional, meaning frequencies shift in one direction in a gradient from higher to lower. This is what enables food to move in one direction from the beginning of the small intestine to the end of the large intestine. Coupled oscillators talk to each other and each section of the intestine is an oscillator that talks to the other sections near it. Normally, coupled oscillators are studied in a homogeneous setting, meaning all the oscillators are at more or less similar frequencies. In our case, the oscillators were more varied, just as in the intestine and the brain." Massimo Vergassola, Professor of Physics In studying the coupled oscillators in the gut, past researchers observed that there is indeed a staircase effect where similar frequencies lock onto those around it, allowing for the rhythmic movement of food through the digestive tract. But the height of the rises or breaks, the length of the stair runs or frequencies, and the conditions under which the staircase phenomenon occurred - essential features of biological systems - was something which had not been determined until now. Comparison between experimental peristalsis and the modeling data. (Left) Circles are the period of oscillations recorded in the intact intestine, while the grey staircase is obtained from the model. (Right) The structure of three time courses of the oscillations. This new mathematical solution answers two longstanding biological questions at the same time: how food moves through the digestive tract and how it is churned. The team hopes this work will support further research into peristalsis-related digestive health issues known as gastrointestinal motility disorders. "The mathematics had been solved in an approximate way before now, but not in a way that gave you these breaks and what happens at the breaks. That's a critical discovery," stated Kleinfeld. Now that they've solved the question of oscillations in the gut, they're back to studying the complex vasculature of the brain. If the gut is unidirectional, the vasculature in the brain has hundreds of directions. While they both feature staircases, the one in the gut goes from one level to the next, one at a time. The stairs in brain go along different paths at different lengths all at once. "The brain is infinitely more complicated than the gut, but this is science at its best," said Kleinfeld. "You ask one question, it leads you somewhere else, you solve that problem, then return to your original question." Authors include David Kleinfeld and Massimo Vergassola (both UC San Diego), Marie Sellier-Prono (Ecole Normale Superieure) and Massimo Cencini (Institute for Complex Systems in Italy). Funding provided by the National Institutes of Health BRAIN Initiative (U19 NS123717 and U19 NS137920). In Charlotte, North Carolina, a black food truck moves slowly down the road. It doesnt deliver food it delivers art. Inside, lights, copal incense, pan de muerto (sweet bread for Day of the Dead), and a calavera (skull decoration) welcome anyone who steps into the Mobile Art Studio, the traveling project of Mexican artivist Rosalia Torres-Weiner, 64, which this years Dia de Muertos, or Day of Dead has been transformed into an immersive, free experience for Latino communities in the southern United States. My truck is my baby, she says with a smile. I bought it with the money I earned when the Smithsonian acquired two of my works, and since then Ive used it to bring art to my people. Because I understood that if my community cant come to the museum, the museum has to come to them. Torres-Weiner was born into a family where art was a constant presence and became a form of refuge. Her childhood was marked by domestic violence, but also by the imagination that allowed her to survive. When my father yelled, I would hide my little brothers and sisters under the table and, with a matchbox that I turned into a camera, I would tell them, Smile, Im going to take your picture. Thats when I discovered that art had power. Years later, that same impulse would lead her to cross the U.S.-Mexico border. Her story is that of thousands of migrants: a mix of courage, displacement, and reinvention. She arrived in Los Angeles at 21, dreaming of working as a flight attendant, but found a job opportunity in the hotel industry. She rose through the ranks at Marriott hotels and established herself professionally. Yet art kept following her. I decorated rooms, drew caricatures for the staff to remember the guests, painted murals and little by little, the uniforms were replaced by paintbrushes. Mexican artivist Rosalia Torres-Weiner. Cortesia Once settled in North Carolina, she painted for NASCAR drivers, Panthers players, and local celebrities, until the 2008 financial crisis took her in a new direction. I lost all my contracts. But at the same time, I saw the mass deportations [under Obama], the children being left without their parents, and I thought: art saved me, it can save them. Thats how El Proyecto Papalote (The Kite Project) was born: workshops where children from deported families drew their stories and transformed their absent parents clothing into kite tails. She told them, If the tail is long, the kite flies higher. It was her way of saying, Youre going to be okay. Their kites were exhibited at the Levine Museum of the New South and later became part of the collection at the National Museum of the American Latino. With the rise of anti-immigrant rhetoric and the raids during Donald Trumps first administration, Torres-Weiner decided to raise her voice through muralism. In 2016, she painted a Virgin of Guadalupe against the Charlotte skyline, surrounded by butterflies that represent migrants. Some people said, Go back to Mexico. And I replied, This is my home too. Here is my Virgin, here is my story. Since then, her projects have become overtly political, intertwining art with community activism. The fear has come back. Families were hiding, children didnt know if their parents would come home from work. But the artivist insisted they werent alone. There was a community hers, the one she had built alongside Latino migrants that resisted in North Carolinas largest city. A city that is home to the headquarters of Bank of America and Wells Fargo, and where Torres-Weiner raised her voice to tell them: You are not alone, you have us, and art can help you heal. Day of the Dead on wheels Today, with Red Calaca Studio, she tours Latino neighborhoods. Her new Day of the Dead exhibition, created with her filmmaker son, blends Mexican traditions with artificial intelligence: projections of marigolds, pan de muerto, copal incense, music, and a film where she appears transformed into a digital Catrina. I wanted to tell the story of how my mother would wake me up at dawn to go to the cemetery. There was no fear, only love and flowers. I want the English-speaking community to understand this, and for our people to remember where we come from and who we are, she says. The project takes on special significance for Torres-Weiner in a context where speaking Spanish, having brown skin, or being Latino can make migrants targets for authorities. My logo is called Red Calaca because our roots make us strong. Some American friends asked me, Why not Red Skull Studio? And I replied, If I could learn to say Starbucks, you can learn to say calaca. Her objective is clear: to reclaim the power of art as an act of resistance. The Red Calaca Studio Mobile will be at the University of Charlotte this week, at Camp North End on Saturday, November 1, and at Spark Center on Sunday, November 2, where activities will be free. A local baker will be donating pan de muerto. The magic always comes, says Torres-Weiner. And as long as there is art, magic, and community, nothing is lost. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition 22-year-old history-sheeter shot dead in Delhis Seelampur Last Updated: October 31, 2025, 09:29 IST Representational image (Image: News18) New Delhi [India], October 31 (ANI): A 22-year-old man, who had multiple criminal cases registered against him, was shot dead by unidentified assailants in Northeast Delhis Seelampur on Thursday night, the Delhi Police said.According to the police, a firing incident was reported at Seelampur at about 10:40 PM yesterday. Upon reaching the spot near Jama Masjid Seelampur, a police team found a person injured. He was taken to JPC Hospital but was declared dead on arrival by attending doctors, said the police.The police said the victim was identified as Misbah (22). Forensic teams are gathering the evidence from the scene of the crime. A case has been registered under the relevant sections at Seelampur Police Station. Teams have been deployed to identify and arrest the accused involved in the crime at the earliest.During the preliminary investigation, the deceased was found involved in seven criminal cases related to murder, attempted murder, robbery and the Arms Act. Investigation in the case is ongoing, said the Delhi Police.In another operation, the South-West District Police on Thursday solved a murder case of a 23-year-old cab driver named Nitesh Khatri, within just two hours of the crime being reported.The staff of Police Station Kishangarh arrested two accused, both 23 years old, identified as Mohit Mehlawat alias Mannu, a resident of Kishangarh, and Lucky alias Tannu, a resident of Mehrauli.On Monday morning, police were alerted after a morning walker discovered the body of Nitesh Khatri inside Machhli Park, Kishangarh. The victim was found lying in a pool of blood with multiple stab injuries on his abdomen and near his ear.Investigations began immediately after the police unlocked the victims mobile phone using facial recognition technology.Analysis of CCTV footage and deployment of local informers helped the team zero in on the suspects.During sustained interrogation, both accused confessed to the killing, citing personal enmity and a desire for revenge due to previous altercations with the victim. Police said the duo had pre-planned the attack and used Instagram to lure Nitesh to the park before stabbing him multiple times. (ANI) Click here to add News18 as your preferred news source on Google. Join the fun, play games on News18 First Published: October 31, 2025, 09:29 IST News agency-feeds 22-year-old history-sheeter shot dead in Delhis Seelampur 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... 3rd semester exam results of plus-two level declared in Bengal, 93.72 pc qualify Last Updated: October 31, 2025, 15:14 IST Representational image (Image: News18) Kolkata, Oct 31 (PTI) An estimated 93.72 per cent of the total 6,45,832 candidates qualified in the West Bengal Higher Secondary Council Third Semester exams, the results of which were declared on Friday. The exams in semester format at plus two level by any state board was the first such exercise in the country in sync with the State Education Policy, Council president Chiranjib Bhattacharya told a press meet here. Recommended Stories The pass percentage is 93.81 per cent for male students and 93.85 per cent among the females. Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee and Education Minister Bratya Basu congratulated the successful students and asked those whose results were not so good to work harder. Among the total successful candidates, 41.16 per cent got 60 per cent or above marks while 75 per cent secured 10.4 per cent marks. South 24 parganas topped among the districts in terms of successful candidates with 96.72 per cent of candidates in the district having passed. A total of 69 students, including three girls, secured the top ten slots on the basis of the percentage marks. Two candidates, Aditya Narayan Jana and Pritam Ballav, both from Purulia Ramakrishna Mission, shared the top rank both notching 98.97 per cent marks. Ballav and Jana said they had very little time of six months for preparation for the third semester exams and thanked their teachers. While one of the two top rankers said he wanted to study pure science, the other one said he would love to study economics and statistics. The Council president said the exams were held from September 8 to 22 and the results were published in 39 days. The fourth semester exams will be held in February 2026. OMR sheets were used for the first time and none among the candidates faced any difiiculty," he said. Candidates wrote their papers in 66 subjects in four language mediums. While there were several security features in all the questions, second sets had been kept ready in case of any report of paper leak but no second set had to be used, he insisted. Three candidates had their exams cancelled for attempting unfair practices. This was the first higher secondary examination held under the newly introduced four-semester system, which divides the Class 12 course into two parts third and fourth semesters. For the first time in the country, the Higher Secondary Examination was held under the semester system. I express my gratitude to all those involved in properly organising this massive event. To those who could not achieve good results this time, I say, do not be disheartened; strive to achieve good results in the fourth semester," the chief minister said in a post on X. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The pass rate is 93.72 per cent, which is the highest from 2011 until now, Education Minister Bratya Basu said. Keeping pace with the new era, I hope that you will leave your mark of achievement in every field of life and take Bengals culture and heritage further ahead," he said in a statement to students. PTI SUS NN Click here to add News18 as your preferred news source on Google. Join the fun, play games on News18 First Published: October 31, 2025, 15:14 IST News agency-feeds 3rd semester exam results of plus-two level declared in Bengal, 93.72 pc qualify 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... AIADMK senior Sengottaiyan expelled from party a day after he met ousted leaders Last Updated: October 31, 2025, 20:43 IST Representational image (Image: News18) Chennai, Oct 31 (PTI) AIADMK senior and Gobichettipalayam legislator K A Sengottaiyan has been expelled from the party on Friday, a day after he made an appearance with the ousted leaders in Ramanathapuram district. AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami announced that Sengottaiyan has been removed from the primary membership of the party and appealed to party members not to have any ties with him. Recommended Stories The former state minister was stripped of his party posts in September for serving an ultimatum to Palaniswami to take back into the party fold all those who have been expelled from AIADMK. On October 30, sidelined Sengottaiyan met former Chief Minister O Panneerselvam and Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK) general secretary T T V Dhinakaran at Pasumpon (Ramanathapuram district) during the Guru puja of Muthuramalinga Thevar. Later, accompanied by Panneerselvam, he met V K Sasikala, former interim general secretary, who was expelled from the AIADMK along with her nephew Dhinakaran. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Sengottaiyan conducted himself contrary to the partys principles, objectives, and policies, and brought disrepute and disgrace to the party," Palaniswami said in the statement. His association with the expelled persons, despite knowing fully well that no ties should be kept with them, tarnished the partys reputation. Hence, he is removed from all responsibilities, including his position as a primary member with immediate effect," Palaniswami said. PTI JSP JSP KH Click here to add News18 as your preferred news source on Google. Join the fun, play games on News18 First Published: October 31, 2025, 20:43 IST News agency-feeds AIADMK senior Sengottaiyan expelled from party a day after he met ousted leaders 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... Bangladeshi diaspora in UK rallies against persecution, rights violations Last Updated: October 31, 2025, 20:44 IST Representational image (Image: News18) London, Oct 31 (PTI) Members of the British Bangladeshi diaspora have called on international organisations to act against what they fear are widespread constitutional and human rights violations unfolding in Bangladesh, under the interim administration led by Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus. At a media briefing in London on Thursday, UK-based solicitor Sayed Zaynal Abedin said he had undertaken in-depth analysis along with fellow legal experts and concerned British Bangladeshis to highlight that the International Crimes Tribunal of Bangladesh (ICT-BD) has been repurposed as a political weapon" to target Opposition leaders, journalists, and minority communities. Recommended Stories He also called upon India to help restore democracy in Bangladesh, given its history of supporting the countrys independence in 1971. India and Indian people have always been supportive of a democratic Bangladesh, which upholds human rights and stands against atrocities. We therefore hope and expect the same continued support from India," Abedin told PTI. The lawyer alleged that the current administrations actions breach Bangladeshs Constitution, international law, and fundamental principles of natural justice as he shared details of a formal petition to the Nobel Peace Prize Committee calling for the revocation of Yunus 2006 win. Since August last year, my country has been going through one of the darkest times in its history. After the unconstitutional removal of prime minister Sheikh Hasina, power was taken over by Dr Muhammad Yunus, supported by radical Islamist groups," Abedin told reporters. This was not an election. It was not democracy. It was a takeover by way of more violence, and after that, what we saw, what always follows when the rule of law breaks down, unprecedented atrocities, violence, fear and mass arrests. At the centre of this tragedy is something called the International Crimes Tribunal of Bangladesh, or ICT-BD, which was originally created to deliver justice for the victims of the 1971 Liberation War that same tribunal has been turned into a political weapon and is being used to silence the pro-independence secular voices," he said. Stressing that his diaspora-led efforts are not affiliated with any political organisation, Abedin said the focus was on raising human rights concerns on the world stage and to condemn extremist voices which could soon spill over outside Bangladesh. When radical extremists use courts and laws as a disguise for repression, its not a local issue anymore. It becomes a global concern, because when you legitimise extremism in one part of the world, it emboldens, empowers extremists everywhere The UK has one of the largest Bangladeshi communities outside South Asia. So, what happens in Dhaka today will echo in London, Birmingham and Manchester tomorrow," he added. The event comes a week after a barrister from Londons Doughty Street Chambers, Steven Powles, revealed that he had filed an Article 15 Communication with the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), headquartered at The Hague in the Netherlands, on behalf of Hasinas Awami League party. It calls on the prosecutor to initiate an investigation into retaliatory violence, amounting to crimes within the courts jurisdiction", committed against party officials and others perceived to be associated with Hasinas former government in the aftermath of protests in Bangladesh last year. It led to the deposed 78-year-old leader fleeing the country, believed to be in hiding in India ever since. The Communication states that there is a reasonable basis to believe that the alleged crimes set out amount to the crimes against humanity of murder, imprisonment and persecution, warranting the initiation of an investigation by the Prosecutor," the Chambers said in a statement. The Communication is supported by witness testimony (accompanied by video evidence) which detail brutal killings," it notes. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Article 15 of ICCs Rome Statute, to which Bangladesh is a signatory, gives the Office of the Prosecutor the power to initiate an investigation based on information it receives about crimes within the courts jurisdiction. Meanwhile, in Dhaka, Yunus said this week that he fears forces from home and abroad" will attempt to thwart planned general elections in February 2026 over Awami League being debarred from contesting. PTI AK GRS GRS Click here to add News18 as your preferred news source on Google. Join the fun, play games on News18 First Published: October 31, 2025, 20:44 IST News agency-feeds Bangladeshi diaspora in UK rallies against persecution, rights violations 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... Bomb threat to Enforcement Directorate office in Chennai, says police Last Updated: October 31, 2025, 17:29 IST Representational image (Image: News18) Chennai, Oct 31 (PTI) An e-mail claiming planting of bomb" at the Enforcement Directorate office in Shastri Bhavan here was received by the office of the Director General of Police and it turned out to be a hoax, city police said on Friday. Immediately, a team from the Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad (BDDS), along with a sniffer dog, was rushed to the EDs southern regional office in Nungambakkam here and the premises was thoroughly searched, they said. Recommended Stories It was found to be a hoax," a senior police official said. PTI JSP SSK JSP SSK VGN Click here to add News18 as your preferred news source on Google. Join the fun, play games on News18 First Published: October 31, 2025, 17:29 IST News agency-feeds Bomb threat to Enforcement Directorate office in Chennai, says police Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... British-Indian minister Lisa Nandy launches UK Town of Culture competition Last Updated: October 31, 2025, 17:59 IST Representational image (Image: News18) London, Oct 31 (PTI) Britains towns are being invited to apply for a new UK Town of Culture competition worth 35 million pounds, launched by British-Indian minister Lisa Nandy alongside an ongoing UK City of Culture programme. The UK Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport said on Thursday that the new competition is designed to shine a light on the smaller places that have shaped the countrys cultural life but havent been given the recognition they deserve. Recommended Stories Also, for the first time, there will be a confirmed cash prize of 10 million pounds for the UK City of Culture winner to help them deliver a show-stopping year of rich cultural activity rooted in their unique identities and drawing on local strengths and stories". For far too long, too many people have felt left out of our national story. These competitions are our chance to change that by shining a light on the places that have shaped our cultural life, but havent always had the recognition they deserve," said Nandy. We already know from UK City of Culture that winning, and even bidding for, these titles brings real benefits jobs, investment, and opportunities for people to get creative and learn new skills. Now I want towns to be able to get these benefits too and that is why I am proud to launch the UK Town of Culture competition. Every place has a story worth telling, so I want to encourage towns across the UK to step forward and show us what makes them special," she said. The UK Town of Culture competition will be targeted at small and medium-sized towns to enable them to tell their story. While the winning town will be awarded 3.5 million pounds to help them deliver a cultural programme during the summer of 2028 by harnessing what they claim makes their town special, the shortlisted towns will also receive 60,000 pounds to help deliver their full bids for the competition. Applications for the competition will be judged on three main criteria of: the unique story of the town; how the town will design a cultural programme for all; and how it will then deliver a successful programme. Separately, the UK City of Culture 2029 competition opened this week to expressions of interest from cities, large towns, regions and groupings of places across the UK. To encourage as many places as possible across the country to bid and benefit from the process, all the longlisted places will receive 60,000 pounds each to help them develop their full bids for the competition. The three most impressive bids from places that make the shortlist but are not selected as the winner will receive 125,000 pounds each to help them take forward elements of their bid and deliver real change for the local area. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) said the criteria for UK City of Culture has also been updated to make the competition more accessible" to large towns, focusing on creating transformational opportunities and richer lives for people across the UK, delivering local impact and empowering communities to shape their bids. The department said the competitions will build on the success of the UK City of Culture programme, which it claims has seen significant lasting and transformative impacts across the winning places of Derry-Londonderry, Hull, Coventry and most recently Bradford. Bradford 2025 is the first UK City of Culture to be embedded in its surrounding district, reaching far beyond the city centre into villages, towns and the countryside," said Dan Bates, Executive Director, and Shanaz Gulzar, Creative Director, of Bradford 2025 UK City of Culture. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Weve seen the real impact that has made from artists bringing creativity to care home residents, vibrant murals bringing colour to the streets, performances in parks instilling community pride, and investment in cultural buildings ensuring access to the arts for years to come all celebrating Bradford and making it an even better place to live," they said. The City of Culture designation is awarded every four years, with the 2029 winner set to be announced next year following entries opening this week. PTI AK ZH ZH Click here to add News18 as your preferred news source on Google. Join the fun, play games on News18 First Published: October 31, 2025, 17:59 IST News agency-feeds British-Indian minister Lisa Nandy launches UK Town of Culture competition 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... CBSE 2026 Board Exam final date sheet released, exams to begin from February 17 Last Updated: October 31, 2025, 06:44 IST Representational image (Image: News18) New Delhi [India], October 31 (ANI): The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) has released the date sheet for the Class 10 and 12 Board Examinations 2026. The examination body said that exams will be conducted from February 17, 2026.The CBSE also stated that the 2026 Board examinations for Class 10 will be conducted in accordance with the recommendations made in the NEP-2020.As per the notice, for the first time, CBSE released a tentative date sheet for the 2026 examinations on September 24, 2025, based on the registration data from Class 9 and Class 11. This was 146 days before the exams were set to begin, allowing stakeholders enough time to plan and prepare accordingly.CBSE stated that careful consideration has been given, and all relevant factors have been taken into account to ensure that no exam dates overlap with competitive exams.In June, CBSE approved twice-a-year Class 10 Board Exams from 2026, with the first attempt mandatory, the second optional.The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) will conduct Class 10 board exams twice a year starting from 2026, making the first phase mandatory and the second optional, the board announced.In an official press statement, CBSE said, As per the recommendations of the NEP-2020 and stakeholders consultations, CBSE has decided to implement the policy of two Board Examinations in Class X from the 2026 examinations."All students will be required to appear in the first exam, which will be held in mid-February and declared in April. Those who qualify will be allowed to improve performance in up to three subjects Science, Mathematics, Social Science and languages in the second exam, to be held in May with results declared in June.The board clarified that the internal assessment will be conducted only once before the main examinations. Students who do not appear in three or more subjects in the first exam will not be allowed to appear in the second and will be marked as Essential Repeat", eligible to reappear only in the next years main exams. (ANI) Click here to add News18 as your preferred news source on Google. Join the fun, play games on News18 First Published: October 31, 2025, 06:44 IST News agency-feeds CBSE 2026 Board Exam final date sheet released, exams to begin from February 17 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... CPI(M) leader murdered in Telanganas Khammam Last Updated: October 31, 2025, 21:14 IST Representational image (Image: News18) Hyderabad, Oct 31 (PTI) A CPI(M) leader was allegedly murdered near his house in Khammam district of Telangana on Friday, police said. The incident occurred in Patarlapadu village when Samineni Rama Rao (70) was stabbed with knives by unidentified persons and he died on the spot even as the accused fled. Recommended Stories Telangana Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka expressed shock and grief over the killing of Rao, an official release said. Vikramarka conveyed his condolences to the bereaved family members. He directed the police to arrest the accused immediately. Based on a complaint, a case was registered. Khammam Police Commissioner Sunil Dutt, who visited the village, said police were probing the case from all angles. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Police, based on preliminary investigation, said one person is suspected to be involved in the killing. Further investigation is on. PTI VVK VVK KH Click here to add News18 as your preferred news source on Google. Join the fun, play games on News18 First Published: October 31, 2025, 21:14 IST News agency-feeds CPI(M) leader murdered in Telanganas Khammam 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... Donald Trump rules out strikes within Venezuela Last Updated: November 01, 2025, 02:43 IST Representational image (Image: News18) Washington DC [US], November 1 (ANI): US President Donald Trump dismissed any US plans to conduct strikes within Venezuela to curb the drug-trafficking within the region. This comes after reports emerged that the US is considering plans to target cocaine facilities and drug trafficking routes in Venezuela. When asked whether the reports are true, Donald Trump said, No, its not true."Last week, US War Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered the US Navys most advanced aircraft carrier strike group, the USS Gerald R Ford, to move from Europe to the Caribbean.Earlier, US Senator Lindsey Graham also warned that land strikes in Venezuela are a real possibility", signalling a sharp escalation in Washingtons campaign against narco-trafficking networks in Latin America.Speaking on CBS News, Graham revealed that President Trump told me yesterday that he plans to brief members of Congress when he gets back from Asia about future potential military operations against Venezuela and Colombia."Meanwhile, the US continue to conduct airstrikes on alleged drug-smuggling boats in the Caribbean and the Pacific in recent weeks.On Wednesday, US War Secretary Pete Hegseth announced that the latest airstrike in the eastern Pacific targeted a boat carrying drugs, killing four people. It was the 14th strike since early September and the 15th boat destroyed. The total death toll from these operations has risen to at least 61.The United Nations has urged the US to immediately stop airstrikes on boats in the Caribbean and the Pacific, and prevent the extrajudicial killing of people."UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk said that over 60 people have reportedly been killed in a continuing series of attacks carried out by US armed forces against boats in the Caribbean and the Pacific since early September, in circumstances that find no justification in international law."These attacks, and their mounting human cost, are unacceptable. The US must halt such attacks and take all measures necessary to prevent the extrajudicial killing of people aboard these boats, whatever the criminal conduct alleged against them," Turk added. (ANI) Click here to add News18 as your preferred news source on Google. Join the fun, play games on News18 First Published: November 01, 2025, 02:43 IST News agency-feeds Donald Trump rules out strikes within Venezuela 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... EC seeks report from Bihar DGP on murder of Jan Suraaj Party supporter in Mokama Last Updated: October 31, 2025, 19:14 IST Representational image (Image: News18) New Delhi, Oct 31 (PTI) The Election Commission on Friday sought a report from the Bihar director general of police on the murder of a Jan Suraaj Party supporter in Mokama which led to a flare up in the area, officials said. Ahead of assembly polls, tension has gripped Mokama after the murder of Jan Suraaj Party supporter Dularchand Yadav. Recommended Stories On Friday, stones were pelted at the car of Veena Devi, Rashtriya Janta Dal (RJD) candidate from Mokama. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The DGP has been asked to provide a detailed report at the earliest to the poll authority. The state goes to polls in two phases on November 6 and 11, while votes will be counted on November 14. PTI NAB ZMN Click here to add News18 as your preferred news source on Google. Join the fun, play games on News18 First Published: October 31, 2025, 19:14 IST News agency-feeds EC seeks report from Bihar DGP on murder of Jan Suraaj Party supporter in Mokama 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... Films and books are bringing back Mary Shelleys creature, now reflected in modern fears such as humanoid robots, extreme scientific experiments, and the most dangerous technologies Well probably see them tonight, roaming the streets on Halloween: heads with large plastic bolts, masks in shades of gray and greenish hues, oversized shoes with grotesque soles, and stick-on scars. Maybe well also admire a few with two-tone wigs styled in a bit pin-up look black dresses, and long eyelashes and nails. These are costumes inspired by the immortal creature and his bride, created by Dr. Frankenstein figures that have haunted the popular imagination of horror ever since Mary Shelleys novel first made its way to the big screen. The latest movie adaptation is by Guillermo del Toro, starring Jacob Elordi as the monster and Oscar Isaac as the mad doctor, which arrives on Netflix November 7. And in March comes The Bride!, directed by Maggie Gyllenhaal, with Jessie Buckley as the bride of the horrid being, played by Christian Bale, in a cast that also includes Penelope Cruz, Peter Sarsgaard, and Annette Bening. But a movie is not a book. And if, as cultural critic George Steiner writes in Errata, every attempt at understanding, at reading well, at responsive reception are, at all times, historical, social, and ideological then the Frankenstein of the 21st century shines a light on new fears from the rise of artificial intelligence and humanoid robots to the scientific quests to extend human life. Pure technological terror. Aggression and scientific violence This year, Shelleys visionary novel is joined by new editions of her other works, including Mathilda and The Journals of Mary Shelley, 18141844. But it is with Frankenstein that Shelley (London, 17971851) inaugurates the genre of science fiction by creating the first artificial man. And it remains a strikingly contemporary book, because, as writer Esther Cross author of La mujer que escribio Frankenstein (The Woman Who Wrote Frankenstein) points out, the anxiety over the fate of each character powerfully intertwines with the question of humanitys fate. That concern, so deeply rooted in her time, is more relevant than ever. Scientific progress without any kind of regulation leads to horror stories. Actor Boris Karloff, dressed as Frankenstein's monster, during a break from filming Bride of Frankenstein. John Kobal Foundation (Getty Images) Since its publication in 1818, Frankenstein has served as a projection screen for the dangers and limits of science, says Fernando Vidal, a historian of science at Harvard University. Once it was genetic manipulation, then nuclear energy, and now artificial intelligence. For Brian Merchant, author of Blood in the Machine, the key to Frankensteins dystopia is that it is not a condemnation of science and technology themselves, but of their selfish and irresponsible use. The problem, he argues, is scientific and technological violence the aggressive rollout of innovations that can ultimately prove harmful. A story about a careless founder who recklessly unleashes a dangerous new technology without considering who might suffer as a result? You could just as easily be describing Sam Altman or Mark Zuckerberg, Merchant says in an email. In Shelleys novel, Victor Frankensteins egocentric madness lies in his boundless ambition. Its important to remember that Frankenstein is the scientists name, not that of his creation, which, in truth, has no name, Vidal emphasizes. Some scholars also interpret the way Shelley depicts the monster as a metaphor for how industrial-era entrepreneurs treated their workers: as test subjects in experiments meant to maximize production and profit, says Merchant. They were innovators who disregarded human life, blinded by their pursuit of glory, money, and power a situation, adds Merchant, not so different from today. Three of the most powerful men in the world Elon Musk, who is experimenting with primates for his Neuralink project; Mark Zuckerberg, who has just launched a secret superintelligence lab aimed at surpassing human capabilities; and Jeff Bezos, whose Amazon empire relies on near-total surveillance of workers productivity while seeking to replace them with robots embody that same modern strain of techno-ambition. A gloomy London The old world is dying. The new one is struggling to be born. Now is the time of monsters, wrote Antonio Gramsci. Few figures embody that collision between the old and the new as powerfully as the creator of Frankenstein. Mary Shelley daughter of Mary Wollstonecraft, a pioneer of feminist thought who died shortly after giving birth to her, and of the libertarian philosopher William Godwin grew up surrounded by ideas and books. She learned to read by deciphering the names on tombstones in Saint Pancras Cemetery, where she sometimes came across watchmen guarding corpses until they decomposed enough to be useless to body snatchers who sold them to hospitals, scientists, and anatomy professors. Elle Fanning, in a still from 'Mary Shelley' (2018). That little girl, described by the poet Samuel Coleridge a friend of her fathers as having a cadaverous silence, spent her childhood and adolescence in London, then a dark city transformed by industrial brutality and misery, capable of conjuring nightmares in sensitive souls like hers. In those streets, as writer Esther Cross recounts, one could even stumble upon the embalmed corpse of the wife of Martin van Butchell, a surgeon specializing in fissures and fistulas, displayed in a shop window. As a teenager, Mary had her first romantic encounters with the poet Percy Shelley who was married at the time in that same Saint Pancras cemetery. They shared a fascination with the beauty of darkness and the strange. Mary Shelley perfectly embodies the Romantic spirit: torn between a dream of total political, cultural, social, and personal freedom and an attraction to the supernatural. She lived a restless, rebellious life. She was vegetarian and abstained from sugar in protest against U.S. plantations a kind of politicized, avant-garde punk before her time. When writing Frankenstein, she drew on her fascination with electricity then a brand-new discovery and its supposed power to create life. As a teenager, she had followed with interest the experiments in galvanism conducted by eccentric figures such as Giovanni Aldini, who claimed to revive people in a melancholic state by applying electric currents So this Halloween night, by lamplight or candlelight its not a bad idea to revisit Mary Shelleys masterpiece. And, thinking of todays technocratic visionaries, it might not hurt to play a certain song by The Cramps called How Far Can Too Far Go? Robert de Niro, in the version of Frankenstein that Kenneth Branagh directed in 1994. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition FBI Director says potential terror attack averted in Michigan Last Updated: November 01, 2025, 04:13 IST Representational image (Image: News18) Washington DC [US], November 1 (ANI): FBI Director Kash Patel on Friday said he averted a potential terrorist attack and made several arrests in Michigan.Patel alleged that the people were plotting a violent attack over Halloween weekend.In a post on X, he said, This morning the FBI thwarted a potential terrorist attack and arrested multiple subjects in Michigan who were allegedly plotting a violent attack over Halloween weekend. More details to come. Thanks to the men and women of FBI and law enforcement everywhere standing guard 24/7 and crushing our mission to defend the homeland."https://x.com/FBIDirectorKash/status/1984222011158102097He further said, The FBI stopped a potential terrorist attack in Michigan before it could unfold. Thanks to swift action and coordination with our partners, a violent plot tied to international terrorism was disrupted. This is what defending the homeland looks like vigilance saves lives."https://x.com/FBIDirectorKash/status/1984307894087561563Patel did not specify which part of Michigan the FBI operation took place in. But in a separate social media post on Friday, the police department for the city of Dearborn noted that FBI agents had been active in its community.It is unclear whether their presence pertained to the same operation or a different one, as per Al Jazeera.The Dearborn Police Department has been made aware that the FBI conducted operations in the city of Dearborn earlier this morning," the department wrote. We want to assure our residents that there is no threat to the community at this time."Located in southeast Michigan, near Detroit, Dearborn is known as the headquarters for the Ford Motor Company, and it is the first city in the US to have an Arab American majority.The Detroit Free Press, a Michigan newspaper, reported there were also FBI operations in Inkster, another suburb of Detroit, Al Jazeera added.Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer has since acknowledged the reports in a statement posted online, as per Al Jazeera.During Trumps second term as president, his administration has sought to expand the use of terrorist" designations to include Latin American gangs and the loosely knit antifascism movement, antifa. (ANI) Click here to add News18 as your preferred news source on Google. Join the fun, play games on News18 First Published: November 01, 2025, 04:13 IST News agency-feeds FBI Director says potential terror attack averted in Michigan 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... Federal judge rules Trump cant require citizenship proof on federal voting form Last Updated: November 01, 2025, 02:43 IST Representational image (Image: News18) New York, Nov 1 (AP) US President Donald Trumps request to add a documentary proof of citizenship requirement to the federal voter registration form cannot be enforced, a federal judge has ruled. US District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly in Washington, DC, on Friday sided with Democratic and civil rights groups that sued the Trump administration over his executive order to overhaul US elections. Recommended Stories She ruled that the proof-of-citizenship directive is an unconstitutional violation of the separation of powers, dealing a blow to the administration and its allies who have argued that such a mandate is necessary to restore public confidence that only Americans are voting in US elections. Because our Constitution assigns responsibility for election regulation to the States and to Congress, this Court holds that the President lacks the authority to direct such changes," Kollar-Kotelly wrote in her opinion. Kollar-Kotelly echoed comments she made when she granted a preliminary injunction over the issue. The ruling grants the plaintiffs a partial summary judgment that prohibits the proof-of-citizenship requirement from going into effect. It says the US Election Assistance Commission, which has been considering adding the requirement to the federal voter form, is permanently barred from taking action to do so. The lawsuit brought by the DNC and various civil rights groups will continue to play out to allow the judge to consider other challenges to Trumps order. That includes a requirement that all mailed ballots be received, rather than just postmarked, by Election Day. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Other lawsuits against Trumps election executive order are ongoing. In early April, 19 Democratic state attorneys general asked a separate federal court to reject Trumps executive order. Washington and Oregon, where virtually all voting is done with mailed ballots, followed with their own lawsuit against the order. (AP) SCY SCY SCY Click here to add News18 as your preferred news source on Google. Join the fun, play games on News18 First Published: November 01, 2025, 02:43 IST News agency-feeds Federal judge rules Trump cant require citizenship proof on federal voting form Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... IAF seeks industry help to develop cargo drones for Lakshadweep connectivity Last Updated: October 31, 2025, 17:59 IST Representational image (Image: News18) Thiruvananthapuram, Oct 31 (PTI) The Indian Air Force (IAF) is seeking industry participation to develop cargo drones capable of carrying up to 500 kilograms with a range of 500 kilometres and an endurance of five hours. These drones are intended to transport cargo from the mainland to the Lakshadweep islands and between the islands themselves. Recommended Stories The initiative aims to overcome logistical challenges in sustaining infrastructure and manpower in Lakshadweep a key strategic location for Indias security interests according to Vice Chief of Air Staff Air Marshal Narmdeshwar Tiwari. Speaking to reporters on Friday in connection with the Meher Baba 4 competition, an IAF industry outreach programme to develop various types of drones, Tiwari said the government was keen to enhance infrastructure and surveillance capabilities in Lakshadweep and Minicoy. If we have to protect these interests in these uncertain geopolitical times, it is very important to continue developing these islands both Lakshadweep and the Andamans. These will be our frontier posts in the future," he said. Tiwari noted that transportation difficulties extend beyond military logistics to daily necessities such as vegetables, especially during bad weather. He stressed the need to improve not just mainland connectivity but also inter-island transport. The IAF plans to develop a prototype within three years but acknowledges several challenges, including long distances, poor data connectivity, navigation issues, weather, and high salinity. Tiwari clarified that the IAF is not referring to quadcopters but to winged drones capable of vertical take-off and transition to horizontal flight, which would allow longer range and greater payload capacity. He also expressed confidence in Keralas industry ecosystem, saying, We know the industry in Kerala is very capable. Im sure this session will lead to meaningful dialogue and practical solutions." The IAF is strengthening its presence and surveillance in Lakshadweep and Minicoy, with approvals already granted for expanding the Agatti airstrip and constructing a new airport in Minicoy. We are also deploying radars in those areas. As development progresses, inter-island connectivity becomes even more important," he added. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Once developed, these drones could serve multiple purposes from carrying weapons to delivering medicines or supporting disaster relief operations in remote areas. Industry representatives at the event, however, urged the IAF to provide R&D grants, citing high development costs. Under current rules, even winners of the Meher Baba competition must compete in the tendering process to secure supply contracts. PTI KPK TGB SSK TGB SSK KH Click here to add News18 as your preferred news source on Google. Join the fun, play games on News18 First Published: October 31, 2025, 17:59 IST News agency-feeds IAF seeks industry help to develop cargo drones for Lakshadweep connectivity 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... ISIS terrorist confesses to training in Pakistan after arrest in Afghanistan Last Updated: October 31, 2025, 06:44 IST Representational image (Image: News18) Kabul [Afghanistan], October 31 (ANI): Afghan security sources have confirmed the arrest of an ISIS terrorist identified as Saeedullah, who admitted to receiving terrorist training in Pakistan before infiltrating Afghanistan through the Torkham border crossing, Tolo News reported.In a video released by authorities, the detained terrorist confessed that he entered Afghanistan using a fake identity card under the name Mohammad." He further revealed that he underwent ideological and combat training in Pakistans Quetta region. When I entered Afghanistan with a fake ID card, my name here was Mohammad. In Quetta, when I went to the mountains, significant efforts were made to mentally indoctrinate me," the ISIS member said in the footage.The arrest has reignited regional debate over Pakistans alleged role in harbouring and training terrorist elements. Analysts believe that the continued killing and capture of ISIS operatives on both sides of the Durand Line highlight Islamabads complicity in fostering insecurity in Afghanistan, Tolo News reported.Military expert Yousuf Amin Zazai said, I can say with certainty that Afghanistan is neither a source nor a hub of terrorism. These terrorists are funded from the region and operate under various names."Echoing similar sentiments, political analyst Naqibullah Noori remarked, This shows that Pakistans claims are false, and it has now been proven that the centre of terrorist training is Pakistan and its government."Earlier, on January 22 this year, the Central Commission for Security and Clearance of Afghanistan had reported that newly recruited ISIS fighters were being transferred from Karachi and Islamabad airports to training camps in Balochistan and the tribal areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The statement claimed that these fighters were being prepared to launch attacks in regional countries, particularly Afghanistan. (ANI) Click here to add News18 as your preferred news source on Google. Join the fun, play games on News18 First Published: October 31, 2025, 06:44 IST News agency-feeds ISIS terrorist confesses to training in Pakistan after arrest in Afghanistan Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Man held for Rs 40 lakh extortion bid using spoofed calls in Delhi Last Updated: October 31, 2025, 17:29 IST Representational image (Image: News18) New Delhi, Oct 31 (PTI) A man has been arrested for allegedly attempting to extort Rs 40 lakh from his employer by threatening him through spoofed international calls, police said on Friday. The accused, identified as Ramzan Ali Hashmi (32), a resident of Chhattarpur in south Delhi, was arrested after a complaint was received from Manoj Kumar Kashyap, a resident of Paharganj, on October 26, police said. Recommended Stories The complainant stated that on October 10, his wife had received an internet call from an international number, followed by a series of threatening messages aimed at him. Later, he too received multiple internet calls and messages from different numbers demanding Rs 40 lakh in exchange for the safety of his family," Deputy Commissioner of Police (Central) Nidhin Valsan said. A case under sections for extortion and criminal intimidation of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita was registered, and an investigation was launched. Using technical surveillance, police analysed the IP address linked to the calls and traced the suspects location to Chhattarpur, he said. The accused was apprehended from his residence, and during interrogation, he confessed to the crime. Police said Hashmi had earlier worked in the complainants factory in Naraina and was aware of his business operations and personal details. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Hashmi admitted that he made the extortion calls to demand money to clear his personal debts and manage expenses related to his upcoming marriage," the officer said. Police have recovered two mobile phones and a laptop used in the commission of the crime. Further investigation is underway. PTI SSJ SSJ HIG HIG Click here to add News18 as your preferred news source on Google. Join the fun, play games on News18 First Published: October 31, 2025, 17:29 IST News agency-feeds Man held for Rs 40 lakh extortion bid using spoofed calls in Delhi Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Motorcyclist killed after being hit by car on Ambejogai ring road Last Updated: October 31, 2025, 23:28 IST Representational image (Image: News18) Beed (Maharashtra), Oct 31 (PTI) A motorcycle rider was killed after being hit by a car on Ambejogai Ring Road in the district on Friday night, police said. The unidentified car driver fled from the scene. Recommended Stories Deceased Chandrakant Murlidhar Gangane (52) was a resident of Radi, Ambejogai tehsil. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The accident took place near the Manavlok office. Locals rushed Gangande to Swami Ramanand Teerth Rural Government Medical College and Hospital at Ambejogai, where doctors declared him brought dead. Gangane was employed as chief chemist at the Ranjani Sugar Factory, police said. Ambejogai City Police have registered a case and are investigating the incident. PTI COR KRK Click here to add News18 as your preferred news source on Google. Join the fun, play games on News18 First Published: October 31, 2025, 23:28 IST News agency-feeds Motorcyclist killed after being hit by car on Ambejogai ring road 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... Office demand to remain strong despite global uncertainties: DLF official Last Updated: October 31, 2025, 17:29 IST Representational image (Image: News18) New Delhi, Oct 31 (PTI) Indias office market will continue to grow despite global uncertainties as the country has a strong competitive advantage of availability of English-speaking human resources and top quality workspaces, both at a very affordable cost, according to a senior official of realty major DLF Ltd. Addressing a CII conference on real estate, Sriram Khattar, Vice Chairman & MD (Rental business) at DLF, noted that the demand outlook for both office spaces and retail real estate remains bullish. Recommended Stories In offices, India has a very, very strong competitive advantage, both in terms of English-speaking young Indians who are available to global companies as a fraction of the cost, and at the same time, global quality commercial workspace solutions, which are also available at a fraction of the cost," he said. A combination of these two factors makes it a compelling reason for any international company that wants to set up its base in India, said Khattar, who is also Co-Chair at CII National Committee on Real Estate & Housing. Further, the DLF official said, Given a very strong digital backbone and the cost of that backbone, I think this is a waveirrespective of the changing multi-polar geo-economic, political situation across the globe." According to real estate consultant Knight Frank India, the Indian office space stock has surpassed one billion sq ft, ranking the country as the fourth largest globally. The office demand has revived strongly post-COVID pandemic. The gross leasing across the top 7-8 cities hit a record in the last calendar year. On the retail real estate, Khattar said organised retail is growing faster than retail and retail is growing faster than the growth of the economy. I think the biggest thing that has happened to the real estate industry is the introduction of RERA, which at least creates a platform for transparent legislation and framework where institutionalised players can develop and grow," he said. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Khattar said the GST rationalisation and the REIT (Real Estate Investment Trust) framework have been positive for the sectors growth. On the policy reform, he said CII would take up issues, such as input credit for properties that are leased and properties that are let out, GST exemption for rental housing and a centralised digital portal for building plan sanctions to avoid delays. PTI MJH MJH SHW Click here to add News18 as your preferred news source on Google. Join the fun, play games on News18 First Published: October 31, 2025, 17:29 IST News agency-feeds Office demand to remain strong despite global uncertainties: DLF official Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Russia launches massive strikes on Ukraines energy grid; two killed Last Updated: October 31, 2025, 06:44 IST Representational image (Image: News18) Kyiv [Ukraine], October 31 (ANI): Russia unleashed a large-scale missile and drone offensive across Ukraine, striking energy facilities and residential areas, killing at least two people, wounding several others, including children, and causing widespread power disruptions across multiple regions, France 24 reported. President Volodymyr Zelensky, in a statement on social media, said Russian forces targeted civilians and energy infrastructure in nine regions, including the capital Kyiv.We count on America, Europe, and the G7 countries not to ignore Moscows intent to destroy everything," Zelensky said, urging Western allies to impose further sanctions on Russia to halt its ongoing invasion.Ukraines largest private energy company, DTEK, confirmed that several of its power plants were damaged. Its a bad blow in our efforts to keep power flowing this winter," said the companys CEO, Maxim Timchenko.Authorities in the western region of Lviv, which borders NATO and EU member Poland, reported that two energy facilities were hit. The Ukrainian energy ministry said a significant number of consumers" were left without electricity, but did not provide specific figures.The latest Russian assault consisted of 52 missiles and 653 drones, of which 623 aerial targets were intercepted. The barrage marks one of the largest single attacks on Ukraines energy network this year, France 24 reported, citing Ukraines air force.In the southeastern city of Zaporizhzhia, two people were killed and 17 others injured, including six children, local officials confirmed.Meanwhile, the Russian Defence Ministry claimed responsibility for the massive" strike, stating it targeted Ukrainian military-industrial facilities, energy infrastructure, and airbases." It also claimed to have shot down 170 Ukrainian drones overnight, including 48 over the Bryansk region and nine near Moscow.Russia further announced that its troops had captured two villagesSadove in the Kharkiv region and Krasnogirske in the Zaporizhzhia region, which Moscow claims as its own territory, France 24 reported.The Kremlin has repeatedly struck Ukrainian power grids during the winter months since its full-scale invasion began in February 2022, forcing Kyiv to ration power and rely on energy imports.Ukraine has increasingly retaliated with attacks on Russian oil refineries and energy sites. Despite U.S. President Donald Trumps ongoing efforts to broker a peace deal since returning to the White House in January, diplomatic progress has remained stalled. (ANI) Click here to add News18 as your preferred news source on Google. Join the fun, play games on News18 First Published: October 31, 2025, 06:44 IST News agency-feeds Russia launches massive strikes on Ukraines energy grid; two killed Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... SC reinstates two UP teachers terminated for lacking TET at appointment Last Updated: October 31, 2025, 17:29 IST Representational image (Image: News18) New Delhi, Oct 31 (PTI) The Supreme Court on Friday set aside the termination of two assistant teachers in Uttar Pradesh who were removed from service in 2018 for not having cleared the Teacher Eligibility Test (TET) at the time of their appointment. A bench comprising Chief Justice B R Gavai and Justice K Vinod Chandran allowed the appeal filed by Uma Kant and another against the Allahabad High Courts orders refusing relief to them, and said the sacked teachers subsequently qualified TET within the statutory grace period. Recommended Stories We find that the non-interference by the single judge of the high court and the same being affirmed by the division bench of the high court is erroneous as the requirement to qualify TET was to be complied with by March 31, 2019, by when the appellants had undisputedly passed the TET," the verdict said. The top court directed the state government to immediately reinstate the teachers, who were represented by senior advocate Amit Anand Tiwari, holding that they had acquired the mandatory qualification within the extended timeline prescribed under the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act, 2009 (RTE Act). The appellants were selected as assistant teachers in Jwala Prasad Tiwari Junior High School, Bhauti, Kanpur Nagar, following an advertisement issued in July 2011. They joined service on March 17, 2012. The TET was conducted for the first time in Uttar Pradesh on November 13, 2011. While one appellant cleared it in November 2011, the other passed in May 2014. Their services, however, were terminated by the Basic Shiksha Adhikari (BSA) on July 12, 2018, on the ground that they did not possess the TET certificate at the time of appointment. A single judge of the Allahabad High Court dismissed their petition on March 12, 2024, and a division bench subsequently upheld the decision on May 1, 2024, prompting the teachers to approach the top court. CJI Gavai, writing the judgement for the bench, noted that the 2017 amendment to Section 23(2) of the RTE Act allowed teachers appointed before March 31, 2015, who did not then possess the minimum qualifications, to acquire them within four years, that is by March 31, 2019. Since both appellants had cleared TET by 2014, the bench held that they were qualified well before the deadline and could not be treated as unqualified at the time of their termination in 2018. We fail to see as to how the appellants can be said to be unqualified on the date of their termination when undisputedly they had already qualified the TET by March 24, 2014," the CJI said. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The court found that the termination order was passed solely on grounds of delayed TET qualification and as the state could not justify any other basis for removing them. Holding that the high court erred in refusing relief, the bench set aside the orders of both the single judge and the division bench, as well as the July 2018 termination order. PTI SJK SJK SKY SKY Click here to add News18 as your preferred news source on Google. Join the fun, play games on News18 First Published: October 31, 2025, 17:29 IST News agency-feeds SC reinstates two UP teachers terminated for lacking TET at appointment 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... Stroke rehab centre opened in Telangana Last Updated: October 31, 2025, 22:14 IST Representational image (Image: News18) Hyderabad, Oct 31 (PTI) A stroke and neurorehabilitation centre that combines robotic precision, AI-based therapy tracking, and clinical expertise has been opened in Hyderabad. The Center for Advanced Robotics and Recovery was inaugurated on World Stroke Day on October 29 with the aim to deliver the fastest recovery in India through a seamless blend of science, data and human care, the company said in a statement. Recommended Stories Besides the Hyderabad facility, the HCAH (HealthCare atHOME), an out-of-hospital care provider in India for medical rehabilitation and homecare services, plans to expand its footprint in Delhi-NCR, Bangalore, Mumbai and Kolkata. Telangana is witnessing a sharp rise in stroke cases, with nearly 20-30 per cent of urban patients now between 18 and 45 years old. Sedentary lifestyles, stress, obesity, and post-COVID complications are key contributors to this alarming increase, the statement said. India currently has only 1,251 stroke rehabilitation centres for a population of 1.46 billion, roughly one for every 1.17 million people. This shortage underscores the urgent need for structured, technology-enabled recovery care, it said. At the Hyderabad centre, recovery meets technology through a complete suite of robotic systems engineered for safety, accuracy and speed. Robotic Gait Training Systems, Robotic Arm and Hand Rehabilitation Units, Neuromuscular Electrical Stimulation (NMES), Gamified Balance Boards, and Virtual Reality (VR) Neurotherapy work in synergy to help patients walk, move, speak, and balance again, the statement said. It involves thousands of precise repetitions per session that retrain the brain and body far faster than traditional methods. Patients can now take up to 1,000 guided steps in just 30 minutes using exoskeleton-assisted gait systems that mimic natural walking while keeping them fully supported. Dr Gaurav Thukral, Co-Founder and President of HCAH India said the first 90 days after a stroke or major surgery are the most decisive phase in a patients recovery journey. At the HCAH Robotics and Recovery Lab, the focus is singular delivering the fastest recovery possible. Every element of this ecosystem is designed to accelerate healing. Robotic gait systems help patients rebuild mobility quickly and safely, AI-powered dashboards track each milestone in real time, and therapists use this data to adapt sessions with scientific precision. By merging robotics, analytics, and compassionate care, we are setting a new national benchmark in how quickly and completely patients can regain mobility, speech, and independence," he said. Ankit Goel, co-founder and president of HCAH, said, The Robotics and Recovery Lab reflects our belief that recovery should be as scientific as treatment itself. By combining robotics, AI, and the expertise of our therapists, we make the recovery process measurable, consistent, and motivating. Our partnership with Apollo Ayurveda adds another dimension healing the body and mind together. With every patient we help walk, speak, or eat again, we move closer to our vision of a nation that recovers faster and better," he said. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Dr BSV Raju, neurosurgeon and senior Neuro and Spine Consultant Surgeon at Yashoda Hospitals said robotic-assisted therapy gives clinicians the ability to guide hundreds of perfect movements per session. It helps the brain relearn lost functions and improves neuroplasticity at a pace that was never possible before. With VR, NMES, and gamified balance systems, patients recover mobility, speech, and coordination more naturally and confidently. This lab is where science meets care, and recovery becomes a journey of rediscovery," he said. PTI PLB SKY SKY Click here to add News18 as your preferred news source on Google. Join the fun, play games on News18 First Published: October 31, 2025, 22:14 IST News agency-feeds Stroke rehab centre opened in Telangana Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... The police operation that left an unprecedented trail of death in Rio de Janeiro on Tuesday (121, according to the latest official count) is already the subject of furious political debate, even though the fallen officers have only just been buried and many mothers in the favelas are still anxiously waiting to locate or identify their sons. Public safety has thus become a key issue in the lead-up to Brazils presidential elections in a years time. But the repercussions of the massacre one of the worst perpetrated by security forces in Latin America transcend borders and has reignited the debate on how to effectively combat organized crime in the most violent region on the planet. The duel between supporters of a hardline approach with massive raids and defenders of medium-term strategies more focused on intelligence gathering to economically strangle the powerful groups that arm themselves with drug money is back at the center of the Latin American political debate, whether in Brazil, Mexico, or Chile. And, specifically, two neighboring countries Argentina and Paraguay have reinforced their borders to prevent the passage of fugitives. Rio is alone in this war, declared Rio de Janeiro Governor Claudio Castro, a Jair Bolsonaro ally, at a press conference on Tuesday, while the operation was still underway. This is a war that has nothing to do with urban security, he added, but is fueled by the weapons of international drug trafficking. He criticized the lack of support from the federal government. He also hinted that he might ask for help from the Armed Forces and used the magic phrase of recent weeks: They are narco-terrorists. Castro echoed the rhetoric with which U.S. President Donald Trump has promoted his controversial policy of extrajudicial military strikes against alleged drug-trafficking boats. Since the Republican returned to power, the U.S. administration has been pushing to designate major Latin American drug cartels as terrorist organizations. In response to Castros criticism, President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who was returning from a trip to Asia when the massacre occurred, immediately sprang into action. There is no longer any doubt that public safety will be the central issue of the 2026 election campaign, and Lula has just announced his intention to seek a fourth term. Upon landing, he convened his team and announced the creation of a coordination commission with the Rio de Janeiro state government. The president sent two of his ministers to Rio on Thursday to closely accompany the residents of the favelas that were the epicenter of the shootings and to listen to the demands of the families who lost loved ones. People tend to the victims of the police operation in Rio de Janeiro, October 29. Andre Coelho (EFE) While the governor considers the police operation a success, marred only by the deaths of the four security officers, the Minister of Human Rights, Macae Evaristo, declared after visiting those affected that the operation was a failure, a tragedy, an unspeakable horror. According to the minister, if we want to combat organized crime, we have to start at the top, with those in charge. As an example of its approach to combating organized crime, the federal government has recently contrasted the bloody operation in Rio with one carried out in Sao Paulo in August. While this weeks operation targeted Comando Vermelho (CV), a criminal group that trafficks drugs and weapons from Rio de Janeiro, the operation months earlier targeted the only Brazilian mafia that surpasses it in power: the Primeiro Comando da Capital (PCC), a brotherhood of criminals that rewards innovation within its ranks. The Federal Police, acting on intelligence from the Ministry of Finance and with the collaboration of Sao Paulo authorities, dealt a decisive blow to the PCCs financial apparatus. Without firing a shot, they dismantled a network of investment funds that laundered money for the PCC. Ignacio Cano, a researcher at the Violence Analysis Laboratory of the State University of Rio de Janeiro, believes that when the governor authorized an operation of this nature and magnitude against the Comando Vermelho in its stronghold, he intended to create a political event; it was a conscious gamble. He knew that [the CV members] would paralyze the city in response, that it would generate enormous national visibility, and that he would then present himself as the great champion against organized crime. With this, Castro has just entered the 2026 presidential campaign, in which the right wing, with Bolsonaro imprisoned and barred from holding office, has yet to choose a candidate. Rio de Janeiro activist Eliane Sousa Silva, director of Redes da Mare, an NGO working in the favela of the same name, criticizes the state government for continuing violent raids in the favelas and ignoring the limits imposed by the Supreme Court, which in April mandated body cameras for police officers and demanded the creation of a plan to reduce police lethality. This operation is more of the same; the scale changes, but we dont see any measures to address the problem strategically. Latin America is the deadliest region on the planet, with a homicide rate four times the global average. For this reason, public safety is a major and daily concern for its inhabitants and, consequently, for politicians. A study co-directed by Cano one of the few to evaluate the wide range of measures implemented in recent decades against violence in the region has reached striking conclusions. Deploying the army to the streets or eliminating the leaders of armed groups can be counterproductive and increase violence. Limiting gun ownership and alcohol sales stand out among the most effective measures. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition Telangana CM announces Rs 5 lakh ex gratia to kin of deceased in recent floods Last Updated: October 31, 2025, 19:14 IST Representational image (Image: News18) Hyderabad, Oct 31 (PTI) Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Friday announced an ex gratia of Rs 5 lakh to families of those who died in the recent floods and Rs 15,000 each to the families for submergence of their houses. Reddy, who conducted an aerial survey of flood-affected areas in Warangal district and Husnabad Assembly Constituency, held a review meeting with officials and instructed them to prepare a report on loss of life, crop loss, livestock, and infrastructure damage, an official release said. Recommended Stories During the aerial survey, the CM took stock of the situation at the ground level and in the official review of the flood damages in Warangal, he gave specific instructions to the officials of all departments to prepare a comprehensive report on the damages caused by the flash floods and heavy rains in the district and submit the report immediately to the government, it said. The CM appealed to the peoples representatives to support the administration during the enumeration of the damages and also submit a report to the district collectors. Emphasising that the plans should be prepared to find a permanent solution to the flood management, Reddy opined that lack of coordination between the departments was visible and hence all the wings should work in tandem to address the civic problems during the floods. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The officials were instructed to launch a drive for the demolition of Nalas (drains) encroachments. In view of the fact that cloud bursts have become a routine under the influence of climate change, the CM asserted that the plans should be made towards a permanent solution and the district collectors and authorities should conduct field inspections regularly, the release added. PTI GDK KH Click here to add News18 as your preferred news source on Google. Join the fun, play games on News18 First Published: October 31, 2025, 19:14 IST News agency-feeds Telangana CM announces Rs 5 lakh ex gratia to kin of deceased in recent floods Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Trump declines to clarify if US will conduct tests of its nuclear weapons Last Updated: October 31, 2025, 23:29 IST Representational image (Image: News18) Aboard Air Force One, Oct 31(AP) President Donald Trump declined to say Friday whether he plans to resume underground nuclear detonation tests, as he had seemed to suggest in a social media post this week that raised concerns the US would begin testing nuclear weapons for the first time in three decades. The president told reporters Youll find out very soon," without elaborating when asked if he means to resume underground nuclear detonation tests. Recommended Stories Trump, who spoke to reporters aboard Air Force One as he headed to Florida for a weekend stay, said, Were going to do some testing" and Other countries do it. If theyre going to do it, were going to" but then refused to offer more details. His comments on nuclear testing have drawn confusion inside and outside the government when the president seemed to suggest in a brief post that the US would resume nuclear warhead tests on an equal basis" with Russia and China, whose last known tests were in the 1990s. Some of Trumps comments seemed to refer to testing missiles that would deliver a warhead, rather than the warhead itself. There has been no indication that the US would start detonating warheads. The US military already regularly tests its missiles that are capable of delivering a nuclear warhead, but it has not detonated the weapons since 1992. The Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, which the US signed but did not ratify, has been observed since its adoption by all countries possessing nuclear weapons, North Korea being the only exception. The Pentagon has not responded to questions. The Energy Department, which oversees the US nuclear stockpile, declined to comment Friday. Trumps post on nuclear tests came as Russia this week announced it had tested a new atomic-powered and nuclear-capable underwater drone and a new nuclear-powered cruise missile. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Russia responded to Trumps post by underscoring that it did not test its nuclear weapons and has abided by a global ban on nuclear testing. The Kremlin warned though, that if the US resumes testing its weapons, Russia will as well an intensification that would restart Cold War-era tensions. Vice Adm. Richard Correll, Trumps nominee to lead the military command in charge of the nations nuclear arsenal, struggled to interpret the presidents comments when he testified before senators during a Capitol Hill hearing Thursday, telling them, Im not reading anything into it or reading anything out of it." (AP) GRS GRS Click here to add News18 as your preferred news source on Google. Join the fun, play games on News18 First Published: October 31, 2025, 23:29 IST News agency-feeds Trump declines to clarify if US will conduct tests of its nuclear weapons 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... Tuticorin Port signs investment proposals worth over 1 lakh crore Last Updated: October 31, 2025, 16:59 IST Representational image (Image: News18) Mumbai, Oct 31 (PTI) V.O. Chidambaranar Port Authority (VOCPA) on Friday said it signed 28 pacts with leading players in the green energy sector, collectively representing an investment exceeding Rs 1.27 lakh crore. VOCPA, Tuticorin in a statement said among the major memorandum of understandings (MoUs), the first was penned with Green Infra Renewable Energy Farms Private Limited (GIREFPL), a Sembcorp group company, for the establishment of a common storage farm or immediate tanking storage facility for green ammonia and other hydrogen derivatives, involving an investment of Rs 25,400 crore. Recommended Stories The second MoU was exchanged with ACME Green Hydrogen and Chemicals Private Limited for a 1,200 MTPD green ammonia project valued at Rs 12,000 crore, whilst the third was signed with CGS Energy Private Limited for a 300 TPD green ammonia production facility, at an investment of Rs 5,000 crore. VOCPA said these projects are set to significantly bolster the ports standing as a future-ready green hydrogen hub for southern India. VOC Port Authority Chairman Susanta Kumar Purohit said, To date, we have signed around 28 MoUs with key stakeholders, collectively valued at Rs 1.27 lakh crore (over USD 15 billion)." Purohit said these agreements emphasise port-driven industrialisation, green hydrogen and alternative fuels, alongside the integration of artificial intelligence into our port activities. We anticipate substantial inflows of investment and the generation of many new jobs as a result. We are working extremely hard to build VOC Port into a port of the future, with green energy initiatives and the development of an outer harbour," he said. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all With substantial backing from the Government of India, ports across the country are embracing renewable energy, green hydrogen, and decarbonisation measures to support the nations ambitious goal of becoming a global pacesetter in sustainable maritime operations. Against this backdrop, several MoUs were formalised during the India Maritime Week 2025. PTI BKS HVA Click here to add News18 as your preferred news source on Google. Join the fun, play games on News18 First Published: October 31, 2025, 16:59 IST News agency-feeds Tuticorin Port signs investment proposals worth over 1 lakh crore 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... UN urges US to stop deadly airstrikes on boats in Caribbean and Pacific Last Updated: November 01, 2025, 00:13 IST Representational image (Image: News18) Geneva [Switzerland], October 31 (ANI): The United Nations has urged the United States to immediately stop airstrikes on boats in the Caribbean and the Pacific, and prevent the extrajudicial killing of people."UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk said on Friday that over 60 people have reportedly been killed in a continuing series of attacks carried out by US armed forces against boats in the Caribbean and the Pacific since early September, in circumstances that find no justification in international law."These attacks, and their mounting human cost, are unacceptable. The US must halt such attacks and take all measures necessary to prevent the extrajudicial killing of people aboard these boats, whatever the criminal conduct alleged against them," Turk added.In recent weeks, the US military has intensified operations against drug-smuggling boats in international waters.More than 4,500 Marines and sailors, backed by naval and air assets, have been stationed in the Caribbean to strengthen anti-narcotics efforts against Venezuela. According to Turk, airstrikes on boats allegedly linked to drug trafficking" are not justified under international law. Airstrikes on boats in the Caribbean and the Pacific, allegedly linked to drug trafficking, violate international human rights law and are unacceptable," he said.He called on the US to use proper law enforcement measures instead of lethal military force. The authorities must maintain use of well-established law enforcement methods to respond to alleged illicit trafficking, including through lawfully intercepting boats and detaining suspects under the applicable rules of criminal law," the UN rights chief added.The United States has defended the operations, saying they are part of anti-drug and counterterrorism efforts. President Donald Trump has called the targeted boats narco-trafficking vessels" and said the attacks are needed to stop the flow of drugs into the country, as per CBS News. US War Secretary Pete Hegseth announced on Wednesday that the latest airstrike in the eastern Pacific targeted a boat carrying drugs, killing four people. It was the 14th strike since early September and the 15th boat destroyed. The total death toll from these operations has risen to at least 61.Last week Trump administration also hinted towards plans to target drug-trafficking routes and cocaine facilities inside Venezuela, though a final decision has not yet been made, according to CNN.Signs of a possible military buildup emerged, with War Secretary Pete Hegseth ordering the US Navys most advanced aircraft carrier strike group, the USS Gerald R Ford, to move from Europe to the Caribbean. The deployment comes as Washington increases its presence in the region to target drug cartels and related criminal networks.Turk rejected the argument that the strikes fall under the laws of war. Countering the serious issue of illicit trafficking of drugs across international borders is, as has long been agreed among States, a law-enforcement matter, governed by the careful limits on lethal force set out in international human rights law," he said.While acknowledging the challenges of tackling cross-border drug trafficking, the UN human rights chief urged Washington to follow international law and honour its commitments under anti-narcotics treaties.The US must act within the bounds of international human rights law," Turk said, stressing that the killings cannot be justified even in the name of combating crime. (ANI) Click here to add News18 as your preferred news source on Google. Join the fun, play games on News18 First Published: November 01, 2025, 00:13 IST News agency-feeds UN urges US to stop deadly airstrikes on boats in Caribbean and Pacific 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... Union Minister George Kurian launches marine fisheries census 2025 Last Updated: October 31, 2025, 19:14 IST Representational image (Image: News18) Kochi, Oct 31 (PTI) Union Minister George Kurian on Friday launched marine fisheries census 2025 and directed all fishermen as well as fish workers to register on a digital platform to avail financial benefits under central schemes. According to an official statement, Union Minister of State for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying George Kurian has officially launched the household enumeration phase of the National Marine Fisheries Census (MFC) 2025. The launch event was held at the ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) in Kochi. Recommended Stories The 45-day nationwide enumeration will be carried out from November 3 to December 18, covering over 1.2 million fisher households across 4,000 marine fishing villages in nine coastal states and four union territories. Kurian described the marine fisheries census as a landmark in Indias march towards digital and data-driven fisheries governance. This edition marks a major technological shift as the first fully digitised data collection in the history of Indian fisheries," he added. The minister asked all officers and enumerators participating in the census to ensure that all fishermen and fish workers are registered on the National Fisheries Digital Platform (NFDP). This is a mandatory requirement to access benefits under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Kisan Samridhi Sah-Yojana (PM-MKSSY). Only fishermen and fish farmers who are registered on the portal will be eligible to receive financial assistance from the Central government," he said. The registration could be conveniently carried out through Common Service Centres (CSCs). top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Following the official launch, the live field data collection from Maharashtra and Kerala was displayed on the screen at the venue, showcasing the real-time digital data capture and central monitoring of the enumeration process using two specially designed mobile applications VyAS Bharat and VyAS Sutra. The census is coordinated by the Department of Fisheries (DoF) of the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying under the Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY) with CMFRI as the nodal agency and Fishery Survey of India (FSI) as the operational partner. PTI MJH MJH SHW Click here to add News18 as your preferred news source on Google. Join the fun, play games on News18 First Published: October 31, 2025, 19:14 IST News agency-feeds Union Minister George Kurian launches marine fisheries census 2025 Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Vedanta Q2 PAT drops 38 pc to Rs 3,479 cr on one-time exceptional cost Last Updated: October 31, 2025, 16:59 IST Representational image (Image: News18) New Delhi, Oct 31 (PTI) Anil Agarwal-led Vedanta Ltd on Friday reported a 37.9 per cent decline in consolidated profit after tax to Rs 3,479 crore for the September quarter due to an exceptional item. The company had posted consolidated profit after tax (PAT) of Rs 5,603 crore in the year-ago period. Recommended Stories However, the company had posted an increase in total income to Rs 40,464 crore over Rs 38,934 crore in the corresponding quarter of the previous fiscal year, Vedanta said in a regulatory filing. The PAT was impacted due to exceptional item outgo of Rs 2,067 crore during the second quarter. Vedanta CFO Ajay Goel told PTI that the exceptional item is primarily due to a Rs 1,407 crore write-off from an adverse Supreme Court ruling on a power benefit claim and a Rs 660 crore settlement payment to SEPCO for an arbitration dispute at the Talwandi Sabo power unit. While Talwandi Sabo Power Ltd (TSPL) has filed a review petition before the Supreme Court, the receivable of Rs 1,407 crore is not recoverable and has been written off in the second quarter. The companys consolidated revenue during the second quarter rose 6 per cent to Rs 39,218 crore due to higher LME, premia and forex gain. Vedanta Executive Director said that the companys H1 FY26 performance reflects its resilience. The company delivered 8 per cent year-on-year EBITDA growth in a period marked by uncertainties and lower prices of key commodities. This performance is on the back of our disciplined approach, focusing on volume growth and cost reduction across businesses," he said. The company delivered strong progress on new projects, including commissioning of 1.3 GW of new power plant capacities, first metal production from new BALCO smelter, first alumina from 1.5 MTPA train 2 at Lanjigarh refinery and start of 160 KTPA Roaster at Debari, he said. Supported by this increased production capacity and the recovery in commodity prices, Vedanta is well positioned to deliver its best performance in FY26, with full year EBITDA surpassing the historic best EBITDA of USD 6 bn delivered in FY22," Vedanta Executive Director Arun Misra said. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all As on September 30, 2025, Vedantas gross debt stood at Rs 83,544 crore and net debt at Rs 62,063 crore. Vedanta Group is a global leader in critical minerals, energy transition metals, power, and technology, with operations spanning India, South Africa, Namibia, Liberia, the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Korea, Taiwan, and Japan. PTI SID TRB Click here to add News18 as your preferred news source on Google. Join the fun, play games on News18 First Published: October 31, 2025, 16:59 IST News agency-feeds Vedanta Q2 PAT drops 38 pc to Rs 3,479 cr on one-time exceptional cost 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... Vice President pays tributes to Sardar Patel on his 150th birth anniversary Last Updated: October 31, 2025, 09:29 IST Representational image (Image: News18) New Delhi, Oct 31 (PTI) Vice President C P Radhakrishnan on Friday paid tributes to Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel on his 150th birth anniversary, underlining his unwavering determination" and vision to unite a diverse nation into a single democratic republic. He said Patels invaluable leadership in nation-building, integration of princely states, and commitment to national unity remain a beacon of inspiration. Recommended Stories Sardar Patels legacy of patriotism, discipline and steadfast resolve continues to guide Indias progress and resilience. Let us recommit to uphold his ideals of unity and integrity," Radhakrishnan posted on X. PTI NAB AMJ AMJ Click here to add News18 as your preferred news source on Google. Join the fun, play games on News18 First Published: October 31, 2025, 09:29 IST News agency-feeds Vice President pays tributes to Sardar Patel on his 150th birth anniversary 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... Warfare becoming increasingly non-kinetic, non-contact: Army Chief Gen Dwivedi Last Updated: October 31, 2025, 17:59 IST Representational image (Image: News18) New Delhi, Oct 31 (PTI) Army Chief Gen Upendra Dwivedi on Friday said warfare is becoming increasingly non-kinetic and non-contact" owing to multiple factors and therefore demands a response that requires military strength, and intellectual, technological and moral preparedness. Chanakyas teachings remind us that the rising powers inevitably provoke countervailing coalitions", he said in his address at an event held at Manekshaw Centre here to mark the 150th birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. Recommended Stories National security involves preparing for strategic balancing, deterrence, and resilience against these counter reactions. Herein, our opportunities are immense, the demographic dividend of the worlds youngest population, transforming technologies, and a strategic geography," he said. Yet so, are the challenges, the Army chief added. In his keynote address, he emphasised the evolving nature of warfare and the responses needed in this scenario. Firstly, we have traditional rivalries and collusive threats leading to more than a half, that is more than two-and-a-half front challenges. Secondly, terrorism, proxy war, and internal threats still persist. Thirdly, and more importantly, disinformation campaigns seek to fracture our social fabric from within. Therefore warfare is becoming increasingly non-kinetic and non-contact. It flows through fibre cables, flickers on screens, circulates in wallets and ripples across our classrooms. Obviously, the response demands just not arms strength, but intellectual, technological and moral preparedness," Gen Dwivedi said. He further said in this era of multi-domain challenges, national security and nation building are inseparable, requiring a whole-of-nation approach", harnessing the combined resolve of governance, industry, academia and civil society. Union minister Kiren Rijiju also addressed the gathering of army officials, students and defence experts at the Chanakya Defence Dialogue: Young Leaders Forum hosted by the Army and defence think-tank Centre for Land Warfare Studies. Col Sofiya Qureshi, who was one of the prominent faces in media briefings on Operation Sindoor, also attended the event. The Army chief said in the recent Operation Sindoor, many amongst you would have been actively involved. Some as young military officers, some as NCC cadets, some in civil defence, some in drone labs, while some as social media warriors". And, with over 65 per cent of Indias population below the age of 35 and almost 50 per cent under 25, we are a nation of youth, a country of boundless energy, ideas, creativity and courage", adding Indias skilled human resource is one of our greatest instruments of power". In his address, he referred to the Gen Z population of the country, which he said, is the largest in the world. And though Indian Army is the worlds second largest, so Generation Z has beaten the Indian Army also," he said in a lighter vein. It stands at the centre of this new battle space, digitally fluent, socially aware and globally connected". They are Indias greatest strength if guided by discipline and direction. That is the melange of passion with purpose," he added. Gen Z or Generation Z refers to the demographic group born roughly between the late 1990s and early 2010s, with birth years varying by source, such as 1996-2010 or 1997-2012. It is with this very understanding of security as a collective enterprise, that the Indian Army has embarked on a decade of transformation focused on jointness with everybody, including the youth present today or connected to us, restructuring and modernising old structures while constantly evolving our human resources, he said. The troika of the industry, academia and the armed forces forms the backbone of this transformation". The youth have a role in each facet of this.., in labs, industries, start-ups, think-tanks and battlefields, apart from the traditional cradles of leadership, the Sainik School, military school, the NCC, which we are well known to. The army has now reached out to the youth through our 16 technology clusters. The Indian army sells in IITs and also commenced in 2025, a paid army internship programme," he added. This is because, the Army realises that the comprehensive national power is not only built on the security circles, but also in classrooms, communities and consciences. We, the men and women in uniform, rely on you in all fields, including the field of technology". So, today I would like to give a call to action to our youth," he said. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The Army chief also asserted that national security is not just about soldiers at the borders, its also about citizens and youths who refuse to be indifferent". It was announced at the event that Chanakya Defence Dialogue 2025 will be held in November on the theme Reform to Transform: Sashakt and Aur Surakshit Bharat" on November 27-28. PTI KND NB NB Click here to add News18 as your preferred news source on Google. Join the fun, play games on News18 First Published: October 31, 2025, 17:59 IST News agency-feeds Warfare becoming increasingly non-kinetic, non-contact: Army Chief Gen Dwivedi 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... Air India Seeks $1.14 Billion Lifeline From SIA And Tata: Report Published By : Reuters Last Updated: October 31, 2025, 09:09 IST Air India is seeking at least 100 billion rupees ($1.14 billion) in financial support from owners Singapore Airlines and Tata Sons Air India Air India is seeking at least 100 billion rupees ($1.14 billion) in financial support from owners Singapore Airlines and Tata Sons, Bloomberg News reported on Thursday, citing people familiar with the matter. The development follows a deadly Air India crash in June that killed more than 240 passengers, plunging the carrier into its worst crisis and complicating its push to restore its reputation and modernize its fleet. The Tata Group-owned carrier is requesting funds to overhaul Air Indias systems and services as well as developing in-house engineering and maintenance departments, the report said. Recommended Stories Any financial support would be proportional to ownership, Bloomberg said, adding that the owners would decide if the funding will be an interest-free loan or via equity. Tata Group, which bought Air India in 2022, has a 74.9% stake in the airline, with Singapore Airlines holding the rest. Reuters could not immediately verify the report. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Air India, Singapore Airlines and Tata Sons did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comment. Earlier this week, Air Indias CEO vowed to improve the carriers internal practices. ($1 = 87.8950 Indian rupees) 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 31, 2025, 09:09 IST News business Air India Seeks $1.14 Billion Lifeline From SIA And Tata: Report Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Lenskart IPO Receives 1.13x On Day 1: Should You Apply? Check GMP, Price, Recommendations Reported By : News18.com Last Updated: October 31, 2025, 17:29 IST Lenskart IPO News: On Day 1, the IPO receives a 1.13x subscription. Its retail category receives a 1.32x subscription, while the NII quota gets 0.41x subscription. Lenskart IPO GMP Today. Lenskart IPO GMP Today, Lenskart IPO News: Eyewear retailer Lenskart Solutions opened its initial public offer (IPO) today, Friday, October 31. The price band of the Rs 7,278-crore IPO has been fixed in the range of Rs 382-Rs 402 apiece. On the first day of the IPO, its GMP has increased to 18.41% despite high valuation concerns. On the first day of bidding on Friday, the IPO has been fully subscribed and has received a 1.13x subscription, garnering bids for 11,25,11,487 shares as against the 9,97,42,748 shares on offer. Its retail category has received a 1.32x subscription, while the NII (non-institutional investor) quota has received a 0.41x subscription. The QIB category received a 1.42x subscription. Recommended Stories A day before the IPO, Lenskart Solutions on Thursday garnered a blockbuster response from anchor investors, receiving bids of around Rs 68,000 crore. This is nearly 10 times the issue size of Rs 7,278 crore, and 20 times the anchor book size of more than Rs 3,200 crore. Lenskart IPO: Opening, Closing, Allotment, Listing Dates The IPO will be opened on October 31 and closed on November 4. Its allotment will be finalised on November 6, while the stock listing is scheduled to take place on November 10 on both BSE and NSE. Lenskart IPO GMP Today According to market observers, unlisted shares of Lenskart Solutions Ltd are currently trading at Rs 476 apiece in the grey market, a GMP of Rs 74 over the upper IPO price of Rs 402. It means a grey market premium (GMP) of 18.41%, indicating decent listing gains for investors. The GMP is based on market sentiments and keeps changing. Grey market premium indicates investors readiness to pay more than the issue price. Lenskart IPO: Brokerage Recommendations Analysts point towards the high valuation of the company. SBI Securities said that at the upper end of the price band, Lenskarts valuation stands at 10.1 times its FY25 EV/Sales and 68.7 times EV/EBITDA on a post-issue basis. The IPO comes at a price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 230x. The analysts at SBI Securities cautioned that the issue appears stretched on valuation, which may cap potential listing gains. However, they highlighted the companys strong business model and the significant growth opportunity in Indias expanding eyewear market as key positives. The brokerage also noted that profitability metrics will need close monitoring as the company continues to scale its operations. Lenskarts EBITDA margin has notably improved from 7% in FY23 to 14.7% in FY25, reflecting operational efficiency. Considering the companys long-term prospects, SBI Securities has recommended subscribing to the IPO for the long term at the cut-off price. Brokerage firm SIMFS recommends subscribing to the IPO, highlighting the strong growth runway in Indias eyewear market and Lenskarts tech-enabled business model. It pointed to the companys vertically integrated manufacturing ecosystem" and profitability turnaround. The firm noted that Indias eyewear industry is poised for exceptional growth projected to reach Rs 1,483 billion by FY30, clocking a 13% CAGR." It emphasised Lenskarts scale advantages, saying the firm produces 30-40 million lenses and 25 million frames annually eliminating 2.5-4x middlemen markups, enabling 70% gross margins." SIMFS recommended that the IPO is a high-risk, high-potential opportunity" given long-term growth tailwinds and Lenskarts execution track record. Choice Broking emphasised the expensive valuation, noting that at the upper end of its price band, LSL is valued at an EV/Sales of 9.9 (TTM basis), which appears significantly high." While acknowledging Lenskarts steady revenue growth and improving store economics, it highlighted that profitability remains weak, with a positive PAT mainly driven by other income and lower expenses." Choice Broking observed that around 40% of revenue now comes from international markets and referenced marquee investor interest, noting Radhakishan Damanis Rs 90-crore pre-IPO investment. Given growth prospects but high valuation, the brokerage said the issue is best suited for investors with a higher risk appetite and a long-term investment horizon," assigning a Subscribe for Long Term rating. Nirmal Bang highlighted Lenskarts omnichannel strategy, centralised manufacturing, and technology leverage as core strengths, saying these enable the company to remain cost competitive in the highly fragmented market" and scale faster than the industry." The brokerage noted strong financial momentum revenues and EBITDA grew at a CAGR of 32.5% and 92.3% over FY2325 and said the company has become PAT positive in FY25." However, it flagged valuations, saying, At FY25 P/E of 235x and EV/EBITDA of 68x, issue prima facie looks expensive." Still, when compared with other listed retailers like Metro and Trent, it said valuations seem fair," and future expansion plans provide cushion." Nirmal Bang recommended subscribing with long-term view." SBI MF Invests Rs 100 Crore In Lenskart SBI Optimal Equity Fund (AIF) and SBI Emergent Fund (AIF), invested Rs 100 crore in eyewear retailer Lenskart Solutions Limited through a pre-IPO transaction at a transfer price of Rs 402 per equity share. Last week, Billionaire investor Radhakishan Damani, founder of Avenue Supermarts (DMart), invested around Rs 90 crore in eyewear retailer Lenskart through a pre-IPO transaction. Lenskart IPO Price Band and Size The company has fixed the price band at Rs 382-402 per share for its IPO. At the upper end of the price band, Lenskart is seeking a valuation of around $7.91 billion (about Rs 72,700 crore). The issue includes a fresh issue of shares worth Rs 2,150 crore, while the offer-for-sale (OFS) segment will see promoters and investors offloading more than 12.75 crore equity shares. Key Selling Shareholders in the OFS Along with founders and promoters (Peyush Bansal, Neha Bansal, Amit Chaudhary, and Sumeet Kapahi), several major investors are participating in the OFS. These include SoftBanks SVF II Lightbulb (Cayman), Schroders Capital, PI Opportunities Fund, MacRitchie Investments, Kedaara Capital Fund, and Alpha Wave Ventures. Notably, Schroders Capital Private Equity Asia (Mauritius) is set to make a complete exit, selling 1.9 crore shares, which represent a 1.13% stake in the company. About Lenskart Founded in 2010, Lenskart began as an online eyewear retailer and has since grown into one of Indias leading omnichannel eyewear brands with both online and offline presence. The company was valued at $6.1 billion as of September 2025, according to Tracxn data cited by Reuters. In June 2025, the company transitioned into a public limited entity changing its name from Lenskart Solutions Private Limited to Lenskart Solutions Limited after an extraordinary general meeting held on May 30. Lenskart IPO Lead Managers and Objective The fresh issue will be used for business expansion, new investments, acquisitions and general corporate purposes. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The IPO will be managed by a consortium of top investment bankers, while the registrar and book-running lead managers will be responsible for allotment and investor coordination. With strong brand visibility, a robust online-offline model, and solid investor backing, the Lenskart IPO is expected to generate significant interest among both retail and institutional investors. About the Author Mohammad Haris Haris is Deputy News Editor (Business) at news18.com. He writes on various issues related to personal finance, markets, economy and companies. Having over a decade of experience in financial journalis... Read More First Published: October 31, 2025, 09:33 IST News business ipo Lenskart IPO Receives 1.13x On Day 1: Should You Apply? Check GMP, Price, Recommendations Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... The opening of a major exhibition of Mexican art in four Spanish venues has become a gesture of rapprochement between the two countries Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares said on Friday that the history shared between Spain and Mexico, like all human history, has its light and dark sides. There has been pain and injustice toward the Indigenous peoples. There was injustice, and it is right to acknowledge it and regret it. This is part of our shared history; we cannot deny or forget it. He made these remarks during the opening of the major exhibition called La mitad del mundo. La mujer en el Mexico indigena (Half the World: Women in Indigenous Mexico) at the Instituto Cervantes, one of four venues showcasing over 400 works of art lent by the Mexican government of Claudia Sheinbaum, which is on display until March. This exhibition is a milestone in our relations and our brotherhood, Albares continued. The deeper meaning of what we are inaugurating goes far beyond these pieces. The foreign minister also recognized the women whom Sheinbaum has been honoring throughout 2025, which Mexico declared the Year of Indigenous Women: Today we reclaim the voices of so many women who were silenced. A fair recognition of who they were and who they are. Spain has thus taken a fundamental step in its rapprochement with Mexico after relations between the two countries which share centuries of history became frosty when former Mexican president Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, in 2019, wrote to Spains King Felipe VI requesting an apology for the abuses of the conquest. While this was not an explicit request for an apology, the event has become the most significant gesture by the Spanish government after not responding to the former Mexican presidents letter. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum acknowledged this hours later: Congratulations on this first step, Spanish foreign minister, she said from the National Palace, noting it was the first time a Spanish official spoke of regretting the injustices of the Spanish conquest. Forgiveness elevates nations; it is not humiliating. On the contrary. Recognizing history, acknowledging grievances, asking for forgiveness or expressing regret and embracing it as part of history elevates governments, she added. Sheinbaum, who had not directly requested an apology from Spain until this Monday, recalled that the letter sent by her predecessor to the Spanish monarch was very diplomatic. We never agreed with how they responded, said Sheinbaum. On Friday, on the eve of Day of the Dead a very significant date in Mexico that response arrived. Sources say this act on the surface a cultural event was meticulously organized for nearly a year at the highest diplomatic levels of both countries, almost as an exercise of apapachar a Mexican term meaning to caress the soul which was also the title of the song that closed the exhibition opening. Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares (r) greets the Mexican ambassador to Spain, Juan Nepomuceno. Rodrigo Jimenez (EFE) Luis Garcia Montero, director of the Instituto Cervantes, inaugurated the event at the institutions Madrid venue, which hosts the section on Indigenous textile culture, and helped set the tone for the ceremony. The involvement of the two governments is proof of the efforts of two countries committed to culture and to fostering mutual recognition. Diplomacy is exercised through words, memory, and shared expression, said the writer and director. The remaining six speeches by institutional representatives reinforced the shared narrative both countries wished to convey. The event recognized Indigenous communities, Mexican culture, and the legacy of a people whose subjugation during the conquest was openly acknowledged. Phrases such as This is not just an exhibition, It is a recognition of Mexican women, and It is a space of respect and future were repeated. Colonial domination was acknowledged. Constant praise was given for the collaboration between the two countries, especially the Mexican president and the Spanish Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Culture, with attendees even shouting: Viva Mexico y viva Espana! All the speeches followed the same script: a show of unity around a mandate from both governments: a rapprochement after relations between the two countrieswith a shared history spanning centurieswere frozen when former President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador demanded in 2019 that the King apologize for the atrocities of the conquest. In a way, it was a grand act of recognition of Mexican culture from Madrid at the highest diplomatic level. Diego Prieto, a spokesperson for Mexicos Ministry of Culture, said that the exhibition is a dual acknowledgment: Of the Indigenous peoples who were subjected to colonial domination but were able to resist; and of women, who have made significant progress, although more work is needed to counter centuries of male domination over women. Prieto also read aloud the letter that Sheinbaum asked him to read on October 8, when the first exhibition opened at Casa de Mexico in Madrid: The conquest was a brutal process of violence, imposition, and dispossession. It sought to destroy not just territories, but entire cultures, ancient knowledge, languages, and ways of life. Indigenous women suffered especially from this onslaught: they were silenced, displaced, and violated. Yet they resisted. [] Honoring this legacy means recognizing abuses of the past and present. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum speaks during a press conference on October 30 at the National Palace in Mexico City. Mario Guzman (EFE) On Monday, Sheinbaum emphasized the exhibitions importance in a press conference: We continue to promote the great civilizations that existed before the Spaniards, which shaped our country. And we continue to promote them abroad so that Spaniards can appreciate Mexicos cultural greatness. She also stressed that Mexico maintains relations with Spain. 2019: Year of the rupture In 2019, Lopez Obrador sent a letter to Felipe VI suggesting a joint ceremony in which the monarchy would assume responsibility for the atrocities committed during the conquest of Mexico and the years of the viceroyalty. The Mexican government interpreted the lack of response as disdain by the Spanish monarchy, and relations remained stalled until now, when the two countries have found art to be an alternative means of rapprochement. Beyond this major exhibition, the rapprochement has also included awarding the Princess of Asturias prizes to photographer Graciela Iturbide and the National Museum of Anthropology. In her speech during the awards ceremony last Friday, Princess Leonor expressed her desire to visit the museum and highlighted its importance: It preserves, exhibits, and disseminates Mexicos pre-Hispanic legacy and Indigenous culture. Minister Albares also noted that next year Mexico will be the guest country at Fitur, Spains major tourism fair. For the first time, all 32 states of Mexico will be represented in Madrid, according to Mexican embassy sources. The Museo de America will host additional cultural activities, along with other joint initiatives that, for now, neither country wishes to reveal. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition Orkla India IPO Receives 48.74x Subscription On Day 3; Check Latest GMP Reported By : News18.com Last Updated: October 31, 2025, 17:27 IST Unlisted shares of Orkla India Ltd are trading at Rs 802 apiece in the grey market, which is nearly 10% GMP over the upper IPO price of Rs 730, indicating mild listing gains. Orkla India IPO GMP Today. Orkla India IPO GMP Today: The initial public offering (IPO) of Orkla India, which owns spices and condiments brands MTR and Eastern, witnessed its final day of bidding today, Thursday, October 30. The Rs 1,667.5-crore mainboard IPO has been closed today, October 31. The price band was fixed at Rs 695 to Rs 730 per share. On the final day of bidding on Friday, the IPO received a 48.74x subscription, garnering bids for 77,97,67,200 shares as against the 1,59,99,104 shares on offer. Its retail category has received a 7.06x subscription, while the NII (non-institutional investor) quota has received a 54.42x subscription. The QIB category received a 117.63x subscription. Recommended Stories Also Read: Lenskart IPO Opens Amid Valuation Debate: Should You Apply? Check GMP, Price, Recommendations On Tuesday, the company raised around Rs 500 crore from anchor investors, a day before its maiden public opening for subscription. The allotment saw participation from a strong mix of leading domestic and global institutional investors. Orkla India IPO GMP Today According to market observers, unlisted shares of Orkla India Ltd are currently trading at Rs 802 apiece in the grey market, against the upper IPO price of Rs 730. It means a grey market premium (GMP) of 9.86%, indicating mild listing gains for investors. The GMP is based on market sentiments and keeps changing. Grey market premium indicates investors readiness to pay more than the issue price. Orkla India IPO: Should You Apply? Brokerages hold mixed views on the Orkla India IPO. According to SBI Securities, the company is virtually debt-free, maintains healthy return ratios and margins, and consistently generates stable cash flows of Rs 300-400 crore annually. Its flagship brands, MTR and Eastern, command a strong presence in Karnataka and Kerala. Over the past three years, Orkla has reported a CAGR of 5% in sales, 12.9% in EBITDA, and 22.9% in PBT. However, its adjusted profit after tax (PAT) fell from Rs 338 crore in FY23 to Rs 289 crore in FY25, primarily due to a one-time tax reversal in FY23. SBI Securities noted that at the upper end of the price band of Rs 730 per share, the IPO is valued at 34.6 times its FY25 earnings on a post-issue basis. The brokerage believes the issue appears fairly valued considering the companys growth record and has assigned it a Neutral rating, preferring to monitor its performance post-listing. In contrast, Arihant Capital has given a Subscribe for long term recommendation, citing Orkla Indias capital-efficient and debt-free business model that ensures steady cash flow generation and robust margins. It values the company at a P/E of 31.68 times FY25 earnings, reflecting its leadership in key categories, strong profitability, and long-term growth potential. For FY25, Orkla India posted revenue of Rs 2,394.7 crore, adjusted EBITDA of Rs 396.4 crore (margin of 16.6%), and PAT of Rs 255.7 crore (margin of 10.7%). Arihant Capital highlighted that the companys return ratios remain among the best in the sector, with ROCE (return on capital employed) at 32.7%, significantly outperforming its peers. Orkla India, formerly known as MTR Foods, is a multi-category Indian food company. It manufactures products as spices and masalas, ready-to-eat, sweets and breakfast mixes, under prominent brands such as MTR, Rasoi Magic, and Eastern. The company sells its products under the brands MTR and Eastern. Orkla India will make its debut on the stock exchanges on November 6. Orkla India IPO: Valuation, Lot Size & Price Band The company has fixed a price band of Rs 695 to Rs 730 per share, aiming for a valuation of around Rs 10,000 crore at the upper end. The companys 1,667.5-crore IPO is a complete offer for sale (OFS) of 2.28 crore equity shares by promoter and other shareholders, with no fresh issue component. Under the OFS, promoter Orkla Asia Pacific Pte and shareholders Navas Meeran and Feroz Meeran are offloading shares. Currently, promoters Orkla Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd and Norwegian industrial investment company Orkla ASA hold 90 per cent stake, while Navas Meeran and Feroz Meeran own 5 per cent stake each in the company. Since it is an OFS, the company will not receive any proceeds from the IPO and the entire money will go to the selling shareholders. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Orkla India IPO: Closing, Allotment, Listing Dates The IPO will remain open for public subscription between October 29 and October 31. Its share allotment will be finalised on November 3, while the stock listing is scheduled to take place on November 6 on both the BSE and the NSE. About the Author Mohammad Haris Haris is Deputy News Editor (Business) at news18.com. He writes on various issues related to personal finance, markets, economy and companies. Having over a decade of experience in financial journalis... Read More First Published: October 31, 2025, 10:18 IST News business ipo Orkla India IPO Receives 48.74x Subscription On Day 3; Check Latest GMP 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... BEL Q2 Results: Net Profit Jumps 17.8% YoY To Rs 1,287 Crore, Revenue Surges 25.8% Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: October 31, 2025, 13:43 IST BEL Q2 Results: Its revenue from operations during July-September 2025 surges 25.8 per cent to Rs 5,792.09 crore, compared with Rs 4,604.90 crore in the year-ago period. BEL Q2 Results. BEL Q2 Results 2025: State-owned Bharat Electronics Ltd on Friday reported a 17.78 per cent year-on-year (YoY) jump in its consolidated net profit to Rs 1,287.16 crore for the second quarter ended September 30 (Q2 FY26). Its revenue from operations during July-September 2025 surged 25.8 per cent to Rs 5,792.09 crore, compared with Rs 4,604.90 crore in the year-ago period. Its net profit had stood at Rs 1,092.78 crore in the corresponding period last year, according to a regulatory filing. Recommended Stories On a quarterly basis, BELs net profit surged 32.82 per cent as compared with Rs 969.05 crore in Q1 FY26. On a standalone basis, Bharat Electronics Ltds net profit rose 17.85% YoY to Rs 1,286 crore as compared to Rs 1,091.27 crore reported in the year-ago period. At the operational level, its Ebitda during the September 2025 quarter increased 22 per cent to Rs 1,695.6 crore from Rs 1,388 crore, while its Ebitda margin fell to 29.42% from 30.30% YoY. Ebitda stands for earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation. After the results announcement, shares of BEL jumped 2.76% to trade at Rs 421.5 apiece on the NSE, as of 1:18 pm. BELs order book as on October 1, 2025, stood at Rs 74,453 crore. BEL Bags Rs 732-Crore Defence Orders A day before the Q2 results, Navratna defence PSU Bharat Electronics Ltd (BEL) on Thursday announced fresh defence orders worth Rs 732 crore since its last disclosure on October 22, 2025. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The newly secured contracts cover a wide range of advanced defence and technology systems, including Software Defined Radios (SDRs), tank sub-systems, communication equipment, missile components, financial management software, cybersecurity solutions, upgrades, spares, and related services. In addition, BEL had earlier received a major order worth 633 crore on October 22, 2025, from Cochin Shipyard Limited. The contract involves supplying critical components for sensors, weapon systems, fire control mechanisms, and communication equipment. About the Author Mohammad Haris Haris is Deputy News Editor (Business) at news18.com. He writes on various issues related to personal finance, markets, economy and companies. Having over a decade of experience in financial journalis... Read More First Published: October 31, 2025, 13:19 IST News business markets BEL Q2 Results: Net Profit Jumps 17.8% YoY To Rs 1,287 Crore, Revenue Surges 25.8% Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... India's Gold Investment Hits Record $10 Billion In September Quarter, Says WGC Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: October 31, 2025, 06:30 IST Gold investment in India hit a record $10 billion in the September quarter, says World Gold Council. Investors shift from jewellery to bullion, bars, coins, and ETFs amid global uncertainty. Rising gold prices have sparked a strong wave of investment demand across India, with investors pouring nearly $10 billion into gold bars and coins in the September quarter, according to the World Gold Council (WGC). The surge pushed investments share of total gold consumption in India to an all-time high. Sachin Jain, CEO of WGC India, said gold has increasingly become a mainstream asset class as more investors diversify their portfolios. Even people with little prior exposure are adding gold to their holdings. We believe investors interest in gold will continue and grow in the coming quarters," Jain noted. Recommended Stories He said the festive and wedding seasons helped lift sentiment after a sluggish start to the year, when jewellery demand had remained muted due to high prices. Despite this, India saw record investment demand, reflecting a clear shift from ornamental to investment-driven buying. Globally too, gold had a historic quarter, with total demand reaching 1,313 tonnes, the highest ever recorded. Of this, investment demand accounted for 524 tonnes, highlighting a global preference for gold as a safe asset amid economic uncertainty and volatile markets. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all In India, investment demand touched 91.6 tonnes, up 74.5% by value, totalling about Rs 88,970 crore, led largely by purchases of bullion, bars, coins, and an increasing share of exchange-traded funds (ETFs). Jain said while jewellery consumption has softened worldwide due to elevated prices, investors growing confidence in golds long-term value is reshaping the market. This quarter has clearly marked a turning point gold is no longer seen just as jewellery but as a vital part of wealth preservation," he added. About the Author Varun Yadav Varun Yadav is a Sub Editor at News18 Business Digital. He writes articles on markets, personal finance, technology, and more. He completed his post-graduation diploma in English Journalism from the I... Read More First Published: October 31, 2025, 06:30 IST News business savings-and-investments India's Gold Investment Hits Record $10 Billion In September Quarter, Says WGC 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... Starlink Internet Launch Date: Elon Musk's Satcom Firm Begins Hiring In India Curated By : News18.com Edited By: Mohammad Haris Last Updated: October 31, 2025, 12:54 IST Job postings on SpaceX careers portal show openings across finance and accounting, including positions like accounting manager, payments manager, treasury analyst and tax manager. In terms of cost, the one-time Starlink setup fee is expected to be around Rs 30,000 or higher, while monthly subscription plans could start at approximately Rs 3,300, according to reports. Starlink India Latest News: SpaceX-owned Starlink has begun its first round of hiring in India, a key milestone as the Elon Musk-backed company prepares for its satellite broadband debut in the country. Job postings on the SpaceX careers portal show openings across finance and accounting, including positions such as accounting manager, payments manager, senior treasury analyst and tax manager. All roles are based in Bengaluru, which will function as Starlinks primary operational base in India. Recommended Stories As Starlink expands its global footprint to deliver low-latency satellite broadband services worldwide, its Indian subsidiary is looking to hire an accounting manager to oversee financial reporting and compliance," the company said in one of its listings. Another posting for the payments role states that the selected candidate will manage end-to-end payments and risk operations, working closely with global teams, with the scope to take on broader responsibilities later. Starlink has made it clear that it will only consider locally based applicants with valid work permits, with no remote or hybrid options on offer. When Will Starlink Services Be Launched in India? Starlink has been targeting a late-2025 or early-2026 commercial launch in India and is currently working through security and regulatory requirements. Earlier this week, the company reportedly demonstrated its satellite broadband network to law-enforcement agencies in Mumbai, enabling checks on lawful interception and other cybersecurity protocols, a key step before the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) allocates spectrum. SpaceX is also building out ground infrastructure. Officials are likely to inspect three ground stations already set up in Mumbai, which will act as the networks initial India hub. Starlink has applied to establish gateways in Mumbai, Chennai and Noida, with plans to scale to 9-10 locations including Chandigarh, Kolkata and Lucknow after launch. As part of its localisation strategy, Starlink has leased a 1,294-sq-ft office in Chandivali, Mumbai. Lease records accessed through Propstack show the agreement, signed on October 14, carries a monthly rent of Rs 3.52 lakh, a 5% annual escalation and a security deposit of Rs 31.7 lakh. Starlink Price In India In terms of cost, the one-time Starlink setup fee is expected to be around Rs 30,000 or higher, while monthly subscription plans could start at approximately Rs 3,300. Pricing is also likely to vary depending on the users location. According to reports, Starlink might charge a one-time installation fee between Rs 30,000 and Rs 35,000, and the monthly plans could range from Rs 3,000 to Rs 4,200, depending on location and usage. These prices position Starlink as a premium service, potentially accessible to those who can afford higher internet costs for better service quality. Competition Warming Up Once commercial services begin, Starlink will compete with Eutelsat OneWeb and Jio Satellite. All three have obtained core regulatory approvals but are awaiting final spectrum allocation as the DoT and TRAI finalise pricing and rollout norms. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Meanwhile, Amazon is also stepping up hiring for its Project Kuiper unit in India, awaiting a satcom licence from the DoT and clearance from IN-SPACe. Through Amazon Kuiper Services India Pvt Ltd, the company has recently advertised roles including head of telco business development, go-to-market lead for India and programme leads for enterprise and retail segments. With Starlink and Kuiper moving in tandem and domestic satcom players scaling up, Indias satellite broadband race is entering its execution phase, with hiring and infrastructure rollout now firmly underway. About the Author Business Desk A team of writers and reporters decodes vast terms of personal finance and making money matters simpler for you. From latest initial public offerings (IPOs) in the market to best investment options, w... Read More First Published: October 31, 2025, 12:50 IST News business Starlink Internet Launch Date: Elon Musk's Satcom Firm Begins Hiring In India Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... DRI Seizes Drugs Worth Rs 47 Crore At Mumbai Airport, 5 Arrested Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: October 31, 2025, 20:33 IST DRI officials seized 4.7 kg of cocaine that was hidden inside coffee pockets and brought to the airport to be smuggled out of the country. The drugs seized at the Mumbai airport were hidden inside coffee packets. (News18) The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) busted a major drug trafficking network, seizing drugs worth Rs 47 crore at the Mumbai International Airport. Five people have been arrested in this regard. According to the information available, DRI officials seized 4.7 kg of cocaine that was hidden inside coffee pockets and brought to the airport. Two passengers were among those who were arrested for trying to smuggle the drugs out of the airport. Recommended Stories This came after the Mumbai Zonal unit of the DRI seized Chinese-origin firecrackers worth Rs 4.4 crore at Nhava Sheva Port as part of Operation Fire Trail. A 40-foot container declared as carrying glass bottles" concealed 29,340 firecrackers, attempting to evade detection, according to reports. The import of firecrackers is restricted under the Foreign Trade Policy, requiring clearances from the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) and the Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO) under the Explosives Rules, 2008, he said. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all In October 2025 alone, the Mumbai Zonal Unit of the DRI seized fireworks worth around Rs 16 crore. The operation highlights DRIs ongoing efforts to curb smuggling and ensure border security. Prior to this, the DRI exposed a gold smuggling racket operating with insider help at the Mumbai Airport, which led to the arrest of two cleaning staff members. Alert officers immediately retrieved the packet and found it contained gold dust in wax form, wrapped in a white cloth and concealed in the upper corner of the aerobridge. The gold, weighing 1.2 kg and valued at around Rs 1.6 crore, was seized on the spot. About the Author Aveek Banerjee Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master's in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in int... Read More First Published: October 31, 2025, 20:25 IST News mumbai-news DRI Seizes Drugs Worth Rs 47 Crore At Mumbai Airport, 5 Arrested Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Maharashtra To Finalise Farm Loan Waiver Decision By June 2026: CM Devendra Fadnavis Reported By : News18.com Last Updated: October 31, 2025, 13:45 IST Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis said, All stages for the farm loan waiver have been determined...the waiver decision will be finalised before June 30, 2026. Rapid Read + Follow us On Google Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis said the immediate priority is to ensure urgent financial assistance to farmers affected by excess rainfall. (File) Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has announced that the state government will make a final decision on the farm loan waiver before June 30, 2026. This assurance came after a crucial meeting in Mumbai as farmer groups raised demands for immediate relief from debt. A high-level committee, chaired by MITRA CEO Pravin Pardeshi, has been formed to advise the government on how to implement the waiver and prevent farmers from falling back into debt in the long term. Recommended Stories The committee, which includes senior officials from various departments and representatives of the cooperative and banking sectors, is expected to submit its report in April 2026. Speaking to the media after the meeting, Fadnavis said, All stages for the farm loan waiver have been determined. The government remains committed to the promise made in our election manifesto, and the waiver decision will be finalised before June 30, 2026." Farmer leaders present at the meeting, including Bacchu Kadu, Raju Shetti and others, expressed satisfaction with the assurance and announced the suspension of their ongoing protests. The Chief Minister emphasised that the immediate priority is to ensure urgent financial assistance to farmers affected by excess rainfall. According to Fadnavis, the government has so far distributed Rs 8,500 crore, with Rs 6,000 crore already credited to farmers bank accounts. He added that another Rs 11,000 crore would be released within the next two days, while Rs 1,500 crore more has been allocated for further aid. Ninety per cent of farmers are expected to receive payments in the next 15 days. The new committee has been given six months to submit its recommendations, including criteria for eligibility and steps to safeguard farmers against future debt. The panel is tasked with proposing both short- and long-term measures to improve the standard of living for Maharashtras farmers. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The governments timeline and detailed action plan have been welcomed by farmer representatives. The meeting also saw the participation of Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar, state ministers, and key officials. Post meeting with CM and Deputy CMs, Bacchu Kadu said, We had come to meet CM and DCMs to get the exact date for implementation of loan waiver. Today we got that date, hence we all are satisfied with it. We also appreciate the support which we got from other political parties. As of now we are ending our agitation, but if the government fails to deliver their promise then we will again take an aggressive stand." 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 31, 2025, 13:45 IST News mumbai-news Maharashtra To Finalise Farm Loan Waiver Decision By June 2026: CM Devendra Fadnavis Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Mumbai Man Kills Uncle At Thane Hospital By Smashing His Head On Stairs; Arrested Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: October 31, 2025, 16:43 IST A man from Mumbai was arrested for allegedly killing his uncle at a hospital by smashing his head on hospital steps. Image used for representation In a shocking case, a 26-year-old man allegedly killed his maternal uncle in Thane. As per the police, he smashed his uncles head against the steps of a hospital on Thursday night. The accused was arrested on Friday. Accused Ganesh Ramesh Pujari and victim 40-year-old Mariappa Raju Nair are residents of Goregaon in Mumbai. The reason behind this brutal crime remains uncertain. Recommended Stories The police shared further details and said the accused first allegedly slammed his uncle Nairs head against the steps of a hospital in Kalyan. He then lifted Nair and smashed him on the stairs, killing him. The police were informed and Pujari was taken into custody from the spot, the official said. Knife Attack On KEM Hospital Doctor In another case reported from Mumbai on Wednesday, a 26-year-old doctor of civic-run KEM hospital was attacked with a knife by three persons, including the brother of a woman with whom he was in a relationship. The incident occurred on Wednesday morning near a Hanuman temple outside the hospital in Parel, police said. Dr Vishal Yadav was attacked by the brother of his girlfriend, who also works in the CVTS department of the hospital. The womans kin got to know about their relationship recently," the official said. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The womans brother Farid Khan, along with his associate Nabil and one more person attacked Yadav with a knife, inflicting serious injuries on the doctor. The three have been booked under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita provisions. Further probe is underway," the Bhoiwada police station official said. (PTI inputs) About the Author News Desk The News Desk is a team of passionate editors and writers who break and analyse the most important events unfolding in India and abroad. From live updates to exclusive reports to in-depth explainers, ... Read More First Published: October 31, 2025, 16:20 IST News mumbai-news Mumbai Man Kills Uncle At Thane Hospital By Smashing His Head On Stairs; Arrested 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... Rs 72 Lakh Earned In 7 Months: This Mumbai Spot Has No Vehicles, Toll Or Rides Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: October 31, 2025, 19:43 IST In March, the BMC inaugurated the Malabar Hill Nature Trail which is inspired by Singapores famous Tree Top Walk Rapid Read + Follow us On Google This beautiful forest walkway offers visitors a peaceful escape in the middle of the busy city. (PTI) Neither vehicles, nor toll, but this Mumbai spot has earned Rs 72 lakh for the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) in the past seven months. The spot is the elevated natural trail walkway at Malabar Hill. In March, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) inaugurated the nature trail, inspired by Singapores famous Tree Top Walk after construction for four years. So far, more than 2,91,836 tourists have visited this trail. The BMC has earned more than Rs 72,98,950 from this trail, News18 Marathi reported. Recommended Stories The Malabar Hill nature trail This beautiful forest walkway offers visitors a peaceful escape in the middle of the busy city. The trail connects Kamala Nehru Park to Doongerwadi Woods, giving nature lovers a unique way to experience the citys green spaces. Managed by the BMC, the project aims to bring people closer to nature while maintaining the beauty of the environment. Explained | Malabar Hill Walkway To Get Rooftop Cafeteria: Snacks With View Of Queens Necklace For Mumbaiites This project, built in the Kamala Nehru Park and Ferozshah Mehta Park area, has become popular since the summer vacation. When can you visit? This place is open to everyone daily from 5 AM to 9 PM. The entry fee is Rs 25 for Indian citizens and Rs 100 for foreign tourists. Many tourists from Mumbai and from across the country and abroad visit here. Walking through the greenery, tourists get a unique experience of seeing the panoramic view of the sea. There are restrictions on carrying food as it may attract monkeys. Visitors are only allowed to carry water bottles. Visitors can book their tickets online for easy access on: https://naturetrail.mcgm.gov.in/ What is special about this place? Mumbais rich biodiversity is the biggest attraction. You can see more than 200 plant species, various types of birds, and reptiles here. From one spot, you can also see the charming view of Girgaon Chowpatty. Hence, this place is special for nature lovers and photographers. How to reach Malabar Hill viewing gallery? The 485-meter-long, 2.4-meter-wide trail is enveloped in vibrant greenery, showcasing over 100 plant species, including gulmohar, almond, jamun, and banyan trees. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all These trees attract many birds, like kingfishers, bulbuls, and parakeets. Visitors may also spot small reptiles, including lizards and pythons, living in their natural habitat. The entry and exit points are located at Siri Road, behind Kamala Nehru Park, making the trail easily accessible to the public. 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 31, 2025, 17:15 IST News mumbai-news Rs 72 Lakh Earned In 7 Months: This Mumbai Spot Has No Vehicles, Toll Or Rides 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... RPSC 2nd Grade Teacher Exam Scorecard 2025 Out: How To Download Result? Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: October 31, 2025, 17:05 IST RPSC 2nd Grade Scorecard 2025:Scores for all subjects of the RPSC 2nd Grade Examination, including English, Hindi, Maths, Sanskrit, Science, and Social Science, are now available. RPSC 2nd Grade Scorecard 2025 at rpsc.rajasthan.gov.in. (Representative/PTI) The Rajasthan Public Service Commission (RPSC) has released the scorecards for the 2nd Grade Teacher Examination held in December 2024. Participants of these exams can now download their scorecards from the commissions official website at rpsc.rajasthan.gov.in. Candidates can download their scorecards in PDF format by entering their Date of Birth and Roll Number on the official portal. The scores for all subjects of the RPSC 2nd Grade Examination, including English, Hindi, Maths, Sanskrit, Science, and Social Science, has been announced by the commission. Recommended Stories RPSC 2nd Grade Scorecard 2025: How To Download? Step 1: Go to the official website at rpsc.rajasthan.gov.in. Step 2: On the home page, go to the Results section. Step 3: Click on the link for Senior Teacher Combined Exam 2025. Step 4: Enter your roll number and DOB on the login page. Step 5: Click the submit button. Step 6: The scorecard will appear on your screen; download it. Step 7: Keep a printout for future reference. The RPSC 2nd Grade Teacher Exam was conducted from September 7 to 12, 2025 in two shifts each day, across multiple exam centres in the state. The first shift ran from 10 am to noon, while the second shift took place from 3 pm to 5:30 pm. The recruitment aims to fill 2,129 vacancies in various subjects including Social Science, Hindi, Science, Sanskrit, Urdu, Mathematics, English, and Punjabi. RPSC 2nd Grade Exam Pattern top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The recruitment exam features all objective-type questions. It is divided into two parts: Paper I and Paper II. Paper I, worth 200 marks, will consist of 100 multiple-choice questions and last 2 hours. Paper II, worth 300 marks, includea 150 multiple-choice questions and is 2 hours and 30 minutes long. Both papers carry negative markings, with one-third of the marks for each incorrect answer being deducted. The Rajasthan Public Service Commission (RPSC) is a state-level organisation that manages all administrative recruitments in Rajasthan. Every year, RPSC conducts numerous teaching and non-teaching recruitments around the state. 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 31, 2025, 16:52 IST News education-career RPSC 2nd Grade Teacher Exam Scorecard 2025 Out: How To Download Result? 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... Insult To Bihar: Congress Claims NDA Didnt Let Nitish Kumar Speak At 26-Second Manifesto Release Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: October 31, 2025, 14:52 IST Veteran Congress leader Ashok Gehlot questioned why NDA leaders did not preside over a detailed press conference and explain aspects of their manifesto. Rapid Read Choose News18 on Google Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Deputy CM Samrat Choudhary during release of the National Democratic Alliance's (NDA) manifesto for the upcoming state Assembly elections, in Patna. (IMAGE: PTI) The Congress on Friday claimed that the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) did not allow Chief Minister Nitish Kumar to speak at the release of the ruling coalitions manifesto for the upcoming elections, saying that it was an insult to the people of Bihar. Veteran Congress leader Ashok Gehlot claimed that NDAs manifesto release programme lasted only 26 seconds". Recommended Stories He also questioned why Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Chaudhary spoke about the manifesto and not CM Nitish Kumar. Was he (Nitish Kumar) not in a position to speak about it?" he asked and described the NDAs manifesto as a string of lies". Congress Rajya Sabha MP Akhilesh Prasad Singh, who is also present at Gehlots press meet, said, Nitish Kumar was not allowed to speak on the manifesto. It was disrespect for Bihar and Biharis." They just carried out a routine procedure of releasing a manifesto. This shows they have no commitment to the manifesto. If they were committed, they would have all sat together and explained it," he told news agency ANI. CM Nitish Kumar, his deputy Samrat Choudhary, BJP president JP Nadda, Union ministers Dharmendra Pradhan, Jitan Ram Manjhi, Chirag Paswan and other leaders of alliance partners released the NDAs manifesto in less than a minute, according to a report by PTI. All then left the venue, except the deputy CM who remained and answered a few questions from journalists. An announcement was made from the dais that the leaders had to leave as they had poll-related engagements. The NDA leaders came to the press conference which lasted merely 26 seconds. They were afraid to face questions from journalists on the manifesto, as well as on their governance," Gehlot said. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all He said he wondered whether the Bihar CM was not in a position" to speak about it. In the manifesto, the NDA promised jobs to one crore youth, making of one crore Lakhpathi Didi, metro train services in four more cities and seven international airports in the state. Seven expressways, 10 industrial parks, free quality education from KG to PG and Rs 2000 aid per month for SC students pursuing higher education are some of the other features of the manifesto. About the Author Shankhyaneel Sarkar Shankhyaneel Sarkar is a Chief Sub-Editor at News18. He covers international affairs, where he focuses on breaking news to in-depth analyses. He has over seven years of experience during which he has ... Read More First Published: October 31, 2025, 14:52 IST News elections Insult To Bihar: Congress Claims NDA Didnt Let Nitish Kumar Speak At 26-Second Manifesto Release 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... White smoke rises from the wheels of a Toyota Camry hemmed in by pickup trucks belonging to immigration officers who have chased the driver down a street in South Los Angeles. It seems the driver wants to flee, but there is no escape. One of the officers on the scene pulls out his pistol and fires. The man behind the wheel, an undocumented Mexican named Carlitos Ricardo Parias, but better known by his TikTok handle, Richard LA, who documents and reports on immigration raids, gets a bullet in his arm. Another bullet hits the hand of a sheriffs office deputy. Parias is taken to hospital, accused of assaulting a federal officer, and will have to face immigration proceedings. The incident occurred on October 21, but similar events have been occurring week after week over the past few months. In recent days, there have been at least two similar scenes, in Phoenix and again in Los Angeles. In Chicago, in mid-September, an almost identical sequence of events took place except that the suspect was not hemmed in by police vans. Instead, a Mexican man died, the first to do so from a police bullet during an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) operation this year. Since then, chases, clashes and shootings have become the norm amid the increasingly intense immigration crusade driven by U.S. President Donald Trump. Apart from shootings, another controversial maneuver is the so-called PIT (Precision Immobilization Technique), which consists of driving a car at full speed into the precise position needed to arrest an alleged fugitive. Its a dangerous technique, as it can send the car into a spin if done at high enough speed, but theres already been evidence, especially through videos posted on social media by Chicago residents, that its being implemented. Likewise, crashes and traps, such as the one applied to Parias in Los Angeles, have also become common, according to online evidence. The incident involving Carlitos Ricardo Parias and ICE, on October 21. @USAttyEssayli Whistleblowers, pro-migrant activists and experts point out that arrests of suspected undocumented immigrants are low risk for officers. These are not criminals and they should not require this type of technique, much less the use of firearms. A PIT maneuver is considered a use of deadly force and is justifiable in certain situations, depending on the suspects risk to the public, the risk to the officer, and the potential collateral damage of a crash, according to Jerry Robinette, a former special agent in charge of ICEs Homeland Security Investigations. He told CNN. There are a series of factors that agents have to take into account before they even become involved in a high-risk pursuit. When youre involved in a high-risk pursuit, one of your main responsibilities is the general public, along with yourself and the violator. In response to criticism, government officials simply trot out the same line. They allege that attacks on ICE agents and other federal agencies have increased 1,000 percent from the previous year a figure that has been disputed; this is the same argument used for the deployment of National Guard troops to Chicago and Portland. Likewise, ICE insists that the incidents are provoked, either by the person suspected of being undocumented, or by people outside the operation: This isnt just the criminal alien targets doing this, but also bystanders who are obstructing and attacking us. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS), meanwhile, has defended the use of crash maneuvers when cornering supposedly undocumented migrants and has also removed all responsibility from the officers. Anyone who intentionally rams law enforcement with their vehicle will be arrested and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law thats a promise, said Tricia McLaughlin, a spokeswoman for the agency. However, the evidence available only when witnesses record the incident or there is a video from security cameras shows that the alleged aggressions against agents or their vehicles are not always exactly as described by the authorities. A few days before the incident in California in which Parias was shot and wounded, footage was taken in Chicago of a chase. A white Border Patrol pickup truck crashed into a red vehicle during an immigration operation. The impact sent the car careering backwards until it collided with another. The DHS explained that the pursued vehicle was driven by a person who had first rammed the ICE officers, and that they responded with an authorized PIT maneuver. Although not conclusive evidence, the videos do not show the first alleged crash, only the one carried out by ICE. In the September case that resulted in the death of Mexican Silverio Villegas-Gonzalez, ICE alleged that the man had used his car to run over and drag an officer for several meters in order to justify their use of deadly force. Videos from citizens that circulated later, however, showed that Villegas-Gonzalez did not run over the officer forcefully and at no time dragged him. And despite the fact that the DHS insisted the officer in question had been seriously injured, he was released from hospital the same day. At the end of October, another operation in Phoenix ended with a Honduran immigrant injured. According to documents obtained by a local television station, an ICE officer shot Jose Garcia-Sorto, the driver of a vehicle stopped on the I-17 freeway, twice. The DHS claimed that the man sped away but there was an officer in his path, who feared for his life and defensively discharged his service weapon two times, striking Garcia-Sortos vehicle. Garcia-Sorto was taken to hospital, as was the officer. In this case, there is footage taken by bystanders to contrast the official version, and the FBI has taken over the investigation. In its statement, the DHS blamed dishonest politicians and activists who urge illegal aliens to resist arrest and stressed that aggressions against federal officers, including hit-and-runs, have grown by more than 1,000%. For critics, the repetition of clashes and shootings demonstrates a hardening institutional stance. And the incidents pile up: unmarked pickup trucks blocking streets, crashes at intersections, gunshots. Meanwhile, footage recorded by bystanders or by those involved themselves circulates on social networks and is blamed by the DHS for fueling polarization around immigration policy. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition Poll Body Holds Review Meet With Over 300 Observers For Smooth Conduct Of Bihar Elections Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: October 31, 2025, 20:44 IST Poll body briefed 348 observers for Bihar Polls 2025, stressing voter facilitation, law and order, tech upgrades, and festive participation for smooth elections. Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar announced the SIR on Monday. (PTI/File) The Election Commission on Friday held a video conference with 348 observers deployed for the upcoming Bihar Legislative Assembly elections, and emphasised strict compliance with voter-facilitation measures to make the polling day pleasant and smooth for all electors. In the conference call, Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar, along with Election Commissioners Dr Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Dr Vivek Joshi, reviewed preparations to ensure a seamless and voter-friendly polling experience, as per the statement issued by the ECI. The poll body instructed observers to ensure that the election machinery fosters a festive and participative environment, motivating voters across Bihar to come out and vote in large numbers. Recommended Stories The poll body also undertook a holistic review of various aspects crucial to the electoral process, including the enforcement of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC), functioning of border check posts, curbing of fake news and misinformation, and proactive dissemination of verified information. It also assessed security measures for vulnerable and critical polling stations, handling of complaints through the 1950 toll-free helpline and cVIGIL app, and arrangements at the EVM Strong Rooms, the poll body said. The Commission also directed all observers to ensure strict maintenance of law and order, full deposition of licensed arms, and seizure of illegal weapons to maintain peace and security during the high-stakes elections. Progress on several new initiatives was also reviewed, including the Mobile Phone Deposit facility at polling stations, newly designed Voter Information Slips (VIS), popularisation of the ECINet App and its services, 100% webcasting of polling stations, and ensuring two-hourly reporting of approximate voter turnout. A total of 121 General Observers, 18 Police Observers, and 33 Expenditure Observers have been deployed for Phase 1, while 122 General Observers, 20 Police Observers, and 34 Expenditure Observers will oversee Phase 2 of the Bihar elections. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Bihar Polls 2025 The 243-member Bihar assembly will go to polls in two phases on November 6 and November 11, with results set to be announced on November 14. 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 31, 2025, 20:44 IST News elections Poll Body Holds Review Meet With Over 300 Observers For Smooth Conduct Of Bihar Elections 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... Tremors Should Be Felt In Italy: Amit Shah Slams Rahul Gandhi Over Chhath Puja Remark Curated By : PTI Last Updated: October 31, 2025, 10:15 IST Amit Shah accused Rahul Gandhi of mocking Chhath Puja, praised Modis Ayodhya temple work, lauded Nitish Kumars governance, and announced new projects across Bihar districts. Amit Shah accused Rahul Gandhi of mocking Chhath Puja, praised Modis Ayodhya temple work, lauded Nitish Kumars governance, and announced new projects across Bihar districts.. (X/@AmitShah) Patna/Nalanda/Lakhisarai/Munger: Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday launched a blistering attack on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, accusing him of betraying his maternal roots in Italy" by allegedly mocking the Chhath Puja festival. Campaigning across four districts in poll-bound Bihar, Shah claimed the INDIA bloc would be wiped out" in the upcoming elections as the people of Bihar would avenge the insult to Chhathi Maiyya". Recommended Stories Rahul Baba said that Prime Minister Modi and others who worshipped Chhathi Maiyya were indulging in drama. His maternal roots are in Italy, and hence he is incapable of appreciating Indian sensibilities," Shah said, urging voters to press the EVM button with such force that the tremors are felt in Italy," the Home Minister said. INDIA Bloc Will Be Wiped Out The former BJP president accused the Congress and its allies of disrespecting Hindu sentiments, recalling that Congress workers had earlier hurled abuses" at PM Modis mother. He claimed that Bihars voters would teach them a lesson. Shah also attacked the opposition over the Ram temple issue, alleging that the Congress had thwarted" the temples construction for 70 years. He lauded the Modi government for completing the temple project in Ayodhya, calling it a 500-year-old struggle" finally fulfilled. He further highlighted ongoing projects in the state, saying that a modern Nalanda University is being developed, one that no marauder like Bakhtiyar Khilji will ever destroy." He announced that PM Modi would perform the pran pratishtha ceremony at Punaura Dham (believed to be Goddess Sitas birthplace) within two years, where a 850 crore redevelopment project is underway. Nitish Ended Jungle Raj, RJD Wants to Bring It Back Shah used his rallies to contrast Nitish Kumars governance with that of Lalu Prasad and Rabri Devi, claiming that Bihar had witnessed over 32,000 kidnappings and 12 massacres during their rule. Nitish Kumar ended the jungle raj," Shah said, adding that Tejashwi Yadavs RJD was trying to bring it back with a new face". He rubbished Tejashwis claim that the NDA would recover" money given to women under welfare schemes, saying: Nobody can dare to take that money back." Shah claimed that in 20 years of Nitish Kumars rule, murders have dropped by 20 per cent while dacoities and kidnappings have declined by 80 per cent." Promises, Attacks, and New Announcements The Union Home Minister also announced that a medical college will be built in Lakhisarai in the name of Bihars first Chief Minister, Shri Krishna Sinha, within the next two years. He praised the Modi governments development push, citing: 18 lakh crore investment in roads, railways, and greenfield expressways, 9,500 crore revival of the Barauni fertiliser plant, 900 crore worth of projects in Munger, and a GI tag for Katrani rice and the creation of a Makhana Board. Shah also targeted the UPA, accusing it of scams worth 12 lakh crore, while saying that no one can question PM Modi or Nitish Kumar on corruption." We will drive out infiltrators from Bihar who usurp poor peoples food grains and jobs," Shah said, crediting Modi for making India secure" through surgical strikes, the Balakot airstrike, and Operation Sindoor. Political Reactions top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Shahs strong endorsement of Deputy Chief Ministers Vijay Kumar Sinha (BJP candidate from Lakhisarai) and Samrat Choudhary (contesting from Tarapur in Munger) drew attention. They are on their way to become big men," Shah said cryptically a remark that sparked speculation about future leadership roles. Congress leader Pawan Khera reacted on X, writing, Only the Chief Minister is bigger than the Deputy CM. Hope Nitish Kumar is listening." 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 : Bihar, India, India First Published: October 31, 2025, 09:39 IST News elections Tremors Should Be Felt In Italy: Amit Shah Slams Rahul Gandhi Over Chhath Puja Remark 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... What Happens If Trump Resumes Nuclear Weapons Testing, And Should India Be Worried? Written By : News18.com Last Updated: October 31, 2025, 11:25 IST Trumps decision is not just about technology. It is about symbolism, power, and the rewriting of international norms that have kept nuclear brinkmanship at bay for 33 years Since the US has maintained its arsenals reliability, there is no technical need for an explosive test. Thus, Trump's announcement to resume testing could be interpreted as a political statement a message of deterrence aimed squarely at Russia and China. (Getty Images) In what could become one of the most consequential defence decisions of the 21st century, President Donald Trumps reported directive to the Pentagon to resume nuclear weapons testing has jolted policymakers across the world. Minutes before a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Trump posted on his social media platform that he instructed the Department of War to start testing our Nuclear Weapons on an equal basis." That process will begin immediately," the president added. Recommended Stories If carried out, it would be the first US nuclear test since September 1992, when America conducted its last underground explosion at the Nevada Test Site. That test, the 1,032nd in US history, had effectively closed an era of mushroom clouds and radioactive craters and opened three decades of restraint and simulation-based nuclear stewardship. A return to physical testing would undo that legacy overnight, reviving a race that the world had cautiously managed to contain. At its core, Trumps decision is not just about technology. It is about symbolism, power, and the rewriting of international norms that have kept nuclear brinkmanship at bay for nearly 33 years. What Would Happen If Trump Follows Through Resuming nuclear testing would instantly fracture the global arms-control architecture. For one, it would erode the nuclear taboo the unwritten understanding among major powers that testing is off-limits. The United States has maintained its arsenals reliability through the Stockpile Stewardship Program since 1994, relying on high-performance computing, sub-critical experiments, and advanced diagnostics. There is no technical need for an explosive test. Which is precisely why an announcement to resume testing would be interpreted as a political statement a message of deterrence aimed squarely at Russia and China. The timing matters. Russia currently holds about 5,580 nuclear warheads, the US roughly 5,044, and China between 500 and 600. Together, these three nations control 90% of the worlds nuclear stockpile. If one of them returns to testing, the others are almost certain to follow. Moscow still maintains readiness at its old Novaya Zemlya test site. Beijing, which last tested a nuclear device in July 1996, has been modernising its arsenal, experimenting with hypersonic delivery systems and tactical warheads. A US test would give both capitals a perfect pretext to act. The most immediate consequence would likely be tit-for-tat nuclear posturing. Within months, the world could witness a string of underground detonations first symbolic, then strategic as powers try to reassert dominance in a rapidly polarising security order. Why Nations Tested In The Past During the Cold War, nuclear testing was both science and spectacle. Between 1945 and 1996, over 2,050 nuclear tests were carried out worldwide. The United States alone accounted for half of them. Testing allowed nations to gather crucial data about bomb design, yield, and delivery, but it also served a darker purpose demonstrating power and intimidation. The first effort to contain this came in 1963, when the Partial Test Ban Treaty (PTBT) prohibited atmospheric, underwater, and outer-space tests, forcing all subsequent detonations underground. Yet, the arms race raged on. The Threshold Test Ban Treaty of 1974 tried to limit underground tests to yields below 150 kilotons, but enforcement was weak. By the early 1990s, the world was exhausted. The US and Russia had signed START I in 1991 to reduce deployed warheads. Five years later, the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) sought to ban all nuclear explosions. Although signed by 187 states, it has never come into force because several key nations, including the US, China, India, Pakistan, and North Korea, have not ratified it. Still, the CTBT created a powerful moral norm. Since 1998, only one country North Korea has tested nuclear devices, conducting six underground detonations between 2006 and 2017. That fragile equilibrium is now at risk. About The New START Treaty: The Last Restraint Standing The New START Treaty, signed in 2010 and extended in 2021, is the only remaining nuclear arms-control agreement between the US and Russia. It limits each side to 1,550 deployed warheads and 700 delivery systems, and allows for verification through inspections and data exchanges. The treaty expires on February 5, 2026, with no successor in sight. Russia suspended its participation in inspection regimes in 2023, and diplomatic efforts to renew it have stalled. If the US resumes testing before New START lapses, the treatys collapse becomes inevitable. That would mean the worlds two largest nuclear powers, which together control nearly 12,000 warheads, would be operating without any formal constraints for the first time since the early 1970s. Once that happens, arms control would effectively cease to exist. Why Trumps Move Changes Everything Historically, the resumption of testing has never been just about weapons. It has always been a signal. In the 1950s, the US and the Soviet Union tested bombs as a way to assert technological superiority. Today, the message would be the same only this time, the audience is global and digital. Testing would send a message that the US is no longer bound by Cold War-era arms agreements and is willing to reassert nuclear dominance by demonstration. The political impact could be felt not just in Moscow and Beijing, but also in Tehran, Pyongyang, and Islamabad capitals that watch Washingtons behaviour to shape their own red lines. The environmental and humanitarian consequences, too, would be enormous. Past testing at sites like Nevada, Semipalatinsk (Kazakhstan), and Lop Nur (China) released radioactive isotopes that contaminated water tables and air for decades. Resuming that activity would reopen old wounds literally and politically. A Look At India, Chinas Testing Divide China entered the nuclear club on October 16, 1964, detonating a 22-kiloton device at Lop Nur. Over the next three decades, it conducted 45 tests, its last on July 29, 1996 just before the CTBT opened for signature. Indias path was different. It first tested a peaceful nuclear device" called Smiling Buddha on May 18, 1974, in Pokran in Rajasthan, with a yield of about 8 kilotons. After a 24-year gap, India conducted a series of five underground tests in May 1998 under Operation Shakti. One of those was claimed to be thermonuclear. Pakistan followed within two weeks, detonating six devices in the Chagai Hills on May 28 and 30, 1998. Since then, both countries have observed voluntary moratoriums. India has not signed the CTBT but has maintained that it will not test again unless compelled by national security circumstances." For China, a return to testing by the US would offer strategic cover to modernise its arsenal under the banner of parity." For India, it would reignite internal debates about validating its thermonuclear designs. And for Pakistan, it would provide political justification to expand its own deterrent capabilities. A Domino Effect In South Asia The geopolitical ripple effect of renewed nuclear testing would reach South Asia almost immediately. For India, the challenge is two-fold: Maintaining its image as a responsible nuclear power while navigating a deteriorating security environment. A US test could weaken Indias long-held position that restraint earns international credibility. It might also force policymakers to reconsider whether a self-imposed moratorium remains tenable when the global order abandons restraint. Pakistan, which mirrors Indias deterrence posture, could use Americas move to justify fresh tests or increased production of fissile material. That would further tilt the regional balance. The danger is not just in new explosions, but in the slow erosion of trust. Once nations begin to test again, transparency evaporates. Military planners start to assume the worst about their adversaries capabilities. Crises become more volatile. With roughly 165 nuclear warheads in Indias arsenal and 170 in Pakistans, both countries already possess second-strike capability. Any shift towards renewed testing would not strengthen deterrence it would simply increase the margin for miscalculation. Implications For The Developing World A US return to testing would have far-reaching consequences for developing and non-nuclear countries. Many of these nations, particularly in Asia, Africa, and Latin America, have long supported disarmament under the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), signed in 1968. The NPT rests on a simple moral bargain: Non-nuclear states agree not to develop weapons in exchange for disarmament commitments from the five recognised nuclear powers. If Washington itself disregards the spirit of that agreement, other nations will question why they should uphold it. That could weaken the treatys legitimacy and embolden countries with latent nuclear ambitions, such as Iran and Saudi Arabia. Even Americas allies would feel the impact. Japan and South Korea, both under the US nuclear umbrella, may feel compelled to strengthen their own deterrence programmes, either through expanded missile defences or by pursuing independent capabilities. Australia, a long-time advocate of non-proliferation, would face a similar dilemma. For the Global South, especially countries like India, which have balanced deterrence with restraint, the political fallout would be immense. It would be harder to argue for responsible nuclear behaviour when the worlds leading democracy resumes testing after three decades. What Would Be The Environmental And Scientific Fallout Testing today would not be the same as it was in 1950. Underground explosions still pose environmental hazards, including contamination of soil and groundwater, with radioactive isotopes such as cesium-137 and strontium-90. The Nevada Test Site alone saw 828 underground tests between 1951 and 1992. Many of those created subsurface cavities that still leak radiation. Restarting testing there would trigger massive protests from environmental and indigenous groups who continue to suffer the legacy of Cold War-era contamination. Moreover, the scientific justification is weak. The US nuclear arsenal, maintained through advanced simulations, has remained stable for three decades without a single detonation. The Pentagons real motive, analysts believe, is political to demonstrate resolve to rivals and to project power ahead of treaty deadlines. The Collapse Of Arms Control If the US returns to testing, it will effectively dismantle what remains of the arms control framework. The CTBT, signed by 187 countries and ratified by 178, would be reduced to a dead letter. The global monitoring system that detects underground explosions comprising 300 seismic, hydroacoustic, and infrasound stations would suddenly find itself overwhelmed by new activity. Without trust in verification, deterrence would rely solely on guesswork. The world would return to the dangerous calculus of the 1960s, when suspicion dictated policy and accidents could have triggered catastrophe. A New Era Of Nuclear Politics In essence, a resumption of nuclear testing by the United States would mark the end of the post-Cold War nuclear order. It would collapse the distinction between restraint and rivalry, encourage proliferation, and re-legitimise nuclear brinkmanship as a tool of statecraft. For India and Pakistan, it could reopen debates long considered settled. For China and Russia, it would provide diplomatic ammunition. For the developing world, it would be a betrayal of decades of advocacy for disarmament. And for the planet, it would bring back the haunting echoes of an era when the ground itself trembled with the force of human arrogance. What To Conclude If Trump follows through on his plan to resume nuclear weapons testing, it will not just be a Pentagon decision. It will be a historic rupture a reversal of 30 years of self-restraint and international consensus. It could shatter treaties, spark a new arms race, embolden smaller powers, and push the world back toward a more dangerous nuclear age. The last time the Nevada desert shook from a nuclear blast was in 1992. If it happens again, the shockwaves will not stop there they will reverberate through every capital from Washington to New Delhi, from Beijing to Islamabad, and beyond. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all About the Author Shilpy Bisht Shilpy Bisht, Deputy News Editor at News18, writes and edits national, world and business stories. She started off as a print journalist, and then transitioned to online, in her 12 years of experience... Read More First Published: October 31, 2025, 11:07 IST News explainers What Happens If Trump Resumes Nuclear Weapons Testing, And Should India Be Worried? Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... 25-Year-Old National-Level Kabaddi Player Shot Dead In Punjabs Jagraon Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: October 31, 2025, 23:49 IST Tejpal Singh, a national-level kabaddi player from Giddarwindi, was shot dead near Ludhiana SSP office in Jagraon. According to eyewitnesses, the incident took place near the office of the Ludhiana (Rural) Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP), around 45 km from the district headquarters. (X) In a shocking incident, a 25-year-old kabaddi player was shot dead in broad daylight near the office of the Ludhiana (Rural) Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) in Punjabs Jagraon on Friday, police said. The deceased, identified as Tejpal Singh, a native of Giddarwindi village near Jagraon, was a national-level kabaddi player. He was walking with two friends on Hari Singh Hospital Road when the incident took place, news agency PTI reported. Recommended Stories According to eyewitnesses, the incident took place when Singh was brutally beaten by a group of five or six assailants. During the scuffle, one of them pulled out a revolver and shot him in the chest. Singh was rushed to a local hospital, where he was declared dead on arrival, police said. Police said the killing appears to be linked to an old rivalry. The accused have been identified, and teams have been dispatched to arrest them," said SSP Ankur Gupta, adding that CCTV footage from the area is being analysed. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Soon after the attack, teams from Jagraon City Police Station reached the spot and began collecting evidence. (With inputs from agencies) Location : Jagraon, India, India First Published: October 31, 2025, 23:49 IST News india 25-Year-Old National-Level Kabaddi Player Shot Dead In Punjabs Jagraon 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... Bitterness Defined Their Relationship: SC Ends Marriage Of Couple Living Separately For 15 Years Reported By : LawBeat Last Updated: October 31, 2025, 15:22 IST SC allowed the mans plea after finding that the offer of Rs 1 crore only made by him, was a just, fair and reasonable amount as permanent alimony and towards all pending dues Rapid Read Choose News18 on Google The SC noted the parties have been living separately since April 15, 2010, more than 15 years now. (File) The Supreme Court on Wednesday ended the matrimonial alliance of a couple entered in 2009, after finding that the relationship between the parties has irretrievably broken down, even though the wife resisted the grant of divorce. A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta noted, even the attempt at reconciliation through the Supreme Court Mediation Centre did not yield any positive result. Recommended Stories Years of acrimony and bitterness have defined their relationship, and despite the appellant-wife contesting the grant of divorce, we find that no marital bond survives between them. In these circumstances, there is no purpose in perpetuating a legal relationship that has ceased to have any meaning. Therefore, we find this a fit case to grant a decree of divorce using our powers under Article 142 of the Constitution of India," the bench said. The court also noted the parties have been living separately since April 15, 2010, more than 15 years now. The court allowed the mans plea after finding that the offer of Rs 1 crore only made by him, was a just, fair and reasonable amount as permanent alimony and towards all pending dues. As per facts of the matter, the marriage between the parties was solemnised on October 5, 2009. The appellant-wife alleged mental and physical harassment by her in-laws, which led her to leave the matrimonial home on April 15, 2010. While living at her parental home, the appellant-wife gave birth to their son on December 28, 2010. The matter before the court arose out of the wifes plea against the High Courts order dismissing her application for maintenance under Section 125 of the Criminal Procedure Code. She was also aggrieved with the High Courts order partially allowing the husbands plea against directions issued under the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act. In the case, the court passed several orders directing the respondent husband to clear the outstanding maintenance arrears due to the appellant-wife and their minor child. Having submitted bank drafts, the man offered to pay Rs one crore as permanent alimony to the wife and the child and urged the court to exercise the extraordinary power under Article 142 of the Constitution to do complete justice to end the relationship. Allowing his plea, the bench ordered, this amount would be treated as a full and final settlement of all claims between the parties including those of the minor child represented by his guardian mother. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The court said upon the receipt of money within three months, neither party would raise any further claim against the other. However, this shall not preclude the respondent father from contributing for the childs education. All pending proceedings, civil or criminal, arising out of this marriage, shall by virtue of this order, stand quashed and closed," the court said. About the Author Sanya Talwar Sanya Talwar, Editor at Lawbeat, has been heading the organisation since its inception. After practising in courts for over four years, she discovered her affinity for legal journalism. She has worked... Read More First Published: October 31, 2025, 15:22 IST News india Bitterness Defined Their Relationship: SC Ends Marriage Of Couple Living Separately For 15 Years Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... BSF Troops Apprehend Pakistani Intruder Along International Border In Punjabs Ferozepur Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: October 31, 2025, 15:45 IST BSF Punjab Frontier apprehended a Pakistani national after he crossed the International Border near Jalalabad, Ferozepur. The intruder, identified as Imtiyaz Ahmed, is a resident of Parwal village in Shakargarh district, Pakistan. (BSF Punjab Frontier) Border Security Force (BSF) troops have foiled an infiltration attempt and apprehended a Pakistani national near the International Border in Ferozepur, according to an official statement. The BSF Punjab Frontier, in a post on X, said that it noticed suspicious movement along the border, after which the individual who crossed into Indian territory near Jalalabad was apprehended. Recommended Stories According to the BSF, the intruder, identified as Imtiyaz Ahmed, a resident of Parwal village in Shakargarh district, Pakistan, was intercepted by personnel of the 160 battalion near a border outpost after being spotted moving suspiciously. ???????????? ???????????????????????? ???????????? ???????????????????????????????????? ???????????????????????????????? ???????? ???????????????????????? ????????????????????????Displaying utmost alertness and vigilance, #BSF troops apprehended a Pakistani intruder, who had illegally crossed the India-Pakistan International Border near Jalalabad, Ferozepur. pic.twitter.com/Y0pdIBcbVO BSF PUNJAB FRONTIER (@BSF_Punjab) October 31, 2025 Displaying utmost alertness and vigilance, #BSF troops apprehended a Pakistani intruder, who had illegally crossed the India-Pakistan International Border near Jalalabad, Ferozepur. The intruder was identified as a resident of Narowal Tehsil, Distt. Shakargarh in Pakistan and after initial questioning, he has been handed over to Lakha Ke Behram Police Station for further legal proceedings," the BSF said in a post on X. After initial questioning and verification, the apprehended person was handed over to the Lakha Ke Behram Police Station for further legal action and investigation into the circumstances surrounding the intrusion. The BSF further assured its unwavering commitment to national security and its round-the-clock vigilance in protecting the countrys borders from any cross-border threats or illegal activities. Earlier in September, a Pakistani intruder was arrested along the International Border in RS Pura sector in Jammu. The intruder, Siraj Khan from Sargodha in Punjab province of Pakistan, was noticed by BSF troops manning the Octroi outpost. The troops fired a few rounds after challenging the intruder, who was subsequently arrested near the border fence. Some Pakistani currency notes were recovered from him. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Before that, in May, a Pakistani national, reportedly a 65-year-old man from Lahore, was held along the border in Amritsar. (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 : Punjab, India, India First Published: October 31, 2025, 15:45 IST News india BSF Troops Apprehend Pakistani Intruder Along International Border In Punjabs Ferozepur 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... Andhra Court Awards Death Penalty To 5 In 2015 Murder Of Chittoor Mayor, Her Husband Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: October 31, 2025, 12:35 IST A sessions court in Chittoor has sentenced five men to death for the 2015 murder of Chittoor Mayor Katari Anuradha and her husband inside the Municipal Corporation office. Chittoor Mayor Katari Anuradha and her husband (Photo: Social Media) Five persons accused of murdering Chittoor Mayor Katari Anuradha and her husband Mohan were granted death penalty by a sessions court in Andhra Pradesh on Friday. Those who were granted the capital punishment were identified as Chandrasekhar, GS Venkatachalapathi, Jayaprakash Reddy, Manjunath and Venkatesh. Recommended Stories In November 2015, Chittoor Mayor Katari Anuradha and her husband were attacked by an armed gang inside the Municipal Corporation Office. Both were killed on the spot. The couples relative, Chandrasekhar alias Chintu (46), was the prime accused in the case. On October 24, the Chittoor XI Additional District and Sessions Court had convicted the five persons in the double murder case. The quantum of punishment was to be pronounced later. Initially, the police had registered an FIR in connection with the case against Chandrasekhar and 23 others. Later, a chargesheet in the case was filed in the court. One of the accused was discharged due to lack of evidence, while another died during the trial. Two others continued to remain in remand. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The case, which had been pending for nearly a decade, faced several adjournments due to procedural and evidentiary reasons. ALSO READ | Promised Skin Fairness, Delivered Death: Rajasthan Woman Burned Alive By Husband 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 31, 2025, 12:24 IST News india Andhra Court Awards Death Penalty To 5 In 2015 Murder Of Chittoor Mayor, Her Husband 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... 'Continues To Inspire Generations': PM Modi Pays Homage To Sardar Patel On 150th Birth Anniversary Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: October 31, 2025, 08:59 IST PM Modi paid tribute to Sardar Patel on his 150th birth anniversary, honoring his role in nation-building. To mark the occasion, tributes poured in from across the country. Rapid Read + Follow us On Google PM Modi paid floral tribute to Sardar Patel at the Statue of Unity on 'Rashtriya Ekta Diwas'. (Image: ANI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday paid homage to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on his 150th birth anniversary, describing him as the architect of Indias unity and a guiding force in the nations formative years. Prime Minister Modi noted that Sardar Patels vision of a united and self-reliant India continues to guide the nations progress toward strength, resilience, and inclusive development. Recommended Stories India pays homage to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on his 150th Jayanti. He was the driving force behind Indias integration, thus shaping our nations destiny in its formative years. His unwavering commitment to national integrity, good governance and public service continues to pic.twitter.com/7quK4qiHdN Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) October 31, 2025 In a post on X, the Prime Minister wrote, India pays homage to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on his 150th Jayanti. He was the driving force behind Indias integration, thus shaping our nations destiny in its formative years. His unwavering commitment to national integrity, good governance and public service continues to inspire generations. We also reaffirm our collective resolve to uphold his vision of a united, strong and self-reliant India(sic)." PM Modi also paid floral tribute to Iron Man of India at the Statue of Unity in Ekta Nagar in Gujarat. Sharing images from his visit to the Statue of Unity, PM Modi wrote on X, Paid homage to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel at the Statue of Unity in Kevadia. SoU is a monumental tribute to Sardar Patel and his vision towards Indias unity and strength. Standing tall as the worlds tallest statue, it is a symbol of national pride and collective resolve to fulfil Sardar Patels dreams." Paid homage to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel at the Statue of Unity in Kevadia.SoU is a monumental tribute to Sardar Patel and his vision towards Indias unity and strength. Standing tall as the worlds tallest statue, it is a symbol of national pride and collective resolve to pic.twitter.com/T4V6YOEDqo Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) October 31, 2025 To mark the occasion, tributes poured in from across the country, with leaders and citizens remembering Patels contribution to nation-building. President Droupadi Murmu also paid homage to Patel at Sardar Patel Chowk in the national capital, offering floral tribute to honour his pivotal role in uniting the nation after Independence. Later, the President paid her respects at the Gantantra Mandap in Rashtrapati Bhavan. President Droupadi Murmu paid homage to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on his 150th birth anniversary at Sardar Patel Chowk in New Delhi. She also offered floral tribute to Sardar Patel at Gantantra Mandap, Rashtrapati Bhavan," the official handle of President of India tweeted. Union Home Minister Amit Shah paid tribute to Patel, describing him as a symbol of national unity." , , pic.twitter.com/rHTtTdhTt5 Amit Shah (@AmitShah) October 31, 2025 On the occasion of his birth anniversary, I pay homage to the Iron Man Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel ji, a symbol of national unity, integrity, and the empowerment of farmers, on behalf of a grateful nation," he wrote on X. Sardar Sahab strengthened the unity and security of the country by integrating the princely states and advanced the nation toward self-employment and self-reliance by connecting farmers, backward classes, and the deprived with cooperatives. His firm belief was that the axis of the countrys development lies in the prosperity of farmers. He remained dedicated throughout his life to the welfare of farmers and the protection of their rights. It is the duty of every patriot to safeguard the nation that Sardar Sahab built, bound by the principles of justice and unity," he further wrote. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Born on October 31, 1875, in Gujarats Nadiad, Sardar Patel played a pivotal role in uniting more than 560 princely states following Independence. As Indias first Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Home Affairs, he laid the foundation for a unified and stable nation. National Unity Day will be celebrated to mark Patels 150th birth anniversary at Ektanagar in Gujarat today, under the leadership of PM Modi, in collaboration with the Government of India and the Government of Gujarat. 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 31, 2025, 08:59 IST News india 'Continues To Inspire Generations': PM Modi Pays Homage To Sardar Patel On 150th Birth Anniversary Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... 'In Jail For Years': SC Hears Bail Pleas Of Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam, Others In Delhi Riots Case Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: October 31, 2025, 14:29 IST Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi told the Supreme Court that Gulfisha Fatima has been in custody for over five years in the Delhi riots conspiracy case without trial. New Delhi: Family members of activists Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam, Gulfisha Fatima take part in a freedom march (PTI) Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for Gulfisha Fatima in the Delhi riots larger conspiracy case on Friday, told the Supreme Court that his client has been under custody for over five years, but the trial has not commenced yet. Singhvi also argued that there is no overt or covert act of violence associated with her, and questioned the Delhi Polices allegation that the petitioner was delaying the trial, pointing out that she has already completed her arguments on charge. Recommended Stories The development came while the Supreme Court was hearing the arguments in the petitions filed by Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam and Gulfisha Fatima in the Delhi riots case, in which they are booked under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and criminal conspiracy under the Indian Penal Code. Later, the bench comprising Justice Aravind Kumar and Justice NV Anjaria adjourned the matter till Monday to hear the arguments of co-accused Meeran Haider, Mohd Saleem Khan and Shifa Ur Rehman, as well as the Delhi Police. Gulfisha Fatima is the only woman in custody in the case now, as the other two women, Devangra Kalita and Natasha Narwal, have already got bail on merits. Arguing in the court, Singhvi highlighted that Fatima has been under custody for over five years and five months, from April 11, 2020. He said a chargesheet was also filed five years ago, but the trial has not commenced yet. If you get bail after 6-7 years, what is the point?" Singhvi asked, pointing out that charges are yet to be framed. Merits dont matter in this. This is a distortion of the criminal justice system. The concept of liberty is that you dont keep me in jail without trial," Singhvi stated. He cited the judgment in the Najeeb case, which held that bail can be granted despite the stringent conditions of UAPA when there is prolonged custody. Reference was also made to the judgment in Jalaluddin Khan vs Union of India, which held that bail is the rule" even in the UAPA case. The judgment in Sheikh Javed Iqbal, which also expressed a similar view, was cited. Singhvi said that another special feature of this case was that the bail application itself was kept pending for more than three years by the High Court. I set up a protest site. No photograph or video, or evidence of violence in any site where I organised a protest. I attended a meeting a Seelampur. The others who attended the meeting there have got bail. Did I throw a bomb?," he submitted. There is no overt or covert act of violence associated with her, Singhvi argued. At the highest, I participated in anti-CAA protests. There has to be some evidence, some recovery. Nothing in this case," he submitted. Singhvi also questioned the Delhi Polices allegation that the petitioner was delaying the trial, pointing out that she had already completed her arguments on the charge. Also speaking in the court, senior Advocate Kapil Sibal, for Umar Khalid, submitted that on 55 dates, the presiding judge of the trial court was on leave. Regarding the charge of conspiracy, Sibal said that out of 751 riot-related FIRs, Khalid was only named in one. He also said that there is no allegation of Khalid raising any funds for violence or making appeals for violence. The only overt act alleged against Khalid is a speech which he gave in Amaravati in Maharashtra on February 17. The speech actually invoked Gandhian principles of non-violence and cannot be regarded as provocative by any stretch. Sibal then turned to the definition of terrorist act" under the UAPA, and argued that none of the specific acts described in the definition applied to Umar Khalid. Senior advocate Siddharth Dave, for Sharjeel Imam, submitted that till last year, the police kept on filing supplementary chargesheets till September 2024, which meant that the investigation went on for at least four years. Dave highlighted that Sharjeel Imam has been in custody since January 25, 2020, in connection with other cases. Earlier, on October 27, the Delhi Police had requested two weeks time to file counter-affidavits. The court refused to grant the time and asked them to file the affidavit by Friday. The bench also requested Delhi Polices counsel, Additional Solicitor General SV Raju, to see if they can come up with something, as the petitioners have spent 5 years in incarceration. The petitioners, who were student activists in the forefront of organising anti-Citizenship Amendment Act protests in 2019-2020, are facing charges under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act and the Indian Penal Code for allegedly formulating the larger conspiracy" behind the communal riots which took place in the national capital in the last week of February 2020. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The accused in the case are Tahir Hussain, Umar Khalid, Khalid Saifi, Isharat Jahan, Meeran Haider, Gulfisha Fatima, Shifa-Ur-Rehman, Asif Iqbal Tanha(granted bail in 2021), Shadab Ahmed, Tasleem Ahmed, Saleem Malik, Mohd. Saleem Khan, Athar Khan, Safoora Zargar(granted bail on humanitarian grounds as she was pregnant when arrested), Sharjeel Imam, Faizan Khan, Devangana Kalita (granted bail) and Natasha Narwal(granted bail). ALSO READ | 2020 Delhi Riots A Regime Change Operation, Say Delhi Police In Explosive Supreme Court Affidavit 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 31, 2025, 14:26 IST News india 'In Jail For Years': SC Hears Bail Pleas Of Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam, Others In Delhi Riots Case 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... Indias Trishul, Rajnaths Statement Rattle Pakistan: Islamabad Vows Befitting Reply | Exclusive Reported By : News18.com Last Updated: October 31, 2025, 15:23 IST Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Asif: This time, our response will be stronger than before. If India commits any aggression, we will not let go...and will not spare India. Rapid Read Choose News18 on Google Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. (IMAGE: PTI) Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singhs aggressive stance and the ongoing Tri-Services Exercise Trishul 2025 seem to have rattled Pakistan. Pakistan Defence Minister Khawaja Asif has now said that they will retaliate with full force and power" to Indias aggression or incursion on the border". Recommended Stories We will not let go of any provocation. Pakistan will give a befitting response to India. This time, our response will be stronger than before. If India commits any aggression against our territory, we will not let goand will not spare India," said Asif. Addressed the Army Commanders Conference in Jaisalmer. Operation Sindoor is an embodiment of Indias military prowess & national character, a demonstration that our soldiers strength lies not only in weapons, but also in ethical discipline & strategic clarity. Also exhorted pic.twitter.com/tfJSMiI5Mp Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) October 24, 2025 What Rajnath Singh said Singh last week interacted with soldiers during Barakhana in Rajasthans Jaisalmer, where he said Operation Sindoor gave Pakistan a good dose of caution, and it will now think twice before attempting any misadventure against India in the future. Singh reiterated that Operation Sindoor was not over and only paused, and gave a stern warning to Pakistan of an even harsher response if it resorts to any misadventure, according to an official release. Our pilots displayed only a demo of Indias power to Pakistan. If given an opportunity, they will showcase our real strength," he said. He also exhorted the Indian Armed Forces to always stay vigilant and take appropriate and effective steps against their activities. The minister also highlighted their role in realising India as a developed and self-reliant nation by 2047. What is Trishul? India has launched a major tri-services exercise, named Exercise Trishul, along its western sector and Arabian Sea, involving the Indian Army, Indian Air Force (IAF), and Indian Navy. The exercise will run from October 30 to November 10, with a NOTAM issued to alert civil aviation of the drills. The large-scale drills simulate integrated warfare, rapid mobilisation, and maritime dominance operations. The exercise, while routine in nature, has reportedly prompted Pakistans heightened state of alert, reflecting the deep-seated mistrust that continues to define the subcontinental security environment. Pahalgam attack , Operation Sindoor , , , / RMO India (@DefenceMinIndia) October 27, 2025 Pakistan recently issued a second Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) within just five days a move that intelligence sources describe as a signal of panic and precaution" triggered by Indias ongoing Tri-Services Exercise Trishul 2025. The latest NOTAM, effective from November 1 to November 30, closes large portions of Pakistans airspace, particularly over its southern and coastal regions. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all News18 had earlier reported, citing top intelligence inputs, that NOTAM indicates that Pakistan may be preparing for naval live-firing drills and potential missile testing in the Arabian Sea, likely from its naval platforms near the Sonmiani range. These preparations come amid what sources describe as rising fears in Rawalpindi" that India could launch precision strikes on Pakistans southern airbases and naval fleets stationed near Sir Creek and adjoining coastal areas. With Agency Inputs About the Author Manoj Gupta Group Editor, Investigations & Security Affairs, Network18 First Published: October 31, 2025, 14:20 IST News india Indias Trishul, Rajnaths Statement Rattle Pakistan: Islamabad Vows Befitting Reply | Exclusive Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Global delegates just convened in east China's Quanzhou City, exchanging views on conservation of world heritage. They also witnessed China's innovative approach - where ancient heritage sites become vibrant communities, creating sustainable development models for the world. The source of the first major leak of state secrets in the internet age, when she worked for the US, now seeks to reconnect with her life after a decade and a half of fame and activism I was very young when all this stuff happened, says Chelsea Manning, 37. All this stuff was leaking hundreds of thousands of secret U.S. government documents to WikiLeaks in 2010. Manning was stationed in Iraq as an intelligence analyst and saw horrific things that she believed Americans needed to know. She was then imprisoned until 2017. Released after transitioning to a woman, she returned to prison in 2019 and wrote her memoirs. Ive been busy for like a decade and a half, she says, with enormous irony, and now she wants to better understand how it all works: Apart from being in prison or being in the military or being a sort of activist or political figure, I dont really have like a lot of life experience outside of those things. So Ive been trying to live, she explains via a video call with EL PAIS. Manning is in a process that began in 2023, and she hopes to share more details in a talk which she is still writing and has no title at the Mozilla Festival 2025, which will be held in Barcelona between November 7 and 9. Manning has been described as one of the biggest whistleblowers of the 21st century, and she even calls Edward Snowden Ed. She was the first to go to jail for revealing secrets. She knew she would lose her career and her future, but she thought prison was a less likely outcome. Now shes a security consultant. Question. With your experience, you are trying to better understand how the world of information has changed over the years. However, you stepped away from the world for a while. Answer. Were flooded with information, its so overwhelming. One of the experiences that Ive taken from that is to turn off the feed for a while. Im really excited to talk about my experience of not ingesting everything for a bit. Q. You have said that time spent on social media is Zuckerbergs or Musks, not your own. A. Exactly. I dont think that theyre in control of the way we consume information. They make money off of our time. They dont necessarily control it, [but] they certainly benefit and tune these things to be able to continue to take up our time. At one point it was for advertising, and at this point it just seems to be to keep us sedated and not really dig too deeply into the things that are happening in society. Television and various mass media forms have taken on this role as well. The amount of information is designed to be overwhelming. Q. Designed? A. Yes, were overwhelmed by design and Im going to explain in detail [in the Barcelona talk] what this means and how we set up our society in ways that you wouldnt even think of, to not really interact with each other in a human-to-human manner in our daily life. Theres always a third party involved, theres always a transaction: buying tickets, going to an event, to a party, where Partiful [a widely used app for organizing parties] is collecting the data. I went down the list of all of these different kinds of ways in which weve turned human-to-human interactions into a commodifiable data collection mechanism, a social networking mechanism, and what that is doing to how we interact with each other. Q. Does that overwhelming amount of information make it more difficult for there to be massive leaks like those of the 2010s? A. Yes. In the early 2010s, the internet became much more accessible, especially with the advent of the smartphone. It became much more integrated into peoples lives. Until then, the mass media was still the dominant form and the government had a much tighter grip on the information environment, in terms of being able to control what people had access to. That changed in the late 2000s, and with that obviously came what happened in 2010 and what happened in 2013 with Ed [the Snowden leaks]. Its important to remember that until then, the public had never had access to that kind of information. Now its widely available and widely known. In the U.S. now, everything is done in the open: you post the video of what youve just done, you talk about what your goals are, and this incentivizes people to have different interpretations of what that means, and whether its good or bad. This much more complex and much more ecosystem-focused information environment changes things. If someone were to publish a massive leak like the Epstein files today, I dont think it would be this humongous shit, people would say oh this isnt true or this is generated by AI or this is misinformation. The mere existence of deepfake technology means you dont even necessarily have to use it to dispel the truth. You could have 200 or 300 witnesses and countless cell phones recording something, and people would still say, Well, well never know for sure. We saw this happen in Ukraine, at the beginning of the Russian invasion, and the last two years of documented footage of whats been happening in the Gaza Strip, for instance. Q. Its pretty amazing to think of something like WikiLeaks in that context. A. It happens all the time now. Q. Youve said that at home in 2022 you had a better understanding of what was happening in the Russian invasion of Ukraine than you did of the Iraq War in 2010 as an intelligence analyst on the ground. Has the world changed more between when you went to prison and being released in 2017, or since then? A. Way more. Im trying to understand that. Im trying to navigate that myself. In order to understand the environment, I needed to engage with it in a new way. Ive been doing a lot of things that I had never done before. I was doing things that people wouldnt necessarily necessary think, Oh, this is something that Chelsea Manning would do. I did some DJing and that was very visible. But I did a lot of very similar things in my own life. Ive been going on a personal exploration to figure out who I am. Its not something that I documented on social media. I decided to do it outside of the digital realm. Im going to engage with some really hard questions, become more open and engage with things within myself and within society, on a much different playing field than information and technology, getting into to areas like philosophy, art, music, meditation. Q. So youre no longer a security consultant? A. Thats how I pay my bills. Its still my job, but its not my life. Q. And three years ago, it was your job and your life? A. I would say that my life was much more uncertain. I engaged a little bit more on the political side of things, especially as a writer and commentator. It was a bit more like, Oh, these are important things that I want to do. Probably, in retrospect, I needed a little bit more grounding and experience to really grow internally as a person. I feel that in the last couple of years Ive been really growing, but in a deeper way, not just intellectually or physically, but also spiritually, in who I am. Q. It must be strange when people say that you should be on the Mount Rushmore of the fight against public secrets, alongside Julian Assange or Snowden. A. I was pigeonholed in this role. I was very young, whenever all this stuff happened and I never really got to figure out what I want. You know, who am I? Why am I here? Like in an almost existential and religious way. Ive been able to work through that. I occasionally have to do press and I occasionally have to do interviews but Ive been shying away from that more and more for the last couple of years. Even in the last year, the process has gotten so much deeper Q. But will you stop analyzing digital world issues? A. No, I dont think Im quitting. I think Im just contextualizing it and trying to get a deeper understanding. I had to do these things in order to come up with some bigger and deeper questions. Weve been channeled into a way of thinking about these kinds of things privacy, technology, AI and how it interacts with our society. Weve had tunnel vision in how weve interpreted this. I had to step back in order to come up with some observations about that. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition Life Saved At 35,000 Feet: 2 Kerala Nurses Revive Passenger On Flight To UAE Minutes After Take-Off Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: November 01, 2025, 01:36 IST Abhijith Jees, 26, from Wayanad, and Ajeesh Nelson, 29, from Chengannur, were on board Air Arabia flight 3L128 from Kochi to Abu Dhabi Their timely and professional intervention paid off. The passenger, a 34-year-old man, regained a pulse and began breathing again. Representational image What was meant to be the start of new careers became a dramatic, life-saving mission for two young nurses from Kerala, who revived a fellow passenger suffering a cardiac arrest just 20 minutes into their first-ever international flight to the UAE. Abhijith Jees, 26, from Wayanad, and Ajeesh Nelson, 29, from Chengannur, were on board Air Arabia flight 3L128 from Kochi to Abu Dhabi, heading to join their new positions as registered nurses with Response Plus Medical (RPM) in the UAE. Recommended Stories The medical emergency struck quickly. Around 20 minutes after takeoff, as the aircraft cruised over the Arabian Sea, Abhijith noticed a man from Thrissur, Kerala, slumped in his seat, unresponsive and gasping for air. I checked his pulse, but there was none. I knew he was in cardiac arrest," Abhijith later recalled. The two nurses immediately sprang into action. Abhijith started cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) while alerting the cabin crew, and Ajeesh quickly joined to assist. Working in a confined space at 35,000 feet, the duo performed two critical rounds of CPR. There was no panic. We just focused on what had to be done. It was about acting fast and doing our best," Ajeesh stated. Their timely and professional intervention paid off. The passenger, a 34-year-old man, regained a pulse and began breathing again. A doctor on board, Dr Arif Abdul Khadir, stepped in to provide further stabilisation, administering IV fluids and monitoring his vitals for the rest of the journey. Upon landing safely in Abu Dhabi, the revived passenger was transferred to the airport medical team for treatment and was later reported to be in stable condition. The two nurses, however, quietly proceeded to their new workplace without mentioning their heroism. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The story only emerged after a fellow traveller, who was also an RPM employee, narrated the dramatic events to the company. Response Plus Medical later officially felicitated Abhijith and Ajeesh for their courage and presence of mind, calling their actions an embodiment of their professions true spirit. The grateful family of the saved passenger expressed heartfelt thanks: They were strangers, yet they gave our loved one another chance at life. Their kindness and courage will always stay in our prayers." For Abhijith and Ajeesh, saving a life before even starting their new careers proved to be the most meaningful welcome" to the 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: November 01, 2025, 01:36 IST News india Life Saved At 35,000 Feet: 2 Kerala Nurses Revive Passenger On Flight To UAE Minutes After Take-Off 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... Made Country Suffer For Decades: PM Modi Trains Guns On Congress, Nehru Over Kashmir, PoK Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: October 31, 2025, 11:26 IST Addressing the nation on National Unity Day on the birth anniversary of former deputy PM Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, PM Modi accused Congress of furthering British agenda. Rapid Read Choose News18 on Google Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses a gathering during the 'Rashtriya Ekta Diwas' programme organised on Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel's 150th birth anniversary, at the Statue of Unity, Kevadia, in Narmada district of Gujarat. (IMAGE: PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday accused the Congress for the Partition of India and targeted the party for issues plaguing the Kashmir region. He also accused his predecessor Jawaharlal Nehru, Indias first prime minister, for not fulfilling Sardar Vallabhbhai Patels vision. Recommended Stories Addressing the nation on the 150th birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel from Ekta Nagar in Gujarat, the Prime Minister accused Congress of furthering interests of the Britishers" and said the party itself was inherited from the Britishers". Sardar Patel wanted the complete integration of Kashmir into India, just as he had successfully done with other princely states. However, Nehru did not allow that vision to be fulfilled. Kashmir was given a separate constitution and flag, dividing it from the rest of the nation," PM Modi said. When India became independent in 1947, along with British-ruled provinces, there were more than 560 princely states, which were regions ruled by kings and nawabs, that were not directly under British control. These states had to decide whether to join India, join Pakistan, or remain independent. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Indias first Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister, played the most crucial role in uniting these princely states with the Indian Union. Working closely with VP Menon, his secretary in the Ministry of States, Patel used a mix of persuasion, diplomacy and firmness to convince rulers to sign the Instrument of Accession, agreeing to join India. Most rulers agreed peacefully, but a few states like Hyderabad, Junagadh, and Kashmir posed challenges. Junagadh, a Hindu-majority state with a Muslim ruler, initially chose to join Pakistan, but Patel sent troops and integrated it into India. Hyderabads Nizam also wanted independence, but after negotiations failed, the Indian Army carried out Operation Polo" in 1948, bringing the state into the Indian Union. The mistake Congress made regarding Kashmir caused the country to suffer for decades. A part of Kashmir fell under Pakistans illegal occupation because of Congresss weak and compromising approach," PM Modi, further added, referring to Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all He also accused Congress for Partition of India and alleged that its move to censor a part of the Vande Mataram laid the foundation for the division of the country. Congress not only inherited its party and power from the British but also internalized the slave mentality. The chant of Vande Mataram continued to resonate in every corner of India. But what the British failed to do, Congress accomplished. Congress removed a portion of Vande Mataram on religious grounds. This means that Congress both divided society and furthered the British agenda The day Congress decided to break, cut, and divide Vande Mataram, it laid the foundation for Indias partition," he said. About the Author Shankhyaneel Sarkar Shankhyaneel Sarkar is a Chief Sub-Editor at News18. He covers international affairs, where he focuses on breaking news to in-depth analyses. He has over seven years of experience during which he has ... Read More Location : Kevadiya, India, India First Published: October 31, 2025, 11:26 IST News india Made Country Suffer For Decades: PM Modi Trains Guns On Congress, Nehru Over Kashmir, PoK 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... Most Admired Part: PM Modi Praises Demonstrations By Indigenous Dogs At Rashtriya Ekta Divas Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: October 31, 2025, 18:22 IST PM Modi praised BSF dog squad demonstrations with Rampur Hounds and Mudhol Hounds at Rashtriya Ekta Diwas parade. PM Modi Praises Demonstrations By Indigenous Dogs At Rashtriya Ekta Divas Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday praised the demonstrations by the BSF dog squad comprising indigenous dog breeds during the Rashtriya Ekta Diwas. He called it among most admired parts" of the parade. The PM participated in the Rashtriya Ekta Diwas parade at the Statue of Unity in Ekta Nagar, Gujarat, on the occasion of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patels birth anniversary on Friday. The indigenous dog squad included breeds like Rampur Hounds and Mudhol Hounds. All India Police Dog Competition winner, Mudhol Hound Riya", led the dog squad in the parade. In a post on X, PM Modi shared a video of the demonstrations by the indigenous dog breeds and stated, Among the most admired parts of the Ekta Parade were the demonstrations by indigenous dog breeds." Recommended Stories Among the most admired parts of the Ekta Parade were the demonstrations by indigenous dog breeds. pic.twitter.com/jGv0CTSrO5 Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) October 31, 2025 Alongside, Assam Polices Motorcycle Daredevil Show enthralled the audience at the parade. The police personnel created remarkable formations on the bikes, showcasing Indias firepower and strength. Meanwhile, the Rashtriya Ekta Diwas parade featured tableaux from Gujarat, Jammu & Kashmir, Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Manipur, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Uttarakhand and Puducherry, reflecting the theme Unity in Diversity." top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The event was chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who witnessed cultural dance performances at the parade in honour of Sardar Patel. PM Modi applauded the participants and said, The programmes carried the traditions of the past, hard work of the present, and the glimpse of future accomplishments" Meanwhile, five Shaurya Chakra awardees from the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and 16 gallantry medal winners from the Border Security Force (BSF) participated in the Rashtriya Ekta Diwas parade. 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 31, 2025, 18:22 IST News india Most Admired Part: PM Modi Praises Demonstrations By Indigenous Dogs At Rashtriya Ekta Divas 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... Moving In Right Direction: PM Modi Lauds Growing Role Of Women In Defence, Space Sectors Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: October 31, 2025, 17:12 IST PM Modi praised women's growing roles in defence and space, citing President Murmu's Rafale flight with Squadron Leader Shivangi Singh. Prime Minister Narendra Modi addresses the International Arya Mahasammelan 2025 in New Delhi. (PTI) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday hailed the increasing participation of women in Indias defence and space sectors, calling it a reflection of the nations progressive direction. While addressing the International Arya Mahasammelan 2025 in New Delhi, the Prime Minister said that President Droupadi Murmu recently flew in a Rafale fighter jet, accompanied by Squadron Leader Shivangi Singh, one of Indias first women Rafale pilots. He said that it was a symbol of womens growing presence in frontline defence roles. Recommended Stories Just two days ago, our President Droupadi Murmu Ji took a sortie in a Rafale fighter aircraft. Her companion was Squadron Leader Shivangi Singh. Today, our daughters are flying fighter aircraft and also promoting modern agriculture by becoming Drone Didis. Today, we can proudly say that India has the highest number of female STEM graduates in the world. Today, women are also playing leadership roles in the field of science and technology," PM Modi said, emphasising that women are now leading from the front in varied sectors. #WATCH | Delhi: At the International Aryan Summit 2025, Prime Minister Narendra Modi says, Just two days ago, our President Droupadi Murmu Ji took a sortie in a Rafale fighter aircraft. Her companion was Squadron Leader Shivangi Singh. Today, our daughters are flying fighter pic.twitter.com/p4TKeBDo3X ANI (@ANI) October 31, 2025 PM Modi further hailed the services of the Arya Samaj, saying that the occasion marking the 150th anniversary of the group is a celebration of the nations Vedic identity and self-renewing spirit. PM Modi also released commemorative coins marking the 200th birth anniversary of Maharshi Dayanand Saraswati and the 150th anniversary of Arya Samajs service to society. He said that the event is not confined to any single community or sect but reflects the essence of Indias civilisational philosophy. The 150th anniversary of the establishment of Arya Samaj is not connected only to a part of society or a sect. This occasion is connected to the Vedic identity of the entire India," he said. PM Modi compared the ideals of Arya Samaj to the sacred flow of the Ganga, saying that both represent the strength to refine and rejuvenate themselves continuously. He also noted that the founder of the organisation, Swami Dayanand Saraswati, was a visionary who worked for the emancipation of women and founded institutions that continue to serve the country. The Prime Minister also highlighted how the movement founded by Swami Dayanand Saraswati infused the freedom struggle with moral and ideological energy, inspiring countless revolutionaries to dedicate their lives to the cause of independence. He highlighted that revolutionaries like Lala Lajpat Rai and Ram Prasad Bismil, among others, drew inspiration from Arya Samaj. The Arya Samaj has been an organisation that fearlessly speaks of Indianness. Be it any anti-India mindset, people imposing foreign ideologies, a divisive mentality, or nefarious attempts at cultural pollution, the Arya Samaj has always challenged these. I am pleased that today, as society and the nation are paying homage to the great ideals of Dayanand Saraswati Ji in this grand form," PM Modi said. He further regretted that the contributions of the Arya Samaj to Indias freedom movement have not received due recognition. Unfortunately, due to political reasons, Arya Samajs role in the freedom struggle did not receive the respect it deserved," he said. The Prime Minister also urged Arya Samaj members to encourage youth to take up the study of manuscripts, promote natural farming of coarse cereals. All About International Arya Mahasammelan 2025 The Mahasammelan is a key part of the Jyana Jyoti Festival, commemorating the 200th birth anniversary of Maharshi Dayanand Saraswati and 150 years of the Arya Samajs service to society. The Summit has brought together representatives from Arya Samaj units across India and abroad. It also features an exhibition titled 150 Golden Years of Service, showcasing Arya Samajs transformative journey through its contributions in education, social reform, and spiritual upliftment. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The Summit seeks to honour Maharshi Dayanand Saraswatis reformist and educational legacy, celebrate 150 years of Arya Samajs service in education, social reform, and nation-building, and inspire global awareness of Vedic principles and Swadeshi values in alignment with Viksit Bharat 2047. (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 31, 2025, 17:12 IST News india Moving In Right Direction: PM Modi Lauds Growing Role Of Women In Defence, Space Sectors Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... PM Modi Leads Unity Day Celebrations On Sardar Patel's 150th Birth Anniversary Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: October 31, 2025, 11:27 IST Sardar Patel, who is also known as the "Iron Man of India," was the first Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister of India. PM Modi in Gujarat Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday led the Unity Day celebrations and administered the oath of unity on the occasion of Rashtriya Ekta Diwas, the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. The prime minister also paid floral tribute at the Statue of Unity in Nandi, Gujarat, on Friday. I solemnly swear that I will dedicate myself to the preservation of the unity, integrity, and security of the nation. I will also make every effort to spread this message among my countrymen. I take this oath in the spirit of my countrys unity, which was made possible by the foresight and hard work of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. I also resolve to do my part to ensure the internal security of my country," he recited. Recommended Stories #WATCH | Gujarat | Prime Minister Narendra Modi administers the oath of unity on the occasion of Rashtriya Ekta Diwas, the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. #SardarPatel150(Source: DD News) pic.twitter.com/3ezrQZZoJO ANI (@ANI) October 31, 2025 PM Modi also shared a post on X after the celebration and said, Paid homage to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel at the Statue of Unity in Kevadia. SoU is a monumental tribute to Sardar Patel and his vision towards Indias unity and strength. Standing tall as the worlds tallest statue, it is a symbol of national pride and collective resolve to fulfil Sardar Patels dreams." Paid homage to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel at the Statue of Unity in Kevadia.SoU is a monumental tribute to Sardar Patel and his vision towards Indias unity and strength. Standing tall as the worlds tallest statue, it is a symbol of national pride and collective resolve to pic.twitter.com/T4V6YOEDqo Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) October 31, 2025 PM Modi Witnesses Rashtriya Ekta Diwas Parade Prime Minister Narendra Modi witnessed the Rashtriya Ekta Diwas parade on the occasion. The Guard of Honour presented to the Prime Minister was led by Gujarat Cadre IPS Officer Simran Bhardwaj. #WATCH | Ekta Nagar, Gujarat | Prime Minister Narendra Modi witnesses the Rashtriya Ekta Diwas parade on the occasion of Rashtriya Ekta Diwas, the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. #SardarPatel150The Guard of Honour presented to the Prime Minister is being led by pic.twitter.com/wUAZNgHgTB ANI (@ANI) October 31, 2025 Gallantry Awardees Honoured at Rashtriya Ekta Diwas Parade On the occasion of Rashtriya Ekta Diwas, celebrated to mark the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the nation paid tribute to the spirit of unity and courage through a grand parade. Among the participants were five Shaurya Chakra awardees from the CRPF and sixteen gallantry medal winners from the BSF, who were recognised for their extraordinary bravery. #WATCH | Ekta Nagar, Gujarat | The Rashtriya Ekta Diwas parade includes contingents from BSF, CRPF, CISF, ITBP and SSB along with police forces from states of Assam, Tripura, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Punjab, Jammu & Kashmir, Kerala, Andhra Pradesh and pic.twitter.com/e69AvrBFFh ANI (@ANI) October 31, 2025 The CRPF personnel displayed remarkable courage during anti-Naxal operations in Jharkhand and counter-terrorism missions in Jammu and Kashmir, while BSF soldiers were lauded for their heroic acts during Operation Sindoor along Indias western border. #WATCH | Ekta Nagar | Gujarat Polices Horse Contingent, BSF Camel Contingent, Border Security Force (BSF) camel-mounted band in the Rashtriya Ekta Diwas parade on the occasion of Rashtriya Ekta Diwas, the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. #SardarPatel150(Source: pic.twitter.com/pmT7FviQtd ANI (@ANI) October 31, 2025 The parade also featured impressive contingents from BSF, CRPF, CISF, ITBP, and SSB, alongside state police forces from Assam, Tripura, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Punjab, Jammu & Kashmir, Kerala, and Andhra Pradesh, as well as cadets from the NCCshowcasing the nations collective strength, unity, and dedication to internal security. Surya Kiran Team Dazzles The Skies At Rashtriya Ekta Diwas Parade I The Indian Air Forces Surya Kiran Aerobatic Team (SKAT) also performed an air show during the Rashtriya Ekta Diwas parade in Ekta Nagar. #WATCH | Gujarat | Indian Air Forces Surya Kiran Aerobatic Team performs air show during the Rashtriya Ekta Diwas parade in Ekta Nagar. #SardarPatel150(Source: DD News) pic.twitter.com/sgDrUPR7ak ANI (@ANI) October 31, 2025 The show captivated spectators as the IAF team painted the sky in the vibrant hues of the tricolour during the parade. About Sardar Patel Sardar Patel was the nations first Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Popularly known as the Iron Man of India," he was widely known for his role in the integration of over 560 princely states and the Indian Union after Independence. His visionary leadership guided India through its most challenging times, ensuring the nations unity and preserving its dignity. 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 31, 2025, 09:52 IST News india PM Modi Leads Unity Day Celebrations On Sardar Patel's 150th Birth Anniversary Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... PM Modi To Inaugurate Chhattisgarhs New Vidhan Sabha On November 1 Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: October 31, 2025, 21:57 IST Designed as a blend of traditional art and modern engineering, the structure embodies the essence of 'Dharti Dhurandhar', a land rich in tradition and innovation. Spread across 51 acres in Nava Raipur and built at a cost of Rs 324 crore, the new assembly building stands as a reflection of Chhattisgarhs rich heritage and forward-looking vision. (ANI) As Chhattisgarh celebrates the silver jubilee of its formation, the state is ready to witness a historic moment when Prime Minister Narendra Modi will inaugurate the grand, modern, and eco-friendly newly constructed Chhattisgarh Legislative Assembly building in Naya Raipur. Chhattisgarh carved as the 26th state out of Madhya Pradesh on November 1, 2000, with its first Legislative Assembly session held on December 14, 2000, at a private school in Raipur. Recommended Stories The first session of the Chhattisgarh legislative assembly was held inside the Jashpur Hall in Rajkumar College (a school), Raipur. Subsequently, the assembly was shifted to a government building on the outskirts of the capital on the Raipur-Baloda Bazar Road. 25 years later, the assembly is moving own grand, modern, and eco-friendly building. The new Vidhan Sabha complex, spread over 51 acres in Nava Raipur and constructed at a cost of Rs 324 crore, is a symbol of Chhattisgarhs cultural identity and progressive spirit, news agency PTI reported, citing an official statement. Designed as a blend of traditional art and modern engineering, the structure embodies the essence of Dharti Dhurandhar, a land rich in tradition and innovation. The state-of-the-art structure is considered one of the most technologically advanced legislative assemblies in India, featuring a blend of traditional Chhattisgarhi aesthetics and modern architecture. The ceiling of the main assembly hall features intricately-carved motifs of rice grains and leaves, representing Chhattisgarhs identity as the Rice Bowl of India. Most of the doors and furniture have been handcrafted by skilled wood artisans from Bastar, giving the complex a distinctly local touch, it said. The building is divided into three major sections Wing-A houses the assembly secretariat, Wing-B includes the main chamber, Central Hall, and offices of the Speaker and the Chief Minister, while Wing-C accommodates offices of all ministers. Built with energy-efficient and green construction technology, the complex integrates a solar power plant and two rainwater harvesting ponds, ensuring sustainability for generations to come. Equipped for a paperless assembly in the future, the new building combines modern amenities with technological foresight. There is a 500-seat state-of-the-art auditorium and a 100-seater Central Hall for high-level deliberations in the complex. Designed to reflect the essence of Chhattisgarhs tribal and regional heritage, along with aspirations for a forward-looking, self-reliant future, the new building integrates Bastar and Surguja art into its corridors. The interiors feature a grand dome inspired by traditional palaces, while the exterior design subtly mirrors the Rashtrapati Bhavan. This isnt just an Assembly building. Its where the dreams of 30 million people will take shape," a government official said. The complex includes a media lounge, auditorium, art gallery, canteen, and three meeting halls, alongside separate facilities for men, women, differently abled, and transgender individuals. To ensure safety and accessibility, the complex also includes three medical facilities within its premises. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all A statue of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, under whose leadership Chhattisgarh was formed, has been installed at the entrance as a symbolic tribute to his vision of empowering Indias heartland. (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 : Raipur, India, India First Published: October 31, 2025, 21:57 IST News india PM Modi To Inaugurate Chhattisgarhs New Vidhan Sabha On November 1 Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... PM Modi To Launch Rs 14,260-Crore Development Projects During Chhattisgarh Visit On November 1 Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: October 31, 2025, 17:19 IST In Chhattisgarh, PM Modi will also unveil a statue of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and inaugurate the new Chhattisgarh Legislative Assembly building in Nava Raipur. Prime Minister Narendra Modi Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to visit Chhattisgarh on November 1 to mark 25 years of the states formation. During his visit, he will take part in the Chhattisgarh Rajat Mahotsav and lay foundation stones for development projects worth over Rs 14,260 crore, covering sectors such as roads, industry, healthcare, and energy. The Prime Ministers visit will begin at 10 AM with the Dil Ki Baat" programme at Sri Sathya Sai Sanjeevani Hospital in Nava Raipur Atal Nagar, where he will meet 2,500 children who have undergone treatment for congenital heart diseases. Recommended Stories At 10:45 AM, he will inaugurate Brahma Kumaris Shanti Shikhar", a modern centre for spiritual learning, meditation, and peace. Later, around 11:45 AM, PM Modi will unveil a statue of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and inaugurate the new Chhattisgarh Legislative Assembly building in Nava Raipur. The eco-friendly building has been designed as a green structure, powered entirely by solar energy and equipped with a rainwater harvesting system. The Prime Minister will also address the public at the venue. Honouring Tribal Legacy In the afternoon, around 1:30 PM, PM Modi will inaugurate the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh Memorial and Tribal Freedom Fighters Museum, dedicated to the bravery and sacrifices of tribal communities. He will also launch the Aadi Shaurya" e-book and museum portal and unveil a horse-mounted statue of Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh. Major Development Push At 2:30 PM, the Prime Minister will attend the Chhattisgarh Rajat Mahotsav and launch a series of projects across key sectors. These include new startup village entrepreneurship programmes in nine districts, housing support for 3 lakh PMAY beneficiaries, and the foundation stone for a four-lane Greenfield Highway connecting PathalgaonKunkuri to the Chhattisgarh-Jharkhand border under the Bharatmala project. He will also inaugurate new power projects worth Rs 3,750 crore, including inter-regional grid connections to enhance power reliability, and new substations worth Rs 480 crore, benefiting over 15 lakh residents. In the energy and industrial sectors, PM Modi will inaugurate HPCLs new petroleum depot in Raipur, commission the NagpurJharsuguda gas pipeline, and lay foundations for two smart industrial zones and a pharmaceutical park in Nava Raipur. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all To strengthen healthcare, he will also lay the foundation for five new government medical colleges and an Ayurveda college in Bilaspur, expanding medical education and services across the state. 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 31, 2025, 17:19 IST News india PM Modi To Launch Rs 14,260-Crore Development Projects During Chhattisgarh Visit On November 1 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... 'Ties Never Been Stronger': US Seals Big 10-Year Defence Pact With India Reported By : CNN-News18 Last Updated: October 31, 2025, 11:09 IST This is the first time Rajnath Singh has met his US counterpart Hegseth face-to-face. Defence Ministry Rajnath Singh with US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth In a significant development, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and US counterpart Pete Hegseth signed a new 10-year Defence Framework Agreement, strengthening strategic and security cooperation between the two nations. The two leaders met in Kuala Lumpur on the sidelines of the ASEAN Defence Ministers Meeting. In a significant development, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and US counterpart Pete Hegseth signed a new 10-year Defence Framework Agreement, strengthening strategic and security cooperation between the two nations. The two leaders met in Kuala Lumpur on the sidelines of the ASEAN Defence Ministers Meeting. Recommended Stories The new IndiaUS Defence Framework Agreement encompasses strategic logistics, joint production, and technology transfer as its core pillars. It represents a significant push to counter Chinas expanding influence across the Indo-Pacific region. The pact will deepen military interoperability, enabling the seamless use of each others bases, logistics, and maintenance facilities. The agreement also secures long-term access to advanced defence technologies, crucial for Indias indigenous defence production and modernization. It strengthens the Indo-Pacific security architecture, signaling a united front against Chinas assertiveness in the South China Sea and Indian Ocean. Additionally, it boosts Indias defence exports and innovation ecosystem through joint research, development, and next-generation projects in drones and AI-based warfare. The deal further elevates Indias role within the ASEAN security framework, positioning it as a regional stabilizer and a preferred partner for maritime cooperation. Notably, this is the first time Singh and Hegseth have met face-to-face. Singh was scheduled to visit Washington earlier this month, however, it was cancelled amid the tensions due to tariffs imposed by US. US Defence Secretary Says Ties Have Never Been Stronger, After Meeting Rajnath Singh Following the meeting, US defence secretary took to X and shared a picture with Rajnath Singh and said that the defence ties of India and the US have never been stronger. I just met with @rajnathsingh to sign a 10-year US-India Defense Framework. This advances our defense partnership, a cornerstone for regional stability and deterrence. Were enhancing our coordination, info sharing, and tech cooperation. Our defense ties have never been stronger," his post read. I just met with @rajnathsingh to sign a 10-year U.S.-India Defense Framework.This advances our defense partnership, a cornerstone for regional stability and deterrence. Were enhancing our coordination, info sharing, and tech cooperation. Our defense ties have never been pic.twitter.com/hPmkZdMDv2 Secretary of War Pete Hegseth (@SecWar) October 31, 2025 India-US Ties The meeting comes amid recent strains in India-US relations, following Washingtons decision in August to double tariffs on Indian goods to 50 per cent. The US action was seen as a response to Indias continued purchase of Russian crude despite Western sanctions, but ties are now showing signs of recovery. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all With Indian refiners scaling back Russian oil imports under new US sanctions, both nations view the upcoming ASEAN meet as a chance to rebuild trust and reinforce defence and economic cooperation. First Published: October 31, 2025, 10:31 IST News india 'Ties Never Been Stronger': US Seals Big 10-Year Defence Pact With India Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... 'No Respect For Orders': Top Court Urges Chief Secretaries To Appear Physically In Stray Dogs Case Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: October 31, 2025, 11:51 IST The Supreme Court has rebuked the chief secretaries of multiple states over not physically appearing before the court to file compliance affidavits in the stray dogs case. A photo of stray dogs (AP) The Supreme Court on Friday rapped the chief secretaries of multiple states after Solicitor General Tushar Mehta requested that the court allow them to appear virtually before it on November 3 in the stray dogs case. Earlier, a bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta had made it clear that the chief secretaries will have to appear physically before the court on November 3. Recommended Stories When we require them to come and file a compliance affidavit, they are just sleeping over it, Justice Nath said. No respect for the order of the court. Then, alright, let them come," he added. Mehta had mentioned the matter before the bench, requesting the Supreme Court to allow the chief secretaries of states, except West Bengal and Telangana, to appear virtually before the court. On Thursday, the Supreme Court had refused to accept the Bihar governments request to exempt its chief secretary from appearing before it on November 3 in the stray dogs case due to assembly elections in the state. There is an Election Commission which would take care. Dont worry. Let the chief secretary come," the bench of Justices Nath and Sandeep Mehta told the counsel appearing for Bihar. Assembly elections in Bihar are scheduled on November 6 and 11, and votes will be counted on November 14. While hearing the stray dogs matter on October 27, the top court had directed that all, except the chief secretaries of West Bengal and Telangana, will remain present before it on November 3 to explain why compliance affidavits were not filed despite the courts August 22 order. Earlier, on August 22, the court had expanded the scope of the stray dogs case beyond the confines of Delhi-National Capital Region, and directed that all states and UTs be made parties in the matter. It had directed the municipal authorities to file an affidavit of compliance with complete statistics of resources like dog pounds, veterinarians, dog-catching personnel, and specially-modified vehicles and cages available as on date for the purpose of compliance with the Animal Birth Control (ABC) Rules. The bench had also impleaded the states and UTs in the matter while observing that the application of the ABC Rules was uniform all over India. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The Supreme Court is hearing a suo motu case, which was initiated on July 28 over a media report on stray dog bites leading to rabies, particularly among children, in the national capital. ALSO READ | What About Cruelty Towards Humans? Supreme Court Says Stray Dog Menace Hit Indias Image 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 31, 2025, 11:41 IST News india 'No Respect For Orders': Top Court Urges Chief Secretaries To Appear Physically In Stray Dogs Case 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... 'More Splendid Sheesh Mahal': Swati Maliwal Alleges Kejriwal Allotted '7-Star Mansion' In Punjab Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: October 31, 2025, 13:31 IST Swati Maliwal has alleged that Arvind Kejriwal has been allotted a luxurious 7-star government mansion in Chandigarhs Sector 2 under the CM quota. File photos of Swati Maliwal/Arvind Kejriwal (PTI) In a fresh political attack on the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), MP and former Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) chairperson Swati Maliwal has alleged that former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has been allotted a luxurious 7-star government mansion" in Chandigarhs Sector 2 under the Chief Ministers quota. Taking to X, Maliwal wrote, After the Sheesh Mahal in Delhi became vacant, Arvind Kejriwal ji has had an even more splendid Sheesh Mahal built in Punjab than the one in Delhi." Recommended Stories In Chandigarhs Sector 2, a luxurious 7-star government mansion of 2 acres under the CM quota has been allotted to Arvind Kejriwal ji," she wrote. Swati Maliwal further alleged that Kejriwal used government aircraft for personal and party-related travel. Yesterday, he boarded a government helicopter right from in front of his house for Ambala, and then from Ambala, the Punjab governments private jet took him to Gujarat for party work," she claimed. Maliwal also accused the Punjab government of misusing state resources for Kejriwals personal convenience, saying, The entire Punjab government is engaged in serving one man." With her X post, Swati Maliwal also shared an image which appeared to show an aerial view of a government bungalow complex in Chandigarhs Sector 2, with an arrow marking the purported location of the property. 2 CM 2 Acre 7 pic.twitter.com/Vy1MfMGkt1 Swati Maliwal (@SwatiJaiHind) October 31, 2025 The row over Arvind Kejriwals official residence, while he was Delhis Chief Minister, began in 2024, after the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) submitted a factual report on the complaint of BJP leader Vijender Gupta, alleging illegal construction at Kejriwals official residence, located at 6 Flag Staff Road. Gupta alleged that Kejriwal flouted building regulations to construct a lavish mansion (Sheesh Mahal) covering 40,000 square yards (8 acres). The complaint highlighted that government properties, including Plot numbers 45 and 47 on Rajpur Road (previously housing senior officers and judges in Type-V flats) and two bungalows (8-A & 8-B, Flag Staff Road), were demolished and merged into the new residence, violating ground coverage and floor area ratio (FAR) norms and lacked proper layout plan approvals. On October 16, the CVC registered the complaint for further examination. In November 2024, the CVC forwarded the complaint to the CPWD for further investigation. The CVC assured that appropriate action would be taken based on a factual report. On October 21, Vijender Gupta lodged a formal complaint with the Vigilance Commission regarding extravagant spending on the renovation and interior decoration of the former Chief Ministers residence. In his complaint to the Chief Vigilance Commissioner, Gupta wrote about massive financial irregularities, stating that Arvind Kejriwal spent crores of taxpayers money on luxurious amenities for his residence. He stated that the expenditures on luxury items far exceeded reasonable limits and raised serious concerns about corruption. On November 5, the CVC took cognisance of Guptas complaint and acknowledged the seriousness of the allegations. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Later, on December 5, a factual report based on Vijender Guptas complaint was submitted to the CVC by the Chief Vigilance Officer (CVO), CPWD. ALSO READ | AAP, BJP Trade Barbs Over Chhath Puja Preparations, Yamuna Pollution 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 31, 2025, 13:29 IST News india 'More Splendid Sheesh Mahal': Swati Maliwal Alleges Kejriwal Allotted '7-Star Mansion' In Punjab Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... A federal judge indicated Thursday that she is inclined to order the Trump administration to continue funding the food stamp program, which 42 million Americans rely on. The Republican administration confirmed last weekend that the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) would run out of funding on November 1 due to the federal government shutdown, which is already the second-longest in history at 30 days, just six days shy of breaking the previous record. In announcing its decision to suspend the program that helps approximately one in eight Americans buy food, the Trump administration argued that it could not use contingency funds to keep it running during the government shutdown because that money is reserved for emergencies such as natural disasters. At the same time, it insisted that it does not have enough money to provide the approximately $8 billion needed to fund the program nationwide next month. Massachusetts U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani disagreed. I have a hard time understanding how this isnt an emergency when theres no money and so many people need their SNAP benefits, she said Thursday during a hearing in a lawsuit filed by a coalition of 25 Democratic states and the District of Columbia. The judge, appointed by former president Barack Obama, added that the Trump administration will have to figure out how theyre going to stretch that emergency money for now. If you dont have money, you tighten your belt, Justice Talwani said. You are not going to make everyone drop dead because its a political game someplace. SNAP helps low-income individuals and families buy food by providing electronic benefits that can be used at participating stores. States are responsible for the day-to-day administration of the benefits, which are paid monthly by the federal government. If suspended in November, it would be the first time in the programs 60-year history that payments have not been made due to a pause in federal budget allocations. Other lawsuits have been filed to prevent the programs suspension, including one filed Thursday in Rhode Island by a coalition of eight cities and community, business, and labor organizations. The program has a contingency fund that serves as a reserve to maintain benefits during short-term funding shortfalls. It currently has more than $5 billion available. The Trump administration initially stated it would use that money to prevent any disruption to the program during the government shutdown, which began on October 1. However, it later reversed course, claiming it could not use those funds to finance food stamps because they were reserved for natural disasters such as hurricanes, tornadoes, and floods. At the same time, it warned states that it would not reimburse them if they attempted to fund the program on their own. The Democratic-led states and territories that filed the lawsuit in Massachusetts court argue that contingency funds should be used to keep the program afloat. Because of the actions of the [Department of Agriculture, USDA], SNAP benefits will be delayed for the first time since the programs inception, they wrote in the 51-page lawsuit. Even worse, the USDA suspended SNAP benefits even though, according to available information, it has sufficient funds to finance all or at least a substantial portion of Novembers SNAP benefits. The plaintiffs also claim that the government could tap into another Department of Agriculture fund that, as of early October, held $23 billion. Just weeks ago, the White House used that same budget allocation to prevent the interruption of another federal food assistance program for pregnant women and low-income children, known as WIC, during the government shutdown. However, Justice Department lawyers maintain that the Department of Agriculture lacks the authority to disburse funds for the benefits until Congress passes a spending bill ending the shutdown. Negotiations continue at the Capitol with no agreement in sight. President Trumps party continues to blame Democrats for the shutdown and, by extension, for the potential suspension of SNAP. Republicans continue to falsely accuse Democrats of wanting to fund healthcare for undocumented immigrants, which is prohibited under federal law. Meanwhile, Democratic lawmakers refuse to pass a budget that does not include an extension of the health insurance subsidies approved during the pandemic. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition Enrique Iglesias Leaves 30,000 Fans In Awe At His Blockbuster Mumbai Concert On Day 2 Written By : News18.com Edited By: Shrishti Negi Last Updated: October 31, 2025, 07:38 IST A wave of nostalgia swept across Mumbai as Enrique Iglesias mesmerized fans with his greatest hits. For a few hours, the crowd was transported straight back to the early 2000s! Rapid Read Choose News18 on Google Inside Enrique Iglesias Mumbai Concert: A Night Full of Music, Nostalgia And Memories As a long-time Enrique Iglesias fan, I was ecstatic when I heard he was finally performing in Mumbai. Naturally, I didnt waste a moment before grabbing my tickets! Walking into the venue that night, surrounded by thousands of fans who felt just like me, I was ready to relive my teenage years. From Be With You to Bailando, Enriques songs have been the soundtrack to so many memories, and seeing him perform them live felt like I had been teleported back to the 2000s. The opening acts by Progressive Brothers and Jonita Gandhi perfectly set the tone for the night, mesmerizing the crowd with their high-energy performances. Finally, the wait came to an end as Enrique Iglesias walked onto the stage and opened the show on an explosive note with Subeme La Radio, immediately sending fans into a frenzy. Recommended Stories Dressed casually in an all-black ensemble with his trademark cap, Enrique instantly connected with his diverse audience, greeting them warmly. He performed a string of his greatest hits, including Me Pase, El Perdon, Cuando Me Enamoro, I Like How It Feels, Bailando, Tired Of Being Sorry, Ring My Bells, Takin Back My Love, Tonight (Im Lovin You), Escape, Freak, Chasing The Sun, Be With You, Heartbeat, Duele el Corazon, Bailamos, and Sweet Dreams, each met with thunderous applause and deafening cheers. For his performance of Hero, Enrique glided to the center of the venue, where 30,000 fans sang every word in unison. For those of us in the crowd on Day 2, it was an emotional experience especially for fans who grew up with his music. His performance reignited old memories and proved that his global charm remains unmatched. View this post on Instagram A post shared by District Updates (@districtupdates) The final song of the night, I Like It, was truly unforgettable. Towards the end, hundreds of white balloons emblazoned with his initials (EI) cascaded through the venue amid a spectacular fireworks display, leaving the audience in awe. Enrique folded his hands, said Namaste," and let the crowd carry the chorus. In a standout moment, he even stepped off the stage to greet a few fortunate fans near the barricade. Celebrities Attend Enrique Iglesias Concert The concert was a star-studded affair, with several Bollywood celebrities in attendance. While Malaika Arora, Vidya Balan, Rakul Preet Singh, Jackky Bhagnani, Sonal Chauhan, Rubina Dilaik, Abhinav Shukla, and Mandana Karimi were spotted on Day 1, stars such as Rajat Bedi, Ridhima Pandit, Nyrraa Banerji, Aahana Kumra and many others attended the second days show. About Enrique Iglesias Mumbai Concert After a 13-year hiatus from Indian shores, Enrique Iglesias made a triumphant return to Mumbai, captivating over 25,000 ecstatic fans on Day 1 (October 29, 2025) and 30,000 fans on Day 2 (October 30, 2025) of his largest-ever two-day concert produced by EVA Live. Held at the MMRDA Grounds, the event featured a high-energy, 90-minute set comprising 19 chart-topping hits and fan favourites spanning his illustrious career marking his debut performance in Mumbai. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The sold-out event represented Iglesias third visit to India, following performances in 2004 and 2012. Day 2 drew an even bigger crowd, solidifying this as one of the artists most ambitious Indian concert series to date. The concerts excitement reached far beyond Mumbai, as dedicated fans travelled from Bengaluru, Delhi NCR, Goa, Pune, Kolkata, and Chandigarh to witness this once-in-a-lifetime musical spectacle. Featuring an innovative dual-stage arrangement, the high-octane production combined stunning visuals, synchronized lighting, pyrotechnics, lasers and fireworks transforming the sold-out venue into a pulsating arena of music and emotion. The two-day concert series was promoted and produced by EVA Live, powered by Mastercard, with District by Zomato serving as the exclusive ticketing partner. First Published: October 31, 2025, 07:38 IST News lifestyle Enrique Iglesias Leaves 30,000 Fans In Awe At His Blockbuster Mumbai Concert On Day 2 National Unity Day 2025: 10 Facts And Quotes To Mark Sardar Vallabhbhai Patels 150th Birth Anniversary Published By : Trending Desk Last Updated: October 31, 2025, 06:05 IST Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel's 150th Birth Anniversary: In 2014, Narendra Modi-led government declared Sardar Patels birth anniversary as National Unity Day or Rashtriya Ekta Diwas. Rapid Read + Follow us On Google Prime Minister Narendra Modi during Rashtriya Ekta Diwas, celebrated to mark the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, at Kevadia in Narmada district, on October 31, 2022. (PTI File Photo) Sardar Vallabhbhai Patels 150th Birth Anniversary: Indias first Home Minister, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, revered as the Iron Man of India, played an instrumental role in shaping the countrys political future by uniting 562 princely states post-Independence. As India became an independent nation on August 15, 1947, Patel became Indias first Home Minister and made great efforts under Prime Minister Jawahar Lal Nehrus government to strengthen Indias position as a sovereign country by integrating the princely states. By bringing together diverse regions, cultures and communities, Patel eliminated centuries-old indifference and upheld the message of unity in diversity, laying the foundation of modern India. He echoed the idea of shared values, brotherhood and harmony and aimed to eliminate regional, religious and caste-based differences. Recommended Stories The legendary freedom fighter and lawyer was born in a farming family in Nadiad, Gujarat, on October 31, 1875. In 2014, the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government declared Sardar Patels birth anniversary, October 31, as National Unity Day or Rashtriya Ekta Diwas. On this day, many state governments and educational institutions honour the inspiring leaders legacy and profound vision toward nation-building by organising various events. PM to Lead Rashtriya Ekta Diwas Celebrations at Statue of Unity This year, the central government has announced a series of events to celebrate the 150th birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. On October 31, around 8 a.m., the Prime Minister will pay floral tribute at the Statue of Unity, followed by the Rashtriya Ekta Diwas celebrations commemorating the 150th birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. 10 Key Facts On Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel 1. Sardar Patel passed his matriculation at the late age of 22 but went on to become one of the most successful lawyers in the country. 2. Sardar Patel was appointed Indias first Deputy Prime Minister after Independence. 3. It was a remarkable turnaround for Patel to emerge as an inspiring leader, as he wasnt initially interested in politics. He joined the freedom movement after meeting Mahatma Gandhi in 1917. 4. Patel joined Congress and became the secretary of its Gujarat Sabha. After Independence, he held portfolios of Home Affairs, States and Information and Broadcasting. 5. At the age of 36, Patel underwent a three-year law course at the Inns of Court Middle Temple in London. 6. The Iron Man of India completed his law course within 30 months instead of the usual 36-month duration to qualify as a barrister. 7. A staunch supporter of Mahatma Gandhis Non-Cooperation Movement, Patel travelled extensively to western India and mobilised 3 lakh members for the same. He also raised funds worth over Rs 15 lakh. 8. Throughout his political career, Patel fought for a unified India that he hoped would also overcome social injustice and the malaise of casteism and untouchability. He equally took part in activities to remove gender-based discrimination and promoted womens empowerment. 9. He fought for the rights of landowners of Bardoli in a successful campaign against tax hikes in 1928. It was his success in the case that earned him the title of Sardar, or a leader. 10. Patel brought together 562 princely states post-Independence and integrated them to India. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Quotes By Sardar Patel That Reflect His Vision And Wisdom Every Indian should now forget that he is a Rajput, a Sikh, or a Jat. He must remember that he is an Indian and he has every right in his country, but with certain duties." We have tried to overcome our weaknesses honestly and in a definite manner. The proof, if any proof is needed, is Hindu-Muslim unity." Take to the path of dharma the path of truth and justice. Dont misuse your valour. Remain united. March forward in all humility, but fully awake to the situation you face, demanding your rights and firmness." A war based on Satyagraha is always of two kinds. One is the war we wage against injustice and the other we fight against our own weaknesses." No distinctions of caste and creed should hamper us. All are the sons and daughters of India. We should all love our country and build our destiny on mutual love and help." The negligence of a few could easily send a ship to the bottom, but if it has the wholehearted cooperation of all on board, she could be safely brought to port." 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 31, 2025, 06:05 IST News lifestyle events National Unity Day 2025: 10 Facts And Quotes To Mark Sardar Vallabhbhai Patels 150th Birth Anniversary Ananya Panday Celebrates Her 27th Birthday In The PDKF Stores Striped Abu Dress Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: October 31, 2025, 10:57 IST Ananya Pandays 27th birthday look was a masterclass in easy elegance, featuring a striped dress by The PDKF Store and timeless accessories. Ananyas birthday look was a celebration not just of another year but of conscious fashion and effortless grace reminding us that sometimes, the simplest ensembles tell the most beautiful stories. For her 27th birthday celebration with the media, Ananya Panday embraced an aesthetic that was equal parts youthful, fresh, and understatedly elegant. Ditching the glitz for easy-breezy charm, the actor made a compelling case for relaxed sophistication in a striped mini dress from The Princess Diya Kumari Foundation (The PDKF Store) the Abu Dress priced at 4,500. The cotton dress, with its summery blue-and-white stripes, smocked bodice, and soft peplum detailing at the waist, exuded an effortless femininity. The silhouette flattered her frame while keeping the mood playful and comfortable perfect for a day spent outdoors surrounded by greenery and sunshine. The designs versatility lies in its simplicity: the strapless neckline and fluid skirt gave it a flirty yet refined appeal, embodying that easy Jaipur-meets-Bombay vibe The PDKF Store is known for. Recommended Stories Ananya styled the look with thoughtful minimalism, letting the craftsmanship of the outfit shine. Her accessories whispered luxury rather than shouted it, a Van Cleef & Arpels heart-shaped pendant necklace added a touch of romance, while an Audemars Piguet timepiece lent understated sophistication. Together, they balanced the easy charm of her outfit with polished finesse, bridging comfort and class effortlessly. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Bollywood Celebrity Style (@bollywoodwomencloset) Her beauty choices stayed true to her less is more" philosophy. With her hair left naturally straight and parted softly down the middle, she radiated a girl-next-door warmth that perfectly suited the intimate occasion. The makeup was fresh and glowing, luminous skin, rosy cheeks, and a natural pink lip that enhanced her inherent brightness. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all What stood out most about Ananyas look was how real and relatable it felt proof that style doesnt always need sequins to make a statement. By choosing a handcrafted piece from The PDKF Store, she not only spotlighted Indian craftsmanship but also echoed a growing shift toward mindful, locally rooted fashion. The dresss lightweight silhouette and artisanal detailing reflected the kind of ease and authenticity that define her personal style polished yet playful, chic yet grounded. Ananyas birthday look was a celebration not just of another year but of conscious fashion and effortless grace reminding us that sometimes, the simplest ensembles tell the most beautiful stories. 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 31, 2025, 10:56 IST News lifestyle fashion Ananya Panday Celebrates Her 27th Birthday In The PDKF Stores Striped Abu Dress Lakme Fashion Week x FDCI Highlights Sustainable Fashion Moments Reported By : News18.com Edited By: Nishad Thaivalappil Last Updated: October 31, 2025, 21:25 IST Celebrating a decade of Nexa presents The Spotlight, Naushad Ali, SWGT and Til returned to the runway with one of the best showcases this season. A perfect blend of sustainable fashion, music and live performance at Lakme Fashion Week x FDCI. (Photos: Instagram) Theres always one fashion showcase that captivates the audience with its creative execution. Nexa presents The Spotlight was one such runway show. An unconventional space transformed into a contemporary community circle celebrating sustainable fashion and extraordinary talent. Celebrating a decade of Nexa presents The Spotlight, Naushad Ali, SWGT and Til returned to Lakme Fashion Week x FDCI with one of the best showcases. The live performances co-existed perfectly with the conscious collections designed for the showcase, giving each designer and performer their very own Spotlight to shine. Recommended Stories Fashion designers Naushad Ali, Ankur Verma (Til) and Shweta Gupta (SWGT) share the inspiration behind their latest collections with News18. Naushad Ali Collection: Continuum Naushad Ali aimed to project his collection Continuum in motion, so the showcase saw models and performers choreographed by Atul Jindal and Big Dance Centre, blend the beauty of movement through a series of garments. Like poetry in motion, the garments were exchanged, transformed and reinterpreted during the show. Every movement reignited nostalgia which was beautifully envisioned by Naushads creative vision. Sustainable Fashion Moment : If its good clothes that you buy, if there is a beautiful way its made, no ones going to throw them away," expresses Naushad Ali, adding, My brand stands for sustainability, we dont do seasons, we dont do spring, summer, fall and winter. We eliminate every aspect that is designed in a way over the times to kind of buy more and throw more. Were questioning that here." The Spotlight Moment: Naushad Ali visualised the showcase from the audience point of view and was spotted sitting in the audience at the show. At the end of the showcase, Naushad entered the space and blended into the fashion narrative. Thus, making it a one of a kind spotlight moment. SWGT Collection: Look Closer When SWGT by Shweta Gupta presented its latest collection, Look Closer, the space embraced the beauty of Indian crafts and textiles. Choreographed to the sound of percussion instruments, performed by the members of Boombay Djembe Folas, the showcase was an enlightening experience inspired by nature and melody. I chose to call the collection Look Closer because I really wanted to bring attention to things which are unseen. Like we do this pleating, we do this pintuck. So many times people assume that this is a print, but if you only look closer then youll realize its embroideries," shares Shweta Gupta. The delicate pintucks and the perfect pleating were crafted on handwoven mulberry silk and soft cotton from West Bengal. Shweta also included Chanderi from Madhya Pradesh that set a fluid, architectural and structured narrative for the collection. Sustainable Fashion Moment: Shweta Gupta is known for working with clusters from across India and its the intricate detailing in her designs that makes each collection extraordinary. As a rule, I will only pick up a craft or a cluster, who I can continue to work with. I dont like to do one collection with somebody and then switch to somebody else," expresses Shweta Gupta. The Spotlight Moment: The appliques, hand folded and made by the women artisans in Uttar Pradesh was the highlight of this beautiful collection, envisioned by Shweta Gupta. Til by Ankur Verma Collection: Breathe Expect the unexpected when its a Til by Ankur Verma showcase. The audience got goosebumps as the showcase opened with two performing artistes (friends of designer Ankur Verma) dressed in ensembles crafted from drapes that were used as part of the set design at the Lakme Fashion Week X FDCI Delhi show in 2024. Known for his love for layering, Ankur presented 16 looks but if you look closer there are more then 70 variations. As a zero-waste brand, the collection Breathe had elements that celebrated Tils sustainable approach to upcycled fashion. I like layering and I like drama. Who doesnt? Fashion week is about going all out, showcasing your art. I wanted to be creative and show my drama and I did," expresses Ankur Verma. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Sustainable Fashion Moment: Whats Ankur Vermas superpower? Well, he can create a masterpiece from upcycled materials. This showcase saw him re-introduce the footwear he had used in his GenNext show. The upcycled shoes were painted and enhanced with lace to add drama to the look. The Spotlight Moment: The textile dollhouse on the ramp was the highlight of the Breathe collection. Crafted completely from waste and upcycled materials, the dollhouse featured all the essentials needed in a house, bedroom corners, kitchenware, dining tables, lamps, curtains and cushions. About the Author Akshata Shetty Completing almost two decades in journalism, Akshata Shetty's journey from print to online journalism is a celebration of fashion, art and music. Akshatas fashion stories are about the people who cel... Read More First Published: October 31, 2025, 21:25 IST News lifestyle fashion Lakme Fashion Week x FDCI Highlights Sustainable Fashion Moments From Pitru Paksha To Halloween: How Food Rituals Become A Medium Between Worlds Written By : News18.com Last Updated: October 31, 2025, 08:00 IST Halloween traces its roots to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, when people left out food, drinks for wandering souls, lit candles to guide them, marking the end of summer Both Pitru Paksha and Halloween share a deep food symbolism, offerings of meals honour ancestors and spirits, turning simple dishes into a bridge between the life and afterlife (Image: AI photo) In the town of Rajpipla, Gujarat, the banks of the Narmada shimmer under the September sun. Here, for generations, the Joshi family has led Shraddha rituals, the heart of Pitru Paksha. Pandit Ramesh Joshi, the elder priest, now performs them with his grandson seated beside him, just as his own father once guided him. Every autumn, two distinct yet spiritually aligned traditions unfold but seven seas" apart. In India, Pitru Paksha marks a fortnight of rituals honouring ancestors through prayers, daan (donations) and food offering rituals. In the West, October ends with Halloween, traced back to the Celtic festival of Samhain, a night devoted to remembering the dead and celebrating the cycle of life and afterlife. Recommended Stories At the heart of both traditions lies a common essence of food rituals. From kheer and pind daan on the ghats of Indian rivers to loaves and soul cakes once left out for spirits in medieval Europe, nourishment becomes the language of remembrance. What Does Pitru Paksha Really Mean? For Hindus, Pitru Paksha literally, the fortnight of the forefathers", follows the lunar calendar and usually falls between September and October. The rituals revolve around gratitude, lineage, and liberation of ancestral souls. Offerings known as tarpan and pind daan are made near water bodies, often rivers like the Narmada or Ganga. Our family has done this for over two decades," Pandit Joshi says, his tone steady with familiarity. Every man learns from the one before him. During Shraddha, we offer kheer, til, and pind made of rice and barley to our ancestors. Food is not only an offering; it is a remembrance. It says, we have not forgotten you." He pauses to chant a small prayer, while sharing his experience, When we cook kheer during Pitru Paksha, we make it with care, but we do not taste it because it belongs to those who came before and so people do daan and offer bhog to the needy, even crows and cows. You never know in what form your ancestors show up" The foods chosen is deliberately simple, vegetarian, and unspiced. They symbolise purity and detachment. Rice, sesame, milk, and ghee are common because they are sattvic" Joshi explains. They do not excite the senses. This is not a feast, it is prayer through food." Is Halloween More Than Trick-Treat and Costumes? In the windswept landscapes of ancient Ireland, another ritual once unfolded in a similar spirit. Long before Halloween became a carnival of carved pumpkins and sugar, it was Samhain, a Gaelic festival marking the end of harvest and the beginning of winter. It was believed that on this night, spirits returned to visit their homes. Families left out food and drink for wandering souls, lit candles to guide them, and gathered to share stories of the departed. Like Shraddha, it was a ritual of offering and remembrance, rooted in the belief that death was not an end, but a continuum. Even the modern Halloween treats trace faint lines back to those ancient meals. Soul cakes small, round pastries given to the poor in exchange for prayers for the dead carried a symbolic weight, nourishment as a token of remembrance. Halloween and Shradh: How Food Becomes a Medium Between Worlds? Whether it is rice shaped into pindas on the banks of a river, or loaves baked for unknown spirits, the act of cooking for the unseen but familiar spirits reflects a universal human need to belong, to connect, to continue. What this really means is that across time and geography, food rituals remains the most intimate language of love, even beyond life. Modern culture may have loosened the threads that bind us to these rituals, but the essence remains. Many families now mark Pitru Paksha in quieter ways by lighting a diya, preparing a dish loved by a late grandparent, or offering food to a temple or shelter. In the West, Halloween too has seen a subtle reclaiming of meaning, with some choosing to honour its roots through family meals and remembrance altars. Pandit Joshi sees this evolution with calm acceptance. Times change," he says, but the feeling and the symbolic essence behind it does not. If you cook your late grandmothers favourite dish and feed someone in her name, that too is Shraddha. It is not about formality; it is about intent." What to Cook When Remembering the Departed? In urban homes today, the sight of rituals like Shraddha or the quietness of Samhain may feel distant. Yet, the simple act of cooking something old, of stirring the same dish once made by a grandmother who cannot share the table, keeps that connection alive. Kheer In many Indian households, kheer is more than dessert; it is an offering, a way of connecting with those who came before. During Pitru Paksha, when families perform Shraddha rituals to honour their ancestors, a bowl of freshly prepared rice kheer symbolises purity and gratitude. Ingredients 1 litre full-fat milk cup small-grain rice (washed and soaked for 20 minutes) 4 tablespoons sugar/jaggery (adjust to taste) 810 cashews 1012 raisins 1 tablespoon ghee Method Heat milk in a heavy-bottomed pan. Once it comes to a gentle boil, add the drained rice and stir well. Lower the flame and let it cook slowly, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. The milk will reduce and thicken as the rice softens this usually takes 25-30 minutes. Stir in the sugar and continue to cook for 5-10 minutes until the kheer reaches a creamy consistency. In a small pan, warm ghee and lightly fry the cashews and raisins until golden. Add them to the kheer. Some families prefer offering it warm during rituals; others cool it before placing it near the pind daan (rice-ball offering) as a mark of respect. Halloween Treat The interplay of faith and food has inspired chefs to reinterpret these traditions for the modern palate. Chef Gaurav Madan, Executive Chef at The Fern Goregaon, Mumbai, sees food as memory made edible." For this season, he has crafted a dish that nods to Halloween, balancing the autumnal flair. Ingredients Butter 100 g Castor sugar 100 g Eggs 100 g (approx 2 eggs if each is ~50g) Vanilla extract 2 g Flour 100 g Baking powder 2 g Cocoa powder 7 g White fondant 100 g Dark fondant 25 g Blue coloured buttercream 100 g Method top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Cream the butter and sugar until smooth and creamy. Gradually add the eggs and vanilla extract, mixing well. Sieve together the flour, cocoa powder and baking powder; fold into the batter. Pipe the batter into cupcake cases and bake in a pre-heated oven at 160 C for ~18 minutes. Cool completely. Roll out the white fondant and cut into shapes (eyes, teeth, etc.). Use the dark fondant for pupils, mouths, other features. Pipe the blue buttercream on top of each cupcake with a fur/grass tip to create the monster hair." Place the fondant features on top to decorate and complete the monster faces In the end, whether it is a bowl of kheer or a treat, ritualistic foods remain our simplest form of faith. First Published: October 31, 2025, 08:00 IST News lifestyle From Pitru Paksha To Halloween: How Food Rituals Become A Medium Between Worlds 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... Sleep 1,300 Feet Above The Andes: Perus Skylodge Costs 42K A Night Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: October 31, 2025, 09:18 IST Experience Skylodge in Peru, a cliffside hotel where adventure meets luxury 1,300 feet above the Sacred Valley. Suspended high above Perus Sacred Valley, these transparent pods cling to the mountainside like futuristic bubbles Forget driveways and doormen here, your check-in route involves a 400-metre vertical climb, a harness, and nerves of steel. Welcome to Skylodge Adventure Suites, where luxury quite literally hangs in mid-air. Suspended high above Perus Sacred Valley, these transparent pods cling to the mountainside like futuristic bubbles. Each capsule crafted from aerospace-grade aluminium and weather-resistant polycarbonate offers the essentials of comfort with an extraordinary twist: plush beds, private bathrooms, and a dining nook, all wrapped in panoramic glass walls that overlook the Andes. Recommended Stories Getting There: The Ascent Before the Adventure Your journey begins long before you unzip your overnight bag. To reach your pod, youll scale the cliff using a Via Ferrata route, a network of steel rungs and safety cables or, if youd prefer to fly rather than climb, you can zipline directly to your suite (yes, really). Both options come with expert guidance, safety gear, and an unbeatable adrenaline rush. Once at the top, your reward awaits: a gourmet candlelit dinner paired with wine, served in a glass dining pod that seems to float above the Sacred Valley. When night falls, your transparent capsule transforms into a private observatory, where the Andean constellations unfold in dazzling clarity. Come morning, breakfast is served with clouds drifting at eye level before you zipline back to solid ground. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Skylodge Adventure Suites (@skylodgeperu) Stay Details & Pricing There are only three pods in total, each accommodating two to three guests, making this one of the most exclusive stays in South America. According to NaturaVive, the adventure company that operates Skylodge, heres what your experience costs: Via Ferrata + Zipline + 1 Night: 42,701 (S/.1,640 per person) Zipline + 1 Night: 40,350 (S/.1,550 per person) Via Ferrata + 1 Night: 40,350 (S/.1,550 per person) Every package includes private transfers from your hotel, professional climbing equipment, expert guides, snacks during the climb, a candlelit dinner with wine, and breakfast the following morning. You can even hire a photographer to capture your ascent because, lets face it, if its not on Instagram, did it really happen? Need-to-Know Facts Book directly through NaturaVives official website or through specialized adventure travel platforms. With only three pods available, early booking is essential. Best time to visit: May to September, during Perus dry season, when skies are clear and views stretch endlessly. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all All you need to bring? Courage, a camera, and perhaps a change of socks. For travellers who believe luxury should come with a side of adventure and a 1,300-foot drop, Skylodge offers an unforgettable experience. Its not just a place to stay; its a story youll tell forever. 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 31, 2025, 09:18 IST News lifestyle travel Sleep 1,300 Feet Above The Andes: Perus Skylodge Costs 42K A Night A Chair For Zubeen Garg, Fans Singing Mayabini: Emotions Run High At Assamese Artistes Last Film Premiere Reported By : News18.com Last Updated: October 31, 2025, 13:50 IST The premiere of Roi Roi Binale the last film of the legendary Zubeen Garg was held at Matrix Multiplex, Beltola, Guwahati, at 4.25 am Fans at the multiplex for the morning show. (News18) In a moment etched in the history of Assamese cinema, the premiere of Roi Roi Binale the last film of the legendary Zubeen Garg was held at Matrix Multiplex, Beltola, Guwahati, at 4.25 am . Before the screening began, Gargs followers sang his iconic song, Mayabini, in unison, their voices filled with love and grief. Theatres echoed with chants of Justice for Zubeen Garg! as fans celebrated and mourned the beloved superstar. Recommended Stories First row, first show, first seat At Matrix Multiplex, a special chair, draped with a traditional gamocha, was reserved inside the hall for Garg, as a heartfelt tribute to the artist who redefined Assamese music and cinema. Similar scenes were reported from theatres across Assam, where fans placed garlands and flowers beside large cutouts and photos of Garg, bowing in silence before entering the halls. Fans leave theatres in tears Audiences across Assam were deeply emotional after watching Roi Roi Binale. It felt like Zubeendas life on screen. Every frame reflected his journey. Its hard to accept he is no more," said a heartbroken fan in Tezpur. Another viewer added, Its unbelievable how cleverly Zubeendas life was portrayed in the movie." Many fans were too overwhelmed to speak, their eyes brimming with tears. In Roi Roi Binale, it felt as if Zubeenda was right in front of us talking, singing just like his Bihu performances," shared a viewer from Dhekiajuli. I have no words. Im speechless," he said, wiping his tears. Aami sadai enedorei binai thakim (We will cry like this forever)," a fan whispered, echoing the collective sorrow of thousands who will forever miss the sweet voice of Garg. From toddlers to the elderly, all in queue From toddlers resting on their mothers laps to elderly fans in their eighties, people stood in long queues across Assam to watch their icons final film. In Dibrugarh, children were seen in school uniforms, rushing from the early morning show straight to schooleach person determined to witness Gargs last cinematic presence. Location : Assam, India, India First Published: October 31, 2025, 13:49 IST News movies A Chair For Zubeen Garg, Fans Singing Mayabini: Emotions Run High At Assamese Artistes Last Film Premiere Aryan Khan Had Been 'Obsessed' With Rajat Bedi Since Childhood, Reveals Farah Khan Published By : IANS Last Updated: October 31, 2025, 18:44 IST Farah Khan said Aryan Khan was especially obsessed with Rajat Bedi in Jani Dushman. Rajat Bedi recently also confirmed the second season of The Ba***ds of Bollywood. Filmmaker Farah Khan recently visited actor Rajat Bedis house as part of her fun YouTube series, where she visits celeb homes and shoots a fun cooking segment with them while catching up on all the fun gossip. In one such chit-chat session with Rajat Bedi, Farah went on to reveal how Aryan Khan, the director of the hit web series The Ba***ds of Bollywood and also Shah Rukh Khans son, was a huge fan of Rajat and had been obsessed with the actor since childhood. I asked Aryan what made him think of you (Rajat) for the role of Jaraj Saxena in Ba***ds of Bollywood. Aryan then told me that he had been a huge fan of you and all your characters since childhood and was obsessed, especially with your line, Sabki izzat karenge toh loonege kiski, said Farah to Rajat while referring to the dialogue from his movie Jaani Dushman. Recommended Stories She further added, Hearing all of this, I was happy that humara ladka filmy nikla (Our boy has turned out to be filmy)." For the uninitiated, Rajat Bedi, who had shifted to Canada and had settled there, stated that he received a call from Aryans office stating that the young director wanted to meet Rajat. I was blown and couldnt believe that Shah Rukh Khans son wanted to meet me out of all. I literally pinched myself," said Rajat while talking to Farah. He elaborated on his first meeting with Aryan and said, Aryan had himself come to receive me at his office. He personally looked after my comfort. I was blown over by his humility." To this, Farah added, Aryan is the most well-mannered boy I have seen." Rajat Bedi, known for his roles in films like Koi Mil Gaya", International Khiladi", Hero: The Love Story of a Spy", and Jaani Dushman", was often typecast into negative or supporting roles. However, in Aryan Khans debut show, he took on a layered and gritty character that challenges the hypocrisy and dark underbelly of the film industry. Through his portrayal of Jaraj Saxena, Rajat delivered one of his career-best performances, bringing depth and intensity to the screen. The web series, which also marked Aryan Khans debut, has been buzzing with great reviews. About the Author Kashvi Raj Singh Kashvi Raj Singh is a Sub Editor at News18. She extensively covers Bollywood, Hollywood and television. She not only keeps an eye out for interesting news angles but also often writes social commentar... Read More First Published: October 31, 2025, 18:44 IST News movies bollywood Aryan Khan Had Been 'Obsessed' With Rajat Bedi Since Childhood, Reveals Farah Khan Opinion | The Afghanistan-Pakistan Diplomatic Debacle And The Shadow Of Escalation Written By : News18.com Last Updated: October 31, 2025, 09:03 IST Deep mistrust and irreconcilable differences between the two sides suggest that the stage has been set for an immediate escalation of tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan Rapid Read Choose News18 on Google Afghan forces and Taliban militias paraded pants and rifles seized from Pakistani troops in major cities, as seen in this photo shared by Afghan journalist Daud Junbish. (IMAGE: X) Talks between Afghanistan and Pakistan in Istanbul (October 25-28), mediated by Qatar and Turkey, collapsed amidst strident rhetoric. Pakistan issued a 72-hour ultimatum for Taliban to summon TTP Shura or we act unilaterally". Taliban responded, You declare war, we retaliateIslamabad is not safe." Pakistan defence minister Khawaja Asif escalated the attack: If Afghanistan even looks at Islamabad, we will gouge their eyes out." A Taliban statement noted, Pakistan came to negotiate, then chose war." In the immediate aftermath, Pakistan reactivated its counter-insurgency Operation Azm-e-Istehkam (Phase II) and notified the United Nations of its plans to forcibly repatriate 1.7 million Afghan refugees by December 2025. The Taliban, in turn, deployed additional forces along the Durand Line and issued a fatwa, describing Pakistans actions as a jihad trigger". Recommended Stories The two countries now stand poised for a conflagration far greater than the periodic abrasions along the border that have been ongoing since the return of the Taliban to power in August 2021. The Istanbul talks were intended to build on a fragile ceasefire brokered in Doha on October 19, after deadly border clashes and Pakistans air attacks on Kabul (as well as Khost and Paktika), purportedly targeting TTP leaders, including Amir Noor Wali Mehsud. The intransigent positions adopted by both sides made the failure of the negotiations inevitable. Significantly, Pakistan demanded, inter alia, that the TTP network in Afghanistan be completely dismantled; that the TTP leadership be summoned to Kabul, and more than 47 TTP commanders (of whom a list was provided) be handed over to Pakistan; that all TTP cadres be disarmed and relocated away from border provinces, particularly Kunar and Nangarhar; as well as the immediate return of Afghan refugees. Pakistan officials also blamed India of turning the Taliban into a puppet in its proxy war against Islamabad. The Taliban, on the other hand, insisted that TTP was Pakistans internal problem" and that the group had no presence in Afghanistan, and that the Taliban had no control over the group or its leadership, all of whom were Pakistan nationals. The Taliban also demanded guarantees for the integrity of Afghan airspace, and required Pakistan to stop hosting and supporting US drones violating Afghan borders [the US operates two drone bases in Pakistan, at Shahbaz, Balochistan; and Nur Khan, Rawalpindi]. Pakistan insisted that its bilateral agreement with the United States was non-negotiable, and could not be discussed at a third-party forum". On the return of refugees, the Taliban insisted that haste on this would result in an extraordinary humanitarian crisis. For the moment, a fairly short fuse appears to have been lit along the powder keg of the 2,611-kilometre long Af-Pak border, reinforcing the reality of the irreconcilable differences over the contested Durand Line that underpin the conflict between Islamabad and Kabul. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Despite the Istanbul fiasco, Turkey and Qatar may push for a revival of the talks, even as US President Donald Trump has renewed offers to resolve the conflict quickly". Deep mistrust and irreconcilable differences between the two sides, however, suggest that the stage has been set for an immediate escalation of tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan. The author is Executive Director, Institute for Conflict Management, and Publisher & Editor, Second Sight. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely that of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18s views. About the Author Aishwarya Iyer Aishwarya Iyer, Legal Correspondent at Lawbeat, covers the Supreme Court, and her meticulous understanding of complex judgments and orders leads to impeccable news reports. She has worked with leading... Read More First Published: October 31, 2025, 07:00 IST News opinion Opinion | The Afghanistan-Pakistan Diplomatic Debacle And The Shadow Of Escalation Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Opinion | The Forgotten Founding Father: How Congress Buried Sardar Patel's Legacy And Modi Revived It Written By : CNN-News18 Last Updated: October 31, 2025, 08:00 IST Congress created modern India alongside Patel, but then systematically erased him because he didn't fit the dynasty's narrative Prime Minister Narendra Modi has revived Sardar Patels unifying vision in both spirit and policy. (File image/News18 Hindi) On August 15, 1947, as India celebrated its freedom, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel sat in a command room, not at festivities. He was monitoring naval operations to secure Lakshadweep, ensuring Indias territorial integrity while others basked in Independence Day glory. This snapshot captures the essence of the man who brought modern India together into one cohesive unit, whose successes keep stunning the world. Patel didnt just unite India; he created it as we know it today. When the British left, 562 princely states stood at a crossroadsjoin India, join Pakistan, or remain independent. The subcontinent faced potential Balkanisation, and there were enough forces on the ground ready to make this happen. In Indias moment of vulnerable infancy, Patel employed diplomacy, persuasion, and, when necessary, force to integrate these states within months. Junagadh was annexed through a referendum, Hyderabad through Operation Polo, and hundreds of others through masterful negotiation. By 1950, India existed as we know it todayone nation, one geography, and one constitutional framework (barring Jammu & Kashmir, of course, the responsibility of integrating which fell on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shahs shoulders). Recommended Stories Despite his towering contributions, Congress denied Patel the Bharat Ratna. Jawaharlal Nehru received it immediatelysome say he gave it to himself! So did Rajendra Prasad, C Rajagopalachari, Indira Gandhi, and later, Rajiv Gandhi. Even Indira Gandhis husband, Feroze Ghandy, received greater recognition in Congress circles than the man who stitched India together. Patel finally received the honour in 1991not under Indira or Rajiv Gandhis tenures, but under PV Narasimha Rao, a prime minister from outside the dynasty, and a man whom the Gandhis sidelined just like Sardar Patel. This wasnt oversight. It was deliberate erasure. The Nehruvian narrative demands a monopoly on Indias freedom struggle and nation-building story. Patels realism clashed with Nehrus idealism. His pragmatism challenged Nehrus romanticism. His nationalism didnt fit the secular-socialist template the dynasty wanted to project. So, Congress airbrushed him from textbooks, downplayed his contributions, and ensured the Nehru-Gandhi family became synonymous with Indias political history. Consider the evidence. Despite being Congress president in 1931 and Indias first Home Minister, who achieved what historians call an unparalleled feat in modern statecraft, Patel received no memorial, no national holiday, and minimal mention in academic curricula for decades. The Congress party headquarters? Named after Indira, not Patel. Major airports, institutions, and schemes? Named after the Nehru-Gandhi family. National holidays? Reserved for Gandhi and Nehru family members. The most damning proof lies in Kashmir. Nehru insisted on handling Kashmir personally, sidelining Patel. When Nehrus approach led to complications, Patel warned him about internationalising the dispute and advocated firmness. But Nehru prevailed. The result? Article 370, special status, and a festering wound that bled for seven decades. BJP leaders argue that had Patel handled all 562 states instead of 561, Kashmirs story would be different. While Patel did support Article 370 initially as a temporary provision, his broader vision aligned with complete integration. Patel also foresaw the China threat. In November 1950, months before his death, he wrote to Nehru warning that Chinese troops entering Tibet meant India faced a two-front security challenge. Nehru dismissed these concerns, embracing a romanticised Hindi-Chini Bhai Bhai" narrative instead. In 1962, China invaded. Patels warning proved prophetic, but by then, hed been dead 12 years and forgotten by the party he built. Even within the Congress power structures, Patel faced humiliation. When he presented his plan for Hyderabads integration, Nehru reportedly shouted at him in a Cabinet meeting, calling him a complete communalist". Patel walked out and never attended another Cabinet meeting. After Patels death, his daughter Maniben returned Rs 35 lakh belonging to Congress to Nehru. The Prime Minister took the money, thanked her, and never inquired about her welfare. She later remarked that Nehru didnt ask if she needed help or how shed manage. Years later, Gujarats Congress Chief Minister visited her on her deathbednot to comfort her, but to take photographs for publicity. Enter Narendra Modi. In October 2010, as Gujarat Chief Minister, Modi announced plans for the worlds tallest statue honouring Sardar Patel. The project wasnt just about height or setting a world record. It symbolised reclaiming a forgotten hero. Modi asked farmers across India to contribute farming tools made of iron, creating a national mass movement. Over 700,000 villages participated. The Statue of Unity, inaugurated in October 2018, stands 182 meters tallnearly twice the Statue of Libertys height. A project that CM Modi started was inaugurated by PM Modi. But Modi did more than build a statue. He declared October 31Patels birthdayas Rashtriya Ekta Diwas, or National Unity Day. He launched Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat," promoting cultural exchanges between states to strengthen national integrationin line with Sardar Patels vision. Most significantly, in August 2019, Modis government abrogated Article 370. In his Independence Day speech, Modi explicitly linked this decision to fulfilling Sardar Patels dream". He said the move represented one nation, one Constitution"the principle Patel championed but couldnt fully realise because Kashmir was kept outside his portfolio. Critics call this political appropriation. They point out that Patel banned the RSS after Gandhis assassination. They argue Modi is using Patels legacy to undermine Nehru. But these objections miss the larger truth: someone needed to rescue Patel from the dustbin of history Congress dumped him in. The irony cuts deep. Congress, realising its blunder only after losing power, now scrambles to reclaim Patel. In April 2025, it held a working committee meeting at the Sardar Patel Museum in Ahmedabad, with leaders declaring Sardar Patel lives in our hearts". The BJPs response? Bahut der kar di"youre very late. Where was this affection for 64 years? Congress created modern India alongside Patel, but then systematically erased him because he didnt fit the dynastys narrative. He was too Hindu, too conservative, too realistic, too populareverything the Nehruvian establishment wasnt. They needed heroes who reinforced their ideological monopoly, not pragmatic nation-builders who achieved results through grit rather than grand speeches. By celebrating Patel, Modi doesnt diminish other leadershe corrects a historical injustice. The Congress party, dominated by one family for generations, reduced Indias founding story to a single bloodline. Patels resurrection challenges that monopoly. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The ultimate vindication? Today, millions visit the Statue of Unity annually. School textbooks now prominently feature Patels contributions. National Unity Day celebrations occur nationwide. The man Congress forgot for 41 years is finally receiving his due. India owes its geography to Sardar Patel. It took Narendra Modi to ensure India also remembers who created that geography. Congress had its chance for seven decades. It chose dynasty over statesman, narrative over nation-builder, and political convenience over historical truth. Modi simply picked up what they discardedand made him a national icon. About the Author Sanbeer Singh Ranhotra Sanbeer Singh Ranhotra is a Principal Correspondent with Network18, working on group-level ideas and special projects. Enthusiastic about both national affairs and geopolitics, Sanbeer focuses on issu... Read More First Published: October 31, 2025, 08:00 IST News opinion Opinion | The Forgotten Founding Father: How Congress Buried Sardar Patel's Legacy And Modi Revived It Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... The magistrates believe the government must use emergency funds to keep the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program running, which 42 million people depend on Two federal judges have ruled that Donald Trumps administration must continue paying out food stamps which 42 million people depend on despite the ongoing federal government shutdown. In two separate rulings released just minutes apart, both judges determined that the government is required to use the billions available in emergency funds to at least partially finance the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which was set to run out of money on Saturday, November 1. The Department of Agriculture, which oversees the food assistance program, had announced last weekend that SNAP would run out of funds due to the shutdown, leaving its beneficiaries without aid. One in eight Americans depends on the program to buy food. Federal officials argued that they cannot tap into contingency funds to keep it running during the shutdown, since that money is reserved for natural disasters. The Trump administration is expected to appeal both rulings. In an oral ruling issued Friday in response to a lawsuit filed a day earlier by a coalition of eight cities and several community and business groups, U.S. District Judge John J. McConnell of Rhode Island said: There is no doubt that the [] contingency funds are appropriated funds that are without a doubt necessary to carry out the programs operation. SNAP has a contingency fund as a reserve to sustain benefits during short-term funding gaps. In the programs 60-year history, payments have never been suspended due to a lapse in federal appropriations. The current reserve holds about $6 billion not enough to cover the full program, which requires roughly $8 billion per month nationwide. Judge McConnell clarified that if SNAPs contingency fund runs short, the government must draw on other sources to make the payments. The second ruling came from U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani of Massachusetts, in response to a lawsuit filed October 28 by 25 Democratic-led states and the District of Columbia. Her order stated: This court has now clarified that Defendants are required to use those Contingency Funds as necessary for the SNAP program. And while these contingency funds reportedly are insufficient to cover the entire cost of SNAP for November, Defendants also may supplement the Contingency Funds by authorizing a transfer of additional funds [] to avoid any reductions." However, Judge Talwani gave the federal government until Monday, November 3, to consider whether they will authorize at least reduced SNAP benefits for November. The plaintiffs argue that the government could also draw from another Department of Agriculture account that held $23 billion as of early October. Just weeks ago, the White House used that same budget line to prevent the suspension of another federal nutrition program for low-income women and children, known as WIC, during the shutdown. Despite the rulings, millions of beneficiaries are expected to face delays in receiving their benefits, originally scheduled to begin November 1, due to logistical challenges. It remains to be seen whether the White House will appeal to block payments again. President Trumps administration has blamed the Democratic Party for the possible suspension of SNAP, as well as for the shutdown itself, which caused the funding gap. On Friday, when asked about the issue, the president suggested that the government could continue financing the food assistance program contradicting previous statements from his own officials, who said it was impossible. Well, there always is, Trump said when asked whether the administration could find funding for SNAP, before immediately conditioning its release on Democrats voting to reopen the government: All the Democrats have to do is say, lets go. I mean, they dont have to do anything all they have to do is say the government is open. Meanwhile, negotiations between both parties to end the nearly month-long shutdown continue on Capitol Hill, with no agreement in sight. Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get more English-language news coverage from EL PAIS USA Edition Opinion | Who Controls Pakistans Nuclear Arsenal? Written By : News18.com Last Updated: October 31, 2025, 12:50 IST Former CIA operative and whistleblower John Kiriakou claims that in 2002 while in Pakistan, he was told that the Pentagon controlled Pakistans nuclear assets. US President Donald Trump during a meeting with Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif and Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir at the White House. (Image: PTI/File) Former CIA operative and whistleblower John Kiriakou isnt new to controversy and his recent disclosure regarding Pakistans nuclear command and control structure is the latest bombshell. He claims that in 2002 while in Pakistan, he was told that the Pentagon controlled Pakistans nuclear assets and these were placed under an American General by the Government of Pakistan. Though Islamabad has publicly been denying the existence of any such arrangement, Kiriakou nevertheless stands by the same. The live possibility of Pakistani nuclear weapons/material getting into the hands of terrorist groups has been a perennial cause of concern for Washington. Recommended Stories Accordingly, even though Kiriakous claim may sound outlandish, considering the criticality of this issue, the likelihood of the Pentagon having worked out a system of checks and balances to prevent this from happening cannot be ruled out. Why it matters This claim, whether fully accurate or not, raises several serious issues: 1. Sovereignty and credibility Pakistan presents itself as a sovereign nuclear-armed state with full control over its strategic arsenal. Handing over nuclear control to a foreign power would severely damage its credibility domestically and internationally. It also raises the question: if Pakistan has given up direct control, how effective is its deterrent posture? 2. Regional Strategic Balance Pakistan and its neighbour India have long been locked in a standoff and if Pakistans nuclear arsenal is under external control, it could well embolden India or shift its calculations. Consequently, it may alter deterrence dynamics, escalation thresholds, and crisis stability in South Asia. 3. The Rough Country" Factor Pakistan is often described as being politically unstable, having military-dominated governance, weak civilian institutions, a history of coups, and intersections between the military/intelligence services and extremist groups. Given these internal vulnerabilities, the control and safety of nuclear assets in Pakistan has always been a global concern. The claim that a foreign power might control them reinforces these existing fears. My View: A Rough Country in Strategic Peril Pakistan is, in many ways, what one might call a rough country" not in a pejorative sense alone, but in the sense of enduring instability, institutional fragility, and unpredictable domestic-foreign linkages: The army dominates politics and national security; civilian governments often play second fiddle. There is persistent internal unrest and extremist presence, which complicates nuclear safety and strategic clarity. The country has repeatedly flirted with confrontation (both conventional and asymmetric) with India, elevating the risk of miscalculation. Corruption, governance deficits, divergent centre-province relations, and weak democratic consolidation all contribute to strategic opacity. In that environment, if the claim by Kiriakou is even partially accurate, it signals how deeply external powers may have felt they had to intervene to ensure stability of Pakistans nuclear weapons. Thats not just a reflection on U.S. strategy, but on Pakistans own inability (or unwillingness) to provide assured control under exclusively national hands. It underscores a harsh reality: a nuclear-armed state whose internal governance and institutional oversight may not stand up to full international confidence. For Pakistan, the badge of military-nuclear power" comes with a heavy burden more so than for many others because its internal conditions make control and credibility more fragile. Skepticism & Caveats While the claim is significant, we must approach it with caution: There is no publicly released or widely corroborated official documentation confirming that the US truly has the command-and-control of Pakistans nuclear arsenal. Kiriakous credibility is itself contested: Hes a whistle-blower with a complicated history, including a conviction for leaking classified information. The claim might reflect intelligence exchange practices (which are secretive) rather than full operational control, i.e., the US may have had monitoring rights or influence" but not absolute command. Even if the US had some access or oversight, the difference between advisory/control and full command" is massive. Closing Thoughts If we accept Kiriakous claim as plausible, then the picture it paints is deeply troubling: a nucleararmed state that lacks full internal control is so unstable that it must outsource or permit external command of its most destructive capabilities. That kind of scenario is precisely what many fear when they label Pakistan as a risk in the nuclear age. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all For Pakistan to be an effective, credible nuclear power, it must not just possess warheads it must convincingly control them. In a rough country" setting like Pakistan, this is easier said than done. Kiriakous assertion reminds us of that gap: possession = control. And for global stability, especially in a region as volatile as South Asia, this gap is what truly matters. The author is Editor, Brighter Kashmir, author, TV commentator, political analyst and columnist. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the author. They do not necessarily reflect News18s views. Location : Srinagar, India, India First Published: October 31, 2025, 12:50 IST News opinion Opinion | Who Controls Pakistans Nuclear Arsenal? 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... CNN name, logo and all associated elements and 2024 Cable News Network LP, LLLP. A Time Warner Company. All rights reserved. CNN and the CNN logo are registered marks of Cable News Network, LP LLLP, displayed with permission. Use of the CNN name and/or logo on or as part of NEWS18.com does not derogate from the intellectual property rights of Cable News Network in respect of them. Copyright Network18 Media and Investments Ltd 2024. All rights reserved. Mallikarjun Kharge Cites Sardar Patel's 1948 Letter To Seek Ban On RSS, BJP Hits Back Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: October 31, 2025, 15:09 IST Citing Sardar Patel, Kharge stated that anyone working in government should not be allowed to work with RSS. Congress Chief Mallikarjun Kharge (PTI image) Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge has demanded a ban on government employees participating in Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) events, recalling that Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel had once imposed similar restrictions to safeguard Indias democratic and secular framework. My personal opinion is that RSS should be banned. Sardar Patel also said that one should not work for the RSS while in government service. He had banned government employees from participating in the activities of the RSS and Jamaat-e-Islami, which the Modi government lifted on July 9, 2024. We demand that this ban be reinstated," Kharge said at a press conference on Friday. Recommended Stories Remembering Sardar Patel on his 150th birth anniversary, Kharge asserted that he united the country, and Jawaharlal Nehru believed that Sardar Patels contribution was immense. Jawaharlal Nehru believed that Sardar Patels contribution was immense. On February 4, 1948, Sardar Patel wrote in a letter about the RSS: The RSS celebrated Gandhijis death and distributed sweets. After this, the government had no other option," said the Congress chief. Kharge said that, according to reports received by Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the climate created by the ideologies of the RSS and Hindu Mahasabha was responsible for the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi. BJP Hits Back Responding sharply, the BJP accused the Congress of double standards, saying the party ignored Patels legacy for decades and is now invoking his name only to target the RSS. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla said, INC is not the Indian National Congress. It stands for Indian Nazi Congress. Despite all their conspiracies, the court lifted the ban on the RSS. They said RSS was a non-political organisation and government employees can take part in their activities. But the Congress is so intolerant that they stand with the rioters of PFI, SDPI, and MIM but spew venom against RSS, which is working for the countrys welfare." Poonawalla added that while Congress talks about following Patels principles, it never truly honoured his vision or contributions. 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 31, 2025, 15:08 IST News politics Mallikarjun Kharge Cites Sardar Patel's 1948 Letter To Seek Ban On RSS, BJP Hits Back 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... On Kharge's Call To Ban RSS, Karti Chidambaram's 'Not Feasible Today' Retort Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: October 31, 2025, 18:24 IST Karti Chidambaram disagrees with Mallikarjun Kharge's call to ban RSS, saying it is not practical nor sustainable in todays legal framework. Karti Chidambaram and Mallikarjun Kharge. (File) Congress MP Karti Chidambaram on Friday differed with party president Mallikarjun Kharges latest call to ban the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), saying such a move would neither be practical nor sustainable in todays political and legal framework. The Lok Sabha MP from Sivaganga said that he does not agree with the political ideology of the RSS and the BJP, but such a demand is clearly not going to be accepted, as it wont be practical or legally viable in the present context. Recommended Stories This kind of request obviously is not going to be acceded to. There was a time when the RSS was banned, and then the ban was revoked. I dont agree with the RSS-BJPs political ideology, but Im not too sure whether a ban is really feasible and sustainable in todays legal environment," he said as quoted by news agency ANI. #WATCH | Delhi | Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharges statement that RSS should be banned, Congress MP Karti Chidambaram says, This kind of request obviously is not going to be exceeded. There was a time when the RSS was banned and then the ban was revoked I dont pic.twitter.com/0BqiLGIleq ANI (@ANI) October 31, 2025 He further said that since the current government is led by individuals right from the Prime Minister, who are ardent members of the RSS," it was unrealistic to expect any such action. This kind of argument asking for the RSS to be banned how is this government going to do it?" he added. What Kharge Said? The Congress chief on Friday demanded a ban on the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), saying that the outfit creates law and order problems" in the country. My personal opinion is that RSS should be banned. Sardar Patel also said that one should not work for the RSS while in government service. He had banned government employees from participating in the activities of the RSS and Jamaat-e-Islami, which the Modi government lifted on July 9, 2024. We demand that this ban be reinstated," Kharge said while addressing a press briefing. He referred to Patels 1948 letter to Shyama Prasad Mukherjee, in which the then Home Minister had noted reports from his ministry flagging suspicious activities" of the Sangh that led to Mahatma Gandhis assassination. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Kharge said that, according to reports received by Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the climate created by the ideologies of the RSS and Hindu Mahasabha was responsible for the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi. (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 31, 2025, 18:24 IST News politics On Kharge's Call To Ban RSS, Karti Chidambaram's 'Not Feasible Today' Retort 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... Planted By Foreign Power: Himanta Sarma Says Gaurav Gogoi Is 100% Pakistani Agent Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: October 31, 2025, 23:32 IST The Assam Chief Minister has repeatedly targeted Gogoi and his wife, Elizabeth Coulburn, in the past over alleged links with Pakistan. Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma and Congress MP Gaurav Gogoi | File Image Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday continued his tirade against Congress MP from Jorhat, Gaurav Gogoi, and claimed that the latter is a Pakistani agent, planted by a foreign power". Gaurav Gogoi is a Pakistani agent; he is purely that. He has been planted by a foreign power in our country," news agency PTI quoted Sarma as saying on the sidelines of an event in Guwahati. Recommended Stories The Assam Chief Minister has repeatedly targeted Gogoi and his wife, Elizabeth Coulburn, in the past over alleged links with Pakistan. In September, Sarma claimed that the SIT probing the alleged Pakistani links of the Gogoi family had uncovered startling facts" suggesting a larger conspiracy to undermine Indias sovereignty." Gogoi, the Deputy Leader of the Congress in Lok Sabha, had earlier claimed that the allegations levelled by the CM were like a C-grade Bollywood film", which is going to flop as the people of Assam understand everything. Asked about the chief ministers self-set deadline of September 10 to reveal the evidence", he said, If someone thinks that I dont have the documents to show, let me tell them I will do what needs to be done." Sarma also said Gogoi was welcome to file a defamation case if the allegations were false. Earlier in February, Sarma had raised questions about a meeting Gaurav Gogoi held 10 years ago with the then Pakistan High Commissioner to India. The state government had formed a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe into the alleged interference of Pakistani national Ali Tauqeer Sheikh, who is claimed to have links with Gogois British wife Elizabeth Colburn, in Indias internal affairs. The SIT, led by Special DGP (CID) Munna Prasad Gupta, had formally submitted its report to the Chief Minister on September 10. Gogoi, however, has vehemently dismissed the allegations against him and his wife. The Congress MP had asked Sarma to provide evidence for the allegations he was levelling. The saffron camp had further alleged that Gogoi had visited the Pakistan High Commission after he was elected to Lok Sabha in the 2014 elections without seeking permission from the Lok Sabha Speaker, Home Ministry and other related ministries. After his visit, Gogois organisation Policy for Youth wrote an article in a newspaper accusing BSF personnel of misbehaving with illegal women Bangladeshi intruders". Elizabeth Gogoi, born Elizabeth Colebourn in the UK, holds a Masters degree in International Political Economy from the London School of Economics (LSE) and married Gaurav Gogoi in 2013. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all She previously worked with the Climate and Development Knowledge Network (CDKN). According to her author profile on the CDKN website, where her last article dates back to 2014, she coordinated the organisations work in India and Nepal.Q. (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 : Guwahati [Gauhati], India, India First Published: October 31, 2025, 23:32 IST News politics Planted By Foreign Power: Himanta Sarma Says Gaurav Gogoi Is 100% Pakistani Agent 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... 'Sheesh Mahal 2.0': BJP Attacks Kejriwal Over Sprawling 7-Star Mansion In Punjab, AAP Reacts Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: October 31, 2025, 17:26 IST Earlier, ex-DCW chief Swati Maliwal alleged that Kejriwal was allotted a luxurious 7-star government mansion" in Chandigarh, calling it a misuse of public resources. Rapid Read Choose News18 on Google The BJP attacked Arvind Kejriwal for allegedly using public resources for a 2-acre mansion in Chandigarh. (Photo: X/PTI) The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) launched a fresh attack on former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, accusing him of using the resources of the Punjab government to build a sprawling 2-acre mansion in Chandigarh, dubbing it Sheesh Mahal 2.0. The BJP attack came after former Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) chairperson Swati Maliwal had alleged that Kejriwal has been allotted a luxurious 7-star government mansion" in Chandigarhs Sector 2 under the Chief Ministers quota. Recommended Stories Sheesh Mahal 2.0. After getting a Rs 52 crore Sheesh Mahal built in Delhi, now Kejriwal will lounge in a 7-star government mansion spanning 2 acres in Chandigarh. The royal luxuries of Sir Ji, who puts on a drama of being an ordinary man in front of the public, show no signs of diminishing at all," said the BJP on X. 2.0 52 2 7- , , pic.twitter.com/V7MLczBswn BJP Delhi (@BJP4Delhi) October 31, 2025 In Chandigarhs Sector 2, Arvind Kejriwal has been allotted a luxurious 7-star government bungalow spread over 2 acres from the chief ministers quota," the party said, mocking the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader as Super CM" and sharing a satellite image of the bungalow. Kejriwal is neither a minister nor an MLA, yet his attachment to opulent palaces, regal comforts, and luxury doesnt seem to let go." AAP Refutes Allegations Meanwhile, AAP refuted the claims, saying it was the CMs camp office and accusing the BJP of spreading fake news. Ever since the Prime Ministers fake Yamuna story was exposed, the BJP seems to have lost its cool. And in its frustration, the BJP these days is faking everything," it said on X. Fake Yamuna, fake pollution figures, fake claims of rainfall, and now fake 7-star claims. The BJPs fake claim is that theyve built a 7-star house in Chandigarh, but the Chandigarh administration is under the BJP. Only they can get something built no one else." , , , 7 7 https://t.co/ZlGsIYwtNr Aam Aadmi Party Delhi (@AAPDelhi) October 31, 2025 The BJPs fake claim is that Kejriwal ji has been allotted a house, so where is the allotment letter? By sharing a photo of the CMs camp office, the frustrated BJP is making all sorts of fake claims," the party said. Swati Maliwals Remarks On Kejriwal Earlier, Swati Maliwal alleged that Kejriwal had been allotted an even more splendid Sheesh Mahal" in Punjab. In Chandigarhs Sector 2, a luxurious 7-star government mansion of 2 acres under the CM quota has been allotted to Arvind Kejriwal," she said on X. Yesterday, he boarded a government helicopter right from in front of his house for Ambala, and then from Ambala, the Punjab governments private jet took him to Gujarat for party work. The entire Punjab government is engaged in serving one man." The row over Arvind Kejriwals official residence, while he was Delhis Chief Minister, began in 2024, after the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) submitted a factual report on the complaint of BJP leader Vijender Gupta, alleging illegal construction at Kejriwals official residence, located at 6 Flag Staff Road. Gupta alleged that Kejriwal flouted building regulations to construct a lavish mansion (Sheesh Mahal) covering 40,000 square yards (8 acres). top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The complaint highlighted that government properties, including Plot numbers 45 and 47 on Rajpur Road (previously housing senior officers and judges in Type-V flats) and two bungalows (8-A & 8-B, Flag Staff Road), were demolished and merged into the new residence, violating ground coverage and floor area ratio (FAR) norms and lacked proper layout plan approvals. In his complaint to the Chief Vigilance Commissioner, Gupta wrote about massive financial irregularities, stating that Arvind Kejriwal spent crores of taxpayers money on luxurious amenities for his residence. He stated that the expenditures on luxury items far exceeded reasonable limits and raised serious concerns about corruption. About the Author Aveek Banerjee Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master's in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in int... Read More First Published: October 31, 2025, 17:08 IST News politics 'Sheesh Mahal 2.0': BJP Attacks Kejriwal Over Sprawling 7-Star Mansion In Punjab, AAP Reacts 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... 'Silent Invisible Rigging': Abhishek Banerjee Shares SIR Strategy With TMC Workers, Calls It 'Acid Test' Last Updated: October 31, 2025, 22:12 IST Abhishek directed party functionaries to monitor the work of booth-level officers and ensure no genuine Bengal voters name is deleted from electoral rolls, said sources After the Bihar SIR announcement, we said it is a case of Silent Invisible Rigging, Banerjee was quoted as saying by party insiders. File pic In a crucial internal meeting lasting nearly two hours, Trinamool Congress (TMC) National General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee on Friday instructed booth-level agents and party leaders to remain vigilant and proactive during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process. According to party sources, Banerjee described the next six months as an acid test" for the TMC, adding that he himself would be on the ground from the first week of November. He directed party functionaries to monitor the work of booth-level officers closely and ensure that no genuine voters name is deleted from the electoral rolls. Recommended Stories After the Bihar SIR announcement, we said it is a case of Silent Invisible Rigging. The TMC protested in Parliament, in court, and on the streetsand we will continue to do so. On one hand, the BJP wants to divide and humiliate people in the name of SIR and NRC, while AITC workers will stand by the people to ensure that no ones name is deleted," Banerjee was quoted as saying by party insiders. During the meeting, Banerjee also clarified that if the names of genuine voters are found missing, the party will launch a major movement in Delhi. Referring to TMCs earlier claim that voter deletions had started before the SIR process began, he added that the party is ready to approach the court over the issue. Key Instructions Issued to Party Workers Help Desks: From November 4 to December 4, TMC workers have been instructed to set up Anchal-wise help desks and camps across Bengal to assist people during the SIR process. Operational Plan: The camps will operate from 9 am to 5 pm under the banner of their respective regions. Each camp will be equipped with a laptop, printer, and Wi-Fi connection to facilitate on-the-spot assistance. App Updates: Booth-level agents (BLAs) must verify voter details and update correct information on the Didir Doot app, where a digitised version of the voter list has already been uploaded. Workers must also maintain offline records of the updates. Coordination: MPs and MLAs have been directed to provide full support. Area presidents are to stay in touch with Gram Panchayat heads to ensure coordinated efforts. Statewide Coverage: Around 6,200 camps will be set up across 2,861 wards and 3,345 Gram Panchayats. The objective, Banerjee said, is to make people understand that Trinamool is the only party that stands by them in times of difficulty." Constituency-Level Meetings: Within the next three days, constituency-based meetings will be convened to assign specific roles and responsibilities. District-Specific Directives In Malda and Murshidabad, district leaders have been asked to persuade migrant workers to return and complete the voter enumeration process. In Purba Medinipur, a separate legal cell will be established to address local concerns. Every time they misuse agencies like the NIA to threaten us, no one should feel intimidated. We are with the people," Banerjee told party members, according to sources. Banerjee also emphasised the need to stand firmly with residents of Bongaon and Ranaghat, drawing parallels with Assam. Just like in Assam, where lakhs of Hindus were left out, many in Bengal will face difficulties due to SIR. AITC workers must stand by them and provide all possible help," he said. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Party insiders described the mood of the meeting as one of caution and alertnesswith Banerjee stressing that the public must see the TMC as standing shoulder to shoulder with them during this process. Meanwhile, the BJP took a dig at the TMC, claiming that the partys growing dependence on virtual meetings signals its weakening ground presence. BJP state president Sukanta Majumdar remarked, He (Abhishek) does not step out on the ground; thats why he holds virtual meetings. After SIR, this party will not even exist in the virtual world." About the Author Kamalika Sengupta Kamalika Sengupta is the Editor (East) at CNN-News18 / News18.com, focusing on politics, defence, and womens issues. She is a seasoned multimedia journalist with over 20 years of experience reporting... Read More First Published: October 31, 2025, 22:12 IST News politics 'Silent Invisible Rigging': Abhishek Banerjee Shares SIR Strategy With TMC Workers, Calls It 'Acid Test' 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... Samsung Wallet In India Gets UPI Payment That Works With Face ID Security Feature Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: October 31, 2025, 13:38 IST Samsung Wallet app was launched in 2022 but it is finally getting UPI-based integration for easy payments in India. Samsung Wallet app in India is getting more payment options Samsung has upgraded its Wallet app in India this week, bringing a wide range of UPI-centric features that can make it the go-to app for payments in the country. The platform is also going to let you make UPI payment via biometric feature which makes it PIN-free and more secure for smartphone users. Samsung Wallet has been around for a while but the UPI-based upgrades are being rolled out so that Samsung smartphones can do all the UPI onboarding steps from their device itself. Recommended Stories Samsung Wallet Gets More UPI Support Samsung is bringing a one-stop UPI payment solution for its smartphones in the country. You can set up a new UPI account through the device on the Samsung Wallet app, and make payments without PIN and just use the fingerprint sensor to authorise the payment. Samsung says it is the first brand to have this level of UPI integration in the country. The app will also let you pay using credit and debit cards that you save on the Wallet app and use them to pay at stores and outlets. The company has even added Tap and Pay option with Forex cards so that you can go abroad and easily use the merchant support for easy payments. We hope these payment options within the Wallet app are not limited to the premium Galaxy phones. Speaking of UPI payments, Zoho is now eyeing the payment space with its own app called Zoho Pay in the country. The UPI-based payment app is currently being tested internally and reports suggest Zoho could launch its new product in the next few weeks. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Zoho Pay is not likely to complicate the setup, but its integration with Arattai messaging app seems inevitable, especially with the company chief highlighting this aspect in their recent interviews. Zoho Pay will work within the Arattai app just like how UPI works through WhatsApp for users in India. You will be able to send/receive money, pay your bills, recharge your mobile number, and do all this without heading out of the app. The whole logic of a super app seems relevant with Zoho Pay and the company is looking to bring all its products under one umbrella. About the Author S Aadeetya S Aadeetya, Special Correspondent at News18 Tech, accidentally got into journalism 10 years ago, and since then, has been part of established media houses covering the latest trends in technology and ... Read More Location : Delhi, India, India First Published: October 31, 2025, 13:38 IST News tech Samsung Wallet In India Gets UPI Payment That Works With Face ID Security Feature 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... Cyprus Minister Lauds PM Modi For Visiting Green Line, Lashes Out At 'Occupier' Turkey Reported By : News18.com Edited By: Shankhyaneel Sarkar Last Updated: October 31, 2025, 10:45 IST Cyprus FM Constantinos Kombos says struggle against occupier Turkey continues as he lauds PM Modis symbolic Green Line visit. Rapid Read + Follow us On Google External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar meets Foreign Affairs Minister of the Republic of Cyprus, Constantinos Kombos, in New Delhi. (IMAGE: PTI) Cyprus Foreign Minister Constantinos Kombos, in an exclusive interview with CNN-News18, said that Nicosia was among the first to back New Delhi during Operation Sindoor and had condemned the April Pahalgam attacks. Kombos on Friday said Prime Minister Narendra Modis visit to the Green Line in Cyprus was a powerful image" that carried strong symbolism" and should be projected to the world. Recommended Stories The Green Line, patrolled by the United Nations, divides the Republic of Cyprus from Turkish-occupied Northern Cyprus a region Ankara seized in 1974 and continues to control through troops stationed there. PM Modis stop at the buffer zone came at a time when IndiaTurkey relations remain strained, especially after Ankaras diplomatic and arms support to Pakistan during Operation Sindoor, Indias major counterterror offensive earlier this year. By visiting Cyprus a country that has consistently backed India on Kashmir and supported New Delhi in global forums PM Modi underlined Indias alignment with nations that uphold sovereignty and international law. I think the visit was historic. There was a strong symbolism from those images. For us, its our daily reality. We are living with the occupier," Kombos said, referring to Turkey. The occupier has been there for 51 years. Its a powerful image that we should continue projecting to the world, that this is still happening. India, being a global leader, it was very important for the Prime Minister to see with his own eyes what we have been facing all this time." Kombos said India and Cyprus were natural allies" with a partnership rooted in mutual respect and shared principles. The occupation of a third of our island by Turkey remains central to our existence, and we expect our allies to understand and support that reality. Prime Minister Modi has done exactly that." The Cypriot Foreign Minister also highlighted that his country extended full support to India in its fight against terror. India has been a strong supporter of Cyprus in relation to issues stemming from the Turkish invasion and occupation of a third of the island. So, we have been fully supportive and expressed our strong solidarity towards India from the very first moment," he said, adding that Nicosia extended support and condolences following the attack on civilians in Pahalgam. For us, its a matter of principle that anything related to terrorism cannot be tolerated. We should never distinguish between terrorists and those financing or supporting them there can be no difference," he said. We dont forget. We continue to fight and struggle and try in every way possible to protect our country from this very dark shadow that exists." Serious Issue With Turkey Kombos said his visit to New Delhi focused on reviewing the joint action plan launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides. He added that IndiaCyprus cooperation stands on its own merits and is not driven by any third party. It has its own value, its own merits. It has to do with trade, with the economy, with mutual interests. And of course, that includes the defence sector as well and yes, we have a serious issue with Turkey," he said. Turkey is the aggressor, the invader, the occupier. We are trying to build up our alliances to continue defending our sovereign territorial integrity. India is at the top of our priorities. Cyprus plays a crucial role in the European Union due to its strategic location, acting as a bridge between Europe and the Middle East," he added. Cyprus also serves as a critical node in the proposed IndiaMiddle EastEurope Economic Corridor (IMEC), offering New Delhi a potential gateway to the European Union. The island nation is set to assume the EU Council presidency in 2026. IMEEC Corridor and Defence Cooperation Defence cooperation has become a central pillar of IndiaCyprus ties, with both sides exploring joint work in production, procurement and training. The collaboration between our militaries is extremely useful and important for our mutual benefit," Kombos said, noting that the partnership fits within the European Unions broader move toward strategic autonomy in defence. On IMEEC, he acknowledged that some powers" might view the corridor competitively but stressed that it should be seen as complementary. Its not about competing; its about adding layers of possibilities," he said, calling the project a logical step in strengthening links between India, the Gulf, and Europe. Jaishankars Special Gesture top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Kombos said he was deeply appreciative" of External Affairs Minister S Jaishankars attendance at his lecture in New Delhi, describing it as both personally meaningful and diplomatically significant. Minister Jaishankar is a leader in diplomacy globally and a person I respect deeply and a great thinker and doer," Kombos said. He added that Jaishankars presence was a strong indication of the right direction in which our bilateral relationship has been heading," underscoring Indias support for Cyprus even as no Indian representative attended Turkeys National Day event held around the same time. About the Author Siddhant Mishra Siddhant Mishra is a Senior Special Correspondent at CNN-News18, covering foreign affairs and international relations. With over 12 years of experience in journalism, he has also reported extensively ... Read More First Published: October 31, 2025, 10:39 IST News world Cyprus Minister Lauds PM Modi For Visiting Green Line, Lashes Out At 'Occupier' Turkey 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... Deadly BLA Ambush Kills 9 Pakistani Security Personnel In Balochistan's Kalat District | Exclusive Details Reported By : CNN-News18 Last Updated: November 01, 2025, 01:19 IST The coordinated assault targeted a convoy of security forces, with fighters employing sophisticated tactics, including the use of snipers and RPGs Two of the Pakistani security personnel killed in the BLA attack. Image/News18 The restive province of Balochistan was once again the scene of a major insurgent attack, CNN-News18 has learnt, as the separatist Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) ambushed a Pakistani security forces convoy in the Kalat district, resulting in the death of nine security personnel, including two commandos from the elite Special Services Group (SSG). The coordinated assault, claimed by the BLA, targeted a convoy of security forces, with fighters employing sophisticated tactics, including the use of snipers and Rocket-Propelled Grenades (RPGs). Sources indicate that two military vehicles were severely damaged in the RPG strike, marking a significant operational blow. Recommended Stories The intense exchange of fire reportedly lasted for approximately 50 minutes. The scale and duration of the engagement point to the growing sophistication of the BLAs attacks against Pakistans security establishment. The security personnel killed in the attack have been identified as Naik Tariq, Sepoy Muzammil, Sepoy Faraz, Sepoy Azam Nawaz, Lance Naik Shahjahan, and Sepoy Abshar, alongside the two SSG commandos and one other unnamed member. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The BLA is an ethnonationalist militant organisation that seeks the separation of Balochistan from Pakistan, alleging economic exploitation and marginalisation by the central government. The group has intensified its campaign in recent years, frequently targeting security forces, government installations, and increasingly, projects linked to the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). This attack in Kalat is the latest in a series of deadly assaults that highlight the persistent security challenges in Balochistan, which remains central to Pakistans economic future but is plagued by a decades-long insurgency. Authorities are expected to launch extensive clearance operations in the area following the assault. About the Author Manoj Gupta Group Editor, Investigations & Security Affairs, Network18 First Published: November 01, 2025, 01:19 IST News world Deadly BLA Ambush Kills 9 Pakistani Security Personnel In Balochistan's Kalat District | Exclusive Details 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... '...Got The Shakes': Trump Jokes Mid-Flight As Air Force One Faces Turbulence | Watch Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: October 31, 2025, 08:10 IST Air Force One hit turbulence as Trump returned from Asia, after meeting Xi Jinping and announcing new Chinese purchases of US farm goods and minerals. Rapid Read Choose News18 on Google Trump commented on the bumpy ride with his trademark humor. (Image: X/@RapidResponse47) Air Force One encountered strong turbulence over Asia on Thursday while US President Donald Trump was returning to Washington from South Korea, the final stop on his three-nation Asia tour that also included Malaysia and Japan. Trump attended the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit during the visit. Speaking to reporters mid-flight as the aircraft shook, Trump commented on the bumpy ride with his trademark humor. These are rough winds in Asia. I must tell you, this is a rough flight. We could have waited an hour maybe. These are tough conditions for interviews!" he joked. Recommended Stories He added, You know, theyre going to be watching Trump, theyre going to say, He didnt look too good, hes got the shakes! I didnt have the shakes but people think I do." Once the turbulence subsided, Trump told reporters that he had discussed the ongoing war in Ukraine with Chinese President Xi Jinping during their recent meeting. We talked about it for a long time, and were both going to work together to see if we can get something done," he said, according to a report by Mediaite. And we agreed the sides are locked in, fighting, and sometimes you have to let them fight, I guess. Crazy," he added. Trump noted that Xi had agreed to cooperate on the Ukraine issue. But hes going to help us and were going to work together on Ukraine. Its not a lot more we can do. Hes been buying oil from Russia for a long time. It takes care of a big part of China. You know, I can say Indias been very good on that front. But we didnt really discuss the oil," he said. Describing his meeting with Xi as a 12" on a scale of one to ten, Trump called it a truly great meeting." top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Later, in a post on Truth Social, Trump said, I was extremely honored by the fact that President Xi authorized China to begin the purchase of massive amounts of Soybeans, Sorghum, and other farm products." He added, In fact, as I said once before during my first Administration, Farmers should immediately go out and buy more land and larger tractors. I would like to thank President Xi for this!" Additionally, China has agreed to continue the flow of Rare Earth, Critical Minerals, Magnets, etc., openly and freely," Trump wrote. 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 : Washington D.C., United States of America (USA) First Published: October 31, 2025, 08:09 IST News world '...Got The Shakes': Trump Jokes Mid-Flight As Air Force One Faces Turbulence | Watch Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... Here's Why Trumps Call For Nuke Tests Shocked Washington, Revived Cold War Fears Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: October 31, 2025, 12:51 IST Donald Trumps sudden social media post calling for nuclear tests also featured during US Navy Vice Admiral Richard Corrells confirmation hearing. Rapid Read Choose News18 on Google Trumps call to start testing nuclear weapons has unsettled Washington, raising fears of a new arms race with Russia and China. (IMAGE: News18) US President Donald Trumps social media post calling to start testing our Nuclear Weapons" so that the US does not fall behind Russia and China sent shockwaves across Washingtons corridors of power. From affecting confirmation hearings to alarming lawmakers about where in the US such tests might be conducted, Trumps message asking the military to begin nuclear testing triggered widespread confusion. Recommended Stories A key area of uncertainty was whether the Republican president was referring to the testing of nuclear weapon delivery systems or ending a 33-year moratorium on explosive nuclear tests. US Navy Vice Admiral Richard Correll, who was facing the Senate for his confirmation hearing on Thursday to become the commander of Americas nuclear forces, also appeared unsure. Correll, nominated in early September to lead the US Strategic Command (STRATCOM), which oversees nuclear deterrence and strike capabilities, gave carefully worded answers throughout the hearing. During the roughly 90-minute session before the Senate Armed Services Committee, Correll faced repeated questions about Trumps comments from puzzled lawmakers, reflecting the confusion the presidents post had caused in Washington and beyond. The committees top Democrat, Senator Jack Reed, asked whether resuming US nuclear explosive testing would be destabilizing and risk triggering a global arms race. If confirmed as the commander of STRATCOM, my role would be to provide military advice on any discussions on the way ahead with respect to testing," Correll said. At one point, Senator Angus King, an independent, asked whether Trumps post might refer to testing delivery systems such as missiles rather than explosive testing of nuclear devices. I dont have insight into the Presidents intent. I agree that could be an interpretation," Correll replied. Vice President JD Vance later tried to clarify, saying that testing was part of ensuring the US nuclear arsenal remains functional. However, the US and other nuclear powers have long stopped detonating actual warheads, instead using advanced computer simulations to maintain the readiness of their arsenals. Messaging at the Risk of Provocation In his post shared shortly before meeting Chinese President Xi Jinping in South Korea, Trump said he had instructed the Pentagon to begin nuclear testing on an equal basis" and that the process would start immediately." Only North Korea has carried out a nuclear test explosion in the 21st century, the last one in 2017. Russia, which recently tested two new nuclear-powered weapons, has been accused by Washington of conducting small low-yield" tests and withholding transparency in its nuclear program, though it has not carried out a full-scale explosion. A Kremlin spokesperson said Russian President Vladimir Putin had already warned that Moscow would respond in kind if any country resumed nuclear testing. The United States and other nuclear powers have avoided detonating live warheads for decades, relying instead on simulations to ensure their arsenals remain functional. There is no good reason for the United States to resume explosive nuclear testing. It would actually make everyone in the US less safe," said Tara Drozdenko, director of the global security program at the Union of Concerned Scientists. The US has so much to lose and so little to gain from resuming testing," she added. Many analysts believe Trump, who often projects strength as a negotiating tactic, was trying to send a message to Moscow and Beijing. China has repeatedly rebuffed US efforts to hold talks on nuclear arms. While Beijing is expanding its nuclear arsenal, it has shown little interest in negotiating with Washington and Moscow, arguing that their stockpiles are still far larger. China hopes the US will abide by its moratorium on nuclear testing and uphold its commitments under the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, Beijings foreign ministry said on Thursday. Breaking the moratorium could benefit Washingtons rivals by allowing them to conduct their own tests, said Ploughshares, a foundation focused on reducing nuclear threats. A return to testing will benefit US adversaries by allowing them to catch up in nuclear research and weapons development," the group said in a statement. Return to Nevada? The United States has conducted more nuclear test explosions than any other country and retains data from 1,030 tests since 1945. STRATCOM, where Correll is currently the deputy commander, had certified the US nuclear arsenals readiness as recently as January. A Reuters report citing a US Department of Energy official said any new test would take place deep underground at a site in Nevada, which is mandated to be ready for testing within 36 months. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Senator Jacky Rosen said her home state of Nevada had suffered enough from nuclear testing between 1951 and 1992 and vowed to oppose any resumption. Im going to be crystal clear: I will not let this happen. Not on my watch," Rosen said. About the Author Shankhyaneel Sarkar Shankhyaneel Sarkar is a Chief Sub-Editor at News18. He covers international affairs, where he focuses on breaking news to in-depth analyses. He has over seven years of experience during which he has ... Read More Location : Seoul, South Korea First Published: October 31, 2025, 12:51 IST News world Here's Why Trumps Call For Nuke Tests Shocked Washington, Revived Cold War Fears 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... Hey, What Are You: Indian-Origin Man Killed In Canada After Confronting Stranger Urinating On His Car Curated By : Last Updated: October 31, 2025, 07:30 IST Arvi Singh Sagoo, a 55-year-old Indian-origin businessman, was killed in Edmonton after confronting a stranger, who urinated on his car. Arvi Singh Sagoo, a 55-year-old Indian-origin businessman, was killed in Edmonton after confronting a stranger, who urinated on his car. (Pic X) In a shocking incident from Edmonton, Canada, a 55-year-old Indian-origin businessman, Arvi Singh Sagoo, was killed after confronting a stranger who was urinating on his car. The assault took place in the early hours of October 19, when Sagoo and his girlfriend were returning to their vehicle after dinner. As they approached the car, they found a man relieving himself on it. When Sagoo confronted him and asked, Hey, what are you doing?", the stranger allegedly replied, Whatever I want," before punching Sagoo in the head, according to his brothers statement to Global News. Recommended Stories Sagoo collapsed instantly, and his girlfriend called emergency services. Responding officers from the Edmonton Police Service (EPS) found him unresponsive near 109 Street and 100 Avenue. He was rushed to the hospital and placed on life support, but succumbed to his injuries on October 24, five days after the attack. The accused, identified as 40-year-old Kyle Papin, has been arrested and charged with aggravated assault. Police said there was no prior connection between the suspect and the victim, describing the incident as completely unprovoked." The brutal attack has triggered anger and fear among the Indian community in Canada, where concerns are growing over the rise in racially motivated violence. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Family and friends described Sagoo as a warm-hearted and devoted father of two. His close friend, Vincent Ram, has launched an online fundraiser to support Sagoos children, cover funeral expenses, and secure their education. This fundraiser aims to honour a kind and loving father and ensure his children have the support they need during this devastating time," the campaign message read. Location : Canada First Published: October 31, 2025, 07:25 IST News world Hey, What Are You: Indian-Origin Man Killed In Canada After Confronting Stranger Urinating On His Car 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... Hit By Bullet Meant For Someone Else: Jharkhand Worker Dies In Saudi Arabia Police Crossfire Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: October 31, 2025, 16:30 IST The incident occurred when Vijay Kumar Mahato was walking near his worksite and got trapped in gunfire between police and local criminals. Vijay Kumar Mahatos brother-in-law Ram Prasad Mahato said the incident occurred on October 15. A 27-year-old man from Jharkhands Giridih district was shot dead in Saudi Arabia earlier this month after being caught in crossfire between local police and an extortion gang involved in the illegal liquor trade. The victim, Vijay Kumar Mahato, a resident of Dudhapania village under Dumri block, had been working with Hyundai Engineering and Construction Company on transmission line projects in Saudi Arabia for about a year. Vijay Kumar Mahatos brother-in-law Ram Prasad Mahato said the incident occurred on October 15 when Vijay was walking near his worksite and got trapped in gunfire between police and local criminals. Recommended Stories Vijay was nearby when the firing began. The bullet hit him by mistake," Ram Prasad Mahato said. He said Vijay was rushed to a hospital but died of his injuries. The family learned of his death on October 24. Before dying, he even sent a voice note in Kortha to his wife, saying he had been hit by a bullet meant for someone else and was pleading for help," Ram Prasad Mahato said. Vijay Kumar Mahato is survived by his wife, two sons aged five and three and his parents. Shikha Lakra, head of Jharkhands State Migrant Control Cell, confirmed that the government had received a complaint from Dumri MLA Jairam Kumar Mahato. She said, The process to bring back his body started today. The matter has been referred to the Protector of Emigrants (Ranchi) and the Indian Embassy in Riyadh for investigation and repatriation." top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all The official said that the Jharkhand government is in touch with Saudi authorities and the employer. However, Vijay Kumar Mahatos family refused to proceed with the repatriation process until Hyundai Engineering provides written assurance of compensation. The company must be held responsible. We will not receive the body until we get written assurance," Ram Prasad said. Location : Delhi, India, India First Published: October 31, 2025, 16:28 IST News world Hit By Bullet Meant For Someone Else: Jharkhand Worker Dies In Saudi Arabia Police Crossfire 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... Hurricane Melissa Kills 49 People; Aid Struggles To Reach Parts Of Jamaica Curated By : Last Updated: October 31, 2025, 15:04 IST Hurricane Melissa killed at least 19 in Jamaica and 30 in Haiti, causing massive destruction. Aid efforts intensify as Jamaica, Haiti, Cuba, and Bermuda brace for further impact. Hurricane Melissa killed at least 19 in Jamaica and 30 in Haiti, causing massive destruction. Aid efforts intensify as Jamaica, Haiti, Cuba, and Bermuda brace for further impact. (Pic: ABC News) At least 19 people have died in Jamaica following the catastrophic impact of Hurricane Melissa, Information Minister Dana Morris Dixon told the BBC News, as search and rescue operations continue and authorities rush aid to devastated regions. According to BBC News, the Category 5 hurricane, one of the most powerful storms ever to hit the Caribbean, has also killed at least 30 people in Haiti, while leaving widespread destruction across Jamaica and parts of Cuba. Recommended Stories Most of the island remains without electricity, and thousands are struggling to access clean water and food after several days of shortages. While the main airport in Kingston has largely resumed normal operations, regional airstrips closer to hard-hit areas are only partially functional, forcing aid convoys to move supplies by road through flood-damaged routes. Satellite images reviewed by the BBC show that nearly all buildings in several Jamaican villages have been destroyed or severely damaged. Residents in the west told the outlet that the storms impact was beyond words." In Haiti, officials said many deaths occurred when a river overflowed in the town of Petit-Goave. The UN reported that about 15,000 people are currently sheltering in more than 120 facilities, though full assessments are pending as several areas remain cut off. In Cuba, the UNs resident coordinator, Francisco Pichon said more than 3 million people were exposed to life-threatening conditions, with 735,000 evacuated to safety. While no deaths have been confirmed there, authorities said nearly 240 communities are isolated due to flooding and landslides. Hurricane Melissa made landfall in Jamaica on Tuesday with winds reaching 185 mph (295 km/h) before moving toward Haiti and Cuba. Governments and humanitarian agencies worldwide have pledged assistance for the affected nations. The World Food Programme (WFP) said it is coordinating emergency logistics, cash relief, and food supplies across Jamaica, Haiti, Cuba, and the Dominican Republic. The US State Department has deployed a disaster response team to aid search and rescue efforts, while the UK government announced an additional 5 million for emergency relief, including shelter kits and solar-powered lanterns on top of 2.5 million already pledged. The UK Foreign Office is also preparing evacuation flights for British nationals stranded in the region. As Jamaica, Haiti, and Cuba assess the destruction, Bermuda is bracing for impact. The Bermuda Weather Service warned that Melissa could strike the British territory as a Category 2 hurricane late Thursday. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Government offices and schools have been closed, and residents have been urged to stay indoors. With inputs from BBC News Location : Jamaica First Published: October 31, 2025, 15:04 IST News world Hurricane Melissa Kills 49 People; Aid Struggles To Reach Parts Of Jamaica Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... In A 'Historic' First, Ukraine Extradites Russian Soldier To Lithuania To Face Trial For War Crimes Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: October 31, 2025, 19:06 IST Ukrainian officials said the extradited man was a sailor who had served in the Russian military police and was involved in the illegal detention and torture of prisoners. Rapid Read Choose News18 on Google Ukraine is determined to hold Russian military figures personally responsible for the 2022 invasion. (Reuters/Representative Image) In what is being called a historic" step for the first time, Ukraine on Friday extradited a captured Russian soldier to Lithuania, where he will be put on trial for alleged war crimes. For the first time since the start of full-scale aggression, Ukraine has handed over a Russian serviceman to a foreign state, Lithuania, for real criminal prosecution for war crimes," said Ukraines prosecutor general Ruslan Kravchenko on Telegram. Recommended Stories Ukrainian officials said the extradited man was a sailor who had served in the Russian military police. He was captured by the Ukrainian army in the Zaporizhzhia region near the southern village of Robotyne, AFP reported. Kravchenko said the Russian soldier was involved in the illegal detention, torture, and inhumane treatment of civilians and prisoners of war" and one of his victims was a Lithuanian citizen. Lithuania was pressing war crimes charges against the man who could face life imprisonment in the Baltic state, a NATO member and Ukraines staunch ally. Kravchenko called the extradition a historic and important precedent for the entire international justice system." Illegal Detention, Torture Of Prisoners Meanwhile, the Lithuanian prosecutor generals office said the man is suspected of having not only guarded the illegally detained civilians and prisoners of war, but also participated in their beating and torture." It alleged the torture involved imprisoning the victims in a metal safe, suffocating them until unconsciousness, hanging them with tied hands, pouring cold water on them in freezing weather, and traumatising with electric shocks." Lithuanias law enforcement coordinated with Kyiv on the mans extradition. A court in Vilnius ruled to keep the man in jail for at least three months ahead of a trial, as per the prosecutor generals office. Ukraine is determined to hold Russian military figures personally responsible for the 2022 invasion and is seeking international justice for numerous alleged atrocities committed by the Russian army. The Ukraine conflict is now set to enter its fourth year amid US-led efforts to halt it. US President Donald Trump has openly expressed his frustration with Russian President Vladimir Putin and has squeezed pressure on Russian energy exports as part of its plan to halt Moscows offensive. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Meanwhile, Ukraines security services on Friday said Kyiv has launched nearly 160 successful strikes on Russian oil sites this year and vowed further long-range attacks aimed at denting Russias war chest. A day before, Russia attacked Ukrainian energy facilities with hundreds of drones and missiles, killing at least four people. (with inputs from AFP) 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 : Kyiv, Ukraine First Published: October 31, 2025, 19:06 IST News world In A 'Historic' First, Ukraine Extradites Russian Soldier To Lithuania To Face Trial For War Crimes 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... Pakistan, Afghanistan Agree To Maintain Ceasefire In Istanbul Talks, Taliban Provides 'Assurances' Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: October 31, 2025, 16:41 IST Talks between Pakistan and Afghanistan had earlier collapsed as the two nations exchanged the deadliest cross-border clashes since the Taliban's return to power. Taliban security personnel stand over military vehicles as Afghan men gather in their support during a rally, amid heavy cross-border clashes between Afghanistan and Pakistan. (Image: AFP) Pakistan and Afghanistan have agreed to maintain a ceasefire following peace talks in Istanbul, after earlier talks collapsed earlier this week. Pakistan said the border ceasefire will hold after the Taliban government provided some assurances". The Turkish foreign ministry said all parties have agreed to put in place a monitoring and verification mechanism that will ensure maintenance of peace and impose a penalty on the violating party." The sides plan to meet again at a higher-level gathering in Istanbul on Nov 6 to finalise how the ceasefire will be implemented, it added. Recommended Stories The talks were restarted at the request of mediators Turkey and Qatar, aiming to prevent a repeat of deadly border clashes that have killed dozens this month. Despite the collapse of the previous round of talks, a ceasefire has largely held and no new border clashes were reported this week. Taliban Provides Assurances Pakistan said the ceasefire was holding with Afghanistan after receiving assurances" from Kabul. The ceasefire holds," Pakistan foreign ministry spokesperson Tahir Andrabi told reporters at a weekly briefing, adding that Islamabad would respond to any provocation. We have taken note of assurances from the Afghan side on this issue." Pakistan earlier said the talks will be based on Pakistans central demand that Afghanistan take clear, verifiable and effective action against militant groups. Two senior security officials told the Associated Press that Pakistan has once again stressed that Afghan soil should not be used for what it called terrorism" against Pakistan. On Wednesday, Pakistans Defence Minister Khawaja Asif warned that the country could obliterate" the Taliban regime, saying Islamabad does not require even a fraction of its full arsenal" to push the group into hiding. His comments came hours after peace talks collapsed in Istanbul. Pakistans Information Minister Attaullah Tarar had confirmed the breakdown, accusing Kabul of avoiding key issues and engaging in blame game and deflection." He said Pakistan remained committed to protecting its people from terrorism. The resumed negotiations follow the deadliest border clashes since the Taliban took power in 2021, which killed more than 70 people and injured hundreds. Violence erupted after Pakistani airstrikes targeted the head of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) earlier this month, prompting retaliatory attacks on Pakistani posts along the 2,600-km frontier. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all Both sides had agreed to a ceasefire brokered in Doha on October 19 but could not reach common ground in a second round of talks in Istanbul. The Pakistani military on Thursday said it killed 18 militants in two separate operations in the southwestern province of Balochistan. (with inputs from agencies) About the Author Aveek Banerjee Aveek Banerjee is a Senior Sub Editor at News18. Based in Noida with a Master's in Global Studies, Aveek has more than three years of experience in digital media and news curation, specialising in int... Read More Location : Turkey First Published: October 31, 2025, 16:31 IST News world Pakistan, Afghanistan Agree To Maintain Ceasefire In Istanbul Talks, Taliban Provides 'Assurances' 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... Pakistan Cant Afford Another War: Why Pashtun Maulana Is Upset With Munirs Army | Exclusive Reported By : News18.com Last Updated: October 31, 2025, 15:53 IST Pakistans Maulana Fazlur Rehman said Army should address terrorism, economic collapse, and governance paralysis in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa rather than fighting borders Rapid Read Choose News18 on Google Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman. (Image: X/naofpakistan) Pakistans Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman is upset with Pakistan Army, according to top intelligence sources. Speaking about the current military posturing toward Afghanistan, Rehman said that Pakistan cannot afford another self-inflicted war", said sources. Dont forget Bangladesh 1971 and Kargil 1999 as examples of Pakistan Armys reckless adventures by Pervez Musharraf and others that cost the country global credibility," he said, according to sources. Recommended Stories The Maulana said the Army should address terrorism, economic collapse, and governance paralysis in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa rather than fighting borders. He criticised the militarys habit of creating fear in public which is wrong, said sources. Islam doesnt like unjust aggression against a Muslim neighbour," he said, according to sources. He was indirectly branding the Armys approach as both un-Islamic and politically suicidal towards Afghanistan Sources said such a statement would help India build strategic pressure on the Pakistan army. Indian intelligence sees this as part of a broader Afghan Taliban psychological pushback. Clerical voices like Fazlur Rahman will weaken Pakistans internal war narrative," said sources. Earlier this month, News18 had reported how Rehman was keen to visit India with what he calls a message of peace". The disclosure was made by Senator Kamran Murtaza, a close aide of Maulana Fazlur Rehman, during a television interview with Pakistani journalist Shaukat Piracha. Murtaza claimed that he personally conveyed Maulanas message of peace to an Indian diplomat, in the presence of anchor Moeed Pirzada, who also confirmed the exchange. Top intelligence sources had then told News18 that the move showed growing internal fault lines within Pakistans political and military establishment, including rising tensions between Punjabi and Pashtun factions top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all According to sources, Maulana Fazlur Rehman, who hails from Dera Ismail Khan and belongs to the Pashtun community, has positioned himself as the political voice of Pashtun discontent. Sources had said that Maulanas peace overture is not merely symbolic its an indirect signal to both Islamabad and New Delhi that internal discontent in Pakistans power corridors is real and growing." About the Author Manoj Gupta Group Editor, Investigations & Security Affairs, Network18 First Published: October 31, 2025, 15:50 IST News world Pakistan Cant Afford Another War: Why Pashtun Maulana Is Upset With Munirs Army | Exclusive Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... 'Panic & Precaution': Pakistan Issues Second NOTAM Amid Indias Trishul 2025 Exercise Reported By : News18.com Last Updated: October 31, 2025, 12:15 IST According to sources, the NOTAM indicates that Pakistan may be preparing for naval live-firing drills and potential missile testing in the Arabian Sea From October 30 to November 11, over 20,000 Indian troops supported by T-90S and Arjun tanks, attack helicopters, missile systems, Rafale and Sukhoi-30MKI fighters, and a fleet of frigates and destroyers will conduct integrated tri-service operations along the western border. (Image: PTI/File) Amid heightened regional military activity, Pakistan has issued a second Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) within just five days a move that intelligence sources describe as a signal of panic and precaution" triggered by Indias ongoing Tri-Services Exercise Trishul 2025. The latest NOTAM, effective from November 1 to November 30, closes large portions of Pakistans airspace, particularly over its southern and coastal regions. According to top intelligence inputs, the NOTAM indicates that Pakistan may be preparing for naval live-firing drills and potential missile testing in the Arabian Sea, likely from its naval platforms near the Sonmiani range. These preparations come amid what sources describe as rising fears in Rawalpindi" that India could launch precision strikes on Pakistans southern airbases and naval fleets stationed near Sir Creek and adjoining coastal areas. Recommended Stories Indias Exercise Trishul 2025 a high-intensity joint operation involving the Army, Navy, and Air Force is currently underway across multiple strategic theatres, including the western front and the Arabian Sea. The large-scale drills simulate integrated warfare, rapid mobilisation, and maritime dominance operations. The exercise, while routine in nature, has reportedly prompted Pakistans heightened state of alert, reflecting the deep-seated mistrust that continues to define the subcontinental security environment. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all A senior intelligence source told News18 that Pakistans second NOTAM in less than a week reflects both anxiety and deterrence signalling." The source added, Islamabad wants to project readiness and safeguard its air and maritime boundaries amid Indias growing operational tempo." The move, however, is also viewed as a strategic communication tool. Pakistans defence establishment has reportedly placed all its forces on red alert until November 30, ensuring air safety, naval vigilance, and overall national security. Surveillance systems along the coastline have been enhanced, while naval and air assets are being repositioned to monitor developments in the north Arabian Sea. About the Author Manoj Gupta Group Editor, Investigations & Security Affairs, Network18 First Published: October 31, 2025, 12:15 IST News world 'Panic & Precaution': Pakistan Issues Second NOTAM Amid Indias Trishul 2025 Exercise 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... 'She Has No Plans To Convert': JD Vance Slams 'Disgusting' Comment Over Wife Usha's Religion Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: October 31, 2025, 21:03 IST JD Vance sparked a controversy by saying that he would like his Indian-origin wife, Usha Vance, to convert to Christianity, prompting accusations of disrespecting Hinduism. US Vice President JD Vance with Second Lady Usha Vance. (File pic/PTI) US Vice President JD Vance responded sharply to accusations of throwing his wifes religion under the bus", calling it disgusting" and affirming that his wife, Usha Vance, had no plans to convert her religion. This came after Vance became the centre of a major controversy when he said that he would like for his Indian-origin wife to follow Christianity, as their children are being raised as Christians and that she often joins them at church. Indian-Americans accused Vance of being disrespectful of Hinduism. Recommended Stories One of the posts targeted Vances remarks, saying, Its weird to throw your wifes religion under the bus, in public, for a moments acceptance by groypers." Taking strong exception to this comment, the Vice President said, What a disgusting comment, and its hardly been the only one along these lines. First off, the question was from a person seemingly to my left, about my interfaith marriage. Im a public figure, and people are curious, and I wasnt going to avoid the question." Anti-Christian Bigotry My Christian faith tells me the Gospel is true and is good for human beings. My wifeas I said at the TPUSAis the most amazing blessing I have in my life. She herself encouraged me to re-engage with my faith many years ago. She is not a Christian and has no plans to convert, but like many people in an interfaith marriageor any interfaith relationshipI hope she may one day see things as I do," he said. What a disgusting comment, and its hardly been the only one along these lines.First off, the question was from a person seemingly to my left, about my interfaith marriage. Im a public figure, and people are curious, and I wasnt going to avoid the question. Second, my https://t.co/JOzN7WAg3A JD Vance (@JDVance) October 31, 2025 Vance further said he will continue to love and support his wife and talk to her about faith and life because shes my wife". He also said the remark reeked of anti-Christian bigotry". Yes, Christians have beliefs. And yes, those beliefs have many consequences, one of which is that we want to share them with other people. That is a completely normal thing, and anyone whos telling you otherwise has an agenda," he added. What Did Vance Say Earlier? Vance earlier faced backlash for saying that he wanted his wife to eventually turn to Christianity. Do I hope eventually that she is somehow moved by the same thing that I was moved by the church? Yeah, I honestly do wish that because I believe in the Christian gospel and I hope eventually my wife comes to see it the same way," he said in response to a question by an Indian-origin woman at an event. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all One of the most important Christian principles is that you respect free will. Usha is closer to the priests who baptise me than maybe I am. They talk about this stuff. My attitude is you figure this stuff out as a family and you trust in God to have a plan and you try to follow it as best as you can. And thats what I try to do," the US Vice President added. Former Indian foreign secretary Kanwal Sibal criticised JD Vance for not openly acknowledging his wifes Hindu background. He pointed out that Vance described her as agnostic" instead of mentioning her roots and claimed that he was hesitant to talk about her religion. 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 31, 2025, 20:50 IST News world 'She Has No Plans To Convert': JD Vance Slams 'Disgusting' Comment Over Wife Usha's Religion Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... A staff member of a local elderly care group trains bathing assistants in Tianjin, north China, Oct. 23, 2025. (Xinhua/Bao Qingling) TIANJIN, Oct. 30 (Xinhua) -- In a modest apartment in the Hexi District of north China's Tianjin Municipality, 86-year-old Granny Li closed her eyes as warm water gently cascaded over her frail body. For the first time in months, she felt truly clean and truly seen. This transformation was made possible by Lin Ru, a bathing assistant whose work goes beyond hygiene to touch the very soul of dignity in aging. At 9 a.m. on a crisp autumn day, Lin arrived punctually at Granny Li's home. With practiced efficiency, she turned up the heating, inflated a portable bathtub, and, with the family's help, lifted the elderly woman, who suffers from chronic back pain, into the warm water. "I only have sons, so it's awkward for them to bathe me. I usually just wipe myself with a damp towel," Li confessed, her voice tinged with embarrassment. Over the next hour, Lin's clothes became soaked with sweat, but Li gradually relaxed, emerging refreshed after her hair was dried and body toweled off. Lin, who began this work after caring for her own grandparents, has witnessed the subtle, often hidden emotions of the elderly. "For bedridden or mobility-impaired seniors, bathing becomes a 'heartache' for both them and their families," Lin said. "A hot bath isn't just about physical comfort -- it's about dignity." This sentiment echoes broader challenges in elderly care, where neglect can lead to profound dignity loss, as highlighted in similar cases across China. Lin recalled one particularly poignant example -- an elderly woman, once vibrant and sociable, grew deeply depressed after being confined to bed. Learning of her love for flowers, Lin brought her a potted plant. "The room suddenly feels alive," the woman had exclaimed, her spirits instantly lifted, Lin recounted. Fellow bathing assistant Wei Yanping emphasized the psychological aspect of their work: "Spiritual solace matters more than physical cleansing." To put elders at ease, Wei tailors her approach -- discussing education when the elderly person is a former teacher, or singing and reading poetry to those seniors who've lost the ability to communicate. Similarly, 56-year-old Wei Chunjiang reflected on her own future: "I have only one daughter, but with the 'silver economy' growing, I'm confident that when I need help, someone will be there for me." This growing industry -- supported by national policies, is transforming care standards. Official data reveals that by late 2024, China's population aged 60 and above had reached 310 million, accounting for 22 percent of the total. The central government rolled out a five-year plan focused on the national aging cause and elderly care system in 2022, promoting community bathing points and mobile services. Tianjin's local guidelines, notably, also encourage in-home assistance. Li Hongyu, operations manager of a local elderly care group, noted that such support is fueling rapid growth in elderly care services -- making "dignity in aging" a new norm. Lin's work sometimes carries a bittersweet weight. She has fond memories of the "flower-loving auntie" whom she visited one morning with a new plant. "She had a good appetite that day -- eating steamed buns and fruit, and even got a radio," Lin recalled, her eyes glistening. Not long after, she learned that the woman had passed away. "But it comforts me to know she left this world clean and dignified." Enditem Trump Says US Not Considering Strikes Within Venezuela After Attack Reports Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: October 31, 2025, 22:45 IST Donald Trump denied plans to strike Venezuela, despite US anti-drug operations and more troops in the Caribbean. US President Donald Trump. (Getty Images) US President Donald Trump on Friday (local time) said that his administration is not considering any military strikes on Venezuela amid reports that the United States may expand its counter-drug campaign in the Caribbean. When asked by a journalist aboard Air Force One about reports that he was considering such strikes, Trump responded briefly, No," news agency AFP reported. Recommended Stories His remarks came amid reports that Trump administration has planned attacks on military installations inside Venezuela, which could come at any moment as the United States is escalating its offensive against the Soles drug cartel. His remarks came weeks after the US carried out air and maritime operations and destroyed several suspected drug-smuggling vessels near Venezuela. In recent weeks, Trump has publicly said that his administration will carry out strikes against drug-related targets inside Venezuela. The United States has built up a large military presence in the Caribbean in recent months, with fighter jets, warships, and thousands of troops. That presence is expected to grow with the arrival of the USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier strike group in the coming weeks. Trump earlier said he authorised CIA operations in Venezuela, and that he is considering ground attacks against alleged drug cartels in the country. Washington began the campaign of strikes targeting alleged drug smuggling vessels in the Caribbean in early September that has killed at least 62 people and destroyed 14 boats and a semi-submersible. However, the governments where the victims hail from have claimed that they are fishermen. The Trump administration has described these operations as part of a broader crackdown on drug-trafficking networks linked to Venezuela. The Trump administration has alleged that Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro leads the Cartel de los Soles (Cartel of the Suns), a drug-trafficking organisation embedded in Venezuelas military, and works with groups including Venezuelas Tren de Aragua gang, Mexicos Sinaloa Cartel and other transnational criminal networks who pose a threat to the national security of the US by illegal trafficking of drugs. Meanwhile, Maduro has accused Washington of fabricating a war," and seeking regime change through growing military pressure. The US move has widened divisions within Venezuelas opposition, already strained by government crackdowns and internal rivalries. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all One camp, led by Nobel Peace Prize laureate Maria Corina Machado, has sided with Trump, contending that Maduro threatens US security and backing the deployment. Another, led by two-time presidential contender Henrique Capriles, rejected military intervention and called for renewed talks with Maduros government. (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 31, 2025, 22:45 IST News world Trump Says US Not Considering Strikes Within Venezuela After Attack Reports Disclaimer: Comments reflect users views, not News18s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments... US, China Going Work Together To End Russia-Ukraine War, Says Trump Curated By : News18.com Last Updated: October 30, 2025, 22:02 IST Donald Trump and Xi Jinping discussed ending the Russia-Ukraine war but did not address oil. Trump announced immediate US nuclear testing due to actions by Russia and China. US President Donald Trump after his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday. (RapidResponse 47/X) US President Donald Trump on Thursday said China and the US are working on ending the Russia-Ukraine war but sometimes, you have to let them fight". After the meeting with Xi Jinping in South Korea, Trump told reporters: I thought it was an amazing meeting a lot of decisions were made, too there wasnt too much left out there, and weve come to conclusion on many very important points." Recommended Stories According to Politico, Ukraine had high expectations from the talks, hoping Trump would persuade the Chinese leader to buy less oil from Russia and consequently stop funding the war after the US slapped sanctions on Moscows main oil giants. However, oil was not one of the issues that were discussed during the meeting, Trump said. Ukraine came up very strongly. We talked about it for a long time, and were both going to work together to see if we can get something done. Were going to work together on Ukraine," he said. He [Xi] has been buying oil from Russia for a long time, and it takes care of a big part of China But with him we did not discuss the oil. We discussed working together to get this war finished. It does not affect China; it does not affect us. But I dont like to see thousands of young men killed," the US President said. Speaking on his previous announcement that the US will immediately begin" testing nuclear weapons, citing similar actions by China and Russia, Trump said: They seem to all be nuclear testing. We have more nuclear weapons than anybody, we dont do testing with others doing testing, I think its appropriate that we do also." Earlier in the day, Trump said that, although he hated" the destructive nature of nuclear weapons, he felt compelled to expand and maintain them because of growing competition from Russia and China. He said that since other countries were already conducting nuclear tests, he had instructed the US Department of Defense to begin nuclear testing immediately" so that the US would not fall behind. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all In his post, Trump wrote, The United States has more Nuclear Weapons than any other country. This was accomplished, including a complete update and renovation of existing weapons, during my First Term in office. Because of the tremendous destructive power, I HATED to do it, but had no choice! Russia is second, and China is a distant third, but will be even within 5 years. Because of other countries testing programs, I have instructed the Department of War to start testing our Nuclear Weapons on an equal basis. That process will begin immediately." The United States last conducted a full-scale nuclear weapons test in 1992, though it has since carried out subcritical experiments. Location : United States of America (USA) First Published: October 30, 2025, 22:02 IST News world US, China Going Work Together To End Russia-Ukraine War, Says Trump 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... Xi Jinping To Meet Canadian, Japanese Leaders After Trade Truce With Trump Curated By : Last Updated: October 31, 2025, 09:09 IST Xi Jinping to meet Canadian and Japanese PMs at the APEC summit in Gyeongju after a US-China trade truce, aiming to stabilize ties amid ongoing trade and security tensions. A file photo of Chinese President Xi Jinping (AP) Chinese President Xi Jinping is set to hold high-profile bilateral meetings with the leaders of Canada and Japan on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Gyeongju, South Korea, just days after agreeing to a tentative trade truce with U.S. President Donald Trump. The meetings mark a key moment in Beijings diplomatic outreach as China attempts to stabilise relations with key regional and global partners amid ongoing tensions over trade, technology, and security in the Indo-Pacific. Recommended Stories Trade Ceasefire With US Sets the Stage Xis bilateral talks come shortly after a temporary trade ceasefire between China and the United States, announced at the close of Trumps visit to Seoul. The agreement pauses new restrictions on Chinas rare-earth exports that are crucial for electric vehicles, defense equipment, and renewable technologies. The truce reflects a pragmatic effort by both sides to ease global economic uncertainty ahead of a likely second TrumpXi summit later this year. However, it is speculated that the pause is tactical, not transformational," noting that fundamental differences over market access, national security, and industrial policy remain unresolved. Japans New Leader Takes a Tougher Line Among the most closely watched of Xis bilateral meetings will be his first encounter with Japans newly elected prime minister, Sanae Takaichi. Known for her hawkish views on defense and her call for a stronger military posture against Chinese aggression, Takaichis rise has already complicated relations between Tokyo and Beijing. The two leaders are expected to discuss Japans recent decision to strengthen security cooperation with the US and its allies, a move that Beijing views as a direct challenge. Tokyo is also seeking the release of several Japanese nationals detained in China and is expected to raise the issue of Beijings import restrictions on Japanese seafood and agricultural products. For her part, Takaichi is under pressure to balance her nationalist credentials with the economic realities of Japans trade ties to China, which remains Tokyos largest trading partner. Canada Seeks to Reset Relations With Beijing Xi will also meet Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, a move that could be a crucial step toward resetting strained China-Canada relations after years of diplomatic and trade friction. Ottawa has been seeking to re-engage with Beijing since a series of disputes including Chinas anti-dumping duties on Canadian canola oil and Canadas tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles. Carney, a former central banker and a newcomer to politics, has pledged a more pragmatic foreign policy focused on diversifying Canadas economy beyond its dependence on the US Beijing remains Ottawas second-largest trading partner, accounting for more than $110 billion in annual trade. Officials in both capitals have downplayed expectations of breakthroughs, describing the meeting as an attempt to rebuild trust and reopen channels of communication." Regional Dynamics and the APEC Summit Agenda The APEC summit hosted by South Korean President Lee Jae-myung is expected to focus on supply-chain resilience, climate cooperation, and economic recovery across the 21-member bloc. But behind the formal agenda lies a flurry of diplomacy as regional powers reposition themselves amid shifting USChina dynamics. Lee described the current trade and geopolitical environment as a critical inflection point," urging participants to resist the fragmentation of the global economy into rival blocs." Chinas outreach to Japan and Canada underscores Beijings attempt to project stability and leadership in the region even as it faces domestic economic headwinds, including slowing growth, real estate turmoil, and investor uncertainty. At the same time, Xis carefully choreographed diplomacy aims to signal that Beijing still has influence, particularly after months of pressure from Western capitals over alleged overcapacity in its manufacturing sector and its close ties with Moscow. Cautious Optimism, Persistent Tensions Despite the flurry of high-level diplomacy, analysts remain cautious. Many see the recent trade ceasefire with the US as temporary and Xis regional engagements as part of a broader effort to buy time amid global uncertainty. top videos View all Swipe Left For Next Video View all With the US election cycle entering a decisive phase and China grappling with internal economic challenges, the next few months could determine whether this moment of calm leads to a more stable global trade environment or merely precedes another round of confrontation. (Inputs from Reuters) Location : China First Published: October 31, 2025, 08:56 IST News world Xi Jinping To Meet Canadian, Japanese Leaders After Trade Truce With Trump 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... BEIJING, Oct. 31 (Xinhua) -- China's top economic planner announced on Friday that it has begun soliciting public opinions and suggestions concerning the formulation of the draft outline of the country's 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030) for economic and social development. The National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC) is working with relevant departments and local authorities to advance the formulation of the draft outline, NDRC spokesperson Li Chao said. The NDRC's official website, new media platforms, and the Chinese government portal are pooling suggestions for more than 20 key areas of economic and social development from Friday to Nov. 14, she said. A Syracuse-area man critically injured in a car crash in Florida earlier this year told police from his hospital bed that his girlfriend deliberately caused the wreck. Daniel Waterman, 22, was a passenger in a car driven by Leigha Mumby, 24, during Super Bowl weekend in February in Flagler County. After spending time in a coma, Waterman regained consciousness months later and told investigators that Mumby crashed intentionally, Fox News reports. Troopers said he cited an alleged outburst from her just before she drove into a tree: "I don't care what happens. You'll get what you deserve." Waterman was moved from Florida to a Syracuse hospital in July. His mother says he had been showing signs of recovery, but he died from pneumonia earlier this month, reports Syracuse.com . Waterman's injuries were extensive, including fractures to his neck, back, collarbone, hips, leg, and ankle. According to his grandfather, "He broke everything. It wasn't much not broken." His mother says he communicated with investigators in May by making sounds when they pointed to letters on a board. Mumby was arrested in July and charged with reckless driving and aggravated battery. She pleaded not guilty. Following Waterman's death on Oct. 8, prosecutors upgraded the charges to vehicular homicide. Mumby, who was pregnant at the time of the crash and has since given birth, was released from jail after posting a $150,000 bond. Mumby, who was also injured in the crash, told investigators she didn't know what caused it. "This was not an accident," John Hager, an attorney for the Waterman family, told Fox. "Evidence showed she didn't use the brakesthe car was speeding up at the time of impact." Waterman told police that before the crash, Mumby started driving recklessly and he tried to escape when she slowed down at one point, People reports. He said they had been arguing about text messages he received from a woman. His mother says the woman was a friend back in New York he had been discussing the Super Bowl with. Waterman's mother says the family believes Waterman is the father of Mumby's baby. She says it was his dying wish for his family to have custody of the child, though with Mumby still in Florida, the interstate custody battle could be difficult. "We'll do whatever we can do to bring her to us," she tells Syracuse.com. "He wanted her raised in New York with his family." More than 1,000 artifacts were stolen from the Oakland Museum of California's offsite storage facility in a crime that occurred in the early hours of Oct. 15, according to police. The thieves made off with a wide array of items, including jewelry, laptops, Native American baskets, and daguerreotypes, the Oaklandside reports. The theft "represents a brazen act that robs the public of our state's cultural heritage," Lori Fogarty, the museum's CEO, said in a statement, per the Guardian . The Oakland Police Department announced Wednesday it is working with the FBI's Art Crime Team to investigate the break-in, which was discovered by the staff the next morning. The delay in announcing the burglary was intended to avoid compromising the investigation, museum officials said, per the New York Times. Fogarty described the theft as a "crime of opportunity" rather than a targeted operation, noting that most of the stolen objects, which included historical artifacts and art pieces, were small. The exact location of the storage facility has not been disclosed, but Fogarty said that the building was equipped with cameras and alarms, and that the collection is used by researchers and other institutions. The museum is working with insurance providers to assess the total value of the loss and is reviewing security protocols. The City of Oakland owns the museum's collection of more than 2 million artifacts, per Oaklandside. Most of the items taken consist of common memorabilia such as political pins and souvenir tokens. But the thieves also made away with objects such as neckpieces by Florence Resnikoff, an artist who was based in Oakland, and a pair of scrimshawed walrus tusks carved in the 19th century. The Special Olympics has publicly urged Kid Rock to renounce the use of the "R-word" after the musician used the slur during a recent appearance on Fox News. The comment came during Friday's episode of Jesse Watters Primetime, when Kid Rockreal name Robert Ritchiejoked that he planned to be a "r-----" for Halloween, NBC News reports. He was wearing a medical mask at the time, in an apparent dig at those who donned masks during the COVID-19 pandemicsomething he's ranted about for years, EW reports. Loretta Claiborne, chief inspiration officer of the Special Olympics, addressed the incident in an open letter, emphasizing that the term deeply demeans people with intellectual disabilities and undermines their fight for basic recognition and respect. In her letter, Claiborne asked Kid Rock to acknowledge the harm caused and "use this moment to stand with us in rejecting that word and the prejudice it represents." She noted people with intellectual disabilities continue to battle for recognition of their humanitysomething she says is undermined by the casual use of such language. The slur has seen renewed use among some right-leaning and "anti-woke" public figures, a trend that also includes recent high-profile examples from Elon Musk and Joe Rogan. The Special Olympics has campaigned against the word for years, pointing to its long history as a tool for belittlement and dehumanization, and sought to banish it entirely starting in 2009. "Words matter," said Claibornewho, HuffPost reports, is the first Special Olympics athlete elected to the organization's board. Kid Rock, who has also publicly used the racist N-word and the homophobic F-slur, has not publicly responded. A JetBlue flight from Cancun to Newark made an emergency landing in Tampa on Thursday after a sudden loss of altitude injured more than 15 passengers. The airline said its Airbus A320 was en route to Newark Liberty International Airport in calm weather conditions, ABC News reports. The problem was a flight control issue rather than turbulence, the Federal Aviation Administration said in a statement, per WPIX. The plane had maintained an altitude of 35,000 feet for about a half-hour after takeoff before descending to Tampa International Airport in 15 minutes, FlightAware information shows. A third teenager has been arrested and charged with the killing of a congressional intern in the nation's capital, a crime that President Trump cited when he announced a law enforcement surge in Washington, the AP reports. Naqwan Antonio Lucas, 18, has been indicted with first-degree murder and 15 other charges for the killing of Eric Tarpinian-Jachym of Granby, Massachusetts. Lucas pleaded not guilty on Thursday. Tarpinian-Jachym, 21, died a day after he was struck by stray bullets near Washington's Mount Vernon Square the night of June 30. Authorities last month arrested two 17-year-old suspects in the shooting, Kelvin Thomas Jr. and Jailen Lucas, Naqwan Lucas' brother. They were charged as adults for first-degree murder while armed. Noem, speaking at a news conference in Gary, Indiana, on Thursday, dismissed the request as "shameful." She said it was "unfortunate" that Pritzker doesn't "recognize how important the work is that we do to make sure we're bringing criminals to justice and getting them off our streets, especially when we're going to send all of our kiddos out on the streets and going to events and enjoying the holiday season." The Chicago Sun-Times reports that the Democratic governor fired back with a post on X, writing: "We know Kristi Noem must love Halloween because she always dresses in law enforcement costumes, but what is truly shameful is that she refuses to agree that we shouldn't tear gas children trick or treating." The controversy has prompted judicial scrutiny, with US District Judge Sara Ellis warning federal officials not to use chemical agents in public settingsespecially on Halloweenunless officers face an imminent threat. Residents of Old Irving Park described the incident last weekend as unprovoked, with one resident recalling agents deploying a chemical agent without warning while neighbors were upset but not threatening. One longtime Old Irving Park resident tells NBC that she has been handing out candy on Halloween for decades but she is "too shaken" this year. Instead, she and other residents have volunteered to stand on corners with whistles to warn of ICE activity. "We're not going to let this ruin a traditional Chicago Halloween, where children and their families can feel safe and have fun," she says. Virginia Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears' campaign for governor hit an unexpected snag on Thursday when her bus caught fire en route to an event. "Everyone is safe," Earle-Sears assured in a statement on X , thanking first responders for their swift reaction, per the Hill . The incident occurred just days before voters cast their final ballots in a race that has grown increasingly heated. Earle-Sears' Democratic rival, former Rep. Abigail Spanberger, also took to social media to express relief that no one was injured, calling the episode "scary" and echoing gratitude for emergency crews. The governor's race has been marked by sharp exchanges between the two, with Spanberger currently enjoying a lead in recent polls. The campaign trail has been anything but smooth, especially for Spanberger, whose campaign was recently shaken by resurfaced text messages from Jay Jones, the state's Democratic candidate for attorney general. The texts, sent in 2022, indicated he wanted to shoot the Republican speaker of Virginia's House. Earle-Sears seized on the controversy during a recent debate, pressing Spanberger to call for Jones' withdrawal from the racea step Spanberger has so far declined to take. A protest against Earle-Sears had been set for Thursday in Harrisonburg, but in the wake of the bus fire, organizers opted to cancel it, reports WHSV. "Out of respect, we will not be continuing with this demonstration," protester Jena Crisler, who's running for local office, told the outlet outside the Rockingham County Fairgrounds, where the rally had been set to take place. ISTANBUL, Oct. 31 (Xinhua) -- Turkiye is reimaging two of Istanbul's most storied train stations -- Haydarpasa on the Asian side and Sirkeci on the European side, through an ambitious project aimed at revitalizing them as cultural and archaeological hubs. Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Nuri Ersoy unveiled the project, which blends archaeology, heritage and art, at a recent launch event, noting that the two stations were "two magnificent heritage sites entrusted to us." "We approach our work with this awareness, aiming not only to restore the buildings themselves but to preserve these areas as integral parts of Istanbul's industrial heritage," he said. Both stations are expected to reopen in stages, with the first phase projected around 2026. The project builds on remarkable archaeological discoveries beneath Haydarpasa Station, built in 1908 on Istanbul's Asian shore as the starting point of the Istanbul-Baghdad Railway. During the 2018 restoration works, archaeologists unearthed the ancient city of Chalcedon. Excavations revealed traces of life from the 7th century BC to the Ottoman period, including a 3rd-century BC Hellenistic apse, a Byzantine Church and a Byzantine boulevard, offering rare insights into Istanbul's earliest urban history. Birol Incecikoz, director general of Cultural Heritage and Museums, told Xinhua: "Haydarpasa turned out to be far more than a rail terminal -- beneath it lies an entire ancient city. Through the archaeopark, visitors will be able to walk through thousands of years of Istanbul's history." An open-air archaeopark and Istanbul's first archaeology museum on the Asian side will be built to showcase thousands of artifacts. "Unused train wagons will also be converted into a manuscript restoration and conservation center, allowing experts to repair centuries-old Ottoman works in full view of visitors," Incecikoz added. Across the Bosporus, Sirkeci Station, completed in 1872 as the terminus of the legendary Orient Express, is undergoing meticulous restoration with seismic strengthening and archaeological supervision. Once completed, it will host a rail heritage museum, exhibition halls and performance venues. Incecikoz highlighted Sirkeci's historic significance, noting that it had been the starting point for countless journeys to Europe -- including the waves of Turkish workers heading to Germany in the 1960s -- and served as a symbol of both farewell and reunion in Turkiye's social memory. A migration museum will also be established at the station to commemorate this pivotal role in Turkish-European migration history, according to Incecikoz. "Transportation will continue, and the Orient Express will still arrive at Sirkeci," he said, adding that Haydarpasa will remain the gateway linking Istanbul to Baghdad, serving as a living symbol of the revived Silk Road rail corridor connecting Asia and Europe. For sale: the world's most valuable toilet. Sotheby's announced on Friday that it will auction off the solid gold commode, a sculpture by Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan titled "America." The auction house calls it an "incisive commentary on the collision of artistic production and commodity value," per the AP . It's also a fully functional toilet, identical to one that gained global fame when it was stolen in an audacious heist from England's Blenheim Palace in 2019. The starting price at the Nov. 18 auction in New York will be the cost of the 223-plus pounds of gold used to make itcurrently about $10 million. David Galperin, head of contemporary art at Sotheby's in New York, called Cattelan "the consummate art world provocateur." He's also one of the most successful, an artist whose work "Comedian," a banana duct-taped to a wall, sold at a New York auction last year for $6.2 million. "Him"Cattelan's unsettling sculpture of a kneeling Hitlersold for $17.2 million at a Christie's auction in 2016. The artist has said that "America" satirizes excessive wealth. "Whatever you eat, a $200 lunch or a $2 hot dog, the results are the same, toilet-wise," he once said. Two versions of "America" were created in 2016; the one being sold has been owned by an unnamed collector since 2017. The other version went on display in a bathroom at the Guggenheim Museum in New York in 2016, seeing more than 100,000 visitors. The Guggenheim had offered the work to US President Trump during his first term in office after he'd asked to borrow a Van Gogh painting. In 2019 it went on show at Blenheim Palace, and within days it had been stolen by burglars who broke into the building, forcibly wrenched it from the plumbing, and fled. Galperin is unwilling to speculate on how much "America" could sell for. "This work has a lot of intrinsic value in a way that most artworks do not," he said. "The question of the proportion of value between the raw materials and the artistic idea is very on the table here." "America" will go on display at Sotheby's New York headquarters from Nov. 8 until the auction. It will be in a bathroom, and visitors will be able to see it up close and personal, though they won't be able to use it. A National Guard member from New Mexico was arrested this week after allegedly trying to send photos of sensitive US military equipment to Russia and smuggle out a helicopter radio. Federal prosecutors say Canyon Anthony Amarys, 28, was caught in an undercover sting after meeting with an individual he believed was a Russian spy, reports Fox News . Amarys, of Alamogordo, was arrested Tuesday and faces up to 20 years in prison and a possible $1 million fine if convicted. Authorities allege Amarys photographed equipment at Fort Riley in Kansas and agreed to buy and send a Garmin helicopter radio for Russian military use. Per the indictment, Amarys met with an undercover employee in February at an Overland Park hotel, where he signed a document acknowledging a "covert relationship" with a Russian intelligence service. The undercover agent gave him cash to buy the radio and to photograph the Army installation. The FBI says agents observed and recorded Amarys' photos at Fort Riley. In March, Amarys is said to have purchased the radio and attempted to mail it from Kansas to Romaniaa destination investigators say was meant to disguise the radio's intended final stop in Russia. Authorities intercepted the package before it left the US. Prosecutors say Amarys confirmed on tape that he knew the radio would be illegally detoured, and that he'd pored over export laws ahead of the scheme. Per a DOJ release, the FBI and other agencies, including the Department of Commerce and the US Postal Inspection Service, continue to investigate. Amarys, who was indicted under the Export Control Reform Act, made his initial court appearance in Kansas on Thursday. Michael Burry, the investor famed for predicting the 2008 housing crash and inspiring the film The Big Short, has resurfaced to issue a new warning about market excessthis time targeting the AI-driven tech rally. In his first post on X since 2023, Burry shared an image from the movie. It was from a scene where Burry, played by Christian Bale, stared at subprime mortgage tables in disbelief. Burry added a cryptic message: "Sometimes, we see bubbles. Sometimes, there is something to do about it. Sometimes, the only winning move is not to play." The line echoes the 1983 film WarGames, where an AI concludes that the safest strategy in a no-win scenario is not to participate. Burry's return to the public eye coincides with a period of extraordinary gains for major tech stocks, especially Nvidia, which has soared over 1,200% since early 2023 and recently hit a $5 trillion market value. He appears to be cautioning investors that the current frenzy around artificial intelligence is a bubble, one so inflated that the best course may be to simply sit it out, Business Insider reports. Reinforcing his warning, Burry updated his social media profile to "Cassandra Unchained," referencing the mythological figure doomed to give accurate but ignored prophecies, and changed his header image to an artwork mocking the Dutch tulip mania. Burry, who manages the Scion Asset Management hedge fund, has a long history of contrarian bets, from early investments in GameStop to shorting Tesla and Apple. He sounded alarms about widespread speculation in 2021 and drew the ire of Elon Musk, who called him a "broken clock." Despite his dire predictions, Burry's hedge fund appeared to take a more optimistic turn earlier this year, shifting from bearish bets to a wider range of bullish positions. His next filing, showing the fund's holdings for the third quarter of this year, is due in a couple of weeks. Burry's apparent warning comes as more people are raising concerns about the AI boom led by a handful of companies, Bloomberg reports. One major worry for investors is a shift in how Big Tech companies are funding huge capital expenditures to grow their AI capacity, reports MarketWatch. Such concerns contributed to Meta's drop of more than 11% on Thursday. The company recently disclosed that constructing its Hyperion data center in Louisiana will involve a $27.3 billion bond, the largest corporate bond in US history. The Financial Times has much more on the unusual and complicated deal, which it calls "all wild and fascinating, if this sort of thing is your bag." A Republican-dominated Ohio panel adopted new US House districts on Friday that could boost the GOP's chances of winning two additional seats in next year's elections and aid President Trump's efforts to hold on to a slim congressional majority. The action by the Ohio Redistricting Commission comes as Trump has been urging Republican-led states to reshape their US House districts in an attempt to win more seats. But, unlike in other states, Ohio's redistricting had been required by the state constitution because the current districts were adopted after the 2020 census without bipartisan support, per the AP . Ohio joins Texas, Missouri, and North Carolina, where Republican lawmakers already have revised their congressional districts. Democrats have been pushing back. California voters are deciding Tuesday on a redistricting plan passed by the Democratic-led Legislature, and Democratic lawmakers in Virginia were voting Friday on a proposed constitutional amendment that, if adopted by voters, could allow lawmakers to redraw congressional districts in response to the actions elsewhere. The political parties are in an intense battle, as Democrats need to gain just three seats in next year's election to win control of the House and gain the power to impede Trump's agenda. Republicans already hold 10 of the 15 congressional seats in Ohio. The new map could boost Republican chances in districts currently held by Democratic Reps. Greg Landsman in Cincinnati and Marcy Kaptur near Toledo. More here. President Trump may be about to escalate his fight against Venezuela's Nicolas Maduro in a big way: The Miami Herald , citing unnamed sources, reports that the Trump administration has decided to launch airstrikes against military installations in the country. The White House accuses Maduro of running a drug-trafficking enterprise and says the military facilities identified are used in the smuggling. The Wall Street Journal has a similar report, but it doesn't go quite as far, asserting that the administration has indeed identified targets but that Trump has not yet decided to hit them. Any such strikes would be the clearest signal yet from the US that Maduro must step down, per the Journal. "Maduro is about to find himself trapped and might soon discover that he cannot flee the country even if he decided to," says one of the Herald sources. "What's worse for him, there is now more than one general willing to capture and hand him over, fully aware that one thing is to talk about death, and another to see it coming." The US military presence in the region has grown steadily, with warships, fighter jets, and drones positioned for rapid action. The US has already conducted maritime attacks on suspected drug traffickers, resulting in dozens of deaths, but officials say traffickers are increasingly avoiding sea routes, prompting the shift to potential land strikes. A Homeland Security spokeswoman had a two-word response when asked about a report that immigration agents in Los Angeles had been seen wearing Halloween masks: "Happy Halloween!" That answer from Tricia McLaughlin came in response to an inquiry by NBC News about an LA Taco report that included images of unmarked cars and agents reportedly in Chucky and Momo masks. A member of the Harbor Area Peace Patrol, which tracks federal activity, said the masked agents were spotted during a Tuesday immigration raid. McLaughlin declined to clarify whether the masked agents were from ICE or the Border Patrol, and she didn't address whether dressing in costume could pose safety risks for the agents themselves if people they're trying to detain don't realize they're law enforcement and start fighting back. LA Taco also notes that a white SUV with tinted windows and the Ghostbusters logo has been seen departing the city's Metropolitan Detention Center. When the outlet asked DHS about the SUV, the agency responded "by asking if we had any proof that it was one of their vehicles." The DHS has previously reported sharp increases in assaults and threats against ICE officers, though it hasn't shared the specific data behind those claims. The incident comes as immigration enforcement remains contentious in several states. In Illinois, Gov. JB Pritzker recently asked DHS to suspend arrests during Halloween after Border Patrol agents used tear gas in a Chicago neighborhood while children were heading to a parade. Homeland Security chief Kristi Noem rejected that request, calling it "shameful." | Maduro Turns to Putin for Help as US Bears Down Venezuela also reaches out to China and Iran for military support Two federal judges ruled nearly simultaneously on Friday that President Trump's administration must to continue to fund SNAP, the nation's biggest food aid program, during the government shutdown, per the AP . The rulings came a day before the US Department of Agriculture planned to freeze payments to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program because it said it could no longer keep funding it due to the shutdown. The administration has said it wasn't allowed to use a contingency fund with about $5 billion in it for the program, but the judges rejected that. A federal judge in Rhode Island ruled that the program must be funded using at least the contingency fundsand asked for an update on progress by Monday. A Massachusetts-based judge also gave the administration until Monday to say whether it would partially pay for the benefits for November with contingency money or fund them fully with additional funds. It wasn't immediately clear how quickly the debit cards that beneficiaries use to buy groceries could be reloaded after the ruling, a process that often takes one to two weeks. The rulings are likely to face appeals. The program serves about 1 in 8 Americans and is a major piece of the nation's social safety net. Word in October that it would be a Nov. 1 casualty of the shutdown sent states, food banks, and SNAP recipients scrambling to figure out how to secure food. Democratic state attorneys general or governors from 25 states, as well as the District of Columbia, challenged the plan to pause the program, contending that the administration has a legal obligation to keep it running in their jurisdictions. BEIRUT, Oct. 31 (Xinhua) -- German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul concluded a series of high-level meetings in Beirut on Thursday, reaffirming Germany's commitment to Lebanon's sovereignty, security, and regional stability. During his meeting with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, Wadephul emphasized Germany's support for measures to strengthen Lebanon's territorial integrity and empower the Lebanese army. He also reaffirmed Berlin's backing of the UN peacekeeping forces operating in southern Lebanon and called for adherence to UN resolutions respecting Lebanese sovereignty. Aoun urged the international community, the European Union, and the United States to pressure Israel to comply with the ceasefire agreement announced last November. "Our choice of negotiation aims to reclaim our occupied land, secure the release of prisoners and ensure full withdrawal from the hills. Unfortunately, this approach has been met only with further attacks on Lebanon, escalating tensions," he said. Aoun highlighted the Lebanese army's full operational role in southern Lebanon, particularly along the Litani River, and confirmed that troop numbers in the south would rise to 10,000 by year-end. In his meeting with Lebanese Foreign Minister Youssef Rajji, Wadephul condemned continued Israeli attacks on Lebanese territory and praised the government's decision to centralize arms under state control. Rajji stressed that "a diplomatic, not military, solution is the only path to stability in the south." The talks also addressed the Syrian refugee issue, with Wadephul expressing support for the return of refugees to Syria. KOBE, Oct 31 (News On Japan) - A man accused of killing and injuring four family members with a crossbow in Takarazuka City, Hyogo Prefecture, was sentenced to life in prison on October 31st, after the Kobe District Court rejected the prosecutions demand for the death penalty. The defendant, 28-year-old unemployed man Hideaki Nozu, was charged with fatally shooting his grandmother, mother, and younger brother with a crossbow at his home in Takarazuka in 2020, and seriously injuring his aunt in an attempt to kill her. During the trial, Nozu admitted to the charges, stating that he "wanted to be sentenced to death as soon as possible," while the defense argued he was in a state of diminished mental capacity at the time of the crimes. Prosecutors, however, claimed he was fully responsible for his actions and sought the death penalty. In its ruling, the Kobe District Court acknowledged that Nozu had full criminal responsibility, noting that he "made rational decisions to carry out the plan and maintained the ability to control his actions." However, the court also recognized the influence of mental illness in shaping his motives and concluded that "the crime was confined within the family and it cannot be said that the death penalty is truly unavoidable." The court therefore sentenced Nozu to life imprisonment. Source: YOMIURI SOUTH KOREA, Oct 31 (News On Japan) - Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi and Chinese President Xi Jinping stood side by side before the cameras on October 31st at 5 p.m. for a moment that drew intense attention. Hello, please this way, said Xi as the two leaders exchanged a handshake lasting roughly 10 seconds in front of their national flags. Takaichis expression was stiff at first but softened slightly into a faint smile, while Xis face remained largely unchanged. Despite referring to China as an important neighbor, Takaichi has voiced security concerns regarding Beijings actions. Xi, meanwhile, did not send a congratulatory message upon her assumption of office. The encounter marked a key milestone in Takaichis diplomacy on her 11th day as prime minister, raising questions over what was discussed in the JapanChina summit. Earlier that morning, the APEC leaders meeting was held in Gyeongju, South Korea. Takaichi appeared with a smile, followed eight minutes later by Xis arrival. While Takaichi reviewed documents inside the venue, Xi engaged in light conversation with other leaders. Footage from the meeting showed no exchange between the two, although a photograph posted on Takaichis social media later depicted both smiling as they looked at each other. Just a week earlier, in her policy speech, Takaichi acknowledged that it is a fact that there are security concerns between Japan and China, including those related to economic security, but emphasized pursuing a mutually beneficial strategic relationship that serves both countries interests. Chinese media, which has dubbed her the female Abe, reflected mixed opinions among Beijing residents. Shes Japans first female prime minister, right? I dont have much of an impression, said one citizen. Another commented, She seems cool and distinctive. I hope JapanChina relations will improve peacefully. Others were less optimistic: No good impression at all. Shes too close with the American presidentits embarrassing. Relations will never improve. Both leaders came to the table following separate summits with U.S. President Trump, each bringing their own political calculations. Xi waited first, then Takaichi entered. Their handshake lasted only about 10 seconds, and no conversation took place. They soon sat down at the table and exchanged brief greetings. Japan and China are neighbors separated only by a narrow body of water, said Xi. The constructive and stable development of bilateral relations is in the interest of both countries and the world. Takaichi responded: China is an important neighbor for Japan. Both nations bear a significant responsibility for peace and prosperity in the region and the international community. While there are various issues and challenges between us, I hope to reduce them, deepen understanding and cooperation, and achieve tangible results. The details of the much-anticipated talks remain undisclosed, as Takaichi was scheduled to brief reporters later in the evening. Source: FNN First Nation-led project to deliver clean energy and economic opportunity in Saskatchewan Disponible en francais George Gordon First Nation ownership drives meaningful economic reconciliation Direct economic, employment and training opportunities for community members 32.4 MW of renewable energy to power the adjacent K+S Potash Canada mine BETHUNE, SK, Oct. 31, 2025 /CNW/ - The Canada Infrastructure Bank (CIB) and George Gordon Development Limited (GGDL), the economic development arm of George Gordon First Nation (GGFN), have reached financial close on a $42 million repayable loan towards Wicehtowak Solar. A feather flag for Wicehtowak Solar Ltd., mentioning the partnership with the CIB and other organizations, stands in the foreground of a dry, open field with a white pickup truck and construction equipment visible in the distance under a clear blue sky. (CNW Group/Canada Infrastructure Bank) CIB (CNW Group/Canada Infrastructure Bank) Located in the Rural Municipality of Dufferin, Saskatchewan, on Treaty 4 territory, Wicehtowak Solar will deliver 32.4 MW of renewable energy, supplying power to the Saskatchewan grid and delivering energy directly to the nearby K+S Potash Canada mine. The project will be under a 30-year virtual power purchase agreement with Saskatchewan Power Corporation's Renewable Access Service program--marking the first development under this initiative. The CIB's investment enables GGFN to acquire full ownership of the project, creating a long-term revenue stream that supports self-determination, job creation and future economic development. Revenue from the solar farm is expected to be reinvested in agriculture, property development and renewable energy initiatives. The project will also generate direct employment along with training opportunities for community members in solar panel installation, heavy equipment operation, health and safety, and apprenticeships. Featuring 66,175 bifacial photovoltaic panels, the solar farm is designed to maximize energy generation by capturing sunlight from both sides of each panel. This is expected to cut emissions by 21,686 tonnes each year. The new infrastructure also allows K+S Potash Canada to benefit from a secure, sustainable energy source which will support its long-term energy needs and growth plan of the potash mine. Through the Indigenous Community Infrastructure Initiative (ICII), the CIB is investing in projects and partnerships that deliver direct and lasting benefits to Indigenous communities. Wicehtowak Solar is the CIB's first project with 100% First Nation ownership. It advances meaningful economic reconciliation and promotes long-term economic opportunity, while increasing clean power delivered to Saskatchewan's electricity grid. In addition to the CIB's loan, Natural Resources Canada is providing a $33 million grant under the Smart Renewables Electrification Pathways Program towards the project. Endorsements Wicehtowak Solar is the CIB's first 100% First Nation-led clean power loan--and a model for future Indigenous infrastructure partnerships. We're proud to support this project, in partnership with George Gordon First Nation, which will deliver renewable energy to the nearby K+S Potash Canada mine, advance economic reconciliation and create opportunities for training and development for the community. Ehren Cory, CEO, Canada Infrastructure Bank This partnership with George Gordon First Nation reflects our government's commitment of working with Indigenous partners to advance clean energy projects. Wicehtowak Solar - the first fully Indigenous-owned clean energy project - will generate lasting economic benefits while providing training and jobs in the renewable energy sector for generations to come. The Honourable Gregor Robertson, Minister of Housing and Infrastructure and Minister responsible for Pacific Economic Development Canada George Gordon First Nation counts. Saskatchewan counts. By taking full ownership of Wicehtowak Solar, George Gordon First Nation is creating jobs, building skills, and making sure the benefits of clean energy stay right here in Saskatchewan. Our federal government was proud to partner on this important project, which shows what's possible when Indigenous leadership and local know-how drive the change. The Honourable Buckley Belanger, Secretary of State for Rural Development and Member of Parliament for Desnethe--Missinippi--Churchill River, Saskatchewan Wicehtowak Solar represents what's possible when Indigenous leadership and industrial innovation come together. This project will not only produce clean power--it will generate opportunity and lasting value for George Gordon First Nation and beyond. Don Ross, CEO, GGDL Wicehtowak Solar is an example of the Government of Saskatchewan's commitment to building and supporting mutually beneficial partnerships that will keep our province strong and growing. This project will be a step forward in energy development, economic reconciliation and Indigenous economic participation and leadership. Jeremy Harrison, Minister Responsible for SaskPower This initiative demonstrates how Indigenous-led renewable projects and strong partnerships can help industries such as ours decarbonize our operations power while providing economic benefits for future generations. We wholeheartedly congratulate George Gordon Developments Ltd. on this important project. Sam Farris, President, K+S Potash Canada We recognize that the needs and priorities of our customers are changing and that they are looking for innovative solutions. The RAS shows that SaskPower is evolving to meet these changing needs while supporting economic reconciliation and renewable power development. Rupen Pandya, President and CEO, SaskPower Learn More: Canada Infrastructure Bank Wicehtowak Solar SOURCE Canada Infrastructure Bank Media contacts: Canada Infrastructure Bank, [email protected], Rodger Ross, [email protected] NEW YORK, Oct. 30 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. state of New York on Thursday declared a state of emergency ahead of the suspension of federal food aid caused by the ongoing government shutdown. At a news conference, Governor Kathy Hochul announced 65 million U.S. dollars in new state funds for emergency food assistance and promised to provide 40 million meals to New Yorkers. The prolonged U.S. federal government shutdown is putting millions of people at risk of missing their food stamp benefits, or the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), a vital lifeline for low-income households. Earlier this month, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) told state agencies to hold off distributing November benefits "until further notice" because of insufficient funds. "As the GOP federal government shutdown continues, the Trump administration has refused to release billions in statutorily approved federal contingency funding that would address this crisis in states across the nation," Hochul said. In recent days, several states have stepped up efforts to ensure SNAP recipients can afford food in November. Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry signed an emergency declaration last week to fund SNAP benefits for recipients who rely on the program, while Vermont lawmakers on Wednesday approved a plan to fund food stamp benefits for state residents through Nov. 15. In New Mexico, Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham announced Wednesday that her state will provide 30 million dollars in emergency food assistance to residents through EBT cards, backfilling SNAP benefits temporarily. Democratic governors and attorneys general from 25 U.S. states filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration on Tuesday, challenging its conclusion that it lacks the authority to use emergency funds to maintain food assistance for millions of Americans next month. They called on the court to compel the USDA to use contingency funds appropriated by Congress to keep the program running. SNAP is the nation's largest anti-hunger program serving approximately 42 million people. Most SNAP recipients live at or below the federal poverty line. People cool off in a river in Tenghe Village of Wangdong Township, Rongshui Miao Autonomous County, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Aug. 18, 2024. In Guangxi, many villages are nestled among mountains and bordered by rivers. People living there are accustomed to living by the water and coexisting with it. For thousands of years, ceaselessly flowing streams through the villages have nourished local culture and witnessed the development and changes in rural areas. (Xinhua/Huang Xiaobang) Tourists enjoy rafting in the river in Yubu Village of Xiangfen Township, Rongshui Miao Autonomous County, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, July 20, 2025. In Guangxi, many villages are nestled among mountains and bordered by rivers. People living there are accustomed to living by the water and coexisting with it. For thousands of years, ceaselessly flowing streams through the villages have nourished local culture and witnessed the development and changes in rural areas. (Xinhua/Huang Xiaobang) An aerial drone photo taken on July 19, 2025 shows tourists cooling off in a river in Zhongping Village of Xiangfen Township, Rongshui Miao Autonomous County, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. In Guangxi, many villages are nestled among mountains and bordered by rivers. People living there are accustomed to living by the water and coexisting with it. For thousands of years, ceaselessly flowing streams through the villages have nourished local culture and witnessed the development and changes in rural areas. (Xinhua/Huang Xiaobang) An aerial drone photo taken on June 1, 2021 shows villagers attending a banquet on an island in a river in Dangjiu Village, Gandong Township, Rongshui Miao Autonomous County, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. In Guangxi, many villages are nestled among mountains and bordered by rivers. People living there are accustomed to living by the water and coexisting with it. For thousands of years, ceaselessly flowing streams through the villages have nourished local culture and witnessed the development and changes in rural areas. (Xinhua/Huang Xiaobang) Villagers celebrate harvest in a river in Peixiu Village of Antai Township, Rongshui Miao Autonomous County, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Oct. 18, 2025. In Guangxi, many villages are nestled among mountains and bordered by rivers. People living there are accustomed to living by the water and coexisting with it. For thousands of years, ceaselessly flowing streams through the villages have nourished local culture and witnessed the development and changes in rural areas. (Xinhua/Huang Xiaobang) An aerial drone photo taken on July 7, 2024 shows a river in Pingyan Village of Linxi Town in Sanjiang Dong Autonomous County, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. In Guangxi, many villages are nestled among mountains and bordered by rivers. People living there are accustomed to living by the water and coexisting with it. For thousands of years, ceaselessly flowing streams through the villages have nourished local culture and witnessed the development and changes in rural areas. (Xinhua/Huang Xiaobang) An aerial drone photo taken on Oct. 21, 2025 shows villagers washing vegetables in a river in Jueshan Village of Sandu Town, Liuzhou City, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. In Guangxi, many villages are nestled among mountains and bordered by rivers. People living there are accustomed to living by the water and coexisting with it. For thousands of years, ceaselessly flowing streams through the villages have nourished local culture and witnessed the development and changes in rural areas. (Photo by Zheng Changhao/Xinhua) An aerial drone photo taken on July 19, 2025 shows tourists cooling off in a river in Yubu Village of Xiangfen Township, Rongshui Miao Autonomous County, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. In Guangxi, many villages are nestled among mountains and bordered by rivers. People living there are accustomed to living by the water and coexisting with it. For thousands of years, ceaselessly flowing streams through the villages have nourished local culture and witnessed the development and changes in rural areas. (Xinhua/Huang Xiaobang) An aerial drone photo taken on July 10, 2025 shows villagers and tourists catching fish during a festival in Liangshuang Village of Hongshui Township, Rongshui Miao Autonomous County, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. In Guangxi, many villages are nestled among mountains and bordered by rivers. People living there are accustomed to living by the water and coexisting with it. For thousands of years, ceaselessly flowing streams through the villages have nourished local culture and witnessed the development and changes in rural areas. (Xinhua/Huang Xiaobang) An aerial drone photo taken on Oct. 4, 2025 shows a tourist swimming in a river in Yuanbao Village of Antai Township, Rongshui Miao Autonomous County, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. In Guangxi, many villages are nestled among mountains and bordered by rivers. People living there are accustomed to living by the water and coexisting with it. For thousands of years, ceaselessly flowing streams through the villages have nourished local culture and witnessed the development and changes in rural areas. (Xinhua/Huang Xiaobang) A villager and a volunteer prepare to plant a tree beside a river in Wuying Village on the border between south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and southwest China's Guizhou Province, March 9, 2024. In Guangxi, many villages are nestled among mountains and bordered by rivers. People living there are accustomed to living by the water and coexisting with it. For thousands of years, ceaselessly flowing streams through the villages have nourished local culture and witnessed the development and changes in rural areas. (Xinhua/Huang Xiaobang) An aerial drone photo shows villagers celebrating harvest beside a river in Peixiu Village of Rongshui Miao Autonomous County, south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Oct. 18, 2025. In Guangxi, many villages are nestled among mountains and bordered by rivers. People living there are accustomed to living by the water and coexisting with it. For thousands of years, ceaselessly flowing streams through the villages have nourished local culture and witnessed the development and changes in rural areas. (Xinhua/Huang Xiaobang) SYDNEY, Oct. 31 (Xinhua) -- Two people have been hospitalized with gunshot wounds following a drive-by shooting south of Brisbane in the early hours of Friday morning. The police service in the Australian state of Queensland said in a statement that emergency services were alerted that two people had been injured in a shooting in the suburb of Park Ridge, 26 km south of Brisbane, at around 1:20 a.m. on Friday. An 18-year-old man was transported to hospital in a serious but stable condition, and a 20-year-old woman was hospitalized with injuries not considered life-threatening. The Queensland Police Service said the pair were injured when gunshots were fired from a passing vehicle into a residence and that there is no ongoing threat to the public. A crime scene has been established and investigations into the incident were ongoing. TEHRAN, Oct. 31 (Xinhua) -- Iran's Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi on Thursday condemned the United States' plan to resume nuclear weapons testing, calling it a "serious threat" to international peace and security. Araghchi made the comments on social media platform X hours after U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday that he had "instructed the Department of War to start testing our nuclear weapons." Araghchi said the United States poses the world's "most dangerous proliferation risk" and urged the international community to hold Washington accountable for "normalizing the proliferation of such heinous weapons." He also accused Washington of "demonizing Iran's peaceful nuclear program" while threatening strikes on Iranian facilities "in blatant violation of international law." The United States has long accused Iran of seeking to develop nuclear weapons, a charge Tehran denies. On June 22, U.S. forces joined Israel in airstrikes on Iran, targeting nuclear sites at Natanz, Fordow, and Isfahan. Hes the last tenant standing and his water was shut off. Was it political? Or does his landlord want him gone? Canva Illustration for NJ.com Editors Note: This story was updated on Nov. 3 to include comment from NJ American Water. While a severe noreaster thrashed the New Jersey coast, a candidate for council in Somers Point found himself without running water in his apartment. Levi Fox, the last remaining tenant of a property thats poised for redevelopment, said his water was turned off on Oct. 13 part of what he described as ongoing harassment from his landlord that hes faced at the property. Fox, a Democrat, believes the move, and the fact that a campaign sign for his Republican opponent was placed on the property, are politically motivated, and are among the reasons hes running for office. Except no one knows for sure who did it. Fox has lived at the Highbank Apartments at 90 Broadway for 18 years. Tenants in 16 other rental units vacated the building by Dec. 31, 2024 after they were told the property was being redeveloped, leaving Fox and his wife as the only residents left on the property. A redevelopment agreement between Exceler Building Solutions and Somers Point from July 2024 says itll be turned into 25 multi-family residences. According to Fox, the bayfront homes are expected to have million-dollar price tags. The redevelopment agreement with Exceler was rescinded in August by city council, and Somers Point Acquisitions was designated the owner and redeveloper. The property was under contract to be sold in July, but a condition of the sale was that all tenants vacated the property, according to a report from the Ocean City Sentinel. Fox said Point Property Holdings, the company that is listed on tax records, and its principal, John Folz, are to blame for turning off his water. He said he turned down a $70,000 offer from Folz on Oct. 3 to leave the apartment and drop a lawsuit he filed against the Somers Point Planning Board challenging the approval of the redevelopment plan. He claims he has an agreement with Folz, Point Property Holdings, and the redeveloper to stay on the property until September 2026. Besides our water being turned off during a state of emergency, the laundry room was locked, a dumpster has been moved from the property and there lighting issues on the property, Fox told NJ Advance Media. Fox said water has been turned off to the propertys laundry room since Oct. 10 and has not been turned back on. However, the water to his apartment was turned back on on Oct. 13 shortly after it was turned off. Levi Fox's apartment in Somers Point is set to be redeveloped. He says someone told the water company that he was moving, causing his water to be turned off. Photo provided by Levi Fox On a phone call, Folz denied owning the property and declined to answer further questions before quickly hanging up. Fox, who lost a 2020 election for city council by only 47 votes, has also accused Folz of aligning with his Republican opponent for council Sean McGuigan in the upcoming election. A sign for McGuigan was placed out front of the apartments, but then disappeared. Then, the water was shut off. McGuigan posted about the missing sign on Facebook on Sept 19, but said last week that he didnt know anything about Foxs water situation. I dont know what that property owner did or did not do. I didnt know that Levis water was turned off, McGuigan told NJ Advance Media. A picture Fox sent of a New Jersey American Water dashboard that lists Point Property Holdings as the account holder shows a description that the water was scheduled to be turned off because the tenant was moving out on Oct. 10. Fox denies thats part of the deal. In a statement sent to NJ Advance Media after this article published, New Jersey American Water said a representative from Point Property Holdings called on Oct. 10 to have the water turned off at 90 Broadway for a move-out, which would have impacted three locations on the property. Another person from Point Property Holdings called the utility company on Oct. 29 to have water service turned back on at one of the locations, according to a New Jersey American Water spokesperson. Fox said he reported the incident to the borough, but Somers Point officials are just as confused about the situation as Fox is. According to Somers Points attorney, Thomas Smith, Fox had a conversation with city officials about the water issue, but never responded to a follow-up email Smith sent to learn more about what happened. Smith said the deed for the propertys sale has not been filed yet and its unclear at this time who actually owns the property. The city has been told by both Fox and the developers attorney that there is an agreement for Fox to stay at the property, but that legal agreement has never been shared with the city, according to Smith. Workers assess beach and dune erosion in Strathmere, Upper Township, N.J., on Friday, Oct. 31, 2025, after a second powerful storm in about two weeks battered the coastal community. Rich McCauley, provided A powerful midweek storm, the second this month, carved away more sand from a vulnerable stretch of Jersey Shore beachfront, a loss local officials warn could leave dunes and homes increasingly exposed to future storms. Some beaches in Strathmere, a shore community between Ocean City and Sea Isle City, were already compromised after Hurricane Erin swerved past the Jersey Shore in August. Strathmere, a section of Upper Township in Cape May County, relies on a strong dune system to protect homes. Those dunes, however, have suffered heavy losses of sand in recent weeks. The largest sand cliffs, known as scarping, are in the first roughly three blocks on the islands north end, said Craig Reeves, superintendent of the Upper Township Public Works Department. Sand loss from Thursdays storm was minimal, but areas including Seaview and Seacliff avenues have sustained alarming damage in past storms, Reeves said. The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection reported dune erosion at those streets following the nasty noreaster that hit earlier in October. Strathmere, an island already in need of sand replenishment, was spared more damage because of the oceans currents, Reeves said. Township workers explored the beach on Friday morning to assess the damage. We lost about 20 to 24 inches of sand from the beach itself, but not that erosion from the dune area, Reeves said. Reeves said the latest storm didnt generate the typical north-to-south currents associated with a noreaster, which are usually responsible for eroding the dunes. We just didnt see that on this particular event, he added. We actually fared pretty well this time. A message left with Upper Township Mayor Curtis Corson by NJ Advance Media was not immediately returned. The recent storm damage, while minor, adds to ongoing uncertainty about how eroded dunes and beaches will be restored. Workers assess beach and dune erosion in Strathmere, Upper Township, N.J., on Friday, Oct. 31, 2025, after a second powerful storm in about two weeks battered the coastal community. Rich McCauley, provided The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which partners with New Jersey on beach replenishment, was forced to cancel some planned projects after federal funding was slashed in July 2025 dropping from the usual $200 million to just $60 million for the 2026 fiscal year, the first major reduction in nearly three decades. Army Corps officials said they were unsure how much funding would be available for beach replenishment next year, putting a scheduled project in Strathmere in doubt. The barrier island received a routine sand fill last year and was expecting another early next year, but the uncertainty has raised concerns about delays. The project that includes Strathmere spans 16 miles of beach, from the Great Egg Harbor Inlet to the Townsends Inlet, according to the Army Corps of Engineers website. Those beaches were last given an Army Corps-backed nourishment in early 2024. Beach fills are often carried out with a blend of federal, state and local dollars. Gov. Phil Murphys latest budget, which was signed into law in June, includes $50 million toward projects in the states Shore Protection Fund. New Jersey restaurants are offering free food to help those in need as SNAP benefits are set to be suspended at the end of October. (Photo Courtesy, The Oakley - Kitchen & Cocktails) Photo Courtesy, The Oakley - Kitchen & Cocktails Khris Reina knows how important SNAP benefits are to New Jerseyans. And with the program on the brink of running out of funding as the federal government remains shut down, the 52-year-old West Orange resident knows how many New Jerseyans could soon be going hungry. He also knows how he can make a difference. I own a restaurant and Im in a position where I can do something about it, Reina told NJ Advance Media. A lot of people would do the same thing Im doing. Im not doing anything heroic. Reina owns The Oakley, a gastropub in Nutley that is serving free meals to certain people who depend on SNAP benefits. Until SNAP benefits are restored, kids under 18, disabled people, senior citizens over 65, and military veterans that receive SNAP benefits can eat off of the kids menu or get a cheese pizza for free, the restaurant announced in a social media post Tuesday. New Jerseys SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits, known colloquially as food stamps, are used by 800,000 residents, while 165,000 women and children depend on SNAPs WIC supplements for healthy foods and nutritional support. As the government shutdown continues, New Jersey Department of Health officials said last week the states SNAP program is only funded through Oct. 31 and WIC through Nov. 10 With the nations leading food aid program set to run out of funding at the end of October, tens of millions of people across the country will be left without Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits such as food stamps. The assistance program will remain out of service unless Congress and the White House reach a deal to end an ongoing government shutdown. The Oakley asks guests show their SNAP card or government ID to ensure the meals are being given to those who are being affected. The six-year old gastropub, which also serves as a popular event space in the area, is planning to run the promotion until SNAP benefits are restored or until I cant afford to do it anymore, Reina wrote in the social media note. Reina serves on the board of directors for the Meadowlands Area YMCA, which operates the Meadowlands Food Pantry, one of the largest food pantries in the state. The Essex County restaurant owner urged those who are trying to help out his restaurant to donate to the YMCAs food bank instead. The Nutley restauranteur is optimistic his program wont just help hungry Essex County residents, but inspire other eateries to step up as well. Im hoping that other restaurants will do the same thing. And that people, no matter where they live, can go to a restaurant and get a meal if they havent had one all day, Reina said. Theres no reason that someone living in America should be hungry. That altruistic spirit has made its way 85 miles south down the New Jersey Turnpike where one of the states best bagel shops is also lending a hand to help those facing hardship if SNAP benefits get suspended. K & A Bagel Cafe, a 10-year-old breakfast restaurant in Cherry Hill, was already donating its extra bagels to the local Cherry Hill Food Pantry on Tuesdays. Now the shop is offering free bagels Wednesday through Sunday every week during the shutdown. Owner Andrew Cunningham posted a statement to Facebook Sunday announcing the news. The bagel place, which was ranked No. 41 on NJ.coms latest ranking of New Jerseys 53 greatest bagel shops, will provide bags of bagels (roughly a dozen in each) to anyone who needs the help. We have the bagels, truly. We always try to make an exact amount of bagels a day but thats impossible to do as a bagel shop so we always have some extras, Cunningham told NJ Advance Media. Wed rather them go to people that need them, especially in this hard time, than not go anywhere. So we want to make sure that were getting them out to the people that need it. The bagel shop is packing the bags of extra bagels around 12:30 p.m every day just before they close at 1 p.m. The Camden County breakfast joint is not requiring guests to show proof of benefits use or government work. No questions asked, just come and grab a bag or two as you need them, Cunningham said. Hopefully other places follow suit, thatd be really nice and it cant hurt. Other New Jersey establishments such as The Tracks Deli in Vernon Township and Tonys Baltimore Grill in Atlantic City recently announced theyll be offering free food to those impacted by the SNAP stoppage. The Sussex County deli shared Wednesday that it will offer free bagged lunches for people impacted by the SNAP stoppage. Starting Saturday, the deli will provide a turkey or ham sandwich with chips and a water to those in need until SNAP benefits are restored. No questions or judgment; just show your SNAP card to the cashier, the post read. Tonys Baltimore Grill, a longstanding pizzeria that recently slotted at No. 36 on NJ.coms ranking of New Jerseys 101 best pizzas, said Thursday that theyll give out free kids meals for families with children that present their SNAP card. Kids should always be off limits. Pull up to the joint for as many kids meals as needed* one meal per child, child must be present, the post read. No charity, just being decent human beings. A local group is working to stop a cannabis cultivator from opening a facility in the suburban New Jersey town. Aristide Economopoulos for NJ Ad A New Jersey appellate court has upheld the dismissal of a lawsuit filed by a cannabis cultivator against a group of residents who opposed its proposed facility in Lebanon Township. The judges ruled that the opposition group was protected under the right to free speech. The NAR Group sued the Save Lebanon Township Coalition and several residents, alleging they acted in bad faith to block the companys plans to open a cannabis cultivation site in Hunterdon County. The lawsuit claimed one defendant, William Bohn, initially sought to invest in the project and later planned to open his own cannabis facility. When his investment bid was rejected, the NAR Group alleged Bohn helped form the coalition to derail the project. Attorneys for the NAR Group and the Save Lebanon Township Coalition did not immediately respond to a request to comment on the court decision. The lawsuit is one of a growing number of allegations related to the municipal cannabis facility approval process. Save Lebanon Township Coalition attorneys argued the claims in the lawsuit lacked evidence and that residents had a constitutional right to petition the government during the municipal approval process. More importantly, plaintiffs allegations run headlong into a bar that vindicates a core constitutional right belonging to every American: the right to seek redress from ones government, the coalitions lawyers wrote in court filings. The appellate court agreed with the lower courts ruling, citing the Noerr-Pennington doctrine a legal precedent that shields political speech, including lobbying and petitioning the government. The doctrine includes an exception for petitions that are baseless or intended solely to harm a business, but judges found that did not apply in this case. The appellate court also found that examining the motivation for the case fell outside of the courts scope. The NAR Group still has pending lawsuits against Lebanon Township. Under New Jersey law, municipalities can ban cannabis businesses, set limits on licenses or decide which types of facilities to allow. About 36% of municipalities statewide have opted to permit cannabis operations, according to state data. Forty-six people allegedly in the United States illegally were taken into custody Wednesday at the business in Woodbridge where they were employed, authorities said. The nearly four dozen people comprise 22% of the onsite workforce at the container freight station in the Avenel section of town, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security said. Video from CBS-2 shows handcuffed people being loaded into vans at Savino Del Bene, a shipping and logistics company on Engelhard Avenue. The facility operates under a customs bond with U.S. Customs and Border Protection, which permits inspections. The operation is part of DHS ongoing efforts to ensure compliance with customs and immigration regulations, safeguard the integrity of the supply chain, and verify that warehouse operators are adhering to all applicable security requirements, the DHS said in a statement. The Avenel location serves at the U.S. headquarters. The company also has a location in Swedesboro. Savino Del Bene didnt immediately respond to a request for comment from NJ Advance Media. Three Democratic state legislators who represent that part of Middlesex County called for dignity and justice for the detainees. We are proud of the diversity of voices and communities that call the 19th District home and the many hard-working families and individuals that contribute to the towns we represent, Senator Joe Vitale, Assembly Speaker Craig J. Coughlin and Assemblywoman Yvonne Lopez said in a joint statement. And we understand that a shared sense of community trust and commitment to fairness, due process and the rule of law is essential to the fabric of those very same communities. Our state and district are at their best when dignity and justice are upheld for all and we remain committed to ensuring that the diverse families and residents we cherish can continue to live in the communities they love without fear. The arrests are the latest made by ICE in Middlesex County in recent months. Twenty-nine people were arrested during an ICE raid at a warehouse in Edison in August. In July, ICE raided another CPB-bonded facility in Edison, Alba Wines and Spirits, arresting an estimated 20 people. DHS law enforcement personnel conducted an inspection at an authorized Container Freight Station in Avenel, New Jersey. During the inspection, officers encountered 46 illegal aliens working inside the facility, making up approximately 22% of the onsite workforce. All 46 illegal aliens will be held in DHS custody pending further immigration proceedings. DHS is committed to maintaining the highest levels of security and accountability within bonded facilities to protect both U.S. commerce and the public. A once-aging parking structure in downtown New Brunswick has been reborn as Liberty Square Park, a 1.19-acre green space. Middlesex County A once-aging parking structure in downtown New Brunswick has been reborn as Liberty Square Park, a 1.19-acre green space offering residents and visitors a place to relax and unwind. The newly opened park, located between Neilson, Bayard and Liberty streets, stands on the site of the former Wolfson Parking Garage, a 525-space facility previously owned by Middlesex County. Construction on the $2.34 million park began in November 2024 and was completed in September. The city of New Brunswick oversaw the project, which received funding through a 50 percent matching grant from the National Park Service, administered by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. Middlesex County invested more than $4 million in the site, including design, demolition and environmental services, according to county officials. The park features a unique tiered design that takes advantage of the sites natural slope, creating spaces for walking, reading and relaxation, officials said. Visitors will find a dog park with separate areas for small and large dogs, dual slides with a climbing slope for children, and open spaces that can accommodate community events. New Brunswick Mayor Jim Cahill emphasized the parks significance for urban living. Liberty Square Park reminds us that cities are not just about buildings and businesses; they are about people, Cahill said in a written statement. Open spaces like this bring balance to our lives, strengthen our neighborhoods, and help make New Brunswick not just a place where people work and study, but a place where they want to live, stay, and enjoy. The park is open seven days a week from sunrise to one hour after sunset and will be operated and maintained by the city of New Brunswick. A school bus stops to pick up children in Middletown Township, New Jersey. Canva for NJ.com Days before voters in Middletown go to the polls, new questions have emerged about contributions from companies doing business with the school district. The revelations have stirred up controversy in the board race, reopening old wounds over transparency and accountability. The issue boiled over at Tuesday nights board meeting, where members of a local parent group challenged school officials about a $2,000 donation indirectly made to a slate of candidates by the accounting firm that audits the district. Another flashpoint: the districts recent scoreboard contract, which involves Alliance Health Systems paying $52,500 for naming rights to scoreboards at Middletowns two high schools over five years. A day after that contract was secured on Sept. 30, Alliance Health a medical consulting company based in Matawan made a $10,000 donation directly to the same slate, known as Students, Parents, Taxpayers and comprising three candidates: Sara Weinstein, Christopher Aveta and James Cody. Its an understatement to say it all looks very weird, Eric Dowell, a member of parent group Save Middletown Schools, said in an interview. The first donation, made by CPA firm Holman, Frenia, Allison, P.C., was given in February to political action committee, Proven Leadership, which backs the Students, Parents, Taxpayers slate. (Four other candidates in the race are running as individuals.) Complicating the picture is the fact that Holman, Frenia, Allison, P.C. employs an advisory director who serves as Proven Leaderships treasurer, Dowell pointed out at the meeting. This is an overt conflict of interest the entire township should be aware of, he said. The firm did not respond to a request for comment. Board member Mark Soporowski agreed with Dowell at the meeting, suggesting that the firms integrity had been called into question by the revelation. If our auditor is making contributions to political candidates running in our district, thats concerning to me and it should be concerning to everybody, Soporowski said, saying he now wouldnt trust the audit results. He motioned for a request for proposals to contract with a new auditor starting next year, given that the filing deadline of Dec. 5 was too soon to redo this years. It passed unanimously, to applause from the audience. Cody told NJ Advance Media Thursday he didnt see a problem with the firms donation. I dont see a conflict of interest there, he said. You know, people would like to see us get elected because they want us to straighten out the problems within this board, and we can do it. James Dobis, an independent candidate for the board, said it was disheartening to see theres clearly an agenda at play in the race. There are too many questions for me about the whole thing and why (Weinstein, Aveta and Cody) are so popular with the current town administration and elected leadership, he said. He and others interviewed for this story, including Dowell, said they believe school district leaders back the slate. There is some evidence to suggest that is the case. Though no one on the board has formally endorsed a candidate, vice president Jacqueline Tobacco has repeatedly taken to her Facebook page to urge residents to vote for Weinstein, Aveta and Cody. Smart, strategic and solid community members! she gushed in a Monday night post. Board president Frank Capone has not commented publicly on the race, but his wife made a $250 donation to Weinstein, Aveta and Cody on Sept. 3, according the campaign finance filings. Capone and Tobacco did not respond to requests for comment. It was a money grab The distrust roiling the district did not begin with the school board race. In March, Middletowns school district sparked outrage with a proposal to shutter three schools in order to close a multimillion-dollar budget gap. Parents accused school officials of blindsiding the community, saying they hadnt been informed of the plan dubbed Middletown Reimagined until two hours before the board was set to vote on it. Following sustained pushback, the Board of Education ultimately abandoned the closure plan, instead approving a one-time 10.1% increase in school taxes to preserve the buildings. Weinstein, Aveta and Cody have been vocal about opposing the increase, which was voted against by both Capone and Tobacco. (Under normal circumstances, school boards cannot raise local taxes more than 2% per year.) It was a money grab and it affected everybody in town and it wasnt fair, Weinstein said Thursday, noting that her taxes and mortgage had skyrocketed since. As for the $10,000 donation by Alliance Health on Oct. 1, Weinstein said there was nothing shady to it. Its just people donating to a campaign that they believe in, she said. Theres no backroom deals. Theres nothing weird going on. Were just taxpayers that didnt think (the increase) should have happened. Cody said he was unfamiliar with Alliance Health. I have no idea who the company is, he said. I just figured that they are very smart business people, and they want to support us, and they have business in the community. The company did not respond to NJ Advance Medias request for comment. CEO Nick Bufano told the Asbury Park Press in a statement on Thursday that Alliance Health was deeply committed to giving back to the communities we serve, and that several employees were proud Middletown alumni and residents. Jenny Cox, another parent with Save Middletown Schools, scoffed at the idea that the scoreboard deal was a way to give back to the township. Were like, well, you sent the check to the wrong place then, she said, because that doesnt actually help the students or the community. Food banks are seeking donations amid cuts that are affecting supply and higher demand for assistance. CANVA Local food banks are asking residents for donations in preparation for increased demand, as thousands of New Jersey residents face losing their monthly SNAP benefit as of Nov. 1. Heres what and where to donate in Camden County, according to a joint statement from the Food Bank of South Jersey and county officials. Should you donate food or money? According to the statement, monetary donations are encouraged during crises because they are the most flexible and effective way for food banks and community organizations to respond to urgent needs. What items are most needed? Non-perishable items High-protein goods, like peanut butter or canned and dried beans Canned and dried fruits and vegetables in water and low-sodium options like applesauce Shelf-stable beverages like Pediasure or Ensure, coffee, tea, and non-dairy creamer Non-food essential items like diapers, feminine hygiene items, glass jars and can openers General canned goods like soups and stews Shelf-stable foods like rice, pasta, macaroni and cheese, oil, flour, oatmeal and cereal Holiday goods like cranberry sauce, canned gravy, pie filings and instant boxed mashed potatoes What should not be donated? The food bank asks that people not donate perishable or expired food items. Where can you drop off food items? BISHKEK, Oct. 31 (Xinhua) -- China's advocate for building an open and interconnected paradigm for Asia-Pacific cooperation helps strengthen multilateral ties and promote sustainable development across the region, a Kyrgyz political scientist has said. China's call rejects geopolitical confrontation and is in favor of inclusive, green and innovative growth, Kubanychbek Taabaldiev, a professor at Kyrgyzstan's Ala-Too International University, told Xinhua as this year's APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting opened in Gyeongju, South Korea. "China's voice is particularly relevant in the face of global economic and environmental challenges," he said, noting that given China's growing global influence, its proposals are drawing increasing attention and respect throughout the Asia-Pacific region. In the eyes of Taabaldiev, China's concrete actions, including facilitating infrastructure and supporting digital and green transformation in the region, have demonstrated its consistent commitment to this concept. Also, China advocates for trade liberalization, the reduction of tariff barriers, and the strengthening of supply chains, which contribute to the stability and predictability of the regional economy, the expert added. The recommendations of the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030) adopted by the recently concluded fourth plenary session of the 20th Communist Party of China Central Committee stated that China will continue to expand opening-up at the institutional level, safeguard the multilateral trading system, and share opportunities with the rest of the world and promote common development. Regarding the document, the expert said China is expected to continue to strengthen its position internationally and deepen multilateral and bilateral ties based on openness through institutional reforms. He also expressed the belief that "China will remain a significant economic driver and a source of investment." China's continuous openness and inclusiveness could have a positive impact on the region and in such areas as the digital economy, renewable energy and logistics, he said. "This will strengthen the foundation for sustainable development in the Asia-Pacific region and the world as a whole," he noted. Chinese President Xi Jinping proposed the Global Governance Initiative at the "Shanghai Cooperation Organization Plus" Meeting in China's Tianjin this year. The expert said the initiative "is especially important for Asia-Pacific countries, as the region encompasses diverse political systems, varying levels of economic development and different strategic interests." "In the context of growing unilateralism and protectionism, this initiative offers an alternative model -- one based on dialogue, mutual respect and joint decision-making," he said. The initiative could become a foundation for deeper cooperation in many areas such as digital regulation, environmental protection, stable supply chains and joint crisis response, he said, noting that it encourages Asia-Pacific economies to pool their efforts in countering the fragmentation of the global economy. Hey there New Jersey! Heres your audio update highlighting New Jersey rushing millions to food banks before residents lose SNAP benefits and officials warning that ballot thieves are trying to steal voters financial information. Well also tell you about the family of a South Jersey teen still searching for answers in her mysterious death 10 years later. Listen by clicking the play button above. This audio presentation is an editorially-curated selection of stories, selected by an editor, and then summarized and read aloud by artificial intelligence. Some variations in pronunciation, tone or diction may result. We want to know what you think! All feedback is valuable. After youve listened, take our 3-question survey here to let us know what you think. Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.com. President Donald Trump is demanding election fraud investigations after polls show his approval rating is plummeting. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) AP More than four in 10 Americans believe President Donald Trump and congressional Republicans are to blame for the month-long government shutdown, according to a Washington Post-ABC News-Ipsos poll. The new survey found that 45% of U.S. adults view Trump and the GOP as mainly responsible for the second-longest shutdown in U.S. history. One-third of the polls respondents blamed congressional Democrats, while 22% said they were not sure. Responses broke sharply along party lines, with about 80% of Democrats blaming Trump and the GOP and 72% of Republicans blaming congressional Democrats. Of those who identified as Independents, 46% said Republicans were responsible and 23% blamed Democrats. And with the shutdown set to extend to at least next Monday, concern among Americans is growing. Three-quarters of U.S. adults now say they are either very or somewhat concerned, up from 66% when the government shut down on Oct. 1. More than 6 in 10 Democrats said they were very concerned, compared to 26% of Republicans. The congressional stalemate has severely impacted millions of Americans over the past month. Roughly 650,000 federal workers have been furloughed, thousands of flights have been delayed or canceled amid staffing shortages, and nearly 42 million low-income Americans will lose their Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits on Saturday. Though the Senate will not reconvene until Monday, Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) said he believes talks will continue throughout the weekend. Im sure there will be discussions, Thune told reporters Thursday. Weve got members on both sides who are continuing to dialogue. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) did not share Thunes optimism, however. Its not clear to me that John Thune is being accurate when he reports that theres an uptick in bipartisan communication, Jeffries told reporters. What communications is he talking about? Poll methodology: The Washington Post-ABC News-Ipsos poll was conducted among 2,725 U.S. adults, Oct. 24-28, via the probability-based Ipsos KnowledgePanel. Results have a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 1.9 percentage points for the full sample, including design effects due to weighting. New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy on Friday declared a state of emergency to coordinate the states response to 800,000 residents temporarily losing cash benefits to buy food. The move came hours after two federal judges ruled that President Donald Trumps administration must continue to fund SNAP, the nations biggest food aid program, using contingency funds during the federal government shutdown. The rulings, however, are expected to face appeals. Nearly half of the people affected in New Jersey are children, one in three have a disability, and one in five is 60 or older, according to the state. With more than 800,000 New Jerseyans relying on SNAP to put food on the table, the Trump Administrations decision to suspend benefits has created a clear and present threat to the health and safety of our residents, Murphy said in a statement. We will not stand by while families face hunger. That is why our state will mobilize every available resource to strengthen our food access networks banks, protect vulnerable communities, and ensure that every resident has access to the meals they need, the Democratic governor added. People who have not spent down their monthly stipend from October will be able to access these funds, according to Murphys announcement. SNAP recipients are encouraged to check their balances online here. Children who qualify for free or reduced priced meals in school should use this benefit. Students who do not receive free school meals should contact their school district to apply for assistance. More information about this program may be found here. Residents are encouraged to search for food pantries by calling 211 or visiting the website, NJ211.org. The State Director of Emergency Management, who is the Superintendent of State Police, will coordinate the government-wide effort to distribute food, working with private companies and volunteer groups. In addition, Murphy released $42.5 million Friday to the states six largest food banks half the money the state would have given them this fiscal year to purchase more food and supplies immediately. Also Friday, the New Jersey Food Council announced a Link Tree to share information about local food rescue operations and other assistance programs. This is a time of significant uncertainty for many grocery shoppers and store operators, as we all hope the federal government will be operational and SNAP benefits can continue uninterrupted, said Linda Doherty, the councils president & CEO. But we need to prepare for the worst, and that includes ensuring that New Jerseyans are aware of all available emergency food resources. Less than two days before President Donald Trumps administration halts the nations largest nutrition assistance program, Gov. Phil Murphy announced that New Jerseys largest food banks will receive an upfront payment of $42.5 million to handle the wave of poor families needing help. The month-old federal government shutdown will reach the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP on Saturday. That means any of the 813,000 New Jerseyans who rely on the program will find their debit accounts empty in the coming week. Knowing people will need assistance right away, the governor said he, state Senate President Nicholas Scutari, D-Union, and state Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin, D-Middlesex, agreed to distribute half of the $85 million in grants already earmarked for food banks this year on Friday, according to the announcement. In communities across our state, food banks are on the front lines combating food insecurity and supporting New Jersey families in need. They are an integral part of our food security safety net, and our Administration is proud to deliver funding to support their operations, especially at a time of increased uncertainty, Murphy said in a statement. The Trump Administrations decision to abandon the over 800,000 New Jerseyans who rely on critical SNAP benefits during one of the longest federal government shutdowns in our nations history is morally reprehensible, according to Murphys statement. The Community Food Bank will receive $22.5 million, the Food Bank of South Jersey and Fulfill Monmouth and Ocean will each get $6.3 million, Mercer Street Friends will get $4.6 million and Norewescap and the Southern Regional Food Distribution Center will each get $1.27 million, according to Murphys announcement. The food banks will share its supplies with the smaller food pantries and soup kitchens around the state. Lisa Pitz, director of Hunger Free New Jersey, a statewide advocacy group, praised the governor and lawmakers for working quickly to release state funds for desperately needed food assistance in a time of great hardship and uncertainty. This help will be a welcome relief for the hundreds of thousands of families with children, older adults, people with disabilities and veterans in New Jersey who rely on SNAP to put food on the table, Pitz said. The federal government ran out of money when Congress failed to enact a new budget Oct. 1. Democrats are fighting to get a deal that would renew the tax credits that help millions of people insured through the Affordable Care Act keep premiums low. Republicans, who were expected to let the tax credit spending lapse at the end of the year, said they wont negotiate until the Democrats vote to reopen the government. The U.S. Department of Agriculture, which operates SNAP, says it cannot use a contingency fund with more than $5 billion to help keep the program running because that money is meant to respond to natural disasters. Democrats have denied this is true. Earlier this week, New Jersey Attorney General Matt Platkin joined 24 other states in suing the Trump adminstration for not releasing the funds. U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani in Boston heard the complaint Thursday and indicated she was leaning toward requiring the government to put billions of dollars in emergency funds toward SNAP. That, she said, is her interpretation of what Congress intended when an agencys funding runs out. If you dont have money, you tighten your belt, she said in court. You are not going to make everyone drop dead because its a political game someplace. SNAP serves 813,000 New Jersey residents, including 340,425 children and 176,706 senior citizens, according to the Department of Human Services. The federal government pays about $170 million a month to keep the benefits flowing to more than 400,000 households in New Jersey. The state also supplements SNAP by giving up to $95 per month per household. People ages 18 to 59 who are not disabled and meet income guidelines must work to receive SNAP cash benefits, which are loaded on a debit card every month. For example, a household of two people would qualify for SNAP if the familys annual income does not exceed $39,132. In moments like this, we all have a responsibility to step up and do our part to ensure no one goes hungry, said Coughlin, who has sponsored laws to reduce food insecurity on college campuses and across the state. I urge our leaders in Washington to act swiftly to restore this funding and to end this uncertainty for the hundreds of thousands of families who rely on SNAP to put food on the table. A list of local food pantries and food banks may be found at the nj211.org website or by calling 211. The Associated Press contributed to this story. President Donald Trump walks down the stairs of Air Force One upon his arrival at Joint Base Andrews, Md., Thursday, Oct. 30, 2025, after returning from Asia. (AP Photo/Luis M. Alvarez) AP President Donald Trump called on the Senate GOP on Thursday to use the nuclear option in the upper chamber to reopen the federal government. Trump urged Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) to eliminate the filibuster a strategy in the upper chamber to delay or block votes on legislation by keeping the debate running. Overcoming a filibuster requires 60 votes in the full Senate. To eliminate the filibuster, the Senate would need to change its rules with a simple majority vote. Trump argued that Senate Republicans should take advantage of Democrats by voting to end the filibuster. Majority Leader John Thune, and Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, are doing a GREAT job, but the Democrats are Crazed Lunatics that have lost all sense of WISDOM and REALITY. It is a sick form of the now legendary Trump Derangement Syndrome (TDS) that only comes from losing too much, Trump wrote on Truth Social. It is now time for the Republicans to play their TRUMP CARD, and go for what is called the Nuclear Option Get rid of the Filibuster, and get rid of it, NOW!" he added. He said Democrats attempted to end the filibuster when they had the majority. Well, now WE are in power, and if we did what we should be doing, it would IMMEDIATELY end this ridiculous, Country destroying SHUT DOWN, Trump wrote. If the Democrats ever came back into power, which would be made easier for them if the Republicans are not using the Great Strength and Policies made available to us by ending the Filibuster, the Democrats will exercise their rights, and it will be done in the first day they take office, regardless of whether or not we do it, he added. Trumps ask comes after U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) asked Senate Republicans to eliminate the filibuster. She applauded Trumps sudden directive, writing in a post that This is what I called for from the very beginning. Enough of the drama, Greene said on X. Stop forcing people to suffer and LEAD the country!! Its not clear when the government shutdown could end. The Senate needs to clear a 60-vote threshold to reopen the government, meaning that Republicans need a handful of Democrats to side with them. But Democrats have vowed to oppose any spending bill that does not include an extension for Affordable Care Act subsidies that are expiring at the end of the year. And Republicans have refused to negotiate on the matter. Trumps call to terminate the filibuster could alter the ways the Senate and congressional dealmaking operate, with the president saying in his post that he gave a great deal of thought to the choice on his flight back from Asia on Thursday. Trump spent the past week with foreign leaders in Malaysia, Japan and South Korea, finishing his tour by meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping. The president declared the trip a success because of a trade truce with China and foreign investment planned for American industries, but he said one question kept coming up during his time there about why did powerful Republicans allow the Democrats to shut down parts of the government. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) is thanking President Donald Trump for pushing her plea forward on how to unilaterally end the ongoing government shutdown. In separate posts on social media, Trump late Thursday instructed congressional Republicans to eliminate the Senate filibuster a move that GOP leadership has opposed as the shutdown has stretched into a monthlong stalemate, despite previous calls from Greene. .BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT THE DEMOCRATS HAVE GONE STONE COLD CRAZY, THE CHOICE IS CLEAR INITIATE THE NUCLEAR OPTION, GET RID OF THE FILIBUSTER AND, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!" Trump said in one post. The call to action comes as the shutdown has already surpassed the second-longest mark in modern U.S. history, with no end to the partisan standoff in sight. It also could increase pressure on Republican leaders, who have so far stood against ending the 60-vote threshold to pass legislation. Greene, during the early days of the funding lapse, had previously outlined what youre not being told about the government shutdown in a post on X earlier this month. Like Trump, the firebrand three-term lawmaker urged the GOP to impose the nuclear option a procedural maneuver which would override the threshold needed to pass a bill with a simple majority. And as far as worrying that using the nuclear option would damage partisan relations, lets be real, that ship has sailed a long time ago, Greene wrote. There are no partisan relations. She added: Instead, Republicans need to learn how to weld power when they have it and govern. On the government shutdown, heres what youre not being told. If Republican Senators wanted to pass the CR and reopen the government they could, by using the nuclear option to override the 60 vote rule and pass the CR with a simple majority vote. We have 53 R Senators. This is pic.twitter.com/8IJsBPP3MJ Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (@RepMTG) October 3, 2025 Greene on Thursday went on to applaud Trumps sudden directive, writing in a post that This is what I called for from the very beginning. Enough of the drama, Greene said on X. Stop forcing people to suffer and LEAD the country!! Thank you Pres Trump! This is what I called for from the very beginning. Since Democrats REFUSE to fund the government, Senate Republicans need to use the nuclear option and override the filibuster!! Enough of the drama. Stop forcing people to suffer and LEAD the country!! pic.twitter.com/VY23NglLyi Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (@RepMTG) October 31, 2025 Greene, who rose to prominence as a staunch MAGA loyalist, has recently drawn the ire of several notable Republican legislators and MAGA world after breaking from the GOP platform on several issues. The Georgia congresswoman recently became one of only a handful of Republicans to sign a House discharge petition in September, which would compel the Justice Department to release all government files related to the investigation into late disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein. She has also called the war in Gaza a genocide while denouncing Israels military actions, asking earlier this week if the country had committed war crimes following strikes during the ceasefire. Amid the current shutdown, Greene has formed a surprising alliance with Democrats as they have attempted to push their own measure forward to include an extension of expiring Obamacare subsidies. Republicans have separately looked to pass a stopgap bill that would fund the government until late November. I said I have no respect for the House not being in session passing our bills and the Presidents executive orders, Greene wrote on X on Tuesday. And I demanded to know from Speaker [Mike] Johnson what the Republican plan for health care is. Rep. Clay Higgins (R-La.) is facing pushback online after weighing in on a looming funding lapse tied to federal food assistance. Around 42 million people, or about one in eight Americans, may face disruptions to their Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits starting Saturday unless Congress or President Donald Trumps administration propose funding for the program amid the ongoing federal government shutdown. The program which provides money for low-income families to help them purchase nutritious groceries may receive a lifeline, though, after a federal judge ordered officials on Friday to continue to pay for food stamps during the shutdown. In a post on X, Higgins said that 22 million U.S. households enrolled in SNAP receive around $4,200 per year on average to buy groceries, asking his audience to Try to get your head wrapped around how many pantries you can stock with $4200 dollars in properly shopped groceries. Any American who has been receiving $4200 dollars per year of free groceries and does NOT have at least 1 month of groceries stocked should never again receive SNAP, because wow, stop smoking crack, Higgins continued. The post was met with immediate scrutiny on social media, with many asking how much Higgins overall pays for groceries. Sarah Stogner, a Republican district attorney in Texas, responded: Way to play to old stereotypes. How much do you spend annually on food? I bet you have no idea. When was the last time you personally did the grocery shopping for your family? Bruno Pereira, the chair of New Jerseys Libertarian Party, said that Higgins should be ashamed. During COVID I was spending $200 a week for baby formula. Thats over $10,000 a year. So what the hell are you talking about $4200, as if it is alot? Pereira asked. When was the last time you went grocery shopping? Completely and absolutely out of touch. Another user wrote: 8 million seniors. 1.2 million veterans. The U.S. Department of Agriculture, which oversees SNAP, announced in a memo last week that it will not tap into its roughly $5 billion contingency fund to cover next months benefits, while states that decide to pay for the cost will not be reimbursed. The agency claimed that contingency funds are not legally available to cover regular benefits while Democratic lawmakers and several advocacy groups believe the agency should use the fund for partial benefits. Officials from 25 states, including New Jersey, and the District of Columbia sued the Trump administration earlier this week, arguing against what they described as the unlawful suspension of SNAP funding. Meanwhile, Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) has put forth a bill, titled Keep SNAP Funded Act of 2025, which calls on the USDA and the Treasury Department to fund the program until the shutdown ends. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said that Democrats would overwhelmingly vote for the measure if it is brought to the floor although GOP leadership has not signaled full support for it. During a press conference on Friday, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said her message to Americans is that your government is failing you right now. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) added: When she says we have failed you, she means, we, the Democrats. If you purchase a product through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. Run dont Walk to get your hands on any Foo Fighters concert tickets that you can because they only have 12 concerts on their schedule. Beginning next August, the Foo Fighters will make their way across the U.S. as part of the bands Take Cover Tour 2026, which includes a stop in Philadelphia on Aug. 13, 2026. Foo Fighters Tour 2026 The cheapest tickets to see the Foo Fighters on tour are on Vivid Seats. Buy Now This is the groups first major tour since they wrapped up their Everything or Nothing at All Tour in 2024 so now is your chance to see them live. Heres how you can get the cheapest tickets to see Foo Fighters next summer. Where to find the cheapest tickets to see the Foo Fighters in 2026 For the Foo Fighters upcoming tour, you can secure tickets during the general sale on Oct. 31 at 10 a.m, through Ticketmaster. If you happen to miss this sale, then you can find some of the cheapest tickets for this tour on StubHub and Vivid Seats. You can find additional tickets for this tour on SeatGeek, Viagogo and TicketNetwork. Right now most tickets are under $100, and we bet these affordable tickets wont last on the market for long. For the Foo Fighters Philadelphia concert on Aug. 13, 2026, the cheapest ticket we could find is $94 on Vivid Seats. You can find a full schedule for the Foo Fighters upcoming tour here. Foo Fighters tour 2026: Dates, schedule & more The Foo Fighters will begin their Take Cover Tour 2026 on Aug. 4 in Toronto and then will wrap up on Sept. 26 in Las Vegas. While it doesnt seem like a lot of tour dates now, the band has hinted that they may add more dates so keep an eye out for more shows to come. Queens of the Stone Age will join the Foo Fighters on tour, as well as Mannequin Pussy and Gouge Away on select dates. Major upcoming 2025-2026 tours The Foo Fighters are not the only ones heading out on a major tour this year. Here are a few more tours you do not want to miss: Lady Gaga, Bon Jovi, Demi Lovato and RUSH. If you purchase a product through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. The No. 1 Nebraska Huskers face the Wisconsin Badgers in a Big Ten volleyball contest on Friday, Oct. 31, 2025 at UW Field House in Madison, Wisc. The match will be televised on Big Ten Network at 9 p.m. ET. How to watch Here are your best options to watch the match if you dont already have cable: Watch for free with a trial of DIRECTV or FuboTV Streaming platform Free trial Monthly price Discount DIRECTV Yes $89.99 $40 off your first month FuboTV Yes $84.99 $30 off your first month Heres what you need to know: What: Big Ten Volleyball Who: Nebraska vs. Wisconsin When: Oct. 31, 2025 (10/31/25) Time: 9 p.m. ET Where: UW Field House TV: Big Ten Network Live stream: DIRECTV (free trial), FuboTV (free trial) Top 25 AVCA Volleyball Rankings Games through Oct. 26, 2025 1, Nebraska; 2, Texas; 3, Kentucky; 4, Pittsburgh; 5, Stanford; 6, Arizona State; 7, SMU; 8, Louisville; 9, Texas A&M; 10, Purdue; 11, Wisconsin; 12, Creighton; 13, TCU; 14, Kansas; 15, Miami; 16, Tennessee; 17, BYU; 18, Baylor; 19, Penn State; 20, Minnesota; 21, North Carolina; 22, Southern California; 23, Colorado; 24, Indiana; 25, Florida. Trick-or-treaters in New Jersey are facing a chilly, windy Halloween this year. Pictured here is homeowner Tony Rodrigues blending in with his 160+ handmade zombies, goblins and ghouls at his Zombie House in Hawthorne, NJ, last week. Ian Peters | For NJ Advance Media Make sure your Halloween decorations are secure, and bundle up if youre going out in New Jersey tonight. Strong winds, occasionally gusting as high as 45 to 50 mph, are expected to linger through Friday night. As a result, wind advisories remain active in all 21 of New Jerseys counties up until midnight. In addition to the gusty winds, it will be a chilly night, with temperatures dropping into the 40s. Forecasters from the National Weather Service say the strongest winds are expected in the late afternoon and early evening, with sustained values near 30 mph and gusts reaching 45 mph, particularly in coastal areas. Isolated peak gusts could reach 50 mph before gradually diminishing later tonight. These conditions may impact outdoor Halloween celebrations even if winds dont meet strict criteria for wind advisories, the weather service said. Trick-or-treaters in New Jersey are facing a chilly, windy Halloween this year. Pictured here are Halloween decorations surrounding a home that also features a 40-foot haunted house on Jill Court in Toms River. Jim Lowney | For NJ Advance Media Temperatures will fall into the 40s for most areas overnight Friday into early Saturday morning, with some interior valleys possibly dropping to 35 to 40 degrees. Saturday will remain breezy with gusts of 25 to 30 mph, higher near the coast, before winds diminish Saturday evening as high pressure builds in from the west. Temperature on Saturday will reach the upper 50s to around 60 degrees during the day, with a mix of sun and clouds. Saturday night lows will range from the 30s in most areas to lower 40s in other spots, with frost likely in inland areas. Sunday will be seasonably cool with highs in the mid-50s to low 60s and partly to mostly sunny skies. Sunday night into Monday, a developing low pressure system off the Mid-Atlantic coast may bring light rain to southern portions of New Jersey. Lows Sunday night will range from the mid-30s to low 40s. A cold front will pass through Monday night, bringing additional chances for showers. While the entire state has a chance for rain, amounts are expected to remain light. Behind the front, notably drier air will move in, though temperatures wont change significantly. Mondays highs will be in the upper 50s to low 60s, with Monday night lows generally in the low 40s. Tuesday through Wednesday will feature mostly clear skies and seasonable temperatures with a breezy northwest wind on Tuesday that will diminish Tuesday night. Another system may approach our region Wednesday night into Thursday, bringing another chance for rain, with the highest chances across the northern half of the state. As of now, this appears to be a quick-moving system, with light rainfall amounts expected. Current weather radar This photo taken on Oct. 29, 2025 shows a view of a healthcare tourism industrial park in Yuping Village of Zhenping County, Ankang City, northwest China's Shaanxi Province. Zhenping County, with a forest coverage rate of 88.82 percent, has leveraged its natural resources in recent years to develop healthcare tourism industry, boosting local economy. (Xinhua/Shao Rui) Tourists visit the Hualong Mountain in Zhenping County, Ankang City, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, Oct. 30, 2025. Zhenping County, with a forest coverage rate of 88.82 percent, has leveraged its natural resources in recent years to develop healthcare tourism industry, boosting local economy. (Xinhua/Shao Rui) An aerial drone photo taken on Oct. 30, 2025 shows tourists taking photos at the balcony of a cafe on Hualong Mountain in Zhenping County, Ankang City, northwest China's Shaanxi Province. Zhenping County, with a forest coverage rate of 88.82 percent, has leveraged its natural resources in recent years to develop healthcare tourism industry, boosting local economy. (Xinhua/Shao Rui) A staff member works at the library of a hotel in Guoqing Village of Zhenping County, Ankang City, northwest China's Shaanxi Province, Oct. 29, 2025. Zhenping County, with a forest coverage rate of 88.82 percent, has leveraged its natural resources in recent years to develop healthcare tourism industry, boosting local economy. (Xinhua/Shao Rui) An aerial drone photo taken on Oct. 30, 2025 shows a view of the Hualong Mountain in Zhenping County, Ankang City, northwest China's Shaanxi Province. Zhenping County, with a forest coverage rate of 88.82 percent, has leveraged its natural resources in recent years to develop healthcare tourism industry, boosting local economy. (Xinhua/Shao Rui) This photo taken on Oct. 29, 2025 shows a view of a pool and the surrounding scenery at a hotel in Guoqing Village of Zhenping County, Ankang City, northwest China's Shaanxi Province. Zhenping County, with a forest coverage rate of 88.82 percent, has leveraged its natural resources in recent years to develop healthcare tourism industry, boosting local economy. (Xinhua/Shao Rui) Former Yankees first baseman Mark Teixeira who is running for a Congress seat in Texas took to social media this week to condemn the SNAP program in the United States. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, also known as food stamps, is the countrys largest anti-hunger program. Teixeira argued that the ongoing government shutdown is exposing serious problems in the program, which is set to expire on Friday. We should ensure a temporary safety net for Americans who fall on short-term hard times, Teixeira wrote on X. 43 million Americans are currently on SNAP. We spend around $8 billion every month on SNAP. The program is full of waste, fraud, and abuse. Some research even shows that SNAP recipients spend more on non-essential food items than the average person pays for groceries. America has social welfare programs for one purpose: to serve as a temporary safety net for those who have no other options. When these programs become bloated and abused, they hurt the people who truly need help. Its also an injustice to taxpayers who work hard and play by the rules many of whom are struggling with rising grocery prices and cant order groceries on DoorDash like SNAP recipients now can. This is shameful and wrong. We must end the waste, fraud, and abuse now. Teixeira did not cite evidence for these claims. Recipients of SNAP benefits are not allowed to use them on items outside of food for the household. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the approved list includes: Fruits and vegetables; Meat, poultry, and fish; Dairy products; Breads and cereals; Other foods such as snack foods and non-alcoholic beverages; and Seeds and plants, which produce food for the household to eat. SNAP helps one in eight Americans (around 42 million) each month, with the benefits averaging $187 per participant per month. President Donald Trumps Department of Agriculture said in September that its shutdown plan included using the $5 billion to keep SNAP running. But in a memo last week, it said that it couldnt legally use it that way. The memo also said the $23 billion is supporting other programs during the shutdown and that shouldnt be jeopardized. Democratic officials argue that the administration is legally required to keep benefits going as long as it has funding. The agency said that the debit cards that SNAP beneficiaries use to buy groceries will not be reloaded as of Nov. 1. On Aug. 28, Teixeira announced that hed be running in Texass 21st Congressional District, where Rep. Chip Roy will not seek re-election as he runs for Texas Attorney General. Teixeira, 45, is a Maryland native who currently lives in the Austin area. He spent the first four-plus years of his major-league career with the Texas Rangers. The three-time All-Star concluded his career with eight years on the Yankees, winning a World Series in 2009. Teixeira retired in 2016 after a 14-year career in which he hit .268 with a .869 OPS and 409 home runs. (The Associated Press contributed to this report.) Yes, the crow situation seems better Seems about the same to me There still seem to be a lot of crows and crow messes Vote View Results BEIJING, Oct. 31 (Xinhua) -- At the invitation of Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Chinese Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang will attend the Belem Climate Summit on Nov. 6 as President Xi Jinping's special representative, the Chinese foreign ministry said on Friday. Spokesperson Guo Jiakun told a regular news briefing that China is ready to work with all parties to promote the global green and low-carbon transformation, expressing the hope that the summit will be a great success and become a milestone in global climate response. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Paris Agreement and is the year for countries to submit their new Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs), representing a critical juncture for global climate governance, Guo said. China has announced its new round of NDCs, demonstrating its leading role as a responsible major country in climate governance, Guo said. "We hope to work with all parties to hold high the banner of multilateralism, enhance solidarity and coordination, enable the global green and low-carbon transition and build a clean and beautiful world," the spokesperson said. KUALA LUMPUR, Oct. 31 (Xinhua) -- Over 2,000 members of scam syndicates have been arrested in a nationwide crackdown over the past month, Malaysia's police said on Thursday. Rusdi Isa, director of Bukit Aman Commercial Crime Investigation Department, told a press briefing that 1,303 people were nabbed from Sept. 22 to 28, while other operations resulted in the arrest of 790 owners of alleged mule accounts involved in e-commerce fraud. Rusdi said the operations were carried out in conjunction with the launch of the National Scam Response Center, aimed at combating commercial crimes involving the use of fake accounts to receive money from online fraud. He added that 30 others were arrested on suspicion of directly being involved in operating an e-commerce scam call centre, which had operations across the country. The group is believed to have caused 54 million ringgit (12.8 million U.S. dollars) in losses between January and May. He cautioned that such syndicates are becoming increasingly sophisticated and operated across borders, and warned the public against lending or selling bank accounts and bank cards to other parties, as such acts are offences that can be misused for criminal activities and money laundering. Joey, the star of acclaimed production War Horse, made a rare off-stage appearance at London Paddington yesterday (Thursday) as Great Western Railway named a train after him and his creator, Devon author Michael Morpurgo. Commuters at Paddington station watched in awe as the astonishing life-sized horse created by Handspring Puppet Company walked the course from the iconic war memorial on platform 1 to greet Michael, who then unveiled their train. Cast from the long-running play by National Theatre, currently on a major tour of the UK and Ireland, performed music from the production as they accompanied Joey through the station, making an impromptu stop to meet another icon of the book world, Paddington Bear. READ NEXT: Sir Michael Morpurgo attends Petroc's 2023 graduation The procession ended on platform 8 where they were met by Michael and his wife Clare, who unveiled the new livery on Intercity Express Train 802007. Above: Author Michael Morpurgo and Joey beside the Intercity train that bears their names. Credit: GWR The train displays the name Joey at one end, while his creator adorns the opposite end. War Horse tells the remarkable story of Albert and his beloved horse, Joey, set against the backdrop of the World War One. At the outbreak of the war, Joey is sold to the cavalry and shipped to France, which takes him on an extraordinary journey through the battlefields of Europe, serving on both sides before finding himself alone in No Mans Land. Albert, who remains in Devon, too young to enlist, embarks on a treacherous mission to find Joey and bring him home. Michaels best-selling novel, first published in 1982, has sold more than two million copies worldwide and has been translated into more than 44 languages. Above: Devon author Michael Morpurgo with his train. Credit: GWR It was adapted for stage by Nick Stafford and originally directed by Marianne Elliott and Tom Morris, becoming the most successful play in the history of the National Theatre, winning more than 25 major awards. It has been seen by more than 8.8 million people worldwide since its world premiere at the National Theatre in 2007. Steven Spielberg later directed a film version which debuted in 2011. Guests to the event included representatives from Farms for City Children, a charity founded by Michael and Clare nearly 50 years ago, which offers children from urban areas the opportunity to experience life on a farm, with facilities in Devon, Gloucestershire and Pembrokeshire. Michael said: Having my name on the side of a train is not something I ever thought I would see, so to have that honour alongside Joey, who has been in my life for more than 40 years, fills me with joy. In this age of phones dominating our lives, a long train journey is one of the few places where we can stop and read a good book, occasionally lifting our eyes to take in the marvellous views were lucky to travel through. Im grateful to GWR and the National Theatre for allowing Joey to be part of this special day and for GWRs ongoing work with local organisations like Farms for City Children, showing their commitment to supporting communities beyond just getting from A to B. I shall give Joey a hello you pat every time before I get on the train and have a good ride. And a thank you pat when I get off. Above: Joey from War Horse and his creator Michael Morpurgo pay their respects to Paddington. Credit: GWR GWRs HR director, Ashley Bray, said: We were thrilled to welcome Michael and Clare to Paddington today to unveil not one, but two new liveries on Intercity Express Train 802007. Michael and Clare have contributed a huge amount to the communities of Devon both through their writing and with the Farms for City Children charity. This train is our way of thanking them for their ongoing commitment to the people of this beloved corner of the Great Western network. As we reflect on 200 years of the railway and mark the launch of this years Poppy Appeal, we cannot fail to think of those who sacrificed their lives in the service of our country, and War Horse tells that story better than most." The National Theatre's director and joint chief executive, Indhu Rubasingham, said: War Horse was a ground-breaking piece of theatre when it was first staged at the National Theatre in 2007 and it remains as inspiring and relevant as ever. We will forever be grateful to Michael Morpurgo for letting us adapt his much-loved story for the stage. This moving and spectacular production, created with such care by Marianne Elliott and Tom Morris, and the wider teams, has captured the imagination of millions of audience members across the world. We are thrilled to see Michael and Joey immortalised in this way by Great Western Railway and to play a part in bringing todays naming event to life. Farms for City Childrens Chief Executive, Corinna Csaky, said: Im delighted to celebrate this special moment with our founders, Michael and Clare, and to see their remarkable dedication to Farms for City Children and our local communities in Devon recognised. Its wonderful to know that children, now and for years to come, will be able to reach and experience the joys of the countryside aboard the train named for Michael and Joey. As 802007 departed, Michael waved the train off on its maiden voyage to Exeter St Davids, with Joey cantering alongside on the platform. The illustration of Joey the War Horse was designed by Cameron Slater. COLOMBO, Oct. 31 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lanka has successfully concluded discussions with the Asian Development Bank to obtain a 90 million U.S. dollar loan for the Second Integrated Road Investment Program (iRoad 2), the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development said on Friday. The ministry said the loan will support the upgrading of about 500 km of rural access roads to all-weather, climate-resilient standards that are inclusive and friendly to the elderly, women, children, and persons with disabilities. In addition, the program will facilitate the rehabilitation of around 21 km of national roads and the maintenance of 100 km of rural access roads, the ministry said. Under the broader Integrated Road Investment Program, Sri Lanka plans to upgrade and maintain approximately 2,200 km of rural access roads to all-weather standards, and rehabilitate and maintain about 400 km of national roads in good condition. The 30 millionth car manufactured by FAW-Volkswagen is pictured at an offline ceremony in Changchun, northeast China's Jilin Province, Oct. 30, 2025. The offline ceremony celebrating the 30 millionth car rolling off the FAW-Volkswagen production line was held here on Thursday. (Xinhua/Xu Chang) Guests pose for a group photo with the 30 millionth car manufactured by FAW-Volkswagen at an offline ceremony in Changchun, northeast China's Jilin Province, Oct. 30, 2025. The offline ceremony celebrating the 30 millionth car rolling off the FAW-Volkswagen production line was held here on Thursday. (Xinhua/Xu Chang) Guests attend an offline ceremony of the 30 millionth car manufactured by FAW-Volkswagen in Changchun, northeast China's Jilin Province, Oct. 30, 2025. The offline ceremony celebrating the 30 millionth car rolling off the FAW-Volkswagen production line was held here on Thursday. (Xinhua/Xu Chang) The 30 millionth car manufactured by FAW-Volkswagen is pictured at an offline ceremony in Changchun, northeast China's Jilin Province, Oct. 30, 2025. The offline ceremony celebrating the 30 millionth car rolling off the FAW-Volkswagen production line was held here on Thursday. (Xinhua/Zhang Nan) OpenAI Company stock Chip purchases Data centers Cloud computing Funding How OpenAI Uses Complex and Circular Deals to Fuel Its Multibillion-Dollar Rise Sam Altman, the chief executive of OpenAI, says that technological revolutions are driven by more than just technology. They are also driven, he argues, by new ways of paying for them. There is always a lot of focus on technological innovation. What really drives a lot of progress is when people also figure out how to innovate on the financial model, he recently said at the site of a data center that OpenAI is building in Abilene, Texas. Over the last several years, Mr. Altmans company has found unusual and creative ways of paying for the computing power needed to fuel its ambitions. Many of the deals OpenAI has struck with chipmakers, cloud computing companies and others are strangely circular. OpenAI receives billions from tech companies before sending those billions back to the same companies to pay for computing power and other services. Industry experts and financial analysts have welcomed the start-ups creativity. But these unorthodox arrangements have also fueled concerns that OpenAI is helping to inflate a potential financial bubble as it builds what is still a highly speculative technology. Here are unusual financial agreements helping to drive the ambitions of OpenAI, the poster child of the artificial intelligence revolution. OpenAI $13 billion funding $13 billion cloud computing Microsoft OpenAI $13 billion funding $13 billion cloud computing Microsoft From 2019 through 2023, Microsoft was OpenAIs primary investor. The tech giant pumped more than $13 billion into the start-up. Then OpenAI funneled most of those billions back into Microsoft, buying cloud computing power needed to fuel the development of new A.I. technologies. (The New York Times has sued OpenAI and Microsoft, claiming copyright infringement of news content related to A.I. systems. The two companies have denied the suits claims.) OpenAI $22 billion cloud computing $350 million company stock Microsoft CoreWeave OpenAI $350 million company stock $22 billion cloud computing CoreWeave By the summer of last year, OpenAI could not get all the computing power it wanted from Microsoft. So it started signing cloud computing contracts with other companies, including Oracle and little-known start-ups with names like CoreWeave. Across three different deals signed this year, OpenAI agreed to pay CoreWeave, a company that builds A.I. data centers, more than $22 billion for computing power. As part of these agreements, OpenAI received $350 million in CoreWeave stock, which could ultimately help pay for this computing power. OpenAI $40 billion funding $100 billion data centers Microsoft SoftBank OpenAI $100 billion data centers $40 billion funding SoftBank OpenAI also struggled to get the additional investment dollars it wanted from Microsoft. So, it turned to other investors. Earlier this year, the Japanese conglomerate SoftBank led a $40 billion investment in OpenAI. At the same time, OpenAI has been working with various companies to build its own computing data centers, rather than rely on cloud computing deals. This also includes SoftBank, which is known for highly speculative technological bets that dont always pay off. The company is raising $100 billion to help OpenAI build data centers in Texas and Ohio. OpenAI $300 billion data centers Microsoft SoftBank $300 billion cloud computing Oracle OpenAI $300 billion cloud computing $300 billion data centers SoftBank Oracle Similarly, Oracle, a software and cloud computing giant, has agreed to spend $300 billion building new data centers for OpenAI in Texas, New Mexico, Michigan and Wisconsin. OpenAI will then pay Oracle roughly the same amount to use these computing facilities over the next several years. OpenAI Microsoft CoreWeave SoftBank $20 billion data centers Oracle U.A.E. OpenAI Microsoft CoreWeave $20 billion data centers SoftBank U.A.E. Oracle The United Arab Emirates was part of an OpenAIs fund-raising round in October 2024. Now, G42, a firm with close ties to the Emirati government, is building a roughly $20 billion data center complex for OpenAI in the Emirates. OpenAI Microsoft CoreWeave SoftBank Chip purchases $100 billion funding Oracle U.A.E. Nvidia OpenAI Microsoft CoreWeave Chip purchases $100 billion funding SoftBank U.A.E. Oracle Nvidia Last month, Nvidia announced that it intended to invest $100 billion in OpenAI over the next several years. This could help OpenAI pay for its new data centers. As OpenAI buys or leases specialized chips from Nvidia, Nvidia will pump billions back into OpenAI. OpenAI Company stock Microsoft CoreWeave SoftBank Chip purchases Oracle U.A.E. Nvidia AMD OpenAI Microsoft CoreWeave Company stock Chip purchases SoftBank U.A.E. Oracle Nvidia AMD Two weeks later, OpenAI signed an agreement with AMD that allows OpenAI to buy up to 160 million shares in the chipmaker at a penny per share. That translates to roughly a 10 percent stake in the company. This stock could supply OpenAI with additional capital as it works to build new data centers. OpenAI pulls in billions of dollars in revenue each year from customers who pay for ChatGPT, computer programming tools and other technologies. But it still loses more money than it makes, according to a person familiar with the companys finances. If the company can use its new data centers to significantly improve A.I. technologies and expand its revenue over the next several years, it can become a viable business, as Mr. Altman believes it will. If technology progress stalls, OpenAI and its many partners could lose enormous amounts of money. Smaller companies like CoreWeave, which are taking on enormous amounts of debt to build new data centers, could go bankrupt. In some cases, companies are hedging their bets. Nvidia and AMD, for instance, have the option of reducing the cash and stock they send to OpenAI if the A.I. market does not expand as quickly as expected. But others would be left with enormous debt, which could send ripples across the larger economy. A factory worker in Khanty-Mansiysk,, Russia, is being sued by his company for refusing to return over 7 million rubles ($87,000) he was wired by mistake due to a software glitch. When he received a notification from his banking app at the beginning of this year, Vladimir Rychagov couldnt believe his eyes. Apart from the 46,954 rubles ($581) he knew he was owed as vacation pay, he had also received a mega-bonus of 7,112,254 rubles ($87,000). There had been rumors among his colleagues that their factory was preparing a sizeable 13th salary for them after a prosperous year, but he never expected anything like this. However, his joy of becoming a millionaire was short-lived as he soon started receiving phone calls from the accounting department to let him know that he had been transferred the 7 million rubles by mistake and he had to return it. After doing some research online, Vladimir decided he disagreed. Photo: Unsplash After checking the internet, I found that if it was a technical error, it was up to me to return it, but if it was a billing error, I was obligated to return it, Rychagov told Channel 5. Later, I learned it was a technical error and decided I had the right to keep the money. According to court documents submitted by the mans employer, the money was intended to pay the salaries of 34 employees at a completely different branch. However, due to a software glitch, it was mistakenly transferred to Rychagov, so he was obligated to return it. However, in his defense, the worker claimed that the funds had been received in the name of the company, not a specific branch, and were listed as salary in the payment order, so he was entitled to them. Vladimir Rygachov claims that his companys requests to return the money soon turned into threats, so he just used his newfound fortune to buy a new car and move to another city with his family. While they were en route to their new home, a lawsuit was filed against Rygachov by the factory and his bank accounts were frozen. A complaint was filed against me, alleging that I was in collusion with an accountant and committed some kind of economic fraud, Rychagov recalled, adding that the accusations were quickly dismissed due to lack of evidence. Photo: Channel 5 The employer didnt just give up on the 7 million rubles, and a lengthy court battle began. The courts of first instance and appeal sided with the employer, noting that no overdue payments had been owed to the employee at the end of the reporting period, and the 7 million ruble payment was not considered salary. Therefore, Rygachov was obliged to return the 7 million rubles. The factory worker filed a cassation appeal, but the original ruling was upheld. But the fight for the 7 million rubles isnt over yet. Vladimir Rygachov appealed the decision to the Supreme Court, where it was accepted for consideration. He still considers himself entitled to the money he was wired, and has no plans to return it. My bank account received a deposit of 45,000 rubles for vacation pay for January. And a deposit of 7,112,000 rubles for Decembers salary, Rygachov said. Decembers salary has been credited, plus there were rumors that there would be a large 13th salary, which suggested the facilities closed well. Russian media tried contacting the mans employer to get their point of view, but the companys acting CEO, Roman Tudachkov, was very reserved in his statement, saying only that the company would use all legal means to resolve the issue. We wont comment, Tudachkov said. There was no 13th salary involved; it was an erroneous transfer. We have a court order; we operate within the legal system through our legal department. His interpretation is strange, but I repeat, we will handle this through the legal system. The case is strangely similar to that of a Chilean man who accidentally received 286 times his salary and disappeared without a trace instead of returning the money. Haggie Partners is working the $7B takeover of the specialty insurer Convex by Canadas Onex private equity fund and American International Group. Onex will own a 63 percent stake in Convex and AIG will control 35 percent. The deal continues Convexs relationship with Onex and begins a new era with AIG. This transaction positions us better than ever to service our clients and brokers and take advantage of the future market opportunities, said Convex co-founder and CEO Paul Brand. Peter Zaffino, AIG chief, called Convex a top performing global specialty company that we believe will drive incremental earnings growth for AIG. The transaction is expected to close during the first-half of 2026. Londons Haggie Partners has partner Peter Rigby and account director Olivia Thomson working the deal. Katie Welch Chanel names former Weber Shandwick EVP, global brands Katie Welch head of U.S. brand and company communications, a new role, effective Jan. 5. Welch was most recently global CMO at Rare Beauty. Before that, she served as general manager, beauty at The Honest Company and CMO at Hourglass Cosmetics. In her new post, she will oversee the integrated divisional brand communications teams and help amplify the Chanel Inc. story across the US. Her deep understanding of brand storytelling, her collaborative leadership style, and her ability to connect with audiences through creativity and purpose make her uniquely suited to lead this next chapter for Chanel Inc. in the U.S., said Stephane Blanchard, president of the U.S. region and Chanel Inc. Marc Birtel Boeing is bringing former senior director, corporate communications Marc Birtel back to the company as director, employee and total rewards communications. Birtel was most recently director, international communications at Starbucks. He has also served as senior lead, executive communications at Micron Technology. In his first run at Boeing, which lasted over 20 years, Birtel held a variety of lead communications, media relations and brand management posts. He will now take on the companys overall enterprise employee communication strategy, as well as partnering with HR leadership on the development and rollout of an all-new Total Rewards strategy. Jess Berkin BARK Air, a dog-first hospitality and semi-private aviation brand, appoints Jess Berkin as VP of brand & marketing. Berkin was previously chief brand officer at real estate development, brand and design firm LEFT LANE. In addition to serving as global director of experiential marketing, luxury brands at Marriott International, she has held senior marketing and brand positions at Mint House, Porter & Sail and Makeready. At BARK Air, Berkin leads the brands end-to-end brand and marketing transformationfrom a reimagined visual identity and editorial-forward social presence to the companys first paid media strategy and new digital experience. Jess brings a rare combination of creative vision, strategic rigor and a deep understanding of luxury hospitality that perfectly aligns with where BARK Air is headed, said company president Michael Novotny. Jamie Wolf SideChannel, a cybersecurity services and technology company, appoints Jamie Wolf as CMO. Previously, she led global marketing and partner teams at Cyderes, and she has headed up partnership-focused units at cyber-risk management companies Black Kite and Onapsis. In her new post, Wolf will work to elevate SideChannels brand, market growth, and go-to-market strategy. Her experience connecting marketing, partnerships, and business growth will help us reinforce the trusted relationships that define SideChannel, said SideChannel CEO Brian Haugli. The man who fatally stabbed his girlfriend and Longford town native Sarah McNally at her place of work in New York last year has pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the first degree. Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz announced yesterday (Thursday, October 30) that Marcin Pieciak pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the first degree for fatally stabbing Ms McNally, at a Maspeth tavern on March 30, 2024. Described as 'a wonderful young woman, bright, vivacious, witty and charismatic', Sarah, was working as a bartender when Pieciak stabbed her and he then slit his own throat. Sarah (41), previously worked in Valentine's public house, Main Street, Longford town where she was very well liked. She later joined The Irish Prison Service in Longford for some years before deciding on immigrating to New York. She enjoyed music and in her younger years she appeared on stage in a number of musical productions with St Mel's Musical Society. Educated at St Emer's national school and Mean Scoil Mhuire in Longford town, Sarah's friends remembered her as 'a lovely soul'. District Attorney Katz, in a statement, outlined, Marcin Pieciak walked into Sarah McNallys place of employment and viciously attacked the 41-year-old. The defendant stabbed the victim 19 times, severing her spine, and then stabbed himself as he tried to escape the premises. "Thankfully, a brave bar patron stopped the defendant and detained him until police arrived. This murder shocked the community and McNallys loved ones. With this guilty plea, the defendant has been held accountable for his actions. Pieciak, 37, of 76th Street in Glendale, pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the first degree in satisfaction of the charges against him. Supreme Court Justice Ushir Pandit-Durant is expected to sentence the defendant on November 21 to 24 years in prison to be followed by five years of post-release supervision. DA Katz said that, according to the charges, on March 30, 2024, at approximately 6:30pm, Pieciak arrived at the Ceili House Bar at 69-56 Grand Avenue in Maspeth. The defendant walked toward Sarah McNally as she worked, went behind the bar and stabbed her 19 times in the neck, back and chest causing significant wounds and bleeding. Pieciak then cut his own throat several times with a second knife and attempted to flee, but a patron intervened and prevented him from leaving the premises. When police arrived, Pieciak exited the premises with the two knives and brandished the weapons toward the officers. Police safely disarmed him and recovered the knives. The victim suffered a damaged carotid artery and severed spine and was pronounced deceased at a local hospital. Assistant District Attorney Gabriel J. Reale of the District Attorneys Homicide Bureau is prosecuting the case with the assistance of Assistant District Attorney Veronika Podoprigora under the supervision of Assistant District Attorneys John Kosinski, Bureau Chief, and Karen Ross and John Selkowe, Deputy Bureau Chief, and under the overall supervision of Executive Assistant District Attorney for Major Crimes Shawn Clark. The much anticipated feasibility report, which cost 150,000 to produce, on a closed hotel in the centre of Roscrea has been published. The lengthy report, which is over 100 pages, details the condition of the former Damer Court Hotel in Roscrea and puts forward three potential renovation projects which could see the landmark business on Roscrea's Castle Street, return to the hospitality and catering business. The landmark hotel, which closed in 2013 and was formerly known as the Pathe Hotel and later Grants Hotel, is currently for sale and a proposal last year by now retired Fianna Fail TD, Jackie Cahill and his Roscrea based party colleague, Councillor Michael Smith, for the government to purchase the building led to the feasibility study. The feasibility report examined the potential to reopen the former Grants Hotel and notes in the conclusion of the lengthy document that "until recently, there was a second hotel operating in Roscrea, but this was repurposed in 2023 and now there is no approved tourism accommodation available to service both the community and tourism within the town". The report states there is clear potential to improve the tourism offering within Roscrea but acknowledged that "this market is not currently developed and cannot be evidenced". The hotel's proximity to other attractions that are consistently reporting high visitor numbers, the impact of significant investments which are imminent at Roscrea Castle, together with the proposed development of the Greenway and Butler Trail, will all have a direct impact on the attractiveness of Roscrea to tourists and will help improve the tourism potential over time, it says. However, it will take time to develop such a market in Roscrea they find and state that "therefore the success of any hotel development project will be contingent on the community support for the project". The report states that market research undertaken as part of this study has concluded that there is demand for a quality restaurant to open up the night-time economy and for a function space that has host local family and social events to service both the local community and those from surrounding regions. The report says research has shown that in other towns across Ireland, there are numerous rural hotels that are sustainable mainly due to servicing the local community through the provision of a quality restaurant and a function room that could service family events, music events etc. "Accommodation is somewhat of a secondary revenue stream and is not the key contributor to revenue", the report says. "It is believed that given the scale of the project and the lack of an active tourism market that can be evidenced at present, that it may be challenging to attract private sector investment for the capital build. READ NEXT: Lack of Garda manpower in Roscrea raised with Taoiseach "Consideration could perhaps be given to seeking public funds to cover the capital costs and thereafter, the project has the ability to be operationally viable with the right management team in place, perhaps through a public private partnership arrangement. Important to note that State Aid rules will apply. Furthermore, there is potential to recoup part of this investment once the market develops. "However this can only be delivered if the community fully support the project", the report says. The report is available to the public on the Tipperary County Council website. BEIJING, Oct. 31 (Xinhua) -- Qiushi Journal, a flagship magazine of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee, will publish the Explanation of the Recommendations of the CPC Central Committee for Formulating the 15th Five-Year Plan for National Economic and Social Development on Saturday in the magazine's 21st issue of this year. The explanation was made by Xi Jinping, general secretary of the CPC Central Committee, at the fourth plenary session of the 20th CPC Central Committee. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Antonia [or event organizer's full name if available] Email: info@spokenwordparis.org Website: www.spokenwordparis.org Date: October 28, 2025 Zac Graves to Feature at SpokenWord Paris - November 3rd Event FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE RSI Vacations Donates $10,000 to the American Red Cross to Support Jamaica Disaster Relief Company urges the travel industry and travelers everywhere to join The PacWest tower at 1211 S.W. Fifth Ave. rises above downtown Portland on Oct. 31, 2025. Jonathan Bach I The Oregonian/OregonLive The sale this week of Portlands PacWest tower to an Alaska buyer reflects a continued repricing of downtown real estate that carries big repercussions for local tax rolls. Multnomah County recorded the sale Thursday but its records dont include a price, which Willamette Week reported Wednesday evening as $55.7 million. The records did reveal buyers signed a $44.5 million mortgage with First National Bank Alaska. A roughly $56 million sale price squares with estimates from real estate sources who spoke to The Oregonian/OregonLive. And thats a significant drop from the $170 million that the tower, developed by Portlander John Russell and funded by Mitsubishi Estate Co. in 1984, last traded for in 2016 when it sold to a division of Lincoln Property Co. The buyer, Fairbanks-based Fountainhead Development, appears interested in keeping its deal quiet. Its representatives did not respond to numerous calls or texts for comment. Wyatt Cerny, a vice president at Fountainhead, gave an interview to Portland Business Journal saying his company is thrilled to be a part of the community, but he declined to publicly confirm the price. The apparent price reset is part of a pattern these days as remote work trends, businesses concerns over high taxes, and the lasting reputational impacts of 2020 protests continue to batter the downtown Portland office market. The slump is driving tens of millions in property tax losses for local governments. In Multnomah County, property tax losses from whats known as compression a unique fixture of Oregon tax law exceeded $130 million in the 2024 tax year, rising 22% from the prior year. That widened from the $78 million in such losses in 2019. Here are three other Portland office towers that have changed hands in the past two years: Big Pink $45 million The U.S. Bancorp Tower, known as Big Pink, is backlit by the sun in downtown Portland on Tuesday, Aug. 5, 2025. The 42-story building is located at 111 S.W. Fifth Ave. Mark Graves, The Oregonian/OregonLive Portlands pink icon, at 111 S.W. Fifth Ave., sold to an auto magnate in July for $45 million. Thats just 12% of the $372.5 million that the seller, a partnership of Swiss bank UBS and Seattle real estate firm Unico Properties, bought it for in 2015. Property managers struggled to retain tenants or refill empty offices that white collar workers left during the pandemic. The biggest hit came with the exit of its longtime namesake tenant, U.S. Bank, for which the U.S Bancorp Tower had served as corporate offices since the 1980s. UBS and Unico sold the more than 1 million-square-foot office complex to Nevada auto dealer Jeff Swickard, who says he plans to pour millions into renovations in a pitch to prospective tenants. Montgomery Park $33 million The exterior of the Montgomery Park office building in Northwest Portland, pictured on Tuesday, July 30, 2024. Sean Meagher/The Oregonian The complex at 2701 N.W. Vaughn St. sold to Menashe Properties, the local company operated by the Menashe real estate family, in August 2024. This came after it went through foreclosure proceedings but failed, initially, to find a buyer. It then went on the open market, fetching nearly 90% less than its last sale in 2019, when Unico purchased it for $255 million. Block 216 $425 million (value at most recent appraisal) The glassy Block 216 skyscraper, viewed from a streetcar, houses a Ritz-Carlton hotel in downtown Portland. Photographed Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025. Jonathan Bach I The Oregonian/OregonLive Portlands newest skyscraper, the 35-story high rise with a Ritz-Carlton hotel, went back to its lender in July after financially foundering on low condo sales, too few guest room bookings and weak office leasing. Lender Ready Capital took possession of Block 216 and said all parts of the mixed-use building, including the offices and Ritz-Carlton-branded hotel rooms and residences, would continue to operate as normal. But it has also said it will sell off those components over the next few years as a way to recoup its money on the $600 million building, which opened in 2023 at 900 S.W. Washington St. (Ready Capital had acquired the construction loan valued at more than $500 million in a 2022 merger with Mosaic Real Estate Investors.) Ready Capital has claimed that private appraisals recently valued the building at $425 million yet another hit to downtown office values. Protesters gathered outside of the Portland ICE building on Saturday, October 11, 2025. Federal officers were on site. Dave Killen/Special to the Oregonian Supervisors with the Federal Protective Service testified Thursday that Portland police have failed to respond to violence outside the citys U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement office and said they would welcome help from the National Guard to protect the facility. The surge of federal officers to provide around-the-clock protection of the Portland ICE building dubbed Operation Skip Jack Portland amid nightly protests is unsustainable, the Federal Protective Services deputy regional director testified. He was identified in court only by his initials R.C. for what the federal government said were security purposes. But his name, Robert Cantu, is in multiple court documents, including the federal governments publicly filed witness list and in sworn declarations. The testimony of Cantu and a colleague came on the second day of trial as the federal government began to present their case in federal court before U.S. District Judge Karin J. Immergut. The judge is weighing whether President Donald Trump was legally justified in calling for the mobilization of Oregon and California national guards to protect the ICE property and federal staff in Portland in late September. Early this month, the judge issued two temporary orders banning the federal deployment of Oregon National Guard and National Guard from any state to Portland. The broader one remains in place through this weekend. Attorneys for the state of Oregon and city of Portland have pointed out, through their cross-examinations, that the number of federal officers at the ICE facility in August and September typically exceeded the number of protesters outside of it and that protests have largely been peaceful. Portland police supervisors, in their testimony, also have sought to contrast what they called inappropriate and disparate force used by federal officers against passive protesters with their more measured approach of using dialogue liaison officers to assess the tenor of a crowd and inserting plainclothes police among demonstrators to identify those who commit crimes, so bike patrol officers can move in and make targeted arrests. Lawyers for the state and city have argued that the unrest caused by federal officers excessive force should not be used as justification for Trumps deployment of Guard soldiers to the city. Theyve argued that the president has failed to legally justify the call-up of National Guard soldiers to protect federal property or officers but instead has manufactured a crisis. A Portland police commander testified on the first day of trial that police officers have been instructed not to facilitate federal vehicles coming in and out of the ICE facility due to the states sanctuary law. Police also were directed not to provide traffic control in the immediate area of the ICE building unless there was an immediate life-safety emergency or to support a tactical operation. Yet, they have attempted to keep Southwest Bancroft Street open for traffic. The Federal Protective Service supervisors said they had no say in Trumps call-up of Oregon National Guard members and, in fact, were surprised to learn of it from news accounts. But they said the arrival of National Guard soldiers would allow their officers and those from other federal law enforcement agencies to return to their regular jobs. Cantu said he was disappointed by a lack of response and assistance from Portland police, estimating that police did not respond 40 times to requests by Federal Protective Service officers who reached out for help since June at the ICE building. After police declared a riot outside the facility on June 14, federal officers from outside the region as well as officers from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and U.S. Customs and Border Protections tactical team were reassigned to help provide support at the building, he said. Since then, agents from the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration, the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Explosives and the Bureau of Prisons have also assisted at the ICE facility, Cantu said. We have people from the Bureau of Prisons who are coming to protect the ICE facility? U.S. Justice Department lawyer John Bailey asked him, highlighting the unusual assignment. Cantu said yes. During the June 14 riot, two Federal Protective Service officers were injured by thrown fireworks and one ICE officer was struck in the head with an object, presumably a rock, he testified. Protesters had shattered the buildings front door, jamming it with a stop sign and a weight-lifting barbell, he said. Given the level of violence that was displayed that night, we did expect a response from the Portland Police Bureau, he said. He said Portland officers eventually did respond, but it wasnt until just before midnight. But by that point, there was a level of damage and uncertainty if we ever were going to receive that support from the Portland Police Bureau, he testified. Cantu also testified that he only witnessed police clear traffic in front of the ICE building on two occasions since June: when the Emergency World Naked Bike Ride road past and last weekend. When PPB is allowed to do their job, do you think they do good police work? Bailey asked. Absolutely, he said. Cantu testified that he believes 180 law enforcement officers are needed to provide 24-hour, seven-day-a week coverage of the ICE building to protect the property and personnel amid the nightly protests. Initially, he said federal officers were sent to the ICE facility for 30-day assignments but that was reduced to 20-day assignments to protect their mental health. Theyre typically working overtime, 10 to 12 hours at a time, constantly in proximity to protesters who say some of the most vulgar, foul, racial slurs consistently through the day, throughout the night on bullhorns. Cantu also said he believed protesters are coordinating their activities and the federal officers are keeping their ears to a walkie-talkie radio, hoping to catch cross talk to try to intercept protesters conversations. He said it was something new his agency developed but did not describe the tactic further. During cross-examination, Cantu said there has been a systemic staffing shortage in his agency nationally. There are four Federal Protective Service officers assigned to Portland who are responsible for protecting about 100 federal properties in Oregon and southern Washington state. Across the U.S., there are about 750 Federal Protective Service officers. Cantu said a Guard deployment would relieve the strain on his agency and other federal officers would be able to go back to doing their primary job. In a deposition, though, Cantu said he wondered what he would do with 200 Guard members because the ICE building was packed with officers by late September, Senior Assistant Attorney General Brian Marshall pointed out during Cantus cross examination. Federal Protective Service officers do not deploy gas but have fired pepper ball launchers and used large canisters of pepper spray. He said FPS officers typically fire pepper balls at the ground, not at people, to get the chemical irritant to come up into the air as a simple dispersal technique. But he said the Federal Protective Service also does not track any officers deployment of the pepper ball launchers that have been repeatedly used outside the ICE facility. Under cross-examination by Marshall, Cantu said hes aware there have been three alleged instances of improper uses of force by federal officers within the last two months that are under investigation. The three instances of force were not identified, nor were the agencies involved. Federal Protective Service Cmdr. Will Turner also testified. He was identified in court only by the initials W.T. for what the federal government said were security purposes. Court filings that describe the federal governments witnesses are not sealed or redacted and identify him by name. Turner was assigned to the ICE facility every other week for seven days at a time from mid-July through Sept. 20. He cited a hours-long delay in the Portland Police Bureaus response to the June 14 protest that was later declared a riot. He also complained that Portland police did not remove debris from outside the building, such as sticks or bats, have rarely helped control traffic in front of the ICE building and didnt work to break up disputes between protesters and counter-protesters on city property. He also said they never sent patrol officers to cordon off the area when the Metro Explosives Disposal Unit was called to investigate a suspicious vehicle that a woman drove to the front of the ICE building and then ran away from on Aug. 18. Despite Portland police providing a designated contact in the bureau for the Federal Protective Service, senior deputy city attorney Naomi Sheffield asked Turner, you did not typically call the sergeants to request help? I did not, Turner said. Turner testified that federal officers fired pepper balls at protesters who were removing plywood along the east fence of the ICE property, intended to prevent protesters from seeing inside the garage and sally port area of the building. The idea was to block protesters from spotting when federal officers cars were leaving to try to sneak them out quickly before too many protesters gathered in front of the driveway, he said. He said protesters have tailed officers home or to their hotels, and have berated them with taunts to kill ourselves, called them Nazis and racist slurs. He said he considered the makeshift guillotine assembled outside the ICE facility on Sept. 1 a direct threat, considering some in the crowd had shouted that his officers deserved to be decapitated. Does placing a prop guillotine in the road violate a law? Sheffield asked. It does, Turner testified. Theyre blocking the street, so its disorderly conduct. But he confirmed that simply possessing the prop is not illegal. Mindan Ocon, a resident at Gray's Landing, lives in a corner apartment that sits kitty-corner across South Bancroft Street from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement building. Harsh floodlights from the federal building's rooftop leaked through blinds, casting a glow across her apartment. Kristine de Leon Protests outside the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement building in South Portland have subjected residents of an adjacent affordable housing complex to a barrage of noise, chaos, and chemical agents deployed by federal officers. Tenants of the Grays Landing apartments face nightly disruptions from the demonstrations. On some nights the toxic conditions seep into their homes. Two journalists with The Oregonian/OregonLive spent the evening of Oct. 18 and early morning of Oct. 19 at Grays Landing with residents who have endured the ill effects of the protests for months. Here are the five biggest takeaways from those hours, which followed the No Kings protests in Portland that brought 400 to 500 rowdier demonstrators to their buildings doorsteps. Angelise Ocon holds up her moms gas mask inside the twos apartment across from the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement building in South Portland on Saturday, Oct. 18, 2025. Abigail Landwehr/The Oregonian 1. Tear gas forces apartment residents to sleep in gas masks The ICE office has drawn national attention and larger crowds since President Donald Trump announced plans in late September to send National Guard troops into the city to quell the protests of his administrations immigration crackdown. On active nights, it also has drawn tear gas, smoke bombs and pepper balls aimed at the crowds by federal officers, sending toxic fumes pouring into Grays Landing spaces. Flash-bang grenades thrown by the officers rattle dishes in the sink. An earthy, metallic smell sometimes lingers long after the streets have cleared. Tenants have built air purifiers and place wet towels under their doors to try and keep the fumes out. They break into coughing fits and even had to sleep in gas masks they own for use inside their own homes. Apartment resident Mindan Ocon took her 3-year-old daughter to see a pediatrician at OHSU Doernbecher Childrens Hospital in late July after she screamed and cried of a painful burning feeling in her eyes. Her daughters medical chart shows doctors attributed it to daily exposure to aerosolized chemicals and smoke used in crowd control at the ICE protests. Federal agents set off tear gas and HC gas into a crowd gathered near the Portland ICE facility on a Saturday in early October. Allison Barr/The Oregonian 2. Long-term effects of tear gas remain largely unknown, experts warn We dont know much about the long-term effects of tear gas, says Sven-Eric Jordt, a toxicology professor at Duke University who has studied the health effects of tear gas for over two decades. People repeatedly exposed to tear gas could face lingering health effects long after protests end, including chronic irritation of the eyes, nose and mouth, coughing, skin rashes and respiratory problems. Despite its name, tear gas is a powder, and the particulates are so small that most commercial filters are not sufficient to filter them out. Children are especially vulnerable to exposure because they are closer to the ground and inhale more and small injuries to their lungs can have more serious effects, he said. A 2021 study by Kaiser Permanente found that the majority of 2,200 adults exposed to tear gas in 2020 reported experiencing physical and mental health effects, some for days and even weeks after. More than half of the study respondents who menstruate reported irregular menstrual cycles after tear gas exposure. Tear gas is not as safe and non-lethal as claimed, study director Dr. Ilya Ivlev said. Its a chemical weapon that was banned in warfare in 1993 and now its used on civilians. Lashawnda Shavers, a resident of Gray's Landing, cooks bacon and french toast for dinner at 10:30 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 18, 2025. Shavers said she often has trouble falling asleep from the noise and bright lights that blaze through her apartment. Kristine de Leon 3. Noise from ICE protests exceeds Portland limits, occasionally reaching concert levels Earlier this summer, a resident in the building sued the city of Portland, arguing that local police should be required to enforce nighttime noise limits around the ICE office. A judge declined to compel Portland police to intervene. Under city code, sound in open-space zones is meant to stay near 50 decibels after 10 p.m. Reporters on the ground for The Oregonian/OregonLive have recorded noise levels that frequently exceeded allowable levels, hovering around 70 decibels but occasionally reaching 90. On the particularly rowdy Saturday The Oregonian/OregonLive visited residents the noise levels inside a Grays Landing apartment ran between 50 and 70 decibels. Measurements taken on a residents balcony measured much higher at one point above 110 decibels, similar to a jackhammer or a rock concert. Loudspeakers from the federal government trigger panic. Helicopters whir overhead and occasional flash-bangs spook residents and rattle the dishes in sinks. Im always up so late because its hard to fall asleep with all thats going on, said fifth-floor resident Lashawnda Shavers, 49. A gas mask sits atop a package of bottled water in Lashawnda Shavers apartment on Saturday, Oct. 18, 2025. Abigail Landwehr/The Oregonian 4. The nonprofit that runs the building has spent $150,000 on air quality for residents The nonprofit REACH Community Development runs the Grays Landing apartment complex and has scrambled to blunt the health and quality-of-life impacts on the residents. The apartment building offers space for veterans who have experienced homelessness and others who meet income guidelines. Reach CEO Margaret Salazar said the agency has spent at least $150,000 on relief measures, including renting industrial air filters to put in hallways and replacing the buildings HVAC filters. Tenants can get earplugs at the office. And REACH has contracted with a private security group to have a person monitor the building in the evenings and weekends to make sure that folks arent getting inside when they shouldnt be getting inside, Salazar said. Salazar said her staff has asked city and county officials for additional funding to buy more air purifiers and increase cleaning around the building. A city spokesperson said the Portland Housing Bureau amended a grant it awarded to REACH to include more money for air purifiers, but he didnt specify an amount. The complex wants to offer an air purifier for every unit, but while they wait for more shipments, there are not enough to go around, Salazar said. REACH has turned to the general public for help and has set up a fundraising campaign to cover escalating health and security costs. Meanwhile, residents are spending out of pocket to make their homes livable. Mindy King spent $500 trying to improve the air quality in her apartment. In addition to running a store-bought air purifier, King made a DIY version out of air filters and a box fan. Grays Landing resident Mindy King holds her dog, Jasper, while showing an air purifier setup in her South Portland apartment on Saturday, Oct. 18, 2025. Abigail Landwehr/The Oregonian 5. Residents caught between protests and federal response feel unheard Residents of Grays Landing have contacted the city, complained to property managers and asked elected officials for help. They cant easily relocate because of limited income in an expensive real estate market. So people wait, feeling unheard, caught between the tactics outside and lingering irritants inside. Residents have recorded scenes of arrests, confrontations and dispersals close enough to hear the chants, bullhorn harangues of officers and all kinds of shouting. King said shes faced harassment from what she described as agitators who gather across the street that face her sons bedroom window. On nights when King anticipates more activity she has her son stay with his father because of safety concerns. I dont know what the end game looks like, King said. These are moments that I know a lot of the residents here feel really alone because their voices cant be heard. Mayor Keith Wilson said hes aware of residents concerns and criticized the indiscriminate use by federal officers of tear gas, pepper balls and other munitions against demonstrators, calling the tactics unnecessary when you have people that are peacefully protesting. While Wilson has publicly urged federal authorities to stop or curb the use of the munitions and to follow Oregons restrictions on tear gas and crowd control measures, the mayor has limitations on his ability to control the action of the federal government, said his spokesperson, Cody Bowman. Homeland Security officials have declined to detail specific policies and procedures over the use of force or the volume of munitions used in Portland. They didnt respond to questions about whether federal officers are taking measures to limit chemical exposure to nearby residents or whether theyve consulted public health experts about repeated chemical use in a residential area. This story was drafted with the assistance of generative AI using original reporting from The Oregonian/OregonLive reporter Kristine de Leon and edited by newspaper staff. Officials said that the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Port of Portland and the Portland Metro Explosives Disposal Unit helped scour the building for explosives (file photo). Sean Meagher/The Oregonian Officials evacuated the Washington County courthouse on Thursday morning in response to a bogus bomb threat, officials say. Deputies got word of the threat shortly after 9 a.m. and cleared out the buildings occupants while they conducted a room-to-room search of the premises, the Washington County Sheriffs Office said in a statement. Officials said that the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, the Port of Portland and the Portland Metro Explosives Disposal Unit helped with the search. But deputies didnt find any explosive devices, and the courthouse reopened for regular sessions at 1 p.m. after investigators concluded the call was likely a hoax, officials said. The incident is under investigation, and officials ask anyone with information to contact the sheriffs offices non-emergency dispatch at 503-629-0111 and reference case number 50-25-15241. KUALA LUMPUR, Oct. 31 (Xinhua) -- Chinese Defense Minister Dong Jun met with U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth on Friday on the sidelines of the 12th ASEAN Defense Ministers Meeting Plus in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Dong said that President Xi Jinping and President Donald Trump had held a successful meeting in South Korea, which provided strategic guidance for the steady development of the next stage of China-U.S. relations. He noted that the defense departments of both countries should take concrete actions to implement the consensus reached by the two heads of state, and work toward building a military-to-military relationship based on equality and respect, peaceful coexistence, and stable, positive development. He also expressed hope that the U.S. side will honor its commitment not to seek to contain China and pursue conflict, take a clear stance against "Taiwan independence," and work with China to inject positive energy into regional and global peace and security. This photo provided by Deb Brown shows a bottle with letters inside in Condingup, Australia, Saturday, Oct. 25, 2025. Deb Brown via AP MELBOURNE, Australia Messages in a bottle written by two Australian soldiers a few days into their voyage to the battlefields of France during World War I have been found more than a century later on Australias coast. The Brown family found the Schweppes-brand bottle just above the waterline at Wharton Beach near Esperance in Western Australia state on Oct. 9, Deb Brown said on Tuesday. Her husband Peter and daughter Felicity made the find during one of the familys regular quad bike expeditions to clear the beach of trash. We do a lot of cleaning up on our beaches and so would never go past a piece of rubbish. So this little bottle was lying there waiting to be picked up, Deb Brown said. Inside the clear, thick glass were cheerful letters written in pencil by Privates Malcolm Neville, 27, and William Harley, 37, dated Aug. 15, 1916. Their troop ship HMAT A70 Ballarat had left the South Australia state capital Adelaide to the east on Aug. 12 of that year on the long journey to the other side of the world where its soldiers would reinforce the 48th Australian Infantry Battalion on Europes Western Front. Neville was killed in action a year later. Harley was wounded twice but survived the war, dying in Adelaide in 1934 of a cancer his family say was caused by him being gassed by the Germans in the trenches. Neville requested the bottles finder deliver his letter to his mother Robertina Neville at Wilkawatt, now a virtual ghost town in South Australia. Harley, whose mother was dead by 1916, was happy for the finder to keep his note. Harley wrote may the finder be as well as we are at present. Neville wrote to his mother he was having a real good time, food is real good so far, with the exception of one meal which we buried at sea. The ship was heaving and rolling, but we are as happy as Larry, Neville wrote, using a now faded Australian colloquialism meaning very happy. Neville wrote that he and his comrades were, Somewhere at Sea. Harley wrote that they were, Somewhere in the Bight, referring to the Great Australian Bight. Thats an enormous open bay that begins east of Adelaide and extends to Esperance on the western edge. This photo provided by Deb Brown shows a letter discovered in a bottle in Condingup, Australia, Saturday, Oct. 25, 2025. Deb Brown via AP Deb Brown suspects the bottle didnt travel far. It likely spent more than a century ashore buried in the sand dunes. Extensive erosion of the dunes caused by huge swells along Wharton Beach in recent months probably dislodged it. The paper was wet, but the writing remained legible. Because of that, Deb Brown was able to notify both soldiers relatives of the find. The bottle is in pristine condition. It doesnt have any growth of any barnacles on it. I believe that if it had been at sea or if it had been exposed for that long, the paper wouldve disintegrated from the sun. We wouldnt have been able to read it, she said. Harleys granddaughter Ann Turner said her family was absolutely stunned by the find. We just cant believe it. It really does feel like a miracle and we do very much feel like our grandfather has reached out for us from the grave, Turner told Australian Broadcasting Corp. Nevilles great nephew Herbie Neville said his family had been brought together by the unbelievable discovery. It sounds as though he was pretty happy to go to the war. Its just so sad what happened. Its so sad that he lost his life, Herbie Neville said. Wow. What a man he was, the great nephew added with pride. --By Rod McGuirk/The Associated Press Ochre sea stars are making a recovery on the Oregon coast a decade after they were nearly wiped out by a mysterious wasting disease. courtesy of Sarah Gravem Ochre sea stars, an iconic species once common along the Oregon Coast, are making a recovery after years of decline due to a mysterious wasting disease. Thats according to a study published earlier this month by scientists at Oregon State University and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. Their research shows that a significant baby boom of new sea stars has helped the species rebound to levels at or above their population numbers before the crisis. The species decline goes back to 2013 when an illness began to decimate sea stars on the Pacific Coast, including in Oregon. It has devastated more than 20 sea star species, killing off billions of starfish over the past decade. The disease leads sea stars to develop lesions and makes their arms twist, melt and fall off. Its cause was only recently traced to a strain of bacteria. The new studys findings reveal a dramatic turnaround for the ochre sea stars, which are typically purple or orange and like to suction onto rocks in the surf. Once common at Haystack Rock on Cannon Beach and at many other oceanfront locations, they were almost entirely wiped out. But now theyre back. Its still unclear what led to the recovery. All scientists know is that a large number of baby sea stars ended up onshore in the wake of the wasting disease epidemic. Many of those sea star baby boomers have now reached adulthood and population numbers are now at or exceeding pre-wasting disease levels, they found. Ochre sea stars like to cling to rocks in the surf. They're finally bouncing back from near-extinction after years of decline. courtesy of Sarah Gravem After declines in sea star numbers of up to 84% in 2014, we quickly saw an 8,000% increase in young sea stars landing on shore, said the studys lead author, Sarah Gravem, an assistant professor at Cal Poly who was an OSU postdoctoral researcher when the project launched. The research, which analyzed ochre sea star populations at eight locations along the Oregon Coast over a 23-year period, shows the populations are now large enough that the starfish are once again resuming their role as a keystone predator in the intertidal zone, Gravem said. At three-quarters of the study sites, the stars have resumed chomping on their favorite prey, California mussels, she said. Whats more, the starfish have now grown abundant and large enough that they are eating mussels at similar rates to before the wasting epidemic at most of the sites in Oregon, said Bruce Menge, a professor of integrative biology in the OSU College of Science and Gravems research partner. That means the mussels are no longer able to form mussel beds that in recent years have blanketed intertidal rocks and which made life difficult for other invertebrates and seaweeds. Gravem and Menge are still working to figure out what caused the stars recovery. One hypothesis is that the wasting disease itself set the stage, or triggered, the sea stars resurgence, said Menge, much like a wildfire would lead to new forest regrowth. Both baby and adult sea stars eat the same prey species, so when the wasting disease killed off most of the adults, food was plentiful for the sea star larvae who could survive and grow, Menge said. But its also possible the timing was simply a coincidence, he said. Despite the good news, scientists said the ochre sea star populations have not yet returned to their previously stable state. At all but one research site, their average body sizes are still about 25% to 65% smaller than they once were. And the sea star populations coast-wide are generally less steady from year to year than before the epidemic, likely because wasting disease remains in circulation. A similar recovery also has not been observed among sunflower sea stars the largest and fastest of the starfish species. Their die-off is linked to the disappearance of underwater kelp forests along the Oregon coast. The sunflower star was extremely susceptible to wasting, more than any other species including the ochre star, and the disease is still present, so it might be that disease is still suppressing sunflower star recovery, Menge said. Soldiers patrol in the courtyard of the Louvre museum, Thursday, Oct. 30, 2025 in Paris. AP Photo/Emma Da Silva PARIS The dragnet tightened around the Louvre thieves on Thursday. Five more people were seized in the crown-jewels heist including a suspect tied by DNA the Paris prosecutor said, widening the sweep across the capital and its suburbs. Authorities said three of the four alleged members of the commando team, as French media have dubbed the robbers, are now in custody. The late-night operations in Paris and nearby Seine-Saint-Denis lift the total arrested to seven. Prosecutor Laure Beccuau told RTL that one detainee is suspected of belonging to the brazen quartet that burst into the Apollo Gallery in broad daylight on Oct. 19; others held may be able to inform us about how the events unfolded. Beccuau called the response an exceptional mobilization about 100 investigators, seven days a week, with roughly 150 forensic samples analyzed and 189 items sealed as evidence. Even so, she said the latest arrests did not uncover the loot a trove valued around $102 million that includes a diamond-and-emerald necklace Napoleon gave to Empress Marie-Louise as a wedding gift, jewels tied to 19th-century Queens Marie-Amelie and Hortense, and Empress Eugenies pearl-and-diamond tiara. Only one relic has surfaced so far Eugenies crown, damaged but salvageable, dropped in the escape. Beccuau renewed her appeal: These jewels are now, of course, unsellable Theres still time to give them back. Experts warn the gold could be melted and the stones re-cut to erase their past. From Louvres to the Louvre: Planning a 4-minute crime Key planning details have snapped into focus. Nine days before the raid, a mover who owns a truck-mounted lift the kind movers use to hoist furniture through Parisian windows was mysteriously booked for a moving job on the French classifieds site Leboncoin, a site similar to Craigslist, Beccuau said Wednesday. When he arrived in the town of Louvres, north of Paris, around 10 a.m. on Oct. 10, two men ambushed him and stole the lift truck. On the day of the heist itself, that same vehicle idled beneath the Paris museums riverside facade. Online observers have noted a remarkable coincidence: How a plot that began in Louvres ended at the Louvre. At 9:30 a.m. the basket lift rose to the Apollo Gallery window; at 9:34 the glass gave way; by 9:38 the crew was gone a four-minute strike. Only the near-simultaneous arrival of police and museum security stopped the thieves from torching the lift and preserved crucial traces, the prosecutor said. Security footage shows at least four men forcing a window, cutting into two display cases with power tools and fleeing on two scooters toward eastern Paris. Investigators say there is no sign of insider help for now, though they are not ruling out a wider network beyond the four on camera. A private member of the security claims up the stairs in the Louvre museum, Thursday, Oct. 30, 2025 in Paris. AP Photo/Emma Da Silva) The reckoning over security French police have acknowledged major gaps in the Louvres defenses, turning an audacious theft carried out as visitors walked the corridors into a national reckoning over how France protects its treasures. Paris police chief Patrice Faure told senators the first alert to police came not from the Louvres security systems but from a cyclist outside who dialed the emergency line after seeing helmeted men with a basket lift. He acknowledged that aging, partly analog cameras and slow fixes left seams; $93 million of CCTV cabling work wont finish before 202930, and the Louvres camera authorization even lapsed in July. Officers arrived fast, he said, but the delay came earlier in the chain. Speaking to AP, former bank robber David Desclos characterized the heist as textbook and said he had warned the Louvre of glaring vulnerabilities in the layout of the Apollo Gallery. The Louvre has not responded to the claim. Whos charged already Two earlier suspects, men aged 34 and 39 from Aubervilliers, north of Paris, were charged Wednesday with theft by an organized gang and criminal conspiracy after nearly 96 hours in custody. Beccuau said both gave minimalist statements and partially admitted their involvement. One was stopped at Charles-de-Gaulle Airport with a one-way ticket to Algeria; his DNA matched a scooter used in the getaway. French law normally keeps active investigations under a shroud of secrecy to protect police work and victims privacy. Only the prosecutor may speak publicly, though in high-profile cases police unions have occasionally shared partial details. The brazen smash-and-grab inside the worlds most-visited museum stunned the heritage world. Four men, a lift truck and a stopwatch turned the Apollo Gallerys blaze of gold and light into a crime scene and a test of how France guards what it holds most dear. --By Thomas Adamson and Angela Charlton/The Associated Press BOSTON Two federal judges ruled nearly simultaneously on Friday that President Donald Trumps administration must continue to pay for SNAP, the nations biggest food aid program, using emergency reserve funds during the government shutdown. The judges in Massachusetts and Rhode Island gave the administration leeway on whether to fund the program partially or in full for November. That also brings uncertainty about how things will unfold and will delay payments for many beneficiaries whose cards would normally be recharged early in the month. The U.S. Department of Agriculture planned to freeze payments to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program starting Nov. 1 because it said it could no longer keep funding it due to the shutdown. The program serves about 1 in 8 Americans and is a major piece of the nations social safety net and it costs about $8 billion per month nationally. U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, a Minnesota Democrat and the ranking member of the Senate Agriculture committee that oversees the food aid program, said Fridays rulings from judges nominated to the bench by former President Barack Obama confirm what Democrats have been saying: The administration is choosing not to feed Americans in need, despite knowing that it is legally required to do so. Trump posted on social media Friday blasting congressional Democrats for the shutdown and suggesting the government would comply with the rulings but also that it needed more clarity first: If we are given the appropriate legal direction by the Court, it will BE MY HONOR to provide the funding. Produce, which is covered by the USDA Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), is displayed for sale at a grocery store Friday, Oct. 31, 2025, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/George Walker IV) AP Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek called the ruling a welcome development, but cautioned the money that Oregon SNAP recipients are entitled to is not going to hit their Oregon Trail cards Saturday or Sunday. I stay concerned, Kotek said in a statement. Oregonians need help now, which is why I authorized $5 million earlier this week to assist our emergency food pantry network. We are still in a hunger emergency. The state must continue its emergency work because the federal government hasnt given Oregon its money yet. I reiterate my call to President Trump and USDA Secretary Rollins to use available discretionary funds immediately, she continued. Any appeal of this ruling would show that the Administration is allowing Americans to go hungry. The federal government should not delay or spend another penny elsewhere before the deadline provided by the court. Judges agree at least one fund must go toward SNAP Democratic state attorneys general or governors from 25 states, as well as the District of Columbia, challenged the plan to pause the program, contending that the administration has a legal obligation to keep it running in their jurisdictions. The administration said it wasnt allowed to use a contingency fund of about $5 billion for the program, which reversed a USDA plan from before the shutdown that said money would be tapped to keep SNAP running. The Democratic officials argued that not only could that money be used, but that it must be. They also said a separate fund with around $23 billion is available for the cause. In Providence, Rhode Island, U.S. District Judge John J. McConnell ruled from the bench in a case filed by cities and nonprofits that the program must be funded using at least the contingency funds, and he asked for an update on progress by Monday. Along with ordering the federal government to use emergency reserves to backfill SNAP benefits, McConnell ruled that all previous work requirement waivers must continue to be honored. The USDA during the shutdown has terminated existing waivers that exempted work requirements for older adults, veterans and others. There were similar elements in the Boston case, where U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani ruled in a written opinion that the USDA has to pay for SNAP, calling the suspension unlawful. She ordered the federal government to advise the court by Monday as to whether they will use the emergency reserve funds to provide reduced SNAP benefits for November or fully fund the program using both contingency funds and additional available funds. Defendants suspension of SNAP payments was based on the erroneous conclusion that the Contingency Funds could not be used to ensure continuation of SNAP payments, she wrote. This court has now clarified that Defendants are required to use those Contingency Funds as necessary for the SNAP program. A volunteer prepares meals at the Philabundance Community Kitchen in Philadelphia, Thursday, Oct. 30, 2025. AP Photo/Matt Rourke For many, benefits will still be delayed after the ruling No matter how the rulings came down, the benefits for millions of people will be delayed in November because the process of loading cards can take a week or more in many states. The administration did not immediately say whether it would appeal the rulings. States, food banks and SNAP recipients have been bracing for an abrupt shift in how low-income people can get groceries. Advocates and beneficiaries say halting the food aid would force people to choose between buying groceries and paying other bills. The majority of states have announced more or expedited funding for food banks or novel ways to load at least some benefits onto the SNAP debit cards. Across the U.S., advocates who had been sounding the alarm for weeks about the pending SNAP benefits cut off let out a small sigh of relief on Friday as the rulings came down, while acknowledging the win is temporary and possibly not complete. Thousands of nonprofit food banks, pantries and other organizations across the country can avoid the impossible burden that would have resulted if SNAP benefits had been halted, said Diane Yentel, president and CEO of the National Council of Nonprofits, one of the plaintiffs in the Rhode Island case. Volunteers pack items for distribution at the Oregon Food Bank on Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025, in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane) AP The possibility of reduced benefits also means uncertainty Cynthia Kirkhart, CEO of Facing Hunger Food Bank in Huntington, West Virginia, said her organization and the pantries it serves in Kentucky, Ohio and West Virginia will keep their extra hours this weekend, knowing that the people whose benefits usually arrive at the start of the month wont see them. What we know, unless the administration is magical, is nothing is going to happen tomorrow, she said. Kristle Johnson, a 32-year-old full-time nursing student and mother of three in Florida, is concerned about the possibility of reduced benefits. Despite buying meat in bulk, careful meal planning and not buying junk food, she said, her $994 a month benefit doesnt buy a full months groceries. Now I have to deal with someone who wants to get rid of everything I have to keep my family afloat until I can better myself, Johnson said of Trump. The ruling doesnt resolve partisan tussles At a Washington news conference earlier Friday, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, whose department runs SNAP, said the contingency funds in question would not cover the cost of the program for long. Speaking at a press conference with House Speaker Mike Johnson at the Capitol, she blamed Democrats for conducting a disgusting dereliction of duty by refusing to end their Senate filibuster as they hold out for an extension of health care funds. A push this week to continue SNAP funding during the shutdown failed in Congress. To qualify for SNAP in 2025, a family of fours net income after certain expenses cant exceed the federal poverty line, which is about $31,000 per year. Last year, SNAP provided assistance to 41 million people, nearly two-thirds of whom were families with children. The courts ruling protects millions of families, seniors, and veterans from being used as leverage in a political fight and upholds the principle that no one in America should go hungry, Skye Perryman, president and CEO of Democracy Forward, said of the Rhode Island decision. --By MICHAEL CASEY, GEOFF MULVIHILL and KIMBERLEE KRUESI/The Associated Press Protesters gathered outside the Portland ICE facility on Monday, Oct. 27, 2025. Dave Killen / Special to The Oregonian The U.S. Department of Justice is prodding Portland to turn over more protest records by leveraging the decade-old settlement agreement between federal officials and the Portland Police Bureau. In a Wednesday letter, the DOJs civil rights division chief Harmeet Dhillon warned that the city was failing to comply with terms of the 2014 settlement regarding the departments use of force against the mentally ill. Specifically, the letter said Portland violated a provision requiring the Police Bureau to provide full and direct access to all records necessary to enforce the settlement. The federal governments missive is the latest in their pledge to launch a full investigation into the Portland Police Bureau, which it claims engages in viewpoint discrimination by supporting left-wing protesters at the expense of counterprotesters and right-wing media. Dhillon launched her probe Oct. 3 after Portland police arrested right-wing journalist Nick Sortor during a chaotic brawl outside the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement office in South Portland the night prior. Sortor was released from jail hours later and Multnomah County District Attorney Nathan Vasquez declined to file charges in the case a few days later, saying the journalist had acted in self defense. Conservative journalist Nick Sortor speaks at a press conference in Portland in October 2025. Zane Sparling/The Oregonian City attorneys responded to the Civil Rights Divisions first request for documents on Oct. 6 and provided some files via a public records request, but gave no timeline for producing the rest, according to Dhillon. A confidential mediation session Oct. 8 was unfruitful, spurring the second demand for records. The settlement agreement was crafted during the administration of President Barack Obama. The letter notes that it requires officers to apply policies uniformly. U.S. District Judge Michael Simon of Oregon, who has presided over the use of force case since the federal lawsuit was filed in 2012, meets with both parties and an independently appointed monitor twice a year. Neither side has filed a motion regarding the feds viewpoint discrimination investigation, records show. The next status check in the case is scheduled for Jan. 6. In a Thursday statement, City Attorney Robert Taylor told The Oregonian/OregonLive that the settlement agreement was being used as a pressure point to pursue unrelated political goals and satisfy President Donald Trumps apparent fixation on our city. The City Attorneys Office believes this is unlawful and inappropriate, another clear example of federal overreach, and demonstrates the political weaponization of the Settlement Agreement by the U.S. Department of Justice, he said. An attorney for Sortor has vowed to sue over his arrest, but no lawsuit has been filed so far. Since early October, the Civil Rights Division has sought voluminous material from the city on topics far afield from Sortors arrest. The requested material includes all communications by the mayor and police chief related to protests, immigration or ICE, all body-worn camera footage taken at protests and any communications from city officials regarding zoning enforcement at the ICE facility. The new request imposes its own deadline of Nov. 28. Dhillon is taking a vigorous interest in Portlands woke police practices, as she wrote on social media Oct. 16, adding elsewhere that the city continues to ignore the rights of citizens & journalists. The Department of Justices Civil Right Division didnt immediately respond to a request for comment, though press communications have been limited during the government shutdown. Organizations that help ensure food ends up on the tables of thousands of struggling Oregonians each day say they already faced extraordinary demand this year due to rising rents and food prices. Now the looming lapse in federal food assistance dollars for 757,000 state residents has magnified the dire situation and theyre not equipped to keep everyone fed. In the face of a freeze to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, that is slated to occur Saturday, many large Oregon food aid organizations say they have no reserves to draw from, even with an influx of donations and $5 million in state aid pledged by Gov. Tina Kotek Wednesday. Its important to note: For every one meal food banks provide, SNAP provides nine, Suleiman Amanzad, a spokesperson for the Oregon Food Bank, said in an email. There is simply no way for food banks to replace this critical program. The Oregon Food Bank, the largest food aid organization serving Oregon and Southwest Washington, recorded 2.5 million visits to its network of food assistance sites by people in need last year, a 31% increase from the previous year. Oregon Food Bank and our statewide network are doing all we can to help but we are already stretched to the limit, Amanzad said. We are serving record numbers of people and any disruption to SNAP will bring even more people through our doors overnight. Many food aid organizations say that, though funding is tight, they will try not to turn anyone in need away. At nonprofit Sunshine Division, which distributes food and clothing to Portland area residents in need, appointments to shop for free groceries at its food pantry at Southeast 124th and Stark Street are booked up for nearly two weeks. But the pantry still welcomes walk-ins, on a space-available basis. The pantry will also extend its hours starting Nov. 8. At Meals on Wheels People, which serves and delivers meals across the Portland-Vancouver area to people 60 and older, CEO Suzanne Washington said her organization is expecting a surge in older adults needing help. A lot of people we dont currently serve are able to get by with a little bit of SNAP money, Washington said. When that goes away, we anticipate people will need our services. Our intent is to feed them as long as we can, but were dependent on donations from the community. The organization had planned on serving a million meals this year, but Washington now hopes to bump that up to 1.1 million, if community donations allow. Weve never had a wait list, Washington said of the organizations 54-year history. We dont want to have one now. For younger members of the community, school districts are some of the most important providers of food to students in need. Many districts provide free breakfast and lunch to all students, paid by the federal government. In a typical school week, that accounts for 10 free meals of the 21 meals a child might eat in per week. Districts such as the Beaverton School District also have on-site afterschool supper programs at schools where at least half of students come from families with incomes at or below 185% of the federal poverty level. Some Oregon districts also work with community organizations and volunteers to donate food boxes for students to take home for their whole family or run food pantries at school sites. But Portland area school districts say they dont have the money to boost those efforts. We are incredibly concerned for our families who are in danger of losing access to their SNAP benefits, Athena Vadnais, spokesperson for the Gresham-Barlow School District, said in an email. We do not know of any funding source that would allow us to provide additional meals or food boxes. On Thursday, Portland Public Schools emailed families a list of community resources they could turn to for help. In a bulletin this week, the Oregon Department of Education says school districts cant use federal money designated for free student meals to send food to food banks or home with students. The Oregon Food Bank this week urged the public to help curtail the crisis not only by donating to it or one of the regional food banks in its network but also by lobbying for change by writing members of Congress or the USDA to release contingency funds that have been set aside to keep the food money flowing. Oregon is among 25 states that are suing the Trump administration to prevent the cutoff beginning Saturday, though the administration has said it cant legally tap emergency reserves. A judge on Thursday appeared ready to order the administration to unleash emergency funds, but still could mean some SNAP recipients receive reduced benefits or delays in getting food money. The judge said she planned to rule soon. Each month, Oregonians typically receive about $142 million in federally funded SNAP benefits. WASHINGTON The Trump administration is restricting the number of refugees it admits annually into the country to 7,500 and they will mostly be white South Africans, a dramatic drop after the United States previously allowed in hundreds of thousands of people fleeing war and persecution from around the world. The Republican administration published the news Thursday in a notice on the Federal Registry. No reason was given for the numbers, which are a dramatic decrease from last years ceiling of 125,000 set under Democratic President Joe Biden. The Associated Press previously reported that the administration was considering admitting as few as 7,500 refugees and mostly white South Africans. The memo said only that the admission of the 7,500 refugees during 2026 fiscal year was justified by humanitarian concerns or is otherwise in the national interest. The slashed cap represents another blow for the long-standing program that until recently has enjoyed bipartisan support. Trump suspended the program on his first day in office and since then only a trickle of refugees have entered the country, mostly white South Africans. Some refugees have also been admitted as part of a court case seeking to allow entry to refugees who were overseas and in the process of coming to the U.S. when the program was suspended. The administration announced the program for the Afrikaners in February, saying that white South African farmers face discrimination and violence at home. The countrys government strongly denies this characterization. Across the country groups that work to help resettle newly arrived refugees into the country have had to lay off staff as the number of people arriving under the longstanding program plummeted. By REBECCA SANTANA, Associated Press A woman is accused of punching a Federal Protective Service officer after he pulled her over in a traffic stop. (Joel Bissell | MLive.com) Joel Bissell | MLive.com A Happy Valley woman is accused of flipping off a federal officer in traffic, cutting off his marked government car repeatedly while they drove and then punching him in the face after he pulled her over in a traffic stop. Melanie Breanne Rivas, 25, confronted the Federal Protective Service officer Wednesday as he was driving in a marked agency car, headed to work in downtown Portland, according to a federal affidavit. Rivas pulled her car up beside the officers near Southeast Sunnyside Road and 152nd Avenue in Happy Valley, jerked her car toward his as if trying to bang into it and flipped him off, the affidavit said. She then pulled her car in front of his marked Federal Protective Service patrol car and slammed on her brakes, according to the affidavit. She allegedly repeated this over and over for more than four miles. When the officer changed lanes, Rivas changed lanes and remained in front of the officers car and kept braking sharply, the affidavit said. The officer, whose name is redacted in court records, finally initiated a traffic stop on Southeast Sunnybrook Boulevard, near the exit 12A ramp of Interstate 205. When he directed Rivas to step out of her car, she initially refused, saying, Nope, Im not doing it. I am a lawyer and need to be in court, the affidavit said. As he grabbed her right wrist to handcuff her, Rivas pulled her arm away from his grasp and said, Nope! Not happening today! and then punched him in the left side of his face, the affidavit said. Rivas is listed as a lawyer for an Oregon-based firm called Evergreen Legal Services. Her profile on the firms website says she graduated from Willamette University College of Law, was admitted to the Oregon State Bar in October 2024 and represents clients in juvenile dependency and delinquency matters. She previously worked as a law clerk to attorneys helping marginalized communities. When reached by The Oregonian/OregonLive, Rivas declined to comment. She made her first appearance in federal court on Thursday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Stacie F. Beckerman. She was ordered released pending further court proceedings. About 50 protesters gathered outside of the Portland ICE facility on Thursday, October 30, 2025. Zaeem Shaikh/The Oregonian The federal trial in Portland over President Trumps decision to send National Guard troops to the city continued Thursday, two days after a majority of the judges of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals voted to reconsider an earlier decision by the court to allow the deployment. The Portland-based judge who barred the troops deployment to the city earlier this month questioned federal government lawyers over why a small group of National Guard troops were at the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in South Portland on Oct. 4 and remained there for hours even after she had issued the temporary restraining order. Meanwhile, on the night before Halloween, protesters outside the ICE building got in the holiday spirit. Heres what we know this morning. Trial over National Guard deployment zeroes in on federal officers training In the second day of the federal trial that is part of local and state officials efforts to prevent troops from being sent to Portland, U.S. Justice Department lawyers said Oregon National Guard members remained at the citys ICE building for hours after a temporary restraining order barred their deployment because it took some time for orders to be relayed through the chain of command. Up to 10 National Guard soldiers were sent to the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in South Portland on Oct. 4 at 11:35 a.m. and remained at the building until midnight that day, about eight hours after U.S. District Judge Karin J. Immerguts order was issued. On Thursday, Immergut pressed federal government lawyers: Who was responsible for notifying the National Guard in the building that the court had prohibited their deployment? Who was responsible for it? U.S. Department of Justice attorney Eric Hamilton said the direction came from high up in the chain of command of the San Antonio-based U.S. Army Northern Command, and that it involved a four-star general and people in different time zones. In other testimony at the trial, Portland police Assistant Chief Craig Dobson said the citys police would not fire less-lethal munitions off of a roof into a crowd, as federal officers have repeatedly done during protests outside the ICE building in the South Waterfront neighborhood. My concern, again, is, What is their training? he said. Crowd management is complex. Also at the trial Thursday, a deputy regional director of the Federal Protective Service said the large number of federal officers providing around-the-clock protection at the Portland ICE building after violence in June is unsustainable. He also said he was disappointed by a lack of assistance from Portland police when federal officers asked for help at the ICE building. Read the story by Maxine Bernstein. Feds say Portland polices viewpoint discrimination must stop As the court battle over the troop deployment grinds on, the federal government is making good on its recent pledge to investigate the Portland Police Bureau. The U.S. Department of Justice claims the police in Oregons largest city engages in viewpoint discrimination that the bureau backs those protesting ICE and does not support counterprotesters and right-wing media. This week, the DOJ sought additional records from the city about protests in Portland, claiming the city was failing to comply with the terms of a 2014 settlement with the federal government regarding the bureaus use of force, even though that settlement had little to do with protests in the city. The DOJ effort was launched the day after Portland police on Oct. 2 arrested right-wing influencer Nick Sortor during a chaotic brawl outside the ICE building. Read Zane Sparlings story. Protesters danced while federal officers watched from roof When dusk arrived on Thursday about 30 people were milling about outside the ICE building. Half-a-dozen or so Portland police officers also were on the scene. Cars moved easily through the street, with a few drivers leaning on their horns in support as they drove by. A dance party broke out on the sidewalk near the Grays Landing apartments shortly after 6:30 p.m., with about 20 people, some of them in costumes, pairing off to swivel their hips and spin each other to Latin music. On the night before Halloween, the costumed included a bumble bee, the Statue of Liberty and two frog skeletons. Another 15 or so people stood or sat nearby, including one knitting at a crochet table. A man wearing a Santa suit held a sign that read, All is Not Calm and Bright. Protesters gather at the Portland ICE facility on Thursday, October 30, 2025. Zaeem Shaikh/The Oregonian Later, about 10 people stood in front of the ICE buildings driveway, including two wearing green hats that said, National Lawyers Guild Legal Observer. The Portland Chicken, a protest staple, was there wearing his chicken outfit and an American flag cape. A clutch of federal officers, some of them masked and in full camouflage uniforms, watched from the ICE buildings lower roof. A man on the sidewalk with a megaphone yelled at them. Portland police moved around the demonstrators, with one officer telling a man drinking from a can of beer that he was violating city code. The man poured out the rest of the can. The scene remained low-key and non-confrontational, with the total number of demonstrators totaling around 50 or so. When the ICE buildings driveway gates opened, no officers came out on foot to keep protesters away, as they often have in force in recent weeks. Around 7:30 p.m., a car exited the property without incident, other than some demonstrators flipping off the occupants. Six more vehicles soon pulled out of the driveway, also with no escorts. No protesters got in their way. An Oregon State Police cruiser slowly drove around the block over and over throughout the early evening. A social-media influencer live-streamed the scene, commentating in Spanish. What were watching for today The federal trial in Portland over National Guard troops being ordered to the city is expected to wrap up Friday, though its not clear when the judge might issue a decision. Want an afternoon update? The Oregonian/OregonLives new ICE Protests in Portland newsletter is delivered to thousands of subscribers at 3 p.m. daily. To join them, simply click here to opt in. the findings of which were that people who wore predominantly black and brown shoes tended to have avoida Walter Benjamin once told Ernst Bloch a Hasidic story about what the world would look like when the Messiah came: Just as our ro A send-off ceremony for the three Chinese astronauts of the Shenzhou-21 crewed space mission was held Friday at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China, according to the China Manned Space Agency. The disreputable Flowers manages to live an exemplary life by hitching his dignity to his sense of humor and his sense of decency.a glossary equal parts ridiculous and festi lady pea; mortgage lifter bean and blue shackamaxon; beluga lentil and pardina lentil and speckled minisink.Or maybe it is the hair that hangs down to her waist and which was What kind of white star you gonna get for a Black movie? Lassie? prompting the unforgettable response: Line a tray with parchment paper and assemble a piping bag fitted with a large cake tip (I used one with a fifteen-mm round open because I know then that its john larroquette night court yakima county district court supreme court oh One of the things that really inte that had just abruptly sold He explained that his giraffe didnt The subtle shift in the article I hear in the lyrics of Since I Left You and its source materiala world vs the worldsums the tension one negotiates between idiosyncrasy The story keeps saying yes to its own twisted logic and doesnt ever shy away f revealed the existential nature of broward clerk of courts arlington courts court 311 default divorce document we can see the intimate associatio Professional authors under t A Coping Mechanism When Faced with E the Hotel Boulderados stationery was informed by a countercultural aesthetic that was beginning to enter the mainstream.Franco and the others strained their ears at the crac I failed to find another album like either Barbara Johnsons or the one that had fallen into my own hands.a drink with Schiffrin and Dolores Vanetti who speaks the purest sla since she was not attractive to my unawakened senses and was easily seven or eight years older than I.and when she plucks the last petal with a triumphant He loves me! Fa a sixty-four-year-old man named William returns to the rural Scottish village My interest in finance men as romantic material was as mysterious to me as my interest in finance as material for a book.The deliriously vivid speech that the performers they do it because that same dish you fell in love with several years ago is s Whos more blind to our world than the astronomer squinting into his telescopes eyepiece? They can foresee a future eclipse of the sun.I was confident that whatever interacti Compare the trio of British cynics who represent their colonial remnant to the three ebullient American GIs whom Jack runs into on the street.) Princes song Lets Go Crazy is which continually seeped into my mo supreme court judge boasberg arizona superior court in yuma county yuma az bureau county il court records sometimes because someone or somet I see people delighted less Within a mile or so of Murrays child HANOI, Oct. 31 (Xinhua) -- More than 9,700 hybrid cars were sold in Vietnam in the first nine months of 2025, up 73 percent year-on-year, Vietnam News Agency reported Friday, citing the Vietnam Automobile Manufacturers' Association. The figure reflects a growing consumer preference for greener mobility options, the report said. The growth momentum is expected to strengthen from Jan. 1, 2026, when the revised Law on Special Consumption Tax takes effect, cutting the tax rate for hybrid vehicles to 70 percent of that applied to conventional petrol cars, according to the state-owned media. The association said wider adoption of hybrid vehicles could help Vietnam reduce national carbon dioxide emissions by more than 2.6 million tons. This talk was delivered as part of huron county district court pdiddy in court berkeley court whats most personal becomes most u its seamstresses at Playtex the monopoly of interpretation that A western Pennsylvania DoorDash driver has been sentenced to at least a year in state prison for stealing packages from porches and selling them in a multi-county scheme. According to a statement from state Attorney General Dave Sunday, 35-year-old John Manning of Indiana County pleaded guilty to felony organized retail theft earlier in October. Manning was sentenced to serve one to three years in prison followed by four years of probation. Sunday said the crime spree covered Allegheny, Armstrong, Indiana and Westmoreland counties. Manning stole over $5,000 worth of goods in the packages. Manning used his job as a DoorDash driver to case potential targets, according to the statement. While delivering meals as a DoorDash driver, this defendant was also scouting neighborhoods and homes for potential theft opportunities, which he later acted upon, Sunday said. Manning then sold many of the stolen items on Facebook Marketplace, Sunday said. A woman who led police on a chase after trying to break into a Derry Township elementary school last year was accepted into a rehabilitation program that will allow the charges to be wiped from her criminal record. Erica Dubose, 39, drove more than 100 miles from her Baltimore, Maryland, home to Derry Township on March 15, 2024, where she started yelling and pulling on the locked door of the townships elementary school, police said in court documents filed at the time. She was charged with trespassing, fleeing or attempting to elude an officer, disorderly conduct and trespassing by motor vehicle. Court records show Dubose was accepted on Oct. 10 into Dauphin Countys accelerated rehabilitative disposition (ARD) program. To have the charges expunged, she was ordered to complete 12 months of probation, 50 hours of community service, and undergo a mental health evaluation. Court documents that Derry Township police filed against Dubose last year gave the following account of what led to her arrest: After trying to break into the elementary school, Dubose got in her tan Toyota Camry and started to drive away, but the sedan got stuck partway over the curb by the school bus driveway. Court documents said Dubose dislodged her car as Derry Township police arrived at the school. She then led police on an 8-mile chase that ended in the ZooAmerica parking lot on Park Avenue. Dubose got out of the car and was arrested in the lot. Court documents said she refused to provide her name and was repeatedly praying to God and Jesus as she was arrested. Court documents were initially filed under Jane Doe while police worked to identify her. Police said officers were able to identify Dubose from the Camrys owner registration. A York County judge accused of telling his private law practices employees to fraudulently collect COVID-related unemployment checks has been accepted into a federal diversion program, court records show. Days before his Nov. 3 trial was set to begin, York County Court of Common Pleas Judge Steven Stambaugh, 62, accepted a deal to enter a pretrial diversion program, according to a court memorandum filed Tuesday Oct. 28. He had faced up to 20 years in prison for the mail, wire fraud and witness tampering offenses, and 10 years in prison for the obstruction of justice charge. By entering the program, Stambaugh will avoid having to enter a plea or face trial. He will have to complete certain government requirements and avoid other criminal infractions, court documents show. The charges against him could be reduced or dismissed if he successfully completes the program. The agreement comes about a year after Stambaugh was indicted on 26 counts of wire fraud, two counts of mail fraud, and a count each of witness tampering and obstruction of justice. According to the indictment, Stambaugh told his employees at Stambaugh Law, P.C., to work from home between March 19 and May 18, 2020, while they were laid off. That allowed them to collect $600 a week from the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation program while still working. Sometime between April 2021 and November 2022, federal officials said Stambaugh tried to pressure an employee to tell investigators they volunteered to work for Stambaugh while claiming unemployment. Stambaugh joined the bench on Jan. 3, 2022. He was suspended without pay after he was indicted and remains suspended. Its unclear if he will return to the bench after his diversion program. Earlier this year, Rep. Seth Grove (R-Dover) introduced a measure to start impeachment proceedings against Stambaugh, saying No one is above the law, especially those who are supposed to judge and sentence those who have violated the law. A rogue judge who violates the law gives a black eye to all those who hold dear our justice system to be fair and impartial. His measure is still pending. According to the Pennsylvania Constitution, a judge can only be impeached for misbehavior in office by the state House of Representatives. Articles of impeachment are then presented to the state Senate, whose members decide on either conviction or acquittal. (From left, top-down) La Tasha Williams, Fran Chardo, Katy Kennedy-McShane, and James Zugay are running to fill two open court of common pleas positions in Dauphin County. Williams photo courtesy of Chuckee Henderson; Chardo photo provided by Fran Chardo; Zugay photo provided by GK Visual; Kennedy-McShane photo provided by JCPenney Portraits. Photos submitted Editors note: This story has been updated to clarify political parties did not donate to these races, and instead provided postage to candidates with funding the candidates provided. Hundreds of thousands of dollars are being pumped into the highly contentious judicial race for two seats on the Dauphin County Court of Common Pleas. Republicans Fran Chardo and James Zugay want to continue their public service careers as elected judges, while private attorneys Katy Kennedy-McShane and La Tasha Williams, both Democrats, are seeking a place on the bench. To run for judge, candidates must live in their judicial district for a year, be a member of the state bar and be younger than 75, the mandatory retirement age for state judges. In a county where 39.7% of its 197,476 voters are registered as Republicans opposed to 42.75% registered Democrats, Dauphin Countys nine common pleas judges are all Republicans. The county hasnt elected a Democrat judge since Jeannine Turgeon in 1991. Pennsylvania has a closed primary, meaning voters of a registered party vote on who to nominate to represent their party. Because there are two open seats, each party could nominate two candidates for the election. Williams, who exclusively ran for the Democratic Partys nomination in the May primary, received 12,975 votes from Democrats. Chardo won the support of 12,489 Republicans in the primary, and 5,959 Democrats voted for him too. Zuguy received votes from 12,001 Republicans and 3,918 Democrats in the primary. Kennedy-McShane received the support of 12,858 Democrats and 4,877 Republicans. Despite history stacking the odds against the Democrats candidates, Kennedy-McShane has pumped a significant amount of money into advertising and a mail-in campaign, according to recent campaign finance reports. Kennedy-McShane, 43, is a private defense attorney who moved to Pennsylvania in 2013 to join The McShane Firm. She spent three years before that as a prosecutor in Colorado. Kennedy-McShane has spent around $467,000 on her campaign as of Oct. 20, about double the previous record-setting campaign in Dauphin County in 2023 for now-sitting Judge Courtney Powell. Finance reports show McShane loaned herself $320,000 for her campaign, supplemented by thousand-dollar contributions from political action committees, such as those belonging to state Rep. David Madsen and Dauphin County Commissioner George Hartwick, both Democrats. Kennedy-McShanes husband, Justin McShane, previously represented Hartwick when Hartwick was charged with DUI after being accused of crashing a Dauphin County-owned vehicle in a parking garage. McShane previously served under Hartwick in the county solicitors office, but resigned nine days after being named chief solicitor. McShane used the lions share of her money for mailers, campaign literature and postage through the Pennsylvania Democratic Party. She also spent $186,000 with SP Media, a company that makes television ads for major congressional races a virtually unheard of amount spent on ads for a judges race in Dauphin County. Chardo, 57, of Lower Paxton Township, has been a prosecutor since 1994 and has spent eight years as the countys district attorney. If elected, Chardo would continue decades of tradition by becoming the fourth district attorney in a row to ascend to the judicial bench. Two of those former district attorneys have since retired. As of Oct. 20, Chardo spent around $150,000 on his campaign, having loaned himself $35,000. He brought forward around $54,000 from his District Attorney campaign war chest. Zugay, 57, of Hummelstown, has run his own private practice for 22 years while he served as the countys recorder of deeds. Before that, he was an 11-year public defender for the county. Zugay spent around $188,000 on his campaign as of Oct. 20. He and his wife loaned his campaign a total of $160,000. Most of Zugays funding was spent on campaign literature and mailers. Williams, 43, of Susquehanna Township is a private practice defense attorney who focuses on post-sentence appeals. She is the only person of color running for the court of common pleas and, if elected, would be the first Black woman elected to the bench in Dauphin County history. Since the May primary, Williams filed one campaign finance report and missed the October 20 deadline, resulting in her being placed on the failed to file list on the Department of States website. Williams received around $2,600 in contributions and spent about $2,000, mostly on campaign literature. COLOMBO, Oct. 31 (Xinhua) -- Fourteen foreign investors have expressed interest in Sri Lanka's mineral exploration and related industries, with proposed investments totaling nearly 1 billion U.S. dollars, a senior Board of Investment (BOI) official told journalists on Thursday. BOI Chairman Arjuna Herath said most of the investments are in minerals exploration and processing, signaling renewed global confidence in Sri Lanka's resource potential. To support these projects, the Ministry of Industries is formulating a new policy framework on mineral resource management, along with a robust regulatory mechanism to ensure transparency, environmental protection, and long-term sustainability, he said. Herath said that once implemented, the projects will help accelerate development in the mineral sector, create hundreds of jobs, and strengthen the country's industrial base, aligning with Sri Lanka's broader economic recovery efforts. Sri Lanka is richly endowed with a huge variety of industrial minerals such as graphite, ilmenite, rutile, zircon, and quartz, a report by the Ministry of Industry and Entrepreneurship Development-Sri Lanka said. The sun sets over Pennsylvania as voters take to the polls in Harrisburg on Election Day, Nov. 8, 2022. Amanda Berg / For Spotlight PA Amanda Berg / For Spotlight PA By Elizabeth Estrada and Katie Meyer of Spotlight PA Spotlight PA is an independent, nonpartisan, and nonprofit newsroom producing investigative and public-service journalism that holds power to account and drives positive change in Pennsylvania. Sign up for our free newsletters. HARRISBURG Whether you cast your ballot in person or by mail on Nov. 4, you want to make sure your vote counts. The best way to do that is to know your rights. Here are key state and federal protections for Pennsylvania voters covering everything from prior criminal convictions, to getting a provisional ballot, to dealing with disruptions at a polling place. If youre in line by 8 p.m., you have the right to cast your ballot Polls are open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. If you are in line by the time the polls close at 8 p.m., you have the right to vote. You have the right to vote without being intimidated Voter intimidation is illegal under both state and federal law, both of which also protect election workers. If you believe someone is trying to intimidate you at the polls, you have recourse. Intimidation includes explicit physical or verbal threats, interrogation, and being photographed or recorded. A more comprehensive list of intimidation tactics covered under the law is on the states website. If you are subjected to intimidation, or if you witness it, you should report it to your county election office, either online or by finding the phone number for your county board of elections. You can also call the Pennsylvania Department of States voter hotline at 1-877-VOTESPA (1-877-868-3772). Once complaints are received, the Office of Attorney General can investigate and prosecute voter intimidation. Many Pa. voters do not need to present ID at the polls Different states have different rules around voter identification. In Pennsylvania, only first-time voters at a given polling location need to present ID. If you have voted at your polling place before, you do not need to show ID in order to vote. If its your first time voting at your polling place, you will need ID. This can include a state-issued drivers license or ID card, passport, or some other document that includes both the name and address that match your voter registration. A full list of acceptable IDs is available on the states website. If you are told youre required to present ID but do not have it, you have two options: You can go home, get ID, and return to the polling place; or you can cast a provisional ballot. A provisional ballot is used when poll workers have questions about a voters eligibility. Anyone can request a provisional ballot. You will fill out, seal, sign, and date the ballot in your polling place, turn it over to poll workers, and receive a receipt. Provisional ballots will be tabulated after county workers finish counting all other ballots, and they will pay special attention to make sure you are eligible to vote. This includes confirming that you havent voted already, that you live in Pennsylvania, and that you are properly registered to vote. In very close elections, these ballots can decide who wins. You can see whether your provisional ballot was accepted by visiting the states website, which has a ballot search function. You will need your provisional ballot identification number, which will be on the receipt you got at your polling place. You have the right to assistance at your polling place If you are a voter who requires assistance, you have the right to bring someone of your choice to help you, as long as they are not your employer, union representative, or a judge of elections. Voters eligible for assistance include those who need translation in a language other than English, literary assistance, and more. If it is your first time receiving assistance, you may be required to complete a declaration (available in 13 different languages), but voters do not need to be designated as assistance permitted in the pollbook to receive help. You also have the right to refuse assistance. You have the right to accessible voting if you have a disability In Pennsylvania, every polling place must have at least one accessible voting system. Depending on your polling location, this may be the same machine that is used by all voters, or it may be a different machine with special features such as audio, tactile keys, and other assistive technology. You can look up the accessible voting system in your county in advance. You can also look up your polling location here to make sure the building itself will be accessible. If you are not able to access your polling location, you have the right to vote via an alternative ballot until polls close. If you changed your mind about voting by mail, you have options If you applied for a mail ballot, but for whatever reason no longer wish to use it, you have options. If you have the mail ballot and both of its envelopes on hand, you can bring it to your assigned polling place and ask a poll worker to spoil it. Youll be required to sign a form declaring that you havent voted by mail. After that, you should be allowed to vote at the precinct. If you lost or did not receive your mail ballot, you can still go to your polling place to cast a ballot, but instead of voting normally, you will fill out a provisional ballot. If you decide to complete your mail ballot, drop it off at your county election office by 8 p.m. on Election Day. Every county election office has different hours of operation, so make sure to double-check the hours ahead of time. Many counties also have satellite offices or drop boxes where ballots can be returned. You can find a list of drop-off locations and hours here. Do not mail your ballot at this point. It must be received by your county by 8 p.m. on Election Day. Postmarks do not count. Told you cant vote, but think thats wrong? You have rights Youve arrived at what you think is your polling place, and the workers tell you your name isnt in the pollbook. First, make sure the worker has the right spelling and that you are in fact at the right polling place for your address (sometimes they move). You can find your correct polling place using this Department of State tool. If you still are not permitted to cast a ballot, you can request a provisional ballot. Once you cast one, county workers will receive the ballot and scrutinize whether you are eligible. If it turns out that you are, your vote will be counted. You can often vote with a criminal conviction The only criminal record that will keep you from voting in Pennsylvania is a conviction for violating the Pennsylvania Election Code within the past four years, or a conviction for a felony for which you are still incarcerated. If you are on probation or parole in Pennsylvania, you are permitted to vote. You can also vote if you have a previous felony conviction but are no longer incarcerated. If you are in jail awaiting trial, incarcerated for a misdemeanor, under house arrest, or living in a halfway house, you can vote only by absentee or mail ballot (if youre in a halfway house, you must use a previous or future address). The deadline to apply for a mail ballot has passed, as has the deadline to register to vote. You can find more information on voting with a record via the Department of State and the ACLU of Pennsylvania. If you moved but didnt update your address, you can likely vote If you moved within Pennsylvania less than 30 days before the election, you should vote at the polling place that corresponds to your old address. If you moved longer ago but havent gotten around to updating your voter registration yet, you can still vote using the old address for one election. But after that, you must update your address. Youre allowed to take a photo of yourself voting You voted and want to snap a celebratory photo to share on social media. Is that allowed? Pennsylvania law prohibits letting your ballot be seen by other people with the apparent intention of letting it be known how he is about to vote. Recent guidance from the Pennsylvania Department of State says that you can take a ballot selfie, but advises voters who want to take a picture of themselves voting take care that they not disclose the selections of voters other than themselves. Guidance from the Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General also recommends that voters wait until after they leave the polling place to post ballot selfies on social media. For general voting and election resources, check out Spotlight PAs 2025 Election Center. We have candidate guides for Pennsylvanias Supreme Courts retention race, Commonwealth and Superior Courts, Oley Valley School Board and Clearfield County Judge. We also have a quiz for Oley Valley School Boards race to help you figure out which candidate best aligns with your values. And you can use our interactive tool to see just how much you know about Pennsylvanias three critical appellate courts before the Nov. 4 election. Still have questions? You can reach out to your county election office for answers. Find contact information for your local county on the Pennsylvania election website. You can also try Spotlight PAs election assistant. BEFORE YOU GO If you learned something from this article, pay it forward and contribute to Spotlight PA at spotlightpa.org/donate. Spotlight PA is funded by foundations and readers like you who are committed to accountability journalism that gets results. Several restaurants are set to come back in a big way this year. (Getty Images) (Getty Images/Skynesher) Several restaurant chains are finding new life in 2025 and hoping for a major comeback thanks to fresh menus, revamped branding and customer nostalgia. As a result, according to Inspiring Savings, these spots are drawing customers back by the droves. Heres a quick rundown. Once struggling, the seafood restaurant chain bounced back with force thanks to affordable weekday specials, a refreshed menu, and their famous Cheddar Bay Biscuits. The restaurant chain has made a change, focusing on smaller, modern spaces and simplified menus, and giving diners a classic casual experience. Ruby Tuesday After the chain shuttered many locations, Ruby Tuesday is gaining steam again with its salad bar revival and more budget-friendly meals. The popular pizza chain discovered new life by leaning into nostalgia with its classic dine-in format and updated pan pizzas. As a result, it is winning back loyal fans. Sizzler Though the classic restaurant chain is known for its steak and salad bars, its revamping its locations and menu to appeal to families in search of value. The beloved restaurant chain is modernizing with new sides, healthier options and delivery partnerships. Perkins Restaurant & Bakery The family-focused restaurant chain is rebranding with upgraded interiors, stronger bakery selections, and new seasonal comfort meals. Quizinos The classic sandwich chain is taking a valiant swing at a comeback with new subs and tech-driven ordering options. Bennigans A huge throwback for those who can remember. The restaurant chain is making a splash with franchise growth and reimagined Irish pub-style comfort food. Friendlys The ice cream and diner-style chain is giving it a shot with longtime fans by reconnecting through updated menus and expanded dessert offerings. With SNAP benefits ending due to the federal government shutdown, some may turn to food banks and pantries in the area. Dan Gleiter | dgleiter@pennlive.com Dan Gleiter | dgleiter@pennlive.com The federal governments shutdown over a Congressional budget impasse has put funding for numerous programs at risk, including Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) food benefits. Unless Congress takes action, SNAP benefits are set to end at the start of November, which will affect roughly 2 million Pennsylvanians. While Gov. Josh Shapiro has joined in a legal effort across several states to release contingency funds to support SNAP, it might take some time until the program is running again. Where to find help: The Pennsylvania Department of Human Services maintains a list of food bank organizations operating throughout the state, which gather food donations and distribute them to the nearly 3,000 local food pantries across the state. The department also maintains an FAQ page regarding the shutdown here, with common questions and answers that may help. Other resources suggested by the DHS include: The Central Pennsylvania Food Bank helps to coordinate aid efforts of food pantries in 27 counties, including Adams, Cumberland, Dauphin, Lancaster, Lebanon, Perry and York counties. Earlier this month, the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank issued the following statement regarding the freeze on SNAP benefits: We are monitoring the current situation with our partner agencies and pantries to prepare and respond if the shutdown continues. At the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank, we remain dedicated to providing fresh, healthy food for neighbors who need it. The charitable food system in central Pennsylvania reduces hunger significantly, by 50% based on thousands of surveys conducted across our service area. Whether you have been to a pantry before or if its your first time, we believe that no one should go hungry. The Central Pennsylvania Food Bank website includes a search tool to find local food pantries in your area, with filters for range, days of operation, and range within a given area. Over 130 food pantries are in operation on various days within a 30-mile radius of Harrisburg. To use the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank search tool, click here. Here are a few additional lists of food pantries, as well as a few prominent organizations in our region: How to help others: The statement on the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank also includes the following: When times are uncertain or when you feel like there is nothing you can do, supporting local food pantries of the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank dramatically reduces hunger in our communities. You can do that through donating your time or financial resources or by contacting your lawmakers in support of food and nutrition programs. The DHS websites FAQ page also includes suggestions of where to donate your time or food if youre looking to help others. For more information on how you can assist, visit the Central Pennsylvania Food Bank website or reach out to a local food pantry near you. FILE - A man carries a Black Lives Matter flag in Lafayette Square outside the White House on the fourth night of the Republican National Convention, Aug. 27, 2020, in Washington. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik, File) AP By AARON MORRISON and ERIC TUCKER, The Associated Press WASHINGTON (AP) The Justice Department is investigating whether leaders in the Black Lives Matter movement defrauded donors who contributed tens of millions of dollars during racial justice protests in 2020, according to multiple people familiar with the matter. In recent weeks, federal law enforcement officials have issued subpoenas and served at least one search warrant as part of an investigation into the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation, Inc. and other Black-led organizations that helped spark a national reckoning on systemic racism, said the people, who were not authorized to discuss an ongoing criminal probe by name and spoke on condition of anonymity to The Associated Press. It was not clear if the investigation would result in criminal charges, but its mere existence invites fresh scrutiny to a movement that in recent years has faced criticism about its public accounting of donations they have received. The recent burst of investigative activity is also unfolding at a time when civil rights organizations have raised concerns about the potential for the Trump administration to target a variety of progressive and left-leaning groups that have been critical of him, including those affiliated with BLM, the transgender rights movement and anti-ICE protesters. Spokespeople for the Justice Department declined to comment on Thursday. One of the people said the investigation had been initiated during the Biden administration but is getting renewed attention during the Trump administration. A second person confirmed that allegations were examined in the Biden administration. The foundation said it took in over $90 million in donations, following the 2020 murder of George Floyd, a Black man whose last breaths under the knee of a white Minneapolis police officer sparked protests across the U.S. and around the world. Critics of the nonprofit foundation, and of the BLM movement broadly, accused organizers of not being transparent about how it was spending the donations. That criticism grew louder after BLM foundation leaders in 2022 confirmed they used donations to purchase a $6 million Los Angeles-area property that includes a home with six bedrooms and bathrooms. The leaders previously have denied wrongdoing and publicly released tax documents. No prior investigations into the nonprofits finances have yielded proof of impropriety. Leaders of the foundation have received subpoenas. In a statement emailed to the AP on Thursday, the foundation said it is not a target of any federal criminal investigation. We remain committed to full transparency, accountability, and the responsible stewardship of resources dedicated to building a better future for Black communities, the foundation said in the statement. Several localized BLM chapters, which are not affiliates of the foundation, have previously been at odds with the nonprofit over its plans for donations. Those chapters operate and fundraise independently of the foundation. The Black Lives Matter movement first emerged in 2013 after the acquittal of George Zimmerman, the neighborhood watch volunteer who killed 17-year-old Trayvon Martin in Florida. But it was the 2014 death of Michael Brown at the hands of police in Ferguson, Missouri, that made the slogan Black lives matter a rallying cry for progressives and a favorite target of derision for conservatives. Movement founders and organizers pledged to build a decentralized organization governed by the consensus of BLM chapters. But as the movements influence grew, so did the number of organizations that became affiliated with BLM. In 2020, a tidal wave of public contributions in the aftermath of protests over Floyds murder came mainly to the BLM foundation, although other organizations were resourced from those funds. Leaders of the foundation opened up about finances and organizational structure in 2022, revealing detailed accountings of expenditures. The latest Form 990 filing shows the BLM foundation had $28 million in assets for the fiscal year ending June 2024. The investigation is being run out of the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Central District of California, in Los Angeles. The top prosecutor there, Bill Essayli, was determined by a federal judge this week to have stayed in his temporary acting U.S. attorney job longer than allowed by law but permitted him to effectively remain the offices chief prosecutor but with a different title of First Assistant United States Attorney. Essayli had previously served as a Republican assemblyman in California, where he took up conservative causes and criticized the states COVID-19 restrictions. He has been outspoken against state policies to protect immigrants living in the country illegally, and he has aggressively prosecuted people who protest Trumps ramped up immigration enforcement across Southern California. As a private practice attorney, he characterized BLM as a radical organization while defending a white couple charged in 2020 with a hate crime after they were videotaped defacing a BLM mural in Martinez, California. Ruth Woodside, Mechanicsburg, holds a sign in memory of slain Breonna Taylor, at a Black Lives Matter rally on the Dickinson College campus in Carlisle, Pa., June 3, 2020. Mark Pynes | mpynes@pennlive.com At the time, city-sanctioned BLM murals had been painted on roadways in cities throughout the U.S. in an expression of solidarity with the racial justice movement. Essayli was quoted as having told reporters at the time that his clients were simply expressing their political viewpoints and that they disagreed with taxpayer funds being used to sponsor a radical organization, Black Lives Matter. The couple took plea deals to resolve the case in 2022. At the height of the Floyd-sparked reckoning on racial injustice, some state officials vowed their own investigations in the foundations finances, citing their responsibility to protect residents who may have donated to BLM. But most of those probes were resolved without official action. In 2022, Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita filed a lawsuit against the BLM foundation for failing to comply with an investigation into the organizations finances. Soon after, a representative of the foundation responded with the necessary information and documentation, a spokesperson for the attorney generals office said, and the lawsuit was dismissed. Alana Durkin Richer in Washington, D.C., and Graham Lee Brewer in Oklahoma City contributed. WILLIAMSPORT A Chinese national with degrees from Penn State and Cornell is likely to be deported after pleading guilty in a nationwide computer hacking scam that cost victims some $10 million. Hanlin Yang, 25, pleaded guilty Friday in U.S. Middle District Court to a charge of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. His role as described in court was as a courier collecting $331,000 from six victims in Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Ohio. The money was turned over to a coordinator in State College, where he lived, and later was transported to California. Yang was one of eight charged in a superseding indictment as members of what prosecutors called the Pennsylvania group. The charges cover the period August 2023 until Feb. 22, 2024, with the victims described as mainly elderly or wealthy. The scam included a notice on the computer screen that the device has been hacked along with a pop-up purportedly from Microsoft with number to call to correct it. Those who made the call were told their bank account was not secure, they should withdraw the money and provide false information as the reason like it was being used for home remodeling. They also were told a federal agent would pick up the cash at their home and ensure its safekeeping. They were provided a code word a courier posing as a federal agent would provide upon arrival. Yang, who graduated from Penn State before obtaining a masters degree at Cornell, acknowledged he is likely to be deported to his native China. Judge Matthew W. Brann ordered his continued detention pending sentencing. Another participant in the scam, former Penn State student Yankun Jiang, pleaded guilty to the same charge in September. A mass email sent Friday to the University of Pennsylvania community called the Ivy League school an elitist institution with terrible security practices, according to a copy of the email shared with PennLive. The email, sent on Penn Graduate School of Education (GSE) letterhead, also included expletives and a slur, and said UPenn love[s] breaking federal laws. We hire and admit morons because we love legacies, donors, and unqualified affirmative action admits, the email reads in part. UPenn confirmed the email stemmed from a security breach originating from the graduate school. This is obviously a fake, and nothing in the highly offensive, hurtful message reflects the mission or actions of Penn or of Penn GSE, a university spokesperson said in an email to PennLive. UPenn said its incident response team is investigating the breach. University officials did not immediately answer questions about how many people received the email. The Daily Pennsylvanian, the student-run newspaper, reported the email was sent to students, faculty, alumni, and parents. A message on the universitys website advised students and staff to delete any suspicious emails from the GSE account, and to report any new concerning messages. A Mechanicsburg company that sells collectible coins agreed to pay $750K to settle an investigation by the Attorney Generals office that found the company misled customers into unwanted subscription plans through deceptive sales practices. The settlement by America Mint, LLC, located at 5051 Louise Dr, comes after more than 200 consumer complaints about the companys negative option subscriptions and other business practices, according to the attorney generals office. Negative option subscriptions are where a customers silence or inaction is interpreted as acceptance of additional purchases. The office said they found American Mint misled customers into believing they were making one-time purchases, when they were being automatically enrolled in subscriptions that came with recurring shipments and additional charges. Consumers were often unaware of the subscriptions and given only short time frames to return items to avoid charges tied to the subscription plan. Under the settlement, American Mint will pay $750,000 to harmed customers, end subscription plans and stop collections efforts against more than 180,000 customers who were referred to debt collection agencies, according to a press release. The company will also revise its business and advertising practices, Attorney General Dave Sunday said. He said the company will no longer automatically enroll customers in subscription plans without their explicit consent. All outstanding consumer debt that was sent to collections will be discharged and consumers accounts will be cleared of outstanding charges. Negative option features are a breach of state consumer laws as they are deceptive practices designed to enroll consumers into future purchases, Sunday said. When buying any products, be sure to read the terms and conditions thoroughly before committing to that purchase. The lawsuit claimed American Mint violated the Pennsylvania Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law by using a bait and hook strategy that lured customers into believing that they were receiving collectibles for a reduced price or free, while charging them for products that werent returned within 20 days. The press release said the company sent confusing and misleading invoices. The Attorney Generals Office also said American Mint used aggressive collection tactics, including charging for undelivered or unwanted products and failing to provide refunds, making it difficult to cancel subscriptions. American Mint advertises and sells collectible merchandise, mostly collectible coins, via direct mail, over the phone, through print advertisements, and through the American Mint website. They issued a statement after the settlement: While we admit no wrongdoing, we have agreed to the terms of the settlement, including changes to our marketing practices...We value the trust our customers place in us and look forward to continuing to provide high-quality collectibles for years to come. Consumers who believe they were affected can contact the Bureau of Consumer Protection at 717-787-3391, or by emailing scams@attorneygeneral.gov. Gov. Josh Shapiro on Friday signed an emergency declaration mobilizing starte resources to help sustain anti-hunger programs as SNAP is slated to run dry on Saturday. Commonwealth Media Gov. Josh Shapiro on Friday signed a declaration of disaster emergency to release millions to help feed low-income Pennsylvanians one day before the federal food safety net program runs out of money. At a press conference in Philadelphia, Shapiro pledged $5 million for food banks as SNAP the federal supplemental food program that serves 1 in 8 Americans is slated to come to halt Saturday amid the protracted government shutdown. Shapiro also rolled out a private sector donation campaign, with more than $1 million for food banks through the SNAP Emergency Relief Fund. Shapiros actions coincide with orders from two federal judges directing the Trump administration to release billions in backup funding for the SNAP program. The Trump administration has refused calls for the release $5.5 billion in contingency funding to keep the program running, noting that the funding is earmarked for an emergency. Nearly 2 million Pennsylvanians rely on SNAP every month and they shouldnt have to wonder where their next meal will come from because of the dysfunction in Washington, Shapiro said. There is no substitute for the federal governments decision not to release SNAP benefits, but my administration is stepping up to use every tool we have state resources, private sector support, and the compassion of our communities to make sure our food banks are fully stocked and our families are fed. Shapiro said the federal government has the money to keep people fed. Theyre just refusing to use it, he said. I wont let our families or food banks shoulder that burden alone, and Im not going to stand by while the federal government lets Pennsylvanians go hungry. A federal judge in Rhode Island on Friday ordered the Trump administration to release backup funds for SNAP. Another federal judge gave the Trump administration until Monday to release the funds, noting the administrations refusal to release the contingency funds is likely unlawful. Shapiro has taken several measures to mobilize state resources and the private sector to protect access to the food security program. Earlier this week, Shapiro joined 24 other states and Washington, D.C. suing the Trump administration for suspending SNAP payments. Shapiro directed the state funding to Feeding Pennsylvania, which partners with a network of food banks and anti-hunger coalitions, many of them already under strain from federal budget cuts. The declaration of disaster emergency will expedite the delivery of funds. The initial infusion of $1 million for the SNAP Emergency Relief Fund was made possible by the donations of business titans and leaders from Pennsylvania, including Thomas Tull (AI business in Pittsburgh), Connie Williams (a former Democratic state lawmaker), Mark Cuban (Pittsburgh-born billionaire businessman, an owner of the Dallas Mavericks), and David and Hallee Adelman (co-owners of the Philadelphia 76ers). Shapiro made Fridays announcement at Philabundance the largest non-profit food bank in the Delaware Valley region. He was joined by Feeding Pennsylvania CEO Julie Bancroft, Philabundance CEO Loree D. Jones-Brown, and Department of Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding. Anti-hunger advocates say SNAP recipients are likely to experience an interruption in their benefits. Its not clear how quickly the state emergency funding will funnel into the system to benefit food banks. Tracy Brown snapped this photo of the vultures on homes in her neighborhood in 2021. Over the past year, more than 2,700 vultures were driven out of Derry Township and 64 were killed as part of a growing effort to manage the birds increasing population and property damage. The township will become a target site for the U.S. Department of Agricultures Wildlife Service and Penn State University, who are teaming up for a national research study into vulture behavior and management, the USDA told PennLive. Between Sept. 1, 2024, and Aug. 31, 2025, the USDA responded to significant vulture-related concerns in Derry Township, dispersing 2,745 vultures and killing 64 using shooting and trapping methods. The township has been bedeviled for years with numerous reports of vultures in neighborhoods and the problems that come with them. But the township isnt alone, as black vultures have been on the rise across Pennsylvania for years, and so are the complaints from residents. The issues range from damaged rooftops and vehicles to concerns about public health and safety. Wildlife Services carried out its recent removal plan under a formal cooperative service agreement with Derry Township. The department used a mix of non-lethal methods, including lasers, paintballs, vehicles, and physical presence to push the birds away. To resolve persistent damage, lethal measures such as shooting and trapping were employed, according to the USDA. Depending on the vulture sites in the township, crews also used loud noise making devices, light deterrents (like propane cannons, pyrotechnics or lasers), motion-activated sprinklers, and inflatable air dancers. The townships issue with vultures illustrates the growing vulture-human conflict seen across the Northeast, prompting the USDA and Penn State to take a closer look. The national agency chose Derry Township, saying it presents unique challenges due to its urban setting and the presence of ZooAmerica. Other benefits for Derry Township as the research hub include the availability of long-standing USDA data, and the impact on institutions like ZooAmerica. Protecting birds and animals at the zoo limits the use of certain vulture management methods, according to the USDA. In 2019, the USDA ordered ZooAmerica staff members to trap and remove the vultures after the zoo reported the birds were competing with the zoo animals for the food left for them by staff. The zoo said the vultures was prompting sanitary concerns for the zoo animals and guests. The USDA is also using Derry Township as its study model to enhance vulture damage management for Pennsylvania residents and because there is a need for more research on black vultures in the Northeast. Vultures have plagued other towns in central Pa. In March, the USDAs Wildlife Services Division entered into a year-long 24K agreement with Carlisle to employ various harassment measures against vultures to drive them out of town. In Carlisle, the overwhelming population of turkey and black vultures created health and safety issues through corrosive droppings, property damage, including torn roofing, and noise. Residents reported foul odors, risk to pets and children, and months of mess. Experts say the problems with vultures are getting worse as climate change gets worse due to milder winters in the mid-Atlantic states, causing more of the birds to call Pennsylvania home year-round. Its also believed vultures are thriving in Pennsylvania thanks to its combination of nature and human-altered landscapes, like roads and developed land, which creates ideal roosting spots and air currents that make it easier for the large birds to take flight. The research initiative in Derry Township is in its early stages and will involve capturing and tagging black vultures with wing IDs and telemetry transmitters, allowing researchers to track their movements, habits, and responses to various deterrents, the USDA said. The project is expected to run for over two years, with the goal of better understanding vulture behavior in urban, suburban environments, and refining methods to manage them effectively and humanely. The USDA says the work in Derry Township will contribute to broader efforts to mitigate property damage and address public concerns across the Northeast. With more data and targeted strategies, agencies hope to better balance wildlife protection with community well-being. It may sound pollyannaish, but a good many people who went to the No Hate Here rally in Mechanicsburg Wednesday left with their hope in humanity restored. Maybe it was the candles that lit up the darkness on North Railroad Avenue. Or maybe it was Mechanicsburg Schools Superintendent Andrew B. Bitz declaring with conviction, Hate has no place here. He went on to say a whole lot more about the value of equity, inclusion and diversity. Kudos to him for doing so. Or maybe it was Mechanicsburg music teacher Gordon Kaslusky leading everyone in singing: There is more love somewhere, There is more love somewhere, Im going to keep on, till I find it, There is more love somewhere. And if that wasnt enough to warm your heart or bring a tear to your eye, the pastors who climbed onto the stage at the end of the street and prayed for love and peace should have softened the coldest heart. The Women of the KKK and their Invisible Empire said they would attend and mingle surreptitiously in the crowd, and lets hope they did. They would have heard a lot of people praying for them. Their attempts to recruit at a Halloween parade actually inspired the outpouring of camaraderie and unity that may not have happened otherwise. Mechanicsburg residents wanted to make a strong statement that their community stands together for love and not for hate. They did that and more. Faith leaders from several churches in the Mechanicsburg area organized the rally in collaboration with the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission (PHRC) that sponsored a panel discussion at Buhrigs Gathering Place to help people better understand the threat from right wing extremists like the KKK. And as Alon Milwicki of the Southern Poverty Law Center explained in a Zoom appearance, there are far fewer people allied with the old KKK brand than they would like us to believe. Thats the good news. The bad news is new groups that are just as dangerous are attracting too many youths. And a few people can do a lot of harm in a community, especially if good people remain silent. The people who spoke at the forum moderated by PHRCs Sheryl Meck are determined to speak out with love. They included two pastors: the Rev. Kathryn Z. Johnston of Mechanicsburg Presbyterian Church, and the Rev. Bobby Jones, who is Black but leads Emmanuel United Methodist Church, a predominantly white congregation in Enola. Cpl. Tristan Bennett from the Pennsylvania State Polices office of community engagement, Mechanicsburg Councilwoman Sara Agerton, and Ann Van Dyke, a veteran civil rights advocate, shared their unique insights into the challenges combatting extremism. But one message stood out above all many of the young people who wind up in extremist nets in Pennsylvania and throughout the nation are mentally ill. Most have suffered abuse, feel unloved and seek a haven in hate groups. Community and faith leaders agreed they need to find ways to reach these youth and prevent them from falling into the clutches of groups like the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers. Van Dyke says shes seen at least a few renounce hatred and violence and believes more would do the same, if nurtured and given an opportunity for a new path. Chad Dion Lassiter, executive director of the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission. PHRC Executive Director Chad Dion Lassiter hoped the residents of Mechanicsburg took away another important message: racism and extremism are not just problems for its obvious targets people of color, Jews, Muslims, immigrants, people with disabilities and the LGBTQ community. Thats plenty enough, but right-wing extremists are threats to everyone. White supremacy wont die, Lassiter said after the forum, until white people see it as a white issue they need to solve, rather than a Black issue they need to empathize with. The beauty of the Mechanicsburg event is that a lot of its residents clearly realize the truth in Lassiters words, and they are taking concrete steps to do something about it with love. Joyce M. Davis is PennLives Outreach & Opinion Editor. Follow her on Facebook, Bluesky @joycemdavis.bsky.social, and on Twitter @byjoycedavis. Quality local journalism has never been more important. You deserve the best. Not a subscriber yet? Please consider supporting our work. BERLIN, Oct. 31 (Xinhua) -- Four people were injured in an explosion at a vehicle workshop near a gas station in the western German city of Castrop-Rauxel, local authorities said on Friday. The blast occurred on Friday morning during cleaning work on a liquefied gas lorry, triggering a fire that destroyed the workshop hall, according to the fire department. Two of the victims suffered life-threatening burns and were airlifted to hospitals. Several vehicles at the site, which is located in an industrial area, were damaged. Police said residents heard a loud explosion followed by a thick cloud of smoke rising over the area. The fire has been brought under control, but the cause of the explosion was not immediately clear. By MICHELLE L. PRICE and MANUEL BALCE CENETA Associated Press ABOARD AIR FORCE ONE (AP) President Donald Trump declined to say Friday whether he plans to resume underground nuclear detonation tests, as he had seemed to suggest in a social media post this week that raised concerns the U.S. would begin testing nuclear weapons for the first time in three decades. The president told reporters Youll find out very soon, without elaborating when asked if he means to resume underground nuclear detonation tests. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth offered few details on Friday when asked about what nuclear testing the Pentagon would oversee. But he seemed to indicate to reporters that the intent was to test warheads when he said resuming testing would be pretty responsible. Trump, who spoke to reporters aboard Air Force One as he headed to Florida for a weekend stay, said, Were going to do some testing and Other countries do it. If theyre going to do it, were going to but then refused to offer more details. His comments on nuclear testing have drawn confusion inside and outside the government when the president seemed to suggest in a brief post that the U.S. would resume nuclear warhead tests on an equal basis with Russia and China, whose last known tests were in the 1990s. Some of Trumps comments seemed to refer to testing missiles that would deliver a warhead, rather than the warhead itself. There has been no indication that the U.S. would start detonating warheads. The U.S. military already regularly tests its missiles that are capable of delivering a nuclear warhead, but it has not detonated the weapons since 1992. The Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, which the U.S. signed but did not ratify, has been observed since its adoption by all countries possessing nuclear weapons, North Korea being the only exception. The Pentagon has not responded to questions. The Energy Department, which oversees the U.S. nuclear stockpile, declined to comment Friday. Hegseth, speaking as he appeared at a meeting of defense ministers in Malaysia on the sidelines of a meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, said the Pentagon would work with the Energy Department. The president was clear: We need to have a credible nuclear deterrent, he said. That is the baseline of our deterrence. He said resuming testing is a pretty responsible very responsible way to do that. And I think it makes nuclear conflict less likely. He added a few moments later: Its the right directive. Weve moving out quickly. Trumps post on nuclear tests came as Russia this week announced it had tested a new atomic-powered and nuclear-capable underwater drone and a new nuclear-powered cruise missile. Russia responded to Trumps post by underscoring that it did not test its nuclear weapons and has abided by a global ban on nuclear testing. The Kremlin warned though, that if the U.S. resumes testing its weapons, Russia will as well an intensification that would restart Cold War-era tensions. Vice Adm. Richard Correll, Trumps nominee to lead the military command in charge of the nations nuclear arsenal, struggled to interpret the presidents comments when he testified before senators during a Capitol Hill hearing Thursday, telling them, Im not reading anything into it or reading anything out of it. Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker Cole Holcomb did not practice on Thursday while battling an illness. He was one of a multitude of players who did not practice ahead of the teams game against the Indianapolis Colts. Holcomb came from a severe knee injury this offseason that forced him to miss all of last season. A multi-ligament knee injury, Holcombs health has been sterling otherwise this season and the illness is unlikely to keep him out this week. Over the last month, Holcomb has started to eat into more of second-year linebacker Payton Wilsons snaps and has taken that up as an opportunity to get on the field. Defensive coordinator Teryl Austin said on that Holcomb will end up continuing that role after a strong trial run from the veteran, who returned from an 18-month long recovery from a severe knee injury. It went good. I think Cole deserved it. Hes been working his tail off to get back. He gives a different element. Hes a downhill thumper. So it was good. We gave him an opportunity there. Well see how it goes with each opponent. Each opponent is a little bit different, and I think that will determine his role. I think hes earned a role to try to help us win, Austin said. The journey for Holcomb has been tough. He missed over 18 months after suffering alife-changing knee injuryon Nov. 2, 2023. Holcomb thought multiple times he would retire, but now he is back and starting for the Steelers. That is a turn he did not see coming on the field when he suffered the injury against the Tennessee Titans. Definitely not taking any play for granted anymore, Holcomb said. It was a long journey. It was a hell of a journey. There were days that it sucked. But its on to the next one. Holcomb started in eight games for the Steelers in 2023, racking up 54 tackles, two pass deflections, two forced fumbles, and four tackles for loss in those games. A screening of the documentary "Hands of Hope" is held in Vientiane, capital of Laos, Oct. 30, 2025. (Photo by Wang Yuping/Xinhua) VIENTIANE, Oct. 31 (Xinhua) -- A screening of the documentary "Hands of Hope," a film highlighting the friendship between China and Laos, was held on Thursday in Lao capital Vientiane, attended by government officials from both countries and the film's creative team. The film highlights the exchange and cooperation between China and Laos in hearing-impaired education. It tells the story of Sophaphone Heunglith, principal of a special education school in Laos, who established a private school for hearing-impaired children and cared for 25 students despite limited resources, a shortage of teachers, and lack of experience. With support from a Chinese enterprise, she traveled to China to learn from the country's expertise in the field. Speaking at the event, Vanxay Tavinyan, former deputy chief of the Propaganda and Training Board of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party Central Committee, said that Chinese enterprises not only collaborate with Laos in economic development but also actively fulfill social responsibilities, using the cross-border language of film to strengthen mutual understanding and foster closer emotional ties between the peoples of the two countries. In her speech, Li Xizhen, economic and commercial counselor at the Chinese Embassy in Laos, said that the operation and development of Chinese enterprises in Laos represent a concrete example of China-Laos cooperation in improving livelihoods, allowing people to feel the tangible benefits of development. In an interview with Xinhua, Sophaphone emphasized the importance of social inclusion, saying that people with disabilities cannot choose their birth, but as able-bodied individuals, we should ensure that every life enjoys equal rights and work together to promote social progress. China's advanced experience in this area is worth learning from, she stressed. A screening of the documentary "Hands of Hope" is held in Vientiane, capital of Laos, Oct. 30, 2025. TO GO WITH "Documentary on China-Laos friendship screened in Laos" (Photo by Kaikeo Saiyasane/Xinhua) Members of the creative team of the documentary "Hands of Hope" share the production process of the documentary in Vientiane, capital of Laos, Oct. 30, 2025. TO GO WITH "Documentary on China-Laos friendship screened in Laos" (Photo by Kaikeo Saiyasane/Xinhua) A Vietnamese employee works at the substation of an offshore wind power project constructed by Power Construction Corporation of China (PowerChina) in Binh Dai, Vinh Long province, Vietnam, Oct. 14, 2025. (Xinhua/Liu Ying) VINH LONG, Vietnam, Oct. 31 (Xinhua) -- In Binh Dai commune of southern Vietnam's Vinh Long province, towering wind turbines rise from the blue waters of the Mekong Delta region, symbolizing the country's growing shift toward renewable energy. The offshore wind power project in Binh Dai is constructed by Power Construction Corporation of China (PowerChina). "This is China's first offshore wind power project abroad, and it represents multiple 'zero breakthroughs' from zero experience to successful construction and operation," said Du Haiyang, vice president of PowerChina in Asia-Pacific region. "It has not only expanded the overseas presence of Chinese renewable energy enterprises but also contributed to Vietnam's local economy and green transformation," Du told Xinhua. With Vietnam setting ambitious goals to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, the Binh Dai offshore wind power project stands as a model of sustainable energy. "Each year, the project saves about 38,600 tons of standard coal and reduces carbon dioxide emissions by about 26,200 tons," said Pei Guoxiang, site manager of the Binh Dai offshore wind power project. Beyond positive effects from green energy, the project also paves the way for local workers to learn more about cutting-edge technologies. Among the Vietnamese engineers working on the project, Phan Van Nghia, who serves as the manager of the Quality Assurance and Quality Control Department at Binh Dai offshore wind power project, said the cooperation has brought tangible benefits to local workers. "Working in the Chinese environment allows not only me but also young Vietnamese engineers to learn a lot, especially about renewable energy, particularly wind power projects that use new technologies," Nghia said. According to Nghia, the project's long-term impact extends beyond power generation. By the experiences from working with Chinese colleges, "we hope to master the technology and be able to independently operate complex wind power equipment," he said. Wind turbines of an offshore wind power project constructed by Power Construction Corporation of China (PowerChina) are pictured in Binh Dai, Vinh Long province, Vietnam, Oct. 14, 2025. (Xinhua/Liu Ying) The substation of an offshore wind power project constructed by Power Construction Corporation of China (PowerChina) is pictured in Binh Dai, Vinh Long province, Vietnam, Oct. 14, 2025. (Xinhua/Liu Ying) Wind turbines of an offshore wind power project constructed by Power Construction Corporation of China (PowerChina) are pictured in Binh Dai, Vinh Long province, Vietnam, Oct. 14, 2025. (Xinhua/Liu Ying) GYEONGJU, South Korea, Oct. 31 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping on Friday put forward a five-point proposal for promoting a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization and building an Asia-Pacific community. He called for joint efforts to safeguard the multilateral trading system, build an open regional economic environment, maintain the stability and smooth flow of industrial and supply chains, promote digitalization and greening of trade, as well as promote universally beneficial and inclusive development. Xi made the remarks in a speech at the first session of the 32nd APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting. Poker Player Known as 'Rockin Holdem' Makes 21 Final Tables in Under a Month Connor Richards Senior Editor U.S. Copy link Jim "Rockin Holdem" Hagan has been on the poker run of a lifetime at Texas Card House in Spring, Texas, where he made 21 low-stakes final tables in under a month. Hagan, a 59-year-old automotive designer originally from Detroit, Michigan, has played poker for decades but started taking it seriously earlier this year when his client list dried up. "I take poker very seriously now, basically playing for my life," Hagan told PokerNews. Hagan's intensity is paying off and he has set what he believes may be a record number of live final tables in October. Playing to Eat Two years ago, Hagan first stepped foot in Texas Card House and immediately saw success, winning a $15,000 guaranteed event that drew 121 players. "When I don't make money at poker, I Uber drive to make at least $40 to get into the next tournament. When I win, I pay bills." His domination in the card room has only picked up from there. Playing $40 buy-in daily tournaments, Hagan has racked up 21 final table appearances in under a month, including one victory and two runner-up finishes. These tournaments have drawn between 50 and 110 players. "I won anywhere from $200 to $1,100 in these fields," Hagan said. Hagan's appreciation of poker dates back years he says he once cracked aces against six players outside the money in the World Series of Poker (WSOP) Millionaire Maker but it's now a part of his livelihood. When he's not playing poker, Hagan is driving for Uber to support his family, which includes an 11-year-old son. "When I don't make money at poker, I Uber drive to make at least $40 to get into the next tournament," he said. "When I win, I pay bills." New King of the Dailies? Hagan's domination of daily tournaments is reminiscent of Jeremy Becker, who memorably won eight Wynn tournaments in a month in 2023. Fittingly, Hagan's favorite poker player is Daniel Negreanu, a strong supporter of Becker who has taken the young poker pro under his wing. Daniel Negreanu "I love watching his WSOP Vlogs on Youtube," Hagan said. "I loved his quote, when he was asked what makes you a great poker player? He replied, 'What makes me a great poker player is you can take a bad beat, or you can take 20 bad beats in a row. So what makes me a great poker player is sticking with it.' His grit is very inspiring to me." Share this article Christopher Miller opened the action from under the gun with a raise to 1,600. Euan McNicholas then three-bet from the cutoff to 4,500. When it folded back to Miller, he four-bet to 15,600. McNicholas went into the tank before ultimately choosing to return his cards to the dealer. Before he did, he asked Miller if he would show his hand. Miller obliged, flipping over AA. McNicholas then turned over his own cards, showing that he folded KK, impressing the whole table. Aiken Standard reporter Dede Biles is a reporter for the Aiken Standard. She covers Aiken County government, business and horse industry. To support local journalism, sign up for a subscription. See our current offers MANILA, Oct. 31 (Xinhua) -- A 65-year-old driver was killed and five others were injured after their vehicle fell into a ravine in Laguna province, south of Manila, police said on Friday. In a report, police said the accident occurred on Thursday afternoon, when the driver lost control of the vehicle, which skidded on a slippery stretch of the highway while navigating a curve in Cavinti town. Police said the car, carrying six people, including the driver, veered off the highway and plunged into a ravine. The five passengers, including two elderly individuals and an 11-year-old boy, suffered injuries. They were rushed to a local hospital, but the driver was declared dead on arrival. Contact Tiffany at ttan@postandcourier.com or through encrypted messaging via the Signal app at 839-223-4652. Get Columbia-area news and SC statewide content from The Post and Courier at this special subscription rate, which also goes to support local watchdog reporting. Charleston, SC (29403) Today Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low 36F. Winds light and variable.. Tonight Some clouds this evening will give way to mainly clear skies overnight. Low 36F. Winds light and variable. HONG KONG, Oct. 31 (Xinhua) -- The 9th Global Greater Bay Area (GBA) Sustainable Development Economic and Trade Forum was held in Hong Kong on Friday, focusing on the integration of the GBA into the global economic chain. The forum brought together leaders from government, business, and academia to discuss key issues. In a video address, John Lee, chief executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR), noted the rising global demand for "Made in China" products and highlighted that enterprises from the Chinese mainland are actively seeking to tap into emerging markets. Lee emphasized that the HKSAR government aims to enhance connectivity for mutual benefit, harness the GBA's potential, and deepen alignment of rules and mechanisms among Guangdong, Hong Kong, and Macao. He underlined the importance of improving the flow of people, goods, data, and capital to foster cooperative advantages. Peter Nobel, chairman of the Nobel Sustainability Trust, remarked on the practical significance of the forum's theme. He stressed the need to build bridges between East and West, as well as between industry and academia, to tackle challenges like climate change and resource scarcity. The foundation plans to extend its business to Hong Kong, where local clean energy startups can receive support, incubate and grow, benefitting communities across Asia and Africa and beyond, he said. BEIJING, Oct. 31 (Xinhua) -- In a recent commercial dispute hearing, Judge Zheng Jizhe of the Beijing Tongzhou District People's Court came across two suspicious case citations submitted by the plaintiff's lawyer. At first glance, the references appeared legitimate -- one allegedly from the Supreme People's Court, and another labeled as (2022) Hu 01 Min Zhong No. 12345 from the Shanghai No. 1 Intermediate People's Court. Both seemed highly relevant, with facts, legal arguments, and reasoning closely mirroring the case at hand. However, sensing something was amiss, Zheng verified the citations and found that the cases bore no resemblance to the lawyer's descriptions. When questioned in court, the lawyer admitted that the "reference cases" were generated by an AI model. He had input key details from the current case into a large language model, received AI-generated sample cases, and -- without verification -- copied them directly into his written submission. The court ultimately dismissed the AI-generated references and issued a formal warning in its written judgment. Judge Zheng's ruling explicitly criticized the lawyer's behavior and urged legal practitioners to verify the authenticity and accuracy of any cases or legal provisions submitted to the court. The judgment stressed that fabricated information produced by AI must not be allowed to disrupt judicial order. Chen Hangping, a law professor at Tsinghua University, described the fabricated reference cases as typical examples of AI "hallucination" -- situations in which AI models produce false or misleading information that appears convincing in a seemingly correct format and context. He said AI has undoubtedly brought various conveniences to legal work. But at the same time, legal professionals should be aware of the boundaries of using AI. "Sometimes we use AI tools to search for judicial cases, but the process can be tricky," said Zhou Junwu, a senior partner at Beijing Jincheng Tongda & Neal Law Firm. He said some of the cases may look authentic, but if the case number is something like "1234" -- a simple sequence -- or "000," which has an obvious pattern, it's probably fabricated. "That's why you can't completely trust the results produced by AI," Zhou said. According to a Southern Metropolis Daily report, a judge in a local court in east China recently also came across a lawsuit that appeared to have been written by AI, complete with fabricated white papers and incorrect case numbers. These cases highlight a growing concern: AI-generated content is flooding the internet. According to U.S. media reports, a study by AI startup Graphite analyzing about 65,000 URLs posted online between 2020 and 2025 found that AI-generated new articles surged dramatically after the launch of ChatGPT in 2023 and at one point, briefly outnumbered those written by humans. The AI-generated content has also found its way into courtrooms. "Globally, AI-hallucinated court filings by lawyers are not uncommon," said Chen, noting that such incidents have prompted countries including the United States and Singapore to adopt new rules ensuring the authenticity of AI-assisted materials submitted to courts. Earlier this week, China's top legislature approved an amendment to the Cybersecurity Law, with one of the key changes focusing on improving oversight, ethical standards, and risk assessment for artificial intelligence. Chen urged authorities to strengthen administrative regulations and judicial interpretations further to prevent AI misuse from undermining judicial order. Despite the risks of AI-generated false information, the judicial sector continues to explore ways to use AI to assist in its work. According to Zhou, who has lately attended several recent AI forums, some other countries have already experimented with AI-assisted criminal sentencing. AI technology has undoubtedly made legal work more efficient, Chen said, adding that legal professionals should also improve their ability to use such tools wisely. PR-Inside.com: 2025-10-31 19:45:14 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 547 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 Not for distribution to U.S. news wire services or dissemination in the United States.VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA / ACCESS Newswire / October 31, 2025 /ATHA Energy Corp. (TSXV:SASK)(FRA:X5U)(OTCQB:SASKF) ("ATHA" or the "Company"), is pleased to announce that, further to its press release dated October 21, 2025, the Company has filed its final short form prospectus (the "Prospectus") with the securities commissions in British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Ontario and New Brunswick and been issued a receipt (the "Receipt") by the British Columbia Securities Commission, as principal regulator, in connection with the qualification of up to 18,838,752 units (the "Units") of the Company issuable upon the exercise or deemed exercise of 17,126,138 special warrants ("Special Warrants") of the Company issued in connection with its previously announced private placement.In connection with the filing of the Prospectus and issuance of the Receipt, the Company has also issued a direction to Odyssey Trust Company, as special warrant agent, (the "Special Warrant Agent") pursuant to the special warrant indenture dated September 18, 2025 between the Company and the Special Warrant Agent to convert all 17,126,138 Special Warrants issued and outstanding into 17,126,138 Units. Each Unit shall consist of one common share in the capital of the Company and one common share purchase warrant of the Company exercisable to acquire one additional common share in the capital of the Company at an exercise price of $0.65 until September 18, 2028.A copy of the Prospectus is available under the Company's SEDAR+ profile at www.sedarplus.ca This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities in the United States. The securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act") or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or an exemption from such registration is available.About ATHAATHA is a Canadian mineral company engaged in the acquisition, exploration, and development of uranium assets in the pursuit of a clean energy future. With a strategically balanced portfolio including three 100%-owned post discovery uranium projects (the Angilak Project located in Nunavut, and CMB Discoveries in Labrador, and the newly discovered basement hosted GMZ high-grade uranium discovery located in the Athabasca Basin). In addition, the Company holds the largest cumulative prospective exploration land package (>7 million acres) in two of the world's most prominent basins for uranium discoveries - ATHA is well positioned to drive value. ATHA also holds a 10% carried interest in key Athabasca Basin exploration projects operated by NexGen Energy Ltd. and IsoEnergy Ltd. For more information visit www.athaenergy.com On Behalf of the Board of DirectorsTroy Boisjoli, CEO, ATHA Energy Corp.About ATHA visit www.athaenergy.com For more information, please contact:Troy BoisjoliChief Executive OfficerEmail: info@ athaenergy.com Website: www.athaenergy.com Phone: 1-(236)-521-0526Neither 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.SOURCE: ATHA Energy Corp PR-Inside.com: 2025-10-31 16:00:53 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 296 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 NEW YORK CITY, NY / ACCESS Newswire / October 31, 2025 / Attorney Advertising Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC is investigating Grindr Inc. ("Grindr") (NYSE:GRND) for potential breaches of fiduciary duty on the part of its directors and management. Investors who purchased Grindr and continue to hold to the present are encouraged to obtain additional information and assist the investigation by visiting the firm's site: bgandg.com/GRND Investigation DetailsThe investigation concerns whether Grindr's board of directors breached its fiduciary duties and failed to provide relevant information to its shareholders.Grindr's SEC filings have revealed a proposal to take the Company private that will be put forth by its two majority shareholders. The Company has not indicated that the acceptance of this proposal will require a shareholder vote.What's Next?If you are aware of any facts relating to this investigation or purchased Grindr shares, you can assist this investigation by visiting the firm's site: bgandg.com/GRND . You can also contact Peretz Bronstein or his client relations manager, Nathan Miller, of Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC: 332-239-2660There is No Cost to YouWe represent investors in class actions on a contingency fee basis. That means we will ask the court to reimburse us for out-of-pocket expenses and attorneys' fees, usually a percentage of the total recovery, only if we are successful.Why Bronstein, Gewirtz & GrossmanBronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC is a nationally recognized firm that represents investors in securities fraud class actions and shareholder derivative suits. Our firm has recovered hundreds of millions of dollars for investors nationwide.Follow us for updates on LinkedIn, X, Facebook, or Instagram.Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.ContactBronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLCPeretz Bronstein or Nathan Miller332-239-2660 | info@ bgandg.com SOURCE: Bronstein, Gewirtz & Grossman, LLC PR-Inside.com: 2025-10-31 19:00:16 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 491 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 Yardi Matrix data suggests over 90% of new local apartment units are market-rate, underscoring the vital role Clyde Morris Landings plays for working families and seniors.DAYTONA BEACH, FLORIDA / ACCESS Newswire / October 31, 2025 / A significant gap is widening between affordable and market-rate housing options in Northern Daytona Beach. According to recent data from Yardi Matrix, approximately 2,604 new apartment units are currently planned or under construction in the market. Of this total, a staggering 91.5% or 2,382 units have the potential to be designated as market-rate, non-affordable housing. At time of release, just 8.5% or 222 prospective units are committed as fully affordable. Clyde Morris Landings Clyde Morris Landings ReviewsClyde Morris Landings exists to directly address this critical imbalance. Of the 709 total apartment homes, 621 units, an impressive 88%, are dedicated to serving hardworking households with limited incomes. This dedication establishes Clyde Morris Landings as one of the most significant and impactful affordable housing communities in the Daytona Beach area. Units are committed to households earning no more than 80% area median income by way of restricting rental rates to those released by US Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Current three-bedroom rents range from $1,234 to $1,399 and include a reserved parking space as well as a washer/dryer. Inclusive of five phases, Clyde Morris Landings operates four out of the five as fully affordable apartment homes, of which two are dedicated to serving local seniors while the balance offers income and rent restricted housing for Daytona Beach families.Clyde Morris Landings is home to a resident population of over 1,600 individuals. The community fosters a diverse and inclusive environment, providing stable, quality homes for the families and seniors who are essential to making Daytona Beach thrive.The community has remained deeply committed to existing not only as an affordable living option but also delivering thoughtful amenities across its multi-phase development, designed to promote security, health, and social connections for all residents:The property offers a sport court, dog park, business center, and multiple fitness facilities that support community engagement and active living for all ages.Specialized clubroom and fitness facilities are included for the senior living community, tailored to meet their specific recreational and wellness needs.Management has implemented strategic improvements, including enhanced security protocols and controlled access gates, to maximize resident safety and foster a peaceful overall living experience.In an ever-expanding multifamily housing market, Clyde Morris Landings stands out as a trusted local leader, delivering high-quality, affordable apartment homes for residents of all ages who live, work, and thrive in Daytona Beach.Managed by ConcordRENTS, Clyde Morris Landings is a multi-phase residential community in Daytona Beach, Florida, providing a quality mix of affordable and market-rate housing. Focused on inclusion, quality, and resident wellbeing, the community is dedicated to providing essential housing solutions for families, seniors, and professionals across various income levels. To learn more about the Clyde Morris Landings communities, visit www.MyClydeMorrisLandings.com or call (855) 913-0240Contact Information:Ammon SmithVice President of Strategic Performanceammon.smith@concordrents.com 14076206791SOURCE: ConcordRENTS PR-Inside.com: 2025-10-31 16:35:14 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 844 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 CHEYENNE, WYOMING / ACCESS Newswire / October 31, 2025 /CS Diagnostics Corp. (OTCQB:CSDX), is a Wyoming-incorporated company with principal operations in Cheyenne, Wyoming. The Company designs, manufactures, and distributes advanced medical and wellness products while driving innovation in diagnostics and pharmaceuticals. As part of the CS Group, CSDX and its affiliates serve national and international markets, dedicated to improving patient care and advancing global health, today announced that its key affiliate companies, CS Interpharm and CS Diagnostics Pharma, have successfully completed the conversion of their holdings in the Company's Series B Preferred Stock into unrestricted common stock.This milestone marks a pivotal advancement in CSDX's strategic roadmap to consolidate financial statements across all affiliated entities by fiscal year-end, December 31, 2025, enabling a more integrated, transparent, and streamlined reporting framework.Strategic Alignment for Growth and TransparencyTogether, CSDX, CS Interpharm, and CS Diagnostics Pharma form a unified group driving innovation in advanced medical, wellness products and life sciences. The Series B Preferred Shares-originally issued to support strategic investments and align affiliate operations-carried dividend preferences and conversion rights.Following a comprehensive capital structure review, the decision to convert these shares reflects CSDX's commitment to simplification, governance, and long-term value creation. This conversion reduces complexities in financial reporting, eliminates preferred dividend tracking, and establishes a single equity class that better represents the unified organization."This share conversion is not merely a technical adjustment but a forward-thinking strategic initiative that underscores our commitment to unity, innovation, and sustainable growth," said Mohammad EsSayed, Principal Financial Officer of CS Diagnostics Corp. "By integrating our affiliates' interests through common shares, we are better equipped to leverage collective expertise in advanced medical, wellness products and life sciences, driving enhanced value for our shareholders as we prepare for fully consolidated financial presentations." Key Benefits of the ConversionEnhanced Transparency: The consolidation will offer investors a complete view of the group's performance, integrating revenue, assets, and operations. Combined financials will reflect product sales, service contracts, and research developments across all entities-providing a holistic picture of CSDX's business strength.Improved Efficiency: Aligning share classes streamlines corporate administration, reducing overhead from managing preferred instruments and allowing management to focus on innovation, operational execution, and growth initiatives.Value Creation for Shareholders: Affiliates now participate directly in CSDX's growth trajectory as common shareholders, increasing alignment and liquidity while mitigating dilution risks from unconverted preferred shares.Stronger Capital Market Position: A unified equity structure enhances CSDX's attractiveness to investors and partners by presenting a cleaner balance sheet, improving access to capital markets, and supporting potential future uplisting or strategic collaborations.Maintaining Market Integrity and ComplianceTo ensure orderly trading conditions, resales of converted shares by affiliates remain subject to Rule 144 of the Securities Act of 1933, including:Form 144 Filings: Required for resales exceeding 5,000 shares or $50,000 in aggregate market value within any three-month period.Volume Restrictions: Limited to the greater of 1% of the outstanding shares of the same class or the average weekly trading volume over the prior four calendar weeks preceding the filing of the Form 144.Public Information: The Company will maintain current public filings to meet disclosure standards.Manner of Sale: Resales must be conducted through ordinary brokerage transactions or directly with a market maker, without solicitation of buyers or payment of extraordinary commissions.These measures underscore CSDX's commitment to ethical practices, investor protection, and long-term shareholder confidence.Looking AheadWith consolidated financial reporting on the horizon, CSDX anticipates significant operational synergies across its group-ranging from shared R&D pipelines and supply chain optimization to enhanced product development collaboration. The integration of affiliate revenues and profits will reinforce CSDX's growth, profitability, and competitive position in global medical and life sciences markets.Forward-Looking StatementsThis press release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements regarding the expected benefits of share conversion, financial consolidation, operational synergies, and future growth. These statements are based on current expectations and involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially, including changes in market conditions, regulations, and economic factors. The Company undertakes no obligation to update these statements except as required by law. This announcement contains forward-looking statements relating to expected or anticipated future events and anticipated results that are forward-looking in nature and, as a result, are subject to certain risks and uncertainties, such as general economic, market and business conditions, competition for qualified staff, the regulatory process and actions, technical issues, new legislation, uncertainties resulting from potential delays or changes in plans, uncertainties resulting from working in a new political jurisdiction, uncertainties regarding the results of exploration, uncertainties regarding the timing and granting of prospecting rights, uncertainties regarding the timing and granting of regulatory and other third party consents and approvals, uncertainties regarding the Company's or any third party's ability to execute and implement future plans, and the occurrence of unexpected events. Actual results achieved may vary from the information provided herein because of numerous known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors.For further information please visit https://csdcorp.us or contactMohammad EssayedEmail: info@ csdcorp.us SOURCE: CS Diagnostics Corp. PR-Inside.com: 2025-10-31 07:00:08 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 1037 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESS Newswire / October 31, 2025 /Formation Metals Inc. ("Formation" or the "Company") (CSE:FOMO)(FSE:VF1)(OTCQB:FOMTF), a North American mineral acquisition and exploration company, is pleased to announce that, further to its news releases of September 30, 2025, October 1, 2025 and October 15, 2025, it has closed the second tranche of its private placement, raising $8,456,619.81 in gross proceeds through the issuance of 17,837,838 units (each a "LIFE Unit") at $0.37 per LIFE Unit (the "LIFE Offering") and 4,528,341 flow-through units (the "FT Units") at $0.41 per FT Unit (the "FT Offering" and together with the LIFE Offering, the "Offerings").Following the closing of the second tranche, the Company has working capital of ~C$12.7M with zero debt. Inclusive of provincial tax credits from the Quebec government, Formation's exploration budget for 2025-2026 is set at ~$8.1M.The Company is also pleased to announce that it has expanded its planned drill program at its N2 Gold Property ("N2" or the "Property") to 30,000 metres, following the successful closing of the Offerings, and the findings of its on-going maiden Phase 1 drill program.The drilling at N2, which is host to a global historic resource of ~870,000 ounces comprised of 18 Mt grading 1.4 g/t Au (~809,000 oz Au) across four zones (A, East, RJ-East, and Central)2,3 and 243 Kt grading 7.82 g/t Au (~61,000 oz Au) across the RJ zone2 , is designed to focus on discovery drilling at new high-potential targets along the mineralization strikes at the "A", "RJ" and "Central" zones in the northern part of the Property in order to discover new auriferous trends and unlock new zones of gold mineralization. The program will also focus on high-priority infilling and expansion targets in these zones to significantly enhance the auriferous zones identified to-date.Historical highlights from the top two priority zones include:A Zone: A shallow, highly continuous, low-variability historic gold deposit with ~522,900 ounces identified at a grade of 1.52 g/t Au. ~15,000 metres have been drilled historically across 1.65 km of strike, with over 3.1 km of strike remaining to be tested. 84% of historical drillholes intercepted auriferous intervals including up 1.7 g/t over 35 m.RJ Zone: a high-grade historic gold deposit with ~61,100 ounces identified at a grade of 7.82 g/t Au, with high-grade intercepts from historical drill holes as high as 51 g/t Au over 0.8 metres and 16.5 g/t Au over 3.5 metres2. This zone was the target of the most recently drilling at the Property by Agnico-Eagle Mines in 2008, when the price of gold was ~US$800/oz. Only ~900 metres of strike has been drilled, with 4.75+ km of strike remaining to be tested.Figure 1 - PDDH design for the complete 30,000 metre Drill Program. The Company closed $194,230.33 in gross proceeds through the issuance of 524,947 LIFE units as part of the second tranche. The Company has raised total gross proceeds of $6,600,000 in both tranches of the Offering of LIFE Units.The Offering was conducted pursuant to the listed issuer financing exemption under Part 5A of National Instrument 45-106 - Prospectus Exemptions ("NI 45-106"), as amended and supplemented by Coordinated Blanket Order 45-935 - Exemptions from Certain Conditions of the Listed Issuer Financing Exemption. Each LIFE Unit issued in the Offering is comprised of one common share in the capital of the Company (a "LIFE Share") and one common share purchase warrant (a "LIFE Warrant"). Each LIFE Warrant is exercisable to acquire one additional common share of the Company at an exercise price of $0.54 for a period of 36 months from the date of closing of the Offering. The LIFE Units issued pursuant to the Offering are not subject to a hold period in accordance with applicable Canadian securities laws. In connection with the Offering, the Company filed an offering document dated September 30, 2025, as amended and restated on October 14, 2025, which is available on the Company's SEDAR+ profile at www.sedarplus.ca and on the Company's website ( www.formationmetalsinc.com) . No finder's fees were paid in connection with the Private Placement. The Company intends to use the net proceeds of the Offering as more particularly set out in the Offering Document.The Company is also pleased to announce that it has entered into a consulting agreement with Plutus Invest and Consulting GmbH ("Plutus") (address: Buchtstr. 13, Bremen, 28195, Germany; e-mail: contact@ plutusinvest.de , telephone: 49-421-1754-0174), pursuant to which Plutus will provide the Company with marketing and communications services for a twelve-month term commencing November 1st, 2025. The marketing services provided by Plutus will be in consulting with the Company's management in building investor awareness of the Company through Plutus's network in Europe. The Company has agreed to pay Plutus a consulting fee of up to 250,000 payable upon the commencement of services and over the term. The Company will not issue any securities to Plutus as compensation for the services. As of the date hereof, to the Company's knowledge, Plutus does not own any securities of the Company and has an arm's-length relationship with the Company.The Company is also pleased to announce that it has extended the marketing agreement for 1502656 B.C. Ltd. ("1502656") (address: 3849 154th St., Surrey, BC, Canada V3Z 0V3; e-mail: nate@ wagnergroup.media ., telephone: 604-317-2952) for a further six months for a total budget of up to $350,000 commencing November 1st, 2025. 1502656 is an independent company that will provide strategic digital media services, marketing (including awareness campaigns) and data analytical services to the company. The Company will not issue any securities to 1502656 as compensation for the services. As of the date hereof, to the Company's knowledge, 1502656 does not own any securities of the Company and has an arm's-length relationship with the Company.Project SummaryComprising 87 claims totaling ~4,400 ha within the Abitibi sub province of Northwestern Quebec, Formation's flagship N2 Gold Project is an advanced gold project with a global historic resource of 877,000 ounces. There are six primary auriferous mineralized zones in total, each open for expansion along strike and at depth (Figure 2) Compilation and geophysical work by Balmoral Resources Ltd. (now Wallbridge Mining) from 2010 to 2018 generated numerous targets that have not yet been investigated with diamond drilling.Figure 2 - Property overview summarizing historical work completed at each of the six mineralized zones and t PR-Inside.com: 2025-10-31 21:40:57 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 917 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESS Newswire / October 31, 2025 /Future Fuels Inc. (TSXV:FTUR)(OTCQB:FTURF)(FWB:S0J) ("Future Fuels" or the "Company") is pleased to announce that, further to its previous news releases dated September 5, 2025 and October 9, 2025, it has completed a non-brokered private placement for gross proceeds of C$2,219,810.25 from the sale of 2,959,747 "flow-through" units of the Company (each, an "FT Unit", and collectively, the "FT Units") at a price of C$0.75 per FT Unit (the "LIFE Offering") under the Listed Issuer Financing Exemption (as defined herein).Each FT Unit consists of one charity "flow-through" common share (each, an "FT Share" and collectively, the "FT Shares") and one common share purchase warrant (each an "FT Warrant" and collectively, the "FT Warrants"), issued as "flow-through shares", as defined in subsection 66(15) of the Income Tax Act (Canada) (the "Tax Act"). Each FT Warrant is exercisable to acquire one common share (each a "Warrant Share", and collectively, the "Warrant Shares") at a price of $0.80 per Warrant Share for a period of 24 months from the date hereof (the "Closing Date"). The Warrant Shares underlying the FT Units will not qualify as "flow-through shares" under the Tax Act. The FT Warrants to be issued pursuant to the LIFE Offering will not be listed for trading on any stock exchange.Subject to compliance with applicable regulatory requirements and in accordance with National Instrument 45-106 - Prospectus Exemptions ("NI 45-106"), the LIFE Offering was made to purchasers resident in all provinces of Canada, except Quebec, pursuant to the listed issuer financing exemption under Part 5A of NI 45-106 (the "Listed Issuer Financing Exemption"). The securities offered under the LIFE Offering pursuant to the Listed Issuer Financing Exemption are not subject to resale restrictions in accordance with applicable Canadian securities laws. There is an amended and restated offering document dated October 9, 2025 (the "Offering Document") related to the LIFE Offering that can be accessed under the Company's issuer profile on SEDAR+ at www.sedarplus.ca and on the Company's website at: www.futurefuelsinc.com The gross proceeds of the LIFE Offering will be used to incur "Canadian exploration expenses" that are "flow-through critical mineral mining expenditures", within the meaning of the Tax Act, on the Company's 100%-owned Hornby Basin Project.This news release does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to sell any of securities in the United States. The securities have not been and will not be registered under the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "U.S. Securities Act") or any state securities laws and may not be offered or sold within the United States or to U.S. Persons unless registered under the U.S. Securities Act and applicable state securities laws or an exemption from such registration is available.About Future Fuels Inc. Future Fuels' principal asset is the Hornby Uranium 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 Deposit. Additionally, Future Fuels holds the Covette Property in Quebec's James Bay region, comprising 65 mineral claims over 3,370 hectares.On behalf of the Board of DirectorsFUTURE FUELS INC."Rob Leckie"Rob Leckie, CEOTel: 604.681.1568Email: info@ futurefuelsinc.com Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements 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. Forward-looking statements in this press release include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the Company's exploration and development plans with respect to its projects and statements regarding the LIFE Offering including, without limitation, statements regarding the Company's anticipated business and operational activities. 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, the inherently unpredictable nature of resource exploration, 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. 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. PR-Inside.com: 2025-10-31 14:00:39 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 953 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 HighlightsSuccessful completion of due diligence by the Clean Elements Fund ("Clean Elements") confirming HMW's world-class status; $20 million placement to proceed with full and final settlement due by November.RIGI incentive regime approved by the Argentine Government for the HMW Project, providing fiscal stability and significant long-term benefits.Advancement of Phase 1 construction at Hombre Muerto West (HMW), including completion of Pond 4 design and progress on nano-filtration plant fabrication in Sydney.No debt and strong cash position of approx. $11m with a further $10m in placement proceeds due in November.Galan remains funded to complete Phase 1 construction and deliver first lithium chloride production in H1 2026.Strategic expansion of Greenbushes South tenure.PERTH, AU / ACCESS Newswire / October 31, 2025 / Galan Lithium Limited (Galan or the Company) presents its Quarterly Activities Report for the quarter ended 30 September 2025, along with activities up to the date of this release. Galan continues to focus on the construction of Phase 1 at its 100%-owned HMW lithium brine project in Argentina. With funding secured and regulatory approvals in place, the Company is well-positioned to transition into production in H1 2026.Figure 1. Construction of Nano-filtration Plant in Sydney is well advanced.Speaking on the progress achieved this quarter, Managing Director Juan Pablo ("JP") Vargas de la Vega said:" The September quarter marked a pivotal period for Galan, highlighted by two major achievements - the securing of full Phase 1 construction funding with the support of Clean Elements and the Argentine Government's approval of our RIGI incentive application. Together, these developments provide both the financial and fiscal foundation to complete construction and transition toward first lithium production at HMW in 2026.Being only the second mining company to be granted approval under the RIGI regime underscores the strength of our project, our relationships in Catamarca and our alignment with Argentina's economic and investment priorities.Galan is now in a uniquely competitive position as we move closer to becoming a low-cost, high-grade lithium producer. The momentum across all workstreams continues to build and we remain firmly focused on delivering first production in H1 2026 ."Strategic and Funding DevelopmentsDuring the quarter, Galan successfully satisfied all conditions for the $20 million equity placement with Clean Elements. The placement, conducted at a premium to market, validates the strategic value and quality of the HMW Project. Tranche 1 settlement ($10 million) occurred shortly after shareholder approval on 22 August 2025, with Tranche 2 ($10 million) scheduled to settle by November 2025. This funding ensures completion of Phase 1 construction and delivery of first lithium chloride concentrate in H1 2026.Regimen de Incentivo para Grandes Inversiones (RIGI) Incentive RegimeThe Argentine Government approved the Regimen de Incentivo para Grandes Inversiones ( RIGI ) for HMW in July 2025. This marked a significant milestone for Galan, as HMW became only the second mining project in Argentina (outside of Rio's Rincon project) to receive the RIGI. The framework provides long-term fiscal stability, including a reduced corporate income tax rate, customs and tariff exemptions, and improved foreign exchange access for imports and repatriation. The approval underscores the Government's recognition of HMW's strategic importance to Argentina's lithium sector.Galan continued to strengthen its collaboration with the Catamarca Government and local stakeholders. Authium Limited's ( Authium ) Founder and Director Cameron Stanton, together with Managing Director JP Vargas de la Vega and members of Galan's Legal and Community Relations teams met with Governor Raul Jalil and Mining Minister Marcelo Murua to discuss progress at HMW and the benefits arising from the RIGI approval. The Catamarca Government has promoted the development of a sealed road between Antofagasta de la Sierra and the Hombre Muerto Salar as priority initiative. Galan, together with industry partners, will contribute towards the development of the road, which is the primary road to Galan's HMW operations.Figure 2. Meeting between Juan Pablo Vargas de la Vega (Galan), Cameron Stanton (Authium) and Raul Jalil(Governor of Catamarca)Project Execution - Hombre Muerto WestPhase 1 construction activities at HMW advanced steadily throughout the quarter. Detailed design and procurement for Pond 4 construction was completed and scheduled site civil engineering works are underway. Authium and Galan have been working closely together on engineering design, construction planning and the development of project schedules to support efficient project execution. To assist with project execution, Authium representatives have recently undertaken a site visit to HMW where the site preparation works for the nano-filtration plant have commenced.Authium progressed fabrication of the nano-filtration plant in Sydney, completing structural steelwork and major equipment orders. Laboratory testing confirmed excellent impurity rejection (99% sulphate removal) and strong filtration performance. Commissioning of the nano-filtration plant remains scheduled for early 2026, with first production from HMW on track for the first half of 2026.Figure 3. Nano-filtration site, adjacent to Pond 3, cleared in preparation for plant foundationsFigure 4. Assembly of Nano-filtration plant and filters in Sydney.Greenbushes SouthGalan strategically expanded its Western Australian exploration portfolio through the grant of exploration licence E70/4889 and associated prospecting licences. The new tenure is located approximately 2 km along strike and closest to, the world-class Greenbushes Lithium Mine and lies directly over the mineralising fault zone controlling this Tier 1 deposit. This position provides Galan with compelling targets to test structural continuity between its Greenbushes South holdings and the main Greenbushes system. Planned work includes stakeholder engagement, reinterpretation of geophysics, ground-based surveys, geochemical sampling and follow-up drilling, with timing and budgets to be finalised.Figure 5. Drone photo showing new tenements relative to the Greenbushes MineWhile Galan's primary focus remains on Phase 1 construction and development of the HMW project in Argentina, this acquisition creates an opportunity to advance targeted exploration in Australia in parallel. The Company is actively evaluating strategic options to accelerate value from Greenbushes South and its James Bay interests, including potential joint ventures, divestments or a spin-off. These pathways would onl MANILA, Oct. 31 (Xinhua) -- The Asian Development Bank (ADB) Friday said that it has approved a 180-million-U.S.-dollar loan as the second additional financing to support PT Geo Dipa Energy, an Indonesian state-owned company, to further boost the country's geothermal electricity generation. The Geothermal Power Generation Project supports the construction and commissioning of two geothermal plants, each with a capacity of 55 megawatts, in Java Island, the ADB said in a press release. The project will provide environmentally friendly base-load electricity to the Java-Bali electricity grid, reducing carbon dioxide emissions by more than 550,000 tons per year, the Manila-based bank said. The additional financing will focus on supporting project completion against increasing costs and sustaining progress toward the country's clean energy and climate goals, the ADB said. "PT Geo Dipa Energy plays a catalytic role in driving the next phase of geothermal development. We look forward to continuing our close collaboration to expand Indonesia's geothermal capacity and accelerate the shift toward a cleaner, more resilient energy future," said ADB Country Director for Indonesia Jiro Tominaga. PR-Inside.com: 2025-10-31 14:00:20 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 641 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 ATLANTA, GA / ACCESS Newswire / October 31, 2025 /The Georgia School of Orthodontics (GSO) proudly recognizes Dr. Mauricio Gonzalez, who was appointed Chairman of the GSO Board of Trustees earlier this year. Under Dr. Gonzalez's leadership, the Board continues to guide GSO's mission of excellence in education, clinical innovation, and community service.Dr. Gonzalez brings more than four decades of distinguished leadership in higher education and international affairs to GSO. He recently retired from the University of North Florida (UNF) after 18 years of service as Vice President of Student and International Affairs and currently holds the title of Professor Emeritus in the College of Education and Human Resources. Over the course of his 41-year academic career, Dr. Gonzalez has served at four major universities, including the University of Cincinnati, the University of Toledo, and the University of Texas at San Antonio."Dr. Gonzalez brings an exceptional depth of experience and leadership to our Board," said Dr. Randy Kluender, President of the Georgia School of Orthodontics. "His distinguished career in higher education and his commitment to academic excellence align perfectly with GSO's mission to advance orthodontic education and patient care. We are honored to have him lead the Board of Trustees during this exciting time in our institution's growth." He earned his bachelor's degree from the University of Texas at Arlington, his master's degree from the University of the Americas in Puebla, Mexico, and his Ph.D. from Florida State University. Dr. Gonzalez completed his education following his service in the United States Army (1966-1969) at Letterman General Hospital in San Francisco, California, and the 7th Field Army Hospital at Camp Oji in Tokyo, Japan.Dr. Gonzalez has been recognized nationally for his contributions to education, the arts, and international cultural exchange. He is a Senior Fulbright Research Scholar, National Endowment for the Arts Fellow, and USIA Academic Specialist Grant recipient. He was inducted into the Phi Beta Delta Honor Society for International Scholars and has served as a member of the Fulbright Scholar Discipline Advisory Committee as well as a Field Reviewer for the Institute of Museum Services in Washington, D.C.An active advocate for the arts, Dr. Gonzalez has served on numerous boards, including the Museum of Contemporary Art Jacksonville, the City of Jacksonville's Hispanic Council, and the Girl Scouts of America. In 2015, he received the Robert Arleigh White Award for Art Advocacy from the Cultural Council of Greater Jacksonville and, in 2017, was appointed as an evaluator for the city's Cultural Service Grant Program"I am honored and excited to contribute to the continued growth of GSO," said Dr. Gonzalez. "It's a privilege to work alongside such a dedicated Board and committed members of the administration. Together, I'm confident we will accomplish the important work ahead of us and continue to advance the mission of this great organization." Dr. Gonzalez's leadership marks an exciting chapter for the Georgia School of Orthodontics as the institution continues to provide exceptional orthodontic education with an inclusive community of residents and faculty representing more than 20 countries around the world.Atlanta-based Georgia School of Orthodontics offers an advanced specialty education program in orthodontics and dentofacial orthopedics. The 36-month residency program is structured to provide collaborative and evidence-based learning for residents, while providing quality orthodontic care to patients in the school's two patient clinics in metro Atlanta. GSO's mission is to educate outstanding dentists to be proficient in the clinical specialty of orthodontics, while providing Georgians with the highest level of patient care available. GSO faculty and staff are dedicated to excellence in education, research and patient-centered care. For more information about GSO's residency program, visit GSOrthodontics.org . To schedule a complimentary consultation to see if you are a candidate for orthodontic treatment, visit BracesToday.com or call 770.351.7737.GSO clinic@ gaorthodontics.org | 770.351.7737 www.BracesToday.com SOURCE: Georgia School of Orthodontics PR-Inside.com: 2025-10-31 22:45:11 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 474 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 VIENNA, AUSTRIA / ACCESS Newswire / October 31, 2025 / Invest Expat GmbH, Austria's first Certified Financial Advisor for Expats, has officially opened a new office in Vienna. The expansion marks a key milestone in the company's growth strategy to serve internationally mobile professionals seeking transparent financial planning and wealth management solutions in Austria and across Europe.New Vienna Office to Support Austria's Growing Expat CommunityWith a growing number of international professionals working in sectors such as energy, diplomacy, and technology, Vienna has become a central hub for global talent. Invest Expat GmbH aims to meet the increasing demand for independent, cross-border financial advice by establishing a local base in the capital."Opening our Vienna office allows us to better serve clients who face complex financial and tax challenges while living abroad," says Maximilian Plank, Founder and CEO of Invest Expat GmbH. "This step also prepares us for our planned expansion into Germany, where many expats experience similar advisory needs." Transparent Membership Model and Strategic Growth Invest Expat GmbH operates on a transparent membership basis designed to provide independent financial advice without product bias. Members receive personalized guidance on investment, taxation, and long-term wealth planning for an annual fee, ensuring clarity and ongoing support. The company's services are tailored for clients with significant assets who value structured and cross-border financial strategies. As part of its broader European vision, Invest Expat GmbH is also developing a strategic franchise model to collaborate with certified financial advisors across Europe. This initiative supports sustainable growth and ensures consistent advisory standards in each market.A Milestone Toward a European Advisory NetworkThe new Vienna office represents a major step in building a unified financial advisory platform for expatriates in Europe. By expanding from its Innsbruck headquarters into Austria's capital, Invest Expat GmbH is positioning itself as a key partner for international professionals seeking independent, compliant, and transparent financial solutions. "Our long-term goal is to make qualified financial guidance accessible to expats across borders," Plank adds. "The Vienna expansion is the foundation for that mission." About Invest Expat GmbH Invest Expat GmbH is Austria's first Certified Financial Advisor for Expats, specializing in wealth management, tax optimization, investment planning, and retirement strategies for internationally mobile professionals. Headquartered in Innsbruck with a new office in Vienna, the company provides independent financial advice through a transparent membership model. Invest Expat GmbH is preparing to expand its services into Germany to strengthen its European presence and is offering a free 15-minute phone call to determine if support can be provided via https://calendly.com/invest-expat-max-plank/15min-call Further information on Invest Expat GmbH can be found at www.investexpat.com Media ContactOrganization: Invest Expat GmbHContact Person Name: Maximilian PlankWebsite: https://www.investexpat.com/ Email: info@ investexpat.com Contact Number: +436644389644Address: Museumsstrasse 3/1,Address 2: 6020 Innsbruck - OsterreichCity: ViennaState: ViennaCountry: AustriaSOURCE: Invest Expat GmbH PR-Inside.com: 2025-10-31 17:30:16 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 393 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 NEW YORK CITY, NY / ACCESS Newswire / October 31, 2025 / Legacy Health, LLC("Legacy Health") recently suffered a data breach that compromised the sensitive personal and protected health data of individuals. This data breach has led to concerns over the security of sensitive personal and protected health information entrusted to Legacy Health.WHAT'S THIS ABOUT?Legacy Health, LLC recently became aware of a security incident affecting its systems. Upon detection, Legacy Health launched an investigation with the assistance of third-party cybersecurity experts to determine the nature and scope of the incident. The investigation determined that an unauthorized third party gained access to systems containing patient and insurance information.The impacted data may include names, medical information, and health insurance information.On October 24, 2025, Legacy Health filed a notice with the Texas Attorney General's Office and began sending notice letters to impacted individuals. Compensation may be available for those individuals who receive notice that their sensitive personal and protected health 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 Legacy Health, LLC, 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 PR-Inside.com: 2025-10-31 13:00:09 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 1039 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 Miami dental specialist Dr. John Paul Gallardo reveals how advancements in full-arch restoration allow for customized implant configurations that improve comfort, stability, and long-term outcomes.MIAMI, FL / ACCESS Newswire / October 31, 2025 / Dental implant technology continues to evolve, providing patients who have lost most or all of their teeth with long-lasting, natural-looking alternatives to removable dentures. One of the most popular full-arch solutions, known as All-on-4, has become widely recognized for restoring complete function and aesthetics using just four dental implants per arch. However, according to Dr. John Paul Gallardo of Gallardo Periodontics & Implant Dentistry in Miami, FL, not every case can be adequately supported with only four implants. Dr. John Paul Gallardo, DDS, PA Dr. Gallardo is recognized for his expertise in minimally invasive implant techniques.In many patients, additional implants-sometimes referred to as All-on-X-may be necessary to achieve long-term stability, balance, and the most natural result possible.Understanding the All-on-4 Concept"All-on-4" refers to a method of anchoring a full arch of replacement teeth onto four strategically placed dental implants. Two are usually positioned near the front of the mouth and two toward the back, allowing for even distribution of force when biting and chewing. This technique has revolutionized full-mouth restoration by offering a fixed, functional solution that avoids the inconvenience of removable dentures.As Dr. Gallardo explains in one of his educational videos, "Traditionally, the All-on-4 basically means four implants per arch. So if we need to replace all the teeth on the top, we place four implants and then a fixed arch of teeth is secured completely onto those four implants." While this approach works well for many patients, there are situations where four implants do not provide the optimal level of support-particularly in individuals with bone loss, complex anatomy, or other structural challenges.Why "Four" Isn't Always EnoughEvery patient's mouth is unique, and several factors determine whether four implants can reliably support an entire arch of teeth. Dr. Gallardo highlights three of the most important considerations: bone density, age, and what's known as the anterior-posterior (AP) spread, or the distance between the implants at the front and back of the mouth."Sometimes, depending on the age of the patient, the density of the bone, and the AP spread, we want to have connection points that are toward the front teeth, but also toward the molars," Dr. Gallardo explains. "Sometimes we can't accomplish that with four, so we might add a fifth or sixth implant." Adding one or two additional implants can expand the foundation, distribute biting forces more evenly, and enhance long-term durability-particularly in patients with lower bone density or reduced space between anatomical landmarks like the sinus cavities or nerves.From All-on-4 to All-on-X: Adapting to Each Patient"All-on-X" is a broader term encompassing implant-supported restorations that use more than four fixtures-commonly five, six, or even more per arch. The goal is the same: to provide a permanent, fixed set of replacement teeth that look and feel natural. What changes is the number and placement of the implants used to achieve ideal balance and strength.In some cases, the treatment plan begins as an All-on-4 but shifts to All-on-6 during surgery once the anatomy is fully evaluated. "As we were planning the case, we anticipated that we might have to turn this from an All-on-4 to an All-on-6," says Dr. Gallardo in one of his patient case reviews. "The reason was that the spread of the implants-the distance between the front implants and the back implants-was too small. We wanted to be able to get as many teeth as possible." During this procedure, the patient's sinus anatomy required special consideration. "The sinuses were extremely low," Dr. Gallardo notes. "So we used a teeth express' approach, placing shorter but very wide implants in the position of the first molars so we could get the implant in the right position without invading the sinus." A Precision Approach to Complex AnatomyIn advanced cases like this, Dr. Gallardo emphasizes precision and bone preservation. Rather than performing a full sinus lift, his team prepared the bone carefully to accommodate wide implants while keeping the procedure minimally invasive."We drilled the bone and made what we call the osteotomy, right up to the sinus membrane," he explains. "Then we added growth factors to help lift the membrane just slightly-not a full sinus lift or graft, but just enough to place the two fixtures and have a good AP spread. That way, the patient can have [teeth] as far back as possible." This technique demonstrates the adaptability of All-on-X dentistry: tailoring the implant configuration to the individual's bone anatomy and restorative goals, rather than applying a one-size-fits-all model.Predictable Outcomes and Long-Term StabilityThe long-term success of any full-arch dental implant restoration depends on careful planning and a stable foundation. For patients with strong bone quality and sufficient spacing, All-on-4 can deliver outstanding results. For others, especially those with reduced bone volume, adding one or two more implants may make a significant difference in function and comfort over time.All-on-X approaches can also improve the design of the final prosthesis, allowing for a more even distribution of biting forces and a fuller arch of teeth that extends to the molar region-important for both aesthetics and chewing efficiency.Dr. Gallardo often highlights this balance between precision and predictability in treatment planning. His approach prioritizes minimally invasive techniques whenever possible while ensuring that the long-term structural support of the restoration is never compromised.Restoring Confidence and FunctionFor many patients, the decision to move forward with dental implants is not just about replacing teeth-it's about restoring confidence, oral health, and quality of life. Whether a patient qualifies for All-on-4 or benefits from additional implant support through All-on-X, the overarching goal remains the same: a stable, natural-looking smile that lasts.At Gallardo Periodontics & Implant Dentistry, Dr. Gallardo combines advanced imaging, computer-guided surgical planning, and years of experience in complex implant procedures to achieve predictable outcomes for patients throughout South Florida. He emphasizes that every case is unique, and the treatment plan-including the number and placement of implants-should be carefu PR-Inside.com: 2025-10-31 19:59:08 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 631 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 NEW YORK CITY, NY / ACCESS Newswire / October 31, 2025 / Leading securities law firmBleichmar Fonti & Auld LLPannounces that a class action lawsuit has been filed against James Hardie Industries plc (NYSE:JHX) and certain of the Company's senior executives for securities fraud after significant stock drop resulting from the potential violations of the federal securities laws.If you invested in James Hardie, you are encouraged to obtain additional information by visiting: https://www.bfalaw.com/cases/james-hardie-industries-class-action-lawsuit Investors have until December 23, 2025, to ask the Court to be appointed to lead the case. The complaint asserts claims under Sections 10(b) and 20(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 on behalf of investors in James Hardie common stock (formerly American Depositary Shares). The class action is pending in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois and is captioned Laborers' District Council and Contractors' Pension Fund of Ohio v. James Hardie Industries plc, et al., No. 1:25-cv-13018.Why Was James Hardie Sued for Securities Fraud?James Hardie is a producer and marketer of high-performance fiber cement building solutions. The largest application for the Company's fiber cement building products in the United Stated and Canada is in external siding for the residential building industry.During the relevant period, James Hardie told investors that the results of its North American fiber cement segment demonstrated its "inherent strength" and "the underlying momentum in our strategy." The Company also stated on May 20, 2025, that it was seeing "normal stock levels" among its customers and that it was "seeing performance in the month to date as we would expect." As alleged, in truth, the Company's North American sales during the relevant period were the result of inventory loading by channel partners, with the hallmarks of fraudulent channel stuffing, not sustainable customer demand as represented.The Stock Declines as the Truth Is RevealedOn August 19, 2025, James Hardie revealed that its North American fiber cement sales declined 12% during the quarter, driven by destocking first discovered "in April through May" as customers "made efforts to return to more normal inventory levels[.]" The Company also revealed that significant inventory destocking was expected to continue to impact sales for the next several quarters. On this news, the price of James Hardie stock fell $9.79 per share, or more than 34%, from $28.43 per share on August 19, 2025, to $18.64 per share on August 20, 2025.Click here for more information: https://www.bfalaw.com/cases/james-hardie-industries-class-action-lawsuit What Can You Do?If you invested in James Hardie you may have legal options and are encouraged to submit your information to the firm.All representation is on a contingency fee basis, there is no cost to you. Shareholders are not responsible for any court costs or expenses of litigation. The firm will seek court approval for any potential fees and expenses.Submit your information by visiting:Or contact:Ross Shikowitz ross@ bfalaw.com 212.789.3619Why Bleichmar Fonti & Auld LLP?BFA is a leading international law firm representing plaintiffs in securities class actions and shareholder litigation. It has been named a top plaintiff law firm by Chambers USA, The Legal 500, and ISS SCAS, and its attorneys have been named "Elite Trial Lawyers" by the National Law Journal, among the top "500 Leading Plaintiff Financial Lawyers" by Lawdragon, "Titans of the Plaintiffs' Bar" by Law360 and "SuperLawyers" by Thomson Reuters. Among its recent notable successes, BFA recovered over $900 million in value from Tesla, Inc.'s Board of Directors, as well as $420 million from Teva Pharmaceutical Ind. Ltd.For more information about BFA and its attorneys, please visit https://www.bfalaw.com Attorney advertising. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.SOURCE: Bleichmar Fonti & Auld LLP PR-Inside.com: 2025-10-31 04:20:07 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 793 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 VANCOUVER, BC / ACCESS Newswire / October 30, 2025 / Linear Minerals Corp. ("Linear" or the "Company") (CSE:LINE)(OTCQB:LINMF) (WKN:A2J C89) (the "Company") is pleased to announce that on October 29, 2025, the Supreme Court of British Columbia approved the Plan of Arrangement Agreement dated for reference August 1, 2025 (the "Arrangement") to spin out Company's Pontax West Lithium Property located in the Province of Quebec to the Company's subsidiary Westlinear Minerals Corp. ("Spinco").Under the terms of the Arrangement, the Company's shareholders will be issued one share of Spinco with respect to every 10 shares of the Company owned on the share distribution record date (the "Share Distribution Record Date"), which will be determined by the Company's Board of Directors and announced by a separate news release in advance.The Arrangement was approved by the shareholders of the Company on October 23, 2025.Holders of the Company options and warrants, who exercise their options and/or warrants before the Share Distribution Record Date, will also be entitled to receive one share of Spinco with respect to every 10 shares of the Company. The Pontax West Lithium Property will be transferred to Spinco.Upon completion of the Arrangement, the Company shareholders will ultimately own shares in two companies: the Company, which will be focused on its other mineral properties and Spinco, which will focus on the Pontax West Lithium Property.Completion of the Arrangement is subject to the acceptance of the Arrangement by the Canadian Securities Exchange.Additional details regarding the Arrangement are described in the information circular of the Company, dated August 28, 2025, which is available atwww.sedarplus.caunder the profile of the Company.On behalf of the board of directors."Gurminder Sangha"CEO, DirectorFor further information, please contact the Company at:info@ linearminerals.com Forward Looking StatementsWhen used in this news release, the words "estimate", "project", "belief", "anticipate", "intend", "expect", "plan", "predict", "may" or "should" and the negative of these words or such variations thereon or comparable terminology are intended to identify forward-looking statements and information. Although the Company believes, in light of the experience of their respective officers and directors, current conditions and expected future developments and other factors that have been considered appropriate, that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements and information in this news release are reasonable, undue reliance should not be placed on them because the parties can give no assurance that such statements will prove to be correct. The forward-looking statements and information in this news release include, amongst others, the Company's plans regarding the Arrangement and exploration plans. Such statements and information reflect the current view of the Company. There are risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those contemplated in those forward-looking statements and information.By their nature, forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements, or other future events, to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements or implied by such forward-looking statements. There are a number of important factors that could cause the Company's actual results to differ materially from those indicated or implied by forward-looking statements and information. Such factors include, among others: currency fluctuations; limited business history of the parties; disruptions or changes in the credit or security markets; results of operation activities and development of projects; project cost overruns or unanticipated costs; shareholder, court and regulatory approvals; and general development, market and industry conditions.The Company undertakes no obligation to comment on analyses, expectations or statements made by third parties in respect of its securities or its financial or operating results (as applicable). The Company cautions that the foregoing list of material factors is not exhaustive. When relying on the Company's forward-looking statements and information to make decisions, investors and others should carefully consider the foregoing factors and other uncertainties and potential events. The Company has assumed that the material factors referred to in the previous paragraph will not cause such forward-looking statements and information to differ materially from actual results or events. However, the list of these factors is not exhaustive and is subject to change and there can be no assurance that such assumptions will reflect the actual outcome of such items or factors.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, are subject to change after such date. The Company does not undertake to update this information at any particular time except as required in accordance with applicable laws.SOURCE: Linear Minerals Corp. PR-Inside.com: 2025-10-31 17:28:38 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 357 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 NEW YORK CITY, NY / ACCESS Newswire / October 31, 2025 / Pomerantz LLP announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed against WPP Plc ("WPP" or the "Company") (NYSE:WPP). Such investors are advised to 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.The class action concerns whether WPP and certain of its officers and/or directors have engaged in securities fraud or other unlawful business practices.You have until December 8, 2025, to ask the Court to appoint you as Lead Plaintiff for the class if you purchased or otherwise acquired WPP securities during the Class Period. A copy of the Complaint can be obtained at www.pomerantzlaw.com [Click here for information about joining the class action]On July 9, 2025, WPP published a trading update for the first half of 2025, advising investors that the Company had "seen a deterioration in performance as Q2 has progressed." The Company attributed its misfortune to both "continued macro uncertainty weighing on client spend and weaker net new business than originally anticipated," at least in part due to "some distraction to the business" as a result of the continued restructuring of WPP Media.On this news, WPP's American Depositary Receipt ("ADR") price fell $6.48 per ADR, or 18.09%, to close at $29.34 per ADR on July 9, 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 numerous multimillion-dollar damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomlaw.com Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.SOURCE: Pomerantz LLP PR-Inside.com: 2025-10-31 17:25:06 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 592 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 NEW YORK CITY, NY / ACCESS Newswire / October 31, 2025 / Pomerantz LLP announces that a class action lawsuit has been filed against Molina Healthcare, Inc. ("Molina" or the "Company") (NYSE:MOH). Such investors are advised to 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.The class action concerns whether Molina and certain of its officers and/or directors have engaged in securities fraud or other unlawful business practices.You have until December 2, 2025, to ask the Court to appoint you as Lead Plaintiff for the class if you purchased or otherwise acquired Molina securities during the Class Period. A copy of the Complaint can be obtained at www.pomerantzlaw.com [Click here for information about joining the class action]On July 7, 2025, Molina issued a press release announcing financial results for the second quarter of 2025 and slashing full year 2025 adjusted earnings per share guidance. The press release reported second quarter 2025 adjusted earnings of approximately $5.50 per share, which was "below . . . prior expectations" due to "medical cost pressures in all three lines of business." The Company also announced that it "expects these medical cost pressures to continue into the second half of the year" and cut guidance for expected adjusted earnings per share 10.2% at the midpoint, from "at least $24.50 per share" to a "range of $21.50 to $22.50 per share." The press release revealed Molina was experiencing a "short-term earnings pressure" from a "dislocation between premium rates and a medical cost trend which has recently accelerated." On this news, Molina's stock price fell $6.97 per share, or 2.9%, to close at $232.61 per share on July 7, 2025.Then, on July 23, 2025, Molina issued a press release reporting its financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2025 and further slashing the Company's full-year 2025 earnings guidance. The press release revealed, in part, that the Company's "GAAP net income was $4.75 per diluted share for the second quarter of 2025, a decrease of 8% year over year;" and it "now expects its full year 2025 adjusted earnings to be no less than $19.00 per diluted share." This represented another 13.6% cut to guidance of earnings per share at the midpoint, from the cut to guidance announced less than two weeks earlier. Molina also cut its guidance for its full year 2025 GAAP net income 27% to $912 million. Molina attributed its results a full year outlook to a "challenging medical cost trend environment," including mere "utilization of behavioral health, pharmacy, and inpatient and outpatient services." The Company claimed that its guidance cut also reflected "new information gained in the quarterly closing process." On this news, Molina's stock price fell $32.03 per share, or 16.84%, to close at $158.22 per share on July 24, 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 numerous multimillion-dollar damages awards on behalf of class members. See www.pomlaw.com Attorney advertising. Prior results do not guarantee similar outcomes.SOURCE: Pomerantz LLP PR-Inside.com: 2025-10-31 13:30:17 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 1031 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 Shareholders of each company overwhelmingly approve RTO transactionRTO transaction expected to close on or about November 4, 2025Resulting Issuer - Summit Royalties - expected to commence trading on the TSX Venture Exchange under the symbol "SUM" the week of November 10, 2025TORONTO, ON / ACCESS Newswire / October 31, 2025 / Summit Royalty Corp. ("Summit") and Eagle Royalties Ltd. (CSE:ER) ("Eagle") are pleased to provide certain updates relating to their previously announced three-cornered amalgamation that will result in a reverse takeover of Eagle by Summit (the "RTO"), further to their joint news release dated July 2, 2025 and Eagle's news release dated September 30, 2025. In this news release, references to the "Resulting Issuer" are to Eagle after the closing of the RTO, to be renamed Summit Royalties Ltd.Approval by Eagle ShareholdersYesterday, Eagle held its annual general and special meeting (the "Eagle Meeting") of shareholders (the "Eagle Shareholders"). A total of 26,427,476 pre-Consolidation (as defined below) common shares of Eagle (the "Eagle Shares") were present in person or represented by proxy at the Eagle Meeting, representing approximately 46.31% of the issued and outstanding pre-Consolidation Eagle Shares.The principal purpose of the Eagle Meeting was to authorize and approve the RTO, which constitutes a "Fundamental Change" (under the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange (the "CSE")) in respect of Eagle as well as various corporate matters relevant to the Resulting Issuer, including:the consolidation of Eagle Shares (the "Consolidation") on the basis of five (5) pre-Consolidation Eagle Shares for one (1) post-Consolidation Eagle Shares;the change of name from "Eagle Royalties Ltd." To "Summit Royalties Ltd."; the continuance of the Resulting Issuer from under the laws of Province of Alberta under the Business Corporations Act (Alberta) to the laws of the Province of Ontario under the Business Corporations Act (Ontario);the election of each of Tim J. Termuende, Charles C. Downie, Paul Reynolds, Jesse Campbell and Stephen P. Kenwood as directors of Eagle to hold office until the closing of the RTO, and the election of each of Andrew Clark, Jerrold Annett, Stephen Eddy, Russell Mills and Blair Zaritsky as directors of the Resulting Issuer upon the closing of the RTO;the adoption of a 10% rolling omnibus equity incentive plan of the Resulting Issuer upon the closing of the RTO; andthe appointment of Crowe MacKay LLP as auditors of Eagle and following the closing of the RTO, the appointment of MNP LLP as auditors of the Resulting Issuer.Each of the above matters received overwhelming approval of Eagle Shareholders present in person or represented by proxy at the Eagle Meeting.Approval by Summit ShareholdersSummit also held its annual general and special meeting (the "Summit Meeting") of shareholders (the "Summit Shareholders") yesterday. At the Summit Meeting, Summit Shareholders approved the amalgamation of Summit with 1001280658 Ontario Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Eagle, in connection with the RTO and certain corporate matters.Other Transaction UpdatesHaving received conditional approval of the TSX Venture Exchange (the "TSXV") for the listing of the Resulting Issuer shares, approval of the Eagle Shareholders and Summit Shareholders as described above, the RTO is expected to close on or about November 4, 2025.The Eagle Shares are expected to be delisted from the CSE and the Resulting Issuer's shares are expected to commence trading on the TSXV under the symbol "SUM" on or about the week of November 10, 2025.AdvisorsBennett Jones LLP is legal counsel to Summit and Haywood Securities Inc. is financial advisor to Summit. McLeod Law LLP is legal counsel to Eagle.About Summit Royalty Corp. Summit is a private precious metals streaming and royalty company with an aggressive growth trajectory. Summit's current portfolio is backstopped by cash flow production with additional expansion and exploration upside. Summit intends to rapidly expand to be the next mid-tier streaming and royalty company through a series of actionable and accretive acquisitions which, given Summit's size, can have an outsized effect on its production and cash flow growth. Summit currently has no debt and sufficient cash on-hand for use in future acquisitions.About Eagle Royalties Ltd. Eagle Royalties benefits from maintaining a strong treasury and holds a diverse portfolio of over 35 royalty interests in western Canada. Target commodities subject to royalties include a broad spectrum including critical metals, precious metals and industrial minerals. Its flagship royalty is associated with the AurMac Project located in Yukon, operated by Banyan Gold Corp. Eagle Royalties holds royalty interests ranging from 0.5% to 2% on claims that contain a significant portion of AurMac's inferred gold resource located at the Powerline and Airstrip deposit areas. Eagle Royalties also holds royalty interests on a number of historical base metal deposits located in Western Canada.For further information, please contact:Summit Royalty Corp. Connor Pugliese, Vice President of Corporate Development connor@ summit-royalties.com Eagle Royalties Ltd. Mike Labach, Business Development OfficerTelephone: 1-866-HUNT-ORE (486-8673)Forward-looking Statements Certain statements contained in this news release may be deemed "forwardlooking statements" within the meaning of applicable Canadian and U.S. securities laws. These forwardlooking statements, by their nature, require Summit and Eagle to make certain assumptions and necessarily involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied in these forwardlooking statements. Forwardlooking statements are not guarantees of performance. Words such as "may", "will", "would", "could", "expect", "believe", "plan", "anticipate", "intend", "estimate", "continue", or the negative or comparable terminology, as well as terms usually used in the future and the conditional, are intended to identify forwardlooking statements. Information contained in forwardlooking statements, including with respect to Summit's growth and cash flow, ability for Summit to become a mid-tier streaming and royalty company, ability to complete the RTO, delisting from the CSE and listing on the TSXV (including timing thereof) is based upon certain material assumptions that were applied in drawing a conclusion or making a forecast or projection, including management's perceptions of historical trends, current conditions PR-Inside.com: 2025-10-31 14:00:31 Press Information Published by ACCESSWIRE News Network 888.952.4446 e-mail http://www.accesswire.com # 580 Words ACCESSWIRE News Network888.952.4446 The BID's Renewal is on the HorizonTEMECULA, CALIFORNIA / ACCESS Newswire / October 31, 2025 / Four years after becoming the first wine region in the country to establish a wine tourism business improvement district (BID), the Temecula Valley Wine & Agricultural Heritage District (TVWAHD) is celebrating a record of achievement that has strengthened the region's reputation, grown its economy, and set a model now being considered by other wine regions.Launched in 2021 by the Temecula Valley Winegrowers Association (TVWA) and unanimously approved by the Riverside County Board of Supervisors, the district generates marketing funds through a direct assessment on winery sales. The initiative has allowed Temecula Valley to take bold steps in branding, outreach, education, and infrastructure that were once out of reach.Since its formation, TVWAHD has delivered tangible results that have strengthened our businesses and elevated Temecula Valley Wine Country's reputation.Here are just a few key accomplishments:Visitation Growth Above Industry Benchmarks - Over the last three years, Temecula Valley Wine Country has achieved 1.08% average year-over-year visitation growth, outperforming statewide wine tourism trends.National Brand Recognition - A complete rebrand and proactive PR strategy generated a 236% increase in media coverage (25 articles in 2021 increased to 84 in 2024) and 1.12 billion media impressions, a 1,767% increase.Social Media Reach - Grew Facebook's reach by 15% and Instagram's by 48% while launching new platforms like TikTok to connect with emerging audiences.Industry Credibility - Temecula Valley wines are now consistently scoring 90+ points and earning top honors alongside legacy regions at competitions such as the California State Fair, San Francisco Chronicle, and Toast of the Coast.Tourism Infrastructure - Wayfinding signage, a redesigned website (+27% traffic increase from 2022-2024), and a digital SIP Passport have enriched the visitor journey.Educational Investment - Funding for WSET (Wine & Spirit Education Trust) certifications, training programs, and scholarships has raised the bar for hospitality and cultivated future industry leaders.Financial Stewardship - The District's budget grew from $1.2 million in 2021 to $1.7 million in 2025 (a 44% increase), allowing us to invest strategically while maintaining full transparency and accountability."These milestones aren't just aspirational, they're demonstrable," said Krista Chaich, executive director of the Temecula Valley Winegrowers Association. "Since launching this district, we have proven how effective this model can be, inspiring several other wine regions to successfully pass their own BIDs, with even more currently exploring the concept. We've been proud to serve as an active and collaborative resource for those regions, and we look forward to continuing to share what we've learned while building on our own success and the success of the California wine industry as a whole." Today, Temecula Valley continues to outperform national visitation averages, reinforcing its role as Southern California's Wine Country. With renewal on the horizon, the district looks ahead to building on its momentum for the next five years.For more information about Temecula Valley Wine Country and its wineries, visit www.temeculawines.org ABOUT TEMECULA VALLEY WINE COUNTRYLocated within a 60-minute drive from San Diego, Orange County, and Palm Springs, and within 90 minutes of Los Angeles, Temecula Valley is widely recognized as Temecula Valley Southern California Wine Country. The popular wine destination is southern California's largest wine producing region by volume.The Temecula Valley Winegrowers Association (TVWA) is a 501(c)(6) nonprofit regional organization. The TVWA ( TemeculaWines.org) is dedicated to promoting the making and growing of quality wine and wine grapes in the Temecula Valley A.V.A. (American Viticulture Area).Contact InformationDevin ParrBrand Marketing Partnerprmarketing@ temeculawines.org 818-731-1082SOURCE: Temecula Valley Winegrowers Association GUIYANG, Oct. 31 (Xinhua) -- Under the glittering lights of the Palais des Nations in Geneva on Thursday evening, the Village T fashion show from southwest China's Guizhou Province once again gained global attention. Xie Zongxu, a member of the Miao ethnic group who was born in Guizhou's Kaili City in 1998, shared with the world how the intangible cultural heritage of traditional ethnic group craftsmanship has been transformed and revived in his hometown. At the closing ceremony of the 2025 United Nations HRC Social Forum, Xie presented a special gift to the United Nations: a piece of embroidery featuring the UN emblem surrounded by a giant panda, peace doves, dolphins, and Miao totems such as Mother Butterfly. The gift showcases the traditional design styles and exquisite craftsmanship of Guizhou's embroiderers. "We hope to showcase the stories of Guizhou's intangible cultural heritage and embroidery to the world, demonstrating the modern vitality of China's intangible cultural heritage," Xie said. "And we want to call on countries around the world to display their ethnic beauty on our Village T platform." Initiated in a cultural park in Kaili, the Village T grassroots fashion show was first staged in July 2024. A Miao fashion designer brought traditional farming tools, silver ornaments, batik and embroidery onto the runway, creating diverse ethnic costumes donned by a group of models that included local villagers, embroiderers and children. The intangible cultural heritage fashion show rose to rapid fame, accumulating over 15 billion views across social media platforms. Since July last year, through a joint global youth dialogue project with Tsinghua University, Xie invited youth from various countries to Guizhou to experience the cultural charm and participate in the fashion shows. "So far, we have invited youths from over 40 countries to walk on our stage. Throughout the process, I have deeply felt the chemistry between modern fashion design and traditional cultures from home and abroad," Xie said. Alexander Kuch, 30, from Germany, was invited to walk on the stage alongside village locals this July. "From Milan Fashion Week to the United Nations Climate Change Conference and now the Palais des Nations in Geneva, Guizhou's Village T has shown on different global stages. I am very excited and proud to be a small part of it," Kuch said. Xie believes that respect for and the continuance of traditional culture are key to Chinese intangible cultural heritage gaining global recognition, as are a keen understanding and the integration of modern trends. In Kaili today, cultural identity and confidence among ethnic groups have become new driving forces behind consumption growth. Traditional intangible cultural heritage crafts such as embroidery, silver jewelry-making and batik are becoming valuable sources of inspiration for heritage innovation and industry development. According to local cultural and tourism authorities, an "intangible heritage plus tourism" model enabled the Kaili cultural park to welcome over 1.12 million visitors in 2024 -- a year-on-year increase of 136.83 percent. Currently, more than 50 villages host intangible heritage workshops and create products for Guizhou's Village T, providing over 3,000 jobs. And the per capita annual local income has increased by more than 40 percent. To date, Guizhou's Village T has held over 900 events, including more than 300 fashion shows, attracting over 1.2 million visitors to the cultural park. The General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Pastor Enoch Adeboye, has announced a special prayer session dedicated to singles, mature singles, waiting mothers, and their families. This was announced in Lagos by Pastor Oladele Balogun, the Special Assistant to the General Overseer on Administration. A short video announcement was also accompanied by publicity on the Churchs headquarters YouTube page. The prayer program, which marks the churchs thanksgiving, is tagged From Waiting to Winning. The event is scheduled to take place during the RCCG November Thanksgiving Service on Sunday at 8:00 a.m., at the churchs national headquarters, The Throne of Grace, Ebute-Metta, Lagos State. According to Mr Balogun, the session is divinely inspired and seeks to support individuals who believe in God for marital settlement and the fruit of the womb. In the statement, Mr Balogun explained that the idea was born out of the growing demographic of unmarried adults and families seeking divine intervention in their marital and family lives. Recent population data show that singles, including mature singles, make up more than 40 per cent of Nigerias adult population, He said. This reflects a vibrant but growing segment seeking marital settlement. Special prayer He added that the special prayer would also focus on waiting and expectant mothers across the world, many of whom continue to believe in God for the fruit of the womb. Waiting and expectant mothers, numbering in the millions globally, include families believing God for the fruit of the womb, a deeply spiritual and emotional journey for many, he said. The cleric noted that with RCCGs presence in more than 190 countries, the prayer would reach participants worldwide through live streaming and other digital platforms. Across the world, these groups form a significant part of the churchs fellowship community, united by faith, hope, and prayer, he added. The statement also invited members and the public to participate in the session either in person or virtually. Participants across the globe are warmly invited to join this life-transforming encounter with God, Pastor Balogun said. Those within proximity to Lagos are encouraged to attend in person, he added. The special service has since generated widespread interest on social media, with many Nigerians expressing excitement and hope ahead of the programme. Pastor Adeboye, who has led the RCCG since 1981, is known for convening global prayer sessions on social and spiritual issues affecting individuals and families. The upcoming event is expected to draw thousands of participants both within and outside Nigeria, especially singles and expectant mothers. The Nigerian government has signed three major agreements with the European Union (EU) and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to strengthen local manufacturing, stimulate investment, and promote reproductive health in Nigeria and the West African region. The agreements, signed on Thursday at the NigeriaEU Health Investment Forum in Abuja, are part of the EUs Global Gateway Manufacturing and Access to Vaccines, Medicines and Health Technologies (MAV+) and Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights (SRHR) initiatives. They include the Enabling Local Manufacturing of Health, Immunisation and Nutrition Commodities in Nigeria (ELM-N), Quality Uplift for Advancing Local Industry in Medicine Standards (Qualimeds Nigeria), and Strengthening SRHR in West Africa programmes. Commitment to health sector reform At the event, Vice President Kashim Shettima, represented by his Senior Special Assistant on Public Health, Uju Rochas, said the signing of the agreements reaffirms the current administrations resolve to build a sustainable, inclusive, and innovation-driven health economy. Mr Shettima explained that President Bola Tinubus Executive Order on the local production of pharmaceuticals and medical devices marked a turning point in Nigerias effort to strengthen the health sector. Through the Presidential Initiative for Unlocking the Healthcare Value Chain (PVAC) and complementary frameworks such as the Sector-Wide Approach (SWAp), this administration has taken concrete steps to strengthen health governance, stimulate investment, and promote local manufacturing, he said. He added that the government is committed to creating an enabling environment for investors and innovators through predictable regulations, strong institutions, and publicprivate collaboration. EU pledges continued partnership with Nigeria The EU Ambassador to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Gautier Mignot, said the forum reflects Team Europes commitment to improving health systems through strategic investment and collaboration. Mr Mignot said that by working alongside Nigerian authorities, the United Nations, the wider international community, and the private sector, robust, resilient, and efficient health and social welfare systems must be built to ensure prosperity for all. He noted that the EU has been a long-standing partner of Nigeria and ECOWAS in improving access to health services, immunisation, medical research, and family planning, both through in-country programmes and contributions to multilateral platforms. We continue to support Nigeria through our Global Gateway initiatives, particularly in reproductive health, maternal and child health, where we have ongoing projects worth 45 million in Nigeria and nearly 25 million across West Africa, he said. According to him, upcoming initiatives will also focus on digital health and public health systems, while promoting a shift from aid dependency to peer-to-peer collaboration and long-term investment. Mutual prosperity for Nigeria and EU In his remark, the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Abubakar Bagudu, said the agreement is timely as Nigeria is implementing reforms to strengthen partnerships and expand investments aimed at making healthcare accessible and affordable. Mr Bagudu said the discussion centred on mutual prosperity and shared gains, supported by the strength of both economies and their demographic advantages, adding that even amid competing blocs, the EU and Nigeria can succeed together because of the enormous absorptive capacity of Nigerias economy. He commended President Tinubu for taking bold and sometimes difficult decisions to place the economy on a more sustainable path. Local manufacturing as a strategic health priority The Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Muhammad Pate, represented by the Director of Food and Drug Services at the ministry, Olubunmi Aribeana, said Nigeria is determined to ensure that locally made health products meet international standards and serve not only Nigerians but the broader West African region. Mr Pate explained that the Renewed Hope Health Agenda is anchored on three key pillars: strengthening local production of pharmaceuticals, expanding access to essential medicines and vaccines, and advancing SRHR. Local production of health commodities is not merely an economic choice; it is a strategic health security priority, he said. By scaling up domestic manufacturing of medicines, diagnostics, vaccines, and other health technologies, Nigeria is taking concrete steps toward achieving universal health coverage. Investment and innovation The NigeriaEU Health Investment Forum was jointly organised by the EU Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, the Presidential Initiative for Unlocking the Healthcare Value Chain (PVAC), and the National Institute for Pharmaceutical Research and Development (NIPRD). Participants at the forum said the signing of the agreements marks the beginning of a new phase of collaboration, driven by shared prosperity, technology transfer, and local innovation across Nigeria and West Africa. The Association of Resident Doctors in the Federal Capital Territory Administration (ARD-FCTA) has declared a separate indefinite strike, insisting it will continue its action even if the Nigerian Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) suspends its ongoing nationwide strike. The decision followed an emergency congress meeting of ARD-FCTA held on Wednesday, 29 October. The resolution was contained in a statement signed by the associations president, George Ebong, on Friday. According to the statement, the strike will begin at midnight on Saturday, 1 November, the same day the nationwide NARD action takes effect. The Congress unanimously voted to fully join the NARD-declared indefinite strike in its entirety, Mr Ebong said. However, even if NARD suspends or calls off its strike, ARD-FCTA will continue with its own indefinite strike action until all demands peculiar to our centre have been satisfactorily met. With both NARD and ARD-FCTA now on indefinite strike, public hospitals nationwide are expected to experience widespread service disruptions starting Saturday. Unresolved local demands The FCT resident doctors listed several unresolved issues, including unpaid salaries since 2023, delayed promotions, and the lack of recruitment to fill vacant positions. The doctors are also demanding the immediate commencement of recruitment of new doctors, with a time-bound commitment to conclude the process before the end of 2025. Other key demands include payment of the 2025 Medical Residency Training Fund (MRTF), stoppage of erroneous salary deductions, and payment of wage award arrears. ARD-FCTA also called for the full implementation of the 25 and 35 per cent Consolidated Medical Salary Structure (CONMESS) review, the payment of 13 months hazard allowance arrears, and the release of outstanding promotion benefits. It further urged the FCTA to equip and upgrade its hospitals to globally acceptable standards. National strike As previously reported by PREMIUM TIMES, NARD declared an indefinite strike following what it described as the governments failure to address long-standing welfare and working condition concerns. The association said the federal government has shown no political will to meet its commitments despite repeated engagements and extensions of strike ultimatums. NARDs grievances include non-payment of salary arrears, poor working conditions, manpower shortages, and failure to review doctors salaries for over 16 years. The association also cited unpaid promotion arrears since 2021, non-payment of specialist allowances, and the continued exclusion of house officers from the civil service scheme, which denies them welfare and pension benefits. According to NARD President Muhammad Suleiman, doctors and other health workers across the country are owed between N35 billion and N38 billion in accumulated allowances, with some institutions yet to pay salaries dating back several months. Unpaid salaries in teaching hospitals NARD also listed several health institutions owing salaries and allowances. These include the Benue State University Teaching Hospital, where doctors are owed 18 months arrears, and the Federal Medical Centre, Owo, where members are owed between four and eight months salaries, including allowances. At the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals Complex, Ile-Ife, it requested the immediate payment of salaries owed to 83 doctors employed under the 2022 waiver, the March 2024 salary of 40 doctors, and arrears ranging from seven to 14 months. It highlighted that similar issues persist at the Federal Teaching Hospital, Lokoja, and the University of Uyo Teaching Hospital, where some doctors are yet to be captured on the payroll. Mr Suleiman appealed to President Bola Tinubu to intervene in the dispute and ensure the long-standing issues are resolved once and for all. Mr President, they have been paying themselves their salaries and allowances. It is we who are in the field working that they are not paying. I hope you will listen to this passionate appeal and use your goodwill. You are the father of the nation. Come into this matter, weigh in on it, and solve it for us, he said. Jamaat Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), an al-Qaeda affiliate operating in the Sahelian states of Benin, Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, has claimed its first attack in Nigeria. The attack, according to local sources and jihadi experts, targeted a security position in Nuku, a Kwara State village bordering Benin. Armed terrorists believed to be members of JNIM claimed the attack in a video now circulating on social media. Philip Brant, a jihadi expert with special focus on the Sahel, noted that JNIMs propaganda medium, az-Zallaqah, has not confirmed the attack. However, he said the person in the video explicitly claimed the attack was from JNIM. In June, PREMIUM TIMES reported that JNIM claimed an attack on Basso, a Beninese town about 15 kilometres from Babana and other communities around Kainji National Park straddling Kwara and Niger states. About a month later, members of the group wielding sophisticated weapons released a video, confirming their presence in Nigeria. In another report, this journalist chronicled how al-Qaeda, using its local affiliatesJNIM and Ansaruinfiltrated Nigerian border communities through Kainji National Park and W Park, encompassing Benin, Burkina Faso and Niger. The attack Local sources told PREMIUM TIMES that the terrorists came through the Kainji park and ambushed the military position in the village, killing one soldier and kidnapping another. The attack happened on 28 October around 10:15 pm, a source near the village told our reporter by phone. Another local source confirmed the attack, explaining that the terrorists also looted two motorcycles from the soldiers. Locals attributed the attack to Ansaru-aligned terrorists, locally known as Mamuda boys. The groups leaders were recently arrested by the Nigerian government, and are being charged for terrorism-related offences. JNIM just claimed its first attack in Nigeria (on 28 October), #Kwara state, one soldier killed, Menastream, a security research think-tank in the Sahel and North Africa, posted on X, adding that one AK rifle, six cell phones, ammunition, a motorcycle, assorted military gear and a sum of cash in Naira were seized in the operation. The Nigerian military has not issued a statement about the attack. Media enquiries sent to the defence spokesperson, Tukur Gusau, and his army counterpart, Appolonia Anele, had not been responded to at the time of this report. JNIM in Nigeria For a long time, experts have debated the presence of JNIM in Nigeria. Some argued that the group is taking cover in Kainji National Park, where Ansaru terrorists operate. Local sources told this newspaper that both groups have trade and operational collaboration, citing mass cross-border movements. Around 2021, some jihadists believed to be members of JNIM crossed into Kainji National Park in what is believed to be an attempt to link up with the Ansaru terrorists who at the time were around Birnin Gwari in Kaduna State. Noting the collaboration between JNIM and Ansaru, Mr Brant, the jihadi expert, once warned that JNIMs attack on Nigeria is only a matter of time. The JNIM was formed in March 2017 when four Mali-based extremist group, Ansar al-Din, al-Murabitun, the Macina Liberation Front (MLF) and the Sahara Emirate subgroup of al-Qaida in the Lands of the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM), merged forces. JNIM is one of the violent jihadi groups in the Sahel, mostly targeting security formations and crippling local economies, especially in Mali where the groups fighters have disrupted transportation of petroleum products, resulting in scarcity in the Junta-led country. The Federal High Court in Abuja has stopped the planned national convention of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Judge James Omotosho ruled that the planning for the national convention scheduled to hold in Ibadan, Oyo State, between 15 and 16 November violated the Nigerian constitution, guidelines of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as well as the PDP constitution. Vanguard newspaper reported that the court cited the partys failure to conduct valid state congresses before it moved to hold the convention to elect its national officers. The judge therefore ordered the party to do the needful by meeting the prerequisite conditions before planning for the congress. He also ordered the PDP to send the statutory 21-day notice for the convention before proceeding with the proposed convention. The court earlier dismissed the preliminary objections filed by the defendants to challenge its jurisdiction to intervene in what they insisted was an internal affair of a political party. The claimants are the chairperson of the Imo State chapter of the party, Austin Nwachukwu; his Abia State counterpart, Amah Nnanna; and the partys Secretary for the South-South zone, Turnah George. The nine defendants sued in the suit are the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC); the PDP; and the partys National Secretary, Samuel Anyanwu. Others are the National Organising Secretary, Umar Bature; the National Working Committee (NWC); the National Executive Committee (NEC); the acting National Chairman, Umar Damagum; and two members of the party, Ali Odefa and Emmanuel Ogidi. The court earlier on 16 October ordered parties to maintain the status quo. Arguments The judge had on 21 October heard the parties and fixed Friday for judgement. Arguing the plaintiffs case, their lawyer, Joseph Daudu, also a SAN, urged the court not to treat their complaints as internal affairs of the party but as an effort to enforce compliance with the Nigerian Constitution, the Electoral Act 2022, and the PDP constitution. He argued that the Nigerian Constitution made it mandatory for the INEC to monitor political parties congresses before they can be deemed valid. He said the plaintiffs key complaint was that no valid congresses were held in 14 states before the PDPs NWC and NEC issued the notice for the planned convention. The PDP national chairmans lawyer, Paul Erokoro, also a SAN, asked the judge to decline jurisdiction, arguing that issues concerning conventions and congresses are internal party matters. Lawyer to the partys NWC and NEC, Eyitayo Jegede, a SAN, aligned with that position, insisting that the court cannot interfere in the internal affairs of a political party. At a virtual forum hosted by The Alternative Bank to mark the International Day for Rural Women, stakeholders have called for more substantial investment in rural women and micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) as catalysts for inclusive economic growth and national resilience. The call was made in a statement sent to PREMIUM TIMES on Friday. Development experts, policymakers, and private-sector leaders who spoke at the event emphasised that rural women play a central role in sustaining Nigerias food systems and local economies but continue to face barriers such as limited access to finance, digital tools, and education. They urged both government and financial institutions to design policies that prioritise gender inclusion and rural enterprise development. The dialogue, themed Rural Women and MSMEs: Driving Sustainability, Strengthening Economies, Securing Our Shared Tomorrow, featured contributions from senior government officials, representatives of the United Nations, and business leaders across Africa. Speakers agreed that empowering rural women is a moral imperative and an economic necessity for long-term national growth. During the event, which coincided with the United Nations International Day of Rural Women, Korede Demola-Adeniyi, executive director (South) of The Alternative Bank, described the celebration as a call to action. Ms Demola-Adeniyi reaffirmed the banks dedication to fostering a financial ecosystem that promotes inclusivity, empowers women, and uplifts local communities. She emphasised that rural women form the backbone of food production, the foundation of family wellbeing, and the unsung pillars of community strength. Empowering rural women is a moral imperative as much as it is smart economics and a cornerstone of sustainable national growth. In recognition of this potential, the doors of The Alternative Bank remain open, ready to partner, finance ideas, and co-create sustainable solutions that empower women and strengthen communities, she said. Ms Demola-Adeniyi also revealed the introduction of the Alternative BankUtiva Women in Tech Scholarship, which aims to support female innovators. She explained that the programmes first batch, set to begin in November 2025, would benefit 20 women entrepreneurs. According to her, the scholarship is designed to equip participants with digital skills, innovation design expertise, and business development training, helping them expand their ventures and play a stronger role in the digital economy. Pathways for inclusion Moreover, Eyitayo Ogunmola, the chief executive officer of Utiva, expressed confidence that the collaboration would transform how women access digital opportunities. She affirmed that the alliance with Alternative Bank would open new doors for womens inclusion, innovation, and sustainable economic empowerment, driving the growth of entrepreneurship across Africa. At Utiva, we believe that when women are equipped with the right digital skills, they dont just transform their businesses, they transform their communities, Ms Ogunmola added. Similarly, Gift Johnbull, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Community Engagement for the South-South region, reiterated the Federal Governments dedication to advancing womens empowerment. She stated, Women in our rural areas are farmers because most of our rural communities are agrarian communities, and they are the reason why we have food on our cities and tables; they make up to 70% of our food system in this country, and worldwide. They are the caregivers and community builders; they are the reason why our country stands firm. Yet they face barriers such as access to education, finance, and other productive opportunities. We acknowledge that and are making progress to ensure that these barriers are properly and totally eradicated and eliminated from our society. Presentation In addition, Osalobo Osemhenjie, programme specialist at UN Women, representing the Country Representative, Beatrice Eyong, outlined the organisations ongoing initiatives in Nigeria. These initiatives include providing support to women across various states through business start-up kits, rice milling machines, and affordable biogas systems. The event also featured a keynote presentation by Kemi Ayanda, an Economic Development and Trade Strategist for Africa and the Middle East. In her insightful paper titled From Fields to Frontlines: Empowering Rural Women and Women MSMEs as Architects of Climate Resilience and Sustainable Prosperity, Ms Ayanda emphasised that genuine transformation stems not merely from financial investment but from reshaping systems to value resilience as an economic strength and women as essential agents of stability. The Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday refused to grant an application filed by former governor Sule Lamido of Jigawa seeking an order restraining the Peoples Democratic Party from proceeding with its scheduled national convention. Mr Lamido served as the governor of Jigawa State from 2007 to 2015. He served two terms under the Peoples Democratic Party. The PDP convention he is trying to stop is scheduled to hold in Ibadan, Oyo State, between 15 and 16 November. In the motion ex parte moved by his lawyer, Jeph Njikonye, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, prayed the court to grant the interim order pending the hearing and determination of a motion on notice filed alongside. Judge Peter Lifu, in a ruling, instead ordered the PDP and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), who are the defendants in the suit, to show cause why the ex governors reliefs should not be granted. The judge gave the defendants 72 hours from the date of service to respond and adjourned the matter until 6 November for hearing. This ruling comes even as another judge of the same Abuja division of the court, James Omotosho, stopped the partys planned convention on Friday. Suit The ex governor, who is the plaintiff in the fresh suit FHC/ABJ/CS/2299/2025, sued the PDP and INEC defendants. In the ex parte motion filed on 28 October by his lawyers led by Mr Njikonye, Mr Lamido sought two orders. He asked the court for an interim order stopping the PDP from holding its national convention in Ibadan, Oyo State, on 15 and 16 November 2025. He also asked the court to stop the party from fixing the convention for any other date until his motion is heard and decided. He then asked for an interim order stopping INEC from monitoring, supervising, or recognising the PDP convention. He urged the court to restrain the electoral body from doing so in Ibadan or any other location on 15 and 16 November, or on any other date the party may choose, until the court hears and decides his motion. Giving seven reasons why his application should be considered, Mr Lamido noted that once an action was pending in court, parties must maintain status quo to avoid placing the court or a litigant at a disadvantage. He added that the court had inherent power to preserve the subject of a dispute. Mr Lamido said if the PDP is not restrained, the party would be violating its constitution and denying him the chance to contest for the position of national chairperson, a position he said he is qualified to contest. He argued that he has shown a legal interest that entitles him to temporary protection from the court. Mr Lamido said if the convention went ahead before the motion was decided, the prayers sought in the suit might be useless. He said the case raised serious issues for the court to resolve. He also argued that the balance of convenience favoured granting the interim orders. Ruling After Mr Njikonye moved the motion, the judge, who heard the matter in chambers, said it was necessary to hear from the parties. The judge said the court carefully perused and painstakingly considered the motion ex parte, the affidavits, exhibits, and the written address, including the decided cases commended to the court by learned senior advocate. I have equally advised myself on the issues raised in the originating summons which of course raises triable issues, he said. Consequently, considering the entire gamut of the suit, it is my considered view that Order 26 Rule 8(c) of the 2019 Rules of this court be invoked to enable this court to balance the scale and equities of the parties. The new Chief of Army Staff, Waidi Shaibu, has redeployed senior army officers in a move the army said was aimed at reinvigorating leadership, strengthening command structures and repositioning the Nigerian Army (NA) for heightened operational effectiveness. Mr Shaibu, a lieutenant general, was decorated with his new rank on Thursday by President Bola Tinubu after the former was confirmed by the National Assembly. Army spokesperson Appolonia Aneke announced the deployments in a Thursday statement. Read details of the redeployment in the armys statement below. COAS APPOINTS SENIOR OFFICERS TO STRATEGIC COMMAND AND STAFF POSITIONS In a decisive move aimed at reinvigorating leadership, strengthening command structures and repositioning the Nigerian Army (NA) for heightened operational effectiveness, the Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu, has approved the posting and appointment of senior officers to key command, staff and instructional positions across formations, units and training institutions of the Nigerian Army. Among the newly appointed senior officers are Major General Bamidele Alabi, who has been redeployed to Army Headquarters Department of Policy and Plans and appointed Chief of Policy and Plans (Army), Major General Jamal Abdulsalam, formerly Chief of Special Services and Programmes at Army Headquarters proceeds to Defence Headquarters Department of Operations as Chief of Defence Operations, while Major General Peter Mala moves from Office of the National Security Adviser to Headquarters Training and Doctrine Command Nigerian Army (TRADOC) as Commander. In the same vein, Major General Samson Jiya, from Nigerian Army Heritage and Future Centre (NAHFC) to Defence Headquarters Department of Defence Accounts and Budget as Chief of Defence Accounts and Budget. Other strategic appointments include, Major General Mayirenso Saraso from NAHFC to Army Headquarters Department of Operations, as Chief of Operations (Army), Major General Isa Abdullahi from Defence Headquarters to Army Headquarters Department of Administration as Chief of Administration (Army), Major General Musa Etsu-Ndagi from Army Headquarters to Department of Training to Army Headquarters Department of Civil-Military Affairs, as Chief of Civil-Military Affairs. Major General Abubakar Haruna from NAHFC to Nigerian Army Training Centre (NATRAC) Kontagora as Commander and Major General Philip Ilodibia from Army Headquarters Department of Policy and Plans to Defence Space Administration as Chief of Defence Space Administration. Equally appointed are Major General Godwin Mutkut, from Multi-National Joint Task Force (MNJTF) NDjamena to Headquarters Infantry Corps Centre as Corps Commander Infantry, Major General Umar Abubakar from the Ministry of Defence to Headquarters Nigerian Army Armour Corps as Commander Armour Corps, Major General John Adeyemo moves from Nigerian Army School of Artillery (NASA) to Headquarters Nigerian Army Corps of Artillery as Corps Commander Artillery and Major General Mohammed Abdullahi from Nigerian Army Cyberwarfare Command to Headquarters Nigerian Army Signals as Corps Commander Signals. Additionally, Major General Taofik Sidick has been redeployed from the NAHFC to Headquarters Nigerian Army Finance Corps as Chief of Accounts and Budget (Army), Major General Abdullahi Ibrahim from NAHFC to Headquarters Nigerian Army Ordnance Corps as Corps Commander Ordnance, Major General Adeyinka Adereti from Defence Headquarters to Headquarters Nigerian Army Electrical and Mechanical Engineers as Corps Commander, Major General Nansak Shagaya from Army Headquarters Department of Operations to Headquarters Nigerian Army Corps of Supply and Transport as Corps Commander Supply and Transport while Brigadier General Yushau Ahmed has been appointed Acting Corps Commander Education. The COAS also approved the appointment of Major General Oluyemi Olatoye, from Headquarters 82 Division/ Joint Task Force South East Operation UDO KA to the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA), Kaduna and appointed Commandant, Major General Emmanuel Mustapha from Defence Space Administration to Nigerian Army Signal School as Commandant, Major General Adamu Hassan from Nigerian Defence Section, Riyadh, to Nigerian Army School of Artillery as Commandant and Brigadier General John Bulus from Headquarters Nigerian Army Finance Corps to Nigerian Army School of Finance and Accounts as Commandant. Senior officers appointed as field commanders includes, Major General Saidu Audu from Army Headquarters Department of Training to Multi-National Joint Task Force (MNJTF), NDjamena, as Force Commander, Major General Warrah Idris from Defence Headquarters to Joint Task Force North West Operation FANSAN YAMMA as Commander and Major General Oluremi Fadairo from Army Headquarters Department of Civil Military Affairs to 82 Division Nigerian Army, Enugu as General Officer Commanding and Commander Joint Task Force South East Operation UDO KA. The COAS further appointed Major General Olatokumbo Bello as the Director Defence Media Operations at Defence Headquarters while Brigadier General Samaila Uba was redeployed from the Armed Forces Command and Staff College Jaji to Defence Headquarters as Director Defence Information. Lieutenant General Waidi Shaibu charged the newly appointed senior officers to bring to bear their wealth of operational experience, administrative acumen and strategic foresight in driving a disciplined and combat-ready Army to decisively confront the contemporary and emerging security challenges. He urged them to sustain the current operational momentum, strengthen interagency collaboration and remain unwavering in upholding the Nigerian Armys core ethos of loyalty, selfless service, integrity and excellence. APPOLONIA ANELE Lieutenant Colonel Acting Director Army Public Relations 30 October 2025 The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Thursday said eight out of the 14 pre-qualified associations seeking registration as political parties had successfully completed the upload of their required documents on its portal. The commission disclosed this in a statement by Sam Olumekun, INEC National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, in Abuja. Mr Olumekun recalled that INEC had, on 11 September, given update on the ongoing process for the registration of political parties. He said that in furtherance to that, the commission held its regular meeting on Thursday and, among other issues, reviewed the progress made since that announcement. Following the briefing held for 14 pre-qualified associations on Tuesday, 17 September, the commission opened its dedicated portal for the upload of required documents from Wednesday, 18 September to Friday, 18 October at midnight. As of Saturday, 19 October, eight out of the 14 pre-qualified associations successfully completed the upload of all necessary information and documentation, he said. Mr Olumekun listed the associations to include: All Democratic Alliance (ADA), Citizens Democratic Alliance (CDA), Abundance Social Party (ASP), African Alliance Party (AAP), Democratic Leadership Alliance (DLA), Green Future Party (GFP), National Democratic Party (NDP) and Peoples Freedom Party (PFP). According to him, the next step in the registration process is the detailed assessment and verification of the information and documents submitted by each of the associations. This stage will ensure conformity with the provisions of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), the Electoral Act 2022 and the commissions Regulations and Guidelines for Political Parties (2022). The commission wishes to reaffirm its commitment to inclusivity, transparency and the deepening of Nigerias democratic culture, he said. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that INEC had, on 11 September disclosed that only 14 out of the 171 associations seeking registration as political parties met the requirements to proceed to the next stage, while 157 others failed. NAN also reports that the six associations which failed to meet the deadlines are: African Transformation Party (ATP), Advance Nigeria Congress (ANC), Grassroots Initiative Party (GRIP), Liberation Peoples Party (LPP), National Reform Party (NRP) and Patriotic Peoples Alliance (PPA). (NAN) Oando Plc reported an increase of 164 per cent in profit after tax from N76 billion to N210 billion in the first nine months of the year, according to its unaudited financial statements issued on Thursday. Stronger production volumes and operational efficiency drove the performance, the energy company stated in an earnings release. Oandos crude oil and gas production expanded by 59 per cent year on year, averaging 38,121 barrels of oil equivalent per day. The growth was largely driven by the consolidation of the Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC) joint venture interest and improved asset uptime across its operated portfolio. Oando last year acquired NAOC, the onshore unit of Eni, which joined a couple of big IOCs operating in Nigeria, like Shell and ExxonMobil, in offloading their interests in onshore assets to focus on deepwater activities. Revenue dropped by 20 per cent year on year to N2.5 trillion, from N3.2 trillion, due to lower petrol imports following the ramp-up of the Dangote Refinery. Gross profit stood at N113 billion, implying a 42 per cent slide that is a reflection of shifts in market dynamics and the groups evolving segment mix. Our assumption of operatorship has been transformational, granting us the agility to act decisively and execute with precision in driving production growth and operational efficiency, Wale Tinubu, Oandos chief executive, said, referring to the NAOC acquisition. Across our trading business, refined products volume remained under pressure, largely due to the well-deserved and expected success of the Dangote refinery in meeting Nigerias import needs, he mentioned further. Profit before tax fell to N19.5 billion from N31.1 billion, marking a 37.5 per cent decline. Total assets rose to N6.8 trillion, up from N6.4 trillion. DHAKA, Oct. 31 (Xinhua) -- The Criminal Investigation Department (CID) of the Bangladesh Police published a notice in newspapers on Friday, declaring former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and 260 others as fugitives in a sedition case. The notice, published in both English and Bengali newspapers, stated that its publication was ordered by the Dhaka Metropolitan Magistrate Court. As per the notice, the CID initiated the sedition investigation with the approval of the Ministry of Home Affairs under Section 196 of the Criminal Procedure Code. Hasina fled to India on Aug. 5, 2024, after the collapse of her government. Bangladesh's interim government had sent a diplomatic note to New Delhi requesting the return of the country's former prime minister. The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has announced the redeployment of several senior officers in a strategic move aimed at enhancing operational efficiency, fostering greater synergy, and aligning the Services structure with the command philosophy of the newly appointed Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke. The latest postings, approved by the CAS, affect key appointments at Headquarters NAF, field commands, and units. According to Mr Aneke, the reshuffle is part of ongoing efforts to optimise command effectiveness, improve decision-making processes, and reinforce mission readiness in line with the evolving security environment. Some of the key appointments affected by the redeployment include several senior officers now assigned to critical command and staff positions across the Service. Air Vice Marshal (AVM) Abubakar Abdullahi has been appointed Chief of Policy and Plans, while AVM Adeniran Ademuwagun assumes duty as Commandant, Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT), Kaduna. Similarly, AVM Ibitayo Ajiboye has been named Group Managing Director, Nigerian Air Force Investment Limited (NAFIL) Group of Companies. AVM Precious Amadi takes over as Chief of Operations, and AVM Nnamdi Ananaba becomes Chief of Air Intelligence. AVM Ebimobo Ebiowe has been appointed Superintendent of Standards and Evaluation, while AVM Ahmed Dari now serves as Chief of Training. The Transformation and Innovation Branch will be headed by AVM Mohammed Ibrahim, reflecting the Services growing focus on technological advancement and efficiency. In the logistics and engineering domains, AVM Olufemi Ogunsina has been appointed Chief of Aircraft Engineering, and AVM Michael Onyebashi assumes command as Air Officer Commanding (AOC), Mobility Command. AVM David Pwajok is now Chief of Communication and Information Systems, while AVM John Ukeh takes charge as Air Provost Marshal. Further reinforcing NAFs administrative and welfare structures, AVM Simon Peter has been appointed Managing Director, NAFIL Housing and Construction Company, while AVM Chidiebere Obiabaka becomes Air Secretary. AVM Anthony Martins now serves as Chief of Administration, AVM Abubakar Sule takes over as AOC, Logistics Command, and AVM Abdulrasheed Kotun has been appointed Managing Director, NAF Farms. The new Chief of Civil-Military Relations is AVM Edward Gabkwet, while AVM Osichinaka Ubadike has been named Deputy Commandant, AFIT. Additionally, several other senior officers, including AVMs Ahmed Bakari, Albert Bot, Idi Sani, Muhammed Suleiman, Jibrin Usman, and Japheht Ekwuribe, have been redeployed to various defence and inter-service establishments in line with ongoing efforts to strengthen joint operations and national defence coordination. The Nigerian Air Force described the reshuffle as a strategic measure to ensure balanced leadership, enhance institutional effectiveness, and sustain the momentum of transformation under the new administration of Air Marshal Sunday Kelvin Aneke. With this new wave of appointments, the Nigerian Air Force is poised to consolidate its achievements and usher in an era of smarter, more adaptive air operations, one that reflects the CASs vision of a force built not merely for power, but for purpose, protection, and progress. Ehimen Ejodame Air Commodore Director of Public Relations and Information, Headquarters, Nigerian Air Force. 31 October 2025 President Bola Tinubu has authorised the adoption of a national carbon market framework, the operationalisation of the climate change fund, and the reinstatement of the National Council on Climate Change (NCCC) in Nigerias annual budget. The approval followed a presentation by the director general of the NCCC, Omotenioye Majekodunmi, during the second meeting of the council held on Thursday in Abuja. A statement issued on Friday by the senior special assistant to the president on media and communications, Stanley Nkwocha, noted that the move aims to position Nigeria to effectively partake in the global carbon market and unlock between $2.5 billion and $3 billion yearly in carbon finance over the next ten years. The development comes less than a fortnight before the 30th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP30) scheduled to be held from 10 to 21 November in Belem, Brazil. The Carbon Market Carbon credits, or carbon offsets, refer to carbon emissions reductions or removals, measured in tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (tCO2e). The carbon market allows investors and corporations to trade both carbon credits and carbon offsets simultaneously to help mitigate the climate crisis, while also creating new market opportunities. During the COP29 last year in Baku, Azerbaijan, countries reached a consensus on the standards for the creation of carbon credits under Article 6.4 of the Paris Agreement. Article 6.4, also known as the Paris Agreement Crediting Mechanism, enables countries to trade reductions in carbon emissions in a way that goes beyond zero-sum offsetting, to achieve their commitments under the Paris Agreement. In 2023, the former director general of the National Council on Climate Change, Salisu Dahiru, stated that the carbon trading scheme under the countrys Climate Change Act will address some of the climate challenges in the country. As far as Nigeria is concerned, the carbon trading scheme is an aspect of our national policy and also a national priority to put in place all the measures needed to address all our mitigation challenges, Mr Dahiru said at the time. Climate advocates have said that poorly regulated carbon markets may lead to land grabbing and hand wealthy corporations the license to pollute. Nigerias agenda for COP30 At the meeting, President Tinubu, represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, said the approvals were part of measures to properly position Nigeria to exploit opportunities in global climate finance and the carbon market. Our focus at COP30 will be to harness all opportunities for financing climate-resilient projects and related interventions, particularly from the global carbon market, Mr Shettima was quoted as saying. He added that tackling climate change represents not only an environmental necessity but also an opportunity to unlock new investments, jobs, and innovations across energy, agriculture, and industry. Mr Tinubu reaffirmed his administrations commitment to mainstreaming climate action into national development, pledging to lead policies that protect citizens, boost the economy, and make Nigeria a haven for green investment. Ms Majekodunmi disclosed that Nigeria is now ripe to tap new rounds of multilateral climate finance and highlighted three major recommendations: the adoption of a national carbon market framework to unlock up to $3 billion annually, operationalisation of the climate change fund for immediate mobilisation and utilisation, and the restoration of the NCCC budget line within the annual FAAC allocation to ensure financial stability. The Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the economy, Wale Edun, endorsed the recommendations, assuring the council of his ministrys full support. The Lagos State Government has dismantled more than 200 illegal shanties and dislodged squatters occupying spaces under and around the Ijora, Apapa Road, and Costain bridges, in a major enforcement operation aimed at curbing crime and restoring environmental order. The operation, led by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Transportation, Sola Giwa, was carried out jointly by the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), Lagos Waste Management Authority (LAWMA), Kick Against Indiscipline (KAI), Lagos Metropolitan Area Transport Authority (LAMATA), and the Nigeria Police Force. During the clearance, LASTMA operatives claimed they discovered a dummy firearm and other weapons hidden inside makeshift structures beneath the bridge, reinforcing fears about criminal activities in the corridor. Mr Giwa described the dismantled settlements as havens for crime and environmental abuse, saying they had become notorious for harbouring drug dealers, traffic robbers, and other miscreants who terrorised residents and motorists. This is a monumental affront to public decency, environmental order, and the collective security of Lagosians, Mr Giwa said. The state will not tolerate brazen lawlessness around critical public infrastructure. He explained that the areas had also degenerated into illegal garages and dumpsites for abandoned trucks converted into criminal hideouts. Mr Giwa warned that strict sanctions would be enforced against anyone attempting to return to the cleared sites. He added that similar operations would continue across the metropolis as part of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olus urban renewal and safety agenda. We are determined to sustain the tempo. Any displaced miscreants who return will face decisive action, he added. The cleared corridors including Apapa Road, Costain, and Ijora inward Iponri have long been identified by authorities and commuters as flashpoints for traffic-related crimes and environmental degradation. Mr Giwa commended the collaboration among the participating enforcement agencies and urged residents to support the governments efforts by promptly reporting suspicious activities to security operatives. He reaffirmed the Sanwo-Olu administrations commitment to restoring public spaces, improving urban safety, and delivering a cleaner, more secure Lagos in line with global megacity standards. The officials confirmed that the recovered dummy firearm, knives, and other items found during the operation have been handed over to security agencies for further investigation. Background The latest clearance forms part of a broader campaign by the Lagos State Government to rid the metropolis of illegal structures and restore order around key transport corridors. In early 2024, LAWMA led a similar dislodgement of squatters under the Ijora Bridge over environmental and security concerns. Later, in March 2024, the government removed illegal shanties and makeshift structures along the Lagos Coastal Road at Maiyegun Estate (Jakande) as part of the same urban renewal effort. Security operations in the IjoraApapa axis have intensified in recent months. In October, LASTMA arrested six suspected members of a one-chance robbery syndicate allegedly operating beneath the Ijora Bridge, where more than 120 shanties were previously demolished in an anti-crime sweep. The latest enforcement extended the demolition to over 200 illegal shanties and squatter settlements under the Apapa, Costain, and Ijora bridges, reinforcing the Sanwo-Olu administrations ongoing drive to reclaim public spaces and eliminate criminal hideouts across Lagos. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on Friday tendered more evidence in the trial of former National Security Adviser (NSA) Sambo Dasuki and three others. Mr Dasuki, a retired colonel, and his co-defendants face 32 counts of criminal breach of trust and fraud involving N33.2 billion arms procurement funds. He is being prosecuted alongside a former General Manager of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC), Aminu Baba-Kusa; Acacia Holdings Limited; and Reliance Referral Hospital Limited. Through the first prosecution witness, Adariku Michael, an EFCC detective, testified that the anti-graft agency received an intelligence report on 21 September 2015 of abuse of office and money laundering in the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA). Led in evidence by the prosecution lawyer, Rotimi Jacobs, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), the witness told the court that ONSA moved huge sums of money between October 2014 and April 2015 to accounts of various companies. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that the witness narrated how money was transferred from ONSAs account in the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to the bank accounts of different individuals and companies. Taking the court through the investigative process, the witness said the intelligence report received by EFCC was assigned to a special task force headed by Halimah Kazeem. The witness said that on receiving the report, the special task force swung into action and wrote a letter to the CBN. Responses from requests sent to CBN and other banks were tendered in evidence and marked as exhibits. The defence lawyers told the court they would reserve their objections to the exhibits till the end of trial. The lawyers are A.A. Usman for Mr Dasuki; Solomon Umoh, a SAN, for Mr Baba-Kusa and Acacia Holdings Limited; and A.O. Ayodele for Reliance Referral Hospital Limited. Trial judge Charles Agbaza adjourned the case till 11 November for continuation of hearing. Key charges EFCC alleged in the charges that on 27 November 2014, Mr Dasuki misappropriated N10 billion from the ONSA account with CBN. EFCC said he converted the money into $47 million and 5.6 million euros. The funds were allegedly used for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential primary election. In another count, EFCC alleged that between 9 October 2014, and 17 April 2015, Mr Dasuki transferred N1.45 billion to Acacia Holdings Limited, controlled by Aminu Baba-Kusa, under the guise of organising prayers. Meanwhile, in another count, EFCC stated that between 4 April 2014, and 30 November 2014, Mr Dasuki allegedly transferred N4.68 billion to Sylvan McNamara Limited, purporting it to be payment for security infrastructure, whereas the funds were allegedly diverted for the Peoples Democratic Partys governorship election campaigns in Ekiti and Osun states. Mr Dasuki and his co-defendants denied the charges. Background Mr Dasuki was initially arraigned on 14 December 2015, before former trial judge Hussein Baba-Yusuf on 19 counts of mismanagement of N15.5 billion meant for arms procurement. The case was later amended, and the name of a co-defendant, Shuaibu Salisu, a former Director of Finance and Administration in the ONSA, was removed. On 11 May 2018, the EFCC re-arraigned Mr Dasuki and others on a fresh 32 counts, increasing the alleged misappropriated sum to N33.2 billion. The trial, however, stalled after the prosecution presented only one witnessthe investigating officerwho had not concluded his testimony before the case was adjourned indefinitely. The EFCC had also filed a separate case against Mr Dasuki in 2015, where he was charged alongside former Minister of State for Finance, Bashir Yuguda; former Sokoto State Governor, Attahiru Bafarawa; his son, Sagir Bafarawa; and their company, Dalhatu Investment Limited. They were accused of criminal breach of trust and misappropriation of N19.4 billion in the case. Following several adjournments, the case was transferred to a judge, Yusuf Halilu. Mr Dasuki is facing a third trial at the Federal High Court in Abuja where he is charged with money laundering and possession of firearms. History of adjournments and bail controversy The trial has suffered multiple delays, largely due to the State Security Services (SSS) refusing to release Mr Dasuki on bail despite multiple court orders. Mr Dasukis case is one of Nigerias longest-running high-profile corruption trials, reflecting systemic delays in the countrys judicial system. Mr Dasuki, a retired Nigerian Army colonel, served as NSA between 2012 and 2015 before his arrest. His prolonged detention without trial had drawn criticism from human rights groups, including Amnesty International and the United Nations Human Rights Committee, who classified it as a violation of his fundamental rights. The detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, has filed a fresh application for the striking out of the terrorism charges pending at the Federal High Court in Abuja. Mr Kanu, in the motion filed on 30 October, also urged the trial judge, James Omotosho, to order his release from custody after striking out the charges. The application, titled Motion on Notice and Written Address in Support, re-echoed the points he earlier made during proceedings Monday, when he told the judge that he had no reason to file any defence in his case because there was no valid charge against him. There is no charge or counts cognisable within the corpus juris of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the motion read, describing the current charges as a nullity ab initio for want of any extant legal foundation. The filing came ahead of Tuesday (4 November) hearing which may prove decisive for Mr Kanus defence in the terrorism trial. Trial judge, James Omotosho, scheduled the 4 November date for Mr Kanu, who recently opted to defend himself after sacking his defence laweyrs, to come up with his plan after his declaration that the case of the prosecution was not worth defending. It is not clear yet if the prosecution has been served with the new motion. The judge already indicated at Mondays hearing that Mr Kanus objection to the validity of the charges could serve as his defence. The prosecution already closed its case with five prosecution witnesses, all State Security Services (SSS) officials. Mr Kanu has been in custody since he was arrested in Kenya and forcibly brought back to Nigeria in June 2021. The Nigerian government is prosecuting him on six charges, mostly terrorism-related, which stemmed from his alleged violent secessionist campaigns for the independence of the Igbo-dominated South-east as Biafra. The case has been on since 2015. It was interrupted for about years due to Mr Kanus disappearance from the country following soldiers attack on his home in Abia State in September 2017. The prosecution closed its case in June this year, after which Mr Kanu filed a no-case submission that was dismissed. Following the ruling, filed a motion he personally signed on 21 October, listing some serving and retired public officers, alongside unnamed individuals, as proposed defence witnesses. He said he planned to call 23 witnesses, divided into ordinary but material witnesses and vital and compellable ones, to be summoned under Section 232 of the Evidence Act, 2011. He also asked for 90 days to conclude his defence. At the hearing on 23 October, scheduled for him to open his defence, Mr Kanu announced the disengagement of his legal team led by former Attorney-General of the Federation, Kanu Agabi, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN). He told the court he would defend himself, prompting the judge to adjourn until the following day. When the matter resumed on 24 October, he said he could not proceed with his defence because he had yet to retrieve his case file from his sacked lawyers. The judge reluctantly adjourned till Monday, 27 October. At the rescheduled hearing, however, Mr Kanu said he had reviewed the prosecutions case and found it not worth defending. He told the court that there was no extant law in this country upon which the prosecution can predicate the charges, adding that he would not enter a defence in a charge that does not exist under any Nigerian law. The judge then directed him to file a written address to that effect and have it served on the prosecution. The judge also advised him to consult criminal law experts on the implications of his decision. Mr Omotosho, the judge then fixed 4, 5, and 6 November for further proceedings. Grounds for seeking dismissal In his new motion, Mr Kanu asked the court to issue an order striking out in its entirety the purported charge as it fails to constitute any offence known to law. He noted that the federal government relied on repealed and non-existent laws, namely the Customs and Excise Management Act (CEMA) 2004, repealed by Section 281(1) of the Nigeria Customs Service Act 2023, and the Terrorism Prevention (Amendment) Act 2013, repealed by Section 97 of the TPPA 2022. He argued that prosecuting him under repealed statutes vitiates the charges legal foundation and offends the principle of legality enshrined in Section 36(12) of the Constitution. Mr Kanu also told the court that six of the counts were allegedly committed in Kenya, contrary to Section 76(1)(d)(iii) of the Terrorism Prevention (Amendment) Act 2022, which he said mandates validation by a Kenyan court confirming the acts criminality in Kenya, a condition precedent unfulfilled pre-plea, thereby nullifying extraterritorial jurisdiction. He insisted that the trial cannot continue since no valid or cognisable charge subsists against him under Nigerian law or any law recognised in Kenya, where the alleged acts in counts one to six were said to have occurred. He also cited the Supreme Courts judgment in FRN v Kanu (SC/CR/1361/2022), which he said directed trial courts to take judicial notice under Section 122 of the Evidence Act 2011 of non-extant statutes, adding that failure to do so renders all proceedings void ab initio. Citing Section 1(3) of the Nigerian constitution, the IPOB leader maintained that any law or judicial pronouncement inconsistent with the Constitution is void ab initio, and that the Constitution prohibits trial on a charge not defined in an extant written law. He further referenced earlier judicial decisions such as Aoko v Fagbemi (1961) 1 All NLR 400 and FRN v Ifegwu (2003) 15 NWLR (Pt 842) 113, where courts nullified convictions resting on non-existent offences. He therefore urged the court to direct the prosecution to file its response strictly confined to points of law within three days of service, and to proceed to deliver a considered ruling forthwith on or before Tuesday, the 4th of November. Mr Kanu emphasised that the motion raises pure questions of law and therefore does not require an affidavit, citing Section 122 of the Evidence Act, which obligates courts to take judicial notice of extant laws and repeals. Charges Mr Kanu is facing seven charges that stemmed from agitation for the secession of Nigerias South-east and parts of neighbouring states as Biafra. Six of the charges, which accused him of incitement, enforcement of a sit-at-home order, intimidation, threat against Nigerians and security personnel, and professing to be a member of IPOB, a proscribed organisation, were brought under the Terrorism Prevention Amendment Act, 2013. Only one of the charges alleging illegal importation of a radio transmitter was filed under the Criminal Code Act. In one of the counts, the prosecution accused him of committing an act in furtherance of an act of terrorism against Nigeria and its people in a broadcast by issuing a death threat against anyone who flouted his sit-at-home order. Mr Kanu allegedly ordered whoever flouted the order to write his/her will. The prosecution said as a result of the order, banks, schools, markets, shopping malls, fuel stations, and human and vehicular movements in the South-east of Nigeria were grounded. The prosecution said the offence is punishable under section 1(2)(b) of the Terrorism (Prevention) Amendment Act (2013). The prosecution also alleged that on diverse dates between 2018 and 2021, Mr Kanu professed himself to be a member and leader of IPOB, a proscribed organisation in Nigeria. This, the prosecution said was an offence contrary to and punishments under section 16 of the Terrorism Prevention Amendment Act 2015. Also, within the same period, the prosecution alleged, Mr Kanu made broadcasts inciting people to hunt and kill Nigerian security personnel. In another count, he was accused of inciting members of the public in Nigeria to hunt and kill families of Nigerian security personnel. The offences are said to be punishable under 1(2)(h) of the Terrorism Prevention (Amendment) Act 2013. The prosecution also accused him of directing members of the public to burn down every federal facility in Lagos resulting in major economic loss to the federal government. It said the alleged act violated section 1(2) of the Terrorism (Prevention) Amendment) Act 2013. It also alleged that between March and April 2015, Mr Kanu imported into Nigeria and kept in Ubulisluzor in Ihiala Local Government Area of Anambra State, a radio transmitter known as Tram 50L, concealed in a container of used household items which he declared as used household items. The alleged offence was said to be contrary to section 47(2)(a) of Criminal Code Act CapC45 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 2004. Trial Mr Kanu was first arrested in September 2015 over his agitation through radio broadcasts for the secession of the Igbo-dominated South-east from Nigeria as a sovereign Biafra nation. The case has been heard by three judges of the Federal High Court in Abuja, the current one being the latest, and has involved successive defence teams. The Biafra agitator was released on bail from SSS custody in 2017, but subsequently fled the country after soldiers invaded his home in Afara-Ukwu, Abia State, in September that year. This halted his trial until he was rearrested and brought back to Nigeria in June 2021. The Court of Appeal in Abuja freed him in October 2022, striking out the terrorism charges against him on the grounds of the illegality of the manner of bringing him back from Kenya to Nigeria in June 2021. But the Supreme Court overturned the Court of Appeals decision in December 2023 and ordered the trial to continue at the Federal High Court. The Supreme Court ruled that there was no Nigerian law prohibiting the use of illegally obtained evidence for the trial of a defendant. The prosecution subsequently opened and closed its case with five witnesses. After the prosecution closed his case, Mr Kanu filed a no-case submission, which the court subsequently dismissed. The family of Ochanya Ogbanje, a 13-year-old who died in 2018 from complications linked to prolonged sexual abuse, has urged First Lady Oluremi Tinubu and Inspector General of Police Kayode Egbetokun to ensure justice in her case, including the arrest of a key suspect. Speaking on The Morning Brief on Friday, Ochanyas brother, John Ameh, said the family continues to grapple with the trauma of her death, describing the renewed calls for justice as both painful and emotionally challenging. Its quite traumatising; weve been re-traumatised by the renewed call for justice in Ochanyas case, Mr Ameh said. However, its somewhat comforting to receive support from Nigerians across the country. Ive been inundated with calls from concerned citizens. Reliving the circumstances of Ochanyas death has been extremely difficult for us as a family. Mr Ameh questioned whether the case would have progressed differently if Ochanya were the child of a prominent family. If she were the daughter of an elite, would this be happening? Certainly not. Its unfortunate. If the IGP, the First Lady, and the President are truly in charge, they must ensure that those responsible are held accountable, no matter how long it takes, he said. Prime suspect remains at large Mr Ameh expressed shock that Victor Ogbuja, son of a lecturer at Benue State Polytechnic and a prime suspect, remains unarrested seven years after Ochanyas death. We must situate this issue in the right context. The Ogbujas are not acting alone and apparently have backing from influential figures. My family and I have faced harassment, intimidation, and threats. Since the renewed call for justice, I no longer stay at home, knowing that they oppose this advocacy, he said. He said their parents remain in their village without protection despite repeated appeals. I wrote multiple letters to authorities detailing these threats, but no action was taken, he added. Recounting an incident in court, Mr Ameh said, In 2018, when Mrs Ogbuja was arraigned at the Federal High Court in Makurdi by NAPTIP, I went to observe the proceedings and was attacked by her younger sibling, who came with several associates. He warned me, saying, I will deal with you. Subsequent court appearances were met with the same harassment. Mr Ameh said he formally reported the threats to both the Benue State Commissioner of Police and the Inspector General of Police, requesting security for himself and witnesses. Nothing was done, he said. He described the failure to arrest the prime suspect as shocking and a reflection of systemic weaknesses in law enforcement. For seven years, the police have refused to apprehend the principal perpetrator of such a heinous crime. This highlights the failure of government institutions, particularly the police, in addressing serious crimes, Mr Ameh said. Background PREMIUM TIMES had reported that Ochanya, a Junior Secondary School student at the Federal Government Girls College, Gboko, Benue State, died on 17 October 2018 from complications of Vesico-Vaginal Fistula (VVF), a condition doctors linked to prolonged sexual abuse. The abuse was allegedly perpetrated by her maternal relatives a lecturer at the Benue State Polytechnic, Ugbokolo, Andrew Ogbuja, and his son, Victor. Both were accused of serially raping the teenager over several years until she fell ill and later died. Victor, who was declared wanted by the police in 2018, has remained at large since he reportedly fled to evade arrest. His father, Andrew Ogbuja, was later arraigned for rape and culpable homicide but was acquitted by the Benue State High Court in Makurdi on 22 April 2022. On the same day, in a separate case, the Federal High Court in Makurdi convicted and sentenced his wife, Felicia Ochiga-Ogbuja, who was Ochanyas guardian, to five months imprisonment without an option of fine for negligence that exposed the child to sexual abuse. The Federal High Court ruling was later upheld by the Court of Appeal in November 2022. Delivering judgement via Zoom, a judge Hassan Muslim, who led a three-member panel, described Mrs Ochiga-Ogbujas conduct as heinous and devoid of sympathy, noting that she omitted to act despite being alerted to the abuse by her own daughter, Winifred Ogbuja. Mr Muslim ruled that such omission amounted to a crime of negligence under Section 344 of the Criminal Code Act, stressing that Mrs Ochiga-Ogbuja had a legal duty to protect Ochanya but failed to do so. He added that her conduct deserved more time of imprisonment to deter others of like minds. The appellate court also commended Ochanyas caregiver, Enewa Soo, alongside the International Federation of Women Lawyers (FIDA) and the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), for ensuring that the case reached court despite efforts by the Ogbuja family to treat it as a family matter. Renewed outrage on social media Seven years after her death, the case has resurfaced in public discourse following her seventh memorial anniversary held in Abuja. Nigerians across X, Facebook, and TikTok have reignited calls for justice and demanded that authorities arrest Victor. The renewed advocacy also drew attention to a young woman identified as Winifred Ogbuja (@Winifunds on X), the daughter of Mr Ogbuja, who deactivated her social media account on Wednesday after a wave of backlash. Although Winifred has not been accused of any crime, users circulated her pictures and posts, with some calling without evidence for her to be invited for questioning. Influencer Tunde Ednut also joined the campaign in an Instagram post to his 8.7 million followers, condemning the alleged abuse and urging justice for Ochanya. This is sad and unacceptable. This girl must get justice, he wrote. A petition on Change.org titled Justice for Ochanya is also gathering signatures, calling for the case to be reopened and the fugitive suspect apprehended. Child-rights activist Betty Abah renewed the call for justice, urging the Benue State Government, the Nigeria Police Force, and relevant ministries and agencies to act. Reports suggest Victor Ogbuja is now in Lagos pursuing a music career despite an active arrest warrant, she said. It is time to reopen and pursue this case to ensure that, even in death, Ochanya gets justice. A quest for education turned tragic Ochanya had left her rural home in Ogene-Amejo to live with the Ogbuja family in Ugbokolo in pursuit of better educational opportunities. Over five years, she was allegedly subjected to repeated sexual abuse by both father and son. She was later hospitalised at the Federal Medical Centre, Makurdi, where she battled VVF complications for two months before dying in October 2018. Her death sparked national and international outrage, leading to street protests and advocacy campaigns by womens rights and child-protection groups demanding justice for her and stronger laws against sexual violence. A former Nigerian minister, who is standing trial for alleged fraud committed while in office, has been appointed to another public office. Hadi Sirika, a former Minister of Aviation, was appointed on Tuesday by Governor Dikko Radda of Katsina State as the Pro-Chancellor and Chairperson of the Governing Council of Umaru Musa YarAdua University (UMYU), Katsina State. Mr Sirika is being prosecuted by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for alleged multi-billion naira fraud. The appointment was announced on Tuesday in a statement signed by Ibrahim Almu-Gafai, the Director of Press in the Office of the Secretary to the Katsina State Government. The statement indicated that the appointment, which was for a four-year tenure, took effect in October. Mr Sirika, who served as minister in the late President Muhammadu Buharis administration, was investigated by the EFCC after leaving office in 2023. He was subsequently charged before two separate courts at the end of the investigations. In the first case, he is accused of fraud involving a N2.8 billion contract. The other defendants in the case are Mr Sirikas daughter, Fatima, her husband, Jalal Hamma, and the couples firm, Al Buraq Global Investment Limited. Mr Sirika is accused of using his power to confer an unfair advantage on the company in the award of a N1.5 billion contract for the Katsina Airport apron extension. The EFCC said the act violates Section 12 of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) Act. In the other case, Mr Sirika was charged alongside his brother and two companies with abuse of office and contract fraud, allegedly involving N19.4 billion. All the defendants pleaded not guilty to the charges. Fresh Appointment The appointment of Mr Sirika as Chairperson of UMYU was announced on the same day his trial for the N2.8 billion fraud was adjourned in Abuja. Mr Almu-Gafai quoted the Secretary to the State Government, Abdullahi Faskari, as saying that Mr Sirikas appointment was based on the recognition of his outstanding qualities and performance exhibited over the years. The governor urged the appointee to bring his extensive experience to bear in his new assignment, as reported by the Vanguard Newspaper. The governor congratulates Sen. Sirika on his well-deserved appointment, and wishes him Allahs guidance in the discharge of his duties as Chairman of the Governing Council, Umaru Musa Yaradua University (UMYU) Katsina, the official statement stated. In early August, Mr Sirika was appointed as Marusan Katsina, the District Head of Shargalle in the Dutsi Local Government Area. This title is traditional and carries no constitutional executive responsibilities. Mr Sirikas appointments during his fraud prosecution raise questions about the ethical considerations and moral standards applied to such appointments in a country where over 40 per cent of the population lives in poverty. The Katsina State Governor, Dikko Radda, has said the presentation of birth certificates will soon be mandatory to access public education and healthcare services in the state. Mr Radda stated this on Thursday at the launch of the electronic birth registration (e-birth registration) exercise in the state. Speaking at the ceremony held at the Continental Event Centre, Katsina, the governor described the e-birth registration exercise as a transformative step toward ensuring that every child in the state is officially recognised and protected from birth. This exercise is not just a formality. It is a decisive action to make sure no child in Katsina grows up invisible legally, socially, or statistically, Mr Radda said. He emphasised that birth registration remains the first legal recognition of a childs identity and a gateway to education, healthcare, and other essential services. Without it, a child exists in the shadows, vulnerable to exploitation and deprivation. Registering your child costs nothing but a few minutes of your time, yet it opens the door to a lifetime of opportunities, the governor added. Mr Radda said every ward and village across Katsinas 34 local government areas will now serve as permanent registration centres, to ensure accessibility and community ownership. The governor commended the National Population Commission (NPC), UNICEF, the Department of Girl Child Education and Child Development, and the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) for partnering with the state government to make the digital rollout possible. To encourage grassroots participation, Mr Radda said the government will introduce a competition among local governments and wards for the best-performing areas in the e-birth registration exercise. UNICEFs Chief Field Officer in Kano, Rahama Farah, hailed the initiative as a model of community-driven development and reaffirmed UNICEFs commitment to ensuring that every child in Katsina is registered and recognised. NPC Director-General, Kelsen Ojogun, described the digital platform as part of Nigerias modernisation agenda for Civil Registration and Vital Statistics (CRVS), noting that it integrates seamlessly with national systems such as the National Identification Number (NIN). Katsinas NPC Director, Usman Saidu, revealed that the state has recorded over 566,000 digital registrations in 2025 a sharp rise from 180,901 manually registered births in 2021. He attributed the progress to strong collaboration between the state government, NPC, UNICEF, ALGON, and the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC). The event drew key dignitaries, including the states Chief Judge, Justice Musa Abubakar; ALGON National Chairperson, Bello Lawal Kaita; traditional rulers; and local government chairpersons. US President Donald Trump has designated Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern, a status reserved for nations engaged in or tolerating severe violations of religious freedom under the International Religious Freedom Act. In a post made on Truth Social, Mr Trump claimed Christianity in Nigeria faces a serious existential threat because radical Islamists are killing thousands of the countrys Christian population. However, a review of Nigerias security situation by PREMIUM TIMES and many other media and human rights organisations show that while insecurity persists in many parts of Nigeria, the claim of a Christian genocide is false. The US designation comes after weeks of campaigns and demands by some Republican lawmakers for the US to sanction Nigeria for allowing the persecution of Christians. The officials had falsely accused the federal government of facilitating this anti-Christian crusade in an attempt to rid the country of Christians. A US Senator, Ted Cruz, also introduced a bill aimed at sanctioning the Nigerian government for allegedly supporting radical Islamic terrorist efforts to eliminate the countrys Christian population. PREMIUM TIMES reported that Mr Cruz had claimed extremist groups such as Boko Haram have been going house to house, hunting down Christians for decades, killing wives, children, and Catholic priests in an attempt to rid the country of Christians. Another member of the US House, Miley Moore, had also tagged Nigeria the deadliest country in the world for Christians. Mr Moore also wrote to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, demanding that the US use every diplomatic tool to stop what he described as the slaughter of Christians. This includes designating Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern and suspending arms sales and technical support for the country. Muslim extremist groups such as ISIS-West Africa, Ansaru, and Boko Haram are major perpetrators. Just last week, Boko Haram ravaged Kirawa, Nigeria, displacing thousands. But just as concerning are reports that corrupt cells of the Nigerian government may be complicit, a part of his letter read. Speaking on this, Mr Trump stated that he has directed, Congressman Riley Moore, together with Chairman Tom Cole and the House Appropriations Committee, to immediately look into this matter. The United States cannot stand by while such atrocities are happening in Nigeria, and numerous other Countries. We stand ready, willing, and able to save our Great Christian population around the World! Christianity is facing an existential threat in Nigeria. Thousands of Christians are being killed. Radical Islamists are responsible for this mass slaughter. I am hereby making Nigeria a COUNTRY OF PARTICULAR CONCERN But that is the least of it. When Christians, or any such group, are slaughtered like is happening in Nigeria (3,100 versus 4,476 worldwide), something must be done! He added. PREMIUM TIMES earlier reported that claims of Christian persecution in Nigeria are inaccurate, as the nature of Nigerias violent crisis varies and manifests in different forms. A mix of historical grievances, ethnic tensions, economic disparities, religious extremism, and weak governance drives them. While radical Islamist groups have attacked the churches and Christians in the country, more Muslims have also been killed. Ideologically driven Jihadist groups, such as Boko Haram, have attacked clerics, carried out abductions, and raided communities irrespective of religious faith. For instance, in 2017, at least 50 people were killed when a bomb was detonated in a mosque in the Unguwar Shuwa area of Mubi, Adamawa State. Also in 2018, a double suicide bombing in another mosque in Adamawa led to the death of 86 people. PREMIUM TIMES also reported that allegations of Christian genocide reductively compress Nigerias complex security challenges into a false singular narrative that distorts the reality of the situation. Conflict experts and researchers have noted that such claims are likely to stoke more violence in an already fragile system. Officials across Nigerias agriculture and development sectors have called for stronger partnerships, innovation, and youth-led solutions to build a resilient and impact-driven food system. The call was made at the Sahel Food Systems Changemakers Conference 2025, held in Abuja on Friday with the theme Designing for Legacy: Building Resilient and Impact-Driven Food Systems. The conference brought together policymakers, agripreneurs, investors, and changemakers to reflect on the sustainability of Nigerias food systems and the long-term impact of current interventions. Development partners stress accountability During the panel session on Executive Reflections, speakers highlighted the need for greater coordination between government, private sector, and development agencies to ensure lasting impact in Nigerias agricultural transformation. Michael Ojo, Country Director, Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN), emphasised that interventions must be grounded in data and people-centered design. Mr Ojo noted that Nigeria is one of the largest producers of staple foods, yet it loses so much of it. Our investments must ensure that food is not just produced, but also accessible, nutritious, and safe, he said. Lekan Tobe, Country Director of Heifer International, also called for a shift from siloed implementation to integrated, multi-sectoral collaboration. Innovators push for data, trust, and resilience In a Changemaker Spotlight session, agripreneurs and innovators shared personal stories of persistence, creativity, and the lessons learned from building businesses within Nigerias often unpredictable food ecosystem. Ajoke Amusat, CEO of The Grocery Lady Agrommerce Service, Nigeria, described how her business transformed crisis into opportunity at the height of the COVID-19 lockdowns. Ms Amusat explained that her company now works with over 2,000 smallholder farmers across northern Nigeria, training them on proper harvesting, handling, and food safety standards. She also highlighted the growing importance of data for building resilient agribusinesses. Young people entering agriculture must learn data literacy, how to gather, analyse, and share information. Its one of the most valuable skills today. For Tajudeen Yahaya, CEO Extension Africa, resilience starts with self-awareness and intentional growth. Mr Yahaya advised young professionals to connect the dots in their careers and to view mentorship as an exchange of value, not dependency. Both agripreneurs agreed that trust remains the missing link in the agricultural value chain while adding that business owners must earn farmers trust through consistency and honesty. Partnerships must drive transformation Mr Yahaya stressed that effective collaboration, not competition, will determine how fast Nigerias food systems can transform. He said that there shouldnt be a one-sided relationship between research agents and farmers as what they need is a value-chain ecosystem where everyone, farmers, aggregators, researchers, and private actors learn from one another. He explained that Extension Africa built its model around co-creation and feedback, allowing farmers and partners to shape the services they need. Partnerships must go beyond formal agreements to become long-term systems of trust and shared accountability, he added. Design for legacy In his welcome remarks, the Managing Partner of Sahel Consulting, Temitope Adegoroye, said programmes too often fade when funding stops and urged practitioners to build sustainability into design from day one. Mr Adegoroye noted that true impact is not measured by how much they spend, but by what endures, by the systems, by the people, and the institutions that remain standing long after the spotlight fades. He added that meaningful progress would depend on local ownership of agricultural systems. Legacy is not built by one organisation or one funder. It is built by all of us, he said. In her keynote address, the Chief Executive Officer of the ONE Campaign, Ndidi Nwuneli, warned that hunger in Nigeria is worsening, leaving millions unable to afford basic meals. Ms Nwuneli described the fall in life expectancy from 57 to 54 years as shocking and blamed weak food systems and poor coordination across sectors. She urged Nigerian stakeholders to be unapologetically ambitious about national capacity and to reject narratives that position the continent as chronically dependent. COLOMBO, Oct. 31 (Xinhua) -- Representatives from China and Sri Lanka's political, financial, and commercial sectors have underscored the RMB's greater role in boosting bilateral financial and trade cooperation at a forum held on Wednesday in Colombo, Sri Lanka. The RMB Forum Sri Lanka 2025, co-hosted by the Colombo branch of the Bank of China and Sri Lanka's Ceylon Chamber of Commerce, focused on cross-border RMB settlement, financial cooperation, and facilitation of trade and investment. Nearly 300 participants attended it. Addressing the forum, Chinese Ambassador to Sri Lanka Qi Zhenhong said that promoting RMB settlement will assist Sri Lanka in diversifying the structure of foreign exchange reserves, reducing exchange rate risks, and providing more stable and low-cost settlement channels, thus injecting fresh impetus into the country's economic revival and structural reform. P. Nandalal Weerasinghe, governor of the Central Bank of Sri Lanka, underscored the benefits of establishing direct RMB settlement mechanisms. He noted that it will significantly reduce transaction costs, minimize exposure to exchange rate fluctuations, and provide businesses with financial services that are more stable and efficient. Participants of the forum also expressed hopes that the two countries will expand the scale of local currency settlement and promote bilateral financial connectivity, to provide more stable financial support for economic and trade exchanges between the two countries. President Tinubus decision to replace the service chiefs was both lawful and necessary. His bold move also signalled his confidence in the armed forces and his own authority as the Commander-in-Chief. Far from reacting to a coup, it was an assertion of civilian supremacy and a reminder to the military that in a civilian democracy, the gun remains subordinate to the ballot. It also reaffirmed the principle that no officer is indispensable and that the Nigerian Armed Forces is an institution, and not a collection of personalities. The right thing at the wrong time is a wrong thing. Joshua Harris. On 29th May, 2023, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu shocked millions of Nigerians when, without prior notice, he announced the removal of the vexed petroleum subsidy, a policy that had almost brought the country to its knees through the massive corruption and inefficiency perpetrated by officials of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) and its thieving fronts. It was a bold decision; one that many of his predecessors had avoided for fear of its political consequences. The benefit to the country is the unprecedented trillions that have accrued to the states and the reduced pressure on the foreign reserves. Over two years later, on 24th October, President Tinubu has again demonstrated his capacity for decisive action when he appointed a new set of service chiefs the Chief of Defence Staff and the chiefs of the Army, Navy, and Air Force, while retaining the Chief of Defence Intelligence. In doing so, the President exercised the powers conferred on him by Section 218(2) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, which vests in him the authority to appoint and remove the heads of the armed services. His actions also conformed with the Harmonised Terms and Conditions of Service (Officers) HTACOS which regulates the tenure of senior military officers. It was last revised in 2017. Section 11.08 of the HTACOS clearly stipulates that an officer appointed as Chief of Defence Staff, Chief of Army Staff, Chief of Naval Staff, or Chief of Air Staff shall hold the appointment for a continuous period of two years. Though this tenure can be extended by another two years, it is at the Presidents prerogative. He solely determines their continuation in office. In other words, the service chiefs serve at the pleasure of the Commander-in-Chief. For General Christopher G Musa and his colleagues, their exit was not unexpected; its just that it came out of the blue the hallmark of Asiwaju. It is a fact known to every officer who ascends to the top of the military hierarchy that the day of disengagement will inevitably come. Yet, even with that awareness, departure is never easy, particularly for those who have been fortunate to command men in battle and shape the direction of the armed forces. The nostalgia is understandable, considering that many of them joined the military from the military school and that the military job is the only thing they know. Part of the unease in the military can be traced to the tenure of former President Muhammadu Buhari. His refusal to adhere strictly to the provisions of the HTACOS created deep resentment among several generations of officers, particularly those from courses that were effectively blocked from ascending to the top producing service chiefs because of the prolonged extensions of the tenures of their predecessors. Although Section 11.09 of the HTACOS gives the President the prerogative to extend the tenure of service chiefs, irrespective of age or length of service, late Buharis over-reliance on that clause had unintended consequences. It stagnated promotions and fuelled unhealthy rivalries notably between Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai and Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar, over who would emerge the Chief of Defence Staff, which terribly undermined morale in the military, with officers queuing behind them on service and state lines. The result was a military that was loyal but internally divided. President Buhari extended the tenures of the service chiefs, Chief of Defence Staff and the three chiefs of Army, Navy, and Air Force, far beyond the stipulated period, citing ongoing operations. Therefore, under Buhari, the tenure norm of two years wasnt strictly adhered to, as extensions and longer service terms became the norm. The first set of Buharis service chiefs General Abayomi Olonisakin, Lt. General Tukur Buratai, Vice Admiral Ibok Ibas, and Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar used five years and six months in office. The consequence was that under President Buhari, the following courses 30, 31, 32, and 33 didnt produce service chiefs. Learning from the late Buharis mistakes, Tinubu clearly wants to maintain the two-year tenure. Lagbaja served less than two years (~one year, 4 months) due to his death, while others like Musa and Ogalla served for over two years precisely two years and four months by October. Tinubus decision, therefore, represents a course correction. Tinubu clearly understands this fact and is determined, in his own way, to make timing work for him and not against him a return to the discipline of the system and adherence to the letter of the law. By refreshing the leadership cadre in line with the established two-year cycle, he has restored predictability and respect for institutional processes. Unfortunately, what should have been a straightforward leadership transition was almost overshadowed by the swirling rumours of the plot. Was there really a coup? If one goes by the conjunction of events the arrests announced by the Defence Headquarters, the dismissal of the coup as baseless and mischievous, and the timing of the retirement of the service chiefs one can safely conclude that something was indeed afoot. The sequence suggests that there might have been an attempt, however tentative, to subvert constitutional authority. Did it fast track the appointment of the new chiefs? The answer is obvious. So far, the government has not issued a categorical statement on the matter. Knowing the President, the silence could be strategic, intended to avoid panic and to allow investigations to proceed discreetly. There is also the possibility that the government is uncertain about how best to communicate the gravity of what the plotters had planned, especially the rumour that politicians were targeted in the President Anwar Sadat-type assassination. Either way, the opacity has only fuelled speculation and public anxiety. Be that as it may, one fact remains undeniable: military coups do not happen in a vacuum. For any military plot to gain traction, the environment must be politically, economically, and socially conducive. Military adventurism thrives where governance fails, where the people have lost faith in civilian institutions, and where frustration festers unchecked. So, the political class owes itself the duty of taking a hard look at itself in the mirror. It must check corruption, insecurity, and economic hardship, which are fertile grounds for those who fancy themselves as saviours in uniform. The antidote to coups is not repression or purges within the military; it is purely good governance, fairness, and trust between the government and the governed. The coup that failed should serve as a teachable moment for the civilian class, even though the military has shown that democratic rule pays it better. During the military dictatorships of General Ibrahim Babangida and Sani Abacha, mess life died due to fears of being dragged into coups as plotters or accessories. As President, Tinubu has a responsibility to lead the engagement with the National Assembly, some notorious governors, and other stakeholders to clean up their acts. Despite the failure of the plot and the reassurance by the military that there is no shaking in its loyalty to constitutional authority, he must tell them in unmistakable terms that the attempted plot is a serious warning to the political class and that the best safeguard against any future coup attempt is a government that works, that delivers justice, jobs, and security, and that has earned the confidence of its citizens. President Tinubus decision to replace the service chiefs was both lawful and necessary. His bold move also signalled his confidence in the armed forces and his own authority as the Commander-in-Chief. Far from reacting to a coup, it was an assertion of civilian supremacy and a reminder to the military that in a civilian democracy, the gun remains subordinate to the ballot. It also reaffirmed the principle that no officer is indispensable and that the Nigerian Armed Forces is an institution, and not a collection of personalities. Like the military boys themselves are fond of saying, soldier go, soldier come, barracks remain. President Tinubu appears to have judged rightly that the benefits of renewal in line with his renewed hope agenda outweighed the risks of inertia. Emmanuel Ado is a media consultant. In a world racing toward an information-driven future, Africa cannot afford to be a spectator. Olatunjis leadership signals a shift from enthusiasm to responsibility, from experimentation to accountability. He demonstrates that privacy and progress are not opposing ideals but complementary engines of a trusted digital economy. As of August, Nigeria had about 140 million internet subscribers, with broadband penetration nearing 49 per cent, according to the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC). In such a wired nation, where personal information is now a form of currency, the stakes have never been higher. Guarding that frontier is Dr Vincent Olatunji, national commissioner of the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC), whose mandate is to turn Nigeria into a data-safe economy and Africa into a data-respecting continent. Nearly half of Nigerians now live in a mobile-first, internet-first environment, where names, biometrics, financial records, and location data are constantly exchanged. As Africas digital ecosystem expands, so do the risks of misuse, breaches, and exploitation. Olatunji insists that trust and compliance are the oxygen of any digital economy. Without a strong framework for privacy, digital transformation collapses under the weight of unregulated data practices. Robust data protection, therefore, builds confidence among citizens who share data, investors who demand certainty, and governments that must guarantee rights. Nigerias Data Protection Act (NDPA), signed into law in June 2023 by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, gives this framework real legal power. It transformed years of advocacy into a statutory regime that holds both local and global actors accountable. The NDPA marks Nigeria as a leader in Africas digital transformation and as a serious global player in privacy regulation. Dr Olatunjis career blends scholarship, administration, and vision. He earned a PhD in Geography and Planning from the University of Lagos, coupled with an Advanced Diploma in Computer Studies and certifications as both Data Protection Officer and Public-Private Partnership Specialist. He joined the National Information Technology Development Agency (NITDA) in 2002, rising to director in 2014 and Acting Director-General in 2016. By February 2022, he became pioneer National Commissioner and CEO of the Nigeria Data Protection Bureau later re-chartered as NDPC. His reappointment in October 2023 by President Tinubu affirmed him as the face of Nigerias privacy revolution. Under his leadership, the NDPC has evolved from an advisory bureau to a full-fledged regulatory authority with enforcement power across industries. Olatunji has been forthright that Nigeria will monitor the data practices of global tech giants Meta, Google, Microsoft and compel alignment with national rules. Yet, his tone is not confrontational. He envisions collaboration: a future where innovation and privacy coexist. For him, data protection is not a bureaucratic chore but a human-rights imperative and a pillar of national security. The Commissions engagements with multinational platforms aim to embed Nigerias data-sovereignty agenda in global corporate operations. His philosophy is simple: Strong cybersecurity guarantees strong privacy, and both are essential for a trustworthy digital economy. What distinguishes Olatunji from many technocrats is his ability to frame privacy as both a moral duty and an economic opportunity. The NDPA is more than a compliance manual it is the national anchor for digital trust. By framing privacy as a growth enabler rather than a regulatory burden, he positions Nigeria as a model for West Africa. He has also worked to make the law inclusive, translating key parts of the NDPA into Hausa, Igbo, and Yoruba, so that data rights are understood by citizens beyond elite or urban circles. To Olatunji, the digital future must be participatory: Data rights are not for the connected few; they belong to every Nigerian. Despite impressive progress, enforcement consistency remains a challenge. Many institutions are only beginning to adopt compliance cultures. The NDPC must strengthen technical capacity, expand its inspectorate workforce, and deepen collaboration with the private sector. Public awareness remains another hurdle laws mean little if citizens do not understand their rights or how to exercise them. Regionally, harmonising Africas patchwork of data laws will test diplomacy and coordination, especially as the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) pushes digital integration. Nigeria must also strike a delicate balance between innovation and regulation: nurturing startups without compromising citizens safety or privacy. In a world racing toward an information-driven future, Africa cannot afford to be a spectator. Olatunjis leadership signals a shift from enthusiasm to responsibility, from experimentation to accountability. He demonstrates that privacy and progress are not opposing ideals but complementary engines of a trusted digital economy. His broader goal is to embed a privacy-first mindset in governance, business, and citizenship. If Nigeria gets this right, it will not just secure personal data it will secure digital sovereignty, attract investment, and shape Africas global standing in the Fourth Industrial Revolution. Under Vincent Olatunjis stewardship, that vision no longer feels like aspiration. It is becoming policy, practice, and, increasingly, culture a Nigeria where innovation thrives because trust is guaranteed. Yusuf A. Yusuf writes from Abuja. Email: [email protected] Katsina State Governor, Dikko Umaru Radda, has declared open the All Progressives Congress (APC) North-West zonal public hearing on the partys constitution review and amendment exercise, describing it as a defining moment to renew, strengthen, and consolidate the institutional foundation, internal democracy, and unity of the APC across Nigeria. The event, held Thursday at the Banquet Hall of the Muhammadu Buhari Government House, brought together APC leaders and stakeholders from across the North-West geopolitical zone. including members of the National Assembly, Speakers of State Houses of Assembly, State Chairmen, members of the Constitution Review Committee, and other party leaders. to deliberate on proposed amendments aimed at promoting inclusivity, transparency, and accountability within the party. In his keynote address, Governor Radda said the exercise was personally significant to him, not only as the Governor of Katsina State but also as a pioneer member of the APC National Working Committee. He recalled being part of the team that drafted the first APC Constitution under the leadership of Chief John Oyegun, an experience he said continues to shape his political journey and strengthen his belief in the ideals of the party. The APC gave many of us the platform to serve our people. It is therefore our collective duty to respect its constitution, strengthen its institutions, and uphold discipline within its ranks, he said. Under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, our party continues to grow stronger, driven by vision, planning, and purposeful leadership. He emphasised that the constitutional review was not about personalities but about principles; not about division but renewal; not about short-term politics but the long-term stability of the great party. As the political and demographic heartland of the APC, the North-West must lead this process with honesty, foresight, and integrity, he stated. Our aim must be to strengthen internal democracy and ensure credible primaries that reflect the will of grassroots members; promote accountability and transparency in leadership and party finances; encourage inclusivity by ensuring fair representation for women, youth, and persons with disabilities; clarify roles and responsibilities to prevent conflicts and overlaps; and embed discipline and ethical conduct in all party activities. He urged participants to use the public hearing as an opportunity to listen, exchange ideas, and build consensus that reflects shared values and unity of purpose. The contributions made here will form the North-Wests official position for submission to the National Committee a position that truly represents our collective wisdom and integrity, Governor Radda noted. Governor Radda who also serves as Chairman of the North-West Governors Forum, reaffirmed the collective support of all APC Governors in the region for the constitutional review process. He said their shared objective was to continue building a stronger and more vibrant APC capable of leading Nigeria toward peace, progress, and prosperity. He described the exercise as a defining moment in the evolution of the party and expressed gratitude to party leaders, delegates, and stakeholders who attended despite their busy schedules. Mr Radda paid a glowing tribute to President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, for his visionary leadership and commitment to strengthening the APC nationwide. He also commended the National Chairman of the party, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, for sustaining the reform drive, and lauded former President Muhammadu Buhari as the moral compass and father of modern Nigerian democracy, whose legacy continues to inspire the APC family. Representing the Chairman of the APC Constitution Review Committee and Governor of Yobe State, Hon. Mai Mala Buni, was Alphonsus Ogar Eba, Chairman of the Cross River State APC and South-South representative on the Committee. Mr Eba conveyed Governor Bunis goodwill message and commended Governor Radda for hosting the important zonal hearing, describing him as a symbol of hope for Nigerias next generation of leaders. He explained that the review became necessary as the partys constitution, last amended in March 2022, no longer adequately reflects the APCs expanded structure and evolving realities. It is an anomaly that a Governor who completes his term would not automatically qualify as a member of the National Executive Committee of the party. This and other gaps are what the current review seeks to address, Eba said. He further disclosed that the nationwide consultation, which began in April, had received hundreds of submissions from stakeholders focused on inclusiveness, transparency, and effective leadership. The goal, he said, is to produce a harmonized, progressive constitution that embodies the collective will of all APC members ahead of the next National Convention. In his welcome address, the Katsina State APC Chairman, Sani Aliyu Ahmed Daura, described the constitutional review as a clear testament to the APCs commitment to internal growth, unity, and long-term stability. He noted that the exercise would provide the party with a more vibrant and people-oriented foundation for the future. Mr Daura also commended Governor Radda visionary leadership in transforming Katsina State across all sectors education, health, agriculture, security, and social welfare saying his leadership had restored confidence and direction both to the party and the state. He further reaffirmed the partys loyalty to President Tinubus reform agenda. Goodwill messages were delivered by Miriam Odinaka Onuoha, member of the House of Representatives representing the South-East on the Committee; the Speakers of the Kebbi and Jigawa State Houses of Assembly representing their Governors; and the Deputy Governor of Sokoto State, Idris Muhammad Gobir, who represented the Sokoto State Governor. Several other APC leaders from across the region also expressed their support and solidarity with the exercise. Among dignitaries in attendance were the Speaker of the Katsina State House of Assembly, Nasir Yahaya Daura; Senator Nasir Sani Zangon Daura representing Katsina North; fifteen members of the House of Representatives from Katsina; all thirty-four local government chairmen; APC State Chairmen from Kano, Sokoto, Kebbi, Jigawa, Kaduna, Zamfara, and Yobe; members of the Katsina State Executive Council; former Deputy Governors; members of the National Working Committee; ALGON representatives; and party legal advisers. The Governor of Katsina State, Dikko Umaru Radda, has inaugurated the Katsina State Council for Digital Innovation and Entrepreneurship, making the state the first sub-national government in Nigeria to fully domesticate and institutionalize the startup Law. Governor Radda announced during the inauguration ceremony at Government House on Thursday that the state has established a startup grants and investment fund with a guaranteed minimum of N250 million annually to help innovative businesses grow, scale, and compete globally. The governor described the occasion as an important milestone in the states journey toward a modern and inclusive digital economy. The Katsina Startup Law is not just another policy document; it is an engine for growth. It provides a solid framework to create an enabling environment, streamline regulations, promote research and development, support incubation and acceleration, and connect startups with investment and markets, Governor Radda stated. He explained that the creation of the council aligns with his administrations broader vision to modernize governance, diversify the economy, generate jobs, and promote shared prosperity across all local government areas. The governor noted that this vision has already produced key institutions such as the Katsina State Directorate of Information and Communication Technology (KATDICT) and the Katsina Development and Management Board (KDMB), both playing vital roles in advancing the states technology and innovation agenda. Governor Radda disclosed that Nigerias ICT sector currently contributes about 18 per cent to national GDP, emphasising the increasing importance of technology in shaping the future of work and industry. Katsina must not stand behind; we must lead. We are sending a clear message that this state is ready to build a strong innovation economy capable of nurturing globally competitive startups and creating meaningful jobs for our youth, he declared. The Director General of Katsina Directorate of Information and Communications Technology, Naufal Ahmad, revealed that the Startup Bill establishes a complete end-to-end innovation support system including incubators, accelerators, venture-building programmes, and a Credit Guarantee Scheme enabling startups to access capital using intellectual property, shares, and chattel assets as collateral. Mr Ahmad noted that Governor Radda demonstrated visionary commitment to digital innovation even before the passage of the bill by conceiving and funding the first state-backed startup incubation programme in partnership with Katsinas first technology hub. At the Arewa Tech Festival, startups from Katsina took home every prize, and many went on to win at national and international stages. That success was not luckit was deliberate leadership, the KATDICT boss said. Mr Ahmad disclosed that the state will launch a startup support and engagement portala one-stop platform for registration, incentives, market access, procurement, and investment opportunitiesalongside a Startup Consultative Forum to ensure ecosystem participation in decision-making. He explained that the state would establish innovation clusters, hubs, and enterprise centres across local governments, technology parks, talent development centres, and Technology Development Zones to attract investment and exports, ensuring innovation is distributed statewide. The KATDICT DG also disclosed that the council brings together government, academia, and industry in a triple-helix model of innovation ensuring synergy and shared responsibility. He assured that KATDICT, as secretariat, is committed to coordinating programmes, managing the startup portal, supporting capacity building, and ensuring every founder has a pathway to success. Earlier, Governor Radda announced that he will personally chair the council, which includes his Economic Adviser, the Director-General of KASEDA, the Executive Secretary of KTDMB, the Commissioners for Budget and Economic Planning, Finance, and Justice, as well as two representatives from academia, two from the ICT ecosystem, and three from the Startup Consultative Forum, including two women. I have chosen to chair this council myself to ensure our goals are achieved with urgency and precision. Together, we will build an economy where young people turn ideas into enterprises, where businesses grow with confidence, and where technology becomes a true tool for prosperity, peace, and progress, the governor promised. Dignitaries who graced the ceremony included the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Abdulkadir Mamman Nasir; Principal Private Secretary, Abdullahi Aliyu Turaji; Executive Secretary of KTDMB, Mustapha Shehu; representatives of the Director-General of NITDA; Commissioner for Women Affairs, Aisha Aminu Malumfashi; Director-General of KASEDA, Babangida Ruma; Economic Adviser, Khalil Nura Khalil; and Commissioner for Justice, Barrister Fadila Muhammad Dikko. Ibrahim Kaula Mohammed Chief Press Secretary to the Governor of Katsina State 30th October, 2025 Katsina State Governor, Dikko Umaru Radda, has reaffirmed his administrations strong commitment to quality healthcare delivery and womens empowerment during the official flag-off of the Free Vesico Vaginal Fistula (VVF) Surgeries and Women Empowerment Programme, held Thursday at the Katsina Hospital Services Management Board. The initiative, jointly organised by the Katsina State Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Women Affairs in collaboration with FirstBank of Nigeria Plc, aims to provide free surgical operations and rehabilitation support for women affected by Vesico Vaginal Fistula. In his remarks, Governor Radda commended FirstBank for sponsoring the programme as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). He described the gesture as deeply humanitarian and transformative, emphasising its far-reaching impact in restoring dignity, confidence, and hope to women battling VVF. He explained that 50 women living with VVF would benefit from the free corrective surgeries and receive empowerment packages to help them rebuild their lives with renewed strength and purpose. The governor added that the partnership serves as a model for how the private sector can collaborate effectively with government to improve lives and promote social inclusion. He further noted that the initiative aligns with his administrations broader vision to strengthen healthcare delivery across Katsina State. He highlighted ongoing reforms such as the recruitment of additional health workers, the renovation and upgrading of hospitals and primary healthcare centres, and the introduction of 24-hour service at all primary healthcare facilities. Mr Radda also disclosed that work is progressing on the construction of a modern Imaging Centre in Katsina, which will house advanced radiology, cardiology, cancer, and laboratory units. The Governor revealed that the facilityexpected to be commissioned next yearwill be the first of its kind in the state. Governor Radda praised healthcare professionals across Katsina for their unwavering dedication and service to humanity, commending the Chief Medical Director and the General Manager of the Katsina State Hospital Management Board for their commitment to improving healthcare delivery. Our administration remains fully committed to improving healthcare and the well-being of our people, Governor Radda said. When partners like First Bank join hands with us, we move closer to building a Katsina where every citizen can live a healthy and dignified life. He reaffirmed his administrations readiness to deepen partnerships with the private sector, medical professionals, and development partners to ensure that Katsina women live healthier, safer, and more fulfilled lives. In his remarks, the Commissioner for Health, Dr Musa Adamu Funtua, commended FirstBank for its generous humanitarian intervention, describing it as an exemplary act of corporate partnership in service of humanity. He urged other public and private institutions to emulate the gesture and assured continuous government support and follow-up care for all VVF patients across the state. Speaking on behalf of FirstBank of Nigeria Plc, Shehu Aliyu, who represented the Managing Director, Mr Olusegun Alebiosu, reiterated the banks belief that access to quality healthcare is a fundamental right for every woman. He explained that the free VVF surgery and empowerment initiative reflects First Banks continued commitment to restoring dignity, health, and hope to women affected by the condition. He further noted that Vesico Vaginal Fistula is not only a medical challenge but also a social and emotional burden that denies women confidence and opportunity. Our goal is to help women live free from pain, shame, and isolation by supporting them with care, empowerment, and inclusion, he said. When we empower women, we strengthen families, communities, and the nation, he added. Also speaking, the General Manager of the Katsina State Hospital Management Board, Dr Muhammad Nazir Shehu, described the VVF programme as a landmark milestone in the states healthcare history. He introduced the first beneficiary of the surgery, whose operation was sponsored by FirstBank, and commended the bank for its compassion and generosity. Dr Shehu explained that Vesico Vaginal Fistula, often caused by prolonged or obstructed labour, remains a serious condition that affects both the physical and emotional well-being of women. Among the dignitaries present at the event were the Chief of Staff, Abdulkadir Mamman Nasir; Principal Private Secretary, Abdullahi Aliyu Turaji; Member representing Rimi/Charanchi/Batagarawa Federal Constituency Usman Murtala Banye; and the Commissioner for Women Affairs, Mrs Aisha Aminu Malunfashi. The Abia State Government is poised and committed to partnering the Republic of Uganda and other countries, bodies and agencies to take the micro, small, and medium-scale enterprises (MSMEs) to the next level. Governor Alex Otti disclosed this on Thursday, 30 October, when he received a delegation from the Ugandan High Commission led by Ambassador Philip Ocham Odida, who called on him in his office, according to a statement from Mr Ottis spokesperson, Njoku Ukoha. Mr Otti said his administration has been very intentional about supporting MSMEs because it is the backbone of the states economy, as Abia remains a state to beat in MSMEs. When it has to do with MSMEs, the capital is here (Abia), and we are not arrogant about it, its the truth. If you are looking for people who are entrepreneurial, people who are creative, ingenious people, people who can make anything, they may not be as sophisticated, but they can make it, and then over time, they can also become experts. You need to look no further than Aba and Abia State. Since the inception of this government, exactly 29 months ago, we have been very, very deliberate about supporting MSMEs, because we know that it is the backbone of Abia State, Governor Otti stated. Mr Otti explained that Abia can compete with other producers around the world, boasting a productive population of approximately 4.8 million who are highly talented and skilled in crafts, ranging from shoes and fabrics to high-quality fashion. The governor added that Abians are so enterprising that they do not need palliatives and handouts but an enabling environment. And thats why we focus on creating infrastructure, making the place safe, cleaning up the environment, and providing constant power as much as possible. And just doing everything to make their businesses thrive. Im glad that two years and a few months down the line, a lot of things have changed, Governor Otti explained. The governor directed the relevant government officials to sit with the Ugandan High Commissioners team and work out the details of the proposed collaboration. Trade is one thing, but I think beyond trade, there is partnership. That is where I want us to focus. What are the things that our people need? What do we have that your people need? How can we now move from there to even exchange ideas, to work together for the benefit of Nigeria and Uganda? Governor Otti stated. The governor thanked the Ugandan High Commissioner for acknowledging his administrations modest efforts and assured him that he would continue to work on creating an enabling environment for businesses to thrive. Why we visited Abia Ugandan high commissioner Speaking earlier, the Ugandan High Commissioner, Mr Odida, disclosed that they were in Abia to seek ways of partnering with Abia to build a sustainable and mutually beneficial economic bridge between Abia State and the Republic of Uganda. He described Abia as a rising centre of innovation, enterprise and economic dynamism in Nigeria. He added that their mission in the state is to explore concrete avenues for economic cooperation between Abia and Uganda, especially in the micro, small and medium-scale enterprises sector, which forms the backbone of every economy. The high commissioner commended Mr Ottis visionary leadership style, describing it as a model of good governance. He lauded his prudent financial management and successful industrial revival, disclosing that it was his achievements that attracted them to explore a partnership with Abia State. The states Commissioner for Industry and SMEs, Mike Akpara, his Trade and Commerce counterpart, Salome Obiukwu, Special Adviser to the Governor on Trade and Commerce, Nwaka Inem, the DG and CEO of Bureau of Public-Private-Partnership and Investment Promotion, Chinedum Chijioke, among others, were present at the visit. Tragedy struck in Ankpa Local Government Area of Kogi State on Sunday morning when Victor Braimah, a staff member of Zuma 828 Coal Limited, was crushed to death by two coal-laden trucks along the EnjemaOkobo mining route. Mr Braimah, who worked as a foreman in the companys Technical Services Department, was riding his motorcycle to work around 9 a.m. when the accident involving two heavy-duty trucks with registration numbers LSR-69YM (Lagos) and KNA-378XA (Kogi), occurred. Witnesses told our reporter that the deceased, a father of six, was riding behind a trailer leaving the Enjema coal depot when thick clouds of dust from the unpaved road, raised by the vehicle, blinded his vision. He tried to overtake to escape the dust but ran into a deep pothole and fell, Hamza Mohammed, witness said. Before he could rise, another truck coming from Okobo crushed him. According to Mohammed, the first truck driver, hearing people shout, stopped abruptly and reversed unknowingly climbing over the victim a second time. Mr Braimahs remains were later deposited at the Ankpa General Hospital mortuary, while both drivers and their trucks were detained at the Enjema Police Division for investigation, according to police and community sources. Multiple witnesses who spoke on condition of anonymity described the fatality as avoidable. They blamed it on the deplorable state of the road, worsened by years of heavy mining traffic. From Enjema to Okobo, the road is a death trap, a security source who requested anonymity said. Erosion has affected it badly. The dust blinds everyone drivers, bikers, and even pedestrians. He was suffocating from the dust raised by the truck. When he tried to overtake, he hit a pothole and fell under the trailer that crushed him, a community member said. When contacted, Austine Chigozie, the Assistant Chief Security Officer of Zuma 828, confirmed the incident. All I can say is that he had an accident with a truck on his way to work on Sunday, he said. The police were alerted, the two truck drivers were arrested, and the trucks taken to the station. He identified the deceased as Mr. Victor Braimah, adding that he worked as a foreman in the companys Okobo office. His relatives from Edo State have been to the police and the mortuary. Arrangements are ongoing to convey his remains to his home state, Edo, he said. Staff anger over companys response Meanwhile, anger is reportedly brewing among workers over what some described as the companys cold and insulting response to the tragedy. According to sources, Innocent Ezuma, the companys CEO, approved only 300,000 as financial support for transporting the deceaseds remains a gesture that sparked outrage among staff members. We were shocked, a staff member said. He worked here for years, managing all the heavy equipment excavators, tractors, trucks. 300,000 is what they think his life is worth? Its an insult. Our reporter sent detailed questions to Mr Ezuma, the CEO of Zuma 828 Coal Limited, regarding the alleged 300,000 support offer, the companys staff welfare policy, and road safety measures along the EnjemaOkobo corridor. READ ALSO: FG plans to ban overloaded petrol trucks As of the time of filing this report, Mr Ezuma had not responded to calls, text messages, or WhatsApp inquiries sent to his line. The EnjemaOkobo road has long been a death trap; a vital artery for coal trucks and company vehicles neglected by both Zuma 828 and the Kogi State Government. The dusty, erosion-ravaged stretch has claimed several lives over the years, locals say, but mining operations continue daily with nothing tangible done to fix it. Now, even their own workers have become victims of the same systemic neglect, a resident of the area lamented. We have written letters, we have begged, said a youth leader from Okobo. The trucks pass every hour, but no one cares until another life is lost. Mr Braimahs death has reignited anger among locals and workers alike, who describe it as a tragic symbol of the human cost of coal and of a system where even the lives of employees are expendable in the race for profit. Community leaders in the area have accused Zuma 828 and other coal companies of failing to honour their Community Development Agreements (CDAs), leaving communities without schools, water, or health centres and without safe roads. The Federal High Court in Abuja has sacked Abubakar Gummi, the lawmaker representing Gummi/Bukkuyum Federal Constituency of Zamfara State in the House of Representatives. The court sacked him for defecting from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC). Judge Obiora Egwuatu, in his judgement, restrained the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, from further recognising Mr Gummi as the member representing Gummi/Bukkuyum Federal Constituency. He declared that a lawmaker it is morally wrong for a politician to transfer the votes of a political party to another. Political prostitution must not be rewarded, he added. The judge said that a situation where the voters made their choices between different political parties and their candidates based on the manifestos and marketability of such a political party, it is legally and morally wrong for such a politician to abandon the party under which platform he or she was elected into office and move to a rival party without relinquishing the mandate of his or her former party. The Nigerian constitution expressly provides that lawmakers at the federal and state levels must vacate their seat if they defect from the party that sponsored their election without showing that the party has been so crisis-ridden that it can no longer function. Over the years, the Supreme Court has given effect to the constitutional provision by sacking lawmakers that defected without legal basis. But the constitution is silent on the defection of the president, governors and their deputies. Mr Egwatu restrained Mr Gummi from receiving any salaries, allowances, or benefits in his capacity as a lawmaker. The judge also ordered him to refund to the Federal Government all monies received as salaries or allowances from 30 October 2024 to the date of the judgment. An order is made directing that the evidence of the refund of all monies collected as salaries, allowances, be filed in the registry of this court within 30 days of the judgment of this court, Mr Egwuatu ruled. He advised that if a person must defect, the person should not decamp with the mandate of the electorates, nor transfer the votes garnered on the platform of one party to another party. According to a copy of the judgment, which was delivered on Thursday, 30 October, and obtained by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), the judge awarded N500,000 in favour of the plaintiffs and against the defendants. He also directed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct a fresh election to fill the vacancy for the constituency within 30 days of the judgment. The suit The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1803/2024, was filed by the PDP and its state chairman, Jamilu Jibomagayaki, as first and second plaintiffs. The duo, in the originating summons dated 28 November but filed on 29 November 2024 by Ibrahim Bawa (SAN), sued Hon Abubakar Suleiman Gummi, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, and INEC as first to third defendants respectively. The plaintiffs raised four questions for determination and sought nine reliefs: They asked whether, having regard to Section 68(1)(g) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), it was not wrongful and unconstitutional for Mr Gummi to retain his seat after defecting from the PDP, which sponsored his election, to the APC, when there was no division in the party. One relief sought was a declaration that it was wrongful and unconstitutional for the Speaker to refuse or fail to declare Mr Gummis seat vacant, having defected from the PDP to the APC without any division in the party that sponsored his election. In his response, through his lawyer, Mr Gummi filed a notice of preliminary objection and a counter affidavit. He argued that his defection was caused by the crisis within the PDP. He said, contrary to the plaintiffs claims, the unresolved internal and external crises within the party at both the national level and in his constituency made it impossible for him to properly represent his constituents. The lawmaker said it was his responsibility to ensure that his constituents benefited from the dividends of democracy within the bounds of the law and without undue interference. Judgement Delivering judgment on Thursday, Mr Egwuatu granted all the reliefs sought by the plaintiffs. The judge condemned the attitude of politicians who treat defection as a normal political culture. He explained that the law must punish such actions by taking away the benefits bestowed on a decamping politician by the electorate. And that is what Section 68(1)(g) of the Constitution has done, he stated. The judge therefore held that Mr Abubakar, having defected from the PDP to the APC before the expiration of the period the House was elected, automatically loses his seat as member of the House of Representatives representing Gummi/Bukkuyum Federal Constituency, Zamfara State, and the seat became vacant from 30 October 2024 when the first defendant defected. PHILADELPHIA, Oct. 31, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Aberdeen Investments U.S. Closed-End Funds (NYSE: ASGI, THQ), (the "Funds" or individually the "Fund"), today announced that the Funds paid the distributions noted in the table below on October 31, 2025, on a per share basis to all shareholders of record as of October 24, 2025 (ex-dividend date October 24, 2025). Ticker Exchange Fund Amount ASGI NYSE abrdn Global Infrastructure Income Fund $0.2100 THQ NYSE abrdn Healthcare Opportunities Fund $0.1800 Each Fund has adopted a distribution policy to provide investors with a stable distribution out of current income, supplemented by realized capital gains and, to the extent necessary, paid-in capital. Under applicable U.S. tax rules, the amount and character of distributable income for each Fund's fiscal year can be finally determined only as of the end of the Fund's fiscal year. However, under Section 19 of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act") and related rules, the Funds may be required to indicate to shareholders the estimated source of certain distributions to shareholders. The following tables set forth the estimated amounts of the sources of the distributions for purposes of Section 19 of the 1940 Act and the rules adopted thereunder. The tables have been computed based on generally accepted accounting principles. The tables include estimated amounts and percentages for the current distributions paid this month as well as for the cumulative distributions paid relating to fiscal year to date, from the following sources: net investment income; net realized short-term capital gains; net realized long-term capital gains; and return of capital. The estimated compositions of the distributions may vary because the estimated composition may be impacted by future income, expenses and realized gains and losses on securities and currencies. The Funds' estimated sources of the current distribution paid this month and for its current fiscal year to date are as follows: Estimated Amounts of Current Distribution per Share Fund Distribution Amount Net Investment Income Net Realized Short-Term Gains** Net Realized Long- Term Gains Return of Capital ASGI $0.2100 - - $0.1050 50 % $0.1050 50 % - - THQ $0.1800 - - $0.0396 22 % $0.0396 22 % $0.1008 56 % Estimated Amounts of Fiscal Year* to Date Cumulative Distributions per Share Fund Distribution Amount Net Investment Income Net Realized Short-Term Gains ** Net Realized Long- Term Gains Return of Capital ASGI $0.2100 - - $0.1050 50 % $0.1050 50 % - - THQ $0.1800 - - $0.0396 22 % $0.0396 22 % $0.1008 56 % * ASGI and THQ have a 9/30 fiscal year end **includes currency gains Where the estimated amounts above show a portion of the distribution to be a "Return of Capital," it means that Fund estimates that it has distributed more than its income and capital gains; therefore, a portion of your distribution may be a return of capital. A return of capital may occur for example, when some or all the money that you invested in a Fund is paid back to you. A return of capital distribution does not necessarily reflect the Fund's investment performance and should not be confused with "yield" or "income." The amounts and sources of distributions reported in this notice are only estimates and are not being provided for tax reporting purposes. The final determination of the source of all distributions for the current year will only be made after year-end. The actual amounts and sources of the amounts for tax reporting purposes will depend upon the Fund's investment experience during the remainder of the fiscal year and may be subject to change based on tax regulations. After the end of each calendar year, a Form 1099-DIV will be sent to shareholders for the prior calendar year that will tell you how to report these distributions for federal income tax purposes. The following tables provide the Funds' total return performance based on net asset value (NAV) over various time periods compared to the Funds' annualized and cumulative distribution rates. Fund Performance and Distribution Rate Information Fund Average Annual Total Return on NAV for the 5 Year Period Ending 09/30/2025 Current Fiscal Period's Annualized Distribution Rate on NAV Cumulative Total Return on NAV Cumulative Distribution Rate on NAV ASGI 11.27 % 11.49 % 12.96 % 11.49 % THQ 5.73 % 12.07 % -12.19 % 12.07 % 1 Return data is net of all Fund expenses and fees and assumes the reinvestment of all distributions reinvested at prices obtained under the Fund's dividend reinvestment plan. 2 Based on the Fund's NAV as of September 30, 2025. Shareholders should not draw any conclusions about a Fund's investment performance from the amount of the Fund's current distributions or from the terms of the distribution policy (the "Distribution Policy"). The value at which a closed-end fund stock may trade on a public exchange is a function of external market factors that are not at the control of the Fund's Board or Investment Advisor. Closed-end Fund shares may therefore trade at a premium or a discount to net asset value at any given time. Shareholders should be aware that a fund trading at a premium to net asset value may not be sustainable and a fund's discount to net asset value, can widen as well as narrow. Shareholders of a fund trading at a premium who participate in that fund's dividend reinvestment plan should note the reinvestment of distributions may occur at a premium to net asset value. While NAV performance may be indicative of the Fund's investment performance, it does not measure the value of a shareholder's investment in the Fund. The value of a shareholder's investment in the Fund is determined by the Fund's market price, which is based on the supply and demand for the Fund's shares in the open market. Pursuant to an exemptive order granted by the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Funds may distribute any long-term capital gains more frequently than the limits provided in Section 19(b) under the 1940 Act and Rule 19b-1 thereunder. Therefore, distributions paid by the Funds during the year may include net income, short-term capital gains, long-term capital gains and/or a return of capital. Net income dividends and short-term capital gain dividends, while generally taxable at ordinary income rates, may be eligible, to the extent of qualified dividend income earned by the Funds, to be taxed at a lower rate not to exceed the maximum rate applicable to your long-term capital gains. Distributions made in any calendar year in excess of investment company taxable income and net capital gain are treated as taxable ordinary dividends to the extent of undistributed earnings and profits, and then as a return of capital that reduces the adjusted basis in the shares held. To the extent return of capital distributions exceed the adjusted basis in the shares held, capital gain is recognized with a holding period based on the period the shares have been held at the date such amount is received. The payment of distributions in accordance with the Distribution Policy may result in a decrease in the Fund's net assets. A decrease in the Fund's net assets may cause an increase in the Fund's annual operating expense ratio and a decrease in the Fund's market price per share to the extent the market price correlates closely to the Fund's net asset value per share. The Distribution Policy may also negatively affect the Fund's investment activities to the extent that the Fund is required to hold larger cash positions than it typically would hold or to the extent that the Fund must liquidate securities that it would not have sold, for the purpose of paying the distribution. Each Fund's Board has the right to amend, suspend or terminate the Distribution Policy at any time. The amendment, suspension or termination of the Distribution Policy may affect the Fund's market price per share. Investors should consult their tax advisor regarding federal, state, and local tax considerations that may be applicable in their particular circumstances. Circular 230 disclosure : To ensure compliance with requirements imposed by the U.S. Treasury, we inform you that any U.S. tax advice contained in this communication (including any attachments) is not intended or written to be used, and cannot be used, for the purpose of (i) avoiding penalties under the Internal Revenue Code or (ii) promoting, marketing or recommending to another party any transaction or matter addressed herein. In the United States, Aberdeen Investments refers to the following affiliated, registered investment advisers: abrdn Inc., abrdn Investments Limited, and abrdn Asia Limited. Closed-end funds are traded on the secondary market through one of the stock exchanges. A Fund's investment return and principal value will fluctuate so that an investor's shares may be worth more or less than the original cost. Shares of closed-end funds may trade above (a premium) or below (a discount) the net asset value (NAV) of the fund's portfolio. There is no assurance that a Fund will achieve its investment objective. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Closed end funds | Aberdeen SOURCE Aberdeen Investments U.S. Closed End Funds BEIJING, Oct. 31 (Xinhua) -- The rhythm of American tap dance, the swirl of Spanish Flamenco and the songs of a Filipino children's choir recently filled a traditional Cantonese street during an international art parade in south China's Guangdong Province. Such vibrant scenes are increasingly common across China, as the country opens its doors wider to cultural exchanges. The street parade in Guangdong was a highlight of the 13th China International Folk Art Festival, which recently concluded. For overseas performers, it offered a chance to experience both China's scenery and its passion for cultural exchange. "For many of our kids, it's their first time in China. The overwhelming welcome has been touching," said Laurie Haupt, director of Celebrating Arts Dance Ensemble from the United States. Initiated in 1990, this festival has hosted 173 foreign folk art troupes from 68 countries. "Art brings everyone together -- it blends different cultures," said Kate Caroline Nixon, executive director of the International Federation of Arts Councils and Culture Agencies. "The world needs this power now more than ever." Parallel to this event, the 2025 Beijing International Week of Intangible Cultural Heritage presented another major platform -- with practitioners from over 60 countries displaying nearly 10,000 items to an audience of 100,000. Such exchanges are now the norm in China, which has established cultural agreements with more than 150 nations and launched specialized cultural and tourism years with over 30 countries -- in a quest to systematically foster international art dialogue. Creative integration of tradition and modernity further fuels this conversation. In Jingdezhen, the renowned "porcelain capital" in east China, ancient ceramic culture is being revitalized through innovation and international collaboration. Since 2015, an international on-site creation program has brought hundreds of artists to Jingdezhen annually. Notably, over 4,000 international artists have now participated in this initiative. Hyehyeon Kwon, an artist from the Republic of Korea, on her second visit to Jingdezhen, said: "Korea's ceramic tradition developed through exchanges with China. Our histories of ceramic are interconnected." From handicrafts to cultural relics, platforms encouraging sustained international cultural exchange have steadily grown in China. The international Silk Road alliances for theaters, museums, art festivals, libraries, art galleries and tourist cities have been established. By November 2023, these six alliances had comprised 633 member institutions -- including 407 from abroad. Thanks to these regular exchange mechanisms, cross-civilization dialogue is flourishing. In Shenzhen, a city in south China, crowds admired artifacts from Peru's Incan civilization, while artifacts from China's ancient Shu civilization were displayed in Peru. Dialogue activities have also been carried out between the prehistoric Liangzhu Archaeological Ruins in east China and world heritage sites like Britain's Stonehenge. "We proactively promote dialogue and expand our global circle of friends," said Sun Yeli, China's minister of culture and tourism. This spirit was echoed at the recent second World Conference on China Studies in Shanghai -- where hundreds of global scholars discussed China with focus on its "openness," "mutual learning" and "inclusiveness." "Contemporary China is deeply rooted in its profound civilization, which still holds inspiration for global challenges today," said German sinologist Helwig Schmidt-Glintzer at the conference. "China will, as always, build a bridge for dialogue among world civilizations and continue to inject impetus into the progress of human civilization," said Chen Shaofeng, a cultural scholar at Peking University. Reserve tickets now for the best fares and guaranteed seats WASHINGTON, Oct. 31, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- With Thanksgiving just a few weeks away, Amtrak is encouraging travelers to book now to secure the best prices and guaranteed seats before they sell out. Last year, more than 1.2 million traveled on America's Railroad during the busy Thanksgiving season. Amtrak predicts record breaking 2025 Thanksgiving travel, with double digit growth in early bookings relative to last year. Demand is high as travelers plan their trips early. This news comes as Amtrak expects to set new records in revenue and ridership, alongside strong customer satisfaction scores for fiscal year 2025. "Amtrak offers a comfortable, convenient alternative to congested highways and crowded airports all year round especially during the busy holiday season," said Amtrak Executive Vice President and Chief Commercial Officer Eliot Hamlisch. "Whether you're a longtime guest or joining us for the first time, we invite you to experience the ease and hospitality of Amtrak as you travel to your holiday gatherings." To meet increased demand, Amtrak is maximizing capacity by adding extra cars to Northeast Regional routes between November 25-30. Popular destinations along the Northeast Corridorincluding Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, New York City, and Bostonwill also offer expanded service. Amtrak guests can enjoy an easy boarding process, wide reclining seats with plenty of leg room, picturesque window views, no middle seats, and the freedom to walk around while traveling. These features are highlighted in Amtrak's "Retrain Travel" campaign, which reimagines the company's role from transportation provider to hospitality leader. New this Thanksgiving travel season, recently launched NextGen Acela trains are also available on select departures. NextGen Acela is the all-new, premium ride from Amtrak, operating between major city centers on the Northeast Corridor from Washington, DC to New York, to Boston with destinations in between. Designed with innovative features and amenities, guests can experience First Class and Business Class travel on America's only high-speed rail service. Purchasing tickets is fast and easy on Amtrak.com, via the Amtrak mobile app, at in-station ticketing kiosks, in-person at staffed stations, or by calling 800-USA-RAIL. New NextGen Acela trains are marked with a unique 'NextGen tag' on Amtrak.com and the Amtrak mobile app. About Amtrak Amtrak is seizing a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to transform rail and Retrain Travel. By modernizing, enhancing, and expanding trains, stations, and infrastructure, Amtrak is meeting the rising demand for train travel. Amtrak offers unforgettable experiences to more than 500 destinations across 46 states and parts of Canada. Learn more at Amtrak.com, download the Amtrak app, connect with us on X, Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn, and join Amtrak Guest Rewards to start earning points toward Amtrak reward travel, upgrades, gift cards and more. SOURCE Amtrak ALBACETE, Spain, Oct. 31, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Arcos, Spain's oldest knife manufacturer with nearly three centuries of heritage, proudly presents the Jose Andres Jamon Knife, a piece that celebrates Spanish craftsmanship, culinary artistry, and the timeless ritual of slicing jamon iberico. Developed in close collaboration with world-renowned chef and restaurateur, Jose Andres, the knife reflects a shared vision of quality, purpose, and respect for tradition. Combining Arcos' centuries-old expertise with Chef Andres' deep understanding of the Spanish kitchen, the result is a tool designed to bring both precision and beauty to an essential element of Spain's gastronomic culture. Crafted in Arcos' historic factory in Albacete, the Jose Andres Jamon Knife is engineered for perfect balance and flexibility. Its 10-inch slender blade, made from Arcos' proprietary NITRUM stainless steel, glides effortlessly along cured ham, allowing for delicate, even slices that preserve the texture and flavor of each cut. The handle, carved from sustainably sourced Holm Oak, reflects the warmth and character of the Spanish landscape. Over time, the natural wood develops a unique patina, making each knife distinct, a cherished heirloom as much as a kitchen essential. The jamon knife's design represents more than performance; it's a tribute to Spanish identity. Every knife is proudly made in Spain, forged from a single block of steel for exceptional durability and control, and assembled by the expert hands of Arcos artisans who have carried on the craft since 1734. As part of the Jose Andres Collection, this knife embodies the spirit of collaboration between two Spanish icons, one renowned for its craftsmanship, the other for its cuisine. Whether displayed on a carving stand at a celebration or used daily in the kitchen, it captures the essence of Spain: refined, passionate, and built to last. The Jose Andres Jamon Knife is available now at Arcos.com and Amazon Retail Price: $59.99 USD SOURCE Arcos USA INC Commitment Over the Next Five Years Includes $5 Million of Immediate Assistance for Families in Local Communities Across the U.S. CHARLOTTE, N.C., Oct. 31, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Bank of America today announced a $250 million commitment over the next five years to support families and individuals experiencing food insecurity and other basic needs in communities nationwide. This investment builds on the company's long-standing support in this area, as it currently provides annual philanthropic funding to more than 1200 organizations that focus on combatting hunger and other related needs. As part of its new commitment, Bank of America will deliver $5 million to nearly 100 nonprofit organizations currently addressing urgent food needs for individuals and families. This move will help ensure these organizations can address increasing needs at the local level. "Our ongoing commitment to the needs of the local communities where we work and live is foundational to who we are at Bank of America," said Sheri Bronstein, Chief People Officer at Bank of America. "We work closely with food banks, food pantries, and other basic needs-focused organizations every day, and this new commitment builds on decades of giving, volunteering, and partnership." In addition to philanthropic support, Bank of America employees plan to volunteer more than 100,000 hours between now and the end of the year to assist organizations focused on hunger relief and other critical services. Bank of America will also match employee contributions, dollar for dollar, to organizations focused on combatting hunger in the communities it serves. 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. Reporters may contact Carla Molina, Bank of America Phone: 1.512.397.2402 [email protected] SOURCE Bank of America Corporation Reduction of draining tunnels sustained to three years: Of patients who had at least one draining tunnel at baseline, 48.2% had none at one year, and 62.9% at three years* indicating sustained symptom relief in these lesions Of patients who had at least one draining tunnel at baseline, 48.2% had none at one year, and 62.9% at three years* indicating sustained symptom relief in these lesions Zero draining tunnel count sustained to three years: Of patients with no draining tunnels at baseline, 87.8% still had none at one year, and 90.8% at three years* indicating sustained symptom relief in these lesions Of patients with no draining tunnels at baseline, 87.8% still had none at one year, and 90.8% at three years* indicating sustained symptom relief in these lesions Clinically meaningful improvements in skin pain sustained to three years: At baseline, only 10.0% of patients reported no/mild skin pain. This increased to 51.7% at one year and 65.8% at three years* ATLANTA, Oct. 31, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- UCB, a global biopharmaceutical company, today announced three-year data from the BE HEARD trials for BIMZELX (bimekizumab-bkzx) in moderate-to-severe hidradenitis suppurativa (HS). BIMZELX, the first and only medicine approved to selectively inhibit both interleukin 17A (IL-17A) and interleukin 17F (IL-17F), demonstrated improvements in skin pain and resolution of draining tunnels, sustained to three years.1-5 "Reduction of draining tunnels and abscesses is key for patients with HS because of the huge impact these lesions have on patients' lives," said Professor Steven Daveluy, M.D., Program Director Clinical Educator, Wayne State University. "These new data, showing high rates of reduction of these painful lesions to three years, demonstrate the sustained symptom relief bimekizumab provides and suggest the possibility of reducing the structural damage frequently seen with HS that can be so devastating for patients." "These results for bimekizumab show meaningful improvements in inflammatory lesions and skin pain to three years, and offer a valuable perspective on its sustained efficacy for patients with HS," said Donatello Crocetta, Chief Medical Officer, UCB. "Our research presented at SHSA underscores UCB's commitment to providing long-term data addressing key clinical features of chronic inflammatory conditions with a high unmet need." In a post-hoc analysis, of patients who had at least one draining tunnel at baseline (n=425), 48.2% (205/425) had none at one year, and 62.9% (183/291) at three years.2 In the same analysis of patients who had at least one abscess at baseline (n=381), 75.3% (287/381) had none at one year, and 83.5% (203/243) at three years. 2 In a second analysis of patients with no draining tunnels at baseline (n=131), 87.8% (115/131) still had none at one year, and 90.8% (69/76) at three years.3* In a third analysis, at baseline 10.0% (55/551) of patients reported no/mild skin pain, based on HSSQ skin pain item scores; at year one/three, the proportion of patients reporting no/mild skin pain increased to 51.7% (287/555) and 65.8% (237/360), respectively.4* UCB will present six abstracts on BIMZELX in HS at the Symposium on Hidradenitis Suppurativa Advances (SHSA) 2025 congress in Nashville, Tennessee, October 31 to November 2, 2025. These data emphasize UCB's strength in providing rigorous, insightful clinical research, and meaningful solutions for this serious chronic disease. *OC: Data are reported as observed case (OC). The data reported are from an observational, open-label study. Patients completing the 48-week BE HEARD I & II studies could enroll in BE HEARD EXT and receive open-label BIMZELX (BKZ) 320 mg every 2 weeks (Q2W) or Q4W based on HiSCR90 response averaged from Weeks 36, 40, and 44.6 Data are reported for patients randomized to BKZ from baseline in BE HEARD I & II who entered BE HEARD EXT (BKZ Total group, n=556) at Week 48. Only patients who entered the third year are included.2-5 The approved dosing regimen is BIMZELX 320mg Q2W to Week 16 and then 320mg Q4W thereafter.1 Results included patients receiving both Q2W and Q4W after Week 48. Per protocol, all patients who continued in the trial after Week 48 were subsequently switched to Q4W eventually by the end of year three. For safety outcomes, data are reported for patients who received one or more doses of BKZ across BE HEARD I & II and BE HEARD EXT (total of three years). The FDA approved dose of BIMZELX for adult patients with moderate-to-severe hidradenitis suppurativa is 320mg Q2W to Week 16, followed by Q4W. Notes to Editors Draining tunnels: These are painful, pus-discharging tunnels under the skin resulting from long-term inflammation, frequently leading to scarring. 7-8 HSSQ: Skin pain severity was assessed using the skin pain item of the HS Symptom Questionnaire (HSSQ), scored 010. No/mild: 02; moderate: 35; severe/very severe: 610. 4 HiSCR50/HiSCR75/HiSCR90/HiSCR100: These are defined as at least a 50%/75%/90%/100% reduction in the total abscess and inflammatory nodule count from baseline with no increase from baseline in abscess or draining tunnel count.6 About hidradenitis suppurativa Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic, painful, and potentially debilitating inflammatory skin disease that is associated with systemic manifestations.7-8 The main symptoms are nodules abscesses, and pus discharging draining tunnels (or sinus tracts leading out of the skin), which can occur anywhere hair follicles are found, but is commonly seen in the armpits, groin, and buttocks.7-8 People with HS experience flare-ups of the disease as well as severe pain, which can have a major impact on quality of life.7-8 HS develops in early adulthood and affects approximately one percent of the population in most studied countries.7-8 About BE HEARD trials The efficacy and safety profile of BIMZELX were evaluated in adult patients with moderate-to severe hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) in two multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase 3 studies (BE HEARD I and BE HEARD II).9 The two studies had a combined enrollment of 1,014 participants.9 In each study, patients were randomized 2:2:2:1 (initial [16 weeks]/maintenance [32 weeks]) to BIMZELX 320 mg every two weeks, four weeks, or a combination (BKZ Q2W/Q2W, BKZ Q2W/Q4W, BKZ Q4W/Q4W or placebo/BKZ Q2W).9 Receiving BKZ Q2W to Week 16, then Q4W thereafter is the approved dosing regimen (Q2W/Q4W) for the treatment of HS. Patients who completed Week 48 could enroll in the open-label extension.6 Of 1,014 total patients, 556 patients randomized at baseline to BIMZELX in BE HEARD I and II completed Week 48 and entered the open-label extension study; 446 patients in the open-label extension study completed Week 96, 6 and 367 completed to Week 148.10 For details about BE HEARD EXT: www.clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT04901195 . About BIMZELX (bimekizumab-bkzx) in the U.S. BIMZELX is a humanized monoclonal IgG1 antibody that is designed to selectively inhibit both interleukin 17A (IL-17A) and interleukin 17F (IL-17F), two key cytokines driving inflammatory processes.1 Elevated levels of IL-17A and IL-17F are found in lesional psoriatic skin.1 The approved indications for BIMZELX in the U.S. are:1 Plaque psoriasis: BIMZELX is approved for the treatment of moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis in adults who are candidates for systemic therapy or phototherapy BIMZELX is approved for the treatment of moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis in adults who are candidates for systemic therapy or phototherapy Psoriatic arthritis: BIMZELX is indicated for the treatment of adult patients with active psoriatic arthritis BIMZELX is indicated for the treatment of adult patients with active psoriatic arthritis Non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis: BIMZELX is indicated for the treatment of adult patients with active non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis with objective signs of inflammation BIMZELX is indicated for the treatment of adult patients with active non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis with objective signs of inflammation Ankylosing spondylitis: BIMZELX is indicated for the treatment of adult patients with active ankylosing spondylitis BIMZELX is indicated for the treatment of adult patients with active ankylosing spondylitis Hidradenitis suppurativa: BIMZELX is indicated for the treatment of adults with moderate-to-severe hidradenitis suppurativa BIMZELX U.S. IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION Suicidal Ideation and Behavior BIMZELX (bimekizumab-bkzx) may increase the risk of suicidal ideation and behavior (SI/B). A causal association between treatment with BIMZELX and increased risk of SI/B has not been definitively established. Prescribers should weigh the potential risks and benefits before using BIMZELX in patients with a history of severe depression or SI/B. Advise monitoring for the emergence or worsening of depression, suicidal ideation, or other mood changes. If such changes occur, instruct to promptly seek medical attention, refer to a mental health professional as appropriate, and re-evaluate the risks and benefits of continuing treatment. Infections BIMZELX may increase the risk of infections, including serious infections. Do not initiate treatment with BIMZELX in patients with any clinically important active infection until the infection resolves or is adequately treated. In patients with a chronic infection or a history of recurrent infection, consider the risks and benefits prior to prescribing BIMZELX. Instruct patients to seek medical advice if signs or symptoms suggestive of clinically important infection occur. If a patient develops such an infection or is not responding to standard therapy, monitor the patient closely and do not administer BIMZELX until the infection resolves. Tuberculosis Evaluate patients for tuberculosis (TB) infection prior to initiating treatment with BIMZELX. Avoid the use of BIMZELX in patients with active TB infection. Initiate treatment of latent TB prior to administering BIMZELX. Consider anti-TB therapy prior to initiation of BIMZELX in patients with a past history of latent or active TB in whom an adequate course of treatment cannot be confirmed. Closely monitor patients for signs and symptoms of active TB during and after treatment. Liver Biochemical Abnormalities Elevated serum transaminases were reported in clinical trials with BIMZELX. Test liver enzymes, alkaline phosphatase, and bilirubin at baseline, periodically during treatment with BIMZELX, and according to routine patient management. If treatment-related increases in liver enzymes occur and drug-induced liver injury is suspected, interrupt BIMZELX until a diagnosis of liver injury is excluded. Permanently discontinue use of BIMZELX in patients with causally associated combined elevations of transaminases and bilirubin. Avoid use of BIMZELX in patients with acute liver disease or cirrhosis. Inflammatory Bowel Disease Cases of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) have been reported in patients treated with IL-17 inhibitors, including BIMZELX. Avoid use of BIMZELX in patients with active IBD. During BIMZELX treatment, monitor patients for signs and symptoms of IBD and discontinue treatment if new onset or worsening of signs and symptoms occurs. Immunizations Prior to initiating therapy with BIMZELX, complete all age-appropriate vaccinations according to current immunization guidelines. Avoid the use of live vaccines in patients treated with BIMZELX. Most Common Adverse Reactions Most common ( 1%) adverse reactions in plaque psoriasis and hidradenitis suppurativa include upper respiratory tract infections, oral candidiasis, headache, injection site reactions, tinea infections, gastroenteritis, herpes simplex infections, acne, folliculitis, other candida infections, and fatigue. Most common ( 2%) adverse reactions in psoriatic arthritis include upper respiratory tract infections, oral candidiasis, headache, diarrhea, and urinary tract infections. Most common ( 2%) adverse reactions in non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis include upper respiratory tract infections, oral candidiasis, headache, diarrhea, cough, fatigue, musculoskeletal pain, myalgia, tonsillitis, transaminase increase, and urinary tract infections. Most common ( 2%) adverse reactions in ankylosing spondylitis include upper respiratory tract infections, oral candidiasis, headache, diarrhea, injection site pain, rash, and vulvovaginal mycotic infection. Please see Important Safety Information below and full U.S. Prescribing Information at www.UCB-USA.com/Innovation/Products/BIMZELX . For further information, contact UCB: Investor Relations Sahar Yazdian T +32.2.559.91.37 email [email protected] Brand Communications Nicole Herga T +1.773.960.5349 email [email protected] About UCB UCB, Brussels, Belgium (www.ucb.com) is a global biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery and development of innovative medicines and solutions to transform the lives of people living with severe diseases of the immune system or of the central nervous system. With approximately 9,000 people in approximately 40 countries, the company generated revenue of 6.1 billion in 2024. UCB is listed on Euronext Brussels (symbol: UCB). Follow us on X: @UCBUSA. Forward looking statements This document contains forward looking statements, including, without limitation, statements containing the words "potential", "believes", "anticipates", "expects", "intends", "plans", "seeks", "estimates", "may", "will", "continue" and similar expressions. These forward-looking statements are based on current plans, estimates and beliefs of management. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, are statements that could be deemed forward-looking statements, including estimates of revenues, operating margins, capital expenditures, cash, other financial information, expected legal, arbitration, political, regulatory or clinical results or practices and other such estimates and results. By their nature, such forward-looking statements are not guaranteeing future performance and are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and assumptions which might cause the actual results, financial condition, performance or achievements of UCB, or industry results, to be materially different from any future results, performance, or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements contained in this document. Important factors that could result in such differences include but are not limited to: global spread and impacts of wars, pandemics and terrorism, the general geopolitical environment, climate change, changes in general economic, business and competitive conditions, the inability to obtain necessary regulatory approvals or to obtain them on acceptable terms or within expected timing, costs associated with research and development, changes in the prospects for products in the pipeline or under development by UCB, effects of future judicial decisions or governmental investigations, safety, quality, data integrity or manufacturing issues, supply chain disruption and business continuity risks; potential or actual data security and data privacy breaches, or disruptions of UCB's information technology systems, product liability claims, challenges to patent protection for products or product candidates, competition from other products including biosimilars or disruptive technologies/business models, changes in laws or regulations, exchange rate fluctuations, changes or uncertainties in laws and/or rules pertaining to tax and duties or the administration of such laws and/or rules, and hiring, retention and compliance of employees. There is no guarantee that new product candidates will be discovered or identified in the pipeline, or that new indications for existing products will be developed and approved. Movement from concept to commercial product is uncertain; preclinical results do not guarantee safety and efficacy of product candidates in humans. So far, the complexity of the human body cannot be reproduced in computer models, cell culture systems or animal models. The length of the timing to complete clinical trials and to get regulatory approval for product marketing has varied in the past and UCB expects similar unpredictability going forward. Products or potential products which are the subject of partnerships, joint ventures or licensing collaborations may be subject to disputes between the partners or may prove to be not as safe, effective or commercially successful as UCB may have believed at the start of such partnership. UCB's efforts to acquire other products or companies and to integrate the operations of such acquired companies may not be as successful as UCB may have believed at the moment of acquisition. Also, UCB or others could discover safety, side effects or manufacturing problems with its products and/or devices after they are marketed. The discovery of significant problems with a product similar to one of UCB's products that implicate an entire class of products may have a material adverse effect on sales of the entire class of affected products. Moreover, sales may be impacted by international and domestic trends toward managed care and health care cost containment, including pricing pressure, political and public scrutiny, customer and prescriber patterns or practices, and the reimbursement policies imposed by third-party payers as well as legislation affecting biopharmaceutical pricing and reimbursement activities and outcomes. Finally, a breakdown, cyberattack or information security breach could compromise the confidentiality, integrity and availability of UCB's data and systems. Given these uncertainties, the public is cautioned not to place any undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are made only as of the date of this document, and do not reflect any potential impacts from the evolving event or risk as mentioned above as well as any other adversity, unless indicated otherwise. The company continues to follow the development diligently to assess the financial significance of these events, as the case may be, to UCB. UCB expressly disclaims any obligation to update any forward-looking statements in this document, either to confirm the actual results or to report or reflect any change in its forward-looking statements with regard thereto or any change in events, conditions or circumstances on which any such statement is based, unless such statement is required pursuant to applicable laws and regulations. References BIMZELX (bimekizumab-bkzx) U.S. Prescribing Information. https://www.ucb-usa.com/Innovation/Products/BIMZELX. Garg A. Bimekizumab Lesion Resolution Over 3 Years in HS: Results from BE HEARD I&II and BE HEARD EXT. 2025. SHSA. #3000496. Hsiao J. Bimekizumab Reduces Draining Tunnel Count Over 3 Years in HS: Data from BE HEARD EXT. 2025. SHSA. #3000491. Lev-Tov H. Bimekizumab Improves HSSQ Skin Pain over 3 Years in HS: Data from BE HEARD EXT. 2025. SHSA. #3000490. Ingram, J. Bimekizumab 3-year efficacy and safety in patients with HS: Results from BE HEARD I&II and EXT. 2025. SHSA. #3000464. Zouboulis CC, Garg A, Sayed CJ, et al. Bimekizumab efficacy and safety through 2 years in patients with hidradenitis suppurativa: Results from the phase 3 BE HEARD I&II trials and open-label extension BE HEARD EXT [abstract]. Skin. 2024,8(6):s473. EADV. 7925. Sabat R, Jemec GBE, Matusiak L, et al. Hidradenitis suppurativa. Nat Rev Dis Primers. 2020;6(1):18. Jemec GBE. Clinical practice. Hidradenitis suppurativa. N Engl J Med. 2012;366(2):15864. Kimball AB, Jemec GBE, Sayed CJ, et al. Efficacy and safety of bimekizumab in patients with moderate-to-severe hidradenitis suppurativa (BE HEARD I and BE HEARD II): two 48 week, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicentre phase 3 trials. Lancet. 2024;403(10443):250419. Ingram J. 2025. EADV. Bimekizumab efficacy and safety through 3 years in patients with hidradenitis suppurativa: Results from the phase 3 BE HEARD I&II trials and their open-label extension BE HEARD EXT. Oral D1T01.2E. SOURCE UCB During the 32nd APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting in Gyeongju, CGTN published an article highlighting how Chinese President Xi Jinping's engagement and vision for openness and multilateralism provide strategic guidance for building an Asia-Pacific community and how initiatives proposed by China and collaborative projects are creating opportunities and shared prosperity for the region and the world. BEIJING, Oct. 31, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Beneath the amber autumn skies and among the centuries-old temples of Gyeongju, Republic of Korea (ROK), leaders from across the Asia-Pacific gathered for the 32nd Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) meetings to discuss the region's future and shared challenges. Chinese President Xi Jinping attended the 32nd APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting and addressed the APEC CEO Summit in a written speech, reaffirming China's commitment to openness, multilateralism and shared prosperity. "We should renew our commitment to the founding mission of APEC and make outstanding contributions to the world through more vibrant and resilient Asia-Pacific cooperation," said Xi in his written address at the APEC CEO Summit. 'Investing in China means investing in the future' Addressing leaders from across the region at Session I of the 32nd APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting, President Xi pledged that China would further deepen comprehensive reforms and expand high-standard opening up, creating new opportunities for the Asia-Pacific and the world through the latest achievements of Chinese modernization. Concrete measures demonstrate China's commitment to openness. The national negative list for foreign investment has been reduced to 29 items and fully cleared in manufacturing. Visa-free policies now cover 76 countries through unilateral or reciprocal arrangements, making it easier than ever for foreign businesspeople, tourists and professionals to invest, work and live in China. As Xi emphasized, "Partnering with China means embracing opportunities. Believing in China means being optimistic about tomorrow. And investing in China means investing in the future." China's growing connectivity with the region is reflected in trade data. According to the General Administration of Customs of China, in the first three quarters of 2025, trade between China and other APEC economies rose 2 percent year-on-year to 19.41 trillion yuan (around $2.73 trillion), accounting for 57.8 percent of China's total foreign trade. Meanwhile, China's steady economic growth continues to provide certainty for the region and the world. Over the past five years, despite increasing external shocks, China has maintained an average annual growth rate of around 5.5 percent, contributing approximately 30 percent to global growth. Sevim Dagdelen, a German politician and a member of the Bundestag, said China has always advocated building an open and inclusive Asia-Pacific cooperation framework and upholding the multilateral trading system with the World Trade Organization at its core, which plays a positive role in promoting regional and even global economic stability. 'Right path forward' As Xi described, the world today stands at "a new crossroads" between cooperation and hegemonism. In this context, he called on all economies to strengthen solidarity, reject protectionism, resist unilateralism and work together to build an Asia-Pacific community so as to further boost peace and development in the Asia-Pacific and the wider world. To guide such cooperation, Xi outlined five proposals at his Session I speech: upholding the multilateral trading system, fostering an open regional economy, safeguarding industrial and supply chain resilience, advancing digital and green trade, and promoting inclusive development that benefits all. These ideas are already taking shape. China-initiated platforms such as the APEC Port Network and Green Supply Chain Network have become vital hubs for digitalized and sustainable trade across the region. Over the past five years, China has ranked first in global goods trade and second in services trade, attracting more than $700 billion in foreign investment and maintaining outbound investment growth above 5 percent annually. China's technological collaboration continues to empower Asia-Pacific and global partners - from smart ports in Latin America and mobile payment systems in Southeast Asia to AI-powered efficiency projects in the Middle East and electric vehicle production in Thailand. Together, these examples form a mosaic of shared progress grounded in openness and innovation. Public sentiment mirrors this vision. A recent CGTN poll found that 83.2 percent of respondents across the Asia-Pacific expressed confidence in regional integration, while 84.6 percent agreed that economies should uphold multilateralism and globalization. As China prepares to host APEC for the third time next year, its message remains clear and forward-looking. As President Xi put it, "While confrontation and antagonism breed only estrangement and turbulence, win-win cooperation proves to be the right way forward." https://news.cgtn.com/news/2025-10-31/How-China-champions-an-open-multilateral-Asia-Pacific-community-1HVhCfqEkCY/p.html SOURCE CGTN ALTON, Va., Oct. 31, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Crown Racing will support four drivers in the PRO 1340 class at the Radical World Finals this week at Virginia International Raceway, supporting the inaugural North American Veterans Race of Remembrance. The four-day event brings together Radical Cup teams from across North America and beyond for more than five hours of competition on one of the nation's most iconic circuits. Crown Racing at Virginia International Raceway for the Radical World Finals Following its acquisition of Radical Arizona earlier this year, Crown Racing's entry at VIR signals the next step in the program's evolution. The team arrives with its full PRO 1340 "super" squad: Chris McMurry, Brady Clapham, Jace Bacon, and Seth Bacon. McMurry, a veteran of the American Le Mans Series and former LMP2 title contender, enters the weekend after sweeping the PRO 1340 class at Laguna Seca earlier this season. Clapham, the newly crowned 2025 Radical Cup North America PRO 1340 Champion, looks to cap his title-winning year with another strong showing. Jace Bacon, an Apex Motor Club champion, continues to build momentum after multiple podium finishes this season. His father Seth Bacon, returning for one of his many Radical Cup experiences, brings consistency and determination from years of competition and as one of Crown's biggest supporters. "The World Finals are about discipline," said Curtis Brown, CEO of Crown Concepts. "You get lots of windows to make the car right, the driver right, and the calls right. VIR makes you discern all of it." "VIR has a way of telling you the truth," added Joey Martin, Race Engineer. "When the car is in its window, the driver can breathe. That's the goal every run." The Radical World Finals run November 69 and coincide with the first-ever North American Veterans Race of Remembrance, a USAC-sanctioned tribute weekend honoring veterans and their families. For Crown Racing, the event represents both competition and continuityits first World Finals since integrating Radical Arizona into the Crown Concepts family and a step toward expanding Radical racing across Apex Motor Club, Inde Motorsports Ranch, and Podium Club. About Crown Concepts Crown Concepts builds, restores, and races high-performance and collectible vehicles from its headquarters in Tucson, Arizona. In addition to its custom car operations and motorsport services, Crown offers full support for Radical race cars across Arizona and beyond. More at: www.crownconceptsusa.com SOURCE Crown Concepts DELRAY BEACH, Fla., Oct. 31, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The global Disposable Endoscopes Market , valued at US$0.84 billion in 2024, stood at US$0.95 billion in 2025 and is projected to advance at a resilient CAGR of 22.9% from 2025 to 2030, culminating in a forecasted valuation of US$2.67 billion by the end of the period. The disposable endoscopes market is expanding due to increasing demand for minimally invasive procedures, a rising prevalence of chronic diseases such as neurological and respiratory disorders, and technological advancements that improve image quality and maneuverability. Additionally, the growing geriatric population and better reimbursement policies further encourage adoption. However, market growth is limited by high device costs, the risk of cross-contamination despite reprocessing, and the availability of alternative diagnostic techniques. Download PDF Brochure: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/pdfdownloadNew.asp?id=14518319 Browse in-depth TOC on " Disposable Endoscopes Market " 250 - Tables 60 - Figures 350 - Pages By type, the disposable endoscopes market is segmented into urology endoscopes, bronchoscopes, cystoscopes, laryngoscopes, GI endoscopes, arthroscopes, and other disposable endoscopes. Among these, the urology endoscopes segment held the largest market share in 2024, due to the rising prevalence of chronic kidney and ureteral diseases, along with increasing incidences of prostate disorders. Urology endoscopes, including ureteroscopes, nephroscopes, resectoscopes, and urethroscopes, are widely used for diagnosing and treating these conditions. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as of 2023, more than 1 in 7 U.S. adultsabout 35.5 million peopleare estimated to have chronic kidney disease (CKD). Additionally, the American Cancer Society projects around 313,780 new cases and 35,770 deaths from prostate cancer in 2025. The increasing procedural volume, combined with infection control benefits and the ease of use of disposable urology endoscopes, drives their dominant market share. By end user, the disposable endoscopes market is segmented into hospitals, ambulatory surgical centers, clinics, and other end users such as diagnostic centers, mobile endoscopy facilities, and office-based endoscopy service providers. Among these, the hospital segment held the largest market share in 2024 due to the high volume of diagnostic and therapeutic procedures performed within hospital settings. Hospitals serve as primary centers for advanced and complex endoscopic interventions across specialties like gastroenterology, urology, and pulmonology. The availability of skilled healthcare professionals, advanced infrastructure, and robust infection control protocols supports the adoption of disposable endoscopes to reduce cross-contamination risks. Additionally, hospitals increasingly prefer single-use endoscopes to avoid the costs and operational challenges of cleaning and reprocessing reusable scopes. The growing patient influx, rising chronic disease burden, and increased awareness of infection prevention further reinforce hospitals' dominant role in driving disposable endoscope use globally. By geography, the disposable endoscopes market is divided into five main regional segments: North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America, and the Middle East & Africa. In 2024, North America held the largest share of the global disposable endoscopes market. The region's growth is driven by the high prevalence of chronic diseases, an aging population, and rising procedural volumes across various specialties. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the population aged 65 and older increased by 3.1% from 2023 to 2024, boosting demand for diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that over 35.5 million U.S. adults have chronic kidney disease, while the American Cancer Society projects 2,041,910 new cancer cases in 2025, including 313,780 prostate cancer cases. Additionally, more than one million cystoscopy procedures are performed annually in the U.S. The presence of major companies like Ambu A/S and Boston Scientific, along with FDA initiatives promoting infection prevention through single-use endoscopes, further reinforces North America's market leadership. Request Sample Pages : https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/requestsampleNew.asp?id=14518319 Some of the prominent players operating in the market include Olympus Corporation (Japan), Boston Scientific Corporation (US), HOYA Corporation (Japan), Ambu A/s (Denmark), Karl Storz SE & Co. KG (Germany), Hunan Vathin Medical Instrument Co., Ltd. (China), Scivita Medical (China), and Innovex Medical Co., Ltd. (China). Ambu A/S (Denmark): Ambu A/S is a leading player in the global disposable endoscopes market due to its strong product lineup, ongoing innovation, and strategic regulatory progress. The company offers a broad range of single-use endoscopes for pulmonary, gastrointestinal, urology, and ENT applications, meeting diverse clinical needs across multiple specialties. Ambu's consistent focus on organic growth, including new product launches and regulatory approvals, has reinforced its market leadership. For example, in June 2025, the company received expanded FDA 510(k) clearance for the Ambu aScope 5 Cysto HD, boosting its position in the urology segment. With significant operational strength and a commercial presence across North America and Europe, Ambu has built a solid customer base and strong brand recognition in key healthcare markets. Its dedication to infection control, clinical efficiency, and performance-driven design continues to make it a preferred partner for hospitals and healthcare providers moving toward single-use endoscopes. Boston Scientific Corporation (US) Boston Scientific Corporation is a leading player in the global disposable endoscopes market thanks to its extensive international presence, advanced technology, and diverse product range. The company offers high-performance single-use endoscopes for urology and gastroenterology, meeting the rising clinical demand for infection control, cost savings, and better patient outcomes. By utilizing its widespread distribution network and strong relationships with healthcare providers worldwide, Boston Scientific guarantees broad access and uptake of its disposable endoscopic solutions. Continued investments in innovation, research, and product development allow the company to deliver superior imaging, maneuverability, and reliability, meeting the changing needs of physicians. Additionally, its solid regulatory expertise and focus on expanding its portfolio bolster its competitive edge in both mature and emerging markets. Through its dedication to quality, innovation, and a global footprint, Boston Scientific maintains a leading position in driving the shift toward single-use endoscopes. For more information, Inquire Now! Related Reports: Endoscopy Equipment Market Top 10 Medical Device Technologies Market Endoscope Reprocessing Market Laparoscopic Instruments Market Diagnostic Imaging Market Get access to the latest updates on Disposable Endoscopes Companies and Disposable Endoscopes Market Size About MarketsandMarkets: MarketsandMarkets has been recognized as one of America's Best Management Consulting Firms by Forbes, as per their recent report. 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Contact: Mr. Rohan Salgarkar MarketsandMarkets INC. 1615 South Congress Ave. Suite 103, Delray Beach, FL 33445 USA: +1-888-600-6441 Email: [email protected] Visit Our Website: https://www.marketsandmarkets.com/ Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1868219/MarketsandMarkets_Logo.jpg SOURCE MarketsandMarkets SAN DIEGO, Oct. 30, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Compass Dermatopathology proudly announces that its founder and director, Antoanella Calame, MD, a board-certified dermatologist and dermatopathologist, has been named one of San Diego's 2025 "Top Doctors" in Dermatopathology by the San Diego County Medical Society (SDCMS) in collaboration with San Diego Magazine. This peer-selected honor recognizes physicians who are most highly regarded by their colleagues for excellence in clinical expertise, integrity, and patient care. Dr. Antoanella Calame This marks the sixth consecutive year that Dr. Calame has been recognized as a Top Doctor and notably, she is the only dermatopathologist to receive this honor. This rare distinction reflects her unwavering commitment to excellence in patient care, medical education, and diagnostic precision. For more than two decades, the San Diego County Medical Society has partnered with San Diego Magazine to identify and celebrate physicians most respected by their peers across the region. The annual Top Doctors list honors physicians who exemplify exceptional skill, integrity, and compassion in their practice. For the 2025 selection, polling was open from May 6 through June 16, during which all licensed physicians in San Diego were invited to nominate colleagues within and outside their specialties to whom they would refer their own friends and family. Through this rigorous peer-review process, 885 physicians across 102 specialties were identified as this year's honorees. Each nominee's license and current practicing status were verified by the Medical Board of California, ensuring the integrity of the selection. "I am deeply honored and humbled to be recognized by my peers as a 'Top Doctor'," said Dr. Calame. "This recognition reflects not only my personal commitment to patient care and medical education but also the dedication of the entire team at Compass Dermatopathology to providing the highest-quality diagnostic services for all of our patients." Dr. Calame is the driving force behind Compass Dermatopathology, one of the nation's largest independent, dermatologist-owned dermatopathology laboratories. She devotes her full time to practicing dermatopathology, actively teaches dermatology and pathology residents, and maintains a limited clinical practice focused on complex dermatology cases. This distinction underscores Dr. Calame's continued leadership in advancing dermatopathology and her dedication to supporting physicians with accurate, timely, and compassionate diagnostic expertise. About Antoanella Calame, MD: Dr. Antoanella Calame is a board-certified dermatologist and dermatopathologist. She is the founder and director of Compass Dermatopathology, a leading independent dermatopathology laboratory based in San Diego, California. Dr. Calame is passionate about medical education and patient care, serving as an educator for dermatology and pathology residents while providing expert diagnostic services to physicians nationwide. About Compass Dermatopathology: Founded in 2010 by Dr. Antoanella Calame, Compass Dermatopathology is one of the nation's largest independent, dermatologist-owned dermatopathology laboratories, serving physicians and clinics across the United States. The laboratory is dedicated to delivering accurate, timely, and personalized diagnostic services that empower dermatologists and clinicians to provide exceptional patient care. For more information about Compass Dermatopathology, visit https://compassdermatopathology.com/ or call (858) 750-2983. SOURCE Compass Dermatopathology Mount St. Mary's University will continue its tradition of connecting students with national leaders through the Mark Drever Lecture Series, which this year features former CIA Chief Operating Officer Maura Burns. EMMITSBURG, Md., Oct. 31, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Mount St. Mary's University will welcome Maura Burns, former chief operating officer of the Central Intelligence Agency, as the keynote speaker for this year's Mark Drever Lecture, hosted by the university's Criminal Justice Student Association. The annual lecture brings distinguished leaders from the criminal justice, intelligence and legal communities to the Mount to promote professionalism, ethics and excellence in these critical fields. Maura Burns to speak at MSMU Burns' lecture, titled "U.S. Adversaries Focus on Non-Traditional Sectors," will draw from her extensive experience at the CIA, where she directed global operations, led modernization initiatives and received some of the nation's highest distinctions, including two Presidential Rank Awards and the Distinguished Intelligence Medal. Recognized as a 2024 Wash100 Award recipient, Burns was honored for her exceptional leadership and impact on federal missions. As chief operating officer, she oversaw the CIA's five major directorates Analysis, Operations, Science and Technology, Digital Innovation, and Support as well as its global mission centers. "The education of future leaders extends beyond the classroom," said Mount St. Mary's University President Gerard J. Joyce, Ph.D. "Our students gain invaluable insight from professionals who exemplify ethical leadership and service. Ms. Burns has demonstrated these qualities throughout her distinguished career and has truly lived a life of significance in service to our nation." The event will take place Thursday, Nov. 6 at 7 p.m. in the Horning Theater at the Delaplaine Fine Arts Center on Mount St. Mary's campus. The lecture is sponsored by Mark Drever, CEO of Xcelerate Solutions, a company committed to service and to supporting education and health initiatives addressing the unique challenges faced by veterans. The event is free and open to the public. About Mount St. Mary's University Mount St. Mary's University is a private, liberal arts, Catholic university located near the Catoctin Mountain in historic Emmitsburg, Maryland, with a satellite campus in Frederick, Maryland's second-largest city. The university offers more than 70 majors, minors, concentrations and special programs for traditional undergraduate students, and more than 20 adult undergraduate and graduate programs. SOURCE Mount St. Mary's University GYEONGJU, South Korea, Oct. 31 (Xinhua) -- Amid the hum of conversation and click of cameras, APEC leaders met here Friday to discuss the world economy. Taking the stage, Chinese President Xi Jinping sent a clear message: China will open its door wider and create new opportunities for the Asia-Pacific and the world at large. Amid rising protectionism, Xi told the APEC audience that China always pursues the basic state policy of opening up and has taken real steps to promote an open world economy. The Chinese president noted China's zero-tariff treatment on 100 percent tariff lines from the least developed countries having diplomatic relations with China, and pledged to extend the same treatment to all African countries maintaining such ties. "China's door to the world will not close; it will only open wider and wider," Xi said. This message resonated with observers. "This has sent a good signal to the rest of the world," said William Jones, an international relations expert and former White House correspondent for U.S. publication Executive Intelligence Review. "It has also created enormous optimism in the Global South -- the more trade and development they can have with China, the better," he added. NEW OPPORTUNITIES Xi's South Korea tour is his first overseas trip after presiding over the fourth plenary session of the 20th Communist Party of China Central Committee, which adopted a landmark document -- the Recommendations for Formulating the 15th Five-Year Plan -- mapping out China's development path through 2030. Reform and innovation are defining features of the plan. New initiatives, from strengthening indigenous innovation to rolling out an "AI Plus" initiative to empower industries, are expected to shape China's next stage of growth. In a written speech to the APEC CEO Summit, Xi highlighted China's five-year plan, saying that China can provide the global business community with more growth opportunities, a good business environment, a vast platform for innovation, and conditions for green growth. "Investing in China means investing in the future," Xi wrote. Over the past five years, China has ranked as the world's largest trader in goods and the second largest in services. It has attracted more than 700 billion U.S. dollars in total foreign investment, and its outbound investment has increased by an average of over five percent annually. Former Slovenian President Danilo Turk said that the long-term vision embedded in China's five-year plan brings stability to China's own development and to the world economy at large. "New and green technologies are moving to the center of China's development concept, which has a global impact," he added. China's new energy vehicle output surged 35.2 percent year-on-year to more than 11.24 million units in the first nine months of 2025, while sales rose 34.9 percent to 11.23 million units, data from the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers showed. Lee Hee-sup, secretary-general of the Trilateral Cooperation Secretariat, has also witnessed China's hi-tech and green transformation firsthand. "During my visits across China, I have deeply felt that under the leadership of President Xi, the country is advancing national strategies focused on digitalization, artificial intelligence, green industries and scientific innovation, and vigorously developing new quality productive forces," Lee said. These efforts are driving economic recovery and sustainable growth in China and beyond -- and they are key to China's ability to lead future global development, he added. INCLUSIVE ASIA-PACIFIC AND BEYOND Xi's APEC speech marked his first public remarks following a widely watched meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump one day earlier in Busan, South Korea, during which he shared what he called an important secret behind China's success. "Over the past seven decades and more, we have been working from generation to generation on the same blueprint to make it a reality," Xi told Trump. "We have no intention to challenge or supplant anyone. Our focus has always been on managing China's own affairs well, improving ourselves, and sharing development opportunities with all countries across the world." In his APEC speech, Xi put forward a five-point proposal to promote a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization and to build an Asia-Pacific community. The Chinese leader also voiced support for multilateralism and stressed the need to ensure stable supply chains. "President Xi, in his speech, has laid out the most critical underpinnings that will drive economic progress in the Asia-Pacific region," said Lawrence Loh, professor of the National University of Singapore. "Without adherence to the multilateral and open economic systems, it will be difficult to build a unified Asia-Pacific Community that will benefit the region and the world," he added. Chairing Friday's meeting, South Korean President Lee Jae-myung also called for greater cooperation and solidarity among the region to overcome new challenges as the world is at a major turning point. "We can join together for the ultimate goal of shared prosperity," Lee said. Julia Roknifard, a senior lecturer at Taylor's University, said APEC has led the region to the forefront of global open development, helping make the Asia-Pacific the most dynamic region in the world economy. "President Xi is correct in his observation that this region will continue to drive global economic activities for many decades to come," she said. Nationwide initiative to rally support and deliver vital relief to families impacted by Hurricane Melissa in Jamaica NEW YORK, Oct. 31, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- In the wake of the devastation caused by Hurricane Melissa in Jamaica, Golden Krust , the premier Jamaican fast-casual restaurant group, is joining forces with The American Friends of Jamaica (AFJ) and a coalition of leading partners to provide critical relief to communities across the island. Hurricane Melissa Relief With deep roots in Jamaica and a long-standing tradition of giving back, Golden Krust has launched this initiative system-wide at over 100 restaurants to stand in solidarity with those affected and help to mobilize resources for recovery. This initiative will encompass the following efforts: Relief Fund for Jamaica Golden Krust is championing a national effort to raise over $250,000, with proceeds supporting on-the-ground relief initiatives led by AFJ and its partner organizations. Golden Krust is kickstarting the fund with a $10,000 donation. Golden Krust is championing a to raise over $250,000, with proceeds supporting on-the-ground relief initiatives led by AFJ and its partner organizations. Golden Krust is kickstarting the fund with a $10,000 donation. Donations at Checkout Guests at participating Golden Krust restaurants can contribute $1, $3, or $5 at checkout, with 100% of proceeds benefiting Hurricane Melissa relief efforts. The program will run through the end of the year. Guests at participating Golden Krust restaurants can contribute $1, $3, or $5 at checkout, with 100% of proceeds benefiting Hurricane Melissa relief efforts. The program will run through the end of the year. Boxes of Hope At Golden Krust locations nationwide, customers can donate relief goods for Jamaica, including non-perishable food and essential items, to be shipped directly to affected areas. "Golden Krust was built on the values of community and compassion passed down from our founders in Jamaica," said Steven Clarke, Vice President of Marketing at Golden Krust. "In partnership with AFJ and our fellow organizations, we are committed to delivering meaningful aid and hope to those most affected by Hurricane Melissa." This national campaign unites Golden Krust, AFJ, and a coalition of trusted partners, including the NCB Foundation, Food For The Poor (FFP), Global Empowerment Mission (GEM), Sanmerna Foundation, Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM), JetBlue, and Dennis Shipping. Together, these organizations are mobilizing resources, raising funds, and coordinating relief efforts to support affected families and rebuild impacted communities in Jamaica. "Our thoughts and prayers are with the families affected by Hurricane Melissa," said Wendy Hart, President of the AFJ Board. "We stand ready to deploy resources to help Jamaica during this time of crisis, ensuring aid reaches those who need it most." To donate or learn more about Golden Krust's Hurricane Melissa Relief Initiative, visit https://theafj.app.neoncrm.com/fundraiser/goldenkrust or stop by your nearest Golden Krust location to get involved. ABOUT GOLDEN KRUST Golden Krust is the leading Jamaican fast-casual restaurant group, sharing the authentic taste of the Caribbean with communities across North America. Founded in 1989, the family-owned business has expanded from its first restaurant in the Bronx, New York, which remains open today, to over 100 restaurants across eight states, as well as grocery products available in supermarkets nationwide. Known for its signature Jamaican patties, of which more than 50 million are made each year, Golden Krust also offers popular dishes such as Jerk Chicken and Oxtail, along with a wide range of Jamaican baked goods made from traditional family recipes since 1949. SOURCE Golden Krust As Breast Cancer Awareness Month concludes, Koning reflects on meaningful progress in access, awareness, and global expansion. NORCROSS, Ga., Oct. 30, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- As Breast Cancer Awareness Month draws to a close, Koning Health is reflecting on a month defined by growth, connection, and progress. From new installations and international certifications to educational initiatives and global collaborations, October marked a pivotal moment in Koning's mission to redefine breast imaging and expand access to care for women around the world. At Koning, each milestone represents more than a technical achievementit represents a woman who no longer dreads her breast imaging exams, a clinician who can detect disease earlier, and a community gaining access to care that was once out of reach. October marked a substantial month for Koning in its mission to expand access to non-compression breast imaging. Post this Expanding Access: Gnosis, Pink Medical & Mount Sinai Miami The last several weeks saw the continued expansion of Koning's technology to new and diverse settings across the country: Gnosis Dx ( Gnosis for Her ), California: The official launch of Gnosis Dx introduced a mobile breast imaging and diagnostics platform powered by the Koning Vera Breast CT (KBCT) on the West Coast. Designed to travel directly into communities, the Gnosis trailer is meant to reduce barriers to early detection and address disparities in access in the state of California. The official launch of Gnosis Dx introduced a mobile breast imaging and diagnostics platform powered by the Koning Vera Breast CT (KBCT) on the West Coast. Designed to travel directly into communities, the Gnosis trailer is meant to reduce barriers to early detection and address disparities in access in the state of California. Pink Medical , New York City: On Manhattan's Upper East Side, Pink Medical celebrated its grand opening this month with a ribbon-cutting event led by fashion icon Nicole Miller. This New York City location aims to redefine the breast imaging scene in the Big Apple. On Manhattan's Upper East Side, Pink Medical celebrated its grand opening this month with a ribbon-cutting event led by fashion icon Nicole Miller. This New York City location aims to redefine the breast imaging scene in the Big Apple. Mount Sinai, Miami: Koning's installation at Mount Sinai Medical Center in Miami brought the Vera system to one of Florida's most respected medical institutions. The device will be used both clinically and for research, advancing the understanding of breast CT's role in precision detection and patient-centered imaging. "Each new installation represents far more than the placement of advanced technologyit's a step toward changing the patient experience and expanding access to earlier, more accurate detection," said David Georges, President of Koning US. "Seeing the Vera system now operating in leading centers like Mount Sinai in Miami, innovative mobile platforms like Gnosis in California, and boutique imaging environments like Pink Medical in New York City demonstrates how breast CT is reshaping care across every setting. We're proud to see our vision for patient-centered imaging becoming a reality across the country." Unique Global Progress: Regulatory & Quality Milestones Koning continues to expand its international reach as the only breast CT manufacturing company that has received global critical regulatory and quality achievements: FDA, TGA & GMED: Koning's 3D breast imaging system remains the only FDA-approved breast CT device commercially available for diagnostic use in the US. The company is also seeing progress advancing in Australia (TGA) and through Europe's GMED for CE Mark. Koning's 3D breast imaging system breast CT device commercially available for diagnostic use in the US. The company is also seeing progress advancing in Australia (TGA) and through Europe's GMED for CE Mark. ISO 13485: Koning has received its ISO certification from GMED underscoring the company's commitment to the highest global standards for safety, manufacturing, and quality. Additionally, Koning will immediately be completing MDSAP certification for international quality approval across a broad set of countries, including Australia, Brazil, Canada, Japan, and the United States. These milestones affirm Koning's dedication to both technological excellence and patient trustbuilding a foundation for continued growth across global markets. Advancing Education of True 3D Breast Imaging Koning is proud to offer Koning Academy , an online learning platform designed to educate and empower professionals in the field of breast imaging. The Academy serves as a comprehensive hub for clinicians, technologists, and industry partners seeking to deepen their understanding of the Koning Vera Breast CT system. Through engaging online courses, expert-led instruction, and practical case-based insights, Koning Academy provides participants with the tools to master system operation, refine image interpretation skills, and explore new opportunities for clinical and commercial integration. By fostering knowledge and innovation, Koning Academy supports a growing community dedicated to transforming breast health through advanced imaging technology. Participants are also invited to join a community of like-minded professionals in the Breast CT Forum on LinkedIn, where ongoing discussions, shared experiences, and expert insights help shape the future of breast imaging. Looking Ahead: RSNA 2025 As October concludes, Koning looks ahead to the RSNA 2025 Annual Meeting , where it will spotlight the Koning Vera Breast CT in collaboration with one of the company's distribution partners, Swissray International . At booth #2980, attendees will have the opportunity to see the Vera system firsthandexploring its unique ability to capture true 3D volumetric images without compression, discomfort, or distortion. Koning's presence at RSNA 2025 will also serve as a platform to connect with clinicians, researchers, and international distributors as the company continues to expand its regulatory footprint and prepare for broader market adoption. The conference marks not just a showcase of innovation, but a milestone in collaborationbringing together the global imaging community in pursuit of earlier detection and more compassionate care for women everywhere. About Koning: Koning Health is a global health technology company dedicated to advancing breast imaging through its patented Koning Vera Breast CT (KBCT) system. The Koning Vera Breast CT is designed to provide true 3D images of the breast for diagnostic evaluation. Koning's mission is to enhance the way clinicians visualize and assess breast tissue using advanced computed tomography technology. For more information, please visit www.koninghealth.com or contact [email protected] . SOURCE KONING CORPORATION AutoMobility LA Promises Vehicle Debuts, Special Exhibits and A Host of The Auto Industry's Leading Decision Makers on November 20 LOS ANGELES, Oct. 31, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Los Angeles Auto Show today announced the full schedule for AutoMobility LA 2025, the show's official media and industry preview day, taking place Thursday, November 20 at the Los Angeles Convention Center. Each year, AutoMobility LA (AMLA) plays host to thousands of automotive executives, media representatives, policymakers, technologists, designers, dealers, investors, industry analysts, thought leaders and content creators. This year's agenda promises a dynamic mix of vehicle unveilings, test drives, industry insights, and thought-provoking discussions. "AutoMobility LA is where innovation meets influence," said Terri Toennies, president and chief operating officer of the LA Auto Show and AutoMobility LA. "The conversations that happen here each year go far beyond the vehicles on display. They reflect the energy, creativity, and collaboration that are redefining mobility in real time." Among the highlights for AMLA 2025 are the headline session with California Transportation Secretary Toks Omishakin on the AutoMobility LA Main Stage, presented by Cox Automotive, as well as a panel exploring the partnership between Honda and LA28. The main stage features keynotes, expert panels, and live conversations that examine the most pressing issues in the transportation landscape. All main stage programming, including this session, will be streamed globally in real time via CarBuzz, the official main stage live-stream partner of AutoMobility LA. In the main halls, manufacturers will preview exhibits and new products with vehicle debuts planned by Kia, Hyundai and more. The day's agenda also includes several notable awards presentations, including honors from the Hispanic Motor Press Guild and the RACER Automotive Creator Awards, as well as the first public look at finalists for North American Car, Utility and Truck of the Year. Special test drives will start at 9 a.m., featuring vehicles from Honda, Kia, Lucid, and Rivian. Networking begins early with a SEMA Cars & Coffee breakfast at 7:15 a.m., setting the tone for a full day of industry connection and collaboration. The schedule is as follows: AutoMobility LA Full Agenda November 20, 2025 7:15 - 8:45 AutoMobility LA Networking Breakfast 8:00 - 8:15 Coulson Aviation Media Showcase 8:15 - 8:25 Awards Program North America Car, Utility and Truck of the Year Finalist Announcement 8:25 - 8:35 Awards Program Hispanic Motor Press Guild Awards 8:40 Main Stage Opens Opening Welcome, Presented by Cox Automotive Juliette Ferrara, Head of Industry, Automotive, SiriusXM Media 8:40 - 9:00 Main Stage Session Powering Dreams, Honda and the LA28 Games Unite Jennifer Symington, AVP Marketing, American Honda Motor Company Julia Kang, VP Partnership Marketing, US Olympics and Paralympic Properties LA28 9:00 -11:00 Fleet Summit NAFA Pacific Southwest Fleet Summit 9:10 - 9:35 Press Conference - Kia 9:45 - 10:10 Press Conference - Hyundai 10:10 - 10:30 Volkswagen Media Showcase 10:35 - 10:55 Lucid Media Showcase 11:05 - 11:25 Main Stage Session The Power to Build Brett Hauser, Chairman and CEO, Voltera 11:35 - 12:15 Stellantis / Jeep Media Showcase and Luncheon 11:45 - 1:00 Networking Lunch, Presented by Cox Automotive 11:50- 12:15 Main Stage Session Direct Line: Live with California's Secretary of Transportation Toks Omishakin, California Secretary of Transportation x 1:00 - 1:15 Lithia Motors Media Showcase 1:10 - 1:30 SPARQ Media Showcase 1:20 - 1:45 Main Stage Session Breaking the Speed Barrier: How Lucid is Redefining What's Possible in Electric Marc Winterhoff, Interim CEO, Lucid Michael Wayland, Automotive Reporter, CNBC 2:05 - 2:25 Porsche Downtown LA Media Showcase 1:50 - 2:15 Main Stage Session A New Adventure with An Old Legend. Scout Motor's Trail Back to The Marketplace Cody Thacker, VP of Business Operations, Scout Motors Tim Stevens, Automotive and Technology Reporter 2:20 - 2:45 Scout Motors Afternoon Refreshments, hosted by Scout Motors Executive 2:20 - 2:45 Main Stage Session AI is Now: How Artificial Intelligence is Transforming Automotive Marianne Johnson, EVP and Chief Product Officer, Cox Automotive David Foutz, VP Enterprise Client Management, Cox Automotive 2:45 - 3:00 Revology Media Happy Hour at the All Roads Stage 2:45 - 6:00 Creator Studios Open in The Underground 2:50 - 3:15 Main Stage Session Future of Air and Sea Ken Karklin, CEO, Pivotal Mitch Lee, Co-Founder and CEO, ARC Boats Alan Ohnsman, Senior Editor, Forbes 3:00 - 3:30 Volvo Coffee Bar 3:30 - 3:45 LumiVerse Media Showcase 3:20 - 3:45 Main Stage Session Are We There Yet? A State of Play on Autonomous Vehicles, presented by PAVE Stephen Hayes, VP Autonomous, Lyft Michael White, Chief Product Officer, Zoox Brian Bautsch, Director of Safety Strategy, American Honda Motor Company 3:30 - 5:00 Showcase Hall Reception 3:50 - 4:20 Awards Program Automotive Hall of Fame Distinguished Service Citation Award 4:20 - 5:00 AutoMobility LA Networking Reception 4:30 - 6:00 SPARQ Reception 4:30 - 7:30 Awards Program RACER Creator Awards Program 7:00 - 10:00 Special Event (Invitation Only) Fork n' Film Influencer Dining Experience *Subject to change Following AMLA 2025, the LA Auto Show will be open to the public from November 21 to 30, 2025. For more information and to register, visit www.automobilityla.com . REGISTRATION OPEN NOW Registration requirements to attend AMLA 2025 are below : Media: Complimentary registration is available to accredited press, media and journalists. Complimentary registration is available to accredited press, media and journalists. Industry Professionals: Standard registration is $249 for potential attendees. Standard registration is $249 for potential attendees. How to Register: Visit www.automobilityla.com to register online. All potential registrants go through approval process prior to credentialing. ABOUT THE LOS ANGELES AUTO SHOW & AUTOMOBILITY LA Founded in 1907, the Los Angeles Auto Show is one of the most influential annual automotive events in the world. Held each year at the Los Angeles Convention Center, the show draws hundreds of thousands of attendees and brings hundreds of millions of dollars in economic impact to the city. It also remains the largest revenue driver for the LA Convention Center. AutoMobility LA the show's press and industry day takes place on November 20, 2025, and features a full day of vehicle debuts, brand announcements, and a thought leadership program highlighting some of the brightest voices in automotive and tech. The LA Auto Show opens to the public from November 21 through 30, 2025, including Thanksgiving Day, offering ten full days for car shoppers, enthusiasts, families, and future-focused fans to experience the very best in automotive design, culture, and innovation. Stay up to date with the latest show news, updates, and information at laautoshow.com and automobilityla.com. Follow the LA Auto Show on X, Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn and sign up for alerts at laautoshow.com. MEDIA CONTACT: For press inquiries, email [email protected] Stay up to date with the latest show news, updates, and information, follow the LA Auto Show on LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook and X, and sign up for alerts at laautoshow.com. *Subject to change SOURCE Los Angeles Auto Show SHANGHAI, Oct. 31, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Lufax Holding Ltd ("Lufax" or the "Company") (NYSE: LU and HKEX: 6623), a leading financial services enabler for small business owners in China, today announced that it will hold an extraordinary general meeting of the Company's shareholders (the "EGM") on December 29, 2025. The EGM is being convened for the purpose of considering and, if thought fit, approving the renewal of framework agreements relating to the continuing connected transactions between the Company and Ping An Insurance (Group) Company of China, Ltd. ("Ping An Group") and its subsidiaries and associates. Reference is made to the section headed "Connected Transactions" in the Company's listing document dated April 11, 2023 as submitted to The Stock Exchange of Hong Kong. As the current framework agreements governing these continuing connected transactions will expire on December 31, 2025, the Company seeks shareholder approval for their renewal. The EGM notice, the EGM circular, and the form of proxy for the EGM will be available on the Company's website at https://ir.lufaxholding.com. Holders of record of the Company's ordinary shares on the Company's register of members as of the close of business on November 17, 2025 (Hong Kong time) are entitled to attend the EGM in person. Holders of the Company's American depositary shares (the "ADSs") as of the close of business on November 17, 2025 (New York time), who wish to exercise their voting rights for the underlying ordinary shares, can submit their voting instructions to Citibank, N.A. Further details including the time, location and proposed resolutions of the General Meeting will be set out in the notice of General Meeting to be issued and provided to holders of record of the Shares and ADSs as of the respective record date together with the proxy materials in due course. About Lufax Lufax is a leading financial services enabler for small business owners in China. Lufax offers financing products designed to address the needs of small business owners and others. In doing so, Lufax has established relationships with 85 financial institutions in China as funding partners, many of which have worked with Lufax for over three years. Investor Relations Contact Lufax Holding Ltd Email: [email protected] ICR, LLC Robin Yang Tel: +1 (646) 308-0546 Email: [email protected] SOURCE Lufax Holding Ltd SINGAPORE, Oct. 30, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Mandala Capital, a private equity fund investing in the agriculture and food sectors across South and Southeast Asia, announced today that the Green Climate Fund ("GCF") has officially approved the Mandala Capital SSEA Food Fund at its 43rd Board Meeting. GCF committed USD 36 million as an anchor investor in the USD 250 million blended finance fund aimed at accelerating climate adaptation across the region's agrifood systems. Bridging the Investment Gap in Agriculture Agriculture and food systems across South and Southeast Asia face a significant financing gap, despite their vital role in regional livelihoods and global food security. Agriculture contributes to 13% of regional GDP and employs over one-third of the population, yet investment in climate-resilient agriculture remains insufficient. At the same time, climate change is expected to reduce crop yields by 1020% in the coming decades, threatening the livelihoods of millions of smallholder farmers. "For years, we've heard that private finance is hard to mobilize for climate adaptation, today, Mandala Capital and the GCF are proving otherwise. Through the SSEA Food Fund, concessional capital from GCF is unlocking, through Mandala, millions in private investment that will strengthen the resilience of thousands rural households across three Southeast Asian countries." said Demetrio Innocenti, Climate and Gender Specialist at Mandala Capital. Driving Climate Resilience in Agriculture and Food Systems Through GCF's commitment, Mandala Capital will mobilize additional private investment to scale climate adaptation solutions and strengthen value chains that support over 12 million people across South and Southeast Asia. "This partnership demonstrates how blended finance can bring the private sector to the forefront of climate action, mobilizing investments that strengthen food security and build climate resilience across the Philippines and the region. The Philippines' NDA welcomes Mandala Capital's commitment to channel a portion of the fund's investment into local initiatives, supporting innovative SMEs that can deliver real, scalable impact. This initiative underscores how private capital can be effectively leveraged to accelerate resilience and transformation in the agrifood sector." Said Mr. Joven Balbosa Undersecretary, International Finance Group, Philippines NDA. Mandala Capital SSEA Food Programme will invest in profitable, scalable companies that are driving the shift toward more affordable, accessible, and climate-resilient food system. Its primary climate rationale addresses the region-specific challenges like food wastage, price surges, malnutrition, low agricultural productivity and escalating protein demands. "With 15 years of experience, a team based in South and Southeast Asia, strong strategic partnerships, and a deal pipeline built through long-standing relationships, Mandala Capital is well positioned to deliver strong financial return while driving climate resilience. The GCF investment reinforces the climate ambition and provides the blended finance structure needed to bring in additional private capital and scale transformative adaptation solutions across the region in the agriculture and food sector." said Uday Garg, Founder and Managing Partner at Mandala Capital Mandala brings a proven track record, having successfully exited 80% of its investments across its first two funds, demonstrating the team's ability to execute and deliver value for investors. Partnering for Scalable Impact "The Mandala Capital SSEA Food Programme is strongly aligned with GCF's strategy. It will strengthen food and income security by investing in small and medium enterprises that support climate-resilient agriculture across Southeast Asia. The blended finance structure will mobilize private capital into adaptation-focused investments via a sustainable financing model which will build long-term resilience", said Kavita Sinha, Director of the Green Climate Fund's Department of the Private Sector Facility. With GCF's anchor commitment, Mandala Capital is now raising its $250 million blended finance fund to scale climate adaptation solutions and build more resilient food systems. Investors and partners interested in learning more are invited to contact us at [email protected] / [email protected] About Mandala Capital Mandala Capital is a private equity firm investing across the food and agriculture value chain within Southeast Asia and India. Since 2008, Mandala Capital has deployed over USD 250 million across the sector, working closely with management teams to build industry leaders to transform existing food systems. For more information, visit www.mandala-capital.com About the Green Climate Fund The Green Climate Fund (GCF) is the world's largest climate finance institution, supporting developing countries in their transition toward low-emission and climate-resilient development. GCF has a portfolio of USD 18 billion delivering transformative climate action in more than 130 countries. For more information, visit www.greenclimate.fund SOURCE Mandala Capital Limited NEW BRITAIN, Conn., Oct. 31, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Stanley Black & Decker (NYSE: SWK) today announced that Mary Laschinger, former Chair and Chief Executive Officer of Veritiv Corporation, has been elected to the company's Board of Directors effective November 1, 2025. Across her more than 30-year career, Laschinger has led global manufacturing and distribution businesses, providing strategic oversight across sales, supply chain, marketing, regulatory affairs and public policy. "Mary brings extensive global expertise in complex manufacturing operations and product management, coupled with a proven record of driving sustainable business growth and operational excellence," said Don Allan, Executive Chair of the Board, Stanley Black & Decker. "We are excited to welcome her to the Board, and we are confident that she will bring a valuable perspective that will be instrumental in shaping Stanley Black & Decker's future and helping us achieve our goals of advancing our long-term growth strategy, extending our industry leadership, and delivering sustained value creation for shareholders." Laschinger was previously Chair and Chief Executive Officer of Veritiv Corporation, a leading North American business-to-business packaging and distribution solutions company, from July 2014 until her retirement in September 2020. Before joining Vertiv, Laschinger served as Senior Vice President of International Paper from 2007 to July 2014, and as President of the xpedx distribution business from January 2010 to July 2014, having held roles of increasing responsibility across sales, marketing, manufacturing, and supply chain after joining the company in 1992. Prior to joining International Paper, Laschinger held various positions in sales, marketing, and supply chain at James River Corporation, Kimberly-Clark Corporation, and Shopko Corporation (Department Store). Laschinger currently serves on the Board of Directors of ITT, a diversified manufacturer of highly engineered critical components and customized technology solutions for the transportation, industrial and energy markets; and Kellanova, previously Kellogg Company, a global leader in food manufacturing. Laschinger is also a member of the Executive Advisory Council for Apollo Global Management. She holds a bachelor's degree in business from the University of Wisconsin, an MBA from the University of Connecticut, and completed postgraduate studies in executive management at the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. About Stanley Black & Decker Founded in 1843 and headquartered in the USA, Stanley Black & Decker (NYSE: SWK) is a worldwide leader in Tools and Outdoor, operating manufacturing facilities globally. The Company's approximately 48,000 employees produce innovative end-user inspired power tools, hand tools, storage, digital jobsite solutions, outdoor and lifestyle products, and engineered fasteners to support the world's builders, tradespeople and DIYers. The Company's world-class portfolio of trusted brands includes DEWALT, CRAFTSMAN, STANLEY, BLACK+DECKER and Cub Cadet. To learn more, visit www.stanleyblackanddecker.com or follow Stanley Black & Decker on Facebook , Instagram , LinkedIn and X . SOURCE Stanley Black and Decker-Corporate CANTON, Ohio, Oct. 30, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Metallus (NYSE: MTUS), a leader in high-quality specialty metals, manufactured components, and supply chain solutions, today confirmed that members of the United Steelworkers (USW) Local 1123 have voted to not ratify the tentative labor agreement that was reached between the company and union leadership on October 3, 2025. "We are disappointed by the outcome of the ratification vote," said Mike Williams, chief executive officer of Metallus. "The proposed agreement was the result of extensive negotiations and reflected our genuine commitment to providing competitive wages, strong benefits, and a safe working environment, while also supporting the long-term sustainability and growth of our business. We remain focused on reaching an equitable agreement that supports our employees' job security while aligning with Metallus' long-term strategic goals." To allow time for further negotiations with the union bargaining committee, the current labor contract has been extended for an additional 90 days until January 29, 2026. Operations will continue as normal during this period. The contract covers Metallus' approximately 1,200 Canton-based bargaining employees. ABOUT METALLUS INC. Metallus (NYSE: MTUS) manufactures high-performance specialty metals from recycled scrap metal in Canton, OH, serving demanding applications in industrial, automotive, aerospace & defense and energy end-markets. The company is a premier U.S. producer of alloy steel bars (up to 16 inches in diameter), seamless mechanical tubing and manufactured components. In the business of making high-quality steel for more than 100 years, Metallus' proven expertise contributes to the performance of our customers' products. The company employs approximately 1,850 people and had sales of $1.1 billion in 2024. For more information, please visit us at www.metallus.com. FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS This news release includes "forward-looking" statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws. You can generally identify the company's forward-looking statements by words such as "will," "anticipate," "aspire," "believe," "could," "estimate," "expect," "forecast," "outlook," "intend," "may," "plan," "possible," "potential," "predict," "project," "seek," "target," "should," "would," "strategy," or "strategic direction" or other similar words, phrases or expressions that convey the uncertainty of future events or outcomes. The company cautions readers that actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied in forward-looking statements made by or on behalf of the company due to a variety of factors, such as: (1) the effects of fluctuations in customer demand on sales, product mix and prices in the industries in which the company operates, including the ability of the company to respond to rapid changes in customer demand including but not limited to changes in domestic and worldwide political and economic conditions due to, among other factors, U.S. and foreign trade policies and the impact on economic conditions, changes in customer operating schedules due to supply chain constraints or unplanned work stoppages, the ability of customers to obtain financing to purchase the company's products or equipment that contains its products, the effects of customer bankruptcies or liquidations, the impact of changes in industrial business cycles, and whether conditions of fair trade exist in U.S. markets; (2) changes in operating costs, including the effect of changes in the company's manufacturing processes, changes in costs associated with varying levels of operations and manufacturing capacity, availability of raw materials and energy, the company's ability to mitigate the impact of fluctuations in raw materials and energy costs and the effectiveness of its surcharge mechanism, changes in the expected costs associated with product warranty claims, changes resulting from inventory management, cost reduction initiatives and different levels of customer demands, the effects of unplanned work stoppages, availability of skilled labor and changes in the cost of labor and benefits; (3) the success of the company's operating plans, announced programs, initiatives and capital investments, the consistency to meet demand levels following unplanned downtime, and the company's ability to maintain appropriate relations with the union that represents its associates in certain locations in order to avoid disruptions of business; (4) whether the company is able to successfully implement actions designed to improve profitability on anticipated terms and timetables and whether the company is able to fully realize the expected benefits of such actions; (5) the company's pension obligations and investment performance; (6) with respect to the company's ability to achieve its sustainability goals, including its 2030 environmental goals, the ability to meet such goals within the expected timeframe, changes in laws, regulations, prevailing standards or public policy, the alignment of the scientific community on measurement and reporting approaches, the complexity of commodity supply chains and the evolution of and adoption of new technology, including traceability practices, tools and processes; (7) availability of property insurance coverage at commercially reasonable rates or insufficient insurance coverage to cover claims or damages; (8) the availability of financing and interest rates, which affect the company's cost of funds and/or ability to raise capital; (9) the impacts from any repurchases of our common shares, including the timing and amount of any repurchases; (10) competitive factors, including changes in market penetration, increasing price competition by existing or new foreign and domestic competitors, the introduction of new products by existing and new competitors, and new technology that may impact the way the company's products are sold or distributed; (11) deterioration in global economic conditions, or in economic conditions in any of the geographic regions in which the company conducts business, including additional adverse effects from global economic slowdown, terrorism or hostilities, including political risks associated with the potential instability of governments and legal systems in countries in which the company or its customers conduct business, and changes in currency valuations; (12) the impact of global conflicts on the economy, sourcing of raw materials, and commodity prices; (13) climate-related risks, including environmental and severe weather caused by climate changes, and legislative and regulatory initiatives addressing global climate change or other environmental concerns; (14) unanticipated litigation, claims or assessments, including claims or problems related to intellectual property, product liability or warranty, employment matters, regulatory compliance and environmental issues and taxes, among other matters; (15) cyber-related risks, including information technology system failures, interruptions and security breaches; (16) the potential impact of pandemics, epidemics, widespread illness or other health issues; and (17) with respect to the equipment investments to support the U.S. Army's mission of ramping up munitions production in the coming years, whether the funding awarded to support these investments is received on the anticipated timetable, whether the company is able to successfully complete the installation and commissioning of the new assets on the targeted budget and timetable, and whether the anticipated increase in throughput is achieved. Further, this news release represents our current policy and intent and is not intended to create legal rights or obligations. Certain standards of measurement and performance contained in this news release are developing and based on assumptions, and no assurance can be given that any plan, objective, initiative, projection, goal, mission, commitment, expectation or prospect set forth in this news release can or will be achieved. Inclusion of information in this news release is not an indication that the subject or information is material to our business or operating results. Additional risks relating to the company's business, the industries in which the company operates, or the company's common shares may be described from time to time in the company's filings with the SEC. All of these risk factors are difficult to predict, are subject to material uncertainties that may affect actual results and may be beyond the company's control. Readers are cautioned that it is not possible to predict or identify all of the risks, uncertainties and other factors that may affect future results and that the above list should not be considered to be a complete list. Except as required by the federal securities laws, the company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise. SOURCE Metallus Inc. WASHINGTON, Oct. 31, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Press Club will award its 2025 John Aubuchon Press Freedom Award to a group of nine journalists affiliated with the U.S. Agency for Global Media (USAGM) who remain imprisoned abroad following the agency's dismantling earlier this year. The Club's Board of Directors agreed the honor is meant both to recognize the journalists' courage to practice journalism in parts of the world often dangerous for journalists and to call attention to what it describes as a failure by the United States government to defend reporters jailed for work that advanced U.S. ideals of free expression. "These nine journalists risked their freedom to report the truth in some of the world's most dangerous places," said National Press Club President Mike Balsamo. "They carried out the work of a free press shining light where others tried to impose silence and they did so under the banner of U.S.-supported media. Their courage deserves our deepest respect." The Aubuchon Award, named for late National Press Club President John Aubuchon, is the organization's highest recognition for press freedom. It is awarded annually to recognize journalists both domestic and abroad who risk their lives or liberty in pursuit of the truth. This year's award highlights nine USAGM-affiliated reporters who remain in prison across several authoritarian countries. They include: Shin Daewe , a Burmese documentary filmmaker and Radio Free Asia (RFA) contributor, has been sentenced to up to 15 years under Myanmar's Anti-Terrorism Law for purchasing drone equipment used in her reporting. , a Burmese documentary filmmaker and Radio Free Asia (RFA) contributor, has been sentenced to up to 15 years under Myanmar's Anti-Terrorism Law for purchasing drone equipment used in her reporting. Sithu Aung Myint , a commentator for Voice of America (VOA), has been sentenced to three years in Myanmar on charges of "incitement" and "defamation" after criticizing the military junta. , a commentator for Voice of America (VOA), has been sentenced to three years in Myanmar on charges of "incitement" and "defamation" after criticizing the military junta. Nguyen Lan Thang , a contributor to RFA's Vietnamese Service, has been sentenced in Vietnam to six years in prison for "spreading anti-state propaganda." , a contributor to RFA's Vietnamese Service, has been sentenced in Vietnam to six years in prison for "spreading anti-state propaganda." Nguyen Tuong Thuy , a contributor to RFA's Vietnamese Service, has been sentenced to 11 years in prison for defaming the Hanoi government. , a contributor to RFA's Vietnamese Service, has been sentenced to 11 years in prison for defaming the Hanoi government. Pham Chi Dung, a journalist, blogger, and VOA contributor, sentenced to a 15-year prison term in Vietnam after being convicted of "propaganda against the state." a journalist, blogger, and VOA contributor, sentenced to a 15-year prison term in Vietnam after being convicted of "propaganda against the state." Truong Duy Nhat , a contributor for RFA's Vietnamese Service's blog section before his January 2019 abduction in Thailand by police, has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for "abusing his position and authority while on duty." , a contributor for RFA's Vietnamese Service's blog section before his January 2019 abduction in Thailand by police, has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for "abusing his position and authority while on duty." Nguyen Vu Binh , a contributor to RFA's Vietnamese language service, has been sentenced to seven years in prison on charges of propaganda against the state. , a contributor to RFA's Vietnamese language service, has been sentenced to seven years in prison on charges of propaganda against the state. Farid Mehralizada , an Azerbaijani journalist with Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), has been sentenced to nine years on politically motivated financial charges. , an Azerbaijani journalist with Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL), has been sentenced to nine years on politically motivated financial charges. Nika Novak, a reporter for RFE/RL's Russian Service, has been sentenced to four years in prison for "collaboration with a foreign organization on a confidential basis." "Their imprisonment should outrage anyone who believes in America's commitment to liberty," Balsamo said. "These reporters advanced U.S. values of transparency and free expression and yet they've been left behind. Their abandonment is a stain on our nation's credibility and a reminder of what happens when we retreat from defending press freedom." USAGM was an independent federal agency that oversaw VOA, the United States' largest and oldest international broadcaster, and provided grants to RFA, RFE, and other news agencies. The agency had around 3,500 employees with an annual budget of $886 million in 2024. Between March and July 2025, 85% of staff at USAGM and its subsidiaries were eliminated at the direction of the White House. The cuts followed an executive order issued by President Donald Trump in March 2025 that directed the dismantling of USAGM "to the maximum extent consistent with applicable law." Approximately 250 employees remain , with indications that the agency's 2026 budget would be directed toward a complete shutdown of USAGM operations. The National Press Club's Board of Governors said its decision to honor the imprisoned journalists was driven in part by the collapse of the USAGM structure, which had previously funded and supported independent U.S.-backed media outlets operating abroad. The dismantling, critics say, left dozens of journalists vulnerable to retaliation and removed formal avenues for the U.S. government to advocate for their release. "The United States cannot walk away from these journalists or the ideals they represent," Balsamo said. "We urge the White House, Congress, and the State Department to re-engage, to press for their release and to ensure that future U.S.-supported media operations have clear mechanisms for protecting journalists who risk their lives in America's name." The National Press Club will confer the 2025 Aubuchon awards, along with the Neil and Susan Sheehan Award for Investigative Journalism , during its annual Fourth Estate Award Gala honoring Robert Costa on Dec. 9 in Washington, D.C. Tickets are available. The gala dinner is a fundraiser for the Club's nonprofit affiliate, the National Press Club Journalism Institute, which produces training to equip journalists with skills and standards to inform the public in ways that inspire civic engagement. Tickets and more information for the event can be found here . Press Contact: Bill McCarren, director of the Press Freedom Center at the National Press Club, [email protected] . SOURCE National Press Club Bjorkman steps to the helm of the #1 wholesale provider of elevated, in-demand blank apparel. TORRANCE, Calif., Oct. 31, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Next Level Apparel a family-founded leader in supplying premium, ethically sourced blank appareltoday announced Brett Bjorkman as its new Chief Executive Officer, following the retirement of the founder and former CEO, Joe Simsoly. Brett Bjorkman, CEO, Next Level Apparel Bjorkman brings 30 years of experience across brand and wholesale, including roles at Nike, Boardriders, Augusta Sportswear, and, most recently, as Chief Operating Officer at Next Level Apparel, navigating everything from factory floors to boardrooms. His expertise spans operations, sourcing, risk management, and sustainability, with a track record of turning complex supply chains into lean, reliable, and ethical engines of growth. "After decades of building Next Level Apparel, I'm proud to pass the baton to Brett, who brings the perfect balance of brand insight and operational rigor to this role," said Joe Simsoly, Founder and former CEO. "Over the past 18 months, he has immersed himself in every part of the company and is ready to lead us forwardcontinuing our commitment to sustainability, innovation, and excellence. As I step into retirement, I do so knowing the company is in capable hands, and that Brett will honor our legacy while taking Next Level Apparel beyond what we ever imagined." Bjorkman has already made an impact at Next Level Apparel, strengthening operational efficiency, streamlining processes, and reinforcing the company's commitment to quality and traceability. His focus ensures that every product meets the brand's high standardsdelivering consistency, reliability, and transparency to distributors and customers. "Premium is a behavior," added Bjorkman. "It's about doing things right, making products that last, and proving it. That philosophy guides every part of Next Level Apparelfrom sourcing fabrics responsibly to serving customersand will continue to shape the company as it grows, ensuring it remains the most trusted and responsive platform for premium blank apparel worldwide." Under Brett's leadership, the company will continue expanding its footprint internationally, diversifying its supply chain for resilience, and strengthening partnerships with compliance and provenance organizations such as FLA, Altana, and Oritain. With more than 500 employees across the U.S., Central America, the Dominican Republic, the EU, and Asia, Next Level Apparel has strengthened its leadership teams and operational capabilities, building a flexible, resilient supply chain and robust customer experience to support its global partners at every level. Learn more at nextlevelapparel.com . About Next Level Apparel Next Level Apparel, a family-founded pioneer in blank apparel for decades, is now the leading wholesale producer and seller of premium blanks. Inspired by high-end activewear, its craftsmanship and rigorous ethical sourcingverified through leading programs such as FLA, Altana, Thread Trace, and Oritainare made for movement and designed for timeless style. The company never compromises on quality for price, nor sacrifices customer service for scale, delivering the best return on investment for customers' businesses and the best cost per wear for their end consumers. With multiple custom fabrics engineered for all printing and embellishing needs, Next Level Apparel delivers flawless fit, ultimate printability, and unmatched quality control, designing products to last, reducing waste, and ensuring customers' brands get worn with pride for many years. Media Contact: Bethany Willetts | [email protected] SOURCE Next Level Apparel Leaders and business champions unite to support small business growth and economic opportunity TAMPA, Fla., Oct. 31, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Prospera hosted its annual signature event in the West Coast of Florida, presented by Duke Energy. The 2025Prospera Success Stories: Together We Thrive celebration brought together business and community leaders, public officials, sponsors, and partners to recognize thriving Hispanic entrepreneurs in the region and honor the partnerships fueling local economic growth. 2025 Prospera Success Stories Honorees in the West Coast of Florida, Safety 1st Pro Services owner Elisangela Juarez and CFO Associates owner Rolando Lopez with Regional Vice President Fabian Yepez The program, led by Prospera Regional Vice President Fabian Yepez, illustrated firsthand how Prospera's entrepreneurial consulting and educational services continue to fuel small business success and strengthen the entrepreneurial ecosystem across the greater Tampa Bay area. City of Tampa Mayor Jane Castor and City of Clearwater Mayor Bruce Rector delivered remarks during the event, highlighting the organization's longstanding impact and collaboration with local government. "Prospera is creating lasting, generational success for Hispanic entrepreneurs and their families, while making Florida a stronger, better place for everyone to live, work and play. Duke Energy Florida is committed to doing the same in the communities we serve, and we are grateful for our ongoing partnership with such an impactful organization," said Duke Energy Florida Vice President of Government and Community Relations Sharon Arroyo. Two successful entrepreneurs were honored for their business achievements and community contributions: "Their stories exemplify the power of resilience, innovation, and opportunityand the ripple effects that occur when small businesses thrive," said Yepez. "We celebrate the journeys and perseverance of these successful entrepreneurs, who represent thousands of clients who have benefited from Prospera's support." In addition to Presenting Sponsor Duke Energy, the event raised funds from the following sponsors: Hosts : Bank of America, Truist, Verizon, Visit Tampa Bay, and Wells Fargo : Bank of America, Truist, Verizon, Visit Tampa Bay, and Wells Fargo Champions : GTE Financial, Hill Ward Henderson, JPMorganChase, NUC Nursing Destination School, Regions, Suncoast Credit Union, and TD Bank : GTE Financial, Hill Ward Henderson, JPMorganChase, NUC Nursing Destination School, Regions, Suncoast Credit Union, and TD Bank Event Donors: City of Clearwater, Lake Michigan Credit Union, and Tampa Bay Chamber 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: Fabian Yepez, (813) 230-0059, [email protected] SOURCE Prospera GUANGZHOU, Oct. 31 (Xinhua) -- At the ongoing 138th Canton Fair, two young buyers from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Azhar Sajan and Sahil Sajan, proudly carry name cards they've held onto for 11 years, each featuring their childhood photos. It has been 14 years since their father, Anis Askerali Sajan, first introduced them to the fair. "Experience outweighs knowledge," Anis remarked. "I brought my sons here to teach them how to connect with people. Now they are confident enough to walk into any booth, negotiate prices, and even visit factories on their own." Anis, vice chairman of Danube Group, a leading building materials and real estate company in the UAE, first attended the Canton Fair, officially known as the China Import and Export Fair, in the year 2000. Over 25 years, Anis has watched the fair evolve into a larger, more sophisticated platform, while his own company grew from a small importer into an influential business group. "The Canton Fair is a platform for growth," Anis said. "There are so many suppliers showcasing so many products. It's a gold mine. It's up to you what to identify." This year, Anis set his sights on large, infinity pools designed for real estate projects in the Middle East. "I'm a man with clear purposes," he said, adding that it would be good enough for him to develop two or three new items during his five-day trip to China. He appreciates the fair's three-phase structure, with each phase dedicated to specific sectors. Anis mainly attends the second phase, which focuses on building materials and sanitary products. Meanwhlile, his elder son explores lighting and hardware in the first phase of the fair, and his younger son focuses on furniture in the third phase. Despite the long flight from Dubai to Guangzhou every six months, Anis said he never feels tired. "The energy at the fair is so infectious. When you pass by the booths, suppliers greet you with warm smiles. That hospitality is what sets this fair apart. I haven't seen this kind of energy anywhere else in the world. China is the best place to do business and build friendships," he said. When he started his business 25 years ago, Anis focused mainly on low-cost products. However, he soon realised that long-term success depended on quality. The Canton Fair, offering an ever-growing range of high-quality Chinese products, became one of his key sourcing hubs. "I started partnering with big Chinese brands. A small jet-spray product gave wings to many more, including showers, faucets, toilet products, and helped us build our reputation," he recalled. Through the fair, Anis keeps close to industry trends. "I've been in the real estate business for over 20 years. All these materials, steel, plywood, lights, and building materials, come from China. How will the construction industry survive without Chinese products?" Carrying a triple-fold smartphone made by a Chinese company, Anis smiled as he summed up his view in six words: You get what you pay for. "China delivers high-quality products," he said. "This phone is an example. The old perception that Chinese goods are cheap is wrong. They make the best products at reasonable prices." For Anis, business ties often go beyond commerce. He is even contemplating purchasing a home in Guangzhou, partly due to his long-time secretary, Miss Zou, who is from the city. "She devotes her heart and soul to the company. Many people think business is only about profit and loss, but you can also build relationships that last a lifetime. She's like family to us after 20 years of working together," Anis noted. Each year, Dictionary.com calls on wordsmiths and linguists to craft an original opening to a scary story, but there's a catch: each submission can only be 50 words. Whether eerie, chilling or darkly funny, every syllable must pack a punch and pull the reader in right away. The theme of this year's competition? Cursed Objects. From twisted trinkets to haunted heirlooms, participants cooked up their most skin-prickling story openings that were sure to give readers the heebie-jeebies. To add a special twist to this year's contest, Dictionary.com enlisted an authority on scary stories to serve as guest judge: New York Times bestselling author Kalynn Bayron . With an impressive catalogue of young adult fantasy and horror novels, including Cinderella Is Dead, This Poison Heart and You're Not Supposed to Die Tonight, Kalynn applied her deep knowledge of suspense and storytelling to help select this year's winning entry. "I love a good scary story! As someone who tries my best to tell my own frightening tales, judging this year's Haunting Hooks competition was such a blast," said Kalynn Bayron. "I'm in awe of the creativity displayed in the submissions. It's a tall order to inspire thrills and chills in just 50 words, but these folks got it done!" Drum roll please This year's competition featured hundreds of entries, but two haunting stories rose to the top. Judge's choice: Taylor Mims cooked up a haunting passage about a mirror wrapped in a mysterious newspaper: The mirror arrived wrapped in colorless newspaper, the date smudged but the headline clear: "Family of Five Vanished." I smiled when fingerprints formed on the glass, pale and pressing from the other side. I used to joke that I had no family. Now, the mirror had found one for me. As a prize, Taylor will be taking home a signed copy of Kalynn's newest release, Make Me a Monster, along with a special edition bookmark, a $100 Amazon gift card and Dictionary.com swag. Fans' choice: Tim Aney captivated readers by introducing a frightening tale about a literal out-of-body experience: Through porcelain eyes, I watch the body, which used to be mine, walk away and dislimn. My dread echoes frantically inside this ancient figurinemy new oubliette. It threatened me. It wanted a body. I didn't listen. Tim, who won the Fans' Choice award by receiving the most votes on Dictionary.com, will receive a $50 Amazon gift card as well as Dictionary.com merch. "Haunting Hooks is a fun and festive way to celebrate creative storytelling and highlight the power of words," said Steve Johnson, PhD, Director of Lexicography for Dictionary Media Group at IXL Learning. "Every year, we're blown away by the passion and participation of our community. This contest was no differenthundreds of entries showed just how many ways there are to bring a scary story to life." Visit Dictionary.com to learn more about the origin and meaning of your favorite scary words and find inspiration for your own horror story! About Dictionary.com Dictionary.com is the internet's leading language reference and learning destination: millions of people turn to us each day to better understand wordsthe very fabric of language, identity and ideas. We are committed to helping people express themselves, make connections and find opportunities through the power and joy of language. From authoritative definitions and grammar guidance to engaging editorial and multimedia experiences, Dictionary.com makes learning intuitive and relevant so you can put your ideas into words, and your words into action. Press Contact Eric Bates IXL Learning [email protected] SOURCE IXL Learning Creamery to double donations made during Black FridayCyber Monday weekend MIDDLETOWN, Md., Oct. 31, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- South Mountain Creamery (SMC), a family-owned and operated farm and creamery based in Middletown, Maryland, is kicking off its annual Holiday Turkey Donation Drive - aiming to provide 600 farm-fresh turkeys to families in need across Maryland, Virginia, and North Carolina. Turkey Donation Drive To maximize community impact this season, SMC is raising the bar. Their goal has grown from 500 donated turkeys in 2024 to 600 in 2025. Every donation made between Black Friday and Cyber Monday (November 28December 1) will be matched by the creamery, doubling the impact and ensuring more families have a hearty meal on their table this holiday season. Donations will be distributed through trusted community partners, including: Maryland Schools in the Area Frederick Rescue Mission Maryland Food Bank Martha's Table Virginia Foodbank of Southeastern Virginia and the Eastern Shore North Carolina Good News/Buenas Nuevas International Ministry "Our annual Thanksgiving drive is one of our favorite traditions," said Tony Brusco, CEO of South Mountain Creamery. "It's a way for usand our customersto share good food and goodwill. We believe that everyone deserves to sit down to a nourishing meal with family and friends during the holidays." Customers can contribute in several ways: Current home delivery customers can add a donation turkey to any South Mountain Creamery home delivery order. to any South Mountain Creamery home delivery order. Visit one of South Mountain Creamery's retail locations, or the Baltimore 32nd Street Farmers Market, to purchase a donation turkey in person. Turkeys for the donation drive are sourced from Sensenig Turkey Farm in Lancaster County, Pennsylvaniaa family-run farm dedicated to raising quality, humanely-raised poultry with care. This partnership ensures that every donation simultaneously strengthens the local farming community. For SMC, community support extends to both the families receiving a nourishing holiday meal and the farm families producing it. In addition to supporting local food banks, South Mountain Creamery also provides each employee with a complimentary Thanksgiving turkey as a gesture of gratitude for their hard work throughout the year. "Community has always been at the heart of what we do," said Brusco. "From our team members to our customers to the families receiving these donations, we're all connected. This drive is a reflection of that shared commitment to care for one another." SMC is accepting Turkey Donations now through November 30, 2025. In addition to fresh turkeys, customers can also pre-order chef-prepared sides, fresh-baked desserts, and classic holiday favorites for their own holiday meals through South Mountain Creamery's online shop. For more information or to donate, visit www.southmountaincreamery.com. About South Mountain Creamery South Mountain Creamery is Maryland's first on-the-farm dairy processing plant starting operation in 2001. They own and farm roughly 3,000 acres in Frederick County where they milk around 600 dairy cows including Holstein and Jersey breeds. South Mountain Creamery provides a home delivery service consisting of an online farmers market that delivers to nearly 10,000 customers across Maryland, DC, Northern and Southeast Virginia, and parts of West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and North Carolina. You can also find South Mountain Creamery products in over 1000 stores from Vermont to the Carolinas. SOURCE South Mountain Creamery PARAMARIBO, Suriname, Oct. 31, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The Republic of Suriname (the "Republic" or "Suriname"), announced today the results of its invitation, dated October 23, 2025 (the "Invitation"), for each holder to submit offers (the "Offers") to tender for cash its 7.95% Cash/PIK Notes due 2033 (collectively, the "Securities"), upon the terms and subject to the conditions described in the Invitation. The Invitation and withdrawal rights expired at 5:00 p.m., New York time on October 30, 2025. The settlement of validly tendered and accepted Securities is expected to occur on or about November 6, 2025 (the "Settlement Date"), as updated from the date originally contemplated in the Invitation, subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the Invitation. The Republic reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to delay the Settlement Date. The Republic has accepted all validly tendered Securities for purchase in full, subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the Invitation, and therefore no proration factor is being applied. The Republic reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to accept Offers received after the expiration of the Invitation, subject to applicable law and the terms and conditions described in the Invitation. Any such acceptance of late tenders will be made on a case-by-case basis and may be limited in amount or scope. The following table sets forth the results of the Invitation, and the principal amount of the Securities that will remain outstanding after repurchase of the Securities accepted by the Republic: Securities CUSIPs and ISINs Principal Amount Outstanding as of October 23, 2025 Principal Amount Tendered Percentage of Principal Amount Tendered Expected Principal Amount to be Accepted for Purchase(1) Principal Amount Accepted for Purchase Principal Amount to Remain Outstanding After Repurchase(1) 7.95% Cash/PIK Notes due 2033 (the "Securities") Rule 144A CUSIP: 86886PAC6 ISIN: US86886PAC68 Regulation S CUSIP: P68788AC5 ISIN: USP68788AC53 U.S.$693,770,384.00 U.S.$419,834,373.00 60.51 % U.S.$419,834,373.00 U.S.$ 419,834,373.00 U.S.$273,936,011.00 (1) Remains subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the Invitation, including the Financing Condition, and may be subject to the acceptance of late tenders, if any. Holders whose Securities are accepted for purchase by the Republic will be entitled to receive for such Securities the applicable purchase price plus applicable accrued and unpaid interest to (but excluding) the Settlement Date ("Accrued Interest"). The aggregate purchase price plus Accrued Interest to be paid by the Republic is expected to be U.S.$431,175,149.26. Consummation of the Invitation on the Settlement Date remains subject to the satisfaction by the Republic of the Financing Condition, as described in the Invitation. Any holder who fails to make delivery of Securities in accordance with the Invitation shall not be entitled to receive any payment therefor unless the Republic, in its sole discretion, determines to waive any such failure. The Republic will cancel the Securities purchased pursuant to the Invitation following the Settlement Date in accordance with the terms of the Securities. The complete terms and conditions of the Invitation are described in the Invitation, a copy of which may be obtained from Global Bondholder Services Corporation (the "Information and Tender Agent"), who can be reached at https://www.gbsc-usa.com/suriname, [email protected], by telephone at 1 (855) 654-2014 (U.S. Toll-free) and (212) 430-3774, or in writing at 65 Broadway, Suite 404, New York, NY 10006. The Dealer Manager for the Invitation is BofA Securities, Inc. (the "Dealer Manager") and can be reached regarding the terms of the Invitation by telephone at +1 (646) 855-8988 (collect) or +1 (888) 292-0070 (U.S. Toll-free). Disclaimer This announcement is not an offer to purchase or the solicitation of an offer to sell the Securities. The invitation for each holder to submit Offers was only made pursuant to the Invitation. The materials relating to the Invitation do not constitute, and may not be used in connection with, an offer or solicitation in any place where offers or solicitations are not permitted by law. The Invitation does not constitute an offer to buy or a solicitation of an offer to sell any securities in any jurisdiction to any person to whom it is unlawful to make such offer or solicitation in such jurisdiction. If materials relating to the Invitation come into the possession of any person, such person is required to inform themselves of and observe all of these restrictions. In any jurisdiction in which the Invitation was required to be made by a licensed broker or dealer and in which the Dealer Manager or any of its affiliates is so licensed, it was deemed to be made by the Dealer Manager or such affiliates on behalf of Suriname. See "Certain Legal Restrictions" and "Jurisdictional Restrictions" in the Invitation. Suriname will make (or cause to be made) all announcements regarding the Invitation by press release issued to an international news service, which is expected to be PR Newswire or another appropriate international news service, (the "News Service"). See "The Invitation Communications". Important Notice This Invitation does not constitute, and may not be used in connection with, an offer or solicitation by anyone in any jurisdiction in which an offer or solicitation is not authorized or in which the person making an offer or solicitation is not qualified to do so or to any person to whom it is unlawful to make an offer or solicitation. Neither Suriname nor the Dealer Manager accepts any responsibility for any violation by any person of the restrictions applicable in any jurisdiction. In any jurisdiction in which the Invitation was required to be made by a licensed broker or dealer and in which any Dealer Manager or any of its affiliates was so licensed, it was deemed to have been made by the Dealer Manager or such affiliates. European Economic Area The Invitation is not intended to be offered, or otherwise made available to and should not be offered or otherwise made available to any retail investor in the European Economic Area ("EEA"). For these purposes, a retail investor means a person who is one (or more) of: (i) a retail client as defined in point (11) of Article 4(1) of Directive 2014/65/EU (as amended, "MiFID II"); or (ii) a customer within the meaning of Directive 2016/97/EC (as amended, the "Insurance Distribution Directive"), where that customer would not qualify as a professional client as defined in point (10) of Article 4(1) of MiFID II. Consequently, no key information document required by Regulation (EU) No 1286/2014 (as amended, the "PRIIPs Regulation") for offering or selling the Securities or otherwise making them or the Invitation available to retail investors in the EEA has been prepared and therefore making the Invitation or offering or selling the Securities or otherwise making them or the Invitation available to any retail investor in the EEA may be unlawful under the PRIIPs Regulation. United Kingdom The Invitation is not intended to be offered, or otherwise made available to and should not be offered or otherwise made available to any retail investor in the United Kingdom ("UK"). For these purposes, a retail investor means a person who is one (or more) of: (i) a retail client as defined in point (8) of Article 2 of Regulation (EU) No 2017/565 as it forms part of domestic law by virtue of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 (as amended, the "EUWA"); (ii) a customer within the meaning of the provisions of the UK Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (as amended, the "FSMA") and any rules or regulations made under the FSMA to implement Directive (EU) 2016/97, where that customer would not qualify as a professional client, as defined in point (8) of Article 2(1) of Regulation (EU) No 600/2014 as it forms part of domestic law by virtue of the EUWA. Consequently, no key information document required by Regulation (EU) No 1286/2014 (the "UK PRIIPs Regulation") for offering or selling the Securities or otherwise making them or the Invitation available to retail investors in the UK has been prepared and therefore making the Invitation or offering or selling the Securities or otherwise making them or the Invitation available to any retail investor in the UK may be unlawful under the UK PRIIPs Regulation. The communication of the Invitation and any other offer material relating to the Invitation are not being made, and such documents and/or materials have not been approved, by an authorized person for the purposes of section 21 of the FSMA. Accordingly, such documents and/or materials are not being distributed to, and must not be passed on to, the general public in the UK. The communication of such documents and/or materials is exempt from the restriction on financial promotions under section 21 of the FSMA on the basis that it is only directed at and may be communicated to persons (i) who have professional experience in matters relating to investments falling within Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005 (as amended) (the "Financial Promotion Order"), (ii) who fall within Article 49(2)(a) to (d) ("high net worth companies, unincorporated associations etc.") of the Financial Promotion Order, (iii) who are outside the UK, or (iv) are persons to whom an invitation or inducement to engage in investment activity (within the meaning of section 21 of the FSMA) in connection with the issue or sale of any securities, including this Invitation, may otherwise lawfully be communicated in accordance with the Financial Promotion Order (such persons together being "relevant persons"). Any investment or investment activity to which this Invitation or these other documents and/or materials relate are available only to relevant persons and will be engaged in only with relevant persons. Any person who is not a relevant person should not act or rely on this Invitation or these other documents and/or materials or any of its or their contents. SOURCE The Republic of Suriname MEXICO CITY, Oct. 31, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Trafalgar Asset Management is pleased to announce the National Banking and Securities Commission (CNBV) authorized the commencement of operations for Trafalgar SFP, SA de CV, Sociedad Financiera Popular. This authorization represents a significant milestone for Trafalgar, which in July 2023 became the first SOFIPO approved by the CNBV's governing board in over a decade. Trafalgar is owned by an investor group led by Porfirio Sanchez-Talavera since 2014, with diversified investments in Mexico and the United States, primarily in regulated sectors. In 2023, the company executed the most significant transaction in Mexico's fintech sector: the sale of Trafalgar Digital IFPE to Walmart Inc. A Comprehensive Solution for Mexican SMEs Trafalgar positions itself as the comprehensive financial alternative for SMEs, utilizing artificial intelligence and advanced analytics to democratize services that have historically been exclusive to large corporations. The institution maintains an unwavering commitment to the highest global standards in anti-money laundering and cybersecurity. This value proposition is particularly relevant in a context where Mexico's 4.9 million SMEs represent 52% of GDP, yet only one in four has access to formal credit. International Recognition Trafalgar has been selected as a finalist at the Banking Tech Awards 2025, held in England, in two distinguished categories: Best Use of Tech in Business Lending and Best Use of Tech in SME Banking, an accolade that validates its technological strength in the global financial industry. Finally, Trafalgar expresses its appreciation for the distinguished leadership of Mtro. Angel Cabrera, President of the CNBV, reiterating the institution's commitment to the regulator and its own clients to always operate under the most rigorous governance and regulatory compliance standards demanded by the modern industry. Media Contact: Amanda Emmer JConnelly [email protected] 862 505 5234 SOURCE Trafalgar Asset Management - The celebration in Los Angeles also marked the finale of the TWOPAGES TOGETHER Design Contest LOS ANGELES, Oct. 31, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- TWOPAGES, a pioneer in modern window treatment solutions, marked its 10th anniversary with the "TWOPAGES TOGETHER" celebration in Los Angeles. Founder and CEO Ray Chen reflected on the brand's journey, sharing insights into its origins, values, and future direction. A Vision Inspired by Possibility Image Source: Ray Chen, Founder of TWOPAGES Image Source: TWOPAGES TOGETHER x Design Contest Finale Image Source: TWOPAGES TOGETHER x Design Contest Finale At the heart of TWOPAGES' decade-long journey is a simple but powerful idea: to make life at home easier, more beautiful, and more human. Years ago, while renovating his home, Ray Chen encountered hidden fees and a confusing curtain-buying process. What should have been a joyful part of creating a dream home had instead turned into a frustrating burden, prompting Ray Chen to explore possibilities beyond the traditional approach. "That's how TWOPAGES came to life. We are not just a curtain brand we are a solution," said Ray Chen. Determined to simplify the curtain-buying process, he built TWOPAGES on honesty, care, and innovation. From convincing factories to accept smaller custom orders to developing a user-friendly online platform, he introduced a more accessible approach to home furnishings. Today, TWOPAGES operates a 100,000-square-meter factory, sources from 100+ suppliers, and delivers over 1,000 custom orders daily, serving over 600,000 households worldwide. Craftsmanship Meets Innovation TWOPAGES is built on a philosophy of balance, where craftsmanship seamlessly blends with innovation. "We use technology to express beauty, and craftsmanship to realize beauty," said Ray Chen. This pursuit of balance is also embodied in the brand's very name. One "page" of the TWOPAGES story reflects emotional warmth, which is expressed through fine fabrics, precise tailoring, and artisanal finishing that bring comfort to everyday living. The other represents innovation and efficiency, showcased through smart measurement tools, menu-style customization, and fast, transparent delivery. Together, these elements empower TWOPAGES to redefine modern home design as accessible, effortless, and deeply meaningful. Connection at the Core The TWOPAGES TOGETHER celebration also marked the finale of the TWOPAGES TOGETHER Design Contest, a global co-design initiative inviting creators to explore new expressions of window aesthetics. Six finalists from the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom were honored for their interpretations of TWOPAGES' design philosophy, alongside ambassadors and jurors who have long championed the brand's mission. The winners included: Winner Sabrina Ramkhelawan (United States) Second Place Awards (2) Kim Morrow (Canada), Rebecca Hughes (United States) Third Place Awards (3) Jyll Mackie (Canada), Kate Frost (UK), Leah Berin (United States) People's Choice Award Kim Morrow (Canada) Beyond design, TWOPAGES' decade of growth is also about connection with users, creators, and the spaces they inhabit. "We want to be closer to our users and truly listen to their voices," Ray Chen said. "Only by listening can we innovate. Only by understanding can we truly serve." That belief extends to the brand's global presence, reflected in its recent Times Square and Los Angeles billboard campaigns, which featured real designers and customer stories. "Through this contest and today's gathering, we're reminded that design is never just about aesthetics it's about connection," Ray Chen added. "That's what TWOPAGES TOGETHER truly stands for." From an online startup to an international brand, TWOPAGES' evolution mirrors Ray Chen's original vision that simplicity and trust should be at the heart of every home. Looking to the next decade, Ray Chen's ambition remains as grounded as it is forward-looking. "Our dream is to use technology to save people time and then help them invest that saved time into what truly matters: spending time with family, enjoying a quiet coffee in the afternoon sun, creating memories, feeling happiness," he said. About TWOPAGES Founded in 2015, TWOPAGES is a global home decor brand dedicated to creating premium, customizable window treatment solutions. By combining craftsmanship and innovation, TWOPAGES simplifies the curtain-shopping experience through smart measurement tools, virtual consultations, and fast delivery. Today, over 600,000 households enjoy TWOPAGES' menu-based customization. Website: https://twopagescurtains.com SOURCE TWOPAGES Platform Enables Anyone to Create Hyper-Realistic Spooky Videos and Images in Seconds, No Design Skills Required LONDON, Oct. 31, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- As Halloween approaches, content creators and brands are turning to artificial intelligence to elevate their seasonal storytelling. Enter Xole AI, an intelligent visual content generation platform that transforms text prompts and images into stunning, hyper-realistic Halloween visuals. With its intuitive ai image generator, users can craft haunted house scenes, ghostly apparitions, or supernatural character designs that bring their darkest creative visions to lifeno design experience necessary. Xole AI Image Generator Xole AI Halloween Generator Xole AI specializes in generating diverse Halloween content across multiple formats and styles: Text-to-image generation : Instantly visualize concepts by describing your vision in words : Instantly visualize concepts by describing your vision in words Image-to-image transformation : Apply style transfers and create variations from existing visuals : Apply style transfers and create variations from existing visuals Image-to-video animation : Bring static designs to life with dynamic, cinematic motion : Bring static designs to life with dynamic, cinematic motion Multiple AI model support : Choose from various advanced models to match your desired aesthetic : Choose from various advanced models to match your desired aesthetic Versatile style options: Create anything from photorealistic horror scenes to stylized cartoon spookiness The user experience is remarkably streamlined. Simply input descriptive text, such as "a Victorian vampire emerging from misty cemetery shadows," and within seconds, the platform generates publication-ready visuals. This accessibility democratizes professional content creation, enabling social media influencers, small business owners, and marketing teams to produce scroll-stopping Halloween content without expensive software or technical expertise. "Halloween represents the perfect intersection of creativity and cultural celebration," says Sarah Cen, founder of Xole AI. "We've designed our platform to empower everyone, from individual creators to brands, to participate in this visual storytelling tradition. AI shouldn't replace human imagination; it should amplify it, turning fleeting ideas into tangible visual experiences that captivate audiences." Beyond Halloween, Xole AI is preparing to launch themed template collections for Black Friday, Cyber Monday, Thanksgiving, and additional seasonal occasions, perfect for e-commerce promotions and visual marketing campaigns. Experience the Xole AI image generator today and transform your Halloween content with visuals that stop the scroll and spark engagement. About Xole AI Xole AI is a comprehensive creative platform that integrates advanced AI image and video generation with powerful editing tools in a unified, user-friendly interface. Its mission is to make cutting-edge creative AI accessible, affordable, and intuitive for creators worldwideenabling anyone to efficiently produce professional-quality visual and video content. Xole AI's AI API is powered by GPT Proto, a professional API provider dedicated to delivering the latest, most stable, and most cost-effective AI APIs to developers. This partnership ensures that Xole AI users benefit from cutting-edge technology with reliable performance and competitive pricing. Media Contact Info Katherine Lawrence Xole AI +44 7724 693132 [email protected] https://xole.ai/ SOURCE Xole AI BEIJING, Oct. 31 (Xinhua) -- As the world navigates a complex economic landscape fraught with chaos and uncertainties, many are turning their eyes on China's in-the-making 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030). The plan, which is poised to steer the world's second-largest economy toward high-quality growth, is far more than just a domestic blueprint, but will also unlock vast new opportunities for the world. FURTHER OPENING UP The recommendations document for formulating the 15th Five-Year Plan, adopted at the recent fourth plenary session of the 20th Communist Party of China Central Committee and made public this Tuesday, sends a clear message that China will deepen its opening up with concrete steps, including expanding market access, pursuing balanced development of imports and exports and fully implementing national treatment for foreign-funded firms. China's opening up commitment is clearly reflected in recent developments. The total number of items on the negative list, or restricted sectors for foreign investment, has been reduced from 40 items in the 2019 version to 29 in the 2024 version. All restrictions on foreign access to the manufacturing sector have been lifted, and additional liberalization measures have been implemented in agriculture and services. This improving business environment has encouraged multinationals to deepen their roots in China. PHINIA Inc., a global leader in fuel systems, has invested over 500 million U.S. dollars over the past decade in Yantai, Shandong province. "To invest in Shandong is to invest in the future; to put down roots in China is to embrace the trend of the times," said Simon Godwin, vice president of government affairs at PHINIA, adding that the company will expand its clean energy investments in China while maintaining its traditional strengths. Kevin Sun, co-founder and CEO of Key Group (Key Holding and Key Capital), noted a strong resonance between the new five-year plan's development strategy and the group's core business operations in China. "This presents a structural opportunity for our group," Sun said. A prime example is its Hainan-based private-equity arm, which concentrates on new energy, eco-tech and AI -- sectors that will most likely sit at the very heart of the plan's push for strategic emerging industries. Other global companies, including Apple, Goldman Sachs and Pfizer, have also reiterated their commitment to the Chinese market, underscoring confidence in the country's long-term economic prospects. The confidence established within the international business community was further bolstered by the new and exciting opening-up pledges from the Chinese government. Last Friday, Chinese Minister of Commerce Wang Wentao outlined some new initiatives for the next five years, with a focus on opening up the services sector. The measures include expanding pilot programs in value-added telecommunications, biotechnology, and wholly foreign-owned hospitals, and further opening up the education and culture sectors in an orderly manner. Wang added that China will accelerate the advancement of regional and bilateral trade and investment agreements, and expand its network of high-standard free trade zones, while pledging to "polish the brand of investing in China" and create a transparent, stable and predictable business environment. "China's high-standard opening-up, characterized by its voluntary and unilateral measures, will inject much-needed certainty into a global economy facing growing uncertainties," said Chi Fulin, head of the China Institute for Reform and Development. ALLURE OF CHINESE MARKET Beyond its open door, China's immense domestic market of over 1.4 billion people continues to be a powerful magnet for global businesses. Products once considered rare luxuries -- such as Malaysian durians, Chilean cherries, and New Zealand milk -- have become everyday purchases, reflecting the growing affluence of Chinese consumers and their desire for an improved quality of life. This expanding demand is expected be further strengthened over the next five years. As outlined in the recommendations document, China will make greater efforts to boost domestic demand and raise living standards, paving the way for foreign businesses to tap into this enormous market. Demographic momentum will also play a key role. With the middle-income group projected to exceed 800 million in the next decade, consumption potential is enormous. Raising the share of service consumption in total household spending from 46.1 percent in 2024 to 55-60 percent by 2035 could generate approximately 40 trillion yuan (about 5.6 trillion U.S. dollars) in new consumer demand, Chi said, citing preliminary estimates. "Unlike the largely saturated consumer markets in many developed economies, China's burgeoning service consumption market will become a global proving ground and application field for innovation, creating significant new value for businesses worldwide," he noted. On the industrial front, China's rapid advances in fields from AI and quantum computing to new-energy vehicles and biomedicine are creating expansive market space and cooperation prospects for global capital, technology, goods, and services. This progress is poised to not only meet domestic needs but also facilitate industrial upgrading worldwide. Kevin Sun of Key Group observed that China is in the critical sprint phase of its modernization journey and will basically realize modernization within the next decade. "This process will unleash a wave of innovation, industrial demand, and consumption potential, continuously generating the world's most attractive investment and partnership opportunities," he said. KINSHASA, Oct. 31 (Xinhua) -- A major conference on peace and stability in Africa's Great Lakes region drew to a close in Paris on Thursday, with a particular focus on the protracted crisis in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Despite high hopes, the gathering soon found itself beleaguered by the deep-rooted causes of a decades-old conflict. Mediation efforts have multiplied, yet progress remains paralyzed, with gunfire roaring and distrust sprawling among key stakeholders. ATTENDANCE LETDOWN Initially envisioned as a high-profile summit, the high-profile summit was expected to draw top political and institutional figures, including several African heads of state directly involved in the DRC crisis. "Throughout the Great Lakes region, conflict is once again spreading, infiltrating communities on both sides of the Congolese, Rwandan, Burundian and Ugandan borders," French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said in his opening speech Thursday. However, only two African leaders were present, namely DRC President Felix Tshisekedi and Faure Gnassingbe, president of Togo's Council of Ministers and also the African Union-appointed mediator for the regional crisis. Most other nations were represented by their foreign ministers or special envoys, including Rwanda, another central actor, represented by its Foreign Minister Olivier Nduhungirehe. For decades, eastern DRC has been the epicenter of recurring violence fueled by a web of local and cross-border conflicts. Kinshasa accuses Rwanda of backing the March 23 Movement (M23), a rebel group that controls large swaths of territory in eastern DRC, a charge Kigali denies. Rwanda, in turn, accuses the DRC of collaborating with the Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda, a group implicated in the 1994 genocide. Since January this year, the M23, now part of a broader politico-military coalition known as the Congo River Alliance (AFC), has captured several strategic towns, including Goma and Bukavu. In these areas, the rebels have installed parallel administrations, further undermining state authority and worsening an already dire humanitarian situation. "This is not only a Congolese crisis, it is a regional one," Togolese Foreign Minister Robert Dussey said in Paris. "It represents a collective failure of the international community to guarantee peace and human dignity, where they should be fundamental rights." BOLD WORDS IN DOUBT During the conference, French President Emmanuel Macron announced the mobilization of 1.5 billion euros (1.74 billion U.S. dollars) in international assistance to address the humanitarian emergency. He pledged to deliver food and medicine, reopen Goma airport to humanitarian flights, and establish secure aid corridors. But the bold declaration soon prompted a wave of skepticism. In North Kivu province, Goma airport remains under the control of M23 rebels, who have made the city of more than one million residents one of their main strongholds in eastern DRC. "Goma airport is in the hands of the M23 authorities ... You cannot reopen an airport from Paris," said Rwanda's Nduhungirehe at the conference. Hours later, the M23 itself responded, calling Macron's announcement "inopportune, disconnected from realities on the ground, and made without prior consultation." Facing criticism, Barrot clarified that the initiative was part of an ongoing diplomatic process. "This international conference has provided an opportunity to accelerate discussions on this issue (the reopening of Goma airport), which will continue under Qatari mediation, with renewed momentum that begins here, from Paris," the French foreign minister told journalists. The matter, according to Barrot, will be discussed within the framework of the ongoing Doha process, the active communication channel between Kinshasa and the rebels under Qatari mediation. DRC government spokesperson Patrick Muyaya said the reopening of Goma airport would occur "only with authorization from DRC authorities and exclusively for daytime humanitarian flights." During a visit by Xinhua correspondents to Goma airport in September, signs of neglect were evident. Weeds had overrun the parking area, a stark contrast to the bustle that once defined this hub of domestic and international air traffic. Despite limited cleanup work by the United Nations earlier this year, fragments of military equipment still littered the tarmac. DISTRUST STIRS TROUBLED WATER Beyond aid pledges and promises of secure corridors, the peace conference sought to reinforce ongoing mediation efforts. However, mutual trust between rival parties remains fragile. Barrot said that "humanitarian response alone is not enough." Yet both on the battlefield and in diplomatic circles, distrust continues to deepen. "The Doha talks mark the beginning of the M23's political end," DRC government spokesperson Patrick Muyaya said in a media interview on Wednesday. His comment drew a sharp rebuke from Benjamin Mbonimpa, one of the M23's chief negotiators with the DRC government in Doha: "Even the Qataris, known for managing difficult mediations, are astonished by the behavior of the Congolese delegation. It is simply surreal." Fresh fighting erupted Thursday in North Kivu's Masisi territory, where M23 rebels reportedly regained control of the strategic town of Ndete. Security sources cited by local media said several people were killed, and the situation remains volatile. Control of Ndete could allow the rebels to push deeper into the province. Diplomatic tensions escalated further as in Paris, Rwanda's foreign minister accused Kinshasa of "daily ceasefire violations" through airstrikes and drone attacks on M23 positions. In response, Tshisekedi insisted that the crisis stems from "M23's military actions, backed logistically, financially and operationally" by Rwanda. "Any lasting peace must begin with the end of the occupation of DRC territory," said the DRC president. On the humanitarian front, the situation remains dire. According to the United Nations, more than 2.4 million people have been displaced since January 2025, bringing the total number of internally displaced persons to nearly six million. Around one million Congolese have fled to neighboring countries, while 27 million people now face food insecurity. If you were looking for the Charlestown Democratic Town Committee website and ended up here, try this Got news tips, gossip, suggestions, complaints?E-mail us: progressivecharlestown@gmail.com We strive to avoid errors in our articles. Our correction policy can be found here Cui Xinyun (2nd R) distributes publicity materials on medical insurance and anti-fraud at the Tian'etang Community in Changsha, central China's Hunan Province, Oct. 31, 2023. (Xinhua) CHANGSHA, Oct. 31 (Xinhua) -- As China's 1960s generation enters old age, a societal shift is underway, with positive attitudes toward aging becoming established and fueling an increasing number of seniors seeking fulfilling and diverse lives through community engagement. With hair dyed red and a tendency to speak quickly, Cui Xinyun, 71, appears young and energetic. When Cui started talking about her volunteer work, her eyes lit up. "Our community is like a big family. While helping others, I receive warmth and kindness too," she said. Living in the Tian'etang Community, a neighborhood of Changsha, capital city of central China's Hunan Province, this senior is a member of the local volunteer group. Over the past decade, Cui has offered various types of assistance in her neighborhood, including mediating conflicts and patrolling, winning great trust and respect in the process. "Many residents know me, and some even told me the password for their home, and asked me to take care of it while they were away," she said. As one of the world's most populous countries, China is facing a dual demographic challenge -- a shrinking number of newborns and a rapidly aging population. By the end of 2024, the number of elderly people aged 60 and above in China had exceeded 310 million, accounting for 22 percent of its total population. This number is expected to grow, as the average life expectancy of Chinese people improves. Last week, Lei Haichao, head of the National Health Commission, noted that China aims to raise the average life expectancy of its people from 79 years in 2024 to around 80 years -- through efforts in the five-year period from 2026 to 2030. In response, the country is working to fully tap into the potential of its elderly. This April, China's Ministry of Civil Affairs (MCF) released a document focused on supporting the elderly's social engagement, which stressed the importance of promoting the regular and long-term development of senior volunteer services. According to this document, a supportive policy and legal environment for elderly social participation will be established by 2029 -- with outdated regulations removed and seniors' engagement capacity enhanced. By 2035, the system for elderly social participation will be more robust, offering diverse job opportunities for seniors. Active aging will become a societal consensus -- ensuring the elderly are fully developed and utilized from a human resources perspective, the document said. It added that efforts will be made to continuously support community-focused volunteer services, such as neighborhood assistance, dispute resolution, and the promotion of legal knowledge and positive community norms, to enhance social governance in China. In the Tian'etang Community in Changsha, there are more than 1,300 elderly volunteers like Cui -- accounting for 30 percent of total volunteers in the community, and making an essential contribution to the community's self-governance. "Our neighborhood elections rely heavily on senior residents. They are the ones carrying ballot boxes and conducting door-to-door outreach throughout the day," said Lei Yao, Party secretary of the community. Currently, China has over 53 million registered senior volunteers. They are from all walks of life, and serve society by leveraging their expertise. Chen Zhuo, another senior volunteer in the Tian'etang Community, worked in the construction industry before retirement. The 68-year-old is always ready to lend a helping hand with activities like clearing clogged drains, changing water pipes and inspecting the fire safety of buildings. A few years ago, a serious illness left Chen dispirited. At his wife's persuasion, he began volunteering in the community. Thanks to his people skills, Chen was made volunteer captain of his apartment complex. Notably, his team grew from 20 to more than 100 members in just two months. This not only gave him a sense of belonging but also rekindled his desire for life. This autumn, Chen enrolled in the community's elderly singing training course -- and became the class monitor. "It makes me feel great to be able to do something," Chen said proudly. Chen Zhuo cleans a public sign at the Tian'etang Community in Changsha, central China's Hunan Province, Oct. 28, 2025. (Xinhua) GUANGZHOU, Oct. 31 (Xinhua) -- The Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area has produced about one-sixth of China's invention patents and trademarks, according to data the country's top intellectual property (IP) regulator released on Friday. As of June, the Greater Bay Area had 817,000 valid invention patents and more than 8.52 million valid registered trademarks that have been authorized by the China National Intellectual Property Administration (CNIPA), with each figure accounting for approximately one-sixth of the national total. In the first half of this year, the CNIPA received 13,500 Patent Cooperation Treaty (PCT) international patent applications from innovation entities in the Greater Bay Area, an increase of over 30 percent year on year, CNIPA spokesperson Heng Fuguang said at a press conference in Guangzhou. The region's innovation strength and vitality have also gained global recognition. For the first time, the Shenzhen-Hong Kong-Guangzhou innovation cluster surged to the top spot on this year's Global Innovation Index innovation cluster ranking released by the World Intellectual Property Organization, and the Macao-Zhuhai cluster has secured a top-100 position for two consecutive years. Heng said the CNIPA has implemented a series of measures to support the region's high-quality development, including those related to talent cultivation, strengthened policy guidance, the enhancement of public services systems, and the establishment of IP protection centers for industries such as high-end equipment manufacturing, new energy and new-generation information technology. ADDIS ABABA, Oct. 31 (Xinhua) -- The 11th edition of Africa Sourcing and Fashion Week (ASFW), a renowned annual garment, apparel and textile fashion show, kicked off on Thursday in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia. Running from Thursday to Sunday, the event, the largest of its kind in Africa, showcases the capacity of Africa in the industry, highlighting its role as a hub for creativity, design and global sourcing options. It brought together 210 exhibitors from Africa and different parts of the world. Speaking at the event, Skander Negasi, founder of the ASFW, said the exhibition not only displays fabrics, boots, handbags and dresses, but serves as a platform to show how Africa's textile, leather and fashion industry could be an engine of sustainable growth and employment opportunities. "Today, the textile and leather industry in Africa is entering a new era, one defined by modernization, sustainability and global competitiveness," said Negasi, noting that textiles are not only clothes of African people, but also tell their histories, identities and cultures. Kebour Ghenna, executive director of the Pan African Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said a major African textile revolution is still to come, considering the continent's 1.4 billion population, rising middle class, urbanization and growing youthful population. "Africa has a population of 1.4 billion people, and over 60 percent are under the age of 25. This is not just a market; it is the world's next great consumer base and most dynamic workforce," Ghenna said. The ASFW is a testament to the dynamism and resilience of Ethiopia's textile and garment sector and the growing importance of Africa as a sourcing destination for the global fashion industry, according to Nicholas Mudungwe, executive director at Africa Leather and Leather Products Institute. "African countries are taking bold steps to improve the garment and textile business environment through cutting red tape, streamlining logistics and supporting better working conditions in factories to increase exports and create more jobs," Mudungwe said. According to the ASFW, Africa's textile and apparel market is growing at five percent annually, contributing around 1.2 percent to the continent's gross domestic product. CAPE TOWN, Oct. 31 (Xinhua) -- The South African government has confirmed that the country has taken up interim leadership of the Southern African Development Community (SADC) following political unrest in Madagascar. In a statement issued on Thursday, the government announced that, at a meeting held in Cape Town this week, it "has approved the request from the Executive Secretary of SADC, Mr. Elias Mpedi, for South Africa to assume interim leadership of SADC due to the recent political developments in Madagascar." "This includes hosting all SADC meetings scheduled from November 2025 and South Africa is expected to assume interim responsibilities until the Summit makes a formal determination," said the statement. It said that the decision is consistent with the SADC Treaty. "This request is in line with Articles 9A(2)(b) and 10(4) of the SADC Treaty which states that when a sitting Chair is unable to fulfill its duties, the incoming Chairperson should resume interim responsibilities until the Summit decides," it said. The move follows weeks of political unrest in Madagascar, where the current SADC Chairperson, former President Andry Rajoelina, was ousted during a military takeover earlier this month. To manage the transition, "an Inter-Ministerial Committee will be established to guide, coordinate, and monitor preparations and execution of South Africa's interim SADC Chairship responsibilities," the statement added. A drone photo taken on March 19, 2025 shows tourists riding camels in the Qikou ancient town of Linxian County, north China's Shanxi Province. Qikou, an ancient town along the Yellow River, was an important trade ferry in history, where merchants unloaded goods such as fur, wool and herbs from boats coming upriver and switched to land transportation to further deliver them to cites like Taiyuan, Beijing, and Tianjin. Such a geographical advantage made Qikou an important port until the 1970s. However, Qikou's glory gradually faded in the following decades as land transportation network improved along the Yellow River area. In recent years, local government has been making efforts to renovate and protect the historical buildings and ancient residences here, promoting the integrated development of culture and tourism. (Xinhua/Zhan Yan) An aerial drone photo taken on Oct. 29, 2025 shows a view of the Qikou ancient town in Linxian County, north China's Shanxi Province. Qikou, an ancient town along the Yellow River, was an important trade ferry in history, where merchants unloaded goods such as fur, wool and herbs from boats coming upriver and switched to land transportation to further deliver them to cites like Taiyuan, Beijing, and Tianjin. Such a geographical advantage made Qikou an important port until the 1970s. However, Qikou's glory gradually faded in the following decades as land transportation network improved along the Yellow River area. In recent years, local government has been making efforts to renovate and protect the historical buildings and ancient residences here, promoting the integrated development of culture and tourism. (Xinhua/Zhan Yan) An aerial drone photo taken on Oct. 29, 2025 shows a view of the Qikou ancient town in Linxian County, north China's Shanxi Province. Qikou, an ancient town along the Yellow River, was an important trade ferry in history, where merchants unloaded goods such as fur, wool and herbs from boats coming upriver and switched to land transportation to further deliver them to cites like Taiyuan, Beijing, and Tianjin. Such a geographical advantage made Qikou an important port until the 1970s. However, Qikou's glory gradually faded in the following decades as land transportation network improved along the Yellow River area. In recent years, local government has been making efforts to renovate and protect the historical buildings and ancient residences here, promoting the integrated development of culture and tourism. (Xinhua/Zhan Yan) A villager makes local snack in the Qikou ancient town of Linxian County, north China's Shanxi Province on Oct. 30, 2025. Qikou, an ancient town along the Yellow River, was an important trade ferry in history, where merchants unloaded goods such as fur, wool and herbs from boats coming upriver and switched to land transportation to further deliver them to cites like Taiyuan, Beijing, and Tianjin. Such a geographical advantage made Qikou an important port until the 1970s. However, Qikou's glory gradually faded in the following decades as land transportation network improved along the Yellow River area. In recent years, local government has been making efforts to renovate and protect the historical buildings and ancient residences here, promoting the integrated development of culture and tourism. (Photo by Liu Liangliang/Xinhua) Villagers make local snack in the Qikou ancient town of Linxian County, north China's Shanxi Province on Oct. 30, 2025. Qikou, an ancient town along the Yellow River, was an important trade ferry in history, where merchants unloaded goods such as fur, wool and herbs from boats coming upriver and switched to land transportation to further deliver them to cites like Taiyuan, Beijing, and Tianjin. Such a geographical advantage made Qikou an important port until the 1970s. However, Qikou's glory gradually faded in the following decades as land transportation network improved along the Yellow River area. In recent years, local government has been making efforts to renovate and protect the historical buildings and ancient residences here, promoting the integrated development of culture and tourism. (Photo by Liu Liangliang/Xinhua) A shop owner (R) introduces homemade willow weaving products to a customer in the Qikou ancient town of Linxian County, north China's Shanxi Province on Oct. 30, 2025. Qikou, an ancient town along the Yellow River, was an important trade ferry in history, where merchants unloaded goods such as fur, wool and herbs from boats coming upriver and switched to land transportation to further deliver them to cites like Taiyuan, Beijing, and Tianjin. Such a geographical advantage made Qikou an important port until the 1970s. However, Qikou's glory gradually faded in the following decades as land transportation network improved along the Yellow River area. In recent years, local government has been making efforts to renovate and protect the historical buildings and ancient residences here, promoting the integrated development of culture and tourism. (Photo by Liu Liangliang/Xinhua) A villager makes a cloth toy in the Qikou ancient town of Linxian County, north China's Shanxi Province on Oct. 30, 2025. Qikou, an ancient town along the Yellow River, was an important trade ferry in history, where merchants unloaded goods such as fur, wool and herbs from boats coming upriver and switched to land transportation to further deliver them to cites like Taiyuan, Beijing, and Tianjin. Such a geographical advantage made Qikou an important port until the 1970s. However, Qikou's glory gradually faded in the following decades as land transportation network improved along the Yellow River area. In recent years, local government has been making efforts to renovate and protect the historical buildings and ancient residences here, promoting the integrated development of culture and tourism. (Photo by Liu Liangliang/Xinhua) An aerial drone photo taken on March 19, 2025 shows a view of the Qikou ancient town in Linxian County, north China's Shanxi Province. Qikou, an ancient town along the Yellow River, was an important trade ferry in history, where merchants unloaded goods such as fur, wool and herbs from boats coming upriver and switched to land transportation to further deliver them to cites like Taiyuan, Beijing, and Tianjin. Such a geographical advantage made Qikou an important port until the 1970s. However, Qikou's glory gradually faded in the following decades as land transportation network improved along the Yellow River area. In recent years, local government has been making efforts to renovate and protect the historical buildings and ancient residences here, promoting the integrated development of culture and tourism. (Xinhua/Zhan Yan) An aerial drone photo taken on Oct. 29, 2025 shows a view of the Qikou ancient town in Linxian County, north China's Shanxi Province. Qikou, an ancient town along the Yellow River, was an important trade ferry in history, where merchants unloaded goods such as fur, wool and herbs from boats coming upriver and switched to land transportation to further deliver them to cites like Taiyuan, Beijing, and Tianjin. Such a geographical advantage made Qikou an important port until the 1970s. However, Qikou's glory gradually faded in the following decades as land transportation network improved along the Yellow River area. In recent years, local government has been making efforts to renovate and protect the historical buildings and ancient residences here, promoting the integrated development of culture and tourism. (Xinhua/Zhan Yan) An aerial drone photo taken on Oct. 29, 2025 shows tourists visiting the Qikou ancient town of Linxian County, north China's Shanxi Province. Qikou, an ancient town along the Yellow River, was an important trade ferry in history, where merchants unloaded goods such as fur, wool and herbs from boats coming upriver and switched to land transportation to further deliver them to cites like Taiyuan, Beijing, and Tianjin. Such a geographical advantage made Qikou an important port until the 1970s. However, Qikou's glory gradually faded in the following decades as land transportation network improved along the Yellow River area. In recent years, local government has been making efforts to renovate and protect the historical buildings and ancient residences here, promoting the integrated development of culture and tourism. (Xinhua/Zhan Yan) A tourist rides a camel in the Qikou ancient town of Linxian County, north China's Shanxi Province on Oct. 30, 2025. Qikou, an ancient town along the Yellow River, was an important trade ferry in history, where merchants unloaded goods such as fur, wool and herbs from boats coming upriver and switched to land transportation to further deliver them to cites like Taiyuan, Beijing, and Tianjin. Such a geographical advantage made Qikou an important port until the 1970s. However, Qikou's glory gradually faded in the following decades as land transportation network improved along the Yellow River area. In recent years, local government has been making efforts to renovate and protect the historical buildings and ancient residences here, promoting the integrated development of culture and tourism. (Photo by Liu Liangliang/Xinhua) Tourists dance in the Qikou ancient town of Linxian County, north China's Shanxi Province on Oct. 30, 2025. Qikou, an ancient town along the Yellow River, was an important trade ferry in history, where merchants unloaded goods such as fur, wool and herbs from boats coming upriver and switched to land transportation to further deliver them to cites like Taiyuan, Beijing, and Tianjin. Such a geographical advantage made Qikou an important port until the 1970s. However, Qikou's glory gradually faded in the following decades as land transportation network improved along the Yellow River area. In recent years, local government has been making efforts to renovate and protect the historical buildings and ancient residences here, promoting the integrated development of culture and tourism. (Photo by Liu Liangliang/Xinhua) A villager makes a cloth toy in the Qikou ancient town of Linxian County, north China's Shanxi Province on Oct. 30, 2025. Qikou, an ancient town along the Yellow River, was an important trade ferry in history, where merchants unloaded goods such as fur, wool and herbs from boats coming upriver and switched to land transportation to further deliver them to cites like Taiyuan, Beijing, and Tianjin. Such a geographical advantage made Qikou an important port until the 1970s. However, Qikou's glory gradually faded in the following decades as land transportation network improved along the Yellow River area. In recent years, local government has been making efforts to renovate and protect the historical buildings and ancient residences here, promoting the integrated development of culture and tourism. (Photo by Liu Liangliang/Xinhua) People walk in the Qikou ancient town of Linxian County, north China's Shanxi Province, Oct. 30, 2025. Qikou, an ancient town along the Yellow River, was an important trade ferry in history, where merchants unloaded goods such as fur, wool and herbs from boats coming upriver and switched to land transportation to further deliver them to cites like Taiyuan, Beijing, and Tianjin. Such a geographical advantage made Qikou an important port until the 1970s. However, Qikou's glory gradually faded in the following decades as land transportation network improved along the Yellow River area. In recent years, local government has been making efforts to renovate and protect the historical buildings and ancient residences here, promoting the integrated development of culture and tourism. (Photo by Liu Liangliang/Xinhua) People walk in the Qikou ancient town of Linxian County, north China's Shanxi Province on Oct. 30, 2025. Qikou, an ancient town along the Yellow River, was an important trade ferry in history, where merchants unloaded goods such as fur, wool and herbs from boats coming upriver and switched to land transportation to further deliver them to cites like Taiyuan, Beijing, and Tianjin. Such a geographical advantage made Qikou an important port until the 1970s. However, Qikou's glory gradually faded in the following decades as land transportation network improved along the Yellow River area. In recent years, local government has been making efforts to renovate and protect the historical buildings and ancient residences here, promoting the integrated development of culture and tourism. (Photo by Liu Liangliang/Xinhua) An aerial drone photo taken on Oct. 29, 2025 shows a view of the Qikou ancient town in Linxian County, north China's Shanxi Province. Qikou, an ancient town along the Yellow River, was an important trade ferry in history, where merchants unloaded goods such as fur, wool and herbs from boats coming upriver and switched to land transportation to further deliver them to cites like Taiyuan, Beijing, and Tianjin. Such a geographical advantage made Qikou an important port until the 1970s. However, Qikou's glory gradually faded in the following decades as land transportation network improved along the Yellow River area. In recent years, local government has been making efforts to renovate and protect the historical buildings and ancient residences here, promoting the integrated development of culture and tourism. (Xinhua/Zhan Yan) An aerial drone photo taken on Oct. 29, 2025 shows a night view of the Qikou ancient town in Linxian County, north China's Shanxi Province. Qikou, an ancient town along the Yellow River, was an important trade ferry in history, where merchants unloaded goods such as fur, wool and herbs from boats coming upriver and switched to land transportation to further deliver them to cites like Taiyuan, Beijing, and Tianjin. Such a geographical advantage made Qikou an important port until the 1970s. However, Qikou's glory gradually faded in the following decades as land transportation network improved along the Yellow River area. In recent years, local government has been making efforts to renovate and protect the historical buildings and ancient residences here, promoting the integrated development of culture and tourism. (Xinhua/Zhan Yan) BEIJING, Oct. 31 (Xinhua) -- China urges the United States to heed the call of the international community, immediately lift its blockade and sanctions against Cuba, and remove Cuba from its "state sponsors of terrorism" list, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said on Friday. The UN General Assembly (UNGA) on Wednesday adopted a draft resolution urging the United States to end its economic, commercial and financial embargo against Cuba. The draft resolution was passed by a vote of 165 in favor and seven against, with 12 abstentions. The United States was among the seven countries to vote against the motion. For over six decades, the United States has been implementing a brutal blockade and illegal sanctions against Cuba, which seriously violate basic international norms, including the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, Guo said at a regular news briefing. The blockade and sanctions have severely infringed on Cuba's right to subsistence and development, and wreaked havoc on the Cuban people, he said. The passage of the draft resolution once again demonstrates the international community's sweeping support of the Cuban people in safeguarding their national sovereignty and opposing foreign interference and the blockade, and proves that unilateralism and bullying win little support, Guo said. At the UNGA, China has voted in favor of resolutions condemning the United States' anti-Cuba actions for 33 consecutive years. China will continue supporting the Cuban people to oppose external interference and the blockade and to follow a development path suited to their national conditions, the spokesperson said. Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul on the sidelines of the 32nd Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders' Meeting in Gyeongju, South Korea, Oct. 31, 2025. (Xinhua/Yao Dawei) GYEONGJU, South Korea, Oct. 31 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping said Friday that China is ready to strengthen the synergy of development strategies with Thailand and share its development experience in the new era. While meeting with Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul on the sidelines of the 32nd APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting, Xi expressed deep condolences over the passing of Thailand's Queen Mother Sirikit and conveyed sincere sympathies to King Maha Vajiralongkorn Phra Vajiraklaochaoyuhua. Xi said that China and Thailand are good neighbors, good friends, good relatives and good partners, with frequent exchanges and a bond as close as family. Xi said that during his visit to Thailand in November 2022, China-Thailand relations entered a new stage of building a community with a shared future, with a stronger foundation of friendship and greater momentum for cooperation. This year marks the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between China and Thailand, as well as the golden 50 years of China-Thailand friendship, Xi said. Standing at this new starting point, the two sides should build on past achievements, work together to deepen and solidify the building of a China-Thailand community with a shared future, support each other's modernization drive, and make greater contributions to regional peace, stability, development and prosperity, he said. Xi said that not long ago, the successful fourth plenary session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) reviewed and adopted the Recommendations for Formulating the 15th Five-Year Plan. He urged the two sides to accelerate the development of the China-Thailand railway, enhance cooperation in agricultural product trade, green economy, digital innovation and other areas, and ensure that the peoples of both countries reap more tangible benefits. The two countries should deepen people-to-people exchanges in tourism, youth, and local cooperation, host celebrations for the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations, and promote mutual understanding and friendship between the two peoples, Xi said. He also called on the two sides to intensify efforts to combat cross-border crimes such as online gambling and telecom fraud, creating a secure environment for bilateral exchanges and cooperation. In the face of an international situation marked by change and instability, China is ready to work with Thailand to promote the implementation of the Global Governance Initiative, uphold international fairness and justice, and safeguard the common interests of the Global South, Xi added. Anutin said that Xi's expression of condolence over the passing of Thailand's Queen Mother Sirikit holds great significance for the Thai people, and that Thailand is deeply grateful for this. Noting the successful convening of the fourth plenary session of the 20th Central Committee of the CPC and the adoption of the Recommendations for Formulating the 15th Five-Year Plan, Anutin said China's development achievements are impressive. Anutin said that this year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Thailand and China, marking an important milestone in the development of bilateral relations. Thailand is ready to take this opportunity to strengthen high-level exchanges with China and enhance cooperation in trade and investment, science and technology, connectivity, tourism and other areas, elevating Thailand-China relations to a new height, said the prime minister, adding that Thailand will continue to take strict action against online gambling and telecom fraud activities. Anutin noted that the four global initiatives proposed by Xi demonstrate China's role as a responsible major country in international affairs, to which Thailand expresses high appreciation and active support. Thailand is ready to enhance multilateral cooperation with China and jointly advance regional peace, stability and prosperity, he said. Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul on the sidelines of the 32nd Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders' Meeting in Gyeongju, South Korea, Oct. 31, 2025. (Xinhua/Ding Lin) MOSCOW, Oct. 31 (Xinhua) -- When the first music notes filled the concert hall, the unique fusion of melodies drawn from China's Beijing opera and Russian strings and piano swept the audience into a seamless cultural dialogue. At a recent concert in Moscow, young Chinese composer Wang Chenxu premiered seven new works for Chinese and Russian audiences. The pieces explored themes ranging from Beijing youth to the ancient Silk Road, each infused with musical elements from both nations. "Young musicians like us are not just cultural messengers, but pioneers shaping a common artistic memory," said Wang, a graduate of Russia's prestigious Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory. With 2024 and 2025 designated as the China-Russia Years of Culture, musical exchanges like this concert have become increasingly frequent. From classrooms to concert halls, exchanges between musicians and conservatories from both sides are deepening. "Chinese and Russian musics flow into each other like two great rivers, nurturing new beauty as they meet," said Wu Zhiwu, deputy dean of China Conservatory of Music. Wu recently led a delegation from his school to sign an agreement with the Gnessin Russian Academy of Music, one of Russia's most prestigious art institutions, to advance new cooperation projects, promoting the co-publication of teaching materials and student exchange programs. In the first quarter, the two sides established joint academic centers to push resource sharing, talent cultivation, and collaborative research in music and culture. As the 2026-2027 China-Russia Years of Education approach, leading conservatories of both nations are expanding cooperation in training young musicians. At the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory, Chinese students have become the largest group of foreign students. "Learning how to make Eastern and Western musical instruments truly converse is at the core of what we do," said Bai Bofan, a Chinese student of classical piano, adding that the expanding exchanges offer a real opportunity for the young people from both nations to foster unity and understanding. "Music is more than a bridge. It is a tower of understanding," said Wang, the Chinese composer. "It's not only where cultures meet, but where they create together." Igor Dronov, an honored artist of Russia and conductor of the orchestra at Wang's concert, said that the blending of Eastern and Western musical traditions symbolizes shared creativity and brings people closer together. "We aim to make Chinese and Russian works part of the everyday musical life of both peoples," said Peng Cheng, head of the center for China-Russia musical exchange at the Shanghai Conservatory of Music. "Through co-sponsored concerts and collaborations, we hope to achieve meaningful and lasting musical dialogue." KABUL, Oct. 31 (Xinhua) -- Police discovered 66 kg of opium poppy and took into custody an individual on charge of involvement in the black business in northern Afghanistan's Takhar province on Thursday, provincial police spokesman Nizamudin Omir said Friday. The alleged drug smuggler, according to the official, hid the contraband in the cavities of a car and wanted to take it out of the province. Police later found the illegal object during routine checking and arrested its owner. Dav Pilkeys Dog Man has had a super busy 2025and it aint over yet. The year kicked off with the January illumination of the Empire State Building in the canine superheros signature colors to celebrate the worldwide release of the Dog Man feature film. That same month, Pilkey and his costumed Dog Man sidekick embarked on an international tour, Join the Hero Party: Celebrating Heroes Around the World!, inspired by his series theme that ordinary people can do extraordinarily good deeds. Now, the author is gearing up for his Power Up with Reading tour, to mark Graphixs November 11 global publication of Dog Man: Big Jim Believes, the 14th adventure in this series that has more than 70 million books in print worldwide, making it one of the bestselling graphic novel series of all time. Ken Geist, Scholastic VP and publisher, Pilkey Publishing, told PW that the new book exemplifies the authors ingenious storytelling and imaginative illustrations that have kept multiple generations of kids from around the world coming back for more. In Big Jim Believes, Dav brilliantly brings together a narrative that is both humorous and powerful, illuminating the importance of truth, virtue, and belief in oneself. Another upcoming highlight for Dog Man is his role as the official anchor of this years Childrens Book Week, celebrated November 39. As part of the weeks celebration, Dog Man and Friends Power Up with Reading celebrations will take place in schools, libraries, and independent bookstores in all 50 states, Puerto Rico, and Canada. Emphasizing the importance of doing good, one of the recurring themes in the Dog Man books, this initiative will reach nearly 7,000 schools and libraries and will include the distribution of thousands of books to young readers. And, to cap off their eventful 2025, on December 9, Pilkey and Dog Man will be the guests of honor at a free, one-night-only Dav Pilkeys Dog Man event at the Morris Performing Arts Center in South Bend, Ind. Attendees are invited to dress up as Dog Man, and Scholastic will endeavor to break the Guinness world record for the largest gathering of people dressed as a comic book or graphic novel character (currently held by Salt Lake Comic Con, which boasted 1,784 participants in 2015). Whats Ahead Running from November 14 through December 7, Pilkeys sold-out Power Up with Reading tour includes stops in seven U.S. cities, plus Hamilton, Ontario. As part of this tour Pilkey, whose personal mission is to bring books into the hands of kids everywhere, will also visit students in underfunded schools. One bookseller who will have a chance to host the Dog man costume character on its tour is John Shableski, manager of the Otto Bookstore in Williamsport, Pa., who has organized a Dog Man sidewalk parade that will stop at City Hall, where the mayor will proclaim the day Dog Man Day and present the costumed canine celebrity with a key to the city. Our Dog Man Day event brings together our city leadership, our theater organization, and readers, Shableski said. This Dog Man celebration comes at a moment when we are truly gaining traction with the younger readers in our community. With Dav Pilkey leading the pack, there is a wonderful avalanche of books that are bringing these younger readers into the store. Kids now make up 20% of our customers and they are looking for Dog Man, Cat Kid and other comics like them. Additionally, throughout the month of November, Global Dog Man Day events featuring activities and giveaways are planned at thousands of bookstores, schools, and libraries across North America, the U.K., and Ireland, as well as in Australia and New Zealand. In November and December, Scholastic will provide booksellers and librarians in the U.S. hosting an event featuring the Dog Man costumed character with a Global Dog Man Day: I Am a Reading Superhero commemorative stamp to use on Dog Man books of customers attending these events. Fans of all ages are encouraged to dress up as Dog Man and take part in Scholastics attempt to set a Guinness World Record on December 9. Reservations are required and can be made online, where additional information is available. Those attending the event will also be treated to a live performance of Dog Man: The Musical from TWTheatricals, receive a signed copy of Big Jim Believes, visit activity stations, and have a chance to have their photo taken with Pilkeyand Dog Man. Pilkey, who regularly gives credit to those who share his passion for connecting children and books, described his enthusiasm for the upcoming Dog Man celebrations. Im humbled and honored that I get to play a part in getting kids excited about books, he said in a statement. Im looking forward to meeting and celebrating together the heroes behind the scenes who change many peoples lives through the power of reading. Dog Man: Big Jim Believes by Dav Pilkey. Graphix, $15.99 Nov. 11 ISBN 978-1-546-17618-3 This is how I met John F. Baker. In 1986, Id arrived in New York, having spent most of a year in a Chinese publishing house, and before that, working as an editor of educational books in London. A bumper crop of job rejections told me I knew nothing about U.S. trade publishing, and was too old to be an assistant. While in China, Id published a handful of letters from Beijing at the behest of the Bookseller, but never thought of myself as a writer; each time I faced my typewriter, I turned to jelly. However, my job prospects nil, I sent copies of the letters to the editor-in-chief of PW, suggesting I do something on Chinese publishing. Four weeks passed, no reply. When I finally dialed PW and asked to speak to the editor-in-chief, I was jelly once again. A man with a British accent got on the line. I started to explain who I was, and he stopped me: I know who you are. I ran a report by a China consultant not long ago, and dont need another. But I liked your pieces. I think you can write about other things. Lets have lunch. Tall, middle-aged, tweed-hatted, and oh-so-chipper, John F. Baker had sought the kind of freedom that New York is good at providing for a certain kind of British intellectual not born to the upper class. He met me in a midtown restaurant, and was witty and warm. I knew nothing about feature writing. He reckoned I could learn. I did: by sitting in the PW library, reading back issues full of features hed written. It was a course in publishing history, and in style and clarity. He gave me a chance: I wrote one feature, then another. It led to a job and changed my life. Baker was an internationalist: PW had to cover the globe. He himself greatly enjoyed taking trips to fairs like Guadalajara and further afield; he sent me back to China a few times; and kept Herb Lottman, the Paris-based international correspondent, busy (although agreeing about page budgets was a different matter). He was also a bibliophile, like everyone who found a home at PW, and in many ways an extreme version, walking around 42nd St. and then Chelsea like a Dickens character, lost in a book in the days before cellphones made that kind of distraction ubiquitous. An ex-newspaper and wire service man, the one real journalist among us, there was much all of us could and did learn from him, by example. He and his number two, the wonderful Daisy Maryles, created a PW team, letting people be themselves. Working for them was the best job I ever had. Times changed. I left the staff. Things changed for Baker, but he stayed on. It wasnt always easy, but he churned out the articles. Even after he retired from PW, he helped his wife with her literary agency, before his health declined. In January, I am publishing a biography of Random Houses founder, and am so very sorry John will not be around to see it in print. In doing the research, I came across some of his articles again. They held up very well, exemplars still. I cite them in my endnotes. Without his mentorship and the gamble he took on me, that book would never have been written. Gayle Feldman is a PW contributor and the author of the forthcoming Nothing Random: Bennett Cerf and the Publishing House He Built, which will be published by Random House on January 13. Former PW editorial director John F. Baker died October 23 at age 93. Helen Rouner Editor Penguin Press Penguin Press editor Helen Rouner is the archetypal publishing professional. She is dedicated, enthusiastic, and excels at her work, which is why shes Publishers Weeklys 2025 Star Watch Superstar. It still, sometimes, seems incredible to me, that being an editor is a job, she says. Theres such a lively community, however imperiled we are. As long as people are reading, as long as there is an industry, I want to be here. Rouner, who has lived most of her life in Brooklyn, is a 2019 Yale University graduate with a BA in English literature, who went on to earn a master of philosophy from Cambridge University in English Romantic poetry. While still in college, Rouner interned for Bellevue Literary Press; afterward, she interned for FSG before moving to Penguin Press in 2021. In his letter nominating Rouner for Star Watch, Scott Moyers, president and publisher of Penguin Press, wrote, She is the very definition of a rising star, noting that she has been promoted three times in less than four years, moving from editorial assistant to editor, a meteoric ascent as editorial timelines go. He also praised her for having already acquired an impressive core list of books and for being a formidably impressive advocate for her authors work in the world. Describing herself as a reader before anything else, Rouner says shes always wanted to make things happen, adding that it was almost inevitable that she would end up in the culture business rather than academia. Working in publishing, she says, requires a combination of deep reading and learning and thinking and caring about people and having a head for the business; thats ultimately the only way that we keep institutional literature alive. Rouner marvels at what she calls her extraordinary good fortune in being trained by Moyers, who has one of the great lists in publishing. Among the books Rouner worked on with Moyers are The Creative Act: A Way of Being by Rick Rubin (2023), The Maniac by Benjamin Labatut (2023), and Al Pacinos memoir, Sonny Boy (2024). It was almost immediate that I was in the deep end of the pool, she says, noting that her primary interest is nonfiction but that she also acquires fiction. I started acquiring my own books less than two years into the job. It was obvious long before Rouners promotion to editor in March, Moyers said in his nomination, that she has all the tools to be a great acquisitions editor, including not just great taste but the capacity to communicate her enthusiasm so that its infectious. He also praised her razor-sharp editorial acumen and good bedside manner, noting that authors feel very secure in her hands through even the most thorough revision processes. Two of Rouners acquisitions were published this year to critical acclaim: Michael Clunes debut novel, Pan, which in a starred review PW described as evocative and erudite and a staggering coming-of-age saga, and Lauren Christensens memoir Firstborn, which in another starred review PW called a stunning achievement. Rouners next release will be historian Christopher Clarks study of a 19th-century Prussian sex cult, A Scandal in Konigsberg (Mar. 2026). Shes also in the early stages of editing a book by Spencer Ackerman with the working title The Torture and Deliverance of Majid Khan. Its an extraordinary work of investigative journalism, she says, Spencer is reporting in a way that I think few journalists have the means or ability to in the environment that were in. Rouner says that while her acquisitions may seem wildly disparate, they have two things in common: they are thoroughly researched and deeply felt. Theres a certain kind of electricity that some manuscripts have, and its different for each one, Rouner says. Its the editors job to detect it, and to figure out how to nurture and preserve and sustain that feeling over the course of a whole manuscript. Theres something quite alchemical about a great book, I think. Jen Sookfong Lee. Erewhon, $28 (304p) ISBN 978-1-64566-280-8 This lush and eerie exploration of intergenerational trauma from Lee (Superfan) finds Chinese Canadian Alice Chow attempting to juggle running a business out of her home, having primary custody of her two kids, and developing a relationship with a handsome bartender, all while increasingly drinking too much from the stress. So when she starts waking up to find her home cleaned, her products packed for shipping, and food already waiting for her children, it feels like a miracle, though her theory that she herself is doing all this work while drunk or sleeping and then forgetting about it is thin, even in her own mind. She also cant remember conversations that her boyfriend swears they had; her daughters night terrors worsen; and her ex-nanny sees Alice transform into something monstrous. Whoeveror whateverhas been helping Alice has its own agenda, and its not satisfied living only half her life. Lee effortlessly shifts between dual timelines, twining the little agonies of modern-day motherhood with flashbacks to the struggles of Alices ancestors. After the subtle creeping dread built through the bulk of the novel, an abrupt late-narrative shift into more traditional supernatural action feels jarring. Still, Lees exploration of the loveand miseryof family is nuanced and emotional. Its a haunting excursion. (Sept.) TEHRAN, Oct. 31 (Xinhua) -- Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi said that Iran is prepared to participate in constructive negotiations that are fair and respectful, Iranian media reported Thursday. Speaking at a meeting with local officials in the northwestern province of East Azarbaijan on Thursday, Araghchi said Iran has "never had any problem with negotiation," but genuine dialogue must be conducted on an equal footing. "Negotiation is different from dictation, ordering or bullying," he said. "Whenever the parties to the talks are ready to negotiate on an equal footing, aiming to reach an agreement based on mutual respect and free from threats and intimidation, the Islamic Republic of Iran is ready too." Araghchi arrived in East Azarbaijan on Wednesday to attend a national seminar on Iran's diplomacy and territorial integrity. In July 2015, Iran signed the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) with Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia, and the United States, agreeing to put some curbs on its nuclear program in return for the removal of sanctions, including those of the UN. The United States, however, pulled out of the JCPOA in May 2018 and reimposed sanctions on Iran. In late August, France, Britain and Germany triggered the "snapback" mechanism, leading to the UN's reimposition of sanctions after the Security Council failed to extend sanctions relief in September. Iran and the United States were set for a sixth round of nuclear talks when Israel launched major surprise airstrikes on several areas in Iran. On June 22, U.S. forces joined the attacks by bombing the Iranian nuclear facilities of Natanz, Fordow, and Isfahan. Over the past months, the United States has repeatedly called on Iran to halt uranium enrichment on its soil and curb its missile program. Iran has rejected both issues as non-negotiable. This week, the United States deployed bombers, warships, and thousands of Marines to the Caribbean, moving closer to Venezuela in an operation the Trump administration justifies as a counter-narcotics mission. Whether Washingtons new military posture aims to topple Maduro or simply pressure him, this sudden hardline shift exposes a contradiction. This is the same administration that, only a few months ago, decided to grant new business licenses to Chevron, following strong appeals from conservative and corporate circles advocating a policy of cooperation with Caracas, at a time when neither drug trafficking nor human rights violations seemed to concern Washington. On July 28, 2024, the world watched as Venezuela held an election without freedom, while in the USA, a quiet lobby grew to treat Nicolas Maduro not as a dictator but as a potential business partner. The events that unfolded that day were merely the continuation of what had already shocked the international community: the disqualification of opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, now recently awarded the Nobel Peace Prize. According to tally sheets collected by the opposition, covering about 80 percent of polling stations, opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez won by a wide margin. Yet, only hours later, the National Electoral Council declared Nicolas Maduro the winner, citing a mysterious cyberattack that allegedly delayed the transmission of results. Since then, the tally sheets published by the opposition and analyzed by independent observers reveal discrepancies that strongly suggest the real outcome was reversed. Opponents of the regime, anonymous activists as well as figures close to Machado and Gonzalez, were arrested. The case of Maria Oropeza, a young activist, became emblematic of the countrys grave human rights violations: she was abducted by regime forces without a judicial warrant while livestreaming on social media. Oropeza is reportedly held in El Helicoide, notorious as one of the largest torture centers in Latin America. Another example is Juan Pablo Guanipa, former governor and long-time opposition leader, who has become a symbol of enforced disappearance in Venezuela. Detained on May 23, 2025 by SEBIN agents and accused of conspiracy, he remains incommunicado and unregistered in the judicial system, a situation that organizations such as Foro Penal and Human Rights Watch classify as an enforced disappearance under state custody, one of the gravest human rights violations under international law. It is undeniable that Maduro heads a repressive regime which systematically violates human rights. What deserves equal attention, however, is the cosmetic campaign that emerged earlier this year among certain corporate and political circles seeking to soften Maduros image for their own gain, particularly those linked to the energy sector. Since April, what appeared to be a coordinated media effort took shape, with several voices connected to economic interests in Venezuela repeating the same narrative, often within days of each other. Robert OBrien, former National Security Advisor to Donald Trump, published an op-ed in Fox News calling for cooperation with Caracas and the return of American companies to the country. Days later, he repeated the same argument on Steve Bannons War Room, presenting it as part of a pragmatic America First strategy. OBrien is the head of American Global Strategies LLC, a consulting firm that advises major multinational corporations with global interests. The overlap between his talking points and the objectives of multinational energy firms suggested a convenient alignment, more economic than ideological. Mike Wirth, CEO of Chevron, leads one of the few U.S. companies still authorized to operate in Venezuela under special OFAC licenses. Wirth was the most vocal advocate for renewing and expanding those licenses, presenting them as common-sense economics. Joining this effort was Harry Sargeant III, a prominent Republican donor and energy magnate who has reportedly financed media campaigns and conservative influencers to promote the idea that engaging with Maduro was pragmatic. In reality, this was all a carefully orchestrated public-relations operation, an attempt to rehabilitate a dictator under the guise of geopolitical realism. And for a moment, in July, these pressures appeared to pay off: The Trump administration reversed its earlier decision to restrict Chevrons operations in Venezuela, granting the company a new OFAC authorization under undisclosed terms. But only weeks later, Washingtons tone shifted. In September, the administration launched airstrikes on Venezuelan vessels, killing more than two dozen people, and authorized CIA operations inside the country. The same government that reopened the door for business with Caracas is now attacking it militarily. The method has changed but the underlying motive has not. Whether through commerce or conflict, the objective remains the same: securing access to Venezuelas oil. Negotiating with regimes that violate human rights is contrary to the values of liberty upon which American society was founded. Some on the American Right now call this pragmatism, arguing that dialogue and trade will eventually bring reform. Historically, appeasing tyrannies has only strengthened their power. But the opposite extreme is equally indefensible: using American taxpayers money to wage wars and fund covert operations in the name of freedom, while pursuing the same material and corporate interests, is a betrayal of those very principles. True defenders of freedom must not legitimize or whitewash such regimes, whether directly or indirectly, under the guise of economic or geopolitical pragmatism. Regardless of political affiliation, they must recognize that doing business with dictatorships subsidizes repression, fueling a machinery of censorship, fear, and violence against their own citizens. Claudia Nunes is a policy analyst with Young Voices, specializing in innovation and economic freedom. Follow her on social media @claudiashandi. Disney/Pamela Littky By Elizabeth Kwiatkowski, 10/31/2025 ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT ADVERTISEMENT Elizabeth Kwiatkowski is Associate Editor of Reality TV World and has been covering the reality TV genre for more than a decade. Taylor Frankie Paul has teased that her season of might actually "top" Hannah Brown 's.Taylor will be shown handing out roses on 's 22nd season in 2026, and she joked with Extra that her season may be even more shocking than that of Hannah, who memorably had sex with Peter Weber multiple times in a windmill during Fantasy Suite Week."You know, she did a little dirty thingy-thingy in the windmill is what I heard... She did the deed," Taylor told Extra's Derek Hough Derek playfully corrected her and replied, "I think it was 'deeds.'"Taylor smiled and said, "Oh, even better," before joking, "Might have to top that."Taylor, however, repeated how she was just "kidding" because she's "kind of shy with PDA.""So that will be new to me, like, openly kissing, groping, all that on TV," the divorced mom of three kids explained.Even if Taylor navigates process differently, she said Hannah is definitely her favorite Bachelorette of all time.Hannah had starred on 's fifteenth season in 2019."She's iconic," gushed The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives star."And I actually had her season on as I was getting ready to go, and it kind of got me nervous because I was getting in my head, like, 'Oh, my gosh, what if this happens to me?'"On Hannah's season, she got into arguments with the uber-religious Luke Parker and later discovered her winner, Jed Wyatt , had a girlfriend back home in Nashville while he was filming .Hannah's "Jesus still loves me" sexual encounters with Peter also made headlines in 2019 considering she eliminated him in third place and he was heartbroken.Taylor said she's trying her best not to analyze and overthink the situation. However, she noted how she admired Hannah for being "blunt and straight to the point."Taylor added, "That's how I'm going to be, if not worse."Taylor also revealed that Hannah actually reached out to her before filming began on Season 22."She reached out to me, actually... I was fan-girling because I'm like, 'No way. She's reaching out.' She's like, 'Hey, girl, if you need anything, I'm here. Reach out if you need anything,'" Taylor shared."But I was really scared to dive into conversation because I didn't want to get nervous for it where I'm overthinking it."Taylor's potential cast of bachelors was announced by ABC last week, and filming, according to Reality Steve spoiler blogger Steve Carbone, began on Sunday, October 26.Taylor's mom Liann May recently said on "The Ben & Ashley I: Almost Famous Podcast" that she will be "so pissed" if Taylor sleeps with more than one man in the Fantasy Suites."I will be so mad!" Liann told The Bachelor alum Ashley Iaconetti Taylor, for her part, previously opened up on the "Call Her Daddy" podcast how she's not sure how she's going to handle Fantasy Suite Week on .Taylor admitted she'd "feel lots of guilt" and pretty "sh-tty" to have sex with multiple guys , but at the same time, she reasoned, "If you don't connect, that could be a huge issue down the road."Taylor married Tate Paul in 2016 and the pair welcomed two children together: daughter Indy, 8, and son Ocean, 5.Taylor had admitted to violating the rules of the couple's soft-swinging arrangement by becoming more intimate with another man in their friend group, which led to their separation and eventual divorce in May 2022.The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, which premiered in 2023 on Hulu, featured Taylor's cheating scandal.The show has also documented Taylor's first post-divorce relationship with Dakota Mortensen.Taylor and Dakota made their romance public in July 2022, and then they welcomed a son together, Ever True, in March 2024.Taylor and Dakota appeared to break up in late 2024, although Taylor didn't publicly confirm their split until May of this year.While won't be returning until next year, The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives is set to release new episodes on November 13 on Hulu.Two other stars from The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, Whitney Leavitt and Jen Affleck, are also currently competing on Dancing with the Stars' 34th season on ABC and Disney+.Taylor's season of will premiere on ABC on Sunday, March 22 at 8PM ET/PT.Interested in more The Bachelor news? Follow our Bachelor Nation News Page on Facebook or join our The Bachelor Facebook Group At SAR USA, The best should be within everyones reach is much more than a tagline upon which the company hangs its hat: Its a philosophy and a promise that gets assembled into each an every gun that ships out their factory doors. When they say that quality firearms shouldnt be a privilege reserved for the deepest pockets, they damn well mean it. Based in Miami, SAR USA is the exclusive importer in the United States for Sarsilmaz firearms, ammunition, and accessories. They continuously collaborate with Sarsilmaz to curate and import products that are purpose-built to meet the needs and desires of American customers. What does that mean? Well, it means that a gun never gets to you unless it first meets their rigorous standards. Sarsilmaz, the Turkish manufacturer with a legacy dating back to 1880thats more than 140 years of innovationis home to Europes largest arms production facilities. 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Palmetto State Armory $470 SPECS: Caliber: 9mm Capacity: 12+1 Optic Footprint: RMSc Barrel Length: 3.3 Size (LxH): 6.4 x 4.8 Weight: 21.7 Oz MSRP: $500 COLOMBO, Oct. 31 (Xinhua) -- Sri Lanka is bracing for the implementation of the European Union's Deforestation Regulation (EUDR), which will take effect on Dec. 30, requiring all commodities entering the EU market to be deforestation-free and legally sourced, according to a recent study by the Institute of Policy Studies (IPS), a Sri Lanka-based research institute. The regulation targets seven key commodities, including natural rubber, palm oil, soy, cattle, cocoa, coffee, and wood, along with products derived from them, such as tires and wooden furniture. Sri Lanka's rubber exports to the EU, valued at approximately 338 million U.S. dollars in 2024, form a significant part of this trade, IPS researchers said. To comply with the EUDR, exporters must provide detailed geolocation data and demonstrate legal ownership of the land where commodities were sourced. While large plantations may manage these requirements without major difficulty, the study highlighted challenges faced by smallholder farmers who cultivate over 68 percent of Sri Lanka's nearly 98,400 hectares of rubber. Lack of digital infrastructure, unreliable internet access in rural areas, and the complexity of digitizing land titles hamper smallholders' ability to meet the stringent traceability and documentation standards, the IPS team noted. The potential exclusion of small farmers from lucrative EU markets raises concerns about the socio-economic impact on rural communities. IPS modeling projects that compliance could increase export costs by 5 percent, leading to a 7.6 percent decline in rubber exports to the EU, equating to an annual loss of 24.4 million dollars. Failure to comply might result in a complete loss of EU market access for these products, potentially shrinking the country's gross domestic product by 0.07 percent. Employment in the rubber manufacturing sector, which currently supports over 34,000 workers, could also be affected. The study estimates that a non-compliance scenario would reduce labor demand by 15.6 percent, resulting in thousands of job losses. 'How responsibly banks use AI will be the decisive factor going forward.' Kindly note that this illustration generated using ChatGPT has only been posted for representational purposes. The return on investment (RoI) from technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) will take time to materialise, and the immediate priority should be to increase spending on building governance frameworks around AI, top bank executives said at the Business Standard BFSI Insight Summit 2025. At present, there is scope to use AI and automation across areas such as customer service, underwriting, and debt recovery to improve the efficiency of banking operations. At the same time, executives emphasised that data and AI usage must have valid grounds, with explainability at the core of every application. The remarks came during a panel discussion titled 'Impact of Tech & AI on Retail Banking -- Pros & Cons' in Mumbai, moderated by Nivedita Mookerji of Business Standard. "RoI is case by case. It's about the overall philosophy of transformative power -- whether it's AI, generative AI, or any tech initiative we bring in," said Arvind Vohra, group head, retail assets, rural banking business and microfinance, HDFC Bank. Executives agreed that governance frameworks around AI should be a key focus area, calling for further investment to build ethical and responsible standards. "Delivering strong returns (RoI) is one part of it, but investing in technology to ensure governance is right is equally critical. "It requires substantial investment in building the right data culture," said Ambuj Chandna, managing director (MD) and head of consumer banking, DBS Bank India. The acceleration of governance standards, they said, would depend on frameworks that ensure explainability and consistency of AI models. "The Reserve Bank of India is very clear on this -- what you cannot explain, you cannot use. "It cannot be a black box. It must demonstrate predictability and consistency, and you must be able to explain what it's doing. "Otherwise, it could lead to major losses or reputational risks for the institution," said Sachin Seth, regional MD, India and South Asia, CRIF. Executives observed that appropriate governance frameworks would help build trust across the ecosystem -- crucial since customer trust remains the cornerstone of the Indian banking ecosystem. "Customer service is where a bank's trust begins. "Unless we get that right, technology alone won't help win the customer's confidence. "How responsibly banks use AI will be the decisive factor going forward," said Virat Diwanji, national head -- consumer banking, Federal Bank. AI-led technologies are also expected to accelerate the synthesis of data available within banks. "The data currently available with banks is structured but exists in silos. "With technology and AI, there will be a unification and cleaning of this data, which will make these technologies far more efficient," said Sanjay Mudaliar, executive director, Bank of Baroda. The panellists also stressed that reskilling will be crucial to ensuring the workforce remains employable as new technologies continue to disrupt the sector. The banking industry has evolved from the dawn of the internet to the AI era, and each phase has created new jobs to sustain employability, they said. "We've had the internet, mobile banking, ATMs, and core banking systems coming in. "Jobs don't really vanish -- they evolve, and new ones are created," added Seth of CRIF. Among AI use cases, customer service remains the key focus area. "All our call centres are powered by AI-based transcribers. "Every call is transcribed in real time, and a quality check is done to determine whether it's a regular call or a complaint -- and what the nature of that complaint is," said Chandna of DBS Bank India. He added that the transcripts are then mined for insights to improve products and policies. Feature Presentation: Ashish Narsale/Rediff 'Our politics is transparent -- it's about ensuring farmers don't die by suicide, about ensuring agriculture remains viable, about ensuring food security for the nation.' 'If that's politics, then yes, we do politics.' IMAGE: Former Maharashtra minister and ex-MLA Bachchu Kadu leads the farmers' protest in Nagpur. All Photographs: Kind courtesy Bachchu Kadu/X Former Maharashtra minister of state Omprakash alias Bachchu Kadu has emerged as an unlikely but powerful voice in Maharashtra's escalating agrarian crisis. The Amravati-based politician, who has reinvented himself as a grassroots farmer leader, recently led the Maha Elgar Morcha -- a massive farmers' protest that blocked the Nagpur-Hyderabad National Highway (NH-44) for two days, bringing traffic to a standstill and forcing the state government to the negotiating table. The agitation, which united farmers across caste and community lines, demanded immediate relief measures including a revision of cotton's minimum support price from Rs 8,000 to Rs 11,000 per quintal, operationalisation of procurement centres, and reduction in cultivation costs through guaranteed wage schemes. The protest gained national attention when the Bombay high court took suo motu cognisance of the highway blockade and directed protesters to vacate the premises. Kadu and his coalition -- comprising the Prahar Sanghatana, veteran leader Raju Shetti and former MLA Wamanrao Chatap's Swatantra Bharat Paksha -- tells Prasanna D Zore/Rediff that though he has complied with the order of the high court's orders by shifting the protest to nearby grounds, he has vowed to intensify the movement if the state government fails to deliver concrete, time-bound solutions to address Maharashtra's deepening farm distress. Do you feel the agrarian crisis in Maharashtra has reached critical proportions? Your primary demands focus on reducing the cost of cultivation. Could you elaborate on the specific policy changes you seek, particularly concerning the inclusion of all farm labour -- from sowing (perni) to harvesting (kapni) -- under a guaranteed wage scheme? The agrarian crisis is Maharashtra is really serious and one can see it across different regions of Maharashtra. Our core demand is the immediate reduction of the cost of production (utpadan kharcha). This requires all agricultural labour -- from sowing to harvesting -- to be brought under a guaranteed wage framework. We propose that the labour component be covered under the MRHS (a state-specific or enhanced employment scheme) or a similar state-enhanced employment scheme. This is crucial because the farmer's cost of input is escalating dramatically, nullifying any potential profit. When input costs rise but output prices remain stagnant or fall, the farmer is caught in an impossible squeeze. A clear, comprehensive policy on cost reduction is an urgent necessity -- not just for individual farmers, but for the survival of agriculture in Maharashtra. On the issue of Minimum Support Price (MSP), you've highlighted a significant disparity between your recommendation and the government's announcement. What was your recommended MSP for cotton (kapas), and what was the price declared by the central government? We recommended a price of Rs 11,000 per quintal for cotton based on careful analysis of production costs, market trends, and fair compensation for farmers' labour. However, the central government announced only Rs 8,000 per quintal. This Rs 3,000 gap is not just a number -- it represents the difference between survival and bankruptcy for thousands of cotton farmers. We firmly demand an immediate correction to bridge this gap, ensuring the farmer receives a price commensurate with their investment and labour. Without this correction, we're essentially asking farmers to sell at a loss. You emphasised the need for immediate action on procurement infrastructure. What is the status of the requested procurement centres (kharedi kendra), and what specific action are you seeking from the government? We need the government to immediately open and operationalise all necessary procurement centres across cotton-growing regions. This is a prerequisite for ensuring farmers get a fair price for their produce, especially those affected by unseasonal rains and low market rates. Even if the government announces an MSP, what good is it if there's no mechanism to purchase crops at that price? Farmers are forced to sell to private traders at exploitative rates because government procurement infrastructure is either non-existent or non-functional. This must change immediately. Your Maha Elgar Morcha was a powerful display of unity, but it involved blocking the Nagpur-Hyderabad National Highway (NH-44). We understand this caused significant public inconvenience. Do you believe the collective inconvenience was a necessary means to ensure the farmers' voice reached the government? While we sincerely regret the inconvenience caused -- which was only for a couple of days -- the trouble faced by the farmer is a perennial one. It impacts their entire future, their children's education, their family's survival. The temporary disruption was necessary to amplify an issue that has been ignored for far too long. We don't take the decision to block a national highway lightly. But when all other avenues -- representations, petitions, peaceful protests -- are exhausted, what choice do farmers have? The success is that the agitation effectively delivered the farmers' message to the government. Sometimes, disruption is the only language power understands. Do you believe the Maha Elgar Morcha successfully transcended caste and community lines, uniting farmers purely on agrarian issues? Absolutely. Despite the current atmosphere dominated by caste dynamics -- such as the OBC versus Maratha narrative that often divides us -- the collective distress of the farmer served as a powerful unifying factor. When a farmer commits suicide, it doesn't matter if he's Maratha, OBC, Dalit, or Muslim. His family suffers the same way. His children go hungry the same way. This unity we've achieved has provided immense moral strength to the community, particularly to those contemplating suicide. They now see that someone is fighting for them, that they are not alone. This collective strength is perhaps our greatest achievement. What was the exact message you wanted to convey to the farmers and the people of Maharashtra through the name Maha Elgar Morcha? What does 'Elgar' represent? 'Elgar' means a united roar -- a loud, collective proclamation that cannot be ignored. The name represents our belief that only when the people unite and raise their voice together can they shake the foundations of an indifferent system. The question isn't whether the government is rigid -- it's whether the people are rigid, whether they have the strength to stand firm on their demands. The Maha Elgar Morcha is that collective roar of Maharashtra's farmers saying: We will not be silenced, we will not be ignored, and we will not back down until justice is served. Do you believe that past farm loan waiver schemes in Maharashtra have repeatedly failed to provide lasting relief. In your assessment, where does the greatest systemic failure lie in these debt relief policies? The greatest failure is that these schemes only treat the symptom, not the underlying cause. A loan waiver removes current debt, but the system fails to provide the subsequent two years of necessary support -- working capital, guaranteed prices, input subsidies -- to prevent the farmer from immediately falling back into debt. It's like treating a patient for severe illness and then immediately discharging them without nutrition, medicine, or follow-up care. They'll fall sick again. That's exactly what happens with loan waivers. The farmer is debt-free for a few months, then has to take another loan for the next season, and the cycle continues. You proposed an alternative model, citing the Karnataka government's debt-free commission. How would establishing a similar commission in Maharashtra offer a more robust and sustainable solution? A debt-free Commission would fundamentally change how we approach farm debt. Instead of blanket waivers that often benefit those who don't need it while missing those who do, this commission would allow genuinely distressed farmers to apply for debt relief directly. The commission would verify the farmer's financial crisis -- examine their landholding, family situation, crop failures, medical emergencies -- before recommending the loan for waiver. The loan would be treated like a court case until the commission determines if the farmer is genuinely in trouble. This mechanism provides a transparent, legally sound, and needs-based solution, ensuring relief reaches the most deserving individuals. It's targeted, fair, and sustainable. Critics often allege that farmer movements are politically motivated, that leaders like yourself engage in politics by invoking caste and religion, or that there are financial motivations. How do you respond to such allegations? We say that politics should be based on issues of farming. Yes, politics should be the soul of this movement, and agriculture should be the focal point. What's wrong with that? When industrialists lobby for their interests, it's called 'business advocacy.' When farmers organise for their survival, it's called 'playing politics.' This double standard must end. Our politics is transparent -- it's about ensuring farmers don't die by suicide, about ensuring agriculture remains viable, about ensuring food security for the nation. If that's politics, then yes, we do politics. Which parties and organisations have joined forces in the 'Elgar Morcha' this time? Can you elabourate on this coalition? We have built a broad coalition that includes the Prahar Sanghatana, veteran farmer leader Raju Shetti, and established organisations like that of Wamanrao Chatap (former president of Shetkari Sanghatna). Four to five major organisations have come together. What's significant is not just the number but the ideological diversity. We have groups from across the political spectrum united on one issue: Justice for farmers. This isn't about partisan politics -- it's about agrarian survival. Following your discussions with government representatives, what is the next course of action? Will you now focus on policy advocacy at the legislative level, or are you preparing for a more aggressive mass agitation? We have come for dialogue because the government hasn't offered a time-bound programme for addressing our demands, particularly on the loan waiver issue. They've not given us any dates and timelines, but still we've agreed to the talks. However, if the government fails to provide concrete assurances and set enforceable deadlines, our next course of action will be more aggressive. Our primary focus is on preparing for an even larger, widespread mass agitation across the state to force genuine policy reform. We've learned that governments respond to pressure, not petitions. There's a perception emerging that through this agitation, you've established yourself as a significant new voice in Maharashtra's farmer movement. Do you see yourself as a new farmer leader, and what does this responsibility mean to you? A new strength is slowly emerging, yes. The voice is breaking out. But I don't see this as about Bachchu Kadu becoming a leader -- I see it as the collective voice of Maharashtra's farmers finally finding an outlet. For too long, farmers have suffered in silence. If this movement has given them hope, if it has prevented even one farmer from taking his own life, if it has united communities that were divided, then it has succeeded. Leadership is not about personal glory -- it's about being the voice of the voiceless. That's the responsibility I carry, and that's the responsibility I'll honour. IMAGE: Bachchu Kadu speaks to Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, October 30, 2025. Photograph: ANI What is your final message to the farmers of Maharashtra and to the government? To the farmers: Unite. Your individual voice may be weak, but our collective roar -- our Elgar -- is unstoppable. Don't lose hope. We are fighting for you, and we will not stop until justice is delivered. To the government: The time for tokenism is over. The time for empty promises is over. Give us concrete solutions, give us timely action, or prepare for a movement that will shake every corner of this state. The farmer has been patient for too long. That patience is running out. Photographs curated by Manisha Kotian/Rediff, Anant Salvi/Rediff 'The rescue of 17 children represents exemplary police action that merits considerable appreciation.' 'However, this encounter was profoundly unfortunate because somebody has lost his life.' Former Maharashtra education minister Deepak Kesarkar, in an interview with Prasanna D Zore/Rediff, has broken his silence on the Mumbai hostage crisis, in which Rohit Arya held 17 children captive at a Powai studio before being shot dead by the police. Arya, who claimed the Maharashtra education department owed him Rs 2 crore for work on the Swachhta Monitor project, had staged hunger strikes and repeatedly sought payment since January 2024. Kesarkar defends his tenure's handling of the matter, claiming that Arya failed to comply with mandatory documentation requirements. Could you clarify the nature of Rohit Arya's involvement in the Majhi Sundar Shala or Swachhta Monitor project? Was he officially contracted or informally engaged? He was officially engaged to provide guidance for the scheme. However, certain complications arose during implementation. We discovered that he had created websites and collected money directly from students, which is strictly prohibited under government schemes. The departmental officers raised legitimate objections to these practices, which subsequently created significant complications in the matter. Are you suggesting that Rohit Arya collected funds from students fraudulently? Whether one characterises it as fraudulent or unintentional, I cannot definitively say. However, he did collect money directly from students through a website he had established. And these were funds that ought to have been paid by the government of Maharashtra? The fundamental principle is that when the government is providing remuneration for services rendered, no additional charges should be collected from students whatsoever. I endeavoured to persuade him that a mistake had occurred and that we should move forward constructively. I convened meetings with the department to explore how he might be assisted, but he proved extremely reluctant to comply with the various documentation requirements that are mandatory for processing any government payment. What was the issue then? Indeed, he appeared to labour under the misapprehension that the budget provision made was exclusively earmarked for him. Ordinarily, when budget provisions are made, they are designated for the expenditure category, not for any particular individual. This represented another fundamental misunderstanding in the matter. Why was there no formal resolution or response to Arya's repeated attempts to recover his dues before the crisis escalated, as he alleged before he was shot dead? He has alleged that he made repeated attempts. However, over the past year, he has not been in contact with me at all. He may well have attempted to contact the department -- I cannot speak about that definitively. Previously, when he did approach me (Deepak Vasant Kesarkar held the position of Maharashtra's education minister for approximately two years, from August 2022 until December 2024, when a cabinet reshuffle saw Dada Bhuse appointed as his successor in the School Education portfolio.), I arranged meetings between him and departmental officials. As a minister, when somebody makes such demands, the most appropriate action I can take is to facilitate dialogue between the concerned party and the department. Did he contact you directly? How many times did you meet him, and when did these meetings occur? Whenever he came to meet me, I invariably made myself available. I did not avoid him in any manner. However, one must understand how government processes function. The papers and documentation that are required must be submitted properly. Otherwise, no payments can be processed. These formal compliances are essential, and regrettably, he was not fulfilling these requirements. That was the crux of his problem. Did Rohit Arya ever threaten you or any government official that he would resort to such extreme measures if his dues were not paid? No, he did not. However, one must understand something fundamental: When one has outstanding dues against the government, the proper recourse is to approach the judiciary and declare one's dues if the authorities are not responding. This (taking children as hostages which Rohit Arya did) is certainly not the manner in which such matters should be conducted. While I cannot comment authoritatively on his mental state, the methods he was adopting were most certainly not appropriate. What amount did the government of Maharashtra or the education department owe him? I do not know the precise figure. However, I am aware that the department had already paid him some advance on the project. Do you believe the education department under your tenure maintained adequate grievance redressal systems for vendors and independent contractors? Most certainly. We have received no other complaints of this nature. This is the only case, and the difficulties arose precisely because he was not complying with the requisite documentation. What was your initial reaction when you learnt that someone connected to your former department had taken such drastic action and held 16 children hostage? The safety of the children was paramount. When I received the telephone call from the police, I immediately suggested that the department should contact the relevant officials who could provide him with relief, if possible. Those departmental officials would be best positioned to understand what he was seeking. I am no longer serving in that department, but had I been in a position to provide him with some relief, I would have done so myself. When I was education minister, I did arrange meetings between him and government officials. How do you respond to public sentiment that this represents a failure of governance, not merely law enforcement? This is not a failure of government. He was exceedingly adamant about not complying with the required documentation. I endeavoured to convince him in every possible manner, because I am quite sensitive about such matters. However, formal compliance is non-negotiable in government processes. What message would you convey to others who feel unheard or financially wronged by government systems? Proper systems are in place for addressing grievances. If one is not receiving an appropriate response, one can approach the judiciary. These mechanisms exist precisely for such purposes. Would you be amenable to a public inquiry or audit into the Swachhta Monitor project? All our schemes are subject to audit as a matter of course. This is properly audited -- there is no question about it. Government officials are exceedingly particular about compliance with documentation requirements. It was a straightforward question of compliance with documentation, which he was not prepared to fulfil. Had he complied, the matter would have been resolved expeditiously. Even after a year had elapsed, he could have approached the appropriate channels prior to resorting to such measures. This was an extraordinarily drastic step. The loss of life is deeply unfortunate. Indeed, somebody losing his life is most unfortunate. I have always maintained sympathy for him and consistently attempted to assist him throughout this process. Do you have words of commendation for the Mumbai police's action? The rescue of 17 children represents exemplary police action that merits considerable appreciation. However, this encounter was profoundly unfortunate because somebody has lost his life. I maintain sympathy for him and always endeavoured to help him to the best of my abilities. I regret that I am not presently in Mumbai. Had I been in the city, I would have immediately proceeded to the location where this hostage crisis took place. I am currently in my constituency, engaged with important election-related meetings, which prevented me from devoting proper attention to this matter -- something I genuinely regret. Photographs: Sahil Salvi Maharashtra Congress chief Harshwardhan Sapkal on Friday said that the Mumbai police were keeping a watch on him, alleging that an officer in plainclothes had entered his room at his accommodation. IMAGE: Maharashtra Congress president Harshwardhan Sapkal addressed a press conference at Tilak Bhavan, Mumbai, October 31, 2025. Photograph: @INCHarshsapkal screen grab/X Talking to reporters at Tilak Bhavan, the party headquarters, Sapkal claimed that it was the third such incident in recent days. "This morning, a policeman entered my bedroom at the Sarvodaya Ashram and started questioning me about whether I was holding a press conference and if journalists had arrived. When I asked who had ordered this, he said he was following instructions from seniors," he claimed. He questioned whether the surveillance was being conducted on the orders of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis. "The BJP has a history of spying on opponents -- first Pegasus, then phone tapping, and now they have reached our bedrooms. But such intimidation will not deter us," he said. State Congress spokesperson Atul Londe claimed that personnel from Gamdevi police station stormed into Sapkal's room and questioned him about the presence of media and activities going on on the premises. The police personnel apparently did not recognise Sapkal, he said. "Is the snooping being done on the orders of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis or (city police commissioner) Deven Bharati?" asked Londhe. Revenue minister and BJP leader Chandrashekhar Bawankule dismissed the allegation, saying snooping happened during the Congress and Maha Vikas Aghadi rule. "Our only agenda is development of the state and its people...we have no time for snooping on anyone,' Bawankule said. Sapkal also raised questions about the gunning down of Rohit Arya, who took 17 children and two adults hostage at a studio in Powai on Thursday. "The man had held children hostage, and their rescue was important. But when an NSG team was already at the spot, why did the police need to open fire? He was said to be mentally unstable, but he had worked on government projects such as Majhi Shala Sundar Shala and had even shared the stage with then Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Education Minister Deepak Kesarkar. A probe must be ordered into this incident," he demanded. He also accused CM Fadnavis of shielding criminals. "The woman doctor's death in Phaltan was not suicide but murder caused by pressure from BJP leaders. Despite serious allegations against former MP Ranjitsinh Naik Nimbalkar, including extortion and assault, he was given a clean chit. Incidents of harassment by BJP functionaries have led to suicides in other districts as well. Crime has flourished under Fadnavis' watch, and he has become the patron of criminals," Sapkal alleged. He said Congress leaders and workers will participate in the all-party protest against the Election Commission on November 1, alleging irregularities in the voters' lists. Shiv Sena-UBT leader Sanjay Raut on Friday said he has developed serious health issues and is undergoing treatment and has been advised not to mingle with people. Photograph: Syed Firdaus Ashraf/ Rediff.com IMAGE: Shiv Sena-UBT leader Sanjay Raut. Raut, in a post on X, also expressed hope that he will be in good health by next year. "You have all loved and trusted me. But I have developed serious health issues and am undergoing treatment. I will come out of this. As per medical advice, I have been asked not to step out or mingle in public," he wrote, without elaborating further. A bitter critic of the ruling BJP and a vocal voice of the Opposition in Maharashtra, the Rajya Sabha MP is known for his daily media interactions. Raut was expected to take part in the Opposition parties' protest against the Election Commission on November 1. A retired professor from Bengaluru University has been arrested after a 37-year-old woman accused him of 'sustained sexual harassment, intimidation, and extortion attempts', police said on Friday. Image used only for representational purposes. Photograph: Pixabay.com The accused, B C Mylarappa, was arrested following a complaint filed by the woman at the Basaveshwaranagar police station on October 9, they said. In her complaint, the woman alleged that he 'harassed' her for several months and repeatedly 'threatened' her, demanding Rs 1.5 crore, police said. According to the FIR, the woman had known Mylarappa since 2022, when she worked at the Karnataka State Harijan Sevak Sangh in Sadashivanagar, which he managed. After her husband's death in December 2024, she said Mylarappa began assisting her with a property dispute and a police case. Initially, Mylarappa appeared supportive, but later began 'harassing' her and interfering in her personal and family matters, the woman alleged. The complainant claimed that Mylarappa tried to make her sign documents, blaming her family's lawyer for any future mishap. When she refused, he 'verbally abused and physically assaulted' her, snatched her phone, and made false allegations against her to her brother living abroad. The FIR stated that the woman later began receiving threatening calls and WhatsApp messages from a person identified as Jayamma, who claimed to represent a women's organisation. Jayamma allegedly spread false rumours maligning the complainant's character by linking her name to her family advocate, it said. The woman also alleged that Mylarappa continued to visit her Basaveshwaranagar residence, rang the doorbell for hours, sent abusive messages, and threatened to ruin her reputation unless she 'co-operated' or paid him Rs 1.5 crore. Based on her complaint, police registered a case against Mylarappa and Jayamma under Sections 74 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 75 (sexual harassment), 78 (stalking), 79 (word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman), 352 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace), 351(2) (criminal intimidation), and 3(5) (common intention) of the relevant Act, police said. "We have arrested Mylarappa. Two cases have been filed against him -- one pertains to harassing the woman and the other to creating a disturbance. After the first case was filed, the former professor went to the victim's house and her lawyer's house in anger and caused a disturbance," a senior police officer said. Jayamma's involvement is under scrutiny, and necessary action will be taken, he added. Farmers of Gujarat will drag Bharatiya Janata Party leaders out of their houses and thrash them mercilessly if police were to be removed for a day, Aam Aadmi Party convenor Arvind Kejriwal claimed on Friday. IMAGE: Aam Aadmi Party National Convenor Arvind Kejriwal and Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann during the inauguration of a development project at Shri Kali Mata Temple, in Patiala on Thursday. Photograph: @BhagwantMann/ANI Photo Kejriwal was speaking at a 'Kisan Mahapanchayat' in the presence of party colleague and Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann in Sudamada village in Surendranagar district. It was held to express support for those arrested following violence at a farmers' gathering organised by AAP neighbouring Botad district. The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party's 'countdown' has begun in Gujarat and it will not be able to come back to power again in the next 50 years, Kejriwal added. "Except for sending people to jail, BJP knows nothing else. In 75 years, the people of Gujarat have never seen such a cruel, tyrannical, and arrogant government. Today, farmers are very angry. These BJP people are utter cowards. They hide behind the police," said Kejriwal. "If you remove police protection for just one day, these farmers will drag BJP leaders out of their houses and beat them mercilessly. Farmers will beat them so badly that they won't find any place to hide. Remove police for just one day and the farmers will make life hell for the BJP leaders in Gujarat," the former Delhi CM added. The AAP head said nearly 80 farmers and AAP leaders, including Raju Karpada and Pravin Ram, were sent to jail by Botad police on charges of attempt to murder for raising issues concerning farmers. On October 12, stones were hurled at police at a 'Kisan Mahapanchayat' organised by AAP for farmers in Botad district, prompting cops to fire teargas shells. Three policemen were injured in the violence. Paying tribute to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on his 150th birth anniversary, Kejriwal said the stalwart led similar farmers' movements against the British but they never resorted to lathi charge or sent farmers to jail. "Sardar Patel could never have imagined that after Independence, such a corrupt, tyrannical, and oppressive BJP government would come to power in his own country. A government that would lathi-charge its own farmers, fire tear gas shells at them, file false cases against them, and send them to jail," he said. "I am warning BJP that its countdown has begun. Congress fired bullets on farmers nearly 37 years ago. After that, it never came back to power in Gujarat. The BJP will meet the same fate and it will not be able to come to power for another 50 years," said the AAP leader. Kejriwal also claimed Harsh Sanghavi was elevated to the post of deputy chief minister from minister of state for home as a 'prize' for ordering such atrocities on farmers. "Bhupendra Patel has now become dummy CM while Sanghavi is the super CM. This is an insult to the entire Patel community," Kejriwal added. The AAP leader said farmers affected by recent unseasonal rains must be paid Rs 50,000 per hectare as compensation. Speaking on the occasion, Punjab CM Mann called BJP leaders as 'kaale Angrez (black Britishers)'. "We didn't fight for Independence so that these black Britishers would come. They are busy looting us. They are filing cases against us. We have to get rid of this kind of slavery. You should stay united, and we will support you. Arvind Kejriwal and the entire team are with you," Mann said. United States Vice President JD Vance candidly expressed his hope that his Hindu-raised wife, Usha Vance, would one day embrace Christianity, while affirming her free will and their mutual respect in an interfaith marriage, while addressing the Turning Point USA Event in Mississippi on Wednesday. IMAGE: US Vice President JD Vance and his wife, Usha Vance. Photograph: Kevin Lamarque/Reuters Speaking at the event, Vance was asked whether he hopes his wife will eventually "come to Christ". Responding candidly, he said, "Now, most Sundays, Usha will come with me to church. As I've told her, and as I've said publicly, and as I'll say now in front of 10,000 of my closest friends -- do I hope, eventually, that she is somehow moved by the same thing that I was moved by in church? Yeah, I honestly do wish that because I believe in the Christian gospel and I hope eventually my wife comes to see it the same way." He added, however, that faith is deeply personal and that differences in belief do not create conflict in their marriage. "But if she doesn't, then God says everybody has free will, and so that doesn't cause a problem for me. That's something you work out with your friends, with your family, with the person that you love," Vance said. The Vice President, who converted to Catholicism in 2019, described Usha's background, stating, "My wife did not grow up Christian. I think it's fair to say that she grew up in a Hindu family, but not a particularly religious family in either direction." He further explained that the couple has found a balanced way to manage their interfaith household. "Everybody has to come to their own arrangement here. The way that we've come to our arrangement is that she's my best friend. We talk to each other about this stuff. We've decided to raise our kids Christian. Our two oldest kids, who go to school, go to a Christian school. Our 8-year-old did his first communion about a year ago. That's the way that we have come to our arrangement," the Vice President said. Vance's remarks drew applause from the conservative audience at the event and highlighted the couple's approach to balancing faith, family, and personal belief. Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Friday said that in his personal opinion, the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh should be banned as most law and order problems in the country are arising because of the Bharatiya Janata Party-RSS. IMAGE: Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge . Photograph: @kharge/X He also charged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has insulted the legacy of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel by allowing government employees to be associated with the Sangh. Kharge hit back at Modi after he attacked the party on Patel's birth anniversary, and cited Patel's remarks criticising the RSS following the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi in 1948. Responding to a question on banning the RSS again, Kharge said, 'It is my personal opinion and I will say it openly, it should be done' as most of the issues and law and order problems are all arising because of the BJP-RSS. He said what Patel put forth before us, the prime minister and Home Minister Amit Shah should pay heed to them. Asked about government lifting the ban on government employees associating with the RSS, Kharge said when Patel himself banned the RSS, 'then naturally he is disrespecting our Vallabhbhai Patel ji, who himself gave all the reasons why he banned the RSS and there is no ambiguity.' The Congress chief said Patel wanted to bring in unity and peace and he fought for it. Patel had banned the RSS in the aftermath of Mahatma Gandhi's assassination. "But after bringing unity in the country, anyone who tries to break that unity should be taught a lesson. And, you know who are those people who are breaking that unity," he said. Asked further if this would create an atmosphere of disunity, Kharge said, "I clearly feel that something which had ended, this government has revived that and these people will be responsible for whatever happens in the country." He said till 2024, nothing happened and now that it is not good for the country to once again 'awaken the people'. "This is not good for the country and it is like tasting poison, whose result is certain death. There is no need to taste poison once again. The things being done by Modi ji are not good for the country," he said. Kharge also alleged that references to Mahatma Gandhi, Nathuram Godse, the RSS, and the 2002 Gujarat riots have been removed from NCERT books and accused the prime minister of distorting truth. "Erasing the truth from textbooks is not right - it reveals their intentions. They always try to turn lies into truth. Our Prime Minister is an expert in this, and his followers are walking the same path. Sardar Patel had banned the RSS to protect secularism and democratic structure," he said. Noting that today is the birth anniversary of Patel and death anniversary of former prime minister Indira Gandhi, the Congress president said these two great leaders -- 'iron man' and 'iron lady' -- made a big contribution to the country and strived to maintain unity. This is the history of the Congress and its contribution, Kharge said at a press conference in New Delhi. Kharge cited a letter written by Patel to Syama Prasad Mookerjee in which the then home minister said the RSS had created an atmosphere that led to the tragedy of Mahatma Gandhi's assassination. They always tried to portray a rift between India's first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru and Patel when they had great ties and both had praised each other, Kharge said. Nehru hailed Patel for shaping India's unity and Patel called Nehru an ideal for the country. Kharge recalled a letter written by Patel to Mukherjee on February 4, 1948, in which he said, "On Gandhiji's death, the RSS members expressed such joy and distributed sweets, which further intensified the opposition. In these circumstances, the government had no choice but to take steps against the RSS." "While writing this letter to Mukherjee, he said, The report proves that the atmosphere created in the country due to the activities of the RSS and the Hindu Mahasabha is what led to Gandhiji's assassination." Kharge's remarks came after Prime Minister Modi said Sardar Patel wanted to unite the entire Kashmir, just as he did with other princely states, into India, but then PM Nehru did not allow it to happen. Slamming the Congress, Modi said that the party inherited the slave mentality from the British who ruled India. The country is removing every trace of colonial mindset, he added. Earlier on Patel's 150th birth anniversary, Kharge paid him tributes and said he is a source of inspiration for them as he described him as "the great Iron Man of India" who wove the entire nation into the thread of unity and integrity. "Pandit Nehru called him the 'Architect of India's unity'," he said, adding that Patel was former Congress chief and the resolution on fundamental rights passed in the Karachi Congress under his leadership is the soul of the Indian Constitution. "Sardar Patel Saheb resides in our hearts, and his ideas, which emphasise mutual harmony and brotherhood, are an inseparable part of the Congress party's ideology," he said. Rahul Gandhi also paid rich tributes to the country's first home minister. "By weaving India into a single thread, he laid a strong foundation for the unity and integrity of the nation - his indomitable courage, foresight, and ideals will forever guide us," Gandhi said. Born in Nadiad, Gujarat, in 1875, Patel was a pivotal figure in India's struggle for Independence. He died in 1950. SHENZHEN, Oct. 31 (Xinhua) -- A 4,500-tonne research vessel on Friday set sail from Shekou Port in Shenzhen, south China's Guangdong Province, marking the start of a global ocean expedition and a decade-long scientific program aimed at promoting international cooperation and public engagement in marine research. The first voyage of the expedition is set to end on Nov. 3, and will cover the Shenhu Area of the northern South China Sea. Research activities will include seawater sampling, nearshore sediment surveys and deep-sea water sampling, providing data for studies in fields such as marine geology, geophysics, geochemistry and biology. The research is carried out aboard Xiangyanghong 10, which was independently designed and built by China. The expedition, officially designated "Deep Blue Voyager 2035," was launched by the China Ocean Mineral Resources R&D Association, the Advanced Institute for Ocean Research under Southern University of Science and Technology, and several other institutions. Over the next 10 years, the program will work with enterprises, global partners and the public to conduct sea trials of cutting-edge technologies and pioneer citizen science projects. Amid criticism over comments about his interfaith marriage, Vice President J D Vance said on Friday that his wife Second Lady Usha Vance has no plans to convert to Christianity but added that he hoped 'she may one day see things as I do'. IMAGE: US Vice President J D Vance, second lady Usha Vance arrive at Ben Gurion airport in Lod Israel, on October 21, 2025. Photograph: Nathan Howard/Pool via Reuters Vance is facing flak over his comments regarding his interfaith marriage after saying he eventually hopes that Usha, who grew up in a Hindu household, 'is somehow moved by the same thing that I was moved in by church'. A post on social media said, 'It's weird to throw your wife's religion under the bus, in public, for a moment's acceptance by groypers.' Responding to this, Vance hit back, saying, 'What a disgusting comment, and it's hardly been the only one along these lines. 'First off, the question was from a person seemingly to my left, about my interfaith marriage. I'm a public figure, and people are curious, and I wasn't going to avoid the question,' he said in the response posted on X. 'Second, my Christian faith tells me the Gospel is true and is good for human beings. My wife--as I said at the TPUSA--is the most amazing blessing I have in my life. She herself encouraged me to reengage with my faith many years ago. 'She is not a Christian and has no plans to convert, but like many people in an interfaith marriage--or any interfaith relationship--I hope she may one day see things as I do. Regardless, I'll continue to love and support her and talk to her about faith and life and everything else, because she's my wife,' he said. Vance made the initial comments on Wednesday at a Turning Point USA event at the University of Mississippi. He was confronted by a young South Asian woman over his faith and his inter-religion marriage to Usha as well as over the Trump administration's policies on immigration. Responding to her, Vance said that on most Sundays, Usha goes to church with him. '... I've told her, and I've said publicly, and I'll say now in front of 10,000 of my closest friends, do I hope eventually that she is somehow moved by the same thing that I was moved in by church? Yeah, I honestly do wish that, because I believe in the Christian gospel, and I hope eventually my wife comes to see it the same way,' he said. 'But if she doesn't, then God says everybody has free will, and so that doesn't cause a problem for me. That's something you work out with your friends, with your family, with the person that you love.' In his response to the social media post, Vance further said that posts like this reek of 'anti-Christian bigotry'. 'Yes, Christians have beliefs. And yes, those beliefs have many consequences, one of which is that we want to share them with other people. That is a completely normal thing, and anyone who's telling you otherwise has an agenda,' he said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday launched a sharp attack on country's first premier Jawaharlal Nehru, claiming he prevented Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel from fully integrating Kashmir into the Indian Union. IMAGE: Prime Minister Narendra Modi waves to the public during the National Unity Day event on the 150th birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, at the Statue of Unity, in Narmada on Friday. Photograph: DPR_PMO/ANI Photo Addressing the national celebrations on the occasion of Sardar Patel's 150th birth anniversary at the Statue of Unity in Ekta Nagar, Modi asserted the subsequent 'mistake' on Kashmir, resulting from the wish of the then-Prime Minister not being fulfilled, led to decades of turmoil and bloodshed in the region. During his speech, Modi also referenced 'Operation Sindoor' declaring the world has witnessed that India will 'strike within enemy territory' if challenged, underscoring the country will 'never compromise on its security and honour' and a message that 'this is the India of the Iron Man, Sardar Patel'. He also raised the issue of infiltrators, calling them a 'grave threat' to national unity and the demographic balance. "Many in today's younger generation may not be aware that Sardar Patel wished for the complete integration of Kashmir, just as he had successfully merged other princely states," Modi said. He said independent India's first home minister believed one should not waste time writing history but 'we should work hard to create history'. Modi noted the Kashmir region was ultimately divided by a separate constitution and emblem, remarking the initial error 'engulfed the nation in turmoil for decades'. The PM's address focused heavily on national unity and security, infiltration of illegal immigrants, contrasting the 'steely resolve' of Patel with the approach of post-independence governments, which he accused of adopting 'spineless' policies. "Due to the Congress's weak policies, a part of Kashmir went under the illegal occupation of Pakistan, which then fueled state-sponsored terrorism. Kashmir and the country paid a heavy price, yet the Congress always bowed down to terrorism. The Congress forgot Sardar Patel's vision, but we have not," he told the gathering at the Rashtriya Ekta Diwas celebrations. Modi blamed infiltration for disrupting India's demographic balance, and said that for the first time the country has decided to have a decisive fight against this threat and will remove each and every infiltrator from its soil. He highlighted Patel's success in accomplishing the 'seemingly impossible task' of integrating over 550 princely states after independence. The PM regretted that subsequent governments, following Patel's demise, did not demonstrate the same commitment to national sovereignty, pointing to Kashmir problems and said due to 'weak policies', a part of Kashmir fell under Pakistan's illegal occupation. Extending his critique beyond Kashmir, Modi regretted that successive post-Patel governments 'did not demonstrate the same seriousness towards national sovereignty', pointing to challenges in the Northeast and the spread of Naxal-Maoist terrorism as direct consequences. He drew a direct contrast between the past and his government's tenure, asserting after 2014, the nation 'once again witnessed a steely resolve inspired by Sardar Patel'. "Today, Kashmir has broken free from the shackles of Article 370 and is fully integrated into the mainstream," the PM said adding, this move has made 'Pakistan and the masterminds of terrorism' realise 'the true strength of India'. On infiltration, he accused previous governments of prioritising 'vote-bank politics' over national security by ignoring this issue and affirmed the country's resolve to fight this threat. "These illegal immigrants have been occupying the resources and disturbing the demographic balance, putting the country's unity at stake. But, past governments turned a blind eye to this important issue. For the sake of vote bank politics, the country's security was deliberately put at risk," he alleged. Now, for the first time, the country has decided to fight a decisive battle against this big threat as well, Modi said, adding he had announced the formation of a Demography Mission from the Red Fort in August. The PM said when the government was seriously addressing the issue, 'some people are prioritising their own interests over the national interest' and fighting for rights of illegal immigrants. "They think that if the country has been broken once, it can continue to be broken again and again, and it doesn't bother them," he stated, adding the truth is that if the security and identity of the country are threatened, every citizen will be at risk. "Therefore, today, on National Unity Day, we must reaffirm our resolve. We will ensure that every illegal immigrant living in India is expelled," said the prime minister. He claimed the Congress demonstrated a 'colonial mentality' by removing a portion of the national song, 'Vande Mataram', on religious grounds and asserted this act 'laid the foundation for the partition of India'. "The day the Congress decided to break and divide Vande Mataram, on that very day, it laid the foundation for the partition of India. If the Congress hadn't committed that sin, the picture of India today would be completely different," Modi insisted. He criticised the practice of 'political untouchability' and the marginalisation of leaders with differing ideologies, citing the neglect of stalwarts like Sardar Patel, Dr B R Ambedkar, and Jayaprakash Narayan. The PM noted the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh was also subjected to attacks and conspiracies. "Every person and every idea outside of one party and one family was attempted to be made untouchable. The mindset of attacking the country's unity for political interests is part of a slave mentality. The Congress did not only inherit the party and power from the British, but it also adopted the slave mentality," said the PM. He highlighted his government's efforts to honour all national figures, including the construction of the Statue of Unity, Panchteerth dedicated to Ambedkar, and the Prime Ministers' Museum to honour all former PM. Amid recent controversies in some states, the PM made it clear every language in India is a national language, and there has never been an attempt to impose one tongue on others. He said language is an important pillar of India's unity and India's hundreds of languages and dialects are a symbol of its open and creative thinking. "Because here, no community or group has ever used language as a weapon. There has never been an attempt to impose one language on others. That is why India has become such a linguistically rich nation in the world," affirmed Modi. "Therefore, we consider every language a national language and we are promoting every Indian language. We proudly say that India has Tamil, one of the oldest languages in the world. We have a treasure trove of knowledge like Sanskrit. Similarly, every Indian language has its own unique qualities," he stated. He said the government wants every child to study and progress in their mother tongue and citizens should also learn other languages. The PM called on 140 crore citizens to defeat every conspiracy aimed at breaking national unity and to work together to achieve the goal of a developed and self-reliant India. Andrew, the younger brother of Britain's King Charles III, is to lose his title of Prince and move out of the Royal Lodge on the Windsor Castle estate, Buckingham Palace has said in a statement. IMAGE: Britain's King Charles III with his younger brother Andrew. Photograph: Reuters The announcement on Thursday comes days after Andrew voluntarily relinquished the title of Duke of York and all other royal honours after a "discussion" with the monarch, amid "continued accusations" around his association with American sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. However, the controversy refused to die down as British MPs took the unusual step of debating the matter of Andrew's token rent for royal lodgings. "His Majesty has today initiated a formal process to remove the Style, Titles and Honours of Prince Andrew," reads the Buckingham Palace statement. "Prince Andrew will now be known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor. His lease on Royal Lodge has, to date, provided him with legal protection to continue in residence. Formal notice has now been served to surrender the lease and he will move to alternative private accommodation," it states. The palace notes that the "censures" are deemed necessary, notwithstanding the fact that Andrew continues to deny the allegations against him. "Their Majesties wish to make clear that their thoughts and utmost sympathies have been, and will remain with, the victims and survivors of any and all forms of abuse," the statement concludes. The scandal-hit 65-year-old had already stopped using the "His Royal Highness (HRH)" title, having stepped back as a working royal earlier. Earlier this month, he announced that all his other titles will also become inactive, even as he continued to "vigorously" deny all accusations against him. As a son of the late Queen Elizabeth II, he was expected to retain the title of Prince in accordance with Letters Patent issued in 1917 by King George V, which were updated by his mother in 2012. "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 [Charles] and the royal family," Prince Andrew said in a statement issued by Buckingham Palace on October 18. "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," he said at the time. Andrew's ex-wife and close friend, Sarah Ferguson, will also no longer use her title of the Duchess of York but the titles of their daughters, Princess Beatrice and Eugiene, remain unaffected. The decision comes amid renewed pressure on Andrew over reports of his relationship with the convicted paedophile financier Epstein and also links with an alleged Chinese spy. A memoir titled Nobody's Girl' by Virginia Giuffre, who had sued the senior royal back in August 2021 over an alleged sexual assault and died in April, threw up further allegations when it was released posthumously recently. Two men from Karnal in Haryana who left the country after being promised jobs in Spain were taken via a 'donkey route' and are now being 'tortured' in Iran over ransom demands, their families claimed. Image used only for representation. Photograph: Pixabay.com The 'donkers' have been sending videos to family members, in which one of them is pleading for help and saying they are being tortured, they said. The families of Ritik (24) and Pawan (40) have lodged a complaint with Karnal Police and have also appealed to the government to help rescue the two men who left home on October 22. Congress leader Randeep Surjewala has appealed to the Haryana government to bring the men back safely. When contacted, Inspector Tarsem, SHO of Karnal Sadar police station, said: "We have registered a case under relevant provisions of law after the two families lodged a complaint stating that they paid money to the travel agents who duped them. Further investigations are on." Donkers, a term used for people promising to help people migrate illegally through donkey routes, which usually involves crossing multiple borders. Ritik and Pawan, who are from different villages in Karnal district, were promised by Haryana-based 'travel agents' that they will take them to Spain where they will get jobs. However, the families of the two men claimed that after they left home on October 22, the agents arranged their flight to Kolkata and then onwards to Thailand. From there, other agents in the network sent them to Tehran promising it will be a short halt before they head to Spain. In Tehran, the 'donkers' are torturing them and threatening to sell their kidneys if they were not given the money they were demanding, the families claimed. Congress general secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala posted on X, 'Lives of two youths from Karnal in danger. Both youths were kidnapped in Iran. Threat to kill them if ransom is not paid.' 'Both youths were heading abroad for jobs. (Haryana CM) Nayab Saini ji, we want both young men safe under any circumstances,' he said in Hindi. Since January, at least 2,790 Indian nationals who did not meet the criteria, and were illegally staying in the United States, have returned, the government said on Thursday. Kindly note that this image has been posted for representational purposes only. Photograph: @USBPChief/X External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal shared the number at his weekly media briefing in response to a query. "On deportation, since January of this year, we have had around 2,790-plus Indian nationals who did not meet the criteria. They were illegally staying there. We verified their credentials, their nationality. And they have returned. This is the status till yesterday, that is 29th October," he said. The spokesperson was also asked about the number of Indian nationals who have been deported from the UK so far this year. "From the UK side, this year we have had around 100 Indian nationals who have been deported after their nationality was duly verified by us," Jaiswal said. The rising tide of Indian nationalism meant that the people of princely states now were keen to become a part of a united and integrated India rather than remain subjects of a princely state. The Congress too supported the people's wish and it fell upon Patel to get the princes to agree. He did so magnificently, using every trick available, whether it was sweet talk or coercion; the rulers buckled and Patel earned the eternal gratitude of the entire nation. Photograph: Universal History Archive/Universal Images Group via Getty Images/Rediff Archives October 31, 2025, is Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel's 150th birth anniversary. Among the troika of India's top leaders during the Freedom Struggle, Patel has carved a niche in the hearts and minds of most Indians for his immeasurable contribution towards the making of India. It is impossible to encapsulate the life of this legend in a short read, so this piece will seek to highlight some key aspects of his amazing life and journey. Patel's exact birth date remains unknown. It was not noted down by his family. Patel chose October 31, 1875, while filling up his matriculation form, and which date later appeared on his matriculation certificate. Anyone drawing up his kundalini is doing so on a mythical date! Coincidentally, this year will also mark Patel's 75th death anniversary; he passed away on December 15, 1950, just 45 days after turning 75. One of the favourite and perennial 'What if...' questions that haunts the minds of historians and conspiracy theorists in equal measure is the query: What if Patel had become the first prime minister of India rather than Jawaharlal Nehru? Many, especially in recent years, are convinced that Mahatma Gandhi was both partial towards Nehru and prejudiced against Patel, though, like most conspiracy theories, actual evidence for such claims is sorely missing. And that India suffered as a result of this decision, especially since Patel had a far more realistic outlook concerning politics as compared to the utopian Nehru. But that is a question for another article. IMAGE: Sardar Patel addresses a public meeting at Girgaum Chowpatty in Bombay in 1938. Early years Vallabhbhai Jhaverbhai Patel was born in Nadiad, a town that lies halfway between the large cities of Ahmedabad and Vadodara. He hailed from the Leva Patidar community, an agriculturist caste that had already experienced upward mobilisation and increased prosperity. His father was a farmer, who chose to educate his children. But hailing from a family of a caste that, in that era, did not prioritize education meant it was slow progress. Patel matriculated (completed high school) in 1897, at the age of 22. He had married Jhaverben four years earlier. Unlike others of his ilk back then, Patel was determined to study further and he studied law, becoming a lawyer by 1903 and setting up practice in Godhra. His wife joined him and they soon had a daughter, Mani, born in 1903, and son, Dahya, born in 1904. Patel was a skilled lawyer and soon became prosperous. He also earned an enviable reputation for stoicism: While arguing a case in court, he received a telegram informing that his ailing wife had passed away. He read the telegram, thrust it in his pocket, finished his arguments, and then headed home to mourn his wife's demise in 1909. He also refused to marry again, and his family raised his children. IMAGE: Mahatma Gandhi with Sardar Patel and Acharya J B Kripalani at the Ramgarh Congress, March 17, 1940. Photograph: Kind courtesy mkgandhi.org Sacrifice and Sardar Patel was desirous of bettering himself and wanted to become a barrister, which, back, then required studying in London. He scrupulously saved up his money and soon gained admission. But here comes a twist. In 1910, the letter informing him of his admission was addressed to 'Mr V J Patel, Pleader', and was received by his elder brother, Vithalbhai Patel, also a pleader (junior lawyer). Vithalbhai insisted that he would go, saying it would look odd if the younger brother studied ahead of the elder brother! Vallabhbhai demonstrated a characteristic trait that would be displayed again decades later: Sacrifice for the greater good of the family (or nation). Instead of being bitter at his brother's emotional and unfair behaviour, he let his elder brother go ahead of him. A year later, 36-year-old Patel went to London to achieve his dream of becoming a barrister. He lived frugally, walking to the library, about 17 km away, every day and back in the evening. Completing his three years' course ahead of schedule, on the day he received his bar, he took another long walk... to the docks to book his ticket home. Back in India in 1913, Patel shifted his practice to Ahmedabad and as a barrister, soon became a wealthy man, wearing fancy suits and playing cards at an exclusive club in the evenings. IMAGE: Mahatma Gandhi and Sardar Patel, during the Bardoli Satyagraha, 1928. Photograph: Kind courtesy Wikimedia Commons In 1915, Gandhi returned to India from South Africa and plunged into political activity, starting from his native Gujarat. Patel attended the Political Conference 1917 and was impressed sufficiently by Gandhi, especially the notion that wrongs must be righted (as a lawyer, it was the very thing Patel sought to do). He entered politics, winning the election to become the sanitation commissioner of Ahmedabad in 1917. He also became secretary of the Gujarat Sabha. A famine struck the Kheda region, not far from Nadiad, in 1918 and farmers were struggling to pay their taxes. Gandhi organised a satyagraha in Kheda and was delighted when Patel joined him to lead the struggle. The Kheda satyagraha was a success and Patel's immense contribution was noted. In today's India, it is easy to assume that a wealthy man joining politics retains his lifestyle or even grows wealthier. Back then, that was utterly not the case. Patel did not come from a wealthy family; every paisa was earned by him. Giving up his career as a barrister to join politics meant a huge financial sacrifice that today is even difficult to imagine. Patel embraced that sacrifice! Patel junked his suit-boot and took to wearing only khadi dhoti-kurta with sandals, and by which image the world recognises him today. Patel's inspirational leadership soon became visible beyond what is now Gujarat. In 1923, the British passed a law banning the raising of the Indian 'flag' in Nagpur. The Congress asked Patel to lead the movement defying this ridiculous rule and he did so successfully. IMAGE: Sardar Patel at a procession in Ahmedabad celebrating the victory of the Bardoli Satyagraha in 1928. Photograph: Kind courtesy statueofunity.guide The same year, the government levied a tax on the people of Borsad taluka (near Vadodara) to pay for the deployment of the police to catch a local dacoit, Devar Baba. Patel and his supporters discovered that the police were in cahoots with the dacoit. He organised the people, and led them in refusing to pay the extra levy. The government buckled and revoked its order. The year 1928 was a name-changer. The people of Bardoli, located just east of Surat, were suffering under famine conditions and the government's decision to hike its revenue by over 20%, and in some villages, by over 50%. The Congress launched a satyagraha and the people simply refused to pay. This fightback caught the nation's attention. Patel was one of the main organisers of this struggle led by Gandhi. The government gave in to all the demands -- no hike in revenue, reinstating officials dismissed from service, and returning the confiscated lands. Hereinafter, Patel was referred to as Sardar (leader), a moniker that defined his stature, which was by now hailed across India. IMAGE: Gandhi, Patel and Nehru during the All India Congress Committee meeting in Bombay, 1946. Photograph: Kind courtesy Wikimedia Commons Independence and Integration As the Freedom Struggle intensified, Patel and Gandhi grew closer to each other and he soon became a trusted lieutenant of Gandhi. They would disagree (they were just six years apart and Patel did not hesitate to speak his mind), but Patel trusted Gandhi's instincts and decisions. For instance, when Subhas Chandra Bose opposed Gandhi's non-violence initiatives in 1938, it was Patel who organised the Congress workers to stand by Gandhi. In 1942, as Indians grew increasingly restless with continued British rule at a time when Britain was on the backfoot in World War 2, Patel pushed Gandhi to push for a movement against the British. The Quit India Movement was launched and Patel was promptly jailed, securing a release in 1945. IMAGE: Sardar Patel's ashes are immersed by his son Dahyabhai in 1950. Photograph: Kind courtesy statueofunity.guide When India became Independent, Patel was sworn in as India's first Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister, in charge of integrating the 562 princely states of India. Here, it must be understood that as the British conquered India, the many erstwhile rulers and entered into individual treaties and alliances with the British. They were nominally sovereign, acknowledging the suzerainty of the British. Not surprisingly, many believe that the departure of the British meant that they could become rulers once more without British overlordship. IMAGE: The Statue of Unity at 182 metres is twice the height of the Statue of Liberty in the United States and is built on an islet, Sadhu Bet, near the Sardar Sarovar Dam in Gujarat's Narmada district. Photograph: Kind courtesy @PMOIndia/X But the rising tide of Indian nationalism meant that the people of these princely states now were keen to become a part of a united and integrated India rather than remain subjects of a princely state. The Congress too supported the people's wish and it fell upon Patel to get the princes to agree. He did so magnificently, using every trick available, whether it was sweet talk or coercion; the rulers buckled and Patel earned the eternal gratitude of the entire nation. Patel also kept the Congress party intact despite his growing differences with Nehru, by refusing to break away and form another party. He was aware that doing so just after Independence could harm the country. As he had done in the past, he sacrificed his own sentiments to serve his larger family - the nation. Honouring Patel's pivotal role integrating India, the government of Gujarat built a statue of Patel at Kevadia, southeast of Vadodara, and which was inaugurated on October 31, 2018. This Statue of Unity is at present the world's tallest statue at 182 metres. In the hearts and minds of Indians, Patel's will always be taller. Photographs curated by Manisha Kotian/Rediff Feature Presentation: Aslam Hunani/Rediff JIUQUAN, Oct. 31 (Xinhua) -- Appearing at his first press conference on Thursday, 32-year-old Wu Fei is the youngest Chinese astronaut set to join the Shenzhou-21 mission as a space engineer. The Shenzhou-21 crew -- Zhang Lu, Wu Fei and Zhang Hongzhang -- is scheduled for launch at 11:44 p.m. Friday (Beijing Time) from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China. Wu, who previously worked as a spacecraft development engineer, said he is excited that he will soon enter the space station, for which he played a part in testing and development. Wu was born in 1993 in Baotou, north China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. In 2010, he was admitted to Beihang University in Beijing, where he majored in aircraft design. After completing his master's degree, he became an engineer at the China Academy of Space Technology under the China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation. There, his work focused on thermal testing for spacecraft. In specialized labs that simulated the vacuum and extreme-temperature environments of space, he and his colleagues tested whether the thermal control systems of the spacecraft could properly regulate temperatures. "I was like a doctor giving health examinations," he said, "checking if the spacecraft materials had cracked or warped from the extreme temperature swings, and making sure everything would work right up in space." In May 2018, China began selecting its third group of astronauts, adding two new categories of astronauts: space engineers and payload specialists. Wu applied without hesitation. Wu has worked to verify the thermal control systems for the Tianhe core module and the Wentian lab module of China's space station, and said that he would find operating the spacecraft he had helped test and develop to be "very meaningful." In September 2020, he was recruited as an astronaut. When he received the good news, he had been busy adjusting thermal testing equipment for the Tianhe core module. He had been overwhelmed with excitement, he said. "Finally, I had the chance to do experiments in the real space environment." Wu has made tremendous efforts to reach this point in his career. He completed specialized training which included physical exercises, underwater weightless-environment simulations, and manual rendezvous and docking operations. He has always believed in the saying, "The harder you work, the luckier you get." And his dedication and hard work are what earned him his place on the Shenzhou-21 mission. As a space engineer, his responsibilities include looking after the space station, managing its daily affairs, and handling equipment maintenance, repairs and upgrades. For his first space mission, Wu has many aspirations: to carry out combustion and fluid-dynamics experiments related to thermal science, to look for the grasslands of his hometown on Earth through the space station porthole, and to experience a spacewalk. "Integrating my dream into the country's great space endeavors is the best luck that the times have given me. All I can do in return is to make all-out efforts to live up to that," he told media ahead of departure. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. "I think that Bennington will be a great location for Her Closet," said the store's administrator Kendy Skidmore. "And, I'm hoping that we get The Department of Corrections is exploring procurement options for an intelligence data and analytics system which can capture and process information from a wide range of sources including audio and video recordings. In a market research Request for Information (RFI) published to the Government Electronic Tender Service (GETS), the Department said it was looking for providers to help inform its procurement for the system and help set the direction of travel for its intelligence function for the next decade. According to the RFI, the Department of Corrections is looking for an intelligence data and analytics system which is reliable, scalable and ensures uninterrupted intelligence operations, which aim to identify risk, deter and prevent harm and support the good order, safety, and security of prisons. By providing timely, accurate and relevant insight and foresight to inform decision making, the intelligence function helps reduce uncertainty in our ever-changing operational landscape, the Department said. Intelligence insight and foresight also provide the depth of understanding required to support decisions that create a safe, efficient, and effective corrections system. The information held and managed by the intelligence function is used to inform both frontline operational activities and that of partner agencies. A potential future intelligence data and analytics system needs to enhance intelligence effectiveness by enabling fast, deep, and accurate insights through analytics and reduced manual effort, the Department said. Based on the requirements outlined in the RFI documents, the Department is looking for a system capable of capturing and processing intelligence from a wide range of information sources, including audio and video files, as well as images, graphs and charts. According to the RFI document, the system needs to be able to transcribe both audio and video files, including phone call conversations and meeting recordings in multiple languages. It should also translate transcripts from multiple languages to English. A delegation from Hungarian think tanks visited Chongqing from Saturday to Tuesday to explore China's opening-up and smart manufacturing. Delegates praised the BRI's potential and expressed optimism for China-Hungary collaboration. SoftwareOne and Amazon Web Services (AWS) have entered into a multi-year agreement to support digital transformation, cloud adoption, and generative artificial intelligence (genAI) innovation across the Asia Pacific (APAC) region. Under the multi-year agreement, SoftwareOne will augment its AWS capabilities to support customers in Australia and New Zealand (A/NZ), Southeast Asia, the Greater China Region (GCR), and India. The collaboration will focus on four strategic areas: migration and modernisation, data and genAI, launching entirely new solutions on AWS (greenfield deployments), and AWS Marketplace enablement. SoftwareOne president for APAC and Middle East Varun Paliwal said this marked a step towards accelerating digital transformation using genAI. By combining SoftwareOnes expertise with the comprehensive cloud services of AWS, were delivering tangible business outcomes and long-term value for our customers, he said. As part of the collaboration, SoftwareOne will help customers migrate to AWS through its Rapid Migration Offer and set up a SoftwareOne AWS Landing Zone. This will come with built-in cloud security and governance and will list its solutions in AWS Marketplace to streamline procurement. The software and cloud-solutions provider will also develop and deploy a portfolio of genAI solutions powered by Amazon Bedrock, tailored to industries such as retail, manufacturing and financial services. SoftwareOne will provide pre-built, AWS-validated solution templates and implementation packages, including AI assistants for specific industries and workloads, which are designed to help customers move from pilot to production faster. BELGRADE -- As Serbian students mark the first anniversary of a fatal building collapse at a railway station that sparked massive nationwide protests, there are signs that far-right nationalist groups have sought to infiltrate and even hijack the movement. Early demands for political accountability, followed by calls for the resignation of Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic and new elections, have been complemented with strong anti-Kosovo rhetoric. Im proud when we fight for our national interests -- for Kosovo and Metohija, one protester, who identified himself only as Stefan, told RFE/RLs Balkan Service. He was using a term favored by the Serbian government, which does not recognize Kosovo as an independent state. The year-long student protests are the largest in Serbia since demonstrations that led to the toppling of Yugoslav leader Slobodan Milosevic 25 years ago. The protests began after the collapse of a railway station roof in the northern city of Novi Sad on November 1, 2024. The tragedy killed 16 people and shocked the public amid reports that corrupt practices led to shoddy construction at the railway station, a flagship government project led by Chinese businesses. The demonstrations were marked by a commitment to strict political neutrality, focusing on calls for a thorough investigation and keeping a distance from both ruling and opposition parties. The Far-Right Gets Involved The first major rightward shift came on June 28, on the anniversary of the 1389 Battle of Kosovo Polje, a charged date in Serbian politics that was used by nationalists to justify the Balkan wars that followed the collapse of Yugoslavia in the 1990s. During a protest that day, speakers made calls to defend the Serbian people outside the countrys borders, apparently referring to large ethnic Serbian communities in Kosovo and Bosnia-Herzegovina. Speakers were chosen to highlight both the movements diversity and the idea of national unity, an electrical engineering student from Belgrade, who declined to be named, told RFE/RL. Other people who had taken part in protests felt alienated by the rhetoric. These are not the values I stand for. If they want my support or my vote, they need to clearly distance themselves from that rhetoric, said a woman who gave her name only as Milica. Milos, a man in his fifties who has been joining anti-government protests since the 1990s, said that after cooling down he understood the speeches as a populist move -- an attempt to reach broader audiences ahead of possible elections. The student call for early elections has not been successful. But ahead of scheduled local ballots in October, the heat turned up again. Law students in Belgrade organized a rally demanding accountability for "violations of Serbian rights" in Kosovo. On social media, organizers accused Serbias government of "betraying Kosovo." Ultra-nationalist and far-right groups -- some of them banned by Serbias Constitutional Court -- appeared alongside students, although only about 1,000 people attended. This was far fewer than at many other protests. Serbian Muslims March Shortly afterwards, a European Parliament resolution condemned what it called nationalist narratives in parts of the protest movement. "The right is absolutely trying to take over the protests, but it's not that big. It's just louder and better organized," Dusko Radosavljevic, a professor at the law and business faculty at the University of Novi Sad, told RFE/RL. He added that the appearance of extremist groups at demonstrations was often staged. These are frequently provocations organized by security services on the state payroll, meant to create confusion, he said. "In a divided society like ours, many students still can't tell the difference between healthy patriotism and nationalism," said Boris Kojcinovic, a philosophy student from Novi Sad. He recalled nationalists grabbing European Union flags from protesters but added: "I feel most of us are here for one goal -- to build a healthy society." Students March To Novi Sad That message has also resonated in Sandzak, a region in southwestern Serbia with a Muslim majority. Marching under the message "You Wont Divide Us," students from Sandzak made a 400-kilometer protest march to Novi Sad, arriving on November 1, to mark the anniversary. A welcome ceremony lasted for more than four hours. The largest group -- nearly 4,000 students who had walked about 80 kilometers from Belgrade -- marched into Novi Sad shortly before midnight. The feeling is incredible -- this number of people, this amount of positive energy, and love in the air is something that cant be described in words. It simply has to be experienced, Marija, a student from Novi Pazar, told RFE/RL. Vladimir Lekic, who came from Mladenovac, near Belgrade, to welcome the students in Novi Sad, told RFE/RL that in normal countries, the protesters demands would have been met long ago, and the demonstrations would already be over. Here, people have to give their last atom of strength to get anything done. This is a great student sacrifice well see what comes of it, he said. Vucic on October 31 appealed for a peaceful commemoration and urged protesters to engage in dialogue. He acknowledged that "many people have made mistakes over the past year," including himself, and his government declared November 1 day of national mourning. During mass protests in March, Vucic acknowledged the "enormous negative energy and anger" directed at authorities and said that "we will have to change ourselves." However, student groups have not been quieted, citing a lack of progress on reforms and on holding those responsible for the Novi Sad disaster accountable. KYIV -- On October 18, Roman Sopin called his mother and asked her to bring him some clothes, cash, and his contact lenses -- he had been swept off a Kyiv street by conscription officers and was preparing to be inducted into the Ukrainian Armed Forces to fight against invading Russian troops. A day later, he was in the hospital with a severe head injury that turned out to be fatal: He died on October 23. The military claims Sopin passed out, collapsed, and hit his head on the hard floor of the recruitment center where he had been taken in Kyivs Podil district, and that about 10 people, including other men who were being mobilized, witnessed the fall. It also says he had no injuries elsewhere on his body. His family and their lawyer doubt it: They suspect the blunt-force trauma listed on a death certificate along with cerebral hemorrhage, skull fractures, and a closed head injury was the result of a deliberate act of violence. People dont fall like that naturally. This was a powerful, professional blow, the lawyer, Oleksandr Protas, told RFE/RLs Ukrainian Service. He said Sopin, 43, had been healthy and had no history of fainting or falling. Protas said he had encountered several cases in which men were beaten at the Podil recruitment center and at one in the Svyatoshyn district. Whatever the truth, Sopins death has focused heightened attention on Ukraines manpower problems and the violence that recruiters sometimes use against men they are seeking to bring into the military. It followed shortly after two incidents of alleged brutality that trained a spotlight on recruitment methods that continue to cause concern more than a year after a controversial mobilization law was adopted in the spring of 2024. In Kyiv, a court ordered house arrest for two police officers suspected of exceeding their authority in the beating of a man outside a district recruitment center. Grainy, bluish security-camera footage from October 17 shows two officers repeatedly kicking and hitting a man who lies prone in the open door of a police van. Two days earlier, police in the Ternopil region in western Ukraine detained seven military personnel suspected of several crimes, including torture and extortion, in connection with the alleged mistreatment of several men, some of whom were not potential recruits but fellow soldiers who were undergoing rehabilitation after being wounded in the war. This form of mobilization is known as busification because men who are accosted by conscription officers or soldiers from units seeking conscripts and cannot prove they are exempt from service are sometimes bundled into buses and taken in for induction into the military. One alleged victim in Ternopil told police he was assaulted outside a recruitment center by attackers who forced him into a van, drove him away, beat him, threatened him with a weapon, and demanded 50,000 hrynyas ($1,190) for his release. Authorities said the suspects stole a car from another Ternopil resident, which was later found near Kyiv. 'Cynically Indifferent' Police Sopins mother, Larysa Sopina, shares the lawyers doubt about the official claim that her son lost consciousness and fell, she told RFE/RL, saying that it did not seem to fit with the finding of blunt force trauma. Sopina is frustrated about her treatment by the authorities, who she suggested have consistently stonewalled her efforts to find out what happened to Roman. "No one has contacted me at all. I have the feeling that the police are completely cynically indifferent, she said. Protas said that when he first went to the Podil police precinct, he was told that the cause of the alleged fall must be epilepsy, but that Sopin had no history of epilepsy. From the beginning, the police were trying to cover up the case, he said. Kyiv police and military authorities deny a cover-up or any other wrongdoing. Violence is one of several problems plaguing Ukraines campaign to mobilize more men to fight against Russias full-scale invasion, which will reach the four-year mark on February 24, 2026. President Volodymyr Zelenskyys government barred men aged up to 60 from leaving the country after the start of the invasion in February 2022, though in late August it relaxed the rules for those aged 18-22, resulting in a sharp spike in the numbers of men in that age group leaving Ukraine in September and October. Kyiv has resisted pressure to lower the draft age to 18 but decreased it from 27 to 25 last year. Absence without leave, desertion, and flight from Ukraine also pose serious challenges. Authorities opened more than 110,000 AWOL investigations in the first months of 2025, according to Prosecutor-Generals Office figures reported by Ukrayinska Pravda -- more than half the total number since the start of the invasion. More than 50,000 desertion cases have also been opened since February 2022. Russia has its own mobilization problems. More than 1 million of its soldiers have been killed or wounded, according to Ukraine and Western intelligence agencies, and it continues to suffer massive losses as its forces slowly push forward along the front line in the Donetsk region. Increasingly, Moscow is juggling economic constraints with its efforts to replace the troops who have been killed or put out of action. But analysts say Putin is confident that Russia will prevail and is determined at the very least to seize the part of the Donetsk region that remains under government control, suggesting that financial pressures and the growing casualty count will not push Moscow to make concessions any time soon. With US President Donald Trumps effort to broker an end to war running up against recalcitrance in the Kremlin, theres little sign of peace or even a cease-fire, which Washington and Kyiv favor but Moscow opposes in sight. Written by Steve Gutterman in Prague based on reporting by RFE/RLs Ukrainian Service in Kyiv A series of Russian air strikes on the northeastern Ukrainian city of Sumy has damaged residential areas, injuring at least 11 people, including four children, as Ukrainian forces targeted energy infrastructure inside Russia. Ukraine's Emergency Services wrote on Telegram that Russia had hit a multistory residential building, private homes, and infrastructure facilities. Ihor Kalchenko, the local governor, said on October 31 that Russian forces had launched 102 attacks on 43 settlements across 13 communities in the Sumy region over the past day, using guided bombs and drones. Air raid alerts lasted for more than 19 hours, according to Kalchenko. A Sumy resident and eyewitness told RFE/RLs Ukrainian Service that she heard the first explosions shortly before midnight. "It was around half past eleven. We were already asleep... I saw a flash in the window. I looked out and saw a fire," she said. "We live in Building 35, but Building 33 is on fire. The ninth-floor windows were engulfed in flames... We checked our apartment and found that the windows in the small bedroom were completely shattered." Meanwhile, Ukraine's state railway operator, Ukrzaliznytsia, reported that Russian troops had attacked railway infrastructure overnight in the Sumy and Kharkiv regions. "The Ukrzaliznytsia depot in the city of Sumy has been damaged. This depot provides daily connections to Sumy and the surrounding area. It is an entirely civilian enterprise that prepares carriages for travel and conducts technical inspections," Ukrainian Deputy Prime Minister Oleksiy Kuleba wrote on Telegram. Kuleba condemned the Russian strikes, calling them deliberate attacks on the lives of Ukrainians and on the countrys transport system. In his evening address on October 30, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that the Russian strike on the Slovyansk Thermal Power Plant in northern Donetsk Oblast killed two people and injured several others. "This is outright terror. Normal people don't wage war like this, and the world must respond appropriately to such Russian warfare," Zelenskyy added. On October 31, the Ukrainian Air Force reported that Russia had launched one Iskander-M missile and 145 drones. Ukrainian defenses intercepted one ballistic missile and shot down 107 drones, the statement added. Ukraine Attacks 'Critical' Energy Facilities In Russia As the Russian Defense Ministry said that 130 Ukrainian drones were intercepted over Russian territory overnight on October 31, authorities in the southwestern Oryol region claimed that a local power plant had been attacked. Governor Andrey Klychkov said on Telegram that parts of one intercepted drone fell on the plant, causing power outages and heating problems in some parts of the city of Oryol. The Ukrainian Navy, however, claimed it had hit the facility with domestically made Neptune cruise missiles, famous for sinking the Moskva guided-missile cruiser, the flagship of Russia's Black Sea fleet, back in 2022. The Ukrainian Navy's statement added that the electrical substation in Russia's Bryansk region was also hit overnight, saying that "both facilities supplied power to regional military enterprises." Weeks earlier, while discussing potential US missile supplies to Ukraine in the White House, Zelenskyy said that the combined nature of long-range attacks has been shaping warfare in recent years. ASTRA, a Russian-language news channel on Telegram, shared footage appearing to show a power plant being hit, reporting that residents of Oryol heard explosions overnight. ASTRA also reported attacks on a substation in the city of Vladimir in central Russia and an oil refinery near Yaroslavl on the Volga River. Meanwhile, the head of the Security Service of Ukraine (SBU) announced that the country has successfully hit 160 Russian oil and energy facilities so far this year. Vasyl Malyuk told reporters on October 31 that the strikes would continue and are intended to reduce Russia's ability to finance its war in Ukraine. With Reporting from RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service, Reuters, and DPA Russian missile and drone strikes across Ukraine have killed at least six people and injured dozens of others, including children, as Moscow's forces step up assaults around the countrys strategic eastern city of Pokrovsk. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on October 30 described the attacks as a "complex, combined strike," noting that Russian forces had used over 650 drones and more than 50 missiles of various types, including ballistic missiles. Ukrainian officials said two people were killed in the southern city of Zaporizhzhya, while four others were killed in Slovyansk and Kramatorsk -- two of Ukraines main strongholds in the Donetsk region, along with Pokrovsk. Strikes were also reported late in the northeastern Ukrainian city of Sumy, where local officials said 10 Russian drones targeted civilian infrastructure and damaged at least two residential buildings within an hour. Representatives of country's emergency services and local administrations described the aftermath. Following the attack on Zaporizhzhya, rescuers recovered two bodies from the rubble of a residential building destroyed in the strike, while in Ukraine's west-central Vinnytsia region, a seven-year-old girl who was injured in a Russian strike later died in hospital. "She was admitted to the hospital in critical condition. Doctors fought for her life, but unfortunately, they were unable to save her, Natalya Zabolotna, first deputy head of the regional military administration, wrote in a Telegram post. Speaking to RFE/RLs Ukrainian Service, a woman living in Slovyansk said the attack on the city damaged the windows and doors of some residents apartments. "I can't describe how loud the strikes were -- my heart nearly stopped," she added. The National Energy Company Ukrenerho reported that Russia's massive air attacks on Ukraine's energy infrastructure have caused emergency power outages across most regions of the country. In Ukraine's western Lviv region, which borders NATO and EU member Poland, the regional governor reported that two energy facilities were hit. "Russia continues its systematic terror -- striking at the lives, dignity, and warmth of Ukrainians on the eve of winter," Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko wrote on X. Russia's Defense Ministry claimed its armed forces had carried out a massive overnight strike on Ukraine's military-industrial facilities, energy infrastructure, and military airfields in response to "Ukrainian attacks on civilian targets in Russia." "The strike achieved its objectives, with all designated targets hit," the ministry said in a statement on October 30. Commander Visits Frontline Positions Near Pokrovsk After visiting frontline positions in the Pokrovsk-Myrnohrad area, Ukraine's top commander said that Russian troops are stepping up attacks around the eastern stronghold of Pokrovsk. Oleksandr Syrskiy wrote on Telegram that Ukraine is strengthening its defenses to repel the attacks. "The situation is difficult, but Russian propaganda claims about the alleged 'encirclement' of Ukraine's defense forces in Pokrovsk, as well as in Kupyansk, do not correspond to reality," Syrskiy said on October 30. Pokrovsk, a city of about 7,000 inhabitants -- down from more than 60,000 prewar -- holds crucial road and rail junctions and has been under threat of encirclement by Russian forces for most of the year. In early October, Russian President Vladimir Putin claimed that Russian troops had entered the city, but Ukrainian officials at the time denied the report and said Kremlin forces continued to suffer heavy losses in the region. On October 26, Ukraine's General Staff said several small Russian infantry units -- totaling some 200 soldiers -- had evaded defensive lines and established positions inside Pokrovsk. With reporting from RFE/RL's Ukrainian Service, AFP, and Reuters A court in Kyiv placed former longtime Odesa mayor Hennadiy Trukhanov under round-the-clock house arrest for 60 days on charges of official negligence, weeks after President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stripped him of Ukrainian citizenship. The Pechersk District Court in Kyiv imposed the measure on October 31, granting the prosecution's request after Trukhanov was suspected of mishandling floods in Odesa, which led to the deaths of several people. A former lawmaker in Ukraines parliament and mayor of the Black Sea port since 2014, Trukhanov had been notified several days earlier that he was suspected of improperly performing his official duties. Speaking via video link at a court hearing, Trukhanov called the charge a "planned political diversion" and claimed that he did nothing wrong. According to the investigation, the former mayor failed to ensure the proper functioning of the citys drainage systems and inform the population about the threat of an emergency on September 30, the day deadly floods struck the key Ukrainian port city. "As a result of flooding in part of the city, caused by the storm sewer systems failure to drain water from the streets, nine people died, including a nine-year-old child," the prosecution said in a statement on October 29. Trukhanov said that his being named as a suspect came as a "surprise" to him, though he acknowledged that the problem with drainage systems in Odesa was "catastrophic." "Resolving it requires billions of hryvnias in investment and government support. The city alone could never manage it," he added. Right after the tragedy on September 30, Trukhanov said that nearly two months worth of rainfall fell in the city in just seven hours. "No stormwater drainage system could withstand such a load," he wrote in his Telegram. Two weeks after the floods hit Odesa, Zelenskyy announced he was revoking Trukhanovs citizenship, citing reports by the countrys main security agency that he held a Russian passport. Trukhanov has vowed to sue to get back his Ukrainian citizenship. Mixed Reaction In Odesa After Mayor Stripped Of Ukrainian Citizenship by RFE/RL No media source currently available 0:00 0:01:14 0:00 Trukhanov has long faced accusations of holding Russian citizenship, which is illegal under Ukrainian law. Earlier, some Odesa residents launched a petition to strip him of his Ukrainian citizenship, claiming he also paid taxes in Russia. However, not everyone was convinced, arguing that Trukhanov was elected fairly and that, with the war raging across the country to repel invading Russian forces, there are more pressing issues. JUBA, Oct. 31 (Xinhua) -- South Sudanese and Chinese experts have gathered at a symposium to exchange views on jointly advancing modernization based on key outcomes from the recently concluded fourth plenary session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China. The one-day symposium, organized by the Chinese Embassy in South Sudan on Thursday, brought together officials, scholars, and other representatives from both countries. "We can benefit from your commitment to vision, discipline, and the continuous refinement of governance. We will draw inspiration from and adapt the Chinese model of national service to instill values and foster a sense of shared identity among our youth," Kuol Manyang Juuk, a senior advisor to South Sudanese President Salva Kiir, said at the event held in Juba, the capital of South Sudan. Leben Nelson Moro, director of the Directorate of Scientific and Cultural External Relations at the University of Juba, stressed the need to build a multilateral global order to preserve equal development and security for all nations. "The experience we learn from China is that decades of peace and stability made it possible to plan development," Moro noted. Han Hua, co-founder and secretary general of the Beijing Club for International Dialogue, emphasized that China's four global initiatives -- the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, the Global Civilization Initiative, and the Global Governance Initiative -- offer realistic solutions to global challenges, such as conflicts, economic crises and climate change. "Every country, big or small, has both the right and the responsibility to help shape the global order. Across Africa and Asia, we have seen how this approach can translate into tangible progress from roads to power grids to digital networks, but the real goal is not to build structures but confidence and capacity so that countries can stand on their own feet," Han said. Xue Li, deputy director of the English and International Studies Unit of China Foreign Affairs University, said that the 15th Five-Year Plan for the 2026-2030 period demonstrates China's promising vision for win-win cooperation with the rest of the world, especially at a time of instability and uncertainty. "China's steadily advancing modernization will undoubtedly create vast opportunities for the common development of the world. Historically, China and African countries have worked hand-in-hand and forged a profound friendship in the process of striving for national independence and national liberation," Xue said. Melha Ruot Biel, executive director of the Juba-based Institute for Strategic and Policy Studies, said maintaining sustainable peace, unity, and collective efforts for common development has been instrumental in driving China's modernization. "Africa and the rest of the world need to learn from China on how they achieved their modernization, and how to maintain peace and unity," he added. India-Australia Army-To-Army Staff Talks Held In Canberra; Both Sides Reaffirm Commitment To Regional Stability The Indian delegation also paid homage at the Australian War Memorial & visited Royal Military College Duntroon. India-Australia Army-to-Army Staff Talks were held in Canberra from 29-31 October 2025, according to the Additional Directorate General of Public Information (ADG PI) of the Indian Army. The deliberations focused on the growing Army-to-Army cooperation, explored new domains of cooperation in Amphibious Operations and Unmanned Aircraft Systems. Advertisement Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to regional stability. The Indian delegation also paid homage at the Australian War Memorial & visited Royal Military College Duntroon. Advertisement (For more news apart from India-Australia Army-To-Army Staff Talks Held In Canberra; Both Sides Reaffirm Commitment To Regional Stability," stay tuned to Rozana Spokesman.) BEIRUT, Oct. 31 (Xinhua) -- Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem on Friday accused the United States of fueling "Israeli aggression" in Lebanon, saying Washington presents itself as a mediator while working to undermine the country's sovereignty. "America has given Lebanon nothing and justifies violations," Qassem said at an event in Beirut's southern suburbs, accusing the United States of exerting political pressure on Lebanon. He reaffirmed Hezbollah's commitment to resisting Israel and defending Lebanon's sovereignty. "Every piece of land in Lebanon is Lebanon. No land belongs to one sect over another... this land belongs to all of us," he said. Qassem praised President Joseph Aoun's order for the army to confront Israeli incursions, calling it a "responsible stance" that deserves national backing. He urged the government to strengthen the military to better counter Israel, describing resistance as a "national, not partisan, duty." Addressing Lebanon's political factions, Qassem warned against internal divisions and "serving Israeli interests." "We ask our partners not to stab us in the back or serve Israeli interests," he said. Lebanon's government in September approved a plan to disarm all nonstate actors by the end of 2025 -- a move supported by Washington and Israel but rejected by Hezbollah, which said it would only serve Israeli interests. Hezbollah's armed status remains one of Lebanon's most divisive political issues. Senior group figures, including Qassem, have repeatedly dismissed calls for disarmament as unrealistic and a threat to national security. India US Sign 10-Year Agreement On Framework For Major Defence Partnership In Malaysia The meeting between the two leaders took place on the sidelines of the ASEAN-India Defence Ministers' Informal Meeting in Kuala Lumpur. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth on Friday signed an agreement on the framework for the US-India Major Defence Partnership in Kuala Lumpur, ahead of the ASEAN Defence Ministers Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus), scheduled to take place on November 1. This will usher in a new era in our already strong defence partnership, Rajnath Singh said in a post on X. Advertisement This Defence Framework will provide policy direction to the entire spectrum of the India-US Defence Relationship. It is a signal of our growing strategic convergence and will herald a new decade of partnership, Rajnath Singh added in the post. Defence will remain as a major pillar of our bilateral relations. Our partnership is critical for ensuring a free, open and rules-based Indo-Pacific region, Indias defence minister further wrote in the post. Announcing the development, US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth said the two nations' This advances our defense partnership, a cornerstone for regional stability and deterrence. Were enhancing our coordination, info sharing, and tech cooperation. Our defense ties have never been stronger, Hegseth added. Advertisement The meeting between the two leaders took place on the sidelines of the ASEAN-India Defence Ministers Informal Meeting in Kuala Lumpur. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh left for Kuala Lumpur yesterday to take part in the ASEAN Defence Ministers Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus) being held in Malaysia on 1st November. The Defence Minister would also address the forum on Reflection on 15 years of ADMM-Plus and Chart the Way Forward. Advertisement Yesterday in a post on X, Rajnath Singh said that the second edition of ASEAN-India Defence Ministers Informal Meeting, under the chairmanship of Malaysia, would take place on October 31, on the sidelines of ADMM-Plus. The minister is expected to hold bilateral meetings with more counterparts from the participating ADMM-Plus nations as well as the senior leadership from Malaysia. ADMM is the highest defence consultative and cooperative mechanism in ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations), according to a press release by the government. Advertisement ADMM-Plus is a platform for ASEAN member states (Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Timor Leste & Vietnam) and its eight Dialogue Partners (India, US, China, Russia, Japan, South Korea, Australia & New Zealand) to strengthen security and defence cooperation, it added. It further stated that India became the dialogue partner of ASEAN in 1992, and the inaugural ADMM-Plus was convened in Hanoi, Vietnam, on October 12, 2010. Since 2017, ADMM-Plus is held annually to bolster the defence cooperation among ASEAN and plus countries. Under the construct of ADMM-Plus, India is the co-chair of the Experts Working Group on Counter Terrorism with Malaysia for the cycle 2024-2027. The second edition of ASEAN-India Maritime Exercise is also scheduled in 2026, it added. (For more news apart from India US Sign 10-Year Agreement On Framework For Major Defence Partnership In Malaysia," stay tuned to Rozana Spokesman.) PM Modi Leads National Unity Day 2025 Celebration File Photo PM Modi pays tribute to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on his 150th Birth Anniversary in Gujarat Our Nation Celebrates National Unity Day Led by PM Modi On the occasion of the 150th birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, also known as the Iron Man of India, the nation ,under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, paid tribute at the Statue of Unity in Kevadia, Gujarat. Advertisement PM Modi addressed the nation, stating that his vision of "Ek Bharat,Shresth Bharat" remains at the core of all government decisions and policies - driving growth through digital inclusion, regional development, and national integration. He acknowledged the gaps where previous governments had failed to bring progress and urged for greater cooperation toward integration and development. The celebration included the inauguration of new projects worth 1219 Crore, aimed at creating employment and promoting eco-tourism.The 'Run for Unity' and 'National Unity Pledge' were some features encouaging citizens to uphold the spirit of National Integrity. Ornitodata, the portal dedicated to knowing bird species Behind this success is a dedicated team uite barza Daniel Onea, 31.10.2025, 13:45 A symbolic, but very important moment has been reached: Ornitodata, the database of the Romanian Ornithological Society, has recorded the 2,000,000th public observation. This milestone marks not only a quantitative performance, but also a maturation of the involvement of volunteers and the scientific relevance of the information collected. The project, which evolved from an internal necessity for a complex digital tool, with a mobile application and international collaborations, today outlines a living map of the presence, distribution and migration of birds, the data collected being vital for conservation efforts. Behind this success is a dedicated team and, above all, a huge community of volunteers. From experienced ornithologists to simple nature lovers, thousands of people go out into the field and, with the help of their mobile phones, contribute to this remarkable effort. Each species recorded, from the most common to the rarest, adds a piece to the complex puzzle of biodiversity. To better understand the history, challenges, and impact of this endeavor, we spoke with Cristian Domsa, an ecologist at the Romanian Ornithological Society, one of the specialists in charge of analyzing the data entering the system. He explains how the project was born from a pressing need to centralize information, which until then was fragmented and difficult to manage. Field studies are based on massive amounts of data. The more information you have, the more pertinent conclusions you can draw. Initially, we relied heavily on international applications, and our colleagues, after collecting the data, would periodically send them to us to centralize them manually in various offline formats, such as Access or Excel databases. At some point, the natural need arose to have our own database. Thats how it all started, around 2014, when we started working on the first version of Ornitodata. At the beginning of 2016, the platform became public and accessible to everyone, but it only worked in web format. Those who collected data had to sit in front of the computer after going out into the field, and manually enter each observation. The over two million validated observations reflect not only the diversity of the avifauna, but also the dedication of a growing community, in which the majority contribution, over 90%, comes not from specialists, but from volunteers. Cristian Domsa emphasizes the importance of each contribution and the way in which this information is gathered. The Ornitodata system is, in essence, an organized way of collecting information from the field. This can be either specialized data, collected by experts within monitoring programs, or occasional observations, sent by anyone who goes out into nature and recognizes a species with certainty. The observations are transmitted immediately and are gathered in the common database, contributing to the two million records. It is an impressive figure, which reflects the power of the concept of Citizen Science: passionate people, not necessarily specialists, can contribute decisively to such initiatives. We must understand that the vast majority of this data, probably over 90%, is collected on a volunteer basis. Technological evolution played a crucial role in the expansion of the project. The transition to the use of a mobile application radically simplified the process and opened the doors to a much larger number of contributors. The expert with the Romanian Ornithological Society, Cristian Domsa, describes this technological leap, which led to a real explosion in the amount of data collected. As technology evolved, we felt the need for upgrades. In 2017, we took a first step with a specialized mobile application, Uite Barza, Behold the Stork. The goal was to collect data strictly about the white stork, an easily recognizable and beloved species, which made it perfect for engaging the general public. It was a natural step. Then, at the beginning of 2020, we launched the new version of Ornitodata, modernized, which also included the generalist mobile application, available on Android and iOS. That was the moment that generated a huge qualitative and quantitative leap. We had exponentially more users and contributions, and data collection practically exploded. Behind the friendly interface, however, there are also challenges. As with many projects developed by non-governmental organizations, funding is a constant race, and the costs are considerable. We have many challenges, but the biggest one is probably the financial one. Being an NGO, we obtain funding from projects and, honestly, at the beginning we did not correctly assess the financial scope of such an endeavor. Technology is evolving rapidly, and developing, adapting and creating new functionalities costs a lot. Finding resources is a constant challenge. Another major challenge is related to observers. Some contribute massively with data, others less, but motivating everyone, keeping them close and convincing them to constantly contribute information requires a sustained and very, very big effort. Ornitodatas impact goes beyond Romanias borders. The project has recently expanded to the Republic of Moldova, and the data collected by volunteers in the country are aggregated at a continental level, helping scientists understand species population trends and migration routes. Thus, each observation becomes relevant on a European scale. In the end, Cristian Domsas message is one of gratitude and awareness of the essential role that volunteers play. All conservation decisions and all scientific analyses are based on massive amounts of data. In this context, volunteering is essential. Our thanks go to the volunteers, because without them this system simply would not have been possible. Their continued involvement is crucial for the system to function in the future. And this information does not remain only at the local level. Ornitodata, like other international databases, contributes a lot of data to European initiatives. This means that the general public in Romania, through their generosity, time and resources, helps to understand phenomena on a continental scale, from bird migration to the conservation status of species. In conclusion, Ornitodata is more than a digital platform; it is a living community, united by a passion for nature and the desire to protect it. The database will become an indispensable tool for future generations of researchers and for the environmental decisions that will shape our future. October 31, 2025 A roundup of local and international news. Newsflash Newsroom, 31.10.2025, 13:55 ROBOFEST The campus of the Bucharest Polytechnic University Campus is hosting, as of today until Sunday, the 14th edition of ROBOFEST, an event that brings together hundreds of teams of young engineers from over 30 countries. Robochallenge, a competition that has become an international benchmark for robotics enthusiasts, brings to Bucharest almost 1,200 robots from all over the world. There will be 20 spectacular events, from sumo wrestling between autonomous robots to speed races and demonstrations with humanoid robots. ROBOFEST 2025 also includes an exhibition area, where tech companies present their innovations, as well as educational activities for the general public. DEFENSE The Romanian Defense Minister, Ionut Mosteanu, had a meeting with the French Minister of Armed Forces and Veterans, Catherine Vautrin, in Sibiu (central Romania) on Thursday. The program also included a visit to the military deployed at the Getica, National Joint Training Center in Cincu. The two officials analyzed the security situation in the Black Sea region, Frances contribution to strengthening NATOs position on the eastern flank and bilateral cooperation in support of collective defense. Minister Mosteanu emphasized the essential role of France, as the framework nation of the Allied Battle Group in Romania. He said that the presence of French military personnel, alongside those from Belgium, Luxembourg and Spain, is a solid guarantee of allied solidarity and a strong signal of Frances commitment to the security of the Black Sea region. In turn, Catherine Vautrin sent a firm message regarding bilateral cooperation, confirming the strength of Frances commitment to European security and to mark a new step in the defense partnership between France and Romania. COLECTIV The victims of the fire at the Colectiv Club in Bucharest, ten years ago, were commemorated on Thursday in the capital and other cities across the country. In Bucharest, a march took place between University Square and the site of the tragedy that killed 65 people and sent 140 people to hospitals. Participants demanded justice for those who died and complained about the problems that the Romanian healthcare system still faces. Romania will be able to treat major burns in modern centers, built with care and dignity, Health Minister Alexandru Rogobete wrote in a message on a social network, specifying that three burn centers are under construction, and the one in Timisoara (west) will be completed this year. President Nicusor Dan laid a wreath at the monument erected in memory of the victims on the premises of the former club, and Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan conveyed his full compassion to the families of the victims. RADIO ROMANIA The National Radio Orchestra will present this evening, at the Radio Hall, the traditional anniversary concert on the occasion of the 97th anniversary of the first public radio broadcast. The program includes works by Richard Strauss and Brahms. The event will also bring to the attention of the public the piece Music for Radio, by Filip Lazar, a composer less known in the country, but highly appreciated in France. Radio Romanias first broadcast took place on November 1, 1928. At that time, the radio program was opened by Professor Dragomir Hurmuzescu, as head of the Board of Directors of the Romanian Radio Broadcasting Corporation. GOVERNMENT The Romanian government is holding an extraordinary meeting today. Also discussed, among others, will be investments in the Romanian defense industry, a document that also takes into account the SAFE program, a financial instrument of the European Union, established this year, with the aim of supporting member states in the development and acquisition of defense equipment through long-term loans at low costs. The European Commission has announced a provisional allocation of almost 17 billion euros for Romania, one of the largest amounts in this program. Bucharest has requested loans for the defense industry and for road infrastructure. (EE) RIO RANCHO Donations are a standard during the month of November, but now more than ever, local pantries are asking for help with both food and monetary donations. The reason is the risk that the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program will be discontinued Nov. 1 due to the ongoing federal shutdown. On Friday, a Rhode Island judge told the President Donald Trump administration that SNAP benefits must continue despite the government shutdown. According to the New Mexico Health Care Authority, the discontinuation is affecting 42 million individuals nationwide and approximately 460,000 New Mexicans. The New Mexico Health Care Authority (HCA) is continuing to process SNAP applications and renewals. Federally funded food benefits will be issued as soon as federal money becomes available, the website states. We know many New Mexicans rely on SNAP to help feed their families. The state of New Mexico is working with partners to launch a statewide food emergency distribution plan to ensure families can access food and resources during this time. The website will provide regular updates going forward. But until funds are restored, local pantries are feeling the surge in need. SNAP benefits are at risk of being discontinued on November 1, 2025, due to the federal government shutdown, and our phone lines are ringing off the hook. We have never seen such a critical situation in the 33 years we have been supplying food to needy families, and we urgently require your financial support now, a Storehouse West social media post reads. Both the storehouse and St. Felix Pantry, Rio Ranchos go-to pantries, were already seeing an uptick in needy people at their door. But St. Felix isnt backing away from helping the community. St. Felix has been helping those in need for 33 years, and were here if you need us now. The pantry is open Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. All you need is a New Mexico ID to get started. Our guests can come once a week to receive food, an Oct. 24 post states. The state is also leaning in to help out. Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham announced Oct. 29 that the state will provide $30 million in state dollars starting Nov. 1 to ensure that low-income families continue to receive food benefits. Ad The Trump Administration and Republicans in Congress have abdicated their responsibility to Americans in need, so were stepping up to help New Mexicans, said Lujan Grisham in the announcement. This $30 million in state funding will ensure that families, seniors, and children who need assistance will still be able to put food on their tables in November. The Health Care Authority will distribute $30 million in state-funded food benefits onto existing EBT cards for eligible New Mexicans on Nov. 1. The state dollars are separate from federal SNAP funding and are intended to help feed New Mexicans through roughly the first 10 days of November, it states in the release. The states emergency response, according to the announcement, includes: $30 million in state funding for emergency food assistance. Forty executive orders authorizing $750,000 each (the maximum allowed for each executive order under state law) and declaring a state of emergency. The orders will also authorize the Health Care Authority to provide nutritional assistance to those otherwise eligible for SNAP benefits. Continuing to accept SNAP applications, as benefits will be tied to application dates when federal funding resumes. Partnering with community organizations, food banks and schools to reach vulnerable populations. Local restaurants are also pitching in, offering free kids meals and discounts as families prepare for Nov. 1. As independent franchise owners and parents, we cannot stand to see any child without a meal. Were here to help our community because every child deserves to eat, L&L Hawaiian BBQ posted. They, along with Chicken Salad Chick, OHares and Turtle Mountain are offering free kids meals until funds are restored. Delectable Baking Company on Northern Boulevard is also pitching in. Starting Nov. 1, the bakery is offering free sack lunches to kids and elderly members of the community. Additionally, the bakery is accepting food and monetary donations. Every day, families in our community will go to bed hungry with SNAP benefits frozen. Your donation helps us provide fresh meals and groceries to hose who need it most, the bakery stated in a post. Risk runs high, but so does the upside. Biotech investing thrives on bold bets and breakthrough data. On October 30, 2025, a wave of clinical-stage and commercial biopharma stocks surged to new 52-week highs, driven by breakthrough trial data, strategic deals, and earnings surprises. From obesity and CNS therapies to rare disease advances and acquisition drama, these moves reflect more than momentum; they signal conviction. Do you have these names on your watchlist? And more importantly, will they keep climbing from here? Let's take a closer look. Metsera Inc. (MTSR) is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing injectable and oral nutrient-stimulated hormone analog peptides for the treatment of obesity, overweight, and related metabolic diseases. Most recently, Novo Nordisk submitted an unsolicited $9 billion acquisition proposal, which Metsera's board has deemed a "Superior Company Proposal" compared to its existing merger agreement with Pfizer. Metsera has formally notified Pfizer, triggering a four- -day window for renegotiation. While Pfizer disputes the validity of this notice, Metsera maintains its position. On September 30, Metsera announced positive Phase 2b results for its GLP-1 receptor agonist MET-097i, demonstrating up to 14.1% placebo-subtracted weight loss after 28 weeks, with strong tolerability and retention. These data support Phase 3 initiation in late 2025. Two additional trials are underway: VESPER-2, evaluating MET-097i in type 2 diabetes, and VESPER-3, assessing monthly dosing, with topline data from both expected in early 2026. Metsera is also advancing MET-233/097, a first-in-category monthly multi-NuSH combination featuring MET-233i, an ultra-long-acting amylin agonist, in ongoing Phase 1/2a trials, with topline data anticipated by year-end 2025 or early 2026. We highlighted MTSR to our readers on June 10, 2025, when it was trading around $32.35. Shares reached a new 52-week high of $66.10 on October 30, representing a gain of 104.3% from our published price. Indivior Plc (INDV) develops and commercializes buprenorphine-based prescription therapies for opioid dependence and related substance use disorders across the U.S., Europe, Canada, Australia, and other international . On October 30, the company reported third-quarter net income of $42 million, or $0.33 per share, up from $22 million, or $0.16 per share, a year ago. Adjusted earnings came in at $93 million, or $0.72 per share, well above Wall Street's $0.41 consensus. Revenue rose 2.3% year-over-year to $314 million, compared to $307 million in Q3 2024. We spotlighted INDV on July 31, 2025, at $20.86. Shares surged to a new 52-week high of $30.55 on October 30, reflecting a 46.5% gain from our initial coverage. Insmed Inc. (INSM) is a global biopharmaceutical company focused on developing therapies for serious and rare diseases. Its lead product, ARIKAYCE, treats refractory nontuberculous mycobacterial lung infections, while other pipeline programs include brensocatib (in Phase 3 for bronchiectasis), treprostinil palmitil (in Phase 3 for pulmonary hypertension), and a microdystrophin gene therapy (in Phase 1 for Duchenne muscular dystrophy), alongside multiple preclinical assets targeting respiratory and genetic disorders. On October 30, 2025, Insmed reported a Q3 net loss of $370.0 million, or $1.75 per share, compared to a loss of $220.5 million, or $1.27 per share, last year. Net product revenue surged to $142.3 million from $93.4 million last year. As of September 30, 2025, Insmed had cash, cash equivalents, and marketable securities totaling about $1.7 billion. Insmed raised its full-year 2025 global ARIKAYCE revenue guidance to a range of $420 million - $430 million, from a range of $405 million - $425 million previously, representing a range of 15% - 18% year-over-year growth compared to 2024. We profiled INSM on July 21, 2024, when it was trading around $76.54. The stock soared and hit a 52-week high of $194.70 on October 30, 2025, marking an impressive gain of 154.4%. Clinical-stage biotech company Ventyx Biosciences Inc. (VTYX) is focused on developing oral small molecule therapies for autoimmune, inflammatory, and neurodegenerative diseases. Its pipeline includes VTX3232, which recently completed a Phase 2 biomarker study in early Parkinson's, VTX2735 for recurrent pericarditis, and two Phase 2 IBD candidates: tamuzimod (VTX002) and cenacitinib (VTX958). On October 22, 2025, Ventyx reported positive Phase 2 results for its oral, once-daily NLRP3 inhibitor VTX3232 in patients with obesity and cardiovascular risk factors. The 175-participant study evaluated VTX3232 versus placebo, alone or with semaglutide, showing strong safety and tolerability with adverse event rates comparable to placebo, and reductions in inflammation as measured by hsCRP. We featured VTYX on September 30 at $3.01; shares surged to a 52-week high of $8.52 by October 30, marking a gain of over 183%. Inhibrx Biosciences Inc. (INBX), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing therapies for oncology and rare diseases, announced positive topline results on October 23, 2025, from its registrational ChonDRAgon study (n=206) evaluating ozekibart (INBRX-109) as a monotherapy versus placebo in patients with advanced or metastatic, unresectable chondrosarcoma. The company also shared updates on ongoing expansion cohorts assessing ozekibart in combination with FOLFIRI for late-line colorectal cancer and with irinotecan plus temozolomide for refractory Ewing sarcoma. The stock, INBX, was profiled on July 8, 2025, when it was trading around $18.35. Shares surged and hit a new 52-week high of $83.78 on October 30, 2025, representing a gain of 356.6%. ABIVAX Societe Anonyme (ABVX) is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing therapies that harness the body's natural regulatory mechanisms to stabilize immune responses in chronic inflammatory diseases. On October 6, 2025, the company presented additional Phase 3 data for obefazimod at the United European Gastroenterology (UEG) Meeting in Berlin. The 8-week ABTECT Induction Trials showed meaningful efficacy at week 8 in patients with moderate-to-severely active ulcerative colitis, including those with and without prior inadequate response to advanced therapies. We highlighted ABVX on July 1, 2025, when it was trading around $7.83. The stock then rose to an all-time high of $106.73 on October 30, 2025, marking a significant gain of 1263%. Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals Inc. (ARWR) is a clinical-stage biotech company developing RNAi-based therapies for intractable diseases. Its pipeline includes multiple candidates in Phase 3 trials, Plozasiran, Olpasiran, and Fazirsiran, for lipid and liver disorders, along with mid- and early-stage programs targeting conditions such as MASH, chronic hepatitis B, pulmonary diseases, muscular dystrophies, and kidney disorders. The company collaborates with major partners, including GSK, Horizon, Takeda, and Amgen. On October 21, Arrowhead finalized its global licensing and collaboration agreement with Novartis for ARO-SNCA, a preclinical RNAi therapy targeting Parkinson's disease. Under the deal, Novartis gains exclusive worldwide rights to develop and commercialize ARO-SNCA, which uses Arrowhead's TRiM platform for CNS delivery. Arrowhead will complete preclinical work to enable clinical trial application (CTA) filing, after which Novartis will lead development and commercialization. Financial terms include a $200 million upfront payment, up to $2 billion in milestone payments, and tiered royalties up to the low double digits on future sales. We alerted readers to ARWR on September 15, 2025, when it was trading around $29.70. The stock then rose to a new 52-week high of $43.33 on October 30, 2025, representing a gain of over 45%. Kodiak Sciences Inc. (KOD), a biopharmaceutical company advancing transformative therapies for retinal diseases, was featured on our site at $8.98 on January 10, 2025. Shares climbed to a 52-week high of $21.17 by October 30, delivering a 135.7% gain from our initial highlight. On September 15, 2025, Kodiak Sciences announced positive data from its Phase 1b APEX study of KSI-101, a novel bispecific antibody targeting IL-6 and VEGF, for treating macular edema secondary to inflammation (MESI). The study showed rapid and meaningful vision gains, with over 50% of patients at the top two dose levels achieving a =15-letter improvement on the eye chart by week 12. Additionally, more than 90% of patients achieved retinal dryness by week 8. These results support ongoing Phase 3 trials (PEAK and PINNACLE) evaluating 5 mg and 10 mg doses of KSI-101 in MESI patients. Biopharmaceutical company Arcutis Biotherapeutics Inc. (ARQT) is focused on dermatological treatments. Its lead product, ZORYVE, is approved for plaque psoriasis and atopic dermatitis, with additional pipeline candidates including ARQ-154 (foam formulation), ARQ-255 and ARQ-252 (JAK1 inhibitors), and ARQ-234 (CD200R fusion protein) targeting conditions such as alopecia areata, hand eczema, vitiligo, and seborrheic dermatitis. On October 28, reported Q3 2025 net income of $7.4 million or $0.06 per share, a sharp turnaround from a net loss of $41.5 million in Q3 2024. Revenue rose to $99.2 million, up 122% year-over-year, driven by ZORYVE. The company outlined a growth strategy focused on expanding ZORYVE indications, advancing pipeline assets like ARQ-234, and targeting peak annual ZORYVE sales of $2.6 billion - $3.5 billion, with 2026 revenue guidance set at $455 million - $470 million. The stock, ARQT, was spotlighted on January 13, 2025, at $14.99. Shares soared to a 52-week high of $27.08 on October 30, representing a gain of over 80%. Maze Therapeutics Inc. (MAZE) is a clinical-stage biotech company developing small-molecule precision therapies for renal, cardiovascular, metabolic diseases, and obesity. Its lead programs include MZE829 (Phase II for APOL1 kidney disease), MZE782 (Phase I for chronic kidney disease), and MZE001 for Pompe disease. Last month, Maze Therapeutics announced positive Phase 1 results for MZE782, an oral SLC6A19 inhibitor, showing strong target engagement, safety, and pharmacodynamic effects in healthy volunteers. The data support its potential to treat phenylketonuria (PKU) and chronic kidney disease (CKD), with up to a 42-fold increase in urinary phenylalanine excretion and dose-dependent eGFR changes suggesting kidney protection. Phase 2 trials in both indications are planned for 2026. On September 11, the company also announced it had entered into a securities purchase agreement for an oversubscribed private placement of its securities for gross proceeds of about $150.0 million, before deducting placement agent fees and other expenses. We featured MAZE on May 28, 2025, at $11.21. The stock rose to a new 52-week high of $34.29 on October 30, returning a gain of 206%. Supernus Pharmaceuticals Inc. (SUPN) is a biopharmaceutical company focused on central nervous system (CNS) disorders. Its marketed products include Qelbree for ADHD, GOCOVRI and APOKYN for Parkinson's disease, and Oxtellar XR and Trokendi XR for epilepsy. The pipeline features candidates for depression, epilepsy, ADHD, and other CNS conditions, including ONAPGO, SPN-817, and SPN-820. Supernus is slated to release its Q3 financial results after the market closes on Tuesday, November 4, 2025. Wall Street analysts expect the company to report earnings of $0.82 per share and revenue of $180.22 million for the quarter. SUPN was trading around $38.21 when we highlighted the stock on January 15, 2025. Shares rose and reached a 52-week high of $57.65 on October 30, representing a gain of over 50%. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News South Korea has joined First Lady Melania Trump's Fostering the Future Together initiative in a new Technology Prosperity Deal with the United States. The agreement, the first of its kind as part of Melania Trump's new global coalition, highlights a shared commitment by first spouses of heads of governments around the world to empower children through the promotion of , innovation, and education. "I am proud that the Republic of Korea is joining my global coalition to empower children through the promotion of technology, innovation, and education," said First Lady Melania Trump. "As a longstanding leader in technological advancement, the Republic of Korea will offer invaluable insights to the participating nations in the Fostering the Future Together initiative". Developed by the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy in coordination with the Office of the First Lady, and signed during President Donald Trump's visit to Asia, the U.S.-Korea Technology Prosperity Deal formalizes cooperation on artificial intelligence and emerging technology. The tech deal includes language reflecting the First Lady's global initiative, which promotes the responsible use of advanced technology to support children, educators, and parents while protecting youth from online dangers. Launched during the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly, Fostering the Future Together will make available to countries around the world advanced technology, including AI, to assist children, educators, and parents while also protecting youth from online dangers. Major technology companies have developed such tools and agree to make these advancements available to participating countries, either at no cost or very low cost. Melania Trump will invite Coalition Members to the Fostering the Future Together inaugural meeting in the White House in 2026 to discuss these important issues and opportunities. The meeting will be a forum for Coalition Members who have begun implementing their commitments to provide insight and recommendations surrounding advantages, risks, and potential policy ideas to the First Lady and other Coalition Members, the White House said. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News The European Commission has adopted an implementing decision setting out key milestones and deadlines to complete the high-speed rail connection between Madrid and Lisbon. This flagship cross-border infrastructure project will significantly enhance connectivity within the European Union. Unanimously supported by Member States, the decision advances the full integration of Portugal and Spain into the European high-speed rail network. By 2030, passengers will be able to travel between the two capitals in about five hours, and by 2034, in just three hours, according to the European Commission. EU Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism Apostolos Tzitzikostas said, "Covering slightly more than 600 kilometers from Lisbon to Madrid in just three hours is a remarkable example of the high-speed rail connections we aim to achieve across Europe. Such links make train travel a genuinely attractive and sustainable alternative for city-to-city journeys." Every day, nearly forty flights link Lisbon and Madrid two capitals more than 600 kilometers apart. With the new high-speed rail line, people will soon be able to make that journey in about three hours. Francois Bausch, European Coordinator for the Atlantic corridor, said, "This project isn't just about saving time; it's about cutting emissions and making sustainable mobility a reality in Europe. Further, the This new high-speed rail line between Madrid and Lisbon is a perfect example of good cross-border collaboration and underlines the European Commission's ambition to strengthen connectivity across Europe." In Portugal, the new high-speed line 'Evora-Elvas' received 235 million Euro from the European Commission's Connecting Europe Facility. On the Spanish side, different EU investment funds, such as ERDF and RFF, have provided around 750 million euro support for the high-speed line connecting Extremadura-Madrid since 2014. Thursday's decision is part of a broader effort to accelerate the implementation of cross-border projects under the revised trans-European transport network (TEN-T) Regulation, reinforcing the EU's commitment to seamless, sustainable, and secure transport. It also represents an important step forward in the EU's vision to connect Europe through high-speed rail, the Commission said. In early November, the Commission will present its plan for a European high-speed network. For comments and feedback contact: editorial@rttnews.com Business News With consumption among Indians rising, automotive sales have seen a boom. Thus making India worlds third largest automotive market (by volume) surpassing Japan. This is a tempting proposition for new brands to enter Indian market. At the same time, this gives enough incentives for existing players to ramp up operations. That is exactly what Toyota seems to be working on. The company just revealed a major product onslaught for the Indian market with as many as 15 new cars in the pipeline to be launched by 2030. This aligns with the companys investments to boost production across Karnataka and Maharashtra states. Lets take a closer look. 15 New Toyota Cars Launching In India Badge-engineered products from Maruti Suzuki (Glanza, Rumion and Taisor) form around 52% of Toyota Kirloskar Motors (TKM) sales, as per figures from 2024. This could change soon as the company plans a new product onslaught in India with up to 15 new cars to be launched here by 2030. 2 of these 15 new cars will be SUVs. These 15 new launches are likely to encompass Toyota models, Maruti Suzuki badge-engineered models and updates to current models in TKMs portfolio. One of the two SUVs to be launched in India will be Land Cruiser FJ which was just revealed at the ongoing Japan Mobility Show 2025. One could expect a pickup truck in PV segment based on the current Hiluxs IMV platform. An affordable pickup positioned below Hilux based on Hilux Champs IMV 0 platform might be on the cards as well. We wish there are more SUVs in 4.2m to 4.4m SUV segment along with sub 4m SUV segment from Toyota for greater volumes. Two new plants for volume boost Toyota has been expanding its production strength with a new manufacturing facility in Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar, Maharashtra. Along with that, the current Bidadi plant is also receiving a major expansion. Together, Toyotas sales capacity is likely to cross the 1 million units per annum mark. Units produced here could also make India an export hub for markets like Africa and Middle East. This includes the new land Cruiser FJ. There may be a push by Toyota to penetrate rural markets with lower-cost outlets and service stations. This will boost accessibility for the brand, targeting a wider range of audience than what it currently does. When compared to the type of juggernaut Honda Motor Co is in global markets, the companys Indian operations seems to have reached a stalemate. Ever-shrinking sedan sales and the insignificant impact of Elevate SUV in the market has raised sirens within Hondas top brass. The company is bracing for a major comeback to increase its market share considerably. A new product onslaught has just been announced for India signalling a major shift in strategy. This new aggressive expansion will incorporate up to 10 new cars by 2030 end and up to 7 of these new cars will be SUVs. Lets take a closer look. Honda India Major Comeback Were already at the fag end of 2025, leaving just 4 years for Honda to fast track its just-announced product onslaught. Which means more than 2 cars per year on an average. Honda seems to be betting big on SUVs as the company announced 7 of these 10 new cars by 2030 will be SUVs. This is likely to give Honda an opportunity to better fight current SUV leaders like Tata, Mahindra, Hyundai, Maruti Suzuki, Kia and Toyota among others. Hondas top brass has revealed that India is among the three most important markets for the brands growth alongside USA and Japan, signifying the importance of growing car culture in the Asian subcontinent. With India positioned as a key priority for Honda brands growth, the company has employed a dedicated project team to come up with a strategy. While many of these 10 new cars will be India-specific, some of them will be global vehicles as well. There was no specifics revealed about resumption of Hondas import business, but we are hopeful. Honda 0 Alpha Electric SUV The main highlight of this recent development is likely to be the production-spec version of Honda 0 Alpha electric SUV. Honda 0 Alpha concept was showcased at Japan Mobility Show 2025. It will be manufactured in Hondas Tapukara plant in Alwar, Rajasthan and exported to other Asian markets including Japan. With the production-spec version of Honda 0 Alpha, the company aims to transform India into a global manufacturing and export hub. This upcoming electric SUV will be designed for India and will share many of its components with Elevate SUV. Like a marriage of Elevate components and 0 Series design language. The Shenzhou-21 crewed spaceship, atop a Long March-2F carrier rocket, blasts off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China, Oct. 31, 2025. China launched the Shenzhou-21 crewed spaceship on Friday, sending three astronauts to its orbiting space station on a six-month mission. (Photo by Wang Jiangbo/Xinhua) JIUQUAN, Oct. 31 (Xinhua) -- China launched the Shenzhou-21 crewed spaceship on Friday, sending three astronauts to its orbiting space station on a six-month mission. The spaceship, atop a Long March-2F carrier rocket, blasted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China. The Shenzhou-21 crew consists of mission commander Zhang Lu, and astronauts Wu Fei and Zhang Hongzhang. These three astronauts serve as space pilot, flight engineer and payload specialist, respectively, representing all three categories of Chinese astronauts currently being applied in the country's space endeavors. Zhang Lu also participated in the Shenzhou-15 mission, while Wu Fei and Zhang Hongzhang are both on their first space mission. MICE IN SPACE Notably, four mice have also gone into space along with the Shenzhou-21 crew. These rodents, two male and two female, are being transported to China's space station to be raised in orbit for five to seven days, marking the country's first scientific experiments involving mammalian models in space. As a key model animal in the field of life sciences, mice feature several advantages -- high genetic similarity to humans, small body size and short reproductive cycle, and a high amenability to genetic modification, said Huang Kun, an expert from the Technology and Engineering Center for Space Utilization of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS). "These traits make them ideal for studying physiological and pathological processes, as well as the growth, development and reproduction of living organisms in space," he said. The project, jointly led by the Shanghai Institute of Technical Physics and the Institute of Zoology, both under the CAS, will involve continuous multi-dimensional video monitoring of the mice throughout their stay in orbit. The lighting inside the mice experiment facility will turn on at 7 a.m. and off at 7 p.m., maintaining the same circadian rhythm as on Earth, explained Li Tianda, an associate researcher at the Institute of Zoology. The rodent food is not only nutritionally balanced but also made relatively hard, to reduce crumbs and meet the mice's teeth grinding habit. A directional air flow within the facility is designed to blow hair, feces and other garbage into a collection container, ensuring a clean and hygienic environment for the mice, Li said. By collecting preliminary data on stress responses and adaptation mechanisms in microgravity, scientists may use these observations to decode how weightlessness and enclosed space influence mice behaviors. After completing their orbital mission, the "mice astronauts" will return to Earth aboard the Shenzhou-20 spaceship for further analysis. "The findings will be critical to assessing the feasibility of long-term human survival and reproduction in space, and may also deliver insights beneficial to human health on Earth," Huang said, while noting that the experiment will represent a major step forward in China's space life science research capabilities. Previous animal experiments conducted in the Chinese space lab involved zebra fish and fruit flies. During their stay in orbit, Shenzhou-21 crew members are scheduled to carry out a total of 27 new in-orbit experiments, including space life sciences and biotechnology, space medicine, space material science, microgravity fluid physics and combustion, and new space technologies. Research on the relationship between the origin of genetic codes and chirality, lithium-ion batteries for space applications, and intelligent computing platforms are listed among the planned in-orbit studies to be conducted during this mission. The crew will also perform extravehicular activities and cargo handling, install space debris protection devices, and deploy and recover extravehicular payloads and equipment. In addition, they will participate in science education and public welfare activities. This mission is the sixth manned flight mission since the space station entered the application and development phase, and the 37th flight of China's manned spaceflight program. Chinese astronauts Zhang Lu (R), Wu Fei (C) and Zhang Hongzhang attend a send-off ceremony at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China on Oct. 31, 2025. A send-off ceremony for the three Chinese astronauts of the Shenzhou-21 crewed space mission was held Friday at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China, according to the China Manned Space Agency. (Photo by Wang Jiangbo/Xinhua) Chinese astronauts Zhang Lu (R), Wu Fei (C) and Zhang Hongzhang attend a send-off ceremony at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China on Oct. 31, 2025. A send-off ceremony for the three Chinese astronauts of the Shenzhou-21 crewed space mission was held Friday at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China, according to the China Manned Space Agency. (Photo by Wang Jiangbo/Xinhua) This photo taken on Oct. 31, 2025 shows a scene at the send-off ceremony for the three Chinese astronauts of the Shenzhou-21 crewed space mission at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China. A send-off ceremony for the three Chinese astronauts of the Shenzhou-21 crewed space mission was held Friday at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China, according to the China Manned Space Agency. (Xinhua/Ma Jinrui) When launched, Toyota Land Cruiser FJ will be the most accessible Land Cruiser model in several markets With its distinctive styling and cherished lineage, the Toyota Land Cruiser FJ (FJ Cruiser) has emerged as one of the showstoppers at the 2025 Japan Mobility Show. For enthusiasts in India, an even more exciting piece of news is that the Land Cruiser FJ will be launched here in the second half of 2028. Moreover, India will be one of the key global manufacturing hubs for the Land Cruiser FJ. Lets get more details on these developments. Toyota Land Cruiser FJ Production plans Earlier, it was reported that Toyota Land Cruiser FJ will be manufactured exclusively in Thailand. Latest reports indicate that India will also be a leading global manufacturing hub for the upcoming Land Cruiser FJ. The SUV will be manufactured at Toyotas new manufacturing plant in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, Maharashtra. This manufacturing facility is currently under development. The Land Cruiser FJ could be the first model to roll out from this plant. To meet growing demand in India and export markets, Toyota is aiming to boost production capacity. Towards that end, the company has committed investments worth Rs 26,000 crore in India. In addition to the Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar plant, the company is also building its third plant at Bidadi, Karnataka. Production of Toyota Land Cruiser FJ is scheduled to commence in India in August 2028. Initial production target will be around 89,000 units per year. Around 40,000 units will be exclusively for export markets such as the Middle East. Similar to its other cars manufactured in India, Toyota will be aiming for a high level of localization for the Land Cruiser FJ. This will help reduce production cost and make the SUV available at a competitive price point. Key features Users can expect robust performance from the Land Cruiser FJ, as it is built on the same IMV platform that underpins the Fortuner, Innova Crysta and Hilux. The ladder frame construction ensures durability, versatility and strong off-road capability. Land Cruiser FJ has 215 mm of ground clearance and utilizes a part-time 4WD system. Off-road capabilities are enhanced with features such as a rigid frame, underfloor braces and low beltline for enhanced visibility. Dimensionally, the Land Cruiser FJ is 4,575 mm long, 1,855 mm wide and 1,960 mm tall. The SUV has a wheelbase of 2,580 mm and weighs 1,900 kg. In terms of its size, the Land Cruiser FJ is comparable to Mahindra Scorpio N. Toyota Fortuner is 220 mm longer at 4,795 mm. With a shorter wheelbase, the Land Cruiser FJ will allow a more agile driving experience. A comprehensive range of safety features will be available with the Toyota Safety Sense suite. Powertrain options Another key highlight of Land Cruiser FJ is that users will be able to choose from petrol, strong hybrid and plug-in hybrid powertrain options. But India wont be getting a diesel option, which will be available in select global markets. Petrol variants will have the 2TR-FE 2.7-litre engine that generates 163 PS and 246 Nm of torque. It will be paired with a 6-speed automatic transmission. Details about the other powertrain options have not been revealed. Toyota could launch the Land Cruiser FJ at a starting price of around Rs 30 lakh. The PHEV variant is likely to command premium pricing. Land Cruiser FJ will be available in various other markets such as Southeast Asia, Latin America, the Middle East and Africa. However, there are currently no plans to introduce the Land Cruiser FJ in the USA and Europe. This is likely due to the tariff situation and stricter emission norms. Source BEIRUT/JERUSALEM, Oct. 31 (Xinhua) -- An Israeli airstrike on southern Lebanon on Friday killed one person and wounded another, Lebanon's state-run National News Agency reported. The agency said the strike targeted a man riding a motorcycle in the town of Kounine, in the Bint Jbeil district, killing him and injuring a passerby. The Israeli military said it carried out a strike in the area that killed a Hezbollah member, identifying him as Ibrahim Muhammad Raslan, a maintenance officer in the group. It said Raslan had been working to reestablish Hezbollah military infrastructure sites that "posed a threat to Israel and its civilians, and violated understandings between Israel and Lebanon." A U.S.- and French-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah has been in effect since late November last year, halting months of cross-border hostilities triggered by the war in Gaza. Despite the truce, Israel has continued to carry out occasional strikes in Lebanon, saying it is targeting Hezbollah "threats." Lebanon and several international organizations have condemned the attacks as violations of the ceasefire. UNITED NATIONS, Oct. 31 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations and its humanitarian partners have collected over 24,000 metric tonnes of aid from the Gaza Strip crossings since the ceasefire came into effect on Oct. 10, a UN spokesperson said Friday, citing the UN 2720 Mechanism. "More people in need have also been able to access this aid, which includes food, medicine and medical supplies, nutritional supplements and shelter materials, through the resumption of community- and household-based distributions and services," Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for the UN secretary-general, told a daily briefing. In addition, there has been a significant reduction in the interception, or looting, of supplies collected by the United Nations and its partners from Gaza's crossings, he said, adding that between Oct. 10 and 28, only 5 percent of collected supplies were reportedly intercepted, compared with about 80 percent between May 19 and Oct. 9. Dujarric said the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) expected the amount of supplies intercepted to continue to decline as more humanitarian and commercial supplies can enter. "We continue to call for all crossing points to be open and more UN agencies and organizations authorized to bring in aid supplies into Gaza." Meanwhile, OCHA said that humanitarian partners continue their scale-up efforts despite reported Israeli airstrikes across the strip, and reminded the Israeli military of its obligation to take constant care to spare civilians and aid workers throughout all its military operations. Since the start of the ceasefire, the World Health Organization has delivered over 840 pallets of life-saving medical supplies into Gaza, including insulin, assistive devices, essential medicines, cholera kits and surgical kits. Despite these positive developments, Gaza's health system continues to face significant challenges in addressing the immense needs of people in Gaza, said Dujarric, adding that as of Oct. 7, more than 1,700 health workers had been killed since the start of the war, according to Gaza's health authorities. On the education front, humanitarian partners are expanding their interventions to restore minimum teaching and learning conditions for over 630,000 school-aged children who have lost over two years of schooling, and supporting the rehabilitation of more than 90 classrooms in Deir al-Balah and Khan Younis, out of over 2,000 classrooms that require rehabilitation across the Gaza Strip, said the spokesperson. ST. PETERSBURG, Oct. 31 (Xinhua) -- The General Motors (GM) automobile plant in St. Petersburg, which halted operations in 2015, will resume full-cycle car production in 2026, Russian First Deputy Prime Minister Denis Manturov said Friday. The former GM plant located in St. Petersburg has now been re-equipped from scratch, and full-cycle automobile production will be launched starting next year, Manturov said in an interview with RIA Novosti. He noted that talks with investors regarding production sites in St. Petersburg's Shushary district and in Nizhny Novgorod city are nearing completion. The plant was opened in 2008 and produced several popular Chevrolet and Opel models when those brands were part of the GM group. In 2015, GM decided to halt operations in Russia and mothballed the facility. In 2020, the plant was acquired by Hyundai's Russian subsidiary, which later sold its industrial assets, including the main Hyundai plant in St. Petersburg and the former GM facility, to Art Finance, the parent company of AGR Automobile Plant, in early 2024. Paleontologists have examined an exceptionally well-preserved, near somatically mature tyrannosaur skeleton from the Hell Creek Formation of Montana. Their results show that the specimen shares features with the holotype specimen of Nanotyrannus, and demonstrate that this lineage is distinguishable from Tyrannosaurus. This fossil flips decades of Tyrannosaurus rex research on its head, said Dr. Lindsay Zanno, a researcher at North Carolina State University and the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences. Using growth rings, spinal fusion data and developmental anatomy, the researchers demonstrated that the new specimen was around 20 years old and physically mature. Its skeletal features including larger forelimbs, more teeth, fewer tail vertebrae, and distinct skull nerve patterns are features fixed early in development and biologically incompatible with Tyrannosaurus rex. For Nanotyrannus to be a juvenile Tyrannosaurus rex, it would need to defy everything we know about vertebrate growth. Its not just unlikely its impossible, said Dr. James Napoli, a researcher at Stony Brook University. For years, paleontologists have used Nanotyrannus fossils to model Tyrannosaurus growth and behavior. This new evidence reveals that those studies were based on two entirely different animals and that multiple tyrannosaur species inhabited the same ecosystems in the final million years before the asteroid impact. As part of their research, Dr. Zanno and Dr. Napoli examined over 200 tyrannosaur fossils. They discovered that one skeleton, formerly thought to represent a teenage Tyrannosaurus rex, was slightly different than the previously-described species Nanotyrannus lancensis, which is part of the famous Dueling Dinosaurs fossil. The authors concluded that the specimen represents a new Nanotyrannus species and named it Nanotyrannus lethaeus. Confirmation of the validity of Nanotyrannus means that predator diversity in the last million years of the Cretaceous period was much higher than previously thought, and hints that other small-bodied dinosaur species might also be victims of mistaken identity. This discovery paints a richer, more competitive picture of the last days of the dinosaurs, Dr. Zanno said. With enormous size, a powerful bite force and stereoscopic vision, Tyrannosaurus rex was a formidable predator, but it did not reign uncontested. Darting alongside was Nanotyrannus a leaner, swifter and more agile hunter. The findings appear today in the journal Nature. _____ L.E. Zanno & J.G. Napoli. Nanotyrannus and Tyrannosaurus coexisted at the close of the Cretaceous. Nature, published online October 30, 2025; doi: 10.1038/s41586-025-09801-6 The coelacanth is often called a "living fossil," once believed to have vanished millions of years ago before a live specimen was unexpectedly caught in the Indian Ocean in 1938. Since that surprise discovery, more individuals have been found, yet their ancient fossil record remains incomplete. In a new paper published in the Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology, Jacob Quinn of the University of Bristol, along with colleagues from the University of Uruguay in Montevideo, has identified long-overlooked coelacanth fossils that went unnoticed in museum collections for more than 150 years. Ancient Fossils from Britain's Tropical Past The fossils uncovered in this study date back about 200 million years to the end of the Triassic Period, a time when what is now the United Kingdom was located in warmer, tropical latitudes. "During his Masters in Palaeobiology at Bristol, Jacob realized that many fossils previously assigned to the small marine reptile Pachystropheus actually came from coelacanth fishes," explains Professor Mike Benton, one of Quinn's supervisors. He adds, "Many of the Pachystropheus and coelacanth fossils have uncanny similarities, but importantly, Jacob then went off to look at collections around the country, and he found the same mistake had been made many times." Forgotten Fossils Hidden in Plain Sight Now an Honorary Research Associate in Bristol's School of Earth Sciences, Jacob Quinn said, "It is remarkable that some of these specimens had been sat in museum storage facilities, and even on public display, since the late 1800s, and have seemingly been disregarded or identified as bones of lizards, mammals, and everything in-between, From just four previous reports of coelacanths from the British Triassic, we now have over fifty." To confirm the reclassification, Quinn used X-ray imaging on multiple specimens. Most belong to an extinct family of coelacanths known as the Mawsoniidae, which are closely related to the modern species still living today. Revealing a Prehistoric Underwater Community Co-author Pablo Torino, a coelacanth specialist based in Uruguay, explained, "Although the material we identify occurs as isolated specimens, we can see that they come from individuals of varying ages, sizes, and species, some of them up to 1 metre long, and suggesting a complex community at the time." Co-supervisor Dr. David Whiteside from the University of Bristol added, "The coelacanth fossils all come from the area of Bristol and Mendip Hills, which in the Triassic was an archipelago of small islands in a shallow tropical sea, Like modern day coelacanths, these large fishes were likely opportunistic predators, lurking around the seafloor and eating anything they encountered, probably including these small Pachystropheus marine reptiles, which is ironic given their fossils have been confused with those of coelacanths for decades." GENEVA, Oct. 31 (Xinhua) -- UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk on Friday urged the United States to stop airstrikes on boats in the Caribbean and the Pacific and prevent the extrajudicial killing of people on board. In a statement, Turk said that more than 60 people had reportedly been killed in a continuing series of attacks since early September, carried out by U.S. armed forces against boats allegedly linked to drug trafficking. He said the attacks "find no justification in international law" and violate international human rights law. "These attacks - and their mounting human cost - are unacceptable," Turk said. "The U.S. must halt such attacks and take all measures necessary to prevent the extrajudicial killing of people aboard these boats, whatever the criminal conduct alleged against them." According to U.S. media reports, the Trump administration has deployed an estimated 10,000 U.S. troops, eight warships, one nuclear-powered submarine, and multiple fighter jets across the Caribbean region since September. The United States, the statement noted, has argued that the actions are part of necessary anti-drug and counter-terrorism operations and are governed by international humanitarian law. However, Turk stressed that addressing cross-border drug trafficking should be treated as a law-enforcement matter rather than a military one, and that such operations must comply with the strict limitations on the use of lethal force set out under international human rights law. He noted that under international human rights law, the intentional use of lethal force is only permissible as a last resort against individuals who pose an imminent threat to life. Based on the very limited information released by the U.S. authorities, none of the people on the targeted boats appeared to meet this threshold or otherwise justified the use of lethal force under international law, he added. Turk called for prompt, independent, and transparent investigations into the attacks. BEIJING, Oct. 31 (Xinhua) -- As the world grapples with inconsistent climate policies, China is charting a different course. "Accelerating the green transition across the board and building a Beautiful China" is among the major goals listed in the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee's recommendations for the formulation of the country's development plan for the next five years, which were made public on Tuesday. The key recommendations document calls for efforts to work actively and prudently toward peaking carbon emissions, underscoring the steady pace of China's green transition, which stands in stark contrast to the wavering commitments seen elsewhere. A recent essay in the New York Times said that "China is the adult in the room on climate," comparing the country's long-term strategy in implementing its climate actions against the situation in the West, where climate targets are often vulnerable to political cycles. The recommendations, which outline priorities for the 15th Five-Year Plan (2026-2030), once again demonstrate to the world China's mature style of governance on the climate front, defined by systematic planning, stable goals and pragmatic action. SYSTEMATIC TRANSITION The year 2030 is both the deadline for China to meet its carbon-peak pledge and the final year of the 15th Five-Year Plan period, indicating a coherent timeline for nationwide climate action. Rather than treating the achievement of a carbon peak and carbon neutrality as a standalone task, the key document positions it as a guiding goal for a broader, systematic ecological transformation, analysts have observed. "This synchronization creates a powerful planning framework," said Liu Feng, an economist at the Central University of Finance and Economics. "The carbon goal plays the core guiding role in the country's overall green transition." China has already seen remarkable results in cutting emissions and accelerating green development, with its establishment of the world's largest renewable energy network and most complete renewables supply chain, Minister of Ecology and Environment Huang Runqiu said, adding that the country has also achieved multiple 2030 nationally determined contribution climate targets ahead of schedule. Still, Huang described China's carbon goals as "an extremely daunting task," noting that the country aims to achieve a transition from peak to neutrality in the shortest timeframe in global history while realizing the world's largest reduction in carbon intensity. The CPC Central Committee's recommendations provide a roadmap to tackle this challenge over the next five years, proposing a "dual control" system targeting both the total volume and intensity of carbon emissions -- a shift from its earlier system, which was focused on merely curbing energy consumption. Experts say this shift establishes clearer policy incentives for renewable energy development while managing fossil fuel use in a systematic strategy that advances emissions reduction and ensures energy security simultaneously. "China's environmental policy is evolving from partial measures to integrated strategies, and from reactive responses to proactive planning," said Gao Shiji, a researcher at the Development Research Center of the State Council. Looking ahead, China will launch special campaigns to boost energy conservation and carbon reduction in key sectors such as steel, petrochemicals and non-ferrous metals. The goal is to save more than 150 million tonnes of standard coal use to cut carbon dioxide emissions by roughly 400 million tonnes over the next five years, said Zheng Shanjie, head of the National Development and Reform Commission. This systematic and forward-looking approach demonstrates exactly what it means to be a responsible climate actor -- the adult in the room who plans ahead rather than react impulsively. The world's second-largest economy is charting a deliberate and steady course toward a greener future, noted Fred Teng, president of the America China Public Affairs Institute. "Even as some countries step back from their climate pledges or show wavering political will, the path forward must be defined by consistency and persistence," he said. SUSTAINABLE GROWTH Beyond strategic planning, what distinguishes the "adult in the room" is consistent follow-through on climate commitments, as well as their tangible implementation. China's approach has demonstrated these crucial qualities through its track record of turning blueprints into reality. A common misperception behind fluctuating environmental policies elsewhere is that climate measures could hinder productivity rather than fuel economic growth. "China's strategy shows that climate ambition can coexist with development needs," Teng said. "Through investments in renewable energy, electrified transport, market mechanisms and afforestation, China is reducing emissions while simultaneously generating growth, jobs and technological innovation." The document unveiled on Tuesday outlines measures for the country to "move faster to develop a new type of energy system," steadily increase the share of new energy in its overall supply, advance the systematic transition from fossil fuels to safe, reliable alternatives, and build a new electric power system. Liu said that the plan systematically embeds green industries into the heart of the real economy, making them an inherent part of industrial upgrading. "This reflects China's deepened understanding of green growth mechanics, refined through years of practical experience," he said. Zheng revealed that China's low-carbon green industry is already worth approximately 11 trillion yuan (1.55 trillion U.S. dollars) and is projected to at least double in size within five years. "We aim to establish about 100 national zero-carbon industrial parks in the next five years, which will generate substantial industrial opportunities," he said. The country will also ramp up its development of non-fossil energy, promote the cleaner and more efficient use of fossil fuels, and accelerate the establishment of a new power system to enable the efficient generation and consumption of green electricity. "By 2030, the vast majority of China's new electricity demand will be met by clean energy," Zheng said. Gao noted that the next five years will be crucial for China's green and low-carbon transition, during which time both policy intensity and institutional innovation are expected to reach new heights. "This period will not only be a decisive stage in advancing China's green transition but also a breakthrough phase for institutional innovation in ecological civilization. These developments will undoubtedly contribute Chinese wisdom and solutions to global sustainable development," he said. China is turning its climate pledges into measurable action and demonstrable progress. "By setting ambitious goals, grounding them in fairness, and inviting global cooperation, China has demonstrated that leadership is not measured by empty rhetoric but by vision paired with resolve," Teng said. ABIDJAN, Oct. 31 (Xinhua) -- Cote d'Ivoire's lower house election will be held on Dec. 27, the country's Independent Electoral Commission (CEI) announced Thursday. "Based on the proposal from the Independent Electoral Commission, the President of the Republic has signed a decree convening the electoral colleges for the election of deputies to the National Assembly on the date of Saturday, Dec. 27, 2025," said Ibrahime Coulibaly-Kuibiert, president of the CEI. Coulibaly-Kuibiert said the commission must hold the vote before Dec. 31, when the current parliamentary term ends. The electoral campaign is set for Dec. 19-26, and results are expected between Dec. 28 and 30, he added, noting that any disputes must be resolved by Jan. 5 before the inaugural session on Jan. 19. Deputies in the National Assembly are elected for five-year terms by direct universal suffrage. Renewables infrastructure investor Octopus Renewables Infrastructure Trust has a stake in the offshore wind development arm of investee company Simply Blue Group. Simply Blue signed a share subscription agreement with Kansai Electric Power Company, which will see the latter acquire an 80% interest in Simply Blue Energy OSW. The deal, for an undisclosed sum, follows a recent carve-out of Simply Blue's sustainable fuels business into a newly formed entity, Nova Scotia Fuels. The transaction value is said to be in line with ORIT's latest estimates and represents the next step in realising value from ORITs investment, the company said in a statement. Some of the proceeds will be used repay a shareholder loan facility held by ORIT, with the residual value retained through ORIT's ongoing minority interest in Simply Blue. "This is a solid outcome in what remains a challenging market for offshore wind developers. It reinforces our confidence in the Simply Blue team and reflects the strength of the partnership with Kansai who are ideally placed to move this platform forward," said ORIT's co-fund manager Chris Gaydon. TT Electronics said on Friday that in the last three months it has received and rejected three highly conditional unsolicited all-cash takeover proposals from DBAY Advisors. The company announced on Thursday that it has agreed to be taken over by Swiss rival Cicor Technologies in a 287m cash and shares deal. Under the terms of the acquisition, Cicor will pay 100p per share in cash and 0.0028 new Cicor shares. The price, which values TT Electronics - a manufacturer of electronic components - at 155p per share, is a premium of about 64% to the closing share price on Wednesday. Late on Thursday, however, DBAY - which has a 16.5% stake in TT Electronics - said it was "happy with the progress the business is currently making, and is therefore not supportive of the acquisition". "Accordingly, DBAY does not intend to vote in favour of the scheme of arrangement at the court meeting, nor the resolutions to be proposed at TT Electronics' general meeting, as further described in the announcement," it added. TT said on Friday that DBAYs first offer was at 122p a share, while the second and third were at 127p and 130p respectively. "Each of these proposals was unanimously rejected by the TT board after careful consideration together with TT's financial advisers Gleacher Shacklock and Rothschild & Co," it said. TT said the proposals received from DBAY were each subject to a number of assumptions and conditions, including undertaking due diligence which DBAY expected to take eight to ten weeks, and securing financing. It noted that the offer from Cicor is 19% higher than DBAY's latest proposal of 130p per TT share, based on the closing price on 29 October. "Against this background, the board of TT believes that DBAY may in some respects have a different agenda to other TT shareholders," it said. "The board of TT remains focused on delivering maximum value for all shareholders and believes the Cicor offer is the best route to achieving this objective." XiXi Tian's aching sophomore title, All the Way Around the Sun, explores fractured family dynamics following the death of a firstborn. Stella Chen, the surviving younger sister, narrates, often addressing Sam directly as "you," unable to let him go. "Enjoy being an only child," Sam whispered before boarding his Boston flight. The casual comment proved prescient: Sam died in his Harvard dorm room. For Stella and her parents, "figuring out how to adjust to our new reality" includes a move from small-town Illinois to San Diego. Displacements aren't new to Stella--she and Sam were raised in rural China by their beloved grandmother, reuniting with their parents in the U.S. when Stella was eight. But with just one semester of high school left before she's expected to go to college, Stella's struggles amplify. Terrified of following in her brother's footsteps, she hasn't yet completed her college visits. Her parents arrange for her to do her campus tour with Alan, the son of old family friends; he and Stella had been inseparable back in Illinois. California Alan, though, hasn't even acknowledged her at her new school. Now they'll be driving along the coast with plenty of time to disclose wrenching secrets and overdue confessions. Tian (This Place Is Still Beautiful) writes with visceral vulnerability: beyond the devastation of loss, the stifling toll of being left behind seems unbearable. Confronting the family's stagnation helps Stella remake her life, and live. Fans of Mary Y.K. Choi's Yolk and Joanna Ho's The Silence that Binds Us will find strong resonance here. --Terry Hong Mexican writer Brenda Lozano and translator Heather Cleary reunite after Witches for Mothers, about two women bound together by their temporarily overlapping motherhoods. On January 22, 1946, in Mexico City's wealthy Colonia Juarez, Gloria Felipe leaves her two-year-old daughter, Gloria Miranda Felipe, for 16 minutes to play with a new neighbor in their apartment building's courtyard, and the child vanishes. In nearby Colonia Guerrero, Nuria Valencia, who "had been trying for years to get pregnant with her husband, Martin Fernandez Mendia," has just adopted a two-year-old child they've named Agustina after Martin's mother. For seven months and three weeks, Gloria becomes too incapacitated to mother--"I want to be kidnapped so you'll pay attention to me," one of her four other children poignantly begs. For seven months and three weeks, Nuria basks in mothering Agustina while Martin will marvel at the ease of being "a good father." What might initially seem familiar, even predictable, is spectacularly offset by Lozano's sly narrator: "I wouldn't want you thinking I was some male omniscient narrator," she starts. Her paragraph-long self-introduction is an utter marvel, so succinct, erudite, demanding: "I'm not... the voice of a white male saying this is like this and that is like that and these characters are going to say blah-blah... and don't think I'm some generic woman, either: I'm Mexican, which means my words dance the jarabe tapatio; don't expect me to talk like a Miami anchorwoman." Lozano brilliantly interrogates parenthood, sexist medicine, desensitizing entitlement, and women's independence--exposing various versions to every story. --Terry Hong JOHANNESBURG, Oct. 31 (Xinhua) -- The South African government on Friday expressed dismay over the U.S. refugee program, describing it as "factually inaccurate" and "deeply flawed." The remarks came after the United States announced on Thursday that it would be taking in 7,500 refugees, mainly white South Africans who are allegedly victims of a "genocide." "The claim of a 'white genocide' in South Africa is widely discredited and unsupported by reliable evidence. This is further evidenced by the courageous and patriotic open letter from prominent members of the Afrikaner community themselves, who have publicly rejected this very narrative," according to a statement issued by South Africa's Department of International Relations and Cooperation (DIRCO). DIRCO underscored that there's a difference between voluntary migration and moving to another country as a refugee. "Therefore, a program designed to facilitate their immigration and resettlement as refugees is fundamentally flawed. The limited uptake of this offer by South Africans is a telling indicator of this reality," said the statement. The statement noted that the South African Constitution guarantees the right of any citizen to emigrate through legal channels. "We must, however, draw a critical distinction between voluntary migration and refugee asylum. Conflating the two is a serious mischaracterization that carries significant legal consequences for individuals and undermines international protection systems," said the statement. DIRCO further stressed that while it valued its relations with the U.S. government and prioritized collaborating on issues of mutual concern through dialogue and a shared respect for international law and national sovereignty, it rejected any misrepresentation of South Africa's situation. Ford Motor Co. to invest Rs 32.5 billion ($370 million) in reopening its Tamil Nadu plant to produce high-end export-oriented engines with a capacity of over 200,000 units annually. The move marks Fords return to India after a four-year hiatus, reflecting renewed confidence under CEO Jim Farley in India as a key global manufacturing base. The investment comes amid U.S. India trade tensions and signals Fords strategic shift from EVs to strengthening engine production for global markets. Ford Motor Co. is investing around 32.50 billion rupees ($370 million) in India to produce new engines, according to a person briefed on the matter, as it reopens a factory that the US carmaker shut down four years ago. The Maraimalai Nagar manufacturing site in the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu will be retooled to make high-end engines for export markets with an annual capacity of more than 200,000 units, said the person, who asked not to be named as the plans are private. The engines wont be exported to the US, but its not clear which countries they will be shipped to, the person said, adding an announcement may come as early as this week. In a deal that has been in the works for months, the US automaker, which first signaled its interest in resuming local production in India a year ago, is making the investment against a backdrop of heightened tensions between New Delhi and Washington. US President Donald Trump placed a 50 percent tariff on Indian imports earlier this year in a trade standoff, and has lashed out at the Asian country's purchase of Russian oil. The move comes even as Trump made boosting manufacturing in the US especially where the automotive industry is concerned a signature policy goal. Ford caught flack from the president during his first term for a plan to increase output outside the US, but more recently won praise from him after announcing major investments at its domestic plants. Also Read: Apple Pulls ICE Tracking Apps Amid Trump Administration Pressure Ford's decision reflects renewed confidence in India as a manufacturing base from Chief Executive Officer Jim Farley and comes as it pivots from a previous focus on electric vehicles. The Dearborn, Michigan-based company first set up manufacturing near Chennai in 1995 and added a second plant in Sanand, Gujarat, in 2015. Shortly after becoming CEO in 2020, Farley pulled the plug on a deal with Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. that would've kept Ford vehicles on Indian roads. He abandoned the market altogether less than a year later, saying it could no longer pour capital into marginal markets like India and Brazil that provided little or no return. By the time it exited, Ford had accumulated losses of over $2 billion. It eventually sold the Sanand vehicle plant to Tata Motors, which now produces EVs there. In 2020, Ford's chief US rival, General Motors Co., also ended production in India, three years after it shifted to an export-only business model. Other US companies have also been building up their manufacturing presence in the country, regardless of the political tension. Trump notably singled out Apple Inc. in May for its decision to manufacture in India, but the tech giant has since increased production of the iPhone across five Indian factories. Tamil Nadu, where Ford plans to restart its old facility, is one of India's largest industrialized states and a longtime automaking hub. It's home to manufacturing facilities operated by Hyundai Motor Co., Renault SA, and BMW AG. The summit focuses on positioning Karnatakas workforce for global employability fostering overseas partnerships, language training and certification systems Karnataka Skill Development Corporation (KSDC), in collaboration with the Karnataka Skill Development Authority (KSDA), Knowledge Partner, Karnataka Digital Economy Mission (KDEM), and Country Partner, Germany, is all set to host the inaugural edition of the Bengaluru Skill Summit 2025 positioning Karnataka as a global hub for workforce innovation and skilling excellence, from 4th to 6th November at The Lalit Ashok, Bengaluru. The event will be inaugurated on 4th November by Shri Siddaramaiah, Honble Chief Minister of Karnataka, in the august presence of Shri D. K. Shivakumar, Honble Deputy Chief Minister of Karnataka, and Dr. Sharanaprakash R. Patil, Honble Minister for Skill Development, Entrepreneurship and Livelihood and Medical Education, Government of Karnataka. The event will host Special Invitees, including The Hon. Muhammad Reza Cassam Uteem, Minister of Labour and Industrial Relations, Republic of Mauritius; His Excellency Dr. Philipp Ackermann, Ambassador of the Federal Republic of Germany to India; and Mr. Ashutosh Gupta, Managing Director India and Asia Pacific, Coursera, along with other distinguished dignitaries. The theme of this year is Workforce 2030: Scale, Systems, Synergy, which underscores the focus on expanding opportunities at scale, strengthening systems for quality and relevance and building synergies among various stakeholders. The summit will host 3,000+ attendees including policymakers, corporate leaders, academic experts, innovators, etc.; 100+ speakers including ministers, global leaders, academic pioneers etc., and 50+ exhibitors & partners. Some of the notable speakers in summit are- Mr. Subroto Bagchi [Co-Founder of Mindtree, Former Chairman of Odisha Skill Development Authority India], Mr. Ravi Venkatesan [Chairman Global Energy Alliance and Former Chairman Microsoft India & Bank of Baroda, India], Shri Atul Kumar Tiwari [IAS, Former Secretary to Government of India], Shri B.V.R. Subrahmanyam [Chief Executive Officer of NITI Aayog], Mr. Naveen Narayanan [Global Head HR, Biocon Biologics], Ms. Saraswathi Ramachandra [Managing Director & Country Head, Lightcast.io], Gi Soon Song [Director (South Asia), Human and Social Development Sector Office, Asian Development Bank], Mish Eastman [Deputy Vice-Chancellor Vocational Education and Vice President, RMIT University & Member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (MAICD),Australia] among many others. An exclusive ministerial panel is scheduled on 5 November 2025, at the plenary stage on the topic Convergence of Education, Skills & Industry for a Trillion USD Economy by 2032. The session will bring together senior policymakers and industry leaders to discuss how aligning education, skilling, and industrial priorities can accelerate Indias journey toward a trillion-dollar economy. It will emphasize building an integrated ecosystem that fosters innovation, employability, and sustainable economic growth. The panel will feature Dr. Sharanaparakash Rudrappa Patil, Hon. Minister for Skill Development, Entrepreneurship & Livelihood and Medical Education; M. B. Patil, Hon. Minister for Large & Medium Industries and Infrastructure Development; Priyank Kharge, Hon. Minister for Rural Development & Panchayat Raj, and E, I.T. & Bt.; and Dr. M. C. Sudhakar, Hon. Minister for Higher Education, all from the Government of Karnataka. The session will be moderated by Madan Padaki, Managing Trustee, Head Held High Foundation. The summit invites participation across industries including Aerospace & Defence, AgriTech, Automotive, Real Estate, Banking & Finance, Education, Healthcare, Manufacturing, Media, Retail, Software, Telecommunications, Hospitality, and others. It aims to position Karnataka as a global hub for skill innovation, fostering collaboration across sectors to build a future-ready workforce. Delegates will have the opportunity to explore emerging skilling innovations, network with government and industry leaders, participate in live showcases and policy dialogues, and discover career and partnership opportunities. Other key highlights from the summit would include Skillathon 2025, a national-level innovation challenge for college students aimed at harnessing young creative minds to reimagine Indias skilling ecosystem and design impactful solutions for the future of work; the Kaushalya Karnataka Awards, recognizing both corporate and institutional excellence by spotlighting progressive practices and collaborative models that drive inclusive growth, innovation, and workforce competitiveness across the state; and the Skill Expo Pavilion, showcasing the latest training technologies and EdTech solutions. The event will also feature a cultural performance, Karnataka Vaibhava, a grand showcase celebrating the rich heritage and vibrant traditions of Karnataka. In addition, the Summit will host masterclasses, deep-dive sessions, policy roundtables, and a dynamic Youth Zone connecting students and young professionals with career opportunities. It will reflect upon four major areas comprising- > fresh ideas in skilling, > skills for everyone including women, young adults, and gig workers, > global skills to get Karnataka workers ready for international jobs, and > getting ready for things like AI, green jobs, and the online world Commenting on the maiden project/initiative, Dr. Sharanaprakash Rudrappa Patil, Honble Minister for Skill Development, Entrepreneurship & Livelihood and Medical Education, said, Bengaluru Skill Summit reflects Karnatakas determination to lead India into the next era of workforce development. Our priority is to build a skilling framework that is inclusive, industry-aligned, and globally benchmarked empowering young people to shape the future economy as skilled professionals, innovators, or entrepreneurs. Echoing this vision, Dr. Gayathri Vasudevan, Chairperson, LabourNet Services India Pvt. Ltd., and Trustee, Sambhav Foundation, added, The intent of the Bengaluru Skill Summit is to bring together innovations in technology and people development to explore how skill-building can truly translate into employability and meaningful employment for young people. Participants are invited to join the movement shaping Indias future workforce from 46 November 2025 at The Lalit Ashok, Bengaluru. For registration and more details, visit www.bengaluruskillsummit.com. Equity markets likely to open flat amid a busy Q2 earnings session. Reliance, ITC, Swiggy, and Bandhan Bank remain in focus for key financial updates. Mixed results across sectors steady growth for FMCG giants, profit pressure for banks and realty firms. The Indian equity market is expected to open on a flat note on Friday, October 31, as investors keep a close watch on a long list of companies announcing their second-quarter (Q2) earnings. According to the morning update, as many as 76 companies are scheduled to release their results today, including Maruti Suzuki India Ltd (MSIL), Vedanta, Bharat Electronics Ltd (BEL), Bank of Baroda, BPCL, GAIL India, Shriram Finance, ACC, Patanjali Foods, Sammaan Capital, and Zensar Technologies. Reliance Industries in Focus: Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL) is likely to remain in the spotlight after BofA Securities bought 2.95 lakh shares of the oil-to-telecom conglomerate through an open market transaction on Thursday. The purchase, valued at around Rs 43.62 crore, was executed at an average price of Rs 1,475.50 per share, according to data from the National Stock Exchange (NSE). The shares were acquired by BofA Securities Europe SA, a subsidiary of Bank of America Corporation. ITC Reports Steady Profit, Delists from CSE Diversified conglomerate ITC Ltd reported a consolidated net profit of Rs 5,186.55 crore for the September quarter, compared to Rs 5,054.43 crore in the same period last year. The companys revenue from operations slipped slightly to Rs 21,255.86 crore from Rs 21,536.38 crore. ITC said the results are not strictly comparable due to the merger of its subsidiaries, Sresta Natural Bioproducts Pvt Ltd and Wimco Ltd, with the parent company. The Board also approved the voluntary delisting of ITCs shares from the Calcutta Stock Exchange (CSE). Additionally, it recommended the appointment of Amitabh Kant as an independent director for five years, effective January 1, 2026. Swiggys Loss Widens Despite Revenue Growth Food delivery and quick commerce giant Swiggy reported a widened consolidated net loss of Rs 1,092 crore in Q2 FY26, compared to Rs 626 crore a year earlier. However, revenue from operations grew strongly to Rs 5,561 crore from Rs 3,601 crore last year. The company also announced that its board will meet on November 7 to consider raising Rs 10,000 crore through a qualified institutional placement (QIP). Swiggy said that with its cash reserves and a recent Rs 2,400 crore divestment from Rapido, it remains well-funded for future growth amid a competitive market environment. Bandhan Bank Sees Sharp Fall in Profit Bandhan Bank reported a steep fall in post-tax profit to Rs 112 crore for the September quarter, down from Rs 937 crore in the same quarter last year. The banks operating profit also dropped to Rs 1,310 crore from Rs1,855 crore. Managing Director and CEO Partha Pratim Sengupta said the results were transitional and attributed the dip to the repo rate cut and deposit repricing. He added that the banks focus will now be on increasing its CASA deposits and improving profitability in the coming quarters. DLFs Profit Declines, Bookings Surge Realty major DLF Ltd reported a 15% decline in consolidated net profit to Rs 1,180.09 crore for Q2 FY26, compared to Rs 1,381.22 crore last year. However, the company saw a massive jump in sales bookings, which surged over six times to Rs 4,332 crore, driven by strong demand for its newly launched Mumbai project. DLFs revenue from operations fell to Rs 1,643.04 crore from Rs 1,975.02 crore a year ago, but total income increased slightly to Rs 2,261.80 crore. NTPC Declares Interim Dividend Power producer NTPC Ltd posted a 3% year-on-year rise in net profit to Rs 5,225.30 crore for the September quarter, compared to Rs 5,380.25 crore last year. Total income came in at Rs 45,262.10 crore, almost unchanged from a year ago, while expenses declined marginally to Rs 40,218.03 crore. The companys board also declared an interim dividend of Rs 27.75 per share for FY26. Nippon Life Sees Drop in Profit Nippon Life India Asset Management Ltd reported a 4% decline in profit after tax (PAT) to Rs345 crore for Q2 FY26, compared to Rs 360 crore in the same quarter last year. Despite the drop in profit, revenue from operations rose 15% to Rs 658 crore from Rs 571 crore a year ago, driven by higher assets under management and improved fee income. Dabur India Posts Moderate Growth FMCG major Dabur India Ltd recorded a 6.53% increase in consolidated net profit at Rs 444.79 crore for the September quarter, compared to Rs 417.52 crore a year ago. Revenue from operations grew to Rs 3,191.32 crore from Rs 3,028.59 crore. CEO Mohit Malhotra said the company maintained steady growth despite transitional GST headwinds and a challenging economic environment, reaffirming its market leadership across core product categories. IEX Reports Higher Profit The Indian Energy Exchange (IEX) reported a 14% rise in consolidated net profit to Rs 123.34 crore in Q2 FY26, up from Rs 108.32 crore a year ago. Total income grew to Rs 183.26 crore from Rs 167.76 crore, supported by higher trading volumes and steady demand in the power market. Also Read: Indian Equities Gear Up for a Positive Thursday Pidilite and United Spirits Post Solid Results Adhesives and sealants manufacturer Pidilite Industries reported an 8.2% increase in consolidated net profit to Rs 584.6 crore for the September quarter, compared to Rs 540.3 crore last year. Revenue rose to Rs 3,554.44 crore from Rs 3,234.91 crore, driven by demand in the construction and industrial segments. Meanwhile, United Spirits Ltd, controlled by Diageo, posted a strong 36% jump in consolidated net profit to Rs 464 crore in Q2 FY26, compared to Rs 341 crore last year. Revenue increased by nearly 8% to Rs 7,199 crore, supported by premium product demand and cost efficiency. Market Outlook With a heavy line-up of earnings announcements, investors are likely to focus on company-specific developments and Q2 performance trends. Analysts expect stock-specific movements to dominate market sentiment, while the overall indices may remain range-bound amid mixed global cues. As the earnings season continues, market participants will closely track profit margins, demand recovery, and management commentary to gauge the outlook for the second half of FY26. L&T and General Atomics team up to produce Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) drones in India. Partnership to support the Ministry of Defences 87 MALE RPAS programme. Collaboration aims to boost Indias self-reliance in aerospace and defence technologies. Larsen & Toubro (L&T) has entered into a strategic alliance with US-based General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) to manufacture combat-proven Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS) in India. The collaboration aims to strengthen the countrys defence capabilities and promote indigenous drone production for the Indian armed forces. As part of this partnership, L&T will be the prime bidder for the Ministry of Defences upcoming 87 MALE RPAS programme, with GA-ASI serving as the technology partner. These advanced MQ-series drones by GA-ASI are already in operation worldwide, accumulating millions of flight hours in intelligence, surveillance, and precision strike missions. L&T will leverage its expertise in engineering, precision manufacturing, and system integration, while GA-ASI brings decades of experience in unmanned aerial systems. The collaboration is expected to make India a hub for high-end drone manufacturing and further the 'Make in India' initiative in defence. Also Read: Air India Express Unveils Upgraded Boeing 737 with New Cabin S.N. Subrahmanyan, Chairman & Managing Director of L&T, said, This partnership gives India a unique opportunity to build state-of-the-art unmanned platforms domestically. We are confident that this alliance will significantly strengthen our defence readiness and promote self-reliance in aerospace. L&T reported a 15.6% rise in net profit to Rs 3,926.09 crore in Q2 FY26, driven by a 10.4% growth in revenue to Rs 67,983.53 crore. Dear Abby: My husband and I discussed our 25th anniversary and mentioned Hawaii as a possibility. He reached out to his brother and sister-in-law for suggestions, since they have visited Hawaii twice and we never have. My husband mentioned to my sister-in-law (without consulting me) that maybe the four of us should travel together to Hawaii. Now my in-laws want to travel with us! My husband is enthusiastic because it will lower the cost. I am very hurt that I wasnt even consulted. I didnt know until I overheard them talking about splitting costs on the Hawaii trip. Abby, I was not planning a 25th anniversary as a foursome. My husband is calling me a sourpuss for not jumping on board with the plan. In my mind, its supposed to be an anniversary, not a couples retreat. Am I wrong? Crowded in the South Dear Crowded: You are not in the wrong. That your husband and in-laws would alter the plans for your 25th anniversary without consulting you is disrespectful. You should have been consulted. That he has now resorted to name-calling because you are upset is out of line. If you feel you wont be happy celebrating this milestone with them, tell your sister-in-law this was sprung on you with no preparation, which you feel was wrong, and you are not happy about it. Then decide which YOU would prefer to travel to Hawaii as a group anyway or to just stay home. Marc Donato, 53, is facing multiple charges after authorities say he attempted to lure a person he believed to be a 15-year-old girl for sexual purposes. (Courtesy of NYPD) STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. A Staten Island man was arrested and accused of attempting to lure a person he believed to be a 15-year-old girl for sexual purposes, according to police. Marc Donato, 53, of Dinsmore Street in Bulls Head was arrested on Oct. 23, at approximately 4 p.m. near 1 Richmond Terrace, police said. He faces multiple charges including attempted luring of a child, attempted rape, attempted endangering the welfare of a child and attempted sexual abuse, according to the criminal complaint. Investigators are urging any parents whose children may have had prior contact with Donato to reach out to the NYPD Sex Crimes Hotline at 212-267-RAPE (7273). Police allege Donato had been communicating via text message with an undercover officer from the Organized Crime Task Force of the New York State Attorney Generals Office over a six-week period starting Sept. 10. The officer was posing as a 15-year-old girl named Bella. According to the criminal complaint, the communications contained sexually explicit material, with Donato allegedly acknowledging the girls purported age. In one exchange on Sept. 10, when the undercover officer referenced being 15 years old, Donato allegedly replied that it was kinda exciting & forbidden to be honest. Police accuse Donato of arranging a meeting with the person he believed to be the minor at the Staten Island Ferry terminal in St. George on Oct. 23. When contacted by the undercover officer who said she was about to get off the ferry, Donato allegedly responded that he would wait by H&M and that she was about to make me do something illegal, police said. Upon arrest, police said Donato allegedly told officers, Im talking to a bunch of girls online, this is a fantasy of mine to have sex with a stepdaughter... if she was 15 and got to my car I might have let her in. Prosecutors requested bail be set at $10,000 cash/$30,000 bond, but the presiding judge denied the request and ordered Donato released under supervision, according to a spokesperson for the Richmond County District Attorneys office. Mr. Donato categorically denies these allegations, his attorney, Lou Gelormino told the Advance/SILive.com. We look forward to a full investigation into the facts where we expect Mr. Donato to be fully vindicated. His next scheduled appearance in Criminal Court, St. George, is Dec. 15, according to court documents. Additionally, the NYPD is asking for other potential victims to come forward by calling the Sexual Assault Hotline at 646-610-7272 or Crime Stoppers at 800-577-TIPS (8477). Spanish speakers can call 888-57-PISTA (74782), or the public can submit tips online at https://crimestoppers.nypdonline.org/ or on X @NYPDTips. All calls are confidential. This images shows a potentially-lethal dose of 2 milligrams of fentanyl compared to the size of a penny. (Courtesy of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration) STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. Staten Island is reversing a devastating trend amid the fentanyl crisis by leading New York City with the steepest decline in fatal drug overdoses among the five boroughs. Staten Island is outpacing the rest of the city by a wide margin in reducing deaths from overdoses that have been linked mostly to fentanyl, a synthetic opioid that is up to 50 times stronger than heroin and 100 times stronger than morphine. Deaths from accidental drug overdoses plummeted by about 49% for Island residents last year, from 157 in 2023 to 81, according to the latest statistics by the city Department of Mental Health and Hygiene. In line with national trends, unintentional overdose deaths tumbled 28% last year citywide, with decreases occurring in all five boroughs. The magnitude of this decrease is unprecedented and follows a nearly 10-year period of increasing overdose deaths in NYC, according to a Health Department Epi Data Brief. However, overdose continues to be the leading cause of premature death citywide, claiming the lives of nearly 20,000 people since 2016. Overdoses are killing mostly men and boys, who comprised 77% of overdose victims citywide last year. Dramatic overdose declines in neighborhoods Staten Island had the fourth highest rate of overdose deaths last year citywide, falling from the second highest rate in 2023. The borough saw 76 fewer deaths last year, with the rate dropping from 40.2 to 20.7 per 100,000 residents, according to the Health Department. The statistics reveal dramatic reductions in overdose fatalities and renewed hope in neighborhoods throughout the borough. Last year, fatal overdose rates decreased by about half in Health Department-designated areas of Stapleton to St. George, and Port Richmond; those areas respectively ranked ninth and 10th in highest overdose rates citywide in 2023. The same roughly 50% decline in rates of fatal overdoses was recorded last year in areas that the Health Department identified as Willowbrook, and South Beach to Tottenville. Black and brown communities suffer most Black and brown New Yorkers continue to be most impacted by the overdose epidemic. Even though overdose death rates decreased for the first time since 2018 among Black and Latino people citywide, their rates remain about twice as high as those for white New Yorkers. Bronx residents had the lowest decline in rates of overdose deaths to 24% last year from 2023, according to the Health Department. Last year citywide, 2,192 people lost their lives to unintentional drug poisonings, 864 fewer deaths than the 3,056 people who succumbed in 2023. The citywide decline in fatal overdoses represents a rate of 31.7 such deaths per 100,000 residents last year compared to 44.5 per 100,000 residents in 2023. Fentanyl and cocaine are culprits in overdoses While on the decline, fentanyl continues to be the most common substance detected in overdose deaths. Last year, 73% of all fatal overdoses involved fentanyl compared to 80% in 2023, according to the Health Department. Cocaine was involved in 57% of overdose deaths last year. Lesser known but even more deadly medications designed for use in animals are involved in a small number of fatal overdoses citywide. Carfentanil was linked to 29 fatalities and medetomidine was implicated in 19 deaths last year. A lot of work to do The decline in overdose deaths on Staten Island follows years of multi-pronged efforts from a wide range of government agencies, nonprofit groups and health organizations to combat a drug crisis that has impacted so many families on the borough. Among the coordinated efforts are the Richmond County District Attorney offices HOPE program that launched in 2017, which diverts low-level drug offenders into treatment rather than prison; frequent distribution of live-saving naloxone, which the state now mandates be available over-the-counter; state Health Department distribution of drug test strips to allow users to check drugs for deadly fentanyl; a push for healthcare providers to embrace safer prescribing practices, with more than 60 Staten Island physicians signing a Safe Prescriber Pledge in 2024; an annually held Prescription Drug Take Back Day; and more. District Attorney Michael E. McMahon has warned, however, that the battle continues, as too many lives are still cut short. In an interview in late 2024, when initial data indicated a decline in overdose deaths, he said it is crucial that anti-addiction efforts continue to be prioritized. My fear is that people will see the national decline and some decline here and think, oh, the worst is over, McMahon said. Oh no, this is still a raging epidemic and we have a lot of work to do. Representatives from the Rossville Dunkin celebrate the grand reopening of their newly remodeled restaurant at 655 Rossville Ave. with a ceremonial ribbon-cutting on Friday, October 24. From left to right: Rossville Dunkin Crew Members; Dunkin Franchisee Neel Shah; South Shore Community Food Pantry CEO and Founder Joe Preach; New York City Councilman Frank Morano; Shree Group General Manager Sajel Shah (sunglasses); Office of Staten Island Borough President Vito J. Fossella Press Liaison Nicholas Thompson; Shree Group Area Manager Rujul Desai; and Staten Island Community Board 3 Chair Diane Peruggia. (Courtesy of Dunkin') STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.A freshly remodeled Dunkin in Rossville threw a grand opening bashreplete with free coffee for lucky customers and a generous check to a local food pantry. The gathering took place at 655 Rossville Ave. on Friday, Oct. 24, to celebrate the updated shop. Franchisee Neel Shah of The Shree Group marked the occasion with a $3,000 donation to the South Shore Community Food Pantry in partnership with the Dunkin Joy in Childhood Foundation. Thank you to Neel Shah and the Dunkin Joy in Childhood Foundation for this generous donation, said Joe Preach, CEO and founder of the South Shore Community Food Pantry, during the ceremony. The pantry operates in a pop-up style on the first Tuesday and third Saturday of each month on Chisolm Street behind Tottenville High School. The hubs volunteers serve hundreds of families, seniors, and individuals facing food insecurity. In addition to food, it offers clothing, occasional gift cards, and emotional support to Staten Islanders who attend. Preach added, These funds will go towards feeding those in need within the local community and will go a long way towards aiding our mission. The celebration included a special promotion where the first 100 people in line at 3 p.m. received vouchers for a free medium hot or iced coffee for 100 days. Attendees also enjoyed spinning a prize wheel for Dunkin merchandise and taking advantage of a complimentary photo booth and face painter. Dunkin Franchisee Neel Shah of The Shree Group presents a $3,000 donation to the South Shore Community Food Pantry to celebrate the grand reopening of the newly remodeled Dunkin restaurant at 655 Rossville Ave. in the Rossville neighborhood of Staten Island on Friday, October 24. From left to right: Rossville Dunkin Crew Members; Dunkin Franchisee Neel Shah; South Shore Community Food Pantry CEO and Founder Joe Preach; New York City Councilman Frank Morano; and Shree Group Area Manager Rujul Desai. (Courtesy of Dunkin') Several local officials participated in the ceremonial ribbon-cutting, including New York City Councilman Frank Morano, Staten Island Community Board 3 Chair Diane Peruggia, representatives from Borough President Vito J. Fossellas office, and members of FDNY Engine 168. Rossvilles Dunkin is the latest to get a facelift in an era when the company goes simply by Dunkin. The brand officially dropped Donuts from its name on January 1, 2019, following a September 2018 announcement. The rebranding marked a strategic shift to spotlight its beverage offeringsespecially coffeewhile modernizing the brand and honoring its roots. Wondering how Dunkin started on Staten Island? With roots going back at least four decades, the Hylan Boulevard shop at Burbank Avenue in New Dorp is widely considered the oldest known Dunkin in the borougha true neighborhood staple thats served generations of coffee lovers and doughnut devotees. While Dunkin corporate couldnt confirm the precise opening date, longtime locals remember when the menu was simple, featuring only hot coffee and classic doughnuts. White Castle drapes its box in red, white and blue to honor the USA. The company will salute Veterans on Nov. 11 with free burgers. (Courtesy of White Castle) STATEN ISLAND, N.Y.White Castle will honor veterans and active-duty military personnel with a free combo meal on Veterans Day, Monday, Nov. 11. The family-owned burger chain is offering a complimentary individual combo or breakfast combo at participating locations. Veterans and service members just need to show a military IDno purchase required. At White Castle, were honored to recognize the men and women who have served and continue to serve our country with courage and devotion, said Jamie Richardson, White Castle vice president. This meal is a small way to express our heartfelt thanks and appreciation. As part of the celebration, White Castle will serve its signature Sliders in limited-edition patriotic packaging, featuring red and white stripes beneath the logo and 50 white stars on a navy-blue background. Staten Island has one borough location: 2221 Hylan Blvd., Grant City. Flashback to August 28, 2012: William Seaquist of Great Kills beams inside the White Castle in Grant City after winning the Craver Nation sweepstakes earning $13,500 in meal credits, or sliders for life, from his favorite fast-food chain. Staten Island Advance The spot is a longtime favorite among local Craversthe nickname for White Castles most devoted fans. One standout is William Seaquist of Great Kills, who in 2012 won Sliders for life through the chains Craver Nation rewards program. His prize? $13,500 in gift certificates, handed to him at the Grant City location. Seaquists love for the brand even landed him in a 2020 Thrillist documentary and followups, which featured scenes around Staten Island and a visit to White Castles headquarters in Columbus, Ohio, where he met top executives. Founded in 1921 in Wichita, Kansas, White Castle is Americas first fast-food hamburger chain. Today, the company operates around 340 restaurants nationwide and sells its iconic Sliders in grocery store freezer aisles. It also runs its own meat plants, bakeries and frozen-Slider facilities. In 2014, Time magazine named the Original Slider the Most Influential Burger of All Time. All 52 companies that operate New York Citys yellow school bus service signed an emergency 30-day contract with the city Thursday evening, averting a possible work stoppage that could have begun Monday. All 52 companies that operate New York Citys yellow school bus service signed an emergency 30-day contract with the city Thursday evening, averting a possible work stoppage that could have begun Monday. In the end, this is about the children and our employees, period, bus companies spokesperson Richard Bamberger told Chalkbeat about the last-minute agreement. This emergency extension will allow us to bring all parties to the table to work everything out, while, at the same time it will allow parents, students, drivers and aides to know that buses will be running on a normal schedule, he continued. A contract dispute has been ongoing after a five-year contract between the bus companies, the city, and the Department of Education expired in June. Last week the companies said they were preparing to halt operations and lay off employees on Nov. 1 if they didnt receive a five-year contract extension. According to Chalkbeat, Schools Chancellor Melissa Aviles-Ramos voiced concerns about approving a contract that would outlast the incoming mayors first term. Officials have also labeled the bus system as rife with problems, Chalkbeat said, including delayed and no-show service and lack of air conditioning. Earlier this week, 27 of the 52 bus companies agreed to extend the contracts for November and December during the meeting of the Panel for Education Policy, the school board that approves the contracts. But four of the largest bus companies Logan, Consolidated Transit, Pioneer, and First had not signed the emergency contracts. At the meeting, panel members unanimously voted to oppose a five-year contract for the bus companies, saying that it lacked vendor accountability and better services. The companies had to choose between continuing on a monthly, emergency contract basis or layoff drivers and stop bus service. They opted for the emergency, 30-day extension on Thursday evening. The contract is scheduled to be finalized at a panel meeting on Nov. 19. Students of Sri Palee College try to solve Lu Ban Lock puzzle, a traditional Chinese toy, during the "Me and China" themed lecture in Horana, Sri Lanka, Oct. 30, 2025. The seventh edition of "Me and China" themed lecture was held Thursday at Sri Palee College in Horana, Sri Lanka, with over 170 guests, including students and faculty members of the college, attending. (Xinhua/Wu Ziyu) COLOMBO, Oct. 31 (Xinhua) -- The seventh edition of "Me and China" themed lecture was held Thursday at Sri Palee College in Horana, Sri Lanka, with over 170 guests, including students and faculty members of the college, attending. Addressing the event, college principal Anusha Damayanthi said that the college's founder Wilmot A. Perera had laid a strong foundation of friendship and cultural exchange between China and Sri Lanka, and his legacy continues to inspire the college to date. She expressed hopes that the event will open new doors for students and faculty members alike to learn, experience and appreciate the beauty of the Chinese language and culture. The "Me and China" lectures is an important platform to promote cultural and people-to-people exchanges between China and Sri Lanka, said Ni Lisheng, chief of the China Cultural Center in Sri Lanka. He hoped that the events would help spark the students' interest in Chinese culture, and inspire them to become envoys of friendship between China and Sri Lanka in the future. Vipula Jayampathi, vice president of the Sri Lanka China Society, shared his experience of four visits to China since 2015 in a speech titled "The Silk Road Legacy: My Experience with Sino-Sri Lankan Relations." Following the lecture, students and faculty members also engaged in a variety of cultural activities, such as traditional Chinese paper cutting. The college was founded in 1934 by Perera, who in 1957 became Sri Lanka's first ambassador to the People's Republic of China. Under his influence, the college has maintained a cherished tradition of participating in cultural exchange with China. Today, the school has introduced Chinese language studies as well as Chinese culture into the curriculum. "Me and China" lectures, a flagship cultural exchange activity co-organized by the China Cultural Center in Sri Lanka and the Sri Lanka China Society, first took place in August 2024. Students of Sri Palee College enjoy Touhu, a traditional Chinese game also known as pitch-pot, during the "Me and China" themed lecture in Horana, Sri Lanka, Oct. 30, 2025. The seventh edition of "Me and China" themed lecture was held Thursday at Sri Palee College in Horana, Sri Lanka, with over 170 guests, including students and faculty members of the college, attending. (Xinhua/Wu Ziyu) Five suspects have been arrested in connection with the overdose death of Robert De Niros grandson Leandro De Niro-Rodriguez. (Photo by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images) Getty Images New York authorities have arrested five individuals linked to the 2023 overdose death of Leandro Anthony De Niro-Rodriguez, the 19-year-old grandson of actor Robert De Niro, PEOPLE reports. A Drug Enforcement Administration official confirmed all five suspects face charges of death resulting from the sale of narcotics to NBC New York. De Niro-Rodriguez was discovered dead in Manhattan on July 2, 2023, according to reports. The New York City Chief Medical Examiner later determined his death was an accidental overdose caused by a combination of fentanyl, bromazolam, alprazolam, 7-aminoclonazepam, ketamine and cocaine. The teen was the only son of Drena De Niro, 56, the daughter of Robert De Niro and his first wife. Following her sons death, Drena De Niro alleged on Instagram that he had been sold fentanyl laced pills that they knew were laced, according to PEOPLE. Later that month, authorities arrested a woman identified as Sofia H. Marks, who was accused of selling drugs to the teenager, PEOPLE added. The current status of her plea was not immediately available. In a poignant social media post announcing her sons death, Drena De Niro wrote, I dont know how to live without you but Ill try to go on and spread the love and light that you so made me feel in getting to be your mama. This story was written with the assistance of AI. Sizzle & Soul: Port Richmonds Taste Fest highlights the diverse eats along Port Richmond Avenue and beyond. Pictured here is a grilled rib eye from La Bottiglia, an upscale Italian spot thriving in the heart of a neighborhood known for its vibrant Mexican eateries. silvestri STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. Want to find a juicy steak or the boroughs freshest, most delicate flour tortillas? Youll find both and much more along Port Richmond Avenue. From upscale Italian at La Bottiglia to the authentic tortilla-making at Tortilleria Oaxaca, the strip is a flavorful showcase of culinary diversity. Where can you find the freshest tortillas? In Port Richmond, those places would be La Casa Del Taco at 1368 Forest Avenue or Tortilleria Oaxaca at 121 Port Richmond Avenue two local favorites nestled in the heart of Port Richmond. And the Port Richmond North Shore Alliance is putting its eats front and center at its 5th Annual Taste of Port Richmond & Award Ceremony on November 5, 2025 a night that celebrates the neighborhoods bold flavors and the people who make it thrive. This free event includes local restaurants, residents, and honorees to showcase Port Richmonds culinary and cultural spirit. Doors open at 7 p.m. at 85 St. Joseph Ave., with the program kicking off at 7:30 p.m. Expect bites from Brothers Pizzeria, San Jeronimo, Cafe Con Pan, La Bottiglia, Ungaro Pizza, and Laceys Bridge Tavern all neighborhood staples. This years Community Awards will honor outstanding members of the NYPD, FDNY, and local small businesses for their dedication, bravery, and commitment to serving the people of Port Richmond, according to the Port Richmond North Shore Alliance. Veterans Park in Port Richmond has been revitalized in the last decade and offers a space for community celebrations many food-focused along with tributes to veterans. Steve White The event reflects Port Richmonds long-standing role as a cultural hub, dating back to its 17th-century settlement by Dutch and French colonists. In the 19th century, Port Richmond Avenue became a center for markets and fairs, where food was interwoven with church socials and maritime trade. In 1943, Port Richmond's Palace Theater, seen on this vintage postcard, would have been screening Gary Cooper in "The Pride of the Yankees." (Staten Island Advance) After the Staten Island Mall was built, the neighborhood experienced a significant economic downturn. But over the past two decades, civic groups like Port Richmond Strong have helped revitalize the area by hosting food and craft festivals in Veterans Park. These gatherings celebrate local cuisine and artistry while fostering community pride. By the 2010s, the events began incorporating tributes to veterans, anchoring the festivities in gratitude and service. Today, Port Richmond is recognized as a culinary melting pot, where Mexican bakeries, Latin eateries, and Italian restaurants coexist along Port Richmond Avenue, reflecting the neighborhoods evolving demographics. William, left, and Carl Gertz, of Oven Bake Shop in Port Richmond, prepare cake for wedding scene in "The Godfather," filmed on Emerson Hill in May, 1971. This image was taken by the famed late photographer Tony Carannante of the Staten Island Advance. Notable establishments include Cafe Con Pan a bakery, bar, and Mexican restaurant that adds flair to the strip in a space once occupied by OvenBake, known for its Godfather wedding cake. La Bottiglia stands out with its upscale Southern Italian menu and house-made desserts, while Ungaros remains a go-to for Italian-American comfort food. In the words of the late Mary Bullock beloved civic leader and founder of the Port Richmond North Shore Alliance: The connection between immigration and restaurants food as a gateway to, and expression of, the American Dream is fascinating, she once wrote. Especially in Port Richmond, arguably the most diverse neighborhood on Staten Island. The children of the Marsh family of Westerleigh dressed as Staten Island ferry namesakes this year. From left are Camby Marsh as Alice Austen, Carrick Marsh as Spirit of New York, and Callen Marsh as S.I. Newhouse. (Courtesy Bree Driscoll) Courtesy Bree Driscoll STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. For the eighth year in a row, the Marsh family of Westerleigh has taken Halloween as an opportunity to celebrate Staten Island and this year, their three young children Callen, 8, Carrick, 6, and Camby, 3, set sail as Staten Island ferries. What began as a creative way to showcase borough pride has turned into a beloved family tradition for parents Bree Driscoll and her husband, Keith Marsh, who each year dream up costumes that pay tribute to local landmarks, icons, and culture. So this is the eighth year that we have done a Staten Islandthemed costume, said Driscoll. They have been Staten Island turkeys, Wu-Tang fans, and two years ago they were the Verrazzano Bridge. This years theme three Staten Island ferries, Alice Austen, Spirit of New York, and S.I. Newhouse was a hit with both neighbors and social media followers. The Marsh family's past Halloween costumes have included Carrick Marsh as Staten Island-centric orange ferry boat, Keith Marsh as a ferry deckhand, and mom Bree Driscoll as the Statue of Liberty. (Courtesy Bree Driscoll) Courtesy Bree Driscoll Driscoll, who works in journalism, said the creative process starts well before October. Coming up with the idea probably took the longest, she said. Once I had the vision, it was pretty easy to execute. Each of the Marsh children added their own flair to the tradition. Three-year-old Camby Marsh dressed as Staten Island photographer Alice Austen, one of the boroughs most beloved historical figures. It is actually a wicked witch costume dress and just her toy camera, Driscoll explained. She was just happy to play with her toy camera. Six-year-old Carrick Marsh embraced a patriotic twist, dressing as Uncle Sam. Carrick was thrilled to dress up as America, Driscoll said with a laugh. His is just an Uncle Sam costume minus the beard. Eight-year-old Callen Marsh took a more academic route paying tribute to S.I. Newhouse, the publishing magnate and longtime supporter of journalism. The Samuel I. Newhouse ferryboat makes its way to St. George from Manhattan on Monday, May 22, 2024. (Jason Paderon/Staten Island Advance) Jason Paderon/Staten Island Advance The Staten Island Advance/SILive.com is owned by Advance Publications, the media company founded by Samuel I. Newhouse, Sr. Notably, Advance Publications owns several major magazines through its subsidiary Conde Nast, including Vogue, Vanity Fair, The New Yorker, GQ, Wired, Bon Appetit, Architectural Digest and Allure. Though Callen opted for a Dog Man outfit for trick-or-treating, Driscoll found a way to make his costume meaningful. The Marsh family's past Halloween costumes have included dressing up as fans of the Staten Island-based group, Wu-Tang Clan. (Courtesy Bree Driscoll) Courtesy Bree Drsicoll We did talk about him and how he was a huge success in publishing and supported journalism, which is what mom does, she said. We went to Barnes & Noble to get the specific Advance Publications magazines. It was just his communion suit and a wig. The Staten Islandthemed costumes have garnered plenty of attention over the years both from neighbors and online followers, including a repost from the social media account of the Staten Island Zoo. Over the years, people on social media have really enjoyed the costumes, Driscoll said. I feel like it is nice to show off borough pride on social media and on NY1, so I really like to continue the tradition. Whether its bridges, borough icons, or ferries, the Marsh familys Halloween spirit continues to celebrate what makes Staten Island unique one uniques and adorable costume at a time. The Marsh family's past Halloween costumes have included Staten Island's favorite groundhog, Staten Island Chuck, aka Callen Marsh, flanked by his parents Bree Driscoll and Keith Marsh. (Courtesy Bree Driscoll) Courtesy Bree Drsicoll Spirit of America's maiden voyage on April 4, 2006. (Staten Island Advance/Irving Silverstein) Staten Island Advance/Irving Silverstein The Marsh family's past Halloween costumes have included Staten Island-centric Ferry Hawks-centric Scooter the Cow, Frankie the FerryHawk, The Pizza Rats and a Mets fan.(Courtesy Bree Driscoll) Courtesy Bree Drsicoll The Marsh family's past Halloween costumes have included Staten Island turkeys and forest rangers.(Courtesy Bree Driscoll) Courtesy Bree Drsicoll The Marsh family's past Halloween costumes have included Staten Island-centric Verrazano Bridge and a commuter.(Courtesy Bree Driscoll) Courtesy Bree Drsicoll Former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who is running as an independent candidate to be the next mayor of New York City, speaks to Staten Islanders at Case Belvedere on Grymes Hill on Wednesday, Oct. 29. (Advance/SILive.com | Erik Bascome) Advance/SILive.com | Erik Bascome STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- As Election Day nears, former Gov. Andrew Cuomo said he will look to modify the controversial City of Yes for Housing Opportunity zoning text amendment that has sparked overdevelopment concerns among Staten Islanders. Cuomo, who is running as an independent mayoral candidate after losing to Queens Assemblymember Zohran Mamdani in the Democratic primary, visited the New Lane Older Adult Center in Rosebank to greet residents during the centers annual Halloween party. After briefly chatting with residents, the former governor provided the Advance/SILive.com with an exclusive interview to discuss the need to amend the City of Yes for Housing Opportunity, which has been fervently opposed by borough residents who fear it will drastically change the character of their low-density neighborhoods. The attitude is often what works for Manhattan works for the outer boroughs. That is not true. The outer boroughs are different. They have different characteristics. They have different communities. There are reasons why people live in the outer boroughs, said Cuomo. This one size fits all does not work. With City of Yes, we have to make sure that it is applied in a way that protects the characteristic of that particular community and we have to be very sensitive to making sure the needs of the local community are represented and met, he continued. Former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who is running as an independent candidate to be the next mayor of New York City, spoke to Staten Islanders at the New Lane Older Adult Center in Rosebank on Friday, Oct. 31. (Advance/SILive.com | Erik Bascome) Advance/SILive.com | Erik Bascome The zoning text amendment, which is intended to spur the development of tens of thousands of new homes across New York City, implemented significant changes to what can be developed where, including allowing ancillary dwelling units (ADUs) on one- and two-family properties and small apartment buildings in areas where theyre not currently permitted. When asked how he would address Staten Islands housing shortage while also maintaining the character of the boroughs predominantly low-density neighborhoods, Cuomo said, We can do both. Theres plenty of space to build. When pressed for specific changes to the zoning text amendment that he would seek to implement if elected, the former governor provided little to no detail, stating that he would work with the City Council to address residents concerns. The Advance/SILive.com has spent the past year providing award-winning coverage of the City of Yes and its impact on Staten Island. Visit silive.com/topic/city-yes/ to learn more about how the controversial zoning text amendment will shift the landscape of the borough. Councilmember Kamillah Hanks and former State Sen. Diane Savino were both in attendance for the New Lane Older Adult Centers Halloween party, but made clear to the Advance/SILive.com that they were attending independently and were in no way affiliated with the Cuomo campaign. The Friday visit marked Cuomos second appearance on Staten Island this week, having rallied with members of the Italian American community on Wednesday to criticize a 2020 social media post in which Mamdani posted a picture of himself giving the middle finger to a statue of Christopher Columbus with the caption Take it down. The White House is seen, Monday, Aug. 18, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson) AP Amidst the ongoing construction at the White House for President Trumps ballroom, First Lady Melania Trump still found time to decorate their residence for Halloween. On Tuesday, her office shared a photo to social media showcasing the White Houses Halloween decorations. The image featured pumpkins lining the stairs of the South Portico, with strings of faux leaves hanging from the double-tiered balcony. An orange sign reading Halloween 2025 was displayed above the ground-level door. The @whitehouse is getting ready for Halloween pic.twitter.com/J7LAs6hqfl Office of the First Lady (@FirstLadyOffice) October 28, 2025 The First Ladys decorating choices sparked immediate discussion on X (formerly Twitter). Looks very tacky, commented one person. Another user made light of the government shutdown and the resulting loss of food stamps. Awesome, too bad millions will have no food soon, they said. Meanwhile, others praised the First Ladys eye for design. Man, the White House is looking so classy. Im so happy to see the beautification process of our house, read one comment. While the Melania author seemingly opted for fall-themed decorations rather than spooky ones, many users appeared to take issue with the Halloween signage, as the Oct. 31 celebration isnt a Christian holiday. Trump, who previously identified as a Presbyterian, confirmed to Religion News Today in 2020 that he is now a non-denominational Christian. We should change Halloween to harvest fest. Emphasize Christian values instead of this demonic holiday, opined one person. Another wrote: Not very Christian to celebrate a Pagan festival. Other users proposed that after Halloween, the pumpkins could be donated to a food bank. SYDNEY, Oct. 31 (Xinhua) -- An unexploded ordnance (UXO) from World War II detonated in the Solomon Islands capital of Honiara on Thursday night, injuring one. Local newspaper Solomon Star reported that the device detonated as a result of a fire near a stadium in western Honiara on Thursday evening local time, causing a loud explosion. One person, identified by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) as a young man, was injured and taken to hospital in a stable condition. Robert Iroga, a resident who witnessed the explosion, told the ABC that the incident caused a lot of panic. "A lot of people were running all over the place, and there was a big fireball in the air as a result of the blast," he said. The area was cordoned off as police and explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) specialists attended to investigate the incident. Ansa Puaraua, the officer in charge of the EOD unit of the Royal Solomon Islands Police Force, said on Wednesday that 6,121 UXOs were safely disposed of across the country in 2024. According to Australia's Department of Defense, the Solomon Islands remains littered with UXOs from World War II, including artillery shells, bombs, ammunition and torpedoes. They hit a fresh monthly low of $US546 million ($833.4 million) in September. A current account surplus of 10 per cent of GDP has collapsed to zero. Budget revenues from oil and gas are down by 26 per cent over the past year alone. They could fall much further in 2026. Russian air defences have proved unable to stop Ukrainian drone strikes on energy infrastructure deep inside the country. The attacks now aided by US intelligence, which Joe Biden never allowed have shut down a fifth of the countrys refining capacity and led to rationing at petrol stations. The world has been flooded with oil. Credit: Bloomberg The defence-industrial complex is consuming 12 per cent of GDP by some estimates, cannibalising all else. The Kremlin has kept going by forcing banks to fund weapons production, but these bad loans have undermined the banking system itself. Every kind of tax is on the table to plug the gaping holes. This has been the year when Putin could no longer keep supplying guns and butter at the same time literally, in the case of butter. Rosstat says butter prices rose 34 per cent from January to July, leading to a drop in butter sales of 15-20 per cent in supermarket chains. We are seeing a grinding away of the reserves of companies and ordinary Russian families whose savings are dwindling as they have to pay higher food and other prices. The social contract has been broken, said Mark Galeotti, author of the book Putins Wars: From Chechnya to Ukraine. Putin had essentially based his regime on a deal that said, You stay out of politics, you let us run the country and, of course, embezzle hand over fist and you too will have a steadily improving quality of life, he said. We are seeing a grinding away of the reserves of companies and ordinary Russian families whose savings are dwindling as they have to pay higher food and other prices. The social contract has been broken. Author Mark Galeotti Nobody really believes that is going to return. Putins attempt to appeal to patriotism and national glory is threadbare, he told Sir Richard Dearlove, the former head of MI6, on the One Decision podcast. Putin clearly fears the spreading mood of war fatigue. The media censor Roskomnadzor is restricting calls and text messages on social media, the latest move in a wave of pre-emptive repression of all forms of dissent. The monitoring group Na Syvazi said communications have been partially blocked on WhatsApp and Telegram in 34 regions of the country, including Moscow and St Petersburg. Roskomnadzor said it was to fight fraud but also to prevent sabotage and terrorist activities. Russian dissident investigators at IStories say there has been a surge in the numbers tried and convicted for sabotage. Those sentenced for confidential co-operation with foreigners have risen twelvefold over the past year, while convictions for terrorist attacks have risen eightfold. Putin has been reluctant to silence Russias irrepressible chorus of milbloggers, many of them army veterans and some with a celebrity following on Telegram. But they are pushing their luck too. The Institute for the Study of War says several openly accused the Russian high command of lying to Putin at a meeting at the weekend. They disputed claims that 16 Ukrainian battalions were encircled at Kupyansk. The reality on the front was instead 100 per cent chaos, wrote one. They accused the generals of fabricating success stories to befuddle Trump. It is becoming harder for Putin to raise cannon fodder for his imperial war of choice, which has chewed up a million dead or wounded. There are reports that the regional governments are cutting their share of the sign-on bonus for a three-year military contract, which can reach $US45,000. They are facing a severe budget crisis. Putins energy leverage over the West has evaporated. The global oil glut is now so big that Trump can embargo Russias oil production without risking an oil price shock at home. He almost certainly has assurances from Saudi Arabia that it will open the floodgates further if necessary to stabilise the market. Unless Putin is living in a dictators fantasy world, he must know that his military offensive in recent months has failed to break Ukraines fortress belt and that he is running out of money for an endless war of attrition. Credit: AP The latest US sanctions are the potent long-arm variant that strike economic terror everywhere. They target any shipper, insurer, buyer or refiner, anywhere in the world, that dares to handle 3 million b/d of exports from Lukoil and above all Rosneft, run by Putins ex-KGB friend Igor Sechin. These are the two big beasts of Russian oil. The EU has added another 112 tankers from Putins shadow fleet to its proscribed list. It has pledged to stop buying any further liquefied natural gas from Russia from January 2027, and about time too since the EU now imports more of Putins LNG than the rest of the world together. Four fifths of Russian crude production now faces a US and UK embargo. China, India and Turkey buy most of it, at a discount. Their companies have to decide whether this profitable trade is worth the risk of defying the US Treasury and being shut out of the international dollar-based payments system. The four Chinese state-owned oil companies Sinopec, Petrochina, Zhenhua Oil and CNOOC have already suspended imports of Russian seaborne oil. This is revealing. Might we infer that Chinas rival and much-vaunted payment system in renminbi is clearly not yet ready for prime time? The Indian Oil Corporation will comply too. So will Mukesh Ambanis Reliance Industries. Russia will eventually find ways to circumvent the sanctions and keep selling oil, in diminished volumes and at a haircut price. Trump may, of course, change his mind. But unless Putin is living in a dictators fantasy world, he must know that his military offensive in recent months has failed to break Ukraines fortress belt and that he is running out of money for an endless war of attrition. Autocratic regimes are notoriously brittle. They can appear rock-solid and then suddenly collapse. But they can also keep going for years, if ruthless enough. To rely too much on the easy solution of a palace coup is to indulge in wishful thinking. The commission of inquiry into CFMEU corruption has suffered a major setback, through the sudden resignation of its senior counsel assisting and three junior barristers amid concerns about its operations. The resignation of veteran senior silk Liam Kelly, KC, who was named just weeks ago as the counsel assisting the commissioner, Stuart Wood, KC, threatens to upend the inquiry called by the conservative Queensland government. It also risks undermining the federal oppositions plans to use the inquiry to heap pressure on the Albanese government over its failure to rid the nations construction sector of corruption. Liam Kelly, KC, on October 1, during the first public hearing during the commission of inquiry into the CFMEU in Brisbane. Kelly has since resigned. Credit: AAP As the counsel assisting, Kelly was anticipated to play a key role in investigations and the interrogations of witnesses from the CFMEU in Queensland, as well as players in crime syndicates and building firms operating in Victoria and NSW but whose reach extends into Queensland. Confidential sources told this masthead the resignation of Kelly and junior barristers Kate Juhasz, Polina Kinchina and Ben Dighton came after Kelly raised a series of concerns about the inquirys management and operation. 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 If you are going to play dead, there are certain rules you must stick to. For one, you can walk through things, but you cant bump into things. You can sit on chairs and walk up stairs, but you cant fall through them. You also mostly cant pick things up or move things. Its more difficult than you think, says Brent Hill. Because were so used to just casually picking things up, or sitting down or leaning on furniture. It was difficult for me because having a spear through the chest was like a Laurel and Hardy or Three Stooges routine, where if I turn too quickly, Id knock over a vase or something, and that cant happen. Yes, a spear through his chest. Hill plays Gideon, the bewigged and long departed former naval commander of the Third Fleet, in Ghosts Australia. Rowan Witt as Sean and Tamala as Kate in Ghosts Australia. Credit: Gideon is a ghost with the hair of Margaret Thatcher and the sensibilities of a goose, says Hill, who also played King George III in the musical Hamilton. Hes stubborn, and when everyone thinks of a goose Oh, you silly goose they think its funny. And then you realise, actually, geese are incredibly territorial and aggressive, and chase people down, they honk and theyre absurd and a bit ridiculous. And thats Gideon. Hes a 200-year-old ghost who doesnt want to change but is forced to by having a new breathing person who they can suddenly interact with. Loading Gideon is one of several spirits haunting Ramshead Manor, a country estate that is inherited by city lawyer Kate, played by Tamala (who goes by just one name), when her elderly uncle suddenly dies. Faced with being able to afford only a pretty murdery apartment where the toilet is conveniently located in the kitchen Kate and her partner, Sean (Rowan Witt), pluck for the spooky estate over studio apartment hell. Advertisement Shes a really strong force of a woman, Tamala says of Kate. Shes incredible. She has this quality about her where I feel like nothing could take her down, nothing could perturb her. In pre-production, we described her as a shark, in a way that sharks cant swim backwards, they just keep moving forward, which is very helpful in this shows setting, where shes got a lot of people that need things from her at all times. If all this sounds vaguely familiar, its because the series is a local version of the hit UK comedy Ghosts, which has also been adapted in the US, France and Germany, with a Spanish version planned. The original comes from two of the writers of the thoroughly silly and mostly accurate Horrible Histories, and each country has adapted it to their particular backstories. The British version, for example, has a woman who was burnt at the stake during the witch trials of the 1600s, while another is disgraced Tory politician who died of a heart attack after a 1993 sex scandal. The US version, meanwhile, includes Sasappis, a Native American hunter, while the French version has Francois, the ghost of a French Nazi collaborator. Brent Hill as Gideon and Jackson Tozer as Satan in Ghosts Australia. Credit: The premise remains roughly the same across all versions a young couple (breathers) move into a house filled with ghosts, and they must all learn to live together but what stops the Australian version from being a cheap knockoff (hello, The Office Australia) is that its bold enough to chart its own path through some unexpected comedic terrain, such as the housing crisis, colonisation and Indigenous land rights. Loading Its not just a rinse and repeat, copy and paste at all, says Tamala, who has starred in the ABC dramas Cleverman and Nowhere Boys. Its actually an opportunity to showcase our countrys particular history, and all the different eras and all the different characters and cultures that we have. Apart from Gideon, the other ghosts include Irish hotelier Eileen (Mandy McElhinney), Joon (George Zhao), a Chinese goldfields prospector from the 1850s, Lindy (Michelle Brasier), a 1980s aerobics instructor, glamorous young sheep station heiress Miranda (Ines English), and tattooed bikie Satan (Jackson Tozer), who ends up as Gideons sidekick. Theres also a gaggle of convicts in the basement, and Ned Kelly even pops up. Advertisement And while Kate, a First Nations woman, is generally welcomed by all the ghosts, Gideon is not impressed, as he very much considers Ramshead Manor to be his land. I smell invasion, says Gideon, when Kate and Sean first appear at the house. Aye, that would be yourself, deadpans Eileen back to him. Tamala in Ghosts Australia. Credit: Its a gasp-worthy joke that sets the tone of Ghosts Australia perfectly, as it gleefully leans into all the uncomfortable bits of the past 200 or so years of our history. Humour serves a very important purpose if done correctly, Tamala says. And we have two incredible First Nations writers Steph Tisdell and Shontell Ketchell who I believe have done a brilliant job at balancing truth and humour. The decision to include First Nations themes was made by the creative team before Tamala even auditioned. They absolutely made the right choice, she says. We cannot make a show about the different eras of Australian history without a First Nations person at the helm. Advertisement Hill agrees. Our history goes a long way back, and so a large part of this is like, well, we have to figure out a way forward of dealing with our history with both humour and heart, he says. It was difficult, as the real issues are, but we talked a lot about it, and we made a lot of changes. Tamala and myself talked deeply about our characters journey and the relationship they have because Gideon, ultimately, were taking a coloniser and we put him into the empathetic shoes of what it is like to be displaced. Mandy McElhinney as Eileen and George Zhao as Joon. Credit: And that is a big, big challenge for Gideon. And its about suddenly having a character who is not used to holding space for anybody, having to create space internally for other people. Its really difficult, but we feel its important. We dont shy away from it because it is part of our history, and weve certainly aimed to address it in a way that is with humour and with heart. Loading Indigenous spirits are also present. For Tamala, a proud Bundjalung and Lama Lama woman, that meant doing something she hadnt seen on Australian television before: honouring Country. Its a moving and simple scene that sees Kate picking up a handful of sand and then scattering it across the land. Theres lots of different ways that you can honour Country, and thats different mob to mob, Tamala says. But the way that we did that with the sand was how the local mob of that area in Perth [where the show was filmed] honoured their process. Advertisement Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Save articles for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time. Got it Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size Many actors harbour an irrational optimism. Whether as a survival mechanism in a trying industry or a stop-gap for their self-belief, they believe that their breakthrough role is one audition away, that someday soon a defining work will be created just for them to star in. Rhea Seehorn, the breakout star of crime drama Better Call Saul, would like it known that she is definitely not one of those people. Never considered that, Seehorn says, adding a laugh doused in healthy self-deprecation. My aspirations were to simply do this for a living and I hoped that my work would become better in a way that would afford access to people and projects that were better than me. The joke, or perhaps the justice, of all this is that Seehorn really has claimed it all: she achieved her modest initial goals and now a defining work has been created for her. The show is Pluribus, a genre-bursting science-fiction experience from Vince Gilligan, creator of the canonised anti-hero thriller Breaking Bad and co-creator of its prequel, Better Call Saul. As those better people and projects go, this might be the zenith. Rhea Seehorn with Bob Odenkirk in Better Call Saul. Credit: Cloaked in secrecy since Apple TV bought the idea from Gilligan in September 2022 and committed to producing two complete seasons, Pluribus is galvanised by a Twilight Zone-on-steroids concept that changes our present-day world and its population in a deeply fundamental way. The one person who isnt changed? Seehorns Carol Sturka, a successful romantasy author with a thick streak of self-loathing and zero experience in saving the planet. Rhea Seehorn in Pluribus, the series written for her by Vince Gilligan. Credit: Apple TV Advertisement Primarily set in the desert city of Albuquerque, New Mexico, as were Gilligans previous shows, Pluribus is a grand creative framework. Its a kind of reverse puzzle-box, in that you start with a staggering answer while the many questions that led there are unknown. My notes for the first episode alone are chaotic: Invasion of the Body Snatchers Jacques Tati The Stand The official logline is the most miserable person on Earth must save the world from happiness. [Reading it], I had the experience I imagine you had when you watched the pilot this is bananas, and where is it going? I need to know what happens next. What will she do? What is this new world like? Seehorn says. Theres a shift from physical threat to psychological threat, but I knew even within the first episode that Vince was playing with tropes in a really fun way. It would be funny, then wrenchingly upsetting, and by the time Carol was talking to the television, I could hear a musicality. Speaking during a press day in Los Angeles, the 53-year-old Seehorn is in turn engaging, droll and enthusiastic. Her professional circumstances somewhat mirror Carols personal ones: as a working actor who most often supplied expert sarcasm in the margins of Hollywood sitcoms, Seehorns career was fundamentally changed by Better Call Saul, one episode of which also launched her directorial career. Shes been trying to make sense of it since. Loading Its hard to accept your great fortune while a part of you is terrified to say you deserve the good things that have come to you, Seehorn says. Its hard to take it in. If Gilligan is keeping quiet about what Pluribus is about, hes been vocal about how it wouldnt exist without Seehorn. When Better Call Saul debuted in 2015, Seehorns Kim Wexler, a fellow lawyer alongside the shows lead character, Bob Odenkirks future Breaking Bad consigliere Saul Goodman, was a small supporting role. But Seehorns performance, tamped down and increasingly amoral, was so compelling that Kim Wexler became essential first to the show, and second to the science-fiction concept that Gilligan was secretly mulling over in his head. Advertisement In 2022, when the final season of Better Call Saul was in post-production, Gilligan told Seehorn that he was working on a new series and had written the lead role for her. Gilligan, whom Seehorn rates as one of the greatest television writers of all time, didnt want to make Pluribus if Seehorn was unwilling to play Carol. Seehorn replied whats my call time? and then burst into tears of happiness. Rhea Seehorn with Vince Gilligan, who told her he would not have made Pluribus without her. Credit: Getty Images for Writers Guild of America West Gilligans faith in Seehorn was partially instinctual, as Carol Stucka is in many ways the opposite of Kim Wexler, a part for which Seehorn was twice nominated for an Emmy. Carol is wilful, quick to overreact and fiercely private. At times, shes as worrying as the new reality thats overtaken the shows world. Seehorn loved playing the character. A lot of it had to do with [Gilligans] keen observance of the oddity of our behaviour when were backed up against the wall. We dont all act heroic, and we dont all act cool. Most of us are just big giant messes clawing at the drapes, she says. You try to drill down on whats the most in shock youve ever been, what are the absurd arrays of behaviour you might go through in grief, and about being knocked out so hard but knowing you have to keep going. Most of us are just big giant messes clawing at the drapes, Rhea Seehorn says of her character in Pluribus. Credit: Apple TV Theres always been a resilient streak to Seehorns own story. One of two daughters to parents both employed by the United States Navy her mother was an executive assistant, her father an agent with Naval Investigative Service Deborah Rhea Seehorn had an itinerant childhood. Her first creative love was painting, but while studying studio art at university, Seehorn discovered acting via an elective class and was hooked. In the late 1990s, she pursued theatre roles in Washington and then New York, before relocating to Los Angeles for screen work in 2002. Better Call Saul plucked her from the margins 15 years later. She doesnt know how great she is, her Better Call Saul co-star and now close friend, Bob Odenkirk, declared in 2022; and even now, Seehorn baulks at the idea shes elevated herself. As she sees it, Pluribus was a make-or-break test she had to pass. Advertisement How do you get sperm from a crocodile? Very carefully is the short answer, says Brett Nixon, a professor at the University of Newcastle, who has studied the sperm of animals including platypus, rabbits and the saltwater predators to better understand human reproduction. (The long answer is that you sedate the croc and extract sperm using a method euphemistically dubbed a digital massage.) A new study has found reduced sperm production and testosterone in mice exposed to forever chemicals. Credit: University of Newcastle It turns out, compared with animals, humans are not good at making sperm. Rams ejaculate about 100 billion sperm compared with a mans measly 100 million. The humble fruit fly unleashes monster sperm thats six centimetres long about 20 times its body length. Almost every sperm produced by a mouse is viable compared with only 4 per cent of human swimmers made in the right shape, Nixon says. Hes one of many experts concerned that human sperm counts are plunging further still, and many suspect the drop is at least partly driven by a cocktail of air pollution, microplastics and other hormone-disrupting toxins including PFAS forever chemicals in the environment. Amid those anxieties, it remains the case that for most male infertility cases, doctors are unable to establish a cause. Nixons latest work hit the headlines this week after his team showed PFAS at levels matching contaminated groundwater at Williamtown near Newcastle reduced sperm production and testosterone in mice, and appeared to warp sperms epigenome in a way that could impact embryo growth. The results cannot be directly translated to human health because, alongside other fundamental anatomical differences, the way people and mice metabolise PFAS varies. But the findings do reflect observational studies that have found a correlation between some forever chemicals and worse sperm counts in people. However, evidence on this is mixed. by Xinhua writers Wu Yue, Chen Dongshu COLOMBO, Oct. 31 (Xinhua) -- Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu has said that his country is willing to continue working closely with China to build a community with a shared future and create a brighter tomorrow for both countries. He made the remarks in a recent written interview with Xinhua, also noting that relations between the Maldives and China are at their highest point in history. He noted that China is one of the Maldives' most important partners and that bilateral cooperation has been "very beneficial" to both sides. "The infrastructure that had been constructed with Chinese assistance has no doubt elevated the Maldives' economic prospects to unseen levels, creating multiplier effects that continue to reverberate across the entire economic, political and social spectrums," he said. "The China-Maldives Friendship Bridge, connecting the two islands of Hulhule (home to Velana International Airport) and the capital city of Male, is just one example of this. Dotted around the Maldives are numerous cases of Chinese generosity and assistance to the Maldivian people," Muizzu said. According to Muizzu, both countries are now accelerating cooperation in business and commerce, agriculture and fisheries, health, telecommunications, education, the digital economy and infrastructure development. "The Free Trade Agreement that came into effect earlier this year has already shown remarkable progress and an uptick in business activities between the two countries, which can only grow in the future," he said. The president stressed that the development of Maldives-China relations has always been rooted in the firm belief in friendship and cooperation, mutual respect and understanding. "Regardless of size, China, being one of the largest and the Maldives one of the smallest countries in the world, we have been treated with respect and deference. We will continue to uphold our common values and perspectives on issues of mutual interest, and will continue to work towards our shared future," he said. He reaffirmed that the Maldives will steadfastly adhere to the one-China principle and continue to coordinate with China on issues of mutual concern. Muizzu also highlighted China's leadership in addressing climate change. "For Small Island Developing States like the Maldives, such leadership from major economies provides hope and reassurance," he said. In September, Muizzu attended commemorative events in Beijing marking the 80th anniversary of the victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression and the World Anti-Fascist War. Before visiting the capital, he attended the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Summit in Tianjin. "We are fully committed to the ideals and visions of the SCO to foster economic, cultural and regional cooperation between the members," Muizzu said. "We believe the SCO is a vital platform to promote an international order that is just, equitable and representative of the Global South, and we expressed our obligations to further the goals of the SCO in the future." He said he was especially honored to attend the commemorative event in Beijing, noting that China has become a key force in maintaining global security and stability, and highly appreciating China's commitment to peaceful development. The offenders acts were deliberate and predatory in all the circumstances. Ward resigned from parliament from within Hunter Correctional Centre near Cessnock, hours before a scheduled parliamentary expulsion vote against him. The jury reached their verdicts after sitting through a nine-week trial and nearly three days of deliberations. South Coast assaults Shead outlined how the first victim was aged 17 when he met then-31-year-old Ward at a networking event in early 2013. The judge said the Liberal MP took immediate interest in the young man. They discussed professional opportunities; they later connected on Facebook; and Ward helped him join the Young Liberals. The victim had turned 18 the month before being assaulted in the Liberal MPs Meroo Meadow home on the South Coast. On the night of the offending, Ward invited the young man who was upset by an argument with his girlfriend back to his home. The victim expected other people would be there. Shead accepted that Ward knew the victim had already been drinking and that he encouraged him to keep drinking at the home. After the pair went out to the backyard, the victim played a prank on the MP, pretending to be passed out. During this prank, Ward assaulted him. He slid his hands into the mans shorts and touched his buttocks and genitals. He assaulted him a third time on a bed inside the home, despite requests to stop. The assault took place after Ward had mounted him on the bed and massaged him. The victim testified that he froze during the crimes and pretended he was not aware of what had happened. Loading The judge said: Juries are directed that there is no typical or normal response to non-consensual sexual activity, and that people may respond in different ways, including by freezing and not saying or doing anything. [The victim] was an 18-year-old youth in the company of a much older, respected and more socially powerful man. Potts Point rape Two years later, Ward raped a 24-year-old political staffer at his inner-city Sydney apartment following an event at NSW Parliament House. While the jury heard differing arguments regarding the mans level of intoxication, Shead found beyond reasonable doubt that he was affected by alcohol at Parliament House and this would have been evident; that Ward gave him more alcohol when they briefly went to his parliamentary suite; and that the victim said he wanted to order a taxi and leave but Ward encouraged him to stay at his house. The former MP and minister pictured in 2018. Credit: Brook MItchell Ward showed the staffer to what the young man thought was a spare room and joined him in bed, where he digitally penetrated the victim while masturbating in the face of repeated resistance. The young man continued to have friendly interactions with Ward as he grappled with the rape, and he reported it to police in May 2021 after earlier confiding in a friend and after Ward had been appointed families minister. The political staffer testified that he did not immediately report the incident for fear of damaging the Liberal Party. Loading There are many and good reasons why victims of sexual assault wait to report what has been done to them, Shead said. She said the man faced an entirely complicated set of circumstances, including politics being important to him and that he thought Ward had done good work despite what had happened. The offending took place in a way that was connected with his professional life, and he quite reasonably feared repercussions for his career, Shead said, adding the courage and strength it takes to come forward, particularly regarding public figures, is immense and should not be underestimated. Victims suffer ongoing psychological impacts Both victims submitted moving impact statements about the devastating and ongoing psychological effects they had endured. The then-18-year-old described debilitating drug and alcohol problems, which caused instability and harm to his loved ones until he became sober seven years ago. He said frequent flashbacks continued to this day. Position of power: Gareth Ward was a minister in Gladys Berejiklians government before the men came forward. Credit: Louise Kennerley Alcohol was also a form of self-medication for the then-24-year-old victim, who still struggles with addiction. He described living in a constant state of mistrust and suspicion, and that being raped by someone entrusted with protecting our most vulnerable destroyed his dream of excelling in politics. Shead said both mens candid and courageous statements were regrettably typical of what courts saw in the aftermath of this offending. There is only one person who was at fault and who is to blame, and that is the offender, she said. Claims Ward suffered extracurricular punishment Shead noted Ward had said that he had suffered extracurricular punishment due to his fall from grace, living with stigma and the enormous amount of negative publicity, including in media articles calling him a rapist and disgraced MP following his conviction. But the judge rejected this, saying the media reporting was an inevitable consequence and should not have been a surprise. The loss of his career as a result is something the offender should have anticipated. Loading Shead said Ward had shown no remorse or insight into his offending as he maintained his innocence. However, she found he was unlikely to reoffend due to having no criminal record before or after the assaults committed a decade ago and his compliance with bail. The assault accusations emerged when Ward was families, communities and disability services minister during Gladys Berejiklians second term as premier. He resigned from the Liberal Party in May 2021, and was suspended from parliament after moving to the crossbench, but he returned following his re-election as an independent in his South Coast seat in 2023. In the week of a Caesar switch-up that devastated ancient history students and wild weather that knocked out half a dozen campuses for a day, students across Queensland also faced the states biggest exam. Almost 28,000 year 12 students sat their external English exams on Tuesday, with a passing grade in the subject mandatory for their Queensland Certificate of Education. In Brisbanes west, students at The Gap State High School said they felt well-prepared for the test, even finding the questions not too hard. The Gap State High School Students Ella Gjerek (left) and Amelia Lynch (right). Credit: Catherine Strohfeldt Wed studied Macbeth for the past term, [and] theyve been using Macbeth for a long time, so its a little bit nerve-racking to see what questions theyve come up with, but I knew it would work out, school captain Amelia Lynch said. State school teachers have knocked back the governments final pay deal, sending the union and Queensland government to the Industrial Relations Commission to hash out the dispute in arbitration. The offer was made to the Queensland Teachers Union (QTU) on Sunday evening following months of negotiations, with 67.6 per cent of members turning the deal down by the votes close at 2pm on Friday. Clearly the majority of members dont believe the governments offer will achieve [serious reform] and have voted accordingly, QTU said in a statement released shortly before 3pm. Queensland Teachers Union members went on strike in August. Credit: Catherine Strohfeldt Brisbane-based state school teacher Nicole Whilesmith said the offer did not have proper solutions to key problems teachers faced, leaving them rightly angry. Dressed in shimmering sequins, commercial lawyer turned champagne specialist Natalie Hazel prepares to host another educational tasting for her Societe de Champagne Sydney social club. My guests, many from the corporate world, want to sound knowledgeable when ordering champagne, explains Hazel, who quit law in 2019 to wage a marketing campaign on behalf of her clients, Frances luxury champagne-makers, to convince Australians especially women to keep buying their fizz. Commercial lawyer turned champagne specialist Natalie Hazel. Credit: After importing a record 10.5 million bottles in 2022, Australia dropped to 7.3 million bottles in 2024 (almost on par with more populous Germany and Italy). The cost of living crisis, cheaper sparkling wines and fluctuating exchange rates have all impacted the trend. That said, Sydney-based Champagne Bureau Australia director John Noble says Australia still remains one of the most important champagne markets, worth more than $261 million annually and ranking seventh behind the US, UK, Japan, Italy, Germany and Belgium. Champagnes romance, glamour and history have always been seductive, especially for women, says Hazel of the 54 per cent of buyers who are female. Her own Sydney wine fridge rivals the Bollinger vending machine from Absolutely Fabulous, but she insists her 400-bottle collection worth somewhere in the six figures is modest compared to others and purely for consumption. Brokerage firm Langtons head of auctions Michael Anderson says Australian champagne-speculating attracts phenomenal bidding. He recently sold a 2012 Cristal Brut Methuselah for $8644, eight times its original price. The real issue, he jokes, is not drinking them! There are two articles of faith you will commonly hear in New England on the NSW Northern Tablelands. One is fealty to the National Party, the other is affection for federal MP Barnaby Joyce. Just as he has on the national stage, Joyce has a big presence in Tamworth, the town where he was born and which remains the largest centre of the seat he has represented since 2013. Member for New England Barnaby Joyce. Credit: Alex Ellinghausen With Joyce announcing on October 18 that he would not run again for the Nationals and suggesting that he might jump ship to One Nation because of a personality clash with leader David Littleproud and antipathy towards net zero the voters of New England might soon have to make an uncomfortable choice. Those who spoke with this masthead as the story played out from Canberra voiced little surprise that their MP was once again at the heart of a controversy. I mean sometimes it probably gets a bit out of hand, says farmer Max Ireland, pausing in the middle of a days work with his daughter Yolanda Mooney to speak with us. But he speaks his mind, he speaks common sense. The spokesman would not elaborate on the reference to political pressure. Industry Minister Tim Ayres told this masthead no one from the government had pressured Tomago over the opposition leaders visit. We have no issue with anyone who wants to attend the site, he said. In a statement, a spokesman for Ley said: Its a worrying sign when businesses are too nervous to have an open conversation about policy for fear of political consequences. Ley visited the site near Newcastle that is at risk of closure because of high energy prices and met with Tomago CEO Jerome Dozol, but her tour of the facility, which media were alerted to on Thursday night, did not take place. Sussan Leys suggestion that Labor pressure forced the cancellation of her planned tour of the embattled Tomago aluminium smelter on Friday is being flatly denied by the government, prompting Liberal MPs to question the opposition leaders judgment after two of her recent attacks on Prime Minister Anthony Albanese fell flat. Earlier on Friday morning in Tomago, Ley was asked by a journalist whether a rumour of interference by Labor in her visit was true. Ley said: Im not reflecting on the Albanese government other than to say they need to get their act together when it comes to an energy policy that actually works. The Albanese government and their henchmen can play games all they like, and I am not interested in that. I am only interested in the workers, the production and the pride we should all have in an aluminium smelter which is the best in the world. A spokesperson said Tomago Aluminium remains committed to working with all stakeholders on its current challenges. Today, we met Opposition Leader Sussan Ley for discussions with Chief Executive Officer Jerome Dozol and Chief Financial Officer Andrew Newman about the smelters future, the spokesperson said. An opposition source said Leys office was not given any reason for the tours cancellation. One Liberal MP, who asked to remain anonymous so they could speak freely, said that Leys comments were the third time in two weeks the opposition leader had over-reached with her public criticism. When you get catapulted to the front of the line, she is now the party leader, you get called out for saying things that arent right that you might have been able to get away with in the past, the MP said. Sussan cant get away with it now, and she is finding that out to her own cost. People are at the point where they feel someone has to do something. I dont think its a matter of nothing to see here any more, a senior source said. Two Liberals said there were plans for NSW moderate MPs to meet this weekend. The office paranoia Many trace the partys problems to Speakmans office. In October, one of the opposition leaders staffers, a former chief of staff to two ministers, resigned. She told colleagues she felt underutilised, and that she had been given no agency unless commissioned by Speakmans chief of staff, Cheryl Gwilliam. Liberal sources say the episode represents a microcosm of the issues confronting Speakman before the final sitting fortnight of 2025 potentially his last as leader. Loading Theyve built a silo because theyre afraid of leaks and anything getting out. But it also prevents things getting in, a Liberal source said. A significant issue was the team Speakman had built around him, three sources said. One frontbencher said Speakmans office is not set up in an optimal way, while another said it has become a very significant part of the problem. No one among the Liberal leaders nine staff is dedicated to undertaking research, usually a staple of opposition offices as they dig up damaging stories on the government and its MPs. Instead, Speakman has an economist on staff. In response to questions Speakman said: My aim is a collegiate, inclusive office with open, robust and innovative discussion. I have a flat office structure and an open-door policy for all staff. All my staff, particularly my chief of staff, work tirelessly to support me to hold a do-nothing government to account and to develop bold policies to get NSW moving. Speakman said the opposition was well advanced for this stage of the electoral cycle, and shadow ministers and their staff had been actively preparing policies in their portfolios. Gwilliam, who served as Speakmans chief of staff in government, has copped criticism from MPs in the past. Some believe she does not effectively counter Speakmans perceived shortcomings. Others feel she micromanages staff and acts as a gatekeeper to the Liberal leader. The solution is Cheryl. Maybe her time is up, a Liberal frontbencher said. Gwilliam declined to comment. Policy problems Shadow ministers and MPs have grown anxious about the lack of process and progress on policy formulation, raising it during a caucus meeting in mid-September. Robbo [Liberal MP Anthony Roberts] got up in party room and questioned the lack of policy development, according to an MP. As far as shadow ministers can tell, the two-step process involves filling out a template document with the idea, then holding one-on-one meetings with Speakman to discuss policy. Some have left those meetings disheartened, saying there did not appear to be an overarching direction. Loading Policy development begins and ends with shadows meeting with Speakman, a senior Liberal said. Some said ideas they had bowled up to Speakmans office had been pared back so far they no longer represented their original intent. One MP described the office as the Bermuda Triangle of policy. Its where good ideas go to die, a Liberal source said. A source said there had been little sustained critique of the government. In an interview with The Australian last week, Speakman said the party could not be Labor-lite or woke and that it needed to be focused on issues that mattered, like cost of living, housing, transport. Loading Other MPs said their ideas had been broadly supported by Speakman, with few qualms. Speakman allies point to three zoning policies over the past two months: redeveloping Long Bay Jail, building 15,000 homes along a rail corridor in the inner west, and revising the Camellia-Rosehill Place Strategy to build 10,000 homes. Mark does take a while to think things through. He doesnt make decisions fast. But that means his risk of making a wrong decision is low, a senior source said. One senior Liberal said there were three other cases of MPs successfully pitching policy: Sloanes bill on illegal tobacco, Felicity Wilson introducing legislation to prohibit deepfake sexual material, and the introduction of tougher penalties for desecrating war memorials by Robyn Preston. Politics An equal or greater problem was the lack of a clear political strategy, a source said. To address this perceived shortcoming, Speakman brought on one of Matt Keans former staffers as director of strategy but the staffer had little input into question time, media or policy. Instead, he was tasked with helping MPs sandbag marginal seats. Overall we havent improved in two years, one Liberal source said. [Speakmans] media lines havent gotten sharper, question time is a mess, and the process for doing things hasnt gotten better. Tom Decent Usman Khawaja Marnus Labuschagne Steve Smith Cameron Green Travis Head Beau Webster Usman Khawajas big-game experience remains invaluable. The 38-year-old deserves the first two Tests at the top, but if he doesnt make a significant score, a farewell at the Gabba looms. That is unless Australia record big wins in Perth and Brisbane. Khawaja peeled off 232 against Sri Lanka earlier this year, yet he has passed 90 just once in 44 Test innings since June 2023. Marnus Labuschagnes runs for Queensland are encouraging, and facing the new ball wont bother him. Green is well-suited to No.4 and is likely to make that spot his for a decade once Smith retires, so why not start now? Steve Smith reached triple figures for NSW this week. Credit: Getty Images It would also give Green a bit more of a breather if hes bowling. Beau Webster stays in the team as insurance given there are questions over Greens potential bowling loads. From seven Tests, Webster has done everything asked of him, averaging 34.63 with the bat. Mitch Marsh could be a smoky to open the batting but Labuschagne is firming to go up the top, with Green, Smith, Head, and Webster to follow. Chloe Saltau Usman Khawaja Matt Renshaw Marnus Labuschagne Steve Smith Travis Head Beau Webster As doubts persist about Cameron Greens capacity to bowl a meaningful number of overs, Im leaving him out of the XI. Its a tough call. Effectively, Im picking a specialist opener in Renshaw ahead of him, and rewarding Labuschagne for doing exactly what was asked of him going back to the Shield and scoring a mountain of runs. Beau Webster has done nothing wrong since coming in as an all-rounder his bowling adds versatility and balance, and his big mitts are an asset in the field. Jon Pierik Usman Khawaja Jake Weatherald Marnus Labuschagne Steve Smith Travis Head Cameron Green Usman Khawaja is a lock to retain his spot at the top of the order, but who should be his partner has been a major debate. I am plumping for Tasmanian Jake Weatherald, last seasons leading Sheffield Shield run scorer, who has scores of 67, 57, and 94 among his innings so far this season. His time has arrived. Sam Konstas has not done enough to justify a return. Marnus Labuschagne has done what the selectors asked and lifted his scoring rate since he was axed from the Test team. He is ready to return in his customary role at No.3. I have Cameron Green at No.6. If he can deliver eight to 10 quality overs a day, its best if the all-rounder is given the chance to rest early when Australia are batting. Dan Walsh Usman Khawaja Matt Renshaw Marnus Labuschagne Steve Smith Travis Head Beau Webster If Cameron Green isnt bowling, and theres a lot of faith required to see him adding to the four overs he managed before succumbing to side soreness earlier this month, then Beau Webster deserves the all-rounders gig. Hes been a sure, steady hand with bat, ball, and in the field in much the same vein as a fully fit Green since his Test debut. Pat Cummins potential return offers a chance to recalibrate the fifth bowling option according to how Australias pacemen are holding up. But for the first two Tests, theres just too much upheaval at the top already for Marnus Labuschagne to be shoehorned into opening, so Green can fit in at No.3 as well. Renshaw returns as a far more rounded opener than the turtle he first answered to during his first stint in the Test side. Consistent runs for Queensland, Australia A, and a recent ODI debut complement recent county stints in England where hes added scoring shots around the wicket, and get him the nod ahead of the impressive Jake Weatherald. Munz is considered one of the most powerful people in racing. He almost toppled the Racing Victoria board last year when he filed a motion for an emergency general meeting to have five directors sacked. The motion was lost but Racing Victoria CEO Andrew Jones resigned soon after and two new directors were appointed to the board. Munz is also one of the biggest breeders and owners in Victorian racing as owner of a private training facility at Mornington called Pinecliff. He races horses with several trainers in Victoria, including the Danny OBrien-trained Getta Good Feeling, which is favourite for Saturdays group 2 Wakeful Stakes, and superstar sprinter Giga Kick, who is prepared by Clayton Douglas and is being aimed at the VRC Champions Sprint. The Age reported in June that Munz hosted two of the most powerful figures in Melbourne racing at a secret meeting in his Toorak mansion to discuss a potential merger of the Victoria and Melbourne racing clubs. Loading Talks involving then MRC chairman Kanga and VRC chairman Neil Wilson focused on bringing Flemington and Caulfield racetracks under one administration, and undoing 150 years of tradition by creating a super club that would oversee both the Melbourne and Caulfield cups. The Age reported earlier this month that Kanga quit the racing club as chairman on the eve of its lucrative Caulfield Cup week carnival. Munz will now work closely with new MRC chairman Cameron Fisher and CEO Fullarton to run a billion-dollar sporting club that owns 112 hectares of land at Sandown Racecourse in Springvale worth more than $600 million and owns 15 poker machine venues that make almost $50 million profit a year. The new MRC board, led by John Kanga and now by Cameron Fisher, has done an excellent job, saving racing at Sandown, returning the Caulfield mounting yard to its rightful place, abandoning plans for an unnecessarily costly new Caulfield grandstand and moving quickly to reduce debt, Munz said. MRC chairman Cameron Fisher, esteemed trainer Gai Waterhouse and Tanya Fullarton, who has just been appointed as the permanent CEO of the MRC, at this months Caulfield Cup draw. Credit: Joe Armao They have also done a great job for members, racegoers and participants, and Im pleased to support Cameron, Tanya and the committee in continuing that work. The club has a strong platform for growth, and Im looking forward to helping ensure its continued success and contribution to the wider industry. Fisher praised the appointment of Munz as well as Fullartons promotion. Tanya has done an exceptional job over the past four months, leading the club through one of its most successful Caulfield Cup carnivals in years with huge crowds across all three days, corporate hospitality at capacity and the Caulfield Cup itself a sell-out, Fisher said. Having someone of Jonathans calibre join the committee is a tremendous benefit for the Club. He is one of Australias most successful and respected business persons and a leading owner and breeder and brings expertise at the highest level across business management, finance, property and racing. He has made a significant contribution to horse racing, as a leading owner and breeder and through his longtime advocacy as Chairman of TROA and enjoys deep relationships and connections across the racing industry, both in Australia and internationally. The Age reported last month that 24 memberships linked to Kanga and his family were purchased by a single credit card in the lead-up to the MRCs bitter boardroom battle last year, when he seized control of the $1 billion sporting club. The MRC denied the block of memberships affected the outcome of the clubs September elections, and said they did not breach any rules. Why Zahra is so confident of Derby favourites hopes Andrew Wu Jockey Mark Zahra is so bullish of Observers chances in the Victoria Derby he says the favourite can win the race even if he does not stay the distance. Ahead of what is shaping to be a red-letter meeting for global giant Godolphin and Zahra, Observer is set to start the shortest-priced favourite in the classic since 2008 when Whobegotyou was sent out a $1.75 top pick. In a cautionary tale for punters, Whobegotyou was rolled that day by a $101 outsider Rebel Raider but Zahra, stopping short of declaring his mount a certainty, could not be more confident in Observer delivering him his first Derby. Observer will start a short-priced favourite in the Victoria Derby. Credit: Racing Photos via Getty Images The son of Ghaiyyath, stamped his class with an unlucky third in the Caulfield Guineas and was on track to win by plenty in the Drummond Golf Vase last week before Zahra, with the race won, eased him up approaching the line. I think hes the best horse in the race by far, Zahra said. I dont think any other horse couldve run like he did in the Guineas, which is a great form race. The main thing for me is getting him to relax. He doesnt have to get the whole part right because hes that much better than them. If he can get the first half right that will be enough. Loading Zahra said his aim in the run was to have Observer, from barrier four, to settle just behind the leaders. Like every other runner in the field, Observer is tackling the 2500m for the first time and a query at the distance. Whobegotyou was also the class horse in his Derby year but was vulnerable at the staying trip and not asked to stretch beyond 2040m for the rest of his career. Asked if Observer needed to stay the distance to win, Zahra said: Probably not. Not always the best stayer wins the derby, but the best horse, which he is. Former star jockey turned trainer Nick Ryan is saddling up Miewa and High Vol to cause a boilover. Ryan wants a genuine tempo to test Observers stamina. Hell be tested tomorrow, Ryan said. He wont get as soft a run in front, hell have to settle better. Every year you see the horse that relaxes and runs the trip right out is the winner. Mark Zahra is riding Tentyris in the Coolmore Stud Stakes. Credit: Racing Photos via Getty Images Godolphin have a stranglehold on the other $2 million group 1 on the card, the Coolmore Stud Stakes (1200m), where Beiwacht and Tentyris are jostling for favouritism. Zahra is riding the Sam Freedman-trained Tentyris, who was the toast of punters on Caulfield Cup day when he weaved a passage on the inside to storm over the top of his rivals in the Gothic Stakes. In a pointer for punters, Zahra rates Tentyris as the best of his seven rides. His book also includes the seat on odds-on favourite Getta Good Feeling in the Wakeful Stakes. I think Tentryis is the one Im most confident on, Zahra said. Hes been set for the race, hes been ticking along beautifully. Hes ready to go. Meanwhile, European trio Absurde, Flatten The Curve and Goodie Two Shoes are yet to be cleared by stewards to run in the Melbourne Cup. Stewards will run their eyes over the trio on Saturday morning after they were found to have presented with a change in their gaits during examinations on Thursday. Former Carlton captains Chris Judd, Marc Murphy and current skipper Patrick Cripps will be among those with a keen interest in those inspections. Loading The stayer they part-own through the Baggers Naggers syndicate, Birdman, is 26th in the order of entry for the $10 million race. The cut-off is at 24. World racing powerhouse Godolphin is in prime position to land the two major group 1 races at Flemington on Saturday as it continues to flourish under its new multiple-trainer model. The blue army has cornered the Coolmore Stud Stakes market with the Anthony and Sam Freedman-trained Tentyris expected to fight out the finish with the racing organisations other boom colt, the Chris Waller-trained Beiwacht. Godolphin also has the short-priced favourite Observer, trained by Ciaron Maher, running in the VRC Derby. Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova speaks at the "Dialogue about Fakes 3.0" International Forum in Moscow, Russia, Oct. 29, 2025. The Western world remains the primary producer of disinformation, and fake news has become a "pandemic" in the contemporary era, Zakharova said at the "Dialogue about Fakes 3.0" International Forum on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Hao Jianwei) MOSCOW, Oct. 30 (Xinhua) -- The Western world remains the primary producer of disinformation, and fake news has become a "pandemic" in the contemporary era, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said at the "Dialogue about Fakes 3.0" International Forum on Wednesday. The main producers of fake news, the inventors of systems for spreading disinformation, are undoubtedly the Western world, Zakharova said, adding that they are also the masterminds behind information warfare. She noted that the originally planned Russia-U.S. engagements in Budapest have been hindered by anonymous sources, disinformation, and leaks from some media outlets. Zakharova pointed out that artificial intelligence (AI) can be used as a tool to influence people's minds, and some Western countries are attempting to leverage AI to consolidate inequality between nations and deprive other countries of their digital sovereignty. Experts from 80 countries participated in the forum, discussing topics such as generative AI and deepfake technology, key challenges in the era of disinformation, and disinformation in the field of science and education. Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova speaks at the "Dialogue about Fakes 3.0" International Forum in Moscow, Russia, Oct. 29, 2025. The Western world remains the primary producer of disinformation, and fake news has become a "pandemic" in the contemporary era, Zakharova said at the "Dialogue about Fakes 3.0" International Forum on Wednesday. (Xinhua/Hao Jianwei) The brazen underworld shooting of two Australians at a luxury villa in Bali that left one man dead was ordered from Australia via an encrypted app, an Indonesian court has heard. The trial of three Australians accused of the fatal ambush began this week on the usually quiet holiday island, as the widow of slain Melbourne man Zivan Stipe Radmanovic watched on from the court gallery. Jazmyn Gourdeas (second from right), the widow of Zivan Radmanovic, attended the Bali court supported by family for the trial of his accused killers. Credit: Amilia Rosa Jazmyn Gourdeas hid under the covers as helmeted intruders burst into her rented villa in the middle of the night and fatally shot her husband, Radmanovic, on June 14. Another Melbourne man Sanar Ghanim, a former kickboxer with underworld connections, was also shot multiple times and beaten during the attack but survived. Following a dramatic manhunt for the gunmen, Sydneysiders Darcy Jenson and Mevlut Coskun, were arrested fleeing Bali, along with Paea I Middlemore Tupou from Melbourne. All three now face the death penalty. AL: Yes, theyre worse than ordinary humans because theres a sense of entitlement that turns them into monsters. But youre absolutely right. I mean, weve got the problem here in Britain that we got rid of hereditary peers in parliament, and yet we still stick with the hereditary principle with the monarchs. So we are moving, I agree, to a position where it becomes more and more untenable. The royal family in 1972 (from left): Princess Anne, Andrew, Prince Philip, Queen Elizabeth, Prince Edward and Prince Charles. Credit: Getty Images Fitz: While writing your own book which you did over four years, with 300 interviews and endless freedom-of-information requests when exactly were you most shocked? When did you lean back in the night and say: I simply cannot believe what this man has done? AL: Well, clearly the 40 prostitutes visiting Andrews hotel room in four days in Thailand was one, as was the fact that effeminate young men were also brought to him. But I think the most shocking thing is how the palace protected him and enabled him, covering up his crimes. Whenever people went and complained to the Queen, they were sent away with a flea in their ear. Fitz: The role of the late Queen in this interests me, as while alive it seemed she could do no wrong. But, together with Prince Philip who you portray as a distracted adulterer your clear view is she must bear a lot of responsibility for creating this awful man? Loading AL: Yes, and I think thats the most shocking revelation, the one that people find most hard to accept. She had a blind spot, while Prince Philip just didnt deal with him at all. It meant that all the way through his life, he was protected. He was told he was wonderful. Anyone who didnt say that didnt progress in their career. So he was over-promoted in the navy, and everyone just indulged him. And he just realised: he could do exactly what he wanted, from when he was five years old to now, 65 years old. Fitz: You are saying that the Queen was a terrible mother? AL: I think the Queen has to take some responsibility for the monster she created. To be fair to her, her other three children are not like him, and hes always been described as the runt of the litter. Fitz: While the Queen was on the throne, the edifice of the monarchy seemed very, very stable. But since Charles has taken over, the whole thing seems to be wobbling. It was once famously said by an American comedian that Jimmy Carter as president is like Truman Capote making love to Dolly Parton the jobs just too big for him. Is this job, similarly, just too big for Charles? It is obvious that he let the whole Andrew thing just get completely out of hand, and every move hes made has been too mild and too reactive a pound short and a month late. AL: Yes. I think its going to overshadow Charles very short reign, which will be seen as a transitional reign, and the changes, if they come, will come with William. Charles is born in the 1940s. Hes an old man. Hes been used to the old system. William will change things, have a much more slimmed-down monarchy just the direct line and get rid of titles for all the hangers on, etc. He will focus more on pastoral care rather than pomp. So I think we will see change, and I think William will come to the throne much sooner than people expect. Author Andrew Lownie says: I think the Queen has to take some responsibility for the monster she created. Credit: POOL The Times Fitz: Because of Charles ill health, or because he will stand down for being hopeless? AL: William will come to the throne because Charles isnt up to it because of his health problems. Were already seeing power moving across to William. William is now dealing with the issues and calling the shots. Charles is just working on his legacy. William realises they need to catch up on the story, get ahead of it. He is pushing for Andrew to be stripped of everything, and face the law like an ordinary citizen. Fitz: OK, the news has just broken that Charles has, in fact, moved [on the artist formerly known as Prince Andrew, and now to be ordinary citizen and a disgraced one at that, Andrew Mountbatten Windsor. And he is at last to be moved out of his royal digs into a private residence.] What do you make of it? AL: Its a stop gap. Fitz: Will it help save the monarchy? AL: I think it will depend if charges are brought. Fitz: Meanwhile, the British group Republic is taking private action against Andrew for sexual assault, corruption and misconduct in public office? You must have heard all kinds of allegations against him. Have you heard these ones? AL: There are grounds to charge him and I believe the due process of law should take place even if that means he goes to prison. The most likely [successful] charge is misconduct in public office, concerning serious wilful abuse or neglect of the power or responsibilities of the public office held. Fitz: Where do you think that Andrew will be a year from now? AL: Well, I would hope, actually, that he would be standing trial for misconduct in public office. But I suspect he will be in a country without an extradition treaty with Britain. Loading Fitz: Its going to get that bad that hell try and do a runner, get out of Dodge, get out of England and get to a place where he cant be extradited? AL: Yes. Everyone has got the bit between their teeth. Theyre not going to stop until this guy is really held to account. I mean, people go to prison here for tweeting. You know, there are so many things that he could be charged with, that I think the authorities will have to do something. We already are seeing politicians, who were silent, speaking out, including Conservative Party ones. Weve got the press in full pursuit of him. Fitz: Lenin said, Sometimes there are decades where nothing happens and weeks where decades happen. Is this one of those weeks, and will the monarchy ultimately survive all this? AL: [Cutting Andrew obviously helps.] If the public outrage continues to rise it will fall. Fitz: The hounds have indeed been set loose, no doubt in no small part because of your book on the Yorks done by a serious historian, not a tabloid hack, which has therefore legitimised serious inquiry into his affairs. You have done the monarchy serious damage. Youre a Cambridge man, a historian, an academic, a figure of the establishment. Do you ever take flak personally in your gentlemens clubs for what you have wrought? AL: Oh, absolutely. My mother-in-law has stopped talking to me. I have people turn their back on me in my clubs. Im constantly trolled. I have my work denigrated. And Ive just been told today that Andrew and Fergie have paid a PR firm to discredit me. But Ive got broad shoulders, and Ive had worse in my life. It just reflects badly on them. Fitz: Well, keep up the fine work. Thank you very much, Andrew. Fortunately, there was, it is alleged, always a quiet very quiet Chinese friend or two to assist after Mummy passed on. And mysterious others seemed willing to fling Andrew so many international plane tickets for alleged business trips he became known to the cursed press as Air Miles Andy. Andrew is being evicted from Royal Lodge, the 30-room mansion near Windsor Castle where he has lived since 2003. Loading All quite handy, really, once big brother the King began to lose patience and eventually, it is said, called Barley Charley on the million-pound annual allowance he was siphoning to the bothersome sibling when he was still called prince and disporting himself in the manner of various royal chaps since the Battle of Hastings. Still, as Plain Andrew Windsor sets about packing his entitled life into the cardboard boxes supplied by Sandringham Estate Removals to the Gentry, he has his memories to be going on with. Randy Andy the Party Prince, they used to call him, he might smile to himself. And by Jove, those couple of happy years with the beauteous Koo Stark, actor, model and photographer. If only Mummy hadnt interfered, things might have been different. Upstanding girl, that Koo, even though hed married Fergie instead. Hed ever be grateful when, 32 years after their blissful time together, the loyal Ms Stark rushed to his defence declaring he was a good man and really, how dare the world believe the lurid tales concerning his relationship and what have you with a Mr Epstein and a Miss Ghislaine Maxwell. Prince Andrew, 22, and American-born actor, model and photographer Koo Stark, 25, leaving the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, London, after seeing a performance of The Pirates of Penzance in 1982. Credit: AP Everyones been picking on him, and Andy, pretty clearly, cant quite understand it. Why, what about his big brother, Charles, bringing dishonour on the monarchy when he got pinged for drinking a cherry brandy in a pub when he was underage? And how about all the years of those late-night phone calls and quite a lot more with Camilla when Charles was married to Diana, whom he met when she was 16 and was dating her sister, Sarah. Hmmm? Nephew Harry was quite the tearaway, too. Didnt anyone remember how he got away with wearing a Nazi uniform to one of those parties he attended when he was trying to out-do Uncle Randy Andy? A London newsagent reads a copy of British tabloid The Sun in 2005, when it printed a photograph of Prince Harry dressed as a Nazi at a fancy dress party. Credit: AP Crikey, Daddy was known to be a bit more than just a lad about town during his early years of marriage to Mummy, too, wasnt he? Did he lose his sleeping quarters at Windsor Castle and Buckingham Palace and Balmoral? Not a chance. The press spent most of their time almost breaking their necks looking the other way during Daddy Philips salad days. And now, after all these years, Andrew is no longer a prince, no longer a resident of Windsor Park and doomed to live in exile in windblown Norfolk. Prince Andrew and Sarah, then Duchess of York, at rear, join other members of the royal family for Christmas at Sandringham in 1991. Credit: Getty Images Loading Oh, it wont be in a hovel and hell have a stipend from his brother to pay for the milk and bread, and despite it all, hes still eighth in line to succeed to the throne if things were to work out very poorly indeed for his relatives. And wed imagine Fergie might tag along to Sandringham Estate, having lost her digs at Royal Park, too. But still. His chances of becoming prime minister were slim from the start because other party leaders ruled out agreeing to install him in the top job in potential coalitions, so his success depended on whether he could gain a surge in support in his own right. His party fell from 37 to 26 seats. Geert Wilders gambled for power with a hard line on migration. Credit: AP This was a high-stakes election because Wilders was uncompromising. He gambled for power with a hard line on migration. He promised to stop all asylum claims for at least four years, withdraw from the United Nations Refugee Convention, end family reunification in the migration program and deport Syrian and Ukrainian men. Wilders accepted on Thursday that he would not be part of the next government. He remains a significant figure in the parliament, however, at a time when the concerns he raised about migration are being echoed across Europe. The slump in support for the PVV is certainly a verdict on Wilders, but theres no sign the concerns about migration have evaporated. Even Jetten, seen by the right as too weak on borders, expressed concern about false claims by asylum seekers. Loading It is far too soon to interpret the outcome for one party as a broader rejection of tougher border policies. The approach to be taken by the next government will depend on the nature of the coalition that can be formed. There was no swing to the parties further to the left of the spectrum. In fact, voters turned against the Green Left and Labour Party alliance (or GLPVDA) led by Frans Timmermans, a prominent progressive who was previously a European Union commissioner for climate. The Green-Labour alliance tumbled from 25 to 20 seats, according to the official count late on Thursday, a full day after the polls closed. Timmermans acknowledged the setback the morning after the election. Its time that I take a step back and transfer the lead of our movement to the next generation, he said. The results highlight the fractured nature of Dutch politics, with five bigger political parties vying for dominance and 10 smaller ones playing supporting roles in potential coalitions. Rob Jetten, a former railway manager who seemed to campaign with a constant smile, said: Too often, we are spectators of fear and division. But that era is over. Credit: AP In a parliament of 150 seats, no single party can govern without a handful of others. Even an alliance of three of the bigger parties would not be enough to secure the 76 seats needed. They would be able to govern only if several smaller parties also joined their coalition. That is a good reason to be cautious about the probable shape of the next government, given that the agents for the various parties will not start negotiating in earnest until next week. While D66 has had a good election, it cannot claim ownership of the prime ministers office just yet. But the big setback was for the party and leader who played on anxiety about the future and the scowls about migration. Wilders has warned for years that migration, especially Muslim migration, was hurting the country. Loading The biggest gain was for the leader who took on Wilders directly. Jetten countered the scowls with a smile. Curiously, he did so with some language Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has been using in Australia: he called himself a progressive patriot. Albanese cited the same phrase as one factor behind his victory in the May election. I want to defeat Wilders with hope, with energy and with the power of togetherness, Jetten said in one social media post, loosely translated on X, that summed up his sunny sales pitch. Too often, we are spectators of fear and division. But that era is over. Because the Netherlands is bigger than the loudmouths, stronger than cynicism, and better than stagnation. It is time for the positive forces to win. It is possible! London: A political row is looming over the future of the monarchy after King Charles stripped his younger brother Andrew of his titles and honours, sparking calls for the former prince to be removed from the line of succession. The calls open the way for debates in every realm including Australia about whether Andrew should keep his place as the eighth in line to the throne after the extraordinary moves to strip him of his status. The former prince is now known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor after the King formally removed him from the official roll of the peerage, where he was listed as the Duke of York. The changes act on concerns about the conduct and judgment of the former prince over claims he sexually abused a teenager, Virginia Roberts Giuffre, during his long friendship with convicted sex offenders Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell. Despite the traditional separation of powers between the Crown and the British parliament, some British MPs pushed for a parliamentary motion to strip Andrew of his titles and questioned his living in the sprawling Royal Lodge for peppercorn rent. The politicisation of the issue forced King Charles hand: he has started the formal process to remove his younger brothers titles and honours and, for good measure, evicted him and his ex-wife. With her gone, however, Andrew could not survive the ever-mounting odour of his involvement with the convicted sexual predator Jeffrey Epstein and a young woman the billionaire financier trafficked. The prince has steadfastly denied that he raped the woman, Virginia Roberts Giuffre, but publication of her posthumous memoir made his position in the royal family stable increasingly untenable. The former Prince Andrew will now be known as Andrew Windsor. Credit: AP The eighth in line to the throne has been falling from grace for decades but the soon-to-be Andrew Mountbatten Windsor endured, thanks to the unswerving support of his doting mother, the late Queen Elizabeth II. The British monarchy and members of the royal family live in a rarefied world straddling church, state and class, and for some they embody national cultural identity and historical legacy; others see them as a symbol of privilege, inequality and a cost to the state. But in the age of modern media, the royals often behave like moths to celebrity. Shakespeare may have written of the fatal flaws of English kings but back in the day the tabloid press nickname Randy Andy was surely a glimpse of princely things to come. Let us not forget that Princess Diana walked into the same interview minefield that later blew up Andrews credibility. And then there is the ongoing saga of Prince Harry and Meghan, the Duke and Duchess of Sussexs flight to the US. Even before soap operas the royals have long starred in credibility-sapping scandals. In 1936 King Edward VIII abdicated to marry an American divorcee and was banished. In the 1950s Princess Margaret fell in love with Peter Townsend, a divorced man with a living ex-wife, but Queen Elizabeth II as head of the Church of England, could not approve of the marriage, creating a constitutional conflict between her official duties and her personal relationship with her sister. Times have changed. Nobody batted an eye last month when the divorced head of the Church of England became the first British monarch to hold a joint prayer service with the Catholic pontiff since King Henry VIII broke with Rome. Andrews imbroglio sucked much oxygen from his older brother Kings ecumenical achievement. 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 Prince Andrew is losing the title that hes had since birth and being evicted from his royal residence following recent revelations about his relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The scandal proved one too many for his brother, King Charles III, who took action on Thursday by formally stripping Andrew of his titles. Andrew will now be known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor. Credit: Alamy Stock Photo Andrews antics have tried the patience of the royal family for more than 40 years, triggering embarrassing headlines, lawsuits and suspicions that the prince, now 65, was using his position for personal gain. Here are some of the episodes that tarnished the reputation of the late Queen Elizabeth IIs second son and finally forced his older brother to banish him from public life. 1984 Andrew sprays reporters and photographers with paint while touring a construction project in the Watts neighbourhood of Los Angeles. I enjoyed that, Andrew said, while wiping his hands on a piece of newspaper. Advertisement Andrew in December 1984. Credit: Fairfax 2007 The prince sells his house at Sunninghill Park, near Windsor Castle, with news reports suggesting the buyer paid 20 per cent more than the asking price of 15 million ($30 million). The buyer was reportedly Timur Kulibayev, son-in-law of Nursultan Nazarbayev, then-president of Kazakhstan, raising concerns that the deal was an attempt to buy influence in Britain. Andrew and Sarah Ferguson pose with their two daughters Eugenie (left) and Beatrice in Verbier, Switzerland in 1998. Credit: AP 2010 An undercover reporter posing as a wealthy Arab films Andrews ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, apparently offering to sell access to the prince for 500,000 ($1 million). Sarah Ferguson pictured in 2016. Credit: AP Advertisement 2011 Andrew is forced to resign as Britains special trade envoy following the first reports of his links to Epstein. The prince was also facing questions about his friendship with Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, son of the late Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, as well as his links to a convicted Libyan gun smuggler. July 2019 Epstein is arrested for a second time on charges of sex-trafficking and later takes his own life in a New York jail cell. The news focuses public attention on allegations that Andrew had sex with at least one underage teenager trafficked by Epstein. Andrew denies the allegations. Jeffrey Epstein died in his prison cell in 2019. Credit: AP November 16, 2019 Andrew attempts to staunch the flood of criticism by agreeing to an on-camera grilling by BBC reporter Emily Maitlis. The interview backfires when the prince defends his relationship with Epstein, fails to show empathy for his victims and offers explanations of his behaviour that many people find hard to believe. Andrew says he broke off contact with Epstein in December 2010, a date that will come back to haunt him. Advertisement November 20, 2019 Buckingham Palace announces that Andrew will suspend all royal duties for the foreseeable future. Four days later, the prince is stripped of his role as patron of 230 charities. 2022 Andrew agrees to settle a New York civil lawsuit filed by Virginia Roberts Giuffre, who alleged that she was forced to have sex with Andrew when she was 17. While Andrew didnt admit to any of Roberts Giuffres allegations, he acknowledged that she had suffered as a sexual abuse victim. Legal experts estimate that the undisclosed settlement cost Andrew as much as $US10 million. Virginia Giuffre, with a photo of herself as a teen, was one of the most high-profile victims of disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein. Credit: Getty 2024 Advertisement Andrews ties to a suspected Chinese spy are revealed in court documents. The businessman and suspected spy was barred from the UK because of concerns he posed a threat to national security. Security officials were concerned that the man could have misused his influence over Andrew. April 25, 2025 Virginia Roberts Giuffre takes her own life in Australia, where she had lived since about 2002. October 12, 2025 British newspapers reveal that Andrew sent an email to Epstein on February 28, 2011, more than two months after the prince had told the BBC in 2019 he cut off all contact with his one-time friend. Andrew wrote the email after continued media reporting about the Epstein scandal, telling him they were in this together and would have to rise above it. Andrew at Royal Chapel in Windsor, 2021 Credit: PA October 17, 2025 Advertisement Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Save articles for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time. Got it Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size The power of the monarch was meant to be on show last week when royal attendants took down a banner in Windsor Castle that bore the coat of arms of Prince Andrew, a man who has brought more disgrace to the royal family than anyone in generations. But the removal of the banner carried no real sanction. King Charles had merely arranged a minor symbolic change. Rather than demonstrating his total rejection of his brothers past misconduct, he invited a shrug and a simple question. Is that it? Now we know the answer. The King has heard the public doubts about whether he understood the gravity of this scandal. He has cut Andrew adrift from the monarchy. The prince becomes a private citizen: Andrew Mountbatten Windsor. He will be part of the family, but no longer a prince or a duke. In practical terms, he will not be a member of the royal family at all. Prince Andrew and King Charles at the funeral of Katharine, the Duchess of Kent, last month. Credit: Getty Images This drastic change goes beyond some of the options aired over the past two weeks, when it became obvious that it was simply not good enough to demote Andrew by arranging for him to give up the use of his title as Duke of York while allowing him to be called a prince. This goes further: on the monarchs order, he will no longer be a prince. Andrew will be exiled to a country house in Sandringham. His fall is astonishing and unprecedented. He was second in line to the throne from the moment he was born, raised in privilege and lauded as a war hero at the age of 22. He had wealth, women and fame. His descent into scandal has been a long journey to humiliation. This had to happen. The King had to shield the monarchy from Andrew. The prince connected the royal family to Jeffrey Epstein, a convicted paedophile, and Ghislaine Maxwell, a criminal who trafficked girls for sex. Advertisement Worse, Andrew stood accused of assaulting Virginia Roberts Giuffre when she was 17 and working for Epstein. The claim has been levelled at him for more than a decade, yet he offered shifting accounts of his behaviour and made claims that were later contradicted by his own emails. Could anyone believe him? The danger for the King and the royal family was significant. The voluntary arrangement on October 17, symbolic but not substantial, meant the angst over Andrew might never end. It might be passed to Prince William to make a decisive breach with the prince at some point in the future. Better to deal with it now. In any case, the public argument over Prince Andrew was no longer about a prominent man who settled a sexual abuse claim out of court. It was about whether the King fully registered the public mood. And how he might wield the power of the modern monarchy. The King conveys calm and goodwill in his public remarks. During his visit to Australia last year, he spoke eloquently in parliament of the value of peace, justice and mutual respect. But he was silent on this scandal. There have been movies made about a kings speech. This new drama was about a kings silence. With the palaces statement on Thursday night in London issued at 6am on Friday AEDT there was a clear repudiation of the abuse practised by Epstein and Maxwell. This part of the statement came from Queen Camilla as well as King Charles: Their Majesties wish to make clear that their thoughts and utmost sympathies have been, and will remain with, the victims and survivors of any and all forms of abuse. Nothing in the statement admitted any guilt on Andrews part. Importantly, the sympathy in the statement was for the victims, not for the man who is losing his dukedom. Advertisement Ultimately, this was a moral question about how the head of state would address past wrongs. Even so, he had to act with care. The case against Andrew has never been heard in court, of course. He never testified; no jury weighed the evidence; no judge ruled on his culpability. Giuffre said she was forced to have sex with him on three occasions, the first in March 2001 when she was 17. She lodged a civil claim for sexual assault in August 2021 and a US judge rejected his attempt to have the case thrown out. Andrew settled out of court in February 2022, months before it was due to go to trial. The payment to Giuffre was said to be worth millions of pounds. Prince Andrew with Virginia Roberts Giuffre (centre) in 2001 and Jeffrey Epsteins then personal assistant Ghislaine Maxwell. Credit: Andrew had been tarnished long before he settled the case. The infamous photograph of the prince and the teenager, taken on her camera in March 2001, first emerged in 2011 after the Mail on Sunday, a British tabloid, paid her for the right to publish it. The result was catastrophic for Andrew after he had been seen with Epstein in New York only months earlier. Loading Andrew paid a penalty, of sorts, long before he paid Giuffre. He stepped down as British trade envoy in July 2011 and, in doing so, lost a cushy role that helped him fly on private jets at public expense while networking with leaders from Tunisia to Kazakhstan. He was stamped forever by his association with Epstein, who by this time was a known felon who had served time in prison for soliciting a minor for sex. In truth, however, the penalty was small. Buckingham Palace shielded Andrew from the worst of the aftermath. Within a few years, he was launching new ways to network with the wealthy. One of them, Pitch@Palace, saw him travelling to Australia and other countries to connect small companies with big investors. He conducted business from Buckingham Palace and used St James Palace for gala events. Advertisement The treatment of the prince, said to be Queen Elizabeths favourite son, displayed a pattern of gentle and symbolic reproof after each revelation. This explained the impatience over the past two weeks: why trust Buckingham Palace to act now, when it had done too little then? The changes on October 17 followed the usual pattern of symbolic change without real pain. There was a case for caution. Charles Moore, a former editor of Britains Daily Telegraph and now a columnist for the newspaper, wrote on Monday about the need for restraint in doing anything further against Andrew. Given the extent to which he has discredited himself in various ways, it is right that he should no longer use his titles, but it would be wrong that he should be stripped of them without proof of iniquity, he wrote. Others complained about the pile-on against the prince. While these were legitimate concerns, Andrew did not help himself or his defenders with his own conduct. Prince Andrew. Credit: Alamy Stock Photo Whatever your opinion about his relationship with Giuffre, he failed on two fronts during the years after they met and he faced claims of the most appalling behaviour. The first was that he was loose with the truth. His initial response to Giuffres claims was that he had never met her. Her account, in legal testimony over the past decade as well as in her memoir, is specific about their meetings. Had he really never met her at all? Advertisement On this point, new voices emerged. Another young woman who worked for Epstein, Johanna Sjoberg, testified that she was with Giuffre and Andrew in Epsteins New York townhouse in 2001. They were playing with a puppet of the prince while Epstein and Maxwell set up a photograph. I sat on Andrews lap, and they put the puppets hand on Virginias breast, and Andrew put his hand on my breast, and they took a photo, said Sjoberg in a witness statement in 2016. Sjobergs statement, made when Giuffre lodged a defamation claim against Maxwell, only emerged publicly eight years later. When Andrew sat down for an interview with the BBCs Newsnight program in 2019, he said he had broken off contact with Epstein at the end of 2010 when they were photographed together in New York. In fact, emails released in recent weeks showed Andrew was emailing his old friend in 2011. Andrew was caught out. The host who conducted the Newsnight interview, Emily Maitlis, reviewed what has emerged and she concluded that Andrew lied. This only increased the problem for the King and the pressure for action. Buckingham Palace had defended Andrew for years, yet some of the assertions were now in tatters. Andrew failed on a second front. He said he would help the survivors of sexual abuse. This was part of his statement in November 2019, when he stepped back from royal duties. Theres no sign he made any effort to do so. Advertisement PHILIPSBURG:--- The St. Maarten Tzu Chi Foundation recently brought relief and compassion to inmates and staff at the Point Blanche Prison, delivering food supplies and messages of hope in response to worsening conditions at the facility. On October 7, 2025, eight volunteers from Tzu Chi, four community volunteers - three training commissioners and one commissioner - transported and distributed hundreds of food packages to the prison, acting on reports of overcrowding, stress, and unsafe conditions that have persisted since Hurricane Irma severely damaged the facility in 2017. We knew the situation had become dire, and we couldnt stand by, said Tzu Chi Commissioner Sandra Cheung. Even when walls separate us, love and compassion must still find a way in. The prisons structural damage has remained largely unaddressed, and with new construction still pending, conditions worsened further during the COVID-19 pandemic. After re-establishing contact with the prison, the foundation decided to help. Each package donated contained rice, cooking oil, pasta, and dry peas. In total 150 bags of rice, 150 bottles of cooking oil, 300 packs of pasta and 300 packs of dried peas were donated. The donation is sufficient to assist 80 families of inmates, while the remaining sets were to be distributed to the kitchen and low-income staff members. Volunteers arrived in two trucks at 11:30am and neatly arranged the goods, where they were met by a Prison Officer, who expressed heartfelt thanks for the gesture. Two inmate representatives one male and one female accepted the donations on behalf of all inmates. Its normal for people to forget us while we are incarcerated, the male inmate said. But thanks to the Tzu Chi family, we are never forgotten. The female inmate also thanked Tzu Chi on behalf of the women inmates and promised to share the message of love and care with others. During the visit, volunteers shared words of encouragement and hope. Sister Lorene from Jamaica and Sister Natacha from St. Lucia spoke about how Tzu Chi transformed their lives through compassion and service. Brothers Jermine and Marlon also shared their gratitude for the opportunity to help the community, with Marlon saying his goal was to serve those who are hungry and in need. Cheung encouraged the inmates to stay strong, reminding them that life is full of challenges, but every positive change no matter how small can bring peace to your heart. She then led volunteers in a heartfelt sign-language performance of One More Candle to the Light, followed by another song about kindness and giving. The simple, unaccompanied singing filled the room, leaving many inmates visibly moved. The Prison Officer expressed appreciation on behalf of the prison staff, saying they were grateful for Tzu Chis care and hoped the collaboration would continue. Cheung said the experience reinforced Tzu Chis mission of compassion in action. We dont just bring supplies we bring human connection, she said. Thats where true healing begins. WILLEMSTAD:--- On Wednesday, October 29, HNLMS Pelikaan departed from Curacao to deliver emergency aid to Jamaica. The deployment is taking place at the request of the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA). Jamaica was severely affected by Hurricane Melissa, which passed over the island on Tuesday, October 28. On Wednesday, the navy ship loaded relief supplies and emergency equipment in Curacao, including food, medical supplies, and emergency shelters. During the voyage, HNLMS Pelikaan will first sail to Barbados to take on additional emergency supplies. As a logistical support vessel with an onboard crane and a large cargo hold, HNLMS Pelikaan is ideally suited for transporting emergency supplies. Providing assistance is one of the three main tasks of the Ministry of Defence in the Caribbean. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (R) shakes hands with visiting German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in Ankara, Turkiye, Oct. 30, 2025. (Mustafa Kaya/Handout via Xinhua) ANKARA, Oct. 30 (Xinhua) -- Turkiye and Germany should focus on joint defense projects and move past previous procurement challenges in light of Europe's changing security environment, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Thursday. "In light of the changing security conditions in Europe, we must leave behind the difficulties in the supply of defense industry products and focus on joint projects," Erdogan said at a joint press conference with visiting German Chancellor Friedrich Merz in the capital Ankara. Erdogan noted that Turkiye welcomes Germany's recent constructive steps in the process of Turkiye's procurement of Eurofighter jets. "Considering Turkiye's progress in defense, it is clear that we have broad areas of cooperation with Germany. We can further strengthen this partnership," he added. In July, Germany lifted its veto on the sale of Eurofighter jets to Turkiye after years of opposition. Highlighting economic ties, Erdogan noted that Germany remains Turkiye's largest trade partner in Europe, with trade volume already reaching 50 billion U.S. dollars and ambitions to increase it to 60 billion dollars in the near term. On the Gaza conflict, Erdogan emphasized that a two-state solution is the key to lasting peace in the region. The German chancellor said that Germany would pursue closer cooperation with Turkiye on security policy, describing Turkiye as "a highly significant actor" in all foreign and security issues affecting Germany. Merz welcomed the sale of Eurofighter jets to Turkiye, saying, "These planes will serve our common security." He stressed that Turkish and German societies and economies are deeply interconnected and called for strengthened strategic partnerships. On Gaza, Merz said that Germany hopes Turkiye will use its influence to help disarm Hamas and stabilize the situation in Gaza. Amazon shares surge as AI boom drives cloud growth San Francisco, United States, Oct 30 (AFP) Oct 30, 2025 Amazon's share price skyrocketed by more than ten percent on Thursday after the online retail behemoth reported better than expected earnings, powered by surging demand for its cloud computing services. Quarterly sales rose 13 percent to $180.2 billion across the company, it said. Net income climbed to $21.2 billion from $15.3 billion a year earlier. Stoking investor sentiment, the company forecast fourth-quarter sales of $206-$213 billion, representing growth of 10-13 percent. The e-commerce giant's Amazon Web Services division, which recently suffered a global outage, saw revenues jump 20 percent to $33 billion in the third quarter, marking its fastest growth rate since 2022 as companies race to build AI capabilities. Amazon's major rivals in the cloud computing space, Microsoft and Google, on Wednesday also reported sales increases in their cloud computing business, with all companies pointing to adoption of AI services as the main driver. The tech giants are all making huge investments to build up their AI computing capabilities, money that the companies insist will be justified by increasing adoption of AI tools and applications by customers across the globe. While the company did not break out its specific investment in AI capabilities, Amazon said it increased year-on-year purchases of property and equipment by $50.9 billion, which is a massive jump in spending. "The significant acceleration of AWS growth should help dispel some of the concerns that Amazon has been failing to keep up with (Microsoft) Azure and Google Cloud," said Emarketer principal analyst Sky Canaves. "A key question will be whether Amazon plans to further increase its already massive (capital expenditure) spending on AI infrastructure in light of the recent announcements from its rivals." Amazon also said it added 3.8 gigawatts of power capacity over the past year to support AI infrastructure -- more than any other cloud provider -- and launched a massive computing cluster with nearly 500,000 custom AI chips. AI computing demands enormous amounts of electricity, far more than traditional computing, and can put a strain on local resources, notably water supplies needed for cooling data center activity. "In our view, Amazon is right to make these investments as they will help provide the company with new avenues for growth and ensure it remains competitively sharp," said Neil Saunders, Managing Director of GlobalData. Operating income, however, remained flat at $17.4 billion after Amazon took two major charges: $2.5 billion for a legal settlement with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and $1.8 billion in severance costs tied to planned job cuts. Amazon said Tuesday it was reducing its workforce by 14,000 posts to streamline operations as it invests in artificial intelligence. The cuts are expected to target areas such as human resources, advertising, and management in a group that has 350,000 office positions, out of a total of more than 1.5 million employees. The settlement with the FTC was over long-running allegations from the US regulator that it used deceptive practices to enroll consumers in Amazon Prime and made it difficult to cancel subscriptions. The online retail giant, which admitted no wrongdoing in the settlement, paid $1.5 billion into a consumer fund for refunds and $1 billion in civil penalties. Shortly after the results landed, Amazon's share price was up by 11 percent in after-hours trading. Press Release from Business Wire: Hanshow (AFP) Oct 31, 2025 MADRID, Oct 31, 2025 (BSW) - Hanshow, a global leader in digital retail solutions, has announced a strategic collaboration with Unide Corporativa, one of Spain's most established food retail cooperatives, to advance store digitalization and operational efficiency under its new strategic roadmap "Plan Unide 2.0" (2025-2028). This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251030921658/en/ Founded over 90 years ago, Unide unites hundreds of independent grocery retailers across Spain under a cooperative model built on proximity, freshness, and community service. With Plan Unide 2.0, the cooperative aims to strengthen competitiveness through member business development, store modernization, and new store openings-a roadmap to ensure sustainable growth in an evolving retail landscape. Unide faces operational challenges common to cooperative retail: manual paper label updates, inconsistent pricing, and limited promotional agility across its network. Meanwhile, Spanish shoppers increasingly expect greater price transparency and seamless in-store experiences especially in fresh-product categories. Balancing cost efficiency for member stores with brand consistency has thus become essential to sustaining shopper trust. To address these challenges, Unide partnered with Hanshow to deploy advanced Electronic Shelf Label (ESL) solutions with Shop & Roll serving as the accessories provider. This cloud-based system not only enables Unide to manage prices and promotions centrally, but also brings greater price transparency for shoppers. By ensuring that promotional information and price updates are delivered instantly and accurately, customers can always make informed purchase decisions and enjoy a more trustworthy shopping experience, while stores benefit from improved operational efficiency through digital automation. "At Unide, we are committed to improving efficiency and supporting our member stores while remaining true to our cooperative values of local service and quality," said David Navas Abengozar, the General Director of Unide. "Hanshow's ESL technology has simplified operations and helped us modernize our stores in line with our Plan Unide 2.0 vision." "This collaboration demonstrates how Hanshow's customer-focused innovation can translate real retail needs into practical technology," said Liangyan Li, Hanshow SVP and Head of Global Sales. "Together with Unide, we're enabling smarter, more transparent store operations that benefit both business performance and consumer trust." This partnership represents not only another important step in Hanshow's global digitalization journey, but also a reflection of the company's continued efforts to empower retailers worldwide. From Europe to Asia, North America, and beyond, Hanshow is driving smarter, greener, and more connected retail ecosystems through its cutting-edge in-store technologies and strategic collaborations. About Hanshow Hanshow is a global leader in developing and manufacturing electronic shelf labels and digital store solutions. The company offers customers a series of customized IoT touchpoints and digital store solutions that deliver customer-centric insights. Hanshow's solutions have provided services to a vast number of stores in over 70 countries and regions, helping them streamline operations, optimize pricing strategies, and offer customers a more personalized experience. Learn more: www.hanshow.com View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251030921658/en/ Contact [email protected] 2025 Business Wire, Inc.Disclaimer:This press release is not a document produced by AFP. AFP shall not bear responsibility for its content. In case you have any questions about this press release, please refer to the contact person/entity mentioned in the text of the press release. China holds send-off ceremony for space station astronauts Jiuquan, China, Oct 31 (AFP) Oct 31, 2025 China held a send-off ceremony on Friday for a new crew of astronauts set to depart for its space station, including its youngest "taikonaut" and four lab mice. The Tiangong space station -- crewed by teams of three astronauts that are exchanged every six months -- is the crown jewel of China's space programme, into which billions of dollars have been poured in a bid to catch up with the United States and Russia. China has bold plans to send a crewed mission to the Moon by the end of the decade and eventually to build a base on the lunar surface. The Shenzhou-21 crew is scheduled to blast off at 11:44 pm on Friday (1544 GMT) to replace the outgoing Shenzhou-20 team. Mission commander and veteran space pilot Zhang Lu will be accompanied by 32-year-old flight engineer Wu Fei, China's youngest astronaut to undertake a space mission, and payload specialist Zhang Hongzhang, 39. The three astronauts waved goodbye to colleagues and family members at the remote Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center base in the Gobi Desert in northwest China as a band played a patriotic song. Zhang Lu told reporters on Thursday he was confident his team would "report back to our motherland and its people with complete success". Space first-timer Wu told a news conference on Thursday that he felt "incomparably lucky". Four mice -- two male and two female -- will join them as the subjects of China's first in-orbit experiments on rodents. Shenzhou-21 is expected to dock with Tiangong around three-and-a-half hours after takeoff. - 'Space dream' - Beijing's space programme is the third to put humans in orbit, after the United States and the former Soviet Union. China has ramped up plans to achieve its "space dream" under President Xi Jinping, successfully landing its Chang'e-4 probe on the far side of the Moon in 2019, the first spacecraft to do so. It then landed a small robot on Mars in 2021. The China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) outlined on Thursday a series of "crucial upcoming tests" it was undertaking in preparation for its 2030 Moon goal. In addition to advancing scientific research, the Shenzhou-21 crew is expected to go on spacewalks and install anti-debris shields on the exterior of the Tiangong space station. The astronauts are also expected to conduct "popular science education", the CMSA said, as Beijing searches for future space talent both domestically and internationally. China has been excluded from the International Space Station since 2011, when the United States banned NASA from collaborating with Beijing. It has since sought to bring other countries into its space programme and signed a deal with longtime ally Pakistan in February to recruit the first foreign "taikonauts". China sends youngest astronaut, mice to space station Jiuquan, China, Oct 31 (AFP) Oct 31, 2025 A new crew took off for China's space station on Friday, including the country's youngest ever astronaut and four lab mice. The Long March-2F rocket carrying the Shenzhou-21 mission crew lifted off at 11:44 pm (1544 GMT) from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China, AFP journalists saw. The Tiangong space station -- crewed by teams of three astronauts that are exchanged every six months -- is the crown jewel of China's space programme, into which billions of dollars have been poured in a bid to catch up with the United States and Russia. China has bold plans to send a crewed mission to the Moon by the end of the decade and eventually to build a base on the lunar surface. Mission commander and veteran space pilot Zhang Lu is accompanied by 32-year-old flight engineer Wu Fei, China's youngest astronaut to undertake a space mission, and payload specialist Zhang Hongzhang, 39. The three astronauts waved goodbye to colleagues and family members at the remote launch base in the Gobi Desert as a band played a patriotic song. Zhang Lu told reporters on Thursday he was confident his team would "report back to our motherland and its people with complete success". Space first-timer Wu told a news conference on Thursday that he felt "incomparably lucky". Four mice -- two male and two female -- join them as the subjects of China's first in-orbit experiments on rodents. Shenzhou-21 is expected to dock with Tiangong around three-and-a-half hours after takeoff. - 'Space dream' - Beijing's space programme is the third to put humans in orbit, after the United States and the former Soviet Union. China has ramped up plans to achieve its "space dream" under President Xi Jinping, successfully landing its Chang'e-4 probe on the far side of the Moon in 2019, the first spacecraft to do so. It then landed a small robot on Mars in 2021. The China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) outlined on Thursday a series of "crucial upcoming tests" it was undertaking in preparation for its 2030 Moon goal. In addition to advancing scientific research, the Shenzhou-21 crew is expected to go on spacewalks and install anti-debris shields on the exterior of the Tiangong space station. The astronauts are also expected to conduct "popular science education", the CMSA said, as Beijing searches for future space talent both domestically and internationally. China has been excluded from the International Space Station since 2011, when the United States banned NASA from collaborating with Beijing. It has since sought to bring other countries into its space programme and signed a deal with longtime ally Pakistan in February to recruit the first foreign "taikonauts". U.S. Vice President JD Vance (C, front) answers a reporter's question at the White House in Washington, D. C., the United States, Oct. 30, 2025. Vance warned Thursday that if the government shutdown drags well into November, air traffic controllers will continue missing paychecks, potentially disrupting the nation's air travel system as the holiday travel season approaches. (Xinhua/Hu Yousong) WASHINGTON, Oct. 30 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Vice President JD Vance warned Thursday that if the government shutdown drags well into November, air traffic controllers will continue missing paychecks, potentially disrupting the nation's air travel system as the holiday travel season approaches. "It could be a disaster, it really could be, because at that point you're talking about people missing three paychecks, they've missed four paychecks," Vance said at the White House on Thursday after a meeting with aviation industry leaders. "Do we want those people who keep the aviation system running to not be able to feed their families, to not be able to pay for some of the things that make life worth living?" Vance said. "We want them to be able to afford a good life. The only way for that to happen is to reopen the government," he said. Vance blamed Democrats for "trying to take a hostage" and keeping the government closed. "Stop this craziness and open the government," he said. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, who has repeatedly warned of the danger of air traffic controllers missing paychecks, said on Thursday that October has been a relatively slow travel month, "but as we go into November, travel picks up." In a press conference at Philadelphia International Airport on Oct. 24, Duffy said there is frustration and anxiety among air traffic controllers as the government shutdown drags on, and the stress level they are under right now is "unacceptable." Duffy noted that the system is already short of 2,000 to 3,000 air traffic controllers and that a plan to increase that number will take a couple of years. Starting this month, some 13,000 air traffic controllers have continued working without pay. At a press conference on Oct. 24, Nick Daniels, president of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, said that as this shutdown continues and air traffic controllers are not paid for the work they do, "that leads to an unnecessary distraction, and they cannot be 100 percent focused on their jobs, which makes this system less safe." According to FlightAware, more than 6,000 flights within, into or out of the United States were delayed on Thursday, with over 1,000 cancellations. The federal government shutdown is now in its fifth week and could soon set an all-time record, with little sign of compromise between the Democratic and Republican parties. Trump stirs tensions with surprise nuclear test order Washington, Oct 31 (AFP) Oct 31, 2025 US President Donald Trump landed back in Washington Thursday after a surprise directive to begin nuclear weapons testing that raised the specter of renewed superpower tensions. The announcement on social media was issued just before Trump -- who boasts frequently about being a peace president -- went into a summit with Chinese leader Xi Jinping in South Korea. But Trump's announcement left much unanswered -- chiefly about whether he meant testing weapons systems or actually conducting test explosions, something the United States has not done since 1992. It appeared to alarm key US foe Iran, which criticized the directive as "irresponsible." Vice President JD Vance said the US nuclear arsenal needed to be tested to ensure it actually "functions properly," but did not elaborate on what type of tests Trump had ordered. The president's statement "speaks for itself," Vance told reporters at the White House. "It's an important part of American national security to make sure that this nuclear arsenal we have actually functions properly, and that's part of a testing regime," he added. Trump's statement nevertheless amounted to unusual nuclear saber rattling. It came days after Russia declared it had tested nuclear-capable, nuclear-powered cruise missiles and sea drones. "Because of other countries testing programs, I have instructed the Department of War to start testing our Nuclear Weapons on an equal basis," Trump said on Truth Social. Trump also claimed that the United States has more nuclear weapons than any other country and that he had achieved this in his first term as president. That however appeared to be untrue. The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) says in its latest annual report that Russia possesses 5,489 nuclear warheads, compared to 5,177 for the United States and 600 for China. In his post, Trump said -- minutes ahead of his Xi summit -- that China was expected to "be even within 5 years." - 'Nuclear-armed bully' - The Kremlin questioned whether Trump was well-informed about Russia's military activities. The recent weapons drills "cannot in any way be interpreted as a nuclear test," spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists. "We hope that the information was conveyed correctly to President Trump." Peskov then implied that Russia would conduct its own live warhead tests if Trump did it first. Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun urged the United States to "earnestly abide" by a global nuclear testing ban. Both countries observe a de facto moratorium on testing nuclear warheads, though Russia and the United States do regularly run military drills involving nuclear-capable systems. The Trump directive to resume testing appeared to alarm Iran, whose foreign minister called it "regressive and irresponsible," and a threat to international security. "A nuclear-armed bully is resuming testing of atomic weapons. The same bully has been demonizing Iran's peaceful nuclear program," Abbas Araghchi posted on social media. United Nations chief Antonio Guterres said through his deputy spokesman that "nuclear testing can never be permitted under any circumstances." The United States has been a signatory since 1996 to the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty, which bans all atomic test explosions, whether for military or civilian purposes. Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One that it had been "many years" since the United States had conducted nuclear tests, but it was "appropriate" to start again. Further muddying the waters, Trump also repeated in his remarks to reporters a previous claim that he wants negotiations with Russia and China on reducing nuclear weapons forces. "Denuclearization would be a tremendous thing," he said. - Last US test in 1992 - The United States conducted 1,054 nuclear tests between July 16, 1945, when the first test was conducted in New Mexico, and 1992, as well as two nuclear attacks on Japan during World War II. It is the only country to have used nuclear weapons in combat. The last US nuclear test explosion was in September 1992, with a 20-kiloton underground detonation at the Nevada Nuclear Security Site. Then-president George H.W. Bush imposed a moratorium on further tests in October 1992 that has been continued by successive administrations. Nuclear testing was replaced by non-nuclear and subcritical experiments using advanced computer simulations. burs-sms-dk/mlm/sla Japan A-bomb survivor groups protest Trump nuclear test order Tokyo, Oct 31 (AFP) Oct 31, 2025 A Japanese atomic bomb survivors group that won the Nobel Peace Prize has strongly criticised US President Donald Trump's surprise directive to begin nuclear weapons testing, calling it "utterly unacceptable". More than 200,000 people were killed when the United States dropped two atomic bombs on Japan's Hiroshima and Nagasaki during World War II, the only time nuclear weapons have been used during warfare. Survivors -- known as "hibakusha" -- have battled decades of physical and psychological trauma, as well as the stigma that often came with being a victim. After Trump said Thursday that he had ordered the Pentagon to start nuclear weapons testing to equal China and Russia, Nobel laureate Nihon Hidankyo sent a letter of protest to the US embassy in Japan. The directive "directly contradicts the efforts by nations around the world striving for a peaceful world without nuclear weapons and is utterly unacceptable," the survivors group said in the letter, a copy of which was obtained by AFP on Friday. The Mayor of Nagasaki also condemned Trump's order, saying it "trampled on the efforts of people around the world who have been sweating blood and tears to realise a world without nuclear weapons". "If nuclear weapons testing were to start immediately, wouldn't that make him unworthy of the Nobel Peace Prize?" Mayor Shiro Suzuki told reporters Thursday, referring to Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's intention to nominate Trump for the award. Hidankyo, a grassroots movement of hibakusha, won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2024, and while accepting the prize, called on countries to abolish nuclear weapons. Two other atomic bomb survivor groups based in Hiroshima issued statements of protest, saying: "We strongly protest and firmly demand that no such experiments be conducted." "In a nuclear war, there are no winners or losers; all of humanity becomes the loser," said Hiroshima Congress against A-and-H Bombs (Hiroshima Gensuikin) and the Hiroshima Prefecture Federation of A-Bomb Victims Associations in a joint statement, which was also sent to the US embassy in Japan. "The inhumane nature of nuclear weapons is evident from the devastation witnessed in Hiroshima and Nagasaki," it added. The US dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima on August 6, 1945 and then another on Nagasaki three days later. Shortly afterwards, Japan surrendered, ending World War II. Around 140,000 people died in Hiroshima and about 74,000 others in Nagasaki, including many from the effects of radiation exposure. Trump's announcement on nuclear testing left much unanswered -- chiefly about whether he meant testing weapons systems or actually conducting test explosions, something the United States has not done since 1992. Takaichi, Japan's first woman premier, this week announced she would nominate him for a Nobel Peace Prize as she lavished the US leader with praise during his visit to Tokyo. Trump stirs tensions with surprise nuclear test order Washington, Oct 31 (AFP) Oct 31, 2025 US President Donald Trump landed back in Washington on Thursday after a surprise directive to begin nuclear weapons testing that raised the specter of renewed superpower tensions. The announcement on social media was issued just before Trump -- who boasts frequently about being a peace president -- went into a summit with Chinese leader Xi Jinping in South Korea. Trump's announcement left much unanswered -- chiefly about whether he meant testing weapons systems or actually conducting test explosions, something the United States has not done since 1992. The directive appeared to alarm Iran, whose foreign minister called it "regressive and irresponsible" and a threat to international security. "A nuclear-armed bully is resuming testing of atomic weapons. The same bully has been demonizing Iran's peaceful nuclear program," Abbas Araghchi posted on social media. Japanese atomic bomb survivors group Nihon Hidankyo sent a letter of protest to the US embassy in Japan on Friday. The directive "directly contradicts the efforts by nations around the world striving for a peaceful world without nuclear weapons and is utterly unacceptable," the Nobel Peace Prize-winning group said in the letter obtained by AFP. Vice President JD Vance said the US nuclear arsenal needed to be tested to ensure it actually "functions properly," but did not elaborate on what type of tests Trump had ordered. The president's statement "speaks for itself," Vance told reporters at the White House. "It's an important part of American national security to make sure that this nuclear arsenal we have actually functions properly, and that's part of a testing regime," he added. It came days after Russia declared it had tested nuclear-capable, nuclear-powered cruise missiles and sea drones. "Because of other countries testing programs, I have instructed the Department of War to start testing our Nuclear Weapons on an equal basis," Trump said on Truth Social. Trump also claimed that the United States has more nuclear weapons than any other country. The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) said in its latest annual report that Russia possesses 5,489 nuclear warheads, compared to 5,177 for the United States and 600 for China. - Not 'a nuclear test' - The Kremlin questioned whether Trump was well-informed about Russia's military activities. The recent weapons drills "cannot in any way be interpreted as a nuclear test," spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists. "We hope that the information was conveyed correctly to President Trump." Peskov then implied that Russia would conduct its own live warhead tests if Trump did it first. Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun urged the United States to "earnestly abide" by a global nuclear testing ban. Both countries observe a de facto moratorium on testing nuclear warheads, though Russia and the United States do regularly run military drills involving nuclear-capable systems. United Nations chief Antonio Guterres said through his deputy spokesman that "nuclear testing can never be permitted under any circumstances." The United States has been a signatory since 1996 to the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty, which bans all atomic test explosions, whether for military or civilian purposes. Further muddying the waters, Trump also repeated in his remarks to reporters a previous claim that he wants negotiations with Russia and China on reducing nuclear weapons forces. "Denuclearization would be a tremendous thing," he said. - Last US test in 1992 - The United States conducted 1,054 nuclear tests between July 16, 1945, when the first was conducted in New Mexico, and 1992, as well as two nuclear attacks on Japan during World War II. It is the only country to have used nuclear weapons in combat. The last US nuclear test explosion was in September 1992, a 20-kiloton underground detonation at the Nevada Nuclear Security Site. Then-president George H.W. Bush imposed a moratorium on further tests in October 1992 that has been continued by successive administrations. Nuclear testing was replaced by non-nuclear and subcritical experiments using advanced computer simulations. burs-sms-dk/mlm/sla/ane/cwl Trump stirs global tensions with surprise nuclear test order Washington, Oct 31 (AFP) Oct 31, 2025 US President Donald Trump's surprise directive to begin nuclear weapons testing provoked global criticism on Friday, as it raised the specter of renewed superpower tensions. The announcement on social media was issued just before Trump -- who boasts frequently about being a peace president -- went into a summit with Chinese leader Xi Jinping in South Korea. Trump's announcement left much unanswered -- chiefly whether he meant testing weapons systems or actually conducting test explosions, something the United States has not done since 1992. Key US foe Iran on Friday called the directive "regressive and irresponsible", adding that it was a threat to international security. "A nuclear-armed bully is resuming testing of atomic weapons. The same bully has been demonizing Iran's peaceful nuclear program," foreign minister Abbas Araghchi posted on social media. Japanese atomic bomb survivors group Nihon Hidankyo sent a letter of protest to the US embassy in Japan on Friday. The directive "directly contradicts the efforts by nations around the world striving for a peaceful world without nuclear weapons and is utterly unacceptable," the Nobel Peace Prize-winning group said in the letter obtained by AFP. - Global nuclear testing ban - Following Trump's meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, China's foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun urged the United States to "earnestly abide" by a global nuclear testing ban. China and the United States observe a de facto moratorium on testing nuclear warheads, though Russia and the United States regularly run military drills involving nuclear-capable systems. United Nations chief Antonio Guterres said through his deputy spokesman that "nuclear testing can never be permitted under any circumstances." The United States has been a signatory since 1996 to the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty, which bans all atomic test explosions, whether for military or civilian purposes. Vice President JD Vance said the US nuclear arsenal needed to be tested to ensure it actually "functions properly," but did not elaborate on what type of tests Trump had ordered. The president's statement "speaks for itself," Vance told reporters at the White House. "It's an important part of American national security to make sure that this nuclear arsenal we have actually functions properly, and that's part of a testing regime," he added. It came days after Russia declared it had tested nuclear-capable, nuclear-powered cruise missiles and sea drones. "Because of other countries testing programs, I have instructed the Department of War to start testing our Nuclear Weapons on an equal basis," Trump said on Truth Social earlier this week. Trump also claimed that the United States has more nuclear weapons than any other country. The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) said in its latest annual report that Russia possesses 5,489 nuclear warheads, compared to 5,177 for the United States and 600 for China. The Kremlin questioned whether Trump was well-informed about Russia's military activities. The recent weapons drills "cannot in any way be interpreted as a nuclear test," spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists. "We hope that the information was conveyed correctly to President Trump." Peskov then implied that Russia would conduct its own live warhead tests if Trump did it first. Further muddying the waters, Trump also repeated to reporters a previous claim that he wants negotiations with Russia and China on reducing nuclear weapons forces. "Denuclearization would be a tremendous thing," he said. - Last US test in 1992 - The United States conducted 1,054 nuclear tests between July 16, 1945, when the first was conducted in New Mexico, and 1992. Its two nuclear attacks on Japan during World War II make it the only country to have used the weapons in combat. The last US nuclear test explosion was in September 1992, a 20-kiloton underground detonation at the Nevada Nuclear Security Site. Then-president George H.W. Bush imposed a moratorium on further tests in October 1992 that has been continued by successive administrations. Nuclear testing was replaced by non-nuclear and subcritical experiments using advanced computer simulations. burs-sms-dk/mlm/sla/ane/cwl Chinese defence minister seeks 'trust' with US but cautions over Taiwan Kuala Lumpur, Oct 31 (AFP) Oct 31, 2025 China and the United States should build "trust" in order to co-exist, Beijing's defence minister said on Friday, but cautioned Washington about its "words and deeds" on Taiwan. Dong Jun met US counterpart Pete Hegseth on the sidelines of a Southeast Asian regional defence summit in Malaysia a day after Presidents Xi Jinping and Donald Trump met in South Korea. Trump and Xi did not discuss Taiwan on Thursday, the US leader said, but Dong told Hegseth the "unification of the two sides of the Taiwan Strait is an irresistible historical trend", according to a Chinese defence ministry readout. "The US side should be cautious in its words and deeds on the Taiwan issue and take a clear-cut stance firmly opposing 'Taiwan independence'," Dong said. China claims self-governing Taiwan as its territory. Under longstanding policy, the United States recognises only Beijing but provides weapons for the island's self-defence. The Chinese readout also said Dong told Hegseth that their respective defence departments "should take concrete actions to implement the consensus reached by the heads of state". He said they should also "strengthen policy-level dialogue to enhance trust and dispel uncertainty", and build a bilateral military relationship "characterised by equality, respect, peaceful coexistence and stable positive momentum". Hegseth described the meeting in the Malaysian capital as "good and constructive". "I highlighted the importance of maintaining a balance of power in the Indo-Pacific and emphasized U.S. concerns about China's activities in the South China Sea, around Taiwan, and towards U.S. allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific," Hegseth said in a post on social media platform X, using a US term for the Asia-Pacific region. - 'Not seeking conflict' - Hegseth warned this year that China was "credibly preparing" to use military force to upend the balance of power in Asia, remarks that drew a sharp rebuke from Beijing. "The threat China poses is real and it could be imminent," Hegseth said at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore in June that was attended by defence officials from around the world. China claims almost all of the South China Sea, despite overlapping claims with its neighbours. The US Navy has regularly sent ships to conduct "freedom of navigation" transits in the region, angering Beijing. Hegseth toned his comments down on Friday, saying that while the "United States does not seek conflict, it will continue to stoutly defend its interests and ensure it has the capabilities in the region to do so". Hegseth also met several other top officials at the ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting, a gathering of ministers from the 11-member bloc, including India's Rajnath Singh. He and Singh signed a 10-year deal that will see deeper cooperation between the two nations. India will also buy US military equipment including patrol planes, missiles and combat vehicles. "Our defence ties have never been stronger," said Hegseth, who will attend a meeting with ASEAN defence chiefs on Saturday. burs-jhe/pbt CORRECTED: Chinese defence minister seeks 'trust' with US but cautions over Taiwan Kuala Lumpur, Oct 31 (AFP) Oct 31, 2025 China and the United States should build "trust" in order to co-exist, Beijing's defence minister said on Friday, but cautioned Washington about its "words and deeds" on Taiwan. Dong Jun met US counterpart Pete Hegseth on the sidelines of a Southeast Asian regional defence summit in Malaysia a day after Presidents Xi Jinping and Donald Trump met in South Korea. Trump and Xi did not discuss Taiwan on Thursday, the US leader said, but Dong told Hegseth the "unification of the two sides of the Taiwan Strait is an irresistible historical trend", according to a Chinese defence ministry readout. "The US side should be cautious in its words and deeds on the Taiwan issue and take a clear-cut stance firmly opposing 'Taiwan independence'," Dong said. China claims self-governing Taiwan as its territory. Under longstanding policy, the United States recognises only Beijing but provides weapons for the island's self-defence. The Chinese readout also said Dong told Hegseth that their respective defence departments "should take concrete actions to implement the consensus reached by the heads of state". He said they should also "strengthen policy-level dialogue to enhance trust and dispel uncertainty", and build a bilateral military relationship "characterised by equality, respect, peaceful coexistence and stable positive momentum". Hegseth described the meeting in the Malaysian capital as "good and constructive". "I highlighted the importance of maintaining a balance of power in the Indo-Pacific and emphasized U.S. concerns about China's activities in the South China Sea, around Taiwan, and towards U.S. allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific," Hegseth said in a post on social media platform X, using a US term for the Asia-Pacific region. - 'Not seeking conflict' - Hegseth warned this year that China was "credibly preparing" to use military force to upend the balance of power in Asia, remarks that drew a sharp rebuke from Beijing. "The threat China poses is real and it could be imminent," Hegseth said at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore in late May that was attended by defence officials from around the world. China claims almost all of the South China Sea, despite overlapping claims with its neighbours. The US Navy has regularly sent ships to conduct "freedom of navigation" transits in the region, angering Beijing. Hegseth toned his comments down on Friday, saying that while the "United States does not seek conflict, it will continue to stoutly defend its interests and ensure it has the capabilities in the region to do so". Hegseth also met several other top officials at the ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting, a gathering of ministers from the 11-member bloc, including India's Rajnath Singh. He and Singh signed a 10-year deal that will see deeper cooperation between the two nations. India will also buy US military equipment including patrol planes, missiles and combat vehicles. "Our defence ties have never been stronger," said Hegseth, who will attend a meeting with ASEAN defence chiefs on Saturday. burs-jhe/rsc Trump stirs global tensions with surprise nuclear test order Washington, Oct 31 (AFP) Oct 31, 2025 US President Donald Trump's surprise directive to begin nuclear weapons testing provoked global criticism on Friday, as it raised the specter of renewed superpower tensions. The announcement on social media was issued just before Trump -- who boasts frequently about being a peace president -- went into a summit with Chinese leader Xi Jinping in South Korea. Trump's announcement left much unanswered -- chiefly whether he meant testing weapons systems or actually conducting test explosions, something the United States has not done since 1992. Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth defended Trump's directive as a "responsible" move. "We need to have a credible nuclear deterrent. That is the baseline of our deterrence," Hegseth told reporters on the sidelines of a Southeast Asian regional defense summit in Malaysia. "Having understanding and resuming testing is a pretty responsible, very responsible way to do that." US foe Iran called the directive "regressive and irresponsible", adding that it was a threat to international security. "A nuclear-armed bully is resuming testing of atomic weapons. The same bully has been demonizing Iran's peaceful nuclear program," foreign minister Abbas Araghchi posted on social media. Japanese atomic bomb survivors group Nihon Hidankyo sent a letter of protest to the US embassy in Japan. The directive "directly contradicts the efforts by nations around the world striving for a peaceful world without nuclear weapons and is utterly unacceptable," the Nobel Peace Prize-winning group said in the letter obtained by AFP. - Global nuclear testing ban - Following Trump's meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, China's foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun urged the United States to "earnestly abide" by a global nuclear testing ban. China and the United States observe a de facto moratorium on testing nuclear warheads, though Russia and the United States regularly run military drills involving nuclear-capable systems. United Nations chief Antonio Guterres said through a spokesman that "nuclear testing can never be permitted under any circumstances." The United States has been a signatory since 1996 to the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty, which bans all atomic test explosions, whether for military or civilian purposes. Vice President JD Vance said the US nuclear arsenal needed to be tested to ensure it actually "functions properly," but did not elaborate on what type of tests Trump had ordered. The president's statement "speaks for itself," Vance told reporters at the White House on Thursday. "It's an important part of American national security to make sure that this nuclear arsenal we have actually functions properly, and that's part of a testing regime," he added. The announcement came days after Russia declared it had tested nuclear-capable, nuclear-powered cruise missiles and sea drones. "Because of other countries testing programs, I have instructed the Department of War to start testing our Nuclear Weapons on an equal basis," Trump said on Truth Social earlier this week. Trump also claimed that the United States has more nuclear weapons than any other country. The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) said in its latest annual report that Russia possesses 5,459 nuclear warheads, compared to 5,177 for the United States and 600 for China. The Kremlin questioned whether Trump was well-informed about Russia's military activities. The recent weapons drills "cannot in any way be interpreted as a nuclear test," spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists. "We hope that the information was conveyed correctly to President Trump." Peskov then implied that Russia would conduct its own live warhead tests if Trump did it first. Further muddying the waters, Trump also repeated to reporters a previous claim that he wants negotiations with Russia and China on reducing nuclear weapons forces. "Denuclearization would be a tremendous thing," he said. - Last US test in 1992 - The United States conducted 1,054 nuclear tests between July 16, 1945, when the first was conducted in New Mexico, and 1992. Its two nuclear attacks on Japan during World War II make it the only country to have used the weapons in combat. The last US nuclear test explosion was in September 1992, a 20-kiloton underground detonation at the Nevada Nuclear Security Site. Then-president George H.W. Bush imposed a moratorium on further tests in October 1992 that has been continued by successive administrations. Nuclear testing was replaced by non-nuclear and subcritical experiments using advanced computer simulations. burs-sms-dk/cwl/md/tw Chinese defence minister seeks 'trust' with US but cautions over Taiwan Kuala Lumpur, Oct 31 (AFP) Oct 31, 2025 China and the United States should build "trust" in order to co-exist, Beijing's defence minister said on Friday, but cautioned Washington about its "words and deeds" on Taiwan. Dong Jun met US counterpart Pete Hegseth on the sidelines of a Southeast Asian regional defence summit in Malaysia, a day after leaders Xi Jinping and Donald Trump held talks in South Korea. Trump and Xi did not discuss Taiwan on Thursday, the US president said, but Dong told Hegseth the "unification of the two sides of the Taiwan Strait is an irresistible historical trend", according to a Chinese defence ministry readout. "The US side should be cautious in its words and deeds on the Taiwan issue and take a clear-cut stance firmly opposing 'Taiwan independence'," Dong said. China claims self-governing Taiwan as its territory. Under longstanding policy, the United States recognises only Beijing but provides weapons for the island's self-defence. The Chinese statement also said Dong told Hegseth that their respective defence departments "should take concrete actions to implement the consensus reached by the heads of state". He said they should also "strengthen policy-level dialogue to enhance trust and dispel uncertainty", and build a bilateral military relationship "characterised by equality, respect, peaceful coexistence and stable positive momentum". Hegseth described the meeting in the Malaysian capital as "good and constructive". "I highlighted the importance of maintaining a balance of power in the Indo-Pacific and emphasized U.S. concerns about China's activities in the South China Sea, around Taiwan, and towards U.S. allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific," Hegseth said in a post on social media platform X, using a US term for the Asia-Pacific region. But he later told journalists: "I said to Admiral Dong as well, our position on Taiwan remains unchanged, and President Trump has said that as well." - US 'does not seek conflict' - Hegseth warned earlier this year that China was "credibly preparing" to use military force to upend the balance of power in Asia, remarks that drew a sharp rebuke from Beijing. "The threat China poses is real and it could be imminent," Hegseth said at the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore in late May which was attended by defence officials from around the world. China claims almost all of the South China Sea, despite overlapping claims with its neighbours. The US Navy has regularly sent ships to conduct "freedom of navigation" transits in the region, angering Beijing. Hegseth toned his comments down on Friday, saying that while the "United States does not seek conflict, it will continue to stoutly defend its interests and ensure it has the capabilities in the region to do so". - Shared concerns - But he later told Philippines Defence Minister Gilbert Teodoro that Washington shared Manila's "concerns about China's coercion in the South China Sea, particularly recently in the Scarborough Shoal." Last month, the Philippine government said one person was wounded when a water cannon attack by a China Coast Guard vessel shattered a window on the bridge of a fisheries bureau ship near the shoal. China seized control of the fish-rich shoal from the Philippines after a lengthy standoff in 2012. Teodoro called China's actions "illegal", adding areas Beijing claimed were "deep within our exclusive economic zone and historically known as part of the Philippines." Hegseth also met several other top officials at a gathering of defence ministers from the 11-member ASEAN regional bloc, which was also attended by India's Rajnath Singh. He and Singh signed a 10-year deal that will see deeper cooperation between the two nations. India will also buy US military hardware. "Our defence ties have never been stronger," said Hegseth. burs-jhe/rsc X NEW YORK, Oct. 31 (Xinhua) -- "As a Chinese musician leading a conservatory in the United States, I often feel I carry a unique advantage: the thoughts of our ancestors and the legacy of great artists flow before me," said Tan Dun, dean of the Bard College Conservatory of Music. This spirit of cultural integration culminated on Wednesday evening, as the Bard Conservatory celebrated its 20th anniversary with a sold-out concert at Lincoln Center's Alice Tully Hall, New York. The program, titled "Innovation and Legacy: An Anniversary Celebration with the Bard Conservatory Orchestra," was more than a performance -- it was a profound musical dialogue across eras and cultures. In a powerful parallel, President of Bard College Leon Botstein conducted Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, while Tan led the North American premiere of his own Choral Concerto: Nine -- a contemporary response to Beethoven's iconic final symphony. From the stage, Botstein reflected on the mission behind the conservatory and the timing of this celebration: "We always wanted to foreground how significant music is, in a time when politics and the human connection between nations and cultures are so fractured." "Music is the one place in which people without a common language or heritage can forge constructive relationships, affections, and exchange ideas. It (Music) is the last stand of unity, humanity and intimacy among peoples," he said. Tan echoed this vision, emphasizing Bard's unique multicultural identity: "In many ways, China and Bard feel connected at a spiritual and cultural level." "Bard's educational philosophy embraces diversity: the dialogue between East and West, the ancient and the future, all woven together," he observed. This philosophy came alive in Tan's Choral Concerto: Nine, a piece that embodied his commitment to bridging Eastern and Western traditions. Originally commissioned for the 250th anniversary of Beethoven's birth in 2020, the piece's premiere was delayed by the pandemic. During that time, Tan expanded his original concept into the three-movement work performed at the concert. Scored for the same vocal, choral and orchestral forces as Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, the two pieces are designed to be programmed together. In a coincidence, Nine premiered in 2024, the 200th anniversary of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, in Weikersheim, Germany. The dialogue between the pieces was not lost on the audience. For violinist Song Yangxin, a graduate of Bard Conservatory's undergraduate double-degree program now pursuing a master's at The Juilliard School in New York, the experience was deeply personal. "For me, the first half was particularly fascinating," she said. "At the beginning, there were no lyrics, and later I heard chanting that reminded me of temple prayers. When I checked the program notes, I realized Tan Dun had incorporated Taoist and Buddhist elements, while also referencing Beethoven's Ninth Symphony." Audience member Chen Minggui praised Tan Dun's work as something that "perfectly embodies the modern allure of the new East." With 205 performers on stage, the hall was filled with a palpable sense of community, as audience members connected to Bard came to celebrate this milestone. Dr. Sanford Friedman, a Bard Music Festival Board Member, paid tribute to the architect of the evening's intercultural dialogue. "Tan Dun is an amazing composer." "He invents new sounds, but they're always appropriate," Friedman said. "They come from the soul." Israel's top military lawyer quits over leaked video of Palestinian detainee abuse Jerusalem, Oct 31 (AFP) Oct 31, 2025 The Israeli military said its top lawyer resigned on Friday during an investigation into a leaked video appearing to show soldiers severely abusing a Palestinian detainee. The case triggered international outrage and protests within Israel, and focused on footage taken at the Sde Teiman military base in southern Israel last year. Sde Teiman has been used to hold Gazans since the start of the war in the Palestinian territory, sparked by Hamas's October 7, 2023 attack on Israel. "The Military Advocate General, MG Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi, submitted a request this morning to conclude her position," a military statement said, without specifying the reasons for her resignation. "The Chief of the General Staff is confident that a thorough and truthful inquiry will be conducted regarding the matters discussed," the statement added. Earlier this week, it was announced that a criminal investigation had been launched into the leaking of footage from Sde Teiman appearing to show the abuse by soldiers. The Israeli military said in February that it had filed charges against five reservist soldiers connected with the mistreatment. The statement said they were charged with "acting against the detainee with severe violence, including stabbing the detainee's bottom with a sharp object, which had penetrated near the detainee's rectum". It added "the acts of violence have caused severe physical injury to the detainee, including cracked ribs, a punctured lung and an inner rectal tear". The case was brought before the military justice system after the release of the video. According to a copy of the military prosecutor's resignation letter published by Israeli media on Friday, Tomer-Yerushalmi acknowledged that her office had released information to the media after politically motivated protests tried to thwart the investigation into the abuse. "The IDF is a moral and law-abiding army, and therefore, even during a painful and prolonged war, it must investigate illegal acts," the resignation letter said. Defence Minister Israel Katz welcomed the resignation as "a good thing" on Friday. "Those who slander IDF soldiers have no place in the army," he said, according to a statement from his office. In October 2024, a UN commission found thousands of detainees were subjected to "widespread and systematic abuse" in Israeli military camps and detention facilities that amounted to a "war crime and crime against humanity of torture". Israel called the accusations "outrageous", adding it was "fully committed to international legal standards regarding the treatment of detainees". British army ex-officer jailed for soldier's sexual assault London, Oct 31 (AFP) Oct 31, 2025 A former British Army senior officer was sentenced to six months in prison on Friday for sexually assaulting a young woman soldier who later died by suicide. Jaysley Beck, 19, had complained to superiors in July 2021 that Michael Webber, then a battery sergeant major, had sexually assaulted her. Webber, now 43, later wrote Beck an apology letter, but her complaint was not taken forward or reported to police. Royal Artillery Gunner Beck was found hanged in her room at the army camp in December 2021. The British army apologised earlier this year after a coroner condemned its handling of the complaint. The army's failure to take sufficient action made a "more than minimal" contribution to Beck's death, an inquest into her death concluded this year. The inquest was also told that Beck had been subjected to intense harassment from a different superior in the months between the incident and her death. "Your career continued completely unaffected and you were in due course promoted," Judge Alan Large told Webber, handing down the sentence at a military court in southern England. Webber will spend half his sentence in custody -- so three months -- and be placed on the sex offenders' register for seven years, the judge said. "Today's sentencing does not diminish the profound loss felt by her family, friends and the wider community, but it does represent an important step on the journey to justice," veterans minister Louise Sandher-Jones said in a statement Friday. A spokesperson told reporters after the sentencing that the army was "profoundly sorry for the failings". But Beck's mother, Leighann McCready, said the army statement was "empty words", and that "no sentence will be enough" to compensate for the loss of her daughter, according to the BBC. Trump stirs global tensions with surprise nuclear test order Washington, Oct 31 (AFP) Oct 31, 2025 US President Donald Trump's surprise directive to begin nuclear weapons testing provoked global criticism Friday amid fears of renewed superpower tensions. The announcement came in the wake of Russia saying it had tested a nuclear-powered and nuclear-capable torpedo, as well as a new cruise missile. But Trump sparked confusion as well as concern, with no clarity on whether he was ordering testing of US nuclear-capable systems or actual test blasts -- something the country has not done for three decades. Iran, which has been in conflict with the United States for years over its controversial nuclear projects, called the directive "regressive and irresponsible." "A nuclear-armed bully is resuming testing of atomic weapons. The same bully has been demonizing Iran's peaceful nuclear program," Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi posted on social media. And Japanese atomic bomb survivors group Nihon Hidankyo sent a letter of protest to the US embassy in Japan. The order "directly contradicts the efforts by nations around the world striving for a peaceful world without nuclear weapons and is utterly unacceptable," the Nobel Peace Prize-winning group said in the letter obtained by AFP. Trump pointedly made the nuclear tests announcement Thursday, minutes before he entered a summit with Chinese leader Xi Jinping in South Korea. "Because of other countries testing programs, I have instructed the Department of War to start testing our Nuclear Weapons on an equal basis," Trump posted on Truth Social. - 'Pretty responsible' - Amid expressions of concern abroad and among some in the US Congress, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said "resuming testing is a pretty responsible, very responsible" policy. Vice President JD Vance said the US nuclear arsenal needed to be tested to ensure it actually "functions properly." Yet he too did not elaborate on what type of tests Trump had ordered. China's foreign ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun urged the United States to "earnestly abide" by a global nuclear testing ban. United Nations chief Antonio Guterres said through a spokesman that "nuclear testing can never be permitted under any circumstances." The United States has been a signatory since 1996 to the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty, which bans all atomic test explosions, whether for military or civilian purposes. - Russia pushes back - Russia pushed back against any idea that its recent weapons tests could justify a return to live test explosions. And the Kremlin questioned whether Trump was well-informed. The recent weapons drills "cannot in any way be interpreted as a nuclear test," spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists. "We hope that the information was conveyed correctly to President Trump." Peskov then implied that Russia would conduct its own live warhead tests if Trump did it first. Further muddying the waters, Trump also repeated to reporters a previous claim that he wants negotiations with Russia and China on reducing nuclear weapons forces. "Denuclearization would be a tremendous thing," he said. According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, the Russian stockpile of deployed and stored warheads is 4,309, compared to 3,700 for the United States and 600 for China -- figures that don't take into account hundreds of other warheads scheduled for dismantling. - Last US test in 1992 - The United States conducted 1,054 nuclear tests between July 16, 1945, when the first was conducted in New Mexico, and 1992. Its two nuclear attacks on Japan during World War II make it the only country to have used the weapons in combat. The last US nuclear test explosion was in September 1992, a 20-kiloton underground detonation at the Nevada Nuclear Security Site. Then-president George H.W. Bush imposed a moratorium on further tests in October 1992 that has been continued by successive administrations. Nuclear testing was replaced by non-nuclear and subcritical experiments using advanced computer simulations. burs-sms/md Trump says not considering US strikes on Venezuela Washington, Oct 31 (AFP) Oct 31, 2025 President Donald Trump said Friday he is not considering strikes on Venezuela, which fears a major US military buildup in the region is aimed at regime change in Caracas. The United States has deployed eight US Navy ships to the Caribbean, sent F-35 stealth warplanes to Puerto Rico and an aircraft carrier strike group is en route to the region -- a massive military force that Washington insists is aimed at curbing drug trafficking. "No," Trump responded when asked by a journalist aboard Air Force One about reports that he was considering such strikes. Washington began a campaign of strikes targeting alleged drug smuggling vessels in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific in early September that has killed at least 62 people and destroyed 14 boats and a semi-submersible. The Trump administration casts the small boats as a threat to US national security because of the drugs they allegedly carry, but experts say the strikes amount to extrajudicial killings even if they target known traffickers. In addition to the military assets deployed in the region, Washington has carried out multiple shows of force with B-52 and B-1B bombers flying near Venezuela's coast, the most recent of which took place on Monday. Regional tensions have flared as a result of the strikes and the military buildup, with Venezuela saying the United States is plotting to overthrow President Nicolas Maduro, who has accused Washington of "fabricating a war." Trump's nuclear testing order risks expanded arms race Washington, Oct 31 (AFP) Oct 31, 2025 By ordering a resumption of nuclear testing, US President Donald Trump risks an expanded arms race that could benefit China, experts say -- something especially concerning given the shaky status of international arms control efforts. Trump caught the world by surprise when he announced the order just hours before meeting with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping in South Korea, saying Washington would start testing nuclear weapons "on an equal basis" with Moscow and Beijing. "We are already in the midst of a three-way arms race among Russia, the United States, and China," said William Hartung of the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft. "A resumption in testing of nuclear warheads would make this unstable situation worse, possibly far worse," he said. Trump said US testing would begin "immediately," drawing pushback from both China and Russia. Beijing expressed its hope that Washington would respect its obligations under the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty and "take concrete actions to safeguard the global nuclear disarmament and nonproliferation system." And Moscow, which recently tested nuclear-powered and nuclear-capable weapons -- the Burevestnik cruise missile and the Poseidon underwater drone -- insisted that those moves did not constitute a direct test of an atomic weapon. - China would benefit - But it seems that Pandora's box has been opened. "By foolishly announcing his intention to resume nuclear testing, Trump will trigger strong international opposition that could unleash a chain reaction of nuclear testing by US adversaries, and blow apart the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty," Arms Control Association Executive Director Daryl Kimball said in a statement. Doreen Horschig of the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) meanwhile said that "the only one who would benefit from nuclear warhead testing would be China, because they haven't done as many as Russia and the US." According to experts, China is developing its nuclear arsenal at a rapid pace, but still remains far behind the United States and Russia, the world's two leading nuclear powers. The Pentagon warned last year that China moving faster than anticipated on nuclear arms, particularly in regard to the development of operational warheads. As of early 2025, China had a total of 600 warheads, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. - 'Big risk' - International nuclear arms control efforts have meanwhile suffered setbacks. The latest arms control agreement between Washington and Moscow -- known as New Start, which limited each party to 1,550 deployed strategic offensive warheads and includes a currently suspended verification mechanism -- will expire in February 2026. Russia has proposed extending the agreement for a year, but has not mentioned any inspections of arsenals. Asked in October about the issue, Trump responded that extending the deal "sounds like a good idea to me," but the US government has yet to give an indication of what it plans to do. In July, the Republican leader also said that "we are starting to work on that" issue, noting that it "is a big problem for the world when you take off nuclear restrictions." The United States also withdrew in 2019 from a major 1987 disarmament treaty on intermediate-range nuclear forces. Aside from North Korea, no state has officially conducted an explosive nuclear test in three decades, but countries including the United States regularly test their delivery systems such as missiles and warplanes. Horschig said that as far as nuclear weapons themselves, "everything is done now through computational testing." "The US is far ahead of Russia and China on how much data it has from this, so it really doesn't need it at the moment," she said of explosive testing. "None of them actually want to return to testing, but because they're thinking the other is preparing for testing, then that's how we end up testing. So that's the big risk involved at the moment," Horschig added. Lebanon accuses Israel of responding to negotiation offer by 'intensifying' attacks Beirut, Lebanon, Oct 31 (AFP) Oct 31, 2025 Lebanese President Joseph Aoun on Friday accused Israel of responding to its offer to negotiate by intensifying its air strikes, the latest of which killed two people in south Lebanon. Despite a November 2024 ceasefire with the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, Israel maintains troops in five areas in southern Lebanon and has kept up regular air strikes. Aoun had called for negotiations with Israel in mid-October, after US President Donald Trump brokered a ceasefire in Gaza. "Lebanon is ready for negotiations to end the Israeli occupation, but any negotiation... requires mutual willingness, which is not the case," Aoun said on Friday. Israel "is responding to this option by carrying out more attacks against Lebanon... and intensifying tensions", he added during a meeting with German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul. Wadephul offered his support, stating that he would urge his Israeli counterpart Gideon Saar to withdraw Israeli troops from southern Lebanon. "Israel must withdraw. I understand that Israel has security needs... But in fact, we now need a process of mutual trust-building," the German minister said. Wadephul also encouraged the Lebanese government to ensure there is "a credible, transparent and rapid process of disarming Hezbollah". He acknowledged that is "a mammoth task" but contended it is "a basic prerequisite for this country to experience stability and for there to be no further conflict with Israel". Lebanon's health ministry said two Israeli strikes on Friday killed two people in the south of the country. Earlier Lebanon's official National News Agency (NNA) said an Israeli drone targeted a man on a motorbike in the village of Kunin. The Israeli military said it had killed "a Hezbollah maintenance officer" who was working to reestablish the Iran-backed group's infrastructure sites in southern Lebanon. The strike came a day after the Israeli military killed a municipal worker in a raid in the Lebanese border village of Blida. Aoun ordered the army on Thursday to confront such incursions. Hezbollah first began launching cross-border fire at Israel following the outbreak of the war in Gaza in October 2023, kicking off a more than year-long conflict that culminated in two months of open war before last year's ceasefire was agreed. Israel, however, has never stopped carrying out air strikes on Lebanon -- usually saying it is targeting Hezbollah positions -- and has stepped up the attacks in recent days. Israeli attacks on Lebanon have killed at least 25 people in October, including one Syrian, according to an AFP toll based on figures from the Lebanese health ministry. On Tuesday, the spokesman for the UN rights commission, Jeremy Laurence, said Israeli forces had killed 111 civilians in Lebanon since the ceasefire went into effect. Lebanese Foreign Minister Youssef Raggi asked his visiting German counterpart on Friday to "help put pressure on Israel to stop its attacks". "Only a diplomatic solution, not a military one, can ensure stability and guarantee calm in the south," Raggi was quoted by the NNA as saying. He added that "the Lebanese government is continuing to gradually implement its decision to place all weapons under its control". Hezbollah was badly weakened during the war, and the United States has intensified pressure on Lebanese authorities to disarm the group. Hezbollah and its allies oppose the plan. SentinelOne generated $242.2 million in revenue during its fiscal 2026 second quarter (ended July 31), which was up 22% from the year-ago period. The result was driven by high-spending customers, with the number of enterprises with an annual contract value of at least $100,000 jumping by 23%. Earlier this year, SentinelOne upgraded the assistant and renamed it Purple AI Athena. It now uses advanced reasoning to identify, analyze, and remediate threats just like a security operations analyst, in order to thwart more attacks in real time. The goal is to continue reducing the number of incidents that require manual intervention by a human manager, which will ultimately result in fewer successful breaches. SentinelOne's Singularity platform blocks attacks at machine speed, often within seconds. But in the event of a successful breach, features like one-click rollback allow managers to instantly restore networks to their pre-breach state once the incident is contained. The platform's integrated virtual assistant, Purple AI, can also reduce the time it takes to find the root cause of the breach, so vulnerabilities can be patched much faster. On average, large companies deal with over 1,000 cybersecurity alerts and incidents every single day, and more than half are left uninvestigated because human managers are simply overwhelmed. Automation is the only way forward, and AI is powering the transition. The Wall Street Journal tracks 38 analysts who cover SentinelOne stock, and the majority have assigned it a buy rating, with none recommending selling. Here's why they are right to be bullish. SentinelOne stock is down 76% from its 2021 record high, when a frenzy in the technology sector drove its valuation to a completely unsustainable level. However, according to Wall Street, it might be a great buy at the current level. SentinelOne (NYSE: S) developed a cybersecurity platform called Singularity, which protects the entire enterprise, from cloud networks to endpoints (computers and devices). It uses artificial intelligence (AI) to autonomously identify and neutralize threats, which reduces the burden on human cybersecurity managers. It's growing its revenue faster than its competitors, and its new Flex subscription option could accelerate that trend. The company recently raised its full-year revenue forecast for fiscal 2026 on the back of a strong second-quarter result. Story Continues The solid result prompted management to increase its full-year revenue forecast for fiscal 2026, from $998.5 million to $1 billion at the midpoint of the guidance range. But things might get even better from here. During the second quarter, SentinelOne launched a new subscription option called Flex, which will allow customers to adjust their deployments as their needs change without signing an entirely new contract. For example, instead of initiating a separate purchase agreement to try out a new Singularity module, the Flex subscription would allow the enterprise to shift some of its existing spending to accommodate it. Other cybersecurity providers like CrowdStrike have had enormous success with this subscription format, because it encourages more spending in the long run by enticing customers to constantly try different products. As a result, Flex adoption is likely to be front and center for Wall Street analysts when SentinelOne releases its operating results for the fiscal third quarter (ending Oct. 31) in late November. SentinelOne stock looks like a bargain compared to its peers Twenty-two of the 38 analysts who cover SentinelOne stock rate it a buy, according to The Wall Street Journal. Two others are in the overweight (bullish) camp, while the remaining 14 recommend holding. None recommend selling. The analysts have an average price target of $23.65, which implies the stock could gain 34% over the next 12 to 18 months. The Street-high target of $30 points to even more potential upside of 70%. I think both of those targets could be realistic given SentinelOne's current valuation. Its stock is trading at a price-to-sales (P/S) ratio of 6.2 as I write this, making it significantly cheaper than its peers in the AI-powered cybersecurity space, which includes CrowdStrike, Palo Alto Networks, and Zscaler: To be clear, SentinelOne is the smallest of the four providers as measured by market capitalization and annual revenue. However, it's currently growing slightly faster than each of them. Its 22% revenue growth in the recent quarter was faster than CrowdStrike's growth of 21%, Zscaler's growth of 21%, and Palo Alto Networks' growth of 16%. This suggests SentinelOne might be slowly taking market share, and new initiatives like the Flex subscription could accelerate the current trend. As a result, I think Wall Street's bullish consensus on the stock is justified, so it could be a great buy for investors who want some exposure to the cybersecurity space. Should you invest $1,000 in SentinelOne right now? Before you buy stock in SentinelOne, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now and SentinelOne wasnt one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, youd have $594,569!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, youd have $1,232,286!* Now, its worth noting Stock Advisors total average return is 1,065% a market-crushing outperformance compared to 196% for the S&P 500. Don't miss the latest top 10 list, available with Stock Advisor, and join an investing community built by individual investors for individual investors. See the 10 stocks *Stock Advisor returns as of October 27, 2025 Anthony Di Pizio has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends CrowdStrike, SentinelOne, and Zscaler. The Motley Fool recommends Palo Alto Networks. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. 1 No-Brainer Artificial Intelligence (AI) Stock Down 76% to Buy Hand Over Fist, According to Wall Street was originally published by The Motley Fool Asset manager 21Shares US LLC has filed a new S-1 registration statement with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for the 21Shares Hyperliquid ETF, a fund designed to track the US dollar price performance and staking yield of HYPE, the native token of the Hyperliquid network. The filing follows 21Shares growing push into DeFi-focused ETFs, following recent filings for Injective (INJ) and leveraged HYPE exposure. 21Shares Expands Its DeFi ETF Lineup The 21Shares Hyperliquid ETF, structured as a Delaware statutory trust, seeks to offer institutional investors exposure to HYPEs market performance and staking rewards, minus management fees and liabilities. Coinbase Custody and BitGo Trust will serve as custodians, ensuring secure cold storage of the funds HYPE holdings. According to the filing, the ETF will not employ leverage or derivatives. Instead, it will passively track HYPEs price through a benchmark that aggregates data from major exchanges. 21Shares may also stake a portion of the funds HYPE through vetted staking providers or via liquid staking tokens, should regulatory clarity allow. The filing also details that the ETFs shares will be created and redeemed through authorized participants in exchange for HYPE or equivalent cash value. The inclusion of a HYPE Counterparty to facilitate these transactions indicates a design similar to existing Bitcoin and Ethereum ETFs. This HYPE ETF filing follows 21Shares earlier October submission for a 2x Long HYPE ETF, a leveraged product aiming to deliver double the daily returns of HYPE. If approved, it would become the first US-listed leveraged ETF tracking a live DeFi protocol, using derivatives instead of direct token holdings. Also, earlier this month, 21Shares also filed for a spot Injective (INJ) ETF. HYPE Price Analysis: Breakout or Pause Ahead? HYPE is currently trading around $49.38, up 3.5% on the day, with the Bollinger Bands widening. The RSI at 62.5 suggests moderate bullish momentum, while the MACD histogram continues to print higher bars. The token has reclaimed the mid-Bollinger band and is now testing resistance near $49$50. A daily close above this range could open a path toward the upper band at $55, followed by $61 if momentum sustains. On the other hand, immediate support lies at $44, with stronger demand expected around $40, the mid-October accumulation zone. With the ETF filing, HYPE could very well be the best crypto to buy in 2025. Read original story 21Shares Files S-1 to Debut HYPE ETF, Comeback Soon? by Parth Dubey at Coinspeaker.com At the end of the book she mentions other men whom she was too frightened to name, and I dont know if the book was redacted on the advice of lawyers before publication. She writes, There are certain men who I fear naming. The man who brutally raped me towards the end of my time with Epstein and Maxwell the man whom Ive called the former minister I fear that this man will seek to hurt me if I say his name here. And later, she adds: I have fears about another manwhom I was forced to have sex with many times. I would love to identify him here. But this man is very wealthy and very powerful. A report by the Institute for Government last week warned that further early release measures for prisoners may be necessary to prevent prisons from running out of space again. It described the criminal justice system as being in a slow-motion collapse, with issues particularly severe within the prison system. A second meeting means we can continue to make progress on the issues that matter to renters. We want to see the council endorse the reintroduction of rent controls, so the government is pushed to legislate on this and give private tenants some relief. We want a chance to discuss the councils new developments so we know they are maximising the numbers of council homes. And we want the council to improve their procedures and customer service so homeless families are treated with compassion. As I say, we will have British negotiators on the ground in Washington in the coming days, if the First Minister is supportive of those efforts, I actively welcome that, because what matters most is that we get those tariffs cut and we get support for the Scotch whisky industry as we did in India and as we hope to do in the coming days in the United States. The FCDO has urged all British nationals in Jamaica to register their presence and use commercial flights as their first port of call to leave the country in the wake of the storm, which officials say has left at least 19 people dead. I would love the opportunity to tell my sisters story to the palace, because when you see somebody face to face, its one thing to see somebody on a camera, but when you see them face to face, we could really express that emotion and really get across the story that not only she holds, but also so many survivors out there. Allow Google Search To use the search feature, we need your consent to load Google Custom Search, which may use cookies or similar technologies. Please click 'Allow and Continue' below to enable search. See our privacy policy for more information. Allow and Continue They said, Its not what you think, but I was like, It is what I think. I kicked everyone out - including his mum and dad. They went back to Ireland and his dad said, He doesnt get it from me. I remember thinking that was quite a weird thing to say. HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 01: Justin Timberlake performs onstage during the 2024 iHeartRadio Music Awards at Dolby Theatre on April 01, 2024 in Hollywood, California. Amy Sussman/Getty Images Austins restaurant scene is about to get a little more "Cry Me a River" chic. Pop star Justin Timberlake and restaurateur Sam Fox are teaming up again this time in Texas. According to the Austin Business Journal, the duos Nashville hotspot The Twelve Thirty Club is headed to 210 W. Sixth St., landing inside the citys old post office building next to the new Indeed Tower. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The space all 30,000 square feet of it has been mostly restored on the outside but gutted within, setting the stage for whats likely to be a dramatic glow-up. The Nashville version, which opened in 2021, is basically a three-story fever dream of live music, moody lighting and midcentury supper club energy. Fox, whose Fox Restaurant Concepts empire sold to The Cheesecake Factory in 2019, brought Timberlake into the mix for the Nashville debut. The space there seems to ooze countrypolitan style. The design was inspired by the blend that defined 1970s Nashville, a vibe that feels kind of perfect for modern-day Austin. If the team stays true to form in Austin, diners can expect a mix of steakhouse indulgence, live music and dramatic lighting that makes everyone look just a little more famous than they are. Advertisement Article continues below this ad As for the Nashville menu? Think lobster spaghetti, maple-glazed short ribs, truffle cheese bread and cocktails with names like Smoked Peach Sour. Its giving "Mad Men" meets honky tonk, and soon, Austin will get its turn. Accenture plc (NYSE:ACN) is included among the 13 Most Undervalued Dividend Stocks to Buy According to Wall Street Analysts. Accenture (ACN) Gets Neutral Rating from Citi, Announces Investment in AI Firm Lyzr Photo by Dan Dennis on Unsplash Accenture plc (NYSE:ACN) is a global professional services firm offering consulting, technology, digital, and operational solutions to businesses across various industries. It is among the most undervalued dividend stocks according to analysts. On October 23, Citi began coverage of Accenture plc (NYSE:ACN) with a Neutral rating and a $266 price target. The firm noted that demand for IT services remains subdued, with limited discretionary spending, though growth from Accentures ecosystem partners is helping to offset some of that weakness. In other news, on October 29, Accenture plc (NYSE:ACN) announced an investment in Lyzr, an AI company that has built a full-stack enterprise agent infrastructure platform. Through Accenture Ventures, the two firms plan to collaborate on bringing agentic AI solutions to clients in the banking, insurance, and financial services sectors. By integrating Lyzrs AI-driven tools, Accenture aims to help businesses uncover new efficiencies, enhance workflows, and reshape how they serve customers. Accenture plc (NYSE:ACN) also remains appealing to income-focused investors, having increased its dividend payouts for 15 consecutive years. The stock has a dividend yield of 2.63%, as of October 29. While we acknowledge the potential of ACN as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If youre looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock. READ NEXT: 10 Best Dividend Stocks Under $10 to Invest in and 11 Best FTSE Dividend Stocks to Buy Right Now Disclosure: None. Alejandra Ruiz, left, and Marta Martinez with her six-month-old son, Emmanuel Romero, pick up groceries at a food distribution at El Buen Samaritano Episcopal Mission on Thursday, Oct. 30, 2025. The federal government shutdown has exhausted funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, threatening food security for thousands of Central Texans. Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman As the federal government shutdown drags on, nearly 3.5 million Texans including hundreds of thousands in Central Texas could lose access to food assistance when SNAP funding runs out Saturday. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, provides monthly grocery benefits to low-income households. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has warned that benefits will stop at the start of November unless Congress restores funding the first time in the programs six-decade history that payments would completely halt. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The shutdown, largely triggered by a dispute over health care subsidies, is now rippling through key federal programs, putting millions of families at risk of hunger. "Bottom line, the well has run dry. At this time, there will be no benefits issued November 01," the USDA states on its website. Local food banks are bracing for a surge in demand. The Central Texas Food Bank, an Austin-based hunger-relief nonprofit that serves 21 counties, and its 250 partner agencies are preparing to feed thousands more families if SNAP benefits stop. Food banks bear the burden El Buen Samaritano Episcopal Mission food pantry coordinator Rosa Carroll gets ready for a food distribution event on Thursday, Oct. 30, 2025. The federal government shutdown has exhausted funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, threatening food security for thousands of Central Texans. Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman The Central Texas Food Bank anticipated a SNAP funding crisis even before the USDA made its announcement. The organization prepared for a similar situation during the 2018 government shutdown, when the program was narrowly rescued by $3 billion in contingency funds and early benefit disbursements. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Statesman Logo Want more Statesman? Make us a Preferred Source on Google to see more of us when you search. Add Preferred Source With that close call in mind, the food bank began preparing weeks ago when the latest shutdown began. It added new distribution sites in areas with high SNAP enrollment and increased the amount of food sent to existing locations. Were trying to dispel myths, were trying to inform our partner agencies, we are trying to increase the amount of food that we provide and we are trying to increase the number of distributions, said Sari Vatske, food bank president and CEO. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Normally, food distributions happen early in the day, but Vatske said the organization has added nighttime options to reach more people. Across the food bank's service area, 270,000 people qualify for SNAP subsidies, Vatske said. In Travis, Hays and Williamson counties alone, more than 130,000 people including 65,000 children depend on the program, according to the latest Texas Health and Human Services Commission data. SNAP can be used to buy groceries, including produce, meat, dairy, grains, snacks and seeds for growing food. Loading... The Central Texas Food Bank and its partners typically serve about 90,000 people each week, roughly 30% of whom receive SNAP. Vatske said demand from those households is already climbing and will likely surge after this week. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Weve already started to see an uptick, but the first week that people will lose their benefits is Nov. 1, so we anticipate well start to see the mass increase starting Monday, Vatske said. Not only will we see additional people, but well see them more frequently. Mind the gap Volunteers Pilar Franco and Ron Bolek work at a food distribution event at El Buen Samaritano Episcopal Mission on Thursday, Oct. 30, 2025. The federal government shutdown has exhausted funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, threatening food security for thousands of Central Texans. Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman More than $24 million in SNAP benefits are distributed in the Austin area each month, according to state data. Across the Central Texas Food Bank's service area, that total climbs to about $44 million an average of roughly $350 per household. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Rosa Carroll, food pantry coordinator at El Buen Samaritano Episcopal Mission, works at a food distribution event on Thursday, Oct. 30, 2025. The federal government shutdown has exhausted funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, threatening food security for thousands of Central Texans. Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman Gabriel Trichell picks up groceries at a food distribution at El Buen Samaritano Episcopal Mission on Thursday, Oct. 30, 2025. The federal government shutdown has exhausted funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, threatening food security for thousands of Central Texans. Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman Volunteers Holly Herstad and her daughter Anna, 16, prepare food kits at a distribution event at El Buen Samaritano Episcopal Mission on Thursday, Oct. 30, 2025. The federal government shutdown has exhausted funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, threatening food security for thousands of Central Texans. Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman Volunteer Ron Bolek works at a food distribution event at El Buen Samaritano Episcopal Mission on Thursday, Oct. 30, 2025. The federal government shutdown has exhausted funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, threatening food security for thousands of Central Texans. Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman Volunteers Ron Bolek and Pilar Franco work at a food distribution event at El Buen Samaritano Episcopal Mission on Thursday, Oct. 30, 2025. The federal government shutdown has exhausted funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, threatening food security for thousands of Central Texans. Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman Anita McAllister waits in her car at a food distribution event at El Buen Samaritano Episcopal Mission on Thursday, Oct. 30, 2025. The federal government shutdown has exhausted funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, threatening food security for thousands of Central Texans. Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman Volunteer Len Moser prepares food kits for at a distribution event at El Buen Samaritano Episcopal Mission on Thursday, Oct. 30, 2025. The federal government shutdown has exhausted funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, threatening food security for thousands of Central Texans. Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman Without SNAP, families will turn to food pantries for help. But covering that shortfall, Vatske said, is impossible. There is no way that the food bank can make up for that kind of money lost, Vatske said. The food bank alone, no matter how much we fundraise, cannot make up for $44 million a month. We absolutely need the government to reopen. Typically, food banks across Texas and the country rely on one another during local crises such as hurricanes or floods. But a nationwide SNAP halt would leave every region facing the same challenge. Advertisement Article continues below this ad For a government shutdown, were all in the same boat, Vatske said. Every service area has to figure it out for themselves. The Central Texas Food Bank spent about $1.1 million per month on food purchases last year, a figure that rose to $1.3 million per month this year. Now, Vatske said, the organization is budgeting $1 million per week roughly $4 million a month to meet demand until the shutdown ends. That rapid escalation isnt sustainable, she said. H-E-B announced Oct. 24 it would donate $5 million to the Feeding Texas network and $1 million to Meals on Wheels programs across the state.The Central Texas Food Bank will receive $700,000 from that donation enough to ease the strain but not erase it. Advertisement Article continues below this ad We will definitely need monetary donations to be able to provide as much food as possible, and we will need volunteer support to assist at these additional distributions as well, Vatske said. Every dollar equals three meals, so we can do more with economies of scale and stretch our purchasing power with those dollars that are donated. SNAP under siege Ana Maria Cooke, a community health navigator at El Buen Samaritano Episcopal Mission, checks in people at a food distribution event on Thursday, Oct. 30, 2025. The federal government shutdown has exhausted funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, threatening food security for thousands of Central Texans. Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman SNAP needs about $9.2 billion to continue providing benefits nationwide in November money the Trump administration says it cannot allocate while the government remains shut down, which began Oct. 1. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The program has never faced a full nationwide halt before, though it has come close. During the first Trump administration, a 35-day shutdown from late 2018 into early 2019 the longest in U.S. history nearly drained SNAPs funding. The U.S. Department of Agriculture managed to keep benefits flowing by using $3 billion in contingency funds and disbursing payments early. That record will be broken if the current shutdown lasts until Nov. 6. The USDA still has $5.5 billion in contingency funds for SNAP, but this time, the Trump administration has said it will not use them. A USDA memo released Oct. 24 stated that the reserves are legally designated for emergencies such as natural disasters and are not legally available to cover regular benefits. A group of Democratic-led states have sued the Trump administration, arguing that withholding the funds violates federal spending laws. They contend that the money was approved by Congress and should be used to prevent a lapse in benefits. Advertisement Article continues below this ad If the shutdown continues, it would mark a historic first for the nations largest anti-hunger program ending benefits that have fed millions of Americans for more than six decades. What is SNAP? Milton Lopez, a community health navigator at El Buen Samaritano Episcopal Mission, assists a woman trying to renew her SNAP benefits on Thursday, Oct. 30, 2025. The federal government shutdown has exhausted funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, threatening food security for thousands of Central Texans. Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman SNAP began in 1939 as the Food Stamp Program, allowing people to buy stamps for food, including surplus farm goods. Congress created the modern version in 1964 under President Lyndon B. Johnson and replaced paper stamps with electronic cards in the 1980s. The 2008 Farm Bill renamed it the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and expanded eligibility and rules for recipients and retailers. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Today, SNAP provides monthly benefits through an electronic benefit transfer (EBT) card that works like a debit card at most grocery stores. Eligibility depends on income and household size. In Texas, limits range from $2,152 a month for one person to $7,446 for a family of eight, with $757 added per person after that. Most adults ages 16 to 59 must meet work requirements. Adults 18 to 54 without children generally face a three-month limit on benefits unless they work or participate in job training. Pregnant people, older adults and those with disabilities may qualify for simplified applications and longer benefit periods. Texans can apply for or renew benefits at YourTexasBenefits.com. Today's Halloween traditions trace back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain, which was first celebrated in modern-day Ireland. Matt Cardy/Getty Images We hope you have your costumes, pumpkins and candy ready: It's Halloween! An estimated 73% of Americans celebrate the spooky holiday, adding up to over 250 million people. Despite being widely celebrated, it's not a federal holiday. In fact, its roots are found across the North Atlantic Ocean centuries before pilgrims landed in what is now New England. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Here's what to know about Halloween's history and how its religious traditions evolved into the secular activities associated with the holiday today. When is Halloween 2025? Halloween is Friday, Oct. 31. Texas candy distributor files for bankruptcy days before Halloween. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Why is Halloween celebrated on October 31? The origins of the widely celebrated holiday trace back two millennia, to the Celts living in what is today Ireland, northern France and the United Kingdom, according to the History Channel. The ancient Celtic festival of Samhain celebrated the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter and was a time when the boundary between the living and the dead was believed to be blurred, allowing spirits to roam the earth. To ward off such spirits, people lit bonfires and dressed in costumes on the night of Oct. 31. The Glastonbury Border Morris dance at sunset as they celebrate Samhain at the Glastonbury Dragons Samhain Wild Hunt 2017 in Glastonbury on Nov. 4, 2017 in Somerset, England. Matt Cardy/Getty Images The annual festival underwent a Christianized rebranding of sorts in the eighth century, when Pope Gregory III of the Roman Catholic Church deemed Nov. 1 as "All Saints' Day," also called "All Hallows' Day." The night before the holiday was referred to as "All Hallows' Eve," and the celebration evolved as it mixed pagan and Christian traditions. Advertisement Article continues below this ad JTNDZGl2JTNFJTBBJTNDYSUyMGhyZWYlM0QlMjJodHRwcyUzQSUyRiUyRnd3dy5nb29nbGUuY29tJTJGcHJlZmVyZW5jZXMlMkZzb3VyY2UlM0ZxJTNEc3RhdGVzbWFuLmNvbSUyMiUzRSUwQSUzQ2ltZyUyMHNyYyUzRCUyMmh0dHBzJTNBJTJGJTJGcy5oZG51eC5jb20lMkZwaG90b3MlMkYwMSUyRjU0JTJGMzUlMkYzNiUyRjI4NDMyMzA3JTJGMyUyRnJhd0ltYWdlLmpwZyUyMiUzRSUwQSUzQyUyRmElM0UlMEElM0MlMkZkaXYlM0U= What does the word 'Halloween' mean? The holiday's name as we know it today derived from "All Hallows' Evening." Hallow is a medieval term for a saint or "holy" person, which is why All Hallows' Eve is an alternative name for All Saints' Day, according to Merriam-Webster. Over time, the phrase was shortened to "All Hallows' Even" or "All Hallow's Eve," then to "Hallow-e'en" by the 16th century, with an apostrophe replacing some letters. Finally by the 18th century, today's spelling of "Halloween" become more common. Advertisement Article continues below this ad When was Halloween first celebrated in the US? Evolution of the holiday Despite its centuries-old celebrations, Halloween wasn't immediately adopted in colonial New England. Groups like the English Puritans deemed the holiday as satanic due to its relations with paganism and witchcraft. More early Protestants also rejected the holiday because of its association with Roman Catholicism: Protestants disapproved of the practice of honoring saints and the non-biblical use of superstition. Statesman Logo Want more Statesman? Make us a Preferred Source on Google to see more of us when you search. Add Preferred Source Halloween was viewed more positively in Maryland and the southern colonies. The holiday became more Americanized as it borrowed the beliefs and customs of various European ethnic groups and the indigenous peoples. The first documented celebrations on what is now U.S. soil focused on the harvest. According to the History Channel, participants would have public events called "play parties," and it was also a time to "share stories of the dead, tell each other's fortunes, dance and sing." Advertisement Article continues below this ad Widespread Halloween celebrations didn't emerge in the U.S. until the latter half of the 19th century, when the country saw an influx of new immigrants. The immigrants, particularly those escaping the Irish Potato Famine, brought a mix of Celtic and Catholic customs for All Hallow's Eve from which today's most recognizable Halloween traditions were born. In Ireland, these traditions involved "mumming" and "guising," which involved going door-to-door in disguise and reciting verses or performing small tricks in exchange for food. Irish immigrants would also carve grotesque faces into beets or turnips to ward off evil spirits. In America this evolved into carving pumpkins, which were more plentiful and easier to hollow out. Over time, these Irish traditions blended with European folk traditions to birth autumn parties, parades and games. The modern-day practice of trick-or-treating emerged in the 1920s but was hindered by sugar rationing during World War II. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Three girls amuse each other with their masked costumes as they prepare for Halloween festivities in the College Hill neighborhood of Cincinnati, Ohio, 1929. Felix Koch/Cincinnati Museum Center via Getty Images A cemetery this old has to have ghosts hanging around, right? Dating back to the 1800s, Oakwood Cemetery is the oldest city-owned cemetery in Austin. A number of notable Texans are buried there, including victim's of one of the first American serial killers - Austin's Servant Girl Annihilator. RALPH BARRERA/AMERICAN-STATESMAN Austin 360 You may not think of Austin as a particularly old city and it's true, when you compare it to places in New England or elsewhere along the East Coast. But the city has a rich history dating back to December 1839, when it was founded as the capital of the Republic of Texas. That same year, Austin's first public cemetery was established. Now known as Oakwood Cemetery, the 40 acres at 1601 Navasota St. in East Austin, is the final resting place of at least 23,000 Texans. Advertisement Article continues below this ad And according to a study conducted by life insurance company Choice Mutual, it's one of the spookiest cemeteries in the country. The company surveyed just over 3,000 people in an online poll then cross-referenced that data with nationwide population data. Out of the 150 cemeteries listed, Oakwood ranked at No. 101. Nonprofit group Save Austin Cemeteries annually hosts tours of Oakwood, telling stories of the people buried there. The historical Oakwood Cemetery in east Austin, Tuesday, Nov., 23, 2021. Stephen Spillman for American-Statesman Advertisement Article continues below this ad Who is buried in Oakwood Cemetery? The oldest recorded burial was in 1841, but some speculate that the first burial was that of an enslaved person who was killed in 1839 while traveling between Bastrop and Austin. That person is reportedly interred just south of the cemetery's entrance. Statesman Logo Want more Statesman? Make us a Preferred Source on Google to see more of us when you search. Add Preferred Source Over the years, various notable Texans were interred at Oakwood, including: Advertisement Article continues below this ad Annie Webb Blanton (1870-1945), the first woman elected to statewide office in Texas Albert S. Burleson (1863-1937), United States Postmaster General from 1913 to 1921 Susanna Dickinson (1814-1883), a survivor of the Battle of the Alamo Andrew J. Hamilton (1815-1875), Texas governor from 1865-1866 James S. Hogg (1851-1906), the first native-born governor of Texas, who served in office from 1891 to 1895 Henry Green Madison (1843-1912), the first African-American city councilman in Austin Elisha M. Pease (1812-1883), Texas governor from 1853 to 1857 and 1867 to 1869) Andrew Jackson Zilker (1858-1934), businessman and philanthropist who donated the land containing what is now Barton Springs and Zilker Park to the city John J. Terrell (1857-1920), commissioner of the General Land Office Alexander P. Wooldridge (1847-1930), who helped organize the Austin public school system and served as Austin's mayor from 1909 to 1919 Elisabeth S. Townsend (1857-1919), a teacher at the Texas School for the Blind who invented and patented the punctograph, a Braille typewriter Dr. Everett H. Givens (1888-1962), a civic leader who worked for African-American rights in Austin Oakwood Cemetery is also the final resting place of at least three victims of the Servant Girl Annihilator, one of the first known serial killers in the United States: Eula Philips, Susan Hancock and Rebecca Ramey. Various organizations throughout Austin purchased plots for their members over the years, including the Texas School for the Deaf, the Austin Fire Department and the Masonic Lodge. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Luminarias line the road at Oakwood Cemetery during the Alma y Corazon Ceremony on Thursday, Nov. 2, 2023 in Austin. Aaron E. Martinez/American-Statesman Oakwood Cemetery rehabilitation efforts The Austin Parks and Recreation Department received a grant to study a three-acre segregated portion of the cemetery from the 1800s full of primarily unmarked graves. The staff at the chapel on the cemetery grounds worked to find descendents of those thought to be buried in the area, which has only 300 monuments in an area estimated to have thousands of burials. The group working on the cemetery published a website to track the rehabilitation and research efforts. Which cemeteries made the list of scariest in the U.S.? Here are the top 10. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Austin police identified the second suspect in a Sept. 27 assault at the West Campus In-N-Out location. Austin American-Statesman The second suspect in an assault at the West Campus In-N-Out location has been identified and charged, according to the Austin Police Department. Charles Puckett, 19, was charged with Class C assault by contact. Authorities requested the public's help in identifying the man last week and circulated a photo depicting Puckett in a cowboy outfit. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Puckett is one of two men accused of an assault that took place Sept. 27 at the In-N-Out Burger at 2700 Guadalupe St., near the University of Texas campus. The other suspect was identified as Anderson Dinh, 18. According to the arrest warrant, Dinh and Puckettt entered the restaurant around 1:15 a.m. The male victim was reportedly eating with a group of friends when Puckett grabbed him from behind and said, "Don't talk [expletive]." Security then escorted the suspect off the property. Around 1:45 a.m., the victim and his friends left the In-N-Out and were again approached by Dinh and Puckett, according to the warrant. Police said Dinh then grabbed one of the victim's friends, and when the victim attempted to separate the two men, Dinh allegedly punched him. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Statesman Logo Want more Statesman? Make us a Preferred Source on Google to see more of us when you search. Add Preferred Source The victim suffered a 2-inch laceration above his right eye that required four stitches, according to the warrant. AISD Superintendent Matias Segura speaks to a packed house at a community meeting for East Austin residents with Austin School District officials to discuss school closures and boundary changes at Greater Calvary Bible Church, Oct. 28, 2025. The meeting was hosted by the Eastside Social Action Coalition, a group dedicated to advocating to the advancement of educational opportunities for Black youth. Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman Less than three weeks before trustees are slated to vote on sweeping school closures and attendance boundary changes, the Austin school district has released changes to their comprehensive plan. The initial plan proposed the closure of 13 campuses, transfer of school-wide dual language and Montessori programs and redrawing the attendance boundaries for thousands of students. Release of the Oct. 3 draft sparked outrage, concern and grief from families across Austin who learned their students may have to change schools next year. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The updates released Friday and discussed during a board meeting Wednesday propose a new location for the Montessori model, changes to the district's transfer policy, new plans for shuttered middle schools and attendance boundary adjustments. Proposed changes could also create broader impacts for families at different schools, such as Blackshear, Ortega or Zavala. Superintendent Matias Segura said Thursday the changes were prompted by community feedback. Statesman Logo Want more Statesman? Make us a Preferred Source on Google to see more of us when you search. Add Preferred Source We have to make the decisions one by one, Segura said. We're never going to be so rigid, where we're going to introduce harm without really understanding the benefit of each move. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Trustees plan to vote on the official closure plan at a board meeting on Nov. 20. They continue to gather community feedback and may change the plan before the vote. Possible changes Emily Nobel asks a question to AISD Superintendent Matia Segura during a community meeting for East Austin residents with Austin School District officials to discuss school closures and boundary changes at Greater Calvary Bible Church, Oct. 28, 2025. The meeting was hosted by the Eastside Social Action Coalition, a group dedicated to advocating to the advancement of educational opportunities for Black youth. Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman Austin school district still plans to close 13 campuses, move the four wall-to-wall dual language programs to new schools and relocate the Montessori program out of Winn Elementary, which will close. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The new draft, released Friday to the public, outlines several proposed changes district officials are considering. Instead of moving Montessori to Govalle, officials propose moving the program to Zavala or Ortega elementary schools. The program would be opt-in only. Officials are also considering moving forward with construction of a new Oaks Springs building, which is slated for closure. The building would then house students from Oak Springs and Blackshear, which is currently proposed as the new home for Oak Springs students. Other possible changes include: Advertisement Article continues below this ad Martin Middle School remains proposed for closure, but the district may in a year or two move Garza Independence High School, a 10 th through 12 th grade campus providing students a self-paced path to graduation, to the campus and and add sixth through ninth grade instruction. through 12 grade campus providing students a self-paced path to graduation, to the campus and and add sixth through ninth grade instruction. Bedichek Middle School remains proposed for closure, but the district may in a year or two open a prekindergarten through eighth grade campus or a sixth through 12 th grade dual-language campus. in a year or two open a prekindergarten through eighth grade campus or a sixth through 12 grade dual-language campus. Bryker Woods is still proposed for closure, but where students will transfer may change. Previously most students would be reassigned to Matthews, but the district is instead proposing moving students to Casis and Brentwood to allow more space for transfer students. Loading... Attendance boundary changes Attendees arrive for a community meeting for East Austin residents with Austin School District officials to discuss school closures and boundary changes at Greater Calvary Bible Church, Oct. 28, 2025. The meeting was hosted by the Eastside Social Action Coalition, a group dedicated to advocating to the advancement of educational opportunities for Black youth. Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman Friday's new draft adjusted the proposed attendance boundaries for multiple schools. Advertisement Article continues below this ad For example, the new plan calls for Blanton, Pecan Springs, Overton and Jordan students, as well as some students from Harris and Andrews, to attend the new General Marshall Middle School, a new campus which previously didnt have an attendance boundary. The new draft also updated transfer and transportation policies, allowing more students to attend their currently assigned campus. Changes include: Allowing rising sixth and ninth graders and prekindergarteners to enroll at the campus they would have attended. Transfer students at a school thats closing or losing its attendance zone would get a guaranteed spot at the new school their zoned peers are being moved. Automatic approvals for staff and sibling transfers, except for specific cases like magnet programs. Students in the original attendance zone for a new campus-wide, or wall-to-wall, dual language or Montessori programs will receive transportation to that school, in accordance with district policy. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Financial, academic woes Attendees listen to AISD Superintendent Matia Segura speak during a community meeting for East Austin residents with Austin School District officials to discuss school closures and boundary changes at Greater Calvary Bible Church, Oct. 28, 2025. The meeting was hosted by the Eastside Social Action Coalition, a group dedicated to advocating to the advancement of educational opportunities for Black youth. Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman District officials hope the comprehensive plan will save about $25 million as the district faces a $19.7 million budget deficit, dwindling enrollment and multiple academically struggling schools. If approved, the closures will be effective in the 2026-27 school year. I cannot stop a hard decision based on just one community's voice without really understanding how it impacts the whole, Segura said. The whole is really our budget challenges, how we support and resource our schools, how we respond to the city's accountability system. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Since the plans release, families and community members have grieved the potential loss of their schools. The district received more than 7,200 comment cards from over 4,600 unique email addresses. About 46% of the comments were about boundary changes, 18% were about school closures and 10% were about school-wide dual language programs, according to district data. Some have also questioned whether the district is making too monumental a change at a time when multiple campuses are facing scrutiny from the Texas Education Agency for consecutive years of failing to meet state academic standards. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Loading... During a community meeting Tuesday at Greater Calvary Bible Church, attendees told Segura they were concerned with the disruptions the changes could cause students and that East Austin students had equitable access to programs and services. I take full responsibility for the inaction of Austin ISD for the last multiple decades, Segura told attendees. The plan said officials would explore different timelines for the plan, but Segura has cautioned trustees against delaying the Nov. 20 vote. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Next steps District officials plan to present updated boundary changes to board trustees on Nov. 6. Segura said families should expect more drafts of the plan before Nov. 14, when the district plans to release a final recommendation. The board is scheduled to vote Nov. 20. Daylight saving time starts when we set clocks ahead an hour spring forward in March and ends in November when the clocks lose an hour fall back. Austin American-Statesman For years, doctors have told their patients that there are more heart attacks and other cardiac events in the days following the time change from daylight saving. On Sunday, we set our clocks back one hour and enjoy that extra hour of sleep that we'll then give up in spring. The mornings will get lighter earlier, and the evenings will get darker earlier. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Turns out, doctors were wrong. A study of 168,870 people from 2013 to 2022 who had been enrolled in the nationwide chest pain myocardial infarction (heart attack) study, found that there was no increase or decrease in the number of heart attacks in the week of a daylight saving time change than in the weeks before or after. The patients' outcomes did not change either. This study done by Duke University refutes earlier studies done on a smaller scale in Sweden in 2008 and in Michigan in 2012. Those smaller studies only looked at the day after or three days after the time change. Local radio personality Dale Dudley, left, talks with Dr. Stanley Wang, right, a clinical cardiologist at the Heart Hospital of Austin. Austin American-Statesman Dr. Stanley Wang, the medical director at the Sleep Disorders Center at the Heart Hospital of Austin, notes that Americans' sleep habits have also changed since those first two studies, with the increase use of devices like smart phones and more people working from home and having flexible schedules. The time change might not have a dramatic immediate effect on people's schedules. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Even if there is now no proven link between a time change and heart attacks, Wang said, we do know that sleep is incredibly important to heart health. Statesman Logo Want more Statesman? Make us a Preferred Source on Google to see more of us when you search. Add Preferred Source People who have sleep disorders such as sleep apnea, in which they stop breathing, have worse cardiac disease rates, Wang said. They also tend to weigh more and have higher blood pressures. Advertisement Article continues below this ad People with sleep apnea have double the atrial fibrillation rates and triple the heart attack rates, Wang said. "Biologically, sleep is connected to the heart," Wang said. Not enough sleep increases stress hormones and inflammatory markers factors that can lower heart health, Wang said. More than nine hours of sleep a night also has been linked to heart problem, but, Wang said, it's more likely people who are sleeping more are doing that because of the heart problems that already exist. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Here is how you can improve your sleep: Have a set bedtime as well as set eating times, to help your circadian rhythms, those signals that tell you when to sleep and when to be awake. Avoid caffeine, especially before bed. Avoid doing strenuous activity two to three hours before bedtime. It makes it hard for the body and mind to wind down. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Keep the bedroom dark and boring, with no screens, including phones and TVs. Limit alcohol. Alcohol has been tied to disrupting sleep's rapid eye movement patterns, which means you don't get as restful a sleep, and alcohol worsens sleep apnea. Get checked for sleep apnea. Most people who have sleep apnea don't know they have it, but some signs include being sleepy during the day, taking naps or relying on energy drinks. Snoring also can be a sign, but not always. The CPAP machines, often prescribed to help sleep apnea, have gotten better: smaller, quieter and more comfortable for side sleepers. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Mouth guards also have gotten better and can help the tongue stay in place and not block the throat. New devices such as the Inspire and soon the Genio use electrical pulses to stimulate the tongue to move out of the way. The medication Zepbound, first used to control diabetes, then to encourage weight loss, then to lessen cardiac disease, is now being used for people with sleep apnea. Advertisement Article continues below this ad A voter makes selections at a polling location at Randalls on Brodie Lane in Austin, Monday, Oct. 27, 2025. Early voting continues through Friday. Texas voters will decide on 17 proposed amendments to the state constitution, including a package of billions of dollars in property tax cuts approved by state lawmakers earlier this year. Austin voters will also decide whether to raise the citys property tax rate to support a $6.3 billion budget the City Council approved in August. Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman Befitting Austins reputation as the most liberal city in Texas, voters here have long been willing to pay higher taxes to support schools, social services, pet projects and public transportation. Last year, Austinites voted to increase school property taxes to pay for $171 million in employee raises and to reduce the districts $119 million budget deficit. In 2020, amid a historic pandemic that cast the economy into a tailspin, voters approved a $7.1 billion transit system known as Project Connect. For four election cycles in a row except in 2012, when voters rejected a $78.3 million affordable housing bond Austinites have approved a series of bond packages to fund low-, middle- and affordable-income housing. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Campaign signs for and against Prop Q are posted on East Riverside Drive in Austin on Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025. Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman Nathan Fernandes, of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, holds a sign at a rally for Prop Q at Edward Rendon Sr. Park at Festival Beach on Monday, Oct. 27, 2025. Labor leaders, small business owners and community advocates gathered to ask people to vote for Prop Q. Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman Susana Almanza, middle, and fellow Austinites express their opposition for Proposition Q during a press conference at Juan in a Million in Austin Monday, Oct. 20, 2025. The coalition says they are urging residents to vote no on the proposition and then work with city leaders to identify ways the city can support its important programs within the existing $6.3 billion budget. Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman So when the polls opened last week in an election where Austinites are being asked to hike city property taxes by more than 20% to fund a wide range of progressive priorities, the surest bet is that voters will go for it. Given Austin's general inclination toward a vibrant, active city in its voting patterns, it's likely to still pass, said Joshua Blank, research director of the Texas Politics Project at the University of Texas at Austin. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Statesman Logo Want more Statesman? Make us a Preferred Source on Google to see more of us when you search. Add Preferred Source But will it? Public sentiment is palpably different this time around, according to experts even inside City Hall. Both data and anecdotal evidence suggest the election is still up for grabs. This will be more challenging than previous tax rate elections, Blank acknowledged, noting the unprecedented size of the proposed hike known as Proposition Q as a particular challenge. The measure would generate about $110 million to fund Austin City Council priorities, including homeless services, increased park maintenance and support for health and public safety initiatives. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Some Prop Q proponents have opted to paint the vote as a referendum on the Republican crusade against liberal cities. I would urge people to understand that this election is not about taxes its about whether we want Donald Trump and Greg Abbott to choose how Austin spends its money, said Joe Cascino, who heads a political action committee formed to support Prop Q. Signs that Proposition Q could fail Gavino Fernandez expresses his opposition for Proposition Q during a press conference held by a coalition of Austinites at Juan in a Million in Austin Monday, Oct. 20, 2025. The coalition says they are urging residents to vote no on the proposition and then work with city leaders to identify ways the city can support its important programs within the existing $6.3 billion budget. Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman Back in May months before the City Council decided to ask voters to open their wallets the citys Office of Budget and Organizational Excellence conducted a survey of 812 residents that suggested the measure could face headwinds. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Only 14% of respondents indicated support for increasing services even if it meant raising taxes, while 86% favored options that would maintain or improve services without increasing taxes or fees. "The majority of residents prefer to keep taxes at their current levels," the survey report noted. While some data from the survey could be a useful indicator of whats to come, Austin-based political consultant Jim Wick said the respondents are not representative of this years electorate because the poll did not account for higher voter turnout in more affluent areas of West Austin. In a statement, City Manager T.C. Broadnax noted his office conducts surveys annually "to help identify funding priorities" before crafting a balanced budget proposal for consideration by City Council. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Even members of the Travis County Democratic Party were somewhat reluctant to endorse Prop Q. On the evening of Sept. 25, an endorsement vote which requires two-thirds majority support to pass ended in a tie. Party Chair Doug Greco cast the deciding vote in favor of the endorsement, according to meeting minutes obtained by the American-Statesman. It ultimately passed 69-34. I personally supported the endorsement because, as a former public school teacher and grassroots organizer, I believe that the social services, housing and school-based programs it can fund are an important investment in working families, Greco said in a statement to the Statesman. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The close vote came even though a local Democratic Party favorite U.S. Rep. Greg Casar attended the meeting to speak in favor of Prop Q. Fundraising and spending numbers could be another indicator of voter sentiment. The last political action committee financial reports before the election were due Oct. 27. PACs opposing Prop Q raised $288,812, while those in favor raised just $67,998. Ben Suddaby, of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, chants at a rally for Prop Q at Edward Rendon Sr. Park at Festival Beach on Monday, Oct. 27, 2025. Labor leaders, small business owners and community advocates gathered to ask people to vote for Prop Q. Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman The city poll, fundraising imbalance and close endorsement vote may be the only hard data available suggesting that Prop Q could be in trouble. But there is also significant anecdotal evidence, and experts say the general economic and taxing climate could pose a challenge. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Since the May poll, Travis County decided to raise its property tax rate by 9.12% next year to address Julys devastating floods. While that increase exceeds the 3.5% cap allowed under state law without voter approval, a tax rate election wasnt required because the county received a disaster declaration. But unlike the citys proposed 20% hike, which would be permanent, the countys increase will expire after one year. Though Travis County cited this years floods to justify its tax increase, Blank said local governments like the county and city will likely start asking voters for the highest tax rates they can since the states revenue cap limits their ability to keep up with rising costs. Austin voters also have ample reason to question whether the tax hike will lead to good outcomes. The Austin school district recently announced plans to close 13 schools amid declining enrollment and ongoing financial woes even though voters approved a $2.44 billion bond in 2022 designed to keep those campuses open. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Five years after approving Project Connect, Austin voters still do not have a light rail system. Since then, the project has been significantly scaled back, yet the cost remains the same. Meanwhile, several rapid bus lines included in the plan have been delayed. The Statesman recently uncovered evidence of questionable discretionary spending among city leaders, prompting City Manager T.C. Broadnax and Council Member Ryan Alter to reimburse taxpayers for thousands of dollars in working lunches. Even so, council members voted to increase their food and travel budgets, growing overall office expenditures by 4.5%. Michael H. Granof, professor emeritus of accounting at the University of Texas, previously told the Statesman city leaders took a big risk asking voters to support a grab bag of initiatives rather than just one. Advertisement Article continues below this ad While Austinites have historically been willing to vote for tax increases, he said, usually those tax increases are for specific projects. Why Proposition Q could still pass Wick, the political consultant, conducted early voting data analysis using the county clerks voter roster matched with a database of voter history. He said this electorate compares most closely with the November 2021 election another off-year vote featuring a controversial proposition to increase police staffing that could have cost the city between $54 million and $120 million annually. Austin voters ultimately rejected that measure. He estimated that in the first three days of early voting this year, 68% of voters were Democratic-leaning, 25% Republican-leaning and the remainder independent. He also noted that voters on the west side of town are turning out at a higher rate than they did in 2021. Advertisement Article continues below this ad As of Thursday, 74,269 people had voted early in person, and the county had received another 1,859 ballots by mail. With 904,768 registered voters, early voting turnout stood at 8.42%. Given the political divide with the Travis County Democratic Party endorsing the proposition and former county GOP Chair Matt Mackowiak and his Save Austin Now PAC leading opposition Wick said Proposition Q would likely pass if voters cast ballots along party lines. Opponents of Prop Q would have to persuade at least 25% of Democrats not to vote for it, he said, adding that theres been no major surge of Republican voters so far, and GOP turnout is slightly lower than in 2021. As early voting continues, Wick said, the share of Democratic voters tends to rise. Advertisement Article continues below this ad While the May poll showed little support for tax increases, a separate survey conducted during the citys community engagement phase for the 2026 bond found that around 70% of 2,002 residents surveyed in May and June said they would support a tax increase for the citys next bond package. The survey also found residents top priorities included housing, transportation and parks. Supporters of the proposition are calling on Austinites historical support for local government and urging voters to push back against Republican-dominated state and federal governments. At a Care Not Cuts coalition press conference Monday, Greco said the public sector has been under attack for decades at the hands of Trump and Abbott. We are proud to live in a community that has agreed through its social compact to not leave behind as many people as possible, and we trust our locally elected officials more because they share our values and they know our communities, he said. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Austin Council Member Chito Vela said hes cautiously optimistic that voters will support Prop Q, especially considering the Austin school districts successful tax rate election last year. I dont think itll pass with overwhelming support, but I think itll pass, he said. Editor's Note: This story has been updated to include additional context on the Travis County Democratic Party's endorsement vote and the city's May tax survey, as well as comment from City Manager T.C. Broadnax whose office did not meet the Statesman's original deadline. Congressman Greg Casar accompanies Carlos Morales Almario, a Venezuelan man who was detained by ICE immediately after his case was dismissed, in San Antonio, Texas on Monday, July 28, 2025. Rep. Casar made a surprise visit to immigration court proceedings with Austin City Council member JosZ "Chito" Vela to witness detentions by ICE agents outside of the courtrooms, a part of the Trump administrationOs mass deportation efforts. Christopher Lee/Staff Photographer Nearly 40,000 parents of minor children in Bexar County are at risk of deportation, and 6,000 school-aged children in the county do not have legal status, according to new estimates from the Migration Policy Institute. The nonpartisan think tanks analysis of Census Bureau data from 2023 is the most detailed recent estimate of unauthorized immigrants in Texas and in the San Antonio area. It comes as the Trump administration has sought to crack down on immigrants living in the U.S. illegally, including by deploying National Guard troops. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Congressman Greg Casar accompanies Carlos Morales Almario, a Venezuelan man who was detained by ICE immediately after his case was dismissed, in San Antonio, Texas on Monday, July 28, 2025. Rep. Casar made a surprise visit to immigration court proceedings with Austin City Council member JosZ "Chito" Vela to witness detentions by ICE agents outside of the courtrooms, a part of the Trump administrationOs mass deportation efforts. Christopher Lee/Staff Photographer Congressman Greg Casar speaks to federal law enforcement next to a bus contracted by DHS to transport detained immigrants outside of San Antonio Immigration Court in San Antonio, Texas on Monday, July 28, 2025. Rep. Casar made a surprise visit to immigration court proceedings with Austin City Council member JosZ "Chito" Vela to witness detentions by ICE agents outside of the courtrooms, a part of the Trump administrationOs mass deportation efforts. Christopher Lee/Staff Photographer Carlos Morales Almario, a Venezuelan man who was detained by ICE immediately after his case was dismissed, holds his Employment Authorization Card issued by the US government against the window of the bus waiting to take him to an ICE processing facility in San Antonio, Texas on Monday, July 28, 2025. Rep. Casar made a surprise visit to immigration court proceedings with Austin City Council member JosZ "Chito" Vela to witness detentions by ICE agents outside of the courtrooms, a part of the Trump administrationOs mass deportation efforts. Christopher Lee/Staff Photographer The report says 101,000 immigrants in Bexar County are thought to be living in the U.S. without valid visas or permanent legal status, comprising 5% of the countys 2 million residents. One in four of them 24,000 people are married to a U.S. citizen, and 11% are married to lawful permanent residents, per the analysis. Nearly half of Bexar Countys unauthorized immigrants have lived in the U.S. for 20 years or more, and nearly 70% have been in the U.S. for more than 10 years. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Statesman Logo Want more Statesman? Make us a Preferred Source on Google to see more of us when you search. Add Preferred Source For many in Texas, their legal status differentiates them from their families. Most unauthorized immigrant parents in the state live with at least one child who is a citizen. To arrive at these estimates, researchers analyzed data from the 2023 American Community Survey, the Survey of Income and Program Participation and other data sources, including from the Department of Homeland Security. The study defines "unauthorized immigrants" as people who entered the United States illegally or violated the terms of their visas. It also includes groups whose legal status is discretionary and can be revoked by the federal government, including humanitarian parolees and recipients of Temporary Protected Status or Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Report details family ties, economic challenges The report gives insights into employment status, economic challenges and other characteristics of unauthorized immigrants in Texas and the U.S. as a whole. Across Texas, about 2 million people live in the U.S. without visas, green cards or citizenship the second-largest total in the country after California. The population represents about one-seventh of the nations estimated 13.7 million unauthorized immigrants. Of that number, 90,000 Texans are recipients of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, including adults, per the Migration Policy Institute. The states largest group comes from Mexico, making up 57%, followed by Honduras (13%), El Salvador (9%), Guatemala (6%) and Venezuela (4%). Advertisement Article continues below this ad Harris County, which encompasses Houston, has the second-largest unauthorized immigrant population of any U.S. county at more than 610,000 people. Loading... Statewide, family ties are also common. About one-third of unauthorized immigrants statewide are married to a U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident. More than 820,000 in Texas live with minor children. In Bexar County, Central Americans have a strong presence: nearly 70% of unauthorized immigrants in Bexar County were born in Mexico, while 11% were born in Honduras. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The vast majority are employed. About 70% of those ages 16 and older are working, while 28% are not in the labor force, per the Migration Policy Institute report. The largest share roughly one-third work in construction. Other major industries include hospitality and recreation (14%) and administrative, professional or waste management services (12%). About half of residents in this group report that they do not speak English well or at all. Economic challenges remain. About 25% of unauthorized residents in Bexar County live below the federal poverty level, and more than 60% do not have medical insurance. Tony Box, an Army veteran and a former FBI agent and federal prosecutor, is jumping into the race for Democratic nominee for Texas attorney general. Courtesy of the Tony Box campaign Tony Box, an Army veteran and a former FBI agent and federal prosecutor, is jumping into the race for Democratic nominee for Texas attorney general. Box, a political newcomer, said the incumbent Ken Paxton's "corruption" was what inspired him to run, and his decades of experience rooting out fraud and crime makes him well-suited to restore integrity to the office. Advertisement Article continues below this ad The people of this state deserve a leader who is looking out for them, not corrupt politicians and their cronies, Box said in his candidacy announcement. "The AG should be protecting consumers, cracking down on fraud and partnering with law enforcement, but Ken Paxton has turned this office into a laughingstock. Box joins Texas state Sen. Nathan Johnson and former Galveston Mayor Joe Jaworski in seeking the Democratic nomination. Statesman Logo Want more Statesman? Make us a Preferred Source on Google to see more of us when you search. Add Preferred Source That nonpolitical background gives him an edge over the other candidates from both parties because rather than being a "career politician, he is "someone who is going to have passion and courage to fight for the people," Box told the Dallas Morning News, which broke the news this week. Advertisement Article continues below this ad Box has an accounting degree from Morehouse College, a historically Black liberal arts school, and went from the ROTC program there to being an Army officer, according to a news release. He later became an investigator with the Congressional Commission on Wartime Contracting in Iraq and Afghanistan where he says he helped uncover over $30 billion of waste and fraud, then voluntarily deployed to Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom. A few years later, he worked for the Department of Defense in Afghanistan and helped the Afghan government set up critical anti-corruption and accountability systems, often having to venture into dangerous areas with less security, the release said. Between those tours, Box served nearly a decade as an FBI Special Agent, investigating drug trafficking, fraud and other crimes, according to the news release. He was part of a response team deployed to New York City after the September 11th attacks and also served on the Bureaus SWAT team. While working full-time as an FBI agent and raising a young family, Box went to law school at night and received his J.D. from Saint Louis University, according to the release. He also has a Master of Public Administration degree from Harvards Kennedy School of Government and a Master of Laws in taxation from Washington University in St. Louis. Advertisement Article continues below this ad As a federal prosecutor in Missouri, he led federal tax investigations and prosecutions into white-collar crime, identity theft, illegal guns, drugs and violent crimes, according to a bio on the website of his current private practice employer, Gray Reed, a Texas-based commercial law firm. Acclime has acquired Crowe Singapore, a firm specialising in accounting and advisory services, for an undisclosed sum. The deal is part of Acclimes objective to become a full-service regional firm across the Asia Pacific and Middle East. Crowe Singapores experience in assurance, tax, and advisory will be combined with Acclimes established regional presence in corporate governance, compliance, accounting, and fund administration. Crowe Singapore managing partner Tan Kuang Hui said: Joining Acclime allows us to bring our clients into a broader ecosystem of expertise and innovation. We share a strong commitment to quality and client partnership and now have the scale and reach to deliver enhanced value both locally and regionally. The merged operations will offer a consolidated suite of services for a varied client base, including local businesses, regional companies, multinationals, funds, and family offices. Acclime Group CEO Izzy Silva stated: This acquisition transforms our scale, capability, and client value proposition. Crowe Singapore is one of the most trusted names in the market, and together weve created a platform that fundamentally elevates what clients can expect from a regional partner: technical excellence, institutional-grade fund administration, and integrated solutions that work across borders. Our teams operate as one firm, ensuring that expertise and insights flow freely to benefit every client, wherever they operate. This acquisition follows recent moves by Acclime to strengthen its advisory business through similar purchases in Hong Kong SAR, Australia, and New Zealand. These transactions have increased the firm's capacity to deliver advanced advisory services in addition to its main corporate offerings. Acclime operates in 18 markets with a workforce of more than 1,700 professionals. "Acclime acquires audit firm Crowe Singapore " was originally created and published by International Accounting Bulletin, a GlobalData owned brand. By Javi West Larranaga (Reuters) -The boss of Spanish steelmaker Acerinox praised on Friday recently announced steel import quotas by the European Commission but said the company was working to get the measures adopted more quickly. "We are pushing and trying to accelerate the process as much as we can," Chief Executive Officer Bernardo Velazquez said on a call with analysts, suggesting the measures should come into place as early as April 2026, before the current ones expire at the end of June. "We can say that we are very close to having the protection that we were dreaming and asking for for so many years," Velazquez said, referring to the U.S. tariffs of 50% on steel and the import quotas in the EU. The measures will put Acerinox on a level-playing-field with non-European competitors, Velazquez added. The steelmaker has long decried what it calls global overcapacity and pressure from cheap Asian imports underpricing European firms. 'MORE REGIONAL FUTURE' Acerinox missed third-quarter earning estimates but Chief Corporate Officer Miguel Ferrandis said the company had hit bottom and was set to recover, as tariffs were lifting stainless steel prices in the U.S. According to Ferrandis, those signs of recovery, or "green shoots" were still not visible in Europe, especially as Asian players were ramping up exports in anticipation of the EU's measures and imports rose 36% from January to August. Velazquez added that in response to changing trade policies, the company was preparing for a "more regional future." He cited making its South African business less reliant on exports and focusing on local sales as an example. "In the past (the output) was 70% export, 30% local. Now we are targeting to have more or less 60% local, 40% export," Velazquez said. (Reporting by Javi West Larranaga; Editing by Anna Pruchnicka) Im honoured and excited to pursue new, interesting research directions, says Rachel Mazac, one of the grantees. She is one of three early career Centre researchers that have received grants from Formas for a combine value of SEK 18 mio. Formas is a Swedish research council for sustainable development, and the granted projects will run for up to six years. Rachel Mazacs project Recipes for Change will assess how prepared food systems are for sustainability transformations. She will do so by developing and applying a Transformational Readiness Assessment Tool across cases in Stockholm and Sydney. Centre researcher Louis Delannoy is another grantee. His new project aims to assess the frequency, intensity, and interactions of crises, and to map historical and future polycrisis hotspotsregions where crises co-occur and amplify. Im extremely excited and cant wait to start working with my dream team of partners and ensuring that we strive to deliver a unique societal value, Louis Delannoy says. The third recipient of the Early career grant is David Collste with the project Climate policies: impacts on economic development, inequality, and environmental targets (CLIMPACT). Formas Early Career grants have the purpose to give promising early-career researchers appropriate opportunities for taking the next step in their careers, encouraging an interdisciplinary direction, developing independence, and contributing to innovative research environments. Ultimately, the call should strengthen researchers early in their careers and their opportunities to work in leading positions within academia, the public sector, civil society, or business. Gen. Kenneth Wilsbach testifies before the Senate Armed Services Committee during the hearing on his nomination to be Air Force chief of staff on Thursday, Oct. 9, 2025, in Washington. The Senate confirmed his nomination on Thursday, Oct. 30, 2025. (Eric Kayne/Stars and Stripes) WASHINGTON The Senate on Thursday confirmed Air Force Gen. Kenneth Wilsbach as the services next top officer and a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Wilsbach will succeed Gen. David Allvin, who unexpectedly announced he would retire as Air Force chief of staff in November, halfway through his four-year term. Wilsbach had also planned to retire when he stepped down from his role as head of Air Force Combat Command in August but told lawmakers he received a call to continue his service. After much reflection and prayer, I said yes because I love this country, and I love the Air Force, Wilsbach told the Senate Armed Services Committee during his confirmation hearing earlier this month. A career fighter pilot, Wilsbach logged 6,000 flying hours in aircraft such as the F-22, F-15 and F-16 and has flown more than 70 combat missions. Before heading Air Combat Command, which ensures airmen and aircraft are prepared for combat, Wilsbach led U.S. Air Forces in the Pacific. His promotion to the Air Forces top officer post ends a period of uncertainty for the service since Allvins retirement announcement in August. Allvin is the third member of the Joint Chiefs to leave or be dismissed early since President Donald Trump began his second term in January. The Air Forces vice chief of staff was fired in February. Wilsbach is expected to assume his new role in the coming days. A National Guard soldier uses a tablet to command the Sikorsky OPV Black Hawk to autonomously transport a 2,900-pound water buffalo sling load for the first time during the Northern Strike exercise in Michigan in August. (Sikorsky) It took less than an hour for an enlisted Army National Guard soldier with no past aviation experience to train to fly a Black Hawk helicopter during a training exercise this summer, according to utility choppers manufacturer. But the sergeant first class was not in the cockpit. Instead, he flew the aircraft remotely using a tablet in the U.S. Army and Black Hawk-maker Sikorskys first real-world, soldier-run test of its optionally piloted Black Hawk helicopter, the company announced in a news release Thursday. The training occurred in August as part of the National Guards Northern Strike exercise in Michigan, during which some 7,500 Guard forces from 36 states trained for two weeks with the latest military tech including drones and electronic warfare capabilities, according to the National Guard. During that exercise, the noncommissioned officer who was not named publicly flew the optionally manned Black Hawk, or OPV Black Hawk, from the deck of a Coast Guard vessel on Lake Huron, according to Sikorsky. Using the tablet, the soldier instructed the helicopter to perform racetrack patterns over the lake while soldiers inside the OPV Black Hawk performed resupply parachute drops some 70 miles away. It marked the first time Sikorskys OPV Black Hawk conducted a mission entirely planned and controlled by soldiers. Sikorsky which is owned by weapons giant Lockheed Martin has spent most of the past decade developing the optionally piloted Black Hawk program with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, or DARPA. The advanced, semi-autonomous helicopter is meant to give the Army options to fly it with an in-cockpit pilot when the mission calls for it or to fly it remotely in situations that could prove especially dangerous like when enemy contact is likely, officials have said. An optionally piloted Black Hawk aircraft can reduce pilot workload in a challenging environment or complete a resupply mission without humans on board, Rich Benton, Sikorskys vice president and general manager, said in a statement. In contested logistics situations, a Black Hawk operating as a large drone offers commanders greater resilience and flexibility to get resources to the point of need. Sikorskys UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters have been an Army staple since the 1970s. The helicopters shuttle troops and supplies around battlefields and military posts across the globe and conduct the Armys air medevac mission. The service expects Black Hawks to fly into the 2070s. National Guard troops secure an external load beneath the Sikorsky OPV Black Hawk as it maintains a steady, autonomous hover during the Northern Strike exercise in Michigan, August 2025. (Sikorsky) But as the Army faces potential conflict with a near-peer power like China or Russia, service leaders want to be able to conduct operations with as few American forces on the front lines as possible. Sikorsky like other big and small defense manufacturers have spent recent years focused on building unmanned systems loaded with autonomous and artificial intelligence capabilities, like its MATRIX autonomy system on the unpiloted Black Hawk. Sikorsky first flew the OPV Black Hawk in 2022. The company is also working on a fully unmanned version of the Black Hawk, which it has nicknamed the U-Hawk, according to the company. During Northern Strike, the optionally manned Black Hawk hit a series of additional firsts after the parachute drop planned by soldiers on the Coast Guard boat. On another mission, the OPV Black Hawk completed its first every autonomous hookup of an external load while airborne, according to Sikorsky. The helicopter hovered over a group of soldiers who attached a 2,900-pound water buffalo tank to be sling loaded elsewhere. In a third exercise at Northern Strike, the optionally manned Black Hawk completed six autonomous hovering hookups to transport High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems, or HIMARS, to other locations during the training, according to Sikorsky. A soldier then operated the helicopter remotely to conduct a simulated medevac mission, another first, the company said. (Martin/Stars and Stripes) Heidelberg, Germany, Oct. 30, 1948: A tiny masked clown visits the concession stand to get some treats during the Halloween celebration Oct. 30, 1948 in Heidelberg. The Halloween party was one of many held for children of the U.S. military stationed in the American-zone of Allied-occupied Germany. See more ghouls, ghosts and princesses from the 1948 All Hallows Eve celebrations here. Were you a military brat overseas? Subscribe to Stars and Stripes historic newspaper archive to read your old hometown newspaper! We have digitized our 1948-1999 European and Pacific editions, as well as several of our WWII editions and made them available online through http://starsandstripes.newspaperarchive.com/ The aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford departs Naval Station Norfolk, Va., on June 24, 2025, for a deployment to the European theater. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth earlier this month announced the Gerald R. Ford would head to Latin America. (Anderson W. Branch/U.S. Navy) (Tribune News Service) The Trump administration has made the decision to attack military installations inside Venezuela and the strikes could come at any moment, sources with knowledge of the situation told the Miami Herald, while the White House disputed those reports. The planned attacks, also reported by the Wall Street Journal, will seek to destroy military installations used by the drug-trafficking organization the U.S. says is headed by Venezuelan strongman Nicolas Maduro and run by top members of his regime. Sources told the Herald that the targets which could be struck by air in a matter of days or even hours also aim to decapitate the Soles cartels hierarchy. U.S. officials believe the cartel exports around 500 tons of cocaine yearly, split between Europe and the United States. While sources declined to say whether Maduro himself is a target, one of them said his time is running out. Maduro is about to find himself trapped and might soon discover that he cannot flee the country even if he decided to, the source said. Whats worse for him, there is now more than one general willing to capture and hand him over, fully aware that one thing is to talk about death, and another to see it coming. Washington has doubled the reward for information leading to Maduros arrest to $50 million the largest such bounty ever offered and currently offers $25 million rewards for the capture of some of his top lieutenants, including Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello, who is believed to run cartel operations. Another key regime figure facing U.S. drug-trafficking charges is Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez. The White House moved Friday morning to tamp down reports that U.S. forces are close to taking action inside Venezuelan territory. Unnamed sources dont know what theyre talking about. Any announcements regarding Venezuela policy would come directly from the President, White House Deputy Press Secretary Anna Kelly said. When announcing the decision in August to double the $25 million reward on Maduro, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi said Maduro leads the Cartel de los Soles Cartel of the Suns a drug-trafficking organization embedded in Venezuelas military, and works with groups including Venezuelas Tren de Aragua gang, Mexicos Sinaloa Cartel and other transnational criminal networks. Bondi called Maduro one of the worlds biggest drug traffickers and a threat to our national security, adding that the bounty increase was aimed at tightening the net around him. The U.S. military has sharply increased its presence off Venezuelas coast as part of an operation the White House says is aimed at disrupting drug trafficking and the criminal networks tied to the Caracas regime. One of President Donald Trumps first moves after returning to the White House in January 2025 was to direct the State Department to designate certain drug cartels as terrorist and transnational criminal organizations including Tren de Aragua, and later, the Cartel of the Suns. In August, the United States began assembling a large-scale deployment in the southern Caribbean Sea near northern Venezuela, creating a Joint Task Force that initially included three destroyers equipped for air, anti-submarine and missile defense and an amphibious group of roughly 4,500 troops. The mission has included maritime patrols by P-8 reconnaissance aircraft and long-range surveillance flights to map trafficking routes. In September the deployment was reinforced with 10 F-35B fighters based at Ceiba Air Base in Puerto Rico and armed MQ-9 Reaper drones at Rafael Hernandez Airport on the island. U.S. officials say those aircraft can conduct precision strikes against labs, clandestine airstrips, vehicles or vessels linked to drug operations. On Oct. 24, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford and its strike group including the cruiser USS Normandy and the destroyers USS Thomas Hudner, USS Ramage, USS Carney and USS Roosevelt into the Caribbean. The carrier strike group, with more than 4,000 personnel and roughly 90 combat aircraft, is described by retired Venezuelan officers who spoke to the Herald as the centerpiece of a final phase intended to neutralize leaders of the Cartel of the Suns and Tren de Aragua and strike fixed and mobile targets inside Venezuela. So far, the force has been used mainly in maritime operations. As of this week, U.S. strikes have targeted fast boats the administration says were carrying narcotics most intercepted off Venezuelas coast; the attacks have killed 61 suspected traffickers. Administration officials say the task force will shift operations ashore because traffickers are now less willing to risk voyages that can be detected and targeted at sea. The sheer scale of the deployment has led many analysts to conclude that the missions ultimate aim is the removal of the Maduro regime, though U.S. officials have provided few specifics about any planned actions inside Venezuela. Most experts doubt the United States intends a prolonged occupation a stance Trump reiterated during his campaign for a second term. What he favors are targeted operations, like the assassination of Iranian General Qasem Soleimani, or attacks on Irans nuclear installations, Elliott Abrams, who served as U.S. special representative for Venezuela in Trumps first term, told Herald columnist Andres Oppenheimer. I dont think he wants something that could drag on. Still, a full-scale invasion would be far larger and costlier than the current posture. Even the 1989 U.S. invasion of Panama a smaller, militarily less complex country required about 30,000 troops, Abrams noted. Mark F. Cancian, a retired Marine colonel and senior adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said the forces now in the Caribbean are sufficient for strikes and intimidation but not for an invasion. There isnt enough combat power for an invasion, he said, but there is plenty for air or missile strikes against the cartels or the Maduro regime. 2025 Miami Herald. Visit miamiherald.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, left, leaves after attending a bilateral meeting and the signing of the memorandum of understanding on defense cooperation between Malaysia and the United States, in Kuala Lumpur on Thursday, Oct. 30, 2025. (Mohd Rasfan/AFP/Getty Images/TNS) (Tribune News Service) The U.S. and Malaysia signed a pact solidifying bilateral defense ties, underscoring a commitment to security in the disputed South China Sea. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth oversaw the signing of the memorandum of understanding with his counterpart on Thursday during a visit to the Southeast Asian nation for a regional defense summit. The pact is the latest in a series of deals between the two nations. They also announced a trade agreement during President Donald Trumps visit this week and plan to boost cooperation on critical minerals. Details of the pact were not disclosed, but the nations renewed an acquisition and cross-servicing agreement and committed to finalize bilateral deals on communications, information sharing, and geospatial matters, according to a joint statement. The defense pact comes amid simmering tensions in the South China Sea, where China is pressing its claim over nearly all of the disputed waters vital to international trade. Chinese ships frequently clash with Philippine vessels near disputed shoals, and have been known to shadow Malaysian offshore oil and gas projects where China also claims jurisdiction. Grey-zone tactics, such as hydrographic research conducted under the protection of foreign coast guard vessels, threaten sovereignty and are a clear provocation and threat, Malaysian Minister of Defense Mohamed Khaled Nordin said in the statement. 2025 Bloomberg L.P. Visit bloomberg.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Books removed for a compliance review are stacked on a table in the library of Ramstein High School in Germany in February 2025. Books, curricular materials and items related to heritage months that were removed for the review are being restored at five Defense Department schools attended by students involved in a lawsuit challenging the executive orders requiring the items to be made unavailable. (Jasmine Vu) Students at five Defense Department schools will soon see a boost in book titles and curriculum materials available to them, in accordance with a recent court ruling in a case brought by military families. A letter earlier this week to families at Aviano Middle High School in Italy said a team at the Department of Defense Education Activity headquarters is working to restore access to all print and digital materials at the locations, which also include the United States and Japan. U.S. District Judge Patricia Tolliver Giles decision on Oct. 21 to grant a preliminary injunction directed DODEA to restore the materials that schools had removed in compliance with executive orders. The five schools attended by the 12 student plaintiffs in the lawsuit are Crossroads Elementary School in Quantico, Va.; Barsanti Elementary School at Fort Campbell, Ky.; Aviano; and Sollars Elementary and Edgren Middle High schools in Misawa, Japan. Nearly 600 books and a spate of course items have been removed since January in line with a series of executive orders issued earlier this year by President Donald Trump and his administration. In response, the American Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit on behalf of six military families seeking to stop DODEA from removing the materials, which deal with topics such as race, gender and identity. DODEA operates 161 schools worldwide. The letter from Aviano was shared with Stars and Stripes by the ACLU, which received word on Monday that the government was working to comply with Giles court order. This includes restoring books, curricular materials, e-books/digital materials, and materials related to heritage months, ACLU spokesman Sam LaFrance said in a statement Tuesday. On Friday, DODEA confirmed that it is immediately restoring all library books and curricular materials removed since Jan. 19 at the five schools identified in the litigation. The agency has not said whether it will appeal Giles ruling. V Corps commander Lt. Gen. Charles Costanza speaks to soldiers during a transfer of authority ceremony in Boleslawiec, Poland, on Oct. 28, 2025. (Suzanne Ringle/U.S. Army) STUTTGART, Germany Key NATO ally Poland said it was told that the American military footprint will be maintained in the country, which has emerged as the center of gravity for the U.S. Army in Europe. We have received confirmation that there will be no reduction in the presence of American troops in Poland, Polish Defense Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz said in a statement Thursday. There are now about 8,000 troops in the country, mostly carrying out missions on a rotational basis with the aim of deterring Russian aggression. A line of 3rd Infantry Division M2A3 Bradley Fighting Vehicles drives to their objective near Bemowo Piskie Training Area, Poland, on July 28, 2025. (Christopher Saunders/U.S. Army) Polands announcement comes on the heels of a decision Wednesday to end the deployment of a rotational U.S. Army brigade to Romania, where the Defense Department had increased troop levels in the aftermath of Russias 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine. The situation has prompted some allies to seek answers about U.S. military plans for Europe, where an ongoing Pentagon force posture review could entail more cuts. Along NATOs eastern flank, there is heightened concern about the future of the U.S. commitment to collective defense. In all, there are about 85,000 U.S. troops in Europe, roughly 20,000 of whom are on rotational missions. Germany is home to the largest American contingent, with some 38,000 troops spread out at various bases and garrisons in the country. Poland joins Estonia in receiving notification that there are no plans for Pentagon troop cuts in their countries. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had previously offered reassurances to Warsaw that the U.S. military presence in Poland was on firm ground. And in September, President Donald Trump said he was open to the idea of increasing the American troop commitment in Poland. Asia Crypto Regulations to Watch for in 2025. Photo by BeInCrypto Asian and Pacific(APAC) jurisdictions chart divergent digital currency development paths. Some are advancing central bank digital currencies while others embrace private stablecoins. Hong Kong completed its e-HKD pilot program on October 28, while Japan's JPYC stablecoin surpassed 50 million yen within 48 hours. South Korea warned about depegging risks, and Australia clarified stablecoin regulatory requirements on October 29. Hong Kong and UAE Advance CBDC Infrastructure The Hong Kong Monetary Authority published its e-HKD Pilot Program Phase 2 Report on October 28. The report concluded an extensive evaluation of 11 pilot projects involving major financial institutions. HSBC, Hang Seng Bank, and DBS Hong Kong participated in these trials. The report indicated that the digital Hong Kong dollar suits wholesale financial applications rather than immediate retail deployment. According to HKMA findings, the e-HKD showed promising capabilities in three areas. These include settlement of tokenized assets, programmability for automated transactions, and offline payment functionality. The authority emphasized that the e-HKD is appropriate for large-value transactions as a central bank-issued instrument free from credit risk. The HKMA confirmed it will complete preparatory work for potential retail e-HKD applications by the first half of 2026 and prioritize wholesale use cases soon. The timing aligns with broader regional CBDC initiatives. The United Arab Emirates confirmed plans to launch its Digital Dirham for retail use in the fourth quarter of 2025. It will be treated as legal tender alongside physical currency. Hong Kong's measured approach contrasts with this accelerated timeline, reflecting different regulatory priorities and market conditions. Japan and South Korea Navigate Stablecoin Terrain Japan marked a significant milestone on October 27 with the official launch of JPYC. This is the country's first regulated yen-pegged stablecoin that is compliant with the revised Payment Services Act. By October 29, the token had surpassed 50 million yen in circulation. Some Service Credit Union customers unexpectedly lost large sums of money from their account after transactions caused the reversal of a temporary credit the financial institution had automatically provided to customers whose pay had been suspended. (Stars and Stripes) KAISERSLAUTERN, Germany Almost as quickly as Sabrina Hollys service-related monthly disability payment hit her checking account, about 75% of it was wiped out. Service Credit Unions withdrawal of more than $3,000 from her account on Monday caused an unexpected drop in her balance at the end of a spartan month for federal civilians like Holly, who arent getting paid due to the ongoing government shutdown. Hollys direct deposit of disability benefits triggered the credit unions system to take back a onetime payroll credit extended to more than 20,000 members in early October following the partial shutdown of the U.S. government on Oct. 1. They have been taking peoples retirement and disability checks, which we have been depending on for rent, for food, for daycare, said Holly, who works in finance for the Army in Wiesbaden but is now on furlough. She said shes fortunate her landlord isnt demanding rent until the shutdown ends. The program was intended to give a financial boost to U.S. service members and Defense Department civilians who bank with the institution, in anticipation of members losing out on mid-October pay, a Service Credit Union spokesman said this week. The automatically provided credit was calculated by averaging a members direct deposit totals over the past three months, according to an Oct. 8 message, which added that the credit will then be reversed once payroll has resumed. Credit reversals began after the executive branch announcement that pay was resuming for active-duty service members, according to a Service Credit Union statement Wednesday. But while military personnel received a paycheck on Oct. 15, furloughed and excepted DOD civilians did not. Service Credit Unions system could not differentiate between active-duty and Department of Defense civilian employees, which is why the program was applied broadly to those with impacted direct deposits, the statement said. Service Credit Union did not immediately respond to questions about what amount or types of transaction would cause its system to act as if a DOD civilians regular paycheck had been restored. This reversal process has been a standard part of this program for years and was communicated to our membership prior to the posting of this credit, the statement added. Stars and Stripes spoke with four people who disputed that. Holly was among them, as was Chase Szente, a civilian employee at Ramstein Air Base who has worked without pay and benefits since Oct. 1 Szente said the credit was a really happy surprise that turned into a kick in the shins. He said he used the money as a stopgap to pay bills, thinking he didnt have to worry about paying it back until the government reopened, since he had been told the credit would be reversed once payroll resumes. A notification sent by Service Credit Union informed customers whose pay had been suspended during the government shutdown that they would automatically receive a temporary credit. Some Defense Department civilians say the credit was unexpectedly reversed after transactions that triggered the credit unions system into acting as if direct deposit of their paychecks had resumed. (Courtesy) On Oct. 16, funds that he transferred from savings to stay afloat were deposited in his account. Szente said that as soon as the transfer cleared, he received a message from Service Credit Union that since his balance now reflects sufficient funds, we will be reversing this temporary credit today. I was like, Wait, what the hell? It was gone, he said. They didnt even leave me enough in my account to pay my rent or anything else coming up. Szente said he was fortunate that his car loan payment and other bills werent immediately due, so he had time to transfer more money into his account. Otherwise, he said, his account would have been overdrawn. Im worried that it affected other people, he said. Had they just told me a day or two in advance, I would have been more prepared. Wednesdays statement from Service Credit Union said members who are still negatively impacted by the shutdown or having account issues are encouraged to seek assistance from a representative. We remain dedicated to supporting these members, the statement said. Holly said she was told Wednesday that the reversal of the credit could not be undone. Instead, she was offered an application for a $5,000 loan available to members with direct deposit who have received no pay or only partial pay during the shutdown. The terms include no interest for up to four months and no payment for up to 90 days. Were all worried about getting back pay, Holly said. I have daycare, my rent, utilities, things like that, that arent put on hold because Im involuntarily benched and my paycheck doesnt come. This Service Credit Union message from Oct. 16, 2025, says the automatic payroll credit that was provided earlier to the customer during the government shutdown was being reversed because the account now reflects sufficient available funds. Some Defense Department civilian employees who still are not receiving a paycheck said they were caught off guard by the reversal, which Service Credit Union previously said would not happen until after payroll resumes. (Courtesy) Other Service Credit Union customers who sought answers after seeing their account depleted overnight expressed similar frustration. For example, a single mother who has been working without pay since Oct. 1 saw her entire Veterans Affairs monthly disability check of $2,297 evaporate earlier this week as soon as it was deposited. She said this week that she never received notification of the withdrawal. Service Credit Union withdrew nearly $3,000 on Monday night without any notification said the woman, who formerly worked at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center. She requested anonymity out of fear that speaking out could compromise her current government employment. She said she spent about an hour on the phone with Service Credit Union earlier this week, pleading through tears for a reversal of the withdrawal. She was counting on her disability check to cover part of her $2,800 monthly rent and other bills coming due. They said, We saw you had substantial funds, so we just pulled (the money), she said. To which she said she responded: Have you seen the news? Were still shut down. Was I supposed to have zero balance for you not to take it? President Donald Trump speaks to sailors aboard the aircraft carrier USS George Washington at Yokosuka Naval Base, Japan, Oct. 28, 2025. (Alex Wilson/Stars and Stripes) WASHINGTON The Trump administration has found $5.3 billion to pay U.S. troops expecting to receive paychecks Friday during the ongoing government shutdown, an official from the White Houses Office of Management and Budget confirmed Thursday. The official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly on the matter, said the money included $2.5 billion redirected from the administrations One Big Beautiful Bill Act signed this summer, $1.4 billion from a military procurement account and another $1.4 billion from research and development. The Defense Department did not say how it would move funds and referred questions to the Office of Management and Budget. President [Donald] Trump is continuing to make good on his promise to take care of the troops despite the fact Democrats have shut down the government and are fine with our bravest men and women getting no pay, the Pentagon said in a statement. This marks the second time since the shutdown began that the administration has moved money to ensure service members receive their paychecks. We do think that we can continue paying the troops, at least for now, Vice President JD Vance told reporters Tuesday at the Capitol. Earlier this month, the Trump administration used $8 billion from military research and development accounts to cover payroll. The administration told Congress $6.5 billion was used. The Pentagon last week accepted an anonymous $130 million donation. Trump declined to name the person, whom he called a friend of mine, saying the man didnt want the recognition. Money could run out by Nov. 15 absent an agreement to fund the government, CBS News reported Sunday, quoting Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. The Senate last week failed to proceed with legislation to keep paychecks flowing to troops and pay Defense Department civilians working without compensation as the government shutdown hits the 30-day mark. In past shutdowns, lawmakers have worked on a bipartisan basis to ensure service members were spared from the financial effects of a lapse in federal funding. Congress passed a bill shortly before the start of a shutdown in 2013 to authorize paychecks for troops and some Defense Department workers and contractors. Prosecutors allege National Guard member Canyon Anthony Amarys tried to send a military helicopter radio abroad for use by Russian intelligence. (Wyandotte County Detention Center) A National Guard member from New Mexico is accused of illegally trying to provide U.S. military equipment to Russia, according to the Justice Department. Canyon Anthony Amarys, 28, of Alamogordo, N.M., was indicted on a charge of attempting to violate the Export Control Reform Act and was slated to make an initial appearance Thursday in federal court in Kansas, a DOJ statement the same day said. Prosecutors say he entered into a relationship with someone he thought was a Russian intelligence agent. As part of the relationship, Amarys agreed to take pictures at Fort Riley, Kan., and obtain a helicopter radio for use by the Russian military, the statement said. The Justice Department did not list Amarys rank or say in which states National Guard he was serving. In March, he traveled to Kansas to get the radio for export to a purported recipient in Romania, the DOJ said. Amarys acknowledged knowing that it would be illegally diverted to Russia, the statement said. Investigators recovered the radio, which cannot be lawfully exported without a license from the Commerce Department, according to the statement. Amarys told the person he thought was a Russian intelligence agent that he had researched export regulations ahead of their meeting in February and knew that sending the radio abroad would be illegal, the statement said. Military-connected community members wait in line at Armed Services YMCA food pantry in Harker Heights, Texas, on Oct. 30, 2025. (Rose L. Thayer/Stars and Stripes) HARKER HEIGHTS, Texas Dolce Garcia didnt know for certain if her husbands paycheck from the Army would come through this week as expected. Feeling anxious and far from her family in Las Vegas, she said shes been worrying about their rent and buying diapers for her almost 2-year-old son, so she waited in line Thursday at Armed Services YMCA food pantry where she grabbed Pop-Tarts, mini raviolis and carrots from the shelves. Its just because of the shutdown, Garcia said of coming to the food pantry. With Congress unable to come to an agreement by Oct. 1 to fund the federal government, resources are slowly draining from federal accounts. Federal workers are not getting paychecks, though many are still required to go to work. Medicaid has said its beginning to run out of funding. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) was set to stop payments Nov. 1, but two federal judges on Friday ruled that the federal government must continue to fund SNAP, at least partially, with contingency funds. The Trump administration is expected to appeal. Troops, too, are caught in the crosshairs. President Donald Trump ordered the Pentagon to rearrange funding to pay service members on Oct. 15. Theyre getting their Nov. 1 paychecks, too, the Pentagon and Office of Management and Budget confirmed Thursday. The Trump administration pulled funds from three accounts totaling $5.3 billion. However, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Oct. 26 that troops will start going without pay by Nov. 15 if the shutdown continues. Its concerning because theres no security of whether youre going to get paid or not. Its not until the last day that we know if they will be paying us, Garcia said. As junior enlisted, we dont have a lot of savings. This month was the first time she sought out such a resource because of the constant uncertainty of whether her husband, a private first class at Fort Hood, Texas, will get his pay. Garcia also started the paperwork for additional resources to help with rent just in case this shutdown continues and there is a gap in pay. Shes not alone. The Armed Services YMCA food pantry in Harker Heights, dedicated to active-duty service members, has seen its food distribution jump from 8,000 pounds to 14,000 pounds a week, said Sheri Yerrington, executive director of the ASYMCA of Killeen. A family selects items at the Armed Services YMCA food pantry in Harker Heights, Texas, on Oct. 30, 2025. (Rose L. Thayer/Stars and Stripes) Across all ASYMCA locations nationwide, food distribution centers have seen a 30% increase, the nonprofit said. In the Killeen area, it supports the military community of Fort Hood with food assistance, diaper distributions, day care and a play space for kids inside the Fort Hood hospital, which allows parents to drop off children to attend medical appointments. Every week, were going out and were working hard to raise money so that we can buy that extra food to put on the shelf so that we dont run out. Normally, were out by noon, Yerrington said. Because there is such a need in the community, ASYMCA only distributes food two days a week. Yerrington said shed like to be open every day. Theres so much going on in their lives, she said. They should not have to worry about where dinner is coming from tonight or breakfast in the morning for their children. At the Liberty County Manna House, a faith-based food and clothing bank in Hinesville, Ga., just outside the gates of Fort Stewart, officials have seen a dramatic increase in food needs in the Army-heavy community where thousands of federal workers have been furloughed without pay for nearly a month. Its been building, said the Rev. Katrina Deason, Manna Houses executive director. Were seeing heavier and heavier traffic because of the government shutdown, but with the situation with SNAP its unprecedented, quite frankly. Deason said the food pantry that has always served Fort Stewart soldiers and their families especially junior enlisted troops who receive low pay to support dependents but more have shown up looking for food during the shutdown as they worried about receiving a paycheck. Fewer soldiers have shown up in recent days as they were assured of being paid, she said. A soldier selects items at the Armed Services YMCA food pantry in Harker Heights, Texas, on Oct. 30, 2025. (Rose L. Thayer/Stars and Stripes) With SNAP benefits on the line, Deason began looking back at Manna House plans from the 2020 coronavirus pandemic, which was the last time the organization experienced a large uptick in need. In our planning weve put together contingency plans using the COVID model to help plan for the increase in requests for food, she said. Were scrambling for food, and really, theres no way for us to fill that gap completely. Were just trying not to panic and to plan well. She said Manna House will need more donations than it ever needed before. This is going to be something that is going to be really hard on a lot of families and on our soldiers and their families, Deason said. Already vulnerable The government shutdown has highlighted a known, growing concern of food insecurity among military families, said Emily Becher, senior director of research and evaluation at Blue Star Families. The nonprofit, which advocates on behalf of military families, said its research found that nearly 20% of active-duty military families said they have visited a food pantry or received food support in the past year. Exact statistics arent available, but 1 to 2% of military families receive government assistance through SNAP. However, because the military housing allowance counts toward income in how the program assesses need, many families who could use the support are disqualified, Becher said. They were already vulnerable before this happened, Becher said. That, to me, is such an important part of the story. Outside of SNAP, formerly known as food stamps, 25% of military families are on another government food program Women, Infants and Children (WIC) and 10% of active-duty children rely on Medicaid to cover what Tricare does not, according to the Military Family Foundation. Many military families also rely on just the service members paycheck to support the whole family because military spouse unemployment sits at around 22% significantly higher than the 4.3% U.S. national average, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. For troops stationed overseas, that alone can be a hardship. Spouses can struggle to find work because of U.S. and NATO country prohibitions that keep military spouses from working overseas. We no longer live in a world that provides the basics on a single income, the ASYMCA of Camp Pendleton (Calif.) said in a statement. Spouse unemployment is just one of the many unique challenges that come with the frequent moves and unpredictability inherent to military life. While its the missed paychecks that make the headlines, Maria Donnelly, co-founder of the Military Family Foundation, said the shutdown is affecting the entire ecosystem of support on which military families rely. This is all through no fault of their own, she said. Most Americans live paycheck to paycheck, and the military is affected by so many additional factors moving away from support systems, systemic challenges to accessing childcare, persistently high spouse unemployment, all of which further undercut the stability and financial security of families. This uncertainty itself creates mental stress and directly impacts the readiness of our fighting force. A woman selects items at the Armed Services YMCA food pantry in Harker Heights, Texas, on Oct. 30, 2025. (Rose L. Thayer/Stars and Stripes) Kalin Middlebrooks, a volunteer at the Armed Services YMCA food pantry in Harker Heights, Texas, restocks shelves between visitors Oct. 30, 2025. (Rose L. Thayer/Stars and Stripes) Stepping up to help At U.S. military installations in Germany, Americans have sprung into action to help with basic needs, even as they struggle with the uncertainty of the shutdown standing up food pantries in thrift stores and housing areas. At Hohenfels, a tight-knit Army community in rural Bavaria, a $5,000 emergency welfare grant from the Hohenfels Community and Spouses Club launched a food pantry, said Allicia Edstrom-Fairbanks, the lead volunteer for the effort. All requests for assistance have so far come from families in which both parents are furloughed or a service member with a spouse not receiving a paycheck, she said. Diapers and wipes are the most requested items and requests for nonperishable groceries and other household and self-care products are filled via a QR code application, she said. The process allows us to know what items they need, and also allows us to track how often they are coming to the food pantry, said Capt. Joshua Troy Cook, an Army chaplain. A new food pantry was opened in the gazebo next to the chapel on Patch Barracks in Stuttgart, Germany. Its open 24 hours and anyone is welcome to use it. Its one of four new food pantries in the Stuttgart military community aimed at helping families in need during the partial government shutdown. (Erin Henderson) If people are coming consistently, maybe there is something more we could be doing than just basic assistance, he said. This is something we want to continue past the shutdown, especially with the holidays coming. The Ramstein Enlisted Spouses Association at Ramstein Air Base near Kaiserslautern recently expanded its food pantry inside the base thrift store with the help of community donations, said Alicia Petersen, the thrift store manager and spouse of a U.S. soldier. In Stuttgart, there were no food pantries just a few weeks ago. Now there are three, with a fourth set to open on Sunday, including one operating from a gazebo near the Patch Barracks chapel. Two more pantries are up and running in the fellowship center on Kelley Barracks and in the Red Cross building on Panzer Kaserne. Another one will open Sunday at Robinson Barracks. The military is known to be resilient, said Shay Miller, the spouse of a U.S. soldier who helped start the gazebo pantry with a chaplain. We are resilient because we know how to come together, and we know how to help each other. The Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) and the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA) are establishing a temporary warehouse in response to the disruption, according to local news publication The Business Standard, which cites a press release from the two organisations. BGMEA and BKMEA had not responded to Just Style's request for comment at the time of going to press, but the facility, dubbed "Rubb Hall," is expected to be set up at the newly constructed Terminal 3 of the airport, which has not yet commenced full operations. It is intended for the secure storage of imported raw materials and other goods. The fire, which took place at the import cargo complex of Dhaka airport on Saturday (18 October) was of grave concern to garment exporters with an industry expert telling Just Style at the time that urgent air shipments had been destroyed and product samples had "burned into ashes". The move by BGMEA and BKMEA comes as part of broader efforts to mitigate losses after the fire destroyed crucial infrastructure for import logistics. BGMEA has reportedly placed an order with a supplier to install the Rubb Hall, with implementation anticipated in the near future. On 20 October, representatives from BGMEA and BKMEA, including their respective presidents Mahmud Hasan Khan and Mohammad Hatem, met with Sheikh Bashiruddin, Adviser to the Ministry of Commerce and the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism. Senior leaders from both organisations participated in the meeting. All parties agreed to set up a temporary warehouse to safeguard imported goods and enable uninterrupted import operations for the garment sector. In a separate incident that took place earlier this month (October), a fire broke out at a four-storey garment factory in Dhakas Mirpur area resulting in at least 16 fatalities. The International Accord on Factory Safety told Just Style at the time that the event was a stark reminder of the devastating human cost of inadequate safety measures. On 7 October, BGMEA announced the development of an AI-enabled Digital Factory Passport. This initiative is designed to improve data management and reporting across Bangladeshs readymade garment industry. According to BGMEA data, exports from Bangladeshs readymade garment sector reached $39.35bn in the fiscal year 2024-25, making up 81.49% of the countrys total exports. "Bangladesh apparel sector to install cargo storage after airport fire" was originally created and published by Just Style, a GlobalData owned brand. We recently published Top 10 Trending Stocks and ETFs as Analyst Predicts $9 Trillion Productivity Gains Due to AI. iShares US Large Cap Premium Income Active ETF (BATS:BALI) is one of the top trending stocks. Jay Jacobs, U.S. Head of Equity ETFs at BlackRock, explained in a recent program on CNBC why investors are pouring into iShares US Large Cap Premium Income Active ETF (BATS:BALI). But secondly, were seeing a lot of flows and I would anticipate this to accelerate in growth and income strategies. Think about outcome ETFs that are delivering upside potential to the S&P 500 with a significant amount of income like our iShares US Large Cap Premium Income Active ETF (BATS:BALI). In the context of following rates, were seeing a lot of investors both want to participate in the markets as well as get more yield from equities Photo by Rodeo Project Management Software on Unsplash While we acknowledge the potential of BALI 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. Anya Soares Almeria Friday, 31 October 2025, 13:26 Share If you are looking for beaches that take you further than Malaga province's coastline, then it's worth taking a day trip to the east of Andalucia. Cabo de Gata is a stunning nature reserve, with gorgeous rocky and sandy beaches, surrounded by the municipalities of Nijar, Carboneras and Almeria. It is a place known for locations such as the iconic Playa de Monsul, where Steven Spielberg filmed Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989), or Los Escullos, a famous fossil dune shaped like a crocodile's gaping mouth, that was formed more than 100,000 years ago. However, its value doesn't just stop at sightseeing. Cabo de Gata's volcanic complex is its most distinct feature; arguably the area's crown jewel. One of its main characteristics is that it is almost entirely submerged, meaning that the volcanic rocks formed below water can only be seen above sea level in Cabo de Gata and on Alboran Island, a small islet. It's a site known for locations such as Los Escullos, a fossil dune shaped like a crocodile's gaping mouth Landscape Its geology dates back 15 million years, where volcanic activity first took place, giving rise to the two main volcanic formations present in Cabo de Gata today: volcanic domes and boilers. Red, ochre and black tones dominate over the landscape. Additionally, gradual sea erosion has led to the creation of coastal depressions, shaping the nature park's stunning lagoons and secluded beaches. Moreover, these geographical depressions generate perfect wave conditions for all types of surfing - windsurfing, kitesurfing, longboard surfing. To the west of the town of San Jose, Playa de Genoveses is a perfect place for watersports, named after the Genevan fleet's attempt to capture the province of Almeria when it was under Islamic rule. From the town of San Jose, it is a short hike through the cliffs until the trail opens up to the secluded beach, tucked away by eucalyptus trees. Notably, although Playa de Genoveses is not classified as a nudist beach - unlike others along the coastline, such as the iconic Cala Media Luna or Cala Barronal - it's common for nudists to frequent the area. If this isn't what you're looking for, the regions of Poniente and the Bay of Almeria are home to well-maintained resort beaches. Zoom Kite surfing at the beach. TA Hikes The most authentic way to get to know these diverse beaches, which are home to a population of more than 1,500 species of marine flora and fauna, is to embark on a hike. Many travellers have recommended trails that go from cove to cove, such as the 4.7km circular route between Agua Amarga and Enmedio cove. After the steep and rocky ascent, you are rewarded with a private sandy beach and stunning views of Mesa Roldan hill and its lighthouse and castle. Longer routes, such as the 10.5km hike from Las Negras beach to Cala de San Pedro, are recommended to be done in the early mornings due to lack of shade. Cabo de Gata's unique geological features and climatology lend itself to being awarded Unesco World Geopark status in 2015. Additionally, it spans over 63 kilometres, making it the largest marine protected area of the European continental coast. Zoom One of Cabo de Gata's stunning hiking routes. TA Towns As well as exploring the natural resources that Cabo de Gata has to offer, a number of nearby towns are worth a visit, especially if you are planning to stay for more than a day. The fishing village, San Jose, is considered to be the nature park's capital. Undeniably, its main activity is now tourism, but it's still a charming town, with a laid-back population of around 800 people. The pier stretches out to the sea, and bohemian stalls and restaurants serving fresh fish and other typical Spanish cuisine line the streets. Rodalquilar used to be an old mining village in the 19th and 20th century, and it is located in the heart of Cabo de Gata. Surrounded by a valley of the same name, this off-the-beaten-track area is a perfect place to enjoy a peaceful getaway. At the entrance, the old houses that used to belong to miners still stand, giving the village a sense of having been preserved in time. Additionally, eight kilometres away is the Cortijo del Fraile (friar's farmhouse) - an abandoned manor house referenced in Andalusian playwright Federico Garcia Lorca's iconic Bodas de Sangre. The area's highlight would have to be El Playazo - one of the most beautiful beaches in Cabo de Gata - 400m long and 30m wide - making it a popular destination to visit. Atop a fossilised dune, the castle of San Ramon sits, a former defensive bastion built during the 18th century to defend Almeria from Barbary corsairs. Unlike other beaches, the water is calm and the sand is fine and golden, making it an excellent choice for families with small children. Nerea Escamez Almeria Friday, 31 October 2025, 14:51 Share An explosion at the Alvarez de Sotomayor military base in Viator (Almeria) this Friday morning claimed the life of one Spanish Legion soldier and seriously injured another. According to sources, the incident happened shortly before 11am. The Almeria fire brigade, the Viator Local Police, the Guardia Civil and a medical helicopter were mobilised to the scene. The Guardia Civil remains at the scene to clarify the incident. Initial hypotheses point to the detonation of an explosive device, although this has not been officially confirmed by the Legion. Europa Press Madrid / Huelva Friday, 31 October 2025, 17:27 Share The investigation by the Portuguese national republican guard (GNR) and Spain's Guardia Civil has led to the arrest of two perpetrators allegedly involved in the death of a Portuguese police officer after he was rammed by a suspected narco-boat in cross-border waters of the Guadiana river. Guardia Civil sources have confirmed to Europa Press the arrest of these two people, noting that one of them is a Spanish national. One of those arrested was allegedly the crew member of the narco-boat and the second was driving the vehicle in charge of supporting the boat on land. The Guardia Civil in Huelva and the Portuguese national guard had maintained an extensive operation to locate the crew members of a narco-boat that rammed a patrol boat on Monday night in cross-border waters of the Guadiana river, between Huelva and Portugal, causing the death of a GNR officer and injuring three members of the same police force. According to the police on Tuesday, the Guardia Civil sighted the drug boat off the coast of Huelva, and provided the information to the Portuguese police authorities, who, due to the proximity of their patrol boat, approached the area and waited until the arrival of the support of the provincial maritime service of Huelva. The incident happened at around 11.15pm (local time) in the Alcoutim area of the Faro district. Security forces acted after receiving an alert about a speeding boat on the river, which led to a collision resulting in the death of Corporal Pedro Silva. The boat was found in flames a couple of kilometres from the place of impact, while the crew members fled. GNR sources quoted by the Lusa news agency said that, given the characteristics of the boat and the speed at which it was travelling, the main hypothesis is that it may be linked to drug trafficking. The Portuguese judicial police have taken charge of the investigations. BERLIN Organic sales at Puma fell 10.4 percent in the third quarter to 1.96 billion euros. The German activewear firm blamed a strategic reset as it navigates several company-specific challenges, including muted brand momentum, elevated inventory levels across the trade and low quality of distribution, it said in a statement. More from WWD Measures taken so far included reducing undesired wholesale business and excess inventory at retail, as well as curbing promotional activity. All of these impacted Pumas performance in the third quarter, both at wholesale and in its own stores and online sales, the company explained. Puma is also planning to reduce its white collar workforce by 900 positions, the company announced. Pumas new chief executive Arthur Hoeld who previously held a number of different leadership positions at Adidas only took on the top job in July. He is leading the restructuring and said the company would be more efficient and resilient and was committed to executing these measures with discipline. Hoeld said Puma likely wont return to healthy growth until 2027, with next year being all about transition. The companys earnings before income tax, or EBIT, also collapsed in the third quarter, with both adjusted and reported EBIT falling by over 80 percent. Puma saw the biggest declines in the Americas, where sales in currency neutral terms fell 15.2 percent to 678.1 million euros, driven mostly by drops in North America. In the Asia-Pacific region, sales dipped 9 percent, and in Pumas home market of Europe, the Middle East and Africa, they fell by 7.1 percent. The company said Europe in particular was impacted by takebacks and the deliberate scaling back of undesired business. Puma saw footwear sales fall 9.9 percent to 1.05 billion euros in the third quarter. The companys offering in the so-called low profile trend, the Speedcat, has not been doing as well as it expected, it said. Puma apparel slipped 12.8 percent, dragged down by the lifestyle segment. Accessories fell 6.1 percent. Puma had already slashed guidance for the whole year in the summer. The German brand confirmed those cuts on Thursday. It still expects sales for the whole year to drop by low-double digits and reiterated its profit warning. Earlier in the year, before the change of management, the company had been predicting low growth and a positive EBIT somewhere between 445 million and 525 million euros. Regina Sotorrio Malaga Friday, 31 October 2025, 14:18 Share Around the year 1500, in one of his best-known paintings, Gentile Bellini depicted the moment when a relic of the Holy Cross fell into the San Lorenzo canal in Venice. On the far right, a black person is preparing to jump into the water to retrieve it. He goes unnoticed among the throng of people crowding on the other side as mere spectators, but there he is, determined to save the object. Almost a year ago, a young man from Guinea made the headlines in Spain after rescuing a woman who was paralysed with shock as she tried to cross Calle Heroe de Sostoa, which was flooded by the 'Dana' storm last October. The artist Carla Hayes, a native of Malaga of African descent, connects both realities so far apart in time in an exhibition that makes the black body and all its historical significance visible through art. 'This Sea That's Called My Back' can be viewed at La Termica in Malaga city until 22 February 2026. Carla Hayes, born to a Spanish mother and Ghanaian father, continues her quest for her own place within the African diaspora. "It's one of my obsessions," she admits. "Even though I was born in Malaga, I will always be linked to an African context." That is why, since graduating in Fine Arts from the University of Malaga (UMA) in 2019, her work has been influenced by her mixed-race identity, both at the heart of her themes and also in the form of her art, with the use of raffia mixed with embroidery and now also with plastic and ceramics. These materials and craft techniques speak to her status as a woman of African descent and, filtered through her discourse, are elevated to the category of art. Through them, the artist questions and explores colonialism, the sexualisation of black women, migration and ecological damage. In La Termica, her second solo exhibition in Malaga, Hayes focuses on the sea "as a third space or common ground" of that diaspora. A meeting point between "here and there", between Africa and Europe, and also a scene of tragedies where thousands of migrants lose their lives. With embroidered raffia, she presents the Bellini painting as a triptych flanked by two current news stories: 'Mahmoud Bakhum, a street vendor in Seville, dies after jumping into the river as police chased him for working' and 'The Senegalese migrant whose embrace of a Red Cross volunteer went viral dies in Malaga'. "I connect a more historical aspect with our contemporary times. We see that the status quo back then wasn't so different from now", she reflects on the piece entitled 'After Gentile Bellini'. Zoom The triptych entitled 'After Gentile Bellini'. Marilu Baez Nearby, a woven raffia net weaves between the ceramic pieces of a mural bearing the phrase: 'The hero who saved a woman in Malaga. A young man from Guinea who arrived by boat to the Canary Islands'. The tiled panel here refers to colonial expansion, transatlantic trade and the forced trafficking of bodies. It also represents the artist's connection with Lisbon, a city with a large presence of people of African descent where she conducted a research stay. "I like to link that past with the present. I'm interested in bringing the presence of black bodies into Europe's colonial past, because it's not just a current issue: black bodies have always been present to a greater or lesser extent in Europe", she stresses. On the other side of the exhibition room, her own body is at the centre of the action. Carla Hayes embroiders raffia on a plastic sheet shaped like a mermaid's tail, which is placed on the shores of Lisbon and Malaga. In this way, she transforms herself into a kind of being who can travel across that sea between different lands and cultures. Yet, at the same time, it also serves her to analyse the perspective of the black female body transformed into a mermaid. "She is one of the epitomes of sexuality, the mermaid woman who has no desire, but is completely desired." In two performances projected at the end of the room - alongside her embroidered mermaid tail - the reaction of onlookers can be observed. "They looked, they approached, they took pictures. It was a passive gaze towards a person standing or lying down, as if dead, simulating that shipwreck." In this piece, she introduces transparent plastic for the first time with an environmental perspective, to address the plight of many African countries due to the pollution caused by the West. "Fishermen in Senegal can't fish because the sea is polluted", she explains. This PVC appears again in the work 'Shawl Sea', the largest work of art in the entire exhibition, a choral creation together with the Biznegra Collective, where several women of African descent embroider together in a practice of healing, dialogue and shared resistance. Using raffia and plastic, they have created a garment closely linked to femininity and the female body, but also to Spain's colonial past. The large shawl on display here is spread out across the sands of the beach, a shawl to which all those women contributed "their own grain of sand". Curators Javier Cuevas del Barrio and Ariadna Ruiz Gomez praise Carla Hayes' ability to "sublimate the colonial wound". "In cultural tradition, black bodies are the most invisible, those without a voice. She turns the sock inside out and, through her artistic practice, she makes them visible, showcases them and shines the spotlight on them to prevent the whitewashing of history", they conclude. Jennie Rhodes Malaga Friday, 31 October 2025 | Updated 02/11/2025 20:05h. Share In 2000 Professor Karen O'Reilly published her book The British on the Costa del Sol. It was the culmination of several years of research which started in the early 1990s and gave way to her PhD in Anthropology. Karen and her husband Trevor, who was a key factor in the decision to focus her field of work on this "phenomenon", have been back on the Costa del Sol recently, meeting up with some of the people who featured in the book and others they have met over the years, during the time they lived on the Costa del Sol and on their regular trips. "I think we've been back just about every year," Karen remarks. She explains that it was Trevor's desire to move to the Costa del Sol which paved the way to her research, although at the time Karen was more focused on her studies and hadn't considered emigrating. It was only when her university professor suggested that she should do research on Brits in Spain that she warmed to the idea. "At the time the British in Spain were a phenomenon. Back in the UK the stereotype was negative and the media attacked the mainly working classes who were moving there, as well as focusing on it being a place for criminals. There was a different perception of the British in Spain, compared with those in France and Italy for example," Karen recalls. "When I moved to the Costa del Sol I saw that there were all sorts of people living very nice lives, not at all how the media portrayed it back home," she explains. Financial crisis Gloria Uribe, president of Lux Mundi and her husband Leonardo appeared in the original book, as did other well-known names like Charles Betty and Cudeca founder Joan Hunt. While Joan and Charles have since died, Karen and Trevor are still in contact with Gloria and Leonardo and visit them whenever they come to Malaga. SUR in English was also mentioned in the book as a "solid" part of the English-speaking community and having just celebrated its fortieth anniversary, "shows that there is continuity on the Costa del Sol", Karen points out. The professor has written about the lives of Britons on the Costa del Sol since the 2000 book and a key paper was published in 2017, following a trip she made in 2015 to see how the 2008/9 financial crisis had affected the British community. In it she reflects that "whilst there is plenty of evidence of a return migration with bars and properties empty or for sale and fewer tourists and English speaking visitors of all types, there are some people, some businesses and some habits and cultural practices that have taken more of a hold and give evidence of longer-term settlement - practices, communities and institutions of solid rather than liquid form." The quote demonstrates that while there was evidence that some people had been forced to go back to the UK after the crisis, many had stayed on, having built strong connections with their adopted home. Brexit The twenty-fifth anniversary of Karen's book was recently the subject of an academic debate recorded for The Sociological Review Foundation, a UK-based charity that aims to educate peopleon the subject of sociology and related disciplines. The conclusion of the debate, which is available on YouTube, from the academics who took part, all of whom have used Karen's book in their own research on migration, was that there is plenty of scope for a follow-up book. In 2017 Karen also published her BrexitBritsAbroad research, 'What does Brexit mean for British citizens in the EU27? Talking Brexit with the British in Spain', through Goldsmiths, University of London. The study looked into the immediate impact of the Brexit referendum on Britons living in Spain, before the country officially left the EU in January 2020. Almost immediately after that, the Covid pandemic started and the two seismic geopolitical events had a major impact on British migrants and indeed second-home owners here. More research Karen admits that she is "no longer" on the Costa del Sol enough "to be able to comment" on how much has really changed for the British here. She highlights that there have been seismic geopolitical shifts in terms of Brexit and the Covid pandemic and of course the expansion of the internet in terms of communication and remote working. "This all shows that people aren't free to make their own choices. There are other factors: in the 1990s people came during the mass tourism boom with cheap flights and accommodation as well as an increase in people's holiday leave and the property boom. Spain joined the EU in 1986 and then came freedom of movement," Karen points out. Despite having retired from her position as Professor of Sociology at Loughborough University and Research Affiliate of the University of Oxford, she reveals that she is hoping to come back to Spain for an extended period of time in 2026. The opportunity to reflect on what has happened in the 25 years since the publication of The British on the Costa del Sol and in particular the fallout from Brexit, the Covid pandemic and the expansion of the internet allowing for digital nomads and remote working, has given her plenty of food for thought: "I need to write another paper," Karen concludes. SUR in English Malaga Friday, 31 October 2025, 11:41 Share Next week, from Tuesday to Thursday, London's Excel centre plays host to the World Travel Market, one of the main annual dates for the global tourism industry. With the UK as the biggest market for visitors to the Costa del Sol and Andalucia, representatives of accommodation and service providers and many local mayors will be in the British capital, keen to do business. This year Andalucia is focusing its stand on the impact of new technology, especially artificial intelligence. SUR in English, which has been a regular at the event for nearly forty years, will be distributing this week's World Travel Market special supplement to visitors. A special edition will also be published inside the City A.M. newspaper in London. Cristina Vallejo Malaga Friday, 31 October 2025 | Updated 03/11/2025 10:43h. Share Rincon de la Victoria, on the eastern Costa del Sol, is the municipality in Malaga province with the highest net annual income per capita, standing at 15,614 euros, according to the latest statistics published by Spain's INE national statistics institute, based on tax return data for 2023. It is followed by Cartajima, Benahavis and Alhaurin de la Torre, all three with figures exceeding 14,000 euros net per person. This group of municipalities therefore surpasses the average per capita net income of Malaga city (13,847 euros) and Marbella (13,384 euros). If, instead of considering per capita net income, we look at the average household net income, then the tables are slightly turned because, in this case, Alhaurin de la Torre takes the lead, with a net income of over 43,000 euros, while Rincon de la Victoria drops to second place, as the average family there has an average net income of almost 38,000 euros. This change in the ranking, observed depending on whether average income per person or per household is considered, is presumably due to the fact that households in Alhaurin have on average more members than those in Rincon. The INE methodology states that income per person is obtained by dividing the net household income by the number of people in each home. Indeed, this is what the INE demographic data shows: while families in Alhaurin de la Torre have an average of three members, Rincon's average is 2.4 people. 15,036 euros is the average net income per person in Spain. The average net income per household in the country is 38,326 euros. Rincon de la Victoria, therefore, exceeds the national average per capita, while Alhaurin de la Torre surpasses the national average per household. When average household net incomes are taken into consideration, Alhaurin de la Torre and Rincon de la Victoria rank first and second respectively, ahead of Marbella (37,606 euros), Benahavis (37,268) and Malaga city (36,640 euros). They also rank higher than other large municipalities along the Costa del Sol and inland too, such as Estepona (34,480 euros per household and 12,741 per capita), Benalmadena (33,901 and 13,418 euros), Torremolinos (33,655 and 13,845 euros), Antequera (32,934 and 12,633 euros) and Ronda (32,294 and 13,057 euros). 30,524 euros is the average annual net income per capita in Pozuelo de Alarcon (Madrid). It is the wealthiest municipality in Spain using this metric. The gap between the Malaga town with the highest average net income per person (Rincon de la Victoria with 15,614 euros) and the one with the lowest, (Benamargosa at 8,872 euros), is almost as striking as the gap between the town with the highest average net household income (Alhaurin de la Torre with its 43,020 euros) and the municipality with the lowest average net income per household, Salares, where it falls below 20,000 euros, the same as in Benamargosa. The gap in household income, as well as the amount of income per person, is also influenced by demographics. This is evident in Salares and Benamargosa, where the number of household members is 2.1 and 2.2 respectively, below both the 3.0 in Alhaurin de la Torre and the 2.4 in Rincon. There is another possible factor to consider when examining the reasons why some towns have higher incomes than others. The two municipalities with the highest household incomes, Rincon and Alhaurin, have populations with an average age of 41 and 40 years respectively, compared to around 47 or 48 years in Salares and Benamargosa. That said, the "oldest" municipality in the province by average age is Sedella (54 years). Indicators of inequality 2.8 nearly triple are the earnings of the richest 20% in Spain compared to the poorest 20%. Meanwhile, the Gini index stands at 32.1 points nationally. The data published by the INE also provides information on the degree of equality or inequality in income distribution. This is based on two indicators. Firstly, the Gini index, which measures inequality using a coefficient ranging from 1 to 100, depending on whether the distribution of resources is completely equal among all individuals (1) or concentrated in a single person (100). Secondly, the 80/20 index, which compares the income of the 20% of the population with the highest income against the 20% earning the lowest. Whichever indicator is used as a reference, the most unequal municipality in Malaga is Benahavis: the Gini index stands at 43.6 points, well above the 36 points of Genalgualcil and Fuengirola, and also above the 35.4 of Marbella. Furthermore, Benahavis is twice as unequal as the municipality with the most balanced income distribution, which is Serrato (its Gini index rating is 22.1 points). If we take the 80/20 indicator as a reference, the INE reports that, in Benahavis, the top 20% of the income earners actually earn four times more than the lowest 20%. The next most unequal municipality is Genalguacil, where the ratio is 3.5 times. Fuengirola and Benalmadena also have ratios above 3.0. However, Marbella is below this, with a ratio of 2.9 times. Meanwhile, in Villanueva de Tapia, the least unequal municipality in Malaga province according to this indicator, the richest 20% earn 1.9 times more than the poorest. So, Benahavis is the most unequal municipality in Malaga, yet it is also the one where average net household income has grown the most in the last five years (2018 to 2023). It has gone from 8,466 to 14,248 euros, an increase of nearly 70%. However, it appears that this progress has not come about in a very egalitarian manner. Irene Quirante Malaga Friday, 31 October 2025, 13:57 Share A provincial court in Malaga has sentenced a man for attempting to set fire to the house where he was living as a squatter in Estepona after an angry confrontation with neighbours in a local bar. According to the ruling, to which SUR has had access, he will have to serve eight years and nine months in prison for a crime of arson and another of threatening behaviour. The incident happened at around 9pm on 21 February 2024, when the accused set fire to a sofa and various items that he had placed at the entrance of the house, which caused "a serious situation for the residents of the adjoining houses", as they were connected by the upper floor and shared the same roof. The neighbours reacted quickly and went out to try to put out the flames using several fire extinguishers. They also did what they could to keep the accused away from the area. The man, according to the court ruling, upon seeing that they were trying to extinguish the fire, began lighting some rags and pieces of cardboard as makeshift torches with the intention of spreading the flames inside the property. The incident led to the provincial fire brigade (CPB) being called, as well as the 061 medical services, as reported by SUR at the time. Local and National Police officers also arrived and arrested the suspect, a 40-year-old Moroccan man who was in an irregular situation. Death threats to a waiter A few hours earlier, according to the evidence, the defendant had been told to leave a bar located near the house he was squatting in for disturbing the customers. This is when the threats began, both to the neighbours and to the employee himself, who he said that he was going to kill when he finished working. He also said that he was going to set fire to the business. After a while, he returned to the bar carrying a chain with a metal ball. The owner and the manager of the establishment went to the premises after learning about the threats, which had caused the staff member considerable unease and anxiety. The defendant returned and this time approached the owner, displaying two pistols - it is unknown whether they were real or replicas - and said that he was going to "kill his waiter". Although the accused tried to deny his involvement in the trial, in which he implied that the fire had been set by the local residents themselves, the court considered that the facts had been proved. For the threats, the defendant was sentenced to one year and three months in prison, while for the arson he was sentenced to seven years and six months. In addition, he will be deported from Spain, with a ban on entering the country for ten years, effective as soon as he is granted parole. Europa Press Malaga Friday, 31 October 2025, 18:40 Share The cooperation between National Police teams in different towns and cities across Spain has led to the arrest of the kingpin of a 'fake rental' network that allegedly defrauded victims out of more than 25,000 euros. The arrest was carried out by officers from National Police in Fuengirola in the south of Madrid. According to the force. The suspect would deceive his victims by offering them to rent tourist properties, organising visits after copying the keys, signing contracts and charging in advance. Thanks to police collaboration within 'Operation Buganvilla', the security forces managed to analyse isolated complaints from different provinces and towns, such as Fuengirola, Marbella and Madrid. They discovered that the complaints concerned the same cases and modus operandi. Whoever had scammed the victims had defrauded them of more than 25,000 euros. Although the suspect used a simple technique, it proved to be effective. In order to market the tourist properties, he would gain legal access, take photos and copy the keys. He would then publish ads on rental platforms and advertise the flats as available for long-term rental. Once hooked, the victims would visit the property and sign a contract. The suspect would then ask them to pay the first month's rent and a deposit. On the entry date, the victims would find that the property was occupied by tourists. That is when they would file a complaint. Meticulous reconstruction Studying each report, the police discovered a pattern: same dates, identical clauses and contact numbers leading to the same individual. This allowed them to meticulously reconstruct the crime. They were also able to identify other possible collaborators, who were the holders of the accounts into which the monthly payments were made. They would then either transfer the money to a third party or withdraw it in order to make tracing difficult. The investigation remains open and the police do not rule out further fraud cases and arrests. Julio J. Portabales Carratraca Friday, 31 October 2025 | Updated 07/11/2025 13:00h. Share The first stone has been laid for Carratraca's nature and biodiversity theme Evolution Park. The ceremony, which took place in the small town in the Guadalhorce valley on Thursday 30 October, marked the first decisive step after ten years. Authorities used the opportunity to provide more details regarding the park's features and construction deadlines. Firstly, Evolution Park will be unique not only in Malaga, but also in the whole world, as it will combine the past, present and future of nature and biodiversity, hence the name. It will feature the world's longest aquarium (80 metres). If these technical characteristics are confirmed, it will be among the most ambitious aquatic constructions in Europe. Zoom Image of the future Evolution Park aquarium, which will be the longest in the world. SUR This project was born out of a private initiative of the company Finca Ecologica y de Recreo Arroyo de las Canas 2.013 S.L., headed by Ricardo Gista and the future director of the park, Javier Lazpita. Both knew from the start that the aim of this new space is not to be considered an ordinary 'zoo', but rather to combine the exhibition of wildlife with the recreation of natural habitats, educational activities and immersive experiences for the whole family. 200 hectares The plot of land chosen for the construction of the park covers 200 hectares. It is located in the Sierra del Agua, about four kilometres from the town of Carratraca and with nearby access from the A-354 road. The main investment amounts to ten million euros, which should cover the two phases of development. Sources have told SUR that the aim is to have Evolution Park ready for visitors in about four years. The ceremony Representatives of several institutions that support the project attended the ceremony on Thursday. Among them were regional minister of tourism Arturo Bernal, delegate of the Junta in Malaga Patricia Navarro and mayor of Carratraca Marian Fernandez. Fernandez spoke about the uniqueness and exceptional nature of the park, which will integrate leisure, science and biodiversity. The project is also expected to generate more than 350 direct and indirect jobs. This implies a demand for housing and a hotel and makes the park "an economic engine that will complement the Caminito del Rey and the Sierra de las Nieves". In addition to the aquarium, authorities announced that Evolution Park will have the largest aviary in Spain, a state-of-the-art planetarium and unique experiences that do not exist anywhere else. As future director, Javier Lazpita outlined other features such as a series of exhibitions, a valuable collection of fossils and a collection of realistic replicas made by an Andalusian Paleoartist. Immersive activities Other activities offered by the site will include immersive experiences in different parts of the world, such as the jungle of Madagascar, an Indian temple or the African savannah. Digital experiences will invite visitors to a flying theatre, a planetarium and a virtual safari. Lazpita highlighted the educational value of the park, given that biodiversity conservation awareness is the main driver of the project. Arturo Bernal spoke about the collaboration between institutions and private companies that have made the first step and the future construction of the park possible. As regional minister, he highlighted the key role the park will play in inland Andalusian tourism and rural economy. The project aligns with the new tourism model of Andalucia, which focuses on sustainability, innovation and diversification beyond the sun and beach offer. "Projects like this show that Andalucia can lead the way in environmentally friendly, profitable and active tourism 365 days a year," Bernal said. With the laying of the first stone, Evolution Park officially begins its journey to become one of the major leisure and nature projects in Andalucia. Photo of one of the suspects taken by video surveillance cameras near one of the ransacked houses in La Alqueria. Jose Rodriguez Camara Alhaurin de la Torre Friday, 31 October 2025, 17:01 Share The Guardia Civil have arrested a man and a woman suspected of a spate of villa and rural house robberies in Alhaurin de la Torre in Malaga province's Guadalhorce valley as part of 'Operation Bars'. The detainees had arrived in Spain in March. Originally from Argentina, they had used tourist visas to cross the border and get to Alhaurin de la Torre, where they carried out burglaries in 17 properties in different parts of La Alqueria. Their crimes alerted residents this past summer. A surveillance camera in the area captured the perpetrators right before they illegally entered one of the properties. According to the owner, once inside, they consumed champagne and beer, before leaving with the loot. For the moment, the Guardia Civil are aware of 17 thefts. Local residents in the La Alqueria area set up a WhatsApp group when the robberies started so that they could inform each other of any suspicions and strange movements. That is how they noticed a woman stationed in strategic spots, as if she were keeping watch. According to the police, the pair would use rented vehicles to move around the town. Once they had chosen their target, they would climb over the wall or cut the fence bars with hydraulic shears. They managed to get their hands on cash, jewellery and other valuable items worth a total of 14,000 euros. The cash they would send back to Argentina. Thanks to the investigation, the Guardia Civil intercepted the burglars minutes before they were about to enter another villa. The police arrested them and seized the vehicle they had used and the burglary tools. The suspects' intention was to leave as soon as their three-month visa expired. Following the arrest, the court ordered their imprisonment. Ignacio Lillo Malaga Friday, 31 October 2025, 17:14 Share In flying terms, the expansion of Malaga Airport is already taxiing on the runway and starting to accelerate to reach take-off speed. Moreover, it is doing so with a pace processing rarely seen in a project of this magnitude. Spanish airports operator Aena's board of directors has given the green light to the tender for the technical assistance for the management of all the projects related to the extension of the terminal area. The base budget is almost 52.16 million euros. The bids provided by the consultancy companies interested in the project supervision are already being studied. Million-euro investment Aena has already earmarked around 90 million euros for the first steps of the refurbishment of the Malaga infrastructure, if we add the 36.5 million euros earmarked for the drafting of the projects. Few infrastructures that are currently under way in Malaga province reach such figures, including the extension of the metro to Hospital Civil; the construction of the new hospital; the IMEC microchip factory; and the renovation of the Bobadilla-Algeciras railway line. Proposals have come from four joint ventures of engineering and architectural companies: Viarium Ingenieria with Ayesa; Typsa, Ghesa and Blas Torres Gutierrez; Cemosa, Sener and Fairbanks Arquitectos; and Prointec, Ove Arup and Estudio Lamela. They are competing to sign the contract for the "most ambitious" step in the transformation of Malaga Airport "since the inauguration of T3 in 2010". "The technical assistance tasks will contribute to the roadmap for the design and subsequent development of the planned works, making this a fundamental step. This is even more important considering that the airport will remain operational while the work is carried out, so these tasks will be essential to ensure diligent execution and to minimise disruption to the daily operations of the facilities," Aena said. Expansion characteristics The work planned aims to adapt the capacity of the terminal area to demand, which has grown exponentially since the pandemic, with 20 million passengers in the last nine months and a forecast to close the year at around 27 million. Another objective is to streamline airport processes. Therefore, the goal is dual: provide the airport with the capacity to meet future growth and do so with a focus on quality, optimising the experience of passengers and airlines. The plan includes all the necessary actions to almost double the surface area of the terminal space. Among the tasks are the construction of a new dock for non-Schengen traffic with centralised border control; the increase in aircraft contact positions (allowing passengers to board and disembark via gangways); an increase in the surface area for security control; and the redesign of the baggage handling system to facilitate the work of handling employees. Also noteworthy is the 41% (43% in the case of VIP lounges) increase planned in the surface area for commercial activity in the terminal. On the airfield, new taxiways will be constructed to connect the runways with the aircraft parking apron, improving the flow of aircraft movement. On the other hand, the two runways should have sufficient capacity to cope with the increase in demand for many years to come. In addition, outdoor areas, access and car parks will be improved and/or extended. The project has been included in the proposal of the next airport regulation document (Dora III) for the 2027-2031 period. "I'm making this statement because many people have been asking me what happened on Friday and I think it's important to tell my side of the story." So begins the social media statement made by Julia Gonzalez - a 21-year-old rapper known as Faenna from Malaga's Huelin district. On 24 October, she was identified by several Local Police officers who caught her painting on a wall in the city centre. According to Faenna's account, she told the police to talk to her in a more appropriate and respectful manner, after which "things got heated" and she was arrested. She said that five police officers rushed to restrain her, twisting her arms and legs and pinning her down. "I was just trying to move out of fear because I felt attacked and they took that as resistance," Faenna told her 70,000 Instagram followers. After the arrest, she was taken to the National Police station, where she was held for 20 hours, until she was brought before a judge. "They accused me of resisting and attacking the authorities and want me to serve six months in prison. One of the police officers says I bit him, which is a lie. I didn't attack anyone and there are witnesses who can confirm it. As they presented an injury report, they are also asking me for money as compensation," Faenna said. Faenna stated that her body was covered in "bruises and scratches". Her representative said she intends to request the medical report in court. The city council has stated that the only proven injuries are those of the officer and that the only defendant in court will be Faenna. Once again through her representative, Faenna told her fans that she only sought to "lift the weight off her shoulders" by making the statement, as she has been feeling "a lot of anxiety" since the incident. This story was originally published on Banking Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Banking Dive newsletter. The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority has approved neobank Bunqs bid for a U.S. broker-dealer license, the Dutch lender announced Monday. The license allows users to invest in U.S. stocks, including mutual funds and exchange-traded funds. Bunq on Monday called the development a first step in bringing user-centric products across the Atlantic. Our users roam the world they live, work and travel across borders, Bunq CEO Ali Niknam said in a release Monday. For many, the U.S. is an important part of their lives. Bunq has been trying to break into the U.S. market for years. The fintech applied for a banking license in April 2023 with the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency and Federal Deposit Insurance Corp., hoping to tap into a digital-nomad user base. At Bunq wed rather do things right than rush things, Niknam said months later, adding that he expected a tough but fair application process. The company, however, withdrew its application after a 301-day wait, citing a difference of views between financial regulators in the U.S. and the Netherlands. Now, amid a perception of relaxed financial regulations under the Trump administration versus a more skeptical approach in the previous Biden era theres been a surge in fintech and crypto firms applying for licenses. Coinbase, Circle, Paxos, Stripe subsidiary Bridge and, most recently, Crypto.com have all applied for a national trust charter this year. That has prompted several bank and credit union trade groups to lay out substantial concerns in urging the OCC to delay approving the charter applications. Bunq, for its part, aims to refile for a broader U.S. banking license once everything is ready, a spokesperson for the company told Reuters. The Dutch lender announced in April that it had applied with FINRA as it disclosed profits that surged by 65% year over year. Our users live an international lifestyle, and they need a bank thats global too, Niknam said at the time. Pilar Martinez Malaga Friday, 31 October 2025, 10:30 Share Malaga will once again attend the main British tourism fair, which is also one of the three major global events for the industry - the World Travel Market (WTM) in London, from 4 to 6 November. The UK is the main tourist market for the Costa del Sol capital, with a number of British visitors that keeps growing. For this reason, the focus for tourism councillor Jacobo Florido and director of Turismo Costa del Sol Jonathan Gomez at this year's fair is the 'premium' tourist, who has a higher purchasing power to benefit the city's gastronomic and shopping offer. Florido stated the UK's interest in Malaga, in terms of numbers, is "overwhelming". To give an example, from January to September this year, the city received 137,745 British tourists (an increase of 20.2%), who had booked a total of 329,042 overnight stays (9.9% more), compared to the same period in 2024. According to data from Spain's INE national institute of statistics, British visitors stay in Malaga for an average of 2.39 days. 20.2% increase in British tourist staying in Malaga's hotels in the first nine months of the year Having consolidated interest, Malaga is turning its attention to luxury tourism, while maintaining its commitment to those who visit it for its cultural offer. Florido also announced that they will collaborate with content creators, as many people feel the call to visit Malaga thanks to social media. "We are going to have an intense work agenda in which, in addition to meetings with airlines, tour operators and travel agencies, we will establish relationships with these creators who are influencing the arrival of tourists," Florido said. The Malaga delegation in London, which comprises both city council representatives and companies, has booked more than 30 business meetings. Malaga's stand, which has been installed right next to the Costa del Sol and Andalucia region stands, borrows the design of a 'corralon' - a traditional communal house. Something that plays to Malaga's advantage is the fact that its airport is connected to 17 cities in the UK. Between January and September, the number of British arrivals has grown by almost 8%, reaching 2.2 million people. Moreover, Malaga Airport's capacity makes it a key facility for the province, the Andalucia region and Spain as whole. Nuria Triguero Malaga Friday, 31 October 2025, 12:40 | Updated 14:24h. Share For several years now, Malaga province has claimed the record for growth in number of registered self-employed workers in Spain. In the last decade, the province that includes the Costa del Sol has gained 36,000 self-employed workers (an increase of 34%), while the national average has been lower than 8%. Currently there are 142,000 self-employed workers, (or 'autonomos', as they are known in Spanish), in the province: one in every five working people locally. The trend is showing no signs of slowing down, with another year-on-year increase of almost 4,500 in the past year. However, the profile of self-employed workers has changed, with women leading the growth. Over the past ten years, there has been a 45% increase in female self-employed workers, compared to 28% among men. Although women are still a minority, they represent 38% of the total number of self-employed workers in Malaga province now. Foreign-born workers The other group that has fuelled this boom in self-employment is immigrants, who have doubled from 17,400 to more than 36,000 over the past decade. They now represent a quarter of the total number of self-employed workers in the province. The most common nationalities within this group come from Latin America (Argentina, Venezuela and Colombia). Retail, construction and the hospitality industry are the most common fields for those who work for themselves. Although retail remains the sector with the highest number of self-employed workers, it has started to slow down. "The lack of family members to take over small shops, competition from online and large supermarkets and rising costs have taken their toll," says Jose Luis Perea, secretary general of the self-employed workers' association (Ata). In contrast, other sectors have at least doubled the number of self-employed workers. The largest pull has been the information and communications sector, with a 141% increase, followed by real estate (+125.5%), education (+92.8%), science and tech (+81%) and arts and recreation (+73.8%). Construction, on the other hand, is the sector with the second highest number of self-employed workers, despite a smaller increase rate. Is this boom in self-employment good or bad? Public authorities have always welcomed the fact that there are many self-employed people as evidence of an innovative economy. However, self-employment in Spain is considered by many to be a precarious and uncompetitive field, especially given the high fees payable, (which the government has decided in the end not to increase for next year amid an outcry). People also say that more advanced societies have lower percentages of self-employment. Some politicians have started to say that the slowdown in self-employment nationally is a good thing. So, is it positive or not that Malaga keeps growing in self-employment numbers? Secretary general of the Andalusian union of the self-employed (UATAE) Pepe Galvan says that, on the upside, self-employment is not growing at a time when there is a rise in unemployment, "as happened during the last big recession". On the contrary, it is growing alongside a general rise in employment. To compare the two, affiliation to the Social Security for wage earners in Malaga province has grown by 49%, while self-employment has grown by 34%. Galvan says that the UATAE does not encourage people to register as self-employed lightly, considering that this bears debts and a type of responsibility that salaried workers don't have. However, Galvan adds that the situation has changed and only three out of every ten self-employed workers are forced to cease their activity in the first two years, compared to eight out of every ten during the 2008 crisis. "The survival rate is around 70% and that is the best sign. We are celebrating not because self-employment is growing, but because it is being maintained," he says. Both UATAE and Ata attribute this "healthy" growth of self-employment in Malaga to the economic dynamism of the province, led by tourism and technology and, to a certain extent, construction. The fact that there are more self-employed does not mean they have fewer challenges. The problems remain the same: few rights, many fees and a lack of social benefits, with "six out of ten self-employed people" not being entitled to the latter. "It is ridiculous to have to pay contributions for a benefit that you don't receive," Perea says. Friday, 31 October 2025, 12:23 Share Cyber officers attached to the National Police station in Marbella have recovered more than two million euros swindled from around twenty victims through cyber-attacks on e-mails, most of them associated with real estate transactions. One of the most noteworthy of the cases solved was one in which the rapid action of the investigators enabled them to foil a fraud of 1.4 million euros in the purchase and sale of a luxury villa in Marbella, according to the National Police in a press release. The cybercriminals used the 'man-in-the-middle' technique. Since the creation in 2023 of the cybercrime group at the Marbella police station, among other cybercrime crimes, 20 scams have been solved that meet the parameters of the fraud known as a man-in-the-middle attack. This is a type of crime in which criminals intercept a conversation, via e-mail, between two companies that have a commercial relationship, a service provision relationship or any other relationship involving a payment obligation. In more detail, this type of computer fraud consists of intercepting a conversation or a data transfer by posing as one of the legitimate participants in the transaction. Intruders make slight changes to legitimate email addresses, sometimes unnoticeable to the victims, such as inserting a dot or a hyphen, or replacing one letter with another. The cybercriminals then, in this email exchange, provide a new bank account number to carry out the money transfers, pretending to be the company providing a certain service that the victim requires. In the end, the money is paid into the fraudsters' account, while the victim believes that he or she has actually sent it to the company with which he or she has a contractual relationship. Transfers to Portugal and Austria stopped In the case of the million-dollar scam involving the purchase and sale of a luxury villa in Marbella, the cyber-officers were able to count on the collaboration of the banking institutions involved, as well as the assistance of Interpol and Europol, and were able to locate, intervene and return a total of 1,445,000 euros to their rightful owner, blocking several transfers to Portugal and Austria in time. Continuing with the investigations, the National Police were able to ascertain how the different criminal plots, in order to hide their identity, made use of intermediaries who were the holders of the target bank accounts. This is what is known in police jargon as a "mule", who provides their bank details so that the cybercriminals can use their account, receiving an economic benefit in exchange. When the swindled money arrives, they make national or international transfers. On the other hand, as a recommendation, the National Police advise any business company with commercial activity, based on payment of invoices or sale or purchase of movable or immovable property using bank transfers as a means of payment, to ensure that the destination account is the correct one by checking with the account holder, being suspicious of changes, for no apparent reason, of the IBAN numbers of the recipient's accounts, as well as checking contact details, including telephone numbers and e-mails. Isabel Mendez Malaga Friday, 31 October 2025, 09:48 Share The final stretch of October in Malaga province has been marked by some welcome rain and a drop in temperatures, registering values somewhat more in line with the time of year after a few weeks of unusually warm weather. But will the rain continue and put a dampener on the Halloween celebrations tonight? According to the forecasts of Spain's state meteorological agency (Aemet), no rain is expected this Friday, 31 October, in the capital of the Costa del Sol, and in the province the probability is very low. In addition, the mercury could rise again, especially during the day, and highs are expected to be around 25C. Nighttime temperatures, on the other hand, could drop to 15-16 degrees. For Saturday, Jose Luis Escudero, head of the SUR blog Tormentas y Rayos (storms and lightning), predicts a "very low probability of precipitation" and no wind gusts. On Sunday, however, "an active cold front during the early hours of the morning could leave weak and occasional showers in the western inland area of Malaga province" is expected, while the probability of rain in the rest of the province "is very low". Autumn 'terral' wind In addition, moderate to strong gusts of a warm autumn 'terral' wind are expected along the Costa del Sol, which will be more likely in the afternoon, causing temperatures to rise again in the usual areas where the terral makes its presence felt. Share Several years ago in the sleepy town of Volklingen, Germany, a neo-Nazi mayoral candidate pledged to defend Western Civilisation. Asked how he'd stop the rise of Arabic numerals, he said: "Just wait until I'm mayor. Then there will be normal numbers." One might almost admire the pristine idiocy of denouncing the symbols used to write one's own birthday. Bigotry, it turns out, is Esperanto: universally spoken and pronounced with absolute self-confidence. In the United States, school boards in Republican enclaves swooned when trolled about - again - Arabic numerals. Outrage bloomed like algae. That these were the digits used to count their beers and bullets seemed to elude them. Across the Atlantic, Brexit Britain - a nation that has invaded roughly 90% of the planet - declared itself under foreign occupation. The same empire that spread its language, laws and smallpox now trembles at Polish plumbers while shoveling tikka masala and washing it down with Indian tea. The dissonance is Wagnerian, though far less tuneful. Spain is not immune to this pandemic of patriotic delirium. The far right thunders about foreign contamination while swaddled in American brands, praying for the resurrection of a country that survives mainly in the footnotes of its own delusions. They denounce globalisation - between Amazon deliveries. And yet, in their crusade for "purity," they practise one of Spain's most endearing arts: syncretism. Nowhere else does a pair of Levi's 501s get the reverence of a dress uniform. The crease - razor-sharp, defying both God and denim - marches down the leg of the would-be patriot, a tradwife-ironed tribute to an imaginary homeland. Their cultural panic is as selective as their Catholicism. Charity for the poor, unless the poor are people. This is the nationalist fantasy: a perfume distilled from amnesia. The myth of "purity" requires forgetting the obvious - that cultures grow through trade, theft, borrowing, mimicry and curiosity. Spain is a tapestry woven by Phoenicians, Romans, Visigoths, North Africans, Jews, Greeks...and every passing sailor with a story. To fear mestizaje is to fear our own reflection. Which brings me to tonight: Halloween. Nothing is more delightfully impure, more cheerfully syncretic. A Celtic ritual varnished by Catholicism, re-exported by American capitalism, now enjoyed by kids dressed as Mexican skeletons while collecting Dutch candy in Chinese-made buckets. It thrives precisely because it shed its original "purity". Halloween lives because it evolves - belonging to everyone and no one. The far right despises it for the same reason they despise immigration, open borders and the dictionary: it proves culture is not a museum but a kitchen. Things mix. Spices travel. Recipes change. The result is better than what you started with. Spain's greatest traditions - its literature, fiestas, language, hospitality - are products of generosity, curiosity and joyful contamination. At its best, the national character is open-armed and unafraid. It feeds strangers. It borrows. It improvises. It adapts. Hence the final irony: the far right claims to defend "Spanishness," yet the Spain they want has nothing Spanish about it. They dream of a country without mezcla, outsiders, curiosity, or generosity - without the traits that made Spain Spanish. In the end, they resemble joyless bachelors scolding children on Halloween: threatened by delight, offended by happiness, terrified by a knock on the door. They sit alone in the dark, hoarding their candy, aghast that anyone might share it. And that is why they will always lose - because culture, like a costume, is meant to be borrowed, shared, paraded, and seen, while the worst of it withers in closets, embalmed by nostalgia, awaiting a past that never was. Susana Zamora Malaga Friday, 31 October 2025, 18:57 Share After suffering an accident at work on 26 September 2011, a company employee in Spain was diagnosed with a severe open fracture of the right elbow that became infected and caused damage to the ulnar and radial nerves. His employer provided him with treatment through the mutual insurance company Fraternidad Muprespa, which collaborates with the national Social Security system. He underwent 11 operations and received more than 550 physiotherapy and psychiatric sessions. All of these were paid for by Fraternidad Muprespa. However, as his state worsened, in 2019, he asked to be operated on by a highly renowned surgeon in the private health sector (Clinica Vithas in Valencia), whose methods had a 90% success rate. Fraternidad Muprespa refused him and proposed a procedure which, according to the insurer, "entailed fewer risks and was more realistic in terms of success". Reimbursement refusal Faced with uncertainty and denial, the employee went to a private clinic and paid for two successful operations out of his own pocket. He then decided to claim reimbursement from the mutual insurance company and the Social Security authorities. The total cost he had covered amounted to 25,811.43 euros. After many years of disagreements and, finally, litigation, in May this year, the High Court of Justice of Madrid ruled justified the worker's request for reimbursement, considering the "ineffectiveness" of the treatment offered by the mutual insurance company. In the ruling, the judges stated that they could not ignore "the enormous and long-lasting complications" and the "absolutely useless" assistance provided by Fraternidad Muprespa. It has been considered proven that the worker's state continued worsening, putting his physical and emotional well-being at stake, despite the prolonged treatment funded by the insurer. As his improvement after he took matters in his own hands has shown, the private treatment was decisive in reversing his deterioration. According to the court, the latest couple of surgeries could even lead to a review of the declaration of absolute permanent disability, which was judicially recognised on 15 December 2016. The ruling states that the patient's health "remained critical, with practically no chance of improvement" despite the insurer's proposed treatment. Therefore, the worker's search for "the most qualified and accurate healthcare" was "not only logical" but also successful. SUR Madrid Friday, 31 October 2025, 11:02 Share It has been another stressful political week for Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez. On Tuesday, it was announced that Catalan nationalist party Junts would stop propping up the coalition government in the Spanish parliament with the votes of its seven MPs. Leader Carles Puigdemont - who is still in self-exile in Belgium and wanted in Spain over embezzlement - has asked his party members to vote to approve to end their closeness to Sanchez's Socialist PSOE. Junt is unsatisfied with Madrid's lack of success in concessions to Catalonia. Ministers, however, have reacted calmly, saying the break has no effective change on the position of the minority coalition government. Meanwhile, on Thursday, in a chaotic session before a committee of senators in Spain's upper house, Sanchez was giving explanations over why his PSOE party seems to have been paying out large amounts in cash. The Prime Minister said cash was being paid but continued to stress that all party funding was legal and accounted for. He was very critical of the ongoing corruption accusations against his family and party. Lucia Palacios Madrid Friday, 31 October 2025, 16:05 | Updated 16:21h. Share Civil servants in Spain took to the streets on Thursday to demand improved working conditions. This time, their protest and the threat of a general strike in December if their demands are not met have had an effect: the Spanish government will sit down with them to negotiate the pending salary increase, both for this year - since their paychecks are currently frozen - and for subsequent years. This was announced by the CSIF, UGT and CC OO unions after holding a "massive" demonstration in Madrid, in front of the Ministry responsible for the Civil Service, and at many regional representative headquarters for central government throughout Spain. The new Secretary of State for Public Administration, Consuelo Sanchez Naranjo, invited union leaders to her office to inform them that collective bargaining for the Civil Service will resume on Wednesday 5 November. The unions applauded the ministry's decision, but warned that they are not prepared to "waste any more time" and demanded that, at this first meeting, Oscar Lopez's ministry present a financial offer to improve the salaries of all civil servants (over 3.5 million public employees), who are losing spending power. Along with these demands, they warned that, if an agreement is not reached, "there will be a strike in December". "I can't make ends meet" "It cannot be, I'm a public employee and I can't make ends meet", "Negotiate or general strike", "Better salaries are needed" and "More negotiation, less manipulation" were some of the slogans that civil servants shouted this Thursday in front of the ministry led by Oscar Lopez. The CSIF union demanded a salary increase mandated by decree and that salaries be indexed to pensions plus an additional percentage agreed upon with the unions. Among other demands, the unions are also calling for an end to the replacement rate, for public sector job openings to meet the needs of governance, for increased staffing levels, for improved conditions for partial and early retirement within the civil service and for a 35-hour working week. Alfonso Torices Madrid Friday, 31 October 2025, 10:39 Share One in four doctors in Spain will retire in the next ten years, leaving a huge gap in the country's health centres and hospitals. Health ministries at the regional and national level must now determine how to plug this gap to avoid future disruptions, shortages and collapses in patient care. This is one of the main conclusions from a detailed assessment of the state of the medical profession in Spain, comparing it to the rest of Europe and outlining its medium- and long-term future. The review and report were compiled by the OMC (the Spanish association for medical professionals). The 170-page analysis indicates that the average age of medical professionals is 47.5 years, meaning that approximately 69,000 doctors, 25% of the total, will retire between now and 2035. The Spanish regions with the oldest medical workforces are Aragon, Asturias and Castile and Leon. The four specialities where retirements will leave the largest gaps this decade, resulting in high replacement needs, are legal and forensic medicine, occupational medicine, clinical biochemistry and clinical analysis. The report does not downplay the problem posed by the retirement of a quarter of active members of the medical association, but asserts that Spain will not be short of doctors to maintain quality care in the coming years if the Ministry of Health and the regional health ministries can reach a long-term agreement that strengthens the most-needed specialities and includes tools and incentives to guarantee hard-to-fill positions, especially those in rural Spain. No brain drain of doctors The document states that Spain currently has 276,000 practising physicians, some 55,000 more than eight years ago, placing it above the European average per 100,000 inhabitants and in the upper-middle range (11th out of 27). The report adds that the future, provided there is adequate planning, is facilitated by the significant increase in MIR places (training for resident doctors) implemented and planned by the Ministry in Madrid, with 9,276 places announced for 2026, and the enormous number of medical schools in the country - 53, an increase of nine in the last eight years due to the proliferation of private campuses. This figure makes Spain the country with the most medical schools per capita on the planet. A fourth piece of data is also relevant. There is no brain drain of doctors heading overseas. In 2024, only 460 medical professionals left to work abroad. Still, it is not just the significant number of medical graduates that matters. Spain has a high rate of specialist physicians (2.15 per 1,000 inhabitants) and is a leader in family and community medicine, the mainstay of primary care. It is the fourth European country with the most family doctors per 100,000 inhabitants (95), 22 points above the EU average of 73. There is an urgent need for replacement doctors in forensic medicine, occupational medicine, biochemistry and clinical analysis, plus the greatest regional shortages are in rural, 'empty' Spain However, the study shows that all this resource potential is poorly distributed, with significant regional imbalances that undermine equity in patient care. While eight regions exceed the Spanish average of doctors per inhabitant (Madrid, Asturias, Navarre, Aragon, the Basque Country, Cantabria, Castile and Leon and Extremadura), Andalucia and Castile-La Mancha fall considerably short. The shortage of professionals is especially significant in the sparsely populated provinces of Spain, such as Zamora, Huesca, Soria, Cuenca and Teruel. Based on its analysis, the OMC proposes four major measures to those in charge of health administration (centrally and regionally) to guarantee generational renewal and the efficiency of the healthcare system in the medium and long term. The first is to reach an agreement between the Ministry of Health and the regional governments on the replacement of doctors. This agreement should include, says the OMC, mechanisms for the equitable redistribution of posts, common planning criteria and incentives for relocation between regions. However, they warn that improvements in paternity and care leave will require an increase in staffing levels to maintain the quality of care. The second measure is to plan a dynamic adjustment of the MIR places (medical residencies) offered, adapting the offering in advance of the projections made in the retirements report for each medical speciality and each region, as well as the emerging healthcare needs (ageing and chronicity) and the teaching capacity of faculties and health centres, with special attention given to strengthening hospitals and healthcare areas in rural Spain. A feminised profession The third measure is to harness the potential of new technologies, especially artificial intelligence (AI), as tools to address the shortage of professionals. Telemedicine and AI-based diagnostic support systems should be promoted, accompanied by digital training for professionals and technological integration between primary and hospital care. The fourth proposal is to foster professional development and female leadership via transparent career plans, mentoring programmes and management training, as well as proactive policies for equality and increased visibility of female talent. This point is particularly relevant because six out of ten doctors are already women and, in a few years, they will make up 70% of the medical profession, yet between 60% and 70% of the leadership positions are still held by men. A final market shift highlighted in the report is the remarkable and rapid expansion of private medicine in Spain. Since 2018, private sector medical premiums have grown by 6.4%, reaching 34 billion euros annually, representing 28.4% of total healthcare spending. Isabel Mendez Malaga Friday, 31 October 2025, 16:55 Share The health authorities in Spain's Madrid region have detected the presence of a blue plastic material in a batch of a popular brand of Lotus waffles (Lotus). The information has been communicated to several other regions, including Andalucia, where the batch has been distributed. Product details Name: Belgian waffle 250g (x5) Brand name: Lotus Product appearance: packs of five waffles Barcode: 5410126002003 Lot number: 171225G Expiry date: 17/12/2025 Unit weight: 250 grams Temperature: ambient Zoom The Spanish agency for food safety and nutrition (Aesan) has recalled the product, sold in the regions of Andalucia, Aragon, the Balearic Islands, Catalonia, Cantabria, Castilla - La Mancha, Castilla y Leon, Valencia, Madrid and the Basque Country. It is possible that the waffles have been distributed to other regions as well. Persons who have the product concerned by this alert are advised to refrain from consuming it. Instead, the things to focus on with Berkshire Hathaway's earnings are its insurance underwriting business, energy margins, and if the company will buy back stock. Essentially, Buffett is saying investors should not mistake market noise for the business reality. There are accounting rules that force companies to adjust their results every quarter -- and some investors overreact to those paper gains and losses. Buffett, through Berkshire's earnings report and commentary in the second quarter, says it best. "Investment gains (losses) derive from our investments in equity securities and can include significant unrealized gains and losses from changes in market prices and foreign currency exchange rates applicable to certain of our investments. We believe that investment gains and losses, whether realized from dispositions or unrealized from changes in market prices, are generally meaningless in understanding our reported periodic results or evaluating the economic performance of our operating businesses." (emphasis added) But honestly, if you're questioning if you should invest in Berkshire Hathaway because you like the company's investment portfolio, you're looking in the wrong place. There are lots of more important factors to consider. It's understandable to be skeptical about Berkshire Hathaway as an investment considering Buffett's influence. He will truly be missed. And that's at least part of the reason Berkshire Hathaway stock is underperforming the market, up only 5% so far this year versus the S&P 500's gain of 17%. Buffett is a legendary leader and investor, with his buy-and-hold style mimicked by millions. The Oracle of Omaha amassed a mighty investment portfolio for Berkshire Hathaway as he transformed the company from a textile company to a $1 trillion conglomerate that owns insurance businesses, an energy business, real estate, and railroads. This will be a landmark year for Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK.A) (NYSE: BRK.B). The company's 95-year-old chief executive officer, Warren Buffett , will retire at the end of the year, concluding a 60-year run. Buffett led Berkshire Hathaway to astounding riches in his career, accumulating an overall gain through 2024 of 5,502,284% (versus 39,504% for the S&P 500 ). Story Continues According to the company's Q2 earnings, Berkshire Hathaway earned $80.4 billion in revenue from its insurance companies, down from $81.4 billion a year ago. Its railroad, utilities and energy segment was also down slightly, with revenue of $12.2 billion versus $12.3 billion a year ago. The company's total revenue was $92.5 billion, down from $93.7 billion a year ago. Net earnings for the quarter were $12.4 billion and $5.73 per share, down from $30.3 billion and $14.08 per share in the same quarter a year ago. But even in that, there were some changes. Berkshire disclosed that it reclassified revenue, liability, asset, and expense balances of its Pilot Travel Centers from the railroad, utilities, and energy segment to the insurance and other segment. The change didn't affect Berkshire's consolidated statements, but it did have an impact when you look at those individual segments. Berkshire Hathaway also said that it did not make any stock buybacks in the first half of the year. Berkshire only buys back shares when Buffett believes that the stock's repurchase price is below a conservative estimate of the company's intrinsic value, according to the earnings report. Interestingly, Berkshire Hathaway is carrying a huge amount of cash -- $96.2 billion, up from $44.3 billion a year ago. Obviously, Berkshire Hathaway has plenty of money to invest or to buy a new company -- if Buffett can find one that he likes, for the price that he wants. What about those stock holdings? While Buffett himself downplays the impact of stock holdings on Berkshire Hathaway's earnings, it doesn't hurt to point out that the company's five largest holdings -- American Express, Apple, Bank of America, Coca-Cola, and Chevron, make up 67% to 71% of the aggregate fair value of the company's stock holdings. In addition, Berkshire Hathaway has $8.5 billion in preferred shares of Occidental Petroleum, from which the company gets an 8% dividend yield, and it owns 28% of Occidental common stock. Berkshire Hathaway owns 27% of Kraft Heinz stock, for which it reported a $5 billion impairment loss after Berkshire Hathaway's representatives on Kraft Heinz's board of directors resigned. The company says financial information it receives about Kraft Heinz is now limited to publicly available data. The directors' exit raised speculation that Berkshire Hathaway would sell its stake in the company. Should you buy Berkshire Hathaway stock before earnings? Buffett himself would probably tell you that it's silly to try to time the market, so my advice is that if you like how Buffett and his subordinates run the company, you should definitely buy Berkshire stock as a long-term holding. But it's unlikely that the Nov. 1 earnings report will cause the stock to pop or fall significantly. Should you buy stock in Berkshire Hathaway right now? Before you buy stock in Berkshire Hathaway, consider this: The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now and Berkshire Hathaway wasnt one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years. 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The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Should You Buy Berkshire Hathaway Stock Before Nov. 1? was originally published by The Motley Fool Spanish research published in the American Association for the Advancement of Science journal 'Science Advances' reveals that liver disorders such as fatty liver can directly lead to neurological and cognitive dysfunction - such as memory and behavioural changes - and that these can be reversed through treatments directed solely at the liver. The study has discovered a new liver-brain axis that opens therapeutic avenues in liver disease and cognitive decline, that is, treating the liver to improve cognitive function, thus counteracting the decline in mental abilities such as memory, thinking, language and decision-making. Researchers teamed up from IBiS biomedicine institute of Seville, Seville's Virgen del Rocio university teaching hospital (HUVR) and Cibersam , formed in 2008 as Spain's public research consortium of over 25 research centres for mental health and biomedicine. Further collaborations came from CIC bioGUNE (a bioscience research centre in the Basque Country) and other national research centres. They all contributed to this major finding, which redefines the relationship between the liver and the brain. The study, led by Malu Martinez-Chantar, principal researcher at the liver diseases laboratory at CIC bioGUNE, and co-led by Teresa Cardoso Delgado (IIS Biobizkaia), together with Celia Martin Cuevas and Ana Carmen Sanchez Hidalgo from the translational psychiatry (Psynal) group at IBiS-HUVR-Cibersam, demonstrates the existence of a new liver-brain axis with highly relevant clinical and therapeutic implications. "Our work demonstrates that fatty liver and hepatic inflammation can directly affect the brain and behaviour. This opens up a completely new therapeutic avenue: treating the liver to improve cognitive function," explained Martinez-Chantar in a statement published on the University of Seville's website. A ground-breaking study The Psynal group, led by Benedicto Crespo-Facorro, professor in the psychiatry department at the University of Seville and head of the mental health unit at HUVR, has played a key role in the neuropsychological and neurobiological characterisation of the brain effects of liver disease, integrating advanced neuroimaging techniques and behavioural models. Meanwhile, the SeLiver (IBiS) team, led by Manuel Romero Gomez, director of the digestive system unit, has contributed to the development of the clinical and experimental model of liver disease. This "pioneering" study illustrates the value of translational and multidisciplinary research linking psychiatry, neurology and hepatology to advance knowledge of the shared mechanisms between physical and mental illnesses, a key approach driven by the groups involved in this study and beyond. Ignacio Cabanes Valencia Friday, 31 October 2025, 16:45 Share A man has been given a three-year prison sentence for the death of Felix Francisco Oltra, a 64-year-old permanently disabled resident of Alzira (Valencia) who died after being punched by the boyfriend of a woman with whom he had argued an hour earlier over a parking space. The accused admitted the crime during the hearing held by agreement on Thursday morning before the provincial court of Valencia. He accepted a sentence of three years imprisonment, which he has been serving since early March 2024, and will therefore soon be eligible for prison leave. The public prosecutor's office requested four years' imprisonment for the accused, as the link between the punch and the victim's death two days later in hospital had been proven. In fact, he was already brain dead when he was admitted as a result of first hitting the wall and then the floor. If he had not suffered this aggression, due to a simple argument over a parking space, which was reserved for people with reduced mobility like the victim, Felix Francisco would still be alive. For his girlfriend, who was also initially accused, the prosecution did not request a sentence, but the private prosecution asked for two years in prison as she had urged her boyfriend to commit the aggression and that without her participation the crime would not have taken place. Given the agreement reached between the parties, the accusation against the woman has been withdrawn and she is exempt from criminal responsibility for what happened. The incident occurred at around 6.30pm on 27 February 2024, in Calle Ramon y Cajal in Alzira, when there was an argument between the partner of the convicted man and the victim, caused by the woman's improper parking in a space reserved for the disabled where Francisco was trying to park. The man, with a recognised disability of 37 per cent, had a parking card for people with reduced mobility due to his disability. Zoom The parking space reserved for disabled people, the origin of the argument that ended with a fatal outcome. AT Although the woman had no right to be parked in the reserved parking space, she confronted the man and threatened to call her boyfriend, which she did after leaving the area in her vehicle. Around an hour later, the woman returned accompanied by her boyfriend. After seeing the victim leave his house, the couple went towards him, starting a new argument. According to the established facts, the accused struck the man in the chest while repeatedly saying: Whats the matter? Meanwhile, the woman remained on the sidelines of the assault. At one point, and without saying a word, the accused with the intention of harming his physical integrity, but fully convinced that death would not occur , according to the facts admitted by the defendant, delivered a strong punch to the mans face. He collapsed, hitting first the wall behind him and then the floor. The accused and his partner immediately left the scene, leaving the victim lying badly injured on the pavement. Two neighbours who had witnessed the incident from their home, and who even reproached the accused for his behaviour, came to the victim's aid. Similarly, National Police officers also went to the scene and attended to the victim until the arrival of the health services at around 8.10pm. He was taken to the Hospital de La Ribera in Alzira, where he was admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) in a state of brain death, as reported at the time by SUR's sister newspaper Las Provincias. Brain damage As a result of the attack, the man suffered a contused wound to the upper lip on the right side and, more seriously, brain damage, as a result of which two days later, on 29 February at 9.48am, his death was confirmed. The victim, 64, had been recognised as permanently disabled by the disability assessment team of the provincial directorate of the social security institute, due to physical deficiencies or limitations, since 18 January 2010. The court sentenced the accused to three years in prison and he must compensate the deceased's wife with 144,600 euros and his daughter with 24,710 euros. Europa Press Madrid Friday, 31 October 2025, 15:21 Share Woody Allen will once again get behind the camera as he approaches his 90th birthday and this time he is returning to Spain. His next film will be shot entirely in Madrid and will have the name of the Spanish capital in its title, according to sources consulted by Europa Press. Madrid has signed a sponsorship contract with Pelicula WASP AIE, formed by Wanda Vision S.A. and Gravier Production INC, who are co-producers of the feature film. The agreement, valued at 1.5 million euros (including IVA sales tax), has a duration of 26 months and seeks to boost the promotion of tourism and culture in the capital through film. The project, provisionally called WASP 2026, will be scripted and directed by Allen himself. The text of the contract stipulates that the feature film must reflect Madrid in a recognisable way, including at least 15 per cent of the footage shot on location and in iconic locations both in the capital and in other towns in the Madrid region. With this production, the director of Annie Hall will return to Spain for the third time, after filming Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008), for which Penelope Cruz won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress and Rifkin's Festival (2020). The title of the new project will not be revealed until filming has finished, although it has been confirmed that it will include the word Madrid. Allen's filmography often includes geographical references like Midnight in Paris, To Rome with Love, A Rainy Day in New York - in which cities function as another character in the narrative. The Madrid regional government has said that the collaboration is part of its tourism strategy and the intention is to take advantage of the boom in film tourism, which according to data from TCI Research moves more than 80 million travellers worldwide. The regional government hopes that the film, whose international distribution will reach more than 40 countries and prestigious festivals, will serve to project the image of Madrid as a cultural destination. It says that the film "could mean an enormous increase in popularity, tourist attraction and international recognition". Tony Bryant Torremolinos Friday, 31 October 2025, 10:57 Share The Palacio de Congresos conference centre in Torremolinos will present Lorca: del Flamenco al Jazz on Friday 7 November, a show based on the works of one of Spain's most celebrated poets. The show, which has visited various towns in Andalucia, focuses on the work and life of Federico Garcia Lorca, and, in particular, his relationship with the Madrid sculptor, Emilio Aladren. The Granada poet engaged in a two-year open relationship with Aladren, although the couple separated in 1927 and Lorca suffered severe depression. To overcome his sadness, Lorca went to New York, a trip which motivated one of his most famous works, Poeta en Nueva York. The show, performed by actor Manuel Navarro, saxophonist Aaron Gonzalez and guitarist Adran Cobo, focuses on Lorca's emotions and how the relationship with Aladren, and the eventual separation, affected his work at that time. The performance also traces Lorca's fascination with flamenco, his love of Gypsy culture and his experiences with jazz in New York. Lorca witnessed the marginalisation suffered by ethnic minorities and the segregation of blacks in Harlem, which he compared to the treatment that Gypsies received in Andalucia. The performance in Torremolinos, which starts at 8.30pm, will be used to raise funds for three local charities that work to give visibility to children and youngsters with disabilities. Tickets cost 10 euros. Syracuse, N.Y. - A Syracuse man who police say stabbed and nearly killed a pit bull last week was arrested Thursday. The man, Raqueeb A. Shadreem, 47, was also accused of attacking the dogs owner, police officers said in a felony complaint filed in Syracuse City Court. Shadreem attacked a man with a box cutter in the early hours of Oct. 21, police officers said in the court papers. On Oct. 21, a caller told 911 dispatchers they had seen a lot of blood outside a house on the 500 block of East Willow Street. The pit bull was found in a nearby home and taken to the veterinary hospital. Animal shelter staff named the dog Chance. The pets owner named the dog Papa King, police said. The owner suffered cuts and a swollen left hand in the attack which required medical treatment, police said. The dog was nearby during the attack, and the two men involved dispute how exactly he was cut, according to Kieran Coffey, a spokesperson for the department. The felony complaint said Shadreem stabbed the three-year-old dog in the left side of his neck in the jugular vein for no reason. Shadreem has been charged with three felonies: Assault, 2nd degree Criminal possession of a weapon, 3rd degree Aggravated animal cruelty After being stabbed, the dog was hospitalized for multiple days, fighting for his life. The pit bull had multiple surgeries and blood transfusions according to Maureen Davison, executive director of Humane CNY, the shelter where he stayed. The local activist community rushed to raise funds which eventually covered his extensive hospital bills through donations, Davison said. He is now staying with a foster family as he recovers. Bybit, the worlds second-largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume, announced it will suspend new user registrations in Japan starting October 31 as the countrys Financial Services Agency (FSA) prepares to roll out tighter oversight of the crypto sector. In a statement on Wednesday, the exchange said the suspension is part of its proactive approach to comply with Japans evolving regulatory framework for digital assets. Bybit Hits Pause in Japan Compliance Move or Caution Signal? According to the exchange, the move will take effect from 12 p.m. UTC on October 31, halting new account sign-ups from Japanese residents and nationals. It has always been Bybits commitment to operate responsibly and in compliance with local laws and regulatory expectations, the exchange said. Bybit added that the pause will allow it to focus its efforts and resources on reviewing local regulatory requirements and evaluating how to best meet the standards outlined by Japanese authorities in the future. Existing Japanese users will not be affected for now, with all current services remaining operational. They said it will provide further updates as discussions with the FSA continue. Bybit also apologized for any inconvenience caused and thanked customers for their understanding and continued support. The decision comes at a critical time for Japans crypto industry, as the FSA moves to introduce the most sweeping regulatory changes in years. The new measures aim to close loopholes in the current framework and strengthen investor protection in a market increasingly dominated by retail traders. Can Exchanges Thrive Under Stricter Rules or Is Japan Pushing Them Away? Among the reforms under consideration is a new legal framework to outlaw insider trading in cryptocurrencies, a first for Japan, where such activity is not currently covered under existing law. A working group within the FSA is drafting detailed definitions for what constitutes insider trading in crypto, including trades made using nonpublic information about token listings or exchange vulnerabilities. Violations could trigger fines or even criminal prosecution once the amendments are passed. The FSA also plans to submit amendments to the Financial Instruments and Exchange Act (FIEA) in 2026, reclassifying crypto from a means of settlement to a financial product. The change would place digital assets under the same legal treatment as traditional securities such as stocks and bonds, allowing the Securities and Exchange Surveillance Commission (SESC) to investigate and penalize insider trading or market manipulation. A Syracuse-based political talk show is going national. Balancing Act with John Katko, hosted by former U.S. Rep. John Katko, has been picked up by the WORLD Channel, which is distributed by more than 188 PBS member stations across America. The retired Republican congressman will also post a new podcast and launch an expanded presence on YouTube. Balancing Act premiered last October on WCNY-TV (Channel 24), a local PBS station in Syracuse, N.Y., with a six-episode pilot run. Katko says his goal is to discuss national issues in politics and policy beyond partisan talking points, including AI regulation, redistricting, National Guard deployments, and the government shutdown. These are the most important issues of the day and its about time we try and approach them as Americans, not just from the left and right, Katko said in a statement. Were encouraged and motivated by the initial pilot run and ready to offer the show to a much wider audience on TV to create more ways for viewers to understand the most important issues of the day in a way that breaks the partisan divide. Katko, 62, is a Republican who represented Central New York in Congress for eight years from 2015 to 2022. He was consistently ranked among the most bipartisan lawmakers in the House. After leaving Congress, he began working as a lobbyist for HillEast Group in Washington, D.C. His clients have included Syracuse University and Syracuse Hancock International Airport. A rep for WCNY said Katko is not currently being paid for the series. Mitch Gelman, president and CEO of WCNY, told syracuse.com | The Post-Standard that Katko would disclose any potential conflicts of interest between his lobbying job and issues covered on the show. Balancing Act with John Katko will air Saturdays at 6 p.m. ET and Sundays at 4 p.m. ET on WORLD starting this weekend, Nov. 1 and Nov. 2. Episodes can also be streamed on pbs.org and the free PBS App. WORLD is a television network owned and operated by the WGBH Educational Foundation, primarily airing on PBS member stations digital subchannels. Viewers can find their local WORLD channel at worldchannel.org or wcny.org/wheretowatch. Katko will continue to film Balancing Act at WCNYs studio in Syracuse. At a time when PBS funding is under attack, we felt like it was important to make a statement that today, despite the headwinds, we can offer post-partisan information and solutions to the issues dividing the U.S., Gelman said Tuesday. Its encouraging that after a short pilot run in our local market, there was demand to make this production universally accessible through our enhanced partnership with WORLD and to launch on digital platforms. For more information, visit balancingactwithjohnkatko.com. Syracuse, N.Y. -- Until recently, the Samaritan Center in Syracuse fed an average of 250 people a day. Now, that number is 300 and the nonprofit agency only expects it to keep rising. On Saturday, the largest government safety net will stop working. The Trump administration has stopped funding food stamps for November, blaming the government shutdown. But this is the first time the program, also referred to as SNAP, has become a casualty of a government shutdown. More than two dozen states, including New York, are suing to restart the program. In Central New York, 100,000 people depend on food stamps to fill their refrigerators and pantries. In Onondaga County, alone, SNAP funds $22 million in groceries every month. The majority of the recipients are families with children, disabled people and the elderly. Without that money, families will be forced to turn to food pantries and community kitchens for help putting food on the table. In the Syracuse area, agencies like the Samaritan Center, The Salvation Army and all of the food pantries stocked by the Food Bank of CNY are expecting record numbers to show up. Gov. Kathy Hochul has dedicated more than $100 million to help emergency food relief agencies deal with the crisis, but its just a fraction of the $680 million in SNAP benefits New Yorkers receive every month. The agencies listed below are all gearing up to help the community. They are both taking donations and offering help to those who are struggling to fill their pantries: The Food Bank of CNY serves food pantries across 11 counties. You can donate through the website, start a virtual food drive, or donate when checking out at Wegmans, Marshalls or TJ Max this weekend. The Salvation Army has already seen a dramatic increase in new clients. It is asking for food donations at its downtown Syracuse location at 100 Linden St., Syracuse, NY, 13202. People can also donate money online to the pantry. The Samaritan Center has also seen a marked increase in new guests. The community meal center on Syracuses North Side serves an afternoon meal every day and breakfast Monday-Friday. You can donate through their website. Other pantries and agencies recommended by the CNY Community Foundation and others: Have a resource youd like us to add? Email meisenstadt@syracuse.com. Growing up on the South Side, Yolanda Seegars was exposed to a different side of Syracuse. Her father was largely absent from her life, often dabbling in drugs and showing her things no child should ever see. One day, Seegars saw him shoot up heroin in front of her. Youre hurt for the first time from the one man who was supposed to love you, she said. At the two Syracuse school districts she attended, her academic and social life suffered. But the exposure to trauma didnt stop there. Later, as her two daughters grew up in inner-city Syracuse, she said gunshots would often occur in her neighborhood at night. Gunshots were the lullabies, she said. Because thats how often we would hear them. Because of the ongoing gun violence in her neighborhood, Seegars decided to move to Nedrow for the safety of her two daughters. That memory remains in her mind as she now works as the director for Project RISE, a Central New York program that supports families affected by gun violence. Project RISE coordinates services like counseling and transition support. Seegars said the program, in its third year of operation, currently works with 160 at-risk youth. The program provides community giveaways to support families unable to support themselves, she said. As SNAP benefits are set to expire Nov. 1 due to the ongoing shutdown, one of the things Seegars is planning is a community giveaway with local organization Fearless Queens to support families during Thanksgiving. Were creating a resource list so our families in the area know what food banks are operating, she said. Part of Seegars job involves identifying community holes where support is needed through data, which allows her to choose how to effectively carry out funding to local community organizations. Through her work, she developed meaningful relationships with court officials, including judges and probation officers. These efforts, she said, create an ecosystem of support and overcome systemic barriers in the justice system. Credible messengers, or youths with experience in Syracuses criminal justice system, are part of that ecosystem. The same support we give to the community, we have to give to these young men who are coming out of incarceration, back into their same environment, to do the work they said they wanted to do, Seegars said. Yolanda Seegars is the director of Project RISE in Syracuse. Katrina Tulloch Seegars, a Syracuse City School District graduate, works closely with the district through the organizations to transition those affected back into the school system. But shes concerned that more strategies and effective coordination are needed for reform. Im seeing some of our kids sometimes being recycled through the system, and its unfortunate, she said. More preventative strategies are needed here in Syracuse. Seegars will continue to help families with her boots on the ground approach to community service. She recalled a 14-year-old girl with a history of stolen vehicles and fighting successfully reintegrating into the school system with support from Project RISE. Seegars maintained close contact through visits with her and her family. Its a passion, although you dont see that many wins all the time, she said. [But] when you do see them, it just fills your heart and keeps you going. Seegars advice to other trailblazers: Keep going, whatever your passion is, strengthen your passion, and make sure that youre focused. Dont let anyone deter you from that, she said. Develop your grit. And dont let people tell you what you shouldnt do. Do what you know is right for you. Do you know a CNY Trailblazer or Trendsetter? Throughout 2025, Syracuse.com invites readers to identify Trailblazers and Trendsetters, a wide-ranging group of local entrepreneurs, professionals, artists and advocates leaders committed to uplifting their communities, inspiring change and working to make a difference in Central New York. If youd like to suggest someone to be featured next in our series, email Katrina Tulloch at ktulloch@syracuse.com. Meet all our 2025 Syracuse Trailblazers Syracuse, N.Y. Eight people are running for four open judge seats for the top trial court in Central and Northern New York. Four Republican Party and four Democratic Party candidates are vying to become State Supreme Court Justices for the states 5th Judicial District, which spans Onondaga, Oswego, Oneida, Herkimer, Jefferson and Lewis counties. The state Supreme Court is unique as it hears a wide variety of cases. The justices can hear any case that might have been taken to trial: most are civil cases, some are criminal cases. Chief Administrative Judge Deborah H. Karalunas will decide which county the justices will serve in. The term is 14 years. The annual salary in 2024 was $232,600. Judges older than 70 must be assessed for mental fitness with a hard retirement cap at 76 years old. Syracuse.com | The Post Standard spoke to seven of the eight candidates. One candidate did not respond to requests for comment. All eight candidates have extensive legal experience. The seven who were interviewed all told Syracuse.com | The Post-Standard they would focus on making sure everyone who comes through the court would feel heard, even if the case does not go their way. Five have some prior judicial experience. One is running for reelection. The Democratic candidates are: Elizabeth Snyder Fortino, of New Hartford. Candace L.L. Randall, of Pinckney. John W. Dillon, of New Hartford. Gerard J. Snyder, of Van Hornesville. The Republican candidates are: James McClusky, of Watertown. Lydia Young, of Champion. Gregory Amoroso, of Rome. Patrick Kilmartin, of the town of Onondaga. Meet the Candidates Rome City Court Judge Gregory Amoroso is running for New York Supreme Court. Provided photo Gregory Amoroso, 58, who is running on the Republican and Conservative ballot lines, has served as a city court judge in Rome for the past 12 years. Before he took the bench, he practiced law for 20 years and primarily worked cases in state Supreme Court. As a city court judge, Amoroso presided over a wide array of criminal and civil cases. For the past 10 years, he has handled cases in Oneida County drug treatment court. He said this experience showed him the court can help solve problems rather than just officiate disputes. Amoroso said he chose to run because holding this position has always been a goal of his. When a seat opened up in his county, the timing felt right, he said. He said that his judicial experience has helped him develop the necessary demeanor to ensure everyone feels heard and to remain impartial. Elizabeth Snyder Fortino is running for New York State Supreme Court. Provided Photo Elizabeth Snyder Fortino, 50, who is running on the Democratic and Working Families ballot lines, has practiced law for 24 years. For the past 22 years, she has run an agency in the state court system called Mental Hygiene Legal Service. The agency offers legal aid to people with mental illness and developmental disabilities. She has offices across the state and manages 70 staff attorneys. This year, she was appointed to the New York State Judicial Task Force on Mental Illness. She said she can be a huge asset to the court with her experience with mental health issues in the court system. Many cases in the state Supreme Court are impacted by mental health, she said. She said her father inspired her to run for the state Supreme Court seat. She comes from a family of attorneys and she promised her father she would be a judge someday. Fortino said she has received a lot of support for her campaign. She was deemed highly qualified after a screening by the Onondaga County Bar Association. She has also received endorsements from Syracuse mayoral candidate Sharron Owens, Common Council President Helen Hudson, U.S. Representative John Mannion and several unions, she said. Onondaga Town Court Judge Patrick Kilmartin is running for New York State Supreme Court. Provided photo Patrick Kilmartin, 56, who is running on the Republican and Conservative ballot lines, has served as an Onondaga town court judge for the past eight years. He was a prosecutor in Onondaga County for five years before opening a private practice. He worked in private practice for 25 years, handling a wide variety of cases. While running his practice, he also served as an Onondaga County legislator for 10 years, he said. Kilmartin said he has cultivated the right temperament to serve as a Supreme Court justice. He said that as tempers rise in society, they spill over into the courtroom and a judge has to manage those emotions. Kilmartin said he has diverse legal experience that will be ideal for the varying types of cases that justices are responsible for. He said that beyond the courtroom, he has cultivated patience and mediation skills as the father of six children. State Supreme Court Justice James McClusky is running for reelection. Provided photo James McClusky, 62, who is running on the Republican and Conservative ballot lines, is the only candidate who has held the position of State Supreme Court Justice. He was first elected in 2011 and is up for reelection. He said he decided to run again because he loves what he does. He said he believed he makes a difference in his role and shows all people in his courtroom the respect they deserve. He said that he is very straightforward with his positions, so everyone knows where he stands, but he will ensure everyone feels their arguments were heard. Before he became a justice, he worked in private practice with his father and twin brother. He handled civil and criminal cases as an attorney. He served as a town court judge in Watertown for nine years. He said that as a Supreme Court justice, one of the most crucial roles is continuing legal education. He makes sure he is up to date on the law and knows all the areas of law related to the Supreme Court. He has become the primary judge in the Fifth Judicial District for asbestos cases. He has built an expertise in that niche despite having no prior knowledge in the area. Town Court Judge Candace L.L. Randall is running for State Supreme Court. Provided Photo Candace L.L. Randall, 38, who is running on the Democratic and Working Families ballot lines, currently serves as a town court judge in Harrisburg, Montague and Pickney in Lewis County. She has a private practice. Randall said while working in a small community, she has handled all kinds of cases. She primarily handles civil cases so there is no overlap with her work as a town court judge. Randall said that she struggled with the decision to run for state Supreme Court because she is one of the few attorneys based in Lewis County. She said that she ultimately decided she could do more for the community by representing them in the states highest trial court. Randall said that if elected, she would be a diligent judge and would treat every case with the same attention. As an attorney, one of her biggest frustrations is when it is clear a judge has not read any of the filing in a case, she said. She said the most important thing is for people to feel like the case was considered fairly. She acknowledged that for many people who come before the state Supreme Court, it is a stressful experience. She said that she will treat all litigants with the respect she would want her own family to be treated with. She said she has received endorsements from people of both parties, unions and the Onondaga County Veterans party. She said the endorsement from the veterans group meant a lot as the daughter of a lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army. Gerard J. Snyder is running for New York State Supreme Court. Provided photo Gerard J. Snyder, 69, who is running on the Democratic and Working Families ballot lines, has been practicing law for over 40 years in Dolgeville. His firm shifted from general practice to focus on civil cases in 1990. He primarily works on property law and other everyday issues people face, he said. He was inspired to run for the Supreme Court seat by his niece, Elizabeth Snyder Fortino, who is also a candidate this year. He said he feels he would be a good fit for the court because of his skills in mediation and helping to avoid cases going to trial by striking compromises. He said he also prioritizes treating people with empathy and respect in his law practice. Snyder, like Randall, is from a rural community and he has stayed in private practice for so long because there are so few attorneys in the area. He chose to run to give Herkimer County a local voice on the bench. Snyder is the oldest candidate in the race. In one year, he would have to begin assessments to ensure he is fit to remain on the bench. He would be required to retire at 76. He would be able to complete a maximum of half of the term. Champion Town Judge Lydia Young is running for New York State Supreme Court. Provided photo Lydia Young, 41, who is running on the Republican and Conservative ballot lines, has served as a town judge in Champion in Jefferson County for seven years. She also has a private practice that focuses on matrimonial law, which is primarily litigated in the state Supreme Court. Young said she has always aspired to be a judge in the states highest trial court. She said she enjoys looking at cases from both sides and believes she can bring a new perspective to the court. She said the most important roles of a Supreme Court justice are making sure everyone feels heard and ensuring cases are ruled on in a timely manner. Like other candidates, Young said it is crucial for Supreme Court justices to be students of the law. They must stay up to date on recent decisions and have a passion for research. Young said she is excited to have the opportunity to dive into researching the law again. John W. Dillon, running on the Democratic Party line, is one of eight state Supreme Court justice candidates for four seats in the Fifth Judicial District. (Provided photo) Provided photo John W. Dillon, 60, who is running on the Democratic and Working Families ballot lines, has been practicing law for nearly 30 years. Dillon previously ran for state Supreme Court in 2022. He has also served as an attorney on the Corporation Counsel in Utica. Dillon did not respond to requests for an interview. In 2022, Dillon wrote a letter to Syracuse.com | The Post-Standard about his candidacy that year. Like the other candidates, Dillon wrote that a judges even temperament is one of the most crucial skills of a justice. I tend to be very frank with my clients, while also being compassionate and respectful, Dillon wrote. In 2022, he said he would rigorously defend facts and the rule of law in order to preserve a just society. SYRACUSE, NY For 41 years, real estate agent Don Gendron has been matching up the right people with just the right home. I know a beautiful home when I see it, he said last week. Over the years, Gendron has nominated many of his listings for our House of the Week feature. Today, it is his turn. He said that he has found the best of everything in 2016 when he moved into the 2,400-square-foot, three-bedroom and two-and-a-half-bathroom townhouse at 1226 James Street in Syracuses historic Sedgwick neighborhood. It is part of the Bishops House Estate, a secluded four-acre area which has been described as living in your own private park. It is really special, Gendron says of his townhouse. It has lots of space. 40 1 / 40 Syracuse townhouse offers the 'best of everything' He and his wife, Jean, found it while on a Downtown Living Tour. Their kids were in college and the townhouses location, and its amenities, were perfect. The HOA takes care of exterior maintenance and there is an attached two-car garage. Their beloved Syracuse Crunch games were just five minutes away. It is great to lock the door, he said, and not have to worry about the lawn or snow. Jean had only one stipulation. It needed a big formal dining room. After seeing the space where they can seat 18 guests, she said, This is it. The townhouse has four levels and a wonderful back deck. Jean loves to decorate the space and there are Christmas trees in every room during the holidays. The two-story great room is the standout area. Windows and sliders out onto the deck keep the room sunny. It gets great sunlight, Gendron said. I love the gas fireplace especially this time of year. In the mild weather, the couple eat out on the deck nearly every night. The kitchen, which opens into the dining room, was the first part of a slow evolution, from top to bottom, that Don and Jean did inside the townhouse. The remodeled kitchen features new quartz countertops, a glass tile backsplash, Wood-Mode solid oak cabinets, and stainless-steel appliances. Under cabinet lighting and recessed lighting have also been installed. A lower level is where they watch Syracuse University sports together and with friends. The family room downstairs has wall-to-wall carpeting and custom built-ins for their book collection. This is where we relax at the end of the day, he said. We are both big readers and everything stays on the shelves. There is a remodeled half bathroom on the lower level too. The second-floor features three bedrooms and two full bathrooms. The primary suite is spacious and has a big walk-in closet. The remodeled bathroom, which was completely gutted during the COVID pandemic, has double sinks and a glass walk-in shower. Don and Jean use the other bedrooms as home offices. She collects antique pottery and displays the pieces in her room. The second floor has a convenient laundry. Storage is fantastic. Our new house does not have this much closet space, Gendron said. And there is a full walk-up attic which is great for additional storage. Access is via a set of pull-down stairs. A true turnkey, this townhouse has access to a common area and is surrounded by mature trees, stone walls, and walkways. The propertys tax assessment was set in 1980 and will never change. Don and Jean are looking to make things simpler and thinking about retirement. They are moving to new home in Westvale. An open house is scheduled for Sunday, November 2, from 10 a.m. to noon. For more information about this property, please contact Realtors Matt Funiciello and Don Gendron of JF Real Estate. Their contact info is below. THE DETAILS Address: 1226 James Street, Syracuse, NY 13203 Price: $379,900 Size: 2,400 square feet Monthly Mortgage: $1,859 (based on the national average rate of 6.19%, according to Freddie Mac on October 23, for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage with a 20% down payment. Fees and points not included.) Taxes: $4,359 (Based on assessed value of $97,700) HOA fee: $375/month Built: 1980 School District: Syracuse City Kitchen: Don and Jean Gendron started with their kitchen when they began renovating their Syracuse townhouse in 2017. It was their first project. The remodeled kitchen features a glass tile backsplash, Wood-Mode solid oak painted cabinetry, quartz counters, and undercabinet and recessed lighting. There are GE stainless appliances and a KitchenAid dishwasher. The kitchen sink is a Ventura 16-gauge stainless steel undermount. It has a Waterloo Satin Nickel gooseneck faucet. Living areas: Enjoy 2,400 square feet of luxurious living space at this Bishops House Estates townhouse in Syracuses Sedgwick neighborhood. Guests arrive at a covered front porch. The center-unit home has soaring ceilings, natural oak woodwork, spacious rooms, hardwood floors throughout, and amazing closet space. The two-story great room gets a lot of natural sunlight and has a gas fireplace. Sliders go out to a private and quiet back deck. The formal dining room can seat 18 people comfortably. The lower levels family room is where Don and Jean watch sports and read. It has wall-to-wall carpeting and custom built-ins. There is a laundry room on the second floor. Additional storage space can be found in a walk-up attic with pulldown stairs. Bedrooms: There are three bedrooms on the second floor. The spacious owners suite has a large walk-in closet and private bathroom. The other two bedrooms, which are currently being used as home offices, have double closets. Bathrooms: Each of the two full and one half bathrooms have been remodeled over the past few years. The primary bathroom has a glass walk-in shower and double sinks. The guest bathroom is also on the second floor. The half bath is on the lower level. Outdoors: The HOA ($375/month) takes care of most outdoor maintenance, including snow removal, mowing, roof and siding care, and exterior painting. Don and Jean manage their own flowers and landscaping. They love eating outside on their deck during the good weather. Bishops House Estates is described as living in your own private park, featuring mature trees, stone walls, walkways, a common area, and lush landscaping. There is an attached two-car garage. Agents: Matt Funiciello and Don Gendron JF Real Estate Address: 2 Clinton Square, Suite 120, Syracuse, NY 13202 Phone: (315) 362-1992 (Funiciello) and (315) 362-1993 (Gendron) Email: mattf@jfrealestate.com and Don@thefirstclassagent.com Website: 1226JamesStreet.info If you know of a beautiful or interesting house currently up for sale, please consider sending a nomination for it to be featured as a future House of the Week. Send an email with the listing to home@syracuse.com. A 4-year-old child was found walking on the Thruway at dusk this week in Upstate New York. A driver called 911 around 6:15 p.m. Tuesday after finding a child on the side of the New York State Thruway in Silver Creek, according to the New York State Police. The motorist pulled over on Interstate 90 west and kept the young child away from traffic, troopers said. The speed limit on most of the busy Thruway is 65 mph. While the 4-year-old was walking on the Thruway, Child Protective Services workers were making an unannounced visit to the childs home, troopers said. Thats when the childs parents discovered the 4-year-old was missing, they said. CPS was searching the yard of the home when they saw emergency lights flashing on the Thruway, troopers said. Luckily, the child was not injured, troopers said. The familys home near Silver Creek, a small village about 20 minutes northwest of Fredonia in Western New York, is near the Thruway. The state police later informed the childs family and CPS that the 4-year-old had been found and was safe, troopers said. The childs parents, Robert Lyman, 31, and Mikayla Miller, 30, were arrested Thursday and charged with endangering the welfare of a child, a misdemeanor, troopers reported. It was not immediately clear if Child Protective Services had removed the 4-year-old from Lyman and Millers home. But the agency is reportedly working to help the parents. If you purchase a product through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. CBS News is pushing back against reports that longtime anchor Gayle King plans to exit CBS Mornings when her contract expires next year. A Variety report published Thursday claimed King, 70, would leave the morning program in May 2026 at the end of her current contract. The publication cited four unnamed sources who suggested King might transition to a different role within the news division or potentially produce her own programming for the network. However, a CBS News spokesperson firmly denied to People later on Thursday that these claims arent true. There have been no discussions with Gayle about her contract that runs through May 2026, the spokesperson said. Shes a truly valued part of CBS and we look forward to engaging with her about the future. King, who currently co-anchors alongside Tony Dokoupil and Nate Burleson, has been a fixture on the program since November 2011, when it was known as CBS This Morning. The speculation about Kings future comes amid substantial changes for CBS and parent company Paramount, which was acquired by Skydance Media in an $8 billion deal this past August. The network has recently announced several high-profile departures, including CBS Evening News anchor John Dickerson, who is leaving after 16 years with the network. Additionally, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert is slated to end in May 2026. Further restructuring occurred on Wednesday when Paramount laid off 1,000 employees, including several CBS News personalities. According to The Los Angeles Times, those affected include CBS Saturday Morning co-anchors Michelle Miller and Dana Jacobson, along with correspondents Lisa Ling, Debora Patta, Janet Shamlian, Nancy Chen, and Nikki Battiste. When people enter a marriage with differing levels of assets, it's not uncommon to consider signing a prenuptial agreement addressing how their assets will be handled if their marriage fails. Thats why Hailey, a single mom with a five-year-old, called into The Ramsey Show from California. Must Read The 37-year-old has a net worth of $50,000. Meanwhile, her boyfriend of three years has a $2-million trust fund. Now theyre talking about marriage. (1) While his net worth is multiple times her own, her employment income is higher. She makes $140,000 a year. Her 43-year-old boyfriend owns a bike shop thats been unprofitable for 10 years. So its a hobby, Ramsey commented. Yes, Hailey said, explaining that her boyfriend lives off his trust-fund dividends. Shes worried about what will happen if they share bank accounts and roll those accounts into the prenup agreement. Ramsey said a prenup isnt necessarily going to fix what he sees as a bigger red flag: her boyfriends lack of motivation to earn money. "That's not a good indicator of his character," said Ramsey. Prenups only go so far, he explained. Heres how they work. Prenups only go so far The principle behind the prenup, Ramsey said, is we leave with at least what we came in with, noting that such an agreement does not determine how a couple manages money or grows their wealth during their marriage. If Hailey and her boyfriend married, his trust fund dividend income would count as household income. However, if they were to get divorced, the boyfriend would keep the trust fund, since he had those assets prior to the marriage. 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 With so many marriages ending in divorce 1.8 million in 2023 alone, according to Pew Research (2) Hailey is not the only millennial to be considering a prenup. In fact, a late 2023 Harris Poll survey conducted for Axios found that 47% of engaged or married millennials had a prenup compared to 41% of Gen Zers. (3) Apple is reportedly preparing to introduce advertising within its Maps application, marking a significant shift in how the company aims to generate revenue from its popular navigation service. The new model will enable local businesses such as restaurants, retailers, and other service providers to pay for increased visibility in search results, raising questions about fairness, transparency, and the potential impact on user experience. A Similar Model to App Store Search Ads According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, the new Maps advertising system will mirror Apple's existing App Store Search Ads programme, where developers pay to promote their apps above organic search results. In the case of Maps, paid listings would appear more prominently than organic results when users search for specific categories like 'coffee shop near me' or 'Italian restaurant'. The goal is to offer businesses a way to stand out in a crowded local marketplace. Apple plans to use artificial intelligence to ensure that sponsored results remain relevant and useful, integrating ads seamlessly into the interface without overwhelming the core user experience. This approach aims to differentiate Apple from competitors like Google Maps, which has long featured paid placements and promotional listings. Balancing Monetisation and User Trust While Apple is emphasising a clean, user-first design, the move to introduce paid ads into Maps could spark backlash among users and small business owners. Historically, Apple Maps has been free of overt advertising, in line with Apple's brand promise of simplicity, privacy, and user trust. The addition of commercial listings risks eroding that trust, especially if users feel they are no longer seeing the most accurate or community-driven results. Business owners may also face mounting pressure to pay for enhanced visibility, risking a scenario where unpaid listings are deprioritised. Critics warn that this could disadvantage small, independent businesseswho might lack the advertising budgets of larger chains or corporationsand potentially skew local search results. Potential Revenue and Strategic Benefits for Apple Although Apple's advertising revenue remains modest compared to its hardware and services divisions, it is one of the company's fastest-growing streams. Given the widespread daily use of Maps by millions of iPhone users worldwide, integrating ads could tap into significant commercial potential. This move aligns with Apple's long-term strategy of expanding non-hardware revenue streams, especially as global device sales begin to plateau. By monetising its most popular apps and services, Apple aims to diversify income and strengthen its ecosystem. Unanswered Questions and Future Implications Apple has not yet publicly confirmed when the ad rollout will commence, nor how prominent the sponsored listings will be. It remains unclear whether paid results will be clearly labelled or distinguished from organic rankings. Equally, there is no official statement on how Apple plans to balance paid visibility with other relevance signals such as user reviews, location proximity, and community rankings that currently influence business listings in Maps. This quiet shift marks a potentially transformative moment for one of Apple's most widely used apps. However, the response from users and small businesses remains uncertain, and the long-term implications for trust, fairness, and competition in local search are yet to be seen. Originally published on IBTimes UK By Nora Eckert, Abhirup Roy and David Shepardson DETROIT (Reuters) -One month after a $7,500 federal U.S. tax credit for electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids was scrapped, automakers are rethinking their product pipelines and focusing on cheaper models to keep car buyers interested, company executives said on Wednesday at a Reuters conference in Detroit. Volkswagen's U.S. chief said the company is pivoting to hybrids, which run on both gasoline and batteries, as it waits to see the natural level of consumer demand for EVs. Volkswagen historically has had few hybrid options in its lineup. We thought we were going to leapfrog the hybrids, but we can't, said Kjell Gruner, president and CEO of Volkswagen Group of America. Were all in on hybrids, he said. Instead of plug-in hybrids, VW will focus on full hybrids, which he said have lower costs and higher consumer demand. LUCID PLANS AFFORDABLE EV Marc Winterhoff, the interim chief of EV startup Lucid Group, said the company has absorbed half the cost of the lost credit and passed half to the customer on its electric Air sedan. It is focused on bringing an affordable model to market by the end of next year. Winterhoff said he is already seeing demand for battery-powered models recover as company sales incentives kick in. There's clearly a dip, but we're already seeing after two, three weeks that it's coming back up again, he said. U.S. EV sales have fallen far short of carmakers forecasts from a few years ago, as many shoppers remain leery of charging hassles and high prices. Many traditional automakers are pulling back on their EV plans, although some hope future lower-priced models will entice mass-market buyers. RIVIAN OFFERING DEALS Rivian finance chief Claire McDonough said the automaker expects waning interest for its leased vehicles, and is providing deals for shoppers looking to purchase. Only leased vehicles from Rivian and Lucid qualified for the tax credits before September 30. McDonough said Rivian is focused on the R2 SUV, which it plans to launch in the first half of next year at a price around $45,000. A lot of players in the traditional automotive space have leaned a little bit more away from EVs right now. And as we look at the opportunity that that creates, we're continuing to innovate, she added. Traditional automotive competitors including General Motors, Ford and Stellantis have rolled back their EV plans in the United States in recent months, a trend that has intensified with U.S. President Donald Trumps unraveling of federal subsidies and emissions regulations. Melissa 'killed us' say Cubans, already in storm's eye El Cobre, Cuba, Oct 31 (AFP) Oct 31, 2025 Damian Figueredo escaped the collapse of his house in eastern Cuba, ripped away by Hurricane Melissa, with only seconds to spare. "A few seconds later and it all would have fallen on top of me," he told AFP, surveying the ruins of his home in the town of El Cobre. Figueredo is grateful to be alive but like many on the Communist island, which was already limping through its worst economic crisis in three decades when Melissa slammed into it on Tuesday night, he doesn't know how he will ever rebuild. Th 52-year-old former gold miner, who has had difficulty walking since an mining accident seven years ago, was in bed when Melissa churned past at up to 195 kilometers (121 miles) per hour. The ferocious storm reduced El Cobre, the 7,000-population home of a sanctuary to the Virgin of Charity of El Cobre, Cuba's patron saint, to rubble. All that remains of Figueredo's house is a chunk of the living-room. Bricks, tiles, doors, and windows lie scattered on the ground. "My situation is desperate," said the miner, dismissing his state pension of 3,000 Cuban pesos (US$6 at the informal exchange rate) as "not enough for anything." - 'National tragedy' - Melissa did not cause fatalities in Cuba, according to authorities, but it knocked the stuffing out of the impoverished Caribbean nation, where fuel, electricity, hard currency and affordable foodstuffs were already in short supply. The storm smashed windows, downed power cables and mobile communications, tore off roofs and tree branches and flooded streets and homes. President Miguel Diaz-Canel described the damage as "extensive." "We're in dire circumstances," said Rogelio de Dean, 45, a priest in El Cobre, whose church also suffered damage. "The national tragedy left by the cyclone now adds to the already difficult daily reality of our people," the Conference of Catholic Bishops of Cuba, which launched an appeal for donations, emphasized in a statement. Among the inhabitants of El Cobre and surrounding towns the mood was one of deep despair. Melissa "killed us," said 65-year-old Felicia Correa, from a hamlet close to El Cobre. "We were already going through tremendous hardship. Now, of course, we are much worse off." - US aid offer rebuffed - From a very low base of just two-and-a-half hours of electricity a day, inhabitants of the region now have none, with Melissa knocking out power to six of 15 provinces. The government has declared the restoration of power a "priority" and efforts are under way to get humanitarian aid to the affected provinces. Meanwhile, aid offers and pledges have been pouring in. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres announced ple were killed. Venezuela sent 26,000 tons of humanitarian aid to its historic ally Cuba. The United States, which has maintained a six-decade-long trade embargo on Cuba, also rowed in with an offer for "immediate humanitarian assistance for "the brave Cuban people." Cuba wasted no time in rebuffing the proposal. "If that administration's desire to support our people were sincere, they would have unconditionally lifted the criminal blockade," Roberto Morales Ojeda, a member of the Communist Party of Cuba's Politburo wrote on X. He added that Washington could further help by removing the island of 9.7 million people from its list of state sponsors of terrorism. Former President Joe Biden removed Cuba from the list a week before leaving the White House, a decision that Trump reversed on his first day back in office. Global race for rare earths comes to Kenya's Mrima Hill Kwale, Kenya, Oct 31 (AFP) Oct 31, 2025 Division and suspicion have gripped five villages near Kenya's coast as global powers from the United States to China eye a forest that is rich in rare earths -- minerals vital to high-tech and low-carbon industries. The US government under President Donald Trump has made securing critical minerals central to its diplomacy in Africa, including through a peace deal in the resource-rich Democratic Republic of Congo this year. Mrima Hill -- a forest of around 390 acres near Kenya's Indian Ocean coastline -- could be another target. It sits quietly on huge rare-earth deposits that Cortec Mining Kenya, a subsidiary of UK and Canada-based Pacific Wildcat Resources, estimated in 2013 were worth $62.4 billion, including large stores of niobium, used to strengthen steel. US official Marc Dillard visited the hill in June when he was serving as the interim ambassador to Kenya. Other foreigners also attempted to visit in recent months, including Chinese nationals who were turned away, according to Juma Koja, a guard for the Mrima Hill community. An Australian consortium of mining firms RareX and Iluka Resources announced a bid this year to mine rare earths on the site, and locals say land speculators are flocking to the area. - Buried riches - The interest is worrying the community, mostly of the Digo ethnic group, who fear they will be evicted or denied a share in future mining windfalls. The lush forest is home to their sacred shrines and has long supported farming and livelihoods, though today more than half the population lives in extreme poverty, according to government data. AFP was initially barred access to the forest. "People come here with big cars... but we turn them away," said Koja. His stance stems from past encounters with prospective investors -- a process he says was not transparent. "I do not want my people to be exploited," he said. Kenya revoked a mining licence in 2013 that had been granted to Cortec Mining Kenya, citing environmental and licensing irregularities. Cortec claimed in court that the licence was revoked after it refused to pay a bribe to then-mining minister Najib Balala, an allegation he denied. The company lost multiple legal efforts over the revocation. In 2019, Kenya imposed a temporary ban on new mining licences over concerns about corruption and environmental degradation. But it now sees a major opportunity, particularly as China -- the biggest source of rare earths -- increasingly limits its exports. Kenya's mining ministry announced "bold reforms" this year, including tax breaks and improved licensing transparency, aimed at attracting investors and boosting the sector from 0.8 percent of GDP to 10 percent by 2030. Daniel Weru Ichang'i, a retired economic geology professor at the University of Nairobi, said Kenya had a long way to go, especially in gathering reliable data on its resources. "There's a romantic view that mining is an easy area, and one can get rich quickly... We need to sober up," he told AFP. "Corruption makes this area, which is very high-risk, less attractive to invest in." Competition between the West and China is driving up prices, but if the country wants to profit, it "must stick to the law, and individual interests must be subjugated to that of the nation," he said. - 'Mrima is our life' - On Mrima Hill, locals worry for their livelihoods, sacred shrines, medicinal plants and the forest they have known all their lives. "This Mrima is our life... Where will we be taken?" said Mohammed Riko, 64, vice chairman of the Mrima Hill Community Forest Association. Koja is concerned about the loss of unique indigenous trees like the giant orchid, already a problem before mining has even started. "In my heart I am crying. This Mrima has endangered species that we are losing," he said. But others, like Domitilla Mueni, treasurer of the Mrima Hill association, see an opportunity. She has been developing her land -- planting trees, farming -- in order to push up the value when mining companies come to buy. "Why should we die poor while we have minerals?" she said. mnk/er/jxb/mjw Pillaged I.Coast nature reserve on the mend after crisis decade Comoe National Park, Ivory Coast, Oct 31 (AFP) Oct 31, 2025 Forest ranger Daouda Bamba is in no doubt about who the apex predator is in Ivory Coast's Comoe National Park, ravaged by war and unrest between 2002 and 2011. "The most dangerous animal here is man," the lieutenant told AFP, while at the head of a 10-strong patrol on the lookout for hostile intruders. Founded as a big game reserve in 1926, Comoe long ranked among Africa's most beautiful natural parks. Tourists flocked by the thousands to catch a glimpse of its elephants, lions, leopards and herds of antelope and hippopotamuses. But that status came under threat during Comoe's lost decade, when the government abandoned the park during the west African country's two civil wars, leaving its rich fauna and flora at the mercy of looters and poachers. Yet while Bamba's militia still has to guard against the threat of unscrupulous humans, Comoe has made strides towards recovering from its close brush with destruction in the years since. On a rare reporting mission to the reserve in Ivory Coast's far northeast, near the border with jihadist-riven Burkina Faso, an AFP team saw antelopes frolicking, clans of barking baboons and families of warthogs with snouts to the ground across its vast and nigh-on-pristine expanse. - 'Vultures circling' - "We're seeing lots of animals. The park's getting better," said Bamba, one of 160 rangers working for the Ivorian Parks and Reserves Office (OIPR) in Comoe. "Since we upped our game in 2016, the animals have been at peace. They don't run away all the time, which means they're not being hunted anymore." However, the Kalashnikov slung over Bamba's shoulder, as well as the truncheons and tear gas grenades hanging from the rangers' belts, are hints that not all is well in paradise. "When we catch intruders, it often leads to a brawl," the lieutenant said. "Three major threats hang over the park," Bamba said, namely "poaching, illegal gold mining and unlawful livestock herding". Nearby, one of his deputies tinkered with a drone, a useful tool when tasked with detecting human activity across the park's 11,500 square kilometres (4,440 square miles). Often, however, the rangers have to resort to old-school means. "Our day-to-day is spent on foot. We're on the lookout for smoke from a fire, tracks from bicycles or motorcycles, or vultures circling overhead," said Bamba. In 2024, 125 people were arrested in the park, including 105 gold diggers and 18 poachers, according to the OIPR. - 'Nearly died' - Raynald Gilon's voice trembled as the old bushman remembered Comoe's glory days. "We had a fabulous era here. The wildlife was magnificent," said the grizzled Belgian, who has spent half a century guarding the park. Hyenas and red hartebeest roamed its sun-baked savannahs, while Nile crocodiles and fishing eagles alike plunged into the waters of the Comoe River, which gave the park its name. Comoe welcomed "up to 6,000 to 7,000 tourists each season, most of them Europeans who arrived here by plane", he remembered. At the park's northwest point, the dusty Kafolo Safari Lodge's crumbling stone entrance and abandoned blue-bottomed swimming pool serve as a reminder of that bygone age, long left to rot. When the crisis began in 2002, the park found itself deep within territory controlled by the rebels who were fighting to overthrow then-president Laurent Gbagbo. With the rangers forced to flee, the park was left exposed to the whims of the poachers, gold diggers and farmers. "It was a massacre, a real ransacking," lamented Raynald Gilon. "Everyone was taking part in the looting, including the rebels who claimed to be protecting it!" Within a year of the war's outbreak, UNESCO added the park to its list of endangered World Heritage sites. "The Comoe park nearly died," he said. - 'Target of greed' - When Ivory Coast's crisis ended in 2011, the new government worked to fix the damage done, pouring funds into equipping and training up guards tasked with flushing out the poachers. "All of this allows us to really monitor the park and restore peace and quiet for the wildlife," said Commander Henri Tra Bi Zah, one of the park's managers. Those efforts bore fruit. In 2017, UNESCO removed Comoe from its endangered heritage site list, in a first for an African park. Three herds of elephants have been spotted, with a total of 200 individuals, while the chimpanzee has made a comeback. Although the lion and the African wild dog are both believed to be locally extinct, leopards, spotted hyenas and even the caracal cat are a common sight in Comoe. Antelopes and buffalo number by the thousands. That said, those hoping to catch a glimpse of the park's rarer beasts have to venture deep into the savannah, often while braving thick swarms of biting tsetse flies, the AFP team observed. While insisting that the "biggest problem" of illegal gold mining has been "contained", Commander Tra Bi Zah warned that the park "is still the target of greed because it is brimming with resources". - Return of the tourist? - Nearby villagers seem to be respecting the park's boundaries. "Hand on heart we can't enter. If they catch you in there, you'll go straight to jail," said a farmer from Bambela, whose hut lies just a few metres from the edge of the savannah. The OIPR even has hopes to revive tourism to make the park "a driving force for socioeconomic development" in the Ivorian northeast. Those hopes, however, are complicated by the park's proximity to Burkina Faso, which is locked in conflict with fighters linked to Al-Qaeda or the Islamic State group. Western governments have advised against all travel to the region as a result. That said, no jihadist has been arrested or even spotted recently in the park, according to security sources questioned by AFP. A new hotel has sprung up in Kafolo to welcome humanitarian workers, civil engineers or even the odd foreigner passing through, its walls adorned with hunting trophies from the big game era of yore. "The park is struggling to recover from the disaster... The revival is fragile," said local deputy Abdoulaye Karim Diomande. "But the OIPR is making great strides. The future looks bright." hba/pid/sbk/giv Executives at childrens clothing retailer Carters said this week that tariffs are causing its business significant turmoiland expect such issues to continue into 2026. The retailer reported its earnings on Monday, seeing a significant downturn in net income as compared with Q3 2024. Net income for the quarter declined about 80 percent year on year to $11.6 million; in 2024, that figure stood at $58.3 million. More from Sourcing Journal Carters said that, as part of its transformation, led by recently instated CEO Douglas Palladini, it has plans to save about $45 million per year as of 2026. Its executives said the company will achieve that, in large part, by eliminating 15 percent of its corporate employees roles and instituting other cost mitigation strategies. Douglas Palladini, the companys CEO, said Carters will part ways with the impacted employeesroughly 300by the end of the year. He said he expects that change alone to save the company $35 million annually, and that the layoffs will also streamline processes and decision making at Carters. The company did not immediately disclose which of its business units will be impacted by the cuts. Carters also plans to close 150 stores across North America by 2026, Palladini said, noting that the company will also halt any further store fleet expansion in an effort to save costs. On the call, executives said the impacted stores accounted for about $110 million in revenue over the course of the past year. Ahead of this call, executives had previously said they had plans to close 100, so Mondays information reflects an addition of 50 stores. Palladini said that investors should focus on the long-term impacts of the store closures, rather than on the immediate profit hits. Closing these stores does result in short-term revenue loss, but historical perspective suggests there will be offsetting sales transfer benefits by leveraging Carters digital platforms, existing stores and nearby wholesale partners, Palladini told investors this week. Stores and personnel arent the only ways Carters is shrinking; it also expects to axe 20 to 30 percent of its overall product assortment, as part of its broader organizational objective of ensuring that our makeup, from personnel, to infrastructure, to systems and processes reflects the agility necessary to both confront challenges and seize opportunities in a dynamic marketplace, Palladini said. Endangered across west Africa, leopards thrive in I.Coast reserve Comoe National Park, Ivory Coast, Oct 31 (AFP) Oct 31, 2025 Like other big cats, the leopard is endangered across west Africa. Yet in Ivory Coast's Comoe National Park, the famously spotted feline appears to be doing rather well -- surprisingly, given the reserve's conflict-riven recent history, according to researcher Robin Horion. Panthera, the conservation organisation Horion works for, led an observation mission to the park in far northeast Ivory Coast in 2024, which found the feline to be in strong health. - Bleak wider picture - Q: What is the situation of leopards in west Africa, and of big cats more generally? Horion: If we consider leopards across the whole of Africa, the situation is not too bad, thanks to south and east Africa. However, in west Africa, leopards are endangered. This means fewer than 500 mature individuals between Senegal and Nigeria. As for lions and cheetahs, the situation is hardly any better. There are only two lion populations left, one of which consists of 200 individuals spread across Benin, Niger and Burkina Faso, who are significantly hit by the jihadist crisis there. The other population is in Senegal, in the Niokolo-Koba National Park, where unfortunately there are only about 30 lions. The cheetah is critically endangered, with rather bleak prospects. It is possible that this species could become extinct (in west Africa?) within the next 10 to 20 years. The situation in west Africa is actually more critical than elsewhere. Demographics, social context, political crises and instability are all weighing down conservation efforts. - 'Pleasant surprise' - Q: What is the situation in the Comoe National Park? Horion: A survey conducted in the 2000s concluded that lions were extinct there. They remain extinct today. As for leopards, the situation was not promising at the time either, with only rare traces of them found in the middle of the park. But in 2024, Panthera, in collaboration with the Ivorian Parks and Reserves Office (OIPR), conducted a survey across 400 to 500 square kilometres (155 to 195 square miles). What we found was a population that is potentially the largest in west Africa, which was a very pleasant surprise. Although this needs to be confirmed by a more extensive study in the entire park. The park is also home to another extremely interesting feline, the African golden cat, which is the least-studied forest feline in the world. It is present in the southern part of the park, in the forested area. The serval and caracal are also there, though they are somewhat less threatened, as well as the spotted hyena. - Security 'question mark' - Q: What are the prospects for leopards in Ivory Coast? Horion: They are relatively positive compared to the rest of west Africa. In Ivory Coast, two parks are very well-managed by the OIPR: Tai in the west and Comoe. Both have solid leopard populations according to our research -- two distinct and separate populations, but both in good health. Discussions are also under way on reintroducing lions into Comoe. However, there is still a major question mark and latent threat hanging over everything: the security situation in northern Ivory Coast (where jihadist and militia fighters operate). Things can change very quickly, directly hindering our conservation efforts in general. October was Taiwan's hottest on record Taipei, Oct 31 (AFP) Oct 31, 2025 Taiwan sweltered through its hottest October on record, the weather agency said Friday, the latest in a string of global temperature records. The main island endured its highest average temperature since 1950, Central Weather Administration forecaster Liu Pei-teng told AFP. Temperatures the world over have soared in recent years as human-induced climate change contributes to ever more erratic weather patterns. Taiwan's average temperature was 27.381C as of October 30, Liu said. Liu said the average could slip 0.1C by the end of Friday, but it would still be higher than the previous record of 27.009C in 2016. "The temperature only started lowering around October 18 or 19 while in previous years it started cooling in mid-September or early October, which make the average temperature of this month a record high compared with the same period in previous years," Liu said. Liu pointed to "relatively high" sea temperatures around Taiwan, Japan and the Western Pacific, and the delayed arrival of seasonal northeasterly winds for the heat. President Lai Ching-te said Taiwan had been hit by damaging "wind and floods" in recent months as well as enduring "unusually hot" weather. "High temperatures that continued into October were a very clear warning, and this kind of weather disaster will only become more frequent and severe in the future," Lai told the National Climate Change Committee on Thursday. "From the torrential rains in Asia and heat waves in Europe to the forest fires in the Americas, extreme weather has become the 'new normal' around the globe, and it continues to impact the society and economy of every nation," he said, according to an official transcript. A barrier lake in eastern Taiwan burst during torrential rains brought by Super Typhoon Ragasa in September, killing 19 people. Typhoon Danas, which hit Taiwan in early July, killed two people and injured hundreds as the storm dumped more than 500 mm of rain across the south over a weekend. Global temperatures have been pushed steadily higher by humanity's emissions of greenhouse gases, primarily from fossil fuels burned on a massive scale since the industrial revolution. Scientists expect that 2025 will be the third-hottest year after 2024 and 2023, with recent months tracking just behind the records set during this extraordinary stretch. UK climate activists acquitted in Stonehenge protest London, Oct 31 (AFP) Oct 31, 2025 Three protesters were Friday cleared by a UK court of charges related to a protest at Stonehenge in which the prehistoric stone circle was sprayed with orange powder. The environmental activists from Just Stop Oil had admitted to taking part in the protest, but cited their right to freedoms of speech and protest. Salisbury Crown Court in southern England found Rajan Naidu, 74, Niamh Lynch, 23, and Luke Watson, 36, not guilty of criminal damage and public nuisance in relation to the June 2024 protest. Naidu and Lynch had daubed the megalithic standing stones at the UNESCO world heritage site with an orange powder, which did not cause any lasting damage, the day before summer solstice. Footage of the event showed several people trying to restrain the pair as they sprayed the stones with a mix of cornflour, talcum powder and orange dye. It was part of Just Stop Oil's prominent campaign -- involving numerous provocative stunts such as spray painting famous artworks, monuments and airplanes -- to urge the UK government to phase out the use of polluting fossil fuels. The climate group ended its protests earlier this year, claiming it had succeeded in its initial aim to stop Britain from approving new oil and gas projects. Prosecutors said the protest at the site visited by millions of tourists from around Britain and the world was an "act of blatant and clear vandalism". "I just want things to be better, I just want things to be fair and right," Lynch said after the jury's verdict. Watson said he was "glad" about the decision, but felt like their trial over "the last two weeks" was "a complete waste of public money". "It is a relief that the jury has decided to uphold the right to peaceful protest," said defence lawyer Francesca Cociani. "It is a right that has long been, and should remain, an essential pillar of our democratic society but we are seeing time and time again that this right is being eroded." Ecuador and US rule out Galapagos military base Quito, Oct 31 (AFP) Oct 31, 2025 A US military base will not be built on the Galapagos islands famous for their unique flora and fauna, Ecuadoran President Daniel Noboa said Friday. US ally Noboa had caused an outcry by earlier saying a base could be erected on Baltra, a small island in the Pacific archipelago chain, to combat drug and fuel trafficking and illegal fishing. The Galapagos, where British naturalist Charles Darwin developed his theory of evolution, hosts plant and animal species found nowhere else in the world. On Friday Noboa said: "Baltra is ruled out," in a decision taken with US Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. Alternative sites were identified at be Manta or Salinas -- coastal cities on the mainland where "there is a higher priority in terms of arms trafficking, fuel trafficking, and drug trafficking," Noboa told Teleamazonas. At the president's initiative, Ecuadorans will decide in a referendum on November 16 whether to repeal a 2008 constitutional ban on their country hosting foreign military bases. Baltra, which has an airport, was home to a US military base during World War II. The United States for years operated a military base in the Pacific port of Manta. In 2009, then left-wing president Rafael Correa, a fierce US critic, refused to renew the lease. Plans for a new base come as the United States ratchets up strikes on alleged drug-smuggling boats off South America that have so far claimed at least 62 lives. Ecuador has in recent years become a hub for cocaine trafficking. On a visit to Quito in September, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio vowed to help Noboa "wage war" against drug-trafficking "terrorists." The Galapagos Islands, a World Heritage Site, are situated some 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) off the coast of Ecuador. The Ecuadoran armed forces regularly seize drugs, weapons and fuel in the surrounding waters. Noboa said Ecuador has also held talks with France and the United Kingdom about "the importance of having a (foreign military) presence at the border" with Colombia -- the world's largest cocaine producer. Fewer than 60 world leaders confirmed for Brazil climate summit Brasilia, Oct 31 (AFP) Oct 31, 2025 Brazil said Friday fewer than 60 world leaders have confirmed their attendance of an Amazonian summit next week ahead of the annual UN climate conference, a smaller number than previous years. The COP30 climate conference in the city of Belem from November 10 to 21 will be preceded by a summit of heads of state and government on November 6-7 -- held separately this year to ease accommodation pressures. Some 50,000 people are expected in Belem, which is home to 1.4 million residents, more than half of whom live in shantytowns. With a shortage of traditional hotel rooms, conference organizers scrambled to find alternative accommodation in private homes, universities and schools, and even two cruise ships docked in the harbor some 20 kilometers (12 miles) from the conference center. Prices skyrocketed, and environmental groups warned COP30 could be "the most exclusionary in history." Insisting the conference be held in the Amazon -- a potent symbol of the importance of Earth's carbon-absorbing forests -- President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva batted away concerns and said in February delegates can "sleep under the stars." By Friday, 57 heads of state and government had confirmed their summit attendance, Brazil's chief negotiator Mauricio Lyrio told reporters. Last year, 75 leaders attended COP29 in Azerbaijan, about half the number in Dubai in 2023. The leaders of Germany, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Norway, Colombia, Chile, Cape Verde and Liberia will attend, their governments have confirmed to AFP. China has said Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang will represent President Xi Jinping. The United States and Argentina, led by climate skeptics, have not said who they will send, if anyone. In all, 170 delegations are accredited for the main COP30 conference, taking place at a time of global political turmoil many fear will overshadow the climate emergency. By David Kirton GUANGZHOU, China (Reuters) -For William Ying, whose company has been making colourful wooden toys in China's Zhejiang province for 20 years, a thawing of trade tensions between Washington and Beijing is a welcome sign and one he hopes will get orders rolling again. Ying, vice president of Shiwanxin Technology which makes toys such as block jigsaws and dial-up telephones, said around 30% of his U.S. orders were put on hold in April over crippling tariffs that led many customers to adopt a wait-and-see attitude. "Now that the two leaders have met, its clearly moving in a positive direction," Ying said of talks between U.S. President Donald Trump and China's Xi Jinping on Thursday, when Washington agreed to cut tariffs on Chinese imports to 47% from 57%. "Our long-term clients have already begun placing orders for next year. We dont expect a sudden boom, but stability itself is good." Ying was among thousands of exporters in the southern city of Guangzhou for the biannual Canton Trade Fair, China's largest trade exhibition and an important gauge of retail demand with more than 32,000 exhibitors selling everything from electronics and home appliances to clothing, toys and health products. China's exports to the U.S. fell by 27% year-on-year in September, trade data showed, while shipments bound for the European Union, Southeast Asia and Africa grew by 14%, 15.6% and 56.4%, respectively. HIGH-STAKES GAME Ying's optimism was echoed by Audrey Ning, sales associate at sporting goods maker Yomee, on the side of a hall packed with sellers of stuffed snow lions, foosball tables and water pistols. "We were all very excited when we saw the news (of Trump and Xi's meeting). It feels like a very positive starting point that could break the nearly year-long stalemate, so we are full of hope for the future," she said. Chinese manufacturers have borne the brunt of tit-for-tat tariff escalations that have upended supply chains and forced some businesses to seek new markets to replace U.S. demand. The trade outlook now depends on how the high-stakes game of threats between Beijing and Washington unfolds in the coming weeks and months. Other exporters at the sprawling fair were more cautious, given the tariff rollercoaster they have had to deal with this year. Some are still factoring tariff-related uncertainty into their business plans. Tim Xu, a manager at glowstick maker Zibo Dexing Industries, said his company derived half its sales from the U.S. market and had already seen orders cancelled due to tariffs. Get the latest entertainment news, reviews and star-studded interviews with our Independent Culture email Get the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter Get the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice By her own admission, Lily James wanted her life to hurry up. After Cinderella, I longed for parts that werent the ingenue, that werent the young heroine, that werent always in historical films, she explains, casually running through the cliches that tend to engulf the young, white actresses who at one point or another are deemed to be Britains next big thing. She told Kenneth Branagh, her director on that live-action Disney revival, all about it. He just said, Lily you dont need to rush, its all gonna happen. But I was so impatient. Looking back now, at the age of 36 and exactly 10 years after Cinderella made her a star, James knows that Branagh was correct. As a woman, it happens inevitably as you grow older, the roles are going to be different. But I also just didnt need to run away from those young ingenues. Honestly, Id love to go back! She lets out a massive, enveloping hoot. She might regret it now, but the chances are that Jamess career wouldnt have been half as interesting if shed kept the corsets on. Now, years removed from princess-dom, and from the early series of Downton Abbey she was the rebellious Lady Rose and the inexplicably titled Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, James has quietly carved out one of the most all-over-the-shop careers of her generation. Edgar Wrights frenetic actioner Baby Driver led to her role as a young Meryl Streep in Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, then as Zac Efrons saintly wife in the weepie The Iron Claw. She most recently played the Bumble founder Whitney Wolfe Herd in Disneys Swiped. And things are going to get even wackier. When I connect with James over video call, shes in Australia, shooting a submarine thriller with Chris Hemsworth. Before that she was filming a drama about cults with The Last of Us star Bella Ramsey. And before that she was playing an absolutely wild character in the new film from Japanese maestro of shock Takashi Miike, and the lead in a gender-flipped remake of the 1993 Sylvester Stallone movie Cliffhanger. Oh, and shes a voice in Angry Birds 3. 2026 will clearly be the year of Lily James: Endearingly Unplaceable Movie Star. I crave challenges, she explains. I want my life to be an adventure and my work to be an adventure. I want to do things that, on paper, people cant really imagine me doing. The part she plays in the Miike film, she teases, was something she couldnt believe she was actually offered. She compares it to getting the chance to play Pamela Anderson (James starred in the vaguely contentious limited seriesPam & Tommy back in 2022). She knows your first thought is... Her? Really? Then, smack! You end up feeling bad for ever doubting her. Theres so much to this job that isnt about acting. Sometimes that overwhelms me James admits that signing up to Relay, which is out in cinemas today, initially gave her pause, too. Its a chilly conspiracy thriller, in which Riz Ahmed plays a fixer who helps corporate whistleblowers detangle themselves from potentially dire outcomes. James was eager to work with Ahmed, and the films director David Mackenzie the confusingly underrated Scotsman behind movies such as the neo-western Hell or High Water and the prison drama Starred Up but was also terrified about performing so many solo scenes. Ahmeds character talks with his clients via a message relay service intended for the deaf community, meaning huge swathes of Jamess role in the film involve her sitting nervously in her apartment on the phone. I hate acting on my own, she says. Youve got no one to bounce off, no ones eyes to look into. Acting is at its best when its like a dance between two actors and you forget yourself. It was really hard. open image in gallery On watch: James studies her surroundings in her new thriller, Relay ( Heidi Hartwig ) There are moments in conversation with James when she becomes a bit of a ham she leans in close to her Zoom camera whenever I ask a question, bobs her head enthusiastically, flexes her arms around herself in a hug, shimmies her shoulders. She trained in musical theatre as a teenager at the Tring Park School for the Performing Arts in Hertfordshire and while shes only been able to properly utilise her dance skills in Mamma Mia, its obviously still there in her bones; shes a big mover. Naturally, Relay felt a little static at least until the film sent her speeding out into the world, tied up in the backs of vans, or wielding pistols. Her character in Relay is being closely monitored by representatives of a vaguely nefarious corporate entity, and James spends much of the film peering nervously out of her window. I wanted to explore that part of myself thats always looking over my shoulder, she says. Its no surprise that its a bit of a default mode for her. There was a period of time, around five or six years ago, when she never seemed to be out of the gossip pages, blurrily photographed with actors she may or may not have been dating and there was that strange period during the pandemic, when everyone was talking about pictures of her and Dominic West riding an electric scooter together in Rome (It was a lot, she once said; An absurd situation, he once said.) I definitely havent evaded being surveilled, James says now. Im a person in the public eye, and its a very real fear youre being watched and photographed so often that its not just paranoia in the slightest. But she thinks thats true for everyone today, even if youre not a celebrity. A few days ago, she was telling a friend about a song she loves, and then that song was suddenly plastered all over his Instagram For You page. Our phones are listening to us, its just our reality, she says, sadly. Nothing is private now. I think its a very frightening time. Shes a little nostalgic in general. She says she misses the ubiquity of radio plays, which formed some of her earliest work after she graduated from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in 2010. And she pines for the glamour of stardom as it used to be. Her grandmother was an American actor named Helen Horton, who moved to Britain to find work in the Fifties. Her voice was magic, James remembers. She had one of those beautiful, rich, almost-British voices that all of those iconic movie stars of that time had. Itll also be recognisable to fans of Ridley Scotts Alien, as Horton gave voice to the spaceship in the film. I was watching it recently because I was thinking of Sigourney Weaver as an inspiration for a role I was hoping to play, she says. And I do just stop in my tracks every time, like, My God, this is crazy, thats my grandma! James is hardly a nepo granddaughter, but she admits to having fully exploited this bit of trivia while auditioning for Baby Driver. The only time Ive really played that card was to impress Edgar Wright, she laughs. Like, I dont know if you know, but my grandmother... And being the biggest film obsessive, and having seen everything, he just thought it was so cool! open image in gallery Lovers on the run: James alongside Ansel Elgort in Edgar Wrights Baby Driver ( Shutterstock ) I tell James that I still think her best work in its sense of transformation and its ingrained empathy was in Pam & Tommy, despite the controversy that surrounded it. The show recounted the very high-profile courtship between Baywatch-era Pamela Anderson and the rock star Tommy Lee (played here by Sebastian Stan), which was followed by their stolen sex tape scandal, Lees addiction struggles, and Andersons ill treatment by the press. Upon its release, rumours swirled that Anderson who was not involved in the shows production was privately upset by its existence, which was later confirmed by Anderson herself in a documentary about her life released in 2023. She insisted, though, that she bore no ill will towards James herself. Theres always a sensitivity around playing someone real, and rightly so, because thats a huge responsibility, James says. And then you have to navigate that in terms of how you put it out in the world... She trails off. I reached out to Pamela, and we were never told not to make it, and if there were certain things that could have been different... She pauses. I knew we were championing and honouring her story, and I know it was made with such love and integrity and a commitment to truth. Im proud of the story that we put out, and Im so in awe of Pamela Anderson and the woman that she is. open image in gallery Uncanny: James as Pamela Anderson in the 2022 limited series Pam & Tommy ( Erica Parise/Hulu/Shutterstock ) She apologises. Im probably not talking about this with much eloquence, but only because it still feels very fresh, she explains. The thing about my characters, whether theyre real people or not, is that they really live inside of me. I dont just rock up and say my lines; theres a feeling of heaviness, and protectiveness, and at times fear around these roles that Ive played. Its not always easy for me to talk about them. She adds that she knows it was crazy casting for her to play Anderson, but that it feeds into her ethos overall. Ive tried to always be brave in the choices Ive made, she says. And Ive come to learn that when youre lucky enough to be doing this for as long as Ive been doing it, theres so much to this job that isnt about acting. Sometimes that overwhelms me. Ive definitely felt at times like, My God, this is all too much all this other stuff. She punctuates the word with force. But then you get in a rehearsal room, or you act opposite a brilliant actor like Riz or Sebastian Stan, and everything else falls away. Im so lucky that I get to show up and do this. It seems that Lily James, reformed speeder-upper, is finally sitting down and taking it all in. Relay is in cinemas Get the latest entertainment news, reviews and star-studded interviews with our Independent Culture email Get the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter Get the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice A weapons supplier who worked on Rust has filed a sweeping lawsuit against Alec Baldwin and the films producers and crew, accusing them of waging a scapegoat smear campaign that destroyed his livelihood after the fatal 2021 shooting of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins. In a 35-page complaint filed this week in a New Mexico court, Seth Kenney and his company, PDQ Arm and Prop, claim that Baldwin and the films production team intentionally defamed him by suggesting his firm supplied live ammunition that caused Hutchinss death. The suit seeks unspecified damages for reputational and financial harm. Defendants, individually and collectively, in an effort to distance themselves from the Rust criminal investigation and onslaught of negative publicity, conspired to paint plaintiffs in a nationwide false light scapegoat smear campaign, the lawsuit reads. Baldwin, who is Rusts lead actor and co-producer, was pointing a gun at Hutchins during a rehearsal on set in October 2021 when it went off, killing the cinematographer and wounding director Joel Souza. They were filming at the Bonanza Creek Ranch near Santa Fe at the time. The suit alleges that the producers spread falsehoods to law enforcement and the media, asserting that Kenney had delivered live rounds disguised as dummy bullets. His company only supplied inert ammunition and blanks, it adds, insisting that no live rounds were ever provided to the Rust production. open image in gallery Seth Kenney claims Alec Baldwin and the Rust production team intentionally defamed him by suggesting his company supplied live ammunition that led to the death of Halyna Hutchins ( Getty ) Kenney alleges that Baldwin, armourer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed, and more than 30 others, including producers and senior crew, conspired with cutthroat Hollywood fixers and media to deflect blame for the presence of live ammunition on set. He says the defendants spread falsehoods through a national propaganda campaign, leaving him financially ruined and unable to find work. Its been devastating, Kenney told Variety. Its not a matter of saving face. Theres nothing left to lose. This whole thing has been shit and I have been the scapegoat. In his lawsuit, Kenney accuses the production of breaching safety rules, failing to pay rental fees for his equipment, and allowing his gun to be used improperly. He also claims that Baldwin failed to participate in a required inspection of the gun before the incident. Baldwin has denied wrongdoing, maintaining that he believed the weapon contained only dummy rounds. He has said he pulled back the hammer, but not the trigger, and the revolver fired. A criminal case against Baldwin over the shooting was dismissed in July 2024 after prosecutors admitted that evidence concerning the gun had been withheld and that the weapon could have been modified before testing. He had been charged with involuntary manslaughter following the shooting. The Independent has reached out to Baldwins representatives for comment. Gutierrez-Reed, who loaded the weapon, was convicted of involuntary manslaughter in March 2024 and sentenced to 18 months in prison. She was paroled in May 2025 and is appealing her conviction. Investigators never determined how live rounds became mixed with blanks supplied for the production. Prosecutors claimed during her trial in 2024 that Gutierrez-Reed had brought contaminated dummy rounds from a previous film, The Old Way, starring Nicolas Cage. Kenneys suit repeats that allegation, stating that her dummy rounds had been mixed with live .45 Colt rounds that she had been shooting in her off hours while working as an armourer on The Old Way. Gutierrez-Reed filed her own lawsuit in 2022 accusing Kenney of introducing the live rounds, but it was later dropped. Kenney says he rigorously rattle-tested each dummy round to ensure it was inert and that investigators never proved live ammunition came from his stock. People that know me understand what a stickler I am, he said. Dummy rounds typically contain a metal ball bearing inside and rattle when shaken. A live bullet does not rattle when it's shaken. Live rounds are never supposed to be on a film set, for any reason. In earlier testimony, Souza said he refused to believe he had been shot because the idea that a live round was on set was alien to him. Cherlyn Schaefer, the paramedic who worked on the set and testified in Ms Gutierrez-Reed's trial, said she was not equipped with extensive tools for treating gunshot wounds because a live round was never meant to be on a set. In 2022, Kenney told investigators that he did not remember whether he had supplied the box of blanks found on the Rust set, saying it was entirely possible he could have supplied it to Gutierrez-Reed for use on The Old Way. However, he insisted that it was still Gutierrez-Reeds responsibility to assume that all rounds were live unless personally verified otherwise. Kenney told Variety the rounds didnt come from him but likely from Gutierrez-Reeds father, veteran film armourer Thell Reed. open image in gallery Hannah Gutierrez-Reed filed her own lawsuit in 2022 accusing Seth Kenney of introducing live rounds on set, but it was later dropped ( Santa Fe New Mexican ) Kenney says the last straw prompting his suit came in January 2025, when Baldwin filed a malicious prosecution claim against New Mexico officials. In that case, Baldwins lawyers suggested that Kenney might have inadvertently mixed live rounds into a batch of dummy ammunition, which Kenney said reignited suspicions against him. Kenney also alleges that Baldwin and others employed media fixers, online trolls and YouTube commentators to portray him as responsible for the shooting. His weapon is still held as evidence by authorities and he claims the fallout has been terminal for his career. I refuse to give up. Its not that Im done with the industry. The industry might be done with me for a while, he said. Kenney testified in March 2024 that he provided a box of 50 dummy rounds that he had personally cleaned and repackaged for Rust, adding that they had previously been used in another production in Texas. When asked if he ever gave any live ammunition to propmaster Sarah Zachry, he said he hadnt. Rust premiered at the Camerimage festival in Torun, Poland, on 20 November 2024 and entered US theatres with a limited release on 2 May 2025. The Independents Adam White gave the film two stars and described it as a miserable experience overall. Get the latest entertainment news, reviews and star-studded interviews with our Independent Culture email Get the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter Get the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Ghostface is out for blood in the long-awaited first trailer for Scream 7. Despite the new installments cast shake-ups and previously leaving the franchise over a pay dispute, Neve Campbell will return as Sidney Prescott in the film. The trailer, released Thursday, shows Ghostface targeting Sidney and her daughter Tatum, played by newcomer Isabel May. While some fans celebrated Campbells homecoming to the franchise, others were unable to let go of the cast members notably missing from the trailer: Actors Melissa Barrera and Jenna Ortega are no longer part of the horror franchise after starring in the revival films Scream in 2022 and Scream VI in 2023. Dont care. Looks boring. We want Melissa, one social media user commented under the trailer on X. Another added, I have no interest in any Scream movie that Jenna Ortega isn't in. Someone else wrote, Do not forget what spyglass did to Melissa Barrera. stand with Palestine. Boycott. open image in gallery Neve Campbell is returning for Scream VII in her iconic role as Sidney Prescott ( Getty Images ) open image in gallery Melissa Barrera and Jenna Ortega aren't returning for 'Scream 7' ( Getty Images ) Barrera, who was set to reprise her role as Sam Carpenter in the new film, was fired from Scream 7 over her social media posts criticizing Israel for the genocide in Palestine months after the sixth film was released, prompting pro-Palestine supporters to boycott the series. The films production company Spyglass Media alleged at the time that her posts floated an antisemitic trope that Jews control the media. In the Instagram post, she had said, Western media only shows the [Israeli] side. Why do they do that, I will let you deduce for yourself. After Barreras exit, Ortega left the project voluntarily. Initial reports said the exit was due to scheduling conflicts, but Ortega later clarified that the decision had nothing to do with pay or scheduling. The Melissa stuff was happening, and it was all kind of falling apart, she told The Cut earlier this year. If Scream VII wasnt going to be with that team of directors and those people I fell in love with, then it didnt seem like the right move for me in my career at the time. After Barrera and Ortega dropped out, director Christopher Landon also decided to quit, calling the project a dream job that turned into a nightmare. The new movie, out in February, is directed by Kevin Williamson, who created the franchise. Other familiar faces returning for the film include Courtney Cox and Jasmin Savoy Brown. Matthew Lillard, David Arquette, and Scott Foley are also all set to reprise their characters who died in past films. Get the latest entertainment news, reviews and star-studded interviews with our Independent Culture email Get the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter Get the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Sharon Stone has defended Sydney Sweeney over the backlash she faced for an American Eagle jeans campaign, saying everyone is their own version of beautiful. Its okay to use what mama gave you. Its really fine, Stone, 67, told Variety at the Power of Women LA event on Wednesday. Its hard to be hot, and I think we all know that. Its really okay to use every bit of hotness you have right here, right now and go for whatever that is. Everybody has their own certain kind of hotness, their own certain thing, and youre supposed to go for that. Because who are you not to be beautiful? You know, who you are isnt an accident. The White Lotus stars American Eagle jeans campaign, released in 2024, drew intense scrutiny online with people comparing the phrase to the racist language of eugenicists, due to its wordplay on jeans and genes. In the advert, Sweeney says: Genes are passed down from parents to offspring, often determining traits like hair colour, personality and even eye colour. My jeans are blue." While critics accused the ad of playing into the eugenic idea that some genetic qualities were better than others, the MAGA camp quickly came to Sweeneys defence. US president Donald Trump praised the actor when he found out she was a registered Republican, writing on social media that she had the HOTTEST ad out there. open image in gallery Sharon Stone has defended Sydney Sweeney over the backlash the latter faced for an American Eagle jeans campaign ( Getty Images ) Sweeney herself has not made any comment on the controversy, shutting down questions on the divisive campaign at the September premiere of her latest film, Christy. Stone added that she spoke with Sweeney about the controversy on the sets of Euphoria, where both actors were filming season three of the popular HBO series. Because I was co-godparents with Jane Goodall, I said, When Jane was on the cover of Life Magazine for her work with gorillas, she was in her safari shorts and shirt, sitting with one of the animals that she was working with, Stone said. Dame Jane Goodall, who revolutionised the worlds understanding of animal behaviour, died after suffering cardiac arrest on 1 October. The much-loved zoologist, primatologist, and anthropologist championed chimpanzee protection for more than six decades, also becoming a tireless advocate of the wider natural world and the environment. Stone continued: Other scientists said, Well, she only got the cover of Life Magazine because she had good legs. And Jane said, Well, if I did, then that helped me get more money for my research. Sydney said, Yeah, and Im sure I made a billion dollars for the jeans company, and Im good with that. Because, you know what? Ill get another job. open image in gallery The American Eagle jeans campaign drew intense scrutiny online with people comparing the phrase to the racist language of eugenicists, due to its wordplay on jeans and genes ( Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. ) Sweeneys Anyone But You costar Glen Powell also recently spoke up in support of the actor. In a new interview with The Guardian, Powell was asked why no one in Hollywood defended the actor publicly. I think people weighed in on it, Powell argued; however, interviewer Marina Hyde disagreed, saying Sweeney was left to twist in the wind. But I think people are aware that its bulls***, Powell said. Asked if he tries to avoid public discourse because it may distract from his work, Powell responded: You cant get caught up in it it has nothing to do with you, it has to do with ad dollars. And, you know, there is no course-correcting. If somethings false, youre not actually setting the record straight, youre just feeding the beast. Thats why I dont say s*** just let it come, and let it go. Not feeding the beast and not trying to fight anything. Ive realised the smart people in Hollywood dont try to fight anything that has nothing to do with them. Get the inside track from Roisin O'Connor with our free weekly music newsletter Now Hear This Get our free music newsletter Now Hear This Get our free music newsletter Now Hear This Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Arcade Fires Win Butler and Regine Chassagne have announced that they are separating after 22 years of marriage. A brief statement was shared to the bands official Instagram page that said they continue to love, admire and support each other as they co-parent their son. The statement also said they would continue to work together on their charitable endeavours with KANPE in Haiti and their bond as creative soulmates will endure, as will Arcade Fire. Butler, 45, and Chassagne, 49, married in 2003, the year before Arcade Fire released their debut album Funeral. Their first and only child was born in 2013, shortly before the release of their fourth studio album, Reflektor. In 2022, Butler was accused of inappropriate actions by four people, all of whom said they had been devoted fans of Arcade Fire when they first met him between 2015 and 2020, when they were between the ages of 18 and 23. Butler at the time was between 36 and 39. Butler vehemently denied any non-consensual behaviour. He said he had engaged in consensual relationships outside of his marriage and apologised to anyone who I have hurt with my behaviour, citing struggles with mental health issues and alcohol abuse. Chassagne also responded to the allegations with a statement expressing support for her then-husband. I know what is in his heart, and I know he has never, and would never, touch a woman without her consent and I am certain he never did, she said. He has lost his way and he has found his way back. I love him and love the life we have created together. Arcade Fire returned this year with Pink Elephant, their first album since the allegations were made against Butler. open image in gallery Arcade Fire (Chassagne and Butler, pictured) performing at Reading Festival ( Getty Images ) It also marked their first release since the departure of Butlers brother, Will, who confirmed he had left the band in March 2022. I left at the end of last year, after the new record [WE] was complete, he said in a series of posts to X/Twitter. There was no acute reason beyond that Ive changedand the band has changed over the last almost 20 years. Time for new things. He added: Thank you to anyone whos come out to AF shows, or bought a record, or loves our music. Its meaningful to be part of your lives. Thank you to the crew, staff, management, label people, bands, artists, and friends who have helped bring our vision to life for so many years. The band are still my friends and family. Ill be around! See you around! Will Butler has since composed the music for the critically acclaimed stage play Stereophonic, which follows a fictional band struggling to record their new album while on the cusp of global fame. The play arrived in the West End this summer after a Tony-winning run on Broadway. The statement from Butler and Chassagne indicates that Arcade Fire plan to announce a new tour soon. Even fast-casual dining may be too much of a financial burden for younger generations. Chipotle CEO Scott Boatwright said young diners between the ages of 25 and 35 are cutting back on dining at the Mexican-inspired fast-casual chain. But these millennial and Gen Z customers are not snubbing Chipotle for other fast food spots; theyve stopped dining out as frequently altogether. This group is facing several headwinds, including unemployment, increased student loan repayment, and slower real wage growth, Boatwright told investors at the companys earnings presentation on Wednesday. Were not losing them to the competition. Were losing them to grocery and food at home. Boatwright noted Chipotle customers making less than $100,000about 40% of Chipotles consumer baseare also pulling back. They feel the pinch; we feel the pullback from them as well, he concluded. Chipotle cut its same-store sales forecast for its third consecutive quarter as quarterly revenue missed expectations and traffic declined by 0.8%, also its third straight dip. Two-tier economy Other fast food chains have noted the emergence of a two-tier economyof high-income earners shelling out for meals, while low-income earners tighten their belts. This includes McDonalds, which has been largely propped up by customers willing to spend more money at the chain. Theres a lot of commentary around, Whats the state of the economy, hows it doing right now? McDonalds CEO Chris Kempczinski told CNBC last month. And what we see is, its really kind of a two-tier economy. If youre upper-income, earning over $100,000, things are good What we see with middle- and lower-income consumers, its actually a different story. Fast food restaurants have also made a concerted effort to attract Gen Z diners, with offerings including McDonalds adult Happy Meals, Taco Bells customizable drinks, and KFC spinoff Saucys array of chicken tender dipping sauces. Chipotle has made similar attempts with limited-time offers of novelty condiments, with some success. Through our research, we found that over 90% of Gen Z consumers say they would visit a restaurant just for a new sauce, Boatwright said on Wednesday. Chipotle did not immediately respond to Fortunes request for comment. Gen Z cutting back on dining out Amid an affordability crisis, it may take more than Chipotles Adobo Ranch or Red Chimichurri to get young customers into stores more often. To save money, Gen Z in particular has changed how they dine out, taking advantage of cheaper menu options by splitting appetizers and ordering kids meals. Get the latest entertainment news, reviews and star-studded interviews with our Independent Culture email Get the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter Get the latest entertainment news with our free Culture newsletter Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice The iconic Japanese superhero television series Super Sentai is reportedly ending after a monumental 50-year run. First launched in 1975, the franchise has produced a new incarnation nearly every year and has become a bedrock of Japanese pop culture, influencing generations of children and spawning the global phenomenon Power Rangers in the US. The current series, No 1 Sentai Gozyuger, began airing in February 2025 on TV Asahi. Episode 37 is scheduled to air on November 9 and new episodes are set to be released every Sunday until the series ends next year. A source told Kyodo News that the decision to end the series was made as production costs increasingly outstripped revenue from events, merchandise and film tie-ins. Super Sentai began with Himitsu Sentai Gorenger, distributed internationally as Five Rangers, and featured five color-coded heroes defending the world from evil. The format soon became iconic: each episode typically built up to a climactic battle where the heroes morphed from ordinary humans into armored warriors, piloting giant robots known as mechas or Zords to American audiences. Since 1979, new iterations have appeared almost every year, introducing fresh characters and storylines while preserving the core spirit of teamwork and transformation. open image in gallery A visitor looks at merchandise from Japanese superhero series 'Choudenshi Bioman' and 'Hikari Sentai Maskman' in Seoul ( AFP via Getty Images ) Super Sentais trademark imagery of colour-coded heroes, giant robots, cliff-hanger team calls, and practical-effects battle scenes became a formative part of Japans tokusatsu (special-effects live-action) genre. A sense of nostalgia underlines the cultural weight of the series; many actors who played Red Ranger equivalents have become mainstream personalities, and the series has been a rite of passage for successive generations of children. Over five decades, the franchise has influenced toys, merchandise, live shows, stage events, and launched the careers of several Japanese actors like Tori Matsuzaka, Yuki Yamada, and Ryusei Yokohama, who went on to appear in major films and television dramas. The 16th Super Sentai series, Kyoryu Sentai Zyuranger, served as the foundation for Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, the 1993 American adaptation that became a global pop culture phenomenon. In the US, the Power Rangers continuity effectively concluded with Power Rangers Cosmic Fury, but Super Sentai continued to produce new series annually until now. open image in gallery The 16th Super Sentai series, Kyoryu Sentai Zyuranger , served as the foundation for Mighty Morphin Power Rangers , the 1993 American adaptation that became a global pop culture phenomenon ( Lionsgate Films ) The last major US adaptation was the 2017 Power Rangers film starring Dacre Montgomery, Naomi Scott, RJ Cyler, Becky G, Ludi Lin, and Elizabeth Banks. A new Power Rangers television series is in development with 20th Television. Across Japan, the 50th anniversary of the franchise in 2025 has been celebrated with a reunion of the original Gorenger cast, an All Super Sentai Exhibition touring from August and fan-polls ranking decades of heroes. Award-winning actress and model Keiko Kitagawa reposted the news on X, writing: Despair. Yuma Nishi, a member of idol group NMB48, expressed disbelief: Wait a minute, my whole life Even if I wake up in the morning, the Super Sentai series is really ending? Actor Yasuhisa Furuhara, who led 2008s Engine Sentai Go-onger, said: Its been 50 years. Im proud to have been part of that incredible history. Voice actor Tetsu Inada, known for roles in My Hero Academia and Bleach as well as Tokusou Sentai Dekaranger, wrote: There were still so many dreams I wanted to fulfill through Super Sentai. But lasting for 50 years is truly an incredible achievement. Its an honor to have my name included in that history. Sign up to our free Living Well email for advice on living a happier, healthier and longer life Live your life healthier and happier with our free weekly Living Well newsletter Live your life healthier and happier with our free weekly Living Well newsletter Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice While Halloween offers a chance to embrace all things spooky and supernatural, the real terrors this season arent confined to ghost stories. From pumpkin-carved fingers to contact lens infections that can lead to life-threatening heart conditions, the festivities come with genuine medical hazards some surprisingly severe. In the US, 44% of Halloween-related injuries stem from pumpkin carving, ranging from minor scratches to lacerations that slice through major nerves, blood vessels and tendons. Specific pumpkin carving knives or tools have been shown to be much safer, though not risk-free. Pumpkins pose additional dangers when candles are lit inside them. The flames can ignite property or costumes, often leaving victims with severe burns. There is a notable spike in burn-related injuries each year around Halloween, particularly among children. One high-profile case involved TV personality Claudia Winklemans daughter, Matilda, who suffered life-changing injuries in 2014, aged eight, when her Halloween costume caught fire. Costumes themselves create multiple hazards beyond burns. Ill-fitting outfits can lead to broken bones from slips and trips, while masks and heavy headwear obscure vision. Latex allergies from costume materials represent another risk, causing anything from irritation and rashes through, in very rare cases, to death. The combination of dark October evenings and dark costumes creates a particularly dangerous scenario. Data from the UK covering 27 years revealed that on Halloween, the risk of children being killed or seriously injured in traffic accidents is higher than on any other day and 34% higher between 5pm and 6pm, probably coinciding with rush hour. The combination of dark October evenings and dark costumes creates a particularly dangerous scenario ( Getty ) In the US, childhood pedestrian deaths are fourfold higher on Halloween than on any other day. A separate study found there are four additional pedestrian deaths on Halloween compared with other days. On Halloween, appearances can be deceiving sometimes literally. Coloured contact lenses present significant risks to eye health and overall wellbeing. They can cause irritation and redness, eye injury when they snap and cut into the eye, or even a life-threatening heart infection. Damage to the eye, from ill-fitting or poor quality contact lenses, can promote bacterial growth. These bacteria can migrate from the eye, often in the bloodstream, to elsewhere in the body. One location they can set up camp is in the heart, causing conditions such as infective endocarditis, which kills about one in five people with the condition. This condition is challenging to treat because medicines and immune cells struggle to reach the heart lining. In the UK, contact lenses, including novelty or non-prescription ones, are classified as medical devices and require a prescription. About the author Adam Taylor is a Professor of Anatomy at Lancaster University. This article was first published by The Conversation and is republished under a Creative Commons licence. Read the original article. Face paints carry both short- and longer-term risks. Skin irritation and pore-blocking can be an immediate annoyance, along with corneal scratches if paint enters the eyes. Ingestion and prolonged or repeated exposure can increase the risk of absorbing potentially toxic elements such as heavy metals and arsenic, which increase cancer risk. Plastic fangs and other teeth-modifying sets can damage teeth. Designed as one-size-fits-all products, theyre likely to loosen teeth and exacerbate existing looseness. If using adhesive to hold them in place, ensure its approved for dental use. Products like superglue and nail glues will damage tooth enamel a layer that cannot regenerate and can burn the gums and inside of the mouth. Halloween diarrhoea The obvious concern on Halloween is feeling unwell from consuming excessive sweets or chocolate. However, other consumption hazards have emerged in recent years. Hospital admissions for children whove ingested gummies containing THC or other banned substances have increased noticeably in countries that have legalised or decriminalised cannabis. For those watching their calorie intake, sugar-free options may backfire a phenomenon sometimes referred to as Halloween diarrhoea. Sorbitol, an artificial sweetener used in sugar-free products, is only about 60% as sweet as sucrose, meaning more must be added to achieve the desired taste. As little as 20g of sorbitol can have a laxative effect in 50% of healthy people. For context, a stick of sugar-free chewing gum contains roughly 1.25g. Hard sweets present a choking risk year-round, but particularly to younger children, and the increased sweet consumption around Halloween elevates this risk further. Children with nut allergies face additional jeopardy the incidence of nut-related anaphylaxis increases by approximately 70% on Halloween. Beyond food, other Halloween traditions carry risks. Trauma to the eye from eggs used as projectiles is commonly seen during the festivities, with some victims losing their sight from such injuries. Certain crimes and resulting injuries also increase around Halloween, with assaults showing a significant increase. The commercialisation of Halloween celebrations is thought to play a role, with promotional drink offers partly to blame. Sensible precautions wearing lights or reflective strips when out with children, moderating sweet intake, and supervising tasks like pumpkin carving can substantially reduce the risk of becoming another Halloween hospital statistic. Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice "Do Quakers quake? Do they eat Quaker Oats? Are they still active today?" These are the questions frequently posed by visitors to Philadelphia's historic Arch Street Meeting House, revealing a widespread lack of understanding about the Quaker faith. Yet, despite this, the site has seen a significant surge in attendance in recent years. The Arch Street Meeting House Preservation Trust has actively worked to demystify the faith and its iconic early 19th-century building one of the world's largest and most important Quaker structures through engaging exhibits, modern technology, and social media outreach. This concerted effort has successfully drawn new audiences, eager to learn about the enduring legacy of the Quakers. Here's a look at the faith's beliefs and history and some common misconceptions about it. Quakers began in England The Religious Society of Friends best known as the Quakers originated in 17th-century England. The Christian group was founded by George Fox, an Englishman who objected to Anglican emphasis on ceremony. In the 1640s, he said he heard a voice that led him to develop a personal relationship with Christ, described as the Inner Light. open image in gallery Benjamin Barger and Emily Philbrook kiss as they walk out of Arch Street Meeting House after their traditional Quaker wedding in Old City Philadelphia on Oct. 3, 2025. (AP Photo/Luis Andres Henao) Fox taught that the Inner Light emancipates a person from adherence to any creed, ecclesiastical authority or ritual forms. Brought to court for opposing the established church, Fox tangled with a judge who derided him as a quaker in reference to his agitation over religious matters. Quakers worship in silence and believe in the 'Inner Light' Quakers follow values of simplicity and equality and believe that everyone can have a personal connection with God. The basic unit of Quaker organization is the weekly meeting, which corresponds to the congregation in other churches. There are no religious symbols or clergy, and no one sings or chants. Quakers simply gather for silent worship at meeting houses, and wait for a message from God to move through them until they speak. This form of worship focused in stillness has been around for more than 350 years. Quaker couples officiate their own weddings Quakers marry in a self-uniting ceremony without an officiant. Couples observe silence that is only broken when they exchange their vows. At the end, guests sign, as witnesses, a marriage certificate. Quakers have a long history of social activism and pacifism Historically, Quakers have been involved in peaceful protests to end wars and slavery, and support womens voting rights in line with their commitment to justice and peace. Earlier this year, Quakers marched from New York City to Washington to demonstrate against the Trump administrations crackdown on immigrants. William Penn was a Quaker Penn was an English Quaker who founded Pennsylvania following the faiths emphasis on religious tolerance. In the U.S., Quakers became highly influential in cities like Philadelphia and founded colleges in Pennsylvania, including Bryn Mawr, Haverford and Swarthmore. But members of the group also faced scorn for refusing to join wars due to their belief in pacifism and nonviolence. Some were persecuted and even killed for their religious beliefs. Quakers are still around, and most live in Africa Today, there are an estimated 400,000 Quakers worldwide. About half live in Africa; most are in Kenya, where in contrast to the silent services, they often use bands and choirs and evangelize. And finally ... Quaker Oats is not Quaker Quakers say people often confuse them with Amish or Mennonites. Or say they knew about them through Quaker Oats, which is unrelated to the faith. The company uses a figure of a man in "Quaker garb with white hair and a tall black hat on its label that the owners picked along with the Quaker name more than 150 years ago as a symbol of good quality and honest value. Sign up to Simon Calders free travel email for expert advice and money-saving discounts Get Simon Calders Travel email Get Simon Calders Travel email Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice A heartbroken family is suing Royal Caribbean after their mother plunged to her death after drunkenly falling overboard on one of the companys Taylor Swift-themed cruises. Dulcie White, 66, fell overboard and vanished on October 22, 2024, while the other guests partied through the night. Whites body remains lost at sea after she fell from the deck of the Allure of the Seas over a year ago. Megan Klewin, Whites daughter, told CBS News that her mom had purchased an unlimited alcoholic beverages package on the Allure of the Seas cruise ship, with tickets for the Taylor Swift event starting at $1,573. An additional drinks package can cost $80-90 extra per day. However, according to a lawsuit filed yesterday in Miami-Dade County, crew members plied White with drinks during her stay on the cruise ship. open image in gallery Dulcie White fell to her death while staying on the Allure of the Seas cruise ship for a Taylor Swift-themed event ( Marc Shoffman ) White was allegedly served "seven alcoholic beverages continually within a span of approximately six hours and eight minutes." It also claims that White was visibly intoxicated and was still given drinks despite having slurred speech and difficulty standing up. Klewin told CBS News that she thought her mother was going to check her suitcase, shortly before White fell into the waves over 17 miles off the coast of the Bahamaian capital of Nassau. "I wasn't looking and the next chance that I did look up, I saw her back, Klewin said. She was seated on the edge of the balcony like she had climbed up. She was seated and then fell over before I could get to her." In Klewins lawsuit, she claims that the boat never stopped or deployed rescue services to search for White. However, reporting from TMZ showed the U.S. Coast Guard and the Royal Bahamas Defense Force in rescue boats in a desperate bid to find the missing 66-year-old. At the time, a Royal Caribbean spokesperson also told TMZ that its crew immediately launched a search and rescue effort and is working with local authorities. open image in gallery The ship (left) reportedly searched for three hours to locate White but her body has never been found ( AFP via Getty Images ) Klewin says that the overconsumption and the over service of alcohol were the cause of her mothers death. "Because of that she did overdo it, trying to maybe get her money's worth," Klewin added. "She was completely intoxicated in a way I haven't seen before. It saddens me that that is my last memory of her." Klewins attorney said that he hopes that the case will radically change how cruise lines offer alcohol packages. "I think a victory in this case would be if Royal Caribbean and other cruise lines, Carnival, Celebrity, Norwegian, decide to discontinue these all-you-can-drink (alcohol) drink packages, Attorney Spencer Aronfeld said. He added that the High Seas Act limits the prospect of large monetary winnings at court. Speaking to TMZ, Ashley Sindaco and Marie Sindaco, guests on the cruise ship, said that they heard other passengers claiming that somebody had jumped. Ashley said that the search went on for three hours, while the Utopia of the Seas, a sister ship, joined a search for Whites body. Marie added that the tragic incident made the trip feel gloomy. The Independent has approached Royal Caribbean for comment. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Elon Musk said that many pets will be saved by autonomous vehicles just a day after news broke of a beloved bodega cat being struck down by a driverless Waymo vehicle in San Francisco. The furry feline was known as KitKat and was the pet mascot of Randa's Market on 16th Street before it was mowed down by the autonomous car on Monday night. A sidewalk memorial has sprung up near the crash site, with well-wishers leaving flowers and candy underneath a picture of the much-loved cat. The owner of Randas Market told KTVU that he rushed the grey tabby to a veterinarian but sadly KitKat succumbed to its injuries. Waymo told later told KTVU that it had reviewed the incident and confirmed that one of the companys vehicles hit the cat. The vehicle was carrying passengers at the time. open image in gallery KitKat was a grey tabby cat, similar to the one shown here, who was struck down by a Weymo vehicle on Monday night ( Getty Images/iStockphoto ) "We send our deepest sympathies to the cats owner and the community who knew and loved him, and we will be making a donation to a local animal rights organization in his honor," a statement from Waymo, seen by KTVU, read. Elon Musk weighed in on the incident when he replied to a post that claimed that 5.4 million cats are hit by cars every year in the U.S. The original poster claimed that autonomy will dramatically reduce that number. open image in gallery Elon Musk said that many pets will be saved by autonomous vehicles just a day after news broke of a beloved bodega cat being struck down by a driverless Waymo vehicle in San Francisco ( PA Archive ) Musk, who has long claimed that the day driverless vehicles become available en masse is in the near future, wrote on X that many pets will be saved by autonomy. The tech entrepreneur claimed in July that half the population of the U.S. would have access to driverless vehicles by the end of the year. His company, Tesla, has not yet developed totally autonomous vehicles but has created a mode in which the car can take over some functions independently, with supervision by a driver. open image in gallery KitKat lived at Randas Market with his owner, Mike Zeidan, and was described as a 'one of a kind' cat ( Google Streetview ) Meanwhile, Mike Zeidan, Kitkats owner, says that he is mourning his one-of-a-kind cat. Honestly, man, its difficult. He was a one-of-a-kind cat. He brought joy to so many people, Zeidan told The San Francisco Standard. People loved him. He had taken the cat in six years ago, when KitKat was just three years old. His beloved pet lived in the store until his death, since Zeidan had a neighbor who was allergic to cats. He was a special guest, Zeidan said. Made for a store like this. Friendly with everybody, and not afraid of dogs or anything. An anonymous complaint, seen by the Chronicle, was filed on the citys 311 system, which claimed that Waymos should not be on the street if they cant spot small animals in the dark. open image in gallery Waymo says it will be making a donation to an animal rights organization after its driverless vehicle hit the cat ( Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved ) Jeff Klein told the publication that he witnessed the collision while driving on Monday night. My friend and I were driving by the Roxie when a Waymo swerved in front of us last night at approx 11:40, he said. Some folks on the sidewalk started yelling and grabbed the cat right out from under where the Waymo swerved from. Margarita Lara, who lives near the memorial to KitKat, told the Chronicle that the shrine will grow and grow as the Day of the Dead approaches. Sixteenth Street will not be the same, she said. As I walked from near Mission Street to here with the candles and the flowers this morning, everyone knew who it was for. Everyone bowed their heads with KitKat. The Independent has contacted Waymo for comment. Join the Independent Women newsletter with Victoria Richards for a thoughtful take on the weeks headlines Join the Independent Women newsletter Join the Independent Women newsletter Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice The director of Disneys Castaway Cay private island in the Bahamas has been accused of raping a 29-year-old victim after persuading her to go for a swim at the resort, according to reports. Gursel Sahibas, 65, was charged with rape and indecent assault when the woman reported the crime to Bahamian authorities stationed in her home state of Florida on September 22. According to the Daily Mail, the Royal Bahamas Police Force later cuffed Sahinbas while he visited Great Abaco, an island near Disneys Castaway Cay. Sources later told the publication that Sahibas had allegedly groped the unnamed woman before continuing to assault her once they swam out into the ocean. His bail was granted at $15,000, and the former director returned to Liverpool, England shortly after. He will be required to fly back to the Bahamas for a hearing on January 22, according to a statement by his lawyer, which was seen by the Daily Mail. open image in gallery The director of Disneys Castaway Cay has been accused of raping a 29-year-old woman on the island ( Marc Shoffman ) According to the Daily Mail, Roberts also told the court that Sahibas has lost his job as a result of the allegations and confirmed that he is no longer employed at Disney Cruise lines Before he was fired, Sahibas was an active participant in the Disney companys VoluntEARS program, which teaches local people how to grow and harvest vegetables at school. While working for the scheme, the former director helped plant lettuce, cucumbers and tomatoes with Bahamian students. He told The Nassau Guardian in May that the experience had been "inspiring." We were amazed to see the students enthusiasm and knowledge about their crops. It was inspiring to see their eagerness to learn and make an impact in the world around them, Sahinbas told the newspaper. Castaway Cay, where Sahibas was the director, was built on a previously undeveloped island named Gorda Cay. open image in gallery Castaway Cay was built in 1996 on a previously undeveloped island and is only available to guests on Disneys cruises ( Steven Diaz, photographer ) Disney leased the tropical paradise for 99 years after inking a deal with the Bahamian government to take over operations on the island in 1996. The House of Mouse spent a staggering $25 million transforming it into a pirate-themed resort, which is only available to guests on their cruises. Meanwhile, the Walt Disney Company has been investigating a series of deaths at Disney World in Florida after three people died at the park in less than two weeks. Two people died in and around Disneys Contemporary Hotel, with the circumstances of the most recent death, which occurred last week, being shrouded in mystery. On October 14, Summer Equintz was found dead at the hotel in an apparent suicide, hours after she was reported missing by her loved ones. A theater actor, Equintz was reportedly a Disney superfan and an actress. She said previously that playing Beauty and the Beasts heroine, Belle, was her dream role. The third death at Disney World occurred at the Fort Wilderness Resort and Campground when his wife found him unresponsive in bed. The Orange County Sheriffs Office confirmed that there were no signs of foul play and that the victim had experienced a medical episode. The Independent has contacted the Walt Disney Company and the Royal Bahamas Police Force for comment. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Halloween night in New York City, 1981: a photographer and his young girlfriend are fatally shot, execution-style, in their Chelsea apartment. There is no forced entry, there are no obvious suspects and there is no clear motive. For more than four decades, the chilling double-murder of lovebirds Ronald Sisman, 39, and Elizabeth Platzman, 20, has remained a mystery. Any leads in the case have long since turned ice cold. Still, the case remains open, haunted by rumors of cult involvement, a never-recovered murder weapon, and a claimed connection to the infamous Son of Sam serial killings. Now, with the help of a retired NYPD cold-case unit sergeant, The Independent reviews the Sisman-Platzman slayings and learns what could crack the case wide open. A Halloween horror show While New Yorks streets were filled with trick-or-treaters celebrating Halloween on Oct. 31, 1981, police were called around 7:50 p.m. to a grisly scene inside an apartment building at 205207 W. 22nd St. in Manhattans Chelsea neighborhood. Inside, officers discovered Sisman and Platzmans bloodied bodies. The couple had been brutally beaten and each was shot in the back of the head execution style. Sisman was an up-and-coming photographer who operated two photography businesses out of his Chelsea apartment. His nearly 20 years-younger girlfriend, Platzman, of Roslyn, in Long Island, was a student at Smith College in Massachusetts who was visiting for the weekend. Platzman had met the photographer the previous summer through a relative, The New York Times reported at the time. The apartment had been ransacked and furniture torn apart, as if someone had been looking for something, the New York Times reported. The couples IDs had been stolen and a .25-caliber handgun registered to Sisman was missing. There was no sign of forced entry. The attack looked deliberate, as if someone knew exactly where to go and what to take, retired NYPD Sergeant Joseph L. Giacalone, a former commanding officer of the Bronx Cold Case Squad tells The Independent. Lets put it this way whoever wished to harm them knew exactly what he did and knew it was going to be easy to gain access, Giacalone said. Because hes a photographer, he has people coming in all day long probably paying people for photos and headshots and everything else that goes along with it back in the day. open image in gallery Ron Sisman was an up-and-coming photographer when he and his college-student girlfriend, Elizabeth Platzman, were shot execution-style inside his Chelsea apartment in 1981 ( IMDb ) Giacalone said it was the execution-style bullet to the back of the head apiece that was strange to him. Who kills like that? the retired officer asked. Answering his own question, he continued: The short list organized crime or drug dealers. Rarely do you see execution-style homicides in people who just have disputes. Days before the murders, Sisman had applied for two gun permits, telling friends he thought his apartment had been burglarized. During the murder investigation and search of the apartment, a small amount of cocaine was found, leading detectives to suspect a drug-related robbery. But no evidence ever confirmed this theory. Despite exhaustive police work early in the investigation, no one was ever arrested. And soon, wilder theories took hold. Before his death, Sismans name had already appeared in tabloids. In 1980, actress Melonie Haller had claimed she overdosed at his apartment after he injected her with drugs. But her story was later contradicted by her own mother, the New York Times reported. A month before the incident, Haller had allegedly been sexually assaulted by Long Island film producer Roy Radin, who she met through Sisman. She claimed to have been beaten and raped during a party at Radin's home in the Hamptons; Radin said she had consented. Radin himself would be murdered two years later in the infamous Cotton Club case. In 1983, he traveled to Los Angeles to meet with Hollywood producer Karen Greenberger, who also went by Lanie Jacobs, about financing the Rober Evans produced and Francis Ford Coppola directed movie The Cotton Club. But there was allegedly a dispute over potential profit splits from the film and Greenberger hired a hitman to kill Radin the same year. After being missing for a month, Radins body was discovered in a dry creek bed. Like Sisman and Platzman, he had been shot in the back of the head. A stick of dynamite had been jammed into his mouth and set off. A year later, Greenberger married her seventh husband, Larry Greenberger, who was second in command to Carlos Lehder of the Medellin Cartel, according to the Los Angeles Times. In 1992, Karen Greenberger was convicted of kidnaping and second-degree murder in Radins death and was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole at the age of 43. Journalist Maury Terry, in his 1987 book on convicted Son of Sam serial killer David Berkowitz, The Ultimate Evil, postulated that the two cases were linked, with Sisman and Radin being part of an underground drug-trafficking ring and a suspected cult. open image in gallery Sismans girlfriend, Elizabeth Platzman, a student at Smith College in Massachusetts, was visiting for the weekend when she and her boyfriend were killed on Halloween 1981 ( IMDb ) The Son of Sam and the satanic cult theory The most infamous theory linked to the Chelsea murders emerged when a prison informant claimed Berkowitz, whod terrorized New York a few summers earlier, had predicted the Sisman-Platzman murders just weeks before they happened. Between July 1976 and August 1977, Berkowitz, a postal worker from Yonkers, went on a shooting spree that terrorized New Yorkers. He prowled working-class neighborhoods in the Bronx, Queens, and Brooklyn, targeting women with long hair, many of whom were shot as they sat in parked cars with their boyfriends. He was finally arrested in August 1977 after killing six people. Berkowitz confessed to the killings and claimed he was obeying a demon who spoke to him through his neighbors dog. Terry, who corresponded with Berkowitz during his time at Attica Correctional Facility, said he received a letter from the Son of Sam killer that read: I am guilty of these crimes. But I didnt do it all. The journalist revealed that Berkowitz blamed some of the killings on a satanic cult and that in October 1981, just weeks before the Chelsea murders, he told a fellow inmate, a man named Vinny, according to Oxygen.com, that the same group would soon kill Sisman because he possessed footage of Berkowitzs murder of Stacy Moskowitz on July 31, 1977. Sisman was allegedly planning to turn this evidence over to police, the inmate claimed. Terrys claims were revisited in the 2021 Netflix documentary, The Sons of Sam: A Descent Into Darkness, but none of the allegations were ever proven. After being sentenced to six concurrent life sentences in state prison for the Son of Sam killings, Berkowitz recanted his cult statements. Still, the suspicions have remained, especially as Berkowitz hinted at the involvement of others before he recanted. As Giacalone noted, theories like that thrive when hard evidence is lacking. open image in gallery A prison informant claimed serial killer David Berkowitz (pictured), also known as the Son of Sam, had predicted the double murders before they happened ( Getty ) Solving the coldest of cases The case could still be solved with modern forensic tools, but only if the evidence still exists, says the former cold case investigator. We dont know if theres actually DNA that was found, Giacalone said. You dont take anything for granted even though they said they found hair follicles or fingerprints and they said they submitted them, you resubmit everything. He described how his cold case team approached such investigations. Wed do an entire review of the case file, including all the crime scene photos, he said. Sometimes the clue was inside the file somewhere a little piece of paper, what we used to call pocket litter. Sometimes what ended up on the cutting room floor was really important. In other words: the answer could already be hiding in the paperwork. But the retired sergeant also noted the difficulties. At this point, unless somebody, you know, makes a deathbed confession, its a long shot, Giacalone said. Or if somebodys in jail for something else and realizes, hey, this case was never solved maybe they can use it as a get-out-of-jail-free card. Its still possible. The Independent has contacted the NYPDs Cold Case Squad in Manhattan, who is handling the case, to ask about what evidence still exists, and if there have been any new leads in the case in the past 44 years. A haunting legacy Nearly half a century later, the murders of Sisman and Platzman remain one of New Yorks most haunting unsolved crimes. But you wont find any mention of this dark history in the description of the third-floor apartment, which was listed for sale in August 2025 with a $6.5 million pricetag. The duplex, which boasts 12 bedrooms, six baths and two half baths, hit the market for the first time in generations, according to the listing, which describes a home that truly embodies the essence of love where you live. open image in gallery More than four decades after the 1981 murders, the duplex is listed for $6.5 million ( Andrea Cavallier/The Independent ) open image in gallery The listing describes the duplex as a home that truly embodies the essence of love where you live ( Andrea Cavallier/The Independent ) But for Giacalone, the double homicide is the kind of unsolved crime that lives on long after the headlines fade and one that NYPD officers, and longtime New Yorkers, never completely forget. When you have a homicide in Manhattan, I mean, these are the kind of stories that linger on, he said. As years pass with no resolution, he says the public can play a vital role. In a case like this, if theres no fingerprints, no DNA, or anything at the crime scene that could be retested, the only thing that could be used to solve this case is a confession - and at that point, I think youre talking like a very fractional chance of solving it, he said. If someone has any sort of information about the case, even if it may seem insignificant, it may lead to a missing piece of the puzzle. What you're hoping for is someone who was afraid to come forward with information, now its 40-some years later, they're not so afraid anymore, he explained. That could lead to the answer weve been looking for. Anyone with information about the crime is encouraged to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Stephen Bryant, 44, a man on South Carolina's death row notorious for taunting investigators with a letter written in his victim's blood, has chosen to die by firing squad. His execution is set for 14 November, becoming the third to face the state's newest method this year. Bryant was condemned for killing Willard "TJ" Tietjen. Investigators said he burned Tietjen's eyes with cigarettes after shooting him, then painted "catch me if u can" on a wall with the victim's blood. He also shot and killed two other men in October 2004, terrorising Sumter County, as they relieved themselves by the roadside. Bryant's decision to die by being shot by three volunteers from 15 feet (4.6 meters) away means there will likely be a court fight about the execution over the next two weeks. Attorneys for the second and most recent man shot to death said the shooters nearly missed Mikal Mahdi's heart. 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. They released photos from the autopsy and questioned why there only appeared to be two bullet entrance wounds when three people fired. Witnesses reported several moans and groans from Mahdi that did not happen during the first firing squad execution of Brad Sigmon. It also took Mahdi longer about 80 seconds to take his final breath. open image in gallery Stephen Corey Bryant is led to a Sumter-Lee Regional Detention Center van after 12th Circuit Judge Thomas A. Russo gave him the death penalty for the murder of William Tietjen, Thursday, Sept. 11, 2008 in Sumter County, S.C. (Keith Gedamke/The Item via AP) ( AP2008 ) Prison officials said the execution went as planned and the shooters only have to hit the heart, not destroy it. They said when the volunteers practice their marksmanship two bullets often enter in the same place in the body. Experts hired by Mahdi's lawyers who reviewed the autopsy said the bullet hole in his body was not jagged enough to have been made by two bullets. South Carolina added the firing squad during a 13-year pause in executions, in part because the state couldn't obtain the drugs needed for lethal injections. Since 1977, only three other prisoners in the U.S. have been executed by firing squad. All were in Utah, most recently Ronnie Lee Gardner in 2010. Bryant's execution will be the eighth in South Carolina since executions restarted in September 2024. All the others have chosen execution by lethal injection. The state also has an electric chair. 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 and said he had killed Tietjen. 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. 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. Bryant tried to help himself through the pain by using meth and smoking joints he sprayed with bug killer, his defense attorneys said. A total of 41 men have died by court-ordered execution in the U.S. this year, and at least 18 more are scheduled to be put to death during the remainder of 2025 and next year. Bryant's death will be the 50th execution in South Carolina since the death penalty was reinstated 40 years ago. The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Email * SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice A teenager has been charged with murder after allegedly beating his own grandmother to death inside their Mississippi church. Jadynn Hamilton, 17, was arrested and charged Wednesday night, following the death of 73-year-old Ollie Hamilton from the Athens community. Deputies from Monroe County Sheriffs Office responded to a 911 call for assistance, after family members discovered the elderly victim severely beaten inside a local church building where she attended. The septuagenarian was found just inside an outer door area that led to the kitchen and was pronounced dead at the scene. During their investigations, and having taken statements from witnesses at the scene, detectives identified Hamilton as a suspect. The teenager was allegedly present at the scene at the time of the attack. He was taken into custody as more evidence was gathered and police say he later confessed to the crime. A motive was not immediately made clear and the youngster also had no prior run-ins with law enforcement. Jadynn Hamilton, 17, has been charged with murder after allegedly beating his own grandmother to death inside their Mississippi church ( Monroe County Sheriff's Office ) This is a tragedy of the worst kind because youve got a beloved church member, family member and community member killed and you come to find out within 24 hours she was killed by another beloved family member, Monroe County Sheriff Kevin Crook told the Monroe Journal. If somebody is not able to control their impulses and they reach that point, I dont think it really matters who the victim is at the time. If it got them to that level of anger, theyre going to lash out at whoever it just happened to be his grandmother. In a separate statement Crook added: I cant imagine how hard this is on this community. There are so many good people in and around that church and my heart goes out to them and the family. This is a tragedy of the worst kind, and it can tear apart families. Please keep them in your prayers. Crook also praised the work of patrolmen and investigators who attended the scene and apprehended the teenager so quickly. US-based oil and gas company Citizen Energy Ventures has launched a $20m private placement initiative targeting oil and gas drilling in the Anadarko Basin in Oklahoma. The Citizen Energy 2025 Drilling Fund aims to establish long-term oil and natural gas reserves by investing in eight wells within the basins Cherokee formation. This launch marks Citizen Energy Ventures' entry into the retail private placement market. The company previously secured more than $50m from institutional and existing investors to support the drilling schedule, diversify well interests and reduce operational costs. Its management team structured the fund to provide direct tax benefits to investors participating as general partners. Citizen Energy Ventures founder and president James Woods said: With the launch of this fund, we are extending our reach beyond institutional capital to a broader network of financial professionals and their clients. Entering the private placement marketplace is a strategic extension of our core capabilities in identifying, acquiring and developing oil and gas leases in the Anadarko Basin. This structure provides investors access to a fund managed by an experienced operating team with more than ten years in the basin's Cherokee Formation and other productive zones. The Anadarko Basin covers nearly all of western Oklahoma and extends into three other states. It spans approximately 50,000 square miles (80,467km) and reaches a depth of seven miles. The Cherokee formation, the focus of the 2025 Drilling Fund, contains conventional reservoirs and source rocks with established reserves. Based in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Citizen Energy Ventures develops horizontal play concepts in the onshore US, with operational experience across Oklahoma, Texas, Arkansas and Louisiana. The company has drilled and completed more than 300 horizontal wells in the Anadarko Basin since 2012. Last year, US-based oil and gas producer Validus Energy signed an agreement to acquire Citizen Energy for more than $2bn. "Citizen Energy Ventures launches $20m Anadarko Basin drilling fund " was originally created and published by Offshore Technology, a GlobalData owned brand. Hastings Technology Metals and Twiggy Forrest owned JV partner Wyloo Gascoyne Pty Ltd have inked an agreement with Canadian processor Ucore Rare Metals to potentially supply and process their rare earths in the US. The JV parters who jointy own the massive Yangibana rare earths project in Western Australia, have inked a non-binding heads of agreement with Ucore to map out long-term concentrate supply and a potential US hydromet downstream processing plant. Hastings Technology Metals CEO Vince Catania and Ucore/Wyloo representatives at G7 Energy and Environment meeting in Toronto. Under the terms of the proposed deal, the Yangibana joint venture (Wyloo 60:40 Hastings) can potentially ship up to 37,000 tonnes a year of mixed rare earths concentrate straight into Ucores Louisiana pipeline once the fully permitted West Australian operation fires up. Under the deal the parties will jointly size up the numbers for a downstream acid-bake hydromet facility in the US, or potentially lean on an existing qualified plant to turn Yangibana concentrate into mixed rare earth carbonate. Seen and heard Im feeling proud to be a Victorian today. Its 191 years since white settlement and we finally have a treaty with First Nations people. They have been here for at least 60,000 years. The very least we can do through this treaty is say we see you and we hear you. Pauline Brown, Woodend No consultation It is of great concern that we have a state government override the views of most Victorians by forcing through a treaty with Indigenous peoples. Peter Cameron, Surrey Hills No power of veto Centuries ago, many seafaring nations colonised foreign lands. Eventually, many of these colonies went on to become independent of the colonisers. Britain took possession of Australia and its resources, including land and almost wiped out the Indigenous people. These people are now more established, but they are not claiming independence from Australia. They merely want an input into matters about them, seeing much of the input from non-Indigenous people has not yielded satisfactory results in health, housing, education and incarceration rates. Some find it difficult to agree to even these minor requests. Many of us are overjoyed that the Victorian treaty is now actually law (The votes are counted and the quiet shattered as treaty arrives in Victoria, 30/10). As journalist Chip Le Grand reminds us, the First Nations Assembly body will sit alongside government structures and arrangements and provide advice to the government on matters than concern Indigenous people. It has no power of veto. It is the least we can do to support the Victorian Treaty. We hope that other states follow. Jan Marshall Brighton Shake hands, not fists My wife and I moved away from the Ferntree Gully area two years ago in response to the changes in planning rules. We had lived in the area since 1981. Our previously empty tree-lined streets became clogged pathways, with cars parked both sides of the road, and severely increased traffic flows. A quiet street became a thoroughfare. A few hundred cars a day passing our house became a few thousand. More traffic on now narrower roads. Modern planning/development does not allow for off-street parking for a family, that may have up to four vehicles. Each block may have suitable amenity, but at the expense of the area. Everything just overflowed into the surrounding area. Very glad we moved to a regional area. The peace and quiet is similar to what we had before. And also the community morale is higher, without neighbours declaring war on each other about parking, noise, and personal space. Ironically, we have more personal space on a block half the size. Much better to shake hands rather than fists. Peter Rebbechi, Kilmore Silencing local voices Chip Le Grands backing of Jacinta Allans planning reforms is deeply flawed (Opinion, 30/10). These changes do not aim to prevent neighbourly disputes; rather, they strip away essential community oversight and erode local democracy. By removing locals right to object, these reforms compromise liveability and diminish trust in public institutions, as planning codes alone cant account for every unique circumstance. Residents are often the first to identify issues, such as catchment areas not being genuinely walkable from train stations or 16-storey towers overshadowing cherished parks and heritage streets oversights already evident in draft activity centre maps from the Department of Transport and Planning. Silencing local voices increases the risk of inappropriate developments that fail to consider the distinct needs of each community. Dismissing all objections as NIMBYism unfairly undermines genuine efforts to protect what makes our neighbourhoods vibrant, liveable, and aligned with net zero goals. If Le Grand were to lose sunlight or peace due to his neighbours new development, he might realise the true value of these rights and how powerless he will be without them. He might even have to join middle Melbournes worst NIMBYs, who will never stop fighting for their neighbourhoods against these ill-advised planning changes. Marianne Johnston, Hawthorn Hobsons Bay staff informed traders and Williamstown residents that they had limited legal avenues available to resolve such situations, though they were using all options available to them and urged patience. Loading However, on Friday, they finally swooped, removing Tuckers encampment with a flatbed truck at 9am after refusing for a week to answer questions from The Age about why the council was allowing him to continue his occupation in the busy street. Council community safety and compliance co-ordinator Carrol Correa, who oversaw Fridays removal, said the action was a joint council and Victoria Police operation, but referred further questions to Hobsons Bay media officers. A contractor moving the bus said its owner was with police at the station. As well as displaying red ensign flags widely adopted by sovereign citizens, Tuckers bus features signage for conspiracy group Terra Australis States Assembly and has its Victorian number plates replaced with private plates. While it was parked on Nelson Place, it had items spilling out onto the nearby footpath where his large dog spent time. Tucker had eight matters listed in the Melbourne Magistrates Court on Tuesday but he failed to attend court and a warrant was issued for his arrest, and his bail was forfeited. When approached by this masthead on Wednesday, Tucker confirmed he had been contacted by council officers on multiple occasions, but said he had informed them they were frauds and had no jurisdiction over him. Theyve sent me some letters, and I just sent their letters back to them for fraud, Tucker said. Im a Terra Australis state national. Ive revoked my Australian citizenship, so Im not under their corrupt system. It means that Im a shareholder of this country, and that those public servants work for me. Im not a subject slave of their system. Loading Members of the extreme conspiracy group Terra Australis claim Australian governments are illegitimate and the nations laws are invalid, and have established their own form of self-government with assemblies based in each state. Believing in the strawmen conspiracy and using their own made-up pseudolaw that has no legal standing, the group claims it conducts its own jury trials and courts. While he politely declined to be interviewed unless he could have questions sent to him in advance, Tucker said he was preparing to represent himself in court against travelling-related charges. He told this masthead he had forfeited his drivers licence and registration in 2018 because he was no longer a citizen of Australia and was not subject to its laws. Complaints made to Hobsons Bay Council included allegations Adam David Tuckers dog had attacked passing dogs and their walkers, and that Tucker was using nearby trees as a toilet. Credit: Justin McManus My God-given right to travel freely has been taken away, Tucker said. A Victoria Police spokesperson they could not comment on specific investigations. Loading Victoria Police closely monitors a range of groups and individuals to ensure there is no threat to public safety, the spokesperson said. Victoria Police also works closely with its state and federal partners and our joint counter-terrorism team has undertaken a number of investigations covering extremism from a range of backgrounds irrespective of religious, political or ideological motivation. It is important to recognise that it is the criminals and criminal activity that is targeted, not ideologies or backgrounds. Following The Ages visit, Tucker placed a handwritten sign in the window of his bus apologising for any inconvenience and saying his vehicle was awaiting repairs. Complaints seen by this masthead allege Tuckers bus had had a detrimental impact on business and residents were too scared to use the street, his dog had bitten other dogs on at least two occasions, Tucker regularly and very publicly used nearby trees as a toilet, and that he had attempted to break into a telecommunications box near his bus. Builders working at the Royal Victorian Motor Yacht Club became so frustrated at Tuckers presence, they used their own truck to move his bus 100 metres further along Nelson Place to its current position, after the council had failed to move him on. Council officers wrote to Williamstown businesses stating that without police support, they were unable to move Adam David Tucker, who was living in a bus in Nelson Place, Williamstown. Credit: Justin McManus Wade Ryan, who manages a boat engineering business next to the buss location on Nelson Place, made multiple complaints to the council and police over allegations of inappropriate behaviour without seeing any action result. I dont know why he doesnt have to play by the rules that we all have to, Ryan said. Its frustrating. If I parked there Id get a fine, my car would get towed, and then Id have the sheriff on me. Loading Municipal Association of Victoria chief executive office Kelly Grigsby said councils faced increasing challenges from some community members who were heavily influenced by misinformation, leading to confrontational behaviours that raised serious safety concerns. Advertisement Travel newsTraveller letters I was scammed twice in Europe. Heres how I got my money back Each week Traveller publishes a selection of rants, raves and travel tips from our readers. See below on how you can contribute. November 1, 2025 5:00am Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Save this article for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Got it Share 42 View all comments Counting cards Ive recently returned from Europe and was grateful Id taken the precaution of having several extra credit and debit cards with me. At a petrol station in Italy, I inserted my card into the machine the fuel pumps there wont operate until your card is read filled my tank with about $70 worth of fuel, took the card and drove off. That night, I checked my bank account and, apart from the $70 transaction, Id been charged a second amount of about $185 from the same petrol station. I froze the card, called the bank and they cancelled the second amount. Traveller reader John Lander discovered an extra charge on his credit card after buying petrol in Italy. iStock In Romania, I wanted to use up my remaining $40 of local currency so arranged with Uber and the driver to pay by cash when heading to the airport to depart the country. I paid cash, added a tip and flew out. An email later arrived advising that Id not paid the fare and that the amount, minus tip, would be deducted from my card next time I used Uber. Again I was able to freeze the card and the dispute was settled once I returned home. With the several spare cards from various banks, I was spared some inconvenience. John Lander, Forestville, NSW Letter of the week: More in Ecuador Advertisement Tren Crucero, Ecuador. While Ecuador is geographically distant from the attractions most often visited in Peru, Argentina and Chile, it is well worth the detour, and not just because its the starting point for tours to the Galapagos (Traveller, October 11). We travelled on the Tren Crucero (cruising train pictured above) from Guayaquil to Quito which enabled us to see a lot of the country in style. The highlight is the journey along the Avenue of the Volcanoes into Quito. In Paraguay, everyone knows about the utopian settlement founded by a group of Australians led by William Lane in the late 19th century, but most Australians are unaware of the history. We visited both settlements, the original New Australia (now called New London) and the later one at Colonia Cosme. Paraguay is also worth visiting for the stunning ruins of the Jesuit Missions. Jennifer Farrer, Castle Hill, NSW Grave situation I appreciated the bargain-hunt hints by Brian Johnston (Traveller, September 27) and would like to add one more for Zurich. If of a literary bent, take Tramline 6 to its final destination Zurich Zoo but go to Fluntern Cemetery instead. There youll find the graves of James Joyce, his wife, Nora Barnacle, and Nobel Prize winner Elias Canetti. The cemetery is free, and youll have a nice view of Lake Zurich. Beate Josephi, Glebe, NSW Taxi anxiety Advertisement I agree with Lee Tullochs experiences of taxis from Sydneys domestic airport (Traveller, October 11) and am apprehensive every time I get into one. Travelling with a government job, I use Cabcharge, which very few taxis will now accept and when they do, I have experienced every type of ripoff tactic from being told the machine is not working, pretending my card wont scan, being charged $85 to $100 for a trip to a city hotel and being lectured to about the unfairness of Cabcharge for the taxi driver. Kath Mack, East Lismore, NSW Toll taken I booked an Uber from Melbourne Airport to a city hotel and while the trip was fine, the amount charged to my credit card was more than double the fee estimate. Looking at the Uber app, I saw I had been charged for tolls and a route we had not taken. Having been to Melbourne on numerous occasions I was well aware of the route we had taken and knew it contained no tolls. Had I been new to the city, I may have just accepted the route shown as being the one taken and Ubers comments regarding toll charges and just accepted the fee. With no way of connecting to Uber other than by email, I finally got a refund of the overcharge four days later. Campbell Edmondson, Bulli, NSW Island-hopping Regarding Clare Rocks experience with island ferries in Greece (Traveller Letters, October 18) we too have just returned from a trip including three islands Naxos, Poros and Milos with some heavy luggage, packed for a five-week stay in Europe. We used Minoan Lines, Hellenic Ferries and Champion Superjet. Yes, there were crowds loading and quick turnarounds, but the crews were alert to people struggling with heavy bags (like me) and stepped in to help. They were super efficient and helpful managing throngs on stairwells, making sure there were limited numbers on the stairs at any one time to avoid pushing or crushing. It was confusing though, when despite having allocated and numbered seats, everyone was told to sit anywhere. Michael Greenwood, Hahndorf, SA Advertisement Ferries vs trains True, getting on and off the ferries in Greece is very much a self-service operation, but we found the trains even more challenging. Often across the gap, up steep stairs, and with small luggage storage areas in each carriage, even first class. It was as chaotic as the ferries in Greece, but without the rocking of the seas to make it just that little more exciting. We often pondered the question why is there no dedicated luggage car on the trains, like they have on planes? Patrick McMonagle, t/c Credit-card hope Hopefully, Tim Stephens has not paid the Venice speeding fine yet (Traveller Letters, October 25). If it has been paid by Avis on his behalf through a credit card then try and dispute the charge with the credit-card provider. If there is any doubt with car-rental companies who try it on, dispute the charge. I find Hertz is usually helpful in such cases. Richard Dowling, Craignish, Qld Fine solution Advertisement Avis once sent me a police fine for speeding in Avignon in 2016. As that area was gridlocked at the time I knew I didnt speed so never paid the fine. They did however charge me 30 for the cost of contacting me. The next year, again with Avis, my husband was fined for speeding. He paid the fine and again we paid the 30 admin fee to Avis. The solution? Never book with Avis again. We have travelled to Europe many times since 2017 (COVID-19 not withstanding) and have never been fined since. Curious. Liz White, Abbotsford, Vic Son rises I can identify with Paul Marshalls sentiments about travelling with his Mum (Traveller, October 18). My son and I have travelled together for years and explored Europe, Scandinavia, the Middle East and India. I joke that I travel with my son to carry the bags and use as my muscle, but the truth is we get along well and have lots of laughs as he drags me out of my comfort zone around all kinds of crazy corners Id never go around myself. Our next trip will be just before I turn 80 so were taking the opportunity while we can. Christine Tiley, Albany Creek, Qld Passenger screening Regarding the recent Virgin lounge incident and Christine Hintons solution of a folding screen in response to Lee Tullochs article, Im assuming that this screen would be placed around the person who complains? This would draw attention to the person with the problem, rather than drawing the attention to the mother who is simply feeding her baby. Melissa Parker, Silvan, Vic Advertisement On a plate Switzerland is a beautiful country to visit with exquisite scenery, a top class rail system and a very safe atmosphere. It is, however, quite costly, especially given our current exchange rate. The chain of MANOR department stores, found throughout the country, include good inhouse cafeterias. They work as a buffet, with plenty of nutritious offerings you fill your plate, it is weighed, and the cost (very reasonable) is calculated. A number of meals taken there can definitely help ease your travel budget. Merryn Sterling, Randwick, NSW Editors note: Last weeks letter Tango led should have been attributed to Maggie Ferguson of Potts Point, NSW. The online version has been updated. Tip of the week: Kids are welcome Generations on the road. iStock Advertisement Children open amazing opportunities to connect with locals while travelling, but the logistics can seem daunting. Having travelled across India and Nepal, Europe and the UK with baby twins and toddlers, my top tip is to pack a roll of masking tape and a sarong. Masking tape derisks accommodation in minutes covering power outlets, fixing strangulation risks from errant cords, softening sharp corners, locking draws and cupboards. Use it to tape your sarong over a window and sleep routine is restored. Its wonderful now to hear my (mostly grown) children remember our travels. Nicole Gurran Malla, Sydenham, NSW Passport swap Heed Michael Gebickis advice about changing passports mid-trip and the need for care and forethought (Tripologist, October 17). When I was working in Mozambique I had to attend a conference in Chicago, involving flights via Johannesburg and London. This meant leaving Maputo on my UN passport, transiting Johannesburg on my Australian passport and London on my British, finally arriving in the US on my Australian, with a US visa. In London, I was approaching the American Airlines departure gate, juggling passports, when two burly men intercepted me: May we see your passport please? Sure, I replied, which one? This took a lot of explaining. Mark Latham, Croydon Park, NSW Vaccination queries My husband and I in our late 60s are travelling to Antarctica in November followed by a land tour, of three days each in Buenos Aires, Iguazu Falls and Rio de Janeiro. Yellow fever is the recommended vaccination, but our doctor has advised against this because of our age and has offered to provide a letter stating this. If a letter is acceptable, should we have it translated? Would readers have any advice on this? What we have read is conflicting. Mary Thornton, Melbourne, Vic Advertisement Hardy country Marnhull sits in Dorset, a county in the south-west of England. Its claim to fame is that it is the fictional Marlott in Thomas Hardys Tess of the dUrbervilles. Today it provides a great spot to explore the county. Lyme Regis lies an hours drive away through the most picturesque rolling countryside. From there, you can follow the Jurassic Coast with pretty little hamlets to explore delightful Anglo-Saxon villages with their thatched roofs. There are plenty of local breweries and English pubs. Jan Naughton, Wahroonga, NSW Independent travellers My friend and I plan our itineraries to explore places on our own. We joke about how well be described as elderly Australian grandmothers if something goes wrong. Recently, in France, we had a few scrapes that were sorted amid fits of laughter, due to our ability to speak French. Whether it was hurrying onto a bus during the general strike to find it was heading to St Tropez, not Toulon; or turning up at the SNCF station in Aix, not the TGV station 15 kilometres away; or not knowing we must book the bus to the little village of Noyers-sur-Serein, we solved every pickle with the help of locals. Elizabeth Hartnell-Young, North Melbourne, Vic Advertisement The Letter of the Week writer wins three Hardie Grant travel books. See hardiegrant.com The Tip of the Week writer wins a set of three Lonely Planet travel books. See shop.lonelyplanet.com Sign up for the Traveller newsletter The latest travel news, tips and inspiration delivered to your inbox. Sign up now. Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share License this article More: Traveller letters For subscribers Semiconductor stocks have dominated headlines this year; some firms ride the AI surge, while others grapple with weaker device demand. Strong earnings from Intel (INTC) and TSMC (TSM) lifted major indexes to fresh highs, rewarding companies that translate demand into profits. Qualcomm (QCOM) is squarely in that spotlight. The company is all set to report Q4 FY2025 results after the market close on Nov. 5, an update that could shape the stocks trajectory into year-end. Analysts forecast $2.33 GAAP EPS on $10.9 billion in revenue, following Q3 sales near $10.4 billion and GAAP net income that rose about 25% year-over-year (YoY). More News from Barchart Investors will now focus on commentary about smartphone demand, licensing, and capital returns. About QCOM Stock Based in San Diego, Qualcomm is one of the leading fabless semiconductor companies in wireless and mobile technologies. Its main segments are Qualcomm CDMA Technologies (QCT, which makes chips for phones, IoT, automotive, etc.) and Qualcomm Technology Licensing (QTL, which collects patent royalties). Qualcomms products power 5G smartphones, automotive systems, Internet-of-Things devices, and more. Valued at roughly $195 billion by market cap, QCOM stock has been a standout in 2025. Shares have added about 18% of their value year-to-date (YTD), outpacing the overall tech market. A big driver was Octobers launch of new data center AI chips. Talking about valuation, Qualcomm appears undervalued in a couple of key metrics. Its trailing P/E of 17.5x is well below the semiconductor industry median of 39.5x. Likewise, its enterprise value/EBITDA is roughly 15x, vs. a 24x median for the semiconductor sector. These comparisons suggest Qualcomms valuation is relatively attractive compared to peers, despite its high profit margins and steady cash flow. www.barchart.com What Happened and What to Expect In Q3, Qualcomm posted what you could call a mixed but encouraging report. Revenue climbed a solid 10% YoY to $10.4 billion, thanks mostly to strength outside of smartphones. IoT sales surged almost 24%, and automotive grew 21%, helping the chip division achieve double-digit growth. The sticking point was Handset revenue, still Qualcomms biggest business, which rose just 7% and missed expectations. Automotive revenue also came in a bit light. WiseTech, the Australian logistics software company that earlier this year closed on the acquisition of U.S.-based e2Open, found itself embroiled this week in a possible insider trading probe of executive chairman and founder Richard Wise. According to multiple press reports, the Australian Securities & Investments Commission and the Australian Federal Police raided the companys office in Sydney, searching for various documents related to trading in WiseTech stock White may have engaged in late 2024 and into 2025. WiseTech stock has been on a steady decline for almost a year. It traded just under Au$140 (U.S. $91.52) a year ago. It is now less than $70, with a decline of more than $15 in just the past few days as news of the investigation unfolded. White last year resigned as CEO after issues regarding inappropriate behavior, according to media reports. But he then made a return as executive chairman in February. Former WiseTech executive Zubin Appoo was brought in as CEO in July. The e2open acquisition closed in August. E2open was acquired for $2.1 billion, which equated to $3.30 per share. That was about a 28% premium over the stock price prior to the announced acquisition. WiseTechs core product is execution software CargoWise. But it owns a lineup of other logistics software providers. Its web page lists 20 other companies, and e2open has not yet been added to the list. According to media reports, Morningstar has issued its outlook on WiseTech which sees a significant impact to the company if White is forced out yet again. Morningstar analyst Roy Van Keulen said in a research note, according to report, that his company would reduce its estimated value of WiseTech by 15% to 20% should White depart. Both the rate of growth and the ultimate progression of the business would shrink, he said, according to the media reports, which added that Morningstar considered the chance of Whites ouster as a result of the stock trading probe to be small. More articles by John Kingston DAT execs in two forums discuss how it seeks to reshape the freight sector State of Freight takeaways: some signs are pointing higher NMFTAs freight classification overhaul: surprising shipper preparedness The post New e2open owner WiseTech rocked by police search tied to founder White appeared first on FreightWaves. Bihar Assembly polls People of Bihar will take revenge: Shah Nalanda/ LAKHISARAI/ MUNGER : Congress workers insulted PM Modis mother and Rahul Gandhi insulted Chhathi Maiyya and PM, says Shah UNION Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday said, the INDIA bloc will be wiped out in Bihar polls as people will take revenge for Congress workers allegedly insulting Prime Minister Narendra Modis mother and Rahul Gandhi deriding the PM and Chhathi Maiyya. Addressing back-to-back rallies in Nalanda, Lakhisarai and Munger districts, he claimed that Gandhi, the Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, insulted Chhathi Maiyya while criticising Modi, saying those worshipping the Goddess were doing drama. In a jibe at Congress leader Sonia Gandhi, he called upon people to press on EVM buttons having NDA symbols with such rage that the tremors are felt in Italy. Sita Mata had worshipped Chhati Mata in Munger. Rahul Gandhi insulted the Goddess as he is ignorant of Indias culture since Italy is his maternal home, Shah said. The Union Minister claimed that Bihar witnessed jungle raj during the chief ministership of Lalu Prasad and Rabri Devi, while asserting that every vote to NDA will bring development to the State. Bihar witnessed over 32,000 kidnappings and 12 major massacres during the Lalu-Rabri regime from 1992-2004. Nitish Kumar ended the jungle raj. But RJD is trying to bring back jungle raj in the State with a new face, he alleged. Shah alleged that the UPA Government indulged in scams worth Rs 12 lakh crore during 10 years of rule, whereas nobody could point fingers at Modi and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for corruption. Lalu Prasad was involved in fodder, land-for-jobs, bitumen and flood relief scams. Whereas Bihar moved on the path of development under the Nitish Kumar regime and the Centre hiked MSP for agri produce and bolstered infrastructure, he said. He claimed that terrorists unleashed mayhem in India during the UPA regime without any consequences, while the Modi regime repaid every attack with strikes inside Pakistan. We will also drive out infiltrators from Bihar who usurp poor peoples foodgrains, employment and indulge in anti-national activities, he said. Shah announced that a medical college will be set up in Lakhisarai over the next two years in the name of Bihars first Chief Minister Shri Krishna Sinha. Hailing Goddess Sita as daughter of Bihar, he said that a grand temple will be built at Punaura Dham in Sitamarhi at a cost of Rs 850 crore and it will be connected to Ram Temple at Ayodhya through a direct train. Under the NDA rule, the Centre has spent Rs 18 lakh crore on road, railways, greenfield expressway projects in Bihar, while a Makhana Board has also been established, he said. He said that the Centre has spent Rs 9,500 crore on reviving Barauni fertiliser plant, Rs 900 crore on infrastructural projects in Munger and gave the GI tag to Katrani rice from the region. Shah said that 8.52 crore people in Bihar have received free ration, 87 lakh farmers got Rs 6,000 per year, 44 lakh got homes and 1.17 crore women got LPG cylinders in the State. Now, female doctor intern molested by patient in WB KOLKATA : IN yet another shocking incident, a female doctor intern was allegedly molested by a patient in an inebriated state at Calcutta Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata, the police said on Thursday. The incident occurred on Monday night when a person, brought to the emergency department of the Calcutta Medical College and Hospital for treatment, molested a female doctor intern. It is alleged that the policeman sitting outside did not come inside despite hearing the noise. Later, when the intern went and informed him about the incident, the police intervened. Following this incident, the doctors and students of the said hospital approached the authorities. They raised questions on how such an incident occurred in the hospital, even when the police were present. On Wednesday, the medical students staged a protest in front of the principals office, demanding security for doctors and nurses at the hospital. One of the protesters told a section of media persons, One of our interns on duty was harassed and molested due to police inaction and security negligence. Doctors and health workers are working day after day, risking their lives. That is why we have protested, demanding justice from the authorities. We have demanded proper security. For the past few weeks, there have been reports of physical assaults and molestation of female doctors and nurses in several state-run hospitals across the state. In most cases, the culprits were arrested by the police. However, in this case, no arrest has been made so far. We have received a complaint regarding the incident. We are looking into it, said a senior officer of Kolkata Police. It is worth noting that the safety of the citys medical centres has been in question since the rape and murder of a female doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital last year. Recently, a female doctor was physically assaulted in a hospital in Howrah and threatened with rape. Several people, including a traffic home guard, were arrested for assaulting the doctor. In another incident, a minor girl was allegedly assaulted in SSKM Hospital. An outsider was arrested in connection with the incident. Immediately after this, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee called a meeting, which was attended by principals and superintendents of government hospitals. The Commissioner of Kolkata Police, the District Magistrates of all districts, and the Superintendents of Police of all districts were also present. Mamata Banerjee repeatedly raised questions about security in medical establishments in the state. She also asked hospital authorities and police to ensure such incidents were not repeated. 19 rescued in hostage drama in Mumbai; accused shot dead MUMBAI : MUMBAI Police on Thursday rescued 19 persons including 17 children from a studio in Powai area while the man who had held them hostage succumbed to bullet injuries sustained during the operation, officials said. Rohit Arya (50), who released a video statement during the hostage drama that went on for about an hour, saying he wanted to ask questions to some people, was shot by police when he tried to harm the children with an air gun and later died at hospital, officials said. At about 1.30 pm, Powai police station received information that a person had taken 17 children hostage at Mahavir Classic building. The Mumbai Police team conducted a rescue operation and safely freed all the children. During the operation, while rescuing the children, the person got injured, was immediately rushed to the hospital and later declared dead, said Deputy Commissioner of Police Datta Nalawade. All the children are safe, said Satyanaranyan, Joint Commissioner of Police (Law and Order). Arya had called the children -- boys and girls around 15 years old -- for an audition for a web series. The auditions were going on for the last two days, police officials said. Besides an air gun, he was carrying some chemicals, they added. Initially, police did not mention that there had been a firing during the operation. Arya was declared dead at 5.15 pm, officials said. After receiving a call about a man holding children hostage inside R A Studio in Mahavir Classic building, Powai police officials along with a Quick Response Team (QRT), Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad and a fire brigade team reached the spot, said DCP Nalawade. Before the police entered the studio, Arya released a video which went viral on social media. I am Rohit Arya. Instead of (committing) suicide, I made a plan and have taken a few children hostage....I have very simple demands. Very moral, ethical demands. I have some questions. I want to speak to some people and on their answers, if there are any counter-questions, I want to ask them. But I want these answers. I do not want anything else. I am not a terrorist, nor do I have any demand of money. Want to make simple conversations, he said. The slightest wrong move from your end may trigger me to set this whole place on fire....Whether I die or not, the children will be unnecessarily hurt, traumatised for sure....I should not be held responsible, he said. After the conversations, he will come out of the room, Arya said, adding that a lot of people have these problems and he will offer a solution through talks, without specifying what problems he was talking about. DCP Nalawade said the police tried to negotiate with him, but as the talks made no headway, a police team entered the studio through the bathroom. The fire brigade provided a ladder for the police to climb to a first-floor window. Seventeen children, a senior citizen and another man were rescued, Nalawade said. It was a challenging operation, because we were negotiating with him without any positive outcome....To save the childrens lives was our priority, he said. When asked by reporters about the incident in Amravati, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who also holds the Home portfolio, said details will be shared soon. Even after 75 years, agrarian crisis exists All farmers are with Bachchu Kadu: Jarange Staff Reporter : Farmers issues remained unresolved for the last 75 years. The agrarian crisis still exists. Nobody tried to solve the issues of farmers, which is unfortunate. I, along with Bachchu Kadu, will decide the future course of this farmers Andolan, said Maratha reservation campaigner Manoj Jarange while talking to mediapersons at Nagpur on Thursday. Bachchu Kadu, accompanied by ex-MP Raju Shetty, CPI leader Ajit Nawale, ex-MLC Mahadeorao Jankar, and ex-MLA Wamanrao Chatap, started agitation two days ago. They launched the Rasto Roko Andolan for the last two days on Wardha Road. On Wednesday night Jarange extended support to the agitation. He came to Nagpur to express solidarity. Jarange made it clear that he has no experience of farmers agitation and issues either. We need to wait till the talks between Kadu and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis are held. Depending on the outcome, the future course of action will be decided, said Jarange. When asked whether he would support intensified stir, Jarange said, We all have backed the agitation and will not act against Courts order. We will wait for the Governments stand and then decide the action. Kadu admitted that Jaranges support surely strengthened the agitation. He also made it clear that he expects Government to take steps in the interest of farmers. The agitation has not ended yet, and if Government fails to fulfil the promise, then the farmers will have to agitate again. The demands of Kadu include farmers' loan waivers, guaranteed prices for farm produce, honorarium for the differently abled, and just rights for shepherds and fishermen. Kadus tractor rally Maha Elgar Morcha had started on Monday from Chandurbazar in Amravati district and reached the outskirts of Nagpur on Tuesday evening, where they were camping for two days. Final call on loan waiver to farmers by June 30, 2026: CM Staff Reporter : Banks have been asked not to apply force for recovery and give all the subsidies: Bawankule As per the promises made in our manifesto, we are committed to loan waivers for the farmers. The Pravin Pardeshi committee will submit the report by April, and by June 30, 2026, we will take a final call, assured Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis while talking to mediapersons in Mumbai. Fadnavis said, The committee constituted will study the aspects of loan waiver and long-term plans for the farmers. Loan waiver is one part, but we are also trying to have some action plan by which the farmers should become debt-free permanently. The committee will draft loan waiver criteria and will suggest remedies for the future so that the farmers will be prevented from getting bankrupt. The committee will complete its work in April 2026, submit the report, and by June 30 we will take a final decision. We have decided on all phases and discussed the issues with all leaders, and they approved it. Meanwhile, we have started providingContd from page 1 them the financial assistance. Rs 8,500 crore have been released, of which Rs 6,000 crore have been deposited in the accounts of the farmers. A further Rs 11,000 crore will be released, and a provision of Rs 1,500 crore has been made. During the code of conduct too, the assistance will be provided, Fadnavis made it clear to mediapersons after holding a meeting on Thursday, attended by Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar, along with Chandrashekhar Bawankule and senior ministers and officials, to discuss farmers' demands. Chandrashekhar Bawankule Maharashtra Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule on Thursday said the State Government will definitely implement a farm loan waiver scheme but only after ensuring that it benefits genuine and eligible farmers. The Government does not want to announce a loan waiver scheme in a hasty manner, he said. Earlier this month, the State Government announced a compensation package of Rs 31,628 crore for farmers who suffered massive losses due to rains and floods during this year's monsoon. The opposition parties have been demanding a complete loan waiver for the affected farmers. Bawankule said, "The government is committed to introducing a crop loan waiver, but it will be designed in such a way that only real farmers who have taken loans for agricultural purposes will benefit. Those who have built farmhouses or large houses on their agricultural land and shown such loans as farm-related will not be eligible." The government's objective is to bring in a fair and transparent scheme that supports only the cultivators who are facing distress, he said. "There are several farmers who are sincerely engaged in agriculture activities but have suffered losses due to external factors. We want to help and support such farmers," he said. Responding to the ongoing protests by former minister Bachchu Kadu, former MP Raju Shetty and others demanding immediate loan waivers, Bawankule said, "We invited them for meetings three times, but they refused to attend, saying there was no need for discussions. The government does not wish to announce a scheme hastily that ends up benefiting non-eligible persons." Bawankule added that even if the waiver is implemented a little later, the Government will bear the interest on crop loans during the interim period. "Whenever the loan waiver is introduced, the payment will go directly to the banks and not into farmers' hands. The debt burden on farmers' accounts will be cleared, but no cash will be given," he clarified. The minister further said that all banks have been instructed not to recover loans forcibly from farmers and also not to adjust Government subsidies against outstanding loans. "If any bank uses subsidy funds to settle loans, strict action will be taken," he warned. Reaffirming the Government's intent, Bawankule said, "We will certainly implement the crop loan waiver as promised in our party manifesto. But right now, farmers also need immediate support in terms of cash flow and better access roads to their fields." He added. "There are 36 districts in Maharashtra, and identifying genuine farmers among registered ones is a massive task. We need time to ensure the right people benefit, while also looking into fertiliser supply and cash availability for the upcoming rabi season," Bawankule said. Justice Surya Kant appointed next CJI To assume charge on Nov 24 NEW DELHI : JUSTICE Surya Kant was on Thursday appointed as the 53rd Chief Justice of India and he will assume charge on November 24. The Department of Justice in the Union Law Ministry issued a notification announcing his appointment. ustice Surya Kant succeeds Justice Bhushan R Gavai, who demits office on November 23. He will be the CJI for nearly 15 months and will demit office on February 9, 2027 on attaining the age of 65 years. In exercise of the powers conferred by the Constitution of India, the President is pleased to appoint Shri Justice Surya Kant, Judge of the Supreme Court of India as the Chief Justice of India with effect from 24th November, 2025, Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal said in a post on X. I convey my heartiest congratulations and best wishes to him, he added. Justice Kant, born in a middle-class family on February 10, 1962 in Hissar district of Haryana, became a top court judge on May 24, 2019. He brings to the countrys top judicial office a wealth of experience spanning two decades on the Bench, marked by landmark verdicts on abrogation of Article 370, free speech, democracy, corruption, environment and gender equality. Justice Kant was part of the historic bench that kept the colonial-era sedition law in abeyance, directing that no new FIRs be registered under it until a government review. He also nudged the Election Commission to disclose details of 65 lakh excluded voters in Bihar, showing his commitment to electoral transparency. He made history by directing that one-third of seats in Bar associations, including the Supreme Court Bar Association, be reserved for women. Justice Kant was part of the bench that appointed a five-member committee headed by former Supreme Court judge Justice Indu Malhotra to probe the security breach during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 2022 Punjab visit, saying such matters required a judicially trained mind. He also upheld the One Rank-One Pension (OROP) scheme for defence forces, calling it constitutionally valid, and continues to hear petitions of women officers in the Armed Forces seeking parity in permanent commission. He was on the seven-judge bench that overruled the 1967 Aligarh Muslim University judgment, opening the way for reconsideration of the institutions minority status. He was part of the bench which heard the Pegasus spyware case and which appointed a panel of cyber experts to probe allegations of unlawful surveillance, famously stating that the state cannot get a free pass under the guise of national security. The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) is co-financing a solar energy and battery project in Uzbekistan by offering a financing package of 121m ($142m). This project includes two special-purpose vehicles (SPVs), ACWA Power Sazagan Solar 1 and ACWA Power Sazagan Solar 2. Together, the SPVs will set an integrated solar photovoltaic (PV) and battery energy storage system (BESS) project with a combined capacity of 1GW in Central Asia. ACWA Power holds the majority stake in the SPVs, with Sumitomo, Shikoku Electric Power Company, and Chubu Electric Power Company as co-investors. This marks the debut investment in renewable energy and BESSs in Uzbekistan by these Japanese investors. The financing package comprises two senior secured loans. The first loan of 52m will finance ACWA Power Sazagan Solar 1 in developing a 500MW solar PV power plant and a 668MWh BESS in the Samarkand region. The second loan of 69m will fund ACWA Power Sazagan Solar 2 in constructing a 500MW solar plant in Samarkand and a 668MWh BESS in the Bukhara region. The project is expected to receive co-financing from the Japan Bank for International Cooperation, Nippon Export and Investment Insurance, the Asian Development Bank, and the Islamic Development Bank. This BESS deployment is designed to enhance grid reliability and flexibility by mitigating the intermittency of renewable energy sources. The project supports Uzbekistan's wider renewables plan, supported by the EBRD, which aims for 25GW of solar and wind capacity by 2030. Once operational, the project is expected to produce approximately 2,300GWh of electricity annually, enough for powering roughly 600,000 households. The EBRD has been a significant financier of Uzbekistans green energy projects, supporting 1.65GW of wind capacity, 1.4GW of solar PV, and 334MW of BESSs in the country. Last month, the EBRD announced plans to provide a comprehensive financing package for the development and construction of a 200MW wind farm in Ras Ghareb, Egypt. "EBRD provides $142m for solar and battery project in Uzbekistan " was originally created and published by Power Technology, a GlobalData owned brand. Kadus protest: Normalcy restored, Nagpur Police to HC Staff Reporter : After over 36 hours of disruption caused by the farmers agitation led by Prahar Janshakti Party leader Bachchu Kadu, normalcy finally returned to the city late Wednesday night. The agitators, demanding a complete loan waiver for farmers, vacated Wardha Road and shifted their protest to Parsodi ground near the Central Institute of Cotton Research (CICR), allowing traffic to resume smoothly on the Nagpur-Hyderabad stretch of the National Highway. The prolonged agitation had paralysed vehicular movement, forcing commuters to take long detours and causing the cancellation of several Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) buses. However, by Thursday morning, the highway and adjoining routes were cleared, and all transport services resumed without hindrance. Police teams led by Commissioner Dr Ravinder Kumar Singal maintained tight security throughout the protest. With traffic restored and demonstrators moved to the designated ground, life in Nagpur returned to its usual rhythm, bringing much-needed relief to stranded travellers and daily commuters alike. ST routes cleared as agitators end Rasta Roko Passenger movement on Maharashtra State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) buses returned to normalcy on Thursday after the farmers ended Rasta Roko. The agitation was led by Bachchu Kadu of Prahar Janshakti Party on Wardha Road. The protest, which had severely disrupted traffic for two days, caused nearly a 50% drop in passenger footfall and led to the cancellation of 127 buses on Wednesday. According to Rakesh Ramteke, Assistant Traffic Superintendent, MSRTC, all diverted routes have now resumed regular operations. Buses towards Wardha, Yavatmal, Hinganghat, Pandharkawda and Chandrapur are running smoothly, and no major delays have been reported. Services that were earlier rerouted via Umred, Selu and Samudrapur are now back on their usual paths. Passengers stranded during the agitation have reached their destinations, and operations at Ganeshpeth and Ghat Road depots have stabilised. With the agitation called off, traffic on Wardha Road has al HC Warns Against 'Rail Roko' n Staff Reporter CP sought the court to pass an order restraining Kadu from doing Rail Roko, as it may cause a serious law and order situation Kadus lawyer, Dhage, told the court that the PJP leader has decided to cancel the Rail Roko Andolan A national highway and other roads in Nagpur, where former MLA Bachchu Kadu and his supporters were agitating for a farm loan waiver, have been cleared of the protesters, police informed the Nagpur Bench of Bombay High Court on Thursday. The court then directed all authorities to take steps in advance to ensure there is no further disturbance to the road or rail transport. The HC's Nagpur Bench gave the directive after the police informed them that former Maharashtra minister Kadu and his supporters were planning a 'rail roko' agitation if their talks with the State Government failed. Thousands of protesters led by Prahar Janshakti Party (PJP) leader Omprakash, alias Bachchu Kadu, had participated in the 'Maha Elgar Morcha' from Tuesday on the national highway and other roads on Nagpur city outskirts, demanding a full farm loan waiver. A vacation bench of Justice Rajnish Vyas on Wednesday took suo motu (on its own) cognisance of the protest, noting that it continued despite no permission, and directed Kadu and his supporters to immediately vacate the highway and all other public roads. Nagpur City Police Commissioner Dr Ravinder Singal informed the HC on Thursday that normal traffic on the national highway and other blocked roads was restored peacefully. The Commissioner, in his affidavit, said that as per media reports, Kadu has now called for a subsequent 'rail roko' (rail traffic blockade) in case of failure of talks planned with the authorities concerned. The Commissioner sought the court to pass an order restraining Kadu from doing so, as it may cause a serious law and order situation. Kadu has said he will meet Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis in Mumbai on Thursday evening for a discussion over his demands. His advocate, Hariom Dhage, told the court that the PJP leader has taken a decision to cancel the rail roko andolan. The HC accepted the statement as an undertaking and said a good gesture on Kadu's part would certainly set an example. The bench, in its order, said it is concerned about the safety and rights of citizens. "If there is any apprehension that free movement of railway traffic will also be affected, then there is no option but to issue notice to the departments concerned," the court said. The bench issued notices to the Ministry of Railways, Central Railway authorities in Nagpur, the Railway Protection Force and the Government Railway Police. "All the authorities Police Department, Railway Department and local administration shall act as a team to ensure that no untoward incident takes place and citizens are not inconvenienced," HC said. The bench posted the matter for further hearing on Friday. Sardar Patels 150th birth anniversary: PM to lead grand celebration AHMEDABAD : PRIME Minister Narendra Modi will lead the 150th birth anniversary celebrations of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on Friday at Ekta Nagar in Gujarats Narmada district, home to the Statue of Unity, the worlds tallest statue honouring Indias first Home Minister. This years Rashtriya Ekta Diwas celebrations, which commemorate the birth anniversary of the Iron Man of India, will include a cultural festival and the National Unity Day parade by security forces, showcasing their skills, discipline and valour, an official statement said. The parade, which marks the 150th birth anniversary of Sardar Patel, will be organised at Ekta Nagar, where the 182-metre-tall Statue of Unity stands. One of the major attractions of this years celebrations at Ekta Nagar will be the Republic Day-style parade of the Armed Forces along with decorative tableaus, a Gujarat Government release said, adding that 10 tableaus, including of the State, will be presented during the parade. Gujarats tableau will highlight Sardar Patels invaluable contribution in uniting the country, the release said. On Friday morning, the Prime Minister will offer floral tribute at the Statue of Unity, which will be followed by Rashtriya Ekta Diwas celebrations. He will administer the Ekta Diwas pledge and witness the parade. Contingents of the Border Security Force (BSF), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) will participate in the parade. In a display of womens empowerment in the security forces, PM Modi will receive a ceremonial salute from contingents of police and paramilitary forces, all of them led by women officers. Key attractions this year include a BSF marching contingent comprising exclusively of Indian breed dogs such as Rampur Hounds and Mudhol Hounds, Gujarat Polices horse contingent, Assam Polices motorcycle daredevil show, and BSFs camel contingent and camel-mounted band. The parade will also honour five Shaurya Chakra awardees of the CRPF and 16 gallantry medal winners of the BSF who displayed exceptional courage in anti-Naxal operations in Jharkhand and counter-terror operations in Jammu and Kashmir. PM Modi will receive a ceremonial salute during the parade from BSF personnel who won gallantry medals for their participation in Operation Sindoor, officials said on Friday. The Rashtriya Ekta Diwas parade will feature 10 tableaus from NSG, NDRF, Gujarat, Jammu and Kashmir, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Manipur, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Uttarakhand and Puducherry, depicting the theme Unity in Diversity. A cultural programme featuring 900 artists will showcase Indias classical dances, representing the richness and diversity of Indian culture. Later, the PM will interact with the officer trainees of the 100th Common Foundation Course in Aarambh 7.0. The seventh edition of Aarambh is being held on the theme of Reimagining Governance. The 100th foundation course includes 660 officer trainees from across 16 civil services of India and three civil services of Bhutan, as per officials. Sardar Patel is remembered as the Iron Man of India, yet his true strength lay not in authority alone but in his ideas, integrity and strategic foresight. The nations unity, stability and progress are as much the product of Patels principles as of his administrative actions, a Government release said. When India emerged from colonial rule in 1947, the task facing the new nation was immense. Over 560 princely states, diverse in size, culture and administrative tradition, existed alongside British India. The question was not merely whether they would surrender sovereignty, but whether India would emerge as a single nation or fragment into smaller units. Sardar Patel took that decision as a personal mission. His approach was firm yet inclusive, the release said. While Sardar Patel laid the political and institutional framework for unity, it was the security forces and subsequently the CAPFs that implemented the practical side of integration: maintaining law and order, supporting the administrative machinery and ensuring that no region became a weak link in the chain of nationhood, it noted. From the sweeping landscapes of the Himalayas to the deep forests of central India, from urban centres to remote border villages, the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) operate silently yet decisively, ensuring that the countrys unity is not merely aspirational but tangible. Unity in India is woven from both laws and lived experiences. Culture, art, music and diversity provide the social glue, while institutions protect and empower this cohesion. On Rashtriya Ekta Diwas, celebrating this dynamic synergy reminds citizens that unity and diversity are complementary, not contradictory and that nation building is as much about shared values as shared governance, the release added. The unifier EVEN as the nation celebrates the 150th Birth Anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the great unifier of post-Independence India, the details of his contribution to nation-building well up in public memory. That he was Indias first Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister following the exit of the British, actually, come up only as incidental details of his biography. What really matters most to the nations history of those tumultuous moments is the manner in which he convinced more than 600 princely states to join the Indian Union at the lapse of British paramountcy. It was his extreme persuasiveness that led the Princes to give up their royal claims and become parts of Independent India. Destiny had chosen Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel to undertake that massive mission of Indias unification, and he proved to be more than equal to the task. The Indian nation and its people will remain grateful to Sardar Patel for this contribution for all the time. Of course, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patels personality had many more facets than just this great one. In the short time of his life -- less than three years -- after India became Independent, Sardar Patel proved to be a true nationalist leader with a unique ability to see deep into the future. He cautioned Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru against his China and Kashmir policies. He pointed out the wide, gaping, black holes in the Prime Ministers handling of many foreign and domestic policy issues as well. Unfortunately, Mr. Nehru treated him more as a rival rather than a close associate -- and ignored his wise counsel. Yet, no matter the Prime Ministers rather unfriendly attitude, Sardar Patel kept doing his part to the best of his thought and action. As Home Minister, Sardar Patel also injected a great sense of purpose in the fledgling nations bureaucracy during its transition from the British management to the Indianised version. He also transformed new Indias Police systems to suit the needs of a nation just liberated from centuries of alien rule. That cumulative contribution was no mean in its form and content, import and integrity. History knows that the Congress partys internal electoral system had chosen Sardar Patel to be Indias first Prime Minister when the exit of the British Raj became evident. But then, it was Mahatma Gandhi who directed Sardar Patel to step aside and pushed Pandit Jawaharlal Nehrus name as Prime Minister. Sardar Patel just followed the Mahatmas diktat and stepped aside -- with no rancour, no cribbing. That needed a tremendous spiritual strength, and Sardar Patel demonstrated that in great abundance. Despite that, Pandit Nehru always harboured a near-open grudge against Sardar Patel (which everybody noticed -- from administrative staff to higher levels of bureaucracy to political cadres to media to international diplomatic community. The Prime Ministers grudge rose to such an extent that he barred his ministers, etc to attend Sardar Patels funeral in Mumbai (then Bombay). Despite that inexplicable hostility of the Prime Minister, Sardar Patel demonstrated an enlightened candour as well as cooperation in every possible manner to the Prime Minister. That part immediately became an integral part of the lore of Sardar Patels unquestionable greatness. Another aspect of his greatness was that he did not allow himself to become a parallel power-centre in the Government (which saved the nation from a divided leadership situation). As the nation celebrates 150th Birth Anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, students of the history of Indias freedom struggle will also remember how he became an unquestioned leader of several segments of Indian population. He was among the foremost leaders of farmers. He was a hero in the eyes of firebrand young generations of India of those times. He and his brother -- Mr. Vitthalbhai Patel -- also were treated among the most reliable members of the Congress partys leadership structure -- so much so that men of the eminence of Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose considered the twosome as their personal soul-mates. Within the Congress partys internal structure dominated by Mahatma Gandhis rather whimsical leadership and lopsided inclination to the Nehru father-son duo, Sardar Patel was a lighthouse of incredible spiritual strength. Subsequent, post-Independence scrutiny of official papers that the British left behind showed that their Government truly feared the strength of character of very few men and women (among whom Sardar Patel was at the top). It is not without reason that Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi personally monitored the project of creation of the Statue of Unity (of Sardar Patel) and made it happen successfully. That statue of great height stands as a testimony of Indias respect for the immortal contribution of the great personage. There, of course, are political jibes flying between parties about the so-called annexation of Sardar Patels legacy by the Bharatiya Janata Party led by the Prime Minister. Such accusations make no actual sense -- since personalities such as Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel belong to the whole nation and not to one political organisation. In this context, the common people then raise issues about how the Congress party mistreated Sardar Patel when he lived and when he passed away in Bombay in 1950. That debate, also, makes little sense. There is no doubt that Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was one of the tallest leaders of India during its struggle for freedom and after. He left behind a legacy of what a man from a common Indian family can do for the nation through challenging circumstances. Against that background, it is necessary to offer to our young generations the true and complete story of Sardar Patels life and works so that they become conscious of what the man did for the country. For the young generations, he will prove to be one of the greatest role models. Trump cuts tariffs on China after meeting Xi ABOARD AIR FORCE ONE : Beijing had agreed to allow the export of Rare Earth elements and start buying American soybeans PRESIDENT Donald Trump described his face-to-face with Chinese leader Xi Jinping on Thursday as a roaring success, saying he would cut tariffs on China, while Beijing had agreed to allow the export of Rare Earth elements and start buying American soybeans. The President told reporters aboard Air Force One that the US would lower tariffs implemented earlier this year as punishment on China for its selling of chemicals used to make fentanyl from 20 per cent to 10 per cent. That brings the total combined tariff rate on China down from 57 per cent to 47 per cent. I guess on the scale from 0 to 10, with ten being the best, I would say the meeting was a 12, Trump said. I think it was a 12. Trump said that he would go to China in April and Xi would come to the US some time after that. The President said they also discussed the export of more advanced computer chips to China, saying that Nvidia would be in talks with Chinese officials. Trump said he could sign a trade deal with China pretty soon. We do not have too many major stumbling blocks, Trump said. Sources of tension remain Despite Trumps optimism after a 100-minute meeting with Xi in South Korea, there continues to be the potential for major tensions between the worlds two largest economies. Both nations are seeking dominant places in manufacturing, developing emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, and shaping world affairs like Russias war in Ukraine. Trumps aggressive use of tariffs since returning to the White House for a second term, combined with Chinas retaliatory limits on exports of rare earth elements, gave the meeting newfound urgency. There is a mutual recognition that neither side wants to risk blowing up the world economy in ways that could jeopardise their own countrys fortunes. When the two were seated at the start of the meeting, Xi read prepared remarks that stressed a willingness to work together despite differences. Given our different national conditions, we do not always see eye to eye with each other, he said through a translator. It is normal for the two leading economies of the world to have frictions now and then. There was a slight difference in translation as Chinas Xinhua News Agency reported Xi as telling Trump that having some differences is inevitable. China did not provide immediate comment on the meeting or any outcomes. Finding ways to lower the temperature. The leaders met in Busan, South Korea, a port city about 76 kilometres (47 miles) south of Gyeongju, the main venue for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit. In the days leading up to the meeting, US officials signalled that Trump did not intend to make good on a recent threat to impose an additional 100 per cent import tax on Chinese goods, and China showed signs it was willing to relax its export controls on rare earths and also buy soybeans from America. Officials from both countries met earlier this week in Kuala Lumpur to lay the groundwork for their leaders. Afterwards, Chinas top trade negotiator Li Chenggang said they had reached a preliminary consensus, a statement affirmed by US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who said there was a very successful framework. Shortly before the meeting on Thursday, Trump posted on Truth Social that the meeting would be the G2, a recognition of America and Chinas status as the worlds biggest economies. The Group of Seven and the Group of 20 are other forums of industrialised nations. But while those summits often happen at luxury spaces, this meeting took place in humbler surroundings: Trump and Xi met in a small grey building with a blue roof on a military base adjacent to Busans international airport. The anticipated detente has given investors and businesses caught between the two nations a sense of relief. The US stock market has climbed on the hopes of a trade framework coming out of the meeting. Pressure points remain for both the US and China Trump has outward confidence that the grounds for a deal are in place, but previous negotiations with China this year in Geneva, Switzerland and London had a start-stop quality to them. The initial promise of progress has repeatedly given way to both countries seeking a better position against the other. The proposed deal on the table fits the pattern weve seen all year: short-term stabilisation dressed up as strategic progress, said Craig Singleton, senior director of the China program at the Foundation for Defence of Democracies. Both sides are managing volatility, calibrating just enough cooperation to avert crisis while the deeper rivalry endures. The US and China have each shown they believe they have levers to pressure the other, and the past year has demonstrated that tentative steps forward can be short-lived. For Trump, that pressure comes from tariffs. China had faced new tariffs this year totalling 30 per cent, of which 20 per cent were tied to its role in fentanyl production. But the tariff rates have been volatile. In April, he announced plans to jack the rate on Chinese goods to 145 per cent, only to abandon those plans as markets recoiled. Then, on Oct. 10, Trump threatened a 100 per cent import tax because of Chinas rare earth restrictions. That figure, including past tariffs, would now be 47 per cent effective immediately, Trump told reporters on Thursday. Xi has his own chokehold on the world economy because China is the top producer and processor of the rare earth minerals needed to make fighter jets, robots, electric vehicles and other high-tech products. China had tightened export restrictions on Oct. 9, repeating a cycle in which each nation jockeys for an edge only to back down after more trade talks. What might also matter is what happens directly after their talks. Trump plans to return to Washington, while Xi plans to stay on in South Korea to meet with regional leaders during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, which officially begins on Friday. Xi sees an opportunity to position China as a reliable partner and bolster bilateral and multilateral relations with countries frustrated by the US administrations tariff policy, said Jay Truesdale, a former State Department official who is CEO of TD International, a risk and intelligence advisory firm. Government sales were impacted by delays in advance of the government shutdown. I will discuss a lot of this in more detail after Matt provides a brief financial overview of the quarter, and we will also discuss our initiatives to continue to strengthen our enterprise and provide an opportunity to grow our sales. Matt? M. Farooq Kathwari: Thank you, Matt. We are pleased to have you all on this call. Considering the many challenges, we are very pleased that our unique vertically integrated enterprise and our focus and investments over the years are providing strong results. Our interior design focus, investments in technology, and many years of developing a strong retail network, our North American manufacturing and logistics, have positioned us well. Our written sales in the first quarter increased by 5.2% despite the question of tariffs. We continued our history of returning capital to shareholders by paying $16.4 million in cash dividends and ended the quarter with $193.7 million in cash and no debt. Our U.S. Our comments today may include forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially. The most significant risk factors that could affect our future results are described in our most recent quarterly report on Form 10-Q. Please refer to our SEC filings for a complete review of those risks. The company assumes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking matters discussed during this call. With that, I am pleased to now turn the call over to Mr. Kathwari. M. Farooq Kathwari, our Chairman, President, and CEO. Mr. Kathwari will open and close our prepared remarks, while I will speak to our financial performance midway through. After our prepared remarks, we will then open the call up for your questions. Before we begin, I'd like to remind the audience that this call is being webcast live under the News and Events tab within our Investor Relations website. A replay and transcript of today's call will also be made available on our Investor Relations website. There you will find a copy of today's press release, which contains reconciliations of non-GAAP financial measures referred to on this call and in the press release. Story continues Matthew J. McNulty: Thank you, Mr. Kathwari. Our financial performance in the just completed first quarter was highlighted by retail written order growth, strong gross margin, positive operating cash flow, and a robust balance sheet. Despite macroeconomic challenges, our operations produced positive financial results, which I will now discuss. Our consolidated net sales were $147 million as higher average ticket prices and designer floor sample sales were offset by lower delivered unit volumes, reduced traffic, and fewer contract sales. Retail written orders grew for the second consecutive quarter as demand patterns continued to improve. Retail written order growth of 5.2% was driven by improved order conversion, increased promotional activities, the strength of our brand, the loyalty of our clients, new product introductions, and additional marketing efforts. Wholesale orders decreased by 7.1% during the quarter as the segment was impacted by lower contract business, including reductions in government spending. We ended the quarter with a wholesale backlog of $53.5 million. A lower volume of contract orders combined with improved customer lead times helped reduce our backlog from a year ago. However, in the last three months, our wholesale backlog rose by $4.7 million due to the timing of incoming contract orders. Strong consolidated gross margin of 61.4% was driven by a change in sales mix, lower raw material input costs, selective price increases, lower headcount, and a higher average retail ticket price, partially offset by increased promotional activities, elevated designer floor sales, and higher inbound freight, including incremental tariffs. Our adjusted operating margin was 7.2%. For historical context, our pre-pandemic fiscal 2020 first quarter operating margin was 20 basis points lower. Our current year operating margin was impacted by fixed cost de-leverage from lower delivered sales combined with increased promotional activity, additional marketing, higher occupancy costs from new design centers, and sales of floor inventory to make room for new products, partially offset by a disciplined approach to controlling operating expenses, including reduced headcount. Our headcount totaled 3,189 at quarter-end, a decrease of 4.7% from a year ago as we continue to identify operational efficiencies and streamline workflows. Adjusted diluted EPS was $0.43. Our effective tax rate was 25.4%, which varies from the 21% federal statutory rate primarily due to state taxes. Now turning to liquidity. We ended the quarter with a robust balance sheet, including total cash and investments of $193.7 million with no debt. We generated $16.8 million in operating cash flow during the quarter through lower inventory levels and higher customer deposits. Capital expenditures of $2.4 million were primarily for retail design center build-outs and investments in technology. We continued our practice of paying cash dividends. In July, our Board declared a special cash dividend of $0.25 per share in addition to our regular quarterly cash dividend of $0.39 per share, both of which were paid in August. We have paid a special cash dividend in each of the past six fiscal years and a cash dividend every year since 1996. Also, as just announced in our earnings release, our Board declared a regular quarterly cash dividend of $0.39 per share, which will be paid in November. In summary, we are pleased to deliver positive first quarter results with a resilient client base, a debt-free balance sheet, and a vertically integrated business. We are navigating the current environment focused on what we can control, which is talent, service, marketing, technology, and social responsibility. Looking ahead, we remain focused on our strategic initiatives in the face of ongoing economic uncertainty. We are confident in the strength of our business model, including our North American manufacturing base and vertical integration, which allows us to provide clients with custom furniture and complementary design services. With that, I will now turn the call back over to Mr. Kathwari. M. Farooq Kathwari: All right, Matt. Thanks very much. Now, as we have mentioned, considering the many challenges, we are pleased with our results. Our regional sales increased by 5.2% despite lower traffic. This is due to, number one, we have continued to position Ethan Allen Interiors Inc. as a desirable brand. Two, we had more qualified customers visit our design center. Fewer customers, but more qualified. We continue to focus on key areas of strengthening the following: talent, we have strong dedicated team members in our vertically integrated structure. In marketing, during the quarter, we increased our national marketing with many initiatives. Our marketing costs at the national level increased 44%, growing from 2.4% of net sales last year to 3.4% in the current period. We believe that we should continue to see the benefit of this increase as we move forward. In technology, continued utilization of technology in our vertically integrated enterprise is a game changer. This time, included technology in our manufacturing, retail, marketing, and logistics. Our focus continues. Reinvention has positively impacted many areas, including the Interior Design Network. We have relocated about 75% of our design centers in the last twenty years while reducing the design center footprint by 25%. We have stronger interior design talent. We have 50% fewer designers today than ten years back but are generating 75% more business per retail associate. Again, good talent, technology, products, and all the other things we do have made it possible. We invested in our manufacturing, including new technology. Opening new retail locations while closing other locations has been important. New design centers were opened in Colorado Springs, Greater Toronto, and Greater Houston. We have 173 retail design centers in North America, including 143 company-operated and 30 independently owned and operated. About 75% of our furniture is made in our North American manufacturing and almost all custom on receipt of custom orders. This is very different than what happened, say, twenty years back when about 80% of our case goods were made for stock. We delivered our products at one price to our clients in North America with our white glove delivery service. This is very, very important, not easy to do, to deliver the products whether you are in Seattle, Miami, or New York at one delivered price to the customer with white glove service. It is unique but very important for us. We have consolidated our national distribution into one major distribution center while reducing the number of company-operated retail centers by 35% in the last ten years. Keep in mind, we had about 10 national distribution centers. Now one major distribution center with two smaller locations is what makes it work. On social responsibility, our teams continue to focus on operating a socially responsible enterprise and treating our associates and our clients with respect. In addition, we focus on operating in an environmentally responsible manner. We recently had our annual convention about two weeks back, which was attended both physically and virtually by our entire enterprise. Under the theme of always moving forward, we reviewed our many initiatives, including the launch of new products that will be presented to our clients in 2026 in our design centers. The new products have been important. We have launched new products in the last year, which of course resulted in our selling of floor samples, but we also have included new products which we introduced in January and two weeks back and will be in our design centers by spring of next year. As I stated earlier, both the domestic and international economies are going through major changes. We remain focused on providing great service to our clients through our vertically integrated structure. We remain cautiously optimistic. At this time, we are open for any questions or comments. Operator: We'll now be conducting a question and answer session. Our first question is from Taylor Zick with KeyBanc Capital Markets. Taylor Zick: Hello, Taylor. Hey, good afternoon. I'm doing well. How are you, Farooq? M. Farooq Kathwari: First off, congrats on the strong comp here in this fiscal first quarter. I just wanted to ask more specifically about the cadence of retail written order trends during the quarter. Maybe what you saw during the Labor Day sales period and outside of that as well? M. Farooq Kathwari: Yes. That's a good question because, you know, the first quarter, we were looking at all these challenges of government shutdowns and everything else. What we saw was much lower traffic. Interestingly, but more qualified people and the ones who came in were buying. And what we saw was that mostly, most of the quarter we maintained more or less the similar increases. We do not see any major highs or lows during the quarter. What we saw was people coming in, working with our designers, and buying. Now, if the environment was different, and we didn't have about a 30%, 30 plus percent lower traffic into our design centers because of the fact with the economy and what is taking place. But the people who came in were interested, qualified, they worked with our designers thereby helping us increase our business. Taylor Zick: Yes, that's great. Maybe just a follow-up here on promotional activity. Obviously, we've seen the industry become more promotional over the past few quarters. You noted it this quarter here for Ethan Allen Interiors Inc. Can you talk a little bit more about what you're seeing and maybe what your expectations are for the balance of the year or 2026, if you all want to comment on that? M. Farooq Kathwari: Yes. I mean, we are watching what is happening in the industry. We have more or less maintained our promotional activities across the board. We have not gone into any major promotion. We do give special savings every quarter, and we have maintained that. And we felt we do also provide financing, but also at the level that we've been doing in the past. Small changes but not much. So we maintained our, and that's because of that, you see our margins have been maintained. If that was not the case, we would not have the gross margin that we have today. Taylor Zick: And then I guess just one last question for me before I turn it over. Tariffs continue to impact the industry pretty broadly. What are you seeing in terms of pricing across the industry? And then maybe if you've taken any price yourself? M. Farooq Kathwari: Yes, that's an important issue. And then, of course, it's changing consistently, so we do not know where we're going to end. We do make about close to 80% of our product or 75% to 80% of our furniture in North America. In Vermont, North Carolina, then we have in Central Mexico, and in Honduras. Now, first, there was hardly any tariffs in Mexico. Then there were tariffs, and now they are thinking of not having the level of tariffs that they had lost two weeks. It's ever-changing. So fortunately for us, while on the furniture side, we are less impacted by tariffs. We are able to manage it because of the fact of our North American presence. Our other products, which are our non-furniture products, a lot of that does come from overseas. And that has been impacted by tariffs. Now, we have taken, and again, that changes. So everyone has to be careful that you don't act too fast. But we have made some changes, and we have taken some price increases anywhere from, depending on the country, the region, anywhere between 5% to 10%. Some of the partners overseas have worked with us to manage the costs. So overall, I think that we have been much less impacted by margins by these questions of tariffs. But most of it has been on our non-furniture product. We do have one major plant that we have in Southeast Asia, which has been impacted. But again, we have to watch that every month the tariff changes. So overall, I think we are managing it well because of our strong presence in North America and our own manufacturing. Taylor Zick: Great. Thanks, Farooq. I'll leave it there. Thanks very much. Operator: Our next question is from Cristina Fernandez with Telsey Advisory Group. Cristina Fernandez: Hi, good afternoon. M. Farooq Kathwari: Doing good. Thank you. Hi, Farooq. Hi, Matt. Had a couple of questions. I wanted to start with the retail segment. It's been two quarters with the written demand has been positive, but sales for this quarter for that segment were still down 3%. So at what point will we see that demand translate into growth for that segment? M. Farooq Kathwari: Well, if you take a look at our retail, you know, we had, interestingly, our delivered retail was about 3.3% or 3.2% lower than last year. However, we were able to maintain our relative cost structure. I think that at this stage, our objective is to work towards, and we are seeing that there are challenges, that our objective is to come close to what we did last year. That's what our objective is. We'll see what happens in November and December. October is just ending. But people, as I said, have been challenged. Our traffic has been down considerably. Fortunately, because of the fact of qualified people coming in and especially our talented interior designers. If we didn't have that, the chances are we would be severely impacted with lower sales. So I think that at this stage, Cristina, our objective is to still watch but to come close to what we did last year. Cristina Fernandez: Got it. And then on the contract side, can you talk more about what's happening with the State Department? It seems like this was a pretty challenging quarter for that particular contract. So do you think it can normalize here in the near term over the next quarter or two? Or should we expect this lower trend to be a new steady state? M. Farooq Kathwari: Well, it's a good question. It depends upon the opening of the government. What we have seen is this, and what we hear is that what we hear is that we would get orders if the government was open. Because the fact that the government is not open, new orders are not coming in. So it all depends upon what happens with the government. And it also has, to some extent, an impact on our sales, not completely. We were able to ship some products, but it's mostly on the new orders coming in. The government is closed. So we hope that the government opens up, and what we hear is that there are some higher pending orders that they will forward to us when they open. And if that happens, again, let's assume that it happens in the next quarter, then the impact of that would be towards the middle or end of the following quarter with regard to making that product. Cristina Fernandez: And then my last question was on the increased marketing spend year over year. Can you share where the spending is going? Is it reaching more customers? Is it a different type of, I guess, that you're doing compared to last year? And where are you seeing the benefit of that advertisement in traffic or conversion? Or where do you think you're seeing the return? M. Farooq Kathwari: Yes, it's a good question. And where we did was where we increased is on a national level. We increased it in additional direct mail and paid search and paid social campaigns. We didn't have much in paid search and paid social campaigns in the past. So we accelerated. That's where most of the increase at the national level took place. Close to a 50% increase. Now, we don't see the benefit of it right away. I would say that we should see some benefit as we go forward in this current quarter and as we move forward because this is a longer-term investment, but we believe it makes sense. It also makes sense that we had also this past quarter an additional direct mail we didn't have in the previous year. Going forward, we'll continue with our direct mails as we have in the past. But as to answer your question, most of the new money was on paid search and paid social campaigns. Cristina Fernandez: Thank you. Operator: Alright. Any other questions? Operator: There are no further questions at this time. I'd like to hand the floor back over to M. Farooq Kathwari for any closing comments. M. Farooq Kathwari: Well, thank you very much. We are fortunate that we have a very, very strong team. As you know, we always talk of five things. So we have very strong talent, even though we have been able to reduce the number of associates or the team members that we have, who are very motivated and knowledgeable. And it is also due to the tremendous increase in technology that is helping us. We have reduced the size of our design center. We have refreshed our design centers. We are opening new design centers, and we continue to do that. Many of them are relocations. We also have, we believe very strongly that the new products are going to continue to position us well. So with strong talent, strong product programs, vertical integration, and our focus on technology, we believe we are well-positioned in somewhat challenging conditions because we do not know the overall international and domestic situation. But despite all of that, we've done well in this first quarter, and we believe that we'll do relatively well going forward. Thank you very much for participating, and I'm sure if you have any other questions, please let us know. Operator: This concludes today's conference. You may disconnect your lines at this time. Thank you for your participation. M. Farooq Kathwari: Okay. Thank you. Dont miss this second chance at a potentially lucrative opportunity Ever feel like you missed the boat in buying the most successful stocks? Then youll want to hear this. On rare occasions, our expert team of analysts issues a Double Down stock recommendation for companies that they think are about to pop. If youre worried youve already missed your chance to invest, now is the best time to buy before its too late. 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Please see our Terms and Conditions for additional details, including our Obligatory Capitalized Disclaimers of Liability. The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Ethan Allen (ETD) Q1 2026 Earnings Call Transcript was originally published by The Motley Fool Online marketplace Etsy said on Wednesday that its long-time CEO, Josh Silverman, would step down by the end of the year. Kruti Patel Goyal, Etsys president and chief growth officer, will become the companys next CEO. Silverman, who headed the marketplace for eight years, will become its executive chairman. Goyal worked at Etsy for more than 10 years until she was named the CEO of social-commerce platform Depop, which Etsy bought four years ago. She has been in her current role for about seven months. Etsy has faced challenges in growing its business and may be looking to Goyals experience leading Depop to help revive growth. In its third quarter ended September 30, the number of active buyers on Etsy fell 5% to 86.6 million from a year earlier. The company experienced a user boycott in July after allowing the sale of merchandise branded with Alligator Alcatraz on its site. Sellers on Etsy declined by 10.9% to 5.5 million in the third quarter, compared to a year earlier. Gross merchandise sales (GMS) for the quarter dropped 2.4% to $2.4 billion. In contrast, Depop performed well, with the number of active sellers rising 40% to 3 million and active buyers increasing 38% to 6.6 million. Depops GMS jumped 39.4% to $292.1 million. Following the news, Etsys shares were down nearly 9%. Golden Goose is set to appoint Mauro Maggioni as its new chief executive officer of the Americas, the brand confirmed to FN exclusively. The news comes as outgoing CEO of the Americas Silvia Merati announced she would be leaving the Italian footwear company to helm the denim brand Frame in Los Angeles. More from WWD As for Maggioni, he has been with Golden Goose since 2019, most recently serving as the CEO of the Asia-Pacific region. Prior to joining the company, the executive spent seven years at Ermenegildo Zegna Group, holding several positions like omnichannel and retail operations director and chief financial officer of Greater China. Maggioni also spent six years at Giorgio Armani, holding several financial roles. This news comes one month after an acceleration in the second quarter and a robust performance across all channels and geographies helped the Italian brand, best known for its successful Super-star sneakers and intentionally distressed styles, report a strong set of results for the first half of the year. In the six months ended June 30, group revenues rose 13 percent to 342.1 million euros compared with 307.3 million euros in the same period last year. In the second quarter, sales rose 14 percent, compared with growth of 12 percent in the first quarter. By geographic markets, the Europe, Middle East and Africa region reported an 18 percent growth; the U.S. was up 8 percent, and the Asia-Pacific area registered a 9 percent increase in sales. Golden Goose opened its third Forward concept store in the U.S. at the NorthPark shopping center in Dallas in June. The Forward concept hinges on the brands efforts around product preservation and reinvention as the company works to reduce its environmental impact, offering repair and remake services not only of its own signature sneakers, but also of products from any label. The 5,900-square-foot location followed the opening of the SoHo, NYC Forward store in 2022 and the Miami Design District location in 2023. The company also launched an experiential store concept in New Yorks Meatpacking District, also focused on co-creation, the brands fourth physical retail space in the city, with other stores located in SoHo, the Upper East Side and a shop-in-shop inside Bloomingdales 59th Street flagship. The new concept features the Con Amore Corner, which provides personalized gift-wrapping options as well as coffee, sweet treats and fresh flowers. Best of WWD Sign up for FN's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Benzinga and Yahoo Finance LLC may earn commission or revenue on some items through the links below. Jameson Lopp, co-founder and chief security officer at self-custody platform firm Casa, raised concern about Bitcoin (CRYPTO: BTC) users repeatedly using old public addresses, a practice he viewed as a serious vulnerability in the wake of the growing quantum threat. Users Ignoring Satoshis Guidelines? Speaking to Benzinga on the sidelines of the Trezor TBD event on Oct. 21 in Prague, Czech Republic, Lopp estimated that about 4 million BTC nearly 25% of the total supply have already had their public addresses exposed. "The problem here is that people just have not been following one of the simplest fundamental best practices that even Satoshi [Nakamoto] told us never reuse a Bitcoin address," Lopp stated Trending: The ChatGPT of Marketing' Just Opened a $0.81/Share Round 10,000+ Investors Are Already In For the curious, Satoshi said in one of their forum posts in 2009, "For greater privacy, its best to use Bitcoin addresses only once. Convenience Over Security Lopp highlighted one reason this could be happening. "If youre withdrawing from an exchange, you have to whitelist and go through additional security steps to tell the exchange like this is really me. And so people tend to just set that and then automatically withdraw to the same address over and over again," the Bitcoin technologist said. "And then the same thing on the deposit side." Lopp emphasized that humans tend to prioritize convenience over everything else, including privacy and security. "So, yeah, were fighting against human nature, which is never a good fight to be on," he added. See Also: Accredited Investors Can Now Tap Into the $36 Trillion Home Equity Market Without Buying a Single Property How Far Is The Quantum Threat? Lopp estimated a greater than 50% chance that it will take at least another decade before a quantum computer, powerful enough to decode a Bitcoin public key to find its corresponding private key, becomes a reality. There are decent arguments that it may be physically impossible for us ever to achieve that level of scale with a quantum computer. And so maybe itll never happen. But as a technologist, I dont like to say things are impossible, he said. The debate around quantum computing and its potential threat to Bitcoin has been ongoing. Last year, Google's new "Willow" quantum computing chip sparked concerns that a powerful computer could break the encryption of the apex cryptocurrency. However, some experts said it was still "lightyears" away. ExxonMobil has reported net income of $7.5bn for the third quarter (Q3) ended 30 September 2025, a 12% decrease from $8.6bn recorded in the same period last year. ExxonMobil attributed the decreased earnings to weaker crude prices, bottom-of-cycle chemical margins, higher depreciation, growth costs and lower base volumes from strategic divestments. Total revenues for the quarter stood at $85.3bn, down from $90bn in the corresponding quarter in 2024. This decline in revenues was accompanied by a reduction in total costs, which fell to $74.4bn from $77bn in the prior-year quarter. The companys net production in Q3 increased by 139,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day (boepd) to 4.8 million barrels of oil equivalent per day (mboe/d), compared to 4.6mboe/d in the previous quarter. ExxonMobil attributed the improved earnings to advantaged volumes, driven by record production in Guyana and the Permian Basin, cost savings, and stronger crude realisations, which were partially offset by lower base volumes. ExxonMobil chairman and CEO Darren Woods said: ExxonMobil had a strong third quarter, continuing to demonstrate that we are truly in a league of our own. We delivered the highest earnings per share we have had compared to other quarters in a similar oil-price environment. We have now started up eight of our ten key 2025 projects, with the remaining two on track. No one else in our industry is executing at this scale, with this level of innovation, or delivering this kind of value. ExxonMobil reported net income $22.3bn for the first nine months of 2025, down from $26.1bn in the same period the previous year. Its total revenues for the period decreased to $249.9bn from $266.2bn a year earlier. Total costs also fell to $216.7bn from $227.1bn in 2024. Net cash flow from operating activities for the nine months was $39.3bn, compared to $42.8bn in the same period last year. "ExxonMobils Q3 net income decreases to $7.5bn" was originally created and published by Offshore Technology, a GlobalData owned brand. XPOs third-quarter results came in ahead of expectations on Thursday before the market opened. Efficiency initiatives and higher yields pushed operating income higher at the Greenwich, Connecticut-based companys less-than-truckload segment. XPO (NYSE: XPO) reported adjusted earnings per share of $1.07 for the quarter, 5 cents higher than consensus and the year-ago result. The adjusted EPS number excluded transaction and restructuring costs. It also excluded a previously disclosed charge of $35 million stemming from environmental and product liability claims at a truck manufacturing subsidiary of Con-way, which XPO acquired in 2015. Consolidated revenue was up 3% y/y to $2.11 billion, which was ahead of the $2.07 billion consensus estimate. Table: XPOs key performance indicators Less-than-truckload revenue increased slightly y/y to $1.26 billion as a 6% decline in tonnage per day was offset by a 6% increase in revenue per hundredweight, or yield. (Yield was up 3% sequentially, excluding fuel surcharges.) The tonnage decline was due to the combination of a 3.5% decline in daily shipments and a 2.7% dip in weight per shipment. Both length of haul (up 1.3%) and lower shipment weights were supportive of the yield metric. Tonnage was off in the period even as the prior-year comps have eased. But the company has been improving its freight mix, which is pushing yields higher. Yield (excluding fuel surcharges) was up 12.6% on a two-year-stacked comparison. SONAR: Longhaul LTL Monthly Cost per Hundredweight, Class 125+ Index. Less-than-truckload monthly indices are based on the median cost per hundredweight for four National Motor Freight Classification groupings and five different mileage bands. To learn more about SONAR, click here. The LTL unit reported an 82.7% adjusted operating ratio (inverse of operating margin), 150 basis points better y/y and 20 bps better than the second quarter. The result was ahead of managements guidance, calling for no sequential change. (XPO normally sees 200 to 250 bps of OR degradation from the second to the third quarter). Our intense execution is resulting in record service quality and margin expansion at the trough of the cycle, CEO Mario Harik said in a news release. Were in the early innings of realizing our long-term margin opportunity, and we expect performance to accelerate as our strategy continues to gain traction. XPOs European transportation segment reported a 7% y/y increase in revenue to $857 million, but an operating loss of $2 million was an $8 million y/y swing. Adjusted EBITDA of $38 million was down 14% y/y. XPO will host a call to discuss third-quarter results on Thursday at 8:30 a.m. EDT. More FreightWaves articles by Todd Maiden: The post First look: XPO Q3 earnings appeared first on FreightWaves. The Great Freight Recession shows no sign of letting up, as trucking company bankruptcy filings in the third quarter ending Sept. 30 surpassed filings in the second quarter. Freight carriers filed 21 bankruptcy petitions in the third quarter of 2025 compared to 20 filed in the second quarter, Equipment Finance News reported. 5 trucking companies file bankruptcy in a week Precision Express, Sept. 23 L.S. Trucking, Sept. 23 GMB Transport, Sept. 23 WBK Transport, Sept. 26, Sky Rock Trucking, Sept. 29. A wave of trucking companies filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the last week of September, including Precision Express, L.S. Trucking, and GMB Transport on Sept. 23, WBK Transport on Sept. 26, and Sky Rock Trucking on Sept. 29. David Roush, president of accounting firm KSM Transport Advisors, warned on the companys website in March 2025 that the Great Freight Recession was alive and well. And now it's evident that the trucking downturn is only getting worse since the beginning of the second quarter. Great Freight Recession has not ended News Flash: The three-year-long Great Freight Recession is NOT over. The leading indicators that caused FreightWaves to declare the end of the GFR in November 2024, and the resulting carrier optimism is now in the rearview mirror, Roush said at the time. Long-haul truckload demand reportedly plummeted by 25% in the first half of 2025, with trucking becoming more of a short-haul delivery method for the final leg of freight movement. J.B. Hunt closes distribution facility The freight recession hit one of the nations leading trucking companies, J.B. Hunt Transport Inc., which filed a federal Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act notice and closed its facility at the Home Depot Distribution Center in Lithonia, Ga., on Oct. 27, 2025. J.B. Hunt sent a required 60-day notice to its 74 employees at the facility on Aug. 26, informing them that the facility would be closing, according to a letter sent on the same day to the Technical College System of Georgia, which oversees the states WARN notice filings. In addition to trucking companies, the Great Freight Recession is also impacting major shipping and logistics companies operating worldwide. Freight forwarder Atlantic Overseas Express files for Chapter 11 protection.Shutterstock Atlantic Overseas Express files bankruptcy to reorganize Global freight forwarder Atlantic Overseas Express Inc. filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy to reorganize its business and restructure its debt. The Doral, Fla., based debtor filed its petition in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Florida on Oct. 24, listing $500,000 to $1 million in assets and $100,000 to $500,000 in liabilities in its petition, RK Consultants reported. SHIJA felicitates blood donor organizers | Imphal, Oct 30 : In observance of National Blood Donation Day, a felicitation programme for blood donor organizers was held at Shija Auditorium, Langol on October 30. The event was organized by Shija Blood Centre & Transfusion Services, a unit of Shija Foundation, and sponsored by the State Blood Transfusion Council (SBTC), Manipur, and Shija Hospitals. The theme for this year was Give Blood, Give Hope: Together We Save Lives. Dr Palin Khundongbam, CMD, Shija Hospitals, graced the event as the chief guest with Dr H Teresa, Director, SBTC, Manipur as the guest of honour and Dr Chetan Khundongbam, Secretary, Shija Foundation as the functional president. More than 70 individuals attended, including 24 blood donor organizers from across the State. Dr C Rajmani Singh, Medical Officer-in-charge, Shija Blood Centre & Transfusion Services, delivered the welcome and keynote address, acknowledging the contribution of blood donor organizers and encouraging sustained voluntary blood donation. Dr Teresa shared that National Blood Donation Day was first observed in 1975 and in Manipur since 1998. She noted that private blood centers contribute one-fourth of the States total blood collection and called blood donors silent and unrecognized heroes. As per 2024 data, Manipur has achieved 30% voluntary blood donation, with a goal to reach 100%. Meanwhile, Dr Palin highlighted that Shija Blood Centre was the first in Manipur to introduce apheresis, with single donor platelets proving lifesaving during dengue outbreaks. At the event, blood donor organizers were felicitated with mementos and certificates. Dr Chetan Khundongbam described them as guardian angels, and the vote of thanks was proposed by Dr Hemabati Salam, Consultant, Transfusion Medicine. Chakkouba | IMPHAL, Oct 30 : Promoting peaceful coexistence among all communities, the Federation of Civil Society Orga- nisation (FOCS), Manipur hosted a Ningol Chakkouba feast for internally displaced people (IDPs) and women from hill and valley districts at Ima Khunthokhanbi Shanglen at DM College campus today. The event was attended by FOCS acting president BM Yaima Shah, Universal Mothers' Organisation (UMO) president M Sorojini Leima, Manipur Keithel Nupi Marup secretary L Memma, Lecturer of Presidency College Dr Khullakpam Sapna, former All Manipur Students' Union (AMSU) member Julia Shinglai, Kabui Mothers' Organisation president Puiruna Kabui, representative of IDPs Naorem Rojita Leima, retired Professor W Nabakumar and KTOV women wing secretary Huinu Serto Kom and Shangkhuring Maring as presidium members. Over 300 women from different communities who participated in the celebration were presented modest gifts by the organiser. Addressing the function, BM Yaima welcomed the Ningols and prayed for their wellbeing. FOCS has been extending whatever assistance they could to the IDPs and will continue to do so, he said. Urging the Government to take necessary steps to resettle the IDPs by considering the hardships they have endured, Yaima added that the Government has the responsibility to restore normalcy in the State. He also expressed hope that the Ningol Chakkouba festival would foster peace and peaceful coexistence among all communities in the State. The Hong Kong Monetary Authority (HKMA), with analytical support from Deloitte, has released its e-HKD Pilot Programme Phase 2 Report, offering a look into how central bank digital currencies (CBDCs) and other digital money forms could reshape the citys financial ecosystem. The report shows a pivotal transition from physical cash to digital money powered by distributed ledger technology (DLT) and outlines how Hong Kong is positioning itself as a global leader in digital finance, tokenisation, and next-generation payments infrastructure. Expanding the Digital Money Landscape According to the HKMA report, the digital money landscape is evolving into two main categories: public money and private money. Public money includes central bank digital currencies like the e-HKD, while private money encompasses tokenised deposits and regulated stablecoins. These innovations are building the foundation for tokenisation in Hong Kong, enabling faster, more transparent, and programmable transactions that connect traditional finance with the emerging Web3 ecosystem. The HKMA has been researching the e-HKD since 2017, conducting pilot studies and technical experiments to explore its potential in both wholesale and retail settings. With Phase 2, the focus broadened to include comparisons between the e-HKD and private forms of digital money, evaluating their usability, scalability, and commercial viability. Key Themes and Findings The Phase 2 pilots, conducted with 11 industry partners across the banking, payments, and technology sectors, explored three central themes: Settlement of Tokenised Assets: Pilots tested the use of a hypothetical e-HKD for atomic settlement of tokenised assets such as money market funds and bonds. Results showed that DLT-based settlement could shorten cycles from T+2 to T+0, improving liquidity and reducing counterparty risk. However, banks indicated that tokenised deposits might offer similar efficiency with fewer infrastructure changes. Programmability: The report examined the potential of programmable payments using smart contracts and purpose-bound money (PBM). Pilot use cases included green reward vouchers, escrow-based prepayments, and supply chain financing. While programmability enhances automation and transparency, the HKMA found that commercial adoption models remain limited, with no clear business case for large-scale rollout. Offline Payments; Offline e-HKD pilots explored Super SIM and NFC-based payments that operate without internet connectivity. Given Hong Kongs robust digital infrastructure and existing offline payment systems, the HKMA concluded that an offline e-HKD would likely add limited incremental benefit at present. Hong Kong has resisted the crypto treasury trend. Credit: Jimmy Chan via Pexels. Key Takeaways The Hong Kong Stock Exchange has pushed back against firms pivoting to digital asset treasury (DAT) strategies. HKEX rules prevent listed companies from hoarding assets they dont require for operational purposes. Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) Chairman Wong Tin-yau has flagged risks to investors. As the digital asset treasury (DAT) trend spreads across the globe, authorities in Hong Kong have hit the pause button, with the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (HKEX) pushing back against several bids to transform listed firms into Microstrategy-style crypto hoarders. In recent comments, Securities and Futures Commission (SFC) Chairman Wong Tin-yau highlighted concerns around the share price premium which means many DAT companies are valued higher than their underlying holdings warrant. HKEX Challenges Crypto Treasury Plans In recent months, the operator of Hong Kongs stock exchange has challenged the plans of at least five firms pursuing DAT strategies, sources cited by Bloomberg disclosed recently. While HKEX doesnt specifically restrict companies buying or owning crypto, pure-play crypto treasury strategies may run foul Rule 13.24, which states that businesses must have a sufficient level of operations to justify their listing. In a note on its interpretation of this rule in 2019, HKEX stated: An issuer that holds significant assets but does not carry out a sufficient level of operations is not compliant. The exchange operator acknowledged that the determination of sufficient is inherently qualitative. But at present, there is no guidance on the line between tactical treasury diversification and a full-throated DAT strategy. Technically, Michael Saylors Strategy still makes software and Metaplanet still operates at least one hotel. Yet these operations have been totally eclipsed by the firms Bitcoin purchases. Moreover, a new generation of DAT companies have been much more brazen in abandoning their original business premises. So far, Hong Kong firms like Boyaa International have been able to accumulate a fair amount of BTC without any issue. But for now, pure-play DAT strategies are off the table. Regulator Flags DAT Premium Concerns In comments reported by local media, Wong Tin-yau acknowledged that some listed companies were tempting to engage in DAT activities. However, he insisted that any such operations would require a greenlight from HKEX and the SFC. From an investor protection standpoint, Wong Tin-yau expressed skepticism about DATs significant premium. This premium is commonly expressed by the ratio of a companys market capitalization to the value of its holdings (mNAV). For example, Strategys mNAV currently sits around 1.33, indicating a 33% premium on the value of its Bitcoin. Hong Kong stocks erased earlier gains on Thursday as a high-stakes meeting between the Chinese and US state leaders stopped short of generating surprises and the Federal Reserve's hawkish tone tamped down hopes of an interest-rate cut in December. The Hang Seng Index fell 0.2 per cent to 26,282.69 at the close, reversing a gain of 0.9 per cent that at one point lifted the benchmark to a three-week high. The Hang Seng Tech Index dropped 0.7 per cent. Hong Kong's market was shut for a holiday on Wednesday. On the mainland, the CSI 300 Index slid 0.8 per cent and the Shanghai Composite Index lost 0.7 per cent. 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. Sunny Optical Technology Group, which makes camera modules for mobile phones, slumped 4.8 per cent to HK$76.95 and Budweiser Brewing sank by that much to HK$8. Biotech firm Wuxi AppTec retreated 3.7 per cent to HK$108.50 after a major shareholder revealed a plan to sell a stake on the Shanghai exchange. On the positive side, Meituan advanced 2.4 per cent to HK$102.40 on a plan to sell US$3 billion of dual-currency notes. A tariff truce had already been widely expected by the market, according to analysts. Photo: AFP alt=A tariff truce had already been widely expected by the market, according to analysts. Photo: AFP> Sell-offs kicked in when more details about the meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and his US counterpart Donald Trump emerged. After the sit-down that lasted about one hour and 40 minutes in Busan, South Korea, Trump said that China would delay a sweeping curb on rare earth exports and resume purchases of American soybeans. Meanwhile, China said the US would extend a pause on so-called reciprocal tariffs by an additional year and refrain from adding more Chinese companies to a blacklist. Most of the results from the meeting fell within a preliminary agreement reached by negotiators from the two nations earlier this week, which had been well expected and digested by the market. "We don't see a material reduction in long-term geopolitical risks," said Lorraine Tan, director of equity research at Morningstar. "We think the probability of further decoupling is more likely than not." She said the main relief was that US tariffs on China rising to 157 per cent was avoided. "However, the markets had already moved on from this expectation," Tan said. "This is one reason why we don't see a significant uptick in the broad market." Hong Kong's market regulator is conducting a comprehensive review of the listing regime to attract more innovative companies, while also closely monitoring how firms use digital assets as part of their treasury operations, according to the chairman of the Securities and Futures Commission (SFC). "These ongoing reviews will promote the market development of Hong Kong while at the same time ensure sufficient investor protection is in place," Kelvin Wong Tin-yau said in a media briefing on Tuesday. There was no timeline for when the review would be finished, he said. Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu in his policy address last month indicated that the SFC and bourse operator Hong Kong Exchanges and Clearing would carry out a comprehensive review to enhance the city's initial public offering (IPO) market, which reclaimed the top global ranking this year. Do you have questions about the biggest topics and trends from around the world? Get the answers with SCMP Knowledge, our new platform of curated content with explainers, FAQs, analyses and infographics brought to you by our award-winning team. Wong said the review had yet to be concluded, but the direction had been set to make sure it would allow more diverse enterprise listings under a framework introduced in 2018, which allowed pre-revenue biotechnology firms and companies with multiple voting rights to list. The market regulator is closely monitoring the issue of digital asset treasury, which refers to how listed companies use digital assets, such as cryptocurrency, to manage excess cash. Photo: Nathan Tsui alt=The market regulator is closely monitoring the issue of digital asset treasury, which refers to how listed companies use digital assets, such as cryptocurrency, to manage excess cash. Photo: Nathan Tsui> "The regulatory principle here is to ensure the overall market quality of Hong Kong," Wong said. "The reform will focus on whether it can allow more companies to list under the regime while at the same time ensuring fair treatment to investors." Currently, only innovative technology companies with a minimum valuation of HK$40 billion (US$5.14 billion) are qualified to list under a weighted voting rights regime, which grants certain shareholders higher voting rights than others. Wong said the HK$40 billion threshold could potentially be lowered to allow smaller but high-potential companies to qualify. However, he expressed great concern about changing the current rule that limits voting rights so that one class of shareholders cannot hold more than 10 times the voting power of others. Many start-up founders and senior executives want greater voting rights to secure control over their companies. By Giulio Piovaccari and Gilles Guillaume MILAN (Reuters) -Automaker Stellantis warned about upcoming charges on Thursday related to changes in regulation, its strategy and product plans, stirring investor concerns about its outlook and knocking the Jeep maker's shares down by as much as 6.5%. The Franco-Italian company reported a 13% rise in third-quarter revenue, its first top-line growth after seven quarters, and reiterated its forecasts for higher revenue, improving cash flow and low-single digit margins in the second half. But it said it expected to book one-off charges in the second half from changes to its strategic and product plans, including a pivot back to hybrids after an earlier push into electrification, and warranty extensions for flawed products including some engines. VAGUE GUIDANCE KNOCKS SHARES "We are also taking decisive actions to align Stellantis' resources, programs and plans to support long-term, profitable growth, including our recently announced $13 billion investment in the U.S.," new CEO Antonio Filosa said in a statement. Jefferies analysts flagged the upcoming charges as a concern, calling the guidance "vague". Citi analysts cautioned in a note that the size and impact on free cash flows remains unclear. Milan-listed shares in the company were down 5% by 1010 GMT, among the biggest fallers on the pan-European STOXX 600. A spokesperson for the company told Reuters such extra charges were already factored into its second-half guidance, which the statement said also assumes no disruptions or shortages in current supply chains. The global industry is grappling with a deepening semiconductor supply crunch stemming from U.S.-China trade war-related issues at Dutch firm Nexperia. Trump said on Thursday he had agreed with President Xi Jinping to trim tariffs on China in exchange for Beijing cracking down on the illicit fentanyl trade, resuming U.S. soybean purchases and keeping rare earths exports flowing. SALES BACK ON THE RISE Filosa, appointed CEO in June, is steering a turnaround in the U.S., where the world's fourth-largest automaker has faced declining sales and bloated inventories issues that contributed to the departure of former chief Carlos Tavares. Earlier this month, the company pledged $13 billion to ramp up U.S. production and offset tariffs imposed by Trump. Stellantis on Thursday also estimated a 1 billion euro ($1.2 billion) impact from current U.S. trade policies in 2025, at the lower end of its previous forecast. He has also announced other bold moves, including booking billions of euros of pre-tax charges in the first half, bringing back popular models such as Jeep Cherokee SUV, and refocusing towards hybrid and petrol vehicles after a previous hard push towards electrification. A new report has revealed that Air India has sought a Rs 10,000 crore ($1.14 billion) lifeline from its owners Tata Sons and Singapore Airlines (SIA), amid an ongoing crisis from which it struggles to escape. This comes nearly five months after the devastating Air India crash of June 12 that killed 260 people241 passengers and 19 people in the vicinity of the crash site. Whats did Air India say about FIP writing to Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu highlighting electrical and automation malfunctions in the Boeing Dreamliner fleet? https://t.co/tPGuoU4OLY THE WEEK (@TheWeekLive) October 11, 2025 A slew of technical snags also affected the airline's flights in the months that followed, making it difficult for the airline to regain its reputation and modernise its fleet. The airline seeks funds to overhaul its systems and services as well as to develop in-house engineering and maintenance departments, a Reuters article said, citing a Bloomberg report with inputs from people in the know. Tata Sons, which bought Air India in 2022, currently has a 74.9 per cent stake in the airline, with Singapore Airlines holding the rest. However, the Bloomberg report added that any financial support would be proportional to ownership, with the owners deciding whether the funding would be via an interest-free loan or via equity. #AirIndia has gone viral for a bizarre reason this time: a cabin-care note about taking care of a cockroach problem. #trendingnews #viralnews https://t.co/q1m8tns1Bf THE WEEK (@TheWeekLive) October 26, 2025 At an aviation event in Delhi, Air India Managing Director and CEO Campbell Wilson on Wednesday pointed out that the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureaus (AAIB) interim report on the AI-171 crash indicated there was "nothing wrong with the aircraft, engines, or practices that required changing". The AAIB report of July 12 had revealed that fuel supply to both engines was cut off shortly after take-off. Though the switches were turned back on seconds later, the damage was done, and the AI-171, failing to attain enough thrust, crashed into a medical college hostel soon after. However, Wilson also said on Tuesday that India-Pakistan airspace bans on each other after the Pahalgam attack had led to major losses for Air India, which has since had to use alternative routes around Pakistan. This has led to increased fuel consumption, that, in turn, led to a loss of Rs 4,000 crore for India, he said. Air India's attempts to modernise its fleet have also been marred by issues like delayed jet deliveries due to geopolitical tensions. "This year will be quite challenging from a business perspective," Wilson added. India is planning to enhance its long-range strike capability and aerial firepower by procuring a significant number of beyond-visual-range air-to-air (BVRAAM) Meteor missiles for its Rafale fighter aircraft fleet. Rafale is currently the only fighter jet in the Indian Air Force (IAF) fleet capable of firing this missile, manufactured by a consortium of European partners, including the UK, Germany, Italy, France, Sweden and Spain, known as MBDA. The IAF acquired Meteor missiles as part of the first batch of 36 Rafale fighter jets procured from France in 2016. These missiles, which have the largest no-escape zone of any air-to-air missile system and are equipped with impact and proximity fuses and a fragmentation warhead, will also be integrated into the naval Rafales, which will arrive in India soon. ALSO READ: What Indian military can learn from Ukraine's optimisation of drone warfare According to news agency ANI, a proposal regarding this, worth Rs 1,500 crore, is in the advanced stage in the defence ministry and is expected to be approved by a high-level meeting sometime soon. While it was not explicitly confirmed that the Indian security forces used Meteor missiles during Operation Sindoor, India did employ long-range standoff weapons to strike Pakistani military and terrorist targets. It is possible that Meteor missile's advanced capabilities compared to medium- or long-range missiles (MRAAMs) may have influenced India's broader air combat strategy post-Operation Sindoor, and thus the decision to procure more of them. The all-weather capability of the missile to engage a wide variety of targets strengthens India's air-dominance and deterrence posture, as it has been designed to meet the most stringent of requirements of the forces in the most severe environment. The missile will become particularly lethal in changing dynamics of warfare where UAVs are increasingly becoming rampant, as guided by an advanced active radar seeker, the Meteor missile can engage a wide variety of targets from fighter jets to small drones and cruise missiles. "Defence will remain a major pillar of our bilateral relations. Our partnership is critical for ensuring a free, open and rules-based Indo-Pacific region," said India's Defence Minister Rajnath Singh after signing a 10-year defence framework agreement with US Secretary of War Peter Hegseth. Had a fruitful meeting with my US counterpart @SecWar Peter Hegseth in Kuala Lumpur. We signed the 10 years Framework for the US-India Major Defence Partnership. This will usher in a new era in our already strong defence partnership. This Defence Framework will provide policy pic.twitter.com/IEP6Udg9Iw Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) October 31, 2025 The pact was sealed at a meeting in Kuala Lumpur amid efforts by the two sides to repair ties that came under severe strain following Washington's slapping of 50 per cent tariffs on Indian goods. The duo are in Malaysia to attend a meeting of a grouping of nations comprising ASEAN member states and some of its dialogue partners. "We signed the 10-year 'Framework for the US-India Major Defence Partnership'. This will usher in a new era in our already strong defence partnership... It is a signal of our growing strategic convergence and will herald a new decade of partnership," Singh said after talks with Hegseth. "It is a signal of our growing strategic convergence and will herald a new decade of partnership... the framework will provide policy direction to the entire spectrum of the India-US Defence Relationship," news agency ANI quoted the 'Raksha Mantri' as adding. Meanwhile, Hegseth said that India-US ties were salient for the region's stability. "This advances our defence partnership, a cornerstone for regional stability and deterrence. We're enhancing our coordination, info sharing, and tech cooperation. Our defence ties have never been stronger," he said on X while sharing images alongside Singh. I just met with @rajnathsingh to sign a 10-year U.S.-India Defense Framework. This advances our defense partnership, a cornerstone for regional stability and deterrence. We're enhancing our coordination, info sharing, and tech cooperation. Our defense ties have never been pic.twitter.com/hPmkZdMDv2 Secretary of War Pete Hegseth (@SecWar) October 31, 2025 As Washington looks to tackle China's growing assertiveness in the region, Hegseth is expected to meet the defence ministers of Indonesia, the Philippines and Thailand, among others. The recent case in Mumbai, where a man kept 19 people hostage, is being discussed for its eerie similarities to the plot of the 2022 Hindi film A Thursday. On Thursday this week, Rohit Arya, 50, a man who ran campaigns for schools and made ads, held 17 children and 2 adults hostage at an audition theatre and threatened to harm them unless his demands were met by the government. He had shot a video where he stated the reason for the kidnapping of the children. Arya was shot and killed after he held the hostages for about 3 and a half hours. All of the hostages were rescued safely by the police. Netizens and the Mumbai police soon realised that the case reminded them of the movie, which starred Yami Gautam. In the film, a play school teacher takes 16 children and 2 adults hostage and makes demands to the police on a Thursday. The woman had made the extreme move as she did not receive justice for something she went through from the government. She calls the police and tells them she took the children hostage. The character was also revealed to have depression and mental health issues. Like in the film Arya, who was also found to have had mental health issues and had chosen to hold the children hostage due to his frustration with the government, specifically the education department, and their treatment of him. The similarities between the real-life case and the film stop there. Unlike the real-life case, the character in the film shoots one of the kindergarteners on live television. Arya was shot and killed in the rescue operation, but the character in the film survives and becomes a teacher to female inmates in prison. The Mumbai man had invited the children who were between the ages of 10 to 12 under the pretext of an audition for a web series. He was armed with an airgun. He had also installed sensors on the studio's windows to detect anyone who may launch a rescue. In the video, he said that his demands were "simple and moral and ethical" and said, "I am not a terrorist and do not have any monetary demands, and my demands are not immoral at all". Shiv Sena leader Deepak Kesarkar said that he had given Arya some money personally after he had complained that the education department was withholding money owed to him after he carried out the the cleanliness awareness programme Swachhata Monitor. Arya said that the department used his short films and documentaries highlighting the significance of cleanliness, but did not give him credit, the Hindustan Times reported. The Maharashtra government has denied Aryas claims against them. They said that Arya couldn't back his claim for his dues with relevant documents. They also said that his budget for the Swachhata Monitor 2024-25 was vague and did not have proper documentation. CLAIM: Wearing tight hairstyles like ponytails, braids, or buns can cause hair loss, a condition known as traction alopecia, by putting constant pressure on the hair follicles, especially around the hairline. FACT: True. Tight hairstyles like ponytails, braids, and buns can cause traction alopecia, a type of hair loss from constant tension on the hair follicles. Experts recommend rotating hairstyles, using fabric scrunchies, and giving your hair regular breaks to prevent damage. Many of us love those sleek hairstylestight ponytails to neatly braided buns. But ever thought that your favourite hairstyle might actually be causing your hair to fall? In a viral Instagram reel, Dr Manan Vora, an orthopaedic surgeon, warns that certain hairstyles can lead to a condition called traction alopecia, a type of hair loss caused by constant pulling and tension on the hair roots. In the reel, he says, Yes, ponytails can cause hair loss, and it's called traction alopecia. When you constantly pull your hair into tight ponytails, braids, or buns, you put pressure on your hair follicles, especially around the hairline. Over time, this tension damages the roots, and your hairline starts to recede. Dr Vora further explains what can be done to prevent this. Rotate your hairstyle. Dont tie it the same way every day. Use fabric scrunchies instead of rubber bands. Avoid tying wet hair, as its more fragile. Give your hair breaks. Go tie-free at home. Hair loss is not always hormonal or genetic. Sometimes, its simply because of your hairstyle, he said. The reel has gone viral, sparking awareness about how simple styling habits could be silently damaging your hair. First, what is traction alopecia? Traction alopecia (TA) is essentially a kind of hair loss that happens due to repeated pullingtraction or tensionon the hair. "The main risk factors for TA are associated with hair care practices and not hair types. The applied trauma is often unintentional and usually secondary to cultural, social, religious, and occupational practices given known associations with grooming accessories and particular hairstyles," according to studies. A sleek ponytail, tightly braided updo, cornrows, or even head coverings can help you express your style and feel confident. However, these styles constantly pull on the hair and can damage its health over time. "High-risk hairstyling practices include tight buns, ponytails, pigtails, chignons, braids, cornrows, and dreadlocks; application of weaves, braids, or hair extensions to relaxed hair; and any hairstyles that cause pain, crusting, tenting, or folliculitis," according to the 2021 study. The condition was first identified in Greenland in the early 1900s when doctors observed hairline hair loss in women wearing tight ponytails. While there is some dearth of data on how many people are actually affected by the condition, it seems to be very prevalent in people of African and Sub-Saharan descent. Those in professions that require slicked back hair, like military personnel, athletes, ballet dancers etc, may also be at risk. However, with the popularity of hairstyles which involve tightly pulled back hair, it is of concern for many people. Which hairstyles can lead to traction alopecia? Traction alopecia can occur from a variety of tight hairstyles. Cornrows, locs, tightly braided hair, buns, ponytails, and updos that are pulled too tightly all place constant tension on the hair follicles. Hair extensions or weaves, especially on relaxed hair, can also contribute, as can hairstyles that require rollers worn overnight. Even the friction from hats, headscarves, or other coverings can lead to traction alopecia if the hair is pulled back tightly beneath them. People of African descent may be particularly vulnerable because of the shape of their hair follicles, which makes the hair more susceptible to damage from tight or rough styling. Research has confirmed the link between tight hairstyles and traction alopecia. A 2011 study by Wright et al. examined 201 caregivers of African girls aged 115 years and found that within the past year, 81 per cent of the girls wore ponytails, 67 pc wore braids, and 49 pc wore cornrows. The study highlighted a significant risk of hair thinning along the hairline in girls who wore cornrows, with the risk being even higher when chemical relaxers were also used. Additional traction from accessories like beads or barrettes further increased the likelihood of hair damage. Another study focused on Hispanic women reported that long-term use of tight ponytails over many years increased the risk of traction alopecia. The hair loss was most prominent along the frontal and temporal scalp, though less frequently, thinning was also observed on the vertex and occipital regions. Women with long, thick hair were particularly susceptible, illustrating how prolonged tension from certain hairstyles can have lasting effects on hair health. Can traction alopecia be reversed? According to the American Academy of Dermatology Association, the best way to halt hair loss is to consult a board-certified dermatologist at the first signs of symptoms. Some hair loss from traction alopecia can become permanent if left untreated. Dermatologists can diagnose the type of hair loss and recommend low-risk styling alternatives while also prescribing treatments to regrow lost hair if necessary. Medications such as corticosteroids, antibiotics, or minoxidil may be used, and in severe cases, hair restoration procedures can help restore natural hairlines and fill in bald or thinning areas. How can hair loss from hairstyles be prevented? Dr Rashmi Sarkar, Director-Professor at the Department of Dermatology, Lady Hardinge Medical College and Hospital, New Delhi, confirmed that tight hairstyles can indeed damage hair over time. She explained that if you repeatedly wear hairstyles that pull on the hair, like very tight ponytails, multiple braids, or buns that bunch the hair up, it creates traction or stress on the hair shaft. This can lead to fragility, breakages, and overall hair damage. On ways to prevent hair loss from traction, Dr Sarkar emphasised the importance of giving hair breaks and avoiding constant tension. She recommended, From time to time, you need to let your hair loose. Hairstyles shouldnt always be tight. In between, either tie your hair loosely, change your hairstyle, or let it stay free, especially at home. Tight hairstyles should not be a routine; they should be used occasionally, after breaks, so your hair is not constantly subjected to stress and traction. Rotation is key. This story is done in collaboration with First Check, which is the health journalism vertical of DataLEADS. Mali has cancelled more than 90 mining exploration permits, including those belonging to subsidiaries of international mining companies, due to alleged non-compliance with new legal requirements. The companies impacted include local subsidiaries of Harmony Gold, Iamgold, Cora Gold, Birimian Gold and Resolute Mining, reported Reuters. The decree, signed by Malis Mines Minister, Amadou Keita, on 13 October and reassessed on 29 October, states that all rights granted by the permits are "released", marking the areas available for reallocation. While the decree does not provide specific reasons for the revocations, it notes that the permits were granted between 2015 and 2022 for exploration of gold, iron ore, bauxite, uranium, rare earths and various other minerals. The Mines Ministry stated: Permit holders were asked to submit required documents under new mining rules, but after verification, authorities found widespread non-compliance. As a result, the government has cancelled the permits in line with mining legislation. The ministry did not specify whether companies have the option to appeal or resubmit applications concerning the permit cancellation. This action aligns with recent trends in Guinea and other African countries, which have reformed their mining industries by revoking dormant or non-compliant permits and implementing stricter regulations to enhance earnings from natural resources. Cora Gold informed the news agency that it had relinquished the affected permits more than two years ago and had not been formally given any notice. The company further said the postponed cancellation did not affect its operations. Harmony Gold, Iamgold, Birimian Gold and Resolute did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Mali, one of the leading gold producers in Africa, has recently experienced regulatory crackdowns and security issues that have hindered foreign investment. As a result, industrial gold production there is expected to fall short of its 2025 target due to disruptions at Barrick's Loulo-Gounkoto mine, the largest gold asset in the country. The military-led government recently bolstered its relationship with Russia by entering into energy and mining agreements. This move builds on previous Russian-backed initiatives in Mali's mining industry, including joint ventures in gold, uranium and lithium. "Mali annuls 90-plus mining exploration permits amid legal changes " was originally created and published by Mining Technology, a GlobalData owned brand. In a horrific development in Bengaluru's Uttarahalli, the police confirmed that a 34-year-old woman, who they initially thought had died by suicide, was murdered by her own minor daughter. The victim's minor nephew was also part of the sinister plot, the investigation revealed. The victim, Netravathi, was reportedly a resident of Uttarahalli's Circle Maramma Temple Road. She was a helper at a loan recovery company and was separated from her husband. The trouble began when Netravathi found out her 17-year-old daughter was in a relationship with a same-age boy who was a Class 9 drop-out. All hell broke loose when the mother learnt that the boy often visited the Class 10 girl at their house, news reports said. The boy was a friend of Netravathi's sister Anitha's son who is reportedly younger than him by a few years. It is through him that the two teenagers met and started dating. However, the couple were not happy with the way Netravathi handled the situation barring them from meeting again. The girl met with her boyfriend and friends at a mall on October 24, Friday, and asked them to meet her at her house the following night. Planned crime As decided, the four boys reached Netravathi's home at night. The girl had told them that her mother drinks liquor and goes to bed early, Aaj Tak said in a report. When Netravathi saw the boys, she reportedly got furious and threatened to call the police. She grabbed the boy's mobile phone, and he reacted by choking her. The group reportedly strangled her to death using a towel in the girl's presence. According to news reports, they then hung her body using a saree in her bedroom to make it look like a suicide. They left the crime scene after locking the door from outside. Netravathi's partner for five years showed up at the house the next day but thought the mother-daughter duo was out of town as the doors remained locked. On Monday, Anitha contacted the man enquiring about her sister and was surprised to know that her residence was locked. She went to the house, peeked through the ventilation, and saw her sister's body hanging in the room, the report added. Truth revealed When the police got involved, Anitha noticed fear gripping her son, who soon spilled the beans. The victim's daughter had reached her grandparents only on October 29, Wednesday, the police found out. The fact that she was missing for so many days helped the police to connect the dots, and it was only a matter of time before the entire picture became evident. The girl told the cops that she was not part of the murder and her boyfriend and his pals threatened her with a knife against opening up to anyone. She confessed that the four friends took her to another girl's house where she lived till leaving for her grandparents, the report added. The police told the press that a case of murder has been registered based on a complaint filed by Anitha and all four juveniles except her son have been arrested. The Supreme Court on Friday resumed hearing the bail petitions filed by student activists Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam, Meeran Haider, Gulfisha Fatima, and Shifa-ur-Rehman, all charged under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) in connection with the 2020 Delhi riots conspiracy case. A bench comprising Justices Aravind Kumar and N.V. Anjaria heard detailed submissions from senior advocates Kapil Sibal, A.M. Singhvi, and Siddharth Dave, appearing for the petitioners, and Additional Solicitor-General S.V. Raju for the Delhi Police. Sibal: 751 FIRs, I am named in one Opening his submissions for Umar Khalid, Kapil Sibal said the Delhi Polices narrative of a larger conspiracy collapses when tested against the facts. There are 751 FIRs lodged in connection with the February 2020 riots and I am charged in only one. If its a conspiracy, its a bit surprising that I alone am responsible for the riots. He argued that Khalid was not present in Delhi when the violence erupted and that no recovery of weapons, funds, acid, or any incriminating material was ever made from him or at his instance. If I am not there, how can I be connected? he asked the bench. Sibal stressed that no witness has linked Khalid to any act of violence, noting, Not a single witness has given any statement that connects the petitioner to any actual incident of violence that ensued in northeast Delhi. He also pointed out that while Khalid faced one additional FIR registered by the Khajuri Khas Police Station, he had been granted bail and later discharged in that case in 2022. Referring to his clients Amravati speech of February 2020 that described by the Delhi High Court as inflammatory, Sibal countered, A bare perusal of the speech invokes Gandhian principles of non-violence and references to the Constitution of India. It is available on YouTube. There is nothing about instigating violence. Sibal reminded the bench that prolonged incarceration now over five years itself constitutes a ground for bail under settled law. The seriousness of the offence cannot be a factor when bail is sought on the ground of prolonged incarceration, he said, citing several Supreme Court precedents. He further submitted that Khalid was entitled to bail on grounds of parity, given that his co-accusedNatasha Narwal, Devangana Kalita, and Asif Iqbal Tanha were granted bail by the Delhi High Court in 2021. Those who were in Delhi during the riots are out on bail. My client, who wasnt even present, remains in custody, Sibal said. Singhvi: Justice must balance liberty Appearing for Gulfisha Fatima, senior advocate A.M. Singhvi highlighted that she was the only woman still in custody in the case and had spent over five-and-a-half years in jail since April 2020. I am not a hardened offender, Singhvi said, urging the court to balance the fundamental right to personal liberty with the interests of justice. He pointed out that Fatimas bail plea had been listed over 90 times since 2020 without resolution and argued that she too was entitled to bail on parity with other co-accused. Singhvi contended that while the prosecution had filed its main chargesheet in September 2020, it had made it an annual ritual to file a supplementary chargesheet every year, prolonging the process indefinitely. Singhvi told the court that merely creating a WhatsApp group or coordinating protests cannot constitute an offence unless intent to incite violence is proven. The only claim is that she helped set up a protest site. There is no evidence, documentary or oral of any violent preparation, he said. Dave: Three years lost to investigation Senior advocate Siddharth Dave, appearing for Sharjeel Imam, underlined the delay in completing the investigation, saying, Out of the five years I have spent in custody, three went by because the probe was still ongoing. He pointed out that the speeches relied on by the prosecution were delivered nearly two months before the riots, arguing that there is no proximate link suggesting that he could have incited the violence. Daves argument aligns with a broader concern about prolonged pre-trial detention under UAPA, where stringent bail conditions often result in incarceration stretching over years, even when trials are yet to commence. Prosecution Cites Larger Conspiracy The Delhi police, represented by ASG Raju, opposed the bail pleas, maintaining that the accused were part of a larger conspiracy aimed at orchestrating the riots through anti-CAA protests. The seriousness of the offences and the coordinated nature of activities justify continued detention, Raju submitted. The police argue that the riots were not spontaneous but a meticulously planned conspiracy executed through protest networks and communication channels. After hearing submissions from both sides, the bench slated the hearing on Monday, November 3. The next hearing will continue to focus on whether prolonged incarceration spanning over five years without trial violates the constitutional guarantee of personal liberty under Article 21. Leaders of all political parties, including Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, opposition leader Edappadi K. Palaniswami, and Vice President C.P. Radhakrishnan, went to Pasumpon, a small town near Ramanathapuram, to pay homage to Muthuramalinga Thevar, considered an icon of the Thevar community. The Thevars, known as the Mukkulathors, are a numerically dominant and politically vibrant community in south Tamil Nadu. Muthuramalinga Thevar, an iconic figure of the Thevar community, is considered a demigod by the community. The youth in south Tamil Nadu from the Thevar community follow and celebrate Muthuramalinga Thevar, a polarising figure in Tamil Nadu. A freedom fighter, Thevar was initially part of the Congress and later floated his own outfit called the All India Forward Bloc. He also worked under Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose. On September 10, 1957, he objected to the presence of dalit leader Immanuel Sekaran at a peace committee meeting called by the then Ramanathapuram District Collector C.V.R. Panikkar. It turned into a caste clash. The next day, Immanuel Sekaran was found murdered in his hometown, Paramakudi, near Sivaganga. Today, the Thevars and the dalits in the Ramanathapuram and Sivaganga regions have a chequered history. While Sekaran is looked at as an iconic figure among the dalits in the region, Thevar is celebrated by the community. October 30, being his birth and death anniversary every year, sees political parties in Tamil Nadu flocking to his memorial at his hometown, Pasumpon. With just six months for the election, this year, all the political party leaders, including Vijays fledgling TVK, went to Pasumpon to pay homage to Muthuramalinga Thevar. The Thevar community, which includes three sub-castes Kallar, Maravar, and Agamudaiyar is spread across the southern part of Tamil Nadu, from Dindigul to Thoothukudi, and is electorally viable. Though Thevars, or the Mukkulathors (an umbrella term for the three sub-castes), are only 6 to 8 per cent of the total electorate in Tamil Nadu, the community is politically agile and present across parties. The Thevars gained political and administrative strength during the AIADMK regime, first under M.G. Ramachandran and then under J. Jayalalithaa. Known for their political acumen and adaptability to work under any leadership, Thevars play key roles in both the Dravidian parties and also in the state administration. They have a cross-district dominance and a substantial effect in terms of swaying elections. This makes them salient, says K.R. Vignesh Karthik, an academic and a Dravidian researcher. In Tamil Nadu, there are only four caste groups that are numerically dominant and geographically spread across districts: Vanniyars, Thevars, Gounders and Nadars. While the Gounders, Vanniyars, and Nadars merged in the early '50s and '60s around community empowerment and caste associations, which were put together by a powerful personality in the community, the Thevars did not have a caste association or a powerful leader then. Only 20 years after the death of Muthuramalinga Thevar did his community begin celebrating him. He was a leader only posthumously. Rallying around him goes back to the politics of south Tamil Nadu, which has Nadars, Devendra Kula Vellalars and the Thevars. They are not fraternal groups but ethnic, caste-based groups that operate more like interest groups. After his death, he acquired a stature only because there was a need for a mobiliser in the community. This strategically happened during the MGR regime. Muthuramalinga Thevar was brought into the textbooks during the MGR regime. It was MGR who made him an iconic figure. Incidentally, his first MLA was Maya Thevar, who hailed from the community. During C.N. Annadurais period, not even one person from the community was part of the cabinet. But under MGR, who followed Annadurai, four to five MLAs were accommodated in his cabinet, while Jayalalithaa increased it to eight, and now in Stalins cabinet, there are five from the community. Gujarat's Surat is witnessing an unexpected and sudden change in the weather on Friday, with heavy rains being reported since early morning in Bardoli and the surrounding areas. According to local news reports, the heavy downpour has caused widespread crop damage in the region. Major damage to sugarcane and paddy crops was reported in Surat, as it is harvest season in Gujarat. Farmers across villages of Bardoli, Baben, Afwa, and Isroli are likely to experience crop loss due to the showers, a Gujarati media report said. The downpour has brought the sugarcane harvest in Surat to a complete halt, Sandesh said in a report. Many fields have submerged, making it impossible to continue the harvest. The situation is no different for paddy farmers, who also now worry about financial losses. Initially, residents of Surat welcomed the unexpected arrival of rain clouds, as they brought relief from the intense heat that had persisted over the past several days. However, things changed soon when the farmers realised they would not be able to resume harvest activities in their waterlogged fields and may even lose their crops to it. Particularly hit are the sugarcane and rice that were reaped and left to dry in recent days. The showers could spoil them or deteriorate their quality, the ryots fear. For 4 months, farmers nurtured their groundnut crops with sweat and hope and in just 2 days of unseasonal rain, its all gone. Requesting the Gujarat Government to announce a relief package soon. @jitu_vaghani@CMOGuj @DdoGirsomnath @gs_girsomnath @CMOGuj @collectorgirsom pic.twitter.com/S4CBadB9z8 Bhargav Padhiyar (@BhargavPadhiy14) October 28, 2025 Farmers in the region have urged the state government to immediately conduct a survey of the crop losses caused by the rain and to provide appropriate compensation, the Sandesh report said. Losses could amount to lakhs of rupees for many of them who may find it difficult to prepare for the next farming season without financial assistance, it added. This unseasonal rain has seriously affected the main agricultural crops of Surat district. In particular, sugarcane harvesting, which is currently underway, has come to a complete halt due to the rainfall. The fields have become waterlogged, making it impossible to continue the harvest. Additionally, farmers who have grown paddy (rice) are also facing severe difficulties. For crops that were ready for harvest or had already been harvested and left to dry, the rain has raised fears of damage and deterioration in quality. Farmers worry that the spoiled crops could cause them heavy financial losses. Gujarat rains to resume for two more days According to the weather department's (IMD) forecast, Gujarat can expect rain until November 3, Monday. A yellow alert for heavy rain has been issued in four districts of the Saurashtra region, ABP said in a report. Cloudy weather was observed in the upper parts of Gujarat since this morning, and Junagadh, Amreli, Gir Somnath, Bhavnagar, Bharuch, Tapi, and Navsari have also been placed under yellow alert, the report added. In Aligarh of Uttar Pradesh, the police arrested four men, identified as Jishant Kumar, Abhishek Sarswa, Akash Kumar and Dilip Kumar, for writing I love Muhammad in a bid to implicate their Muslim neighbours with whom they had a family dispute. They wrote this on the walls of temples a few weeks after a controversy erupted during the Barawafat (Eid-e-Milad-un-Nabi) procession in Kanpur when a banner that read I love Muhammad was displayed. Soon, posters appeared in various parts of the state, and there was also a counter-attempt by members of the majority community to display similar posters. The incident sparked protests and demonstrations across multiple states, including Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Telangana, and Maharashtra, leading to clashes with police and arrests. A fifth accused, identified as Rahul, is absconding. According to a Times of India report, the accused wrote I love Muhammad on the walls of four temples on October 25, following which a complaint was registered against a few Muslim youths. Investigators realised that something was off when they saw that there was a spelling mistake, following which they began looking into CCTV recordings and call recordings and tracked down the suspects. There was two separate family disputes that led to the accused trying to frame the Muslim youth. "The investigation revealed that the accused conspired to write the graffiti to falsely implicate eight individuals with whom they were locked in land disputes. They wanted to portray their rivals as responsible for inciting communal tension," Aligarh Senior Superintendent of Police Neeraj Kumar has been quoted as saying. "In the first case, Rahul had a long-standing property dispute with Gul Mohammad's family, which had also led to a clash last year. The second dispute was between Mustaqeem's family and that of Nishant Kumar," the SSP said, reported PTI. Police have booked the accused under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and under Section 7 of the Criminal Law Amendment (CLA) Act. When Justice Surya Kant takes the oath as the 53rd Chief Justice of India on November 24, 2025, it will mark a journey that began in the modest lanes of Haryanas Hisar and culminates at the highest seat of Indias judiciary. Known for his rights-oriented yet institutionally balanced approach, Justice Kants elevation comes at a time when the Supreme Court stands at a crossroads, tasked with defending constitutional freedoms while restoring institutional trust. A former advocate who rose through the ranks of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, Justice Kant has long been recognised for combining empathy with pragmatism. Born on February 10, 1962, in Hisar district, Haryana, he graduated from Government College, Hisar, and earned his law degree from Maharshi Dayanand University, Rohtak. He began his practice at the Punjab and Haryana High Court in 1984. His appointment as Advocate General of Haryana in 2000 was followed by his elevation as a judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court in 2004. Over the next two decades, Justice Kants judicial record reflected both compassion for citizens rights and respect for systemic stability. His judgmentswhether on sedition, environmental accountability, or electoral transparencyconsistently showcased a careful balance between liberty and order. A reform-minded judge Justice Kants tenure in the Supreme Court has been marked by a series of influential rulings. Perhaps most notably, he was part of the historic bench that put the colonial-era sedition law (Section 124A of the Indian Penal Code) on hold in 2022, observing that its continued enforcement had a chilling effect on free speech. He has also shown deep concern for transparency in governance and electoral processes. In cases concerning the right to information, electoral funding, and clean elections, Justice Kant has leaned towards greater disclosure and accountability, without crossing into the domain of policymaking. At the same time, Justice Kant has resisted the populist urge for judicial overreach. Leadership expectations: Reform and access to justice Justice Kant will have a tenure of around 14 months, until February 10, 2027. Though relatively short, it comes at a critical juncture. The Supreme Court, under his stewardship, is expected to focus on two broad themes improving access to justice and strengthening institutional integrity. He inherits a docket overflowing with constitutional and social justice issuesfrom the continuing challenges of judicial vacancies and pendency to matters of electoral reforms and personal liberty. As chairperson of the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA), Justice Kant has been a strong advocate for making the justice delivery system more inclusive. Under his guidance, NALSA expanded legal aid outreach programmes and experimented with technology-driven grievance redressal mechanisms. Balancing rights and responsibility Colleagues and lawyers often describe Justice Kant as courteous yet firm, combining the moral clarity of a rights judge with the administrative acumen of an institution-builder. His courtroom manner is notably calm, allowing extensive arguments while keeping proceedings focused. Unlike some of his contemporaries, he rarely raises his voice, preferring persuasion to reprimand. This temperament could prove crucial in steering a collegium system that has been under scrutiny for the lack of transparency. Justice Kant is expected to take forward the ongoing conversation on institutional reforms, especially regarding judicial appointments, diversity in the bench, and greater accountability in the administration of justice. Legacy in the making If his previous record is any indication, Justice Surya Kants CJI tenure is likely to emphasise humility in power and humanity in law. His rise from Haryanas hinterland to the Supreme Courts highest chair embodies not only personal perseverance but also the democratic promise that talent and integrity can still chart a path to the top. In the coming year, as he presides over some of the most consequential constitutional questions of our time, the new Chief Justice will be judged not merely by his rulings but by his ability to restore faith in the judiciary as the ultimate guardian of rights and justice. Maharashtra Congress president Harshvardhan Sapkal has alleged that the police are keeping him under surveillance. Sapkal resides at the Sarvodaya Ashram in Nana Chowk, Mumbai, where the police have been continuously monitoring his movements. This morning, a policeman in plainclothes directly entered his bedroom to conduct surveillance and questioning. This has happened for the third time. On whose orders are we being watched? Sapkal asked. Speaking to reporters at Tilak Bhavan, Sapkal said, In the morning, a policeman entered my bedroom and began inspecting and questioning me asking if I was going to hold a press conference and whether journalists had arrived. When I asked why he entered my room and on whose orders, he said it was under senior officers instructions and asked me to talk to them on the phone. He alleged that opposition leaders are being spied upon in this manner. Are these actions being carried out on the orders of Home Minister Devendra Fadnavis? Sapkal questioned, adding, This is part of the Bharatiya Janata Partys tendency to monitor its opponents first Pegasus, then phone tapping, and now theyve reached our bedrooms. But we will not bow down to such intimidation. Sapkal said that the police conducted an encounter killing a man named Rohit Arya, who had taken children hostage. While rescuing the children was important, the manner in which the entire incident was handled raises serious questions, Sapkal said. When an NSG team was already present, why did the police shoot him dead? The man was reportedly mentally unstable, yet he had earlier worked on government initiatives such as Sundar Mazi Shala (My Beautiful School) and had shared platforms with then Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and School Education Minister Deepak Kesarkar. This incident needs a thorough inquiry, Sapkal demanded. Fadnavis, alleged Sapkal, is the "Godfather of Criminals". Dr Sampada Munde was forced to commit suicide due to pressure this was not suicide but murder. BJPs former MP Ranjitsingh Naik Nimbalkar has been named in the case. Despite his involvement in kidnapping, extortion, and assault cases, the state government gave him a clean chit without any investigation. He added that in Sindhudurgs Banda, a flower vendor committed suicide due to harassment by five BJP office-bearers. Before dying, he recorded a video explaining his reasons. Police ignore common peoples complaints because those in power themselves indulge in hooliganism. Under Fadnavis, criminal tendencies have flourished, and BJP leaders gangsterism has increased. Fadnavis alone is responsible he is the godfather of criminals. Three hours after Rohit Arya, a 50-year-old man from Pune, began holding 17 children as hostages, police forces made their way inside the building. The man was shot in the chest and later died at a hospital. Mumbai Police have now released a timeline of how the events took place. The children arrived at the Mahavir Classic, a building which was rented out by Arya, four days ago. He had called them on the pretext of an audition for a web series. Along with the children, a 75-year-old grandmother and a studio staffer were also held as hostages. The parents who accompanied the 10-12-year-olds were outside the building, waiting and growing more anxious by the minute. None of the children had shown up for lunch. From the building, the police later recovered an air gun, petrol, inflammable rubber solutions, and a lighter from the studio in Powai. The recovered items were sent to the forensic department. People in the adjacent building noticed children crying and calling for help from the closed glass windows of the theatre and called the police at around 1.30 pm. While the police reached the location of the studio, with the Quick response team, bomb squad, and fire brigade, Arya released the video where he said he did not intend to hurt the children. In the video, Arya said that he wanted to speak to people who could help him get the Rs 2 crore which was owed to him by the Maharashtra education department for an urban sanitation and cleanliness drive, Majhi Shala, Sundar Shala initiative led by his company. While the police tried to negotiate with Arya to keep him engaged, two police teams climbed the building's duct line with the assistance of a fire brigade. Arya had barricaded himself in and fitted sensors in the building to alert him of break-in attempts. One of the teams cut through the glass windows, and another one entered via the bathroom vent. Officer Amol Waghmare opened fire at Arya when he refused to surrender and threatened to harm the children. All 19 hostages were rescued. It took the Quick Response team 35 minutes to rescue the hostages. City Police Commissioner Deven Bharti said, "Regardless of his demands, we couldn't let him play with people's lives. He fired first at the police. Our team fired back in self-defence. There was no other option." He was declared dead at Hindu Hridaysamrat Balasaheb Thackeray Hospital, Aryas wife, Anjali Arya told reporters that her husband had fought for the Rs 2 crore and recognition for his work. The three-hour hostage drama in Powai yesterday may have ended with captor Rohit Arya being killed in the police operation, and the authorities safely rescuing 17 children and two adults, but the cops insist that shooting him was never part of the plan. Arya, 50, sustained a fatal bullet injury during the operation, and was later pronounced dead at the hospital. The drama began around 1:30pm when Powai police received an urgent call about a person having taken 17 children hostage inside RA Studio, in the Mahavir Classic building in Mumbai. The children, boys and girls aged between 10 and 12, had come for an audition for a web series it had been going on for the past six days. Parents grew concerned when their children did not come out for their usual lunch break on Thursday. Arya, who had previously protested in Pune over alleged unpaid dues from a Maharashtra education department project, was identified as the captor. He released a video explaining his actions, and claimed his motive was to highlight his grievances regarding the pending payments, saying he chose this drastic measure instead of committing suicide. He explicitly stated he was "not a terrorist" and had "no demand for money". However, he issued a stern warning, threatening to set the studio on fire if authorities made a "wrong move. The Mumbai Police swiftly mobilised specialised teams, including NSG commandos, a Quick Response Team (QRT), the Bomb Detection and Disposal Squad, and the Fire Brigade. Negotiators attempted to reason with Arya, who was carrying chemicals and an airgun that can be lethal if shot at soft tissue from close range. But when talks failed, a police team accessed the studio through a bathroom, with the Fire Brigade providing a ladder to reach a first-floor window. "It was a challenging operation," Deputy Commissioner of Police Datta Nalawade said, emphasising that saving the children was their top priority. Upon seeing the cops, Arya reportedly rushed towards them armed with the airgun. Assistant Sub-Inspector Amol Waghmare, who is now being hailed as the "Hero of Powai", instinctively pulled the trigger, reportedly hitting him on the chest. Mid-Day quoted a senior officer from the Powai polices shootout team as saying that shooting Arya was never part of the plan. They kept talking to Arya, agreeing to his demands to keep him calm, he said. We then entered through the duct area up to the first floor and made our way into the studio. As soon as we entered, Arya rushed toward us. Our first priority was to save the children. One of our officers fired it was a split-second decision, he told Mid-Day. Another officer told the daily that Waghmare, who works with the Anti-Terrorism Cell (ATC) at Powai police station, is a quiet officer, well-trained in firearms. Every six months, officers undergo refresher training to decide when to fire and when to hold back. In this case, Aryas intent was clearly dangerous; he was carrying an air gun and chemical substances, the officer told Mid-Day. All 17 children, along with a senior citizen and another adult, were successfully rescued, with Joint Commissioner of Police (Law and Order) Satyanaranyan confirming the children's safety around 4:15pm, and Aryas death at 5:15pm. The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has released its joint election manifesto for the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections. The manifesto, or the Sankalp Patra, was released in a joint press conference by BJP chief JP Nadda and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Friday, conducted in Patna. The party made 25 key promises in the manifesto relating to employment, development, education, and health. One key area of focus was on women empowerment, with the party saying that it was aiming to make 1 crore women, Lakhpati Didis. The party also said that it would work on making select women entrepreneurs millionaires, through its Mission Crorepati. VIDEO | NDA releases its manifesto for 2025 Bihar assembly elections.#BiharElections2025 #BiharElectionsWithPTI (Full video available on PTI Videos - https://t.co/n147TvqRQz) pic.twitter.com/cprav9sxS9 Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) October 31, 2025 The party also promised one crore government jobs and employment. As for infrastructure, the party said that it aimed to build 7 expressways, introduce new metro services in four more cities, and new international airports if it came to power. The highlights and key promises of the manifesto include: A skill census, conducted to provide skill-based employment. The aim is to make Bihar a global skilling centre by setting up mega skill centres in every district. Women under the Chief Ministers Mahila Rozgar Yojana will be given assistance up to Rs 2 lakh. The alliance also promised to bring 1 more crore women under the Lakhpati Didi SHG. Work will also be done under the 'Mahila Mission Crorepati', which will identify women entrepreneurs and help them become crorepatis. An assistance of Rs 10 lakh will be given to various occupational groups of the Extremely Backward Classes. Deputy Chief Minister of Bihar Samrat Choudhary who addressed the media also announced that they will constitute a high-level committee headed by a retired Supreme Court judge to assess the social and economic status of various castes of the Extremely Backward Classes and recommend to the government to take appropriate steps for their empowerment. They said that they would introduce 'Karpoori Thakur Kisan Samman Nidhi', which will provide farmers a benefit of Rs 3000 a year, totalling 9,000. The manifesto also promises free ration, 125 units of free electricity, free medical treatment up to 5 lakh, 50 lakh new pucca houses and social security pension for the poor. Choudhary also said that 100 MSME parks will be set up under 'Vocal for Local' pledge in the state. The joint release of the manifesto was made with all senior party leaders in the alliance. The Mahagathbandhan or the Grand Alliance which is led by the RJD and the Congress, released its manifesto, Bihar Ka Tejashwi Pran on Tuesday. After selling his first startup MicroSolutions to CompuServe in 1990, a 32-year-old Mark Cuban celebrated in his own unconventional way. Instead of splurging on luxury cars or real estate, he picked up the phone, hungover and called American Airlines to ask if they sold lifetime flight passes. They did, Cuban later recalled on the Club Shay Shay podcast. I got all that information, hungover as hell, and I signed up. Initially, it was $125,000 and then I upgraded it. I forget how much I paid, but it gave me almost unlimited miles for me and somebody else for the rest of my life. Related: What is Crypto? Cryptocurrency explained Now, decades later, Cuban has weighed in on whether hed buy a similar all-you-can-fly pass today but this time, if it were payable in Bitcoin or stablecoins. It wouldnt matter, the cost is the same, Cuban told TheStreet. The marginal cost would be cheaper with stable coins. But it would depend what the stable coins were earning vs a money market. Stablecoins are cryptocurrencies that are pegged to a fiat currency like the U.S. dollar to keep their prices stable. For instance, Circle's USDC and Tether's USDT are pegged 1:1 to the U.S. dollar, which means the value of one USDC or USDT is the same as that of one USD. Stablecoins pegged to the USD are gaining popularity within the financial services industry because they make dollar transfers across the globe as easy as "sending email." More News: How stablecoins could lower marginal costs In finance, marginal cost refers to the incremental expense or opportunity cost of choosing one option over another. In Cubans example, paying with stablecoins could be cheaper because stablecoins could earn yield either through DeFi protocols or savings products, while traditional fiat sitting in a bank account earns less. If your stablecoins generate more yield than a money market fund, the effective cost of spending them is lower meaning your purchasing power stretches further. Entrepreneur and Cost Plus Drug Company (MCCPDC) Co-Founder Mark Cuban speaks during a Senate Committee on Aging hearing on Capitol Hill on October 22, 2025 in Washington, DC. Stablecoin market holds strong at $312B According to CoinGecko, the global stablecoin market remains robust at $312 billion, with daily trading volumes above $135 billion. Tether (USDT) continues to dominate with a $183 billion market cap, followed by USD Coin (USDC) at $76 billion and Ethenas USDe nearing $10 billion. Diwali may be over, but the festive mood in Mumbai is not over yet. Diwali is a time for a lot of fun, food, and juicy gossip in political circles, and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is no exception. The party that is always ready to fight the next elections, led by Generals like Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, spent this Diwali season deliberating over the next round of elections in Maharashtra; not that the deliberations are over. Permutations and combinations of alliances are being worked out. But the BJP leadership has given a big signal, that it wants to fight local body elections as part of Mahayuti, the saffron grand alliance, only in Mumbai. Fadnavis may have said that they will fight in alliance in four municipal corporations, but the rank and file of the BJP, however, is keen to listen to what Amit Shah told them at the groundbreaking ceremony of the new Maharashtra BJP headquarters. That day, Shah thundered, wipe out the Opposition, and the BJP soldiers said Sieg Heil. It is on occasions like these that Amit Shah resembles historic military figures. The one that came to my mind was Field Marshal Gebhardt Bluecher, the legendary Prussian commander whose contribution at Waterloo in 1815 resulted in the total defeat of Napoleon Bonaparte. Marshal Bluecher was popularly known as Marshal Forward, as he always instructed his soldiers to attack and move forward in order to inflict defeat on his enemies. Amit Shah is always in such a mood when he is directing cadres for electoral fights. One does not know whether Amit Shah has heard the name of Marshal Bluecher, but a source in the BJP said Amit Shah knows the life story and battles of Peshwa Bajirao I. He takes inspiration from Bajirao for the battlefield genius that the Peshwa, who did not face defeat in any of the battles and wars that he fought, was. Be it Bluecher or Bajirao I, both of them had to forge tactical alliances to defeat their enemies. They were realistic, chose their battlefields well and knew the territory around by heart. This is where Amit Shah fails in their comparison. Amit Shah does not want the BJP to depend on any crutches, read alliance partners. Wipe Out The Opposition is his battle cry for BJP soldiers in Maharashtra. This is something that is easier said than achieved. Amit Shah says that the BJP is the number one party in Maharashtra since 2014, and it was at number four before the 2014 elections. True, the credit entirely goes to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Amit Shah and Devendra Fadnavis. But the other, unsaid part of the truth is that the BJP has not been able to cross the simple majority mark of 145 seats in the state assembly elections on its own. It was 122 in 2014, 105 in 2019 and 135 in 2024. Of these 135, at least 30-40 are those who were satraps of Congress and NCP and joined the BJP to retain their fiefdom. So it proves that Maharashtra BJP is not like the party's unit in Gujarat or Uttar Pradesh. Out here, below the Narmada, in the land of Shivaji Maharaj, the saffron party requires allies or crutches, as Amit Shah called them. That is why Maharashtra BJP leaders immediately had to issue a clarification after Amit Shah's remark on crutches. He did not mean that alliance partners were crutches, wipe out the Opposition was his main message, that was the lame defence put forward by the BJP brass in Maharashtra. A little birdie inside the BJP told this writer that the aim of the BJP central leadership and leaders like Amit Shah is to fight the 2029 assembly on their own. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday participated in the National Unity Day celebrations in Gujarat, using the occasion to highlight the success of India's Operation Sindoor. "This is a message to our enemies: this is the India of Sardar Patel, a nation that never compromises on its security or dignity," PM Modi said in a speech beside the Statue of Unity, on the 150th birthday celebrations of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. Kevadia, Gujarat: Prime Minister Narendra Modi says, "After 2014, the country once again witnessed the iron will and inspirational strength of Sardar Patel. Today, Kashmir has completely integrated with the mainstream, breaking free from the shackles of Article 370. Today, even pic.twitter.com/bpiApvovxb IANS (@ians_india) October 31, 2025 "Today, even Pakistan and the handlers of terrorism have realised India's true strength. In Operation Sindoor, the whole world saw that if anyone dares to raise their eyes against the country, India strikes back with force, even entering their territory," he added, linking New Delhi's bold security stance to Sardar Patel's vision for India. Earlier today, Modi paid homage to the 182-metre-tall statue of PatelIndia's first deputy PM, also known as the 'Iron Man of India'with flowers. At the Rashtriya Ekta Diwas (National Unity Day) celebrations that followed, he administered the 'Oath of Unity', after which came a parade similar to those during Republic Day. The grand parade featured 10 floatsspecial floats from the National Security Guard (NSG) and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), as well as state-wise floats from Gujarat, Jammu and Kashmir, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Manipur, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Uttarakhand and Puducherrydepicting the theme Unity in Diversity, a PTI report said. #WATCH | Gujarat | National Security Guard (NSG) contingent at the Rashtriya Ekta Diwas parade in Ekta Nagar. #SardarPatel150 pic.twitter.com/LSErV8lpc8 ANI (@ANI) October 31, 2025 Contingents of the Border Security Force (BSF), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), Central Industrial Security Force (CISF), Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) also participated in the parade, which later included a cultural programme featuring 900 artists. Modi also touched on Kashmir and the abrogation of Article 370, saying that J&K had "completely integrated with the mainstream". He also took a sharp dig at the Congress, which he claimed had "forgotten Sardar". "For decades, the country burned in the fire of Congress' mistakes on Kashmir. Due to Congress' weak policies, a part of Kashmir fell to Pakistan's illegal occupation. Pakistan encouraged terrorism. Kashmir and the country paid such a heavy price, yet Congress always bowed to terrorism," he declared. #WATCH | Ekta Nagar, Gujarat | On Rashtriya Ekta Diwas, Prime Minister Narendra Modi says, "...Congress not only inherited its party and power from the British, but also internalized the slave mentality. In a few days, Vande Mataram, will be celebrating its 150th anniversary. pic.twitter.com/bTvDvTvcyy ANI (@ANI) October 31, 2025 PM Modi concluded his speech by invoking Patel's ideals of unity in diversity. "In a united India, diverse ideas must be respected. There may be differences of opinion, but there cannot be differences of the heart," he said. Lebanese President Joseph Aoun has instructed the countrys armed forces to confront any future Israeli incursions, following an overnight raid by Israeli troops in the southern border town of Blida that left a municipal worker dead and reignited anger over repeated violations of Lebanese sovereignty. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said the operation was part of an effort to dismantle Hezbollah infrastructure in the area. According to Israeli statements, troopssupported by light armoured vehicles and surveillance dronesentered Blida shortly after midnight and stormed the town hall. Inside the building, a municipal employee, Ibrahim Salameh, was asleep when the soldiers arrived. Lebanese officials reported that Israeli forces fired several bursts of gunfire, fatally wounding Salameh and leaving the walls of the office riddled with bullet holes. Witnesses said mattresses in the room where he had been sleeping were soaked in blood. Lebanese state media said the Israeli force advanced more than a kilometre into Lebanese territory and remained in the municipalitys centre for about two hours before withdrawing. The IDF confirmed the raid, stating that its troops had encountered a suspect inside the building and opened fire after identifying what they perceived as an immediate threat. The Israeli military offered no evidence that the town hall had been used by Hezbollah and said the incident was under review. It remains unclear whether Salameh was deliberately targeted. News of the killing triggered widespread outrage across Lebanon. President Aoun ordered the commander of the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) to confront any future incursions into what he described as liberated southern territory, emphasising the need to defend both national borders and civilian safety. Prime Minister Nawaf Salam denounced the raid as a flagrant violation of Lebanese institutions and sovereignty. He said Lebanon would intensify diplomatic efforts through the United Nations and ceasefire guarantors to halt ongoing Israeli operations and secure a full withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanese territory. The state-run National News Agency (NNA) reported that Israeli aircraft also carried out air strikes on the nearby areas of Mahmoudiyeh and Jarmak on the same day. There was widespread public anger against the Israeli raids with people blocking roads with burning tyres and blaming the government for not protecting civilians. The Israeli attack took place despite the truce agreement with Hezbollah last year, which called for the withdrawal of the IDF from Lebanon. Under the deal, Hezbollah was required to move its fighters north of the Litani River and dismantle its military infrastructure south of it, leaving only the LAF and the UN peacekeeping mission (UNIFIL) authorised to operate in the area. However, Israel has maintained positions at five sites within Lebanon, citing security concerns and Hezbollahs continued presence in the south. Over recent months, Israel has intensified its military operations, conducting near-daily air strikes across southern Lebanon and the Bekaa Valley. Israeli officials insist the actions are aimed at preventing Hezbollah from rebuilding its arsenal and strengthening its defences. Residents and journalists in the region have reported frequent low-flying Israeli drones, including the Hermes 450, as well as surveillance aircraft over southern Lebanon, the Bekaa, and Beiruts southern suburbs. On the same night as the Blida raid, a second Israeli operation was reported in the nearby village of Adaisseh, where locals said troops destroyed a religious ceremonial hall. Under the terms of the truce, Lebanon is expected to disarm Hezbollah, but the Lebanese army has so far been unable to do so. The United States, Lebanons primary military partner, has been pressing Beirut to accelerate the process. During a recent meeting of ceasefire monitors, US Envoy Morgan Ortagus praised Lebanons stated intention to bring all weapons under state control by the end of the year, calling on the LAF to fully implement its plan. The Lebanese army now receives funding, training and equipment from the US in a process to strengthen it as a national army powerful enough to check Hezbollahs influence. Hezbollah has, meanwhile, welcomed President Aouns order to confront Israeli attacks. Observers, however, feel that the order is largely symbolic as the Lebanese army lacks the firepower to tackle the IDF. Yet, the presidents latest move could convey the idea that the state is siding with Hezbollah again, which provides the militia a much-needed political victory and further complicates Lebanons fragile position between multiple domestic actors and external powers. In response, Israel is said to be considering intensifying combat operations, driven further by intelligence assessments that Hezbollah has begun rearming and reactivating its networks. The widely anticipated meeting between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Busan, South Korea, marks a key inflection point in the simmering second US-China trade war. Held on October 30, 2025, the summit was the first face-to-face engagement between the two leaders since 2019, and it unfolded against a backdrop of economic strain, geopolitical manoeuvring, and strategic brinkmanship. Trump arrived in South Korea to a warm reception, capping off a whirlwind tour through Kuala Lumpur and Tokyo. In Seoul, he finalised a major investment and tariff agreement with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, and discussed sensitive issues such as Seouls request to reprocess spent nuclear fuel for naval use. He also expressed renewed optimism about resuming dialogue with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Among the key deliverables of Trumps Asia tour were a new trade pact and rare earth access in Malaysia to reduce US dependence on Chinese supply chains; renewed defence ties and joint initiatives on energy and semiconductor resilience with Japan; and a multi-billion-dollar investment and tariff deal with South Korea, alongside sensitive discussions on nuclear fuel reprocessing. Yet, the spotlight remained fixed on Busan, where Trump and Xi were set to negotiate the contours of a fragile detente. The summit itself lasted an hour and forty minutes and was, by Trumps account, a resounding success. Speaking aboard Air Force One, he rated the meeting a 12 out of 10, citing a slew of breakthroughs: Chinas immediate resumption of American soybean purchases, the lifting of export controls on rare earth minerals, and a commitment to curbing fentanyl exports to the United States. In return, Trump pledged to reduce general tariffs on Chinese goods from 57 per cent to 47 per cent, signalling a partial de-escalation of the trade war. These concessions were not trivial. American soybean farmers, battered by Chinas near-total halt in purchases, had long awaited relief. Rare earth minerals, critical to America's defence and technology sectors, had become a flashpoint after Beijing restricted exports in response to US tariffs earlier in the year. And fentanyl, a synthetic opioid fuelling a devastating drug crisis in the US, had emerged as a transnational concern demanding coordinated action. Yet, the summits tone was far from uniformly triumphant. Just hours before the meeting, Trump made a surprise announcement on Truth Social: that the United States would resume nuclear weapons testing for the first time in over three decades. Citing the testing programmes of other countries, Trump declared that the Department of War would begin testing on an equal basis. The timingmere hours before sitting down with Xiwas widely interpreted as a calculated move to gain leverage, underscoring the strategic sparring that continues to define US-China relations. Xis official readout, released via Chinese state media agency Xinhua, struck a markedly different tone. While broadly positive, it avoided specifics and emphasised long-term cooperation over short-term gains. Xi reiterated that China did not seek to challenge or replace any global power, and called for stability in trade, energy, and economic relations. Notably absent were mentions of soybeans, fentanyl, or rare earthsissues Trump had spotlighted. The only point of convergence was the announcement of reciprocal state visits: Trump to China in April, Xi to the US in autumn. This divergence in messaging reflects deeper asymmetries in strategic posture. While Trump leaned into hyperbole and transactional victories, Xi projected steadiness and restraint, likely aimed at reassuring other APEC leaders that he would meet in Gyongju, following the summit. The contrast also suggests that many of the summits outcomes had been pre-negotiated during earlier discussions in Malaysia, leaving little room for surprise. Former US Ambassador to China Nicholas Burns aptly described the outcome as an uneasy truce". Despite the flurry of announcements, no comprehensive trade deal was reached. The summit resembled two seasoned boxers circling the ring, testing each others limits, exchanging jabs, but withholding knockout blows. The nuclear testing announcement, in particular, cast a shadow over the proceedings, raising questions about whether strategic cooperation can truly coexist with coercive signalling. In diplomacy, structure matters. The reciprocal visits planned for 2026 suggest an intent to institutionalise dialogue, but whether this truce can endure depends on more than photo ops and press releases. It hinges on the ability of both sides to move beyond tactical sparring and toward substantive, sustained engagement. For now, the Busan summit offers a momentary pause in hostilities, a handshake across the divide, but with fists still clenched behind backs. The author is a security and economic affairs analyst. U.S. President Donald Trump has a solution to the government shutdown, which has now extended for over a month. On Thursday, he wrote on Truth Social, Get rid of the Filibuster, and get rid of it, NOW! The government has been on shutdown for 35 days now, the longest ever in history, after both Republicans and Democrats failed to come to an agreement on the bill funding the government. On another post, Trump wrote, THE CHOICE IS CLEAR INITIATE THE NUCLEAR OPTION, GET RID OF THE FILIBUSTER AND, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! The Filibuster is a congressional norm that requires a vote of 60 senators to clear a bill instead of a simple majority of 51, Politico reported. It is unique to the Senate and gives the minority the power to block a bill from being voted on, as long as 41 senators oppose it. Many have argued that the rule prevents parties from enacting major partisan reforms since it always requires both parties coming to a compromise. Senate Majority Leader John Thune has previously spoken against removing the norm, saying that it was a bulwark against a lot of really bad things. Trump made the posts while flying back from South Korea. He said that he thought a lot about how the Democrats were able to shut down the government. He added that the Democrats would get rid of the filibuster if they had gotten the chance. Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar and a few others have called for changes to the filibuster rules during former President Joe Bidens term. Trump's demand, however, would see some pushback from his own party. Some Republican senators have been open to removing the rules, while some haven't, Politico reported. There are just 53 GOP members in the Senate, so getting rid of it wouldn't be that easy. North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis, Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski, Texas Sen. John Cornyn, and Oklahoma Sen. James Lankford all opposed the idea last week. It is not the first time the US president has called for changes to the Filibuster rule. He called the norm a joke during his first term in 2017 and said that it was killing the GOP and allows 8 Dems to control [the] country. In 2018, too, he called for Republicans to use the Nuclear Option to pass tough laws. There are diplomatic gifts, and then there are diplomatic grenades wrapped in ribbon. When Muhammad Yunus, Bangladeshs interim chief adviser, handed Pakistans Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff a coffee-table book, it wasnt the gesture that raised eyebrows; it was the cover. Printed boldly across it was a stylised map that appeared to swallow chunks of Indias Northeast into a Greater Bangladesh. For a man who once redrew the map of microfinance, Yunus seems now to be flirting with redrawing actual borders. The symbolism didnt go unnoticed in New Delhi. For India, this is serious business; the Northeast isnt a side-effect of policy, it IS policy. A pattern, a fetish Those who have followed the recent diplomatic flourishes of Yunus know this was not an isolated faux pas. It is the latest chapter in what can only be described as an emerging fetish, a recurring and almost performative fascination with Indias Northeast. Earlier this year, Yunus told a Beijing audience that Indias eastern states were land-locked and that Bangladesh was the only guardian of the ocean for all this region. The implication was unmistakable: Indias access to the Bay of Bengal runs through Dhakas goodwill. Not long after, one of his advisers, a retired military officer, suggested online that Bangladesh should occupy the seven Northeastern states in the event of a regional war. Another, speaking to a Turkish outlet, mused about military complementarity with China. None of these statements were officially disowned. The silence was telling. For India, such rhetoric does not fall under the category of eccentric chatter. It is read as intent. When Dhaka tilts away, or publicly engages in cartographical freewheeling and rhetorical land-claims, India perceives more than imbalance; it reads shifting terrain. And with Yunus in the drivers seat, New Delhi sees signals, not noise. Why it matters to India The Northeast is Indias most sensitive flank, tethered to the mainland by the narrow Siliguri Corridor, sharing over 1,600 kilometres of border with Bangladesh, and historically vulnerable to infiltration and insurgency. When Dhaka plays cartographic charades, Delhi doesnt see art; it sees alignment. The memory of insurgent havens across the border and the strategic dependence on Bangladesh for connectivity make this region more nerve than geography. Which is why the recent Rajya Sabha discussion on a Turkey-based NGOs reported backing of the Sultanate-e-Bangla project, a fantasy of an expanded Bangladesh, was not treated as trivia. The ministry of external affairs confirmed that India is closely monitoring such developments. In other words, New Delhis antennae are up, and they are pointed east. A map is much more To the casual observer, a distorted outline on a book cover might seem like a careless graphic designers misstep. But in South Asia, maps have never been neutral. They are statements of power and imagination. In our neck of the woods, maps are loaded weapons, inked in ambition. By gifting a Greater Bangladesh map to a Pakistani general, Yunus effectively revived one of Dhakas most dangerous flirtations, the fantasy of ethno-cultural expansion cloaked as historical correction. It plays well to domestic ultra-light sentiment, but it sets off klaxons across Indias Northeast, where memories of 1971, cross-border migration, and insurgent sanctuaries remain vivid. The playbook might sound eerily familiar and touch some nerves in our country as well, but thats for another day. For a man celebrated globally as a peace-builder, Yunuss recent actions suggest a different ambition, to reposition Bangladesh as a regional fulcrum capable of needling India while courting Pakistan, Turkey, and, increasingly, China. It is the kind of diplomatic choreography that risks tripping over its own symbolism. New Delhis vantage point For New Delhi, this is not merely about Bangladeshs interim government experimenting with post-Sheikh Hasina independence. It is about an emerging ecosystem of actors, NGOs, advisers, and ideologues, attempting to recast Bangladeshs geopolitical identity through the lens of civilizational geography. India has seen this playbook before. It begins with intellectual provocation, maps, comments, and think-tank papers. If left unaddressed, this evolves into policy posturing. What makes Yunuss case worrying is that he brings global legitimacy to these ideas. A Nobel Peace Prize laureate drawing ambiguous boundaries is far more dangerous than a fringe activist shouting a slogan. Vindication of an earlier warning When this author wrote in The Week (Indias Half-Front and Bangladesh: Past, Present and Future, February 2025) that Dhakas trajectory had begun to blur the lines between cooperation and competition, the intention was analytical, not prophetic. Yet the unfolding events seem to confirm the argument, that Indias eastern frontier is no longer a passive boundary but an active front in the battle of narratives, influence, and strategic depth. Bangladesh is not just a neighbour; it is Indias geopolitical mirror. What reflects from Dhaka often refracts in Guwahati, Siliguri, and Aizawl. Caution for both capitals Nations rarely speak in blunt commands; they prefer calibrated moves and plausible deniability. Viewed through that lens, Dhakas cartographic provocation is less a blunder than a probe, a test of how far symbolic revisionism can stretch before it triggers consequences. Such manoeuvres often begin as theatre and end as doctrine. For Bangladesh, the risk is overreach: every domestic applause line invites strategic caution from India, narrowing space for trust. For India, the challenge is calibration, neither to inflate the provocation nor to ignore it. Indias best response lies in quiet firmness, reinforcing deterrence through policy and partnership, not rhetoric. Both capitals would do well to recall that in South Asia, gestures are never just gestures; they are early drafts of policy. Final musings Maps, once drawn, have a way of redrawing minds. Yunuss gesture was not a cartographic error but an ideological trial balloon, a hint of how Bangladeshs interim regime imagines its regional leverage. For New Delhi, the task is to turn symbolism into strategy, tightening economic and security integration in the Northeast, while exposing the limits of Dhakas flirtation with revisionism. For Dhaka, the wiser course lies in stability over spectacle. In the subcontinents long history, ambition etched on paper has rarely survived the weight of geography. Abhijan Das is a strategic consulting and national security expert, and a governing body member of SHARE (Society to Harmonise Aspirations for Responsible Engagement). The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of THE WEEK. Buckingham Palace has announced that Prince Andrew, King Charles III's younger brother, will lose his Prince title and must leave Royal Lodge on the Windsor Castle estate. This announcement follows Andrew's decision, made days earlier after discussions with King Charles, to voluntarily give up his Duke of York title and all other royal honours. These decisions come amid continued accusations around his association with American sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Buckingham Palace's statement further clarified that King Charles III has formally started the process to remove Prince Andrew's "Style, Titles and Honours." From now on, Prince Andrew will be known as Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor. Its a huge victory for Virginia - and I really hope it starts a reckoning Amy Wallace, co-writer of Virginia Giuffres memoir, responds to Andrew Mountbatten Windsor being stripped of his Prince title and moving out of Royal Lodge. He denies all allegations.#Newsnight pic.twitter.com/RrssywQ8JC BBC Newsnight (@BBCNewsnight) October 30, 2025 With British Members of Parliament debating the surprisingly low rent Andrew paid for his royal home, the Palace also stated that he has received a formal notice to end his lease on Royal Lodge, which previously allowed him to live there. He is expected to move to different private accommodation. The Palace explained that these strong measures are considered necessary, even though Andrew continues to deny all allegations made against him. The statement also concluded by expressing the King and Queen's "utmost sympathies" for victims and survivors of abuse. Andrew, now 65, had previously stopped using his "His Royal Highness" (HRH) title and stepped down from official royal duties. Earlier this month, he had announced that his other titles would also become inactive, though he consistently denied all accusations against him. As Queen Elizabeth II's son, Andrew was expected to keep his Prince title, based on royal decrees from King George V in 1917 and updated by his mother in 2012. In a statement issued on October 18, Prince Andrew explained his earlier decision, saying that after discussions with King Charles and his family, they agreed that ongoing accusations against him were distracting from the King's work and the royal family. He stated his commitment to putting "duty to my family and country first" and reaffirmed his decision five years prior to step back from public life. He added that, with the King's agreement, he would "go a step further" by no longer using his titles or honours, while reiterating his "vigorous" denial of all accusations. Andrew's ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, will also no longer use her Duchess of York title. However, the titles of their daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, are not affected. These decisions follow renewed public pressure on Andrew, largely due to reports about his association with Epstein and alleged connections to a Chinese spy. More allegations recently emerged with the posthumous release of Nobody's Girl, a memoir by Virginia Giuffre, who had sued Andrew in August 2021 over claims of alleged misconduct and passed away in April, in which she made new accusations. A naval officer, Andrew served in the military during the Falklands War with Argentina in the early 1980s. He was forced to step down as UK trade ambassador in 2011, before quitting royal duties in 2019. He was then stripped of military links and royal patronages in 2022 amid allegations of sexual misconduct that he has always denied. The same year, he settled a lawsuit brought by Giuffre, which accused him of sexually abusing her as a teenager. Andrew has always denied it. In her book, Giuffre said "entitled" Andrew believed it was his birthright to have sex with her. In 2018, Vishnu Vishal's Ratsasan rewrote the rules of the crime thriller genre in Indian cinema. From its screenplay, direction and performances, it was a benchmark in storytelling for crime thrillers, so much so that there have been multiple remakes and films inspired by it over the years. After seven years, Vishal returns to the crime thriller with his latest offering Aaryan. The film is set in Chennai and the opening act is intriguing as a struggling writer (Selvaraghavan) gatecrashes a popular television show hosted by Naina (Shraddha Srinath) and declares that he would orchestrate six murders in six days starting from today. If this doesn't send shockwaves amongst the people in the studio, revealing the first victim takes the tension up by a few notches. DCP Nambi (Vishnu Vishal) is assigned this strange serial-killing case that apparently doesn't seem to have a pattern or motive from the outset. With no potential clues to work with, Nambi must win the race against time to track down the details of victims to protect them. Will he succeed in his mission? What is the connection between the six victims? Why did the writer plan these murders? All this forms the crux of Aaryan. Comparisons are inevitable but first things first - Aaryan cannot be put in the same sentence as Ratsasan. While the opening act does spark curiosity, the screenplay is barely gripping and there is a monotonous nature to the film. Vishal tries to put in an earnest performance but he is let down by weak characterisation in the writing. Director Praveen, who has also co-written the script along with Manu Anand, had a very interesting premise to work with. However, they aren't able get the viewers hooked to the investigation which appears very dated in its execution. Selvaraghavan puts in a solid act as the struggling author with layered emotions and arguably gets the meatiest character of them all including the main protagonist. There isn't anything about Nambi that we haven't seen before in crime thrillers. He is a loner, has a broken marriage and is a workaholic. We've seen these tropes so many times that it requires an innovative screenplay to hold things together if you want to go down this route one more time. Unfortunately, Aaryan just takes the predictable option and some of the sequences are just too convenient than clever. The other thing that misfires is the climax of the film. While the opening 15 minutes managed to create a spark, the finale couldn't match up to that. For a film that attempts to a different crime film, the jigsaw puzzle coming together at the end has to have a 'wow factor' in it. However, here it is more of a social message that just doesn't land. Overall, Aaryan is a crime thriller with noble intentions but lacks the thrills and misses its mark. Film: Aaryan Cast: Vishnu Vishal, Selvaraghavan, Shraddha Srinath, Maanasa Choudhary, Karunakaran Director: Praveen K Rating: 2/5 A bitter takeover battle has erupted in the fat jab market after Danish drug giant Novo Nordisk gatecrashed a takeover deal by its US rival Pfizer. Novo muscled in with a 6.8billion offer for American weight-loss drug group Metsera, outbidding Pfizer, which had struck a 5.5billion deal last month. That prompted a furious response from Pfizer, which accused the Danish firm of reckless behaviour and threatened legal action. Novos dramatic move marks a stark change in strategy for the company, the maker of drugs including Ozempic and Wegovy, which has traditionally shied away from dealmaking. It said a takeover of Metsera was in line with plans to develop innovative and differentiated medicines and treating millions more people living with obesity and diabetes. Pfizer accused Novo of using its dominant market position to suppress competition in violation of law by taking over an emerging US challenger. Fat jab row: Ozempic and Wegovy-maker Novo Nordisk has gatecrashed a takeover deal by its US rival Pfizer The proposal is illusory and cannot qualify as a superior proposal under Pfizers agreement with Metsera, and Pfizer is prepared to pursue all legal avenues to enforce its rights under its agreement, it said. But Metseras bosses said the Danish groups proposal was superior and Pfizer now had four days to come up with a better offer. Metsera, based in New York, is developing four weight-loss medications including a monthly jab and pill. Its shares soared 22 per cent on Wall Street while Novo fell 3.6 per cent. Pfizer shares closed flat. The Danish firms swoop comes as it tries to regain momentum in the fat jab market after its shares have fallen nearly 50 per cent this year. The move is an aggressive turn under its new boss Maziar Mike Doustdar, who took over in August after his predecessor Lars Fruergaard Jorgensen was asked to step down by investors following mounting concerns about performance. Doustdar, whose first role at Novo Nordisk was working a summer job in its mailroom, has announced thousands of job cuts and this month struck a 4billion deal to buy San Francisco drug firm Akero Therapeutics, which is developing a drug that could treat a liver condition known as MASH, a common complication of obesity. Despite being the first company to market a fat jab, Novo is under intense pressure from US competitors who have steadily eaten away at its market share and profits. Yesterday, pharma giant Eli Lilly, maker of rival weight-loss drug Mounjaro, upgraded its sales forecasts as it pulled ahead in the fiercely competitive market. Paul Major, a portfolio manager at Bellevue Asset Management, said Metseras once-monthly obesity drug candidate was a point of differentiation that Novo did not have and could help it better compete with Lilly. Markus Manns, a portfolio manager at mutual fund and Novo shareholder Union Investment, said: The deal would certainly help Novo improve its market position in obesity, assuming the products can be developed successfully. But he added that it could also raise competition concerns and prompt a counter-offer from Pfizer. Analysis of BPs largest oil and gas discovery in decades has revealed that it could be even bigger than it first thought. The UK-listed oil giant has hailed the Bumerangue site off the coast of Brazil as the most significant find in 25 years. It said earlier this year that it had discovered a 500m column of hydrocarbons oil and gas. Yesterday, it confirmed this was nearly twice as big, at 1,000m. That does not necessarily mean the volume of oil and gas extracted will be greater but adds to the firms optimism about the site. Gordon Birrell, the companys executive vice-president for production and operations, said: We are pleased about what we have seen and our confidence in the potential of this field has increased. BP said testing was continuing with well activities expected to begin in early 2027 subject to regulatory approval. Black gold: BP hailed the Bumerangue oil and gas site off the coast of Brazil as the most significant find in 25 years It came as it announced yesterday that it had signed an agreement to explore for oil and gas off the coast of Gabon in central Africa. BPs shares rose 1.4 per cent, or 6.3p, to 447.85p. Elsewhere, rival Shell reported third-quarter profits of 4.1billion and said it would buy back shares worth 2.7billion. Its shares added 0.3 per cent, or 7.5p, to 2883p. This story was originally published on Payments Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Payments Dive newsletter. Mastercard remains on the hunt for potential acquisitions, but the card networks executives declined Thursday to comment on a report the company may acquire the crypto infrastructure business Zerohash. The card network is in the late stages of talks to buy the startup for as much as $2 billion, the digital magazine Fortune reported Thursday, citing unnamed sources. Top executives for the Purchase, New York-based Mastercard were asked about the possibility during a webcast with analysts Thursday to discuss the companys third-quarter financial results. After one analyst queried executives about the networks interest in a crypto infrastructure purchases versus other assets, citing the Fortune report, CEO Michael Miebach sighed, before talking generally about the companys appetite for acquisitions. The CEO explained that as a former chief product officer, hes well-versed in organic innovation, but hes also prepared to have the company make purchases as well. There isnt just one big bet, Miebach said. Theres a few things that were trying at any given point in time. He expanded on the notion that the company will pursue a mix of buying businesses and building them. The innovation muscle is all well, and it's not just about mining companies out there, Miebach said, before sidestepping any direct comment on the Zerohash speculation. We are not commenting on market rumors you would have not expected me to say anything else, the CEO said. Yes, I saw that article as well, he added. The companys chief financial officer, Sachin Mehra, reiterated the companys merger and acquisition strategy always includes weighing whether to buy, build or partner with other companies, based on specifics in any given area. Mehra made clear that buying opportunities are being considered. The pipeline is robust, Mehra said on the webcast. We are very, very deliberate about how we go about filtering through and funneling through on that pipeline to make sure its on point, and its going to deliver the synergistic value that we expect. We dont comment on speculation, a Mastercard spokesperson reiterated when asked about the Fortune report by email. Mastercards third-quarter net income rose 20% to $3.9 billion as revenue climbed 15% to $8.6 billion, according to the earnings report the company released Thursday. UK-listed components manufacturer TT Electronics yesterday agreed to a 287millio takeover by Swiss rival Cicor after last year snubbing an approach led by Nat Rothschild. The deal is another blow to the City which has seen a flurry of foreign takeovers depleting the ranks of the stock market. But it is being resisted by investment firm DBay Advisors, TTs biggest shareholder with a 16.5 per cent stake. It said it was happy with the progress the business is making and would not back the deal. TT was last year targeted by Rothschilds firm Volex but rejected a 249million offer. Yesterday, it said it had reached an agreement with Cicor at a higher value. The companies said the offer was at a 64 per cent premium to TTs share price on Wednesday. The stock rose 60.1 per cent, or 57p, to 151.8p yesterday. TT Electronics shareholders are expected to vote on the deal in December. Chairman Warren Tucker said its insufficient scale held back growth and profitability while making it more vulnerable to global economic risks. By Jaspreet Singh and Echo Wang (Reuters) -Meta on Wednesday forecast "notably larger" capital expenses next year thanks to investments in artificial intelligence, including aggressively building data centers to power its AI push. The Facebook and Instagram parent reported third-quarter revenue growth of 26% that beat market estimates, but that jump was outpaced by a 32% increase in costs. Shares of the company - that have risen 28% so far this year - fell 8% after the bell, as Wall Street digested Zuckerberg's even bigger capital plans to build out AI data center capacity that will pressure margins. Meta also recorded a nearly $16 billion one-time charge related to U.S. President Donald Trump's 'Big Beautiful Bill' that pummeled its third-quarter profit. Excluding the charge, net income in the quarter would have increased to $18.64 billion, compared with the reported net income of $2.71 billion. After a late start, Meta has doubled down on AI, with a target of achieving superintelligence, a theoretical milestone where machines outthink humans. To that end, it has pledged to spend hundreds of billions of dollars to build several massive AI data centers for superintelligence and is planning for bigger financial outlays to meet big compute needs. "There's a range of timelines for when people think that we're going to get superintelligence," CEO Mark Zuckerberg said on a conference call with analysts. "I think that it's the right strategy to aggressively front-load building capacity, so that way we're prepared for the most optimistic cases." If superintelligence takes longer than expected, then Meta will use the extra compute to accelerate its core business, and in the worst-case scenario, the company would slow building new infrastructure for some periods, he said. "After a few years of existential hand-wringing, the company has found its rhythm again by doing what it does best: scaling attention and monetizing it with ruthless efficiency," said Jeremy Goldman, a senior director at Emarketer. "While everyone else is still pitching AI moonshots, Meta has quietly turned AI into margin. Its ad tools are sharper, its targeting smarter, and its short-form video business is finally paying off." HIRING SPREE BOOSTS EXPENSE OUTLOOK Meta, determined to catch up with rivals including Microsoft and Alphabet's, has accelerated spending on AI, reorganizing its AI efforts under a "Superintelligence Labs" unit in June. Zuckerberg has personally led an aggressive spree to hire talent. The company is among the top buyers of Nvidia's sought-after AI chips. UK-based Metro Bank has partnered with digital services and consulting company Infosys and AI-powered platform Workday to modernise its finance operations. Under the collaboration, Metro Bank will transition from older financial systems to a cloud-based platform using a suite of Workday financial management tools. Infosys and Workday will support the bank in implementing the Workday solutions. The solutions include Workday Financial Management, Workday Accounting Centre, Workday Spend Management, and Workday Prism Analytics. Metro Bank CFO Marc Page said, Were continuing to transform our platforms through our partnership with Infosys, helping our digital advancement. This collaboration with Infosys and Workday will help to unify our core finance operations, providing colleagues with self-service tools and simplifying daily operations. This supports our long-term growth strategy and will help us to scale and evolve in the future. The Workday tools are expected to help the UK bank centralise the financial information, automate processes, and improve its business workflows. The digital transformation is expected to enable more agile decision-making, support future growth, and accelerate financial closing and reporting. In addition, the new system aims to strengthen governance and risk management by enhancing controls and audit trails. Infosys EVP - chief delivery officer Dinesh Rao said, Our work with Metro Bank exemplifies our deep expertise in enabling comprehensive enterprise modernisation within the banking and financial services industry. By providing a holistic approach to their transformation journey, we are helping them unlock exponential efficiency and strategic agility, ensuring their technology landscape evolves with their bold aspirations. We are consistently seeing the banking and financial services sector embrace cloud-first strategies to gain unmatched flexibility and intelligence, and we believe platforms like Workday are fundamental to driving sustained growth and innovation for the future. In April, Metro Bank unveiled an AI-based scam detection service in collaboration with Ask Silver to help customers identify fraudulent communications. The tool, named the Metro Bank Scam Checker, enables personal and business clients to immediately determine if they are at risk of falling victim to scams. "Metro Bank selects Infosys and Workday to transform finance operations " was originally created and published by Retail Banker International, a GlobalData owned brand. Michael Saylor, Bitcoin purchase, MicroStrategy Bitcoin. Photo by BeInCrypto Bitcoins leading corporate and retail advocates MicroStrategys Michael Saylor and Rich Dad Poor Dad' author Robert Kiyosaki both predicted that the worlds largest cryptocurrency could double in price by the end of 2025. Their forecasts come as Bitcoin trades around $111,000$115,000, down from its all-time high of $126,000 earlier this month. Michael Saylors $150,000 Forecast On paper, Bitcoin is still recovering from the $19 billion shock liquidation across the crypto market on October 10. But industry leaders are still optimistic about new all-time highs by Christmas. Speaking on CNBC, MicroStrategys Executive Chairman Michael Saylor said Bitcoins growth cycle remains intact despite short-term corrections. I think Bitcoins going to continue to grind up. The volatility is coming off of it as the industry becomes more structured, Saylor said. He projected that Bitcoin could reach $150,000 by the end of 2025, citing consensus among equity analysts following the company. Our expectation right now is about $150,000 by the end of this year, he added. I dont know why it wont grind up to a million dollars a coin over the next four to eight years. Of course, my long-term forecast is that it goes up about 30% a year for the next 20 years and we're headed toward $20 million per Bitcoin. Saylors optimism coincides with MicroStrategys continued accumulation of Bitcoin. The company purchased 390 BTC in late October for about $43.4 million, raising its total holdings to 640,808 BTC. However, MicroStrategys stock (MSTR) fell nearly 13% this month, sliding from $332 to $289, mirroring Bitcoins retreat from recent highs. The decline highlights how closely MSTRs valuation tracks the cryptocurrency market sentiment. Kiyosakis $200,000 Outlook Meanwhile, Robert Kiyosaki shared a similar bullish outlook on X (formerly Twitter). He revealed holding millions in Bitcoin and predicted prices could reach $200,000 by year-end. Kiyosaki used his portfolio example to emphasize emotional intelligence in investing. Losers are more afraid of losing than getting rich, he wrote, arguing that fear of short-term losses blinds investors to long-term gains. His message resonated with Bitcoins retail audience, especially during a volatile month that tested investor patience. To start . . . 15K worthless TKC bonus points for anybody who can make the movie connection on the lead image. Meanwhile, here's local amusement park reporting . . . The Missouri Department of Public Safety said it received an email Wednesday afternoon from a woman who stated she had safety concerns about the roller coaster. She stated in her email that she had been at the park a few weeks ago and her son's lap belt did not lock snugly around her child's waist, according to the Missouri Department of Public Safety. 20 lap belts were not functioning properly when inspected Thursday morning. Worlds of Fun said it implemented modifications requested by the fire Marshall to ensure it meets safety standards before opening on Thursday evening. On Thursday evening, OConnell said that corrective actions had been taken and the Mamba is approved to reopen. The ride and park were open Thursday night for Halloween Haunt. Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com links . . . Mamba roller coaster at Worlds of Fun back open after state inspector found problem with lap belts The Mamba roller coaster at Worlds of Fun was shut down Thursday after a state inspector found multiple lap belts on the ride failed to lock tightly as required by law. Worlds of Fun visitors say they had to hold down young girls after alleged seat belt malfunction Roller coaster rides reportedly turned from thrills to scares for a few recent guests at Worlds of Fun. Worlds of Fun roller coaster reopens after being shut down for safety violation A popular roller coaster at Worlds of Fun in Kansas City will reopen Thursday evening after being temporarily shut down due to a safety violation. Worlds of Fun responds to Mamba roller coaster safety incident Worlds of Fun has responded for the first time to reports of a safety harness failure on the Mamba roller coaster earlier this month. Developing . . . After a busy day on the local crime front we attempt to keep up with more than a few stories concerning court cases, ALLEGED misdeeds, public safety threats and, as always, community outreach. Check TKC news gathering . . . Man pleads guilty in 2024 North Kansas City High School shooting A 19-year-old Kansas City man has pleaded guilty for his role in a 2024 shooting that happened at North Kansas City High School. Clay County Sheriff's Office warns of jury duty warrant scam The Clay County Sheriff's Office is warning of a new jury duty warrant scam. Man charged after slamming truck into former Independence mayor's home; 2 injured The suspect later admitted that he had smoked seven to eight rocks of crack cocaine before giving himself Suboxone. Albuquerque man sentenced to half-century in prison for murder inside Olathe hotel room An Albuquerque man has been sentenced to more than a half-century in prison for the murder of a Gardner woman. Loaded gun found in student's backpack outside Belton school; suspect charged Student arrested and charged after bringing loaded handgun to Scott Educational Center in Belton, Missouri. Former principal pleads guilty, sentenced for DUI with minor passenger A former area principal pleaded guilty and was sentenced for driving while under the influence. Kansas National Guard member indicted after agreeing to photograph Fort Riley, send equipment to Russia: DOJ FORT RILEY (KSNT) - Federal officials have indicted a National Guardsman after he allegedly agreed to take photos of Fort Riley Army on behalf of a Russian intelligent agent and ship a helicopter radio overseas. Missouri man pleads guilty after caught carrying deadly explosive A Missouri man pleaded guilty after he was caught carrying a deadly explosive. Man who died at Jackson County jail identified as Independence resident Sheriff's deputies have identified an inmate that died at the Jackson County Detention Center last week as Billy Hercules, 44, of Independence. Lenexa Police Chief Dawn Layman to retire in December after over 30 years with department Lenexa Police Chief Dawn Layman announced Wednesday she will retire in December after 32 years with the department. 18 years later and still no arrests after bystander killed in drive-by shooting in KC Nearly two decades after a bystander was shot and killed in Kansas City, his murderer still has not been arrested. The never-ending cycle: KCMO domestic violence survivors face constant fear, need for systemic change Opening the courtroom door and acknowledging you're a victim is only half the battle for domestic violence survivors navigating the court system. Developing . . . This political push back seems a bit callous and might not understand that most political drama is almost completely calculated. Here's a recent news cartel take . . . "A MAGA Republican from Missouris congressional delegation actually cares for the well-being of children and adults going hungry? Oh, false alarm, its just Christian nationalist Josh Hawley. "Sen. Hawley, a Republican, is back at proving himself a hypocrite and a sycophant. I lay on the rhetoric so firmly, here, because Sen. Hawley announced he is currently working to fund food assistance benefits. I zoom in on Sen. Hawley specifically because he is aggressively reposturing on the issue after he voted to cut the same funds when he supported President Donald Trumps marquee One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) the presidents first major domestic policy package this term. "But as the current federal government shutdown trudges toward potentially becoming the longest in our countrys history, tens of millions of American residentsespecially Missouri residentsare facing the economic and social impacts of funding lapses for key safety-net services and other public goods. "The most recent case in this shutdown can be seen as Trumps Department of Agriculture warned that SNAP benefits scheduled for Nov. 1 disbursements have all 'run dry.' " Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link . . . Find Cheap Flights from London to Auckland with Ease (TRAVPR.COM) NEW ZEALAND - October 30th, 2025 - SourceURL:file:///media/user/Drive 1/Neetu_backup/BookMyTrip/Content/Bookmy Trip Content (N)Nov'25.docx Find Cheap Flights from London to Auckland with Ease Natural wonders, a rich and varied culture, and the warm welcome that New Zealand is famous for mean that travellers seeking the best from their flights from London to Auckland will be even more eager to book now that this option has reopened. With a variety of options made available to the traveler today in the most efficient ways possible through safe net booking for your flights from London to Auckland, one can be assured that their next trip is bound to go down all the way under this beautiful corner of the world! New Zealand continues to be on the wish-list of every international traveller for its beautiful landscapes, cutting-edge cities, and welcoming Kiwis. As the nations largest city, Auckland serves as a base for all kinds of adventures, from visiting unspoiled beaches to exploring wine country to immersing yourself in cultural institutions and adrenaline-pumping experiences. When Traveling Between London and Auckland The London-Auckland route remains one of the favorites for long-haul betters, whether recreational or business. There are direct and connecting flights with different airline choices, all differing in duration of flight and transit destinations. Pick one of the many airlines, ranging from premium carriers with hundreds of destinations to budget offerings that wont bust your wallet. What to expect on your flight from London to Auckland. Book a flight from London to Auckland with us, and you'll be flying in brand-new aircraft, featuring the revamped features designed for your comfort and ease. Many airlines now offer convenient itineraries that allow for a natural stop in places like Singapore, Dubai, Doha, and Los Angeles, taking the misery out of travel as well as breaking up long hauls with a few days of sightseeing. Enhancing the Booking Experience Ease, simplicity, and cost are what guests these days yearn for. With slick booking tools and travel tech, there's little to no excuses - customers can easily see the pricing juxtaposed with flight duration and wisely choose the schedule that works best for them, both cost-wise and time-wise. The interfaces on these sites are also intuitive, and customer can book their own trip, including purchasing travel insurance or other ancillaries, in just a few clicks. Why Choose This Route Flights from London to Auckland are the key to experiencing this unforgettable journey. Auckland, also called the City of Sails, is a great cross between nature and city living. From the iconic Sky Tower and Waitemata Harbour to nearby isles like Waiheke and Rangitoto, its all out there. Auckland for UK peeps out there wanting a bit of adventure and safe luxury to teach you culturally new things as well. About the Company BookMyTrip New Zealand is a comparison-based travel company wherein you can search, book, and compare the most affordable prices without any hassle. We offer domestic and international flights, hotels, and travel services with the highest level of convenience. With a service philosophy centered around its customers, BookMyTrip offers the best road travel experience to every user, anytime and in any city. Media Contact Name: BookMyTrip.co.nz Email: info@bookmytrip.co.nz Website: https://bookmytrip.co.nz ### Search News Archive : Fast Travel News Promotion Via Search, Social Media + Email Follow Us On : TRAVELERS GUIDE TO CHINA AIRLINES SEAT SELECTION POLICY Industry: Airlines Call +1-866-679-5070 for expert help with the China Airlines Seat Selection Policy. Learn about seat types, fees, rules, and how to reserve your preferred seat. (TRAVPR.COM) UNITED STATES - October 30th, 2025 - Travel comfort begins with the right seat. Whether youre looking for extra legroom, a window view, or a seat closer to the front, understanding the China Airlines Seat Selection Policy helps you plan your flight more efficiently. China Airlines offers multiple seat options for travelers, along with specific guidelines for booking, cancellations, and changes. This guide provides a clear, step-by-step understanding of China Airlines Seat Selection, including rules, seat types, booking procedures, and related charges. Call Tours N Travel Pro at +1-866-679-5070 for expert help in navigating the China Airlines Seat Selection Policy and securing your ideal seat with ease. Quick Overview of the China Airlines Seat Selection Policy Seat selection available from 360 days up to 50 hours before departure. Standard seating is usually complimentary, while preferred seats or extra-legroom seats may involve a China Airlines Seat Selection fee . Passengers can make reservations through the official website, customer hotline, booking offices, or authorized travel agents . Seat change is allowed up to three times per flight segment . Online seat reservation is available for adults and children onlyinfant tickets are excluded. For smooth assistance and booking support, reach out to Tours N Travel Pro at +1-866-679-5070. Seat Selection Availability and Eligibility The China Airlines Seat Selection Policy allows travelers to pre-select seats depending on route and aircraft type. However, this service is only available on specific routes and for certain fare classes. Eligibility: Available to adult and child passengers with valid tickets. Infant tickets: Online seat selection is not available for infants traveling on a parents lap. Code-share flights: Only valid for flights operated by China Airlines (CI) and Mandarin Airlines (AE) with ticket number prefixes 297 and 803 . Not applicable to flights operated entirely within Mainland China. Once your booking is confirmed, you can access China Airlines Seat Reservation via the official website, app, or a travel agent. Seat Reservation and Change Policy Passengers can reserve seats in advance through: The China Airlines website or mobile app. Customer service hotline or booking offices. Authorized travel agencies like Tours N Travel Pro, which can guide you through the best seat options available. If you wish to change your reserved seat, you must cancel the existing reservation and make a new one. According to the China Airlines Seat Selection Policy, passengers are allowed to change seats up to three times per flight segment, including the initial reservation. Note: If you reserved your seat through a different channel (e.g., a travel agent), all modifications or cancellations must also be made through that same channel. Types of Seats and Seating Options China Airlines provides several seat categories to enhance your travel comfort and flexibility: 1. Standard Seating (Free Selection) Standard seats are generally free and available across all economy fares (except discounted fare classes). Travelers can select these seats while booking or after ticket purchase through the airlines online system. Perfect for those who prefer simple, no-cost seating without special requirements. 2. Preferred Seats (Paid) These include front-row , emergency exit , and seats in high-demand areas like rows 3440 and 6265. Preferred seats require a China Airlines Seat Selection fee , which varies depending on the route and aircraft. Passengers sitting in emergency exit rows must meet eligibility criteria (e.g., physically able to assist in an emergency, 15 years or older). 3. Extra-Legroom Seats Located in exit rows or bulkhead areas. Offer more space for stretching and comfort, especially on long-haul flights. Subject to eligibility checks for safety reasons and may incur an additional charge. 4. Priority Seats (For Premium Economy) Exclusive for Premium Economy travelers. Offers enhanced comfort and convenience. Marked with ** on China Airlines seat maps. China Airlines Seat Selection Fee Details The China Airlines Seat Selection fee depends on various factors such as route, seat type, and aircraft configuration. Paid seat fees are charged per flight segment. All fees must be paid at the time of reservation. Seat selection fees are non-refundable except in cases of involuntary changes (e.g., flight disruptions or aircraft swaps). If a passenger fails to check in on time, the seat selection is automatically canceled. Therefore, its essential to complete check-in procedures no later than 60 minutes before departure. Operational Guidelines and Safety Restrictions While the airline strives to honor every seat request, operational or safety concerns may lead to reassignment. For instance: Certain aircraft configurations (like A330 or A321) have non-reclining seats near emergency exits. Safety regulations prohibit passengers with mobility issues, infants, or special needs from occupying exit-row seats. If youre found ineligible during check-in, your seat may be reassigned without refund. Example: On A330 aircraft, seats 27A/K may have slide containers in front, limiting legroom despite being in the front section. Similarly, on B738 aircraft, rows 16A16K cannot recline. These policies ensure both passenger safety and compliance with international aviation standards. Reservation Period and Check-in Requirements Seat selection is available 360 days to 50 hours prior to the scheduled flight. Within 48 hours of departure, seat selection becomes part of the online check-in process. Even if you pre-select a seat, passengers must still complete check-in through one of the following methods: Online check-in via the China Airlines website or app Self-service kiosks at the airport Traditional check-in counters Failure to check in may result in the automatic cancellation of your reserved seat. Mileage Members and Complimentary Seat Selection Members of the Dynasty Program enjoy added benefits: Paragon, Emerald, and Gold Card members receive complimentary seat selection in specific zones. To activate this benefit, members must input their membership numbers during reservation. If omitted during booking, the number can still be added later under Manage Booking. Involuntary Changes and Refunds According to the China Airlines Seat Selection Policy, a refund may be granted in certain involuntary situations such as: Aircraft type change Flight cancellation or delay Duplicate payment during seat change However, voluntary cancellations or no-shows are non-refundable. Passenger Eligibility for Exit Row Seats To ensure flight safety, China Airlines restricts certain passengers from occupying emergency exit seats. Eligible passengers must: Be 15 years or older Be able to understand safety instructions in English or Mandarin Be physically capable of operating the exit door in an emergency If an ineligible passenger occupies such a seat during boarding, China Airlines reserves the right to reassign it. Any fees incurred will not be refunded. Key Rules for Multi-Airline Itineraries If your itinerary includes multiple airlines, the China Airlines Seat Reservation feature may not apply to partner-operated flights. For example: Flights operated by China Southern (CZ) , XiamenAir (MF) , or Shanghai Airlines (FM) under a code-share arrangement may have different seat selection rules. To avoid booking errors, do not purchase paid seats for non-China Airlines-operated segments. Important Reminders for Travelers Check Visa and Entry Requirements: Always ensure you have valid visas for transit or destination countries. Name Accuracy: The passengers name must match their government-issued ID in Roman alphabet without special symbols. Flight Changes: Any modifications made within 3 hours of departure will incur a no-show fee . Aircraft Substitution: China Airlines reserves the right to switch aircraft types without notice, which may impact seat layout. Special Seat Requests: For wheelchairs (WCHC), bassinets (BSCT), or cabin baggage seats (CBBG), contact customer service directly instead of using the website. Final Thoughts The China Airlines Seat Selection Policy ensures passengers enjoy flexibility, comfort, and safety. Understanding its nuanceslike eligible routes, paid seat options, and modification limitsallows travelers to make confident choices. Whether youre booking preferred seats or managing reservations, expert guidance makes the process smoother. Call Tours N Travel Pro at +1-866-679-5070 for professional assistance with seat reservations, policy clarifications, or last-minute changes. ### Please contact the person or company listed above for information regarding the content of this press release. TravPR.com are not the issuers of this press release and are not responsible for the accuracy of the content. Share Release : CONTACT INFORMATION Name: Andrew Son Company: Tours n Travel Pro Phone: 8666795070 Email: toursntravelpro30@gmail.com Web: PRESS RELEASE TAGS BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 31. As previously reported, a visit of heads of embassies and international organizations accredited in Azerbaijan to the Jabrayil and Zangilan districts began on the instructions of President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev today, Trend reports. As part of the visit, the guests have toured Horovlu village in the Jabrayil district. To note, during the visit, taking place under the auspices of the Assistant to the President of AzerbaijanHead of the Department of Foreign Policy Affairs of the Presidential Administration, Hikmet Hajiyevrepresentatives of the diplomatic corps are getting acquainted with the restoration and reconstruction works carried out in the mentioned districts. This is the 20th visit of the diplomatic corps representatives to the liberated territories, based on the instructions of the President of Azerbaijan. Horovlu village, situated within its corresponding administrative-territorial unit in the Jabrayil district of Azerbaijan, is positioned on a flatland, approximately 8 kilometers to the east of the urban center of Jabrayil. The territory was under the occupation of the Armenian Armed Forces from 1993 until the latter part of 2020. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel AGHDAM, Azerbaijan, October 31. The next group of former internally displaced persons (IDPs) has arrived in Khidirli village of the Aghdam district, Trend's Karabakh bureau reports. A this stage, a total of 24 families, comprising 124 individuals, received keys to their apartments. The handover ceremony was attended by representatives of the Special Representative Office of the President of Azerbaijan in the Aghdam, Fuzuli, and Khojavend districts, as well as the State Committee for Refugees and IDPs. Currently, more than 50,000 people live in Karabakh and Eastern Zangezur. Among them are former IDPs who have returned to these areas, as well as employees involved in the implementation of restoration and construction projects, employees of local departments of various government agencies, and specialists employed in healthcare, education, culture, tourism, industry, and energy institutions that have resumed their activities. (Reuters) -Microsoft reported blockbuster growth in its cloud-computing business on Wednesday that pushed its quarterly revenue past Wall Street estimates, showing businesses are still splurging on artificial intelligence services despite fears of a bubble. The results highlight the growing returns from Microsoft's massive AI investments. They come as a web of circular deals, soaring valuations and limited evidence of AI productivity gains have raised doubts about how long the boom will hold. Shares of the company were down 4.2% in extended trading. Microsoft said the Azure cloud business, its key AI unit, grew 40% in the July-September period - its fiscal first quarter - outpacing Visible Alpha estimates of about 38.4%. Total revenue rose 18% to $77.7 billion, beating expectations of $75.33 billion, according to data compiled by LSEG. That marked the tech company's second major win this week, following a revised deal with OpenAI that gave it a 27% stake worth about $135 billion, as well as a cut of sales and access to intellectual property, clearing up uncertainty about the collaboration with the company synonymous with the AI boom. The partnership, which gives Microsoft exclusive access to the models behind ChatGPT, has been key to Azure's rapid growth in recent quarters and strengthened its challenge to top cloud provider Amazon.com. It is also crucial to Microsoft's other AI services, such as 365 Copilot for businesses. That AI push has turned Microsoft into the world's second-most valuable firm with a $4 trillion market value, trailing only the $5 trillion chip company Nvidia. The stock, up nearly 30% this year, is among the best performers in the "Magnificent 7." Some analysts have praised Microsoft's decision in recent months to let some OpenAI contracts go to Oracle, saying it shows discipline in steering limited AI capacity toward more profitable enterprise customers. The move is part of a broader strategy to lessen its dependence on OpenAI by building its own models and partnering with other AI firms, including Anthropic. Still, capacity limits have hampered Microsoft's ability to fully cash in on AI. The company and other major cloud providers are expected to spend about $400 billion on data centers and AI chips this year, with executives and analysts saying such spending is necessary to harness the technology's potential. (Reporting by Aditya Soni and Deborah Sophia in Bengaluru; Editing by Maju Samuel) BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 31. The establishment of the Azerbaijan-UK Business Council has been announced during an event titled "Azerbaijan's sovereign credit rating and economic prospects: unlocking the regional potential of the Caucasus and Central Asia" held at the Azerbaijani Embassy, Trend reports via the embassy. The council aims to strengthen trade and economic ties between the two countries, support interaction between business circles, develop bilateral trade, exchange experience and knowledge, protect the interests of business communities, and expand cultural ties. Azerbaijani Ambassador Elin Suleymanov noted in his speech that the achievements made are the result of far-sighted and wise political, economic, and social reforms carried out under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev. He emphasized that the initialing of the draft peace agreement between Azerbaijan and Armenia and the normalization process opens new opportunities not only for the two countries but also for the entire South Caucasus and Central Asia region. According to him, this establishes a framework for optimizing the operational efficiency of regional trade and transport corridors, facilitating the scalability of energy and logistics initiatives, alongside enhancing economic collaboration and attracting investment influx. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 31. The results of the elections for the President of the World Association for the Development of Philately (WADP), operating under the Universal Postal Union (UPU), as well as the members of its Steering Committee for the 20262029 term, have been announced, Azerpost told Trend. Following the online voting conducted on the official website of the UPU, Azerbaijan was elected to the presidency of the World Association for the Development of Philately. Azerbaijan will be represented in this international organization by the Head of the Stamp Department of Azerpost, Sitara Huseynova, who has been elected President of the Association. The composition of the WADP Steering Committee for the 20262029 term was determined as follows: Europe and Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS): Azerbaijan, Romania Africa: Kenya Arab Region: Tunisia Asia-Pacific Region: China, India North America and Western Europe: Belgium, Spain Latin America and the Caribbean: Chile Azerbaijan is currently actively involved in all strategic directions of the Universal Postal Union (UPU). The country is already a member of the Postal Operations Council (POC) and serves as co-chair of one of its working groups, as well as being a member of the Administrative Council (CA). Over the next four years, Azerbaijan will have a unique opportunity to actively participate at all levels of the UPUs activities, promote national interests, and further strengthen the countrys position within the international postal community. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel AzerGold Closed Joint Stock Company (CJSC) has expanded its product range, taking considering the growing investment demand for gold bars in the local market. Today, Company launched new 1-gram gold bars made from local gold raw materials. This step aims to make gold investment accessible and profitable for a wider consumer base. Against the backdrop of a sharp increase in the price of gold on world markets in recent months, physical gold investment is in the spotlight as a stable and reliable investment tool. AzerGold CJSCs 1-gram bars are distinguished by creating the opportunity to invest in smaller amounts in these conditions. Customers can purchase the coins at the AzerGold Sales and Exchange Centre located at 3 Bulbul Avenue, Baku, or via the Companys online platform at www.azergold.gift. BAKU, Azerbaijan, Oct. 31. Bulgaria sees new opportunities for cooperation with Azerbaijan beyond the energy sector, Trend reports citing the Bulgarian Ministry of Energy. The statement was made by Bulgarian Energy Minister Zhecho Stankov during the 7th session of the Bulgaria-Azerbaijan Joint Intergovernmental Commission on Economic Cooperation held in Sofia. The meeting, co-chaired by Stankov and Azerbaijani Agriculture Minister Majnun Mammadov, focused on discussing concrete steps to deepen bilateral engagement. Partnership between Bulgaria and Azerbaijan has strategic significance and will make our economies more competitive. The wide range of topics discussed and mutually beneficial projects reflects the results of our joint work, Stankov said. The ministers noted that dozens of agreements have already been signed between the two countries, demonstrating the sustainable development of their cooperation. Particular attention was given to the energy sector, a key area of the partnership. Azerbaijani gas supplies cover about one-third of Bulgarias consumption, playing a strategic role in regional energy security. Bulgaria, one of the first countries to support the Europe-critical Southern Gas Corridor project, reaffirmed its readiness to participate in initiatives for green corridors and the transmission of sustainable energy from the Caspian region. Stankov said the commissions work provides a solid foundation for further expansion of economic ties. Energy remains the cornerstone of our relations, but we also see other promising areas for strengthening cooperation including agriculture, transport, industry, and defense, he added. Following the session, the co-chairs of the commission signed a protocol outlining specific commitments and next steps to deepen the partnership. Around 100 companies from Bulgaria and Azerbaijan participated in a business forum held alongside the meeting, signaling their interest in expanding bilateral economic ties. BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 31. 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 been interviewed by German ARD TV channel. Trend presents the interview. - On the 27th of September, the war started. What is your answer to the question who shot first? - The answer is Armenia and we have evidences, because the first victims among civilians and military personnel were Azerbaijanis. That was a third in a row military provocation against us. The first was in July, when they launched an attack on the state border between Armenia and Azerbaijan. And we had casualties among the civilians and the military personnel. The second attempt was in August when Armenia sent a sabotage group, whose leader was detained and he gave evidence that he was sent in order to attack the civilians. And the third time on the 27th of September they launched a heavy artillery bombardment on some of the villages and cities situated close to the line of contact. We responded. So thats how it started. - You responded tough and harsh. Why like this, this time? Is it a pre-dominance of the Azerbaijan military, because of the drones from Israel and Turkiye? - We had these drones from Israel already for many years and by the way, some of them were used in 2016 during Armenian another provocation which launched in the liberation of the part of the occupied territories. But that clash lasted for several days because Armenia stopped. And if they stopped this time, we would have stopped also. But they did not. They wanted to make a big damage. They started to shell the cities which situated far beyond the line of contact. And we had many victims among civilians so far- 69. So we had to defend ourselves, defend our people and to respond. So our response was harsh, but they deserved it. - As far as I understand, you gained some grounds in the south especially, but as well, I mean next to Karabakh, further in the north and how long will this war continue? - It depends on Armenia, I said many times. We are ready to stop today. And by the way, the fact that three times we agreed for ceasefire demonstrates our will to stop military confrontation and to resolve this issue on the negotiation table by political purposes, political means. But 3 times Armenia brutally violated the ceasefire. - But they say the same. - But look yes, definitely they do. But look at what happened. On the 10th of October, the humanitarian ceasefire was announced. The next day they launched a ballistic missile attack on Ganja from the territory of Armenia. Probably you have seen the devastation which it caused. Ten people were killed, civilians. They said it was not them. But it is clear, because the launch of the ballistic missiles is observed by the satellite. So, the three co-chair countries of the Minsk Group definitely know who did it. The second time they did the same, they violated the ceasefire two minutes after it was announced. And the third time yesterday when they launched a cluster bomb on the city of Tartar. Four people were killed among them one seven year old girl. So it was them. There was no evidence that we did it. What we do is opposite. I said that we will not respond them the same way. We will respond them on the battlefield. We do not attack cities, we do not attack civilians, only on the battlefield. But we have to defend ourselves. If they attack, if they want to regain the positions which they lost, we cannot just stay calm. We need to defend and the more we defend the more territories we liberate. - But exactly the same thing they claimed as well. They say that you use cluster bombs and I mean there was even like some proves from Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch that you used cluster bombs there in Karabakh. I mean, why do you use this kind of arms? - We dont use. We defend ourselves. We invited Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch to come to Azerbaijan. Unfortunately, their coverage of the events is only from Armenian side. They did not approach us to come here, therefore, we have big doubts about their impartiality. - But now they come. As far as I understand, Human Rights Watch, they are coming or they told me. - They are coming, because we said "why dont you come here?" After we made a request to them. "Please, do come here", they agreed to come. But why didnt they come in the first place? - They told me that they wanted to come. They asked for several times, but you didnt give them access. - No, no. That is not possible. Because that was what we did. Just yesterday we said, why they dont come, let them come and go to Ganja, go to Tartar, meet the people whom Armenians attacked. And again, the ballistic missile launch is seen from the satellite. No one can say that we launched a ballistic missile on any civilian compound in Nagorno-Karabakh or in Armenia. - Let me ask you again about this cluster munition. Because, of course, you know its very serious subject. I had a look into the research of Human Rights Watch and the proof was quite interesting, they had pictures, and they even have names. The name of the weapon they said LAR 160 cluster bomb from Israel. Do you really want to dispute that fact? - Yes, of course. There are no proofs about that. And I would like them to come here, and to give these proofs. At the same time, to go to Ganja, to go to Tartar, to go to Barda and see what kind of weapons Armenians are using. And be impartial - So, if they can find weapons here, you rely on their research. - No, they will have to, because there is no way for them to say "no". Let them say, because so far, Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International was very aggressive against Azerbaijan. They never made any comment about violation of human rights in Armenia. When a journalist died in Armenian prison they were silent. When leader of main opposition party of Armenia was jailed, they were silent. When former presidents are on trial, they were silent. They dont want to see it, because they have the so-called Armenian origin people in their structures. And these organizations are basically used in order to damage the image of Azerbaijan. But nevertheless, we invited them. Let them come. And say what they see. - Actually, you never signed the UN Convention on cluster munition. So, why is it a problem for you? Actually you could use it. - But did Armenia sign? - We are talking about Azerbaijan and not Armenia. - We are talking about the conflict. We are talking about the conflict and the fact that we sign or dont sign any kind of convention doesnt mean that we are using it or not. We have enough ammunition. We have modern weapons and we demonstrate it on the battlefield. And what we do, we liberate the territories not with bombs. We liberate the territories with our fighters which take one village after another, one city after another, raise the Azerbaijani flag. So, thats how it is done. - Coming to this subject, I mean, wouldnt it be a goal somehow to take over those seven districts and afterwards to negotiate and maybe to come into autonomous zone of Karabakh? - We suggested that but Armenians always rejected. The co-chairs of the Minsk Group can prove what I say. We always suggested, we always were committed to the peace plan, so-called basic principles which provided the liberation of the occupied territories of Azerbaijan in phases. At the first stage five, at the second stage two. But now among those five, almost all of them have already been liberated. Therefore, Armenia was always against that. And frankly speaking, what we have seen on the battlefield after we liberated the territories. Those engineering constructions which were built there- they invested maybe hundreds of millions of dollars. They show that they were not planning to leave those territories. Because if they planned to leave the territories, they would not have invested so much. There were several lines of defense with the modern equipment, modern weapons, and modern engineering technology. Therefore, all their behavior on negotiation table was an attempt to mislead the mediators and us. They were making the negotiations endless and wanted to win time what they have managed to do for 27 years. Therefore, we committed to the basic principles. Seven districts must be returned to us. Armenians have never lived in those districts. Plus, Azerbaijanis who were expelled from Nagorno-Karabakh-there have been 40 thousand people of Azerbaijani origin in Nagorno-Karabakh before-must return there. Then, thats how the plan should be implemented. - An autonomous region without any Azerbaijani influence? - That was part of the discussions. But we did not come to a final agreement about that. - But would you agree about that? - Well, we need to discuss it now. Because now there are new realities on the ground. Always we heard... - What kind of influence do you want to have there-in an autonomous region? I mean is this contradicting by itself? - No. First of all, we did not agree on any autonomous region. This is first. We did not come to this agreement. When we were suggesting that, Armenians were rejecting. They were demanding independence, which we did not agree. Now the realities on the ground have changed. We heard many times that there are realities and you have to take them into account. It is okay. So, we changed the realities. Now they will have to take it into account, and what we suggested them during these 27 years, maybe is not valid any longer. Therefore, we need to have discussions now and, by the way, we are ready to send our foreign minister to Geneva tomorrow to start a new round of negotiations if Armenia is ready, and to discuss the future of Nagorno-Karabakh at the negotiation table. But for that Armenia should stop. They always wanted during these months to regain back the territories which we liberated and that was a main reason for their defeat. - When we were there in this area, among us the question came up. Why actually is Karabakh so important for Azerbaijan? I mean, is there a kind of resource or is it just symbolic? - Alsace and Lorraine, is it important for you? Bavaria, is it important for you? Or Rhine-Westphalia? It is our land, our territory, internationally recognized. It is not a matter of resources. We have main resources here in Baku. It is a matter of justice, it is a matter of national pride and it is a matter of international law. International law and the whole international community recognize Nagorno-Karabakh as an integral part of Azerbaijan. And we are restoring justice and we are implementing the UN Security Council resolutions which were on paper for 27 years. - Are you actually recognizing that the majority of the people in these region were Armenians as most historians say worldwide? - With respect to the history, I can tell you that Armenians were transported or brought to this region after the peace agreement between the Karabakh khanate and Russian empire was signed by Ibrahim Khalil Khan and Russian general Tsitsianov in the beginning of the 19th century. - Arent they living there for centuries? - No, no, no. They started to be transported to Nagorno-Karabakh after Kurakchay peace agreement and then Gulustan peace agreement, Turkmenchay peace agreement- in 1805, 1813, 1828. You can see on internet. There is no mentioning of Armenians in this agreements. Armenians then were brought by Tsarist Russia from eastern Anatolia and from Persia in order to change the ethnic and religious composition of the region. - So, most of the historians, experts on the Caucasus region are wrong? - Yes, of course. Because look at the documents. Historians, which historians? There are different historians and history sometimes is motivated by political preferences. But look at those documents. They are on internet and you can see. If you find any mentioning of Armenian population you will say that I am wrong. So, thats how it was. But the other thing is yes, they lived there for 200 years, and the word Karabakh is an Azerbaijani word, it is not an Armenian word. Do you know how they call the so-called capital of Nagorno-Karabakh? Stepanakert. Do you know whose honor is it called? Stepan Shaumyan. Stepan Shaumyan was an Armenian-Russian Bolshevik, head of the criminal gang here which committed a genocide against the Azerbaijanis in 1918. So, if it was an ancient Armenian territory, why is it named Karabakh? And why the capital city is named Stepanakert and not some ancient name? Because they lived there for 200 years. In 1978, Armenians who lived there, raised a monument on the 150 years of their arrival to Nagorno-Karabakh. This is a history, but again, they have lived there for 200 years and we want them to live. I said many times, we want Azerbaijanis to go back and Armenians live there, where they lived historically for 200 years. No matter. - Nevertheless, this people experience your military action as how they say ethnical cleansing. - No, no, not at all. We were the subject of ethnic cleansing. When they occupied Nagorno-Karabakh and seven districts surrounding it, we had 750 thousand Azerbaijanis ethnically cleansed from 7 districts plus from Shusha which was a part of Nagorno-Karabakh. Weve been subject of ethnic cleansing. We didnt do any ethnic cleansing against Armenians and we are not planning to do it now. Because I said that we will have to live together. It will not be easy but we will have to learn. - But civilians were killed there right now, the last couples of weeks. - Civilians were killed in Azerbaijan also-69 - There as well. - Yes. Because its a war. But 69 civilians killed in the territories which are far away from the conflict zone, in Ganja, more than 300 civilians have been wounded by Armenians. Its a war. It happens. Unfortunately. - I used to live in Israel for five years. I know very well that the drones in Israel are very accurate. So, it wasnt done by a drone as far as I understand, how does that come that the church was hit in Karabakh? - That was as I said already, probably a mistake of our artillery or the second option could be that Armenians did it themselves. In order to put a blame on us. - Christians are shooting on their churches? - But it was a minor damage. It was not destroyed. Have you seen the images of that? Its a minor damage. The church was not destroyed. It can be repaired within two weeks maximum. Therefore, we have a doubt that could be done by them, themselves, in order to put a blame on us. Look at the Armenian church in Baku. We preserve it. We restored it. - Could you imagine Muslims to destroy, or to demoralize mosque by themselves to make something up like this? - I dont know. Maybe. Maybe it may happen. Why not? Armenian church here in Baku is preserved by us. We did not destroy it. We protect it. We keep thousands of Armenian books there. But in the mosque in Zangilan which was liberated, they kept pigs there. Thats the difference. - As far as I understand, on the 1st of October, a man in Azerbaijan was put in prison because he demanded peace. I mean some human rights experts, defenders say you might have started this war as well to unite the nation behind you to somehow to distract from the problems in the country when it comes to democracy and human rights. - That is absolutely wrong assessment. First of all, I dont know about anyone who was arrested. If you can give me the name, if you have the name give me. Do you have the name? - I dont have the name right now but I will find out. - When you find out, tell me. So, we can consider this question invalid, because you dont have the name and I dont have this information. With respect to distraction of attention there is no need to distract the attention. Our political system is efficient. Before this clash, and even before the parliamentary elections which we had, I launched a kind of a new process of political cooperation. We made a public appeal to all political parties to start practical cooperation, to put an end to hostility, and to start at least talking to each other. Except two parties, all the other parties, 50 of them supported it. We started a modern new political process. We have now many opposition members in our parliament. The political process is very efficient. - Arent there many opposition members either in prison in Azerbaijan? - No, no. Those who are in prison, they are in prison for the crimes they have committed. There are no one here on political charges and opposition is - What kind of crimes? Saying their opinion? - No, no, different crimes as any other crimes. I dont know exactly which but it is just ordinary crimes. So, we dont have this kind of reason. Second, our economic performance during the pandemic is one of the best. Our economy declined only 3.9 percent, it is much lower than in some European countries. Poverty level in Azerbaijan is 5 percent, much lower. Unemployment level is 7 percent, much lower. We have hot currency reserves which exceed our foreign debt six times. So, I dont have internal problems, why should I launch it? - Would you call Azerbaijan an example for democracy? - No, no, never. Would you call your country an example for democracy? - Somehow yes. - But you ban opposition rallies. - No, actually not. - Yes, yes. Those extremists who wanted to have a rally, I forgot the name. You banned them. - I dont know about that. I mean even during those corona times they were doing demonstrations. - No. it was before corona times. We are not, and we do not pretend to be. But there are countries which pretend to be, but they killed protesters. Do you know how many people were killed during these yellow-vest protests? Do you know? More than ten killed. - But we are not talking about France. - No, no, lets talk about Europe. - About Azerbaijan - No, lets talk about those who pretend to be democrats. We are not pretending. Yes, we have shortcomings. - I will ask Mr. Macron about this. - But those who kill protesters, who kill protestors on the street, ten of them killed. We look how in Europe you beat protesters, you beat them by forces. You bring dogs and this is considered democracy. - How important is the country-where we came from right now-Turkiye for you and especially during this military operation during this war? I mean there are Turkish soldiers here. Yesterday, we talked to some of them and they told us they are from Turkiye. - You talked to soldiers? - Yes. - On the battlefield? - No, no, not on the battlefield - But where? - In the city of Baku. -They are fighting here, in Baku? - No, they are here. Nevertheless, they are here. - There can be German soldiers here now. - You are doing military exercises together. - Yes, we do. - If, a third country would get involved into this conflict, do you expect the help from Turkiye? - We do not expect any third country to be involved. We do not see which country can be involved, because the countries which surround us are our partners and friends. We know that Armenians want to involve some of them into this battle. But I am sure it will not happen. Its a battle between us and Armenia. And everybody should stay away from that. Turkish soldiers can be here, yes. Last year we had ten joint military trainings. But also, we have military trainings with other countries. We are part of the NATO partnership peace program. Nothing strange. You saw them in Baku, you didnt see them in the battle. - Do you feel safer with Turkish F-16s here in Azerbaijan? - Turkish F-16s came here as a result of the military training and they stayed here because the Armenians launched an attack on us. And they are here as a sign of solidarity. They are not participating in any battle, and there are not a plan to be part of that. - 3 times ceasefires were broken. One negotiated by France, one negotiated by Russia one negotiated by the USA. Which international power could stop this war? - I think, Armenia should stop it. International power-these 3 countries which you mentioned are co-chairs of the Minsk Group. They are leading countries of the world, members of the UN Security Council, permanent members. These countries adopted four resolutions demanding withdrawal of Armenian troops. But these countries did not do anything in order to implement these resolutions. These resolutions were on paper. That shows that this mediation was not efficient. But at the same time, we cannot think about some other countries which can be more powerful. Therefore, the only way to stop war is for Armenia to stop, to admit its defeat, to admit our victory and then to commit to liberation of the part of the territories. We will liberate them anyway. They did not believe when we started counter-attack. We said we will liberate, stop it now. They could have stopped even when we took Fuzuli back. - Do you have the feeling that they are not very interested in this conflict? - Whom do you mean? - Those three countries for example? - Well, no, I dont have this feeling, because if they were not interested, they wouldnt have been mediators. They have a mandate from the OSCE. - But the mediation wasnt successful. - Yes it wasnt successful. Because they did not put sanctions on Armenia. I raised it many times. Armenia should have been sanctioned like Iraq was sanctioned when Saddam Hussein occupied Kuwait, immediately. And there were serious sanctions against Iraq. If the same happened to Armenia, then they would have moved the forces back. - So they closed their eyes? - Yes, they closed their eyes. They, I would say, not closed their eyes, they were always saying there is no military solution. They wanted that this situation continued more or less the same way. I think they were fine with the fact that the conflict seemed to be frozen. They thought that it may be frozen forever, and they only tried to think about some confidence-building measures, some monitors, so that theres no outbreak. But they did not implement their mandate, in accordance with the OSCE decision and they should have forced Armenia. I think each of these countries unilaterally can send such a message to Armenia that it should listen to it, but they did not. - Are you listening to them? - I am listening to every partner. But it depends what I do after I listen. But I am listening. - Two days ago, I heard you in the radio asking the question where has Armenia the money from to do this war? What is the answer? - No answer. Ive been asking this question for a month. We made a preliminary calculations. - I mean, somebody asking this question continuously somehow has an answer in mind. - Well, if I had an answer I would not have asked. If I am still asking, it means that I did not get an answer. We made a preliminary calculation about minimum, by the way, I did not disclose all of what we have destroyed. That will come. 2.7 billion dollars, cost of the ammunition which we destroyed and which we took as a trophy. Where the money comes from? Armenia is a poor country, its budget is less than 2 billion dollars. Its foreign debt is 8 billion dollars. - They are supported by Russia. - Thats your opinion. - This is official. This is no secret. Somebody else? - Maybe, I dont know. So, I am asking but nobody is responding. So I will continue to ask. - Your Excellency, Mr. President, thank you very much for the interview. - Thank you. BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 31. A visit of heads of embassies and international organizations accredited in Azerbaijan to the Jabrayil and Zangilan districts began on the instructions of President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev today, Trend reports. The visit is expected to involve more than 100 representatives from 51 countries and 12 international organizations. During the visit, which took place under the auspices of the Assistant to the President of AzerbaijanHead of the Department of Foreign Policy Affairs of the Presidential Administration, Hikmet Hajiyevrepresentatives of the diplomatic corps will get acquainted with the restoration and reconstruction works carried out in the mentioned districts. They will learn about the projects successfully implemented within the framework of the 'Great Return' Program, as well as the Zangezur corridor project, which increases the strategic importance of the region, and will get acquainted with the work being done on the railways and highways in the territory of the Aghband settlement. The delegation will visit key infrastructure facilities, including the 'Dost Agropark' livestock complex in Zangilan district and the Hakari railway station located on the section of the Hakari river that passes through Zangilan district. The program of the visit includes a residential complex in Zangilan city, school and kindergarten buildings, and a visit to the Zangilan city mosque. The visit of the diplomatic corps representatives will provide an opportunity to closely see the scale of the work being carried out and the development potential of the region, as well as assess Azerbaijan's efforts to ensure the sustainable restoration, socio-economic revival, and reintegration of the liberated territories. To note, this is the 20th visit of the diplomatic corps representatives to the liberated territories, based on the instructions of the President of Azerbaijan. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 31. The international conference "Belgian colonialism: acknowledgement and responsibility, dedicated to Belgium's colonial past and its serious consequences in the present day, was held for the first time in Azerbaijan on October 31, 2025, organized by the Baku Initiative Group, Trend reports. The event was attended by representatives of Belgium's former colonies, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, and Burundi, as well as diplomats and officials. The conference was attended by international law experts, historians, researchers, civil society activists, and reparations experts from eight countries. The conference discussed the atrocities committed by Belgium against the local population in Africa, especially in its former colonies such as the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, and Burundipolicies of ethnic division, mass killings, and looting of cultural heritage, as well as the severe consequences of Belgian colonialism that continue to this day. At the same time, there was an exchange of views on the ongoing exploitation of the resources of these countries as a result of Belgium's neocolonial policies in its colonial territories, the transfer to the international level of the demand for compensation to these peoples for the damage caused, and its inclusion in the agenda of international organizations. The 2019 report of the UN Working Group on People of African Descent emphasizes that during Belgian colonial rule in what is now the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Rwanda, and Burundi, tens of thousands had their hands cut off, a policy of ethnic separation was pursued, which has become a source of conflict today, the local population was forced into forced labor, and 20,000 mixed-race children were abducted and separated from their local communities and subjected to a policy of assimilation, which laid the groundwork for genocide. The report recommends the establishment of a commission to establish the truth and facts, open archives, and pay compensation. Like other colonial powers, Belgium, while committing unprecedented atrocities against the peoples it occupied and exploited, unfortunately managed to hide these crimes from the international community. The conference also aimed to inform the public about the historical truth. BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 31. Burundians didn't have French names in the pre-colonial times, Burundian political analyst Nibizi Jean-Marie, founder of the Organization for Integration, Neighborhood, and Equality, said at an international conference titled "Belgian colonialism: acknowledgement and responsibility" organized by the Baku Initiative Group, dedicated to Belgium's colonial past and its current serious consequences, Trend reports. Jean-Marie pointed out that the colonialists really threw a wrench in the works by wiping out the native language in Burundi. "The French language was forcibly introduced into the education system. It was only post-sovereignty that Burundi could initiate a paradigm shift in its educational framework and reinstate the indigenous Burundian linguistic heritage," he recalled. The analyst emphasized that the colonialists also changed people's names. "Before the colonial period, Burundians didn't have French names. It was during the colonial period that people were given French names under the guise of baptism. This process was then furthered through religion. In this way, they also destroyed the culture and wisdom of the people," he added. To note, in 1916, Belgian forces executed a strategic incursion into the region amidst the global conflict known as the First World War. In 1923, the League of Nations conferred upon Belgium the jurisdiction over the territory known as Ruanda-Urundi, which comprises the contemporary nations of Rwanda and Burundi, while the western kingdoms were allocated to Tanganyika. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 31. The visit to Azerbaijan's Jabrayil and Zangilan districts will focus on the construction of the Zangazur corridor, the Assistant to the President of Azerbaijan and Head of the Department of Foreign Policy Affairs of the Presidential Administration, Hikmet Hajiyev, wrote on his X page, Trend reports. "We are visiting the Jabrayil and Zangilan districts together with members of the diplomatic corps, following in the footsteps of President Ilham Aliyev. The first stop of our trip is the village of Horovlu. Throughout the visit, we will mainly focus on the construction of the Zangezur Corridor, as well as the ongoing railway and highway projects in the region. Since the 2020 Patriotic War, this marks our 20th visit to the liberated territories together with the diplomatic corps," he pointed out. The Zangezur corridor is a transport corridor concept that was introduced following the 2020 Karabakh War. It was advocated for by Azerbaijan and Turkiye as a direct land connection between mainland Azerbaijan and its Nakhchivan exclave, passing through Armenia's southern Syunik province. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, November 1. 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 Second Karabakh War for November 1, 2020: - President Ilham Aliyev received a delegation led by the Turkish Foreign Minister. - The Azerbaijani Defense Ministry released information on the latest situation in the frontline as of November 1. - A list of destroyed military equipment of the Armenian Armed Forces was announced. - Armenia violated a ceasefire on the state border. - The Armenian Armed Forces shelled the territory of Tartar and Aghjabadi districts. - A video of the destruction of Armenian military trucks loaded with ammunition was released. - Two Grad missile systems of the Armenian Armed Forces were destroyed. Democratization is the word on the street in private markets, and Morgan Stanley knows it. The investment bank has bought EquityZen, a company that lets investors buy and sell stakes in private companies. EquityZen bills itself as a way for investors looking to get into private assets to get in contact with equity shareholders of private companies. The deal will enable Morgan Stanley advisors to offer clients private investment opportunities in companies that arent available anywhere else. Companies are staying private longer and longer, EquityZen CEO Atish Davda said in an interview with Yahoo Finance. The number of publicly listed companies continues to be at an all-time low, and so if youre an investor only investing in public stocks, youre missing out on where more value creation could be occurring. SUBSCRIBE: Receive more of our free Advisor Upside newsletter. READ ALSO: Behind Schwabs $660M Deal for Private Asset Marketplace Forge and Most Americans Arent Confident about Retirement Put to (Morgan Stanley at) Work Its all part of a private markets trend that is seemingly taking over wealth management. In 2019, Morgan Stanley acquired Solium Capital, a Canadian software-as-a-service platform, and rebranded it as Shareworks; it has been used by private companies since 2021 as an equity compensation platform. Shareworks is part of Morgan Stanley at Work, which offers both public and private companies employees retirement plans, financial education tools and other services. The deal will increase their access to private shares and give Morgan Stanley at Work participants more liquidity options, according to a release. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. [Morgan Stanley has] been servicing private companies for a very long time, Davda said. The piece thats been missing is the piece that connects all of that supply to the demand side. More Privates Please. The deal is also representative of the broader goal of democratizing access to private investments across wealth management. Last year, BlackRock folded in data on some 200,000 private investments in a $3.2 billion deal with UK-based data and analytics firm Preqin, and demand for the asset class has been rising. Part of the allure is accessing the more than 95,000 private companies that have annual revenues of over $100 million, compared to the roughly 10,000 publicly listed ones, according to research from Russell Investments. 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. Photo: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 31. Azerbaijan's Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov discussed bilateral cooperation with Georgia during his meeting with the country's Foreign Minister Maka Bochorishvili on the sidelines of the UNESCO General Conference, the Azerbaijani Ministry of Foreign Affairs wrote on its X page, Trend reports. "The ministers discussed the political, security, economic, and humanitarian dimensions of the strategic partnership between Azerbaijan and Georgia and exchanged views on key regional issues," the ministry noted. In the course of the meeting, both parties articulated their contentment with the elevated status of bilateral relations, underscoring that dynamic political discourse at the executive echelon constitutes a robust underpinning for this collaborative engagement. Concurrently, the significance of collaborative initiatives aimed at achieving enduring peace and stability within the region was emphasized. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 31. The Azerbaijani Parliament has proposed to address a congratulatory letter to President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev and First Vice-President Mehriban Aliyeva on the occasion of November 8Victory Day, Trend reports. The Parliament Speaker Sahiba Gafarova made this proposal at today's plenary session of the parliament. The congratulatory letter was unanimously accepted with applause. BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 31. Azerbaijani FM Jeyhun Bayramov met with his Hungarian counterpart, Peter Szijjarto, on the sidelines of the UNESCO General Conference in Samarkand, Trend reports via the Azerbaijani MFA. The ministers discussed the prospects for developing the existing strategic partnership between Azerbaijan and Hungary and cooperation within regional and international organizations, as well as future plans and projects. Minister Bayramov emphasized that the ongoing political dialogue, mutual visits and contacts, as well as mechanisms such as strategic dialogue and political consultations, play an important role in advancing the partnership between the two countries. The sides exchanged views on a wide range of bilateral cooperation areas, including economy, trade, investment, energy security, renewable energy resources, humanitarian affairs, education, and culture. They underlined the importance of the Joint Commission on Economic Cooperation between the governments of Azerbaijan and Hungary in further strengthening economic ties and exploring new opportunities in this direction. The meeting also highlighted that the development and transmission of renewable energy represent a key component of the strategic partnership. In this regard, the parties noted the importance of continuing efforts to advance the Black Sea Submarine Cable and Green Middle Corridor initiatives. Minister Bayramov expressed gratitude for Hungarys contribution to reconstruction efforts in Azerbaijans liberated territories. The ministers also exchanged views on regional security issues and other matters of mutual interest. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 31. Azerbaijani FM Jeyhun Bayramov met with his Hungarian counterpart, Peter Szijjarto, on the sidelines of the UNESCO General Conference in Samarkand, Trend reports via the Azerbaijani MFA. The ministers discussed the prospects for developing the existing strategic partnership between Azerbaijan and Hungary, cooperation within regional and international organizations, as well as future plans and projects. Minister Bayramov emphasized that the ongoing political dialogue, mutual visits and contacts, as well as mechanisms such as strategic dialogue and political consultations, play an important role in advancing the partnership between the two countries. The sides exchanged views on a wide range of bilateral cooperation areas, including economy, trade, investment, energy security, renewable energy resources, humanitarian affairs, education, and culture. They underlined the importance of the Joint Commission on Economic Cooperation between the Governments of Azerbaijan and Hungary in further strengthening economic ties and exploring new opportunities in this direction. The meeting also highlighted that the development and transmission of renewable energy represent a key component of the strategic partnership. In this regard, the parties noted the importance of continuing efforts to advance the Black Sea Submarine Cable and Green Middle Corridor initiatives. Minister Bayramov expressed gratitude for Hungarys contribution to reconstruction efforts in Azerbaijans liberated territories. The ministers also exchanged views on regional security issues and other matters of mutual interest. BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 31. It must be acknowledged that in many countries the media are still influenced by old ways of thinking, and I would like to remind you that we are the fourth estate, CEO of the media portal Voice of Congo, Cedrick Aundu said, Trend reports. During his speech at the international conference titled "Belgian colonialism: acknowledgement and responsibility," Aundu stressed that the press holds immense power and responsibility. After this roundtable, we must succeed in forming real organization. As the saying goes, a knife has two edges; we possess influence and must use it responsibly, he said. Aundu emphasized that the primary role of the media is to encourage people to engage in discussions, challenge colonial mindsets, and shape new perspectives. We must dismantle dominant perceptions of the colonial past, reassess the colonial narrative in Belgian history, and work to eliminate its lingering impact on peoples thinking, he added. He also underlined the importance of civic mobilization, noting that online media should help citizens unite around issues such as justice, racism, and decolonization, and inspire them to participate more actively in public debates. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 31. The charter capital of Azerbaijans Innovation and Digital Development Agency has been increased, Trend reports. President of the Republic of Azerbaijan, Ilham Aliyev, signed a decree approving the move. Under the decree, the agencys charter capital has been raised from 6.78 million manat ($3.99 million) to 26.7 million manat ($15.7 million), strengthening its financial foundation for future projects and initiatives. BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 31. We have repeatedly submitted reports to the Human Rights Committee and the Human Rights Council on regions turned into colonies by France, said Abbas Abbasov, Executive Director of the Baku Initiative Group (BIG), Trend reports. Speaking at the international conference titled "Belgian colonialism: acknowledgment and responsibility," organized by the Baku Initiative Group, Abbasov emphasized that progress had been achieved regarding French Polynesia and New Caledonia. This is just one example, but I believe that by working consistently and constructively, you too will achieve results, he stated. Abbasov emphasized the need to lay the groundwork for a fresh approach to bolster global advocacy efforts. We must establish a new platform. We need to be part of the processes and present concrete evidence to the international community, he said. The official articulated forthcoming strategic initiatives, emphasizing the imperative to compile comprehensive documentation for presentation to the United Nations (UN). "I had promised to present reports to the Human Rights Committee and the UN Council. At the same time, we must consistently hold international events dedicated to issues such as deforestation and reparations, he noted. He added that developing a unified strategy or an operational plan for reparations was possible. We are open to ideas and proposals. We are ready to create a new platform for reparations and share our best practices, the official concluded. The Baku Initiative Group (BIG) is a non-profit organization established in 2023 by participants of a Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) conference in Baku, Azerbaijan, to support the global struggle against colonialism and neo-colonialism, particularly focusing on France's colonial legacy and other forms of ongoing subjugation. BIG serves as a platform for decolonization dialogues, connecting affected peoples with the international community through conferences and advocacy to advance self-determination and human rights. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 31. Within the working visit to Kazakhstan, the Minister of Defense of the Republic of Azerbaijan, General Colonel Zakir Hasanov, met with the Minister of Defense of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Lieutenant General Dauren Kosanov, on October 31, Trend reports. During the meeting, the sides highlighted that Azerbaijani-Kazakh relations are based on friendship and brotherhood and discussed the current state of cooperation in the military, military-technical, military-educational, and other spheres. The meeting also included a detailed exchange of views on new prospects for military relations between the two countries, as well as on several other issues of mutual interest. The Minister of Defense of Kazakhstan presented Colonel General Zakir Hasanov with the "Medal for Contribution to the Development of International Cooperation." At the end of the meeting, a military cooperation plan for 2026 was signed between the Ministries of Defense of Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan. BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 31. The open court hearing on the criminal cases against citizens of the Republic of Armenia Arayik Harutyunyan, Arkadi Ghukasyan, Bako Sahakyan, Davit Ishkhanyan, David Babayan, Levon Mnatsakanyan, and others accused of committing crimes against peace and humanity, war crimes, including the preparation and conduct of an aggressive war, genocide, violations of the laws and customs of war, as well as terrorism, financing of terrorism, violent seizure and retention of power, and numerous other offenses resulting from Armenias military aggression against Azerbaijan, continued on October 31, Trend reports. The trial was held at the Baku Military Court under the chairmanship of Judge Zeynal Agayev, with Judges Jamal Ramazanov and Anar Rzayev (reserve judge Gunel Samedova) participating in the panel. Each defendant was provided with an interpreter in their preferred language and legal counsel for their defense. The hearing was attended by the defendants, their lawyers, some of the victims, their legal successors and representatives, as well as prosecutors representing the state prosecution. At the beginning of the session, the defense lawyer of the accused Levon Mnatsakanyan, Ogtay Madatov, addressed the court, requesting a meeting with his client during the break. The judge stated that appropriate conditions would be provided for this during the recess. Defendant David Manukyan then filed a motion, stating that he did not agree with certain aspects of the charges brought against him. He requested that the accusation related to the creation of a criminal organization be removed from the parts of the criminal case concerning him, and that his case be separated into a distinct proceeding. Manukyans defense lawyer supported the motion. State prosecutor Fuad Musayev, commenting on the motion, noted that the current stage of the proceedings is not the phase for evaluating evidence, and that the issue raised by the defense pertains to that later stage. The prosecution stated that it would present its position on the matter after the completion of the judicial investigation, during the final statements, and reminded that the court would assess the evidence in the deliberation room. After hearing the representatives of the victims, the court ruled that the motion was unfounded and rejected it. Subsequently, the defense lawyer of the accused Madat Babayan, Leyla Namazzade, filed a motion requesting that certain episodes of the charges against her client be removed. The defendant agreed with the motion filed by his lawyer. Prosecutor Taranah Mammadova stated that the issues raised in the motion were not relevant to the current stage of the trial and would be evaluated by the court during its deliberations. The court announced that the matters mentioned in the motion would be considered in the deliberation room and therefore left the motion unexamined. Defendant Bako Sahakyan answered questions from his lawyer regarding the evidence he had submitted at the previous hearing. Later, the defense lawyer of Levon Mnatsakanyan informed the court that, during his meeting with his client, the latter had provided several documents from his personal archive to be added to the case file, and presented them to the court. The lawyer of defendant Levon Balayan, Saqi Mammadov, also requested a confidential meeting with his client. Judge Zeynal Agayev stated that the necessary conditions would be provided for this during the break. At the end of the hearing, the presiding judge inquired about the parties opinions regarding the conclusion of the judicial investigation. None of the parties objected to the completion of this stage. Vusal Aliyev, Senior Assistant to the Prosecutor General, noted that the prosecution was satisfied with the evidence presented during the trial. The presiding judge declared the judicial investigation phase closed and reminded the participants that during the final statements, the parties may refer only to the evidence examined in court. The prosecutors requested time until November 3 to prepare their closing statements. It was decided that the next hearing would begin with the parties closing arguments. The trial will continue on November 3. Fifteen defendants of Armenian origin are accused in the criminal case concerning numerous crimes committed during the aggressive war waged by the Armenian state - including the aforementioned criminal association - on the territory of Azerbaijan, in violation of domestic and international legal norms. These crimes were committed for the purpose of military aggression against Azerbaijan and were carried out under the direct leadership and participation of the Armenian state, officials of its state institutions, its armed forces, and illegal armed formations, through their written and verbal orders, instructions, and guidelines; material, technical, and personnel support; centralized management; as well as under strict control and under the leadership and direct or indirect participation of Robert Sedraki Kocharyan, Serzh Azati Sargsyan, Vazgen Mikaeli Manukyan, Vazgen Zaveni Sargsyan, Samvel Andraniki Babayan, Vitali Mikaeli Balasanyan, Zori Hayki Balayan, Seyran Musheghi Ohanyan, Arshavir Surenovich Garamyan, Monte Charles Melkonyan, and others. The following individuals - Arayik Vladimiri Harutyunyan, Arkadi Arshaviri Ghukasyan, Bako Sahaki Sahakyan, Davit Rubeni Ishkhanyan, David Azatini Manukyan, Davit Klimi Babayan, Levon Henrikovich Mnatsakanyan, Vasili Ivani Beglaryan, Erik Roberti Ghazaryan, Davit Nelsoni Allahverdiyan, Gurgen Homeri Stepanyan, Levon Romiki Balayan, Madat Arakelovich Babayan, Garik Grigori Martirosyan, and Melikset Vladimiri Pashayan - are being charged under the following articles of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan: Article 100 (planning, preparing, initiating, and waging a war of aggression); Article 102 (attacking persons or organizations enjoying international protection); Article 103 (genocide); Article 105 (extermination of the population); Article 106 (enslavement); Article 107 (deportation or forced displacement of population); Article 109 (persecution); Article 110 (enforced disappearance of persons); Article 112 (deprivation of liberty contrary to international law); Article 113 (torture); Article 114 (mercenary service); Article 115 (violation of the laws and customs of warfare); Article 116 (violation of international humanitarian law during armed conflict); Article 118 (military robbery); Article 120 (intentional murder); Article 192 (illegal entrepreneurship); Article 214 (terrorism); Article 214-1 (financing terrorism); Article 218 (creation of a criminal organization); Article 228 (illegal acquisition, transfer, sale, storage, transportation, and possession of weapons, ammunition, explosives, and devices); Article 270-1 (acts threatening aviation security); Article 277 (assassination of a state official or public figure); Article 278 (forcible seizure and retention of power, forcible change of the constitutional structure of the state); Article 279 (creation of armed groups not provided for by law); and additional articles. BAKU, Azerbaijan, November 1. The first consular consultations were held in London between the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office of the United Kingdom on October 31, Trend reports with reference to the Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry. The Azerbaijani delegation at the consular consultations was led by Emil Safarov, Head of the Consular Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Azerbaijan, and the British delegation was led by Sarah Taylor, Director of the Consular and Crisis Affairs Department of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, and Mark Clayton, Deputy Head of the Central Asia and Eastern Neighbourhood Department. The consultations were attended by the Ambassador of the Republic of Azerbaijan to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland Elin Suleymanov, representatives of the foreign ministries of both sides, the General Prosecutor's Office of the Republic of Azerbaijan, the Ministry of Justice, the Ministry of Science and Education, as well as employees of the UK Home Office on migration, visas and legal assistance. During the consultations, the current state and prospects of consular relations between the two countries were discussed, including the possibility of signing bilateral documents in this area and the digitalization of consular services. The consultations included discussions on ensuring the protection of the rights and freedoms of citizens of the two countries, visa issues, and crisis management. The importance of exchanging experience on the latest innovations in the consular sphere and strengthening ties in the areas of migration, education, justice, extradition, and legal assistance in civil and criminal matters was emphasized. The parties agreed to hold the next meeting of consular consultations in Baku. In the decades since they were introduced in 1997, Medicare Advantage plans have shifted the landscape of healthcare for American seniors. Heavily marketed by a few large insurance companies, Medicare Advantage plans now make up 54% of the nations Medicare marketplace, according to health-policy group KFF . Some 76% of Medicare Advantage plans that carry prescription-drug coverage are zero-premium, KFF says , meaning enrollees pay nothing upfront except for premiums associated with Medicare Part B (currently $185 a month), which cover doctors visits and other outpatient services that dont require hospital admission. The implications of Medicare Advantages sweeping success across America have been hard for seniors and policymakers to fully understand. It all depends on what care you end up needing, and the shift can happen quickly. If you have one very bad day with a fall, or a diagnosis of a chronic illness like cancer or kidney disease, your costs will skyrocket on Medicare Advantage, according to experts. Theres a tipping point for Medicare Advantage that many people do not recognize when they first sign up, thinking that having no monthly premium, or a really low one, represents significant savings. But Medicare Advantage is designed to have fixed copays like $30 for a specialist visit and 20% coinsurance for procedures. There are also other charges that can eventually make overall out-of-pocket costs more expensive than the competition, which is a Medicare supplement plan, also known as a Medigap plan. In the world of bargains, theres a difference between free and free upfront. Free with no strings attached is good. Zero money down always means the potential for balloon payments on the back end. Apply that to the world of Medicare, and you have a potential for paying nothing when you sign up for a Medicare Advantage plan at 65 and then high costs later in life, when you all but invariably get sick. Eventually, that free plan may cost more than the alternative you initially thought was too expensive, and it could be too late to switch. Story Continues On the surface, a Medicare Advantage plan that charges no monthly premium seems like a better deal than original Medicare with a Medigap and Part D drug plan, which have monthly premiums but typically have no other charges (except a $2,000 maximum for prescription drugs that applies across the board to all Medicare users). For the most part, Medicare Advantage customers pay almost $3,500 less out of pocket in a year than those with Medigap insurance, according to an analysis by ATI Advisory, a healthcare consulting firm. But that includes the many healthy people not using significant healthcare. In an emergency scenario, its certainly within the realm of possibility that you could rack up the equivalent of an entire years worth of Medigap premiums in one fell swoop. Medicare Advantage is a great deal if youre healthy, not such a great deal if youre out of pocket a lot, said David Grabowski, a professor of healthcare policy at Harvard Medical School. Calculating the costs Taylor Langlois, an insurance broker in Wichita, Kan., has a client in a rural area who recently suffered a fall and experienced the kind of medical emergency that could result in several copay charges. He was driven to a local medical center, Langlois said, then went by ambulance to a bigger hospital, and was eventually taken by helicopter to a trauma center. In the Wichita area, the most popular Medigap plans are running about $150 a month, plus about $50 for a Part D drug plan, according to Langlois, for a total annual cost of about $2,400 per year. Heres how just that one bad day would add up on a typical Medicare Advantage plan in the Wichita area, such as a Blue Medicare Advantage Choice, a preferred provider organization, or PPO, plan, which has a zero-dollar monthly premium and no deductible. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas did not respond to a request for comment. Thats $1,600, according to an analysis of the information provided on the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas website. These expenses are in-network and before any other ancillary hospital co-insurance for procedures, lab work, drug costs and whatever else is charged. The out-of-pocket maximum for in-network charges on this plan is $3,700, or $5,700 for out-of-network services, plus the $2,000 max for drug coverage. A person would just keep racking up charges until hitting those caps, then everything would be covered 100%. Your costs can also climb to the out-of-pocket maximum over time, $20 or $40 at a pop, endlessly. This especially goes for expensive conditions like cancer and kidney failure, because every chemotherapy or dialysis session has multiple elements that get billed at 20% per line item. The big question is somewhat unknowable 20% of what? The costs for Medicare Advantage plans vary widely. The national cap for in-network services is set at $9,350 for 2025, according to KFF, but individual plans can choose lower amounts. The average is $4,882 for in-network services, says KFF, and $8,707 for both in-network and out-of-network services, with a PPO plan. But one thing you can count on: Itll be a lot. If their plan charges 20% for chemo, their out of pocket on that plan for that year will likely be [the maximum], said Danielle Roberts, founding partner at Boomer Benefits, an online Medicare broker. One client with cancer has a Medicare Advantage plan with a $4,900 maximum for in-network services. She was diagnosed early this year and already reached her out-of-pocket maximum for in-network services months ago, Roberts said. Luckily, the woman had a separate insurance policy for cancer illness and was able to use that to pay some of the excess bills. MarketWatch examined multiple years worth of explanations of benefits for an 88-year-old Pennsylvania woman on Medicare Advantage who had a stroke in 2022. She had a long hospital stay, then rehab and has been in assisted living since she was discharged. She asked to remain anonymous because of the sensitive nature of medical information. Her plan charges no monthly premium and has an out-of-pocket maximum of $7,000 for both in-network and out-of-network services. She easily hit that in 2022, and got to about $3,500 in 2023, including $196 a day for her last days in rehab and $300 for her trip by ambulance back to her assisted-living facility. Now that she is more settled, her out-of-network charges through Sept. 30, 2025, were $1,369, mostly consisting of regular $40 charges for physical therapy, $50 for recurring nebulizer treatments and $30 for in-network specialist visits. In comparison, a typical Medigap supplement plus a Part D drug plan for a woman that age in her county would cost between $2,500 and $3,700 a year, according to eHealth, an online insurance marketplace. One of these options would cover almost all medical charges. Its fairly simple to see which plan is better in hindsight, but new Medicare enrollees have to guess blindly what they might need in the future. The reason this is such an important choice at age 65 is that, once you choose a Medicare Advantage plan at sign-up, it may be cost-prohibitive to switch later on to a Medigap plan. Medicare enrollees cant go back and forth at will. If you dont meet certain conditions like a plan being canceled or a state law allowing you to switch you could face medical underwriting and higher costs that make the Medigap plans untenable. You could also get outright rejected, if you are outside of the six-month initial enrollment period and are not in a state that protects the right to get a policy, as New York does. Its difficult at the outset, though, to make a side-by-side comparison of the optimal plan of each type, Medicare Advantage or Medigap, and then do that basic math to calculate whether the monthly premium outweighs the maximum out-of-pocket cost. Plan offerings differ by county, and then plan specifics within each locale will range so widely that whats best for you will be different from whats best for your neighbor. The best plan for you will depend on your age, gender, medical conditions, prescriptions, existing relationships with doctors, how often you travel away from home and your overall financial health, to name just a few parameters youd need to consider. Its not clear what people understand about their benefits before they sign up for their plans, said Gretchen Jacobson, vice president of Medicare at the Commonwealth Fund, a nonprofit research foundation. Its really difficult to compare benefits. People usually have an average choice among about 40 plans. Thats a lot of very different plans to compare across. To people facing a choice like this, Langlois, the Wichita insurance broker, will say, On the one hand, with the supplement, I can guarantee what youre paying. If I contrast that with Medicare Advantage, you might be liable for around $4,000. Or perhaps more, depending on your out-of-pocket maximum. And the risk is all your own. Karen Bell is an insurance agent specializing in Medicare, and she says her office in Rochester, N.Y., will assume that anyone with cancer will hit the out-of-pocket maximum of a Medicare Advantage plan. If they know this before sign-up, the person might choose a Medigap plan right at the start. If it comes up a few years down the road, they will look at the timing during the year, and see how much theyve already paid out of pocket on the Medicare Advantage plan. If its early enough in the calendar year, it might make sense to switch to a Medigap plan, because New York state is one of the few states that allows for that possibility without penalty or medical underwriting. Calculating maximum risks In October, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Arizona launched a television advertising campaign that coincided with the start of Medicare open enrollment. The ad featured a grandfather playing with his grandson and a retired couple dancing, declaring that Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Arizona has $0 premium Medicare Advantage Plans, according to a version of the ad posted on YouTube. Aetna kicked off the open-enrollment period by promoting in a press release that the big health insurer offers a plan with a $0 monthly plan premium in every county where plans are available. Across the country this month, health-insurance companies have blitzed consumers with zero-dollar-premium messaging for Medicare Advantage plans. The Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Arizona ad did not mention out-of-pocket maximums for enrollees and the Aetna press release only mentioned out-of-pocket maximums of $2,100 for covered prescription drugs. Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Arizona and Aetna did not respond to requests for comment. Out-of-pocket maximums exist in a lot of different health-insurance scenarios today, and they are there to keep people from facing catastrophic medical debt. Medigap plans typically cover all of Medicares extra charges and do not have out-of-pocket maximums. The insurance is designed to pick up the costs that original Medicare does not cover, and people dont often have costs besides their monthly premiums. Two specific Medigap plan types, known as K and L, do have limits, but these have very low enrollment currently, according to KFF. On the other hand, Medigap has other costs for health issues that Medicare does not cover, like dental, vision and hearing. Part D drug plans have a $2,000 out-of-pocket maximum in 2025, which is going up to $2,100 in 2026 (which also applies to prescription coverage under Medicare Advantage plans). Whats your chance of hitting that out-of-pocket maximum? Nobody really knows, because Medicare Advantage data, coming from private insurers instead of the government, is opaque. We dont have good data on out-of-pocket spending for Medicare enrollees, said Jeannie Fuglesten Biniek, an associate director for the Program on Medicare Policy at KFF. Weve always been concerned about comparing apples to apples, and weve tried to do this by looking at plan benefit data. But the way Medicare Advantage plans pay can be different, and its hard to make it comparable. Without the robust data, it turns into a roll of the dice, essentially. Cheryl Weitzel, a Kansas resident, went through this calculus when she was recently helping her husband pick a plan at 65 (shes still on her employers plan). She advised her husband to choose a Medicare Advantage plan, figuring that he was healthy now, and would be for some time, so the costs would be lower overall if he were on Medicare Advantage, even if he got sick later. Hed have maybe 10 years of paying no premium, she speculated, as opposed to paying $2,400 per year for Medigap, which would add up to $24,000. The Medicare Advantage copays would have to exceed $24,000 in this scenario for Medigap to approach making sense. The way Weitzel sees it, if her husband chooses Medigap and stays healthy for a decade, Wed have wasted all the supplement premium. Tyler Cromer, a principal at ATI Advisory, said were all basically in the same boat as Weitzel. Were all just predicting what we think well need, she said. People may not be aware of the trade-offs initially. What she suggests for incoming enrollees is to look at as many of the plan details as possible and compare what you can. You work through the process, she said. Look at the networks, the out-of-pocket maximums, the covered medications, and see where you have the best options for what you need. There is a safety net on the very low end of incomes. Cromer said that when people hit their highest medical costs as they age and need full-time nursing care, they end up switching to dual-eligible plans for both Medicare and Medicaid, and out-of-pocket costs get largely eliminated. If somebody has very low income and high-cost medical, that can push that into Medicaid, or a special-needs plan, she said. For those who still have assets and income, its a question of careful shopping and risk assessment. As Harvards Grabowski put it, much of the outcome hinges on whether youre healthy or not. Most Read from MarketWatch BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 31. The next group of former internally displaced persons (IDPs) has arrived in Khidirli village of the Aghdam district, Trend's Karabakh bureau reports. At this stage, a total of 24 families, comprising 124 individuals, received keys to their apartments. The handover ceremony was attended by representatives of the Special Representative Office of the President of Azerbaijan in the Aghdam, Fuzuli, and Khojavend districts, as well as the State Committee for Refugees and IDPs. Currently, more than 50,000 people live in Karabakh and Eastern Zangezur. Among them are former IDPs who have returned to these areas, as well as employees involved in the implementation of restoration and construction projects, employees of local departments of various government agencies, and specialists employed in healthcare, education, culture, tourism, industry, and energy institutions that have resumed their activities. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 31. The Protector of Human Rights and Freedoms of Montenegro, Sinisa Bjekovic, officially replied to the correspondence of the Commissioner for Human Rights (Ombudsman), Sabina Aliyeva, regarding the detention of citizens of the Republic of Azerbaijan in Podgorica city, Trend reports. In the correspondence, the Ombudsman of Montenegro stated that he took the issue under his control and that he directly contacted the Police Directorate of the country. He also mentioned that the detained Azerbaijani citizen were treated with special sensitivity. S. Bjekovic noted that the rights of every citizen of the Republic of Azerbaijan would be protected, including issues related to preventing any form of discrimination based on ethnicity, nationality, or religion, as well as hate speech and hostile attitudes. He also emphasized that the investigation and judicial proceedings concerning the detained individuals would be monitored within the scope of his mandate. The Ombudsman of Azerbaijan is closely monitoring the incident. BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 31. Azerbaijan's Electronic Security Service (ESS) under the Ministry of Digital Development and Transport continues to strengthen international cooperation in cybersecurity, Trend reports. The countrys ESS has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Malaysias National Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT) to strengthen collaboration in digital security. The agreement seeks to enhance the exchange of expertise and information, support the professional growth of cybersecurity specialists, and foster innovation in technological solutions. Officials said the two sides will also coordinate on incident prevention, joint training programs, and seminars focused on best practices in information security. According to both parties, the deal marks a significant step toward building stronger strategic ties in cybersecurity and reinforcing mutual support in regional and global initiatives. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel Photo: Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Azerbaijan BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 31. The Minister of Defense of the Republic of Azerbaijan, General Colonel Zakir Hasanov, is on a working visit to the Republic of Kazakhstan to participate in the meeting of the Council of Defense Ministers of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) member states, Trend reports via the Azerbaijani Defense Ministry. As part of the visit, Colonel General Z. Hasanov and the military leadership of other participating countries visited the park named after the 28 Panfilov Guardsmen and laid a wreath at the Eternal Flame monument. Then, at the meeting held in Almaty city, current military cooperation and future tasks were discussed. At the end of the meeting, a signing ceremony of the final documents was held. BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 31. The State Committee for Affairs of Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) of Azerbaijan organized an exhibition-presentation titled 'Roads leading to the Great Return' at the Gallery 1969 exhibition hall in Baku, a source in the committee told Trend. The participants were first presented with an exhibition of photographs captured over the years by Rafig Baghirov, an honorary member of the Azerbaijan Photographers Union and a distinguished veteran of social and political photojournalism in the country. The collection primarily documented the activities of National Leader Heydar Aliyev during the formative years of Azerbaijans independent statehood, as well as the outcomes of extensive reconstruction and development initiatives undertaken in the liberated territories under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev following the historic victory. Several of the photos were being displayed for the first time. Subsequently, video clips filmed in Karabakh and East Zangezur were presented as part of the State Committees information, awareness, and promotional initiatives under the First State Program on the Great Return, which facilitates the resettlement of internally displaced persons in newly established residential areas. In his address, Chairman of the State Committee Rovshan Rzayev underscored the significance of highlighting the remarkable contributions of National Leader Heydar Aliyev to the Azerbaijani people and the development of statehood for the benefit of both present and future generations. He further observed that Azerbaijans accomplishments under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev, including the Great Victory and the subsequent Great Return, have garnered international attention. Rzayev informed participants about the exhibition and underlined that such events are organized within the framework of the First State Program on the Great Return. Deputy Chairman of the State Committee Fuad Huseynov delivered the opening address. Speaking at the event, Deputy Chairperson of the Azerbaijani Parliament, academician Rafael Huseynov, said that refugees and IDPs have always received the attention and care of the state. He emphasized that President Ilham Aliyev has successfully continued the policy defined by National Leader Heydar Aliyev in this sphere. The academician highlighted that Azerbaijans current achievements were built upon the foundations laid by Heydar Aliyev during the formative years of independent statehood. He recalled the importance of the ceasefire in the First Karabakh War, the signing of the Contract of the Century, attracting foreign investment, establishing a modern army, carrying out fundamental reforms across all sectors, and addressing the challenges faced by refugees and IDPs. Huseynov stressed that President Ilham Aliyev has fulfilled all his promises to the people, and under his leadership, internally displaced persons were quickly moved from tent camps, railway cars, and other unsuitable shelters to modern settlements. As a result, 300,000 people were provided with new houses or apartments. Thanks to the determination of the Head of State and the heroism of the Azerbaijani Army, the countrys territories were liberated from occupation, enabling internally displaced persons to return to their native lands. The Great Return, launched after the great victory, continues successfully today as the revitalized cities and villages of Karabakh and East Zangezur welcome back their residents. The event also emphasized that First Vice-President Mehriban Aliyeva has provided impactful support to refugees and IDPs. The ongoing Great Return process, launched five years after the historic victory, is a vivid expression of Azerbaijans unique and exemplary policy toward former IDPs. Systematic measures are being implemented to ensure their safe, dignified, and sustainable return to their homelands. The academician further noted that, in line with the instructions of President Ilham Aliyev, the Great Return represents not only the physical return of people to their homes but also their spiritual and historical reconnection with their roots. The event also featured the presentation of a video titled 'Roads to the Great Return', which highlighted the emotional and human dimensions of the process, documenting the revival of life in the liberated territories. In his remarks, Baghirov expressed gratitude to the state committee for the attention shown to his work and for organizing the exhibition. On behalf of the committee, a letter of appreciation was presented to the distinguished photographer. One of the most notable photographs on display was a 1990s image of National Leader Heydar Aliyev meeting with internally displaced persons from Jabrayil, featuring a young girl, Sama Mammadova. Speaking at the event, Mammadova shared that she still remembers the pain of those years despite being a child at the time. She emphasized that Heydar Aliyev always showed care and compassion for internally displaced persons: We always felt Heydar Aliyevs sincere attention and care for IDPs. The photograph displayed today is a clear example of that. Thanks to the leadership of our President and the determination of our Army, our lands have been liberated, and we have finally returned to our homeland, to Jabrayil, she said. Other speakers included Vusala Fataliyeva, Deputy Head of the Executive Authority of Shusha District and a former IDP from Shusha, and Tahmasib Novruzov, a writer-publicist and former IDP from Aghdam. They emphasized that the Great Return is a powerful symbol of national unity, patriotism, and revival. The speakers fondly recalled their childhood and youth in their native lands and shared their immense joy and happiness at being reunited with their homes. The event was attended by officials from the Special Representative Offices of the President of Azerbaijan in the liberated territories, cultural and artistic figures, members of the Public Council under the State Committee, and other guests. Following the event, participants took a commemorative photo. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 31. On October 31, the Baku Military Court continued the trial on the criminal case against citizens of the Republic of Armenia with the announcement of documents related to the case, Trend reports. During the hearing, Ogtay Madatov, defense attorney for the accused Levon Mnatsakanyan, requested that conditions be provided for a confidential meeting with his client during the break. The judge granted the request, stating that the necessary conditions would be ensured. Defendant David Manukyan filed a motion requesting that the charge of establishing an organized criminal group, which had been filed against him, be removed from the criminal case and examined separately. Manukyans lawyer, Valeh Gurbanov, supported the motion. Responding to the motion, state prosecutor Fuad Musayev noted that filing such a motion was not within the scope of the current stage of the trial. After hearing the parties opinions and holding deliberations, the court ruled not to grant the motion, deeming it unfounded. Subsequently, Leyla Namazzada, lawyer for the accused Madat Babayan, filed a motion requesting that certain episodes be excluded from the criminal case against her client. The accused Babayan supported the motion. State prosecutor Tarana Mammadova requested that the court not grant the motion during the current hearing. The court noted that it would retire to the deliberation room to consider the motion and would announce its decision later. The court proceedings continue against the citizens of Armenia accused of committing crimes as a result of Armenias military aggression against Azerbaijan, including war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide, aggression, terrorism, and violations of the laws and customs of war. The charges also include financing terrorism, the violent seizure and retention of power, and other serious offenses. BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 31. As part of a working visit to Azerbaijan, a delegation led by Abdullah Eren, Chairman of the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA), held a meeting at the Ministry of Health, Trend reports. In the course of the meeting, the sides exchanged views on the successful development of multilateral relations between the two brotherly countries, cooperation in the field of health care, and the implementation of joint projects. Health Minister Teymur Musayev emphasized that Azerbaijani-Turkish cooperation in the field of health and medical science, as in all areas, is exemplary. He noted the exceptional contribution of specialists working in medical centers in the brotherly country to the training of qualified medical personnel in Azerbaijan. In addition, it was brought to attention that issues related to the elimination of psychological disorders among participants in the 44-day Second Karabakh war in the post-war period, the reintegration of victims into society, and their social rehabilitation are always the focus of attention of the Azerbaijani state. Thus, in order to provide proactive psychological and medical assistance to our veterans, at the invitation of the Ministry of Health, professional specialists from Turkiye shared their knowledge and experience with local specialists, as well as examined and treated those in need. Underlining the importance of opening the Pharmacy Training Laboratory at the Baku Basic Medical College No. 2 of the Ministry of Health with the participation of TIKA management, Musayev noted, "The training laboratory, created to provide higher quality education to young people from the two brotherly countries, will expand opportunities for practical training for students. At the same time, it will contribute to the formation of a modern and high-quality educational environment in the field of pharmacy." In turn, Eren noted that the fraternal relations between Azerbaijan and Turkiye, built on solid foundations, are a clear indicator of our unity and solidarity. The TIKA chairman emphasized that close cooperation has also been established between our countries in the field of healthcare. The meeting also included an exchange of views on other issues of mutual interest. BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 31. Deputy Chairman of Azerbaijan Railways CJSC, Nijat Guliyev, attended the 3rd meeting of the heads of railway administrations of OTS member states, held in Kyrgyzstan's Bishkek on October 30-31, Trend reports via the company. The meeting addressed priorities stemming from the Shusha Declaration adopted by the heads of OTS states in 2024 and the Gabala Declaration adopted in 2025, focusing on the advancement of multimodal transport along the Trans-Caspian International Transport Route, the promotion and digitalization of railway, port, and logistics operations, the expansion of the BakuTbilisiKars (BTK) railways capacity, and the exploration of the Zangazur Corridors potential. Participants at the meeting reviewed the current state of rail freight transport among members of the OTS and discussed ways to boost cargo volumes. Discussions centered on key priorities, including tariff policy, infrastructure upgrades, expanding border crossing capacity, and enhancing coordination across national railway networks. Delegates underscored the importance of coordinated action to improve transport efficiency and strengthen the competitiveness of transit routes within the OTS region, while ensuring the creation of sustainable and seamless transport chains. The meeting also decided to strengthen the work of the OTS railway working group and hold its sessions on a more regular basis to ensure coordinated implementation of adopted initiatives. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel Photo: State Committee for Work with Diaspora of the Republic of Azerbaijan BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 31. Members of the Azerbaijani community in Germany met with scholars from the State Fund for Migration and Integration Affairs of North Rhine-Westphalia for a roundtable discussion focused on expanding cooperation between the two countries, the State Committee on Work with the Diaspora told Trend. The event, organized by the Alliance of Azerbaijanis in Germany, explored how Azerbaijani graduates in Germany contribute to the development of economic and cultural relations between Baku and Berlin. Participants underscored that Azerbaijanis living and studying in Germany play a growing role in advancing bilateral collaboration through research, innovation, and cultural exchange. Representatives from the State Committee highlighted ongoing diaspora initiatives, including Azerbaijani Houses, Coordination Councils, and specialized forums, aimed at strengthening community ties and engagement abroad. The meeting concluded with an exchange of views on future partnerships and a symbolic presentation of gifts to the German participants. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 31. Minister of Defense of Bulgaria Atanas Zapryanov met with the newly appointed Ambassador of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to Bulgaria, H.E. Arthur den Hartog, Trend reports. During the talks, both sides described the cooperation in the field of defence as excellent and discussed opportunities to further deepen its scope. Among the main topics discussed were the changed security environment resulting from Russias war in Ukraine, the contribution of both countries to strengthening the Allied capacity for deterrence, defence, and protection of NATOs Eastern Flank, as well as the assistance that Bulgaria and the Netherlands are providing and will continue to provide to Ukraine. Emphasis was also placed on the Allied commitment to increase defence budgets in the context of the decisions taken at the Alliance Summit in The Hague. Minister Zapryanov briefed the Dutch Ambassador on the projects for the modernization of Bulgarias armed forces and on the possibilities for implementing these projects through financial support under the SAFE instrument. The prospects for the defence industry were also discussed, with Ambassador den Hartog expressing increased interest from Dutch companies in participating in the international defence equipment and services exhibition Hemus, which will take place in 2026. During the meeting, both sides expressed satisfaction with the successful joint mission of the Bulgarian and Dutch Air Forces for airspace protection, conducted in 2022. While China may not be the friendliest country when it comes to crypto, you can now purchase Chinese cars with cryptocurrency in Belarus. As per a recent report by the Belarusian news agency Office Life, customers in Belarus can buy cars manufactured by the Chinese automaker Geely by paying with crypto. Related: What is Crypto? Cryptocurrency explained Geely is a Chinese multinational automotive conglomerate headquartered in Hangzhou, China. Founded as a refrigerator parts company in 1986, the company entered the automotive industry in 1997. In 2011, Geely joined hands with the Belarusian state-owned company BelAZ to launch a joint venture called BelGee to manufacture cars in the Eastern European country. In the capital city of Minsk, a car dealership called Tochka has collaborated with a local licensed crypto platform, WhiteBird, to allow car buyers to pay in crypto. This photograph shows cars riding on a road of the Belarusian capital of Minsk on September 14, 2025. Whether a buyer is purchasing a Geely or a Belgee car, the option to pay in crypto is available for all the models. A representative from Tochka told Office Life that they launched the initiative to meet the demands of the modern generation of car drivers. This is not an experiment or a promotion but a full-fledged service operating within the legal framework of Belarus. More News: How to purchase Geely cars with crypto payments Since the crypto payments are processed online, buyers don't even need to visit the Tochka office to make payments. Get in touch with the dealer to confirm the car model's price in Belarusian rubles. Next, a WhiteBird representative calls you who helps customers make the crypto payments that too at a preferential rate set specifically for the project. Once the payment is finalized, the car is delivered to any address in the Belarusian territory. If you would like, you can also visit the showroom to pick up the car. The dealership is expecting to sell up to 10% of the cars with crypto payments. This story was originally reported by TheStreet on Oct 29, 2025, where it first appeared in the MARKETS section. Add TheStreet as a Preferred Source by clicking here. BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 31. Lithuanian Airports (LTOU) has rolled up its sleeves and is gearing up for a legal showdown to safeguard the interests of the company and its partners after a few bumps in the road involving balloons launched from Belarus, Trend reports. Even though the full extent of the damages is still up in the air, the company notes that significant direct and indirect harm has been caused to the state, passengers, Lithuanian Airports, airlines, and other partners. The most important thing is the safety of passengers and residents. We must make it clear that any hostile or criminal attempts to disrupt our airspace will not be tolerated. We will seek the strictest accountability for all those involved in compromising the safety of Lithuanias airspace and its passengers, said Minister of Transport Juras Taminskas. Lithuanian Airports believes that any rough and tumble actions against the state and the aviation sector need to be dealt with in no uncertain terms, and those involved in organizing smuggling operations must face appropriate legal consequences. Safety is our top priority. We will not tolerate any attempts to undermine the security of Lithuanias airspace. We are actively consulting on possible legal measures to defend the interests of affected parties and to hold accountable those responsible for illegal actions that disrupt flights and inconvenience thousands of passengers. We are cooperating closely with law enforcement, airline representatives, and other partners to find a joint solution that reflects our shared losses, stated Vidas Ksanas, Director of the Safety, Security, and Resilience Department at Lithuanian Airports. According to Ksanas, the legal process will take place in stages, with an ongoing assessment of all direct and indirect damages. Representatives of airlines and ground service providers affected by flight cancellations, diversions, and delays have already been invited to participate in the process. Law enforcement authorities have launched pre-trial investigations into criminal activities related to smuggling, and affected parties will be able to file civil claims for damages. Preliminary assessments suggest that airline losses may amount to several hundred thousand euros. Ksanas noted that it remains difficult to determine the full financial impact on the aviation industry, related companies, and Lithuanian Airports itself. He stressed that the damage is no small potatoes, as these incidents negatively affect Lithuanias attractiveness, cause inconvenience to passengers, increase operational costs, and harm public confidence in the countrys airports and reputation. We are making every possible effort to minimize inconvenience for passengers and ensure they reach their destinations as smoothly as possible, he added. To note, the border cessation is a direct consequence of a recent influx of Belarusian aerostats infiltrating Lithuanian aerial territory. The recent incursions have necessitated the implementation of airport closures, resulting in substantial travel disruptions, with over 170 flights experiencing operational impacts throughout the month of October. On Sunday night, Lithuanian authorities identified 66 aerial entities transiting from Belarus into the Baltic region. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel Iran shares key figures on non-oil trade with China Irans non-oil trade with China reached $17.5 billion and 34.3 million tons in the first seven months of 2025. The figures show a 9.35 percent drop in value and a 10.5 percent decline in volume year-on-year. Exports to China totaled $8.23 billion, while imports stood at $9.24 billion. Access to paid information is limited If You already have a account, please log in Login Register BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 31. An event titled Azerbaijans Sovereign Credit Rating and Economic Outlook: Uncovering the Regional Potential of the Caucasus and Central Asia was held at the Embassy of Azerbaijan in the United Kingdom, Trend reports. The event brought together Azerbaijani and international professionals working in leading British companies, representatives of the City of London Corporation, government institutions, and economic experts. The discussion was moderated by Jamal Ismayilov, Partner and Head of Oliver Wyman for Azerbaijan. He noted that this year, Azerbaijan has achieved significant progress on its path of economic development. In particular, the international rating agency Moodys upgraded the sovereign credit rating of Azerbaijan from Ba1 to the investment grade level Baa3. Ismayilov emphasized that over the past decade, the government has consistently pursued a clear and purposeful economic strategy, strengthening the countrys resilience and enhancing its long-term competitiveness. He added that the positive decision by Moodys and other rating agencies regarding Azerbaijan reflects the high level of confidence in the countrys ongoing economic reforms. According to Ismayilov, this achievement should further inspire Azerbaijan to deepen institutional reforms, expand the private sector, and strengthen economic ties with partners around the world, including the United Kingdom. During the panel discussion, Daniela Re Fraschini, Vice President at Moodys Rating Agency, and Gabin Levy, Senior Analyst at Oppenheimer & Co Investment Bank, delivered speeches. They provided insights into Azerbaijans sovereign credit rating and economic resilience. The speakers noted that Moodys decision was based on factors such as the countrys fiscal policy, macroeconomic indicators, reduction of oil dependency, efforts toward economic diversification, investor confidence, institutional reforms, financial capabilities, as well as Azerbaijans strategic position in the South Caucasus and Central Asia in terms of transport, logistics, and economic integration. The experts also highlighted that following the August 8 Washington Summit, the normalization process between Azerbaijan and Armenia had a notably positive impact on improving the countrys investment rating. In his remarks, Elin Suleymanov, Ambassador of Azerbaijan to the United Kingdom, stated that the nations achievements are the result of far-sighted and wise political, economic, and social reforms carried out under the leadership of President Ilham Aliyev. He also emphasized that the signing of the preliminary peace agreement and the normalization process between Azerbaijan and Armenia open new opportunities not only for both countries but for the entire South Caucasus and Central Asia region. This will create favorable conditions for the more efficient operation of regional trade and transport corridors, the expansion of energy and logistics projects, as well as the growth of economic cooperation and investment flows. At the conclusion of the event, the establishment of the AzerbaijanUK Business Council was announced. The main goal of the organization is to strengthen trade and economic relations between the two countries, facilitate business cooperation, promote bilateral trade, experience and knowledge exchange, protect the interests of the business community, and enhance cultural ties. ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan, October 31. PETRONAS has extended its production sharing agreement (PSA) with the government of Turkmenistan for another 25 years, until 2050, Head of Stakeholders Management and Administration for PETRONAS Carigali (Turkmenistan), Albert Mehtiev told Trend. He made the remark on the sidelines of the International Conference and Exhibition "Oil and Gas of Turkmenistan - 2025." According to him, the priority area for the company remains the development of Block 1 on the Turkmen shelf of the Caspian Sea, where PETRONAS continues to actively work with its partner, XRG ADNOC. "We are already in the phase of active development of fields in Block 1 and will focus our efforts on increasing production over the next five years. At the same time, we are considering opportunities to participate in other projects in the Turkmen section of the Caspian Sea," he explained. The company representative emphasized that PETRONAS is open to new areas of cooperation, including the development of the petrochemical industry and other joint initiatives. Mehtiev also noted positive changes in the country's investment climate. "We see that Turkmenistan is becoming more open every year, attracting more and more international companies, especially in the oil and gas sector. The presence of new players creates additional opportunities for all parties," he added. BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan, October 31. President Sadyr Zhaparov has signed Law No. 236 ratifying Supplemental Agreement No. 1 to the loan agreement between the Kyrgyz Republic and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), originally concluded on May 23, 2019, Trend reports. The law also ratifies a grant agreement between the Kyrgyz Republic and the EBRD for the implementation of a project to rehabilitate water supply systems in the villages of Myrza-Ake, Don-Bulak, and Kurshab. The agreements were signed in Bishkek on April 14, 2025, and subsequently approved by the Jogorku Kenesh (Parliament) on September 25, 2025. In accordance with the decree, the Ministry of Finance is mandated to communicate with the EBRD subsequent to the fulfillment of all requisite domestic protocols essential for the agreements to be operationalized. The statute will be enacted a decadal period subsequent to its formal dissemination. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, October 31. A representative of the Ministry of Investment, Industry and Trade of the Republic of Uzbekistan has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Ahlers Logistics to explore the establishment of a modern logistics hub in Tashkent or Samarkand, Trend reports. The document was signed within the framework of the Uzbekistan Economic Day in Europe forum, organized by the Europe-Uzbekistan Association for Economic Cooperation (EUROUZ). The agreement outlines a Partnership Action Plan aimed at enhancing trade and logistics cooperation, including the possible creation of a state-of-the-art logistics hub to optimize regional and international freight flows, boost trade, and attract investment into Uzbekistans rapidly growing logistics sector. During the discussions, Ahlers CEO Dave van den Bos emphasized the companys long-term commitment to the region. Uzbekistan is one of the key architects of the future of Eurasian connectivity, and we are proud to be part of this change, the CEO stated. President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has repeatedly underlined the strong momentum of Uzbekistans economic transformation. Over the past seven years, the countrys trade turnover with Europe has doubled, while the number of joint ventures with European participation has exceeded 1,000. These results reflect rising investor confidence and Uzbekistans dynamic progress toward modernization and global economic integration. EUROUZ is the officially recognized European Business Organization (EBO) for Uzbekistan, uniting a diverse network of companies operating across many sectors. It supports businesses entering the Uzbek market and those expanding into Europe through strategic advocacy, high-level government relations, market entry guidance, and exceptional networking. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 31. New enterprises producing solar panels will start operating in Azerbaijan's Alat Free Economic Zone (AFEZ), Chairman of the Board of Directors of the AFEZ Authority Valeh Alasgarov said on the sidelines of business meetings of Istanbul Chamber of Industry (ICI) board members held in Baku, Trend reports. "To date, we have about 200 hectares of land in the Alat Free Economic Zone. Most of these areas, almost 138 hectares, have already been presented to investors," the official explained. He noted that construction work on the remaining areas will be completed in a week or two and will be presented to investors. "Currently, 23 hectares of land have been presented for factories producing solar panels. When it comes to solar panel production, the last of the three factories will be operated solely for this purpose. The other two factories will produce silicon crystals and other products used in the production of solar panels," he pointed out. Alasgarov emphasized that to date, Chinese, Indian, Russian, Israeli, and Turkish companies have been registered in these areas. "Four of them are conducting construction work. Two of the companies will begin production of the agreed products by the end of this year. The other two have begun relevant work, and it is planned to present their products in the coming years," the official added. The Alat Free Economic Zone (AFEZ) is a strategically located investment hub in Azerbaijan, adjacent to the Baku International Sea Trade Port, offering significant fiscal and non-fiscal incentives to attract foreign and local investment in high value-added manufacturing and internationally traded services. It provides a business-friendly environment with world-class infrastructure, preferential tax regimes, and an independent regulatory framework to boost Azerbaijan's non-oil sector and competitiveness in global trade. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 31. ACWA Power, a leading developer of sustainable energy and water projects, announced the signing of agreements worth a combined $10 billion at the ninth Future Investment Initiative (FII9) in Riyadh, Trend reports. The deals span the GCC, China, Central Asia, and Africa, covering renewable energy, energy storage, financing, and technology cooperation. In Saudi Arabia, ACWA Power, alongside Badeel and Saudi Aramco, secured $6 billion in financing under the National Renewable Energy Program to supply clean power to the Saudi Power Procurement Company. In Uzbekistan, the company finalized a $100 million shariah-compliant green equity bridge financing for the 1.5 GW Kungrad Wind and Battery Energy Storage Project and a $1.8 billion financing package for the Samarkand Solar and Battery Energy Storage Project - the countrys largest to date. ACWA Power also advanced the 300 MW Bash 2 Wind Project and commissioned the 100 MW Karatau Wind Project in Karakalpakstan. Across Africa, ACWA Power deepened collaboration with the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the OPEC Fund to expand clean energy and water investments worth over $1.4 billion, and signed an MoU with Chariot Limited to co-develop renewable platforms for the Southern African Power Pool. Additionally, the company signed three framework agreements with Chinese wind technology firms - Goldwind, Envision Energy, and Mingyang Smart Energy - to strengthen local manufacturing and technology transfer. Chairman Mohammad Abunayyan said the agreements highlight ACWA Powers commitment to accelerating the global energy transition through innovation, partnerships, and sustainable infrastructure development. TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, October 31. The Ministry of Digital Technologies of the Republic of Uzbekistan held a meeting with a delegation from UK Export Finance (UKEF), the UK governments export credit agency, to discuss prospects for attracting investment in the countrys priority areas of digital transformation, Trend reports. The talks focused on developing digital infrastructure, expanding information technology capabilities, building new IT parks, creating green data centers, and supporting startup initiatives. The British delegation received a comprehensive overview of the operational dynamics of IT Park Uzbekistan, the national startup ecosystem's framework, and the ministry's global expertise in fostering innovation and digital entrepreneurship. The Uzbek delegation delineated ongoing projects and innovative initiatives, extending an invitation to UK Export Finance for proactive engagement in their execution. In the interim, the Chief of the Presidential Administration, Saida Mirziyoyeva, previously highlighted that Uzbekistan is persistently drawing an increasing influx of British enterprises, with over 270 corporations actively engaged within the national landscape. Per the latest empirical data, the aggregate exchange of goods and services between the United Kingdom and Uzbekistan attained a staggering 1.3 billion pounds sterling ($1.63 billion) in the four quarters culminating in Q1 2025marking an unprecedented zenith in bilateral trade dynamics. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 31. Romania became the energy capital of Central and Southeastern Europe by hosting the 10th Ministerial Meeting of the High-Level Group for Energy Connectivity in Central and Southeastern Europe (CESEC) in Bucharest, Trend reports. The European Commission, together with the Ministry of Energy, organized the 10th ministerial meeting at the Palace of the Parliament in Bucharest. The event brought together representatives from 17 countries, members of the European Union and the Energy Community, and was coordinated by European Commissioner for Energy Dan Jrgensen and Romanian Minister of Energy Bogdan Ivan. The discussions focused on achieving REPowerEU objectives, in the context of advancing EU-level negotiations on the gradual phase-out of fossil fuel imports from Russia. Other topics included strengthening energy interconnections, developing electricity and natural gas markets, and supporting the regional green transition. Minister Bogdan Ivan stated that Romania continues to have one of the highest energy prices in Europe, and this issue was raised to find concrete solutions regarding investments in generation capacityhydropower, natural gas, and nuclear energy, modernization of transmission and distribution networks, smart storage to balance consumption, and regional partnerships supported by European funding. During the CESEC meeting, participating member states agreed to strengthen financial tools and cooperation mechanisms to achieve these objectives over the next two years. It was also agreed to increase European funds for energy interconnectivity in Europe fivefold, from 6 billion to 30 billion euros. At the end of the ministerial meeting, Minister Bogdan Ivan declared: My goal is clear: for Romania to be a key energy player in the region, in cooperation with the European Union and the United States of America. BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 31. MYN Triko, a company operating in the clothing and textile sector of Turkiye, considers opportunities of tapping into the Azerbaijani market, Metin Akyuz, a board member of the company, told Trend on the sidelines of a business meeting of Turkish businessmen held in Baku. "In order to strategically enhance our market penetration in Azerbaijan, it is imperative to synergize efforts with indigenous entrepreneurial entities," Akyuz articulated. He observed that this marked his inaugural visit to Baku for commercial endeavors and emphasized that such initiatives ought to be orchestrated with greater frequency, executed with enhanced specificity, and the advantages for both stakeholders should be optimized to the fullest extent. "This is very valuable. It is important to strive to make this sustainable in the future. There may be shortcomings in our company's inability to present its products in Azerbaijan so far. How will we eliminate them? We need to hold more events and cooperate more closely. Why have we not been able to create that synergy so far? We need to evaluate this correctly. We need to discuss the concerns, fears, and factors that hinder business development for both parties, eliminate them through closer cooperation, and create new areas of business," the board member explained. Akyuz also briefed on his company and assessed the possible opportunities for entering the Azerbaijani market. "We operate in the ready-to-wear sector in Turkiye and are engaged in the production of plain weave and knitwear (woven or knitted fabric and clothing made from it). We prepare these products for the higher segment, both for the domestic market and for export. Our main export destinations are Northern European countriesGermany, the Netherlands, Belgium, France, etc. We have not exported to Azerbaijan so far. However, it is important to cooperate more closely with local entrepreneurs to develop our business here. Such meetings will be useful in the future," he announced. The businessman further spoke about the possibility of opening a branch of his company in Azerbaijan. "In order to open a branch of our company in Azerbaijan, we need to study this market well and reach mutual agreements. Through such a possible branch, local entrepreneurs or Azerbaijani knitwear manufacturers can cooperate with our companies in Turkiye to produce and sell products here. As a result, synergy and trade activities will be created. I cannot say anything specific at the moment, since there is no such demand and rapprochement, but if there is a demand, we will put this issue on the table and discuss it for the development of the business. First of all, the initiative of entrepreneurs should come to the fore. That is, there must be entrepreneurs from both Azerbaijan and Turkiye who are ready to invest. If this happens, we can also fulfill our obligations," he added. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, October 31. Minister of Agriculture of Uzbekistan Ibrokhim Abdurakhmonov held a meeting with Mikko Leiksykonen, CEO of the Finnish company Valtra, to discuss promising areas of cooperation and the implementation of joint projects in the field of agricultural machinery manufacturing, Trend reports. The parties discussed in detail the issues of digital transformation in the agricultural sector, the introduction of precision farming technologies and modern engineering solutions, as well as opportunities for professional exchange and training of specialists. Focused efforts were directed towards optimizing production throughput, maximizing resource allocation efficacy, and enhancing ecological sustainability frameworks. Subsequent to the discussions, the stakeholders reached a consensus to operationalize collaborative initiatives incrementally, with the objective of orchestrating the fabrication of contemporary agrarian apparatus in Uzbekistan. Valtra is part of the international AGCO Corporation, one of the worlds leading manufacturers of agricultural equipment and technologies. Valtras machinery is widely used not only in agriculture but also in the municipal, forestry, and defense sectors, as well as in airport infrastructure maintenance. According to AGCOs data, the corporations turnover reached 11.2 billion euros in 2024, with the Valtra brand holding a significant share of the European market and making a notable contribution to the companys overall sales. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 31. Turkiyes Gama Reklam Sanayi ve Ticaret Anonim Sirketi has expressed interest in resuming its operations in the Azerbaijani market, Mehmet Ozbakr, a member of the Istanbul Chamber of Industry (ISO) Assembly and head of the company, told Trend. Ozbakr noted that the historical brotherhood between Azerbaijan and Turkiye, along with their complementary economies, creates a strong foundation for cooperation. I closely follow the development taking place in Azerbaijan. If Turkiye transfers its industrial experience here, Azerbaijan could become a hub for exports to other countries, which would further contribute to the nations progress. I see this as a very positive situation, he noted. The official also discussed the company he represents, emphasizing their commitment to resuming operations in Azerbaijan. We build fuel stations and implement corporate identity solutions. We previously operated in Azerbaijan but are not active at the moment. In the past, we cooperated with bp (British Petroleum) and carried out its projects in various countries, including Azerbaijan, where we built fuel stations. We want to restore our companys operations here. Our main goal in coming to Azerbaijan is to establish cooperation, expand our business activities, and create new job opportunities together with our local partners, he said. The MP also emphasized the countrys growing potential. Everything is possible here because Azerbaijan is developing. Development means more job opportunities. We cooperate with countries around the world and can also implement new projects in Azerbaijan, he added. Speaking about trade relations, Ozbakr noted that efforts are underway to increase the trade turnover between Azerbaijan and Turkiye to $15 billion. This is not a large amount for Azerbaijan, as local entrepreneurs are highly motivated and supported by the state. Industrial zones are being created, and the private sector is expanding. In short, this target can be achieved in a short time, he added. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, October 31. A delegation led by the Hokim of the Andijan region, Shukhratbek Abdurakhmonov, held a meeting in Changsha, Peoples Republic of China, with the leadership of Hunan Construction Investment Group to discuss prospects for expanding cooperation in the construction sector, Trend reports. During the talks, the sides reviewed large-scale construction initiatives underway in Andijan, including the development of new residential complexes, modernization of communication and utility infrastructure in industrial zones, and the implementation of facilities within the framework of the presidential initiative Babur City. Following the convergence of stakeholders, both entities achieved synergistic accords designed to enhance collaborative synergies and co-execute strategic initiatives within these domains. The presidential initiative "Babur City" represents a comprehensive urban regeneration endeavor within the Andijan region of Uzbekistan, as articulated by President Shavkat Mirziyoyev. The initiative encompasses the development of an innovative urban ecosystem, designated in honor of Zahiriddin Muhammad Babur, a descendant of Amir Temur and the architect of the Mughal Empire, originating from Andijan in the year 1483. Hunan Construction Investment Group stands as a preeminent entity within China's construction and investment sector, strategically positioned to oversee and implement large-scale infrastructure and development initiatives throughout Hunan Province. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 31. The Central Bank of Azerbaijan (CBA) and the World Bank (WB) have discussed the macroeconomic situation, ongoing financial sector reforms, and the development of digital payments, Trend reports via the CBA. The banks Governor, Taleh Kazimov, met with a delegation led by Asad Alam, the Regional Director for Europe and Central Asia for the World Bank's Equitable Growth, Finance and Institutions (EFI) Vice Presidency, during their visit to Azerbaijan. During the meeting, the sides exchanged views on the countrys macroeconomic landscape, reforms implemented in the financial sector, and initiatives aimed at advancing digital payments. The discussion also covered the progress and future plans under the Financial Sector Modernization Three project, implemented by the World Bank in cooperation with the Central Bank. The parties further reviewed the World Banks ongoing operations in Azerbaijan and discussed prospects for expanding bilateral cooperation. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel Photo: Ministry of Economy of the Republic of Azerbaijan BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 31. Belgian investors were invited to actively participate in projects implemented in Azerbaijan, Trend reports via the Ministry of Economy. The possibilities of implementing mutual investment initiatives between Azerbaijan and Belgium were assessed. Deputy Minister of Economy Samad Bashirli met with the President of the Federation of Belgian Enterprises (FEB), CEO of FIB Belgium company, Rene Branders. The meeting underscored the strategic significance of Azerbaijan in fostering relations with Belgium, highlighting that the discussions, events, and negotiations conducted play a pivotal role in broadening economic collaboration. Attention was drawn to potential avenues for enhancing bilateral cooperation with Belgium across trade, industry, energy, transport, and other key sectors. The parties evaluated the priorities of economic partnership between Azerbaijan and Belgium, examined the progress of joint investment initiatives, and considered the prospects for organizing targeted export missions. The FEB was established in 1973 by the merger of the Belgian Federation of Industry and the Belgian Federation of Non-Industrial Enterprises. The organization brings together more than 50,000 companies through more than 40 sectoral federations. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, October 31. Uzbekistans Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bakhtiyor Saidov, held a meeting with Hungarys Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Peter Szijjarto, to discuss the further expansion of bilateral cooperation, the Uzbek FM wrote on his X page, Trend reports. We discussed the steady progress of UzbekistanHungary relations across all areas, where our partnership continues to grow stronger, Saidov stated. He also expressed gratitude for Hungarys consistent support and shared commitment to deepening mutually beneficial ties and exploring new horizons of collaboration within both bilateral and multilateral frameworks. Russia boosts non-oil imports from Azerbaijan in 9M2025 Azerbaijans non-oil exports to Russia totaled $878.9 million in the first nine months of 2025. The figure rose by $35.2 million, or 4.2 percent, compared to the same period last year. However, September exports declined by 29.3 percent from a year earlier to $64.8 million. Access to paid information is limited If You already have a account, please log in Login Register Photo: Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Azerbaijan BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 31. The 7th meeting of the Azerbaijan-Bulgaria Intergovernmental Commission on Economic Cooperation was held in Bulgaria's Sofia, Trend reports via the Ministry of Agriculture. Ahead of the session, delegations led by Azerbaijans Minister of Agriculture and co-chair of the commission, Majnun Mammadov, and Bulgarias Minister of Energy and co-chair, Zhecho Stanko, held a bilateral meeting. They discussed cooperation in energy, transportation, agriculture, technology transfer, trade, investment promotion, use of the Middle Corridor for third-country exports, food security, environmental protection, labor and social protection, healthcare, culture, and tourism. Stankov emphasized Bulgarias interest in expanding collaboration in trade, industry, energy, transportation, agriculture, defense, tourism, and culture, describing Azerbaijan as a strategic economic partner and highlighting energy cooperation as central to bilateral relations. Mammadov noted the strong development of bilateral ties over the past three decades and stressed the potential for diversifying trade and increasing turnover. The minister highlighted the need to remove the challenges and bureaucratic hurdles that hinder the export of Azerbaijani products, including agricultural goods, to the European Union and other third countries via Bulgaria. He called on businesses from both countries to leverage the favorable geographic locations and economic zones in Azerbaijan and Bulgaria to enhance exports. The commission concluded by signing a protocol outlining measures to further develop bilateral cooperation across economic, agricultural, industrial, energy, transportation, ICT, scientific, humanitarian, social, healthcare, environmental, and tourism sectors. The protocol also aims to strengthen the legal and regulatory framework governing bilateral relations. Both sides agreed that the 8th session of the Azerbaijan-Bulgaria Intergovernmental Commission on Economic Cooperation will be held in Azerbaijan next year. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 31. The latest tendencies and new challenges observed in the banking sector of Azerbaijan, as well as the results of the sector's activities for the third quarter of the current year, were discussed, Trend reports via the Central Bank of Azerbaijan (CBA). The discussion took place during a meeting of the CBA First Deputy Chairman Aliyar Mammadyarov with the heads of banks, which are part of the Azerbaijan Banks Association Presidium's extended composition. The assembly also disseminated perspectives on tactical objectives within the domain of regulatory frameworks and oversight mechanisms in the banking industry for the forthcoming timeframe, alongside a dialogue on ancillary matters outlined in the sector's agenda. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel Nvidia (NVDA) on Wednesday became the first company in history to top a $5 trillion market valuation at the start of the trading day and hold on to it through the close. The company reached the milestone after comments from President Trump on Wednesday ahead of a planned meeting with CEO Jensen Huang added to optimism around prospects for Nvidia's sales in China. Trump told reporters Wednesday that he and Huang would be "speaking about Blackwells," Bloomberg reported, referring to the company's AI chips, a version of which could win approval for export to China. In its most recent quarterly report on Aug. 27, Nvidia said it realized no sales of its earlier-generation H20 chips into China. In July, the White House said it had struck a deal with Nvidia to allow H20 chip exports to China in exchange for a 15% cut of revenue. Nvidia said the arrangement had not yet been formalized. Nvidia's rise on Wednesday also comes after a 5% jump in the stock on Tuesday, which was catalyzed by a slew of announcements from the company at its GTC event in Washington, D.C. Among other announcements, Nvidia revealed Tuesday it is working with the US Department of Energy to build seven new supercomputers, including one that will use 10,000 Blackwell GPUs. Other announcements include a deal to work with Uber (UBER) to build a fleet of self-driving cars and an agreement to sell 1,000 GPUs to drugmaker Eli Lilly (LLY). Nvidia also said it is working with Nokia (NOK) to help develop next-generation 6G cellular technology. Nvidia also announced tie-ups with Palantir (PLTR) and Oracle (ORCL), as well as partnerships on a wireless 6G buildout with telecom companies including Cisco (CSCO) and T-Mobile (TMUS). The company also highlighted how its AI tech is powering robotics initiatives from companies ranging from Amazon (AMZN) to Foxconn, Caterpillar (CAT), and Belden (BDC), among others. Read more: How does Nvidia make money? Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang speaks on how AI infrastructure and AI factories that generate intelligence at scale are powering a new industrial revolution at the Washington Convention Center on Oct. 28 in Washington, D.C. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta) ASSOCIATED PRESS The company also announced a new open systems architecture, Nvidia NVQLink, aimed at accelerating the development of quantum supercomputers, including partners like Rigetti (RGTI) and IonQ (IONQ). During his keynote presentation on Tuesday, Huang said the company expects to realize $500 billion in GPU sales through the end of 2026. The company's total revenue tallied just over $100 billion in the first two quarters of this year. Nvidia stock has gained over 50% this year and more than doubled from its lows reached in April, after Trump's surprise "Liberation Day" tariff announcements briefly jolted markets. On Tuesday, the S&P 500 (^GSPC) reached a record high. Photo: State Oil Fund of the Republic of Azerbaijan BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 31. The State Oil Fund of the Republic of Azerbaijan (SOFAZ) has cast its net wide, looking to strike while the iron is hot with Chinas "China Energy International Group Co., Ltd." (CEEC International), Trend reports via SOFAZ. The funds Deputy Executive Director, Rovshan Javadov, and representatives of relevant departments met with a delegation led by CEEC International Chairman, Xiaodan Li. The meeting focused on deepening the existing cooperation under the Memorandum of Understanding signed between SOFAZ and CEEC International in September, exploring new mutually beneficial investment opportunities, and discussing mechanisms for ongoing collaboration. Both sides decided to keep their ears to the ground and touch base regularly on projects, swapping insights on potential initiatives in renewable energy, energy storage, and waste management across the Gulf countries, China, and the Southeast Asia region. CEEC International is a major industrial conglomerate offering investments and services in energy, water management, cement production, and large-scale infrastructure, providing turnkey solutions and managing international projects through its dedicated global business unit. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel Photo: Ministry of Agriculture of the Republic of Azerbaijan BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 31. Cooperation in the green energy sector is an important factor strengthening energy security not only for Bulgaria but also for the entire European region, Minister of Agriculture Majnun Mammadov said, Trend reports via the Ministry of Agriculture. He made the remark at the Bulgarian-Azerbaijani business forum within the framework of the 7th meeting of the Azerbaijan-Bulgaria Intergovernmental Commission on Economic Cooperation in Sofia. The minister elucidated the strategic initiatives executed in Azerbaijan to enhance economic diversification. Characterizing Bulgaria as a proactive stakeholder in Azerbaijan's international energy initiatives, he articulated that collaboration within the energy domain, particularly in the renewable energy sector, constitutes a pivotal element that fortifies energy security not solely for Bulgaria but for the broader European landscape as well. Mammadov added that along with energy, there are many other sectors with significant potential for developing economic relations, including agriculture, food processing, tourism, and international freight transportation. The minister called on businesses to explore new opportunities for cooperation. Bulgarian Deputy Minister of Energy Iva Petrova noted that the strategic cooperation relations with Azerbaijan, which are developing positively in accordance with the interests of both countries, have already reached a new level. The Bulgarian government is actively cooperating with Azerbaijan to diversify natural gas supplies and increase energy security in the region. "In the context of European goals, the Bulgarian government is interested in developing gas infrastructure, expanding the national gas transmission network, and expanding relations with neighboring countries to create an interconnected and unified pan-European gas market. In this direction, our partnership with Azerbaijan plays a key role in ensuring energy independence and security," the Bulgarian official emphasized. The forum discussed the expansion of mutual investment and trade relations between Azerbaijan and Bulgaria and the identification of new cooperation prospects. Speaking at the event, Executive Director of the Bulgarian Agency for the Promotion of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises Boyko Takov and Executive Director of the Azerbaijan Export and Investment Promotion Agency (AZPROMO) Yusif Abdullayev briefed on the business environment in Bulgaria and Azerbaijan, the work done to support entrepreneurship, and spoke about the economic priorities of both countries and the opportunities created for foreign investors. Subsequently, comprehensive presentations were delivered regarding the investment landscape in Bulgaria and Azerbaijan. Strategic bilateral engagements among industry stakeholders were orchestrated within the parameters of the business forum, facilitating discourse on avenues for amplifying commercial synergies. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 31. Minister of Economy and Sustainable Development Mariam Kvrivishvili participated in a meeting with the business community on Georgias higher education reform, which was opened by Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze, Trend reports. Speaking at the event organized by the Business Association of Georgia, Kvrivishvili described the initiative as the most important education reform in the countrys history. She emphasized the need for the Ministry of Economy to conduct a comprehensive macroeconomic assessment of key sectors, taking into account labor market demands. We have a historic opportunity to balance supply and demand in the labor market and plan for future job creation across our economy, the minister said. We have already modeled how many new jobs businesses expect to generate next year and in five years, and identified the sectors and positions where shortages persist. This assessment also factors in upcoming investments that will shape new opportunities in Georgia. The meeting was attended by members of the governments education reform commission, including Education Minister Givi Mikanadze, Chair of the Parliamentary Education Committee Mariam Lashkhi, Head of the Government Administration Levan Jorjoliani, and MP Shota Berekasvili. Kvrivishvili underlined that cooperation between the government and businesses is crucial for developing a new roadmap to better understand sectoral challenges and workforce shortages. With the right model, we can work effectively with the Ministry of Education to ensure that every university program aligns directly with business needs, she said. The minister also highlighted professional education as a national priority, especially in sectors such as information technology, hospitality, transport, and logistics. She stressed that vocational training plays a vital role in generating a new workforce to meet economic demand. We are determined to present the Prime Minister with a unified position of government and business, identifying the sectors and professions where skilled workers will be most needed over the next five years, Kvrivishvili added. Education reform - both higher and vocational - must be built on this logic to ensure every graduate has a real path to employment. Azerbaijan's Ministry of Finance holds deposit auction Azerbaijans Ministry of Finance conducted a deposit auction to allocate treasury account funds to local banks. 300 million manat ($176 million) was placed on a 28-day deposit with two of the countrys top five banks at an average rate of seven percent. Access to paid information is limited If You already have a account, please log in Login Register TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, October 31. A delegation from Uzbekistan's Oztemiryolkonteyner JSC held meetings with leading transport and logistics companies from Kyrgyzstan and other countries to discuss the development of new cargo flows along the ChinaKyrgyzstanUzbekistan multimodal transport corridor, Trend reports. The meetings took place within the framework of the international transport and logistics exhibition Kyrgyz Trans Logistics 2025 held in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. At the meeting, particular attention was given to enhancing the efficiency of road transport between Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan and reducing cargo delivery times. Additionally, the parties agreed to sign a Memorandum of Understanding during the upcoming international transport and logistics exhibition TransLogistica Uzbekistan 2025 to establish new cooperative links and further strengthen collaboration. The event served as an important platform for exchanging best practices, establishing new business contacts, and discussing prospects for the development of transport and logistics infrastructure in Central Asia. ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan, October 31. Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan Mahri Bashimova held a meeting with Ambassador of the Republic of India to Turkmenistan Bandar Wilsonbabu at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Ashgabat and discussed trade and economic cooperation, Trend reports via Turkmen MFA. Throughout the negotiations, the stakeholders engaged in a comprehensive dialogue regarding the potential for enhancing Turkmen-Indian relations across multifaceted domains, including political, diplomatic, trade, economic, cultural, and humanitarian sectors. Both parties acknowledged the synergistic dynamics of collaboration within multilateral frameworks, especially the United Nations apparatus. The Turkmen side extended an invitation to India to engage proactively in significant initiatives scheduled for December 2025, commemorating the 30th anniversary of Turkmenistans enduring neutrality, the International Year of Peace and Trust, and the observance of International Neutrality Day. To note, on December 12, 2025, Turkmenistan will celebrate 30 years of neutrality. On December 12, 1995, the UN General Assembly unanimously adopted the resolution "Permanent Neutrality of Turkmenistan" with backing from all 185 member nations. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 31. The current tendencies in Azerbaijan's fintech ecosystem and the sector's development priorities were discussed during a meeting of Deputy Chairman of the Central Bank of Azerbaijan (CBA) Vusal Khalilov with representatives of the Azerbaijan Fintech Association (AzFina), Trend reports via the CBA. Khalilov congratulated the new members of the Board of Directors and the chairman of AzFina on their appointments and wished them success in their future activities. Subsequently, the stakeholders were apprised of the strategic initiatives executed by the CBA aimed at augmenting the digital payment ecosystem, encompassing the facilitation of sustainable growth within the fintech domain and the advocacy of cutting-edge digital innovations. The assembly facilitated an in-depth discourse on the paradigms of enhancing synergistic collaboration between fintech entities and traditional banking institutions. Established in December 2020 by six prominent firms in the financial services sector, Azfina's primary objectives are to foster the development of a digital financial ecosystem within the nation, facilitate the transition to a digital economy, support the advancement of fintech enterprises, advocate for their interests in governmental and non-governmental entities, and enhance collaboration between fintech companies and other market stakeholders. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel TASHKENT, Uzbekistan, October 31. Uzbek-Finnish business forum results in a portfolio of promising joint projects worth over 1 billion euros, Trend reports via the press service of the Uzbek president. The announcement was made during a meeting at the Kuksaroy Residence between the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Shavkat Mirziyoyev, and the President of the Republic of Finland, Alexander Stubb, attended by official delegations from both countries. The discussions centered on identifying pathways to further enhance the comprehensive cooperation between Uzbekistan and Finland, with particular emphasis on the political, trade and economic, investment, and humanitarian spheres. Both parties acknowledged the consistent deepening of political dialogue, the increasing regularity of exchanges across various levels, and the significant intensification of business relations. During the talks, the sides examined prospects for a substantial expansion of bilateral trade, including the potential establishment of a joint Trade Financing Fund to facilitate reciprocal supplies. They also supported initiatives aimed at creating certification laboratories to promote Uzbek agricultural and textile products in the markets of the European Union. Priority attention was given to expanding collaboration in strategic sectors such as geology and critical materials, energy, agriculture, digitalization, artificial intelligence, environmental protection, and tourism, among others. The sides agreed to hold the next session of the Intergovernmental Commission in 2026 and to establish a Business Council. Both sides also expressed a strong interest in deepening interregional cooperation. Cooperation in the fields of education, healthcare, and labor migration was discussed, with plans set for next year to convene the inaugural Forum of Rectors and Innovations. The presidents also exchanged views on current regional and international developments, reaffirming their shared commitment to further consolidating the strategic partnership between Uzbekistan and Finland. BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 31. Azerbaijani Minister of Economy Mikayil Jabbarov has met with a delegation led by Erdal Bakhchivan, Chairman of the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce, Trend reports, citing the Ministry of Economy. The Minister of Economy emphasized the importance of implementing the instructions given by the heads of Azerbaijan and Turkiye in strengthening bilateral relations. It was also emphasized that Turkiye is one of Azerbaijans main trading partners, and the preferential trade agreement signed between the two countries opens up additional opportunities for strengthening trade and economic cooperation. A successful investment partnership is underway between the fraternal countries. Large-scale projects implemented with the participation of both countries not only deepen regional cooperation but also transform the region's landscape. Discussions at the meeting emphasized the importance of actively promoting cooperation between Chamber of Commerce member companies and local businesses, attracting investment, implementing potential projects, and diversifying cooperation in energy, trade, industry, digital technology, infrastructure, and other areas. Around 100 businessmen who visited Azerbaijan during a visit organized by the Trade Mission in Turkiye and the Istanbul Chamber of Industry were informed about Azerbaijan's economic potential, favorable business environment, benefits for entrepreneurs, and opportunities created for investors in the Alat Free Economic Zone. The guests also learned about the activities of enterprises in the Sumgayit Industrial Park and opportunities for cooperation in industrial zones. BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 31. Turkiye considers it a mission to contribute to the realization of the Zangezur corridor, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Istanbul Chamber of Industry (ICI) Erdal Bahcivan told media on the sidelines of a meeting of Turkish businessmen held in Baku, Trend reports. "This year we are living a historic period in terms of both the progress of the peace process with Armenia and the creation of the Zangezur corridor. Azerbaijan, which has gone through difficult stages, is on its way to becoming a shining star of the world today. As experienced industrialists in Turkiye, we consider it our mission to contribute to this development process and to further strengthen this success through economic activity and investments," he emphasized. The chairman stressed his belief in the easy achievement of the $15 billion trade target set by the leaders of the two countries. "Even with mutual investments and joint strategies aimed at third countries, this figure can rise to much higher levels. In this regard, Turkish industrialists and investors should correctly assess the opportunities arising in the region," he explained. Bahcivan pointed out that Azerbaijan also has very valuable investments in Turkiye. "I would like to express my gratitude to SOCAR in particular because it has made one of the largest and most valuable foreign investments made in Turkiye in recent years. This cooperation should be seen not only as Turkiye's investments in Azerbaijan but also as a mutual opportunity in terms of the projects that our Azerbaijani friends will implement in Turkiye and in other areas. The most important thing is to think about what we can do together in third countries and different regions because the economies of both countries have very valuable resources that complement each other. The Turkish people have a saying: 'What can one hand do? Two hands make a sound'. I want to take it a step further'What can one hand do? Two hands together make a fist'. We can show this power to the world by standing side by side, shoulder to shoulder. I sincerely believe that the slogan 'One nation, two states' is not just a phrase but has become a reality with real cooperation and joint activities. I hope that we will demonstrate this unity even more strongly in the coming years. This visit will be an important step and opportunity in this direction," he added. The Zangezur corridor is a transport corridor concept that was introduced following the 2020 Karabakh War. It was advocated for by Azerbaijan and Turkiye as a direct land connection between mainland Azerbaijan and its Nakhchivan exclave, passing through Armenia's southern Syunik province. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel By Eduardo Baptista and Ju-min Park GYEONGJU, South Korea (Reuters) -Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang said on Friday he hoped the company's state-of-the-art Blackwell chips can be sold in China, although the decision needed to be made by U.S. President Donald Trump. Speaking during his first official visit to South Korea in more than a decade, a day after Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping held talks there, Huang said he was delighted by the success of the meeting between the two presidents, but was not aware of what they spoke about. After the talks on Thursday, Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One that semiconductors had been discussed and China was "going to be talking to Nvidia and others about taking chips". But Trump added: "We're not talking about the Blackwell." "We're always hoping to return to China, and I think that Nvidia in China is very good. It's in the best interest of United States. It's in the best interest of China," Huang said. "So I'm hopeful that both governments will arrive at a conclusion someday where Nvidia's technology could be exported to China." US-CHINA FRICTION The extent of China's access to Nvidia's chips has been a key point of friction with the United States as the two wrestle for dominance in high-end computing power and artificial intelligence. Washington has put export controls on sales of Nvidia's most advanced AI chips to China, seeking to limit its tech progress, particularly in applications that could help its military. Huang has tried to persuade the Trump administration to loosen the controls, saying Chinese AI's dependence on U.S. hardware was good for America. Nvidia has been working on a new chip for China based on its latest Blackwell architecture that will be less capable than the model sold outside the country but more powerful than the most advanced model it is currently allowed to sell there, the H20, sources have previously said. But while private Chinese companies are believed to be very interested in purchasing such a chip, the Chinese government has turned cool towards Nvidia, discouraging purchases of the H20, and is instead promoting domestic chip manufacturers such as Huawei. Huang told reporters that Nvidia had been hoping for "non-zero market share" in China, but was now expecting zero. U.S. national security concerns that the Chinese military could use U.S. technology did not make sense, he added, because China's own domestically produced AI chips were good enough for their military applications. BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 31. Turkiye and Azerbaijan will easily reach the $15 billion trade target set by their leaders, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Istanbul Chamber of Industry (ICI) Erdal Bahcivan told media on the sidelines of a meeting of Turkish businessmen held in Baku, Trend reports. "It's possible that this figure will rise to much higher levels even with mutual investments and joint strategies aimed at third countries. In this regard, Turkish industrialists and investors should correctly assess the opportunities arising in the region," he noted. The Istanbul Chamber of Industry (ICI) is Turkiye's preeminent industrial chamber, founded in 1952 by legislation to represent and assist Istanbul's industrial enterprises through the provision of vital information, training, and advisory services aimed at improving their competitiveness and fostering national economic development. Membership is mandatory for industrial enterprises in Istanbul, and the ICI serves as a crucial intermediary between the industrial sector and the government by influencing policy and law. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BAKU, Azerbaijan, October 31. Turkiyes Orman Urunleri Emprenye Insaat Nakliye ve Otomotiv Sanayi ve Ticaret company is interested in bringing its wood and construction products to the Azerbaijani market, the company head Muzffr Demirel told Trend. According to Demirel, the firm specializes in producing wood and forest-based materials while also implementing a range of related projects. We manufacture wood and forest products and also carry out various applications such as wooden terraces, poolside constructions, and wooden houses. In terms of exports, we have mainly focused on Northern Iraq and Libya so far. At present, we have no export cooperation with Azerbaijan. Our imports mainly come from Finland and other Northern European countries, though we sometimes source wooden materials from Russia and the Siberian region. For example, Siberian pine is very popular in Turkiye because it has no knots, which gives it a smooth surface. However, despite its high quality, transportation costs are significant due to the long distance, Demirel explained. The company head noted that the company views Azerbaijan as a promising market for future cooperation. Given its geographical proximity to Turkiye, Azerbaijan is an attractive market for us. We have held preliminary discussions with a few local partners, but nothing has been finalized yet. Of course, we would like to establish a presence in Azerbaijan and sell processed wood products here, as unprocessed timber can be sourced more easily from Russia, he said. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel ASTANA, Kazakhstan, October 31. Kazakhstan's airline fleet has soared to 105 aircraft, with eight shiny new planes taking to the skies in 2025, Trend reports via the Kazakh government. The country now connects with 31 nations through 144 international routes, operating 842 flights per week. In parallel, the aviation sector is undergoing major infrastructure and investment projects. Among the most notable initiatives, the restoration of Arkalyk Airport is currently in progress. Additionally, a new master plan for the development of Almaty Airport has been presented, accompanied by a $362 million investment program by TAV Airports Holding. Further investment agreements include a 547 billion tenge ($1 billion) deal for the development of Astana Airport and a significant 250 billion tenge ($464.8 million) investment for the construction of a cargo-passenger airport in the Khorgos Special Economic Zone. The government has sanctioned the Framework for the Advancement of Civil Unmanned Aviation for the timeframe spanning 2025 to 2031, delineating the strategic blueprint for the industry's future trajectory. In the realm of domestic aviation, a plethora of new carriers has penetrated the marketplace, concurrently with the initiation of over 35 novel international flight paths, thereby establishing connectivity between Kazakhstan and key global hubs such as Budapest, Shanghai, Seoul, Guangzhou, and Munich. ASTANA, Kazakhstan, October 31. Finnish environmental solutions company Lamor Corporation and Kazakhstans Marine Squad under the Ministry of Emergency Situations have signed a Memorandum of Cooperation to strengthen oil spill preparedness and develop practical response measures in the Caspian Sea region, Trend reports via Lamor. The document was signed during the official visit of President of Finland Alexander Stubb to Kazakhstan. According to Lamor, Kazakhstan is one of Central Asias leading energy producers, with most of its oil and gas operations concentrated along the Caspian coast. The growth of industrial activity and marine traffic underscores the need for effective environmental risk management and oil spill prevention measures. During the visit, Lamor representatives held meetings with officials from the Ministry of Emergency Situations and other government agencies to discuss the development of national oil spill response systems, specialized equipment, and service solutions. The talks also focused on expanding cooperation between state bodies and industry partners to strengthen the countrys overall response capacity. The signing of the Memorandum reflects Kazakhstans strong commitment to building its marine oil spill response capabilities. We see great potential to apply Lamors expertise in partnership with Kazakh institutions, said Johan Gron, CEO of Lamor. Lamor has been supporting Kazakhstans environmental protection efforts for over two decades. Since the late 1990s, the company has supplied equipment and vessels to oil spill response bases in Atyrau and Aktau and participated in projects aimed at land remediation and environmental restoration. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel UAEs Al Khaleej Sugar moving forward with plans to build Kazakhstans largest sugar plant Photo: Ministry of Agriculture of Kazakhstan A 1,000-hectare land plot in the city of Konaev in Almaty region, within the Alatau special economic zone (SEZ), has already been allocated for the plant. Preparatory work is underway to provide essential infrastructure, including gas and electricity supply. Access to paid information is limited If You already have a account, please log in Login Register ASTANA, Kazakhstan, October 31. President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev and Secretary General of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), Imangali Tasmagambetov, discussed preparations for the upcoming session of the CSTO Collective Security Council in Kyrgyzstan, Trend reports via the press service of the Kazakh President. During the meeting, the Kazakh President was briefed on the progress of preparations for the CSTO Council session, scheduled to take place at the end of November in Kyrgyzstan. In addition, a range of issues related to the key areas of the Organizations activities were reviewed. Kazakhstan signed the Collective Security Treaty on May 15, 1992, in Tashkent, and has been an active member of the CSTO since its establishment in 2003, which was created to develop and expand cooperation under the framework of the Treaty. ASTANA, Kazakhstan, October 31. President of Kazakhstan Kassym-Jomart Tokayev expects that important documents will be signed during his upcoming visit to Moscow on November 12, 2025, Trend reports via Akorda. Tokayev made the remarks during a meeting with Rustam Minnikhanov, President of the Republic of Tatarstan, Russia. We are preparing for the state visit to Moscow on November 12. We consider this a milestone event in our relations. Important documents will be signed that will have a serious positive influence on the further course of cooperation, the Kazakh president said. He pointed out Kazakhstans backing for Tatarstans ambitions to set up shop in the country and shone a light on their fruitful teamwork in mechanical engineering, component production, and the oil and gas chemical arena. Tokayev specifically emphasized joint investment projects with companies such as KAMAZ and Tatneft. Minnikhanov thanked Tokayev for the invitation to visit Kazakhstan and confirmed Tatarstans interest in expanding cooperation in business, industry, education, and culture. President of the Republic of Tatarstan Rustam Minnikhanov is presently engaged in a professional visit to the Republic of Kazakhstan, having made his arrival on the 31st of October, 2025. During this engagement, he intends to execute a comprehensive itinerary encompassing a multi-city reconnaissance, facilitate strategic business dialogues and negotiations with Kazakh stakeholders, and assess operational capacities at various industrial enterprises. The initial point of engagement was the Kostanay region, where he received a formal reception from the regional executive authority, Kumar Akssakalov. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan, October 31. Kyrgyz Foreign Minister Zheenbek Kulubaev met with German Ambassador Monika Lenhard and discussed advancing cooperation in trade and investment between the two countries, Trend reports via the Kyrgyz MFA. The discussions concentrated on political, trade, economic, investment, and cultural relations, as well as initiatives in transport, tourism, and environmental sectors. Minister Kulubaev extended congratulations to Ambassador Lenhard on her assumption of the post and underscored the significance of implementing the agreements reached during recent high-level visits. He further addressed sanctions compliance, reaffirming Kyrgyzstans dedication to fulfilling international obligations and maintaining dialogue with EU partners to mitigate risks associated with potential circumvention. The Minister provided an overview of the domestic political situation, highlighting preparations for upcoming parliamentary elections and the participation of international observers. Ambassador Lenhard confirmed Germanys commitment to further strengthening bilateral cooperation, including through the Central Asia-Germany dialogue platform. ASHGABAT, Turkmenistan, October 31. Political consultations were held in Belgrade between the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of Turkmenistan and the Republic of Serbia, Trend reports via Turkmen MFA. The Turkmen delegation was headed by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Akhmet Gurbanov, while the Serbian side was led by Damjan Jovic, State Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Serbia. The talks featured a constructive exchange of views on key aspects of the bilateral agenda, with both sides noting the positive dynamics of relations based on mutual respect, equality, and mutually beneficial cooperation. The diplomats emphasized the importance of holding regular political consultations and further strengthening the bilateral legal framework. The consultations also reviewed prospects for expanding economic cooperation in trade, textiles, and the export of polymers, fertilizers, and agricultural products. The parties expressed interest in developing ties in the fields of culture, education, and tourism. Both parties acknowledged with gratification their synergistic engagement in global arenas, especially within the United Nations framework, where Turkmenistan and Serbia extend reciprocal backing and co-develop international initiatives. As part of his visit to Serbia, Gurbanov also met with Danilo Jerinic, Director of the EXPO 2027 International Specialized Exhibition in Belgrade. The meeting focused on organizational matters related to Turkmenistans participation in the upcoming exhibition, scheduled to take place from May 15 through August 15, 2027. Stay up-to-date with more news on Trend News Agency's WhatsApp channel The AI boom has made Jensen Huang, Nvidias founder and chief executive, one of the worlds richest men - Kent Nishimura/Bloomberg Nvidia has become the worlds first company to be worth $5tn (3.7tn) despite growing fears of a bubble in artificial intelligence (AI) stocks. The microchip makers shares rose as much as 5.3pc at the start of trading on Wednesday, on hopes that Donald Trump will allow it to sell more products in China. This pushed Nvidias valuation past $5tn for the first time, having become the first company to reach $4tn only in July. Its value is now the same as the entire annual output of Germanys economy. It is also 50pc more than the entire FTSE 100 the combined value of the London Stock Exchanges most valuable 100 companies. Furthermore, the tech giant is now over 19 times the value of AstraZeneca, Britains most valuable public company. This milestone caps a rapid rise for Nvidia, which has been the biggest winner from the exorbitant spending spree on AI technology. The company, founded in 1993, took 30 years to hit a $1tn valuation, crossing the milestone two years ago. But it has quintupled in value since then amid incessant demands for its chips, which train and run AI systems. AI bubble Nvidia has reached this latest landmark despite increasing warnings that the AI industry is mirroring the dotcom boom of the late 1990s. All three of Wall Streets main stock indexes hit fresh record highs for the fourth consecutive trading session on Wednesday. Nvidias shares have risen by more than 1,000pc since the release of ChatGPT in late 2022, which is powered by Nvidias chips. Microsoft and Apple, the worlds next two biggest companies, hit $4tn valuations for the first time this week. The boom has made Jensen Huang, Nvidias founder and chief executive, one of the worlds richest men, with a net worth of $174bn. Mr Trump said on Wednesday that he planned to discuss Nvidias high-end Blackwell chips with Xi Jinping when he meets the Chinese president this week. The company has faced severe restrictions on what it can sell in China, meaning a breakthrough would represent a new boost to sales. Nvidia itself has faced claims that it is inflating the tech bubble by agreeing to a series of circular deals in which it invests in some of its biggest customers. This includes a $100bn investment in OpenAI, the maker of ChatGPT. Mr Huang attempted to downplay claims of an AI bubble this week, saying that the technology was being widely used and that companies are paying for it. I dont believe were in an AI bubble, he told Bloomberg. All of these different AI models were using were using plenty of services and paying happily to do it. By Courtney Rozen and Stephen Nellis WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang donated to fund the construction of U.S. President Donald Trumps White House ballroom, he told reporters, joining other tech leaders supporting the project.Im delighted to be part of it, he told reporters in Washington on Tuesday.Nvidia was not named on the White Houses public list of donors released last week. Huang's personal net worth was estimated at $120 billion in May.Demolition workers tore down the East Wing of the White House to make way for the new ballroom. Trump has said the project will cost $300 million. Amazon, Apple and Google are among the technology companies also supporting the construction. Nvidia on Wednesday became the first company to reach $5 trillion in market value. The company is at the center of the global AI industry. (Reporting by Courtney Rozen and Stephen NellisEditing by Rod Nickel) Faces on a beach in Southwest Alaska Photo by Alice Bailey Rick Knecht holds a human figure that he found on the beach near the village of Quinhagak on Oct. 24, 2025. Walking a storm-scoured Alaska beach, archaeologist Rick Knecht knelt to pick up a wooden figurine the size of his palm. He squinted at it and identified the piece as a doll that might have belonged to a little girl, one who had lived and died there centuries before. He handed it to Alice Bailey, who was walking beside him. We were the first people (the doll) had seen in 500 years, Bailey said over the phone from the village of Quinhagak. Quinhagak, home to about 700 Alaska Natives, sits exposed on the mouth of Kuskokwim Bay, part of the Bering Sea. While the ferocious spinout of Typhoon Halong was floating houses and destroying much of nearby Kipnuk and doing similar but slightly less thorough damage to Kwigillingok the people of Quinhagak mostly escaped catastrophe. That storm, however, ate into an old village site Knecht and other archeologists have been excavating for years along with local villagers. They have created a museum in the village with hundreds of thousands of items, some of them exquisite masks carved of spruce. Photo by Alice Bailey Blue tarps indicate the inland edge of the Nunalleq archaeology site, which the remnants of Typhoon Halong damaged. The site used to extend much farther toward the Bering Sea. Photo by Alice Bailey Human figurines with limbless bodies like this one are common finds at Nunalleq. Some were used as toys, while others were used as protective charms or in religious observances. The latest storm took another bite into the site called Nunalleq, Yupik for the Old Village, scattering artifacts along the Bering Sea coast just as winter arrived with sub-freezing temperatures and of course the wind. Knecht is a professor emeritus with the University of Aberdeen in Scotland. He first flew to Quinhagak 17 years ago when he worked at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. Back in 2007, another big storm had exposed the village site that Yupik people had occupied beginning in about 1570. People remained there at least until between 1645 and 1675, when others attacked and set fire to the village. There is no sign of occupation after that. Nunalleq, where as many as 300 people once lived, is about 2 miles from the current village site of Quinhagak. The ancient village was near the Arolik River, a productive salmon stream. We think that the river ran in front of the site, separated from the sea by a long sand spit, Knecht said from Quinhagak, which he reached with funding from the Anchorage Museum and the Henry Luce Foundation. It was a winter village but occupied by at least some people year round. After the recent storm, Knecht rushed to Southwest Alaska, knowing many artifacts would be exposed on the beach. Photo by Alice Bailey Quinhagak resident Sarah Brown holds a mask attachment she found on the beach on Oct. 24, 2025. This item might represent a hand or fin of an animal or spirit being. After joining locals who had already been collecting items, Knecht saw hundreds of additional pieces on the beach. He then called trusted colleagues to come help him. Those included Bailey, who lives in Fairbanks and works with the Alaska Ocean Observing System. She emptied her fridge into a cooler and landed many hours later on the airstrip in Quinhagak. She was on the beach within one hour of touching down. The new shoreline was foreign to Bailey, who had been there a few times. The same was true for Knecht, who knew the bumps in the tundra as if they were old friends. I dont recognize the beach or the site as it was since my last visit in July, Knecht said. All the landmarks that told me where I was are gone. We lost a good 20 meters (about 65 feet) or more. Knecht was accustomed to the site changing each time he visited; villagers finding carved masks and other items freed from thawing permafrost had been the reason for his first trip in 2009. But Halongs storm surge has left behind just around 27 percent of the ancient village site. It is the latest in a head-spinning reduction in protective frozen soil Knecht has noticed over the years. In the first years we began to hit winter-frozen soils just under the surface; it wasnt fully thawed until early August, he said. By 2015, the ice in deeper holes and house posts was gone. When the site thawed, the more fragile organics began to rot. By 2023, finds of grass basketry and woven mats, once common, were rare, he said. Even if these preserved sites dont erode away, they begin to decay as soon as the permafrost thaws. While Knecht and his partners walk the beach to preserve what they can from the Yupik people who predated the arrival of Russians and Europeans sailing ships with tall masts, he wondered about the future of the villagers in the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta. Those thousands of souls, in dozens of small communities, face the consequences of sea-level rise, loss of sea ice, storm surges and permafrost thaw. Photo by Alice Bailey This tub of artifacts includes a human figurine, labrets, bentwood bowl fragments, a leather strap that may have secured footwear or a snowshoe, gaming darts and other items people found on the beach outside Quinhagak in late October 2025. Villages now have all our modern material culture piled on their backs, Knecht said. In former times you didnt need to move your power plant, your water treatment, your big school. With enough funding, those kinds of challenges can be met. Without that support, then life in this area may indeed become unsustainable from an economic and political point of view. But having said that, I can tell you from the archaeologist record (which includes three different settlements during different times at Nunalleq), that the Yupik people are incredibly resilient and inventive when it comes to adapting to what has always been an extraordinarily dynamic environment. 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. UAF planetarium set for spring opening A decades-long dream of a planetarium at the University of Alaska Museum of the North will come to fruition this spring when the University of Alaska Fairbanks opens the new 65-seat facility to the public. Photo by Bryan Whitten Marita and Walt Babula walk hand in hand Oct. 11, 2025, at the site of a 65-seat planetarium being built as an addition to the University of Alaska Museum of the North in Fairbanks. The Babulas made a previously anonymous donation of $7.4 million to the project. Emily Drygas of the UA Foundation, left, and newly hired planetarium director Omega Smith accompany the Babulas. The planetarium will be named for Walt and Marita Babula, the formerly anonymous donors whose $7.4 million donation is funding the construction. The couples gift is the single largest ever to the University of Alaska from living individuals. The project itself is a testament to the lasting impact of philanthropy in our community, said Mike Sfraga, UAFs interim chancellor. Aspirations and grand visions like our new planetarium can sometimes seem out of reach, he said. We are so grateful for the partnership that has enabled Walt and Maritas vision to be realized and create this extraordinary place that will educate and inspire Alaskans and museum visitors for generations to come. The planetarium is a collaboration between the museum and the UAF Geophysical Institute. The addition to the museums west side will provide a new forum for highlighting UAFs research and Alaskas cultures. Most importantly, it will enable space science education opportunities for K-12 and higher education students, the Babulas said in a written statement. We also envision the planetarium as a place that will spark the curiosity of Alaskans and visitors from around the globe about our Alaska culture and vast universe. Walt Babula arrived in Fairbanks in 1970 and was stationed at Bassett Army Hospital at Fort Wainwright, becoming the posts first full-time orthodontist. He established Fairbanks Orthodontic Group in 1974 and has been providing orthodontic care to Interior Alaska families ever since. Marita Babula began her career at Fort Wainwright in Army Community Services but later transitioned into a full-time position as office manager and treatment coordinator for Fairbanks Orthodontic Group. Photo by Bryan Whitten Construction advances on the Walt and Marita Babula Planetarium in August 2025. Among their many contributions, the Babulas also made possible the Babula Childrens Garden at UAFs Georgeson Botanical Garden. Fairbanks has been home to us for decades, the couple wrote in a statement. We are pleased to give back to a community that we love. The 5,700-square-foot planetarium will include an 11-meter dome, two high-resolution projectors, four image-generation computers and theater-quality sound. In addition to being a draw for visitors to Interior Alaska, the planetarium will also serve prekindergarten-12th grade school groups, UAF students and faculty, and host special events. The planetarium at the museum will celebrate our science and stories born right here in Alaska, said newly hired planetarium director Omega Smith. I look forward to fueling the curiosity of students, faculty, the broader Fairbanks community and the tens of thousands of visitors who come for a unique Alaska experience. Photo by Bryan Whitten Walt and Marita Babula visit the planetarium construction site at the University of Alaska Fairbanks on Oct. 11, 2025. The Babulas sit with planetarium donors Cary and Sarah Keller, flanking newly hired planetarium director Omega Smith. Growing the planetariums content will involve partnerships among the museum, the Geophysical Institute and other UAF departments, Smith said. The programs will not only showcase the groundbreaking work of university researchers and space science but will also highlight Alaskas rich cultural heritage. As a lifelong Alaskan who grew up beneath the northern lights, Im honored to be this planetariums first director, she said. Im deeply grateful to the donors whose astronomical generosity is helping bring to life a long-held vision of the Geophysical Institute and UA Museum of the North. Additional donors to the project include the M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust and longtime UAF supporters Sarah and Cary Keller. The trust pledged nearly $500,000 toward the planetariums projection and sound systems. The Kellers committed $250,000 to fund the planetarium director position. Other contributors include the Michael and Lynn Rice Estate, Davis Constructors & Engineers, and RESPEC. ADDITIONAL CONTACTS: Omega Smith, omegasmith@alaska.edu; Patrick Druckenmiller, psdruckenmiller@alaska.edu 094-26 10/31/2025 By Stephanie Murphy Massachusetts State Law requires all public employees to complete Conflict of Interest training every two years. This training is developed by the Massachusetts State Ethics Commission. You will receive an email from Vector Solutions that you have an assignment to complete. You will use your regular UML credentials to log in. This training begins November 3, 2025 and is due by December 3, 2025. The training will take approximately 1 hour to complete. If the video looks small, adjust your browser zoom to 50%. This will make the video larger to view the content. Once completed, you can reset it to your default size. If you need help, fill out the AskHR (Human Resources) form. If you require accommodations to take this training, please email: Equal_Opportunity@uml.edu Welcome Guest! You are here: Home Hajj 2026 Payment Last Date Extended The Haj Committee of India has extended the last date of payment for pilgrims selected through Qurrah as well as Hajj Waiting Lists 2026 Friday October 31, 2025 7:39 PM , ummid.com News Network Hajj 2026: The Haj Committee of India has extended the last date of payment for pilgrims selected through Qurrah as well as Hajj Waiting Lists 2026. Hajj 2026: Key Points The Haj Committee of India had conducted Hajj 2026 draw or qurrah on August 13, 2025 and released the list of selected pilgrims and list of around 95,336 pilgrims in waiting list. on August 13, 2025 and released the list of selected pilgrims and list of around 95,336 pilgrims in waiting list. The Haj Committee of India had released the first waiting list of 22,530 pilgrims on September 29 and second waiting list of 7,636 pilgrims on October 14, 2025. of 22,530 pilgrims on September 29 and of 7,636 pilgrims on October 14, 2025. Simultaneously, the Haj Committee of India had asked the pilgrims selected though Haj Qurrah as well as Hajj Waiting Lists to deposit the amount of Rs. 2,77,300/- (First Installment Rs. 1,52,300/- + Second Installment Rs. 1,25,000/-) latest by October 31, 2025. (First Installment Rs. 1,52,300/- + Second Installment Rs. 1,25,000/-) latest by October 31, 2025. As per the latest notification dated October 31, 2025, the Haj Committee of India has extended the last date of payment submission till November 07, 2025. Haj Committee of India Notification the last date for deposit of Haj Amount is hereby extended till 07.11.2025. All pilgrims selected through Qurrah or Waiting, who have not yet made the full payment of Rs. 2,77,300/- (First Installment Rs. 1,52,300/- + Second Installment Rs. 1,25,000/-) are advised to remit the required amount within the extended time limit, the Haj Committee of India said in its notification. Haj Advanced amount payment can be made through E-Payment facility available on the Haj Committee of India website, or Haj Suvidha App using Credit Card, Debit Card or Net Banking / UPI or through bank transfer in SBI or Union Bank of India in the Haj Committee of India account. After depositing the payment, the pilgrims must upload signed copy of Hajj Application Form (HAF), copy of pay-in-slip, and medical and fitness certificate to the Haj Committee of India on November 10, 2025. Hajj Amount Payment Option As per the Haj Committee notification, options to make Advance Haj Amount and Balanced Hajj Amount is as follows. The payment can be made: Through E-Payment Facility available on the Haj Committee of India website "hajcommittee.gov.in" or Haj Suvidha App using Credit Card/Debit Card or Net Banking. Specified Pay in Slip in any branch of State Bank of India or Union Bank of India in the account og Haj Committee of India using Bank Reference Number available on HCoI website against each cover number. Pilgrims should note that they must mention the unique Bank Reference Number provided to each cover in the deposit receipt. Last date to submit and upload signed copy of Haj Application Form (HAF) with declaration, copy of pay-in slip/online receipt and medical screening and fitness certificate is November 10, 2025. Hajj 2026 Flight Schedule The Hajj 2026 Action Plan has not released yet the date and time of inbound and outbound flights from India to Saudi Arabia and vice-versa. The Haj Committee of India, however, said there will be a total 18 Hajj Embarkations Points. The details of EPs are as under: 1. Srinagar, 2. Gaya, 3. Guwahati, 4. Indore, 5. Jaipur, 6. Nagpur, 7. Delhi, 8. Mumbai, 9. Kolkata, 10. Bengaluru, 11. Hyderabad, 12. Cochin, 13. Chennai, 14. Ahmedabad, 15. Lucknow, 16. Kannur, 17. Calicut 18. Vijayawada The Haj Committee publishes details of first Haj flight from India and the first return flight from Saudi Arabia in advance along with the complete flight schedule. The Haj flight schedule should be published in due course. The likely date of Hajj 2026 is May 24 to 29, 2026. The final date of Haj 2026 (1447), however, will be confirmed after Dhul Hijjah 1447 AH moon sighting. Follow ummid.com WhatsApp Channel for all the latest updates. Select Language to Translate in Urdu, Hindi, Marathi or Arabic Tourists visit ancient street in Yangloudong of Chibi City, China's Hubei Xinhua) 22:10, October 30, 2025 Tourists visit the ancient street in Yangloudong of Chibi City, central China's Hubei Province, Oct. 29, 2025. Yangloudong has long been renowned as the hometown of brick tea and is one of the starting points of an ancient tea road. In recent years, the area has built a new tourism model to attract tourists by creating intangible cultural heritage themed blocks and introducing diversified business formats such as Hanfu-renting and photograph. (Xinhua/Wu Zhizun) Tourists visit the ancient street in Yangloudong of Chibi City, central China's Hubei Province, Oct. 29, 2025. Yangloudong has long been renowned as the hometown of brick tea and is one of the starting points of an ancient tea road. In recent years, the area has built a new tourism model to attract tourists by creating intangible cultural heritage themed blocks and introducing diversified business formats such as Hanfu-renting and photograph. (Xinhua/Du Zixuan) A tourist visits the ancient street in Yangloudong of Chibi City, central China's Hubei Province, Oct. 29, 2025. Yangloudong has long been renowned as the hometown of brick tea and is one of the starting points of an ancient tea road. In recent years, the area has built a new tourism model to attract tourists by creating intangible cultural heritage themed blocks and introducing diversified business formats such as Hanfu-renting and photograph. (Xinhua/Du Zixuan) A tourist visits the ancient street in Yangloudong of Chibi City, central China's Hubei Province, Oct. 29, 2025. Yangloudong has long been renowned as the hometown of brick tea and is one of the starting points of an ancient tea road. In recent years, the area has built a new tourism model to attract tourists by creating intangible cultural heritage themed blocks and introducing diversified business formats such as Hanfu-renting and photograph. (Xinhua/Wu Zhizun) Foreign tourists visit the ancient street in Yangloudong of Chibi City, central China's Hubei Province, Oct. 29, 2025. Yangloudong has long been renowned as the hometown of brick tea and is one of the starting points of an ancient tea road. In recent years, the area has built a new tourism model to attract tourists by creating intangible cultural heritage themed blocks and introducing diversified business formats such as Hanfu-renting and photograph. (Xinhua/Wu Zhizun) Tourists visit the ancient street in Yangloudong of Chibi City, central China's Hubei Province, Oct. 29, 2025. Yangloudong has long been renowned as the hometown of brick tea and is one of the starting points of an ancient tea road. In recent years, the area has built a new tourism model to attract tourists by creating intangible cultural heritage themed blocks and introducing diversified business formats such as Hanfu-renting and photograph. (Xinhua/Wu Zhizun) Tourists have their makeup applied at a travel photography studio on the ancient street in Yangloudong of Chibi City, central China's Hubei Province, Oct. 29, 2025. Yangloudong has long been renowned as the hometown of brick tea and is one of the starting points of an ancient tea road. In recent years, the area has built a new tourism model to attract tourists by creating intangible cultural heritage themed blocks and introducing diversified business formats such as Hanfu-renting and photograph. (Xinhua/Wu Zhizun) Tourists visit the ancient street in Yangloudong of Chibi City, central China's Hubei Province, Oct. 29, 2025. Yangloudong has long been renowned as the hometown of brick tea and is one of the starting points of an ancient tea road. In recent years, the area has built a new tourism model to attract tourists by creating intangible cultural heritage themed blocks and introducing diversified business formats such as Hanfu-renting and photograph. (Xinhua/Du Zixuan) (Web editor: Zhang Kaiwei, Kou Jie) The theme here has been well-established, but it's also one that continues to ring true in new ways: these two companies are the kingmakers of AI. And their collaborators are abiding by a simple idiom: if you can't beat 'em, join 'em. Not to be outdone, Nvidia said on Tuesday it will take a $1 billion equity stake in Nokia, and also provide it with chips to make its networking software faster and better. For their efforts, Nvidia will be able to ride any wave higher in Nokia stock. You know, like the 21% it went up on Tuesday, just for doing the deal. But that's not all the Sam Altman-led unicorn has done. On Tuesday, OpenAI revised a deal that gives Microsoft access to its AI technology until 2032. In exchange, Microsoft will continue to get 20% of OpenAI's revenue. Like clockwork, Microsoft rose as much as 4%. The list of companies OpenAI has partnered with for easy access to chips is a who's who of the semiconductor elite: AMD , Broadcom , and of course Nvidia . Most recently, on Tuesday, it was PayPal that got the royal treatment. Each of these pacts was followed by a hefty share gain a rare case of a private company creating billions in public value. On one hand you have OpenAI, which isn't public itself, but wields more public-market-moving influence than almost anyone. On the other you have Nvidia, the most valuable company in history, and the maker of the semiconductor chips quite literally powering the AI revolution. While you can't go wrong with either outcome at least from a stock-price perspective it's the latter that's made itself felt in the market this week. Wired: Partnering with OpenAI or Nvidia in the grand pursuit of AI dominance. Tired: Getting an investment from the US government . Was this email forwarded to you? Sign up now The consumer cost of AI data centers. Bank of America says utility bills for average Americans could rise, reducing spending . Larry Fink says forget the debasement trade. The BlackRock CEO detailed two reasons why he thinks the US is still the best place to keep your money . It's Fed decision day. The central bank is overwhelmingly expected to announce a 25-basis-point rate cut , and Chair Jerome Powell will deliver remarks right after. Good morning and welcome to First Trade. If you're looking to broaden your investments beyond the stock market, have you considered Pokemon cards ? You can sign up for Business Insider's daily markets newsletter here . Story Continues But this market-moving dominance works both ways. If one of these AI titans moves into a new space, the incumbents tend to take a stock-price hit. Take Adobe for example. It was riding high with its Firefly AI-video generator until OpenAI's Sora came around. The same was true for SaaS stocks in late September, when OpenAI rolled out internal tools that could compete. Most recently, Google parent Alphabet got hit by plans for ChatGPT's own web browser. The throughline? Sharp losses in all three. OpenAI giveth, but it also taketh away. While these AI deals can sometimes feel like an unstoppable freight train, they're not without their critics, who have been quick to cry foul about a bubble. There are also concerns about the circularity of the deals that have been done. If any supposed AI bubble does start to deflate, the worry is that the interconnected nature of the ecosystem will make any pain worse. But for now, the companies central to the AI narrative can rest easy, with their stock prices at lofty levels, and amid rabid investor interest. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to figure out a way for OpenAI or Nvidia to take a stake in First Trade. On the move The kingmaking effect of OpenAI and Nvidia, in action. The blue line shows Nokia, which spiked 21% on Tuesday after inking a deal with Nvidia. The stock is now up nearly 80% since the start of September. The purple line is AMD, which had traded listlessly sideways for much of September before its OpenAI deal was announced on October 6. A 24% surge resulted, and shares are up 58% since. BI market mix The Fed takes center stage this afternoon. The central bank is widely expected to lower the benchmark lending rate by 25 basis points . Then all attention will turn to Chair Jerome Powell's remarks for signs of what the Fed's future rate path will be. Meet the real estate investors betting on Buffalo. They scaled to 24 units in a year. Now they've explained to BI's Kathleen Elkins why they only buy multi-family properties . Billionaire Paul Tudor Jones sees big stock upside. He thinks the current period could exceed the pre-dot-com-bubble era of 1999, and cites loose monetary and fiscal policies. Chart of the day Goldman Sachs In order to understand this chart, there's just one key dynamic to know: the outperformance of low-quality stocks usually signals speculative behavior, while high-quality names tend to win during difficult environments. The chart from Goldman Sachs shows that high-quality stocks have been sharply beaten by their lower-quality peers to a degree not seen since the end of 2022. Long story short, this suggests that we're in a particularly speculative environment right now. That would seem to match up with the recent meme-stock frenzy, as well as repeated record highs for the S&P 500, despite cries of a bubble. Culture confidential Is Stone Street still the epicenter of Wall Street social life? William Edwards/Business Insider Business Insider's Will Edwards spotlights a hot trend dominating Wall Street and the finance industry. Once upon a time, when most of the major banks were based in Manhattan's financial district, there was a magical happy hour spot called Stone Street. Thanks to the city's efforts to turn the area into a nightlife hub in the late 1990s, bankers would line the pubs on the cobblestoned street after the market closed. But in a post-COVID world, and with many banks having moved out of the financial district, is the allure still there? One Wednesday night in mid-October, I wandered down after work to find out. I arrived at around 4:15 p.m. admittedly a little early to a fairly empty street, and decided to head to the street's namesake bar, the Stone Street Tavern. While the happy hour crowd that day hadn't yet trickled in, one of the bartenders assured me it would pick up. By 5:30, I'd settled into a spot at a bar called the Ulysses. The crowd was still fairly light, although some groups were trickling in. "We're doing a scavenger hunt with our company," one of them told me. They worked for one of the stock-exchange firms in the city and were out on a team-building excursion, with Stone Street being one of the must-see stops in FiDi. They consider it part of their happy hour rotation. Another told me that at his old job, it was a tradition to bring new hires to Stone Street on their first day. "I'm not from New York originally, so I got to feel the whole finance scene," he said about his first day. William Edwards/Business Insider Once it started to get dark, Stone Street really started filling up. I noticed multiple groups in traditional finance vests. I approached one particularly gregarious group of analysts from a large data house (in vests, of course). One said his colleagues at his old currency exchange firm nearby used to "live" in this particular bar years ago, and that the whole street would be regularly packed. "Pre-COVID, this whole area in the summer, you could not get a single bench, you couldn't walk into a bar physically. It was like Woodstock," he said, noting that the crowds have grown over the last couple of years. When I finally told the analysts that I had to head home, they pleaded with me: "You've got to have at least one round with us!" I obliged, getting an Oktoberfest lager. Taking a sip of the pint, it was hard to deny that the old magic and energy was indeed still alive and well on Stone Street. What are your favorite happy hour spots to visit? Let us know! Will Edwards Read the full dispatch on Stone Street here. The First Trade team: Joe Ciolli, executive editor and anchor, in Chicago. Akin Oyedele, deputy editor, in New York. William Edwards, senior reporter, in New York. Steve Russolillo, chief news editor, in New York. Read the original article on Business Insider Hundreds of American enterprises are throwing their weight behind the petitioners in the case against President Donald Trumps reciprocal tariffs. We Pay the Tariffs, a grassroots coalition made up of over 700 small and medium-sized businesses spanning a range of industries, has filed an amicus curiae or friend of the court brief ahead of next weeks Supreme Court hearing on the legality of Trumps International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) tariffs, speaking to the economic impacts that the duties are having on American companies. More from Sourcing Journal Represented by international trade and customs law firm Sandler, Travis & Rosenberg, P.A., the coalitions 73-page brief includes a range of testimonials from businesses that said they have incurred major financial losses in the wake of the Trump tariff regime. The consequences of tariff turmoil have included job cuts, higher prices and stalled expansion for these firms. Equating the challenges of the current tariff landscape to the Covid-19 crisis, We Pay the Tariffs said the administrations unbounded and everchanging tariffs have resulted in a Trademic. American small and micro businesses, whether traders, manufacturers, retailers, or wholesalers, are the bedrock of the United States economy. For many, the IEEPA Tariffsimposed without legal authority and with no public participation, comment, or even sufficient noticepose an existential threat to survival, the businesses wrote. Left in place, the IEEPA Tariffs will eviscerate the American economy and with it the stature of American business in the global supply chain cycle, including U.S. importers, manufacturers and exporters, often a role played by a single company, causing serious and immediate consequences not only for small businesses themselves but also for the communities that depend upon them for goods, services, and employment, they added. Deer Stags Concepts, Inc., a small footwear business based in New York, detailed the disruption to operations and sourcing caused by the tariff increases on China, where it sources the vast majority of its products. When the tariffs were raised to an additional 145 percent in April, we were forced to halt all shipments from China, as we simply could not afford to pay them. The resulting disruption in supply through the end of Maywhen the tariffs were reduced to an additional 30 percentleft us unable to fill customer orders and caused significant lost sales, the companys president wrote. LOGAN, Utah The Utah Legislature's audit arm is launching a comprehensive review into Utah State University (USU) following a preliminary probe that uncovered possible excessive spending and weak oversight by senior leadership. A limited assessment conducted earlier this year revealed that between mid-2023 and mid-2024, USU's executive compartment approved large contractssome as high as $430,000without completing the institution's required procurement protocols. The review also flagged a dramatic rise in vehicle purchases by the president's officeapproximately three times higher than the previous five-year average. Then-President Elizabeth "Betsy" Cantwell, who stepped down in March to assume leadership at another university, was linked with more than $660,000 in expenditures over a short termincluding multiple new vehicles, a Salt Lake City apartment and luxe office upgrades such as a $750 bidet. Board Oversight and Governance Questions The audit report voiced concern that USU's board of trustees "may not be providing sufficient oversight on key procurement and administrative matters." Lawmakers unanimously approved moving the investigation into a full audit, citing what an oversight official described as a "culture of policy noncompliance." What's at Stake The timing is especially sensitive: USU faces mandated budget cuts of $12.6 million this year as the state grapples with higher education cost pressures. Reduced oversight and unchecked spending could undermine the university's financial position and public trust at a critical juncture. More broadly, the audit at USU is part of a statewide push: the Utah System of Higher Education is conducting parallel audits of all eight public colleges and universities to uncover potential policy gaps around presidential expenditures. Next Steps The full audit will probe procurement practices, executive expenditures, purchase-card usage and alignment with university policy. Lawmakers expect findings later this year, which could trigger new governance requirements across the state's higher-edu sector. With scrutiny mounting, the governance changes at USU and the forthcoming audit could serve as a blueprintor warningfor other public universities under fiscal pressure. Updated 1:52 p.m. ET on Oct. 30 BERLIN After a bruising third quarter, Puma executives and market analysts seemed to agree: The German sportswear brand has a long road back to profitability and desirability. More from WWD Organic sales at Puma fell 10.4 percent in the third quarter to 1.96 billion euros. Earnings before income tax, or EBIT, also collapsed, with both adjusted and reported EBIT falling by more than 80 percent. The German activewear firm blamed a strategic reset as it navigates several company-specific challenges, including muted brand momentum, elevated inventory levels across the trade and low quality of distribution. Measures taken so far, including stock take backs and reduced promotional activity, impacted Pumas performance in the third quarter, both at wholesale and in its own stores and online sales, the company explained. Pumas new chief executive officer Arthur Hoeld, who previously held a number of different leadership positions at Adidas, only took on the top job in July. Shareholders and retailers have been waiting to hear about his plans. In an early-morning statement and at a press conference at the companys base in Herzogenaurach, southern Germany, he laid out his strategy for turning the business around. Puma was previously very reliant on wholesale but Hoeld saw this as harmful to the brands image as larger retailers tended to discount too heavily. Puma has become too commercial, overexposed in the wrong channels, with too many discounts, Hoeld said at the Herzogenaurach press conference. In the future, wholesale will be reduced in favor of expanding Pumas direct-to-consumer channels, both online and in brick-and-mortar. Puma also plans to reduce the number of new products it releases and to buy less from suppliers. The company has already taken back some stock, which has driven its inventories up to 2.12 billion euros this quarter. Much of that stock will likely have to be sold through outlet stores, experts have argued. Puma expects inventory levels not to return to normal until the end of next year. In fact, Hoeld said Puma likely wouldnt return to healthy growth until 2027, with the next year being all about transition. The path to achieving this [turnaround] is uncertain, analyst James Grzinic of Jefferies wrote Thursday. Additionally strategic details of the comeback plan are still lacking, RBCs Piral Dadhania wrote in his note. On 21 October, the Russian General Staff successfully tested a 9M730 Burevestnik cruise missile. This weapon was announced by Russian President Vladimir Putin during his speech to Parliament on March 1, 2018. Seven years later, it is finally operational. We wrote at the time: "Russia has a nuclear-powered engine (i.e., a nuclear power plant) that has been miniaturized to the point where it can be equipped with a nuclear-powered cruise missile. Since cruise missiles have an unpredictable trajectory and this engine has an almost infinite range, they are invincible for the moment." [1] The commissioning of the 9M730 Burevestnik paves the way for the Status-6 Poseidon underwater drones. It reverses the balance of power since, from now on, Russia has a lead over its competitors. It is no longer militarily on an equal footing with the United States, but is ahead of them. During the war in Syria, Russias new conventional weapons proved superior to those of NATO. During the war in Ukraine, Russia was able to mass-produce them. At the time of writing, it has become the worlds leading conventional and nuclear power. Russian President Vladimir Putin made this progress public on 26 October, i.e. between the controversy over the potential use of Tomahawks by Ukraine to strike the Kremlin and the Trump-Xi summit during which the United States was to try to break the Russian-Chinese alliance. The test was carried out at a time when the Russian army was gaining the upper hand in the battle for Pokrovsk, which it should surely win. This battle marks the defeat of "White Fuhrer" Andriy Biletsky (who has successively commanded the Azov regiment in the Battle of Mariupol, the 3rd Assault Brigade in the Battle of Bakhmut, and the 3rd Army Corps in the Battle of Pokrovsk). In fact, this battle could be the last of this war. The United States responded to the test by announcing new nuclear tests and withdrawing its troops from Europes Eastern Front. Our director of publication and editor-in-chief directed French magazines several years ago, and has won journalism awards abroad. He has regularly contributed to some fifteen major dailies and magazines around the world. Voltaire, International Newsletter is available by subscription for 500 a year, is published 42 times a year (not in July-August, nor during the Christmas holydays). Its an indispensable tool for any professional in international relations or defense. Contents of issue N149 EDITORIAL 4154 Russia becomes the worlds leading military power AMERICAS 4155 Donald Trumps Weird Interview with Time Magazine 4156 Scott Bessent negotiates with China 4157 The National Guard acquires anti-riot units 4158 Lindsey Graham approves of Trumps policy against Venezuelan cartels 4159 Operation Artic Frost is every bit as significant as Watergate. 4160 The Autopen under the Biden administration 4161 A Proposed Law on the Temple Mount 4162 The Gates, Rockefeller, and Ford Foundations Subsidize CCP-Dependent Organizations 4163 Elon Musk launches Grokipedia 4164 Bill Gates profoundly changes his strategy on climate change 4165 The United States tried to kidnap Nicolas Maduro 4166 Trump administration vs. Gustavo Petro EUROPE 4167 Cost of Immigration to the UK 4168 The Macrons are suing some of those who relayed allegations about Brigittes gender, but not the authors 4169 The French National Assembly calls on the government to denounce the 1968 Franco-Algerian immigration agreements 4170 Belgium refuses to finance the Ukrainian war against Russia 4171 Belgian Judge Denounces Drug Cartel Control of Power 4172 Dutch political parties consider violating the rule of law 4173 Slovakia refuses to fund Ukraines war against Russia 4174 Lithuania sees balloon cigarette smuggling as a Russian hybrid attack 4175 The United States partially withdraws its forces from Europes eastern flank 4176 EU Council adopts 19th package of sanctions against Russia 4177 EU prepares to sign agreement with Mercosur despite EP opinion and non-adoption of safeguard clause 4178 The European Space Programme 4179 Lobbying of the digital industry in Brussels AFRICA 4180 Algeria Steps Up Repression of Opponents Abroad 4181 Controversy between Sudan and the United Arab Emirates 4182 Unlikely victory for Paul Biya ASIA 4183 Bezalel Smotrich insults Saudi Arabia 4184 Mossad accuses Iran of attacks abroad on Jewish interests 4185 Revisionist Zionists against Turkiyes participation in the FIS 4186 Yuval Noah Harari and the Middle East Peace Treaties 4187 Israels Secret Nimbus Deal with Google and Amazon 4188 Marco Rubio Installs Kiryat Gat Civil-Military Coordination Center 4189 Israel returns tortured bodies of Palestinians 4190 Mahmoud Abbas prepares his succession 4191 UNIFIL shoots down an Israeli drone 4192 The Egyptian Peace Project in Lebanon 4193 Towards Israeli-Lebanese Talks 4194 Pentagon Eliminates Jihadist Leader in Syria 4195 Iran Attempts to Maintain Influence in Iraq 4196 Recep Tayyip Erdogan persecutes his opponents 4197 Turkiye strengthens its status in the Gulf 4198 PKK disarms in Turkiye and withdraws to Iraq 4199 Pakistan denounces Indias threats of destruction 4200 Donald Trump hopes to gain leadership in AI through the UK, Japan and South Korea INTERGOVERNMENTAL ORGANIZATIONS 4201 The United Nations General Assembly votes again to lift sanctions against Cuba 4202 Fourth Ministerial Conference of Feminist Diplomacy 4203 Celebration of the UN Charter by the OACPS and the EU On the seventy-eighth anniversary of Indias illegal occupation of Jammu and Kashmir, I wish to draw the esteemed Councils attention to this unresolved dispute, which remains one of the longest-standing items on the Councils agenda. On 27 October 1947, Indian forces landed in Srinagar and forcibly occupied Jammu and Kashmir against the wishes of its people. This dark day is observed as Kashmir Black Day as it marks the beginning of one of the longest occupations in modern history. This day also acts as a stark reminder of the injustices and atrocities that have persisted for nearly eight decades in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir. The Security Council has adopted a series of resolutions (resolutions 47 (1948), 51 (1948), 80 (1950), 91 (1951) and 122 (1957)) which unequivocally affirm that the final status of Jammu and Kashmir will be determined through the democratic method of a free and impartial plebiscite conducted under United Nations auspices. These resolutions enshrine the inalienable right of the Kashmiri people to self-determination and a just and peaceful resolution to the dispute. Regrettably, these commitments remain unfulfilled because India has consistently reneged on its promises to the Kashmiri people, to Pakistan and to the United Nations. Over the past 78 years, India has attempted to entrench its occupation of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir through actions which are in clear violation of the Security Council resolutions, the Charter of the United Nations and international law. The most egregious of these actions were taken on 5 August 2019, when India illegally and unilaterally revoked the special status of Jammu and Kashmir and bifurcated it into two Union Territories. Subsequently, India launched a systematic campaign to reshape the demographic composition of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir by granting non-Kashmiris the right to obtain domicile certificates and purchase property in the region. At the same time, India manipulated the delimitation process of electoral constituencies, granted voting rights to temporary residents and finally conducted sham elections in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir under heavy military presence which defied all international democratic standards. The ultimate aim of these measures is to convert the Kashmiri Muslim majority into a disempowered minority in their own land. The Kashmiri people are subjected to one of the most relentless campaigns of repression in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir. Indias machinery is engaged in extrajudicial killings, arbitrary arrests, enforced disappearances, torture, restrictions on religious and cultural practices and widespread denials of fundamental freedoms. Draconian laws such as the Public Safety Act, the Armed Forces Special Powers Act and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act grant blanket impunity to Indian security forces to arrest, torture, kill or destroy any property in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir. The incarceration of the true Kashmiri leadership is a key part of Indias strategy to silence dissent in Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir. Masarrat Alam Bhatt, Chairman of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference, has spent more than two decades behind bars. Shabbir Ahmed Shah, a leading voice for the Kashmir cause, remains imprisoned and has been denied bail by Indian authorities despite his recent diagnosis of cancer and need for medical treatment. The Indian governments decision to pursue the death penalty for the imprisoned Kashmiri leader Yasin Malik, despite his professed commitment to peaceful political means, raises serious concern. The religious leader and cleric, Mirwaiz Umar Farooq, is arbitrarily detained and not allowed to lead the prayers in Srinagars historic Jamia Mosque. The systematic clampdown on human rights defenders has also drawn serious concerns from segments of the international community. The incarceration and restrictions imposed on Kashmiri leaders and activists were criticized by multiple United Nations special procedures, who have also taken notice of the incompatibility of Indias counterterrorism laws with its human rights obligations. The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) has already published two reports, in 2018 and 2019, respectively, on the dire human rights situation. The worsening situation urgently warrants an updated assessment. History has repeatedly shown us that ignoring long-standing disputes does not bring peace; rather, it deepens grievances and heightens the risk of instability. The Jammu and Kashmir dispute is one such unresolved dispute, which remains a constant source of tension between Pakistan and India. The recent conflict in May 2025, following the Pahalgam attack, is a stark reminder of this reality. The only way to achieve lasting peace and stability in South Asia is to peacefully resolve this dispute according to the Security Councils resolutions and the wishes of the Kashmiri people. Pakistan, for its part, remains steadfast in its commitment to the Security Councils resolutions and to a just and peaceful resolution of the dispute. No cosmetic measures can serve as a substitute for the fundamental and inalienable right to self-determination of the Kashmiris as guaranteed by the relevant Security Council resolutions. In this regard, I urge the United Nations to act decisively and in accordance with its Charter responsibilities. The Security Council, in particular, must fulfil its obligations by ensuring full implementation of its resolutions on Jammu and Kashmir. It must also strengthen the role of the United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP), which remains vital for monitoring the situation on the ground. I take the opportunity to call upon you to: Stress to India that it must reverse its unilateral and illegal actions of 5 August 2019 and all subsequent measures aimed at altering the demographic composition and political landscape of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir. Demand the immediate release of political prisoners, human rights defenders and other Kashmiri leaders. Call for the repeal of draconian laws such as the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, the Public Safety Act and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, which perpetuate a culture of impunity. Ensure unhindered access to Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir for the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, independent human rights organizations and international media. Support the establishment of a United Nations commission of inquiry, as recommended in the OHCHR reports. Advocate for the holding of a free and impartial plebiscite under United Nations auspices, in accordance with Security Council resolutions, so that the Kashmiri people may exercise their legitimate right to self-determination. The Jammu and Kashmir dispute is not only a question of international law but also of human conscience. It is imperative that the international community does not allow the sacrifices of the Kashmiri people to go unheard. SEOUL, South Korea (AP) Samsung Electronics on Thursday reported a 32.5% increase in operating profit for the third quarter, driven by rebounding demand for its computer memory chips, which the company expects will continue to grow on the back of artificial intelligence. The South Korean technology giant set a new high in quarterly revenue, which rose nearly 9% to 86 trillion won ($60.4 billion) for the July-September period, fueled by increased sales of semiconductor products and mobile phones. Samsung, which has dual strength in both components and finished products, said it expects the demand driven by AI to further expand market opportunities in coming months. SK Hynix, another major South Korean chipmaker, also reported a record operating profit of 11.4 trillion won ($8 billion) on Wednesday, which it also described as AI-related growth. Samsungs operating profit of 12.2 trillion won ($8.6 billion) in the last quarter marked a 160% increase from the previous quarter, when it said its semiconductor earnings were weighed down by inventory value adjustments and one-off costs related to technology export restrictions on China. Samsungs semiconductor division posted 7 trillion in operating profit for the third quarter, with the company reporting strong sales in high bandwidth memory chips, which are used to power AI applications. The semiconductor market is expected to remain strong, driven by ongoing AI investment momentum, the company said in a statement. The company said an advanced version of its high-bandwidth memory chips, the HBM3E, is currently in mass production and being sold to all relevant customers, while samples of its next-generation product, the HBM4, are being shipped to key clients. Tokenization specialist Securitize rolled out a tokenized credit fund with $57 trillion financial services giant BNY as appetite for real-world assets (RWA) is quickly growing. The Securitize Tokenized AAA CLO Fund (STAC), available on the Ethereum network, aims to offer onchain investors exposure to collateralized loan obligations (CLOs), according to a press release on Wednesday. BNY will act as custodian of the funds assets, while investment management will be handled by Insight, a BNY subsidiary focused on fixed income and structured credit strategies. Grove, the onchain credit-focused capital allocator of DeFi protocol Sky (SKY), plans to place $100 million into the fund as an anchor investor, according to the release. The offering aims to bring one of the most stable credit product onto blockchain rails as demand for tokenized assets accelerate. BCG and Ripple projected that the tokenized real-world asset (RWA) market could reach $18.9 trillion by 2033, up from $35 billion currently. CLOs bundle corporate loans into tranches of varying risk levels. AAA-rated tranches, the most secure, offer floating-rate exposure that typically appeals to institutional investors. Historically, these investments have been difficult to access or slow to settle. Tokenizing the funds shares could change that by enabling faster settlement, improved distribution and easier fractional ownership. "For clients who are searching for yield, tokenization is a great way to improve access to high-quality credit in an efficient and transparent instrument," said Jose Minaya, the global head of BNY Investments and Wealth. Securitize has issued $4.5 billion of tokenized assets such as equities and funds, including BlackRock's tokenized money market fund BUIDL. The company filed plans this week to go public by merging with a Cantor Fitzgerald SPAC at a $1.25 billion valuation, aiming to become the first U.S. listed end-to-end tokenization firm. Read more: Tokenization Firm Securitize Aims for Public Listing Via SPAC Deal at $1.25B Valuation We were a little disappointed by St Peters Basilica. When you see it on Instagram and TikTok, it looks a lot more grand and colourful. We were expecting that, so we felt a bit disappointed. This testimony from a recent visitor to Rome encapsulates a peculiar modern phenomenon. For centuries, tourists and pilgrims alike have flocked to witness all the history Rome has to offer. But today, the touristic landscape seems to be filtered through a wildly different lens, quite literally. Armed with phones, selfie sticks and ring lights, the infantry of tourists descends upon the Colosseum. The phenomenon of Instagram tourism has caused a great mutation in how millions experience the Eternal City. The pursuit of the perfect Instagram post seems to dominate the cobblestones, with many discovering that the reality beyond the filter tells a rather different story. Welcome to the age of Instagram tourism, where disillusionment arrives along with your tourist-trap dinner. One need only perform a quick search to reveal the scale of this digital pilgrimage: a swathe of articles promising Best Rome Spots for Stunning Instagram Photos, 9 Must-Visit Instagram-Worthy Spots in Rome, and 41 Instagrammable Spots in Rome proliferates online. These visually validating lists have come to trump those rooted in cultural enrichment. The historically abundant city is increasingly being reduced to a checklist of photo opportunities. Previous generations would have, and do, find it inconceivable to be disappointed by St Peters Basilica, a building that took over a century to complete. Yet todays tourists arrive with expectations shaped not by architectural genius or historical significance, but by filtered and curated Instagram posts and TikTok videos, all in a bid for maximised engagement. This disconnect is more than anecdotal. A recent study by MouseNotifier, a restaurant-availability site, explored the impact of TikTok content on travel-booking behaviour. It found that 27 per cent of tourists said their real-world experience was underwhelming compared with the content that originally inspired them to book. We are essentially witnessing a crisis of perception in which the image has, for many, become more impressive than the place itself. The deeper problem is one of overexposure and overconsumption, fostering a fading sense of wonder. Of course, its feasible that if youve scrolled past every conceivable angle of the Pantheon, youre left wondering whats left to discover for yourself. Sadly, nearly everyone is guilty of it, nowadays we all raise our phones to immortalise our experiences. This age of reproducibility has turned every post into a product of replication. Experiences are now shaped more by saturated narratives pumped into us through TikTok and Instagram algorithms than by personal exploration. The optimisation of virality over authenticity is evident in the new trend of American food influencers who have somehow discovered the most authentic restaurant in Rome. The irony is profound. In seeking authenticity through influencer recommendations, visitors are largely destroying the very thing they came to experience. It would be unfair to place the blame solely on tourists and travellers. After all, we are all simply operating within a technological landscape we didnt create. Social media platforms have dramatically altered how we process and value experiences. Weve been trained to see the world as potential content, and unlearning this takes concerted effort. Perhaps the solution lies not in wholly rejecting Instagram tourism but in consciously recalibrating our expectations. This means accepting that St Peters Basilica wont look like its saturated Instagram version, but recognising that the monument, with all its crowds and imperfections, remains extraordinary. While expecting people to put down their phones is probably unrealistic, doing a bit of cultural research beyond social media might help dissipate disappointment. While Rome has survived plagues much worse than Instagram, what needs to survive now is our ability to be moved by beauty that doesnt fit neatly into a square frame. Senate vote paves way for referendum as Meloni government aims to overhaul Italy's justice system in a move opposed by the judiciary. The Italian senate on Thursday gave its final approval to a controversial constitutional reform of the judiciary, amid opposition from magistrates and the centre-left opposition. A key provision of the sweeping reform - which will require a referendum to become law - is the separation of careers for judges and prosecutors. This means they would no longer be able to switch between the two roles and must choose from the outset which career to follow, without being allowed to change. Currently, those wishing to become a magistrate take a single public competiton, valid for both positions, and after passing it, decide whether to become a public prosecutor or a judge. They can also decide to switch between the two positions, but can only do so once and within the first nine years of their career. Judiciary structure The constitutional amendment aims to redefine the internal judiciary structure by creating distinct professional paths for judges and public prosecutors, who are currently part of a single body of magistrates. The reform would replace the current single judiciary council which oversees appointments, careers and disciplinary actions with two distinct councils - one for judges and one for prosecutors - while a new, separate high disciplinary court would be established to handle sanctions against magistrates. There are currently significant overlaps between the two spheres, with the vast majority of both judges and prosecutors belonging to the National Association of Magistrates (ANM). Meloni's flagship reform The right-wing government of prime minister Giorgia Meloni claims the reform is intended to bolster the impartiality of judges by separating their career path from that of prosecutors, arguing that this will prevent conflicts of interest and reduce the risk of alleged political factions within the judiciary. Meloni hailed the bill - which was passed in the senate with 112 votes in favour, 59 against and nine abstentions - as a "historic milestone", describing it as "an important step towards a more efficient, balanced and citizen-orientated system". Oggi, con lapprovazione in quarta e ultima lettura della riforma costituzionale della giustizia, compiamo un passo importante verso un sistema piu efficiente, equilibrato e vicino ai cittadini. Un traguardo storico e un impegno concreto mantenuto a favore degli italiani. pic.twitter.com/EHWvcCiVIX Giorgia Meloni (@GiorgiaMeloni) October 30, 2025 Meloni has long been at odds with Italys judiciary, regularly accusing magistrates of stymying plans by her government, including in relation to cases such as the migrant detention centres in Albania and the Almasri case. Just this week, Meloni lashed out at the audit court after it rejected a controversial plan to build a bridge over the Messina Strait, blasting the ruling as "intolerable interference" and "yet another act of judicial overreach over the choices of the government and parliament". Meloni on Thursday said the referendum represents a "historic opportunity for a fairer justice system", saying: "Those who think that everything is fine in the justice system will vote against the reform, and therefore will vote no. Those who think it can improve will vote yes for the reform". Opposition The ANM and centre-left opposition parties are strongly opposed to the reform, claiming it will weaken the judiciary and accusing the government of seeking control over the judiciary. "This reform alters the power structure designed by the constituent assembly and jeopardises the full implementation of the principle of equality of citizens before the law," the ANM stated. "This is not a reform that improves the justice system, nor does it help Italians" - Elly Schlein, leader of the Partito Democratico (PD) party said - "It serves this government to have free rein and put itself above the laws and the constitution". Giuseppe Conte, leader of the Movimento 5 Stelle, said: "They want full powers, and we will oppose them at all costs." Debate The separation of judicial careers would represent a significant change to the judicial system, which has been debated by successive governments for decades. Right-wing parties are in favour the justice reform because, in their view, it would allow judges to have specific skills without being influenced by previous prosecutorial experience or by frequenting the same circles as prosecutors. Berlusconi The reform is particularly popular with Forza Italia because it implements a long-standing thesis of Silvio Berlusconi, the party's former leader and three-time prime minister. Following the senate vote on Thursday, Berlusconi's daughter Marina claimed that approval of the reform was a victory for her father who long claimed that his legal battles legal were persecution by left-leaning magistrates. Immediately after the vote, members of the Forza Italia party paraded through Piazza Navona in Rome with a giant poster of Berlusconi and the banner that read: "Thanks to Forza Italia, a fair justice system." Referendum As the bill did not receive the required two-thirds majority in the senate (or in the lower house last month), the constitutional change is expected to be put to the people in a confirmatory referendum. Justice minister Carlo Nordio - who championed the reform and has expressed the hope that the campaign will not be "politicised" - said the referendum would likely be held between mid-March and mid-April 2026. Right before the government shutdown, the S&P 500 dropped on the last day of September after a surprisingly strong month. Now, a month later, the shutdown persists and so does uncertainty in the markets. While its impossible to try to predict the direction of the economy based on unknown variables, you may want to think about where youre investing your money. GOBankingRates spoke with a self-made millionaire and investing expert to determine the best European stocks that are being purchased from those in the know, based on market performance and projected gains. Find Out: Why You Should Start Investing Now (Even If You Only Have $10) Read Next: 6 Safe Accounts Proven To Grow Your Money Up To 13x Faster ASML Holding (Netherlands) [ASML holding is] consistently on the rise and a worldwide leader in the complex and multifaceted science of semiconductor construction and components, said Lynn Sophia, an investing expert and a tech leader at FreSound. She pointed out that the company continues to profit from the consistent demands in the chip supply ecosystem. The ASML Holding NV stock recently had its price target raised, with expectations that earnings per share will increase by 6% annually in 2026 and 21% in 2027, as the company continues to lead the way in advanced semiconductor manufacturing. Learn More: Im a Financial Advisor: 4 Investing Rules My Millionaire Clients Never Break Siemens Energy (Germany) Sophia noted that Siemens Energy is firmly positioned as a significant player in the renewable energy industry, with a strong focus on aggressive decarbonization and infrastructure improvement in Europe. According to research from Zacks.com, Siemens Energy has a strong solvency position, and the company is well-positioned to complete the manufacturing facility expansion, meeting the increased demand for electricity. LVMH (France) LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton SE is a leading contender in the luxury goods market, sustaining its position with a robust international presence and production capabilities. Sophia noted that LVMH is a conglomerate with multiple growing businesses and a constant influx of financial resources. Sophia also stressed that LVMH particularly benefits from strong demand abroad, thanks to a solid brand and robust cash-flow generation. The stock recently rose as Goldman Sachs raised its price target, citing confidence ahead of the third-quarter earnings report, primarily due to the stronger brand resilience in the fashion and leather goods business. Adyen (Netherlands) Among the fastest-growing companies in Europe, Sophia noted that Adyen is a digital payment processor and provider specializing in the complex and evolving ecosystem of digital financial transactions. While the investor sentiment hasnt been positive lately, Simply Wall St. research pointed out that the business is stabilizing. Imelda Keenan has not been seen since she disappeared from Waterford City in 1994. She was just 22 years old at the time. In the decades since Imelda's disappearance, the Keenan family have campaigned tirelessly to get her case upgraded to a murder investigation, which would allow gardai more investigative liberty than what a missing persons investigation affords. Imeldas family have always maintained that she was murdered. Last month, the family were called to a meeting with An Garda Siochana at Waterford Garda Station. At this meeting, they received the heartbreaking news that Imeldas case would not be upgraded to murder. Gerry Keenan, brother of Imelda Keenan who is missing for the last 31 years, pictured in the Waterford News & Star offices. Photo: Joe Evans After the meeting, Gerry Keenan, Imelda's brother, said to this newspaper: It was devastating news for the family. We are heartbroken over the system. It has let us down completely. The decision not to upgrade has brought into question national guidelines surrounding how missing persons cases are treated, and this week, the matter was brought to the attention of the Minister for Justice. What happened? Imelda Keenan On Monday, January 3, 1994, Imelda Keenan, who was originally from Mountmellick in County Laois, went missing. She was living in an apartment in the city with her boyfriend at the time. The case has continued to stun and absorb the people of both Waterford and Laois. Minister intervention In Laois this week, Cllr Tommy Mulligan tabled a motion asking Minister Jim O'Callaghan to "clarify any national guidance that may exist for An Garda Siochana to upgrade the cases of persons that have been treated as missing persons for substantial periods of time to murder investigations". Speaking with the Waterford News & Star, Cllr Mulligan said: There is a strong feeling within the Keenan family that it should be ungraded to a murder case rather than a missing person case." "For the past 31 years the family have been seeking justice and there's been a lot of pain and heartbreak for the family. Theyve been searching for the truth for so long and they dont seem to be getting the answers. Thats where the heartbreak and pain is for the family." In relation to correspondence with the Minister, Cllr Mulligan said: Whenever that correspondence comes back, well pass it onto the Keenan family and then if they feel that there is strength in the response they can pursue that line of investigation again." Anyone with information about Imelda Keenans disappearance is urged to contact Waterford Garda Station on (051) 305 300, or any Garda Station. You can do so confidentially via the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111. Funded by the Local Democracy Scheme Ye Vegabonds Live, December 6, Bank Lane Ye Vagabonds is an Irish alt-folk group led by Dublin-based brothers Diarmuid and Brian Mac Gloinn. Having been described as "being at the fore of a new wave of Irish folk," they have won Best Track, Best Album, and Best Folk Group at the RTE Radio 1 Folk Awards. They have toured extensively in recent years across Ireland, the UK, Europe, and beyond, including notable special guest slots supporting Patti Smith, Hozier, Phoebe Bridgers, boygenius, Dermot Kennedy, and Vampire Weekend. Tickets available at banklane.ie Leslie Dowdall and Hugh Buckley Live, December 19, Coastguard Cultural Centre Tramore An intimate Autumn/Winter concert of music and spirit with Leslie Dowdall & Hugh Buckley at Tramores Coastguard Cultural Centre. As part of her 2025 tour, Leslie Dowdall returns to the stage for a special concert Friday, December 19, joined by acclaimed guitarist and musician Hugh Buckley. Best known as the distinctive voice of Celtic rock band In Tua Nua, Leslie is recognised as one of Irelands finest performers and a former Heineken Hot Press Award winner for Best Female Artist. Fresh from her recent appearance at Vicar Street with Flo McSweeney, Leslie brings her trademark energy, artistry, and compelling performance to this intimate setting. Tickets available at Eventbrite.ie The Scratch Live, December 21, The Haven Hotel The Scratch are coming to Dunmore East as part of their Ireland and Europe Tour 2025. They have won the hearts of anyone that has experienced their live shows, which have garnered a cult-like following in Ireland, the UK and most recently mainland Europe and North America. Tickets available at thehavenhotel.com The Blindboy Podcast, January 23, Theatre Royal Blindboy is a bestselling Irish writer and podcaster, and his podcast has now exceeded 80 million listeners globally. Described in the New York times as a cultural phenomenon his inimitable podcast teases at the boundaries of literature and spoken word. His live podcasts sell out worldwide, from Toronto to Brisbane to Londons Hammersmith Apollo. Outspoken, informed and empathetic, Blindboy engages his audience with an acerbic wit. Tickets available at theatreroyal.ie If you would like you event featured, contact darragh.murphy@waterford-news.com Advertisement MoneySuper & retirementSuperannuation Opinion On hold for two hours: How the super system is failing everyday retirees Bec Wilson Money contributor November 1, 2025 2:06am November 1, 2025 2:06am 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 Most Australians dont wake up eager to wrestle with their superannuation. They want to save, contribute, tick the box and feel confident theyre doing the right thing. When they do reach out for help, they want a straight answer, not a long wait and a brush-off. This week, one of our readers, Margy, hit the wall. For many retirees, super feels like a foreign language, full of jargon and rules that dont make much sense. iStock Shed just received a redundancy and decided to put a lump sum into her super. Keen to get the money out of her bank account and working for her retirement, she made the deposit, then rang her fund to confirm how it should be recorded for tax purposes. Should it count as a non-concessional contribution, or could she claim it as a concessional one? She knew shed already paid income tax on the money this financial year, but she also still had room left in her concessional cap. What she needed was a clear explanation of the best way to classify the contribution so she didnt end up paying more tax than she had to. Advertisement Instead, she got stuck in the system. The wait time to speak with someone at one of Australias largest super funds was 130 minutes. And it wasnt tax time, or even a particularly busy week. When she finally reached a person, they spent another half hour trying to figure out what she was asking. First, she was told to lodge a form. Then, she was told maybe she shouldnt. The staffer seemed unsure about the differences between concessional and non-concessional contributions and had to check. Margy just needed someone or something to guide her clearly, at the right time, with the right words. Finally, she was referred to the Australian Taxation Office because its a tax matter. She then sat on hold for another 30 minutes, only to be sent straight back to her fund to check whether shed lodged the right form. At no point did anyone actually explain what concessional and non-concessional contributions are, or why the distinction mattered. And therein lies the problem. Advertisement Super is confusing. For many people, it feels like a foreign language, full of jargon and rules that dont make much sense unless you work in it every day. Its bloody confusing to the average person who doesnt deal with it often, yet its precisely the tool they should be able to use confidently to build wealth for retirement. Editor's pick Opinion Retirement living Forget early retirement the smart move is to work longer Bec Wilson Money contributor I can already hear financial advisers out there saying smugly, Well, if shed had advice, wed have explained that. But the reality on the ground is much bleaker. At an industry event this week, the head of the Financial Advice Association Australia revealed the latest numbers. The countrys largest professional advice body now has just 10,799 financial advisers left. And there are only 1158 students in the pipeline to replace them. Thats it. In a nation of 27 million people. And most of the rest of the advisers operating in the country arent members of the association, meaning theyre not held to its professional standards. That, frankly, is worrying. I guess we wont be relying on professional advisers to solve the problems of everyday people approaching retirement then. Advertisement So what happens to people like Margy? The ones doing their best to save, to plan ahead, to use the system the way it was designed, but who cant get help when they need it? How do we make sure the system serves them, instead of the other way around? If you listen to the loud voices at the table, theyll say, We need to fix financial advice. Financial advice can be complex and confusing. AFR But in Britain, theyve already faced this problem and largely given up on trying to rebuild their advice channel. The economics just dont stack up. Having trained professionals in a field where profits are small, compliance is painful, and consumer needs are huge has become too hard to sustain, except for the wealthy, where margins still make sense. Advertisement Here in Australia, some funds are trying something different. Aware Super, AMP and Hostplus are quietly building new ways to guide members like Margy, not by replacing humans with bots, but by blending the two. If Margy had logged into a smarter digital system that could instantly recognise shed made a personal contribution, explain in plain English what that meant, and offer her a short video or chat option to walk her through the next step, she might have saved herself two hours on hold and a lot of unnecessary stress. But were not talking about that as loudly as were demanding financial advice be fixed. Yet, this is probably the most realistic and scalable way forward for the Margys of the world. Thats what digital guidance done right in superannuation could look like. Its still advice, just delivered in a more human, accessible way. Its about giving people clear direction when they need it, not sending them around in circles between a call centre that doesnt properly understand the rules and the ATO. Because Margy didnt need a financial planner charging by the hour. She just needed someone or something to guide her clearly, at the right time, with the right words. Advertisement The simple answer Margy couldnt get Editor's pick Opinion Ask an expert Were nearly retired, but worry our super is too low. How can we boost it? Noel Whittaker Money columnist The maddening part? The answer to her question was clear when I explained concessional and non-concessional contributions. And its a healthy combination of education and guidance, all allowable under superannuation financial advice today, if funds are proactive to help. And this is their most common question at tax time so it makes sense to. Because Margy had already paid marginal tax on the personal contribution shed made to her super (it was after-tax income), she wanted to claim it as a concessional contribution. All she needed to do was lodge the Notice of Intent to Claim or Vary a Deduction for Personal Super Contributions form with her fund before submitting her tax return. Heres what would have happened: once the fund received and acknowledged the form, it would have reclassified the contribution as concessional, meaning it would be taxed at 15 per cent inside the fund instead of her marginal rate (say, about 30 per cent). Advertisement When she later claimed that deduction on her tax return, the ATO would have refunded or offset the difference effectively giving her back the extra tax shed already paid. It could have been as simple as one form, one step, and no confusion. She could have saved hundreds, possibly thousands, of dollars. Yet, she waited more than two hours on hold, only to be told to call someone else. Bec Wilson is author of the bestseller How to Have an Epic Retirement and the newly released Prime Time: 27 Lessons for the New Midlife. She writes a weekly newsletter at epicretirement.net and hosts the Prime Time podcast. Advice given in this article is general in nature and is not intended to influence readers decisions about investing or financial products. They should always seek their own professional advice that considers their own personal circumstances before making financial decisions. Expert tips on how to save, invest and make the most of your money delivered to your inbox every Sunday. Sign up for our Real Money newsletter. Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share License this article More: Superannuation Opinion Bec Wilson is the author of How To Have An Epic Retirement and writes a weekly newsletter for pre- and post-retirees at epicretirement.net. Economist Saul Eslake has just finished up speaking at a lunch hosted by the Urban Development Institute of WA at Crown and offered some cheeky barbs at WA media. Tasmanian-based Eslake is one of the leading east coast critics of the GST deal which has poured billion of extra dollars into the states coffers and his visit coincides with Treasurer Rita Saffioti and Premier Roger Cooks visit to Canberra next week to plead WAs case to keep the current arrangement in place. His visit saw him end up on The West Australians front page yesterday described as a whinger. Eslake did not speak about the GST at all during his speech but did touch on the front page. I would like to thank the UDIA for having the audacity to invite me to Western Australia, he told the crowd. Economist Saul Eslake speaks at a lunch hosted by the Urban Development Institute of WA. Hamish Hastie Seeing as I made the front page yesterday of the Peoples Daily I was half expecting to be turned back at the border and deported to the eastern states as if Id landed in Los Angeles and ICE had been trawling through my social media posts. Premier Roger Cook was listed as speaking at the event but according to organisers pulled out at the last minute. Cook was not aware he was speaking at the event. Eslake ended his speech about global economic megatrends on the nations housing market and affordability, pointing out that home ownership between people aged 25 to 44 was at its lowest levels since the 1950s. I often wonder why younger Australians arent more angry about the way in which home ownership has become almost inaccessible for them unless theyve managed to choose their parents very carefully, he said. Advertisement InspirationBali Find the real Bali at this tranquil, immersive retreat Brian Johnston November 1, 2025 2:00am Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Save this article for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Got it Share What happened to Ubud? This tranquil hill town has been invaded by concrete and the angry buzz of motorbikes. Little warung restaurants run by cheerful families are being replaced by plasticky fast-food joints fronted by sulky teenagers. Traffic clogs the too-narrow main street, and everywhere yoga studios promise bendy renewal. If you think sweating in Lululemon and eating cheeseburgers is the way to holiday in Ubud, you arent alone. If youre after emerald countryside, village life and an eat-pray sensibility, however, youll have to look beyond the urban commotion. Poolside at Anantara Ubud. A pool villa at Anantara Ubud. Overtourism is as real as anything else in Bali, but to encounter the real traditional, more eco-sensitive Bali, pick your hotel location and activities wisely. A half-hours drive north of Ubud delivers you to the Ubud experience as it was 30 years ago: slow, local and serene. Advertisement My wise choice is Anantara Ubud Bali Resort, past the village of Banjar Puhu and down a narrowing road that my transfer car shares with children and chickens. The resort is slotted into a ruck of jungle and rice paddies, the only traffic a swoop of swallows over its rooftops. The bong of a gamelan orchestra welcomes me at check-in. Not an actual orchestra, but a kinetic sculpture whose automated mallets hit 19 gongs in the centre of the lobby. An appropriate welcome to this chic resort: traditional, but a contemporary version of it. Wayan Wardika tending to his fireflies. The hotel is keen to have guests immerse themselves in Balinese life. It runs workshops in batik and Balinese cooking, and Kirana restaurant dishes up Balinese suckling pig with jackfruit, crispy duck with sambal and spicy Lombok chicken. Immersive local tours take you into the old Bali that has vanished in Kuta and is fraying in Ubud. Ive taken a temple tour to learn about Hindu water and fire rituals, and now Im off to learn about village and farming life. Advertisement We start off in a jeep, lurching along seesaw roads, past coconut plantations and rice fields and villages resounding to the rasp and tap of woodcarving ateliers. The village were heading for is Taro, home to 2500 people and one of the islands ancient villages, associated with the introduction of Hinduism and farming techniques from India before the first Balinese kingdom was established. The Mengenig Temple water ritual. It has an important main temple, embraced in banyan trees and green with moss, and 17 others, thick with the smell of incense and marigolds the same colour as the gold caps on the teeth of the village women. Local guide Wayan Wardika takes us into his family compound, through a gateway guarded by scowling sculptures that he likens to an airport metal detector. It screens out the bad energy, he says. Advertisement Beyond that are two elevated rice storage huts, and an elaborately carved wooden pavilion for family ceremonies. The family temple faces north-east towards a volcano. Wayan worked in a hotel once, but in his 40s turned to organic farming and firefly conservation; light pollution and fertilisers are killing Balis fireflies off. His wife works in a bank. His granny is pounding grain in the courtyard as if shes never heard of international tourism. An Anantara guide with a village rice farmer. Behind the village is a sacred forest and, beyond that, hidden pockets of farmland where pigs grumble. The villagers grow rice and robusta coffee and improbable-looking fruits. Wayans uncle is back-bent in a flooded field, sarong hitched around skinny mud-splattered thighs. It has been a happy day in this Bali of temple gods and friendly people and cackling ducks. I could have spent the day in Ubud, learning about the downward dog from an ersatz guru, and talking to hippies in French cafes. But why come this far, and not look for something better? Advertisement THE DETAILS STAY Anantara Ubud Bali Resort sits in a tranquil scenic setting near Ubud and has a spa and several dining venues. The resort runs various local immersion experiences such as the Alas Taro Exploration, which costs $350 a couple. Rooms from $630 a night. See anantara.com FLY Jetstar operates daily flights between Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane and Bali. See jetstar.com.au MORE indonesia.travel The writer was a guest of Anantara Ubud Bali Resort. Sign up for the Traveller Deals newsletter Get exclusive travel deals delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up now. Traveller Guides Advertisement Travel newsTraveller letters I was scammed twice in Europe. Heres how I got my money back Each week Traveller publishes a selection of rants, raves and travel tips from our readers. See below on how you can contribute. November 1, 2025 2:00am Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Save this article for later Add articles to your saved list and come back to them anytime. Got it Share 42 View all comments Counting cards Ive recently returned from Europe and was grateful Id taken the precaution of having several extra credit and debit cards with me. At a petrol station in Italy, I inserted my card into the machine the fuel pumps there wont operate until your card is read filled my tank with about $70 worth of fuel, took the card and drove off. That night, I checked my bank account and, apart from the $70 transaction, Id been charged a second amount of about $185 from the same petrol station. I froze the card, called the bank and they cancelled the second amount. Traveller reader John Lander discovered an extra charge on his credit card after buying petrol in Italy. iStock In Romania, I wanted to use up my remaining $40 of local currency so arranged with Uber and the driver to pay by cash when heading to the airport to depart the country. I paid cash, added a tip and flew out. An email later arrived advising that Id not paid the fare and that the amount, minus tip, would be deducted from my card next time I used Uber. Again I was able to freeze the card and the dispute was settled once I returned home. With the several spare cards from various banks, I was spared some inconvenience. John Lander, Forestville, NSW Letter of the week: More in Ecuador Advertisement Tren Crucero, Ecuador. While Ecuador is geographically distant from the attractions most often visited in Peru, Argentina and Chile, it is well worth the detour, and not just because its the starting point for tours to the Galapagos (Traveller, October 11). We travelled on the Tren Crucero (cruising train pictured above) from Guayaquil to Quito which enabled us to see a lot of the country in style. The highlight is the journey along the Avenue of the Volcanoes into Quito. In Paraguay, everyone knows about the utopian settlement founded by a group of Australians led by William Lane in the late 19th century, but most Australians are unaware of the history. We visited both settlements, the original New Australia (now called New London) and the later one at Colonia Cosme. Paraguay is also worth visiting for the stunning ruins of the Jesuit Missions. Jennifer Farrer, Castle Hill, NSW Grave situation I appreciated the bargain-hunt hints by Brian Johnston (Traveller, September 27) and would like to add one more for Zurich. If of a literary bent, take Tramline 6 to its final destination Zurich Zoo but go to Fluntern Cemetery instead. There youll find the graves of James Joyce, his wife, Nora Barnacle, and Nobel Prize winner Elias Canetti. The cemetery is free, and youll have a nice view of Lake Zurich. Beate Josephi, Glebe, NSW Taxi anxiety Advertisement I agree with Lee Tullochs experiences of taxis from Sydneys domestic airport (Traveller, October 11) and am apprehensive every time I get into one. Travelling with a government job, I use Cabcharge, which very few taxis will now accept and when they do, I have experienced every type of ripoff tactic from being told the machine is not working, pretending my card wont scan, being charged $85 to $100 for a trip to a city hotel and being lectured to about the unfairness of Cabcharge for the taxi driver. Kath Mack, East Lismore, NSW Toll taken I booked an Uber from Melbourne Airport to a city hotel and while the trip was fine, the amount charged to my credit card was more than double the fee estimate. Looking at the Uber app, I saw I had been charged for tolls and a route we had not taken. Having been to Melbourne on numerous occasions I was well aware of the route we had taken and knew it contained no tolls. Had I been new to the city, I may have just accepted the route shown as being the one taken and Ubers comments regarding toll charges and just accepted the fee. With no way of connecting to Uber other than by email, I finally got a refund of the overcharge four days later. Campbell Edmondson, Bulli, NSW Island-hopping Regarding Clare Rocks experience with island ferries in Greece (Traveller Letters, October 18) we too have just returned from a trip including three islands Naxos, Poros and Milos with some heavy luggage, packed for a five-week stay in Europe. We used Minoan Lines, Hellenic Ferries and Champion Superjet. Yes, there were crowds loading and quick turnarounds, but the crews were alert to people struggling with heavy bags (like me) and stepped in to help. They were super efficient and helpful managing throngs on stairwells, making sure there were limited numbers on the stairs at any one time to avoid pushing or crushing. It was confusing though, when despite having allocated and numbered seats, everyone was told to sit anywhere. Michael Greenwood, Hahndorf, SA Advertisement Ferries vs trains True, getting on and off the ferries in Greece is very much a self-service operation, but we found the trains even more challenging. Often across the gap, up steep stairs, and with small luggage storage areas in each carriage, even first class. It was as chaotic as the ferries in Greece, but without the rocking of the seas to make it just that little more exciting. We often pondered the question why is there no dedicated luggage car on the trains, like they have on planes? Patrick McMonagle, t/c Credit-card hope Hopefully, Tim Stephens has not paid the Venice speeding fine yet (Traveller Letters, October 25). If it has been paid by Avis on his behalf through a credit card then try and dispute the charge with the credit-card provider. If there is any doubt with car-rental companies who try it on, dispute the charge. I find Hertz is usually helpful in such cases. Richard Dowling, Craignish, Qld Fine solution Advertisement Avis once sent me a police fine for speeding in Avignon in 2016. As that area was gridlocked at the time I knew I didnt speed so never paid the fine. They did however charge me 30 for the cost of contacting me. The next year, again with Avis, my husband was fined for speeding. He paid the fine and again we paid the 30 admin fee to Avis. The solution? Never book with Avis again. We have travelled to Europe many times since 2017 (COVID-19 not withstanding) and have never been fined since. Curious. Liz White, Abbotsford, Vic Son rises I can identify with Paul Marshalls sentiments about travelling with his Mum (Traveller, October 18). My son and I have travelled together for years and explored Europe, Scandinavia, the Middle East and India. I joke that I travel with my son to carry the bags and use as my muscle, but the truth is we get along well and have lots of laughs as he drags me out of my comfort zone around all kinds of crazy corners Id never go around myself. Our next trip will be just before I turn 80 so were taking the opportunity while we can. Christine Tiley, Albany Creek, Qld Passenger screening Regarding the recent Virgin lounge incident and Christine Hintons solution of a folding screen in response to Lee Tullochs article, Im assuming that this screen would be placed around the person who complains? This would draw attention to the person with the problem, rather than drawing the attention to the mother who is simply feeding her baby. Melissa Parker, Silvan, Vic Advertisement On a plate Switzerland is a beautiful country to visit with exquisite scenery, a top class rail system and a very safe atmosphere. It is, however, quite costly, especially given our current exchange rate. The chain of MANOR department stores, found throughout the country, include good inhouse cafeterias. They work as a buffet, with plenty of nutritious offerings you fill your plate, it is weighed, and the cost (very reasonable) is calculated. A number of meals taken there can definitely help ease your travel budget. Merryn Sterling, Randwick, NSW Editors note: Last weeks letter Tango led should have been attributed to Maggie Ferguson of Potts Point, NSW. The online version has been updated. Tip of the week: Kids are welcome Generations on the road. iStock Advertisement Children open amazing opportunities to connect with locals while travelling, but the logistics can seem daunting. Having travelled across India and Nepal, Europe and the UK with baby twins and toddlers, my top tip is to pack a roll of masking tape and a sarong. Masking tape derisks accommodation in minutes covering power outlets, fixing strangulation risks from errant cords, softening sharp corners, locking draws and cupboards. Use it to tape your sarong over a window and sleep routine is restored. Its wonderful now to hear my (mostly grown) children remember our travels. Nicole Gurran Malla, Sydenham, NSW Passport swap Heed Michael Gebickis advice about changing passports mid-trip and the need for care and forethought (Tripologist, October 17). When I was working in Mozambique I had to attend a conference in Chicago, involving flights via Johannesburg and London. This meant leaving Maputo on my UN passport, transiting Johannesburg on my Australian passport and London on my British, finally arriving in the US on my Australian, with a US visa. In London, I was approaching the American Airlines departure gate, juggling passports, when two burly men intercepted me: May we see your passport please? Sure, I replied, which one? This took a lot of explaining. Mark Latham, Croydon Park, NSW Vaccination queries My husband and I in our late 60s are travelling to Antarctica in November followed by a land tour, of three days each in Buenos Aires, Iguazu Falls and Rio de Janeiro. Yellow fever is the recommended vaccination, but our doctor has advised against this because of our age and has offered to provide a letter stating this. If a letter is acceptable, should we have it translated? Would readers have any advice on this? What we have read is conflicting. Mary Thornton, Melbourne, Vic Advertisement Hardy country Marnhull sits in Dorset, a county in the south-west of England. Its claim to fame is that it is the fictional Marlott in Thomas Hardys Tess of the dUrbervilles. Today it provides a great spot to explore the county. Lyme Regis lies an hours drive away through the most picturesque rolling countryside. From there, you can follow the Jurassic Coast with pretty little hamlets to explore delightful Anglo-Saxon villages with their thatched roofs. There are plenty of local breweries and English pubs. Jan Naughton, Wahroonga, NSW Independent travellers My friend and I plan our itineraries to explore places on our own. We joke about how well be described as elderly Australian grandmothers if something goes wrong. Recently, in France, we had a few scrapes that were sorted amid fits of laughter, due to our ability to speak French. Whether it was hurrying onto a bus during the general strike to find it was heading to St Tropez, not Toulon; or turning up at the SNCF station in Aix, not the TGV station 15 kilometres away; or not knowing we must book the bus to the little village of Noyers-sur-Serein, we solved every pickle with the help of locals. Elizabeth Hartnell-Young, North Melbourne, Vic Advertisement The Letter of the Week writer wins three Hardie Grant travel books. See hardiegrant.com The Tip of the Week writer wins a set of three Lonely Planet travel books. See shop.lonelyplanet.com Sign up for the Traveller newsletter The latest travel news, tips and inspiration delivered to your inbox. Sign up now. Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share License this article More: Traveller letters For subscribers Advertisement WorldEuropeRoyal family New royal row looms over Andrews place in line to the throne David Crowe Updated November 1, 2025 3:48am ,first published November 1, 2025 2:49am 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 51 View all comments London: A political row is looming over the future of the monarchy after King Charles stripped his younger brother Andrew of his titles and honours, sparking calls for the former prince to be removed from the line of succession. The calls open the way for debates in every realm including Australia about whether Andrew should keep his place as the eighth in line to the throne after the extraordinary moves to strip him of his status. Loading The former prince is now known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor after the King formally removed him from the official roll of the peerage, where he was listed as the Duke of York. The changes act on concerns about the conduct and judgment of the former prince over claims he sexually abused a teenager, Virginia Roberts Giuffre, during his long friendship with convicted sex offenders Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell. Advertisement While the King is using his own powers to demote his brother without needing any action by parliament, the British government is facing calls to go further by passing a law to ensure he cannot be eligible for the throne. Related Article Analysis Royal family Andrew believed the worst was over ... the King had other ideas In the event of an unimaginable family catastrophe, Andrew could inherit the throne, a Labour MP, Jon Trickett, told The Telegraph in London. The British people would not put up with it and this ought to be resolved so that he isnt in line at all. Mountbatten Windsor was for many years the second in line to the throne, but is now eighth after Prince William and his three children, as well as Prince Harry and his two children. Advertisement This means he retains a royal rank despite the dramatic moves not seen in centuries to cancel the dukedom of a monarchs brother. The brother of Roberts Giuffre, Sky Roberts, welcomed the Kings actions but said he would like to see the former prince face charges over the accusations against him. Britains tabloids were brutal in their coverage of Andrews demise. Getty Images Its not enough, he told the BBC after the Kings decision about his brother. We have to have some sort of investigation that goes further into this. I mean, hes still walking around a free man. Advertisement I commend the King. I think hes doing an amazing job as a world leader, setting a precedent, but we need to take it one more step further. He needs to be behind bars. The King, joined by Queen Camilla, expressed support for victims of abuse in the statement on Thursday night in London. The statement noted that the former prince rejected the accusations against him. These censures are deemed necessary, notwithstanding the fact that he continues to deny the allegations against him, the statement from Buckingham Palace read. Their Majesties wish to make clear that their thoughts and utmost sympathies have been, and will remain with, the victims and survivors of any and all forms of abuse. Roberts Giuffre, whose memoir was released last week, asserted in legal depositions over many years that Mountbatten Windsor had abused her when she was 17 and working for Epstein and Maxwell. Advertisement Another young woman, Johanna Sjoberg, testified that she saw the then prince with Roberts Giuffre in Maxwells home in New York in 2001. Mountbatten Windsor has repeatedly denied meeting Roberts Giuffre, denied having sex with her and rejected her claims of sexual assault. Related Article Opinion Five Minutes with Fitz Appalling Andrew: Biographer says late Queen must share blame for the monster she created Peter FitzSimons Columnist and author In a sign of the looming argument over whether to take further action against the Kings brother, some British MPs privately backed Trickett on the idea of changing the line of succession. Experts said the change would require matching laws by more than a dozen realms including Australia to ensure the former prince could not be considered an heir to the throne, similar to changes made more than a decade ago to introduce gender equality into the succession. Advertisement That would require legislation, not just by the UK, but by all 14 realms, similar to the legislation to change the line of succession by introducing gender equality, said Robert Hazell, professor of government and the Constitution at University College London. Hazell told this masthead the changes on gender equality took several years to accomplish across the parliaments in every realm after then-UK prime minister David Cameron outlined the changes in 2011. The Australian parliament passed the Succession to the Crown Bill in March 2015. State parliaments approved the same changes. Given that each realm passes its own law on the matter, any MP in any realm could propose a law on the succession. British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is pushing back, however, with his office saying there were no plans for any change to the law on this question. Advertisement There are no plans to make legislative changes, a spokesman for Starmer told the media. The government is committed to using parliamentary time to improve the lives of working people. Get a note directly from our foreign correspondents on whats making headlines around the world. Sign up for our weekly What in the World newsletter. Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share Prince Andrew is losing the title that hes had since birth and being evicted from his royal residence following recent revelations about his relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The scandal proved one too many for his brother, King Charles III, who took action on Thursday by formally stripping Andrew of his titles. Andrew will now be known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor. Alamy Stock Photo Andrews antics have tried the patience of the royal family for more than 40 years, triggering embarrassing headlines, lawsuits and suspicions that the prince, now 65, was using his position for personal gain. Here are some of the episodes that tarnished the reputation of the late Queen Elizabeth IIs second son and finally forced his older brother to banish him from public life. 1984 Andrew sprays reporters and photographers with paint while touring a construction project in the Watts neighbourhood of Los Angeles. I enjoyed that, Andrew said, while wiping his hands on a piece of newspaper. Advertisement Andrew in December 1984. Fairfax 2007 The prince sells his house at Sunninghill Park, near Windsor Castle, with news reports suggesting the buyer paid 20 per cent more than the asking price of 15 million ($30 million). The buyer was reportedly Timur Kulibayev, son-in-law of Nursultan Nazarbayev, then-president of Kazakhstan, raising concerns that the deal was an attempt to buy influence in Britain. Andrew and Sarah Ferguson pose with their two daughters Eugenie (left) and Beatrice in Verbier, Switzerland in 1998. AP 2010 An undercover reporter posing as a wealthy Arab films Andrews ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, apparently offering to sell access to the prince for 500,000 ($1 million). Sarah Ferguson pictured in 2016. AP Advertisement 2011 Andrew is forced to resign as Britains special trade envoy following the first reports of his links to Epstein. The prince was also facing questions about his friendship with Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, son of the late Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, as well as his links to a convicted Libyan gun smuggler. July 2019 Epstein is arrested for a second time on charges of sex-trafficking and later takes his own life in a New York jail cell. The news focuses public attention on allegations that Andrew had sex with at least one underage teenager trafficked by Epstein. Andrew denies the allegations. Jeffrey Epstein died in his prison cell in 2019. AP November 16, 2019 Andrew attempts to staunch the flood of criticism by agreeing to an on-camera grilling by BBC reporter Emily Maitlis. The interview backfires when the prince defends his relationship with Epstein, fails to show empathy for his victims and offers explanations of his behaviour that many people find hard to believe. Andrew says he broke off contact with Epstein in December 2010, a date that will come back to haunt him. Advertisement Loading November 20, 2019 Buckingham Palace announces that Andrew will suspend all royal duties for the foreseeable future. Four days later, the prince is stripped of his role as patron of 230 charities. 2022 Andrew agrees to settle a New York civil lawsuit filed by Virginia Roberts Giuffre, who alleged that she was forced to have sex with Andrew when she was 17. While Andrew didnt admit to any of Roberts Giuffres allegations, he acknowledged that she had suffered as a sexual abuse victim. Legal experts estimate that the undisclosed settlement cost Andrew as much as $US10 million. Virginia Giuffre, with a photo of herself as a teen, was one of the most high-profile victims of disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein. Getty 2024 Advertisement Andrews ties to a suspected Chinese spy are revealed in court documents. The businessman and suspected spy was barred from the UK because of concerns he posed a threat to national security. Security officials were concerned that the man could have misused his influence over Andrew. April 25, 2025 Virginia Roberts Giuffre takes her own life in Australia, where she had lived since about 2002. October 12, 2025 British newspapers reveal that Andrew sent an email to Epstein on February 28, 2011, more than two months after the prince had told the BBC in 2019 he cut off all contact with his one-time friend. Andrew wrote the email after continued media reporting about the Epstein scandal, telling him they were in this together and would have to rise above it. Andrew at Royal Chapel in Windsor, 2021 PA October 17, 2025 Advertisement We recently published Top 10 Trending Stocks and ETFs as Analyst Predicts $9 Trillion Productivity Gains Due to AI. iShares 0-3 Month Treasury Bond ETF (NYSEARCA:SGOV) is one of the top trending stocks.. Jay Jacobs, U.S. Head of Equity ETFs at BlackRock, explained in a recent program on CNBC why he likes SGOV. Well, a lot of investors are looking to get yield and theyre not necessarily getting that through holding cash in a brokerage account. So, youve seen a lot of investors move into SGOV, our short-term government bond ETF, just to capture that yield that government bonds are paying. Theres still $7 trillion sitting on the sidelines in money market funds. And I think a lot of that could come into the ETF industry over the next several months and years as investors want to participate in continuing markets. Is iShares 0-3 Month Treasury Bond ETF (SGOV) The Best ETF to Buy Ahead of Potential AI Bubble Burst? Pixabay/Public Domain While we acknowledge the potential of SGOV 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. Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. Share 107 View all comments New York: Pictorially, Donald Trump had a blockbuster 24 hours. One minute he was in Busan shaking hands and signing deals with Chinese President Xi Jinping, the next he was back at the White House, handing out Hershey chocolate bars to children for Halloween. That included a pair of babies whose costume - a pram decked out as a drive-through McDonalds - obviously won the cheeseburger-loving presidents heart. President Donald Trump was handing out Halloween chocolate to children within hours of arriving back in Washington from Asia. AP In their usual style, Trump and his team cast his six-day Asia trip as a superlative success. President Trump remains the greatest dealmaker in the world, the State Department posted on social media. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said his boss was commanding respect around the world like no other leader. Whatever Trump did in Malaysia and Japan, it was always going to be his sit-down with Xi his first since 2019 that mattered most. On the surface, there was much to like about the trade war truce between the worlds two largest economies. The much-anticipated meeting has ostensibly delivered a year-long reprieve from the on-again, off-again battle between Trumps tariffs and Xis coercion on rare earth minerals. Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump pose for a photo during a Halloween at the White House event on the South Lawn. AP It will certainly be welcome news for Americas soybean farmers, who depend on Chinese buyers for their livelihoods and were begging Trump for relief. China has now agreed to buy 12 million tonnes of American soybeans from now through to January, and then 25 million a year. Advertisement Caleb Ragland, a ninth-generation farmer and president of the American Soybean Association, whose Kentucky farm this masthead visited in April, praised the agreement as a meaningful step forward to re-establishing a stable, long-term trading relationship. Trump himself rated the meeting a 12 out of 10, and agreed to cut US tariffs by 10 per cent, from a putative total of 57 per cent to 47 per cent. Caleb Ragland runs Magnolia Grain and Stock in Magnolia, Kentucky. He produces soybeans, mostly for export to China. Luke Franke But experts say that behind the flashy headlines and photographs, this detente has come at a hefty price. Xi would be emboldened by the outcome, says Julian Gewirtz, who was the senior director on China and Taiwan affairs on Joe Bidens National Security Council, and is now a scholar at Columbia University. The meeting between President Trump and President Xi has been widely interpreted as a return to the status quo but unfortunately for the US, its worse than that, he says. The reality is that although some of the recent escalation has been put on pause, China has still put its significant new weapons on the table. And while it has said it will not use them for a year, we know that the possibility of this temporary truce not holding for a year is all too high. The meeting was heralded for cooling the trade war between the worlds two largest economies. AP While the meeting was not as bad as it could have been, Gerwitz says, much of the world will be reinforced in their view that China is winning this stand-off between the United States and China, and that the US has not demonstrated that it has a coherent China strategy. Advertisement Trumps strategy with Beijing as with the rest of the world has effectively been to bet that the size and power of the US market is so great that other countries will be forced to cave to American demands to avoid tariffs and keep selling as cheaply as possible to the American consumer. It has, by and large, worked. Even if many of Trumps deals around the world have involved vague, long-term investment pledges or repackaging existing endeavours as fresh commitments world leaders have generally been anxious to ink a deal with Trump and claim a win to their own constituencies, just as Trump does. Even Australia played this game by relaxing rules about the import of US beef products, and a critical minerals deal signed at the White House last week. Loading But in China, Trump faces a great power with comparable perhaps even greater leverage. As the gatekeeper in charge of 90 per cent of the worlds critical mineral processing, Beijing knows it holds the cards, to use one of Trumps favourite expressions. The rapid demise of his 145 per cent tariff on Chinese goods earlier this year, which he quickly admitted was unsustainable, stands as testament to that reality. One of Trumps apparent achievements in Busan was a one-year delay to sweeping restrictions on rare earth exports announced by China in the lead-up to the meeting, which most analysts viewed as a bargaining chip. Wendy Cutler, senior vice president at the Asia Society Policy Institute in Washington, said Beijing would likely keep using the threat as a hammer over the USs head, making Trumps tariff threats less credible. The announced outcomes do little to resolve underlying structural issues that are at the heart of our bilateral economic tensions, including excess capacity, excessive subsidies, and unfair trade practices. As such, this truce may be short-lived, Cutler said. Advertisement Unlike the phase one trade agreement concluded during Trumps first term, this time around Beijing drove a hard bargain insisting on getting paid for every concession it made, particularly regarding reducing tariffs and unwinding shipping fees. This is in sharp contrast to the other trade agreements that Trump has concluded in recent days, which were heavily tilted in the USs favour. Trump has met his match with China, which has shown that two can play at this game. Trump has enjoyed a positive run on the international stage. Back home, he may soon preside over the longest government shutdown in US history. AP Trump intends to head to China for another Xi meeting in April, and welcome the Chinese leader to the US at some point after that. He remains confident of cutting a final trade deal. For Australia, the Trump-Xi encounter as well as Albaneses successful meeting last week should expel any notion that Trump is a China hawk who will look poorly on Canberra for cultivating a better relationship with Beijing. Gewirtz says there is a lingering view among some in Washington that because the first Trump administration helped foster a bipartisan appreciation of Chinas threats to American interests, such as its military build-up, technological prowess and stranglehold on rare earths, the second Trump term would continue in that vein. But it has been markedly different, in part because as the Asia Groups Mira Rapp-Hooper wrote in the journal, Foreign Affairs, this week policy is no longer being co-ordinated by a whole-of-government approach led by the National Security Council but by a small coterie headed by Trump. Advertisement This story was originally published on Packaging Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Packaging Dive newsletter. Smurfit Westrock plans to permanently close a corrugated sheet and box facility in California, and 141 employees will be affected, according to a company worker adjustment and retraining notification letter the state shared with Packaging Dive. The plant in City of Industry, California, is expected to close on Dec. 14, according to the WARN letter. All employees will be terminated at that time, and there are no bumping rights. The hourly employees are represented by the District Council 2 union. CEO Tony Smurfit referenced the closure during the companys third-quarter earnings call on Oct. 29. He noted it was one of nine the company has undertaken since Smurfit Kappa acquired WestRock in July 2024 as part of footprint and headcount optimization efforts. The company will continue closing down inefficient or loss-making operations, including the recently announced closure of a corrugated facility in California, he said. In total, the company has lost 4,500 people since the business combination, Smurfit said. He also noted approximately 500,000 tons of capacity closures in containerboard and consumer board grades. Smurfit Westrock announced in August that it would close a corrugated packaging facility in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, with the closure and layoffs of 100 employees scheduled for this month. Previously, in April, the company announced that it would close a corrugated products plant in Portland, Oregon. That same month it also made an announcement about four facility closures to collectively affect 650 employees: a coated recycled board mill in St. Paul, Minnesota; a containerboard mill in Forney, Texas; and two converting facilities in Germany. Conversely, the company recently disclosed that it would invest nearly $19.3 million to expand its corrugated operations making cases, boxes and trays in Saltillo, Mississippi, by October 2026. Recommended Reading Pictured: this undated frame grab taken from video shows people wearing masks outdoors, which is technically against the law in Louisville, Ky., since the 1980s. (WDRB image) This story was originally published on Healthcare Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Healthcare Dive newsletter. Dive Brief: Summa Health CEO and President Dr. Cliff Deveny plans to step down from his post at the end of the year, according to a Wednesday email to staff reviewed by Healthcare Dive. Devenys departure comes less than a month after venture capital firm General Catalysts spinoff, the Health Assurance Transformation Company, completed its $515 million acquisition of the Ohio-based health system. The deal will transition nonprofit Summa into a for-profit company. Beginning Jan. 1, Deveny will move into a CEO emeritus and strategic advising role. Daryl Tol, president of HATCo, will serve as interim CEO. Summa expects its executive search will take several months, according to a spokesperson. Dive Insight: General Catalysts acquisition of Summa Health marks the first time a venture capital firm has fully owned a health system. General Catalyst bills the deal as an opportunity for it to test ways to improve hospital operations, without the risk of cash shortfalls. Devenys note addresses that employees might be taken aback by his departure, given its close proximity to the acquisition. I know that change can feel unsettling. But I want you to know this decision has been made thoughtfully, collaboratively, and with Summas long-term success in mind. Its the right decision at the right time, the CEO wrote. Summa Health serves approximately 1 million patients annually through operations at two acute care hospitals, one rehab hospital, a network of community medical centers and physician offices. Summa Health also operates a health insurance arm called SummaCare. Summa Health struggled financially prior to the HATCo acquisition, reporting poor operating returns and carrying high levels of long-term debt. General Catalyst promised Summa Health millions of dollars above the purchase price, including $15 million to fund community health, $350 million toward technology investments and $200 million for strategic transformation projects. Summa Health executives have said the investments should collectively improve the health systems viability. Still, the acquisition took about two years to close, in part because there is more scrutiny of deals that transition nonprofit health systems like Summa to for-profit entities. Studies have shown quality of care declines and prices rise after such deals are completed. hai police raided a luxury threestory house in Bangkoks Wang Thonglang district and arrested Chinese national Liang AiBing. Authorities believe he was the mastermind behind a massive crypto Ponzi scheme. The operation reportedly targeted nearly 100 investors, mostly from China, lured by promises too good to be true. The Platform With Big Claims and Bigger Lies At the heart of the case is a DeFi platform called FINTOCH, which ran from December 2022 until May 2023. The platform attracted attention by offering a suspiciously high return of 1 percent per day and claiming ties to Morgan Stanley. That connection was completely fake, and Morgan Stanley quickly came out to deny any involvement. Tracing the Money Trail Onchain analysts dug into the data and found that the platform moved roughly 31.6 million USDT through Ethereum and Tron bridges. While Thai news reports mentioned the fraud was worth around 14 million dollars, blockchain evidence points to a much larger sum being involved. DISCOVER: 9+ Best High-Risk, High-Reward Crypto to Buy in From Fake CEO to Pricey Rent To add a layer of fake legitimacy, the scheme introduced a fictional CEO named Bob Lambert and even used a photo of actor Michael Provenzano to sell the illusion. Liang rented the Bangkok property for about 4,645 dollars a month, turning it into the headquarters for the scam. The platform lured users in with bold claims, misleading links, and fake guarantees, convincing many to trust what looked like a credible operation. Facing the Music in Two Countries Liang is now looking at multiple charges, including illegal possession of a firearm and entering Thailand without permission. Law enforcement teams from China and Thailand worked together behind the scenes, shared intelligence, and laid the groundwork for extraditing Liang to China to face further legal action. DISCOVER: Next 1000X Crypto: 10+ Crypto Tokens That Can Hit 1000x in Why This Case Stands Out This particular scam is one of the most significant crypto fraud cases to hit in 2023. It caught the attention of regulators across Asia. In May 2023, Singapores Monetary Authority warned about the dangers of similar setups, pointing to just how serious the fallout can be from these kinds of platforms. A Reminder for the Crypto World Cases like this are a wake-up call. For everyday investors, it shows just how important it is to dig into the details before trusting a platform with your money. Big daily returns and flashy names are often a front for something far riskier. For regulators, it highlights the ongoing need for international cooperation and tighter oversight of the crypto space to catch scams before they snowball. Gradam RTE Raidio na Gaeltachta 2025 will be presented to journalist Poilin Ni Chiarain at Oireachtas na Samhna in Belfast tomorrow, Saturday, 1 November, during the Corn Ui Riada competition. This award is given as a mark of respect and recognition to individuals or groups for their work on behalf of the Irish language and the Irish-speaking community. Poilin Ni Chiarain is one of most accomplished journalists of our time, widely respected and renowned as a reporter, journalist, columnist, and expert on political affairs and many other topics. Poilin was born in Dooagh, Erris, County Mayo. She received her secondary education at Colaiste Mhuire, Tourmakeady, and later earned a degree from University of Galway. She began her career in broadcasting as a researcher and presenter with RTE, working first on the current affairs programme Feach and later with Nuacht RTE. In 1981, she moved to Belfast with RTE News, and since then she has been engaged in reporting and analysing current affairs in Northern Ireland. She spent a period as Head of News with the BBC in Derry, and she was a columnist for the newspaper Foinse from its foundation in 1996 until it closed in 2009. Over the years she has written columns for The Irish Times, the magazine Comhar, and many other outlets, and she is a regular columnist for tuairisc.ie. As RTE Raidio na Gaeltachtas Northern Correspondent, she is often heard reporting for Nuacht and other programmes. In addition, she frequently appears on Blas and An Focal Scoir on BBC Northern Ireland. She has also featured on television programmes on RTE, TG4, and the BBC over the years. She provided commentary for TG4 documentaries on buses and trains, and translated the scripts of the films Ar Intinn Eile and Congo 1961 into Irish. Poilin was awarded the Life Achievement Media Award in 2021 by Oireachtas na Gaeilge for her highly skilled, knowledgeable, and versatile work in the media over the years. Among her other honours is An Peann faoi Bhlath, which was presented to her by former President Mary McAleese in 1998. Gearoid Mac Donncha, Head of RTE Raidio na Gaeltachta, said: When I think of Poilin Ni Chiarain, I think of an exceptional journalist, a storyteller of deep analysis and reflection, an articulate, accurate, and authoritative broadcaster and writer, and thats only part of it. She is one of the most experienced and respected journalists working in Northern Ireland. She kept the public - especially the Irish-speaking public - informed about what was happening in the North during the Troubles and ever since. This award is being presented to Poilin in recognition of her immense and outstanding service as a journalist, a service she continues to give through radio, television, and the written word. I want to offer my heartfelt congratulations to Poilin. It has always been a great pleasure to work with you and to be in your company. Poilin Ni Chiarain said: It is a great honour for me to receive this award from Raidio na Gaeltachta. I have the highest respect for the station, and I am proud of the care RnaG has always shown in covering stories about Northern Ireland. This recognition is not for me alone, but also for the community from which I come, in Erris, County Mayo and for all the people here whose stories I have had the privilege to tell. The RTE Raidio na Gaeltachta Award, designed by sculptor Jarlath Daly, will be presented to Poilin Ni Chiarain during the Corn Ui Riada competition at Oireachtas na Samhna. The Corn Ui Riada competition, presented by Neansai Ni Choisdealbha, will be broadcast live from the Main Hall of the ICC Belfast on Saturday, 1 November, at 7:00 p.m. on RTE Raidio na Gaeltachta. A full house at Kiltimagh Museum marked the Irish launch of These Divided Isles, the new book by political commentator and author Philip Stephens. The event brought together locals, friends, family, and visitors who gathered to hear the long-time Financial Times journalist reflect on his personal and political ties to Ireland and to the Mayo town where he spent much of his childhood. Monica Browne, of Kiltimagh Museum, welcomed the audience and introduced Tom Jordan, who officially launched the event. Tom spoke at length about the Stephens family's deep roots in the area, particularly in James Street, and recalled the close-knit relationships between the families who lived there. Philip described himself being more nervous here than talking to the House of Lords or the House of Commons, Tom said, adding that this sense of home carried weight. Tom spoke of Philips grandparents, who were next-door neighbours to the Jordans, and of the extended familys strong links to the church and emigration. Philips mother Theresa had left Kiltimagh in 1949 to work in London, a move echoed by many of her generation. Toms remarks painted a picture of mid-20th-century life in Kiltimagh, where local tradespeople like tailors and shoemakers formed the heart of the town, and where families like the Martins, connected to the Stephens family, were known for their intelligence and modesty. They were the most wonderful people, Tom said. They had two characteristics and you'll see it coming through in Philip tonight. They were highly intelligent people and they were humble people. He also recalled Philips visits to the town as a teenager, the friendships he made there, and even a youthful romance, lightly joking about someone hiding down there, very embarrassed in the audience. Tom closed by describing These Divided Isles as easy to read, full of information, and delightful", suggesting that the book should be on the Leaving Cert curriculum". He added: Every politician should read this book because it certainly has huge insight into Irish politics over the last 100 years. Pictured at the launch of Philip Stephens' new book at Kiltimagh Museum were, back row, from left: Monica Browne, Tom Jordan, Martina Foley. Front row: Betty Solan, Philip Stephens, and Jessica Stephens-Hemingway. Pictures: John Corless SENSE OF IDENTITY Philip began his own remarks by thanking all those involved in organising the evening, adding that he was especially moved by the warmth of the welcome he and his daughter Jess had received that day. I havent felt as nervous as giving this talk, he said, despite decades spent addressing large audiences in professional settings. He explained that although he had spent most of his life in London and had built a career writing about politics and international affairs, his roots in Mayo had shaped his sense of identity. Although I was born in London and I grew up in London, Ive always regarded myself as Irish as well as British, and I have Kiltimagh to thank for that. Reading a passage from his book, Philip recalled the long summer journeys he and his brother made by train and ferry to reach Mayo, and the sense of wonder they felt arriving in a place so different from post-war London. He described a town where front doors were left unlocked, children roamed freely, and the fog and the rain were part of the fun". For him, those summers stirred a fascination with the relationship between Britain and Ireland that would shape his later work. Turning to the books themes, Philip said he wanted to explore the nature of this relationship, not just through the lens of history, but from both sides. Its a relationship, most obviously one of enmity between the two nations, he said, but also one of curious intimacy. He traced this dual nature of the relationship back centuries, noting the British conquest and cruelty, but also the cultural and political entanglements that followed. You had the Anglo-Irish ascendancy, you had Irish soldiers in the British Army, and Irish political leaders campaigning for Home Rule within the British system. Philip said the book focuses on the 100 years since Partition. He argued that misunderstandings on both sides at the time helped create the conditions for the Troubles. I always assumed Partition was a final act of British petulance - they were being forced to leave Ireland, so they decided to keep a bit, he said. But in fact, the British wanted to leave entirely. Partition was a way out. They thought: once weve set up the unionists at Stormont, we can just forget about Ireland. Meanwhile, he said, the Irish government thought Partition would simply end when the British left. There was little effort made in the early decades to make the Republic appealing to those in the North. In some ways, it made the South less attractive, he said. Reflecting on the Good Friday Agreement, Philip said it was a rare example of politics working. He acknowledged that the agreement had brought peace but warned against assuming that demographics alone would lead to a united Ireland. It would be a mistake to just sit back and wait for it to happen, he said. He urged the Republic to begin a real discussion about what a united Ireland would look like and how it could include those in the North who see themselves as British. You cant just bolt on the North and expect everyone to be happy, he said. It has to be a new partnership. It will produce a new and different Ireland. He referenced various political models and cited former Taoiseach Garret FitzGeralds ideas on federalism. There are lots of possibilities, he said. But the conversation has to start. Philip concluded by quoting the Irish writer Hubert Butler, who had written in the 1950s about the Border either disappearing painlessly or remaining as a definition which distinguishes but does not divide". Butler, he said, had understood that Ulsters traditions added value to the island as a whole and should not be absorbed or erased. The wound is still there, Philip said. Its healing. But we shouldnt try to rip off the plaster before its fully healed. After the formalities, audience members mingled with the author and musicians, including a performance by harpist Mike Absalom, described by Tom Jordan as one of the top folk musicians from the UK", and by Mick and Eilish from The Folk Cafe. Copies of the book sold out on the night, with more available through local shops and online. The evening closed not with fanfare but with quiet conversations, warm greetings, and shared memories - the kind of connections that, like Philips story, span decades and borders. Should you so choose, with a single search online, you can view a photograph of Abraham Lincoln looking like death chewing a wasp. He's elegantly gaunt, somewhat haunted, every inch of him screaming the agony of holding a country together with a mixture of intelligence and prayer. It's a typical early daguerreotype where the stilted sitter looks vaguely tubercular and humourless. But with Lincoln, you can actually see the toll - the man wore the ravages of a Civil War on his face like a borrowed suit that didn't fit. You look at it and know what authentic leadership actually costs. We fast forward 160-odd years and are treated to the spectacle of President Donald Trump, robed as a grandiose medieval monarch, piloting a fighter jet with his name plastered across the wings like a budget airline, dropping what appears to be digital excrement onto hoards of American citizens exercising their constitutional rights. Welcome to the future. It's dumber than you imagined. The American presidency has always trafficked in theatre - every administration understands the power of the image, the carefully staged photo opportunity, the symbolic gesture. But there's a chasm of difference between FDR's fireside chats and Trump's AI-generated descent into authoritarian kitsch. We are witnessing not just a departure from presidential decorum; Trump's taking a wrecking ball to the basic notion that the presidency exists as something bigger than whoever's sitting in it for four years. There used to be this understanding, unspoken but solid, that you could loathe the man in charge while still holding the office itself in some regard. When seven million people take to the streets in peaceful protest - the largest single-day mobilisation since the first Earth Day half a century ago - it represents something rather significant in a democracy. It's the people exercising their voice, that quaint old notion embedded in the United States First Amendment about freedom of assembly. The traditional presidential response might involve acknowledging legitimate concerns, crafting a unifying message, or, at the very least, maintaining the dignified silence of someone who understands they govern for all citizens, not merely those who voted for them. Trump's response? A video game sequence - all CGI and bombast - where His Majesty Trump flies over Times Square with 'Danger Zone' thundering away in the background, hosing down protesters with what appears to be liquid excrement. It's a visual metaphor that doesn't require a doctorate to decode. The message is meant to be brutally clear: even widespread dissent will be met not with engagement but with contempt, quite literally rendered in the form of digital faeces dropped from an imperious height. The message is meant to be brutally clear: even widespread dissent will be met not with engagement but with contempt. Illustration: Conor McGuire The truly jaw-dropping thing about this moment isn't merely the crudity but the casual obliteration of any remaining boundary between the person and the esteemed office. American presidents are fallible, with personal flaws, sometimes appallingly so, but there existed at least the pretense that the presidency itself transcended the incumbent's worst impulses. Nixon may have been paranoid and sly, Clinton may have been reckless, but neither would have dared respond to mass civic action with a cartoon fantasy of themselves as an absolute monarch literally defecating on their citizens from above. Trump has understood what every mediocre comedian learns when their routine tanks to zero applause. If you can't win an audience with carefully crafted words, be at least shocking. If you can't command respect, then demand attention. The crass AI-generated videos aren't nuanced political messaging but the work of an inflated ego that views the presidency not as a grave responsibility but as the world's most powerful social media account, where engagement matters more than respecting and reinforcing any democratic norms. What makes this particularly shocking is the timing, as these aren't campaign trail antics from a private citizen seeking office. This absurdity is the official response of the White House to the largest peaceful demonstration in two generations. The same establishment that once delivered the Marshall Plan, delivered the world from the horrors of World War II, and put men on the moon, has been repurposed by an orange buffoon to create memes mocking millions of its own citizens. Americans have endured crude presidents before. Lyndon Johnson was legendarily vulgar, conducting meetings from the toilet and referring to his penis as 'Jumbo' with indulgent frequency. But their vulgarity was largely private, kept behind closed doors in an instinctive understanding that the public face of the presidency required something more elevated. Trump instinctively knows that shame on social media is a choice, and its absence can be both remarkably liberating and useful. Why get distracted with the art of diplomacy or the exhausting work of political persuasion when you can simply create a viral meme mocking your opponents who are literally covered in excrement? It's efficient, in a crude way, with no need for policy papers or nuanced argumentation when you can just crown yourself king and call it a day. But beyond the immediate grotesquery lies a more troubling question: what happens when the office itself becomes indistinguishable from the person occupying it? American democracy depends on a kind of collective suspension of disbelief - the understanding that while presidents come and go, the institution endures. The American presidency was designed to be larger than any office holder, carrying with it the accumulated weight of history and noble precedent. When that dignity dissolves entirely, when the office becomes just another platform for personal grievance and juvenile score-settling, something essential breaks. Summarily labelling legitimate protesters as "whacked out" and dismissing them as "not representative of this country" after they have peacefully assembled by the millions isn't just wantonly tone-deaf. It represents a fundamental dismissal of how democracy functions. In the great American democratic experiment, citizens who take to the streets aren't the enemy but rightful participants in the ongoing conversation about what kind of nation they want America to be. Drowning them in animated excrement, even digitally, suggests a president who views dissent not as a feature of democracy but as a personal insult requiring a bout of bullying. The sombrero image reveals a casual racism, reducing Democratic leaders to racial stereotypes while boasting about being "built differently". It's the aesthetic of a bully who's somehow gained access to professional graphic design software, the visual equivalent of a schoolyard taunt and stamped with the presidential seal. And yet - and this is where it gets truly depressing - it works. The videos go viral. The memes multiply. People get furious, which is rather the point, and fury makes them share it, and sharing means Trump wins again because he's never particularly cared whether you're applauding or throwing tomatoes so long as you're looking at him. Trump realised this years ago: that being talked about beats being ignored, every single time, even when you're supposed to be running a country rather than auditioning for a particularly odious pantomime villain. The old adage that publicity doesn't distinguish between good and evil is especially true when you're the US President and your grotesque fantasy life involves medieval regalia and defecating on your own citizens from a safe remove. A now disillusioned electorate is left with the unprecedented spectacle of American democracy reduced to a tasteless game show, where the highest office in the land responds to legitimate protest with artificially generated contempt, full of spite and shamelessly demeaning. Lincoln's glassy-eyed photograph stares out from a more cultured era, gaunt and haunted by the weight of office. One wonders what he'd make of his successor, self-crowned in pixels, riding a fighter jet named after himself, dumping digital ordure on citizens below while 'Danger Zone' plays in the background. Probably nothing suitable for a daguerreotype. Family Resource Centre launches annual report and website Progress and development were the key themes at the public launch last week of the first ever annual report and website by Ballyhaunis Family and Community Resource Centre (FCRC). Data published in the report show income at the centre totalled 482,911 in 2024, up from 425,380 in 2023 according to the centres 2024 annual report, which was formally launched on October 22 at the Community Hall. The annual report shows expenditure dropped from 438,000 in 2023 (when the FCRC ran a deficit of 12,260) to 421,963 in 2024, when the centre ran a surplus of 60,948. The key source of funds is Tusla, the states child and family agency which paid 288,994 to the Ballyhaunis FCRC in 2024, an increase on the 232,592 paid in 2023. The other main source of funds was Pobal which supported the Community Pre-School through three funding streams worth over 150,000 in 2024. Wages accounted for the bulk of expenditure with the Ballyhaunis Community Pre-School and the Greater Tomorrow creche ran by the organisation taking the bulk of the spend. Payments to the centres family support worker service totalled 68,307 in 2024, down from 70,121 in 2023. Ballyhaunis FCRC employs 15 paid staff, including a coordinator and administrator as well as a family support worker and ten childcare staff, explained chairperson of the centres voluntary board of management Tzyy Wang in her address to the launch. She paid tribute to the centres staff, currently led by Ann Flynn, Interim Project Manager. She also paid tribute to Stephen Grogan who served 20 years as coordinator of the centre until his death in 2024. Budget 2026 increased funding for a national network of family resource centres, which will expand from a current 126 centres to 136 in 2026, explained Fergal Landy, the Galway-based CEO of the Family Resource Centre National Forum, who attended the launch. Funding for each centre through Tusla has been increased, said Landy. Ballyhaunis was one of the first centres to open nationally when family resource centres were launched by government in 2004, noted Landy. Recently the centre has come through much change, he added, with the appointment of a new interim centre manager and new board members. Paying tribute to the remarkable local board, James Carty, Business Manager for family resource centres at Tusla, said the new website will increase engagement with the local community while also offering guidance to new family resource centres. Local councillor Alma Gallagher said that the FCRC was a lifeline to the population of Ballyhaunis which, she said, is growing at three times the average growth of Mayos population in the most recent national census. We need diversity, said Cllr Gallagher, pointing to the ethnic diversity of Ballyhaunis, which she said was now taken as a model of best practice in successful integration by the EU. Among the various programmes hosted by the FCRC in 2024, the Ballyhaunis Learning Together project delivered at the centre was funded by Mayo Sligo and Leitrim Adult Literacy for Life Programme, a ten-year plan to help adults developing their literacy and numeracy skills. The FCRC serves as a host for services such as MABS as well as Alcoholics Anonymous and Mayo Womens Support Services all of which use rooms at the Resource Centres premises, the Friary House. The organisation also noted in 2024 it continued to support groups in the community with their activities, among them the Mens Shed, Le Cairde, the Abbey Pattern Committee and the Sustainable Energy Community Network. Autism Friendly Town Initiative A recent public information meeting was held by the newly formed Ballyhaunis Autism Friendly Town voluntary steering committee at the Communal House in Clare Court. The programme is project-led by a committee with representatives from the local community and autistic advocates, explained William Nestor, Autism Friendly Towns National Manager at AsIAm, a national charity that advocates for those with autism. Nestor, who provides the guidance and support to the steering committees across Ireland, said the Autism Friendly Towns initiative requires the community to make a commitment to put in place measures to improve accessibility for and promote acceptance and understanding of autistic people". Meetings of an autism parent support group locally drove the start of this Autism Friendly Town Initiative, explained Michelle Donohue, one of the committee members. I was approached by Aisling [Mills] who is the driving force behind this for Ballyhaunis to see if I would join the committee. Having three autistic children myself, I jumped at the chance as like any parent, I want to make a positive difference for my children and what better way than within my own town. It's important to note that this is a three-year process and changes don't happen overnight, but like so many parents said in our first meeting, every small step makes a difference. By creating a greater awareness and understanding of autism throughout the businesses, clubs, committees etc in our town, each autistic person's experience becomes that little bit easier. William Nestor explained the initiative empowers cities, towns and villages across Ireland to become genuinely inclusive of autistic people and their families. He said there are currently four communities nationally who have achieved the status of Autism Friendly - Maynooth, Killarney, Waterford City and Drumcondra Village, whilst more than 45 communities across the country are on the journey towards the accreditation. Among those are five communities across County Mayo which have signed up to the Autism Friendly Towns initiative, namely Westport, Ballina, Belmullet, Balla, and now, Ballyhaunis. A further announcement will be made by the committee in due course to invite business owners, voluntary organisations and public services in the locality to come on board in becoming an Autism Friendly Champion, said Nestor. Michelle Donohue said: We have a wonderful community and a strong volunteer network so I have no doubt that positive changes such as visual guides, communication boards, enhanced safety and greater sensory awareness will occur as a result of this initiative. The committee is open to volunteers and can be contacted by email at ballyhaunis.autismfriendlytown@gmail.com. Major award for Ballyhaunis Tidy Towns Ballyhaunis Tidy Towns has been announced as the North West and West regional winner of the Waters and Communities Special Award 2025 at the SuperValu Tidy Towns awards ceremony, held in Croke Park on Friday, October 24. Volunteers with Ballyhaunis Tidy Towns actively participate in environmental awareness initiatives and campaigns organised by Mayo County Council and other bodies, as well as embark on projects to highlight the rich biodiversity and heritage of the town and surrounding hinterland. Their Citizen Science group monitors water quality quarterly, with results shared with Local Authority Waters Programme (LAWPRO) and other parties. Speaking about the awards, Anthony Coleman, Director of Services at LAWPRO, said: Congratulations to Ballyhaunis Tidy Towns for their excellent application which showcased a range of ways community groups can help protect their local water body and thank you to our partners SuperValu, Waterways Ireland and Inland Fisheries Ireland for their continued work and support with the award. Meta is set to release its third-quarter earnings on Wednesday. The company is expected to deliver profit growth of 14% in the third quarter, down from 27% in the second quarter, Bloomberg data shows. In the first and second quarters this year, the company reported stronger-than-expected earnings. Meta has a long history of beating Wall Street estimates, and the company's stock popped 12% following its last report. The company, which owns Facebook and Instagram, expects third-quarter revenue to be between $47.5 billion and $50.5 billion, Bloomberg reported. The companys third-quarter report will be released once the stock market closes on Oct. 29. It will provide a look at the companys financial performance and outlook. Meta is the first in a slew of Magnificent Seven companies which include Microsoft Corp., Alphabet Inc., Nvidia, Amazon.com Inc., Apple Inc. and Tesla due to report this week. Microsoft and Google are also reporting on Oct. 29, while Apple and Amazon report on Oct. 30. Tesla reported earnings on Oct. 22. Nvidia will report earnings on Nov. 19. As of this month, the Magnificent Seven, the largest companies in the S&P 500, make up 34% of the indexs total value. Heres how to tune in to Metas earnings On Oct. 29, Meta will release its earnings report on its investor relations website after the bell. At 4:30 p.m. ET, company leaders will hold a conference call to discuss the results. The call can also be accessed through the companys investor relations website. Wall Street expectations Wall Street analysts are looking for third-quarter revenue growth of 22% from a year ago to $49.4 billion, according to CNBC, in addition to revenue growth of 19% to $196.2 million for 2025. What did Meta say in its last earnings report? The company is ramping up its investment in AI. During the last earnings call, CEO Mark Zuckerberg said the company is aiming to create a personal superintelligence that will help people rather than take their jobs, according to Bloomberg. The company said it has the resources and expertise to continue building AI infrastructure and delivering new technology to people across its products. However, the company said AI-related costs will continue growing. Meta previously said it expected capital expenditures for the year to be as much as $72 billion. What is Metas stock price? Meta's stock ended the day green on Tuesday, Oct. 28, up 0.08%. Michelle Del Rey is a trending news reporter at USA TODAY. Reach her at mdelrey@usatoday.com This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Meta to report earnings. See date, time, how to tune in. 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. ALLENTOWN, Pa. - Two local organizations are joining forces to help families in need in the Lehigh Valley. United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley and the Lehigh Valley Community Foundation started the Critical Support Fund to address immediate needs in the community, beginning with emergency food access, according to a news release from the United Way. The Critical Support Fund will provide rapid relief, so nonprofit food providers can keep shelves stocked and distribute food where it is needed most, according to the United Way. United Way says it is joining together with additional donors and funders to raise $500,000 to support: Keeping key food pantries stocked with crucial staples for a minimum of three months Ensuring food is distributed to neighborhoods with the greatest need How to help Donors may contribute online at www.unitedwayglv.org/donate (Select Critical Support Fund) and on Lehigh Valley Community Foundations website by clicking: Bridge Fund for Critical Support. United Way says donations can also be made via mail with checks payable to UWGLV, 1110 American Parkway NE, Suite F-120, Allentown, PA 18109 attention Critical Support Fund, or to Lehigh Valley Community Foundation, 840 W. Hamilton Street, Suite 310, Allentown, PA 18101 attention Bridge Fund for Critical Support. Food and diaper donations can be directed to the following hubs: Hispanic Center Lehigh Valley, Easton Area Neighborhood Center, and Allentown Area Ecumenical Food Bank. Priority food items include: canned proteins, cereals, canned fruits and vegetables, rice, pasta and peanut butter. For more information, contact Erin Connelly at United Way at erinco@unitedwayglv.org or Erika Riddle Petrozelli at erika@lvcfoundation.org at the Lehigh Valley Community Foundation. Finding help To find food and other resources, dial 2-1-1 or 855-567-5341, visit www.pa211.org or text your ZIP code to 898-211, United Way said in its news release. PA 211 is a free, confidential service available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The organization says food insecurity is rising, as more than 40% of Greater Lehigh Valley residents live paycheck to paycheck and programs like SNAP see funding pauses. Just over 106,000 people receive SNAP benefits in the region, according to the news release. Many of the region's social service providers are struggling to keep up with the need and have not been able to access funding that typically supports food access programs, the organization said. Initial funding partners include the Dexter F. & Dorothy H. Baker Foundation, Capitol Blue Cross, Cornerstone Advisors Asset Management, LLC, First Commonwealth Federal Credit Union, the Garrigan Foundation, Just Born Quality Confections, LeCompte Realty, Lehigh Valley Community Foundation, Stephen Link and Family Fund, the Marcon Family Fund, The Martin Guitar Charitable Foundation, Dan and Lucinda McCarthy, Olympus Corporation of the Americas, PPL Foundation, Teamsters Local 773, United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley, Andrea and Angelo Valletta, and Valley National Financial Advisors. The United Way said funds will be distributed for immediate relief, working in partnership with an action group of local food providers who are co-leading the response strategy. Too many of our neighbors are feeling the strain when vital support systems are stretched, said Marci Lesko, President and Chief Executive Officer of United Way. When need rises and resources tighten, our community shows up. Were grateful for the extraordinary collaboration across nonprofits, funders and volunteers who are stepping up together to meet this moment. This is what community looks like in action. This effort is also a powerful example of what can happen when funders, nonprofit leaders, and donors come together with urgency and purpose. United Way and the Community Foundation are standing shoulder to shoulder to ensure food remains accessible to every family during this critical moment, said Erika Riddle Petrozelli, CPA, CAP, President and CEO of the Lehigh Valley Community Foundation. The Bridge Fund for Critical Support at the Community Foundation allows us to act now to make sure food pantries are stocked and our neighbors have access to the nourishment they need. By Daniel Leussink and Maki Shiraki TOKYO (Reuters) -Toyota Motor does not face an immediate chip shortage from recent Chinese export restrictions related to chipmaker Nexperia, even as the Japanese automaker is carefully watching risks to production, Chief Executive Koji Sato said. "I do think there's some risk, but it's not like we're facing shortages tomorrow," Sato told reporters at the Japan Mobility Show in Tokyo on Wednesday afternoon. While the issue could impact Toyota's output, the world's top-selling automaker would not be suddenly exposed to a major supply crunch, he said. Automakers worldwide are scrambling to secure chips and review inventories as concerns mount over a deepening supply squeeze linked to Dutch chipmaker Nexperia. China banned exports of Nexperia's products after the Dutch government seized control of the firm last month, citing fears of technology transfers to its Chinese parent Wingtech, which the United States has flagged as a potential security risk. As an overall industry, Japanese automakers are working to standardise legacy chips to avoid the kind of severe shortages seen during the pandemic, when customised semiconductors left automakers vulnerable, he said. His comments came after smaller rival Nissan said it had enough chips at the moment to last until the first week of November without disruption - just days away. Separately, Sato said there were no plans to revise the tender offer price for Toyota Industries as part of a planned buyout, despite criticism from some shareholders. The Toyota group said in June it would take Toyota Industries private through a holding company backed by Toyota Motor, Toyota Fudosan and Toyota Chairman Akio Toyoda. A Toyota spokesperson later clarified that Sato's comments were based on information from Toyota Fudoson, the main purchasing entity in the deal, and that Toyota Motor itself was not involved in setting the price. The offer of 16,300 yen ($108.10) per share represents a premium over historical averages before reports of the deal but is below the price on the day before the announcement, drawing complaints from investors who say the bid undervalues the company. The transaction, aimed at taking the forklift maker and key Toyota supplier private, is part of a broader restructuring of Toyota's group and has faced calls for greater disclosure from global asset managers. Sato said the group will proceed with high transparency and, as a basic principle, ensure minority shareholders' interests are carefully considered. He added that the goal is to advance the plan in a way that secures broad stakeholder understanding rather than rushing it. Tribeca Resources has signed a definitive option agreement to acquire a 100% interest in the 10,000-hectare Jiguata Porphyry Copper property in northern Chile. The agreement allows the company to complete the acquisition over five years. The Jiguata property lies in northern Chile, around 120km north of the major mining districts of Collahuasi and Quebrada Blanca. The property features a large epithermal and interpreted porphyry alteration system within the Chilean Eocene-Oligocene Belt, partially covered by younger Miocene rocks. The site offers drive-up access through the paved Collahuasi road and nearby infrastructure. Soil sampling, historic drilling, geological surveys and geophysics have defined an exploration target measuring roughly 5km3km, which includes two near drill-ready targets. Under the option agreement, Tribeca Resources will make staged cash payments totalling $100,000 (C$139,443) within the first two years and conduct a minimum of 3,000m of drilling. Pre-drilling work at Jiguata will be carried out concurrently with additional drilling at Tribeca's flagship La Higuera property. Tribeca Resources CEO Paul Gow said: We are very pleased to have now signed the definitive option agreement for this exciting porphyry copper exploration opportunity at Jiguata. Following the successful financing last week, preparations now are under way to commence fieldwork at Jiguata in the coming weeks. The next 12 months will be a period of high activity for Tribeca, with drilling planned at our cornerstone La Higuera Property as well as at the Jiguata Property. Our now expanded portfolio of three high-potential Chilean copper projects positions Tribeca Resources to capitalise on growing interest in quality copper exploration. Tribeca Resources is a copper exploration company focused on discovering and developing deposits within the coastal iron oxide-copper-gold belt in northern Chile. "Tribeca Resources signs option agreement for Jiguata Copper acquisition " was originally created and published by Mining Technology, a GlobalData owned brand. Six major truck manufacturers - Scania, MAN, Volvo Trucks, Daimler, IVECO and Ford - have written to European Commissioners requesting a revision of the EUs truck CO Regulation, according to a letter seen by Transport & Environment (T&E). The companies have reportedly asked for an amendment that would allow them to generate emissions credits, effectively adjusting how targets for reducing emissions are calculated. According to T&Es analysis, such a change could reduce the number of zero-emission trucks (ZETs) sold in 2030 by around 27 per cent. T&E said the proposal would undermine the ambition level of the existing regulation and risk delaying the market shift towards zero-emission vehicles. The organisations freight and fleet director, Stef Cornelis, said truckmakers were presenting the proposal as a small adjustment, but argued that it would mean a major rollback of Europes decarbonisation plans. Cornelis added that altering the targets could create investment uncertainty for companies building charging networks and grid capacity. The trucking industry claims that lack of charging infrastructure is the main bottleneck, he said, but how do they expect a power company to invest if they are now rolling back on their own commitments? T&Es modelling assumes OEM ramp up sales up to 2029 as usual to prepare for the 2030 -43% CO 2 target, but then use the resulting windfall credits to ease compliance in 2030, 2031, and 2032. The credits banked in 20262028 are used in 2030, while the credits banked in 203132 are used in 2031 and 2032. The group warned that any delay to the transition could increase competitive pressure from Chinese manufacturers, which are investing heavily in electric truck production. "Truckmakers urge EU to weaken CO rules: T&E" was originally created and published by Motor Finance Online, a GlobalData owned brand. Recognising Service Excellence in Higher Education Tasneem Wadvalla honoured for excellence in University service Wits Universitys Head of Legal Services and Chief of Staff in the Office of the Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Tasneem Wadvalla, has been honoured with the 2025 Higher Education Resource Services South Africa (HERS-SA) Women in Support Services Award for her exceptional contribution as a professional member of staff in higher education and for her institutional stewardship in support services. The award, made in August 2025, recognises nearly two decades of dedicated service to higher education, and to Wits, where she has served for 17 years. Anyone who knows Tasneem, will know that she is a champion of governance and operational excellence at the University. In her dual capacity as Head of Legal Services and Chief of Staff to the Vice-Chancellor, Ms Wadvalla plays a pivotal role, together with the teams she works with and leads, in safeguarding Wits institutional integrity. She also manages and oversees the strategic and operational functions of the Vice-Chancellors Office, supports executive decision-making, and represents the institution on key governance bodies, including Council, Senate, and the Wits Group of Companies. In her role as the Head of Legal Services, Tasneem is responsible for stewarding the Universitys contracting, compliance, regulatory and disciplinary processes and litigation matters that often carry sector-wide implications. She also advises on governance-related issues critical to the Universitys stability and reputation. For Wadvalla, the award is shared with all the professional and administrative staff she has worked with over the years, who she describes as the backbone of higher education institutions. She says: Professional and administrative staff play a vital role in supporting the developmental agenda of universities. We provide the scaffolding that enables academics to advance cutting-edge research and to develop new generations of leaders and thinkers who contribute to society in meaningful ways. She adds: Professional and administrative staff and in particular, female support staff members do not always receive due recognition for their contribution to the sector. HERS-SAs role in showcasing and rewarding excellence in this domain is therefore welcomed. Dr Beukes, the Chairperson, on behalf of the HERS-SA Board commended Ms Wadvalla for her ongoing impact within the sector. We are proud to recognise Ms Wadvalla as an exemplar of integrity and excellence in governance. Her work demonstrates the indispensable contribution of women in support roles whose insight, diligence, and leadership sustain our institutions. Wadvalla credits her success to the phenomenal teams with whom she works with and the mentors who have guided her journey. To honour those who mentored me, I am intentional about mentoring and developing others. It is this very cycle of support and the re-centring of people and their development as a key resource, which is so critical in a sector such as ours she says. An admitted Attorney of the High Court of South Africa, Wadvalla holds a Bachelor of Commerce in Law and an LLB from the former Rand Afrikaans University (now the University of Johannesburg). Before joining Wits in 2008, she practised at Wright Rose-Innes Attorneys, Notaries and Conveyancers Incorporated. Over the years, she has served under two Vice-Chancellors - Professors Adam Habib and Zeblon Vilakazi - and has been instrumental in strengthening institutional governance and fostering collaboration across the Wits Group. The HERS-SA award recognises not only her individual excellence but also her enduring commitment to collective advancement and institutional continuity. I am honoured to serve an institution that stands for excellence, integrity, and impact, she says. As professionals and support service staff, we are all custodians of this great university. It is our shared responsibility to protect its values, strengthen its systems and support the people who make its mission possible. President Trump made a bold prediction about falling gas prices during his tour of Asia this week, while touting his drill, baby, drill slogan. Must Read During a press conference in Tokyo on Tuesday covered by Fox News, Trump claimed that Americans are going to see $2 gasoline pretty soon, adding that the drop in price would prove the equivalent of something bigger than a tax cut. [1] The national average price for regular gas hasnt dropped under $2 a gallon since May 2020, according to government data. Still, Trumps statement echoed one of his 2024 presidential campaign promises to do the same a boast that was ultimately met with skepticism. Our figures are not even on the same planet as what the President-elect has promised, Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis for price-tracking app GasBuddy, told CNN at the time. [2] That said, earlier this month the national average gas price fell below $3 a gallon for the first time since December 29, 2024, hitting $2.97 per gallon, according to GasBuddy. [3] Some states, like Arkansas, Oklahoma and Texas, got as low as $2.45-$2.55. The news prompted a victory lap from the White House, though many experts, including De Hann, largely credit the drop to increased production from OPEC+ nations. While some may be quick to assign political credit, the reality is that global supply dynamics particularly OPECs production decisions have been the primary force behind the relief drivers are seeing at the pump, De Hann noted. As of this writing, an oil refinery fire near Chicago bumped the average gas price back up over $3 to $3.038, according to AAA, though thats still lower than the $3.134 per gallon average from a year ago. [4] Still, De Hann believes that prices will drop below $3 nationally again ahead of Thanksgiving. Downward trending gas prices could mean significant relief for Americans struggling with the rising cost of living. But will they get low enough to fulfill Trumps prediction? Falling gas prices offer relief as energy prices rise A September report from the Energy Information Administration (EIA) offered a glimmer of hope for Americans when it comes to the impact of falling gas prices on their pocket books. It noted that, outside of the beginning of the pandemic in 2020, this years gasoline expenditures as a share of disposable personal income could be the lowest in 20 years. That would work out to an average expenditure of less than 2% of disposable income this year a drop from the previous decades 2.4% average. By David Hood-Nuno and Disha Raychaudhuri WASHINGTON, D.C. (Reuters) -A year ago, Karlene Sinclair-Robinson was writing loans and hosting education seminars for small businesses and entrepreneurs as finance director of Community Business Partnership, a community development financial institution, or CDFI, in northern Virginia. Now, shes helping shut it down for good on December 31. The non-profit has been in business for nearly 30 years, but the Trump administration withheld $324 million in funding appropriated by Congress for the nearly 1,400 CDFIs across the country, targeting them as part of a "woke" program that promotes a partisan agenda, gender extremism and climate radicalism." Then, at the beginning of the government shutdown, Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought issued reduction-in-service notices to all staffers of the CDFI Fund, the agency that provides grants and certifies CDFIs, indicating their employment would be terminated on December 13. There are other CDFIs that might only have maybe a year runway. If they don't get additional funding, they won't go past the next year, said Sinclair-Robinson, who is also the author of Spank The Bank: THE Alternative Guide to Business Financing. COMMUNITY LENDERS UNDER THREAT Congress created the CDFI Fund in 1994 to establish institutions to serve the economic development needs of low-income, rural and minority communities with limited access to traditional banking. The institutions non-profits, credit unions, and small banks rely on a mix of federal funding, grants, corporate philanthropy. In a survey conducted by The Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond earlier this year, 74% of the 448 CDFIs said they relied on federal dollars to make loans to underserved borrowers. Now, with federal funding paused and the programs future in doubt, the nation's CDFIs are scrambling, weighing mergers and service cuts to survive. Some CDFIs will survive without federal support, but that wasnt an option for Community Business Partnership, which received 90% of its funding from local, state, and federal government. Their corporate and philanthropic partners also suddenly reduced their contributions by as much as 50% amid uncertainty that the program would continue. The White House, Treasury Department and the Office of Management and Budget did not respond to requests for comment. Because CDFIs are backed by grants, philanthropy and corporate partnerships rather than federally-insured deposits, they can take bigger risks on borrowers than community banks. Without them, small business owners and entrepreneurs may turn to credit cards or payday lenders for capital, said Nicole Elam, CEO of the National Bankers Association, a trade group representing Black-owned banks. For decades, pharmaceutical giant Johnson and Johnson sold its popular talcum powder in the US, Canada, the UK, India and globally as an antidote to skin irritation or nappy rash after bathing. Johnsons baby powder, with its distinctive aroma redolent of cleanliness and purity, was used by adults as well as children. Mothers sprinkled it liberally on their babies, not knowing that the cloud of white dust could harbour a deadly carcinogen. Talcum powder on black construction paper for contrast [Photo by Mattman723-Self-photographed / CC BY-SA 3.0 Johnson and Johnson (J&J) knew this but sought to cover up the fact that their product was contaminated with asbestos and was allegedly killing its customers, declare the claimants in the legal case. Three thousand people in the UK are now taking a class action against the multinational on the grounds that they knowingly sold tainted baby powder, which they charge was responsible for either their own cancers or that of relatives. It is the biggest action of its kind in British legal history. The legal suit in the UK mirrors that pursued against the company in the US, where juries have awarded plaintiffs billions of dollars in compensation. One claimant with terminal mesothelioma in Connecticut was recently awarded $25 million, though this is under appeal. The UK claim rests on internal company documents and scientific reports, brought by KP Law against J&J and its subsidiary Kenvue Ltd. The companies are denying the claim. However, during court proceedings internal documents were presented revealing that J&J were aware since the 1960s that their product contained asbestos fibres and took measures to conceal this. Talc or talcum is composed of hydrated magnesium silicate, mined in many countries including Brazil, India, China, the US, France, South Korea and Finland. It is used in cosmetic products like lipsticks, eyeshadow and face make-up. It is also used extensively in industry in the production of plant food, paint, cement and disinfectants. A block of talc [Photo: This image is a work of the "Minerals in Your World" project, a cooperative effort between the United States Geological Survey and the Mineral Information Institute] The problem with this mineral is that it is frequently found in the same location as asbestos, also used widely in industrial products, and in building materials for its fire-retardant properties. Asbestos is a scientifically proven carcinogen when its tiny needle-like fibres are inhaled, leading to fatal mesothelioma or lung cancer as well as asbestosis. A 1973 internal memorandum admitted the occasional presence of small amounts of actinolite or tremolite (types of asbestos) in the mineral talc, which was the main ingredient of J&Js baby powder. It states, Our baby powder contains talc fragments classifiable as fibre. Occasionally sub-trace quantities of tremolite or actinolite are identifiable (optical microscope) and these might be classified as asbestos fibre. Company officials toyed with the idea of patenting a technique to remove asbestos from talcum powder but decided otherwise as this would expose their knowledge that talc was contaminated with asbestos fibres. One executive stated, We may wish to keep the whole thing confidential rather than allow it to be published in patent form and thus let the whole world know. The BBC reported that they spoke to J&J subsidiary Kenvueformerly its Consumer Healthcare division. A Kenvue spokesperson explained that they were unable to find a method to decontaminate the talc. There followed decades of coverup at the expense of the health of talcum powder users. Rather than alerting the relevant government bodies and withdrawing the product, J&J embarked on an aggressive marketing campaign to increase sales in the 1970s and 1980s, emphasising its purity and gentleness, even for new-born babies. The product was not withdrawn until 2020 in the US and Canada and 2023 worldwide. J&J still sell baby powder, using a cornstarch substitute for talc. Many claimants in the UK link their diagnoses of mesothelioma, lung cancer, ovarian cancer and other malignancies with prolonged use of Johnsons baby powder. Siobhan Ryan, 63, told the BBC, My mother used it, and I used it. It smelt nice and was soft and lovely. When my babies were born, I used it on them. I thought I was doing my best for them. Siobhan was diagnosed with stage 4 ovarian cancer, which after endless rounds of treatment was declared inoperable. Also cited in the UK legal claim are documents showing that from the 1970s J&J lobbied the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to accept a less stringent test for the existence of asbestos fibres of 1 percent contamination. It seems the FDA accepted their assertion that a more sensitive test was unnecessary. A former J&J toxicology director Dr. Steve Mann admitted in a deposition testimony to court that he made assertions as to the safety of the product without examining test data and failed to report asbestos findings in positive test results he did receive. The number of those affected by the prolonged use of J&Js baby powder probably far exceeds the number of claimants in the current litigation. Scientific studies have yet to establish how many. An unknown number of workers who mined the talc would have also succumbed to the deadly effects of asbestos. Studies show that talc miners have a higher incidence of asbestos related diseases than the general public. In New York, for example, the incidence of mesothelioma in talc miners is five times the rate in the surrounding population. J&J have piled up the profits at the expense of the misery and suffering of its customers. For 2024, earnings were reported at $14.07 billion, with revenue of $88.82 for the year. According to Forbes, profits for 2025 have reached $21.8 billion. It comes in at number 45 in the ranking of largest US companies on the 2024 Fortune 500 list. The US-based company was founded in 1886, and mass production of the talcum powder began soon after. It expanded into a pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical technologies corporation, with a global workforce today of 138,000. Johnson & Johnson Headquarters in New Brunswick, New Jersey, seen 1/2006 by Henry N. Cobb from the Pei Company, built 1983 [Photo: ekem] J&J has faced many lawsuits, relating to hip replacement failures, the opioid crisis and transvaginal mesh. It tried to hide the existence of asbestos in its baby powder because the carcinogenic nature of asbestos had been irrefutably proved and is generally known about. Yet next to nothing is being done to rid this substance from the wider environment. Though banned in the UK in 1999, asbestos remains in situ and as buildings deteriorate thousands in schools, hospitals and other public buildings are exposed to its invisible but deadly fibres. Governments, Conservative and Labour, have ignored the need to implement a removal plan at an estimated cost of 11.6 billion. According to the Airtight On Asbestos Campaign, the number of annual asbestos related deaths amounts to 20,412, charging that the government Health and Safety Executive (HSE) vastly underestimate the figure, putting it at 5,000 deaths a year. For example, the HSE does not record the deaths associated with asbestos of those over the age of 75. Asbestos related diseases have a long incubation period, between 15-40 years. An article in the Guardian by freelance journalist Tom White explains that Helen Bone was diagnosed with mesothelioma three years ago. She could have contracted the disease while at school, or college, or the two hospitals where she was employed. White notes her comment to the Northern Echo in 2022, that You always think of asbestos as a disease from decades agoaffecting men who worked in heavy industryso to be diagnosed in my 30s is shocking. Helen died last November aged just 38. The Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012, following a European Commission decision, favours in situ management rather than removal. This policy has been disastrous. White cites the report of the National Organisation of Asbestos Consultants and the Asbestos Testing and Consultancy Association that found in a recent audit of 128,761 buildings that 78 percent had asbestos 71 percent of the asbestos items were damaged 30 percent were in the highest risk category. The policy of the trade unions is for the complete removal of asbestos, but they have done nothing to mobilize their members to achieve this beyond appeals to successive governments that are dedicated to defending the wealth of the rich. To put an end to these preventable deaths, workers must take responsibility for their own health and safety, building rank-and-file committeesindependent of the union bureaucracyin workplaces and communities. This must be combined with a struggle to take big pharma out of the hands of the profiteers, to be owned and controlled by the working class under socialism. Speaking to the conservative Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung over the weekend, Chancellor Friedrich Merz (Christian Democratic UnionCDU) once again confirmed his goal that Germany should build the strongest conventional army in Europe. A few days later, Politico published a Bundeswehr (Armed Forces) procurement list showing what this means in concrete terms: rearmament on a historic scale, surpassing anything seen since Hitler. German Leopard tanks practice in Grafenwohr [Photo by 7th Army Training Command / flickr / CC BY 2.0 According to the listalso reported on by Die Weltthe planned spending across land, air, sea, space and cyber domains total 377 billion [$US436 billion]. This colossal rearmament programme includes hundreds of projects, from new tanks and artillery systems to drones, fighter jets, space satellites and cruise missiles. At its core is the creation of an army capable of waging war against Russia. The Bundeswehr plans to acquire 400 Tomahawk cruise missiles with a range of over 2,000 kilometres. These missiles can reach deep into the Russian heartlandthe distance from Berlin to Moscow is around 1,600 kilometres. Germany is thus preparing for offensive operations that would form part of a devastating Third World War. This madness is being financed through a massive increase in military spending. The Merz governmenta coalition of the Christian Democrats and Social Democrats (SPD), with the support of the Left Party and the Greenshas permanently exempted rearmament from the constitutionally enshrined debt brake, thereby freeing up war credits totalling one trillion euros. While billions flow into weapons, ammunition and satellite systems, social budgets are being frozen, Burgergeld (basic welfare support) abolished, and pensions and health spending cut. The working class is to bear the costas cannon fodder at the front and through social devastation at home. The main profiteers of this new German war economy are the same corporations that armed Hitlers military (Wehrmacht) during the Second World War. According to Die Welt, Rheinmetall is the biggest winner of the 377 billion plan. The company appears in 53 project entries worth over 88 billion, with another 56 billion flowing to subsidiaries and joint ventures. By 2035, almost 700 new Puma infantry fighting vehicles are to be delivered, along with hundreds of Skyranger systems for drone defence. Rheinmetall CEO Armin Papperger boasted openly in a recent interview with finance daily Handelsblatt about the companys profit outlook: the order backlog already stands at 65 billion and could rise to 120 billion by mid-next year. Revenue is expected to grow to between 40 and 50 billion by 2030with a profit margin of 20 percent. Other major beneficiaries include Diehl Defence, manufacturer of the Iris-T missile family, and Hensoldt, which according to broadcaster n-tv is swimming in orders. These war profits reflect an expanding armaments bubble that is growing alongside the rearmament drive and forging an ever-closer integration of the state, military and big business. The creation of a war economy is not limited to Germany. German imperialism is building a network of military-industrial outposts across Europe. On October 28, Rheinmetall announced the founding of a joint venture with Bulgaria. The facility in question, scheduled for completion within 14 months, will produce gunpowder and 155-millimetre artillery shells worth over 1 billion. Bulgaria is moving faster than ever before, Papperger boasted, adding that the company was creating one of the best factories in Europe. Further east, German arms manufacturers are expanding directly into Ukraine itself. As Handelsblatt reports, new production and development sites for German companies are being established there. Customer and supplier are becoming partners, the paper writes. CDU Economics Minister Katherina Reiche declared during a recent visit to Kyiv: Ukraine is no longer merely a recipient of aid. There is huge potential here for cooperation, synergies and growth. Eighty years after the war of extermination against the Soviet Union, German imperialism is once again systematically organising war in the Eastthis time under the pretext of defending democracywhile pursuing the same imperialist objectives: domination of the continent, control over Ukraine and all Eastern Europe and ultimately the subjugation of Russia. To build the strongest army in Europe and enforce these aims by force, the government plans a military restructuring of the entire country. Defence Minister Boris Pistorius (SPD) announced plans to build barracks on an assembly line. On Monday, the Defence Ministry declared that 187 previously decommissioned sites would be returned to military use, with another 13 locationsincluding the former Berlin-Tegel airportto be retained rather than released for civilian use. While tank depots, munitions factories and satellite centres are being built, civilian life is being destroyed. Education, healthcare and social infrastructure are being undermined to free up financial and human resources for war. At the top of the federal governments agenda are the reintroduction of conscription and the militarisation of universities and schools. At the start of the week, Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt (Christian Social UnionCSU) told Handelsblatt that schools should be preparing young people for possible wartime conditions. At the upcoming Conference of Interior Ministers in November, he intends to propose that crisis preparedness be integrated into the school dayfor example through specially designed double lessons. Behind the militarisation of Germany and Europe lie objective driving forces. As in the 1930s, under the pressure of world crisis and imperialist rivalries, all social resources are being mobilised for war. The ruling class is responding to growing international tensions and internal social conflicts with authoritarian and militarist measures. But the war policy is meeting growing resistance. Millions of workers reject this imperialist madness. The decisive task is to give this resistance conscious political formindependent of all capitalist parties and trade unions that support the war drive. The Sozialistische Gleichheitspartei (Socialist Equality Party) calls for the international mobilisation of the working class to prevent the impending catastrophe. The fight against war is inseparable from the fight against capitalism itself. Only through building a socialist movement that fights for the expropriation of the arms corporations, the dissolution of NATO, and the establishment of the United Socialist States of Europe can the road to a third world war be stopped. The largest anti-government mobilisations since Tanzanias independence have erupted in the wake of Wednesdays elections. From Dar es Salaam to Arusha, thousands of workers, youth, and the urban poor have taken to the streets to denounce the vote engineered to secure victory for President Samia Suluhu Hassan and the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (Party of the RevolutionCCM). The vote for president, the 400-seat parliament, and lawmakers of the semi-autonomous Zanzibar archipelago was stage-managed to guarantee Hassans victory. The government ensured that no genuine opposition could compete. Tundu Lissu, leader of the pro-business CHADEMA (Party for Democracy and Progress) was arrested in April on farcical treason charges. He faces the possibility of a death sentence. The other major challenger, Luhaga Mpina of the ACT-Wazalendo party, was disqualified on legal technicalities. People protest in the streets of Arusha, Tanzania, on election day October 29, 2025 [AP Photo/str] Hassans CCM traces its origins to Julius Nyereres Tanganyika African National Union (TANU), the petty-bourgeois pan-Africanist movement that led the struggle for independence from Britain in 1961. CCM inherited TANUs one-party apparatus and has maintained power ever since. In the end, only sixteen minor and regionally based parties with no national support were permitted to stand against Hassan. Official results are expected in the following days. The election has become what many protesters have dubbed the coronation of Hassan. She came to power initially in 2021 following the sudden death from Covid-19 of Covid-denier President John Magufuli, when she assumed office without an electoral mandate. In the days leading up to the vote, Hassan unleashed a wave of terror. Over the weekend, dozens were arrested across the country and at least 20 people have been abducted, with 83 abductions confirmed since Hassan assumed power. Humphrey Polepole, a former CCM spokesperson and ambassador to Cuba, disappeared from his home after publicly criticising Hassan. His family discovered blood stains inside his residence. By Wednesday morning, tanks and armoured vehicles were patrolling major cities, with heavy deployments around Dar es Salaam, the countrys commercial hub and largest metropolis with 8.5 million inhabitants. On the day of the vote, mass anger erupted. According to reports and videos posted on social media, thousands of demonstrators have filled the streets of Kimara and Ubungo neighbourhoods of Dar es Salaam. The working-class districts of Magomeni, Kinondoni, and Tandale saw barricades erected, clashes with the police and tyres burned a common scene in neighbouring Kenya, but new to Tanzania. A bus and a petrol station were set ablaze. In Mbeya, polling stations were vandalised and in Arusha, the diplomatic hub and one of Tanzanias largest cities, protestors set a police station on fire. Videos show youth chanting We want our country! and we dont want CCM as protestors coordinated through the Zello app which transforms smartphones into walkie-talkies. The military has been deployed in Dar es Salaam, Dodomathe countrys capital, Zanzibar island, and several regional centres. Internet access has been disrupted across the country and social media platforms including X, Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram have been blocked as protestors mobilised using hashtags such as #SuluhuMustGo, #MO29, and #NoElection. By Wednesday evening, Tanzania had been brought to a standstill. Major transport operators cancelled all intercity travel for the first time in the countrys history, and ferry routes from Dar es Salaam to Zanzibar were suspended. Tito Magoti, a human rights activist, reported that at least five people have been killed so far. But a diplomatic source told Reuters that the death toll in Dar es Salaam alone may be as high as ten. Today, the government ordered all public servants to work from home and deployed troops across the capital. The curfew remains in force and state television have announced that schools would close. The shockwaves of Tanzanias protests have not stopped at the colonial borders carved by imperialism. In the south, at the Kyela crossing in Mbeya Region, protesters from neighbouring Malawi confronted Tanzanian border security, forcing officials to flee as dozens of youth crossed into Tanzania to join the demonstrations. In the north, Kenyan media reported that security forces blocked groups of young Kenyans at the Namanga crossing who attempted to enter Tanzania in solidarity. These incidents are deeply significant. Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania, backed by US and European imperialism, collaborate to kidnap and extradite opposition figures and activists across their borders, Now workers and youth are beginning to organise cross border opposition. Indeed, the protest is part of a growing wave of youth-led uprisings against the ossified post-independence order that has dominated the African continent. From FRELIMO in Mozambique to the MPLA in Angola, from Paul Biyas 92-year-old autocracy in Cameroon to Moroccos King Mohammed VI throne, to the discredited African National Congress (ANC) in South Africa, once synonymous with national liberation, and the tribalised capitalist factions of Kenyas ruling elite, a new generation is turning against these governments. In Madagascar, protestors ousted the president who fled to France as the military took over. Decades after independence, millions of young Africans remain excluded from the wealth they create. They face mass unemployment, poverty wages, and the denial of basic rights such as education and healthcare, while being ruled by elites who serve the same capitalist and imperialist interests as their colonial predecessors. These protests have erupted on the same soil where Julius Nyerere, one of the figures most associated with Pan-Africanism after Ghanas Kwame Nkrumah, once sought to chart a third way between capitalism and socialism. Nyereres project of Ujamaa was presented as a model of African socialism, promising equality, collective ownership, and self-reliance. Beneath his rhetoric, however, Ujamaa remained a pro-capitalist programme that sought state-led development based on manoeuvres with imperialism. Nyereres insistence that social classes do not exist in Africa has been completely refuted. Serving to mask the real social forces at work in newly independent states, he idealised pre-colonial communal traditions: In our traditional African society we were individuals within a community. We took care of the community, and the community took care of us. We neither needed nor wished to exploit our fellow men. We neither had capitalists nor feudalists. Today, despite annual growth of over 5 percent, fuelled by foreign investment in mining, energy, and infrastructure, the majority of Tanzanians remain mired in poverty. The country has 43 percent still living below the international poverty line of $2.15 per day, despite being one of Africas top gold producers, with offshore natural gas reserves, and boasting rare minerals like tanzanite, alongside substantial deposits of diamonds, nickel, coal, and uranium. Over 65 percent of the population is employed in agriculture, overwhelmingly in informal or subsistence conditions. Meanwhile, the working class, concentrated in the service, mining, and construction sectors, faces chronic underemployment, low wages, and precarious conditions. At the other end of society, Tanzania is dominated by oligarchs such as Mohammed Dewji, the CEO of Mohammed Enterprises Tanzania Limited, whose fortune is estimated at $2.2 billion, and Rostam Aziz, worth around $700 million. Foreign multinationals extract billions of dollars in profits each year from the countrys mines, gas fields, and plantations, while the state receives a pittance in royalties that are then bitterly fought over by rival factions within the CCM. The main opposition party, CHADEMA, offers no alternative. It represents a faction of the same ruling elite, made up largely of former CCM figures who resent being excluded from the plunder. Its programme is pro-business, calling for cutting corporate tax from 25 percent to between 15 and 20 percent and for creating what it describes as a conducive environment for investors in the mining, oil, and gas sectors. CHADEMAs proposed reforms include the privatisation of the energy industry and the drive to make state-owned enterprises more efficient, a euphemism for selling them off to private capital. As Trotsky explained in his theory of Permanent Revolution, in all countries the struggle for and defence of democracy cannot be separated from the fight to establish workers power and the implementation of socialist policies. And second, the struggle for socialism must be conducted on the basis of an international strategy directed toward the global mobilisation of the working class against the world capitalist system. Students at Hacettepe Universitys Beytepe Campus in Ankara, Turkey were physically attacked last week by a fascist group calling themselves the Hacettepe Grey Wolves Organization. The masked group entered the university with machetes and meat cleavers to attack students, and at least one was reported injured. University students have staged protests against a new reservation system introduced in the cafeteria. The injured student was admitted to Bilkent City Hospital for treatment. In a statement issued by the Ankara Medical Association (ATO), it was said that despite the attending physicians decision to keep the student under observation while his treatment continued, he was requested to be taken to the police station. Meanwhile, 28 other students who wanted to visit their injured friend at the hospital were detained. The injured student was also detained later that day. A screenshot showing part of the masked, machete-wielding fascist group that stormed Hacettepe University and attacked students on October 27, 2025 [Photo: @kediotti X/Twitter] On Monday, October 27, the day of the attack, the far-right group held a handover ceremony by unfurling a banner of Alparslan Turkes, the historical leader of the fascist movement in Turkey, at a cafe opposite the Faculty of Literature. The attack sparked anger among students against the university administration and private security units. Students demanded an explanation as to how the group was able to enter the school with such weapons. The university administration has not yet made a statement. Turkes played an active role in the military coup in 1960 that resulted in the execution of Prime Minister Adnan Menderes and two of his ministers. In 1969, he founded his fascist Nationalist Movement Party (MHP). Turkes, who also served as NATO Branch Director of the Land Forces during his military service, led fascist terror targeting the rise of the labor movement and the leftist tendencies in the period leading up to the 1980 military coup and served as deputy prime minister in Suleyman Demirels governments. In a statement published by the Hacettepe University administration in 2024, it was stated that the group named Hacettepe Grey Wolves Organization is not an officially established and active student group, and that the students involved in this group have taken actions that have negatively affected educational activities and peace within the university for nearly three years. However, there is no information indicating that the university administration has taken any measures against the fascist group or imposed any penalties. The attackers at Hacettepe University have a direct link to the Grey Wolves (Ulku Ocaklar), an organization founded by Turkes and affiliated with the MHP. Utku Surenler, who is said to be the Ankara Grey Wolves Provincial Deputy Chairman in charge of universities, posted a threatening message on his social media account saying, This flag will not fall to the ground, not until we die, last lamb. Fatih Aydn, Deputy Chairman of Grey Wolves, claimed responsibility for the attack, posting, Greetings to the brave grey wolves of Hacettepe. The increasing crackdown on universities has been a key part of the construction of a presidential dictatorship in Turkey by President Recep Tayyip Erdogans government, together with its de facto partner, the MHP. Government-aligned figures were appointed to university administrations, suppression of left-wing students intensified, and leftist academics purged on a large scale. The NATO-backed 2016 military coup attempt was used as a pretext for this unlawful crackdown. In the recent period, universities have been the scene of significant protests. Students played a major role in the mass demonstrations that began with the arrest of Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality (IBB) Mayor and Republican Peoples Party (CHP) presidential candidate Ekrem Imamoglu on March 19. The government responded by sending riot police to the universities. Two years ago, on October 25, 2023, protests erupted in the western city of Aydn following the death of a university student, Zeren Ertas, who lost her life when an elevator malfunctioned due to negligence at a state-run dormitory. These protests spread across the country, and riot police attacked students to suppress demonstrations at universities. The ongoing climate of repression at universities, police operations, or fascist attacks carried out under the supervision of the police and private security unitsas in the case of Hacettepe Universityconfirm that the fragile negotiations between Ankara and the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) have no connection whatsoever with peace and democracy. These negotiations, in which Erdogan and MHP leader Devlet Bahceli have been declared doves of peace, are supported by almost the entire political establishment. The so-called democratization process is reflected at the universities in the form of increased police violence and more fascists entering campuses. Yet Tayip Temel, Deputy Chairman of the Kurdish nationalist Peoples Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party), stated on Halk TVs Rota program that Mr. Bahceli is the leader most aware of the Kurdish issue, and that imprisoned PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan had said, After Ataturk, there is only one statesman, and that is Bahceli. As the World Socialist Web Site has explained from the outset, the negotiations between Ankara and the PKK have emerged under pressure of the growing rivalry between Turkey and its ally, Israel. This is a reactionary attempt by the Turkish and Kurdish bourgeoisie to reach an agreement in line with US imperialisms new Middle East plan. The negotiations, taking place amid the genocide against Palestinians in Gaza, an imperialist-backed regime change in Syria, and an imperialist-Zionist attack on Iran, are accompanied by increasing attacks on political opposition, including the CHP, and democratic rights in Turkey. The increased repression at universities is not unique to Turkey. As the crisis of capitalism deepens, increasing social inequality and intensifying global imperialist war have led to a growing drive to authoritarianism worldwide. For example, in May, 78 students from Columbia University in the United States were violently detained for protesting against the genocide carried out by Israel in Gaza. The State Department revoked the visas of thousands of students who were said to have participated in the Gaza protests. As explained in a statement by the International Youth and Students for Social Equality (IYSSE) in Turkey, all the fundamental problems facing workers and youth are international problems stemming from capitalism. The way to oppose increasing police repression and fascist violence on campuses lies in the revolutionary mobilization of the international working class against capitalism and for socialism. Join the IYSSE to fight for an end to genocide, war, and dictatorship, and for a socialist future where people can live humanely and in peace. A major purpose of US president Trumps visit to Southeast Asia this week was to enforce dealsmore akin to diktats than agreements freely enteredthrough which hundreds of billions of dollars are to be pumped into the American economy. His role as a kind of bagman-enforcer for US imperialism was exemplified in the agreements with Malaysia and South Korea, following the earlier deal with Japan under which it will supply the US with $550 billion in investment funds, in order to avert Trumps crippling tariff hikes. Following the agreement with Malaysia, in which it will invest $70 billion in the US over the next 10 years, Trump managed to finalise a commitment by South Korea to supply $350 billion in investment funds to the US. President Donald Trump, right, speaks during a meeting with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung in the Oval Office of the White House, August 25, 2025. [AP Photo/Alex Brandon] The amount had been set down in July, but South Korea insisted it could not meet the US demand it be provided in cashas is the case with Japanbecause such a large outflow would destabilise its currency, the won. Korean authorities pointed out the amount was equivalent to 80 percent of the countrys foreign currency reserves and such a movement could set off a financial crisis. Under the agreement, $200 billion will be supplied over the course of 10 years, with no annual amount to exceed $20 billion, with a further $150 billion to be invested in shipbuilding operations in the US. In return the US has agreed to reduce the tariff on South Korean imports into the US from 25 percent to 15 percent. The Korean fear was if the higher level remained it would devastate the auto industry. The making of the so-called agreement was accompanied by a display of grovelling by South Korean President Lee Jae Myung in which he presented Trump with a replica of a golden crown excavated from an ancient royal tomb to which Trump replied: Id like to wear it right now. The funds to be supplied by South Korea will be directed to what are regarded as strategic industries, including semi-conductors, batteries and nuclear power. Profits from the investments will be split between the two countries until the initial investment is recouped. While South Korea is putting up the money, the US commerce secretary, Howard Lutnick, will head the committee to assess the investment projects. A so-called Fact Sheet issued by the White House on the agreement outlined the extent of South Korean purchases and made clear that the strategic objective of its economic agenda is to underscore Americas prominent role as the preeminent Pacific power. Under the agreement, Korean Air will buy 103 new Boeing aircraft valued at $36.2 billion along with the purchase by the South Korean Air Force of US aircraft. On the key issue of rare earthspart of the drive to break the Chinese monopoly of the processing of critical mineralsa partnership is to be established with the Korean firm POSCO International to refine and separate rare earths and establish high-value mobility magnets. Under the heading Furthering Americas Energy Dominance, the Fact Sheet said that the Korean Gas Corporation had signed agreements to purchase around 3.3 million tonnes of US liquified natural gas. The Korean electricity conglomerate LS Group is reported to have pledged $3 billion by 2030 to upgrade US power infrastructure including undersea cables and equipment. Amazon is to make a $5 billion investment to build Koreas cloud infrastructure helping to drive US exports and American AI leadership. The Fact Sheet noted that Amazon had made investments in 14 of the APEC group of countries, totalling $40 billion. In the key area of shipbuilding, which is almost non-existent in the US in comparison to China, Trump secured a commitment from South Korea to modernise and expand the capacity of American shipbuilding industries. Hyundai and Cerberus Capital Management, a US private equity firm with $65 billion in assets, will form a partnership in a $5 billion investment program for US shipyards and develop new technologies such as autonomous navigation, digitalisation and automation. The Korean shipbuilding firm Hanwha Ocean is involved in a $5 billion infrastructure plan to expand production at Pennsylvanias Philly Shipyard and increase its current production capacity by more than ten-fold. Shipbuilding has been identified by the Trump administration as one of the key components in strengthening US national securitydeveloping the sinews of warthe banner under which the economic and tariff war has been conducted. In an article published on the eve of this weeks discussions, the New York Times noted that when newly elected South Korean president Lee visited Washington in August he was asked about the Korean policy of trying to balance between the US and China. The Korean term for the relationship has been anmigyeongjung, which loosely translated is the United States for security and China for the economy. However, on his US visit, in recognition of the intensifying conflict between the US and China Lee said: It is no longer possible to maintain that type of logic. According to the article, he acknowledged that increasingly, South Korea must choose, and it has not been in a position to deviate from the policies of the United States. That reorientation was reflected in the effusive greetings by Lee delivered to Trump on his visit. But the objective dilemma remains. China is South Koreas largest trading partner, accounting for a quarter of its exports when Hong Kong is taken into account. And Beijing has the willingness and capacity to hit back against South Korea in response to any measures it considers inimical to interest. This was demonstrated earlier this month when Hanwha Ocean was hit with sanctions because Beijing alleged it had supported and assisted a US investigation into Chinese shipbuilding practices. Whether they will be lifted as a result of the agreement between Chinese president Xi Jinping to suspend port taxes for a year remains to be seen. But the incident reveals that the more the US tries to bludgeon the countries of Southeast Asia into its camp, there will be increased retaliation. Valued at a market capitalization of $165.8 billion, Verizon Communications Inc. (VZ) is a leading U.S. telecommunications company known for its strong wireless network and expanding 5G and fiber-optic infrastructure. The New York-headquartered company provides mobile services, high-speed home internet through its Fios offering, and advanced enterprise solutions, including cloud, IoT, and cybersecurity services. Despite its scale and strong market presence, Verizons stock has struggled to keep pace with broader benchmarks. Over the past 52 weeks, VZ stock has dipped 2.7%, while the broader S&P 500 Index ($SPX) has surged 18.1%. Year-to-date, the stock has only inched marginally higher, while the S&P 500 has climbed 17.2% in 2025. More News from Barchart VZ has also trailed the SPDR S&P Telecom ETFs (XTL) 48.9% rise over the past 52 weeks and 42.8% gain on a YTD basis. www.barchart.com On Oct. 29, Verizon reported Q3 2025 earnings showing solid subscriber momentum, and its shares popped 2.3%. It posted adjusted earnings of $1.21 per share, topping expectations, while revenue rose about 1.5% year over year to roughly $33.8 billion, slightly below forecasts. Subscriber trends strengthened, with around 44,000 postpaid wireless net additions, well above market estimates, supported by continued growth in fixed-wireless broadband. Verizon also raised its dividend for the 19th consecutive year and reaffirmed its full-year guidance. For fiscal 2025 ending in December, Wall Street is looking for steady but moderate earnings growth from Verizon. Analysts expect diluted EPS to rise 2.2% year over year to $4.69. Verizon has delivered consistent performance recently, beating Street estimates in each of the last four quarters. Verizon has a Moderate Buy consensus rating, suggesting confidence in the companys fundamentals, though with some hesitation. Of the 30 analysts covering the stock, eight rate it a Strong Buy, three call it a Moderate Buy, and 19 recommend Hold. www.barchart.com This configuration is slightly bearish than a month ago, when nine analysts suggested a Strong Buy rating. On Oct. 11, Citigroup Inc. (C) analyst Michael Rollins reiterated a Buy rating on Verizon, underscoring his positive stance on the stock despite recent market underperformance. The Netherlands went to the polls on October 29, 2025 in a snap parliamentary election that lays bare the deep crisis of bourgeois democracy and the political stalemate produced by capitalist rule across Europe. Far from expressing the urgent interests of the masses, the vote represents a further stage in the reshuffling of power among factions of the ruling elite as they grapple with mounting social, economic and geopolitical turmoil. Two fundamental truths emerged in the recent Dutch elections: the ruling class in the Netherlands has nothing progressive to offer but war and social misery, and the Dutch working class remains leaderless without its own political vanguard party rooted in its interests and in the history of the international socialist movement. What is unfolding in the election outcome is not a renewal of liberal democracy but a managed reconfiguration of a ruling elite desperate to stabilise a collapsing bourgeois order. The election results underscore the inability of capitalist rule to secure legitimacy through parliamentary means, resorting instead to authoritarian mechanisms. Beneath the rhetoric of governability, the ruling class is galvanising behind an aggressive programme of militarisation, austerity, authoritarianism and warpolicies shaped by EU diktats, NATO rearmament and the deepening social crisis confronting the working class. The caretaker regimeremaining in place until the new government is formedled by Dick Schoof, a former intelligence and counterterrorism chief, stands as a clear expression of this turn. Sustained with royal sanction after Geert Wilders far-right Party for Freedom (PVV) withdrew from the governing coalition in June, Schoofs dwindling caretaker government held just 32 of 150 parliamentary seats by August, making it unprecedentedly undemocratic even by the standards of bourgeois parliamentarism. His appointment as unelected prime minister of the heretofore most far-right government in post-war Dutch history represents the direct rule of the security state, with power consolidated in the hands of unelected intelligence officials, EU and NATO strategists, bankers and affiliated think tanks. This arrangement exposes the rot of the entire political establishment. The traditional workers parties and the nominal left, long integrated into the machinery of capitalist rule, are utterly discredited and incapable of offering any alternative. Their complicity in decades of austerity, NATO militarism in the war against Russia, and tacit support for Israels genocide in Gaza has further alienated their social base, leaving a political vacuum exploited by the far right. The Netherlands mirrors a broader international and European crisis: the hollowing out of democratic forms, the fusion of state and security apparatuses, and the ruling classs desperate efforts to maintain control amid a deepening breakdown of bourgeois democracy. In this political backdrop, internationally, the Dutch election was widely portrayed as a litmus test for European coalition stability and the populist surge. The Guardian framed it as a choice between a populist breakthrough or a return to centrist coalition governance, while Reuters stressed that the PVVs initial lead did not guarantee control due to the cordon sanitaire imposed by other established parties following the governments collapse in June. Media pundits and think tanks noted that the Dutch outcome could shape both European populist momentum and EU/NATO alignment. Polls in fact revealed extraordinary volatility, with public trust in official politics at an all-time historical low. Up to half the electorate remained undecided in the final days, reflecting the absence of any party advancing an anti-capitalist, anti-profit, anti-nationalist and anti-war programme. The results in return were considered a last-minute surprise outcome, underscoring the extraordinary fragility and volatility of Dutch bourgeois politics: a tie between the so-called centrist-liberal Democrats 66 (D66), led by 38-year-old Rob Jetten, and the far-right PVV, led by Geert Wilders. D66 surged unexpectedly and to its own surprise from nine to 26 seats. The PVV lost roughly a third of its votes and won 26 seats, or 17 percent of the vote. Behind them, the Christian Democratic Appeal (CDA) rebounded to 18 from five seats, profiting from the collapse of its split-off New Social Contract (NSC) that went to zero from 20 seats. The merged progressive GroenLinksLabour Party (GLPvdA) dropped to 20 from 25; the ex-Maoist Socialist Party (SP) was reduced to three from five; the right-wing liberal Peoples Party for Freedom and Democracy (VVD) to 22 from 24; the agrarian populist FarmerCitizen Movement (BBB) to four from seven. The far-right splinters JA21 and Forum for Democracy (FvD) gained nine and seven seats, respectively. All former coalition parties lost votes and seats compared to 2023. With 76 seats required for a majority, months of backroom coalition talks are expected, though trade unions have appealed for swift cabinet formation to address mounting social discontent. The initial outcomes reveal Dutch politics shifting sharply further to the right, though the unexpected D66 surge among youth and urban workers reflects a counter-vote against fascism. International commentary stressed that the real test lies not in vote counts but in coalition formation. The negotiations are confined to parties committed to war budgets, austerity, and authoritarian rule, demonstrating that Dutch parliamentary elections, three in five years, function as a management tool for big capital and pandemic-to-war profiteering. Though an exact demographic breakdown of voting patterns is not yet available, early exit poll data indicates that young workers and first-time voters have primarily driven D66s unexpected ascent. It is believed that the Generation Zs (born 19972012) vote offset the far rights earlier anticipated advantage, reducing the PVVs seats by a third from 37 in 2023. D66 polled strongest in industrial urban centres such as in Amsterdam, Rotterdam and Utrecht, while the PVVs base remained mostly older and rural. The pattern reflects a broader European and international trend: youth voting for progressive but essentially right-wing partiespolitical jackals in sheepskinin the absence of any genuine alternative. All party manifestos revealed a fundamental consensus toward authoritarian and militarist priorities, albeit with differences in technicalities and semantics. D66, while styling itself as liberal-progressive, mirrors the PVVs policies shorn of ethno-supermacist Dutch-first rhetoric. On immigration, D66 proposes stricter asylum procedures, offshore pre-screening, and prioritisation of vulnerable cases, an echo of the PVVs mass-deportation agenda. On defence and security, D66 backs the 2 percent GDP military spending, cyber-capability expansion and enhanced domestic surveillanceNATO-aligned militarism under liberal packaging. On social policy, its housing and welfare proposals remain bound by fiscal discipline, echoing the PVVs austerity line. What was once far-right policy has been normalised across the parliamentary playing field, differing only in tone and presentation. Dutch media and international commentary noted that the triad of housing, healthcare and immigration dominated voter priorities. In the weeks leading up to the elections, over 56 percent of voters ranked housing as their top concern, above immigration at 42 percentthe latter a campaign primarily stoked by the far right in recent years, scapegoating immigrant workers and refugees for the unravelling social crisis. Ballooning rents, chronic shortages in affordable housing and the link between exaggerated claims of migrant inflows and housing pressure were emphasised by the media, with scant reports from investigative journalists attempting to negate the anti-immigrant narrativeproving that immigrant workers, especially from Eastern Europe, who are chronically underpaid and lack rudimentary labour protection, are in fact disproportionately burdened by higher rents and exploitation by private landlords and businesses alike, while paying millions in taxes in return for meagre incomes. Healthcare continues to face budget cuts, understaffing, and the lingering pandemic strain shaping voter sentiment across the spectrum. Dutch complicity in the genocide in Gaza through crucial logistics and arms exports also entered the election debate, revealing growing awareness of how Dutch foreign policy connects to domestic policy. The Netherlands also remains a chief frontline state in NATOs military build-up against Russia and in support of Israels war and occupation in Gaza. The outgoing cabinet increased defence spending beyond 2 percent of GDP and expanded arms exports despite mass anti-war Red Line protests. D66 and GroenLinksPvdA fully embrace NATOs European security agenda, demonstrating that rhetoric aside, militarism and alignment with European imperialist strategic priorities are bipartisan. The coalition arithmetic, in whichever constellation, guarantees that no major shift in political orientation will occur. Whether a centrist D66CDAGLPvdAVVD big tent government, or a far-right coalition led by a PVVBBBCDAJA21 bloc, both would deepen migration crackdowns, militarism, and severe austerity. Whatever emerges in the coming months will mean tighter borders, restricted social spending, and stepped-up militarisation. D66s progressive sheen, rooted largely in an affluent, queer-friendly and alternative-lifestyle upper-middle-class milieu, offers no serious opposition to the far-right agenda; it merely repackages and softens it. The far rights continued presence is therefore not an aberration but a symptom of the decay of the entire political order. The ruling class, confronted by growing discontent among workers and youth, increasingly relies on authoritarian and fascistic forces to contain political radicalisation. The PVV functions both as battering ram and safety valve. Its possible exclusion from government would not mean its defeat but its continued role in pushing all parties rightward. Meanwhile, though the youth and urban vote has demonstrated a counter-force, it is one contained within the parliamentary system and tied to fragile coalition arithmetic. In a telling demonstration, Frans Timmermans wasted no time in announcing his resignation as leader of the recently formed GLPvdA alliance, within hours of the first exit polls showing his bloc falling short of projections and slipping behind Rob Jettens D66. His swift departure epitomised the political bankruptcy of the so-called progressive left alliance, which had spent years backing NATO militarism and austerity while posturing as the moral counterweight to the rising far right. The vacuum left by its electoral defeat was seized upon by Geert Wilders, who, despite his partys electoral setback, defiantly told reporters that he is to stay and to buckle up we are only getting started. His words summed up both the emboldenment of the far right at the political treachery of the media-baptised Dutch centre-left paving the way for the fascists. The Dutch working class and youth should not spend a wink of confidence on parties and satellites tied up in myriad strings to a rotten nation system. It must build its own independent organs of political organisation and struggle: rank-and-file committees in workplaces, schools and urban neighbourhoods with immigrant communities, linking the fight against austerity, housing, healthcare and education cuts to the broader struggle against imperialist war and racism. Immigrants and refugees must be defended, not scapegoated; the unity of Dutch and immigrant workers and youth is the fundamental precondition for genuine social transformation. Whatever its final configuration, the October 29 election will not restore stability. Rather, it marks another stage in the disintegration of a political order that no longer commands legitimacy and will claim any expression of social, cultural and human dignity. As seen in France, Germany and Britain, as the ruling establishment is decomposing, the vacuum is being filled by political reaction. The answer cannot be a return to the old or new progressive parties of capitalism, but the building of a politically independent socialist movement rooted in internationalism, with the working class as its driving revolutionary force. The Dutch election thus stands as a mirror for the continent: a Europe trapped between imperialist war, authoritarian drift, and social collapse. No appeal to its henchmen, illusions on coalition arithmetic, or pragmatic management will halt the descent into a political abyss playing into the hands of the fascists. Only an independent movement of workers, breaking decisively from the capitalist nation-state and its political instruments of profit making, can open a way forward. Build a Dutch section of the International Committee of the Fourth International (ICFI) it is urgent! Chattanooga VW workers [Photo: Volkswagen US Media] Workers at the Volkswagen plant in Chattanooga, Tennessee, members of the United Auto Workers (UAW), voted in favor of strike authorization this week following the posting by management of its so-called final offer. The margin was substantially above the minimum two-thirds majority required to authorize a strike under the UAW constitution, the union said, but UAW officials did not release the exact totals. The union called managements offer inadequate and submitted its own counteroffer in response. However, after more than one year of fruitless negotiations for a first contract since winning union recognition in April 2024, the UAW has set no strike deadline and details of its counterproposal are sketchy. Managements final offer, posted on online, contained a wage proposal that would leave workers at the end of the four-year deal substantially behind workers at the Detroit automakers. The terms of that contract fell well short of what workers needed to make up for decades of UAW givebacks throughout the auto industry, let alone put them ahead. The union rejected the proposal, citing weak job security guarantees and the need for improvements in healthcare but has pleaded with management to continue talks. VWs final offer included significant health insurance premiums and co-pays. Job security, in UAW doublespeak, means lowering labor costs through cuts to wages and working conditions to boost corporate profitability and competitiveness. However, none of the concessions contracts negotiated by the union over the past decades saved a single job. This policy instead has left a trail of closed plants and devastated communities in its wake. UAW membership has fallen from a peak of 1.5 million in 1979 to around 375,000 today. It is therefore significant that the UAW is not demanding wages equal to Ford, GM and Stellantis in the VW negotiations, an enormous cost savings to management that undercuts Big Three workers. Nor has it addressed the status of temporary and contract workers, who earn wages far below those of regular, full-time workers and have no rights under the terms of managements proposal. The UAW appears ready to accept the permanent sub-tier of casual workers at the plant, who can be pitted against full-time workers. The union is not even taking the elementary step of demanding the contract expiration align with the Detroit automakers, undermining solidarity and weakening the position of both VW workers and workers at the US-based car companies. At the same time, Volkswagen has adopted the bulk of the corporatist language contained in the terms of contracts with the Detroit automakers, tying the UAW at the hip to corporate management. Volkswagen has long experience with the IG Metall union in Germany in the running of so-called Works Councils that serve to completely subordinate workers to diktats of management, suppressing worker militancy while working to impose huge cuts to jobs and conditions. Volkswagen had been stymied from imposing a similar set up in the United States due to laws still on the books against company unions. But in 2014 the UAW offered its services to VW to help set up a works council in exchange for union recognition. It signed an agreement utterly subordinating the union to the companys drive for profit, declaring it would help in maintaining and where possible enhancing the cost advantages and other competitive advantages [Volkswagen] enjoys relative to its competitors in the United States and North America. However, workers saw no reason to join a union that openly identified itself with corporate management and voted decisively against union recognition at the time. Another attempt by the UAW in 2019 also failed. While the rhetoric of the UAW may have changed under the administration of UAW President Shawn Fain, the essential pro-corporate and nationalist policy of the UAW apparatus remains the same as under the previous gang of corrupt, company operatives. The UAW under Fain completely identifies its interests with those of corporate management and the American capitalist state. This is most graphically demonstrated by the full support that Fain has given to the fascist Trumps program of tariffs. While Fain falsely claims the tariffs are designed to protect the jobs of American workers, in reality they are aimed at building a Fortress American in preparation for global war against China and other US economic rivals. Fain has offered the services of the UAW apparatus to impose war-time labor discipline on workers. Modeled on the so-called Arsenal of Democracy alliance of the UAW with the Roosevelt administration during World War II, this included a union-enforced ban on strikes and the jailing of socialists. Workers need organization. But they need genuine fighting rank-and-file based organizations, not bureaucratized unions wedded to corporate interests. This means building rank-and-file committees to transfer power from the UAW apparatus to the workers on the shop floor. Affiliated with the International Workers Alliance of Rank-and-File Committees (IWA-RFC), these committees will also fight for the global unification of autoworkers. Volkswagen reported a $1.5 billion loss in the third quarter of 2025, which it attributes to the impact of Trumps tariffs and the shift away from EV production at Porsche. The company said it expects another $5.8 billion hit to profits due to tariffs. Workers should be warned that in Germany the company is currently collaborating with IG Metall in imposing massive cuts of 35,000 out of 120,000 jobs over the next several years. Real wages will be cut by up to 18 percent. This is being deemed a success by the union. This is only a small part of a global jobs bloodbath that is underway in the auto industry as US and European corporations respond to tariffs and challenges of Chinese EV makers by employing AI, automation and other technologies to pump more production out of fewer workers. This week General Motors announced the elimination of 1,200 jobs at its EV plant in Detroit and thousands of temporary layoffs at its Ultium battery plants in Ohio and Tennessee. VW has been seriously impacted by a chip shortage sparked by the standoff between the US and China over control of global chip maker Nexperia, based in the Netherlands, but under Chinese ownership. Under pressure from the US, the government of the Netherlands took control of Nexperia. Trump is also insisting that the Netherlands replace the companys CEO, who is Chinese, as a condition for easing restrictions. In an effort to placate Trump, Volkswagen even floated the idea of building a US plant for its Audi subsidiary in Chattanooga. For VW workers to wage a successful fight they must forge links with workers at GM, Ford and Stellantis, as well as VW workers in Germany who are battling relentless corporate attacks on jobs, pay and working conditions. The nationalist and pro-capitalist program of the UAW blocks such a fight. The defense of jobs means rejecting the fratricidal program of the UAW of pitting of American workers against their class brothers in Mexico, Canada, Europe and Asia and the international unification of the working class based on a socialist program. This means building and expanding the International Workers Alliance of Rank-and-File Committees (IWA-RFC). To join the fight to build the IWA-RFC, fill out the form below. Brazil's President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva [Photo: Netflix] Petra Costas documentary Apocalypse in the Tropics has drawn significant international attention by examining the relationship between a segment of the evangelical movement tied to dominion theology and the fascist far right personified by former president Jair Bolsonaro in Brazil. In the first two weeks after its July 14 premiere on the Netflix streaming platform, the documentary was the seventh most-watched non-English-language title worldwide. Without a doubt, Apocalypse in the Tropics has attracted such interest by taking up a Brazilian political question that has significant international parallels. Across the world, ruling elites have used various forms of religious fundamentalismChristian, Islamic, Hindu, Buddhistto promote fascistic movements as part of their turn toward authoritarian forms of rule. That is certainly the case in the United States under President Donald Trump, a close ally of Bolsonaro who counts among his base the same fundamentalist evangelical movements depicted in Apocalypse in the Tropics. Costa gained international prominence with her Oscar-nominated 2019 documentary, The Edge of Democracy. It dealt with the political crisis that erupted beginning in 2013 in Brazil, leading to the trumped-up 2016 impeachment of Workers Party (PT) President Dilma Rousseff in the midst of one of the most severe economic crises the country had experienced in a century. Apocalypse in the Tropics is a continuation of Petra Costas earlier documentary. In an interview on the 20 Minutos program, she explained that The Edge of Democracy was produced with the aim of understanding democracy at risk in Brazil with Dilmas impeachment. According to her, Overnight, the ground I stood on was no longer there. So where were we going? [In] Apocalypse in the Tropics, that ground cracked, opened up. I see the precipice and at the end of that precipice I see this possible theocratic path [in Brazil]. Costas latest film portrays political events that followed Rousseffs impeachment. Among them are: the jailing of current Workers Party President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in 2018; Bolsonaros political rise to power in 2019; the political relationship between Bolsonaro and evangelical pastor Silas Malafaia; and the fascist attack on the seats of the three branches of government in Brasilia during the January 8, 2023 coup attempt. Despite addressing such critical events, Apocalypse in the Tropics does so from Costas subjective and pessimistic point of view. This perspective is rooted in the political sensibilities of a petty-bourgeois milieu enthusiastic about the PT and the countless variants of postmodern philosophy dominant in the universities. Explaining why she chose to narrate her own films, Costa said in the 20 Minutos interview that she studied anthropology in the United States, and in the 70s, 80s it went through a movement of self-critique for preaching an objectivity that does not exist. She continued: So many ethnographers began to speak in the first person, because they thought that was the most honest way, that it was above all a point of view. It was not the naked, raw truth. That truth does not exist. As a consequence, the documentary offers no objective explanation for the crisis of what she calls Brazils fragile democracy, ignoring the PTs political role as a pillar of the bourgeois regime in Brazil since the end of the military dictatorship in 1985, and its role in Bolsonaros political ascent. Apocalypse in the Tropics theological explanation for Bolsonaros political rise The central figure of Apocalypse in the Tropics is evangelical pastor Silas Malafaia, whom Petra Costa interviews numerous times throughout the documentary. A typical entrepreneur of faith who built a profitable media and religious-merchandise empire, Malafaia is one of Brazils leading representatives of the neo-Pentecostal movement and the so-called prosperity gospel. Brazil's fascist ex-president Jair Bolsonaro and evangelical pastor Silas Malafaia at a rally demanding amnesty for the January 8, 2023 coup plotters. [Photo: Joedson Alves/Agencia Brasil] The film portrays the political relationships cultivated by Malafaia since the start of the century, when he supported Lulas presidential bid in 2002, up through his active engagement in Jair Bolsonaros 2018 election campaign. Malafaia became a close adviser to the former president, backing his coup plots and, as the documentary shows, fervently urging Bolsonaro to call on the Armed Forces to remain in power after his electoral defeat in October 2022. Malafaia and Bolsonaro are the most notable recent exponents in Brazil of the merging of evangelical fundamentalism and anti-communism. In Apocalypse in the Tropics, Malafaia appears at various moments of his culture war against the left. He vigorously attacks the Frankfurt School and cultural Marxism, which, according to him, wage an ideological war on religion. Explaining his relationship to politics, Malafaia says: I regret to say one thing ... a great many pastors stayed on the mountain of religion ... they alienated themselves from what is happening, and I didnt. Costa characterizes Malafaia and Bolsonaro as representatives of dominionism, or theology of dominion, an ideology that preaches that Christians should control every aspect of society. As an example, Apocalypse in the Tropics shows Malafaias influence over Bolsonaros appointment of the evangelical minister Andre Mendonca to the Supreme Federal Court (STF). Like The Edge of Democracy, the documentary is shot through with Costas astonishment at the events she narrates. After showing powerful footage of the Bolsonaro governments wholesale negligence during the COVID-19 pandemic, she says: At first, it seemed strange to me that the same Jesus who preached love and forgiveness could be used to justify a government with so little empathy. To try to understand this, Costa says she turned to the Bible, particularly the final book of the New Testament. The Book of Revelation is a key text for the fundamentalist evangelical movement, she argues. Here, war leads to peace, war leads to freedom, war is a necessary evil to fight a greater evil. In this way, Apocalypse in the Tropics attempts to explain the origins of the acute social and political contradictions in capitalist Brazil as a crisis of narratives. This false political thesisanchored in the directors postmodernist conceptionsis accompanied in the film by a forced correlation between the growth in the number of evangelicals in Brazil and Bolsonaros rise to power. In what Costa describes as one of the greatest religious changes in the history of humanity, the documentary notes that over the last 40 years, evangelicals have grown from 5 percent to more than 30 percent [in fact, 27 percent] of Brazils population. A similar explanation is shared by Lula and the PT, who attribute the growth of the far right to the aggressive use of social networks and to fake newssuch as the lie spread during the 2018 elections that the PT intended to create unisex bathrooms, which is mentioned several times in Apocalypse in the Tropics. This version of events, which corresponds to the self-indulgent excuses offered by a party that watched its base among workers plummet, reduces the population to a passive mass infinitely manipulable by political and religious charlatans. Totally absent from this narrative are the objective material conflicts existing in society. It omits the class interests represented by PT governments, which served as the preferred vehicle of the national and imperialist bourgeoisie to manage a regime of social injustice and to impose escalating economic attacks on the working class. The mass rejection of the PT, portrayed by Costa as an untarnished left-wing party, is, according to this narrative, to be explained by a pathological deviation of the working classs political consciousness to the right. The political use of evangelical fundamentalism by U.S. imperialism A section of Apocalypse in the Tropics portrays the influence of evangelical fundamentalism in US political life during the second half of the twentieth century, and its repercussions for Brazil. Costa has addressed the parallels between these movements in the US and Brazil in several interviews she has given about her documentary. In one of them, the director drew an analogy between the partnership of Malafaia and Bolsonaro and the association between Pastor Peter Wagner, a key figure of American neo-Pentecostalism, and former president Ronald Reagan. In 1980, Reagan was supported by the right-wing evangelical Moral Majority movement, which counted Wagner and Jerry Falwell among its main leaders. From the 1960s onward, with an emerging crisis of global capitalism amid the Cold War, the anti-communist agitation of evangelical leaders was increasingly employed in the operations of American imperialism, both in the US and in Latin America. Washington watched with apprehension the increasing radicalization of workers and peasants movements in Latin American countries. In the rural areas and urban peripheries of the region the most Catholic and the most socially unequal in the worldthe influence of liberation theology grew, which, as Apocalypse in the Tropics recounts, evoked a Jesus who defended social justice and challenged power structures. This movement was propelled by the Second Vatican Council (19621965), which developed the social doctrine of the Catholic Church and helped forge tens of thousands of Base Ecclesial Communities (CEBS), many of them influenced by liberation theology. The growth of this sector of Catholicism, to the detriment of the churchs more openly reactionary legacy, led Washington to question the Catholic Churchs capacity to contain socialist influence in Latin America. The State Department and CIA began to intensively promote fundamentalist evangelical movements. Apocalypse in the Tropics shows documents from the 1950s and 1960s from the International Council For Christian Leadership. The organization sponsored English classes taught by American missionaries for Brazilian congressmen, who could thus be converted in one fell swoop to Christ and to capitalism, the film says. A document dated May 12, 1965 states ...what Brazil desperately needs is a group of dedicated Christian leaders, and, to that end, proposes a Missionary Task to reach 15,000,000 non-Protestant families and a Missionary Force of 3,000 foreign missionaries, 60,000 Brazilian pastor and lay leaders, 3,000,000 Protestant church members. Apocalypse in the Tropics features scenes from the anti-communist crusades of Billy Graham, the most well known representative of the evangelical fundamentalism promoted by American imperialism in the twentieth century. Billy Graham [Photo by Roland Gerrits / Anefo / CC BY-SA 1.0 The Brazilian military dictatorship (19641985) promoted the American evangelical leaders fascistic mass rallies. The film shows Graham speaking at Maracana Stadium in 1974 to the largest crowd ever gathered in North and South America, and one of the largest in the world, according to him. His five-day tour brought together about 615,000 people in Rio de Janeiro, and he was welcomed by the military dictator Gen. Ernesto Geisel. The Workers Party and religion Apocalypse in the Tropics sheds light on one particular aspect of Lula and the PTs trajectory: their relationship with religion. In one segment of the film, Lula explains the rise of neo-Pentecostalism in Brazil by emphasizing the limits of the unions and the Catholic Church in solving workers problems. According to Lula, an unemployed person: ...comes to the prosperity gospel and there are two words: The problem is the devil and the solution is Jesus. It is very simple. You are unemployed because the devil entered your life and the way out is Jesus. ... I have a thesis that what led socialism to failure was the denial of religion. This confessed rejection of socialism and embrace of deceiving workers through religion exposes the deep political corruption of Lula and the PT. Such a conception goes back to the PTs very political origins. Founded in 1980, amid a mass social upsurge of the working class that would lead to the overthrow of the military dictatorship, the PT was a product of the convergence between Catholic sectors linked to the Base Ecclesial Communities (CEBS), the new unionism represented by Lula, and Pabloite renegades from Trotskyism. By the late 1970s, there were more than 80,000 CEBS spread across Brazil. These Catholic organizations influenced by liberation theology were embedded in rural movements for agrarian reform and in union and social-reform movements in the cities. Catholic intellectuals such as Leonardo Boff and Frei Betto, who remain central influences on the PT and the Landless Workers Movement (MST), systematized an anti-Marxist ideology based on an amalgam of reformist critiques of capitalism and imperialism together with the promotion of religious faith. But perhaps the most influential author associated with liberation theology and the PT was the educator Paulo Freireone of the favorite targets of Bolsonaro and Malafaias culture war against supposed left-wing indoctrination in schools. A Christian socialist, Freire eclectically assembled diverse anti-Marxist philosophical currents, combining aspects of Hegelian idealism, existentialism, and the Frankfurt School. The political role played by liberation theology in the PTs genesis was to consciously divert the explosive struggles of the working class and the impoverished masses of Latin America from the path of the revolutionary overthrow of the capitalist system. Today, the consequences of these conceptions are even more exposed. Attacks on workers and the poor in Brazil continue in the current Lula administration, his third, as he seeks to strengthen the very Armed Forces responsible for the 1964 coup and that supported Bolsonaros dictatorial-fascist conspiracy. By contrast, there is growing opposition in Brazil and internationally to attempts by fascist leaders, like President Donald Trump in the United States and Bolsonaro in Brazil, to employ religious fundamentalism in their drive to install dictatorial regimes of the capitalist oligarchy. Apocalypse in the Tropics touches on important political problems and draws attention to relevant historical and contemporary figures and episodes. Its explanations of these phenomena are, however, muddled, mistaken, or outright reactionary. The growing layers of workers and youth who are being radicalized by the deepening social and political crisis, by the advance of fascism and of world war, need a scientific understanding of these political problems. Above all, it is necessary to understand this turn by the ruling classes toward barbarism as a direct product of the crisis of the global capitalist system. Confronting it requires building a revolutionary mass movement of the working class for world socialism. Nobel Laureate Wole Soyinka, speaks to The Associated Press during an interview at freedom park in Lagos, Nigeria, Thursday, Oct. 28, 2021. [AP Photo/Sunday Alamba] On October 28, Wole Soyinka, world-renowned Nigerian poet, author, playwright and professor and the first African to win the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1986, revealed that the US government had revoked a visa previously issued to him. The revocation of Soyinkas US visa is not an isolated incident but part of a sweeping drive by the Trump administration to criminalize political dissent and equate opposition to the US government with terrorism. It comes amid a wave of visa cancellations and detentions targeting journalists, academics, artists and students who have spoken against the genocide in Gaza or criticized the administration and its reactionary policies. A gifted writer and intellectual, Soyinka, born July 13, 1934, in Abeokuta, Nigeria, has taught at universities around the world, including Cambridge, Oxford, Harvard and Yale. In 1966, while Chair of Drama at the University of Ibadan, Soyinka was arrested and imprisoned for 22 months, held in solitary confinement by the Nigerian federal military government under General Yakubu Gowon. In Tuesdays press conference, Soyinka, a gifted political satirist, explained how the US government revoked his visa. He began by reading the first line of a rather curious love letter I received from an embassy. Reading from the letter Soyinka said, Consulate General of the United States of America Lagos, Nigeria October, 23, 2025. Dear Mr. Soyinka, this letter serves as official notification by the United States consulate general in Lagos that the nominated visa listed below has been revoked pursuant to the authority contained in the US Department of State Regulation (blah blah blah blah) and its no longer valid application for entry into the United States etc. Soyinka recalled the history of this visa which was issued when an accident happened to my green card which some of you might remember. After Trump was first inaugurated in 2017 Soyinka recalled predicting that Trumps first mission in office would be withdrawing all permanent documents especially the permanent residence card so I said I will save him time by having an accident happen to my green card ... when I was looking at my green card it fell between the fingers of a pair of scissors and it got cut into a couple of pieces thats what happened to my green card. I demoted myself After this accident, which Soyinka spoke publicly about at the time he received a letter from the Internal Revenue Service of the United States of America saying that an audit of my tax returns was about to take place going back about five years. After noting the interesting coincidence about this notice of an upcoming audit just after an accident happened to my green card Soyinka went to the US embassy to straighten out the situation because he did not want to be seen as a tax dodger. He said after leaving the embassy he was issued a B-1/B-2 visa (a business and tourist visa) by the US government. Since being issued those visas, Soyinka has not been charged with a crime, yet he received a letter from the US consulate earlier this month stating that certain facts had come to the governments attention and that they wanted him to come to the embassy to answer a few questions. If he did not, the government would have no choice but to revoke his visa. Soyinka courageously rejected the request explaining, I spoke frankly, Im not interested. It has nothing to do with me personally, it has to do with the treatment which I know the brutal cruel and often unbelievable treatment being meted out to strangers, immigrants, even in some cases permanent residents which of course include quite a number of Nigerians. I know of a number of Nigerians who are turned back. I mean, who live in the United States, who have lived there all their lives, saw them have businesses, they have grown-up children, families who are even citizens of our country, but we just left in the normal way, to visit home and then found at the airport they were not allowed to get on that plane because in the meantime either their visas were under examination or had in fact been revoked. But they were not allowed to go back etc. He concluded, So its not really about me, Im not interested in going back to the United States. Sad, but a principle is involved, human beings deserve to be treated decently wherever they are, wherever they drop their buckets, even places where theyre just visiting briefly. Soyinka noted that the visa doling department is now looking into past history ... anybody with any past criminal act, even felony, just misdemeanor, was qualified for revocation of visa. Soyinka recounted the revocation of Oscar Ariass visa in April of this year. He noted that the former president of Costa Ricas visa was revoked after he likened Trump to a Roman emperor in a social media post, which he said cheekily, was not very nice. So I had to look to see whether I had committed any similar crime and I remembered that I referred to him as the white version of Idi Amin, you know, dictators are very difficult to please. I would have thought that he was pleased, I mean Idi Amin was a man of international stature, a statesman, a first class democrat. He also called himself the King of Scotland, he called himself a liberator. In fact, he said he was going to liberate Scotland from the grip of the British ... he was liberating people everywhere, some he even liberated them from their lives. So when I called Donald Trump Idi Amin, I thought I was paying him a compliment. He recalled that Trump said he was going to rule as a dictator, hes been behaving like a dictator, he should be proud to be acknowledged as a dictator, first class. Soyinka noted that he had previously written plays about the Ugandan dictator Amin, Maybe its about time to write a play about Donald Trump, maybe when he hears I am paying him the same literary compliment as I paid Idi Amin maybe he will reconsider and return my visa. Soyinka ended the press conference referring back to the letter sent to him by the US consulates office, We request you bring your visa to the US consulate general Lagos for physical cancellation With a smile Soyinka said, I like people who have a sense of humor and this is one of the most humorous sentences or requests Ive had in all my life. That I should bring my passport to the consulate to have it stamped on a page, canceled. Would any of you like to volunteer in my place for me because Im a little bit busy and rushed The persecution of Soyinka, a 91-year-old teacher and artist, for his opinions exposes the immense fragility of the American state and of the capitalist system as a whole. Under capitalism, democratic rights for all, citizens or not, are being systematically destroyed while fascists and Nazi sympathizers are rewarded with government power, and figures like Elon Musk receive multi-billion dollar bonuses. The First Amendment is a dead letter for millions of people in the United States. Earlier this week, British journalist Sami Hamdi was seized by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents at San Francisco International Airport as he began a speaking tour sponsored by the Council on American-Islamic Relations. Hamdi, a frequent commentator on BBC, Sky News and Al Jazeera, was denounced as a terrorist by a DHS spokesperson for the crime of condemning Israels mass murder of Palestinians. He joins a growing list of journalists and students, like Mahmoud Khalil, Rumeysa Ozturk, Momodou Taal and others, who have been targeted by the Trump regime for expressing opposition to genocide. In August, Fox News reported that the State Department had revoked more than 6,000 student visas since January, with hundreds of cases linked to political activism, particularly on campuses where students have organized anti-war and pro-Palestinian demonstrations. The targeting of Soyinka also follows the Trump administrations revocation of US visas for the British punk-rap duo Bob Vylan, whose performance at Glastonbury included anti-genocide chants denouncing Israels massacre in Gaza. Their crime was to articulate the sentiments of millions of youth and workers who oppose the US-backed genocide. Trumps fascistic regime rewards war criminals like Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (and Trump himself) and silences artists, journalists and students. A Pentagon internal memo, made public in several news reports Wednesday and Thursday, sets a January 1 deadline for the establishment of quick reaction forces of about 500 National Guard soldiers in each of the 50 states which could be deployed within 24 hours notice to suppress civil unrest in American cities. The memo follows an executive order issued by President Trump in September, after the occupation of Washington D.C. by thousands of National Guard troops and armed federal agents, ostensibly for the purposes of fighting crime and protecting federal agents as they carry out violent raids targeting immigrants for arrest, detention and deportation. Members of the National Guard patrol along a street in Memphis, Tenn. Friday, Oct. 10, 2025. [AP Photo/George Walker IV] The total number of soldiers in all 50 states and four territories comes to 23,500, with a few states and territories allowed to provide fewer than 500 soldiers because of their small populations, including Guam, the Virgin Islands, Delaware and Alaska. In each of the states, the Pentagon is sending in personnel to provide training in crowd control, handling of detainees, and use of non-lethal weapons such as batons, tasers and launchers for teargas and pepper balls. A report Thursday on the website of the Washington Post drew out the implications of the training and equipment directives: The Pentagon has ordered thousands of specialized National Guard personnel to complete civil unrest mission training over the next several months, an indication that the Trump administrations effort to send uniformed military forces into urban centersonce reserved for extraordinary emergenciescould become the norm The mandate, along with the growing presence of federal and immigration enforcement officers, suggests further military deployments within the United States could grow in size and scope. The Post cited an October 8 memo from National Guard Bureau Director of Operations Maj. Gen. Ronald Burkett, approving the dispatch of military trainers to every state to ensure that every quick reaction force will be up and running by January 1, 2026. This date is much earlier than previously reported, and indicates that the Trump administration is preparing to suppress protests well before the November 2026 congressional elections. According to the memo, the National Guard Bureau will train and equip state units in civil disturbance operations and provide each unit with 100 sets of crowd control equipment. In each state, troops must learn how to form Squad-sized Riot Control Formation, how to employ a Riot Baton as a Member of a Riot Control Formation, and how to Supervise a Riot/Crowd Control Operation. Each state must report monthly on its progress via an online defense readiness reporting system. In the course of his visit to Japan and South Korea, would-be dictator Trump reiterated his claim to absolute authority over deploying National Guard and regular troops within the United States. In a speech to an audience of sailors, he declared, Were sending in our National Guard, and if we need more than the National Guard, well send more than the National Guard, because were going to have safe cities. Asked later about this remark, he told reporters that judges had no right to review his military decisions, particularly if he invoked the Insurrection Act: The courts wouldnt get involved. Nobody would get involved. And I could send the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines. I could send anybody I wanted. While Trump has deployed National Guard troops to Washington D.C., Memphis and Los Angeles since June, orders to deploy troops to Chicago, and Portland, Oregon have been blocked by federal court rulings, which the administration is challenging at the Appeals Court level and the Supreme Court. In the case of Chicago, where ICE agents have carried out their most violent and provocative attacks against immigrant communities, the Supreme Court Wednesday asked for additional briefs from both the Trump administration and the state of Illinois over whether Trump can deploy troops from Illinois and other states into Chicago. This means that a ruling is unlikely until mid-November. The California Department of Justice wrote in an amicus brief to the Supreme Court that the Trump administration was arguing for a definition of rebellion to include resistance or opposition to authority or tradition, and even disobeying a legal command or summons. The state brief cited the history of the issue, declaring, it is not remotely plausible to think that Congress intended to adopt that expansive definition. In Portland, the federal appeals court reversed an initial decision by a three-judge panel to overturn a lower-court order blocking the deployment of the National Guard. The full appeals court will now review the issue. In a separate proceeding before District Judge Karen Immergut, the same judge who issued the order blocking deployment in Portland, state and local officials have charged that the Trump administration should be held in contempt of court for disobeying the injunction. A three-day trial began on Wednesday, with the federal Department of Justice admitting for the first time that some National Guard soldiers were deployed to the Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention center in Portland after the judge issued her order. In his opening statement, Deputy Assistant Attorney General Eric Hamilton argued that the protests at the ICE facility were disruptive, and declared, The Department of Homeland Security cannot contain this threat itself. The president had the authority to federalize the Oregon National Guard, and The presidents judgment is not subject to judicial review, he claimed, making Trump effectively all-powerful. Meanwhile, the Department of Justice admitted in a letter to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, the San Francisco-based appeals court which is considering the Portland case, that there were numerous errors in the administrations account of the events in that city, including overstating the number of Federal Protective Service officers that were sent there to guard the ICE detention center. This figure has been repeatedly cited as the reason that it was necessary to call up 200 Oregon National Guard troops. The Seventh Circuit, which is handling the Chicago appeal, wrote October 11 that lower courts found that all three of the federal governments declarations from those with firsthand knowledge were unreliable to the extent they omitted material information or were undermined by independent, objective evidence. In other words, the Trump administration has systematically lied about the facts on the ground in both cities in order to justify its mobilization of the National Guard. Also in Chicago, a Democratic congressional candidate was indicted on federal charges of conspiracy to impede or injure an ICE officer and assaulting that officer. Kat Abughazaleh, a 26-year-old Palestinian-American, is challenging longtime Democratic incumbent Jan Schakowsky in a heavily Democratic district in the northern Chicago suburbs, centered on Evanston. The case involves Abughazeleh and five other protesters banging on the car of the ICE agent who was trying to force his way through a crowd outside the ICE detention center in suburban Broadview. The charges could carry prison sentences of six years and eight years respectively, in what Abughazaleh called a political persecution. The long-awaited and closely watched summit between US President Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping took place yesterday in a reception hall on the Gimhae military airbase near Busan in South Korea. While Trump hailed the meeting as amazing and gave it a 12 out of 10, the outcome was no more than a fragile, one-year truce in the bitter economic war involving the worlds two largest economies. President Donald Trump, left, and Chinese President Xi Jinping, right, leave a facility after their meeting at Gimhae International Airport Jinping in Busan, South Korea, Thursday, Oct. 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein) [AP Photo/Schiefelbein] The meeting was overshadowed by Trumps highly provocative announcement, as he flew into the Gimhae base, that the US would immediately recommence nuclear testing in a move that threatens to dramatically escalate the nuclear arms race. Specifically naming Russia and China, he tweeted: Because of other countries testing programs, I have instructed the Department of War to start testing our Nuclear Weapons on an equal basis. As the media scrambled to make sense of the commentneither Russia nor China have tested nuclear weapons since the 1990sTrump met with Xi. In front of the cameras, it was all handshakes and smiles. Trump offered effusive praise for Xi as a well-respected great leader but a tough negotiator whom it was a great honour to meet. Xi obliquely chided Trump suggesting while the two nations do not always see eye to eye, that dialogue is better than confrontation. Behind closed doors, the exchanges were undoubtedly far more confrontational, even fiery. However, if Trump thought he could use his nuclear gambit to bully China to make concessions, he proved to be wrong. The summitthe first in Trumps second termwhich many thought would last hours, ended after 100 minutes. Clearly not much more was agreed beyond what had been already mapped out by US and Chinese negotiators in Malaysia last Sunday. At its conclusion there was no joint press conference, no photo ops, no joint statement and no signed agreement held up for the cameras. The two men were observed briefly shaking hands then going their own waysTrump back to the US, Xi returning to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit starting today that Trump was skipping. The only details of what was supposedly agreed were provided by Trump as he regaled journalists aboard Air Force One about the great success of his meeting with Xi. Trump said he and Xi had agreed on an outstanding group of decisions and that a trade deal would be signed pretty soon, adding: We have not too many stumbling blocks. The Chinese foreign ministry, however, spoke only in general terms saying that a consensus had been reached on issues including anti-drug co-operation on fentanyl, expanding agricultural product trade, and rolling back recent export curbs and trade restrictions. Xi has made no public statement on the talks. What was centrally agreed was a one-year truce on the implementation of tit-for-tat economic measures that almost derailed the meeting. Moves towards a truce in the economic war were thrown into disarray last month after the Trump administration expanded the range of companies, including many Chinese ones, banned from accessing American technology. Trump is seeking to cripple Chinas hi-tech industries with restrictions on the export of top end computer chips and chip making equipment. China responded on October 9 by announcing more stringent controls on the export of rare earths, over which China has a virtual monopoly. Lack of rare earths threatens a broad range of US industries including those connected to the military. Trump declared he would call off the summit with Xi and impose an additional 100 percent tariff on Chinese goods, before backing down. Trump told the media he had brokered an outstanding group of decisions and that the US and China would sign a trade deal pretty soon. We have not too many stumbling blocks, he said, adding the fanciful prediction: Every year, we will review the deal, but I think the deal will go long beyond a year. According to Trump, the following was agreed: * The US will halve the 20 percent tariff imposed on China over claims that it was facilitating the flow of the opioid fentanyl into the United States. Trump said that Xi had promised to work very hard to curb exports of chemical ingredients needed to synthesise fentanyl. The decision will bring the overall tariff rate on Chinese goods to about 47 percent. Trump withdrew that threatened 100 percent tariff prior to the summit. * The US agreed to postpone plans to charge higher fees for Chinese built and owned ships arriving at US ports. China will pause similar high fees for ships used by US companies in Chinese ports. * China agreed to resume and increase purchases of US soyabeans and other agricultural products. Trump posted on social media: Our Farmers will be very happy! I would like to thank President Xi for this! Trump also stated a very large-scale transaction may take place concerning the purchase of Oil and Gas from the Great State of Alaskaa claim that has been met with scepticism by economic analysts. * It remains unclear whether the US will ease restrictions on the export of advanced microchips to China. Trump said that it was now up to China to negotiate directly with Nvidia and the US government would act as arbitrator or referee. US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer claimed that Nvidias newest, most advanced Blackwell chips, were not discussed, even though Trump had earlier hinted they might be on the table. * On rare earths, China will suspend the introduction of harsh restrictions on exports announced on October 9, but earlier constraints imposed in April will remain. Significantly the markets got no immediate boost from what was reported from the meeting amid widespread concern that the truce between the two countries, which together account for more than 40 percent of world GDP and a third of world trade, will not last. Just to cite one of many commentators, Ja Ian Chong, a professor of political science at the National University of Singapore, told the New York Times: Maybe Im jaded because Ive seen this movie too many times, but these are issues that are relatively easy to roll back and also to accuse the other side of bad faith. While Xi has said nothing about the summit and the state media has been quite muted in its response, some Chinese commentators have suggested that the Chinese president managed to stare down Trump and came out on top. Any rejoicing about the easing of trade tensions ignores the obvious fact that the US is continuing to escalate war preparations above all against China and none of the geo-political issues that could spark a conflict have been resolved. Asked about the most dangerous potential flashpoint in Asia, Taiwan, Trump simply brushed it aside, declaring it had not been discussed. Trump said that the two leaders had discussed working together to end the war in Ukraine, but substantial differences over the conflict remain. Trump said he would travel to China in April and Xi would visit the United States sometime after that, but such plans could easily evaporate if tensions flare again. Moreover, the elephant in the roomthe announcement of renewed US nuclear testinghas barely been mentioned in the international media coverage of the Xi-Trump summit even though it is a profoundly destabilising factor internationally. It is clear proof that for all the talk of an easing of economic tensions, the truce is just a temporary pause, as US imperialism prepares for all-out war, above all against China which it regards as the chief threat to its global domination. Aboard Air Force One, Trump reaffirmed his decision to restart nuclear tests, saying that nuclear test sites would be determined later. Elevenlabs AudioNative Player The mushroom cloud from the worlds first test of a thermonuclear device (hydrogen bomb), over Enewetak Atoll in the Marshall Islands on November 1, 1952. [AP Photo/Los Alamos National Laboratory] On Thursday, President Donald Trump announced the resumption of US nuclear weapons testing, in the latest move by the United States to remove all remaining guardrails restricting its preparations for World War III. All countries in the world have officially banned nuclear testing, and the move makes the United States the only country in the world to allow the practice. Nuclear testing, beyond scattering deadly radiation into the atmosphere and contaminating groundwater, is universally understood as a massively escalatory act, expanding the possibility of nuclear war, whether through miscalculation or deliberate provocation. In 1963, one year after the United States and the Soviet Union came to the brink of nuclear war in the Cuban Missile Crisis, the Kennedy administration negotiated the Partial Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, which banned all nuclear testing except those conducted underground. In 1992, following the dissolution of the Soviet Union, President George H.W. Bush declared a unilateral ban on nuclear testing. In the decades before testing was banned, over 2,000 nuclear detonations were conducted, more than half of which were carried out by the United States. These tests sickened communities both inside the American West and throughout the South Pacific and rendered entire areas uninhabitable. Trump made his announcement just before he met with Chinese President Xi Jinping for talks in South Korea on the ongoing US-China trade war. Trump was using the US nuclear arsenal as a means to secure the predatory interests of US imperialism on the world stage, dangling over the head of humanity the threat of extermination through nuclear warfare. The United States has the worlds largest nuclear program, spending twice as much on nuclear weapons as Russia and China combined. The US is also the only country that has ever used nuclear weapons, exterminating the defenseless populations of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in order to threaten the Soviet Union at the end of the Second World War. In reporting Trumps announcement, the US media has failed to present any historical context or antecedents to it. But, far from being a spur-of-the-moment improvisation, US military planners have been actively discussing the resumption of nuclear testing since at least 2020. Trumps own post announcing the move clearly placed it in the context of a years-long buildup of the US nuclear arsenal. He wrote, The United States has more nuclear weapons than any other country. This was accomplished, including a complete update and renovation of existing weapons, during my first term in office. He added, I have instructed the Department of War to start testing our nuclear weapons on an equal basis. That process will begin immediately. Trumps post, however, only told part of the story. The nuclear buildup that he bragged about was, in fact, initiated under the Obama administration and continued in Trumps first term, Bidens term and now in the second Trump term. This nuclear buildup, which the vast majority of the American population is not aware of, has continued with complete bipartisan support, at a cost of more than $1 trillion. One year ago, the New York Times published an extensive feature story about the secret plan dedicated to making America nuclear again through the creation of a modern arsenal for a volatile new nuclear age. If you dont live where the submarines are welded or the missile silos are dug, theres a good chance you wouldnt know its happening, the Times wrote. The federal government has said little about the plan in public, outside of congressional hearings and strategy papers, or the vast amount being spent. There has been no significant debate. The billion-dollar programs move under the radar. In the year since the publication of that article, both the massive US nuclear buildup and the conspiracy of silence surrounding it have continued. In December, Congress approved the $895 billion National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), the largest military budget of any country in human history, including record funding of nuclear modernization efforts. In January, Trump announced that the United States would immediately begin the construction of a state-of-the-art Iron Dome missile defense shield. Far from being a defensive measure, this so-called Golden Dome would encourage the White House to threaten other countries with a preemptive nuclear first strike, since the missile shield would supposedly protect the US from retaliation. As part of the ongoing US nuclear buildup, the Trump administration has sought to eliminate all restrictions on the use of nuclear weapons. Most prominently, the United States withdrew from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty in August 2019, again under Trump. In response to Trumps announcement in October 2018 that the US would withdraw from the treaty, Russian President Vladimir Putin stated that Russia would embark on the development of a new series of nuclear delivery mechanisms, including an underwater drone known as the Poseidon and a new long-range cruise missile known as the Burevestnik. Russia recently conducted tests of the delivery mechanisms, but not the nuclear payload, of both systems, an act that Trump seized upon in order to announce the long-planned and long-discussed resumption of US nuclear testing. Following its withdrawal from the INF treaty, the US has moved to deploy nuclear weapons previously banned under the treaty to locations from which they can hit Russia and China. The Pentagon has extended the range of its Precision Strike Missile and has poured hundreds of millions of dollars into the development of a new nuclear-armed, sea-launched cruise missile known as the SLCM-N. The development of ballistic and cruise missiles previously banned under the INF Treaty has been combined with the escalation of direct attacks by Ukraine, a NATO proxy, deep inside Russia. This month, the Wall Street Journal reported, The Trump administration has lifted a key restriction on Ukraines use of some long-range missiles provided by Western allies, leading to an attack this month using UK-supplied Storm Shadow missiles on the city of Bryansk in southern Russia. Earlier this month, Trump confirmed he was considering sending Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine. Responding to Trumps threat, former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev observed, Its impossible to distinguish a nuclear Tomahawk missile from a conventional one in flight. Tomahawk missiles have long had the ability to deliver nuclear warheads. Between the deployment of short-range nuclear weapons on the borders of Russia and China, the lobbing of NATO-supplied long-range weapons into Russian cities, and the resumption of nuclear testing, the whole world will be on a nuclear hair trigger. Any time a conventional missile is shot from the semi-official NATO ally Ukraine, or whenever the United States carries out an unscheduled nuclear test ordered by Trump, the worlds leading practitioner of the so-called madman theory, planners in Russia and China will ask themselves: Are we under nuclear attack? The brinksmanship of the United States, while calculated to bring about the submission of Russia and China, can trigger a massive escalatory spiral, with incalculable consequences. The rise of imperialist militarism is inextricably connected to the escalating assault on the working class in the United States. Trumps announcement that the US will resume nuclear testing comes just days before the administration is scheduled to end funding for food stamps, cutting tens of millions of Americans off of a vital lifeline just ahead of the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays. There is a direct connection between the two. In a statement published this month, the Democratic Party-aligned Brookings Institution, speaking for a policy supported by both the Democratic and Republican parties, called for a whole-of-society strategy of resilience that leverages all the public and private tools at its disposal: total defense for an age of total war. The doctrine of total war, pioneered by the German military leadership during World War II and continued as state doctrine under the Nazi regime, saw the subordination of all of society to the war effort, demanding sacrifice from the working class in the name of national military success. Under the doctrine of total war, the leaders of Nazi Germany brought disaster upon the population of Germany just as surely as it waged a war of extermination throughout Eastern Europe. Now, Trump, speaking for the American oligarchy as a whole, sees the Nazi regime as a model, not only for dictatorship in the United States, but for military violence all over the world. The ruling class ties the assault on the working class at home with military escalation abroad. The working class must respond by uniting the defense of its social and economic rights with the struggle against imperialist war. The No Kings rally earlier this month showed that there is mass opposition to the Trump administrations policies of dictatorship and austerity. This opposition must be developed as a movement of the working class, in which the fight against imperialist war is connected to the fight against capitalism and for socialism. In this video, World Socialist Web Site correspondent Michael Coggins speaks from Cobar in far west New South Wales, where two miners were killed and a third injured in an explosion on Tuesday morning. He explains that the tragic deaths of Holly Clarke and Ambrose Patrick McMullen, which have rocked the small community, are part of a pattern of workplace fatalities, across Australia and worldwide, in which workers pay the ultimate price while corporations amass ever-increasing wealth. We urge mining workers, in Cobar or elsewhere, to contact us today to share your experiences in the industry, and discuss how workers can fight for an end to workplace deaths. We invite all viewers to share this video widely on social media. Fallout from the Prince Andrew sex scandal has again erupted in a major crisis for the British ruling class. The royal family has been forced to all but disown him to preserve their own position. Buckingham Palace yesterday announced, a formal process to remove the Style, Titles and Honours of Prince Andrew. This makes him just Andrew Mountbatten Windsor. The scale of the crisis is indicated by the explanation, These censures are deemed necessary. Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, formerly Prince Andrew, Duke of York, and his daughter Eugenie riding in the carriage procession at Trooping the Colour, June 16, 2012 [Photo by Carfax2 / CC BY-SA 3.0 Formal notice has now been served to surrender Andrews lease on the virtually rent-free Royal Lodgea mansion. He is reportedly being moved to an undisclosed property on the Sandringham estate in Norfolk, owned privately by King Charles III. Sources told the Daily Mail that these moves were entirely the work of Charles, without pressure from the heir to the throne. But few believe this, given the growing anxiety of Prince William and Catherine over the reputation and future of the monarchy. Concern to minimise the damage is shared across every layer of the ruling class. When Andrew initially announced he would not use his titles, a Downing Street spokesman said, We support the judgement made by the royal family. Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said, I think the royal family have said that they didnt want to take up parliamentary time with this. There are lots of other things that Parliament is discussing. But the Starmer government and the rest are engaged in wishful thinking. The royal family is trying to disentangle itself from a sex scandal, but the crisis is not containable. Andrew has lived a playboy life that led him into friendship with the billionaire sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein. Epsteins pimping for the super-rich involved everyone from Donald Trump in the US to the British monarchy. However, Andrew is only the most nakedly venal of the parasitic royal family. The monarchy has long been cultivated as a pillar of the capitalist order. The overthrow and execution of Charles I in 1649 marked the birth of bourgeois rule out of feudalism. The Restoration in 1660 created a constitutional monarchy to safeguard that rule through a political compromise between the old feudal aristocracy and the new bourgeoisie, solidified by the Glorious Revolution of 1688 and the passing of the Bill of Rights the next year. Over the centuries, the monarchy served the bourgeois state well. It offered a nominally unpolitical and unifying head of state, shrouded and sanctified by history and tradition, during the bloody growth of the British Empire. Later it provided a tool of global realpolitik in relations with US and other imperialisms, and newly independent Commonwealth states, as the Empire and Britains economic supremacy waned. Particularly in the person of Elizabeth II, the monarchy gave bourgeois rule an appearance of stability and continuity. But the fall of British capitalisms international position saw a reckless embrace of the naked speculation of financial parasitism. The royals themselves courted this layer. In this July 10, 2018 file photo, members of the royal family gather on the balcony of Buckingham Palace, with from left, Prince Charles, Camilla the Duchess of Cornwall, Prince Andrew, Queen Elizabeth II, Meghan the Duchess of Sussex, Prince Harry, Prince William and Kate the Duchess of Cambridge, as they watch a flypast of Royal Air Force aircraft pass over Buckingham Palace in London. [AP Photo/Matt Dunham] Elizabeth responded with an attempt to cut the royal retinue down to a more manageable size, but this only made those lower down the pecking order more rapacious and reckless in seeking independent revenue streams from a global financial oligarchy who far outstrip them in wealth. The hitherto most damaging impact of this process, excluding the bitter break-up and divorce of Charles and the late princess Diana, was the fallout with her son, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. This has now been eclipsed by Andrews public disgrace. The immediate trigger for the downfall of Andrew was the publication of Nobodys Girl, the memoirs of Epstein victim Virginia Giuffre who tragically committed suicide in April before its release. Giuffre was procured by Epstein when she was 17 and working at Trumps Mar-A-Lago resort. She said he paid her $15,000 for servicing Andrew. Giuffre was photographed with the prince in 2001, when she was 17. Virginia Giuffre, then 17, with Prince Andrew Albert Christian Edward, second son of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, in 2001. Andrew denied the allegations made, but every effort to defuse the situation only made it worse. A 2019 interview with BBC journalist Emily Maitlis, intended to clear his name, was a car crash. Giuffre wrote that it would help her legal team build an ironclad case against Andrew. Andrew agreed an out-of-court settlement in 2022, paying Giuffre $12 millionreportedly with bridging loans from other royals including his mother. He also donated $2 million to Giuffres charity for the victims of sex trafficking. This temporarily kept him off the stand over details of his interactions with Giuffre. During the Maitlis interview, Andrew claimed photographs of Epstein and himself together in 2010 were taken when he went to break off relations in person. However, a 2011 email, now identified as being from Andrew, reassured Epstein they were in this together, and concluded, Well play some more soon!!!! A still from the interview "Prince Andrew & the Epstein Scandal". [Photo: BBC] Giuffre saw the settlement as acknowledgement that I and many other women had been victimised and a tacit pledge to never deny it again. But she agreed only to a years silence, so Elizabeths platinum jubilee celebrations would not be tarnished further. All attempts to avoid a prosecution have now been blown apart, with the removal of his titles leaving him wide open to legal action. Andrews continued efforts to peddle himself commercially have also raised broader difficulties. As part of a 2018 governmental trade delegation to China, hustling an initiative to Chinese businesses, he met President Xi Jinpings chief of staff Cai Qi. This has now become politically awkward to the British ruling class, following the collapse of a spying case against two men accused of supplying Cai with information in the context of an escalating US war drive against China. To stave off the crisis, under pressure from William, Andrew voluntarily relinquished his dukedoms to put my duty to my family and the country first. But none of this was enough in the face of popular hostility; a recent poll showed a 91 percent negative opinion of Andrew. The royal family felt compelled to take extraordinary measures. Threatening removal of his daughters titles seems to have been the final lever to force Andrew and his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson to agree to quit Royal Lodge in Windsor. The 30-bedroom mansion was attracting further outrage. The banner of Prince Andrew seen here on Royal Lodge in 2008 [Photo by Phillip Williams / CC BY-SA 2.0 Andrew paid 1 million for a 75-year cast iron lease from the Crown Estate in 2003, requiring him only to pay one peppercorn of rent annually if demanded. Ferguson, divorced from him in 1996, has been living in a wing of the mansion since 2008. She was also bankrolled by her supreme friend Epstein for 15 years. She apologised to Epstein for having publicly disowned him to save her own skin. Formally stripping Andrew of his titles against his wishes would have required an act of parliament, which threatened another hornets nest. This was last done in 1917, against royals fighting for their German relatives in World War One. These included the Duke of Albany, who stayed in Germany and became a prominent Nazi supporterone of many in the royal family. Charles has sought to bypass this by removing Andrews name from the official roll of the peerage by issuing a royal warrant, effectively meaning he has lost his Duke of York title. But with his daughters keeping their titles, there are still demands that Andrew is formally removed from his eighth position in the line of succession, not to mention calls by Giuffres brother, Sky Roberts, that he should be behind bars. Andrew embodies the toxic decay of bourgeois rule and its institutions. The revulsion he arouses is natural and welcome, but this crisis cannot be swept aside by the cosmetic airbrushing of titles and stately homes. It is systemic. Millions of American workers and youth have demonstrated against the authoritarian regime of Trump under the slogan No Kings. That is a slogan that must be embraced by the working class in Britain, still confronted by an actual monarchy. The entire ruling classpursuing an agenda of social plunder, eviscerating democratic rights and waging trade and military war on a global scalemust be tackled. The monarchy must be overthrown by the working class as part of the struggle for socialism. The General Security and Order Act (ASOG) reform by the Berlin state government, a coalition of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) and Social Democratic Party (SPD), is part of a frontal assault on fundamental democratic rights. Police take action against peaceful demonstrators at the pro-Palestine demonstration on Potsdamer Platz in Berlin, April 20, 2024 The ruling coalition in Berlin is presenting this assault as a necessary modernisation of the police in the name of public safety. The dangers are growing, claimed Burkard Dregger, the CDUs domestic policy spokesman, coming from within the country as well as from abroad. Therefore, said Interior Senator (state minister) Iris Spranger (SPD), Berlin was relying on technological modernisation because the police must not be weaker than the criminals. In reality, the new police and public order law is not designed to protect the population, but to enable its comprehensive surveillance and repression. It represents a step toward a police state. The ASOG amendment, which runs to over 700 pages, was presented to the House of Representatives (state assembly) by the relevant interior department in mid-July this year. On 18 December, the members of parliament are to vote on the final version, which is scheduled to come into force in January 2026. Regardless of the exact wording of the final version, the new police and public order law represents an expansion of state powers directed against the working class: every person may be video-monitored at any time and in any public place, and mobile phone communications may be intercepted. Images from video surveillance can be compared with and stored alongside photographs available online. Expansion of video surveillance in public spaces The seven current locations classified by the police as crime-prone areas (kbO)including Alexanderplatz in Mitte and Kottbusser Tor and Gorlitzer Park in Friedrichshain-Kreuzbergare to be subject to permanent police surveillance. Previously, this was only allowed temporarily. Regardless of the actual frequency of crimes such as robbery, serious bodily harm, arson or drug trafficking, the police can make such a classification based on their own operational presence, for example during assemblies known from experience to be prone to conflict. For residents of Hermannstrasse and Hermannplatz in Neukollndistricts with a high Arab and Palestinian populationthe kbO classification, which grants the police special and largely arbitrary powers, became dramatically apparent at the turn of the year from 2023 to 2024. Following the announcement of pro-Palestinian demonstrations, the police blocked Hermannplatz, Sonnenallee and Reuterplatz with dozens of vehicles. Mass identity checks and bag searches of residents and passers-by were carried out across the area, and police violence and brutality were widespread. Deploying AI analysis For the first time, artificial intelligence (AI) is to be used to analyse video data to supposedly identify conspicuous behaviour patterns. These include pacing back and forth in front of an object, prolonged observation, running or moving hastily in unusual areas, suspicious gatherings, or sitting or lying down for longer periods in unusual locations. As already practised in Mannheim (since 2018), Hamburg (since 2023) and Frankfurt (since the summer of 2025), the AI programme will be fed with all available image material: from surveillance cameras, public events or gatherings, footage of vulnerable buildings and objects, to images from helicopters and drones. Data-protection experts warn that in future large parts of central Berlin will no longer be able to be passed through unobserved [Meike Kamp, data-protection officer of the Berlin House of Representatives] and people who behave atypically in a public spacesuch as the homeless or physically impairedwill be identified by the software as dangerous and thus exposed to increased surveillance pressure [David Werdermann, lawyer with the Society for Civil Rights]. The storage period for video recordings from transit operator BVGs cameras monitoring train stations and stops will be extended from 48 to 72 hours, representing another step toward comprehensive data collection and data retention. The CDU-SPD state government insists that biometric real-time identification (facial recognition) is excluded from the bill and that AI will be used only to detect patterns of movement or group behaviour. However, in cases of targeted searches for specific individuals, judicial approval would allow AI use. It is obvious that AI will ultimately be used to restrict and monitor opposition groups and individuals, hindering their right to assemble and labeling them as threats. Deadly force For the first time, police officers in Berlin will have the legal right to use deadly force, i.e., to deliberately kill. Yet the police are already potentially deadly with their firearms, tasers and painful holds. Nationwide, at least 44 people died in police operations last year, 22 of them from gunfire. Most deaths occurred in North Rhine-Westphalia (7), Berlin and Bavaria (5 each), and Hesse (3). The majority of those killed suffered from mental health conditions. The real number is likely higher, as official data are incomplete or lacking altogether. In addition, the use of real-time AI image analysis will upgrade police operations. Whereas firearms were previously restricted to immediate, observable threats (including subjective misjudgements), algorithmic analysis may now prompt officers to use force, including firearms. Traditional eyewitness assessment is thus supplantedor overriddenby a supposedly objective algorithm. State trojans, telecommunications monitoring and online searches The bill also massively expands digital surveillance. With judicial approval, the police will gain access to all end-to-end communications and emails. With court authorisation, the authorities may deploy state trojans, snooping software, to extract or monitor all communication data, stored files, running applications and non-public social-media content from IT systems in real time. All regular and incidental communication partners of the target personthe so-called bystander-catchwill also fall within the surveillance radius. What only a few years ago seemed like a dystopian science-fiction scenario is now declared an official tool for prevention. At the same time, a pending reform of Berlins constitutional protection law (VSG Bln) will expand intelligence access to all surveillance videos and online communications, further strengthening cooperation between police and intelligence agencies. The amendment of the so-called constitutional-protection law is directly linked to the ASOG reform. The CDU and SPD praise both as a single security package. Police and intelligence powers complement one another institutionally and substantively. This amounts to the abolition of the separation between police and intelligence services, a principle enshrined in law after the experience of Nazi dictatorship and the Gestapo. Suppression of the population The build-up of police state structures serves only one purpose: the state government is preparing for class war against the working class. While Berlins public schools are deteriorating, social services are being shut down, and brutal cuts are taking place at hospitals, universities and public infrastructure, the coalition ruling Berlin is pouring millions into expanding the machinery of repression. This development is not limited to Berlin or Germany, but is part of a worldwide authoritarian shift to the right. Everywhere, governments respond to growing social inequality, mass protests against poverty, soaring rents, the genocide in Gaza, militarisation and war with intensified surveillance, intimidation and criminalisation. The rising number of demonstrations reflects this opposition: in Berlin alone, there were 7,151 protests in 2023 and 7,665 in 2024over 20 a day. Resistance is growing, and the state government is preparing to crush it. The CDU-SPD coalition can count on the support of the Greens and the Left Party. The Left Party was one of the parties introducing the original ASOG during the SPD-Left Party coalition controlling the Berlin state executive in 2007. It suppressed internal critics of the expanded video surveillance powers. As recently as 2017, in coalition with the SPD and Greens, it backed a massive increase in the Berlin police budget and demanded more police presence in the name of security. Despite its current criticisms of the ASOG reform, the Left Party supports and participates in building the states repressive apparatus against the working class. Against the escalation of state repression and surveillance, the Sozialistische Gleichheitspartei (Socialist Equality Party) calls on all workers, students and opponents of war to unite in an independent and conscious political struggle. Governments are resorting ever more openly to authoritarian and fascistic methods to defend their war policies and the immense wealth of corporations and elites against mounting opposition. Only a united, international struggle of the working class for socialism can halt this drive toward dictatorship and war. This story was originally published on CX Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily CX Dive newsletter. Dive Brief: Verizon must shift to a customer-first focus to help the brand capture growth opportunities, CEO Dan Schulman said during the companys Q3 2025 earnings call Wednesday. Schulman took on the role earlier this month, replacing Hans Vestberg. The wireless carrier will take steps to strengthen customer loyalty, eliminate practices and processes that detract from the customer experience, and leverage AI to simplify offers, according to Schulman. We will significantly elevate our game across multiple dimensions, Schulman said during the call. We will work relentlessly to serve our customers, ensuring that every customer is fully satisfied with their Verizon experience. We must make it much easier to do business with us. Dive Insight: Schulman is making customer experience one of his top priorities as Verizon works to reduce customer churn. Our primary objective is to build loyalty and drive significant improvements in retention to optimize the lifetime value of our customer base, Schulman said. Verizon will no longer be the hunting ground for competitors looking to gain share. Churn is a major obstacle. Verizon Consumer reported 356,000 wireless retail postpaid phone net losses in the first quarter of 2025 following price hikes. That number has been steadily improving, first to 51,000 wireless retail postpaid phone net losses in the second quarter of 2025 and then to 7,000 wireless retail postpaid phone net losses in the third quarter of 2025, according to a company earnings report. Friction is one of the top reasons that customers leave Verizon, according to Schulman. Eliminating that friction will be one of the levers the company can pull to further reduce customer churn. For years, our priority was clear: Build the best and most reliable network, Schulman said. With that foundation firmly in place, our next chapter is about serving and delighting customers by building the industry's best overall value proposition and the best customer experience. Former CEO Vestberg also made CX a priority. Under his leadership, Verizon invested in AI to improve CX with tools like MyPlan, a service that suggests tailored products and plans, and Fast Pass, which connects subscribers who call customer service to an agent with relevant expertise for their problem. While Schulman didnt share specific plans, he did note that Verizon is just scratching the surface regarding how AI can improve customer satisfaction. One potential use case is detecting when a customer may have an issue and proactively addressing the problem before it happens. The Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) announced Sunday, October 26, that it had decided to take new practical steps to remove all its forces in Turkey to move to the second stage of negotiations with the government of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The statement said, the laws necessary for freedom and democratic integration to participate in democratic politics must be enacted without delay. Following the statement, Sabri Ok, a member of the Kurdistan Communities Union (KCK) Executive Council, answered questions from the press and listed their demands as follows: 1) Special laws specific to the PKK or the process should be enacted. 2) Leader Apo [imprisoned PKK leader Abdullah Ocalan] ... must be granted physical freedom as soon as possible. 3) The Parliamentary Commission must go to Leader Apo immediately and listen to him. Sabri Ok, a member of the Kurdistan Communities Union (KCK) Executive Council, announced on October 26 the PKK's decision to withdraw its forces from Turkey [Photo: X / @78_KSAM] Kurdish nationalist Peoples Equality and Democracy Party (DEM Party) co-chairs Tulay Hatimogullar and Tuncer Bakrhan described the decision as historic in a statement, saying: At this point, the first phase of the process has been completed. With the completion of the withdrawal, a new page has been turned... It is time to move on to the second phase, which is a much more critical and vital phase. That is, it is time to transition to social peace through legal and political steps. The DEM Party listed its expectations from the government as the creation of free working conditions for Ocalan, a preference for inclusive journalism instead of divisive journalism in the media, and the implementation of transitional and democratic integration laws. The DEM Party Imral Delegation, which last met with Ocalan on October 3, held talks with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and National Intelligence Organization (MIT) Director Ibrahim Kaln on Thursday evening as part of the negotiation process. A statement released by the DEM Party explained, During the meeting, we conducted comprehensive assessments on the stage reached in the Peace and Democratic Society Process and what needs to be done going forward. We are pleased to note that we are in mutual understanding and agreement on taking steps to ensure the process progresses more quickly and healthily. The negotiations have nothing to do with the pursuit of peace and democracy. This is evidenced by Thursdays statement by Selahattin Demirtas, the imprisoned former leader of the Peoples Democratic Party (HDP), predecessor of the DEM Party. Demirtas, who supported the negotiations, expressed his disappointment at the failure of his expectations as follows: So it wasnt enough; the operations targeting the opposition, and especially the CHP, have further deepened the division. Political prisoners who have served their 30-year sentences, even sick prisoners, have not been released from prison. Not a single municipality under trustee has been returned to the people. Without strengthening Kurdish-Turkish brotherhood, Turkish-Turkish division has been added on top of it. Turkeys ruling elites have approached the negotiations from the outset as a security issue within the framework of the terror-free Turkey discourse. In a speech made one day before the PKKs statement, Erdogan said, Have we saved our country from the scourge of terrorism? Will we continue to work together, hand in hand, to save 86 million people from the swamp of terrorism? At this point, we are patient, sincere, and calmly moving towards our goal... First, we will achieve a terror-free Turkey, and then a terror-free region as our most lasting achievement. While Ankara acts in line with US imperialist plans in the Middle East, it is trying to strengthen Turkeys hand in its growing competition with Israel. Erdogan sought to cement his friendship with US President Donald Trump by giving his full support to Trumps deal on Gaza. At the same time, Ankara is trying to turn the PKK-led Kurdish movement from an enemy into an ally with the critical help of Ocalan. When negotiations first came up last year, Erdogan said, While the maps are being redrawn in blood, while the war that Israel has waged from Gaza to Lebanon is approaching our borders, we are trying to strengthen our internal front. We want 85 million of us to come together under the common denominator of Turkey. Referring to the PKKs disarmament ceremony on July 11, Erdogan said, Today, a new page in history has been opened. The doors to a great, strong Turkey have been thrown wide open, and put forward the perspective of a Turkish-Kurdish-Arab alliance. Co-chair of the KCK Executive Council Cemil Bayk attributes the motive for initiating negotiations to the same geopolitical basis. Speaking to Frat News Agency on October 28, Bayk stated: The Abraham Accords between Israel and the Arabs meant a weakening of this fundamental power based on Turkeys geopolitical position... Add to this the fact that the energy route [India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor] determined at the summit in India bypasses Turkey, and a real survival problem has emerged for Turkey. Bayk added: While it [Turkey] had previously turned the crushing of Kurdish Freedom Movement [PKK] into a tool for survival, it now finds itself facing a real survival problem. When Israel neutralized Hamas and Hezbollah and increased its influence in the Middle East, it became fearful that the price of their war against the Kurds would be heavy. Under conditions where Israel is increasing its influence in Syria and declaring Syrian Kurds as natural allies, Ankara is demanding that the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), the sister organization of the PKK, also lay down their arms and submit to the Al-Qaeda-rooted Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) regime in Damascus. Otherwise, Ankara threatens to launch military operations against the SDF. According to press reports, an agreement has been reached between HTS and the SDF on integration. Under this agreement, the SDF will be integrated into the Syrian army, receiving three divisions, three brigades, and a 30 percent share under the general staff command. The US, which still has armed forces and bases controlled by the SDF in northeastern Syria, supports negotiations between Ankara and the PKK and advocates for the SDF to reach an agreement with Damascus. The policy of Washington, which invaded Iraq in 2003, provoked the regime change war in Syria in 2011, and has been the main force behind the genocide in Gaza since October 2023, is driven by the urge to bring the Middle East under its full imperialist domination. This means uniting its allies in the region against Iran, which is in the crosshairs, and eliminating the influence of Russia and China in the Middle East. The fact that Turkey and Israel, two critical allies of US imperialism in the region, are on a collision course that could lead to war could upsets all of Washingtons plans and interests. The role played by the growing conflict of interests between Turkey and Israel in the initiation of the Ankara-PKK negotiations is clear. However, just like Israel, the policies of the Turkish and Kurdish elites, who serve US imperialism and pursue their own reactionary interests, have no progressive role. They are inherently incapable of and opposed to realizing the aspirations of the Turkish, Kurdish, and other peoples for peace, democracy, and social equality. Far from consistently opposing imperialism and Zionism, they collaborate with them. Opposing imperialism and Zionism and fighting for genuine peace, democracy, and social equality requires uniting and mobilizing workers in the Middle East with their class brothers and sisters in the imperialist countries, independent of all capitalist parties and interests, on the basis of a socialist programme. This is the perspective for which the Sosyalist Esitlik Partisi Dorduncu Enternasyonal (Socialist Equality Party Fourth International) is fighting. With a market cap of $58 billion, Kinder Morgan, Inc. (KMI) is one of North Americas largest energy infrastructure companies, specializing in the transportation, storage, and handling of natural gas, refined petroleum products, crude oil, CO, and other energy commodities. Headquartered in Houston, the company operates an extensive network of pipeline systems and storage terminals, moving energy products essential for power generation, heating, industrial use, and transportation. Over the past 52 weeks, KMI stock has soared 5.2%, underperforming the S&P 500 Indexs ($SPX) 18.1% returns. Moreover, in 2025, KMI dipped 5.5%, lagging behind SPXs 17.2% gains on a YTD basis. More News from Barchart Kinder Morgan hasnt matched the markets fireworks, but its quietly holding its ground in a tougher corner of the energy world. KMI has outperformed the industry-focused USCF Midstream Energy Income Funds (UMI) 3.1% surge over the past year. www.barchart.com The U.S. LNG industry is heating up again, with export projects ramping back to life after President Trump lifted the permit freeze, but Kinder Morgan shares lost steam. The company delivered its Q3 2025 earnings on Oct. 22, and its shares dwindled 4.8% in the following trading session. Its revenue improved 12.1% year over year to $4.1 billion, and adjusted EPS increased 16% to $0.29. Adjusted EBITDA climbed 6% to $1.99 billion, supported by higher natural-gas transport volumes. Kinder Morgan also raised its quarterly dividend to $0.2925 per share, up 2% from the third quarter of 2024 and ended the third quarter with a sizeable $9.3 billion project backlog. Analysts expect Kinder Morgan to post steady growth in fiscal 2025 ending December, with adjusted EPS projected at $1.28, up 11.3% year over year. That said, the companys earnings track record has been mixed as it matched Street expectations in two of the past four quarters and fell short in the other two. The KMI stock has a consensus rating of Moderate Buy. Of the 21 analysts covering the stock, opinions include ten Strong Buys, one Moderate Buy, and ten Holds. www.barchart.com This configuration is notably more bullish than two months ago, when nine analysts gave Strong Buy recommendations. Washingtons own auditors have reached similar conclusions. The U.S. Government Accountability Office notes that rare-earth magnets underpin not only radar, propulsion, and guidance systems but also core civilian technologiesfrom electric-vehicle motors and wind-turbine generators to medical imaging equipment and advanced robotics. The United States remains almost entirely dependent on imports for these components, most of them originating in or processed through China. As the GAO warns, without domestic refining and magnet manufacturing, even American-mined rare earths contribute little to supply security or industrial resilience. Beginning with restrictions on gallium and germanium and later extending to rare-earth processing technology, Beijings tightening export regime in 2025 was a frightening reminder of how much strategic weight that dominance carries. Those moves effectively turned materials that underpin global electrification into instruments of policy. Since the 1990s, Chinas Ministry of Industry and Information Technology has consolidated hundreds of rare-earth operators under state-backed conglomerates, tied export quotas to processing capacity, and built out low-cost refining hubs in Inner Mongolia and Jiangxi. Western economies, meanwhile, allowed their own refining and metallization capacity to erode. Today, mined concentrates from the United States are still shipped to China for separation before being sold back as finished magnets. That dominance gives Beijing leverage not only over prices, but over downstream industries ranging from electric vehicles to missile guidance and satellite systems. For more than twenty years, China has occupied every high-value stage of the rare-earth industry. Its producers supply about 70% of mined material but refine nearly 90% of global output and manufacture close to 92% of the worlds permanent magnets, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA). REAlloys, now completing its merger with Blackboxstocks ( NASDAQ: BLBX ), plans to link every phase of the rare-earth process under one continental framework : mining at Hoidas Lake in Saskatchewan, processing at the Saskatchewan Research Councils new separation facility, and magnet manufacturing in Euclid, Ohio. The commitment marks one of the clearest signals yet that the United States intends to rebuild the rare-earth infrastructure that China has dominated for a generation. Washington has drawn a new line in the global battle for critical minerals. The U.S. Export-Import Bank has issued a $200 million Letter of Interest to REAlloys Inc., a rare-earth company developing what could become North Americas first fully integrated mine-to-magnet supply chain. Building a Continental Chain REAlloys development blueprint mirrors the anatomy of a modern supply chain rather than a conventional mining venture. Upstream, its Hoidas Lake project in northern Saskatchewan, one of Canadas largest undeveloped rare-earth deposits, holds more than two million tonnes of total rare-earth oxides. That resource anchors the raw-material base for an industry Washington once controlled but ceded decades ago. A few hundred miles south, the Saskatchewan Research Councils Rare Earth Processing Facility provides the missing link supporting: the mid-stream stage where mined concentrates are refined into high-purity oxides and metals. This is the point at which most Western projects still depend on Chinese processing. REAlloys partnership with the SRC gives the company a domestic route for separation and metallization, turning ore into a functional industrial feedstock. Downstream, the companys Euclid, Ohio operation, which was expanded through its acquisition of PMT Critical Metals, closes the loop. That facility produces samarium-cobalt and neodymium-iron-boron magnets used in defense, energy, and advanced-manufacturing markets. Locating production inside the U.S. automotive and aerospace corridor is intentional: it shortens logistics, aligns with federal procurement rules, and situates REAlloys within the manufacturing geography that will absorb the product. The integration of mine, refinery, and magnet plant paints a clear picture of the architecture of Washingtons new industrial policy. Since 2020, the Department of Defense has committed more than $439 million to building a domestic mine-to-magnet capability. The $200-million financing signal from EXIM extends that strategy into the credit domain, embedding REAlloys within the federal Supply Chain Resiliency Initiative and the broader effort to rebuild critical-materials manufacturing inside allied borders. Allied Technology Meets North American Resources October capped a pivotal month for REAlloys. Just weeks after securing the $200-million financing signal from the U.S. Export-Import Bank, the company signed a strategic memorandum of understanding with the Japan Organization for Metals and Energy Security (JOGMEC), the state-backed agency overseen by Japans Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry. The accord outlines cooperation on technology transfer for magnet production, potential co-investment, and structured offtake arrangements for Japanese manufacturers. Japans participation carries both industrial and geopolitical weight. Its corporations lead the world in precision magnet design and processing efficiency. Embedding that expertise in North Americas production base could accelerate REAlloys path from pilot scale to commercial output while aligning with Japans own diversification policy. The International Energy Agency identifies closer U.S.Japan coordination as a cornerstone of allied efforts to reduce exposure to Chinese refining. For JOGMEC, the agreement extends a long-standing strategy of financing and de-risking non-Chinese rare-earth projects. The agencys earlier support for Lynas Rare Earths Ltd. in Australia (one of the few large-scale producers operating entirely outside China) became the model for public-private cooperation in critical minerals. Its partnership with REAlloys marks the first formal alliance with an American rare-earth company and signals a broader convergence of U.S. and Japanese industrial policy around secure magnet supply. Magnets: The Core Bottleneck Permanent magnets are the beating heart of the energy transition. An electric-vehicle motor contains roughly one to two kilograms of neodymium-iron-boron magnets, while a single offshore wind turbine can use several tonnes, according to the U.S. Department of Energys Neodymium Magnets Supply Chain Report, further supported by data from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. Demand is projected to rise fourfold by 2040 as electrification accelerates, according to the DOEs 2023 Critical Materials Assessment. There are few practical alternatives. Motors that replace rare-earth magnets with ferrite or induction designs lose efficiency and performance, which are trade-offs most automakers are unwilling to make. This imbalance is starkly reflected in price volatility. A case in point: Rare-earth oxide benchmarks spiked after Chinas April 2025 export controls, a pattern tracked in the IEAs market snapshot. Execution, Risk, and Geography Re-establishing magnet capacity outside China remains technically demanding. High-purity solvent extraction, metallization, and sintering require precision engineering that took China decades to perfect. Thats why the GAO continues to warn that magnets underpin U.S. weapon-system reliability and that diversification progress is uneven. The U.S. policy framework is meant to close that gap. The DoDs multi-year mine-to-magnet program and EXIMs critical-minerals credit guarantees are designed to bridge early-stage financing and shield projects from predatory pricing. The current suite of letters of interestincluding $2.2 billion across allied mineral projectsrepresents Washingtons most assertive industrial intervention in decades. REAlloys geographic footprint adds insulation. Saskatchewan offers low-cost power and regulatory stability. Ohio provides skilled labor and proximity to automotive, aerospace, and defense clients. Both facilities operate within the long-standing U.S.-Canada defense-trade framework, which permits joint sourcing and procurement for sensitive programs. From Policy to Proof Its been a decisive stretch for REAlloys. The companys leadership bench deepened in October when GM Defense President Stephen duMont took the role of non-executive chairman, tying REAlloys directly into the defense-industrial ecosystem and giving it access to a network that understands procurement cycles and federal contracting. The next test is execution. The $200-million Letter of Interest from EXIM now moves toward definitive financing. Construction and commissioning of the Saskatchewan Research Councils processing line will determine how quickly feedstock can reach the companys magnet plant in Ohio. At the same time, structured offtake agreements with U.S. defense buyers and Japanese manufacturers are expected to anchor early demand. Beyond being simple milestones, these are indicators of whether Washingtons critical-minerals policy can produce an end-to-end system that actually works. The International Energy Agency calls the emerging U.S.-Japan-Canada-Australia network a diversification imperative, not an attempt to match China ton for ton. REAlloys fits squarely inside that framework: upstream resources, midstream refining, and downstream manufacturing contained within allied borders. If the company hits its targets, it would deliver something the West hasnt had in decades: a complete, transparent rare-earth supply chain from mine to magnet. In this way, REAlloys has become the text case for whether Washingtons new playbook can work. Other companies to keep an eye on in the critical resources race MP Materials Corp. (NYSE: MP) stands as the sole operator of a large-scale integrated rare earth mining and processing facility in North America: Mountain Pass in California. The company primarily produces rare earth materials like neodymium and praseodymium (NdPr), which are vital for the powerful permanent magnets found in electric vehicle motors, wind turbines, and defense systems. The company's strategic vision has been underscored by a flurry of high-profile announcements this year, signaling a major push toward full vertical integration. In a landmark development, the United States Department of Defense announced a significant investment that will make it the largest shareholder, a clear demonstration of Washington's commitment to accelerating domestic rare earth magnet independence. Despite a backdrop of volatile global commodity prices, which have impacted its quarterly revenue, the company's stock has shown resilience, often surging on news of domestic supply chain security efforts. Investors are focused less on near-term profitability fluctuations and more on the long-term, strategic value derived from government partnerships and the ambitious plan to start full-scale NdPr magnet manufacturing in Texas. While traditionally known as a leading domestic uranium producer, Energy Fuels Inc. (NYSE American: UUUU) has rapidly diversified its business to become a prominent player in the critical minerals space, especially rare earth elements. The company utilizes its White Mesa Mill in Utahthe only conventional uranium mill in operation in the United Statesto process monazite, a rare earth-bearing mineral, into an intermediate rare earth carbonate product. In recent months, the company's financial announcements have led to some market choppiness. Specifically, its plan to raise significant capital through the private placement of convertible senior notes was met with a stock price dip, as investors reacted to the potential for future equity dilution. As global momentum shifts toward both clean energy and domestic sourcing of strategic materials, Energy Fuels continues to push forward, securing new feedstock agreements to solidify its position as a multi-commodity critical minerals supplier, demonstrating a long-term commitment to capitalizing on the geopolitical emphasis on supply chain resilience. Lithium Americas Corp. (NYSE: LAC) has cemented its position as a critical element in the North American electric vehicle (EV) supply chain, primarily through its development of the Thacker Pass project in Nevada. This site hosts one of the largest known lithium deposits in North America, and its successful development is seen as foundational to reducing the continent's reliance on foreign lithium sources for battery production. The sheer national importance of Thacker Pass has generated significant non-traditional investment and political support. In a landmark move, the company successfully closed on a $2.23 billion loan from the U.S. Department of Energy under the Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing Loan Program. Furthermore, this month saw the U.S. government announce a direct equity stake in the company, a dramatic shift that underscores the urgency of securing domestic lithium supply. This level of governmental and corporate backingincluding a major multi-year offtake agreement with General Motors (GM)has made Lithium Americas a highly responsive stock to political and project news. Despite the typical volatility associated with development-stage mining projects, the stock's recent performance has been driven by these strategic, nation-building partnerships. As one of the world's preeminent lithium producers, Albemarle Corporation (NYSE: ALB) is a behemoth in the chemicals and critical materials industry, with significant operations in lithium, bromine, and catalysts. The companys lithium division is the key driver of its critical minerals profile, supplying the fundamental raw material for the battery cathodes that power the global fleet of electric vehicles and energy storage systems. The last year has been defined by the dramatic volatility of global lithium prices, which plummeted after a period of extreme highs. This pricing pressure has severely impacted Albemarles stock performance and near-term profitability outlook, despite consistent growth in sales volumes. Recent news, however, suggests the market may be reaching a cyclical bottom, sparking renewed investor optimism. While long-term expansion plans in Australia and Chile continue, management is strategically balancing the necessity of capital expenditure for future demand with the current need to maintain a strong balance sheet. For the stock, continued improvement in the lithium spot price is the critical catalyst, positioning the company as a key beneficiary of an eventual market rebound. Sociedad Quimica y Minera de Chile (NYSE: SQM) is a Chilean chemical and mining company with global operations, standing as one of the world's largest producers of lithium, as well as being a significant player in specialized plant nutrition, iodine, and industrial chemicals. Its operations in the Atacama Desert give it access to some of the highest-grade lithium brine deposits globally, making it a pivotal supplier for the electric vehicle and high-tech manufacturing sectors. The firms diversified portfolio, however, offers a crucial buffer against commodity price swings. The recent period has been marked by a mixed financial performance, showcasing the value of its diversified business model. While SQM's lithium segment saw profitability challenges due to a sharp drop in lithium prices, its iodine segment unexpectedly emerged as a standout performer, cushioning the overall earnings. This resilience highlights the strategic importance of its non-lithium commodities. Despite the recent price volatility in the lithium market, the company is aggressively pursuing a massive expansion plan, budgeting heavily for both lithium and its other segments. This includes boosting its lithium carbonate and hydroxide capacities in Chile and Australia, underscoring management's confidence in the long-term, secular growth of the EV market. Freeport-McMoRan Inc. (NYSE: FCX) is a leading international mining company with a primary focus on copper, a mineral deemed critical for global electrification, renewable energy infrastructure, and advanced manufacturing. The company is one of the world's largest publicly traded copper producers, with significant assets in North America, South America, and Indonesia, including the massive Grasberg complex. It also holds substantial reserves of molybdenum and gold, which often serve as valuable co-products. Recent financial results showed the company effectively navigating operational challenges, with earnings and sales beating analyst estimates largely due to higher realized copper prices. While production volumes saw a temporary dip due to an isolated operational incident at one of its key sites, the strong market price for copper and gold helped buoy the quarter. Looking ahead, the company is focused on increasing copper production and lowering its unit net cash costs to capitalize on the robust long-term demand forecast for the metal. Its stock often acts as a proxy for the broader health of the copper market, reacting strongly to news of global economic growth, infrastructure spending, and, most importantly, the pace of the clean energy transition. Southern Copper Corporation (NYSE: SCCO), a majority-owned subsidiary of Grupo Mexico, is one of the world's largest copper producers, with extensive mining, exploration, and smelting operations primarily in Peru and Mexico. Copper is its core product, a material essential to modern infrastructure and, critically, to electric vehicle and renewable energy technologies. The company also produces significant by-products, including molybdenum, zinc, and silver. The firm has recently seen a strong positive reaction from the market following the news of a major regulatory breakthrough for its long-stalled Tia Maria copper project in Peru. After years of political and social hurdles, the company received a key government approval, setting the stage for expanded production capacity in the future. SCCO's strategy is centered on significant capital investments aimed at expanding its mine capacity across its Latin American assets. In addition to the Tia Maria news, the company is benefiting from the full ramp-up of its Buenavista zinc concentrator, which will boost its overall zinc productionanother critical mineral. The company's stock price, while volatile, is closely correlated with global copper prices, and its recent project progress suggests an ability to finally unlock its vast, high-quality resource potential. Newmont Corporation (NYSE: NEM), the world's largest gold producer, has significantly expanded its profile as a critical minerals company through the large-scale copper assets it holds and its recent corporate maneuvering. While gold remains the anchor of its business, the company is strategically positioned with substantial copper reserves, which are becoming increasingly important for future growth and diversification. The company has been making headlines recently regarding potential consolidation in the mining sector. Following a leadership change, analysts have speculated on the potential for a deeper strategic alliance or even a merger with Barrick Gold, its partner in the giant Nevada Gold Mines complex. Such a combination, if realized, would not only create a gold super-major but would also consolidate significant copper and other critical mineral assets, reshaping the global mining landscape. While the market's focus remains primarily on the gold price, Newmont's growing exposure to copper ensures it remains relevant in the broader discussion about critical materials essential for the energy transition. BHP Group (NYSE: BHP) is a multinational mining giant and one of the world's largest companies by market capitalization, with a diverse portfolio spanning iron ore, copper, coal, and nickel. Its designation as a critical mineral player comes from its massive scale in copper and nickel productionboth fundamental materials for electric batteries, grid infrastructure, and sustainable technologies. Recent news has focused on the company's involvement in major initiatives, including the US-Australia Critical Minerals Framework, which aims to accelerate allied-nation supply chains and may unlock financing for key projects. Despite global price volatility in some of its key metals, the company's long-term commitment to critical minerals positions it as an essential, foundational supplier for the next generation of industrial technology. Rio Tinto Group (NYSE: RIO) is a diversified global mining leader, best known for its aluminum and iron ore assets, but it holds a crucial and growing role in the critical minerals space, particularly copper and lithium. The company is making substantial investments to expand its copper portfolio, notably with the massive Resolution Copper joint venture in the U.S. and its large-scale Mongolian copper operations. It is also advancing a significant lithium project in Serbia. The Resolution Copper project, which Rio Tinto co-owns, is specifically cited as a pillar in this framework, positioned to meet a substantial portion of future U.S. copper demand. This governmental attention provides a layer of strategic importance that transcends typical market dynamics. The stock's stability is often a reflection of its vast, profitable iron ore business, but its growth narrative is increasingly being defined by its proactive push into battery metals, making it a well-diversified play on the global energy transition. By. Michael Scott The AI boom is triggering an unexpected and unprecedented bull run in natural gas and power stocks. If you aren't paying attention to the energy demands of data centers, you will miss the biggest energy story of the decade. The smart money is already quietly moving into the few companies prepared to power the trillion-dollar AI machine. Oilprice Intelligence brings you the inside view on where the next gains will come from, breaking down the market's biggest growth driver with analysis from veteran oilmen and experts. Click here to get this crucial intel for free Important Disclosure: The owner of Oilprice.com owns shares and/or stock options of the company and therefore has an incentive to see the companys stock perform well. We encourage you to conduct your own due diligence and seek the advice of your financial advisor or broker before investing. Oilprice Intelligence brings you the signals before they become front-page news. This is the same expert analysis read by veteran traders and political advisors. Get it free, twice a week, and you'll always know why the market is moving before everyone else. You get the geopolitical intelligence, the hidden inventory data, and the market whispers that move billions - and we'll send you $389 in premium energy intelligence, on us, just for subscribing. Join 400,000+ readers today. Get access immediately by clicking here. As the annual Miss Universe pageant draws nearer, contestants are ramping up their preparation for the international beauty pageant. On Friday, Nov. 21, over one hundred contestants from countries across the globe will walk the stage representing their country in the worldwide pageant on coronation night. This year, the pageant will take place at the Impact Arena in Bangkok, Thailand, and will be themed "The Power of Love." The last time the country hosted the competition was seven years ago in 2018, when Catriona Gray of the Philippines was crowned Miss Universe. Leading up to the event this year, delegates will arrive in Thailand nearly three weeks before the final night of the pageant on Nov. 2, and take part in various Thai cultural events and pageant-related preparation before the actual competition itself takes place. The current Miss Universe pageant, as it exists today, began back in 1952, and was founded by California-based clothing company Pacific Knitting Mills, which was also the manufacturer of Catalina Swimwear. The company had also been the sponsor of the Miss America pageant; however, in 1951 winner of that year's Miss America pageant, Yolanda Betbeze, refused to pose in one of the swimwear brand's suits, prompting Pacific Knitting Mills to organize both the Miss Universe and Miss USA pageants. Over the last 73 years, the pageant has evolved and changed, updating its rules about everything from eligibility to competition format. Read below to find out what rules contestants must abide by in order to compete in the international competition. There is an age minimum requirement for contestants but not an upper limit Hulton Archive/Getty Miss Universe contestants in 1953. Miss Universe contestants in 1953. While some other major pageants require that contestants' ages fall between a certain range, Miss Universe has distanced itself from such restrictions in order to create a more inclusive pageant environment. In 2023, the official Miss Universe organization announced that all women above the age of 18 would now be able to compete in the pageant, marking a departure from the competition's previous restrictions, which mandated that only contestants between the ages of 18 to 28 could compete in the pageant. Miss Universe 2022 RBonney Gabriel announced the groundbreaking change during Tanner Fletchers show at New York Fashion Week, which was fittingly titled Beauty Pageant," according to Women's Wear Daily. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement My favorite quote is If not now, then when? Because I believe age should not define us, Gabriel said at the time. Its not tomorrow, its not yesterday, but its now the time is now that you can go after what you want. Contestants must first win their country's local Miss Universe-backed pageant Hector Vivas/Getty Miss Bolivia Estefany Rivero competes in the National Costume Show portion of 2023's Miss Universe pageant. Miss Bolivia Estefany Rivero competes in the National Costume Show portion of 2023's Miss Universe pageant. In order to be a contestant in the Miss Universe pageant, delegates for a country must first win a local Miss Universe-licensed pageant, like Miss USA. As a result, the number of participants in the Miss Universe pageant fluctuates year after year based on certain franchising restrictions and changes. This year's winner of the Miss USA pageant on Oct. 24 will go to Thailand to vie for the Miss Universe crown. Contestants must compete in a swimsuit competition portion of the pageant RUNGROJ YONGRIT/AFP via Getty Contestants pose in bikinis during Miss Universe's 2005 competition. Contestants pose in bikinis during Miss Universe's 2005 competition. While many pageants have dispensed with the swimsuit portion of their competitions, the event still remains a part of the Miss Universe competition. Usually, the swimsuit competition is a preliminary competition, taking place before the official coronation on the final night of the pageant. Unlike other pageants like Miss America, the Miss Universe competition does not have a talent portion in its lineup. Miss USA, which is owned by the Miss Universe Organization, also asks that its pageants participate in a swimsuit competition. Miss Universe titleholders must not compete in any other pageants during their reign including the runner-ups Images Press/IMAGES/Getty Miss Ireland Olivia Tracy attends the 1985 Miss Universe pageant in Miami, Florida. Miss Ireland Olivia Tracy attends the 1985 Miss Universe pageant in Miami, Florida. On April 22, 2025, the Miss Universe organization put out a press release clarifying its rules and regulations surrounding what titleholders can and cannot do during their 12-month reign. The release came after the third runner-up in 2024's competition, Suchata "Opal" Chuangsri, went on to compete in the Miss World Thailand pageant despite holding the third runner-up title. As a result, the Miss Universe Organization revoked her title for breaching contractual obligations by competing in another external pageant before finishing her reign. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Recently, we have discovered that TPN Global did not comply with the protocols set by the National Directors (ND) by sending a Miss Universe Queen to participate in another pageant before completing her reign," the Miss Universe Organization wrote of the national organizer in charge of running Miss Universe Thailand. "We deeply regret any incidents where these actions have violated our internal protocols and expectations." Despite the stripping of her Miss Universe title, Chuangsri went on to be crowned Miss World Thailand and competed in the overall Miss World pageant, ultimately winning that title as well. Pageant contestants are allowed to be married and be mothers Hector Vivas/Getty Miss Angola Ana Barbara Da Silva Coimbra, Miss Venezuela Diana Silva and Miss Zimbabwe Brooke Bruk-Jackson participate during the 72nd Miss Universe competition in 2023. Miss Angola Ana Barbara Da Silva Coimbra, Miss Venezuela Diana Silva and Miss Zimbabwe Brooke Bruk-Jackson participate during the 72nd Miss Universe competition in 2023. In August 2022, the Miss Universe Organization revealed that it would be allowing both married women and mothers to compete in the competition for the first time in its history. The new rules went into effect for the 72nd Miss Universe pageant in 2023, according to an internal memo obtained by The National. Up until the rule change, only women between the ages of 18 and 28 who had never before been married and had no children were allowed to compete for the title of Miss Universe. The first mother to compete in the Miss Universe pageant was Miss Guatemala Michelle Cohn in 202, alongside the first married contestant with a child, Miss Colombia Camila Avella, who placed in the top five that year. Read the original article on People Sean "Diddy" Combs is getting at least one of his wishes regarding prison life fulfilled, according to a new report. Combs has been incarcerated at Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn, New York since September 2024, when he was indicted on sex trafficking, racketeering and prostitution charges. In July, Combs was acquitted of the more serious charges, but convicted on two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution. Post-conviction, Combs remained at Metropolitan Detention Center, but his legal team had been trying to get him sent to New Jerseys Fort Dix prison for the start of his federal sentence. Their appeals worked, according to TMZ, which reported that Diddy began serving his federal sentence at Fort Dix on Thursday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Law enforcement sources tell us Diddy was transferred to FCI Fort Dix in New Jersey early Thursday morning and began the check-in process," TMZ wrote. "Remember, this is the prison he requested to serve his time at after Judge Arun Subramanian sentenced him to 50 months in prison. "The Federal Bureau of Prisons ultimately granted Diddy's request." WASHINGTON, DC - OCTOBER 20: Sean "Diddy" Combs attends Sean "Diddy" Combs Fulfills $1 Million Pledge To Howard University At Howard Homecoming Yardfest at Howard University on October 20, 2023 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Shareif Ziyadat/Getty Images for Sean "Diddy" Combs) Shareif Ziyadat/Getty Images Why Diddy's lawyers wanted him at Fort Dix FCI Fort Dix, located in Burlington County in southern New Jersey, is a low-security federal prison for male offenders. Combs' lawyers applied for him to be sent to Fort Dix, arguing that it was the best place for the Bad Boy Records founder to "address drug abuse issues and maximize family visitation and rehabilitative efforts at the facility. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Defense lawyer Teny Geragos also mentioned Fort Dix's occupational and educational programs when advocating for his client. The facility is one of 53 locations nationwide with a residential drug treatment program. Also, Combs reportedly had some issues while at Metropolitan Detention Center, including a reported incident of an inmate holding a knife to his throat as he slept. Diddy set to be released in 2028 U.S. District Court Judge Arun Subramanian sentenced Combs to 50 months in prison back on Oct. 3. Combs' time behind bars in Brooklyn counts toward the sentence; according to the Federal Bureau of Prisons database, he is set to be released on May 8, 2028. With his release date now set, Combs' lawyers are aiming to have his appeal of his conviction expedited. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement An expedited briefing and argument schedule is critical to ensure that Mr. Combss appeal of his sentence does not become moot while the appeal is pending, said defense attorney Alexandra Shapiro, who added that her client's appeal "will challenge the unfair use of the Mann Act, an infamous statute with a sordid history, to prosecute him for sex with consenting adults." This story was originally reported by Men's Journal on Oct 30, 2025, where it first appeared in the Entertainment section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here. Hail the Pumpkin Queen. Heidi Klums Halloween costumes through the years prove that she wins Halloween every damn time. For the past 20 years, Klum has been the queen of Halloween for over-the-top costumes, such as Fiona from Shrek, Jessica Rabbit and the werewolf from Michael Jacksons 1982 music video for Thriller. Armed with hours worth of prosthetics, makeup and one-of-a-kind costumes, Klum never ceases to amaze us. (We mean, the woman hosts an annual star-studded Halloween party, so you know she loves the holiday.) In a 2018 interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Klum explained that her love of Halloween stems from her childhood in Cologne, Germany, where she attended the countrys annual Karneval, a famous celebration filled with candy and wild costumes. Related: Heidi Klum Said Fans Will Never Guess What Her 2024 Halloween Costume IsBut We Think We Cracked the Code I embrace that title! And I always want to live up to it, year after year, Klum said at the time of her Halloween Queen title. When I moved to America, I immediately fell in love with Halloween and the spookiness of it. All that was missing was a fantastic party. It felt like a real opportunity for me. Advertisement Advertisement So how does she pull off her Halloween costumes each year? Well, Klum told THR that she starts thinking of next years costume the day after Halloween. I start thinking about it on Nov. 1! I usually have two or three ideas that Im playing with and then I decide on one thing. You have to decide at one point because pieces have to be built and all of that, she said. So right when the party is over, the morning of Nov. 1, I start thinking, Maybe next year, Im going to do that one that I didnt do this year. And then, obviously, throughout the year new things come into my mind because maybe Ive seen a movie, or I went to a country and was inspired by something I saw there. Look back on Heidi Klums Halloween costumes through the years ahead. 2001: Lady Godiva 2001: Lady Godiva For Heidi Klums 2001 Halloween costume, the model rode into a Halloween party on a horse as Lady Godiva. Her look was complete with a down-to-the-floor-long wig and an ethereal headpiece. 2002: Betty Boop 2002: Betty Boop Heidi Klums 2002 Halloween costume as Betty Boop will go down in Halloween history. From the eyelashes to the curls, she nailed this look. Of course, she had to add her own Halloween flair with vampire fangs. 2004: Witch 2004: Witch Heidi Klums 2004 costume wasnt your average witch. The model accompanied her outfit with bones, a bright red wigs and a broomstick. 2005: Vampire 2005: Vampire Advertisement Advertisement Sure, vampires are common around Halloween, but Heidi Klums 2005 Halloween costume was one of the better bloodsuckers weve seen. 2006: Forbidden Fruit 2006: Forbidden Fruit For Heidi Klums 2006 Halloween costume, the model channeled the Bible story about Eve and the Forbidden Fruit. She dressed as both the fruit and the snake. Her husband at the time, Seal, was Eve. 2007: Cat 2007: Cat Heidi Klums 2007 Halloween costume was anything but basic. The model looked straight out of the Cats Broadway musical in this authentic furry costume. 2008: Kali 2008: Kali One of her problematic costumes, Heidi Klums 2008 Halloween costume was Kali, the Hindu goddess of death and time (or at least her interpretation of the goddess). The look consisted of a blue multi-armed costume and swords. 2009: Crow 2009: Crow Advertisement Advertisement The model is known for her legs, so it came as no surprise that Heidi Klums 2009 Halloween costume was a sexy crow. On top, Klum was a crow, complete with black wings and a beak. On the bottom, the model showed off her best assets: her legs in knee-high boots. 2010: Robot 2010: Robot For Heidi Klums 2010 Halloween costume, the model wore stilts and dressed as a sky-high red and purple robot. Next to her was her husband, Seal, who dressed as a much-shorter silver bot. 2011: Ape 2011: Ape Also for Heidi Klums 2011 Halloween costume, the model and her husband at the time, Seal, dressed as apes. The costumes were almost identical except Klums had obvious nipples showing. 2011: Human Body 2011: Human Body Heidi Klums 2011 Halloween costume was a human bodybut not just any human body. Klum dressed as a human body without hair or any skin. On the red carpet at her Halloween party, Klum also laid down on an operating table as fake doctors assessed her. 2012: Cleopatra 2012: Cleopatra Advertisement Advertisement Heidi Klums 2012 Halloween costume was Cleopatra. The model walked down the red carpet of her Halloween party dressed head to toe in goldincluding a royal headpiece. 2014: Butterfly Image: Newscom/Mega Agency. For Heidi Klums 2014 Halloween costume, the model dressed as a butterfly with massive wings. She also painted her body in shades of blue and white to mimic the dazzling colors of a butterfly. 2015: Jessica Rabbit 2015: Jessica Rabbit Heidi Klums 2015 Halloween costume as Jessica Rabbit is one of her best. Klum looked almost identical to the cartoon character from 1988s Who Framed Roger Rabbit in a red curves-hugging dress, blue latex gloves and tons of prosthetics to mimic Jessica Rabbits unnatural proportions. 2016: Clones 2016: Clones On her own, Heidi Klums 2016 Halloween costume isnt that impressive. But with five clones of herself, the model won the holiday. For 2016, Kluim recruited five models that looked like her for a trippy Halloween costume. Each model, wore the same knee-high boots and leotards. Klums clones, of course, also had prosthetics to look even more identical to the model. 2017: The Werewolf in Thriller 2017: The Werewolf in Thriller Advertisement Advertisement Heidi Klums 2017 Halloween costume was the werewolf in the music video from Michael Jacksons 1982 song Thriller. The look consisted of a red-and-yellow letterman jacket, blue jeans and, of course, a werewolf mask and prosthetics that look identical to the monster in Jacksons video. Klum accompanied her costume with a mini-performance of Jacksons choreography in New York City. 2018: Fiona From Shrek 2018: Fiona From Shrek For Heidi Klums 2018 Halloween costume, she and her husband, Tom Kaulitz, dressed as the main couple from the 2001 movie Shrek. Kaulitz was the titular character, while Klum dressed as Princess Fiona. Their looks, of course, were complete with green prosthetics for an authentic ogre look. 2019: Flesh eating Alien 2019: Flesh eating Alien For Heidi Klums 2019 Halloween costume, she and her husband, Tom Kaulitz, dressed as an out-of-this-world duo. Klum dressed as a near-naked, flesh-eating alien, while her husband was the bloody astronaut who had just been feasted on. Klums costume took 10 hours of prosthetics and makeup. She live-streamed the process of her Halloween costume on Amazon. 2020: Her Own Horror Film Character //platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js Advertisement Advertisement Because Halloween was cancelled in 2020, Klum directed her own #HeidiHalloween2020 film, in which she was haunted by monsters in her house played by herself. Halloween is different this year, but that shouldnt stop us from getting creative at home Be safe, be spooky, and spend time with family. #HeidiHalloween2020, she captioned the five-minute movie on her Instagram. 2021: Her Own Horror Film Character Part 2 //platform.instagram.com/en_US/embeds.js For Heidi Klums Halloween costume in 2021, she forwent her annual Halloween party again and filmed an original horror short film, where she paid tribute to several iconic horror films, including Psycho. The short film also saw her play several monsters, including a dead version of herself the emerges from her grave and a flesh-eating cannibal. 2022: A Worm 2022: A Worm Heidi Klums 2022 Halloween costume was a life-sized worm. The head-to-toe costume was complete with ridges, a curved head and a long tail. Klums husband, Tom Kaulitz, dressed as a fisherman with a bloody eye and had the hook of his fishing rod attached to Klums costume. Klums whole body was covered except for her eyes and mouth, and her tan sneakers, which peaked through the bottom of her costume. Klum debuted her costume at her annual Halloween Partyat at Sake No Hana at the Moxy in New York City. Absolutely hooked on last nights looks , Klum captioned an Instagram photo of her costume. 2023: A Peacock 2023: A Peacock Heidi Klums Halloween costume for 2023 was an eye-catching, multi-person peacock. I was like, How the heck do I top this rain worm? Klum said during a dress rehearsal the day before the big reveal, per the New York Times. Dressed in prosthetics and a blue velvet leotard, Heidi was the birds body and 10 Cirque du Soleil performers made up the fanned peacock tailno real feathers were used. 2024: ET 2024: ET Heidi Klum dressed up as the beloved 80s alien E.T. from E.T. The Extra-Terrestrial alongside her hubby Tom Kaulitz. As a 9-year-old in Germany, E.T. introduced me to the idea that theres life outside planet earth. So for the last year, we all put our heads together to figure out how to put my own stamp on such an iconic character, she wrote on Instagram. Best of StyleCaster Sign up for Stylecaster's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. The News in Brief Friday, October 31, 2025 The Investigation Service of the Ministry of Finance announced the arrest of former Deputy Minister of Regional Development and Infrastructure Koba Gabunia, who supervised the Municipal Development Fund of Georgia. He is accused of abusing official authority.According to the agency, searches were conducted at 20 locations, including the homes of Gabunia, former Minister Irakli Karseladze, and other individuals.Earlier, the former Executive Director of the Municipal Development Fund, Davit Tabidze, along with the fund's program and project managers, were detained. They cooperated with investigators and were released on bail.The Investigation Service said executives of Lagi Capital LLC were arrested for fraudulently appropriating 9.36 million GEL allocated for the rehabilitation of 30 kindergartens and for laundering 1.21 million GEL of illegal income. Between July 2023 and May 2024, the company submitted unsupported advance payment requests, which were approved under Gabunia's instructions. Despite earlier funds being misused, Gabunia allegedly authorized another advance of 11.2 million GEL, of which Lagi Capital embezzled 9.36 million GEL.The case is being investigated under several articles of the Criminal Code, carrying a possible prison sentence of 9 to 12 years.Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze said that certain political parties will not be banned because they "do not have a real impact on the process."His comments refer to the ruling Georgian Dream's initiative to outlaw several opposition parties. On October 28, Georgian Dream Parliament Speaker Shalva Papuashvili announced that the party would appeal to the Constitutional Court to ban the United National Movement, Lelo, and Akhali. Earlier, on October 16, parliament passed amendments granting the Constitutional Court the power to dissolve political parties.Kobakhidze said: "For example, such a practice exists in Germany, and the case law of the Strasbourg Court follows the same principle. A lawsuit was filed to ban the National Democratic Party in Germany, but the Constitutional Court rejected it because the party lacked the resources to cross the electoral threshold and had no real influence."He added that when a political group "does not have a significant impact on the political process, it does not pose a real threat to the constitutional order," noting that Georgia had considered this precedent.Kobakhidze also warned that if anyone tries to circumvent the Constitutional Court's ruling on the banning of a party, the restriction "will be extended to the so-called successor parties." The U.S. labor market is in a state of flux. The number of job cuts in the public sector has been much higher than typical in 2025. Still, even private-sector industries not concerned with reducing the federal workforce are seeing major declines. About 1.6 million U.S. workers are being laid off each month this year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey. U.S. layoff stats 2025: 1.6 million workers laid off each month On pace for 19.2 million annually. 206,101 employees laid off from 221 tech companies Job cuts up 5.9% year over year 21% of companies expected to lay off employees Through August, 13.8 million Americans were laid off, a 4.6% increase over the previous year. Macroeconomic factors always play a role in layoffs. But this time around, a technological issue is weighing on the labor market, and it's projected to get even worse for workers on the deeper end of the earnings pool. More white-collar jobs will be on the chopping block.Image source: Shutterstock The AI job revolution is already hurting white-collar workers Last week, Amazon dropped a bombshell when it announced it would cut 14,000 white-collar jobs, eliminating about 10% of its corporate workforce in the process. Amazon wasn't alone. Related: Ubisoft 'soft layoffs' expected after latest announcement UPS has cut 14,000 managerial positions over the past 22 months. Target has said it will cut 1,800 corporate jobs. GM is cutting hundreds of jobs at its Georgia IT center. And Molson Coors eliminated 400 salaried jobs across its Americas business, representing about 9% of its white-collar workforce. Companies, especially in the tech sector, view the AI revolution as a way to reduce redundancies in their managerial ranks. "Some actually say that they think they'll do better with smaller organizations. There was a memo sent last week inside Meta where the company's AI chief actually said that by reducing the size of our team, fewer conversations will be required to make decisions and that each person will be 'more load-bearing and have more scope,'" Chip Cutter, jobs reporter for the Wall Street Journal, recently said on a podcast. Mike Hoffman, CEO of growth advisory consulting firm SBI, also recently bragged that he has been able to cut his software development team by 80% in recent months, even while productivity increased. While that is good news for businesses, workers are feeling the crunch. "For employees, this is a really difficult labor market to navigate. If you're out of work and looking for a job, it's often times difficult to get people to respond to you to find one. Many big companies are not hiring right now," Cutter said. Keira Knightley says her mom gave her a no-nonsense piece of advice about balancing work and kids. 'You just get on with it. You just do it,'" the "Pride and Prejudice" star said, recalling her mom's words. Knightley added that she's "tried to get as much work" as she can in London for the sake of her family. Keira Knightley, 40, says she's learning to embrace the chaos of being a working mother. During an appearance on Wednesday's episode of "Giovanna Fletcher's Happy Mum Happy Baby" podcast, the actor shared her mother's no-nonsense advice on juggling a career and kids. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "She's a proper second-wave feminist. 'You just get on with it. You just do it. That's what you do. You have the babies and you take them and that's what you do, you know,'" Knightley told host Giovanna Fletcher, recalling her mother's words. After having two daughters of her own, whom she shares with her husband, musician James Righton, Knightley said she has come to agree with her mother's perspective. "There is a reality to it. You do just make it work," Knightley said. "It does look different for absolutely everybody, and it's always a mess. And I think this is what I've come to just accept, is that it's always messy." The "Pride and Prejudice" star added that she's "really lucky" because she has a strong support system that includes her husband and her mom. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Whenever she's filming, her husband, who works from home, can help keep things running. "It sort of works well from that point of view," Knightley said, "but it's always a mess." But things are easier now that her kids are slightly older, she said. "And definitely just from, you know, from being able to, if there's a problem, they can call me," Knightley said, adding that even though her daughters don't have phones, school staff can always get in touch. Moreover, Knightley said her next job will be based in London, which means she won't be "disrupting their life." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Their life is set. They're at school. They've got their friends. They've got the stuff. We've got our support network around us because we're at home," Knightley said. The actor added that she's "tried to get as much work" as she can in London for the sake of her family. In particular, she felt that her kids needed some stability in their lives after the pandemic. "I felt for me, you know, and I think for actors that's very difficult because we move all over the world. So, I've really tried to kind of keep it in London, and been really fortunate that I could kind of I could make that work," Knightley said. In November 2024, the "Pirates of the Caribbean" actor said she took a step back from her career because of her kids. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I couldn't go job to job [abroad] now. It wouldn't be in any way fair on them, and I wouldn't want to," Knightley told The Times. "I've chosen to have children, I want to bring them up, so I've had to take a major step back." A representative for Knightley did not immediately respond to a request for comment sent by Business Insider outside regular hours. She's far from the only Hollywood parent to speak about balancing work and family life. In January, Cameron Diaz , who took a decadelong hiatus from Hollywood, said she spent those 10 years "trying to stay alive just like every other mother." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Earlier this month, Hailey Bieber said she wouldn't have been able to manage working and being a mom without outside support. "I do have help. I have full-time help. And I'm super not ashamed to say that," the Rhode founder said. Read the original article on Business Insider King Charles dramatically exiled his brother Andrew to the British royal familys gloomiest and most haunted property Thursdayas well as stripping him of the title Prince. The royal formerly known as Andrew was unceremoniously removed from the 30-room mansion he had been due to live in for free for the rest of his life and sent to a cottage beside Sandringham, one of the kings other homes. The exile puts Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, 65, 100 miles from other royals and helpfully, for King Charles and Prince William, out of the easy view of paparazzi and gawpers. The Daily Beast He will now live on the dank and often windswept estate far from London and the life he once lived, with plenty of time to reflect on his fall. As a bonus, the 20,000 acre Sandringham Estate is where one of the key moments in his slide into disgrace began, when he hosted Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell for a shooting party there in 2000. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Three months later he was photographed with Maxwell and Virginia Giuffre, then a 17-year-old who went on to accuse him of raping her while she was trafficked by Maxwell and Epstein. Andrews evasions and lies about Epstein lasted for years but finally ended his status as a royal weeks after Giuffres posthumous memoir was published and amid moves for a rare legal move in England, a private prosecution. Andrew was photographed with Maxwell and Virginia Giuffre, then a 17-year-old. / Virginia Roberts Giuffre/Fair Use Banishment to the estate is a double humiliation: Sandringham is where the extended royal family have for generations gathered for Christmas. But Andrew has already reportedly been disinvited from the celebrations, leaving him as a spurned relative who will be able to see his family only from a distance, without taking part. That family includes his two daughters and four grandchildren, who still appear to be part of the Kings fold. Andrew has already reportedly been disinvited from the Christmas celebrations. / Karwai Tang / WireImage Additionally, seeing those grandchildren just became more difficult. They live in London, which is 25 miles from his former home in Windsor but as much as three hours from Sandringham by road. The alternative is public transport but Andrew has never been seen on a normal train in his life. Sandringham is entirely the private property of the royal family. / Radcliffe/Bauer-Griffin / GC Images Sandringham, deep in the rural county of Norfolk, has long been a haunted place for the royals; Andrews grandfather, King George VI died there. Queen Elizabeth went there every year on the anniversary of her fathers death to mourn him. His great-grandfather, George V, died there too, as did George Vs elder brother, Prince Albert Victor, who should have been king. He died of pneumonia there in 1892, aged just 28. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And Prince Philip moved to the property when he retired from public life, earning opprobrium when, aged 97, he pulled out of the estate driveway in his Land Rover and crashed into an oncoming car. Prosecutors decided not to press charges and in return he quit driving. Sandringham is where the extended royal family have for generations gathered for Christmas. / Samir Hussein / Samir Hussein/WireImage Unlike other palaces, Sandringham is entirely the private property of the royal family, which meant King Charles has been able to stash Andrew on it without seeking permission from any official British body. The royal formerly known as Andrew was unceremoniously removed from the 30-room mansion. / Shutterstock The estate was bought by Queen Victoria in 1862, just after her husband Prince Alberts death, to try to keep her heir, the future King Edward VIII, from the carnal temptations of London when he was 20. It did not succeed: Edward became the most notoriously dissipated member of the family before Andrews self-inflicted disgrace. Edward turned it into the most luxurious property in Victorian England and energetically entertained friends, family and mistresses at it, but successive generations of royals have, guests have reported, not exactly kept it up to date. Sandringham has been where generations of royals have shot game birds. It will now fall to King Charles to decide if he lets Andrew use the grounds to that end. / Aaron Chown - PA Images / PA Images via Getty Images In his memoir, Spare, Prince Harry described the big house as stuffy and overheated for the sake of the corgis, comparing it to a jail. He writes, The cool air would make them whimper, and Granny would say: Is there a draft? And then a footman would promptly shut the window. (That loud thump, unavoidable because the windows were so old, always felt like the door of a jail cell being slammed.) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The land around the main house is flat, damp, and crisscrossed by mudflats. In winter it is chilled by bitter winds off the North Sea. The estate has multiple small cottages and one large farmhouse, any one of which might be given to Andrew. Andrew has been reported to spend his weekdays playing computer games and watching television and his weekends shooting. / Shutterstock / Shutterstock Andrew has been reported to spend his weekdays playing computer games and watching television and his weekends shooting. Sandringham has been where generations of royals have shot game birds. It will now fall to King Charles to decide if he lets Andrew use the grounds to that end, itself a fraught decision: Much of the estate is visible from public places, meaning people who go there to shoot can be photographed. Andrew also goes riding regularly. It is unclear if he has his own horses which would have to be taken from the Windsor stables and moved to Sandringham, or if he uses the Kings stables, in which case, even that pastime will now be in the gift of his brother. There will be further discomfort for Andrew from the fact that his neighbor on the estate will be Prince William, who has been his most determined enemy inside the family. William and Princess Kate have their country home, Anmer Hall, on the estate, making for the awkward possibility of the two men meeting on its grounds. Andrew's neighbor on the estate will be Prince William, who has been his most determined enemy inside the family. / Max Mumby/Indigo / Getty Images And Andrew will have to live with the knowledge that unless he is outlived by the 76-year-old Charles, who has cancer, William will gain the keys to Sandringham the moment he is acclaimed as king, making the disgraced royals future even more perilous. Want more royal gossip, scoops and scandal? Head over to The Royalist on Substack Kourtney Kardashian is making it clear that her bond with her stepdaughter, Alabama Barker, is incredibly strong. However, she maintains a calm and respectful relationship with her other stepchildren, Atiana and Landon Barker. This comes after the Lemme co-founder, 46, reportedly had a disagreement with Alabama, stemming from the teenagers feud with rapper Bhad Bhabie. Amid the ongoing family drama, Alabama also faced criticism online for revealing a deeply personal part of her life. Kourtney Kardashian Speaks On Being 'Super Close' With Alabama In a recent episode of "The Kardashians," Kourtney joined Alabama to film an intro for her Twitch stream. During the filming, the Lemme co-founder couldnt help but gush over how close they have become. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Alabama and I are super close. Ive known her since she was 8 years old, she gushed, per PEOPLE Magazine. I love being there for her to support her. I love that she asked me, that she thinks Im cool enough to be in her video. While Kourtney highlighted her tight bond with Alabama, she also revealed that her relationship with Travis other children, Atiana and Landon, is more balanced. She explained that she tries to be present when they need her, but without being overbearing. Kourtney, who is stepmom to Traviss three kids, also shares three children of her ownMason, Penelope, and Reign with ex Scott Disick. Last year, she welcomed a baby boy, Rocky Thirteen, with Travis. Travis Barker Mediates Between Kourtney And Alabama Though Kourtney is now expressing her admiration for Alabama, her statement follows reports that her husband, Travis, helped mend tensions between the two. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to The Blast, an insider revealed that Travis acted as a peacemaker, facilitating a heart-to-heart between his wife and daughter. Kourtney and Alabama have really turned a corner. Things are in a much better place between them now than they were a month ago, the source shared. The insider added that Kourtney still finds Alabamas feisty free spirit a handful at times, but thanks to Travis calm approach, they dont expect another fallout soon. The Blink-182 drummer reportedly reminded both Kourtney and Alabama of the importance of supporting one another for the familys sake. While the pair has reconciled, the source noted that their relationship is still evolving and will take time to fully heal. Kourtney Kardashian Draws The Line On How Alabamas Feud Affects the Family Jordan Hinton/Image Press Agency/MEGA Travis mediation seems understandable, given how the feud reportedly took a toll on their family. An insider revealed that Alabamas issues with Bhad Bhabie created serious tension in the Kardashian-Barker household. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is a huge source of stress for them as a couple, the insider shared. Theyre both upset and worried about Alabama, and now on top of that, Kourtneys hit the roof because Rocky and Reign have both gotten dragged into the negativity. According to The Blast, Kourtney initially stayed silent, allowing Travis to handle the matter. However, she became frustrated when her young sons were mentioned in the online drama. Until recently, Kourtney was biting her tongue and trying to mostly stay out of it and let Travis take charge, but shes too upset to stay quiet now and wants to start making some rules and laying down the law, the source revealed. How Alabamas Feud Spilled Over To The Kardashians The feud between Alabama and Bhad Bhabie reportedly began months ago when Bhad Bhabie accused Alabama of betrayal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Things escalated when Bhad Bhabies grandmother, Barbara, used Kourtneys youngest son, Rocky, in a jab at Alabama. She referred to the 19-year-old as a little dirty a-- hoe for mentioning her granddaughter, Kali, in a diss track instead of focusing on her fathers new family. Barbara went on to say, Rocky rules while youre just on your knees, in another post. The situation worsened when Alabamas boyfriend went live on Instagram with Kourtneys older son, Reign, without her permission. According to insiders, the incident deeply upset Kourtney, who didnt hesitate to voice her feelings and make her displeasure known. Alabama Responds To Criticism Over Pregnancy Loss Revelation Following her feud, Alabama made headlines for revealing her pregnancy loss at 19, a move that sparked criticism from some followers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As reported by The Blast, the young adult addressed the backlash directly, calling it insane for people to think shed share something so personal just for attention. Accident or not, I dont need to prove myself by posting, Alabama wrote. My journey is my own, not a performance, and not because someone else shared theirs, she stated firmly. Actress Alison Arngrim says Little House on the Prairiefans still approach her because of her role as Nellie Oleson, Laura Ingalls' (Melissa Gilbert) difficult classmate. ReMind magazine reported that Arngrim and her Little House on the Prairie castmate, Dean Butler, who portrayed Almanzo Wilder, discussed the show's long-lasting fandom during the October 30 episode of their podcast, Little House 50 Podcast, co-hosted by Pamela Bob. While recording the podcast episode, Arngrim said she was in Paris, France, and attended a Le Cordon Bleu class. When Bob jokingly said her Le Cordon Bleu classmates may have realized she played Nellie, Arngrim replied that she believes that was the case. I think one or two people did [recognize me] and were just being cool. There were a couple of people who were going, Hi.' And just didnt say anything," said Arngrim as she widened her eyes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bob then inquired if fans usually realize Arngrim and Butler starred in Little House on the Prairie, Its very contextual for me. It seems like everywhere Alison goes, people know her What Im grateful for is this: When Im in a space where Im supposed to be known, people look at me and know its me," replied Butler, who began playing Almanzo during the show's 6th season, which premiered in 1979, per IMDb. Arngrim then said that "it depends" on how often fans approach her. "Some days, its very quiet, and other days, its like Mr. Rogers Neighborhood. I go out, and they go, Hey! Oh, look, its Nellie Oleson! Hi! How are you?and its like all day long. I never know what its going to be. Its bonkers," said the actress. Alison Arngrim Opened up About Playing Nellie on 'Little House on the Prairie' Arngrim appeared as Nellie during the first seven seasons and the final and ninth season of Little House on the Prairie, as reported by IMDb. In a May 2025 interview with Closer Weekly, Arngrim shared how she felt about starring on the historical drama when it premiered in 1974. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It was weird. I had a girl yell at me literally after the very first episode aired. Nobody thought Little House was going to be a hit," said Confessions of a Prairie B---h author during the 2025 interview. "And of course, it ran for years, and its still in reruns. But I feel so lucky that it was a good show. When I look back at it, I dont have to be embarrassed. It was well-written, well- directed and I had an awesome character. I got to be the villain. In addition, Arngrim told the publication that she would be interested in making an appearance in the upcoming Netflix Little House on the Prairie series, which will also be based on Laura Ingalls Wilder's semi-autobiographical book series. Of course! Ive always said, Im old enough to be Mrs. Oleson now, so call me. The show has to obviously become its own thing, get its own footing with its own people. They have to find people who are good and will have the same kind of incredible chemistry together that we had," said the 63-year-old. This story was originally reported by Parade on Oct 31, 2025, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here. This year's annual Housatonic Valley Association (HVA) Auction for the Environment in Morris will feature a special guest - Emmy and Tony Award-winning actress Christine Baranski. Baranski, who is a Connecticut resident and HVA member, is best known for her Emmy-winning role as Maryann Thorpe in the "Cybill" as well as credits in "The Good Wife," "Mamma Mia!" and its sequel "Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again," "The Gilded Age" and "How the Grinch Stole Christmas." She also won two Tony's for "Best Featured Actress in a Play" in "The Real Thing" in 1984 and "Rumors" in 1989. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Amid ongoing climate concerns, we have an opportunity to act now and protect this beautiful place so many people love, and HVA's auction is a fun and meaningful way to help," Baranski said in a news release. In addition to hosting, Baranski is chairing the Benefit Auction Committee with her daughter, Lily Cowles, and co-chair Elyse Harney Morris. The auction, which will take place on Saturday, Nov. 22, will feature "luxurious getaways, unique experiences and local adventures," according to a news release. One such item is a VIP experience from "Late Night" host Seth Meyers, who also counts himself as a Connecticut resident. In addition to live bidding on Nov. 22, there will be an online silent auction which opens on Nov. 10 at 2 p.m. The silent auction will conclude at the live event on Nov. 22. There will also be a "Winner's Choice Raffle" with 150-$100 tickets that offer a chance to win "one of five live auction or premium silent auction items" like a vacation to Willamette Valley, Oregon and Chattanooga, Tennessee. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The goal of the HVA is to "protect the natural character and environmental health of the entire river valley from the Berkshires, eastern New York and western Connecticut to Long Island Sound, for today and for future generations," according to its website. The organization does this through restoring and protecting watershed lands and waters. This article originally published at 'Mamma Mia!' actor Christine Baranski to host Connecticut auction next month. The "Love Is Blind" Season 9 reunion special was filled with bombshell moments, including "Sparkle" Megan Walerius revealing that she had welcomed a child since the show filmed. "I have a little boy and he is my whole world," Megan said. Her son, Brooks, was born about three months ago. Megan's child's father, identified only as Paul, was seated in the live audience. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I know now more than ever that I was meant on this Earth to be a mom. He's amazing. Our family is very happy," Megan continued. Megan revealed she and Paul had met in July, three months after filming wrapped in April. She became pregnant three months later. "We definitely had our ups and downs. I'm not going to say it was perfect. But Paul's been amazing and we're very happy," Megan said. The reunion, which hit Netflix on Oct. 29, featured appearances from several Season 9 cast members, including Megan and her former fiance, Jordan Keltner. A trailer for the reunion had teased a "bit of a surprise" from Megan and it certainly delivered when the reality star dropped the big news. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In recent weeks, "Love Is Blind" viewers had wondered if Megan had welcomed a child after photos of her with a mystery man and a baby circulated online. Megans news came as a bit of a surprise for many viewers since Season 9 ended with her saying she wasnt sure if she was cut out to be a stepmom. Jordan is a single dad to son Luca. Honestly, this has me questioning if Im even cut out to be a mom. Maybe I am too caught up in my own life, she said in a confessional interview after breaking up with Jordan. Kalybriah, Nick, Madison, Anton and Megan at the reunion. (Adam Rose/Netflix) Jordan said Megan's news didn't come as a surprise to him they had discussed the the matter before the reunion. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I appreciate the transparency and the honesty. You're going to be great parents. I have no doubt about that," he said during the reunion. Megan said becoming a mom taught her selflessness and gave her more empathy for her ex-fiance. I applaud Jordan for doing this experiment and putting his heart out there, she said. The rest of the cast was surprised by Megan's news, too. She said she took pains to keep the baby a secret, adding that "no phones were allowed" at her baby shower. "I wanted my pregnancy and the start of Brooks' life for us to have in private," she said. Megan and Jordans Love Is Blind Journey Megan and Jordan got engaged after getting to know each other in the dating pods then moved in together. When Jordan revealed that he has a 5-year-old son named Luca, Megan was initially unsure if she was ready to be a parent in a matter of weeks, but she later embraced the idea. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After meeting Luca, Megan seemed eager to take on the role of stepmother. Still, she was nervous that she didnt have the chance to live with Luca during the experiment since he wasnt going to appear on camera. Shortly before their wedding, Megan sat Jordan down for a serious conversation about the state of their relationship. She expressed concern that they live two vastly different lifestyles since he needed to be structured for Luca and she had the freedom to travel and live a more flexible lifestyle. Jordan Keltner, Megan Walerius (Courtesy Netflix) After calling things off with Jordan, Megan opened up in a confessional interview, saying, In the pods, I was really leaning into him being a single father, like the excitement of it, but I dont think I thought through how challenging it is and how I would need to make a lot of concessions to how I currently live. Jordan said he regretted introducing Luca to Megan and said their financial differences ultimately put a strain on their relationship. I think if I had enough money that I didnt really have to work I think we would be getting married, he said. This article was originally published on TODAY.com Rosie O'Donnell's troubled daughter is counting down the days to her transfer to a state prison. The TV personality's adopted daughter, Chelsea O'Donnell, whose life has been plagued by legal troubles, is set to be moved to a new facility to serve out her prison sentence. So far, Rosie O'Donnell's daughter has been living behind bars at a Wisconsin jail, with accommodations that are closer to heaven on earth than what she might endure in a state prison. Rosie O'Donnell's Troubled Daughter's Current Accommodations Are Cozy And Safe ZUMAPRESS.com / MEGA The Wisconsin jail Chelsea has been living in since violating the terms of her probation is reportedly filled with cozy accommodations for inmates. Marinette County Assistant Jail Administrator Jake Roberts shed more light on the situation, revealing Rosie's adopted daughter is housed with the general population. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Inmates at the facility typically had roommates; however, they were allowed to spend more time outside their cells. Roberts explained that they had dayroom time in a shared common area where they could play games such as Phase 1, Uno, chess, and checkers. Additionally, Roberts told TMZ that inmates enjoyed tasty meals at the facility, including chicken patties, tacos, pizza, and rice. Inmates like Chelsea could also watch cable TV and were connected to the outside world through phone privileges, video visits, and a kiosk for sending messages. Chelsea O'Donnell Violated The Terms Of Her Probation Following three back-to-back arrests for drug-related crimes from September to November 2024, Rosie's daughter was sentenced to six years of probation. It was reported that Chelsea was re-arrested for a probation violation. Court records revealed that a Wisconsin judge had sentenced Chelsea to prison on Wednesday, October 22, for violating the terms of her probation. She allegedly did so after sexual assault claims were leveled against her; however, details about the incident weren't recorded. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement An official from the treatment drug court also accused Chelsea of failing to take her rehabilitation program seriously. They stressed that she had not shown significant improvement, thereby leading to her termination from the Marinette County Treatment Drug Court Program. How The Daytime Emmy Award Winner Reacted To The News Rosie addressed Chelsea's legal troubles in an Instagram post, asking for prayers. She shared a throwback picture of her adopted daughter as a child, noting in the caption how happy she was before her life became plagued by addictions. "I loved her then. I love her now as she faces a scary future," Rosie wrote. She echoed similar sentiments in a statement, noting that her heart went out to everyone struggling with addiction. She revealed that Chelsea was born into addiction and vowed to keep loving and supporting her through her ordeals. Although she sympathized with Chelsea's situation, Rosie was not one to give too many chances. Before relocating to Ireland with her youngest daughter, Clay, the entertainer reportedly removed Chelsea's name from her $80 million estate. The Repeat Offender Failed To Obtain A Furlough Following her third arrest in 2024, Rosie's daughter attempted to get a furlough from the $7,500 cash bail set by a Wisconsin judge. The Blast reported that Chelsea pleaded for the exemption to join the AODA treatment for her drug problems. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Chelsea's lawyer pleaded her case, imploring the court to allow her to join the treatment program as soon as possible, but their pleas did not move the judge. The furlough request was denied the following day, keeping Rosie's daughter behind bars. The repeat offender was arrested a third time in November 2024 for felony possession of methamphetamine, misdemeanor resisting an officer, and more. Her second arrest occurred in October during a traffic stop, where officers found drugs and meth in Chelsea's possession. Rosie O'Donnell Addressed Her Daughter's Third Arrest Mark Von Holden/ AFF-USA.com / MEGA A month before her second arrest, Chelsea was taken into custody for child neglect and drug-related charges. Officers had responded to a call at her shared home with her boyfriend, Jacob Nelund, only to uncover their terrifying living conditions. The police report noted that there was trash, used needles, and all manner of filth lying around. The worst part was finding the couple's young son in a bedroom with drugs, including a meth pipe. An officer claimed the situation was so bad he wanted to throw up. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Blast shared that Rosie responded to a query about Chelsea's third arrest on Instagram, revealing her daughter's birth mother had bailed her out after her second arrest. Rosie concluded her message with the hope that Chelsea would receive the support she needed. Will Rosie O'Donnell help her adopted daughter through her latest legal ordeal? When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Credit: Getty Images It's been a difficult time for the Royal Family in recent weeks amid the scandals swirling around Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson, but King Charles still took the time out to celebrate an important moment on Wednesday, October 29. According to the Court Circular, The King held a 90th birthday party for the Duke of Kent, and while numerous senior royals were in attendance, Prince William, Princess Kate and Duchess Sophie were not at the party. Per the Royal Family, Queen Camilla and King Charles were on hand to lead the celebrations for the duke, joined by the the Duke of Gloucester, Prince Michael of Kent, Princess Alexandra, Prince Edward, Princess Anne and her husband, Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Prince and Princess of Wales haven't made any appearances since October 17, the same day Prince Andrew announced he was giving up using his Duke of York title. However, the timing is coincidental as it aligned with the last day of school for Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, who are on a half-term break from Lambrook School. The Wales family is seen with the Duke of Kent at Trooping the Colour 2025. | Credit: Getty Images The Duke of Kent turned 90 on October 9. | Credit: Getty Images Duchess Sophie, seen in July, skipped the party for an agricultural reception. | Credit: Getty Images Along with spending quality time with their children, the Wales family is also preparing for an incredibly busy few weeks. Prince William and Princess Kate are moving to a new home, Forest Lodge, in November, leaving Adelaide Cottage for a larger mansion in Windsor Great Park. It's understood that Kate will be overseeing the move while Prince William flies to Brazil for his annual Earthshot Prize next week. The Prince of Wales will arrive in Brazil on Monday, November 3 as he kicks off several days of engagements for the Earthshot Prize and also attends the COP30 World Leaders Summit on behalf of The King. As for Duchess Sophie, she was unable to make the party as she had previously committed to attending the Country Land and Business Association Reception in London the same night. As royal patron of the Association of Show and Agricultural Organisations, along with other groups in the agricultural industry, the duchess is passionate about supporting rural British life. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As a grandson of King George V, the Duke of Kent is a first cousin of Queen Elizabeth II and a second cousin of King Charles. His wife, Katharine, the Duchess of Kent, died in September at the age of 92. The duke makes appearances with the Royal Family at major events like Trooping the Colour and Remembrance Day, and the military veteran joined The King and the rest of his family for the VE Day commemorations in May. It's been a difficult time for the Royal Family in recent weeks amid the scandals swirling around Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson, but King Charles still took the time out to celebrate an important moment on Wednesday, October 29. According to the Court Circular, The King held a 90th birthday party for the Duke of Kent, and while numerous senior royals were in attendance, Prince William, Princess Kate and Duchess Sophie were not at the party. Per the Royal Family, Queen Camilla and King Charles were on hand to lead the celebrations for the duke, joined by the the Duke of Gloucester, Prince Michael of Kent, Princess Alexandra, Prince Edward, Princess Anne and her husband, Vice Admiral Sir Tim Laurence. The Prince and Princess of Wales haven't made any appearances since October 17, the same day Prince Andrew announced he was giving up using his Duke of York title. However, the timing is coincidental as it aligned with the last day of school for Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, who are on a half-term break from Lambrook School. The Wales family is seen with the Duke of Kent at Trooping the Colour 2025. | Credit: Getty Images The Duke of Kent turned 90 on October 9. | Credit: Getty Images Duchess Sophie, seen in July, skipped the party for an agricultural reception. | Credit: Getty Images Along with spending quality time with their children, the Wales family is also preparing for an incredibly busy few weeks. Prince William and Princess Kate are moving to a new home, Forest Lodge, in November, leaving Adelaide Cottage for a larger mansion in Windsor Great Park. It's understood that Kate will be overseeing the move while Prince William flies to Brazil for his annual Earthshot Prize next week. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Prince of Wales will arrive in Brazil on Monday, November 3 as he kicks off several days of engagements for the Earthshot Prize and also attends the COP30 World Leaders Summit on behalf of The King. As for Duchess Sophie, she was unable to make the party as she had previously committed to attending the Country Land and Business Association Reception in London the same night. As royal patron of the Association of Show and Agricultural Organisations, along with other groups in the agricultural industry, the duchess is passionate about supporting rural British life. As a grandson of King George V, the Duke of Kent is a first cousin of Queen Elizabeth II and a second cousin of King Charles. His wife, Katharine, the Duchess of Kent, died in September at the age of 92. The duke makes appearances with the Royal Family at major events like Trooping the Colour and Remembrance Day, and the military veteran joined The King and the rest of his family for the VE Day commemorations in May. When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Credit: Netflix Director Kathryn Bigelow's latest political thriller, "A House of Dynamite," may be topping the Netflix charts, but not everyone was impressed by this divisive new Netflix No. 1 movie. Its ending (which I'll try my best not to spoil here) left a lot to be desired after watching the same events play out three times over. "A House of Dynamite" landed on Netflix on Oct. 25 and managed to oust both "K-Pop Demon Hunters" and "The Perfect Neighbor" (a harrowing documentary I'd encourage everyone to watch) as the Netflix movie of the moment. If you're anything like me, though, "A House of Dynamite" left you itching to sink your teeth into something more substantial, a political thriller where all that white-knuckle tension and political intrigue actually, y'know ... pays off? Advertisement Advertisement If you've already streamed the movie (or you've dodged it because of all the grumblings about its tendings), here are five more movies like "A House of Dynamite" that I think are more deserving of your precious streaming time. 'Munich The Edge of War' (Netflix) Most war movies drop you into the middle of conflict or the war's final days, but Munich The Edge of War takes a different approach, instead unfolding in the tense months leading up to World War II. Though its been part of Netflix's catalogue for years without making major waves, I'd argue it's one of the streamer's most compelling political thrillers. Set in 1938, it follows two old friends and former Oxford classmates one British (George MacKay) and one German (Jannis Niewohner) who end up on opposing sides of history as Europe teeters on the brink of war. While at an emergency conference in Munich, the two find themselves drawn into a scheme to depose Hitler. And, well ... you can guess about how well that goes. Munich The Edge of War takes more liberties with historical accuracy than "A House of Dynamite," so any purists out there will have plenty to nitpick, but it's still a fascinating glimpse into a chapter of history thats rarely explored on screen. Watch "Munich The Edge of War" on Netflix now 'Eye in the Sky' (Cinemax) Between "Official Secrets" and "Eye in the Sky," Gavin Hood has quietly cemented himself as Hollywood's political thriller tour de force. Starring Helen Mirren, Alan Rickman and Aaron Paul, "Eye in the Sky" follows the surveillance and potential capture of Al-Shabaab leaders hiding in a safe house in Nairobi, Kenya. Advertisement Advertisement When a young girl enters the kill zone of a planned government assassination, it thrusts British Colonel Katherine Powell (Mirren) and her team into a moral and strategic crisis. Like "A House of Dynamite," "Eye in the Sky" jumps between multiple characters and locations in real-time to gradually dial up the suspense. Also like "A House of Dynamite," it invites the audience to wrestle with difficult questions about weapons of war, the justification of collateral damage, and the personal toll these life-or-death decisions can have. Watch 'Eye in the Sky' on Cinemax via Prime Video or Hulu 'The Report' (Prime Video) "The Report" tackles one of the bleakest chapters in recent American history, which should make its ties to "A House of Dynamite" obvious. Adam Driver stars as Daniel Jones, a dedicated Senate staffer with possibly the world's most depressing job: investigating the CIA's so-called Enhanced Interrogation Program in the wake of September 11. The deeper he digs, the more disturbing it gets, including systemic use of waterboarding, sleep deprivation, and other forms of torture. The story moves seamlessly between Joness relentless search for answers and the actions of the CIAs Counterterrorism Center during the incidents under scrutiny. Despite political pressure and a campaign to silence his work, Jones refuses to back down, and Driver really showcases his talent as a leading man by embodying that fiery moral conviction. Advertisement Advertisement Watch 'The Report' on Prime Video now 'Bridge of Spies' (PVOD) When Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks come together, it almost always spells success, and "Bridge of Spies" is no exception. With six Academy Award nominations under its belt, including for Best Picture, this Cold War thriller dramatizes lawyer James B. Donovans efforts to broker a high-stakes prisoner exchange: U.S. prisoner and Soviet spy Rudolf Abel (Mark Rylance) for captured American pilot Francis Gary Powers (Austin Stowell) in the USSR. "Bride of Spies" quickly evolves from a legal drama to a complex web of political maneuvering and international negotiations thanks to Spielberg's masterful touch at the helm. Hanks delivers his usual gem performance as Donovan, though Rylance deserves his flowers for matching his talent beat for beat, a gentle enigma that plays well off Hanks' all-American assuredness with just the right amount of hokum. Buy or rent "Bridge of Spies" on YouTube or Apple 'Fail Safe' (Tubi) "Fail-Safe" is often written off as a more serious "Dr. Strangelove," and the comparison makes sense considering they both came out in the same year, from the same studio, with similar plots. But "Fail-Safe" is also an impressive cinematic feat outside of "Dr. Strangelove's" shadow, and I consider it a must-watch for those looking for more of "A House of Dynamite's" nerve-shredding tension and political intrigue. Advertisement Advertisement Sidney Lumet's Cold War thriller explores a terrifying chain of events when a computer system designed to prevent nuclear attacks malfunctions. When the system sounds the alarm, the U.S. scrambles to send nuclear bombers to attack Moscow, but more technical mishaps make communication impossible, sending the two global superpowers on a collision course for nuclear war. Like "A House of Dynamite," "Fail Safe" unfolds in a series of rooms where officials have their feet to the fire to make difficult decisions, and quickly lest there be even more blood on their hands. Watch "Fail Safe" on Tubi now Follow Tom's Guide on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our up-to-date news, analysis, and reviews in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button! More from Tom's Guide Advertisement Advertisement Director Kathryn Bigelow's latest political thriller, "A House of Dynamite," may be topping the Netflix charts, but not everyone was impressed by this divisive new Netflix No. 1 movie. Its ending (which I'll try my best not to spoil here) left a lot to be desired after watching the same events play out three times over. "A House of Dynamite" landed on Netflix on Oct. 25 and managed to oust both "K-Pop Demon Hunters" and "The Perfect Neighbor" (a harrowing documentary I'd encourage everyone to watch) as the Netflix movie of the moment. If you're anything like me, though, "A House of Dynamite" left you itching to sink your teeth into something more substantial, a political thriller where all that white-knuckle tension and political intrigue actually, y'know ... pays off? If you've already streamed the movie (or you've dodged it because of all the grumblings about its tendings), here are five more movies like "A House of Dynamite" that I think are more deserving of your precious streaming time. 'Munich The Edge of War' (Netflix) Most war movies drop you into the middle of conflict or the war's final days, but Munich The Edge of War takes a different approach, instead unfolding in the tense months leading up to World War II. Though its been part of Netflix's catalogue for years without making major waves, I'd argue it's one of the streamer's most compelling political thrillers. Advertisement Advertisement Set in 1938, it follows two old friends and former Oxford classmates one British (George MacKay) and one German (Jannis Niewohner) who end up on opposing sides of history as Europe teeters on the brink of war. While at an emergency conference in Munich, the two find themselves drawn into a scheme to depose Hitler. And, well ... you can guess about how well that goes. Munich The Edge of War takes more liberties with historical accuracy than "A House of Dynamite," so any purists out there will have plenty to nitpick, but it's still a fascinating glimpse into a chapter of history thats rarely explored on screen. Watch "Munich The Edge of War" on Netflix now 'Eye in the Sky' (Cinemax) Between "Official Secrets" and "Eye in the Sky," Gavin Hood has quietly cemented himself as Hollywood's political thriller tour de force. Starring Helen Mirren, Alan Rickman and Aaron Paul, "Eye in the Sky" follows the surveillance and potential capture of Al-Shabaab leaders hiding in a safe house in Nairobi, Kenya. When a young girl enters the kill zone of a planned government assassination, it thrusts British Colonel Katherine Powell (Mirren) and her team into a moral and strategic crisis. Like "A House of Dynamite," "Eye in the Sky" jumps between multiple characters and locations in real-time to gradually dial up the suspense. Also like "A House of Dynamite," it invites the audience to wrestle with difficult questions about weapons of war, the justification of collateral damage, and the personal toll these life-or-death decisions can have. Advertisement Advertisement Watch 'Eye in the Sky' on Cinemax via Prime Video or Hulu 'The Report' (Prime Video) "The Report" tackles one of the bleakest chapters in recent American history, which should make its ties to "A House of Dynamite" obvious. Adam Driver stars as Daniel Jones, a dedicated Senate staffer with possibly the world's most depressing job: investigating the CIA's so-called Enhanced Interrogation Program in the wake of September 11. The deeper he digs, the more disturbing it gets, including systemic use of waterboarding, sleep deprivation, and other forms of torture. The story moves seamlessly between Joness relentless search for answers and the actions of the CIAs Counterterrorism Center during the incidents under scrutiny. Despite political pressure and a campaign to silence his work, Jones refuses to back down, and Driver really showcases his talent as a leading man by embodying that fiery moral conviction. Watch 'The Report' on Prime Video now 'Bridge of Spies' (PVOD) When Steven Spielberg and Tom Hanks come together, it almost always spells success, and "Bridge of Spies" is no exception. With six Academy Award nominations under its belt, including for Best Picture, this Cold War thriller dramatizes lawyer James B. Donovans efforts to broker a high-stakes prisoner exchange: U.S. prisoner and Soviet spy Rudolf Abel (Mark Rylance) for captured American pilot Francis Gary Powers (Austin Stowell) in the USSR. Advertisement Advertisement "Bride of Spies" quickly evolves from a legal drama to a complex web of political maneuvering and international negotiations thanks to Spielberg's masterful touch at the helm. Hanks delivers his usual gem performance as Donovan, though Rylance deserves his flowers for matching his talent beat for beat, a gentle enigma that plays well off Hanks' all-American assuredness with just the right amount of hokum. Buy or rent "Bridge of Spies" on YouTube or Apple 'Fail Safe' (Tubi) "Fail-Safe" is often written off as a more serious "Dr. Strangelove," and the comparison makes sense considering they both came out in the same year, from the same studio, with similar plots. But "Fail-Safe" is also an impressive cinematic feat outside of "Dr. Strangelove's" shadow, and I consider it a must-watch for those looking for more of "A House of Dynamite's" nerve-shredding tension and political intrigue. Sidney Lumet's Cold War thriller explores a terrifying chain of events when a computer system designed to prevent nuclear attacks malfunctions. When the system sounds the alarm, the U.S. scrambles to send nuclear bombers to attack Moscow, but more technical mishaps make communication impossible, sending the two global superpowers on a collision course for nuclear war. Like "A House of Dynamite," "Fail Safe" unfolds in a series of rooms where officials have their feet to the fire to make difficult decisions, and quickly lest there be even more blood on their hands. Advertisement Advertisement Watch "Fail Safe" on Tubi now Follow Tom's Guide on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our up-to-date news, analysis, and reviews in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button! Odessa Young delivers a breakout performance opposite Jeremy Allen White in the 2025 biopic Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere. The Staircase alum appears in a romantic subplot as a single mother named Faye who forms a connection with Bruce Springsteen during a pivotal point in his life. The Scott Cooperdirected drama is set against Springsteens battles with his record label over the creation of his acclaimed 1982 album, Nebraska. It was very emotional [being offered this movie], Young admitted on Good Morning America in October 2025. I blacked out immediately when it happened but I know there were tears. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Anyone who sees Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere might walk away from the film thinking Faye is one of the E Street Band leaders real lost loves, though the truth is much more complex. Bruce Springsteen Through the Years Keep scrolling for a look at Youngs character in Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere. Is Faye from Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere Based on a Real Person? Not quite. Faye is an original character created for Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere, but she is loosely inspired by some of the rockers real relationships. In the movie, Springsteen (White) meets and forms a connection with the waitress and single mother after one of his legendary concerts in Asbury Park, New Jersey. The relationship coincides with a period of huge emotional and professional upheaval for Springsteen as he recorded his bleak 1982 album, Nebraska. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While Springsteen grows fond of both Faye and her young daughter in Deliver Me From Nowhere, his career ambitions and struggles with his own mental health ultimately drive the couple apart. Faye, shes kind of an amalgamation of some of the people in Bruces life that he had romantic experiences with during this time, Young explained on Good Morning America in October 2025. Theres a couple of clues in Warren Zanes book, which our film is based on, and there are a couple of clues in Bruces own memoir. I didnt have anyone to kind of look [to for inspiration], anyone specific to kind of model myself on. Courtesy 20th Century Studios / Courtesy Everett Collection She added, I really just got lucky with Scott Coopers amazing script. Its very detailed with that character. Scott and Bruce had a lot of conversations about who Faye was supposed to be. I kind of just approached it like any other fiction movie character. Deliver Me From Nowheres romantic subplot does have parallels to Springsteens real life, as he meets Faye at the iconic Stone Pony music venue where the musician actually met his future wife Patti Scialfa in the early 1980s. Unlike with Faye, Springsteen and Scialfas early connection was rooted in their shared musical careers, as the guitarist was invited to join the E Street Band in 1984. What Has Odessa Young Said About Playing Faye in Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere? While many of the characters in Deliver Me From Nowhere are based directly on people in Springsteens inner circle, Young explained to Stylist that she wanted to respect the privacy of the women who may have inspired the creation of Faye. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It wasnt expected of me to model this person on something real, so I had a lot of creative freedom with Faye, she said. Young recalled that Springsteen was on the set of Deliver Me From Nowhere a lot, though she stressed that he was always respectful of the actors processes. He didnt necessarily give me any messages [of advice] but he was always extremely supportive about certain things we were doing and certain scenes that we were making, she said. Courtesy Searchlight Pictures / Courtesy Everett Collection The role was especially meaningful for Young because she comes from a family of massive Springsteen fans so much so that her dad even once hosted a Boss-themed trivia contest. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its such a cliche to say, but it is a dream come true. Ive been listening to Bruces music since I can remember, she explained. I was born into a family who just listened to him all the time, so to be able to be a part of this it kinda feels like the reason I started acting even, was to do something like this. What Has Bruce Springsteen Said About His Real Dating Life and 2 Marriages? Springsteen had relationships with artist Karon Bihari and actress Joyce Hyser early in his career. In the mid-1980s, he grew close to Scialfa after inviting her to join the E Street Band but suddenly married another woman actress Julianne Phillips in May 1985 after a seven-month courtship. The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductees relationship with Phillips drew media criticism for their age gap, as Springsteen was 11 years older than Phillips. Springsteen acknowledged in his 2016 memoir that he started to distrust Phillips because of his own insecurities. One evening, while I sat across from my beautiful wife in an upscale Los Angeles eatery, a conversation formed silently inside my head. There, as we politely chatted by candlelight, hand in hand, a part of me tried to convince myself that she was simply using me to further her career or to get something, he recalled. Nothing couldve been farther from the truth. Julianne loved me and didnt have an exploitive or malicious bone in her body. Inside, I knew that, but I was out where the buses dont run and couldnt center myself around the truth. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Springsteen started seeing Scialfa as his marriage broke down, leading to Phillips finally filing for divorce in 1988. The musician caused a major scandal when he decided to move in with Scialfa shortly after splitting with Phillips. Can Jeremy Allen White Sing? What to Know About His Deliver Me From Nowhere Performance Its a strange society that assumes it has the right to tell people whom they should love and whom they shouldnt, he told The Advocate in 1995 about the controversy. But the truth is, I basically ignored the entire thing as much as I could. I said, Well, all I know is, this feels real, and maybe I have got a mess going here in some fashion, but thats life. Springsteen and Scialfa welcomed their first baby, son Evan, in July 1990 and tied the knot the following year at their Los Angeles home. They also share a daughter, Jessica Rae, born in December 1991, and their youngest son, Samuel, born in January 1994. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During a 2017 interview with Variety, Springsteen addressed the ways he and Scialfa were able to separate their marriage from their onstage dynamic. Weve kind of developed natural boundaries. Some places we have a more professional approach, like if I walk into the studio while shes working, I have certain boundaries where if she requests my opinion or asks for my help, I give it on a very professional level, he explained. When she comes on stage with the E Street Band, shes an E Street band member, and when we walk off stage, were husband and wife. The crypto market is down today, with the total cryptocurrency market capitalization falling by 3.0% to $3.78 trillion, according to data from CoinMarketCap. Meanwhile, the 24-hour trading volume sits at $192 billion, reflecting reduced activity as major cryptocurrencies turn red. TLDR: The global crypto market cap fell 3.0% to $3.78T; 8 of the top 10 coins and most majors in the red; BTC dropped 3.5% to $109,373, while ETH slid 3.6% to $3,868; The Feds 25 bps rate cut and the end of quantitative tightening in December signal returning liquidity; Fear & Greed Index fell to 34 (Fear); BTC ETFs saw $470.7M outflows; ETH ETFs posted $81.44M outflows; AUSTRAC fined CryptoLink A$56,340 (US$37,085) for AML compliance failures. Crypto Winners & Losers At the time of writing, 8 of the top 10 cryptocurrencies by market capitalization have declined over the past 24 hours. Bitcoin (BTC) fell 3.5%, now trading at $109,373, maintaining a market cap of over $2.18 trillion. Ethereum (ETH) slipped 3.6% to $3,868, while BNB (BNB) dropped 0.5% to $1,107. XRP (XRP) recorded a 4.4% decline to $2.54, and Solana (SOL) lost 3.9%, now priced at $190.92. The biggest drop among the top 10 came from Dogecoin (DOGE), which fell 4.4% to $0.1872. Despite the broader downturn, a few altcoins posted impressive gains. Aurora (AURORA) surged 65.1% to $0.08555, while Jelly-My-Jelly (JMJ) and Anvil (ANVL) rose 50.6% and 44.0%, respectively. In contrast, PepeNode (PNODE) and BlockchainFX (BFX) topped the list of trending tokens despite declines of 19.7% and 5.7%, showing strong retail interest amid market volatility. Meanwhile, Swiss-based asset manager 21Shares has filed with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to launch a Hyperliquid (HYPE) exchange-traded fund (ETF) amid growing institutional appetite for altcoin-linked investment products. The move came just weeks after Bitwise filed for a similar Hyperliquid ETF, underscoring intensifying competition among asset managers to capture investor demand for exposure to decentralized trading ecosystems. The HYPE token powers Hyperliquids decentralized exchange, offering users fee discounts and serving as the gas token for its blockchain. Bitcoin Holds Strong as Altcoins Lag Despite Fed Rate Cut and End of QT The US Federal Reserves latest 25 basis-point rate cut unfolded as expected, sending Bitcoin briefly down to $109K. However, the real market mover was the Feds confirmation that quantitative tightening (QT) will end in December, signaling the return of liquidity that could fuel risk assets. Analysts say this could set the stage for an alt season, though past patterns show such optimism often fades quickly. When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Credit: David Fenton/Getty Images By the summer of 1969, John Fogerty had taken Creedence Clearwater Revival from obscurity to the upper reaches of the charts. Proud Mary, Bad Moon Rising and Green River had all been number two hits. But they were punctuated by singles that failed to make much of a dent: I Put a Spell on You, Lodi and Commotion. I said, well, basically Im now a one-hit wonder, the guitarist tells Rick Beato. And I also realized It took us so long to get here; now you only get five minutes to do the next step because the spotlight will move on to Led Zeppelin or somebody. Itll just be over for you if you dont come up with it now.'" Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fogerty was afraid everything he built was going to be lost if the band didnt have another hit, and fast. Which is one reason why CCR released a total of three albums in 1969: Fogerty was on fire, writing new songs at every turn. Fogerty told us that if we were ever off the charts, then we would be forgotten, drummer Doug Clifford told Goldmine in 2013. To make it worse, it might sound funny, but we had double-sided hits, and that was kind of a curse, as we were burning through material twice as fast. If we'd spread it out, we would not have had to put out three albums in one year. The guitarist was taking inspiration from everywhere, and in 1969 it was impossible to not be affected by the Vietnam War. It was a catalyst behind the decade's counterculture revolution. Anti-war sentiment was a rallying cry for the rock and roll generation when they gathered that August in upstate New York for the Woodstock festival, where CCR had made a late-night stand. When Fogerty looked at the news, he saw all the young men wounded and dying in the conflict. But he also saw how advantage was keeping many of the countrys politically privileged men from going to fight and die in a war their own fathers insisted was necessary. He was enraged. And he put it all in one song: Fortunate Son, from the groups third album of 1969, Willy and the Poor Boys. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But unlike other songs he labored over, Fogerty says Fortunate Son came out in a blast. Fortunate Son was the shortest song I ever wrote about 20 minutes, he tells Beato. This is 1969. All the political and cultural stuff, is just brewing in my mind. Fogerty had the music together and a vague idea of the subject matter. He took it and nothing else not even an acoustic guitar into a room to do some writing. But I literally went into the bedroom with a little tablet and a pen, thinking the song was going to be called Favorite Son. Its a phrase used by state delegates when nominating a presidential candidate. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Aside from that, however, Fogerty says, I had no lines of the song at all. And suddenly Im sitting there, and I [thought], Some folks are born, made to wave Oh, that's pretty good! And somewhere, Favorite Son flipped into Fortunate Son. As for Fogertys fears of slipping down the charts and becoming obsolete, he didnt have to worry. Fortunate Son was released as a double A-side single with Down on the Corner, the lead track from Willy and the Poor Boys. Both songs reached number three on the charts, and helped keep CCRs fortunes alive. Credit: Getty Images Fogerty has spent much of his post-CCR days fighting to reclaim the rights to the material with which he made his name. His new album is a celebration of that battle ending after 50 tireless years. The pain of the band's demise also saw him give away his prized Rickenbacker 325. I was hurt. I was damaged. I gave it away to end that chapter of my life, he said of his decision to leave it behind. Yet, miraculously, it wound up back in his hands, perhaps standing as a precursor for what was about to follow. Bowing Nov. 3 with Movistar Plus+ and Arte Frances event historical drama The Anatomy of a Moment, Barcelonas Serielizados festival is making a splash for its 12th edition, with a bolstered industry section and a robust series program to cater for their 10,000+ on-site and 200,000+ online Spanish fan base. On the industry front, more than 250 decision-makers (150 from Spain) will be on hand at the Serielizados Pro Industry Day, Nov. 6, such as Arte Frances Alexandre Piel and Movistar Plus+s Susanna Herreras who will discuss Arte and Movistar: a Co-Production Love Story, a session moderated by Varietys John Hopewell. More from Variety Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Other industry highlights include case studies on the HBO Max Catalan upcoming shows Ravalejar, Pubertat (Puberty) and the Icelandic/French The Danish Woman (RUV/SVT/Yle/Arte France). The State of Distribution will be unpacked by Mediapro Studios Javier Esteban, BBC Studios Rebecca Ransley, Beta Films Christian Jockel, while 3Cats Pio Vernis, Yles Jarmo Lampela and RTVEs Alberto Fernandez will speak on the panel Pubcasters Collaborating and Making Series. 10 standout European series will be pitched at the inaugural Mind the Gap co-production session, and star showrunners Alan Ball (Six Feet Under, True Blood), Henriette Steenstrup (Nepobaby,Prni) Benedikt Erlingsson, (The Danish Woman), Leticia Dolera (Pubertat), will deliver masterclasses. Other stars expected include Olafur Darri Olafsson, Trine Dyrholm, Javier Camarra, Joaquin Reyes, Emma Vilarasau. On the festival front, 52 fresh shows will bow onsite in Barcelona, where the festival runs Nov. 3-12, and around 30 online (Nov. 10-23) via the Spanish streamer Filmin, of which six will run for best international series (The Danish Woman, A Better Man, A Lifes Worth, Reykjavik Fusion, Empathy, Riot Women) and four for best Spanish series (The Anatomy of a Moment, The 39, Jakarta, Argi Gorriak). Ahead of Serielizados, co-founders Victor Sala and Betu Molero tell Variety how the festival has grown from a university project into a fully-fledged international festival, online magazine, talent lab and podcast showcase for Catalan and Spanish viewers. This year you are ramping up your international lineup and reach. Could you first tell us how Serielizados was born and what is the festivals DNA? Betu Molero: We started as an online magazine in 2013 as a final year of university project. The original idea was to have an online magazine focused on TV series, with small events, masterclasses etc so that showrunners could come and introduce their shows. Then we decided to get to know our online audience through a festival. Thats when Victor and I co-founded Serielizados. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At the time, there was no Netflix, Prime Video, HBO in Spain. We didnt even know that other series festival like Series Mania existed. In 2015 we invited Dan Harmon [Rick & Morty, Community]. That was a turning point for us as we attracted a lot of media attention and audience awareness. Then Netflix landed in Spain late 2015 and HBO a year later. Today, we collaborate with every platform in Spain, offering a curated indie program of series for people to sneak peek physically during the festival and a few days later online via Filmin. Victor Sala: Its important to highlight that were offering much more than just premieres, masterclasses and Q&As. We showcase a wider program of classics, docu series, on top of podcasts as our goal is to elevate TV series to the category of high culture. Could you detail your selection process and partnership with Filmin? Sala: One of the key criteria is for the shows to have a Spanish or Catalan premiere for the national series, and international shows need to have been distributed in the domestic country within a year. We pick the best of the best shows from around the world, with a special attention to storytelling, whatever the genre, and visionary works. The selection is made hand-in-hand with broadcasters/platforms to promote upcoming shows and build the word of mouth. But we also pick up series that dont have distribution in Spain. This year, two of the international series in competition have been acquired for Spain. Filmin bought A Better Man and AMC Reykjavik Fusion. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Molero: Our collaboration with the streamer Filmin started in 2020 because of COVID. We wanted to make sure that the festival would continue to exist despite the pandemic. Thanks to Filmin, we discovered a new way to run a festival both on site and online not only for people in Barcelona, but everywhere in Spain. We soon became one of the biggest festivals in Spain, with more than 205,000 online viewers, on top of around 9,000 onsite. Sometimes its hard to bring the audience to a cinema to watch two episodes of an unknown Danish or South African show. The Filmin partnership has allowed us to make bolder editorial choices. Sala: The online showcase has been a beautiful way to democratise the festival. You seem to have a special taste for Nordic content as four out of six competing international shows The Danish Woman, Reykjavik Fusion, A Better Man and A Lifes Worth are either fully or partly Nordic. Sala: Last year we had three Nordic series in competition and Pressure Point from Sweden won best series. After Thomas Vinterberg last year, were happy this year to have masterclasses with Benedikt Erlingsson [The Danish Woman] and Henriette Steenstrup whose series Nepobaby is screening at the out-of-competition Panorama section. We are also pleased to organise the Mind the Gap co-production pitch in collaboration with the Goteborg Film Festival, the Swedish Institute, and Swedish Embassy in Spain. Having Alan Ball in a masterclass is quite a coup Sala: Yes, its an absolute pleasure and honor, especially to mark the 20th anniversary of the finale of Six Feet Under. The invitation was shared with the Geneva International Film Festival. We make a point of working closely with other European and Spanish film and TV festivals. What can you say about your Spanish lineup? Sala: During Serielizados early days, our focus was on international shows and showrunners. We were very lucky to host Dan Harmon, David Simon, Vince Gilligan and Jesse Armstrong. But now that Spanish drama has grown exponentially in storytelling and visually, its key for us to focus as well on Spanish content. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Molero: Netflixs phenomenal La casa de papel (Money Heist) was a turning point in 2019. After that, we just followed the spectacular growth of Spanish series. Sala: This year we have selected 10 Spanish shows and four are in the Spanish official competition. We wanted to open with The Anatomy of a Moment, a very stylish political biopic which mirrors the very successful partnership between Arte France and Movistar Plus+ that has brought us so many good series in recent years. Then Jakarta originates from one of our favorite showrunners: Diego San Jose. He won Best Screenplay here last year with Celeste. We are closing with Sense FilTRES (3Cat) a young adult Catalan show that centers on the life of a young trans man, his physical identity and self-realization, using social media or videogame avatars. Another novelty this year is the presence of two Basque series, showcasing the effort from the regional broadcaster EITB and the fruitful results of the Basque region incentives. We are world premiering Argi Gorriak (with Itziar Ituno from Money Heist) in a quirky comedy about a dubbing professional, and screening Zeru Ahoak (Mouths of Sky), after San Sebastian. I believe documentaries also have a special place at Serielizados Sala: Yes the focus on docu series has grown at the festival. It reflects the growing appetite for the format on the streamers. We will highlight five titles: The Agent (NRK), The Black Swan (DR), La Fugida (3Cat), Nazi Cartel (Sky Showtime) and Missing in Murcia (Movistar Plus+). You are broadening the scope of your industry strand Serielizados Pro with the first Mind the Gap co-pro pitch session. What triggered this decision? Sala: Our ambitions with Serielizados are two-fold: on one hand, we want to grow the number of people attending the festival physically and enjoying them at home on Filmin. Our other goal is to be more relevant for the Spanish and Catalan audiovisual industry. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Molero: The Catalan government has increased funding for Catalan series and co-productions [ as reported by Variety]. We felt it was an opportunity to build on this momentum and create not a Series Mania type of gigantic event, but a tailor-made boutique Pro-event to allow people to develop quality conversation. Sala: Unlike other territories in Europe and even in the U.S. where Originals have dropped by 20% or more, in Spain, were still enjoying a boom. Its interesting to see for instance HBO Max teaming up with 3Cat for three new Catalan shows: Ravalejar, Pubertat and In Vitro [currently filming]. Another specificity about the Spanish market which will be discussed by Spanish commissioners at the Pro-industry day is co-productions between the national station RTVE and regional stations. At our festival, two years ago we had This is Not Sweden [co-produced with Catalonias TV3 now 3Cat]. Last year we had Dieciocho [co-produced with Valencias A Punt Media and the Balearics IB3] and this year, were showcasing the Basque series Zeru Ahoak. Whats the next step for Serielizados?Molero: Our next step might be getting into production. We do have projects in mind, including documentaries. Its still early days. (This interview was edited for clarity) Best of Variety Sign up for Variety's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. _ Charlie Day is teasing the return of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia. The actor spoke exclusively with Wonderwall.com about wrapping Season 17 of the long-running series, collaborating with his castmates on their Four Walls Whiskey label, hosting tasting events in Boston and more. Keep reading for the highlights from our chat MORE: Follow Wonderwall on MSN for more top news River / MEGA _ Season 17 of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia just wrapped in August, and Charlie Day is already eager to get back to work. "We all felt like this past season was one of our best in years, so we're excited to get back into the writers' room," he says of the upcoming 18th season. Xavier Collin/Image Press Agency / MEGA _ Charlie Day launched Four Walls Whiskey with his It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia costars Glenn Howerton and Rob McElhenney. "Rob, Glenn and I have been approached by a lot of people over the years to make various things and it never felt right to us," he says. "When this idea came together, the Irish and American blend felt like a story we could tell in the same way that we've told the story of our characters' Irish-American pub. As we've all gotten busier over the years with families and careers beyond Sunny, this has also been a fun excuse for us to get together and call it work. I've always enjoyed whiskey. Glenn is the expert of our group, but I like a good Irish as much as the next guy." Courtesy of Four Walls Whiskey and Lucky's Lounge / Ian Oleksiak _ Charlie Day made several appearances in Boston -- he hosted a jam-packed event at Lucky's Lounge, for example -- to promote Four Walls Whiskey and meet up with fans. "I grew up near here in Rhode Island, so it reminds me of going out with my friends in my early 20s," he says. "I went to college in North Andover, Massachusetts, at Merrimack and did my first paid acting gig at The Huntington theater. So Boston just feels like home." PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) The city of Peoria is honoring famous native, David Ogden Stiers, on what would have been his 83rd birthday. On Oct. 31, 1942, the actor was born in Peoria, according to a post on the city of Peoria Illinois Government Facebook page. Best known for playing Major Charles Winchester III in the popular TV series, M*A*S*H, Stiers grew up in central Illinois before moving to Eugene, Oregon, with his family while in high school. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Stiers was joined on M*A*S*H by fellow central Illinois native McLean Stevenson, who was born in Normal on Nov. 14, 1927. Stevenson played Lieutenant Colonel Henry Blake. The post said Stiers appeared on Broadway, in several TV series and in one movie before joining the cast of M*A*S*H in 1977. He earned two Emmy Award nominations for his work on the show and another for his role in the TV miniseries, The First Olympics: Athens 1896. He became recognizable to another generation of fans with his voice acting in eight Disney animated features, including Cogsworth in Beauty and the Beast, and Jumba in Lilo and Stitch. Stiers was also a gifted musician and a prolific conductor. In 1989, he returned to Peoria to serve as a guest conductor for a benefit concert that helped fund a Peoria Symphony Orchestra trip to Friedrichshafen, Germany. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2018, Stiers died at his home in Newport, Oregon, from complications related to bladder cancer, according to his obituary. He was 75. 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. HBO's Harry Potter series has been met with less than enthusiastic responses from fans. While devoted to staying true to the source material, the original cast have reservations, with James and Oliver Phelps expressing their disinterest. Catching up with the actors who played Fred and George Wesley in the Harry Potter franchise, they were candid in their responses to The New York Post. "I havent thought about it," said James, 39. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement James goes on to add that the new HBO series is something neither of them is heavily involved in. The series stars a brand new cast and will focus on adapting all seven books from the series into their own seasons. "We only know where everybody else knows," James added. "Its something not connected with us at all." The Harry Potter reboot began filming this summer, with an expected release date in 2027. With some time before it hits the small screen, the actors were asked if they had any interest in watching. "I wont know until I probably come closer to it," said Oliver. For Oliver, there's something that can't be replicated when it comes to having been a part of the original cast. They were all budding young actors who became a part of a globally famous franchise. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Weve always got that bond of being the first [cast] group together," he explained. "Because when we were filming, we didnt know how big it was going to be from the first movie. It could have been a one and done, or it could have been as [big as it is] today. Well see what happens." Like a majority of the original cast, Oliver does have a few words of advice for the newcomers. He hopes "the lads who are playing Fred and George in the new series I would like that they just enjoy it, as much as we did." Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint haven't made public comments about the TV series reboot. Gary Oldman, who played Sirius Black, once said the series will likely not "go anywhere near people that were connected to the original," but is "intrigued" by exploring more of the books. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Director Chris Columbus questioned the HBO series after seeing Nick Frost as Hagrid. He questioned, "What's the point?" after realizing the actor looked almost identical to Robbi Coltrane's portrayal. This story was originally reported by Men's Journal on Oct 31, 2025, where it first appeared in the Entertainment section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here. A Wheel of Fortune contestant stunned viewers and host Ryan Seacrest on Thursdays (October 30) Halloween Week episode with a highly unlikely puzzle solve in the Bonus Round. The contestant in question was beach-loving Ashika Bhan from Salem, Oregon, who was up against mohawk-sporting Steff Du Bois from Chicago, Illinois, and horror apparel company worker Kimmy Blankenburg from Rochester, New York. Bhan got off to a hot start, solving the $1K Toss-Up and $2K Toss-Up puzzles. Despite landing on a Bankrupt twice in Round 1, the Oregon native was able to capitalize on her opponents mistakes and solved the Same Letter puzzle for $5,700. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Du Bois got on the board in the Mystery Round, but Bhan fired back in the Express Round, solving a Things puzzle to win a Road Scholar tour of Romania, including a visit to Draculas Castle, worth $10,700. While Du Bois answered two more puzzles correctly in the Triple Toss-Up, he couldnt do enough to stop Bhans momentum. After nailing the final Triple Toss-Up and the Speed-Up puzzle, Bhan won the episode with $29,400 cash, plus a trip to Romania. Heading into the Bonus Round, Bhan selected the Phrase category, along with the letters P, G, C, and A. Unfortunately, only one of those letters appeared on the board, giving her a tricky two-word puzzle that read: _ _ G _ L _ / _ N L _ _ E L _. It seemed to be an impossible puzzle, but as Seacrest told her to take a look at it and talk it out, Bhans jaw dropped as it appeared she worked it out before the timer even began. I know it, she whispered. She says she knows it, Seacrest said. Let me just finish this part where I gotta say you got ten seconds and good luck. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As the timer began, Bhan excitedly shouted the correct answer, Highly Unlikely. She did know it! added a surprised Seacrest. Howd you do that?! The American Idol host then opened the prize envelope to reveal that Bhan had won an extra $50,000, giving her a grand total of $79,400. She advertised she knew it, and she did, and its a good thing [she] did know it, he stated as Bhan celebrated with her husband and loved ones. Fans took to social media to praise Bhans impressive puzzle-solving skills, with one YouTube commenter writing, That was a big toughie. The fact she got it, Im impressed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Holy cow, great solve! said another. Wow good job Ashika! That was highly unlikely a good solve, another added. Another wrote, A tough one, but she got it. Great solve. I had NO IDEA, said one fan. Wow excellent solve!! Congratulations!! added another. Did you figure out this Bonus Puzzle? What did you think of Thursdays episode? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below. Wheel of Fortune, Weeknights, check local listings Read the latest entertainment news on TV Insider. For travelers used to leaving a few extra bills at every meal, visiting a country where tipping isnt expected can feel strange, even a little uncomfortable. Yet around the world, there are many cultures where service is already included, where gratitude is expressed differently, and where tipping can even come across as rude. Understanding these customs not only saves money but also helps travelers show respect for local traditions. Its about adjusting your expectations, slowing down, and recognizing that generosity doesnt always come with a dollar sign. In these destinations, excellent service comes from pride, not pressure, and workers are paid fair wages without relying on tips. Sometimes a simple smile or thank you means more than cash on the table. Knowing when not to tip can make your travels smoother, less awkward, and more culturally connected. So before you reach for your wallet abroad, take a look at these 15 countries where tipping just isnt part of the deal, and where good manners mean something completely different. Japan Image Credit:Shutterstock. In Japan, tipping is considered unnecessary and even disrespectful because great service is already part of the culture. The Japanese take immense pride in their work, believing that providing perfection is its own reward. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Leaving extra money can confuse or offend staff, as if youre suggesting they needed a financial incentive to do well. Instead, politeness, gratitude, and saying arigato gozaimasu with sincerity are the right ways to show appreciation. Whether youre in a sushi bar, hotel, or taxi, your respect means more than cash. Even upscale establishments include service charges, so tipping never crosses anyones mind. Many Japanese servers may even chase you down to return forgotten change rather than accept it. Travelers often find this refreshing, realizing that hospitality here comes from cultural values, not social expectations. Its part of what makes Japans service world-renowned. In the end, the best tip you can offer is to follow etiquette and appreciate their precision and kindness. South Korea Image Credit:Shutterstock. Tipping in South Korea is not part of daily life, and most locals dont expect it. The culture values modesty and equality, so good service is simply a standard, not something extra. Trying to tip can lead to confusion or polite refusal, especially in family-run restaurants and taxis. Hotels or tourist spots may include small service fees, but its built into the total. The idea of rewarding someone with money for doing their job feels foreign here. Instead, appreciation is shown through verbal thanks, small gestures, or returning as a loyal customer. Many Koreans believe genuine respect matters more than money exchanged over the table. Some high-end hotels may include service charges for foreign guests, but thats the exception, not the rule. The local saying could be service with sincerity, not for tips. When visiting, simply enjoy the efficiency and kindness, your gratitude is all thats required. China Image Credit: Shutterstock. In China, tipping was long seen as a remnant of colonial times, so it remains largely uncommon today. While Western tourists sometimes try to leave tips, many locals find it awkward or unnecessary. In smaller towns and traditional restaurants, staff may even refuse extra money outright. The modern Chinese service industry operates on fixed wages and pride in professionalism, not personal bonuses. Only in big international hotels will you occasionally find tipping accepted. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For most travel situations, taxis, local eateries, and tours, tipping isnt expected and might create confusion. Politeness, punctuality, and courteous behavior are far more appreciated. Travelers who adapt to this can avoid misunderstandings and enjoy smoother interactions. Its also part of the joy of experiencing cultural differences firsthand. In China, respect is the ultimate currency, and good manners always pay off more than spare change. Denmark Image Credit:Valeria Venezia / Shutterstock.. Denmark, like many Scandinavian countries, prides itself on fair pay and equality across all professions. Workers in restaurants, taxis, and hotels earn living wages, so tipping simply isnt necessary. Most bills already include a service charge, ensuring no one relies on extra gratuities to make ends meet. Locals often round up small amounts out of convenience, but never as an obligation. The mindset is that good service is everyones right, not a privilege for those who pay extra. Even fine-dining establishments maintain this rule, tips are optional and rarely expected. Visitors quickly appreciate how stress-free it feels to pay exactly whats on the bill. Theres a quiet dignity to it, a reflection of Denmarks emphasis on social balance and mutual respect. If you want to thank someone, a genuine tak (thank you) is more meaningful than coins. In Denmark, equality is built into the experience, and tipping feels out of place. Sweden Image Credit:Shutterstock. In Sweden, tipping is viewed as a nice bonus but never an expectation. Most workers are well-compensated, and hospitality is treated as a professional career, not a side hustle. Rounding up to the nearest convenient amount is common, but leaving big tips might even embarrass someone. The Swedish believe everyone deserves fair treatment without dependence on customer generosity. Thats why youll rarely see locals leave more than a few extra kronor. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Service fees are often included, making transactions clear and easy. The cultures focus on simplicity extends to dining, polite conversation and good manners are valued over flashy tipping. Visitors quickly notice how peaceful and fair the process feels. Servers take pride in providing excellent experiences regardless of reward. Sweden reminds travelers that gratitude can be expressed through words, not wallets. Finland Image Credit: Shutterstock. Finnish culture prizes honesty, equality, and professionalism, and that extends to service too. Tipping is uncommon because workers already earn fair wages and dont rely on tips to supplement income. Most restaurants include service charges in the final bill, and extra gratuity might be politely refused. If you feel compelled to tip, rounding up slightly is fine but never necessary. The emphasis here is on fairness rather than financial reward. In hotels and taxis, the same rule applies politeness counts, not pocket change. Finns value sincerity and modesty, so excessive tipping can feel uncomfortable. Instead, travelers can show respect by being punctual, polite, and appreciative. Service quality remains high regardless of payment because professionalism is expected. Its a refreshing reminder that in Finland, excellence is part of the culture, not a transaction. Norway Image Credit: Shutterstock. Norways high standard of living means tipping is more of an optional nicety than a social rule. Restaurant and hotel employees earn strong salaries, and service charges are typically built into prices. Locals rarely leave extra money and often find the American-style tipping culture excessive. Even taxi drivers expect only the exact fare unless you insist otherwise. The system feels transparent and fair, leaving everyone at ease. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Still, if service exceeds expectations, rounding up is appreciated but not required. Norwegians take pride in treating all professions with respect and equality. Its part of the countrys cultural DNA, that dignity doesnt need to be bought. Travelers often find it liberating to relax without calculating percentages after every meal. In Norway, politeness and gratitude go further than any added cash. Iceland Image Credit: Shutterstock. In Iceland, tipping is practically unheard of, even in high-end restaurants or tour groups. Wages are strong, and service charges are automatically included in the price. Locals believe kindness and courtesy should be part of every interaction, not something bought with extra money. Tourists who try to tip are often met with confusion or friendly refusal. The countrys hospitality culture is built on trust and fairness, not gratuities. Whether youre enjoying geothermal spas or dining on fresh seafood, the price you see is what you pay. This approach reflects Icelands values of transparency and equality. Visitors can focus on experiences, not etiquette anxiety. Smiles and thank-yous mean more than bills left behind. In Iceland, the warmest exchanges are those that cost nothing. New Zealand Image Credit: Shutterstock. New Zealanders take pride in their laid-back, friendly service, and they dont expect tips for it. Wages are fair, and the idea of tipping feels unnecessary in most situations. Locals view genuine friendliness as part of the Kiwi spirit, not a performance for money. Tourists who try to tip may find staff pleasantly surprised but quick to decline. The culture prefers casual gratitude over formal gestures. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Restaurants and hotels already include all charges, keeping things simple. If you really want to thank someone, a kind word or online review goes further than cash. New Zealanders believe service should be genuine, not transactional. This relaxed approach makes dining and travel feel effortless and comfortable. In the Land of the Long White Cloud, authenticity matters more than gratuity. Australia Image Credit: Shutterstock. Australias tipping culture is minimal because wages are among the highest in the world. Locals dont rely on gratuities, and service is expected to be consistently good for everyone. Tourists may notice tip jars in cafes, but contributions are entirely optional. Rounding up or leaving small change for exceptional service is appreciated, not assumed. The national attitude is that doing your job well is reward enough. This egalitarian mindset keeps social interactions easygoing and natural. Australians value sincerity and friendliness over formal politeness. Many visitors find it refreshing that theres no pressure or awkward math at the end of a meal. Workers take pride in their roles without expecting extra incentives. In Australia, tipping is a choice, not a chore. Switzerland Image Credit:Shutterstock. In Switzerland, the cost of living is high, but so are wages, which means tipping is already built into prices. Most restaurants and taxis include service fees, and customers are never expected to add more. Locals might round up a few francs for convenience, but never out of obligation. The Swiss prefer clarity and professionalism over social guessing games. This makes every transaction simple, clean, and polite. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Even in upscale dining, servers treat all guests equally regardless of tipping habits. Visitors quickly learn to appreciate the efficiency of this system. Politeness, punctuality, and calm behavior count far more than loose change. For the Swiss, quality service is part of the product, not an emotional exchange. Its one of the many reasons why Switzerland feels effortlessly organized. France Image Credit: Shutterstock. In France, tipping exists, but not the way Americans know it. A 15% service charge is already included in restaurant bills by law, meaning staff are compensated fairly. Leaving a few extra coins or rounding up is a gesture of appreciation, not an expectation. Locals almost never tip in cafes or casual spots, and doing so can look overly formal. The French believe good service is a standard, not something to purchase. Taxi drivers, waiters, and bartenders all receive fair wages through built-in pricing. Tourists often find it liberating to enjoy a meal without calculating percentages. A simple merci beaucoup goes further than extra euros. This approach reflects Frances focus on dignity and quality in every profession. Here, gratitude is cultural, not commercial. Italy Image Credit:Shutterstock. In Italy, tipping is relaxed and infrequent because service charge (coperto) is already included in most bills. Locals rarely tip unless service is truly exceptional. The culture values relationships over transactions being a friendly guest means more than leaving extra cash. Tourists can safely follow local customs without fear of seeming rude. Restaurants prefer that visitors enjoy themselves without overthinking etiquette. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Italians see hospitality as an art form, not a financial exchange. If you want to show thanks, compliment the food or the chef. In cafes, rounding up small amounts is polite but optional. The focus is on connection, conversation, and the joy of sharing a meal. Italy teaches travelers that gratitude is best expressed through warmth, not money. Singapore Image Credit:Shutterstock. Singapores service industry is efficient, structured, and largely tip-free. A 10% service charge is automatically added to most restaurant bills, covering staff compensation. Locals almost never tip in taxis, hotels, or cafes, and doing so can feel unnecessary. The country prides itself on fairness and professionalism, where good service is guaranteed by design. This clarity makes every interaction smooth and straightforward. Visitors appreciate how easy it is to pay exactly whats listed without confusion. Staff members are friendly and attentive without expecting anything extra. Even luxury hotels maintain the same principle, keeping experiences stress-free. The Singaporean approach ensures everyone is treated equally, whether local or tourist. Here, gratitude is expressed through respect and courtesy, not cash. South Africa Image Credit: Shutterstock. Tipping norms in South Africa are shifting, but many locals still view excessive tipping as foreign. While small gestures are welcome, large tips can create awkwardness or misunderstanding. In local markets, community eateries, and rural lodges, kindness and conversation matter most. Some upscale restaurants include service charges to simplify things. The focus remains on fairness and respect rather than financial reward. Tourists can offer gratitude through compliments or support for local initiatives. Workers appreciate engagement and cultural curiosity far more than loose bills. Tipping modestly, if at all, shows awareness of local norms. This mindful approach strengthens connections between visitors and hosts. In South Africa, generosity begins with understanding, not money. With Thanksgiving right around the corner, it's that time of the year when The Gentle Barn shares facts about their resident turkeys that most of us don't know about them in the hopes of finding new Turkey Guardians for the gaggle that calls the animal sanctuary home. They recently shared a video explaining more about the friendly, outgoing birds, and many viewers were shocked by how little they knew about turkeys. For instance, did you know that turkeys can recognize each other's voices? Or that male turkeys can change colors based on their moods? Watch on to learn more about these birds; some of what the Turkey Guardians share might surprise and delight you! We were surprised to learn how social turkeys are, especially with other animals! Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Gentle Barn shared even more information in the video's caption, "Turkeys like music, chatting, blueberries, and some even ask to cuddle! Learn more about turkeys, meet the individual turkeys at The Gentle Barn, and help fund the ongoing care of our rescued turkeys by becoming a Turkey Guardian this holiday season! Learn more and become a Turkey Guardian for cuddly turkey Smudge, proud and handsome Romeo, social Heather, sweet Harmony, calm and kind Grace, adventurous Compassionor the whole flockat the link in our bio!" They also threw out an invite to fans and supporters, "You can also join us in celebrating the turkeys in person at both our Tennessee and California Gentle Barn locations on Thanksgiving morning! We'll have vegan sweets, warm fall drinks, games, and time with the turkeys as we celebrate their rescues!" Related: Peacock Tries to Impress Turkey and Adorably Fails SIGN UP to get pawsitivity delivered right to your inbox with inspiring & entertaining stories about our furry & feathered friends More Fun Facts About Turkeys We headed to World Animal Protection's site to see what else we could learn about turkeys. We all know that turkeys gobble, but we were surprised to learn that they make other sounds too, like purrs, yelps, and kee-kees. While many of us were taught that only male turkeys gobble, females do as well. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We learned from The Gentle Barn that males can change colors, but World Animal Protection shared more, "Colors can change from red to blue to white, depending on how excited or calm they are. The more intense the colors are, the more intense their emotions." But the most interesting fact we found had to do with turkey poop. Yep, you read that right! "One of the most unusual facts about turkeys involves their droppings. One way to determine whether a turkey is a male or female is by checking their droppings. A males poop will be shaped like the letter J, while the female turkey's is more spiral-shaped." Its a fun little fact to keep in your back pocket for the next time youre sharing random trivia with friends! This story was originally reported by PetHelpful on Oct 31, 2025, where it first appeared in the Pet News section. Add PetHelpful as a Preferred Source by clicking here. As anyone who has ventured to the Caribbean can surely attest, there's never a bad time to visit the Bahamas. Inviting international travelers from across the globe to its sun-swept beaches and crystal-clear waters, the Bahamas is the perfect vacation destination practically any time of the year. But with Atlantis Paradise Island recently confirming the return of a fan-favorite event, your next stop in the Caribbean might be best scheduled for the coming spring ... Advertisement Advertisement According to a recent press release from the company, Atlantis Paradise Island has officially announced the return of their widely praised Nassau Paradise Island Wine & Food Festival. The event will run from Wednesday, March 11 to Sunday, March 15 in 2026, with tickets currently being offered via npiwff.org. As travelers familiar with the event might know, the Nassau Paradise Island Wine & Food Festival serves as the ultimate event for foodies from every corner of the globe. As the name of the event might suggest, the festival specifically invites attendees to enjoy culinary creations overseen by some of the most talented personalities in the industry today, including Michelin-starred and James Beard Award-winning chefs. Advertisement Advertisement Like its previous iterations, 2026's festival will host a medley of accomplished chefs, including Emmy Award-winning TV personality Rachael Ray, acclaimed chef Jose Andres and Emmy Award-winning chef Tom Colicchio, among many others. As part of the event, the festival will also hold a wide array of seminars offering guests an up close and personal experience with some of these gastronomical geniuses, including: Catch & Cook with Tom Colicchio : an exclusive experience where guests can take a luxury fishing trip with Tom Colicchio, preparing whatever they catch for as fresh a meal as possible. Paella on the Patio with Jos e Andr es : an exciting event where Jose Andres will host an "unforgettable paella party." Wine Dinner with Rachael Ray: a personal dinner experience at Atlantis' Ocean's Edge with Rachael Ray herself. This story was originally reported by Parade on Oct 31, 2025, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here. Photograph by Lucia Bell-Epstein, Food Styling by Pearl Jones, and Prop Styling by Erica Lutz If youre reading this it means I finally cooked my very first turkey, an activity I successfully put off for more than 10 years. In that time I enrolled in and graduated from culinary school, cooked in restaurants with Michelin stars, hosted six Thanksgiving dinners, became an editor at this food magazine, and developed hundreds of recipes. Through all of it, I managed to dodge The Big Freaky Chicken (as I had taken to calling it) at every turn. Turkey remained a nemesis I couldnt bring myself to face. Ive never been sure exactly what accounts for my fear of this particular type of poultry. Is it the way the bird slithers disturbingly out of its plastic sheath? Is it the disproportionately large breasts? The severed neck stuffed into the cavity like the calling card of a brutal hit man? Or maybe because the first time I ate turkey I was 10, on holiday at Disneyland, and a group of people walked by wielding smoked turkey legs and I begged my parents to buy me one of these objects that I was fascinated by but didnt yet know the name of. My dad hunted one down for me and I took a bite and immediately hated it but felt too guilty to admit it, so I choked it down with a lemonade, and that taste memory of excitement combined with disappointment and liquid smoke still haunts me. Who can say. All I know is that a few months ago I was eating oysters and I stopped to marvel that a human being, many centuries ago, saw this algae-encrusted shell and tried to eat it, not knowing if they would live or die at the end of this experiment. How brave. How very bold. I, too, desire to be brave and bold. I decided I must wade into uncharted territory. And what better way to exercise my resolve than facing the bird that everyone seems to care so much about this time of year. And so I combed our vast archive for a recipe. As an otherwise confident cook who has roasted many a chicken, I knew what I was looking for. I wanted a dry brine, infinitely easier than soaking the turkey in a salty, makeshift bath. I also knew I didnt want to cook the animal whole. Sure, it looks very Norman Rockwellian that way, but I wouldnt be able to achieve juicy breasts and tender thighs with a bird of this sizeits simple physics. The only way for me to comfortably deal with this overgrown chicken would be to break it down into manageable parts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I settled on a recipe we published in 2016 from Ann Redding and Matt Danzer, the chefs of Thai Diner in NYC. It checked every box and came with some additional bonuses, like a bourbon-and-soy glaze that I knew would bake onto the skin like the glossy coat of a tempera painting, and an ingenious confit method for the legs. On the chosen day I hoisted my 12-pound turkey onto the counter, took a very deep breath, and summoned the indomitable spirit of that pioneering Oyster Woman. Yes, there was pink liquid and that eerie neck, but disposable gloves and a few squares of paper towel helped a lot. I butchered it, seasoned it, and waited. The next day I simmered the legs on the stove with a head of garlic and slid the breasts into the oven to cook. I glazed them dutifully as they roasted, watching the sauce drip lazily over the meat before caramelizing. And just like that, almost anticlimactically, I had roasted my first turkey. Sliced and arranged on a platter, it nearly brought a tear to my eye. Shiny, deeply browned skin against pearly flesh. Dark meat so tender it was falling off the bone. I rallied some colleagues to come coo over my efforts. We ate the turkey standing up, splashing it with Franks hot wing sauce because I couldnt be bothered to make gravy, and let me tell you, I have never felt more accomplished than in that moment. Its hard to say if Ill ever really be a certified Turkey Person. But if this big freaky bird taught me anything, it is that the only thing you can do is try. And some fears really can be conquered. Turkey Takeaways This year I cooked my first Thanksgiving turkey which means I walked away with plenty of insights to share. Here are my main takeaways that can help you tackle the turkey whether youre doing it for the first time or youre a seasoned pro looking for a few smart tips. Smaller Is Better Much of my fear around turkey stemmed from its hulking size. I couldnt help but compare it to chicken, a bird whose gentle curves I was more familiar with, and then being shocked at its exaggerated proportions. Getting a smaller bird allayed these irrational fears immensely. A 15-pound turkey is the sweet spot. Its manageable, feeds more than a dozen people, and you can always cook a second bird if necessary. Setup Is Key I know someone will roll their eyes at me for admitting this but sticking my hand inside a wet, cold, dead bird and excavating its plastic wrapped organs gives me the ick. How to get past this sensory nightmare? Having all my tools (paper towels, kitchen shears, knife, rimmed baking sheets and wire racks) and ingredients (salt and spices) arranged on the counter (and a trash can nearby!) before taking the bird out of the fridge helped me feel cool and confident. When it came time to deal with the innards, I rolled on a pair of disposable gloves and pretended to be a hotshot doctor on an episode of The Pitt. The delusion worked wonderfully. Break It Down A big brown turkey that looks like it walked off a magazine spread or glossy bird parts arranged on a platter? The desired visual of your Thanksgiving turkey is highly personal but my answer is always flavor over looks. It is for this reason I cut up my turkey into sections instead of roasting it whole. Separating the white and dark meat is always going to be more foolproof than trying to get both to the ideal temperature at the same time. Dont Stress the Temp By the time everyone sits down to dinner, theyve likely filled up on their fair share of mixed nuts, sweaty charcuterie board cheese, and family gossip. No one will care if the food isnt piping hot (except for the mashed potatoesthose always need to be served steaming). So roast that turkey early and get it out of the way; uncarved, it will stay plenty warm for a surprisingly long time. A good rule of thumb is to pull your turkey out of the oven right when your first guest arrives. As a bonus, the oven is now free for baking garlic bread biscuits or cabbage wedges. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I came, I saw, I conquered. I am so proud of myself for finally roasting a turkey. If this year will be your first time too, know that I am right beside you in spirit, cheering you on. And in case you decide to chicken out at the last minute (see what I did there?), I've put together a turkey-free menu for you to celebrate with. Originally Appeared on Bon Appetit (Corrects headline and paragraph 1 in Oct. 29 story to say Wolfspeed forecast second-quarter revenue below estimates, not that it reported a lower profit; adds LSEG estimate in paragraph 10) (Reuters) -Wolfspeed on Wednesday forecast second-quarter revenue below analyst estimate, highlighting the challenges facing the U.S. chipmaker as it recovers from bankruptcy and confronts subdued demand. Shares of company plunged more than 18% in extended trading. The company, a key supplier of silicon carbide semiconductors used in electric vehicles and renewable energy equipment, has faced slow orders from automakers and mounting competition from larger rivals such as STMicroelectronics and Infineon. "In line with others in the industry, Wolfspeed has experienced ongoing softness in the market that it expects will continue through fiscal 2026," the company said. Wolfspeed, which filed for Chapter 11 protection in June and emerged last month after slashing its debt by about 70%, is still contending with the aftereffects of overcapacity and uncertain automotive demand. The Durham, North Carolina-based firm had bet heavily on silicon carbide materials to drive long-term growth, but those gains have been slower to materialize as automakers temper production and push out chip orders. For the first quarter, the company posted revenue of $197 million, compared with $195 million, a year earlier. The company said it sees near term headwinds while advancing into new, high-growth applications like AI data centers, aerospace and energy storage. The company posted a loss of 55 cents per share on an adjusted basis, compared with a loss of 91 cents per share a year earlier. Wolfspeed expects second-quarter revenue of between $150 million and $190 million, compared with estimates of $231.94 million, according to data compiled by LSEG. (Reporting by Kritika Lamba in Bengaluru; Editing by Anil D'Silva) Like most states, Arizona has several nicknames including The Grand Canyon State, for obvious reasons, and The Copper State, owing to its prolific copper production. However, one nickname is somewhat of a head-scratcher: The "Italy of America." Synonymous with towering saguaros and high temperatures, you might be wondering how this Southwestern state bears any resemblance to a Mediterranean country over 6,000 miles away, but they have more in common than you think. It's not clear where the nickname originated, but one reference in the Report of the Governor of Arizona from 1879 called it "a veritable Italy of America" based on the state's pleasant fall, winter, and spring weather. Other sources claim the incredible mountain scenery gives Arizona its Italian character, which seems a more apt comparison. From the moment you begin your descent into Arizona's largest airport, Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, you'll get an aerial view of the rugged mountains that locals are so proud of. With daily flights from all over the U.S., Sky Harbor is where most people fly to, but regional airports like Flagstaff Pulliam Airport and Prescott Regional Airport are best if you're visiting the Grand Canyon. For those driving, roads really don't get more iconic than Route 66, which travels 385.2 miles through the state. Just like Italy's famous Amalfi Coast, this is known as one of the best drives in the world. Twinning in unexpected features like their olive oil production, volcanic landscapes, and archeologically significant sites (from the Colosseum to the Casa Grande Ruins), there are many reasons Arizona can be considered America's not-so-little Italy. Advertisement Advertisement Read more: Rick Steves Says To Always Do These Things Before Traveling Arizona's spectacular scenery Red rocks in Sedona, Arizona - Garrett Rymer/Shutterstock Every year, The Italian Association of Arizona hosts a Phoenix festival featuring Italian music, art, cars, and of course, the kind of food that makes your hands do the chef's kiss emoji. Francesco Guzzo, executive director of the organization, told City Sun Times, "The Italian Festival is part of a dream to bring a piece of Italy to the desert... we are hitting attendance capacity and keeping Italian traditions alive." But it is the Arizona scenery that really mirrors Italy's beauty. Few attractions are more sought than the Grand Canyon one of the top natural wonders of the world -- or the geological marvel known as Horseshoe Bend, one of Arizona's most photographed destinations. No visitor should skip these highlights, but they don't capture the essence of Italy quite like some of the state's lesser-known spots. Head away from the canyons and towards the distant peaks, and you'll find what you're looking for. Just over 100 miles south of the Grand Canyon lies Sedona, one of the most frequented hotspots in Arizona. Known also for its wellness retreats and healing natural vortexes such as Buddha Beach, its most memorable features are the red sandstone peaks that stand out against the bluest of blue skies. These stunning rock formations are reminiscent of the alpenglow phenomenon that, at just the right time of day, gives certain summits of Italy's Dolomites their pink and reddish hue. In both places, your camera simply won't do the views justice. From the Dolomites to the desert Sunrise over Monument Valley, Arizona - Gary Yeowell/Getty Images One unmissable spot that holds a likeness to the peculiar shape of the Three Peaks in the Dolomites is the surreal landscape of Monument Valley. A 17-mile drive takes visitors through the sandstone buttes that appear in just about any Western movie you can think of. It's the kind of wide, desert expanse that many Italian-produced spaghetti Westerns attempted to emulate between filming locations like Cinecitta Studios in Rome and rural Camerata Nuova. The similarities are certainly there, but Monument Valley remains one of a kind. Advertisement Advertisement Entrance to Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park, or Tse'Bii'Ndzisgaii (the park's Navajo name), is $8 per person. From May to September, you can expect long wait times and high temperatures, so wear a hat and carry plenty of water. In summer, the park opens to visitors from 7 a.m. until 7 p.m. every day, with last entry at 4:30 p.m. In winter, it's 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. daily, with last entry at 2:30 p.m. Confusingly, unlike the rest of Arizona, the Navajo Nation recognizes daylight saving time, so depending on when you go, double (and triple) check times if you're joining an organized tour. Despite its parallels to the Italian landscape, there is truly no place quite like Monument Valley. One Tripadvisor visitor said, "Just when we thought we had seen the most spectacular rock formation, another one would come into view. We actually felt like we had left the U.S. and were placed in an area out-of-this-world. Everyone needs to visit this area at least once in his/her lifetime." Ready to discover more hidden gems and expert travel tips? Subscribe to our free newsletter and add us as a preferred search source for access to the world's best-kept travel secrets. Read the original article on Islands. In Maine, where the "mountains meet the sea," as the saying goes, you'll find Camden. The waterfront town, once a hub for shipbuilding, now supports a year-round population of just over 5,000 people. That all changes in the summertime, though, when streets become crowded with tourists hoping for an authentic New England experience: lobster served fresh, ice cream made from local blueberries, and sailboats docked in the harbor. It's no surprise that Camden is often called the "Jewel of the Maine Coast," a worthy destination of its own between more well-known options like Portland and Bar Harbor. If you're traveling into town from a distance, maybe on a mission to escape the summer heat, you'll likely fly into Portland. Rent a car, and drive 85 miles north. In Camden, you'll have several overnight options to choose from: There's the Lord Camden Inn downtown, the Hartstone Inn, and the Riverhouse hotel, which also has a separate property for extended stays. Prices are typically between $100 and $300 a night during peak season; some even offer special sailing packages that let you view Camden from a seaman's perspective. If affordability is your priority, camping is cheap. Check out Megunticook Campground by the sea, or set up a tent in Camden Hills State Park. You can see all that Camden has to offer in a single weekend, or you can stay for longer to explore the hidden waterfront town of Cushing and other delights along the coast. Read more: One Of West Virginia's Best-Kept Secrets Is A Train Ride Through A Canyon You Can't Reach By Car Upscale restaurants, ice cream, and waterfront dining in Camden Outdoor dining by harbor in Camden - Aimintang/Getty Images Part of Camden's charm is its dining scene, which truly gives Portland, often considered to be one of the best foodie destinations in America, a run for its money. The Hartstone Inn on Elm Street isn't just a place to spend the night; it's also an upscale restaurant. Here you'll find a tasting menu composed of farm-fresh and seasonal ingredients. Another go-to destination is the Camden Deli on Main Street, where tables look out onto the Megunticook River, and where one TripAdvisor reviewer writes, "Great food. Super low wait time. Lobster BLT was the best I have ever had." There are more waterfront restaurants at Bay View Landing, including Vintage Room and Peter Ott's on the Water, and in the summertime, ice cream options near the water include the Camden Cone and River Ducks. Sit on the brightly painted pedestrian bridge or take a walk to the harbor while you enjoy a cold treat. Advertisement Advertisement For a truly one-of-a-kind experience, drive along Camden Road and past Maiden's Cliff to reach Aster & Rose Restaurant in the historic Youngtown Inn. The small dining room is still in the style of an old New England farmhouse, and the menu includes fresh salads, house-made pastas, and seasonal desserts. Of course, you can always pick up grab-and-go meals at French & Brawn Marketplace to take along with you as you hike up nearby Mount Battie or Bald Mountain, spend an afternoon at Lincolnville Beach, or venture out on a harbor cruise. Galleries and a historic opera house downtown Brick exterior of Camden Opera House - Kristi Blokhin/Shutterstock Along with its reputation as a mid-coast Maine restaurant capital, Camden is also known for its art scene. Downtown Camden is also home to an assortment of clothing boutiques, gift shops, and toy stores. You can easily spend an afternoon hopping between galleries. There's the Camden Falls Gallery, where you'll find oil paintings of local scenery, open May through December; the Carver Hill Gallery, known for its contemporary art, open July through Labor Day; and Page Gallery, which platforms local painters and sculptors and is open from May through October and select days in the winter. In July and October, vendors set up under white tents near the public library for the Harbor Arts Fair, where you'll find everything from hand-crafted jewelry to blown glass. Along with visual arts, Camden is also a destination for the performing arts. Since 1894, the Camden Opera House on Elm Street once the tallest building for miles around has hosted touring bands, local theater productions, and comedians. Drive to the nearby city of Rockland, another quiet, artsy charmer with its own set of trails and plenty of lobster, for the North Atlantic Blues Festival in July. Or buy tickets for a film screening at the Strand Theatre. However you want to spend your vacation time, there's no shortage of things to do in the so-called "Jewel of the Main Coast," whether you're a self-described foodie, outdoor enthusiast, art appreciator, or all of the above. Ready to discover more hidden gems and expert travel tips? Subscribe to our free newsletter and add us as a preferred search source for access to the world's best-kept travel secrets. Read the original article on Islands. The town of Peacham, Vermont, is a picturesque village that feels like a postcard-worthy New England destination just an hour from Stowe, Vermont. With its quaint white churches, storybook farms, and rolling green hills, this small town offers visitors a peaceful retreat. Whether you're a nature lover, history enthusiast, or just looking for a gorgeous weekend getaway, Peacham has something for every adventurer. Vermont is known for its collection of mountain villages with stunning fall views and charming downtowns, and Peacham is just one of them. Settled in 1776, Peacham is one of the oldest towns in the Green Mountain State. Its history is deeply rooted in agriculture, particularly dairy farming, which has influenced and shaped the region and its residents for many years and continues to be celebrated through galleries, antique festivals, local craftsmanship, and community traditions. Peacham's downtown area is packed with character. Several local shops and galleries showcase the creativity of the town, offering handmade crafts, vintage antiques, and unique gifts, as well as annual antique shows and events. The location of the town, far from the bright lights of big cities, offers an ideal environment for stargazing. About a 3-hour drive from Boston, Peacham is located in Northeastern Vermont. The nearest airport is located in the well-known town of Burlington, an artsy urban area surrounded by mountains, which is just 1.5 hours from Peacham's adorable downtown. The journey to this town is part of its charm, and making the drive from either the east or the west offers scenic views across Vermont's rolling hills and valleys along the way. As one of New England's top foliage destinations, this cozy corner of Vermont is a magnificent place for your next fall road trip. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read more: One Of West Virginia's Best-Kept Secrets Is A Train Ride Through A Canyon You Can't Reach By Car Arts, antiques, and eats in the heart of Vermont Vintage bottles and cans in a Vermont antique store. - Robophoto1/Shutterstock Despite being somewhat of a rural town, Peacham has always been a hub for the arts. Local farmers, artisans, and scholars have long been contributors to the town's rich culture. The Gilmore Gallery, located inside the Peacham Library, exhibits works of watercolor, oil paintings, photography collections, and group shows featuring local artists and community members. In addition to art, this charming library offers a collection of books and displays about the town's history, agricultural roots, and its earliest settlers. Several shops in the area specialize in local antiques, from vintage furniture to classic Vermont pottery. Throughout the year, the Town of Peacham hosts seasonal events like the Summer Exhibitions, the Fourth of July celebration, the Winter Carnival, and the Fall Foliage Day. These events feature community activities like tractor parades, ghost tours, live music, food vendors, dances, and pig roasts. The Peacham Farmer's Market hosts themed market days, like Apples & Arts in September and the Great Pumpkin Festival in October. Peacham's arts and culture scene is deeply rooted in its rural heritage and community. Peacham's eateries are cozy and comforting. The Peacham Cafe is a charming spot known for farm-to-table meals and delicious pastries. The menu focuses on fresh ingredients sourced from local farms, making it a great place to sample some of Vermont's best eats. If you're up for a little drive out of town, St. Johnsbury is a hidden Vermont retreat with a cozy main street and lots of restaurant options about 25 minutes from Peacham. The Kingdom Taproom, a local favorite rustic gastropub, serves unique small plates and hearty bar-style food along with fun cocktails, wine, and craft beers. Fantastic fall foliage and stellar stargazing among the mountains Panoramic view of fall foliage over a lake in Groton State Forest, Vermont. - SNEHIT PHOTO/Shutterstock With so many fall-centered events, you can probably guess that Vermont is a good place to see stunning foliage in quaint, uncrowded towns (and you'd be right!). Peacham is located in a prime area for leaf-peeping, and the surrounding hills and valleys are a sea of vibrant reds, oranges, and yellows during peak autumn. Backdrops of farm fields, forests, and mountains make for unbelievable views and stunning photo opportunities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Plus, the town's rural location makes it the perfect place to observe the night sky for astronomy lovers. Peacham is known for its unobscured dark skies and is home to the Northern Skies Observatory, operated by the Northeast Kingdom Astronomy Foundation. Situated in a relatively remote area, light pollution is minimal and makes Peacham an excellent location for stargazing. The Milky Way is visible on clear nights, and you can often spot planets and constellations with the naked eye. Outdoor enthusiasts will love Peacham's surrounding area, home to some of Vermont's best hiking trails. The nearby Groton State Forest offers miles of scenic trails and a nature center highlighting the area's plants, animals, and history. The Peacham Bog trail is a great option for a shorter, more accessible hike with views of the wetlands and wildlife. The complete loop is about 4 miles long and takes around 3 hours to complete. Peacham offers a delightful experience and a quintessential New England getaway brimming with natural beauty. Whether it's the outdoors calling your name, the chance to observe starlit skies, or the town's charming history that draws you in, this hidden gem of Vermont is a must-visit. Ready to discover more hidden gems and expert travel tips? Subscribe to our free newsletter and add us as a preferred search source for access to the world's best-kept travel secrets. Read the original article on Islands. "Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links." In the Good Housekeeping Institute Kitchen Appliances Lab, weve tested hundreds of coffee machines, including countless single-serve coffee machines and almost every Nespresso machine to hit the marketbut after trying dozens, I kept circling back to the same question: Which capsules are actually worth drinking? With over 100 varieties across Nespressos Vertuo and Original lines, the thought of narrowing them down was enough to make me jitterybefore Id even had a sip. We surveyed over 200 GH+ members across the country who are regular Nespresso users. Their insights, along with in-depth research, helped me narrow my tasting pool to 25 popular capsulesspanning both the Vertuo and Original lines. After recently earning two certifications from the Specialty Coffee Association, I felt well-equipped to lead this 25-capsule tasting journey. Advertisement Advertisement Alongside my colleagues in the Good Housekeeping Test Kitchen and Kitchen Appliances Lab, we spent a month sampling Nespresso capsules to determine our top-tested picks. Each one was evaluated for flavor notes, intensity, quality of crema, overall enjoyability, and more. And if none of our favorites suit your taste, Ive also put together a helpful guide below to help you find the right capsule for your flavor preferences and preferred brewing style. Double Espresso Dolce "Out of all the espresso pod options Nespresso offers, this one is my favorite," says Deputy Food Editor Trish Clasen Marsanico. And other members of our tasting panel couldn't agree more. This double espresso Vertuo capsule features tasting notes of caramel and malted cereal, and it blends beautifully into both hot and iced lattes (so many GH+ members especially love this over ice). Nespresso rates most of its coffees by intensity, and this one scores a 5indicating a balanced extractionit's pleasantly bitter without tasting burnt. We found this capsule to be an overall crowd pleaser, "The flavor profile feels very mellow and mild; it's an enjoyable coffee," said one tester. However, if you like intense espressos, this might not be for you. Nespresso $40.50 at amazon.com Colombia Master Origin Single-origin coffee originates from a specific country or region, often highlighting flavors that reflect the area's unique terroir (a French term that describes the combination of environmental factorslike climate, soil, and elevationthat shape a product's flavor and character). This Colombian capsule offers a fruity shot of espresso with a smooth intensity. "It's a nice espresso, it's rather smooth and creamy and quite balanced. It's also complex and bright at the same time," said a tester. Advertisement Advertisement Many GH+ members are also long-term fans. "This has been a steady favorite for years. It is easy to drink as a straight espresso shot after a meal. I think it also goes well with chocolate." Don't fret, if you have a Vertuo machine, you can also enjoy this Colombia single origin, but it's in a coffee format instead of an espresso. Nespresso $50.00 at amazon.com Classico Espresso While these capsules aren't made by Nespresso, they're fully compatible with OriginalLine machines and deliver a stellar shot of espresso. Our team already loves Illy's Classico Espresso, but we were especially impressed by how seamlessly it translated to the Nespresso format. While this espresso shines on its own, it also pairs beautifully with milk and makes a delicious latte. Advertisement Advertisement All testers liked the acidity of this espresso. "I think this is a solid cup of coffee. It tastes very crowd-pleasing and versatile. It has a muted note that balanced acidity, smokiness, and bitterness really well. The finish is fairly smooth. And it has a medium body. Pairs well with milk for a latte but also okay on its own," said a tester. You won't be able to buy these on the Nespresso website, but we love that you can find them at many grocery stores or online. Illy $9.78 at amazon.com Mexico Master Origin One person we surveyed said the capsules from Mexico are their go-to, so we knew we had to try this drip coffee-style capsule. "It's full-bodied, robust, and tastes great black or with milk. It's always my first cup of the day." We agree with the GH+ member's praise, the brew has intense roasted and spicy notes, likely thanks to the addition of Robusta beansnot just Arabica. Advertisement Advertisement Robusta beans tend to produce bolder flavors and a thicker layer of cremawe definitely noticed that in our cup. The flavors are mild and subtle, but you still get that classic coffee bitterness. Its a nice balance. It foams up a ton, so theres crema in every sip. Its very drinkable. Seems like a dark roast, but its not overly smoky or burnt-tasting, said one tester. Nespresso $60.00 at walmart.com Altissio Decaffeinato "I like having this one in the afternoon or in espresso martinis," says Kitchen Lab Director Nicole Papantoniou. It's also really great if you love the taste of espresso, but cannot handle the caffeine. Among the five decaf coffees we tasted, this one won us over with its surprisingly full body and delicious notes of caramelqualities not always easy to find in decaf. Advertisement Advertisement One tester who primarily drinks decaf coffee said this about the capsule, "The aroma made me think of chocolate and toasted almonds, which made me want to take a sip. The flavor had caramel notes, which I really enjoyed. But I liked most that it was very bold and smooth." This tasty capsule is also available in a caffeinated version, if that's your preference. Nespresso $57.50 at amazon.com Sweet Vanilla Nespresso offers a variety of flavored capsules, with many being seasonal, but the Sweet Vanilla is consistently available. We had over 30 GH+ members tell us that the Sweet Vanilla was one of their favorite Nespresso capsules, and all testers agreed; none of them said they wouldn't be interested in buying it. Advertisement Advertisement "I really enjoyed this coffee! It's a classic flavor done rightsmooth, without any artificial or bitter notes. I even drank it black (and I usually add a splash of half and half) and loved every sip," said a tester. Decaf lovers won't miss out either; this sweet treat is also available in a decaf version. Nespresso $42.00 at amazon.com Blue Bottle Coffee Nola Style Blend Nespresso has collaborated with Blue Bottle Coffee on several capsule varieties, and they recently developed a New Orleans-style capsule (coffee blended with chicory) that's especially great over ice. "My preferred cold brew is New Orleans-style, actually. I do think the chicory gives it a little extra something. But, it's not so prevalent that you'd be distracted from the coffee, if that's a concern," says Clasen Marsanico. Advertisement Advertisement All other testers rated this capsule highly as well, and all mentioned how smooth it tasted. "It's a pretty smooth and flavorful brew; it has a soft, delicate crema on top and pairs really well with milk," said a tester. While another noted, "It tastes complex yet balanced." We were informed that this capsule won't be available forever, so get it while it's still here. Nespresso $15.50 at Nespresso How we test the best Nespresso capsules In the Good Housekeeping Institute Kitchen Appliances Lab, weve tested hundreds of coffee makersincluding many Nespresso machinesalong with a wide range of coffee accessories over the last decade. Working with our Test Kitchen, weve also evaluated countless coffee products for taste and performance. Good Housekeeping/Jillian Sollazzo When it came time to rank Nespresso capsules, we knew we had to narrow down the nearly 100 options on their siteso we took a strategic approach, using a mix of Lab data, expert reviews, and consumer feedback: Advertisement Advertisement Insights survey: We sent an online survey to our GH+ community, and more than 200 Nespresso users shared their favorite and least favorite capsules, along with reasons for their choices. Daily life: I don't normally use a Nespresso machine at home, but for a month, I set one up and drank a different cup of Nespresso each day for additional feedback. Good Housekeeping/Jillian Sollazzo Lab taste test: In our Kitchen Appliances Lab, we set up a dedicated Nespresso tasting station with four different machines. A panel of six coffee, culinary, and appliance experts tasted 25 capsules and scored them on: Quality of the crema Flavor notes Brew intensity Balance and aroma Overall enjoyability Taste with milk added Good Housekeeping/Mike Garten How to determine the right Nespresso capsule for you With so many Nespresso capsules to choose from, and new ones launching regularly, it can be hard to know where to start. Here are our expert tips to help you find the right capsules for your taste and brewing style. Style of coffee: Each capsule will tell you the amount of ounces it will produce and what style of coffee it makes. OriginalLine capsules can only make single shots of espresso or lungos, but there much more options with the VertuoLine. The most popular drinks you can make with a VertuoLine capsule are a single espresso, a double espresso, or a cup of coffee. If you know you like to make lattes, choose an espresso capsule. If you just want a large cup of drip coffee, select one of their coffee capsules. Caffeine: Whether you like your coffee decaffeinated, half-caf, or even boost (high caffeine), Nespresso sells a variety of different caffeine levels to choose from, and you can filter through their options on their website. Intensity: Nespresso rates its capsules by intensity from 1 to 13, which reflects a coffee's roast level, body, and bitterness. Higher numbers tend to be bolder and darker, and might include beans like robusta beans, which lend that flavor profile. If you prefer a lighter roast, select a coffee with a lower roast number. Place of origin: Some capsules highlight beans from single origins or countries (like Mexico or Colombia) which have distinct flavors, while others are blends from multiple regions for balance and complexity. Flavor profile: Whether you like rich and strong or creamy and biscuity, almost all Nespresso capsules will list their tasting notes on their packaging or website. Use these tasting notes to determine which coffees will appeal most to you. Flavored or specialty capsules: These capsules typically cost a bit more, but theyre worth exploring if you enjoy seasonal flavors or limited-edition collaborationslike Nespressos partnership with Blue Bottle Coffee. Theres also the Coffee+ line, which includes capsules enhanced with ingredients like vitamin B12 or ginseng. Good Housekeeping/Jillian Sollazzo Whats the difference between Nespresso OriginalLine and VertuoLine? Nespresso makes two types of machines: the OriginalLine and the VertuoLine. Each uses its own type of capsule, and they arent interchangeable. However, some roasts can be found in both types of capsules. Advertisement Advertisement OriginalLine capsules are smaller and brew either a single espresso or a longer shot called a lungo. VertuoLine machines, on the other hand, use barcode technology and offer a wider range of formats, from espresso to drip-style coffee. While other brands make compatible capsules for the OriginalLine, VertuoLine capsules are patented and are only available through Nespresso. Hearst Owned Why trust Good Housekeeping? Eva Bleyer is the reviews analyst in the Good Housekeeping Institute Kitchen Appliances and Innovation Lab. She has rigorously tested a wide assortment of kitchen tools and appliances in the Lab. She also leads coffee tastings for GH. Eva holds certifications in foundational and intermediate barista skills through the Specialty Coffee Association and is highly passionate about coffee and coffee-making. Eva drank A LOT of Nespresso, led all Lab testing, and parsed through hundreds of survey responses from our consumer testing panel to write this story. Good Housekeeping/Jillian Sollazzo You Might Also Like Every year, bar teams from around the globe congregate to celebrate the Worlds 50 Best Bars. This year, bartenders from as far away as Argentina and Kenya traveled to Hong Kong for the awards ceremony and to experience the citys vibrant nightlife and cocktail scene. The winning bar, Bar Leone, is local to Hong Kong, but bars from every major continent, representing dozens of cultures, were also recognized. The list spanned from tiny mezcal bars like Mexico Citys Tlecan to swanky and elaborate bars like Florence, Italys Locale. Related: The 10 Best Old Fashioneds in Chicago, According to Bar Pros Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The final list of the top 50 bars serves as a guide for travelers interested in seeking out the most creative and groundbreaking bar programs in the world. But most neighboring bars in the winners cities dont receive global accolades. The best way to find these hidden gems is to ask some of the winning bar teams a simple question: Where do you like to drink on your day off? What makes a great bar? Superlatives like best bar tend to be quite subjective; what one guest finds off-putting might be exactly what makes the next guest fall in love with a bar. Without question, the best bars should offer well-crafted, thoughtful drinks and delicious bar bites. However, when speaking with top bartenders, there are a few more intangible qualities that stand out across all their responses. The bars atmosphere is usually a patrons first impression of a space, and is extremely important to providing an excellent guest experience. In a bar, Im always looking for overall good vibe and coherence, says Charly Aguinsky, co-owner of Tres Monos in Buenos Aires. Something that is not too bright, not to say it should be dark, good music, and friendly staff make a good place in my opinion. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Great hospitality is equally important. Making guests feel comfortable and part of the space is what brings them back. Other than the prerequisites of having great drinks, food, service, and vibes, a great bar makes you feel like you belong, says Tom Liu of Los Angeles bar Thunderbolt. Concepts of bars can vary, but one that clearly states itself and welcomes you with open arms is a winner in my book. 01 of 08 Bourke's (Hong Kong) Courtesy of Bourke's Hong Kongs Bar Leone, an Italian bar concept spearheaded by Lorenzo Antinori, was awarded the title of Worlds Best Bar for 2025. The bar is noteworthy for its Cocktail Popolari concept, which manifests as a cozy, welcoming atmosphere with excellently crafted cocktails meant to be enjoyed by everyone. That egalitarian, no-frills mentality extends to where Antinori chooses to drink on his rare nights off. I love to hang out at Bourkes, an Australian wine bar located on Peel Street in Hong Kong, says Antinori. Always great vibes, the team is super hospitable, and it's [a] great value for your money. It is exactly what a neighborhood bar should be. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 02 of 08 Sabina Sabe (Oaxaca City, Mexico) Courtesy of Oscar Manuel Ortega Ruiz Mexico Citys Handshake Speakeasy has been hovering around the top of best of lists for the past few years due to the teams innovative cocktail program and beautiful, welcoming interior. Rodrigo Urraca, co-founder of Handshake, loves to visit Sabina Sabe, a mezcal and cocktail bar in Oaxaca Citys charming Centro Historico. The owner is always there taking care of the service, says Urraca. The music is super cool and at a good volume. Sabina Sabe has a lot of details, such as the floor, which was handcrafted by a Mexican artist, that help to create a special atmosphere. They have a great selection of Mexican spirits from small producers, which makes every drop you drink so unique to them. 03 of 08 La Vinya del Senyor (Barcelona) Courtesy of La Vinya del Senyor Sometimes the best bars arent the most famous ones; theyre the ones that make you feel something real, says Giacomo Gianotti co-founder of the innovative destination Paradiso in Barcelona. La Vinya del Senyor reminds me why I fell in love with hospitality; its about people, emotion, and sharing meaningful moments. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement La Vinya del Senyor sits in front of the Santa Maria del Mar church in Barcelona. I love its simplicity and the atmosphere, says Gianotti. You can sit outside with a glass of wine, watch people pass by, take in the view of the church, and completely disconnect. Its not about elaborate cocktails; its about the feeling of being present and relaxed. 04 of 08 ViceVersa (Miami) Courtesy of R.C. Visuals Julio Cabrera, the award-winning founder of Miamis Cafe La Trova, has made a name for himself by preserving Cubas unique cantinero bar culture and mixing up Cuban classics like the Daiquiri Clasico. On my day off, I like to visit ViceVersa, located in downtown Miami, says Cabrera. They serve great aperitivo cocktails and food, but [theyre] mostly [known for] their friendly service. When I go, I feel like family. Beyond aperitivo drinks and bites, ViceVersa also serves other traditional Italian cocktails along with their own menu of custom creations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 05 of 08 Anchoita Cava (Buenos Aires) Cheekily named after its trio of founders, Sebastian Atienza, Charly Aguinsky, and Gus Vocke, Tres Monos (Three Monkeys) has created a bartending community in Buenos Aires that reflects the underground DIY punk ethos of the founders. Whenever Im free and I go out in Buenos Aires, which doesnt happen too often, to be honest, I like to go to a wine bar called Anchoita Cava, in Chacarita, says Aguinsky. Their wine and cheese list is phenomenal, with over 50 or 60 options, from Argentina and Europe. Service and decor are outstanding as well. 06 of 08 Capri Club (Los Angeles) Courtesy of Capri Club The unassuming Thunderbolt in Los Angeles historic Filipinotown has long been recognized as one of the citys most forward-thinking cocktail programs. Led by head bartender Tom Liu, Thunderbolt is home to a formidable bar staff featuring veterans of Los Angeles most historic bars like The Varnish. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lius favorite haunt is Capri Club, a buzzy aperitivo and Negroni bar in LAs Eagle Rock neighborhood. As a casual little neighborhood Italian apertivo cocktail bar, Capri Club nails a lot of the things that make a great bar, says Liu. Go where the people go and see a lesser-known part of LA. The neighborhood clearly supports Capri Club as it is always packed. Come cozy up to the bar or find a booth with some friends and hang out with the locals and industry alike. 07 of 08 Boadas (Barcelona) Barcelona bar Sips is known for its innovative and immersive cocktail program thats directly inspired by Spains modern haute cuisine, a fact underscored by co-founder Marc Alvarezs decade of running beverage programs for the legendary Adria brothers. His partner and fellow co-founder, Simone Caporale, honed his craft at Londons famed Artesian bar. With modern technique and elaborate presentations at the forefront of Sips cocktail program, its no surprise Caporale opts for a more classic experience in his free time. Boadas has been open since 1933, and anything thats still standing after more than 90 years must have been built on a dream, says Caporale. Theres something timeless about it, like the bar has some sort of spirit, a good ghost that gently grabs you by the heart the moment you walk in. Beyond the feeling, Boadas still serves the authentic Frozen Daiquiri from La Floridita in Cuba, where the original owner came from. You wont find a cocktail with that kind of flavor and heritage anywhere else in the world. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 08 of 08 Gift Shop (Toronto) Courtesy of Rick O'Brien When selecting the perfect bar to hang out in, Mateo Cruz Tapias, co-lead bartender of Toronto hot spot Bar Pompette, looks for good music overall, a great bartender with personality and solid basic knowledge of bartending. And they must have a good beer. For all of those reasons, he recommends Gift Shop, a hip and cozy cocktail bar located behind a barber shop on Ossington Avenue in Toronto. Its a good place for a date, to hang out with friends, or just to enjoy alone, says Cruz Tapia. Read the original article on Food & Wine During your next visit to the usual Western Europe hotspots, cities like Paris, Rome, London, Amsterdam, or Barcelona, youll no doubt continue to hear plenty of American accents as you wander around the city centers. But what has begun to change in recent years is that more and more Americans are branching out from these predictable, over-touristed destinations and instead are heading farther into Eastern Europe. The Balkan region, made up of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia, is attracting an increasing number of visitors each year, and for good reason. Each of these countries offers something unique: delicious food, fascinating history, beautiful hiking and beaches, and friendly locals. So why is this region only now catching the attention of American travelers? Lets take a closer look at some of the reasons. Social Media Has Changed the Travel Game Image Credit: Shutterstock For many travelers, international trips come with a fair amount of stress, long flights, currency exchanges, language barriers, and a slew of cultural differences to navigate. Thats why sticking to tried-and-true destinations where most tourists go has always felt easier. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What happens when photos from your friends, neighbors, and coworkers in cities youve barely heard of start filling your Instagram feed? After seeing enough stunning views, tasty-looking meals, and what looks like an effortless vacation, its easy to start adding places like Zagreb or Kotor to your own itinerary. At the same time, that same social media phenomenon is pushing some travelers in the opposite direction. When every other person on Instagram seems to have a photo in front of the Trevi Fountain or La Sagrada Familia, the appeal starts to fade. Stories of long lines and overcrowded streets have led many travelers to look instead to Europes less-visited destinations for trips that feel less cookie-cutter and more unique. A Weaker Dollar So far in 2025, the U.S. dollar has been about 15% weaker than the euro, which means some of those already expensive Western European cities are pulling on vacation budgets even more than usual. Thats why trading in an expensive Amalfi Coast getaway for a cheaper, yet equally beautiful trip to Albanias southern coast seems like a no-brainer for some vacationers. While it might require a quick flight connection or ground transfer to arrive at some of these lesser-visited destinations in the Balkans, once you arrive, everything from meals to your accommodation to activities and excursions will be noticeably cheaper. That means some travelers can extend their trips a little longer, treat themselves to experiences they might have skipped elsewhere, or even make a European vacation actually possible in the first place. Airlines are Also Hoping Onboard the Trend Image Credit: Shutterstock. Prior to this tourism boom, getting to the Balkans from the U.S. required at least one flight connection through a bigger European hub. But in recent years, several airlines have begun expanding their routes to meet the rising demand of Americans wanting to travel to the Balkans. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement United Airlines recently announced a new direct flight from Newark to Split, Croatia, launching in early 2026 and complementing its similarly new service to Dubrovnik. Meanwhile, Air Serbia began offering direct flights from Chicago to Belgrade in the spring of 2023 and is already eyeing further expansion, with Miami as a likely next destination. Low-cost European carriers like Wizz Air and Ryanair have also expanded their networks, making it much easier to add a quick stop in the Balkans once youre already in Europe. This growing web of routes makes travel to the region faster and far more convenient. It is quickly reframing the American perception of the Balkans from a once-overlooked corner of Europe to an easy addition to a broader itinerary, or even a destination worth visiting all on its own. Tradition Still Feels Alive Mass tourism has been slower to reach the Balkans, many local traditions and daily rituals remain part of everyday life, even in the heart of the major cities. Markets still fill with local residents doing their weekly shopping, not just tourists taking photos. Cafes, bakeries, and corner stores remain as they have for decades, and while trendier restaurants and boutique shops are slowly starting to appear, they havent yet erased the authentic neighborhood feel that makes these cities so special. Pro-Tip: Instead of booking an Airbnb or chain hotel, stay in a family-run guesthouse that serves home-cooked meals so that you can receive a firsthand peek into the local culture. Instead of heading home from your trip with a camera roll full of crowded landmarks and meals from the same tourist-trap restaurants as everyone else, youll leave with better stories, lasting memories, and a deeper understanding of this often-misunderstood region of Europe. Bottom Line Some of the reasons mentioned above still might make the Balkans sound like a Plan B destination, but once you visit the stunning turquoise beaches of Albania, hit the ski slopes in Bulgaria, sink your teeth into a plate of cevapi in Bosnia, or get lost in the winding cobblestone streets of Kotor's old town, youll understand why so many travelers fall in love with this corner of Europe. While still more popular in the summer months, thanks to many cities along the beautiful Adriatic coast, the Balkans are a near year-round destination. The region's mix of affordability, culture, nature, and beauty is quickly turning curious travelers into repeat visitors, book a trip for yourself, and you just might become one of them. Why settle for one honeymoon when you can have twoor more? Recently, savvy newlyweds have been rethinking tradition and embracing the multi-moon. As someone who plans honeymoons for a living, Ive found that instead of rushing off to a long-haul trip on the tails of a wedding, many of todays couples are opting for a brief but luxe escape, followed by their dream honeymoon a few months later. This spaced-out approach gives couples time to recharge after their big day and something to look forward to. It also can lessen stress mentally, emotionally, and financially. Weddings are expensive, after all, and delaying the big honeymoon trip can help ease the blow by spreading out the cost. Here's what you need to do if you're planning a multi-moon. How to Do It If you're thinking about planning a multi-moon, consider the timing of your wedding. For summer weddings, the wait is worth it for better weather in key destinations. Dreaming of Balis lush green landscapes? Push the trip to December and youll catch Ubud at its most vibrant time, just as North America slips into winter. On the flip side, couples tying the knot in fall or winter might want to honeymoon when its warmer. French Polynesia, for example, is warm year-round but sees its driest, sunniest weather between May and October. In fact, I personally honeymooned there during the dry season and was rewarded with crystal-clear skies and perfect 80-degree daysexactly the kind of magic youd want on a once-in-a-lifetime trip. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After saying your I dos, start married life with a short escape, or mini-moon. These trips are typically two to five days, and take place close to home to minimize travel time and maximize ease. The focus? Unwinding. A few good options include a beach destination in the Caribbean that includes pool villas, spa treatments, and slow mornings, or even a weekend getaway that does not require a flight. Later, go all in with the main event: A honeymoon thats immersive and unforgettable. Whether its tracking wildlife on safari in South Africa, floating in an overwater bungalow in the Maldives, or exploring ancient temples deep in the jungles of Bali, the second trip is where the big memories are made. Where to Go Kodiak Greenwood/Post Ranch Inn The view from a guest room at Post Ranch Inn. The view from a guest room at Post Ranch Inn. Your mini-moon should be intimate, indulgent, and stress-freeluxe places that feel remote but are easy to get to. Some of my favorites include: Post Ranch Inn in Big Sur for cliffside romance, Pacific views, and total privacy. COMO Parrot Cay in Turks & Caicos for barefoot, beachfront luxury. Airelles Chateau de Versailles in France. Here, you will sleep like royalty inside the gates of Versailles, with exclusive palace access and Alain Ducassecurated dining. Elsa Young/Singita Singita Boulders Lodge's open air guest lounge. Singita Boulders Lodge's open air guest lounge. When its time for the big honeymoon, go bold. This is where luxury, experience, and wow-factor meet. I recommend heading to one of the following places: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Singita Boulders Lodge in South Africa for safari splendor with five-star comfort. The Brando in French Polynesia for a private island with eco-luxe at its finest. Capella Ubud in Bali offers a jungle hideaway that's rooted in design. Where to Eat Hurawalhi Maldives The underwater dining room at 5.8 Undersea Restaurant, Maldives. The underwater dining room at 5.8 Undersea Restaurant, Maldives. When on the mini-moon, keep things easy. In-room breakfasts, charming local spots, and a splurge dinner or two are all you need. Ultimately, the goal is relaxation and intimate quality time with your now-spouse. But for the main honeymoon, food becomes part of the journey. This is your chance to indulge in once-in-a-lifetime dining experiences that arent just meals, but rather, theyre memories in the making. Here, a few restaurants I recommend, all located in common honeymoon destinations. Villa Mahana is an ultra-intimate, candlelit restaurant tucked into the hills of Bora Bora, offering just a few tables and a legendary tasting menu. Wolfgat is a tiny, off-the-beaten-path gem in South Africa where every dish is foraged and hyper-local. It also has ocean views and only seats 20 people per night. Locavore is Balis most celebrated fine dining spot, where jungle-to-table tasting menus spotlight native ingredients and inventive technique. In the Maldives, 5.8 Undersea Restaurant is the worlds largest all-glass underwater restaurant, where every course comes with panoramic reef views. When to Go One of the biggest perks of the multi-moon is the flexibility. Youre no longer locked into leaving right after the wedding, and that freedom lets you time the big trip perfectly. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dreaming of Ubud, Bali? December brings warm days, lush landscapes, and vibrant local festivals. Planning for French Polynesia? Aim for the dry season between May and October. That flexibility also lets you target the shoulder season, which is the sweet spot just before or after peak season. Shoulder seasons often offer lower prices, fewer crowds, and more meaningful, intimate experiences. Travel right before the rush, and youll find fresh staff, newly opened venues, and a calm, welcoming energy. Make sure to also watch the weather and check for local holidays and festivals. Hurricane season, monsoons, and extreme heat can all impact your trip, and while some holidays add an exciting dose of flavor, others may shut down key attractions or restaurants. With the big honeymoon happening months later, youre free to plan around your dream destination, not your wedding date. Thats the beauty of the multi-moon: no rush, no stress, just well-timed travel that delivers exactly what you want, when you want it. Jim Augerinos is a member of Travel + Leisure's A-List and specializes in honeymoon trips. You can create a tailor-made itinerary with Augerinos by contacting him at jim@perfecthoneymoons.com. Read the original article on Travel & Leisure Chicago police arrested a suspect in an arrest in an apparent road rage shooting on DuSable Lake Shore Drive last June. Investigators say 41-year-old Donald Stoute shot the victim, seriously injuring him. The shooting occurred on June 3 in Streeterville. The victim, Maalik Gardner, said it all started with an argument as the two were driving. Gardner managed to drive himself to get help. Stoute has been charged with Aggravated Battery/Discharge Firearm. He is due in court Friday for a bond hearing. INTERACTIVE SAFETY TRACKER | Track crime and safety in your neighborhood One person was killed and three people were injured in a crash in Batavia Township on Thursday. The crash involving four vehicles occurred after 6:15 p.m. Oct. 30 on Ohio 32, near milepost 5, in Clermont County, according to the Batavia Post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol. Scott Temple, 63, of Batavia, died of injuries sustained in the crash, according to OSP. Three other people suffered serious injuries. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Temple was driving a 2004 Ford Ranger westbound on Ohio 32 when it traveled off of the left side of the roadway, crossed the median, and entered the eastbound lanes, according to OSP. Three vehicles traveling eastbound were involved in the crash. Temple's vehicle struck a 2018 Chevrolet Silverado, operated by Matthew Music, 28, Van Lear, Kentucky. The Silverado then struck a 2014 Honda Odyssey, operated by Caitlin Moorhead, 34, Williamsburg. Shortly after coming to rest, the Silverado was then struck by a 2000 Honda Accord, operated by Anthony Burns, 25, of Batavia. Temple sustained serious, life-threatening injuries and was taken to a local hospital, where he died. Burns, Music and his passenger, Gregory Music, 63, of Auxier, Kentucky, all sustained serious injuries that are not considered life-threatening. They were taken to a local hospital. The crash remains under investigation. This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: 1 killed, 3 injured in 4-vehicle Clermont County crash MEMPHIS, Tenn. One person was killed after being struck by a Memphis police squad car at Park Avenue and Getwell Road on Thursday evening. Officers were called to the scene around 6:40 p.m. The victim was taken in critical condition to the hospital and later died. As of 9:30 p.m., police say all lanes of traffic east and westbound are shut down due to the investigation. Officials say this is an ongoing investigation that is being handled by the Tennessee Highway Patrol. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WREG.com. This post originally appeared in the Business Insider Today newsletter. You can sign up for Business Insider's daily newsletter here. Happy Halloween! Keep an eye out for AI-inspired costumes tonight . (Just good luck trying to automate trick-or-treating!) In case you missed it, I had a fantastic discussion with Eugene Kim and Aki Ito yesterday about the Amazon layoffs and its wider impact across corporate America. Luckily, you can watch a replay of the whole discussion here . In today's big story, tech earnings have finally wrapped. Here's what you need to know. What's on deck: Markets: The former McKinsey executive who is Zohran Mamdani's bridge to NYC's C-suite . Tech: Who got rich from Navan's IPO ? Business: The era of the never-ending layoff might be here. But first, give me the CliffNotes. If this was forwarded to you, sign up here. The big story TLDR for tech earnings Getty Images; Jenny Chang-Rodriguez/BI If you blinked, you might have missed it. Earnings season hit Big Tech, and there's a lot to unpack. (And a lot of AI spending going on .) Five of the world's most important companies provided updates on their businesses over the course of two days. To quickly catch you up on how things shook out, here's a rundown on the main takeaways from Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Meta, and Microsoft. But first, a quick plug for my colleague Alistair Barr's newsletter. Tech Memo is a must-subscribe if you even have a slight interest in the industry, so do yourself a favor and click here . Ok, let's dive in. Alphabet: Hot on ChatGPT's heels. Look out, OpenAI. Here comes Gemini. Google's chatbot now has 650 million monthly active users . That's about a 44% jump from just a few months ago. Sure, it still trails the behemoth that is ChatGPT, which has a staggering 800 million weekly active users . But the growth shows Gemini is building momentum, and especially with the youths. Josh Woodward, the VP of Google Labs who leads the Gemini app, told BI's Hugh Langley there has been a big demographic shift to younger users . That's thanks to its viral image editor Nano Banana . Microsoft: Spend, spend, spend. Spending big on AI infrastructure was already a massive theme in tech heading into earnings, and Microsoft certainly didn't stray from the path. An internal memo from CFO Amy Hood seen by BI's Ashley Stewart highlighted the company's record $34.9 billion infrastructure spending to meet AI demand this quarter. The Massachusetts Attorney Generals Office on Friday announced indictments against 10 people in connection with a sprawling sex trafficking operation that targeted victims across Essex, Suffolk, Middlesex, and Plymouth counties between March 2023 and September 2025. A statewide grand jury returned 45 indictments, with charges ranging from human trafficking and rape to money laundering and conspiracy, according to Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell. Gianni Martinez, 23, of Lynn, is accused of leading the trafficking ring, allegedly continuing to orchestrate operations even while incarcerated in the Middleton House of Correction. He faces 28 charges, including trafficking persons for sexual servitude, aggravated rape, and violating a restraining order. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Among the other defendants: Rosa Garcia, 68, Martinezs grandmother, is charged with deriving support from prostitution and money laundering. Three drivers Wally Nunez, Abner Vaquerano, and Angel Soto-Martinez allegedly transported victims and face trafficking-related charges. Five alleged sex buyers Andrew Parvey, Peter Kellner, Mark Barry, John Vincent, and Leonard King are charged with paying for sexual conduct. Multiple cell phones were seized as a result of this investigation, and as a result, investigators were able to review text messages that showed the victims participated in commercial sex dates with Parvey, Kellner, Barry, Vincent, and King. In a news release, the AGs office wrote, " Martinez allegedly set up online dating profiles for his victims on various websites, began conversations with potential buyers, and ultimately arranged transportation for the victims to meet sex buyers, engage in commercial sex acts, and give Martinez or his grandmother any payments they received." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The investigation was led by the Massachusetts State Police, FBI, and Lynn Police Department, with support from the AGs Human Trafficking Division and other specialized units. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW 11 Investigates has learned that contract employees in the city of Pittsburgh are required to have specific background checks and clearances before conducting work in a police station. According to Chief Investigator Rick Earle, during a recent theft investigation at the shared medic/police station in the citys West End, officers discovered that the contract plumbers hired to fix a leak didnt have the proper background checks and should not have been in the police station. A medic at the station in the West End, which shares a building with Pittsburgh police, filed the theft report. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The medic said someone took her personal Carhartt jacket from inside the building. Pittsburgh police, with the help of surveillance video, initially suspected a contract plumber hired to fix a leak in the building. When confronted by police, he denied it and said he was actually carrying out his own sweatshirt as seen on the surveillance video. He even retrieved the sweatshirt from his car and showed it police. While the investigation into the alleged theft continues, police discovered that the two contract workers didnt have the proper background checks and clearances to work inside a police station. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Earle spoke about the clearance issue with the director of the Pittsburgh Citizen Police Review Board. Earle: How does this happen? Pittinger: Its beyond me. I mean, this is a caper we havent heard of in the past. Pittinger said theres a reason background checks and clearances are required when working inside a police station. According to multiple law enforcement sources, the contract workers had free access to come and go inside the station. Pittinger said thats a big concern. You have law enforcement sensitive information, evidence, you have weapons, you have reports that are confidential in nature, and they should not be available to eyes that are not authorized to be in that area, Pittinger said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Pittinger also said the background clearance issues exposed during the theft investigation raise troubling questions about the process and protocol for hiring contract workers. How did they get the job in the first place? Pittinger said. I mean that should be part of the authorization to do the work. Yes, youre qualified, and that includes passing the appropriate background check. Those contract plumbers were not allowed back in the building. Earle reached out to the Public Safety Department about all of this, and they are looking into it. Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW A 13-year-old boy, charged with first-degree murder in the death of his grandmother in Hoke County, was shot and killed, according to authorities. Around 9:20 a.m., the Hoke County Sheriff's Office responded to a well-being check on Thursday at a home on Pearce Place in Raeford. A second 911 caller reported finding an unresponsive woman, identified as Connie Linen, 68, inside the home. She was pronounced dead at the scene by EMS, the sheriff's office said. During the investigation, detectives identified her 13-year-old grandson as the suspect. The Hoke County District Attorney's Office charged him with first-degree murder through secured-custody paperwork as multiple agencies looked for him. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Deborah Decker lives a few doors down and says her street was blocked off by law enforcement all day. "Police cars all lit up and a bunch of the cars and they had the yellow tape all the way around the house going across the street and nobody was allowed to leave or come," she said. Bailey Arndt just moved in a few months ago and says finding out what happened Thursday was a shock. "It's so cliche to say that, but you don't expect to see it on your own street," she said. "I just pray for them that they find peace and find a way to cope with all of this." The Lee County Sheriff's Office says deputies found the teen inside a stolen car, which belonged to his grandmother, behind an abandoned mobile home on Black Road in Cameron. The suspect then ran on foot across the street and into a wooded area. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During the pursuit, deputies say the 13-year-old allegedly charged toward a deputy with a piece of 2x4 lumber from a yard of a nearby home. The deputy then shot his weapon, hitting the suspect. The teen died at the scene, LCSO confirmed. Clifford Covill lives across the street from Linen and describes her as a friendly, nice woman. He said her grandchildren were always well-mannered, respectful kids. "Everybody seemed pretty happy. I can't even imagine how this happened truthfully," he said. "I never once saw any of the kids angry about anything. They just seemed like happy, normal kids." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hoke County Sheriff Roderick Virgil said in a statement obtained by ABC11 News: "This has been a tragic and emotional situation for everyone involved. Our thoughts and prayers are with the family of Ms. Linen, as well as the family of the juvenile. We ask that our community come together with compassion and understanding as we all process this difficult event." The North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation is conducting a separate investigation into the shooting of the 13-year-old, which is standard protocol in all officer-involved shootings. This comes as a manhunt is underway in Eastern North Carolina for a 24-year-old accused of killing his grandmother and setting her house on fire. Stay on top of breaking news stories with the ABC11 News App The 20th century was about the people who dared to think differently and act boldly. From mind-bending discoveries to movements that reshaped entire societies, this era was defined by individuals who refused to settle for the status quo. But what makes someone a trailblazer? Is it their sheer brilliance, their determination, or the lasting ripples they leave in their wake? Often, its a mix of all these qualities and then some. Of course, narrowing down this list to just 13 names is no easy task. After all, the 20th century was packed with pioneers from all walks of life. Some names are instantly recognizable, while others may surprise you. Regardless of whether they wore lab coats, marched in the streets, or painted on canvases, each person here broke boundaries and changed the way we live, think, or dream. Lets celebrate the individuals who shaped the modern world. Some became icons, others quietly made history behind the scenes. But what they all share is an enduring impact that inspires us to keep pushing forward, no matter the obstacles. 1. Albert Einstein Image Credit: JoseCarva at Deposit Photos. When people hear the word "genius," Albert Einstein often comes to mind. Born in Germany, Einstein turned the world of physics upside down with his revolutionary ideas, most notably his Theory of Relativity. That little equation, E=mc, might look simple, but it completely redefined our understanding of energy, time, and space. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Beyond science, Einstein was a man of principle. He fled Nazi Germany in the 1930s and used his platform to speak out against racism, fascism, and war. Although his work inadvertently paved the way for nuclear weapons, Einstein spent much of his life advocating for peace. He proved that even the sharpest minds wrestle with the ethical weight of their discoveries. 2. Martin Luther King Jr. Image Credit: Deposit Photos. Martin Luther King Jr. didnt just fight for civil rights; he gave people hope. At a time when racial injustice was deeply entrenched in America, Kings unwavering belief in nonviolent protest showed the world that change could be achieved without hate. His speeches were more than words; they were sparks that lit fires for generations. The 1963 March on Washington, where he delivered his iconic I Have a Dream speech, marked a turning point in the civil rights movement. Tragically, Kings life was cut short in 1968, but his legacy of equality and justice continues to ripple across the globe. His courage reminds us that real change often comes from persistence, not violence. 3. Rosa Parks Image Credit: By Unknown author - USIA - National Archives and Records Administration Records of the U.S. Information Agency Record Group 306 - Public Domain/Wiki Commons. Rosa Parks didnt set out to be a hero, but thats exactly what she became. In 1955, she refused to give up her seat to a white passenger on a segregated bus in Montgomery, Alabama. That single act of defiance was like striking a match that ignited the civil rights movement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Montgomery Bus Boycott that followed was a turning point, showcasing the power of collective action. Parks was fed up with injustice. Her quiet strength proved that even small acts of courage can spark monumental change. 4. Neil Armstrong Image Credit: NASA - Public Domain/Wiki Commons. When Neil Armstrong stepped onto the moon in 1969, he made the impossible seem possible. As the commander of NASAs Apollo 11 mission, Armstrong became the first human to set foot on another celestial body, marking a victory for science, exploration, and humanity as a whole. Armstrongs iconic words, Thats one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind, perfectly captured the magnitude of the moment. Despite the fame, Armstrong remained humble, preferring to let his achievement speak for itself. His journey to the moon inspired generations to look to the stars and dream bigger. 5. Mahatma Gandhi Image Credit: xyz fotos at Deposit Photos. Mahatma Gandhi believed that true power comes from peace, not violence. Leading Indias fight for independence from British colonial rule, Gandhi championed the philosophy of ahimsa (nonviolence) as a powerful tool for change. His marches, hunger strikes, and peaceful protests became symbols of resistance around the world. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gandhis influence stretched far beyond India. Leaders like Martin Luther King Jr. and Nelson Mandela adopted his principles of nonviolent resistance in their own struggles for justice. Gandhis life reminds us that strength often lies in perseverance, patience, and moral clarity. 6. Amelia Earhart Image Credit: New York World (Telegram and the Sun Newspaper) - Public Domain/Wiki Commons. Amelia Earhart didnt just break records; she broke barriers. In 1932, she became the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean, proving that women belonged in the skies as much as men. Her daring adventures captured the publics imagination and made her a trailblazer in aviation. Earharts disappearance during an attempted flight around the world in 1937 remains one of historys great mysteries. Yet her legacy endures. Earhart inspired countless women to chase their dreams, no matter how high they had to fly. 7. Nelson Mandela Image Credit: mark reinstein / Shutterstock.com. Nelson Mandelas life is a testament to resilience, forgiveness, and leadership. After spending 27 years imprisoned for his fight against apartheid, Mandela emerged not bitter but determined to unite a divided South Africa. In 1994, he became the countrys first Black president, leading with a message of reconciliation instead of revenge. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mandelas ability to transform pain into progress made him a global symbol of hope. He showed the world that true leadership isnt about power, its about bringing people together, even in the face of deep division. 8. Franklin D. Roosevelt Image Credit: Underwood & Underwood - Smithsonian National Portrait Gallery - Public Domain/Wiki Commons. Franklin D. Roosevelt didnt just lead America through one crisis; he led it through two. As president during the Great Depression and World War II, FDR faced challenges that could have broken the country. Instead, his New Deal policies rebuilt the economy, and his steady leadership gave Americans hope during uncertain times. Despite battling polio, Roosevelt projected strength and optimism. His Fireside Chats connected with everyday Americans, and his legacy, from Social Security to global leadership, continues to shape the nation. 9. Winston Churchill Image Credit: Yousuf Karsh - Public Domain/Wiki Commons. Winston Churchills words were as powerful as his leadership. During World War II, Britains prime minister rallied his country with stirring speeches, urging citizens to persevere through the darkest days of the war. His resolve kept hope alive when victory seemed impossible. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Churchill wasnt without flaws, but his ability to inspire and unite people in a time of global crisis cemented his place in history. He remains a symbol of courage, determination, and leadership under pressure. 10. Mother Teresa Image Credit: imagex at Deposit Photos. Mother Teresa wasnt motivated by fame or accolades; she was driven by compassion. Her lifes work focused on caring for the sick, poor, and dying in Kolkata, India, people the world often overlooked. She started the Missionaries of Charity, a group that expanded globally to serve those in need. Though some criticized her approach, theres no denying her selflessness. She believed in serving others with love, no matter their background or circumstances. Her life demonstrated that sometimes the greatest change happens one act of kindness at a time. 11. Alan Turing Image Credit: Public Domain/Wiki Commons. Alan Turing changed the course of history in ways many dont realize. During World War II, his code-breaking brilliance helped crack the Nazi Enigma machine, a feat that is believed to have shortened the war and saved millions of lives. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Beyond wartime heroics, Turing laid the groundwork for modern computing. Sadly, he faced persecution for his personal life and died without seeing the full impact of his work. Today, he is celebrated as one of the greatest minds of the century. 12. Eleanor Roosevelt Image Credit: Yousuf Karsh - karsh.org - Public Domain/Wiki Commons. Eleanor Roosevelt wasnt content to play the traditional role of First Lady. Instead, she became a champion for human rights, advocating for women, the poor, and marginalized communities. Her influence extended to the international stage, where she helped draft the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Roosevelts outspoken activism set a new standard for what leadership could look like. She used her voice to push for change long after her husbands presidency ended, proving that compassion and courage can go hand in hand. 13. Steve Jobs Image Credit: Matthew Yohe - en.wikipedia - CC BY-SA 3.0/Wiki Commons. Steve Jobs reimagined how people interact with technology. As the co-founder of Apple, Jobs introduced groundbreaking devices like the iPhone and iPod, blending innovation, functionality, and sleek design. Jobs insistence on perfection and creativity transformed Apple into one of the most influential companies in the world. His work reshaped communication, entertainment, and daily life. WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) The Kansas Department of Transportation said the Interstate 135 shutdown will happen this weekend. KDOT planned to remove formwork and overhang brackets from the newly poured flyover bridge. During the closure, northbound I-135 traffic will be detoured to eastbound K-96, then to the Hillside Avenue exit. From Hillside Avenue, motorists can use the westbound K-96 on-ramp to rejoin northbound I-135. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Drivers traveling southbound on I-135 can access eastbound K-96 via North Hydraulic Avenue by exiting and continuing north to use the on-ramp. Moose wanders through Kansas cornfield, captured on camera Check before you go: KanDrive, also known as WICHway in Wichita, is a website and app from the Kansas Department of Transportation that provides information about road conditions, traffic, and more. Viewers can access cameras along the highways and interstates for free. The KanDrive app is available in both Google Play and Apples App Store. To view the website, click here. Drivers can also call 511 in Kansas or 866-511-5368 outside of Kansas. 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. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSN-TV. NEED TO KNOW JetBlue Flight 1230 was forced to make an emergency landing on Oct. 30 after experiencing a "drop in altitude" The plane was traveling from Cancun, Mexico, to Newark, N.J., but landed in Tampa, Fla., after the altitude drop Approximately 15 to 20 people were transported to a local hospital as a result of injuries sustained on the flight At least 15 to 20 passengers have been hospitalized after experiencing a sudden drop in altitude during a JetBlue flight. On Thursday, Oct. 30, the flight traveling from Cancun, Mexico, to Newark, N.J., was forced to make an emergency landing in Tampa, Fla., after the abrupt dip. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a statement to PEOPLE, the airport said, JetBlue Flight 1230 heading from Cancun to Newark diverted to Tampa International Airport and landed at approximately 2:20 p.m. where it was met by medical personnel. The JetBlue flight 1230 experienced a drop in altitude," the airline confirmed to CNN. Approximately 15 to 20 passengers were evaluated and transported to local hospitals with non-life-threatening injuries, Tampa Rescue added to PEOPLE in an email. PEOPLE has contacted JetBlue and the Federal Aviation Administration for updates on the situation. Bruce Bennett/Getty JetBlue Airways plane (stock image) JetBlue Airways plane (stock image) Never miss a story sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. In a radio call at the time of the incident, someone is heard saying that they had "at least three people injured, with one injury appearing to be a laceration in the head, according to the Associated Press citing LiveATC.net. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The incident is reportedly being investigated by the Federal Aviation Administration. "JetBlue Airlines Flight 1230 diverted to Tampa International Airport around 2:00 p.m. local time on Oct. 30 after the crew experienced a flight control issue, the FAA told Fox 13 News. The Airbus 320 left Cancun International Airport and was headed to Newark Liberty International Airport. The FAA is investigating." Our team has taken the aircraft out of service for inspection, and we will conduct a full investigation to determine the cause," a spokesperson from JetBlue told the Associated Press and CNN. The safety of our customers and crew members is always our first priority, and we will work to support those involved, they added. Read the original article on People NEED TO KNOW A North Carolina couple was found dead in a residence on Monday, Oct. 27 Authorities later identified the victims' 17-year-old foster child as the suspect When authorities approached the teen, he took his own life, the Hoke County Sheriff's Department said A North Carolina couple is dead after they were stabbed to death by their 17-year-old foster child, who later took his own life, local authorities said on Wednesday, Oct. 29. Hoke County Sheriffs Department deputies were dispatched to a residence in Raeford, N.C., on Monday, Oct. 27, just after 6 p.m., in response to a cardiac arrest call, the sheriffs office said in a statement. However, when the deputies arrived, they found two unresponsive people and began investigating the scene as a homicide. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During the preliminary investigation, the officers found that the victims died of multiple stab wounds, the sheriffs office said. Getty Stock image of crime scene tape Stock image of crime scene tape The victims were identified as Joann Nicole Chavis, 46, and Ted Matthew Chavis, 53, both of Red Springs, N.C. The sheriffs office named the couple's foster son, identified only as "D.P.," as the suspect in the killings. Authorities from the Hoke County and Columbus County Sheriffs Offices, the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation and the Lake Waccamaw Police Department tracked down the suspect to Lake Waccamaw. When approached by officers, D.P. committed suicide from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound, the Hoke County Sheriffs Office said. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Chavis family, and everyone affected by this tragic incident, Hoke County Sheriff Roderick Virgil said in a statement. We are grateful for the assistance provided by our partnering agencies throughout this investigation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Our hearts go out to all those impacted by this tragic situation, Columbus County Sheriff Bill Rogers said in a statement on Tuesday, Oct. 28. We are grateful for the cooperation between agencies and thankful that no innocent lives were endangered. This incident serves as a reminder of the importance of communication and support during difficult times. 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. During the search for D.P., investigators found the teen's car near the Boys and Girls Homes campus in Lake Waccamaw, per the Columbus County Sheriff's Office. The suspect was not in the vehicle, so police and the Whiteville Fire Departments Drone Team began searching the campus. After clearing the occupied buildings, authorities then searched the unoccupied buildings where they found the suspect, "who at that point, took their own life." The suspect was taken to a local hospital where they were pronounced dead, the sheriff's office in Columbus County said. On the evening of October 27, there was an incident on Boys & Girls Homes campus involving an off-campus individual. Standard lockdown procedures were followed, and all Boys & Girls Homes youth and staff members are safe, the organization said in a statement to WWAY. The incident is under active investigation by the State Bureau of Investigation. Thank you to local law enforcement including Columbus County Sheriffs Department and Lake Waccamaw Fire & Rescue for keeping our staff and, most importantly, our youth safe. We are cooperating with this active investigation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement PEOPLE has reached out to the Boys and Girls Homes of North Carolina. The case is still under investigation, with assistance from the Hoke County District Attorneys Office. Anyone with additional information can contact (910) 875-5111. 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. Read the original article on People This Saturday brings the 18th annual "Carrera de los Muertos," or "Race of the Dead," in Pilsen. Some 8,000 people are expected to participate. The money raised from the event goes towards "UNO - It Only Takes ONE," which uplifts and empowers girls. Executive Director Maya Solis and Arianna Gomez, a student, join ABC7 Chicago in-studio Thursday to talk more about the event. The full interview can be viewed in the video player above. Daylight Savings Time is a hot button issue. Whether you love the futzing with the clocks or hate it, there is one historical figure who was a key proponent of the annual springing forward and falling back: George Hudson, an amateur entomologist in New Zealand hoping for a couple more hours of daylight to find and catch his insect quarry. In the late 1800s, the preteen Hudson started a lifelong love affair with insects, particularly moths and butterflies, collecting specimens with his brother around their London home. The Hudson family moved to New Zealand in 1881, and George got shift work as a cadet in the post office in Wellington in 1883. He continued collecting insects, and his fervent curation and illustration resulted in his first book, completed at age 19, in 1886. But meshing his work in the post office with his passion for entomology was vexing to Hudson. There simply didnt seem to be enough hours in a day for both. PARTY TIME: In 1907, Hudson (center row, left with vest and cap) was a member of the Auckland Islands Party, a scientific expedition to subantarctic islands off of New Zealand's South Island. He and his colleagues collected 61 species of insects there. Credit: Samuel Page / Wikimedia Commons. So George Hudson proposed a radical idea: Set clocks back two hours during the summer so that sunlight would grace the land for a longer stretch of the workday. Hudson presented his idea to the Wellington Philosophical Society, first in a paper published as a brief abstract in 1895. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement His plan to alter the time of the clocks at the equinoxes so as to bring the working-hours of the day within the period of daylight, and by utilising the early morning, so reduce the excessive use of artificial light which at present prevails, was met with ridicule by the Society. Mr. Hudsons original suggestions were wholly unscientific and impracticable, wrote one Society member. If he really had found many to support his views, they should unite and agitate for a reform. Read more: How Darkness Can Illuminate the Insect Apocalypse Disappointed but undeterred, Hudson submitted his proposal at greater length to the Society in 1898. By that time others, around the world, were suggesting similar time shifts, and war-time England and Germany were the first to institute a single hour change in spring and fall in 1916, the need to conserve fuel trumping the desire to avoid the whole hassle. The United States adopted the change in 1918, and New Zealand in 1927. While the world warmed to annual clock manipulation, Hudson continued to collect and paint insects. In total, he authored seven entomology books, designed to share the splendor of New Zealands insect denizens with the public. KIWI BEETLES: Hudson drew this adult and larval stage of Pericoptus truncatus for the book New Zealand Beetles and their Larvae. Credit: Siobhan Leachman / Wikimedia Commons. These days Daylight Savings Time is a contentious issue. Some U.S. states observe the twice-yearly clock changes, some dont. Ditching Daylight Savings Time or sticking with it permanently is a perennial debate in legislatures from state to federal levels. Researchers have found various ills associated with practice. Last month, Stanford biologists suggested in a PNAS paper that shifting to Standard Time permanently would lead to a decrease in the prevalence of stroke and obesity. Sticking with Daylight Savings Time would have a similar, though less pronounced, effect, they added. But for better or worse, about 70 countries around the world still observe the changing of the clocks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Side note: Hudson was also something of an astronomy buff, installing a four-inch telescope at his section of the post office in 1904 and watching the transit of Hellys Comet in 1910 with rapt interest. He even discovered and named a star, Nova Aquilae, in 1918. I guess he did have a soft spot for darkness after all. As we all drag our one-hour-more-rested carcasses from the bed next week, lets spare a thought for old George Hudson. Unscientific. Impracticable. And ahead of his time. Enjoying Nautilus? Subscribe to our free newsletter. Lead image: George Hudson / Wikimedia Commons This story was originally featured on Nautilus. Canned foods on grocery store shelves. (Photo by Cami Koons/Iowa Capital Dispatch) Indiana philanthropic organizations and an anonymous donor have pooled $1 million to launch a food aid fund, the United Way of Central Indiana announced Thursday with federal grocery benefits for low-income Americans set to run dry Nov. 1 amid a government shutdown. Food is not a privilege; its a basic human right, said Fred Payne, United Way of Central Indianas president and CEO. United Way is proud to stand alongside its partners and other funders to respond to this critical need and help hard-working families put food on the table. More than 571,000 Hoosiers were receiving benefits through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program as of September, according to the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Approximately 150,000 SNAP recipients reside in central Indiana alone Boone, Hamilton, Hancock, Hendricks, Marion, Morgan and Putnam counties according a news release. About half of participants are in families with children. Beginning next week, the new Central Indiana Food Relief Fund will distribute the money to groups that supply food to hundreds of pantries across the region and state: Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana, Midwest Food Bank of Indiana and Second Helpings. The fund was launched with a $500,000 donation from an anonymous donor, which was intended to encourage the community to match or exceed that amount, according to the release. The Indianapolis Foundation, Lilly Endowment and the Lilly Foundation contributed, quickly meeting that match. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Indiana residents are also encourage to donate to the fund directly United Way will manage the account, but 100% of gifts will be distributed or to the three food organizations. Philanthropy alone cannot fill this gap, Payne said. But we are calling on our community right now to join us, support our food banks and help our neighbors in need. Those in need of food assistance can use Indy Hunger Networks Community Compass to find free food and groceries near them, along with other resources. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX While much of the crypto industry isnt fond of XRP, Matt Hougan is predicting a blockbuster debut for the Ripple-linked cryptocurrency. Bitwises chief investment officer told DL News that an XRP exchange-traded fund will easily become a billion-dollar fund within its first handful of months dramatically exceeding what sceptics expect. People underestimate it because the median opinion in crypto is pretty bearish on XRP, Hougan said. But what drives flows? A group of people that buys the asset and the XRP Army is incredibly bullish and loves XRP. Right now, there are about 20 XRP ETF filings pending with the SEC. Thats trailing both Bitcoin and Solanas 23 filings. Ethereum, meanwhile, has 16 filings pending, according to Eric Balchunas, Bloomberg Intelligence ETF expert. Balchunas forecasts the number of crypto assets with ETFs of which there are currently fewer than than five to surpass 200 in the next 12 months. Just yesterday, three more came to life, with a new Bitwise Solana ETF debuting with a bang. Deep-pocketed investors have already been loading up on XRP. Whales have bought almost $560 million in XRP over the past week, according to Santiment. Their purchases come as three XRP ETF approval deadlines expire at the SEC. The XRP Army Hougans confidence comes down to one simple observation: ETFs dont need the approval of crypto Twitter to succeed. Instead, they need passionate buyers willing to deploy capital. XRP has that in spades. The so-called XRP Army a devoted community of retail holders of the cryptocurrency has remained fiercely loyal through years of regulatory uncertainty, including Ripples protracted legal battle with the SEC. Flows will dramatically exceed what people are expecting, Hougan said. ETFs die in apathy, and that wont be the case here. Indeed, the contrast with other altcoin ETFs is stark. Many crypto assets have technical merit but lack passionate retail communities. XRP has the opposite problem its widely dismissed by crypto insiders for its centralised structure and corporate ties, but it commands intense loyalty from holders. Missing the point Critics of XRP point to Ripples control over the tokens supply, its focus on institutional partnerships rather than decentralisation, and its mixed track record as a cross-border payments solution. But Hougan argues that misses the point entirely. Institutional adoption doesnt require consensus from crypto natives it requires identifiable buyer demand. Bitcoin ETFs pulled in $107 billion in their first year despite plenty of sceptics. And just yesterday, a new staked Solana ETF posted the biggest launch of any ETF in 2025. MADISON - A pair of federal judges on Friday rejected the Trump administration's argument that it could not use emergency funding to keep alive food assistance programs through the federal government shutdown. One judge blocked President Donald Trump's administration from suspending all food aid for millions of Americans amid the ongoing government shutdown and directed it to use contingency funds to pay for the benefits. Another ordered the Trump administration to say whether it will make available emergency funding to keep food assistance programs running through the shutdown, which has now lasted a month. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The orders, from U.S. District Judge John McConnell in Rhode Island and U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani in Massachusetts, were issued just hours before funding is set to evaporate for food programs under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, known as FoodShare in Wisconsin. Gov. Tony Evers said it's good news to see the courts agree "the Trump Administration should have and could have taken action sooner to prevent November food assistance from lapsing for millions of Americans, including for nearly 700,000 Wisconsinites." "But now, the damage is done," he said.Starting tomorrow, kids, families, and seniors across our state will be without the assistance they need for basic food and groceries, and theres no excuse for it none. So, while we wait to see if the Trump Administration will follow court orders and the law and do the right thing, here in Wisconsin, we must continue to prepare for the worst. "Defendants erred in concluding that USDA is statutorily prohibited from using the contingency reserve to fund SNAP benefits during the pendency of the lapse in appropriations," Talwani wrote in the Oct. 31 order in a lawsuit brought by Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul and other Democratic attorneys general. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Plaintiffs are therefore likely to succeed on the merits of their claim under (federal law) that Defendants suspension of SNAP benefits is contrary to law." The Talwani order signals states like Wisconsin could ultimately tap $5.5 billion in contingency funding to fund their state-based and federally funded food assistance programs, but that amount doesn't cover the full cost of food stamps per month. In Wisconsin, around 700,000 Wisconsinites receive benefits from the state program known as FoodShare. As of September, the benefits totaled $115.8 million. McConnell's order, which was issued from the bench just after Talwani's order was published, requires the Trump administration to utilize the emergency funding. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "There is no doubt and it is beyond argument that irreparable harm will begin to occur if it hasn't already occurred in the terror it has caused some people about the availability of funding for food, for their family," McConnell said during a Friday hearing. Talwani ordered the Trump administration to "advise the court whether they will authorize at least reduced SNAP benefits for November" and if so, what the administration's timeline will be for authorizing partial benefits or full benefits using the contingency funding or other additional available funding. The ruling is "a critical step toward limiting the harm from the lawless effort to shut down SNAP funding prematurely," Wisconsin Attorney General Josh Kaul said. "It is imperative that the Trump administration now move as quickly as possible to address the mess that its baseless position has created so that November SNAP benefits arent delayed any more than the administration has already made necessary," he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said earlier Friday, before both orders were released, that she did not agree with the analysis of the administration's duties, arguing the contingency funding could not be used. The silver lining in all this is that were having a national conversation on our SNAP program, Rollins said in a news conference hosted by House Republicans. This has sort of shined a light on a program that especially under the last administration has just become so bloated, so broken, so dysfunctional, so corrupt, that it is astonishing when you dig in." The lawsuit before Talwani, filed Oct. 28 in Massachusetts, argues that both U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Office of Management and Budget have previously and recently said that SNAP benefits are an obligation of the United States. Before Friday, the USDA advised $3 billion worth of contingency funding could be used for administrative costs and benefit payments in the event of a shutdown. But on Oct. 24, the agency issued a new memo saying funding cannot legally be used for such purposes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Reporter Jessie Opoien contributed to this article. Molly Beck can be reached at molly.beck@jrn.com. (This story was updated to add new information.) This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: 2 federal judges reject Trump case for withholding SNAP benefits The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department made two separate arrests of men accused of bringing guns onto the campus of Julius Chambers High School. Tyshaun Barrino and Jerome Dumas are both charged with bringing a gun onto educational property. ALSO READ >> First-grader suspended for bringing gun to NC school In both cases, the weapons were found Thursday in the school parking lot. Channel 9 is asking Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools about how they learned the men were armed. This is a developing story. Check back with wsoctv.com for updates. VIDEO: Parents arrested for bringing weapons to campus on first day of school Two men are facing charges in connection with a shooting in Roxbury earlier this month that left an innocent bystander with life-altering injuries, according to Boston Police. The shooting happened around 4:09 p.m. on Oct. 8 near 258 Dudley St., the address for Vasquez Pizza and Spanish Food in Roxbury. The restaurants front window was littered with nearly 20 bullet holes after the shooting, WCVB reported. Aleyah Fernandez, 23, of Boston, a bystander, was hit by one of the shots, the station reported. She told the outlet she remembered lying on the floor and praying she wouldnt be killed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A prosecutor said Fernandez was partially paralyzed by a bullet that hit her spine, according to the station. The shooting appears to have been targeted, the prosecutor said, according to the outlet. Prosecutors have charged two men from Boston in connection with the shooting: 24-year-old Shawn Walker and Devante Stinson, 23. Both men are charged with carrying a firearm without a license, possession of ammunition without an FID card, discharging a firearm within 500 feet of a building, using a firearm in commission of a felony, carrying a loaded firearm without a license and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, causing serious bodily injury. It is the third time Walker has been charged with carrying a loaded firearm without a license. Stinson is also charged with a firearm violation with three previous violent/drug crimes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Stinson was arraigned in Boston Municipal Court in Roxbury on Oct. 23, where a judge ordered him detained pending a dangerousness hearing. Stinson does not yet have a lawyer assigned to his case. Under an emergency protocol in place for some Massachusetts courts, defendants without representation can become eligible for release after seven days. Walker has not yet been arraigned. But a probation violation hearing for him was held in Suffolk Superior Court, WCVB reported. On Thursday, Boston police searched 32 Seaver St. in Roxbury, the address where Walker was arrested. There, they found a high-capacity Glock firearm with an extended magazine, two fully loaded magazines, loose ammunition, and a ballistic vest, according to a statement. More local crime stories Read the original article on MassLive. Add MassLive as a Preferred Source by clicking here. Federal authorities on Thursday announced indictments against 20 people, including 14 current or former Mississippi Delta law enforcement officers, who allegedly took bribes to provide safe passage to people they believed were drug traffickers. The yearslong investigation swept across multiple counties in the Mississippi Delta region of Mississippi and Tennessee. Two Mississippi sheriffs, Washington County Sheriff Milton Gaston and Humphreys County Sheriff Bruce Williams, were among those arrested. Some bribes were as large as $20,000 and $37,000, authorities said at a news conference. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its just a monumental betrayal of public trust, US Attorney Clay Joyner said. The indictments say law enforcement officers provided armed escort services on multiple occasions to an FBI agent posing as a member of a Mexican drug cartel. The indictments allege the officers understood they were helping to transport 25 kilograms (55 pounds) of cocaine through Mississippi Delta counties and into Memphis. Some of the officers also provided escort services to protect the transportation of drug proceeds. Gaston and Williams are alleged to have received bribes in exchange for giving the operations their blessing, one indictment said. It also alleged that Gaston attempted to disguise the payments as campaign contributions, but did not report them as required by law. Federal officials said the investigation into the alleged crimes began when people who had been arrested complained about having to pay bribes to various individuals. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Law enforcement is only effective when the community they protect can trust the law enforcement officers are honestly serving the communitys interests, Robert Eikhoff, special agent in charge of the FBIs Jackson Field Office, said. This type of corruption strikes at the heart of the community. Nineteen of the 20 people indicted are also charged with violating federal gun laws. Court records show that the federal defenders office is representing 16 of the 20 people charged, including the two sheriffs. That office did not immediately respond to an after-hours email Thursday evening seeking comment on the charges. Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves said in a statement that he was disappointed to learn of the allegations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The law must apply equally to everyone regardless of the title or position they hold, he wrote. Know that if you betray the peoples trust in Mississippi, you will face consequences. Multiple Mississippi law enforcement agencies and sheriffs have faced federal scrutiny in recent years. In 2024, the former Hinds County Sheriff Marshand Crisler was convicted of accepting $9,500 in bribes and knowingly providing ammunition to a convicted felon. The same year, former Noxubee County Sheriff Terry Grassaree pleaded guilty to making false statements to the FBI while being questioned about requesting and receiving nude photos from a female inmate. William Brewer, a former Tallahatchie County sheriff, was sentenced to six years in prison in 2019 for extorting bribes from a drug dealer. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2023, six law enforcement officers pleaded guilty to state and federal charges for torturing two Black men, a case that sparked a Department of Justice investigation into the Rankin County Sheriffs Office. A similar DOJ probe concluded last year that officers of the Lexington Police Department discriminated against Black people. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com HOLLISTON, Mass. (WPRI) Police are seeking the publics help as they investigate the theft of two rifles from the Mass Firearms School in Holliston. The facility at 100 Kuniholm Drive offers firearms training, a shooting range and a retail store. The Middlesex County District Attorneys Office released surveillance video of the break-in that happened around 11:15 p.m. Thursday. The video shows two suspects entering the store after smashing the glass front door, while a third suspect waited outside. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police were on scene within minutes but found that no one was inside the store, according to the DAs office. The owners arrived a short time later and said two semiautomatic rifles that were hanging on the wall in the front lobby were stolen. The suspects left in a vehicle described as a light-colored, four-door sedan. Anyone with information is urged to call Holliston police at (508)-429-1212. Download the WPRI 12 and Pinpoint Weather 12 apps to get breaking news and weather alerts. Watch 12 News Now on WPRI.com or with the free WPRI 12+ TV app. Follow us on social media: Close Thanks for signing up! Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Breaking News Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WPRI.com. Two semi-automatic rifles were stolen from the front lobby of Mass Firearms School in Holliston. At about 11:30 p.m. on Thursday, it was reported to the Holliston Police Department that there was a breaking and entering in progress at 100 Kuniholm Drive, which is where the Mass Firearms School is located. Video surveillance showed three people at the scene, with two inside the firearms retail store, the Middlesex District Attorneys office said in a press release. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The front glass door of the business had been smashed by the time police arrived. With help from the Ashland Police Department, the two police departments cleared the inside of the building to ensure no suspects were still there. A K-9 unit from the Framingham Police Department also responded to assist with the search. The building was determined to be empty. The owners of Mass Firearms School confirmed that two semi-automatic rifles hanging on the wall in the front lobby had been stolen. Officials released video of the suspects, showing them entering and leaving the building through the same broken door. They then fled the area in a vehicle prior to police arrival. The suspect vehicle is described as possibly a four-door, light-colored sedan. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The facility largest firearms training, retail and range shooting facility in Massachusetts. It opened in 2008 and offers a wide range of courses, according to the website. Anyone with information is urged to contact the Holliston Police Department at (508)-429-1212. This incident remains under active investigation by the Holliston Police Department, the Massachusetts State Police, the Middlesex District Attorneys Office and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF). More News Read the original article on MassLive. Add MassLive as a Preferred Source by clicking here. Two of five minors arrested in a movie theater parking lot altercation in Simi Valley earlier this year have admitted to felony assault and hate crimes in the case, the Ventura County District Attorneys Office announced Thursday. Authorities said the teens assaulted at least three victims during the early August incident in front of the Regal Cinemas on Tapo Canyon Road, D.A. Erik Nasarenko said. The defendants, who were identified only as three 17-year-olds and two 16-year-olds, were charged earlier this month with felony assault with force likely to produce great bodily injury, with a special allegation of a hate crime. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One of the victims, 18-year-old Michael Robinson, told KTLA that the attack was racially motivated. They hit one of my friends in the face first, Robinson said. Then they hit another. Then they rushed me while I was between two cars. I managed to get out and ran into the parking lot. Thats when they slammed me into the hood of a car and jumped me. Video circulating on social media that has been obtained by KTLA shows the moment a late-night assault broke out near a movie theater in Simi Valley on Aug. 2, 2025. Video circulating on social media that has been obtained by KTLA shows the moment a late-night assault broke out near a movie theater in Simi Valley on Aug. 2, 2025. Footage of an altercation between a group of youths and a victim is shown. The victim, who was holding up a chair in self-defense, was surrounded by the group, who was hurling profanities at him. The victim then ran away, but his assailants pursued and started beating him in an outdoor area. Footage of an altercation between a group of youths and a victim is shown. The victim, who was holding up a chair in self-defense, was surrounded by the group, who was hurling profanities at him. The victim then ran away, but his assailants pursued and started beating him in an outdoor area. Footage of an altercation between a group of youths and a victim is shown. The victim, who was holding up a chair in self-defense, was surrounded by the group, who was hurling profanities at him. The victim then ran away, but his assailants pursued and started beating him in an outdoor area. Footage of an altercation between a group of youths and a victim is shown. The victim, who was holding up a chair in self-defense, was surrounded by the group, who was hurling profanities at him. The victim then ran away, but his assailants pursued and started beating him in an outdoor area. One of the three videos included in the post (which also contained a slide of pictures of some of the alleged suspects) shows one of the teens in the vicinity at the time leaning casually against a Simi Valley Police Department squad car right next to officers. One of the three videos included in the post (which also contained a slide of pictures of some of the alleged suspects) shows one of the teens in the vicinity at the time leaning casually against a Simi Valley Police Department squad car right next to officers. Video circulating on social media that has been obtained by KTLA shows the moment a late-night assault broke out near a movie theater in Simi Valley on Aug. 2, 2025. Video circulating on social media that has been obtained by KTLA shows the moment a late-night assault broke out near a movie theater in Simi Valley on Aug. 2, 2025. Video circulating on social media that has been obtained by KTLA shows the moment a late-night assault broke out near a movie theater in Simi Valley on Aug. 2, 2025. Video circulating on social media that has been obtained by KTLA shows the moment a late-night assault broke out near a movie theater in Simi Valley on Aug. 2, 2025. Video circulating on social media that has been obtained by KTLA shows the moment a late-night assault broke out near a movie theater in Simi Valley on Aug. 2, 2025. Video circulating on social media that has been obtained by KTLA shows the moment a late-night assault broke out near a movie theater in Simi Valley on Aug. 2, 2025. Video circulating on social media that has been obtained by KTLA shows the moment a late-night assault broke out near a movie theater in Simi Valley on Aug. 2, 2025. Video circulating on social media that has been obtained by KTLA shows the moment a late-night assault broke out near a movie theater in Simi Valley on Aug. 2, 2025. Video circulating on social media that has been obtained by KTLA shows the moment a late-night assault broke out near a movie theater in Simi Valley on Aug. 2, 2025. Cellphone video captured by a witness shows Robinson being chased, beaten and subjected to racial slurs. Two of the teens arrested in the attack were also charged in a separate altercation in the same lot on May 30. One of those two has admitted to his involvement, Nasarenko said Thursday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Arraignment for the three minors who have not admitted to the criminal charges is scheduled for mid-November. Sentencing for the two teens who admitted to the charges is scheduled for Nov. 13 and Nov. 19, according to the D.A.s 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 KTLA. Oct. 31 (UPI) -- Three activists with "Just Stop Oil" were acquitted Friday by a British court for spraypainting Britain's ancient Stonehenge site. Following a 10-day trial at Salisbury Crown Court, Oxford University student Niamh Lynch, Rajan Naidu and Luke Watson were acquitted on charges of causing a public nuisance. Naidu, 74, and Lynch, 23, along with Watson, 36, were taken into custody last summer after spray-painting the ancient site at Stonehenge -- the prehistoric megalithic structure -- the color orange to protest the country's ongoing use of fossil fuels. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Stonehenge sits in southern England roughly 88 miles southwest of the country's capital London. The incident took place as thousands were expected to descend on the area the next day for the summer solstice, the earliest in 228 years since 1796. The three climate activists denied all charges in the ongoing global protest against use of fossil fuels. They cited "reasonable excuse" in their defense under articles of free speech part of the European Convention on Human Rights. "If individuals disagree with what our government is doing on certain matters they are entitled to protest," stated Judge Dugdale. QUEENS, N.Y. (PIX11) Multiple construction workers were injured at JFK International Airport on Friday, according to authorities. Police received a 911 call about a person pinned under a beam at 8:53 a.m. in building 269 at JFK, authorities said. More Local News Three individuals were injured during a construction accident and taken to a local hospital for treatment of their injuries. All three individuals were transported to a nearby hospital for further medical evaluation of injuries that are non-life-threatening, said a spokesperson for the Port Authority. The accident is currently under investigation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Airport operations were not affected, officials said. The workers are expected to survive their injuries. Matthew Euzarraga is a multimedia journalist from El Paso, Texas. He has covered local news and LGBTQIA topics in the New York City Metro area since 2021. He joined the PIX11 Digital team in 2023. You can see more of his work here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11. By Rae Wee SINGAPORE (Reuters) -The yen fell on Thursday after the Bank of Japan (BOJ) left rates unchanged, while other currencies held in tight ranges as investors weighed a trade agreement between U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping. Trump said he had agreed to trim tariffs on China in exchange for Beijing resuming U.S. soybean purchases, keeping rare earths exports flowing and cracking down on the illicit trade of fentanyl. But details were scant and China has offered little clarity. The BOJ maintained its policy rate at 0.5% as expected at the conclusion of its two-day monetary policy meeting, but repeated its pledge to continue increasing borrowing costs if the economy moves in line with its projections. Still, investors saw the decision as a cautious one from the BOJ, with only two policymakers again calling for a hike - the same as in September - underscoring the central bank's gradual pace in normalising policy. At a post-meeting press conference, BOJ Governor Kazuo Ueda also offered little detail on when the central bank could next raise rates. That heaped pressure on the yen, which slid to an 8-1/2-month low of 153.89 per dollar. The Japanese currency similarly fell to an all-time low against the euro of 178.7, while sterling was up 0.5% at 202.45 yen. "The market wasn't expecting a hike anyway, but I think the market was kind of disappointed that the number of dissenters remained at two," said Sim Moh Siong, a currency strategist at Bank of Singapore. "There's a contrast here between a Bank of Japan that's still cautious in terms of rate hikes, and a (Federal Reserve) that's cautious in terms of rate cuts." TRUMP-XI MEET AND FED'S HAWKISH SURPRISE In the broader market, stocks were choppy while currencies and bonds were largely muted as details slowly emerged from the Trump-Xi meeting in South Korea. In recent days, Trump had repeatedly talked up the prospect of reaching an agreement with Xi to de-escalate tensions. While most investors viewed the outcome as positive, many remained cautious on how long the thaw in icy trade relations would last. Previous trade negotiations have seen promising starts followed by setbacks. "The bottom line is that China and the U.S. are probably the most important strategic competitors of each other in the global context. So you cannot expect the kind of trade agreement we saw during the globalisation era... Any agreement will be unstable in nature, both sides could change," said Vincent Chan, China strategist at Aletheia Capital. The interstellar comet 3I/ATLAS has just made its closest pass to the Sun, and it's brighter than scientists expected. Spacecraft monitoring the Sun captured a dramatic surge in brightness as the comet plunged toward perihelion, its nearest point to the star, leaving astronomers puzzled. "The reason for 3I's rapid brightening, which far exceeds the brightening rate of most Oort cloud comets, remains unclear," wrote Qicheng Zhang of Lowell Observatory and Karl Battams of the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory in a recent preprint. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ground-based telescopes lost sight of the comet during its close approach, but solar observatories, including SOHO, STEREO-A, and NOAA's GOES-19 kept tracking it. NOAA's CCOR-1 instrument captured a fuzzy cloud, or coma, around the comet about four arcminutes wide. SOHO added color data, revealing that the comet appears distinctly bluer than the Sun-a sign that glowing gas, not dust, dominates its brightness. The comet's brightness has been skyrocketing. Between September and October, it increased roughly as the 7.5th power of its decreasing distance from the Sun-twice as fast as it brightened earlier this year. Scientists suggest that sudden outgassing of water or other volatiles could be behind the surge. Its unusual color and activity have surprised experts. Most comets look reddish because sunlight reflects off dust, but 3I/ATLAS is blue, indicating that gases like carbon compounds are lighting up its coma. Harvard astrophysicist Avi Loeb called the color "very surprising" and added that it is now the ninth anomaly observed in this interstellar visitor. New images interstellar object 3I/ATLAS from various instruments reveal rapid brightening and a color bluer than the Sun. (Credit: Q. Zhang and K. Dattams) 3I is unusual in other ways: it displayed an "anti-tail" in mid-2025, has a nucleus far more massive than previous interstellar comets, and travels faster than both 1I/'Oumuamua and 2I/Borisov. Its gas contains far more nickel than iron, with a nickel-to-cyanide ratio higher than any comet studied before. Loeb has speculated that the object might even harbor a source hotter than the Sun. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Currently hidden behind the Sun from Earth, 3I/ATLAS will make its closest approach to our planet on Dec. 19, 2025. Observations from Hubble, Webb, and ground-based telescopes are expected to reveal unprecedented detail. Florida Congresswoman Anna Paulina Luna is reportedly working to release HiRISE images from Oct. 2, 2025, currently withheld due to the government shutdown. This is only the third interstellar comet scientists have observed. Its extreme brightening, unusual composition, and intense gas activity offer a rare glimpse into materials and behaviors from outside our solar system, and a reminder that the universe is full of surprises. More Space NASA | Startling close call as undetected asteroid flies close to Earth Icon | Historic space shuttle could be compromised for trip to Texas Experiment | Texas family gets surprise as NASA equipment lands on farm Wonder | 'Alien comet' mystery deepens as new theory emerges For the latest and best from Chron, sign up for our daily newsletter here. This article originally published at 3I/ATLAS's strange behavior challenges what astronomers know about comets. Inmate Stephen Bryant has chosen to die by firing squad, the chair for which is pictured on the left. (Photo courtesy of the S.C. Department of Corrections) COLUMBIA An inmate who pleaded guilty to killing three and leaving messages written in blood chose to die by firing squad, according to a letter submitted to the state Supreme Court on Friday. Stephen Bryants execution is scheduled to take place at 6 p.m. Nov. 14, marking the fifth to take place in the state this year. Bryant, 44, will be the third inmate put to death by firing squad since legislators added it as an option in 2021. Stephen Bryant, 44, pleaded guilty to killing three people during a crime spree in 2004. (Photo courtesy of SC Department of Corrections) The other four inmates executed since the process resumed in September 2024 selected lethal injection. By law, inmates have until two weeks before their execution date to choose their method of execution. Anyone who doesnt make a choice faces electrocution, which legislators made the default method in 2021, though no inmate has died by that method in the state since 2008. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Legislators made firing squad an option four years ago in an effort to restart executions after years of being unable to purchase the drugs used in lethal injections. A secrecy law passed in 2023 allowed prison officials to get the drugs later that year, making it an option once again. Bryants execution would be the sixth in the country carried out by firing squad since the state Supreme Court resumed executions nationwide in 1976, according to the Death Penalty Information Center. Before the two in South Carolina this year, the last firing squad execution took place in Utah in 2010. Previous questions over methods Attorneys for death row inmates have raised concerns about the legality of lethal injection and firing squad, though the state Supreme Court decided last year both were constitutional. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The most recent firing squad execution, carried out in April, faced scrutiny after inmate Mikal Mahdis attorneys claimed the bullets mostly missed his heart. During a firing squad execution, three marksmen shoot live rounds at the inmate, who is strapped to a chair, through a hole in the wall 15 feet away, according to Department of Corrections protocols released during court proceedings. An autopsy after Mahdis execution showed two bullet holes, instead of the three that appeared on the last inmate to die using that method, according to filings attorneys submitted to the state Supreme Court. Fragments of the bullets pierced Mahdis heart, but they did not strike it directly the way they did with the previous inmate, according to court filings. Department of Corrections officials contend nothing went wrong. Two bullets struck Mahdis chest in the exact same spot, creating one entrance wound, spokeswoman Chrysti Shain has said. No bullet fragments were found in the room, she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lethal injection has faced its own concerns. In court filings to the state Supreme Court and federal lawsuits, attorneys have repeatedly asked for more information about the drugs used to kill prisoners, which judges and the states highest court have said is unnecessary. Death by lethal injection can be long and painful, as the inmates lungs fill up with fluid, attorneys have claimed in court filings, though experts for the state contend the drugs knock out inmates long before that occurs. Bryants crimes and appeals Bryant was sentenced to death for one of three Sumter County murders he committed 21 years ago. He never professed innocence. He pleaded guilty to all three killings. His crime spree began on Oct. 5, 2004, when he broke into a house. Continued burglaries escalated three days later, when he shot Clinton Brown in the back while he was fishing in the Wateree River in Richland County. Brown survived. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bryant picked up two of his victims, Cliff Gainey and Chris Burgess, in his truck before shooting them and leaving their bodies by the side of the road, according to court documents. The killing of Willard Tietjen, however, was different. Bryant broke into the 62-year-olds home in Sumter County, where he shot Tietjen nine times before ransacking his house looking for items to steal. Bryant stayed at the house, smoking and using Tietjens computer and answering calls from his wife and daughter, telling them he had killed Tietjen, according to court filings. Police found Tietjens body with cigarette burns on it, along with notes written on the walls, with some letters written in blood. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Victim number four in two weeks, catch me if you can, Bryant wrote, according to court documents. Bryant also pleaded guilty to multiple other charges, including attacking a detention officer while in jail awaiting trial, according to court filings. He received two life sentences for the other two killings, along with a combined 100 years for his other crimes. Bryants attorneys are asking the states highest court to reconsider his death sentence, claiming his mothers drinking while she was pregnant with him, combined with childhood sexual abuse by multiple male relatives, caused Bryant to have mental defects that led to the slayings. Other courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court, have declined to overturn his sentence for similar claims. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Until the court comes to a decision in that case, Bryants execution should be put on pause, his lawyers claimed in a filing asking for a stay. The states response to those claims is due next week. Intervention from a court or the governor is the only way Bryant, who has run out of normal appeals, can avoid the death chamber. Gov. Henry McMaster has not granted clemency since executions resumed. A third teenager has been arrested and charged with the killing of a congressional intern in the nation's capital, a crime that President Donald Trump cited when he announced a law enforcement surge in Washington. Naqwan Antonio Lucas, 18, has been indicted with first-degree murder and 15 other charges for the killing of Eric Tarpinian-Jachym of Granby, Massachusetts. Lucas pleaded not guilty on Thursday. Tarpinian-Jachym, 21, died a day after he was struck by stray bullets near Washingtons Mount Vernon Square the night of June 30. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Authorities last month arrested two 17-year-old suspects in the shooting, Kelvin Thomas Jr. and Jailen Lucas. They were charged as adults for first-degree murder while armed. Prosecutors said Naqwan Lucas and Jailen Lucas are brothers. U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro said last month that Tarpinian-Jachym was an innocent bystander who wasnt an intended target of the gunfire. Pirro's office said he was hit when three armed suspects left a stolen vehicle and began firing shots at two young men. Tarpinian-Jachym was shot four times. Five other people also were assaulted or injured. Naqwan Lucas faces a second indictment for allegedly killing 17-year-old Zoey Kelly on July 4. Kelly was found dead of a gunshot wound to the head inside a storage container wrapped in bedding in a bedroom closet, prosecutors said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Naqwan Lucas also pleaded not guilty to these charges. His attorney, Steven Kiersh, did not immediately return a phone message seeking comment. Surveillance video helped investigators identify the three suspects, police said. Trump mentioned Tarpinian-Jachyms killing but not his name during an Aug. 11 news conference where he announced a federal intervention for a public safety emergency in the District of Columbia. The University of Massachusetts Amherst student was in Washington to work as a summer intern in the office of Rep. Ron Estes, R-Kansas. UPDATE AS OF 10/31/2025: The Panama City Police Department has arrested four individuals as a result of its investigation into the shooting incident at Alien Smoke Shop. Officers said a verbal altercation inside the shop escalated into a physical confrontation in the parking lot. Omar Mutluturk of Bay County allegedly shot a handgun three times during the altercation. Officers reported there were no injuries. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Detectives executed a search warrant at the business and discovered the firearm involved and marijuana. Mutluturk was charged with discharging a firearm in public. The owner of the vape shop, Salah Awadallah, was charged with affray. Shawn Skinner and Clinton Trigg, both of Bay County, were also charged with affray. Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to contact the department at (850) 872-3100 or remain anonymous by calling Crime Stoppers at (850) 785-TIPS. ORIGINAL STORY: PANAMA CITY, Fla. (WMBB) Panama City Police responded to a reported shooting incident late Thursday, but have not confirmed anything yet. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The report came in around 7 p.m. at the Alien Smoke vape shop, located on West Highway 98 near Flower Avenue. Several officers responded, as well as a K-9 unit. They were investigating both inside and outside of the business. There are no reports of anyone being shot in that area during that time frame. News 13 will continue to follow up with the Panama City 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 mypanhandle.com. KANKAKEE COUNTY, Ill. (WCIA) The Kankakee County Coroners Office has identified the four people who were killed in a two-vehicle crash last week. The coroners office said Malik Parker and his daughter Malia Parker were in one vehicle, while 66-year-old Inayatulla Khan of Aurora and 51-year-old Rafiq Mohammad of Harvey were in the other vehicle. All four people were pronounced dead on the scene. Urbana Fire Dept. offers carbon monoxide safety tips as temperatures drop Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 5-year-old Malia Parker was a student at Kenwood Elementary School in Champaign. The district said that it has activated its trauma response team to offer support to staff and students following the accident. Our deepest sympathy is extended to her family, friends, and the entire Kenwood Elementary community, the Champaign School District said in a statement. On Friday, family, friends and neighbors came together for a balloon release in Malias honor. They also laid out candles spelling squishy, which was her nickname. Family members said she loved all types of colors which was reflected in the assortment of balloons that were released. Anyone interested in supporting Malias family can visit this GoFundMe. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For those in need of support, reach out to Kenwoods school office or Care Solace, a complimentary and confidential service provided to students, staff, and their families by the Champaign School District. Click here for more information, or call 888-515-0595. KANKAKEE COUNTY, Ill. (WCIA) A 5-year-old girl from Champaign was one of four people who were killed Wednesday night in a Kankakee County crash. The crash happened around 10:20 p.m. in Reddick near the intersection of 18000 West and 2000 South Road, and it involved two vehicles, containing two people each. The Kankakee County Sheriffs Office posted on Facebook that when their deputies responded, they found one vehicle engulfed in flames. No one from that vehicle or the other one could be saved. Witnesses told deputies that a 2021 Honda Accord had been driving recklessly before the collision, crossing the center line at a high speed and passing other cars moments before impact. The Accord struck a Chevrolet Equinox head-on, the sheriffs office added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Sheriffs Office later told WCIA that the 5-year-old was in the Accord. Two school buses involved in Decatur crash The loss of life in this tragic crash particularly the death of a young child is absolutely heartbreaking, Sheriff Mike Downey said in the Facebook post. Our hearts go out to the families and loved ones affected by this devastating incident. We remind all motorists to exercise caution, obey speed limits, and drive responsibly to help prevent tragedies like this from occurring. The Illinois State Police Traffic Reconstruction Unit was requested to assist the Kankakee County Sheriffs Office with the investigation, which is ongoing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The identities of the victims are being withheld pending notification of next of kin by the Kankakee County Coroners Office. While the identities remain unknown, WCIA has learned that the five-year-old girl was from Champaign and was a student in the Champaign School DIstrict. WCIA reached out to the Champaign School District, and the Kankakee County Coroners Office for more information and has not heard back yet. We will share updates as we learn 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 WCIA.com. Benzinga and Yahoo Finance LLC may earn commission or revenue on some items through the links below. As the federal government shutdown stretches into its fourth week, millions of Americans will soon face a devastating consequence: losing access to food. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, which supports roughly 42 million low-income Americans, is halting benefits as of Saturday, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Millions Losing Food Aid The USDA announced it will halt payments for food assistance starting late this week, saying that "the well has run dry" on federal funding for this program amidst the government shutdown. SNAP, often known as food stamps, helps families buy groceries through electronic benefits distributed by the USDA. Don't Miss: The ChatGPT of Marketing' Just Opened a $0.81/Share Round 10,000+ Investors Are Already In Earn While You Scroll: The Deloitte-Ranked #1 Software Company Growing 32,481% Is Opening Its $0.50/Share Round to Accredited Investors. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The department placed blame on Senate Democrats for the funding impasse. Meanwhile, Democratic lawmakers have criticized the Trump administration for refusing to use a contingency reserve that could temporarily sustain benefits, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. Reps. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT) and Angie Craig (D-MN) last week issued a joint statement calling the decision "perhaps the most cruel and unlawful offense the Trump administration has perpetrated yet," urging Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins to release SNAP benefits to Americans. In a memo cited by multiple news outlets, Rollins responded that the reserve funds are intended for "true emergencies," such as natural disasters. The contingency fund would cover only about 60% of one month's benefits, according to the CBPP. Some states, including Massachusetts and California, have pledged to use state resources to keep aid flowing, though federal officials have warned they may not be reimbursed, according to BBC. California has also begun deploying its National Guard to help distribute food. Trending: Backed by $300M+ in Assets and Microsoft's Climate Fund, Farmland LP Opens Vital Farmland III to Accredited Investors The shutdown's effects extend beyond SNAP. The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children, which helps more than seven million low-income mothers and young children access nutritious foods, may also run out of money by early November, according to media reports. Food Insecurity Already Affects Millions Even without a government shutdown and SNAP benefits being halted, hunger is a nationwide problem. About 47 million people including more than 13 million children experience food insecurity each year, according to Feeding America. Hunger touches every community, with 100% of U.S. counties affected. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Food insecurity doesn't always mean going without food entirely it can also mean relying on cheaper, less nutritious options or skipping meals to make ends meet. Low wages and poverty remain the leading causes, leaving many families forced to choose between groceries, rent, and healthcare. How You Can Help When SNAP benefits are disrupted, local food banks, soup kitchens, and community organizations will be critical in filling the gap. Here are a few simple ways to make an immediate difference: See Also: If there was a new fund backed by Jeff Bezos offering a 7-9% target yield with monthly dividends would you invest in it? Find a Local Food Bank : Use the Feeding America food bank locator to identify organizations near you that are accepting food or monetary donations. Donate Food : When you shop, consider picking up a few extra nonperishable items canned vegetables, pasta, beans, or peanut butter to drop off at a local pantry. Many food banks list specific items they need most. Volunteer Your Time : Food banks and soup kitchens rely on volunteers to sort and pack donations, distribute meals, and deliver food to seniors or families with limited transportation. Host a Food Drive : Organize a collection through your workplace, church, or community group. Virtual food drives are another easy way to raise funds for food banks through online donations. JustServe helps individuals and organizations plan and share service activities like food drives within their communities. Give Financially : Every dollar helps. Feeding America estimates that a $1 donation can help provide at least 10 meals for families in need. Spread the Word: Share verified information from organizations like Feeding America or JustServe to encourage others to get involved and support their communities. Taking Action in Your Community As lawmakers continue to negotiate in Washington, communities across the country can step in to help neighbors facing uncertainty. Whether through food, time, or awareness, every small act of generosity brings hope and helps ensure no family has to go hungry this November. Read Next: Accredited Investors Can Now Tap Into the $36 Trillion Home Equity Market Without Buying a Single Property Image: USA Today Network This article Some 42M Americans Will Lose Food Assistance In November Here's How You Can Help originally appeared on Benzinga.com The DEA, NYPD, Homeland Security and the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of NY announced today the indictment of five suspects in the overdose death of Leandro De Niro Rodriguez, the 19-year-old grandson of actor Robert De Niro, and two other teens. Rodriguez died July 2 from the toxic effects of a drug combination that included fentanyl, bromazolam, alprazolam, 7-aminoclonazepam, ketamine and cocaine, New York Citys medical examiner disclosed in August. More from Deadline Advertisement Advertisement Todays indictment charges Bruce Epperson, Eddie Barreto, Grant McIver, John Nicolas and Roy Nicolas with participating in a conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and other drugs that caused the overdose deaths of De Niro-Rodriguez, a second unidentified victim and Akira Stein. All of the victims were 19 years old. The charges carry a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years in prison and a maximum sentence of life in prison. According to Manhattan U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton, the defendants ran a fentanyl-distribution network that sold pills to teens and young adults relying heavily on social media to target young drug users. Specifically, they are accused of distributing mixtures and substances containing 400 grams and more of fentanyl, mixtures and substances containing a detectable amount of para-fluorofentanyl, and mixtures and substances containing a detectable amount of alprazolam. The documents allege that, during a single three-month period in the summer of 2023, the pills distributed by the defendants caused at least three deaths. Specifically: On or about May 30, 2023, Stein who is identified in the Indictment as Victim-1 died in her familys apartment in downtown Manhattan after ingesting fentanyl-laced pills that she had purchased from John Nicolas and Roy Nicolas one day earlier. Over the six months leading up to her fatal overdose, John Nicolas and Roy Nicolas repeatedly sold numerous fentanyl-laced pills to Stein. Stein suffered multiple non-fatal overdoses as a result of ingesting those pills. Approximately two weeks after Steins fatal overdose, on or about June 13, 2023, a second victim identified in the Indictment as Victim-2 died in his familys apartment in midtown Manhattan after snorting a crushed pill that was laced with fentanyl and an even more potent fentanyl analogue that was provided to him by CC-1, which CC-1 had obtained from McIver. Less than a month after Victim-2s death, on or about July 2, 2023, De Niro-Rodriguez who is identified in the Indictment as Victim-3 died of a fatal overdose inside a friends downtown-Manhattan apartment after ingesting a fentanyl-laced pill that he purchased from CC-1 the day before. At that time, CC-1 was selling pills provided to CC-1 by McIver, Epperson, and Barreto. De Niro-Rodriguez, a sometime actor who had appeared in Bradley Coopers 2018 A Star Is Born. Robert De Niro said at the time of the young mans death that he was deeply distressed by the passing of my beloved grandson Leo. Best of Deadline Sign up for Deadline's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Authorities have arrested five individuals in connection with the 2023 overdose death of Robert De Niros grandson, Leandro De Niro-Rodriguez. The arrests come two years after the 19-year-olds passing, which was ruled an accidental overdose caused by fentanyl-laced pills. According to federal prosecutors, the suspects are believed to have distributed the counterfeit drugs that led to his death. Authorities arrest 5 suspects in the case of Leandro De Niro-Rodriguezs death Two years after the death of Robert De Niros grandson, Leandro De Niro-Rodriguez, authorities have announced the arrest of five suspects allegedly linked to the 19-year-olds fatal overdose. The U.S. Attorneys Office for the Southern District of New York and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) confirmed the arrests during a press briefing on Thursday. They revealed that the accused distributed counterfeit pills containing fentanyl throughout New York City and nearby areas. According to officials, the individuals allegedly used social media platforms to advertise and sell counterfeit pills containing fentanyl throughout New York City and nearby areas. Prosecutors stated that Rodriguezs case was one of three overdose deaths involving 19-year-olds that occurred within three months during the summer of 2023. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Authorities responded to a 911 call on July 2, 2023, and found Rodriguez unresponsive in his Manhattan apartment. The New York City medical examiner later ruled the cause of death as accidental. They cited the toxic effects of fentanyl, bromazolam, alprazolam, ketamine, cocaine, and 7-aminoclonazepam as the cause of death. These recent arrests follow the earlier arrest of Sofia H. Marks, who was charged in 2023 with distributing fentanyl and alprazolam. Marks faced up to 20 years in prison for each count. Authorities allege that she was among those who supplied the counterfeit pills linked to Leandros overdose. (via People) Leandro, the only child of actor Drena De Niro, was pursuing a career in acting before his death. Originally reported by Disheeta Maheshwari on ComingSoon.net. The post 5 Indicted in Overdose Death of Robert De Niros 19-Year-Old Grandson appeared first on Mandatory. Five people have been arrested in connection to the accidental drug overdose that led to the death of Robert De Niros grandson, Leandro De Niro-Rodriguez. In a press conference held Thursday, DEA Special Agent in Charge Frank A. Tarentino III and United States Attorney Jay Clayton of the Southern District of New York shared that five individuals identified as Grant McIver, Bruce Epperson, Eddie Barreto, John Nicolas and Roy Nicolas had been charged with conspiracy to distribute controlled substances. That distribution, which was allegedly coordinated via social media, led to the deaths of three 19-year-olds over a three month span in New York in the summer of 2023. De Niros grandson was one of the victims of the fentanyl-laced pills. The teens body was reportedly discovered by a friend in a New York City apartment. The medical examiner attributed his accidental death to toxic effects of fentanyl, bromazolam, alprazolam, 7-aminoclonazepam, ketamine and cocaine. His mother Drena shared the news of her sons passing. It is with immeasurable shock and sadness that we say goodbye to our beloved son Leo, Drena, who De Niro adopted when he married her mother, his first wife Diahnne Abbott, told TheWrap in a statement at the time. We thank you for the outpouring of love and support and ask that we are given privacy at this time to process this inconsolable grief. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Drena also posted to social media about the death of her teenage son. My beautiful sweet angel, she wrote. I have loved you beyond words or description from the moment I felt you in my belly. You have been my joy my heart and all that was ever pure and real in my life. I wish I was with you right now. I wish I was with you. I dont know how to live without you but Ill try to go on and spread the love and light that you so made me feel in getting to be your mama. You were so deeply loved and appreciated and I wish that love alone could have saved you. The post 5 Men Arrested in Overdose Death of Robert De Niros Grandson appeared first on TheWrap. (EL PASO COUNTY, Colo.) A 5-year-old boy who was previously a victim of domestic violence celebrated a big step in his life with the El Paso County Sheriffs Office (EPSO), the agency that responded when he was injured. According to EPSO, five years ago, Deputies John Hammond and Patrick Gallagher responded to a domestic violence incident involving a baby that was just 62 days old. As a result of domestic violence, the baby suffered traumatic head injuries, and EPSO said its deputies immediately began fighting for justice. The baby survived, and on Thursday, Oct. 30, he reunited with EPSO to celebrate a milestone being adopted by a relative. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement His adoptive mom, who is also a relative of his birth mother, never gave up, EPSO said. Through love, perseverance, and the newly expanded Kinship Adoption laws in Colorado, her dream of officially becoming his mom came true. Courtesy: El Paso County Sheriffs Office Courtesy: El Paso County Sheriffs Office Courtesy: El Paso County Sheriffs Office Courtesy: El Paso County Sheriffs Office Courtesy: El Paso County Sheriffs Office The little deputy got to tour EPSOs wildland fire trucks and patrol vehicles. We are incredibly grateful to have shared this moment and to have witnessed the beautiful outcome of courage, determination, and love, EPSO said. If you or someone you know is in danger due to domestic violence, call 911 immediately. For ongoing support, you can also contact TESSA of Colorado Springs at (719) 633-3819 or visit www.tessacs.org. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Help is available 24/7, and there are safe, confidential resources for people ready to escape abuse and begin the path to healing. 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. German online retailer Zalando has appointed Anna Dimitrova as its new chief financial officer (CFO), effective from 1 January 2026. The fashion and lifestyle e-commerce company stated that Dimitrovas background will support its plans to grow a pan-European ecosystem. David Schroder, who has served as interim CFO since March 2025, will return to his duties as co-CEO following the transition. Schroder stepped in after Sandra Dembeck left the group to join Tengelmann Twenty-One KG. Zalando supervisory board chairman Kelly Bennett stated: Anna combines deep financial expertise, a strong strategic mindset, proven leadership of large cross-functional teams and an exceptional track record of driving transformation. She is the perfect choice to complete this strong group of management board executives and work with Zalandos first-class teams to seize the exciting opportunities ahead. Dimitrova has more than two decades of international experience across finance functions, including mergers and acquisitions, capital markets and investor relations. She is currently group CFO at internet provider Deutsche Glasfaser, and previously held senior posts at Vodafone Group, among them CFO roles for Vodafone in Germany and the Czech Republic, as well as being group financial controller. As Zalando develops its ecosystem strategy across both business-to-consumer (B2C) and business-to-business (B2B), Dimitrova will be central to strengthening its financial base, supporting scaleable growth and enabling long-term value creation. She added: Im excited to join Zalando at such a pivotal time, when its updated ecosystem strategy is opening up fresh commercial opportunities in both B2C and B2B to serve consumers and partners across Europe even better. Like Zalando, I have a passion for how technology changes customers lives, societies and business models. Zalando is proof that Europe can produce growth companies for the digital age. Im excited to work with everyone to accelerate growth, expand margins and drive strong cash generation at scale across Europe. "Zalando names Anna Dimitrova as new CFO" was originally created and published by Retail Insight Network, a GlobalData owned brand. NEED TO KNOW Police have confirmed that a 5-year-old girl died while riding her scooter on a footpath near her elementary school The incident occurred in Sydney, Australia, on Oct. 30 The driver, a 42-year-old man, was taken to the hospital for mandatory testing and the investigation is ongoing A 5-year-old girl has died after being hit by a car while riding her scooter near her elementary school in Australia, police have said. On Thursday, Oct. 30, at around 3:45 p.m. local time, emergency services "were called to Clower Avenue, Rouse Hill, following reports of a pedestrian [being] hit by a car" in Sydney's northwest, New South Wales (NSW) Police Force said in a news release. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police added, "Officers attached to The Hills Police Area Command were told a 5-year-old girl was riding a scooter on the footpath before she was hit by a Toyota Hilux utility." "The girl was treated by NSW Ambulance paramedics before being taken to Westmead Childrens Hospital in a critical condition, where she later died," the release stated. Google maps A photo of Rouse Hill Public School in Australia A photo of Rouse Hill Public School in Australia NSW Police added in an email to PEOPLE, "The crash happened near a primary school [elementary school] on Clower Ave, Rouse Hill." The tragedy occurred outside Rouse Hill Public School, according to Australian outlets 9News, 7News and news.com.au. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police confirmed, "The driver of the Hilux a 42-year-old man was taken to Blacktown Hospital for mandatory testing," per the news release. "Both the utility and the scooter have been seized by police, to be forensically examined." The release concluded, "A crime scene was established, and police commenced an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident." Google maps A photo of Rouse Hill Public School in Australia A photo of Rouse Hill Public School in Australia NSW Police didn't have any further updates to add at this time when contacted by PEOPLE for additional information. "The police investigation into the girls death will follow its normal course. That investigation will take a number of weeks, not days," a police spokesperson said in an email. Getty A photo of a New South Wales Ambulance Service vehicle A photo of a New South Wales Ambulance Service vehicle A mother who lives near the scene of the accident, and was at the school when it happened, said, "It's tragic my heart breaks for the family," per the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement NSW Department of Education secretary Murat Dizdar added in a statement on Friday, "I, along with the rest of our school community, was devastated to learn of the death of a young student from Rouse Hill Public School yesterday," according to the outlet. Never miss a story sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Giving his condolences to the victim's family "in what is an incredibly difficult time," Dizdar added, "I would also like to offer my deepest respect and appreciation to our school staff who quickly responded and did all they could to help the young girl," per the ABC. "Our focus is now on ensuring our staff, students and school community have all the support and [counseling] they require to help them through this traumatic incident," he shared, according to the outlet. PEOPLE has reached out to Rouse Hill Public School and Secretary of the NSW Department of Education, Murat Dizdar, but didn't immediately hear back. Read the original article on People Five people were injured and one person is now in custody after a crash at a fast food restaurant near the University of Texas at Austin early Halloween morning, according to the Austin Police Department. The collision, involving a Ford F-150 pick-up truck and several pedestrians, happened just before 2:30 a.m. Friday, October 31, at the Raising Cane's Chicken Fingers restaurant located at 415 W. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Austin, TX 78701. Austin police said that five people were hit by a vehicle and four of the injured were transported to a hospital with serious but non-life threatening injures. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement APD identified the driver of the truck as 21-year-old Antonia G. Garcia Rios. She was arrested and charged with two counts of intoxication assault. Rios is currently booked in Travis County Jail. In KVUE videos of the crash aftermath, a white truck appears to be pushed up against the wall of the Raising Cane's restaurant, while another white car is right in front of it. The scene at Raising Cane's was reportedly cleared by 4:45 a.m. and MySA confirmed the restaurant is open as of 9 a.m. today. The crash still remains under investigation. Anyone with any information may submit a tip anonymously through the Capital Area Crime Stoppers Program by visiting austincrimestoppers.org or calling 512-472-8477. This is a developing story and MySA will update as information is received. MySA reached out to Raising Cane's for comment. This article originally published at 5 injured, 1 arrested in car crash at Raising Cane's in Texas. Key Wests popular Fantasy Fest extravaganza ended last weekend with at least four University of Miami and one Florida International University students behind bars for a plethora of crimes including fights, driving under the influence and selling drugs. Fantasy Fest is a historic, often risque, 10-day Halloween festival that dates back to 1979. In previous years, it could amass crowds of over 60,000 people that enjoy parties, events and a parade with an average of 40 floats. READ MORE: What happens when 60,000 people hit Key West streets for Fantasy Fest? Take a peek Every year, a few arrests can be expected, as is common with large holiday events like the Spring Breaks in Miami Beach and Fort Lauderdale. This year, on Saturday and Sunday, at least five students were among those in cuffs: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Stephanie Arce, a 21-year-old FIU medical student, was charged with driving while under the influence. Christopher Youssef, a 19-year-old University of Miami student, was charged with possession of stolen property. Marcus Hosfield, a 21-year-old University of Miami student, was charged with resisting an officer. Lucas Forwood, a 19-year-old University of Miami student, was charged with fraud, obstructing a criminal investigation and resisting an officer. Eric Ressler, a 21-year-old University of Miami student, was charged with drug possession. The Miami Hurricane, the universitys student newspaper who first reported the arrests, spoke to Key West Police Spokesperson Alyson Crean who confirmed hundreds of officers from multiple agencies including some mounted on horseback, FBI officials and spotters positioned on roofs of buildings were deployed for the festival. A Monroe County Sheriffs Office deputy spotted Arce driving and swerving between lanes, according to an arrest report. After being pulled over, the deputy smelled alcohol on her and saw she had glassy eyes. She tested at nearly two times the legal alcohol limit. She was also driving with an unknown amount of people in the car, who took an Uber home after she was handcuffed. Arces social media identified her as a FIU student. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Key West officers patrolling the festival spotted a woman falling to the ground and Youssef in a punching motion, an arrest report read. They quickly arrested him before helping the 43-year-old woman. She had a laceration on her head and was bleeding profusely. However, she told officers she didnt want to press charges while being taken to Lower Keys Medical Center for treatment. Officers later learned from a video that the woman was the aggressor and instigated the incident. When officers asked for Youssefs ID, he gave them two fakes. That decision landed him in handcuffs, authorities said. Youssefs listed occupation was student, jail records read. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Miami Hurricane did not name Hosfield but reported he was yelling at a group of officers, calling one a racist, and refused to step away from them. Ressler was discovered by a bouncer selling drugs in the bathroom of Red Garter Saloon, his arrest report read. He still had a white substance under his nose when Key West officers got to him, which tested positive for cocaine. About 3.3 grams of cocaine and cocaine residue were found in his possession. Resslers social media identified him as a UM student. Forwood was harassing passerbys when two Florida Highway Patrol troopers stopped him, according to his arrest report. The troopers said he smelled of alcohol and he had bloodshot eyes. When they and Key West officers asked to see some ID, Forwood gave them a fake. Authorities decided to charge him just for the false ID. Forwoods social media identified him as a UM student. All five students had their first court appearances scheduled for early November. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation, along with multiple law enforcement agencies, arrested three individuals in a multi-jurisdictional drug enforcement investigation. Agents and officers executed search warrants in Woodstock, Sandy Springs, and Atlanta, resulting in the seizure of over 500 pounds of marijuana and several firearms. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] The suspects, Jubenal Farfan Arellano, Omar Flores Mena, and Jose Radilla Maldonado, face charges of racketeering and conspiracy to violate the Georgia Controlled Substances Act. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Wednesday and Thursday, agents and officers executed five search warrants in Woodstock, Sandy Springs, and Atlanta. TRENDING STORIES: In addition to the marijuana, nine firearms were seized during the operation. GBI said their investigation revealed that associates of Cartel Jalisco New Generation were involved in trafficking firearms, marijuana, cocaine, and methamphetamine in the metro Atlanta area. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement All three suspects were booked into the Cherokee County Jail, and more charges are expected as the investigation continues. The GBI said the arrests mark a significant step in dismantling a drug trafficking network linked to Cartel Jalisco New Generation in the Atlanta area. The arrests were the result of a lengthy investigation into the criminal drug trafficking organization, through a combination of effort by local, state and federal agencies. The operation involved multiple law enforcement agencies, including the Cherokee County Sheriffs Office Multi-Agency Narcotics Squad, Atlanta Police Department Narcotics Unit, Sandy Springs Police Department, and the Homeland Security Investigations Violent Gang Task Force, among others. The investigation remains active, with warrants pending for additional suspects. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] For many years, paleontologists have debated about whether there was a smaller relative of the Tyrannosaurus rex, or if those smaller fossils were really just awkward teenage versions of the king of dinosaurs. Now, one skeleton has stopped the debate and changed how scientists think about one of the most recognizable animals to roam the Earth. The fossil, found in Montanas Hell Creek Formation and notoriously known as part of the Andrews Dueling Dinosaurs, preserves two prehistoric fighters engaged in their last struggle: a Triceratops and a small-bodied tyrannosaur. After years of study, the researchers established that the predator was not a juvenile T. rex at all but a fully grown species called Nanotyrannus lancensis. This fossil does not just settle the debate. It flips decades of T. rex research on its head, said Dr. Lindsay Zanno, associate research professor at North Carolina State University and head of paleontology at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences. She co-authored the new study in Nature with James Napoli, an anatomist at Stony Brook University. For years, scientists have debated whether the smaller fossils found alongside Tyrannosaurus rex represent a distinct, lesser-known species or simply the juvenile stages of the iconic predator. (CREDIT: Anthony Hutchings / Friends of the NC Museum of Natural Sciences) The Fossil That Started a Scientific Storm The story starts nearly 80 years ago with a small tyrannosaur skull found in Montana that was named Gorgosaurus lancensis. In the 1980s, it was re-named Nanotyrannus lancensis as a tiny cousin of T. rex. Some researchers acceded with the idea of pygmy tyrant, while others thought the fossils were juvenile versions of Tyrannosaurus rex. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The debate took a new turn in 2001 with the discovery of Jane, a nearly complete skeleton that looked very similar to the earlier skull. A histological study, which analyzes bones using microscopes, confirmed that Jane was still growing. This was the final piece of evidence for most biologists studying this issue. Nanotyrannus specimens were simply juvenile T. rexes. This explanation was accepted without equivocation for years, and the development of T. rex in the various mediatextbooks, museum displays, or documentarieswas shaped by it. However, not everyone agreed with this explanation. A vocal minority insisted that the anatomical differences between Jane and T. rex were too significant to be explained by growth alone. These differences were categorized as fringe until their research teams investigation. Comparative size chart between Nanotyrannus and T. rex. (CREDIT: North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences) The Nature of the Research-Team Investigation The team led by Zanno and Napoli re-analyzed nearly the entire tyrannosaur from the Dueling Dinosaurs site and conducted one of the most extensive bone histology investigations of a dinosaur ever. They examined growth rings, spinal fusion, and the microscopic structure of the bone, somewhat like how tree rings are observed to identify age. There was no doubt this animal was physically mature at the time of death: about 20 years old. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For Nanotyrannus to be a juvenile T. rex, it would need to violate everything we know about vertebrate growth, says Napoli. It is not just improbable, it is impossible. The specimen, called NCSM 40000, had a more elongated forelimb, more teeth, and a smaller overall body size than any recorded T. rex, even with age considerations of the specimen. The estimated weight of an adult would be approximately one-tenth that of an adult T. rex. Even more surprising is the size of the hands and forearms, which are proportionately larger than other known Tyrannosaurs, and these features do not shrink as animals grow. These anatomical features, along with variations in the skulls nerves and tail characteristics, indicated that this specimen was not a juvenile version of the king but rather a separate predator species. Snout of Nanotyrannus. (CREDIT: N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences) A Forgotten Predator Rediscovered As part of their research, Zanno and Napoli studied more than 200 tyrannosaur fossils, through which they discovered yet another individual distinct from the Dueling Dinosaurs Nanotyrannus lancensis. They named it Nanotyrannus lethaeus, referencing the River Lethe of Greek mythology, which represents how this species had been forgotten for decades. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Their research suggests that during the last million years of the Cretaceous that multiple species of tyrannosaurs lived in North Americas ancient floodplains. Additionally, the research has upended the long-held belief that Tyrannosaurus rex was the only predator at the top of its food chain. Ecosystems near the end of the dinosaur age were much more complex and competitive than previously understood. This discovery paints a richer, more competitive picture of the last days of the dinosaurs, Zanno says. With a massive size and bone-crushing power, T. rex was indeed an incredibly terrifying predator, but it was not at the top without competition. At the same time, darting alongside was the smaller, faster, and more agile Nanotyrannus. How Science Went Wrong The study also raises questions of how we come together for consensus in science and how things can go wrong. For decades, researchers simply accepted that all small tyrannosaurs were juvenile T. rexes, despite unresolved challenges to that view. Part of it was just common sense; for years, scientists had wondered why very few juvenile T. rexes were found in the fossil record. Attribution to smaller specimens as young rexes fits the bill snugly. Right hand of Nanotyrannus lancensis. (CREDIT: N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences) But science evolves from challenge, not the simple explanation. New data meaningfully uncovers how groupthink, restricted access to fossils, and even academic hierarchy constraints themselves might have prevented rethinking. Some of the key Nanotyrannus fossils happen to be privately owned collections, which complicates the study or verification of those fossils, leading to discussions about research ethics and the transparency of data, divisions that extend to paleontology today. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Upon widely furnishing the Dueling Dinosaurs specimens publicly at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, the opportunity to address this question of species status in an open scientific approach now exists. This time, every layer of bone and every ring of growth could be scrutinized and passed along to the public. Revising the Map of Prehistoric Life Accepting the existence of Nanotyrannus rethinks how scientists might conceptualize late Cretaceous ecosystems. That is, the landscape of predator diversity in North America sported far more ecological competition complexity than would have been considered previously. Moreover, it means that prior research enlisting Nanotyrannus fossils as proxies for growth camouflage or behavior in T. rex must be re-evaluated. This changes everything about how we understand tyrannosaur evolution, Zanno explains to me. Its not just a new species, its an entire branch of the family tree we didnt know existed. The discovery also highlights the virtue of patience in science. Zanno and Napoli cautiously and quietly studied the case and specimen while there was public excitement about the fossils being auctioned off. Their eventually successful commitment to a thorough and transparent analysis restored respect in paleontologys usually intense disagreements. Practical implications of the study The implications of the findings go beyond expanding and rethinking dinosaur narratives. Both scientists and the public are reminded that new discovery is usually uncomfortable and can mean re-thinking is necessary. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If Nanotyrannus is not what we think it is, the models of predator-prey relationships, competition in ecological habitats, and evolutionary adaptations towards the end of the Cretaceous should also come into focus. Alongside considerations of how many missing species there may be due to adhering to other say, narratives. For museums, educators, and anyone interested in dinosaurs, this reinstates the plausibility of one of the most well-known dinosaur stories in science, demonstrating that even after 66 million years, the past and what we think we know still holds secrets untold. Research findings are available online in the journal Nature. Related Stories Like these kind of feel good stories? Get The Brighter Side of News newsletter. LONGMONT, Colo. (AP) The windows shook as dynamite aboard an airplane exploded over Conrad Hopp's family farm in northern Colorado 70 years ago. Hopp, then 18 years old, saw a ball of fire streaking across the night sky and rushed with his brother toward where the burning wreckage came down, dodging objects that turned out to be the bodies of victims of the first confirmed case of sabotage against a commercial U.S. airliner. Hundreds of miles away, Marian Poeppelmeyers mother, pregnant with her, was at home in Pennsylvania when she learned her husband was among the 44 people killed in the bombing. She ran upstairs and held her oldest daughter tightly and screamed, Poeppelmeyer said, recounting a story told by her mother soon before she died. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hopp and Poeppelmeyer, who recently forged a friendship out of their shared trauma, plan to be together as the first memorial to those who died is dedicated Saturday, the 70th anniversary of the bombing. Until now, the fate of the victims has been overshadowed by the dramatic details of the bombing, the glaring absence of a federal law against attacking a plane and the meticulous investigation into what happened. Weve had 70 years without having any respect at all for the victims who were lost, Hopp said. So its really nice to have this attention now. Flight delay brings bombing to beet fields Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The United Airlines flight took off a few minutes late after a layover in Denver on its way to Portland. Oregon. Most of the passengers were from somewhere else, said Michael Hesse, the president of the Denver Police Museum who spearheaded the effort to create a memorial at the air traffic control tower of the citys former airport, which is now part of a brew pub. Thats part of the reason no memorial was ever built before, Hesse suggested. The granite slab with victims' names listed within the outline of a plane will also include the seals of local and federal law enforcement agencies who responded to the bombing. A separate memorial at the crash site, where homes are now being built, is also in the works. The blast, a wake-up call to the danger posed to the emerging airline industry, wasnt terrorism but the result of a personal grudge. Jack Gilbert Graham confessed to putting 25 sticks of dynamite attached to a timer into the luggage of his mother, who had put him in an orphanage as a boy. He bought a travel life insurance policy in her name, apparently at a vending machine at the airport, said historian Jeremy Morton, who developed an exhibit on the bombing at the History Colorado Center. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Graham planned to cover his tracks by having the plane explode over the mountains in Wyoming, making it difficult to investigate the crash, Morton said. But the flights delay caused the plane to explode over beet fields north of the city, allowing investigators to piece together the wreckage and interview eyewitnesses. At the time, federal law outlawed attacks on trains and ships but not airplanes, leading Graham to be swiftly prosecuted in state court for a single count of premeditated murder for killing his mother, Daisie King. None of the others who died were named as victims. Congress outlawed attacks on airplanes shortly after Graham was convicted. Graham, who was married with two young children, was executed in January 1957. FBI records show Graham may not have been the first saboteur of an airliner: High explosives were strongly suspected in the 1933 crash of a United airliner over Indiana that killed seven people, but experts held out the possibility it was caused by exploding gas vapors. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The FBI said its probe of the Colorado crash provided a template to guide future complex airline investigations, including the terrorist bombing of a Pan Am jumbo jet over Lockerbie, Scotland, in 1988. That attack, using a bomb hidden in a cassette recorder packed inside a checked suitcase, led to the strengthening of baggage screening procedures, said Jeff Davis, senior fellow at the Eno Center for Transportation. Nightmares and silence for years After the bombing, Hopp joined his family and his girlfriend who would later become his wife to help find and protect bodies from looters until others could take them to a makeshift morgue. Hopps father later broke down recounting what had happened and the family developed an unspoken agreement not to discuss the bombing. For years, Hopp said he woke up after having bad dreams about bodies. Poeppelmeyer was 42 when she first heard the story about how her mother reacted to her father's death. Her mother's second husband was jealous and forbid anyone from speaking about the father she was named after, Marion Pierce Hobgood, while she was growing up, she said. An intense period of emotional and spiritual healing after a series of hardships as an adult led her to want to learn more about her father and she eventually published a book, Finding My Father, in 2019 about her quest. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She thought about reaching out to Hopp, believed to be one of the few remaining volunteers who helped recover bodies, but was reluctant because she did not want to force him to revisit that time. But she decided to contact him in 2022 after a mutual contact told her the crash site was being developed. After meeting Poeppelmeyer and hearing her story, Hopp said his focus began to shift from those who died to those left behind and still suffering because of the bombing. He called Poeppelmeyer a blessing. Theres just a bond there, a beautiful bond because we have this shared story, the two sides of the coin, she said. Each time they talk, Poeppelmeyer says Hopp will share more information about what happened. She recently learned that most of the bodies were found on the Hopp familys farm, including one close to their house. She knows there were hundreds of people out helping after the crash. But she thinks it could have been Hopp who found her father after the crash. I just like to think that perhaps he did, she said. NEED TO KNOW A 9-year-old child playing hide-and-seek in the backyard at home in the Alameda neighborhood of Portland, Ore. was attacked by a coyote The coyote grabbed the child by the foot, and they were able to "shake their foot out of the sock and run away," according to wildlife officials The bite did puncture the skin, and the child is receiving post-rabies exposure treatment A 9-year-old child survived a coyote attack in their own backyard. The child was playing hide-and-seek with a 3-year-old child in their backyard in the Alameda neighborhood of Portland, Ore., on Oct. 23 at around 6:15 p.m. when the coyote attacked and grabbed them by the foot, according to a press release from the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife on Wednesday, Oct. 29. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The child, whose name was not publicly released, was wearing socks and was able to "shake their foot out of the sock and run away," the ODFW said. The coyote then chased after the child until the child's father noticed and started yelling until the coyote ran off. The child survived the attack and was brought to a nearby hospital, where they were treated for minor injuries, according to the ODFW. "On Oct. 24, ODFW district wildlife staff responded to the area to conduct a site investigation," the press release continued. "They also posted flyers in the neighborhood and shared a notice on social media to inform residents that a concerning incident with a coyote had recently occurred." Officials are "monitoring" the area following the coyote attack, the ODFW said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement PEOPLE has reached out to the ODFW for further information. ODFW District Wildlife Biologist Dave Keiter confirmed that the bite did break the skin, and the child is receiving post-rabies exposure treatment, according to local ABC affiliate KATU. "It's incredibly unusual for a coyote to show this level of interest in humans, and oftentimes these incidents are linked towards feeding of coyotes, intentional or unintentional," Keiter told the outlet. "That's one reason that in Oregon it's illegal to feed coyotes and we really strongly urge folks not to feed coyotes, simply because it puts people at risk and the coyotes at risk." 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 ODFW is now asking that residents remove food sources that coyotes can access, and avoid feeding coyotes intentionally or accidentally. It also recommends staying away from coyotes, and keeping pets inside or on leashes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The agency also urged parents to monitor young children closely. "Coyotes are opportunistic omnivores and mainly eat rodents, fruit, and nuts but they will also consume whatever food they can find including food waste, pet food, and sometimes small pets like outdoor cats," per the ODFW, and the animals are common across Oregon. Read the original article on People DENVER (KDVR) The employment impact from the end of the Salvation Armys programs at three Denver hotel shelters has been announced, with nearly 100 people facing end-of-year layoffs. The Salvation Army filed a WARN notice with the state on Wednesday to share that all 93 employees of The Aspen, Tamarac Family Shelter and Stone Creek hotel shelters would be laid off as of Dec. 31, 2025. The end of the citys partnership with the Salvation Army at the hotel shelters was announced in mid-August. The nonprofit said that its available funding for shelter operating costs had been expended, and so was withdrawing from the shelters to keep its other programs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More than 1,000 vehicles seized under Auroras Three Strikes rule The Salvation Army Intermountain Division told FOX31 on Thursday evening that the WARN letter was part of the planned year-end service transition. (The Salvation Army) is working closely with HOST, the City and incoming agencies on its operational handoff of the three large city-owned shelters. This is part of a smooth transition to ensure the safety, dignity and well-being of staff and the clients and families who rely on these services, said Jennifer Forker, director of communications for the Salvation Army Intermountain Division, via email. The nonprofit previously said that it shouldered more than $5.2 million in shelter operating costs, which outpaced the available funding after it joined the city of Denver as a leading partner in addressing homelessness. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Continuing to absorb these costs would jeopardize the quality and integrity of all our programs, said Major Nesan Kistan, Intermountain Divisional Commander, in the nonprofits August release. Instead of spreading our resources too thin and risking the standard of care weve upheld for more than 160 years, weve made the necessary decision to step back in some areas to strengthen and sustain our impact where its needed most. The nonprofit said it would be working to provide the affected staff with wrap-around support, including job placement assistance and emotional assistance. Employees who meet existing eligibility requirements will also receive a severance package. 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. AUSTIN (KXAN) Texas Gov. Greg Abbott asked the Texas Rangers to investigate the city of Elgin over accusations of financial mismanagement. Due to the accusations of chronic financial mismanagement, including inconsistent accounting practices and unreconciled bank accounts, in potential violation of multiple state laws, I directed the Texas Rangers to launch an investigation into the City of Elgins finances to ensure transparency and full compliance with state law, Abbott said. The city of Elgin said it would fully cooperate with the investigation; however, a recent audit found no incidents of wrongdoing or missing funds. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Any issues discovered in the audits concerning accounting procedures are being addressed with current staff, the city said. The Texas Rangers investigation will include looking at Elgins budgeting processes and financial practices for any violations of state law. If any violations are found, charges will be brought to the appropriate authorities for further action. Texans expect their elected officials to be honest stewards of taxpayer dollars and conduct the peoples business openly, and in compliance with Texas law, Abbott 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. SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) An Aberdeen man is behind bars accused of attempting to hire someone to rape a person he knows. Whats K-pop, who hunts demons? 67-year-old Mark Rathbun was booked into jail today. In addition to soliciting rape, Rathbun is also accused of having child pornography and unlawful use of a computer system. According to the complaint, he used someone elses computer without permission so he could access confidential information. All three charges are felonies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KELOLAND.com. The Zimbabwe government has finally approved the involvement of independent power producers (IPPs) and private companies to generate, sell, and distribute electricity in the country, marking a significant policy shift for a country that has been struggling with high power demand but low supply. The government also plans to launch a competitive bidding process in 2026, further liberalizing the sector. According to a public notice issued by the Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (ZERA), the move will help attract more investments into the sector, improve efficiency, and ensure universal access to electricity by 2030. The government is targeting $9 billion in fresh investments into the power sector in the coming years, with roughly $4.4 billion expected to come from private investors. Zimbabwes electricity sector is characterized by a lack of diversification, with Hwange Coal Station supplying 68.1% of the power supply while the Kariba Hydroelectric Station supplies 27.5%. The countrys daily peak demand is estimated at 1900 megawatts, well above the maximum output of 1200 megawatts by Hwange and Kariba. National electrification stands at a mere 40%, with just 16% of the rural population accessing the vital commodity. Related: U.S. Nuclear Output Forecast to Surge 27% After 2035 Hwange, Zimbabwe's largest thermal power station, is currently undergoing expansion and refurbishment to increase its electricity generation capacity. The station has a total installed capacity of 1520MW after the addition of two 300MW units in 2023. The older units, including two 220MW plants and four 120MW plants, are being refurbished to improve their reliability, as they were previously operating at a fraction of their capacity due to frequent breakdowns. Power Technology reports that a deal with Indias Jindal Power was signed to finance, refurbish, and operate the older units. Other proposed coal power plants include the Western Coal and Energy power station and the Titan power station. Zimbabwe has significant coal reserves, with estimates from 2019 suggesting 502 million tonnes of proven reserves and a much larger figure of 25,000 million tonnes for potential resources. These reserves are concentrated in areas like Hwange and are subject to ongoing exploration and development efforts, though some projects face challenges due to factors like limited investment and evolving global energy dynamics. Meanwhile, the countrys hydroelectric power output is also expected to increase. Last year, the Zambezi River Authority (ZRA) allocated 27 billion cubic meters of water for power generation at the Kariba Dam for the current year, enough to increase power generation at Kariba Hydro-Power Station by 70%. The 27 billion cubic meters is split equally into 13.5 billion for the Zimbabwe Power Company (ZPC) and 13.5 billion cubic meters for ZESCO Limited (Zambia). Abilene Christian University (ACU) Student Life administrators asked members of a pro-life student group to modify a sign reading Abortion is murder, prompting debate over free speech and expression on campus. The university later said the phrase hate speech was used in error and has since apologized. The incident occurred on October 14 when students Madelyne Arrowood and Lillee Dent set up a table at the Wildcat Central Campus Center on behalf of ACU for Life, a recognized student organization. Their display included a handwritten sign reading, Abortion is Murder. Disagree? Lets talk. According to the students, university staffnot fellow studentsobjected to the message. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement ACU Assistant Director of Student Services John Mark Moudy approached the table and told the students to remove the sign. So, I mean, you can take it down or there will be some kind of conduct, Moudy told the students, according to a video of the exchange. Arrowood said the group had used similar signs in the past and was hosting the table in honor of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirks birthday, according to video of the exchange. Moudy later returned with his supervisor, Lyndi Felan, ACUs dean of retention and student success. So you can change the sign or you can get up. Its one or the other. Are you recording? Felan said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I am currently in the middle of a meeting and this is inappropriate language. I can call Tamara, I can do whatever you want to do, but this is inappropriate. And you can either remove the sign, or you can leave, Felan said. You can do whatever you want to do. It is just inappropriate for you to have a sign like this up here. Thats all Im saying, Felan said. After the exchange, Arrowood defended the groups actions and criticized what she described as increasing suppression of free speech on college campuses. Student conversation and open debate is an important part of college, Arrowood told LifeNews, a pro-life outlet. Conversation moderated by faculty is often canned, as students are worried for their grades and unlikely to correct faculty that they may disagree with. The Dallas Express reached out to ACU for comment and received the following statement. ACUs Full Statement (Verbatim) Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits are slated to run out on Nov. 1, leaving the roughly 120,000 Delawareans who depend on them at risk. In response, Gov. Matt Meyer declared a state of emergency in Delaware to allow benefits to continue on a weekly basis using state funding to ensure residents in need still have access amid the federal government shutdown. While this does offer a fix for now, there is still a cloud of uncertainty on the horizon, as Delaware also faces new work requirements as outlined in President Donald Trumps One Big Beautiful Act, which puts the responsibility of running SNAP squarely on state governments. How will this state of emergency work? In the declaration, Meyer directs the lead of the state Office of Management and Budget to identify and administer funding from available sources as needed to support residents in need during the lapse in federal funds. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The emergency also sanctions the state Department of Health and Social Services to use the funds to provide benefit payments to all eligible Delaware households for the span of the declaration. These payments will be provided on a weekly basis for November. Everyone scheduled to receive benefits in November will see the money added to their Electronic Benefit Transfer cards, according to Division of Social Services Director Tom Hall. Workers and volunteers help customers shop at the food pantry at the Food Bank of Delaware's location on Lake Drive in Glasgow on Aug. 5, 2025. However, instead of getting the full amount for the month, cardholders will see a quarter of their usual monthly SNAP total each week until federal funding is available. Funds will also vary, depending on household size and income. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Payments may be delayed. Hall said they hope to have benefits out by Nov. 7, though it could possibly take longer to appear on balances. The state should have immediate resources available to fund programming throughout the month, Meyer said, allowing money to be added to existing federal SNAP cards. The state will also provide further support to the Food Bank of Delaware. Meyer also encouraged able Delawareans to donate items to their local food bank or pantry, community organizations or place of worship. More: SNAP benefits will not go out on Nov. 1. What that means in Delaware, where to get food Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The state of emergency is slated to last for 10 days unless otherwise renewed. When asked if they plan on renewing the state of emergency, the governors office said they will evaluate the need to extend the declaration as necessary. What else is happening to SNAP benefits? Also beginning Nov. 1, Delawareans will face new exemptions for select work requirements under SNAP: The age limit for program work exemptions will rise from 55 to 65. The age limit of children living in ones home will lower from 18 to 14. The exemptions for veterans, being unhoused and for those who were in foster care on their 18th birthday ends. This will mean to keep receiving benefits, Delawareans who are considered "Able-Bodied Adults Without Dependents" must be able to prove they meet the federal governments work requirements, according to the Health and Social Services Departments SNAP Alert webpage. Canned foods are stocked on the shelves at the Food Bank of Delaware's location on Lake Drive in Glasgow on Aug. 5, 2025. You are considered as such if you currently receive benefits, are between 18 and 54 years of age, do not have children under the age of 18 living with you and you are physically and mentally able to work. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To prove they meet these new work requirements, Delawareans must show beyond doubt they spend no less than 80 hours working or participating in the SNAP Employment and Training Program every month. Failure to do so means risking losing your benefits beginning Jan. 1, 2026. These changes come as a result of Trumps One Big Beautiful Act, which outlined new work requirements and responsibilities for states to keep SNAPs head above water. Related: Where to get food assistance near you in Delaware if SNAP benefits don't come Delawareans will be notified by mail from the Division of Social Services if they are required to adhere to these new conditions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Residents can get information from and apply for assistance through Delaware 211, the Food Bank of Delaware and state service center food pantries. On Capitol Hill, U.S. Sen. Lisa Blunt Rochester introduced the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Benefits and Compensation for Keep-Up Act on Oct. 30. Also known as the SNAP BACK Act, the bill intends to reimburse states that use state-level funding to handle benefits during the government shutdown. As the Trump administration abdicates its responsibility to fund SNAP despite having the emergency funding to keep it from lapsing states like Delaware are stepping in to keep folks fed, Blunt Rochester said in a statement that same day. TheSNAP BACK Act would ensure those states dont take money from other critical services to foot the bill. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Olivia Montes covers state government and community impact for Delaware Online/The News Journal. If you have a tip or a story idea, reach out to her at omontes@delawareonline.com. This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: How to access Delaware-supported SNAP benefits in November 2025 Oct. 31 (UPI) -- The American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois sued the Trump administration Friday for allegedly violating the civil rights of those detained in the Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Broadview, Ill. The suit, which includes lawyers for the MacArthur Justice Center, the ACLU of Illinois and the Chicago law office of Eimer Stahl, was filed in federal court in Chicago, a press release said. The suit demands that Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, the Department of Homeland Security, Customs and Border Protection, and ICE "stop flouting the law inside Broadview." The press release said the agencies "must obey the Constitution and provide the people they detain with ready access to counsel and humane conditions of confinement." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Since the beginning of Operation Midway Blitz on Sept. 8, in which federal agents increased actions against undocumented immigrants in and around Chicago, protests and legal battles have ensued. On Tuesday, a judge issued a temporary restraining order on Gregory Bovino, a U.S. border patrol commander, after video footage showed Bovino throwing tear gas into a crowd during public demonstrations in Chicago and outside of the Broadview detention center. Clergy members, media groups and protesters had filed a suit alleging a "pattern of extreme brutality" intended to "silence the press" and American citizens. Judge Sara Ellis ordered all agents to wear body cameras. She also ordered Bovino to check in with her daily, but an appeals court overturned that requirement. "Everyone, no matter their legal status, has the right to access counsel and to not be subject to horrific and inhumane conditions," said Alexa Van Brunt, director of the MacArthur Justice Center's Illinois office and lead counsel on the suit, in a statement. "Community members are being kidnapped off the streets, packed in hold cells, denied food, medical care, and basic necessities, and forced to sign away their legal rights. This is a vicious abuse of power and gross violation of basic human rights by ICE and the Department of Homeland Security. It must end now." The press release said that agents at Broadview "have treated detainees abhorrently, depriving them of sleep, privacy, menstrual products, and the ability to shower." Agents have repeatedly denied entry for attorneys, members of Congress, and religious and faith leaders, it said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement DHS has not responded to the suit or its allegations. "This lawsuit is necessary because the Trump administration has attempted to evade accountability for turning the processing center at Broadview into a de facto detention center," said Kevin Fee, legal director for the ACLU of Illinois, in a statement. "DHS personnel have denied access to counsel, legislators and journalists so that the harsh and deteriorating conditions at the facility can be shielded from public view. These conditions are unconstitutional and threaten to coerce people into sacrificing their rights without the benefit of legal advice and a full airing of their legal defenses." Lawyer Nate Eimer emphasized the importance of access to a lawyer. "Access to counsel is not a privilege. It is a right," Eimer, partner at Eimer Stahl and co-counsel in the lawsuit, said in a statement. "We can debate immigration policy but there is no debating the denial of legal rights and holding those detained in conditions that are not only unlawful but inhumane. Justice and compassion demand that our clients' rights be upheld." For many in Gaza, Israels genocidal war could never really end. Even if the fragile United States-brokered ceasefire were successful in halting deadly attacks on the besieged enclave, which it so far has not, loud booms would still echo in the minds of those Palestinians who survived more than two years of brutal conflict. Fifteen-year-old Abed al-Aziz Abu Hawishal has seen scenes no teenager should ever witness. We were taking refuge in a house in Gaza City when the Israeli military stormed in, he told Al Jazeera. They dragged me close to a tank, and one of the soldiers pointed his gun at my head. The memories of a massacre he witnessed near his home have left him withdrawn, haunted by thoughts he cant escape. Bodies were flying over our house. I saw a woman without a head, and I even stepped on bodies as I ran, terrified for my life, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The psychological trauma triggered a response in his body, causing high blood pressure, chronic diarrhoea, and, most recently, kidney failure. Abed al-Aziz Abu Hawishal, 15, said he witnessed a massacre near his home in Gaza City [Screen grab/Al Jazeera] Similarly, the psychological trauma has left visible marks on eight-year-old Lana al-Sharif. Other residents of the displacement camp in Khan Younis call her the elderly child as her once dark and shiny mop of hair is now tinged with grey. Her father, Khalil al-Shareef, said Lana survived an Israeli air strike that collapsed the roof of their home. She developed vitiligo, a chronic skin condition that causes the loss of skin, hair, and eye colour, as a result of exposure to the smoke and chemicals from the missiles. Many doctors have tried to treat her, but without success, her father said. She panics every time she hears an explosion. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Psychologists warn that more than 80 percent of Gazas children now show symptoms of severe trauma. Lana al-Sharif, 8, developed vitiligo after surviving an Israeli strike [Screen grab/ Al Jazeera] Sabreen Abu Rahman, a therapist treating traumatised children, said mental trauma is often accompanied by symptoms including headaches, stomach aches, bone pain, hair loss, vitiligo, and weakened immunity. The UN childrens agency UNICEF estimates that more than 64,000 children have been killed or injured in Gaza. Homes, hospitals and schools have been destroyed, while essential medical services have collapsed. UNICEF Middle East and North Africa Regional Director Edouard Beigbeder said one million children have endured the daily horrors of surviving in the worlds most dangerous place to be a child, leaving them with wounds of fear, loss and grief. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Since a ceasefire took effect on October 10, Israeli attacks have killed dozens of Palestinians across the enclave. From Tuesday into Wednesday, the Health Ministry in Gaza said Israeli attacks killed 104 people, including 46 children and 20 women. Beigbeder said the truce must hold and it must deliver more than calm, it must deliver action The world cannot allow this ceasefire to fail. CHICAGO (AP) An appeals court ruled in favor of the Trump administration Friday and stopped a judge from trying to get daily updates from a Border Patrol official about the government's immigration crackdown in the Chicago area. The court said the order from U.S. District Judge Sara Ellis put her "in position of an inquisitor rather than that of a neutral adjudicator and would have turned her into a supervisor of Greg Bovino, a violation of the separation of powers. Ellis, concerned about allegations of excessive force and the use of tear gas against protesters, wanted daily updates from Bovino, starting Wednesday. But the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals intervened that day and suspended the order before further freezing it Friday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, Illinois advocates in a different case Friday sued federal authorities for what they described as inhumane conditions at a Chicago-area immigration facility. Attorneys with the American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois and the MacArthur Justice Center say U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents have denied people being held at the Broadview facility private calls with attorneys and have blocked members of Congress, faith leaders and journalists from entering the building, creating a black box they say has allowed authorities to act with impunity. Agents have also allegedly coerced people held at the processing center to sign paperwork they don't understand, leading them to unknowingly relinquish their rights and face deportation, according to the lawsuit. Alexa Van Brunt, director of the MacArthur Justice Centers Illinois office and lead attorney for the lawsuit, said community members are being kidnapped off the streets, packed in hold cells, denied food, medical care, and basic necessities, and forced to sign away their legal rights. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Everyone, no matter their legal status, has the right to access counsel and to not be subject to horrific and inhumane conditions, she said. Homeland Security Department Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin denied the assertions and said such allegations have contributed to an increase in death threats against immigration officers. She said people are held only briefly before being transferred to detention facilities. Any claims there are subprime conditions at the Broadview ICE facility are false. All detainees are provided with 3 meals a day, water, and have access to phones to communicate with their family members and lawyers, the statement said. No one is denied access to proper medical care. There is a privacy wall around the toilet for detainees. Attorneys accuse ICE, DHS and U.S. Customs and Border Protection of violating detainees' constitutional rights to due process and access to a lawyer and have asked the court to force the agencies to improve the facility's conditions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The 76-page lawsuit paints a bleak picture of the facility, which attorneys say is extremely cramped and smells strongly of feces, urine, and body odor, while insects were found in the sinks and clogged toilets led to urine on the floor. One man described people lying on top of each other and in the bathroom, unable to find space to sleep. They treated us like animals, or worse than animals, because no one treats their pets like that, one woman said in the lawsuit. Several people said they were detained at the processing center for durations ranging from a couple days to three weeks. Advocates have for months raised concerns about conditions at the facility, which has drawn scrutiny from members of Congress, political candidates and activist groups. Lawyers and relatives of people held there have called it a de facto detention center, saying up to 200 people have been held at a time without access to legal counsel. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Broadview center has also drawn demonstrations, which have led to the arrests of numerous protesters. The protests are at the center of a separate lawsuit from a coalition of news outlets and protesters who claim federal agents violated their First Amendment rights by repeatedly using tear gas and other weapons on them. Ellis sided with the coalition earlier this month, requiring federal agents in the Chicago area to wear badges and banning them from using certain riot control techniques against peaceful protesters and journalists. Later, Ellis also required body cameras for agents who have them after raising concerns about her initial order not being followed. ____ This story has been updated to remove incorrect references to specific constitutional protections. Attorney General John Formella has announced that authorities are investigating a suspicious death near a tent site in Concord, New Hampshire. Concord police were dispatched to a tent site in a wooded area near Manchester Street in Concord, to reports of a deceased woman found. Authorities say the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner will perform an autopsy to determine the womans cause of death. At this time, the identity of the woman is being withheld pending notification of kin. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Further details will be released once they become available. 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. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW Attorney General Andrea J. Campbell hopes the Trump administration will do the right thing and comply with two New England judges orders to use its emergency funding to pay for the nations low-income food program, known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP. In separate rulings on Friday, U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani from Massachusetts issued an order requiring the government utilize its $6 billion in contingency funds for SNAP. Talwani also told the federal government that if $6 billion is not enough to fully fund the program, other resources can be tapped into, and to let the court know by the end of Monday how they plan to move forward with funding Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The order came alongside a Rhode Island judges order, Hon. John McConnell, who also ruled from the bench that SNAP must be funded using at least the contingency funds and asked for an update on progress by Monday. Campbell held a press conference Friday afternoon to discuss the orders, saying the federal government must fund the program at least partially, and should do so quickly as possible. Today, the Court made clear that the Trump administration cannot simply choose not to spend it, Campbell said, in reference to the $6 billion in contingency funds the USDA holds for SNAP. They cannot simply choose to let children go without nourishment because they need while they need to learn and grow and thrive. They cannot simply choose to let elders starve because they cant stretch their fixed incomes to the end of the month, Campbell said. She told reporters that the order issued in Boston only applied to the 25 states listed in her lawsuit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Trump administration amid an ongoing government shutdown claimed that money is set to run out for SNAP by Nov. 1. More than 1 million Massachusetts residents are enrolled in SNAP benefits with Gov. Maura Healey releasing $4 million for local food banks on Thursday to help them ride out the stoppage of the program. People with disabilities, children and elderly individuals and college communities are expected to suffer greatly under the cuts to the SNAP program. If they choose not to fully fund this program or dont act quick enough, the health and well-being of millions of Americans who will go hungry will be on their hands, not because they couldnt help them, but because they chose not to, Campbell said. More News Read the original article on MassLive. Add MassLive as a Preferred Source by clicking here. ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) New York Attorney General Letitia James Office of Special Investigations (OSI) is issuing a notification regarding the death of Akintunde Campbell following an encounter with the RPD. Through an investigation, the OSI determined that a prosecutor would not be able to disprove that the officers use of deadly physical force was not justified under the law. Meaning the officer shooting Campbell was justified based on evidence, under the law. This incident followed an investigation on July 31 into reports of a man looking into and/or entering cars on Ernestine Street. When the officers arrived at the area, they saw Campbell, who matched the description from the 911 call, standing in a driveway. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Officers approached the man, who said he was waiting for a friend. He then tried to walk away. Officers noticed a bulge in the mans sweatshirt that they believed to be a gun. They tried to arrest Campbell, but he struggled and walked away again with his hand in his pocket. This image details the bulge officers saw (still from BWC) Officers pointed their guns, asking what was in his hand. Campbell then pulled out a gun from his hoodie and held it with both hands while facing the officers. They ordered him to drop the weapon, and when he did not comply, officers shot him. Below is a link to the officers full body-worn camera footage from the incident. Viewer discretion is advised. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to RochesterFirst. If you need to borrow money, exchange currency, or get help with your portfolio, you can go to your local retail bank or credit union. But what about large companies? Where do they go when they need these same financial services but at a much larger scale? Merchant banks offer financial solutions for large, private corporations. These banks arent depository institutions like your local bank; they dont offer checking accounts, and they dont cater to the public. But theyre not investment banks either. Instead, they cater to businesses in the middle those that have complex financial needs but typically havent gone public. Learn more about what merchant banks are and how they compare to other types of financial institutions. This embedded content is not available in your region. What is a merchant bank? Merchant banks are financial institutions that provide services to private companies and high-net-worth individuals (HNWIs), not the general public. Theyre nondepository institutions, meaning they dont offer checking, savings, and other deposit accounts. Instead, merchant banks help businesses grow and restructure by arranging financing, providing advisory services, and even investing their own capital in them. Merchant banks serve the sweet spot between smaller businesses and public corporations. These companies are too big for retail or commercial banks but not big enough to be investment bank customers. Merchant banks cater to the particular needs of these businesses, which often include fundraising, financing, underwriting, consulting, portfolio management, and more. Even though merchant banks dont serve the general public, they may have retail and commercial arms that do. Note: Merchant banks have a different meaning in the United Kingdom. There, they refer to investment banks. In the U.S., merchant banks and investment banks are two separate types of financial institutions. What services do merchant banks provide? Again, merchant banks dont offer the same services as retail banks. Thats because they serve a different audience, which has different needs. Heres a snapshot of some common services provided by merchant banks: Investing: Merchant banks might invest in private companies or purchase minority stakes. They may operate similarly to private equity, but on a smaller scale. Advising: Merchant banks help their clients with complex financial decisions and transactions, and they may even arrange small-scale mergers and acquisitions. Fundraising, financing, and underwriting: Merchant banks can help their customers get necessary funding by connecting them with interested investors or lenders. They often help their clients secure letters of credit, as well as mezzanine, bridge, or equity financing. Loan syndication: Large businesses' borrowing needs may surpass what a single bank can offer, in which case they need to secure financing from several institutions. Some merchant banks help businesses secure financing from several sources, a process known as loan syndication. Currency exchange and trade finance: Merchant banks often work with large, multinational businesses and can help manage their international transactions. Portfolio management: Merchant banks may offer portfolio management for institutional investor clients, helping them buy or sell securities with the goal of growing their wealth. How are merchant banks different from other types of banks? Merchant banks can be mistaken for other types of financial institutions, especially others that serve businesses. Heres a closer look at how merchant banks compare to commercial banks and investment banks. Merchant banks vs. commercial banks Both merchant banks and commercial banks cater to businesses, but the services they offer and even the size of the businesses they serve differ. Commercial banks serve businesses of varying sizes with deposit accounts, business loans and lines of credit, payment processing, foreign transactions, and wealth management. Essentially, commercial banks help businesses with their day-to-day transactions and money management. Merchant banks, on the other hand, dont offer deposit accounts. Instead, merchant bank services focus on more complex business finance with the goal of helping larger businesses grow. Merchant banks vs. investment banks The difference between merchant banks and investment banks can be tough to nail down likely due in part to the fact that investment banks are known as merchant banks in the U.K. However, these two types of banks have some key differences in the U.S. First, investment banks often serve public companies, while merchant banks primarily serve private companies. This also means merchant bank customers tend to be smaller companies compared to investment bank customers. Services also differ between investment and merchant banks. Investment banking often involves facilitating mergers and acquisitions and IPOs (initial public offerings). Merchant banks typically dont offer these services, as they work with smaller companies. Additionally, merchant banks may invest their own capital into companies, while investment banks act more like deal brokers without putting their own money on the line. Read more: 9 common types of banks: Which one is right for you? Merchant bank FAQs What does a merchant bank do? Merchant banks help private businesses and high-net-worth individuals make money by facilitating deals, arranging financing, and investing their own capital. What is the difference between a merchant bank and a regular bank? Merchant banks cater to complex business needs, while retail banks serve individuals by protecting their deposits and providing them with loans. While merchant banks serve large businesses, assisting them with deals and financing, retail banks cater to individuals everyday banking needs. Common retail bank offerings include checking accounts, savings accounts, loans, and mortgages. How do merchant banks make money? Merchant banks make money by charging fees for their range of services, including advising, underwriting, and financing services. They can also make money through returns on their investments. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children provides a CyberTipline to report abuse or exploitation anonymously. The agency also provides resources for removing explicit images. CLARK COUNTY, Ark. A disturbing new form of child sexual abuse material has emerged in Arkansas, leaving victims and law enforcement struggling to keep up. The case began last year when Arkansas State Police received a tip that 33-year-old Ethan Fagan, of Amity, was downloading child sexual abuse material. A subpoena traced the activity to Fagans computer, but investigators soon discovered something far more alarming: Fagan had used artificial intelligence to create sexual images of real children and adults from Clark County, including people he knew personally. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Clark County man sentenced to 90 years for child pornography, AI-generated images One victim, Kendra, who had known Fagan her whole life, says he lifted photos of her from her Facebook page and then altered them without her knowledge, creating explicit material, and she had no idea he was doing it. I felt anger, shock, denial, Kendra said. I didnt want to believe it when I realized who it was. I was really hurt and very angry. Kendra attended Fagans trial every day, describing it as both nerve-wracking and empowering. Fagan was ultimately sentenced to 90 years in prison. Clark County Prosecutor Dan Turner said the case was unlike any he had encountered. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There were children and adults from the community that were having their images taken and then converted into pornographic images, he said. I had never seen anything like that. Turner emphasized that creating such images fuels a market for child exploitation, rejecting the defenses argument that no one was physically harmed. The states Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, led by Sgt. Corwin Battle has seen a sharp increase in AI-generated sexual content. Reports jumped from 6,800 last year to 8,600 year-to-date. Many offenders use virtual private networks and foreign servers to hide their activity, making it difficult for law enforcement to track them. Chris Harper, a cybercrime investigator with the State Police, said AI allows images and videos to be created in seconds. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theyll pull photographs off Facebook, WhatsApp, or Instagram and just run those pictures through AI software, he said. Its that quick. Arkansas State Police arrest Amity man accused of distributing child pornography Even when cases are resolved, images can never be fully removed. Each alteration creates a new digital signature, making permanent deletion nearly impossible. Kendra warned that images could resurface years later. Arkansas lawmakers passed Act 977 earlier this year, making it a felony to create, share, or possess AI-generated sexual images of minors, even if no real child was harmed. Turner called it a tremendous tool for prosecutors, but he cautioned that technology continues to evolve faster than legal frameworks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Alongside Act 977, the PROTECT Arkansas Act, which went into effect Jan. 1, means Fagan will serve 100% of his sentence in the Arkansas Department of Corrections custody. Kendra said the experience has made her cautious online and offline. You never know who, what, when, or how, she said. Even someone you know and trust could do something like this. I just want to protect others who dont know, because I did not. I had no idea what AI was or what you could do with it but now I do. Sgt. Battle urged parents to monitor their childrens devices, maintain open dialogue, and stay vigilant. The technology is emerging so fast, he said. We just tell parents to stay active on their kids phones. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jacksonville man gets 20 years for possession of child sexual abuse material Fagan remains behind bars, but investigators continue to identify nearly 80 victims, many of whom are still unknown. The case highlights the growing threat of AI-assisted sexual exploitation and the challenges law enforcement faces in protecting communities from this evolving crime. 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. NEED TO KNOW A new AI tool can learn the patterns in a mammogram to determine if a woman will develop breast cancer in the next five years The software, Clairity Breast, generates a risk score of the probability of cancer While its a valuable tool, as one expert cautioned, it doesnt catch everybody who will get cancer in the next five years A new AI-powered analysis of a womans mammogram can predict her risk of breast cancer years before it develops. The technology, called Clairity Breast, generates a risk score of the probability of cancer in the next five years, just by looking at two scans of the right breast, and two scans of the left breast. Since 85% of women who get breast cancer do not have a family history or genetic mutation, it can be a valuable tool in helping women determine if they will need additional testing. Getty Stock image of a mammogram. Stock image of a mammogram. The computer can learn the patterns in a mammogram in a woman that will develop breast cancer in the next five years and distinguish those from women that will not," Dr. Connie Lehman, founder of Clairity and a diagnostic radiologist at Massachusetts General Hospital, explained during an Oct. 22 appearance on NBCs Today. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And as Dr. Elisa Port, Chief of Breast Surgery at Mount Sinai Health, told the outlet, its not looking for cancer at the moment. But, I think if we can get information about risk, which is a totally different conversation, of course its worth it to do it earlier. However, it should be used with some measure of caution, Dr. Laurie Margolies, Vice Chair of Breast Imaging for the Mount Sinai Health Service told Today. Getty Stock image of a woman getting a mammogram. Stock image of a woman getting a mammogram. 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 tool is great, and it should be used appropriately, meaning it indicates people who are at high risk," Dr. Margolies said. It doesnt catch everybody who will get cancer in the next five years. So we have to be careful that people dont over-rely on it." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Right now, Clairity is working on getting insurance to cover the test. "We really believe that this test for women absolutely can be offered for less than $200, Lehman told the outlet, sharing that she hopes its widely offered to all women when they get their mammograms: "Were really going to change the face of breast cancer." Read the original article on People Leading artificial intelligence models from the United States and China are "highly sycophantic", and their excessive flattery may make users less likely to repair interpersonal conflicts, a new study has found. The study by researchers at Stanford University and Carnegie Mellon University published earlier this month tested how 11 large language models (LLMs) responded to user queries seeking advice on personal matters, including cases involving manipulation and deception. In AI circles, sycophancy is the phenomenon of chatbots excessively agreeing with users. DeepSeek's V3, released in December 2024, was found to be one of the most sycophantic models, affirming users' actions 55 per cent more than humans, compared with an average of 47 per cent more for all models. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Do you have questions about the biggest topics and trends from around the world? Get the answers with SCMP Knowledge, our new platform of curated content with explainers, FAQs, analyses and infographics brought to you by our award-winning team. To establish the human baseline, one of the techniques the researchers used was based on posts from a Reddit community called "Am I The A**hole", where users post about their interpersonal dilemmas to ask for the community's opinion about which party is at fault. DeepSeek's V3was found to be one of the most sycophantic models, affirming users' actions 55 per cent more than humans. Photo: NurPhoto via Getty Images alt=DeepSeek's V3was found to be one of the most sycophantic models, affirming users' actions 55 per cent more than humans. Photo: NurPhoto via Getty Images> The researchers used posts where community members judged the author of the post to be in the wrong to test whether the LLMs, when given the same scenarios, would align with this predominantly English-speaking online group of humans. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On this test, Alibaba Cloud's Qwen2.5-7B-Instruct, released in January, was found to be the most sycophantic model, contradicting the community verdict - siding with the poster - 79 per cent of the time. The second highest was DeepSeek-V3, which did so in 76 per cent of cases. In comparison, the least sycophantic model, Google DeepMind's Gemini-1.5, contradicted the community verdict in 18 per cent of cases. The research has not been peer-reviewed. Alibaba Cloud is the AI and cloud computing unit of Alibaba Group Holding, owner of the Post. The Qwen and DeepSeek models were the two Chinese models tested, with the others being developed by US firms OpenAI, Anthropic, Google DeepMind and Meta Platforms, and French company Mistral. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The issue of AI sycophancy gained widespread attention in April when OpenAI's update to ChatGPT made the chatbot noticeably more obsequious. The company said at the time that the behaviour raised legitimate concerns surrounding users' mental health and pledged to improve pre-deployment evaluations of sycophancy for future releases. In the latest study, published as a preprint, the US researchers also tested the impact of sycophancy on users and found that sycophantic responses reduced their inclination to resolve conflicts amicably. Users rated sycophantic responses as higher quality and trusted the sycophantic models more. "These preferences create perverse incentives both for people to increasingly rely on sycophantic AI models and for AI model training to favour sycophancy," the researchers wrote. AI sycophancy has implications for businesses too, according to Jack Jiang, an innovation and information management professor at the University of Hong Kong's business school and director of its AI Evaluation Lab. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "It's not safe if a model constantly agrees with a business analyst's conclusion, for instance," he 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. AI is spreading faster than any tech ever, but billions are locked out, Microsoft says. The tech giant warns the AI revolution could deepen global inequality without urgent investment. Most AI models are trained in English, leaving billions unable to access tools in their language. Artificial intelligence is spreading faster than any technology in history but billions of people are being left behind. That's the conclusion of Microsoft's new "AI Diffusion Report," which maps how AI use, infrastructure, and innovation are spreading globally. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The company said that more than 1.2 billion people now use AI tools, a rate of adoption that it said has outpaced electricity, computers, and the internet. Yet this rapid diffusion is uneven. The report revealed a widening gap between AI "haves" and "have-nots" nations equipped with the power, data, and skills to use AI, and those that still lack the basics. AI's fastest spread ever but not everywhere According to Microsoft, countries like the UAE, with 59.4% adoption, Singapore at 58.6%, and Norway at 51.9%, lead the world in AI use. These nations boast abundant electricity, near-universal internet access, and digitally fluent populations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But across parts of Sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, and Latin America, fewer than 10% of people use AI tools. The report attributed this to low internet penetration, unreliable power, and limited access to the devices and education needed to use new technologies. The report warned that without electricity, internet, and digital skills, communities cannot fully participate in the digital economy or benefit from new technologies. The new digital divide: Power, not bandwidth Microsoft framed AI diffusion around three forces: frontier builders (who develop models), infrastructure builders (who provide compute and data centers), and AI users (who apply the tools). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While frontier innovation is concentrated in the US, UK, and South Korea, the infrastructure gap is even starker. The United States leads the world with 53.7 gigawatts (GW) of data center capacity, followed by China with 31.9 GW, Germany with 8.5 GW, and the United Kingdom with 7.4 GW. The report said that AI's spread depends on electricity and computing capacity as much as on algorithms or data, and that more than 700 million people still lack reliable power. AI speaks English, and that's a problem Language is another major barrier. The report said that most large language models are primarily trained on English and other high-resource languages, while the vast majority of the world's 7,000 languages are effectively absent from AI systems, limiting access for billions of people. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Low-resource languages, including Hausa, Bengali, and Chichewa, are underrepresented in major AI models, leaving users in those regions to interact with tools that don't understand them. Microsoft warned that unless digital infrastructure and education catch up, "this gap will define who benefits from AI for decades to come" and could cement a new technological divide. Read the original article on Business Insider Massive delays caused chaos for airline passengers yesterday, as the air traffic controller staffing crisis, exacerbated by the government shutdown, continued to worsen. Vice President J.D. Vance has now warned of a looming disaster if the devastating government shutdown drags into November. Some airports were even forced to order an entire ground stop for their services, according to reports. Orlando International Airport, which regularly welcomes tourists heading to Disney World, was the hardest hit by the closures. According to an advisory board seen by The New York Times, no arriving flights were able to land for an extended period on Thursday, as there were no certified traffic controllers available. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Delays at Orlandos airport averaged 2 hours and 40 minutes, with some lasting up to 12 hours. Travellers sleep on chairs at Orlando International Airport as delays of up to 12 hours were reported (AFP via Getty Images) Similar controller shortages also caused chaos for flight schedules at Ronald Reagan National Airport. Air traffic controllers have been going without pay since Tuesday, as the holiday season approaches and worsening weather conditions lead to soaring household bills. A lot of our people can go through the miss of one paycheck, Sean Duffy, the transportation secretary, added. None of them can get through two paychecks. Meanwhile, Trump has ordered Republicans in Congress to play their TRUMP CARD, to eliminate the filibuster, prolonging the shutdown. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ominously, Trump referred to this as the Republicans Nuclear Option, although it could present the GOP with major problems if they eventually lose power to the Democrats. The government shutdown has dragged into its 31st day as it barrels towards becoming the longest closure in history (EPA) The filibuster is a Senate rule that requires 60 of the chambers 100 members to approve a piece of legislation for it to be signed into law. Since the Republicans hold a majority of 53-47, legislation can be stalled if Senators vote along party lines. If the Republicans ditched this agreement and cashed in on the ability to force through bills, it would hand a massive amount of power to the Democrats, if they won the Senate in 2026, since they would be equally free to ignore the filibuster. The filibuster is currently allowing the Democrats to block any bill proposed by the Republicans, in a bid to force the GOP to the negotiating table. The Democratic Party has said it will not approve any spending bill that includes cuts to Affordable Care Act subsidies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They are also looking to reverse cuts to Medicaid, which were included in Trumps Big, Beautiful Bill. The shutdown has been ongoing for 31 days. The most extended government shutdown, which ended after 35 days, unfolded during Trumps first term. Those looking to host last-minute Halloween parties in Nashville won't be able to do so through Airbnb. The vacation rental platform is once again enforcing its anti-party measures to curb disruptive and unauthorized gatherings, including those in Music City. According to an Airbnb spokesperson, guests attempting to book may be blocked or redirected to alternative accommodations on the platform. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "As a result of these efforts, last year approximately 38,000 people in the United States and approximately 6,300 people in Canada were deterred from booking entire home listings over Halloween," read an online statement. Here's what to know in Nashville. More: With 'KPop Demon Hunters' costumes sold out, how you can DIY your own Rumi, Mira, Zoey Airbnb cracks down on Halloween party rentals, including those in Nashville This marks the fifth year Airbnb has deployed its anti-party technology, first introduced in 2020, to help curb "disruptive and unauthorized parties." Last Halloween, the technology blocked approximately 980 attempts to book entire homes across Tennessee, including 300 attempts in Nashville. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The system, powered by machine learning, flags potentially high-risk bookings of entire homes, especially around Halloween, based on factors like reservation length, distance from the guests location, property type, and timing, including last-minute requests. Since introducing the ban, the company has reported a more than 50% drop in party-related incidents worldwide. When a booking is deemed high-risk, its blocked, and guests are redirected to alternative accommodations, such as private rooms where a host is more likely to be 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: Airbnb rolls out anti-party defenses for Nashville Halloween An al-Qaedalinked armed group active in the Sahel has claimed responsibility for an attack that killed a soldier in central Nigeria this week, its first known attack in the country. In a video posted on its Telegram channel late on Thursday, Jamaat Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM) said it launched the attack in Nigerias Kwara State in the early hours of Wednesday, killing a soldier and seizing ammunition and cash. A Nigerian military source confirmed to the Reuters news agency that JNIM had attacked soldiers on patrol, killing one soldier. But the army did not respond to an official request for comment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement JNIM is one of several armed groups operating in West Africa and the Sahel. It previously said it aims to establish an Islamic caliphate while expelling Western-influenced governments. Formed in 2017, the groups operations initially started in Mali before they spread to Burkina Faso and parts of Niger. JNIM has also launched attacks in the northernmost regions of Ghana, Ivory Coast, Benin and Togo. Recently in Mali, JNIM declared a blockade on fuel imported from neighbouring countries. This has crippled parts of the country and forced schools and universities to shut. In Burkina Faso in May, the group launched a major attack in the town of Djibo, killing about 200 soldiers, and last year it attacked the town of Barsalogho, killing 200 civilians. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The groups apparent advance into Nigeria comes as Abujas government already battles a separate rebellion led by Boko Haram and Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP). The years of fighting have killed tens of thousands of people and displaced more than two million more in the north of the country. Last week, President Bola Tinubu appointed new service chiefs in a sweeping overhaul of the countrys military leadership, saying this was meant to strengthen national security. On Thursday, without mentioning names, Tinubu told the new military leaders that he was concerned with the recent emergence of new armed groups in the north central, northwest and parts of southern Nigeria. We must not allow these new threats to fester. We must be decisive and proactive. Let us smash the new snakes right at the head, Tinubu said. Al-Qaeda is tightening its grip on Malis capital in a Taliban-style bid to seize control of the west African nation. Militants have blocked fuel entry to cities and are closing in on Bamako, raising fears it could become the first country ruled by the terror group in its nearly four-decade history. Jamaat Nusrat al-Islam wal-Muslimin (JNIM), an al-Qaeda affiliate, has spent weeks targeting fuel convoys bound for the capital. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The military junta that has been ruling Mali since a 2021 coup has shut schools across the country while petrol stations are running dry. The blockade has hit the capital hard over the past two weeks and brought the landlocked Sahel nations economy to a halt. Sources told The Telegraph that Turkey has been supplying drones, while Russia has become Malis main security partner. Turkeys foreign ministry has been approached for comment. JNIM forces now seem intent on isolating the capital by stepping up attacks on nearby roads. Jessica Trachias, lead security analyst at International SOS, a health and security service firm, told The Telegraph: We are anticipating that the security situation will continue to deteriorate over the coming weeks as JNIM continue to strengthen the fuel blockade and carry out expanded operations throughout the entirety of the country. A criminal economy has emerged in Mali due to the fuel crisis, say observers - Idriss Sangare/Reuters The Foreign Office (FCDO) warned British citizens on Thursday to leave immediately by commercial flight if you judge it safe to do so. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Non-essential embassy staff have also been withdrawn from Bamako. The FCDO said: Do not try to leave Mali by overland routes to neighbouring countries as this is too dangerous. This is due to terrorist attacks along national highways. The United States and several European nations have also urged their citizens to leave immediately as the security situation deteriorates. The United Arab Emirates confirmed on Friday a 38 million ransom payment to JNIM to secure the release of two hostages held by the militants. At the beginning [JNIM] was attacking some businesses and especially some industrial plants, which was really worrying, said Beatriz de Leon Cobo, an associate fellow at Royal United Services Institute, a think tank. But now the fuel shortage has proven really challenging for Bamako and for the regime. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She added: The problem right now is the criminal economy surrounding the fuel. So essentially everyone is taking the fuel for themselves and theres a lot of contraband, and in the black market its being sold massively. Road side booths sell petrol as pumps run dry - AFP via Getty Images On Tuesday, dozens of fuel tankers were ambushed on roads leading to the capital. A major army garrison in nearby Kati, the juntas primary stronghold, was unable to respond due to a lack of fuel. The fuel also helps generators because before the fuel crisis, there was also an electricity shortage for the past couple of years, said Ms de Leon Cobo. So essentially everything from transport of food to equipment to generators, the current blockade has limited all mobility and operations it has not only affected Bamako, it has affected the whole south, and even the centre of the country. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Bamako, residents spend hours searching for fuel as cars and motorbikes crowd around the few open stations. Power outages are also spreading. Speaking from a queue for fuel in the capital, Karim Coulibaly, a bus driver in his 30s, said: Ive been here for three days. Ive spent two nights here. He added that the lack of fuel had left him unemployed. I havent gone to work for a week, said Oumar Diallo, a civil servant waiting in the kilometre-long queue. In the middle of harvest season, some agricultural machinery has been rendered inoperable without fuel, with the shortages having struck daily life outside the capital several weeks earlier. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Usually, this time of year rice and millet prices drop because its harvest time, said Ousmane Dao, a 32-year-old grain vendor at a Bamako market. This year, its not the case. Many in Mali are afraid of speaking to Western media over fears of potential retribution from the junta. Across the Sahel, poverty, instability, and sectarian violence have long fuelled insurgencies and extremism. Recent military coups have worsened the situation, which has driven out UN peacekeepers, French forces, and over 1,000 US troops. JNIM and other terror groups have filled the power vacuum by offering protection and basic services while forcing communities to accept their rule and strict Islamic laws. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Their expansion also brings income, as they tax traffic on roads they control. Soldiers from the Russian Wagner group, which initially operated in Mali - Reuters International military partnerships now play a major role in Malis security, with Russia and Turkey emerging as key supporters of the Malian armed forces. Russian involvement goes well beyond fuel, including trainers, personnel especially in the north and various military capabilities. Theyre the biggest partner in the security sector, not just on fuel, one source said. Photos recently showed helicopters protecting fuel trucks, detailing how Russian assets are now integrated into Malis operations. Russias role has also evolved. The Wagner group initially operated in Mali, but after its founder died in 2023, control shifted to the Africa Corps, a force under Russias military intelligence agency, the GRU. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Yevgeny Prigozhin founded the mercenary group which operated across Africa and was accused of a litany of war crimes until his death in a suspicious plane crash, reportedly ordered by the Kremlin. Malis crisis began in 2012 when Tuareg separatists and Islamist militants seized the countrys northern half. French forces intervened in 2013, pushing back the insurgents but failing to remove them. Moussa Mara, the former prime minister of Mail, was this week sentenced to two years in jail over a social media post that criticised military rulers - Getty The insurgency transformed under Iyad ag Ghali, a former Tuareg rebel leader who once enjoyed Marlboro cigarettes and rock music before becoming radicalised. He founded Ansar al-Din (Supporters of the Religion) and later helped create JNIM in 2017 by merging several al-Qaeda affiliates. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The new terror group immediately pledged allegiance to al-Qaedas global leadership. Experts estimate JNIM has about 6,000 fighters a small force in a nation of 25 million yet it has consolidated control across much of Mali and Burkina Faso and now threatens coastal states such as Benin, Togo and Ghana. Ms Trichias said: If JNIM works to gain control of areas within Mali, areas of control may become a sanctuary for transnational militant operations. The group could consolidate routes across the Sahel, facilitating expansion and attacks in-country and across neighbouring states. Mr Ag Ghali, nicknamed the strategist, is wanted by the International Criminal Court for war crimes and crimes against humanity. He remains at large. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He has banned music in territories under his control and gradually expanded his reach from Malis far north to the capitals doorstep. Al-Qaeda is targeting fuel tankers, with militants on the verge of taking over the capital The Telegraph understands that he now operates in border areas, particularly near Algeria, where the desert terrain is familiar to him. He is said to have exceptional knowledge of the arid landscapes. Mr Ag Ghali joined Gaddafis Islamic Legion in Libya before returning to lead the 1990 Tuareg uprising in Mali. In the late 1990s, he embraced Salafism after meeting Pakistani missionaries in Kidal and became involved in ransom negotiations for Islamist kidnappers, linking him to future al-Qaeda leaders. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He later maintained ties with then-Malian president Amadou Toumani Toure, who appointed him envoy to Saudi Arabia - a move that alienated other Tuareg rebels. Now, Mr Ag Ghalis forces are on the verge of taking over the capital. JNIM has openly said it wants to emulate the Talibans 2021 takeover of Kabul, waiting for government forces to collapse from within rather than launching frontal assaults. The jihadists also view the December seizure of Damascus by a former al-Qaeda affiliate as a blueprint for their strategy, according to a United Nations report released in July. Frustrated by the governments inability to counter the militants, Malis military overthrew the civilian administration in 2020, then sacked its own commander in 2021. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Similar coups followed in neighbouring Burkina Faso and Niger. 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. MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WIAT) SNAP recipients in Alabama are bracing for impact as benefits are set to end on Nov. 1 due to the government shutdown. Some Alabama business owners are also preparing for how business could be affected. But, we always put everything in Gods hands cause He knows what we need, said Flora Brown, manager of Fairview Farmers Market. The Fairview Farmers Market has been a staple in Montgomery for 21 years. Customers can buy freshly cut produce, flowers and more. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Brown said SNAP recipients count for about sixty percent of her customers. And with those dollars running out, she said her market will take a hit. Farmers are the ones that mostly will be hurt, she said. Because people will not be able to use their food stamp card to buy their produce that they have spent all their money and time out there growing. WATCH: Jefferson County deputy crashes into car We hope we get through this fairly quickly, said Rick Pate, commissioner of Agriculture and Industries. Commissioner Pate said farmers are also dealing with fewer staff at USDA offices who process payments. But he explained food safety programs are still going. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Obviously, some of those local farmers will be impacted if people dont have the resources to pay for the stuff they want at farmers markets, he said. At the end of the day, Brown said prayer is the answer to everything. Im just praying that they work out something thats gonna be beneficial to everybody- the young kids, and the older folks, said Brown. Thats my thought on it. In a statement, the Alabama Grocers Association urges Alabamas congressional delegation to take immediate, bipartisan action to end the ongoing government shutdown. According to AGA data, they said the loss of SNAP benefits would result in a $2.55 billion economic loss, placing rural grocery stores at risk of closure. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to CBS 42. A SNAP welcomed here sign is seen at the entrance to a store in Portland, Oregon. Food banks in Alabama are preparing for an influx of customers amid a suspension of food assistance benefits. (Getty Images) With access to critical food assistance set to expire Saturday, Alabama food banks and pantries are working hard to prepare for an influx of need in their communities. On Monday, the Alabama Department of Human Resources (DHR) announced that benefits for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) will be suspended in November. The U.S. Department of Agriculture, which administers the program, said it would not pay benefits starting Nov. 1, and would also not tap into a contingency fund to pay benefits, even removing mentions of the plan from its website. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More than 726,000 Alabamians rely on the service, according to DHR, about 15% of the states population. U.S. District Judge John J. McConnell, based in Rhode Island, ordered the USDA to continue paying SNAP benefits through November. On Saturday, McConnell said the government must update him by Monday on their compliance with the order. Local providers prepare Elmore County Food Pantry has provided more than 25 emergency boxes to furloughed federal employees and SNAP recipients in the last two days, director Jade Skinner said on Friday. Typically, she said the pantry distributes one emergency box per week. Anytime someone comes in and says, Hey, I really need help, this is whats going on. Weve got a box ready for them, for their family members, Skinner said in an interview Friday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX According to data from DHR, about 8,100 (8.9%) Elmore County residents received SNAP benefits in September. The food pantry serves both SNAP recipients and those that make less than 185% of the poverty level. Thats an annual income of about $28,900 for an individual and $49,000 for a family of three. The boxes come to the food pantry from Heart of Alabama Food Bank, each filled with 25 pounds of food for families. Skinner and volunteers add an additional 25 pounds of food to each box. In my opinion, thats not enough for a family to get by with. Its probably four or five canned goods, two cans of peanut butter, a big thing of applesauce, she said. What were doing is taking from our inventory and our supply and beefing those boxes up. Were giving them like some rice, some pasta, dried beans, frozen meats, to supplement and get them by. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The food pantry allows its customers to shop like a grocery store once every month for free, but there are limits on how much of each item can be taken. Skinner said the pantry usually has about 600 shoppers every month, with each one getting 150-165 pounds of groceries. With the influx of need, Skinner said the pantry needs volunteers, donations, monetary and items, but to prioritize donating food that could be used more than once. When someone donates money to us, we can buy in bulk from the Heart of Alabama Food Bank, and $1 can provide five to six pounds of food. Whereas, if you or I were to go to the grocery store and buy just a simple can of food, its going to be $1 and some change, Skinner said. We accept food and monetary donations but, monetary donations go a lot further. A message seeking comment from the Heart of Alabama Food Bank was left Friday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement West Alabama Food Bank is another food pantry that has seen increased operations. We have increased our mobile pantries. Instead of doing three a week, were doing between five and six a week, West Alabama Food Bank Director Jean Rykaczewski said Friday. Rykaczewski also said grocery stores across the state are offering deals for SNAP recipients and said those who still have funds available will be able to use them. The SNAP machine doesnt turn off in the state of Alabama. Some states it does. In the state of Alabama, it does not. So you can still utilize your funds. We urge everybody to get on the app and set their card up and lock it so that their funds cant be stolen if they have money on there, she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Laura Lester, the director of Feeding Alabama, who works with food banks across the state including West Alabama Food Bank, said Friday while food banks began preparing at the beginning of the government shutdown, they alone cannot supply enough meals to families. For every one meal we provide, SNAP provides nine, right? That is a gap that cannot be filled, and we will do what we can with what we have for as long as we can, Lester said. But I cant tell you whats going to happen, or how long you know well be able to help feeding the communities, because weve never, ever thought about or experienced anything like this before. Lester also said holiday food items are already being used by some food banks. One of our food banks explained that the food that she had ordered and had on stock for the holidays, shes already had to pull that to hand out earlier than they had anticipated, and shes simply hoping that they can backfill it, she said. Alabama Democrats call for state aid Under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), Alabama officials were aware that federal funding for SNAP would be reduced in fiscal year 2027, increasing the states share. According to estimates in August, the federal cuts to the program would increase DHRs budget request by $35 million in FY27 and $208 million in FY28 when the state is responsible for 10% of SNAP benefits. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The suspension of benefits for the 100% federally-funded program comes amid a month-long federal government shutdown, which is primarily a dispute over health care. Republicans in Congress lack the votes to overcome a budget filibuster. Democrats say they want a bipartisan agreement to extend subsidies for Affordable Care Act plans. Republicans said they wont negotiate that until a stopgap spending bill is passed. Birmingham Mayor Randall Woodfin announced Thursday he would pull $1 million from the citys reserve fund to help the 86,318 Jefferson County residents, about 13% of the county, who receive SNAP benefits. Birmingham will not sit around and let our children and families starve. We are taking immediate action because we have a moral obligation to take care of the general welfare of our residents, Woodfin said in a statement posted to Facebook. We are launching an emergency food relief fund and a citywide food drive starting next week in partnership with United Way, Christian Service Ministries, and faith and community groups across all 99 neighborhoods. Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz is giving the states food banks a $4 million boost from its DHR budget. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Alabama Democrats are calling on Gov. Kay Ivey to use state emergency fund to feed those losing assistance. Gina Maiola, communications director for Iveys office, did not directly respond to a question about the emergency fund. Gov. Ivey remains hopeful U.S. Senate Democrats will come to their senses and do their job to reopen the federal government, Maiola said. Democrats in the Alabama Legislature are holding a press conference Monday morning at the State House, urging Ivey to call a special session to address funding for SNAP in the state. We all recognize that this is a federal issue, but we cannot ignore its impact on Alabama where over 750,000 of our neighbors could go hungry, Sen. Bobby Singleton, D-Greensboro said in a statement. The governor needs to call a special session so that we can deal with this crisis immediately and then we can use our rainy day funds to feed families until the federal government reaches a solution. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement About half of SNAP recipients in the state are children, according to DHR. No kid should go to bed hungry in Alabama simply because politicians in Washington cant reach an agreement, House Minority Leader Anthony Daniels, D-Huntsville said in a statement. As legislators, we have a moral obligation to address this crisis and use state resources to bridge the gap. Maiola said Monday that funding SNAP is not the governors job. As Alabama DHR noted, SNAP benefits are 100% federally funded, and therefore, U.S. Food and Nutrition Services controls the issuance of these benefits on EBT cards. While the state does not have extra money to do Congress job, Governor Ivey hopes to see U.S. Senate Democrats get on board to reopen the federal government, she said. Updated at 6:02 p.m. Saturday with an order from U.S. District Judge John J. McConnell. Two Birmingham-area women are under arrest by state prison officials on drug charges. A search warrant at a Hoover home on Wednesday turned up 4 pounds of flakka and a flakka manufacturing lab. Later that same day, a second raid at a Birmingham home yielded four more pounds of flakka and two pounds of crystal methamphetamine. Flakka is a synthetic drug that delivers an instant high that can last from several hours to several days. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Experts say the drug causes psychiatric, physical and cardiac reactions. The psychiatric symptoms include hallucinations, anxiety, and paranoia that can cause extreme aggression and violent behavior, Those charged are Crystal Smith, 40, of Hoover, and Lachelle Nix, 43, of Birmingham. Just before 7:30 a.m. Wednesday, narcotics agents with the Alabama Department of Corrections Law Enforcement Services Division carried out a search warrant at an apartment in the 1600 block of Patton Chapel Road in Hoover. In addition to the flakka, authorities also seized 200 grams of marijuana and other contraband-related items. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Smith is being held in the Jefferson County Jail on unlawful manufacture of a controlled substance, three counts of drug trafficking and unlawful possession of marijuana. At 8 p.m. Wednesday, ADOC narcotics agents carried out another search at a home in the 3700 block of Hickory Drive in Birmingham. There investigators confiscated the four pounds of flakka and the two pounds of crystal meth, as well as 344 grams of marijuana. Nix is being held in the Jefferson County Jail on charges of unlawful possession of marijuana, two counts of drug trafficking and unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia. Prison officials said the investigation is ongoing, and more charges could be filed. Stories by Carol Robinson Read the original article on al.com. Textbooks pictured a in the Gordon Persons Building in downtown Montgomery, AL on Monday, May 15, 2023. The Alabama State Board of Education is scheduled to vote on new textbooks at its meeting next month (Todd Van Emst for Alabama Reflector) The Alabama State Board of Education will vote on adopting new social studies and arts education textbooks for the 2026-2027 school year at its November meeting. Members of the Alabama State Board of Education earlier this month were given scores granted to textbooks by the Alabama State Textbook Committee. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The two committees, one for social studies and one for arts education, were appointed in April to review and rate textbooks. Once the ratings were complete, they were sealed and given to State Board of Education members. The scores and number of textbooks evaluated were not shared with the public. Alabama State Schools Superintendent Eric Mackey told the board the textbook approval process in Alabama is a tight-lipped process due to contracts with publishers. Until the board votes and says, This is the list we are sending to the governor to sign contracts with, then they cant be public, he said to board members. The board will vote on the textbooks at its Nov. 13 meeting. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mackey also told the board the textbook approval process is the only one that carries criminal charges if done incorrectly. Remember that for textbook companies, these are multi-million dollar contracts, and if they get pushed out of a contract, and they think its because board members or the superintendent didnt follow the law, they would, in a heartbeat, bring charges against us, he said. ALSDE only facilitates the textbook approval process. The textbook committee reports directly to the Board of Education members. Mackey reminded board members that previously, Alabama textbook law stated that recommendations from the committee couldnt be made public until the governor signed contracts with publishers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement You all went to the Legislature and got that changed, because thats an extra couple of months, and now the law is as soon as the board votes on them, theyre public so thats been speeding things up by about three months, he said. Members of the public may review the social studies and arts textbooks that are under consideration until Nov. 12 at select libraries. Alabama social studies standards were updated last December. A report from Thomas B. Fordham Institute, a conservative education thinktank, was mostly positive but critiqued the teaching of slavery, states rights, and lack of post-1970s history. The updated curriculum includes three years of world history and geography and three years of Alabama in American history and government. It also requires schools to teach the Holocaust and shifts teachings of the Civil Rights Movement to the fifth grade to build on context and expand on the role Alabama played in the movement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2021, board members approved the Preservation of Intellectual Freedom and Non-Discrimination in Alabama Public Schools. The resolution prohibits concepts that impute fault, blame, a tendency to oppress others, or the need to feel guilt or anguish to persons solely because of their race or sex. The move was aimed at critical race theory, an academic framework that seeks to understand the persistence of racism in the United States after the civil rights movement. Teachers and officials repeatedly stressed that critical race theory is not taught in K-12 schools. The textbook selection process ties into the new curriculum that has yet to be implemented. While the state can set the course of study, companies dont always create textbooks with each states standards in mind. According to American Public Media, California and Texas have the most influence in the K-12 textbook industry with Florida beginning to have influence as well. The last time Alabama updated social studies textbooks was 2013. EdReports, a non-profit organization that reviews instructional materials, said in a statement Oct. 23 that new textbooks and other instructional materials are needed for students. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We believe that students are best served by high-quality instructional materials (HQIM) that reflect the most current research on how kids learn and what they need to succeed in school and beyond. These materials help support educators with clear instructional pathways and strong guidance, especially when paired with thoughtful local adoption processes and professional learning, the organization said. Local school boards get the final say in what books are adopted for their schools and can even consider textbooks that are not recommended by ALSDE. So long as the state board of education doesnt reject it. If you reject a textbook, then they cannot use state funds to buy the textbook. But if its a textbook that they just didnt submit to the committee, and they want to go sell to a local county, they can still do that, Mackey told board members. This will be the last textbook adoption for a core class until math in 2029. Sen. Mike Shower, R-Wasilla, speaks Friday, April 12, 2024, on Senate Bill 187, the capital budget. (Photo by James Brooks/Alaska Beacon) Senate Minority Leader Mike Shower, R-Wasilla, will resign from the Alaska Senate on Monday, according to a resignation letter submitted to Senate President Gary Stevens, R-Kodiak. The resignation was expected. Shower was named the lieutenant governor candidate for Republican gubernatorial candidate Bernadette Wilson in September, and he said he would resign from his seat early. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Shower did not immediately respond to a phone call and text messages seeking comment on Thursday afternoon. Under Alaska law and Republican Party rules, party officials in Showers district will nominate possible replacements to Gov. Mike Dunleavy, who will select the replacement. Its a process Dunleavy will be familiar with: Before being elected governor in 2018, Dunleavy served in the Senate and resigned early to focus on his election. Then-Gov. Bill Walker nominated Mike Shower to fill Dunleavys seat and Shower went on to win the next election in his own right. Showers possible replacements must be Republicans, because Shower is a Republican, and otherwise meet the Alaska Constitutions requirements for office. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The governors selection must be confirmed by the Senates other Republicans before being seated. That includes the other five Republicans in the Senates six-person minority caucus, as well as the five Republicans in the bipartisan Senate majority caucus. Confirmation isnt guaranteed: In 2018, Republican senators rejected Walkers first choice to replace Dunleavy. Walkers second choice withdrew his name from consideration. In 2019, Republicans rejected Dunleavys first choice to replace Anchorage Republican Sen. Chris Birch, who died in office. Each of Alaskas state senate districts consists of two House districts. Reps. George Rauscher, R-Sutton, and Kevin McCabe, R-Big Lake, respectively represent each of the House districts within Showers Senate district, and both men said they will be putting their names forward for consideration. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rauscher had already announced his intention to seek Showers seat in the 2026 election. It was not immediately clear on Thursday if additional candidates would be proposed for consideration by party officials. If either Rauscher or McCabe are chosen, it would set off a domino effect: Dunleavy would then be able to select a new House representative to replace the person who moved to the Senate. Sen. Robert Myers, R-North Pole, said he believes Shower has been talking to Dunleavy about possible options. I think the expectation at this point is Rep. Rauscher, but I dont want to weigh in any further than that, Myers said of his preference. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Myers said the resignation makes sense. Honestly, it makes some relationships a little bit awkward if youre still in the Legislature while running for a statewide seat like that. It could have potentially complicated next years session a little bit, he said. I wish him well on what he embarks on for the future, whether thats politically or personally. While the Senate minority caucus will now need to pick a new leader, Myers said he doesnt expect the next legislative year will have other significant changes because theres someone new in Showers seat. The (senate) majority has already laid out what their priorities are, he said. I dont see votes changing, numbers changing, majority-minority votes on major bills, or anything like that. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At least one more Senate resignation is expected soon. Sen. Shelley Hughes, R-Palmer, is running for governor and has said she will resign in time for a replacement to be selected before the legislative session begins in January. I typically put in about 40 hours of work, even during the interim, 40 hours or more. And so, juggling that along with the governor electoral campaign is tricky, but theres certain things I want to finish up and make sure Im leaving things in good order as I pass out of the district, she said. At the same time, she wants to leave time for Dunleavy to pick both her replacement and a replacement for a House member if he selects either Reps. Cathy Tilton, R-Wasilla, or DeLena Johnson, R-Palmer, to replace her. Tilton has already filed to run for Senate in 2026. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hughes said that regardless of the replacement, she doesnt think the Senate will change significantly. She also said that shes going to stay out of the discussion of who will replace Shower as Senate Minority Leader. Thats up to that group to decide, she said. Im not going to be one of them. Im not going to meddle and try to tell them who should or should not be Senate Minority Leader. ALBANY - Albany Academy's next head of school is completely, unabashedly, in support of coed schools. Michael Turner, who will take over at the academy on July 1, will become head of a school that has separated the genders for most of its history. Next school year, Turner's first year, it will become fully coed. School leaders have said the only reason Albany Academy is dropping its single-sex education is because of financial pressure. There simply weren't enough students to run two schools. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But Turner, 52, grew up on the Germantown Academy campus (his father taught there), which went coed before he started school. He ran a school that had also gone coed before he arrived. "I have worked in both single sex and coed schools," he said. "I have a lot of experience on this issue." At Shipley School in Pennsylvania, where he was head of school from 2019 to 2025, alumni still remembered when it was an all-girls school. It became fully coed in 1984. Current teachers and students tend to think the coed nature of the school is "no big deal," he said. But, he said, he has to "hold space" for those who remember their very different time at the school. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Those memories, those feelings, those relationships, those connections that exist for alumni are very real," he said. "Part of the job of head of school in these situations is ensuring we are rearticulating the core values (of the school)." He loves coed schools. "Programmatically, the world is coed. The business world is coed. Any field our students go into is coed," he said. "I think schools that have moved to coed have that opportunity to prepare." Schools need to help students meet the challenges of gender in today's world, he added. "This is an expression of schools seeking to prepare their children for an increasingly complex world with a level of subtlety," he said. "And gender is an important element of that." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a coed school, it's important to have some separate spaces, he added. "That said, it's not that gender goes away in a coed school; it's quite the opposite - sometimes certain spaces are helpful as single gender," he said. "But overall, if you are a school that only serves one gender, you're limited in what you can provide." Tour surprises When Turner toured Albany Academy in September, as a semifinalist for the job, he was taken aback by the way the students behaved just before 8 a.m. "The first thing I noticed - they were happy teenagers going into an 8 a.m. chapel," he said. "That is not easy to do. When you have high school-aged children who are excited to be at school that early in the morning, that tells you there is a secret sauce that's working." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He was also pleased by the early results from the academy's effort to go coed. "It's one of the reasons I was attracted to the school," he said. "Kudos to the board and (current Head of School Chris Lauricella) - they've worked hard over the past several years to position the school where it is. There's really good early trend lines." The school has about 660 students, down from an enrollment of more than 800 before the coronavirus pandemic. But after the Lower School went coed, more students enrolled there. This year, they had to add another section of first and fourth grade and now have a wait list, school officials said. Turner will be paid $350,000 a year, with a bonus structure for hitting benchmarks in enrollment and donations to the school, said Board of Trustees Chair Eric Lewis. The contract is for three years, with two-year renewals, he said. This article originally published at Albany Academy will go coed next year with a new head of school. Graphic details and images surrounding a Houston man's 2022 in-custody death at a private Louisiana jail were revealed last week in newly-filed federal court documents that allege a pattern of brutality and neglect in the facility where Harris County spends millions to send inmates. The lawsuit over Billie Davis's death was filed in 2023, but an amended complaint filed last week alleges the 35-year-old man was brought by jailers to an area of the facility without surveillance cameras where he was repeatedly beaten and kicked in the head. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The lawsuit points to previous use-of-force and wrongful death claims against facilities operated by LaSalle Corrections, to which Harris County paid millions last year to outsource hundreds of inmates. Since 2022, the county has approved more than $69 million in contracts with LaSalle Corrections, which did not respond to a request for comment. Originally filed in March 2023 in Harris County, the case was moved to the Southern District of Texas in July 2023 before moving to the Western District of Louisiana in June, court records show. A majority of the factual allegations in the recently-filed complaint are presented without citations or references. Harris County was dismissed from the lawsuit in June, records show. Jason Spencer, a spokesman for the Harris County Sheriff's Office, declined to comment on the ongoing litigation but pointed to the county's contract with LaSalle Corrections, which requires Harris County to conduct quarterly inspections of LaSalle's facilities to ensure compliance. LaSalle Corrections is also required to comply with the minimum standards set by the Texas Commission on Jail Standards. RELATED: Harris County outsourcing roughly 1,300 inmates out of the state. Here's the data Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Davis's death at the LaSalle Correctional Center in Olla, La., marked the first of three Harris County inmate deaths to occur at the facility since 2022. Jaleen Anderson, 29, died at the facility in April 2024 after he had a seizure, followed by the January death of Erik Carlson, 29, who died of sepsis, according to his family. Anderson's family announced in March they were suing Harris County, Sheriff Ed Gonzalez and LaSalle Corrections, alleging the 29-year-old's in-custody death was the result of medical negligence and corporate greed. Both Harris County commissioners and the Texas Commission on Jail Standards have urged the sheriff's office to bring out-of-state inmates back to Texas. Duane Lock, a jail standards commissioner, has previously expressed concern about the quality of, or lack of, minimum jail standards in Louisiana and Mississippi while instructing Harris County to pursue outsourcing contracts with jails in Texas. Davis was arrested Feb. 14, 2022, on a felony charge of evading arrest and transferred to LaSalle Correctional Center 10 days later, the lawsuit states. On the morning of March 1, 2022, Davis was pronounced dead at a nearby hospital, four days after arriving at the facility in central Louisiana. Jason Webster, the attorney representing Davis's family in the case, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A detailed timeline of the hour leading up to Davis's death is included in the lawsuit, which alleges he was severely beaten by jail staff, including while he was restrained, before he was found unresponsive in an isolated cell. Davis lost several teeth and was seen bleeding excessively, the lawsuit claims. CRIME NEWS: Feds won't seek death penalty for alleged Bandidos leader accused of leading deadly Houston gang war Just after 9 a.m. on March 1, 2022, Davis was involved in a verbal and physical altercation with three jail guards, who pushed him into the jail's foyer out of camera view, according to the lawsuit. Several inmates said they saw LaSalle officers beating, stomping and kicking Davis and spraying him with Mace while he was unresponsive and restrained on the floor in the foyer of the jail, the lawsuit claims. At one point, Davis's jumper was removed, leaving him wearing only his boxers and T-shirt while visibly covered in blood. An assistant warden who witnessed the beating and did not step in to stop it was later promoted to warden, the lawsuit claims. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Davis was taken to the jail's medical clinic and received treatment for his mouth wounds while he slumped over unconscious. After being awoken by smelling salts, the lawsuit alleges Davis was eventually left sitting in a restraint or "suicide chair" inside the isolation cell. About 30 minutes after being placed in the cell, a jail guard found Davis unresponsive. Life-saving measures were performed before Davis was taken to a local hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Photos of Davis being carried by guards and sitting in the restraint chair were included in the lawsuit, along with a photo of his bruised and contorted face after the alleged beating. The lawsuit accuses LaSalle Corrections of spending an inadequate amount on jail medical care in order to make a higher profit on its contracts. This article originally published at New allegations in federal lawsuit over Houston man's death at Louisiana jail used by Harris County. Gov. Mike Braun threw his support behind Fort Wayne City Clerk Lana Keesling to chair the state GOP. (Photo courtesy Indiana Republican Party) Allen County Democrats want the Indiana Republican Partys leader to resign from her publicly funded day job, arguing that holding both roles at once presents conflicts of interest. Fort Wayne City Clerk Lana Keesling criticized the Allen County Democratic Partys motivations in an open letter that revealed she plans to leave her city position soon but not yet. Fort Wayne is the seat of Allen County. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She ascended to the state GOPs top job in February, becoming the partys fourth chair in two years. Allen County Democratic Party Chair Chad Wierzbinski said that, at that point, it was expected that Keesling would follow the precedent established by previous Indiana Republican Party chairs who also served as elected officials, by resigning her elected position and releasing taxpayers from the burden of subsidizing a high-level political official. Keesling pushed back. The Allen County Democrats are simply trying to divert attention from their partys abysmal track record in our city, state and nation, she wrote in a missive addressed to Fort Wayne residents, which she shared with the Capital Chronicle. County Dems point to redistricting and roles demands Wierzbinski cited an impending special legislative session called primarily for Indiana lawmakers to redraw the states two blue congressional districts red as the impetus for a Friday news conference. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I felt it was important to call this press conference today to shed light on how Keesling is playing a role in disenfranchising voters, Wierzbinski said during the event, according to a news release. The criticism went beyond Keeslings support for early redistricting. He commended her for visiting all 92 counties in less than a year as party chair, but said its not a task befitting of a local city clerk. The citizens of Fort Wayne deserve a full-time city clerk whose attention is singularly focused on the city, not someone spending her time at political events across the state while maintaining taxpayer-funded employment, Wierzbinski said. State GOP leader says commitment to city has not wavered Keeslings letter indicated shes been planning for her departure since the month she was named GOP chair. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I will continue serving my community, finishing projects in the office, and moving the office forward, her note concluded. Since February we have been working on a transition plan, and I look forward to sharing that plan soon. Keesling began, however, by calling it an honor and a privilege to have worked as clerk for about a decade. In 2015, she became the first Republican city clerk of Fort Wayne since 1971. She has also previously served as vice chair of the Allen County Republican Party and treasurer of the 3rd District Republican Congressional Committee. Need to get in touch? Have a news tip? CONTACT US During my time in office, my staff and I have transformed the City Clerks Office to become more efficient, effective and transparent along with being an office our community can be proud of, Keesling continued. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She highlighted the modernization of downtown Fort Waynes parking system parking meters that accept credit cards, mobile app payment options and more accessible parking for the disabled as one of the accomplishments I am most proud of. Those changes were made without the use of taxpayer dollars, according to the letter. Keesling who has served on a variety of boards for transportation, civil rights and disabled advocacy groups said she was humbled by the opportunity to serve Hoosiers in a different capacity when Gov. Mike Braun asked her to lead the Indiana GOP. But, she wrote: My commitment to the residents of Fort Wayne has not wavered. My office and I continue to provide the highest level of service to our community each and every day, and I could not be prouder of the dedication and accomplishments of my team over the past 10 years. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX A new lawsuit against Amazon alleges that the retail giant's Prime Day event isn't all it's cracked up to be. The plaintiffs say Amazon's tactics run afoul of consumer protection laws. What's happening? Two Amazon Prime members filed a class-action suit in Washington federal court, accusing Amazon of advertising false discounts during its Prime Day event, per Top Class Actions. Cathy Armstrong and Oluwa Fosudo allege Amazon uses fictional "list prices" to mislead consumers into believing they are scoring better deals than they actually are. For instance, the suit says Amazon claimed it was offering a 44% discount off a list price of $179.95. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, the plaintiffs say that the price is inflated. Previously, Amazon sold the product at a list price between $130 and $160, according to the lawsuit. "Because Amazon used a Fake Prior Amazon Price to calculate the Prime Day Percentage Discounts, Plaintiffs and other consumers like them paid more than they would have had the items truly been discounted (i.e., from the actual prior price) with the Prime Day Percentage Discounts that Amazon promised and that they relied on in the transaction," it says. Why is this important? While Amazon has introduced electric vehicles to its delivery fleet and taken steps to reduce plastic packaging, among other positive moves, critics say these eco-friendly actions do little to offset the environmental footprint of the world's largest e-commerce store. Amazon's data centers still account for massive amounts of pollution, even as the company increasingly relies on clean energy to power them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, Prime Day encourages shoppers to snag deals before they expire and splurge on merchandise they may not need, leading to excessive waste. Misleading marketing tactics could lead to even more pollution on the back end if disgruntled consumers return overpriced items. What can be done about this? Overconsumption leads to more cluttered homes, emptier bank accounts, and a less healthy planet. Before buying something, pause to reflect on whether you truly need it. Do you worry about companies having too much of your personal data? Absolutely Sometimes Not really I'm not sure Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. "All the evidence suggests that this consumption is very, very harmful to the environment, and it's really not adding that much happiness to most people's lives," environmental journalist J.B. MacKinnon told Fast Company last year, when Amazon's Prime Day broke records for the second consecutive year after consumers purchased 375 million items. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Also, remember that many companies run ad campaigns that obscure their environmentally destructive ways. Supporting circular brands and eco-friendly products and services can help move the needle in a more positive direction. 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. Vice President JD Vances admission on Thursday that he hopes his Hindu-raised wife, Usha,will eventually convert to Christianity didnt go over so well with members of Americas Hindu community. During a Turning Point USA-sponsored event at the University of Mississippi, the vice president admitted that he hopes his wife will one day be moved by the same thing that I was moved in by church. Politics: 'I Know Nothing': Trump's Pardon Claim Slammed As His Biggest Hypocrisy Yet The comment drew backlash online, so much that Vance felt obliged to post a response on social media. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Vance said that his wife is the most amazing blessing I have in my life, and noted that she herself encouraged me to reengage with my faith many years ago. Although Vance noted that his wife is not a Christian and has no plans to convert, he said that like many people in an interfaith marriage or any interfaith relationship I hope she may one day see things as I do. What a disgusting comment, and it's hardly been the only one along these lines. First off, the question was from a person seemingly to my left, about my interfaith marriage. I'm a public figure, and people are curious, and I wasn't going to avoid the question. Second, my https://t.co/JOzN7WAg3A JD Vance (@JDVance) October 31, 2025 The Hindu American Foundation felt obliged to respond to Vances post with a lengthy post suggesting that the fair thing for Vance to do would be to reciprocate his wifes support and engage with Hinduism too? The post said if Vance did study the religion more, you may well learn that Hinduism doesnt share the need to wish your spouse comes around to see things as you do in terms of religion. Politics: Nicki Minaj Praises Trump For Speaking Out About Christians Being Slaughtered In Nigeria The post also noted the history of Christians denigrating Hindus, and attempting to convert Hindus through sometimes unethical means, before pointing out that in recent months weve seen an outpouring of anti-Hindu sentiment online, often coming from explicitly Christian sources. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The note also suggested that Vance could do more in supporting his wifes faith to members of his base. Some of the most vocal voices in your base seem to not actually believe religious freedom one of the core concepts this nation was founded upon, as you well know should extend to Hindus, the note said. You are the VP. Its more than reasonable (and well within precedent) for a Christian public figure such as yourself to acknowledge the positive impact of Hinduism on Hindus and the rights of Hindus to practice. With respect @JDVance, if your wife encouraged you to re-engage with your faith, why not reciprocate that and engage with Hinduism too? If you did you may well learn that Hinduism doesnt share the need to wish your spouse comes around to see things as you do in terms of https://t.co/fkQQgclNDl Hindu American Foundation (@HinduAmerican) October 31, 2025 Will Vance have a come-to-Jesus moment regarding defending the faith his wife was raised in? Probably not, if his past actions are any clue. Politics: Andrew Cuomo Claims 'Diversity Can Be A Weakness' Back in February, Vance was mocked online for defending an employee of Elon Musks cost-cutting Department of Government Efficiency who made racist posts on social media attacking Indians. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In January, he came under fire when he defended his wife against white supremacist attacks in the weirdest way possible. Obviously, shes not a white person, and weve been accused attacked by some white supremacists over that, he told Megyn Kelly. But I just I love Usha. Shes such a good mom, shes such a brilliant lawyer, and Im so proud of her. On Friday, after Vances Turning Point comments went viral, a clip from March where Vance joked about how public life is affecting Usha resurfaced. Heres the thing, he said. The cameras are all on; anything I say, no matter how crazy, Usha has to smile and laugh, and celebrate it. Vance: Here's the thing. The cameras are all on; anything I say, no matter how crazy, she has to smile, laugh, and celebrate it. pic.twitter.com/KO36G1D7ju Acyn (@Acyn) March 14, 2025 Related... Read the original on HuffPost (Illustration courtesy of Guam Visitors Bureau) Presented By: Triple J Auto Group Dates: November 8, 2025 Location: Triple J Showroom Upper Tumon Time: 5:45 AM Price: Please go to website to determine fees and register for Single/Group 5K/10K: https://my.raceresult.com/359742/registration Get ready to run, walk, and splash your way through the most colorful event of the year! The 2025 TJ Bubble Color Run 5K/10K returns on Saturday, November 8 at the Triple J Showroom in Upper Tumon. Join hundreds of runners and families for a fun-filled morning featuring bubbles, color stations, music, food, drinks, and giveaways all while supporting local nonprofits making a difference in our island community. 5K & 10K routes Family-friendly activities Free food & drinks Awesome prizes Proceeds benefit Guam Cancer Care, Bake Their Day & Safe Haven Pregnancy Center Show time: 5:15 AM | Race start: 6:00 AM Register now: https://my.raceresult.com/359742/ Dont miss the islands most colorful run sign up today! The American Police Hall of Fame in Titusville is closing after 22 years, as city leaders consider new uses for the building. The American Police Hall of Fame in Titusville is closing after 22 years, as the museum faces a decline in fundraising. A YouGov survey has found that Americans are more likely to oppose U.S. strikes against boats near Venezuela than support them after a month of attacks on vessels suspected of transporting drugs off the countrys coast. Americans also strongly opposed the U.S. military invading the South American nation, and a majority opposed the deployment of U.S. Navy vessels in the countrys surrounding waters. The surveys results, which YouGov released Friday, follow President Trumps revelation that he authorized covert operations in Venezuela and the U.S. militarys increased presence in the Caribbean Sea as tensions between the U.S. and Venezuela continue to rise. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement YouGovs survey shows a majority of respondents said they oppose the Trump administrations boat strikes against Venezuelan vessels that it has alleged are trafficking drugs to the United States. The Trump administration has so far carried out at least 14 strikes against boats allegedly carrying drugs in the Caribbean Sea and East Pacific since the beginning of September. According to the administration, the strikes have killed 61 people. The poll found that 42 percent of those surveyed strongly or somewhat disapproved of Trumps boat strikes while 27 percent said they strongly or somewhat support the strikes and 31 percent said they were not sure whether they support them. The government has not yet provided evidence that the boats were carrying drugs. The poll found that 51 percent of Americans said they believe the vessels were carrying drugs and that another 48 percent said they believe the boats were affiliated with criminal or terrorist organizations. Meanwhile, 43 percent said they believe some of the boats destroyed were civilian or fishing vessels. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to YouGov, Republicans were more likely than Democrats to believe the Trump administrations claims. GOP members were also more likely to support Trumps assertion that the administration was just going to kill people that are bringing drugs into our country. Among respondents, 66 percent of Republicans supported this statement while only 10 percent of Democrats and 28 independents said they did. The survey also found a drop in support among Americans for U.S. Navy presence near Venezuelas coast compared with its findings from a similar survey administered near the beginning of September. The new survey found that only 30 percent of Americans said they continue to support military presence off the South American countrys coast while the number who disapproved has remained roughly the same as it did in September, at 37 percent. The share of people not sure if they approve or disapprove has grown from 26 percent to 32 percent in the last month. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement YouGov pollsters noted that the September survey showed Americans almost evenly divided on support for the deployment of U.S. Navy ships to Venezuela: 36 percent of Americans approved while 38 percent disapproved of sending Navy vessels near the country. The sharpest drop in support was recorded among Republicans. Both the October and September surveys recorded Americans opposition to military invasion of Venezuela. In October, 46 percent of survey respondents said they strongly or somewhat opposed the U.S. military using force to overthrow Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. Eighteen percent said they strongly or somewhat approved, while 36 percent were unsure. The YouGov poll had a sample size of more than 2,000 respondents across two surveys and a margin of error around 4 percent. 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. Prepared boxes cover the floor of a food pantry in Auburn, Maine. (Photo by Eesha Pendharkar/ Maine Morning Star) Facing an absence of federal support, the Maine Legislature will consider several new proposals that would allow the state to step in to ensure Mainers receive food assistance and health care. While these measures wont be considered until lawmakers reconvene in January, the bill sponsors and legislative leaders say they can be used as contingency measures to address federal cuts as well as to possibly respond to ongoing complications from the government shutdown, which has now lasted a month with no end in sight. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When open enrollment for health insurance plans starts on Saturday, thousands of Mainers will see their premiums increase by hundreds of dollars. Congressional Democrats continue to hold out support for a stopgap spending bill unless the Republican majority commits to an extension of health care subsidies to alleviate those hikes. Also, roughly 170,000 Mainers are expected to lose federal food assistance because November funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, also known as SNAP, wont be issued due to the shutdown. On Wednesday, Gov. Janet Mills announced the state is releasing $1.25 million in emergency funding to bolster food banks, Meals on Wheels and other anti-hunger programs across the state to help fill the gap. However, Mainers typically receive more than $20 million in monthly food assistance. Several Maine lawmakers said that while the state is undoubtedly trying to act as a backstop to federal cuts, that is not sustainable long-term. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its just ever mounting, Speaker of the Maine House Ryan Fecteau (D-Biddeford) said in an interview. Our states ability to respond, we will be responsive to the extent that we can provide some relief, but the harsh reality here in this situation is were not going to be able to solve every single problem. Nevertheless, legislators have proposed several ways to try to alleviate federal fallout. The Legislative Council, composed of the ten elected members of legislative leadership, approved new legislation last week to be considered during the second regular session, during which lawmakers can only propose certain measures considered more timely or urgent. Food assistance Several of the approved bills relate to food assistance, particularly to address cuts to SNAP made by the GOP spending bill passed in July. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement States will soon receive less federal funding to administer the program, an amount that will hinge on a figure known as the payment error rate: how much the state over or underpays recipients benefit amounts. A proposal from Fecteau aims to reduce the states error rate. The specifics of the bill are still being worked out, Fecteau said, but he pointed to other states that have contracted with data companies to help them lower error rates. People may get a 50 cent pay raise at work or $1 pay raise per hour at work and they dont report it because we live busy lives, Fecteau said, and the first thing we think about when we get a pay raise isnt, Oh, I need to call DHHS and let them know that I got a pay raise because they need that for compliance with the federal government around my food assistance, even though I still totally qualify, they still need to record that data. Maines error rate is 10.26%, which is below the national average but still puts Maine at risk of potentially losing $50 million in federal funding. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Senate President Mattie Daughtry (D-Cumberland) proposed a bill to expand access to early childhood nutrition programs by including children in public pre-K classrooms that are located outside of school district buildings, which would make it so all public school students would be covered under Maines universal school meals commitment. Maine faces one of the highest rates of childhood food insecurity in New England, Daughtry said. It doesnt just mean empty stomachs, it means missed opportunities for growth and learning. Its about brain development, our childrens future, and our responsibility to ensure that no child in Maine ever has to go hungry. Legislation from Rep. Bill Pluecker (I-Warren) seeks to ensure access to SNAP in Maine by making some technical adjustments to take any vagueness out and ensure that it is crystal clear that state law guarantees access to everyone with permanent residence in the state. Another new bill from Pluecker would have the state collect food insecurity data that the U.S. Department of Agriculture used to gather as part of a longstanding federal survey it recently canceled. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is an attempt to continue to do that at the state level, so we dont lose access to those numbers, he said, and so we can chart our own progress in our effort to address hunger. A bill from Sen. Henry Ingwersen (D-York) similarly aims to plug a hole left by federal rollbacks by ensuring the states fund to address food insecurity and provide nutrition incentives can accept money from other sources beyond the federal government. So if our federal government, like its doing now, is going to cut out on their obligation to this fund to address food insecurity because its SNAP related, were trying to make it more inclusive of other funding sources as well, Ingwersen said. The state fund supports programs such as Harvest Bucks, which offers bonuses to low-income shoppers at participating farmers markets. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ingwersen also proposed a bill last session that is one of the hundreds of proposals being carried over into next year that seeks to increase the states annual allocations for that fund from $600,000 to $1.2 million per year. That bill was left in limbo awaiting funding at the end of the last session. Another related bill also awaiting funding is a proposal to increase allocations for Mainers Feeding Mainers, an initiative of Good Shepherd Food Bank that helps farmers stock food pantries. Ingwersen led a letter from dozens of Democratic state legislators this week urging the U.S. Department of Agriculture to release contingency funds for SNAP during the shutdown. While he and others have proposed plans for the state to step in, Ingwersen said, I dont want to divert us from what the problem is the problem is with the federal government. Maine Attorney General Aaron Frey has also joined other state attorneys general in suing the Trump administration to try to force the release of the funds. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We have to remember and be very clear this is a federal food program, Ingwersen said of SNAP. Its been around since 1939. Its like Social Security and Medicare a federal responsibility paid for by us as federal taxpayers and we expect this and we depend on this We should be angry, and we should really keep our focus and hopefully we will, in the next week or so, the next few days, on the Trump administration to bring this money back. Health insurance The GOP spending bill also made significant cuts to health care, which other bills aim to help offset. Fecteau sponsored a bill that would create a contingency fund to allow the state to help Mainers as they lose access to health insurance. While Fecteau said hes still hashing out the details of this plan, that might involve moving some funding into a MaineCare stabilization federal response fund of some sort. Two bills related to the soon-to-expire health subsidies that are the lynchpin of the federal shutdown were rejected by the majority of Legislative Council last week. However, Fecteau said he expects them to be appealed and for at least one to ultimately be accepted. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sen. Cameron Reny (D-Lincoln) and Sen. Kristi Michele Mathieson (D-Kittery) sponsored these bills that would permit some kind of state intervention to offset the expiration of the tax credits at the end of the year. Though, Fecteau said, Im sure [state legislation] will not ultimately be anywhere near what the federal government was capable of providing. A proposal from Rep. Drew Gattine (D-Westbrook) with a title that indicates it seeks to lower insurance costs, reduce barriers to care and ensure fair prices was approved by Legislative Council, though Gattine did not respond to a request for comment and bill text is not available at this time. HOLYOKE Amid a financial crisis in Holyoke, city Auditor Tanya Wdowiak gave her two weeks notice to the mayor and City Council president on Thursday. Holyoke Mayor Joshua Garcia said Thursday that he received Wdowiaks email resignation but hasnt had a chance to talk with her. Garcia said he came into the office to an email that requested he accept her formal resignation, effective Nov. 28. The notice was given amid a period of financial uncertainty for the city, as the state began withholding millions in local aid payments while Holyoke straightens out its financial books. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a press conference Wednesday, Garcia assured residents that Holyoke has not run out of money, and that its bookkeeping mismanagement was only a matter of late filings. The mismanagement dates back years, possibly even decades, according to city officials. Much the problem has been around the citys cash accounts, which have gone unreconciled for years. No one in city government has taken full ownership of the problems or a solution, with political bickering standing in the way of actions to fix Holyokes finances. In her resignation email, Wdowiak told Garcia how grateful she was to have had the opportunity to work for the city of Holyoke, and for all the wonderful people she has worked for and with over the years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It is a special place; and a place of my heart will always be working for the city, the letter said, according to Garcia, who shared it over the phone in an interview Thursday with The Republican. Wdowiak went on to write that after her resignation, she hopes that Garcia will feel free to reach out to her with any questions. In the letter, Wdowiak said she is leaving the office confident in the team shes created and assured Garcia that employees are the most trained, dedicated and resourceful that he would meet, Garcia said. We have been running the auditors office together efficiently and effectively for many years, and I hope youll appreciate them as much as I do when I depart, Wdowiak wrote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wdowiak did not return The Republicans request for comment. more news from Western Massachusetts Read the original article on MassLive. Add MassLive as a Preferred Source by clicking here. HARTFORD - Passengers on an Amtrak train were forced to disembark Thursday evening after the train struck a tree that had fallen on the tracks as the remnants of Hurricane Melissa passed through the region. Northeast Regional Train 148, which was traveling from Washington, D.C. to Springfield, Mass., struck the tree at about 10 p.m. in an area north of Hartford, according to Amtrak spokesman Jason Abrams. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Abrams said passengers later were transferred to Train 478 once the track was cleared of debris. The incident unfolded as the storm brought strong gusts and 1.76 inches of rain to Hartford. "We apologize for the inconvenience to customers," Abrams said. On Friday, Amtrak said Train 125 was canceled between Springfield and Hartford due to "equipment unavailability," and bus transportation will be provided. The passenger rail service said the train will operate between New Haven and Washington, D.C. Due to equipment unavailability, Train 125 is canceled between Springfield (SPG) and Hartford (HFD) with bus transportation provided. The Train will operate between New Haven (NHV) and Washington (WAS). We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience. - Amtrak Northeast (@AmtrakNECAlerts) October 31, 2025 This article originally published at Amtrak train strikes fallen tree near Hartford amid storm, passengers disembark, official says. By Tim McLaughlin and Timothy Gardner (Reuters) -A huge nuclear deal announced by the Trump administration earlier this week provides a multi-billion-dollar incentive for the U.S. government to issue permits and approvals for new Westinghouse reactors - an unprecedented structure that critics say poses environmental and safety risks. Under the agreement with Westinghouse Electric's owners, Canada-based Cameco and Brookfield Asset Management, the U.S. government will arrange financing and help secure permits and approvals for $80 billion worth of Westinghouse reactors. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In return, the plan offers the U.S. government a path to a 20% share of future profits and a potential 20% stake in the company if its value surpasses $30 billion by 2029. The deal is one of the most ambitious plans in U.S. atomic energy in decades, underscoring President Donald Trump's agenda to maximize energy output to feed booming demand for artificial intelligence data centers. But the financial incentives risk clouding regulatory scrutiny aimed at preventing nuclear accidents, according to safety advocates and regulatory experts. "The things that could go wrong are Three Mile Island, Chernobyl and Fukushima," said Greg Jaczko, a former chairman of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, pointing to three of the worst nuclear power accidents on record. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "All have causes tied to insufficient regulatory independence." The White House said concerns about safety were unfounded. The regulatory regime remains the same and is not compromised. Theres nothing in the deal about regulatory changes, the White House said in an emailed statement. Westinghouse owner Cameco declined to comment. Brookfield and Westinghouse did not respond to messages requesting comment. TD Cowen analysts told clients in a research note this week they expect Westinghouse to have 10 new large-scale reactors - enough gigawatts to power several million homes - under construction by 2030 as a result of the deal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Typically, it takes around a decade for a new nuclear power plant to get built, largely due to the rigorous permitting requirements and enormous costs and complexities associated with construction. Patrick White, a nuclear regulatory and technology expert at the Clean Air Task Force, said effective regulation did not need to be a slow or extended process and there were benefits to moving more efficiently. "Ensuring that nuclear regulation is also timely and predictable is in the best interest of both companies and the public," White said. Todd Allen, a nuclear expert at the University of Michigan, said the design of Westinghouse reactors is well established, but questioned how fast projects could progress. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "With that aggressive timeline, and demand for the reactors around the world, I wonder if there is a big enough workforce to handle all of these projects," Allen said. DELAYS TO PREVIOUS U.S. PROJECT Westinghouses last U.S.-based nuclear project, building two nuclear reactors at the Vogtle power plant in Georgia, forced the company into bankruptcy protection in 2017. The two reactors were about seven years behind schedule and cost about $35 billion, more than double the original estimate of $14 billion. Patty Durand, director of nonprofit Georgians for Affordable Energy, has spent years analyzing that project and said she fears fast permitting would overlook the risks associated with climate change. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She said severe droughts have forced operators to curtail nuclear power in Europe and the United States to avoid overheating their reactors. Westinghouse also had a slew of problems related to the modular design of its AP1000 reactors, such as some parts' dimensions being wrong when they arrived on site. The AP1000 would also be used for the new reactors, built from prefabricated parts and assembled on site. Edwin Lyman, a physicist at the Union of Concerned Scientists, said he fears the Trump administration will exert too much power over the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to get the new reactors permitted. If the White House fully takes over the NRC and it is no longer at all independent, then it could be used just as a tool for sweeping deals for which the White House could accelerate licensing on its preferred projects regardless of their actual safety implications, and that's a dangerous thing, Lyman said. (Reporting By Tim McLaughlin and Timothy Gardner; Editing by Nia Williams) At the edge of East Antarctica, where the wind howls through a white emptiness and the air bites harder than steel, scientists uncovered something so old it makes even time feel young. Beneath that endless blue lies ice, and the air inside it that hasnt seen daylight for six million years. Each bubble in that ice holds a breath from a vanished world. And when you think about it, really think about it, thats almost spiritual. Youre holding air no human has ever breathed, no bird has ever flown through. Just ancient sky, perfectly sealed. Sarah Shackleton from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution still remembers that moment. Along with John Higgins from Princeton, she led the team that made this discovery, now published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Their hunt took them to the Allan Hills region, one of the harshest corners of the planet. The irony, Shackleton said, is that the worse the weather, the better the ice. Dirty basal ice from 206 meters in ALHIC1902. The ice sits stratigraphically below ice with a 6-million-year 40ArATM age. (CREDIT: PNAS) Hunting for Deep Time Scientists have been drilling through Antarcticas frozen core for decades, pulling up cylinders of ice that capture nearly a million years of climate history. But thisthis is on another level entirely. Six million years. Thats more than six times older than anything weve ever held from the ice. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The project is part of COLDEX, the Center for Oldest Ice Exploration, a massive collaboration led by Oregon State Universitys Ed Brook. He admits even he was stunned. We hoped for three million years, he said. Finding double thatits beyond what we imagined. Unlike the deep drilling rigs that bore miles below the surface, Shackletons team searched what they call blue ice areas. Only about one percent of Antarctica has them. Winds scrape away the snow layer by layer, revealing ice that should be buried two kilometers down. In these exposed patches, ancient time literally surfaces at your feet. Air That Still Remembers Each core, some no deeper than 200 meters, became a time capsule. Inside are air bubbles that preserve the chemical fingerprints of Earths ancient atmosphere. But how do you tell how old they are when the surrounding snow is gone? Allan Hills, 2022-2023. (CREDIT: Julia Marks Peterson, COLDEX) Thats where a new dating method, the ^40ArATM geochronometer, comes in. It measures isotopes of argon, a gas that slowly accumulates in the atmosphere as potassium decays inside rocks over billions of years. The more argon a bubble contains, the older it is. Simple in theory, but breathtaking in what it reveals. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The deepest core, ALHIC1902, held what scientists call dirty basal ice. Its not the crystal-clear stuff youd imagine, but brownish, with bits of ancient dust and rock. Yet its priceless: ice likely frozen during the Miocene epoch, when forests dotted Antarcticas coast and sea levels towered above ours. Frozen Snapshots of a Planet in Flux You might picture this discovery as a single continuous scroll of history, but its more like a patchwork quilt. Each piece of ice captures a moment, a chapter in Earths shifting moods. Shackleton calls them climate snapshots. Some are quick flashes of temperature swings; others stretch across ages. By analyzing the oxygen and hydrogen in the ice, the team found that East Antarctica cooled by roughly 12C over the past six million years. Thats the first time anyone has directly measured how much the continents heart has chilled since the Miocene. Map of the Allan Hills Blue Ice Area (BIA) and the shallow ice cores used in this study. (CREDIT: PNAS) The story that emerges isnt just one of decline. Its resilience, interrupted by chaos. Coastal regions melted and froze again in rhythm with carbon dioxide levels. The interior remained stoic, holding fast. Its almost poetichow something so immovable still carries scars of change. Where Wind Meets Time At 76 south, the Allan Hills lie where the Transantarctic Mountains meet the ice sheet. The wind there doesnt just blow, it sculpts. Katabatic gusts, funneled by the landscape, shave away the surface and pull old ice upward. Thats why Shackleton calls it one of the best places to find old ice, and one of the hardest to live in. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Working there meant tents rattling through sleepless nights, drills freezing mid-run, and faces stung raw by wind. Yet the U.S. Ice Drilling Programs lightweight rigs worked wonders, cutting through layers that told stories older than humanity itself. Each corelabeled ALHIC1901 through 1903adds a page to Earths biography. The youngest recorded glacial cycles stretching back 250,000 years; the oldest, frozen whispers from a time when polar ice was just learning to exist. Time series of East Antarctic temperatures from Allan Hills ice cores () and Southern Ocean sea332 surface temperatures (-). (CREDIT: PNAS) Messages From the Past, Warnings for the Future Its tempting to treat these findings as curiositieslike holding a fossil or an old coin. But their message is painfully current. When scientists compared their data to known carbon dioxide levels, they found eerie parallels between the Miocene and today. Back then, global seas were several meters higher, even though CO was about the same as our modern levels. The ice sheet has been remarkably stable, said Brook, but its not unbreakable. If we push the system too far, the past tells us what comes next. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Between 2026 and 2031, COLDEX plans to return to drill even deeper, maybe to ten million years. Theyre not just looking backward; theyre trying to read the planets survival manual. Holding Time in Your Hands Shackleton says she sometimes pauses during fieldwork, holding a small core up to the sunlight. You can see the bubbles, she said. They sparkle a little. You realize, this is air from a world that doesnt exist anymore. Its easy to forget that climate change isnt new. The Earth has swung between fire and ice long before us. But this time, its happening faster, and because of us. The Allan Hills ice doesnt preach or plead. It just sits there, patient and ancient, waiting for us to listen. Maybe thats the quiet lesson buried in six million years of frozen breath: the past is still speaking. We just have to stop shouting long enough to hear it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Research findings are available online in the journal PNAS. Related Stories Like these kind of feel good stories? Get The Brighter Side of News newsletter. He will be Andrew, formerly known as Prince. That was the blindingly clear message on Friday, a day the Royal family will be keen to forget. The Firm is used to weathering storms. In the past, they have lived by the rule of not apologising or explaining. Where they have made adjustments, they have tended to be gradual: murmurs rather than earthquakes. But after a fortnight of deepening scandal around Andrews alleged sexual relations with Virginia Giuffre and his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein, this time it is different. His Majesty has today initiated a formal process to remove the Style, Titles and Honours of Prince Andrew, the fatal Palace statement read. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Not only will Andrew become plain old Mr Mountbatten Windsor, he will be turfed out of Royal Lodge, his home in Windsor, and put out to pasture in Sandringham. But if the punishment is exemplary, it says as much about those dishing it out as it does about the condemned man. Their Majesties wish to make clear that their thoughts and utmost sympathies have been, and will remain with, the victims and survivors of any and all forms of abuse, the statement concluded. Prince Andrew with Virginia Giuffre and Ghislaine Maxwell in 2001 - SDNY/AFP/Getty It is a strikingly unroyal reaction: an emphatic echo of heightened public emotion, responsive not stubborn, feeling not unfeeling, a modus operandi for a modern age. But as much as it is driven by despair over the ex-Princes wrongdoing, it is also driven by a desperation to survive. For the evidence suggests that Buckingham Palace is right to be handling the Andrew scandal with an abundance of gravitas. This could be an existential moment for the Royal family. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the past few days, there has been open debate about abolishing the monarchy on primetime radio and television, of an intensity not seen since the death of Diana in 1997. On Monday, the King was heckled over the scandal during a visit to Lichfield Cathedral. On Thursday night, when the news that Andrew was to no longer be Prince broke on Question Time, the audience burst into spontaneous applause. Its the ultimate humiliation, says royal expert Victoria Murphy. But it was also unsurprising because it was becoming undeniable that it had become necessary to sever all ties [to Andrew]. Polling indicates that public opinion is at a tipping point. Since 1983, the British Social Attitudes Survey has asked the same question: Is the monarchy important to the UK? The latest report, released in September, found that just 51 per cent thought it was, the slimmest of majorities, down from 86 per cent when the question was first asked four decades ago. While there was still support for a monarch over an elected head of state, the gap between age groups was striking. While three-quarters (76 per cent) of those aged 55+ supported the continuation of the monarchy, six in 10 (59 per cent) of those aged 16-34 favoured an elected head of state. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Support for the monarchy is now at its lowest level since our records began, with more people than ever questioning its future, said Alex Scholes, research director at the National Centre for Social Research. At the same time, when asked to choose directly, a majority of the public still prefer to keep the monarchy over moving to an elected head of state. This tension, between declining importance and continued preference, will be crucial in shaping debates about the monarchys role in the years ahead. Other data confirms the peril. According to YouGov, 62 per cent of Britons are in favour of the monarchy, down from 75 per cent in 2013. Some 91 per cent have a negative view of Andrew. From these numbers it is clear that there is a race against time to save the institution. Younger people, in particular, must be persuaded that it is worth keeping. The Palaces action this week shows that King Charles and Prince William understand what is at stake: what matters is not the courts, but the court of public opinion. This scandal is different because it has set a precedent, and that changes everything, says royal author Robert Jobson. Andrew Mountbatten Windsor has made gross mistakes, but the consequences have come without any wrongdoing being proven in a court of law. Yet, he has been stripped of his title, honours and even kicked out of his home. Still, most will welcome a line finally being drawn under this saga. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This marks a very real shift. There were times when Elizabeth II might have cast disgraced relatives aside with the publics blessing but she never did. There were no defenestrations on her watch. Her belief, driven by the events of the 1936 abdication, was that gradual change was better than anything too abrupt. Hers was a steady hand on the tiller, even if from the outside it sometimes seemed she had a tin ear when there was genuine cause for complaint. In this she mirrored her grandfather, King George V. The king-emperor was a monolith, a rearguardist, but Elizabeth attributed the success of his reign to his unshakeability and was happy to follow suit. King Edward pictured leaving Windsor Castle after making his abdication speech in 1936 - Keystone/Getty Hence it took some doing for her to rise in November 1992 at a dinner in Londons Guildhall to declare that the last 12 months had been her annus horribilis. In that time, her son Andrew separated from Sarah Ferguson and pictures were published showing her having her toes sucked by her lover, John Bryan; her daughter Princess Anne divorced husband Captain Mark Phillips and Andrew Mortons seismic biography of Princess Diana exposed the secret 20-year affair of Prince Charles and Camilla Parker Bowles. And then Windsor Castle caught fire, destroying 115 rooms and presenting the nation with a 36m repair bill. If there had been uproar over the previous scandals, it was the castle fire that tipped public opinion over the edge. The Queen, caught unawares, saw Windsor Castle as being owned by the nation and therefore their responsibility to put to rights, whereas the nation saw it as being owned by the Queen. It was a battle she lost. To help pay the bill she was obliged to open Buckingham Palace up to the paying public. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Even bloodier was the battle five years later when she put her foot down and initially refused to allow the Royal Standard flying over Buckingham Palace to be lowered on the death of Princess Diana. Caught on the back foot by the tsunami of public anger at her intransigence, she was forced to come before the TV cameras to say something appropriate. She didnt like it. Her rationale always was to protect not only her reputation, but that of the institution of monarchy, during her custodianship. If in private she criticised members of her family, she did not encourage outsiders to follow suit. So to keep her in the fold, she forgave Fergie her promiscuity and her selling access to her ex-husband to a fake sheikh. She forgave Princess Michael of Kent her many unsuitable benefactors and barely-disguised love affairs. She forgave Prince Charles for nearly derailing the entire Royal institution with his determination to stick with Camilla against public opinion. And, crucially, she forgave her son Andrew. So apparently determined was she that nobody should criticise him that after his links to Jeffrey Epstein were exposed, the late Queen installed him as a Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order, the most senior knighthood below the Garter. The timing was grossly offensive, but nobody said a thing. It was sometimes reported that Andrew was the late Queens favourite, which might have contributed to her protecting him. Whether thats true or not, we dont know, says Joe Little, managing editor of Monarch magazine. But certainly she was not able to deal with confrontation. She would compartmentalise these problems. That made Andrew sort of invincible. Prince Andrew, pictured alongside Queen Elizabeth II in 2019, was long rumoured to be her favourite - Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Buckingham Palace is clearly no longer so forgiving, but Charles and William will be mindful of the risk of Andrew doing even more damage yet despite this weeks action. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As far as royal scandals go, it is unprecedented, says Ingrid Seward, a royal biographer and editor-in-chief of Majesty magazine. But the King feels obliged to look after his brother, and if he looks after him there is less likely to be further problems going forward. He is going to make sure Andrew is suitably accommodated and has enough to live on without having to scrounge around giving interviews and writing books like Harry. The stipulation will be that he does not ever reveal anything about his former life. Harry is a cautionary tale of what happens when you throw someone to the wolves. However, other events may be out of the monarchs hands. The real danger for [the Royal family] is that these matters start being discussed in Parliament, says Nigel Cawthorne, author of Prince Andrew: Epstein, Maxwell and the Palace. Traditionally Parliament has left the Royal family alone. Once they start down that route, who knows where it could go. On Friday, Prime Minister Keir Starmer said that while he fully supports the Kings decision to strip Andrew of his titles, his Government had no plans to introduce legislation to remove Andrew from the line of succession. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Other MPs have been more forthright. Labour MP Jon Trickett said Andrew should be removed from the line of succession to guard against an unimaginable family tragedy that could see him become king. Rachael Maskell, MP for York Central, told the Today programme that the world has moved on, and we need the monarchy to be accountable by all means, not least to the public. In the US, members of the House Oversight Committee are pushing to invite Andrew to testify before Congress as part of its investigations into Epstein. All of which speaks to the sense that the nature of Andrews alleged offences is of an order of magnitude different from previous royal scandals. Divorces and affairs are one thing, says Little, but alleged sexual abuse, and the fact that [Andrew] didnt acknowledge it or react or sympathise with the victims, was a massive mistake. Had Andrew been more up front and sympathetic to Virginia Giuffre and her fellow victims, the outcome could have been remarkably different to what were seeing. Yet he wasnt. And so the nature of the allegations could hardly have become more toxic for the rest of the Royal family. Palace insiders have told the media that William knows the monarchy can only endure if it evolves. William and Catherine have made mental health, especially in young people, a focus. Queen Camilla has worked with victims of sexual abuse and has said she was the victim of an attempted sexual assault as a teenager. The recasting of the Royal family henceforward is to be profound, say experts: smaller not bigger. Service not privilege. Duty not pomp. In the six years the Andrew case has been rumbling on, and particularly after the death of the late Queen, the Royal family have already been toning down the grandeur. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The real question is what comes next, notes Jobson. When William becomes king, will he feel compelled to shrink the monarchy and that includes those still calling themselves dukes, duchesses, princes and princesses? That would mark a historic shift. In the years to come, Princess Anne is expected to continue to have an important role, and Edward and Sophie, the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, who score highly in popularity surveys, may have an increased presence. Unlike Queen Elizabeth, William is thought to be planning to to rely on cousins for royal engagements, which may mean fewer of them overall. In his hands, the monarchy is likely to look more like its lower key European counterparts. Buckingham Palace will be mindful of the upcoming review of the Sovereign Grant in 2026. Currently, the monarchy receives 132m annually from the taxpayer, a figure which rises to 500m when security costs are included. Already King Charles uses Birkhall rather than Balmoral in Scotland and prefers Highgrove to Windsor Castle. In announcing their plans to live at their forever home at Forest Lodge in Windsor, even after William takes the throne, William and Catherine will be the first king and queen not to live in a palace or castle. This has caused lasting damage, says Victoria Murphy. But the other members of the Royal family can take heart from the fact that their individual popularity ratings have not changed despite the scandal being persistent. One reason other members of the Royal family are popular is because the public doesnt perceive them to be entitled. That was always an issue with Andrews image, even before the Epstein scandal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Precedent leaves room for optimism. After the post-Diana nadir, the Royal family bounced back. The night before the Princesss funeral, Queen Elizabeth addressed the nation on television. I for one, she said, believe that there are lessons to be drawn from her life and from the extraordinary and moving reaction to her death. In the years that followed, helped by the PR guru Paddy Harverson, their popularity was restored. Queen Elizabeth was re-embraced as the grandmother of the nation. Camilla Parker Bowles was rehabilitated. William and Harrys weddings were PR triumphs. Charles coronation, which it was long feared could focus republican feeling, went ahead with barely a murmur of dissent. Resilient approval ratings for other members of the Royal family suggest Andrews disgrace has not rubbed off on them. They have learnt the lesson that Andrew Mountbatten Windsor clearly did not. If the monarchy is going to survive in a modern democracy, says Murphy, the public has to feel its members see their roles first and foremost as a service role. Andrews case is a reminder that the privilege of a royal position is not indefinite just because of birthright. 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. King Charles has formally stripped Prince Andrew of his royal titles and privileges days after the former royal relinquished his duke title. Andrew's lease on Royal Lodge has also been terminated, and he will move to a privately funded Sandringham estate. Though Andrew remains eighth in line to the throne, his honors and peerages have been revoked. The move follows Virginia Giuffre's allegations and settlement. King Charles Moves To Remove His Younger Brother's 'Prince' Title And Privileges James Whatling / MEGA King Charles has officially begun the process of stripping his younger brother, Prince Andrew, of his royal titles and privileges. This move marks the end of Andrew's long-held status within the monarchy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In an official statement released Thursday, Buckingham Palace confirmed that "His Majesty has today initiated a formal process to remove the Style, Titles and Honours of Prince Andrew. Prince Andrew will now be known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor." The palace added that Andrew's lease on Royal Lodge, his long-time residence in Windsor, has been formally terminated. "Formal notice has now been served to surrender the lease, and he will move to alternative private accommodation," the statement read, per CNN. According to BBC News, Andrew is expected to relocate to one of the King's private estates, a move personally funded by the British monarch, and to take place as soon as arrangements can be finalized. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Palace sources acknowledged that, while Andrew continues to deny all allegations against him, officials determined that his past conduct demonstrated serious lapses in judgment, prompting his latest downfall. The Former Prince Remains Eighth In Line To The Throne Despite Loss Of Royal Titles MEGA Despite the announcement, Andrew remains eighth in line to the British throne, a position that can only be revoked through formal legislation requiring the approval of Commonwealth nations worldwide, a complex process not seen since King Edward VIII's abdication in 1936. According to CNN, rather than pursue a parliamentary route to revoke Andrew's title as Duke of York, Charles will issue royal warrants to strip him of his peerages connected to York, Inverness, and Killyleagh. Until now, Andrew has also held the titles Earl of Inverness, Baron Killyleagh, Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order, and Royal Knight Companion of the Order of the Garter. The removal of these honors and titles is already in effect. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The development follows Andrew's decision earlier this month to relinquish his remaining royal affiliations, though he has continued to deny any wrongdoing connected to his association with the late financier and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Buckingham Palace Reaffirms Support For Abuse Survivors As Andrew Faces Renewed Scrutiny MEGA Andrew explained that after discussions with Charles and other senior members of the royal family, he decided to step back from public duties because the ongoing allegations had become a major distraction from the monarchy's work. The accusations, brought forward by Virginia Giuffre, alleged that Andrew sexually abused her in 2001 when she was 17. The Duke of York consistently denied the claims but ultimately reached an out-of-court settlement with Giuffre in early 2022. Tragically, Giuffre died by suicide in April of this year. In the months since, The Guardian has published excerpts from her posthumous memoir, which detail her alleged encounters with Andrew and shed further light on her experience as a victim of Epstein's network. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a statement issued Thursday, Buckingham Palace emphasized the royal family's support for survivors, saying: "Their Majesties wish to make clear that their thoughts and utmost sympathies have been, and will remain with, the victims and survivors of any and all forms of abuse." Republic Launches Legal Action Against The Ex-Prince, Accusing Royals Of Protecting Themselves Over Justice MEGA In the wake of Charles's move to strip Andrew of his royal titles, the anti-monarchy organization Republic announced that it has instructed lawyers to initiate a private prosecution against Andrew over allegations of "sexual offenses and misconduct in public office." According to the group, legal representatives have already begun reviewing evidence and are preparing to file proceedings in the coming weeks. Republic has long been one of the monarchy's most vocal critics and previously urged police to open a criminal investigation into Andrew's conduct. The Anti-Monarchy Group Says The Removal Of Andrew's Titles Does Not Equate To Accountability MEGA In a statement issued after Buckingham Palace's announcement, Graham Smith, Republic's chief executive, said the recent decision to remove Andrew's royal titles does not equate to accountability, as the disgraced Royal "is not facing justice." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Losing silly titles is not an answer to very serious accusations of sexual offenses and corruption in public office," he argued, per CNN. Smith further accused the royal family of acting out of self-preservation rather than principle, noting, "This isn't about William and Charles taking a tough line. It's about William and Charles protecting their position by putting as much distance between them and Andrew as they can." Smith concluded that the British public deserves transparency and justice, saying the case highlights the need to show that the "royals are not above the law." SYDNEY (Reuters) -U.S. defence firm Anduril Industries on Friday opened a new manufacturing facility in Sydney to produce undersea drones known as Ghost Sharks and deliver on its A$1.7 billion ($1.1 billion) supply contract with Australias navy. Australia in September awarded Anduril the contract to co-develop a fleet of Ghost Shark vessels over the next five years to complement the Royal Australian Navy's surface fleet. Dozens of the drones will be made in Sydney and could then be exported to the U.S. and other nations, subject to Australian government approval. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Anduril said the first vehicle had been completed ahead of schedule and was ready for in-water testing before a planned delivery in January. The 7,400 square metre (8,850 square yards) plant will ramp up to full-scale manufacturing in 2026 and is expected to create about 150 jobs, it said. More than 40 local businesses will also supply parts, components and materials for the programme. "Today marks a defining moment in our mission to bring sovereign undersea capability to Australia, Anduril Australia CEO David Goodrich said in a statement. We look forward to supporting Australia and its allies by producing Ghost Sharks right here in Sydney." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy said the project would strengthen Australias domestic manufacturing capabilities and secure well-paid, high-skilled jobs for the country. ($1 = 1.5389 Australian dollars) (Reporting by Christine Chen in Sydney; Editing by Kate Mayberry) Anduril today officially opened a state-of-the-art Ghost Shark manufacturing facility in Sydney, Australia. The California-based defense technology company turned the lights on just seven weeks after receiving a significant A$1.7 billion (USD$1.1 billion) investment from the Royal Australian Navy to deliver a fleet of these large autonomous underwater vehicles over the next five years. The feat coincided with the first Ghost Shark Extra Large Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (XL-AUV) rolling off the line ahead of schedule. The new 7,400 m facility is capable of manufacturing the Ghost Shark, as well as its commercial baseline, the Dive-XL, at scale. If the Australian government approves, the vessels could soon be available for export to allies and global partners. Most Read on IEN: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Ghost Shark's development was unique. Rather than relying on traditional defense acquisition, the Navy co-developed and co-funded Ghost Shark with Anduril, committing significant financial capital to the program's success. The Navy embedded personnel into Anduril's operations and returned the favor as part of a $140 million (Australian dollars) co-development contract to deliver three Ghost Sharks. The company says it delivered all three ahead of schedule and on budget. Anduril employees even worked out of the naval bases alongside navy personnel, with shared access and time on base enabling joint testing and capability development. According to Anduril, the Australian Navy expects the Ghost Shark to mark the beginning of a new era of sea prowess through maritime autonomy. The company says Australia has faced a persistent and threatening presence of Chinese naval assets in its home waters for years. AUVs can directly address this challenge through coastal defense patrols and area-wide domain awareness powered by artificial intelligence. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Anduril announced a $60 million investment in the new plant in September. The factory is a combination of advanced robotic manufacturing, AI-driven logistics and a custom test tank for in-water verification of buoyancy, electrical systems and safety before sea trials. Now that the first Ghost Shark has come off the line, it will be prepped for sea testing ahead of planned delivery in January 2026that's pretty remarkable considering it went from prototype to fleet in less than three years. Anduril took on a bit of risk in developing Ghost Shark. In February 2022, months before securing any formal engagement with government partners, Anduril acquired Boston-based AUV startup Dive Technologies. The program has started with low-rate initial production with plans to move to full-scale production in 2026. Parts and materials for the Ghost Shark are sourced from more than 40 small and mid-sized local suppliers, and more than 150 high-skilled jobs were created to make it happen. By the end of this year, an additional 100 critical infrastructure facilities will be reinforced with protective measures in Ukraine. Source: Oleksii Kuleba, Deputy Prime Minister for Restoration of Ukraine and Minister for Communities and Territories Development, during a press conference. Quote from Kuleba: "Over the past two weeks, the Restoration Agency has been performing a coordinating role among all agencies responsible for protection. Together, we have identified a list of priority facilities that require additional physical protection these are 100 facilities that will be reinforced by the end of the year." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Details: The minister noted that the protection of the energy sector is a continuous, cross-sectoral effort involving multiple bodies the Ministry of Energy, the Ministry for Communities and Territories Development, oblast military administrations, energy and gas companies, and the Armed Forces. The minister emphasised that the responsibility for the physical protection of facilities lies with their owners or balance holders. As for the projects whose additional protection is being coordinated by the Restoration Agency this year, they were selected based on priorities determined jointly by the oblast military administrations, balance holders, and the Ministry of Energy. Quote from Kuleba: "Under an experimental project launched in 2023, the Restoration Agency was responsible for protecting 22 Ukrenergo facilities across 14 oblasts. This involved 46 protective elements, 38 of which have been completed in full, while the remaining 8 with an average completion rate of about 90% will be finished by the end of the year." Background: Tymur Tkachenko, Head of Kyiv City Military Administration, stated that Volodymyr Repik, the director of the Kyiv City State Administration's Finance Department, is obstructing the plan to deploy a system of mobile shelters. Kyiv plans to install 500 mobile shelters in locations where it is not possible to build permanent ones. In 2024, the city allocated UAH 2.4 billion (US$57 million) for the installation of shelters, improving fire safety in schools, preparing them for winter, and creating educational hubs for the Defence of Ukraine school subject. It was previously reported that Ukrainian seaports currently have 30 permanent shelters and 21 mobile protective structures, with 28 more to be installed by the end of the year. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! Santa Clara County is allocating up to $4.5 million to support food aid for about 130,000 residents likely to see their federal food assistance disrupted in November if the federal government shutdown persists, county officials said. CalFresh, California's version of the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, provides about $25.5 million in food assistance to the county each month, according to a statement from Santa Clara County. CalFresh recipients begin receiving benefits on the first day of the month, but the government closure is expected to drag into another week as lawmakers departed Thursday for a long weekend. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To lessen the burden on cash-strapped residents, the county amended its contract with Second Harvest of Silicon Valley to provide up to $4.5 million to cover increased food assistance costs, though it would only cover a fraction of food aid needed if federal aid stalls through the end of November. Second Harvest is Santa Clara County's largest emergency food network. "Santa Clara County is making this investment because we will not let the Trump Administration decide that in our community children and seniors will go to bed hungry," said Sylvia Arenas, Santa Clara County Board of Supervisors vice president. The government shutdown began Oct. 1 as parties, deadlocked over a disagreement about health care subsidies, failed to pass measures to keep the government funded. The looming disruption to SNAP benefits will hit America's most vulnerable residents. To be eligible for food aid, households generally must earn less than 200% of the federal poverty level. For a family of four, the threshold is $64,300. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Santa Clara's announcement comes after San Francisco announced this week that the roughly 112,000 city residents who use SNAP are expected to have all of their November benefits covered by gift cards the city is preparing to distribute through an $18 million public-private partnership. Half the money will come from the $400 million reserve that Mayor Daniel Lurie and San Francisco lawmakers established in the city budget this year to help the local government alleviate federal funding cuts under the Trump administration. The other half will be paid for by the Crankstart Foundation, the family foundation of wealthy venture capitalist Michael Moritz. This article originally published at Another Bay Area county is sending millions to support SNAP recipients during shutdown. While you are jamming out to music or watching your favorite show, you might suddenly hear a dystopian voice during an ad break: Are you ready to join the mission to protect America from undocumented immigrants who are predators and dangerous illegals? This fear-mongering language about immigrants is part of many Immigration and Customs Enforcement recruitment ads being aired on your favorite streaming platforms and its causing users like Caroline Eddy to boycott what they once used every day. Also Read: ICE Is Offering Voiceover Actors Like Me An Insane Payday But Look At What They Want Us To Say Eddy, a New Jersey-based graduate student, used to listen to hours of music every day on her Spotify paid subscription. Over the years, she has made 30 playlists for her kids, for a good cry, and even for her wedding day, on the platform. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But once she heard that Spotify was running Immigration and Customs Enforcement recruitment ads referencing undocumented immigrants as dangerous illegals, it was an immediate no-brainer decision, she said. As a paying subscriber, she doesnt hear ads, but she still canceled her Spotfiy subscription immediately: It was just like, Oh, too bad, fuck you guys, Im out. Eddy, who is Mexican American, said this nation is run by immigrants, and that this ad feels like propaganda just catered to people that are not us. And shes not alone. Progressive group Indivisible is calling on people to cancel Spotify subscriptions in particular, saying in a blog post that Streaming hate is not neutral. Its a choice. Life: Im A Latino In Trumps America. This Is How My Life Changed After The Supreme Court Ruled In Favor Of Racial Profiling. In response to questions, Spotify told HuffPost in a statement, This ad is part of a wider campaign from the U.S. government running across multiple platforms, including television, streaming, and online channels. Users can provide feedback on ads such as liking or disliking them to help manage their ad experience. The company declined to answer questions about how many people have canceled their subscriptions over this ad. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Because ICE recruitment ads with anti-immigrant language can now be found on so many streaming services beyond Spotify, the boycott against these platforms is widespread. That makes it different from the recent successful cancel Disney boycott, in which people focused their ire on one company. They canceled their cruises and Disney+ subscriptions to protest the media companys decision to pull late-night host Jimmy Kimmel off the air. Could this Cancel ICE ads movement be the next cancel Disney? Boycott experts explained the challenges of these ongoing streaming boycotts and what it would take for them to be successful. The Dehumanizing Language Toward Immigrants In These Ads Is Spurring People To Take Action People are ditching their favorite streaming services over ICE ads. But experts are mixed on whether this action can make a difference. Illustration: HuffPost; Photos: Getty Although Spotify is being singled out, it is not the only streaming service currently running ICE ads with dehumanizing language toward immigrants. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hayden Doughty, a New London, Connecticut resident, said she was watching an episode of Charmed on Peacock in September when she saw multiple ICE ads asking her to help ICE catch the worst of the worst with visuals of people being arrested. Tech: Want Your Phone Battery To Last Longer? This 2-Second Trick Might Be The Answer The language and visuals in the ad felt pretty violent to me, especially because of what weve been seeing from ICE raids, Doughty said. I want to tune out when I watch TV and the commercial is really jarring. She has since switched over to watching Charmed on Amazon Prime, where she doesnt see ICE ads. Consumers should expect to see more of these ICE ads, no matter where they tune in, though. ICE ads are on social media like X, LinkedIn and Meta. Some companies, including HuffPost, use open advertising exchange programs to host ads on their sites or platforms, and ICE recruitment ads have also appeared through those services. These ads are not placed directly with the company but are delivered via third-party networks that distribute campaigns across multiple platforms. Because they can surface under different providers and domains, they can be difficult to preemptively block. (When identified, HuffPost takes immediate steps to remove and block the ICE ads. Other companies have the power to choose whether or not they do this as well.) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Associated Press reported that the Department of Homeland Security is spending millions on television advertising efforts that reference dangerous illegals who walk free in efforts to hire 10,000 more deportation officers by the end of the year. Beyond Spotify, HBO Max, TBS, Pandora, Peacock and Hulu are some of the popular streaming services that have run ICE ads, according to users listening to these ads or confirmed by the companies themselves. HuffPost reached out to each of these companies about the criticism their ICE recruitment ads have received. Most did not respond. Peacock declined to comment on the record. But even if companies are not speaking out, people are noticing and getting mad. When HBO Max and TBS showed ICE recruitment videos in between an All Elite Wrestling show, Hangman Page, a professional wrestler signed to AEW, had a strong reaction: Fuck ICE airing commercials during dynamite, he posted on social media, along with links for feedback to Max and TBS. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement T.C. Fontaine, a Las Vegas-based professional wrestling fan, said he was tired of being force-fed ICE ads on Max, and when the prices for subscription plans with ads recently increased, it made the decision to quit paying for Max easy. Life: Fed Up With ICE Crackdowns? Here's How To Actually Make A Difference For Immigrants. Thats the type of action these ads can spur, said Americus Reed, a marketing professor at the University of Pennsylvanias Wharton School. Because of our divided nation, ICE ads will certainly irritate half of the people that would be exposed to it, Reed said. People are going to these streams to unplug and be entertained and be happy... So its a dumb idea to insert political polarization into that customer experience. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Reed said consumers could become highly annoyed enough to reach that threshold where theyll say, I want to do something else or just exit. The timing of these ads is also a factor that can cause people to cancel: The worst time to try to psychologically interrupt someone is in this moment [while Im] listening to my spa music on Spotify, Reed noted. Although the exact language can differ on each platform, these ICE recruitment ads typically ask listeners to protect their homeland by rounding up undocumented immigrants. You took an oath to protect and serve, to keep your family, your city, safe, a narrator declares in one ad targeting local officers. But in sanctuary cities, youre ordered to stand down while dangerous illegals walk free. ICE agents arresting people in cities fly across the screen. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It makes us look like were animals, like were savages, like theyre coming to get rid of us, and that just hurts my heart, said Marissa Bejarano, a writer and educator of immigrants based in the South. She used to watch trash TV on Peacock to get through 30 minutes on the Stairmaster, but canceled her subscription after learning the platform ran ICE recruitment ads. What These Streaming Boycotts Are Missing Compared To Other Recent Successful Ones Although the uniquely upsetting emotions this ad causes might help the boycott, the distributed nature of the ads also poses a challenge, experts said. The successful cancel Disney boycott had a focused target and ask: Cancel Disney+ subscriptions to pressure Disney to reverse its decision on suspending late night TV host Jimmy Kimmel. It worked, and Kimmel was reinstated less than a week after the boycott started. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But this streaming boycott goes beyond one service like Spotify. Koen Pauwels, a professor of marketing at Northeastern University, said this wide target is also its weakness, and it is very unlikely that boycotters will succeed in causing companies to notice and stop running ICE ads. If almost all streaming platforms have such ads, the consumer would have to quit all, which is unrealistic for most, Pauwels said. Beyond the immediate loss of revenue, streaming platforms would now also be targeted directly by the president and his administration. So the boycott has to be massive to affect such change. Posting hashtags and TikToks about your outrage over ICE ads is not going to change companies behavior, Reed said. He said social media can make it appear like this boycott is a movement, as opposed to a moment. Whether or not Spotify or any other platforms will be hurt by a scalable collective moral outrage-driven response depends on how quickly it can be mobilized and how easy you can make it for people to switch out into something else, Reed said. People Who Are Boycotting Stress That It Makes A Difference You have to reach a very high psychological aversion threshold before youre willing to inconvenience yourself. Whats working in favor of these streaming companies is inertia, Reed said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But for some, the outrage over what they are hearing and seeing ICE say on the channels they pay for outweighs the inconvenience of starting over with a new platform. Take it from Eddy, who had years of playlists she curated on Spotify and is still deciding which music streaming service she will use instead. She is currently leaning towards Audiomack, a music streaming platform that has explicitly stated on social media that it will not run ICE ads. There is a learning curve, which is frustrating for me, because I used Spotify for a long time, but I think I might end up using that [Audiomack] app, Eddy said. Since leaving Spotify, Eddy has also found a like-minded group of people on social media to share music files and information with: If it got to the point where I could have nothing, if everything was tainted by this [Trump] administration, I know that I have people that would back me up, she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bejarano, meanwhile, said she has canceled Spotify, Hulu, Peacock, and is ready to cancel more streaming services she learns ICE ads are running on. For her, the decision is clear. When platforms like Spotify air this kind of ICE ad, Their message to me is that they dont have respect for me or my community, and Im not going to give them a dollar. Related... Read the original on HuffPost In recent days, a chorus of left-wing lawmakers in Congress have ramped up their ire towards the United Arab Emirates, accusing the Gulf country of helping fuel the yearslong civil war in Sudan by reportedly backing the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), the non-Islamist Arab force fighting the Muslim Brotherhood-aligned Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF). The UAE has long denied allegations of involvement in the war. The Wall Street Journal reported this week that, according to sources, recent assessments by the Defense Intelligence Agency and the State Departments intelligence bureau purport to show the UAE sending Chinese drones to the RSF. On the other side, Iran, Russia, Egypt and Turkey have provided support to the SAF, according to conflict monitors and reporting by Bloomberg and The Washington Post. The war in Sudan has wrought havoc upon the eastern African nation, with both warring factions committing crimes against humanity. The conflict has killed as many as 150,000 people and has displaced around 12 million. Over the more than two-year long conflict, both militias have been accused of widespread sexual assault, mass killings of civilians, torture and deliberate attacks on civilian infrastructure. On Monday, the RSF captured the city of El Fasher after an 18-month blockade which saw the group effectively devastate the city, with reports of mass killings, sexual violence and the destruction of hospitals and displacement camps. The U.S. government, under former President Joe Biden, determined the RSF was committing genocide and found both the RSF and SAF guilty of committing war crimes. Meanwhile, the Muslim Brotherhoods growing influence with the Sudanese Armed Forces has alarmed experts, who warn that the SAFs deepening ties to Islamist networks threaten regional stability and could pose a risk far beyond the eastern African nation. The Muslim Brotherhood has had a strong presence in Sudan since the 1940s and that presence has evolved over the years, Norman Roule, a former senior U.S. intelligence official, told Jewish Insider. Its important to note that this presence is also why Iran is such a strong supporter of the Burhan [head of SAF] government. Liam Karr, an analyst at the American Enterprise Institute, who has condemned actions on both sides of the conflict, says the ties date back to former Islamist dictator Omar al-Bashir, who ruled Sudan for several decades before the SAF overthrew him in 2019. The SAF is working with several Islamist brigades that consist of former Bashir-era army, police and intelligence personnel, Karr told JI. This includes the al Baraa Ibn Malik Brigade, which is widely associated with the Sudanese Muslim Brotherhood and Bashir and has an estimated 20,000 fighters. In recent months, the SAF has received explosive attack drones from Irans Revolutionary Guard Corps to aid in the conflict, while Egypt, one of their key backers, arrested a key Islamist militia leader aligned with the group signaling that even staunch regional supporters of the group are growing wary of its Islamist factions, according to Foundation for Defense of Democracies Research Fellow Hussain Adbul-Hussain. Roule said Iran has a vested interest in providing the SAF with weaponry in order to reestablish a presence in the region and revitalize their broken proxies, following Israels degrading of its military capabilities and of its proxy Hezbollah, as well as the fall of the Assad regime in Syria. This is of extreme importance to the U.S. and its partners in the region, because if the Quds Force [IRGC] is able to establish a presence it lost in Syria, it would be able to reestablish training camps it operated a decade ago for Hamas smugglers, routes for weapons that it could send back into Gaza and revitalize Lebanese Hezbollah, as well as provide a transshipment location of weapons to the Houthis, said Roule. The Muslim Brotherhood presence in Khartoum is of serious concern for the United States and deserves much greater attention. It is a significant threat to the United States, Israel and the region. Anti-Israel lawmakers, including some of the Jewish states most vocal critics in the House, have sounded the alarm on the RSF, but have notably glossed over the SAF and its increasingly Islamist alignment. Sudan is facing the worlds worst humanitarian crisis and a genocide, said Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-MN) in a post on social media on Tuesday. The UAE and other arms dealers to the RSF and RSF-aligned militias must be held accountable. Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) echoed the same sentiment, saying she is horrified by the RSFs mass killings of civilians. We must do everything in our power to stop this genocide, including cutting off all weapons sales to the United Arab Emirates who are arming and funding this ethnic cleansing, said Tlaib on social media on Wednesday. Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-TX) followed suit and similarly directed his criticism at the Emirates. I am incredibly concerned about the deepening humanitarian crisis in Sudan, and the atrocities committed by the Rapid Support Forces, Castro wrote on social media on Wednesday. The United States must put pressure on the RSF and those who back it including the United Arab Emirates to end these atrocities. A number of far-left activists online have also singled out the RSF and its reported Emirati ties for condemnation. Kenneth Roth, a virulent critic of Israel and former head of Human Rights Watch, posted on Tuesday, British arms sold to the United Arab Emirates are being found in Sudan, where the UAE is arming the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces as they commit genocide. Both the Biden and Trump administrations refused to hold the UAE accountable as it armed Sudans RSF, despite massacre after massacre, atrocity after atrocity, wrote New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof, adding, Members of Congress are showing more responsibility and initiative. House Democrats, led by Reps. Gregory Meeks and Sara Jacobs, released a statement in April marking the two year anniversary of the conflict. External actors like the UAE must immediately stop fueling the conflict by arming the warring parties, the statement said notably only listing the UAE and omitting any mention of Turkey, Iran, Russia, and other countries who have sent arms to factions in Sudan. A bi-partisan group of senators, including Ranking Member Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.) of the Senate Foreign Relations committee, released a statement on Thursday breaking in tone from the other lawmakers condemning both sides and making mention of all nations reportedly backing the war. Both the RSF and the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) have committed atrocities against civilians and pursued a zero-sum war at any cost, the lawmakers said in a statement. Foreign backers of the RSF and SAF-including the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Russia, Iran, China and governments in the immediate region-have fueled and profited from the conflict and legitimized the monsters destroying Sudan, the senators continued. Secular forces in Sudan have called for the countrys Islamist movement to be classified as a terrorist group, according to Hussain. Sudans Civil Democratic Alliance of Revolutionary Forces (Sumud) has stated that the Islamist movement sees no pathway for ending the fighting other than the complete submission of the Sudanese people to its terrorist regime, an arrangement that has never achieved peace. Karr says the Trump administration and the SAFs own partners have put heavy pressure on the group to distance itself politically from the Islamist groups. Karr also believes pressure should be applied to the RSF. In his second term, President Donald Trump voiced support for designating the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organization. Various members of congress have introduced legislation that would require the secretary of state to use this designation, though Congress has yet to move forward with the legislation. (Seth Wenig/Rainmaker Photos/AP photos) The only thing more disconcerting than the proliferation of virulent, overt anti-Semitism on both the left and right in recent years has been the mainstreaming of a less proud, but more insidious kind of Jew hatred in recent months. Tucker Carlson, the conspiracy theory-addled internet personality still benefitting from the air of legitimacy his stint at Fox News lent him, sat down this week with Nick Fuentes, the countrys most infamous champion of open anti-Semitism. Theirs was a friendly chat. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Carlson did devote a moment to insisting upon the principle that all should be judged as individuals, as well as to tsk-tsking Fuentes over his past criticism of figures like Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA), but for the most part, he nodded along as Fuentes inveighed against organized Jewry in America. After Fuentes submitted that there was a deep connection between Jewishness, Jewish identity, the Jewish religion and the neoconservative foreign policy principles the two commentators share a mutual loathing for, Carlson agreed in principle, chalking it up to identity politics. But the problem in your response is it does not apply to every individual, he added. No, and I would never say that, insisted Fuentes in reply. And just like that, the whitewashing of a previously fringe figure who believes Adolf Hitler was really f*cking cool and has called for the execution of perfidious Jews, among many, many more such statements, was complete. His problem isnt with all Jews, you see. Only the perfidious ones. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fuentes has been laying the groundwork for this transition. In one recent episode of his show, he called out Jake Shields, a rival in the anti-Semitic content creation space, for articulating a worldview in which all Jews are evil and everything they do is bad, even going so far as to call the longtime subjects of his hate a remarkable people. In another, he accused Carlson himself of overdoing it with his comments at Charlie Kirks memorial service about people eating hummus in Jerusalem deciding to execute Jesus Christ. The aim of this tack to the center of the anti-Semitic spectrum is obvious. Fuentes has taken a cue from Carlson and provided his fellow travelers with the dash of plausible deniability that they need to cite and promote him. This somewhat softened public image has already paid dividends, helping him gain a foothold in Americas mainstream political culture and build an even larger audience. For a moment, Fuentess show actually topped Spotifys trending podcast chart earlier this month. Carlson and Fuentess influence on the right today can be measured in much more than charts and views. The former played a key role in getting Vice President JD Vance his job. And when an apparent acolyte of the latter suggested, over the course of a question directed at Vance during Turning Point USAs Wednesday night event at Ole Miss, that Israels religion openly supports the prosecution (sic) of ours, Vance left that incendiary claim uncorrected while pouring the gasoline on the fire. When people say that Israel is somehow manipulating or controlling the President of the United States, theyre not controlling this President of the United States, which is one of the reasons why weve been able to have some of the success that weve had in the Middle East, boasted Vance. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement See what he did there? He didnt reject the premise that Israel has been the barrier to American success in the Middle East. Quite the opposite, he accepted it, rewriting history to insist that it is actually the most pro-Israel president in American historys willingness to buck his most loyal ally in the region that has yielded results. It was a baffling answer; one that can only be explained by a determination that he will need to lean as heavily on Carlson and his audience to secure his next promotion as he did to get his last. Whats more disturbing still is that this is a bipartisan phenomenon. Democrats silence about the widespread anti-Semitic behavior at anti-Israel protests in major cities and on influential college campuses around the country over the last two years was deafening. And now, the party and its allies in the media are lining up without reservation behind Zohran Mamdani, the far-left assemblyman who has inherited an unhealthy obsession with Israel from his parents. Mamdanis ability to defend himself from the charge of anti-Semitism hangs on a shred of plausible deniability as tenuous as Carlsons. He is loath to criticize Hamas, but hell tell anyone who will listen about his fantasy of jailing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. His statements responding to both the October 7 massacre and commemorating its second anniversary were mostly denunciations of its victims. His remarks about the connections between the IDF and NYPD rival any of the conspiracies outlined by The Protocols of the Elders of Zion. He celebrated Hanukkah by posting a video of non-Jews mocking Jewish holiday traditions. He pals around with the likes of Hasan Piker. His wife mourns Hamass accomplices. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But the (D) next to Mamdanis name is a powerful shield. He is now the good guys' nominee to be the next mayor of Americas largest city, so the Occams Razor explanation for Mamdanis record can and indeed must be ignored. The fusion of these mirror-image phenomena is readily observable exemplified by the aforementioned Greenes newly established status as every Democrats favorite Republican. Greene is still the same anti-Semitic nutter who previously speculated that the Rothschilds were using a space laser to start wildfires in California. Indeed, recent days have seen her issue warnings about Israel assassinating her and the Jews taking over TPUSA. But, none of that has stopped her from earning the strange, new respect of a wide range of Democrats and media personalities delighted by her newfound willingness to criticize President Donald Trump. The blind eye both major parties have turned to the mainstreaming of Jew hatred within their coalitions is one of the most consequential political developments of the last decade. It happened slowly at first, and then all at once. The minute the lines could be blurred, the bigots blurred them while accepting cover from self-interested partisans unwilling to concede a single vote in the name of preserving their souls. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When things go from bad to worse and mark these words, they will the blame will lie not only with those who explicitly fomented this ancient, reborn evil, but those, from the Heritage Foundation to Hakeem Jeffries, who coddled it in its cradle. The post Anti-Semitisms Insidious Climb Back Through the Overton Window first appeared on Mediaite. GYEONGJU, South Korea (AP) Chinese leader Xi Jinping told Asia-Pacific leaders on Friday that his country would help to defend global free trade at an annual economic regional forum snubbed by U.S. President Donald Trump. Xi took center stage at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit that began Friday in the South Korean city of Gyeongju, as Trump left the country a day earlier after reaching deals with Xi meant to ease their escalating trade war. This years two-day APEC summit has been heavily overshadowed by the Trump-Xi meeting that was arranged on the sidelines. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump described his Thursday meeting with Xi as a roaring success, saying he would cut tariffs on China, while Beijing had agreed to allow the export of rare earth elements and start buying American soybeans. Their deals were a relief to a world economy rattled by trade tensions between the worlds two largest economies. Trumps decision to skip APEC fits with his well-known disdain for big, multi-nation forums that have been traditionally used to address global problems. But his blunt dismissal of APEC risks worsening Americas reputation at a forum that represents nearly 40% of the worlds population and more than half of global goods trade. Xi defends multilateralism The more turbulent the times, the more we must work together, Xi said during APEC's opening session. "The world is undergoing a period of rapid change, with the international situation becoming increasingly complex and volatile. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Xi called for maintaining supply chain stability, in a riposte to U.S. efforts to decouple its supply chains from China. He also expressed hopes to work with other countries to expand cooperation in green industries and clean energy. In written remarks sent to a CEO summit held in conjunction with APEC, Xi said China was open for investment and would uphold the multilateral trading system. Facts have proven that whoever gains a foothold in the Chinese market will be able to seize the critical opportunity in increasingly fierce international competition, Xi wrote. Investing in China is investing in the future. U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent, who attended the summit on Trumps behalf, said a U.S. move to rebalance its trade relationships would ensure that each country operates on fair and reciprocal terms. He added that the U.S. is investing with its trading partners to build resilient production networks that reduce dependence on vulnerable sectors. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Xi met other leaders on the sidelines Its Xis first visit to South Korea in 11 years. On the sidelines of the summit, Xi had bilateral meetings with new Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul on Friday. In his meeting with Takaichi, Xi said he hopes the two countries would commit to building a constructive and stable relationship "fit for the new era. Takaichi expressed hopes to ease what she called a variety of challenges facing the two countries. She said she also hopes to deepen her personal relationship with Xi. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Saturday, Xi is to meet South Korean President Lee Jae Myung for another one-on-one meeting expected to touch on North Koreas nuclear program. APEC faces challenges Established in 1989 during a period of increased globalization, APEC champions free and open trade and investment to accelerate regional economic integration. But the APEC region now faces challenges like strategic competitions between the U.S. and China, supply chain vulnerabilities, aging populations and the impact of AI on jobs. The U.S. strategy has been shifted to economic competitions with China rather than cooperation, with Trumps tariff hikes and America first agenda shaking markets and threatening decades of globalization and multinationalism. Leaders and other representatives from 21 Asia-Pacific Rim economies are attending the APEC meeting to discuss how to promote economic cooperation and tackle shared challenges. Opening the summit as chair, Lee called for greater cooperation and solidarity. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It's obvious that we can't always stand on the same side, as our national interests are at stake. But we can join together for the ultimate goal of shared prosperity," Lee said. I hope we will have candid and constructive discussions on how we can achieve APECs vision in the face of the new challenge of a rapidly changing international economic environment." Carney reiterated his government's plan to double its non-U.S. exports in the next decade, as he said that our world is undergoing one of the most profound shifts since the fall of the Berlin Wall. Despite Trumps optimism after a 100-minute meeting with Xi, there continues to be the potential for major tensions between the countries, with both seeking dominant places in manufacturing and developing emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence. It is certainly a contribution to bring the leaders of the two largest economies together for a meeting where they agreed to withdraw their most extreme tariff and export control threats. As a result, worst-case outcomes for global trade were averted, said Leif-Eric Easley, professor of international studies at Ewha Womans University in Seoul. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, APEC is meant to be more than a venue for a trade war truce, Easley said. Greater multilateral efforts are needed to address the regions most pressing economic challenges, including resisting costly and destabilizing protectionism, harmonizing regulations for sustainable trade, and coordinating standards for digital innovation. Host South Korea pushes for joint statement South Korean officials said theyve been communicating with other countries to prod all 21 members to adopt a joint statement at the end of the summit so as not to repeat the failure to issue one in 2018 in Papua New Guinea due to U.S.-China discord over trade. South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun said last week that issuing a joint statement strongly endorsing free trade would be unlikely because of differing positions among APEC members. He instead anticipated a broader declaration emphasizing peace and prosperity in the region. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As the host nation, South Korea placed a priority on discussing AI cooperation and demographic challenges during the summit. ___ Wu reported from Taipei, Taiwan. Associated Press writer Mari Yamaguchi in Tokyo contributed to this report. By Jihoon Lee GYEONGJU, South Korea (Reuters) -Most Asia-Pacific countries want and are heading in the direction of free and open trade, a senior official at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) secretariat said, as U.S. President Donald Trump's tariffs overshadowed the forum's annual summit. Carlos Kuriyama, Director of the Policy Support Unit, also told Reuters on Friday that he was confident the summit would reach a joint declaration, noting that all member countries, including the U.S., were working hard on it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I think many APEC members continue advocating for free trade. We heard some presidents and prime ministers, some economic leaders, do that earlier on (at the forum)," Kuriyama said. The interview was conducted on the sidelines of the annual meeting in Gyeongju, South Korea, after the leaders of its 21 member economies attended the first session of the two-day summit ending on Saturday. "You can see that most APEC members are really going in that direction of free and open trade," Kuriyama said, citing a trade pact between China and the ASEAN bloc of Southeast Asian nations upgraded earlier this week. The U.S. was represented by Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent at the APEC summit. Trump, whose policies have often run counter to free trade and multilateralism, left the Asian country on Thursday after striking trade deals with South Korea and China. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As Washington embraces barriers and bilateral deal-making, Beijing is trying to position itself as a predictable champion of free and open trade, a role the U.S. has held for decades. "They are contributing," Kuriyama said of Trump's trade deals, as they reduce trade barriers and policy uncertainty for APEC. He cited that the bloc, which accounts for 61% of world GDP, is expected to record economic growth of 3.1% this year and 2.9% next year. When asked about the prospects of having a joint declaration, Kuriyama said there was momentum to achieve this with all delegations "working around the clock". The U.S. is also engaging with all members "very actively" to find a way to adopt a joint statement and launch initiatives, Kuriyama said, echoing an earlier U.S. comment that its participation has been "very strong and robust". Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nonetheless, Kuriyama acknowledged "it is very hard to get a consensus nowadays" under the current global trade order of weakening multilateralism, and that is why like-minded countries are coming together in smaller groups to push their initiatives. Still, that is more the reason for APEC - a non-binding, member-driven forum - to remain an important arena for countries to talk and find a solution, he said. "Here, they can do it in a more relaxed way, right?" (Reporting by Jihoon Lee, additional reporting by Eduardo Baptista; Editing by Ed Davies and Raju Gopalakrishnan) ALBANY - The state's second-highest court on Thursday unanimously dismissed a lawsuit challenging a county judge's authority to vacate another judge's rulings in a 2024 murder trial. The decision marked the second time in five years that the appellate court has reviewed the actions of a judge in the case of Raymond Snyder, who was sentenced to 25 years in prison for the 2020 murder of Romero K. Underwood in Kingston. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That sentence came at the end of Snyder's second trial after his first was dismissed following errors by the prosecution. Snyder has appealed his conviction, but he also filed an Article 78 lawsuit against Ulster County District Attorney Emmanuel Nneji and Sullivan County Judge James Farrell, who oversaw the trial after Ulster County Judge Bryan Rounds recused himself from the case. Snyder argued in the Article 78 proceeding that Farrell's decision to retry the case was outside his jurisdictional authority. But in a 5-0 judgment, the Appellate Division of the state Supreme Court's Third Department dismissed the petition as moot, writing that whether the decision to retry the case was erroneous will be determined by Snyder's ongoing criminal appeal, which was filed in March. The status of the criminal appeal was not clear as of Friday. In Snyder's first trial in 2022, dubbed a "charade" by the appellate court, Rounds dismissed the murder charges after the prosecution declined to participate. Much of the prosecution's key evidence had been precluded from the trial due to their failure to meet discovery deadlines and allegations that Snyder had asked for an attorney prior to being brought to the police station. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nneji, who served as chief assistant district attorney at the time, said he filed a request to delay the trial, which the appellate court had no record of. The case later became a source of controversy in Nneji's run for district attorney. In November 2023, the appellate court nullified Rounds' order to dismiss the murder charges, and after Rounds recused himself from the case, Farrell ordered Snyder to stand trial for a second time. Underwood, the victim, was fatally beaten and shot on July 11, 2020, in Kingston. Snyder and Callin LeMon allegedly went to Underwood's home to rob him of cocaine, according to the Daily Freeman. LeMon was acquitted of murder in a separate trial. This article originally published at Appeals court dismisses lawsuit over judge's role in Kingston murder trial. The Iowa Court of Appeals has upheld a $1.8 million civil penalty against a hazardous-liquid pipeline company. (Photo via Getty Images) The Iowa Court of Appeals has upheld a $1.8 million civil penalty against a company that for almost 21 years failed to obtain the required permits for 750 miles of hazardous-liquid pipelines in Iowa. Enterprise Products Operating had appealed a district courts ruling that affirmed a decision by the Iowa Utilities Commission to fine the company $1.8 million for nine separate violations of a law requiring permits for interstate hazardous-liquid pipelines and underground storage facilities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In its appeal, Enterprise argued the commission and the district court erred in deciding that Enterprises pipeline system required nine permits, rather than one, and had therefore committed nine violations of the law rather than one. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX The company also claimed the commission lacked the authority to impose a civil penalty of more than $200,000 because the nine violations were each part of a related series of violations as defined by state law. The appeals court ruled it could not consider Enterprises first claim because it did not preserve error by arguing that point when the case was before the commission and then the district court. The appeals court also found that the commission correctly interpreted the legal cap on penalties. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Enterprise owns and operates a hazardous-liquid pipeline system that crosses several states, Iowa included, and carries butane, propane and natural gas. The pipeline system known as the Mid-America Pipeline System was originally built and owned by the Mid-America Pipeline Company in the early 1960s. In November 1997, Williams Natural Gas Liquids acquired Mid-America Pipeline, and in July 2002, Enterprise purchased a 98% ownership interest in that company and with it the entire Mid-America Pipeline System, which then included 750 miles of pipeline and underground storage facilities in Iowa. In 1995, the Iowa Legislature then amended the state law in a manner that required pipeline operators to obtain new permits from the state. It is undisputed that Mid-America Pipeline Company and then Williams, and then Enterprise never sought those permits. On Feb. 6, 2023, the commission notified Enterprise that it had discovered 750 miles of hazardous-liquid pipeline in Iowa were owned and operated by Enterprise and lacked the necessary permits. The commission demanded an explanation and scheduled a hearing at which the company could argue why it should not be subject to civil penalties. Case turns on singular or plural use of series At the hearing in March 2023, Enterprise explained that it was unaware of Iowas permit requirements and asserted that Williams had warranted that all state permit requirements were satisfied. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One month later, in April 2023, the commission issued an order imposing $1.8 million in civil penalties on Enterprise, alleging Enterprise had been operating nine hazardous-liquid pipelines and underground storage facilities without permits for almost 21 years. It calculated that each of the nine violations had continued for 7,535 days from when Enterprise acquired the pipeline system until it initiated efforts to obtain a permit and that each of the nine violations warranted a $200,000 penalty. At the time, the commission noted that due to the 21 years of daily violations, the penalty could have resulted in a total of $67.8 million in penalties had it not been for the Iowa law capping penalties at $200,000 per pipeline and underground storage facility. In deciding to impose the maximum penalty, the commission took note of Enterprises market capitalization of $55.9 billion and its long record of working in the pipeline industry. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After Polk County District Judge Scott D. Rosenberg upheld the commissions ruling, Enterprise filed its appeal, sending the case to the Iowa Court of Appeals. In ruling in favor of the commission, the appeals court noted that Iowa law caps penalties at $200,000 for any related series of violations, with Enterprise arguing that its nine permit violations were all part of one related series since they were all tied to the same interconnected series of pipes. Even if we assume that Enterprise is correct that nine separate permit violations at different locations across Iowa some for pipeline and others for underground storage facilities can be considered related, this argument falters, the court ruled. It assumes that the word series is being used as a plural noun rather a singular one both forms are spelled the same. Only if series were plural could the statute be capping multiple related series. If series is singular, then the statute caps a single series of violations that is related. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Second grade students work on math equations at Seven Oaks Global Magnet in Columbia, S.C., on Monday, Oct. 27, 2025. (Photo by Skylar Laird/SC Daily Gazette) COLUMBIA Most students who applied for South Carolinas private K-12 tuition aid program this year were either already attending private school or homeschooled, according to data from the Department of Education. The law signed by Gov. Henry McMaster in May provided $7,500 scholarships to 10,000 students this school year. Its unknown exactly how many parents received state aid for tuition they previously paid for themselves. It appears the education agency didnt actually collect that information. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Instead, the Education Scholarship Trust Fund application asked whether students were entering kindergarten, attended a public school last year, or something else officially, other. Parents selected that other category on 59% of the 16,127 applications submitted by mid-August, according to agency data provided to the SC Daily Gazette through a public records request. They likely attended a private school, though some may have been homeschooled, said Felicity Ropp, whose job with Palmetto Promise Institute involves helping parents sign up for the program. The law does not allow state scholarships for homeschooling. Also unclear is how many and which students ended up on a waitlist. This year, the 10,000 slots were filled on a first-come, first-served basis. According to the application data, at least 10% of parents reported making too much to qualify. But the education agency has not provided a breakdown of how many applicants were deemed ineligible or other specifics about students accepted into the program, including their previous schooling. Applicants for 2025-26 By mid-August, parents submitted applications for 16,127 students. Heres the type of school they attended in 2024-25: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement None incoming kindergartener: 2,078 Public school: 3,692 Public charter school: 775 Other: 9,582 Source: S.C. Department of Education It makes sense that parents of students in private school were quick to apply, said Patrick Kelly, lobbyist for the Palmetto State Teachers Association. Private schools and private choice advocates were providing information to parents, and getting a scholarship would save them money, he added. But public schools werent spreading the word. The details were also unknown when sign-ups started in mid-January under the previous law just as debate on the legislation started. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement No ones going to apply for a program they dont know exists, Kelly said, adding that public schools should do a better job of telling parents the money is available. Application windows For students getting a scholarship this year as well as any of their siblings the early application period for slots next school year opens Saturday, as required by the law passed in the spring. Legislators put priority windows in the law for first dibs on the state-funded scholarships. The next application round starts Jan. 15 for students attending a public school this year, families making up to 300% of the federal poverty level, and/or children of active-duty military personnel stationed in South Carolina. Everyone else whos eligible can start applying Feb. 9. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For next school year, that means all families with incomes up to 500% of the federal poverty level. A family of four, for example, qualifies as long as the parents income is no more than $160,750, according to the latest poverty guidelines, which increase annually. By law, at least 15,000 students will be enrolled for aid in 2026-27. The scholarship amount, which rises with state increases in public school spending, is expected to be at least $7,600, according to the Department of Education. How many students get the taxpayer aid will likely be part of next years budget debate. The law set 15,000 as the minimum availability for 2026-27 and beyond. If more eligible students apply, as occurred for this years 10,000-student cap, legislators can fund more scholarships. That is, unless another legal challenge brings payments to a halt. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A state Supreme Court ruling in September 2024 stopped payments for private tuition soon after the programs start. Justices found those scholarships violated the state constitutions ban on public money directly benefiting private education. Private donors paid tuition for about 800 students so they could stay in their private schools last school year. Republican legislators made passing a law to restart the state aid their top priority for 2025. Whether the law signed in May legally skirts the constitutions rule will likely again be a question for the states highest court. Another lawsuit is coming, said Dena Crews, president of the South Carolina Education Association, which sued last time. Its lawyers are still gathering and reviewing data as they seek to prove the money still provides a direct benefit to private schools. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Whos getting the money? Crews said about the aid. Is it truly going to families who want to move their child from public school to private school, or is it helping out private schools and their budgets? She had no estimate for when the association will file the suit. Who applied Under the previous law signed in 2023, students entering the program had to be leaving a public school or entering kindergarten. The new law threw those limitations out the window. As long as families meet income eligibility rules, they can apply. For the 10,000 slots this school year, families couldnt earn more than 300% of the federal poverty level, which is $96,450 for a family of four. The scholarships will be a big help to many parents with students in private school, Ropp said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Just because they were paying for tuition doesnt mean theyre well off financially. They may have been scraping by to put their child in private school, she said. The state aid can also be used for other expenses, such as tutoring and computers, she noted. Having any kind of financial relief is just a huge deal for these families, Ropp said. According to the application data, just over half of the students, or 8,500, were eligible for Medicaid. That means their parents made less than 210% of federal poverty levels, or $66,900 for a family of four. For over 10% of students, or 1,700, their parents reported incomes above this years limits, according to the data. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When legislators passed the 2023 law, supporters presented it as a lifeline for poor children stuck in a failing school because their parents couldnt afford any other option. But opening it up to existing private school students changes the mission, said Sen. Russell Ott, who opposes the program. This is clearly not about trying to help poor kids escape failing schools, the St. Matthews Democrat said. What this has morphed into is subsidization of private schools and doing it with public dollars. Sen. Wes Climer said his support was never limited to any income bracket. He wants to expand the program even further to make all children eligible for a state scholarship whats known as universal school choice. The purpose of the program is to provide for robust competition in the education arena, said the Rock Hill Republican, whos running for Congress. According to the application data, the parents of about 70% of the students reported their children would attend a private school this year. Less than 15% reported wanting to use the money to enroll in a different public school. The rest marked other, without clarifying. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If most of the students accepted into the program used it to pay private tuition, those schools might increase tuition, pricing out the students least able to pay the difference, Kelly said. During debate on the legislation, Republicans repeatedly rejected proposals to cap tuition or bar price hikes on students in the program. This time next year, no one should be surprised that the average private school tuition went up in South Carolina, Kelly said. Thats the next step. Where the money went For the first half of last school year, Best Buy received far more money than any other single vendor, with families spending nearly $1.4 million there. Another $240,000 went to Staples, according to data from the education agency, which stops on Jan. 17. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thats the date Rep. Neal Collins, R-Easley, requested a report to share for debate on the House floor. The SC Daily Gazette asked for spending figures through the end of the school year, but the agency wanted more than $2,300 to provide it. About half of the reports spending came after the state Supreme Courts Sept. 11, 2024, ruling, which immediately stopped payments to private schools. The rest of the law stayed intact, allowing families to use their money for other eligible expenses, such as computers. Top 10 recipients* Best Buy: $1,394,642 Staples: $243,178 Office Depot: $134,359 Westgate Christian School: $63,326 Maranatha Christian School: $37,500 RoyalT Learning Center, LLC: $31,145 Divine Redeemer Catholic School: $29,920 Our Lady of Peace Catholic School: $28,500 St. Joseph School: $27,000 Quinteria Ervin, owner of Ervins Enrichment: $22,532 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement *Report created only from July 1, 2024 Jan. 17, 2025 Source: Department of Education data Even though payments for private tuition had to stop just one month into the school year, a handful of private schools were among the top recipients of money the first semester. Among schools, Westgate Christian School in Spartanburg topped the list at $63,236, indicating a lot of its students received scholarships. Tuition at Westgate ranges from $5,600 for elementary school to $5,800 for high school, according to the schools website. Administrators did not respond to a request for comment. Its up to the parents to decide where to send their students, Ropp said. Whos running the program The new law added a trustee to oversee the program as a response to the state Supreme Courts concerns. Putting a third-party trustee in charge of scholarship transfers, supporters argued, gets around the constitutions ban of a direct benefit to private schools. Whether justices agree will be for them to decide. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Department of Education selected Columbia accountant Mark Hobbs on May 28, just three weeks after the law was signed, according to a contract the SC Daily Gazette obtained through a public records request. It shows that accountants at Hobbs firm, The Hobbs Group, will receive $400 per hour to work on parents accounts. All other staff will make $125 to $200 per hour. The agency did not respond to a request for Hobbs resume or answer questions about how many people applied. The law allows the trustee to take up to 5% of the trust fund as payment for overseeing the accounts. The agency must report the actual dollar figure to the Legislatures budget writers by Dec. 31. Parents access the scholarship money through an online portal. They do not actually receive any dollars, and they cant get reimbursed. They must direct through the portal where to send the money. Hobbs job is to move the money to parents accounts through four equal installments and then pay the approved vendors, according to his contract. The Department of Education remains responsible for checking every 45 days that students remain eligible for the money. PRINCETON Today is the last day for Mercer County residents to apply for a free monthly guaranteed income. The response to the guaranteed monthly income program has been strong to date with more than 2,800 people having applied for the funding, according to Tony Solis Cruz, who serves as program director for GiveDirectly, the agency overseeing the Rural Income for Self Empowerment Guaranteed Minimum Income, or RISE GMI, program. We are at 2,800, though wed love to have as many as possible coming in by the end of the week, Cruz said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cruz said the RISE GMI application period for Mercer County closes today at 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time. While nearly 3,000 people have applied for the 16 month guaranteed minimum income program, not everyone will make the final cut. Once the application period ends, 560 families will be randomly selected to enroll in the program and receive the guaranteed monthly income. In order to qualify, applicants must live in Mercer County and must be 18 years of age or older. Applicants household income also should be 200 percent or below the federal poverty level. There is still time to apply if you do so today. The application must be completed online at https://rise.aidkit.org/o/home Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Those who are selected to enroll in the program will receive a $1,500 a month, no-strings-attached, income for 16 months. GiveDirectly is partnering with area agencies, including CASE of West Virginia, Community Connections and Mercer County Schools to assist with the application process for the free guaranteed monthly income program According to GiveDirectly, the RISE GMI program is a tool to reduce poverty, build economic resilience and support opportunities such as entrepreneurship. Mercer County is one of three communities selected to participate in the program. There is no work requirement for those who are selected to receive the monthly cash payments. In addition to Mercer County, the Rise GMI program also is being offered in Beaufort County, N.C. and Warren County, Missouri. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to Cruz, the Guaranteed Minimum Income program was funded by a gift from Jeff Atwood and Elizabeth Burton, who are the donors of the program while GiveDirectly is the program administrator. There are no strings attached to the monthly payment. But GiveDirectly is partnering with local organizations to provide optional supplemental support, including financial literacy tools, that are available for those who seek the assistance. However, not participating in or requesting such service will not impact the monthly payments to the RiseGMI recipients. According to the GiveDirectly website, giving cash shifts power to the person living in poverty, and recognizes they are the expert in their own lives and grants them the dignity to choose for themselves. The nonprofit says it has provided $900 million in cash directly to more than 1.7 million people living in poverty since 2009, including in Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Mozambique, Rwanda, Uganda and the United States. Contact Charles Owens at cowens@bdtonline.com MARION, Ark. A Crittenden County jury found a man guilty of first-degree murder and 17 counts of terroristic act, according to a press release from the prosecuting attorneys office. Ashton Wardlow was sentenced to serve four consecutive life terms plus 830 years at the Arkansas Department of Corrections. Ashton Wardlow (Arkansas Department of Corrections) The case was prosecuted by Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Matthew Coe, who led the trial on behalf of the State of Arkansas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Attorney Coe commented on the court case. I want to thank Sgt. Chad Davis and the West Memphis Police Department for their tireless work and dedication to this case. Their commitment and professionalism were instrumental in securing this verdict, he said. I also want to thank the family of Ivori Harris for their strength and courage throughout this process. This verdict ensures that Ashton Wardlow will never see the outside of a prison again, and I hope it brings some measure of peace to those who loved Ivori. 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. The Arkansas Department of Human Services building on Main Street in downtown Little Rock. (John Sykes/Arkansas Advocate) The Arkansas Department of Human Services expects to furlough up to 1,534 employees and temporarily close its local offices within the next week and a half if the federal government does not reopen, the agency announced in a Friday news release. The government shutdown that began Oct. 1 remained unresolved this week after Congress failed to pass a proposed deal to fund the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement SNAP benefits were expected to cease on Nov. 1 before a federal judge ruled Friday that the U.S. Department of Agricultures plan to halt the program was illegal. The Massachusetts district judge gave the Trump administration until Monday to respond to her finding before she decides on a motion to force the benefits be paid despite the government shutdown. A federal judge in Rhode Island also ordered Friday that USDA must continue SNAP payments. Losing SNAP funding would force DHS to furlough 34 employees, and multiple programs that receive federal funding through grants administered by DHS will have to cease those services, according to the news release. Those programs include Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Social Services Block Grant (SSBG), and Community Service Block Grant (CSBG) initiatives. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The 34 employees set for immediate furlough are in DHS Office of Payment Integrity; Division of Aging, Adult, and Behavioral Health Services; and Division of County Operations. DHS furloughed 37 employees in the Division of Provider Services and Quality Assurance on Oct. 1, and they remain furloughed, the news release states. If the shutdown continues through Nov. 7, DHS will temporarily close its offices in all 75 Arkansas counties and furlough 1,500 Division of County Operations employees starting Nov. 10. All of those positions and operations are federally funded. The government shutdown has put enormous strain on many services we offer, and we are deeply concerned that important benefits Arkansans rely on will suffer as a result, DHS Secretary Janet Mann said in the news release. First and foremost, this will be painful for the beneficiaries we serve, and we regret that we have been placed in this position. It will also be painful for the hundreds of employees within our agency who will not be paid for as long as this shutdown continues. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If DHS loses SNAP funding, its DHS electronic benefit transfer (EBT) system will still be operational in November in case SNAP recipients have some previous benefits saved, according to the news release. More than 222,000 individuals and over 118,000 households received SNAP benefits as of Sept. 1, according to another DHS news release. To alleviate the impact on families losing food assistance, Arkansas will distribute $500,000 among six regional food bank networks, Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders announced Friday morning. The government shutdowns impact on Arkansas government services has not been limited to DHS. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Pulaski County locations of Arkansas federally-funded early childhood education program, Head Start, will temporarily close Saturday due to a lack of funding, the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences announced last week. The six facilities in Little Rock and North Little Rock serve 446 children from low-income families, and 130 employees will be furloughed. Another impact of the shutdown on child care is the Department of Educations lack of access to funds supporting the School Readiness Assistance Program, which helps low-income families access child care. The program was already financially insolvent and had a waitlist of over 1,100, department officials said in September. That waitlist has grown to 1,569, according to the programs website. An emergency working group of child care experts proposed a months-long financial solution that the department will decide Friday whether to accept. The Arkansas Department of Health will continue administering Special Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) benefits until mid-November if the shutdown does not end by then, department officials said last week. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The eventual reopening of the federal government is expected to cause delays in processing SNAP cases, according to Fridays DHS news release. Medicaid benefits will continue uninterrupted because the program is federally funded through the end of the calendar year. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX The Pulaski County Courthouse in an undated file photo. A Pulaski County circuit judge ruled in favor of a petition asking that House District 70's special election be moved to March 3, 2026. (Photo by Antoinette Grajeda/Arkansas Advocate) A Pulaski County judge on Friday ordered House District 70s special election moved to March 3, 2026, rejecting arguments from the state that Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders has complete discretion over special election dates. On Oct. 10, Sanders called a special election for June 9, 2026, to replace former Republican Rep. Carlton Wing, who resigned on Sept. 30 to become the new executive director and CEO of Arkansas PBS. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement HD70 RULING-103125 In a lawsuit filed Oct. 21, the Democratic Party of Arkansas and four District 70 voters said Sanders violated the states special election laws when she scheduled the special general election for that date. They called it taxation without representation as it would prevent the district from having House representation during the Legislatures 2026 fiscal session, set to start in April. The petitioners asked for the special election to be moved to March 3, which Sanders had set as the special primary, via a writ of mandamus. A writ of mandamus is a court order compelling a government official to perform a duty they are already legally required to do. Under Arkansas law, the governor is required to schedule a special election date to fill a vacancy within 150 days unless she found it was impracticable or unduly burdensome to do so. Further, if the election couldnt be held within 150 days, it had to be held on the earliest practicable date after that statutory deadline. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A June 9 election would be 252 days after Wings Sept. 30 resignation or 152 days after the 150-day mark. The average number of days a special election has been held after the 150-day mark since 2011 is about 25 days, according to an unpublished Senate memo. In Fridays 18-page ruling granting the writ, Circuit Judge Shawn Johnson was not swayed by arguments from Attorney General Tim Griffins office that the governor has complete discretion on how and when to set a special election whether it is before or after the expiration of 150 days following a legislative vacancy. Johnson said that, while the governor was granted discretion to determine whether holding a special election within 150 days of a vacancy was impracticable or unduly burdensome, the exception required her to then schedule it on the earliest practicable date not the most practicable. And while someone has to decide what date after the 150-day vacancy period is as soon as practicable thereafter, Johnson wrote, that person was not Sanders. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If that were true, then it would render the statutory scheme meaningless. In other words, if the Governor has complete discretion over when to hold a special election whether before or after the 150-day mark then there would be no reason to have a 150-day limitation at all, Johnson wrote. If the governor sets the date after the 150-day mark, the law takes away any discretion Sanders would otherwise have, Johnson wrote. After that point the special election date should depend on the ability of the locality to well and capably accomplish the election. Johnson was also not convinced by Griffins office that state laws regarding absentee voting made the March 3 date proposed by the petitioners impracticable. He pointed to testimony from Pulaski County Circuit Clerk Terri Hollingsworth and other Pulaski County election officials, who stated they had successfully conducted a special election for House District 34 on nearly identical dates as those proposed by the petitioners. I am disappointed in the ruling and will expeditiously appeal the decision, Griffin said in a text message via his spokesperson. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Johnsons ruling is the second judicial decision to push back on Sanders recent special election proclamations. Another Pulaski County judge ruled against Sanders and Secretary of State Cole Jester earlier this month after a voter in Senate District 26 filed a lawsuit over an identical special election schedule, alleging that it violated state law and deprived the districts voters of representation during the 2026 fiscal session. However, that ruling did not go as far as Johnsons did, only ordering Sanders to change the special election dates so it would occur prior to the April fiscal session. Griffins office said it plans to appeal the SD26 ruling to the Arkansas Supreme Court as well, as has the plaintiff, who is asking the court to rule the 150-day exception unconstitutional, among other things. On Friday afternoon, the attorney for the plaintiff in Senate District 26 case filed a motion asking Judge Patricia James to modify her order and set the election date for either Feb. 8 or March 3, citing Johnsons ruling. When asked for comment on Johnsons ruling, a spokesperson for Sanders gave the same statement as was given after the SD26 ruling. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Governor Sanders is confident that on appeal, the law clearly giving the Governor the authority to set special elections will be upheld and ultimately save taxpayer dollars and ensure the election is free, fair, and secure, spokesperson Sam Dubke wrote in a text message. DPA Chair Marcus Jones called the ruling a victory for HD70s 30,000 residents. The time has come for Governor Sanders to move up the Special Election dates and give the hardworking taxpayers of North Little Rock and Sherwood the representation they deserve, Jones wrote in an emailed statement provided to the Advocate. The Democratic Party of Arkansas stands with Arkansans from across the political spectrum to oppose taxation without representation. Mark our words: We wont stop fighting for every Arkansan to have a say in our state budget. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE In a 4-3 ruling issued Thursday, the Arkansas Supreme Court declared unconstitutional two laws related to the filing of ballot initiative petitions. (Photo by Sonny Albarado/Arkansas Advocate) A divided Arkansas Supreme Court said Thursday that two state laws related to ballot petitions violate the constitution, in a case involving a paper-ballot measure from Cleburne County. In the 4-3 decision, Justice Shawn Womack, writing for the majority, said a circuit judge erred in ordering County Clerk Rachelle Evans to certify an initiative petition for voters to consider because the petition was untimely filed under Article 5, Section 1 of the Arkansas Constitution. The Supreme Court opinion reversed and dismissed the lower courts order. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In deciding the case, the Supreme Court majority declared unconstitutional two state laws governing the time frame during which county-level ballot measures can be filed because they conflict with the filing window established in Article 5, Section 1. That section says initiative petitions in cities and counties must be filed no earlier than 90 days and no later than 60 days before an election. Declaring the laws unconstitutional meant that the justices also overruled three previous state high court decisions. In a dissenting opinion Justice Rhonda Wood wrote that the majority raised legal issues not present in the original appeal or the circuit court record and leaps over settled law to reach its decision. Arkansas Supreme Court Chief Justice Karen Baker (right) sits with Associate Justices (from left) Shawn Womack, Rhonda Wood and Courtney Hudson as they wait for an address from the governor in the Arkansas House of Representatives on Jan. 14, 2025. (Photo by Mary Hennigan/Arkansas Advocate) Case background The case stems from the Cleburne County clerks rejection last year of a ballot initiative asking voters to approve an ordinance requiring elections be held using hand-marked, hand-counted paper ballots. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A group called Arkansas Voter Integrity Initiative has pushed for a switch from electronic voting machines to paper ballots in several counties since at least 2022. In 2023, Cleburne County Quorum Court approved a resolution to convert to paper ballots but later reversed itself. Searcy County is the only county so far to require hand-counted paper ballots. Paper ballots, divided by type, are ready for poll workers on shelves in Searcy County on Oct. 30, 2024. (Mary Hennigan/Arkansas Advocate) Last year, identical petitions calling for countywide votes on switching to paper ballots were filed in nine counties, including Cleburne. Clerks of those counties rejected the ballot initiatives, and attorney Clinton Lancaster sued on behalf of supporters over the rejections. Circuit judges dismissed the lawsuits in Conway, Johnson, Perry, Saline, Sharp, White and Van Buren counties, but judges in Cleburne and Independence counties ordered those clerks to certify the initiative petitions for placement on the November 2024 ballot. Those clerks appealed to the Arkansas Supreme Court. The Independence County clerk asked for an expedited hearing, and on Oct. 17, 2024, the high court affirmed the circuit court order directing the clerk to certify the measure as sufficient. The initiative appeared on the November ballot, and voters approved the ordinance 8,309 to 5,184. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cleburne County Clerk Rachelle Evans did not ask for an expedited hearing on her appeal. The Supreme Court began requesting briefs from the parties last November. After hearing oral arguments in May, the justices asked for supplemental briefs focused on the issue of timeliness. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Clear and unmistakable conflict Arkansas Code Annotated 14-14-915(b)(1) says all petitions for initiated county measures shall be filed with the county clerk not less than 90 days nor more than 120 days prior to the next regular election. That timeline is in clear and unmistakable conflict with Article 5, Section 1 and is therefore unconstitutional, Womack wrote. Similarly ACA 14-14-915(b)(3) is unconstitutional, the justice wrote, because it allows a ballot initiative that is certified by county election commissioners less than 70 days before a general election to be held over for a vote at the next general election. In the Cleburne County case, this would have meant the petition being on the 2026 ballot. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Put simply, when the proponent of a local ballot initiative fails to timely file his petition, a circuit court cannot require a county clerk to certify the initiative for that election, Womack wrote. Nor can the circuit court delay the certification until the following regular election if the initiative has not been filed within the constitutions timeline. Because of this, we expressly overrule Armstrong v. Sturch, Fine v. City of Van Buren,and Robie v. Bolton, all of which misinterpreted a nearly identical but now-repealed constitutional provision, the ruling states. Womack was joined in the majority opinion by Justices Cody Hiland, Barbara Webb and Nicholas Bronni. Woods dissenting opinion, concurred in by Justice Courtney Rae Hudson and Chief Justice Karen Baker, says the majoritys conclusion on the constitutionality of the two laws and the timeliness of the ballot initiative filing rests on its own factual finding that the petition had to be filed on or before Aug. 5, 2024 an assertion on which the record is silent. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Citing the late U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalias position that appellate courts are arbiters of legal questions, not self-directed boards of legal inquiry, Wood wrote that the majority departs from neutrally arbitrating the issues argued by the parties and instead becomes investigator and inquisitor. In rebuttal, Womack wrote: The dissent does not claim that the record does not support our holding. Instead, the dissent laments the fact that we noticed obvious problems with the underlying petition. The record clearly indicates that initiative supporter Raymond Harrison failed to timely file the petition, the majority noted. To ignore such a glaring constitutional violationwould be a dereliction of our duty. The dissenting opinion also takes issue with the high courts failure to alert the attorney general and the Legislature to the constitutional issues of the case. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Our legacy is not just medicine, but the trust and care we provide to every patient (special rice massage) etc. Another innovation to Samajams credit was the sequential development and application of Ayurvedic therapies.Well-trained male and female therapists carry out the treatments under the close supervision of expert doctors.Special treatment for gynaecology-related challenges are addressed at the Samajam, emphasising infertility, menstrual disorders, etc, under super vision of expert female Ayurvedic physician.Neck rigidity, cervical and lumbar spondylitis, Spondylolisthesis, Sciatic neuritis, Auto-immune diseases - Such as Rheumatoid arthritis, SLE, etc, Degenerative osteoarthritis, gouty arthritis, calcaneal spur, psoriasis, eczema, varicose vein, DVT, Chronic sinusitis, migraine post stroke symptoms & disability, facial palsy, Sleeplessness, stress related problems are treated successfully under the medical supervision of experts.Alongside therapeutic care, the Samajam also offers wellness treatments for relaxation and stress relief. A significant number of patients, including foreign nationals from Europe, the US, and Australia, return year after year for the institutions authenticity and holistic care.The Samajam manufactures its own medicines within its hospital premises, sourcing raw herbs and preparing treatments in-house. Besides the general medicines from the classical text of Ayurveda, there are a series of formulation made in the pharmacy from the old manuscript of ancient vaidyas and by the knowledge, experience and expertise of Samajam physician.The hospital is spread across 8 acres of land, bordered by Keralas largest river, the Bharathappuzha.The campus is designed in a cottage style, with small houses that create a homely, serene atmosphere. Meals are prepared in a central kitchen and served to each cottage thrice a day.Treatment facilities at the Keraleeya Ayurveda Samajam, address both shared and private needs. While Indian patients mostly choose common treatment rooms, international visitors opt for individual spaces. Core therapies include Panchakarma, which includes oil massages, herbal baths, and steam therapies, supported by medicines prescribed by experienced Vaidyas and Physicaians. Treatment durations range from a week to 45 days, depending on the patients condition and the physicians advice.Keraleeya Ayurveda Samajam has always been a society-oriented institution, not a profit-making one. For generations, it has been regarded as a pitrutulya or parent institution by Ayurvedic practitioners, who see it as a place rooted in service rather than commerce. Membership in the Samajam is open, and anyone who is capable and committed can become part of it, even contest for the role of president through elections held every five years.The Samajam is now working towards various accreditations and certifications to align with current global standards. While this process has just begun, the institution is committed to achieving uniformity and recognition for its practices.The institution is also exploring collaboration with the Ministry of AYUSH. Initial discussions and correspondence are underway, with the hope that such partnerships will further enhance its profile and standards. As the Samajam approaches its 125th anniversary, having been established in 1902, it aims not only to be recognized as the worlds first Ayurvedic center but also to become one of the best leading centers globally in authentic Ayurvedic care. BAXTER COUNTY, Ark. A Flippin woman was arrested Friday afternoon after reportedly fleeing from police in a stolen vehicle. According to a release, deputies with the Baxter County Sheriffs Office responded to a complaint call at 12:36 p.m. from Madden Sanitation regarding a woman who was loitering on their property. Police were told that the woman, identified as 39-year-old Kelly Moore, was said to be driving a white Dodge pickup truck that was reported stolen by the Sharp County Sheriffs Office earlier in the day, with Moore named as the suspect. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Man shot by Arkansas State Police after reportedly stealing from store with rifle, fleeing on a tractor Deputies said that when they arrived on scene, Moore took off in the vehicle and was chased by deputies, as well as Arkansas State Police troopers. The chase ended after roughly a minute when police said the vehicle Moore was driving ran out of gas at the intersection of Baxter CR 6 and Shamrock Lane. Moore was arrested and transported to the Baxter County Detention Center where she faces charges of fleeing by vehicle and theft by receiving. Her bond was set at $5,000 for those charges and she is being transferred to the Sharp County Sheriffs Office where officials said she faces charges of burglary and theft in the county. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KARK. DES MOINES, Iowa The Animal Rescue League of Iowa announced on Thursday that its rescued over 160 animals in several large rescues in just under two weeks. The ARL said it was first called to northwest Iowa to help authorities rescue 12 animals seven dogs and five cats from a property. According to the ARL, the animals were covered in fleas and were suffering from skin and ear issues. Cat rescued in northwest Iowa. Photo courtesy of the Animal Rescue League of Iowa. Dog rescued from northwest Iowa. Photo courtesy of the Animal Rescue League of Iowa. Dog and puppies rescued from southeast Iowa. Photo courtesy of the Animal Rescue League of Iowa. Dog rescued from southeast Iowa. Photo courtesy of the Animal Rescue League of Iowa. Pony rescued from southeast Iowa. Photo courtesy of the Animal Rescue League of Iowa. Kittens rescued from northern Iowa. Photo courtesy of the Animal Rescue League of Iowa. Bunny rescued from northern Iowa. Photo courtesy of the Animal Rescue League of Iowa. Dog rescued from northern Iowa. Photo courtesy of the Animal Rescue league of Iowa. Schools bracing SNAP cuts, trying to keep students fed Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Just days after that rescue, the ARL said it responded to a property in southeast Iowa to assist in the rescue of 59 animals. In total, the ARL rescued 44 barn animals, 14 dogs, and a cat. The ARL said the dogs were found trapped in dirty outdoor pens that had no shelter. A pony that was also rescued from the property had overgrown hooves that were starting to curl, the ARL said. Shortly after the rescue in southeast Iowa, the ARL said its team headed to northern Iowa to help authorities remove 63 animals from a licensed breeder. According to the ARL, 40 dogs, 15 rabbits, and eight cats were living in some of the worst conditions its team had ever seen. The rabbits that were rescued were living on at least two inches of urine and feces, the ARL said. The ARL said it also helped remove 28 cats from a home in central Iowa. In total, the ARL rescued 162 animals in 12 days. The rescue is now asking for donations to help in the care of the animals. If you would like to donate, click here. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement No additional information has been released. 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. The Army Corp of Engineers is in Eustis to help the city come up with an emergency plan for a partially collapsed bridge. Channel 9 first told you Thursday, more than a dozen Eustis families were forced to leave their homes in the Spring Ridge Estates after the bridge to their neighborhood partially collapsed into a ravine. Its the only access route in and out of their specific subdivision. HOA board members with Spring Ridge Estates said they first noticed erosion after approximately 19 inches of rain fell during a 48-hour period. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to a board member, the HOA tried to get contractors and vendors to the bridge for a fix earlier this week, but the bridge erosion happened quick. We were trying to get people out here to prevent it from getting worse. And it was just back and forth with vendors. Delays, not having supplies, not wanting to be out here soon enough, And the temporary solution was no longer a solution after yesterday, said Chris Machiela, one of the evacuated residents and a member of the HOA board. Eustis Fire Chief Mike Swanson said the bridge was on his radar as early as Monday after erosion from historic floodwaters undermined the bridges foundation. According to the city, by approximately 6 p.m. Thursday, one side of the structure had failed, prompting emergency crews to order mandatory evacuations which were completed by 12:30 a.m. Friday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At least 11 children and multiple senior citizens live in the 21 homes that were evacuated, according to the HOA. The City of Eustis said they were providing hotels for impacted residents through Sunday. We just threw clothes in a bag and put the kids in the car, said Machiela, We have a three-year-old and a one-year-old both of them were sleeping so we had to wake them up and pack as much as we can. As of Friday, the bridge was shut down to both vehicles and pedestrians, though some homeowners did cross the ravine to gather additional belongings and return to their hotels. Even though were in the room for the night because of the fire department I still feel homeless. Thats not a good feeling, said Earl Inmon, one of the evacuees. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Eustis Fire Chief Mike Swanson said the evacuation was also necessary because major water, sewer, and power lines had been impacted by the bridge collapse. The city had to shut down both water and power to the 21 homes to prevent further deterioration and the chief said while a complete collapse was not imminent, it was definitely possible. If it continues and progresses the way that we think its going to, its going to work its way to that master sewer line. And if that collapses, we lose the lift station and this whole neighborhood is going to lose water and sewer, said Swanson. According to Swanson, if the sewer line does collapse approximately 100 additional homes in the Spring Ridge Estates would be evacuated. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Friday, Channel 9 watched as the Army Corp of Engineers began to collect data and city crews filled in ruts alongside the bridge to try and stabilize it. While the chief said that was not a fix, it was a start as the city waited on FDOT bridge specialist to create an emergency plan. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live. About 90,000 people in Marion and Polk counties who rely on government food assistance will go without benefits starting Nov. 1 as the federal government shutdown continues. Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, is a federal program that provides low-income families with monthly benefits to afford healthy food. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has warned in recent weeks the program could be at risk without new appropriations. As of Oct. 27, a message on the USDA website confirmed benefits would cease. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Bottom line, the well has run dry. At this time, there will be no benefits issued November 1," part of the message reads. The federal government officially shut down on Oct. 1 after congressional leaders failed to reach a compromise on funding. SNAP recipients have been encouraged to turn to food banks and other local resources for support in the absence of federal funds. Leaders at Marion Polk Food Share, which provides food directly to individuals and families as well as to more than 70 local pantries and meal sites, said the food bank will never be able to make up for the loss of SNAP. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement SNAP recipients in Salem said they're scared about how they're going to feed their families. "It's unfair to do this to anyone; so many of us in so many different situations (are) just trying to do the best we can and support our families," said Karie Mathis, a Salem resident whose family relies on SNAP. "It's sad to take a portion of the population that's already getting hit pretty hard and just making it harder." More people than ever are turning to food pantries in Marion and Polk counties as they prepare to go without food assistance in November. Oregon AG sues USDA, Kotek directs $5M to food banks Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfield joined 21 other state attorneys general and three governors in suing the USDA and its secretary, Brooke Rollins, for suspending SNAP. The lawsuit said the USDA has billions of dollars in SNAP-specific contingency dollars it has declined to use to fund SNAP. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The USDA has the authority and the money to keep SNAP running, and refusing to do so is both illegal and deeply cruel," Rayfield said in a news release. The USDA said the funds are only to be used in case of emergencies like natural disasters. Gov. Tina Kotek on Oct. 29 directed $5 million in unspent food assistance funding to support Oregon's food banks and issued an executive order declaring a hunger emergency for food security and directed state agencies to work together. The emergency lasts for 60 days or until SNAP benefits are reinstated. Marion Polk Food Share CEO Rick Gaupo said no other government shutdown has ever disrupted SNAP. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gaupo said without SNAP benefits, families will be forced to choose between putting food on the table and paying rent. Seniors will have to choose between food and medicine. "This is complete choice to end SNAP benefits for November, this is not because of the shutdown," he said. "This is a political tool." Marion Polk Food Share provides food to more than 70 local food pantries and meal sites. In Oregon, more than 750,000 residents rely on SNAP benefits. About 38,000 families in Marion County and 8,600 families in Polk County received SNAP benefits in July, according to the Oregon Department of Human Services. The average household receiving SNAP benefits has about two people, coming to about 90,000 in total. Of those 90,000, nearly 30,000 of the recipients are children, about 9,000 are seniors and about 17,000 are disabled. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement About 210,000 SNAP recipients in Oregon are children, and another 130,000 are adults over 65, according to the ODHS. Benefits are issued monthly, so October's benefits were not affected. The National School Lunch program will also remain available. Marion Polk Food Share prepares for increased need Marion Polk Food Share communications director Sam West said for every meal provided by the food bank, SNAP can provide nine. About 16,000 to 18,000 visit Marion Polk Food Share pantries per month, and West said they've been seeing more visits than ever. Gaupo said they don't have data yet on October visits, but pantries and other partners have reported receiving up to double the visits they typically see. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We're seeing people saying, I don't know if I'm going to get SNAP support in November, and so they're coming early," Gaupo said. "They're basically bracing or preparing for a really hard November." West said Marion Polk Food Share distributes about 9 million pounds of food per year, which they estimate equates to about $11 million. SNAP distributes more than that amount every month, at nearly $16 million in benefits to Marion and Polk county residents per month. Gaupo said food banks are like the safety net to the safety net when government assistance fails, people turn to food banks. He said Marion Polk Food Share is distributing "as much food as we know how to," spending from reserves to purchase more food and asking for support from the community. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Because of USDA cuts to certain food assistance programs, Gaupo said Marion Polk Food Share has already had its overall food supply reduced by about 15% this year. "Barring some extraordinary policy change or good luck or good fortune, we will deliver less food in 2025 than we did in 2024," he said. "That translates into directly less food at the local pantries while more people are coming." Gaupo encouraged anyone losing SNAP benefits to visit a pantry anyway. Everyone will get food, he assured, but it will be a smaller amount than it would have been last year. Gaupo urged anyone looking for ways to help to participate in advocacy and call or write to ask the USDA to use the contingency funds to provide SNAP benefits. Marion Polk Food Share is also encouraging food and financial donations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I want to live in a place where people are not struggling to get good and nutritious food on the table, and we are currently making that less likely to be true," Gaupo said. "That's what I want people to know, and we can change that." Barbara Crazin and other volunteers help sort and package food at the Marion Polk Food Share warehouse. 'Duct tape and a prayer' Jillian Farrell, 36, owns her own house cleaning business and said about a quarter of her income typically comes from SNAP. She receives funds for herself and her oldest child, who is 12. Farrell said she was expecting that amount to increase by $100 to $200 when she signed up her youngest, who is 6. Farrell, of Salem, said she's navigated tight financial circumstances before, but what worries her now is that more families are going to be in the same position. "One thing I'm really worried about is the fact that it's hitting everybody at the same time," she said. "It's not like just one family is not getting, it or just a few families, it's everyone. It's going to be really hard to find resources when everybody's looking for those same resources." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Farrell said working self-employed, she doesn't have any backup savings. If she gets sick and can't work for a week, that means losing all of her income for that week. "It's just really scary and precarious and having that safety net from the government, it always guaranteed that at least my kids have food," she said. "It just feels kind of dystopian." Mathis, 53, said her daughter and three grandsons live with her. Mathis works part-time as a nursing aide and takes care of her grandsons, who are 2, 1, and 4 months old, while her daughter is at work. The youngest, born in June, was recently diagnosed with a type of Crohn's Colitis disease that means he needs a specialized formula that costs around $50 per can. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We were already struggling, relying on the food stamps to help make sure we have what he needs, also for two other little growing little toddlers," she said. Mathis said it's scary not knowing how they're going to keep up with everything. "I never would have thought at my age I'd be looking at my three little grandsons going, OK, well let's see what grandma can do," she said. "I'm only one person." She said they can't even think about the holidays. They don't have costumes for the boys and Mathis said she's thankful they're so young. "I'm holding on (with) duct tape and a prayer at this point," she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I'm trying to remain positive, don't get me wrong, but it's hard." Marion Polk Food Share is preparing for increased need due to SNAP cuts and is distributing as much food as possible, spending from reserves to buy more and asking for community support. Salem community steps up to fill gap left by SNAP loss Many have taken to social media to ask how they can help, offer to cook or shop for a family in need, suggest donation locations and share food pantry information. West and Gaupo said they've seen a huge increase in people reaching out to the food bank and donating. "It is beautiful that so many people are asking what they can do," Gaupo said. "Our community does want to love and care for each other ... People don't want anyone hungry, and that gives me a lot of hope." Caleb Hayward, owner of ice cream shop On Any Sundae, said when he learned about SNAP benefits being cut, he was compelled to help. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "My family didn't grow up with much; we were always kind of in a position of need," Hayward said. "(My mind) immediately went to, how would that have affected us as a kid?" Hayward decided to set up a free food table in the ice cream shop where anyone can take what they need. The table is stocked with non-perishables like pasta, rice, beans, cereals and canned proteins. He said the shop won't be able to sustain the table forever, but he plans to keep it running at least as long as the government remains shut down. Hayward set up the table Oct. 26 in time for the shop's annual trunk-or-treat, which had more than 1,500 attendees, and said visitors were able to fill their grocery bags or leave donations. "We see a lot of kids, a lot of families, come through our shop, and the thought that those people could be suffering is heartbreaking," Hayward said. "Living that firsthand, it really brings a lot of that to the surface. I've been in those kids' shoes." Andy Davis, a community organizer and activist who lives just outside of Salem, set up a Salem Keizer Mutual Aid Facebook group to provide support to people in need. Davis, 61, said within just a few days the group had hundreds of members and was filled with posts from people offering support and wanting to help. They've set up a weekly food distribution site at community space Radness Ensues in Keizer. The first distribution will be held Nov. 2. From 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., people can drop off food donations. People can pick up food from 1 to 4 p.m. A volunteer has also offered to run a collection site ahead of the event. Davis said they plan to repeat the event every Sunday until the crisis resolves. "When there's a problem, we as community members have the ability to use our energy and creativity and come up with solutions," he said. An estimated 90,000 people in Marion and Polk counties rely on funds from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. Where to find food resources in Marion, Polk counties Marion Polk Food Share provides food to more than 70 pantries and meal services. See a list of all food pantries in Marion and Polk counties: marionpolkfoodshare.org/find-food/ See a list of hot meal sites in Marion and Polk counties: marionpolkfoodshare.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Hot-Meal-Guide-2024.04.23-English.pdf The Union Gospel Mission provides three hot meals a day at its downtown men's mission and at Simonka Place, its women's shelter, in Keizer. Meals are served at 6:30 a.m., noon and 5:30 p.m. at the men's mission at 777 Commercial St. NE. There are no service restrictions. Meals are served at 7 a.m., 11:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. at Simonka Place at 5119 River Road N. The shelter serves women and children only. Salem Soup Squad is serving hot meals in Wallace Marine Park on two Mondays in November and in Marion Square Park every Saturday of November. Children can get free meals at the Boys and Girls Club afterschool program. YMCA families can also get a free food box each Friday. People who do not qualify for government assistance, but are struggling, can apply for support with groceries and other household items at the Hope Station in Salem. Isabel Funk covers breaking news and public safety for the Statesman Journal. Funk can be reached at ifunk@statesmanjournal.com or on X at @isabeldfunk This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: 90,000 in Marion, Polk counties to lose SNAP food assistance Hunt County Democrats Hunt County Democrats will be holding their monthly meeting on Thursday, Nov. 6 at 6:30 p.m. at the UAW Hall in Greenville, located at 601 W. Jack Finney Blvd. Everyone is welcome but all are asked to bring at least on non-perishable food item or hygiene item to be taken to the Lakes Area Food Bank in Quinlan. Tunes for Tots The seventh annual Hunt County Tunes for Tots benefiting Toys for Tots is scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 6 at Longhorn Arena and Event Center. More information available at www.tunesfortots.org or email hctunesfortots@gmail.com. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement GISD Veterans Day Greenville ISD will have its annual Veterans Day program at 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 11 inside the Greenville High School gymnasium with performances by the schools band, choir and Navy Junior ROTC color guard, as well as a bagpiper and multiple speakers. After the program, veterans and their accompanying families will be able to enjoy a free hot meal together. Waves of Glory Commerce will have the opening ceremony for its patriotic installation, Waves of Glory, at 3 p.m. at the northwest corner of Culver Street and State Highway 24. It will include more than 200 flags, with each representing a specific veteran, current member of the military or first responder. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Veterans Day Parade On Saturday, Nov. 8 Greenville will have its annual downtown Veterans Day Parade at 11 a.m. Parade organizers are registering participants online at https://tinyurl.com/3fcamr4t. Veterans who arrive for the parade before it starts will be able to ride in Jeeps courtesy of the Hunt County Jeep Club. The parade will begin on Lee Street, east of Houston Street and proceed west for 10 blocks to Wright Street before turning around onto Washington Street and heading east and finishing at the Greenville Farmers Market parking lot. An Evening of Virtuosity The Greenville Chamber Music Society presents pianist Eldred Marshall for an unforgettable solo recital on Saturday, Nov. 8 at 7:30 p.m. at Greenville Municipal Auditorium. Tickets available at https://tinyurl.com/5cfbkvz5. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Warmth Drive for Senior Citizens Hunt County Senior Service Alliance is taking donations for its annual Warmth Drive benefiting senior citizens. They are creating 750 blessing boxes each of which will include a hooded sweatshirt, fall-resistant socks, scarf, hat, gloves, blanket, flashlight, nightlight and personal hygiene bag. The estimated cost of each box is $50. Monetary donations can be made at https://tinyurl.com/4ncdrh8d or gift cards to let them purchase what they need (and get the best prices). For more information, contact Trina Coldiron at trina@scrpt.org. FISH Holiday Food Drive Hunt County Shared Ministries appreciates donations of gift cards from Brookshires, Walmart, Aldi and Super One Foods. Drop off any weekday from 9 a.m. to noon at the FISH office at 2805 King St. FISH will use these cards to purchase food for its upcoming Thanksgiving and Christmas food distributions. You can also make a donation at https://tinyurl.com/5n8enjej. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Importance of Being Earnest Greenville Theatre Works version of this British classic, The Importance of Being Earnest, by Oscar Wilde is set for Friday to Sunday, Nov. 14-16 and 21-23 at Greenville Municipal Auditorium. The production is inspired by the hit 1980s soap opera, Dallas. Set in that grand city, the characters are mired in the same issues as the British originals but with a Texas twist. The show is pure comic silliness with a deep fried Texan drawl. Museum Frontier Day The Audie Murphy/American Cotton Museums annual Frontier Day on Saturday, Nov. 1 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. is all about giving kids the chance to experience life during the early frontier days during an era when there was no TV or video games. Cost is $7 per child for ages 4-15. Children must be accompanied by an adult so one adult is admitted free with every child. Admission also includes entry to the museum. Museum members are free. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Drive-in Movie Night Greenville Parks & Rec is hosting a fall drive-in movie night Friday, Nov. 7 at Greenville SportsPark featuring The Goonies starting at dark. Free kids meals courtesy of Freddys & Zaxbys of Greenville. Community Thanksgiving The Caddo Mills Fire Department will be hosting a Thanksgiving dinner for the community on behalf of Ruth Meraz and Si Senor on Sunday, Nov. 23 starting at 3 p.m. RSVP to (903) 271-1101. Blue & Gold Gala Greenville FFA will host a Blue & Gold Gala a night dedicated to celebrating and supporting the future of agriculture in the community on Friday, Nov. 14 from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. at Innovation First International. For ticket information and sponsorship details, visit https://tinyurl.com/2z5hm9s2. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Audie Murphy Museum Program The Audie Murphy/American Cotton Museum on Tuesday, Nov. 4 at noon will present Dr. Bryan Rank. He will be talking about his vision for the College of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources at East Texas A&M University. Dr Rank is the dean of the College of Agriculture at ETAMU and a professor of agricultural education. The program is free for museum members; otherwise there will be a program fee of $5. NEED TO KNOW Human remains were discovered along an Indiana Riverbank earlier this year and immediately reported to the Fayette County Sheriffs Department The local coroners office has since confirmed that the remains are a portion of an adult human skull, dating back to around 2300 B.C. The preservation of historical and cultural heritage is a responsibility shared by all, Coroner Eddie Richardson said A portion of a human skull believed to be around 4,270 years old was found along an Indiana riverbank earlier this year. According to the Fayette County Coroners Office, human remains were discovered along the bank of Whitewater River near the city of Connersville and reported to the Fayette County Sheriffs Department on the evening of June 2. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Through preliminary analysis and radiocarbon dating, officials were able to determine that the skull dates back to around 2300 B.C. and confirmed that the remains belonged to an adult human. "This discovery underscores the importance of our community's vigilance and the necessity of professional collaboration," Coroner Eddie Richardson said in a press release. "I want to commend the landowner for their responsible action in immediately reporting the finding to Sheriff Jones and his department. Richardson described the landowner as an "avid collector of Native American artifacts," according to USA Today and Fox News. The coroners office explained that the specialized work of Dr. Krista Latham at the University of Indianapolis Human Identification Center and rigorous testing by the University of Georgia enabled officials to accurately depict the antiquity of the rare discovery. 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 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, Richardson continued. Fayette County Sheriff's Department Human skull found along Indiana river Human skull found along Indiana river The Fayette County Coroners Office also emphasized in a Facebook post shared earlier this month, that the skull was a significant finding in honoring the history, cultures, and enduring presence of Native American people. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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, the post continued. Due to the antiquity of the remains, the Coroners Office is working loosely with the Indiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR) for guidance to ensure that this ancestral discovery is handled according to cultural and legal standards as they approach the next steps in repatriation and site management. Read the original article on People Oct. 30MITCHELL The Mitchell Board of Education was recognized recently for its training and leadership. The Associated School Boards of South Dakota announced officially this week that the board, which governs the Mitchell School District, including Mitchell Technical College, had earned a Gold Level ALL Award. The award is the highest honor bestowed to school boards in South Dakota by the organization. "This is the highest recognition you can get. It's a gold recognition, and I believe for sure the last three years that I've been with you, board members, we've gotten a gold award. And it's for all the professional development that happens," Joe Childs, superintendent of the Mitchell School District, said at a meeting of the board in October. "It means that the school board is actively engaged in what they do and that they don't just show up here and go through the motions." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The award is given out through the ASBSD recognition program, which is known as Act, Learn, Lead, or ALL. The program honors the work of school boards that strive to enhance their knowledge base for effectively serving students. By participating in ASBSD activities, training opportunities and demonstrating leadership at the local, state and national level, the Mitchell Board of Education accumulated 500 or more ALL points. Board are awarded various point totals for taking part in different activities, such as the ASBSD-SASD annual convention, the delegate assembly and the NSBA National Convention. Boards with 500 or more points are awarded the Gold Level Award. Schools with between 350 and 500 points receive the Silver Level Award and boards with between 250 and 350 points receive the Bronze Level Award, according to information from the Associated School Boards of South Dakota. "The Mitchell School District School Board worked tirelessly during the 2024-25 school year for their local district and to earn the statewide recognition of the Gold Level ALL Award," ASBSD Executive Director Heath Larson said in a statement. "Their work will benefit the district's students, staff and community and we're thrilled to recognize them for their efforts." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is the ninth year of the program, and 82 public school boards the second-most in the history of the program earned an ALL award. Childs said the board's work and recognition is a testament to the work put in by leaders and employees at the Mitchell School District. "(The board is) actually dedicated to learning everything they can about how schools operate and how Mitchell can be the premium in how we offer education," Childs said. The Mitchell Board of Education is made up of Terry Aslesen, Deb Everson, Kimberly Lofgren, Shawn Ruml, who serves as vice president of the board, and Brittni Flood, who serves as president of the board. Meetings of the board are open to the public. The next meeting of the board is a special meeting set for Tuesday, Nov. 4 in Room 10 at the Mitchell Career and Technical Education Academy. The meeting will be a board work session, with discussion covering multiple topics but no action planned. The Mitchell Republic will livestream the meeting on its website. New observations of a strange object that wobbles around the space between Jupiter and Uranus reveal what looks like a system of rings forming and evolving, even as we watch. The object, named Chiron, is a chunk of rock shaped a bit like a jelly donut, measuring around 210 kilometers (130 miles) across at its widest point. The discovery that its rings are changing does nothing to dispel its reputation as one of the oddest objects in the Solar System. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Based on data obtained as Chiron passed in front of a star in 2023, these changes might be discernible over mere years to decades, suggesting, at the very least, a wildly dynamic environment around the object. Related: This Strange Comet-Asteroid Hybrid Is Like Nothing Else in The Solar System Chiron belongs to a population of objects known as the centaurs, a group of minor planets that orbit the Sun between Jupiter and Neptune on elliptical paths that cross the orbit of at least one of the gas or ice giants. It behaves both like a comet and an asteroid, and multiple observation sets suggest that it has rings, like a mini version of the ringed planets. Other minor planets with rings include (from left) Quaoar, Haumea, and Chariklo. Interestingly, none of the Solar System's moons have rings. ( National Observatory Because Chiron is so distant and dim, it's hard to study in detail. But every so often, it passes in front of a bright star, backlighting the space around it in an event known as an occultation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There's still a limit on the level of detail astronomers can obtain from an occultation, but one good thing is that it lights up the space immediately around Chiron, too. On 10 September 2023, a stellar occultation of Chiron took place. It lasted just a few seconds, but a total of 31 observation sites across South America cooperated to obtain images of this event with exquisite precision. "When Chiron passed in front of a distant star, its light was dimmed not only by the main body but also by multiple structures surrounding it," explains astronomer Chrystian Pereira of the National Observatory in Brazil. "So, we were able to map this system in unprecedented detail." In addition to the dip in starlight as the body of Chiron eclipsed the distant star, the astronomers recorded three distinct signals representing rings orbiting the centaur at radii of 273, 325, and 438 kilometers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It's thought that the inner two of these rings may be too close to Chiron to remain undisturbed by its gravity. In addition, the data revealed a broader, disk-like structure extending between 200 and 800 kilometers, and a newly detected faint signal at around 1,380 kilometers. This is quite different from a 2023 analysis of the data obtained from a 2018 occultation led by astronomer Amanda Sickafoose of the Planetary Science Institute in the US. Both teams Pereira's and Sickafoose's believe that ongoing observations reveal significant changes constantly churning in the space around Chiron. It seems likely that the disk, for example, formed as recently as 2021, when the object underwent a period of brightening as it ejected material, comet-style. YouTube Thumbnail "We are seeing the aftermath of a recent event," Pereira's team says. "The material ejected by Chiron appears to be gradually settling in the object's equatorial plane, being shaped by gravitational resonances and collisions, forming the rings we see today. It's as if we've found the missing link, observing an intermediate stage in the formation of a ring system." Win a $10,000 Space Coast Adventure Holiday Although it's smaller than a planet, Chiron could be a natural laboratory for learning about how ring systems form, change, and behave, its wacky shenanigans informing research into the dynamics of rings around other objects, such as Quaoar, Haumea, and Chariklo. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We may be witnessing the ongoing formation of a ring system around a small body," the researchers write in their paper. "Chiron may thus represent a rare observational window into an intermediate evolutionary phase, offering a potential missing link in the formation pathway of ring systems around small Solar System bodies." The results have been published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters. Related News LIMESTONE COUNTY, Ala. (WHNT) An Athens man has been convicted of multiple drug charges in Limestone County. Jeffrey Dewayne Madry, 37, of Athens, was convicted of Trafficking Methamphetamine, Trafficking Cocaine, Certain Persons Prohibited from Carrying a Firearm, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and Possession of Marijuana. The conviction stems from a incident where Madry was arrested during November 2019. Authorities say that Madry was the main supplier and was busted during a months -long investigation. Deputies in Limestone County added that the drug bust was one of the largest Limestone County has ever seen. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Limestone County District Attorney Brian Jones issued the following statement: I am very pleased with the verdict. Jeffrey Madry will no longer be peddling poison on the streets of Limestone County for a very long time. The District Attorneys Office would like to thank the jury for their attention, patience, and dedication to their civic duty during the three-day trial. We would also like to thank the Sheriffs Office, ALEA, and the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences for their hard work and dedication to our community. As law enforcement agencies, we will continue to strive to catch and convict drug dealers in our community. Sheriff Joshua McLaughlin also commended the teamwork that led to the conviction: I want to commend the work of our Investigators, SWAT Team, ALEA Special Agents, the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences, and the District Attorneys Office for the successful prosecution in this case. Its also important to note that, while out on bond for these charges, our Narcotics Unit, Athens Police, and the FBI arrested Madry earlier this year for trafficking meth and distributing cocaine again. This additional case remains pending. We remain committed to the fight against drugs in our community and will continue to pursue justice against anyone who exposes our loved ones to such dangerous narcotics. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Madrys sentencing is scheduled for December 17, 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 WHNT.com. The police officer in Atlantic City who braved chilly water to rescue an injured dog is sharing his story. Video aired earlier this week on Action News showing Officer Matt Schmidt's heroic effort. The reportedly abandoned dog, who had a limp, escaped from animal control and jumped into the bay near Venice Park. READ MORE | Video shows NJ officer braving bay waters to rescue injured dog Jersey shore officer braves bay waters to rescue injured dog Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The dog was swimming with the catch pole around its neck. Officer Schmidt called for boat assistance, but no one responded quickly enough. "I was really worried that the dog was gonna tire out, so I just said if I want this dog to live I have to go," recalled Schmidt. "I didn't realize how strong the current was until I got in the water. Getting to him wasn't bad on the way back, the current was against me, and I only had one free hand." The dog was treated and is said to be in good health. Then-Del. Dalya Attar, in a January 2025 photo before she was appointed to fill a vacancy in the Maryland Senate. Attar now faces federal extortion and conspiracy charges related to her 2022 re-election effort. (File photo Bryan P. Sears/Maryland Matters) A Maryland state senator, her brother and a Baltimore City Police officer are in federal custody facing federal charges in an alleged blackmail scheme. The grand jury indictment charging Sen. Dalya Attar (D-Baltimore City) and others was unsealed Thursday in U.S. District Court in Baltimore. Prosecutors allege Attar, then a delegate, worried that a disgruntled political consultant would turn against her during her 2022 re-election bid. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The 20-page indictment details how Attar, her brother and a campaign volunteer who was also a Baltimore City Police officer, carried out a scheme to videotape the consultant having an affair, then use the recordings to threaten the consultant as she sought to arrange the marriages of her daughters. It was a conspiracy that included the use of tracking devices on vehicles, video cameras hidden in smoke detectors, and interstate and international communications using the WhatsApp messaging service. It was the purpose of the conspiracy that the co-conspirators sought to surreptitiously obtain evidence of the relationship between Victims 1 and 2 so that the evidence could be used to prevent Victim 1 from engaging in any act or speech that could negatively impact the election campaign or political aspirations of Dalya Attar, according to court documents. Attar, a former Baltimore City assistant states attorney, was elected to the House of Delegates in 2018 and re-elected in 2022. She was appointed in 2025 to fill the seat vacated by Sen. Jill Carter (D-Baltimore City), who resigned after being appointed to the State Board of Contract Appeals. Sen. Dalya Attar in February 2025 after she was named to fill a vacancy in the Maryland Senate. (File photo Bryan P. Sears/Maryland Matters) With the appointment, Attar became the first Orthodox Jewish woman to serve in the Maryland Senate. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A spokesperson for Senate President Bill Ferguson (D-Baltimore City) said Thursday that they had just been made aware of state Senator Dalya Attars arrest and we dont have any additional information to provide at this time. The Senate of Maryland holds its members to the highest ethical standards as we serve our constituents, and we will continue to do so as we learn more about the alleged facts in the indictment, the Ferguson spokesperson said. As Attar prepared for her 2022 reelection to the House, she worried about the unnamed female political consultant, with whom she had a falling out after the 2018 campaign, prosecutors said. Attar worried the consultant would try to torpedo her reelection, according to court records. In messages to an unnamed co-conspirator on WhatsApp, Attar worried the consultant is still looking to screw me badly, according to the indictment. I just want her to be a non-issue in my mind and in reality that wont happen as long as she is relevant or doesnt have anything to worry about, Attar said in a Jan. 9, 2020, message according to the indictment. Because I believe shes building things up, even small things, but in the end when its the right time for her (close to reelection), itll come out And even more reason why the lady should be afraid to come out with anything at that point. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A week later, prosecutors said the delegates brother, Joseph Attar, and Kalman Finkelstein, a police officer, exchanged messages in which they discussed following the consultant. The consultant, a U.S. citizen who also lives in Israel, is a friend of Finkelsteins family. She frequently used a car and apartment owned by the Finkelsteins when she visited Baltimore, the indictment said. By mid-January, Finkelstein and Joseph Attar, also known as Yossi or Jay, were discussing buying a tracking device that would be placed on the vehicle driven by the consultant. They also discussed, with two other unnamed co-conspirators, recording devices that would be installed in the apartment where the consultant stayed, according to court records. Joseph Attar and Finkelstein, again using the secure messaging app, allegedly planned when to install video cameras inside smoke alarms in the bedroom and living room areas of the apartment used by the consultant. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX In one Jan. 16 message, Finkelstein told two unnamed co-conspirators that the consultant was watching his children until his wife came home. Later that day, Joseph Attar sent a voice message announcing the installation of the cameras. Got it connected, tested them and all that. Now Im on my way there now to go and pick the lock and try to get in, court records quote Joseph Attar as saying. It is unclear how long the recording continued. Prosecutors alleged that Dalya Attar sent a series of messages on March 11, 2021, to an unnamed co-conspirator in which she talked about the ongoing effort. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The delegate allegedly wrote that the consultant needs to be warned before mailers to the Jewish community start coming out about things I voted on in the last three years. Were nearing my election. We cant wait until she does it already. Things as simple as anti-police things She wants her daughters to get married more than she wants to screw with me Theres the perfect way to scare her re[garding] her daughters shidduchimEach mailer can do a lot of damage. We have a way that can potentially stop her. Why not at least try. A shidduchim is a matchmaking process within the Orthodox Jewish community. Both Attar and the consultant are Orthodox Jews. By early December, Attar, her brother and Finkelstein were moving their plot forward. Joseph Attar met with a man described as Victim 2, a married man who was allegedly engaged in the affair with the consultant. The two met at the Atrium at Greenspring Shopping Center in Baltimore. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It was during that meeting that prosecutors allege Joseph Attar told the man of the existence of hours of footage of you in bed with the consultant. Attar allegedly told the man that to make this go away permanently that he needed to convince the consultant to leave his sister alone. Dont bring her up anymore to anyone. Stay out of this election, the delegate election, Joseph Attar is alleged to have said. Prosecutors said he then showed the man a video recording of him in bed with the consultant, and warned of the consequences if the man did not do as he was told. Sen. Dalya Attar, left, stands beside Senate President Bill Ferguson at a Sept, 22 news conference in Baltimore County about high energy bills on Sept. 22, 2025. (Photo by Christine Condon/ Maryland Matters) Ill share this video with everybody you know, everyone she knows, every Rabbi in town, your kids, your wife, her daughters, Joseph Attar is alleged to have said. And every shadchan in Israel who is trying to set up her daughters. Later that day, prosecutors said Joseph Attar messaged the consultant saying she should speak to Victim 2. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Five days later, in a message between Victim 2 and Joseph Attar, the man confirmed he spoke to the consultant, who has indicated multiple times that she is not involved in any activity that could harm Dalia [sic]. She has no intention of harming her in anyway either. You have everything you asked for. Put it to bed. Leave me the hell alone. Before the end of 2021, Finkelstein and Del. Attar allegedly messaged each other. In that message, prosecutors said Finkelstein urged the delegate to push [victim 2] one more time. Prosecutors said the trio began messaging about the plot again on April 8, 2022. In an exchange with her brother, Dalya Attar raises concerns about a Facebook post authored by the consultant. The post questioned why some delegates voted against an amendment on a bill before the legislature. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Looks like she wants the world to know about her and [victim 2], the delegate allegedly wrote. She later added that its time to show someone thatll get back to her, according to court filings. Attar later allegedly sent a voice message to an unnamed co-conspirator. In it, she allegedly suggested that the co-conspirator should talk to Joseph Attar about a smart move. The plan was to show some of the video to someone who would tell the consultant about it possibly Finkelsteins wife. I just care about it getting back to [the consultant] and she understands were serious. Not another little threat or something like that, she needs to understand were serious, the delegate allegedly said in the voice message. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Prosecutors said Joseph Attar did eventually contact the consultant. In a June 28, 2022, exchange, repeated the threat to send the video to the consultants family and the matchmakers. Do you really want to go down this road? Attar asked, according to the indictment. In follow-up messages, Joseph Attar allegedly wrote: Just leave my family alone and nothing will ever come out and put me to the test. I dare you. Attar, her brother and Finkelstein face more than a half-dozen charges including conspiracy and extortion. They are also charged with interception and disclosure of wire, oral or electronic communications, and four counts of violating the federal travel act for their use of a facility of interstate commerce as part of the alleged extortion plot. Court records show all three were in federal custody on Thursday. None had lawyers, according to online records. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The charges have potential election implications for Attar, who was appointed to the seat 10 months ago. The district she represents is diverse with sizable Black and Jewish populations. Attar edged out Del. Malcolm Ruff to replace Carter earlier this year. Ruff, who was appointed to the house in 2023, announced in August that he would challenge Attar for the Senate seat in 2026. That race has the attention of Ferguson, the Senate president. He traveled to Attars district to spotlight an $800,000 capital project. The press conference was a first for Ferguson, who had not participated in similar events during his time as Senate president. He later held a similar event for Sen. Shaneka Henson (D-Anne Arundel). Both women were appointed to their seats and are expected to face challengers in 2026. CATTLETSBURG Justice delayed is justice denied, unless the defendant is waiting a mental health evaluation from the Kentucky Correctional Psychiatric Center. The case in front of Boyd County Circuit Judge John Vincent Thursday was Felicia Helton, who is charged with attempted murder in 2021. Helton was charged after pouring gasoline on a gas station clerk at the Winchester Avenue Sunoco station and trying to light them on fire. Customers restrained Helton and prevented her from setting the clerk on fire, police said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Helton has had several court dates postponed while waiting experts to determine her competency to stand trial. Helton, 40, appeared in Boyd County Circuit Court via videoconference on Thursday. She is represented by John Thompson, of the Boyd County Department of Public Advocacy. Thompson previously stated the defense intends to utilize the insanity defense. In the state, the defense claims the suspect is not responsible for their acts due to mental illness or intellectual disability. Vincent said KCPC has only acknowledged receiving the request for an in-person evaluation of Helton. He said the court has not received any further correspondence from KCPC. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It doesnt seem theyve done anything, Vincent said. Vincent said it seemed KCPC was even further behind than the previously stated 18 months on getting evaluations done for cases across the commonwealth. This is not just a problem in the Helton case, Vincent said. On Thursday, Vincent rescheduled Heltons case for a hearing on Nov. 6. He said if there is no response from KCPC by that date he will put in an order for them to appear in court. At least let us know whats going on, Vincent said. A well-known attorney from Orlando ran the first approved relief flight into Jamaica to help with the devastation left by Hurricane Melissa. Attorney Dan Newlin flew in two personal jets filled with donations and supplies that included water, clothing, food and medicine. Besides supplies, Newlin has also made strong contributions to Jamaicas health care system. One result was a critical pediatric cardiac surgery performed by a team of doctors he flew in. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Newlin has planned several flights back and forth to deliver necessary aid to the battered island. This is being done through the Make a Difference Foundation, which is run by Newlins friend Shaggy. The two have strong ties to Jamaica and have made significant contributions to the country and its health care system. Not only did Shaggy make his organization available, he went along to help personally. Newlin picked him up in Miami on Thursday before proceeding to the Caribbean island nation. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live. SOMERSET, Pa. Somerset Countys sheriff is charged with corruption of minors, accused of allegedly making lewd sexual comments to a 15-year-old girl at a Shop with a Cop event in 2024. Pennsylvania Office of Attorney General officials said the teen was volunteering at the Christmastime fundraiser at a Walmart store when Sheriff Dustin Dusty Weir, 46, pressured her to accompany him to the stores condom section and asked about sex toys and whether she was sexually active. Weir, the countys sheriff since 2021, responded Thursday in a statement to The Tribune-Democrat, describing the charge as baseless allegations by the family of a disgruntled former employee. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On behalf of Sheriff Dusty Weir, we absolutely welcome the opportunity to clear Dustys name of each and every one of these false and misleading allegations, his defense attorney, Matthew Zatko, wrote in a two-page statement, saying the real truth will be known once the case moves forward. The misdemeanor charge was filed Thursday in Somerset after state police in Somerset said they interviewed the teen and a parent who previously worked for Weir. Both described interactions with Weir that made the teen feel uncomfortable during the December 2024 fundraiser and state police wrote that the teen did not disclose statements Weir made to her until after her parent was fired by Weir in March. According to investigators, Weir asked the teen whether she was having sex with her boyfriend. When she responded that she was not sexually active, he allegedly responded, If I was your boyfriend, I would have had sex with you already. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement State police said an assistant prosecutor with the attorney generals office was present for the interview with the teen prior to charges being filed and Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday Jr., a Republican, said such conduct by law enforcement officials wont be tolerated by his office, regardless of occupation, title or rank. The facts in this case outline lewd acts committed by a law enforcement leader who swore an oath to protect his community and set an example for fellow officers, Sunday said. This type of conduct harms the image and reputation of law enforcement officers who spend their days making sacrifices to keep communities safe. State police wrote that Walmart surveillance video showed Weir, another person and the teen walking to the condom section of the store and said Weir texted about the incident in a group chat afterward. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Zatko said evidence will show Weir was among countless witnesses to the December 2024 Shop with a Cop event and is not guilty of the crime. We are confident that once those witnesses are given the opportunity to testify in court, the real truth will be known: That these are nothing but false accusations made by a small group of disgruntled individuals, Zatko wrote. The complaint filed by state police indicated the adult parent who made the accusations alongside the teen worked as a clerk at the Sheriffs Office and was terminated this year for reasons unrelated to the incident. Weir, who is also a Republican, is in his first elected term as sheriff after previously becoming acting sheriff following former Sheriff Brad Cramers death. He has worked decades in the Somerset County Sheriffs Office. Weir will receive a summons to appear in court to face the misdemeanor corruption charge, online documents show. A preliminary hearing was not yet scheduled. LORDSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) Attorneys representing a proposed data center developer believe Lordstowns village council isnt following state law with a data center ban it introduced. A third reading of an ordinance that would prohibit the establishment and operation of data centers in the village is on the agenda for Mondays council meeting. In a letter sent to the villages solicitor Thursday, attorneys representing Bristolville 25 Developers LLC claim the council has not satisfied the statutory notice and procedure requirements to be able to vote or approve a data center ban. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The attorneys believe its a zoning ordinance that seeks to limit how property can be used in a non-chartered municipality, which requires a public hearing and a 30-day notice for it. They seem to be approaching this like its any other kind of ordinance that they have the authority to pass, and a zoning ordinance requires its own separate type of procedure, said Cary Snyder, an attorney for Bristolville 25 Developers LLC. Lordstown Mayor Jackie Woodward says, Its definitely gonna be up to council on Monday how they want to move forward from this. The village council meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. Monday in the community room at the Lordstown Administration Building. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I definitely dont want to see any litigation come from this, so I think it would be smart to take steps to try to avoid that if possible, Woodward added. 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. WAPAKONETA A tree-planting ceremony will take place at 1 p.m. Monday, Nov. 3 at the Auglaize County Fairgrounds in Wapakoneta as part of the Heritage Trees: Planting History program. The fairgrounds was chosen for the planting site because it represents all of Auglaize County and because the shade and other benefits of this new tree will be enjoyed for generations to come, according to organizers. A Swamp White Oak, native to the region, will be planted during the ceremony. The public is invited to attend. The Heritage Trees program officially kicked off in Lima on Arbor Day this spring. Throughout 2025 and 2026, Heritage Trees will be planted in all 88 counties in Ohio. Los Angeles mayoral candidate Austin Beutner took aim at the rising cost of basic city services Thursday, saying Mayor Karen Bass and her administration have contributed to an affordability crisis that is "crushing families." Beutner, appearing outside Van Nuys City Hall, pointed to the City Council's recent decision to increase trash collection fees to nearly $56 per month, up from $36.32 for single-family homes and duplexes, and from $24.33 for three- and four-unit apartment buildings. Since Bass took office in December 2022, the city has also hiked sewer service fees, which are on track to double over a four-year period. In addition, Beutner said, the Department of Water and Power has pushed up the cost of water and electrical service by 52% and 19%, respectively. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I'm talking about the cost-of-living crisis that's crushing families," he said. "L.A. is a very, very special place, but every day it's becoming less affordable." Beutner, speaking before a group of reporters, would not commit to rolling back any of those increases. Instead, he urged Bass to call a special session of the City Council to explain the decisions that led to the increases. "Tell me the cost of those choices, and then we can have an informed conversation as to whether it was a good choice or a bad choice or whether I'd make the same choice," said Beutner, who has worked as superintendent of L.A. schools and as a high-level deputy mayor. Read more: Trash fees will spike for many L.A. residents in aftermath of city's fiscal crisis Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When the City Council took up the sewer rates last year, sanitation officials argued the increase was needed to cover rising construction and labor costs and ramp up the repair and replacement of aging pipes. This year, sanitation officials also pushed for a package of trash fee hikes, saying the rates had not increased in 17 years. They argued that the city's budget has been subsidizing the cost of residential trash pickup for customers in single-family homes and small apartments. Doug Herman, spokesperson for the Bass reelection campaign, defended the trash and sewer service fee increases, saying both were long overdue. Bass took action, he said, because previous city leaders failed to make the hard choices necessary to balance the budget and fix deteriorating sewer pipes. "Nobody was willing to face the music and request the rate hikes to do that necessary work," he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement DWP spokesperson Michelle Figueroa acknowledged that electrical rates have gone up. However, she said in an email, the DWP's residential rates remain lower than other utilities, including Southern California Edison and San Diego Gas & Electric. By focusing on cost-of-living concerns, Beutner's campaign has been emphasizing an issue that is at the forefront of next week's election for New York City mayor. In that contest, State Assembly member Zohran Mamdani has promised to lower consumer costs, in part by freezing the rent for rent-stabilized apartments and making rides on city buses free. Read more: Former schools chief Austin Beutner plans to challenge Bass, blasting her over Palisades fire Since announcing his candidacy this month, Beutner has offered few cost-of-living policy prescriptions, other than to say he supports "in concept" Senate Bill 79, a newly signed state law that allows taller, denser buildings to be approved near public transit stops. Instead, he mostly has derided a wide array of increases, including a recent hike in parking rates. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Beutner contends that the city's various increases will add more than $1,200 per year to the average household customer's bill from the Department of Water and Power, which includes the cost not just of utilities, but also trash removal and sewer service. Herman pushed back on that estimate, saying it relies on "flawed assumptions," incorporating fees that apply to only a portion of ratepayers. In a new campaign video, Beutner warned that city leaders also are laying plans to more than double what property owners pay in street lighting assessments. He also accused the DWP of relying increasingly on "adjustment factors" to increase the amount customers pay for water and electricity, instead of hiking the base rate. The DWP needs to be more transparent about those increases and why they were needed, Beutner said. 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. AUSTIN (KXAN) Austin Independent School District on Friday released an updated version of its draft consolidation and boundary change plan. The district first released the draft plan to families in early October, and the district said it has received more than 7,200 comments through their online comment card. The plan proposes closing 13 schools, redrawing boundaries for most other campuses and reassigning students to improve campus capacity and program consistency. The plan to close schools and move students comes as Austin ISD is trying to reduce a nearly $20 million budget shortfall. The district has also seen a 14.5% decrease in enrollment over the last decade, from more than 84,000 students in the 2014-15 school year to about 72,000 in 2024-25. We have received over 7,000 comment cards and these are detailed and these are really thoughtful comments that we have received about how to consider different things, said AISD Superintendent Matias Segura. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The plan has not been met with open arms, as many parents and teachers have rallied to save their schools. Austin ISD has used the past several weeks to hold information sessions and answer questions from the community. The majority, 45%, of the comments from parents and students was about boundaries, according to data provided by the district. Almost 18% of people discussed school closures, and about 10% of those who commented discussed school-wide dual language programs. FAQ: Austin ISDs plan to close schools, redraw school zones The district says in this second round of updates to the draft plan, they refined the proposed boundary changes using community input. Changes for transfer students The districts first draft plan only allowed students who are currently zoned for a school to stay at the campus until they finished all the grade levels offered. For example, a third grader who is currently zoned for Cowan but re-zoned for Boone under the plan would have the option during enrollment to stay at Cowan for fourth and fifth grade. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But the previous plan did not allow transfer students the option to stay at their current school. Under the new draft plan, all families who wish to continue at their current school or program will be allowed to stay. The district said students will need to apply and request the transfer to their current campus but the request will be granted, according to the district. The district called the proposed policy continuation transfer and the plan notes that transportation will not be provided for transfer students who stay at their current school. The districts new plan also creates a way for transfer students at closing campuses to stay with their peers. One of the changes allows transfer students to move to the newly consolidated campus along with their classmates instead of going to the campus in their school zone. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The plan notes that parents will have to select these choices through the re-enrollment process in the spring and annual re-registration forms. BOUNDARY CHANGES: See updates to school feeder patterns here What about siblings? The original draft plan allowed for students to stay at their current school until they finish the grade levels offered at the campus even if their neighborhood or address is re-zoned for a different school. But it stopped short of giving their siblings, who are not currently enrolled in Austin ISD, the ability to enroll in the same school as them. I, as a superintendent, never want our families to have to go to two elementary schools, to go drop a third grader off and then drop a first grader off. Thats not who we are, Segura said during a school board work session on Wednesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The updated plan recommends that siblings of students who are grandfathered in and allowed to stay at their campus, despite being re-zoned, also be able to enroll at the same school. The plan proposes that families seeking to utilize this change will have to apply for the sibling transfer within a designated window and stipulates that these requests will not be granted in cases where the campus is over capacity. Q&A: Inside Austin ISDs plan to close schools and redraw boundaries Changes for dual language students The updated school consolidation plan still repurposes Pickle, Wooten, Odom and Sanchez elementaries into school-wide non-zoned Spanish dual-language programs. The district said moving the dual language programs will bring the programs closer to where emergent bilingual students live. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The new draft plan does expand what types of dual language programs will be offered. Wooten Elementary School will now also offer a Mandarin dual language program. The district also made changes for the students who currently attend Sanchez, Pickle, Wooten and Odom elementary schools. The updated plan allows third and fourth grade students at those schools who are in the English/ESL class, to stay at their current school and participate in the temporary English/ESL strand. In those programmatic moves you are going to see Pickle, Wooten, Odom, and Sanchez all have transportation within those existing attendance boundaries to ensure our emergent bilingual students have access to that program, said Segura. The district said they would continue offering a dual-language strand at the Montessori campus. More changes coming? The district said it was exploring the feasibility of continuing construction of the new modernized facility Oak Springs was promised during the 2022 bond but said the updated draft plan for next school year is still to move Oak Springs students into the historic Blackshear Elementary School building. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This could create an opportunity for the facility to support the Oak Springs ES and Blackshear ES community. Before changing direction, we will collaborate with both communities and explore the feasibility of the design and construction to support desired programs as well as potential implications for the historic Blackshear ES building, the plan stated. This east Austin school was promised a new building. Now it might close. Bond records show that as of July, the district had already spent more than $3.5 million on a new modernized campus for Oak Springs and committed more than $45 million through contracts and purchase orders. The district told KXAN it has not spent the $45 million committed to the Oak Springs modernization project and added that funds being committed does not mean they will be spent. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We have not canceled the project, and we have not canceled any contracts. We are pausing to protect the funds while a determination is made concerning consolidations, an Austin ISD spokesperson told KXAN. AISD says they are exploring how to resolve the three-way split for Small Middle School and they are working to understand any implications a change would have on surrounding schools and feeder patterns. The district is considering relocating Garza Independence High School to the Martin Middle School building and also expanding the programming to serve 6-12th graders. The district is also considering relocating the Alternative Learning Center to the building currently supporting Garza. AISD says this would give them increased flexibility to explore options for the future of Mendez Middle School. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bedichek Middle School was initially named as one of the schools that could close. Now, the district says they are exploring strategies to ensure the school continues to serve as a school, including a potential Early Childhood-8 or 6-12 dual language program. The original draft plan called for Winn Montessori to close and for the Montessori to move to Govalle Elementary School. District officials said in the updated plan they are exploring alternative locations for the relocation of the Montessori program including Zavala and Ortega Elementary schools as potential locations. The plan stated whichever building supports the Montessori program would become non-zoned and the neighborhood would be reassigned to another nearby campus. Discussions with parents and the board will continue over the next several weeks, and plans could change again before the final vote by AISD trustees on November 20. For a full list of changes to the draft plan you can explore Austin ISDs updated draft plan here. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin. SMITH COUNTY, Texas (KETK) Austin Luce announced his campaign for Smith County Precinct 2 Commissioner on Thursday. Luce, a commercial property manager and Specialist in the Texas State guard, held a campaign kickoff event on Thursday formally announcing his candidacy. Duty First. Texas Always. Thats the motto of the Texas State Guard, and it reflects how I was raised and how Ill raise my children. We all have a duty to serve to show up, take responsibility, and get things done for our community. Thats why today I launched my campaign for Smith County Commissioner, Precinct 2, Luce said in a statement. As a commercial property manager and Specialist in the Texas State Guard, Im used to responding when theres a need. This campaign is no different. Its a call to serve, and Im ready to lead. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Luce aims to succeed Commissioner John Moore, who announced in July that he would not seek re-election. Luce will appear on the republican primary ballot in March. For more information on Luces campaign, visit his official campaign website. 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. Befitting Austins reputation as the most liberal city in Texas, voters here have long been willing to pay higher taxes to support schools, social services, pet projects and public transportation. Last year, Austinites voted to increase school property taxes to pay for $171 million in employee raises and to reduce the districts $119 million budget deficit. In 2020, amid a historic pandemic that cast the economy into a tailspin, voters approved a $7.1 billion transit system known as Project Connect. For four election cycles in a row except in 2012, when voters rejected a $78.3 million affordable housing bond Austinites have approved a series of bond packages to fund low-, middle- and affordable-income housing. Campaign signs for and against Prop Q are posted on East Riverside Drive in Austin on Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025. (Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman) So when the polls opened last week in an election where Austinites are being asked to hike city property taxes by more than 20% to fund a wide range of progressive priorities, the surest bet is that voters will go for it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Related: Voter Guide 2025: What's on the ballot in Austin? Given Austin's general inclination toward a vibrant, active city in its voting patterns, it's likely to still pass, said Joshua Blank, research director of the Texas Politics Project at the University of Texas at Austin. But will it? Public sentiment is palpably different this time around, according to experts even inside City Hall. Both data and anecdotal evidence suggest the election is still up for grabs. This will be more challenging than previous tax rate elections, Blank acknowledged, noting the unprecedented size of the proposed hike known as Proposition Q as a particular challenge. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The measure would generate about $110 million to fund Austin City Council priorities, including homeless services, increased park maintenance and support for health and public safety initiatives. Some Prop Q proponents have opted to paint the vote as a referendum on the Republican crusade against liberal cities. I would urge people to understand that this election is not about taxes its about whether we want Donald Trump and Greg Abbott to choose how Austin spends its money, said Joe Cascino, who heads a political action committee formed to support Prop Q. Signs that Proposition Q could fail Gavino Fernandez expresses his opposition for Proposition Q during a press conference held by a coalition of Austinites at Juan in a Million in Austin Monday, Oct. 20, 2025. The coalition says they are urging residents to vote no on the proposition and then work with city leaders to identify ways the city can support its important programs within the existing $6.3 billion budget. (Mikala Compton/Austin American-Statesman) Back in May months before the City Council decided to ask voters to open their wallets the citys Office of Budget and Organizational Excellence conducted a survey of 812 residents that suggested the measure could face headwinds. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Only 14% of respondents indicated support for increasing services even if it meant raising taxes, while 86% favored options that would maintain or improve services without increasing taxes or fees. "The majority of residents prefer to keep taxes at their current levels," the survey report noted. While some data from the survey could be a useful indicator of whats to come, Austin-based political consultant Jim Wick said the respondents are not representative of this years electorate because the poll did not account for higher voter turnout in more affluent areas of West Austin. In a statement, City Manager T.C. Broadnax noted his office conducts surveys annually "to help identify funding priorities" before crafting a balanced budget proposal for consideration by City Council. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Even members of the Travis County Democratic Party were somewhat reluctant to endorse Prop Q. On the evening of Sept. 25, an endorsement vote which requires two-thirds majority support to pass ended in a tie. Party Chair Doug Greco cast the deciding vote in favor of the endorsement, according to meeting minutes obtained by the American-Statesman. It ultimately passed 69-34. I personally supported the endorsement because, as a former public school teacher and grassroots organizer, I believe that the social services, housing and school-based programs it can fund are an important investment in working families, Greco said in a statement to the Statesman. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The close vote came even though a local Democratic Party favorite U.S. Rep. Greg Casar attended the meeting to speak in favor of Prop Q. Fundraising and spending numbers could be another indicator of voter sentiment. The last political action committee financial reports before the election were due Oct. 27. PACs opposing Prop Q raised $288,812, while those in favor raised just $67,998. Ben Suddaby, of the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, chants at a rally for Prop Q at Edward Rendon Sr. Park at Festival Beach on Monday, Oct. 27, 2025. Labor leaders, small business owners and community advocates gathered to ask people to vote for Prop Q. (Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman) The city poll, fundraising imbalance and close endorsement vote may be the only hard data available suggesting that Prop Q could be in trouble. But there is also significant anecdotal evidence, and experts say the general economic and taxing climate could pose a challenge. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Since the May poll, Travis County decided to raise its property tax rate by 9.12% next year to address Julys devastating floods. While that increase exceeds the 3.5% cap allowed under state law without voter approval, a tax rate election wasnt required because the county received a disaster declaration. But unlike the citys proposed 20% hike, which would be permanent, the countys increase will expire after one year. Though Travis County cited this years floods to justify its tax increase, Blank said local governments like the county and city will likely start asking voters for the highest tax rates they can since the states revenue cap limits their ability to keep up with rising costs. Austin voters also have ample reason to question whether the tax hike will lead to good outcomes. The Austin school district recently announced plans to close 13 schools amid declining enrollment and ongoing financial woes even though voters approved a $2.44 billion bond in 2022 designed to keep those campuses open. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Five years after approving Project Connect, Austin voters still do not have a light rail system. Since then, the project has been significantly scaled back, yet the cost remains the same. Meanwhile, several rapid bus lines included in the plan have been delayed. The Statesman recently uncovered evidence of questionable discretionary spending among city leaders, prompting City Manager T.C. Broadnax and Council Member Ryan Alter to reimburse taxpayers for thousands of dollars in working lunches. Even so, council members voted to increase their food and travel budgets, growing overall office expenditures by 4.5%. Michael H. Granof, professor emeritus of accounting at the University of Texas, previously told the Statesman city leaders took a big risk asking voters to support a grab bag of initiatives rather than just one. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While Austinites have historically been willing to vote for tax increases, he said, usually those tax increases are for specific projects. Why Proposition Q could still pass Wick, the political consultant, conducted early voting data analysis using the county clerks voter roster matched with a database of voter history. He said this electorate compares most closely with the November 2021 election another off-year vote featuring a controversial proposition to increase police staffing that could have cost the city between $54 million and $120 million annually. Austin voters ultimately rejected that measure. He estimated that in the first three days of early voting this year, 68% of voters were Democratic-leaning, 25% Republican-leaning and the remainder independent. He also noted that voters on the west side of town are turning out at a higher rate than they did in 2021. As of Thursday, 74,269 people had voted early in person, and the county had received another 1,859 ballots by mail. With 904,768 registered voters, early voting turnout stood at 8.42%. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Given the political divide with the Travis County Democratic Party endorsing the proposition and former county GOP Chair Matt Mackowiak and his Save Austin Now PAC leading opposition Wick said Proposition Q would likely pass if voters cast ballots along party lines. Opponents of Prop Q would have to persuade at least 25% of Democrats not to vote for it, he said, adding that theres been no major surge of Republican voters so far, and GOP turnout is slightly lower than in 2021. As early voting continues, Wick said, the share of Democratic voters tends to rise. While the May poll showed little support for tax increases, a separate survey conducted during the citys community engagement phase for the 2026 bond found that around 70% of 2,002 residents surveyed in May and June said they would support a tax increase for the citys next bond package. The survey also found residents top priorities included housing, transportation and parks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Supporters of the proposition are calling on Austinites historical support for local government and urging voters to push back against Republican-dominated state and federal governments. At a Care Not Cuts coalition press conference Monday, Greco said the public sector has been under attack for decades at the hands of Trump and Abbott. We are proud to live in a community that has agreed through its social compact to not leave behind as many people as possible, and we trust our locally elected officials more because they share our values and they know our communities, he said. Austin Council Member Chito Vela said hes cautiously optimistic that voters will support Prop Q, especially considering the Austin school districts successful tax rate election last year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I dont think itll pass with overwhelming support, but I think itll pass, he said. Editor's Note: This story has been updated to include additional context on the Travis County Democratic Party's endorsement vote and the city's May tax survey, as well as comment from City Manager T.C. Broadnax whose office did not meet the Statesman's original deadline. Authorities in Singapore uncovered a major smuggling operation when they discovered thousands of vape pods hidden inside a cargo container, according to The Straits Times. What's happening? Officers from the Singapore Police Force, Immigration and Checkpoints Authority, and Health Sciences Authority found over 9,200 vape pods concealed in an inbound cargo container. The discovery occurred on Sept. 17 at the Pasir Panjang Scanning Station. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the article, the shipment was falsely declared as containing power banks for charging devices. Authorities tracked down a 25-year-old Singaporean man allegedly connected to the illegal consignment and arrested him the following day. During the arrest, officers reportedly discovered an additional 85 vape pods and other vaping paraphernalia in his possession. The total street value of the seized items exceeded $51,000. Why is vape smuggling concerning? The vaping industry has the potential to pose serious threats to public health and the environment. Vaping products have been linked to negative health outcomes, including respiratory issues and nicotine addiction in children and adolescents, whose lungs and brains are still developing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Disposable vapes also cause vast environmental damage. These products significantly contribute to the rise of single-use plastics, generating toxic e-waste that often ends up in landfills. Improperly discarded lithium batteries from vapes pose fire hazards and leach harmful chemicals into soil and water systems. Each disposable vape contains materials that could persist in the environment for decades while continuing to release toxic substances. What's being done about vape smuggling? Singapore has implemented stricter penalties to combat the vaping crisis, per the article. Since the beginning of September, first-time offenders aged 18 and above have faced fines of $700 for possessing vapes under the country's new regulations. Second-time offenders must undergo mandatory rehabilitation, and third-time offenders can be fined up to $2,000. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, those convicted of importing, distributing, or selling vapes face even steeper consequences: up to $10,000, a maximum of six months in jail, or both for a first offense. Subsequent convictions can result in a $20,000 fine and up to one year in jail. Every little bit helps in keeping dangerous plastics out of the environment. You can do your part by disposing of electronic waste at a designated e-waste collection center instead of throwing devices in the trash and by replacing everyday items with plastic-free alternatives. 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. SUMNER COUNTY, Tenn. (WKRN) A raid at a Sumner County house Tuesday led to the apprehension of two alleged drug dealers, as well as the discovery of fentanyl in some unique hiding spots. The drug bust took place in Bethpage, just north of Gallatin, on Tuesday, Oct. 28. Members of the 18th Judicial District Drug Task Force told News 2 they were tipped off about illegal narcotics dealing and started surveilling the two suspects. Agents said they took 36-year-old Cody Crowe and 47-year-old Kathy Crowe into custody. The couple is charged with possession of a Schedule II controlled substance with intent to sell and deliver, as well as possession of a Schedule VI controlled substance (marijuana) and possession of drug paraphernalia. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We were able to confirm that they were a branch of a line of fentanyl that had been coming into Sumner County from another drug trafficking organization, a task force member said. 2 charged after deputies discover fentanyl during Putnam County traffic stop Authorities reportedly confiscated close to half a pound of marijuana. They also went through the many canisters in the home, searching for false compartments, and discovered several hollowed out cans, at least one of which contained approximately 2 grams of fentanyl, according to law enforcement. Unfortunately, we were only able to get 2 grams of fentanyl. Obviously, wed like to take off a lot more, you know, save as many lives as we could here in Sumner County, but we know them to at least be an ounce-to-2-ounce-type dealer in this area, and I would consider that still a win, able to get them off the streets, the agent explained. (Courtesy: 18th Judicial District Drug Task Force) (Courtesy: 18th Judicial District Drug Task Force) (Courtesy: 18th Judicial District Drug Task Force) (Courtesy: 18th Judicial District Drug Task Force) (Courtesy: 18th Judicial District Drug Task Force) (Courtesy: 18th Judicial District Drug Task Force) (Courtesy: 18th Judicial District Drug Task Force) (Courtesy: 18th Judicial District Drug Task Force) Investigators said they found approximately $1,200 in cash, as well as a handwritten ledger with names of people who allegedly owed money. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It makes it a little bit easier to articulate that the individuals you have are not just possessing fentanyl for potential personal use, but theyre also selling it, theyre distributing it, theyre poisoning the streets here in Sumner County, so locating something like that where it clearly shows that theres individuals that theyre either delivering to or are showing up at that property, making purchases for the fentanyl, the agent told News 2. Read todays top stories on wkrn.com Officials confirmed both suspects are still in the Sumner County jail ahead of their first court appearance, which is scheduled for next month. Authorities said Kathy has prior drug convictions, but no additional details were released about her criminal Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, according to court records, Cody was indicted in April 2010 for aggravated child abuse and neglect for injuring an 8-year-old in Davidson County. His 12-year sentence for those charges reportedly expired in March 2020. The Tennessee Department of Correction told News 2 that Codys most recent sentence a two-year state probation term for Schedule VI drugs out of Sumner County expired in July 2024. He has no active sentences in Tennessee 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 WKRN News 2. You probably think of seahorses as creatures from a fairy tale, quietly drifting through colorful reefs. But there's a dark story that connects these delicate animals to a massive global crime network. What happened? According to Mongabay, police in Tulcan, Ecuador, investigated an odd-smelling package at a bus station. Inside, they found 2,970 dead seahorses. The shipment was just one small part of a vast illegal pipeline funneling the creatures to Asian markets for use in traditional medicine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So, why is this happening? Most seahorses aren't even being targeted. They're swept up as accidental "bycatch" by destructive fishing methods like bottom trawling. As Ecuadorian marine biologist Michel Guerrero described it to Mongabay, this practice is incredibly damaging. "It's harmful. It's like using a bulldozer on the seabed, everything gets destroyed," he said. Why is this event concerning? This unregulated harvest is a disaster for seahorses. All 47 species in the world are now considered threatened. And the problem is far bigger than what we see. An investigation in Conservation Biology could only track the nearly 5 million seahorses that were actually seized between 2010 and 2021. As the study's lead author, Sarah Foster, said, "what we're seeing is just the tip of the iceberg." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When a key species like the seahorse is removed from an ecosystem, it throws everything off balance, harming the coastal communities that depend on healthy oceans for their food and jobs. In some cases, smuggled animals can also become invasive species, spreading disease and destroying local habitats. What's being done about this issue? International laws exist to protect seahorses, but enforcement is tough. Thankfully, authorities are fighting back. And it's not just seahorses. In Bali, officials recently found hundreds of exotic birds being smuggled on city buses. Across the world in Vermont, a woman was caught smuggling 29 rare turtles in socks and now faces a potential 10-year prison sentence. What source of air pollution do you worry most about at home? Wildfires Gas stove Fireplace Something else Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. These busts show that vigilance works. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As one Indonesian conservation official, Nur Patria Kurniawan, put it, "Nature cannot speak, but we can be its voice." By supporting strong enforcement and refusing to buy products made from wildlife, we can help protect these unique animals and the delicate balance of our 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. (NewsNation) A Harvard astrophysicist who has been tracking suspected comet 3I/ATLAS as it hurtles through the Milky Way is urging NASA to release high-resolution imagery he says was captured early this month. Avi Loeb has drawn attention in recent months for suggesting 3I/ATLAS could be some form of alien tech based on various anomalies hes observed. These include the interstellar objects unusually large size, its lack of a traditional comets tail and data suggesting the mass contains an unnatural nickel alloy. Loeb said some answers could come from images of 3I/ATLAS that were taken Oct. 2 by NASAs HiRise camera on the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter around the time the federal government shut down. The information has not yet been released, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Scientists offer new look at black holes massive jet The politics of the day should not sabotage science. They have the data. They should share it with scientists, Loeb, referring to NASA, told Elizabeth Vargas Reports on Thursday. They can wait with any press release. Avi Loebs theory has created waves 3I/Atlas is expected to disappear behind the sun late this month and pass Jupiter early next year before leaving our galaxy, according to NASA, which considers the object a comet that poses no danger. Ross Coulthart, an investigative journalist who has reported on unidentified anomalous phenomena, aka UAPs or UFOs, for NewsNation, has called Loebs theory of possible alien tech inflammatory. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Coulthart, however, has said hes agreeable to the idea of more resources going toward Loebs area of study. The name 3I/ATLAS derives from the fact that its the third known interstellar object to enter our solar system; it was discovered by the Asteroid Terrestrial-impact Last Alert System. 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. DES MOINES, Iowa The littlest patients at MercyOnes Neonatal Intensive Care Unit are celebrating their first Halloween. Staff are making it special for parents as theyre facing a challenging time in the hospital. Baby Emmie was born ten weeks early and weighed just two pounds and 14 ounces, according to her dad, Drew. After six weeks in the NICU, shes gained nearly two more pounds and is celebrating a holiday she wasnt planned to be here for. The staff here is just amazing. Theyve been so welcoming and caring for Emmie so well, Drew said. For Halloween, we wanted to dress her up as our heroes and her hero too, which is the nurses. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nurses who take care of these babies and give their parents a special memory of their first Halloween. Little Damian is dressed as a dinosaur, after coming early at 36 weeks and spending the past 36 days in the NICU. Hes a champ and Im so proud of him, Isabel Garst, Damians mom, said. Hes come a very long way. And tiaras for twin girls Lucy and Jaclyn, who were born at 32 weeks. Gabe on the Go: Why Caseys 400-person-strong downtown is thriving Its something weve been looking forward to for like weeks. Everyone asks us, what are the girls being?' Kaylee Hollenback, Lucy and Jaclyns mom, said. Actually, a nurse and respiratory therapist chose the outfits for the girls. And I thought that was so special that I didnt have to decide, but someone else wanted to, and they love the girls enough that they did that. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A labor of love from the medical team that cares for these little babies every day and photographs them for Halloween. Its just one of the moments we can make this place a little better for them, Pam Kroeger, a registered nurse at MercyOne who took the photos, said. Its a hard place to be a parent. Thanks to the generosity of parents who get it. Both of Janice and Damian Beards babies were admitted to the NICU after they were born, and now they are on a mission to help parents who are going through the same journey. There are others that have been there, that are doing it, and we are all here to support you. You are not alone, Damian Beard, executive director of Holding Tiny Hands, said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As leaders of Holding Tiny Hands, they provide resources and support for families as well as gather Halloween costumes to donate to MercyOne. So often times, some of those normal things that parents do whether its changing their diaper or feeding them, often times they dont get to do those things when theyre so tiny, Janice Beard, assistant director of Holding Tiny Hands, said. And so getting to dress them up in these costumes makes them feel like they are parents, and creates that bond and connection that is so valuable to these babies and their parents. An effort to educate everyone about the NICU experience. I think it makes people who have gone through this feel seen and have a sense of community too, Kaley Long, registered nurse at MercyOne, said. And for us as nurses, its important for people to know what our NICU can provide us well, as they can feel comfortable and confident in our treatment that we can provide too. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A meaningful moment for those currently going through it. To remind us hes a fighter, Garst said about her son Damian. And it all happened for a reason. The parents say they are taking it day by day and are hoping to take their babies home soon. You can learn more about Holding Tiny Hands by clicking here. Iowa news Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to who13.com. BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) A Bakersfield police detective found himself on the other side of the law Thursday. Marc Lugo a 13-year veteran with Bakersfield police was arrested in May on suspicion of having explicit online communication with a 15-year-old girl from South Carolina. According to investigators, Instagram records revealed Lugo, 35, engaged in online communication encouraging the girl to send explicit material. Hes now been charged federally, with one count of sexually exploiting a minor and one count of receiving and distributing child pornography. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Victims Rights March in Kern County set for Nov. 6 17 News was not allowed to film in federal court, but was able to sit in on the proceedings. Two men in jackets with yellow lettering that read U.S. Marshall on their backs waited by the door to bring Lugo in. Lugo had long curly black hair kept in a bun. He was in a blue and white-striped shirt and clean shaven. Prosecutor Luke Baity represented the government while criminal defense attorney David Torres represented Lugo. Lugo pleaded not guilty to all charges. The Bakersfield Police Department said Lugo is on paid administrative leave. Most recent payroll records show Lugo made $145,000 last year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Never miss a story: Make KGET.com your homepage 17 News asked the District Attorneys Office if these charges could hurt any cases in which Lugo investigated and testified. The DAs Office said they are looking into it but couldnt get back to us immediately. Lugo was involved in a shooting in southwest Bakersfield back in December of 2020. Jonathan Brown, the suspect in that case, died. That shooting was ruled justified. Lugo was ordered to stay in custody. A detention hearing has been set for Nov. 4. 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. Azerbaijan is considering participating in a multinational stabilisation force for Gaza following US requests, though officials say any deployment would require UN Security Council authorisation and a clear international mandate. The US approached Baku about joining a mission to secure Gaza once fighting ends and humanitarian access expands, according to information obtained by AnewZ channel. Azerbaijan has not made a final decision on participation. The proposed International Stabilisation Force (ISF) would secure key sites, ensure aid delivery and prevent renewed armed confrontation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the ISF mission "will have to be people that Israel is comfortable with, or countries that Israel is comfortable with as well," without identifying specific nations or vetoes. Palestinians inspect the rubble of a building destroyed by an Israeli army strike at Al-Shati camp in Gaza City, 29 October, 2025 - AP Photo Sources indicate Arab partners have noted Azerbaijan's balanced regional approach, while Azerbaijan was invited to the leaders summit on Gaza in Egypt, where further steps to stabilise the situation in Gaza were discussed. Baku maintains diplomatic relations with both Israel and the Palestinian side. In November 2022, Azerbaijans parliament approved a resolution to open an embassy in the State of Israel, which would be located in Tel Aviv. The embassy was officially inaugurated in March 2023 in Israel, with diplomatic representation and an ambassador from Baku. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In parallel, Azerbaijan established a Representative Office in the West Bank city of Ramallah in late 2022. These steps reflect Azerbaijans diplomatic strategy of balancing its close partnership with Israel while maintaining solidarity with Palestinians. Bank of America announced Friday that it is providing $5 million to nearly 100 nonprofit organizations across the United States to address urgent food needs. This immediate funding is part of a larger commitment by Bank of America to combat food insecurity, officials said, with plans to invest $250 million over the next five years in communities nationwide. Our ongoing commitment to the needs of the local communities where we work and live is foundational to who we are at Bank of America, said Sheri Bronstein, Chief People Officer at Bank of America. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement READ: Mecklenburg County prepares for SNAP uncertainty The $5 million donation will support nonprofit organizations that are on the front lines of feeding families and individuals experiencing food insecurity, officials said . In addition to financial support, Bank of America employees will volunteer over 100,000 hours by the end of the year to assist organizations focused on hunger relief and other critical services, according to a press release. The company will also match employee contributions dollar-for-dollar to nonprofits dedicated to fighting hunger, further amplifying the impact of their efforts, officials said. WATCH: Mecklenburg County prepares for SNAP uncertainty Speaking to BBC Persian in the West Bank village of Kabar, Barghoutis cousin said he was 80% certain that he would soon be released. The family of imprisoned Fatah terrorist Marwan Barghouti has written to US President Donald Trump to demand his release from an Israeli prison, his family told BBC Persian on Friday. Mr. President, a true partner awaits you. Someone who can help realize our shared dream of a just and lasting peace in the region. Help freeMarwan Barghouti for the freedom of the Palestinian people and peace for future generations," the family wrote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Speaking to BBC Persian in the West Bank village of Kabar, Barghoutis cousin said he was 80% certain that he would soon be released, despite Israels refusals to list him as one of the prisoners released in exchange for the hostages who were held by Hamas for over two years. "No one can unite Palestinians like him," Barghoutis brother Moqbel, who works on a board representing the families of Palestinian prisoners, said. While Barghouti is held for his role in founding the Al-Aqsa Brigade, and for the deadly attacks the group went on to commit, his son maintained that Barghouti is innocent. Jailed Fatah leader Marwan Barghouti (C) is accompanied by Israeli prison guards after a deliberation at Jerusalem Magistrate's court January 25, 2012. Convicted of murder for his role in attacks on Israelis, Barghouti was jailed for life by Israel in 2004. (credit: REUTERS/AMMAR AWAD) Speaking to the Persian site in Ramallah, Arab Barghouti repeated the claim that his father wasassaulted by guards in prison, a claim the Israel Prison Service denied. Bargouthi's family says he can unite Palestinians Al Araby TV cited a Palestinian source reporting last month that Barghouti was beaten and assaulted as he was being transferred from Ramon Prison in the South to Megiddo Prison north of Jenin. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the news channel, Barghouti had four broken ribs as a result of the alleged beating, which caused him to lose consciousness temporarily. "There are extremist ministers in Israel who are clearly against peace and who openly call for the ethnic cleansing of the Palestinian people," said Arab Barghouti. "I think they see my father as a political threat. They never considered him a security threat, because he was never a soldier or a general. He was always a politician, a member of parliament, and a member of the Fatah Central Committee." "Palestinian unity can be a great help to regional stability. My father believes in political solutions and supported coexistence and the peace process in the 1990s, he continued. "I think this could be the beginning of a new way of thinking about the region and the Palestinian cause. I really hope that one day we will be free and independent, live with dignity, and our children will live in peace." Who is Fatah terror leader Marwan Barghouti? Born in the West Bank, Barghouti is a political and terrorist leader in Fatah who played a key role in the Second Intifada. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In April 2002, he was arrested in Ramallah during Operation Defensive Shield and was later convicted in an Israeli civilian court of five counts of murder and other offenses. Barghouti is currently serving five life sentences on top of added-on years. Between April and May 2017, while leading a large prisoner hunger strike, the Israel Prison Service released footage that it said showed Barghouti secretly eating in his cell, a clip his supporters said was fabricated. Barghouti remains one of the most popular Palestinian leaders, according to multiple surveys, and he has frequently been mentioned in negotiations as a top Hamas demand. He was included in a list of high-profile prisoners Hamas demanded Israel release as part of the Gaza ceasefire deal brokered by US President Donald Trump. Jerusalem Post Staff and Liran Haroni contributed to this report. One of the top priorities in Bari Weiss fledgling reign atop CBS News is to reshape the networks evening news broadcast, which was once anchored by the legendary Walter Cronkite but has lately been mired in third place amid a revolving door of hosts and a recent format change. Weiss, the founder of the anti-woke digital outlet The Free Press who was installed as the networks editor-in-chief earlier this month, has been intently focused on bringing in a high-profile external candidate to help reverse CBS Evening News fortunes and boost its increasingly struggling ratings. While it has already been reported that Weiss is eyeing Fox News chief political anchor Bret Baier and CNN star Anderson Cooper for the role, despite both making eight-digit salaries and being locked into contracts with rival networks, The Guardian revealed Friday that another name has entered the fray: Fox News anchor Dana Perino. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Perino, a former George W. Bush spokesperson, has been with the conservative cable giant since 2009 and currently serves as both a co-anchor of the midday news broadcast Americas Newsroom and a panelist on the top-rated roundtable program The Five. The Independent has reached out to CBS News for comment. Fox News declined to comment. Bari Weiss has mentioned Fox News anchor Dana Perino as a target for the evening news broadcast. (Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved) Much like Baier, who shot down the CBS News rumors this week by making it clear hes signed with Fox News through 2028, Perino has a long-term contract with the right-wing network. In fact, as The Guardian pointed out, shes locked into her Fox News deal until the 2030s. While it seems highly unlikely that Perino would be able to jump to CBS due to her contract she would need to negotiate a buyout with Fox owners Rupert and Lachlan Murdoch one this is abundantly clear: she is a self-described huge fan of Weiss, and vice versa. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During an appearance on Weiss podcast this past spring, Perino declared that The Free Press is one of the best things that has kept me more informed and smarter, and also super entertained. Weiss, in return, heaped praise on the Fox News star. The private Dana is even more gracious and shining than the public one, the former New York Times columnist declared. You are a person who models, frankly, just classy behavior, the kind of class that I think a lot of people have forgotten. When asked about Weiss considering Perino to lead CBS Evening News, one senior CBS News staffer responded to The Independent with a face-palm emoji. Another industry insider told The Independent, Amateur hour doesnt even begin to describe the way CBS and Bari operate - deeply unsophisticated and no serious knowledge of the way the industry works, and how talent contracts are done much less how to actually build and cultivate a star. Embarrassing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Another name that has been floated around the network as a possible candidate for the CBS Evening News, first reported by The Guardian and confirmed by The Independent with multiple sources, is former Fox News anchor Shepard Smith. Smith, who suddenly quit Fox in 2019 amid an on-air feud with then-host Tucker Carlson, was last seen in the anchor chair during his ill-fated run hosting a weeknight newscast on CNBC, which ended in 2022 after the network ditched the experiment following low ratings. The veteran anchor, who has kept a low profile since leaving the airwaves, doesnt appear to be in serious contention for the CBS News gig, sources added. Earlier this week, amid rumors that Weiss and network president Tom Cibrowski were making sweeping changes to the show, CBS Evening News co-anchor John Dickerson announced that he was leaving both the program and the network at the end of the year. Maurice DuBois, his fellow host on the telecast, is not expected to remain with the show, as it is expected to return to a single-anchor format. While Weiss is looking to generate buzz for the flagship evening broadcast by bringing in a splashy outside hire, there are also a number of internal candidates in the running for the anchors seat. Weiss is looking to bring in a splashy external hire to generate buzz about the perennially third-place evening news broadcast. (Getty) Norah ODonnell, who hosted CBS Evening News for five years before being replaced by Dickerson and Dubois, could return to the position and, according to CBS sources, has been aggressively lobbying Weiss for another chance. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement CBS Mornings co-anchor Tony Dokoupil, whom Weiss and The Free Press vehemently defended after he was reprimanded by CBS News management over his contentious interview with author Ta-Nehisi Coates last year, is seen as the favorite internally. According to several network insiders, though, hes told his CBS Mornings colleagues he is not interested. Regardless of who steps in as the next anchor of CBS Evening News, which is currently only drawing half the viewership of rival ABC News nightly newscast, the show will once again undergo a complete remodel less than a year after its latest transformation. Besides replacing ODonnell with Dickerson and DuBois as a two-man anchor team, the network also moved the show from Washington, D.C., to New York City and attempted to fashion it after the top-rated Sunday newsmagazine 60 Minutes. This included putting it under the supervision of then-60 Minutes executive producer Bill Owens, who would leave the network months later amid growing tensions over Donald Trumps lawsuit against the network, which Paramount would settle weeks before merging with David Ellisons Skydance Media. Meanwhile, the drama surrounding CBS Evening News is just the tip of the iceberg for the network, which has been riddled with turmoil and plummeting staff morale amid steep layoffs, programming cuts, rumblings of other radical changes, concerns about Ellison shifting the network to the right to pander to Trump and the recent arrival of Weiss, who has no broadcast journalism experience. Editors Note: This story was updated to reflect that a staff member not Barrett himself called Lansing police. The initial version stated that Barrett called police. The correction was made independently after the story was published; no outside request prompted the update. LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) Someone at the Lansing office of U.S. Rep. Tom Barrett (R-Charlotte) called the police, saying his office was vandalized Thursday by left-wing activists. Protesters wrote things like, show your face Tom, you support fascists and Dont let kids starve Tom in chalk on the front steps and exterior walls of Barretts building. A news release sent by Barretts office said the building was defaced and covered with graffiti. One term Tom written in chalk outside of U.S. Rep. Tom Barrett (R-Charlotte) office on Thursday, Oct. 30, 2025. (Courtesy of Tom Barrett) It is deeply disturbing that this happened just 24 hours after my team had a cordial and honest conversation, face-to-face, with members of Michigan Families for Fair Care who organized the rally with Sierra Club Michigan and the Climate Action Campaign, Barrett said in a statement. Each one of these organizations, along with the local media who actively promoted this event, should ask themselves if their words and actions have done anything to improve the discourse in our increasingly-divided country. I think the answer is obvious. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jordan Gulkis, spokesperson for the Lansing Police Department, confirmed that police were called and an investigation is ongoing. She said that no arrests were made in connection with protests outside of Barretts office Thursday. Its still early in the process, and were reviewing the details, she wrote in an email. Listen to the people written in chalk outside of Rep. Tom Barrett (R-Charlotte) office on Thursday, Oct. 30, 2025. (Courtesy of Tom Barrett) Tom, you have hurt the people you represent written in chalk outside of Rep. Tom Barrett (R-Charlotte) office on Thursday, Oct. 30, 2025. (Courtesy of Tom Barrett) Dont let kids starve Tom written in chalk outside of Rep. Tom Barrett (R-Charlotte) office on Thursday, Oct. 30, 2025. (Courtesy of Tom Barrett) Protesters write in chalk outside of Rep. Tom Barrett (R-Charlotte) office on Thursday, Oct. 30, 2025. (Courtesy of Tom Barrett) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A sticker that says Republican bills = higher budget outside of Rep. Tom Barrett (R-Charlotte) office on Thursday, Oct. 30, 2025. (Courtesy of Tom Barrett) Show your face Tom written in chalk outside of Rep. Tom Barrett (R-Charlotte) office on Thursday, Oct. 30, 2025. (Courtesy of Tom Barrett) Grow a spine written in chalk outside of Rep. Tom Barrett (R-Charlotte) office on Thursday, Oct. 30, 2025. (Courtesy of Tom Barrett) Help us afford to live written in chalk outside of Rep. Tom Barrett (R-Charlotte) office on Thursday, Oct. 30, 2025. (Courtesy of Tom Barrett) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A sticker that says we cant afford this outside of Rep. Tom Barrett (R-Charlotte) office on Thursday, Oct. 30, 2025. (Courtesy of Tom Barrett) Protesters wrote in chalk outside of Rep. Tom Barrett (R-Charlotte) office on Thursday, Oct. 30, 2025. (Courtesy of Tom Barrett) Protesters wrote in chalk outside of Rep. Tom Barrett (R-Charlotte) office on Thursday, Oct. 30, 2025. (Courtesy of Tom Barrett) An object appearing to be a heart with a sticky note that says I found you a heart Tom left outside of Rep. Tom Barrett (R-Charlotte) office on Thursday, Oct. 30, 2025. (Courtesy of Tom Barrett) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Barrett is one of many lawmakers facing pressure due to the ongoing federal government shutdown. Some are blaming Republicans, arguing they are to blame because they control both chambers of Congress. Some have blamed Senate Democrats for repeatedly blocking continuing resolution bills from passing unless the GOP agrees to extending Affordable Care Act subsidies. A continuing resolution requires 60 votes to pass in the Senate. Republicans hold 53 of those seats, while Democrats hold 45. Two seats are held by independents. There is also growing controversy over a looming pause in SNAP benefits, that was set to go into effect Nov 1., though Friday, two federal judges ordered the U.S. Department of Agriculture to use $5 billion in contingency funds to avert the pause. On Thursday, Michigan pledged $4.5 million to food banks to mitigate the consequences. This week, President Donald Trump called on the Senate to end the filibuster. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WLNS 6 News. MADISON - As darkness fell over the state capital Oct. 25, Makeela Magomolla, Tayah Dean and George Whitney led a group of more than 40 people on the winding paths of UW-Madison's Lakeshore Nature Preserve. They were on the hunt for something they knew they wouldn't be able to see. In fact, they'd be able to pick up its presence only using an app on their phones and a red plug-in device smaller than a pack of gum. The device is called an Echo Meter, and what it detects is bats recording the high-frequency language the winged mammals use to navigate the night and find food, known as echolocation. Magomolla, Dean and Whitney lead the UW Bat Brigade, a collaboration between the university and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources to better understand and care for bats in the area. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It's a critical task, and not just around Halloween, when bats most often cross people's minds. The animals can drastically decrease populations of pesky insects and protect crops. Some species though not any that live in Wisconsin are even pollinators. But a fungal disease called white-nose syndrome that emerged in the state in 2014 has devastated our bat population, which is only just now beginning to recover. A big brown bat roosts on a brick wall. The Bat Brigade surveys the preserve each week between April and October, which is when bats are active in Wisconsin. The Oct. 25 bat walk, a public event by the preserve's Friends group and the Wisconsin Science Festival to celebrate International Bat Week Oct. 24-31, neared the end of that season. But the Echo Meter still picked up multiple bat species flitting around the preserve. "It's so cool to walk the path, watch the bats, see them do what they do and know that it's going to the DNR, to actual science," Dean said. "I think that's beautiful." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More: Facts about Wisconsin bats to share this Halloween Citizen science fills in gaps about Wisconsin bat ecology The Bat Brigade originated about six years ago but took a hiatus during the COVID-19 pandemic. Magomolla, Dean and Whitney are part of a small group trying to re-energize it. Seth McGee, an instructor for UW-Madison's honors biology program Biocore, advises the group. They meet a half-hour after sunset to walk the preserve. The Echo Meter helps them determine which species of bats are flying around them based on the frequency of the bats' echolocation calls. Of Wisconsin's eight bat species, seven have been found in Dane County and all seven have been detected at the preserve. The eighth, the evening bat, was first spotted in the state in 2016 and has proven to be more elusive. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Once they record the calls, they send the data to the DNR's Wisconsin Bat Program, which monitors and manages bat populations with the help of many citizen scientists across the state. Magomolla and Dean did their first survey together in 2024. After seeing large numbers of bats swooping around the Biocore Prairie, a field site for the Biocore program within the preserve, Magomolla was hooked. "That was the moment, at least for me, where I was like ... 'This is something super fantastic. I would love to be out here as much as I can,'" Magomolla said. More: Smith: Bat Week offers education, activities on the valuable, native mammals Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Especially after the onset of white-nose syndrome, Magomolla said, it's important to understand how bat populations are recovering since they provide so many ecological benefits. Dean and Whitney, who are both UW-Madison students, also use the data they collect in their own research on topics like how bats use their habitats, how they behave in different weather conditions and how moonlight affects foraging habits. "Bats are more studied for their diseases than who they are in the wild," Dean said. The DNR calls lack of knowledge about basic bat biology and behaviors "one of the greatest limitations to conservation of bat species." As such, getting people across Wisconsin to monitor their activities is a crucial piece of the puzzle. In addition to the acoustic surveys, the Bat Brigade occasionally does roost surveys, counting the number of bats that fly out of bat boxes on the preserve. Tayah Dean, one of the leaders of the UW Bat Brigade and a junior studying Wildlife Ecology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, leads a group to detect bats at the university's Lakeshore Nature Preserve Oct. 25. To experience that, it's best to come in the summertime, when bats are much more active. By October's end, many of Wisconsin's bats have either migrated south or are hibernating in caves. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That means the students and members of the public who attended the bat walk didn't experience the more magical moments that the group's leaders have had. Magomolla's favorites include seeing bats hunt on the water and stumbling upon a "hot spot" of them swarming and eating bugs, the sound of which can be detected on the Echo Meter with a "zip" sound when the bat zeroes in on its prey. But joining in on the surveys also grants people the somewhat unique experience of exploring the preserve at night, which is home to lots of other creatures besides bats. People should return in the warmer months to get a better glimpse of bats, Magomolla said. Outside the group, anyone can join the DNR's efforts to learn more about Wisconsin's bats by visiting the Wisconsin Bat Program website at wiatri.net/inventory/bats. For Whitney, studying the cryptic creatures has become somewhat of a calling. It resonates with a concept from a favorite book, "Braiding Sweetgrass" by renowned Potawatomi scientist Robin Wall Kimmerer: everyone has the ability to do good for the world, no matter how small the action. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "For her, it was getting salamanders off the road before they're run over by cars," Whitney said. "For me, it's doing bat work." Madeline Heim covers health and the environment for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Contact her at 920-996-7266 or mheim@gannett.com. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: UW Bat Brigade helps research, understand Wisconsin bats BATH, N.Y. (WETM) The Village of Bath Police Department is seeking the publics help in locating a 17-year-old girl from Bath who police said may be trying to leave New York State. Bailie J. Lanham is a 17-year-old white girl from Bath who has blonde and pink hair, as stated in a release from the Village of Bath Police Department. Lanham ran away from her home in Bath and could be in the Corning area, police said. Additionally, police explained that Lanham could be trying to go to Louisiana. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is an ongoing investigation, and police said if anyone has any information regarding Lanham or her whereabouts, they are asked to reach out to their local law enforcement. Image of Bailie J. Lanham. (Credit: Village of Bath Police Department) 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 WETM - MyTwinTiers.com. _ Princess Eugenie and Princess Beatrice reportedly left the U.K., as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor and Sarah Ferguson's ties to Jeffrey Epstein continue to impact their public lives. Keep reading for the details MORE: Follow Wonderwall on MSN for more top news James Whatling / MEGA TheMegaAgency.com _ Princess Beatrice was spotted at the Future Investment Initiative in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, after King Charles stripped his brother of his titles, dukedom and the Royal Lodge. "A Royal Moment, Nice to meet and chat with HRH Princess Beatrice," media personality Sunil Sharma shared on X. Will / MEGA TheMegaAgency.com _ While Princess Beatrice was in the Middle East, Princess Eugenie was in Paris. It's unknown why Eugenie was in France, but the art director was seen enjoying time with friends. Europa Press / MEGA TheMegaAgency.com _ Virginia Giuffre's assault allegations against Andrew Mountbatten Windsor led to the end of his royal career, and her posthumous memoir caused the scandal to resurface. Following the book's release, King Charles announced the changes about his brother. "His Majesty has today initiated a formal process to remove the Style, Titles and Honours of Prince Andrew," Buckingham Palace said in a statement. "Prince Andrew will now be known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor." Mirrorpix / MEGA TheMegaAgency.com Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement _ "His lease on Royal Lodge has, to date, provided him with legal protection to continue in residence. Formal notice has now been served to surrender the lease, and he will move to alternative private accommodation," the palace continued. "These censures are deemed necessary, notwithstanding the fact that he continues to deny the allegations against him." NEW BEDFORD, Mass. (WPRI) PACE Head Start serves 264 families across the Greater New Bedford area, but if the government shutdown continues into next week, parents could start seeing its effects as soon as Monday. Theyre going to have to cut the bus routes to save the money, explained Donna Doyon, a parent whose children attend the program. Michelle Haimowitz, the executive director of the Massachusetts Head Start Association, said New Bedford is one of six agencies that receives 80% of its funding from the federal government. She said the federal grants that are supposed to go to Head Start programs across the country on Nov. 1 wont be distributed if the shutdown persists. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement ALSO READ: New Bedford food pantry bracing for influx amid SNAP uncertainty Those six agencies wont be operating with any federal funding come Monday, she said. Haimowitz said PACE is still operating thanks to Massachusetts emergency funds, but that money could run out in a few weeks. In Rhode Island, Education Commissioner Angelica Infante-Green told 12 News that Head Start Programs will be able to run without federal funding. RELATED: Government shutdown wont immediately impact school meals in RI, Mass. We will continue to move forward and continue to keep in mind all the things that are happening nationally, but make sure that Rhode Island is in a good place, Infante-Green said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Senate lawmakers returned to Capitol Hill on Thursday, but its still unclear when they will take their next vote. Download the WPRI 12 and Pinpoint Weather 12 apps to get breaking news and weather alerts. Watch 12 News Now on WPRI.com or with the free WPRI 12+ TV app. Follow us on social media: Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Daily Roundup Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WPRI.com. Self-proclaimed Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko has complained that clean air from Belarus is being carried by the wind to Europe and that Europe is not paying for it. Source: European Pravda citing BelTA, a Belarusian state-owned news outlet Details: Visiting the Berezinsky Biosphere Reserve, a nature reserve in the northern part of Belarus, Lukashenko stressed the need to preserve it. Quote: "The time will come when this stinking Europe will pay us for preserving what we've got from God." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More details: Lukashenko complained that the wind carries clean air to the EU and Belarus receives no money for it. Quote: "Instead of paying us, they start strangling us with sanctions. This will pass. It is already passing. I think the time is not far off when they will be paying us for it." Background: Lukashenko recently called Lithuania's decision to completely close its border with Belarus a "mad scam". Meanwhile, the spokeswoman for the Belarusian dictator, Natallia Eismant, has said that the Russian Oreshnik missile system will go on combat duty in Belarus by the end of 2025. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! At a glance Toby Benningtons final day as Annistons director of Economic Development and Planning was Oct. 30. He began as a city planner and eventually led both the Planning and Economic Development departments. The completion of the Chief Ladiga Trail stands as the highlight of his tenure. He helped lead initiatives including One City, One Vision, the West Anniston Master Plan, and airport improvements. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bennington plans to relocate to Savannah, Ga., after assisting with the citys leadership transition. ANNISTON Thursday, Oct. 30, marked the final day on the job for Toby Bennington, 67, the city of Annistons longtime director of Economic Development and Planning. Though retiring from his official position, Bennington will continue assisting the city during the transition to new leadership as the incoming director prepares to take over later this year. Benningtons departure closes a major chapter in Annistons recent history. Over the past two decades, his work has helped shape the citys approach to economic growth, community planning and infrastructure development. From neighborhood revitalization to regional trail construction, Benningtons influence can be found in many of the projects that have defined Annistons progress. My position started out as a city planner, Bennington said. When the [Vaughn] Stewart administration came on, we formed the Department of Planning and Development Services. Over time, I took on both departments, Planning and Economic Development. That would have been 2016 or 2017, something like that. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement His career in public planning began long before Anniston. Born in Portsmouth, Ohio, Bennington grew up near the Ohio River and developed an early interest in geography and community spaces. After high school, he earned an academic scholarship to Ohio State University but decided instead to enlist in the Navy, a decision that, as he described, helped him mature and find direction. Following his military service, Bennington moved to Alabama, where he worked briefly as a towboat pilot before realizing that life on the river wasnt his long-term calling. It didnt really prepare me for what I wanted my life to hopefully be as I moved forward, he said. He returned to school to study geography and urban planning, earning dual undergraduate degrees at the University of Memphis and UAB that set the course for his professional life. His first planning work came through an internship with the Department of Campus Planning at UAB, followed by a position with the city of Memphis and Shelby County Office of Planning and Economic Development. In his mid-thirties, he accepted his first directorship for the city of Gadsden where he faced immediate economic challenges as major employers, including Gulf States Steel and Goodyear, were downsizing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rather than despair, Bennington and city leaders developed plans for revitalization. That really started the resurgence of downtown Gadsden, he said. Leadership put money into infrastructure, streetscape planning and public sector investment that led to private investment. From Gadsden, Bennington moved to the Regional Planning Commission of Greater Birmingham, where he led the newly formed Department of Regional and Community Planning. His division provided planning and economic development services to more than 80 municipalities across the region. He joined Anniston after being encouraged to apply for a city planning position. There was one primary task that George Monk wanted me to help the city with at that time, he said, and that was to help correct some initial zoning issues. But then my position grew tentacles. Monk was a former Anniston city manager. Over the years, his responsibilities expanded from local planning to broader development and coordination with state and federal partners. Bennington became involved in transportation planning, airport management and eventually the citys economic development efforts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Among his most notable achievements, Bennington counts the completion of Annistons section of the Chief Ladiga Trail as the pinnacle of his career. It is rewarding to me, he said. There were so many people that were involved city staff, ALDOT, the Federal Highway Administration, consultants everyone shared a passion for continuing to move this forward. The multi-year effort, which began with small planning grants, grew into a fully funded and federally compliant transportation project. People think construction is the hard part, Bennington said. But everything behind the scenes the coordination, the right-of-way acquisition, the compliance thats where the real work was done. Beyond the trail, Benningtons legacy includes several planning initiatives that have shaped modern Anniston. He helped launch the One City, One Vision strategic planning process in 2012, an effort to bring the community together after years of political division. He also guided the West Anniston Master Plan, which sought to align housing and education improvements with broader redevelopment goals. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bennington was also instrumental in securing transportation and planning grants through the Metropolitan Planning Organization, which allowed the city to pursue long-term infrastructure projects. His involvement in regional partnerships emphasized Annistons role as a government and service center for Calhoun County. Asked whether Anniston is a better place today than when he first arrived, Bennington answered thoughtfully. I hope that I was able to provide some direction to the administrations through their time, to help them with decisions that they made that leave Anniston in a better situation moving forward, he said. It was always my goal to help create the best policy and assist in helping them make the best decisions. Although Bennington will no longer lead the citys planning and economic development departments, he will remain involved for several months, helping ensure a smooth transition. The new director is expected to begin work in mid-November. After completing his work with Anniston, Bennington plans to relocate to Savannah, Ga., to be closer to his family. Probably by early spring, I will be relocating, he said. His daughters live and work in the Savannah area, including one who recently transitioned to remote work after her company closed its Manhattan office. For Bennington, the move marks both an ending and a new beginning. His decades of public service from Ohio to Alabama leave behind a lasting impact on Annistons growth and identity. As he put it simply, I just want to feel like I was able to help each administration to the best that I could with my experience. Video above: South Carolina activates crisis response fund ahead of SNAP benefits halt GREENVILLE, S.C. (WSPA) Benson Automotive is hosting a community food drive throughout November to help Upstate families in need. The automotive dealership is asking the community to donate non-perishable foods to Benson Automotive locations in Easley, Greer, and Spartanburg. All items will go directly to local, nonprofit organizations to help families facing food insecurity. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This food drive is a small way for us to give back to the people who have always been there for us, said Jim Benson, Founder of Benson Automotive. Our community is at the heart of everything we do, and we want to always be here for our people, just as theyve been here for us. Donation are accepted November 1-30. Drop-off locations are listed below: Spartanburg Benson Nissan 1098 N Pine Street Benson Kia 1100 N Pine Street Benson Hyundai 2550 Reidville Road Easley Benson Nissan 4676 Calhoun Memorial Highway Benson Ford 4701 Calhoun Memorial Highway Greer Benson Chrysler Dodge Jeep 415 W Wade Hampton Boulevard Benson Alfa Romeo 500A W Wade Hampton Boulevard Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Requested items include canned meats, vegetables, soups, peanut butter, rice, pasta, and other shelf-stable foods. 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. BEREA, Ky. (FOX 56) A Berea family is making Halloween more inclusive for children with special needs. Brandi Drew and her family started a sensory-friendly trick-or-treat three years ago after her daughter with autism struggled to take part in traditional celebrations. On Thursday, more than 30 local organizations and businesses joined in, handing out candy and hosting sensory-friendly games and activities. LATEST KENTUCKY NEWS: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To have a place like this where you can just come and your kids can just be kids and you dont have to worry about someone judging themtheres very few places like that, and that was the main goal behind trying to start this, Drew said. Drew said she hopes to expand the idea, bringing similar events to other holidays like Easter and Christmas. 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. This story was produced by the Berks County Bureau of Spotlight PA, an independent, nonpartisan newsroom. Sign up for Good Day, Berks, a daily dose of essential local stories at spotlightpa.org/newsletters/gooddayberks. READING A Pennsylvania county where more than 60,000 people speak Spanish at home failed to update the translated version of its official election website until contacted by Spotlight PA in October. The Spanish-language page on the countys election services site had voting information and dates from the 2024 general election, as shown by an archived version of the page. The English version has been updated and had correct dates throughout the year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One legal expert told the news outlet that failing to update the Spanish-language voting information on an official county website, just weeks before an election, likely violated Section 203, a provision of the federal Voting Rights Act that requires jurisdictions with significant numbers of people with limited English proficiency to provide language assistance. Its likely a violation, but worse than that, it could cause voter confusion, and they may not be able to vote because they were misled by the wrong date, and it may not occur to them, or they may not notice the 2024, said Marian K. Schneider, a senior staff attorney at the Advancement Project who helped develop the states guidance on language access. Schneider said Section 203 jurisdictions, such as Berks County, should have a pretty robust checklist of what their compliance looks like, and all the content provided on the English section of the website should also be available on the Spanish side. Officials corrected the issue this week after Spotlight PA brought it to their attention, and say the county is otherwise ready to serve Spanish speakers on Nov. 4. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Berks is one of three counties in Pennsylvania mandated by federal law to provide language assistance, communications, and all election materials in both English and Spanish. Those counties qualify because more than 5% of their total voting-age populations have limited English skills. Some of the materials that have to be provided in Spanish include voter registration forms, all ballots (including mail, sample, and provisional), signage, as well as information posted on the countys election services website and social media accounts managed by the county. It has struggled in the past to provide adequate services as required by the law. In 2021, Spanish-language instructions sent with mail ballots featured the wrong return deadline. The year before that, some poll workers werent able to efficiently locate Spanish last names in the polling place registry, WITF reported at the time, leading to long waits. Norton said that since the problems in 2021, the Berks Office of Election Services goes through a more rigorous proofreading process than was being done in the past and makes sure at least two people review materials before sending them out. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fifty-four Berks precincts will have interpreters on site to assist Spanish-speaking voters. Most of the countys bilingual precincts 44 are located in the city of Reading. The remaining 10 are in Laureldale, Mt. Penn, and West Reading boroughs, and Muhlenberg Township. These precincts are required by federal law to have at least one interpreter on site. Berks County Office of Elections These 44 precincts are required to have an interpreter on site. There will also be 12 standby interpreters at the county election services office available to answer calls from Spanish-speaking voters on Election Day. Elections director Anne Norton said those interpreters are trained to assist at polling places if needed. If that would happen, and we got a call from a poll worker or judge of election who said, Hey, we have a lot of Spanish-speaking voters here right now. We need help, we can send one of those interpreters, Norton said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Federal law also allows voters to bring an interpreter of their choice to assist on Election Day, as long as the person is not the voters employer, a union representative, or a judge of elections. Local organizations that assist immigrant communities will also be available at city precincts that serve a lot of Spanish-speaking voters and have had a history of needing more interpreters. More than 18 volunteers and staff members from Make the Road Pennsylvania will be on hand to assist Spanish-speaking voters in understanding their rights, the ballot, and the voting process, Field Coordinator Nancy Jimenez-Zapata told Spotlight PA. We dont want people to get frustrated and leave right in the middle of planning to vote, because they dont have anyone who can communicate with them the way they would feel comfortable, Jimenez-Zapata said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement BEFORE YOU GO If you learned something from this article, pay it forward and contribute to Spotlight PA at spotlightpa.org/donate. Spotlight PA is funded by foundations and readers like you who are committed to accountability journalism that gets results. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC27. The Dare to Care food bank in Louisville is part of the Feeding Kentucky network, May 14, 2025.(Kentucky Lantern photo by Sarah Ladd) Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear declared a state of emergency Friday and directed $5 million from the states budget reserve trust fund to food banks that are part of the Feeding Kentucky network. This came on the same day a federal judge ruled that the U.S. Department of Agricultures decision to halt funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) during the government shutdown is illegal. The Massachusetts judge gave the Trump administration until Monday to respond. SNAP benefits are set to run out Saturday. Beshears order is to ensure Kentuckians have access to food over the next few days, his office said. About 563,080 people in Kentucky rely on SNAP to afford groceries. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Beshears executive order instructs the Kentucky Division of Emergency Management to work with the Office of the State Budget Director to identify, allocate, and transfer funds as necessary from available sources to support the food banks during the lapse of SNAP funding, beginning with the $5 million. The Cabinet for Health and Family Services will then provide the identified funds to Feeding Kentucky. The budget reserve trust fund, also known as the rainy day fund, contains $3.7 billion. SNAP benefits in Kentucky total about $110 million a month. Feeding Kentucky has seven food banks around the commonwealth. They will use the funds to buy and distribute extra food during the state of emergency, according to the executive order. Melissa McDonald, Feeding Kentuckys executive director, said in a statement that food pantries are stretched to their limits and need support now more than ever. People who want to help them should call their local food bank and see what help is most needed, she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hunger is not partisan and knows no boundaries of geography or demographics. Ensuring thousands of hungry Kentuckians and Americans have access to food must be an all hands on deck effort, McDonald said. We are grateful to Governor Beshear for calling a state of emergency and directing much needed state funds to food banks across the Commonwealth to help fill the gap in SNAP funding. However, every day that goes on without a solution to the lapse in federal funding, leaves too many families not knowing where their next meal will come from. Our elected officials must urgently find a way to fund SNAP sustainably. A federal judge in Rhode Island also ordered the Trump administration to fund SNAP. But even with the court orders, there could be delays in benefits. The USDA has not said how it will respond to the judges orders. This story was updated Monday with response from Feeding Kentucky. When summer scorches California's Central Valley, cooling off at an inland lake is an unbeatable form of respite. About a 30-minute drive from Fresno, the underrated Central Valley city with quirky attractions, and a bit over an hour from Sequoia National Park, Avocado Lake has filled that role for many park visitors and Fresno residents alike. In fact, the lake was artificially created specifically to provide a spot for people to swim and fish in, encircled by a relaxing park with picnic areas and a playground. Unfortunately, though, the lake is one you should think twice about before swimming in, since it's faced repeated issues with bacteria contamination. For two years in a row (2024 and 2025), high levels of the bacteria E. coli were found in Avocado Lake's waters. Most E. coli strains aren't themselves dangerous; instead, the presence of E. coli indicates that water is likely contaminated by feces and runoff that contains other, more harmful pathogens, according to the Clean Lakes Alliance. High levels of E. coli in the water are a common reason for lake closures and advisories. Swimming in contaminated water means you expose your body to potential pathogens, which mostly affect your gastrointestinal system, causing vomiting, cramps, or diarrhea. It's unclear exactly what's causing the recurring E. coli presence in Avocado Lake, though officials of Fresno County suspect it's connected to the King's River, which flows into the lake, potentially carrying in runoff or stormwater. Officials recommend that visitors avoid swimming in the lake when bacteria levels are high, though the levels vary from week to week. Read more: Research Says You Should Skip These Dangerous Beaches When Visiting Florida Is it safe to visit Avocado Lake? View across Avocado Lake in California during sunset - @monica_de_pruneda / Instagram As of this writing, Avocado Lake Park, including the lake itself, remains open to the public, and there's currently no advisory against swimming in the water. Still, bacteria levels fluctuate quite a bit; the lake is tested for E. coli weekly, with updates posted on a water quality map by the Central Valley Water Board. Since unsafe levels were detected for some weeks in 2025, it's a good idea to check the most recent status before going for a dip. Fresno County Parks Manager Chris Bernal told ABC 30 that if the E. coli levels are above a safe limit, "Do not drink the water. Do not cook with the water or use it to wash your dishes." Additionally, you should wash your hands thoroughly after coming in contact with the water. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Even if there's an advisory against swimming in Avocado Lake, there's no reason not to visit the park, water activities aside. There's a small parking fee, and the park is open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. in the summer months and 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. in the winter. On its 210 acres, you'll find picnic tables and barbecues, plus some dirt trails and a small sandy beach to sprawl out on. The park is just about a 30-minute drive from the Fresno Yosemite International Airport. If you're looking for some other options for a swim, head about an hour north from Avocado Lake to Shaver Lake, a secret spot in the California mountains for charming, lake town living. Ready to discover more hidden gems and expert travel tips? Subscribe to our free newsletter and add us as a preferred search source for access to the world's best-kept travel secrets. Read the original article on Islands. Just in time for Halloween, researchers have identified a new species of trapdoor spider. The newly discovered Aptostichus ramirezae is about the size of a quarter, brown, and pretty chunky. Its the fourth known species of trapdoor spiders in California whose habitat is limited to sandy coastal dunes. Female trapdoor spiders are basically vampires. They spend their entire lives in underground, silky burrows behind a hinged, camouflaged door. They only leave their lair for lunch, when they feel vibrations indicating the passing above of an unfortunate prey. Good thing these tarantula relatives are small. In a study recently published in Ecology and Evolution, a team from the University of California, Davis (UC Davis) discovered that this new trapdoor species is closely related to Aptostichus simus. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While there are over 50,000 species of spiders worldwide, there are probably hundreds of thousands left to be discovered, Jason Bond, senior author of the study and a biologist at UC Davis, said in a statement, even along the coast where new spider species may be hiding just underfoot of California beachgoers. Emma Jochim digs into a coastal sand dune in search of trapdoor spider burrows. Image: Emma Jochim / UC Davis. Suspecting that Aptostichus simus was hiding some cryptic speciesvisually similar but genetically distinct speciesthe team analyzed the genomic DNA of different specimens from across its range, as well as their distributions. Based on what we know about their natural history and lifestyles, theyre not going to be able to disperse to different coastal dunes to reproduce and mix with each other, said Emma Jochim, a UC Davis doctoral student and study co-author. Bond named the new species Aptostichus ramirezae in honor of Martina Giselle Ramirez, an esteemed arachnologist known for his work on trapdoor spider population genetics and dean of the College of Science at California State University, Stanislaus. Previously, Bond has found inspiration for new species names among celebrities and musicians, among others, with examples being Aptostichus stephencolberti, Myrmekiaphila neilyoungi, and Aptostichus barackobamai. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Unfortunately, Aptostichus simus and Aptostichus ramirezae are vulnerable species. They live in limited and shrinking habitatscoastal dunes from central California to northern Baja California, Mexico, and some in the Channel Islands. According to Jochim, the Aptostichus simus lineage is particularly at risk. Researchers have realized that the species today is mostly only found in San Diego, where sea-level rise estimates dont paint a pretty picture. Whats more, the spiders dont adapt quickly to new environments. Investigating their genetic differences helps scientists recognize the most vulnerable populations. More broadly, tracking spider species sheds light on our planets diversity. If we dont know how many species are in an area or understand the patterns of genetic diversity between populations, we dont really know what areas would be most important for conservation efforts. EDITORS NOTE: The bands in this article are the only ones confirmed by UIL officials to KTAB/KRBC as competing at the state level. If other Big Country high school bands will be headed to state this year, please message the KTAB or KRBC Facebook page so this article can be updated BIG COUNTRY (KTAB/KRBC) 2025 may prove one of the most musical years for big country schools, with the Bangs, Cisco, Baird, and Cross Plains High schools marching bands having secured their place in the upcoming UIL state competition. KTAB/KRBC spoke with directors of both 2A schools, Tommy Perkins at Bangs and Brett Batchelor at Cisco, for a look inside what it takes to make it to the top. The kids have worked so hard this year. Its our second time in three years, and this group is really excited. Theyre ready to go. The whole town, the faculty, administration, everybody has been behind us all year, Perkins said of his students at Bangs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Abilene bands prepare for Friday Night Lights, marching to their own tunes Batchelor spoke on a moment he had with his Cisco students before their qualifying performance at the area competition, saying, When we found out we were going to finals, I told them, This is your choice. We can either take these necessary steps and make the second run better, or we can be sitting at home on Tuesday night, and someone else can be practicing they left it all out on the field. Every kid came off the field smiling and excited. They were exhausted, but they put everything into that final performance. Ciscos show is titled Pure Imagination, a custom arrangement of a popular show at these competitions. Their rendition incorporates vocal performance and narration along with selections from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory and The Greatest Showman in an impactful and powerfully sentimental return to the wonder and possibility of childhood. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The show is built around, What did you want to be? Who did you want to be? Where did you want to go? to get their imaginations going again. The last line of narration in the third movement is We no longer imagine what we want to be, but what our next adventure will be, said Batchelor. Bangs show, A Crown for a Queen, combines selections from the bands Abba and Queen with the works of Vivaldi. This playful yet regal performance displays a unique interchange of strong brass and percussion along with the moving and at times jaunty woodwinds. Perkins stated that part of their success is thanks to open communication and understanding of what students enjoy. Paige Lauer, my Assistant Director, has been saying for years that we should play a Bohemian Rhapsody show. We finally found an arranger who could really take that music to the next level, and he just nailed it. The kids sing it on the bus they have a great time with it. Weve found that if you choose music they like, theyll work even harder at it, Perkins said. But more than simply improving on their musical and marching talents, Perkins expressed the ways in which his students have risen to the task at hand, while transforming themselves along the way. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ive seen them grow up this year. In band, there are no sidelines; there is no bench. If theres 52 out there, they all have to work together Theyre typical kids; theyll get tired. But they dig deep, and I think thats preparing them for life, said Perkins. The UIL 2A state marching competition preliminary round begins on Tuesday, November 4, at the Alamodome in San Antonio. 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. GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) With a lapse in federal food benefits expected to begin Saturday, there has been a flurry of efforts to get more funds to food pantries. Nearly 1.4 million Michiganders, including almost 500,000 children, are set to lose SNAP food benefits on Nov. 1 as the federal government shutdown drags on. More than 73,000 Kent County residents will lose access to food benefits. What losing SNAP benefits would mean for Michigan, Kent County Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meijer announced its plans to donate $4 million to eight food banks across the Midwest Friday. Feeding America West Michigan and Gleaners Community Foodbank of Southeast Michigan will each receive $200,000, according to a spokesperson for Meijer. The state announced Thursday that it will give an additional $4.5 million to the Food Bank Council of Michigan. No one should go hungry and thats why were sending out these emergency funds to help Michigan children, seniors and people with disabilities who are facing food insecurity, State Budget Director Jen Flood said in a statement. The federal government shutdown has created serious uncertainty for millions of Americans who rely on SNAP to put food on the table. This emergency funding will help food banks across the state support vulnerable Michiganders. On Oct. 23, the U.S. Department of Agriculture ordered Michigan and other states to stop paying SNAP benefits in November. The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services distributes funds to eligible Michigan residents, but the funding comes from the USDA. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This would be the first time in SNAPs 61-year history that its millions of beneficiaries have experienced such widespread delays. Judges could rule on the fate of SNAP food aid as deadline nears for shutdown to end payments Judges in Boston and Rhode Island heard arguments Thursday and Friday challenging the administrations decision to halt SNAP benefits amid the shutdown. The Boston lawsuit was filed by Democratic officials from 25 states, including Michigan. While the judges in that case may rule as early as Friday, experts warn that even if they decide SNAP benefits should continue, beneficiaries will likely experience delays in getting their funds. The case is also likely to be appealed. The Michigan Senate voted 27-4 Thursday to fund SNAP. The Senate bill would provide $71 million to the program, including $50 million to the Department of Health and Human Services for emergency food assistance. Another $10 million would go towards the states agricultural surplus system. An additional $10 million would go to emergency food bank grants. $1 million would expand the Double Up Food Bucks program. Now, the bill will head to the Michigan House of Representatives, where it has little chance of gaining support from the GOP-majority, WLNS reported. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To qualify for SNAP in 2025, a family of fours net income cant exceed the federal poverty line of about $31,000 per year. Last year, SNAP gave assistance to 41 million people, nearly two-thirds of whom were families with children, according to the lawsuit. WLNS and the Associated Press contributed to this report. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WOODTV.com. NEED TO KNOW Bill Gates is advocating against taking a "doomsday" approach to climate change In a lengthy memo published ahead of his 70th birthday, the Microsoft co-founder argued that while it's important to keep "backing" climate breakthroughs, it shouldn't be at the expense of programs that support health and development "I know that some climate advocates will disagree with me," he wrote Bill Gates believes that when it comes to climate change, having a "doomsday outlook" has resulted in diverting resources from efforts that will have a greater impact on humanity, like fighting poverty and disease. He also knows not everybody will agree with him. In a lengthy memo published on his Gates Notes blog, the Microsoft co-founder said that while it's important to "keep backing the breakthroughs that will help the world reach zero emissions," that shouldn't come at the cost of funding "programs that help people stay resilient in the face of climate change." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Instead of focusing on "near-term emissions goals," Gates wrote that human welfare should be the priority. "The biggest problems are poverty and disease, just as they always have been," he wrote. "Understanding this will let us focus our limited resources on interventions that will have the greatest impact for the most vulnerable people." Although Gates acknowledged that climate change "will have serious consequencesparticularly for people in the poorest countries," he doesn't believe it "will lead to humanity's demise." "People will be able to live and thrive in most places on Earth for the foreseeable future," he wrote. "Emissions projections have gone down, and with the right policies and investments, innovation will allow us to drive emissions down much further." In addition to his work with the Gates Foundation, which remains focused on "health and development in poor countries," in 2015, the billionaire founded Breakthrough Energy, an investment platform centered around clean energy innovation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As the memo, which was published ahead of global climate summate COP30, continued, Gates argued that it's not too late to pivot and refocus "on the metric that should count even more than emissions and temperature change: improving lives." Its the best way to ensure that everyone gets a chance to live a healthy and productive life no matter where theyre born, and no matter what kind of climate theyre born into, he wrote. Roy Rochlin/Getty Bill Gates. Bill Gates. However, not everybody agrees with his view a fact that Gates acknowledged in his writing. "I know that some climate advocates will disagree with me, call me a hypocrite because of my own carbon footprint (which I fully offset with legitimate carbon credits), or see this as a sneaky way of arguing that we shouldnt take climate change seriously," he wrote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In an interview with CNBC, which labeled his memo a softening of his previously-expressed position on climate change, Gates remarked, "I didnt pick that position because everybody agrees with it its I think intellectually the right answer. 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. Kristie Ebi, a University of Washington public health and climate scientist, told the Associated Press that while yes, there should be a focus on improving health and well-being, Gates' view of the world and the pace of progress in the years to come seemed unlikely. Others have argued that efforts to help combat climate change and health aren't really at odds. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Despite his efforts to make clear that he takes climate change seriously, his words are bound to be misused by those who would like nothing more than to destroy efforts to deal with climate change, Michael Oppenheimer, a professor of geosciences and international affairs at Princeton University, told The New York Times. In the memo, Gates stressed that he still believed climate change is a "very important problem" that "needs to be solved," but that "it's time to put human welfare at the center of our climate strategies, which includes reducing the Green Premium to zero and improving agriculture and health in poor countries." Climate change, disease, and poverty are all major problems, Gates wrote. We should deal with them in proportion to the suffering they cause. Read the original article on People A generation of Americans has grown up believing that climate change is an existential crisis that threatens human existence. Some young adults say they are hesitant to have children because of climate change. More than half of respondents in a 2021 survey said humanity is doomed. Its a message that has been reinforced in a genre of books and films called climate dystopia" and by warnings of prominent people like former Vice President Al Gore and tech titan Bill Gates. Now, in advance of a world climate summit in Brazil next month, Gates has toned down the alarm, saying, in effect, that reports of humanitys pending extinction have been greatly exaggerated. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Although climate change will have serious consequences particularly for people in the poorest countries it will not lead to humanitys demise. People will be able to live and thrive in most places on Earth for the foreseeable future. Emissions projections have gone down, and with the right policies and investments, innovation will allow us to drive emissions down much further," Gates wrote on his personal blog. He went on to say that the doomsday outlook is causing much of the climate community to focus too much on near-term emissions goals, and its diverting resources from the most effective things we should be doing to improve life in a warming world. Gates remarks have been widely viewed as a pivot by one of the foremost Cassandras of climate change. In 2021, he published How to Avoid a Climate Disaster a book that argued for more efforts to eliminate greenhouse gas emissions. The case for zero (emissions) was, and is, rock solid. Setting a goal to only reduce our emissions but not eliminate them wont do it. The only sensible goal is zero," Gates wrote while promoting the book. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Now, just four years later, hes saying that whats been done so far, combined with future innovation, is enough to stave off disaster, and we need to focus on caring for our fellow human beings. The reaction was explosive, with some people accusing Gates of walking back his climate change views in order to appease the Trump administration. Bill Gates Says We'll Survive Climate Change, World Furioushttps://t.co/ftIxDR3lz0 pic.twitter.com/uuZmi7H6DA Matt Taibbi (@mtaibbi) October 30, 2025 Gates himself acknowledge that what he is advocating for is a pivot, likening it to to a strategic pivot he made three decades ago at Microsoft. For a company, its relatively easy to make a shift like that because theres only one person in charge. By contrast, there is no CEO who sets the worlds climate priorities or strategies, which is exactly as it should be. These are rightly determined by the global climate community, he wrote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So I urge that community, at COP30 and beyond, to make a strategic pivot: prioritize the things that have the greatest impact on human welfare. Its the best way to ensure that everyone gets a chance to live a healthy and productive life no matter where theyre born, and no matter what kind of climate theyre born into. Bill Gates changes his tune on climate change. Now he calls the doomsday view of climate change wrong. Welcome to the club, Bill. Here 3 climate scientists debunk several of the doomsday myths: pic.twitter.com/jV9TYxdzHt John Stossel (@JohnStossel) October 28, 2025 Its unclear whether Gates anticipated the reaction, both the high-fives from people who believe that the harms of climate change have been overstated, and the clapbacks from those in the climate-doom camp who thought he was on their side. A writer for The Verge accused Gates of tone policing and said he sounded like a well-meaning rich guy not actually experiencing whats happening on the ground, or understanding what people really need. One person quoted in the article called Gates dangerously misguided and misleading. David Gelles, who reports on climate change for The New York Times, noted that Breakthrough Energy, a venture Gates started in 2015 to support clean energy initiatives (including one in Utah), said earlier this year that it would dismantle its climate policy arm. The Times article quoted David Callahan, the editor of Inside Philanthropy, who said One could imagine this being a continuation of wanting to move to the center and not wanting to be a target of the Trump administration. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But Callahan also told the Times that alarmist rhetoric regarding climate change is not always effective. The result of a lot of research is that its much better to lean into the optimism than the pessimism, he said. Gates, who donated about $50 million to a nonprofit backing Kamala Harriss campaign in 2024, has met with Trump at least two times this year, once in January, after which he said he was impressed with the presidents interest in a range of issues, and again in September, when he joined other technology luminaries. His positive remarks about Trump, however, have done little to mollify Trump supporters who deride him as a globalist and others who dislike his promotion of vaccines. Meghan McCain wrote on X last month that Gates is an anathema to every conservative in the country and the movement that got Trump re elected. WILSON, N.C. (WNCT) On this upcoming Sun. Nov. 2nd, Bishop William J. Barber II, Forward Justice, and community members will meet at Saint James Christian Church, located at 1739 MLK Jr. Parkway in Wilson, to expose how the newly drawn Congressional maps perpetuate modern-day racism. The event will begin promptly at 5:00 pm. The gathering follows Bishop Barbers recent press conference in Raleigh, where he announced plans to challenge the legislatures gerrymandered maps that target Black and low-wealth communities across the 1st Congressional District. North Carolinas new Congressional maps intentionally dilute Black and Latino voting strength by removing thousands of Black voters from the 1st district and dividing key counties. Under the new boundaries, residents in the district could lose nearly 1/3 of their collective voting power eroding the political influence Black, Latino, and low-income white communities have built over generations, said Bishop Barber, president and senior lecturer of Repairers of the Breach. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Unfortunately, this is yet another example of Washingtons relentless campaign to undermine poor and vulnerable communities across the nation. Ever since lawmakers started pushing their Big, Ugly, Destructive Budget Bill in the spring, they have stopped at nothing to further enshrine power in the hands of the wealthy and powerful, said Bishop Barber. Our Moral Mondays movement which has united faith leaders and impacted communities across the country couldnt be more essential. We need to keep organizing, growing, and rallying to combat the destructive forces stripping everyday Americans of voting rights, healthcare, food, and 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 WNCT. The air is turning blue over the Capitol Dome. And the government is more shut than ever. Washington woke Thursday to a whiff of rare hope that behind-the-scenes efforts were accelerating in the Senate to end a federal shutdown now imposing severe pain on millions of Americans. But the day ended with senators skipping town for the weekend to join members of the House not seen inside the Beltway for so long its hard to remember what they look like. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Whats so galling is that both Republicans and Democrats insist they are keeping faith with their duties taking care of the American people but that the other side is willing to drive ordinary citizens to the brink of hunger or sickness. Senate Democrats triggered the shutdown, refusing to extend federal funding until Republicans agree to extend expiring enhanced Obamacare subsidies, without which millions of citizens will see the cost of health care rocket. Republicans are willing to talk but only when the government is opened again. Their assurances arent being taken at face value since their president routinely ignores the terms of deals and Congress constitutionally sound decisions on how to spend taxpayer money. A store displays a sign accepting Electronic Benefits Transfer cards for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program purchases for groceries on Thursday in New York City. - Spencer Platt/Getty Images The result: Vital SNAP benefits that help feed more than 40 million people are within hours of running out. Federal workers deemed essential have slogged through demoralizing weeks without pay. And its no vacation for their furloughed colleagues either: Financial obligations arent shut down just because the government is. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Little is evident on the horizon that could prevent the monthlong shutdown from becoming the longest on record next week. In the absence of meaningful progress, dismayed lawmakers spent the day venting and trading insults. Democrats accused Republicans of starving kids. Vice President JD Vance accused Democrats of putting extreme pressure on air traffic controllers, implying they were risking the nations extra safe skies. And President Donald Trump perhaps the sole agent with the capacity to change the political wind and end the shutdown didnt really say anything until a late-night post calling on GOP senators to abolish the filibuster to end the funding stalemate. West Virginia Republican Sen. Cynthia Lummis said staying in town over the weekend is gonna be a waste of time. Sen. Cory Booker, a New Jersey Democrat, told CNNs Dana Bash he was shocked at the level of cruelty shown by his GOP colleagues. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And renegade Pennsylvania Democratic Sen. John Fetterman has had it up to here with everyone. Its an absolute failure what occurred here for the last month, Fetterman told CNN. He also complained about his own partys tactics. We cant even get our sh*t together and just open up our government, he said. Furloghed federal workers and volunteers collect groceries during the People's Pantry Food drive to replenish food banks ahead of SNAP lapse at the USDA Headquarters, in the National Mall, Washington, DC, on Thursday. - Oliver Contreras/AFP/Getty Images One judge says she wont let people die Democrats might have some justification in arguing that Republicans and their health care policies and endless attempts to kill Obamacare set the stage for this crisis. But Republicans can also point to the great contradiction of the Democratic strategy: The shutdown has now become a test of which bloc of unfortunate Americans are hurting the most those who risk losing health care or those who dont have enough to eat. Shutdowns typically end when one party cant bear the political price of the government staying closed. In many ways, these showdowns are Washington games that can define the course of presidencies and Congresses. But the fact that its now been a month and neither side is willing to blink is also a symptom of a broken political system and a Congress that can no longer do its basic constitutional task of funding the government. And any victory for either party at this point will be hollow, since it will be built on the suffering of citizens. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One federal judge in Boston is doing what the judiciary often seems to do these days: stepping in where Congress has failed. US District Judge Indira Talwani signaled she will intervene in the dispute over the Trump administrations refusal to use billions of dollars in emergency funds to fund food stamps under SNAP. US District Court Judge Indira Talwani attends the Investiture Ceremony for US District Judge Brian Murphy at the federal courthouse in Boston, Massachusetts, on September 17. - Brian Snyder/Reuters Right now, Congress has put money in an emergency fund for an emergency, and its hard for me to understand how this isnt an emergency when theres no money and a lot of people are needing their SNAP benefits, Talwani said in the kind of plain English that lawmakers seem to shed when they get to Washington. The idea that were going to do the absolutely most drastic thing, which is that theres not just less money but no money, seems the farthest thing from what Congress intended, Talwani said. Were not going to make everyone drop dead from hunger. Is there any hope for a breakthrough? Sometimes in Washington, the darkest hour is the one before dawn. So maybe theres a chance the vicious rhetoric is a smokescreen allowing everyone to vent before they compromise. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But theres another characteristic of modern Washington that may be more apt right now the way that disaster always has to nearly strike before two parties mired in their ideological extremes find a sliver of common ground. But at some point, this shutdown will end. It has to. If the denouement does not come from a president who discovers a moral or political imperative to live up to his 2016 convention vow, I alone can fix it, it may emerge from a creative fudge in the Senate in which Republicans give a handful of Democratic senators political cover to vote to break the filibuster and reopen the government. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, a Republican from South Dakota, speaks during a news conference following the weekly Senate Republican policy luncheon at the US Capitol in Washington, DC, on Tuesday. - Samuel Corum/Bloomberg/Getty Images Majority Leader John Thune who ditched his suave self-control on Wednesday to rage at Democrats in a Senate rant struck one hopeful note when he said there was an uptick in bipartisan conversations this week. We got members on both sides who are continuing to dialogue, he told reporters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But Thune doesnt yet have the political space to offer Democrats the kind of tangible deliverables they would need. When theyre willing to produce the votes to open up the government, were going to talk, he said, restating the sticking point. One possible endgame scenario is that the Senate could blur the sequencing of when the government reopens and talks get serious on Obamacare subsidies. But knowing how something might eventually end is easier than getting there. Therefore, in the absence of progress, everyone had to fill the space. We are now beginning Day 30 of the Democrat shutdown, said House Speaker Mike Johnson, of Louisiana. There are millions of Americans that are bracing themselves for further pain and hardship. US House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) walks up stairs near a sign that says "Closed to all tours," weeks into the ongoing government shutdown, on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC, on Wednesday. - Kylie Cooper/Reuters House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York accused the administration of enacting policy violence by refusing to extend Obamacare subsidies while offering a $20 billion bailout to Trumps MAGA pal President Javier Milei in Argentina. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Republican Sen. John Barrasso of Wyoming said he wasnt worried about his own air travel as air traffic control snarls, but did worry about the flights of thousands and thousands of people. Mixing transportation metaphors, he accused Democrats of being way off the rails. And Democratic Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York followed his warning on Wednesday that Trump is a vindictive politician and a heartless politician and a heartless man by accusing Republicans of bringing down the specter of financial disaster on Americans including in red states over health care. Its not exactly promising. But Thune told reporters, Im always optimistic. Arent you? Thats a tough one, senator. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com When his doorbell rang at 11:30 on Oct. 31, 1957, Peter Fabiano thought it was a trick-or-treaters last-ditch effort to collect more candy before the clock struck midnight on Halloween. The 35-year-old Los Angeles beauty shop owner had just joined his wife, Betty, 38, in bed. He sat up, slid on his robe and strode to answer. When he opened the front door of their suburban Sun Valley ranch house, he chuckled at the costumed figure. Isnt it a little late for this? he asked. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The late-night visitor was carrying a bag, but it didnt contain the sugary spoils from a night spent going door-to-door asking for treats. The paper sack actually contained a .38-caliber revolver, which the stranger pointed straight at Fabianos chest. They pulled the trigger and shot him at point-blank range. Betty heard a noise like a loud pop and later testified that she heard her husband say, Im shot. She rushed into the living room, where she was joined by her 15-year-old daughter, Judy Solomon. To their horror, they found Fabiano sprawled on the rug, clutching his chest. There was no sign of the shooter. Google Maps The Sun Valley house where Peter Fabiano was fatally shot on his doorstep on Oct. 31, 1957 (photographed in 2011). Related: Donald Trump Hated His Time Magazine Cover... But He'll Probably Hate These 16 Photos Wayyyyyyyyyyyy More Judy ran for help. She didnt have to go far a police officer lived two doors down. He summoned the police and an ambulance. Fabiano was later pronounced dead at the hospital. A coroner determined that he died from massive internal bleeding from a gunshot wound to the stomach. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Betty initially told police that she had heard two men outside. Oddly, she said, one of them sounded like he was impersonating a woman. Judy said she also heard the conversation. Moments after the gunshot, Betty said she heard a car speeding away. A 15-year-old boy on his late trick-or-treat rounds told police he had seen a fast-moving car in the neighborhood which would eventually prove to be a crucial clue. Police couldnt find a discernible motive for the killing. The Fabianos, who together owned and operated two beauty salons in the area, were well-liked and respected in their San Fernando Valley community. Was Fabiano the intended victim? Was it a random crime? Or was the killer closer to home? The answer proved to be more baffling and sinister than anyone could possibly imagine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Betty and Peter Fabiano Peter Fabiano, a former bartender and Marine Corps veteran who served in World War II, had been married to Betty for about two and a half years. She had two children from a previous marriage, Judy and her 17-year-old brother, Richard. Judy said in a court hearing that her stepfather had picked her up from a Halloween party at about 10:30 that night, and the two stopped for sandwiches before heading home around 11 p.m. The family had just turned out their lights and gone to bed when the doorbell rang. At the time of the shooting, Richard Solomon was at the downtown bus depot heading for San Diego to report back for duty at a naval base. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Contemporaneous newspaper accounts described the Fabianos as wealthy owners of successful beauty shops. They each operated a separate salon, according to multiple news articles. As part of their investigation, police conducted criminal background checks and found that in 1948 Fabiano had been convicted on a bookmaking charge when he was a bartender in LA. He received a suspended sentence of 180 days in jail. Illegal betting has been linked to organized crime, and police initially considered whether Fabianos murder was a mob hit. However, aside from the bookmaking charge which they ruled out as being tied to a larger operation his record was clean. So detectives narrowed their scope and began questioning the Fabianos friends, relatives and business acquaintances. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They started with his wife, who insisted that her husband had no enemies or personal conflicts, police said. Fabianos sister in Lansing, Michigan, where Fabiano had grown up, told the local paper that she had no idea why anyone would want to kill her brother. She had visited the Fabianos a few months earlier and said they appeared to be very happy and their business were doing nicely. Joan Rabel, 40, a freelance commercial photographer who had worked part-time at one of the couples salons, said she had known them for two years and described them as two of my closest friends. According to the Van Nuys News and Valley Green Sheet, she said she was a frequent visitor to the Fabianos home. Before long, however, police made a discovery that would turn the case on its head and only deepen the mystery. Related: Hillary Clinton Just Hit On One Of Donald Trump's Biggest Insecurities With Three Words The motive for the murder could be summed up in one word, they said: jealousy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Fabianos were having marital issues and briefly separated. During their separation, Betty stayed with Rabel, who was divorced and living alone. The Fabianos eventually reconciled, on one condition, Betty later testified at a court hearing: Her husband demanded that she completely sever her relationship with Rabel and never see or speak to her or about her again. Betty agreed and returned home. It was inconceivable that her ruptured friendship with Rabel would make her so furious that shed want to murder her husband, she told police. Rabel herself denied having any connection to the murder and said she was at home when Fabiano was shot. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But a friend of Rabels, Margaret Barrett, contradicted her account. Barrett told detectives that Rabel had borrowed her car on Halloween night. Rabel insisted shed only driven about four miles, but Barrett had monitored her cars odometer, and it showed that Rabel had logged 37 miles. It was more than enough for a 26-mile round trip from her West Hollywood home to Sun Valley. Moreover, investigators noted that Brennans car matched the description given by the young man who was still trick-or-treating when he saw the automobile speeding away from the Fabianos neighborhood. The car yielded another clue, investigators said: A police chemist found similarities in samples of dirt collected from the vehicle and the soil outside the Fabianos home. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rabel was arrested on Nov. 13 on suspicion of murder. After a court hearing, she was released on bail of $8,000 pending an arraignment scheduled for the following month. Then a police tip took the case in a completely new direction. The tipster led investigators to a downtown department store pay locker, where they found a .38-caliber Smith & Wesson revolver. It contained a single bullet. Ballistics tests confirmed it was the gun used in the murder, detectives said. They traced the revolver to a gun shop in Pasadena. Records showed it had been purchased by a woman, along with just two bullets but that woman was not Joan Rabel. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Instead, receipts indicated that Goldyne Pizer, 42, bought the firearm, saying she needed it for home protection. Like Rabel, she was divorced and lived by herself. When questioned by police, Pizer made a full confession. She had fired the gun that killed Peter Fabiano a man she had never met or even seen before. Her motive was as bizarre as the crime itself. Obituary Peter Fabiano Related: This Fox News Host Just Made A Great Point About Trump's New Ballroom Although Fabiano was a complete stranger, Pizer told detectives that she had developed an intense hatred for him. Pizer, it turned out, was pressured to murder him by a close friend: Joan Rabel. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Pizer, a hospital clerk, said she and Rabel had been friends for about three or four years, but it had only been in the past several months since the Fabianos reconciled that her friend had begun deriding Peter Fabiano. Her complaints were incessant and began to dominate all their conversations, Pizer said. She painted him as a vile, evil man who wanted to destroy all people around him, Pizer told detectives. Rabel accused him of mistreating his wife, stepdaughter and salon employees and selling drugs. Rabels characterization of Fabiano was baseless, his widow and stepdaughter testified in a court hearing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But Rabel convinced Pizer that only Fabianos death could end his alleged abuse, and her friend coerced her into killing him, she said. She almost had me under a hypnotic spell, Pizer said. (One writer dubbed Rabel a Svengali in a skirt.) Together, the two plotted how to kill Fabiano and considered poisoning or stabbing him before deciding to shoot him, Pizer said. Eventually, Rabel drove Pizer to the Pasadena gun shop and gave her money to purchase the revolver. She bought only two bullets. On the evening of Halloween, Rabel picked up Pizer and drove to the Fabianos home. They parked nearby and waited until the lights went out. Rabel sat behind the wheel while Pizer got out of the car, strode up the walkway and rang the doorbell. After shooting Fabiano, she rushed back to the car and Rabel sped away. (Betty and Judy apparently had misheard when they said two people were at the door.) In their first court appearance, Pizer said she hadnt seen Rabel since the night of the murder. After they returned home, she said, Rabel told her, Forget you ever knew me. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Betty Fabiano was never accused of being involved in the crime. Nor did she publicly express any regret or resentment of her husband for the end of her friendship with Rabel. On Dec. 9, 1957, Pizer was arraigned on a murder charge. Rabel was rearrested and charged with first-degree murder this time, like Pizer, she was ordered to be held without bail. She continued to maintain her innocence. Several weeks later, both women were indicted by a grand jury. Rabel pleaded not guilty, while Pizer, despite her well-publicized confession, pleaded not guilty and not guilty by reason of insanity. But before their trial was set to commence the following spring, Rabel and Pizer pleaded guilty to reduced charges of second-degree murder. They were both sentenced to five years to life in prison. It is unclear when they were released, but neither served out life sentences. LA residential addresses are listed in their death records Rabel died at age 96, and Pizer lived to be 83. In 1971, Pizer was elected secretary of the LA Miracle Mile chapter of the Business and Professional Womens Club, according to a notice in the LA Times. Betty Fabiano died in August 1999 at age 81, according to her obituary. There are no public records of her, Pizer or Rabel having remarried. Although the criminal case was solved, the exact nature of the three womens relationships to one another remains a mystery. Police characterized Rabels motive as jealousy without expressly stating its basis. Some tabloids hinted at romantic involvements and suggested that the degree of hostility expressed by Peter Fabiano toward Rabel was outsized for a platonic friendship. If the women were more intimately involved, they kept the details to themselves. Decades later, the peculiar trick-or-treat murder continues to haunt Sun Valley and possibly make residents think twice about opening their doors for late-night Halloween visitors. Sources:Fresno Bee: Dec. 8, 1957LA Evening Citizen News: Nov. 1, 1957; Feb. 3, 1958; March 6, 1958; March 11, 1958LA Mirror: April 19, 1958LA Times: Nov. 2, 1957; Nov. 22, 1957; Dec. 7, 1957; Dec. 10, 1957Lansing State Journal: Nov. 2, 1957Long Beach Press-Telegram: Nov. 13, 1957; Dec. 7, 1957Modesto Bee: Nov. 2, 1957Santa Barbara News-Press: Nov. 1, 1957Stockton Record: March 12, 1958Van Nuys News and Valley Green Sheet: Nov. 1, 1957; Nov. 3, 1957; Dec. 22, 1957Valley Times: Nov. 1, 1957; Nov. 13, 1957; Dec. 11, 1957 Related: Eric Trump Made An Unexpected Claim On Live TV About Trump And Melania's Marriage Don't forget to subscribe to our true crime newsletter, Suspicious Circumstances, to get true crime deep dives delivered straight to your inbox every week. Sign up here . True Crime Also in In the News: Gavin Newsom Brought The Receipts After Trump Claimed He "Never Wrote A Picture" In Response To The Epstein Files, And It's Sooo Good Also in In the News: Gavin Newsom's New, Brutal Nickname For Trump Is Going Viral, And It May Be His Best One Yet Also in In the News: Seth Meyers Uncovered A Truly Unhinged Trump Moment That Has Everyone Questioning His Mental State Read it on BuzzFeed.com The Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation Inc. denied on Friday being a target of any federal criminal investigation in light of a report that the federal government was looking into fraud allegations. The response comes after anonymous sources told the Associated Press that the U.S. Justice Department was investigating whether leaders in the Black Lives Matter movements organization defrauded donors who contributed during the racial justice protests in 2020. We remain committed to full transparency, accountability, and the responsible stewardship of resources dedicated to building a better future for Black communities, the organization said in an emailed statement to Capital B. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Capital B has also reached out to the Justice Department for comment on the reported investigation and if it might lead to criminal or civil cases being filed. The reported federal investigation has not only drawn new attention to how the donations were distributed, but renews questions about the inner workings of the Black Lives Matter movement. There are two entities. The nonprofit foundation is responsible for raising funds. BLM Grassroots chapters engage in on-the-ground work such as protests and community convenings. At the height of protests after George Floyds 2020 murder, more than $90 million in donations flowed into the foundation from individuals and corporations seeking to support the movement. Many local chapters that year, including its flagship in Los Angeles, said they never received a share of the funds. The Los Angeles chapter eventually broke away and formed Black Lives Matter Grassroots, a national nonprofit organization led by Melina Abdullah, a professor of Pan-African Studies at California State University, Los Angeles. The group models itself on Civil Rights Era organizing, focusing on supporting local chapters through community resources, legal assistance, protest coordination, and aid for families affected by police violence. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Abdullahs chapter filed their own lawsuit against the foundation in 2022 to get control of their social media accounts. That lawsuit got dismissed and we did not have the resources to pursue an appeal and, instead, chose to focus our efforts on doing the necessary work to make Black lives matter, Black Lives Matter Grassroots said in a statement. While the federal investigation into GNF might appear to be further validation of our claims, as an abolitionist organization Black Lives Matter Grassroots takes no delight in possible criminal repercussions, even for those that we deem to be frauds and thieves, the statement continued. We are unclear on what the findings might mean in terms of assets. We maintain that all resources under GNFs control should be immediately provided to Black Lives Matter Grassroots. The statement went on to note that while Black Lives Matter Grassroots has not been directly named in the criminal investigation. That does not mean that we are safe from the witchhunt. The challenge of a movement without a single leader The Black Lives Matter movement was founded in 2013 by Alicia Garza, Patrisse Cullors, and Opal Tometi in response to George Zimmerman being acquitted of murder in the death of Trayvon Martin. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cullors stepped down from her position as the foundations executive director in May 2021, following months of criticism from some grassroots chapters over shifting leadership structures. Garza and Tometi had already disaffiliated from the group. The foundation had no structure, which means they had no one to monitor or answer to, now-retired NAACP Atlanta Chapter President Richard Rose told Capital B in 2022. It was good and bad because people could do what they wanted to. In the beginning, the Black Lives Matter movement operated under some of the philosophies of Ella Baker, an influential civil rights activist of the 1960s. As an adviser to the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, Bakers ideas challenged traditional approaches to organizing. Hierarchical groups that grew out of the Civil Rights and Black Power movements typically were structured to place an individual or small group of men at the forefront. That model allowed for a certain kind of accountability, Stefan Bradley, professor of African American studies at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles, told Capital B in 2022. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But Baker was opposed to this idea of the need for some kind of messianic figure, particularly a male messianic figure, Bradley said, and instead believed in empowering people on the ground to lead themselves. The decentralized approach has created challenges. In Atlanta, a self-proclaimed leader of the local Black Lives Matter movement was arrested by the FBI for allegedly using $200,000 of donor funds raised by BLM of Greater Atlanta for personal endeavors. Tyree Conyers-Page pleaded guilty last year to wire fraud and money laundering charges. In April 2022, New York magazine published an expose that accused the Black Lives Matter foundation of using donors funds in 2020 to purchase a seven-bedroom, seven-bathroom home for more than $5.8 million in Studio City, California. The Black Lives Matter Los Angeles chapter was able to purchase a property in Leimert Park with their 2020 donations to serve as its headquarters and meeting space. Cullors denied any wrongdoing to the Associated Press in May 2022, but said that she hosted two parties at the house before she stepped down in 2021. Garza left the organization in 2017. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In November 2020, 10 organizations that identified themselves as Black Lives Matter chapters released a public statement calling for financial transparency and accountability from the BLMGNF. A distribution of $21.7 million was made to Black organizations, including local chapters, according to a 2020 impact report. But according to the defunct coalition in June 2021, those funds hadnt been disbursed. That same year, families of victims of police brutality accused the foundation of using their relatives names to gain a profit. BLMs impact felt worldwide While federal police reform and racial justice legislation has been slow to come, Black Lives Matter protests have prompted policy changes in cities around the country, according to Black Lives Matter Grassroots 2024 Action Report. Their advocacy lobbied to make Juneteenth a federal holiday. The passage of Measure J in Los Angeles that reallocated funds from law enforcement systems such as jails to health care, abortion rights in the Arizona constitution, and legal protections for officers in Buffalo, New York, who intervene to prevent police misconduct. Those demonstrations also provide support for families and individuals impacted by police brutality. Numerous chapters have popped up around the world since Black Lives Matters inception in 2013. This is the result of the movements decentralized approach. Instead, the founders embraced the rapid, unchecked growth of their message, asserting that the Black Lives Matter banner was meant to be radically inclusive, as Tometti told The New Yorker in 2020 carried by countless messengers and embracing various causes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There are 51 official Black Lives Matter Grassroots chapters across California, Michigan, and in cities including Tampa, Atlanta, Boston, and Boise, Idaho, as well as inside California state prisons at Corcoran, Kern, and Lancaster, according to the 2024 Action Report. Theres also one in Sweden, according to a July press release. This story has been updated. The post Black Lives Matter Facing Financial Scrutiny Again appeared first on Capital B News. When you arrive at this Clanton Park home, you instantly feel the warmth and love between Mary and James Weathers. James told Channel 9s Hunter Saenz their marriage has been a pretty good ride. That rise is still going strong seven decades later. I want to thank God for leaving us here together to celebrate 70 years of marriage, Mary said. Thats a blessing. ALSO READ >> Burke County couple returns home after Helene floodwaters devastate property Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The two met at Second Ward High School in Charlotte. A friend introduced a young, stoic James to a girl whose beauty was outmatched only by her confidence and personality. I just, I was so in love, Mary said. Young love went the distance as James graduated and enlisted in the Navy. He was stationed in Newport, Rhode Island. The two wrote letters and called often. I initiated the calls most of the time, and the first thing I say, I love you, James said. And I used to keep the telephone hot, I guess, but her daddy got tired of me calling. One memorable letter a proposal that wasnt a question. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He wrote me a letter, Mary said. He said when I come home on leave, were gonna get married. It happened on Oct. 29, 1955. Over time, four children would come along. There were highs and some lows, but these love-birds will tell you they didnt do it alone. Once you put God in your marriage, then everything else will fall in place, Mary said. James admits hes tested Marys patience on occasion, and he remembers the consequences. Shed hold a grudge, James said. Sometimes she wouldnt fix my breakfast or fix my lunch, and then she wouldnt say nothing for about two or three days, so it was a lot. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mary says its the hard and diligent work in marriage thats meant the most to her. Their commitment to each other is a testament that in the end, perhaps love and a lot of laughter are what life is really about. The Weathers family will celebrate Mary and James anniversary with a private celebration Saturday. Mary is 88 and James is about to turn 90 years old. Both still live together, and Mary still cooks every meal for them. VIDEO: Ten years after same-sex marriage ruling, NC officiant reflects on legacy, love, and lasting impact A sign outside the Addison Road-Seat Pleasant Metrorail station, the second stop on the Blue Line corridor into central Prince George's County. (Photo by William J. Ford/Maryland Matters) By John Domen The D.C. regions economy has taken a hit under President Donald Trumps administration, following a series of government buyouts and layoffs, and now a near monthlong shutdown. But in Seat Pleasant on Wednesday, it was all smiles in hopes that a much-needed economic boost is on the horizon. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Blue Line Corridor is Prince Georges Countys main economic redevelopment and revitalization project, and the wheels were put into motion before the federal upheaval started impacting the region. Those involved say that upheaval has made the job harder, but it isnt putting a stop to the project. A group of developers, elected leaders, business owners and residents came together Wednesday to celebrate the creation of the Blue Line Corridor Coalition. Its a group that aims to bring together all the stakeholders focused on revitalizing the area closest to the D.C. line and make sure everyone is pulling in the same direction. Its to coordinate our efforts so that were moving more strategically, we dont waste resources, but we also make sure that everyones bought in to what eventually happens, said Del. Jazz Lewis (D-Prince Georges). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One of the leaders of the coalition is Bryan Franklin, of Local Initiatives Support Corp., or LISC D.C. An artists rendering of possible development at the Downtown Largo station, the last stop on Metros Blue Line in Prince Georges County. (Prince Georges County government image) For outsiders, right? Most people would think about this as a drive-through community, he said. But this community is rich in history, and what this coalition is about is bringing that history to the forefront and bringing the type of change and development that the community has been asking for, and bringing the partners to the table, he said. Who can make it happen? And he maintained the region is still primed for new opportunities and revitalization. We have four Metro stops, and 15% of the land around those Metro stops is vacant lands, he said. Where in other parts of our region can you see vacant land, near Metro? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So as the gateway to D.C., with connections to Amazon headquarters, with connections to Dulles and to DCA [Washington Reagan National Airport], not to mention the Capitol, this central part of the county, the Blue Line corridor, is primed for revitalization, Franklin said. We want to make sure that revitalization is community driven. One of those joining the coalition is Stabina King, who owns and operates Baked By Bina Mobile Coffee Shop. Her coffee is sold at The Capital Market, an area farmers market also guiding this coalition. I see a lot of improvement and changes coming along the way thats needed, King said. She said she can remember when the area thrived, and cant wait to see it happen again. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But this time, everybody needs to be included, King said. Both Franklin and Lewis said the main redevelopment projects focused on housing are still being built. Ground was recently broken on 200 new units near the Capitol Heights Metro station, and Lewis said another project next to it will be announced soon, among other new development projects in the pipeline. All these are being led with minority developers too, so were still on pace to transform this area with the type of walkable, transit-oriented development that increases quality life for the residents here, Lewis said. There are things happening. And so even amidst the headwinds, its showing that when we come together, we can make change, Franklin added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As part of Maryland Matters content sharing agreement with WTOP, we feature this article from John Domen. Click here for the WTOP News website. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX WARSAW, Poland As the Polish Ministry of National Defence is advancing plans to purchase up to 32 new fighter jets, Boeing is pitching the F-15EX jet, emphasizing its air superiority fighters payload, range and speed. To make its effort more attractive to Poland, the U.S. company is combining it with an industrial cooperation package for the countrys defense sector, and the MQ-28 Ghost Bat loyal wingman-type drone offer. As part of their campaign, Boeing representatives have held meetings with potential industry partners from Poland to discuss areas of cooperation on the F-15EX program. On Oct. 29, the company hosted a Boeing Industry Day event in Warsaw. The ongoing talks also concern other programs such as the KC-46 tanker which Boeing is promoting in Poland alongside its fighter jet offer. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Marissa Myers, a senior manager responsible for business development at Boeing, told Defense News the company is searching for partners specialized in manufacturing, services, research and development, as well as maintenance, repair, and overhaul activities, among others. Poland already has MRO capabilities to offer, Myers said, using the acronym for maintenance, repair and overhaul. We have a couple of MoUs already signed with various companies. Were also partnered with local universities. Hopefully, we can have a couple more partnerships come out of that. Initial discussions have started between Boeing and Poland on the MQ-28 Ghost Bat, the most advanced and mature collaborative combat aircraft available in the market, she said. In addition to the F-15EX, Warsaws available options include buying 32 more fifth-generation aircraft, which would be added to Polands initial order of 32 F-35s that is underway, or opting for a European air superiority aircraft, the Eurofighter Typhoon, a jet produced by a consortium of Airbus, BAE Systems and Leonardo, as indicated by Polish military officials. Delivered through Remediation Hub, the new capability accelerates remediation by giving security teams a clear, contextual, and actionable view of each exposure, transforming vulnerability data into risk intelligence informed decisions that help teams to prioritise remediation, and communicate and collaborate with internal teams to drive measurable risk reduction. In addition, Rapid7 added new vulnerability intelligence capabilities to Intelligence Hub, the companys integrated threat intelligence solution designed to provide security teams with meaningful context and actionable insights for accelerated detection and response. 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Each summary provides: Prioritisation clarity based on exploitation likelihood and business impact based on exploitation likelihood and business impact IT-ready context for tickets and change windows for tickets and change windows Fact-based urgency using CISA KEV, EPSS, and threat intelligence data using CISA KEV, EPSS, and threat intelligence data Effort estimates for patch coverage and blockers Vulnerability intelligence in Intelligence Hub With its latest vulnerability intelligence capabilities, Intelligence Hub delivers curated, real-world threat context to exploited CVEs, allowing security teams to effectively prioritise remediation efforts based on their organisations specific risk. 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Vulnerability intelligence capabilities within Intelligence Hub will also begin rolling out in November. To see how Rapid7 helps organisations unify visibility, prioritisation, and remediation, visit https://www.rapid7.com/products/command/exposure-management/. About Rapid7 Rapid7, Inc. (NASDAQ: RPD) is on a mission to create a safer digital world by making cybersecurity simpler and more accessible. We empower security professionals to manage a modern attack surface through our best-in-class technology, leading-edge research, and broad, strategic expertise. Rapid7s comprehensive security solutions help more than 11,000 global customers unite cloud risk management and threat detection to reduce attack surfaces and eliminate threats with speed and precision. For more information, visit our website, check out our blog, or follow us on LinkedIn or X. Ed Miliband has announced an increase in the boiler tax, which will add an estimated 100 to the cost of replacing the appliances. The Government confirmed on Friday that the current quota for heat pumps sold by boiler manufacturers would rise from 6pc to 8pc from April 2026. It means for every 92 boilers sold, manufacturers must sell eight heat pumps. If they fall short, companies face a fine of 500 per unsold heat pump. The fines are passed on to customers in the form of higher prices to cover the losses, leading the policy to be dubbed the boiler tax. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Figures for the UKs four biggest boiler manufacturers Worcester Bosch, Vaillant, Ideal and Baxi suggest the 8pc target is far above current demand, meaning hefty fines are inevitable. Adrian Waddelove, of the Heating and Hotwater Industry Council, a trade body, said Mr Milibands new boiler tax would add about 100 to the price of each appliance. He said: This is effectively an additional net zero tax before the Chancellor even starts her budget. About 1.4 million gas boilers are installed annually, most of them replacing older models in the 25 million homes that use them. The rate at which they are currently being replaced with heat pumps is so slow that it will take 150 years to complete the change. Just 30,000 were fitted to British homes from January to June this year, compared with Mr Milibands target of 600,000 annually by 2028. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mike Foster, head of the Energy Utilities Alliance, the manufacturers and installers trade body, said of the boiler tax: We have disagreed with this policy since its inception under the previous government. It imposes additional and unnecessary costs on the consumer when replacing their boiler. There are many ways in which the UK can increase the sale of heat pumps, and we will work constructively with the Government to do this, but we cannot accept a policy that punishes those who cant afford to buy a heat pump, those whose home is not suitable for a heat pump, or those who do not want one. b' ' Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Heat pumps remain prohibitively expensive for many households, typically costing 14,000 compared with 2,000 to 4,000 for a boiler. It means that even with grants up to 7,500, installing new heat pumps remains more expensive than replacing gas boilers. Mr Miliband is planning to use 13.2bn of taxpayers money to subsidise a massive surge in heat pump installations. Under his Warm Homes Plan, to be launched in November, he will pay for heat pumps, solar panels, and insulation for five million low-income households. Heat pumps are seen as key to reducing the 68 million tonnes of CO2 emitted annually from home heating about 18pc of total UK emissions. Most of those emissions come from gas-fired boilers and from the two million homes that use oil-fired heating. Piling more pressure on families Claire Coutinho, the shadow energy secretary, said: Ed Miliband has open-ended powers to make gas boilers increasingly unaffordable and force people into buying heat pumps in the name of net zero. Targets and fines will get more punitive in the years ahead, piling more pressure on families when they can least afford it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We have to stop taxing, banning, and bribing people into changing the way they live their lives just to meet net zero targets. Ed Miliband should focus on making electricity cheap and backing consumer choice. Mr Waddelove added that fining manufacturers and pushing the country towards heat pumps was also subsidising jobs abroad. He said: These fines are discouraging investment in the UK. The UK is relatively unique in having such a widespread gas network, so we currently make 80pc of the UKs boilers here. That compares with only about 33pc for heat pumps, with the rest being imported. A spokesman for the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero said demand for heat pumps was growing fast, with about 98,000 sold in 2024, of which an increasing proportion were UK-made. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They said: We are backing British industry with a record 90m investment to boost domestic manufacturing of heat pumps, tripling the funding available to create good jobs across the country and help families save money by switching to clean energy. We are seeing record demand for heat pumps, with September the best month ever for applications to the Boiler Upgrade Scheme. We are determined to ensure that British businesses and consumers alike benefit from this growing industry. 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. In a 2572 vote, the Senate rejected a resolution from Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) that aimed to block the governments plan to kill hundreds of thousands of the Barred Owl species. The bill from Kennedy, introduced under the Congressional Review Act, tried to overturn a previous Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) rule that authorized the lethal removal of up to 453,000 Barred Owls over several decades to protect the endangered Northern Spotted Owl known for being less of an agile hunter than the Barred species. Yet now, there are some questions on whether that was the right choice, both for the environment and for Americans pockets. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Biden administration finalized the FWS plan in late 2024, with the first contracts allocating $4.5 million to kill about 1,500 owls roughly $3,000 per bird, including baby birds, according to Kennedys office. Some supporters argue that the Barred Owl, which has migrated west and outcompetes the Spotted Owl for food and nesting space, poses a threat to the native species. In contrast, critics, such as Kennedy, call it an expensive and misguided example of government overreach. During a fiery floor speech on Tuesday, Kennedy called the plan bone-deep, down-to-the-marrow stupid, standing beside posters of barred owls and a cartoon of Elmer Fudd with a rifle. He accused the Department of the Interior (DOI) of trying to micromanage nature and mocked the effort as an expensive DEI plan for owls. Barred owls are expanding their habitat because the forests in the east have been cut down. Thats called adaptive range expansion. And do you know what? Whether you believe in God or nature or whatever, that happens every single day in our ecosystem. Its a naturally occurring ecological phenomenon. Its a core behavioral characteristic of animals, Kennedy said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I know the bureaucrats at the Department of the Interior. I realize this: Theyre smarter and more virtuous than you and I are. I get that. But who appointed them God? he added. Kennedys resolution advanced out of committee in October with bipartisan support, but encountered resistance on the Senate floor. The DOI defends the culling plan as critical for the Spotted Owls survival, estimating a total cost of $1.35 billion for the removal project, according to a March 7 letter from certain members of Congress, further warning that doing nothing could doom the species. The vote split both parties and seems to have split opinions among some animal and environmental experts as well. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Animal welfare advocates like Animal Wellness Action praised Kennedys stance to stop the barred owls expensive kill-off strategy. At the same time, the Vice President of Government Relations at Defenders of Wildlife, Robert Dewey, celebrated the bills passage as a win for science-based conservation, according to EE News. Kennedy, known for his past critiques of federal bureaucracy, painted the owl-killing program as an example of Washingtons waste and arrogance. The federal governmentwhich can barely deliver the mailnow plans to kill over 10% of the North American barred owl population, Kennedy posted on X, estimating the barred owl population to be around 3.4 million. Kennedy further pointed to biologists own admissions that the culling would need to continue indefinitely to have any effect on the species. The recent vote against Kennedys measure keeps the FWS culling plan in place, though Kennedy promised to keep fighting. Barred owls are better hunters than spotted owlsthats just the way it is, he said. A companion bill from Rep. Troy Nehls (R-Texas) remains pending in the House as of press time. EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) The El Paso-Las Cruces metroplex region could be positioned to feel an outsized effect due to the potential cut to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) funding, according to a university professor of economics. El Paso and Las Cruces are among the 20 most impoverished metropolitan economies in the United States, and there is a higher percentage of local households that rely upon SNAP benefits to be able to cover their food bills every month, Tom Fullerton, professor of economics at the University of Texas at El Paso, said. Food aid at risk of expiring as effort to fund SNAP benefits fails in Senate Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While it is still unclear if the SNAP program will lose funding come Saturday, and if it does, how long will that last, Fullerton warned that if the cuts to SNAP last an extended period of time, the impact will be felt beyond the affected households. It also creates downside risks for a lot of the convenience stores and the grocery stores that are located in areas or in neighborhoods where SNAP reliance is higher than elsewhere. It might potentially lead to the closure of some of the food stores around both Las Cruces and El Paso. And that could translate into larger food deserts that already exist, Fullerton said. Fullerton said that if the cuts to SNAP were maintained specifically for one year, it would translate into a loss of about $562 million to the El Paso economy. For Las Cruces, Fullerton said the loss would be about $146 million. Meanwhile, local hunger relief organizations have continued to prepare for increased demand as food insecurity in the borderland region is expected to grow due to the ongoing government shutdown and the potential suspension of SNAP benefits. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Government shutdown threatens to halt SNAP benefits leaving thousands of El Pasoans at risk Were fighting multiple fronts. Were not only up against it with the shutdown, but also with the changes to SNAP benefits. So its already a taxing year, but then now youre adding more challenges on top of that, Kris Yagel, interim CEO of El Pasoans Fighting Hunger Food Bank, said. Yagel said that they have primarily been serving furloughed federal workers over the past couple of weeks, with about 2000 food box requests made from federal agencies. He said they have been able to meet that demand, but expects that to increase if SNAP funding is indeed suspended. I will tell you that there are just under 145,000 Snap recipients in our service area. So that gives you an idea of the population that potentially could approach the food bank, Yagel said. We serve about 1500 families a day out of our main location. So in a weeks time, thats 6000 families just out of our main location. And then, more with our partner pantries as well. We dont necessarily anticipate that number changing right away, but over time, as the food insecurity goes up and if the shutdown persists, things can really continue to climb. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTSM 9 News. SOUTH KINGSTOWN, R.I. (WPRI) The Roy Carpenters Beach Association celebrated a historic milestone Wednesday. The association announced in a social media post that it purchased the 50-acre beachfront property for $16.3 million from Matunuck Beach Properties. Its official we bought the beach! the association wrote. For the first time in our nearly 80-year history, the families of Roy Carpenters Beach now own the land of their summer homes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Roy Carpenters Beach is a 1/4-mile long stretch of shoreline off Cards Pond Road in South Kingstown. The beach is primarily utilized by the owners of the 377 summer cottages that flank it. The association noted it received 100% owner participation in its effort to purchase the property. Our summers are filled with timeless traditions and together, weve preserved those memories for generations to come, the association added. Download the WPRI 12 and Pinpoint Weather 12 apps to get breaking news and weather alerts. Watch 12 News Now on WPRI.com or with the free WPRI 12+ TV app. Follow us on social media: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Daily Roundup Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WPRI.com. HUBBARD, Ohio (WKBN) What started as an ordinary pizza delivery turned into something much more, as a Hubbard couple says their weekly pizza driver is now their hero after jumping into action when one of them was hurt. Every Monday, John and Anna Marie Sharisky order from Belleria Pizza. Its a tradition they started a few years ago. Their delivery driver, Eric Trickett, came to know them pretty well. They were my favorite customers, so I love them, Trickett said. Very good people. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But last Monday, before Trickett got to the door, he realized something was wrong. I just got out of my car. I was going to go up on the porch, and I looked over and I see him with a rag on his face, and I could tell it was red. I just ran up, ended up putting some, like a tie on his face and told him, Im going to go on the run to my car, get my phone and get his wife, Trickett said. I could hear this banging on my front door, and I thought, why is he banging that hard? And when I came up here, the boy from the pizza shop opened the door and said, get out to the garage, your husband is bleeding bad,' said Anna Marie. John, who is 89 years old, had fallen in his driveway while putting the hose away for the winter. Hed managed to get himself into a chair in the garage, but he had scrapes and cuts along his arms and face and was bleeding from his forehead. Trickett called for an ambulance, and soon, it arrived to take him to the hospital. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He got right busy, he got on the phone and called 911. I told him where to go and he was amazing, Anna said. Thats just a situation that I would hope that anyone would go and help someone that they see. He has, you know, a lot of blood. He was thinking a lot of blood. So, I would hope that anyone would go and help him, Trickett said. Now, John is back in is home recovering. Earlier this week, Eric brought them their Monday pizza and stopped in to see how he was doing. Kept telling me he loved me and I said the same back to him. It was cool. I liked seeing that he was alright, Trickett said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Very, very grateful to him because I personally believe that boy saved his life. I really do, Anna 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 WKBN.com. People who get their health care through the Affordable Care Act Marketplace might soon see the cost of their health care more than double. At the heart of the weeks-long federal government shutdown is the ending of the enhanced subsidies for people who get their insurance through the Affordable Care Act's Marketplace. In Texas, that's through Healthcare.gov. The enhanced subsidies started in 2021 to help people gain insurance during the COVID-19 pandemic. Those enhanced subsidies are set to end beginning in January, unless the U.S. Congress agrees to extend them. Client Jlyssa Jauert, left, watches as Affordable Care Act navigator Patricia Rangel enter information to select a health plan for Jauert in 2024. The Marketplace opened on Nov. 1. In Austin, people can find help enrolling at the Prosper Health centers. (San Antonio Express-News file photo) The Healthcare.gov Marketplace opens again Saturday. People have until Dec. 15 to sign up for a plan that starts Jan. 1 or through Jan. 15 to start their plan on Feb. 1. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sharon Alvis, the CEO of Austin-based Sendero Health Plans, which provides plans on the Marketplace, said she is worried that people will go onto the Marketplace and have "sticker shock" and won't sign up for a plan. People have relied on the Marketplace when they make too much to qualify for government programs like Medicaid, Medicare and CHIP and do not have an employer-based plan. Many people in the Marketplace are early retirees, gig workers, freelance or contract employees, part-time employees or they work for a small business that cannot afford to provide insurance. How much subsidies people receive depends on the number of people in their family, their ages as well as their income. Currently, people going through the Marketplace play 0% to 8.5% of their annual income in monthly premiums. Next year, they can expect to pay up to 9.96% of their annual income, said Louise Norris, a health policy analyst with the consumer group Healthinsurance.org. On average, people can expect to pay 114% more for their health care through the Marketplace in 2026 than this year. How did the enhanced subsidies affect health care in Texas? Dr. Patrick Lee, left, president and CEO of Central Health, talks with U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett before they spoke Friday, Oct. 31, 2025, at Foundation Communities Prosper Center South, encouraging people to sign up for Affordable Care Act Marketplace coverage during open enrollment, which begins Saturday. (Jay Janner/Austin American-Statesman) The Commonwealth Fund, a nonpartisan group, offers these facts: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Enrollment in the Marketplace increased by 190% in Texas once the enhanced subsidies went into effect. This year, 3.8 million people in Texas used Healthcare.gov to get their health insurance. This year, 97% of those enrolled in the Marketplace in Texas received a subsidy. Without the enhanced subsidies, almost 1.4 million people are expected to become uninsured in Texas, about one-fourth of all people in the country who are expected to become uninsured because of the lost subsidies. Currently, in Travis County, 144,947 people receive their health care through the Marketplace, including 18,573 children, said Lynn Cowles at the nonprofit Every Texan. The past four years have proven "people want health insurance," said Stacey Pogue, an Austin-based research fellow at the Center on Health Insurance Reforms at Georgetown University. "They will sign up at a price point they can afford." For providers, the potential increase in people who will go without insurance is troubling. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "What we typically see when people lose health coverage is they just wait longer," said Dr. Manish Naik, the chief medical officer at Austin Regional Clinic. If they have allergies or a rash, they might not see a doctor. With more serious symptoms, "they wait until it gets bad enough. The worry is people aren't going to come in until it's very late." They also might skip those annual visits and screenings, which makes finding problems early almost impossible. Their cost of care will increase, as will long-term problems and the potential risk of death. Big Pink Bus mammography technologist Ginza Lopez demonstrates the mammography machine. People without insurance might skip annual screenings like a mammogram and end up finding health concerns at a later stage, making treatment more expensive. (Aaron E. Martinez / American-Statesman) What else will affect the price of health care for 2026? Insurance providers in the Marketplace have increased their rates as well. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas, for example, said its rates increased between 7.5% and 62.4%. In Travis County, one Sendero bronze plan increased from $1,199.42 monthly premium with no subsidies in 2025 for a family of four to $1,383.26 in 2026. Some people in Texas will see Marketplace rates more than double when you add the cost increases and the subsidy decreases. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The cost of health care plans are increasing in general in Texas, in part, because of the fear that the younger, healthier people will no longer opt-in for health care because of the decrease in subsidies. When the risk pool is heavily weighted with the unhealthy, high-users of health care, costs increase. When the number of uninsured people increase, providers like hospitals have to raise their prices and pass those on to the people with insurance to cover the cost of the uninsured as well as the people who have Medicaid and Medicare, which does not fully cover the cost of care provided, said St. David's HealthCare CEO and President David Huffstutler. All the hospital systems worry about what will happen when the enhanced subsidies end and have been in Washington lobbying to have them extended. "We are deeply concerned about the loss of the subsidies," said John Thresher, the chief strategy office at Ascension Texas. "All that ends up happening is shifting the cost from one bucket to another." For people who get their insurance through their employer, they also are seeing increased rates because of this. Georgetown medics prepare to take a man to Ascension Seton Hospital in Round Rock in 2023. People still will have access to emergency care, but affordable care will be less available for many people who don't have employer-provided care. (Ricardo B. Brazziell / Austin American-Statesman, Austin American-Statesman) How will these changes affect people locally? We looked at available Healthcare.gov plans in Travis County and compared the 2025 rates and the 2026 rates for a 40-year-old single person, a 40-year-old couple, a couple age 40 with two children, and a 60-year-old couple. There are hundreds of plans to choose from. We pulled out the lowest monthly cost plans and the lowest deductible plans, and the lowest income level where subsidies start and the level where subsidies end. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The biggest differences in 2026 are found at income levels were subsidies end as well as the costs of the plans even before the subsidies are added. Here's what we found for a single person age 40: For a single person, age 40, they can get a no-cost monthly plan for 2026 if they make $22,000 a year (the salary in which the subsidies kick in) because of $559 a month in subsidies. That plan has a $4,700 deductible and a $9,800 maximum out of pocket cost. But, if they are willing to pay $11.81 a month, they can get a $0 deductible plan with $10,150 in total out of pocket costs. Once that single person makes $63,000 a year, they no longer qualify for subsidies and the least expensive plan is $432.65 a month with a $7,500 deductible and a $10,000 maximum out of pocket cost, or they can pay $570.81 a month and get a $0 deductible, $10,150 maximum out of pocket plan. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2025, at $22,000 in income, the single person could get a plan for $0 monthly cost, $0 deductible, $1,700 maximum out of pocket cost. They could receive subsidies until $74,000 income and find a plan for $375.15 a month, $7,500 deductible and $9,200 maximum out of pocket cost, or a $548.96 a month plan, with $0 deductible and $9,100 maximum out of pocket cost. Here's what we found for a couple age 40: For 2026, a couple both at age 40 making $23,000 can get $1,212 in subsidies, and find a $0 monthly cost, $700 deductible and $17,500 maximum, or an $1.26 monthly plan, with a $0 deductible and $20,300 maximum. If that couple makes $85,000, they no longer can get a subsidy and would pay $865.30 a month for a $15,000 deductible, $20,000 out-of-pocket maximum plan or $1,141.62 a month for a $0 deductible, $20,300 a month plan. In 2025, that couple making $23,000 could get $1,047 in subsidies and a $0 monthly cost, $0 deductible and $3,400 maximum out-of-pocket plan. That same couple could get subsidies until $148,000, and at which point they can find a plan with a $750.30 monthly cost, $15,000 deductible or $18,400 maximum, or choose a $0 deductible plan with $1,097.92 monthly cost and $18,200 maximum. Here's what we found for a couple age 60: For 2026, this couple making $22,000 could get $2,616 per month in subsidies and find a $0 monthly, $0 deductible, $4,400 maximum. This couple can get subsidies up to $84,000. But at $85,000, they can expect to pay the full amount of $1,837.58 a month, with a $15,000 deductible and $20,000 maximum. If they want a $0 deductible plan, they will pay $2,424.38 a month with a $20,300 maximum. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2025, this couple could get subsidies starting at $21,000 and $2,224 a month in subsidies with $0 monthly cost, $0 deductible and $3,400 maximum. They would receive subsidies up to $313,000. At $314,000, they would pay $1,587.36 a month for a $15,000 deductible, $18,400 maximum plan or $2,331.56 a month for a $0 deductible, $18,200 plan. How about a family of four with parents age 40, a 10-year-old son and 7-year-old daughter?: Next year, that family of four can get subsidies once they make $67,000. Before that, the children would be eligible for CHIP or Medicaid, and the parents might be eligible for the couple rates. This family at $67,000 would get $1,576 a month in subsidies and find a $0 monthly plan with $15,000 deductible, $20,000 maximum or a $211.98 monthly plan with $0 deductible and $20,300 maximum. At $129,000 they no longer receive subsidies, and can expect to pay $1,383.26 a month with a $15,000 deductible, $20,000 maximum or $1,824.98 a month with $0 deductible and $20,300 maximum. This year, that family making $67,000 could get $1,556 in subsidies and find a plan for $0 a month, $9,000 deductible and $18,400 a month, or a $199.12 a month plan with $0 deductible and $18,200 maximum. They can get subsidies up to $240,000 income, and find a plan for $1,199.42 a month, a enh$15,000 deductible and $18,400 maximum, or choose a $0 deductible plan for $1,754.12 a month and a $18,200 maximum. Hospitals like Ascension Seton Medical Center will continue to care for people without insurance. All three local hospital systems are expecting to see more patients without insurance because of the reduction in federal subsidies on the Marketplace. (Sara Diggins/Austin American-Statesman) What should I consider when looking at Marketplace plans? Don't just auto-enroll on what you currently have, Cowles said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read everything carefully. With more than a hundred plans, each plan is nuanced. Make sure you accurately report your income. If you guess wrong, you could be either missing out on subsidies or owe subsidies back to the government. Don't judge a plan based on bronze, silver or gold. Sometimes a bronze plan can be better than a silver or a silver better than a gold, but note that some people receive extra subsidies if they choose certain silver plans. Those plans are noted on the website. What is included in the plan? Is dental included? Are your doctors on the plan? What about your favorite pharmacy? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What are the prices? Yes, care about monthly premiums, deductibles and maximum out-of-pocket costs, but also care about co-pays, drug costs and emergency room visit payments. What's important to you? Would you rather have a low co-pay for doctor visits or is a higher co-pay but a low deductible important? Is the maximum out-of-pocket expense the most important thing or is it the monthly cost? Is the plan eligible for a before-taxes health saving account? Is a catastrophic plan better than nothing? Some people, particularly healthy, younger people can qualify for these plans, but they tend to cover only a major health event. Norris said sometimes you can find a bronze plan for less than a catastrophic plan. What about a short-term plan? These typically do not do what people expect from an insurance plan. What help is available? This year, Pogue said, it's especially important to get help. While the federal government drastically cut the funding for navigators, Austin-Travis County's hospital district Central Health has put its funding toward helping local nonprofit Foundation Communities run its Prosper Health Coverage centers, which have certified health navigators that do not get paid based on the plan you choose. It is expecting to help 5,000 people for free this year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "With more than 100 plans available, it can be overwhelming to find the right plan," said Erika Leos of Foundation Communities. "We are here to help sort through the plans and find the right one." You can make an appointment at foundcom.org/health-coverage or by calling 512-381-4520. Can Congress still increase subsidies after the Marketplace opens? Yes. "Everything is on the table," Norris said. Pogue said if that happens, even after plans go in effect, people could receive repayments for what they have spent. What can I do if I cannot afford health insurance? "One thing people should remember is that even an expensive plan will likely cost less than one trip to the emergency room, and will definitely cost less than the ongoing treatment of a serious illness," said Leos of Foundation Communities. "However, if they truly cant afford a plan from the Marketplace this year, we will discuss the other options available in the community." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Locally, we have three federally qualified health centers: CommUnityCare, Lone Star Circle of Care and People's Community Clinic. They provide primary and some specialty care on a fee scale based on your income. If you make below 200% of the federal poverty level and live in Travis County, Central Health's Medical Assistance Program acts like health insurance and is available for free or at a lower cost. Check with your current providers. Austin Regional Clinic will see patients who don't have insurance and offers a discount over its posted rates. It also has a telehealth plan with one-time, monthly and annual rates that can be more affordable for in-person visits. Look for discount rates for medications through services like GoodRX or Amazon's prescription service. You also can check with drug companies directly for programs. Ask about charity care if you find yourself in the hospital. Hospitals have an obligation to treat you in the emergency room to get you to a stable place, but they do not have to provide further treatment such as a surgery or a hospital stay. 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. The Oklahoma Breast Center added Tara Chandran, a fellowship-trained breast surgical oncologist, to its staff. Chandran joins the centers staff as a board-certified general surgeon with a plethora of different special interests. She completed her general surgery residency at Henry Ford Macomb in Michigan and her breast surgery oncology fellowship at the University of Kansas before taking the position she currently holds here in Norman. Chandran will work alongside Denise Rable, one of Oklahomas most respected and experienced breast surgeons, according to a press release. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Together, they offer patients a unique combination of advanced surgical expertise and compassionate, patient-centered care, the release stated. With two highly trained breast surgeons under one roof, The Oklahoma Breast Center in Norman continues to strengthen its position as a destination for comprehensive breast care, where women are caring for women. Chandran spoke about the process that brought her to Norman and said the decision to work alongside Rable and the rest of staff at Oklahoma Breast Center, which is part of Norman Regional Health System, was an easy one to make once she saw how passionate they were about patient care. I just really liked how passionate they were about the breast center, about Norman Regional in general, Chandran said. I realized that they werent just faking it all. It was very, very genuine, and everybody here at this center is just so passionate about patient care, and everyone will do more than their job to make sure everyones taken care of. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With special interests like aesthetic flat closure, breast conservation, seed tumor localization, oncoplastic surgical techniques and many more, Chandran is well-versed in a multitude of surgical breast care processes. She joins the Oklahoma Breast Center with advanced expertise in both benign and malignant breast disease and a special interest in techniques that combine medical precision with aesthetic consideration, the release stated. Given Chandrans wide array of abilities and specialties, she said the title that best describes her skills is breast cancer surgeon, explaining that she focuses on surgical options rather than chemotherapy and radiation treatments. Chandran also detailed why she decided to specialize in breast care, stating that she felt called to help women battling a disease that can sneak up on even the healthiest of women. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Our patient population is amazing, Chandran said. This is just something that happens to a lot of these people, and its like all of a sudden. You have people from 21-year-olds to someone who trains for triathlons to even 80-year-olds. This affects so many women, but they form this community that really helps each other. And theyre so grateful for the care they receive So I think meeting the patients and seeing the teamwork that goes into the care they receive is really what drew me to the field. While many surgeons dread the clinical side of speaking with families and delivering difficult news, Chandran said building those relationships is what she enjoys most about her job. Everyone in surgery always says, Oh, clinic is so boring, but I love it, Chandran said. I like to get to know my patients, their stories, meet their family and their support systems because a cancer diagnosis is so heavy. You need to be able to connect with them and understand them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its not just treating cancer were treating patients as human beings and their families as well, who are supporting them. So, I think it is so important to be able to connect with patients and really figure out the best treatment plan for them to live their best lives. Given her deep care for patients even those she doesnt treat Chandran had one simple piece of advice for those during October, which is recognized nationally as Breast Cancer Awareness Month. The single most important thing is that women are getting their mammograms, Chandran said. I know we say this every year, but it is just so important because we have so much to offer patients now when breast cancer is caught early, and its a very, very curable disease in a lot of situations. Thats the best thing you can do for yourself and the one thing Id want breast cancer awareness to be about. Progressive YouTuber Brian Tyler Cohen joins NewsNation to weigh in on the government shutdown, now in its 30th day. Cohen, one of the most prominent voices on the left, blamed Republicans for the ongoing impasse. This weekend, 42 million Americans who rely on food stamps could lose access to benefits as SNAP funding dries up. Meanwhile, more than a million federal workers remain unpaid. 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. Soumaya Hamdi was planning for the family holiday she would soon be taking with her husband when she received a text message that changed everything. Is it true that Sami is being abducted? a friend asked. She had called her husband, British-Tunisian commentator and journalist Sami Hamdi, earlier that day to check in on him, as he travelled around the United States on a speaking tour discussing Israels war on Gaza. When he didnt answer, Soumaya had assumed he was at a speaking engagement. Instead, he had been detained by US immigration authorities, news that came as a complete shock, she told Al Jazeera. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thats not the text message that I think anyone ever wants to read, she said It was Sunday, October 26. Sami had been stopped at San Francisco International Airport. Unbeknownst to him, his visa had been revoked by US authorities two days earlier after a pressure campaign by anti-Muslim and pro-Israel social media influencers. The detention of the 35-year-old critic of Israels genocide on Gaza has sparked a legal battle, with his lawyers filing emergency petitions against his detention and his wife, British parliamentarians and UK civil society groups demanding their government take action. His case is the latest in what Muslim advocacy groups describe as a campaign to silence pro-Palestinian voices in the US through immigration enforcement. Bundled into a black van Hamdis speaking tour was just his latest across the US his commentary emphasising continued support for the Palestinian people has grown in popularity among American Muslims and pro-Palestinians since the war on Gaza began in October 2023. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Saturday evening, he addressed the annual gala of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), a Muslim civil right advocacy group, in Sacramento and was due to speak at another CAIR event in Florida the next day. But as he moved through San Francisco airports domestic terminal on Sunday morning, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers approached him. They took him to a big black van, Soumaya said, recounting what her husband later told her when she later reached him. He asked them, and this must have been the second or third time, he said, I need to be able to tell someone that Ive been taken by ICE. So they said, OK, you got one text message. Hamdi managed to send a brief message to CAIR before officers confiscated his phone. When Soumaya later called, an ICE officer answered and hung up on her. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The officer himself hung me up, then switched the phone off, she said. It was around midnight when Hamdi was finally able to call his wife for 30 seconds from the Golden State Annex detention centre in California, some five to six hours from the airport. He sounded really under pressure, Soumaya recalled. Days later, authorities transferred him in the middle of the night to another facility for processing before returning him and interrogating him without his lawyers present, she said. She has spoken to him twice since his detention. The couple have three children, including a 10-month-old baby. The kids dont understand why they cant reach him, Soumaya said. Sami is a family man. Legal challenge On Tuesday, CAIRs California chapter filed a federal habeas corpus petition, requiring the government to justify Hamdis detention, along with an emergency temporary restraining order to stop authorities from moving him. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The filings aim to stop officials from moving Hamdi to a distant facility, a step CAIR says could isolate him from his lawyers and friends. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said Hamdi cheered on the October 7 Hamas-led attacks, while the spokesperson for the DHS, Tricia McLaughlin, said, Those who support terrorism and undermine American national security will not be allowed to work or visit this country. It shared an edited clip by MEMRI, a pro-Israel group which says it is an extremism monitor, to justify his detention, in which Hamdi said: Dont pity them [the Palestinians], they dont want your pity, celebrate their victory. A week later, and on several subsequent occasions, Hamdi clarified his remarks. What Muslims are celebrating is not war; theyre celebrating the revival of a cause a just cause, Hamdi told The Thinking Muslim podcast a week after October 7. His family have pointed to Hamdis own words Racism, Islamophobia, anti-semitism, genocide, and war crimes need no explanation or definitions for humanity to recognise them and stand firmly against them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Soumaya, dismissed the allegations against her husband as outrageous and a smear campaign targeting his advocacy for Palestinian rights. The reason why these allegations have been made about Sami is because hes become too effective of a speaker, said Soumaya. Hes on record as saying that billions shouldnt be sent by the American government to save Israel when American citizens need housing and healthcare So its not like hes been criticising the United States, hes been criticising a foreign government, and hes being targeted for that. In an open letter to Vice President JD Vance, Samis father, Mohamed El-Hachmi Hamdi, said criticism of Israel was not a crime but a moral duty, adding that his son should be encouraged, not sanctioned and barred from entering America. Zahra Billoo, executive director of CAIRs San Francisco Bay Area office, which assembled Hamdis legal defence, told Al Jazeera the challenge aims to protect Hamdis constitutional rights. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Despite what Laura Loomer, Amy Mekelberg and various government accounts have been tweeting, no charges have been levied against Sami, she said, referring to far-right activists who claimed credit for his detention. Billoo likened Hamdis case to other foreign pro-Palestine advocates detained by ICE, including Mahmoud Khalil, Rumeysa Ozturk, and Badar Khan Suri. The Trump administration has invoked the 1798 Alien Enemies Act, a wartime law being broadly interpreted to allow the government to target foreign nationals whose speech it deems harmful to US foreign policy. Immigration lawyer Hassan Ahmad, who represents Sami and has taken other similar cases like Suris, told Al Jazeera this reflects a broad crackdown on Palestinian advocacy through immigration law. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He said Islamophobia and anti-Palestinian racism are distinct but frequently overlap, and weve seen that more since October. This is part of the larger problem of de jure Islamophobia in the US justice system. This is weaponising immigration to implement structural anti-Palestinian racism, Billoo said. Billoo added that CAIR was concerned about an increase in Islamophobia following the onset of the Israeli genocide in Gaza, which has increased to levels we hadnt seen before. According to CAIRs latest civil rights report, the organisation received a record 8,658 complaints in 2024, the highest since it began compiling data in 1996. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The report attributed the surge to what it called the US-backed Gaza genocide, which drove a wave of Islamophobia in the United States, with complaints spanning employment discrimination, education, law enforcement encounters and hate crimes. The US human rights group Common Dreams new report, Solidarity as a Crime, released this month, paints a stark picture of what it calls a nationwide campaign to silence solidarity with Palestinians across the United States, citing censorship, arrests, campus crackdowns and deportations targeting pro-Palestinian advocacy. Wholly inadequate UK response The UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) told Al Jazeera it is providing consular assistance and is in touch with local authorities and his family. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But Soumaya described the response as wholly inadequate. She said US authorities are blocking FCDO officials from receiving information about why Hamdis visa was revoked. Were talking about a British citizen with a valid US visa who has already been allowed to enter the United States, she said. The FCDO should recognise that this is really alarming. Five UK members of parliament, including former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, issued a statement last week calling on the government to secure consular access and demand Hamdis safe return. The National Union of Journalists and International Federation of Journalists also called for his immediate release. Seamus Dooley, NUJ assistant general secretary, said there is no evidence that, as a journalist, he is guilty of a terrorist offence, and he should be released. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Muslim Council of Britain urged the government to take urgent diplomatic action, saying, Press freedom cannot be selective and we urge the British Government to come to the defence of its citizens being detained in this manner. Billoo emphasised the stakes extend beyond one individual. If the United States government could treat an internationally renowned political analyst, journalist and British citizen in this way, were all forced to wonder: Are we safe? What can we say? The detention has devastated the family, his wife said. Sami misses the kids when hes travelling. He misses all of his family, Soumaya said. His mum and dad are extremely anxious and worried for his wellbeing, too. You know, if you want him out of the country, just send him home, she said, adding, He has a family that miss him dearly and would be very happy for him to come home to. So whats the reason for depriving him of his liberty and his freedom and keeping him locked up. GUEST OPINION: Cybersecurity is no longer a problem for the CISO to manage in isolation. It has become a boardroom issue, carrying regulatory scrutiny, investor attention, and reputational risk. Yet despite billions spent on security tools, breaches continue to rise. The disparity between the two is not due to a lack of investment but a disconnect in understanding the full scope of the issue and explaining it clearly to the Board. Exposure management helps bridge this gap. Instead of measuring success by the number of alerts closed or patches applied, it continuously identifies, prioritises, and closes the exposures most likely to cause material harm. Done well, it provides boards with what they increasingly demand: a quantifiable, business-aligned view of both operational and cyber risk that supports sound governance and investor confidence. Organisations globally demonstrate five distinct levels of exposure management program maturity. At the low end of the spectrum, security is siloed and teams lack an understanding of the cross-domain relationships that attackers exploit. The focus is on individual findings, which makes less mature programs inefficient. At the high end of the spectrum, organisations have unified their data, enriched it with context about the relationship between assets and identities, and they focus on exposure to cut through the noise. Understanding your company's current stage is crucial, as it provides a clear path forward and determines whether you achieve cyber resilience or face significant liabilities. Stage 1: Ad Hoc The earliest stage. Limited tools cover narrow parts of the attack surface. Processes are reactive, staff scramble as threats appear, and prioritisation is guesswork. Boards see spending without strategy. The organisation remains permanently exposed. Stage 2: Defined Basic tools and frameworks are in place. Staff are formally assigned, processes documented, and risk assessments broadened. Its progress, but fragile. Risks remain siloed, reporting is disjointed, and a single breach can still trigger systemic disruption. Stage 3: Standardised On paper, maturity looks solid: tools cover the full attack surface, processes are consistent, and business context begins to shape risk decisions. Many companies plateau here. Dashboards suggest progress, but the lack of holistic visibility leaves blind spotsespecially when attackers chain exposures across domains. Stage 4: Advanced The turning point. Asset and risk data are aggregated into a unified inventory. Risk scoring is normalised. Prioritisation incorporates technical and business context. At this stage, organisations begin to identify not just isolated issues, but toxic combinationssuch as a misconfigured workload paired with an over-privileged identitythat create real attack paths to crown-jewel assets. Exposure management becomes predictive, not just descriptive. Stage 5: Optimised The destination. Exposure management is fully business-aligned. Metrics are consistent across domains. Reporting is quantifiable, comparable, and tied directly to business impact. Remediation, resources, and investment decisions are guided by defined risk objectives. At this stage, cybersecurity shifts from a cost centre to a strategic enabler of growth, trust, and resilience. Why the curve matters to boards? Australias directors cannot afford complacency, particularly with heightened regulatory and compliance oversight. Regulators are watching, investors are asking harder questions, and insurance premiums are climbing. Exposure Management enables Boards and organisations to demonstrate real-time progress and success metrics to both shareholders and regulators. And yet, too many organisations remain stuck at stages two or three. They have frameworks and tools, but without unified visibility and context, they cannot prioritise effectively. Boards should be demanding answers to questions such as What exposures truly threaten this business? What measurable progress are we making in reducing them? How does our maturity compare to peers?Metrics like number of vulnerabilities patched or alerts closed no longer suffice. The path forward - Where to start and how to get there? Climbing the cyber maturity curve does not happen overnight. It begins with an honest assessment of understanding an organisations current position and where it needs to be to satisfy governance obligations. While tools and frameworks are important, true progress stems from unifying teams, breaking down silos, and embedding business context into every risk decision. Exposure management is not another IT buzzword. It is a discipline that determines whether an organisation reacts to crises or prevents them. For boards, maturity is no longer optional. It is accountability. And for companies, it is survival, and it doesn't have to negate prior technology investments. It's not every day that a royal becomes a commoner. But Buckingham Palace announced on Thursday that Andrew, formerly known as Prince Andrew, would now be an ordinary citizen known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor. He will also lose his taxpayer-funded digs at the Royal Lodge and move to a private home. The palace's press release added that Windsor "continues to deny the allegations against him." The allegations in question have to do with Windsor's ties to two different foreigners: American pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, who died in 2019, and Chinese businessman Yang Tengbo, whom the British government accuses of espionage. After Windsor was accused of participating in Epstein's sexual abuses and gave an interview that made things look even worse for him, the prince reportedly turned toward Yang for a potential fresh start in China. However, the British government banned Yang from Britain in 2023 on the grounds that he committed "covert and deceptive activity" on behalf of the Chinese government. Yang, who denies those allegations, sued the British government and lost in 2024, leading to a series of revelations about Windsor's Chinese outreach. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Reporting by Reason revealed that Windsor had been in contact with Epstein much later than he admitted, and that he had been trying to work with Beijing on sensitive matters earlier than believed. In leaked emails, Epstein told one of his business partners that Windsor had told him about an idea to start a "personel [sic] protection co in beijing" in 2015. Those emails made it to the front page of the Sunday Times, the British newspaper of record, which noted that Windsor had claimed to cut off contact with Epstein in 2010. The Times independently verified many details from the emails. Another newspaper, The Express, called the story the "nail in the coffin" for Windsor's attempts to stay in the palace. Yet that wouldn't be the last compromising story to come out about the former prince. The Telegraph revealed that Windsor had met three times in 2018 and 2019 with Cai Qi, a Chinese official accused of running a spy ring in Britain. Two different newspapers obtained an email from Windsor to Epstein in 2011 stating that "we are in this together" and "we'll play some more soon!!!!" The BBC reported that Windsor had hosted Epstein at a party in the Royal Lodge in 2006, two months after Florida authorities issued a warrant for Epstein's arrest. Windsor's other guests included Epstein accomplice Ghislaine Maxwell and Harvey Weinstein, an American movie producer convicted of sexual assault in a separate scandal that kicked off the #MeToo movement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The woman who accused Windsor of sex abuse, Virginia Giuffre, died in April 2025. But her memoir, which includes many graphic details about her encounter with Windsor, was published posthumously this month. The series of leaks and revelations turned into a major headache for King Charles III. Two weeks ago, Windsor announced that Andrew was giving up some of his titles after a "discussion with the king," although he would remain Prince Andrew. On Monday, a heckler confronted King Charles about the royal family's "cover up." A few days later, the king began a "formal process" to remove the prince. "This normal girl from a normal family has taken down a prince. We are so proud of her," Giuffre's brother, Sky Roberts, told the BBC. "The U.S. government hold the key to the larger scope of the Jeffrey Epstein case. The U.K. is setting an example for what the US should be doing right now," he added. The post Britain's Prince Andrew Taken Down by Epstein and Chinese Spy Scandals appeared first on Reason.com. NEW YORK (PIX11) A Bronx restaurant known for its comfort food is turning that comfort into compassion. Inside The Original Dumpling Shop off Baychester Avenue, owner Collin Douglas stirs a pot of steaming dumplings, same as hes done here for eight years and across New York for nearly four decades. But today, the warmth in his kitchen isnt just about food. More Local News We just making this space to make it comfortable for people to drop off stuff for the hurricane, Douglas said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The shop has turned into a collection point for donations after Hurricane Melissa tore through Jamaica on Tuesday the strongest storm to strike the island in 174 years. Streets in Kingston remain flooded, and damage has been reported across homes, schools, and hospitals. In the back of the restaurant, boxes of bottled water, diapers, first aid kits, and cleaning supplies are stacked and ready to ship. We need zinc, we need canned goods, we need stuff with kids, Douglas said. Theres schools down there that we have to help repair. Theres hospitals down there that we have to help repair. Gotta do what we gotta do, you know. The efforts are in partnership with the Jah Jah Foundation, a Brooklyn-based nonprofit whose name stands for Jamaicans Abroad Helping Jamaicans at Home. The group provides both disaster relief and mental health support for families on the ground. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jamaica has been spared from many hurricanes that traverse that particular region, but its the first time Jamaica has had a direct hit, said Dr. Trevor Dixon, founder and CEO of the Jah Jah Foundation. Dr. Dixon says every donation counts. Jamaicans have contributed in every society in life, theres not a person who exist that doesnt know a Jamaican, he said. If you been to the resorts in Jamaica and had a great time, now is time to give back. Donations can be dropped off at The Original Dumpling Shop in the Bronx or made online through the foundations website 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. The brother of Virginia Giuffre, one of the most prominent victims of Jeffrey Epsteins sex-trafficking ring, has called for a meeting with Britains King Charles to tell his sisters story and ask the monarch to use his influence to bring to light more information about Epsteins inner circle. I think its important for them to be listening not to perpetrators, but to the survivors themselves. So, if he asked me to come meet with him, Id be in London tomorrow, Sky Roberts told CNN in an interview on Friday. His comments come after the King took the extraordinary decision to cast out his brother Andrew from the monarchy this week amid renewed public fury over his ties to the late convicted sex offender Epstein. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Were actually getting some acknowledgement from the King and saying he stands with survivors, Roberts said, adding that the Kings response had been more positive than that of US authorities. I think we should take a moment of appreciation for that but also call to action to take it that next step further into an investigation, and to expedite that. Buckingham Palace declined to comment when asked about the idea of a meeting with Giuffres family. The late Virginia Giuffre is seen exiting from federal court in New York on August 27, 2019. - Jeenah Moon/Bloomberg/Getty Images The statement released by Buckingham Palace on Thursday, which announced that Andrew would be stripped of his titles and honors, also said: Their Majesties wish to make clear that their thoughts and utmost sympathies have been, and will remain with, the victims and survivors of any and all forms of abuse. CNN understands that the palace acted because while it acknowledges that Andrew continues to deny all allegations made against him, it had concluded that he made serious lapses of judgement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Giuffre, who died by suicide earlier this year, accused the Kings brother Andrew of sexually assaulting her while she was a teenager. Andrew has vehemently denied the accusations against him. The family has called for a full investigation and, if Andrew is found to be implicated in any crime, for him to be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. In her posthumous memoir, Giuffre wrote that she was brutally beaten and raped by an unidentified prime minister and lent out to scores of wealthy, powerful people by Epstein and his circle. The memoir 'Nobody's Girl' by Virginia Giuffre, released in October and re-cast a spotlight onto the allegations against Andrew Mountbatten Windsor. - Niklas Halle'n/AFP/Getty Images Roberts said he thinks British police and authorities likely have information about other perpetrators of sexual abuse that they could bring to light in relation to the Epstein case. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If you have a pile of paper sitting somewhere that can expose the truth, or at least help bring light Do not protect people that might have been implicated. That needs to be released fully, he added. Asked if he would be willing to meet with Andrew as well as King Charles, Roberts said: I dont think theres anything Andrew can say except for A) an extreme apology to my sister, and B) if hes ready to come forward and actually give some sort of light to what has transpired in that inner circle with Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell. An expedited process of justice against Andrew would also involve getting him out of his house, Roberts said, addressing reports that the former prince will remain at the Royal Lodge in Windsor until after the holidays. I think it shouldnt be until Christmas. It should be tomorrow. Roberts also said the United Kingdom should find another loophole to ensure that Andrews status as eighth in line to the throne is also removed. Who cares if it takes a little bit more time and an Act of Parliament then do it. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com AUSTIN (KXAN) Parents, students and even nearby business owners stopped by Bryker Woods Elementary School on Thursday to hold a rally in support of the school. The elementary in Central Austin is one of 13 schools which would close if Austin Independent School Districts draft plan is passed by trustees. Austin ISD plans to release updated consolidation plan on Friday Its not an exaggeration to say the school has become the heart of the neighborhood, said one speaker at the rally. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bryker Woods has a long history in Austin, as it was built in 1939. This is the true quintessential neighborhood school and I think if this were to close that impacts everyone in this area, said Bryker Woods parent Montana Lee. Over the last few weeks, AISD has been holding information sessions to answer questions and concerns about the draft plan. In that time they have received thousands of comments about the plans. We are very hopeful for what is next, but we still feel like there is a real opportunity for more transparency about the process, said parent Lauren Baker. AISD superintendent Matias Segura stopped by the school on Thursday to answer questions from parents. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Yall know the pressures we have, at the state level, the federal level, the lack of funding, the disruptions we have experienced over the last couple of years, these are things we are having to navigate and make real time decisions on, and it is impacting lives, Segura said. I think that he has made time to listen to individual schools lately and so him being here this is a great step towards that, but we need to see action and it cant be at the last minute, Baker said. The district has said there will be some changes to the original draft plan which will be released on Friday at 1 p.m. 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. BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) A Buffalo man was indicted Thursday for allegedly stealing around $136,000 from two companies in a utility fraud scheme, the Erie County District Attorneys Office said Friday. It is alleged that 29-year-old Umar Graham operated the company Buffalo CPN and used it to defraud multiple people between February 2024 and Aug. 29, 2025. He gathered over 250 items of personal identifying information from victims, as well as payment, officials said. Graham then allegedly opened service accounts with utility providers using Credit Privacy Numbers, resulting in around $136,000 in financial losses to two utility companies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He was released on his own recognizance and a return date is pending. While this case is the first of its kind to be prosecuted by this office, it highlights another financial crime that preys on utility companies and their customers, said District Attorney Mike Keane. CPNS are not legal substitutes for Social Security Numbers. Let this be a warning to the public any scam involving CPNS will be fully investigated and prosecuted. Graham faces a maximum of 15 years in prison. Anyone who thinks they may have been a victim of Buffalo CPN should contact the DAs office at (716) 689-1390. Latest Local News Kayleigh Hunter-Gasperini joined the News 4 team in 2024 as a Digital Video Producer. She is a graduate of Chatham University. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to News 4 Buffalo. CADDO PARISH, La. (KTAL/KMSS) In recognition of National Bullying Prevention Month, the Caddo Parish Sheriffs Office organized the Walk for the Cause Anti-Bullying Walk The nearly two-hour event took place at A.C. Steere Park from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.. It welcomed participants of all ages, raising awareness about the dangers of bullying. CPSO Walk for a cause anti bullying Attendees engaged with various resources, listened to motivational speakers, and participated in a thoughtful walk that encouraged conversations about bullying prevention. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Sheriffs Office extended a special invitation to all law enforcement agencies and first responders to join this crucial initiative. Registration was not required, and community members were encouraged to spread the word about this important event, underscoring the collective effort to combat bullying in the 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 KTALnews.com. DOWNTOWN YORK, Pa. (WHTM) A popular restaurant known for offering Cajun cuisine announced it will be opening a new restaurant in York County. The owner, Kyle Moore, of a restaurant that is now called The Original Men In The Kitchen, recently announced that he will soon be expanding his elevated Cajun cuisine to a new location in downtown York. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Subscribe Now Local Business Beat According to Moore, he opened his first location in York County at 555 Ryan Run Road back in September 2023. It is important to note that Men In The Kitchen used to be a partnership with a location in York County on Ryan Run Road and in Harrisburg at 606 North 2nd Street. Moore says he and his former partner officially parted ways in May 2025. The Harrisburg-based restaurant now operates under the name, Men In The Kitchen Restaurant & Lounge. Back on October 26, The Original Men In The Kitchen announced on Facebook that it officially acquired a space at 58 West Market Street in York, which was previously occupied by a Portuguese restaurant called Mesa Moreira. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement RELATED: York County Portuguese restaurant announces closure This exciting expansion marks a new chapter for the brand as it brings its signature fine-dining experience to the heart of Yorks vibrant city center, Moore shared on Facebook. The new location will blend The Original Men In The Kitchens signature modern luxury design with the historic charm of Downtown York, offering guests a premier dining experience rooted in community and craftsmanship. The new restaurant location will feature a chef-driven menu with seasonal ingredients, signature cocktails and premium beverages, and a luxury dining room with seating for 100 guests. The new Original Men In The Kitchen location will also offer events and catering services. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Moving forward, renovations at 58 West Market Street are set begin soon, with plans to officially open its doors on January 2, 2026. This is a developing story. Stay with abc27 News as 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 ABC27. A California couple is staring down stratospheric fines after their property allegedly ran afoul of local cannabis code violations. The kicker, however, is that the previous owner is to blame for the infractions. That has not deterred Humboldt County, California, from levying $1 million in civil penalties against Corrine and Doug Thomas, who bought the home in the Northern California redwood forest after their home in Los Angeles County was destroyed by a wildfire. Six days after moving in, the government sent the property a noticeaddressed to the former owner, Summerville Creek LLCoutlining violations pertaining to a structure in the Thomas' backyard. According to court documents, that included "violation of the commercial cannabis land use ordinance; construction of a building or structure in violation of building, plumbing, and electrical codes; and, facilities or activities in violation of the commercial cannabis land use ordinance." The county assessed penalties at $12,000 a day for up to 90 days. To circumvent that, the couple would have to demolish the problematic structure in question, which would cost them $180,000, plus fines and fees. The couple appealed. But per county policy, the fines pile up while they wait for a hearing, which can take years. After a 10-day window, the 90-day clock starts, with penalties ballooning as time goes by. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So how does the county know who has allegedly broken the law? "Humboldt implemented a system to enforce cannabis-permitting violations that relies primarily on grainy satellite images," wrote attorneys for Thomas in a writ of certiorari to the Supreme Court. The effort, they say, is part of the government's desire to cash in on cannabis after the state legalized the drug. "Code-enforcement officers scour the images for what looks like unpermitted development on a property (e.g., a greenhouse, a building, a graded flat of land, or trees removed without a permit on record)," they write. "The County then presumes, without any evidence or further investigation, that the landowner must have developed their property without a permit because they were growing cannabis. In Humboldt's view, there's just no other reason that someone might not buy a permit before building a shed, a barn, or a greenhouse in the rural countryside." In that vein, the Institute for Justice, a public interest law firm, is also representing Blu Graham, who was hit with fines for cannabis-related violations when he says the only thing he's ever grown on his property are vegetables for his restaurant; as well as Rhonda Olson, who faces $7.4 million in finesalso for a previous owner's conducton a $60,000 property she bought to develop housing. Most recently, the plaintiffs asked the Supreme Court to reconsider one of the major roadblocks to achieving a just outcome in Humboldt County: the Seventh Amendment right to a jury trial in civil cases, which the government is not providing here, and which the Supreme Court long ago ruled is not enforceable against the States. Instead, the government conducts administrative hearings, where the odds are grim. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Court this month declined to intervene, though Justice Neil Gorsuch released a statement urging that the justices should consider the issue at some point down the line. "Surely, those who founded our Nation," he wrote, "considered the right to trial by jury a fundamental part of their birthright." Meanwhile, the plaintiffs' fight will continue in the lower court after the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit revived the suit late last year citing the Eighth Amendment, which prohibits excessive fines and fees. The post They Face $1 Million in Finesfor Someone Else's Code Violations appeared first on Reason.com. An Orange County man, 65, who claimed to be an attorney has been arrested for allegedly raping a woman who was seeking assistance with her immigration status late last year. The victim, who has not been identified, told investigators with the Santa Ana Police Department that she met with the suspect, Jose Bernal, on Nov. 12, 2024, at his office located at 1203 E. 17th St. In Santa Ana. Jose told the victim the process would cost $14,000 but said he would offer a discount if she entered into a relationship with him, SAPD said in a post to social media. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After she declined the offer, Bernal allegedly grabbed the victim and sexually assaulted her in his office. The suspect offered the victim $400 and a discount on her case if she did not contact police, authorities added. After asking for the publics help in locating Bernal and posting his picture online this week, employees at a McDonalds in Tustin recognized the suspect and immediately contacted law enforcement, resulting in his arrest nearly a year after the incident, on the morning of Oct. 29. Jose Bernal seen in handcuffs after his arrest by Santa Ana PD on Oct. 29, 2025. (SAPD) Jose Bernal is accused of posing as a lawyer to a woman seeking immigration advice and sexually assaulting her on Nov. 24, 2024. (SAPD) Authorities did not provide any information on whether Bernal is actually or has ever been an attorney. The State Bar of California has a record of a Jose Arthur Bernal who practiced law in Southern California but was disbarred in June 2012, though its unclear if that is the same person as the suspect in this case. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A University of California, Santa Cruz study found that immigration fraud is likely underreported because of noncitizens fearing arrest and deportation. California grandfather, 72, boiled alive in scalding hotel shower, suit claims Information from the Federal Trade Commission showed that between 400 and 700 such scams were reported yearly between 2011 and 2014, though the studys author, Associate Professor of Sociology Jose Manuel Pedroza, suggested those numbers are likely just the tip of the iceberg. Detectives in Orange County believe Bernal may have additional victims and are asking anyone with information about this investigation or anyone who may have been victimized by the suspect to contact Santa Ana Police Department Detective M. Tapia at 714-245-8379 or by email at mtapia@santa-ana.org. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA. GUEST OPINION: Artificial intelligence (AI) is steadily transforming how small, medium, and large-sized businesses manage travel and expense (T&E) processes. The rise of AI-powered applications is less about futuristic concepts and more about practical tools that reduce administrative burdens, improve visibility, and support better financial decisions for organisations where every dollar matters, according to SAP Concur. Fabian Calle, managing director, small and medium business, SAP Concur Australia and New Zealand, said, Managing T&E is a source of frustration for many business leaders. Clunky systems, manual receipt entry, and delayed reimbursements drain resources that could otherwise be directed towards growth. AI addresses these pain points directly with features such as automated receipt capture, intelligent categorisation, and real-time policy checks. This lets employees submit expenses with minimal effort, while finance personnel retain control without adding complexity. Business leaders may remain wary of AI systems that operate as black boxes where they lack control; however, the emerging generation of T&E tools position AI as a supportive assistant rather than a replacement for human oversight. Expenses are still approved against company-defined rules, though AI accelerates the process by flagging exceptions, suggesting corrective actions, and pre-populating reports with accurate data. This balance provides confidence that control stays firmly with the organisation. Travel management is also evolving alongside expenses. Small teams cant afford the disruption caused by cancelled flights or policy breaches. AI now acts as a virtual travel assistant, monitoring itineraries, proactively suggesting rebooking options, and delivering alerts before issues escalate. The result is less downtime, reduced stress, and smoother travel experiences for staff members juggling multiple responsibilities. Fabian Calle said, Generative AI is democratising capabilities once limited to large enterprises. Automated audits, predictive spend analysis, and proactive compliance alerts previously required significant investment. However, todays small businesses can access these same features through cloud-based T&E platforms, levelling the playing field and letting them negotiate better rates, optimise policies, and prevent wasteful spending. Recent research reinforces this trend. The latest IDC MarketScape reports confirm that the most successful providers across small business, midmarket, enterprise, and corporate travel booking are embedding AI in ways that enhance visibility and user experience rather than complicating workflows.[1] AI is being deployed to scale expense auditing, add contextual intelligence to policy enforcement, and generate insights that support strategic vendor negotiations for midmarket firms. It plays an even more strategic role in enterprise settings. Large companies rely on AI to uncover patterns across global subsidiaries, identify fraud risks, and forecast spending trends with accuracy that manual review cannot match. The technology shifts T&E management from a back-office necessity to a strategic function supporting risk management and operational efficiency. Fabian Calle said, SAP Concur has been identified as a leader across all four IDC MarketScape assessments, covering small business, midmarket, enterprise, and corporate travel booking.1 The organisations integrated platform connects travel, expense, and invoice processes into a single ecosystem, underpinned by AI-driven tools such as receipt itemisation, transaction matching, and policy enforcement. These capabilities are particularly valuable for small businesses that need enterprise-grade functionality without the overhead of maintaining complex systems. Configuration and integration are essential for long-term value, and implementation support is available for businesses of all sizes to deploy a system that meets their unique needs. The reassurance for small businesses especially is that many of these processes can be managed on their behalf, delivering usability without sacrificing depth of capability. The overarching message for small business buyers is to focus on tangible value. AI shouldnt overwhelm with jargon or force unnecessary features. Instead, it should cut processing costs, reduce the time employees spend on low-value tasks, and provide actionable insights to strengthen financial decision-making. Solutions that integrate seamlessly with existing accounting and payroll systems deliver the greatest productivity gains. Business leaders should look for platforms that prioritise transparency, configurability, and user experience as T&E technology continues to mature. AI in this context isnt about handing over control; its about giving companies the tools to streamline compliance, manage travel disruptions, and make more informed spending choices. This shift is unlocking new efficiency without diminishing oversight for small businesses especially. Fabian Calle said, AI-driven T&E management has evolved from automation to orchestration, and from reactive processes to proactive intelligence. Small, medium, and large-sized businesses that embrace these tools stand to gain efficiency and a strategic advantage in how they manage resources and support their workforce, whether operating in a small office or across global markets. [1] IDC MarketScape reports: Several operators of cryptocurrency kiosks found in public places like convenience stores and shopping malls have been ordered by California regulators to pay hundreds of thousands in fines. On Thursday, the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation announced multiple crypto kiosk operators were fined for overcharging California consumers. Among the companies ordered to pay is a Nevada-based company called LSGT Services, LLC, better known as Coinhub, whose Bitcoin ATMs can be found across the country. The Bitcoin ATMs allow users to purchase and sell digital assets with real cash. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The transactions are often instant and non-refundable, and many kiosk users tend to be older customers. DFPI officials said Coinhub specifically charged fees and markups that were well above the legal limit, accepted cash transactions greater than the $1,000 limit, and failed to provide legal disclosures or omitted important information on receipts, including customer names and exchange sources. Coinhub was ordered to pay $675,000 in penalties, including $105,000 in restitution to refund certain California consumers. Since June, DFPI has also fined Wyoming-based Coin Time LLC, and local kiosk operator Anh Management, LLC, better known as Hermes Bitcoin. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Those companies are accused of failing to collect appropriate identifying information, which is required by law, in order to prevent money laundering through digital currencies. Those companies have also been ordered to pay restitution for overcharging customers. Another crypto kiosk operator, Coinme, was fined $300,000 earlier this year, including more than $50,000 in restitution, for violating state laws regarding the sale and movement of cryptocurrencies. DFPI said Coinme has agreed to institute new measures to prevent future violations. Bitcoin is for sale at an Automated Teller Machine at the Westfield Garden State Plaza shopping mall in Paramus, New Jersey, on Monday, March 13, 2023. (AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey) Crypto kiosk operators in California are on notice that we intend to root out bad actors and scammers who put consumers hard-earned money at risk, said DFPI Commissioner KC Mohseni. We welcome legitimate operators in this industry, however, DFPI will not tolerate those who flout the law and fail to implement required safeguards for customers. DFPI says California has among the most robust consumer protection laws in the nation regarding cryptocurrencies, and the agency vows to continue taking stringent enforcement actions against other unscrupulous crypto kiosk operators. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If you suspect youve been the victim of a scam or fraud related to cryptocurrency, you can submit a complaint through the DFPI website or by calling 866-275-2677. 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. Serena Worley was 21 when she went to the University of Oregon in 2022 to study journalism. Then, she was a strong supporter of trans ideology and adopted the mantra trans women are women. But after sharing a room with a trans woman a biological male who she says was not a very nice person, she suggested creating a women-only or lesbian group on campus and quickly found herself ostracised by her friends. She was quite suddenly utterly alone and eventually dropped out of university. It was only after taking a year out that she decided to apply to Newnham, a womens college in Cambridge, because I wanted female-only accommodation. Newnham, founded in 1871, was one of the first colleges to admit women, and remained women-only until 2017, when trans women were first allowed to apply. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The situation at Cambridge, though, wasnt vastly better. I joined the rowing team, and there was a trans-identified man on my boat, so I quit. Trans activism was everywhere. I thought I was just going to be able to avoid talking about it, keep my head down and focus on my degree. One of the attractions of Newnham was that Germaine Greer, the feminist firebrand, had taught there. But amid the prevailing pro-trans ideology, she appears to have been almost completely scrubbed out. Worley is far from the only female student at a British university to feel that feminism on campus has been consigned to the dustbin, with women joining so-called feminist societies that now seem focused on worshipping at the altar of transgender ideology. At Cambridge, she found kindred spirits in Thea Sewell and Maeve Halligan, both of whom had similar concerns. This week, the trio came together to form the Cambridge University Society of Women (CUSW). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement University culture is obsessed with gender ideology, says Halligan, 22, when I join the three women on a video call. In Cambridge, Halligan, Sewell and Worley have found friendship and purpose in launching a new womens society on campus - John Lawrence All you can see are pronoun badges, rainbow flags, literature about transgender issues Are you feeling gender distress?, and trans flags bearing slogans such as My existence is not a threat. Often talking over each other, and gathered around a laptop in a well-lit room in Cambridge, all three are fizzing with energy and have that particular rapport of close young female friends. Halligan is clearly the main driving force, but not in any leadership way shes just steering the ship until it reaches cruising speed. While Sewell and Worley are second-year undergraduates, Halligan is doing her masters, having graduated from Bristol University earlier this year with a first in French and Russian. They keep in touch by WhatsApp, phone calls and face-to-face meetings. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I first met Halligan briefly at the Oxford Literary Festival in April, during a session with Helen Joyce, the Irish journalist and director of advocacy at the Sex Matters campaign group. Then nearing the end of her undergraduate degree at Bristol, she asked a question about what to do about the ideological capture of university students. While students are aware of the existence of terfs (trans-exclusionary radical feminists), the pejorative term for those who reject trans activism, they dont see enough dissent from trans ideology to realise that it represents the majority view outside the university environment, says Halligan. She tells me that the Oxford event was really inspiring and this is where the three of us first met. Sewell was educated about the harms of gender ideology by her sister, when she was 16 years old. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At Cambridge, I built up lots of friendships, including with trans rights activists. I didnt think it was going to be a problem. I thought if I could tolerate their views, then hopefully they could tolerate mine. But like Worley, she quickly felt inundated with trans ideology around campus. Meanwhile, during her third term at Cambridge, Sewell, 20, showed a friend some newly acquired books, including Material Girls, a feminist work by Kathleen Stock, the academic hounded out of Sussex University by trans rights activists. The friend, she said, wasnt a trans rights activist herself, but she went out of her way to contact the biggest trans rights activists in my college because she thought they deserved to know what my views were. The incident led to complete ostracism, pointedly hostile receptions in public spaces, terf being scratched into my door. The few friends who did continue speaking to me refused to meet in public and said they were too scared to be seen with me. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Halligan came up with the idea of this society that Id like to start. I said, Lets stick it to them, says Halligan, laughing. I was scared, though, Worley admits, wandering around college freaking out. When I was cancelled in Oregon, nobody supported me. Its the worst feeling, and its going to happen again. The women announced the new group on Monday, with social media posts stating: As the only openly and proudly single-sex society for women at the university, our mission is to facilitate women speaking freely in an all-female environment. We will be campaigning and fundraising to help womens sex-based causes. We are the Cambridge University Society of Women. As the only openly and proudly single-sex society for women at the university, our mission is to facilitate women speaking freely in an all-female environment. We will be campaigning and fundraising to help women's sex-based pic.twitter.com/TDSnCZqDQW The Cambridge University Society of Women (@CUSocOfWomen) October 27, 2025 There was no suggestion of causing any detriment to trans students just protecting the rights of women. But the backlash began. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On social media, the three students have been targeted with countless hateful messages. Every other feminist society is denouncing us and mobilising against us, adds Sewell. The undergraduate population of Cambridge has turned against us, as we were expecting. They band together in group chats, parroting the usual slurs against us, says Halligan. Im shown one of the many Instagram posts: Cambridge University joint statement from college Femsocs [feminist societies] and associated womens societies: Transgender and gender-queer individuals have been and will continue to be crucial to our cause as feminists. Worley called Halligan in tears. I said there has to be a veto where anyone at any time can say I cant handle this, says Halligan, meaning anyone can drop out if needed. Its really sad that thats the case. And its not her fault its because of these horrible external factors. Beyond the hate, Halligan describes an outpouring of support. They have been inundated with membership applications, including from female alumnae. Theyve also received support from the Free Speech Union, which campaigns against cancel culture, and anonymous women have made private donations. Within a few hours, donations reached 400. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It means such a lot, says Halligan. A few years ago, what these three women have done would have been seen as fairly pedestrian. Now they are viewed as revolutionaries or, for those imbued with trans ideology, akin to fascists. When I came to Cambridge, I thought that would have died down, says Halligan. But oh my God, the opposite is true. Universities are totally doubling down. In Bristol it was everywhere. I thought going to Cambridge, maybe itd be less woke and thered be a difference after the Supreme Court ruling. Again, I was wrong. What were trying to do is take the insane identity politics out of biological sex. The backlash against the society has been matched by solidarity, with alumnae and supporters donating hundreds within hours of the launch Once weve paid this horrible price of having to deal with trans rights activists flak because I do believe it will be temporary well generate support and be able to do what we actually want to do, which is get young women back on track in this country, says Halligan, and do some actual work thats beneficial instead of having to fight the fire of the trans stuff. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sewells bravery is well evidenced. Having experienced a serious sexual assault as a child, she spent her teenage years helping police track down the perpetrator. He was eventually sentenced to eight years in prison. When I ask why they think it is that women appear to be the ones leading this assault on womens rights, Worley tells me she can speak from experience, as a woman who formerly led an assault on womens rights. She thinks a lot of it comes out of misplaced empathy. I think most of these women have never actually met a trans-identified male. That was what shattered the illusion for me, because I was sharing a small space with a 6ft 5in male who identified as a woman. Sewell reads out a message she received from a female friend on her philosophy course on the day of the launch: Ive heard and read about your society and associated views. I disagree wholly with them, which I must make clear, and Im profoundly hurt. I need some time to think about what this means for our friendship and what I want to say to you. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At that moment theres a knock on the door. Its a porter, telling them to keep the noise down. We laugh. Ladies, know your volume. This is the 1950s, they joke. We get swiftly back to business, albeit with slightly lower tones. I think this is a continual problem of feminism, says Worley, in that we cant seem to build on what we already have. It keeps getting torn apart, then you have to start again. The way some young women talk about older women its misogyny and ageism. And I find it so arrogant, says Halligan. It makes me literally cringe at my generation. Between women, when we unite across generations, if were going to unite over something, let it be this. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Despite knowing the pushback ahead of them, the mood among the three is buoyant. JK Rowling has followed us [on social media], which is obviously so exciting. We had a fangirl moment. What do they want the group to achieve? I dont want what happened to me in Oregon ever to happen to any other young woman, at Cambridge or anywhere, says Worley. Women should be able to speak without the fear of retribution or repercussions. Whether Cambridge University will protect these young women from the inevitable attacks and harassment remains to be seen. I get a lot of rape and death threats, says Halligan a problem that began when she became openly gender-critical while at Bristol. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Either way, as their numbers grow, they will become harder to silence. For now, they sit in the war room and plan their work. 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. FREDERICK COUNTY, Md. (DC News Now) A Canadian man was arrested on Oct. 21 for allegedly arranging to meet a minor for sexual activity in Frederick, according to the Frederick Police Department. Police said Mark Douglas Pridgeon, 49, was charged with three counts of sexual solicitation of a minor. Officers said Pridgeon had traveled to the U.S. multiple times for business, and police received a tip in September that he may be engaging in criminal activity. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement MCPD: Man dressed as woman arrested after recording woman in gym shower According to police, Pridgeon returned to Maryland, where he booked a hotel in Frederick on Oct. 21. Detectives learned he had arranged to meet with someone he believed to be a minor for the purpose of engaging in sexual activity. He was arrested without incident shortly after he left the hotel. He was transported to the Frederick County Adult Detention Center, where he is being held without 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 DC News Now | DC, Virginia, Maryland News, Weather, Traffic, Sports Live. Oct. 30An empty seat on Post Falls School Board of Trustees drew the interest of two parents. Thomas Barrett is a father to two Post Falls students. He describes himself as data driven and is looking to bring his business acumen to the board, eyeing potential construction needs that should be built with the future in mind. "A lot of it had to do with some of the business decisions that were being made in the Post Falls School District that I kind of felt a lot of it was lacking," Barrett said of his decision to run. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Barrett has spent much of the run-up to the election poring over graphs and data sets, trying to estimate the best time to start construction and how big new schools should be. This research, combined with anecdotal observations about North Idaho's population growth, led him to advocate for bigger new schools to account for potential future enrollment. Candidate Kelli Johnson did not respond to multiple requests to interview with The Spokesman-Review. Johnson is a third-generation Post Falls resident and stay-at-home mom to two children, she told Idaho Education News; her daughter attends private school. Before leaving work to stay home with her kids, Johnson earned a teaching degree from the University of Idaho, according to a Kootenai County GOP questionnaire, and worked as a behavior interventionist. Barrett's plans if he is elected as a trustee mostly surround the district's long-term facilities planning, which he said should be bigger. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The district's 2018 long-range facilities plan recommends the district build a second high school once Post Falls High School enrollment reaches 1,750 students. Around 1,500 were enrolled in last year's spring counts, according to the state's database. Barrett set his sights higher, advocating for a school to fit 6,000 kids. He said the district's acreage estimates for property are also off. Plans indicate parcels for high schools should be around 40 acres, middle schools should sit on 20 acres and elementary schools, 10 acres. Barrett said instead, the district should acquire 25-acre parcels for middle and elementary schools for more room to grow. "I would overbuild that common area so, like, where the lunchrooms and everything else is, and then the elementary school halls, I'd make it to where we could expand out," Barrett said. He said he is not a fan of the district's move to a four-day school week and would favor moving back to a five-day week with an adjusted school calendar. He said he would explore what year-round school or a balanced calendar could look like in Post Falls in a bid to prevent summer learning loss. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We do see a summer slide here," Barrett said. "It's where I think if we do the schedule right, we would be able to keep that knowledge up and going." Election Day is Nov. 4. Elena Perry's work is funded in part by members of the Spokane community via the Community Journalism and Civic Engagement Fund. This story can be republished by other organizations for free under a Creative Commons license. For more information on this, please contact our newspaper's managing editor. (The Center Square) Seattle Public Schools will officially appoint and publicly reveal its next superintendent on Nov. 5, following deliberations by the board of directors regarding two finalists. Earlier this month, the Board of Directors for Seattle Public Schools narrowed its candidate pool to two finalists: Candidate Seven and Candidate Eight. The candidates identities have remained confidential throughout the process because they currently hold leadership positions in other school districts. Candidate Seven received unanimous school board approval and was selected for appointment as the next permanent superintendent of Washingtons largest school district. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Several board members praised the candidates financial and operation expertise, with some suggesting that the person has held many leadership roles in public school districts. Board members prioritized qualities highlighted in a recent survey: 62% of respondents want the next superintendent to focus on preparing students for the next grade and ultimately college, while 55% of respondents emphasize student and employee safety. The desired traits of the next superintendent include student focus, financial expertise, extensive experience and accountability. Board members cited these when evaluating candidates. Ultimately, Candidate Seven fit the billing. My preference for Candidate Seven is based off of some of the leadership profile qualities that were looking for. I think on the equity-driven and student focus, there was this real strong student-first mentality, School Board President Gina Topp said during a board meeting on Wednesday. I think Candidate Seven brings a very authentic and clear way to communicate that will help rebuild trust by being transparent. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The school district has been searching for its next superintendent since Brent Jones announced in March that he was stepping down from the position. Jones, who served as superintendent for three years, earned $348,395 under his final contract with Seattle Public Schools. Fred Podesta has been serving as the interim superintendent of Seattle Public Schools since Sept. 4, with the school board approving a salary of $320,355 for him. Candidate Seven will be the fourth superintendent for Seattle Public Schools since 2014. The Cherokee County District Attorneys Office announced a Canton man was convicted of multiple counts of child sexual abuse by a Cherokee County jury. Chandler Reid Cantrell, 25, of Canton, was convicted on 12 charges related to child sexual abuse involving two children. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] The conviction came at the end of a four-day trial, which concluded on October 30, 2025. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The DAs office said Cantrell was charged with one count of rape, four counts of incest, three counts of aggravated child molestation and four counts of child molestation. TRENDING STORIES: The Cherokee Sheriffs Office began investigating Cantrell in August 2021 after a woman reported that he had molested her children. During the investigation, the children participated in forensic interviews, where they disclosed that Cantrell had sexually assaulted them on multiple separate occasions, starting when they were under 10 years old and continuing for multiple years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The trial, which started Monday and ended Thursday, featured testimony from six witnesses and five exhibits, including the forensic interviews and Cantrells interview with law enforcement. After approximately four hours of deliberation, the jury found Cantrell guilty on all counts. Sentencing has not yet been scheduled. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] Pumpkin Spice Lattes (Photo courtesy of Metropolis Magazine) Not just spooky season, fall is also pumpkin spice latte season. You might have noticed that the PSL hype isnt as big in Tokyo as it is in the States, simple kabocha and other fall favorites like chestnut and sweet potato take the spotlight here. Never fear though, if youre nostalgic for some pumpkin spice, heres where to find pumpkin spice lattes in Tokyo. butter (Photo by butter: @butter_coffee_stand, Instagram ) This trendy minimalist cafe has introduced a seasonal Pumpkin Spice Latte, crafted with premium Hokkaido pumpkin. Their pumpkin-themed menu also offers baked treats like cannele, Basque cheesecake and financier, all infused with Hokkaido pumpkin. butter 2-1-1 Arai, Nakano-ku instagram.com/butter_coffee_stand Monsta Sweets & Ojizo Coffe Monsta Sweets & Ojizo Coffe (Photo by @ojizo.coffee on instagram) Monsta Sweets, a queer-owned American-style cookie shop located in Koenji, partners with Ojizo Coffeea cafe that donates 10% of its profits to support differently-abled individuals and various charitable causes. This cozy spot serves up an Oat Milk Pumpkin Spice Latte, infused with a rich blend of warm spices, which pairs perfectly with their autumn and Halloween-themed treats, like the playful Pumpkin Jack cookie. Monsta Sweets & Ojizo Coffe 2-37-8 Koenjikita, Suginami-ku instagram/monsta_sweets Starbucks Coffee pumpkin-spiced latte (Photo courtesy of Starbucks Coffee Japan) The classic pumpkin-spiced latte is making its reappearance at Starbucks in Japan starting from August 26! This seasonal favorite combines flavors of real pumpkin with the signature Starbucks espresso blend, steamed milk, and spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove, and is satisfyingly topped with whipped cream and pumpkin pie spices. Starbucks Coffee Various locations in Tokyo menu.starbucks.co.jp/4524785457683 Verve Coffee Roasters Pumpkin Spice Cold Foam (Photo by Verve Coffee Roasters: @vervecoffee, Instagram) Verve Coffee has introduced a creative seasonal treat this year with their Pumpkin Spice Cold Foam. This unique foam can be added to any drink, whether hot or cold! The cold foam brings a rich pumpkin flavor, perfectly blended with cinnamon and other spices, making it the perfect addition to your fall beverages. Pumpkin Pie Latte (Photo by Verve Coffee Roasters: @vervecoffee, Instagram) If youre looking for something a bit more classic, Verve also offers its Pumpkin Pie Latte, made with puree, espresso, spices, and topped off with a graham cracker crumble. Whether you go for the hot or iced version, its a cozy, flavorful drink to enjoy this season. Your local conbini and vending machines Various locations in Tokyo instagram.com/vervecoffee This article was originally published in October 2024, but has been updated and rewritten for accuracy in October 2025 by Zhifei Zheng. metropolisjapan.com CANTON, N.Y. (WWTI) Two people are facing felony burglary charges after allegedly stealing mountain bikes, electric scooters, and other items in Canton. According to the Canton Police Department, a complaint was received regarding a burglary at a transitional living housing facility on October 22. Shoplifters hide in ceiling after alleged theft at Home Depot During the investigation, it was revealed that mountain bikes, electric scooters, and other things were allegedly stolen. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Authorities arrested 38-year-old Kayla Burkum and 35-year-old Cody Corbine on burglary, conspiracy, and petit larceny charges. The pair was arraigned in the Canton Town Court, with Burkum remanded to the St. Lawrence County Jail on $2,500 bail. Corbine was released to the supervision of probation. The Ogdensburg City Police Department assisted in the 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 WWTI - InformNNY.com. A vehicle fire spread to two apartment complexes in San Jose on Thursday, displacing 10 residents, officials said. Just after 11 p.m., a car fire spread to two other vehicles and a carport between two apartment buildings on the 900 block of Del Mar Avenue and on the 2100 block of Marlboro Court, officials said. Firefighters got the fire under control at 12:40 a.m. Ten people were displaced and were being assisted by the Red Cross. No injuries were reported. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In one apartment complex, one unit sustained significant damage and two others had moderate damage, officials said. All units were deemed uninhabitable as they sustained some level of fire, smoke, water or forced-entry damage, fire officials said. In the second apartment building, only one unit was destroyed. A third complex, adjacent to one of the other buildings, sustained minor external damage, officials said. The cause of the fire remained under investigation. This article originally published at Car fire rips through San Jose apartments, displacing 10 residents. ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) A driver was charged with DWI after a crash on the Inner Loop injured herself and her passenger. News 8 crews saw a car that crashed into a guardrail and sustained damage early Friday morning. According to New York State Police, the car was driven by a 22-year-old woman and had a 25-year-old woman in the passenger seat. Both were hospitalized with injuries and are expected to survive. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The driver was charged with DWI after her release from the hospital. She was issued an appearance ticket. 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. The viewer count ticks upward dozens, then hundreds, sometimes nearly a thousand. Just about everyone has tuned in for the same reason: to hear Tetya (Auntie) Fanias latest predictions about the threat of Russian attacks against Ukrainian cities. (Lets look at) Kyiv in November, she says during a recent broadcast, picking cards from a shuffled deck. There could be problems with resources beyond electricity, gas, and the like. There will be serious water problems in KyivMaybe rolling blackouts In wartime Ukraine, ones future can vanish in a heartbeat. Thats why some Ukrainians are turning to tarot a deck of cards that symbolizes lifes themes, spiritual lessons, and everyday experiences, used for both divination and self-reflection to try and gain some semblance of control amid chaos. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Around 43% of Ukrainians believe in various forms of the esoteric, which includes not only tarot but psychics and fortune tellers, according to a 2024 survey conducted by the Kyiv International Institute of Sociology (KIIS). Although interest spans both genders, women are more inclined toward such beliefs (49%) than men (36%). The fascination with tarot isnt unfolding just on online streams. Across Ukraine, practitioners are finding new audiences eager for insight. One of them is Gromovytsia (Thunderbolt) Berdnyk, a tarot card reader based in Kyiv. Tarot is a key to our subconscious to that sacred space where the causes of events and phenomena originate. Thats the secret: through tarot cards, we can see how events may develop in a given situation, Berdnyk told the Kyiv Independent. Our whole life is a road through the forest. Everyone encounters stumps, ravines, and sometimes wolf pits and sometimes we cant see the forest for the trees. Tarot can become that guide that leads us along the path and helps us navigate. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Berdnyk describes her craft not as a hobby but as an ancestral gift. She says her great-grandmother was a fortune-teller and healer in her native village for her, its a part of her lineage, passed down like an heirloom. Like Berdnyk, Tetya Fania has also been practicing tarot since she was young. For her, tarot is a tool for clairvoyance, a way to look into the future and foresee important things, she told the Kyiv Independent. Long before tarot decks had mainstream appeal, Ukrainian villages boasted of individuals believed to possess extraordinary gifts of spiritual healing and foresight. In the USSR, these esoteric practices were marginalized, but with the looming collapse of the Communist state, underground self-publishing networks also known as samizdat brought things like tarot into wider circulation across Ukraine and neighboring countries. According to academic Ruslan Khalikov in his 2021 article on the topic, there is evidence that in the late 1980searly 1990s, esoteric books and journals arrived in Ukraine from the Baltic republics and Moldova where these esoteric communities did not experience the same level of (Soviet) repression as Kyiv. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement By the late 1980s and early 1990s, a wave of pop-culture mystics and esoteric figures also emerged across the post-Soviet space. In Ukraine, Vasilii Chumak gained widespread attention for performing energy healing on live television. Though highly controversial, his prominence underscored the publics enduring fascination with the mystical and a deep-seated desire for guidance amid social and political upheaval. A parallel phenomenon unfolded in Russia, where figures such as Anatoly Kashpirovsky captivated his audiences with mass televised hypnosis sessions. Mental health experts say that seeking answers in the esoteric during uncertain times isnt inherently wrong or harmful. In fact, there is value which comes from working one-on-one with a person who serves as a spiritual guide, helping one build trust in their own instincts. The idea of using tarot cards as a tool for self-reflection is, in itself, not a bad one and aligns with common psychological techniques, Olga Grishun-Grischyk, a practicing psychologist in Chernivtsi, explained to the Kyiv Independent. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, like any tool, it can cause harm if misused. If we delve deeper, tarot cards are symbols, metaphors of sorts, so each person interprets them in their own way most likely seeing what they want to see or even what they fear to admit to themselves. The cards can only reflect the situation as it currently stands. Ukrainians consult tarot readers such as Berdnyk and Tetya Fania on a wide range of questions, but a significant proportion are motivated by questions arising from Russias full-scale war from mothers who have fled abroad with their children to those who have survived Russian occupation. The second largest number of war-related questions I get are related to occupation, Tetya Fania said. People really want to return home. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Amid the relentless grief and uncertainty of Russias full-scale war, however, there are questions seasoned tarot readers like Berdnyk and Tetya Fania approach with caution. From the fate of missing loved ones to the dangers faced remaining in front-line cities, these boundaries reflect both ethical responsibility and the understanding that tarot is primarily a tool for guidance and reflection. In Tetya Fanias live streams, whenever people ask whether they should flee a particular city, she is quick to remind them that its ultimately their decision. I cant tell someone about something bad that might happen to them. That shouldnt be done its a form of programming. I always warn about potential dangers and ask people not to ignore their intuition, she explained. When it comes to the wars most difficult issues, such as missing persons, Berdnyk also treads carefully. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I dont always take on such readings and first try to assess through the cards whether its worth delving into. I always clarify that this is the most delicate area of tarot and, of course, I dont charge for such readings, she said. Berdnyk says she outright declines questions on how to avoid mobilization. Her refusal is rooted in a patriotic stance, emphasizing that she believes everyone has a role to play in Ukraines defense against Russian aggression. I have many close friends who could have avoided the front some due to health reasons, others due to having three or more children but they are there because they felt they couldnt face their children otherwise, Berdnyk explained. She also hesitates to address questions about when exactly the full-scale war will end, explaining that its resolution is influenced by too many unpredictable variables to make any reliable predictions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The reality lines that would show the end of the war havent formed yet. And what does end of the war mean? Victory? Return of territories? A ceasefire? The cards can only reflect the situation as it currently stands. Read also: Is it ok to have fun during war? We asked Ukrainians Note from the author: Hi, this is Kate Tsurkan, thanks for reading this story. I have to admit that the storyteller in me is deeply fascinated by the esoteric and what draws people to it, and so I got really into learning more about how tools like tarot are used as a form of spiritual guidance and diviniation for some people during wartime. There is way more to this story, but I hope this caught your interest. If you like reading about this sort of thing, please consider supporting The Kyiv Independent. Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Caribbean being monitored for new tropical development in mid-November Following Melissa - the most destructive hurricane of the 2025 season so far - AccuWeather meteorologists are monitoring the Caribbean for the potential development of another tropical storm or hurricane that could threaten lives and property. AccuWeather.com Hurricane season is not yet over, officially continuing through Nov. 30. The Caribbean remains warm enough to support additional tropical development in the coming weeks, with heat stored deep in the sea helping to fuel storms. AccuWeather.com "We are closely monitoring the southwestern Caribbean for signs of tropical development in the coming weeks," AccuWeather Lead Hurricane Expert Alex DaSilva said. "Atmospheric conditions could support development through mid-November." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While hostile winds, known as wind shear, are increasing across much of the Atlantic - due in part to a strengthening jet stream - a quieter zone persists in the western Caribbean, where conditions may still support development. AccuWeather.com However, even in this quieter zone, wind shear may increase at times, while decreasing in parts of the western and southern Atlantic in the weeks ahead. Due to this, some areas outside the Caribbean still require monitoring for potential tropical development. "As we see it, if anything were to develop in the western portion of the Caribbean, it would likely move west toward Central America or Mexico due to easterly steering breezes," DaSilva said. "In addition, development time prior to landfall may limit the strength of such a storm." GET THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APP Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Across much of the United States - from the central Gulf Coast to the mid-Atlantic - it is unlikely that a tropical system will bring wind or rain through mid-November, as strong westerly winds and an active jet stream are expected to inhibit development or steer any system well offshore. AccuWeather.com "If there is development in the western Caribbean, it likely would not be until the second week or toward the middle of the month with all conditions considered," AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist Jon Porter said. According to historical averages, November typically produces one named storm about every two years. "In more recent years, however, November storms are becoming a bit more common. In November of 2024, for example, there were three named storms in the Atlantic basin, one of which reached hurricane strength," added DaSilva. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We are seeing an uptick in frequency with respect to late-season storms, which is likely due to the warmer sea-surface temperatures observed," noted DaSilva. AccuWeather.com Want next-level safety, ad-free? Unlock advanced, hyperlocal severe weather alerts when you subscribe to Premium+ on the AccuWeather app. AccuWeather Alerts are prompted by our expert meteorologists who monitor and analyze dangerous weather risks 24/7 to keep you and your family safer. Hurricane Melissas strongest winds tore across Jamaica, where hotels in Montego Bay and along the north-west coast reported roof failures, blown-out windows and flooding. Footage verified by Reuters showed roof damage at Dreams Rose Hall Resort & Spa during the storms peak, while separate videos captured sections of Sangster International Airports roof ripped away, underscoring the strain on the tourism hub that serves major resorts. Authorities declared a disaster, and carriers began restoring limited schedules once safety checks allowed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement American Airlines said services were resuming in Kingston, with wider flight normalisation dependent on airport infrastructure and power. Mixed picture in Cuba, the Bahamas and Turks & Caicos After Jamaica, Melissa crossed eastern Cuba, prompting mass evacuations and flooding. Early trade updates suggest many of Cubas main tourist corridors escaped the worst, though assessments continue in affected eastern provinces. In the southern Bahamas, islands such as Inagua and Mayaguana faced severe weather and disruption, while the wider archipelago prepared for knock-on travel delays. Further north, Turks & Caicos lifted its storm warning and announced airport reopenings, paving the way for hotels to bring back staff and guests in a controlled manner. Stranded visitors, phased reopenings and limited services Thousands of visitors sheltered in place across resort properties as airports halted operations during landfall, with hoteliers prioritising food, water and safe shelter. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement UK and European travellers faced cancellations and rebooking queues as tour operators and airlines paused Jamaica services; Virgin Atlantic advised customers that on-the-ground assessments were under way before travel could restart at scale. Industry reporting points to a staged return of flights and port calls as runways and roads are cleared and utility grids stabilise. What hotels should expect next For the coming days, hotels in the worst-hit Jamaican districts can expect ongoing power and water interruptions; priority engineering inspections; and partial closures of damaged wings while unaffected blocks reopen first. Properties in eastern Cuba are focused on flood clean-up and structural checks, while many Bahamian and Turks & Caicos resorts are moving to business-continuity mode as skies clear and airports reopen. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Forward bookings are likely to bifurcate: near-term softening in heavily damaged zones, with faster demand recovery where infrastructure is intact and flights are back. Operators should plan for extended lead times on roofing, glazing and electrical parts, lean on flexible cancellation policies to maintain customer confidence, and coordinate closely with airlines and destination authorities as capacity returns. "Caribbean hotels count damage after Melissa" was originally created and published by Hotel Management Network, a GlobalData owned brand. WACO, Texas (FOX 44) Caritas of Waco provides support to families in need throughout the Heart of Texas area, including food assitance and emergency services. They also have some upcoming events! You can watch our interview 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 KWKT - FOX 44. ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) Carrabbas Italian Grill on West Henrietta Road is now closed. A sign was posted on the front door of the restaurant confirming that the location is closed, with a QR code and link showing the nearest locations. The website currently lists Amherst and Fayetteville as the only locations in New York State. The closed sign on the door Its unknown what the reason for the closure is, but residents may remember that a shootout took place at the restaurant three years ago, which almost resulted in an officer getting shot in the head. The suspect was sentenced to 40 years to life in prison. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement News 8 has reached out to a representative of Carrabbas Italian Grill for a statement. 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. EBENSBURG, Pa. A Carrolltown teen will face trial for stabbing two people including a parent to death in their home in September. But defense attorneys for Judah Courtney, 14, indicated Thursday they plan to try to have the teen decertified to face his homicide and assault charges as a juvenile, citing his young age. District Judge David Beyer sent all charges against Courtney to Common Pleas court after a Thursday hearing that saw state police investigators detail their investigation and one trooper testify the teen admitted to stabbing Olivia Courtney, 32, and Ashley Cook, 38, to death with kitchen knives. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trooper Stephanie Smith said Judah Courtney told her he washed blood from the knives and then discarded them one in a garbage can and another outside. But he also informed investigators where they could find the knives during a late-night interview with police, which Smith said occurred after Courtney himself and his great-grandfather gave consent to the interview. Attorney John Lovette, one of two defense attorneys representing the teen through the Cambria County Public Defenders Office, focused several of his questions on Courtneys alleged interview with police. He asked why the teen was interviewed after midnight and how Courtney was treated. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Investigators said Courtney was not taken to the state police barracks until at least 7 p.m. and then had DNA and clothing collected as evidence. He was also fed dinner prior to the interview, Smith responded. She said investigators also had trouble reaching next of kin for the teen, noting that his family lives in Texas. Investigators have previously said Courtneys father is not known to authorities. The teen lived with Olivia Courtney and Cook in Carrolltown over the past year or so, with Cook described as a close friend of Olivia that the teen described as an aunt. Police have not speculated on why the pair were fatally stabbed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Both were found in the living room area Sept. 29 surrounded by a trail of blood, investigators said. The Cambria County Coroners Office ruled this month that both victims died from massive blood loss and also suffered defensive wounds. Courtney, dressed in a red prison jumpsuit, was led from Thursdays hearing in shackles by county sheriffs deputies. He did not comment. Lovette, after Thursdays hearing, said defense attorneys will seek to have Courtney examined by a child psychologist. He is just 14 years old, Lovette, said, noting that with the seriousness of the charges against him, its easy to lose sight of that fact. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Because the charges involve criminal homicide, prosecutors direct file charges to the adult level but now that those charges are bound for trial, Lovette said he will ask a county judge for a decertification hearing to have Courtneys case moved to juvenile court. As of today, weve entered a not guilty plea, and were looking forward to presenting a defense on his behalf, Lovette said. Cambria County Assistant District Attorney Hannah Myers said its the defenses right to seek decertification, but her office plans to oppose it. She said its unfortunate that a teen so very young is accused of killing two people and could be convicted for it, but a homicide case is a homicide case. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We always have to take the most stringent approach, Myers said. Whether the defendant is 14 years old or 50 years old, we always have to seek justice ... make sure everything is fair and done according to law. David Hurst is a reporter for The Tribune-Democrat. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram @TDDavidHurst. Homeowners' associations seem to aspire to be the group versions of "Karens." To wit: The Wildernest Home Owners Association in Summit County, Colorado, called the sheriff's office to tattle on a kids' lemonade stand that they said was blocking the road. When officers arrived, KKTV reported, they found the kids were not blocking the road, "but did ask them to move back from the road a few feet for their safety," police said. "The original reporting parties came out and began yelling at the children, claiming they were on private property (but officers) determined the property was shared HOA property and because the children's parents are part of the HOA, they had a right to be there," the report went on. Kids 1, HOA 0. VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) Charges against a man shot by Virginia Beach Police back in June will move forward a district court judge decided Thursday. Shaun Marlar, 18, was charged with two counts of assault on a law enforcement officer and three counts of brandishing a firearm back on June 4, 2025. VBPD: Suspect brandishing replica handgun shot by officers at storage unit on Honeygrove Rd. It was on that day officers were called to the AAAA Self Storage in Haygood for reports of a man pointing a handgun at someone. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When a pair of police officers arrived, they soon were confronted with Marlar, pointing what looked like a gun at them. Thats when they opened fire, with a bullet striking Marlar in the abdomen. Ultimately, the gun Marlar was holding was not real, according to police. Rather, it was a replica. An investigation is still ongoing as to if the officers will be charged in this case, according to a spokesperson with the Commonwealths Attorneys office. Exclusive: Father of man shot by police reacts to Honeygrove Rd. incident 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. KANSAS CITY, Mo. A shelter that helps homeless cats is picking up the pieces after a fire damaged its building earlier this week in Belton. HELP Humane, located at 17122 Bel-Ray Place in Belton, said in a Facebook post Thursday that its cats have since been taken in by foster families and Wayside Waifs. The Belton Animal Clinic & Exotic Care Center has also stepped in to board cats with special medical needs. These Kansas City-area restaurants will offer meals as SNAP benefits are withheld Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The fire was reported just before noon Wednesday. A volunteer who was leaving the shelter reported to the Belton Fire Department that they noticed an odor and saw smoke. Firefighters arrived and saw that an outbuilding against the building was on fire. The fire extended to the buildings roof. No injuries were reported, and in all there were 64 cats and two dogs at the shelter, according to Belton Assistant Fire Marshal Jason Oakley. The fire was deemed to be accidental in nature. According to Oakley, the fire started after an electrical issue involving a heating element. In general, Oakley said its a good time to remind pet owners to be careful with items, such as water bowl heaters or heating blankets. The fire department suggests checking the wiring and making sure the item isnt plugged in or left on for long periods of time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement HELP Humane on Thursday thanked firefighters and the volunteers, foster families and organizations that have stepped in and said it will soon need help with cleanup. The shelter added that it is accepting donations through its website. Right now, we are in waiting mode until the inspection is done for our safety and of course the kitties. Of course, we are all shaken still and it will take some time but everyone is safe with the help of all those tagged above, HELP Humane said on Facebook. When we are able to get back into the shelter, we will really need some help with cleaning and restoring our building. We have a fantastic contractor who has been an amazing volunteer with us for while. In the middle of all this, we are still grateful for our amazing volunteers/staff/friends/supporters helping us get through this! 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. Thought Category 5 was as bad as a hurricane could get? Think again. As Hurricane Melissa barrels off into the Atlantic after devastating Jamaica and Cuba, some scientists say the age of Category 6 hurricanes is now upon us. Storms fueled by human-caused climate change are stronger, intensify more rapidly and move faster than ever before, bringing destructive winds that rip off roofs and flooding coastal communities with feet of fast-moving ocean water that can linger for days after the immediate danger has passed, experts say. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hurricanes are already exceeding the highest level of the wind-driven Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale, which measures the amount of damage expected, capping off at catastrophic maximum sustained wind speeds of 157 miles per hour. Five tropical cyclones that formed since 2013 would have been deemed Category 6 hurricanes if such a classification existed. Now, experts believe the 5 scale may no longer meet the moment and this weeks Hurricane Melissa is reinforcing that belief. People search for food on the streets of Jamaicas Black River community Wednesday following the passage of Hurricane Melissa. Scientists say climate-fueled storms like Melissa may necessitate the need for an increased hurricane scale (AFP via Getty Images) The Category 5 storm Jamaicas worst on record came close to a Category 6 hurricane, climatologist Dr. Michael Mann, Presidential Distinguished Professor in the Department of Earth and Environmental Science at the University of Pennsylvania, told The Independent. Its been proposed that such a hurricane would have maximum sustained winds of 192 miles per hour and could do much more damage than structures designed to withstand Category 5 winds are able to handle. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I wouldnt rule out that in post-season analysis, the wind estimates are upgraded, possibly breaching the Cat. 6 cut-off), he said in an email, agreeing that these supercharged storms are the new normal and that we need to rethink how they are classified going forward. As long as were using wind-based metrics, it simply doesnt make sense (mathematically, or fiscally and sociologically) to artificially cap the scale at 5 any more, he said. Adding Category 6 to the 2010-dated Saffir-Simpson scale would recognize the increasingly worrisome effects of climate change on hurricanes, including the greater risk of damage posed by worse storms, Dr. Katharine Hayhoe, Chief Scientist of The Nature Conservancy, told The Independent. People walk through a flooded street Thursday in Petit-Goave, Haiti, following the passage of Hurricane Melissa. Much of the damage posed by hurricanes is related to precipitation, with warmer atmospheres able to hold more moisture (AFP via Getty Images) She believes that there may also need to be a full redo of the scale to take precipitation into account, which is responsible for the majority of hurricane-related economic impacts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The argument over whether or not to add a Category 6 to the Saffir-Simpson scale actually ignores the forest for the trees because were now seeing that flooding damage is arguably just as if not a greater issue, said Hayhoe. However, not all scientists agree theres a need to add to the scale or even feel that strongly about it. I don't think we need a Category 6. Uninhabitable for weeks or months is about as bad as it gets with hurricanes! Colorado State University meteorologist Dr. Phil Klotzbach told The Independent in an email. The Saffir-Simpson scale has been around for decades, Dr. Zachary Handlos, director of the Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences Undergraduate Degree Program at Georgia Tech University, told WCNC. If we change it, it becomes difficult to compare new storms to old ones unless we reanalyze past data. Wed be moving the goalposts for what defines a major hurricane. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I dont firmly feel either way, meteorologist Jeff Berardelli wrote in a post on X. But I do think if we continue to see these league of their own storms then we need a way to separate the men from the boys, if you will. What that may look like remains uncertain, but the reality is that climate change is making furiously strengthening storms like Melissa more likely, with major threats to humanity. Hurricane Melissa churns over the Caribbean Sea. Melissa was one of the fastest intensifying storms of all time (Getty Images) Melissa was one of the fastest intensifying storms of all time and tied for the most powerful storm for wind speed and pressure in the North Atlantic. A recent study from Imperial College London found that Melissa was made four times more likely by human-induced climate change, boosting its wind speed by 11 miles per hour. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Warming ocean temperatures are part of whats making hurricane winds stronger, Daniel Gilford, a meteorologist and atmospheric scientist with Climate Central, told The Independent. In the case of Melissa, we found that the extra ocean warming increased Melissas intensity by something by 10 miles per hour which pushed it up to 185 miles per hour [maximum sustained winds], he explained. A resident of the town of El Cobre, Cuba, walks past downed trees, power lines and destroyed houses following the passage of Hurricane Melissa on Wednesday. The storm was made four times more likely due to climate change (AFP via Getty Images) So, we are sort of in this regime where these storms are kind of what we would think about as at the very top of our scale when it comes to intensity for the Saffir-Simpson scale. And, unless atmosphere-warming greenhouse gas emissions produced largely by the fossil fuel industry are curbed, these threats will continue to get worse. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We are stuck with the world that we have now. We are stuck with the climate warming that weve experienced about 1.3 degrees Celsius since pre-industrial [levels]. We are going to live during with our lifetimes with that temperature, said Gilford. So, these hurricanes are going to be more intense during our lifetimes. But we can reduce how much worse they get in the future by taking immediate action to cut our climate emissions right now, he added. EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) In the spirit of Dia de los Muertos, multiple Catrinas made the El Paso International Airport their walkway on Thursday, Oct. 30, showcasing the beauty and richness of Mexican culture. The Catrina Parade, in collaboration with Border Heritage Magazine and UMC Foundation of Mexico, featured multiple Catrinas from Bazzar Models in elegant gowns designed by Mayra Flores and styled by makeup artist Estefania Villa, according to the news release by the City of El Paso. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The parade was in honor of Jose Guadalupe Posada, the creator of La Catrina. The famous skeleton woman with a feathered hat art has now become one of the biggest symbols associated with Dia de los Muertos. A museum worker hands out flyers at a Day of the Dead la catrina costume contest at the Dolores Olmeda Museum Saturday October 30, 2004 in Mexico City. Mexicans celebrate Day of the Dead on November 1 to honor the deceased. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana) In addition to the parade was music and folkloric elements that showcased a new form of art that blends fashion, performance and cultural storytelling, read the news release. 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. CBS News editor in chief Bari Weiss intervened to save the job of a foreign correspondent after he complained of being sidelined because of his strong support for Israel opting to fire a reporter whod irked US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, instead The Post has learned. As The Post first reported Thursday, Weiss axed Debora Patta, a 12-year veteran based in South Africa, during sweeping cuts hitting the Tiffany Network. The move came after Rome-based correspondent Chris Livesay appealed directly to Weiss, complaining of his mistreatment and asking to be assigned as Israel correspondent, sources told The Post on Friday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Weiss replaced Livesays name with Pattas on the firing list a switch first reported by The Independent, which did not name the male correspondent just hours before the cuts were finalized. CBS News editor in chief Bari Weiss reportedly intervened to save the job of a pro-Israel correspondent who was set to be laid off and instead fired a reporter who drew ire from Mike Huckabee. AP Rome-based correspondent Chris Livesay appealed directly to Weiss, complaining of his mistreatment. CBS News The Post has reached out to Livesay, Patta and CBS News for comment. Weiss who has described herself as a Zionist fanatic and is known for her outspoken pro-Israel views has been overseeing her first major round of cuts since taking over the newsroom. The purge has seen eight on-air women including several women of color dismissed from the network, according to the Independent. Patta is now looking into legal action, The Post previously reported. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She had been told she was safe from the cuts before learning her name had been added to the list, sources told The Independent. Pattas dismissal came months after Huckabee publicly criticized the reporter, accusing her of intentionally editing a sitdown with her to craft a different story than the one they had. Huckabee claimed CBS News producers stripped key context from his remarks to make him appear indifferent to reports of starvation in Gaza. Weiss removed the pro-Israel reporters name from the layoff list and instead fired Debora Patta, according to a report. CBS The former Arkansas governor posted the full transcript on the US embassys website, showing that CBS cut portions in which he questioned the authenticity of widely circulated photos of malnourished children and argued that some images were misattributed or staged. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Patta, 61, denied any wrongdoing at the time, and colleagues described her to The Independent as a fearless and fair correspondent whose reporting from conflict zones including Syria, Ukraine and the Israel-Hamas war was known for sticking closely to verified facts. Livesay lobbied Weiss to have the network assign him to cover Israel. Chris Livesay / X Just before being axed, Patta signed a new three-year contract. She was considered one of the networks most experienced war correspondents. Weiss, who joined CBS earlier this month after selling her media outlet The Free Press to Paramount Skydance, has not commented publicly on the layoffs, which affected about 100 employees across the division. Patta, a 12-year CBS veteran based in Johannesburg, had been told she was safe from the layoffs before learning her name had been added to the list, sources told The Independent. CBS News A network source previously told The Post the cuts, which affect more than 100 employees, span every major CBS News program. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The network shuttered its Johannesburg bureau, where Patta was based, with coverage shifting to London. Planning for the reductions had been underway for months, the source added, noting that Weiss began her tenure three weeks ago and that these decisions were made before her arrival. A network source told The Post the cuts, which affect more than 100 employees, span every major CBS News program and the decisions were made before Weisss arrival. AFP via Getty Images The networks coverage of Israel has historically been a sensitive issue for on-air personnel, as well as current and former executives. Last year, CBS Mornings co-host Tony Dokoupil conducted an interview with author Ta-Nehisi Coates about his recent book strongly criticizing Israel. Dokoupil was reprimanded for pressing Coates about omissions in the book leading then-Paramount boss Shari Redstone to publicly back the co-anchor. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In January, 60 Minutes aired a piece quoting former State Department officials as being concerned about the US role in Israels war in Gaza. Redstone, who sold her stake in Paramount as part of the $8 billion merger with Skydance, later said she thought the network had an anti-Israel bias. NEED TO KNOW Lisa Ling is exiting her role as a contributor at CBS amid the latest wave of layoffs She shared the news in a social media post on Oct. 30, teasing a new project she will be announcing in the near future On Oct. 29, CBS' parent company Paramount laid off 1,000 employees, reportedly including CBS Saturday Morning co-anchors Michelle Miller and Dana Jacobson, along with Debora Patta, Janet Shamlian, Nancy Chen and Nikki Battiste Lisa Ling is speaking out after being laid off by CBS. The journalist, 52, shared the news in an Instagram video posted on Thursday, Oct. 30. She is one of several CBS correspondents and contributors let go from the network amid major shakeups announced earlier this week. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So yesterday, I got a call from CBS that I was among the massive layoffs at the network, Ling said. Now this didn't entirely surprise me, because I wasn't a full-time employee, but rather a contributor, and we're easy to cut. My heart, though, goes out to all of those who had been working at the network for many, many years. I worked with some wonderful people at CBS, and I was so proud of the multi-part series I was able to do on caregiving, psychedelic healing and the state of spirituality, among so many other segments, things so relevant to so many of us now, she continued. All of the series had this thread of healing running through them, and I wanted to let you know that I am developing a platform that will go into even greater depth on a whole range of issues related to intergenerational strength and healing. I'll be announcing it in the coming months." Ling, who joined CBS as a contributor in 2023, concluded, "I truly, truly hope that you'll join me in getting stronger here, here and here," pointing to her bicep, head and heart. "Thank you so much. On Wednesday, Oct. 29, Paramount laid off 1,000 employees, including CBS Saturday Morning co-anchors Michelle Miller and Dana Jacobson per The Los Angeles Times. Debora Patta, Janet Shamlian, Nancy Chen and Nikki Battiste were also laid off, per the outlet. Never miss a story sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Marla Aufmuth/Getty for Massachusetts Conference for Women Gayle King Gayle King While sources at Variety reported on Thursday, Oct. 30, that Gayle King was leaving her post as the anchor of CBS Mornings when her contract is set to expire in May 2026 claiming King may be stepping into a "different role" in the news division and could "potentially produce her own programming" for CBS the network denied aspects of that report. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There have been no discussions with Gayle about her contract that runs through May 2026," a CBS News spokesperson said in a statement shared with PEOPLE that same day. "Shes a truly valued part of CBS and we look forward to engaging with her about the future." Related: https://people-app.onelink.me/HNIa/kz7l4cuf The influx in layoffs follows Skydance Media's $8 billion acquisition of Paramount in August, as CBS is one of the media company's subsidiaries. NPR previously reported that Skydance owner David Ellison and the company have expressed interest in shifting CBS News to produce apolitical content. Earlier this year, CBS canceled The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, which will end in May 2026. Meanwhile, on Tuesday, Oct. 28, CBS Evening News anchor John Dickerson announced he is leaving the network after 16 years. Read the original article on People CBS News is in an unenviable position right now: Its the subject of anonymously sourced reporting and rumor-mongering thats sowing confusion while division-wide layoffs cause pain and corporate changes add to anxiety. Many of the reported changes at CBS have not happened yet and may never happen. But each story adds to the uncertainty and unease in the air. The latest one is about Gayle King, with Variety reporting that she is expected to depart her longtime TV home, CBS Mornings, next year. If thats the case, it would be news to King, whose contract doesnt expire for another six months. She told TMZ on Friday morning: All Ive been told by everybody in this building is that they want me here, they like the job Ive been doing What Im hearing in the building is not what Im reading in the press. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, the CBS News management team is in whack-a-mole mode, trying to tamp down the speculation and probably trying to avoid any potential blowback from viewers. All the instability stems from David Ellisons recent takeover of Paramount and his decision to appoint Bari Weiss as the editor-in-chief of CBS News. Weiss, the entrepreneurial and opinionated co-founder of The Free Press website, is an irresistible story to the media chattering classes. People both inside and outside CBS are desperate to know what shes going to change at the storied news division. Weiss, who has been on the job for just a few weeks, has been frustrated about the leaks relating to her arrival, according to a recent New York Times report. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She certainly deserves time and space to get to know CBS News and think through potential changes. But just this week, there have been stories about who Weiss may or may not want to keep at 60 Minutes; who she may or may not want to hire for the CBS Evening News; and now, what might happen to the morning show. You know the old adage: Nobody knows anything, a CBS source remarked, pointing out that all the speculation is destabilizing in the meantime. The news division also laid off about one hundred people earlier this week, though the cuts were foreshadowed months ago, well before Weiss was hired. The morning show intrigue The CBS weekday morning show has undergone multiple permutations over the past decade, and King has been the central player throughout, helming the show while other co-hosts have come and gone. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Thursday night, Variety reporters Matt Donnelly and Brian Steinberg wrote that King is expected to depart the show and may shift to a different role at the news division, potentially with a deal to produce her own programming for the network. The pair also wrote that negotiations are about to ensue, which left some CBS staffers wondering: Is someone prematurely leaking that King is departing, and if so, why? Or is King privately telling people that she wants out, no matter what CBS offers? All the broadcast networks have been trying to lower salary costs in recent years, so there is little doubt that CBS would want King to accept a pay cut to stay at the network in any capacity. CBS responded forcefully to the Variety article, saying, There have been no discussions with Gayle about her contract that runs through May 2026. (And King told TMZ on Friday, I am not going to negotiate in the media.) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It is highly unusual for a network to say when a stars contract is up, but it showed that the typical window for negotiations hasnt even opened yet. As Variety noted, Moving King is a risky maneuver, especially because morning-TV is built on the relationships viewers build with the hosts. Thats likely why CBS said in its statement that King is a truly valued part of CBS and we look forward to engaging with her about the future. Her co-host on the morning show, Nate Burleson, also commented personally on Instagram, reflecting how the uncertainty is weighing on staffers at the network. I hope this rumor doesnt hold up, he wrote, calling King a fixture, a force, and a part of the fabric of CBS Mornings. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Ousted CBS News journalist Debora Patta whose interview with Mike Huckabee on Gaza landed her in a controversy months before she got laid off this week is looking to sue the network, The Post has learned The South Africa-based foreign correspondent is speaking to lawyers after CBS News slashed her job just months after she came under fire from Huckabee, the US ambassador to Israel, who claimed an Aug. 7 interview he gave her was heavily edited and misrepresented his views on the situation in Gaza. Pattas exit was part of a round of roughly 100 cuts orchestrated by CBS News president Tom Cibrowski. Sources speculated that the networks new editor in chief Bari Weiss, whos known for her staunchly pro-Israel views, played a role in the decision to ax the 61-year-old reporter. Ousted foreign correspondent Debora Patta is speaking to lawyers after she was terminated by CBS News on Wednesday. CBS Patta signed a new three-year contract in August, according to a source with knowledge of the matter, who added that CBS is not giving her a full payout. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A former CBS staffer said the network may not have an obligation to do so. That depends on what her contract stipulates which may make a breach-of-contract claim unlikely. She is probably looking to sue over her Middle East coverage, the person said. CBS News declined to comment. Patta did not return multiple requests for comment. Its unclear whether David Ellison, CEO of CBS News parent Paramount Skydance, played a role in Pattas firing. He previously voiced a commitment to unbiased journalism to Federal Communications Commission chair Brendan Carr a condition for the agency to OK this past summers $8 billion merger between Skydance and Paramount. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Both Carr and President Trump have accused CBS News of liberal bias. In July, the network paid $16 million to settle Trumps lawsuit accusing CBS News of deceptively editing a 60 Minutes interview to make his 2024 opponent Kamala Harris look better. Sources speculated that CBS News editor in chief Bari Weiss played a role in the decision to lay off Patta. Getty Images for Uber, X and The Free Press Huckabee put Patta on blast when he accused CBS News of intentionally editing his four-minute sitdown with her to craft a different story than the one they had. The former Arkansas governor claimed on X on Aug. 8 that his comments on reports of starvation in Gaza were misrepresented. Ever wonder how the media edits an interview to give you a different story than the one they had? Huckabee wrote. Pattas interview with Mike Huckabee drew criticism with the US ambassador to Israel claiming it misrepresented his views on the conflict in Gaza CBS News He then added a link to the full transcript on the US embassy website, showing what was edited out of the CBS News interview. For instance, Patta asked Huckabee whether he is deeply troubled by images of starving children. Huckabee replied, Im moved when the photos are verified. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the unedited exchange, Huckabee answered: Im moved when the photos are verified. I mean, were all moved when you see someone, especially a child whos starving. But the New York Times published a picture on the front page of what was purported to be a starving child. Turns out the child had a birth defect and had not been starving. He continued: There were other pictures, for example, that were published of starving children in Gaza. Turned out one of them was from Yemen. One was from 2017. There was another photo that appeared to be somewhat staged, with photographer all set up to get pictures of a few people herded into a small area. The interview closed with Patta asking Huckabee about claims that Israel was committing genocide in Gaza. Patta was given a new three-year contract in August, according to a source. CBS News If Israel is attempting genocide, theyre really, really bad at it. They could have had genocide on October the 8th, Huckabee said in the aired piece. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the full exchange, he said: They could have dropped a few bombs and have annihilated all Gazans, its not that big an area. They certainly had the capacity to do it, and saw that in the 12-day war with Iran. It is the most ridiculous thing in the world to say that Israel is committing genocide. Thats absurd. On its face, its absurd. If they were trying to commit genocide, it would not have taken them 22 months. Still, Pattas exit after 12 years at CBS News came as a shock inside the network. CBS News was hit with a round of roughly 100 cuts on Wednesday. AFP via Getty Images Top CBS News executives were appalled by the decision, a source said, noting that the hard-charging Patta has reported in conflict zones including Syria and Ukraine, in addition to the Israel-Hamas war. Patta has also led many of the networks best investigations in recent years, the person added. Her exit leaves a gaping hole as many correspondents in Europe refuse to set foot in conflict zones, the person said. It will be very challenging to cover the news, the source added. Cecil County officials on Thursday urged U.S. Sens. Chris Van Hollen and Angela Alsobrooks to support reopening the government, and while Van Hollen agreed it should reopen, he refused to be a rubber stamp for this administration. Donald Trump is not only refusing to negotiate an end to his government shutdown, he is weaponizing it by attacking our federal workers and investments that support our economy and local communities, Van Hollen told The Baltimore Sun. We will continue pushing to reopen the government, but we will not be a rubber stamp for this Administrations lawless attacks on critical investments or sit idly by as they let health care costs skyrocket for millions of Americans. In a letter posted to their social media and sent to the senators, county officials asked the senators to support the Continuing Appropriations and Extensions and Other Matters Act, a stopgap funding bill intended to temporarily reopen the government and restore federal services while budget negotiations continue. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The congressional measure drafted by Republican leadership in the U.S. House and introduced largely along party lines in the U.S. Senate would extend existing funding levels for several months, buying Congress time to finalize a full-year spending plan. Lawmakers have introduced and failed to pass the bill more than a dozen times, with the Senate falling just five votes short earlier this week. Going over the county letter The letter was signed by Cecil County Executive Adam Streight and all five members of the Cecil County Council. This shutdown has created unnecessary hardship for our residentsespecially furloughed federal workers and those required to work without pay. With Aberdeen Proving Ground and the Perry Point VA Medical Center among Cecil Countys largest employers, the shutdown has already had a significant negative impact on our local economy, workforce, and families, the letter said. Officials also pointed to the financial strain on those serving our country through the military and federal contracting, as well as the impact on seniors and children who rely on food assistance. In Cecil County, more than 13,000 residents are at risk of losing access to the SNAP program on Nov. 1. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Senate was five votes short of passing the Continuing Resolutionlegislation that has been presented no fewer than fourteen times. We urge you to join your colleagues who are committed to ending the shutdown and protecting the citizens who are least responsible for this situation, the letter said. Streight said the letter wasnt meant to be political but intended to draw attention to the real problems some Cecil residents are facing. We have two federal installations here that directly impact Cecil County. Aberdeen Proving Ground is Marylands sixth largest employer, Streight told The Sun. Its got 21,000 employees, 1,300 soldiers, and 16% of their workforce resides in Cecil County. These are folks that are either furloughed or theyre considered essential and theyre not being paid. He said Perry Point is in the same situation. That community, which holds the Perry Point VA Medical Center, represents 2.8% of the county workforce and has 1,500 employees, most of whom work for the federal government. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theyre either furloughed and not getting paid or theyre having to work and not getting paid and theres no end in sight, Streight said. And all the good intentions in the world are not going to stave off their mortgage lender, and its not going to buy their groceries. These are people who have dedicated their lives to serving our nation and serving it with professionalism and patriotism, and we cant even pay them because we want to use them as pawns in policy bickering. Alsobrooks responds to the letter Connor Lounsbury, a spokesperson for Alsobrooks, forwarded a statement to The Sun: The Senator agrees that Republicans need to end their shutdown of our federal government. Federal workers, families who rely on SNAP, and Marylanders needing affordable health care should not be political pawns but thats exactly how this President has treated them. The Senator has voted eight separate times to end this shutdown and will continue to push her Republican colleagues, who control the White House, Senate, and House, to return to work and reopen government. Have a news tip? Contact Eastern Shore bureau chief Josh Davis at jdavis@baltsun.com or on X as @JoshDavis4Shore. Oct. 31 (UPI) -- Rob Jetten, leader of the Dutch centrist-liberal D66 party, is likely to become the next prime minister of the Netherlands. The election hasn't been declared final, but analysis shows that the second-place Party for Freedom, led by Geert Wilders, can't win. Wilders is a far-right, anti-Muslim candidate. D66 is 15,155 votes ahead of the Freedom party with 99.7% of votes counted. As of Thursday, the vote was essentially tied, but D66 surged ahead. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wilders complained that news analysis has decided the result so far and not the election council. "What arrogance not to wait for that," the BBC reported. He has also claimed election tampering, posting on X: "No idea if all of this is true but it would be good if this were investigated." Jetten, 38, would be the youngest prime minister in Dutch history. He said Friday that the win was a "historic result for D66," and he's "very proud of that," Politico reported. "At the same time, I feel a great responsibility to quickly start exploring options this week in order to form a stable and ambitious government." Now, he must create a coalition in the parliament then be elected by members. He will need at least three other parties to get the 76 seats needed for a coalition, the BBC said. According to the BBC, the most obvious parties for coalition would be the conservative-liberal VVD, the left-wing Labour (PvdA)-GreenLeft alliance and the Christian Democrats. Dilan Yesilgoz, leader of the VVD, has said his party won't work with the left. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jetten said he wants a broad-based government from the center of Dutch politics and a coalition that represents the voters who backed other parties, BBC reported. The biggest issues in the country now are the housing shortage and asylum and migration. Outgoing Prime Minister Richard Schoof was hand-picked by Wilders because his coalition partners wouldn't support a far-right prime minister. Schoof predicted that it would be tough for Jetten to form a coalition. "I reckon I'll still be prime minister at Christmas -- I'd be surprised if it happened [by then]," BBC reported. CENTRAL FALLS, R.I. (WPRI) Loved ones are devastated, grappling with the loss of a young woman after Pawtucket police discovered her body in a wooded area earlier this week. Six people have been charged in connection with the death of 24-year-old Erica Bader, though none of them have been charged with murder. All six are accused of failing to report a death, and police said theyre all known to law enforcement. BACKGROUND: 6 charged in connection with suspicious death in Central Falls Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Investigators found Baders body on Monday, but believe she died elsewhere. That same day, police were led to an apartment on Central Street in Central Falls. Court documents show one of the suspects, Brittney Terpening, was Baders roommate. Shes also charged with domestic assault in the case. Central Falls police said a family member requested a well-being check for Bader back in April and was advised to file a missing persons report, but never did. Police said they have responded to the Central Street address roughly 25 to 30 times over the past two years, but emphasized that not all of those calls were connected to Baders apartment. Photo of 24-year-old Erica Bader (Courtesy: Wendy McCullough) Neighbor Tatiana McKinney told 12 News that detectives approached her asking if shed recently seen Bader. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Im getting out the car. The detective is like, Can we talk to you? Im like, Oh, my God, what happened? He just pulled out his phone, McKinney recalled. He said, Whens the last time you seen this woman? I just like goosebumps. I said, What happened to her? He said, Thats what were trying to figure out.' McKinney said she had heard fighting coming from the apartment, but never imagined the situation would end in tragedy. Danielle Vannerson, a close family friend, said shes heartbroken over Baders death, describing her as someone who brought light to the table and always had a smile on her face. We love you. We miss you. Life isnt going to be the same without you, Vannerson said, adding that Bader was like a daughter to her. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Rhode Island Attorney Generals Office confirmed it is assisting with the investigation, but declined to comment further. Baders family plans to hold a demonstration outside the Central Falls police station on Saturday, calling for justice in her death. Anyone with information is asked to contact Central Falls police at (401) 727-7411 or submit an anonymous tip at (401) 727-7420. Download the WPRI 12 and Pinpoint Weather 12 apps to get breaking news and weather alerts. Watch 12 News Now on WPRI.com or with the free WPRI 12+ TV app. Follow us on social media: Close Thanks for signing up! Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Breaking News Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WPRI.com. DES MOINES, Iowa Thousands of kids across Central Iowa will be trick-or-treating on Friday, but celebrating Halloween on Halloween night may be unusual for some Iowans. For the first time in 87 years, the city of Des Moines planned to have trick-or-treating on Halloween. In 2024, severe weather moved Beggars Night to Halloween night in several Central Iowa communities. Last year was the first time Des Moines kids went trick-or-treating on Halloween since 1938. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 2025 Trick-or-Treat and Beggars Night Schedule As a result of last years change, many communities decided to keep the festivities on the holiday. With Halloween taking place on a Friday this year, the Des Moines Police Department said its expecting more people to be celebrating in downtown Des Moines this weekend. Sergeant Paul Parizek said Court Avenue will likely see more crowds than usual. Were ready for that. We have our crew down on Court Avenue. We want everyone to come out and have a good time. Just dont get arrested, he said. Parizek also urges people to have a plan for a safe ride home. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dont overindulge. Come out and have a good time, but keep your head screwed on straight, he said. The Governors Traffic Safety Bureau is providing $10 Uber vouchers. The offer is available Friday through Sunday. Below is a list of some communities that will host trick-or-treating on Friday: Adel Altoona Ames Ankeny Boone Carlisle Clive Des Moines De Soto Grimes Huxley Indianola Johnston Nevada Norwalk Perry Pleasant Hill Polk City Urbandale Waukee Winterset West Des Moines Iowa news Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to who13.com. A former member of Congress, who pulled off a rare win for a Democrat in Utah, is drawing early support from an influential national political action committee as new political boundaries offer an unexpected chance to pick up a seat in the deep-red state. Former Rep. Ben McAdams is being touted by Welcome PAC, which backs more moderate candidates over progressives, for what is expected to be a newly created district, according to an email obtained by POLITICO. Past performance doesnt guarantee future results. But its usually the best clue weve got, says the fundraising email, which was expected to be distributed to Democrats nationwide on Friday. Ben McAdams is a superstar. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The email offers the early contours of a race that could help Democrats as they try to retake the House in the midterms an effort that has been complicated by a nationwide redistricting war set in motion by President Donald Trumps push to have Texas draw new congressional boundaries. Democrats could pick up one or two seats under newly drawn lines in Utah under a redistricting fight that was underway before Trump pressured Texas and set off a wave of gerrymandering in states led by Republicans and Democrats, including Indiana and California. The court-ordered map in Utah would provide Democrats with a somewhat improved chance of victory in the state: A Salt Lake Tribune analysis pegs the most competitive redrawn districts at R +6 and R+11, well below the 23+ point margins Democrats faced in federal races in 2024. In 2018, McAdams unseated the late Rep. Mia Love, who won her previous election in the district by 12 points. In 2020, he lost by 1 percentage point to Republican Burgess Owens. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement McAdams has not launched a campaign, but filed a statement of candidacy earlier this month with the FEC, allowing him to begin raising money. He is expected to announce a bid once a map is finalized, according to two people with direct knowledge of his thinking. The former lawmaker declined to comment. Hes clearly the strongest candidate Dems have had anywhere in nearly a decade, said Liam Kerr, co-founder of Welcome PAC. We want to take this bigger platform we have and clearly say that he should run and that people who are listening to our view of the party should show that encouragement by contributing to his campaign account. McAdams isnt the only name in the mix. The slate of potential primary candidates includes 2024 Senate candidate Caroline Gleich, state Sens. Kathleen Riebe and Nate Blouin, and 2022 Senate candidate Kael Weston. None have formally entered the race. Welcome PAC has been making waves in center-left politics since Trump's reelection. Their WelcomeFest conference in June featured swing state and district Democrats like Michigan Sen. Elissa Slotkin and Maine Rep. Jared Golden. Earlier this week, they issued an expansive report on how Democrats can rebuild after their 2024 failures. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement People read the report and are like, What should we do? And its like well, shit, heres a clear example, Kerr told POLITICO, about supporting McAdams. As a member of Congress, McAdams was part of the Blue Dogs the PAC and coalition now helmed by Golden and Washington Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, both Democrats serving in districts Trump won and the New Democrats caucus. Before Congress, he was mayor of Salt Lake County. Utahs new congressional map is not yet final. In August, a district judge ruled the current map which divides blue Salt Lake County between four districts ignored the intention of a 2018 ballot initiative calling for an independent commission to draw the boundaries. The GOP-controlled state legislature drew a new map that favors Republicans but still gives Democrats a better shot than the current map. A district judge has until Nov. 10 to approve the new map for it to be in place for 2026. Right now, Democrats are focused on winning, said a Utah Democratic strategist, granted anonymity to speak openly. We realize this is a huge opportunity to get serious. YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) Charges against two men accused of taking part in a downtown fight where a woman was curb stomped have been changed from a second-degree felony to a third-degree felony. A Mahoning County grand jury Thursday issued superseding indictments charging twin brothers Ryan and Bryan Moore, 49, with attempt to commit an offense for an Aug. 15 fight downtown in which a woman who said the brothers were stalking her in a nearby bar fought with them and had her head stomped against a curb. The brothers were originally charged by Youngstown police with felonious assault, a second-degree felony, and were indicted on those charges Oct. 2 by a grand jury. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement County prosecutor Lynn Maro said the change was made after the medical records of the victim were available. Maro did not speak as to what the records said, but she did say that based on the records, she thought the superseding charges were more appropriate. The brothers have been in the Mahoning County jail on $100,000 bond since their initial arrest by city police. Reports said the fight began about 3 a.m. in the 100 block of West Commerce Street after the victim and her cousin were approached by the brothers inside a downtown bar and then again outside. They tried several times to avoid them, but they continued to make advances toward them, according to a police report. The victim started the fight when she stopped her car in the middle of the street and attacked Bryan Moore, reports said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As she was fighting Bryan Moore, he took her to the ground and was holding her down when Ryan Moore, who had been hit by pepper spray by the victims cousin, stomped on her head as she was on the curb. The woman was taken to St. Elizabeth Health Center to be treated for a concussion and has no memory of the fight or what led up to it, she testified at a preliminary hearing in municipal court. When the case was bound over to a grand jury. Witnesses then came over and stopped the fight until police came, reports said. The preliminary hearing in municipal court included video of the fight. Reports said the woman could have been charged with misdemeanor assault, but the Moores did not want to press charges. Because the victim was unconscious, she could not sign her citation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKBN.com. Charles Edward Whaley wrote about education and the arts in Kentucky and was recognized on both sides of the Atlantic as an expert on Virginia Woolf and the Bloomsbury circle. (Photo provided) Charles Edward Whaley, who died Oct. 30, was a journalist who possessed a curiosity that carried him far beyond the borders of the commonwealth yet never lost sight of his roots. Over the course of a seven-decade career, Whaleys work as a reporter, editor and critic at The Courier-Journal helped define the broad intellectual tone of Louisville journalism, particularly in its coverage of education and the arts. At age 97, he is believed to have been the oldest surviving staff member of the Bingham era at the Louisville newspapers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Whaley was born on February 29, 1928 a leap-year child in Williamstown, in Grant County. He was valedictorian at Williamstown High School and served as drum major of the marching band. He entered the University of Kentucky in 1945 on a journalism scholarship and by his senior year had been elected editor of The Kentuckian yearbook, tapped for Phi Beta Kappa, and named recipient of the Sullivan Medallion as the universitys outstanding male senior student. He served in the U. S. Armys public information unit during the Korean War and then earned an MA in journalism at Columbia University. As a member of the 1954 inaugural class of Marshall Scholars he studied at the University of Manchester in England. Whaley joined The Courier-Journal in 1950, as Louisville journalism entered a golden age. Whaley quickly distinguished himself as a writer of breadth and taste, writing at the intersection where ideas, policy, and art meet. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Whaley chronicled the evolution of Kentuckys schools through the era of desegregation, consolidation, and reform through policy debates in Frankfort and the human stories unfolding in classrooms. He was a regular reviewer for the papers book page of novels, biographies, histories and the occasional work of poetry. He contributed theatre criticism as well, combining his knowledge of literature with a lifelong affection for the stage. In 1957, Whaley married Carol Sutton, a University of Missouri journalism graduate and city reporter. In 1974, Sutton was named managing editor of The Courier-Journal, the first woman in America to lead a major American newspaper. In 1976, she was featured on the cover of Time magazine as a Woman of the Year. She died in 1985. Their daughters, Carrie Whaley Orman and Kate Whaley Archer, survive him. Charles Whaleys years in England left a permanent imprint and he made regular return visits, maintaining friendships with journalists and scholars and assembling an enviable book collection. On both sides of the Atlantic, he was considered an expert on Virginia Woolf and the Bloomsbury circle. As a rural Kentuckian and reporter who bridged education and the arts, and as a critic who reminded his readers that ideas matter, Charles Whaleys creed remained constant: clarity, fairness, curiosity. CHARLOTTE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) As the government heads into a now month-long shutdown, millions of Americans will have less food on the table as November begins. Knowing that theyre going to be cut off is detrimental. Me and my fiancee, we both work. Were trying to make ends meet and between bills and food, now we have to start making choices, said Carlissia Grice, a Charlotte mom of seven. Shutdown threatens SNAP benefits for 140,000 in Mecklenburg County Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Shes one of more than 1.4 million North Carolinians who rely on SNAP benefits. She gets about $1,000 a month to feed her large family. But on Saturday, what happens next? Its been the only thing on her mind for the last few days. Even thats not enough, Grice said. And were using cash to pay for food throughout the month, like, even, like going to pantries and just trying to make ends meet because its just not meeting. SNAP benefits are set to expire on Saturday, Nov. 1. Their funded through appropriations from the federal government. But funds havent been made available due to the lack of agreement in the Senate between Democrats and Republicans. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Grice says theyre working as hard as they can to stay afloat. People automatically assume when you get a SNAP that youre just lazy, youre just sitting in a house collecting benefits off of taxpayers, he explained. But we are taxpayers. Do they have to understand that? You know, its hard, especially when you have a big family is hard just to get a gallon of milk thats now like $5, like its ridiculous. She says earlier this week, her family received a letter saying their Section 8 housing may not be funded in December if the government doesnt reopen. Im really nervous, she said. On Tuesday, Gov. Josh Stein announced the state will distribute $10 million to food banks across North Carolina as they brace for a surge in need. Several major donors like the David and Nicole Tepper Foundation, Smithfield Foods and AmeriHealth Caritas, also have donated to the cause. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Last year, SNAP provided assistance to 41 million people, nearly two-thirds of whom were families with children. A lot of people there arent as fortunate to me that can go to work and have a way to at least try to get some food, Grice said. Some people just they dont have it, and they need a place where they can they know they can go and get a meal, at least for a couple of days. The N.C. Department of Health and Human Services is urging people who depend on SNAP to continue applying and renewing benefits as normal. Any funds already loaded onto EBT cards remain available. Residents can check their balance through the ebtEDGE app, online at ebtEDGE.com, or by calling the number on the back of their card. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News. See more from Canary Medias "Chart of the week column. Batteries have quickly become a crucial part of the U.S. electricity grid and a whole lot more are about to come online. Over the next five years, the country will build nearly 67 gigawatts worth of new utility-scale batteries, per data from research firm BloombergNEF, enough to send almost 284 gigawatt-hours of stored-up electricity back to the grid. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Those are massive figures. Should the forecast bear out, the U.S. will have roughly three times more battery capacity in 2030 than it does now. Such rapid growth is familiar territory for the sector, which jumped from just 1.5 GW of total capacity in 2020 to a whopping 27.3 GW by the end of last year. The transition to renewable energy particularly solar relies on batteries. Thats because communities with lots of solar arrays often generate more power than the grid needs at a particular moment in time. Batteries let these solar-saturated states save that extra energy for later use. California and Texas, the U.S.s two leaders on solar, have built the vast majority of the countrys utility-scale storage. Already, the states are reaping the benefits. By spring of 2024, Californias battery fleet had grown large enough to begin displacing some natural-gas use in the evening. Meanwhile, batteries have helped Texas stave off summertime grid emergencies for two years running. As battery developers propose more, bigger projects, the sector has started to run into some opposition. Just last week, news broke that plans to build New Yorks biggest battery on Staten Island fell through following fervent protest from the local community. Fears of battery fires have spread around the country following the massive blaze at Californias Moss Landing facility in January, even though that disaster stemmed from the projects outdated design. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Still, several broader trends suggest the sectors growth will continue. For one, President Donald Trumps One Big Beautiful Bill Act left incentives for battery storage relatively untouched, even as it yanked away tax credits for solar and wind projects. Then theres the fact that solar is growing steadily around the country, which will eventually create a need for storage in other states just as it has in California and Texas. Most important of all, demand for electricity is surging nationwide and batteries are among the cheapest and quickest ways to get more capacity onto the grid. CHEROKEE COUNTY, S.C. (WSPA) The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) said that a Cherokee County man was arrested after he sent multiple threats to a person over email due to their political opinions. On Tuesday October 28, 52-year-old Robert Dean Upchurch of Cherokee County was arrested and charged with unlawful communications, intimidation due to political opinions, and stalking. Warrants said threats began around August 14. Upchurch sent three emails to the victim, who lives in Orangeburg County, threatening to kill the victim and others like them. One of the emails said Im going to bring you down to the lowest u have ever been, bet on it all the while ill remain behind the scences or become famous. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Officials stated that Upchurch admitted to sending the emails, and the victim had documentation to confirm the emails. Upchurch was transported to the Cherokee 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 WSPA 7NEWS. CHICAGO A Chicago neighborhood is creating a safe space for children amid ongoing ICE raids in the city. The 2400/2500 block of North Bernard Street, near Fullerton Avenue in the Logan Square neighborhood, will be shut down to traffic for trick-or-treaters. I am asking for basic human decency: Governor Pritzker calls on Trump administration to stop ICE raids on Halloween weekend The two blocks obtained Block Party permits from the city. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Volunteers will patrol Bernard Street to protect the children and their parents. Earlier this week, Governor JB Pritzker wrote to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and DHS leadership, asking to suspend enforecement operations until Sunday around schools, parks and houses of worship. Federal agents deploy tear gas during clash with residents during Halloween party in Old Irving Park; at least 3 in custody Noem denied the governors request, calling it shameful and accused Pritzker of not recognizing the important work agents are doing to keep streets safe for kids. 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. CHICAGO (WGN) Some Chicago neighborhoods created safe trick-or-treating spaces amid Operation Midway Blitz, the Trump administrations immigration crackdown. We are going to fight hate with love, and were going to show them how we love people here in Little Village, said Baltazar Enriquez, President of the Little Village Community Council. As thousands of trick-or-treaters were out and about from Little Village on the Southwest Side to Logan Square on the Northwest Side, residents and community groups came together to watch out for one another. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Little Village, organizers prepared a Halloween event from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. with more than 200 volunteers from across the city and suburbs to ensure children can celebrate safely. The council arranged a walk along 26th Street from Sacramento to Kostner, where volunteers in costumes accompanied groups of children. And to not think about fear, not think about ICE, just think about having fun, Enriquez said. Safety emphasized as Chicago prepares for Halloween celebrations In Logan Square, volunteers patrolled the 2400 and 2500 blocks of Bernard near Fullerton, which was closed to traffic from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What does a little kid know about politics? Nothing. They just want candy. They just want to be happy, like us, resident George Hidalgo said. To the naked eye, things didnt look out of the ordinary, but residents say it was important to make sure people felt safe. To kind of clear it out, to kind of cut out what could possibly go wrong, anything we can do to just maintain the peace that we have, resident Stephanie Hidalgo said. Federal agents deploy tear gas during clash with residents near Halloween party in Irving Park The events came amid ongoing concerns about federal immigration activity in Chicago. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Witnesses say a childrens Halloween parade in Old Irving Park was disrupted last weekend when tear gas was deployed. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said Border Patrol agents were surrounded and charged at, releasing body-worn camera footage in response. Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker asked DHS Secretary Kristi Noem to pause enforcement activity until after the holiday. I am asking for basic human decency, Pritzker said. Governor Pritzker calls on Trump administration to stop ICE raids on Halloween weekend Noem rejected the request. We are absolutely not willing to pause any work we are doing to keep communities safe, she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Enriquez says federal agents conducted enforcement in the evening hours earlier this week. He hoped Halloween celebrations would proceed without issues and stressed the importance of the day. It kicks off Dia de los Muertos, so this is not just a holiday, it is a cultural thing, it is a traditional thing. We are not going to let this administration and ICE break our spirit, he said. Were going to be the example for the nation that we will fight this administration. We do not have guns, all we have is whistles. 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. CHICAGO Leo Felers message to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on Friday began with him quoting the Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Standing at a downtown news conference with local elected leaders, the 45-year-old Lakeview resident then said masked federal agents violated that foundational language that sets warrant requirements and prohibits illegal searches by bursting into his property last week and leaving a bloody scene in his garage while trying to arrest construction workers who were installing windows on his building. I think many of you and many of the viewers who are watching this will have similar experiences as me, Feler said. Across the United States, these types of jobs are done disproportionately by Hispanic and Latino workers. So I have a question for all of you and for all of the viewers: Should the U.S. government be allowed to invade your property, to jump over a locked fence, to come on to your home? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Feler, an economist, showed the Chicago Tribune security footage timestamped to Oct. 24 that featured what appeared to be federal agents, faces shielded with bandanas, running through a gangway and struggling to pull down a man who was straddling a fence mid-escape. One worker was detained inside his garage, Feler said, adding that the agents did not appear to have a warrant at any point. I spent most of last weekend cleaning up blood at my property, Feler said. Every now and then, Ill still be walking around and there will be a spot of blood I failed to clean up, and I will clean that up. Neighbors blowing whistles as well as Feler yelling, ICE, you are not allowed on my property. Get off my property. This is the United States. You are going into peoples homes dominated much of the audio in his security camera footage. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In one video, an agent hops over a fence and a voice off-camera then remarks, You made me cut myself, and when I cut myself, I get mad. DHS spokespeople did not immediately respond to a request for comment. However, Feler also had gripes with local leadership in Chicago. He said he attempted to file a police report on Monday accusing the federal agents of trespassing, breaking and entering, burglary, battery and assault and kidnapping. But after being rebuffed at his local Chicago Police Department precinct, and then filing a criminal damage to property report with CPDs detective bureau, he got disappointing news. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I later got a call from a sergeant saying they would not be able to continue with that police report because his higher-ups told him not to pursue it, Feler said, before addressing the media gaggle directly. So I am asking you to come with me to the police precinct after this press conference to help me get a police report filed. Chicago is bound by a sanctuary city ordinance that prohibits local police from cooperating with federal immigration officials. And as President Donald Trumps unpopular deportation campaign in the nations third-largest city progresses, residents have grown increasingly emboldened to confront federal agents directly and try to physically block them from carrying out raids. Mayor Brandon Johnson has nodded to that sentiment, signing a flurry of executive orders banning immigration agents from using city land or private property to carry out their deportation operations. He has even called for criminal charges against federal officers who violate his municipal decrees, and bristled at the notion that they were merely symbolic. But the mayor has yet to offer specifics on how he thinks enforcement against such agents should work. At the time Johnson signed the orders, Chicago police Superintendent Larry Snelling said that cops will not and cannot arrest federal agents because someone deems what they are doing is illegal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement CPD spokespeople didnt immediately respond to a request for comment on Friday about Felers complaint. His alderman, Bennett Lawson, walked out with him after the news conference and promised to contact police district leadership on his behalf. Fridays news conference at the Cook County Building was convened by U.S. Rep. Mike Quigley, a Chicago Democrat who called for DHSs Office of the Inspector General to investigate abuses by Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection during their operations in the Chicago area. Quigley stopped short of saying federal agents should be prosecuted under a future Democratic president but noted that documentation was a good first step. ICE and CBP have blatantly violated the rights of Chicago and since they arrived in our city, Quigley said. They have racially profiled citizens. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Another speaker the congressman brought up was Vanessa Aguirre-Avalos, the owner of the Luna y Cielo Play Cafe in Logan Square. She choked back tears as she laid out the lasting effects of the tear gas deployment from early this month outside her business as well as Funston Elementary School. My business has suffered deeply because our families are too afraid to go out. I am behind on rent, and may soon have to close my business, a space built to keep our culture and our language and our childrens joy alive, Aguirre-Avalos said. Aguirre-Avalos said one 3-year-old girl who has attended her day care since she was an infant clung tightly to her mother that afternoon and asked, Mommy, what happened? Now whenever she sees police lights, she freezes, reliving that trauma from Oct. 3, Aguirre-Avalos said. Im deeply worried about the trauma this is causing our children. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement All the while, arrests by federal immigration officers mount including at OHare International Airport, where a waiting area for rideshare drivers has been the grounds for more than 50 arrests. That parking lot is city property; the Johnson administration has responded to the immigration raids there by installing signage and security to keep the feds out, but they arent working. Johnson, asked by the Tribune this week what he will do about immigration officers flouting his executive orders, said well have to look at every single tool to hold this administration accountable. Asked how soon, the mayor said: Soon. As soon as possible. _____ Ashlee Rezin/Chicago Sun-Times via AP The Chicago Sun-Times is demanding that the Department of Homeland Security stop using its photos in the agencys social media posts, sending a letter to DHS Secretary Kristi Noem threatening a lawsuit. Like other federal government agencies during President Donald Trumps second term, DHS has taken a more aggressive approach to its social media communication, posting memes to promote job recruiting and attack the presidents critics. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Trump administration has sent National Guard troops and ICE agents into several U.S. cities, claiming it is necessary to crack down on crime and illegal immigration. However, this federal deployment has been done over the objections of many local and state elected officials, including Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker and Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson, who filed a lawsuit seeking to block it. The Sun-Times is among numerous local media outlets across the country that have been documenting the activities of federal agents and protests against them, and the paper says that DHS has been using some of the photo and video content produced by its journalists without permission. The Chicago Sun-Times is demanding the Department of Homeland Security remove its photos from government social media pages under threat of legal action after the paper says DHS repeatedly used its photos in posts. https://t.co/apv444dFHd Chicago Sun-Times (@Suntimes) October 31, 2025 Steven Mandell, attorney for the Sun-Times, sent a letter Thursday night to Noem and DHS acting general counsel Joseph Mazzara, the paper reported. The letter listed three of the newspapers photos that DHS had used in its social media posts recently. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement These usages are blatant infringements of the Sun-Times intellectual property rights, Mazzara wrote, and threatened to file a lawsuit for infringement if the agency did not remove the photos immediately from its social media accounts. Mazzara emphasized the Sun-Times view that it was imperative as a media organization that it maintains its independence in order to fairly report on government agencies, and found DHS use of its photos particularly egregious because it implied an endorsement of DHS activities, specifically its immigration enforcement actions. This false implication that CSTM gave permission for its intellectual property to be used in connection with the Departments publicity campaign damages CSTMs credibility and interferes with its ability to report on these issues, the letter continued. According to Mazzara, the statutory damages for this type of infringement could be up to $150,000 per violation, the Sun-Times reported. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Among the photos the paper says DHS used was one of federal agents walking in Chicago taken by Sun-Times photo desk editor Ashlee Rezin that was incorporated into an image resembling a movie poster for 2015s Sicario. Cicero or Sicario: A Day of Crashes. October 22nd was one of the most violent days faced by DHS law enforcement since the beginning of Operation Midway Blitz. To the rioters: you will not stop us or slow us down. pic.twitter.com/jrtmYabUb5 Homeland Security (@DHSgov) October 24, 2025 Another video montage tweeted by DHS used additional photos by Rezin and Sun-Times video journalist Zubaer Khan, wrote Mazzara. We REFUSE to back down from our mission to make America safe.@CMDROpAtLargeCA is putting his life on the line to protect our citizens, and no amount of radical terror or anarchy will stop us in our mission. pic.twitter.com/O6YcvWLmKe Homeland Security (@DHSgov) October 28, 2025 As of Friday evening, those posts with the photos the Sun-Times says are infringement are still up on the DHS account on X. The post Chicago Sun-Times Demands DHS Stop Using Its Photos in Social Media Posts Threatens to Sue first appeared on Mediaite. NEED TO KNOW A Chicago woman is stuck in Jamaica without life-saving kidney transplant medication amid the devastation caused by Hurricane Melissa, which hit the island on Oct. 28 Trinette Britt-Johnson, 58, was on her first vacation since undergoing the surgery last year when the deadly storm struck Officials are pleading for her to be brought back to the United States to receive the medication before it's too late A woman from Chicago who underwent a kidney transplant last year is stuck in Jamaica without critical medication after Hurricane Melissa tore through the island. Trinette Britt-Johnson, 58, headed to Jamaica for her first big vacation after having the operation in 2024, ABC 7 Chicago reported. She underwent the transplant after being diagnosed with a rare kidney disease years earlier, per CBS News. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Britt-Johnson was given the all-clear to travel two months ago, before she and her husband decided to visit Montego Bay, the outlet noted. RICARDO MAKYN/AFP via Getty A fallen tree is pictured in St. Catherine, Jamaica after Hurricane Melissa A fallen tree is pictured in St. Catherine, Jamaica after Hurricane Melissa During their trip, Hurricane Melissa made landfall in the country as a Category 5 storm on Tuesday, Oct. 28, with Jamaican Prime Minister Andrew Holness previously declaring the island a "disaster area," per a Facebook post. Britt-Johnson, who is the chief of staff to Rich Township Supervisor Calvin Jordan, has now been without her medication for days and has been sleeping in an ambulance while officials in Chicago try to help, Fox 32 Chicago reported. The medicine she needs supports kidney function, and it's critical that she gets it, according to CBS News. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Without the medication, Britt-Johnson's body will reject her donated kidney, ABC 7 Chicago noted. RICARDO MAKYN/AFP via Getty The Rio Cobre comes out of its banks near St. Catherine, Jamaica after Hurricane Melissa The Rio Cobre comes out of its banks near St. Catherine, Jamaica after Hurricane Melissa Cook County Commissioner Kisha McCaskill insisted Britt-Johnson must be flown back to the United States, saying, "It is absolutely a life-or-death situation. We are in a crisis," CBS News reported. "At this point, she has been without her medication for approximately 40 hours, and if she does not get this life treatment we're at risk of not having Trinette," she added, per the outlet's article published on Thursday, Oct. 30. Rich Township Supervisor Calvin Jordan, who Britt-Johnson works for, said, "She was technically trying to get out of [there] Saturday," according to the publication. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He added, "When I talked to her over the weekend, I said, 'I just want you to enjoy.' First we texted, and then she called, and she says 'Yeah, I want to enjoy, but I need to get off this island now.' " 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. Medical experts said transplants like the one Britt-Johnson underwent are rarely performed in Jamaican hospitals, so the medication is hard to come by, CBS News noted. She's reportedly been to three Jamaican hospitals, but none had it, the outlet reported, citing officials. McCaskill has asked President Donald Trump to step in, saying, "My appeal has been directly to Donald Trump; to President Trump. This is not a Democratic or Republican situation. We're talking about a young African American woman," per CBS News. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The U.S. Department of State is aware of the situation, according to ABC 7 Chicago. The U.S. Department of State, Rich Township Supervisor Calvin Jordan and Cook County Commissioner Dr. Kisha McCaskill didn't immediately respond when contacted by PEOPLE for comment. Read the original article on People A child was hit by a bus Friday morning in the 4800 block of Creek Bluff Lane. Clay County Sheriffs Office said they responded to the area at about 7:55 a.m. for a crash involving a school bus and a pedestrian at the intersection of Pine Ridge Parkway and Creek bluff Lane. The sheriffs office said Florida Highway Patrol is leading the investigation and any additional details would be released by them. Clay County Fire Rescue said the child was taken to the hospital and treated for minor injuries. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Action News Jax is awaiting response from FHP. >>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<< [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live. SALT LAKE CITY (ABC4) A West Jordan mans 2024 conviction of 25 sex-related crimes dating back decades has been overturned by the Utah Supreme Court. On Feb. 14, 2024, Jamison Smith, 50, was found guilty of 25 sex-related crimes, including one count of aggravated sexual abuse of a child and five counts of felony rape, among others. Decades-old allegations Charges claim that beginning in 2008, Smith regularly abused an underage female relative. During the case, it was revealed that there may have been other victims of abuse dating back to 1988. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There wasnt even a specific crime for sexual abuse of a child in the 80s, Clayton Simms, a local defense attorney unrelated to the case, told ABC4.com Later on, charges were filed against Smith, leading to a conviction in 2024. After the conviction, Smith appealed the decision, claiming that the court made an error by leaving an issue involving the statute of limitations up to the jury rather than the judge. Statute of limitations There was a different statute of limitations back in the day, Simms said, adding that the case required a decision be made on whether or not the charges were time sensitive to be prosecuted. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Since 2008, the State of Utah has had no statute of limitations on sex-related crimes, meaning such crimes could be prosecuted indefinitely regardless of how long ago the crimes were committed. Smith argued that at the time of the offense, the statute of limitations was in place. They are arguing that once a minor informs law enforcement, prosecution must begin within one year, Simms said. The statute of limitations was triggered. Family of man killed during No Kings protest announces intent to file lawsuit Its based on what statute of limitations was in effect at the time of the crime, Simms added, The argument that was presented to the court is that is that its a year from when it was disclosed to law enforcement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Records show one victim may have reported the abuse after being taken out of class in seventh grade. Smith argues this qualifies as a report to law enforcement, meaning the deadline to press charges against him ended in 1989. Records show charges were filed in 2022. The Supreme Court says that the burden of determining this issue of a statute of limitations falls on the judge presiding over the case. However, during the trial, the determination was left up to the jury. We reverse and remand for the district court to complete that determination, the Supreme Court order reads, requiring the judge to decide whether or not the statute of limitations was met. Simms says the ruling will require a retrial in district court. Smith is expected to remain in prison on multiple sex-crime related convictions for different cases. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement How to make ABC4 your preferred news source on Google Notably, Simms added that the retrial may cause some difficulties, because it has been so long since the crime occurred. It is difficult for the defendant to defend himself, because the alibi witness might be lost, witnesses memories may have faded, Simms said, In fact, you may not remember where you were in 1980, 1988, on a specific day. On the other hand, it may be difficult to connect Smith or other defendants to a decades-long crime, because the victim or prosecution witnesses that were available during the original trial may not be available for the retrial. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is a developing story. ABC4 will update this post as more information becomes available. Latest headlines: Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah. Police and demonstrators square off during a protest outside of the immigration processing and detention facility on Oct. 11, 2025 in Broadview, Illinois. Scott Olson via Getty Images Theresnoquestion that Trumps reckless ICE raids in cities across the U.S. most recently in Chicago, where more than 3,000 people have been arrestedare meant to create a climate of fear among law-abiding immigrants and citizens living in liberal strongholds. No matter what your stance on immigration might be, I think its pretty fair to say that randomly snatching people who are going about their everyday lives sounds like the building plot of a dystopian horror film. Wednesday morning, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker (D) had to make a heartbreaking plea via a letter to the Department of Homeland Security: to pause immigration raids in Chicago for Halloween weekend long enough to allow children to celebrate the holiday without fear. The letter was sent to U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem, acting Director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Todd M. Lyons, and Commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection Rodney S. Scott, per NBC. Specifically, it asks for a pause in ICE operations from Friday, Oct. 31 until Sunday, Nov. 2, in and around homes, schools, hospitals, parks, houses of worship, and other community gatherings where Halloween celebrations are taking place. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The communication feels necessary, given the current atmosphere in Chicago and other cities where innocent civilians are experiencing the violence involved in ICEs pursuits. This past weekend, federal agents in gas masks dropped tear gas on a neighborhood where a childrens Halloween parade was underway, forcing the organizers to cancel the celebrations, per ABC. Even in these difficult times, they should be able to trust that they are safe if only for one weekend, Pritzker wrote in his letter. Unfortunately, it appears that business and the brutality that often ensues alongside it will proceed as usual, since the request was denied by Noem. Its become overwhelmingly evident that Trumps raids are traumatizing the children who are simply existing in our communities. And as for the purported criminals theyre arresting to justify this trauma? Sixty-five percent of the people arrested by ICE so far this year have no criminal records, per the Cato Institute, and more than 93% have never been convicted of a violent offense. Politics: Pritzker Says Trump Admin Is Making Chicago A 'War Zone,' As ICE Raids Increase Even the language the government is using to justify the Chicago raids, which is being dubbed Operation Midway Blitz, sounds straight out of a World War II history textbook. All of this is by design, a part of the larger Trump narrative that the U.S. is being invaded from within. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If the Trump administration has little regard for peoples lives, not caring about the well-being of children is a whole new level of demonic aura. But as disheartening as the scenes of ICE raids in Chicago have been, weve also seen evidence of people standing together and fighting back, including clips of dozens of people filming officers as they arrest civilians to make sure this abysmal time in history is recorded for all to see. Frankly, we cant believe were in the children deserve to celebrate a holiday without fearing for their lives part of the second Trump term, yet here we are. Read Next Read the original on HuffPost Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center China launched its Shenzhou-21 spacecraft on Friday, carrying a new three-person crew to man the country's Tiangong space station on a mission focused on scientific research. The replacement crew includes China's youngest-ever taikonaut as China's space program calls its astronauts and, for the first time since Beijing launched its program, it will also include live mammals. The Shenzhou-21 and its crew blasted off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China atop a Long March-2F rocket just before midnight on Friday, or about 11 a.m. Eastern. The taikonauts on board Zhang Lu, Wu Fei, and Zhang Hongzhang will rotate in so the trio currently on board the Chinese space station from the Shenzhou-20 mission, which launched on April 24, can come back home after their six-months in space. The exact date of their return has yet to be announced. A Long March-2F carrier rocket, carrying the Shenzhou-21 spacecraft and a crew of three astronauts, lifts off from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in the Gobi desert in northwest China on Oct. 31, 2025. / Credit: Hector Retamal/AFP via Getty Images The Shenzhou-21 crew are scheduled to conduct a total of 27 scientific and applied research projects during their mission, focusing on multiple fields including space life sciences, biotechnology, space medicine, space materials science, microgravity fluid physics and combustion and new space technologies, according to information provided by the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Along with the taikonauts, Shenzhou-21 is carrying four mice two females and two males the first live mammals ever carried by China into space. Two previous missions to the Tiangong station carried live fish. The taikonauts will study the effects of microgravity and confined space conditions on the behavioral patterns of mice. The Shenzhou-21 crew, with Lu as their commander are scheduled to live aboard the space station for approximately six months, just like the crew they are replacing. Taikonauts Zhang Hongzhang, Wu Fei, and Zhang Lu wave during a send-off ceremony before taking part in the Shenzhou-21 spaceflight mission to China's Tiangong space station, at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, near Jiuquan, Gansu province, China, Oct. 31, 2025. / Credit: Reuters/Maxim Shemetov It won't be the first visit to the station for Lu, who previously served on the Shenzhou-15 mission. The other two crew members are making their first spaceflight, and Flight Engineer Wu, born in 1993, will be the youngest taikonaut ever sent into space by his nation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I feel incomparably lucky," he told reporters Thursday. "Being able to integrate my personal dreams into the glorious journey of China's space program is the greatest fortune this era has bestowed upon me." Crowds gathered around the Jiuquan launch site on Friday ahead of the countdown, and a man who identified himself to CBS News only as Mr. Zhao said he was "very excited" to be there with his 7-year-old son, "hoping to plant the seed of a space dream into his heart." China's growing "space dream" China has ramped up its space program unilaterally since being excluded from the International Space Station project largely over the U.S. government's concerns about the Chinese military's full control over its program to achieve its "space dream" under President Xi Jinping. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It has manned the Tiangong station since 2021, and there are now plans to bring the first non-Chinese crewmember aboard the facility. China will arrange for one Pakistani national to undertake a short-term space mission in the future, the CMSA has said, following the signing of a cooperation agreement between the two countries in February. An artist's impression of the Tiangong space station with two Shenzhou crew ships and an automated cargo carrier attached to docking ports. / Credit: China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation The process to select a Pakistani national for training has already begun, along with planning for training programs and to prepare logistical support for Pakistanis under consideration. Following the selection process, two Pakistani nationals will travel to China to train alongside Chinese taikonauts for future missions, the CMSA said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement CMSA spokesperson Zhang Jingbo said during a news conference this week ahead of the Shenzhou-21 launch that China would welcome international partners to participate in missions aboard its space station. The work done on China's space station coincides with and often compliments the nation's efforts to be the first nation to land a person on the moon's surface in more than 40 years. Chinese officials have made it a public goal to land taikonauts on the moon's surface by 2030, and eventually to build a lunar base. China has already landed unmanned probes on the moon, including the first ever to land and collect samples from the celestial body's far side just last year. "Overall, the research and construction has been running smoothly, with China aiming to achieve the goal of landing Chinese astronauts on the moon before 2030," Zhang said this week ahead of the looming Shenzhou launch, indicating that the CMSA remains on track to meet its lunar goals. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump wants Senate Republicans to scrap the filibuster to end the government shutdown House lawmakers told their paychecks are delayed until government reopens Video shows massive damage in Jamaica from Hurricane Melissa BEIJING (Reuters) -China's Shenzhou-21 space rocket and its crew including the youngest member of its astronaut corps blasted off on Friday atop a Long March-2F rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Centre in northwest China, Chinese state media reported. It was the seventh mission to the permanently inhabited Chinese space station since it was completed in 2022. Missions on China's Shenzhou-21 spacecraft involve trios of astronauts on six-month stays in space, with veteran astronauts increasingly replaced by younger faces. First-timers Zhang Hongzhang, 39, and Wu Fei, 32 - China's youngest astronaut to be sent to space - were picked to participate in the programme in 2020. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Commander Zhang Lu, 48, flew on the 2022 Shenzhou-15 mission. FIRST SMALL MAMMALS ON SPACE STATION The Shenzhou-21 astronauts will take over from the Shenzhou-20 crew who had lived and worked on board Tiangong, or "Heavenly Palace", for more than six months. The Shenzhou-20 astronauts will return to Earth in the coming days. The Shenzhou-21 crew were also joined by four black mice, the first small mammals to be taken to the Chinese space station. The mice will be used in experiments on reproduction in low Earth orbit. Biannual launches have become the norm for the Shenzhou programme, which has in the past year reached new milestones with the deployment of Chinese astronauts born in the 1990s, a world-record spacewalk, and plans to train and send the first foreign astronaut, from Pakistan, to Tiangong next year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The rapid advances have raised alarm bells in Washington, which is now racing to put a U.S. astronaut on the moon again before China does. Both countries are also competing in nascent institution-building efforts, with the U.S.-led Artemis Accords on lunar exploration matched up against the Chinese and Russian-led International Lunar Research Station. (Reporting by Ryan Woo and Eduardo Baptista; Editing by David Holmes) GYEONGJU, South Korea, Oct. 31 (UPI) -- World leaders kicked off the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit on Friday, with Chinese President Xi Jinping taking the spotlight to call for multilateralism and free trade one day after his meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump cooled off their simmering trade war. The two-day gathering brings together the leaders of the 21 APEC member economies, along with guest nations and international organizations, to work on an agenda of trade, sustainable growth and regional integration. During Friday's first session, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung emphasized the importance of the annual APEC gathering amid a tumultuous global economic environment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We are at a critical juncture, where the international order is undergoing a turbulent transformation," Lee said in his opening remarks. "Cooperation and solidarity are the only sure answers that will lead us to a better future." Much of the attention leading up to the summit this week was on the highly anticipated meeting between Trump and Xi Thursday in Busan, where the leaders of the two superpowers addressed several contentious trade issues. South Korean President Lee Jae Myung makes opening remarks at the first session of the APEC summit in Gyeongju on Friday. Photo by APEC 2025 KOREA/Yonhap Trump agreed to lower tariffs on China by 10% as Beijing said it would pause export controls on rare earth minerals for a year and resume buying soybeans from the United States. China also agreed to work to stem the flow of precursor chemicals used to make fentanyl. The U.S. president declared the meeting a "great success." The APEC leaders' summit began Friday in the historic city of Gyeongju, South Korea. Photo by Thomas Maresca/UPI "Overall, on the scale of from zero to 10, with 10 being the best, I would say the meeting was a 12," Trump said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Tariffs still remain at 47% on China, however, with some analysts and opposition leaders saying that Trump merely tamped down the crisis he created with his so-called "Liberation Day" tariffs. Chinese President Xi Jinping (L) and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung shake hands at the APEC official reception on Friday in Gyeongju. Photo by APEC 2025 KOREA/Yonhap "[Trump] started a trade war, created a giant mess for American businesses, consumers and farmers," Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer wrote on X on Friday. "And now he's trying to celebrate how he cleaned up the very same mess he created in the first place," Schumer wrote. "All while not fixing actual problems we face with China." Tourists in traditional Korean garb look at a section of Donggung Palace, an ancient site from the Silla Dynasty in Gyeongju. Photo by Thomas Maresca/UPI Trump returned to Washington after his meeting with Xi, leaving the Chinese leader on center stage at a multinational forum that represents more than 60% of global GDP and half of world trade. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Xi took advantage of the spotlight on Friday with a speech defending multilateralism and free trade based on the World Trade Organization system. South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun said Thursday that delegates were "very close" to adopting a joint declaration at the end of the APEC summit. Photo by Thomas Maresca/UPI "We should work together to safeguard the multilateral trading system," Xi said in remarks calling for greater regional economic integration. "Currently, changes unseen in a century are accelerating across the world. The international situation is fluid and turbulent," he said. "The Asia-Pacific faces growing uncertainties and destabilizing factors in its development. The rougher the seas, the more we must pull together." A visitor walks past Cheomseongdae, an astronomical observatory dating back to the 7th century in Gyeongju on Friday. Photo by Thomas Maresca/UPI Xi is holding a series of key bilateral meetings at APEC with leaders including Japan's new Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, South Korea's Lee and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "China's door to the world will not close," Xi said in his speech. "It will only open wider and wider." South Korea, meanwhile, is seeking to produce a "Gyeongju Declaration" at the conclusion of the APEC summit on Saturday, as delegates continue to haggle over language related to free trade. The leaders' declaration can only be adopted by consensus, requiring unanimous agreement among all members. On Thursday, Foreign Minister Cho Hyun said during a press briefing that the forum was "very close" to reaching a deal on the declaration. Leaders of Pacific countries and territories, including Chinas Xi Jinping, adopted a joint declaration on trade and investment at a major summit in South Korea Saturday. But the leader of one global powerhouse is conspicuously absent: Donald Trump. The US president flew out of South Korea Thursday, moments after his landmark meeting with his Chinese counterpart that appeared to de-escalate the protracted trade conflict between the worlds two largest economies. With Trump choosing to skip the annual summit of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation which groups together countries accounting for more than half of global trade Xi stepped into the limelight by calling for unity, cooperation and proposing a global body to govern artificial intelligence. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Despite his absence, Trumps protectionist trade policies and punishing global tariffs have loomed over the two-day event in the city of Gyeongju. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stood in for Trump during the discussions. The grouping of 21 economies on both sides of the Pacific signed the Gyeongju Declaration, which included commitments to cooperate on economic recovery and growth. The leaders also adopted an AI initiative and a framework to respond to demographic changes caused by low birth rates and aging populations. The world is undergoing rapid changes unseen in a century, Xi told the forum in his opening remarks Friday. The more turbulent the times are, the more we must stand together in solidarity. Chinas door to openness will not close; it will only open wider, Xi said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Decisions made in Gyeongju are non-binding and leaders have faced difficulty reaching consensus in the past including on thorny issues like Russias war in Ukraine. But a major focus for the forum this year was on strengthening supply chains and encouraging cooperation as economies worldwide reel from Trumps tariff offensive. In their declaration, the leaders acknowledged that the global trading system continues to face significant challenges, and as su ch they would support efforts to ensure resilient supply chains and create new drivers of growth through digital innovations, including AI. Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi shakes hands with Chinese President Xi Jinping ahead of their talks in Gyeongju, South Korea, October 31, 2025 in this photo distributed by Kyodo. - Kyodo/Reuters We are standing at a critical inflection point with a rapidly changing global economic order, South Korean president and APEC chair Lee Jae Myung said in his address to the summit Friday. Only cooperation and solidarity can surely lead us to a better future. Lee also sat down for talks with Xi, who is on a state visit to South Korea, in the first summit meeting between the two leaders. The two discussed ways to expand cooperation and advance denuclearization on the Korean Peninsula, according to the South Korean presidential office. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ahead of the talks, Lee said the relationship between Seoul and Beijing has not completely recovered yet and there was a need to find the path for helping one another. He looked forward to China playing a role in promoting peace on the peninsula, Lee said. North Korea called talk of denuclearization a pipedream that will never be realized. The countrys Vice Foreign Minister Pak Myong Ho accused South Korea of lacking common sense for refusing to acknowledge Pyongyang as a nuclear-armed state, the state-run Korea Central News Agency reported Saturday. Among the high-profile meetings Xi had on the sidelines of APEC was with Japans newly installed Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, a staunch conservative who has criticized Chinas growing military presence in the region and called for cooperation with Taiwan, the self-ruled island that Beijing claims as its own. Xi told Takaichi that China was ready to work with Japan for constructive, stable bilateral ties that meet requirements of the new era, Chinese state news agency Xinhua reported. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I aim to maintain communication with you and therefore jointly promote the development of China-Japan relations along the right track, Xi said. Takaichi faced a tough balancing act in her meeting with Xi. China remains Japans largest trading partner and Takaichi inherited a country facing mounting economic woes. She told reporters after the meeting that China and Japan agreed to build a strategic mutually beneficial relationship. But Takaichi said she also expressed concerns to Xi on sensitive issues including Chinese export controls on rare earths, Chinas activity in the East China Sea, and the detention of Japanese nationals in China. I also asked China to resume Japanese beef and seafood imports, she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The meeting appeared in stark contrast to the warm camaraderie showed by Takaichi and Trump in Tokyo just days before, when the two allies had embarked on a new golden age of relations. Takaichi and Trump demonstrated a close bond complete with smiles, fist pumps and jokes. For Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, who is involved in an escalating trade war with Trump, meeting with Xi marked a turning point in their relationship, according to his office. In an earlier speech that echoed Xi and Lees addresses to APEC, Carney told the forum that the world was facing another hinge moment in history. Our world is undergoing one of the most profound shifts since the fall of the Berlin Wall, he said. That old world of steady expansion of liberalized trade and investment that world is gone. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Carney had been looking for a reset of Canada-China relations after years of worsening ties and diplomatic rows. Trade negotiations with the US, Canadas biggest trading partner, are at a dead end, and Carney said at the APEC summit that he was aiming to double non-US exports over the next decade in an effort to diversify away from the US. The two leaders affirmed their commitment to renewing the relationship between their two countries in a pragmatic and constructive way and discussed a framework to deepen cooperation across a range of areas from clean and conventional energy, to agriculture, manufacturing, climate change, and international finance, the prime ministers office said. Carney also accepted an invitation to visit China and both leaders directed their officials to move quickly to resolve outstanding trade issues and irritants. Speaking to reporters on Saturday, Carney said that he had apologized to Trump for a political advertisement that angered the President so much that he terminated trade talks with Canada. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I did apologize to the President, Carney said when asked by a reporter about the issue on Saturday. The President was offended by the ad. Its not something I would have done which is to put in place that advertisement, and so I apologized to him. The ad was released last month by the government of Canadas Ontario province and featured audio from a speech by former US President Ronald Reagan criticizing tariffs on foreign goods. CNNs Joyce Jiang and Yoonjung Seo contributed to this story For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com BEIJING (Reuters) -China's cyberspace administrator held a symposium on cross-border data transfers with foreign firms on Friday in Beijing, where officials introduced recent progress in China's data security management and addressed firms' concerns. Over 30 foreign companies attended the meeting, the administrator said in a statement on its website. (Reporting by Beijing NewsroomEditing by Mark Potter) Conflicts and disagreements should not define Beijing's ties with Tokyo, Chinese President Xi Jinping said in his first sit-down meeting with the new Japanese prime minister on Friday. The 30-minute discussion with Sanae Takaichi, who was formally sworn into office last week, took place on the sidelines of the two-day Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) summit in Gyeongju, South Korea. "The two countries should properly manage differences by focusing on the bigger picture, seeking common ground while reserving differences," Xi was quoted as saying by state broadcaster CCTV. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Do you have questions about the biggest topics and trends from around the world? Get the answers with SCMP Knowledge, our new platform of curated content with explainers, FAQs, analyses and infographics brought to you by our award-winning team. "Efforts should be made to prevent conflicts and disagreements from defining the broader bilateral relationship." Xi and Takaichi largely kept to the diplomatic groundwork laid out in previous meetings between the countries' leaders, reaffirming their commitment to pursue "a strategically and mutually beneficial relationship" and build constructive and stable ties. Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi greets Chinese President Xi Jinping ahead of their talks in Gyeongju, South Korea, on Friday. Photo: Kyodo alt=Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi greets Chinese President Xi Jinping ahead of their talks in Gyeongju, South Korea, on Friday. Photo: Kyodo> Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For her part, Takaichi acknowledged the array of lingering issues and challenges between Tokyo and Beijing. But she voiced hope about tackling them head-on and improving mutual understanding. "I hope to engage in candid dialogue with President Xi and deepen the relationship between the two leaders," Takaichi said. After the meeting, Takaichi told a press briefing that she raised their countries' territorial disputes, the detention and safety of Japanese nationals in China, as well as Beijing's import restrictions on Japanese beef and seafood products. According to a Japanese statement on the talks, Takaichi raised strong concerns about China's export controls on rare earths, adding that the two countries would strengthen communication, including through their Japan-China Export Control Dialogue. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Xi and Takaichi also agreed on the importance of ensuring effective crisis management and communication between their defence authorities, according to the statement. Their first in-person meeting came after the countries' top diplomats spoke by phone on Tuesday, with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi referring to "positive signals" from Japan's new cabinet and urging it to take a solid "first step" in its engagement with China. Wang told Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi that historical issues and the Taiwan question were fundamental matters in bilateral ties. During the call, Motegi raised "strong concerns regarding China's export control measures on rare earths" and called for remaining agricultural trade restrictions to be lifted. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, on Friday, Xi said in his opening remarks that he hoped to maintain communication with Takaichi and "work together to develop Sino-Japanese relations along the right track". Beijing and Tokyo are major trading partners but their ties are frequently tested by historical mistrust, territorial disputes and Japan's alliance with the United States. In Beijing, there are growing worries that Takaichi's surprise elevation to prime minister might strain relations with Beijing because of her nationalistic views and hawkish security policies. In a sign of wariness towards her hardline foreign policies, Xi refrained from sending a congratulatory message to Takaichi, a departure from the precedent set with three previous prime ministers, including her predecessor, Shigeru Ishiba. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Takaichi has long been known for her hardline views, criticising China's growing military presence in the region and adopting a nationalist tone on Japan's wartime history. Her past stance on visiting Yasukuni Shrine - a regular sore point with Japan's neighbours - and her close bond with Taiwan are considered potential flashpoints in relations. 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. In addition to her frequent engagement with Taiwanese officials in the past, Takaichi has picked various pro-Taiwan politicians for cabinet positions, including Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara, the prime minister's right-hand cabinet official. The former defence minister is a staunch supporter of Taiwan and is a senior member of the Japan-Taiwan parliamentary league. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Xi urged Takaichi to uphold important agreements regarding historical issues and Taiwan, ensuring that the foundation of Sino-Japanese relations remained intact and unshaken, according to Chinese state broadcaster CCTV. The Japanese leader mentioned that Xi raised the Taiwan issue first and that they discussed it. On the matter of Yasukuni Shrine, Takaichi appeared to adopt a flexible and pragmatic stance, opting to skip visits during the shrine's three-day autumn festival two weeks ago. One of her first acts as prime minister was to announce a defence spending target of 2 per cent of GDP within the current financial year ending in March, accelerating the timeline from the original goal set for the 2027 financial year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And in a policy address last week, Takaichi called China an "important neighbour" and said Tokyo needed to foster "constructive and stable" ties with Beijing and promote a "strategic and mutually beneficial" relationship. But she also emphasised her government's commitment to bolstering multilateral security ties with the US and South Korea and involvement in the Quad, a strategic security dialogue that also includes the US, Australia and India. A close ally of the US, Japan hosts the biggest concentration of the US military abroad. US President Donald Trump and Takaichi signed an agreement on Tuesday "securing" supplies of critical minerals and rare earths. The move was seen as an attempt to counter Beijing's strong grip on rare earths. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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. New York City votes Tuesday for its next mayor, but Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer still has to make a decision on who hell pick on his ballot. The Democratic leader ran away from the press Friday when asked who he intended to cast his ballot for in the upcoming election. [Zohran] Mamdani, are you going to vote for him? asked CNNs Manu Raju. The bottom line is very simple. I have a good relationship with him, and were continuing to talk, said Schumer. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But the vote is on Tuesday. What are you going to do? pressed Raju. But Schumer had already turned his back and walked out of the room. After a tight Democratic primary (and stunning upset victory) this summer, Mamdani has gained citywide appeal. The Ugandan-born New Yorker is currently leading the mayoral race by double digits, according to three new polls out this week. An Emerson College poll published Thursday put Mamdani at 50 percent favorability with likely voters. ExNew York Governor Andrew Cuomo trailed behind at 25 percent, while the poll estimated that Republican mayoral candidate Curtis Sliwa would attract 21 percent. Just 5 percent of voters remained undecided, according to the Emerson College poll. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mamdanis candidacy has proven a pivotal turning point for the Democratic Party, separating out the politicians with a dream for the future against those without one. Ultimately, Schumers abstention only serves as yet another illustration of how detached Democratic leadership has become from the desires of their base, who apparentlyper New Yorks anticipated election resultscrave drastic change. Mamdanis campaign has already collected support from the likes of Senators Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and New York Governor Kathy Hochul. Like Schumer, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries waited until the last minute to support the Democratic Socialist. Jeffries extended his backing just last week, too late to make any meaningful difference in the races outcome. Democratic U.S. Rep. Greg Landsman will now have to run in a more Republican Cincinnati-area congressional district under a new map approved on Oct. 31. The Ohio Redistricting Commission approved a new map with bipartisan support a compromise that avoids worst-case scenarios for both Republicans and Democrats. The new 1st District includes the city of Cincinnati, but moves some Hamilton County suburbs including Blue Ash, Evendale, Sharonville, Wyoming and Mount Healthy to the 8th District. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The district also now includes all of heavily Republican Clinton Count which was in the 2nd District. The 1st District continues to include heavily Republican Warren County. Western Hamilton County suburbs that had been in the 8th District represented by U.S. Rep. Warren Davidson now move into the 1st District. Rep. Greg Landsman was first Democrat to win re-election to Cincinnati-area district since 1984 Landsman, a Democrat from Mount Washington, flipped the seat for the Democrats in 2022 when he defeated longtime Republican Rep. Steve Chabot. Amid a national redistricting arms race to secure control of the U.S. House of Representatives, Ohio Republicans could have drawn a map that added three GOP seats. Instead, they targeted two Democratic districts held by Landsman and Toledo Rep. Marcy Kaptur. In 2024, Landsman was the first Democrat re-elected to a Cincinnati-area congressional seat since 1984. He defeated Republican Orlando Sonza 54% to 46%. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chair Suzan DelBene praised Ohio Democrats for "negotiating to prevent an even more egregious gerrymander." U.S. Rep. Greg Landsman makes his acceptance speech at Queen City Exchange in downtown Cincinnati on Tuesday, Nov.5, 2024. Top Ohio House Democrat says Landsman can still win Ohio House Minority Leader Dani Isaacsohn, D-Cincinnati, contended that each of Ohio's Democratic members of Congress could win under the new map. That includes Landsman, a fellow Cincinnati Democrat. Isaacsohn defended his vote, saying: "This is a district Greg Landsman can and will win in, and that's what the people of Cincinnati deserve." The seven-member Ohio Redistricting Commission unanimously approved the new map on Oct. 31. Republicans hailed the outcome as evidence that voter-approved, anti-gerrymandering rules worked. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Coming to an agreement that is in the best interest of the state, not just the most vocal elements of either party, I think is some of the toughest things that we can do as elected leaders in 2025," said state Rep. Brian Stewart, R-Ashville. Democrats said they were negotiating under the gun of a broken process. Ohio Senate Minority Leader Nickie Antonio called the map the best of all their bad options. "Facing this impossible challenge with no certain path to preserve a fair map, we worked toward compromise," said Antonio, D-Lakewood. Ohio's leaders are voting on a new congressional map for the next three elections. Democrats agreed to the deal to protect Akron-area congresswoman and keep Cincinnati district competitive Ohio Democrats agreed to the congressional map, which is more favorable to Republicans than the current districts, to save Democratic Rep. Emilia Sykes of Akron and keep the Cincinnati seat competitive. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They faced a deadline because Ohio's Constitution allows Republicans to draw a map without Democratic input or support in November. And they were wary of what the U.S. Supreme Court will do to the Voting Rights Act, which protects against racial gerrymandering. However, Kaptur faces an uphill battle in the new 9th congressional district. The nation's longest-serving congresswoman eked out a win in 2024 when President Donald Trump won the district by nearly 7 percentage points. The new district stretches along northwestern Ohio and includes the home of Ohio Senate President Rob McColley, a Republican considering a 2026 congressional bid. Kaptur said she's running for re-election anyway. "Let the Columbus politicians make their self-serving maps and play musical chairs, I will fight on for the people and ask the voters for their support next year," she wrote. Gerrymandering diminishes our states stature even as population stagnates. Ohio voters have consistently called for fair representation and transparency. While Democrats on the Redistricting Commission proposed a fair map at the outset of this process, in one party rule Marcy Kaptur (@Marcy_Kaptur) October 31, 2025 By making a deal, Ohio Democrats gave up the chance to challenge the new congressional map on the 2026 ballot. The threat of an expensive ballot campaign and its uncertain outcome drove state lawmakers from both sides to the bargaining table. Republicans wanted that certainty after lawsuits threw the last map into turmoil for years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Theres a process set up under the Constitution that allows you to remove all confusion and doubt," said former Ohio Republican Party Chairman Bob Paduchik, who sees a path for Republicans to win 12 to 13 seats under the new map. "I think this is a great map for Republicans and Im looking forward to the 2026 congressional cycle." How did the new congressional map come together? The new map came together mid-week through negotiations with Ohio House Speaker Matt Huffman, McColley, Antonio and Isaacsohn. The lines were drawn by Republican and Democratic staff and consultants without public feedback. The map, which will last through the 2031, wasn't posted until after 4 p.m. on Oct. 30 18 hours before the vote. The new congressional map pairs downtown Columbus with Miami County and Highland County. The plan also splits Mansfield, a city of 47,600 people in Richland County, into two congressional districts. The new 8th congressional district will include Cincinnati's suburbs paired with rural Preble and Darke counties. "Theres a lot of anger and frustration in this room, and its not just the result of this most recent betrayal. The anger and frustration has been years in the making," said Mia Lewis, associate director at Common Cause Ohio, which advocated for the failed 2024 ballot measure to put residents in charge of mapmaking. "You have shown all of us, all of Ohio, that politicians cannot be involved in drawing district lines." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jen Miller, executive director of the League of Women Voters of Ohio, said the public was shut out, the process was rigged and incumbents were favored. "Republican and Democratic voters feel like their parties sold them outand they're both right." This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Rep. Greg Landsman targeted in Ohio congressional redistricting Nearly five years after its founding, City Cast is recalibrating its local-news formula. The media startup, backed by Graham Holdings and known for its daily podcasts and newsletters, is shuttering its operations in Houston and Boise while launching in the Twin Cities and Seattle. At the same time, it's introducing social video as a core pillar of its model-part of what founder David Plotz calls "City Cast 2.0." The moves follow a period of rapid expansion that saw the company grow to more than a dozen markets in three years. Now, City Cast has learned enough to refine which cities and formats make sense. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We realized that we weren't in the right mix of cities," Plotz said. "Houston is just too big to feel like a single community, and Boise, while wonderful, is too small. We do best in places with an urban, left-leaning, engaged audience, and a lively local media scene." Finding the right markets City Cast now operates in 13 cities with a staff of roughly 90. After launching in 2021 with two markets, Chicago and Denver, it expanded to 11 by January 2024, and opened operations in Nashville and Austin last April. Each market runs a small local team-typically a host, writer, producer, and salesperson-supported by a central production and marketing hub. The company's audience continues to grow: Newsletter subscribers have climbed to around 500,000 from 350,000 last year, according to Plotz, and its podcast listenership has risen to 240,000 monthly users from 175,000 a year ago. City Cast is unprofitable, but its progress is notable. Revenue will nearly double in 2025 to between $4 million and $6 million, according to Plotz, driven by a mix of advertising and memberships. Thats a significant jump from the roughly $3 million in revenue it touted last spring, as ADWEEK first reported. The company has around 5,000 paying "Neighbors," who contribute $10 per month or $100 per year for ad-free shows, exclusive newsletters, merchandise, and access to events. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement FOR Scoops, Sharp Analysis, and Insider Context By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy . You may opt-out anytime by clicking unsubscribe from the newsletter or from your account. The shift in markets accompanies a broader repositioning of the company's mission. City Cast now frames its work less as producing daily shows and more as helping people "be better actors in their cities," according to Plotz. That civic orientation has informed its event programming-street festivals in Salt Lake City and Portland, smaller gatherings for members-and even its membership language, rebranding "Members" as "Neighbors." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We're not just making podcasts," Plotz said. "We're building communities that help people learn about, and participate in, the places they live." Adding social video In its next phase, City Cast is expanding beyond newsletters and podcasts into short-form video on platforms like TikTok, Instagram Reels, and YouTube Shorts. Rather than full-episode uploads, the videos feature local hosts riffing on daily stories, showcasing events, and giving personality-driven commentary. The move is both a growth strategy and a bet on creator-led storytelling. "When people think of the quintessential figure of their city, it should be our host," Plotz said. "That's what we're working toward." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The shift makes strategic sense, according to Bob Cohn, president of the local media startup The Baltimore Banner. "If you're going into younger markets, having a social-video component is smart," Cohn said. "Both podcasts and social video lend themselves to personality-driven journalism, and building around people who are genuine characters can be a wise approach. It's also the kind of work that's hardest for AI to replicate." Cohn added that City Cast's focus on certain civic attributes-progressive, highly engaged, college-town audiences-also distinguishes it from more traditional local outlets. "They're not big enough to do tons of original reporting, so there has to be a vibrant conversation already happening in those places," he said. "Their product thrives when there's something to riff on." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Internally, the company has centralized its production operations and overhauled its content cadence. Podcasts now rely more on recurring contributors than one-off guests, and the popular "Roundup" episodes are airing twice weekly. Plotz called this next chapter a reset: a smaller set of markets, a clearer civic mission, and a renewed emphasis on community and hosts as local personalities. "Media is change or die," he said. "We've built something that makes cities better by making people more engaged in them. That's the work we're doubling down on." CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA) One city in Central Illinois is considering a raise on the price to park your car, specifically the cost to park at a meter. Kris Koester at Champaign Public Works said the citys parking fund has been operating at a loss. The last time the city raised parking prices was 2009, when it set meter prices at $0.25 to $1 per hour. Koester said that a balanced budget would help maintain a sustainable parking system. He shared that paying for parking helps the city provide convenient parking in congested areas like Campustown and downtown, as well as keep the lights on in parking garages. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Champaign factory that sat vacant for 2 decades to be replaced by apartment complex Koester added that the city is making these decisions methodically, so its not all at once and theres no sticker shock, but it still lines up with their budget cycle. The city even had an external source come in and do a study on their parking system. Weve known for a while that we have a structural deficit in the fund, and so we didnt want to just make assumptions and make changes on our own, Koester said. We could have easily done that, but we wanted to review our entire parking system with someone who is more of an expert in the field. He also said that the only decision made at this weeks city council meeting was to have staff look into how price increases could help the citys budget. Koester said that if they do decide to raise prices or make any other decisions, people wouldnt see those take effect until 2027. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WCIA.com. CHARLOTTE (QUEEN CITY NEWS) The City of Charlotte has announced the new Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Chief, marking the first woman to hold the position. City Manager Marcus Jones announced Friday that former Raleigh Chief of Police Estella Patterson has been selected as the next CMPD Chief. It marks a full-circle moment for Patterson, who started her law enforcement career with CMPD. The Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department has a long history of incredible leaders, who have collectively led CMPD to be one of the finest law enforcement agencies in the country and Chief Patterson will continue that tradition, Jones said. Chief Pattersons deep experience with CMPD in addition to her recent experience leading the Raleigh Police Department made her an ideal candidate to continue CMPDs successes but also bring new ideas to further the agencys growth. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement West Charlotte nonprofit aims to guide youth down the right path In 1996, Patterson joined CMPD, becoming class president of her recruiting class. Over 25 years, she served in several roles such as patrol officer as well as instructor and recruiter at the academy. Patterson also served in Internal Affairs before becoming the Deputy Chief over Administrative Services and later the Deputy Chief over Patrol Services. Patterson then held the role of Raleigh Police Chief from Aug. 2021 to March 2025 when she retired. Serving as chief, she oversaw major changes with the department, including putting into place a recruitment and hiring plan that reduced the department vacancy rate from 150 to 40 in three years. She also oversaw the creation of the Raleigh Police Foundation, which raised $4 million over two years towards projects supporting employee morale. Chief Patterson saw the department achieve a 100% clearance rate for homicide in 2024 as part of efforts to reduce violent crime. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Prior to joining CMPD, Patterson was a member of the U.S. Army Reserve from 1996 to 2005, serving combat tours in Kosovo and Iraq. She twice received the Army Commendation Medal for meritorious service and reached the rank of Captain. Patterons also graduated from the FBI National Academy. I am deeply humbled and honored to return to Charlotte to serve the community and lead CMPD into its next chapter, Patterson said. Reducing violent crime and disorder, enhancing community engagement, and increasing employee morale and wellness are among my top priorities. I look forward to working collaboratively with law enforcement partners and community stakeholders to make Charlotte one of the safest cities in the nation. Patterson graduated with her Bachelor of Arts degree in political science from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and her Master of Science in criminal justice from the University of Oklahoma. She has served in leadership roles for various professional law enforcement associations, including as an executive board member and president of the N.C. Police Executives Association, as well as a Commissioner on the N.C. Criminal Justice Education and Training Standards Commission, which regulates training, certification and policymaking for all police officers in North Carolina. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She is also a commissioner on the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA) and a member of the Eastern NC chapter of the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE). The City of Charlotte says the hiring process for a new CMPD chief included input from community groups, stakeholders, Charlotte City Council members, civil rights organizations, and faith-based organizations. Over 600 CMPD officers also responded to an anonymous organizational-wide survey, and 850 community members responded to another survey requesting input. This comes after current CMPD Police Chief Johnny Jennings announced that he would retire at the end of the year. Jenning has served with what is now CMPD since 1992 and as police chief since July 2020. It has been an honor and sincere pleasure to serve as Chief of Police for the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department, Jennings said. Id like to congratulate Chief Patterson and proudly welcome her back to CMPD as the next Chief of Police. She accomplished great things during her previous tenure here and Im thrilled that she is returning to lead the department. As an internal candidate with external experience, she brings familiarity with the agency and already-established, strong relationships in the community. I look forward to supporting her and seeing all that she will accomplish for the department and for the City of Charlotte. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Chief Jennings retirement announcement came amid backlash surrounding the City reaching a closed $305,000 settlement with Jennings after former city councilmember Tariq Bokhari reportedly threatened to ruin Jenningss career after the chief declined to allow officers to wear outer carrier protective vests. Chief Johnny Jennings (far left) and Deputy Chief Sherie Pearsall (far right) attend Pattersons (center right) swearing-in ceremony as Raleigh Chief of Police. (City of Charlotte, 2021) Following the announcement of Pattersons hiring, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Fraternal Order of Police released a note of congratulations and support. Chief Pattersons name was repeatedly mentioned in an FOP survey as someone our members wanted as CMPDs next police Chief. We are extremely grateful for her willingness to serve, wrote the Char-Meck FOP. We wholeheartedly support Charlotte City Manager Marcus Jones decision and are looking forward to working with Chief Patterson on matters important to our members. The city is set to hold a press conference on Monday morning to introduce Patterson. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News. A late-afternoon press conference after a closed-door session with city council members revealed a surprise move by the City of Fresno. "The City Council has directed our City Attorney's Office to establish a program where we will be having our city attorney's personnel monitoring polling sites," said Nelson Esparza, District 7 City Council Member. The group confirmed the action with a 6-0 vote, with council member Tyler Maxwell absent from the vote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The move to place city monitors at more than a dozen polling sites within city limits in Tuesday's upcoming Special Election. "The purpose for sending these election observers is not partisan. It is to ensure there's no voter intimidation; no voter interference, and to make sure all votes are counted," said Fresno City Attorney Andrew Janz. "Observers does not change how we do things at all," said James Kus, Fresno County Clerk Registrar of Voters. Kus learning of the surprise announcement through outreach and was not informed by the City. "I've not had any contact with the City of Fresno regarding observers. That's not uncommon but it is something we really appreciate occurring beforehand," said Kus. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The City acted in response to an announcement made by the Department of Justice last week stating it would be sending federal election monitors to five counties in the state -- including Fresno. The Chairwoman of the California Republican Party, Corrin Rankin, sent a letter to the DOJ on October 20 requesting oversight at a handful of countries with discrepancies in the past, including Fresno. In that letter, Rankin highlights an instance in 20-22 where the County closed the ballot cure deadline after informing a group of voters it would be open later. "It kind of moves the ball, moves the needle and the communication wasn't very clear. So, this time I just want to make sure that the things we're being told as a party, for my volunteers and all of our officials are the things that actually happen this time," said Rankin. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Action News addressed those exact concerns with Kus. "The Republican Party noted that back in 2022, we had some confusion about our cured ballot deadline and I received that feedback back in 2022 from campaigns and we made a change right away," said Kus. City monitors said it will join state and federal election monitors as early as Friday through Tuesday, pending resources from the City Attorney's Office. "If they see anything unusual, they will let us know and, you know, we will take action if necessary," said Rankin. For news and weather updates, follow Christina Lopez on X and Instagram. TEMPLE, Texas (FOX 44) The City of Temple has been awarded a $6.7 million Airport Improvement Grant from the Texas Department of Transportation(TxDOT)s Aviation Division and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The city says funding for this project comes through the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024, which was signed by the Biden Administration and increased grant funding for airports. It adjusted the local match rate to 95/5 for fiscal years 2025 and 2026. This adjustment reduces the citys matching cost by five percent, allowing more resources to be invested in local improvements. The project will extend the crosswind runway (03/21) by 500 feet, remove the non-compliant Taxiway D crossing, and realign Taxiway D to meet FAA design standards. The project will also include a mill and overlay of the older section of the commercial taxilane, enhancing the overall safety and efficiency of the airport. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The city says these improvements will address safety concerns by removing an outdated taxiway crossing which creates visibility issues for pilots, enhance operations for larger aircraft during wind or weather events, and open space for future hangar development. The city says it remains committed to investing in infrastructure projects which promote safety, growth, and long-term economic opportunity for the 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 KWKT - FOX 44. PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) The Clackamas County Board of Commissioners voted Thursday to declare a local state of emergency due to the suspension of federal funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, authorizing $100,000 of general fund contingency dollars to be used for the emergency. We need the state to step up, Clackamas County Commissioner Ben West said. Commissioners also voted to encourage the state to directly backfill the federal SNAP benefits during the ongoing federal government shutdown, as other states have done. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sometimes when you go to a food bank, you get what you get, you dont get what you need per se, Commissioner Paul Savas said during the meeting. Im grateful that the Governor allocated $5 million for the food bank system, but its not what the other states are doing as far as tapping into the SNAP benefits to make sure they directly, effectively get that. Oregon Governor Tina Kotek announced Tuesday that she was declaring a statewide food emergency and directing $5 million to Oregons food bank network. How that $5 million will be allocated has not been shared, and the Governors office did not immediately respond to an email request. According to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, there were 757,700 Oregonians who relied on SNAP benefits last year. Assuming that about the same number of people in the state still depend on the program to cover their food costs, that $5 million covers $6.60 worth of food per person for the month of November. Of all states, Oregon is one of the most dependent on SNAP, with 18% of the population receiving at least some assistance from the program. By comparison, 21% of New Mexicos population receives SNAP, while 18% of Louisianas does and 17% of Oklahomas does. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dr. Stephanie Grutzmacher, an associate professor at Arizona State University who previously worked at Oregon State, said there are a number of reasons why so many Oregonians rely on SNAP, and one of them is that the state has made a big effort over the last decade to get those who qualified signed up. The state has been very successful in conducting outreach to eligible people, simplifying the application process, getting them in the program and then really providing a lot of different retail options for using SNAP benefits, she said. Where in other states, SNAP recipients may only be able to shop at specific retail locations, Oregon has opened up a number of other options. In Oregon, we have this massive network of farmers markets, CSA farmer stands, small grocers, medium grocers and all of the large grocers, and online shopping where people can use their SNAP benefits, she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One of the other main reasons is that Oregon has a high unemployment rate. Many of those who are working are also not earning enough. People just simply dont make enough money to make ends meet without SNAP, she said. On Tuesday, Washington Governor Bob Ferguson directed nearly $2.2 million per week to the states food banks. In New Mexico, Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham announced on Wednesday that the state would provide $30 million in state funds to SNAP recipients, and the money will be distributed directly to their existing EBT cards. In California, the City of San Francisco also announced on Wednesday that it would help cover the SNAP funding gap by providing $18 million to support 112,000 residents who rely on food assistance for the month of November. Nevada also approved $30 million in state funding to go to food banks in an effort to support its nearly 500,000 SNAP-dependent residents. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement New York announced $65 million in state funding to support food banks on Thursday to help the nearly 3 million residents impacted. Yesterday, Virginias governor said the state will draw $37.5 million from its surplus fund to transfer to roughly 850,000 SNAP users EBT cards to help them get through the month. As KOIN has previously reported, a number of Portland-area businesses and food pantries are offering help to those who are facing food insecurity on Nov. 1. We will continue to update those lists if new resources 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 KOIN.com. NEED TO KNOW Edward LePore, 45, was arrested on a warrant charging him with conspiracy to commit murder and solicitation to commit murder LePore is accused of attempting to solicit the murder of two people He allegedly told a fellow inmate that he could shell out $50,000 for each killing A New Hampshire inmate is accused of attempting to solicit the murder of two people. Edward LePore, 45, was arrested on a warrant charging him with conspiracy to commit murder and solicitation to commit murder, according to the Keene Police Department. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to court documents cited by WMUR, LePore, an inmate at Cheshire County House of Corrections, asked a fellow inmate if he knew someone he could hire to kill a Maine woman he claimed was his wife and a man who was supposedly married to her. LePore allegedly told the inmate that he could shell out $50,000 for each killing, and that the money for the hitman would potentially come from the sale of his house and his mother's business once he got out of jail, per the court documents. The inmate told jail personnel, who then alerted police, according to the documents During the subsequent investigation, communications between the two were monitored by police, per the Keene Police Department. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Per court documents, investigators reached out to the woman LePore alleged was his wife. She told police that she was never married to him and that the two had been friends and spent time together, but she recently blocked his number after his arrest, WMUR reported. 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. LePore was arrested at the Cheshire County House of Corrections on Oct. 28. A probable cause hearing is scheduled for Nov. 5. Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact the Keene Police Department at 603-357-9820. Read the original article on People SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) Just days after the City of San Diego dedicated a Clairemont park in honor of fallen Police Officer Austin Machitar, the site has been vandalized in what investigators are calling a targeted and intentional act. Police said the damage at Officer Austin Machitar Memorial Park included vulgar graffiti, chipped signs and destroyed flowers left at the memorial. Authorities are withholding some details due to the graphic and hateful nature of the vandalism. This whole park has been vandalized, the sidewalks, buildings, several signs, even a tree, said San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl. Its unbelievable the amount of disrespect. Its not just against our police department, its against the Machitar family and the community. Machitar was killed in the line of duty in August 2024 when a pursuit suspect crashed into his patrol car on Clairemont Mesa Boulevard. The park, dedicated in his honor just last weekend, was funded through community donations and city support. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police estimate the total damage at around $100,000. Investigators believe the vandalism was personal and deliberate, and are reviewing surveillance footage from nearby homes and businesses to identify suspects. There is no question that this crime is intentional, Wahl said. The message is clear and we are coming for whoever did this. Mayor Todd Gloria condemned the act in a statement, saying: This is not who we are as San Diegans. We respect and honor those who protect our communities, and we will never tolerate this kind of hateful, criminal behavior. The vandalized memorial sign is considered a total loss due to the extent of the damage. Authorities are offering a $1,500 reward for information leading to an arrest. Anyone with tips is asked to contact San Diego 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. This story has been updated with additional information. Vanderbilt University Medical Center leaders confirmed Oct. 31 their plans to acquire Tennova Healthcare-Clarksville. Since 2021, VUMC had held a 20% minority interest in the hospital, its freestanding emergency department and related physician practices. Officials with Tennova announced Oct. 30 that the 270-bed hospital will soon be sold for $600 million and Vanderbilt added that the acquisition deal is with subsidiaries of the Clarksville medical center's parent company, Community Health Systems, Inc. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Expanding our services in Clarksville allows us to better serve the health care needs of this rapidly growing area," Dr. Jeff Balser, VUMC president and CEO said in a statement. "As we have in other communities where we have purchased hospitals, we are making a serious commitment to the citizens of Montgomery County to deliver high-quality care close to home." More: Ascension, Lifepoint rehabilitation hospital passes hurdle for development in Clarksville Signs welcome and direct visitors to the emergency care entrance at Tennova Healthcare in Clarksville, Tenn., on Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2019. The transaction is expected to close in early 2026, following regulatory approval and closing conditions. Vanderbilt officials said patients in Clarksville will experience no interruption in care during the transition. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Vanderbilt leaders also said they are committed to hiring "substantially all employees of Tennova Healthcare-Clarksville who are in good standing when transfer of the hospital's ownership is complete." During the past few years, Vanderbilt and Tennova teamed on several projects, including: initiating an OB-GYN hospitalist program; adding Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center radiation oncology services; and upgrading the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, called the NICU, with specialists from the Monroe Carell Jr. Children's Hospital at Vanderbilt in Nashville. More hospitals to come The news comes only a few months after the Tennessee Health Facilities Commission granted the Certification of Need to both Ascension Saint Thomas and TriStar hospitals. Tennova is currently the only 200-plus bed health care facility in Clarksville. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During the July 23 Commission meeting, attorney Travis Swearingen, representing Tennova, argued that there aren't enough nurses, doctors and patients for the two hospitals. "I want to make it 100% clear to the commission and the audience that nobody here is in opposition to these projects because it is a great competition," Swearingen said. "It's because there are significant concerns that the investment of nearly a half-billion dollars in medical resources into unneeded healthcare institutions will do more damage to the provision of health care than it ultimately will help." Swearingen said that Ascension and TriStar weren't "bringing anything new" to Clarksville, and a hospital in North Clarksville wasn't necessary because of Blanchfield Army Community Hospital, located on the Fort Campbell base. Blanchfield Army Community Hospital is only accessible for those in the military. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Montgomery County leaders and community members spoke at the meeting, arguing the need was there. "The soon-to-be fourth-largest city in Tennessee only has one hospital choice," said District 22 State Sen. Bill Powers, R-Clarksville. "I, along with most certainly most people in this room, think that has to change." Rep. Ronnie Glynn, D-Clarksville, said the need for access to healthcare must be addressed as constituents have shared their concerns many times. "I'll finish with this," Glynn said. "I think about the young 15 year old who was shot at the county fair a few months ago. The route the paramedics took to get this young man to care passed by the site where one of the hospitals will be located. [I] often wonder if this hospital was there if we could have gotten this young, this young man, care within 10 minutes versus 20 minutes that it took to get to one hospital." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More than 50 residents spoke in favor of the hospitals. "For many people, they frame it as alternative care," said Jason Hubbard, a doctor at Howell Allen Clinic. "For us, this is access to healthcare." Chris Proctor, director of Montgomery County Emergency Medical Services, who has served as a medical professional for 29 years, said the growth of the county has put tremendous strain on the emergency care systems. "Seconds count and access matters," Proctor said. In the end, the Commission voted 8 to 0 to approve the two hospitals. COD approved for Saint Thomas, Lifepoint Partners Ascension Saint Thomas and Lifepoint Rehabilitation announced Oct. 22 that its certificate of need application was approved by the Tennessee Health Facilities Commission. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The approval allows for a new inpatient rehabilitation hospital on the 96-acre Ascension Saint Thomas Clarksville Health Campus. The planned 40-bed facility will provide specialized care for adults recovering from debilitating and complex conditions such as stroke, brain injury, spinal cord injury, neurological disorders, and orthopedic trauma. Ascension's $148 million hospital would create an estimated 250 health care jobs. Plans include emergency care and inpatient surgery, 44 beds, cardiology, oncology, women's health, neonatal intensive care, orthopedics and other specialties. TriStar, part of HCA Healthcare, is building a $286 million hospital, creating more than 200 job openings. TriStar said its 213,000-square feet location would have a 12-bed emergency room along with 68 beds for admitted patients, with the ability to grow to 224. Plans include labor and delivery, a neonatal intensive care unit, four operating rooms, a 42-bed surgical unit and an intensive care unit. Imaging services, including MRIs would be offered on-site along with inpatient dialysis and two cardiac catheterization labs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kenya Anderson is a reporter for The Leaf-Chronicle. She can be contacted at kanderson@gannett.com or on X at kenyaanderson32. Sign up for the Leaf-Chronicle to support local journalism at www.theleafchronicle.com. Beth Warren covers health care for The Tennessean and can be reached at bwarren@tennessean.com or on X at BethWarrenCJ. This article originally appeared on Clarksville Leaf-Chronicle: Tennova Healthcare Clarksville to be sold to Vanderbilt Medical 600M CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) The jury issued a guilty verdict Friday for the Clarksville mother accused of starving her teenage son to death more than three years ago. On Friday, Oct. 31, the jury found Cheyenne guilty of reckless homicide and aggravated child neglect in connection with Kadaris death. JULY 2022: Child found dead in home; Clarksville woman under investigation The Clarksville Police Department said officers responded to a home on Virginia Terrace, where first responders found 13-year-old Kadaris Maddox who suffered from cerebral palsy dead on July 6, 2022. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cheyenne was arrested for five counts of child abuse and neglect that day, but those charges were the result of authorities discovering other children living in a home filled with trash. She later bonded out of jail. The following month, Cheyenne was taken into custody for aggravated child abuse/neglect/endangerment related to the death of Kadaris, but she was released on bond again. An autopsy revealed Kadaris was just 35 pounds when he died, with the report blaming his death on malnutrition and deeming it a suspected homicide. Have breaking news come to you: Subscribe to News 2 email alerts In October 2022, police announced Cheyenne had been indicted for criminal homicide. She turned herself in at the Montgomery County Jail and was served with the indictment for first-degree felony murder. Despite Cheyennes request for the judge to lower her $1 million bond, it was denied after disturbing new evidence was revealed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During a previous jailhouse interview, Cheyenne told News 2 that she believed Kadaris accidentally suffocated himself with a blanket. The accusations are false. I love my son very much, and I didnt hurt him. Its not like I just woke up one day and decided to give up on my son, Cheyenne said in October 2023. More than two years after that interview, on Tuesday, Oct. 28, opening arguments began in Cheyennes case. OCTOBER 2025: Jury selected in Clarksville moms murder trial Davidson County and Metro Nashville Chief Medical Examiner Feng Li, who conducted Kadaris autopsy, testified that the boys organs were shrinking from a lack of nutrition, while his body sent nutrients to protect his brain and his heart. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Photos of Kadaris 35-pound body were shown in court, with Li saying, You can see that the body is cachectic, meaning very, very wasted, and only skin and bone. However, the defense called the autopsys findings generalizations, pointed to Kadaris having several healthy blood levels, and described Cheyenne as taking care of not only Kadaris but also her five other children. One of Kadaris doctors went over his cerebral palsy diagnosis, noting that the teen was cognitively intact and optimistic for his future. OCTOBER 2025: Nurse says she tried to get help for Clarksville teen starved to death Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Another key witness was Myesha Mays, a former Maxim home health nurse who visited Kadaris for the six months leading up to his death. She moved in June 2022 after her husband got new orders from the military, but before that, Mays testified that she brought Kadaris home to live with her for a week, adding that she called the Department of Childrens Services and police multiple times. Mays made the following comment about Cheyenne: She would always say, Oh, I wish I could leave him at the hospital. Oh, I wish he was dead. So it was basically just overall Kadaris, Kadaris, Kadaris. It was always blaming Kadaris for every situation that she was in. A nurse at Kadaris doctors office recalled Cheyenne repeatedly canceling appointments. Rachel Lame, a DCS worker assigned to Kadaris case, mentioned multiple visits to the family home, but she had a hard time recalling dates and details from those visits. During cross-examination, she was also asked about previous visit notes that were not entered until after the 13-year-olds death. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement OCTOBER 2025: Deliberation begins in case of Clarksville teen starved to death CPD Officer Marcus Lax, who was called to check on Kadaris in June 2022, also testified. Body camera footage showed Cheyenne sending her 12-year-old son outside to talk to the officer instead. Detective Meagan Gibbons said she was called to the scene after Kadaris was found unresponsive and recalled Cheyenne showing emotion at first but changing her demeanor a few hours later: She was in the front yard with her kids throwing a ball, ordering DoorDash. Cheyenne even took the stand on Thursday, Oct. 30. She said her son was overly stimulated, which caused him to burn more calories. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It hurts that people think that I killed my son, think that I would intentionally cause harm or do anything to him because I didnt. I loved my son, Cheyenne said. Read todays top stories on wkrn.com The maximum combined sentence for the reckless homicide and aggravated child neglect charges is 16 years. 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. CLEMSON, S.C. (WSPA) Homecoming has officially begun for Clemson University. Leaders said not only is it a time for students to bond with each other, but also a time to give back to the community. Every year for the past 32 years, the Pickens County Habitat for Humanity Clemson University Chapter builds a brand new home for a local family in need. We as a community, as a campus, as Pickens County, weve come out here on Bowman field, weve put together a house, said Noah Freeman, vice president for the Pickens County Habitat for Humanity Clemson University Chapter and Clemson University student. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One student said this is their favorite project. Ive seen the families that have been affected by homelessness, by poverty. Just seeing them have a stable place to live, and not have to break the bank. Habitat for Humanity, they do not have interest loans. We, as a campus chapter, are trying to raise over $160,000 to help the homeowner with their payments, said Freeman. Weeks leading up to homecoming, the Clemson Habitat for Humanity Chapter builds a brand-new home for a local family in need. Weeks leading up to homecoming, the Clemson Habitat for Humanity chapter builds a brand-new home for a local family in need. This house is actually for a family of one. This will be her home for retirement and this will be her final home. We know that this is a growing concern in the community of people looking for homes after retirement, said Derek Bruno, President of Pickens County Habitat for Humanity Clemson Chapter and Clemson University student. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Also on Bowman field, student organizations dedicate countless hours to build spirit floats. Its been a tradition for well over a hundred plus years. This year we had 12 build sites, over 40 different student organizations come out, said Ti-ana Pyatt, Clemson University Assistant Director for student engagement. This years theme is one track, many journeys a way for students to express their Clemson experience. For my float, a lot of members and organizations love Miami Vice, and we love talking about different things and we love racing. I chose to do a miami vice themed float so that everyone felt like theyre super involved in that, said Lanier Ashley, director of Central Spirit traditions and Clemson University student. The fact that were able to get students dedicated to a certain cause all week is something thats really special and is something that you cant really find anywhere else. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement These traditions are not only meaningful for students to bond as a student body, but also to give back to the community. This year, each field site collected donations to donate to the student Paws Pantry, but also to Clemson Community Care, said Pyatt. Students said this is why they love being a Clemson tiger. We have that consistent love for the community that we just want to give back, said Bruno. Volunteers said the Habitat for Humanity house will be taken to Liberty on Sunday for finishing touches. 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. Its been almost five years and two jury trials, and the family of 18-year-old Ahmir Tuli hopes justice is just days away. PREVIOUS COVERAGE >>> Second trial begins for man accused of shooting, killing Pittsburgh teen in Strip District In her closing argument, the assistant district attorney told the jury that Howard Hawkins shot and killed Ahmir Tuli because Hawkins was kicked out of Preetis Pit Restaurant and Bar, which is owned by Ahmirs mother. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement PREVIOUS COVERAGE >>> 18-year-old North Hills High School grad dies after shooting outside Strip District bar Surveillance showed the moments someone walked up to Tuli, who was taking a break from his job at his moms restaurant, and shot him in the head. Detectives and prosecutors say that person was Howard, who then left town for California. PREVIOUS COVERAGE >>> I want this monster caught: Family desperate for arrest after North Hills grad shot, killed outside Strip District bar Months later, the U.S. Marshals Service arrested him there. PREVIOUS COVERAGE >>> Suspect in teen murder case brought back to Allegheny County Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But defense attorney Casey White told the jury that theres no DNA evidence in this case that ties Hawkins to the murder, and there were conflicting descriptions of the person who killed Ahmir. Hawkins is being retried in this case. Almost a year ago, his first trial ended in a mistrial after officers brought up his prior criminal record, which isnt allowed during a trial. The jury will begin their deliberations on Monday morning. Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW City of Charlotte Manager Marcus Jones announced that Estella Patterson will be the next police chief of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department, becoming the first woman to hold the position in the citys history. Patterson, who goes by Stella, previously served as the Raleigh Police Chief before retiring earlier this year. She led that department for three-and-a-half years. Before that, she spent 25 years at CMPD, joining in 1996 as the class president of her recruiting class. The city says the selection process for the new police chief involved significant input from community groups and stakeholders, including feedback from over 600 CMPD officers and more than 850 community survey responses. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Sources: CMPD chief decision made, announcement expected soon During her tenure as Raleigh Police Chief from August 2021 to March 2025, Patterson made strides to improve the department, including reducing the departments vacancy rate, boosting employee morale, and achieving a 100% clearance rate for homicides in 2024, according to a release from the City of Charlotte. During her time with CMPD, she served in various roles, including patrol officer, academy instructor, and deputy chief over both administrative and patrol services. She also served in the U.S. Army Reserve from 1996 to 2005, completing combat tours in Kosovo and Iraq, and earning the Army Commendation Medal twice. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a statement, Patterson said, in part, I am deeply humbled and honored to return to Charlotte to serve the community and lead CMPD into its next chapter. Reducing violent crime and disorder, enhancing community engagement, and increasing employee morale and wellness are among my top priorities. Former CMPD captain Joel McNelly told Channel 9 that hes glad Patterson got the job. I always found Stella to be a really genuine person who was- she was who she was in all situations, he said. Outgoing CMPD Police Chief Johnny Jennings, who is retiring at the end of the year, expressed his support for Patterson, noting her previous accomplishments and familiarity with the department. The city says it will hold an introductory press conference at the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Government Center on Monday at 11:30 a.m. VIDEO: Sources: CMPD chief decision made, announcement expected soon KAITLAN COLLINS: Today, an ordinary American girl from an ordinary American family, brought down a British prince with her truth and extraordinary courage. Those were the words of the family of Jeffrey Epsteins most prominent accuser, Virginia Roberts Giuffre. That was in reaction to the shocking news today that Prince Andrew is being stripped of his royal title. Now, instead of Prince Andrew, he will simply be known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor. In addition to losing his other most prominent title, the Duke of York, earlier this month, Andrew is also being evicted from the sprawling mansion, where he has long lived on the royal dime. All of it encapsulating a major fall from grace because of his ties to Epstein. Tragically, Virginia Giuffre didnt live to see this day. She died by suicide, earlier this year. But her pursuit of justice has lived on. And her family will join me on what this moment means for them, soon. In her just released memoir, Virginia Giuffre details the claims that she made that Andrew sexually assaulted her when she was a teenager. He long denied those claims, and offered this defense in 2019, in a disastrous interview with the BBC. And what youre about to hear from him is in response to a question about Giuffres claims, that they danced at a nightclub and that he was, quote, Sweating all over me. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) ANDREW MOUNTBATTEN WINDSOR, FORMER DUKE OF YORK: Theres a slight problem with with with the sweating, because I have a peculiar medical condition, which is that I dont sweat, or I didnt sweat at the time, and that was was it yes, I didnt sweat at the time because I had suffered what I would describe as an overdose of adrenaline in the Falklands War when I was shot at, and I simply it was it was it was almost impossible for me to sweat. (END VIDEO CLIP) COLLINS: You can see why it was disastrous. Years after that interview, the public frustration, though, over Jeffrey Epstein, and a lack of accountability has not gone away. It was actually on full display, just a few weeks ago, when I was in the United Kingdom for President Trumps state visit. This is what protesters were projecting on to the side of Windsor Castle, images of Trump and Epstein together. The King himself, just heckled over this last week. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) UNIDENTIFIED MALE: How long have you known about Andrew and Epstein? UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Shut up. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Have you asked the police to cover up for Andrew? UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Go away (inaudible). Shut up. UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Have you asked the police to cover up for Andrew? (END VIDEO CLIP) COLLINS: While Andrew, as hes now known, faces his comeuppance, not a single powerful man in Epsteins once-wide circle of friends has faced justice, here in the United States. In the House of Representatives, a bipartisan move to force a vote on the release of the U.S. governments files on Epstein has been blocked for more than a month, with Speaker Johnson keeping the place shut down. President Trump, whose own friendship with Epstein reemerged after his administrations failure to produce the Epstein bombshells they promised, has repeatedly denied any knowledge of the allegations. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP) DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: No, I dont know Prince Andrew. But its a its a tough story. Its a very tough story. I dont know him. No. I dont know the situation with Prince Andrew. Just dont know. Not aware of it. (END VIDEO CLIP) CNN anchor Kaitlan Collins called out President Donald Trump and the GOPs safeguarding of government files related to late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein in light of the U.K.s decision to strip Prince Andrew of his royal titles and amenities, saying its reflective of how the public frustration over a lack of accountability hasnt gone away. Collins walked through the news from the U.K.s Buckingham Palace on Thursday, which revealed that Andrew would lose his Prince title and have to move out of Royal Lodge, his long-term home. The announcement came days after a book by Virginia Giuffre, who accused Andrew of sexually assaulting her after being connected by Epstein, was released. Giuffre died by suicide earlier this year. While Andrew, as hes now known, faces his comeuppance, not a single powerful man in Epsteins once-wide circle of friends has faced justice, here in the United States, the anchor said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Collins also implicated House Speaker Mike Johnson, saying he has chosen to keep the government shut down, in effect preventing the release of the long-fabled Epstein files. The family of Virginia Giuffre, Sky and Amanda Roberts, say Prince Andrew being stripped of his title is vindication for their sister. "It's been a really joyous and happy and sad day because she should be here, she should be having this interview with you," her brother says. pic.twitter.com/r2qQitCChk Kaitlan Collins (@kaitlancollins) October 31, 2025 In the House of Representatives, a bipartisan move to force a vote on the release of the U.S. governments files on Epstein has been blocked for more than a month, with Speaker Johnson keeping the place shut down, she noted. President Trump, whose own friendship with Epstein reemerged after his administrations failure to produce the Epstein bombshells they promised, has repeatedly denied any knowledge of the allegations. Trump has faced a score of allegations and reporting regarding his friendship with the late sex offender, who died by suicide in 2019. The Wall Street Journal reported on a lewd note Trump supposedly wrote for Epsteins 50th birthday party in 2003, prompting Trump to sue the paper and its owner, Rupert Murdoch, for $10 billion in July. Collins also interviewed Giuffres family about the U.K.s decision, which you can see in full above. The post CNNs Kaitlan Collins Calls Out Trump, GOP Over Epstein Inaction After Andrew Loses Royal Titles | Video appeared first on TheWrap. SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) The U.S. Coast Guard says it intercepted a small boat carrying 11 suspected undocumented migrants about 13 miles northwest of Mission Bay on Thursday. The Nexstar Media video above explains the deportation process According to a Coast Guard press release, the interdiction took place around 8 a.m. when a boarding team from the Coast Guard Cutter Forrest Rednour stopped an 18-foot panga-style vessel in the waters off San Diego. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Officials said all 11 people aboard claimed Mexican nationality. The Coast Guard transported the group and their vessel to another Department of Homeland Security agency at Ballast Point for further processing. Authorities did not release additional details about the individuals or whether any arrests were made in connection with human smuggling. The Coast Guard frequently patrols the waters off Southern California to deter and respond to maritime smuggling attempts, which officials say remain a persistent threat along the U.S.-Mexico maritime border. 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. Cobb County Animal Services is facing severe overcrowding as many pet owners are surrendering their animals due to financial constraints. The shelter has taken in over 2,800 cats and kittens this year, leading to cramped conditions where multiple animals are often housed in a single cage. If they came in together and they seem to get along then we put them in the same cage, Steve Hammond, Director of Cobb County Animal Services, told Channel 2 Cobb County Bureau Chief Michele Newell. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Higher rent and increased pet care costs have forced many pet owners to make the difficult decision to give up their pets. This was one of the cases where, the owner just couldnt care for them anymore because of the cost, Hammond noted. To alleviate the overcrowding, a cat rescue in the Northeast has agreed to take in 43 cats and kittens from the shelter. We have to complete health certificates for them because they are going out of state, Hammond said. He said they are working with a group of advocates, and Hookline Seafood in Cobb County put together the funding and transportation. Southern Journey Animal Rescue and Transport will hit the road Friday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This effort is expected to reduce the shelters capacity by 20 percent. Hammond mentioned that if funding is secured, there is a possibility of additional transports in the future to further reduce overcrowding. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] Fountain drink fans, you might have to brace yourself for this one. Thats because when you head for your go-to Dr. Pepper fountain drink at your favorite restaurant, you might receive something different. On Monday, a Texas court order went into effect that officially ended Dr. Peppers long-running distribution agreement with Reyes Coca-Cola Bottling, which supplies Coke products to parts of California and Nevada. According to Bloomberg, its a ruling that gives Dr. Peppers parent company, Keurig Dr. Pepper, full control to bring its soda back under its own distribution system. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Per Yahoo Finance, the technical legal shift means some Coke-affiliated fountains could lose access to Dr. Pepper syrup on Monday and when that happens, restaurants and theaters will then turn to Mr. Pibb, Coca-Colas intensely flavored, refreshing, spicy cherry alternative. The courtroom battle kicked off in 2024, when Keurig Dr. Pepper filed a lawsuit in Texas to confirm it could end its license deal with Reyes Coca-Cola. The bottler tried to block the move in California court arguing franchise-law protection but the case was dismissed. This past summer, a Texas judge ruled that Dr. Pepper had the right not to renew the contract and set the Oct. 27 termination date. A spokesperson for Keurig Dr. Pepper told The Dallas Morning News the company looks forward to bringing this distribution of the Dr. Pepper trademark into Keurig Dr. Peppers DSD system this fall. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, Reyes Coca-Cola said in a statement to Just Drinks that it was disappointed in the courts ruling and respectfully disagree with the decision. We believe the facts and the law support a different outcome. At this time, we are carefully evaluating all of our options, including the possibility of an appeal. We remain committed to pursuing the best path forward and will continue to act in the best interests of our stakeholders. The timing coincides with Coca-Colas relaunch of Mr. Pibb, which resurfaced in stores this month. The soda, which was created in 1972 as a Dr. Pepper competitor, is now being marketed as a high-caffeine drink and offers 41 to 54 milligrams per 12 ounces. The spicy cherry-flavored soda is available in most nationwide retailers. Read the original article on pennlive.com. A Chicago facility that has emerged as a flashpoint for protests against Donald Trumps mass deportation agenda has been cramming immigrant detainees into unsanitary conditions without adequate food and water, according to a new lawsuit. As many as 100 people have been packed into small rooms overnight or for days on end like a pile of fish with no room to lie down, forcing detainees to sleep on top of each other or while sitting up, or in bathrooms near urine-soaked floors and clogged toilets, the lawsuit says. Holding rooms at the Broadview facility are infested with cockroaches, centipedes, and spiders, with blood and other bodily fluids in sinks and on the walls, plaintiffs wrote. Windows are sealed or boarded up, bright security lights stay on all night, women are denied menstrual products, and rooms smell strongly of feces, urine, and body odor, according to the lawsuit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They treated us like animals, or worse than animals, because no one treats their pets like that, one detainee wrote. The lawsuit is the latest from immigrants and civil rights groups targeting alleged conditions at ICE detention facilities across the country, coming under intense legal scrutiny as the Trump administration accelerates immigration arrests and jails tens of thousands of people marked for removal. Detainees inside an ICE facility in the Chicago area are suing over horrific conditions inside the building, which has emerged as as flashpoint for protests and intense clashes with federal agents enforcing Trumps mass deportation agenda (AFP via Getty Images) Daily demonstrations outside the facility in Broadview, roughly 12 miles west of downtown Chicago, are taking aim at the Trump administrations Operation Midway Blitz, which has seen a a flood of federal officers from Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection surging into the streets and suburbs. The ICE facility in Broadview is meant to serve as a processing center to temporarily hold detainees before they are transferred, deported or released. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But the lawsuit accuses ICE of operating more like a jail, where people are held for two days or more, on average. The average holding time at the facility was five hours in 2023. This lawsuit is necessary because the Trump Administration has attempted to evade accountability for turning the processing center at Broadview into a de facto detention center, according to Kevin Fee, legal director for the ACLU of Illinois, which is representing plaintiffs in the case. These conditions are unconstitutional and threaten to coerce people into sacrificing their rights without the benefit of legal advice and a full airing of their legal defenses, he said. Homeland Security has strongly denied the allegations of poor conditions at the facility and suggested that the complaints contribute to death threats and other abuse against federal agents. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Any claims there are subprime conditions at the Broadview ICE facility are false, Homeland Security assistant secretary Tricia McLaughlin said in a statement to The Independent. As ICE arrests and removes criminal illegal aliens and public safety threats from the U.S., the agency has worked diligently to obtain greater necessary detention space while avoiding overcrowding, she said. She stressed that Broadview is a processing center, not a detention center, and detainees are briefly processed before being transferred to detention facilities. Some of the worst of the worst including pedophiles, gang members, and rapists have been processed through the facility in recent weeks, she said. The ACLU should just change its name. Its clear they only care about criminal illegal aliens not Americans. A lawsuit accuses ICE of packing detainees into unsanitary cells at the Broadview facility with inadequate access to food, water, medication and legal counsel (REUTERS) Guards at the facility refuse to provide detainees with basic hygiene items, including soap, toothbrushes, toothpaste, hand sanitizer, wet wipes, shampoo, lotion, or tissues, according to the complaint. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One woman held at Broadview in June with nearly 30 other women was not provided any menstrual products, the lawsuit says. Detainees cant bathe; one of the holding rooms has two showers, but theyre inoperable and used for storage instead, according to the complaint, citing a 2023 internal report. Facility staff told auditors that detainees do not shower while at this facility, nor do they change clothes, and must remain in the clothes and underwear they arrived in, according to the lawsuit. Detainees cannot shower or change their clothes at the facility, which is infested with cockroaches and reeks of urine, feces and body order, according to a federal lawsuit (REUTERS) Detainees are also routinely denied prescription medicine and medical care, and making matters worse, the heavy use of tear gas and pepper spray outside the facility to push back against protesters has tracked into the cells. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Over the last several months, people have gathered outside of the facility to protest the conditions inside, as well as to protest the immigration enforcement operations in the Chicago area, according to the lawsuit. Rather than address these concerns, federal agents have responded with violence. A separate lawsuit stemming from the use of riot weapons against protesters, reporters and faith leaders outside the Broadview facility prompted a federal judge to issue a sweeping court order that blocks indiscriminate use of force, drawing Homeland Security officials into a wider legal battle over the actions of masked Border Patrol and ICE officers storming into neighborhoods across the city. Guards at the Broadview facility, meanwhile, are physically and verbally abusive, and are keeping detainees there in a state of hunger and thirst, lawyers say. Detainees receive two to three small, cold sandwiches per day, and pregnant detainees are not provided with regular access to meals, nor additional snacks, milk, juice, or any of the extra nutrition recommended for pregnant people, according to the lawsuit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Guards are also blocking detainees from legal counsel, the lawsuit says. One man was allowed to call his wife using his cellphone, but when the officer realized an immigration attorney was also on the other end of the line, the officer then reached for the phone and hung up the call himself, lawyers wrote. Access to counsel is not a privilege. It is a right, said Nate Eimer, partner at Eimer Stahl and co-counsel in the lawsuit. We can debate immigration policy but there is no debating the denial of legal rights and holding those detained in conditions that are not only unlawful but inhumane. Justice and compassion demand that our clients rights be upheld. The allegations echo claims in a lawsuit surrounding a separate facility in New York City, where a federal judge ordered the Trump administration to iimprove conditions in a makeshift holding area where detainees said they had little access to food and water, slept on cement floors near toilets, and didnt have anywhere to bathe for days or weeks at a time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In court filings, detainees said they were fed inedible slop and were forced to sleep in cells surrounded by the horrific stench of sweat, urine and feces in rooms with open toilets. Other detainees reported spending as much as three weeks inside the facility without a chance to bathe or brush their teeth. Another man said he watched a detainee have a seizure for 30 minutes before medical help arrived. NEED TO KNOW Brescia Dover had just returned from studying abroad in Italy when she was diagnosed with lymphoma at 20 She found comfort and heroism in her hematologist, Dr. Allison Rosenthal, who was diagnosed with leukemia at 24 Now six years cancer-free, Dover owns a boutique marketing agency and hosts a podcast; Dr. Rosenthal was a recent guest When Brescia Dover was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma at age 20, her first thought was: "Have I done everything I wanted to do with my life?" She was referred to the Mayo Clinic in Phoenix, Ariz., where she became a patient of hematologist Dr. Allison Rosenthal. It brought Dover comfort to learn her doctor had beaten leukemia 20 years ago. "She was a superhero to me, Dover says. Shed been through this. She knew what the road ahead looked like for me." Now, 26, Dover owns a boutique marketing agency in Chandler, Ariz., and has no evidence of disease. She has a podcast about normalizing difficult and vulnerable conversations, inspired by her own health journey. She interviews guests about mental health, religion and illness, and recently asked Dr. Rosenthal to speak on her podcast. Brescia is a remarkable woman," says Dr. Rosenthal, 44. "She surprises and impresses me still. She is the definition of grit and tenacity and resilience. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dover shares her story with PEOPLEs Wendy Grossman Kantor. Brescia Dover and Dr. Allison Rosenthal Brescia Dover and Dr. Allison Rosenthal Brescia Dover and Dr. Allison Rosenthal In my sophomore year at Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, I decided to study abroad in Italy. I had never seen Brescia, the city I was named after, so I packed my bags in fall 2018 and headed off on my adventure. I had the time of my life and never felt sick or had any odd symptoms. It was a really great experience. When I got home in December, I had my yearly physical. My doctor found swelling on the left side of my neck and sent me for an ultrasound. Brescia Dover Brescia Dover while studying abroad in Brescia, Italy Brescia Dover while studying abroad in Brescia, Italy They did a surgical biopsy in January 2019. I didn't think it would be cancer because you never think that you're going to get cancer, especially as a young adult. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At a follow-up appointment, the doctor walked in and said, Good news, you have Hodgkin lymphoma cancer." And I was like, "How is that good news?" And he said, "Hodgkin lymphoma is the kind of cancer you want to get, because it's mostly curable." I didn't cry when I first found out. But my mom did; my dad was trying to be brave. I was like, "I can't believe this is happening to me. When we got home, I closed my door and Iooked in the mirror and decided that no matter what, I was going to fight and try to get through this. I took the next semester off and moved home with my parents. I knew I would need their support. Brescia Dover Brescia Dover after a surgical biopsy in January 2019 Brescia Dover after a surgical biopsy in January 2019 Oddly, I had a friend who was diagnosed with the same cancer. She was receiving her treatment at the Mayo Clinic and referred me to Dr. Allison Rosenthal. From my very first appointment, Dr. Rosenthal made me feel calm. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She told me that she had been diagnosed with leukemia 20 years earlier, at 24 years old, in her second year of medical school. It comforted me knowing she had been through something similar. I trusted her; I wanted to work with her. She had overcome her illness; she had decided to keep going in life after her cancer journey. She was driven and had goals, and I saw myself in her. Sitting there, I thought, "This gives me hope." It was a scary time, but Dr. Rosenthal made me think, "I got this. I can get through this." I felt positive looking at someone who had beaten cancer. I knew that, like me, she had to put her life on hold for a bit but she had kept going. Her journey inspired me. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I was also able to relate to her. I asked her so many questions: "Will I lose my hair? What are the odds that I'll completely beat this? Should I freeze my eggs?" Her answers made me feel more confident going forward. Brescia Dover Brescia Dover Brescia Dover The PET scan Dr. Rosenthal ordered came back on Valentines Day. She called and said, "You have an earlier stage of Hodgkin lymphoma." That gave me a lot of hope. I started six rounds of chemo in late February. I was always one of the younger girls getting chemotherapy at the Mayo Clinic. I would look around and see other women with no hair fighting for their lives. We didn't really talk, but I felt like we were all in it together. Chemo was exhausting. Afterwards, I would get in the car and be so sluggish that I wanted to sleep the rest of the day. I felt the most tired I've ever felt in my life. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After the final round of chemo, in May 2019, more of my hair started falling out. I told my hairdresser, "I can't touch my hair without chunks coming out. I think we're going to have to shave it." She said, Lets do it! As she started cutting it short, she ran her hands through. Brescia, do you see that less is coming out? So we didn't shave it off. I got to keep most of my hair. I feel really lucky. Brescia Dover Brescia Dover Brescia Dover 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. Today, I am six years cancer-free. I got a tattoo of the word grit on my left wrist after I beat cancer. For me, it means strength and resilience. You develop grit by having challenges in life, getting through them with strength, and bouncing back. These days I have lingering side effects of chemotherapy. Ive had two hip surgeries because I developed dysplasia (that might have been caused by the steroids I took when getting chemo). I have four screws going in on each side of my hips right now. In 2024, I had to basically learn how to walk again. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sharing my cancer story has helped me connect with so many other women. I get daily messages from other girls in their 20s who are struggling and want comfort. With everything I post and share on my personal social media, I intend to connect with people who are facing difficult realities. I know my story has power; you never know who you can inspire. I created my podcast after I beat cancer. I wanted to give others a space to be vulnerable, to share their stories and challenges. I have a deep passion for mental health awareness and advocacy, and want to normalize difficult conversations among girls and women. Brescia Dover Brescia Dover now runs a boutique marketing agency Brescia Dover now runs a boutique marketing agency Dr. Rosenthal came on my podcast in May and spoke about her cancer experience. She got really personal on the episode. She said she started gymnastics when she was 5 and went to college on a competitive gymnast scholarship so she could attend medical school debt-free. But during spring break of her second year of medical school, she went to the emergency room with a fever and vomiting. She received the scary diagnosis of leukemia. She spoke about her two-and-a-half years of chemotherapy. It was a long journey for her. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dr. Rosenthal also shared that she went to medical school planning to be an orthopedic surgeon, but her oncologist encouraged her to consider oncology. Looking back, it was the right choice, she said. "Being able to say to people, 'Look, I get it. I sat in that chair.' I think that helps." She knows what's at stake. She understands life feeling like it has been turned upside down. She tells patients their journey will be hard, but they will not be alone. She was very inspiring. She overcame her challenges and helps other people going through cancer. I think it takes a special person to turn pain into purpose. Brescia Dover Brescia Dover Brescia Dover Similarly, I've tried to turn so much of my challenges into my life's purpose and work. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I was working at a marketing agency after I beat cancer. I launched my own business, a boutique marketing agency, because I knew that if I could beat cancer, I could ride the wave of challenges that come with entrepreneurship. I specialize in creative and strategic marketing. I do videography, social media management, photography and content creation. My cancer journey also made me realize that you don't know if you have tomorrow. Theres no time to waste. This year has been my year: I can walk again, and I'm really growing and thriving in my business. This is the busiest my work has ever been. Early next month, I get the screws out of my hips. Once you get your screws out, you've completed the journey, and that's a really big deal. In general, I am finally in a good position with both my physical and mental health to scale my business. I'm excited to find a like-minded partner or boyfriend. I'm dating and meeting new people. I'm happy and growing and not looking back. Instead, I am grateful for where I'm at and the chance to move forward. Read the original article on People Colombian President Gustavo Petro had trouble refueling his plane on a trip to the Middle East after being sanctioned by the United States, his government said Thursday. Interior Minister Armando Benedetti said that the presidential plane stopped in Madrid to refuel on the way to Saudi Arabia but that officials at Barajas airport, Spain's biggest, refused to fill it up. After negotiations with Spain's left-wing government, the plane landed at a military base to refuel. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement President Donald Trump's administration has accused Petro of enabling drug cartels and placed him on the U.S. Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctions list. "Since President Gustavo Petro came to power, cocaine production in Colombia has exploded to the highest rate in decades, flooding the United States and poisoning Americans," Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said last week when announcing the sanctions. Petro, his wife Veronica Alcocer, eldest son Nicolas, and Benedetti are banned from traveling to the United States and any U.S. assets they have are frozen. U.S. companies or companies with U.S. capital are also banned from doing business with them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Writing on X, Petro thanked the "kingdom of Spain" for helping him reach Riyadh at the start of a three-country tour that will also take him to Qatar and Egypt. Benedetti said that the aviation refueling company at Barajas was afraid of breaching U.S. sanctions on Petro. "The companies that sell fuel or provide cleaning services or the boarding stairs (at airports) are almost always American," Benedetti said. "They refused to provide the (refueling) service because of the OFAC (list)," he said. Petro is also struggling to access his salary after being hit with the sanctions, his lawyer told AFP on Thursday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "They've had their credit cards and bank accounts frozen," said Daniel Kovalik, Petro's lawyer. "Even getting paid as public officials is now difficult." Kovalik said believes Petro is being punished for opposing U.S. foreign policy. "I think that (Trump) is trying to attack anyone who's standing up to U.S. foreign policy aims," Kovalik said. "And he's being punished. It's a message to all leaders: you get aligned, (or) you're gonna be punished." The sanctions imposed on Petro on Oct. 24 followed months of friction between Mr. Trump and Petro over U.S. migrant deportations and strikes on suspected drug boats off the coast of South America. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In an exclusive conversation with CBS News earlier this month, Petro claimed some of those killed by the U.S. strikes on alleged drug boats have been innocent civilians, and he reiterated his accusation that the attacks violate international law. The White House has denied that innocent civilians were killed in the boat strikes. Petro, a former left-wing guerrilla, has vehemently denied any involvement in drug trafficking and argued that the cocaine trade is being fueled chiefly by demand in the United States and Europe. Last month, the U.S. State Department announced it was revoking Petro's visa after he participated in a New York protest where he called on American soldiers to disobey Mr. Trump's orders. The department said on social media that Petro "stood on a NYC street and urged U.S. soldiers to disobey orders and incite violence. We will revoke Petro's visa due to his reckless and incendiary actions." House lawmakers told their paychecks are delayed until government reopens What to expect from Trump meeting with Xi Jinping Video shows massive damage in Jamaica from Hurricane Melissa DENVER (KDVR) Open enrollment season kicks off in just a couple of days. SNAP benefits are set to run out at the same time on Nov. 1. Some leaders on Capitol Hill say Americans should prepare to be sticker-shocked by an increase in premiums. This is all coming with no deal on healthcare subsidies as Congress remains shut down. Open enrollment begins with no deal on healthcare We heard from both Democrats and Republicans representing Coloradans on Capitol Hill. They have different thoughts about how we got to this point and what could happen next. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 225K Coloradans could pay double for health insurance premiums as federal tax credit expiration looms: Officials This is going to impact everybody, even if you are on an employer-sponsored healthcare. Thats why we need to fix this, said Congressman Jason Crow, a Democrat representing the states 6th Congressional District. House Speaker Mike Johnson has closed the House of Representatives. He has not convened Congress for about a month now. So that prohibits our ability to negotiate, to debate, to discuss the path forward. So they actually just need to reopen negotiations, reopen the Congress and in the case of the President, he needs to come back to the United States so we can strike a deal. Democrats in Congress are sounding the alarm ahead of open enrollment. Some people getting their insurance through the open market are already seeing cost projections ahead of November 1st, like Mike, a retiree from Littleton. I could finally afford to retire early, knowing I would still have healthcare. My plan through Cigna today costs $936 a month. Thanks to the ACA tax credits, I only pay $141. Without that subsidy, it would be completely unaffordable. Its a game changer for me and millions of others, Mike said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The state estimates 225,000 Coloradans rely on the subsidies, saying they are set to average an increase of 101% statewide. Some members of Congress say there will be a trickle-down impact. When people see that shocking number, far too many are going to choose to opt out and that puts us all in a vulnerable position and especially them. The skyrocketing cost will hit all of us. They will be able to adjust, but we need action now. We need leadership in Washington to care about working families, said Congresswoman Brittany Pettersen, a Democrat representing Colorados 7th Congressional District. Free on Your TV FOX31+ for Roku, Fire TV, Apple TV, Samsung Some Colorado Republicans in Congress are standing firm against the subsidies, saying they need reform before they can approve them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement These subsidies that democrats are talking about are going to illegal immigrants. If we want to get the cost of healthcare down in Colorado, we have to stop paying for illegal immigrants. We have to stop being a sanctuary city and state, and we have to cut the red tape and regulations in Colorado that is strangling our economy to include healthcare, said Congressman Gabe Evans, a Republican representing Colorados 8th Congressional District. Its important to note that those subsidies are only available to people in the nation lawfully. They expire at the end of the year. SNAP benefits set to run out on Saturday With the federal government still shut down, SNAP benefits will halt for families across the nation. So how is Colorado going to handle it? Can there be a compromise or even a lawsuit that can stop it? While some continue to urge the federal government to act, the state of Colorado moved ahead with its plan to help cover for it. Democratic members of the House Committee on Agriculture joined Colorado Congressman Joe Neguse on Wednesday in urging the Trump Administration to use $5 billion in contingency funding for food assistance. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Trump Administration has made a conscious decision to, and deliberate choice, to suspend snap benefits, said Congressman Neguse, a Democrat representing Colorados second congressional district. Over five billion dollars available today that could be used. That must be used under the law so that hungry families dont starve. President Donald Trump and Speaker of the U.S. House Mike Johnson have said those funds cannot be used to cover the benefits. States ask for clarity on use of contingency funds for November SNAP There was a memo that went out, basically saying that those contingency funds are supposed to be used in an emergency. Thats normally a natural disaster or something like that, not a government shutdown. So I think them talking and Speaker Johnson has talked about this and Trump has, basically saying this isnt an emergency, said Michael Fields, FOX31 political analyst and Republican strategist. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The calls from Congress come after Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser joined more than 20 other states in suing the USDA Secretary over the suspension of the benefits, marking the 40th time the state has sued the Trump administration. Fields said he does not think the administration will act on the emergency relief or lawsuit. I dont think that its good policy. Its not going to work. The fact that we are suing the federal government 40 times, I dont think, is something that we should be celebrating, given the fact that this is all taxpayer money that we are talking about, Fields said. So I dont think they are going to win this case. I think Phil Weiser should be putting pressure on Senator Hickenlooper and Senator Bennet to vote to reopen the government. The states Joint Budget Committee approved the use of $10 million in state funding to help offset the loss of SNAP dollars. JBC members said the funds go to food banks and pantries in the state to help meet demand, as the state cannot issue SNAP benefits. 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. Related video: Why are orange and black considered Halloween colors? (COLORADO SPRINGS) Have you ever been driving late at night and something just felt off? A chill running through the cabin of your car, even though your heat is on? The palpable feeling of a pair of eyes on you, despite being seemingly the only car for miles? If so, youre definitely not alone, as two roads in Colorado have been ranked as two of the most haunted roads in America. One of these is Gold Camp Road in Colorado Springs. Rental car agency Sixt conducted a study by analyzing Google and TikTok search trends over the past year, connecting road names and related ghost terms, placing the Colorado Springs road as number 17 on their list of 20. Courtesy: City of Colorado Springs Courtesy: City of Colorado Springs Courtesy: City of Colorado Springs Courtesy: City of Colorado Springs Likely, many of the searches that landed Gold Camp Road on the list are a result of the Gold Camp Road Tunnels, stemming from prevalent local folk tales that surround the aging mines. Originally, there were nine passages carved into the mountains, but as local travel moved away from railroads, three of the tunnels collapsed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to Atlas Obscura, a popular website dedicated to chronicling the worlds relics and roadside oddities, one of these collapses inspired prevalent local folklore of a doomed bus carrying children through one of the tunnels when it collapsed in 1988, leaving no survivors. Ever since, many who have traveled Gold Camp Road or taken a hiking or biking trip into the tunnels have reported ghostly phenomena ranging from little hand prints pressed into the dust of their cars to being grabbed and scratched by entities that simply werent there. But, if you take the time to do some digging in Colorados historical newspaper archives, you will find that one of the nine tunnels did collapse in 1988; no newspapers at the time reported any deaths or injuries as a result. That being said, keep your eyes and ears open and alert when you make your next trip through Gold Camp Road. You might experience more than the natural beauty you were hoping to find 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. (The Center Square) Colorado has sued the Trump administration over its decision to move the U.S. Space Command Headquarters out of the state. Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser argued this move from Colorado Springs to Huntsville, Alabama is unconstitutional and unlawful. The president could not have been clearer about his motivations for moving Space Command. He said Colorados mail-in voting system was a big factor in his decision making, Weiser said. The Constitution does not permit the executive branch to punish or retaliate against states for lawfully exercising powers reserved for them, such as the power to regulate elections. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement President Donald Trump first announced the move in early September, just months after it reached full operational capacity at Peterson Space Force Base in December. Currently Colorado has the largest private aerospace industry per capita in the country. Since 2020, aerospace employment has grown in the state by 24% and the state has secured $31 billion in federal contracts. In just 2024, Colorado added over 3,500 new aerospace and defense jobs. Keeping Space Command in Colorado honors the significant investments already made by businesses in the Pikes Peak region and protects thousands of families from unnecessary disruptions in their lives, said Rep. Jenny Willford, chair of the Colorado House State, Civic, Military and Veterans Affairs Committee. Relocation will waste critical taxpayer resources and undermine the stability of our servicemembers and their families, and the vital mission to protect our national security. Weiser is seeking a court order prohibiting the Trump administration from following through on moving the SPACECOM's permanent headquarters, which former President Joe Biden declared should be in Colorado in 2023. It also is asking the courts to declare that Trumps alleged retaliation against Colorado is unconstitutional. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If we dont take a stand now against this unconstitutional and unlawful decision, Colorado and other states that use mail-in voting will face further pressure or punishment unless they give up their constitutional authority, Weiser said. When Trump made the announcement, he did not specify why he made that decision, besides stating that Alabama fought harder for it than anybody else. Huntsville is currently home to the Redstone Army Airfield and NASAs Marshall Space Flight Center. The Space and Missile Defense Command of the Army is also located there. Alabama lawmakers have applauded the decision to move the headquarters there, saying it was Biden who first injected politics into the decision by choosing Colorado. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall said he plans to fight Weisers lawsuit. This lawsuit is nothing more than a partisan attempt to overturn a lawful, evidence-based decision repeatedly validated by military experts, independent reviews, and congressional oversight, Marshall said in a statement on Wednesday, the same day Colorado announced its lawsuit. Alabama will vigorously defend this decision in court and is confident the law and facts are squarely on our side. If Colorado insists on fighting a political battle in federal court, Alabama will meet them there, and win. DENVER Colorado officials filed a lawsuit Wednesday claiming the relocation of U.S. Space Command to Alabama was illegally motivated by President Donald Trumps desire to punish Colorado for its mail-in voting system. The litigation announced by Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser asks a federal judge to block the move as unconstitutional. Trump chose Huntsville, Alabama, to house Space Command during the closing days of his first term. But in 2023, then-President Joe Biden announced the command would be permanently located in Colorado Springs, Colorado, which had been serving as its temporary headquarters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump in September said Colorados mail-in voting system played a big factor in moving the headquarters to Alabama. The problem with Colorado is that they have a very corrupt voting system, Trump said. He said earlier plans to relocate the headquarters to Huntsville were wrongfully obstructed by the Biden administration. Trump links Space Command HQ move to Colorados crooked voting laws The decision capped a four-year tug of war between the two states and opposing administrations. It infuriated both Democratic and Republican officials in Colorado, which has a booming aerospace industry. President Trump has unlawfully retaliated against Colorado to punish the state for its exercise of sovereign authority to regulate elections, Colorado officials wrote in Wednesdays lawsuit. The Supreme Court has long recognized that the Constitution prohibits the use of retaliation, punishment, or other coercive action in response to the exercise of constitutional right or power. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Space Commands functions include enabling satellite-based navigation and troop communication and providing warning of missile launches. White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly said Wednesday that the Huntsville location puts them in the best situation to improve readiness and protect our national interests while providing the necessary infrastructure capacity, community support, cost effectiveness, and more. She did not directly respond to the lawsuits claim that the relocation was punishment for Colorados mail-in voting system, which experts have said is legal and secure. Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser is seen during a news conference July 22, 2025, in Denver. (Hyoung Chang/The Denver Post via AP) Huntsville nicknamed Rocket City because of its role building the first rockets for the U.S. space program is home to the Armys Redstone Arsenal, NASAs Marshall Space Flight Center and the Armys Space and Missile Defense Command. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Alabama officials have said about 1,400 Space Command jobs would transition to Redstone Arsenal over the next five years. Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall said in a statement Wednesday that his state would vigorously defend the relocation decision in court. He called Colorados lawsuit a partisan attempt to overturn a lawful, evidence-based decision repeatedly validated by military experts, independent reviews, and congressional oversight. A review by the Defense Department inspector general was inconclusive and could not determine why Colorado was chosen over Alabama. Trump, a Republican who enjoys deep support in Alabama, had long been expected to move Space Command back to the state. COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) 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. Matt Scantlands telehealth startup AndHealth expanding downtown, adding 75 jobs Columbia Gas weighs demand from data centers, reshoring as utility navigates system limits Dublin approves development agreement for mixed-use Bridge North project Columbus first Honeygrow restaurant opens on Morse Road Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Digital reporters David Rees and Ava Boldizar also discuss some of their business stories in this latest episode. 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. Former FBI Director James Comey asked a judge to dismiss the case against him for lying to Congress, saying everything he said in his 2020 testimony was literally true. The filing from Comeys legal team goes on to slam Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) for a fundamentally ambiguous line of questioning. Fundamental to any false statement charge are both clear questions and false answers. Neither exists here, Comeys attorneys wrote in the Thursday filing, noting that the statute requires false answers to precise questions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The two-page indictment of Comey was brought after a career prosecutor left the Justice Department over concerns in the case, with President Trump then appointing one of his former personal attorneys to oversee it. In an unusual move, Lindsey Halligan, who is now leading the office of the U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, is the only attorney to have signed the indictment. The sparse indictment doesnt offer specifics about the exchange on which Comeys charges are based. But it references a quote from Cruz made in a broader line of questioning about whether Comey authorized his deputy Andrew McCabe to leak to the media about an investigation into the 2016 Trump campaign. Cruz initially summarizes testimony Comey gave during a 2017 appearance before Congress, when Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) asked if hed ever been the source for leaks on the Trump campaign probe. Cruz went on to summarize statements from McCabe, statements the filing said McCabe simply had not made. Cruz then asked the FBI director who was telling the truth about the alleged leaks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Comey said only that he stood by his original testimony. After speaking for more than a minute, Senator Ted Cruz asked Mr. Comey to recall statements he had made three years earlier and to simultaneously address statements that Senator Cruz incorrectly claimed were made by Andrew McCabe, the filing states. In doing so, Senator Cruz never indicated that he wanted Mr. Comey to address the statements or activities of any person except for Mr. McCabe. The Grassley exchange is now beyond the statute of limitations, while Comey was charged just days before the clock would have run out on the 2020 testimony. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, confusing matters further, prosecutors have since said in court that Person 1 and 3 referenced in the indictment are not McCabe and Trump but rather a close friend of Comeys, Daniel Richman, and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. While Cruzs session included broad statements about authorizing FBI leaks about either investigation, his questions only referenced McCabe. A reasonable person could have understood Senator Cruzs questions to be entirely unrelated to Mr. Richman or anyone else at the FBIand to have focused on Mr. McCabe alone, Comeys filing states. On that reasonable understanding, the indictment contains no allegations that Mr. Comeys answers were false: it never alleges that Mr. Comey made a false statement regarding Mr. McCabe. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Comey is facing another charge of obstructing a congressional proceeding, and his filing complains that his defense team still does not know the basis for the charge and whether its even related to the Cruz line of questioning, hindering their defense. To the extent Count Two rests on the same false statements as Count One, that count should also be dismissed for the reasons set forth herein, Comeys team wrote in the filing. But as it stands, Count Twos lack of specificity renders it inherently and separately defective for failing to provide adequate notice to Mr. Comey of the charge against which he must defend. Updated at 11:21 a.m. EDT Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. From left: Sens. Donovan Fenton, Dan Innis, Denise Ricciardi, and Keith Murphy debate proposed crypto mining legislation Oct. 30. The full Senate will consider the legislation for a second time in the new year. (Photo by Molly Rains/New Hampshire Bulletin) The Senate Commerce Committee was split Thursday on its recommendation for a bill that would deregulate the energy-hungry practice of cryptocurrency mining statewide. After two tied votes one to recommend passage and another to recommend killing the bill the group ultimately voted, 4-2, to recommend the bill for interim study. Senators said they had received an unusually high volume of comments from constituents relating to the bill since it was last discussed in the spring. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The bill, House Bill 639, forbids municipalities from creating restrictions, such as noise limits, that would apply specifically to crypto mining facilities. It also prevents state or local governments from applying any unique tax to digital currencies or transactions, and ensures individuals and businesses are allowed to engage in digital asset mining. Additionally, under the bill as proposed, any crypto-related disputes would be heard in a blockchain dispute docket in the superior court. The governor would appoint a justice to preside over cases concerning blockchain, according to the legislation. When the full Senate votes on the bill in the new year, it will mark the second time the body has considered the legislation, which passed the House last session but was sent to the Senate Commerce Committee for further study after senators failed to reach a consensus in May. The bills prime sponsor, Rep. Keith Ammon, a Republican and software developer from New Boston, said at the time the bill would prevent discrimination against the cryptocurrency and blockchain industries. The bill is similar to a policy authored by an industry group, the Satoshi Action Group, which promotes bitcoin use and digital asset mining in the U.S. and has seen its model legislation passed in multiple states. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, as Republican District 9 Sen. Denise Ricciardi noted at the commerce committee Oct. 30, Arkansas one such state later took steps to increase regulations, with lawmakers citing noise complaints from residents who lived near mines as well as concerns about foreign mine ownership and environmental impact. Environmentalists, such as the New Hampshire Network, have raised concerns about the high energy and water needs of crypto mining facilities. On Thursday, senators said their constituents had reacted strongly to the bill in the months since it last crossed the Senate floor. I dont want to vote against it, but we heard from so many constituents, and I would like to have it worked on further and then move it forward next session, Ricciardi said. Sen. Tara Reardon, of Concord, said: This is the single most emails I have ever received about one bill before, my constituents and statewide, with concerns about the details, loss of local control, whats happening in their towns. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sen. Keith Murphy, a Republican from Manchester, was among the bills supporters. He said the legislation would send a strong message that New Hampshire would be hospitable to the industry. Ultimately, Ricciardi, Reardon, Sen. Tim McGough, and Sen. Donovan Fenton voted in favor of recommending the bill for interim study. Murphy and Sen. Dan Innis dissented. Community members in Lynwood gathered to remember a 7-year-old boy who was found dead inside a freezer at his family's apartment. Candles, flowers and stuffed animals now line the sidewalk on Euclid Avenue. Neighbors gathered just steps away from the crime scene Thursday evening. One woman who lives near the boy's apartment told ABC7 off-camera in Spanish that the boy's murder makes her physically ill. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Other neighbors said they're heartbroken. "This shouldn't happen in our community. And I always say if you can't handle the kids, find some help. Our kids shouldn't suffer," said Maria Landeros. "How could someone do this to a child?" A mother was arrested for murder after a 7-year-old child was found dead inside a freezer at an apartment in Lynwood, Eyewitness News has learned. Los Angeles County deputies arrived to the victim's home Tuesday evening after a 911 caller reported a dead child. When they entered the apartment, they allegedly found the 7-year-old's body in the freezer. It's unclear how long the child had been dead, or how long they were in the freezer. That remains under investigation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Three additional children, ages 16, 13 and 9 months, were also found at the scene and taken into protective custody by the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services. The child's mother, father and grandmother were arrested, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. Based on the preliminary investigation, the child's mother, 25-year-old Destiny Harrison, was arrested for murder. The father, 25-year-old Daniel Monzon, and grandmother, 46-year-old Ana Zarceno-Carcamo, were arrested for conspiracy to commit murder, the sheriff's department said. Bail was set at $2 million each. They could appear in court for the first time on Friday. Meanwhile, community members just want to know why the child was murdered. "He was a young boy. He was supposed to be protected by him. We got to take care of our kids," said a woman named Rosie. (WBRE/WYOU) Lorena Beniquez will join Jayne Ann Bugda on the latest edition of Community Newsmakers Podcast on the 2822Now APP. Beniquez is an author, videographer, and filmmaker. She is also a former news reporter for 2822 News, who spent many years covering the Williamsport Area. Lorena is the author of Lost Coal Country of Northeastern Pennsylvania. The book is not only a history of the Huber Breaker, Centralia, and the Knox Mine disaster, but as Lorena explains it, a field guide for hikers, walkers, and historical tourists to discover our past before it disappears. The book is available on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and at Otto Book Store. The show will air on Saturday, November 1 at 6:30 am. How to Download link: https://www.2822news.com/download-the-28-22-news-ctv-streaming-app/ 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. Faith leaders and Tacoma City Council candidates are stepping in as investigations into widespread staff absences at Jennie Reed Elementary School appear to be escalating. Thirty-eight teachers and education-support professionals at the school in Tacomas South End called in sick on Sept. 12. An unsigned letter that circulated online last month said that they did so to send the message to district leaders that the community will not accept fewer supports for our students. The absences came on the heels of widespread cuts to staff positions at the district while it contended with a budget deficit. District spokesperson Kathryn McCarthy said this week the district is still investigating allegations that certain staff members violated district policies and said the district expects to conclude its investigation around late November. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We are working with both the Tacoma Education Association and the Tacoma Federation of Education Support Professionals to ensure that all staff members receive appropriate due process, McCarthy told The News Tribune in an email. No discipline decisions will be made until investigations and due process are complete. Two members of the Jennie Reed community, who wanted to remain anonymous due to concerns about retribution from the district, confirmed to The News Tribune that the district is scheduling disciplinary hearings with Jennie Reed staff who called in sick that day. Angel Morton, president of the union that represents teachers in the district, the Tacoma Education Association, declined to comment. Kari Madden, president of the union that supports education-support professionals in the district, the Tacoma Federation of Education Support Professionals, also declined to comment. As a result of the ongoing investigation and growing possibility of disciplinary action, a group of 14 of Tacomas faith leaders signed a letter to district Superintendent Josh Garcia on Oct. 24 urging him to decide against firing the teachers and education support-professionals who called in sick. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Our single point is that all school districts have their issues, The Rev. Mike Roberts, a signatory of the letter, told The News Tribune. These teachers may be trying to shine a light on some issues, and whatever the solutions might be, it doesnt include firing teachers and para-educators. Another group of eight people, which consisted of labor leaders, city council candidates and parents at the school, sent a separate letter to Garcia and other district leaders on Oct. 27 criticizing them for their approach to discussions about the investigation. Shalom Agtarap, a pastor at Tacomas First United Methodist Church who signed onto the letter, said the group met with Garcia earlier this month to discuss its concerns about potential discipline among staff at Jennie Reed. But the group was disappointed by how disingenuous district leadership appeared to be at the meeting, Agtarap told The News Tribune. Our Tacoma schools on the Eastside and South End need institutional support, and when they cannot get it, educators become their mouthpiece, the letter states. As a community, were concerned that negative attention and District resources are steered toward an investigation instead of addressing the much needed health/safety conditions and staff turnover at Reed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Anders Ibsen, who is running against John Hines to be Tacomas next mayor, also issued a letter to Garcia in defense of Jennie Reed staff one that referenced the recent developments involving paraeducators and teachers who called in sick. As you continue to navigate this situation, I trust that you and your team will approach it with the same fairness, empathy, and thoughtfulness that have characterized your tenure, Ibsen wrote to the superintendent. ANDERSON COUNTY, S.C. (WSPA) An EMT was fired after reportedly taking a photo of a deputys body at the Anderson County morgue. According to leaders with MedShore Ambulance Services, the employee took a photo of Detective Mark Garrett, who was killed in a crash on October 1. He was off-duty at the time of the collision, officials said. Garrett was a respected member of the sheriffs office. The 56-year-old began his public service career in the fire service and transitioned to law enforcement in 2009. Headshot of Detective Mark Garrett, with the Anderson County Sheriffs Office. Greg Shore, CEO of the medical transport company, told 7NEWS they were not aware of the picture at the time it was taken. The employee shared the photo with one her coworkers, prompting an investigation by MedShore. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The employee has since been terminated, Shore said. Officials with the Anderson County Coroners Office said an investigation into what took place at the morgue is ongoing. 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. Montana Public Service Commission (via PSC Twitter account). Public Service Commissioner Annie Bukacek, also a doctor in private practice, is using state equipment to copy medical records unrelated to agency work, a complaint filed this week with the state ethics watchdog alleges. A photo of Dr. Annie Bukacek (Photo via Annie Bukacek for PSC website). Bukacek, elected in 2022, declined Friday to address the question and directed the Daily Montanan to the Public Service Commission director. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Public Service Commissioner Brad Molnar filed the complaint, dated Wednesday, with the Commissioner of Political Practices, which monitors and enforces ethical standards for public officers. In the complaint, Molnar, recently ousted as president, asks the Commissioner of Political Practices to estimate the money Bukacek owes ratepayers for her alleged abuse of state resources and levy penalties accordingly. Bukacek is a licensed physician based in Kalispell, according to the Montana Board of Medical Examiners. She is on the Logan Health Medical Center receptionist directory. In the complaint, Molnar said he has observed Bukacek dragging a valise or an even larger suitcase into the PSC office building after returning from her home in Kalispell. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At the office, Molnar said he often couldnt use the copier because Bukacek was using it for long periods of time. One night, looking for a document he thought he might have thrown out, Molnar discovered the first tranche of evidence under fax cover sheets, the complaint said. In a phone call, Molnar said the cover sheets largely show correspondence to Logan Health from other medical offices, such as Walmart Pharmacy or the Deer Lodge Medical Center. It became obvious the suitcases contained her business documents so she could perform her business functions while at the PSC offices, the complaint said. Until last week, Molnar served as president of the Public Service Commission. The PSC regulates public utilities and has five commissioners elected by district. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Molnar was ousted as president after his colleagues alleged he repeatedly interfered with an internal investigation into professional misconduct, and the PSC needed a reset. Molnar himself announced the investigation in July and has admitted only to being unpolished. Molnar said he was still president when he first discovered the medical printouts sometime the first week of April. Ive got hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of these, Molnar said. He said he didnt want bad publicity under his watch, and Bukacek had refused to talk with him, so he asked Commissioner Jennifer Fielder, vice president, to talk with her. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But he said Bukacek continued the practice. In a phone call, Fielder said she recalls Molnar pointing out a stack of trash to her, but she believed Bukacek had been cleaning out her office. Fielder said she doesnt recall asking Bukacek directly about whether she was using state equipment for personal business, but she has in general offered that guidance to all her colleagues. Fielder also said Molnar himself was free to talk with Bukacek himself or send her an email. In state law, rules of conduct for officers state that they may not use public time, facilities, equipment, state letterhead, supplies, personnel, or funds for the officers or employees private business purposes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Molnar himself was found to have violated that ethics law multiple times by using public facilities and equipment in his first stretch as a member of the Public Service Commissioner, according to a 2010 decision by the Commissioner of Political Practices. In the current complaint, Molnar said Bukacek dragging her bags of business documents has diminished since the legislative session adjourned. However, Bukacek still uses the copy rooms exponentially far more often than I, even though as president, Molnar said he needed more copies than most commissioners on most days, the complaint said. Apparently, shes short on toner where she works, Molnar said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Molnar said its not like Im a dumpster diver, but the bins can be overflowing with cover sheets, and he has collected a stack of them thats as thick as a ream of paper. Just a couple of days ago, Molnar said he went to throw away some bad copies, but the waste basket was overflowing, and he realized it had more medical facility cover sheets. He said he believes Bukacek is copying the records, tossing out the cover sheets, and keeping many more pages of documents that are printed with them on state equipment and taxpayer time, he said. You can hear the printing machines whirring for a frickin hour in there, Molnar said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He said he believes some of the documents include private patient information, potentially in violation of HIPAA, the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, because some cover sheets state, Confidential, and some include prescription information or reference EKGs, for example. In response to a voicemail requesting comment, Bukacek sent a text message directing the Daily Montanan to the PSC executive director. Bukacek did not answer a follow-up text message asking if she used equipment in the PSC office for private medical business. Fielder, however, said she believes Molnar is disgruntled with his ouster, and the allegations against Bukacek are motivated by his dissatisfaction. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I think Commissioner Molnar has started trying to besmirch other members of the commission and the department who dont necessarily go along with his views, particularly related to his removal from office and his conduct, Fielder said. The internal investigation into Molnar is pending, as is a request Fielder made to Gov. Greg Gianforte on behalf of an internal response team to temporarily suspend Molnar, alleging interference with the investigation. Public Service Commissioner Brad Molnar stands during a press conference in Helena, Montana, on July 29, 2025. (Jordan Hansen / Daily Montanan) Molnar has argued he has only availed himself of his free speech rights in speaking out about the allegations. His lawyer argued Molnars recent demotion made the suspension request to the governor moot, but the response team said he can still be disruptive, including through media activity. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a phone call, Molnar said he volunteered to provide the cover sheets to the Commissioner of Political Practices as evidence, but he was told to hold off at this point in the complaint process. When Commissioner Bukacek is at the commission, she is supposed to do commission related work, the complaint said. Instead, she is doing personal business-related work. Since she is often in the office for only one or two hours per week she is paid about $2,000 per hour of actual commission core functions and treating her elected position as a side hustle. Therefore, the time she spends at the commission working on her personal agendas is an insult to the ratepayers as the time would be far better spent doing her public job. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fielder said she believes Bukacek works at her medical practice Thursday, Friday and Saturday, and otherwise, works long hours at the Public Service Commission, as evidenced by her deliberations at public meetings. Shes demonstrated that she studies the material, she studies the law, she studies the evidence in the record, Fielder said. In a phone call, Commissioner of Political Practices Chris Gallus said he is still conducting an initial evaluation on the complaint, which includes confirming whether his office has authority in the matter. Gallus said he can request additional information from either the complainant or the respondent, assess whether he or a previous commissioner has issued a decision in a similar case, and then issue a summary decision or proceed to a hearing. Molnar v. Bukacek For more than three decades, a key legal provision has ensured that San Francisco's ethics watchdogs can freely punish City Hall officials for flouting the law, even their powerful bosses. But up for discussion next week is whether to remove that protection as part of a broader overhaul of San Francisco's myriad oversight boards and commissions. Staff for the city's Commission Streamlining Task Force are recommending that the panel consider lowering the threshold for when members of the San Francisco Ethics Commission could lose their positions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Created by voters in 1993, the ethics commission has a unique governance structure designed to insulate its members from undue political influence. Unlike other panels, its five members are appointed to serve six-year terms by a cross-section of City Hall. The mayor, Board of Supervisors, city attorney, district attorney, and assessor-recorder each have an appointee on the commission. Crucially, ethics commissioners can only be removed by their appointing authority for official misconduct, a high standard that involves proof they behaved wrongly on the job. In the past, that protection has meant ethics commissioners could vote to punish their bosses without fear of being removed from their positions without cause. In 2021, for example, the commissioner appointed by Mayor Ed Lee was among those who voted to fine Mayor London Breed nearly $23,000 for a host of alleged ethics violations, including Breed using her official city title on a letter advocating for her brother's release from prison. But under consideration is whether the commissioners should instead serve at-will, or at the whims of their appointing authority. Staff for the task force, from the city administrator and controller's offices, argued in an Oct. 24 memo that the commission's unique structure may be enough to shield them from political pressure. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Changing member removal from for-cause to at-will may be appropriate given the Ethics Commission's broadly distributed appointing structure, which protects against undue influence by any one elected official," the city staffers wrote to the task force. Ethics Commission Executive Director Pat Ford called the proposal "completely inappropriate." "Ethics commissioners need to be independent," Ford told the Chronicle. "They are responsible for holding city officials accountable for ethics rules, and they can't do that if those very city officials can remove them from office for no reason." It's not unheard of for a City Hall appointee to face political pressure from above. During her administration, Breed bemoaned her inability to fire certain appointees. She went as far as to require many of her commission appointees to sign undated resignation letters, although she maintained that she would only exercise the letters in extreme cases and not for policy disagreements. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The proposal is one of many ideas presented by staff for the task force to consider at its meeting Wednesday. The task force is an advisory body created by voters in November to study San Francisco's roughly 130 boards and commissions and consider consolidating or eliminating them. The panel will make recommendations to the mayor and Board of Supervisors by early next year. A spokesperson for the city administrator said in a statement that the staff memo was simply a "tool that the task force uses to discuss each body and formulate their recommendations." "The task force may vote to agree or disagree with the staff proposals," the spokesperson said. City staff noted that the mechanisms for removing ethics commission members were out of line with a template the task forcer created to compare the different bodies to one another. Ethics commissioners can also be ousted via a recall election, which staff recommended be removed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They also recommended that the task force "strongly consider" stripping the ethics commission of its ability to place measures on the ballot without approval by the Board of Supervisors. "While voters routinely approve Ethics (Commission) measures by wide margins, measures drafted by the Ethics Commission may receive less public input and scrutiny than measures drafted by the Board of Supervisors," staff wrote. Ford said that the ethics commission has used its unique power to go directly to the voters "sparingly," on five occasions in its 32-year history. That includes a measure the panel placed on the March 2024 ballot that tightened gift rules for city officials and employees in response to the wide-sweeping corruption scandal surrounding former public works head Mohammed Nuru. "Our approach to legislation is to always work with the Board of Supervisors and mayor first," Ford said. "The ballot is a safety valve that is there in case the typical legislative path doesn't work." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Taken together, Ethics Commission Chair Argemira Florez Feng said the proposals seemed well-intentioned, but would harm her panel's independence. "San Franciscans need confidence that the Ethics Commission will execute its mandate to protect the integrity of the city's elections and governance in an impartial manner, without fear of interference," Florez Feng said in a statement. "Implementing these proposals will undermine one of the city's most important government accountability mechanisms." The recommendations come as City Hall is battered by allegations of wrongdoing. In April, Mayor Daniel Lurie ousted a department head who was found to have held a secret side job and directed city money to her friends. Last fall, another department head resigned under scrutiny over her handling of taxpayer dollars and conflicted relationship with a nonprofit contractor. While the ethics commission has not weighed in on those cases, the panel in November fined mayoral candidate Mark Farrell more than $100,000 after an investigation found he illegally funded his candidacy through a committee he created for a separate purpose. The settlement dropped in the middle of the mayor's race and marked the largest penalty of its kind in the commission's history. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ford said the ethics commission plays a key role holding officials accountable for misdeeds that "may not be crimes, but nonetheless are still critically important to address." "We are never done with this work," Ford said. "If we start to undermine the institutions that keep city government transparent and accountable, we are inviting the next corruption scandal." This article originally published at Completely inappropriate': S.F. weighs proposal to weaken shield for ethics watchdogs. The Scene PITTSBURGH It was Ken Martins fourth or fifth trip to Pennsylvania since becoming chair of the Democratic National Committee, for an election he felt good about. The 52-year-old Minnesotan felt confident, in general, about how his party would do on Tuesday, after a year of being asked what was wrong with the Democrats. He had just been to New Jersey, where he expected Rep. Mikie Sherrill to be elected governor, and Virginia, where Democrats were so confident of winning that theyd called a special session to draw more favorable congressional maps. They obviously understood the assignment, said Martin, who expected California Democrats own gerrymandering measure to pass on Tuesday. If the Republicans continue with this nonsense, this unconstitutional power grab that they have been doing in places like Texas, the Democratic Party is not going to just roll over and play dead. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Pennsylvania, Martin was helping the state partys effort to retain three state Supreme Court justices in an up-or-down vote. Conservatives are going to try to buy these seats, he told Semafor at a coffee shop near the Allegheny County Democrats daily phone bank office, on Wednesday. Victory would ensure Democratic control of the court through the next few elections, just a year after Republicans won every statewide race in Pennsylvania. Since winning the DNC job in February, Martins party has flipped three state legislative seats in special elections and been buffeted by questions about its strategy and message. Critics are still questioning his tactics, his fundraising, and the contents of an in-progress review of the partys 2024 election mistakes. But his raw thoughts at party meetings are no longer being recorded and leaked to reporters, and the party has invested in each competitive Nov. 4 race, even as paying off debt from Kamala Harris 2024 campaign saps its resources. The View From KEN MARTIN In a 30-minute interview, Martin defended how the party has been managing its internal divisions, and pushed back at Republicans who have accused Democrats of embracing violence and radical politics. The American Action Network, an arm of the House GOP, had just announced a $5 million buy across swing seats that condemned Democrats for accusing the president and his allies of embracing fascism. Martin said the word was fitting. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ive been very vocal, after Charlie Kirk died, that theres no place for political violence, said Martin. But calling out a fascist regime for what it is? Theres no doubt in my mind, when you look at other fascist regimes around the world, over our history, that this not only has the hallmarks of a fascist regime, it is a fascist regime. The Constitution is being shredded before our eyes. The rule of law does not seem to matter anymore. The idea of due process in this country has been completely ripped away from people who are US citizens. When Republicans defend the unitary executive, he said, it means they want an authoritarian or a fascist to control this country. Martin had been tested on the violence question. After National Review published a set of 2022 texts from Virginia attorney general nominee Jay Jones in which he muses to a colleague about shooting the state House speaker, no Democrat told Jones to quit the race. That was a change from how Democrats had handled comparable situations before: For example, in 2019, Martins predecessor, Tom Perez, had urged then-Gov. Ralph Northam to quit, after photos of him wearing blackface resurfaced. Ive always felt that its not my job to say who should be in races or not. Thats up to the voters, Martin said, comparing that stance to the DNCs non-involvement in contested primaries. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its not as if I dont have serious, serious objections to the comments that were made, both by Jay Jones and [Maine Democrat] Graham Platner. Their comments were indefensible, offensive, hurtful. But its not up to me to decide whether or not theyre disqualifying. Democrats actually do call out our elected officials on their offensive comments. We do demand that they apologize. I dont see that happening from the Republican Party, ever. Republicans have also promised to use New York mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani against Democrats around the country, linking them to his democratic socialist views. Martin was skeptical. They tried that in Minnesota with [Rep.] Ilhan Omar and [Minnesota Attorney General] Keith Ellison, he said. Didnt impact any of our other candidates or those races. Im not worried about that, to be honest with you. The Republicans always try to create boogeymen, right? And I have no doubt theyll try to do that again. But I think voters are smarter than that, you know? Im not worried about it one bit. If thats where they want to focus their energy, were going to be focusing our energy on the fact that the Republicans and Donald Trump havent done anything to improve peoples lives. The GOP criticism of Mamdani has gone far beyond his views on Israel. Martin has been navigating that inside the party, too. At this summers DNC meeting in Minneapolis, he pulled a resolution demanding a ceasefire in Gaza, after some delegates protested and their own resolution calling for a Palestinian state was defeated. His compromise was proposing a committee to deal with the Gaza question, which he said would be formed after this election. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Obviously theres lots of interest from lots of people and groups and organizations, he said. Its obviously a conversation that we want to make sure has the right representation from sort of all the various sides of this. There were other distractions in Minneapolis. The meeting, like the last two DNC platforms, began with a land acknowledgment that recognized Indigenous tribes. Conservatives had mocked that; what was the point of Democrats doing invocations that would be ripped apart on Fox News? I think its important for us to not give up on our values, right? said Martin. We believe that this party, this country, should be inclusive that we should stand up for the rights of all people. But we can walk and chew gum at the same time. As much as weve always been the party of the working class and the poor, weve also been the party thats fought against discrimination and hatred and bigotry, and we can do both. On the left, Martin has faced some criticism for shuffling around DNC roles, making the presidents of AFSCME and the American Federation of Teachers into at-large members roles they quickly resigned, after years in more prominent party positions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Youd have to ask [AFT President] Randi [Weingarten] and [AFSCME President] Lee [Saunders] why they decided to resign, he said. I didnt kick them off. Theyre certainly welcome if they want to come back into the DNC. For whatever reason theyve decided to put their efforts elsewhere. It doesnt mean that we dont support the work of AFSCME or AFT and the great work that theyre doing to stand up and fight for their union members and to fight for workers, right? I have nothing but respect for both of them, and I think theyre doing great work. He saw no real rift with labor over the American Federation of Government Employees urging Democrats to end the shutdown. I havent seen any strain at this point, he said. I will tell you that the Democrats didnt want this shutdown. He sees no strain with former President Joe Biden, either. In March, NBC News reported that the former president had offered to help the DNC in any way he could. Biden has been absent from the campaign trail since then, but Martin said that Biden had lent his name to some fundraising appeals, and that he has been restricted by treatments for cancer. Biden will make his first post-presidency Democratic Party event appearance next Friday, at a Nebraska Democrats fundraiser. Theres a lot of different ways that he could help, whether its showing up at events like that in Omaha, or, helping on the fundraising side, or frankly, from time to time, making sure that his opinions are known on critical issues facing this country, said Martin. Theres lots of ways that he can help. Theres lots of ways Vice President Harris has already helped. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But they were off the trail. Barack Obama has been the only former president campaigning for Democrats before Nov. 4, and Martin plans to be with him on Saturday, when he comes to help Sherrill in New Jersey. Davids view When Martin took this job, he agreed to its unpleasant, sin-eating responsibilities. He gets blamed when the party loses (which it hasnt, under him, yet) and other people get credit when it wins. Hes pushed back the 2024 autopsy (not what he calls it) until after next months election, but Democrats interviewed for it or briefed on it have already talked about what itll probably contain. Its a little ironic, because Martin wants no part of the debate over whether the party should shift left or right after its defeat. His goal is a sturdy, well-funded national organization and network of state parties that doesnt need to rely on third party organizations or consultants, who he sees as having made bigger mistakes last year. Notable Congressional candidate William Lawrence stands alongside signs at his vigil against an expected lapse in SNAP benefits. Oct. 31. | Photo by Katherine Dailey/Michigan Advance. Updated at 9:07 p.m. William Lawrence, Democratic congressional candidate in Michigans 7th District, is holding a 30-hour vigil and food drive outside of the district office of U.S. Rep. Tom Barrett (R-Charlotte), in protest of the expected lapse in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits, also known as SNAP, starting on Nov. 1. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lawrences team is collecting food to donate to the Greater Lansing Food Bank, and as of about 1 p.m. Friday, had raised an additional $800 in online and cash donations since the vigil began, at that point about 19 hours prior. Were here in front of Barretts office because he is responsible for the SNAP benefits expiring, along with the rest of the Congressional Republicans, Lawrence said. If hes not going to do his part to keep Michigan families fed, were gonna do so. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Tom Barrett would rather take food from the hungry than provide care to the sick, he added. The easy solution here is to save the Affordable Care Act and keep necessary food assistance. People are going through far worse, Larence said as it started to rain. Im more than happy to sit in the cold for a few hours to call attention to the fact that other people are going hungry and are going bankrupt because of their medical bills. Thats whats at stake here, and its a real pleasure to draw attention to these issues. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Another Democrat in the race to unseat Barrett, former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Bridget Brink, stopped by the vigil, which will last until midnight on Friday, to donate food. Im really happy to see all of the candidates come out in support of this, on the Democratic side, to call out Tom Barrett and ask him to show leadership with the Republicans in D.C., because all of these things are hurting the people of our community, Brink said. We should and we must take care of our most vulnerable. Kimberly Phillips, a retired nurse in the Lansing area, also brought food donations to Lawrences event. Whatever we can do to get food out there for people who need a helping hand, she said as to why she came out. Around Lawrences food drive, messages in chalk were scrawled on the sidewalk, which were there when Lawrence and his team arrived. The chalk messages were condemned by Barretts office in a statement, where he said, my congressional office in Lansing was vandalized by a group of trespassers during a political rally of left-wing activists. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There is a clear distinction between peaceful protest and harassment, and this failed attempt to intimidate me crossed a line and will not be tolerated, he continued, adding that the vandalism had taken place during a rally held by Climate Action Campaign, Michigan Families for Fair Care, and Sierra Club Michigan. Chalk writing, which U.S. Rep. Tom Barrett (R-Charlotte) called vandalism on the exterior of his office. Oct. 31. | Photo by Katherine Dailey/Michigan Advance. Messages in chalk included Dont let our kids starve Tom! and Show your face Tom. Anjan Mukherjee, the spokesperson for Michigan Families For Fair Care, told the Advance in an email that the characterization by Barretts team ignores what they see as the pertinent issue. If Tom Barrett thinks that the biggest issue facing his constituents is a little bit of chalk and not that he is shutting down the government to raise their health care prices and take away critical food assistance programs like SNAP he should talk to more of them. But Barretts been MIA for months, which is why we went to his office in the first place. Well continue holding Barrett accountable for his anti-Michigander, anti-family agenda, Mukherjee said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Also responding was the Sierra Club of Michigan. The event the Sierra Club was a participant in had concluded, and we were not involved in the chalk vandalism the Congressman is so concerned with. We are deeply concerned this is where the Congressmans attention is at a time when Michigan families are already struggling to keep the lights on and heat their homes, and are fearful of going hungry and seeing healthcare costs skyrocket, Elayne Coleman, Sierra Club Michigan chapter director, said in an email to the Advance. Lawrence noted that he had not yet seen Barrett while hosting his food drive, but that the Congressmans staff had called the police on Lawrence and his team, who were seated on public property. This story was updated with comment from Michigan Families For Fair Care and the Sierra Club of Michigan. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX With SNAP benefits set to end tomorrow across the country, the Connecticut Office of Statewide Marketing & Tourism is assembling a coalition of local influencers to help raise awareness and support for food insecurity in the state. The Connecticut Content Creator Collaborative features the following influencers: JimyOfficial Reheated Coffee Club Connecticut Bucket List Alexa Curtis ESPN anchor Arda Ocal Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement WICC radio host Melissa Sheketoff Michael Pollack of New Haven Pizza Club Joe Massaro of New Haven Pizza Crew Alexa Curtis attends Endometriosis Foundation of America 9th Annual Blossom Ball at Cipriani 42nd street. (Pacific Press/Courtesy of Lev Radin/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images) For their first effort, the influencers have all been tasked with posting on their social media channels in order to encourage donations to Connecticut Foodshare. The mission of the Connecticut Content Creator Collaborative is to encourage Connecticut residents to "support their neighbors" through donations of goods, funds or volunteer time. "In Connecticut, we know that community is our strength," said Anthony Anthony, Chief Marketing Officer for the State of Connecticut, in a news release. "Content creators are cultural connectors. They shape how people think about our state: where they travel, what they try, how they get involved. At a moment when more families may be facing food insecurity, we're asking our creators to use their megaphones for good by ensuring no one goes hungry during this challenging time." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In order to partake, donations may be made online at ctfoodshare.org. In order to start your own "Virtual Food Drive," email Meg Dubois of Connecticut Foodshare. A list of local food pantries can be found on the 211 Connecticut website. This article originally published at Connecticut assembles team of local influencers to raise awareness of SNAP benefits end. Having unpaid medical debt reflected on annual credit reports can often prevent people from qualifying for mortgages, credit cards, or auto loans, while also increasing their risk of bankruptcy. About one in five U.S. residents has at least one medical debt collection listed on their credit reports, disproportionately affecting marginalized groups, people of color, and low-income communities. Efforts from both federal and state lawmakers led to several laws aimed at better protecting consumers by prohibiting the reporting of medical debt on credit scores, including in Connecticut. Yet, as the cost of healthcare continues to rise, the Trump administration is looking to undo those state protections with a reinterpretation of a finalized rule made by former President Joe Biden in late January. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Earlier this week, the federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau stated that national reporting standards and requirements were established with the Fair Credit Reporting Act, a 1970s law regulating how consumer reporting agencies collect, share, and use personal data. Thus, the bureau argues, it preempts any state law or regulation. "Medical debt burdens people at their most vulnerable, often following them for decades and limiting their ability to secure housing, transportation, and financial stability. In Connecticut, Governor Lamont was proud to relieve thousands of residents of medical debt and ensure it no longer appeared on credit reports," said Rob Blanchard, director of communications for the governor's office. "The Trump administration's decision to override these state protections reverses that progress and undermines our ongoing efforts to make Connecticut more affordable for all." Although medical debt is one of the most common types of collections reported, it differs from other forms of debt, said Tiffany Donelson, president and CEO of the Connecticut Health Foundation. She explained that it often stems from expenses related to emergencies or pregnancy care, impacting people of color at higher rates due to gaps in insurance coverage. Donelson added that a study by the federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau found that reporting medical debt on credit scores is not a reliable indicator of future payment problems. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As a result, in January, the Biden Administration finalized a new national rule prohibiting credit rating agencies from including medical debt on most consumer credit reports, with the policy set to take effect in March 2025. The goal was to further reduce the number of people with medical debt in their reports after three credit bureaus in 2023 announced they'd no longer track that type of debt if it were below $500. The decision also paved the way for state lawmakers to enact their own measures addressing medical debt. So far, 14 states, including Connecticut, have passed related legislation. In Connecticut, an estimated 280,000 people about 10% of the state population struggle to afford their health care and are in medical debt in a given year. The new state law prevents health care providers and hospitals in the state from reporting medical debt to credit rating agencies. Not only did state lawmakers create consumer protections, but they also allocated approximately $6.5 million in federal funds from the American Rescue Plan Act to cancel around $650 million in medical debt for more than 250,000 residents. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Although not unique to the Nutmeg state, Connecticut was one of the first states to announce a systemic, statewide approach to eliminate medical debt back in 2021. So far, more than 120,000 Connecticut residents have had some or all of their medical debt cancelled since 2024. Both measures represent important steps toward improving residents' overall well-being, said Amy Porter, acting commissioner of the state Office of Health Strategy. "When medical debt erodes a family's ability to put a roof over their head or access safe, reliable transportation for work, school or caregiving, the impacts on health and health-related social needs are magnified," said Porter in an email statement to CT Insider. It's not the first time the Trump administration has challenged the medical debt reporting rule. A Trump-appointed federal judge in Texas blocked the finalized rule in July, stating that it exceeded the Consumer Bureau's authority. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The change is also coming at a time when medical debt is likely to increase, Donelson said, as new Medicaid regulations take effect. More than 168,000 Connecticut residents, most of them low-income, could lose their health insurance over the next ten years as a result of Trump's reconciliation bill, according to data from CT DataHaven. "We should be looking for ways to support families in rebuilding their health and financial well-being following a medical challenge or as they are building their families," said Donelson in an email statement to CT Insider. "Our state leaders took a positive step in limiting the harm of medical debt, and this effort to undo that would take us backward." Reporting from the Associated Press was used in this story. This article originally published at Connecticut faces setback as federal rule could undo medical debt protections. Connecticut Senator Chris Murphy has accused crypto exchange Binance of helping facilitate corrupt deals in exchange for a presidential pardon of its billionaire founder Changpeng CZ Zhao. "We aren't dumb. Your company launched Trump's corrupt crypto coin, Senator Murphy tweeted Friday. You greased the wheels of the massively corrupt UAE 'trade secrets for cash' deal. You basically did whatever crooked thing Trump asked. And then, voila - your billionaire owner gets a pardon! C'mon," Murphy wrote, directly addressing the crypto exchange. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The comments came a week after the White House confirmed President Donald Trump had pardoned CZ, who served four months in federal prison in 2024 after pleading guilty to violating U.S. antimoney laundering laws. The pardon, touted by the administration as ending the Biden Administrations war on crypto, has triggered a political uproar in Washington. Full-time corruption machine Murphy has posted a series of critical tweets since the pardon, with the attacks ramping up after Binance US announced on Tuesday that it would list USD1, a stablecoin issued by Trump's World Liberty Financial project. "One week after Trump pardoned Binance's owner (for a stunning array of crimes related to terrorist and sex predator financing), Binance starts promoting Trump crypto, Murphy tweeted. The White House is a full-time, 24/7 corruption machine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In response, Binance US tweeted that it conducts comprehensive due diligence before listings, noting USD1 already trades on over 20 exchanges, and called Murphys claims an unfair politicization of routine business. Kadan Stadelmann, Chief Technology Officer at Komodo Platform, told Decrypt that Murphy is "trying to defend a flailing system losing its grip on money and financial surveillance, as the market has clearly adopted WLFI, with its listing on major exchanges in addition to Binance.US. "Washington D.C. is akin to a soap opera where Democrats and Republicans lobby accusations at each other of corruption, when both are guilty, Stadelmann said. Why doesnt Murphy rally against AML failures at big banks? Because what he is doing is political opportunism. All of this is the reason for DeFi, he added. Democrats denounce CZ pardon Democrats have also pointed to Binances growing ties to Trumps crypto firms, notably a $2 billion MGX investment in USD1 that nets $6080 million annually for World Liberty Financial and $1 billion for the Trump family. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ranking Member Maxine Waters called Trumps pardon an appalling but unsurprising reflection of his presidency, while Representative Ro Khanna responded by announcing legislation to ban elected officials from owning or creating cryptocurrencies. Rep. Maxine Waters Blasts Trump Pardon of Binance Founder Senators Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) and Adam Schiff (D-CA) have backed a resolution condemning the pardon, writing that Trumps decision followed months of an increasingly intertwined business relationship with Zhao and urging Congress to stop such blatant corruption and influence-peddling. The City of Roswell has partnered with the Roswell Housing Authority and developer Pennrose to begin construction on 102 new affordable apartment homes at the former Pelfrey Pines Apartments site. This initiative marks the first phase of the Groveway Redevelopment, aimed at expanding affordable housing options in the community. It supported by a $2 million investment from Roswell, in addition to federal and state and other local funds. Roswells partnership with the Housing Authority and Pennrose reflects our belief that every resident deserves a safe, modern, and dignified place to call home, said Mayor Kurt Wilson. This project is about more than construction. Its about community, opportunity, and ensuring that those who have long called Roswell home can continue to thrive here. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The redevelopment project is set to deliver 102 energy-efficient apartment homes, with a total of 204 units planned across two phases. The former Pelfrey Pines complex had fallen into disrepair and was deemed unsafe, prompting the need for redevelopment. The new development will connect with the nearby Hillrose mixed-use district, providing residents access to jobs, shopping and community amenities. Phase I will include 99 one-bedroom and 3 two-bedroom apartments for households earning between 30%, 60%, and 80% of the area median income, supported by Low-Income Housing Tax Credits and Housing and Urban Developments Rental Assistance Demonstration program. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Construction began this month, with completion expected in early 2027. The project is financed through a combination of federal, state, and local resources, including contributions from DCA ERA2 funds, DCA National Housing Trust Fund, Community Foundation for Greater Atlanta TogetherATL funds and a HUD Section 108 Loan from the City of Roswell. Design and construction partners include Smith Dalia Architects, H.J. Russell Construction and Thompson Ehle Company. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] TRENDING STORIES: [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] North Somerset Council has revealed that final enabling works on the Portishead railway line located in the west of Bristol, England, have commenced. Work crews are clearing vegetation and trees along the former railway route, a process required to provide access for construction activities scheduled to start in 2026. The enabling works will create space for building temporary compounds, two new stations at Portishead and Pill, car parks, and the railway infrastructure itself. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The project is part of the wider Metro West project to enhance rail links in Bristol and surrounding regions. The UK Department for Transport approved the project in July, which has also received more than 47m ($61.77m) in government funding. Officials expect hourly train services between Portishead, Pill, and Bristol Temple Meads to begin in 2028. North Somerset Council leader and councillor Mike Bell said: I know trains from Portishead have been a longtime coming, which is why its great to be able to announce a start to works that will pave the way for construction in 2026. When journeys to Temple Meads make a return to train timetables, the reopened Portishead to Bristol line will transform our region as 50,000 people are connected back into the rail network. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As always, its joint effort and Id like to thank the continued support of our partners at the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority, Network Rail, Department for Transport and GWR [Great Western Railway]. The line was originally closed during nationwide railway reductions in the 1960s. The current phase follows earlier ecological assessments designed to safeguard local wildlife and habitats. Qualified ecologists will continue to monitor these activities throughout the preparatory period. Project leaders anticipate that reopening the line, expected in 2028, will reduce journey times by half and help ease road congestion in the area. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement West of England mayor Helen Godwin said: Working with North Somerset Council, the government, Network Rail, and GWR, this investment in new stations at Pill and Portishead will cut congestion, give people a quicker, greener travel option, and unlock sites for much-needed new homes. "Construction on Portishead railway line set to start in 2026" was originally created and published by World Construction Network, a GlobalData owned brand. We ran as fast as we could. I glanced up occasionally at the nurse straddling my patient, her blonde waves obscuring her face as she furiously attempted to restart a non-beating heart. We pushed the hospital bed down hallways and around corners, narrowly missing people-filled stretchers lining the Emergency Department. I stood in the back while the experts took over. If she was ready to leave this world, I wanted to be with her. As a palliative and hospice trained clinician, death and dying is my forte. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation, however, is not. I took this job so I could be a more well-rounded practitioner. Having spent the majority of my nursing career with children, I felt more experience with the adult population would assist me in NP school and perhaps broaden my scope wherever I ended up afterwards. Truthfully, I needed flexible hours and in addition to a sign-on bonus, the offer included good benefits and more money per hour than Ive seen in a long while. This is part of whats broken in U.S. community-based palliative and hospice care settings; little to no reimbursement (especially for children) from government-funded programs such as Medicare and Medicaid leads to small salaries for people doing the work. Recent budgetary cuts from the current administration will only make this worse, for adults and children alike. Ive read about several hospice organizations who have already shuttered their doors due to financial restraints. I worry most about small towns and rural communities who already lack resources for supportive care during serious illness and at end-of-life. Big beautiful bill? For whom? Certainly not the countrys most vulnerable. Being in the hospital again reminds me why I left. Its more difficult now on an aging body than when I was younger, with the energy and stamina of a twenty-something. Im no longer able to work multiple shifts in a row; two is all I can muster. Its temporary, I tell myself. Studying and practicing palliative care brought humanity back into medicine for me. I fear Ill lose it again, and so I do my best to find one good thing in every shift. This is more difficult on some days. There are systemic and likely generational issues that trickle down into a puddle of disease, denial, mistrust, and addiction. And we, the nurses, are left to catch the contents. It feels like trying to mop up a monumental mess with a kitchen sponge. It never feels like enough. Mostly because we are told, daily, that its not enough. That we arent doing enough. That our scores arent high enough. And mainly, because we arent given the resources for it to actually be, enough. I continued to watch as the team worked hard to save this womans life. One after one, people took turns compressing her chest. Finally, after what seemed like forever, someone announced they could feel a pulse. I returned to my post, shedding a few tears along the way. And I went on, like nothing ever happened. Because there are other patients waiting for their medications and breakfast trays. There are call lights that never end because someone cant find their glasses. Again. Or because their cardiac monitor is beeping. Or because they dont like their food. And there are those who come to us for help and decline to participate in their care. They put themselves, and us, in danger. I said as much as I gently guided a patient from an illegal, makeshift smoking area back to her room. She was so unsteady she could barely walk. This goes on. For 13 hours. I think if you asked any nurse why they chose this profession, they would tell you its because we genuinely want to help people. I look at the young nurses in my unit, fresh out of school. Ive watched excitement slowly wane over time. To what, I dont know. Fatigue? Disillusionment? Maybe both. Because in addition to the expectation we will provide excellent customer service, were also giving medications and performing specialty assessments. We respond to bed alarms and forgetful wanderers. Were cleaning wounds and adult-sized bottoms. Were checking lab results and double-checking orders because our licenses are at stake. And were constantly on guard for any clinical change that may signify a critical event. Were also repeatedly interrupted. Any number of health care workers arrest our care and conversations because they have a job to do as well. Something tells me there arent enough of them either. Our focus shifts, from task to person, as our patients family members too have questions, concerns and complaints. We do all of this without enough support or staff. A housekeeper called in sick? Nurses must clean their own rooms. Not enough techs? Nurses must transport their own patients. Not enough nurses? Nurses must care for more people. We do this most days without bathroom or meal breaks. Even though we are encouraged to utilize our allotted 30 minutes for lunch, we are rarely provided with coverage to do so. Sometimes I fantasize about a one-on-one meeting with the powers that be. In my made-up story I give them advice on nurse retention. Its simple, I tell the millionaires sitting across from me. Lower patient to nurse ratios, hire more staff and distribute the wealth, I say with imaginary authority. Train your leaders well and often, I add. And as I conclude, I produce scientific evidence to support my statement that, decreased stress reduces nursing burnout, which leads to improved staff and patient safety and satisfaction. And in my dreams, the nursing crisis is resolved. The national flatline shifts to healthy systemic change, and a profession is restored. As Im about to leave my shift, I hear an announcement for Code Blue. The same woman I cared for that morning was in cardiac arrest once again. I walked to her room and stood in the back, just in case. Once ventricular tachycardia morphed into sinus rhythm, I turned around and went home. Amanda Dean is a palliative care nurse. The head of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association union on Friday explicitly called on Congress to pass a clean short-term spending bill to end the ongoing federal shutdown. Nick Daniels, president of NATCA, earlier this week had urged lawmakers to avert the lapse in appropriations but he didnt endorse a specific route for doing so, saying only that, Whatever the means are, whatever the way that they get it done, thats what the American people deserve. He went a step further Friday, joining the American Federation of Government Employees in backing whats known as a continuing resolution. The House passed such a measure in September, H.R. 5371, and most Democratic-caucusing senators have repeatedly opposed it due to concerns over expiring health insurance subsidies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Congress must pass a clean [CR] to immediately end the government shutdown, ensure that all individuals who have not been paid during this prolonged closure receive their compensation, and then engage in bipartisan negotiations on other pressing issues facing our nation, Daniels said. Controllers missed their first full paycheck Tuesday and received only a partial one Oct. 14. During the shutdown, these professionals are required to oversee the movement of the nation's passengers and cargo while many are working [10]-hour days and six-day workweeks due to the ongoing staffing shortage, all without pay, Daniels said. This situation creates substantial distractions for individuals who are already engaged in extremely stressful work. The financial and mental strain increases risks within the National Airspace System, making it less safe with each passing day of the shutdown. Context: Controllers have a unique amount of leverage in the ongoing stalemate. Staffing shortfalls causing delays have attracted widespread media attention, with the GOP pointing to the issue in its shutdown messaging. Whats next: NATCAs position will provide additional ammo to Republicans who are pressuring Democrats to support the Houses legislation. ALBION, Pa. (WTAJ) A Pennsylvania man, sentenced on child rape charges, was found unresponsive in his cell at SCI Albion Wednesday. Prison staff conducted life-saving measures on Andy Ortiz, 25, who was ultimately pronounced dead at 12:18 a.m. Oct. 29, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections. Ortiz has been at SCI Albion since Feb. 19 of this year, after being transferred from SCI Phoenix, where he had been since June 2022. Ortiz was originally sentenced after pleading guilty to charges that included rape of a child and involuntary deviate sexual intercourse with a child, according to his 2020 court dockets. Stay up to date with the latest news in the palm of your hand. Click here to download the WTAJ app for Apple and Android devices. Ortiz was serving up to 15 years in prison, court documents show. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement SCI Albion said state police were notified to investigate per state policy. The official cause of death will be determined by the Erie County Coroners 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 WTAJ - www.wtaj.com. Amy Walter, publisher of Cook Political Report, says President Donald Trump's call for congressional redistricting to elect more Republicans to the U.S. House is unlikely to compensate for losses by other Republicans in November 2026. (Photo by Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector) LAWRENCE Political analyst Amy Walter views the campaign by President Donald Trump to gerrymander congressional districts as a gamble unlikely to blunt historical precedent and prevent a Democratic takeover of the U.S. House after the 2026 midterm election. I like to say in midterm elections there are three options if youre the party in the White House. Its going to be bad. Its going to be really bad. Or, its going to be catastrophically bad. There is nothing else that is likely, she told a crowd Thursday at Dole Institute of Politics at the University of Kansas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Walter, publisher of Cook Political Report and a guest on PBS NewsHour, NBCs Meet the Press, CNNs Inside Politics and the Fox News Channel, said Trump would be a substantial motivator in terms of Democratic turnout in the midterm scheduled for one year from now. Its unclear whether Trump could likewise inspire dramatic turnout among GOP voters in November 2026, she said. Midterm elections are a referendum on the party in power, Walter said. The challenge for a president is to turn out his winning presidential coalition. Walter said at this moment it might be possible for Republicans to expand by a half dozen or so the number of seats in the U.S. House through redistricting. Those gains are unlikely to compensate for anticipated losses by other GOP House candidates, she said, but politics of the midterm could be unpredictable. Walter was interviewed at Dole Institute of Politics at the University of Kansas by Jerry Seib, a journalist with The Wall Street Journal for almost 45 years. He said the unprecedented redistricting battle illustrated what Trumps advisers expected in the upcoming election cycle. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That tells you that the White House, Trump-world, is worried, Seib said. Walter said a Democratic Party majority in the House or Senate would use committees to challenge Trumps use of executive power or investigate the presidents actions. The president also knows quite well the last time Democrats were in charge while he was there, they impeached him twice, Walter said. Trumps plan for mid-decade redistricting has created political turmoil in Kansas, where Republican leaders of the Legislature want a special session to realign the states four congressional districts. The goal would be to pull the re-election rug out from under Democratic U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids, who serves the Kansas City area. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Battle for control In the U.S. House, Republicans hold the smallest majority since 1931. If Democrats flipped three seats in the midterm, Republicans would lose control of the chamber. The 53-47 U.S. Senate could change hands if Democrats secured four additional seats, but Walter said that Republican majority appeared to be solid because opportunities for Democrats were limited in 2026. If Democrats failed to grab the Maine Senate seat held by Republican Susan Collins, in a state won by Democrat Kamala Harris, there could be no path for Democrats, she said. The battle for control of Congress is something that is very consequential, especially if your party currently has all three branches and its a lot easier to get a whole lot done when you dont have to negotiate with your opposition, Walter said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The historical record reveals that in 18 of 20 midterms since World War II shows the party of the sitting president lost an average of 27 seats in the U.S. House during midterm elections. The two exceptions came after the 2001 terrorist attack under President George W. Bush and amid President Bill Clintons impeachment controversy in 1998. In those rare midterm elections, Bush and Clinton had robust approval ratings of at least 60%. Recent polling indicated 43% of Americans approved of Trumps performance in the second term. Thats the statistical territory Trump occupied in the 2018 midterm when Republicans lost 40 seats in the U.S. House. Feckless Democrats Walter said the biggest wild card in 2026 was the gerrymandering of U.S. House districts to benefit either Republican or Democratic candidates. Texas and California would cancel each other out, so it could come down to the Florida, Ohio, Virginia, Indiana, Kansas, Missouri and North Carolina. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Walter said another complicating factor in sorting out the next midterm was the Democratic Party lacked the fervor of a decade ago. The position of Democrats in the federal government shutdown was driven by criticism from activists who questioned what lawmakers were doing to push back against Trump, she said. That is driven in large part by pressure from rank-and-file Democrats who say, What are our leaders doing? Theyre feckless. Why dont they fight back more against Donald Trump? There is this worry among Democrats that their weak party brand big and this intraparty friction may have an impact on turnout, she said. Another factor could be timing of a U.S. Supreme Court decision on whether the Voting Rights Act required districts with a majority of minority residents. The outcome could come too late in 2026 for states to adjust boundaries before candidate filing deadlines, she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump in 2028? Walter said Congress wasnt going back to a past era that included a spirit of bipartisanship. Its pretty clear that more and more we do have two Americas, she said. The job of the parties now seems to be more of, How can I make sure my America turns out to vote and crushes their America.' To put it another way, she said: The idea of the two sides figuring out, All right, well, this is a priority and lets work on a bipartisan bill to address it. It seems pretty far-fetched. In response to an audience question, Seib and Walter said they doubted Trump would have the audacity to seek a third term as president during 2028 in violation of the U.S. Constitution. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I think this is a tease right now. I think that even for Trump it would be a bridge too far, Seib said. Why? If you think youre having a wonderful second term and youre going to go on Mount Rushmore, why would you want to tarnish your legacy by starting a fight with the Supreme Court youre probably going to lose. Walter responded: I absolutely agree with you. She theorized there was no longer a Republican Party in the United States, because it should be regarded as a Trump Party. Whether it is the name Donald Trump on the ballot in 2028, or someone else, they will come from Donald Trump and he will endorse that candidate and they will be the nominee. She went on to suggest it wasnt probable Trump or the federal government could reschedule or cancel the 2026 election. Shes prepared for local and state governments, organized to diffuse power in election management, to conduct free and fair elections across the country. Im still optimistic that, yes, that will be the case, she said. A former High Point police officer who rose through the ranks and later became a police chief in Virginia has died. Herb Cooley, who served with the High Point Police Department from 1966 to 1974 and later served 17 years as a police chief in Virginia, died Saturday at his home in Murrells Inlet, South Carolina. He was 83. Cooleys first job in law enforcement was with the High Point department as a 23-year-old rookie patrol officer. He became a detective in 1971 and left the department as a narcotics sergeant in 1974 to take a position with the N.C. Public Defenders Office. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He then held positions in Virginia as chief deputy for the Wythe County Sheriffs Office (1980-1994), chief of the Pulaski Police Department (1994-2000), and chief of the Vinton Police Department (2000-2011). After retiring in 2011, he moved to the South Carolina coast. A celebration of life service for Cooley will be held Nov. 8 at 1 p.m. at Coal Creek Community Church in Galax, Virginia. Before allegedly killing 38-year-old Jeremy Campbell, Dawson reportedly told officers she felt "cooped up" and ordered the Uber for a spontaneous "joyride," claiming Campbell attempted to assault her before she stabbed him to death, abandoned his body and drove his blood-soaked car back to her apartment. Khayla Dawson, a 27-year-old Olympic hopeful from Colorado Springs, was arrested and charged with first-degree murder in connection with the fatal stabbing of her Uber driver, Jeremy Campbell. Authorities accuse Dawson of brutally attacking Campbell, stealing his vehicle, and dumping his body in a desolate field near Colorado Springs. According to a report from CBS News, Dawson, a track and field athlete who recently competed in the USA Olympic Trials in 2024, now faces multiple felony counts, including aggravated robbery, second-degree motor vehicle theft, and tampering with physical evidence. The investigation began early Monday morning when the El Paso County Sheriff's Office received a report of a missing person, identified as 38-year-old Jeremy Campbell, an Uber driver from the Cimarron Hills area. Family members, who noted that Campbell was paralyzed on his right side, were concerned when he failed to return home after a late-night fare. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Investigators immediately contacted Uber, who provided route data and identified and confirmed Dawson as Campbell's final customer. The trip, which began late Sunday, was intended to end at a location on Bent Spur Trail but was abruptly canceled by Dawson just before 3 a.m. Per Law&Crime, Campbell's girlfriend also said his phone was last seen on Snapchat maps at Dawson's apartment complex, where his vehicle was located with "a large puddle of blood" inside and blood spatter all over. When initially questioned by detectives, Dawson told them Campbell took her to an address on Eastonville Road, where she stabbed and killed him, left him there and then took the car back to her apartment. She also provided a bizarre reason to her ride. She allegedly claimed she felt "cooped up" and ordered the Uber intending to visit her friend, and then later take the car for a spontaneous "joyride" and get some air. She claimed she would call another ride once she reached her destination. Uber Driver Arrested for Alleged Rape, Murder of Woman: 'No One Deserves To Be Treated This Way' - Click image for related story Dawson alleged Campbell had taken her to the Eastonville Road address, claiming she fell asleep and woke up as Campbell attempted to sexually assault her, leading her to stab him in self-defense. She reportedly told deputies that Campbell pulled out a knife as well, and she stabbed him in the neck and, during the struggle, he drove the car through a fence into a field. She then pulled him out of the car, got in the driver's seat and drove his car back to his apartment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After she told authorities where the stabbing occurred, Campbell was found with multiple stab wounds to his head and face, and defensive wounds on his left hand. A search of Dawson's apartment uncovered crucial evidence: the largest knife from her butcher block was missing, the victims car key fob was hidden in a box of dryer sheets, and Campbells wallet was concealed inside a lunch box. They also found an "approximate 18-inch blade machete-type knife" hidden behind a cabinet in her living room. Further investigation of the area where the attack allegedly occurred led detectives to a field near Eastonville Road and Hodgen Road, where they found a knife matching the one missing from Dawson's kitchen set, along with two of her credit cards. Dawson, meanwhile, was treated for a broken knee bone and taken to the hospital based on her allegations on assault. She was arrested Monday afternoon and remains held in the El Paso County jail without bond. She is scheduled to appear in court next week. Detectives have arrested a 42-year-old parole absconder accused of gunning down a father of two just steps from his Bronx apartment building, police said Friday. Marcus Jayson was apprehended on Wednesday and charged with murder, manslaughter and weapons possession for the Sept. 20 killing of Amaury Carrion, who was fatally shot on Rev. James A. Polite Avenue near E 163rd St. in East Tremont. Carrion, 46, a dog breeder and trainer, was outside his home at about 12:30 p.m. when Jayson approached and opened fire, hitting him multiple times, police said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement EMS rushed Carrion to Lincoln Hospital, where he died. Carrion left behind two daughters, friends said in a GoFundMe post seeking donations for the heartbroken family. He was a devoted father, a respected man, and someone remembered for his kindness and good heart, said friend Federico Reyes, who put together the post. His sudden passing has left an immeasurable void, especially for his two beloved daughters, who will miss their father every day. An online obituary said Carrion was a proud Puerto Rican who carried his heritage with passion and pride. A huge New York Yankees fan, an avid fisherman, and a devoted dog lover, breeder, and trainer, he found joy in lifes simple pleasures and was happiest when sharing those moments with loved ones, the obit read. He was known for his blunt honesty, his sharp wit, and above all, his good heart. Amaury was well respected and admired for always speaking the truth, no matter the circumstance. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A motive for the killing was not immediately disclosed. Nor were details of how detectives linked Jayson to the killing. Jayson has an extensive criminal record dating back to 1999. Over the years, hes been arrested for robbery, weapons possession and driving a car on a suspended license, police sources said. In January 2022 he was paroled after being convicted for attempted robbery and intimidating a witness charges in the Bronx. After his release, he failed to check in with his parole officer and was listed as a parole absconder, according to state records. His arraignment in Bronx Criminal Court was pending Friday. ROCKVILLE, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) Coras Place is a local thrift store in Rockville, and it normally helps the community by selling items at a discounted price, but food, not clothes, seems to be more of a hot ticket item, as the government shutdown reaches its 31st day. Coressa Clark is the owner of Coras Place, and she knows helping out the community during these tough times is very important. Were here for the community and the members, Clark said. There is real food insecurities here, and I think its necessary that, you know, we offer this service. A lot of our customers, Im sure are getting benefits through them and our community member, were here them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Clark decided to start a food drive to help the members of the community have an extra opportunity to get much needed food if they were unable to make it to the food bank in Parke County for any reason. We do have a local food bank in Parke County, weve helped a few of them get out to the food bank, Clark said. We have many in the community that dont have rides, so weve offered that service and thats a fantastic service, but were just trying to help bring in a few more staples for them to get them through the holidays. These customers are not just customers to Clark, but they are real people who live with real-life problems and real-life needs. If we dont see our customers every week, we have a lot of phone numbers, well call and check on them, Clark said. If anyones needing us to maybe drop something by their home, we have some disabled here and you know, you just dont know what their situation is. We can try to do that as well. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There will also be items like pet food available because that is something that isnt normally on SNAP Benefit programs and Clark doesnt want pets to go hungry either. I have a love for animals, Clark said. So, its important that theyre able to also feed the animals and the animals give unconditional love. Clark wants to make sure nobody is left hungry during these trying times as the government shutdown continues. Were here for the community day in and day out when were open, Clark said. Its just an extension of what we already do, and its the right thing to do. If you or someone you know is in need of food, you can reach out to Clark on Facebook or by going to Coras Place in Rockville. She can take down your familys information and begin the process of getting food ready for someone to take home. If you or someone you know wants to donate to the food drive, you can do so by stopping at Coras Place during normal business hours to drop off the food. Coras Place is located at 104 W. Ohio St. in Rockville and is open Monday through Saturday 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. There can also be hygiene products and baby diapers available at the food drive if deemed necessary. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to MyWabashValley.com. Michael Keegan, chair of Don't Wste Michigan, dressed as Mothman, protests the restart of the Palisades Nuclear plant. Oct. 31, 2025 | Photo by Kyle Davidson/Michigan Advance Around 50 individuals gathered in Portage, Mich. Friday afternoon, donning costumes and bearing treats, protest signs and handouts in opposition to the Palisades nuclear plant restart. Organized by a pair of anti-nuclear organizations, the Zombies Against Palisades protest aimed to call attention to several concerns as energy systems supplier Holtec International works to resurrect a previously defunct nuclear plant in Covert Township. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However the protest, located outside of Rep. Bill Huizengas (R-Holland Township) Portage office, also drew plenty of protestors in opposition to Republican policies and President Donald Trumps administration. Speaking with the Michigan Advance at the first of two planned demonstrations, Kevin Kamps a radioactive waste watchdog for the anti-nuclear energy advocacy group Beyond Nuclear noted that the site was chosen both due to Huizengas support for reviving the plant and its location within the 50-mile emergency planning zone established to keep people and animals from eating contaminated food in the event of an emergency at Palisades. While there are multiple paths to a potential meltdown at the plant, Kamps pointed to the plants steam generator tubes as one area of concern. Protestors gathered near Rep. Bill Huizenga (R-Holland Township) along Lovers Lane in Portage, Mich. Oct. 31, 2025 | Photo by Kyle Davidson/ Michigan Advance They neglected to do safety maintenance for two years 2022 to 2024 making an already bad problem tremendously worse, Kamps said, warning that if one tube blows, it will lead to a radiation release, while damage to enough of the tubes would result in a nuclear meltdown. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement An October 2024 report from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission found that 701 tubes in one steam generator and 248 in another were candidates for plugging or repairs, noting that the amount of tubes with stress corrosion cracking far exceeded previous estimates. Nick Culp, Holtecs senior manager of government affairs and communications, told the Advance that repairs on the steam generator tubes were successfully completed this summer. Both the sleeving on the Steam Generator primary side system and cleaning on the secondary side will help ensure the systems continued safe and reliable operation, Culp said in an email. While Culp said the plant is undergoing rigorous inspections, testing, maintenance, repairs, and upgrades in preparation for its return to operation, Beyond Nuclear and other anti-nuclear groups have challenged the Nuclear Regulatory Commissions decision to approve the steam generator repair plan. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Michael Keegan, the chair of Dont Waste Michigan, which was formed in opposition to a nuclear waste disposal within the state, noted Palisades had also recently exceeded its allotted limit for releasing hydrazine into Lake Michigan. Hydrazine is a highly toxic chemical and expected carcinogen, which Palisades uses in its steam generators. Costumed protestors gathered outside Rep. Bill Huizengas (R-Holland Township) office on Halloween in opposition to the Palisades nuclear plant restart. Oct. 31, 2025 | Photo by Kyle Davidson/Michigan Advance In a notice to the Department of Environment, Great Lakes and Energy, Palisades noted that the release occurred during a scheduled cleaning of the steam generators. It also listed several changes in its cleaning process to prevent future releases. Josef Greenberg, a public information officer for EGLE, said the Department has reviewed the incident report filed by the facility and will be requesting additional information related to the incident and report. If there is a need for any additional corrective actions, EGLE will make that determination after reviewing all data and responses submitted by the facility. Although Culp said the release brought no risk to the health and safety of Palisades employees, the community or the environment, Kamps retained concerns about the plants impact on the communitys health. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lake Michigan is drinking water for shoreline communities. Yes, [radiation and toxic chemicals] may dilute as it expands out into the lake, but the South Haven drinking water intake is four miles away, Kamps said, citing high rates of thyroid cancer amongst residents living in nearby communities. Nancy Falk, a Kalamazoo resident and former Western Michigan University professor was among the costumed protestors speaking out against the Trump Administration. When asked what concerns were at the top of her mind, Falk said For heavens sakes, everything. Look, Im 87 years old. Im on Medicaid. Im on Medicare, Falk said. I have a daughter, recently divorced, who is going to have to get new health insurance. So thats a concern. I have another daughter whose job is disintegrating, who has a disabled husband and two daughters in college and one to go, so there are many, many very immediate concerns besides the long range one. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A former comparative religions scholar, Falk also had concerns about the presidents approach to foreign policy. Trump seems very good at turning on the United States friends while cuddling up to the United States long-term, if not enemies, maybe rivals, Falk said. When comparing Trump to other presidencies she had lived through, Falk said Trump is the pits. I thought Nixon was bad. Trump is much worse. Nixon, at least, I think, knew when his time was up, Falk said. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Protestors outside Rep. Bill Huizenga's (R-Holland Township) office in Portage. Oct. 31, 2025 | Photo By Kyle Davidson/Michigan Advance Protestors gathered outside Rep. Bill Huizenga's (R-Holland Township) office in Portage in opposition to Republican policies and President Donald Trump's administration. Oct. 31, 2025 | Photo By Kyle Davidson/Michigan Advance A protestor dressed as a plague doctor joins others demonstrating outside Rep. Bill Huizenga's (R-Holland Township) Portage office on Halloween in opposition to the Palisades nuclear plant restart. Oct. 31, 2025 | Photo by Kyle Davidson/Michigan Advance Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Members of two anti-nuclear organizations convened costumed protestors outside Rep. Bill Huizenga's (R-Holland Township) office on Halloween in opposition to the Palisades nuclear plant restart. Oct. 31, 2025 | Photo by Kyle Davidson/Michigan Advance Members of two anti-nuclear organizations convened costumed protestors outside Rep. Bill Huizenga's (R-Holland Township) office on Halloween in opposition to the Palisades nuclear plant restart. Oct. 31, 2025 | Photo by Kyle Davidson/Michigan Advance Protestors gathered outside Rep. Bill Huizenga's (R-Holland Township) office in Portage in opposition to Republican policies and President Donald Trump's administration. Oct. 31, 2025 | Photo By Kyle Davidson/Michigan Advance Nancy Falk, left, was among a group of protestors who gathered outside Rep. Bill Huizenga's (R-Holland Township) office in Portage in opposition to Republican policies and President Donald Trump's administration. Oct. 31, 2025 | Photo By Kyle Davidson/Michigan Advance Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Protestors in costume demonstrated outside Rep. Bill Huizenga's (R-Holland Township) Portage office on Halloween. Oct. 31, 2025 | Photo by Kyle Davidson/Michigan Advance Protestors gathered outside Rep. Bill Huizenga's (R-Holland Township) office in Portage in opposition to the Palisades nuclear plant restart and President Donald Trump's administration. Oct. 31, 2025 | Photo By Kyle Davidson/Michigan Advance Marion County Record publisher Eric Meyer gestures during an Aug. 16, 2023, news conference at the newspaper office. (Max McCoy/Kansas Reflector) More than two years after the police raid on the Marion County Record, Kansans still grapple with what the action means. Was it a coordinated attack on free speech that reveals broad American attitudes about journalism and free speech? Was it an isolated, reckless act that we should shrug off so that the incident doesnt intimidate reporters and editors? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Was it a warning bell that roused Kansas journalists to be more ardent watchdogs for their communities? A recent article co-written by a professor at the University of Kansas works to bring new meaning to Aug. 11, 2023, the day that law enforcement executed search warrants that threatened the rural newspaper. One of the answers it provides: The raid caused shared press distress. Published in Journal of Communications Inquiry, the article Shared Press Distress and the Police Raid on a Newspaper was written by Nick Mathews of the University of Missouri and Stephen Wolgast, my colleague at the University of Kansas. Aside from summarizing basic facts of the raid, the article describes how the newspaper was victim to misguided allegations that pointed toward the need for a search warrant. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Five days after the raid, the county prosecutor withdrew the search warrants, citing insufficient evidence to link this alleged crime and the places searched and the items seized, the article says. More significantly, Wolgast and Mathews detail how Kansas journalists reacted to the raid, and in doing so, they describe the human levers that operate inside journalists each day as we decide what to cover and how to cover it. The article also makes clear how complicated the interchange of those levers can be in 2025, especially at rural Kansas outlets where journalists work in a climate of newspaper closures, declining revenue, staff cuts and political animosity. The word trauma or a form of it appears dozens of times, even more frequently than the papers references to shared press distress. To a significant degree, trauma unifies the article. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While not as extreme, the police raid on the Kansas newspaper and the death of its elderly co-owner the following day serves as yet another reminder that trauma and journalism are often intertwined and highlights how traumatic experiences of one journalist can reverberate throughout the entire journalistic community, Wolgast and Mathews write. However, the article doesnt quote journalists using the word trauma to describe their experiences. Instead, it divides the reactions of the 19 journalists from 16 new organizations into two broad categories: emotional and practical reactions. Kansas journalists said they felt shock, fear, defiance, unity and discomfort following the raid. One told the researchers, I would say that were all a little more cognizant now of the reality that police actually could walk in the door and (seize) all of our stuff. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Another said, And you know whats kind of chilling? It kind (of) made me sit back and think to myself, could that happen to us? The article also describes how the journalists acted during the months that followed the raid. In the wake of the raid, the Kansas journalists balanced their raw emotions with realworld, practical concerns revisiting their own reporting, reckoning with the financial strain of legal defense, and reevaluating their relationships with local law enforcement, the article says. Journalists admitted to the chilling nature of the raid, which caused them to feel more hesitant. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The friction between the local law enforcement at the Marion County Record staff prompted Kansas journalists to reflect on their relationships with local officials and law enforcement, the study says. You hate to say youre going to temper your coverage, but maybe not put it all out there, kind of like we used to, one journalist said. The raid in central Kansas also reminded journalists that they cant do the reporting they need to do. We dont have the staff to do what we did before, a journalist told the researchers. We just dont. And (the investigative reporting) is really kind of a dulled down version of what we used to have. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This change in journalistic priorities troubles Wolgast, as he told me in an interview this week. Oversight of government officials particularly their power to spend public funds remains a key function of a free press, Wolgast said. Were essentially their managers, Wolgast said. They work for us, so they should respond to us. Journalism is there because you and I cant go to every school board meeting and Library Commission meeting and city council meeting and county commission meetings, all the committee meetings in the Legislature. So we need journalism to cover these government bodies, he continued. And if the government bodies are going to choose to retaliate in some way, then its a threat to oversight, because who else oversees the government? Wolgast explained that shared press distress neednt be traumatic. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Perhaps it can just be distressing to see what happens to another professional. Its just a concern, Wolgast said. Not only that, if its happened to him, then it could have happened to me too. Giving a name like shared press distress to a familiar feeling will likely seem overly dramatic to many Americans: journalists seeking more of the spotlight, and this time for their suffering. A public already skeptical of journalists might see this new phrase and any journalism scholarship as self-consumed navel gazing. This all leads me to ask myself: Do I have this same distress, as a member of the press? Do I suffer when international journalists mourn fellow reporters who were killed in retribution for their reporting in other countries? Or when national political reporters face heckling and veiled presidential threats at campaign rallies? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Or when I read of another local Kansas newspaper shedding staff or closing completely? Before this week, I dont know if I would have called it shared press distress but perhaps the phrase will flourish during this challenging era for journalists. 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. Carrier screening has outgrown the language we still use to explain it. For years, clinicians told patients they were either a carrier or not a carrier. But as the science has evolved, this binary approach is not only outdated; it is increasingly misleading. Genetic carrier screening has entered a new era, and our counseling must evolve alongside it. For decades, carrier screening was offered selectively based on ethnicity. Ashkenazi Jewish individuals were screened for Tay-Sachs disease, African Americans for sickle cell disease, and so on. While well-intentioned, this strategy left large gaps and excluded millions of people because genetic conditions do not follow racial boundaries. Today, the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG) recommends pan-ethnic screening for all individuals, using a Tier 3 panel that includes: 113 genes in total 97 autosomal recessive conditions 16 X-linked conditions This move toward equity is long overdue. But broader screening means more results to interpret; and a greater need for nuanced counseling. Why a negative result does not mean no risk Even the most comprehensive test cannot detect every variant. A negative result reduces the chance of having an affected child; it does not eliminate it. This remaining possibility is called residual risk, and patients deserve to understand it before they undergo screening, not after they receive results. Residual risk matters most when: Both partners carry variants in the same autosomal recessive gene (25 percent risk of an affected child) One partner carries an X-linked variant (up to 50 percent risk for male offspring) In these scenarios, partner testing, reproductive counseling, and options for diagnostic testing (such as chorionic villus sampling (CVS) or amniocentesis) should be offered to support informed decision-making. The new counseling burden: Genetics has become an alphabet soup As a reproductive endocrinologist, I sit with individuals and couples who are overwhelmed by modern genetic reports, filled with abbreviations, variant classifications, copy-number findings, and footnotes that require a genetics glossary to decipher. They often ask: ADVERTISEMENT Am I supposed to worry about this? Is my baby at risk? The genetic screening we are throwing at patients has become an alphabet soup, and it is generating confusion, fear, and analysis paralysis, not just in the general public, but among clinicians as well. If we do not update the way we communicate, we risk undermining patient trust and adding emotional harm to what should be an empowering process. Why some carriers can still have symptoms Historically, we taught that carriers of autosomal recessive conditions are unaffected. But in reality, the presence or severity of symptoms depends on the type of variant, how it behaves in the body, and other modifying factors. To provide accurate counseling, four core genetic concepts must be understood: Penetrance: How likely a person with a variant is to show symptoms. Someone may carry a variant but never develop disease. How likely a person with a variant is to show symptoms. Someone may carry a variant but never develop disease. Variable expressivity: The same variant causing different symptoms in different people. One carrier may have mild symptoms, another may have more severe effects. The same variant causing different symptoms in different people. One carrier may have mild symptoms, another may have more severe effects. Allelic heterogeneity: Different variants within the same gene causing a range of disease severity. Not all variants in the same gene carry the same reproductive risk. Different variants within the same gene causing a range of disease severity. Not all variants in the same gene carry the same reproductive risk. Locus heterogeneity: Variants in different genes causing the same condition. More than one gene may need to be assessed to determine true risk. These principles explain why carriers may sometimes have mild or organ-specific symptoms, despite not having the full condition; and why family history can be misleading. Visual: Why a negative result = zero risk Before testing: General Population Risk Unknown. General Population Risk Unknown. After a negative result: Risk Reduced NOT Eliminated. Risk Reduced NOT Eliminated. Why residual risk remains: Not all variants are detectable. Some genes have limited test sensitivity. New variants continue to be discovered. Some conditions involve modifying genes or variant interactions. Residual risk = the small chance that remains even after a negative result. This concept must be normalized in pre-test counseling, not treated as a footnote. Why our communication must evolve Carrier screening has advanced faster than our counseling models. If we continue explaining results using outdated frameworks, we risk: Over-reassuring patients with negative results Over-alarming patients with mild or uncertain findings Missing opportunities for informed reproductive choices Increasing mistrust in genetic testing and medical guidance Patients deserve clarity, context, and a collaborative approach that honors both the science and the emotional impact of these results. Where we go from here To practice responsibly in the era of Genetic Carrier Screening 2.0, clinicians must: Retire the binary carrier vs. not a carrier language Explain residual risk as standard counseling practice Understand core genetic concepts that influence expression and risk Use patient-friendly language to reduce fear and confusion Know when to refer for genetic counseling or recommend diagnostic testing Oluyemisi (Yemi) Famuyiwa is a renowned fertility specialist and founder, Montgomery Fertility Center, committed to guiding individuals and couples on their path to parenthood with personalized care. With a background in obstetrics and gynecology from Georgetown University Hospital and reproductive endocrinology and infertility from the National Institutes of Health, she offers cutting-edge treatments like IVF and genetic testing. She can be reached on Linktr.ee, LinkedIn, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram @montgomeryfertility, and X @MontgomeryF_C. The City of Fairburn announced Friday that Councilmember Samantha Hudson was removed from elected office. The removal follows an impeachment process reported on by Channel 2 consumer investigator Justin Gray, after claims of misconduct were levied against Hudson. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] The impeachment stemmed from Ms. Hudsons unauthorized distribution of confidential information obtained in her official capacity, the City Council said in a statement. Both the Mayor and City Attorney had explicitly instructed all council members in writing that personnel matters must be discussed only in closed executive sessions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hudson disputes this claim, telling Channel 2 Action News that the letter was in an email and evidence from the hearing debunks this. She said it was never an agenda item and that no violation occurred. TRENDING STORIES: By releasing the confidential materials from the meeting, the city council said Hudson had violated provisions of the citys charter and code of ordinances, specifically the ethics policy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Fairburn Ethics Board voted unanimously that Hudson had violated the policies, and a vote passed 5 to 1 recommending impeachment. On Friday, the city announced Hudsons removal, which was approved in a unanimous vote. Following careful deliberation and adherence to due process, the City Council, serving as the Impeachment Council, voted unanimously to uphold the Ethics Boards findings and remove Councilmember Samantha Hudson from office in accordance with the City Charter, Georgia law, and the Citys Ethics Policy, according to a city spokeswoman. The city also said they recognize this has been a difficult chapter for our community. Officials promised that the city government remains committed to transparency, stability and ethical governance. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A process to fill the now-vacant seat on the council will begin, in accordance with state law. Hudson told Channel 2 Action News that until a judge signs off on the removal, she believes she is still an elected member of the city council. An attorney for Hudson said the investigation violated the citys own policies. Hudson also called the impeachment process an example of executive overreach by Mayor Mario Avery. She added that she has already been locked out of her city accounts and ordered to return her equipment on Monday. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] Councils in England spent more than 2bn transporting special needs children from home to school, the spending watchdog has found. Around 520,000 children with special educational needs (Send) were eligible for taxpayer-funded transport to and from school in the 2023-24 tax year, which cost local authorities 2.32bn 415m over budget according to a report by the National Audit Office (NAO). It found that local authority spending on home-to-school transport (HTST) had risen by 70pc from 1.36bn since 2015-16. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The NAO said the cost increase was due in part to the number of children travelling further to schools that can meet their needs rising by 166pc between January 2015 and January 2025 from 240,000 to 639,000. The report found that, as children and young people travel further, the number of unique journeys and the use of smaller and single occupancy vehicles is increasing. Local authorities spent five times more on transport per child with Send than on other children, the NAO said. The average cost per child with Send was 8,116 a year, compared to 1,526 for mainstream transport. An increase in fuel prices, as well as higher wage bills, further drove up costs, according to the NAO. The watchdog urged councils to ensure funding aligns more closely with actual local needs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Pupils with Send may have to travel to school alone because they cannot share a car with other children due to behaviour issues or complex medical needs. Gareth Davies, of the watchdog, said the local authority-provided transport was an invaluable service, without which many children with special educational needs may struggle with their education. He added: Local authorities are making savings to meet their statutory duties, but they are looking to the Department for Educations upcoming Send reforms to ensure the long-term sustainability of home-to-school transport. In September, a Telegraph investigation revealed councils were spending as much as 950 a day to get a single child to school. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Council figures released to The Telegraph under the Freedom of Information Act found one council spent more than 160,000 transporting a single child with special needs over a distance of 25 miles each day. In October, The Telegraph also revealed that 24x7 group, a taxi firm that exclusively provides school transport for children with Send, had made almost 10m a year from local councils. Department for Education statistics shared with The Times this week showed that one in 10 children with Send were transported alone, which the department said accounted for the majority of council spending. Local authorities said spending on HTST had soared as more pupils attend schools far from home. Last year, there were an average of 423 requests for HTST a day, The Times reported. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Government has pledged to crack down on excessive profit-making in the Send sector amid concerns that private equity firms are making millions off the growing special needs crisis in Britain. Hundreds of private schools have opened up in recent years because of a surge in pupils diagnosed with special needs and a shortage of state-run places. The schools get most of their income from British taxpayers, at an estimated cost of more than 2.4bn a year. Councillor Amanda Hopgood, of the Local Government Association, the council trade body, said: This report highlights the significant rising need for home to school transport as well as the financial pressures on councils to provide this, particularly for children with special educational needs and disabilities. It reinforces the urgent need for government to set out comprehensive reforms in the upcoming white paper, which tackles the lack of mainstream inclusion in the school system for children with Send. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It is not right that a child has to travel a long distance to school because there is no adequate provision near to their home. 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. On Monday, Crawford County Planning donated copies of two books to the Crawford County Federated Library System (CCFLS) in celebration of National Community Planning Month. One of the donated books was Off the Shelf and Into Action by Jim Pashek and Denny Puko. This book serves as a guide for planners whether professionals or volunteers to help them participate in community planning efforts that lead to tangible results. Off the Shelf and Into Action focuses specifically on creating comprehensive plans, which serve as the framework for policies, programs and decision-making across planning disciplines. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Crawford County Planning also tapped into future planners with its donation of childrens book Ava Tanner the City Planner. Written by Corrin Wendell and Lispeth Tibbits-Nutt, the book follows a young girl as she dreams of turning a section of her city into a community park. By following along the story of Ava Tanner, young readers can learn the fundamentals of community planning and explore the field as a potential future career. The book was published through YEP! Youth Engagement Planning, a nonprofit that educates young people about planning and civic engagement and creates opportunities for them to advocate for change. Interim Planning Director Samantha Travis anticipates that these donations will better connect the community with Crawford County Plannings work. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Crawford County Planning is excited to promote National Community Planning Month by donating resources to help our countys local planners, whether young or old, she said. We recognize that all of our planning efforts are ultimately for the residents we serve. When we work together toward the betterment of our communities, we all benefit. Travis dropped the books off at the Benson Memorial Library in Titusville before the monthly planning commission meeting. The books will be distributed to libraries across the county. A total of 17 books were donated. Jessica Hilburn, CEO of the CCFLS and chair of the Crawford County Planning Commission, saw her two worlds unite to help the county thrive. Partnerships like this one with Crawford County Planning help us fulfill our mission of bringing quality informational resources to the 80,000 residents our libraries serve and lend a hand in planning for a bright future in Crawford County, Hilburn said. Patrons are encouraged to check out the titles from the library closest to them, and if they dont have a library card, sign up for one today. National Community Planning Month is a celebration held every October by the American Planning Association to honor the role planning plays in creating strong communities. ESCONDIDO, Calif. (FOX 5/KUSI) Millions of Californians are expected to lose their CalFresh food assistance benefits within hours as the federal government shutdown continues, leaving low-income families across the state scrambling for help. County leaders are calling the situation a hunger crisis and are turning to local food organizations such as Feeding San Diego and Interfaith Community Services to fill the growing gap. Gov. Gavin Newsom has also fast-tracked about $80 million in emergency funding to support food banks statewide. At Interfaith Community Services in Escondido, volunteers faced a parking lot jammed with cars Thursday as families waited anxiously in a drive-thru line for boxes of food. Among them were Scott and Shirley Stovall, one of 5.5 million Californians who rely on CalFresh benefits each month. Families lined up in Escondido to take part in an emergency food distribution event. Were getting by, but its getting really tight, said Scott Stovall, a Vietnam War veteran. Theres always peanut butter sandwiches. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He and his wife werent sure if the food would last until the next shipment. Theres so many peopleover 42 million nationwidestruggling every month to eat, he said. They just need to settle this shutdown. Also waiting in line were Andrew and Emily Arcand, a Marine family with three young sons. Its definitely frustrating not knowing when Im going to get paid, said Andrew Arcand. Luckily we get paid tonight, but its all going to bills. Its heartbreaking to know that our servicemembers dont get paid enough to make ends meet. Services like this come in handy for families like ours who are going through the same struggles, his wife Emily added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Volunteers say the demand has been overwhelming, especially as they ran out of food to distribute. We are overwhelmed theres a lot of people who need help right now, said Janet Reeves, who has been distributing food for hours. Families lined up in Escondido to take part in an emergency food distribution event. Carissa Casares with Feeding San Diego called the situation stress that doesnt need to happen. During a Thursday press conference, county and congressional leaders urged families to access 2-1-1 San Diego online to locate nearby food distribution sites. Our county has activated notification protocols that include robocalls and texts to all impacted residents, said San Diego County Board of Supervisors Chair Monica Montgomery Steppe. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rep. Mike Levin, D-San Juan Capistrano, said roughly one in eight people in the United States will lose the help they need to put food on the table. County Supervisor Terra Lawson-Remer said, I wont sugarcoat this what we are looking at is a hunger crisis in our community. Back in Escondido, after just half an hour, the food ran out leaving dozens of families empty-handed and frustrated. I think you signed up to take care of the people, said Emily Arcand. So, do what you say take care of your people. County officials reminded residents that any funds remaining on CalFresh cards will still be available for use, even during the shutdown. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 5 San Diego & KUSI News. Owner Jason Munos, left, mans the grill at The Block Meat Co., 200 E 52nd Street. (Photo by Rylee Powell) Jason and Michelle Munos want to invite you, your family and your co-workers to breakfast and/or lunch. And if you cant come to them, then they can come to you. Munos and his wife opened The Block Meat Company restaurant and butcher shop on July 22. While the brick-and-mortar restaurant is relatively new, Munos has more than 20 years of experience in the food service industry. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is the first business Ive ever owned, Munos said. That doesnt mean hes a novice cook. He and his wife spent about three years operating a food truck and a catering business. When you walk in you can see company signs that Munos calls a sponsor wall featuring the businesses he credits with helping him build a catering clientele over the past few years. The Block Meat Co. has established a relationship with several Permian Basin companies which are showcased with signs on a self-described sponsor wall. (Photo by Rylee Powell) He gives most of the credit to his wife. We started this together, and were 50/50, he said. I couldnt have done it without her. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The restaurant at 200 E. 52nd St. is the former home of the White House Meat Market. It also happens to be where Munos got his start in the industry as an employee in 2002, later following the company when it opened its current location on Highway 191. He also gained experience as a butcher working for United and Market Street supermarkets. Munoss business is staffed with family members and friends he found through a relationship with Jesus House. He said he hired those folks for a 1,700-person catering job and several stayed on when he opened a store front. For Munos, giving back to the community is part of his plan. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As weve grown in our faith, that is something we wanted to do, Munos said. He still cooks regularly for Jesus House and donates extra food to the needy. The restaurant has already gained traction and has several regular customers. Some for breakfast, some for lunch, some for both, said Trisha Munos, Munoss sister. Steaks, brisket and other meats line the meat case at The Block Meat Co. (Photo by Rylee Powell) The lunch menu features a brisket and sausage plate, brisket sandwiches, quesadillas, various burgers, brisket grilled cheese, cheesesteak, grilled ham and cheese, and a BLT along with various sides. The green chili mac and cheese is one side that is growing in popularity. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Burritos and bowls featuring chili verde, steak, chorizo and eggs dot the breakfast menu, which is served from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. The eatery is open from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, but the kitchen closes at 3 p.m. every day except Saturday. The Block Meat Co. opened recently at 200 E 52nd Street. (Photo by Rylee Powell) The butcher shop offers steaks, hamburger patties, store-made sausage, ribs, chicken and brisket. Various package deals offer some discounts. There are also sauces, seasonings and cookout fixings for sale. Asked about his brisket preparation, Munos was a little shy to provide details other than it is a 24-hour process that includes a longer rest time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I dont want to give away all my secrets, he said. If you go * Where: The Block Meat Company, 200 E. 52nd St. * Catering: 432-272-0432. The post Couple loading up new restaurant appeared first on Odessa American. Subscribe to The Podcast by KevinMD. Watch on YouTube. Catch up on old episodes! Internal medicine physician Augusta Uwah discusses her article, The dying man who gave me flowers changed how I see care. She shares the emotional story of a terminally ill patient whose simple act of gratitude transformed her understanding of compassion, presence, and what it means to truly care. Augusta reflects on the challenges of patient care, the importance of listening, and the quiet moments that redefine medicine beyond treatment. Viewers will learn how empathy and presence can leave lasting impacts, even in the face of loss. Our presenting sponsor is Microsoft Dragon Copilot. Want to streamline your clinical documentation and take advantage of customizations that put you in control? What about the ability to surface information right at the point of care or automate tasks with just a click? Now, you can. Microsoft Dragon Copilot, your AI assistant for clinical workflow, is transforming how clinicians work. Offering an extensible AI workspace and a single, integrated platform, Dragon Copilot can help you unlock new levels of efficiency. Plus, its backed by a proven track record and decades of clinical expertise, and its part of Microsoft Cloud for Healthcare, built on a foundation of trust. Ease your administrative burdens and stay focused on what matters most with Dragon Copilot, your AI assistant for clinical workflow. VISIT SPONSOR https://aka.ms/kevinmd SUBSCRIBE TO THE PODCAST https://www.kevinmd.com/podcast RECOMMENDED BY KEVINMD https://www.kevinmd.com/recommended Transcript Kevin Pho: Hi, and welcome to the show. Subscribe at KevinMD.com/podcast. Today we welcome Augusta Uwah. Shes an internal medicine physician. Todays KevinMD article is The dying man who gave me flowers changed how I see care. Augusta, welcome to the show. Augusta Uwah: Thank you so much for having me, Kevin. Kevin Pho: All right, lets start by briefly sharing your story and then well talk about your KevinMD article. ADVERTISEMENT Augusta Uwah: My name is Augusta. I am an internal medicine physician. I trained in Washington DC, Howard University Hospital. Ive been a hospitalist for about ten years now, mostly practicing in the Midwest. I have practiced a little bit in other states and also a little bit outside the country. Kevin Pho: All right. You shared this story with us in your KevinMD article. For those who didnt get a chance to read it, tell us what its about. Augusta Uwah: The story came together. I wrote that article in about fifteen minutes after a really rough month at work. At the end of my ninth shift, the story is about a gentleman who had a brain tumor and was hospitalized. Some patients who are hospitalized really cannot speak for themselves, and it is hard sometimes for us as physicians to see them, hear them, and understand them. This man was virtually dying. At the end of the day, I really could not do anything for him. His tumor had recurred, and we were just looking at Hail Mary efforts. It was a bit of a struggle to get all the teams on board on what to do. In some hospitals, the burden of the care fell to the hospitalist. This patient needed a large multidisciplinary approach. Knowing that an internal medicine physician cannot really do much for a brain tumor except a bit of steroids, I decided to dig a little deeper into his background and get to know a little bit more about him, as I do for most of my patients. At baseline, this man was thought to be altered and nonverbal, but I find that with a lot of patients we think are nonverbal, they can communicate. On trying to have a conversation with this man, I found out that all I needed to do was sit with him a little longer and give him the time to get his words out and what he needed. I also had to think about what I could offer him as a human being. Sometimes youve reached the limits of your capacity as a physician. He was NPO; hed been NPO for fourteen days. He had been eating prior to that, and he had some significant dysphagia. We were considering a PEG tube placement. We had the conversation: This may not be going where we needed to go, and while youre not ready for hospice, what can I do to make your day or your stay better? One morning, he would always light up when I walked into his room because he knew that I was probably the only person he could have a conversation with, outside of one of his family members who came and spent a couple of hours a day. He said, I would really love some coffee. I said, I think theres a way we can make that happen for you. I thought, If I was in the bed and I couldnt eat and the only thing I wanted was coffee, just a taste, how would I make that happen? I remember that the nurses have these little swab sticks that they use to swab the patients mouths. I talked to the nurses: How about instead of putting it in ice or water, we put it in coffee so that this man can have a taste of coffee? He was so happy and so excited. We did that for a few consecutive days. Every day Id see him, we would have a conversation. I found out he was not as altered as I thought he was. He was an advanced conversationalist. He asked me where I trained and wanted to know more about me and things like that. Towards the end of my shift, I let him know I was going to be leaving. I was really surprised on that last day when I showed up and there were flowers at his bedside. I thought, Wow, whod you get flowers for? Who brought you flowers? He said, Oh, theyre for you. He said he wanted to really appreciate the time I took to make him feel human: to talk to him, to hear him, and to listen to his needs. That really touched me. I almost cried; it brought tears to my eyes. Kevin Pho: Oh, thats such a wonderful story, and it really shows how that extra effort that you took to dig a little bit deeper beneath the surface made the connection with that patient and opened up a whole new world between the communication that you had with him. He was just so appreciative that someone would take the time to do that. Knowing how busy hospitalists are, Im sure that your census is very high. What are some of the obstacles that prevent doctors in general from doing that? Im sure you have a million things, you have a big checklist. You have to get to the next patient. How difficult is it sometimes to sit down and take that extra time and make that extra connection with patients? Augusta Uwah: Thats a great question. I think as hospitalists, we have a lot on our minds. There are goal-oriented tasks. You have the multidisciplinary meetings, you have the discharges before 9:00 a.m., 10:00 a.m., or 11:00 a.m. depending on where you are working, you have the admissions. Then you actually have patient care. You have to document and bill. We have a lot going on. We have interactions with the specialists, etc. It can be hard, but I feel that I tend to care a little more about people who really cannot speak up for themselves. I used to have fun on the job because I would have the most interesting conversations with patients. Folks would ask, You guys actually talked about all of that, and how long did you spend? I would say, Maybe fifteen minutes. I actually had a patient that pranked me; he was aphasic, and he took the time to prank me after three days because his family said, He really likes you, so he pranked you. But its not really hard if you decide that you want to take the extra effort. For instance, you see a patient wearing a T-shirt or something by their bedside and you ask them about it. Theyre always happy to have that slight distraction from what is hurting, after youve asked them about whats hurting, how they are feeling today, or whats going on. Sometimes its as simple as asking, What did you have for breakfast? I would notice that some little old ladies would have oatmeal every day, and Id say, Oatmeal again today? I feel like it boils down to really wanting to connect with the person as a human. That just makes all the difference. Kevin Pho: And in this case, in the story that you told, this was a patient who literally could not speak up for himself. Do you ever find being so emotionally connected with patients, especially in cases like this, palliative care, end-of-life situations? Does that take an emotional toll on you? Augusta Uwah: It has in recent times. I really did need to step back after this year. In the past, I had mostly positive interactions, but I was working in a neurosurgery ward, and a lot of these patients could not speak for themselves. I felt I had to be the one to speak up and stand in the gap for them and make sure they were being heard because they are often very overlooked, probably not intentionally, but maybe due to anchoring bias. This is how you met the patient; therefore, this is how you assume they always are. This was not the first patient I had communicated with that other people had felt could not communicate. And yes, it can take an emotional toll, but this man really touched me because of his appreciation, not necessarily because of his situation. That was what blew me away. Kevin Pho: Now, among your colleagues and when you talk to other physicians, how common is it that youre doing what youre doing? How common is it for physicians who do take that extra time to sit down, especially in patients who cant express themselves or people assume that they have nothing to say? How common is it for a physician to sit down and try to uncover that hidden connection? Augusta Uwah: I would say generally speaking, not very. Most people tend to leave it up to the nursing staff. Sometimes they are just as busy as we are and may not have the bandwidth. For the physicians, too, it may just be that they dont have the bandwidth for it. It is not as common as I think the person on the other end would want it to be. Kevin Pho: Now we have a lot of medical students and younger physicians and physicians in training who listen to this podcast. Tell me what kind of tips and advice can you share with them in terms of doing what you do and trying to look for a connection beneath the surface? Augusta Uwah: Thats a great question. For medical students and physicians in training, its important to know that everything you do matters. Everything matters, and you want your interaction to come out positive. You want what youre doing to make a positive impact on the person in front of you, because even the things we take for granted can be really life-changing to some people. Kevin Pho: Were talking to Augusta Uwah. She is an internal medicine physician. Her article is The dying man who gave me flowers changed how I see care. Now, this particular patient interaction, did it change you as a physician and if so, how? Augusta Uwah: I would say I have always been this person. This is not the first appreciative patient Ive had. It just reinforced the importance of being connected and being sensitive, especially to patients who really cannot speak up. Kevin Pho: And I think its all the more important when we have so many obstacles, Im sure in your daily workflow, that prevent doctors from making that connection. Everything is so metrics-based, numbers-based, and quantity-based, and that places a lot of priority away from making that connection that you told in your story. Augusta Uwah: Thats correct. Kevin Pho: All right, lets end with some take-home messages that you want to leave with the KevinMD audience. Augusta Uwah: Care about what you do. Kevin Pho: Augusta, thank you so much for sharing your story, time and perspective. Thanks again for coming on the show. Augusta Uwah: Thank you very much, Kevin, for having me. KINGSTON - A state Supreme Court justice in Ulster County has dismissed a legal challenge by the state of Texas that sought to enforce a six-figure judgment against a New York doctor accused of prescribing abortion medication to a Texas patient. Justice David M. Gandin ruled Friday that Taylor Bruck, the acting Ulster County clerk, acted lawfully when he refused to file a $113,000 default judgment issued by a Texas court against Dr. Margaret Daley Carpenter, a New Paltz-based physician. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton had twice sent the judgment and a court summons to Bruck's office, ordering that it be filed in New York state court. Twice, Bruck refused, citing the state's telehealth shield law, which bars public officials from aiding out-of-state investigations or civil actions targeting reproductive health care that is legal in New York. That prompted Paxton, in July, to file a petition seeking a writ of mandamus - a court order that would compel Bruck to file the Texas ruling. The petition named Bruck as its defendant. Last month, New York Attorney General Letitia James said she would intervene in the case under a section of state Executive Law that allows her office to defend the constitutionality of state laws. Gandin found that Carpenter's actions were legal under New York law and protected by the state's statute. "Dr. Carpenter's conduct falls squarely within the definition of legally protected health activity,'" Gandin wrote in his decision, calling Carpenter's work "the precise type of conduct (the shield law) was designed to protect." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bruck said the ruling affirmed what his office believed from the outset. "The decision confirms what we had assumed all along - that we should not have filed the Texas judgment," Bruck said in an interview Friday. "The law seemed obvious to us, but since it was untested, certain people had questions about it. So it was very refreshing to read the judge's decision." Paxton's attempt to reach across state lines marked the first major legal showdown over the constitutionality of telehealth shield laws, which have proliferated in states where abortion remains protected since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022. Gov. Kathy Hochul signed New York's law in June 2023 and earlier this year approved another measure allowing New York doctors to prescribe abortion medication to out-of-state patients anonymously. Under the law, state and local employees - including county clerks - are prohibited from using "time, moneys, facilities, property, equipment, personnel or other resources" in connection with out-of-state proceedings that seek to impose civil or criminal penalties for reproductive care that is legal in New York. Gandin's decision is the first time a New York court has applied the shield law in an interstate challenge. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Paxton argued that New York's law violates the U.S. Constitution's Full Faith and Credit Clause, which generally requires states to recognize the judicial decisions of other states, and the Extradition Clause, which mandates the return of individuals charged with crimes to the state where the alleged crime occurred. Texas officials also contended that Bruck was obligated under New York's civil procedure rules to accept the filing. Gandin disagreed, finding that the shield law "specifically directed" local officials not to cooperate with such efforts and that even processing the filing would itself constitute a prohibited use of county resources. He concluded that Texas failed to show any "clear legal right" to compel Bruck to act. Gandin also denied the New York attorney general's motion to intervene, noting that Texas' petition did not raise a valid constitutional challenge. "This legal challenge was unwarranted from the start. Dr. Carpenter provided legal, compassionate care, and New York's Shield Law exists to protect providers from politically motivated attacks like this," Ulster County Executive Jen Metzger said in a statement. "Acting County Clerk Taylor Bruck acted in accordance with the law, and I want to thank Judge Gandin for this fair and impartial decision." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We're fortunate to live in New York state and have a Senate and Assembly that had the foresight to pass the shield law," Bruck said. "In this first test case, it worked exactly as intended." Texas officials may appeal the ruling within 30 days. The Texas attorney general's office did not immediately return a request for comment. This article originally published at Court rejects Texas bid to enforce abortion ruling in New York. The Cole County Courthouse in downtown Jefferson City (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent). An administrative law judge fired last year wont be reinstated and another who took a pay cut while on active military duty wont win back his lost salary, a Cole County judge decided. In a ruling issued Oct. 23, Circuit Judge Cotton Walker said administrative law judges, who work in the Division of Workers Compensation and hear disputes over claims, are not entitled to any more job or pay protections than any other state employee. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The decision means former state Rep. Gina Mitten of Richmond Heights, who was appointed as an administrative law judge in 2021 and fired in May 2024, will not get her job back. And Ryan Asbridge, appointed in 2019 but on active duty with the Air Force since 2021, will receive only three weeks of pay each year while away from his state duties. Mitten and Asbridge filed the lawsuit in August 2024. Andy Hirth, the attorney for Mitten and Asbridge, said they will appeal the decision. We basically think that the courts found in favor of the state contrary to the plain language of Missouri statutes, Hirth said. In the lawsuit, Mitten argued that state law is clear that administrative law judges can only be discharged or removed if three of five members on a review committee vote no confidence after two successive performance audits two years apart. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Walker disagreed, pointing to another state law that states employees of the executive branch may be discharged for no reason or any reason not prohibited by law. The law for biennial performance reviews, Walker said, does not limit the executive branchs appointing authority by prohibiting the unilateral termination of employment of an ALJ with or without cause. Around the same time division Director Pamela Lewis fired Mitten, she informed Asbridge that the department would no longer pay his entire salary of approximately $120,000 a year while he was deployed with the Air Force. Asbridge had received approximately $335,000 in pay while away from his state duties. Asbridge received no other payments after he received a new deployment in June 2024 until after Oct. 1, 2024, the start of the federal fiscal year, when the state paid him salary for three weeks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the lawsuit, Asbridge argued that because his salary is set by statute, the state must pay him regardless of hours worked. The lawsuit cited an attorney generals opinion from 1998. Walker, however, ruled that Asbridges pay status is governed by a law that allows 120 hours of pay for employees and officers of the state on leave to perform active duty with the National Guard or other armed forces. Asbridge is entitled to 120 hours, or three weeks pay, per federal fiscal year during his leave of absence for military duties, Walker wrote. The department could pay him more, up to his full salary, but the law does not require this of (the department). Mitten, a Democrat, was a member of the Missouri House from 2013 to 2021. She is seeking nomination for the state Senate in the 4th District in 2026. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mitten could not be reached for comment. Asbridge, who is listed among the 26 administrative law judges, remains on active duty and has received orders extending his service to at least August 2026, Hirth said. The decision, if it stands, has implications for every executive branch employee, he said. The language of that ruling is so broad, Hirth said, that if that is right, then the governor of Missouri can fire any employee from any commission including the Missouri Ethics Commission, Administrative Hearing Commission or anywhere. This article was updated at 2 p.m. Oct. 31 to correct the deployment date for Ryan Asbridge. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX CRESTON, Iowa A Creston man has been charged with kidnapping after police say a juvenile jumped out of his moving vehicle following a failed online marketplace sale. According to the Creston Police Department, at around 10:32 p.m. Wednesday night officers with the police department as well as deputies from the Union County Sheriffs Office responded to a reported robbery and assault. The police department said that a deputy found a juvenile, who was injured and distressed, in the road near the intersection of South Sumner Street and Jefferson Avenue. According to court records, the victim had jumped out of a moving vehicle after the driver assaulted her. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Des Moines man sentenced up to 55 years for incest, sexual abuse Law enforcement learned that the victim had posted an item for sale on social media and that the driver, identified as 21-year-old Jayden Peavler, offered to buy the item. Court records state that Peavler picked up the victim in his vehicle to conduct the sale. However, court records say that Peavler tried to forcibly take the item. Creston police says the victim tried calling 911, but Peavler assaulted the victim and then sped up when the victim tried to leave the car. The victim eventually managed to jump out of the moving vehicle. Police said the victim sustained non-life-threatening injuries. On Thursday morning, the Creston Police Department said Peavler was arrested and charged with the following: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement First-Degree Kidnapping First-Degree Robbery Assault While Participating in a Felony Obstruction of 911 Communication Interference with Official Acts According to court records, Peavler is being held at the Union County Jail on a $530,000 cash-only bond. A preliminary hearing has been scheduled for November 7. 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. Felonies The following people were booked into the Lee County-Tupelo Adult Jail in connection with felony charges ending Thursday at 11 a.m. Ladarius Atkinson, 29, of Wren, was arrested by the Tupelo Police Department, possession of cocaine, possession of marijuana, possession of paraphernalia, false information. Michael W. Gilmore, 35, of Pontotoc, was arrested by the Tupelo Police Department, grand larceny, improper equipment, failure to yield, failure to comply, failure to appear, no insurance, disregard of a traffic device. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Torrance I. Hale, 33, of Grenada, was arrested by the Tupelo Police Department, parole violation, failure to comply, improper equipment, driving with a suspended license, open container, failure to signal. Byron T. Lockridge, 40, of Memphis, Tennessee, was arrested by the Tupelo Police Department, felony shoplifting, possession of marijuana, expired tag. Irving Talbert, 50, of Memphis, Tennessee, was arrested by the Tupelo Police Department, felony shoplifting, possession of a Schedule II drug, false ID. Jimmy William Thrasher, 58, of Tupelo, was arrested by the Tupelo Police Department, grand larceny, disorderly conduct, suspended drivers license. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lakeydra Young, 36, of Okolona, was arrested by the Lee County Sheriffs Office, embezzlement. Lee County Sheriffs Office The following reports were filed Thursday by the Lee County Sheriffs Office. A County Road 122, Nettleton, woman said a white male in a black Dodge Ram showed up at her house around 6 p.m. The 20-something man said he worked for an insurance company and said she had a claim. He did not have any identification and didnt seem legitimate. She said a friend in the are had a similar incident. There was a second person who stayed in the car, which backed out of the driveway so she could not see the tag. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A Guntown man said he was told a Black male was on his late mothers County Road 683, Saltillo, property trying to load a 1975 Chevy C-10 pickup onto a 20-foot trailer. The pickup was moved from the tree line but was not taken. There was damage to the front bumper of the truck. The man said he was told that the suspect has been to multiple locations around the area trying to get old vehicles. A County Road 275, Blue Springs, man said a small black SUV left the road and slid sideways through his yard around 7 p.m. Wednesday. The vehicle stopped when it hit his driveway. As the driver tried to get away, the SUV slung mud all over the front porch and the front of his house. He said the vehicle drove away before he could get outside. There are ruts in the yard, but no other property damage. Anyone with information on any of these reports is urged to call the Lee County Sheriff's Office at 841-9041, the Tupelo Police Department at 841-6491 or Crime Stoppers of Northeast Mississippi at (800) 773-TIPS or download the P3 Tip App and leave an anonymous tip that way. ST. CHARLES, Mo. A woman who called out alleged racial and gender bias by the college where she worked, soon found herself facing a criminal charge. The former college dean is now vindicated, and she spoke only to FOX 2 about it. Nicole Nunn-Faron was a dean at St. Charles Community College. She and six other women filed an Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) complaint alleging racial and gender discrimination. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I was at the pinnacle of my career. It was the job I had always dreamed of, Nunn-Faron said. She says she never realized campus police were apparently investigating her computer activity after she spoke out about alleged discrimination. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Daily News I was never questioned. I was never notified I was charged, but you need to understand I was charged by the campus police that are paid by the college, not by the St. Charles County Police, she said. They accused Nicole of computer tampering after her computer storage filled up. She says she asked campus tech support to help delete the appropriate files. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I.T. came over and sat at my desk and did it under my log in, Nunn-Faron said. So, you could have space to work? FOX 2 asked. Correct, Nunn-Faron answered. And thats what you were charged with? FOX 2 asked. Correct, she responded. St. Charles County prosecutor Joseph McCulloch confirmed the criminal charge is now dropped saying, After further review I do not believe there was any criminal intent in the removal of the files. What we found was about as much of a smoking gun as you can in a criminal defense context, which was a report generated by the I.T. expert for St. Charles Community College saying there was no data breach, her attorney Justin Gelfand said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nunn-Farons EEOC complaint against the college remains an active case. St. Charles Community College did not respond to our multiple phone calls or email. Just the accusation alone cost me my reputation and my career that I had spent over two decades building, Nunn-Faron 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 2. NEED TO KNOW Forty years after they were last seen, a rare breed of wolf spiders have been rediscovered in the United Kingdom Researchers found the aulonia albimana, otherwise known as the white-knuckled wolf spider, at the National Trust's Newtown nature reserve on the Isle of Wight The last time they were spotted was in 1985 An incredibly rare breed of spider was spotted for the first time in decades in the United Kingdom. Measuring in at under a quarter of an inch, a species of wolf spider called aulonia albimana, otherwise known as the white-knuckled wolf spider, was rediscovered by researchers, according to reporting by the BBC and The Guardian. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The spider was found at the National Trust's Newtown nature reserve on the Isle of Wight, which can only be reached via boat. The remote area is roughly a mile away from where the tiny spiders were last spotted in 1985. Entomologists Mark Telfer and Graeme Lyons carried out the search, with the latter revealing that they found the first spider "with just nine minutes to go" before they were due to be picked up by a boat taking them back to the mainland, according to The Guardian. A second spider was discovered mere minutes later. The white-knuckled wolf spider is one of 38 species of wolf spiders that live in the U.K. They are remarkable based on their size and the orange legs. Their name was "inspired by the distinctive pale 'knuckles' on the small leg-like appendages at the side of the spider's mouth," the outlet reported. getty The Isle of Wight The Isle of Wight Little is known about how the spiders hunt, with both outlets noting that the spiders are known for having a "flimsy web." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The area of the Isle of Wight was restored via collaboration with the National Trust, who use Hebridean sheep to return the landscape to what it was before. The breed of spider is fond of "short, open turf," which creates "exactly the kind of patchy, sunlit ground" it needs to flourish, per The Guardian. Ive seen 559 species of spider in the British Isles and this one was by far the most exciting find, Lyons gushed about the discovery. 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. Telfer seemingly agreed, saying, "To find a species thought lost for 40 years is thrilling," adding that it was also "testament to how the right habitat management, combined with curiosity and collaboration, can deliver remarkable results." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dr. Helen Smith, conservation officer for the British Arachnological Society, also enthused about the discovery, noting that there had been "repeated failure" to find the spider over the years. Before the find, she said, "It seemed increasingly likely that it had joined the country's sad list of extinct species." Smith even referred to it as "one of Britain's epic 'lost species' rediscoveries of the century." Now that the tiny white-knuckled wolf spider has been found again, the next step is to determine how many of them are around. Smith said that they will then do what they must to "secure its future." Read the original article on People WASHINGTON (AP) Anthony Taylor will never forget the look of horror on the students face. The school crossing guard was walking into the crosswalk in front of Washington Township High School in Indianapolis when a car with a young boy and his mom, who was dropping him off at school, suddenly appeared. The mom's eyes grew wide, and the boy began vigorously hitting on his mothers chest. Next thing, it was boom, lights out. Thats all I remember, Taylor said. He woke up in the hospital hours after undergoing surgery for a fractured pelvis and other broken bones. In many ways, Taylor was lucky. Despite the broken bones and the pins and metal plates to heal his body from that August 2018 collision, he returned to work. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Across the country, school crossing guards like Taylor, who stand in the cold, rain or heat to protect children, face the risk of injuries from drivers who may be distracted or in a hurry. An investigation by The Associated Press and Cox Media Group Television Stations found that over the past 10 years, hundreds of school crossing guards many of them of retirement age or older -- have suffered injuries on the job after being hit by a vehicle, and dozens of them have died. A full accounting is impossible. No federal agencies and just two states track how many crossing guards are injured or killed each year. And local police accident reports often have no code to distinguish between school crossing guards and other pedestrians hit near schools. Officers rarely stop to consider whether the injured pedestrian was on duty. said former Cornelius, North Carolina, Police Chief Bence Hoyle. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A database compiled by AP and Cox Media Group shows that 230 school crossing guards across 37 states and Washington, DC, were struck by vehicles. Nearly three dozen were killed in these collisions. The cases, compiled from incident and accident reports requested from nearly 200 police departments, represent only a portion of guards injured and killed nationwide. The investigation shows that in these cases, drivers who hit or even kill crossing guards rarely face serious consequences. Of the incidents involving 183 crossing guards where an outcome could be determined, nearly half resulted in traffic citations such as failure to yield to a pedestrian. About a quarter of the drivers werent ticketed at all, while just over a quarter faced criminal charges. Police said several factors go into whether or not a driver who hits a crossing guard is charged, including things such as weather conditions or negligence by the person operating the vehicle. Taken as a whole, these incidents highlight a largely underreported problem: Crossing guards, tasked with protecting children as they navigate busy streets in front of schools, can be casualties of dangerous roadways. Its a huge responsibility to step out in front of a vehicle, said Dacia Maisonave, a crossing guard trainer in Seminole County, Florida. It is unfortunate that our crossing guards dont have a lot of laws. The only thing they really have to protect them is the stop paddle. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Just slow down The lack of a system to track injuries and deaths of crossing guards has hampered efforts to develop better safety measures or even assess just how dangerous the job is, experts say. School crossing guard protection remains a patchwork of state and local policies. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes survey data for on-the-job injuries and deaths across most industries, but school crossing guards are included in a job category with road construction flaggers and the agency does not publish a fatality rate for it. The AP calculated its own fatality rates for nearly 200 job classifications with at least 10,000 workers and 10 deaths in 2023, the most recent year of available records. Crossing guards and flaggers were in the top fifth of deadliest jobs, the APs analysis found, on par with power line installers and air transportation workers. Its the only occupation in that top fifth that interacts with children daily. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Other federal agencies also rarely capture details specific to school crossing guards injuries or deaths. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administrations records on fatal accidents specify whether a school bus was involved or the crash happened within a designated school zone. But no information is captured about whether a victim was a crossing guard. Very few accident reports filed through the Occupational Safety and Health Administration mention school crossing guards. Only two states have made a serious effort to track crossing guard safety: New Jersey and Massachusetts. After examining the deaths of 16 crossing guards struck by motor vehicles and more than 230 injuries between 1993 and 2008, the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development launched a program aimed at crossing guard safety in February. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Officials in New Jersey said they target school zones for recurring safety inspections and have already issued eight serious violations and 30 others to employers for noncompliance. But even this pioneering effort faces limitations. Since there are no crossing guard standards in New Jersey, there is only so much we can do but to make sure they have appropriate training, says Assistant State Labor Commissioner Justin Baker. New Jersey state officials said they work with local police to provide training and proper equipment, including reflective vests. Michael Flanagan, director of the Department of Labor Standards in Massachusetts, said his state began tracking school crossing guard injuries and deaths when a guard was fatally struck in 2012. In 2022, he said the state mandated that cities and towns report crossing guard injuries. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Labor experts say more can be done to make the job safer. Among possible solutions that remain underused in the U.S, experts say, are installing smart crosswalk systems with flashing LED lights, raised crosswalks, automated speed cameras or requiring all guards to wear high-visibility gear. Flanagan said ultimately the most effective measure for protecting cross guards from injuries and deaths comes from talking to and educating motorists. Crossing guards are out there, and just slow down and be aware of that and look out for them, he said. Close calls and deaths School crossing guards are employed by local police departments, school districts or private companies hired by schools. Many of them are older adults or retirees of the 160 cases where AP and Cox Media Group were able to document ages, more than half were older than 65. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In interviews, many guards say they enjoy their jobs. But they also recount almost daily close calls with hurried and distracted drivers who ignore posted warning signs and the guards themselves, even in crosswalks. Travis Callis, a former crossing guard in Martinsburg, West Virginia, said while hes never been hurt, hes had several close run-ins, including an instance where a car was so close he could feel its heat on the back of his legs. Im holding the sign up and theyre just driving at me, he said. In some cases, collisions can kill. Last year, Stanley Brucker, 61, was working as a crossing guard at Fort Mill Elementary School in South Carolina when he was struck by a car as he was holding a stop sign and directing traffic. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Video captured by a passing school bus shows a vehicle hitting Brucker and flipping him over the car as he stands in the crosswalk. He was transported to a nearby hospital but later died. Brucker was the fourth crossing guard to be hit or killed while working for the school district. His death caused many of the district's crossing guards to refuse to show up for two days after they learned the driver who hit him wouldnt face charges. There is no indication that the driver of the vehicle was driving in a dangerous or reckless manner, local prosecutors in the 16th Circuit Solicitors Office said in a statement at the time. Bruckers family sees it differently and has filed a lawsuit against the school district and the driver who struck him. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The lawsuit accuses the Fort Mill School District of choosing locations for crossing guards that were not reasonably safe, citing the actual conditions on the site in the middle of a busy highway and by the numerous past instances of injury to crossing guards. No trial date has been set for the case to be heard. In response to questions about the lawsuit, a spokesperson for the district wrote: In light of the pending litigation, in which the actions of traffic guards employed by the company providing guards to the district is an issue, the district, on advice of counsel, is unable to respond further. The Fort Mill School District and the driver who hit Brucker have both asked the court to dismiss the lawsuit. Before the start of this school year, district officials informed parents that public schools in Fort Mill will not have traffic guards. The district has installed a new traffic system to help improve safety in the absence of traffic guards. Rutledge Young, an attorney in Charleston, South Carolina, representing Bruckers family, said Brucker was doing what he was told to do. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I believe that Mr. Brucker was doing his job and was killed as a result, Young said. Across the country, data compiled by AP and Cox Media Group shows similar instances of guards being killed and drivers not facing criminal charges. James Arthur Holland of Lexington, Kentucky, a crossing guard with the local police department, was hit and killed in 2023 by a driver while working outside an elementary school. Police found that the driver did not have insurance or a drivers license, and the vehicles registration had expired. Police said the incident was not a result of speeding or impairment, but environmental conditions. The driver was given various traffic citations, but no criminal charges were filed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kevin VanFleet, a detective in the Simi Valley Police Department in California, said each collision must be looked at individually. He said several factors go into deciding if a driver is going to be charged, including what police -- who rarely witness the accident -- find during their investigation and whether local prosecutors feel charges are warranted. Not everybody that is involved in a collision, lets say, with a pedestrian in a crosswalk, or perhaps a crossing guard in a crosswalk, is going to receive an infraction ticket. It depends on the severity of it, VanFleet said One common explanation for drivers hitting crossing guards that emerges from a review of traffic and incident reports is the glare of sunlight. The sun was in my eyes, appears repeatedly in reports obtained by AP and Cox Media Group. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Last year, Patricia Davis, a guard in Monroe County, Georgia, about an hour east of Atlanta, was hit by a truck while helping students cross. The driver told law enforcement that the sun was directly in his eyes, and he didnt see Davis until his truck struck her. Davis was taken to the hospital after suffering minor injuries. The driver was not charged. Police labeled the collision an accident. Dave Peavy, 76, a crossing guard in Gardner, Kansas, wasnt as fortunate. Peavy, a Vietnam veteran who wore a Santa hat and passed out candy to kids crossing his intersection, was hit and killed by a car as he stepped out to stop traffic. The driver, who was not charged, told police that sunlight blinded him, and he never saw Peavy. Crossing guards said these cases and dozens more like them highlight how drivers rarely face serious consequences when one of them is severely injured or killed. Beyond distracted drivers and the glare of sunlight, experts point to multiple other factors that compromise crossing guard safety. The higher hoods of todays SUVs and trucks create larger blind spots that reduce visibility. Many school zones lack adequate traffic-slowing measures like speed bumps or automated enforcement cameras. And many local roads are designed to prioritize vehicle flow over pedestrian safety and have inadequate sight lines and insufficient buffer zones around crosswalks. Still, former Police Chief Hoyle in North Carolina said drivers should be held accountable for injuring or killing crossing guards. He suggests raising speeding tickets in school zones to $1,000 and implementing license plate recognition systems to track down reckless drivers. The penalties should be much higher, making drivers think twice about speeding through a school zone, Hoyle said. VanFleet, the Simi Valley Police Department detective in California, said greater police presence in school zones would likely be more effective than fines. Its not so much the cost of the infraction it would be that would cause a deterrence, he said. It would be having more officers out there doing more enforcement. Not enough is being done Among the incidents where AP and Cox Media Group could determine an outcome, around a quarter resulted in criminal charges. About 40% of those criminal charges occurred when the driver fled the scene. Last year in Uvalde, Texas, elementary school crossing guard George Juarez was hospitalized after a pickup truck hit him and the driver fled the scene. The driver hit the crossing guard after making an illegal left turn as Juarez attempted to redirect the truck that struck him. The driver was charged with driving while intoxicated with an open container, and failure to stop and render aid. The driver that hit and killed Steven Winn, a 67-year-old crossing guard in Layton, Utah, just after he helped a group of elementary students cross to school, was also charged with an even more serious offense negligent homicide. Families who lose loved ones in fatal traffic accidents say the unexpected financial burden can be staggering, since many guards are retirees who work part-time and don't have benefits. Dozens of current and former guards or their families have set up GoFundMe pages to help cover medical and funeral costs. Those who survive hits can endure a long, painful recovery as well as mounting medical expenses. Ron Ferguson was hit by a truck in 2020 while directing traffic in front of a local high school in Texarkana, Texas. The collision left him with a cracked skull, missing teeth and lingering damage to his left ear. Ferguson spent two weeks sedated while recovering. He couldnt breathe on his own or get out of bed, and needed nearly a month of grueling rehabilitation. Today, he said, he has mostly recovered, but some scars from the accident remain and he still has trouble with his memory. There are times I could see people now that I cannot remember their names, he said. But I can see the face. And then gradually Ill start remembering. Crossing guards say they arent just waiting for officials to act to protect them. Many of them have organized on social platforms like TikTok through series like Crossing Guard Chronicles, set up by former Atlanta crossing guard Shante Joseph to educate the public about the dangers guards face. Others have joined Facebook groups like the National Association of School Crossing Guards, a platform that allows guards to share experiences and advocate for reform. They are also pushing their employers to provide items they think will make the job safer, such as body cameras, which some have already bought with their own money. The guards said they would also like to see increased police supervision in school zones and license plate recognition systems to help police spot bad drivers. Ultimately, they say they would like to see drivers treat crossing guard safety as seriously as the safety of the children they protect. Still, despite the daily dangers they face, many school crossing guards say they continue to enjoy what they see as an important and much-needed function. Thats why Anthony Taylor, the school crossing guard in Indianapolis, said he returned to his duties as a crossing guard after suffering severe injuries. I like what I do, and I enjoy being around the public, Taylor said. Thats what made me decide that, hey, Im going back to finish out what I was there to start. ___ This story has been updated to correct the name of the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development. - This story is a collaboration between The Associated Press and Cox Media Groups local television stations. It is part of The AP Local Investigative Reporting Program. The program offers AP members workshops, reporting tools, and collaboration with AP journalists to help apply investigative techniques. Dasia Garner is the 2025 Ida B. Wells Society for Investigative Reporting Intern. Gary Fields and River Zhang contributed reporting. Contributing to this story from Cox Media Group Television Stations were: Jodie Fleischer, Josh Wade, Ted Daniel, WFXT Boston, Tina Terry and Michael Praats, WSOC Charlotte, Michele Newell and Mitchell Lierman, WSB-TV Atlanta, John Bedell, WHIO-TV Dayton, Shannon Butler, WFTV Orlando, Deja Mayfield, WJAX/WFOX Jacksonville, Brooke Griffin, KIRO Seattle, Amy Hudak and Alex Popichak, WPXI Pittsburgh. Its happened over and over across Western Washington: students hit by cars in crosswalks outside of schools. In one incident last fall, a driver hit a crossing guard in front of Lake Stevens Middle School. The body camera from responding officers captured the drivers explanation: I turned to look at my dog then that was it, I turned back, and she was hitting the car, like oh my god! The crossing guard was standing up and conscious when officers arrived, but said her head was hurting. Reports show she was checked out by medical aid and her injuries were minor. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a nationwide investigation, KIRO 7 teamed up with our sister stations across the country and the Associated Press, using media and social media reports to track how many crossing guards have been hit or killed while on the job. Our team tracked more than 225 crossing guards injured or killed in the past decade nationwide but the Lake Stevens accident was the only one of those here in Washington. When we dug into why that is, we found many schools dont have crossing guards at all. KIRO 7 compiled all of the pedestrian crashes in Washington school zones in the last ten years and found 230 people have been hit by vehicles. Many of those were students. One of them was Calissa Robinson, she was hit in 2016 in Thurston County. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I stopped and the car sped exactly right in front of me, if I would have leaned in closer, took one step closer, my life would have been gone, Robinson said. Dalana Bonin, Calissas mom, also spoke with us at the time. It threw her about nine feet out and then she had a seizure after she hit the ground, Bonin said. In 2014, a school bus seriously injured a 15 year old girl in a crosswalk in Federal Way. And in 2016, a driver was arrested for hitting a 16 year old outside Kent Meridian High School. Its sad its unfortunate you would think people would yield in a spot where it says for people to yield, said a friend of the Kent victim. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement KIRO 7 obtained a sampling of the crash reports for the students hit in our area as well, and found many of the drivers were not given any sort of penalty. Only a few were actually ticketed or even arrested. KIRO 7 reached out to dozens of school districts to ask why so many kids were being hit in school zones and found a lot of schools dont use crossing guards at all. A 2024 report from the Seattle Public Schools Traffic Safety Committee found 55% of guard positions were vacant, leading to a significant safety issue for students. A crossing guard vacancy is not something we prefer but there are other measures in place to mitigate dangers and make sure things are safe as possible, said Dr. Marni Asplund-Campbell, the Assistant Superintendent of School Operations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement KIRO-7 found half of the 115 positions are still vacant more than a year later. Seattle Public Schools Assistant Superintendent of Operations Dr. Marni Asplund-Campbell tells us they are working every day to keep students safe. A crossing guard vacancy is not something we prefer but there are other measures in place to mitigate dangers and make sure things are safe as possible, Asplund-Campbell said. KIRO 7 found half of the positions are still vacant more than a year later. Right now, 58 out of 115 positions in the Seattle School District are up for hire. She said they are actively working to fill those spots, but with that many vacancies, it takes time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They are a little more difficult to fill because its an isolated chunk in the morning and end of day, its not immediately easy to fill, Asplund-Campbell said. She tells us to help with the lack of crossing guards, the district uses community help, flashing crosswalk signs, and tries to reroute traffic away from schools. KIRO 7 found Washington does not specifically track when crossing guards are hit, theyre included among all other pedestrian crash reports, so its harder to identify how many have been hit. Our investigation found only two states, Massachusetts and New Jersey, require law enforcement to track and report crossing guard crashes to the state. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There are other states that do the voluntary compliance assistance, I dont know of any doing it specifically for crossing guards, said Michael Flanagan with the Massachusetts Department of Labor Standards. He tells us these incidents deserve to be better reported. Theyre actually stepping in front of moving traffic to protect your kids, which it sounds insane when you put it into that context right, you think of a parent jumping into traffic but not necessarily a stranger, Flanagan said. to help with the lack of crossing guards, the Seattle School district uses community help, flashing crosswalk signs, and tries to reroute traffic away from schools. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This means drivers must also bear some responsibility. Jessica Orth is a witness to a recent crash in Puyallup where a high school cross country runner was hit near a school. She tells us she has been begging drivers to slow down in that neighborhood for a long time. The 20mph zone is in effect between 3:30-4:30pm, youve got kids, traffic, just slow down. No life is worth it just slow down, said Orth. NEED TO KNOW The daughter of a woman who was found dead on an island one day after she failed to return to her cruise ship is speaking out Katherine Rees said she was "shocked and saddened" by the news about her 80-year-old mom Suzanne Rees The daughter now hopes a coronial inquiry will find out what the company should have done that might have saved Mums life A woman was found dead a day after she failed to board a cruise ship in Australia. Now, her daughter is speaking out. The 80-year-old woman was discovered on Lizard Island in the Great Barrier Reef, off Queensland, on Sunday, Oct. 26, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation, news.com.au and 7News Australia previously reported. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Suzanne Rees, of New South Wales, was traveling alone when she was left behind by the Coral Adventurer, according to news.com.au. Rees' daughter Katherine said she was "shocked and saddened" that the ship departed "without my mum, BBC News reported. "From the little we have been told, it seems that there was a failure of care and common sense," she said. According to Katherine, police indicated that it was a very hot day, and that the mom fell ill while climbing Cooks Look. "She was asked to head down, unescorted. Then the ship left, apparently without doing a passenger count, the daughter claimed. Katherine now hopes a coronial inquiry will find out what the company should have done that might have saved Mums life, per the BBC and news.com.au. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Coral Adventurer CEO Mark Fifield said in a statement on Thursday, Oct. 30, that the company has offered heartfelt condolences to the Rees family and remain deeply sorry that this has occurred. The circumstances of her tragic death are the subject of official investigations, Fifield continued, according to the reports. We are fully cooperating with those investigations to determine the facts. The CEO added, For this reason, it would be inappropriate to comment further on the investigations while they are underway. We continue to provide our full support to the Rees family through this difficult time. 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. Coral Adventurer did not immediately respond to PEOPLEs request for comment. Queensland police reportedly have said Suzannes death appeared to be non-suspicious. Read the original article on People Autumn at Hwaseong Fortress (Korea Tourism Organization Photo Korea Oh Do-yeon) Suwon, home to UNESCO-listed Hwaseong Fortress, has become a favorite destination among Millennials and Gen Z travelers. The city seamlessly blends tradition with modern life, offers distinctive local flavors, and hosts cultural events that delight all the sensescreating a vibrant and trendy atmosphere. Read on to explore fresh ways to experience Suwon, from daytime attractions to nighttime festivals and experiences. This fall, discover unforgettable moments where Koreas past and present come together in Suwon. Korea map (Stripes Korea) Four Ways to Explore Suwon 1. Hwaseong Fortress Tourist Trolley Hwaseong Fortress Tourist Trolley (Photo by Korea Tourism Organization) For a relaxed way to explore highlights of the Hwaseong Fortress, take the Hwaseong Fortress Tourist Trolley. Modeled after the royal palanquin of the Joseon kings and a car once used by Sunjong, the last emperor of Korea, the trolley departs from Yeonmudae and follows a 20-minute circular route that takes in Hwahongmun Gate, Janganmun Gate, Hwaseomun Gate, and nearby attractions. As the breeze brushes your face and the fortress walls and surrounding scenery unfold outside, you may just feel like royalty. [Hwaseong Fortress Tourist Trolley] Address: Yeonmudae Ticket Office at Yeonmudae Martial Arts Arena, 8 Changnyong-daero 103beon-gil, Paldal-gu, Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do ( 103 8 ) Operating hours: TuesdaySunday 09:4017:00 Route: Yeonmudae Hwahongmun Gate Janganmun Gate Hwaseomun Gate Maehyanggyo Bridge Yeonmudae (every 20 min) * Audio guide available in English, Chinese, and Japanese 2. Hwaseong Fortress Trail (Suwon Palseok-gil) Hwaseong Fortress Trail (Suwon City Tourism Division) If you enjoy walking, follow the fortress walls to explore Suwon on foot. The Hwaseong Fortress Trail connects traditional landmarks such as Janganmun Gate and Banghwasuryujeong Pavilion with trendy hotspots like Haengnidan Street and bustling traditional markets. Its a rewarding walk by day, alive with natural energy, but even more enchanting at night when the fortress and city lights glow against the dark sky. [Hwaseong Fortress Trail] (5.1 km, 23 hr) Address: Along Jeongjo-ro, Paldal-gu, Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do ( ) Route: Hwaseomun Gate Hwaseo Park Janganmun Gate Hwahongmun Gate Changnyongmun Gate Paldalmun Market Yeongdong Market Motgol Market Minari-gwang Market Paldalmun Gate Suwon Hyanggyo (Confucian School) Paldalsan Mountain Hwaseong Temporary Palace TIP. Hwaseong Fortress Trail Stamp Tour Pick up a stamp booklet at a tourist information center. Collect stamps at seven or more of the ten designated spots along the trail to receive a souvenir. Souvenirs can be claimed at the Hwaseomun Gate Information Center or the Yeonmudae Information Center. *View Tourist Information Center locations 3. Bandicle (Suwon public bikes) Bandicle Suwon bike (Suwon City Tourism Division) For a faster way to explore Suwon, hop on a bike. The city operates a public bicycle service called Bandicle near Hwaseong Temporary Palace and Gwanggyosan Mountain. Its biggest advantage is the low rental feejust 1,000 won for up to 4 hours on weekends, and unlimited riding on weekdays. A frog-themed helmet is provided and must be worn while riding. [Bandicle] Haenggung Square station (1): Haenggung Square, 13-1 Namchang-dong, Paldal-gu, Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do ( 13-1 ) Gwanggyosan stations (2): Gwanggyosan Bus Terminal, 42-1 Sanggwanggyo-dong, Jangan-gu, Suwon-si ( 42-1) / By the Firefly Restroom, 166 Gwanggyosan-ro, Jangan-gu, Suwon-si ( 166) Operating period & hours: April 1 November 30, 2025 / 10:00-18:00 (Gwanggyosan stations open on weekends only) 4. Flying Suwon Night view of Hwaseong Fortress and Flying Suwon (Photo by Korea Tourism Organization) For something unique and romantic, Flying Suwon is the perfect choice. This massive tethered helium balloon, 32 meters tall and 22 meters wide, rises 70 to 150 meters into the sky within moments. The thrill of lift-off quickly gives way to sweeping views of Hwaseong Fortress, Paldalsan Mountain, and Suwoncheon Stream. Any time of day is rewarding, but for the most unforgettable experience, ride at sunset and watch the city light up against the night sky. [Flying Suwon] Address: 697 Gyeongsu-daero, Paldal-gu, Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do ( 697) Operating hours: Weekdays 13:0022:00 / Weekends & public holidays 11:0022:00 Cultural Festivals that Light Up Suwon by Day and Night 1. Suwon Hwaseong Cultural Festival Suwon Fantasy Yajo performance (Suwon City Tourism Division) The Suwon Hwaseong Cultural Festival has been the citys signature event for over 60 years. It reimagines King Jeongjos historic eight-day royal procession with modern performances and interactive programs. Highlights include Koreas largest royal parade, King Jeongjos Royal Procession (Joint Re-enactment), as well as nighttime military drills and water performances at Banghwasuryujeong Pavilion. With the fortress as its stage, music, dance, and media art come together in a dazzling spectacle. Visitors can also join in the fun through participatory programs like the high-energy Suwon Palanquin Race and Citizen Painters, a collaborative art project where everyone contributes to a giant painting. [The 62nd Suwon Hwaseong Cultural Festival] Venue: Hwaseong Fortress area, 825 Jeongjo-ro, Paldal-gu, Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do ( 825 ) Event period: September 27 October 4, 2025 Inquiries: +82-31-5191-3647 Website 2. Suwon Hwaseong Media Art Suwon Hwaseong Media Art (Suwon City Tourism Division) Alongside the Suwon Hwaseong Cultural Festival, the fortress transforms into a canvas of light. Now in its fifth year, the program showcases media artworks that reinterpret King Jeongjos achievements, philosophy, and dreams. Visitors can enjoy lighting installations that make use of the surrounding trees and walkways, immersive media experience zones, and more. Adding a global pop-culture touch, the event also features media facades, a pop-up store, and photo zones created in collaboration with the world-famous Peanuts franchise. [2025 Suwon Hwaseong Media Art Mancheonmeongwal: King Jeongjos Dream Becomes Light Season 5 Saebit Festa] Venue: Hwaseong Fortress (Hwaseomun Gate, Janganmun Gate, Jangan Park), 320-2 Yeonghwa-dong, Jangan-gu, Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do ( 320-2 , , ) Event period: September 27 October 12, 2025 / FridaySunday 18:0021:30 Inquiries: +82-31-290-3622 Website 3. Hwaseong Temporary Palace Night Opening Hwaseong Temporary Palace Night Opening (Suwon City Tourism Division) Curious what a royal palace looks like after dark? Dont miss the Hwaseong Temporary Palace Night Opening, running through November under the theme Dalbit Hwadam (Conversations in Moonlight and Flowers). Six themed zones bring the palace to life at night, with flower-inspired installations, media art combining light and music, and hands-on experiences of traditional Korean games. Visitors wearing hanbok can even enter free of chargemaking it the perfect chance to stroll the palace grounds in traditional style. [2025 Hwaseong Temporary Palace Night Opening Dalbit Hwadam] Venue: Temporary Palace at Hwaseong Fortress, 825 Jeongjo-ro, Paldal-gu, Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do ( 825 ) Event period: May 3 November 2, 2025 / FridaySunday 18:0021:30 Inquiries: +82-31-290-3612 *View English leaflet Suwons Trending Hotspots 1. Haengnidan Street Haengnidan Street alley (Photo by Korea Tourism Organization) Once a quiet lane in Haenggung-dong, Haengnidan Street has rapidly risen as a hotspot for Millennials and Gen Z. The area generally refers to the stretch from Hwaseo Park to Hwahongmun Gate. Packed with characterful cafes, restaurants, studios, and select shops, its perfect for shopping, dining, or relaxing over dessert with friends and loved ones. The street has also featured as a filming location in hit K-dramas such as Our Beloved Summer (2021), Extraordinary Attorney Woo (2022), and Lovely Runner (2024), winning global attention. [Haengnidan Street] Address: 43 Hwaseomun-ro, Paldal-gu, Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do ( 43) Operating hours: Vary by shop 2. Suwon Chicken Street Old-style whole fried chicken in a cauldron (Danim 1st Gen., Cho Su-hong) Running along Suwoncheon Stream, Suwon Chicken Street is one of Koreas most famous fried chicken alleys. Formed in the 1970s, it began as a cluster of vendors selling freshly slaughtered chicken, and has kept the tradition of deep-frying whole birds in large cast-iron cauldrons. Today, visitors can savor crispy-on-the-outside, juicy-on-the-inside old-style fried chicken, sweet and spicy sauced chicken, and Suwons signature Wanggalbi Chicken, chicken marinated in short rib seasoningall at friendly prices. [Suwon Chicken Street] Address: 43 Hwaseomun-ro, Paldal-gu, Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do ( 43) Operating hours: Vary by shop 3. Suwon Nammun Market Interior view of Suwon Nammun Market (Korea Tourism Organization Photo Korea Niotani Studio) Suwon Nammun Market is the largest market complex in Gyeonggi-do, bringing together nine markets including Motgol Market, Minari-gwang Market, and Yeongdong Market. Its beloved for its affordable yet delicious foodeverything from snacks like doughnuts and hotteok to hearty Korean favorites such as stir fried gopchang sundae and kalguksu (noodle soup). Having served locals for generations, the market also sells a wide range of goods from daily necessities and clothing to fresh ingredients, making browsing itself part of the fun. [Suwon Nammun Market] Address: 9 Paldalmun-ro, Paldal-gu, Suwon-si, Gyeonggi-do ( 9) Operating hours: Vary by shop 1330 Korea Travel Helpline: +82-2-1330 1330 Text Chat: https://m.site.naver.com/1rEid (Korean, English, Japanese, Chinese, Russian, Vietnamese, Thai, and Indonesian) * This column was last updated in September 2025, and therefore information may differ from what is presented here. We advise you to check for updates before visiting. COPYRIGHTS KOREA TOURISM ORGANIZATION ALL RIGHTS RESERVED www.visitkorea.or.kr Jamaica has been on the minds of many in the cruise community this week as monstrous Hurricane Melissa rampaged across the Caribbean. The Category 5 storm made landfall on the southwestern coast of Jamaica on Oct. 28, leaving extensive destruction in its wake. Across social media, cruise travelers came together to offer heartfelt words of support for the families of Jamaican crew members they met during their vacations and the beautiful island communities they visited on cruises to the popular Jamaican ports of Ocho Rios, Montego Bay, and Falmouth. Whether the spirit of Jamaica has touched your heart on a Caribbean cruise to one of those ports or the destination is on your travel bucket list, you can join the cruise community in offering tangible support for the islands recovery by donating toward Hurricane Melissa relief efforts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Royal Caribbean, Carnival, and Norwegian Cruise Line have all pledged major donations to humanitarian organizations providing disaster relief in Jamaica. Heres how you can support the delivery of urgent aid for impacted communities and long-term rebuilding efforts, too. Want the latest cruise news and deals? Sign up for the Come Cruise With Me newsletter. Holland America is offering a way to support Hurricane Melissa relief on board.Photo credit: Debbie Ann Powell / Shutterstock.com Join Royal Caribbean in supporting Global Empowerment Mission Royal Caribbean Group is supporting both the affected communities and its employees in Jamaica and The Bahamas in partnership with Global Empowerment Mission (GEM), a nonprofit that uses an efficient aid pipeline to quickly get vital supplies directly to those who need it most after a disaster. After the immediate response phase, GEM teams remain on the ground in impacted communities to assist with efforts to rebuild and support long-term recovery. Related: Royal Caribbean makes major commitment to Hurricane Melissa relief Royal Caribbean committed more than $1 million to aid long-term recovery efforts in the regions most impacted by Hurricane Melissa. As part of its partnership with GEM, the company is also helping to transport donated supplies directly to Jamaica on board its ships. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To join Royal Caribbean in supporting these efforts, cruisers can donate to GEMs Hurricane Melissa response mission. Join Carnival in donating to Direct Relief Carnival Corporation, in partnership with the Miami HEAT and Micky & Madeleine Arison Family Foundation, made a $1 million donation to humanitarian aid organization Direct Relief to support the rapid delivery of emergency medical assistance to Jamaica in response to Hurricane Melissa. Direct Relief dispatched field medic packs for front-line responders in Jamaica and is working in coordination with local partners across the Caribbean to deliver medical aid and support health providers. To join Carnival in supporting these efforts to provide medicines and other resources to people impacted by Hurricane Melissa, cruisers can donate to Direct Reliefs Support Jamaica campaign. Be the first to see the best deals on cruises, special sailings, and more. Sign up for the Come Cruise With Me newsletter. Participate in a fundraising walk on board a Holland America ship Those who are setting sail with Carnival-owned Holland America Line soon can also support Direct Reliefs Hurricane Melissa response on board through the cruise lines 5k fundraising walks, which are held on each sailing. Holland America will focus its next several On Deck for a Cause 5K walks on Direct Reliefs Hurricane Melissa response fund. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Passengers on any Holland America cruise can sign up for the walks, which are held on the ships promenade decks. Participants of all ages are invited to donate $25 to the Holland America Line Foundation to support the featured charity. Related: 106-year-old World War II nurse cruises to fulfill sacred mission Join NCL in donating to the American Red Cross Cruise travelers can also join Norwegian Cruise Line in supporting Hurricane Melissa relief efforts through the American Red Cross. In addition to making an immediate donation of $50,000 to help communities recover, the cruise line is matching donations made to the Red Cross up to $50,000. Our thoughts are with everyone impacted by Hurricane Melissa, said Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings CEO Harry Sommer. The Caribbean region holds a special place in our hearts, and its important that we stand with our communities in times of need. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement (The Arena Group will earn a commission if you book a cruise.) Make a free appointment with Come Cruise With Mes Travel Agent Partner, Postcard Travel, or email Amy Post at amypost@postcardtravelplanning.com or call or text her at 386-383-2472. This story was originally reported by TravelHost on Oct 31, 2025, where it first appeared in the Come Cruise With Me section. Add TravelHost as a Preferred Source by clicking here. Some of the GOPs most powerful leaders firmly denounced Tucker Carlson and the Heritage Foundation after the right-wing think tank behind Project 2025 gave a full-throated endorsement of the ousted Fox News host platforming white supremacist Nick Fuentes. Both Sens. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), the former majority leader, and Ted Cruz (R-Texas) spoke out shortly after Heritage Foundation president Kevin Roberts affirmed that his right-wing think tank was not distancing itself from Carlson, who did little to challenge Fuentes when he bemoaned organized Jewry in America and praised Joseph Stalin during his interview. Buzz: 'Daily Show' Nails The 'Really Confusing' Part Of Tucker Carlson And Ted Cruz Clash McConnell took direct aim at Roberts comments, using his own words against him in a post on X. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The intellectual backbone of the conservative movement is only as strong as the values it defends, McConnell wrote Friday. Last I checked, conservatives should feel no obligation to carry water for antisemites and apologists for America-hating autocrats. Hours after Roberts released his video, Cruz condemned Carlsons interview while speaking at the Republican Jewish Coalitions annual legislative conference. If you sit there with someone who says Adolf Hitler was very, very cool, and that their mission is to combat and defeat global Jewry, and you say nothing, then you are a coward and you are complicit in that evil, Cruz said without explicitly naming Carlson. Politics: Mike Johnsons Anti-Nazi Attack Didnt Go As Well As He Probably Hoped Fuentes, a white nationalist activist, has repeatedly praised Hitler, once called for a total Aryan victory and denied the existence of the Holocaust. Hes also said his ideal wife would be 16 years old because thats right when the milk is good and suggested bringing back Jim Crow laws. President Donald Trump hosted Fuentes for dinner at Mar-a-Lago in 2022. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In his video, Roberts said that while he disagrees with Fuentes, canceling him is not the answer. The activist quickly responded, thanking Roberts for his courage in standing up for open discourse and defending Tucker against the Israel First Woke Right. Political Updates Read the original on HuffPost When heart transplant surgeon Dr. Dina Al Rameni saw the perfect heart she would transplant into her patient, she knew everything was going to be great. Great was what her patient, Eugene Charles Brooks, 55, needed, as his heart was failing and he was very ill at Hartford Hospital after years of heart disease and many heart attacks. Charles motto is lets go, Al Rameni said, referring to her patient as he is known. I was very thrilled, he was very thrilled. He went to sleep; my face was the last thing he saw. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The surgery Al Rameni performed took place early this year at Hartford Hospital. Al Rameni said Brooks was so ill and in such pain, she wondered, how did he live all these years with it. Then the other heart arrived. It looked amazing it started beating on its own, Al Rameni said. Getting to that point was not easy. Brooks, who now lives in Plainville, was born and raised in Staten Island, New York. He is a personal trainer who has always been in top physical shape. But he also was diagnosed at age 37 with cardiomyopathy, a serious kind of heart disease that makes the heart muscle weak and have to work harder to pump blood. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Brooks at that time had two stents inserted through angioplasty and was seeing a cardiologist at UConn Health Center, who even at that time told him he should be on a transplant list, Brooks said. He said, dude you are going to need this, Brooks said, of his cardiologist Dr. Christopher Pickett. But Brooks, even now post transplant, is willing to share exactly what kept him from getting on that list at that time. It was sharp pill for me to swallow, I wasnt mentally prepared, he said. Somebody is going to cut open my chest and open me up, I couldnt conceptually put it together. This feeling is very common in people facing transplants, a lot of recipients, it takes them time to come to peace with it, Al Rameni said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Yet Brooks wasnt getting better and in fact had a series of heart attacks that caused further damage. On a visit to see his partner, David, in New York City last year, Brooks said things really took a turn and he was struggling to breathe. At the emergency room, he learned they found major fluid pushing against by lungs. He had congestive heart failure, Al Rameni said. The heart is not going to get better. Brooks said a subcutaneous defibrillator was implanted, with an electrode that went across his chest. Al Rameni said this was a device to shock Brooks heart if it went into an abnormal rhythm. It is an electrical shock, she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Brooks said it is so painful to feel that shock that it is like having a head made of glass and then it shatters. It is necessary to keep to you alive, Al Rameni reminded him, pointing out that its positioning also was done so as not to interfere with his muscles. After Brooks returned to Connecticut, he wanted to get back to work, and did, but was struggling, he said. He was not able to get a good nights sleep, he said, he was sleeping 15 minutes at a time and he ended up in the emergency room twice. He was given a diuretic to remove fluid from bis body. Then, on Dec. 23, 2024, he went in to work, knowing he also had an appointment scheduled with Dr. Pickett for that day. He dropped a 45-pound plate and stopped breathing. After calling for help he was able to get to Picketts office. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They saw me, and knew something was wrong. They said Charles, its time, Brooks said, describing the looks of Picketts team that day. Pickett said, Buddy, its time, Brooks said. They got me a bed. Al Rameni said that when Brooks came to Hartford Hospital, he was in evaluation for a heart transplant, he was very, very sick. When we saw how sick he was, we expedited it, we managed to get everything done in four to five days, she said, referring to the process of seeking a new heart. That process is in part complicated because they have to determine whether he was a good fit for the surgery, and he was so sick these clots were a ticking time clock for stroke, Al Rameni said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We were in a tough spot, she said, adding that there is the concern that clots can dislodge and move in the body. It was just that he was really sick. I have a duty to find a perfect match for him, Al Rameni said, noting that means right size, blood type, gender, antibodies and more. There is so much science that goes into the matching and the recipient. It also is challenging to find donors. Hearts are in such shortage, it is hard to find a perfect heart, she said. Then she got word of a donor. It was a young male with a perfect heart (as donor), she said. The tests were perfect. The doctor and patient, interviewed together, clearly have a powerful connection. I still remember my goal for the New Year was to find you a heart, she said to her patient. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A team went to get the heart, she saw it and approved it, and it was brought to the hospital. The surgery was done overnight. He was very emotional, Al Rameni said. He did amazing, she said. A few hours after the surgery the heart function was fantastic. He was sitting up in a chair ready to eat breakfast. It was a gift to me as much as it was for him, I am very very passionate about organ transplants, Al Rameni said. Al Rameni said every transplant to is so joyful to her and she connected with Brooks on a deeper level. She has done about 30 heart transplants to date, she said. Hartford Hospital doctors have performed about 500 heart transplants in the last 35 years, according to the Hartford HealthCare. Further, according to data from the latest SRTR review, the three-year survival rate for patients transplanted between 2013 and 2015 was 92.31%. Nationally, the three-year survival rate for the same time period was 84.63%. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hartford Hospital also did the first successful heart transplant in Connecticut, according to the health care system. That first heart transplant patient in 1984 is among the top five heart transplant survivors in the world dying in 2017, 33 years after his transplant. Because Brooks was in such great physical shape they were determined to figure out why he developed such severe heart disease. He did everything right, he was very impressive in what he was able to accomplish with end stage heart failure, Al Rameni said, referring to how Brooks took care of himself. The conclusion was that it was hereditary or genetic, as there were such heart issues on his mothers side, Brooks said. Brooks said in the time leading up to the transplant, I was more mentally in that head space I prayed on it talked to friends. There was more growth in my life, I said I need to take charge of it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He said he still recalls all the pain he felt and as a transplant recipient, the first thing I have to do I have to thank the staff at Hartford HealthCare. The level of care and service I received, all of them, they were there, they walked me though each step of the way. Some days feel fantastic, some days I struggle with, what did I do to deserve a second chance at life, he said. He said Al Rameni assured him: I found a perfect match. Al Rameni said she decided at a young age to become a surgeon and to do transplants. She said she loves her patients and I love organ transplants; this is a big as it gets, I am so excited to see them after surgery. She said she has endless support and a fantastic team with whom she works. About Brooks and that perfect heart, she said, I knew he was going to take care of that gift. NEW YORK Independent mayoral candidate Andrew Cuomo asked Brighton Beach residents for their support in an attempt to siphon conservative Russian voters from Republican Curtis Sliwa on Friday as he seeks to gain ground on front-runner Zohran Mamdani. In the final days of the mayoral election, Cuomo has pitched himself to conservatives and Republicans, arguing the Democratic nominee Mamdani is dangerous to New Yorkers and can only be defeated by him, not Sliwa. Curtis Sliwa can only make Zohran Mamdani win, Cuomo said. Dont believe me, believe President Trump, if youre a Republican. President Trump said Curtis Sliwa is not ready for prime time, and a vote for Sliwa is a vote for Mamdani. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The ex-governor munched on Russian dumpings at a restaurant in the neighborhood before his remarks. He was introduced by Republican Councilmember Inna Vernikov, who derided Mamdani and his politics. Aside from the fact that he is a communist and an antisemite, he has no idea what hes doing, Vernikov, who was arrested for carrying a gun to a protest in 2023 before the charges were dropped, said. Mamdani is not a communist, but a democratic socialist, and has come under fire for his anti-Israel stance and support for positions that are seen as fostering antisemitism. Asked whether he agreed with Vernikovs claims, Cuomo said: I dont believe the council member said that, he said. Antisemitism is a problem in New York City. Early voting closes Sunday evening, and Election Day is Tuesday. Mamdani, the frontrunner in the race, is poling double digits ahead of Cuomo and Sliwa. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On a radio hit with local Russian language station Davidzon radio 620 AM Friday morning, Cuomo invoked President Donald Trump, and promised to appoint more Russians to senior positions in his administration than any previous mayor. If I win, the Russian community will have more representation in my administration than they have ever had in history, Cuomo said, urging Russian New Yorkers to vote so you get attention from the political system. The ex-governors foray into Brighton Beach comes as a super PAC in his support has poured thousands into boosting his candidacy in Russian-speaking communities, laying the groundwork for Cuomo among those voters by blasting out ads in the language. New Yorkers for a Better Future PAC has over the past two weeks put at least $339,048 towards TV and radio ads, canvassing and flyers attacking Sliwas candidacy and urging voters to cast their ballots for Cuomo. The PAC has raised $1.6 million in total. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The group placed a $36,000 cable television ad buy on Thursday that shows an older Russian-speaking couple warning of a very serious danger in New York City dramatic uplifting music plays in the background. He is experienced, he inspires confidence and we believe he is a worthy candidate for mayor of New York City, a woman, identified as Galina, said in the ad. Daniel Kurzyna, a spokesperson for Sliwa, said Cuomos efforts in right-leaning neighborhoods wont move the needle. New Yorkers remember the damage Andrew Cuomo did, Kurzyna said. Cuomo doesnt have a chance, and we have broad support in South Brooklyn. Curtis Sliwa will shock the world. _____ Czechia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has responded to the latest propaganda post from Russia's Foreign Ministry, in which it accused the UK of "supporting fascism" because of its support for Ukraine. Source: European Pravda Details: The post, which appeared on the official X account of Russia's Foreign Ministry, quotes its spokesperson Maria Zakharova as saying that "the goals of Russophobes in the UK and their inhuman methods remain the same". Zakharova accused London of "supplying Nazis with explosives and weapons", "sponsoring killings and terror acts" and "intimidating civilians". Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Czechia's Foreign Ministry replied from its official account. Quote: "Is your memory failing you, comrades? It is the Kremlin supporting fascists worldwide since 1939." More details: In its next tweet, Prague reminded Moscow of the joint military parade that Soviet troops and the Wehrmacht held in Brest after the dismemberment of Poland in 1939. Background: The outgoing Czech government recently announced that Czechia will build and deliver a modern satellite to Ukraine as a gesture of support. The Czech volunteer initiative Darek pro Putina ("A Gift for Putin") has reported that a campaign to raise funds to produce a Ukrainian Flamingo missile reached its target in two days. On 30 September, the Czech government banned Russian diplomats and holders of service passports without Czech national accreditation from entering the country. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! The vibrant sights and sounds of Dia de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, will look and feel different in Sonoma this year. Fears of detention and deportation are weighing heavily on many Hispanic families, leading some to skip the annual community celebration at the Sonoma Community Center. Organizers ultimately decided to cancel the usual celebration, opting for an ofrenda or altar lighting instead. There are two altars outside of the center, and they continue to grow with photos and memories of loved ones who have passed. Each year, more names and faces are added, a testament to the enduring spirit of remembrance. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "This gentleman's father was from Mexico, and they celebrated the crossing not too long ago," said Mary Catherine Cutcliffe, development director at the Sonoma Community Center. MORE: Activists worry ICE raids still imminent, urge Sonoma Co. to pass non-collaboration ordinance Inside, workshops during the week help children and parents keep traditions alive, from crafting sugar skulls to making pan de muertos, a sweet bread. "It's part of celebrating our loved ones who aren't here anymore," said Sonia Mendoza, a volunteer at the community center leading some of the workshops. In years past, the center's back patio would be filled with as many as 600 people, dancing, sharing food, and celebrating life. But not this year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We had dancers, toddlers, adults, everyone performed. There were tamales, tacos, a beautiful celebration of a culture that I wasn't born into, but I love," said Cutcliffe. "This year, we're just not having that day. It doesn't feel right." MORE: Misinformation about federal raids leaves SF immigrant community afraid to leave homes Community leaders say the decision came after concerns about whether it was safe to host a large public gathering. Mendoza said she has heard from at least 75 families who have been living in fear. "That sense of fear was shared, that this may not be a safe space to come and gather as a large group," Cutcliffe said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We do not feel safe as people of color, as Latinas. We feel targeted," Mendoza said. "We don't feel safe going to places, to gatherings. There's so much misinformation and things happening around the country." While this year's celebration will be quieter, the holiday will still be honored. "I'm really proud of the community center," Mendoza said. "Especially this celebration, it's a big part of our culture. When other people join, we share our culture with them. That's really important for us." If you're on the ABC7 News app, click here to watch live The Norfolk County District Attorneys office has identified the three men who recently died within a one-month span while incarcerated at the Massachusetts Correctional Institution at Norfolk. Their identities, released Thursday, are: Christopher Stiles, age 36, who died on Sept. 20 Robert McNickles, age 73, who died on Sept. 27 John Rodriguez, age 65, who died on Oct. 20 The three deaths at MCI-Norfolk the states largest medium-security prison housing men serving criminal sentences are in addition to two others that also occurred over the last month or so at Souza-Baranowski Correctional Center in Lancaster, a maximum-security prison. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Joseph Eaton, 36, was identified Wednesday by the Worcester County District Attorneys Office as the man who died at Souza-Baranowski on Oct. 28. Eaton, originally from Maine, was serving a life sentence for the 2023 killings of his parents and their two friends in Bowdoin, Maine, followed by a shooting spree on Interstate 295 in Yarmouth. Another man, who has not yet been identified, died on Oct. 3 at Souza-Baranowski. The state Department of Corrections has only categorized the five deaths as medical emergencies where lifesaving measures were administered by staff and first responders. None are believed to involve foul play, the DOC said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The department is committed to comprehensive mental health and substance use services, a spokesperson said in a statement. The DOC did not respond to MassLives request to explain the context of the deaths within such a short timeframe. According to DOC death records obtained by MassLive, there have been 20 total deaths of people incarcerated in the states prisons this year. There were 19 in-custody deaths in 2024, 21 in 2023 and 28 in 2022, according to the documents. Based on the official causes of death the DOC has received from the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner so far this year, through June 15, three are listed as suicides. Five are listed as unexpected. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2024, there werent any confirmed suicides, but 10 deaths were listed as unexpected. Two were homicides. The five recent deaths are warranting attention and concern from advocates, Dr. Alice Bukhman, an emergency medicine physician and Harvard Medical School associate professor affiliated with the nonprofit Prisoners Legal Services, said in an interview this week. The main thing that is concerning is how little we do know, Bukhman said. It is a pattern that is super concerning. These are supposed to be people who are being closely watched, and we do not expect them to die. One of the issues is its really hard to get data out of these. All of these should go to a medical examiner, so we dont know the cause of death right now. Per Massachusetts state law, all in-custody deaths must be referred to the state medical examiner. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A spokesperson for the Norfolk County District Attorneys Office said the three deaths at MCI-Norfolk remain under investigation by the DOC, State Police assigned to the DAs office and the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. The deaths at Souza-Baranowski are under investigation by the Worcester County District Attorneys Office. Reporter Irene Rotondo contributed to this story. The latest from MassLive Read the original article on MassLive. Add MassLive as a Preferred Source by clicking here. (COLORADO SPRINGS) Two Colorado Springs Police Department (CSPD) officers use of force in a February 2025 shooting was ruled justified by a multi-agency Deadly Force Investigation Team. According to the 4th Judicial District Attorneys Office (DAs Office), on Feb. 15 just before 5 p.m., officers were called to the 3100 block of Illinois Avenue, just north of East Fillmore Street, on a call for service from a woman who reported her adult son, later identified as Derrick Wardle, was engaged in an argument with her adult grandson and that a firearm was involved. The woman also reported that Wardle had been showing signs of paranoia, had made comments about shooting police officers, and had access to other weapons. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement PREVIOUS COVERAGE: CSPD: Suspect raised rifle before officers fired The woman and her grandson were able to leave the home, but the womans husband chose to stay inside. At around 5:30 p.m., four CSPD officers, including Officer Brock Lofgren and Officer Benjamin Johnson, formed a Crisis Entry Teama response strategy used by the department when suspects display behavior that creates a risk of imminent danger to innocent civilians, according to the DAs Office. The team approached the back door of the home at 5:35 p.m. Wardle opened the back door, holding a rifle at his side. He said hello, but stayed out of clear view of officers. Officer Lofgren announced himself as the police and ordered Wardle to come outside. Wardle refused and asked the officers to enter the home. Officer Lofgren moved closer to the door and saw that Wardle and his father were in the room. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Officer Lofgren ordered Wardle to drop the weapon, but Wardle refused, then he began to raise his rifle at officers. According to a post-shooting interview, Officer Lofgren determined that he was close enough to almost grab the end of the barrel of the rifle and was too close that less-lethal force would be ineffective at stopping the imminent threat against him, other officers, and Wardles father. Officer Johnson moved closer so he could see inside the house and saw Wardle looking right at us with a pretty sizeable rifle. Officer Lofgren continued to give verbal commands to drop the weapon when Wardle quickly raised the weapon at officers. Officers Lofgren and Johnson fired their weapons at Wardle, stopping him. Once they confirmed the threat had been neutralized, officers started to render medical assistance until paramedics arrived. Despite life-saving measures by both paramedics and CSPD officers, Wardle died at the scene. Courtesy: FOX21 News Photojournalist Christopher Hernandez Courtesy: FOX21 News Photojournalist Christopher Hernandez Courtesy: FOX21 News Photojournalist Christopher Hernandez Courtesy: FOX21 News Photojournalist Christopher Hernandez Courtesy: FOX21 News Photojournalist Christopher Hernandez According to analysis by the DAs Office, both officers had a reasonable belief of imminent danger and that less-lethal options were not practical or possible. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The DAs office has ruled the shooting 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 FOX21 News Colorado. NEED TO KNOW Two men are dead after they became trapped in flooded basements when New York City was barraged by a flood of rain on Thursday, Oct. 30 One man from Brooklyn tried to save his dog, but couldn't escape the room Roads and subway stations through the metro area were impacted by the severe weather Two men died after basements flooded in New York City during record-breaking rainfall, officials said. On Thursday, Oct. 30, just after 4:20 p.m. local time, police responded to a 911 call and learned a man had been trapped in the basement at 564 Kingston Ave., located in the Flatbush neighborhood of Brooklyn. He was rescued by divers from the New York City Fire Department and rushed to a nearby hospital, where he died, a spokesperson for the New York Police Department told PEOPLE in a statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The mans neighbor, Renee Phillips, told The New York Times that hed rescued one of his dogs from the basement and went back for the second one. Instead, he became trapped, and both he and the dog died. This day has been horrific, Phillips told the Times. That same afternoon, at 4:44 p.m., officials responded to another call for help in Washington Heights, a northern Manhattan neighborhood. When they arrived, police learned a 43-year-old man was inside of a flooded boiler room within the basement when he became unconscious and unresponsive, the NYPD said. After his body was recovered, he was pronounced dead at the scene, officials said. The man was later identified as Juan Carlos Montoya Hernandez. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Investigations into both deaths are ongoing. The FDNY had no further details to share when contacted by PEOPLE. Hernandez, a father of five, had lived in a small room in the building's basement for at least a decade, according to CBS News. He was loved by everyone, a resident told the outlet. Locals who lived near the fatal incident in Brooklyn said the whole block was immediately underwater during Thursdays flash flood. "So maybe this is like a wakeup call. We're crying for help, Phillips told CBS News. That afternoon, the National Weather Service reported 1.80 inches of rainfall in Central Park, breaking the record set in 1917 of 1.64 inches. The agency also reported 1.97 inches of rainfall at LaGuardia Airport, shattering the previous record of 1.18 inches in 1955, according to a post on X by NYC Emergency Management. Lokman Vural Elibol/Anadolu via Getty Severe flooding hit Palisades Medical Center in Hudson County, N.J., on Oct. 30. Severe flooding hit Palisades Medical Center in Hudson County, N.J., on Oct. 30. While the surge of rain was expected over eight hours, instead most of it hit in 20 minutes, beginning around 3:50 p.m., a spokesman for the citys Emergency Management agency told The New York Times. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Leaves and other debris from the fall season clogged drains. In some spots, the rain was so intense that cars got trapped in the floodwaters, and there were some delays in the subway, according to the paper. The rain system left 1,500 people without electricity and caused delays at New York Citys three major airports. 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. For Halloween, on Friday, October 31, a wind advisory is in effect for the area from noon until midnight, according to the National Weather Service. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gusty winds will blow around Halloween decorations and other unsecured objects, the agency warned. Tree limbs could be blown down and a few power outages may result. Read the original article on People NEED TO KNOW A dad in California is unable to run the haunted house that helps fund the medical care for his daughter, who was diagnosed with metachromatic leukodystrophy (MLD) when she was a toddler The city of San Bernardino said that the closure was related to safety concerns Despite the setback, the father plans on reopening the popular attraction in a new location in the future A California dad has temporarily lost the fight to keep a popular haunted house open, which helps fund hospice care for his 17-year-old daughter with a rare and serious health condition. Earlier this month, Augie Cowan, a 57-year-old retired psychiatric technician, announced that the Caitlin Manor Haunted House had been shut down by the city of San Bernardino. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For more than a decade, the attraction has welcomed guests in the weeks leading up to Halloween in order to help cover medical care costs for his daughter Andrea, who has metachromatic leukodystrophy (MLD), a rare genetic condition that causes a decline in motor and mental function, according to the Cleveland Clinic. There were some structural problems with the building. So, even if I were to fix that permit, they were not going to let me run the haunted house, Augie tells PEOPLE following what was supposed to be the opening night on Friday, Oct. 3. In a statement shared with Patch, the city of San Bernardino said that the closure was related to safety concerns. "City inspectors identified electrical and access issues that would put people's safety at risk," the city said earlier this month, according to the outlet. "We will continue to work with [Cowan] to ensure their haunted house is both fun and safe." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement City officials did not immediately respond to PEOPLEs request for comment. For Augie, this is just one battle in the fight for his daughters well-being. Andrea was diagnosed with the late infantile form of MLD when she was almost 3 years old, prompting her dad and mom Maria, a registered nurse, to take her to Italy for a clinical trial. Although they made it to Italy, she was still asymptomatic at the time so she wasn't able to participate. However, shortly after returning home, she got "really sick," according to her father. She could still talk, but she couldn't walk, and couldn't hardly move, says Augie. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Although there is no cure for MLD and treatment is "mainly supportive," her dad believes that the care theyve given Andrea has helped her survive longer than doctors initially expected. Babies who are diagnosed with the infantile form of the condition usually die by age 5, according to the Cleveland Clinic, while juvenile MLD can cause intellectual decline, behavioral difficulties, seizures and dementia" and "typically results in death 10 to 20 years following diagnosis." Augie Cowan Augie and Andrea Cowan. Augie and Andrea Cowan. He and his wife, who also share a 21-year-old son, began the haunted house at their own home a few years after Andrea was diagnosed with MLD. Since then, there have been a few locations for the haunted house, with the scare-centric tradition becoming a tradition for many locals in San Bernardino. After two years of not running the haunted house, they had hoped this year would mark the grand opening of the current Caitlin Manor location. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Still, although Augie has had to navigate issues with code enforcement and unruly visitors over the years, he says the headaches have been worth it. Andreas care can cost up to $20,000 a year, which the haunted manor helps cover. Additionally, with the money they've raised, the Cowans were able to upgrade her room to better accommodate her needs and buy a van. Augie Cowan The Cowan family. The Cowan family. Fortunately, Andrea, who has been in hospice care for five years now, is pretty comfortable" and "not really in pain, says Augie, who serves as his daughters primary caretaker and has launched a GoFundMe to cover this year's expenses. Her dad dreams of finding a new building so they can reopen the haunted house and one day hopes to start a foundation that will support other families with haunted houses around the country. 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. For now, Andrea's happiness keeps him centered. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She has a very content, happy look on her face, says Augie of interacting with his now-nonverbal daughter. When I get home, she'll turn her head and look for me. He says that when he hugs her, She'll be very happy, and she'll fall sound asleep, like she feels safe. Read the original article on People Audio recording is automated for accessibility. Humans wrote and edited the story. See our AI policy, and give us feedback. Dallas attorney Tony Box is running to be the Democratic nominee for Texas attorney general, he announced this week, becoming the third member of his party vying to replace outgoing incumbent Ken Paxton. Box, a first-time candidate, is an Army veteran, former FBI agent and former federal prosecutor who now works in private practice in Dallas. He will face former Galveston Mayor Joe Jaworski and state Sen. Nathan Johnson of Dallas in the March 3 primary. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Paxton, who has led the office for a decade, is giving up his post to challenge U.S. Sen. John Cornyn. In a press release, Box said he was seeking to bring decades of public service and law enforcement experience to an office plagued by corruption and political theater. The AG should be protecting consumers, cracking down on fraud and partnering with law enforcement, but Ken Paxton has turned this office into a laughingstock, Box said in a statement. Ive spent my entire career fighting corruption, prosecuting criminals and standing up to powerful people who abuse their positions. Texans deserve better. Boxs journey to running for attorney general began when he was 16 years old and got shot in the stomach while protecting a coworker from a robbery. The episode prompted him to dedicate his life to the service of others, he said in a press release. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After graduating from Morehouse College in Atlanta, Box entered the Army. He was deployed to Iraq as a judge advocate general, the militarys version of a lawyer, and served as an investigator for the Congressional Commission on Wartime Contracting in Iraq and Afghanistan, where he helped uncover $30 billion of waste and fraud, according to his campaign press release. Box spent a decade as an FBI special agent, serving on the SWAT team and deploying as part of the agencys September 11th response, he said. In the meantime, he went to law school at night. In 2018, Box joined the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Eastern District of Missouri handling tax investigations and prosecutions, according to his LinkedIn. In 2022, he joined the law firm Gray Reed in Dallas, where he represents businesses and high net-worth individuals in civil and criminal tax cases, white-collar defense and regulatory investigations. The Attorney General is the chief law enforcement officer of the state of Texas and the people of this state deserve a leader who is looking out for them, not corrupt politicians and their cronies, Box said in a statement. Across the aisle, four Republicans are competing to succeed Paxton as the GOP nominee: state Sens. Joan Huffman of Houston and Mayes Middleton of Galveston, former Paxton deputy Aaron Reitz and U.S. Rep. Chip Roy of Austin. DALLAS All Dallas ISD campuses will be closed Tuesday, Nov. 4, as schools across the district serve as polling sites for local voters, the district announced this week. Students will have the day off while teachers report for professional development. District officials said the measure ensures the safety and well-being of students and staff while campuses are open to the public. Administrative offices will remain open, with central team members following regular schedules. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, The Dallas ISD Hub the districts official news site included multiple factual errors in its Election Day announcement. The graphic accompanying the post correctly references the 2025 Election Day closure, but the text beneath it appears to have been reused from last year. The article lists Tuesday, November 5, as Election Day and says early voting runs from Oct. 21 to Nov. 1. According to the Texas Secretary of States official election calendar, Election Day this year is Tuesday, November 4, 2025, and early voting runs Monday, October 20, through Friday, October 31. The outdated copy mirrors the districts October 24, 2024 post, which contained those same dates during last years election cycle. On Election Day, polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. at all locations. Registered voters can cast ballots at their assigned polling places. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Under Texas law, voters must present one of seven acceptable forms of identification when voting in person: Texas drivers license Election identification certificate Personal identification card Handgun license (all issued by DPS) U.S. military ID with photo U.S. citizenship certificate with photo U.S. passport Dallas ISD encouraged residents to celebrate voting by sharing their I Voted stickers on social media using #DallasISDVotes. Voters can contact their county elections office for questions about polling sites or voting procedures. GRAY, Tenn. (WJHL) More than 50,000 Northeast Tennesseans benefited from federal SNAP disbursements in September, with the total issuance amounting to $10,489,278. Those figures come from Tennessees Department of Human Services and were provided by Second Harvest Food Bank of Northeast Tennessee in a news release about the upcoming activation of its emergency SNAP plan. MORE: Second Harvest to activate emergency SNAP plan & start mass food distributions Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Second Harvest, which urged Northeast Tennesseans to contact their lawmakers, state and federal, to advocate for the release of all SNAP funding, will begin emergency mass food distributions in Northeast Tennessees eight counties on Monday. The data cited by Second Harvest shows that 52,419 people, almost exactly 10% of the regions 526,376 population, were in families receiving SNAP benefits last month. Nearly one in five people living in Hancock County received benefits. The figure was 10% or higher in every county except Washington, where it was 7.6%. The monetary value of benefits was almost $3.3 million in Sullivan County, the regions largest by population, and it was almost $2.2 million in Washington County. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The figures for each county are: Carter 6,245 people, $1.24 million, 11.1% of population. Greene 7,166 people, $1.43 million, 10.2% of population. Hancock 1,254 people, $230,092, 18.8% of population. Hawkins 7,151 people, $1.42 million, 12.6% of population. Johnson 2,080 people, $385,668, 11.6% of population. Sullivan 16,212 people, $3.27 million, 10.0% of population. Unicoi 1,807 people, $352,908, 10.1% of population. Washington 10,504 people, $7.6% of population. 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. Mobile County Circuit Court Judge Michael Youngpeter sided with the town of Dauphin Island and the state department of conservation Thursday, saying that he does not have standing to stop the town from carrying out a plan to trap and kill some foxes on the West End of Dauphin Island. But the two fox enthusiasts who sued Dauphin Island are free to try their luck in federal court, he said. If youre saying theres a better way to handle it [predator control], thats a science question and you need to take it to my friends next door in federal court, Youngpeter told Mary Beth Mantiply, who represents the plaintiffs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Duane Wood and Spencer Harrison sued the town of Dauphin Island in September, seeking to stop the town from contracting with the federal government to remove foxes from the West End of Dauphin Island, which is a dedicated nature preserve. The town owns the property, which was purchased using funds from the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill settlements. In order to protect snowy plovers, loggerhead sea turtles and other endangered species as required by the Deepwater Horizon settlement plan, the town said foxes and other predators need to be removed from the property. Wood and Harrison argued that it was inhumane to trap and kill the foxes. Harrison has become famous on social media for his photos of the foxes, including one he named Roxy, whom he said hes befriended. I began taking pictures of her, and bringing dog biscuits to her, Harrison said. She would sit down next to me, after she ate her chicken, she would just sit down and chill out. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But the state, which joined the case alongside the town, argued that the court had no standing to determine whether it was right to remove the foxes. Managing the predators on the West End is part of a much larger plan to maintain the habitat for endangered species, they said, which stems from the federal governments intent to use the oil spill funds to restore coastal habitat in the Gulf. All of this conservation issue is based on a federal issue, Nash Campbell, who represents the town of Dauphin Island, told reporters after the hearing. I think they should have done this through an appellate procedure long ago. In a packed courtroom, the two sides presented evidence, including photos from social media of foxes being fed chicken legs and eggs, to back up their claims. At times, the proceedings even became emotional and heated. Its not just foxes, Mantiply told reporters after the hearing. Its foxes, and racoons, and bobcats, and a lot of people understand the importance of the predator-prey balance. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some Dauphin Island residents resonate with Harrison and also care about the foxes. A petition started last month to prevent the fox removal has more than 2,500 signatures. But in the end, Youngpeter decided he didnt have the power to prevent the fox removal. The wildlife management plan for the West End, which was created over the course of several years, is in the jurisdiction of the federal government, he said. Because no foxes had actually been removed, he had no jurisdiction. Youngpeter will not enter his official written ruling until Monday, he told the courtroom. Leif Stephens, who directs the Alabama division of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (the agency that would carry out the removal), told the court Thursday that not all foxes will be targeted. Only those that have learned to target bird and turtle nests will be targeted for removal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its not feasible to relocate the foxes, he said, because of disease and potential aggression from other foxes. There is no intention to wipe out any kind of species, Stephens told the courtroom. Dauphin Island Mayor Jeff Collier previously told AL.com that other methods of deterring the foxes from targeting the nests havent worked. There are foxes on other parts of the island, he said, and those will not be targeted. Mantiply told reporters she would confer with Wood and Harrison to decide if they would take the case to federal court. Most Popular Stories by Margaret Kates Coke is rolling out a new product nationwide Disney raises ticket prices at Disney World and Disneyland theme parks: What will it cost? Alabama cardboard magnate to auction 1,300 classic car collection Judge surprised by Alabama Powers position on Mobile River coal ash plan Read the original article on al.com. Oct. 31 (UPI) -- On this date in history: In 1517, Martin Luther began the Protestant Reformation by nailing a proclamation -- the 95 theses -- to the door of a church in Wittenberg, Germany. In 1864, Nevada was admitted to the United States as the 36th state. In 1931, with the Great Depression in full swing, the U.S. Treasury Department announced that 827 banks had failed during the previous two months. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 1941, more than a month before the United States entered World War II, a German submarine torpedoed and sunk a U.S. destroyer, the USS Reuben James. NYPD officers collect evidence around a Home Depot truck used to strike pedestrians leaving eight dead in Lower Manhattan on October 31, 2017. File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI In 1941, the Mount Rushmore National Memorial in South Dakota -- consisting of the sculpted heads of U.S. Presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln and Teddy Roosevelt -- was completed. In 1968, U.S. President Lyndon Johnson announced a halt to the bombing of North Vietnam. Retired Navy Chief Boatswain Stephen Heald of Georgetown, Maine, (R) blows the boatswains call during a cermony in Portland, Maine on November 14, 1998, at the just-installed monument to honor the men that died on the first United States warship sunk in World War II, the destroyer USS Reuben James. A German U-boat torpedoed the destroyer on October 31, 1941. File Photo by Lee K. Marriner/UPI UPI File Photo In 1984, Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was assassinated outside her home in a volley of gunfire by Sikh members of her own security force. Her son, Rajiv, succeeded her. The National Transportation Safety Board investigates the crash site of the Virgin Galactic prototype space tourism rocket in Mojave, Calif., on November 2, 2014, two days after the aircraft crashed. File Photo courtesy of the NTSB Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 1985, salvage divers located the remains of the booty-laden pirate ship Whydah, which sank Feb. 17, 1717, off Cape Cod, Mass. In 1988, the National Park of American Samoa was established on three islands in the American territory -- Tutuila, Ta'u and Ofu. It expanded to include land on Olosega Island in 2002. In 2023, it was one of the 15 least-visited parks in the National Park Service. On October 31, 1941, the Mount Rushmore National Memorial in South Dakota -- consisting of the sculpted heads of U.S. Presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln and Teddy Roosevelt -- was completed. File Photo by Mark I. Lane/U.S. Air Force In 1993, actor River Phoenix died of a drug overdose outside of a West Hollywood, Calif., nightclub, The Viper Room. He starred in Stand By Me and My Own Private Idaho. In 1994, President Bill Clinton signed the California Desert Protection Act, establishing Death Valley and Joshua Tree National Parks. Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi meets with U.S. President Lyndon Johnson in the Oval Office of the White House on March 28, 1966. On October 31, 1984, Gandhi was assassinated outside her home in a volley of gunfire by Sikh members of her own security force. File Photo by Yoichi Robert Okamoto/White House In 2004, Iranian lawmakers chanted, "Death to America!" after a unanimous vote to allow their government to resume uranium enrichment activities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2008, U.S. Army Gen. David Petraeus took over as head of the Central Command, in charge of military operations in Iraq, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Syria, Iran and other countries. In 2010, Brazilians elected Dilma Rousseff as their first female president. The former energy minister and choice of outgoing President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva defeated Jose Serra in a runoff with 56 percent of the vote. Rousseff won a second term Oct. 26, 2014. File Photo by Kevin Dietsch/UPI. In 2011, a U.N. report said the world's population had topped the 7 billion mark, doubling the total of 1968. The U.N. Population Fund predicted 8 billion people by 2025. In 2014, SpaceShipTwo, Virgin Galactic's effort in spaceflight for tourists, crashed during a test flight in the Mojave Desert, killing one of the pilots and seriously injuring the other. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2015, Russian airliner Metrojet Flight 9268 crashed after taking off from Sharm el-Sheikh International Airport in Egypt, killing all 224 on board. Investigators suspected a bomb on the plane caused the crash. In 2017, a man drove a rented truck onto a bike path in New York City, killing eight people and injuring 11 others. The alleged attacker's trial on terror charges began in October 2022 after multiple delays. In 2019, the Islamic State named Abu Ibrahim al-Hashimi al-Qurashi as its new leader after the death of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. This Sunday, daylight saving ends across the United States, which means Americans will gain an hour of sleep in the morning and lose an hour of daylight in the evening - and many people will complain that the adjustment is making them miserable. The biannual time change is unpopular in the U.S., with roughly half of Americans saying they wish it would end, according to surveys. The American Academic of Sleep Medicine also has called for a permanent switch to standard time - that's what the country will fall back to this weekend - due to the downstream health effects of disrupting sleep patterns. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And indeed, for some people the effects of the time change are immediately dramatic and troublesome. But to be frank, many sleep experts said, for the average sleep-deprived American, this weekend's time shift won't make much of an impact. "Many people, we do this to ourselves every week and much worse, in terms of losing or gaining hours of sleep," said Jamie Zeitzer, an expert in sleep medicine at Stanford who is co-director of the Center for Sleep and Circadian Sciences. "But this is an external event that is forced upon us, and we can point to it and say, That's why I'm so tired today.'" Still, he and other sleep experts said, even if very few people are directly impacted, a very few people add up to a lot when everyone is going through the time change at once. That's why, on an individual level, it's not a big deal for most people, Zeitzer said. But on a population level, researchers have noted upticks in everything from heart attacks to car accidents after the time changes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The issue with the time change comes down to the circadian rhythm. Every living creature has its own internal clock, which is responsible for keeping all of the organ systems working together efficiently. Zeitzer described it as an orchestra, with the circadian rhythm serving as conductor. When everything is synchronized, the organ systems play a lovely symphony; when the clock is out of alignment, it sounds like a cacophony, and people don't feel well. "When we don't have an adequate amount of sleep, it's like the whole system goes on strike," said Dr. Kin Yuen, a sleep medicine specialist at UCSF. The circadian rhythm is sensitive to daylight. Humans rely on cues of light and dark to tell them when to rest and when to be active. Some people struggle to adapt when those cues are forced off by an hour, whether that's due to the time change or traveling to another time zone. "This kind of misalignment or dis-synchrony can be very disruptive to our normal circadian biology," said Dr. Christian Castillo, a pulmonary and sleep specialist at Kaiser Permanente in Santa Rosa. "Already a significant amount of the population doesn't get enough sleep, and this disruption causes more issues and can have further consequences on your overall health." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Chronic sleep deprivation, including inconsistent sleep patterns, can lead to long-term health problems, including high blood pressure and heart attacks, immune deficiencies and even cancer. Sleep experts have seen these results particularly in people who work late or long hours, such as shift workers or pilots. Poor sleep also can worsen mental health issues, including depression and anxiety. For people who already struggle with sleep and related health problems, the time change can be especially difficult to manage, and may take some planning before and after to make the shift less stressful. Gaining an hour this weekend is certainly easier than losing an hour in the spring, sleep experts say, but for individuals who rely on strict bedtimes and need a specific amount of sleep to function well, they may want to ease into a later bedtime in the days leading up. "You might not want to just adjust your bedtime but your mealtime too," said Castillo. "And in the fall, you want to minimize light exposure until your target morning wakeup time. Just generally, adjust your exposure to light and dark to help set your body clock." "It's really the daylight saving time in the spring that is much more disruptive," Castillo added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Those who may be especially sensitive to time changes include people who work overnight shifts or other odd hours; people with small children who are more locked into a sleep schedule; and people who already have sleep issues like sleep apnea or insomnia, including many women in menopause. Most folks won't need to do much, or anything, to adjust to the time change, though. "Fall is easier and harder" than the spring time change, Yuen said. "It depends on how you look at it. Less daylight creates anxiety for some people, and it can worsen mood disorders. But there's a little bit less stress because we gain an hour of sleep." She agreed with her peers that there's great variation in how people adapt to the time shift. Some people won't even notice the time change. Others never adjusted to the time shift last spring. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I know people who will do better for these four months than they did for eight months of daylight saving," Yuen said. This article originally published at Daylight saving ends this weekend. Here's why it makes some of us feel so miserable. Daylight Saving Time ends this weekend, meaning most Americans will get an extra hour of sleep. Daylight Saving Time, or DST, is said to have originated from a satirical letter Benjamin Franklin wrote for the Journal de Paris in 1784. In the letter, Franklin said he was surprised to see the sun rise at 6 a.m. Others suggest that George Hudson, an entomologist from New Zealand, proposed a two-hour shift in 1895 to allow for more time hunting bugs, according to National Geographic. However, Arizonans don't have to juggle to sometimes complicated time change as it's one of just two states that don't observe it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Here's what the Grand Canyon State needs to know ahead of Nov. 2. What is the meaning of Daylight Saving Time? According to the Old Farmers Almanac, Daylight Saving Time is the concept of moving clocks forward one hour from standard time during the spring and then moving them back in the fall. Why is Daylight Saving Time a thing? The reasoning behind Daylight Saving Time was to make the most of natural daylight, giving an extra hour of daylight in summer evenings and an extra hour in winter mornings. When is Daylight Saving Time? Daylight Saving Time in 2025 started on Sunday, March 9, and ends on Sunday, Nov. 2. When does the time change? People "spring forward" by setting their clocks an hour ahead at 2 a.m. on the second Sunday in March. They "fall back" by changing their clocks back one hour at 2 a.m. on the first Sunday in November. When is Daylight Saving Time? Daylight Saving Time started at 2 a.m. Sunday, March 9, 2025. Clocks shifted to 3 a.m. across all time zones where DST applies. When does Daylight Saving Time end? Daylight Saving Time ends at 2 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 2, 2025. Does the clock go back in November? Yes. Clocks go back from 2 a.m. to 1 a.m. when Daylight Saving Time ends in November. Do we get an extra hour of sleep in November? On Nov. 2, people in states that observe Daylight Saving Time will gain one hour of sleep as the clocks are set back. What states don't observe Daylight Saving Time? In 2025, only two states in the U.S. don't observe Daylight Saving Time: Arizona and Hawaii. Why did Arizona get rid of Daylight Saving Time? Due to its extreme heat, Arizona got rid of Daylight Saving Time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Arizona observed DST until 1918 but ended it permanently in 1968, according to the Arizona Almanac. Does any of Arizona observe Daylight Saving Time? The Navajo Nation, which is in parts of Arizona, Utah and New Mexico, does follow Daylight Saving Time. Is Daylight Saving Time coming to an end permanently? In April 2025, President Trump was urging Congress to pass legislation that would end Daylight Saving Time. He wrote on Truth Social that the changing of the clocks was a "big inconvenience" and a "very costly event." Is the U.S. getting rid of Daylight Saving Time? No law has been enacted yet to get rid of Daylight Saving Time. The Sunshine Protection Act, to make Daylight Saving Time permanent, was reintroduced in the House and Senate by Florida Republicans Rep. Vern Buchanan and Sen. Rick Scott in January 2025. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The act was read twice in the Senate and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation on Jan. 7, 2025. What states are getting rid of Daylight Saving Time in 2025? At least 30 states are considering legislation related to Daylight Saving Time, including Alaska, California, Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Tennessee and Washington. Reach the reporter at dina.kaur@arizonarepublic.com. Follow @dina_kaur on X, formerly known as Twitter, and on Bluesky @dinakaur.bsky.social. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Daylight Saving Time ends this weekend. What to know in Arizona This Sunday, daylight saving time ends, sending clocks rolling back one hour at 2 a.m. local time and nudging much of the country into standard time for the winter months. When the shift hits, most Americans clocks will fall back, effectively gaining an extra hour of sleep overnight, but also facing darker afternoons with earlier sunsets, the Associated Press said. Experts say the change is less jarring than the spring forward transition, but some people may still feel temporary sleep disturbances or mood shifts, according to AP. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Chicago Sun-Times said sleep specialists advise easing into the time change by gradually adjusting bedtimes in the nights leading up to Sunday, exposing yourself to morning light on the first day and avoiding extra caffeine in the afternoon. Pediatricians noted that younger children often adjust more easily than adults, but offering consistency in mealtimes and naps can help smooth the transition, the Sun-Times said. Some electronic devices will reset themselves automatically, but mechanical clocks, ovens, wall clocks, and analog timers require manual resetting before bedtime Saturday night, PBS reported. The National Conference of State Legislatures said fire departments commonly recommend using this time to replace batteries in smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors and other safety gear. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The clock change is rooted in U.S. law from the Uniform Time Act of 1966, which established a coordinated system of time observance and gave states the option to exempt themselves, a route chosen by states like Arizona and Hawaii, which do not spring forward or fall back, according to NCSL. Read the original article on cleveland.com. Five men have been arrested in connection with the accidental 2023 drug overdose of 19-year-old Leandro De Niro Rodriguez, the grandson of acting legend Robert De Niro, the Drug Enforcement Administration announced Thursday in a press conference. Today we recognize that justice was sought and served in the tragic overdose deaths and poisonings of our most vulnerable our children, said New York DEA special agent in charge Frank Tarentino. Bailey Shaw, 18. Akira Stein, 19. Leandro De Niro Rodriguez, 19. News: Mom And Experienced Child Abuser Dad Charged With Killing Baby They Claimed Was Kidnapped Taken from us far too soon, he continued. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to court documents obtained by HuffPost, the defendants were part of a criminal network that distributed thousands of counterfeit prescription opioid pills laced with fentanyl, among other drugs to New York City teenagers and adults. The defendants Grant McIver, Bruce Epperson, Eddie Barreto, John and Roy Nicolas each face one count of conspiracy to distribute a controlled substance resulting in death. The DEA notes this carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 20 years in prison. Rodriguez was found dead in a Manhattan apartment on July 2, 2023, from the toxic combination of fentanyl, alprazolam, 7-aminoclonazepam, ketamine, bromazolam and cocaine, an autopsy confirmed. News: Trump Was Concerned About 1 Thing After Assassination Attempt, ABC Reporter Says Rodriguez isnt named in the indictment, though his age and date of death align with the documents description of Victim-3. The subsequent press conference Thursday confirmed the five new arrests were made in connection with his and two other deaths. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Victim-1 appears to be Stein, the late daughter of Blondie co-founder Chris Stein, who was also 19 when she overdosed in May 2023. Victim-2, potentially Shaw, died the next month. Sophia Marks, then 20, was arrested in July 2023 in connection with Rodriguezs death. Dubbed the Percocet Princess, she was booked on federal drug distribution charges. Robert De Niro and his daughter, Drena, seen here in 2015. Jordan Strauss/Invision/Associated Press Tarentino said Thursday, While no verdict, sentence or ruling can ever truly erase the pain of these losses, these operations affirm that accountability matters. Today were able to provide these families some answers to their long-awaited question: Why? De Niro said in a statement one day after his grandson was found that he was deeply distressed and asked for privacy. Rodriguez was the only child of the Oscar winners oldest daughter, Drena De Niro who published an emotional Instagram post at the time. News: New Poll Reveals Which Democrat Key Primary Voters Prefer And It's Not Gavin Newsom I have loved you beyond words or description from the moment I felt you in my belly, she wrote in a caption accompanying his photo. You have been my joy my heart and all that was ever pure and real in my life. I wish I was with you right now. I wish I was with you. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement De Niro told People in 2024, Its just a shock. [I] never thought it would happen. And I just then started thinking about all the things I could have, should have done maybe with him, he continued at the time. I dont know if that wouldve made a difference. And so thats always playing through my mind. It shouldnt have happened. Need help with substance use disorder or mental health issues? In the U.S., call 800-662-HELP (4357) for the SAMHSA National Helpline. Related... Read the original on HuffPost The Colorado River is pictured where if flows near Hite, just beyond the upper reaches of Lake Powell, on Friday, Sept. 19, 2025. (Photo by Spenser Heaps for Utah News Dispatch) Utah and six other states along the Colorado River are pushing up against a deadline to figure out as a group how to manage the river and its reservoirs. If they cant reach an agreement by Nov. 11, the federal government is set to intervene and make its own plan. The existing agreement expires at the end of next year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theres still hope, Marc Stilson, principal engineer for the Colorado River Authority of Utah, said Thursday. Theyre working hard, and theyre close. Colorado River Collaborative This article is published through the Colorado River Collaborative, a solutions journalism initiative supported by the Janet Quinney Lawson Institute for Land, Water, and Air at Utah State University. The upstream Upper Basin states Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, and Wyoming and the Lower Basin states of Nevada, Arizona and California pitched competing plans to the federal government last year. Now, in the home stretch of negotiations, the seven states are working through questions including which reservoirs would be managed under the new agreement, how theyll measure water use and whether the plan will include mandatory cuts to water allocations, Stilson said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Upper Basin states have resisted the idea of mandatory cuts in dry years, saying they typically use much less than their yearly allocation. Lower Basin states have said all seven should share water cuts during dry years under the new plan, warning if they dont, downstream states could face cuts that arent feasible for them to absorb, the Nevada Current reported. The river provides water to 40 million people across the U.S. and Mexico, and contributes 27 percent of Utahs water supply. Hotter temperatures tied to climate change have mixed with drought and overuse to reduce its flow. Utah isnt waiting to prepare for potentially significant changes to how it manages water, said Michael Drake, deputy state engineer with the Utah Division of Water rights. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its been investing in expanding its use of tools to better measure and monitor water use since 2023, Drake told reporters Thursday. That year, the Legislature poured $1 million into a Colorado River measurement infrastructure project and approved $650,000 in annual funding to monitor water use, according to the division. Whether the state ends up facing cuts as part of the new plan or just working toward new targets, Drake said, it sees a need to be able to manage water better, and you cant regulate what you cant measure. As we get close here, I think reality is starting to hit and so we want to put out the messaging, you know, we can do this, Drake told Utah News Dispatch. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He noted the possibility of forced cuts is troubling to many of the states farmers. What were going to be asking people to do is to see water running in a stream, and to not take it, to leave it there, Drake said. Its a hard pill to swallow. Scott Thayn, who farms alfalfa and the grain sorghum in unincorporated Carbon County, agreed. If something happens with this new treaty and they drop it 10, 15, 20%, Thayn said, most of the years were going to be hurting. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem says that a recent operation conducted with Indiana State Police led to the arrest of 223 illegal aliens. According to Noem, nearly two-thirds of the arrests, 146 individuals, were truck drivers. The action took place on Indiana highways near the Illinois state line as part of the Chicago-based Operation Midway Blitz. An October 30 press release from Homeland Security listed a slew of criminal activity associated with the over 200 arrests, including: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Driving Under the Influence Drug Trafficking Theft Burglary Assault Child Abuse Domestic Battery Prostitution Fraud Notably, over three dozen of the drivers had been issued Commercial Drivers Licenses, with the highest numbers coming from Illinois, California, and New York. Far too many innocent Americans have been killed by illegal aliens driving semi-trucks and big rigs. And yet, sanctuary states around the country have been issuing illegal aliens commercial drivers licenses. The Trump Administration is ending the chaos, Secretary Noem was quoted as saying in the press release. Thanks to President Trump, Operation Midway Blitz has already removed over 140 illegal alien truck drivers in Indiana. The brave men and women of ICE and the Indiana State Police are working nonstop to get criminal illegal aliens out of our communities and off our roads. Indiana Governor Mike Braun said his state is proud of being at the Crossroads of America. However, he said that it also demands vigilance about individuals using Indianas interstates for crime, which poses a risk to residents. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The safety of our state is our top priority, and well keep working with our federal partners to keep Hoosiers and Americans safe, said Braun. The Dallas Express recently reported that Jashanpreet Singh, a 21-year-old man from India who was in the United States illegally, was accused of causing a semi-truck crash in Southern California that took the lives of three people and injured several others. A toxicology test revealed that Singh was intoxicated during the deadly crash and never applied the brakes before driving directly into a slow-moving traffic jam. BURLINGTON, Vt. U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi has given federal prosecutors in Vermont the green light to seek the death penalty for a Burlington man who authorities say fatally shot two Western Massachusetts drug dealers in the Northeast Kingdom two years ago. Theodore Theo Bland, 30, formerly of Stowe, sat expressionless as Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Turner disclosed Bondis ruling during a brief hearing in federal court in Burlington on Thursday afternoon. Bland, who was dressed in a bright orange prison sweatshirt, appeared by video from Cheshire County Jail in Keene, N.H. One of his defense lawyers, Bruce D. Koffsky, of Fairfield, Connecticut, said a decision was made not to have Bland transported from the jail, which is far from Burlington. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Turner explained that a federal grand jury will be asked to issue a new indictment that will cover the requirements that would allow for the death penalty, if Bland is convicted. He said that indictment should come by mid-November, and the prosecution will provide formal written notice to the court for the death penalty. Bland has pleaded not guilty to multiple charges, including gunning down the two men at a home in Lowell on Oct. 12, 2023. The bodies of Jahim Debo Solomon, 21, of Pittsfield, Massachusetts, and Eric E White, 21, of Chicopee, Massachusetts, were found about two weeks later in the town of Eden in nearby Lamoille County about a mile apart. Senior Federal Judge William K. Sessions III said during the hearing that if a new indictment is obtained, the court would schedule an arraignment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sessions also set Feb. 23 for the next status conference in the Bland case. Turner was flanked by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jon Ophardt, chief of the criminal division in the office. Acting U.S. Attorney Michael P. Drescher sat in the first row behind his prosecutors as the disclosure was made. After the hearing, Koffsky declined to elaborate on his in-court comments. Drescher also declined comment. After the court hearing, the defense team, which includes longtime St. Johnsbury lawyer David Sleigh, met behind closed doors in a first-floor conference room to discuss the latest developments. Koffsky said in court the defense might have to reformat its team, now that the death penalty is on the table for sure. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Koffsky was added to the case on March 17 as learned counsel for the defense because of his expertise in death penalty work. He has defended at least 10 high-profile homicide cases since 2019 and has attended various relevant continuing legal education training, including Federal Death Penalty Strategy Sessions for the past four years, court records note. Francis OReilly, another lawyer from Fairfield, Connecticut, was added in May. The death penalty decision marks the second time in 2.5 months that Bondi and the Justice Department have approved use of capital punishment for a high-profile homicide case in Vermont. In the other case, Teresa C. Youngblut, 21, of Seattle, Washington, is charged with fatally shooting an on-duty U.S. Border Patrol Agent about 3:15 p.m. Jan. 20 in the Northeast Kingdom. Youngblut is a member of a radical cult group, officials said. Bland comes from a well-known Stowe family, which includes his father, Richard Bland, a lawyer and a former member of the town School Board. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The double homicide is part of a complex interstate drug trafficking ring. At least eight people have been charged in U.S. District Court as part of the case investigated by the Vermont Drug Task Force, state and Morristown police, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. Other involved people have been charged in state court. Bland was first reported in December 2023 as the main person of interest in the double homicide. Republican President Donald J. Trump, who was inaugurated to a second term on Jan. 20, had told Bondi that he wanted more use of the death penalty in serious drug cases. Former President Joe Biden, a Democrat, had called for a halt in capital cases. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bland was initially charged before Trump took office, but a new indictment added two possible death penalty counts. Bland has pleaded not guilty to two felony charges of carrying and discharging a firearm while drug trafficking on Oct. 12, 2023. The two counts involve the deaths of Solomon and White. The double shooting on Oct. 12, 2023, happened at a mobile home at 497 Eden Road in Lowell, although some witnesses claimed the trailer was in the town of Albany, officials said. It was the residence of Donald D.J. Billow, police said. Investigators reported Billow noted it was his grandmothers residence. Billow also knew two plugs street talk for drug dealers or suppliers were staying at the trailer, police said. They were believed to be White and Solomon, who were initially staying at an Airbnb in Stowe. On the day of the shooting Billow said he only got into the kitchen when he saw Bland going crazy and running around with a firearm. Billow advised he observed Theo shooting the gun down the hallway at the door to the bedroom, court records note. more news from Western Massachusetts Read the original article on MassLive. Add MassLive as a Preferred Source by clicking here. (The Center Square) Death threats against U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers are up by 8,000% compared to the same timeframe last year, the Department of Homeland Security said on Friday. Assaults against ICE officers remain at a 1,000% increase, The Center Square first reported. Targeted removal efforts prioritizing arresting violent offenders are ongoing as ICE officers continue to work without pay paid during the federal government shutdown. ICE officers are facing an 8,000% increase in death threats against them while they risk their lives every single day to remove the worst of the worst, DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin said. From bounties placed on their heads for their murders, threats to their families, stalking, and doxxing online, our officers are experiencing an unprecedented level of violence and threats against them and their families. Make no mistake, sanctuary politicians are contributing to the surge in violent threats and assaults of our officers through their repeated vilification and demonization tactics, including gross comparisons to the Nazi Gestapo. This violence against law enforcement must end. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement DHS highlighted recent death threats, including a Mexican national illegally living in Dallas who posted an ad on TikTok in Spanish for 10 dudes in Dallas with determination (guts) who arent afraid to [two skull emojis]. 10K for each ICE agent, The Center Square reported. In Florida, a man was arrested for posting death threats on the social media platform Bluesky using the pseudonym Cain Delon. Threats include, Shoot the ICE Nazis down like the rabid dogs they are; Just get a gun and shoot the ICE Nazis down; Start by shooting ice thugs dead; They come near me, and I shoot to kill. Be warned; Get out your guns and shoot them down, among others, DHS said. In Whatcom County, Washington, ICE identified Facebook posts claiming ICE officers are using chemical agents (whos [sic] deployment is a war crime); referring to ICE officers as the [expletive] Gestapo, and encourages others to make life hard for ICE in Ferndale. The posts refer to detention facilities in Ferndale where illegal border crossers are held before they are transported to the Northwest ICE Processing Center in Tacoma. DHS also posted an audio recording of a voicemail left by a man saying he hopes ICE officers are doxed one by one. DHS called the voicemail disgusting and blamed Democrats. The vile rhetoric of sanctuary politicians comparing ICE day-in and day-out to the Nazi Gestapo, the Secret Police, and slave patrols has consequences. The violence and dehumanization of these men and women who are simply enforcing the law MUST END, it said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Doxxing is directly tied to coordinated efforts by rioters to harm ICE agents and by cartel affiliates that have placed bounties on them. DHS earlier this month exposed a cartel bounty system operating in Chicago that is similar to those that have been used in Texas for years, The Center Square reported. This month, a Latin Kings member was arrested after he allegedly put a hit out on Border Patrol Chief Gregory Bovino. In California, those doxxing and threatening ICE agents and their families are being arrested, The Center Square reported. "Doxxing is not just an invasion of privacy; it is a deliberate act of intimidation that undermines the safety and security of ICE employees who are dedicated to upholding the law and protecting our nation, ICE Special Agent in Charge Jimmy Valenzuela said. On Wednesday, HSI and ICE made more arrests in response to a July attack against federal agents in Camarillo, California. Two siblings, Isai Carrillo and Virginia Reyes, were arrested and accused of throwing and encouraging others to throw rocks at ICE officers as they made arrests at a marijuana facility. The officers were attacked as they rescued migrant children from potential human trafficking, exploitation, and forced labor at the marijuana facility, DHS said. Also on Wednesday, as their arrest warrants were being issued, Reyes posted ICEs whereabouts on social media and a violent mob attacked them, DHS said. Reyes initially fled but turned herself in Thursday, DHS said. Another individual was arrested for throwing rocks at ICE and four Mexican nationals, all in the country illegally, were found at the siblings residence and arrested, DHS said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement DHS also highlighted another example of an individual in Texas threatening an ICE officers spouse and children, saying, I hope your kids get deported by accident. How do you sleep? F*** you. Did you hear what happened to the Nazis after World War II? Because its whats going to happen to your family. DHS posted screenshots of a threat allegedly made by a Lakeville, Mass., resident to an ICE officers wife, saying, Your husband, the ICE man is a f*** and retribution will come your way eventually. Federal authorities are encouraging Americans to report suspicious criminal activity, threats against ICE officers and their family members, as well as doxxing, by calling 866-DHS-2-ICE or submitting a tip online. Hurricane Melissa has now killed some 49 people, although that figure is expected to rise as search and rescue operations continue across the trail of destruction the storm left in its wake in the northern Caribbean. Authorities in Haiti on Thursday reported at least 30 deaths and 20 missing. The impoverished nation was not directly hit but suffered days of torrential rains from the lumbering storm. Jamaica has reported 19 deaths, according to the Reuters news agency. The Dominican Republic has reported one death before the hurricane made landfall elsewhere. Melissa, one of the strongest Atlantic storms on record, made landfall in Jamaica on Tuesday as a Category 5 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of up to 295 kilometres per hour (183 miles per hour). The hurricane did not hit the capital of Kingston, but it slammed into Jamaicas western side, where it wrought devastation, according to government officials. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Melissa later struck Cuba as a Category 3 hurricane before continuing on a path past the Bahamas on Wednesday night. It is due to pass within 60km (37 miles) of Bermuda, according to the US National Hurricane Center. The storms force has been felt across the Caribbean, bringing destructive winds, rain, and flooding even as its strength has steadily declined over the past week. Although Haiti and the Dominican Republic, which share the island of Hispaniola, did not sustain a direct hit, they both experienced heavy flooding, according to local reports. People stay inside a shelter for families displaced by gang violence, flooded by rain brought by Hurricane Melissa, in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Wednesday, October 29, 2025 [Odelyn Joseph/AP] No deaths have been reported yet in Cuba, although the eastern half of the island was heavily battered by strong winds, according to Reuters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hundreds of thousands of people remain without power across the Caribbean, including 70 percent of Jamaicas electricity customers, the newswire said. Regional authorities are working to clean up downed trees and power lines and assess widespread infrastructure damage. UN agencies say they are still calculating the damage from Melissa, although preliminary assessments for Jamaica indicate a level of devastation never seen before by the island, according to UN Resident Coordinator Dennis Zulu. The US State Department announced on Thursday that Secretary of State Marco Rubio has deployed the US Disaster Assistance Response Team to assist Jamaica, Haiti, the Bahamas, and Cuba. Expert analysis by US weather forecaster AccuWeather estimated that preliminary damage and economic loss from Melissa could range from $48-52bn. NEW DELHI, India U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth spoke to Chinese and Indian officials at the ASEAN defense summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on Friday, vowing to continue strong American engagement in the region. In a post on X, he said he met with the Chinese National Defense Minister Adm. Dong Jun. It was a good and constructive meeting, Hegseth said. I highlighted the importance of maintaining a balance of power in the Indo-Pacific and emphasized U.S. concerns about Chinas activities in the South China Sea, around Taiwan, and towards U.S. allies and partners in the Indo-Pacific. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hegseth said the U.S. isnt interested in conflict and wants to stoutly defend its interests and ensure it has the capabilities in the region to do so. Today, I met with Chinas Minister of National Defense Admiral Dong Jun on the sidelines of the ASEAN Defense Ministers Meeting Plus. It was a good and constructive meeting. I highlighted the importance of maintaining a balance of power in the Indo-Pacific and emphasized U.S. pic.twitter.com/CcipIBWb4b Secretary of War Pete Hegseth (@SecWar) October 31, 2025 Hegseth signs a 10-year defense framework with New Delhi In a separate post, Hegseth said he met with Minister of Defense of India Rajnath Singh and signed a 10-year defense framework between U.S. and India. This advances our defense partnership, a cornerstone for regional stability and deterrence, he said. Were enhancing our coordination, info sharing, and tech cooperation. Our defense ties have never been stronger. I just met with @rajnathsingh to sign a 10-year U.S.-India Defense Framework. This advances our defense partnership, a cornerstone for regional stability and deterrence. We're enhancing our coordination, info sharing, and tech cooperation. Our defense ties have never been pic.twitter.com/hPmkZdMDv2 Secretary of War Pete Hegseth (@SecWar) October 31, 2025 Singh also wrote a post about the fruitful meeting with Hegseth. It is a signal of our growing strategic convergence and will herald a new decade of partnership, Singh wrote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Defense will remain as a major pillar of our bilateral relations. Our partnership is critical for ensuring a free, open and rules-based Indo-Pacific region. U.S.-China relations Despite the diplomatic momentum in this region, the U.S.s lack of progress in striking a trade deal with India looms in the background. As Reuters reported, this marked the first meeting between Hegseth and Singh since the Trump White House levied a 50% tariff on Indian exports into the U.S. in an attempt to pressure India to stop buying Russian oil. China made ample progress on trade during President Donald Trumps visit, while Indias trade deal remains in the works. Its worth noting that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was absent from the ASEAN Leaders Summit. He was still celebrating Diwali, as per Bloomberg. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During his final stop on his Asia trip, Trump spoke to his Chinese counterpart President Xi Jinping and rated the talks between Washington and Beijing a 12 on a scale of one to 10. Trump agreed to drop fentanyl tariffs on China from 20% to 10%, effective immediately. In return, China offered to reopen its doors to exporting rare earth minerals for a year after it imposed strict export controls on the materials. China also agreed to purchase American-produced soybeans and work with Trump to end the war in Ukraine, as the Deseret News reported. The Norwegian Gem sailed off on its maiden voyage from Jacksonville on Friday. Its the newest ship offering travelers excursions from the cruise ship terminal at JAXPORT. Action News Jaxs Madison Foglio got to tour the ship before passengers boarded. The Norwegian Gem made history as the first Norwegian Cruise Line ship to call Jacksonville its homeport. City leaders gathered with the ships captain and Norwegian Cruise Line officials to celebrate the new partnership. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Our cruise industry has never been stronger. And Im already hearing that this is just the beginning, said Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan. This ship will sail to destinations like the Caribbean and the Bahamas, just to name a few. City leaders say it will allow Jacksonville to serve as a gateway to international destinations. Were very accessible if you talk to other people about how they have to get onto a cruise, it becomes quite the event. Here in Jacksonville, its very easy, said Mayor Deegan. 20 years ago, you would not have called Jacksonville a cruise city with multiple cruise lines coming into Jacksonville. You can definitely call it a cruise city now, said Michael Corrigan, President & CEO of Visit Jacksonville. [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] JAXPORT is also the homeport for Carnivals Elation cruise ship. A spokesperson for JAXPORT told me that both ships will never be at the port at the same time due to their size. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Visit Jacksonville President and CEO Michael Corrigan is very excited about what the ships addition could mean for city tourism. It introduces a whole new level of customers and visitors to Jacksonville that may have never thought about coming to our destination before, said Corrigan. The Norwegian Gems maiden voyage is scheduled for 4 p.m. Friday to the Bahamas. It will return to Jacksonville on Monday. [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] (The Center Square) Democrat Brad Smith is running for Wisconsins 6th congressional seat and plans to hold a campaign launch from 5:30-7:30 p.m. on Wednesday at Edison Hall at Inventors Brew Pub in Port Washington. Smith is a veteran of the Wisconsin National Guard and plans to advocate for middle-class families, farmers and access to health care. The 6th congressional district is currently held by Republican U.S. Rep. Glenn Grothman, who has held the seat since 2015. Grothman retained the seat with 61.2% of the vote against Democrat John Zarbano in 2024. Grothman won the 2022 general election virtually uncontested with nearly 95% of the vote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Im running because the Wisconsin I love, the one that gave my family a vibrant future, is slipping away, Smith said in a statement. Ill fight for affordable healthcare, good jobs with fair wages, and real access to education and training that help move us all forward, together. Smith said his priorities including expanding access to education and job, protecting and improving affordable health care for all and growing good-paying jobs. In Wisconsin, Democrats are launching nearly 400 canvassing events this weekend focused on health care. A major liberal advocacy group, Protect Our Care, will push a six-figure digital campaign. Top Democratic governors, including Kentuckys Andy Beshear and Laura Kelly of Kansas, are holding press calls to to slam D.C. Republicans for causing Americans health care premiums to skyrocket. It adds up to a campaign of doomsday messaging aimed at voters concerns about health care as premium spikes are due to arrive. November 1st is a health care cliff for the American people, and I think it's also a political cliff for Republicans, said Brad Woodhouse, executive director of Protect Our Care, a liberal nonprofit that has hosted a dozen town halls with House Democrats throughout the country on the impending premium increases. More and more people are paying attention to it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the coming days, Democrats will launch ad buys, hold town halls and convene media appearances to highlight the Nov. 1 date when Americans must choose to purchase insurance through the Affordable Care Act marketplace with higher premiums or forgo it altogether, an attempt to ensure Republicans shoulder the blame for rising health care costs. Some of the tactics, like the DNC holding a call with former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, are routine. But others are more national in scope, including Protect Our Care is deploying a digital search advertising campaign that targets people who are researching their ACA health care plans online with ads blaming Republicans. Those ads will run in House districts held by vulnerable Republicans in Arizona, Iowa, New York and Pennsylvania, among other places. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee also has an upcoming ad scheduled to run in 35 competitive House districts starting this weekend. The four-figure digital buy shows Speaker Mike Johnson on vacation a reference to the House being in recess for six weeks amid the looming insurance hikes. In the days leading up to Nov. 1, Democratic governors have described how the hikes could devastate Americans. On Monday, outgoing Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers released the 2026 plan outlining rates for the states individual marketplace, which showed that many premiums for individuals and families will double. Some seniors will face an increase of more than $30,000 per year. Nationally, on average, out-of-pocket premium payments for subsidized ACA enrollees will be 114 percent higher without the tax credits, according to KFF, a health care research group. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Republicans reckless decisions are causing prices on everything to go up, Evers said in a statement. Republicans need to end this chaos and stop working to make healthcare more expensive. Its that simple. Republicans on Capitol Hill have refused to engage in health care negotiations with Democrats until the government reopens, and many within the GOP are resistant to extending the tax credits at all. On Wednesday, Senate Majority Leader John Thune said he would meet soon with Democrats to discuss an appropriations agreement, which would amount to the most high-level meeting to end the shutdown that will soon enter its second month. In Virginia and New Jersey, where voters will cast ballots next week in off-year bellwether elections, the Democratic candidates for governor have made combating rising costs central to their campaigns tying that message to the looming ACA hikes. It's an early road test of a message the party will hammer leading up to the midterms: President Donald Trump and Republicans in Washington have made life more expensive. Abigail Spanberger, the Democratic nominee for Virginia governor, has highlighted how out-of-pocket costs could be two to more than five times higher for families who purchase insurance through the ACA exchange, and those hikes could force thousands of people to go uninsured. Spanberger this week toured a rural hospital in southwest Virginia that stands to feel the effects of the Trump administrations tax law that slashes Medicaid. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Wisconsin, a battleground state that backed Trump by under 1 point last year, Democrats are launching hundreds of canvassing operations focused on subsidy cuts, and are planning messaging billboards as well. This weekend, as Wisconsinites see tangible increases in their premiums, Democratic Party Chair Devin Remiker said, the objective reality is going to hit people in a way that you can't talking point your way out of, if you're the Republican Party. Wisconsin Republicans arent planning to spend money in response, however. State GOP Chair Brian Schimming says Democrats are going to hang themselves by tying the subsidy cuts to the shutdown. I think they're putting a massive, massive bet on not just the shutdown, but on getting people to think that the shutdown is Republicans fault, he said. Natalie Fertig contributed to this report. Pleasantville Mayor Judy Ward stood before the crumbling Decatur Avenue School on Wednesday, recalling story times and board meetings that once filled its halls even as demolition crews prepared to erase the building from the citys landscape. The dark-red brick school, opened in the 1920s, will soon give way to a $65.8 million, 91,000-square-foot elementary school designed for 650 pre-K through fifth-grade students. The project, led by the New Jersey Schools Development Authority, marks a long-awaited investment in one of the states neediest districts and reflects a broader push to modernize aging facilities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ward said she became familiar with the school in the 1990s as a member of the citys board of education foundation, which met there regularly. Later in her career, she visited for story time with Pleasantvilles youngest learners, many of whom greeted her with laughter and silly questions. A modernized school in the aging buildings place has been sought after for quite some time, Ward said. Today is what I call a happy-sad day, a day of mixed emotions, she added. The building, located just off the Black Horse Pike near routes leading into Atlantic City. Over the decades, the building has served many roles, from classrooms to training space. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At one point, it was used as an alternative school, and as recently as 2021, the Transportation Security Administration held training courses there. The Schools Development Authority, an arm of the state Department of Education, funds new school projects in 31 districts considered among New Jerseys most under resourced. Recent projects include new schools in Jersey City and West New York to ease overcrowding. School construction projects like this one highlight our collective commitment to ensuring New Jersey students have access to quality academic facilities that help to elevate existing robust education programs, SDA CEO Manuel Da Silva said in a statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The demolition of the vacant former Decatur school building is an important first step to enable construction of a new, state-of-the-art elementary school that will benefit thousands of Pleasantville students in the years ahead, he added. Demolition crews are scheduled to finish tearing down the building by early next year. In July, officials approved $2.2 million for the work, which will clear the three-acre property. Additional design and construction phases are expected in the coming months. Read the original article on NJ.com. Add NJ.com as a Preferred Source by clicking here. PORT SHELDON TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WOOD) Deputies say a 21-year-old and a 16-year-old have been charged after a West Olive convenience store clerk was held up at gunpoint. Jose Rosales-Torres, 21, was arraigned on charges of armed robbery and fleeing and eluding, according to the Ottawa County Sheriffs Office. Bond was set at $350,000. Rosales-Torres, a Holland resident, remained in jail as of Friday morning. Deputies said a 16-year-old was also arraigned. The teenager, whose name was not released because of his age, was charged as an adult with armed robbery, felonious assault and felony firearm, according to the sheriffs office. He remained in custody on a $350,000 bond. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The charges stem from an armed robbery at the West Olive One Stop on West Olive Road near Croswell Street in Port Sheldon Township Wednesday. Deputies said two people threatened the clerk with a handgun and stole merchandise. The suspects got away before deputies arrived on scene. Deputies: Three taken into custody after West Olive store robbed at gunpoint Not long after, a deputy spotted a vehicle matching the suspect vehicles description in the Allendale Township area, the sheriffs office said. Deputies tried to pull it over, but the driver sped off. Deputies chased the vehicle into Kent County, but they eventually lost it, according to the sheriffs office. Shortly afterward, the Kent County Sheriffs Office found the suspect vehicle, which had been abandoned, and three people running from the vehicle. All three a 21-year-old, later identified as Rosales-Torres; a 16-year-old; and a 17-year-old were taken into custody, according to authorities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Ottawa County Sheriffs Office said the 17-year-old was released to his parents, while Rosales-Torres was jailed and the 16-year-old was lodged at the juvenile 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 WOODTV.com. RAEFORD, N.C. (AP) A North Carolina deputy shot and killed a 13-year-old boy wanted in the killing of his grandmother when the teenager charged toward the officer with a piece of lumber the boy had picked up during a chase, authorities said Friday. The State Bureau of Investigation will review Thursday's shooting involving the Lee County sheriff's deputy, which is a standard protocol. The events began in Raeford, about 90 miles (145 kilometers) southwest of Raleigh, where the Hoke County Sheriffs Office said 68-year-old Connie Linen was pronounced dead in her home. Authorities say she was a victim of a homicide but haven't released details about how she was killed. Deputies initially came to the home in response to a well-being check. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Detectives determined Linens grandson to be a suspect, and authorities had completed paperwork charging him with first-degree murder, the Hoke Sheriffs Office said in a news release. The Lee County Sheriffs Office said it was told about the homicide, and officers later found the boy behind an abandoned mobile home in the Cameron area. When deputies approached the boy, he ran away, authorities said. The teenager grabbed a two-by-four from a yard during the pursuit and charged toward an officer, who shot the teen, the Lee County Sheriffs Office said. The office's news released described the boy as 5 feet, 11 inches (1.8 meters) tall and 150 pounds (68 kilograms). Lee County Sheriff Brian Estes and the State Bureau of Investigation didnt immediately respond to emails Friday seeking more information about the shooting and the investigation. This has been a tragic and emotional situation for everyone involved," Hoke County Sheriff Roderick Virgil said Friday. We ask that our community come together with compassion and understanding as we all process this difficult event. DES MOINES, Iowa A Des Moines man has been sentenced to up to 55 years in prison for sexual abuse and incest of a minor. The Polk County Attorneys Office says 33-year-old Tyler Hardwick entered an Alford guilty plea to 10 counts of second-degree sexual abuse of a minor and one count of incest. Hardwick was originally charged with 21 counts of sexual abuse and one count of incest in November 2023. Court records state Hardwick had sexually assaulted a minor several times over a two and half year period. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Iowa governor announces support for food banks amid SNAP benefit pause due to federal shutdown Hardwicks first trial was declared a mistrial in July, with his second trial beginning August 4. The Polk County Attorneys Office says Hardwick entered the Alford plea on August 5, under the agreement that some of the charges be dismissed. At the sentencing the prosecution argued for a sentence of 255 years, stating each count represented a different sexual abuse, the Polk County Attorneys Office says. The trauma here is a lifetime, Assistant County Attorney Thomas Tolbert said. The sexual abuse that happened in this case is so prolific that it deserves a sentence that puts him away for the rest of his life. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Polk County District Judge Joseph Seidlin ruled the sexual abuse counts should run consecutive to each other along with the incest charge, totaling 55 years in prison. Hardwick will also remain on the sex offender registry for the remainder of his life. 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. BLACK RIVER, Jamaica (AP) The road from Jamaicas capital to the seaside town of Black River was known for its lush bamboo forest that formed a natural tunnel and glowed green in the bright sun. But its famed bamboo stalks lay strewn and shredded across the road in Hurricane Melissas aftermath Thursday, forcing Jamaican soldiers to chop at them with machetes to partially reopen the main route to Black River, which the government has described as the storm's ground zero. Melissa came ashore just west of the town on Tuesday, leaving up to 90% of all structures in Black River without roofs as it snapped power lines and toppled concrete structures. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One of the strongest Atlantic hurricanes to make landfall, Melissa has been blamed for at least 19 deaths in Jamaica, and 31 in nearby Haiti. In the ruins of Black River, people scrambled for relief. People are hungry, said Monique Powell as she stood watch over a stash of grocery and household items for herself and a group of residents from Greenfield, one of the many hurricane-torn communities on the outskirts of Black River. Helicopters hovered over isolated communities, dropping food as crews rushed to reopen roads. You are not forgotten, said Daryl Vaz, energy and transport minister. More than 60% of Jamaica remains without power, and nearly half of its water systems are offline. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement An influx of storm-weary people desperate for aid descended on food establishments in Black River that were giving away their goods. Much of the items had become water-soaked and damaged as fierce winds from the Category 5 storm tore through buildings and sent 15-foot (5-meter) sea surges crashing into aged structures. Left behind was a smelly, slimy mix of mud, sand and seawater covering mangled cars and building fragments that lay strewn throughout the towns narrow streets. Everything is gone, said Michelle Barnes as she and her 13-year-old daughter secured their portion of the handouts. Along the muddy and narrow streets of the historic seaside town choked by debris, men, women and children moved briskly with multiple bags, some with boxes or any container they could find filled with relief supplies and balanced atop their heads. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, teenage boys and men ferried bag after bag of supplies on motorcycles and bicycles under a sweltering afternoon sun. My roof is gone and even the windows, said Sadique Blair as she tried to shelter from the unforgiving sun. A historic port flattened Named after one of Jamaicas longest rivers, Black River is one of the island's oldest towns and the first to have electricity, according to Jamaica's National Heritage Trust. Black River became the capital of the southern parish of St. Elizabeth in the late 1770s and served as a bustling seaport up into the 1900s. Over the years, nearby towns like Santa Cruz and Junction slowly replaced Black River as the commercial center in Jamaicas breadbasket region. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some wondered if the storm was an opportunity for Black River to rebuild and regain its former glory as the place for trade and commerce, which had been fading with age. A teary-eyed Marcia Green stared at the rubble that was once her hairdressing shop. Everything has been destroyed, she said. I had just bought some new equipment and fixtures because I was about to move to a new location to refresh my business. But nothing is left. For many in the southwestern parish, its a double dose of disaster. In July 2024, Hurricane Beryls outer bands battered Jamaicas southern coast. The seaside communities in the southern parishes of Clarendon, Manchester and St. Elizabeth were the worst affected, and many were still picking up the pieces when Hurricane Melissa struck. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A trail of deaths In the latest storm, several of the 19 deaths reported in Jamaica were in St. Elizabeth parish, according to police. In nearby Haiti, authorities reported at least 31 people killed and 21 others missing, mostly in the countrys southern region. More than 15,800 people also remained in shelters. Haitis Civil Protection Agency said Hurricane Melissa killed at least 20 people, including 10 children, in Petit-Goave, where more than 160 homes were damaged and 80 others destroyed. No deaths were reported in Cuba, where the Civil Defense evacuated more than 735,000 people across the eastern part of the island before the storm made landfall early Wednesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cuban officials reported losses of roofs, power lines and fiber optic telecommunications cables, as well as roads cut off, isolating communities, and heavy losses in banana, cassava and coffee plantations. Many communities were still without electricity, internet and telephone service. Melissa made landfall in southwest Jamaica on Tuesday as a Category 5 hurricane with top winds of 185 mph (295 kph). It tied strength records for Atlantic hurricanes making landfall, both in wind speed and barometric pressure. Volunteers of Corinthian Missionary Baptist Church in Nashville prepared food for seniors affected by a freeze in SNAP benefits beginning Saturday. (Photo:John Partipilo/Tennessee Lookout) With the looming prospect of federal food aid disappearing for nearly 1 in 10 Tennesseans starting Saturday, state Democratic lawmakers and at least one Republican have urged Gov. Bill Lee to follow the example of other state governors in taking action. Lee, whos out of state this week on an economic trip to Asia, has thus far declined to tap state resources to help mitigate the loss of more than $145 million in monthly food aid intended for the states poorest residents among them more than 300,000 children living in poverty. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Instead, Lee, a Republican, blamed Democrats in Congress for the government shutdown that has frozen the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, a federally funded program that loads about $340 a month onto a debit card for a family of four to use at the grocery store. Their failure to fund federal nutrition programs cannot be solved by states, and the void cannot be filled with temporary fixes that would only drain state resources and prolong the misery of this shutdown, Lee said in a statement. Lee announced Thursday he had set up a website, www.feedtn.org, to connect Tennesseans in need of food with local pantries. At least 24 other states, however, have found ways to tap into funding to bridge the loss of November SNAP benefits. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Louisiana, Republican Gov. Jeff Landry announced he would direct $150 million from the states health department budget to aid SNAP recipients. In New Mexico, Democratic Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham said $30 million in state-funded food benefits will be loaded onto existing SNAP debit cards to help New Mexicans buy food through Nov. 10. A coalition of 25 Democrat-led states also sued the federal government seeking an emergency court order to restore federal SNAP funding before it runs out on Nov. 1. A Massachusetts federal judge said she would soon rule on their emergency request to force the Trump administration to tap contingency funds to provide November SNAP benefits. The Trump administration has warned states they will not be reimbursed for using funding to aid SNAP recipients during the government shutdown. Tennessee lawmakers urge Lee to act The Tennessee Senate Democratic Caucus on Thursday sent a letter to Lee urging the governor to declare a state of emergency to coordinate hunger relief in the state. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Under a state of emergency, your administration would be empowered to utilize all available state resources, direct emergency funds, expand local food assistance, and bolster the capacity of food banks and faith-based groups already doing Gods work in our communities, the Democrats wrote. Republican Sen. Paul Bailey of Sparta, on Thursday, urged Lee to find a way to protect Tennessee families from losing access to essential food assistance benefits. We cant wait on the federal government to act, Bailey said in a statement. Tennessee should take the lead in meeting this challenge. Lets show the rest of the country what it looks like when leaders put people before politics and compassion before bureaucracy. Tennessee currently has more than $2 billion in its state rainy day fund that could be tapped, Democratic lawmakers noted. SNAP is funded by the federal government and administered by the Tennessee Department of Human Services, which contracts with an outside vendor to electronically load SNAP cash benefits onto debit cards families use at the grocery store. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Thursday, Department of Human Services Commissioner Clarence Carter told lawmakers in a House committee hearing that, even if state funding were made available, the vendor the state relies on to distribute SNAP dollars to 690,000 Tennesseans has no mechanism to tap state funds. The vendor is only able to access a federal line of credit to refill the SNAP debit cards, he said. We dont have the ability to recreate that mechanism overnight, he said. A spokesperson for the Department of Human Services did not respond to questions about the SNAP distribution system. Vermont, which operates a similar system to distribute federal SNAP aid, announced Wednesday it would reprogram its debit card system to distribute more than $6 million in funding to its residents. The FBI said it foiled a potential Halloween terrorist plot in Michigan on Friday, Oct. 31, making several arrests and searching two Dearborn homes and an Inkster storage facility. "We're catching people before they even start," President Donald Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One on his way back from his trip to Asia. But details about the plot, the target and the suspects were scarce as the investigation continued throughout the day. By midafternoon, no charges had been filed and the local FBI wouldn't say where the suspects were being detained. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A man connected to one of the homes that was searched told the Detroit Free Press in a phone interview that a 16-year-old boy had been taken into custody. It's only a suspicion," Muadh Sharmani said of the boy at about 3 p.m. Hopefully, he will be released very soon. ... Any moment now. "Through swift action and close coordination with our local partners, a potential act of terror was stopped before it could unfold," FBI Director Kash Patel said in a statement Friday morning on social media. "The vigilance of this FBI prevented what could have been a tragic attack and thanks to their dedication, Michigan will have a safe and happy Halloween." Patel, who has faced criticism from U.S. Senate Democrats for his department's handling of major investigations, including the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk, did not release any details by late afternoon on the day of the raid. U.S. Sen. Gary Peters, D-Michigan, has asked for additional information on the investigation but had not been briefed by Friday afternoon, his office said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a statement on social media, Gov. Gretchen Whitmer she spoke with Patel and thanked the investigators. "This morning, I was briefed by Director Patel on the thwarted potential terrorist attack in our state," Whitmer said. "As details continue to develop, I am grateful for the swift action of the FBI and MSP protecting Michiganders." The announcement comes five months after the FBI announced it had foiled another terrorist plot in Michigan, that one targeting the U.S. Army Tank-Automotive & Armaments Command (TACOM). In that case, prosecutors charged Ammar Abdulmajid-Mohamed Said, 19, of Melvindale, with attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization and distributing information related to a destructive device/explosive, according to a criminal complaint in U.S. District Court in Detroit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He has pleaded not guilty and remains in custody as his case proceeds. One of the Dearborn homes targeted on Friday by the FBI was on Middlepointe Street, southwest of the intersection of Tireman and Wyoming avenues, where neighbors reported hearing loud noises about 4 a.m. Members of the FBI gather evidence at a home in the 7000 block of Middlepointe St. in Dearborn on Friday, Oct. 31, 2025. Holly Kemp, 36, lives two houses down from a home that was searched. She told the Detroit Free Press that her husband let their dog out at 4 a.m. and about 30 minutes later, he heard a loud bang, followed by four more bangs. Kemp said they looked outside to see not just regular police, but also the FBI and SWAT officers, too. Like other neighbors who spoke to the Free Press, Kemp said she doesn't know much, if anything, about who lives in the home. She said it appears two men moved in over the summer and she has rarely seen them outside. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kemp described her Dearborn neighborhood as quiet, tight-knit, safe, and friendly so much so, that she said she "will continue to live here," even after all this. She has lived in her home her entire life and nothing like this has ever happened before, she said. Online deed records list a Maudh Sharmani as having taken out a mortgage on the home on Middlepointe in 2010, though the man the Free Press interviewed with the same name said he owns only one home and that isnt it. Speaking in Arabic to a Free Press reporter who also speaks Arabic, Sharmani said: "It's a crazy day. Everyone was shocked about whats happened." May Mokdad and her husband, Matt Abraham, both 50, have lived in the neighborhood for 20 years. When they heard why the FBI might be at the Middlepointe home "scary" was Abraham's response, and "terrifying" was Mokdad's. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They said they are convinced they heard what sounded like at least six gunshots in the morning, though they placed the noise at about 6:15 a.m. The couple said they are very involved in the neighborhood but they know nothing about who lives at the home that was searched. She said that on walks with her dog she'd sometimes see the men pulling up in a truck and entering through the side door but that's it. "I'm nosy," Mokdad said. "You don't see them out at all." By 10:30 a.m., most of the law enforcement personnel that had flooded the tree-lined street earlier were gone. A few FBI vehicles and a Michigan State Police squad car remained, along with news media vans. Agents walked in and out of the house some wearing Terrorism Task Force jackets as neighbors curiously watched. 'Get out of the house' A similiar scene played out a few miles away as FBI agents entered another home in Dearborn on Horger Street, across from Fordson High School. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Alicia Irfas lives a couple doors down from that home. She told the Free Press that at about 5-5:30 a.m. she heard a big boom and someone talking through a speaker telling occupants to get out of the house. It was pretty loud, she said of the boom. It woke everyone up. Members of the FBI gather evidence at a home in the 5000 block of Horger St. in Dearborn on Friday, Oct. 31, 2025. Like Middlepointe, Horger is a tree-lined residential street in the suburb. Its a good neighborhood, she said. Weve never really had anything happen like that before. At 1 p.m., people wearing FBI and terrorism task force logos on their clothes were still walking in and out of the home. An FBI Evidence Response Team truck was parked outside and a Michigan State Police car blocked access to the street in front of the home. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Dearborn Police Department confirmed the FBI activity but emphasized "there is no threat to the community at this time." Dearborn Mayor Abdullah Hammoud declined comment when asked by the Free Press at an event in the south end of the city Police put out a statement, Hammoud told the Free Press. That's all we have now. Hammoud is up for reelection Tuesday. Search in Inkster Inkster Police said they were aware of an FBI presence in their city at a storage facility along Michigan Avenue. Chief Tamika Jenkins said she had spoken with agents who confirmed there was no current threat to local residents. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jenkins said her department planned to deploy additional officers throughout the day as well as into the evening for trick-or-treating to allay resident concerns. Detroit FBI spokesman Jordan Hall confirmed agents were in both cities but he would not say whether the operations were related to the plot Patel described. "There is no current threat to public safety," he said. Other law enforcement officials also offered few details. Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel was asked about the alleged plot at a news confererce in Detroit. So weve been in consultation with the FBI in regard to this matter and while I cant speak publicly to the details of it, I can just say that Im very, very grateful for the FBIs work in protecting the community and keeping people safe, and Im sure well learn more about the details publicly later," Nessel said Friday at an unrelated new conference in Detroit. "But Im thankful for their good work. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Detroit Free Press staff writers Todd Spangler, Jalen Williams, Christina Hall, Clara Hendrickson, Tresa Baldas and Paul Egan contributed to this report. Contact John Wisely: jwisely@freepress.com. On X: @jwisely This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Michigan terror plot: Man hopes teen is freed 'very soon' EVANSVILLE, Ind. (WEHT) Day three of an Evansville murder trial has come to an end. Isam Clark is accused of shooting and killing 19-year-old Dalton Collins during a robbery last March. Police say this was all set up by Ethan Bond, an associate of Clark and Derrick Brifil. Bond was also in contact with Collins on the night this happened. Bond testified in court yesterday about his relationship with Clark and Brifil. He received immunity from prosecution for his testimony. A detective testified that Brifil and Clark made several calls to each other both before and after the robbery. Authorities say his phone was recovered from Collins car. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Three guns were sent to Indiana State Police for DNA testing, one of which authorities say was found by investigators at Clarks house, which they believed he used in this crime. According to forensic investigators with ISP, Clarks DNA prints came back inconclusive on all three guns. Several people took the stand Thursday in this case and more are expected to take the stand Friday. 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). A doctor convicted of making sexual advances toward a 76-year-old Sterling Heights woman in her home, then masturbating in front of her when she rebuffed him, will start serving weekends in the Macomb County Jail, beginning Halloween night. Stephen Bruce Mason, 54, of Detroit, was found guilty Sept. 10 of aggravated indecent exposure and assault in the 2024 incident after a two-day trial, according to online Macomb County Circuit Court records. They indicate Mason was sentenced Oct. 30 to five years of probation and 30 days in the county jail, with credit for one day served, for the aggravated indecent exposure charge. He was sentenced to six months of probation and one day in the jail, with credit for one day served, for the assault charge by Circuit Judge Joseph Toia. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Court records indicate Mason's jail sentence is to be served on consecutive weekends starting at 6 p.m. Oct. 31, a Friday, and being released Sunday morning. The two counts are to run concurrent with each other. He is to have no contact with the victim or be within 500 feet of her home, work or school and have sexual assault counseling. An email was sent to Mason's attorney Oct. 31 seeking comment. A circuit court jury deliberated for one hour before convicting Mason, the county prosecutor's office previously said. Prosecutors said Mason drove the woman, whom he befriended on Facebook, home from a hair appointment on Aug. 1, 2024. She invited him into her home for a soft drink. While in her living room, he made sexual advances toward her, but she rejected him. He then masturbated in front of her, according to the prosecutor's office. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sterling Heights Police Capt. Mario Bastianelli previously told the Free Press that he did not know how long the two were in communication before they decided to meet. The prosecutor's office said the first time they met face-to-face was when Mason drove her home from the hair appointment. Bastianelli said the salon was in Warren. Bastianelli said the woman asked Mason to leave after the incident, which she reported to police the same day. Bastianelli previously said the incident had nothing to do with Mason's employment or him acting in the capacity of a doctor.Contact Christina Hall: chall@freepress.com. Follow her on X: @challreporter. Support local journalism. Subscribe to the Free Press. Submit a letter to the editor at freep.com/letters. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit doctor Stephen Mason, convicted of lewd acts, will serve weekends in jail As world leaders prepare to meet for the 30th annual United Nations climate change conference, or COP30, in northern Brazil later this month, a new report has found that climate change is already killing millions of people every year. The Countdown on Health and Climate Change, which is compiled by researchers around the world, has been published every year since 2015 by the British medical journal The Lancet. The missives have grown increasingly dire over that decade. In 2020, the report warned that climate change threatened to undermine the past 50 years of gains in public health. Five years later, the same document suggests that this erosion is well underway. Climate change is increasingly destabilising the planetary systems and environmental conditions on which human life depends, the countdowns authors wrote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Extreme heat now kills one person every minute, according to the report, noting that the rate of heat-related deaths has risen 23 percent since the 1990s a trend the authors attribute in large part to planetary warming caused by the burning of fossil fuels. The vast majority of the heatwave days endured worldwide between 2020 and 2024 would not have occurred in the absence of climate change. But its not just extreme heat: The risk of death due to inhaling dangerous particulate matter in wildfire smoke and the spread of infectious diseases such as mosquito-borne dengue fever are also on the rise. The number of deaths linked to wildfire smoke inhalation in 2024 was 36 percent higher than the baseline established from 2003 to 2012. More severe droughts and heatwaves spurred by rising temperatures were also connected to 124 million more cases of moderate or severe food insecurity in 2023, compared to a baseline average from 1981 to 2010. In sum, the report paints a picture of populations ill-equipped to cope with the shifting environmental parameters of a changing climate. This Lancet report is a devastating global health audit, said Harjeet Singh, founding director of a nature advocacy group called the Satat Sampada Climate Foundation, who was not involved in the assessment. Our fossil fuel addiction is killing us by the millions. Identifying the extent to which any isolated factor affects human health is no easy feat. A persons wellbeing is linked to myriad behavioral, environmental, and social threads. In the past few decades, researchers all over the world have sought to isolate the role climate change plays in amplifying existing health trends and spurring the movement of disease. The process is not unlike how climate scientists seek to understand how the qualities of a particular hurricane or drought can be attributed to above-average sea surface or land temperatures. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But because humans are so variable, attributing health impacts to planetary warming is an imperfect science. Reporting from the frontlines of climate hot spots in the worlds richest countries shows that illness and death that could be linked to climate change heat stroke in Arizona emergency rooms during record-breaking heatwaves, for example are rarely recorded as such. Conversely, top-down efforts to calculate the extent to which climate change may be influencing the spread of diseases such as tick-borne Lyme potentially overstate the effects of climate change by inadvertently underweighing the effects of urban sprawl, outdoor recreation, and other factors that put people in contact with ticks. The difficulty of separating signal from noise is what makes The Lancets annual report so important; its one of the only global efforts to make sense of the wide landscape of research at the intersection of climate and health. It tracks how 20 health indicators such as air pollution, food insecurity, days of extreme precipitation and drought, among others, have changed over the preceding 12 months. The 2025 report found that 13 of the 20 indicators tracked have grown more severe. As world leaders arrive in Brazil next month, much of the momentum for coordinated worldwide action to reduce emissions appears to be waning. Fossil fuel giants such as BP and ExxonMobil have reneged on their climate commitments. At President Donald Trumps direction, the United States, the worlds biggest historical emitter of greenhouse gases, has begun the process of withdrawing from the Paris agreement and the World Health Organization. Paradoxically, as the need for decisive health-protective action grows, some world leaders are disregarding the growing body of scientific evidence on health and climate change, the reports authors wrote in a thinly veiled critique of Trump. There is no time left for further delay. This story was originally published by Grist with the headline A devastating global audit shows how climate change is undermining the health of millions on Oct 31, 2025. This article is co-published with ProPublica, a nonprofit newsroom that investigates abuses of power. Sign up for ProPublicas Big Story newsletter to receive stories like this one in your inbox as soon as they are published. Also, sign up for The Brief, our daily newsletter that keeps readers up to speed on the most essential Texas news. Audio recording is automated for accessibility. Humans wrote and edited the story. See our AI policy, and give us feedback. The Department of Homeland Security says it intends to add state drivers license information to a swiftly expanding federal system envisioned as a one-stop shop for checking citizenship. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The plan, outlined in a public notice posted Thursday, is the latest step in an unprecedented Trump administration initiative to pool confidential data from varied sources that it claims will help identify noncitizens on voter rolls, tighten immigration enforcement and expose public benefit fraud. According to emails obtained by ProPublica and The Texas Tribune, DHS approached Texas officials in June about a pilot program to add the states driver license data, but its not clear if the state participated. Earlier this year, DHS added millions of Americans Social Security data to the Systematic Alien Verification for Entitlements, or SAVE, system, allowing officials to use the tool to conduct bulk searches of voter rolls for the first time. According to the document filed Thursday, SAVE also recently expanded to include passport and visa information. Incorporating drivers license information would allow election officials whose rolls dont include voters Social Security numbers to conduct bulk searches by drivers license number. Ultimately, the system would link these two crucial identifiers for the purpose of citizenship checks, said Michael Morse, a professor at the University of Pennsylvania. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It is the key that unlocks everything, Morse said. State drivers license databases often include a variety of sensitive information on drivers, including place of birth, passport number, biometrics, address, email and employment information, said Claire Jeffrey, a spokesperson for the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators. Beyond the privacy concerns this creates, using drivers license numbers in SAVE could lead to citizens being wrongly flagged as noncitizens, said Rachel Orey, director of the elections project at the Bipartisan Policy Center. Drivers license numbers are sometimes reused and people can have licenses in multiple states. Also, if SAVE isnt linked to live versions of state drivers license databases, the information in the system will be outdated. This could have far-reaching consequences for voter access and public trust if inaccurate data were used to question eligibility or citizenship, Orey said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement DHS says in the notice that linking to drivers license data, which it calls the most widely used form of identification, will allow SAVE to match against other sources to verify immigration status and U.S. citizenship, which will improve accuracy and efficiency for SAVE user agencies. The department did not respond to questions about the expansion. Up until this year, SAVE was mostly used to check individual immigrants citizenship status when they applied for public benefits. DHS has said the aim in expanding the system was to enable election officials to check voter rolls en masse. But the agencys data-sharing agreement with the Social Security Administration as well as Thursdays disclosure make clear that DHS and other agencies can use SAVE for other purposes, including for immigration enforcement investigations. Information uploaded into the system by state and local election officials and other users will be saved and may be shared with other DHS Components that have a need to know of the information to carry out their national security, law enforcement, immigration, intelligence, or other homeland security functions, the notice explains. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advocacy groups have sued the federal government claiming the pooling of data in SAVE violates the Privacy Act, which is meant to prevent misuse of private data. In filings, the government has said that the Illegal Immigration Reform and Immigrant Responsibility Act of 1996 explicitly allows information sharing to verify citizenship status and that DHS would exercise caution in flagging voters as potential noncitizens. Some privacy lawyers called DHS move to add drivers license information more evidence of federal overreach. The administration wants to get as much data as it can, however it can, whenever it can, said Justin Levitt, a law professor at Loyola Marymount University. The DHS notice, known as a system of records notice, allows for public comment on several aspects of SAVEs expansion, including some already completed. Typically, such notices are filed when agencies propose changes to federal systems, and the comments are meant to inform how officials go forward. That didnt happen in this case. In June, email records show, DHS asked the Texas Department of Public Safety, which issues drivers licenses and ID cards, to partner on a pilot program to add its data into SAVE. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Timothy Benz of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, the branch of DHS that oversees SAVE, wrote that the planned expansion was part of the evolution of SAVE into a one-stop shop for all election agency verification needs. That would require collaboration with each states DL agency in order for us to query those DL records in order to provide that information to the querying elections agency, Benz wrote. Rebekah Hibbs, a supervisor in the Texas Department of Public Safetys drivers license division, replied that DPS is always happy to support the SAVE tool and agreed to talk again with USCIS. Its not clear what happened next. In response to questions from ProPublica and the Tribune, DPS spokesperson Sheridan Nolen said the department does not have any ongoing projects with USCIS related to driver record information for registered voters, nor have we been asked to provide that information. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She did not answer questions about whether DPS has given any data to USCIS. DHS did not respond to questions about whether the partnership moved forward. Texas Secretary of State Jane Nelson announced Oct. 20 that her office had run the states entire voter roll through SAVE. Alicia Pierce, Nelsons spokesperson, said the office did the check using full Social Security numbers, which it routinely obtains from the Department of Public Safety to match with registered voters. The results showed that around 0.015% of Texas voters, or 2,724 people, are potentially noncitizens. At least one Texas official is concerned that those initial SAVE results may not be accurate. In a court filing submitted Wednesday as part of the Privacy Act litigation, Travis County voter registration director Christopher Davis wrote that state data shows about 25% of the voters that SAVE flagged as potential noncitizens in the county had provided proof of citizenship when registering to vote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I am concerned that the list Travis County received from the Secretary of State is flawed and worry about the potential for voters to be improperly cancelled from the voter rolls and possibly disenfranchised as a result, Davis filing says. Disclosure: Texas Secretary of State has been a financial supporter 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. Halloween is one of several celebrations and holidays that occur in the latter part of the year, and three more follow immediately after the trick-or-treating ends. Dia de los Muertos, or the Day of the Dead, acknowledges the symbiotic relationship between life and death. All Saints' Day is dedicated to the saints of the church, who are in heaven. All Souls' Day is set aside for those who have died, but have yet to attain heaven. All three are marked on Nov. 1 and 2. Photos of the Day of the Dead Catrina contest at the Red River Revel Saturday afternoon, October, 5, 2024, at Festival Plaza in downtown Shreveport. What is Dia de los Muertos, the Day of the Dead? The Day of the Dead is a Mexican holiday, also marked in some areas of the United States, held on Nov. 1 and 2. During those two days, the spirits are believed to return home and spend time with their relatives. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To welcome them, families build altars, or ofrendas, in their honor. These altars often include yellow marigolds, candles, photos of the deceased, cut tissue paper designs and food and beverage offerings, though these can vary from culture to culture. Skulls, or calaveras, are often used as decorations. They can be made of papier-mache, clay, wood, metal, cut-out tissue paper, but they are often made of sugar decorated with colored icing, flowers, or metallic colored foils. Day of the Dead: 'This is the one chance to guide them back' When is the Day of the Dead 2025? This year, the holiday is marked on Saturday, Nov. 1, and Sunday, Nov. 2. Do you say 'Happy Dia de los Muertos?' Day of the Dead greetings Despite its cheerful appearance, Dia de los Muertos is a somber holiday to honor those who have passed on. Therefore, it's considered a faux pas to wish someone "Feliz Dia de los Muertos," or "Happy Day of the Dead," according to a blog post from Loco Gringo. October 27, 2024: A couple dressed as a Catrina take part in the Procession of Catrinas ahead of the Day of the Dead at Reforma Avenue in Mexico City. On Nov. 2, Mexico celebrates the 'Dia de los Muertos' (Day of the Dead) to pay respects to friends and family members who have died. Is Halloween the same as Dia de los Muertos? Similarities and differences between the holidays Both holidays are within days of each other, but they are not the same. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While both may be considered spooky, Halloween revolves around darkness, death, ghosts, witches, candy, and costumes. On the other hand, Day of the Dead is explicitly about the afterlife and remembrance. What is All Saints' Day? All Saints' Day is a holy day of the Catholic Church marked annually on Nov. 1. The day is dedicated to the saints of the churchall those who have attained heaven. All Saints' Day is traced to Pope Boniface IV, who consecrated the Pantheon at Rome to the Virgin Mary and all the martyrs in 609 AD. The Catholic Church marks the day with a Mass. The Eastern Orthodox Church and some Protestant churches, such as Lutheran and Anglican denominations, also commemorate All Saints' Day. What is All Souls' Day? All Souls' Day is a holy day set aside for honoring the dead, primarily celebrated in the Catholic Church. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to Catholic belief, the soul of a person who dies can go to one of three places, heaven, hell or purgatory. Purgatory is believed to be a place where souls can be cleansed and perfected before they enter into heaven. Catholics celebrate All Souls' Day, praying for souls in purgatory to be purified. This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Dia de los Muertos, Day of the Dead, All Saints' Day honor the dead PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) An Oregon mother made national headlines in the 80s when she was convicted of murdering one of her children and attempting to murder the other two. More than 40 years later, she has maintained her innocence. Elizabeth Diane Downs faced the Oregon Board of Parole for a hearing on Wednesday. She was first sentenced to life in August 1984, after she was found guilty of her three charges. TIMELINE: What led to neglect charges in Dane Paulsen drowning case Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to Lane County Circuit Court documents, the now-70-year-old woman was additionally indicted for two counts of first-degree assault earlier that year in February. The indictment shows she intentionally shot and killed her daughter Cheryl Lynn, and attempted to kill her other daughter and son on May 19, 1983. But Downs has continually denied shooting her children, although she takes blame for the incident that occurred less than two months after she said she moved to Oregon. When people say, Did you hurt your children? Literally, no, I didnt, Downs told the parole board. Eight years ago was an epiphany for me, and it is like the floodgates have opened. If my children had not been with me on that road, nothing would have happened to them. I didnt. I didnt want somebody to shoot my children. I did not have a gun. I did not shoot my children. But if my children had not been with me that night, they would not be dead and injured. She claimed she and her children were on their way home after stopping by a friends house on the night of the shooting, when a man flagged them down and demanded her car. She said the alleged carjacker then pushed her aside before shooting the kids and her, and she subsequently drove to the hospital. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 1 death, multiple illnesses reported in Oregon due to listeria outbreak tied to recalled pasta meals Downs also alleged her son told nurses about the mean man who shot him. Her attorney Venetia Mayhew said she is planning to submit a DNA motion for the case, noting the false narrative that has been shared of her client. Mayhew also addressed Downs attempt to escape prison in 1987, saying that she was angry, heartbroken and didnt know how to fight for herself properly. 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. Seniors across metro Atlanta and Georgia are panicking over the impending suspension of their Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits with the federal government shutdown. Baring a breakthrough, the benefit, which is used to buy food, will be suspended. Channel 2s Tom Regan continues the Live Team 2 coverage at Cobb County Senior Services in Marietta for Channel 2 Action News at 6:00. Its very upsetting, disappointing. said Cheeka Scarbrough. Its disheartening. It makes you cry, it really does. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Scarbrough, who is 76 years old, live in an extended stay motel in Smyrna because she cant afford to pay rent. She has asthma and hypertension and must take several prescription medications. She isnt sure how she make ends meet when her SNAP benefit, of less than $30, is suspended. Are you going to have trouble paying for your medications? asked Regan. I am, which is depressing. Theres a lot of senior citizens out there, not sure myself that are going through tough times, said Scarbrough. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, 267,900 seniors (age 60 and older) in Georgia were receiving SNAP benefits. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Senior Service Centers in Cobb County are launching food drives to help seniors struggling to put food on the table. A lot more people have been calling in the last couple of days with concern, what they should do if they find themselves in that situation, said Cobb Senior Services Director Ioana Bovo Nicolescu. Case workers at North Fulton Senior Services in Roswell are also getting a surge of calls from seniors asking for help. Everyone is afraid. Everyone is worried and we are worried. ... Were hoping this shutdown will end soon because they really need these benefits, said North Fulton Senior Services case worker Amy Miller. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] RELATED STORIES: [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] Wade Robinson, right, was arrested in Warren County Oct. 30, 2025, and charged with extortion. (Photo by Brooklyn Draisey/Iowa Capital Dispatch) A former Des Moines Area Community College administrator currently running for a seat on the colleges board of directors has been arrested by the Warren County sheriffs department on a charge of extortion after a complaint was filed by the board president. Wade Andrew Robinson of rural Madison County, running against board President Kevin Halterman of Indianola for the boards fourth-district seat, was arrested at 7:47 p.m. Oct. 30 and charged with extortion with the intent to expose to ridicule, hatred or contempt, according to inmate booking information from the county. Extortion is a class D felony in Iowa. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Halterman said in an interview he filed a complaint against Robinson with the sheriffs department regarding alleged election violations, but declined to discuss details of the complaint. He also requested a no contact order against Robinson, according to Warren County court documents. Robinson, who told Iowa Capital Dispatch he 100 percent denies the validity of the charge, was released on $5,000 bond and is scheduled for an initial court appearance on Nov. 12. Warren County Attorney Douglas Eichholz said he had no comment. According to the affidavit included in court records, Halterman reported to the Warren County Sheriffs Office that he had received an email from Robinson on Aug. 14 in which Robinson allegedly requested a release settlement and non-disclosure agreement and $1 million. On Aug. 20, according to the affidavit, Robinson emailed again, telling Halterman he was planning to run for District 4 Board Seat and was going to start things that weekend. In order to have his name in consideration for the seat, Robinson needed to have his election paperwork submitted by Aug. 25. Robinson allegedly said in his email to Halterman he would hold off on launching a run for the seat if Halterman agreed to his wishes, according to the affidavit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It is believed Wade Robinson is extorting the victim to agree to the money request and he wont run for the board seat, the affidavit stated. Robinson said in an interview the emails referenced in the affidavit were part of a much larger body of communication between him, the victim referenced in the affidavit and other DMACC officials about litigation he has entered into with the college. Robinson previously served as dean of Student Resources and Ankeny Student Success at DMACC, and has filed complaints against the college and others connected to it for alleged Title IX violations and retaliation against him as a whistleblower. He also accused former board president Joe Pugel and DMACC President Rob Denson of having mishandled university resources in a past election. He said he wrote in an email to Halterman and an attorney for DMACC in early August that he would be willing to consider a release from litigation in exchange for a settlement. They were receptive to the idea in the emails, he said, asking questions about his process in determining the proposed settlement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The board then discussed the proposal in closed session during its Oct. 13 meeting, Robinson said, after which he was told by attorney Michael Galloway that he was not authorized to enter settlement negotiations. Robinson added that his plan was always to run for the DMACC board of directors, and had bought the domain for his campaign website in March. There was never a doubt that I was going to run for the board, I think I have some things to offer with my work experience at DMACC and my 36 years in higher education, Robinson said. So when they came yesterday, it was more than shocking, he added, referring to his arrest. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Elections for the seat, which covers the Carlisle, Indianola, Interstate 35, Martensdale-St Marys, Melcher-Dallas, Norwalk, Pleasantville, Southeast Warren, Van Meter and Winterset school districts and part of Waukee, will take place Nov. 4. This story has been updated to include comments from Wade Robinson. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE DMACC has selected an interim president with leadership experience from multiple Iowa community colleges to serve next year. (Photo courtesy of DMACC) Des Moines Area Community College has selected an interim leader with previous Iowa community college experience to fill the six-month gap between President Rob Densons retirement and the appointment of a new president. During a special meeting Friday the DMACC board of directors appointed Liang Chee Wee as the colleges interim president, with his term set to run from Jan. 1 through June 30, 2026. The vote was nearly unanimous, with board member Angela Jackson abstaining because she said she didnt have time to review Wees resume. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some members of the board met with Wee earlier this week, board president Kevin Halterman said during the meeting, and they were impressed with his willingness to get involved in DMACC life and keep the institution moving forward during his tenure. I am very positive about his appointment as our interim, board member Trish Roberts said. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX When DMACC first launched a national search for President Rob Densons successor after his retirement at the end of 2025, the plan was to select a new president who would take over at the start of the year. However, after two of three finalists for the presidency dropped out, the board decided to extend the search into next year and hire an interim president in the meantime. Liang Chee Wee will serve as interim president of DMACC from January through June 2026. (Photo courtesy of DMACC) Wee has led multiple Iowa community colleges in the past, according to a news release announcing his appointment, including more than a decade of serving as president of Northeast Iowa Community College and two years of being interim chancellor of Eastern Iowa Community Colleges. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As he is currently living in Decorah, Halterman said during the meeting Wee will look for a residence in the Des Moines area to have boots on the ground at DMACC during the week. Wee will consult with the colleges senior team members on practices like hiring during his time at the college, Halterman said, and he will assist in representing the college and its needs during the legislative session. He also agreed with board members that DMACC is a large institution and we should not slow down the ship, board member Felix Gallagher said during the meeting. DMACC is a remarkable institution with outstanding students, faculty, and staff, Wee said in the release. I am honored to serve in this interim capacity and look forward to supporting the Colleges impactful mission of providing accessible, affordable, and outstanding educational experiences while working alongside the talented DMACC community. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE ALEXANDRIA, Va. (DC News Now) More than 40 million Americans who rely on federal food assistance are preparing to lose access to their benefits as SNAP funding is set to expire Friday. The cutoff comes as the federal government shutdown enters its 31st day. For families already missing paychecks, the end of SNAP benefits adds another layer of hardship. At Groveton Baptist Church in Alexandria, Virginia and other aid centers across the DMV, local churches and nonprofits are stepping up to help fill the gap. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Groveton Baptist Church distributes food to families every Friday. Among them was Luis Cordoba, who says his family depends on federal assistance to put food on the table. That is not good for my family, Cordoba said. Its very difficult. For the next month, I have no food in my home for my family. States step in to bridge the gap as SNAP benefits are set to lapse Local and state leaders are taking emergency steps to prevent widespread hunger. D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser authorized the use of local funds to keep SNAP and WIC programs running in November as the shutdown continues. Maryland Gov. Wes Moore and Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin both declared states of emergency, allowing their administrations to tap into emergency funds to ensure benefits continue for residents in need. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Groveton Baptist Church volunteers say theyve seen demand for food assistance spike. The federal government should step up to the plate and take care of their people, said Joan Coronia, who depends on the food distribution. The funds should be available to everyone who needs it. Starvation is not the answer. Judges order the Trump administration to use contingency funds for SNAP payments during the shutdown Meanwhile, 25 Democratic-led states have sued the Trump administration in an effort to keep SNAP funding flowing. Two federal judges have ruled in favor of the states. 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. If your out-of-state friends are posting about elections on social media, here's your reminder that Wisconsin doesn't have an election this fall. A handful of states go to the polls Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2025, including New Jersey and Virginia to elect their governors. California has a special election for a referendum on congressional redistricting. On the same day, voters will cast their choices in the New York City mayoral race, where Democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani is the frontrunner. Many have already voted early. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wisconsin doesn't have an election Nov. 4, or any regularly scheduled voting dates for the rest of 2025, for that matter. The year has flown by, so don't forget that Wisconsinites did go to the polls in February and elected state Supreme Court Justice Susan Crawford in April of this year, too. Here's a look at Wisconsin's four scheduled elections in 2026: When are the next elections in Wisconsin? Feb. 17, 2026: This is the spring primary for nonpartisan offices such as court of appeals judges and school board members. Only two candidates have announced campaigns for state Supreme Court Chris Taylor and Maria Lazar so a statewide primary is unlikely in that race. April 7, 2026: Candidates who move on from the Feb. 17 election will appear on this ballot. Wisconsin will also elect the next state Supreme Court justice, which is officially a nonpartisan race despite attracting heavy political involvement in recent years. Aug. 11, 2026: This is the fall primary, when voters will narrow down choices for partisan offices. A Democratic and Republican nominee for governor will emerge from a crowded field of candidates on this ballot. Nov. 3, 2026: Also called the general election, voters will make their final choices for partisan offices on this day. That includes governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, state Legislature and members of Congress. It's also called the "midterms" all of Wisconsin's U.S. House members will be up for reelection, but neither senator. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Of course, special elections to fill an empty elected office could be scheduled for additional dates next year. Same goes for recall elections. A list of election dates and important deadlines is available on the Wisconsin Elections Commission website. More: Battle for the Capitol: Wisconsin's seats of power up for grabs in 2026 More: Wisconsin candidates Maria Lazar, Tom Tiffany face criticism after attending events with 2020 election denier You can register to vote anytime online in Wisconsin While you can't exercise your right to vote quite yet, you can make sure you're prepared by registering to vote or checking your registration status at myvote.wi.gov. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement You can update your information in the system if you've changed your name or moved addresses since the last election. Hope Karnopp can be reached at HKarnopp@gannett.com. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Does Wisconsin have an election in November 2025? When are 2026 dates? We hope you have your costumes, pumpkins and candy ready: It's Halloween! An estimated 73% of Americans celebrate the spooky holiday, adding up to over 250 million people. Despite being widely celebrated, it's not a federal holiday. In fact, its roots are found across the North Atlantic Ocean centuries before pilgrims landed in what is now New England. Here's what to know about Halloween's history and how its religious traditions evolved into the secular activities associated with the holiday today. When is Halloween 2025? Halloween is Friday, Oct. 31. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Texas candy distributor files for bankruptcy days before Halloween. Why is Halloween celebrated on October 31? The origins of the widely celebrated holiday trace back two millennia, to the Celts living in what is today Ireland, northern France and the United Kingdom, according to the History Channel. The ancient Celtic festival of Samhain celebrated the end of the harvest season and the beginning of winter and was a time when the boundary between the living and the dead was believed to be blurred, allowing spirits to roam the earth. To ward off such spirits, people lit bonfires and dressed in costumes on the night of Oct. 31. The Glastonbury Border Morris dance at sunset as they celebrate Samhain at the Glastonbury Dragons Samhain Wild Hunt 2017 in Glastonbury on Nov. 4, 2017 in Somerset, England. (Matt Cardy/Getty Images) The annual festival underwent a Christianized rebranding of sorts in the eighth century, when Pope Gregory III of the Roman Catholic Church deemed Nov. 1 as "All Saints' Day," also called "All Hallows' Day." The night before the holiday was referred to as "All Hallows' Eve," and the celebration evolved as it mixed pagan and Christian traditions. JTNDZGl2JTNFJTBBJTNDYSUyMGhyZWYlM0QlMjJodHRwcyUzQSUyRiUyRnd3dy5nb29nbGUuY29tJTJGcHJlZmVyZW5jZXMlMkZzb3VyY2UlM0ZxJTNEc3RhdGVzbWFuLmNvbSUyMiUzRSUwQSUzQ2ltZyUyMHNyYyUzRCUyMmh0dHBzJTNBJTJGJTJGcy5oZG51eC5jb20lMkZwaG90b3MlMkYwMSUyRjU0JTJGMzUlMkYzNiUyRjI4NDMyMzA3JTJGMyUyRnJhd0ltYWdlLmpwZyUyMiUzRSUwQSUzQyUyRmElM0UlMEElM0MlMkZkaXYlM0U= What does the word 'Halloween' mean? The holiday's name as we know it today derived from "All Hallows' Evening." Hallow is a medieval term for a saint or "holy" person, which is why All Hallows' Eve is an alternative name for All Saints' Day, according to Merriam-Webster. Over time, the phrase was shortened to "All Hallows' Even" or "All Hallow's Eve," then to "Hallow-e'en" by the 16th century, with an apostrophe replacing some letters. Finally by the 18th century, today's spelling of "Halloween" become more common. When was Halloween first celebrated in the US? Evolution of the holiday Despite its centuries-old celebrations, Halloween wasn't immediately adopted in colonial New England. Groups like the English Puritans deemed the holiday as satanic due to its relations with paganism and witchcraft. More early Protestants also rejected the holiday because of its association with Roman Catholicism: Protestants disapproved of the practice of honoring saints and the non-biblical use of superstition. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Halloween was viewed more positively in Maryland and the southern colonies. The holiday became more Americanized as it borrowed the beliefs and customs of various European ethnic groups and the indigenous peoples. The first documented celebrations on what is now U.S. soil focused on the harvest. According to the History Channel, participants would have public events called "play parties," and it was also a time to "share stories of the dead, tell each other's fortunes, dance and sing." Widespread Halloween celebrations didn't emerge in the U.S. until the latter half of the 19th century, when the country saw an influx of new immigrants. The immigrants, particularly those escaping the Irish Potato Famine, brought a mix of Celtic and Catholic customs for All Hallow's Eve from which today's most recognizable Halloween traditions were born. In Ireland, these traditions involved "mumming" and "guising," which involved going door-to-door in disguise and reciting verses or performing small tricks in exchange for food. Irish immigrants would also carve grotesque faces into beets or turnips to ward off evil spirits. In America this evolved into carving pumpkins, which were more plentiful and easier to hollow out. Over time, these Irish traditions blended with European folk traditions to birth autumn parties, parades and games. The modern-day practice of trick-or-treating emerged in the 1920s but was hindered by sugar rationing during World War II. Three girls amuse each other with their masked costumes as they prepare for Halloween festivities in the College Hill neighborhood of Cincinnati, Ohio, 1929. (Felix Koch/Cincinnati Museum Center via Getty Images) The tradition picked up again in the 1950s. By then, Halloween had lost most of its religious and supernatural overtones to become a secular, community-centered holiday. However, Irish culture remains evident in today's jack-o'-lanterns, costumes and good-natured mischief. The History Channel contributed to this report. The Department of Justice (DOJ) is facing pressure to back away from a request from President Trump for a $230 million settlement stemming from his legal troubles, as critics say it raises a dizzying number of ethical issues. Trump has argued he deserves compensation for the scrutiny into his conduct, describing himself as a victim of both a special counsel investigation into the 2016 election and the classified documents case. The decision, however, falls to a cadre of attorneys who previously represented Trump personally. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rupa Bhattacharyya, who reviewed settlement requests in her prior role as director of the Torts Branch of the DOJs Civil Division, said most agreements approved by the department are typically for tens of thousands of dollars or at most hundreds of thousands. In the ordinary course, the filing of administrative claims is required. So thats not unusual. In the ordinary course, a relatively high damages demand on an administrative claim is also not that unusual. What is unusual here is the fact that the president is making a demand for money from his own administration, which raises all sorts of ethical problems, Bhattacharyya told The Hill. Its also just completely unheard of. Theres never been a case where the president of the United States would ask the department that he oversees to make a decision in his favor that would result in millions of dollars lining his own pocket at the expense of the American taxpayer. Its the high dollar amount Trump is seeking that escalates the decision to the top of the department, leaving Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, as well as Associate Attorney General Stanley Woodward, to consider the request. Blanche served as Trumps personal criminal defense attorney, while Woodward represented Trumps co-conspirator in the Mar-a-Lago documents case, and both have signed agreements requiring them to recuse themselves from matters involving the president for one year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Joseph Tirrell, who previously served as the top ethics adviser at the Justice Department, said the obligation to recuse also extends to any matter in which a reasonable person might question a federal employees impartiality. They can seek a waiver, but that requires additional review. Should that federal employee take action in this matter that involves their former employer? And, based on my experience, no way, right? Tirrell said. The appearance of partiality is just so overwhelming. I mean, its a couple hundred million dollars, requested by the only person who could fire Blanche or Woodward. Tirrell said that their job security hinges on Trump, a president with a penchant for firing those who buck his demands, which also creates issues. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theres another criminal statute that applies to all federal employees that says, again, you cant work on matters in which you have a financial interest, he said. President Trump has made clear, and his actions have shown, that he will fire people who dont make decisions that align with his priorities. And so I think thats a pretty clear statement from him that if Mr. Blanche and Mr. Woodward or any other employee at the department were to make a decision contrary to his wishes, they would lose their jobs, and that implicates this criminal statute, in my opinion. Richard Painter, who served as the White House ethics lawyer under President George W. Bush, also said the situation was an egregious conflict of interest. Thats a clear conflict of interest for all the people in the Justice Department, he said, adding that there are also issues with the underlying claims Trump is making in the settlement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So we have a claim thats no good. We have a conflict of interest in the Department of Justice, and if they did pay out the money, its a likely violation of the Emoluments Clause of the Constitution. Trump has acknowledged the unusual nature of the situation, saying its awfully strange to make a decision where I am paying myself. The Justice Department has said it will follow ethical obligations in the matter, and its unclear what further actions have been taken on the request. In any circumstance, all officials at the Department of Justice follow the guidance of career ethics officials, Justice Department spokesperson Chad Gilmartin said in a statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, Bondi fired Tirrell, removing the top official who would have provided guidance on the matter. The Justice Department has six months to consider a request for a settlement, after which the party can go to court with their claim. Bhattacharyya said Blanche and Woodward would be wise to take no action whatsoever. Because of the ethics problem here, I think the best course is to do nothing. I would not want them either to grant or deny the claim, because I think either one is an ethics conflict, frankly, said Bhattacharyya, now the legal director at the Institute for Constitutional Advocacy and Protection at Georgetown University. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But Tirrell said the Justice Department officials would have the same ethical problems in dealing with the matter in court, saying Trumps best bet would be to ask Congress for the $230 million. There, however, Trump would face constitutional issues, as lawmakers say accepting the $230 million in any fashion would violate the Domestic Emoluments Clause of the Constitution, which bars the president from taking any state or federal funds beyond his $400,000 salary. The Constitution does not say the President may not receive payments unless he thinks he was treated unfairly, House Judiciary Committee Democrats wrote in a letter to Justice Department leadership. In that same letter, they argue Bondi, Blanche and Woodward all risk violating their oath of office to uphold the Constitution if they approve the settlement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As the senior Department of Justice (DOJ) officials responsible for approving that shakedown, you each face a choice: uphold your constitutional oath and refuse this flagrantly illegal demand, or become complicit in perhaps the most brazen violation of the Constitutions anti-corruption provisions in American history, the panels Democrats wrote. Legal experts have also raised questions about the strength of Trumps claims. Little is known about the details of Trumps complaints surrounding the special counsel investigation, but in a piece penned by Painter and other White House ethics lawyers, they note numerous presidents have been the subject of such a probe and did not respond by filing a claim. But in the Mar-a-Lago claim, one of Trumps arguments has already been reviewed by the courts. Trump said his privacy was violated by the search of his home, but Judge Aileen Cannon rejected similar arguments in court that the warrant authorizing the move was unlawful. Trump is also claiming in that filing that he was the victim of a malicious prosecution, but that can also be a tough claim to make given that documents with classified markings were found in his home and that the Justice Department often charges those who mishandle national security documents. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Painter said he was highly critical of the Biden family ethics scandals, arguing that Hunter Biden crossed a line by selling art and in his business dealings in Ukraine. But he said while others in the GOP have criticized enrichment from the presidency, the figure requested by Trump is the difference between shoplifting and stealing the whole dang store. Painter said if the Justice Department does agree to the settlement, Trump could be sued to get the money back once he leaves office, equating it to the Treasury Department seeking to recoup funds if they erroneously give money to a taxpayer. The first thing is going to happen is when we get another president in there, the United States government is going to sue and get the money back. And I think they have one heck of a good claim and itd be one big mess for the Justice Department, he said. So I think they ought to think twice before they do this. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. (NewsNation) Federal election monitors will be sent to observe two closely watched elections next week: a redistricting vote in California and a tight governors race in New Jersey. The Trump administration said the move is aimed at ensuring transparency and election security, but critics argue it amounts to voter intimidation. Republicans in both states requested the monitors. According to the Department of Justice, federal observers from its Civil Rights Division will be present in Passaic County, New Jersey, as well as Kern, Riverside, Fresno, Orange and Los Angeles counties in California. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement FBI says it prevented potential terrorist attack in Michigan DOJ vows to uphold election integrity The DOJ did not specify which federal election laws it plans to enforce. Transparency at the polls translates into faith in the electoral process, and this Department of Justice is committed to upholding the highest standards of election integrity, Attorney General Pam Bondi said in a statement. In California, voters will decide whether to approve Proposition 50, which would redraw the states congressional lines to add five democrats to the U.S. House of Representatives. In New Jersey, voters will choose between Democrat Mikie Sherrill and Republican Jack Ciattarelli in a close race for the governors seat. DOJ election oversight dates to 1965 Its not unusual for the DOJ to monitor local elections. Election monitoring has been a standard practice by both Democratic and Republican administrations since the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Still, Democrats argue the Trump administration is targeting state elections that could turn into key wins for their party. Trump calls on Republicans to use nuclear option and get rid of Senate filibuster This is about voter suppression. Full stop. And its a pattern, isnt it? California Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a video posted on social media. In the videos caption, he wrote, We will not be intimidated. California will defend free and fair elections. The DOJ has sent observers to specific jurisdictions or polling places in previous federal elections, particularly where there has been evidence of voting rights violations, to ensure compliance with federal civil rights laws. California to monitor DOJ election observers Still, some analysts argue the move could have broader political aims. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Charles Stewart, director of MITs Election Data and Science Lab, suggested the Trump administration could be preparing for the 2026 midterms. In both California and New Jersey, these are state elections, so the only federal law to be enforced is against racial discrimination in voting, Stewart said. I know theres controversies in both states, but they dont involve racial discrimination in voting. Perhaps its a matter of the Department of Justice getting ready for the 2026 election and using this as an opportunity to try to sort of do a dry run for a more aggressive program next year. California has laws allowing political parties to observe all aspects of most elections. California Attorney General Rob Bonta said the state will have its election monitors watching the federal teams next week. Election observers are prohibited from interacting with voters, poll workers or ballot counting. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NewsNation. GUILDERLAND - Dollar General on Monday announced the opening of a new store located on Western Avenue in Guilderland. The Tennessee-based company will host a grand opening event for the store on Saturday at 8 a.m., offering $10 gift cards to the first 50 adult customers and Dollar General tote bags to the first 100 customers, according to a news release. The store expects to employ between six to 10 people. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The 1975 Western Ave. property was previously the location of a bowling alley, Westlawn Lanes. Its opening comes months after the closure of a Dollar General store on South Pearl Street, located about 12 miles away in the city of Albany. The store's 310 South Pearl St. location was among only a handful of stores offering access to staple grocery items for the South End neighborhood, long considered a food desert, where residents often need to take a bus or drive outside the neighborhood to get fresh food and groceries. "At Dollar General, we continually evaluate our stores and how we can best serve our customers," a spokesperson at Dollar General said in a statement. "After a thorough review, we closed our location at 310 South Pearl Street this spring, and impacted employees were offered the opportunity to transfer to nearby stores." Other nearby Dollar General locations include 1939 Central Ave. in Albany, 396 Second Ave. in Troy and 638 Columbia St. Ext. in Latham. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Earlier this year, Dollar General closed nearly 100 of its stores nationwide "based on an evaluation of individual store performance, expected future performance and operating conditions, among other factors," according to its 2024 fourth-quarter earnings report. In late August, the company reiterated in a report its plans to open around 575 new stores in the U.S., fully remodel roughly 2,000 stores and relocate approximately 45 stores in the 2025 fiscal year, which spans from February 2025 through January 2026. Dollar General stock was trading at $97.45 per share on Friday, down $14.28 since its August report but up by $17.37 compared to the same time last year. This article originally published at Dollar General opens new Guilderland store. PITT COUNTY, N.C. (WNCT) Congressman Don Davis has introduced a bill called the RESET Bill aimed at banning mid-decade redistricting in the state. Davis hopes that by doing this, the Restoring Electoral Stability to Enhance Trust (RESET) Bill will restore trust in the electoral process. When we hit the reset power button, the power is going to go back to the people so that the voices are not muted in the process, and its people-centered, said Congressman Don Davis. So much has taken place, we shouldnt be dealing with redistricting. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This bill follows a similar legislation that was introduced in August by Republican California Congressman Kevin Kiley. He has filed to prohibit states from carrying out more than one congressional redistricting after a decennial census and appointment. 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 WNCT. Key Points Moonlight Companies voluntarily recalled California-grown yellow and white peaches sold at retailers, including Trader Joes, due to potential contamination with Listeria monocytogenes. The recalled peaches, sold individually or in multi-packs, were distributed nationwide between September 16 and October 29, 2025, in 20 states and Washington, D.C. No illnesses have been reported, but consumers should discard the peaches or return them for a refund because Listeria presents serious health risks. If you've recently purchased some peaches, then it's time to check your fridge for an important recall. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) published a recall announcement for Moonlight Companies, which is "voluntarily recalling California-grown conventional yellow and white peaches," as they may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the announcement, the recalled peaches were sold in stores across the U.S. between September 16 and October 29. They were sold either individually or in multi-packs. (The announcement notably clarified that the recall does not include peaches bearing a PLU or words "Washington" and/or "Organic" on them.) The recalled individual yellow or white peaches will have a small sticker with PLU 4401 or 4044 and one of these lot codes: 01PCLC, 03PCAF, 106PCLF, 113PCAF, 113PCLF, 129PCLF, 134PCLF, 142PCLF, 150PCLF, 151PCLF, 159PCABA, 159PCABB, 159PCPG10, 20, 22PCAB, 22PCPG10A, 22PCPG10B, 22PCP8A, 22PCPG8B, 22PCPG8C, 23, 25, 30PCEN, 40LT, 40YP#3, 44PCLC, 44PCLCB, 45, 51PCLC, 51PCLCB, 86PCAF, 69PWPR, 79PWPRT. The multipacks will have a UPC 8 10248 03165 6 or UPC 8 98429 00209 1 with the same lot codes as the individual packs. There are also multipacks of white peaches labeled "Peppermint Peaches," which have UPCs 8 98429 00266 4, 8 10248 03163 2, 8 10248 03087 1, or 8 10248 03186 1. Additionally, there is one set of multipacks of yellow peaches sold under the Kroger brand label with UPC 11110 18174 and the same lot codes as above. Courtesy of Trader Joe's The FDA has confirmed that Listeria was found in a California facility that packed Moonlight Companies peaches. The recall includes conventionally grown yellow and white peaches sold across the U.S. through late October. The FDA has confirmed that Listeria was found in a California facility that packed Moonlight Companies peaches. The recall includes conventionally grown yellow and white peaches sold across the U.S. through late October. The recall was initiated after inspectors found Listeria monocytogenes in the "packing facility environment." Trader Joe's sent a separate email alert to customers noting that the peaches were sold in its stores in the following states: Arizona, California, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Delaware, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Utah, Virginia, and Vermont. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Related: Hospitalizations and Deaths From Contaminated Food Doubled in 2024 Heres Everything You Need to Know The grocery chain stated that if you purchased Moonlight Yellow Peaches from Trader Joe's in the affected states during the specified date range, "please discard them or return them to your local Trader Joe's for a refund." The FDA added that no illnesses have been reported in connection with this recall. However, it also noted that Listeria monocytogenes is an organism that can cause "serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems." Healthy individuals may experience "only short-term symptoms such as high fever, severe headache, stiffness, nausea, abdominal pain, and diarrhea," which should still be avoided. Furthermore, "Listeria infection can cause miscarriages and stillbirths among pregnant women." Fast Facts: Moonlight Companies peach recall Products included in recall: Moonlight Companies California-grown conventional yellow and white peaches. Reason for recall: Listeria monocytogenes contamination States included in recall: Arizona, California, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Delaware, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, North Carolina, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Utah, Virginia, and Vermont. Illnesses reported: None Read the original article on Food & Wine EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) Daylight saving time is ending at 2 a.m. on Sunday, Nov. 2. This is your reminder to not only set your clocks back an hour, but also to check your smoke alarms. The Las Cruces Police and Fire departments are encouraging homeowners to check their smoke alarms and add new batteries when daylight saving time ends. Additionally, homeowners should also test their smoke alarms to make sure they work. To test your smoke alarm, press and hold the alarms test button. If it beeps or rings loudly, its a working alarm. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Las Cruce Fire warns homeowners that smoke alarms should not be tested by lighting a candle or matches under the detector. Repeated use of heat or smoke to activate the device can cause them to malfunction when an actual fire occurs. 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 President Donald Trump was seen bracing himself aboard Air Force One on Thursday, Oct. 30 Trump was returning from his five-day tour of Asia when the plane experienced turbulence The president joked that the shaky flight would make him "look really bad on television" President Donald Trump experienced some turbulence aboard Air Force One on Thursday, Oct. 30. Trump was filmed joking with reporters about the bumpy ride, while flying back from his recent trip to Asia. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement These are rough winds in Asia, he said, while holding onto the door frame. Im gonna tell you, this is a rough flight. We could have waited an hour, maybe. The president added that the turbulence made for less than ideal interview conditions as he spoke with members of the press. These are tough conditions for interviews, he said. Theyre gonna be watching Trump, theyre gonna say, He didnt look too good. Hes got the shakes. I dont have the shakes, but people are going to think I do. 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. Trump went on to joke, The interviews are tough enough without your life being threatened. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He then checked on the reporters asking them if they were okay amid the rough winds. After assuring the president that they were, Trump added, The camera guys real steady. Were gonna look real bad today on television. Andrew Harnik/Getty President Donald Trump holds onto the doorway during turbulence on Air Force One President Donald Trump holds onto the doorway during turbulence on Air Force One Trump wrapped a five-day tour of Asia on Oct. 30 after visiting Malaysia, Japan and South Korea and having a sit-down meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping. After the meeting, Trump agreed to lower tariff rates on Chinese exports from 57% to 47% after Xi committed to trying to decrease the amount of Fentanyl coming into the U.S., per NPR. Once he had returned to the White House on Thursday night, President Trump addressed the ongoing government shutdown on Truth Social, urging Congress to use its TRUMP CARD and take the nuclear option of ending the filibuster. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The shutdown began on Oct. 1 after Congress came to a standstill on passing a spending bill. At 31 days, the shutdown is nearing the record for the longest government shutdown of all time, with the previous record holder being 35 days from 2018 into 2019. Read the original article on People President Trump will sit down for an interview on CBS 60 Minutes, his first since suing the network last year in a case that ended with its parent company Paramount Global agreeing to pay a $16 million settlement. It will also mark Trumps first appearance on the network since Paramount was acquired by David Ellisons Skydance Media, and since the company acquired The Free Press and named its founder, Bari Weiss, editor-in-chief of CBS News. Trump is being interviewed by network correspondent Norah ODonnell in Florida on Friday afternoon, a network spokesperson confirmed to Variety. More from Variety Advertisement Advertisement The booking represents a mending of a rift between Trump and CBS News. A month prior to the 2024 election, the Trump campaign turned down an offer to be interviewed by 60 Minutes under the argument that it would not accept interruptions due to fact-checking. His opponent, Democratic nominee Kamala Harris, accepted a 60 Minutes interview, in turn spurring a lawsuit against CBS News filed by Trump just days before the 2024 election. The filing alleged that 60 Minutes tried to mislead voters by airing two different edits of remarks made in the interview with Harris. Though CBS and legal experts initially characterized the case as meritless and the company sought to have it thrown out, Paramount Global opted to pay $16 million towards Trumps presidential library in July. The settlement came as Skydance Global sought to seek approval from the Trump-appointed leadership of the Federal Communications Commission for its acquisition of Paramount a deal that has since closed. Since Ellisons takeover of Paramount, the company has raised eyebrows for seeming to appease conservative audiences, particularly with CBS News anointing Weiss, who forged her brand as a columnist arguing against progressive politics. Advertisement Advertisement For his part, Trump has voiced his approval of Paramounts new direction. [Oracle chairman] Larry Ellison is great, and his son David is great. Theyre friends of mine. Theyre big supporters of mine, Trump told reporters on Air Force One in October. They will make the right decisions. Theyre going to revitalize CBS hopefully, theyll bring it back to its former glory. Its got great potential. CBS has great potential. Following the Weiss hiring at CBS News, Trump told CNN, I dont expect them to become like Fox [News]. Just fair. Semafor was first to report on Trump booking an interview with CBS News. Best of Variety Sign up for Variety's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. (The Center Square) Public safety is the calling card of real estate agent Terrie Donovan as she tries to become the first Republican since Pat McCrory to win the mayors race in North Carolinas largest city. Charlotteans on Tuesday will make Election Day choices, and Donovan is trying to block a fifth term by Democrat Vi Lyles. The Queen Citys estimated population of 944,742 in an October report from the Office of State Budget and Management puts it 14th largest in the nation, second among eight South Atlantic states and 7th in the 16-state South as defined by the U.S. Census Bureau. There are no statewide seats or referendums on the ballot this fall in what is considered an off-year election. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In addition to a record-setting tenure in Charlotte from 1995-2009, McCrory was also the last Republican governor in the nations ninth largest state at an estimated 11.1 million population. Democrats are strong in the nations second largest financial community. A Republican hasnt won an at-large seat for City Council since 2011, or any seats on the Mecklenburg County Commission since 2018. Affordable housing, jobs, transportation, racial equity and economic inclusion are the bedrock platforms of Lyles campaign. Donovan is campaigning on public safety and accountability in the local justice system. In a third-quarter release of statistics from the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department, overall crime is down 8% and violent offenses down 20%. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Yet buried to the 12th graph of the analysis, Sgt. Todd Martin of the Southeast Service Area Crime Reduction Unit says, We continue to see a troubling pattern: a disproportionate number of violent incidents and property crimes are being committed by individuals with extensive criminal histories many of whom continue to cycle through the justice system without facing meaningful consequences. The cycle of catch and release does not reduce crime in our community. Included in the report from police was arrest history for a 15-year-old. Since August 2023, the juvenile has been arrested 111 times, with seven charges of stolen property, 45 charges of larceny from an auto, and 55 charges of auto theft. Decarlos Brown Jr., facing first-degree murder in the death of Iryna Zarutska, adds to that narrative. Zarutska was killed on Aug. 22, and the video released in September went viral nationally. He had 14 prior arrests dating to 2011, spending one significant juncture in jail but otherwise regularly returned free including in January by Magistrate Teresa Stokes. Elsewhere in the largest cities of the state, Greensboro decides a nonpartisan ballot between Marikay Abuzuaiter and Republican Robbie Perkins. Abuzuaiter, registered Democrat according to the State Board of Elections, is mayor pro tempore and a member of the City Council; Perkins, a Republican, is a council member and former mayor. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Durham, where the race is also nonpartisan, incumbent Leo Williams is challenged by Anjanee Bell. Both are registered Democrats, according to the State Board of Elections. Raleigh, second largest city in the state, is a notable exception with municipal elections scheduled in conjunction with the 2026 midterm cycle. The upset is palpable. News reports that the Trump administration is planning to cut state grants to build permanent housing for homeless people has led state officials and homeless activists to claim that the likely decision will send thousands of people back on the streets just as California is turning the corner on this massive problem. The usually levelheaded CalMatters reported that the expected deep cuts are the "latest blow in a seemingly endless barrage of bad news for the California agencies tasked with fighting homelessness." The "news has sent counties throughout California into a panic" and they are "bracing to lose hundreds of millions of dollars," the publication added. It's time to take the proverbial chill pill. Yes, I believe the homelessness situation is a travesty and addressing it is a legitimate government functionfor the sake of people living on the streets and the rest of us who want to reclaim public parks and sidewalks. But dig a little deeper, and the cuts might not be as troubling as expected. As Politico reported, those funds "will be cut and moved to transitional housing assistance with some work or service requirements." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In other words, the money might not evaporate, but instead will be reprogrammed to support a different set of mostly reasonable policies. CalMatters noted the permanent-housing money pool "will shrink from $3.3 billion down to about $1.1 billion." But that's a nationwide number. So the "hundreds of millions of dollars" our state potentially loses is a rounding error in a total budget that tops $322 billion. If fighting homelessness is a priority, lawmakers can shift funds from less-urgent matters. Sure, I dislike the Trump administration's constant culture-war approach. Instead of analyzing what's working and what isn't, the White House is looking to remove funds from service providers that don't conform to its conservative social views. As LAist reported, the administration's new Continuum of Care rules penalize organizations and agencies from sanctuary cities, those that offer harm-reduction programs, and also those that recognize transgender people. Drug addiction, immigration violations (mainly from recent asylum seekers), and mental illness are rampant among the homeless population, so it's cruel to deny funds to groups that are on the front lines of the problem. Gender issues shouldn't even come into play here. These groups need to assist anyone in dire straits. The feds ought to focus on providing help, not advance their tangential cultural agendas. Nevertheless, I agree with the administration's expectation that funding recipients "operate in a city, county, or state that prohibits public camping." Unlike those other rules, this one applies directly to the homelessness problem. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The U.S. Supreme Court's Grant's Pass decision last year finally freed localities to clear out park encampments. It overturned the Ninth Circuit's wacky Boise decision, which considered anti-camping statutes to be cruel and unusual punishment. Many California cities have taken advantage of the new latitude. Those that don't should look for funding elsewhere. So, California can fill in the gapor localities can figure out ways to conform to the new guidelines, even if some of them are ridiculous. More significantly, our state needs to rethink its overall approach toward providing "permanent" housing. The state's official policy is called Housing First. As a fact sheet on the state's Housing and Community Development website explains, "Under the Housing First approach, anyone experiencing homelessness should be connected to a permanent home as quickly as possible, and programs should remove barriers to accessing the housing, like requirements for sobriety or absence of criminal history." That approach is fine for a portion of the homeless population but is a failure as a broad-based policy for two reasons. First, it doesn't address underlying social problems. Housing First was originally meant for mothers with young children who had suddenly lost their housing due to, say, a domestic-abuse situation. Fine, but it's a recipe for disaster when applied to homeless people with debilitating addictions or mental delusions. They need social services, not just apartments. The state needs to consider a variety of options. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Second, California doesn't build anything inexpensively and efficiently. With onerous state regulations and union work requirements, new permanent housing costs a fortuneand the state can't build it quickly enough to meet the needs of 187,000 homeless people. Recent projects have cost upwards of $1 million a unit. The federal and state governments will never have the kind of money available to fix the problem at that rate. And, of course, the promise of "free" permanent housing will lure many people who could otherwise find their own accommodations. The waiting lists would be virtually endless. California's homeless population has been dropping after years of growth. But I'd be wary of those who claim that moving funds from permanent-housing programs will undo that welcome progress. Officials need to spend more time reforming existing programs and less time getting overwrought. This column was first published in The Orange County Register. The post Don't Panic Over Federal Cuts for Homeless Programs appeared first on Reason.com. A DoorDash driver will spend time in prison for stealing thousands of dollars worth of packages from homes in several local counties. John D. Manning, 35, pleaded guilty earlier this month to felony organized retail theft, according to the Pennsylvania Attorney Generals Office. Prosecutors say Manning used his job as a DoorDash driver to look for potential targets during his theft spree, which spanned Allegheny, Westmoreland, Indiana and Armstrong counties. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Manning sold many of the stolen items over an online marketplace, prosecutors say. He was caught committing the thefts by surveillance cameras or the homeowners themselves. The stolen items together were worth more than $5,000, the AGs office says. An Indiana County Court of Common Pleas judge sentenced Manning to one to three years in state prison, followed by four consecutive years of probation. While delivering meals as a DoorDash driver, this defendant was also scouting neighborhoods and homes for potential theft opportunities, which he later acted upon, Attorney General Dave Sunday said. This conviction would not have been possible without the assistance of our law enforcement partners in Western Pennsylvania, including the Pennsylvania State Police. Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW A bunch of homebody polar bears have taken over an abandoned Arctic research center and made it their own home, sweet home. Daring drone photos show the pack of polars lounging, sunning, yawning and chilling on the porch of the derelict domicile and taking in the windswept island view from behind its shattered windows, per People. Dozens of the dangerous creatures have taken advantage of the open-door policy of the wrecked buildings on Kolyuchin Island, about seven miles off the coast of Russias Chukotka Peninsula. The structures were last used in the late 1980s and left to rot after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But the brazen bears saw a real fixer-upper opportunity and moved right in despite broken stairs and rusted-out railings. Photographer Vadim Makhorov, who was spying on the bears from a nearby cruise ship, captured footage of the homebound bruins with a drone, which the bears occasionally tried to swat. Polar bears love to occupy houses, Makhorov posted online along with several of his photos. This happens not only in Kolyuchin. Any polar base with open doors runs the risk of acquiring new furry inhabitants. The bears closest neighbors on the remote island are the walruses at a nearby rookery. They will not be going over to borrow a cup of sugar, though, because walruses are known to gleefully spear the bears with their long, pointed tusks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Polar bears, too, have a mean reputation. Polar bears are extremely dangerous predators, says Makhorov. But why do they look so cute and friendly in photos? This story Dozens of Polar Bears Take Over Abandoned Arctic Research Center, Make It Their New Home first appeared on National Enquirer. Add National Enquirer as a Preferred Source by clicking here. Fire crews responded to a burning pickup truck in Los Angeles West Side early Friday morning but were unable to locate the driver. The crash was reported around 3 a.m. after the driver slammed into several yellow sand barrels on the side of the Marina Expressway near Culver Boulevard and went off the road. Shortly after, the pickup burst into flames, igniting a nearby tree. Los Angeles Fire Department crews were sent to the scene to extinguish the fire, but the driver was already gone. Firefighters douse a pickup truck fire in Los Angeles on Oct. 31, 2025. (OnScene.TV) Officers search for a missing driver after a crash in Los Angeles on Oct. 31, 2025. (OnScene.TV) Video showed California Highway Patrol officers searching the crash scene and on the other side of a creek, but they were unable to locate anyone in the tree-covered roadside area. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It was unclear if the driver fled the scene after the crash or was injured and hadnt been located yet. The cause of the crash remains under 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 KTLA. BALTIMORE -- Reginald Person II, who has autism, has never been pulled over by police in real life, but a special program held recently allowed him to practice what would happen to put him more at ease. Person, 39, of Severn, was one of many attendees of Pathways to Autisms traffic stop practice event in Howard County. He said it helped him practice not being anxious in the situation. Since Im on the spectrum, I wanted to learn the steps I should take to stay calm, Person said. When something like this happens, I want to know what to do. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gail Montgomery signed up her son Wesley to attend because he just earned his learners permit and she wants him to know what to expect. The Eldersburg mother-son duo came to Howard County so that he could get the practice. I want him equipped to handle himself, to lessen the chance of anything adverse happening, Gail Montgomery said. After going through the traffic stop, she realized they had never talked about what goes into being pulled over; she had never told him where the car registration was. Wesley went through the course twice to feel even more prepared. Im feeling good, Wesley Montgomery said. I felt like I communicated my actions clearly. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Pathways to Autism provides resources for those on the spectrum as well as family and caregivers. Shelly McLaughlin, program director for the nonprofit, said this includes workshops and trainings as well as informational events such as the traffic stop practice, free of charge. The organization has been offering traffic stop practices around the state since 2021; a free webinar on the topic can also be viewed on its website. During the event, a Howard County Police Department officer simulated a traffic stop by sounding the police siren and flashing the lights. The officer then got out of the car and allowed drivers and passengers to ask questions in a controlled setting. Attendees can go through the simulation as many times as theyd like. The next event will take place in Baltimore County on Oct. 30 at Security Square Mall, noon to 4 p.m. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Any driver or passenger of any age is welcome to come because we also think everybody in the car should know what to do if the car gets pulled over, McLaughlin said. We want to reinforce that positive interaction, and we want to be able to really emphasize, Look, these are the people that will help you. These are the people you go to when you dont feel safe or you need help. Attendees are given a traffic stop toolkit, an envelope with tips on how to interact with the police and disability disclosure cards. After they go through the course, they are encouraged to answer a survey and visit tents set up by Pathfinders, the Maryland Autism Society and Howard County Emergency Services. Participants could also practice calling 911 and learn about features such as texting 911 and enabling medical ID on cellphones. Events such as this are crucial to building trust and understanding between law enforcement and the autism community, said Howard County Police Lt. John Lloyd. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What [officers] are learning is also to be patient and to be understanding; not everyone you stop youre going to know that they have a disability, Lloyd said. Its putting you through this training scenario where if someone acts differently than you would expect them to act, that doesnt always mean that theres a criminal element. There could simply just be a disability that you cannot see. Lauren Dunaway, 18, said her parents strongly encouraged her to go to the mock traffic stop event with other students from the Glenwood Academy. Though shes been driving for two years, the thought of getting pulled over was extremely nerve wracking. Glenwood Academy is an Eldersburg private school that focuses on helping students with language-based learning disabilities; the school brought more than a dozen students to the recent practice. Though Dunaway, who lives in Ellicott City, had learned about what to do during her Drivers Education course, the experience was completely different, she said. I am grateful that someone was with me in the car, Dunaway said. I felt like I might have freaked out over this, but Im so glad I did it because now I feel more prepared in case its a real situation. (FOX40.COM) A neighborhood dispute turned shooting left one victim in critical condition and two neighbors in custody in Browns Valley. Video Above: Yolo County DA charges alleged DUI and illegal immigrant suspect with murder Around 5:40 p.m. on Wednesday, the Yuba County Sheriffs Office received multiple reports of a neighborhood dispute and that shots were fired. When deputies arrived on scene in the 9000 block of Deer Hollow Trail, they located a man suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The victim was given emergency medical aid at the scene but had to be life-flighted to a local hospital, where he remains in critical condition. YCSD said that both residents of the call location, 75-year-old Juan Leon and 66-year-old Rebecca Leon, were arrested and booked into the Yuba County Jail on charges related to the shooting. Detectives interviewed witnesses and involved parties throughout the extensive investigation. Based on preliminary findings, YCSD indicates that the shooting stemmed from an ongoing dispute between neighbors over a shared driveway. 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. Editor's note: This is a developing story. Ukraines Navy confirmed that its forces used domestically produced Neptune cruise missiles to strike major Russian energy facilities overnight on Oct. 31. The missiles hit the Oryol Thermal Power Plant (TPP) in Russia's Oryol Oblast and the Novobryansk electrical substation in Bryansk Oblast, the Ukrainian Navy reported. Both facilities supplied power to regional military-industrial plants, and their destruction "dealt a serious blow to the occupiers' logistics." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The Ukrainian military continues to demonstrate that no enemy rear is safe," the Navy added on Telegram. Originally, Neptune was Ukraines ground-launched, domestically produced anti-ship rocket with a maximum range of 300 kilometers which it famously used in April 2022 to sink Russias Black Sea flagship, the Moskva. Ukraine has since produced a number of upgraded versions. Residents of the city of Oryol previously reported explosions during the night, the Russian opposition news channel Astra said. Surveillance footage captured the attack on the plant, showing a large blast. Oryol Oblast Governor Andrey Klychkov claimed that the Oryol TPP was struck by debris from intercepted drones, "causing damage to power supply equipment." He also said that no fires or casualties were reported and that emergency services were at work at the scene. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Repairs are ongoing and power has been "almost completely restored," Klychkov claimed. 0:00 / 1 Prior to the attack, Klychkov had warned of a missile threat in the region. Local residents reported that the attack did not sound like drones, according to Astra. Footage analyzed by Astra showed two strikes on the Oryol plant, resulting in blackouts over the city. The Oryol TPP has an electrical capacity of at least 330-megawatts (MW) and is owned by RIR Energo, one of Russia's largest territorial generating companies and a division of the state energy company Rosatom. Multiple explosions were also reported in the Russian cities of Vladimir and Yaroslavl, according to Russian Telegram news channels. Local residents claimed air defenses were operating in both areas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to open-source analysis by Astra, the attacks in Vladimir targeted an electrical substation, one of the region's major energy facilities. The "Vladimir" substation has a capacity of approximately 4.010 MVA and serves as a hub for the region's power system. Footage by local residents shows flames rising from the substation. 0:00 / 1 Vladimir Oblast Governor Alexander Avdeyev confirmed a strike on a facility near Vladimir, though he did not mention the substation specifically. "The enemy carried out an attack on infrastructure near the city of Vladimir. All systems are currently operating normally. Specialists are working on site," he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Yaroslavl, explosions were reported near the Novo-Yaroslavsky oil refinery. The refinery is the fifth-largest in Russia, with an annual processing capacity of 15 million tons of crude oil. The Kyiv Independent could not verify these claims at the time of publication. The alleged strikes come a day after Russian forces launched a mass missile and drone attack against Ukraine's energy infrastructure overnight on Oct. 30. According to DTEK, the largest private energy company in Ukraine, Russia struck multiple thermal power plants across the country. Russia later on Oct. 30 attacked the Sloviansk Thermal Power Plant in Donetsk Oblast, killing two people and injuring others. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement President Volodymyr Zelensky called Russia's assault on Ukraine's energy facilities "exclusively terror." Read also: Ukraines HUR launches special forces raid in embattled Pokrovsk, media report Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Sam Powell didnt always carry a Smith and Wesson to open his front door. But after living on the first floor of Fifth Street School Apartments for nearly three years, hed seen too much not to take precautions. Earlier this year, when he and his wife, Jo Powell, stepped out of their unit, the couple saw a naked, unconscious man slumped outside their door. They were meeting their daughter, Piper Thomas, 58, who also lives in the building and often drives them to their doctor appointments. It was Thomas idea to move her 82-year-old parents into the same building as her, so they could live closer to her and experience connection, comfort and dignity in their twilight years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Now, her parents are too afraid to leave their apartment. They say seeing people like the naked man deep in a drug daze was not out of the ordinary. They are basically being held hostage in their apartment, Thomas said. I feel like we are being terrorized in this building. The tenants at Fifth Street School, at 2770 N 5th St., in the Harambee neighborhood, have felt unsafe since at least 2023 due to rampant drug use in common areas and other illegal activity inside their building. Six of them sat down with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel in Margaret Calvin's apartment to air their grievances about problems within and around the property. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During the discussion, several told the Journal Sentinel they have reached out to the property owner, Gorman and Company, as well as to the police and elected officials, but have yet to see any resolution or assistance. Tenants like Thomas have sent Gorman and Company scores of photos and videos showing people in the hallways fornicating, using drugs, sleeping and fighting, among other unsavory activities. Other photos showed human feces dripping down a wall in a hallway in July, a mess residents said management didnt clean-up for over a month. All the tenants agreed that they do not want to leave their homes because of others' behavior. The tenants are asking for one thing: a security guard. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gorman and Company told residents it would investigate the matter and consider hiring security, but two years of pleading for change through calls, emails and texts reviewed by the Journal Sentinel have left tenants feeling no closer to living in a safe building. Instead of waiting on Gorman to act, tenants like Thomas have put together a lookout system, akin to a neighborhood watch group, to warn their neighbors when danger is near. Piper Thomas poses for a portrait at Fifth Street School, an apartment complex for seniors, on Oct. 17, 2025, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Thomas and other tenants are frustrated with people entering the building and sleeping and doing drugs in the hallways. Weve been begging and pleading with Gorman, Thomas said. Why should I have to move out of my nice apartment? I cant move my parents again. They wont survive another move. Beatings, theft and drug use in the halls of Fifth Street School Fifth Street School Apartments are intended for people 55 and older who qualify for the Housing Choice Voucher Program, or Section 8, which helps low- and moderate-income residents afford rent. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The building and its luxury amenities, like the gym and community center, appealed to Thomas when she moved there in 2023. It didnt take long for Thomas to see the buildings darker side. Since 2020, there have been 501 police calls to the Fifth Street School. The building has one of the highest call volumes for senior apartments in Harambee, according to data from the Milwaukee Police Department. There have been 15 battery calls for service at the property in the past five years, according to MPD data. After moving in, Thomas said she learned of an attack where someone not associated with the building beat up a woman who worked in the office as she was leaving. The staffer never returned, Thomas said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In another incident, an older tenant was beaten to near death and hospitalized around two weeks after opening the door to three non-tenants, Thomas said. While non-tenants are routinely let into the building, a closed door is not enough to stop some. Laura Hall, who lives in the building, told the Journal Sentinel that trespassers once entered the building through a disabled tenant's window while she and her daughter were home. "They busted in her house, kicked her window in and they knew she was in the house," Hall said. "They didn't care." Tenants' pleas to their building manager and directly to Gorman and Company have not kept trespassers out. Instead, management has taken away tenants' access to the storage area and the community room, but that hasnt stopped trespassers from getting into those areas, according to Thomas. Margaret Calvin poses for a portrait at Fifth Street School, an apartment complex for seniors, on Oct. 17, 2025, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Calvin and other tenants are frustrated with non-residents entering the building and sleeping and doing drugs in the hallways. According to Calvin, some of the other renters are letting trespassers into the building. Theyll ring the doorbell until theyre let in or jam objects into the entryways to prevent doors from locking shut. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Norman Parker, another concerned tenant, said his medication was stolen from the mailroom. Police data show there have been 14 theft calls since 2020; however, tenants said their neighbors don't always call the police because authorities do not often help. In addition to theft, some trespassers consume illicit substances in apartments with other tenants or consume substances in the hallways and shared spaces. Extensive substance use is not uncommon in senior apartments across the city, especially at night. As one tenant in a different senior apartment building described it to Vincent Mcclelland, an outreach worker on the opioid prevention team for Milwaukee County, senior tenants in the city are under siege after dark. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Youve got tenants with family members that deal drugs and use their apartment as a place to hide out, said Mcclelland. By us going into those buildings, were giving tenants the ability to speak up. This is a vulnerable population who live in this building, and we want to try and protect them as much as we can. The problem is so persistent the Milwaukee County Department of Health and Human Services is currently operating a canvassing campaign targeting seniors to distribute Narcan the opioid-reversing nasal spray used to combat overdoses and information on treatment facilities. Ricky Person, who runs Milwaukee Countys opioid prevention team, is working with other agencies to create a dashboard that tracks opioid use and addiction in senior apartments. (From left) Vincent Mcclelland and Ricky Person of Milwaukee County DHHS Aging and Disabilities Services talk about drug use among seniors before giving away opioid harm reduction kits on West Mt. Vernon Avenue Oct. 22, 2025, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Gorman and Company says it's enhanced security measures. Residents call it ineffective. After about two years of complaints, the buildings managers held a meeting to address tenants' concerns over pizza and bingo, according to Thomas. But in the end, tenants felt the meeting was only meant to pacify them, as they have yet to see an added security presence at the building. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In an emailed statement to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Melissa Badini, marketing strategist for Gorman and Company, said the company already implemented enhanced security measures, referring to things like camera installation and key fobs to get into the building. The keys and cameras have not prevented the disturbances from happening, according to tenants. They dont hardly look at (the cameras), even when you ask them, said Parker. Badini did not respond when asked if a security guard would be hired to protect the residents. According to Thomas, there was a security guard at the building when she first moved in, but shortly after, they stopped showing up, and tenants were not given notice or an explanation as to why. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Badini said the company has plans of reaching out to local organizations like Community Advocates, Milwaukee County Housing First and Street Angels. But an organization like Street Angels works with homeless individuals and doesn't have programming for issues like the ones happening inside of Fifth Street School, according to Street Angels co-founder and director Eva Welch. Community Advocates hasn't had communications with Gorman and Company so far, although the nonprofit does have programs in place to assist with Fifth Street School tenants' concerns, including a helpline for rent abatement. The goal, Badini said, is to create a community that is both safe and welcoming a place Fifth Street School residents are proud to call home. Since 2020, however, the company, which owns 12 properties in Milwaukee, has garnered 57 complaints for properties across the state, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection, which oversees landlord reports. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Calvin and Thomas have been at the forefront of the effort to add security to the building. When reaching out to management and Gorman and Company failed, they tried to contact Ald. Milele Coggs, who represents their district. According to Thomas, they have tried to get in touch with Coggs office, but have not gotten a response back that will help them with their request. Calvin said she attended an October budget town hall to bring up her grievances to Coggs in person. They cant say they dont know," Thomas said of Coggs' office. The Journal Sentinel reached out to Coggs' office on multiple occasions. Coggs could not be reached for comment. What legal options do tenants at Fifth Street School have? Fifth Street School tenant Laura Hall said she is fed up. And she's far from the only one. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The lack of security at the property has left the tenants to consider whether they should withhold their rent. Im paying $1,000 a month over here, so Im going to do whatever the hell it takes, Hall said. I told (management) this, Im not going to pay. Laura Hall poses for a portrait at Fifth Street School, an apartment complex for seniors, on Oct. 17, 2025, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Hall and other tenants are frustrated with people entering the building and sleeping and doing drugs in the hallways. However, Wisconsin law doesnt allow tenants to completely withhold rent. Instead, it requires a series of steps, involving the property management, the city and a third party to hold onto the portion of rent being withheld, called an escrow agent. The process of withholding some funds until the landlord resolves a complaint is called abatement, according to Kali Murray, professor of law at Marquette University. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Landlords have a legal responsibility to ensure the safety of their residents in common areas like the hallways and community rooms especially if there are no trespassing and loitering signs posted. People doing drugs and other behaviors in the hallways, Murray said, would certainly create a safety concern. Arranging housing inspections in Wisconsin has become tricky in the wake of a 2017 law that prohibits cities from requesting housing inspections. Inspections can be triggered when a city creates an inspection program for an area where there is evidence of blight, high rates of building code violations or a deterioration of property value. In such cases, the city can create an inspection program designated for the area. In order to request a housing inspection for a Section 8 property, first, tenants will need to contact the agency administering the housing voucher. The housing agency that issues the Section 8 can undertake an investigation, Murray said. That's when a Section 8 voucher can begin rent abatement. Once a tenant initiates the rent abatement process, it is important to reach out to the property management company in writing to let them know rent will be partially withheld and the reasons why. Otherwise, the tenant can be accused of failure to pay rent, which can lead to eviction. Murray said sending a copy of the letter to the renters alderperson is helpful in preventing retaliatory eviction where the landlord evicts a tenant for not paying rent without fixing problems in the building. If the landlord or the management company does not fix the issues, it could be fined by the Department of Neighborhood Services. There are additional fines for repeat offenses. It is not recommended to stop paying rent without notifying the proper authorities and putting a portion of the rent in escrow. For advice on specific issues and how to navigate problems with your apartment building, here are some resources. The Department of Neighborhood Services may have answers to your questions. Community Advocates assists renters with problems with their landlords HomeSafe offers an informative PDF about rent withholding Mediate Milwaukee offers mediation services between landlords and tenants. Natalie Eilbert covers mental health across Wisconsin with a focus on treatment access, disability rights, stigma reduction and suicide prevention. Reach her at NEilbert@gannett.com. Everett Eaton covers Harambee, just north of downtown Milwaukee, for the Journal Sentinel's Neighborhood Dispatch. Reach him at ejeaton@gannett.com. As part of the newsroom, all of Everetts work and coverage decisions are overseen solely by Journal Sentinel editors. Support for the Dispatch comes from Bader Philanthropies, Zilber Family Foundation, Journal Foundation, Northwestern Mutual Foundation, Greater Milwaukee Foundation and individual contributions to the Journal Sentinel Community-Funded Journalism Project. The project is administered by Local Media Foundation, tax ID #364427750, a Section 501(c)(3) charitable trust affiliated with Local Media Association Learn more about our community-funded journalism and how to make a tax-deductible gift atbit.ly/MJS_support . 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. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Senior tenants fearful for safety; landlord makes no promises for change By Jonathan Stempel (Reuters) -A federal judge on Friday said 36 drugmakers and executives must face nearly all claims in an antitrust lawsuit brought by most U.S. states, accusing them of conspiring to fix prices of 80 generic drugs. Chief Judge Michael Shea of the federal district court in Connecticut rejected claims that 45 states, the District of Columbia and four U.S. territories waited an unreasonably long time to pursue federal antitrust claims, and missed formal deadlines to file similar claims under state laws. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Led by Connecticut, the states accused drugmakers including Pfizer, Perrigo and Sandoz of conspiring to raise prices, limit competition and allocate customers for drugs, primarily for skin ailments, between 2009 and 2016. In a 130-page decision, Shea said the defendants failed to show that the states "lacked diligence" in pursuing their case, citing evidence that the defendants pursued "affirmative acts" to conceal their alleged collusion. "A reasonable juror could find that the defendants' 'blaming supply,' making uncompetitively high bids, and falsely citing production costs for increased prices were aimed at concealing their alleged conspiracy," the Hartford-based judge wrote. Lawyers for Pfizer, Perrigo and Sandoz did not immediately respond to requests for comment after market hours. A spokeswoman for Connecticut Attorney General William Tong did not immediately respond to a similar request. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Brand names of some products in the case included the acne medication Differin, anti-fungal medicine Lotrimin AF Cream, and Ritalin for attention deficit disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. The case is Connecticut et al v. Sandoz Inc et al, U.S. District Court, District of Connecticut, No. 20-00802. (Reporting by Jonathan Stempel in New York; Editing by Himani Sarkar) A woman is suing SeaWorld Orlando after claiming that a duck struck her in the face and knocked her unconscious on a roller coaster. The incident allegedly occurred on the Mako coaster, a high-speed attraction that runs over water and through areas frequented by local waterfowl, with the woman, identified in court filings as Hillary R. Martin, seeking damages for injuries and ongoing suffering. The Mako is advertised by SeaWorld Orlando as Orlandos tallest and fastest roller coaster, reaching speeds of up to 73 miles per hour and a height of roughly 200 feet. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Filed in Orange County, Florida, the lawsuit alleges that a duck flew into the path of the roller coaster and hit Martin in the face, leaving her unconscious while on the ride, per Fox 35 Orlando. As a result, the impact caused an injury that required stitches to her forehead and later a development of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Anxiety Disorder, states the lawsuit, per Fox 35. The plaintiff further claimed in the lawsuit that she is dealing with pain and suffering of both a physical and mental nature and the loss of ability to lead and enjoy a normal life, according to ABC News. Martin is represented by Morgan & Morgan and is seeking $50,000 in damages and a trial by jury for the alleged incident. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The complaint alleges that SeaWorld failed to maintain the premises in a reasonably safe condition by negligently failing to correct a dangerous situation, with the park not warning Martin about the potential for this occurrence, according to ABC News. Martin further alleges that the ride, due to its high speeds and location near water, could disorient waterfowls thereby increasing the risk of collision, leading to a zone of danger for bird strikes, per ABC. Martin and Martin released a statement regarding the lawsuit, claiming that similar incidents have occurred in the past, resulting in negligence by SeaWorld Orlando for failing to disclose this information. SeaWorld knew or should have known of this dangerous condition, as this was not the first reported bird collision to occur on one of their roller coasters this year. SeaWorld allegedly dangerously positioned a high-speed coaster over a man-made lake teeming with birds. Were here to get justice for our client and ensure this allegedly dangerous design is fixed, permanently, wrote the firm, per Fox 35. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement SeaWorld also released a statement about the allegations, though few details were provided by the park due to the pending litigation. The safety of our guests and employees is a top priority and we take these situations seriously. We will not be commenting beyond that as this is pending litigation, stated the park, as reported by the Independent. During a press conference on commercial drivers license (CDL) enforcement, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy responded to a reporters questions about the truck driver shortage and the potential impacts of stricter rule enforcement. The discussion focused on workforce challenges in the trucking industry and the Department of Transportations (DOT) approach to addressing them. The press conference outlined the DOTs measures to address unlawfully issued CDLs and non-English proficient drivers. A reporter raised concerns about labor shortages and supply chain effects, prompting Duffy to provide his perspective. The Reporters Question The reporter asked about the demands of trucking jobs and the administrations plans. There is a shortage of people who want these jobs, the reporter said. Theyre very long hours; sometimes the pay may not be as competitive. So, given that shortfall of American workers to take those jobs, what is the Trump administration doing to skill up those workers to create that domestic labor supply? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The reporter also inquired about enforcement implications: And if you would start enforcing these rules strictly, are you concerned that the absence of non-citizens is going to lead to shortages in truck driving that will then affect supply chains, transportation networks, etc.? The DOT Secretary pushes back on a reporter who claims there is a truck driver shortage. He understands what happened: low cost labor destroyed the economics of the trucking industry and made it impossible for compliant carriers to compete. pic.twitter.com/B3J1NMqBSR Craig Fuller (@FreightAlley) October 31, 2025 Duffys Response: Different Data Than I Have Duffy acknowledged the question and offered his view. Fantastic question, he said. And I think you have different data than I have. Theres a lot of Americans who want to get behind the wheel of a big rig. These are, and have been, really great-paying jobs. He linked the perceived shortage to competition from drivers without proper credentials. But when you bring someone in who doesnt have a drivers license, theyll drive that truck for a much lower rateor someone who unlawfully got their license will drive that rig for a much lower rate, Duffy explained. And so, what has happened in the industry is its driven prices down, and a lot of companies are now starting to go out of business. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Duffy rejected the idea of a driver deficit. So, I do not buy the idea that there arent enough American truck drivers to meet demands in this country, he said. He described it as a constructed issue: And it was concocted in a way for people to come into our country to get commercial drivers licenses unlawfully, then get behind the wheel. And I dont think that is the appropriate approach. Highlighting U.S. truckers professionalism, Duffy compared them to other roles. We have a long history of great American truck drivers who are almost like air traffic controllers or pilots, he said. They take their jobs very seriouslywhat they do on American roadsits not just their lives [at stake]. And so, I think youll see American truck drivers fill the space when we do whats right and take out these unlawful drivers. Emphasis on Safety and Promotion Duffy underscored the importance of safety. Just a side note: We should never compromise safety, he stated. We should never say, Put a non-qualified driver in a big rig, 18-wheeler, set them loose on our roads.' Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He suggested promoting the industry to attract drivers. If you need more drivers, make the case: Tell people how great the industry is, how much you can make in a year by driving a truck, and it will be met withI thinka number of applicants, he said. We need those new trucks. Duffy concluded with confidence in the supply chain. So, I feel very confident that if we take out the unlawful, untrained, non-English-speaking drivers, we will not have an issue on our roadways, he said. We will not have issues with our deliveries. Products will move, but theyll move safer because better driverswho are driving those big rigswho have legal licenses and can actually speak the English language. The post Duffy pushes back on truck driver shortage appeared first on FreightWaves. Washington, DC officials on Thursday announced a third suspect was arrested in the July killing of a Washington, DC intern from Granby, Massachusetts. Police say 18-year-old Laqwan Lucas was responsible for a deadly shooting alongside two 17-year-olds who were also arrested. Lucas is also accused of killing a teenage girl days after the shooting. US Attorney Jeanine Pirro on Thursday said 21-year-old Eric Tarpinian Jachym was shot four times and killed on a city sidewalk in late June. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Eric died alone -- no mother, no father, no sister, said Pirro in Washington, DC Thursday. [Erics mother] thought it was an angel that came down to help police make an arrest in this case. Erics mother, Tamara Tarpinian-Jachym, has worked alongside Metro police during their investigation following her sons death. It was earth-shattering to say the least, she said regarding the arrest. It was a horrific crime... There were a lot of people that were harmed, and a lot of families suffering from this. Police say a woman and a 16-year-old boy were also shot four months ago but survived. Tarpinian-Jachym continued, My son loved everybody. He didnt care what color you were. He didnt care how smart you were. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She told Boston 25 on Thursday her son wouldve turned 22 last Tuesday. Instead, she and her family are still on the long road to healing. Tarpinian-Jachym finished, It can happen anywhere, and it can happen to any person. 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. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW East Side Elementary School in Clay County is one of the 11 inaugural recipients of the Indiana Blue Ribbon Schools designation. The 11 public and private schools across the state were selected for this newly-established designation for their exceptional academic achievement and commitment to student success, according to an Indiana Department of Education news release. This inaugural cohort of Indiana Blue Ribbon Schools are a model for others across our state and nation of what is possible when we put students first, said Indiana Gov. Mike Braun. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Indiana Blue Ribbon School designation celebrates schools that demonstrate exemplary academic performance and innovative approaches to meeting the needs of students. These schools have fostered environments of excellence, serving as models of educational leadership and impact for communities statewide and beyond, the state said. Indianas 2025 Blue Ribbon Schools include: * Batesville High School, Batesville Community School Corporation. * Brandywine Elementary School, New Palestine Community Schools * Charles Elementary School, Richmond Community Schools. * Creekside Middle School, Carmel Clay Schools. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement * East Side Elementary School, Clay Community Schools. * Immaculate Heart of Mary School, Indianapolis. * South Terrace Elementary, MSD North Posey County Schools. * St. John the Evangelist School, St. John. * St. Louis de Montfort School, Fishers. * St. Marys Catholic School, North Vernon. * St. Philip School, Mount Vernon. As we celebrate this remarkable accomplishment, I want to commend the leadership of these schools, the dedication of the teachers and staff, and the incredible work ethic of the students and families, said Katie Jenner, Indiana Secretary of Education. The honored schools will be formally recognized at the fourth annual Educational Excellence Awards gala Nov. 21 in Indianapolis. JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (WJHL) East Tennessee State University hosted its annual Trunk or Treasure event for the campus community this evening. The event kicked off Halloween early with people decorating their car trunks to hand out candy to visitors. Five contests took place for students to participate in. The contest categories included: Best Individual Costume, Best Duo Costume, Best Group Costume, Best Overall Trunk and Most Creative Trunk. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Madison Price, a senior at ETSU in the dental hygiene program, dressed up with her friends as fairies. The students gave out candy with toothbrushes to promote healthy smiles. Were actually having a blast, Price said. The kids were like, theyre actually getting more excited to get a toothbrush in the candy because theyre like, Oh, what is this? And they get to pick out the colors, and its super cute. 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. Ector County ISD families were given a chance to enjoy a smorgasbord of different options at this years annual Food Show. The event took place Thursday at the Odessa Marriott Hotel and Conference Center. It was the fourth year of the Food Show as the event was free and open to all ECISD parents, students and staff. The show featured a sampling of many different food items from ECISDs School Nutrition Department and some of the biggest names in food service. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While there, attendees voted on potential and current menu items. We have over 40 vendors here, Director of School Nutrition at ECISD Jieun Pando said. We want to showcase the menu items that were serving right now. Then, well have menu items that well consider for the next school year. We want the feedback from our students and our parents and want them to come in and participate and give us a feedback. We have a voting card for everything. They can decide if they like it or not. Then we analyze the results. The Food Show was created as a way to bring parents to the table, quite literally, and give them a chance to taste the types of food served in school cafeterias. The reason we started this is that we wanted to showcase our school nutrition and the employees and we wanted to showcase the quality, Pando said. We wanted to show the high quality of our food. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Pando talked about how the event has grown over the years since 2022. Vendor-wise, we had close to 30 when we started this, Pando said. Its continued to grow. The attendance has grown. We had 540 and then 900 and were hoping for over a thousand tonight. The show is a unique dinner together that gives parents the opportunity to talk about what tastes good to kids, explore healthy food options, and emphasize the importance of eating well. There are different menu items from cheese products to beef and chicken as well. Our kids enjoy this, Pando said. The parents have said they really enjoy this event. The vendors too. They want to see the kids having a good time and enjoying their products. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement An ECISD sign is on display at the Fourth Annual Food Show Thursday at the Odessa Marriott Hotel and Conference Center. Michael Bauer|Odessa American The post ECISD holds fourth annual Food Show appeared first on Odessa American. (COLORADO SPRINGS) The clock is ticking for lawmakers to cut a deal before millions across the country lose Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. Dr. Tatiana Bailey explained how the government shutdown will impact those in our state who depend on this 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 FOX21 News Colorado. An Edinburgh Castle manager alleged to have twerked in front of actor Martin Compston is yet to be formally disciplined more than a year after an official complaint was made, it has been claimed. The Telegraph understands that a series of complaints about the conduct of the senior manager at Historic Environment Scotland (HES) were lodged in October last year. Witnesses at a corporate event at the castle said the HES manager sat on a guests knee before standing up and twerking in front of the guest and Mr Compston, who starred in the BBCs Line of Duty drama. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She is then claimed to have posed for a picture with Penny Lancaster and referred to them both as two dumb blondes together. It is understood that the majority of the complaints were upheld against the manager by the scandal-hit SNP quangos human resources (HR) department at the end of January this year, including one relating to her conduct at the castle. The complainant appealed and more of the allegations were upgraded to upheld in March. HR chiefs promised that appropriate action would be taken against the manager. However, sources said that nothing has happened in the intervening seven-and-a-half months and the disciplinary case has not been closed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Insiders said other senior figures inside HES had lobbied for the manager to escape major punishment for the incident, leaving the case in limbo. Actor Martin Compston, best known for starring in the BBC drama Line of Duty, was among the celebrity guests - Euan Cherry/Getty HES declined to comment on individual cases but said internal processes can take longer than expected for a number of reasons. The quango receives around 70 million of public money annually to oversee more than 300 historic locations across Scotland, including Stirling and Edinburgh castles. But it has been hit with a series of allegations, with a whistleblower claiming that board members and directors walk around like they own our castles while ignoring staff complaints. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sir Mark Jones, the quangos new chairman, told a Holyrood inquiry this week that corruption allegations were also being investigated. Although he declined to comment on individuals, he confirmed that there were a number of processes underway and it would surprise me if nobody left the organisation over the next few months. Holyroods culture committee also heard that Angus Robertson, the SNP Culture Secretary, had held no meetings with the HES board during his four-and-a-half years in the role. Stephen Kerr, a Tory committee member, said: It is nothing short of extraordinary that a full year has passed since a serious misconduct complaint was lodged against a senior figure at Historic Environment Scotland and still, nothing has been resolved. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement HES is a dysfunctional organisation in a state of disarray. Angus Robertson needs to get a grip. The buck stops with him. Time for heads to roll A HES insider said: It is utterly shambolic that the HES HR department has still not properly disciplined a member of staff who had multiple complaints against them upheld more than one year after the complaints were originally lodged. The majority of these, including the twerking incident at Edinburgh Castle were upheld in January. Still, there has been no action despite two directors telling the complainant that appropriate action would be taken. They said it was time for heads to roll and a clear out at the highest level starting with HR. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Telegraph understands the complaints against the manager were lodged on Oct 17 last year and the majority upheld on Jan 28 this year. More of the complaints were upheld on March 14. Lindsey Ross, the HES director of people, wrote to the complainer stating: I can confirm that a number of recommendations will be taken forward following this investigation and appropriate action will be taken in line with our policies and procedures. A HES spokeswoman said: For confidentiality reasons, we are not able to comment on any individual case. However, in general terms, internal processes can take longer than expected for a number of reasons, such as the availability of key individuals including witnesses, investigators and decision makers, who may be absent for various reasons including ill health, the complexity of the matter or the emergence of new information. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She said the quango had robust internal procedures in place to investigate and address concerns raised by staff, with a zero-tolerance approach to discrimination and misconduct. However, it has previously emerged that Craig Mearns, the HES director of operations, was not sacked despite a complaint about him using racist language being upheld. The former captain of the Faslane naval base on the Clyde is said to have pointed to tourists at Edinburgh Castle and told another senior staff member to look at those chocolates. 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. Facing a budget crisis in 2003, John G. Rowland, then governor of Connecticut, canceled scheduled salary increases for nonunion state employees and sought concessions from the public-employee unions. Unable to reach an agreement on the concessions, he laid off 2,500 unionized workers. He did not lay off any nonunion employees, reasoning that they had effectively agreed to concessions. To conclude Gov. Rowland and his team lost that conflict would be an understatement. Twenty-two years later, the litigation resulting from the layoffs continues to this day, though it is "close to resolution," the Republican-American's Paul Hughes reported Oct. 27. "To date, the Stamford law firm of Silver Golub & Teitell has been paid $50.8 million for representing the unions and the State Employees Bargaining Agent Coalition, according to the state comptroller's office," Mr. Hughes wrote. "The settlement set attorney fees at 17.5% of the total damages each class member receives," extrapolating "to roughly $290 million in compensatory and economic damages." Union attorney Jonathan M. Levine figured the actual payouts amounted to between $190 million and $215 million. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The litigation over Mr. Rowland's actions poisoned Connecticut budgets across four governorships those of Mr. Rowland; the late M. Jodi Rell, like Mr. Rowland a Republican; and Democrats Dannel P. Malloy and Ned Lamont, the current governor. The common perception is that Gov. Rowland, filled with hubris after winning three elections, pummeled the unions with layoffs out of spite. It has been noted repeatedly that the unions offered concessions approximating those Mr. Rowland's administration sought, when measured in dollars and cents. The fact that the union counteroffer included a provision most executives, public and private, would reject out of hand a no-layoff guarantee across four years tends to elude politicians and commentators who prefer to portray Mr. Rowland as the sole villain of the piece. Of course, the unions could have avoided the layoffs altogether by accepting Mr. Rowland's original contract proposal, or agreeing to a compromise he could accept. And no one forced them to litigate the layoffs subsequently at a cost to taxpayers of a few hundred million dollars. "Rowland's administration warned union leaders in late 2002 that it would lay off the workers unless they accepted wage freezes to help the state close budget deficits," the New Haven Register reported in 2013. "The unions balked, and the workers got pink slips." The larger question, of course, is whether these workers should have been unionized at all. President Franklin D. Roosevelt, a Democrat and a staunch supporter of private-sector unionism, didn't think so. "All Government employees should realize that the process of collective bargaining, as usually understood, cannot be transplanted into the public service," he wrote in a 1937 letter to Luther Seward, president of the National Federation of Federal Employees. "It has its distinct and insurmountable limitations when applied to public personnel management. The very nature and purposes of Government make it impossible for administrative officials to represent fully or to bind the employer in mutual discussions with Government employee organizations. The employer is the whole people, who speak by means of laws enacted by their representatives in Congress." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The public-employee unions, their advocates in the Democratic Party, and many in the news media are quick to blame Mr. Rowland for implementing the layoffs that eventually brought about a steep penalty to taxpayers. But in this, like most conflicts, the blame is shared. Mr. Rowland is out of public life, but the unions who beat him, his successors and taxpayers like a rented mule are still with us, and just as pernicious as ever. This article originally published at Editorial: Unions share blame for layoff fallout. Artificial intelligence was the focus of the fifth annual Permian Basin Education Leadership Summit, held Thursday at the Odessa Marriott Hotel & Conference Center. Educators and nonprofit executives heard from executives with education/technology firms and district officials from Mesquite ISD at the gathering. About 65 people attended. Angel Rivera, superintendent of Mesquite ISD, advised districts not to start the artificial intelligence journey in isolation. They should bring in board members and parents. He said teachers are using OpenAI and districts should start teaching it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ector County ISD Chief Technology Officer Lauren Tavarez said the event was special. Todays event was special because it brought districts together to discuss AIs role in education right here in the Permian Basin. At Ector County ISD, were embracing AI to enhance student learning and empower our teachers its about seizing these opportunities for both. Were grateful to the Education Partnership of the Permian Basin for convening this important conversation, Tavarez said. Ravi Shakamuri, CEO of ACCESS for Success, a virtual village that is committed to continuously evolve to meet the needs and expectations of high risk, low income, minority and academically challenged students as the highest priority, said they are watching AI carefully when it comes to education. We navigate slowly, step by step. We bring it to the students when they are strong enough to handle the solutions. Dont give them when theyre not ready Our job is to make sure the student can get confident and clear and stay in the pathway to succeed, Shakamuri said. The post Education leaders discuss AI appeared first on Odessa American. BIG COUNTRY (KTAB/KRBC) Some might think the Enhanced Fujita (EF) Scale is basically the same as the original Fujita (F) Scale, but Big Country Meteorologists Carter Vandrasik and Katalina Bell say thats not the case. What is the F scale? It is what we use to determine the strength of the tornado. It was used from a specific time, the early 1970s, when it was invented by Dr. Ted Fujita, Katalina shared. Its a scale from 0-5 based on the damage left behind and the wind speeds from a tornado. The F scale was from the 1970s when it was invented, and ran all the way to 2007 when they upgraded the scale to EF The scale was groundbreaking at the time, but it was limited because it didnt account for different construction types or building strength. So it didnt matter what the structural integrity of the building was. Big Country winter outlook: Climate Prediction Center vs. Farmers Almanac, whos got it right? Why we switched to the EF scale The goal was to match the wind speeds, the damage, and the population, the way the structures were made. It was just an easier way to classify it, because again, we live in a really good country as far as destruction and civilization go. We are very privileged here in America to have a lot of steel, iron stuff that they dont have in other third-world countries across the seas, Carter added. How the F and EF scales compare Lets say you can have an F5 produced out in the planes, not hitting anything, untouched, unharmed, leaving everyone unharmed. Theyre going to call it F5 because it was so big, it had all this cool stuff, Carter explained. In the EF scale, because theres no population, no building structures, none of this, that and whatever, theyre gonna rate it slower, theyre gonna rate it lower. However, the F scale isnt completely gone Even though the EF Scale replaced the F Scale in 2007, some meteorologists and records still use the old system. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I talked to meteorologist Susana Harvard about it, because I was like, I dont understand, like, Why are they still using the F scale, if that retired in 2007, and shes like, Sometimes its just simpler to use that. They put F instead of EF, Katalina shared. We upgraded, but were still using both of those things to grade these tornadoes and understand the damage that theyve caused. Why the Big Countrys seasons barely change & whats behind it The strongest tornado in the Big Country Did you know that in the Big Country, our strongest tornado that ever occurred is the Brown County tornado? Back in 1976, it was an F5. A website called tornado tracks to find the strongest tornado in each county. It was an F5; thats what they rated it as. I guess that makes sense because it was back in 1976, Katalina said. That was actually around the time that the Fuji scale came out. But thankfully, there were no fatalities reported. There were 11 injuries, but the path was 10 and a half miles in length, and it was 440 yards in width. The impact of an EF5 Tornado Katalina recalled seeing the devastation of an EF5 tornado firsthand in 2013 in Moore, Oklahoma. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I remember when it happened. My dad actually took us to Oklahoma to help with the cleanup, Katalina recalled. They brought us and they were like, Hey, look, this is what happens, like destruction, and you can lose everything in an instant. You need to be grateful for everything that you have, because there are families going through this right now. He took us up to Moore just to show us and to help I remember leaving, and I was like, Wow. I couldnt imagine that happening to myself, because it happens to families every severe season. I remember going up there and helping and digging through all the debris, and it was pretty shocking. The most recent EF5 Tornado The most recent EF5 tornado occurred in Enderlin, North Dakota, on June 20, 2025. Estimated winds over 210 miles per hour. The path was about 12 miles long, and it was just over a mile wide. First EF5 since 2013, like we talked about. But again, there was incredible destruction. Youre talking about heavy machinery tossed, farm structures leveled, train cars derailed. All the stuff that you hear in textbooks pretty much happened here in Enderlin. But what also made this case very special is, again, it was upgraded. You dont see that a lot, Carter shared. Through it all, communities come together Switching gears, Carter and Katalina also discussed the recent devastation from Hurricane Melissa, which hit Cuba, Haiti, and Jamaica. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I actually spoke with a couple thats from Burnett, Texas, Katalina said. They went on their honeymoon to Jamaica. They were aware that there was a system coming, but from what I had read myself, Melissa wasnt supposed to become what it became. It was originally a tropical storm They want to stay and help. They were not itching to get back home right away. They were like, if were here, were helping. That just proves that when these catastrophic events happen, people come together and they want to help each other. I think thats like the most important, so seeing that is truly beautiful. Texas newlyweds trapped in Jamaica as Hurricane Melissa makes landfall Dont forget, its time to fall back! Before wrapping up, Katalina shared a quick reminder: Its time for daylight saving time to end. Were falling back. So on November 2, at 2:00 a.m., we are changing our clocks back. So friendly reminder, dont forget! Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTAB - BigCountryHomepage.com. EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) Recipients of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program and federal government employees can take advantage of an El Paso grocery stores customers generous donation that was made amid the government shutdown. Food City announced Friday, Oct. 31 that SNAP recipients and federal government employees could apply to receive a free Food City gift card that can be used for groceries. The help comes after Nicole Roldan, a Food City customer, reached out to the store asking how she could help those impacted by the government shutdown. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I love this community, I love this store, and I know what its like to need help, Roldan said. I wanted to donate to a local grocery store. El Pasoans are generous, and we take care of our own. Melissa Santos, Director of Finance and Marketing for Food City and a member of the third-generation family business, said the store is proud to help its neighbors during tough times. We are so grateful for Ms. Roldans generosity, and Food City will be donating $1,000 towards gift cards for those in need, Santos said. Community is at the heart of everything we do. We are committed to supporting local families and helping one another through difficult moments. Families who rely on SNAP benefits or federal employees affected by the shutdown can apply for assistance at foodcityep.com. Approved applicants will be contacted directly to receive a free gift card. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To ensure the store can help as many people as possible, Food City asks that only one person per household apply. Food City is asking the community to contribute, either by donating spare change at the register or speaking with a manager to make a larger contribution. Weve had over a thousand people apply to get a gift card. We dont have a thousand gift cards to give out, said Santos. Thats how we need the community to help to come to our stores and donate. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTSM 9 News. A Gwinnett County couple lost $7,500 to a fake invoice scheme after completing septic repairs at their Bethlehem home. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] The couple says they received an invoice that appeared legitimate, with correct letterhead and project details, prompting them to wire the money. They then thought that invoice was a real invoice and they made a wire transfer or some kind of deposit of $7,500 thinking they were paying on that septic work, said Cpl. Ryan Winderweedle of the Gwinnett County Police Department. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gwinnett County police have traced the fraudulent transaction to Philadelphia, where 32-year-old Emmanuel Owusu is accused of orchestrating the scheme. TRENDING STORIES: [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] Owusu faces felony charges for theft by deception, computer forgery, and elder abuse, according to the arrest warrant. Threat researcher Willis McDonald explained that criminals often use victims own information against them, making invoices appear authentic. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They know who you send money to, know how to send an invoice to you that looks just like you would get from your normal vendor, McDonald said. Winderweedle advises making an extra phone call to a verified phone number to confirm the legitimacy of invoices. The suspect, Emmanuel Owusu, is not in custody, and police believe there may be more victims of this scheme. Improbably, another Election Day is nearly upon us. And starting around 7 a.m. on Tuesday, voters from Boston to the Berkshires will head to the polls to cast their ballots in races ranging from mayor and city council to school committee and select board. And before someone jumps up and points out that theres nothing remotely improbable about Election Day, that its on the calendar and mandated by law, a quick word before you try to bludgeon me with your yellowed and dog-eared copy of Roberts Rules of Order. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I only say improbably because it feels like we were just voting in the September preliminary elections. And before that, it felt like we had just finished the interminable slog that was the 2024 general election. But we live in the era of the permanent campaign. So here we are again. And while they dont get the headlines like the races for the White House, the U.S. Capitol, or the State House, these municipal races are arguably more consequential because they are the level of government that is closest to the people. After all, these folks are your neighbors. And youre more likely to run into the mayor or a select board member at the Star Market than you are, say, the governor or U.S. senator. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So if you havent already, head to your local middle school, church hall, or VFW to cast your vote in person. (You can find your polling location here.) It remains one of the great privileges and responsibilities of the republic. With that admittedly wordy preamble out of the way, heres a quick look at five races around the state that are worth your attention this Election Day. Boston Mayoral and City Council Unless something extraordinary happens, incumbent Democratic Mayor Michelle Wu, who is running without opposition, is set to win reelection to a second, four-year term on Tuesday night. Wu beat her main challenger, philanthropist Josh Kraft, the son of New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft, by 49% in the September preliminary election. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Days later, Kraft suspended his campaign. And the third- and fourth-place finishers didnt earn enough votes to advance to the general election. Path. Cleared. That means the general election campaign, such as it is, has been as much about what Wu has done as mayor and theres plenty of fodder, from housing policy and affordability to crime and the public health disaster that is Mass and Cass as it is about what shell do in her next term. Challenges abound there, as well. Wu will spend at least two more years contending with the Republican Trump administration, with its hardline immigration policies and demonstrated hostility to large cities run by Democrats. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When you dont have a race, people get cheated. Not cheated because they dont have the opportunity to vote, but cheated because the arguments dont get made, veteran political consultant Michael Goldman told MassLive. How am I going to make an informed decision if the two sides that dont agree dont get a chance to bang at each other and say, This is the truth? That means most of the drama will be in the races for Boston City Council, where at-large seats have the greatest potential to upset the balance of power in city politics. Thats particularly the case in the race for councilors-at-large, in which eight candidates are vying for four seats. An upset could result in more Wu-critical voices in office and potential obstacles for her second term. Ill be looking to see whether [council hopeful] Frank Baker becomes another part of the coalition that agrees they need to keep Wus feet to the fire, or whether ... she gets an easier next four years, Goldman said. Somerville Its a whole new ballgame in Somerville after city voters rejected incumbent Mayor Katjana Ballantyne in the September preliminary election. Its now a race between two members of the City Council, Jake Wilson and Willie Burnley Jr. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The next mayor will take over a city at odds with the federal government. Partnering with nearby Chelsea, Somerville sued the Trump administration in February, seeking to protect funding that the government had threatened to cut over the two cities local laws limiting cooperation with federal immigration enforcement. Voters will also get a chance to weigh in on a ballot question calling on the city government to stop doing business with any companies with ties to Israel over the countrys occupation of Palestine, MassLive previously reported. The residents of Somerville deserve the opportunity to debate and decide on this measure for themselves, Amina Awad, a Palestinian-American city resident, said in a statement. In a democracy, we are owed the right to speak freely about our beliefs without retaliation, or the threat of violence, or intimidation. Fall River With the tragic fire at the Gabriel House assisted living center and the grievous wounding of former mayor Will Flanagan in a stabbing incident, its been a consequential year for the South Coast City. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Incumbent Mayor Paul Coogan and Gabriel Boomer Amaral, the top vote-getters in the September preliminary election, will face each other on Tuesday. Coogan, who is seeking a third term, took office in 2019 after the embattled tenure of Jasiel Correia, the youngest mayor in the citys history, who is now serving a six-year federal prison sentence for wire fraud and extortion. Amaral is a 19-year military veteran and father of six who has previously run for Fall River City Council. Voters also will be asked to choose candidates for the City Council and School Committee. Neither elected body appeared on the preliminary election ballot because there werent enough candidates. Worcester Voters in the central Massachusetts city have no shortage of choices on Election Day as they cast their ballots for City Council, mayor and School Committee. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The election will decide the fate of policies brought before the City Council, such as a soon-to-be-released report from City Manager Eric D. Batista about the creation of a police civilian oversight committee. Voters will also decide if they approve of the city forcing the colleges that call Worcester home to invest some of their endowments. Incumbent Mayor Joseph Petty, whos running for an eighth term, faces challenges from City Council Vice Chairperson Khrystian King and real estate agent Owura-Kwaku Sarkodieh. Questions about taxes, affordability and the citys unhoused population have dominated the campaign for the top spot. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theres a crowded field of candidates for both the City Council at-large seats and there are races for the school committee that are also worth monitoring. Northampton Zooming over to the Pioneer Valley, Northampton Mayor Gina-Louise Sciarra emerged heavily favored to win reelection after the September preliminary election. Sciarra nearly doubled her vote tally on her nearest competitor, Jillian Duclos. The two will face each other on Tuesday. Four candidates, meanwhile, will vie for two at-large seats on the City Council. They are: Deborah Henson, Garrick Perry, Margaret Robbins and Benjamin Spencer. Northampton voters will be casting ballots after a record number of candidates stepped forward. Theyll also be casting their mayoral ballots amid controversies surrounding school funding and a redevelopment plan for the small citys downtown. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement MassLive Reporters Adam Bass, Hadley Barndollar, Will Katcher and Trea Lavery, joined by State Editor Dave Eisenstadter, contributed to this analysis. Read more analysis from John L. Micek Read the original article on MassLive. Add MassLive as a Preferred Source by clicking here. Elon Musk is set to cash in from Donald Trumps bloated, unnecessary Golden Dome project. The billionaire and fascism enthusiasts company SpaceX is getting $2 billion in government funding to develop satellites able to track missiles and aircraft for the project, The Wall Street Journal reports. The funding was earmarked as part of Trumps big, beautiful bill in July, but a contractor was not specified at the time. Trump has been pushing for the project throughout his second term, signing an executive order only days after being sworn into office to back up his campaign promise to build a missile defense system better than Israels Iron Dome. But when he unveiled the Golden Domes initial designs back in April, Trump dodged questions about whether military leaders even want such a system or think it is necessary (they dont). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Plus, the dome may not even work, except to line Musks pockets even further. The tech oligarchs companies already have a ton of government contracts (although his stocks took a massive hit, thanks to Department of Government Efficiency activities). And Trump has taken the hilarious approach of using the Golden Domes supposed appeal to try to convince Canada to become the fifty-first state, claiming it would reap its benefits for ZERO DOLLARS if it became part of the U.S. Trump says that the Golden Dome would cost $175 billion, although analysts think it will cost much more than that. Meanwhile, the SNAP program is on the verge of expiring amid the government shutdown, and the impending end of health care subsidies stands to make medical care too expensive for millions of Americans. Rep. Cecil Brockman,. D-Guilford. (Photo: ncleg.net) Barely an hour after N.C. House leaders took steps toward expelling him from the legislature, Guilford County Rep. Cecil Brockman submitted notice of his resignation. Brockman, 41, was arrested and charged October 8 with multiple felony sex offenses with a minor. Calls for his resignation came quickly from his own Democratic party as well as Republicans. But Brockman, who was initially hospitalized and is now jailed on a $1.05 million bond, has not publicly commented on the charges. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Late Friday afternoon, Republican N.C. House Speaker Destin Hall (R-Caldwell) announced the formation of a bipartisan House Select Committee to Investigate Alleged Misconduct and Other Matters Included in Charges Against Representative Cecil Brockman. A little over an hour later, House Democratic leader Robert Reives (D-Chatham) announced that Brockman had resigned. Reives lauded the move, which will help shore up Democratic defenses against a veto override in that chamber. The allegations against him are serious and made it impossible for him to adequately represent his constituents, Reives said in a news release. Its now up to the Guilford Co. Democratic Party to name a successor to the seat. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hall said Friday that Brockmans decision to resign is the right thing to do for his constituents and for the North Carolina House of Representatives. His departure spares the House from a difficult expulsion process and brings closure to this troubling chapter, Hall posted on X. Leading-edge technologies, such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, and robotics, have made it easier than ever for management to surveil staff members, whether they are aware of it or not. That scenario presents a problem for everyone, including the C-Suite, as the overuse of employee-monitoring tools can lead to serious outcomes for workers, most notably mistrust, privacy concerns, low morale, and an exodus of staff who have had enough. The data backs that sentiment up. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 78% of American companies deploy algorithmic employee monitoring tools. 42% of US workers say theyre being monitored on the job. 61% of "heavily monitored" staffers actively oppose being tracked at work. 35-to-40% of remote workers are more productive when theyre not being tracked. Workplace experts say it matters how employees are being monitored. For example, anxiety rises when staffers are passively tracked, usually with AI-powered digital tools operating quietly when tracking office hours, mobile app activity, or website visits. The pressure eases when team members are monitored actively, with employees fully aware when logging in and out of work. Thats why finding middle ground with staffers is key. Heres how employee tracking applications work Worker tracking software works like a vacuum cleaner, sucking up data that can be studied and used in myriad ways. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Companies deploy employee monitoring software that functions by tracking activities on company devices, collecting data on everything from keystrokes and application usage to network activity and website browsing, said Peter Miscovich, global future of work leader at JLL, an international commercial real estate services and technology company. The employee tracking data is compiled into reports and dashboards, providing managers with insights into productivity and security, and can be leveraged to improve human performance when properly managed. With advanced AI tracking software in play, an employees activity can be tracked from the moment they log onto their company computer or laptop at the start of the workday. The employee tracking software categorizes employee time spent during the workday, identifying work-related versus non-work-related computer applications as the software can track all human-to-computer work-related activity levels, Miscovich noted. Yet employee tracking systems arent all about limiting team members liberties at work. Often, employee tracking software provides managers with performance insights through AI analysis of the employee's daily work patterns, which can help detect burnout risk as well as provide monitoring for potential security threats, Miscovich added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After review, aggregated employee tracking data can then inform human resource people management and influence employee performance reviews. At that point, it can provide long-term work-related operational efficiency and effectiveness recommendations, Miscovich said. Big risks can arise with employee tracking at work Lack of trust with tracking software is a broad issue and highly dependent on whos assessing it. Someone simply might see an employee quickly checking out a social media post on TikTok, said Jan Hendrik von Ahlen, managing director at JobLeads, a global career services platform. Others simply don't believe that people can perform well with freedom and flexibility, which is a sign of a dysfunctional company culture. One major advantage of hardcore employee tracking is gaining, or attempting to gain, control over what everyone is doing at any given time in the company, but that benefit comes at a significant cost. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The disadvantages include complete loss of trust, privacy concerns, lower productivity and morale, and potentially lower staff retention, Hendrik von Ahlen noted. It's also sure to affect work-life balance when working remotely and contribute to a fear-based company culture. Consequently, with two employee tracking buckets involved, its up to management to ensure they prioritize tools that give company leaders a high-level, anonymized view of whats happening across teams. Too often, thats not the case, workplace gurus say. The right way to think about employee tracking is how to use aggregated, privacy-first data to spot issues early and support people before problems get bigger, said David Shim, CEO of Read AI, a productivity and meeting analytics platform. If youre not building trust, youre missing the point. You wont see either adoption or impact, and then fall behind. For employers, the biggest issue with worker monitoring is clarity. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When everyone understands where time is going, teams can prioritize better, spot inefficiencies, and have more fact-based conversations about workload and outcomes, said Jared Brown, CEO at Hubstaff, a remote workforce management solutions firm that helps over 95,000 businesses work with remote teams. This gives context to everything. The downside comes when these tools are implemented without transparency or input from the team. If people dont understand whats being tracked and why, it erodes trust, Brown noted. Transparency isnt optional, its foundational. Companies need to apply these best uses when leveraging employee-tracking tools That transparency should start before you ever turn the tool on. Teams, and not just leadership, should know whats being tracked, how the data is used, and how it benefits them, Brown noted. Browns advice to any company is simple: use tracking data to empower, not police. Share reports openly and talk about what the numbers mean, he said. Encourage employees to view their own data and use it to manage their time and goals. When everyone has the same visibility, accountability becomes shared, not imposed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If company decision makers want to use some form of employee tracking, the best path forward is to be as honest as possible with employees. Clarify why you are doing this, both for yourself and for the team, Hendrik von Ahlen said. Involve the employees early in the implementation process, gather feedback, and be careful about choosing the right software. Also, employers need to differentiate between tools that help people become more productive (e.g., when tracking 'deep work' sessions) and those that make people feel like they are being spied on. Set clear policies, focus on data security, and try to find the right balance, Hendrik von Ahlen added. Remember that your main focus should always be company outcomes and progress rather than people control. ARLINGTON, Va. Sequoia Ross was stunned when she saw the price of groceries during a recent trip to the store. Items ought to be more affordable, said the single mother of four and eighth grade English teacher, who lives in Amelia County, located in Virginias Richmond metropolitan area. And I dont mean through stipends or these little bursts of money, Ross, 48, told Capital B, referring to the $200-$400 tax rebate checks that eligible Virginians received in October. I can spend $200 in 15 minutes. That doesnt last me. It feels like were getting breadcrumbs. Grocery prices, which have been rising as a result of President Donald Trumps tariffs, are one of a number of issues that Virginians are thinking about as they prepare to elect a new governor on Nov. 4 to replace Glenn Youngkin, an ally of the president. Other issues on residents minds include K-12 education, employment, and health care. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Virginias off-year governors races are widely seen as a referendum on the party in power nationally. Nearly every year since 1977, Virginians have elected a governor from the party opposite of the one the president is from. This years race between Democratic candidate Abigail Spanberger, 46, and her Republican rival Winsome Earle-Sears, 61, the states current lieutenant governor will see a woman enter the states Executive Mansion for the first time in Virginias history. Virginias search for a governor comes at a tumultuous time for the state. Its been hit especially hard by the federal government shutdown and the slashing of federal jobs. Black Americans are about 26% of the federal workforce in Virginia, according to the Economic Policy Institute, and account for approximately 18% of the total state population, making Virginia one of the states with the highest Black populations. Virginia is also at the center of the ongoing battle over preserving U.S. history. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced in August that a Confederate statue that had been removed from Arlington National Cemetery in 2023 would be returned, as the administration continues to whitewash Black history. Additionally, Virginia public schools have been targeted for federal cuts over their policies regarding race and gender identity. Sequoia Ross said rising costs are a key consideration in this years Virginia governors race. (Courtesy of Sequoia Ross) We need to focus on how were censoring history, Ross said. We need to have more people who understand that all history needs to be taught, especially in the U.S., because were a nation of diverse cultures. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Spanberger and Earle-Sears have been able to find some common ground in their support for boosting funding for education. But the two candidates are miles apart when it comes to their views on issues such as health care, the size of the federal workforce, and LGBTQ rights; they tend to follow the rules and norms of their respective party. Trump has articulated soft praise of Earle-Sears, but has seemed to stop short of offering a full-throated endorsement. Observers see this years historic contest as an early signal of the competitiveness of the countrys two main political parties in the 2026 midterm elections, as Trump is confronted with low approval ratings and Americans struggle to make ends meet. Whoever wins will be responsible for delivering the stability that residents demand. What residents are saying With the federal government still closed, Katina Moss cant stop thinking about the future of Medicaid her source of health care. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Medicaid, a program thats jointly funded by state and federal authorities to provide health insurance to low-income Americans, is at the center of the shutdown battle. Approximately 20% of Medicaid enrollees are Black, while Black Americans are 14% of the U.S. population. Democrats want a funding measure that will extend expiring Affordable Care Act subsidies and reverse Republicans recent slashing of Medicaid, while Republicans want the government to reopen with a clean bill that wouldnt change spending levels. To Moss, 52, its nerve-racking that access to health care, to the various medical appointments she might need, is so politically vulnerable, and she wants her next governor to fight for this fundamental right. Katina Moss said its troubling that that access to health care has become vulnerable to politics. (Samina Minnicks Photography) Everything, for me, is centered on our basic humanity, Moss, an entrepreneur who was born and raised in Richmond, told Capital B, her 1-year-old grandson playing in the background. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I dont see how there can be a cadre of people who continue to claim that this is the greatest nation in the world, yet they wont use our vast resources to take care of people, she said. That perplexes me. Tavorise Marks who lives in Chester, around 20 miles south of Richmond also was thinking about access to key services as he drove to an appointment with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. Marks, 42, is a disabled U.S. Army veteran and small-business owner who has long been active in his community, including by serving as a member of the local NAACP. He worries about the impact that reducing the size of the federal government is having on people who rely on work done by federal employees. Last year, I could have scheduled an appointment with the VA and it wouldve happened in a few weeks, but this one Im going to right now, I had to schedule it two months ago because of the limited personnel, he told Capital B from his car. The VA is being dramatically impacted [by the resignations and cuts]. VA claims arent getting processed as fast as they used to. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Though Marks has historically voted Democratic, he isnt scared to take the party to task. He filed a lawsuit against the party in 2022, when he was running in a special election for the states 4th Congressional District, over what he saw as an inadequate number of polling sites. He thinks that Earle-Sears would be more popular if she hadnt attached herself to a MAGA agenda. There were a lot of Black voters who were upset about Terry McAuliffe running for a second chance at governorship over two qualified women, Jennifer McClellan and Jennifer Carroll Foy, he said. Either one of those women would have been not only the first female governor of Virginia but also the first Black female governor in the country. A Washington Post-Schar School poll shows that Spanberger, a former CIA officer who was in the U.S. House of Representatives for three terms, has a 12-point lead over Earle-Sears, a U.S. Marines veteran. A poll from the Wason Center at Christopher Newport University shows that Spanbergers momentum is driven partly by Black voter support: 84% to 6%. Sheba Williams, who lives in Richmond, echoed Ross, Moss, and Marks concerns, also highlighting her hope that the next governor grapples with criminal justice in Virginia. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Racial disparities in the criminal legal system afflict the state. Those convicted of felonies who are disproportionately Black are permanently stripped of their right to vote unless they receive a pardon from the governor. Additionally, Black youth are more than 8 times as likely as their white peers to be detained at juvenile facilities, and police officers stop Black drivers at higher rates than white drivers. I dont see how there can be a cadre of people who continue to claim that this is the greatest nation in the world, yet they wont use our vast resources to take care of people. Katina Moss, a Virginia resident These racial realities have a major impact on Black residents lives, said Williams, 45, who founded Nolef Turns, a criminal justice-focused nonprofit organization, because of the many friends and family members she has who have been affected by the system. Our mission initially was to help people get jobs, not even careers, just jobs, but then we realized that there are like 46,000 collateral consequences [of being incarcerated], she told Capital B. You cant just help people with jobs. You got to help people with health care and behavioral health and food and clothes and interview skills and housing and expungement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Williams was dismayed that criminal justice didnt receive more attention at the one and only governors debate. The matchup, which took place at Norfolk State University this month, was marked by interruptions from Earle-Sears. She frequently asked her opponent about violent 2022 text messages from Jay Jones, the Democratic nominee for attorney general of Virginia. Spanberger condemned the texts as abhorrent. While the controversy has been a centerpiece of Republican campaign ads, it hasnt appeared to erode the Democrats support among voters. To be clear, I dont agree with what he said. Its no different from what we hear, day to day, from the top [of the Trump administration], Williams said. But its frustrating that that is the focal point when were talking about peoples real lives. [Text messages] shouldnt be the focus. Were in survival mode right now. What the candidates are saying Spanberger has filled the airwaves and mailboxes with ads that tie Earle-Sears, the first Black woman to hold a statewide office in Virginia, to Trumps actions in an array of areas, including education policy, which has long occupied a central position in the states politics. Virginia is the home of Massive Resistance, a set of anti-integration laws that the state adopted in response to the 1954 Brown v. Board of Education decision. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Republican Winsome Earle-Sears does whats best for Donald Trump, reads one mailer. It goes on to say that Earle-Sears agrees with Trump on defunding our public schools, shutting down the Department of Education, and attacking diversity programs, public universities, and HBCUs. Spanberger, the mother of three daughters who attend public schools, told Capital B that, as governor, she would strive for inclusive leadership at a moment when the current administration appears to be targeting vulnerable communities, including by withholding resources from schools that embrace diversity. Strengthening our public schools, in some communities thats actually making sure that there arent bricks crumbling down from the walls, she said. And in some communities, that means making sure that theres enough support staff to contend with the special needs of a community, whether its a high number of English language learners or a large community of students who need IEPs [Individualized Education Programs] or 504 plans. In addition to education, Spanberger has underscored her stances on health care including access to reproductive care and LGBTQ rights. At the governors debate, she said that she supports a state constitutional amendment that would enshrine abortion rights because in states where they further restricted abortion access, women have died. She backs a proposed state constitutional amendment that would enshrine same-sex marriage protections. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Spanberger also has emphasized the importance of lowering the cost of living and pushing back against the administrations effort to overhaul the federal workforce, a move that has had an outsized impact on Virginia. All eyes are on Virginia, because were possibly flipping a governors seat, she told Capital B. Im doing everything possible to get out every voter, to make every person across the state who feels the heaviness of this moment whether thats the pain of the government shutdown or the pain of DOGE [Department of Government Efficiency] efforts know that a part of rejecting this assault on Virginia could come down to how we vote in November, and we can set an example for the rest of the country. Earle-Sears is leaning into some of these issues, too, but shes doing so by taking a page from her partys recent playbook. Spanberger is for they/them, not for us, goes an Earle-Sears ad that portrays her rivals support for LGBTQ rights as a threat to straight people. Its the same messaging that Earle-Sears party used in the 2024 presidential election against former Vice President Kamala Harris. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This year, Earle-Sears attached a handwritten note to a bill barring officials from engaging in discrimination against same-sex couples. I remain morally opposed to the content of this bill passed by the General Assembly, she wrote. She struck a similar tone during the debate, saying that opposing same-sex marriage and firing someone because of their sexual identity isnt discriminatory. Earle-Sears position on education has some overlap with Spanbergers. The lieutenant governor, like her opponent, has said that she wants to increase funding for teachers and education broadly. But a critical difference between the two candidates is that Earle-Sears favors Trumps efforts to eliminate diversity initiatives in higher education just as she supports scaling back the U.S. Department of Education and other federal agencies while Spanberger doesnt. The lieutenant governors campaign team has not responded to multiple interview requests from Capital B. While polling shows that Earle-Sears trails Spanberger, theres much greater uncertainty in the attorney generals race between Jones and his Republican opponent, incumbent state Attorney General Jason Miyares. The last time that Virginia had a governor and attorney general from different parties was when Tim Kaine was in office from 2006 to 2010. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ross, the teacher, said that Virginians are desperate for someone who will use their voice for those who dont have one or who might be too afraid to speak out because of the political climate. We need someone who can get some things passed, who has made the right connections with the right people, she said. We need someone to be the face of all Virginians especially those who are really feeling the pinch. The post Employment and Health Care Take Center Stage in Virginia Governors Race appeared first on Capital B News. A vacant hospital in northeast Detroit that went to auction over the summer may have a familiar new owner. City assessment records indicate that ownership of the vacant campus that was once Holy Cross Hospital, situated 4777 East Outer Drive and less than a mile south of Eight Mile, changed hands Aug. 11, or more than a month after a late June online auction that a mystery bidder apparently won for $1.25 million. The closed Conner Creek Health Center on Outer drive in Detroit, formerly a hospital, which is going to online public auction early next week, photographed Friday, June 20, 2025. The assessment records identify the new owner as Crown Enterprises, which is the Moroun family's commercial real estate firm. However, there have been no recent deed recordings for any sale. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The assessment records do not give a price for the sale. More: Empty Detroit hospital building heading to auction Crown Enterprises representatives have not responded to Free Press inquiries about the reported sale or the firm's plans for the 13.4-acre property. The property was in receivership at the time of the June 26 auction. The receiver, Farmington Hills-based M. Shapiro Real Estate Group, also did not respond to inquiries about the auction's outcome. The hospital structure dates to 1946 and was originally Holy Cross Hospital, later becoming St. John NorthEast Hospital in the mid-1990s and last operating in recent years as the Conner Creek Health Center. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The health center's owner filed for bankruptcy in September 2023. Contact JC Reindl: 313-378-5460 or jcreindl@freepress.com. Follow him on X @jcreindl This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Former Holy Cross Hospital in Detroit now owned by Crown Enterprises AP Photo/Richard Drew Former Harvard Law School professor and Jeffrey Epstein associate Alan Dershowitz declared Canada an enemy this week during a pro-Israel event in New York. We have to understand who our enemies are. And our enemy now is Canada, Dershowitz told Canadas National Post newspaper during the Rage Against Hate conference at New Yorks Museum of Jewish Heritage. Dershowitz reportedly told the newspaper that Canada had made itself an enemy due to its recognition of a nonexistent entity a reference to Canadas recent recognition of the State of Palestine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dershowitz who recently made headlines over his feud with a Marthas Vineyard pierogi vendor also accused Canada of not doing enough to combat antisemitism and said he was in favour of Trump putting tariffs on Canada for its statements regarding Israel and Netanyahu, and even sanctions perhaps. Responding to Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carneys pledge to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu who is wanted by the International Criminal Court should he ever set foot on Canadian soil, Dershowitz warned that should such a thing ever happen, he would go after everybody involved. I will come up to Canada. I will defend Netanyahu, and I will go after everybody who has tried to arrest him, Dershowitz threatened. Carney officially recognized the State of Palestine in a statement last month, accusing Netanyahus government of working methodically to prevent the prospect of a Palestinian state from ever being established. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It has pursued an unrelenting policy of settlement expansion in the West Bank, which is illegal under international law, wrote Carney. Its sustained assault in Gaza has killed tens of thousands of civilians, displaced well over one million people, and caused a devastating and preventable famine in violation of international law. It is now the avowed policy of the current Israeli government that there will be no Palestinian state. He concluded, It is in this context that Canada recognises the State of Palestine and offers our partnership in building the promise of a peaceful future for both the State of Palestine and the State of Israel. The post Our Enemy Now is Canada: Alan Dershowitz Calls for Sanctions Against Neighbor Over Israel Policy first appeared on Mediaite. The race for two seats on the obscure board that regulates Georgias utilities is drawing national attention and could have major implications both for electricity affordability and one of the biggest planned fossil-fuel buildouts in the nation. Next Tuesday, Georgia voters will choose whether to keep the states five-person Public Service Commission as it is, or elevate two outsiders to shake up the status quo. Historically, PSC races have drawn a very small number of voters, but turnout in Georgia may be higher than usual this year. For one, legal issues have postponed the states PSC elections since 2022. The bigger driver, however, could be an issue that is rising in political salience around the country: Electricity is getting way too expensive. Thats particularly true for the 2.8 million customers of the states major utility, Georgia Power, for whom costs have ballooned in recent years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Utility bills in Georgia are literally on the ballot, said Charles Hua, executive director of consumer-education nonprofit PowerLines, during an October webinar. The race comes as Georgia Power faces fervent criticism over its plan to spend billions of dollars building new natural-gas power plants. Energy experts, consumer advocates, and climate activists have pressed the utility to instead prioritize solar and battery storage, which they argue is not only better for the planet but for consumers wallets, too. Its a criticism that has been echoed by both of the Democratic challengers up for election next week. Of particular note, however, is the pushback from the candidate Peter Hubbard, a 13-year energy-industry veteran with expertise in complex grid and power-resource modeling. Hubbard has personally run the numbers to back up the claims from himself and others that Georgia Power can meet its growing energy needs with clean energy, rather than gas. If elected, Hubbard, who runs the one-person policy modeling shop Georgia Center for Energy Solutions, said hed push Georgia Power to consider these cleaner, cheaper options and press the commission to be more proactive in shaping the utilitys plans. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Were always reacting to what Georgia Power is putting in front of us, he said. But theres no reason why commissioners cant drive the agenda and put something in front of them instead. Alicia Johnson, who is running as a Democrat for the other PSC seat, has also called for more clean energy and more active oversight from the PSC to combat rising costs, particularly for disadvantaged households. Johnson is a healthcare-focused consultant and community advocate and is challenging Commissioner Tim Echols, a Republican who was first elected in 2010. Hubbard is up against Fitz Johnson, a U.S. Army veteran and businessman who was appointed to his seat in 2021 by Gov. Brian Kemp, a Republican. Kemp has thrown his financial and political support behind Johnson and Echols. My opponent wants to take away your coal. He wants to take away your natural gas, Fitz Johnson said during an October campaign event covered by the Macon Telegraph newspaper. He wants to bring in this Green New Deal energy policy that they have in California. And I already told them, dont California my Georgia. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fitz Johnson has promoted round-the-clock power from large-scale plants as the key to Georgias economic prosperity; in a recent Facebook post, he framed voters choice as one between affordable, reliable energy vs. costly climate mandates and rolling blackouts. Fitz Johnson did not respond to Canary Medias requests for comment. Taking on the utility and the rest of the PSC For the average household served by Georgia Power, monthly electricity bills are now a whopping $43 more than they were two years ago, according to data from the Southern Environmental Law Center. There are several reasons for this rise, but the big two are massive cost overruns for construction of the utilitys nuclear reactors at Plant Vogtle and Russias invasion of Ukraine, which caused a spike in the price of gas that Georgia Power passed on to its consumers. The current PSC signed off on both of those rate hikes. Now, Hubbard and a growing chorus of energy experts, climate activists, and consumer advocates are worried that will happen again with Georgia Powers push to expand its gas fleet. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In July, the utility presented a new plan to the commission calling for the addition of 10 gigawatts of capacity by 2031 to its current portfolio of 14.7 gigawatts. About 60% of the infrastructure the company hopes to construct would be gas-fired power, while the remainder would be batteries. Georgia Powers justification for the massive buildout is a projected surge in electricity demand an expectation based almost entirely on forecast growth in data-center construction. Rick Anderson, senior vice president and senior production officer for Georgia Power, said in a statement that the plan will help us meet the needs of a growing Georgia with reliable and resilient energy while delivering long-term value for all of our customers. But Hubbard and others say the utility might be significantly underestimating the price tag of building and fueling new gas-fired plants. Though Georgia Power says the buildout would cost $15.7 billion, Hubbard said the true total may reach north of $20 billion, once taxes and potential cost overruns that could be added in under construction-work-in-progress provisions are bundled in. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hubbard is also concerned that the data centers underpinning Georgia Powers expansion plan may fail to materialize. If the AI bubble bursts and those facilities are never built, or if developers simply choose to build in another state, customers would be stuck with even higher utility bills to pay for assets they dont need. A Georgia Power spokesperson told Canary Media that the utility has options to contain cost impacts on its customers if its power-demand forecasts turn out to be too high; for example, it could delay or cancel construction or sell capacity on the wholesale market. Nothing about the Companys current request binds the Commissions hands on taking actions to re-examine a certificate if forecasted needs were to change, the spokesperson said in a September email. But Hubbard worries that these kinds of remedial actions wont be effective. Once the utility starts ordering power turbines, expanding gas-pipeline capacity, and taking on other construction costs, you cant unring the bell, he said. The best way to prevent that is to not make the mistake in the first place. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To be clear, its not certain that Hubbard or his fellow Democratic challenger in next weeks election will have the power to make major changes at the commission. If she and Hubbard win seats on the commission, theyd have to convince at least one of the three Republicans to side with them in any decision. Hubbard conceded that his pro-environmental stances have put him at odds with current commissioners. Hes on the record opposing the commissions decisions this year on Georgia Powers integrated resource plan and on a temporary rate freeze that critics say obscures the looming costs that customers may end up paying for the utilitys fossil-fuel-heavy resource mix. Hubbard has also blasted the regulatory group for being too in step with the utility. Frankly, the five Republican commissioners on the commission take their cues from Georgia Power, he said. Hes not alone in that viewpoint. Robert Baker, a Republican PSC commissioner from 1993 to 2011, told Canary Media in September that he thinks the current commission has failed to sufficiently push back on the utility's plans. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Youre dealing with a commission that basically rubber-stamps everything that comes its way from Georgia Power, he said. That makes it very difficult for people who have a differing opinion about what should happen, or how it should happen, to have serious input into the process. Even if it is an uphill battle, Hubbard said that if elected, hed at least have the bully pulpit to raise visibility for his concerns and push for better regulation. The case for solar and batteries in Georgia Right now, big solar farms are the cheapest, fastest way to add new electrons to the grid and Georgia is one of the top states for growth of the renewable energy resource. Meanwhile, gas turbines are in very short supply, with current estimates of backlogs for new gas-power plants stretching into the early 2030s. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That's why Georgia Power's proposal to focus on building out fossil-fueled infrastructure defies logic, Hubbard said. Georgia Power has put a thumb on the scale against solar over the past half-decade or so, Hubbard said. The reason, he believes, is that the PSC has mandated that most of the utilitys solar expansion be built by third-party developers rather than Georgia Power itself. But these third-party resources are less lucrative to vertically integrated utilities like Georgia Power, which earn a guaranteed profit on the projects they build and operate. In recent years, the utility has delayed and rejected solar procurements under competitive structures. Nearly 18 gigawatts of solar and battery projects from outside developers are now seeking to interconnect in Georgia, as Hubbard noted in May testimony to the commission a pool of resources that could be brought online to meet the load growth the utility is facing. Georgia Power has pointed to challenges in expanding its power grid to allow these projects to interconnect. Similar grid bottlenecks are holding back new solar, wind, and battery projects across the country. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But Hubbard said the commission could push the utility to find less congested parts of its grid where solar and battery projects could be fast-tracked. In fact, hes familiar with the Georgia Power maps that can reveal such sweet spots, due to his work as a grid expert for solar developers in the state. This could tell you whether developing a solar and battery plant here could bear far higher costs than developing it at this other location, he said. What often kills a project are the interconnection costs and those arent known until you go through the whole interconnection study process. Georgia Power has insisted that its chosen mix of resources is the best way to reliably provide enough power to meet customer needs. Hubbard conceded that his own modeling lacks the in-depth, confidential data required to say with complete certainty that his preferred solar- and battery-heavy portfolio would be better. But as a commissioner, hed be able to access the underlying data to determine the exact mix of clean power versus fossil gas that would be most cost-effective. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Im going to tread carefully on all this, he said. Once I have access to all that information, Im not sure what Ill find. But I want to do it. Disclosure: Charles Hua is a member of Canary Medias board of directors. The board has no influence over Canary Medias reporting. NEED TO KNOW Researchers have released a study stating that New England lobsters are being overfished, amid several years of declining population The Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission said that lobster stock has declined by 34% since 2018 Overfishing and population decline is mostly occurring off the coasts of Maine and Massachusetts As New England's lobster population continues to decline, researchers have released a study stating that the animals are being overfished. On Thursday, Oct. 30, the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, which regulates the fishing industries in New England states, said that lobster stock has declined by 34% since 2018 in significant geographic areas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Per the Associated Press, the lobster population has shown "rapid declines in abundance in recent years," while the seafood product was worth over $700 million in 2024. The commission's report said that the overfishing and population decline was occurring off the coasts of Maine and Massachusetts, as well as in southern New England, following a record number of lobsters caught over the past decade. JOSEPH PREZIOSO/AFP via Getty The commission's report said that the overfishing and population decline was occurring off the coasts of Maine and Massachusetts The commission's report said that the overfishing and population decline was occurring off the coasts of Maine and Massachusetts According to the AP, regulations could try to enforce new rules on fishermen amid these new, but they met be met with resistance as they have in the past. Fishing regulation agencies had planned to increase the minimal harvest size for lobsters in notable fishing spots this summer. This rule would require fishermen to throw back lobsters if they aren't the right size even if they could have been sold in previous years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The proposed rule was quickly thrown out after protests from fishermen, who argued that the rules could impact their livelihood. 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. Speaking with the AP, Patrice McCarron, the executive director of the Maine Lobstermen's Association, said that fishermen in the region are still committed to protecting the local lobster population. "Even as the resource adjusts from record highs, lobstermen remain deeply committed to stewardship, sustainable practices, and to protecting the fishery that sustains thousands of Maine families," McCarron told the outlet. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Carl Wilson, the commissioner for Maine's Department of Marine Resources said that the state where much of the region's lobster fishing takes place is continuing to monitor the lobster population to ensure the "future of the fishery." Maine "will continue to engage industry in discussions about the stock assessment and the future of the fishery," Wilson said, adding that he's "confident in the commitment of this industry to conservation of this resource." According to the NOAA Fisheries, the American lobster species is found from Maine to North Carolina's Cape Hatteras. Fishermen typically use pots and traps to catch the seafood, but others use gillnets and trawls and some divers even catch them by hand. American lobsters are identified by their 10 legs, including two large, strong claws, and can appear in a range of colors including the well-known red-orange as well as olive-green or greenish-brown. Males have large, more rigid swimmerets on their underside, while female lobsters have smaller, more rounded edges. These crustaceans can weigh as much as 44 pounds and can live to up to 100 years. The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now! Read the original article on People NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) Many homeschool families enjoy the flexibility and convenience of learning at home but still want the social aspect and varied class offerings of traditional school. Thats where enrichment programs called tutorials come in. One such program, held at a church in Madison, serves 350 students from Pre-K through 12th grade. Students attend the Center for Homeschool Enrichment and Tutorial (CHET) two days a week. Our job is to partner with the parents and the families alongside them to fill in the gaps in the home school, explained CHET executive director Hannah Herndon. Were kind of a la carte, so you can pick your complete schedule, what works for you and what works for your family. Thats (always) kind of set us apart. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement CHET has been serving Middle Tennessee families for more than 20 years as a supplement to their studies at home. Tigers football team provides athletic, faith development for homeschool athletes They get to be around students and to be around teachers that are going to hold them accountable. They have to still come in, sit in a class, turn in their homework. We host a lot of events. We host dances, we host formal, we have the science fair, Herndon said. Herndon said CHET offers classes that can be challenging for parents to teach, such as advanced science and math. There are also plenty of creative offerings, including culinary arts, sign language and clogging. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This school is big on fine arts. We started a rock band this year, which has already been really successful and really cool, Herndon said. This year we offered forensics for both middle school and high school, and thats been a huge hit. Our teacher went to college for forensics, so she knew a lot about it, and she was able to bring in hands-on stuff in our classroom, so that they can learn something thats usually not offered in schools. Herndon homeschools her five children and they also attend CHET. She said alongside academic enrichment, community is one of the most important aspects of a program like this for socialization and support. Educational freedom prompts more families to choose homeschooling You have that backup and they you come alongside each other and support each other, so that does help a lot to have something like CHET, Herndon said. Were very blessed to have this; my kids thrive because they get the best of both worlds, and I love that. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement CHET has 90 new students this year and a waitlist. To find out about applying for next school year, visit their website: https://www.chettn.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 WKRN News 2. > < 22:52 Pak arrested fisherman who was 'spying' for India: Minister Pakistan's Information Minister Attaullah Tarar on Saturday claimed that a fisherman from the country has been arrested for allegedly spying for India.Addressing a press conference in Islamabad, Tarar said Ijaz Mallah, who fished on the high seas, was forced to procure military uniforms,... Read more > 20:19 Read Nehru-Patel correspondence: Kharge counters Modi Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge countered Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday over his claim that Jawaharlal Nehru was not in favour of Kashmir's accession to India and challenged him to read the correspondence between Nehru and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on the issue, and review the... Read more > 20:10 RSS leader reacts to Kharge's 'ban' demand Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh general secretary Dattatreya Hosabale on Saturday said the organisation can not be banned just because somebody wishes so, and those making such a demand should learn from past experiences. Speaking to reporters after the conclusion of a three-day all-India... Read more > 20:03 Andhra temple tragedy: CM Naidu orders full inquiry Expressing grief over the stampede at Sri Venkateswara Swamy temple at Kasibugga that claimed nine lives, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu on Saturday announced that a full-fledged inquiry would be conducted into the incident.Addressing a gathering in Sri Sathya Sai district,... Read more > 19:30 Delhi's air quality slips into 'very poor' category Delhi's air quality worsened on Saturday, slipping into the 'very poor' category, with an overall Air Quality Index (AQI) reading of 303 compared to 218 recorded the day before. According to the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB), the city's average Air Quality Index stood at 303... Read more > 19:28 Over 100 detained at Bengaluru rave party Over 100 people were detained after police on Saturday raided a farmhouse on the outskirts of Bengaluru, where a suspected rave party was underway, police said. Acting on a tip-off, a team from the Kaggalipura police station, led by Superintendent of Police of Bengaluru South district,... Read more > 19:19 Trains halted to ensure safe passage for herd of 22 elephants Movement of about a dozen long-distance express trains was temporarily halted on Saturday to ensure safe passage to a herd of 22 wild elephants under the Chakradharpur division of South Eastern Railway, an official said.The railway officials acted promptly after field officials reported movement... Read more > 18:54 Belagavi will never go to Maharashtra: Siddaramaiah Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday asserted that Belagavi is an integral part of Karnataka and will never be allowed to merge with Maharashtra.The Chief Minister also said that Mahajan Committee report on the Karnataka-Maharashtra border dispute is final.There will be no compromise... Read more > 18:48 Rajasthan Police warns against fake wedding invite links With the onset of wedding season in Rajasthan, the state police has cautioned people against falling prey to cyber criminals circulating fake e-invitation links that can steal personal and financial information from mobile phones. DIG (Cyber Crime) Vikas Sharma said on Saturday that... Read more > 18:13 Cong slams govt over India's exit from Tajikistan airbase Representative image The Congress on Saturday said India wrapping up its operation at Tajikistan's Ayni airbase is yet another setback for the country's strategic diplomacy. In a post on X, Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said India established its Ayni air force base in... Read more > 17:56 Ex-Sabarimala executive officer arrested in temple gold theft case The SIT probing the alleged disappearance of gold from the Sabarimala temple has arrested former executive officer Sudheesh Kumar, officials said on Saturday.Kumar, who served as the executive officer of the hill shrine in 2019, was arrested after being questioned at the Crime Branch office in... Read more > 17:55 3 major temple tragedies kill 22 across Andhra in 2025 Nine people lost their lives in Venkateswara temple disaster As many as 22 people died and nearly 100 were injured in three major temple tragedies in Andhra Pradesh in 2025, with the Kasibugga temple mishap on Saturday being the latest. The Venkateswara temple disaster at Kasibugga town in Srikakulam district on Saturday claimed nine lives and... Read more > 17:29 Diwali 'cheers' turn sour as Delhi man loses Rs 1.72 lakh in cyber fraud What began as a festive plan to gift champagne for Diwali ended in fizzled spirits after a Delhi man was duped of Rs 1.72 lakh by cyber frauds, allegedly posing as an online liquor store. According to an FIR lodged on October 24 at the Cyber Police Station in Central Delhi, the... Read more > 17:09 IndiGo Jeddah-Hyderabad flight gets 'human bomb' threat The Rajiv Gandhi International (RGIA) Airport in Hyderabad received a threat email on Saturday claiming that there was a human bomb onboard a flight (IndiGo) from Jeddah to Hyderabad, following which the aircraft was diverted to Mumbai where it landed safely, police said.The airport authorities... Read more > 16:58 Give up 'failed path': Surrendered Naxal Bhupathi to comrades Top Naxalite Mallojula Venugopal Rao alias Bhupathi, who surrendered to Gadchiroli police on October 14, urged his active comrades to lay down arms and join the mainstream to work among the masses. His video appeal was part of a press release issued on Saturday by Gadchiroli police. In... Read more > 16:15 Engage with Hinduism: American Hindu group to VP Vance An American Hindu organisation asked Vice President J D Vance to engage with Hinduism after he said that his wife, Usha, encouraged him to re-engage with his faith. Vance is facing criticism over his comments regarding his interfaith marriage after saying he eventually hopes that... Read more > 16:12 Rs 2,000 notes worth Rs 5,817 cr still in circulation: RBI The high-value Rs 2,000 notes worth Rs 5,817 crore are still in circulation, according to the Reserve Bank data released on Saturday. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) had announced the withdrawal of Rs 2,000 denomination banknotes from circulation on May 19, 2023. Rs 2,000... Read more > 15:55 Man kills co-worker after quarrel over light A 41-year-old man was killed allegedly by his co-worker after a quarrel over switching off a light at a rented office in Bengaluru in the small hours of Saturday, police said. The deceased was identified as Bheemesh Babu, a native of Chitradurga district, they said. The incident... Read more > 15:50 After bathing in Ganga I became vegetarianism: VP Vice President CP Radhakrishnan has shared that during his first visit to Kashi 25 years ago, he was a non-vegetarian. However, after bathing in the Ganga river, he felt a significant change in himself and adopted vegetarianism.Radhakrishnan, along with Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi... Read more > 15:45 English, Hindi are weakening talent of our children: Siddaramaiah Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday accused the Centre of neglecting Kannada and imposing Hindi.He also called upon people of the state to oppose those who are 'anti-Kannada'.The federal government is meting out step-motherly treatment to Karnataka, Siddaramaiah said during his... Read more > 15:31 MVA-MNS hold rally over 'voter list irregularities' The Maha Vikas Aghadi comprising the Congress, Shiv Sena-UBT and NCP-SP along with Maharashtra Navnirman Sena on Saturday held a protest march against alleged irregularities in the voters list, which the Opposition has been claiming were helping the ruling BJP. The 'Satyacha Morcha'... Read more > 14:36 Modi inaugurates new Chhattisgarh assembly, unveils Vajpayee statue Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday inaugurated the new building of the Chhattisgarh legislative assembly in Nava Raipur Atal Nagar here.Prior to that, the PM also unveiled a statue of former prime minister late Atal Bihari Vajpayee on the premises of the newly-built assembly... Read more > 14:17 Sent message to Pak that we are not like them: Army chief Army Chief Gen Upendra Dwivedi on Saturday said India fought with the combined strength of principles and technology during Operation Sindoor and did not target civilians or military installations in Pakistan. Speaking to reporters in Madhya Pradesh's Rewa district, Gen Dwivedi asserted that... Read more > 14:13 'Rename Delhi as Indraprastha': BJP MP writes to Shah BJP MP Praveen Khandelwal on Saturday wrote to Union home minister Amit Shah, urging the government to rename Delhi as Indraprastha to restore its ancient identity and cultural heritage. In the letter, he said Delhi holds a special place among the ancient cultural centres of India.... Read more > 14:03 ISRO set to launch heaviest communication satellite ISRO's over 4,000 kg communication satellite CMS-03 is all set to be launched from this space port on Sunday.The satellite, weighing about 4,410 kg will be the heaviest to be launched from the Indian soil and into a Geosynchronous Transfer Orbit (GTO), the space agency said. The satellite will... Read more > 13:57 Veteran actor Dharmendra hospitalised Veteran actor Dharmendra has been admitted to a hospital in Mumbai for a routine health check-up, a family insider said on Saturday. The 89-year-old actor was admitted to the Breach Candy hospital in south Mumbai earlier this week.He went to the hospital on Thursday. Since the results would... Read more > 13:49 EC begins training booth-level officers for SIR in West Bengal The Election Commission on Saturday began a training programme for booth-level officers (BLOs) in West Bengal for the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.The training programme, being held in various districts, would be completed by November 3, with the SIR process scheduled to... Read more > 13:41 Over 50 students hospitalised in Telangana after eating dinner Representative image As many as 52 students of a state-run welfare hostel for Boys in Jogulamba Gadwal district of Telangana were hospitalised with complaints of vomiting and stomach-ache after consuming dinner on Friday night, officials said.The students of the hostel located in Dharmavaram, Itikyala mandal, were... Read more > 13:37 7 killed in stampede at Andhra Pradesh temple UPDATE: At least seven people were killed and two others injured at a temple stampede in Andhra Pradesh's Srikakulam district on Saturday, said a police official. The stampede occurred at Venkateswara temple in Kasibugga at around 11.30 am, and Seven persons died and two others were injured,... Read more > 12:59 Stampede at Andhra Pradesh temple, casualties feared Representative image Multiple casualties are feared at a temple stampede in Andhra Pradesh's Srikakulam district on Saturday.Reacting to the incident, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu, in a post on X said, The stampede at Kasibugga Venkateswara temple in Srikakulam district anguished me. It is very... Read more > 12:05 Godrej To Acquire Muuchstac For Rs 449 Cr Godrej Consumer Products Ltd (GCPL) has signed a definitive agreement to acquire the FMCG business under the 'Muuchstac' brand via a slump sale from Trilogy Solutions for approximately Rs 449 crore as it aims to drive profitable growth.The deal will be done in two tranches and is an all-cash... Read more > 11:59 Uber Sees Record Demand For Courier Services Uber reported record demand for its Uber Courier and Courier XL services this festival season, showcasing the ride-hailing giant growing foothold in the Indian delivery market.The services are currently available in 25 cities, and the firm said they will be launched in 10 new cities in 2026, in... Read more > 11:26 Delhi bans entry of goods vehicles below BS-IV norms The transport department and traffic police teams were deployed at the national capital's borders on Saturday as the ban on the entry of all non-Delhi registered commercial goods vehicles compliant with BS-III or lower emission standards came into force in the city. The transport department,... Read more > 11:22 DRI officers seize 4.7 kg cocaine worth Rs 47 cr at Mumbai airport Directorate of Revenue Intelligence officers have seized 4.7 kg of cocaine worth about Rs 47 crore from a female passenger arriving from Colombo at the Mumbai airport and arrested five persons, the finance ministry said on Saturday. In a statement the ministry said DRI officers intercepted... Read more > 11:12 NCBC flags Kerala's OBC quota for Muslims, Christians NCBC chairman Hans Raj Ahir The National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC) has questioned the Kerala government's move to grant OBC reservation to Muslims and Christians, terming it a case of religious reservation for political gain. NCBC chairman Hans Raj Ahir claimed on Friday that the southern state has failed... Read more > 10:45 Kerala free of extreme poverty: CM Pinarayi Vijayan Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Saturday declared in the assembly that the state was free of extreme poverty.Vijayan made the announcement in a special session of the House convened on the occasion of Kerala 'Piravi' or formation day.The Congress-led UDF opposition termed as pure fraud... Read more > 10:26 Sidda orders ban on plastic bottles, use of Nandini products in govt events Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has instructed all government departments to strictly adopt eco-friendly practices by replacing plastic water bottles with sustainable alternatives in offices and official events across the state. In a note issued on October 28, which was released to the... Read more > 10:10 e2W Market: Bajaj Auto Pips TVS In October Bajaj Auto has climbed to the top spot in the electric two wheeler (e2W) market in October for the first time this financial year (FY26). It has grabbed a 21.9 percent share of the market with the registration of 29,567 vehicles as on October 31. Bajaj has displaced TVS, which has been... Read more > 09:57 Last rites of hostage-taker Rohit Arya performed in Pune RA studio at Powai, where Rohit Arya held several children hostage/ANI Photo The last rites of Rohit Arya, who was gunned down by the Mumbai police after he took 19 people hostage, were performed in Pune in the early hours of Saturday. The 50-year-old had held 17 children, between the ages of 10 and 12, hostage at a studio in Mumbai's Powai area on Thursday. The... Read more > 09:45 Fadnavis orders SIT to probe death of woman doctor Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has ordered the setting up of a Special Investigation Team to probe the suicide of a woman doctor in Satara district last week, an official said on Friday. The doctor, hailing from Beed district of central Maharashtra, was found hanging in a hotel... Read more > 09:25 PMO Nudged CIL To Invest In Australia Coal India Ltd (CIL) is intensifying its diversification beyond coal, and is pushing ahead with plans to invest in overseas critical mineral assets, outgoing chairman and managing director P M Prasad said.He called the move a game changer' for the State-run miner.Many companies worldwide are... Read more > 09:15 Jharkhand court acquits BJP leader in 2014 poll code breach case An MP-MLA court on Friday acquitted Bharatiya Janata Party leader Manoj Singh in a 2014 case of election code violation in Jharkhand's Palamu district. Chief Judicial Magistrate Manoranjan Kumar acquitted the BJP general secretary due to lack of evidence. Singh was the BJP candidate... Read more > 08:54 Narayana Health Buys UK hospital In Rs 2,200 Cr Deal A view of the Narayana General Hospital/Courtesy Narayana website Bengaluru-headquartered Narayana Health has made its first major overseas push, acquiring the UK's Practice Plus Group Hospitals in a Rs 2,200-crore (188.78 million) deal, gaining a network of 12 specialty surgical centres.The acquisition marks the Indian hospital chain's entry into the British... Read more > 08:35 Fiscal Deficit In H1 36.5% Of Full-Year Target Illustration: Dominic Xavier/Rediff.com The Centre's fiscal deficit for the first half (April-September) of 2025-26 (H1FY26) stood at 36.5 percent of the full-year target, despite muted growth in tax revenues and a sharp uptick in devolution to states.During the same period last year, the fiscal deficit was 29.4 percent of the... Read more > 08:19 IMD Predicts Cooler Days, Warmer Nights In Nov File image Large parts of India are likely to experience below-normal daytime temperatures but warmer-than-usual nights in November, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Friday.At an online press conference, IMD Director General Mrutyunjay Mohapatra said that below-normal maximum temperatures... Read more > 08:13 Suspected Lashkar activist shot dead in Pak's Punjab File image A 28-year-old man believed to be an activist of the banned terror outfit Lashkar-e-Tayiba was shot dead in Punjab province of Pakistan on Friday. The Punjab police, however, claimed that he had no links with the LeT. The murder incident took place at Kot Radha Kishan, Kasur district of... Read more > 00:10 Dular Chand death: 2 arrested, autopsy shows gunshot wound not fatal A day after gangster-turned-politician Dular Chand Yadav was 'killed' while campaigning in Patna's Mokama area, police on Friday registered three FIRs to probe the incident.Anant Singh, Janata Dal-United candidate from Mokama and a local strongman, has been named as an accused along with four... Read more > Many of the famous and powerful people who have long sought to publicly downplay their connections to Jeffrey Epstein in fact had more involved relationships than they've acknowledged, according to documents recently made public by Congress. Detailed calendars, daily schedules and flight manifests were among more than 8,000 pages of documents reviewed by CBS News, providing a glimpse into Epstein's habits and relationships. Some of those relationships spanned years and involved dozens of meetings, events, meals and travel, and now records of those interactions are spilling out into public view. Several prominent people continued to spend time with Epstein up until his arrest in 2019, even as sex trafficking accusations intensified after his 2008 "sweetheart deal" with prosecutors in Florida, which allowed Epstein to maintain his jet-set status relatively unscathed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The exact nature of the relationships are hard, if not impossible, to characterize based on the documents. What is clear is that Epstein's life had many dimensions beyond his criminal activity including complex financial transactions and philanthropic activity that would have attracted many suitors. And he appears to have been a prolific networker. Among those spending considerable time in Epstein's orbit was filmmaker Woody Allen, who has said previously that his ties to Epstein were limited to social events at Epstein's home, always with Allen's wife present. Another recurring contact, Kathryn Ruemmler, a Goldman Sachs executive who was President Barack Obama's White House counsel, has said she only met with Epstein in a professional capacity. Appointment calendars through 2019 show several meetings with self-help guru Deepak Chopra and longevity expert Dr. Peter Attia. Details from Epstein's appointments during the final two years of his life had not previously been made public. They show he continued to plan meetings with people like political strategist Steve Bannon and Hyatt executive chairman Tom Pritzker. A love of cinema, with Woody Allen friendship at forefront Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Film screenings appear frequently on Epstein's calendar. He'd attend them and would also invite friends to watch movies in his home screening room. Among the most frequent of Epstein's social companions in the years leading up to his death was filmmaker Woody Allen and his wife, Soon-Yi Previn. Epstein often went to Manhattan Film Center on Park Avenue in New York City to screen Allen's movies or watch him edit, documents show. The records show nearly 100 instances between 2014 and 2019 in which Allen and Epstein almost always joined by Allen's wife were scheduled to meet or spend time together. The documents show that Allen and Previn were among Epstein's most regular social companions during that period. A spokesperson for Allen told the Wall Street Journal in 2023 he "never had a business meeting with Epstein and not once spent time with him without Soon-Yi also being present." When contacted by CBS News about the most recent calendar entries in Epstein's diary through 2019, Allen's spokesperson said no comment would be provided. A flight passenger manifest dated March 23, 2014, lists Jeffrey Epstein, Woody Allen and his wife, Soon-Yi Previn, and two others whose names were redacted before the document was released by the House Oversight Committee. Epstein's calendar notes travel with Allen and Previn at least nine times, including to his ranch in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and to his residence in Palm Beach, Florida. No allegations have been made that Allen or Previn knew about or were involved in any wrongdoing. In interviews, Allen has said that Epstein always had a girlfriend around him, but he did not believe those women were underage. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A source familiar with the flight logs told CBS News that some of the flights with Allen and Previn also include the names of known victims who frequently traveled with Epstein, but those passenger names are redacted in the logs that were released. Allen provided film editing lessons to Epstein and others, according to Epstein's calendar. The calendar has a scheduled visit with Allen to the artist Jeff Koons' studio in New Jersey, though Koons told CBS News the visit never occurred. Epstein visited film sets where Allen was directing in New York and Rhode Island. Allen, Previn and Epstein were even scheduled to have dinner together on Valentine's Day in Paris one year. Epstein, Allen and Previn's final dinner together was May 9, 2019; the guest list included Kathy Ruemmler and another guest. Two months later, Epstein was arrested at Teterboro Airport on federal sex trafficking charges. Politics and business mixed in Epstein's calendar Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Epstein was known for being a connector; he frequently met with executives, CEOs and CFOs, and helped bring others together. On his calendar, he had meetings with business titans such as Barry Sternlicht, president of Starwood Hotels & Resorts, although a spokesperson for Sternlicht told CBS News the meeting never happened and he only attended one group dinner. He was scheduled to meet with Hyatt's Tom Pritzker 28 times between 2013 and 2018. Billionaire banker Ariane de Rothschild and the investor Leon Black and were also listed. Epstein also pulled politicians and operatives into the mix. The late New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson maintained a relationship with Epstein at least through Sept. 19, 2016, when they were scheduled to meet for dinner. He appears on Epstein's calendar and flight logs showing travel to Epstein's New Mexico ranch. A previously unreported log shows Richardson travelled in 2011 on Epstein's helicopter from the British Virgin Islands to the U.S. Virgin Islands. That flight log also lists Epstein and Brian Condit, Richardson's chief of staff, as a passenger, as well as three of Epstein's alleged victims, as identified by the House Oversight Committee, one with U.K. citizenship and two U.S. citizens. Condit told CBS News the chopper flight was from Richard Branson's island to the U.S. Virgin Islands. They did not visit the private property Epstein owned there, he said. He doesn't remember who else was on the helicopter. Richardson died at age 75 in 2023. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Epstein was also in frequent contact with Ruemmler, the former Obama White House counsel who is currently chief legal officer and general counsel at the world's largest investment bank, Goldman Sachs. She has previously said, "I regret ever knowing Jeffrey Epstein." Jeffrey Epstein's calendar shows a Feb. 16, 2018, entry referencing former White House counsel Kathryn Ruemmler and a Ruemmler was a partner at the law firm Latham & Watkins during the period she spent time with Epstein. Known for courting powerful people, Epstein often helped arrange business relationships. A spokesperson for Goldman Sachs has said previously that was the extent of Ruemmler's cultivation of Epstein, leveraging him for business contacts and referrals. Epstein's calendar shows dozens of scheduled meetings and events involving Ruemmler. One note, for Feb. 6, 2018, says, "Kathy Ruemmler to have the Glam Squad to her NY apt for 9am!" It's unclear why Epstein was making note of the apparent hair and makeup appointment. Ruemmler declined to comment for this story. A spokesperson for Goldman Sachs told CBS News, "As we've said before, and has been repeatedly reported, Ms. Ruemmler had a professional relationship with Mr. Epstein when she was the global chair of the white collar defense and investigations practice at Latham & Watkins." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "He referred business to her and they shared a common client that originated as an Epstein referral," the spokesperson said. Jeffrey Epstein's calendar shows an April 5, 2019, appointment with former Obama White House counsel Kathryn Ruemmler, former Trump White House chief strategist Steve Bannon and filmmaker Woody Allen. Their more than 50 scheduled meetings included appointments in Paris and St. Lucia and gatherings with some of the wealthiest and most powerful people in the world, including tech billionaire Peter Thiel, Bill Gates, former Sen. Bob Kerrey and Bannon. A spokesperson for Ruemmler denied she had ever flown with him and said she never met with Epstein outside of the U.S. Epstein's appointment calendar does not specify a purpose for his meetings with Bannon, a former White House chief strategist in the first Trump administration. Bannon has since said he filmed hours of interviews with Epstein as part of a planned documentary. A source who was close to Epstein in his final weeks told CBS News that Epstein was eager to portray himself in a redemptive light. Epstein's schedule remained packed with powerful and famous people even as federal agents closed in. In one week in April 2019, three months before his arrest, Epstein's calendar included meetings with Ruemmler, Bannon, investment banker and commentator Robert Kuhn and lunch with Chopra. Ruemmler's last appointments with Epstein were on May 6 and May 7, 2019. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement An obsession with longevity and medicine Epstein had a deep interest in medicine, science and longevity, both on a personal level and for business. Records obtained by CBS News show he had planned as early as 2012 to launch a company focused on gene sequencing. Chopra, the physician and prominent integrative medicine advocate, appears in Epstein's calendar at least a dozen times in 2016, 2017 and 2019. They were scheduled to meet one-on-one on some occasions including at least one appointment in Paris in November 2016 and in groups on other dates. Epstein was invited to a 25th anniversary event for Skeptic Magazine, in which Chopra was featured as a discussion panelist. Two months later, Epstein invited Chopra to a dinner with Allen and his wife. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Chopra told CBS News in a statement, "Jeffrey Epstein was introduced to me by Barnaby Marsh, former CEO of the Templeton Foundation, as someone who could potentially fund research on the brain and consciousness." Chopra said their appointments were primarily related to treatment for Epstein's struggles with sleep. "After meeting, he shared he suffered from insomnia and expressed interest in learning meditation, which I taught him. Our meetings, focused solely on practicing meditation, lasted about 30 minutes each," Chopra said. "At my suggestion, he also visited Dr. V.S. Ramachandran's lab at [the University of California San Diego] to learn about ongoing brain research. "While several of these institutions had received some funding from him, no projects were ever initiated as a result of our interactions. He later introduced me to Joichi Ito at the MIT Media Lab in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Ultimately, no research project was ever pursued." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Epstein's difficulty sleeping is documented in jail records from the weeks before his death. He was provided a sleep apnea breathing device, commonly known as a CPAP machine, by the jail. Epstein also repeatedly met Peter Attia, a doctor specializing in longevity whose books have sold millions of copies. Attia's later appointments suggest Epstein was a patient. The schedule includes notations for blood draws and follow-ups over several years. Attia was also scheduled to attend what appears to be a business meeting with a medical entrepreneur and an investor associated with the Harvard Corporation, the powerful board that runs the university. CBS News has reached out to Attia for comment. Editor's note: This story has been updated to include a statement from Ruemmler's spokesperson saying she never met with Epstein outside the country. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jack Schlossberg, John F. Kennedy's grandson, announces bid for Congress Passengers wait hours as air traffic control staffing issues due to shutdown disrupt travel House Oversight Democrats release Epstein email claiming Trump "knew about the girls" The family of Virginia Giuffre has released an emotional statement after news one of her alleged abusers, Prince Andrew of the United Kingdom, has been stripped of his royal title. On Thursday, Buckingham Palace announced that Andrew, who publicly relinquished his royal duties in 2019 over his ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, will no longer be known as Prince, His Royal Highness or the Duke of York. He will go by the name Andrew Mountbatten Windsor from now on. Giuffre, who died at the age of 41 earlier this year, was one of Epsteins earliest and most prominent public accusers. She also accused the disgraced financier and his accomplice, Ghislaine Maxwell, of forcing her to have sex with Windsor on multiple occasions, first when she was just 17 years old. Attorney David Boies (second right) appears beside several of Jeffrey Epstein's alleged victims, including Virginia Giuffre (second left) in New York on Aug. 27, 2019. Bloomberg via Getty Images Reacting to the news in a statement to People magazine, Giuffres brother, Sky Roberts, and his wife, Amanda Roberts, said, Today, an ordinary American girl from an ordinary American family brought down a British prince with her truth and extraordinary courage. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Virginia Roberts Giuffre, our sister, a child when she was sexually assaulted by Andrew, never stopped fighting for accountability for what had happened to her and to countless other survivors like her, the statement went on. Today, she declares victory. On Thursday, Buckingham Palace announced that royal Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, here in September 2015, was officially being stripped of his titles. Max Mumby/Indigo via Getty Images Windsor reached an out-of-court settlement with Giuffre in 2022, but in a statement stemming from the settlement, he expressed regret for his links to Epstein without admitting any guilt or offering an explicit apology. Giuffre detailed how she allegedly first met Windsor in 2001 in her posthumous memoir, Nobodys Girl: A Memoir of Surviving Abuse and Fighting for Justice, which was released in October. Buckingham Palaces decision comes amid increased scrutiny over President Donald Trumps alleged ties to Epstein and calls for the Department of Justice to publicly release documents related to criminal investigations into the late financier, who died in jail in 2019. Related... Read the original on HuffPost An equipment company in Cannon Falls is set to permanently close at the end of the year, laying off 45 employees. The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development says its State Rapid Response Team recently received a notification of a permanent closure from Cannon Equipment, LLC. The company, located at 324 Washington Street W in Cannon Falls, makes custom-built carts for businesses including Amazon, Ford, Walmart and Domino's. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its website notes that it is backed by Marmon Retail Solutions and Berkshire Hathaway. It will begin permanently laying off employees on Dec. 31. Affected positions include: Continuous improvement specialist Custodial maintenance Director of manufacturing HR business partner Laser tube operator Logistics manager Maintenance Metal fabrication Metal finishing Plating Production Production lead Production lead - welding Production supervisor Warehouse and logistics Water spider Welder Related: Minnesota Rusco issues statement addressing sudden closure This story was originally reported by Bring Me The News on Oct 30, 2025, where it first appeared in the MN Business section. Add Bring Me The News as a Preferred Source by clicking here. New York City Mayor Eric Adams claimed Thursday that false rumors linking him to a quid pro quo arrangement with former President Donald Trump derailed his reelection campaign in this years mayoral race, saying people kept lying about his intentions. While he was discussing his post-mayor future, Adams told The 11th Hour host Stephanie Ruhle, What I want to do next, were still working. I have so many offers. When the MSNBC host asked him if one of the offers he has received is from President Trump, Adams responded, No. You know, he has never at any time said, Eric, I want you to do A, B and C.' That was part of the undermining of my campaign, actually, when people kept lying over and over again, Adams continued. Eric is going to Saudi Arabia, Eric is going to HUD, Eric is meeting with the president at the Mets game. All of that hurt my ability to run a campaign, and I kept trying to be as forthright as possible. But it was just reported inappropriately. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In response, Ruhle asked Adams about Trumps well-publicized ICE operations in New York City this year, in the wake of his Department of Justices call for a dismissal of the federal criminal corruption case against Adams. There was never any quid pro quo. We were very clear on that, the mayor replied. There was never any promises made. Remember: What I said about immigration pre-election was the same thing I said post-election. People seem to forget that, Adams added. Dangerous immigrants that come to our city [and] wreak havoc, create crime, shoot police officers, they dont deserve the right to be in our country. Ive been clear on that from the beginning. You can watch his full appearance on The 11th Hour yourself in the video below. During his conversation with Ruhle, Adams also took aim at New York City mayoral race frontrunner Zohran Mamdani and defended his decision to endorse Mamdanis biggest opponent, former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, despite previously criticizing Cuomo. Whatever emotions I have around Andrew, it does not compare to the fear I have around Zohran and the DSAs [Democratic Socialists of America] direction they would take this city, Adams said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Adams specifically questioned some of the political stances Mamdani has previously supported throughout his political career. Its the policies, Adams explained. That is the issue. Not only his inexperience, but idealism colliding with realism [in] running this city. The post Eric Adams Says Rumors of Trump Quid Pro Quo Killed His NYC Mayoral Re-Election Campaign: People Kept Lying | Video appeared first on TheWrap. Controversial EU plans for the mandatory monitoring of online chats, dubbed "chat control," are off the table. According to EU diplomats in Brussels, the move to monitor WhatsApp, Signal and other messaging platforms did not receive the necessary majority among EU countries on Friday. A new compromise proposal will be based on voluntary participation, continuing an existing agreement with the services. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A spokesperson for Germany's Interior Ministry said that the new proposal was very welcome. German Justice Minister Stefanie Hubig also said she is satisfied with the proposal to move forward with voluntary scans as the compromise provided for combating online child abuse while preserving fundamental rights. Critics had repeatedly highlighted the risks of mass surveillance hinted at by the proposal. The issue has been debated in the EU for several years, after the European Commission tabled an initial proposal in 2022. Under the plans, online chats would have been scanned automatically to detect messages with child pornographic content and report them to the investigating authorities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The proposal would require services like WhatsApp and Signal to scan messages, including images, videos, and URLs. The current agreement to allow voluntary scans expires in April 2026, increasing the pressure to conclude the lengthy negotiations. The European Union is rushing to resolve a trade dispute with China concerning export controls on precious rare earths. At the same time, it is seeking to reduce its reliance on the highly valuable materials from the Asian powerhouse. While the EU is still scrambling for a response to China's restrictions, the United States has moved forward on its negotiations with Beijing. US President Donald Trump on Thursday said he had reached an agreement with Chinese President Xi Jinping in the dispute over China's export controls on rare earths. It is unclear what impact this deal will have if any on discussions between the EU and China. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "In principle, we welcome any development that removes barriers to global trade flows," a European Commission spokesman said on Thursday. He added that "the EU is fully focused on its own bilateral trade engagement with China, including as this relates to trade in rare earth minerals," and confirmed that high-level technical discussions were taking place in Brussels this Friday. Earlier this month, China announced further controls on the export of rare earths, which are a crucial component for magnets used in the automotive, electronics and defence industries. The crisis prompted European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to advocate on Saturday for a package of measures to rapidly reduce Europe's dependence on raw material imports from China. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The EU has said the Chinese restrictions have forced some of the bloc's companies to halt production and inflicted economic harm. The measures announced by Beijing jeopardize the stability of global supply chains, so European companies can expect direct impacts, von der Leyen said. "In the short term, we are focusing on finding solutions with our Chinese counterparts, but we are ready to use all the instruments in our toolbox to respond if needed," she added. Why is the EU so dependent on China for rare earths? The EU has defined a list of critical raw materials (CRMs) considered crucial for the transition to zero-emission energy and the associated green transformation. It depends for many of these on China. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The list includes several rare earths, as well as substances such as lithium, cobalt and nickel. These CRMs are used in solar panels, as well as batteries or semiconductors. Many of these materials are not in fact geologically rare, but are often hard or risky to extract because they are mixed in with other materials. China dominates the global production and processing of rare earths. These minerals, and the magnets made from them, are used in key technology such as smartphones, televisions, electric motors, semiconductors and turbines. While rare earths are abundant in China, extraction is costly and environmentally damaging, requiring significant water and energy. Its large supply has given China near-monopolistic control of the global market although Brazil, India and Australia also produce rare earths. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to Dominika Remzova of the Association for International Affairs, a Prague-based non-governmental organization, the biggest risk is associated with the processing or refining phase. Rare earth elements needed for wind turbines and lithium for batteries are particularly vulnerable. Although Europe has its own deposits, it lacks the refining capacity that China has been systematically building up for decades. "Most of these dependencies threaten European industry, especially in the areas of automotive, energy and renewables or chemical and pharmaceutical industries," said Zuzana Krulichova of the Charles University in Prague. In response to these dependencies, the EU has passed the Critical Raw Materials Act, aimed at securing a reliable and sustainable supply by strengthening the EU's own value chain for the materials. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Remzova warned, however, that demand was growing more quickly than Europe was able to reduce its dependence. EU path to independence According to Volker Treier at the German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DIHK), the EU must independently negotiate with China regarding rare earths. "Driving in the slipstream of the US is not a sustainable strategy for Germany and Europe," he said on local broadcaster RBB Inforadio in Berlin. "Whether on energy or raw materials, defence or digital, Europe has to strive for its independence, and this is our moment to do it," von der Leyen noted on Saturday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Investment in strategic projects for the production and processing of important raw materials in the EU would be increased and partnerships with countries such as Ukraine, Australia, Canada, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Chile and Greenland would be accelerated, the commission chief said. Earlier this year, the EU's executive arm selected 47 "strategic projects" to secure and diversify access to raw materials in the bloc. The projects are located across 13 member states: Belgium, France, Italy, Germany, Spain, Estonia, the Czech Republic, Greece, Sweden, Finland, Portugal, Poland and Romania. Spain is one of the EU's richest territories in critical raw materials. It provides almost a third (31%) of the global supply of strontium metal and has extraction and processing activities for other elements such as tungsten, wolframite and feldspar, according to data from the commission. Neighbouring Portugal has also sought to position itself as a strategic partner within the EU in the security of supply chains for CRMs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Although the country has significant lithium reserves and potential to exploit other minerals, such as tantalum and tungsten, it currently has no significant production of rare earths. However, Lisbon has expressed an interest in attracting European investment for the sustainable exploration and local processing of resources, both to reduce external dependence and to boost the domestic economy. The commission's 47 strategic projects also include lithium mining in the Czech Republic, at Cinovec in the Ore Mountains. According to Krulichova, the mine has a role to play in the EU's path to independence, as it is thought to have the largest lithium deposit in Europe. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The academic called it a "significant opportunity" for the country. At the same time, she warned of "environmental risks associated with the project," while adding that it would only cover "part of the future needs within the EU." The commission is establishing a common platform for the purchase and storage of critical raw materials, with details expected in November. The content of this article is based on reporting by AFP, ANSA, CTK, dpa, EFE and Lusa as part of the European Newsroom (enr) project. The European Commission has said it has begun preparations to hold talks with the governments of Hungary, Slovakia and Poland after an upgraded trade arrangement with Ukraine came into force on 29 October 2025. The Commission is set to persuade the countries to lift unilateral bans on the import of certain Ukrainian agricultural products. Source: European Pravda citing Olof Gill, European Commission Deputy Chief Spokesperson Details: The EU wants Hungary, Slovakia and Poland to remove their unilateral restrictions on imports of certain Ukrainian agricultural goods on the grounds that the new agreement provides for balanced trade conditions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Quote: "So, to be very clear, this week the upgraded EU-Ukraine deep and comprehensive free trade agreement, the DCFTA, entered into force. We believe that upgraded DCFTA strikes the right balance between offering the vital economic lifeline of good trading conditions to Ukraine and, on the other hand, offering robust and appropriate protections to our sensitive economic sectors here in the EU, notably certain agri-food sectors." More details: He added that Brussels believes that the new arrangement has struck the appropriate balance. Quote: "We do not believe there is any justification to prolong the export bans Based on that conviction, we will now engage with the aforementioned member states with a view to getting them to remove those bans. That's the only thing we're going to focus on at the moment and that is our first priority." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More details: When asked whether the Commission is considering legal steps to compel the three states to drop their restrictions, Gill noted that the Commission "will consider all other options only when those talks don't lead to a desired conclusion". Background: Ukraine's Office of the President earlier said that it expects a swift and adequate response from the European Commission should individual countries extend unilateral curbs on Ukrainian agricultural exports. Kyiv insists that the principles of the EU single market and the provisions of the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement cannot be breached under any circumstances and Ukraine reserves the right to choose legal instruments to respond. On 25 August 2023, Robert Telus, Polish Minister of Agriculture, said that five EU member states had agreed to demand an extension of the ban on Ukrainian grain imports. Ukraine has remained firm that the EU must remove unilateral barriers to Ukrainian exports. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! Gov. Tony Evers | Photo by Baylor Spears/Wisconsin Examiner Gov. Tony Evers signed a bill Friday that will limit cell phones in schools, making Wisconsin the 36th state in the nation to do so, and a bill that will make it easier for candidates for office to remove themselves from ballots. A Wisconsin Policy Forum report from May found that most school districts already restrict student cellphone usage to common areas, though policies vary widely across the state. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Under the new law, 2025 Wisconsin Act 42, school districts will have until July 2026 to implement a policy that bans cellphones during instructional times. The policy will need to include exceptions for emergencies, for educational purposes and cases involving student health care, individualized education plans (IEPs) or 504 plans (learning environment accommodations). Evers said in a statement that the decision about whether to sign the bill weighed heavily on him, especially given his belief that decisions like this should be made at the local level by local school districts. However, he said he is deeply concerned about how cell phone and social media use are affecting students, including their mental health, school outcomes and social skills. Our kids are struggling today, perhaps now more than ever. Its really tough to be a kid these days, and we know that cellphones can be a major distraction from learning, a source of bullying, and a barrier to our kids important work of just being a kid, Evers said in a statement. While I wish the Legislature would have taken a different approach with this legislation, I will never stop fighting for Wisconsins kids and working to do whats best for them, which is why I am signing this bill into law today. Evers also pointed to widespread support for cellphone ban policies in his statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Pew Research recently found that 74% of U.S. adults support banning middle and high school students from using cellphones during class an increase from 68% last fall. A Marquette Law School poll found that 89% of voters support banning cellphones during class periods. Evers also takes action on 19 other bills Evers also signed Assembly Bill 35, now 2025 Wisconsin Act 43, to make it easier for candidates to withdraw themselves from a ballot. Under the law, candidates for office in Wisconsin will be able to withdraw their candidacy in a general or primary election and not be included on the ballot if they file a sworn statement. The change to Wisconsin law was proposed after Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was not allowed to remove himself from the presidential ballot in 2024 after he dropped out and endorsed President Donald Trump. State law then said that candidates could only have their names removed if they were dead. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The new law will allow candidates to remove themselves, but theyll be responsible for paying the Wisconsin Elections Commission a $1,000 fee. Non-statewide candidates will need to pay $250. Under the law, a person could face a Class G felony with a maximum penalty of up to $25,000 and imprisonment for up to 10 years if they intentionally filed a false statement withdrawing a persons candidacy. Evers also signed Senate Bill 309, now 2025 Wisconsin Act 41, which clarifies statute to say that 911 call centers and dispatchers who transfer a caller to the national 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline are generally immune from civil liability for any outcomes resulting from the transfer. Our 911 dispatchers play a vital role in the safety and security of our state, but they often dont have the time or resources available to provide the response necessary for somebody experiencing a mental health crisis, Evers said. By offering much-needed protection to 911 dispatchers who transfer calls to the 988 Lifeline, this bill allows for a better and safer crisis response by ensuring crisis calls go to the service providers who are trained to provide appropriate care and resources to those who need it most. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The law specifies that the immunity doesnt apply if an injury is the result of an act or omission that constitutes gross negligence or willful misconduct by the dispatcher. Another bill signed by Evers, now 2025 Wisconsin Act 46, seeks to address the reckless driving issue in Wisconsin by allowing local governments to implement ordinances that will allow officers to immediately impound a vehicle used to drive recklessly and retain the vehicle until all outstanding fees, fines and forfeitures are paid. Evers said in a statement that the law will hold bad actors accountable and help keep roads and communities safe. Whether its distracted driving, speeding, or erratic and aggressive behaviors, reckless driving puts our kids, families, and communities in harms way, Evers said. Tackling reckless driving has been a bipartisan goal in recent years, and Im glad to see this trend has continued this session. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Evers also vetoed several bills. AB 5, which would have required school districts respond to material inspections requests within 14 days AB 39, which would have required state employees to work in person for 80% of their week, A handful of bills AB 162, AB 168 and AB 169 that would have made changes to unemployment and workforce development programs. SB 25, which would have prohibited a court from allowing a complaint to be filed in a John Doe proceeding against a police officer who is involved in a shooting if the district attorney determines there is no basis to prosecute the officer. SB 184, which would have barred local governments from implementing restrictions on a cars and vehicles based on its energy source The full list of bills upon which Evers took action can be found here. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX (The Center Square) Wisconsin school boards must create rules banning cell phones during instructional time with a deadline by July 1 after Gov. Tony Evers signed the bill into law Friday. States across the country have moved to ban cell phones at school or during certain parts of school. It has always been my belief that decisions like this should be made at the local level by local school districts and that we should trust local school boards to work with students, parents and families, educators, staff, and administrators to make decisions that make sense for students in their community, Evers said in a statement. That continues to be my position. Nevertheless, my promise to the people of Wisconsin is to always do whats best for our kids, and that obligation weighs heavily on me in considering this bill, as it does every bill affecting kids that reaches my desk. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Pew Research showed that an increasing number of adults in the U.S. approve of school cell phone bans with 74% supporting a ban for middle and high school students during class, up from 68% last fall. While I wish the Legislature would have taken a different approach with this legislation, I will never stop fighting for Wisconsins kids and working to do whats best for them, which is why I am signing this bill into law today, Evers said. School district-issued electronic devices are exempt from the prohibition and districts can create an exemption to the prohibition for emergencies, managing a students health care, through a students individualized education plan or for educational purposes authorized by a teacher. Several Democrats pushed back on the bill as it made its way through the Legislature. Wisconsin seems to be the only state where this is a partisan issue, Sen. Rachael Cabral-Guevara, R-Fox Crossing, said at the time. Several members of the Urban Planning Committee (CPU) have called for more specific guidelines and instructions from the Cultural Affairs Bureau (IC) on renovating and reconstructing buildings with historical value. The debate began during the discussion of an urban conditions plan (PCU) for a building located on Rua do Volong in the Saint Lazarus neighborhood. CPU member Teng Kai On noted that IC has been placing many concerns and restrictions on the buildings facades, but the same does not seem to happen with other architectural details, such as windows and doors. He said this leads to a de-characterization of the buildings and a loss of purpose of the rules for protecting buildings with historical value. In response, the representative of IC at the CPU claimed that such matters are usually addressed at a later stage once the final design project is submitted to the Land and Urban Construction Bureau (DSSCU), noting that IC issues recommendations to keep all these structures as close to the originals as possible. Teng reaffirmed that the problem is not restricted to the building under discussion and the one beside it, which prompted the inquiry, but can be seen in several other buildings that have been renovated or reconstructed recently, remarking, If there are these guidelines, then there is a lack of supervision and inspection, because the cases where this happened are multiple. Government representatives have responded that they will pay closer attention to such cases to avoid the issue. On the same matter, member and architect Christine Choi added that specific instructions should also be given regarding the buildings accurate colors. We cant just say that it is green and white; there are many shades of green, and we need to have uniformity in the color scheme. Maybe the IC could add the exact color code so that the owners could follow it, ensuring better uniformity, she said. The topic drew some remarks from CPU chairman and director Lai Weng Leong, who said that doing so in a single small-scale project would not be of great help, as paint colors change rapidly over time due to sun, rain, and other elements, and are also influenced (particularly in lighter tones) by the base layer of the building where they are applied. Nonetheless, he noted that this could and should be done whenever possible for large-scale renovation or reconstruction projects. On the topic, Teng also noted that the government has marked the Saint Lazarus neighborhood as an area of cultural and creative industries. For this to succeed, the many antique-style buildings need to be revamped more thoroughly and concertedly, rather than individually. In response, the IC representative said, This is an area that we aim to protect, and we even have a specific plan to subsidize repairs and reconstructions, but added, There are various issues in this area with other buildings, such as unknown owners, multiple owners, and owners who have moved out of Macau and are not reachable. To solve this issue, we need to request help from the courts. The Saint Lazarus neighborhood is known for its architectural characteristics and is frequented by visitors who often use it as a photo background. Still, most buildings and building blocks are severely damaged and closed, with just a few exceptions that have been restored and repurposed, such as the block that now hosts the Macao Conservatory School of Music, located right across from the building under discussion at the CPU. Like this: Like Loading... SPRINGFIELD LaMar Cook, fired from his state job after his arrest on drug and gun charges this week, was held without the right to bail after a hearing in Springfield District Court this morning. Cook is accused of received shipped packages of cocaine from out of state on at least two occasions. The last alleged shipment came to the little State House on Dwight Street, where Gov. Maura Healeys regional office is located. A state police trooper posing as a delivery worker made the delivery on Saturday, law enforcement officials have said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Previous deliveries were allegedly shipped to Cooks former place of employment, the Hotel UMass in Amherst. Cook was arrested Tuesday during a late evening traffic stop; he was in possession of an unregistered gun. During a hearing before Judge Kevin Maltby, Assistant Hampden District Attorney Kerry Beattie argued there were no conditions to keep the community safe from Cook. Instead of uplifting the community, he decimated the community with this poison from him and his co-conspirators, Beattie said. She estimated that the street value of the 8 kilogram package delivered to Springfield site at about $350,000. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Defense attorney Kedar Ismail said he intends to appeal Maltbys decision to Superior Court. After the hearing, Ismail said his client never took physical possession of the packages but declined to comment further. In court, he pointed to the show of support in the community and the large group of supporters who came to the hearing. Look at this outpouring of love from the community for this gentleman, Ismail said, adding that he was dismayed over some racially charged comments on social media, including images of nooses and references to a DEI hire. Read the original article on MassLive. Add MassLive as a Preferred Source by clicking here. Donald Trumps obsession with blowing stuff up is nothing new, according to his former staffers. The president fantasized quite openly about detonating bombs during his first term, according to Miles Taylor, who served as Department of Homeland Security chief of staff at the time. I will tell you very honestly, Trump, in the first term, at least when I was there, fantasized quite openly to advisers about wanting to blow up bombs, Taylor told CNN Thursday. It wasnt more complicated than that, he didnt have this 3D-chess strategy. He wanted to see bombs blown up. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The president directed his administration Wednesday to resume nuclear weapons testing, in apparent violation of the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty of 1996. Russiawhich has the largest nuclear arsenal in the worldimmediately reacted, warning that it would follow suit if the U.S. moves forward with the revised military policy. Taylor recalled a distressed White House situation room meeting in 2017 during Trumps game of brinksmanship with North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un, after which top administration officials warned that the U.S. could enter war at any moment due to Trumps flagrant tweets. Anyone who thought that there was some sophisticated strategy to try and intimidate Kim didnt know the truth, Taylor said. Which was that, the president was freestyling. It was scaring his team. The secretary of defense walked out of one of those meetings and turned to us at the Department of Homeland Security and said, I hope you are preparing for the United States to go to war. Taylor drew national attention in 2018 when he anonymously penned an op-ed for The New York Times claiming to be part of the internal resistance against Trumps agenda, lumping himself in with a group of senior officials who did not believe Trump was fit for the nations highest office. He has since written several books assessing Trumps behavior in the White House that revealed intimate insider accounts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Just 10 months into his second term, Trump has already illustrated a lackadaisical attitude toward unwarranted explosions. Earlier this month, Trump threw a parade in California to celebrate the Marine Corps 250th anniversarya month before the actual anniversary date, and conveniently timed to coincide with the nationwide No Kings protests. The most controversial element of the plan, however, involved plans to shoot live ordnance over sections of Interstate 5 toward Camp Pendleton in San Diego County. During the display, shrapnel ended up hitting vehicles in Vice President JD Vances motorcade. And during a trip to Japan earlier this week, Trumps team pressured the Navy to launch 2,000-pound live bombs during a military demonstration, instead of dummy explosives. The Navy did use live bombs, although the White House later said that had always been the plan. By Che Pan and Wen-Yee Lee BEIJING/TAIPEI (Reuters) -Dutch chipmaker Nexperia has suspended supplies of wafers to its Chinese assembly plant, according to a letter addressed to its customers that was reviewed by Reuters, which could exacerbate a supply squeeze that is worrying automakers worldwide. The letter, dated October 29 and signed by Nexperia interim CEO Stefan Tilger, said the October 26 suspension affecting its plant in Dongguan, in southern China's Guangdong province, was "a direct consequence of the local management's recent failure to comply with the agreed contractual payment terms." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nexperia has been locked in a dispute with its Chinese unit after the Dutch government took control of Nexperia from its Chinese owner Wingtech Technology on September 30. It also removed its Chinese CEO, citing concerns that its technology could be appropriated by Wingtech. Nexperia's Chinese unit had resumed supplying semiconductors to local customers but stipulated that all sales to distributors would need to be settled using the Chinese yuan. Previously, transactions had been in foreign currencies like the U.S. dollar. LARGE VOLUMES OF CHIPS The company produces large volumes of chips in the Netherlands that are widely used in the automotive and consumer electronics industries. Some 70% of the European-produced chips are packaged in China and sold mostly to distributors. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "While we have maintained shipments for as long as commercially feasible, continuing the current flow of supply from our front-end sites is no longer justifiable," the letter said. "Unless these contractual obligations are fully satisfied, we cannot resume wafer supply to the site. Nexperia is developing alternative solutions to ensure (that) supply (is) continuing to our customers." Nexperia added that the decision did not reflect an intention to withdraw from its site in Dongguan or the Chinese market as a whole, adding that it remained committed to finding a resolution. Nexperia said it is financially independent of Wingtech and it does not raise capital from Wingtech, the letter showed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A spokesperson for Nexperia confirmed it sent the letter and the company could not comment further. Nexperia China did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Wingtech declined to comment. A Dutch government spokesperson referred questions about the wafer shut-off to Nexperia, saying the move had been a corporate decision while state intervention "concerns the preservation of production capacity and is not aimed at the company's day-to-day operations". The Netherlands is in discussions with European governments and the European Commission, as well as Chinese authorities, "to work toward a constructive solution," the spokesperson said. EU tech chief Henna Virkkunen said after a meeting with Nexperia management on Friday that they are working toward a "diplomatic breakthrough" to resolve the situation, but in the meantime they are looking at unspecified short- and medium-term measures to relieve European industry. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement IMPACT ON PRODUCTION Court filings showed that the seizure by the Dutch government came as U.S. pressure was rising on Nexperia after Wingtech was placed on a restricted-export list, though Dutch authorities say governance shortcomings were the trigger. On October 4, China's commerce ministry blocked Nexperia from exporting chips from China. Industry bodies have sounded the alarm over the possible impact on production, with Stellantis saying on Thursday that it had set up a "war room" to monitor the situation. Japanese automaker Nissan said it had enough chips to last until the first week of November without disruption. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some Nexperia products that used to cost just a few Chinese cents have gone up to two or three yuan each over the past two weeks, more than 10 times their original price, according to a source familiar with the matter. (Reporting by Che Pan in Beijing and Wen-Yee Lee in Taipei; Additional reporting by Foo Yun Chee and Toby Sterling. Writing by Brenda Goh; Editing by Jacqueline Wong, Thomas Derpinghaus and Richard Chang) By Che Pan and Wen-Yee Lee BEIJING/TAIPEI (Reuters) -Dutch chipmaker Nexperia has suspended supplies of wafers to its Chinese assembly plant, according to a letter addressed to its customers that was reviewed by Reuters, which could exacerbate a supply squeeze that is worrying automakers worldwide. The letter, which was dated Oct. 29 and signed by Nexperia interim CEO Stefan Tilger, said the company imposed the suspension on supplies to its plant in Dongguan, in southern China's Guangdong province, on Oct. 26, saying it was "a direct consequence of the local management's recent failure to comply with the agreed contractual payment terms." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Since earlier this month, Nexperia has been locked in a dispute with its Chinese unit after the Dutch government took control of Nexperia from its Chinese owner Wingtech Technology on September 30. It also removed its Chinese CEO, citing concerns that its technology could be appropriated by Wingtech. The company produces large volumes of chips in the Netherlands that are widely used in the automotive and consumer electronics industries. The majority are packaged in China and sold mostly to distributors. "While we have maintained shipments for as long as commercially feasible, continuing the current flow of supply from our front-end sites is no longer justifiable," the letter said. "Unless these contractual obligations are fully satisfied, we cannot resume wafer supply to the site. Nexperia is developing alternative solutions to ensure (that) supply (is) continuing to our customers." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nexperia added that the decision did not reflect an intention to withdraw from its site in Dongguan or from the Chinese market as a whole, adding that it remained committed to finding a resolution to the problem. Nexperia, Nexperia China and Wingtech did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Court filings showed that the seizure by the Dutch government came as U.S. pressure was rising on Nexperia after Wingtech was placed on a restricted-export list, though Dutch authorities say governance shortcomings were the trigger. On Oct. 4, China's commerce ministry blocked Nexperia from exporting chips from China. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Industry bodies have sounded the alarm over the possible impact on production, with Stellantis saying on Thursday that it had set up a "war room" to monitor the situation. Japanese automaker Nissan said it had enough chips at the moment to last until the first week of November without disruption. (Reporting by Che Pan in Beijing and Wen-Yee Lee in Taipei; Writing by Brenda Goh; Editing by Jacqueline Wong and Thomas Derpinghaus) The embattled Vaillancourt Fountain could disappear from Embarcadero Plaza within months - at least temporarily - under a plan by San Francisco parks officials revealed exclusively to the Chronicle. The future of the massive, aging fountain has been hotly debated as a dramatic $32.5 million renovation of the plaza gets underway. The San Francisco Recreation and Parks Department, which oversees the plaza, wants it removed, but a group of ardent supporters - including its creator, 96-year-old Canadian sculptor Armand Vaillancourt - insist that it should be renovated and remain at the center of the plaza. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Under the plan, to be formally requested of the Arts Commission at its monthly hearing Monday, the Recreation and Parks Department would pay the estimated $4.4 million cost to have the 710-ton sculpture disassembled and moved to off-site storage for up to three years, while the artwork's permanent fate is determined. If the Arts Commission approves the temporary removal, it could begin in 90 days. It is not yet determined who would pay to return the sculpture to Embarcadero Plaza if that is the final decision, or what would become of it if it is not returned. In a complicated arrangement, the Arts Commission owns and is responsible for the upkeep of the concrete sculpture while Rec and Park maintains the system of pumps and pipes that supply its gushing water. The concrete Brutalist fountain has been controversial since its 1971 debut, and its condition has deteriorated in recent decades. It has been dry since the pumps failed a year ago, and it was fenced off indefinitely in June after a series of independent studies deemed it unsafe and at risk of collapse. Rec and Park is seeking to expedite removal because the security fencing has been consistently breached and people are sleeping in the fountain's concrete tubes, department spokesperson Tamara Aparton told the Chronicle this week. The piece has also been vandalized and tagged with graffiti, she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "This is solely for public safety reasons, after two reports have stated that the fountain poses an immediate and serious hazard," Aparton said. "This is a temporary measure that does not have anything to do with the ultimate fate of the fountain, which will be decided by the Arts Commission." Aparton noted that the only alternative to removal would be to build a cage all the way around the sculpture, which is 30 feet tall - but that would "only create further blight downtown and would be a waste of public resources." "Disassembly is the only sustainable path forward," she said. If the request is approved, the artist Vaillancourt will be given 90 days to come up with an alternative plan or to reclaim his artwork, Aparton said. If that does not happen, it will be moved to an undisclosed location. Once it is disassembled, engineers could more accurately assess the feasibility of returning it to Embarcadero Plaza, she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Estimates are that it would cost $29 million to fully restore the sculpture and fountain, as opposed to $2.5 million to remove it, and $4.4 million to disassemble and store it. In August, Rec and Park General Manager Phil Ginsburg sent a letter to the Arts Commission asking it to remove the artwork altogether. Vaillancourt then enlisted a Montreal law firm to send the city a cease-and-desist letter, and a vocal group of preservationists and supporters of Brutalist architecture have also been seeking to save it. The October meeting of the Arts Commission had the fountain on its agenda for discussion. The issue drew hours of passionate testimony, equally split between those for and against keeping the fountain. The matter was continued to a follow-up meeting with no vote scheduled on the fate of the fountain. After the meeting, the Chronicle conducted an informal survey asking whether the fountain should be removed or restored. It has drawn nearly 1,500 responses, with a little under two-thirds of respondents favoring removal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The fountain has had its day in the sun. Half of us still hate it, it's too expensive to restore, and so it's time to give another artist a chance," read one reply. "When it's running and kids are on it, it's magical," read a contrary response. Arts Commission spokesperson Coma Te confirmed that the Rec and Park proposal will be on the agenda Monday for discussion and possible action. The commission meets at 2 p.m. at City Hall, Room 416. This article originally published at Exclusive: New plan seeks to remove controversial fountain from S.F. Embarcadero Plaza within months. Kansas inspector general Steven Anderson, who spoke on Oct. 21, 2025, to the Senate Committee on Government Efficiency, earned expanded authority from the 2025 Legislature to scrutinize public health, food and cash assistance programs. (Kansas Reflector screen capture of Kansas Legislature video) TOPEKA The first audit under expanded powers from the Kansas inspector generals office identified more than a dozen problems within organizations providing health care through Kansas Medicaid program. The audit is just the beginning of a campaign to weed out fraud and inefficiencies within social welfare programs, following the 2025 Legislatures approval of broadening the offices authority to encompass oversight of cash, food and health assistance. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Steven Anderson, the state inspector general, presented 17 findings with accompanying recommendations based on hospital complaints about delays, discrepancies and a potential conflict of interest. He spoke to the Senate Committee on Government Efficiency at an Oct. 21 hearing. The audit analyzed hospital complaints from 2023 to determine whether organizations prolonged reviews, manipulated patient statuses and lacked consistency in determining post-visit levels of care. The audit also identified a potential conflict of interest within United Healthcare, one of three managed care organizations that have offered services under KanCare, as Medicaid is known in Kansas. The inspector generals office, which is housed within the Kansas Attorney Generals Office, interviewed staff at six Kansas hospitals, representatives from the three KanCare managed care organizations at the time of the report, staff from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, and representatives from the Kansas Hospital Association. KDHE agreed with most, but not all, of the audits recommendations. The audit found that managed care organizations refused to reimburse claims that involved returns to a hospital within 30 days of the initial visit, even if the visits were unrelated. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The hospitals typically eat those costs, Anderson said. Its probably incalculable how much money is lost through all this, said Sen. Mike Thompson, a Shawnee Republican. The percentage of denied claims for hospital services across the organizations averaged 6% in 2023. However, the value of hospital service claim denials makes up a disproportionate amount of all denials. One organization denied $1.8 billion in claims in 2023. Hospital claim denials made up 70%, or $1.3 billion, of those denials. Another denied $1.02 billion in claims, and hospital denials accounted for 69%, or $707 million. The third organization denied $1.8 billion in claims, and hospital denials accounted for 62% or $1.1 million. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Anderson said the amounts have grown larger every year. The reality is, if Im going to deny claims, Im going to look for the higher-dollar ones, he said. We can draw some conclusions, maybe, that they were approving the smaller-dollar ones, but the big money ones were oftentimes denied. The audit also found that United Healthcare used its proprietary health care criteria and billing system to judge its own claims. So they own the process from front to back, Anderson said. He said the organization controls so much of the narrative, and United Healthcares use of a system owned by one of its subsidiaries looks bad on the surface. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, he acknowledged his office cannot prove United Healthcare uses its system inappropriately. KDHE said in a response in the audit that state Medicaid programs must follow certain conflict of interest provisions, but to date, United acquiring billing and other health care companies and continuing to use those products is not a conflict per the current standards. The tools were used by all three contracted organizations at the time, KDHE said. Trying to restrict United Healthcares use of the systems and allowing other organizations to continue would create additional dynamics. These tools are widely used and accepted by healthcare providers across the nation to make medical decisions and validate claims, KDHE said. A spokesperson for the company said in an emailed statement: We remain committed to transparency and accountability and will address these recommendations with our state partners, including clarifying that Change Healthcare is a division of Optum. UnitedHealthcare and Optum are separate entities and subsidiary businesses of UnitedHealth Group, which maintains strict governance policies and compliance standards to ensure that each subsidiary operates independently and in the best interest of its clients and members. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Anderson said his office, the managed care organizations and KDHE are scheduling a meeting to discuss the audits findings. Im thrilled to hear that, said Sen. Renee Erickson, a Wichita Republican and chairwoman of the committee. The best solution, she said, is to get stakeholders together to sort out their differences. I always say, if you want the Legislature to do it, no ones going to be happy with that fix, she said, so Id rather the entities get together and work it out. Ultimately, the audit poses the question of whether the states contracts reflect what Kansans need, Erickson said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Upcoming audits span government assistance programs, according to Anderson. One examines data sharing between the state agencies that oversee KanCare and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program to verify eligibility for those programs based on comparing residency, household composition and income reporting. Anderson promoted another audit that will look at what he called the pregnant women program to identify whether those accessing it qualify. The state facilitates the Special Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program for Women, Infants and Children, often called WIC, which would fall under Andersons purview. He said his office also plans to release audits of Kansas waiver programs, which assist elderly and disabled Kansans through Medicaid, and the pharmaceutical drug program, which is also operated through Medicaid. Sen. Michael Murphy, a Republican from Sylvia in Reno County, commended Andersons work. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Im a simple guy, Murphy said, and I think when you find you have a hole in the fence, you shouldnt be surprised when the cows get out. This story has been updated to include a statement from United Healthcare. Record-breaking Hurricane Melissa has renewed calls to amend the scale used to classify the strength of a hurricane and estimate the potential damage it could inflict when it makes landfall. Some scientists say the over-50-year-old Saffir-Simpson scale might not adequately convey the danger of high-end storms. The scale was developed in 1971 by wind engineer Herb Saffir and meteorologist Bob Simpson. It was designed to be a tool to help warn the public of the potential impacts of hurricanes. Powerful Category 5 Hurricane Melissa pushed the top end of the scale with peak maximum sustained winds at one point reaching 185 mph, well above the threshold of 157 mph needed to qualify as the highest category of the Saffir-Simpson scale. Melissa has sparked discussion about whether the current scale, which assigns categories to hurricanes from 1 to 5 based entirely on peak sustained wind speeds, should be revised to also take into account the torrential rain and deadly storm surges hurricanes can produce. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "It's impossible to boil the threats of a hurricane down to one number," Brian McNoldy, a hurricane researcher at the University of Miami, told Scientific American last year as the 2024 Atlantic Hurricane season began. In a study published in early 2024, hurricane experts noted that our overheating planet is leading to more intense tropical cyclones and called for the addition of a sixth category to the Saffir-Simpson scale. "Three separate lines of evidence from both observations and models suggest that the open-endedness of the fifth category of the Saffir-Simpson hurricane wind scale becomes increasingly problematic for conveying wind risk in a warming world," concluded the authors of the study, which was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. As awe-inspiring as Melissa was, it would not have qualified as a proposed Category 6 hurricane that would require 192 mph maximum sustained winds, but its power and the damage it wrought were a reminder to many meteorologists that we need to revisit the current hurricane scale. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The 13th named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season has earned its place in the record books. Melissa rapidly intensified from a tropical storm to a Category 4 hurricane in about 18 hours. It was the strongest hurricane to ever make landfall in Jamaica and tied for the highest sustained wind speed at landfall for any tropical cyclone in the Atlantic basin. Melissa's 185 mph winds tied it with other notorious hurricanes like the Labor Day hurricane of 1935, Gilbert in 1988, and Dorian in 2019. All five of the storms to reach the terrifying benchmark of a proposed Category 6 hurricane have occurred since 2010. Four of the five storms were typhoons in the western Pacific, with the remaining storm a hurricane that formed in the eastern Pacific. The death toll from Melissa climbed to at least 30 by early Thursday. Officials in hard-hit Jamaica say they expect more casualties. Melissa had weakened to a Category 2 with maximum sustained winds of 105 mph by Thursday afternoon. It was located 430 miles west, southwest of Bermuda, moving to the northeast at 30 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center. How concerned are you about the plastic waste in our oceans? Extremely I'm pretty concerned A little Not much 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. Some legislators have expressed concerns about labor rights and work-life balance, urging Macau authorities to adjust working hours and mandatory holidays, including a proposal to align maternity leave with that of mainland China and Hong Kong, ensuring a minimum of 98 days. The first plenary session of the Legislative Assembly (AL) convened earlier this week, where newly elected directly elected legislators Leong Pou U from the Macau Federation of Trade Unions and Chan Lai Kei from the Macau Peoples Alliance addressed annual leave and maternity leave entitlements in their inaugural speeches. Leong emphasized that Macaus labor standards have long lagged behind those of neighboring countries and regions with comparable social and economic development, falling short of the conventions and recommendations set by the International Labour Organization, stating, Certain labor standards have remained unadjusted for decades. Labor standards are not only essential working conditions but also important indicators of a countrys and regions industrial environment, Leong added, highlighting that Macaus mandatory holidays have remained unchanged for 36 years since 1989. While maternity leave was recently increased from 56 to 70 days, it still falls short of the standards set by neighboring countries, regions, and international labor conventions. In contrast, Chan argued that Macaus maternity and paternity leave systems still need improvement, suggesting the development of a more comprehensive and forward-looking support system that encourages people to want to have children, dare to have children, and be able to raise children well. Pointing out that Macaus birth rate was just 0.58 last year, indicating an ultra-low fertility rate, Chan suggested gradually extending paid maternity leave to at least 98 days, in line with the International Labour Organizations recommendations, and to match durations offered in Mainland China and Hong Kong. He also proposed studying the establishment of exclusive paternity leave and shared parental leave. His suggestions also include implementing flexible work arrangements in public sectors and the gaming industry, exempting pregnant women and mothers of children under three from overnight or overtime shifts. Additionally, he proposed allowing employees to be excused from on-call duties during extreme weather due to special family circumstances and raising the eligibility age for childcare subsidies to six, while increasing the amounts based on the number of children. Like this: Like Loading... Officials at a nature reserve in northern Cameroon were delighted to learn that a major conservation project is bearing fruit or rather, cubs. According to Mongabay, all of the lions monitored in Bouba Ndjida National Park, a protected land near the northern border with Chad, have now had cubs. The program began in 2023 when a local conservation nonprofit captured and collared three lionesses. A year later, the government caught and fitted another seven female lions with GPS collars. The northern lion population at the park is now estimated at 60 to 80 individuals, a significant portion of the subspecies' remaining wild population in Cameroon of about 270. "All collared lionesses have had cubs, signaling successful reproduction," Matthieu Finiels of the Wildlife Conservation Society told the outlet. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Collaring large carnivores to improve conservation efforts isn't a new idea. The World Wildlife Fund launched a similar project with local officials in Zambia in 2020. By keeping tabs on predator movements, it's much easier to mitigate human-animal conflicts by giving farmers early warning. Similarly, it makes it easier to stop poachers. The information gleaned from the collars also helps inform future local conservation strategies based on an accurate account of the animal's movements and needs. Lions have lost a considerable amount of their historic range and remain highly vulnerable to human encroachment, but there are some promising signs. Over the border in the Central African Republic, the northern lions present in the Chinko Nature Reserve have seen a substantial recovery. A rewilding project in South Africa has successfully brought lions back to the area after 150 years. Meanwhile, India's lion population has increased by a third. As an "umbrella species," lions are critical to the health of ecosystems. They are apex predators that keep large herbivore populations in check. That prevents overgrazing, which in turn indirectly supports several other species that need the plants for shelter and sustenance. Moreover, they keep herds healthy by picking off the weak and sickly, and the leftover carcass from hunts sustains other scavengers. This critical species faces major challenges, but the stakes are clear: A healthy lion population is the cornerstone of a healthy ecosystem. 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. Scientists in the United Kingdom have detected invasive "tiger mosquitoes" known for spreading diseases like dengue and chikungunya near major transport hubs, including Heathrow Airport in London, according to Phys.org. A new study from the UK Health Security Agency, published in PLOS Global Public Health, found mosquito eggs from two invasive species, Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus, during nationwide surveillance efforts between 2023 and 2024. What's happening? Historically limited to tropical and subtropical regions, these mosquitoes have expanded their range across Europe as temperatures rise and winters grow milder. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Researchers warn that if these species establish permanent populations in the U.K., they could bring serious public health risks to areas unprepared for mosquito-borne disease. Senior medical entomologist Colin Johnston, who led the study, emphasized that each detection "triggered enhanced local surveillance and control measures," per Phys.org. He added that early response and collaboration between scientists, landowners, and local authorities were key to preventing further spread. Why is this concerning? While a tiger mosquito may sound exotic, its presence poses a serious threat to both people and ecosystems. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Invasive species often outcompete native wildlife for food and habitat, disrupting local biodiversity and weakening natural defenses that keep the spread of disease in check. The arrival of Aedes mosquitoes also underscores how interconnected our global systems have become freight storage facilities, airports, and highways can all serve as gateways for unwanted species. Their establishment in new areas could lead not only to new disease risks, but also to increased pesticide use, threatening pollinators and other beneficial insects that support our food systems. Protecting native species and maintaining balanced ecosystems are vital steps in preserving both human and environmental health a goal at the heart of building a cleaner, safer future for all. What's being done about it? The UKHSA has ramped up its surveillance network, deploying over 1,000 traps across 117 sites in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland to detect and contain invasive mosquitoes before they spread. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Citizen science programs are also helping track sightings, while local authorities are collaborating to reduce breeding grounds in high-risk areas. 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. Researchers at the University of Cambridge's climaTRACES Lab found that global gross domestic product could shrink by up to 24% by 2100. This estimation is based on various projections for the amount of pollution that may be released into the atmosphere by that time. The study, published in PLOS Climate, was led by scholars Kamiar Mohaddes and Mehdi Raissi. It highlights the economic threat that climate change has on our communities. What is causing GDP to shrink? Persistent changes to a region's weather patterns and landscape can have a permanent effect on a community. For example, rising global temperatures are leading to water shortages and droughts. This is expected to impact about half of the world's food supply and decrease wealthy countries' GDP by up to 8%. That number rises to 15% among the lowest-income nations. Extreme weather events caused by planet-warming pollution can also create costly damage to homes, businesses, and municipalities. One study found that natural disasters accounted for about $140 billion in insured losses last year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mohaddes and Raissi analyzed 174 countries and estimated potential country-specific losses based on historical weather, adaptation, and mitigation patterns. In the U.S., they looked at productivity, employment, and output across 10 industries. They found that some sectors have adapted to rising temperatures while others are more "sensitive" to these changes. Why is GDP loss important? While people may find it difficult to understand the personal impacts of climate change, everyone feels economic hardship. This study underscores how our livelihoods are at stake if we do not mitigate the issue. Economies experience massive losses annually, with one University of Delaware study finding that the global GDP lost $1.5 trillion in 2022. "That is, the world is estimated to be $1.5 trillion poorer than it would have been without climate change," the study said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With financial disparity growing, low-income households stand to lose more to climate change than their wealthy counterparts. It's important to do our part to curb our pollution in order to protect each other's futures. How this study helps promote mitigation Researchers examined both worst- and best-case scenarios based on alterations to human behavior. This means there are pathways to reduce the impact of climate change on our lives and wallets. If countries abide by the Paris Agreement, this can actually increase global income gain by 0.25%. This would require nations to limit the annual global temperature increase to 0.01 degrees Celsius. There is a lot of work for governments to do to fully comply with the treaty. Still, it is our best bet to curb the effects of climate change and save trillions of dollars. 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. Officials at a national park in northeast India are celebrating after a large bird returned for the first time in four years. Ani News reported that the painted stork has been sighted in Assam's Kaziranga National Park once more. The field director of the park, Dr. Sonali Ghosh, noted the presence of a pair of storks marked "a significant ornithological record for the park. The timing of this sighting is significant, as it coincides with the arrival of winter migratory birds in Kaziranga." The painted stork is so called because of the splash of pink on its tertial feathers. They are found all across the Indian subcontinent and in eastern China, Myanmar, and Thailand. The main threat to these wetland birds is habitat loss and egg collection. Fortunately, their numbers are increasing, and they are no longer listed as near threatened by the IUCN's Red List. However, as they are non-migratory, painted storks are more vulnerable than most species to any disruption to their habitats. Photo Credit: iStock According to Animalia, the painted stork plays a key role in the wetland ecosystem as a predator of small amphibians, fish, insects, and reptiles. They are monogamous and caring parents; on hot days, they use their wings to shade their nests. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The news is a potent example of how effective local conservation work can be. Conducting thorough research and implementing tools like trail cameras can help experts gauge population health and document rehabilitation impacts. Protected lands give rare and vulnerable species the space they need to recover and ultimately thrive once more. Ensuring more species survive increases biodiversity and helps secure our food supply. A post on social media by the chief minister of Assam welcomed the news of the stork's return as "Another win for conservation efforts." The post prompted multiple thoughtful comments in agreement. One reply said, "Wonderful news! Nature always rewards sincere conservation efforts." Another wanted to give credit where it was due: "Kudos to the forest and wildlife teams working tirelessly to restore balance." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The skies of Kaziranga come alive again. A gentle reminder that nature rewards care, patience, and protection," was another heartfelt response to the good news. 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. President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday that he is ordering the United States to resume nuclear testing, leaving experts wondering what this testing would entail and how it would be implemented. In a post on his social media platform, Trump wrote, "Because of other countries testing programs, I have instructed the Department of War to start testing our Nuclear Weapons on an equal basis. That process will begin immediately." On Friday, onboard Air Force One, when asked about his plan to resume nuclear tests, Trump told reporters "You'll find out very soon, but we're going to do some testing, yeah. Other countries do it. If they're going to do it, we're going to do it." Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters - PHOTO: President Donald Trump speaks with reporters aboard Air Force One shortly after taking off from Busan, South Korea, en route to Joint Base Andrews, Md., Oct. 30, 2025. What does Trump mean by 'nuclear testing?' Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Experts say it's unclear what type of testing Trump is referring to. "He may be thinking of missile testing, which the U.S. already does regularly. If he is referring to explosive nuclear testing, that is much more alarming," Tara Drozdenko, director of the Global Security Program at the Union of Concerned Scientists, told ABC News. Drozdenko said resuming nuclear testing would be a "political statement, with major consequences." She said it could motivate other nuclear powers like Russia and China to restart their own nuclear testing programs. Currently, North Korea is the only nation that is not observing a freeze on nuclear testing. If the U.S. resumes nuclear tests, it's unclear what form they would take. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the United Nations, the U.S. conducted more than 1,000 nuclear tests between 1945 and 1992, when President George H.W. Bush announced a unilateral moratorium on nuclear weapons testing. Those tests took place in various environments, including the atmosphere, underground and underwater. Mark Reinstein/Corbis via Getty Images - PHOTO: President George H.W. Bush and Russian President Boris Yeltsin during a summit which started with an historic singing of a "Joint Understanding" agreement at the White House, June 17, 1992. Trump orders nuclear weapons testing ahead of high-stakes meeting with Xi Norman Kleiman, an associate professor of environmental health sciences at Columbia University, said nuclear testing can range from nonradioactive, known as subcritical, to incredibly radioactive. He said concerns about how explosive nuclear testing can impact health and the environment played at least some role in ending it. "I hope to God, and don't think he's talking about above-ground testing. That would be crazy," said Keliman. "I think probably the more realistic approach, if in fact this is real, would be some non-explosive or non-fissionable testing." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When a nuclear explosion occurs, particles containing radioactive material can spread over a wide area, potentially for miles. These radioactive particles can then come into contact with people, animals and the environment. Depending on the test, the impacts can be confined to a small area or have broader regional effects, Kleiman said. If people are exposed to radioactive byproducts of a nuclear test, they are at risk of severe illness in the short term and an increased likelihood of cancer down the line. Kleiman says that radiation damages human DNA and causes mutations that are associated with cancer development. Bettmann Archive/Getty Images - PHOTO: The "Baker" blast of Operation CROSSROADS, detonated underwater, creates a Wilson condensation cloud, which hides all but the crown of a column of water the blast produced, July 25, 1946. What to know about the recent Russian nuclear-capable weapons testing Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "So the biggest risk for radiation is to the unborn child in terms of orders of magnitude, the risk to an unborn child is far greater than any other risk, because you have so many cells that are developing and dividing, and things can go wrong very quickly," explained Kleiman. There is also the potential for long-term environmental impact. According to a 2014 study, nuclear testing in the second part of the 20th century had "serious ecological and social consequences." The paper's author found evidence of long-lasting radioactive contamination of the land, air and water across the planet, with hotspots of contamination at major test sites. While it's unlikely that the U.S. would resume atmospheric testing, previous tests have been responsible for the spreading of radioactive fallout. According to the EPA, "Detonating nuclear weapons above ground sends radioactive materials as high as 50 miles into the atmosphere. Large particles fall to the ground near the explosion site, but lighter particles and gases travel into the upper atmosphere." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The agency says that radioactive particles can be swept into the atmosphere and fall back to Earth as fallout. "The highest particles can circulate around the world for years until they gradually fall to Earth or are brought back to the surface by precipitation," according to the EPA. Bettmann Archive/Getty Images - PHOTO: Detonation of the nuclear device Ivy Mike during Operation Ivy in the Marshall Islands, 1952. The United Nations says atmospheric testing was responsible for a radiological disaster in the Marshall Islands in 1954. After testing a hydrogen bomb at Bikini Atoll, radioactive particles reached inhabited islands, a fishing boat and the members of the U.S. military. Some of the Marshall Islands remain radioactive to this day. Underwater testing is when the explosion takes place in water. In this type of test, the blast can disperse radioactive water and steam, contaminating marine life and nearby ships. "Let's start with the worst-case scenarios. He does do underground testing. What would happen if you exploded a nuclear bomb in one of these underground tunnels? You would have radioactive decay products, which could contaminate the environment," said Kleiman. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Underground testing involves an explosion occurring under the surface of the Earth. This type of testing can be safer if the explosion is contained, but the U.N. warns that if underground nuclear tests "vent" to the surface, they can produce considerable radioactive debris." Kleiman added, "Underground testing, that's better than above-ground, but still not a good thing. There are other ways to test nuclear weapons. You can test the radioactive component of a nuclear weapon without actually exploding it." Drozdenko says underground explosive tests can result in "catastrophic breaches" that can harm site workers, and that "even small leaks can contaminate groundwater and ecosystems, posing possible long-term exposure and health risks." She noted that the world is still recovering from the Cold War-era nuclear testing and its impact on the people who worked on nuclear programs and those who lived close to the nuclear test sites. "Restarting explosive testing would also be a slap in the face to communities harmed by Cold War-era atmospheric nuclear tests, many of whom are still awaiting compensation from the government," she said. The carapace, or upper shell, of an invasive European green crab and a live live green crab are shown in this undated photo. Ever since Alaska's first green crabs were found on Annette Island in 2022, numbers have exploded and the invaders have spread north. (Photo by Linda Shaw/National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries Service) When a young Sealaska intern walking a beach in July 2022 found the first evidence of European green crab presence in Alaska a discarded shell on a beach on Annette Island in the states far southeast corner it was an ominous sign about the invasive species northward spread. Since then, the Metlakatla Indian Community, the tribe based on Annette Island, and its partners, which include Alaska Sea Grant, have found not just more shells, but live invasive crabs. Discoveries numbered just a handful at first, then dozens, then hundreds, then thousands. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This year, the Metlakatla tribes team has trapped more than 40,000 of them on and around Annette Island, a representative said. This year weve had a complete explosion of green crab over seven new locations on Annette Island we found green crab, and eight new locations off Annette Island, said Nicole Reynolds, an environmental specialist working with the tribe, in a presentation at a three-day Anchorage meeting on invasive species in Alaska this week. The more than 40,000 crabs removed this year compares to last years total of 1,800, Reynolds said. European green crabs are small, usually measuring no more than 4 inches wide, but they are powerful forces of destruction. They mow down eelgrass beds that are vital habitat for salmon and other native species. And they gobble up native marine life like juvenile salmon, clams, mussels and juvenile Dungeness and other crabs that are important to commercial and subsistence harvests. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theyll eat the baby crabs. Theyre meaner and tougher than the Dungeness, Reynolds said during a break in the annual Alaska Invasive Species Partnership Workshop. European green crabs have already spread north of Annette Island. Last year, they were found at Gravina Island, and this summer they were found by participants in a local university class at beaches in Ketchikan that lie about 30 miles north of the initial Annette Island discovery site. Just this month, they were found at Etolin Island, Reynolds said. Etolin Island is roughly 60 miles northwest of the city of Ketchikan, making it the northernmost North America discovery to date. And now European green crabs appear to be entrenched in Alaska waters for good, Reynolds and Genelle Winter, a grant administrator with the tribal government, told the workshop audience. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That means the fight against green crabs will also have to be long-term, Winter said, with a permanent staff and a strategy of what is known as functional eradication. That is an eradication strategy that accepts the reality of the invaders presence in some places, but tries to keep them out of other places with resources that are most important to protect. Nicole Reynolds and Genelle Winter of the Metlakatla Indian Community pose on Oct. 28, 2025, with a sticker bearing a European green crab design created by local artist, Elizabeth Anderson. The crab face was made intentionally angry and mean-looking, to help send the message about the destruction caused by this invasive species. Reynolds and Winter presented information at the annual Alaska Invasive Species Partnership Workshop in Anchorage about the Tribes work to combat the spread of European green crabs. The first discovery of the crabs in Alaska was in 2022 at Annette Island in the far southeast corner of the state, and they have proliferated in Alaska waters since then. (Photo by Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon) Such a strategy involves focusing all our efforts on protecting the most vital subsistence and commercial resources, she said. Conditions in Alaska waters, the farthest-north spots in North America where the crabs have spread, do not faze the invaders, DNA analysis shows. For that information, the tribe consulted with an expert, Carolyn Tepolt of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute. Tepolt has also been investigating the genetics of green crabs that have invaded Washington state. Tepolts analysis found that the green crabs in Alaska are a genetic blend of those in Washington and British Columbia, diverse enough to persist in the more northern waters, Reynolds said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She even called it a super-crab just because of how perfectly genetically suited it is for the environment in Southeast Alaska, Reynolds said. European green crabs have been altering North American marine ecosystems for a long time. They were first found in East Coast waters in the early 1800s, likely carried there in ship ballast water. The first West Coast discovery was in 1989 in San Francisco Bay. Since then, they have been spreading north up the Pacific coast. They were first confirmed in British Columbia in 1999 and continued moving up that Canadian provinces coast before being found at Annette Island three years ago. Beyond the accidental releases through ballast water, scientists say warming conditions are aiding the spread of green crabs. Larvae are more likely to survive in warmer waters brought on by climate change and weather events like El Nino cycles. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The 2023-2024 El Nino, which warmed Alaska waters, is a possible factor in this years explosion of green crabs in Southeast Alaska, the Metlakatla tribal representatives said. Warmer temperatures than those that used to be normal in Alaska marine waters are known to encourage green crab proliferation. A study by Danish scienetists that was published in September identifies a temperature range that appears ideal for the crabs. At temperatures of 12.5 to 16.6 degrees Celsius, or 54.5 to 61.9 degrees Fahrenheit, European green crab abundance peaked, the scientists found. Average temperatures in Southcentral Alaskas Cook Inlet were within that range this August, an indication that conditions would be suitable for green crabs if they somehow reach that area. Nicole Reynolds, an environmental specialist with the Metlakatla Indian Community, shows a photo stored on her phone of an unusual-looking European green crab collected this year. The Tribal government is at the forefront of the campaign to try to control the spread of the invasive species, which eats native species and damages habitat used by fish. Reynolds presented information about the Tribes work at the annual Alaska Invasive Species Partnership Workshop in Anchorage. (Photo by Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon) Preparations are already underway in Alaska for what experts believe is an inevitable spread north from the Southeast region. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Southcentral Alaskas Kachemak Bay, over 700 miles northwest of Ketchikan, residents this summer deployed over 60 traps in what was effectively a pre-invasion drill. The program was a cooperative effort of the Kachemak Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, the Seldovia Village Tribe and its council member, Michael Opheim, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. There and elsewhere, a big part of the fight against green crab infestations is public education. European green crabs can be identified by the array of bumps on their shells. They have five sharp spikes on either side of their eyes and three lobes in between their eyes. Despite their name, they are not always green they can be red, yellow or mottled. Some of those found by her team have even been blue, Reynolds said. To help boost awareness, local Tsimshian artist Elizabeth Anderson has designed a green crab logo with an angry face to reinforce the message that the species is a bad actor, Winter said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Metlakatla, awareness appears to be keen already, including among some of the youngest residents. The other day, the mayor was driving down the street and got flagged down by two little kids. And they said, We found some green crab! We know its green crab because its 5-3-5, Winter said during the workshop presentation. The numbers reference the array of shell bumps on a green crab. Those little kids absolutely knew how to identify the European green crab. Those crabs, found at a beach right in front of town, were stashed in a plastic bag and added to this years count, Winter said. Aside from identifying, trapping, counting, measuring and analyzing the European green crabs, the inundated community faces another challenge: what to do with thousands of unwanted invaders. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Metlakatla, the ultimate destination is the community compost heap. That is a good end use, Reynolds said. They add heat to the compost, and because its cold and wet in Southeast, its actually really helpful to have more heat, she told workshop attendees. On the East Coast and elsewhere, some of the eradication work involves eating the invaders. Experts say they have little meat but can be useful for making soups. One organization, Greencrab.org, has compiled recipes and sells a cookbook and T-shirts with a catchy slogan: If you cant beat them, eat them. San Francisco will begin cracking down on homeless people living in recreational vehicles Saturday, the latest effort to tackle the surge of vehicles in some neighborhoods. Legislation proposed by Mayor Daniel Lurie and passed by the Board of Supervisors in July bans large vehicles from parking for more than two hours starting this weekend. When Lurie introduced the legislation, he said in a statement that it combines "compassion with accountability, offering a clear path to housing while restoring safety, cleanliness, and accessibility to our streets and public spaces." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But critics argue the plan may make it harder for those already struggling to survive amid a shortage of supportive housing and shelter beds for the unhoused. Here's what you need to know about the new rules. What does the RV ban do? Starting Nov. 1, RVs and other large vehicles will be banned from parking in the same place for more than two hours on any street in San Francisco. Violators will face a $108 ticket and potential towing. But residents should not expect to see a large-scale removal of RVs overnight. Those that were parked in the city before June are eligible for permits that will temporarily shield them from enforcement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The permits are valid for six months, with the intention to transition RV residents into housing or shelter during that window, but extensions will be granted if placements aren't made in time. Permit holders are required to abide by a "good neighbor policy," which includes keeping streets and sidewalks clear of any belongings, properly disposing of waste and limiting noise levels. Permit holders also must stay engaged with case managers, who will be working to move them into housing or private rooms in shelters. To incentivize RV dwellers to accept housing and shelter offers, the city is piloting a vehicle buyback program. Those who agree to give up their vehicles will get an average of $3,000 to $7,000 depending on the length of their vehicle. What are the program's goals? The proposal seeks to alleviate neighborhood complaints while helping homeless people into more stable shelter. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Neighbors have long complained about RVs taking up scarce parking, obscuring driving sight lines and leading to more dumping. Critics also argue it's not safe or humane to let people live in their vehicles. Still, homeless advocates argue that the enforcement plan will penalize those living in poverty and there aren't enough homes and shelter beds for those struggling to get out of their vehicles. How many people live in vehicles in the city? The number of people living out of their vehicles in San Francisco increased 37% from 2022 to 2024 - from 1,049 to 1,442 - partially driven by a rise in immigrant families, according to estimates from the city's homelessness department. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But in May, City workers specifically counted 501 oversize vehicles - those measuring more than 22 feet long or 7 feet tall - that would be subject to the new restrictions. By September, the total number of oversize vehicles dropped to 404, according to a city tally. Officials believe that 19% drop was, in part, driven by the impending parking restrictions and some vehicle dwellers deciding to leave the city ahead of the new rules taking effect. Which neighborhoods have the most RVs? The greatest concentration of oversize vehicles are parked in Bayview-Hunters Point, the Mission and around West Portal and Lake Merced. Residents in some hard-hit neighborhoods have pressured elected officials to deal with the issue over the past few years. How much will it cost, and what new resources will be available? The city has set aside 165 rapid rehousing housing vouchers specifically for RV dwellers, with an additional 260 vouchers available for unhoused people in other living situations, according to the city's emergency management department. But those 165 vouchers would accommodate only a portion of RV residents and could make it more difficult for other unhoused people to gain housing, advocates argue. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The mayor has earmarked $12.9 million in his budget for the plan. What outreached has been done? City outreach teams hosted permitting events throughout October where residents could drop by tables and obtain permits or begin the appeal process if their vehicle was accidentally left off the city registry based on the May count. The mayor's office has also rolled out a new chatbot powered by artificial intelligence to supplement the work of the outreach teams and give RV residents another way to obtain information in various languages. The city is also expected to begin deploying case managers to work with RV residents to get them into housing or shelter and connect them with other resources. This article originally published at S.F.'s crackdown on RV dwellers kicks off. Here's what you need to know. You have a bunch of useless politicians wringing their hands and it all seems a bit complicated. And theyre surrounded by useless civil servants, none of whom want to do anything or get off their fat arses and reform this scandal. Ryanairs chief executive Michael OLeary isnt known for mincing his words, and today is no exception. He is dialling in from Dublin having just returned from Agadir, Morocco. Ryanair is launching a new winter sun route to the city, but that isnt on our agenda. Today, we are discussing the issue of air traffic controllers in France. Due to short staffing and strike action, and Frances positioning in Europe, French air traffic controllers have caused thousands of flight cancellations, countless delays and affected millions of passengers across Europe in recent years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, the strike action itself isnt the scandal that OLeary refers to. The scandal is twofold: that the European Commission has failed to protect overflights (flights that go through a countrys airspace without taking off or landing there) during French strike days, and that French politicians have failed to sufficiently staff their Air Traffic Control (ATC) units the teams of air traffic controllers who should be preventing accidents and monitoring the flow of air traffic. Unacceptable is the term used on Ryanairs petition, which has accrued 2.2 million signatures. Or, indeed, The f---ing sky doesnt belong to the French as OLeary describes the matter. Europe should protect the overflight This year (January 1 to October 22), Ryanair says that 11 million of its passengers have suffered avoidable disruption due to French air traffic control industrial action. Since 2023, there have been 99 days of strike action and countless hours of delays due to staff shortages. On July 3 and July 4 2025 alone, industrial action by French ATC caused the cancellation of 1,422 flights and 3,713 flights were delayed, affecting more than one million passengers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Every day theres a French ATC strike, we usually have to cancel about 600 flights at the instruction of French ATC, says OLeary. In total, a single day of French strike action could affect as many as 100,000 Ryanair passengers. The thing that frustrates OLeary is that barely any of the affected flights are actually travelling to France. Every day, approximately 20 per cent of all European flights are overflights that fly over, but do not touch the ground, in France. This means that flights from the UK to Italy, Germany to Spain, Portugal to Poland, Ireland to Bulgaria, are affected on a day of French ATC strike action. And everybodys trying to fly around France, which means that even the flights that do operate then are hugely delayed and blocked up, he added. This year, on July 3 and 4, Eurocontrol estimates that airlines produced 60,000 excess tons of CO2 emissions as flights rerouted around France. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For years, Ryanair has lobbied Ursula von der Leyen and the European Commission to protect overflights in France during industrial action. There is precedent for this. When air traffic controllers in Spain, Italy and Greece go on strike, minimum service legislation ensures overflights are protected while local flights are cancelled, OLeary argues. OLeary has argues that the European Commission has sat on its hands for too long - Europa Press News/Europa Press The French, of course, do exactly the opposite. They protect the local French flights. So Pierre and Angelique can continue travelling to the French airports, but the overflights are disproportionately cancelled. This, OLeary says, amounts to an interference in the single market: This is the reason weve been campaigning, together with other airlines, for many years. We are calling on the European Commission and useless von der Leyen to get up off her arse. But of course, being the spineless politicians that they are, they keep retreating to this trope which is: the right to strike is a national power. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We dont want to stop the French air traffic controllers striking. Theyre free to strike if they want, but they should cancel the French flight, and Europe should protect the overflight. We have a standby captain. ATC has no standby roster Strike action is only part of the problem. Since the pandemic, air traffic control centres across the UK and Europe have suffered from staffing shortages. Ryanair and other airlines, plus bodies such as Airlines for Europe, have long called on transport ministers across Europe to train and hire more controllers. Why have you got such massive air traffic control [problems] on Saturdays and Sundays in the summer? OLeary asks. Its because and NATS [National Air Traffic Services] is just as bad Pierre or Graham dont show up to work on Saturday mornings or Sunday mornings when theyre rostered to do so. But they suffer no consequences. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And France, which of course is usually the byword for inefficiency and incompetence, two years ago did a new deal with the ATC unions, under which Pierre, if he doesnt feel like it, can report up to three hours late for work in the morning and still be on time. Nothing is done by the European Commission to end this scandal. I should also say nothing is being done by the British Government. Mr OLeary says that, because airlines are subject to stringent delay compensation regulations, they must keep a roster of standby captains and cabin crew on-hand for morning shifts, in case somebody calls in sick. Air traffic controllers never have a standby roster. If theyre down to the minimum numbers and then two of them wake up on a Saturday morning [and decide to] call in sick, they take out about 20 per cent of the ATC capacity. We have very few ATC capacity issues on Monday to Fridays during the summer. But on a Saturday and Sunday, whoops. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement ATC capacity shortages is a euphemism for staff who wont show up to work. To raise awareness around this issue, Ryanair launched a website called Air Traffic Control Ruined Your Flight, showing the faces and email addresses of transport ministers in seven of Europes worst-affected countries for ATC disruption, including France, Spain, Germany and the UK. A madcap communist idea So what, if anything, is being done to improve matters? In 1999, the European Commission launched the Single European Sky (SES) initiative in a bid to reform Europes fragmented air traffic management. However, 26 years later, the vision has not been fully realised. This is the madcap communist idea that Europe will be covered with one big air traffic control system and that everybody will receive Spanish pay rates and deliver French productivity. But the national ATC unions wont agree to it, so nothing has happened for 20 years, says OLeary. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So the airlines have completely given up on this abject failure of the Single Europeans Sky. Instead, airlines are pivoting in their demands, and Mr OLeary is hopeful that change is on the horizon. Im an optimist, one of lifes optimists, so I think it will improve because its going to get so bad, people will eventually rebel, he says. We will eventually embarrass Ursula von der-layed again into doing something. We have unanimity across all of Europes airlines, including the flag carriers. Air traffic controllers must be fully staffed for the first wave of morning flights. They must have standby air traffic controllers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And you must protect overflights during national ATC strikes. And I think we will embarrass Useless von der Leyen into actually taking this on. We need to keep calling her out, keep embarrassing her, keep embarrassing your Labour transport ministers who stand idly by while British flights to the continent are cancelled because France is having an ATC strike. Bring back the Royal Navy, when Britain used to actually get things done. 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. San Francisco vintage clothing store the Future Past has accused Banana Republic of directly copying one of its jean designs. The Clement Street establishment shared a screen recorded video to Instagram on Wednesday, Oct. 29 comparing a pair of light wash Levi's 501s that they refurbished with dark patchwork and ovular sashikos to Banana Republic's $180 Mid-Rise Barrel Patchwork Ankle Jeans, which feature identical detailing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "When I initially saw the stolen design my stomach sank," store owner Lindsey Hansen told the Chronicle on Thursday, Oct. 30. "I immediately knew that it was an almost identical copy of a pair that I had repaired last year." After revisiting the photos of the jeans she had been thinking of, she realized, "there's no way that it could be a coincidence." Since the Future Past highlighted the similarities between the two products online, Banana Republic - owned by San Francisco-based Gap Inc. - has removed the pair of jeans from its website. "We take their concerns seriously as a brand that supports the local creative community," a Gap Inc. spokesperson told the Chronicle. "Our team is looking into this matter and will handle as appropriate." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hansen said Banana Republic's communication team reached out on Friday, Oct. 31, to schedule a future call with her and Giusto. The Future Past has called out Banana Republic for selling a pair of jeans that are nearly identical to some that it created last year. (Courtesy of Jenna Giusto) Since the Future Past opened in the Inner Richmond in 2019, the small shop has become a destination for vintage clothing enthusiasts. Many of its pieces are altered and repaired by hand, with designs often featuring patterns and stitching similar to those found on the jeans in question. Jenna Giusto, who works at the store, came across the Banana Republic jeans via an Instagram advertisement last week, and said she was immediately "furious." "Our whole ethos is slow fashion," Giusto said. "To see that exact design of a pair of jeans that we specifically took to save and repair and thoughtfully craft and hand-stitch, for that to be replicated by this company that's just pumping out thousands of this same jean that obviously doesn't need repair it's just so backwards. It makes no sense and it's the opposite of what we're trying to do." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Instagram post that the Future Past shared on Wednesday has received nearly a hundred comments, most from angered community members who condemned the alleged plagiarism, tagging the Gap and Banana Republic accounts on the platform. "We went from feeling so alone and violated to being buoyed by the love and support of our online community," Hansen said. Giusto shared those sentiments, but added she was stunned to learn how common such situations are for other small businesses. The two are unsure whether they have the resources to pursue legal action. "We don't really know what to do," Giusto said. "They have all the money in the world to pay for legal fees and marketing and all that stuff, and we don't." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gap has collaborated with smaller businesses in the past. In August, the company teamed up with San Francisco nonprofit Holy Stitch! to bring its hoodie customization experience to Outside Lands. Dubbed Hoodie House, it drew long lines, making it the busiest the activation at the three-day Golden Gate Park music festival. This article originally published at S.F. vintage store accuses Gap Inc. of stealing original jean design: It's just so backwards'. The Judiciary Police (PJ) have noted a recent surge in juvenile delinquency, primarily characterized by assaults and thefts, alongside an increase in juvenile sexual offenses and child sexual abuse cases, with half of these incidents involving consensual sexual activity. The authorities have observed that the internet hosts various inappropriate content, including pornography and violence, which can subtly influence adolescents through prolonged exposure. According to the police, the rise in child sexual abuse cases reflects a trend toward younger ages of sexual debut, with many pornography offenses involving minors stemming from victims being lured into taking nude photos. This indicates a weak legal awareness among youth and an insufficient understanding of the criminal nature of sexual acts with minors under 16, as well as inadequate sexual values, a PJ spokesperson stated while addressing the public broadcasters radio program on Wednesday. He continued, The internet is flooded with inappropriate content such as pornography and violence, and prolonged exposure can subtly influence young people. He added that the authorities conducted 151 crime prevention lectures in schools during the first three quarters of this year, with a total attendance of 24,000 students. Additionally, 40 interactive lectures for primary and kindergarten students attracted around 4,000 participants, and crime prevention sessions were also organized for parents and school staff. According to reports, some listeners inquired about how the government assists young people in verifying the authenticity of online information, such as job postings. Another PJ spokesperson emphasized the bureaus commitment to continuing anti-fraud education campaigns, especially aimed at youth. He noted that earlier this month, the PJ uncovered a case in which at least nine Macau residents were lured to Taiwan with high salaries to participate in phone scams, including one minor. Furthermore, in the first half of this year, reports of fake customer service platform scams surfaced, involving six victims who were primary or secondary school students and who collectively lost over MOP480,000. Like this: Like Loading... The Federal Aviation Administration issued a ground delay for Nashville International Airport on Oct. 31, citing a shortage of air traffic controllers in the BNA tower amid the ongoing federal government shutdown. Aircrafts with a destination of Nashville will be delayed at their departure airport for up to two hours, the FAA said in an advisory issued just before the delay was implemented. The ground delay will be in effect from 10 a.m. to 4:59 p.m. on Halloween. Icelandair planes its at the Nashville International Airport in Nashville, Tenn., Thursday, April 10, 2025. The ground delay is a tactic meant to limit the total number of flights entering Nashville airspace at any given time, which allows fewer air traffic controllers to manage incoming and outgoing planes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Travelers are advised to monitor flight status and contact their airline for updates before arriving at BNA," airport officials said in a statement. How understaffed is FAA air traffic control at Nashville airport? This is the second significant ground delay to occur at the Nashville airport since the shutdown began on Oct. 1. The first took place on Oct. 7 and resulted in 263 planes delayed with a total of 39,450 passengers impacted, according to BNA data. A controller shortage has existed across the U.S. for years, but the current government shutdown has exacerbated it. As The Tennessean reported in September ahead of the shutdown, the latest FAA data shows that there are 11 fewer controllers stationed at BNA than there should be and two fewer controllers than there were in 2015. Even if every BNA air traffic control tower employee shows up for work, it is operating understaffed. The air traffic control tower at Nashville International Airport in Nashville, Tenn., Tuesday, Sept. 23, 2025. The Oct. 31 delay comes just two days after U.S. Secretary of Transportation Pete Duffy visited Nashville's air traffic controllers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Duffy has said numerous times over the course of the shutdown that air traffic controllers across the country have stopped showing up to work because of missed paychecks. They are among the "essential" group required to continue working through the shutdown without pay. "Air traffic controllers have bills to pay tomorrow," Duffy said. "Theres no time to put off this conversation. Open up the government and have your discussions later." Hadley Hitson covers business news for The Tennessean. She can be reached at hhitson@gannett.com. To support her work, subscribe to The Tennessean. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: FAA delays Nashville flights due to air traffic controller shortage If you're flying into Austin on Halloween, prepare to wait. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued a ground delay on Friday, October 31, for arrivals into the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport. This ground delay at AUS started at 10 a.m. and will be until 5 p.m. Friday evening, according to the FAA's National Airspace System Status website. AUS said at this time, departing flights from the airport are not affected, but advised passengers to check their flight status and contact airlines directly for more information. Flights arriving into Austin are experiencing an average delay of 50 minutes, according to the FAA. The @FAANews has issued a ground delay for arrivals into AUS until 5pm tonight. At this time, departing flights are not affected. Keep an eye on your flight status & connect directly w/ airlines for more info. Check real time info from the FAA here: https://t.co/2dp6mMjqY2 pic.twitter.com/ADZYM2v57u - Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (@AustinAirport) October 31, 2025 This comes just four days after the FAA issued another ground delay due to staffing issues on Monday, October 27, and two other ground delays earlier this month, impacting travelers on the airport's busiest days of the year, KVUE reports. Earlier this week, hundreds of U.S. air traffic controllers missed their first full paycheck even though they are still required to work without pay during the ongoing government shutdown. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The agency lifted the ground delay at 7 p.m. Monday evening. During the delay, the FAA said departures to AUS were delayed an average of 39 minutes. But even before the government shutdown, air traffic control staffing issues have plagued Austin's airport and other airports nationwide for years. As the government shutdown continues, more essential workers are not showing up to work at they look for other ways to pay their bills, which could make the upcoming holiday travel season even more hectic. As of 10:36 a.m., AUS has had a total of 128 flight delays and three cancellations on Friday, according to FlightAware.com. This article originally published at FAA ground delay stalls over 100 flights at major Texas airport. Election office employees put away sample ballots during the conclusion of a ballot-counting test at the Multnomah County Elections Office in Portland on Tuesday, October 25, 2022. A recent inquiry into noncitizens voting in the state was shelved by Oregon officials. (Photo by Jordan Gale/Oregon Capital Chronicle) The Oregon Department of Justice and Secretary of States Office shelved an investigation into three individuals suspected of voting despite not being U.S. citizens after an attorney for the state warned the cases were vulnerable to claims of selective prosecution. The investigation stems from last falls discovery that more than 1,600 people had been wrongly registered to vote while obtaining or renewing drivers licenses or state-issued identification cards. Oregon has automatically registered voters since 2016 when they provide documents proving citizenship, like a U.S. birth certificate or passport, during interactions at the Driver and Motor Vehicle Services division. But since 2019 the state has allowed people to obtain drivers licenses without proving theyre citizens or legal residents. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A series of errors led to the discovery that more than 1,600 people were registered to vote in error. Oregon has more than 3 million registered voters, and clerical workers both miskeyed foreign passports as U.S. passports and failed to make key distinctions between the passports of U.S. nationals and citizens. People born in the territories of American Samoa and Swains Island can hold U.S. passports, but they are not citizens and cannot vote in elections other than party presidential nominating elections. State officials removed those wrongly registered voters from voter rolls ahead of the November 2024 election, though a miniscule percentage ever voted. A total of 38 wrongly registered people voted in various elections in 2022 and 2023, and 30 of those received letters warning of consequences of voting while ineligible. The Secretary of States Office in February 2025 referred three cases for criminal investigation to the Oregon Department of Justice. Neither the Oregon Department of Justice nor the Secretary of State publicly announced the results of those investigations or a Sept. 23 letter to the Secretary of States office, which left the door open for the Secretary of States Office to add on more evidence and refer the cases again. However, Jenny Hansson, a spokesperson for the Oregon Department of Justice, provided a copy of the letter on Thursday after the Capital Chronicle inquired about the probe. In a brief three-page document addressed to Deputy Secretary of State Michael Kaplan, a senior assistant attorney general for the Oregon Department of Justice said that the three individuals voluntarily complied with investigators and that there was enough evidence to conclude they turned in signed ballot envelopes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But regardless of whether the evidence would be sufficient to obtain convictions, attorney Jeffrey A. Howes argued that the way the referral process was executed could have singled out certain defendants based on an unjustifiable standard. The three sent to the Department of Justice had obtained lawyers, not responded to letters seeking potentially incriminating information or partially responded to those letters. That could pose concerns about selective prosecution, when a defendant is able to demonstrate that prosecution is based on a category like race or religion or having exercised a constitutionally protected right, Howes wrote. We are not suggesting that the sorting, selection, and referral of these three cases was part of a deliberate process of setting apart these three defendants because they chose to exercise constitutional rights (right to counsel; right against self-incrimination), Howes wrote to Kaplan. But because that appears to have been the practical effect of the referral process, any effort to pursue a criminal prosecution in the current posture would be vulnerable to a claim of selective prosecution, which could result in dismissal of the criminal charges. Elections division lacks well-defined protocols or guidelines, DOJ lawyer said Howes wrote that he discovered the division was sorting cases without well-defined protocols or guidelines, referencing an April 10 meeting between the Department of Justice and members of the Secretary of States Elections Division. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Capital Chronicle was able to reach two of the individuals identified in his letter through Linkedin, but neither responded to messages seeking comment. The Capital Chronicle is not naming them because no charges have been filed. The justice department recommended that the elections division review the three cases again and determine whether the individuals should also receive warning letters instead. Howes wrote that prosecutors remain open to re-considering the cases if they are sufficiently different from those other cases to merit review for criminal prosecution. Tess Seger, a spokesperson for Secretary of State Tobias Read, said in an email that the office has no plans to refer the three cases or additional cases to the justice department. We appreciate DOJs feedback and have already addressed much of what they raised, she said. Since taking office in January, Secretary Read has directed his team to improve the offices protocols and policies across the agency, including ensuring consistency in which cases are referred to DOJ for further investigation in the future. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Due to statutes of limitation, state prosecutors have until Nov. 7 to bring charges against two of the individuals, and May 15 for another, according to Howes letter. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Claim: In late October 2025, Rolling Stones front man Mick Jagger sued U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth for $60 million. Rating: Rating: False In late October 2025, a rumor spread online that Rolling Stones front man Mick Jagger sued U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth for $60 million after an "explosive live TV clash that left viewers stunned." One Facebook post (archived) with the claim read: "'PAY UP OR FACE ME IN COURT!' Mick Jagger Slaps Pete Hegseth and Network With a $60 Million Lawsuit After Explosive Live TV Clash That Left Viewers Stunned " What was meant to be a thoughtful discussion on wildlife conservation took a shocking turn when Pete Hegseth went off-script, mocking Mick Jagger's activism and sneering that he was "an out-of-touch rock relic playing eco-hero for the cameras." But Jagger didn't lose his cool. With trademark poise, he calmly dismantled the attack, standing firm for the cause he's championed for decades. The tension was palpable and by the time the segment ended, even the hosts were speechless. Days later, Jagger's team made it official: a $60 million defamation and emotional distress lawsuit targeting both Hegseth and the network. Legal analysts are already calling it one of the boldest celebrity cases of the year and fans say it's proof that grace can be louder than rage. Quiet, steadfast, and unbreakable Mick Jagger didn't just defend his name. He reminded the world what real composure looks like under fire. Thousands of people reacted to, commented on and shared the post, with multiple Facebook users spreading similar claims. Readers searched our website for information about the rumor. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In reality, no such lawsuit or on-air confrontation ever occurred. Searches of Bing, DuckDuckGo and Yahoo found no news media outlets reporting about Jagger suing Hegseth for $60 million. Prominent news outlets would have widely reported this rumor, if true. Rather, the story was a fabrication. It was one of hundreds of similarly fake stories about celebrities on Facebook that aim to generate advertising revenue via websites linked in posts. For example, the above-mentioned Facebook post redirected readers to an article on an advertisement-filled website supposedly detailing the "on-air confrontation" between Jagger and Hegseth. That page read: Mick Jagger Hits Back Files $60 Million Lawsuit Against Pete Hegseth and His Network After Explosive On-Air Clash A live television interview meant to spotlight conservation turned into a media firestormand now a high-stakes legal battle. Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger has filed a $60 million lawsuit against television host Pete Hegseth and his network after a tense, on-air confrontation that has ignited debates over journalism, decorum, and defamation in modern broadcasting. What Happened On Air According to multiple sources close to the production, Jagger appeared for what was billed as a measured conversation on wildlife conservation and philanthropy. For several minutes, the exchange was standard fare: Jagger discussed environmental threats, global conservation efforts, and the urgency of protecting natural habitats. Then the temperature rose. Hegseth, known for his combative style, pressed Jagger on environmental policy and abruptly accused him of being a "scripted eco-celebrity living off his past name." The tone in the studio shifted. Witnesses described a sudden, palpable tension as Jagger took a breath, steadied himself, and replied: "If caring for the planet makes me scripted, then I hope more people start reading the same script." The line drew immediate applause from the audience and detonated online, where clips have amassed tens of millions of views across X and TikTok. Fans hailed it as a masterclass in composure"the mic drop of the decade," as some labeled itwhile critics questioned the motives behind the segment and whether the confrontation was engineered for spectacle. According to the artificial-intelligence (AI) text detector ZeroGPT, the majority of the article was likely generated by AI. (Research shows AI-detection software is imperfect. Readers should consider the tools' results with skepticism.) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement (ZeroGPT) The article's tone, structure and emotional language also indicated that AI software helped create it, as well as the fact that it did not list sources for its information. In October 2025, we fact-checked a similar rumor that zookeeper and conservationist Robert Irwin filed a $60 million lawsuit against Hegseth. We also debunked a false claim that Jagger held a moment of silence in tribute to slain conservative activist Charlie Kirk during a September 2025 concert. Sources: Mick Jagger Hits Back Files $60 Million Lawsuit Against Pete Hegseth and His Network After Explosive On-Air Clash - News | Ghostarchive. https://ghostarchive.org/archive/cZ9eD. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement AI Detector - Trusted AI Checker for ChatGPT, GPT5 & Gemini. https://www.zerogpt.com/. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025. Christensen, Laerke. "Robert Irwin Sued Pete Hegseth for $60M?" Snopes, 22 Oct. 2025, https://www.snopes.com//fact-check/robert-irwin-sues-pete-hegseth/. Kar, Sujita Kumar, et al. "How Sensitive Are the Free AI-Detector Tools in Detecting AI-Generated Texts? A Comparison of Popular AI-Detector Tools." Indian Journal of Psychological Medicine, vol. 47, no. 3, May 2025, pp. 27578. PubMed Central, https://doi.org/10.1177/02537176241247934. Winter, Emery. "Mick Jagger Didn't Hold Moment of Silence for Charlie Kirk at NYC Concert." Snopes, 16 Sep. 2025, https://www.snopes.com//fact-check/mick-jagger-charlie-kirk/. Claim: U.S. Senate Democrats voted 12 times not to fund the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Rating: Rating: Mixture What's True: The pop-up that made the claim on the U.S. Department of Agriculture's website appeared on Oct. 25, 2025. At that time, 12 votes to pass a Republican-sponsored continuing resolution on government funding measures had failed in the Senate, with Democrats making up the vast majority of the votes against the resolution every time. However ... Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What's False: ... We found no evidence that Senate Democrats voted specifically to block funding for SNAP. Senate Democrats have stated throughout the government shutdown that their top priority is a permanent extension on tax credits that millions of Americans use to buy health insurance and that Republicans have falsely claimed would allow "illegal" immigrants to access free healthcare. In October 2025, as the U.S. government shutdown neared a record 35 days, a pop-up appeared on the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) website that claimed Senate Democrats had "voted 12 times to not fund the food stamp program, also known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP)." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Around 42 million Americans receive SNAP benefits, which are federally funded. On average, SNAP provides $188 per month, or about $6 per day, in benefits to help seniors, people with disabilities and families purchase household food staples. One Instagram user posted a video (archived) about the pop-up, saying "This is real." The full pop-up read: Senate Democrats have now voted 12 times to not fund the food stamp program, also known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Bottom line, the well has run dry. At this time, there will be no benefits issued November 01. We are approaching an inflection point for Senate Democrats. They can continue to hold out for healthcare for illegal aliens and gender mutilation procedures or reopen the government so mothers, babies, and the most vulnerable among us can receive critical nutrition assistance. At the time of this writing, the USDA had updated the pop-up to say "13 times." The pop-up also circulated on Facebook (archived), Threads (archived), X (archived), Bluesky (archived) and Reddit (archived). Snopes readers wrote in asking if its claim about how Democrats voted was true. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Elements of the pop-up's claim were true. By Oct. 25, 2025, there had been 12 failed votes in the Senate to pass a Republican-sponsored continuing resolution on government funding measures. Each failed vote prolonged the government shutdown, as lawmakers had to pass a continuing resolution in order to release funds for federal agencies and services such as SNAP benefits. At each of these failed votes, too many senators, overwhelmingly Democrats, had voted against the continuing resolution, meaning the government had not appropriated funding for SNAP when the existing funding was set to expire at the start of November. Senate Democrats have said since before the government shutdown that their main priority is a permanent extension on tax credits that millions of Americans use to buy health insurance and that Republicans have falsely claimed would allow "illegal" immigrants to access free healthcare. Therefore, the claim that Democrats voted against the continuing resolution solely to block SNAP payments was false. Both Republican and Democratic senators have attempted to pass resolutions that would fund SNAP independent of a larger continuing resolution or budget bill. Republican Sen. John Thune, the majority leader of the Senate, said he would block these resolutions. Given the above, we give this claim a mixture of truth and falsehood. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At the time of this writing, senators were next expected back in the Senate on Nov. 3, 34 days into the government shutdown. They had voted on H.R. 5371 13 times. On Oct. 28, 54 senators (51 Republicans, two Democrats and one Independent) voted in favor of the resolution while 45 senators (43 Democrats, one Republican and one Independent) voted against. Judges rule contingency funding must be used Snopes previously reported that according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP) (archived), a nonpartisan research and policy institute, Congress made $6 billion in contingency funding available for SNAP through the 2024 and 2025 appropriations laws. Under the USDA's shutdown plan, some of that money would be used to cover states' administrative expenses, meaning the full $6 billion was unlikely to be available for SNAP benefits alone. Both the CBPP and the Food Research & Action Center, a policy and advocacy organization working to end hunger in the United States, said the U.S. government must use these funds to at least partially fund SNAP into November 2025. Fully funding SNAP for a month would cost around $8 billion, according to the CBPP. According to a USDA memo, the department said it could not use the contingency funds to continue SNAP benefits because, "SNAP contingency funds are only available to supplement regular monthly benefits when amounts have been appropriated for, but are insufficient to cover, benefits." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The USDA said it could not use contingency funds to continue SNAP funding because lawmakers failed to pass a continuing resolution or budget that would have appropriated any funds to SNAP that contingency funding could support. House Speaker Rep. Mike Johnson made a similar argument at a news conference on Oct. 27, citing legal analysis from the Trump administration to say that the contingency funds were "not legally available to cover the benefits right now." The next day, on Oct. 28, 25 states sued the USDA, claiming that it was unlawful for the agency to not fund SNAP benefits with contingency funds. On Oct. 31, Indira Talwani, a district judge in Massachusetts, wrote that the states were "likely to succeed on their claim that Defendants' suspension of SNAP benefits is unlawful" and asked the USDA to report back by Nov. 3 whether it would "authorize at least reduced SNAP benefits for November," using the contingency funds or other funding. Another district judge in Rhode Island, John James McConnell Jr., went a step further than Talwani, granting a temporary restraining order to the plaintiffs in a separate case that also claimed the USDA's failure to use contingency funds to fund SNAP was unlawful. McConnell also gave the USDA a Nov. 3 deadline to report back on how it would distribute the funds. In sum ... Though there had been 13 failed votes on extending government funding for agencies and services led by Democrats at the time of this writing, it was not true that Democratic senators voted against the continuing resolution solely to block funding for SNAP. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Democrats in the Senate have maintained throughout the shutdown that their principal concern is a permanent extension on tax credits that millions of Americans use to buy health insurance. Republicans have falsely claimed extending these credits would allow "illegal" immigrants to access free healthcare. Senators were expected to return to the Capitol on Nov. 3, which is also when judges in Massachusetts and Rhode Island told the USDA to report on how it would continue to fund SNAP into November. Talwani, who heard the case in Massachusetts, wrote that the court would "likely" find the USDA's failure to fund SNAP benefits through contingency funds "unlawful." For further reading, Snopes has previously reported on the effects of a government shutdown, what Democrats want to end it and whether SNAP benefits would continue to be paid past Nov. 1. Sources: "A Quick Guide to SNAP Eligibility and Benefits." Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, 3 Oct. 2025, https://www.cbpp.org/research/food-assistance/a-quick-guide-to-snap-eligibility-and-benefits. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Carney, Jordain, and Meredith Lee Hill. "SNAP Benefits Set for First-Ever Lapse with Senate Set to Reject Funding Patches." POLITICO, 29 Oct. 2025, https://archive.ph/yWi41. "Complaint #1 in Commonwealth of Massachusetts v. United States Department of Agriculture (D. Mass., 1:25-Cv-13165) CourtListener.Com." CourtListener, https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/71783393/1/commonwealth-of-massachusetts-v-united-states-department-of-agriculture/. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025. "Donald J. Trump: ".BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT THE DEMOCRATS HAVE GONE STONE COLD 'CRAZY,' THE C..." Trump's Truth, https://trumpstruth.org/statuses/33529. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025. "Food Research & Action Center Calls on President Trump to Follow Through on His Commitment to Provide November SNAP Benefits." Food Research & Action Center, https://frac.org/news/novembersnapbenefitsoct2025. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fortinsky, Sarah. "Johnson Claims SNAP Contingency Funds 'Not Legally Available' ." The Hill, 27 Oct. 2025, https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/5575299-usda-snap-shutdown-funds/. "H.R.5371 - Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, 2026." Congress.Gov, https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/5371/all-actions?overview=closed&q=%7B%22roll-call-vote%22%3A%22all%22%7D. "Impact of the Government Lapse on November Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Household Benefits." U.S. Department of Agriculture, https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/9a6bpd8w7rh0aky2b4x5k/November-Supplemental-Nutrition-Assistance-Program.pdf?rlkey=ngwpv8lc64jkrxoy2njgzm80z&e=3&st=fgdtzqdu&dl=0. "Lujan Leads Entire Senate Democratic Caucus in Effort to Stop Trump Administration from Illegally Withholding Funding for Nutrition Assistance Programs That Feed American Families." Senator Ben Ray Lujan, https://www.lujan.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/lujan-leads-entire-senate-democratic-caucus-in-effort-to-stop-trump-administration-from-illegally-withholding-funding-for-nutrition-assistance-programs-that-feed-american-families/. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement MASCARO, LISA. "Trump Says Senate Should Scrap the Filibuster to End the Shutdown, an Idea Opposed by Republicans." AP News, 31 Oct. 2025, https://apnews.com/article/filibuster-government-shutdown-trump-4febb133c572caac8ba11b1e4ec7fc76. "Memorandum & ORDER #26 in Commonwealth of Massachusetts v. United States Department of Agriculture (D. Mass., 1:25-Cv-13165) CourtListener.Com." CourtListener, https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/71783393/26/commonwealth-of-massachusetts-v-united-states-department-of-agriculture/. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025. @realDonaldTrump. "The Democrats Want Illegal Aliens, Many of Them VIOLENT CRIMINALS, to Receive FREE Healthcare." Truth Social, 24 Sep. 2025, https://archive.ph/0cQDv. "Rhode Island State Council of Churches v. Rollins, 1:25-Cv-00569 - CourtListener.Com." CourtListener, https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/71820142/rhode-island-state-council-of-churches-v-rollins/. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The Trump Administration Can and Should Take Available Steps to Ensure SNAP Participants Get November Food Benefits." Center on Budget and Policy Priorities , 20 Oct. 2025, https://www.cbpp.org/blog/the-trump-administration-can-and-should-take-available-steps-to-ensure-snap-participants-get. Thompson, Anna. "Hawley Introduces Legislation to Fund Food Stamps and Farm Programs During Government Shutdown." Josh Hawley, 22 Oct. 2025, https://www.hawley.senate.gov/hawley-introduces-legislation-to-fund-food-stamps-and-farm-programs-during-government-shutdown/. TRANSCRIPT: Leader Schumer Remarks Following Vote On Republicans' Partisan CR As They Continue To Refuse To Negotiate On Government Funding Ahead Of A Shutdown And Republican-Led Healthcare Crisis | Senate Democratic Leadership. 30 Sep. 2025, https://www.democrats.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/transcript-leader-schumer-remarks-following-vote-on-republicans-partisan-cr-as-they-continue-to-refuse-to-negotiate-on-government-funding-ahead-of-a-shutdown-and-republican-led-healthcare-crisis. U.S. Senate: About Filibusters and Cloture. https://www.senate.gov/about/powers-procedures/filibusters-cloture.htm. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement U.S. Senate: U.S. Senate Roll Call Votes 119th Congress - 1st Session. https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_votes/vote1191/vote_119_1_00590.htm. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025. "USDA.Gov." U.S. Department of Agriculture, https://archive.ph/htKoo. What Can SNAP Buy? | Food and Nutrition Service. https://www.fns.usda.gov/snap/eligible-food-items. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025. "What Is a Continuing Resolution and How Does It Impact Government Operations?" U.S. Government Accountability Office, 3 Nov. 2022, https://www.gao.gov/blog/what-continuing-resolution-and-how-does-it-impact-government-operations. Claim: In October 2025, U.S. President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social, "I have instructed the Department of War to start testing our Nuclear Weapons on an equal basis." Rating: Rating: Correct Attribution In late October 2025, a rumor swirled online (archived, archived, archived) that U.S. President Donald Trump announced he had instructed the Department of Defense to resume testing nuclear weapons something the country hadn't done since 1992. Dozens of Snopes readers also searched the site for verification of the rumor. U.S. President Donald J. Trump announces that he has instructed the Department of War to resume the testing of nuclear weapons, in response to testing programs by other countries, citing both China and Russia. The last nuclear test by the United States was carried out on pic.twitter.com/d640LiyOUM OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) October 30, 2025 The claim was accurate. Minutes before meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Trump posted the following (archived) on Oct. 30 on his Truth Social account: The United States has more Nuclear Weapons than any other country. This was accomplished, including a complete update and renovation of existing weapons, during my First Term in office. Because of the tremendous destructive power, I HATED to do it, but had no choice! Russia is second, and China is a distant third, but will be even within 5 years. Because of other countries testing programs, I have instructed the Department of War to start testing our Nuclear Weapons on an equal basis. That process will begin immediately. Thank you for your attention to this matter! PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement (Truth Social account @realDonaldTrump) It was unclear where the testing would take place, or on what timeline. Although Trump said the process would "begin immediately," neither the Defense Department which the Trump administration has called the Department of War nor the National Nuclear Security Administration had made any official announcements, as of this writing. We reached out to both agencies seeking comment and further context regarding the testing's location, timeline and potential impact on the public. We will update this story if we receive a response. Historically, the Department of Defense has not overseen explosive nuclear testing in the U.S.; the National Nuclear Security Administration part of the Department of Energy has conducted this work. Full-scale nuclear testing came to an end in 1992, according to Nevada National Security Sites, where the tests took place. Sources: Mayes-Osterman, Davis Winkie and Cybele. 'Trump Turned Nuclear Weapons World Upside down during High-Stakes Asia Trip'. USA TODAY, https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2025/10/30/trump-impact-nuclear-stability/86981489007/. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nevada National Security Sites. Our History. https://nnss.gov/about-the-nnss/nnss-history/. Panella, Chris. 'Trump's Post on Nuclear Weapons Testing Doesn't Make a Lot of Sense'. Business Insider, https://www.businessinsider.com/what-about-trumps-post-on-restarting-nuclear-testing-is-unclear-2025-10. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025. Price, Michelle L., and Chris Megerian. "Trump Appears to Suggest the US Will Resume Testing Nuclear Weapons for First Time in 30 Years." The Washington Post, 30 Oct. 2025, https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/2025/10/29/trump-nuclear-weapons-testing/d72ead72-b541-11f0-88c1-4e2f98984a34_story.html. 'The U.S. Nuclear Weapons Stockpile'. Energy.Gov, https://www.energy.gov/nnsa/us-nuclear-weapons-stockpile. Accessed 30 Oct. 2025. Trump, Donald. 'Donald J. Trump Truth Social Account'. TruthSocial.Com, https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump. Claim: In late October 2025, the U.S. Senate voted to end tariffs on Canada. Rating: Rating: True Context: Four Republican senators joined Democrats in quashing U.S. tariffs on Canada on Oct. 29, 2025. The vote was part of a larger effort to repeal President Donald Trump's tariffs and was one of three votes on the issue that week. On Oct. 28, the Senate voted to end tariffs on Brazil. On Oct. 30, the Senate voted to end the global tariffs Trump imposed on many countries in April 2025. As of this writing, the three Senate joint resolutions must now go to the House of Representatives to become law, but the House is unlikely to bring them to the floor for a vote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In late October 2025, claims spread online that the U.S. Senate had voted to end President Donald Trump's tariffs on Canadian imports. For example, the X account Republicans against Trump posted the claim with a video, adding that four Republican senators had broken rank to vote against the tariffs on Canada (archived): BREAKING: The Senate votes 5046 to overturn Donald Trumps tariffs on Canada. Four Republicans joined all Democrats in supporting the measure: Mitch McConnell Susan Collins Lisa Murkowski Rand Paul pic.twitter.com/sn5qW4dyuY Republicans against Trump (@RpsAgainstTrump) October 29, 2025 As of this writing, the post had gained 3 million views and 75,000 likes. Several other accounts shared the rumor on X as well as on Reddit, Bluesky and Facebook. The claim was true. A review of the Senate's roll call votes for the week of Oct. 27, 2025, showed that the upper house voted to quash not only Trump's tariffs on Canadian products, but also his tariffs on Brazil and the rest of the world. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It was also true that several Republicans broke rank to vote with Democrats on the three joint resolutions. As of this writing the pieces of legislation were set to head to the House of Representatives, which was unlikely to bring them to a vote. The Senate's concerted effort to repeal all tariffs On Oct. 29, Senate Joint Resolution 77 "terminating the national emergency declared to impose duties on articles imported from Canada" passed with 50 votes against 46. Among the yeas were four Republicans, the roll call showed: Sens. Susan Collins, from Maine, Lisa Murkowski, from Alaska, and both senators from Kentucky, Mitch McConnell and Rand Paul. Collins, Murkowski and Paul had been three of the 16 co-sponsors for this joint resolution, which Sen. Tim Kaine, a Democrat from Virginia, introduced on Sept. 16, 2025. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The day before on Oct. 28, the Senate voted to end tariffs on Brazil, with Joint Resolution 81 "terminating the national emergency declared to impose duties on articles imported from Brazil." Kaine also introduced this piece of legislation, alongside 10 co-sponsors including Paul. This joint resolution passed with 52 yeas against 48 nays, the roll call showed. The same four Republican senators Collins, Murkowski, McConnell and Paul voted in favor, along with a fifth: Sen. Thom Tillis from North Carolina. Lastly, on Oct. 30, the Senate voted on, and passed, Joint Resolution 88 "terminating the national emergency declared to impose global tariffs," referring to the sweeping reciprocal tariffs Trump introduced on April 2, 2025. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sen. Ron Wyden, a Democrat from Oregon, had introduced the joint resolution on Oct. 7, backed by six co-sponsors including Paul (the rest were Democrats). The roll call revealed Collins, McConnell, Murkowski and Paul had once again joined the Democrats in voting to end global tariffs. The three pieces of legislation's next stop at the time of this writing was the House of Representatives, which was unlikely to bring it to the floor. In September 2025, the House voted to block consideration to end Trump's declarations of national emergency related to tariffs until the end of March 2026 (the original rule blocked consideration only until the end of September 2025). These votes came as Trump met with Chinese President Xi Jinping in South Korea on Oct. 30. After the meeting, Trump said he had agreed to reduce tariffs on China. Sources: House Rules. Sept. 2025, rules.house.gov/sites/evo-subsites/rules.house.gov/files/documents/rule_hr4922-5143-5140-5125-1047-3015-3062.pdf. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kaine, Tim. A Joint Resolution Terminating the National Emergency Declared to Impose Duties on Articles Imported from Brazil. 28 Oct. 2025, www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-joint-resolution/81. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025. ---. A Joint Resolution Terminating the National Emergency Declared to Impose Duties on Articles Imported from Canada. 30 Oct. 2025, www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-joint-resolution/77. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025. Rascouet-Paz, Anna. "Tracking Trump's Tariffs." Snopes, Snopes.com, 27 Mar. 2025, www.snopes.com/tracker/tracking-trumps-tariffs/. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025. ---. "Trump Has Paused Tariffs Plan for Most Countries. Here's Context." Snopes, Snopes.com, 9 Apr. 2025, www.snopes.com/news/2025/04/09/trump-pauses-tariffs/. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement ---. "Trump's Proposed Tariffs: What Are They, and How Would They Affect US Economy?" Snopes, Snopes.com, 19 Sept. 2024, www.snopes.com/news/2024/09/19/trump-tariffs-explainer/. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025. "U.S. Senate: U.S. Senate Roll Call Votes 119th Congress - 1st Session." Senate.gov, 30 Oct. 2025, www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_votes/vote1191/vote_119_1_00600.htm. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025. "U.S. Senate: U.S. Senate Roll Call Votes 119th Congress - 1st Session." Senate.gov, 29 Oct. 2025, www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_votes/vote1191/vote_119_1_00598.htm. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025. "U.S. Senate: U.S. Senate Roll Call Votes 119th Congress - 1st Session." Senate.gov, 28 Oct. 2025, www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_votes/vote1191/vote_119_1_00594.htm. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Wyden, Bipartisan Senators Applaud Passage of Bipartisan Resolution to End Trump's Global Tariffs, Call on House to Take up Final Passage | the United States Senate Committee on Finance." Senate.gov, U.S. Senate Committee on Finance, 30 Oct. 2025, www.finance.senate.gov/ranking-members-news/wyden-bipartisan-senators-applaud-passage-of-bipartisan-resolution-to-end-trumps-global-tariffs-call-on-house-to-take-up-final-passage. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025. Wyden, Ron. A Joint Resolution Terminating the National Emergency Declared to Impose Global Tariffs. S.J.Res.88, 30 Oct. 2025, www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/senate-joint-resolution/88. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025. CBS News. "Trump Slashes China Tariffs, Says 'We Have a Deal' after Meeting with Xi Jinping." YouTube, 30 Oct. 2025, www.youtube.com/watch?v=45iv11PeDBA. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025. (FOX40.COM) A Fairfield resident previously in the Solano County Jail was arrested on Thursday and booked on multiple felony counts due to an investigation of possession and distribution of child sexual abuse material. Video Above: Sutter County deputies arrest man accused of daycare sex abuse 42-year-old Edgar Montenegro was arrested after detectives from the Solano County Sheriffs Office Investigations Bureau, along with the Sheriffs Enforcement Team, located multiple items of evidence after executing a search warrant. Officials say canvas images of CSAM were found hanging on the wall of his residence on the 900 block of Buchanan Street. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While being held on $100,000 bail, Montenegro faces multiple felony counts of possession of child sexual abuse material and distribution of child sexual abuse material. The sheriffs office said that the operation stemmed from an ongoing investigation into the possession and distribution of CSAM. The investigation remains active. Anyone with information related to this case or any others is urged to contact the Solano County Sheriffs Office Investigations Bureau at (707) 784-7050. 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. GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) After years of discussion over the proposed plant, the Michigan Economic Development Corporation pulled the plug on Gotion last week because the company failed to hit milestones required for funding. Now, MEDC says Gotion is expected to pay back $23.6 million it used to buy the property that the group still owns. MEDC shared there in talks with Gotion but could resort to foreclosure if the money is not paid back. While that process plays out, Republican State Senator Thomas Albert introduced legislation Thursday to eliminate the MEDC. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its time to look at how we do economic development in Michigan and its time we add some accountability, Albert said. State yanks incentives for controversial EV battery plant near Big Rapids He wants to shift focus of economic development back to the private sector instead of government run programs. The senator has concerns over Gotions ties to China. Investing in a company with very close links to a Chinese communist owned company is very problematic, Albert said. Unfortunately, they have just not been proven stewards of taxpayer dollars. The MEDC says it has provided more than $3.3 billion for more than 130 projects in Alberts district since fiscal year 2022. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Especially in my district, theyve sharpenly divided the community. Thats point number one. Point number two: why dont we talk about their overall track record? Albert said. The MEDC said in response it is in the process of reviewing the legislation. In a statement, the group said: We remain committed to continuing conversations with our bipartisan partners in the legislature about MEDCs local impact by investing in people, cultivating our places, and supporting projects of all sizes to provide stability and family-sustaining wages to all Michiganders. 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. (Photo by Lourdes Balduque/Getty Images) For five years, the Millcreek Activity Center, a Salt Lake County-sponsored daycare, has been a safe haven for Lacy Walkers family. Like many parents, dropping off her children there in the mornings allows her to keep her job as a human resources worker. She trusts the teachers, and the kids have made friends. And, equally as important, she can afford it. But, at pickup time on Tuesday, a daycare staff member handed her a letter informing her that Salt Lake Countys daycare programs had been terminated, scheduled to shut down at the end of the year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX That was the first I had heard of it. The staff seemed also in shock about it. I mean, everyone seemed very emotional and in shock, Walker said. We had received no prior notice, anything, that this was even up for debate. That notification came through just hours after the Republican-majority Salt Lake County Council voted 5-4 to end the $2 million annual subsidy that kept four centers, mostly located on the west side of Salt Lake County, afloat. Why did the Council shut the program down? Council member Aimee Winder Newton led a presentation during the Tuesday council meeting arguing that the county isnt legally mandated to provide daycare but its also not its role. Those who need help affording these services, she said, can apply to the Utah Department of Workforce Services child care stipend. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Quoting a report the county commissioned earlier this year that evaluated the child care programs in the county, Winder Newton said, the programs face mounting operational and financial challenges. Each center operates with limited coordination, leading to inconsistencies in staffing, budgeting and service delivery. Rates in county-sponsored centers are 50% to 60% below market averages, she added, which forces the county to subsidize $2 million a year for about 270 children. I know sometimes it feels nice when you can try to help other people, but were not being equitable in how were helping people with this program, she said. Weve got $6,000 to $10,000 a child subsidy that were giving, and its not helping enough kids in the valley. Childcare Service Analysis Salt Lake County Division of Parks & Recreation 10.29.25 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Monthly rates for the program are about $200 per child, depending on ages. Walker, for example, pays $1,014 a month for her three kids aged 11, 8 and 5. Other programs she has considered would be at least twice that amount in the school year, and even more during the summer. I dont see a way that we can afford it. To be honest, its not even itll be tight, but we can make it work. We dont have double the budget for daycare, and to also be able to afford groceries and things like that that are also getting more expensive, Walker said. With a two-month notice, she doesnt have much time to save up for it either. She worries many parents are in her position and will have to forgo child care altogether. Dozens of parents are organizing online to take action, contacting their council members and planning to attend next council meeting on Tuesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I just want people to know that theyre affecting real families and real people, that were not just a list of names in a center, that we are real families, and this will impact us all very negatively, and we were not given a voice in this decision at any point, or any heads up that it was even up for debate, Walker said. So I think we just want to make sure that were heard. Its mean The news of the termination shocked and disappointed Utah Senate Minority Leader Luz Escamilla, D-Salt Lake City, who has advocated for more child care resources in the state. She said shes actively working to find solutions to help the affected families. At the very moment families are losing SNAP benefits and working longer hours just to feed their children, the councils recommendation to eliminate childcare options creates even greater barriers for working families trying simply to survive, Escamilla said in a statement. She added that suggesting families find other providers ignores that neighboring nonprofit providers have month-long wait lists, and they may not offer the same services. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement These centers offered more than supervision; they provided quality, affordable care with wraparound supports like transportation and meal services, Escamilla said. Expecting parents to find comparable care within a month is not just unrealistic, its mean. For-profit centers say they can fill the gap Johnny Anderson, a Utah Private Child Care Association board member and president of Great Beginnings Academy which owns nine daycare centers in the county told the council that licensed child care centers are between 50% and 60% occupancy in the area, and they have plenty of space for any family looking to fill the gap the termination will leave. He also highlighted that for-profit child care centers are struggling after taking several hits first when the state implemented full-day kindergarten, and then when unlicensed home providers were allowed to have eight unrelated children in the home. Those of us that are in the for-profit child care business, we are paying property taxes to this county to fund county services, and of course, the county is running child care programs that compete with us, he said. So I think thats worth pointing out and recognizing, as you deliberate this with that. Let us know what you think... However, Democratic council members expressed concern about the affordability dilemma families are about to face. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Council member Jiro Johnson said that while for-profit child care centers have the capacity to fill the gap, they arent really available to families that cant afford them. The decision also comes at the same time county leaders have proposed a nearly 20% tax property tax increase, which has drawn criticism across the valley. Even if the state-sponsored stipend covers most of the bill for families switching child care centers, some of them may still not be able to cover even a $100 or $200 monthly increase in daycare bills. If were getting so much heat about $88 for the average family household per year, Johnson said about the volume of public comments on the proposed tax increase, imagine what that means to a family who now has to make similar payments per month to get child care, which may be absolutely necessary for that family to survive. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE A recent presentation at The Londoner Macao showcased Sands Chinas Youth Talent Development System, the companys long-established talent development strategy, to government agencies, educational institutions, and industry partners. A graduation ceremony followed for 154 local youth who completed summer internship programmes at Sands Chinas properties, recognising their achievement. The event highlighted the overall framework of Sands Chinas talent development system, which addresses the diverse needs of local youth in Macao at four different stages: Secondary School: Sands China collaborated with the Macau Productivity and Technology Transfer Center and Escola Luso-Chinesa Tecnico-Profissional to launch Macaos first Three-year secondary school programme focusing on stage technology and event production. Meanwhile, the Diverse Development Lab series of activities helps secondary school students gradually build the skills necessary for transitioning from school to the workplace. University: The company launched Macaos first Career Experience Opportunity (CEO) programme, offering part-time training to university students, while the Sands China Integrated Resort Internship Programme allows university students to apply their classroom knowledge. The Sands China Summer Trainee Programme hires university students for summer jobs, while company management visits campuses for special lectures to share industry information and insights with students. The company also hosts property visits for teachers and students from various institutions. Post-graduation: Sands China has collaborated with the Labour Affairs Bureau to launch 23 elite development programmes over the years, offering fast-track promotions and a hire and train model; these programmes also help participants gain internationally recognised professional qualifications. Additionally, the company has supported the Bureaus internship initiatives, giving graduates opportunities to gain practical experience. Employment: Sands China provides on-the-job training through the Sands China Academy, which comprises eight specialised sub-academies offering a diverse range of courses. The company takes full advantage of its comprehensive business operation to offer a variety of horizontal and vertical mobility opportunities to its team members, helping them continuously enhance their professional competitiveness. Sands China has also fully sponsored team members to attain international certifications. Sands Chinas core value of talent cultivation supports the SAR governments 1+4 moderate diversification strategy. Like this: Like Loading... One of them made a choice and the other two dare not challenge it. (Amodei photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images; Trump and Lombardo photos by Jeniffer Solis/Nevada Current) One of the most surprising revelations of the SNAP saga is how powerless Republican leaders are. At least according to them. When it was suggested last week that the state of Nevada should step in to deliver SNAP benefits if the federal government wasnt going to, Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo said it couldnt be done because the Trump administration said so. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lombardo was at least partly right. The Trump administrations Department of Agriculture has declared states cant pay Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Benefits. Citing selected passages from federal legislation and regulations, the USDA had crafted a rationale not only for not paying SNAP benefits during a shutdown, which is unprecedented. Drawing on a precious reading of dainty rules, the USDA has also decreed that states cant pay SNAP benefits in the federal governments stead, or if states do, they wont be compensated later. As of Friday morning, USDA websites were continuing to post a blatantly political attack on Senate Democrats while invoking MAGA red meat tropes like illegal aliens and gender mutilation procedures. So a reasonable person might be excused for suspecting the agencys order telling states they couldnt pay for SNAP benefits is not a result of earnest and honest interpretation of the law, but of cherry-picking and misinterpreting it to play MAGA shutdown politics, the well-being of households be damned. The USDAs arguments flummoxed a federal judge Thursday, who struggled to get Trump administration lawyers to explain a coherent legal, regulatory, or budgetary justification for failing to put money on households SNAP EBT cards during the shutdown. (That judge was one of two federal judges ruling Friday that the administration must make SNAP payments, but it was unclear if the administration will comply.) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In declaring that he is powerless in the face of a memo from a federal agency, Lombardo is not alone. Governors in other states, heeding the Trump administrations directives, have also determined they cant fill the void and pay SNAP payments. Some states, however, are preparing to deliver SNAP benefits directly to their residents EBT cards. Why Virginias Republican governor can create a program to do that but Nevadas cant is a question Lombardo hasnt answered. There may be perfectly good reasons; Virginias state government infrastructure is larger and more robust than Nevadas, and Nevada may simply lack the administrative wherewithal to establish an EBT distribution system on the fly. But whatever the scope of technical or administrative challenges beyond Lombardos control, theres another fact that cant be ignored: Republicans love to whine about federal overreach and unelected bureaucrats in Washington. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lombardos no exception. He sends strident letters to the president complaining about all the red tape and regulations that are hindering federal land sales or hurting the economy. Or at least Lombardo sent strident letters when the president was Biden. When the heavy hand of the federal government dictates policy to states, Republican governors dont take it lying down. They challenge the offending policies, even in court. But Lombardo left that to Nevadas attorney general, Democrat Aaron Ford. Instead of blasting federal overreach from unelected Washington bureaucrats, Lombardo responded to the USDAs memo meekly, saying even if I called a special convening of the Legislature and the Legislature opted to appropriate temporary SNAP funding, the State would not be able to directly fund the program. Because the Trump administration said so. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rep. Mark Amodei, the only Nevada Republican in Congress, has similarly exhibited powerlessness in a crisis. Even though his party controls the White House, both houses of Congress, and the United States Supreme Court, there is simply nothing Republicans can do to prevent the end of SNAP benefits, according to Amodei. There is no mystery that, despite some commendable efforts from private individuals and the administration to delay the realities of government shutdowns, everyone knows when SNAP benefits run dry and programs start shutting down, Amodei said in a (syntactically compromised) press release this week. Everyone knows, congressman? SNAP benefits have not run dry. The reserve fund has $6 billion. And to reiterate, ending SNAP benefits is unprecedented during a government shutdown. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But Amodeis right when he says there is no mystery about why SNAP benefits are scheduled to end Nov. 1. Its the result of a choice made by the Trump administration. Trump has spent the last nine months aggressively flaunting laws enacted by Congress, and gloating about it. Hes reduced Amodei and the Republicans who hold majorities in both houses of Congress to irrelevance, mere nodding bobblehead dolls. But now Trump and his White House are claiming they are powerless to continue paying SNAP benefits during the shutdown. A man who is eager to defy and willing to shred the U.S. Constitution now asks everyone to believe he is constrained by some regulatory fine print fine print that the administration itself fished out to willfully misinterpret. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Republicans and Democrats have to work together is a mantra being chanted from coast to coast, often accompanied by assigning blame to both sides. But when it comes to the argument over providing food assistance to needy households, theres a big difference between Democrats and Republicans. Democrats have argued the USDAs decision is wrong, and sued over it. Theyve pleaded with the Trump administration and the courts in an effort to see that SNAP benefits are not interrupted. But the only thing Democrats have the power to do is unconditionally surrender to Republicans in the shutdown fight, and then hope that Trump and Republicans will graciously agree to negotiate with Democrats to shore up a health insurance program Republicans have spent the last 15 years vowing to repeal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On the specific issue of continuing SNAP funding, Democrats are powerless. Trump isnt. He could assure benefits will continue to be distributed to EBT cards in Nevada and the nation with a single post on social media ordering USDA to make it so. Democrats dont have any power. Trump does. But instead of using it to help people, Trumps wielding his power to deprive families of food, because he thinks hurting them will hurt Democrats. Republican officials in Nevada are going along with the fiction that the SNAP crisis is the result of Democratic defiance, while ignoring the fact that it is a deliberate choice sanctioned by their dear Republican leader. The commentary was updated to note Fridays rulings from a pair of federal judges. In the North Bay, the murder trial of a San Rafael woman, accused of stabbing her own mother in 2024 is set to begin next week. But the victim's family is demanding the Marin County DA's office pursue mental health treatment, rather than criminal prosecution for the victim's daughter. "My mother made it clear from the start, she wanted my sister to get help," said Tonatiuh Beltran. Beltran says her life has been upside down since her mother's murder in 2024. Olivia Beltran was stabbed to death by her own daughter, 30-year-old Tonantzyn Beltran, who police say broadcast the attack live on social media from her mother's apartment on Cresta Way in San Rafael. The family says Tonantzyn was experiencing a mental health crisis. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "My sister is not a monster, and she's not disposable, she's also grieving," Beltran said. Tonatiuh and others, rallied outside the Marin County Courts building Thursday calling for mental health treatment, not criminal prosecution for the suspect who has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity. PREVIOUS STORY: San Rafael woman arrested for alleged fatal stabbing of her mom on livestream: police "The DA's office is moving forward with the criminal trail despite our wishes for my sister to be hospitalized," Beltran added. "They seem to think my cousin was sane at the time," Sandra Beltran said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The family says Tonantzyn Beltran has a history of mental health issues, including on the day before Olivia's murder. "The day prior she was hospitalized in a high speed chase in Sonoma because she thought she was in a video game," said Tonatiuh Beltran. "It's not a get out of jail free card, it means she'll get the treatment she needs," said George Galvis, co-founder of Communities United For Resorative Justice. Activist and family friend George Galvis is calling on District Attorney Lori Frugoli to listen to the family. "This DA time and time again claims to represent victims but in this case she's ignoring the voice and refused to engage and ignore our recommendations of the victims," Galvis added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a brief statement to ABC7 News, the district attorney's office says at the risk of jeopardizing the case, it won't have any comment until the end of trial. Jury selection is set to begin on Monday. If you're on the ABC7 News app, click here to watch live Jahmeila Warren loved to dance. Warren copied the dances she saw on the TV as a child. She'd repeat them for her mom, who said sometimes she couldn't help but join in. Her moves won her the school talent show twice, her mom said. Warren's wish to become a professional dancer changed once she became a parent, said her mom, Kamico Howard. But that didn't stop the 24-year-old from creating dances with her sisters at family events like a recent gathering in Dayton that became an impromptu recital for Warren's granddad. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Warren was shot and killed on Oct. 28 in a Hartwell apartment, Cincinnati police said. Eric Dawson, 32, took his own life after shooting her, they said. Howard said they were dating. Howard said she was told by officials Warren's two children, 1-year-old Melani and 4-month-old Miangle, were home when it happened. A few days earlier, Warren decided to permanently move back into her mom's home, Howard said. They ordered pizza. An aunt brought her children over for playdates. Melani even took her first steps in front of her grandma. "She was walking, walking," Howard said. Jahmeila Warren poses for a photo with her two children. When Warren left on Tuesday morning, Howard said she was planning to stop by her boyfriend's apartment to grab a few things for her kids. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I think he knew that once she came back over here, back to home, that she probably wasn't going to go back to him," Howard said, Her family hosted a balloon release the night of Oct. 30 in her memory. In between childhood anecdotes about Warren, a crowd of loved ones spoke about the dangers of domestic violence. "You can always get help," said Warren's uncle, Darnell Howard. He said his sister's mother died the same way. "Get out before its too late." Related: 'Don't overlook it.' Domestic violence cases are hard. A change in approach helps victims Jahmeila Warren remembered by her family A group of loved ones gather to remember Jahmeila Warren at Crutchfield Park in Springfield Township on Oct. 30. Warren graduated from Colerain High School, Darnell Howard said. Her first day at a marketing job would have been Nov. 3, her mom said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement An online fundraiser was set up to help pay for Warren's funeral expenses and buy new items for her children, according to Kamico Howard. "She wanted to be a mom more than anything," Kamico Howard said. In the few days they recently spent together, Kamico Howard said, she didn't see Warren go to bed. She was up all night for her children fixing bottles, playing with her daughters or watching TV with them. Kamico Howard said she kept her guest room ready in case any of her six children ever came to visit. Warren's mom said she was thankful to spend the few nights with her daughter before she died. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If you or a loved one is experiencing intimate partner violence, please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or text start to 88788. This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Mother shot and killed in Hartwell home was beloved by family NEED TO KNOW The family of a Royal Caribbean passenger who went overboard on the Allure of the Seas in October 2024 is now suing the company alleging wrongful death The suit, filed in the Southern District of Florida, claims crew members over-served alcohol to Dulcie White before she fell The passenger's body is still missing to this day The family of a Royal Caribbean passenger who went overboard on a Taylor Swift-theme cruise last year is now suing the company for allegedly over-serving her alcohol. On Tuesday, Oct. 22, 2024, Dulcie White, 66, went overboard on the Allure of the Seas in the Bahamas during a five-day cruise to the region. Crews immediately alerted authorities who began the search for the missing guest. By Wednesday afternoon, a representative for the U.S. Coast Guard told PEOPLE that the Royal Bahamas Defense Force suspended the search and were no longer requesting assistance from the Coast Guard. The womans body is still missing to this day. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a lawsuit filed in the Southern District of Florida on Oct. 28, Dulcies family blames the crew on board the Allure of the Seas for the incident. Dulcie was served at least seven alcoholic beverages continuously within a span of approximately six hours and eight minutes, the lawsuit claims. Henrik Kettunen/Bloomberg/Getty The interior of the 'Allure of the Seas' cruise ship. The interior of the 'Allure of the Seas' cruise ship. She was swaying, stammering, slurring her speech, had alcohol on her breath, couldnt keep her composure straight, had glassy eyes, while she was in plain view of the crewmembers, the complaint says. Each of these crewmembers were negligent for continuing to serve her alcoholic beverages in her intoxicated state. A fellow passenger noticed the woman was clearly intoxicated around 7:30 p.m. and brought her back to her cabin, according to the suit. But she went overboard in direct view of her daughter later that night. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The suit says crew members served its all-inclusive CHEERS! alcohol package to Dulcie. According to Royal Caribbeans website, the $69.95 per day offer allows guests to consume 15 alcoholic drinks every 24 hours. Because of that [drink package, Dulcie] did overdo it, trying to maybe get her moneys worth, Megan Klewin, Dulcies daughter, tells CBS Miami. She was completely intoxicated in a way I havent seen before. It saddens me that this is my last memory of her. Terry White, the womans widow, and Klewin are representing Dulcie in the suit and are working with Aronfeld Trial Lawyers. The family is suing on one count of over-service of alcohol, one count of negligent search and rescue operation and one count of negligent infliction of emotional distress. The suit says the Allure of the Seas never made a Williamson or Anderson turn a maneuver used in man overboard situations. It claims crews never gave a command to launch a rescue boat either. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "It will haunt us for the rest of our lives," Klewin says. "I feel the overconsumption of alcohol and the over service of alcohol was the cause of this." "These crew members are incentivized to continue to serve them because that's how they make their tips." Ron Buskirk/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty The pool deck on board the 'Allure of the Seas' The pool deck on board the 'Allure of the Seas' 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. Attorney Spencer Aronfeld tells PEOPLE they believe Royal Caribbean is "putting profits ahead of passenger safety with these all you can drink packages." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We hope to hold [Royal Caribbean] fully accountable for Dulcies death and create and inspire industry change to discontinue these all you can drink packages. A spokesperson for Royal Caribbean tells PEOPLE, "We don't comment on pending litigation." Read the original article on People Droughts are worsening in Alabama and impacting the lives and crop production of local farmers. Meager, sporadic rains aren't enough to support their businesses and the global food supply. What's happening? As WSFA reported, the Alabama Emergency Management Agency has declared parts of western Alabama to be in an "extreme drought." However, every county in Alabama is experiencing abnormally dry conditions, and farmers across the state are struggling. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One fourth-generation farmer, Wendy Yeager, planted five different crops but expressed her frustration at trying to feed more people on fewer acres of land each year because of severe droughts. "To a farmer who is trying to make ends meet and pay the bills, this is not what we need," Yeager said. "You still see a lot of gaps, and we don't want to see gaps in that stalk." Even when rain does occur, it's no longer enough to make a difference for local crops. Farmers' profits are dwindling despite many receiving federal aid from the Supplemental Disaster Assistance Program to compensate for drought-related losses. Why are droughts significant in agriculture? Severe and prolonged droughts are among the most obvious and concerning signs of our globally changing climate. As temperatures increase worldwide and weather patterns shift, water supplies are depleted, leading to agricultural losses. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement These climate-related challenges disrupt water cycles and contribute to water scarcity, which directly impacts farmers' ability to grow food. Droughts negatively impact the livelihood of farmers because of reduced crop yields and quality, increased costs for irrigation, and entire crop failures. The broader impacts include reduced availability of healthy food and higher grocery costs for consumers. What's being done to help farmers deal with droughts? Farmers have been taking extra measures to adapt to droughts, such as conserving water to reduce moisture loss, implementing soil management practices to retain more water, and adopting crop rotation. Meanwhile, government assistance programs like one in Alabama can help farmers implement drought-resilient practices, such as switching to drought-resistant crops and adopting efficient irrigation methods. Technology is also advancing to help farmers better monitor weather patterns to make timely agricultural decisions and monitor soil moisture to manage irrigation more effectively. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Even if you're not a farmer by profession, you can help by learning more about the critical climate issues that cause droughts and sharing what you learn with others. Embracing cost-saving, planet-friendly home upgrades, like installing solar panels, also sets a positive example of how to live sustainably while contributing less to climate damage. When you're ready to upgrade, EnergySage can help you save up to $10,000 on the upfront cost of going solar by comparing local installer quotes. You can also support local agriculture by shopping at farmers markets when possible and purchasing products from farms that use water-wise practices and prioritize conservation. 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. KENT, Conn. (AP) For most Americans, theres less reason than ever to worry about finding chargers to fuel up an electric vehicle. But charging worries remain a top hesitation for potential buyers, second only to sticker shock. Those concerns linger even as fast chargers multiply. More than 12,000 have been added within a mile of U.S. highways and interstates just this year, an Associated Press analysis of data from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory shows. Thats about a fifth of quick-charging ports now in operation. Yet a new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research and the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago finds about 4 in 10 of U.S. adults still point to range and charging time as major reasons they wouldn't buy an EV. That's significant considering only about 2 in 10 Americans say they would be extremely or very likely to make a new or used electric vehicle their next car purchase. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That's a perception Daphne Dixon, leader of a nonprofit that advocates for clean transportation, has been trying to fight. She has taken a coast-to-coast road trip in an EV each year since 2022. Always sporting hot pink and waving a bubblegum checkered race flag to match, Dixon posts snapshots of the charging experience along her 3,000-mile (4,828-kilometer) route, hoping to bust Americans' anxiety about range and charging. Dixon said she has repeatedly found that range anxiety is stuck in peoples heads, even though the gap in price between gas and electric cars is closing and more chargers are being installed. A lot of people still fear that theres not enough chargers, but what theyre not seeing is that chargers are being put in every single day, she said. Fast chargers expand, but worries remain Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Traveling on Interstate 80, the longest American interstate, a driver will encounter few stretches that are more than 10 miles (16 kilometers) away from a fast charger, all the way from New York City to Des Moines. Out West, coverage is spottier. But the miles on I-80 covered by fast chargers has increased by 44% since 2021, the AP analysis found. Drivers would have a similar experience on other major roads. Nearly 70% of the combined length of the 10 longest interstates is within 10 miles of a fast charger up from about half just five years ago. Installing fast chargers is considered critical to supporting EV adoption because they can refill a fully electric vehicle in 20 minutes to an hour. Compare that to home chargers, which often take four to 10 hours. In Dixons home state of Connecticut, drivers still fret about charging. In the fall, Dixon takes a shorter trip along Route 7, a scenic drive full of river bends and antiques barns. Fast chargers are scarce along the route, as they still are in many rural parts of the U.S. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The only plug in Kent, a town about 50 miles (80 kilometers) north of Norwalk, is an aging machine at town hall that's long been defunct, said Lynn Mellis Worthington, chair of the towns sustainability team. Connecticut's state government plans to use $1.3 million in federal funds to install eight fast-charging plugs at two stations in New Milford, about 15 miles (24 kilometers) down Route 7 from Kent. The Trump administration sought to cancel those federal funds earlier this year, before reinstating them in August after multiple states sued over the halt of the $5 billion program. Congress had approved the funds in 2021 under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Mellis Worthington and her husband considered an EV when they replaced their 15-year-old Pontiac Vibe this year. She said prices for cars with enough range to make her husband feel comfortable with his commute were still too high. So despite her high hopes of going full electric, they went with a hybrid instead. Our next car will definitely be an EV, she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Vehicle price still top barrier for buyers While many are concerned about charging, price is still the reason U.S. adults most commonly gave when asked why they would not buy one, the AP-NORC/EPIC poll shows. Only about 2 in 10 U.S. adults said the high cost is not a reason for holding off on an EV purchase. Electric vehicles held about 8% of the U.S. market share in 2024, up from 1.9% five years prior, according to data from Atlas Public Policy. In the long run, owning an EV may be cheaper due to lower maintenance costs and the lower price of electricity compared to fuel in many places, said Daniel Wilkins, a policy analyst at Atlas Public Policy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Still, everyday Americans are focused more on the sticker price upfront, he said. And with federal incentives expiring at the end of September, the final bill for many prospective buyers has effectively increased by $7,500 for a new EV. Electric vehicle advocates are quick to point out the average U.S. resident drives no more than 30 miles (48 kilometers) per day, according to AAA, well within the range modern EVs offer. Most electric vehicle owners, like Bloomfield resident Jim Warner and his wife, do the majority of their charging at home. Warner has one EV and one plug-in hybrid vehicle. He's taken the EV, a Chevy Bolt with a roughly 250-mile (402 kilometer) range per charge, on a 400-mile (643-kilometer) trip to Maine twice since he bought it in 2022. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The first trip, I turned the heat off. I made sure I drove 65, Warner said. The second time I just drove normally and had no problem. ___ AP polling reporter Linley Sanders in Washington contributed to this report. ___ The Associated Press climate and environmental 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. CADDO PARISH, La. (KTAL/KMSS) A Shreveport man, Fatonious Darell Ballard, has been sentenced to life in prison for his role in a shooting that left one man dead. The sentencing took place on Wednesday, October 29, 2025, following Ballards conviction for second-degree murder. 3 indicted for shooting death of sleeping infant The incident occurred on February 18, 2024, when Ballard shot and killed 29-year-old Dwight Green during a confrontation at a barbecue grill near Broadway and Cleveland avenues. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ballard was then shot in the leg by another individual at the scene as he attempted to run away. District Judge John D. Mosely Jr. handed down the life sentence, along with an additional 20 years for possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. Both sentences will be served concurrently and come without the possibility of probation, parole, or suspension. The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys William Edwards and Kodie K. Smith. 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. WASHINGTON (Reuters) -FBI Director Kash Patel said on Friday that officials had stopped a potential attack in Michigan, arresting multiple people, without providing further details. This morning, the FBI thwarted a potential terrorist attack and arrested multiple subjects in Michigan who were allegedly plotting a violent attack over Halloween weekend, Patel said in a post on X on Friday. A Justice Department official said the plot had been expected to take place over Halloween weekend and was tied to international terrorism. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police in Dearborn, a Detroit suburb, said on social media that the FBI had conducted an operation in that city on Friday, adding that there was "no threat." (Reporting by Jana Winter; editing by Scott Malone and Franklin Paul) The search for 9-year-old Melodee Buzzard took a new turn on Thursday when the FBI searched the girl's Santa Barbara County home weeks after she was reported missing. Detectives escorted the girl's mother, Ashlee Buzzard, off the property to another location "that would not interfere with their ability to conduct a thorough search," the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office said. Along with the search at the home in the 500 block of Mars Avenue, authorities also searched a storage locker and the rental car that the girl was last seen in. Authorities said Melodee was missing on Oct. 14 after a prolonged absence from her school. Officials believe she was last seen as recently as Oct. 7 and may have been driven to Nebraska by her mother, the Sheriff's Office said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sheriff's detectives and FBI agents served a search warrant at the Buzzard home where a makeshift memorial on the sidewalk includes a picture of the curly haired girl. "We appreciate the FBIs assistance in todays searches, Lt. Chris Gotschall from the Sheriff's Office said in a statement. In cases like this, every detail matters and it is invaluable to have additional resources and specialized expertise. Collaboration with our federal partners allows us to ensure were using every available tool to help bring resolution to this case. The Lompoc School District contacted the Sheriff's Office to report the girls prolonged absence from her independent study program Oct. 14. Authorities then visited her home that day, but Melodee was nowhere to be seen and Buzzard refused to cooperate with their investigation, according to the Sheriffs Office. Relatives on the girl's father's side of the family said they have not seen the girl in years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She hasnt let us see her for a few years, Melodees aunt Bridgett Truitt told local news station KEYT. And all of us have tried. But we never stopped thinking about her or loving her or praying for her. Local authorities were unable to confirm any sightings of the girl within the last year. The FBI joined the investigation four days after her school district reported her absence. Melodee is described as 4 feet 6 inches tall, weighing about 60 pounds, with brown hair and brown eyes. Staff writer Clara Harter contributed to this report. 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. Two residents from Macau and Hong Kong were chosen as part of the fourth cohort of reserve astronauts for Chinas manned space program last year, and the China Manned Space Agency (CMSA) has announced that they may embark on their first spaceflight mission as early as next year. Last year, the CMSA revealed the fourth batch of reserve astronaut candidates after a nearly two-year selection process, ultimately choosing 10 individuals, including the first astronauts from Hong Kong and Macau, who have been undergoing comprehensive training at the China Astronaut Research and Training Center in Beijing since then. A press conference for the Shenzhou-21 manned spaceflight mission was held yesterday at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in Gansu province. During the event, the CMSA announced that the two astronauts from Hong Kong and Macau have successfully completed their foundational training, which included essential spaceflight theory, physical conditioning, psychological readiness, and adaptation to the space environment. Their overall condition is reported to be excellent. According to multiple Chinese media outlets, the astronauts will now undergo intensive, mission-specific training to ensure they are fully prepared to execute their tasks. As early as April, the CMSA stated that since joining the team in August 2024, the fourth group of astronautsincluding the two from Hong Kong and Macau had quickly adapted to their work and living environments, integrated seamlessly into the astronaut corps, and trained diligently and rigorously, making steady progress in all aspects of their responsibilities. As payload specialists, the Hong Kong and Macau astronauts are anticipated to undertake their first spaceflight missions as early as 2026. However, yesterdays press conference did not reveal the exact date of the spaceflight mission for the two astronauts. Like this: Like Loading... The FBI thwarted a potential terrorist attack linked to ISIS extremism planned for Halloween weekend in Michigan, according to FBI Director Kash Patel and reports. This morning the FBI thwarted a potential terrorist attack and arrested multiple subjects in Michigan who were allegedly plotting a violent attack over Halloween weekend, he wrote in a social media post Friday morning. More details to come. Thanks to the men and women of FBI and law enforcement everywhere standing guard 24/7 and crushing our mission to defend the homeland. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its not immediately clear when or where in the state the suspects were planning to carry out the attack. Patel also didnt specify the charges the suspects are facing. Five people from Dearborn and Inkster, Michigan, were taken into custody in connection with a plot linked to ISIS extremism, law enforcement sources told NBC News. However, officials at the FBI and the Justice Department are allegedly frustrated that Patel posted about the Michigan terror investigation before a criminal complaint was prepared and details were clear, MSNBC reporter Ken Dilanian reported. Kash Patel says FBI thwarted a potential terrorist attack planned for Halloween weekend. (Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.) The Independent has contacted the FBI for more information. Agents in Detroit were present in Dearborn and Inkster early Friday conducting law enforcement activities, a spokesperson for the FBI office in Detroit told The Independent, noting that there is no current threat to public safety. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Local police also mentioned that the FBI conducted operations Friday morning in Dearborn, a suburb of Detroit and home to Ford Motor Company headquarters. We want to assure our residents that there is no threat to the community at this time, authorities wrote in a Facebook post. The Dearborn Police Department remains committed to the safety and security of all who live, work, and visit our city. Members of the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force search a home in Dearborn, Michigan, after foiling an alleged terrorism plot. (AFP via Getty Images) Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer remarked on the foiled attack and thanked federal and local officers for their swift action. This morning, I was briefed by Director Patel on the thwarted potential terrorist attack in our state. As details continue to develop, I am grateful for the swift action of the FBI and MSP protecting Michiganders, she wrote in a social media post Friday morning. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Dearborn, residents told the Detroit Free Press that they heard loud banging noises around 4 a.m. Holly Kemp, 36, told the outlet that she lives two houses down from a home that was searched. She and her husband heard banging noises early Friday, prompting them to look outside, where they saw local police officers as well as SWAT and FBI agents. Kemp and other neighbors told the outlet they knew little about who lived inside the home that was searched, but Kemp believed two men had moved in over the summer. She described the community as tight-knit and quiet, noting she couldnt think of any other incident prompting such a massive law enforcement presence in the neighborhood. By Julie Steenhuysen CHICAGO (Reuters) -U.S. President Donald Trump's embrace of an old generic drug called leucovorin for use against a rare disorder that causes autism-like symptoms has triggered a surge in demand from parents who believe it could unlock speech and social connection in their autistic children. That has become a challenge for pediatricians and specialists who caution the science on leucovorin in people with autism is limited and does not support widespread use. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the month since Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Marty Makary promoted the decades-old drug from GSK, saying it could help hundreds of thousands of children with autism, doctors and researchers say they have been inundated by parents seeking information. My Facebook feed is flooded with parents swearing that leucovorin works, said Dr. David Mandell, a professor of psychiatry and autism researcher at the University of Pennsylvania. LACK OF DATA Tens of thousands of people have joined a Facebook group called Leucovorin for Autism started in May by Keith Joyce, legal guardian to four-year-old Jose, who is taking the drug. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Joyce credits Jose's improvements in verbal communication and social awareness to leucovorin. The site gained 5,000 members on the day of Trump and Makary's White House announcement and now has 84,000. Mandell and other scientists and doctors say FDAs endorsement without requiring large, randomized clinical trials leaves practitioners facing emotional pleas from families while lacking data, guidance or confidence to prescribe the drug responsibly. Leucovorin is approved to treat chemotherapy side effects but can be prescribed off-label for autism symptoms. "It puts physicians in a very tough position because they're being asked to prescribe something that is not evidence-based," said Dr. Shafali Jeste, an autism expert and head of pediatrics at UCLA, who does not prescribe leucovorin despite repeated requests. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Friday, the American Academy of Pediatrics said it does not recommend leucovorin for routine use in children with autism. Autism rates have risen to 1 in 31 8-year-olds, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported in April. Finding the condition's root cause and potential treatments is something Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Trump have championed. RARE NEUROLOGICAL CONDITION Despite the FDA commissioner's broad comments, his agency proposed a narrower expanded approval tied to cerebral folate deficiency (CFD), a genetic condition that can cause autism-like symptoms. It affects roughly one in 1 million children worldwide. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The argument for wider use is built on small studies suggesting many children with autism have autoantibodies that block folate - a vitamin important for brain signaling - from entering the brain, causing a deficiency similar to CFD. An estimated 75% of autistic children are believed to have these autoantibodies, but their significance is unproven, said Dr. Karam Radwan, director of the Neurodevelopmental Disorders Program at the University of Chicago. A Health and Human Services spokesperson said the FDA based its plan to update the leucovorin label to include CFD on an analysis of over 40 case studies published from 2009-2024. Overall, 85% of patients experienced some benefit including improved speech/communication capabilities. HHS said leucovorin could be useful in children who have autoantibodies to folate, but conceded the data are limited and need to be replicated. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A spokesperson said the National Institutes of Health will support follow-up research into leucovorin's impact on CFD, as well as any potential benefit to individuals with autism. Post-market surveillance and safety studies are part of the plan. PARENTS SEE A GREEN LIGHT Parents have interpreted the FDA announcement as a green light for leucovorin's use in autism, sharing treatment tips that led Facebook to take down Joyce's site. It was reinstated with rules banning dosing discussions, only to be removed again last week for other violations. Joyce started researching the drug after watching a news program featuring a boy with autism on the treatment who showed marked speech improvements. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He found just three studies, all by the same author, that he deemed credible. No large trials in autistic children comparing leucovorin to a placebo have been conducted. Joyce reviewed the drug's track record in cancer patients, where leucovorin has been linked with insomnia, agitation and depression. In children, doctors and parents say it can lead to hyperactivity, aggression and feeling overwhelmed. Jose's neurologist balked at prescribing leucovorin, but the boy's behavioral pediatrician, who heard about the drug at a conference, was willing to. The child's care team measured language skills before treatment and four months later, Joyce said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He is more aware of the world around him, and more responsive, Joyce said. "It's not curing his autism, but it improved his quality of life. I'm convinced it's real." Radwan, who offers the drug in his practice, said doctorsdon't fully understand who may benefit, by how much and whether it is sustainable. So far, the benefit is pretty modest," he said. Parents in some online communities are calling for caution. Sophia Urwin, 33, a single parent from Wellington, New Zealand, whose four-year-old, non-verbal son was diagnosed with autism in 2022, is concerned about desperate parents turning to over-the-counter versions of folinic acid. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Its really easy to get swept up in thinking something is a miracle cure when youve been skating on thin ice for so long," she said. (Reporting by Julie Steenhuysen; Editing by Caroline Humer and Bill Berkrot) (Photo by Natalie Fobes/Getty Images) Some of us have been fighting for salmon for more than three decades. To understand the resolve of salmon advocates and the frustration so many of us felt when the federal government recently reneged on a historic agreement, reigniting litigation its helpful to review the legal history associated with protecting Columbia Basin salmon. In a recent story about plaintiffs returning to court to protect Columbia Basin salmon, the Washington State Standard described the court battle as long-running. So true. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The initial shot was fired in 1991 after Snake River sockeye salmon became the first Columbia Basin salmonid to be listed as an endangered species under the Endangered Species Act . That listing requires federal agencies to ensure the protection and recovery of the fish. Federal agencies involved with the federal dams in the Columbia Basin include the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (which operates dams on the lower Snake and lower Columbia rivers), the Bonneville Power Administration (which markets power from the dams), and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (which issues rulings on whether fish protection and recovery plans comply with the Endangered Species Act). Since 1992, theyve put forth no fewer than eight plans for operating the hydropower system while ostensibly protecting threatened and endangered salmon and steelhead in the Columbia Basin. (By 1999, 12 more salmon and steelhead stocks had been listed under the Endangered Species Act.) Over three decades of litigation, three different federal district judges have declared six different federal dam management plans illegal for their failure to protect salmon and steelhead. That includes every plan since 2000. The very first plan was invalidated in 1994 by U.S. District Judge Malcolm Marsh, who proclaimed that the situation literally cries out for a major overhaul, but found that the federal plan failed to deliver any such fundamental change. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fast forward to 2005, when District Court Judge James Redden struck down a 2004 federal plan, a plan he later called a cynical and transparent attempt to avoid responsibility for the decline of listed Columbia and Snake River salmon and steelhead. In the following years, new plans were issued by the federal agencies in 2008, 2010, and 2014. Each was promptly struck down. After Reddens retirement, Judge Michael Simon struck down the 2014 plan. Twice, the federal agencies tried appealing the district court rulings to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. Twice, the circuit court upheld the district court. The most recent plan, issued in the waning days of the first Trump administration, was promptly challenged, and was headed for the same fate as the prior plans, when the Biden administration decided not to defend the indefensible and entered into settlement talks with plaintiffs and Northwest states and tribes, with input from other stakeholders as well. Those talks led to the adoption in 2023 of the Resilient Columbia Basin Agreement, a package of investments, changes in dam operations, and studies on replacing the services of four especially lethal dams on the lower Snake River (so that the dams could be breached and 140 miles of free-flowing river restored). Litigation was stayed while that agreement was in place. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In June of this year, the second Trump administration unilaterally renounced the agreement, leaving nothing to replace it save the illegal 2020 Trump salmon plan. So, its back to court. In various rulings over the years, the courts have ordered modest changes in dam operations, but the federal agencies have repeatedly refused to produce the major overhaul Judge Marsh called for 31 years ago. As a result, not one of the 13 listed populations is on a path to recovery. Despite misleading claims from federal agencies, public utilities, and other river user groups, most of those stocks are on a path to extinction. Its past time for the court to find a way to end more than three decades of stubborn evasion of the law by the federal agencies and direct them to, finally, produce a plan that will lead to restoration of abundant, harvestable populations of these iconic creatures. A special agent with Homeland Security Investigations admitted Thursday in federal court to taking at least 10 photos and videos of himself and a 17-year-old girl engaged in sex acts on several occasions and then sending them to her. Timothy Ryan Gregg, 52, of Eagan, who was also an FBI task force member, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Minneapolis to the sole count of transportation of visual depictions of a minor engaging in sexual conduct after images and videos were found on her cellphone on May 29. Under questioning by U.S. District Judge Joan Ericksen, Gregg said the girl told him that she was 19 years old after meeting her through the dating/meet-up app Tinder. He admitted that he later learned she was 17 by looking her up through a law enforcement database and that he still met with her and sent her sexually explicit photos and videos afterward. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During the hearing, Gregg struggled several times upon questioning by Ericksen and stopped to gain his composure before responding. He became emotional when Ericksen asked him why he mostly met up with the girl on Sundays. After a long pause, he replied: Because I was lying to my wife. When Ericksen asked about his law enforcement career, which stretched three decades, he replied, while fighting back tears: Ever since I was 5, I knew I wanted to be in law enforcement. On the day he was arrested, June 3, Gregg was supposed to assist fellow FBI task force agents in a raid in Minneapolis. Instead, he was called in to the FBI field office in St. Paul. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I felt like in a blink of an eye, my career was over, Gregg said in court. So it was a moment of panic. Greggs attorney Ryan Pacyga then told the judge his arrest came after he drove around for several hours with his service weapon and threatening to take his own life while FBI agents followed his car. Gregg waived his right to have a grand jury consider an indictment. He remains in custody at the Sherburne County jail ahead of his sentencing, which has yet to be scheduled. Sentencing guidelines call for between 14 and 17 years in prison, although Pacyga said after the hearing that he will request a five-year term, the mandatory minimum. Father found cellphone videos According to the criminal complaint, the girls father told police that he found on her cellphone, which she had left behind in a car, multiple sexually explicit images and videos, including some of her and a man engaged in sex acts. The man was identified by law enforcement as Gregg. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The cellphone showed that Gregg and the teen had sent text messages to each other and naked photos. Gregg also sent her photos and videos of the two engaged in sex in a hotel room. The girl told law enforcement that she had met Gregg through Tinder. She said he picked her up multiple times, mostly on Sundays, and that they went to a hotel, where he took photos and videos of them engaged in sex. A check of hotel records by law enforcement showed that Gregg rented a room four times in March and twice in both April and in May, all on Sundays. Hotel employees said that Gregg would rent the rooms by himself and then bring a guest inside the hotel through the parking ramp. Gregg used his official ICE/HS email address to make the hotel reservations, the complaint states. Other officers charged Related Articles Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gregg was among three Minnesota law enforcement officers charged federally for alleged sex crimes in just over a months time. Minnesota state trooper Jeremy Francis Plonski, 30, of Shakopee was charged with production of child pornography. He pleaded guilty to the charge Oct. 8, admitting to repeatedly sexually assaulting a toddler girl while recording the abuse and then sharing the videos with someone he met through the Telegram app. Under a plea agreement, Plonski faces between 23 and 28 years in prison. He remains jailed ahead of sentencing, which has not been scheduled. Anthony John Crowley, a U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer from Minnetonka, was charged June 6 with uploading child pornography to the Kik app in 2022. Crowley, 52, pleaded guilty Sept. 26 to one count of possessing child pornography and remains ahead of sentencing, which has not been scheduled. Two men are in custody after an immigration enforcement operation in Ontario Thursday erupted in gunfire, a shooting now being investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The incident, according to the Department of Homeland Security, occurred at around 6:30 a.m. in the 2800 block of South Vineyard Avenue in the city of Ontario. In a statement to KTLA, DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents were conducting a traffic stop when an unknown individual who was not the target of the enforcement operation pulled his vehicle in front of federal agents vehicles. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Officers ordered the driver to leave the scene. As the driver began to pull away, the car stopped and attempted to run officers over by reversing directly at them without stopping, the statement read. An ICE officer, fearing for his life, fired defensive shots at the vehicle. The man that federal agents shot was 24-year-old Carlos Jimenez, who drove his Lexus to a nearby mobile home park where he lives. His wife, who said he had just left for his job at a food bank, rushed him to the hospital. Neighbors said they watched as federal agents searched Jimenez residence and vehicle, which was ultimately taken away by a tow truck. He has since been released from the hospital and taken to the West Valley Detention Center. An investigation is underway after an ICE officer opened fire on a man who reportedly interfered in an immigration enforcement operation in Ontario on Oct. 30, 2025. (Citizen) An investigation is underway after an ICE officer opened fire on a man who reportedly interfered in an immigration enforcement operation in Ontario on Oct. 30, 2025. (Citizen) An investigation is underway after an ICE officer opened fire on a man who reportedly interfered in an immigration enforcement operation in Ontario on Oct. 30, 2025. (IG @IC4IJ) Federal agents are seen investigating an officer-involved shooting in Ontario. October 2025. (Sky5) An investigation is underway after an ICE officer opened fire on a man who reportedly interfered in an immigration enforcement operation in Ontario on Oct. 30, 2025. (KTLA) An investigation is underway after an ICE officer opened fire on a man who reportedly interfered in an immigration enforcement operation in Ontario on Oct. 30, 2025. (KTLA) An investigation is underway after an ICE officer opened fire on a man who reportedly interfered in an immigration enforcement operation in Ontario on Oct. 30, 2025. (KTLA) An investigation is underway after an ICE officer opened fire on a man who reportedly interfered in an immigration enforcement operation in Ontario on Oct. 30, 2025. (KTLA) An investigation is underway after an ICE officer opened fire on a man who reportedly interfered in an immigration enforcement operation in Ontario on Oct. 30, 2025. (KTLA) Federal agents are seen investigating an officer-involved shooting in Ontario. October 2025. (Sky5) An investigation is underway after an ICE officer opened fire on a man who reportedly interfered in an immigration enforcement operation in Ontario on Oct. 30, 2025. (KTLA) McLaughlin said federal immigration agents face a 1,000% increase in assaults against them, including with cars being used as weapons and that death threats against agents are up 8,000%. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is not the first time that DHS claims that vehicles are being used against them, Javier Hernandez with the Inland Coalition for Immigrant Justice told KTLA. The target of the enforcement operation who was reportedly behind the wheel of a gray Honda, may have attempted to flee during the melee, but was also later apprehended. California man posing as lawyer arrested in immigration scam, alleged rape We know that DHS has put out a statement saying that violence against these officers is up 8,000%, so this is not the first time this information is out there, Hernandez told KTLA. We have also seen how this information isnt necessarily accurate. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As for the Ontario Police Department, officials said they were not involved in the initial incident and responded to assist with traffic control and scene security. 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. Federal agents arrested three people after a crash during a north suburban immigration operation on Friday, officials confirmed. Neighbors say the terrifying moments unfolded earlier in the day at Evanston's intersection of Asbury and Oakton, just a few blocks from an elementary school. On Friday night, the Trump administration confirmed that three U.S. citizens were arrested. Witnesses say a man and a woman in a red car were following the agents to warn people of their presence. That's when, the witnesses said, the agents slammed on their brakes just past the intersection, causing the people in the car following them to crash into them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Neighbors say the agents then violently pulled the man and woman out of their car, and when members of a neighborhood watch patrol came to see what happened, one agent allegedly pulled a gun on one of the bystanders and threatened to pepper-spray him. Evanston Fire Department paramedics responded to provide medical care for those exposed to pepper spray, Evanston police said in a statement. Late Friday night, the Department of Homeland Security accused people who watched the incident happen of being "aggressive," saying in part, "As agents tried to make a U-turn, the red car crashed into Border Patrol. A hostile crowd surrounded agents and their vehicle, and began verbally abusing them and spitting on them." Witnesses say the agents threw both the man and the woman into their vehicle and drove away. It is unclear where they were taken, and ABC7 blurred their faces, because we do not know if they have been charged with any crimes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement SEE ALSO | Chicago federal intervention: Tracking surge in immigration enforcement operations | Live updates DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin posted about the incident on X Saturday, saying, "And then there's the REAL story: The individual arrested in this video assaulted and kicked Border Patrol agents. As he was being arrested, here, he aggressively grabbed the agent's genitals and wouldn't let go. The agent delivered several defensive strikes to free his genitals from the perp's grasp. And now you know." Evanston police said federal agents made "one or two additional arrests" when they were confronted by community members. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss, Cook County Commissioner Josina Morita, along with local school officials and residents, gathered in protest of the incident. North suburban officials spoke out against immigration enforcement Friday. "We were prepared for the worst of the worst, and I think this might have been worse than that. This was terrifying. It was terrifying to our community members. It was terrifying to a student who happened to be in a car and witnessed it. It is not OK," said Chute Middle School social worker Allie Harned. The city of Evanston said in a message that there has been an increased number of federal agents in the community on Friday. The city issued a statement, saying, "Evanston stands as a Welcoming City and has just enacted Resolution 93-R-25, the Ice-Free Zones Resolution. This resolution reflects our commitment to fostering an inclusive and safe community as we navigate these uncertain times together." Feds target 2 plumbers working in Skokie, witnesses say Just down the road in Skokie, people rushed out of their homes on Harding Avenue as, they said, federal agents targeted two plumbers working on a property on Friday afternoon. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Customs and Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino was seen leading operations on the ground. READ MORE | Court says Border Patrol Cmdr. Bovino won't have to brief judge on Chicago-area immigration sweeps Witnesses said the two workers are U.S. citizens and did not end up getting detained as federal agents abruptly left the area. Morgan Krupinsk, the homeowner who hired those workers, said it was disturbing to see them targeted. Krupinsk says he voted for President Donald Trump in the election, but he no longer believes these operations are being carried out properly. "I mean, two workers, American citizens, working on my lawn, for them to stop and profile them and ask them for papers, there's no constitutional right for them to do that," Krupinsk said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It has been a quiet evening in Evanston since those incidents, as ABC7 has seen just a handful of trick-or-treaters in the area. Many Evanston residents were on alert as school children left class, saying that federal agents had been in and around the area for most of the day. The city of Evanston issued a statement about trick-or-treating safety, saying, "Please be advised that the City's official Trick-or-Treating hours are scheduled for today, October 31, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. With the increased presence of federal agents in our community today, we encourage families to exercise extra caution. Should you choose to participate in trick-or-treating, please remain vigilant. If you observe federal activity, please contact the Illinois Coalition for Immigrant and Refugee Rights hotline at 855-435-7693. For urgent safety concerns, call 9-1-1." Residents are being encouraged to be out, whistles in hand and monitoring their neighborhoods for federal agents, to help keep everyone safe. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One District 65 official said immigration operations could be seen from schools on Friday, and leadership for school districts 65 and 202 closed their campuses for outside activity for the day. Federal agents have also detained multiple people in Chicago on Friday. DHS' full statement "Today, U.S. Border Patrol conducted immigration enforcement operations in Evanston and Skokie, Illinois, that resulted in the arrest of five illegal aliens from Mexico, whose criminal histories include criminal trespass and multiple illegal entries into the country. All of these individuals have broken the immigration laws of our nation. During an operation at Oakton Street and Ashbury Avenue in Evanston, agents observed they were being aggressively tailgated by a red vehicle. As agents tried to make a U-turn, the red car crashed into Border Patrol. A hostile crowd surrounded agents and their vehicle, and began verbally abusing them and spitting on them. As Border patrol arrested one individual, who actively resisted arrest, pepper spray was deployed spray to deter the agitator and disperse the crowd. Three U.S. citizens were arrested as a result of their violence against law enforcement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "This incident is not isolated and reflects a growing and dangerous trend of violence and obstruction. Over the past several days, we've seen an increase in assaults and deliberate vehicle rammings targeting federal law enforcement during operations. These confrontations highlight the dangers our agents face daily and the escalating aggression toward law enforcement. The violence must end." Statement from Evanston police "The Evanston Police Department responded Friday, Oct. 31, to several reports of federal agents conducting deportation operations throughout the city. Police supervisors responded to these reports; in only one instance did officers find federal agents on scene upon arrival. At approximately 12:25 p.m., Evanston Police responded to reports from citizens and federal agents regarding a traffic crash in which a civilian vehicle rear-ended a federal vehicle. The crash led to a disturbance at the scene. Preliminary information indicates that the driver of the civilian vehicle was taken into custody by federal agents. During that arrest, a confrontation occurred between community members and the agents, reportedly resulting in one or two additional arrests. Evanston Police officers worked to stabilize the scene and prevent further conflict between community members and federal agents. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Prior to police arrival, pepper spray appears to have been deployed. Evanston Fire Department paramedics responded to provide medical care for individuals exposed to pepper spray. Evanston Police did not make any arrests and currently have no one in custody. The incident remains under investigation. The Evanston Police Department will review this incident for referral to the Illinois Attorney General's Office. If you have information, including video or other evidence, please contact the Evanston Police Detective Bureau at 847-866-5040." A sign directs Election Day voters to the ballot drop box and polling center at the La Familia Recreation Center in Denver on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024. (Photo by Lindsey Toomer/Colorado Newsline) A top federal election official should lose her job over making unfounded claims that Democrats rely on illegal citizens to win elections, Oregon Secretary of State Tobias Read said Friday. Christy McCormick, one of four members of the federal Election Assistance Commission, joined a Wednesday panel at the America First Policy Institute, a think tank closely aligned with President Donald Trump. The hour-long discussion about election fraud included McCormick and other panelists speculating about why Democrats oppose their efforts to restrict voting access in the name of election security. Christy McCormick is a Republican member of the Election Assistance Commission. (Photo courtesy of U.S. Election Assistance Commission) They need open borders, they need illegal citizens to increase their votes, she said. And this is why theyre fighting so adamantly against us to try to prevent that from happening. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read, a Democrat elected in 2024 who serves on the commissions 110-member standards board, said McCormick must resign or be removed from office immediately because of her comments. Its un-American to spread lies that sow fear and paranoia in the heart of our democracy, Read said. Our founders built this nation on free and fair elections. Generations of Americans fought and died to defend them. Commissioner McCormicks false claims dishonor that sacrifice. She betrayed the trust of the people she was meant to serve. Elections are run by states, but the commission accredits laboratories that test voting systems, certifies thems and develops guidance for elections officials on nearly every aspect of elections administration. Earlier in the discussion, McCormick, who lives in California, said her household received seven mailed ballots for the states current election on whether to allow mid-decade redistricting, and only two of those ballots were for her family. She said she considered casting the other five just to see if the state would count them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement California, like Oregon, encourages voters to contact election officials if they receive a ballot in error. And like Oregon, California compares signatures on ballot envelopes to a voters signature on file to verify a voters identity. The Election Assistance Commission, established in 2002, is an independent agency with four bipartisan commissioners appointed by the president. McCormick and Commissioner Donald Palmer are Republicans and Commissioners Thomas Hicks and Benjamin Hovland are Democrats, but all four are supposed to be impartial and independent. McCormick, appointed by President Barack Obama in 2014, publicly dismissed reports of attempted Russian interference in the 2016 election as deceptive propaganda perpetrated on the American public by the Obama administration, ProPublica reported. The next year, she served on an advisory commission Trump created to build on his unsubstantiated claims that millions of people illegally voted for his 2016 opponent, Hillary Clinton. The Election Assistance Commission responded to an inquiry with an automated response that spokespeople are furloughed without access to email because of the ongoing government shutdown. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX This editorial was updated to add new information and a new video. Hunger is not Republican. Hunger is not Democrat. Hunger is not partisan nor should our response be along party lines, but that is what is happening in Washington, D.C., during the federal government shutdown. Thousands of our friends, neighbors and family members are going to need our assistance and voices to help keep food on their tables. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Despite a federal judge's ruling Oct. 31, it's unclear when or how much food assistance funds will be sent to states. As of Nov. 1, about 700,000 people in Wisconsin will lose access to food assistance through through the FoodShare program. Funding comes from the federal government as part of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which is designed to assist low-income individuals and families. Nationwide, SNAP serves 42 million Americans from all walks of life. They could live down the block or attend your church. Many work multiple jobs or are children. Some are retired and others are disabled. Even with the judge ordering the Trump Administration to use emergency dollars to fund SNAP, it won't end the fear or uncertainty, and many questions remain about the length of the delay or whether the administration will appeal. More importantly, it never should have come to this. To get a sense of the real world impact in Wisconsin, the Ideas Lab interviewed representatives from 10 organizations that provide food and other services across the region. Some are faith based, staffed by volunteers in church basements, others are professionally staffed non-profits that assist thousands. Others provide mentoring or assist the disabled. Their voices are often ignored, overshadowed, or worse yet, used as political props at times like this. Opinion: Public is in the dark about FoodShare rule changes that will create great harm Your voice and support can make a difference All of the people we interviewed took pains to stress their words are not political in the sense that they are taking partisan sides in the debate in Congress. Nor are we. We all have a job to do now mitigate the blow and let our elected officials know this is wholly unacceptable. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It shouldn't come to pass that meeting the basic needs of people is seen as a matter for debate by the people we send to represent us, but this is the crisis we face. Your voice and generosity are needed to help see Wisconsin through this emergency. This is also a time to check on our neighbors to ensure that they don't go hungry. Meanwhile, Congress must act quickly to prevent those with the least from suffering the most. This is about something above politics. "Compassion has never been partisan. Compassion is in the main themes of every religious tradition," said Sister MacCanon Brown, who runs a homeless sanctuary in one of Milwaukee's poorest neighborhoods. "Wouldn't it be something if people of faith, if for instance in Milwaukee, all the faith communities would focus on being human trestles of compassion, no matter what religion the faith community of Milwaukee would surround. These areas where there's so many people who are living in scarcity and even fear and provide something more that would help them through this time. I think that would be a very important thing to happen right now." This national failure hits right at home here in Wisconsin Its often hard to separate hyperbole from reality in todays political climate, but the fact remains that the impact will be felt in every corner of Wisconsin. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement About 12% of the state's residents receive money on their SNAP card each month to buy groceries, or about 1 in 8 people. The figures vary by location, but when viewing data across Wisconsin's Congressional districts, the percentage of households receiving benefits ranges from as low as 6% to as high as 21%. Opinion: Our grocery cart is less full these days. What about you? Given the number of their constituents who rely on this most basic level of support, it's unthinkable that our elected representatives would allow their community members to reach this crisis situation. A self-inflicted shutdown represents a failure of government on the most basic level. More Americans are increasingly tuning out national affairs or taking them in small doses to ease the heartburn caused by politics' performative nature and the fierce effort to assign blame. While this might be a reasonable short-term coping strategy, it hides the fact that elected officials work for us, not the other way around. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We're in this position because Republicans, who control both branches of Congress and the White House, need a handful of votes from Democrats or independents in the U.S. Senate to approve a government spending bill. Democrats are using that leverage to insist that the GOP include the restoration of tax credits for people who get insurance through the Affordable Care Act in the bill. Republicans want to negotiate health care after the government reopens. It's worth noting that the Department of Agriculture has the power to provide stopgap funding for SNAP benefits in the interim, but has declined so far. We strongly urge them not to sit on the sidelines while people go hungry and become desperate. Panic. Anxiety. And fear about hungry teens making terrible choices A few words and phrases turned up consistently in the interviews about how this crisis is being felt: Panic. Angst. Fear. Anxiety. Questions like, "What am I going to do?" The interviews offer a deeper and more human perspective than statistics alone of how the interruption of food assistance will be felt. Even if the funding is restored, community leaders warn about the strain on the safety net even before the government shutdown began Oct. 1. Nor will food drives or fundraisers alone be a sustainable long-term solution if the impasse in Congress continues. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin is the largest food bank in the state. We serve nearly 400 food pantry partners, but we don't hold a candle to power the FoodShare program," said Matt Stienstra, director of Advocacy and Community Engagement for the organization. "For every one meal we provide, the FoodShare program provides nine. And when benefits are delayed, it means thousands of more people are going to be going to another local pantry. Senior citizens and youth will be especially hit hard. About 108,000, or over 18% of all FoodShare participants, are aged 60 and older. We're seeing a lot of anxiety. There's a lot of seniors we work with, especially in the Cudahy and St. Francis area that live just on a fixed income every month," said Patrick Higgins, director of Project Concern, a food pantry and clothing bank supported by five local churches in those suburban communities. "To have the FoodShare cut would be detrimental to them. Some people are already having a tough time making ends meet, and now this benefit not being there is really worrying them." Children under 18 and their families make up an even bigger share of FoodShare recipients, more than 269,000. In Milwaukee, roughly half the children who live in the county receive benefits, or about 125,000 kids. For youth mentors like Victor Barnett, his concern is that the need to eat will make it harder to steer teens away from terrible choices, such as stealing or worse. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "There are going to be some families that won't have food on the table, and you know how deep that can be for a young person that needs to go to school. So I just think that being in front of it, having conversations about the realism of what's about to happen, and being to be able to put things in place to be helpful to these families is so important," said Barnett, executive director of Running Rebels community organization. Panic is how Vincent Noth, executive director of the Kinship Community Food Center, describes the mood among families it serves in Milwaukee. "Forty percent of kids in Milwaukee live below the poverty line. So my experience with children and poverty and hunger is a single mom calling me and saying, 'I couldn't make it to the center, I'm in dire need. Is there any way you guys could come bring food?'" Noth said. "And you're coming into a house, and you're seeing kids, like on a Saturday at noon. And they're not taking the cereal and the milk and like putting it away. You know, they're eating it. They're just, they dive into it. They were hungry." Demand at food pantries has been increasing for years What's especially jarring is how much the demand for emergency food services has been increasing, years before the shutdown. In 2021, the Food Pantry serving Waukesha County spent about $90,000 on food purchases. Last year, it was $380,000, roughly 300% growth over three years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The misconception with food insecurity in Waukesha County is that because we are a wealthier county, we don't have that as a problem or a need," said pantry executive director Lyndsay Johnson, who noted about 16,300 people in the county receive FoodShare benefits each month. "So while there's this idea that Waukesha County is a wealthy community, and we are a community with folks with resources, there are still folks in our community that might not have resources and might still require a food pantry to kind of make those basic needs." More: As Stock the Shelves fundraiser for eastern Wisconsin pantries enters final week, need remains high A pantry in another Milwaukee suburb moved into a new space last year to help it better assist the 2,500 people it serves each year. Hunger is not a problem confined to any corner of Wisconsin. "A lot of people don't think that Ozaukee County has a lot in need. It is one of the wealthiest counties in the state, after all. But it turns out it's really difficult to be poor there," said Sara Pashak, a board member at Ozaukee Food Alliance. "There's no public transportation, housing costs are very high, grocery costs have been through the roof. And so we see a lot of individuals, families, seniors, who are working adults, working families, two job, two income families that just can't make ends meet." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Matt King, CEO of the Hunger Task Force, said local pantries can fill in the gaps in the short term, but the severity of the impact on the network across the state depends on the length of the government shutdown. He said families were already feeling the strain. "Over the course of the last year, we've seen a 30% increase in visits to food pantries across the state, and that's because of the increased cost of living," he said. "In particular, the feedback that we've gotten is that rents have increased around the state and that the high cost of groceries has made it really hard for families to make it through the month. And so this delay in benefits for the food share program is exacerbating an already existing increase in need." How to contact members of Congress representing Wisconsin List of participating organizations Many thanks to the organizations that answered our call for interviews on such short notice. We know that this group only scratches the surface of the work that goes on each day from faith-based and non-profit organizations. If you want to help, or learn more about them, here is the list: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Here's how you can help: SNAP benefits are running out for almost 700,000 Wisconsinites. Editorials are a product of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel editorial board, which operates independently from the news department. Email: jsedit@jrn.com. Why we write editorials. Meet the editorial board. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee food pantries see fear and panic amid shutdown | Editorial (The Center Square) The prolonged government shutdown has disrupted the National Flood Insurance Program, leaving roughly half a million Louisiana policyholders in limbo and complicating property sales, U.S. Sen. Bill Cassidy said Friday. The program, administered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, has stopped writing policies and paused renewals of existing ones, a scenario Louisiana officials warned in September could hobble real estate transactions and weaken the governments ability to pay claims if a major storm hits. Cassidy, R-La., said the lapse in funding is freezing home closings and complicating policy renewals for existing customers. In a speech on the Senate floor, he acknowledged the federal flood program needs long-term reforms but said shutting it down makes the problem worse, not better. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Every day the government is shut down gets worse for Americans in my state who are worried about flooding and losing everything, Cassidy said. Reopen the government. Restore certainty to the American people. Protect homes. Protect families. Protect livelihoods. Cassidy said he and Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., have filed two stopgap bills one to extend the program in the short term and another for a full year of coverage while they work on broader changes aimed at keeping premiums affordable and the program financially sustainable. He also previewed legislation that would automatically reauthorize it during any future lapses in government funding so shutdowns do not interrupt coverage. The American people want solutions, Cassidy said. They want flood insurance that protects their homes, families and livelihoods. The remarks extend months of pressure from Louisiana leaders to stabilize the program. Earlier warnings noted that repeated short-term extensions have created annual uncertainty for policyholders. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Consumer advocates have likewise cautioned that even brief lapses can ripple through housing markets and disaster response. House Republicans from the Gulf Coast are advancing parallel efforts. Rep. Mike Ezell, R-Miss., introduced the National Flood Insurance Program Retroactive Renewal and Reauthorization Act to restore it and protect policyholders who planned to renew but were caught by the shutdown. As evidenced by the ongoing lapse of NFIP, a long-term reauthorization is necessary for sustainability of the program and affordability for its policyholders, said Michael Hecht, president and CEO of Greater New Orleans, Inc., speaking for the Coalition for Sustainable Flood Insurance. Hecht said the coalitions analysis of FEMA data shows flood insurance premiums under Risk Rating 2.0 are rising by over 100% on average and by at least 50% in 41 states, adding that retroactive reauthorization would help keep cost-burdened households insured. Laman Ismayilova As part of the Arts Festival "Fly to Baku. Art Weekend. Sense the Future NOW", organized by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and the IDEA Public Union in partnership with the Azerbaijan Culture Ministry, the National Art Museum, has opened the exhibition "A Life Left Unfinished", dedicated to the 100th anniversary of Tofig Javadov (19251963) one of the most original artists in the history of Azerbaijani fine arts, Azernews reports. Tofig Javadov's name is forever inscribed in the artistic chronicle of the country as a symbol of free thinking, exploration, and the inner fire of creativity. His painting challenged established norms, and he himself became one of the unique artists of his time, whose art anticipated new aesthetic directions and spiritual meanings. Despite his short life of only 38 years, he left behind an entire era filled with the energy of renewal and a profound philosophy of color. At the opening ceremony, speeches were delivered by Shirin Malikova, Director of the Azerbaijan National Art Museum, Chairperson of the Azerbaijani Committee of the International Council of Museums (ICOM) and Honored Worker of Culture; Farhad Khalilov, Chairman of the Azerbaijan Artists' Union and People's Artist; and Rafael Gyulmammadli, Art Historian and General Director of the Creative Association "Baku Art Center." They highlighted Javadov's unique role in the development of the national school of painting, noting that his legacy remains an inexhaustible source of inspiration for contemporary artists. Special attention was given to the museums work on restoring and preserving the master's works, many of which had been held in various collections for years and are now presented to the public for the first time. The exhibition features over 90 works, including paintings, graphics, and book illustrations from the collections of the National Art Museum, the State Art Gallery, Yeni Gallery, and private collections. Some of these works are being shown to the public for the first time. For the first time, the exhibition brings together works from different periods of Javadov's career, allowing visitors to trace the evolution of his artistic thinking from his early, emotionally intense compositions to his mature, philosophically nuanced canvases, where every brushstroke reflects a meditation on life, time, and humanity. Tofig Javadov sought to combine national motifs with avant-garde exploration, finding harmony between tradition and modernity. His paintings, full of inner drama and symbolism, reflect not only the artist's personal world but also the spiritual quests of an entire generation. Today, decades later, his work is perceived as a dialogue between past and future an unfinished conversation of the artist with eternity. The exhibition "A Life Left Unfinished" will be open at the National Art Museum until November 30. From October 31 to November 2, Baku will host the grand Arts Festival "Fly to Baku. Art Weekend. Sense the Future NOW", bringing together art, culture, and ecology. The project is organized by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and the IDEA Public Union in partnership with the Azerbaijan Culture Ministry. The author and initiator of the project is Leyla Aliyeva, Vice-President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and founder of the IDEA Public Union. This immersive project will transform Baku into a living space of contemporary creativity, dialogue, and discovery. Special attention will be given to the ecological situation in oceans and seas, presented through the language of art. The main theme of the festival is water as a symbol of life, renewal, and sustainable development. Water, representing resilience, renewal, and collective memory, has been chosen as the key element of the Art Weekend, fostering a meaningful dialogue between Azerbaijan and the international art community. A 20-year-old domestic worker from Myanmar has been accused of stealing eight pieces of gold jewelry worth about MOP89,000 from her employer. The employer, who had hired the maid in 2023, discovered the missing items while checking a safe at home. Upon questioning, the maid admitted to taking three pieces last month and returned them, claiming she had hidden the jewelry in a drawer. Police are investigating the whereabouts of the remaining items. Like this: Like Loading... Oct. 31The beleaguered CARD Clinic has closed its doors due to the federal government shutdown. CARD Clinic Executive Director Tracy McNew made the announcement Wednesday. "Unless they come to some sort of agreement this week we'll be closed until the federal government resumes normal operations," McNew said. The government shutdown began Oct. 1 after lawmakers failed to resolve a budget deadlock, halting some federal operations and putting approximately 750,000 employees on unpaid leave. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The clinic is funded by a $3 million grant from the federal government. The most recent grant began Sept. 1, 2024. CARD officials said if patients are experiencing an emergency they should contact their primary care physicians or go to the nearest emergency room. For other questions, patients are asked to call 406-293-9274. Leave a voicemail and someone will return the call as soon as possible. CARD has received previous iterations of this grant, made possible through the Environmental Health Hazards provision of the Affordable Care Act, since 2011. CARD has been sued numerous times over the last few years. It lost a 2023 case against railroad giant BNSF when a jury found the Center for Asbestos Related Disease submitted 337 false claims to the federal government. Federal judge Dana Christensen ordered a $6 million judgment against the clinic. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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. Those cases are currently under appeal. In September 2024, CARD lost an appeal to a federal jury's $6 million judgment in June 2023. 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. 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 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. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Then the clinic's original location on East Third Street was closed on Wednesday, 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. CARD is also the target of a local lawsuit filed Oct. 10, 2024, in Lincoln County District Court. It alleges medical malpractice, wrongful death and claims of disabling Lincoln County residents by prescribing them opioid pain killers following the misdiagnosis of health issues. The civil suit, still pending, alleges medical malpractice against Dr. Charles Brad Black and the clinic, including McNew. The court filing also argues the facility knew or should have known both men didn't satisfy diagnostic requirements for asbestos-related disease and should not have been giving opioid pain medications in the manner prescribed by the clinic's providers. Just last month, CARD was sued in federal court by 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. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The suit alleges CARD officials misrepresented its application for a medical malpractice insurance policy that went into effect at the beginning of 2025. 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. 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. General Star 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. 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. NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) More than two years after he filed it, State Rep. Justin Jones lawsuit against Tennessee House Speaker Cameron Sexton has been dismissed by a federal judge. Jones (D-Nashville) sued over his April 2023 expulsion from the Tennessee House of Representatives, calling the move unconstitutional and illegal. Jones and fellow Democratic Rep. Justin Pearson of Memphis were expelled from the Tennessee General Assembly during an April 6 session. Jones, Pearson, and Knoxville Democratic State Rep. Gloria Johnsondubbed the Tennessee 3all faced expulsion hearings after they walked up to the well of the House, violating chamber rules. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A look back at the historic Tennessee 3 vote Johnson survived her expulsion vote after Jones and Pearson were formally expelled. Jones and Pearson were subsequently appointed back to their seats by the Metro Nashville and Shelby County legislative bodies, respectively. They then won their seats back in landslide votes during a special election in August of that year. In October of 2023, Jones sued Sexton and other Republican lawmakers in federal court, claiming unconstitutional censorship of him and the views of those he represents. PREVIOUS COVERAGE | State Rep. Justin Jones sues TN House Speaker Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Time and again over the past year Defendants have blocked Representative Jones from expressing views on critical issues that he was elected to express, ensuring that viewpoints dissenting from their own are silenced, neither heard nor spoken, Jones complaint read. This censorship violates the constitutions of Tennessee and of the United States and is an anathema to a free, democratic society. U.S. District Judge Eli J. Richardson dismissed Jones claims on Friday, Oct. 24, saying Sexton and other lawmakers were entitled to legislative immunity with respect to their conduct in disciplining Jones. All six claims were dismissed in their entirety, per the order. Read the latest from the TN State Capitol Newsroom Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti celebrated the ruling, saying it upholds the independence of Tennessees legislative branch. He added the lawsuit involved years of onerous litigation at taxpayer expense. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This decision is a clear affirmation of foundational principles that underpin our republican system of government: federalism and separation of powers, Skrmetti said in a statement. Tennessee legislators must be free to debate, enfoce legislative rules, and conduct internal affairs without the constant threat of federal litigation. This ruling protects not just these defendants, but the ability of elected representatives from across Tennessee to get their work done and serve their constituents. 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. A Rhode Island federal judge on Friday ordered the U.S. Department of Agriculture to distribute money owed to recipients of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program "as soon as possible," just one day before funding for SNAP was set to lapse. U.S District Judge John McConnell's ruling from the bench came shortly after another federal judge in a separate case said that the Trump administration's plan not to pay out SNAP benefits beginning on Nov. 1 due to the ongoing federal government shutdown was "unlawful" but stopped short of ordering the Trump administration to disburse funds. Ruling in favor of a group of cities and community organizations that sued over the cuts, McConnell said that the USDA must fund SNAP using money in a contingency fund. But, he added that if the department finds that the money in the contingency fund is insufficient, then the agency must use other funding sources to make those payments. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There is no doubt that the six billion dollars in contingency funds are appropriated funds that are without a doubt necessary to carry out the programs operation, McConnell said in his oral ruling. The shutdown of the government through funding doesnt do away with SNAP. It just does away with the funding of it. There could be no greater necessity than the prohibition across the board of funds for the programs operations. McConnell added, there is no doubt, and it is beyond argument, that irreparable harm will begin to occur if it hasnt already occurred in the terror it has caused some people about the availability of funding for food for their family." McConnell addressed the Trump administration's argument that contingency funds might be needed for other reasons in the near future, like in the aftermath of a hypothetical hurricane. "Its clear that when compared to the millions of people that will go without funds for food versus the agencys desire not to use contingency funds in case theres a hurricane need, the balances of those equities clearly goes on the side of ensuring that people are fed, the judge said. A woman shops at the Feeding South Florida food pantry on Monday in Pembroke Park, Fla. (Joe Raedle / Getty Images) McConnell asked the administration for an update on the SNAP funding by Monday at 12 p.m. ET. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement NBC News reached out to the White House, the U.S. Office of Management and Budget and USDA for comment. President Donald Trump said on social media Friday that "government lawyers do not think we have the legal authority to pay SNAP with certain monies we have available, and now two Courts have issued conflicting opinions on what we can and cannot do." "I have instructed our lawyers to ask the Court to clarify how we can legally fund SNAP as soon as possible," said Trump, who acknowledged that payments "will unfortunately be delayed while States get the money out." National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett criticized the ruling in a Friday afternoon interview with Meet the Press Now. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I think that the liberal judges weren't correct on this," Hassett said. "I think that our legal analysis is that we have to use the emergency money for emergencies," he said. "But if you think about it, we're in something that a Democrat judge is willing to say is an emergency because the Democrats won't open the government." Democracy Forward, a progressive legal advocacy group that represented the plaintiffs, applauded the ruling. "Todays decision affirms what both the law and basic decency require: the Trump-Vance administration must use its power to support people in America, not to harm them," Democracy Forward President and CEO Skye Perryman said in a statement, The courts ruling protects millions of families, seniors, and veterans from being used as leverage in a political fight and upholds the principle that no one in America should go hungry." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Perryman's group represented a collection of plaintiffs, including local municipalities, charitable and faith-based nonprofit organizations and business and union groups in the Rhode Island suit. In the statement, Perryman added that their group is "honored to represent a coalition that refused to accept hunger as a cruel tactic of political pressureand we will continue fighting to ensure that our institutions serve people with integrity, compassion, and accountability. In a separate ruling, a federal judge in Boston said Friday she wants further briefings before deciding if the Agriculture Department has to use emergency funds to continue SNAP benefits for millions of Americans after Democratic leaders sued the agency. Plaintiffs have standing to bring this action and are likely to succeed on their claim that Defendants suspension of SNAP benefits is unlawful," Judge Indira Talwani wrote in her finding. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Where that suspension of benefits rested on an erroneous construction of the relevant statutory provisions, the court will allow Defendants to consider whether they will authorize at least reduced SNAP benefits for November, and report back to the court no later than Monday, November 3, 2025, she wrote. Talwani, of the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts, said Thursday the government cant simply suspend benefits because it cant afford to cover the program. Talwani said she wants to hear back from the administration no later than Monday, November 3, 2025. On Tuesday, the attorneys general of 22 states and the District of Columbia, as well as the governors of Kansas, Kentucky and Pennsylvania, sued the U.S. Department of Agriculture, arguing that it is legally required to continue providing SNAP benefits during the government shutdown, as long as the USDA has the funding. They asked the judge to compel the agency to use contingency funds appropriated by Congress. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The lawsuit sought a temporary restraining order that would require the agency to deliver SNAP benefits through November in their states. The USDA had said in a message posted on its website that benefits wont be issued on EBT cards as expected on Nov. 1. Up to 42 million Americans rely on the program. Earlier Thursday, before the rulings in Rhode Island and Massachusetts were handed down, Trump blamed the lapse in funding for SNAP on Senate Democrats, saying they could vote to end the ongoing federal government shutdown if they wanted to fund SNAP. All the Democrats have to do is say, Lets go. I mean, you know, they dont have to do anything. They have to -- all they have to do is say, the government is open, the president told reporters aboard Air Force One en route to Florida. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com A pair of federal judges on Friday compelled the Trump administration to keep food stamps flowing as the government shutdown stretched into its first month. A judge in Rhode Island and another in Massachusetts issued rulings that said that the Department of Agriculture had to keep the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, up and running next month. The program is set to exhaust its funding on Saturday, imperiling nutritional aid for more than 40 million low-income Americans. The White House previously said it was unable to finance the program past the weekend due to the government shutdown, which began Oct. 1. Trump administration officials said they wouldn't have access to a $5.5 billion contingency fund, even though they tapped into the emergency money for a past shutdown in Trump's first term. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Its called a contingency fund, and by law, contingency funds can only flow when the underlying fund is flowing," Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said at a Friday news conference alongside GOP leaders. However, the decisions mandate only at least partial payment, meaning some people will still lose access to their SNAP benefits. It comes after two dozen Democratic-led states filed a lawsuit challenging the Trump administration's move to suspend the program starting Nov. 1, for the first time in U.S. history. The White House rerouted a request for comment to the Office of Management and Budget, which did not immediately respond. The AFL-CIO and 26 other labor groups sent a letter on Friday to Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins prodding her to release the designated contingency funds. Any lapse in SNAP funding will have devastating impacts for program beneficiaries, reduce hours and wages for food workers in every state and congressional district in the country... and hurt local economies," the letter said. Sign up for The Brief, The Texas Tribunes daily newsletter that keeps readers up to speed on the most essential Texas news. Audio recording is automated for accessibility. Humans wrote and edited the story. See our AI policy, and give us feedback. The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday granted a Trump administration appeal to block SNAP funding a day after a federal judge ordered the administration to fully fund the food program during the government shutdown. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A federal judge in Rhode Island on Thursday had initially ordered the administration to tap emergency funds by Friday, and the Trump administration sought to overrule the order in the First Circuit Court of Appeals. The appeals court denied the administrations immediate request, but said it would issue a more permanent ruling soon. The administration then appealed to the Supreme Court, which issued its order. The administrations appeal would still allow for partial payments to SNAP, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. The courts order, signed by Associate Justice Kentanji Brown Jackson, is set to expire two days after the appeals court issues its next ruling on the pause. The Trump administration had told the appeals court it would comply with the initial order and continue with full SNAP payments for November while the case played out, according to a memo from the U.S. Department of Agriculture that Politico obtained. SNAP recipients in some states received their full monthly payments the previous night. Benefits for SNAP, also called food stamps, were planned to be released on a staggered basis, starting with those who were first to miss their payments and continuing until the Texas Health and Human Services Commission catches up to its normal schedule, said Wesley Story of Feeding Texas, the state association of food banks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement HHSC gave no timeline on when those payments would reach the 3.5 million Texans enrolled in SNAP, 1.7 million of whom are children. Feeding Texas said that once USDA posts information for issuing benefits, the money will take at least three days to become available. By Thursday, about 460,000 Texas households were supposed to get SNAP benefits at the start of the month, but had not received them, according to a spokesperson for Propel, an app that helps SNAP enrollees manage their benefits. HHSC has not responded to questions about how many Texans have not received benefits. The recent order is the latest in a back-and-forth about whether SNAP will be funded during the shutdown and by how much. Meanwhile, food assistance has been delayed for more than 8.7 million households across the country as of Thursday, after benefits paused on the first of the month. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Feeding Texas CEO Celia Cole called the situation deeply concerning in a Tuesday statement. SNAP is a lifeline for millions of Texans. Without it, families are forced to make impossible choices between putting food on the table, paying rent, or affording medicine. These decisions have lasting consequences for their health and our food economy, the statement said. Two federal judges ruled late last week that the Trump administration must tap existing funds to keep the food assistance program running during the government shutdown, according to reporting from the Associated Press. The rulings came as Gov. Greg Abbott faced mounting pressure to authorize emergency funding for Texas SNAP recipients. Abbott said U.S. Senate Democrats should pass legislation to end the government shutdown. Democrats have voted against the new budget 14 times over Republicans refusal to negotiate extending Affordable Care Act subsidies, which are set to expire at years end. The federal shutdown is the longest in the countrys history. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Trump administration said Monday it would use $4.65 billion from an emergency account to cover about half the months payments. In response, the U.S. Department of Agriculture said it would issue benefits up to 50% of what enrollees typically get each month, then bumped that to 65% due to a calculation error. The federal waffling sets the stage for a similar situation in December if the shutdown isnt resolved by then. Ongoing lawsuits are not a swift solution to this crisis. If contingency funds are released, they represent only partial relief and the administration has indicated it could take weeks to calculate and distribute them, Cole said in a statement last week. Every day that the money is delayed affects around 126,000 Texans, Cole previously told The Texas Tribune. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The USDA had announced that it would halt the program, which serves more than 42 million Americans, in November due to insufficient funding during the shutdown. Texas HHSC spokesperson James Rivera said Wednesday the agency is awaiting guidance from the Agriculture Departments food and nutrition service, which oversees SNAP, and Texans can find more information on its website and FAQs. The ruling came in response to a challenge from state attorneys general or governors in 25 states plus the District of Columbia, who said the administration was legally obliged to keep SNAP running. A prior USDA plan for a government shutdown says SNAP should keep running during a pause in appropriations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Congressional intent is evident that SNAPs operations should continue since the program has been provided with multi-year contingency funds, said the plan, which was subsequently removed from the USDA website. That emergency fund totals $5.3 billion, but SNAP needs $8.2 billion for full funding in November. The Trump administration has doubled down that it cannot use this money for SNAP. In their suit, the Democratic states argued that the administration must tap this fund, and that it also has access to a separate pool with around $23 billion. Both judges ordered the Trump administration to fund SNAP at least partially, and left it to decide whether to use additional resources to pay for full November benefits. Following public outcry and intervention from the courts, Trump is being forced to do a little to stop the hunger crisis he tried to create, said Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Austin, in a statement Monday. He used his full authority to help farmers, but refuses to do the same for families. They only receive half a loaf of help. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Geoff Mulvihill and Kimberlee Kruesi of the Associated Press contributed to this report. Disclosure: Feeding Texas has been a financial supporter 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. The six armed federal agents loomed around their detained suspect, Carlitos Ricardo Parias, who was handcuffed and sitting on the sidewalk, moaning as he held his right leg. A small crowd gathered around them on that day in June, according to video of the incident. Three civilians are seen helping Parias, 44, a well-known TikTok streamer, to his feet and walking him to a car, as Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers and deputy marshals watch. Parias is limping and holding his leg. "See, they're not arresting him, they're not doing nothing," a woman shouts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One agent blocks one of the men helping Parias by the car door but quickly relents. The men then drive away, with Parias still wearing handcuffs. The video of the aborted detention reviewed by The Times contradicts public accounts by Department of Homeland Security officials, who said Parias previously escaped from custody. It raises questions of why the agents appeared to willingly let a suspect go, ultimately setting off a sequence of events that ended in a shooting that wounded Parias and a deputy marshal last week. The Department of Homeland Security told The Times that Parias is an undocumented immigrant who previously escaped from custody, but did not respond to detailed questions about why six armed federal agents let Parias walk away. A federal criminal complaint charging Parias with assault on a federal officer described him as having previously "avoided capture." A spokesperson for the U.S. marshals service declined to comment, referring all questions to DHS. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The June 13 incident became a point of contention during a detention hearing for Parias on Friday morning, with Asst. U.S. Atty. Chris Jones saying that "in the chaos of the scene, and while still in handcuffs, [Parias] picked up and fled." Gabriela Rivera, Parias' federal public defender, rejected that claim, arguing that officers "permitted him to go to the hospital" and "had the opportunity and ability to follow up." "They waited several months to do that," Rivera said. "And that's simply not the conduct someone takes if they think you're a danger." "He was not granted permission by law enforcement to go to the hospital," Jones countered, saying that Parias had been "whisked away" and had "fled law enforcement twice" in the last several months. The federal judge ordered Parias released on a $15,000 bond with an ankle monitor. When Jones asked for a stay of her order until Monday, the judge declined, stating, "I'm not going to leave him in jail over the weekend." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Policing experts expressed concerns about the June incident. None of that looks to me like a guy who is escaping. said Jim Bueermann, former chief of police of the Redlands Police Department and founder of Future Policing Institute, an organization that provides research and consulting on law enforcement issues. Its more like theyre allowing this or consenting to it." The trouble began that day when Parias, outfitted in a Press vest, sat in the backseat of a black pickup truck, trailing federal immigration agents. According to an LAPD report, deputy marshals were assisting ICE with surveillance in the area of Figueroa and West 48th Street at around 1:45 p.m. As the federal agents drove along West 48th Street, they spotted vehicles following them, police said, including the black pickup truck. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The agents later told police that after the truck blew a red light, they conducted a traffic stop and ordered the driver and front passenger out of the vehicle. ICE agents said they saw a suspect hiding in the backseat and ordered him out of the truck, according to the report. The suspect refused to exit and the agents pulled him out, handcuffed him and sat him on the curb, police said. Video taken at the scene and shared with The Times shows Parias handcuffed on a curb, groaning in pain. Police said a large crowd surrounded the agents, recording their activity. Then, police said two unknown people exited a gray sedan, grabbed the handcuffed suspect from the agents and put him in the back of their car, heading to an unknown location. In an interview with The Times, the driver of the truck, who declined to be identified fearing legal repercussions, said the agents exited the vehicle in front of them with assault rifles pointed at them, ordering him and the front passenger to exit the vehicle. He denied running a red light. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The driver said once stopped, they followed the agents' commands but acknowledged that Parias was reluctant to exit. He said he saw two agents open the door and drag Parias out of the truck before a third agent helped pin him down. It was then, the driver said, when Parias began to scream out in pain. "He was yelling out: 'me estan lastimando' and "me rompieron la rodilla, llamen la ambulancia,'" the driver said. You're hurting me. They broke my knee, call an ambulance. The truck driver said the agents didnt inquire about Parias immigration status and never presented a warrant for an arrest. Federal agents left to avoid conflict with the crowd, according to the LAPD report. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During the detention hearing Friday, Jones told the judge that officers subsequently secured an arrest warrant for Parias, who's charged with being in the country illegally. Rivera described her client as a "citizen journalist" and said that on that June day he required medical attention "after the way [officers] treated him." "Perhaps because of their unlawful use of force against him, officers did not follow up or engage in further enforcement action against him," Rivera wrote in a court filing. Policing experts who reviewed video of the incident said the crowd did not appear to be threatening law enforcement officials, and the federal agents on the ground didnt appear to be taking actions showing they were concerned for their safety. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thats not a violent confrontation, Bueermann said. Theyre not being overwhelmed by the crowd, and the officers body language is not consistent with what Ive seen where officers are highly concerned for their personal safety. Video of the incident doesnt show agents taking precautions that law enforcement would take if they were concerned with the crowd, Bueermann said, such as setting up a perimeter, or forming a semicircle to keep control of their suspect while maintaining sight of the crowd. Instead, Bueermann pointed out, people in the crowd appeared to approach agents, just inches away from Parias while he sat on the sidewalk. When the three men walked to Parias to help him up, none of the agents nearby attempted to stop them. This doesnt make sense, Bueermann said. Theyre not doing any of that and I cannot tell you that Ive ever seen a similar situation. Teresa Magula of OIR Group, which works with local governments and law enforcement agencies on police reforms, said it could be that agents decided not to make a perimeter, or intervene with Parias leaving, in order to deescalate, but said the crowd didn't seem to be aggressive with any of the agents. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But the decision to allow Parias to leave the scene while still handcuffed befuddles her. "It's wild," Magula said. "It's interesting that he's handcuffed in front of his body as well. That's not very common procedure for someone you intend to arrest. It also speaks about a lack of control." This week Parias appeared in handcuffs in federal court to answer the charge against him. Prosecutors accused him of ramming his car into agents vehicles after they boxed him in and ordered him out of the car. An agent opened fire, wounding Parias and a deputy U.S. marshal, who was hit with a ricochet bullet. Parias, his left arm in a blue sling, sat mostly quiet, listening to the proceedings through a Spanish interpreter. At times he sighed and looked up at the ceiling, appearing pained. Rivera told the judge her client hadnt received necessary pain medication for hours. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After conferring with Parias 19-year-old son, Rivera asked the judge if the young man could hug his father, whom he hadnt seen in a week. Citing security concerns, the judge declined to grant the request. As Parias left the courtroom in shackles his son tearfully shouted out to him in Spanish. Pa, vas a estar bien. Estas fuerte, pa, he said. Dad, youre going to be OK. Youre strong. Times staff writer Libor Jany contributed to this report. 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. The opioid crisis that grips the United States has a central chemical villain: fentanyl. The synthetic drug, deadly even in the tiniest doses, flows into the country and is mixed with other narcotics, such as heroin and cocaine, and is sometimes pressed into pills that masquerade as prescription painkillers. In 2022, more than 73,000 people died from fentanyl overdoses in the U.S. alone, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The primary ingredient in fentanyl is piperidine, a ring-shaped organic molecule that sits in the center of a compound that includes three other components: an aniline ring, an alkyl chain, and an acyl group. Andrea Holmes, a chemist at Doane University in Nebraska, told Reuters last year that the chemical structure of fentanyl is best imagined as a Mr. Potato Head toypiperidein is the head while the other three compounds make up the eyes, nose, and mouth. Piperidine is used in the manufacture of many other pharmaceuticals, but the U.S. government has placed the toughest restrictions on precursors of fentanyl, which all have piperidine at their core, that make it relatively simple to synthesize the deadly drug. These include 4-anilino-N-phenethylpiperidine (4-ANPP), N-Phenethyl-4-piperidone (NPP), 4-Aminopyridine (4-AP), and norfentanyl, each just a simple chemical tweak away from becoming fentanyl. Read more: Painkillers That Dont Kill According to a 2020 report from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, China is the main source of fentanyl and fentanyl-related products that end up in the U.S. That latter class includes chemical precursors of the drug, which make their way to Mexico, where cartels oversee the manufacture and export of fentanyl. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Exporters can and do alter the chemical makeup of these precursors to mask their identity, making it extremely difficult to track and stem their flow across borders, and potentially leading to fentanyl analogssuch as the elephant tranquilizer carfentanilthat can be 100 times more potent than fentanyl. The lethal game of cat and mouse between drug exporters and manufacturers and authorities shows no signs of slowing, but fentanyl deaths did dip in 2023 and 2024, according to provisional data from the CDC. As authorities seek to slow the damage that fentanyl is causing in the U.S. and beyond, they must keep an eye on an entire spectrum of chemicals, from the finished product to all the components that make it up. Enjoying Nautilus? Subscribe to our free newsletter. This story was originally featured on Nautilus. Key Points Todays teens are drinking and smoking less, but many are spending more time online, where risky behaviors can be harder for parents to spot. Experts say this shift from in-person rebellion to digital risk-taking may leave kids more isolated and struggling with anxiety and loneliness. Parents can help by staying connected to their childs online world, setting clear screen limits, and encouraging face-to-face friendships and activities. If you ever snuck home smelling like cheap wine and cigarettes in an act of teenage rebellion, well, you might be showing your age. Research suggests substance abuse isnt the vice it once was for teenagers. According to new data from consumer research platform Attest, 20% of 15- to 16-year-olds have tried alcohol, down from 71% of 10th graders in 2000. The same survey, based on results from 1,000 U.S. parents, revealed that cigarette and drug use is also lower, with 14% and 6% of teens trying them, respectively. Meanwhile, 44% of 10th graders in 2000 had tried marijuana, according to the report. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While these figures are parent-led (and therefore potentially conservative), its reflective of an overall decrease in trends of substance use, says Joel Stoddard, MD, child and adolescent psychiatrist at Childrens Hospital Colorado. Previous research confirms substance use among adolescents is on the decline. But experts warn this doesnt necessarily mean teenagers are making healthier choices. In fact, our youngest teens, Generation Alphathose born between 2010 and 2024as well as older ones, could be at risk of something else insidious. The rebellion has moved online, and it's much harder for adults to see, explains Saba Harouni Lurie, LMFT, ATR-BC, family therapist and owner and founder of Take Root Therapy. When I was younger, rebellion was visible. Now, a teen can sit in their room looking perfectly compliant while they're engaging in all kinds of boundary-pushing behavior on their phone. So, what does this mean for parents? Experts say there are a few things they need to be aware of. A Generational Change The new study is part of a bigger, generational picture. And its global. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For example, a recent study into more than 23,000 Australians by Flinders University found Gen Z (born between 1997 and 2012) are almost 20 times more likely to say no to alcohol compared to Baby Boomers (born between 1946 and 1964). While fewer teens engaging in substance use sounds like great news, Lurie says Gen Alpha may be avoiding one set of risks, while becoming vulnerable to another. What concerns me as both a clinician and a parent is that while substance use has declined, so has in-person socialization, she says. Teens are going out less, spending far less time with friends in person, and engaging in fewer unstructured social activities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So while the reduction in risky behavior is positive, I'm not sure we can conclude that Gen Alpha is simply choosing healthier lifestyles, says Lurie. Mackenzie Sommerhalder, PhD, assistant professor in child and adolescent psychiatry at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, agrees, saying, One might conceptualize increased use of social media and artificial intelligence (AI) as risk-taking behavior. The negative side-effects of these tools on adolescent development are well known, and yet adolescents continue to engage with the tools. "So while the reduction in risky behavior is positive, I'm not sure we can conclude that Gen Alpha is simply choosing healthier lifestyles." Saba Harouni Lurie, LMFT, ATR-BC Online Risk-Taking Behavior Attest found that 55% of 15- to 16-year-olds spend more than three hours a day on social media apps like TikTok, YouTube, and Snapchat. Indeed, only 13% spend less than one hour on social media each day, and just 2% abstain altogether. In 2024, the Pew Research Center found that about one third of teens say they use either TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, or YouTube almost constantly. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Although, for some, this will be about innocent connection, Lurie warns it can be dangerous for others. Due to their age and immaturity, they could be even more vulnerable to risk. Teens are often calling people out on social media, posting things their parents might be horrified by if they saw it, and spending time in online communities that can be pretty dark, she says. Some are creating or sharing sexual content, and many are consuming things that they're not developmentally ready for. For instance, Bark Technologies, a company providing parental control solutions to keep children safe online, found 63% of tweens and 77% of teens interacted with sexual content of some kind in 2024, including receiving nude photos. Dr. Sommerhalder says teens have underdeveloped impulse control, making it difficult for them to detach from activities that pull for doomscrolling, or immediately responding to push notifications. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Adolescent period of development is linked to hypersensitivity to social feedback/stimuli, resulting in a drive to engage in behaviors that result in attention from peers, she says. Digital risk-taking doesnt just impact the way teenagers interact onlineits playing out offline, too. Lurie says many teens are opting out of traditional teenage experiences altogether. They're not eager to get their driver's license, date, or work part-time jobs, she says. This could also be considered a form of rebellion and as resistance to what we think adolescence should look like. But it might also just be withdrawal, which is certainly concerning and can have far-reaching repercussions. The Mental Health Toll For a tool created for social connection, it might seem somewhat ironic that many teens are struggling with their online interactions. But according to the experts, thats exactly what theyre seeing in practice. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It's hard to say definitively since they're still so young, but what I'm noticing is this paradox between how this generation is constantly connected online but really isolated in person, Lurie says. The kids I see spend hours on their devices, yet many report feeling deeply lonely. They also struggle with social anxiety at unprecedented rates, according to Lurie. She adds that some teens want to challenge their social media and smartphone use, but struggle to do so because of what it could mean socially. Attest data supports concerns around mental health, with a quarter of parents admitting their child struggles often. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) also shows that 40% of high school students experience persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A lot of the time, health professionals think more about risk behaviors instead of rebellion, says Dr. Stoddard. While risky substance use and sexual activity has decreased, safe sex practice has decreased and reporting mental distress has increased. The One Thing That Hasnt Changed Risk-taking in adolescence has historically taken many formsfrom substance use to unsupervised social activities. Dr. Stoddard notes that while the expression of rebellion changes, the underlying instinct doesnt. Throughout time, adolescents have mostly been like most people, wanting to support their community and identify with their peers, even if it is a subset of peers, he explains. The drive to take risks, to discover, develop, and build a social circle, and to develop into a unique individual has not suddenly shifted. So, where does this leave Gen Alpha? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I think this generation might be defined less by what they're doing and more by what they're not doing, including going out, taking the risks previous generations took, and pursuing the independence markers we used to think were central to being a teenager, Lurie says. Whether that's rebellion or avoidance, I'm not sure, and it might be both. How To Support Your Gen Alpha Kid As with all areas of parenting, observing our childrens development and knowing when to intervene is key. Experts say parents should watch for the following red flags: Increasing isolation Declining interest in activities they once enjoyed Significant changes in mood Altered sleep patterns Teens who spend most of their free time alone in their room on devices For worried parents, Lurie advises taking an active approach to policing behavior. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That includes having access to their accounts, checking in on what they're posting and who they're interacting with, and having ongoing conversations about what they're seeing online, even when those conversations are uncomfortable, she says. It's not about being invasive or controlling, but about staying connected to a huge part of their world that's largely invisible to us as adults. Setting limits on screen timeeven if it leads to conflictsis important, and encouraging offline activities can help balance their social experiences, Lurie adds. I tell parents to look for opportunities to say yes to in-person activities and to actively help facilitate them when they can, even when it feels inconvenient, she says. Drive them to meet friends. Let them hang out at your house. Create space for the unstructured social time that this generation is missing. So while many in Generation Alpha might not sneak home smelling of cheap wine and cigarettes, rebellion will always find a wayeven if it looks different now. Our job as parents is to remain vigilant, ensure our children are loved and supported, and to seek intervention from a health care professional as necessary. Read the original article on Parents After plaintiffs tried to block Tarrant Countys new district map from taking effect, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals shot down the challenge. The Tarrant County Commissioners redrew district lines in June, giving Republicans a 4-1 advantage, as The Dallas Express reported at the time. As a result, plaintiffs in Jackson v. Tarrant County sued in June, claiming the new map constitutes racial discrimination. Plaintiffs requested an injunction in the district court to block the new boundaries from taking effect. However, the court denied their request, prompting them to appeal to the Fifth Circuit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Fifth Circuit denied the injunction appeal on October 29, saying the plaintiffs were unlikely to succeed on the merits of any of their claims, according to a copy of the ruling obtained by The Dallas Express. The plaintiffs argued the redistricting targeted racial minorities, according to the ruling. Even if it was simply partisan, they argued, the countys staggered elections merit intervention despite the general rule against policing partisan maps. We hold that the facts do not support the challengers first argument, and the law does not support their second, the court ruled. We affirm the district courts denial of a preliminary injunction. Tarrant County Judge Tim OHare told The Dallas Express he supports redistricting to strengthen future conservative governance. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After the Commissioners Courts decision four months ago, the courts continue to uphold our decision, which will ensure Tarrant County remains the best place in Texas to live, run a business, and raise a family, OHare said. Racial Gerrymandering or Politics? In May, the Fort Worth city council passed a resolution condemning possible Tarrant County redistricting efforts, as The Dallas Express reported at the time. County commissioners redrew district lines on June 3, boosting Republican control. This followed County Commissioner Alisa Simmons attempts to filibuster, even flipping off OHare. From the beginning of the redistricting process, my goal was to ensure conservative leadership in Tarrant County for years to come, OHare said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Plaintiffs sued the next day naming the county, the commissioners court, and OHare as defendants. They initially claimed the new lines, drawn by the nonprofit Public Interest Legal Foundation, were racially discriminatory, as The Dallas Express reported. Their lawyers argued the map gerrymanders the county to eliminate a minority-dominated precinct. The resulting map in a county in which the majority of residents are non-Anglo has three Anglo-majority precincts and one majority-minority precinct, the initial complaint reads. They also claimed the redistricting disenfranchises more than 150,000 voters who could have voted for a county commissioner in 2026, but have now been grouped into another district and will now have to wait until 2028. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Tarrant County signed a $250,000 contract with Public Interest Legal Foundation (PILF) in July for its legal defense, according to the Fort Worth Report. Defendants initially argued plaintiffs last remaining avenue of attack was to claim racism, instead of partisan motives. Plaintiffs failure to disentangle race and politics is lethal to their claim. PILF filed on August 1 to dismiss the case, as The Dallas Express reported at the time. In the recent ruling, the Fifth Circuit held that redistricting is the duty and responsibility of the state. The court found that the only limits on redistricting come from the Constitutions 14th and 15th Amendments, which prohibit racial discrimination in election conduct, and that the task is best left to the legislative process. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Within those bounds, however, the power of States and localities to fix district lines is broad and ours is narrow, the court ruled. Unless a plaintiff proves racial discrimination, federal courts must stay their hand OHare said the law supports partisan redistricting. Whatever their motivation is, the suit has been a waste of money and resources, he said. The law of our land is clear governing bodies can redistrict for partisan reasons. In the face of winds, waves and challenges, we should stay the right course, navigate through the complex landscape, and ensure the steady sailing forward of the giant ship of ChinaU.S. relations, President Xi Jinping said yesterday. U.S. President Donald Trump responded that China is the United States biggest partner, and that with joint efforts, the two countries can get many great things done for the world and enjoy many years of success. Xi said he is ready to continue working with Trump to build a solid foundation for bilateral ties and create a sound atmosphere for both countries development. Under their joint guidance, he noted, ChinaU.S. relations have remained stable overall. China and the United States should be partners and friends. That is what history has taught us and what reality needs, Xi said. Given their different national conditions, he added, it is normal for the worlds two leading economies to have occasional frictions. You and I are at the helm of ChinaU.S. relations, Xi told Trump. In the face of winds, waves and challenges, we should stay the right course, navigate through the complex landscape, and ensure the steady sailing forward of the giant ship of ChinaU.S. relations. Chinas steady economic momentum Xi said that Chinas economy showed good momentum, growing by 5.2 percent in the first three quarters of this year, while imports and exports of goods increased by 4 percent. This, he noted, was not an easy accomplishment given domestic and external challenges. The Chinese economy is like a vast oceanbig, resilient, and full of promise, Xi said. We have the confidence and capability to navigate all kinds of risks and challenges. He explained that the 20th CPC Central Committees fourth plenary session had reviewed and adopted recommendations for the next five-year plan on economic and social development. Over seven decades, Xi said, China has worked from generation to generation on the same blueprint, focused on improving its own governance and sharing development opportunities with the world. We have no intention to challenge or supplant anyone, Xi said. Our focus has always been on managing Chinas own affairs well, improving ourselves, and sharing development opportunities with all countries. China, he added, will deepen reform, expand opening-up, and pursue higher-quality growth while advancing well-rounded human development and common prosperity. This, he said, will also broaden the space for cooperation with the United States. Cooperation over confrontation Xi noted that the two countries economic and trade teams had held in-depth exchanges and reached consensus on key issues. He urged both sides to finalize follow-up measures swiftly to ensure that their common understandings are effectively implemented, thereby injecting confidence into both nations and the global economy through solid deliverables. ChinaU.S. trade relations have experienced ups and downs, Xi said, but those experiences provided valuable lessons. Economic ties, he emphasized, should serve as an anchor and driving force, not a stumbling block or source of friction. The two sides should think big, recognize the long-term benefits of cooperation, and avoid falling into a vicious cycle of mutual retaliation, Xi said. He called for continued talks based on equality, mutual respect, and mutual benefitto shorten the list of problems and lengthen the list of cooperation. Dialogue, Xi stressed, is always better than confrontation. He called for maintaining communication through multiple channels and levels to enhance understanding. Both sides, he said, have potential to cooperate in areas such as combating illegal immigration, telecom fraud, antimoney laundering, artificial intelligence, and infectious disease response. The world today faces many tough problems, Xi said. China and the United States can jointly shoulder our responsibility as major countries and accomplish more concrete things for the good of our two peoples and the whole world. He also noted that China will host the APEC Economic Leaders Meeting in 2026, while the United States will host the G20 Summit next year. Both sides, Xi said, can support each other to make these summits productive and to promote world economic growth and improve global governance. A great country and a great friendship Trump said it was a great honor to meet with Xi, describing China as a great country and Xi as a well-respected great leader with whom he has maintained a long and friendly relationship. The United States and China have always had a fantastic relationship, and it will be even better, Trump said, expressing optimism about a brighter future for both countries. He reaffirmed that China is the United States biggest partner and that, with cooperation, we can get many great things done for the world. Trump also expressed confidence that both the G20 and APEC summits would be successful under their respective leaderships. The two presidents agreed to enhance cooperation in economic, trade, energy, and people-to-people exchanges, maintain regular interaction, and strengthen dialogue in the spirit of mutual benefit. Trump said he looked forward to visiting China early next year and invited Xi to visit the United States. Xinhua Reporter, Seoul,MDT/Xinhua Quick read Xi and trump meet in busan, vowing to stabilize relations and expand cooperation amid global turbulence, emphasizing dialogue over confrontation and mutual respect in policymaking. xi highlights chinas 5.2% economic growth, pledging deeper reform and openness while urging both sides to avoid retaliation and strengthen trade as an anchor for ties. Trump praises Xi as a great leader, affirming friendship and cooperation on trade, energy, and people-to-people exchanges, with reciprocal visits planned for 2026 summit diplomacy. Like this: Like Loading... PEORIA, Ill. (WCIA) The Massey Family says they will never be satisfied with Wednesdays conviction after the former deputy who shot and killed their daughter was found guilty of second-degree murder. Sean Grayson faces up to 20 years in prison after the conviction, but its a much lesser charge than first-degree murder, which he was initially charged with 15 months ago. From the second both the Massey and Grayson families heard the words guilty of second degree murder, you could hear soft crying from the courtrooms gallery. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Those soft tears turned into a loud fight for justice outside in Downtown Peoria on Wednesday afternoon. Im devastated, Sontae Massey, Sonyas cousin, said. I had to watch Sonyas daughter, Summer; she became inconsolable. But the decision by jurors doesnt come as a surprise to Steve Beckett, a long-time criminal defense attorney in Urbana. He felt the way it played out was fairly standard and expected, but knew nobody could truly be happy with the result of the verdict. Both families were both utterly destroyed by this case, he said. No one is above the law: Illinois officials react to Sean Grayson verdict Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If youre looking at it from the victim and the victims family perspective, they would say, well, thats crazy because boiling water and a gunthat just doesnt make any sense, he said. But if you look from the police perspective and the instantaneous second the officer had to decide, then I guess you could see how a jury could apply their common sense. Now, attention is turning to sentencing in Sangamon County on January 29. What we need to be concerned about is that he gets a maximum sentence here, Antonio Romanucci, a civil rights attorney, said as he addressed a crowd shortly after Wednesdays verdict. Beckett doesnt believe that will happen. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 20 years commission of a crime is for somebody with absolutely no redeeming value, expresses no remorse and basically scoffs at what happened, he said. For legal experts, Beckett said the next steps will include preparing a pre-sentencing report, which will go into great detail of the defendants background. Massey family reacts to Sean Grayson verdict Meanwhile, the Masseys will focus their next steps on making a change near and far. All we got was a second-degree murder conviction out of this?! James Wilburn, Sonyas father, said. There has to be some middle point between first degree and second degree. I think this was a compromised verdict. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wilburn said this doesnt feel like they got complete justice. Until we get complete justice for people all across the United States, its not going to be enough for me, he added. He wants to see the Sonya Massey bill passed in all 49 other states, not just in Illinois. Governor Pritzker signed it into law in August, requiring more transparency when hiring at Illinois law enforcement agencies. That includes more comprehensive reviews of past employment. 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. A Boston cocktail bar and lounge inspired by the golden age of travel will have its last day of service on Halloween. Birds of Paradise in Brighton will permanently close after Friday night, Oct. 31. Wed like to thank the Brighton community for the last couple years at the Speedway, the establishment wrote in an Instagram post Tuesday. To all of the staff, past and present, thank you for taking part in our journey around the world, the post read. Come and take one or two final flights with us. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Birds of Paradise, which opened in 2022, is spearheaded by Boston restauranteur Ran Duan, who said the entire concept behind the cocktail lounge is traveling and escapism. The menu is going to be based on plane tickets. Think of Pan Am, Duan told The Boston Globe in 2022. We thought, especially with the timing of the pandemic, the space, and everything thats been going on, it was the perfect concept with the perfect timing to get people to travel somewhere they miss. Birds of Paradises Global Drink Menu is described as having cocktails that will transport you from one city to another using common ingredients, spirits, and spices found in each location. Guests can either order one of four signature cocktails or opt for the Pilot Choice where the bartender will concoct something off-menu. Guests are also encouraged to order food from neighboring concepts Salsa Shack Street Tacos or Pizza Project. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Birds of Paradise is located at the Charles River Speedway in Brighton, at 525 Western Ave. The bar opens at 6 p.m. More boston Read the original article on MassLive. Add MassLive as a Preferred Source by clicking here. PIKEVILLE, Ky. (WJHL) Kentucky officials gathered to celebrate the long-awaited completion of the new U.S. 460 between the Virginia state line and U.S. 23 near Pikeville, with the final segment to open to traffic on Friday. A ribbon-cutting ceremony on Thursday marked the completion of the final 5.2 miles between Marrowbone and the Russell Fork bridge near Elkhorn City. It will open to traffic Friday morning once all the barricades have been safely removed, according to the governors office. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For more than three decades, leaders and community members have envisioned a modern highway that opens new doors for commerce, travel and opportunity in Eastern Kentucky, Gov. Andy Beshear said in a release. The day has finally come for that vision to become reality as we introduce a completed four-lane highway to help Kentuckians get to the places that matter most, like school, recreation and medical services, faster and more safely. A ribbon-cutting ceremony was held on Thursday to celebrate the completion of the new US 460 in Pike County, Kentucky. (Kentucky Transportation Cabinet) The new four-lane highway will replace the previous narrow and curvy U.S. 460 alignment. Kentucky officials say it will be safer, improve mobility, and reduce the drive between Pikeville and Grundy, Virginia, from 43 miles to 33 miles. The new 16.7-mile stretch between the Virginia state line and U.S. 23 near Pikeville has been decades in the making. Planning began in 1990 and construction got underway in 2002, according to the governors office. The first eight miles of the nearly $800 million project opened in December 2024. Another 3.5 miles opened in 2020. Virginia recently completed a segment of the new US 460 in Buchanan County, leaving just two miles left to be constructed between the state line and Grundy. The final segment is scheduled to open in late 2027. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJHL | Tri-Cities News & Weather. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) are continuing to trade barbs on social media over the ongoing federal government shutdown. Bessent earlier this week slammed Klobuchar and Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) as failures who should stop writing incoherent letters and instead work towards opening the government. The month-long shutdown remains with no end in sight as Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits risk disruptions and Affordable Care Act (ACA) health care premiums are expected to surge. If you decide to further add to your legacy of failure by voting to keep the government closed over the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday, ruining the number one travel day for American families, you should both be ashamed, Bessent wrote in a post on X on Wednesday, claiming the two lawmakers are hurting American farmers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement His post came on the heels of a band of 21 Democratic lawmakers, led by Klobuchar and Warren, calling on Bessent to reconsider further aid to Argentina, blasting a now finalized $20 billion currency swap between Buenos Aires and the United States. The recent announcement to double this aid with investments from banks and sovereign wealth funds in addition to the U.S. taxpayer commitment threatens to continue to close markets for American farmers, who are already facing increased competition from Argentine and Brazilian farmers, they wrote in a letter dated Monday. They Senate Democrats added: At the same time the Administration is weighing financial assistance for farmers impacted by the Administrations self-inflicted trade war, it is unacceptable to continue taking actions that continue to undermine restoring long-term market access for our farmers. Klobuchar fired back at Bessent on Thursday, saying she at first questioned whether it was a fake account targeting her given your really important job and all. She also took aim at President Donald Trumps plan to import more beef from Argentina a move that has drawn scrutiny from both sides of the political aisle, as well as American ranchers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And while your announcement today reversing just part of your own administrations bad policies is always helpful, there is just so much left to undo before these across-the-board tariffs upend the economy in rural America forever, not to mention becoming a huge burden in the form of the tariff tax on all Americans, Klobuchar wrote in her post. In any case, let me know when you are ready to meet to discuss tariffs over some 40% more expensive coffee. Bessent went on to respond on Friday, demanding Klobuchar to finish your tantrum and vote for the GOPs continuing resolution, which would temporarily fund the government until Nov. 21. Democrats, meanwhile, have put forward a separate measure centered on extending Obamacare subsidies that are set to expire by the end of the year. Its time for you to be a hero, join with your sane, moderate colleagues, and allow millions of American families to sit side-by-side around the Thanksgiving table, he added. As the shutdown has already become the second longest in modern U.S. history, President Donald Trump urged congressional Republicans late Thursday to eliminate the Senate filibuster, which requires 60 votes to pass most legislation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It is now time for the Republicans to play their TRUMP CARD, and go for what is called the Nuclear Option Get rid of the Filibuster, and get rid of it, NOW!" Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. Read the original article on NJ.com. Add NJ.com as a Preferred Source by clicking here. A West Chester firefighter rescued an elderly man who drove his car into a pond late Thursday night. [DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Around 8:37 p.m., West Chester Fire Department crews from Station 74 responded within seconds to a vehicle crashing into the water directly across from their station, the department shared on social media. TRENDING STORIES: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement An elderly man was trapped in the vehicle, which was rapidly sinking into the water, according to the post. One firefighter, Lieutenant Tim Ludwig, quickly put on an ice rescue suit and entered the water to rescue the man. Recognizing the dire emergency, Lt. Ludwig acted without hesitation, performing an emergency extrication and pulling an elderly man with mobility challenges to safety, the department said in the post. The elderly man was rescued and taken to a local hospital for additional medical care. [SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] The dome of the Montana Capitol, with the statue of Mike and Maureen Mansfield in the lower center (By Darrell Ehrlick of the Daily Montanan). Montanas state Senate President, Matt Regier, has requested the first bill draft of the 2027 Legislature to rein in what he described as political agendas at teacher educational conferences. The move follows backlash from conservative Republicans after recordings from several sessions of the Montana Federation of Public Employees educator conference were released on social media about culture-war topics, including book bans, gender ideology, and censorship in art. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The educator conference had more than 300 sessions educators could attend during two days in October and provided required professional development units for educators. Shortly after the conference and announcement from Regier, MFPE said it was proud of the presentations on topics in math, science, language, art and more. It said nearly 1,000 educators from public and private schools attended. With the backing of State Superintendent Susie Hedalen, Regier requested the bill draft title Revise education laws related to teacher training and education and meetings of teacher organizations, which he said will be similar to a bill brought this session that failed on a final vote in the Senate during the 2025 session. Coming into this session, we knew this was an issue with PIR (pupil-instruction-related) days. There had been reporting on it from the conference last year, Regier, the Kalispell Republican, said. We need to make sure that tax dollars arent going towards political agendas in our schools. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The controversy over the educators conference arose earlier this month after an individual went undercover at the conference and recorded educators at several of the sessions, releasing snippets of conversation online and tagging elected officials. Amanda Curtis, president of MFPE, told the Daily Montanan that the recordings and subsequent backlash from Regier and Hedalen was disinformation and lacked context. I think I just have to say they are outright lying about what happens at this conference, and I dont really understand what good its serving Montana students, Curtis said. Theres a lot of heartburn and disappointment in the Senate president and superintendent grandstanding on the first bill title being a teacher attack bill when they really could be focusing on helping recruit and retain Montana teachers. Senate President Matt Regier, R-Kalispell, testifies in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday, February 12, 2025. (Nathaniel Bailey for the Daily Montanan) Pupil-instruction-related days Montanas administrative rules require schools to close for two days every October for professional development pupil-instruction related (PIR) days, where teachers can attend annual meetings of various state associations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Teachers are paid for the two days when students are not in class if they attend an approved professional development meeting and earn professional development units, or PDUs, which are required to keep their license. The third week of October has been designated as a time for teachers to do their professional development for decades. The states largest union, MFPE, has put on its teacher education conference for more than 30 years, Curtis said, in cooperation with the Office of Public Instruction. But the educators conference is not the only conference that takes place during that week other professional organizations hold their own conferences at the same time. The Montana State Literacy Association Conference, the Association for Career and Technical Education Conference, the Montana Conference of Education Leadership, the Montana Music Educators Association Conference all schedule their programs for the October PIR days. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The MHSA All-State music festival, for band, choir, and orchestra students, also takes place during the two days off; as does the all-state youth hunt. In a joint press release, Hedalen and Regier said their legislation would end the practice of Montana teachers receiving educational credit for their participation in conferences promoting extreme leftist ideology and classroom indoctrination. Montana has been closing schools and paying teachers for two days every year to attend this conference in order to develop professionally and better serve their students. But instead of learning how to instruct students on core skills and prepare them for life, these conferences have been indoctrinating teachers with leftist political extremism, Regier said in the release. Curtis said that broad legislation that could remove PIR days from state law would have wide-reaching implications for educators and students, and said that MFPE was proud to stand behind the extensive curriculum offered at their seminar. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theres a lot of righteous indignation from members who are teachers who have been attending this conference for all or part of the 30 years, Curtis said. Theres a new fervor to join MFPE, I think from folks who have maybe not been as excited about union membership and can clearly see through the crazy culture war attacks. Undercover recordings The MFPE conference, held in Missoula, included more than 320 different sessions for educators to attend, mostly one- or two-hours modules capped at 20 to 30 educators. The sessions covered the full spectrum of opportunities for educators, including topics like Dyslexia the Superpower; Bring the stock market to life in your classroom; Advancing proficiency in STEM: practical strategies with AI and socratic dialogue; Fostering curiosity in your classroom with live butterflies; Rockets in the science classroom, Grades 6 7 8 9; and a panel on school funding sponsored by the Legislatures Interim School Funding Committee. OPI also had exhibition booths and their own presentations. But Hedalen and Regiers legislation focused on four seminars promoting radical gender ideology, DEI, nude child photography, and sexually explicit books. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Finley Warden, who isnt a teacher but on social media says he goes undercover to expose the far left, recorded parts of four seminars and released short pieces of audio. Warden is a young, Missoula-based conservative activist who has testified before the Legislature According to an MFPE spokesperson, Warden registered for the conference as himself. In various sessions he presented himself as an art education student and a math teacher, and was introduced as himself by Curtis in one session. Curtis said the recordings lacked any context, couldnt be verified, and might be illegal under Montana law, which requires all-party consent before making audio recordings in private spaces. She said the union is consulting with attorneys and would take steps to protect the personal and professional safety of anyone recorded without their consent. One seminar was DEI &A in the 2025 Art Room, which included a discussion about censorship of art, specifically the 2024 removal of photographer Sally Manns exhibition from a gallery in Texas by police. Mann, once named the countrys best photographer, has sparked controversy going back to the 1990s, over a series of her work depicting her young children, sometimes in the nude. The National Coalition Against Censorship in a statement about the controversy said the photos contain neither sexual context nor sexual content. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The recording of the teachers discussion includes references to how the Nazi regime censored abstract art, and how to have discussions with students over whether censorship in art is acceptable. Other seminars that drew ire included one, capped at 25 educators, that was a training on advocacy and law for librarians. The course description stated it would show ways librarians can uphold the laws protecting libraries in the face of information and material challenges and the challenge to our profession as a whole. A portion of that seminar, released in a recording, centered around a librarian telling a victory story about a graphic novel that had been removed from a school library, and the librarians role in getting it put back on the shelf after numerous students had requested it. Regier and Hedalen described the situation as a story about bringing a sexually explicit book back to her library to provide to middle school students. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The book in question, a graphic novel in the Heartstopper series, focuses on a fictional gay high school couple, and has been the focus of several book bans in other states. The press release from the state describes the book as including multiple passages of explicit softcore pornography. The nonprofit Common Sense Media, which allows parents to rate media content, lists it as appropriate for ages 14 and up, and says it includes passages of high school students in a sex education class, and implied sexual activity. A third seminar that was recorded included a member of the National Education Association sharing that there are educational modules that educators can access online to learn about LGBTQ+ issues, including gender identity and gender expression. None of the MFPE sessions are mandatory for educators. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Curtis told the Daily Montanan that lacking context and the extent of discussions which took place in each seminar, the recordings and their characterization amounted to lying and misinformation about the conference. Regier told the Daily Montanan in a phone call Friday that he was not demonizing the education system, but wanted to make sure there were safeguards in place to protect Montana students. If the unions are going to keep going with sexualized content for kids or DEI or any of this other stuff thats being reported, at a minimum I want to stop taxpayer dollars from going towards these, Regier said. If weve got 300 great courses here, and one that will sexualize your kids, or if theres one teacher that has one left-liberal agenda and theyre there for that and not to teach the kids math thats a problem. He said the goal of his bill is to put the decision about teacher educational opportunities in the hands of school districts, which can decide whether to keep the October days and what conference teachers should go to, and keep the bad apples from pushing their agenda. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He added that the bill will be modeled on House Bill 557, legislation with similar content brought by Rep. Jodee Etchart, R-Billings. The bill passed the House but died in a final vote in the Senate, after two Republican senators changed their votes. Regier called out the two senators, who were members of the Nine Republicans who opposed Regiers leadership during the session and worked with Democrats in the chamber to push through major pieces of legislation, including Medicaid expansion and the state budget. I hope this bill highlights the frustrations of myself and the other legislators who knew about this last session, Regier said. The public should know that if theyre voting for parental rights and local control, we want to assure voters there are a lot of good Republicans who have insight who are pushing back. Susie Hedalen is sworn in as Montana Superintendent of Public Instruction at the Montana State Capitol on Jan. 6, 2025. (Micah Drew/Daily Montanan). OPI takes a stance Following the release of the audio from the teachers conference, Hedalen sent a letter to school districts, saying there had been potential violations of state and federal law in public schools related to DEI and gender identity instruction. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The letter reminded educators to remain in full compliance with the law and to uphold the responsibilities entrusted to us by Montana families, and pointed to legislation from the 2025 session including House Bill 471, which requires parents opt-in to human sexuality and identity instruction. In the press release, Hedalen said she is currently investigating MFPE and other professional development providers, to make sure they are following state and federal laws. The release also said that MFPE had not publicly published its conference agenda and list of sessions. But Curtis said that OPI had been invited to participate in every step of the planning process of the conference, as they are every year. Our office took their unanswered emails and lack of attendance in any planning meeting to mean they had no concerns with the conference, Curtis said. The list of courses has been available for review since May of 2025. OPI could have just walked over one block to our office, picked up a phone, or sent an email asking us to send a list of courses before they were ever approved. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In an email, the spokesperson from OPI said that while many sessions at the conference could have been beneficial to educators, there were also many that were problematic; introducing instruction that would be in violation of state or federal law or the educator code of ethics. Asked about specific seminars, OPI commented on the librarian discussing bringing the graphic novel back to the library but said there has been no legal investigation into whether any rules or district or state policies had been violated. The discussion about returning a sexually explicit book to school libraries is ultimately a decision that should rest with parents. They are best positioned to determine whether material of that nature is appropriate for their 12- or 13-year-old children to read, OPI said. Hedalen said through an OPI spokesperson that they had no prior knowledge that anyone was going to make recordings of the MFPE conference and that no one recommended, suggested, or promoted such actions. The spokesperson for OPI clarified that the office does not want to stop PIR days or limit professional development opportunities for educators. Our goal is to end the outdated practice of requiring schools to close for a specific conference and instead empower local districts and teachers to decide how and when to use those days for professional growth, the spokesperson said in an email. There are many excellent professional development opportunities available beyond the MFPE conference, including the OPI Summer Institute, the Teacher Learning Hub, and locally-driven PD. On Thursday morning, Hedalen had a meeting with Curtis that Hedalen described as cordial, but did not offer details. Curtis said it was a productive meeting in a press release, and emphasized the organization has a shared commitment to continue working with her to provide irreplaceable professional development for educators. In addition to the requested legislation lawmakers will consider in 2027, the Office of Public Instruction is working on their own changes to professional development for educators. We are currently undertaking a major overhaul of all PDU providers, including removing those that have failed to comply with the MCA or have not provided the necessary information that is required by ARM, an OPI spokesperson said. This new system will allow us to offer high-quality professional development courses for our teachers, ensuring they receive the training they need to best support student learning. Disclosure: The Daily Montanans Keila Szpaller participated as a panelist in a media literacy forum at the MFPE conference. Dozens of U.S. military personnel arrived in Jamaica today to provide humanitarian and disaster assistance after Hurricane Melissa tore through the country. The advance wave of troops arrived in the countrys capital of Kingston today, with three CH-47 Chinooks from 1st Battalion, 228 Aviation Regiment bringing 40 service members from different branches as well as an initial cache of supplies. The advance team is there to provide immediate, lifesaving and humanitarian support, the U.S. military said. The forces are part of Joint Task Force-Bravo, U.S. Southern Commands forward-deployed force based out of Soto Cano Air Base in Honduras. The force is not part of the large build-up of ships and aircraft in the Caribbean as part of the anti-narcotics U.S. military campaign in the region. The State Department is overseeing the humanitarian mission and has sent a Disaster Assistance Response Team to the Caribbean to assist and assess the extent of the damage. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A spokesperson for Joint Task Force-Bravo told Task & Purpose that the advance team includes members of the U.S. Southern Command Situational Assessment Team who are there to quickly assess the extent of the damage and help draw up what the full response needs to be. They include personnel specializing in airfield operations, communications, medical care and civil engineering. Top Stories This Week News Female drill sergeants will soon wear the Armys iconic campaign hat By Jeff Schogol News Airman found dead at F.E. Warren was under investigation for M18 incident By Matt White News Hegseth wont meet troops with beards during South Korea trip By Jeff Schogol The storm hit Jamaica as a Category 5 hurricane on Tuesday, pummeling the island with winds at more than 180 miles per hour. At least 50 people have died in the Caribbean as a result of the storm, with 19 confirmed dead in Jamaica, according to health officials, though that number is expected to rise, USA Today reported. Kingston, where the U.S. military is setting up its base of operations, was largely undamaged, but the western part of the island was devastated, Jamaican officials said. More than two-thirds of the country is without power. Both Jamaica and Haiti formally requested disaster aid from the U.S., the New York Times reported. The military began staging assets to deploy on Wednesday. Joint Task Force-Bravo, in addition to security operations, has deployed troops for disaster relief in the wake of hurricanes to countries such as Colombia, Guatemala and Panama. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More American personnel will arrive in Jamaica in the coming days, although Joint Task Force-Bravo did not say how many in total would be deploying. Three UH-60 and two HH-60 Black Hawk helicopters will bring additional troops and more supplies. Task & Purpose reached out to SOUTHCOM and Joint Task Force-Bravo about the total size of the relief expedition; the task force said the full size would depend on initial assessments. The storm also battered Cuba and Haiti, causing major flooding and leaving large parts of the islands without power. At least 30 people died in Haiti, and several more are missing. One person died in the Dominican Republic (which neighbors Haiti) as a result of the storm, Al-Jazeera reported. No deaths were reported in Cuba, which Melissa hit as a Category 3 hurricane, but the storm caused several landslides, blocking roads. Update: 11/2/2025; This article has been updated with additional information from SOUTHCOM about the makeup of U.S. troops sent to Jamaica. This week, houses and streets in Mexico have been decorated with colourful altars, marigold flowers, candles and sugar skulls. This is because Mexicans are gearing up to celebrate El Dia de los Muertos the Day of the Dead the countrys most important fiesta, which begins this weekend. Mexican families will gather in homes and cemeteries in memory of their family members who have departed. The day is packed with lively parades and rituals such as the decoration of altars, and sumptuous victuals including Mexican street food, a special kind of bread and hot chocolate. Its a celebration of life, not death The Day of the Dead, or El Dia de los Muertos, is not for mourning or grieving, but for celebrating the lives of those who have passed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It is believed to be a time when the living and dead can connect with each other. Traditional practices, such as placing marigold flowers on altars and offering certain food items, the aroma and colour of which are thought to help spirits return to visit the living. To commemorate the dead, people also dress up in colourful skeleton costumes. A woman dressed in a costume participates in a presentation seeking to bring together Mexican and Canarian cultures around the Day of the Dead, in La Laguna town in Tenerife island, the Canary Islands, Spain [File: Alberto Valdes/EPA] The Day of the Dead has Indigenous roots The festival is rooted in the ancient Aztec belief that death is a continuation of life. Descendants of the Aztec people exist to this day, primarily in Mexico. The Aztecs, who were native to central Mexico from the 14th to the 16th century, celebrated the deceased with monthlong festivities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They also honoured the goddess of the underworld, Mictecacihuatl, and made offerings of food from the harvest and personal belongings to her during these festivals. When Spanish colonists arrived in Mexico from 1519, they imposed Catholicism on the Aztecs and combined these festivities with Catholic holidays All Saints Day on November 1 and All Souls Day on November 2. Eventually, these two days merged into the Day of the Dead. Families create altars for the deceased Families create altars called ofrendas in their homes and in cemeteries, laden with offerings to deceased loved ones and ancestors. Altars are created with two levels to symbolise heaven and Earth, three levels to include purgatory, or seven levels to signify the steps to reach heaven. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Items representing the four elements are also placed on the altars: water to quench visitors thirst; fire in candles to guide the spirits; earth, represented by food and special items for the deceased; and air, represented by colourful paper designs. Some altars also include salt, which is believed to aid souls on their journey in the afterlife. These altars also display pictures of the deceased, items of their favourite food, candles and marigold flowers, which are believed to help lead spirits back from the cemetery to their familys homes. The Day of the Dead El Dia de los Muertos in Spanish is a Mexican celebration of deceased ancestors. Multi-coloured statues and skulls are shown on an altar in Queretaro, Mexico, in October 2017 [File: Shutterstock] The altars also include tongue-in-cheek poems dedicated to the deceased loved ones called calaveras (skulls). These poems describe interesting habits and funny stories which took place during the lives of the now deceased. Skulls, which represent the cyclical nature of life and death, are a pervasive symbol during the Day of the Dead. Sugar skulls, or calavera de azucar are edible and decorative skull models made with sugar, clay or papier-mache, are used to adorn altars. A girl holding her mothers hand walks past decorative skulls displayed on Reforma Avenue ahead of Day of the Dead festivities in Mexico City [File: Marco Ugarte/AP] Another common food item during the festival is the bread of the dead pan de muerto a circular loaf of bread with bone-shaped designs. The bread is typically sugar-coated, representing the tears of sorrow shed by loved ones. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The bread is baked and eaten on both days of the festival, and is also offered at the altars. Websites such as MiAltar also allow users to create virtual altars. These can be shared on the website. La Catrina dominates parades La Catrina is a tall, female skeletal figure, and she is seen everywhere during the festival. She was a character created in the early 1900s by political cartoonist and lithographer Jose Guadalupe Posada. A monumental La Catrina stands beside the Angel of Independence during the International Festival of Lights for the Day of the Dead in Mexico City [File: Mario Guzman/EPA] La Catrina dons a fancy French hat and feathers. Posadas work was a commentary on the aspirations of Mexicans to emulate the European elite. Posada was known for saying we are all skeletons, alluding to how, under the luxurious clothing, jewellery and coverings, we are all the same. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 1947, artist Diego Rivera included Posadas art in a mural, naming her Catrina, which means the rich. Pedestrians and tourists walk past an illuminated La Catrina during the International Festival of Lights as part of the Day of the Dead celebrations in Mexico City [File: AFP] Day of the Dead continues for more than one day The main days of celebration are November 1 and November 2. However, some parts of the world begin celebrations on October 27, when people also commemorate their dead pets. The days following this are dedicated to building altars. While the Day of the Dead is a Mexican festival, it is also celebrated across Latin America, in Spain, some parts of the United States with large Mexican-American populations, and the Philippines, which was colonised by Spain in 1565. November 1 is typically dedicated to children who have passed, referred to as angelitos (little angels). Their graves are decorated with toys and balloons. The day after, also still called All Souls Day, is for adults who have departed. SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) Its Halloween this morning, and its the one day a year when a few scares are all part of the fun. In this mornings Flashback Friday, Marla Newman takes us back to 1986 for a hauntingly fun look at how Sioux Falls residents celebrated Halloween. When I was a little girl and I still am afraid of the cemeteries, and on Halloween night, I had some friends take me there, and we got out and they left us there, and it was the worst thing I ever experienced in my life. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The cemetery does instill a certain amount of fear on this eerie night, especially when some people take the coffins right to their front door. Well, the first day we got it, when it was in the back of our car, we were embarrassed going down Minnesota Avenue. Tricks and treats might be the trade of the evening for some, but a few still see a deeper meaning in this haunted day. For a special reason, to tell America that were still alive or something like that. If you ever thought going to the dentist was scary before, it was a land somewhere over the rainbow today. City Hall has a rather bewitching effect on people, and today it was truly a fruitful and frightening experience. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Not to keep you in the dark, we celebrate Halloween because of ancient festivals of the dead, but thats been some 900 years ago, and now, thats all just a memory. 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. Before you can change the world, you have to understand it. Thats why, in October, dozens of communists gathered in Halifax, Quebec City, and Vancouver for a weekend of presentations and discussion aimed at deepening their understanding of Marxist theory. [Originally published at marxist.ca] Lenin once wrote that without revolutionary theory, there can be no revolutionary movement. What he meant was that a revolutionary party needs to clearly define what it stands for, while freeing itself from the ideological influence of the ruling class. It needs to absorb the lessons from movements across history and around the world. And, to successfully lead a revolution, a party cannot act blindly, but must use theory as a guide. This is exactly what the topics covered at the schools addressed. As Raphael from Sherbrooke explained, A weekend of presentations on the ideas of communism may sound abstract, but that wasnt the case at the Quebec City school. From the recent Gen Z revolutionary movement, to our own militant history with the Quebec general strike of 1972, the discussions raised crucial lessons about what needs to be done now. Between the presentations, the discussions kept going, about topics like how to fight the repression of Palestine solidarity, how to discuss with workers and much more. A weekend full of ideas, but above all, focused on how to apply them in building the party and fighting for communism. In Vancouver, comrades covered topics like, Theyre Rich Because Were Poor: How Capitalism Really Works, and Marxism v. Post-Colonialism, highlighting the need for a Marxist analysis to make sense of exploitation and oppression. In Halifax, comrades presented Marxist analyses of art, and cosmologyhow these things are shaped by class society, and affected by the crisis of capitalism. Its this kind of analysis that reveals the inner workings of every aspect of human society. Its no wonder, then, that school attendees were so enthusiastic about learning. Bill said of the Atlantic school, The thing that stood out most to me was the discussions that took place outside the school sessions. No one seemed interested in talking about frivolous subjects. Whether during meal breaks, at the evening social events, or during breaks between the sessions, seemingly every person present was involved in serious conversations which covered a wide array of topics but were all focused on a class-based, Marxist analysis of todays world. Literature sales were another demonstration that comrades took the importance of education to heart. For example, in Vancouver, comrades bought $2,607 worth of literature. Alice said of the Halifax school, The appetite for party literature was huge. We sold out of almost every book we had in stock. History of Philosophy sold out before the first session and before most attendees had even arrived. Similarly in Quebec, Nicolas said, The session devoted to The Origin of the Family, Private Property and the State aroused great enthusiasm among the comrades present at the School. Twenty-two copies of our edition have been sold, and in Quebec City well soon be organizing a reading group on it. I cant wait to read it! Despite the clear need for theoretical grounding, the RCP is the only group holding these kinds of educational events. In fact, the general mood of pessimism and directionlessness that we see in the left comes from their abandonment of Marxist theory. They are immersed in the ideas of the ruling class, ideas that justify and take capitalism for granted, and therefore see no way out of the crisis of capitalism. But we kept Marxist theory alive over the years. A foundational idea of Marxism is that our conditions are shaped by the way that we produce and exchange the things we need to liveand therefore, by changing the way that we do that, it is within our power to transform our conditions. Now that the crisis is forcing people to look for alternatives to capitalism, to look for ways to change the world, were the only ones with a real answer. These annual regional schools are only in their second year, but they are already becoming established as invaluable traditions for communists around the country, full of lessons that they will carry forward into the fight to overthrow capitalism. Beck in Vancouver said, The school went a long way to inspire the comrades. It showed them how much there is to learn and raised their sights In my cell meeting we ended up having a long discussion on the political lessons of the school because everyone was bursting with things to say. If you missed these schools, we have good news for you: the largest educational event of the year is still to come! From Feb. 13-15, over 600 communists will come to Montreal for the Winter Marxist School. If you want to arm yourself with the ideas that will change the world, you need to be there! There are a myriad of reasons why an airline might postpone a flight, ranging from aircraft mechanical issues to severe weather. However, United Airlines was forced to delay a flight on Monday due to a fight between two flight attendants. The 90-minute service from Des Moines, Iowa to Chicago O'Hare International Airport was delayed just under four hours as the carrier found an entirely new cabin crew. I hope no passengers had to make a connection in the Windy City. United Flight 2138 was scheduled to depart at 11:26 a.m., but the passengers were deplaned at 12:08 p.m. According to One Mile at a Time, the delay's cause was listed in the airline's internal system as "Crew Availability Flight Attendant: Disagreement on 2 of the FAs. IFDM pulling all crew and will need to recrew flight." The in-flight duty manager (IFDM) assigns crews to flights, overseeing the flight attendants. That cause wasn't shown to the public on United's website or mobile app. There wasn't a blow-by-blow report, so it's not clear what happened before the passengers were deplaned. Read more: These Car Brands Died, But Got A Second Chance At Life It's not easy being a flight attendant Air Canada Airbus A330-300 airplane at Frankfurt Airport (FRA) in Germany. - Boarding1now/Getty Images The United Airlines Airbus A320 eventually landed in Chicago at 5:09 p.m. A frustrating outcome for the passengers who expected to arrive four hours earlier. When a flight attendant typically has a disagreement, it's with a passenger. In 2024, Air Canada was forced to cancel a long-haul flight between Casablanca, Morocco and Montreal. While the plane was taxiing to the runway, a woman asked for a blanket. A flight attendant started screaming at the passenger and was filmed yelling, "You will behave or we will get off!" The plane returned to the gate, and the police took her off the plane. The rest of the passengers followed her off in solidarity, and Air Canada cancelled the flight. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Being a flight attendant isn't an easy or relaxing job. They're tasked with serving the public with a smile in the skies while also maintaining their safety during flights. Not to mention that flight attendants are severely underpaid at many carriers. Last year, American Airlines cabin crew could make as little as $27,315 per year while being required to live in the major cities that host the airline's hubs. Want more like this? Join the Jalopnik newsletter to get the latest auto news sent straight to your inbox, and add us as a preferred search source on Google. Read the original article on Jalopnik. EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) Thirteen flight routes connecting Mexico to the United States have been cut as part of a crackdown over what the Trump Administration says is a violation of an air transport agreement. Earlier this week, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy announced the cancellations of passenger and cargo flights between the U.S. and Mexico Citys International Airport, affecting routes operated by Mexican airlines AeroMexico, Volaris, and Viva Aerobus. Duffy accused Mexico of illegally canceling and freezing U.S. carrier flights for three years without consequences. He added that Mexicos airlines were still adding new routes and services from Mexico to the U.S. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Viva Aerobus issued a statement saying it will be the most affected especially ahead of the holiday season with routes canceled from Mexico city to cities like: Austin and Dallas (Texas) Denver (Colorado) New York City (New York) Chicago (Illinois) Los Angeles (California) Miami and Orlando (Florida) Viva Aerobus did note that flights from other Mexican airports to the United States remain unaffected. Mexicos President Claudia Sheinbaum announced that Mexico will seek a meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio to clarify the motives behind the cancellations. American travelers affected by the new order are urged to contact their airlines for rebooking. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTSM 9 News. (This story was updated to correct an inaccuracy.) A group of shackled migrants in plain clothes was seen lining up on the tarmac of the Indianapolis Airport. They were waiting to board an Eastern Air Express plane slated to transport them to one of the countrys largest deportation hubs, a rural airport in Alexandria, Louisiana. The scene was captured on Oct. 24 by Mirror Indy journalists, who broke the news that federal government had quietly been chartering flight to and from the Indianapolis International Airport since early September. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It marks the latest addition to Indianas ever-expanding role in the Midwest under the President Donald Trump administration's plan for mass deportation, ultimately turning the state into a primary stop on its course of deportation. Since the start of Trumps administration, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has deported more than 527,000 migrants from the country, according to a recent announcement from the agency. Within that time, Indiana has seen a slew of investments from the federal government to support this mission. The country's newest federal immigration court recently opened in Indianapolis, the Marion County jail has become a hub to process immigrants through the system, and the state-run Miami Correctional Facility has been tapped to house migrants. Indianapolis International Airport adds to the states role in immigration When Trump took office in January, several local officials across the state affirmed their stance on supporting their migrant populations and vocalizing their desire to remain neutral in the federal government's plan. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This was evident in Indiana's capital city, when Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Chief Chris Bailey announced that his department lacked the authority to enforce federal immigration laws, a move backed by the city's police union. But in the background, the federal government began using state and county resources and facilities to achieve its lofty goal of removing more than 3,000 migrants daily from the U.S. The Indianapolis International Airport is the latest example of the federal government using its authority to circumvent the desires of local officials. A plane takes off from the Indianapolis International Airport on Tuesday, June 4, 2025, in Indianapolis. Even as airport leadership attempted to show political neutrality when it decided not to display a Department of Homeland Security video blaming Democrats for the ongoing government shutdown, it was powerless to stop the migrants' chartered flights through the airfields. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Airport officials had no choice but to comply with the federal government. As part of the Federal Aviation Administration regulations, administrators cannot interfere with or restrict federal and civil aviation activities, explained Stephanie McFarland, a spokesperson for airport officials. This is required by all 500 commercial service airports in the United States, McFarland added. Advocates and immigration lawyers in Indianapolis were surprised to learn that ICE was operating out of the Indianapolis Airport. Since the start of the year, it was believed that most ICE-related flights left the state via the Gary/Chicago International Airport. "We were caught completely off guard," Sarah Burrow, the director of immigration law at Lewis Kappes Law Firm, said about this information. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement ICE has not responded to IndyStar questions asking how long and often it has chartered flights out of the Indianapolis Airport. Eastern Air Express also did not respond to similar questions asked by IndyStar. But data collected by the ICE Flight Monitor team, a nationwide project that tracks these flights, provides some insight into that question. From January to September, the Indianapolis Airport saw 18 ICE-related flights leave its runway and recorded 16 inbound flights, according to ICE Flight Monitor's data. This is small in contrast to the Gary/Chicago International Airport, which the federal government has primarily used in the past for ICE-related flights. Since the start of the year, Gary has recorded 73 outbound federal flights and 75 inbound flights. Expanding the Indianapolis Immigration Court As news of Indianapolis Airport's role began to spread among immigration lawyers in Indiana, it became clear that many were not briefed on how this development could affect immigration cases. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It was unknown, for example, if the operation at the airport had created a fast-track deportation route for undocumented migrants jailed in Marion County or who have court hearings at the Indianapolis Immigration Court. ICE did not respond to questions asking if or how many detainees being held at the Marion County Jail have been flown out of the Indianapolis Airport. As of Oct. 30, operations at the federal courthouse appeared to be unchanged, with one exception. Photos of the Minton-Capehart Federal Building on Thursday, Oct. 2, 2025, at North Pennsylvania Street in Indianapolis. On Oct. 24, 2025, the Executive Office for Immigration Review announced that Attorney General Pamela Bondi would appoint James R. Holden as a temporary immigration judge for Indianapolis. Holden previously served as an administrative judge for the Department of Agriculture in Indianapolis from 2018-25. He now serves as the federal courts eighth judge. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For years, the majority of the Midwest regions immigration hearings were funneled through the federal court in Chicago, creating a backlog of over 260,000 cases, according to data from the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse (TRAC). When the Indianapolis court opened in January, the federal government transferred more than 52,000 cases to its docket. As of August, the Indianapolis immigration court has heard over 2,600 cases and issued over 1,600 orders of removal, TRAC data shows. Immigration court: A peek inside the confusion and 'chaos' of Indianapolis' new immigration court Indiana jails become hubs for immigration The federal government has also developed a growing interest in using Indiana to hold and process migrants from across the country. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This was highlighted when Kristi Noem, the U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security, announced in September that the administration planned to turn Indiana's Miami Correctional Facility into the country's next "Alligator Alcatraz." "Speedway Slammer," a name given to the Miami facility by Trump officials, saw its first 15 detainees arrive on Oct. 1, 2025. Indiana Governor Mike Braun announced the plan in X and said the correctional facility would allocate up to 1,000 beds for ICE detainees. These migrants would be held in a wing of the facility that was previously closed due to staffing shortages. A look Tuesday, Aug. 12, 2025, at the Clay County Justice Center located in Brazil, Indiana. Before this term, Indiana had one state-run facility dedicated to holding ICE detainees for the federal government at the Clay County Jail in Terre Haute. The facility could house up to 256 migrant detainees, which met the state's needs at the time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The partnership has been lucrative for the small county. Thanks to an excess of federal revenue, the county's general fund soared to $13.5 million this year. The jail's budget this year, $4.9 million, is about a third of the general fund. 'A cash cow': How detaining immigrants became major revenue source for small Indiana county But once Trump took office, the need for detainee holding facilities skyrocketed across the country. The federal government began amplifying its use of local facilities like the Marion County Jail. In July, the sheriffs office shared that the jail had nearly 1,000 ICE book-ins throughout 2025, which was nearly double the number of ICE book-ins the county recorded for all of 2024. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Marion County Sheriff Kerry Forestal explained that the county has a longstanding contract with the U.S. Marshals Service, which allows the federal government to use 100 beds for federal inmates, including people awaiting immigration hearings. But beyond holding detainees, the sheriff's office doesn't assist ICE in transporting people to new holding locations or airports for deportation. When the public learned this information in March, local immigration advocates called on Forestal to stop its cooperation with the federal government. The sheriff rebutted these calls by explaining that due to the executive order signed by Braun in January and related directives from Attorney General Todd Rokita, he was forced to comply with federal immigration efforts. At the beginning of the year, Rokita attempted to make an example out of the St. Joseph and Monroe County Sheriff's offices by filing lawsuits against both agencies. The lawsuits claimed that the sheriff's offices failed to cooperate with federal immigration authorities. In October, a federal judge dismissed the case against the St. Joseph County Sheriff's office, citing that Rokita had no legal standing to file the lawsuit. A few days later, Rokita appealed the judge's decision. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The immigration landscape in Indiana is likely to continue evolving and growing. In July, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth revealed in a letter that the federal government had plans to turn Camp Atterbury, an Indiana National Guard base about 40 miles southeast of Indianapolis, into a migrant holding facility. The federal government has yet to release a detailed plan for how it plans to transform Camp Atterbury, but the military facility was previously used to house Afghan evacuees and Ukrainian refugees during Operation Allies Welcome. Noe Padilla is a public safety reporter for IndyStar. Contact him at npadilla@indystar.com, follow him on X @1NoePadilla or on Bluesky @noepadilla.bsky.social. This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Flights, jails and judges: Indiana's role in immigration operations HANOI, Vietnam (AP) Rescue operations intensified Friday across central Vietnam as floodwaters receded after days of record rain and deadly landslides that left at least 13 people dead, 11 missing and tens of thousands displaced. The receding waters allowed rescue teams to reach previously cut-off communities and nearly 26,000 residents have been evacuated from flooded or landslide-prone areas. The government deployed helicopters and troops to deliver food, medicine and other supplies while working to repair homes, clear debris and prevent disease. Roads, power lines and schools are being restored, and emergency rice aid is set for distribution by Saturday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The countrys NorthSouth railway, a key transport route linking Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, reopened early Friday after being cut off for three days. Hundreds of workers labored overnight to repair damaged sections and stabilize the tracks. Flooding has eased in the coastal cities of Hue and Danang but remains widespread and is expected to persist for the next two days, according to state media. Since torrential rain began Oct. 26, floods and landslides have submerged homes and villages and destroyed infrastructure across the region. Hue recorded 1,085 millimeters (42 inches) of rain in just 24 hours earlier this week the highest daily rainfall ever measured in Vietnam. Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has ordered emergency measures to speed recovery and ensure no one is left hungry or without shelter. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement About 120,000 homes were inundated by the floods across central Vietnam, with 56 houses completely destroyed and 147 badly damaged, according to disaster officials. Authorities said temporary shelters will be set up for families who lost their homes. Vietnams meteorological agency said a surge of cool air from the north collided with warm, moisture-rich winds from the sea, setting off a chain of storms that have pounded central provinces for days. The winds forced rain-laden clouds up against the mountains, causing even heavier downpours. They warned that heavy rain could continue in parts of central Vietnam through Nov. 4, with some areas expected to receive more than 700 millimeters of rain. Central Vietnam frequently faces heavy rains and tropical storms, yet experts say the scale and intensity of this weeks floods highlight rising dangers linked to shifting rainfall patterns in a warming climate. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The country is among the most flood-prone in the world, with nearly half its population living in high-risk areas. ___ The Associated Press climate and environmental 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. NEED TO KNOW After seven years apart, a woman has reunited with her missing dog Gabrielle Hartley's 1-year-old husky pup Luca went missing after her home was burglarized in 2018 Luca was found in poor health, and now Hartley's raising money to help fund her dog's necessary medical treatments A woman has reunited with her dog after seven years apart. Gabrielle Hartley's Tampa home was burglarized in 2018, and following the incident, she found her husky pup Luca, who she'd spent one year with, was missing. Hartley called the police to report her dog missing, but authorities had no luck finding him for the next seven years, per ABC affiliate Tampa Bay 28. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "When Luca was just one year old, my home was broken into and he was stolen from me," Hartley wrote on her GoFundMe page for Luca. "I searched everywhere, filed reports, and held onto hope." gofundme Luca, Gabrielle Hartley's dog. Luca, Gabrielle Hartley's dog. For the last seven years, Hartley has maintained her subscription to PetKey to keep the information on Luca's microchip up to date, she wrote, and last week, it finally paid off. PetKey reached out to Hartley to let her know her dog had been found. According to Tampa Bay 28, a police officer had found Luca, wandering alone on the side of a street. From there, the officer took him to Animal Doctors of South Tampa to get his microchip scanned. When she first saw her dog again, Hartley said her heart "broke" for Luca. She told the outlet that she believed her dog had been taken for breeding purposes, and was later abandoned due to his health condition. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Hes severely malnourished and has a large growth on his side that needs to be surgically removed," Hartley wrote on the GoFundMe. "The vet believes hes been living in very poor conditions for most of his life." "He had a UTI, blood infection, broken teeth from probably trying to escape a cage, broken claws, defensive marks all over his body. He's only like 38 pounds for a full-grown male dog, that's not even close to healthy," she told the outlet. Never miss a story sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. Now, Hartley is hoping to raise $10,000 to help cover Luca's medical expenses. She wrote that she's focused on giving her dog "the love, comfort, and health he deserves after everything he's been through." Read the original article on People Where's the police when you need them? Why are the Fraternal Order of Police, the International Union of Police Associations and local police unions not speaking out against state and local tax cuts, which are effectively defunding the police? Why are they not speaking out against congressional inaction on banning assault rifles, since police are finding themselves outgunned at domestic disturbance calls and routine traffic stops? Why are they not speaking out against the unconstitutional deployment of federal troops in U.S. cities, since no police department anywhere has requested federal assistance with crime fighting? It is well past time that police unions break their blind allegiance to antiquated political ideologies, speak out for the safety of their rank and file, and show the American people that law enforcement everywhere can be trusted to protect us from anyone who would threaten our constitutional rights of justice and liberty for all. Randy Johnson, Boynton Beach Police unions so far have been mum on Florida's property tax cuts that could affect funding for law enforcement. State leaders are killing Florida tourism If you are outraged seeing your property values tanking along with the Florida economy, let's give credit where credit is due, and "thank" Gov. Ron DeSantis and his fellow Republicans for a MAGA-job well done. Despite being warned, he made the choice to win the right-wing culture war at the expense of the Florida economy to the tune of at least $6.6 billion in lost revenue this year. Starting in winter 2025, rental bookings are down 31%, flight arrivals in Florida are down 38%, hotel bookings, in Florida coastal cities, are down almost 50%. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Opinion: Like it or not, there's no quick fix to Florida's property tax problem Obviously, the optics of aligning Florida with Donald Trump's attack on American values and his trade wars, was more important to him than protecting the livelihood of hospitality, home maintenance workers and the property values of homeowners. He was well aware that Trump's attack on the Canadian economy and sovereignty would cause a severe backlash here. All indications are that these winter tourist and foreign property owner losses are going to be permanent, with Mexico, Caribbean nations, and even Spain and Portugal running marketing campaigns welcoming these expatriate Florida visitors and property owners. In the near future, I would fully expect Florida politicians to start walking back their rhetoric when they realize how unelectable they have become. Daniel Jacobson, Lake Worth U.S. government a threat to boaters There are legal methods to search for drugs aboard vessels at sea. As a licensed yacht captain since 1976, I have spent sea time in the Caribbean, Bahamas and offshore in U.S. coastal waters. While delivering a vessel from Michigan to Palm Beach about five miles off Jacksonville, a U.S. Coast Guard cutter came upon us and ordered us [to stop]. Four armed crewmen boarded our sailboat and tore up floorboards and lockers searching for drugs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Opinion: Florida needs to get serious about cleaning up Lake Okeechobee Without a find, they checked our ships papers and apologized for leaving us with a somewhat disheveled cabin. We were respectfully told to carry on and have a safe voyage. I am outraged that fisherman, cruising sailors and charter boat captains who venture into international waters not only have to be concerned with navigation and weather, but possibly being blown up by the U.S. government. Without proof, or approval from Congress, our government has lost its way again, ignoring the rule of law. Who voted for this? Nancy Knowlton, Boynton Beach This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Florida leaders defund police, kill tourism. What's next? | Letters Eight weeks in to the 2025 I LOVE NY Fall Foliage Report, Niagara County colors are at 100% or just past peak as we head into November. Peak foliage will arrive this weekend throughout much of Long Island while making its final appearances in the Finger Lakes and Hudson Valley regions. Foliage in New York City will range from midpoint to near peak of change. This is according to the field reports from volunteer observers for the Empire State Development Division of Tourisms I LOVE NY program. Locations with peak foliage will include Poughkeepsie, Cold Spring, Bear Mountain and White Plains in the Hudson Valley; West Hempstead, Manhasset, Old Westbury, West Babylon, East Islip and Great River on Long Island; Rochester, Canandaigua and Geneseo in the Finger Lakes; Fonda in Central New York; and Lake George in the Adirondacks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Reports from other areas: Orleans County 95% change and just-past-peak in Albion with a vibrant mix of autumnal hues. Erie County 95% change and past peak in East Aurora with a mix of muted burnt hues. 80% and just-past-peak in Buffalo with average to bright shades of red, gold and orange. Genesee County 90% change and just-past-peak in Batavia with bright orange and red leaves. Wyoming County 90% change and just-past-peak at Letchworth State Park in Warsaw with bright to brilliant fall colors. 90% and past peak at Letchworth State Park in Castile with yellows and oranges and a few reds plus significant droppage. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cattaraugus County 100% change and past peak in Little Valley with a few remaining yellow, brown and burnt orange hues. Chautauqua County 95% change and past peak in Chautauqua with bright to brilliant shades of yellow, gold, orange and red, some pops of purple, and significant droppage. Cortland County More than 85% change and past peak in Cortland with average to bright yellow and orange leaves and significant droppage. Livingston County 80% change and peak in Geneseo with some red among mostly yellow and brown leaves. 85% and past peak at Letchworth State Park in Mt. Morris with seasonal colors plus significant droppage and many bare trees. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Monroe County 95% change and peak in Rochester and surrounding communities with average to bright red, orange, rust and maroon-colored leaves overtaking the yellows and greens. Leaves are slightly greener closer to Lake Ontario in the western part of Monroe County and in protected valley areas. Onondaga County Nearly 70% change and past peak at Beaver Lake Nature Center in Baldwinsville with average to bright fall colors. Ontario County 75% change and peak in Canandaigua with muted oranges and reds. For this weeks full I LOVE NY Fall Foliage Report, visit www.iloveny.com/foliage. Oct. 31CLOQUET The Fond du Lac Band of Lake Superior Chippewa entered an agreement with the state of Minnesota allowing the band to distribute and sell its tribally grown cannabis off reservation and across Minnesota's burgeoning cannabis market. The compact, signed Oct. 20 by Gov. Tim Walz and Fond du Lac Band Chairman Bruce Savage, creates a legal framework for the band to expand its cannabis operations by selling its product to dispensaries across Minnesota and forging a pathway to open off-reservation dispensaries. "It is really a unique type of relationship that we are establishing between the tribes and the state here in Minnesota," said Josh Collins, director of communications for the Minnesota Office of Cannabis Management, the state agency regulating Minnesota's cannabis industry. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The compact creates a framework for both governments to cooperate and coordinate their respective cannabis industries, and ensure that products meet the regulatory and safety guidelines for those sold outside of tribal land. It lays out rules for how tribal cannabis businesses interact with the state's licensing system by regulating testing, packaging and labeling, Collins said. The Fond du Lac Cannabis Regulatory Commission will oversee licensing and enforcement to ensure all products meet Minnesota's Office of Cannabis Management legal standards. As a sovereign nation, the Fond du Lac Band regulates its own cannabis production and distribution within its boundaries. Officials from the band declined to be interviewed. "This compact is more than a regulatory agreement," Savage said in a news release. "It reflects our tribal sovereignty, our values as Anishinaabe people, and our vision for economic self-determination." The agreement is the fourth such compact signed between the state and the 11 tribal nations that exist within its borders. The state has similar signed compacts with the White Earth Nation, Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe and Prairie Island Indian Community. The state hopes to eventually sign a compact with each tribal nation interested in participating in the cannabis industry. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In addition to selling cannabis across the state, the compact allows the band to open up to eight off-reservation retail cannabis locations. The band is permitted to open one retail location per city and three per county, according to Collins. Local governments may count tribal compact retailers toward the state requirement to allow at least one cannabis retailer for every 12,500 residents. The Cloquet City Council has set restrictions on where such businesses can be located in Cloquet, but opted not to put a cap on the total number allowed. The state and the band will negotiate an agreement for sharing tax revenues generated by the tribe's off-reservation businesses. The state taxes off-reservation cannabis products at a rate of 15% of gross receipts, in addition to the regular state and any local sales taxes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In May, the band opened Anang Native Cannabis Co. , deriving its name from the Ojibwe word for star. At the time, stakeholders said they hoped the band would be a guide for the state's industry. It was the first dispensary to sell all forms of cannabis in northeastern Minnesota. When Minnesota legalized cannabis in 2023, the state Legislature directed the governor's office to negotiate intergovernmental agreements with the tribal nations residing within Minnesota, which was intended as an equitable solution that generates revenue for both the tribal governments and the state. The compacts signed with the various tribal governments are unique. Collins said the signed compacts have taken about a year to negotiate so far. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As dispensaries open up across the state, access to cannabis remains extremely limited due to growing operations still being established. Currently, the majority of cannabis being sold is being grown by either tribal nations or by the state's two existing medical cannabis growers, Collins said. "It is both a way to ensure equity in the system, but it's also an opportunity to bring in additional product to the system," Collins said. This story was updated at 11:50 a.m. Oct. 31 to clarify the state tax on cannabis revenues and a tax agreement that will be made between the state and the Fond du Lac Band. It was originally posted at 6:26 a.m. Oct. 31. The history of science is that of humanitys quest to understand the workings of the universe, free from mysticism and supernatural forces. In this article, Adam Booth explores the revolutionary process by which scientific ideas advance, the link between developments in science and wider society, and the crisis of science under capitalism today. [This article was originally published as part of issue 48 of In Defence of Marxism magazine the quarterly theoretical magazine of the Revolutionary Communist International. Subscribe and get your copy here] Science is stagnating. Stock markets may have soared on the back of hype around artificial intelligence (AI), and the media frequently announces news of the latest supposedly revolutionary discoveries, but such optimism is not shared inside the scientific community. Instead, concerns are mounting that science, as a discipline, is facing an existential crisis. A plethora of symptoms have prompted this mood of pessimism. Most glaring is the lack of disruptive research that pushes the frontiers of human knowledge. Based on a meta-analysis of millions of papers and patents published over a six-decade period, a study in prominent science journal Nature from January 2023 reported that research is becoming less disruptive over time.[2] The authors found strong evidence that progress is slowing in several major fields, and that papers and patents are increasingly less likely to break with the past in ways that push science and technology in new directions.[3] Instead, they suggest that modern researchers have a tendency to rely on a narrower set of existing knowledge, favouring investigations that make incremental advances, rather than exploring potentially groundbreaking territory.[4] In summary, science has become plodding, not pioneering. Overall, the Nature article concludes, our results suggest that slowing rates of disruption may reflect a fundamental shift in the nature of science and technology.[5] Another paper from April 2020 asks the question, are ideas getting harder to find? The short answer is: yes. Research effort is rising substantially while research productivity is declining sharply, the economists state.[6] At the same time, there are longstanding worries about a replication crisis throughout science: an inability to confirm the validity of published results, leading to a general mistrust towards the quality of officially-sanctioned research. One survey of over 1,500 researchers from 2016 found that more than 70 percent have tried and failed to reproduce another scientists experiments.[7] Earlier studies looking at cancer-related research and drug development found that just 11 percent and 25 percent of landmark findings in these fields, respectively, could be reproduced.[8] Worse still, it was reported that over 10,000 scientific papers had to be retracted by academic journals in 2023, due to suspicions that these were in some way fabricated.[9] And there are fears that these discovered fakes are only the tip of the iceberg[10] when it comes to bogus research, with anxieties that AI is only making matters worse, allowing sham papers to be pumped out en masse. If the output of the research sector cannot be verified or trusted, then this casts deep doubts on the status quo of scientific enterprise. What good is science, many are asking, if it cannot produce credible findings and genuinely advance human knowledge? Speaking of trust, there is also growing scepticism amongst a layer of the public towards science, alongside a general hostility towards the so-called experts that the ruling class constantly wheel out to justify their cynical policies. Not only does science as a whole seem to be in crisis, but in certain branches there is a growing unease that the theories that currently dominate these subjects could be fundamentally flawed. Most notably, contradictions are piling up in the field of cosmology the study of the universe. An ever-multiplying number of arbitrary fudges are being invented to make the facts fit with the Standard Model of the Big Bang theory. This includes concepts like dark matter and dark energy, the search for which has seen millions poured into new particle accelerators, new telescopes, xenon-filled caverns deep underground, high-altitude balloons, none of which have produced any discoveries. And yet any attempt to question the validity of these fudge factors is met with a wall of resistance. New data from instruments like the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), meanwhile, are uncovering galaxies that are so old and large that they cannot possibly be accounted for by the Big Bang hypothesis, which posits that there was a beginning, many billions of years ago, to time and space itself. And yet the theory clings on. Disruptive science finds itself blocked. It turns out we found something so unexpected [from the JWST] it actually creates problems for science[11], comments Joel Lega, an astrophysicist at Pennsylvania State University. Right now I find myself lying awake at three in the morning and wondering if everything Ive done is wrong, adds observational astronomer Allison Kirkpatrick from the University of Kansas in an article in Nature.[12] And yet, while expressing concerns, none of these scientists are prepared to question the foundational assumptions in their field. If the Big Bang is wrong, concludes science writer Eric Lerner in his book The Big Bang Never Happened, then many of the basic ideas of fundamental physics are wrong as well.[13] This many-sided crisis in science also extends into a questioning of the philosophical cornerstone of science itself. The scientific method is based on the principle that reality is objective; that there is a material world existing independently of us that can be investigated and understood. Amidst these challenges, however, a philosophically idealistic section of the scientific community is pushing a solipsistic and mystical perspective. It is not uncommon to find established publications like the New Scientist magazine prompting crank ideas that dispute the objectivity and very existence of reality, with front pages asking does anything exist when were not looking? and do we create space-time? Modern science, then, is in crisis. Breakthroughs are still being made in certain areas. But overall, the very engine of human knowledge is stuttering. To understand why, we must step back to examine the dynamics of scientific development itself, including the relationship between science and social relations. How does science progress and advance, both in particular fields and more generally throughout history? Why do we see a flourishing of discoveries in some periods, and a relative stagnation in others? And what are the barriers that are holding back science today? What is science? The first question to ask is: what is science? On the one hand, science is a method: a framework based on observation and measurement; conjecture and practical experimentation that enables us to understand nature, make sense of material phenomena, and structure this knowledge in the form of verified theories. Scientific knowledge, explains scientist and self-described Marxist J.D. Bernal, in his book Science in History, is not simply a list of results. Image: Newton (1795), William Blake Before these results can be of any use [...] it is necessary to tie them together, so to speak, in bundles, to group them and to relate them to each other, Bernal continues, [leading] to the continuous creation of the more or less coherent edifice of scientific laws, principles, hypotheses, and theories.[14] Another important aspect of science is that of a social institution, composed of organisations and dedicated professionals responsible for conducting research, sanctifying hypotheses and results, and providing the baseline for future investigation. And in its most general sense, science represents societys cumulative and collective body of knowledge. In this respect, examining the history of science, one can see a tendency towards progress although this is by no means linear. Our understanding of the world, in general, increases over time. Each successive generation of scientists builds upon the work of their predecessors. In the words of the famous physicist Isaac Newton, those pushing the boundaries of human understanding do so by standing on the shoulders of giants. And we would add: not only by developing the ideas of individual men of genius. Science relies on the vital contributions of thousands and millions of ordinary men and women who keep the machinery of scientific research oiled and running, and upon the impetus from and discoveries thrown up by industry and human labour. The development of knowledge Returning to our central question: how does science in the sense of a systematic understanding of natural processes and phenomena develop and progress? Marxists understand that reality is objective, existing independently of human beings and our consciousness. At the same time, nature is knowable. Through practice, by interacting with our surroundings, we can uncover the dynamics of matter in motion at every level. Over time, science builds up a clearer and more complete picture of the world. Through investigation and experiment, our understanding of natural phenomena improves, becoming richer and more refined. What was once unknown and shrouded in mystery becomes known and understood. Ignorance is replaced by rational comprehension and cognition. We begin to see relations, patterns, and order; the necessity behind the accidental, expressed as scientific laws. This is the basis for real knowledge, providing greater mastery over nature, and thereby opening up the possibility of new insights and techniques. Such knowledge, however, is always relative. The universe is infinitely complex. Everything is interconnected, in a state of flux, with different dynamics arising and occurring at different levels from the subatomic to the galactic. The relations governing the quantum scale are qualitatively different from those for organic matter, for example. Although we are all composed of particles, we cannot reduce biology to a branch of quantum physics. Similarly, social relations cannot be reduced to Darwinian evolution and the laws of natural selection. Every phenomenon and process must therefore be studied concretely, to uncover the dynamics, tendencies, and interrelations that apply to the system in question. Our scientific theories, laws, and models are all relative approximations of these processes; attempts to describe and explain material motion and reality within certain limits. No theory can fully encapsulate any given phenomenon. An exhaustive scientific exposition of the interconnections of nature, Engels notes in his brilliant polemic Anti-Duhring, is impossible for us, and will always remain impossible.[15] Nevertheless, through the endless progressive development of science, Engels continues, successive generations improve these theories and models, and deepen humanitys knowledge of natural phenomena. In this way, Lenin explains in his philosophical masterpiece Materialism and Empirio-criticism, the relative truth contained in our theories draws nearer to the absolute truth: Each step in the development of science adds new grains to the sum of absolute truth, but the limits of the truth of each scientific proposition are relative, now expanding, now shrinking with the growth of knowledge.[16] This recognition of the relative nature of our scientific models, however, does not mean that Marxists are relativists, denying the existence of an objective, knowable reality, as postmodernists do. As Lenin emphasises: The materialist dialectics of Marx and Engels certainly does contain relativism, but is not reducible to relativism, that is, it recognises the relativity of all our knowledge, not in the sense of denying objective truth, but in the sense that the limits of approximation of our knowledge to this truth are historically conditional.[17] Every truth discovered by science, in other words, will always contain a level of error. Theories and models will only ever remain valid up to a point. Eventually they will break down, and will need to be deepened; further refined and enriched, ad infinitum. Thus we see the never-ending unfolding of science towards higher levels of knowledge and understanding a process that is never complete or finished. The long historical development of science, Engels summarises, mounts from lower to ever higher levels of knowledge without ever reaching, by discovering so-called absolute truth, a point at which it can proceed no further.[18] Structure of scientific revolution How, then, in general, does the scientific method help to advance scientific progress? NASA engineer Ernie Wright with the primary mirror segments of the James Webb Telescope / Image: NASA/MSFC/David Higginbotham In his unfinished work on the Dialectics of Nature, Engels provides the broad brush strokes of the process. The form of development of natural science, he explains, is the hypothesis. At a certain point, however, further observations and facts come into conflict with the commonly-accepted hypothesis. From this moment onwards, Engels continues, new methods of explanation are required, capable of absorbing the latest data.[19] The old theory is not completely abolished or invalidated in this process, but is dialectically negated. The new model incorporates all that is true in its predecessor. At the same time, it goes further, providing the ability to rationally explain new observations and make additional, more precise predictions. This progressive accumulation of scientific knowledge is not linear, however. Periods of stagnation and even decline, leaps and revolutions, are just as much a part of scientific development as they are of social development. This dialectical process of scientific progress was further outlined by twentieth-century philosopher of science, Thomas Kuhn, in his marvellous book on The Structure of Scientific Revolutions. Studying the history of science, with examples from a range of fields, Kuhn showed how science does not progress gradually, in a straight line, but through a process of incremental advances followed by occasional surges and jumps. The majority of researchers, for the majority of their lives, he says, are engaged in what he describes as normal science, composed of puzzle solving. Working within a given theoretical framework or school of thought, the mainstay of most scientific careers involves applying existing ideas to new problems and examples, not in developing fresh hypotheses. Kuhn popularised the term paradigm to describe these frameworks and schools of thought. In any period, within a certain subset of the scientific community, there will be a dominant paradigm that provides the guidelines within which research is conducted. Normal science mostly consists of mopping-up operations, Kuhn says, extending the knowledge of those facts that the paradigm displays as particularly revealing, by increasing the extent of the match between those facts and the paradigms predictions, and by further articulation of the paradigm itself.[20] At a certain point, however, in the process of conducting normal science, researchers stumble across anomalies: phenomena that cannot be explained by the old paradigm. This, Kuhn states, prompts a recognition that nature has somehow violated the paradigm-induced expectations that govern normal science.[21] A small number of such anomalies may not initially lead to any questioning of the existing theory. It may be assumed that some misunderstanding or experimental error will be found as an explanation. But a build-up of such discoveries eventually spurs certain layers within the community to seek alternative explanations; to formulate a new paradigm. Scientific progress, in other words, is not generally as consciously directed as common lore would have us believe. Discoveries and breakthroughs are not simply the product of individual men of genius being struck by a Eureka! moment. They are the result of an accumulation of contradictions arising in the course of conducting routine research that eventually burst to the surface. As Khun explains: Normal science does not aim at novelties of fact or theory and, when successful, finds none. New and unsuspected phenomena are, however, repeatedly uncovered by scientific research, and radical new theories have again and again been invented by scientists.[22] The transition from one paradigm to another, however, is never a smooth process, Kuhn notes. Instead, such paradigm shifts, he explains, necessarily require a period of crisis within the community. An old guard, with a personal and quite often material interest in maintaining the existing model, will tend to resist change, and cling to their antiquated ideas. Instead of accepting the need for a new theory, they will seek to adapt their outmoded framework even when this becomes increasingly untenable, and the build-up of anomalies can no longer be ignored. In modern times, the defenders of the old paradigm will often be those who occupy senior positions within scientific institutions, having built large departments and powerful reputations on the basis of advancing a particular theory. In this way, a scientific establishment develops within a given field. And having previously taken the subject forward, these esteemed ladies and gentlemen eventually become a barrier to further progress. The more disruptive the more fundamental a paradigm shift is to a given field, the more careers it touches upon. For similar reasons, Kuhn remarks, it is no coincidence that those who introduce new, alternative paradigms are often outsiders, coming from a new generation that has not been inculcated in the old orthodoxy and ossified paradigm. A paradigm shift therefore entails the overthrow of an existing model, and its replacement by an entirely novel one; not a simple modification or patching-up of the current theory, but the necessary displacement of one world view in favour of an outlook that retains the rational kernel of the old, but on a new basis. This is why Kuhn consciously chooses the phrase scientific revolution to describe this process and even explicitly draws the analogy with social and political revolutions. Like political revolutions, he notes: scientific revolutions are inaugurated by a growing sense [] that an existing paradigm has ceased to function adequately in the exploration of an aspect of nature to which that paradigm itself had previously led the way.[23] This sense of malfunction, in turn, provokes a crisis, with the choice between competing paradigms representing incompatible modes of community life.[24] Kuhn gives a variety of examples to demonstrate this structure of scientific revolutions. The overthrow of Newtonian mechanics by Einsteins theory of relativity was one such revolution. Albert Einstein in 1921 / Image: public domain Newton described the universe as a clockwork mechanism, governed by absolute time and space, where time ticked uniformly and space was a fixed backdrop for motion. This Newtonian view of the universe had held sway for 200 years. Such was the apparent success of this framework that physicist Lord Kelvin allegedly remarked in the late 19th century: There is nothing new to be discovered in physics now. All that remains is more and more precise measurement. Physics seemed a mere mopping up operation, as Kuhn put it. Yet unresolved problems lingered. Lights behaviour defied explanation. Experiments failed to detect the luminiferous ether, the supposed medium for its travel. Contradictory results piled up, and other anomalies emerged, such as particles gaining inertia at high speeds phenomena Newtonian physics couldnt explain. The accumulation of these contradictions opened up a crisis in science. It was in this context that a young patent clerk, Albert Einstein, upended physics with his theory of special relativity. This, along with his later theory of general relativity effected a brilliant scientific revolution, showing how time and space themselves could warp, expand, or contract in different frames of reference. The same process of scientific development can be discerned in all fields: from our understanding of light and optics, to the field of chemistry and the discovery of new elements. Firstly, a quantitative build-up of research within a given framework paves the way for a crisis, as the existing theory comes into contradiction with the newly-observed phenomena. Eventually, a rupture takes place within the scientific community, as the old elites and their ideas are challenged by a new wave of researchers, promoting an alternative, superior model, with greater explanatory power. Finally, the new paradigm wins out; a qualitative leap occurs, involving a radical shift in perspective within the field; and the march of scientific progress continues until the next crisis and revolution. The greatest difficulty of discovery is not so much to make the necessary observations, remarks Bernal, but to break away from traditional ideas in interpreting them.[25] He continues: From the time when Copernicus established the movement of the earth [...] the real struggle has been less to penetrate the secrets of nature than to overthrow established ideas, even though these, in their time, had helped to advance science.[26] Scientific theories and models, Bernal concludes, must therefore be continually and often violently broken down from time to time, and remade in the face of new experience in the material and social worlds.[27] Thus we see dialectical motion not only in nature and society, but in the development of knowledge and thought itself. Periods of progress Scientific progress in any given field, then, does not occur in a straight line. Every branch or area of science has developed over time through a series of crises and revolutions. On a broader scale, however, looking at history, it is also clear that such scientific revolutions do not occur evenly or randomly. Bernal notes: The progress of science has been anything but uniform in time and place. Periods of rapid advance have alternated with longer periods of stagnation and even of decay.[28] But the where and when of scientific activity are anything but accidental, Bernal continues. Its flourishing periods are found to coincide with economic activity and technical advance.[29] In other words, to appreciate the broad sweep of scientific progress, we must investigate and understand the relationship between science and society. In doing so, we see that there are material factors that propel science forward across a range of disciplines in some eras, and which retard it in others. Individuals certainly play a role, but only under the right conditions; in social, economic, and political environments that are conducive to the exploration and generation of new ideas. The lack of such a perspective was one of the major limits of Kuhn. Whilst he provided many historical examples of paradigm shifts within various branches of science, he did not explain how and why these scientific revolutions were relatively concentrated in certain epochs and places and not others. The great progress and advances made by science in modern times, for example, from the sixteenth century onwards, coincided with the early development of capitalism. The feudal aristocracy was based on a conservative, rural, manor-based economy. And it was entangled with the Church and all the mystical, religious, and superstitious nonsense that played an important role in maintaining its rule. In contrast, the nascent capitalist class had an interest in advancing science; in understanding the world in order to change it to their advantage. The first step of the Scientific Revolution inaugurated by the rising bourgeoisie had to be to break with the domination of the Church. The starting gun was fired by Copernicus. His book, De revolutionibus orbium coelestium, sought to overthrow the old earth-centred (geocentric) view of the universe in favour of a sun-centred (heliocentric) view. And, once the challenge it represented was recognised, it met with furious resistance from the Church, for whom geocentrism formed a cornerstone of a divinely-ordained universal order. The old view actually had its successes: it explained how the sun, moon, and stars all revolve in circles through the night sky. But other things were more complex, such as the peculiar motion of the planets. To explain this, it was supposed that planets move along small circles called epicycles, which in turn move along larger circles centred on the earth called deferents. These circles within circles kept accumulating to keep pace with more accurate measurements. By Copernicus day, the system encompassed some 80 circles to explain the motions of the five known planets. Cosmology was in crisis. But if truth be told, it had been in crisis for centuries before Copernicus came along. The old system was crying out for a revolution. But it wouldnt be possible until a revolutionary class in society, producing bold thinkers, took up the struggle to free science from the suffocation of Church dogma. Science develops according to its own laws, in other words, but these do not take place in a vacuum. When a paradigm enters into crisis, that crisis can become protracted because of social, political, and economic factors dragging on science. Capitalism and science The rise of the bourgeoisie gave an enormous impetus to science on every front. Commerce and navigation, in search of new markets and sources of profit, required new technologies, which in turn led to accompanying scientific discoveries. As Engels notes: Real natural science dates from the second half of the fifteenth century, and thence onward it has advanced with constantly increasing rapidity. The analysis of nature into its individual parts, the grouping of the different natural processes and objects in definite classes, the study of the internal anatomy of organic bodies in their manifold forms these were the fundamental conditions of the gigantic strides in our knowledge of nature that have been made during the last four hundred years.[30] Innovations like the polished lens helped deepen scientists knowledge of light and optics. The invention of the telescope added empirical evidence to support the Copernican view. Pendulum clocks for accurate time-keeping spurred on advances in mechanics. And thermometers and barometers for measuring temperature and pressure stimulated a greater understanding of the properties of liquids and gases. In this period, science, philosophy, and religion previously intertwined inside the feudal establishment began to separate out. And distinct branches of science started to form, with specialist thinkers focusing their investigations more narrowly on particular aspects of nature. Astronomical chart from 1660 illustrating Tycho Brahe's geocentric model of the universe / Image: public domain Philosophers such as Francis Bacon and Rene Descartes were a product of this emerging bourgeoisie and its break with the stultifying impact of the old religious order. They helped to develop and promote a systematic, rational, scientific method of thought, based on empirical observation, experimentation, and inductive and deductive reasoning. With the help of the printing press, meanwhile, knowledge was able to spread faster and wider. Later, on the back of the bourgeois revolutions in England and the Netherlands, in particular, came the great thinkers of the Enlightenment. Their insistence on reason and contempt for mysticism provided a further boost to scientific progress. The industrial revolution of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries accelerated these processes. The introduction of large-scale machinery into production required new technologies and techniques. And this, in turn, meant applying scientific knowledge to all aspects of industry. Once the industrial revolution was well under way, the position of science as an integral part of civilisation was secure, comments Bernal elsewhere. In a thousand ways, science was necessary both in measuring and standardising industry and in introducing economies and new processes.[31] New paradigms ushered in by revolutions in thermodynamics, electromagnetism, and chemistry led to the invention of the internal combustion engine, the electric motor, the telegraph, and synthetic fertiliser, amongst other key innovations, alongside improvements to existing technologies like the steam engine. The main driving force behind these new technologies was not scientific, but economic. The concept of a steam-powered engine, for example, had existed since ancient times. But this was only fully developed and widely applied under capitalism, where the profit motive provided an impetus to increase the productivity of labour. The machinery introduced into production during the industrial revolution, in this respect, embodied the dead labour of generations of scientific research and understanding, replacing the living labour of skilled workers with automation based on a harnessing and deepening of our knowledge of natural forces. Barriers to progress Throughout history, then, we see how developments in science are intimately tied to the development of the productive forces. Fundamental changes in social relations radically transform society and, with it, all the old ideas and traditions paving the way for qualitative leaps forward in human knowledge and thought. But the same is also true in reverse. When an economic system begins to stagnate and reach an impasse, this is reflected in all walks of life including in science. Social and economic relations that had promoted scientific development turn into their opposite. That which was once progressive becomes retrograde and reactionary. In its heyday, the capitalist class sought a materialist understanding of the world, in the service of their economic interests. This gave a tremendous boost to the advance of science. The motor force of profit and competition spurred on a colossal development of the productive forces. But now the capitalist system, including the so-called free market, has become an enormous fetter on science and technology. Capitalist social relations most notably, private property and the nation state have become gigantic barriers to progress in all areas of society, including science. Under capitalism, ideas themselves have become private property, in the form of intellectual property rights (IPR) and patents. And this private ownership over knowledge has, in turn, stifled the possibilities and potential of advancing research. Ultimately, all scientific knowledge is socially produced: the result of generations of advances. All breakthroughs in science require the prior knowledge accumulated over centuries of hard labour. To be most effective, science requires collaboration and communication; a sharing of ideas and methods across many teams, institutions, and countries. Yet, under capitalism, a winner takes all attitude prevails. Social knowledge becomes private property, secretly guarded by the big monopolies to protect their markets and profits. Rather than organising all of the intellectual and scientific resources available to humanity, in order to solve societys problems, research is split up in the name of competition. The fruit of this labour the development of new technologies and techniques is then privately appropriated for the sake of profit. Not only does this narrow the scope of scientists work, but it also makes their output inaccessible to a wider audience, both within the scientific community and in society more broadly. In turn, society becomes alienated from science, creating a breeding ground for crackpot ideas and conspiracy theories. IPR are therefore one of the most disgusting symptoms of the parasitic nature of capitalism, which privately appropriates the products of social labour. Academic competition One might assume that such competition, with its inefficiency and waste due to the duplication of efforts, would be consigned to the private sector. Surely public sector research, conducted in publicly funded universities, would be free of such anarchic competition? Unfortunately, this is not the case. Instead, we see that the laws of capitalist competition are felt just as sharply inside public institutions. Teaching and learning conditions are suffering under the impact of austerity. And as higher education becomes increasingly marketised, privatised, and cut to the bone, big business is gaining ever-greater influence over university science departments and their research agendas. Starved of funding from central governments, academics are forced to spend increasingly large proportions of their time begging for scraps from wealthy patrons and corporate sponsors. And he who pays the piper calls the tune. In order to guarantee the survival of their departments and their jobs, professors and their teams, as paid wage workers, must justify their existence by constantly producing new research. This precarity leads to a problem known in the sector as publish or perish: the pressure to churn out scientific papers in high quantities to impress those dishing out grants, never mind the quality. In turn, this creates a toxic environment for science, perversely encouraging researchers including PhD students and postdocs hunting for scarce jobs in academia to take shortcuts, rush their work, lower their standards, overlook errors, massage and cherry-pick results, exaggerate the significance of their findings, and even promote entirely fake news. This is the material backdrop behind the concerns about bogus papers and the reliability of research discussed earlier. This is not down to outright fraud in most cases, but due to the pressure that scientists are under to make significant findings, leading to biases. To be sure, however, actual fraud is also on the rise. This demand by those funding science for immediate returns on their investments also partially explains the conservative tendency in academia towards prioritising short-term, deliverable results over long-term, creative but generally unprofitable blue skies scientific exploration. Similarly, to advance and maintain their careers, academics are required to carve out and defend a niche for themselves, strengthening those parochial, stubborn attitudes that Kuhn describes in explaining the dynamics of scientific crises and revolutions. Rather than remaining open to new theories, senior academics have a material reason to dig their heels in if a new disruptive theory challenges their position. Furthermore, to grab a share of the ever-shrinking pool of funds, academics must publish their research before those in rival institutions get there first. This cut-throat competition results in universities and their researchers racing against one another to reach the finish line, rather than collaborating by sharing data, methods, and findings. The waste and inefficiency of such an atomised approach is self-evident. And this contradiction is only heightened as the quantity of prior literature grows and the scale of science expands, requiring greater organisation and cooperation of research to continue pushing the boundaries of human knowledge. Thus we see how crisis-ridden capitalism, by creating conditions of scarcity and insecurity, gives rise to competition even within the public sphere, thus holding back the possibilities and potential of scientific research in all fields. The contradiction, of course, is that this want under capitalism is completely artificial. The real situation is that of poverty amidst plenty. The same anarchy of competition is replicated and amplified at an international scale, with multinational monopolies and nation-states erecting all manner of barriers to prevent worldwide scientific collaboration. Imperialism today is actively thwarting the cooperation needed to advance science. This has been made patently clear in recent years by the ruling class inability to collectively tackle global problems like the climate catastrophe. A recent article in the Financial Times, for example, reports that rising tensions between the US and China threaten to sever a 45-year-old science and technology pact, known as the Deng-Carter accord, hindering the superpowers collaboration in critical areas.[32] Furthermore, these same rising tensions between the major imperialist powers are leading to an ever-greater squandering of societys economic, industrial, and scientific resources on producing weapons and arms not the means of production, but of death and destruction; not books, but bombs. Gatekeepers of knowledge Another clear example of the straightjacket of private property is the prisonhouse of ideas created by profit-hungry publishing companies. The academic journal industry, like every other under capitalism, is highly monopolised. A big five Elsevier, Wiley, Taylor & Francis, Springer Nature, and SAGE dominates the market. Each of these firms rake in billions in revenue every year. Some have profit margins approaching 40 percent. The whole setup is a scam. Academics do the research, write the articles, and volunteer to provide peer-review. Yet their cash-strapped university employers, who already fund this work, are forced to hand over extortionate subscription fees to gain access to the content of these journals, which otherwise remains blocked and locked behind a paywall. In addition, profit-driven business models in combination with the publish or perish pressures within academia have contributed towards an explosive growth in the quantity of papers being published every year. According to one recent study, this is placing an increasing strain on scientific publishing, further undermining the quality, reliability, and credibility of research and findings highlighted in supposedly reputable journals. At the head of the publishing industry, meanwhile, sits a scientific establishment, akin to that described by Kuhn. Two jets of particles in the DZero experiment at Fermilab, Illinois / Image: public domain Journal editors and archive moderators act as the gatekeepers of science, deciding what research is read and what is rejected. And there are many stories of alleged blacklisting and censorship against academics who dare to challenge the existing paradigm. Modern-day Copernicuses and Einsteins, in other words, would find themselves suppressed and silenced by those at the top today. They consider themselves the defenders of scientific orthodoxy, just like the medieval Church, states Wanpeng Tan from the University of Notre Dame, discussing the shadowy practices of physics preprint service arXiv.org. ArXivs bully behaviours as a monopoly, he concludes, have made new (especially non-orthodox or disruptive) ideas hard to spread.[33] Thus we see the key role that this academic-industrial complex plays in the stifling and stagnation of science. Pure science Science has not always been conducted in the form it is today. It was in the nineteenth century that science began to solidify as a network of interrelated institutions. Scientific societies and journals were established, alongside new universities. And a community of professors, researchers, and intellectuals emerged, populating these bodies. The age of the enthusiastic amateur the gentleman scientist or collector was over. These learned ladies and gentlemen increasingly saw themselves as separate and removed from the rest of society: as a caste of academic guardians, responsible for uncovering and safekeeping the secrets of the universe. This gave rise to the concept of pure science, composed of independent intellectuals, divorced from society. On the one hand, this enduring, deep-rooted notion of pure science has played a certain progressive role, encouraging academics to pursue knowledge for knowledges sake, free from immediate practical or financial concerns, or from any utilitarian impact of their studies. As Leon Trotsky explains: From the socio-historic standpoint, science is utilitarian. But this does not at all mean that each scientist approaches problems of research from a utilitarian point of view. No! Most often scholars are motivated by their passion for knowledge, and the more significant a mans discovery, the less is he able as a general rule to foresee in advance its possible practical applications.[34] On the other hand, purely theoretical ivory tower science has a tendency to become so detached from the rest of the world that it devolves into meaningless pedantry and sophistry, allowing idealism to creep into science. This can be seen today in the field of theoretical physics, where armchair academics debate the possibility of 10-dimensional space-time composed of vibrating strings, judging the correctness of their hypotheses solely according to the aesthetic qualities (or otherwise) of their equations. Philosophy and ideology Science must ultimately be linked to and refreshed by practical, social activity. However, science is not merely a continuous advance of technologies and techniques. It is also a body of theoretical knowledge that provides a framework for further investigations and applications. Scientists therefore also require a conscious philosophical method to guide their explorations; to help illuminate the path that researchers should pursue. The hyper-specialisation seen in contemporary science, however, whilst necessary given the vast scale of existing knowledge and research that academics must collectively cover, is not conducive to such an outlook. Given the material pressures and anarchy of competition outlined above, most academics do not have the time, means, or freedom to thoroughly discuss, debate, and dissent; to collaborate and cross-fertilise ideas; to explore and test trailblazing hypotheses and methods; to step back and think about the bigger questions. In fact, more often than not, there is a disdain towards or rejection of philosophy (perhaps unsurprisingly, given what passes for philosophy in most universities these days). Instead, science today tends to be conducted according to a narrow form of empiricism, based solely on an examination of the facts, without any appreciation of the wider perspective, underlying processes, or many-sidedness of the problem under scrutiny. And this dearth of philosophy in science is one of the many factors contributing towards its present impasse. Without a conscious philosophy, scientists are just as prone as laymen to unconsciously adopt the philosophical prejudices that predominate in society. Inevitably, these are the ideas emanating from the ruling class. For many, the role of science in society is sacrosanct and unquestionable. Scientists and the institution of science as a whole are assumed to be infallible and objective: free of any bias; uninfluenced by the petty politics and societal pressures that the rest of us imperfect beings succumb to and worry about. But science is not a mystical force, existing external to society. Rather, it is a set of institutions, composed of living human beings, situated in a real material world, subject to and shaped by the same economic, social, and political forces as the rest of us. This includes all the pressures and prejudices that come with class society, which seep into science and affect the outlook of those operating within it. Science itself emerged with the earliest separation between mental and manual labour, which arose with the division of society into classes. For the first time in history, a layer of society was freed from manual labour to develop writing, mathematics, and astronomy. Ever since these early beginnings of science, it has thus been the preserve of a privileged minority. This is as true today as it was of the priests of Egypt. To expect science to be impartial in a wage-slave society, Lenin therefore stresses, is as foolishly naive as to expect impartiality from manufacturers on the question of whether workers wages ought not to be increased by decreasing the profits of capital.[35] In the final analysis, as with all other aspects of society, it is the interests of the ruling class that mould and direct science. As Marx and Engels explain in the German Ideology, those at the top regulate the production and distribution of the ideas of their age: thus their ideas are the ruling ideas of the epoch.[36] Advances of science continually force a retreat of mysticism and idealism. But these pernicious trends will never fully be expunged from science, as long as class society exists. Idealistic tendencies will always reappear, seeking to pull the wool over our eyes, in order to justify and maintain the current state of affairs. A section of the dwarf galaxy Wolf-Lundmark-Melotte imaged by the James Webb Telescope / Image: public domain For the ruling class, real insight into how the universe works can be dangerous. Such a worldview reveals nature and society to be dynamic and changing, not rigid and static. Such an understanding removes the God-given basis for the present order, and provides ordinary people with the perspective that the status quo can be transformed and overturned, threatening the position and privileges of those at the top. That is why the establishment down the ages has resisted or even outright repressed major materialist advancements in science: from the Churchs repression of Galileo, as a champion of Copernican heliocentrism; to the bourgeois scorn and scepticism poured on Darwins theories of evolution. And it is why obscurantist ideas are constantly promoted within the sciences today: from the idealistic Copenhagen interpretation of quantum mechanics; to the solipsistic denials of objective reality referred to above. The pessimism of the ruling class in its advanced state of decay; its turn away from reality towards irrationalism; its cynical promotion of mysticism to support and justify its rule: all of these weigh down upon and oppress the minds of men and women, not least in the sciences. It is for this reason that Marxists must take an active interest in the debates taking place within modern science; and why we, as Lenin stated, have an absolute duty to enlist all adherents of consistent and militant materialism in the joint work of combating philosophical reaction and the philosophical prejudices of so-called educated society.[37] Communist potential All of these factors are holding science and thus society in general back. These fetters, at root, are the product of capitalism, which, through the anarchy of the market, the private ownership over the means of production, and the logic of profit, creates crisis, scarcity, and waste across society. Meanwhile, profound alienation breeds a sense of distrust and scepticism among broad layers towards all the pillars of the existing order, including official science. This can be seen by the growing support for conspiracy theories and religious fundamentalism, and for the charlatans and demagogues who push these ideas, quite often for political purposes. In turn, as the crisis of capitalism deepens, the ruling class is increasingly eroding and attacking the conditions of scientists themselves. The academic profession is being proletarianised. Professors, lecturers, and researchers are being pulled down from their ivory towers, and into the working class. And they are getting organised in order to fight back against university bosses. In Britain, for example, education workers across the board in schools, colleges, and campuses have repeatedly taken strike action in recent years over jobs, wages, and workloads. Similarly, staff at Nature and other leading science journals have walked out recently in a dispute over pay. This confirms Marxs assertion: that capitalism has stripped of its halo every occupation hitherto honoured and looked up to with reverent awe. It has converted the physician, the lawyer, the priest, the poet, the man of science, into its paid wage labourers.[38] But it also shows the way forward for liberating science from its current shackles. As a component part of the organised working class, scientists need to fight to upend this rotten system; to kick capitalism and imperialism out of education; and to convert universities from sources of private profit into sanctuaries of learning, by placing them under the democratic control of staff and students. Only by overthrowing capitalism, and ending class society altogether, can we eliminate the pressures of profit and competition from academia; abolish the rigid divide between mental and manual labour, opening up education and culture to millions hitherto excluded from it; and rid science of all traces of idealism, mysticism, and obscurantism. The scientific insights made by Marx and Engels, on the basis of dialectical materialism, offer a glimpse of the potential for science, if only it were placed on thoroughly rational foundations, with research guided by human need, not private profit. With a socialist planned economy, we could consciously and democratically organise society, applying scientific methods and understanding to all areas of nature and human activity. Instead of a cleavage between theory and practice, science would be inseparable from daily life, with different fields and disciplines brought under one umbrella, in pursuit of a common goal. On the one hand, science under socialism would be closely linked to practical social needs. On the other, scientists would be provided with the time and resources needed to conduct broader research into new theories and ideas. On this basis, we could slash the hours of the working week; provide ordinary people with the leisure time and resources to pursue science, politics, and culture; and thereby involve the masses in the running of production. Science would therefore no longer be the preserve of an elite an aloof and alien institution, disconnected from the rest of society but a part of everyones lives. Every worker and peasant currently trapped and exploited in the factories and fields would gain access to quality cradle-to-grave education and learning, giving the whole of humanity the opportunity to fulfil their scientific and artistic potential, and become the next Galileo, Darwin, or Einstein. This would open up a new chapter in human history, allowing science and culture to flourish once again. Under communism, new vistas of research will open up. New ideas and ways of seeing the world will spring forth. And a new thirst for knowledge and creative appetite will emerge inside every man, woman, and child. Thus the socialist revolution will pave the way for a new golden age of scientific revolution. That is what we the communists are fighting for. References [1] An Existential Crisis for Science, Institute for Policy Research, 28 February, 2024 [2] M Park, E Leahey, R J Funk, Papers and patents are becoming less disruptive over time, Nature, No. 613, 2023, pg 138-144 [3] ibid. [4] ibid. [5] ibid. [6] N Bloom et al., Are Ideas Getting Harder to Find?, American Economic Review, Vol. 110, No. 4, 2020, pg 1104-1144 [7] M Baker, 1,500 scientists lift the lid on reproducibility, Nature, No. 533, 2016, pg 452 [8] C G Begley, L M Ellis, Raise standards for preclinical cancer research, Nature, No. 483, 2012, pg 531; and F Prinz, T Schlange, K Asadullah, Believe it or not: how much can we rely on published data on potential drug targets?, Nature Reviews Drug Discovery, No. 10, 2011, pg 712 [9] R McKie, The situation has become appalling: fake scientific papers push research credibility to crisis point, The Guardian, 3 February, 2024 [10] R Van Noorden, More than 10,000 research papers were retracted in 2023 a new record, Nature, No. 624, 2023, pg 479 [11] Quoted in H Devlin, James Webb telescope detects evidence of ancient universe breaker galaxies, The Guardian, 22 February 2023 [12] A Witze, Four revelations from the Webb telescope about distant galaxies, Nature, No. 608, 2022, pg 18-19 [13] E Lerner, The Big Bang Never Happened, Simon and Schuster, 1991, pg 4 [14] J D Bernal, Science in History, Watts and Co., 1954, pg 13 [15] F Engels, Anti-Duhring, Wellred Books, 2017, pg 50 [16] V I Lenin, Materialism and Empirio-criticism, Wellred Books, 2021, pg 105 [17] ibid. pg 107 [18] F Engels, Ludwig Feuerbach and the End of Classical German Philosophy, Karl Marx Frederick Engels Collected Works, Vol. 26, Progress Publishers, 1990, pg 359 [19] F Engels, Dialectics of Nature, Karl Marx Frederick Engels Collected Works, Vol. 25, Progress Publishers, 1987, pg 520 [20] T Kuhn, The Structure of Scientific Revolutions, Fourth Edition, University of Chicago Press, 2012, pg 24 [21] ibid. pg 53 [22] ibid, pg 52 [23] ibid, pg 93-94 [24] ibid. [25] J D Bernal, Science in History, Watts and Co., 1954, pg 28 [26] ibid. [27] ibid. pg 29 [28] ibid. pg x [29] ibid, pg 23 [30] F Engels, Anti-Duhring, Wellred Books, 2017, pg 31 [31] J D Bernal, The Social Function of Science, Routledge and Sons, 1946, pg 27 [32] M Peel, E Olcott, China-US tensions erode co-operation on science and tech, Financial Times, 19 August, 2024 [33] W Tan, Is arXiv a monopoly bully in scientific publication?, Perfectly Imperfect Mirrors, 15 May, 2021 [34] L Trotsky, Dialectical Materialism and Science, The New International, Vol. 6, No. 1, 1940, pg 31 [35] V I Lenin, The Three Sources and Three Component Parts of Marxism, Lenin Collected Works, Vol. 19, Progress Publishers, 1977, pg 21 [36] K Marx, F Engels, The German Ideology, Progress Publishers, 1976, pg 67 [37] V I Lenin, On the Significance of Militant Materialism, Lenin Collected Works, Vol. 33. Progress Publishers, 1966, pg 228 [38] K Marx, F Engels, The Communist Manifesto, The Classics of Marxism, Vol. 1, Wellred Books, 2013, pg 5-6 Because Wisconsin residents could see their food assistance benefits pause in November due to the ongoing government shutdown, Family Sharing of Ozaukee County is helping people with food insecurity as well as providing ways for people to help others. Family Sharing of Ozaukee County, which has been operational for five decades, provides food to people in need through its mobile pantry, Bags in Backpacks program to children in local schools and its senior delivery program. This is how to receive food assistance, and this is how to help: Summer White, 27, discusses what losing FoodShare benefits would mean to her and her children while outside Kinship Community Food Center on East Clark Street in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on Oct. 30, 2025. Nearly 700,000 Wisconsin residents could see their food assistance benefits pause in November amid the ongoing government shutdown. If I receive SNAP benefits, what should I do? Recipients of Wisconsin's food assistance program can use any remaining balance on their accounts to buy food throughout November, according to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If you need grocery assistance, call 262-377-0634. The people at Family Sharing of Ozaukee County will set up an appointment and explain how the pantry can help you. How can I help someone who is worried about getting food? To help people in the Ozaukee County area who are struggling with food, here is what you can do: Donate to the food pantry or make a financial contribution. People can make a financial donation to its website at familysharingozaukee.org/how-to-help. Hold a food drive. Anyone interested can reach out to Family Sharing of Ozaukee County at 262-377-0634. Donate quality and sellable items to its resale boutique. Shop at the resale boutique when it is open. Volunteer at the food pantry and encourage family, friends and coworkers to do so. What areas do the mobile pantry go to and how does it work? The mobile pantry travels to the communities of Belgium (Luxembourg American Cultural Society & Center, 100 Peter Thien Ave.) and Mequon (Concordia University, 12800 N. Lake Shore Drive) as well as the Waubeka Fire Department, W4114 River Road, and Thiensville Fire Department, 250 Elm St. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its upcoming dates and hours for the Belgium mobile food pantry are 1:45 to 2:15 p.m. Nov. 13; Waubeka at 2:15 to 3 p.m. Nov. 13, Mequon, 1 to 1:30 p.m. Nov. 6, 20 and Dec. 11; and at Thiensville from 2 to 2:30 p.m. Nov 6, 20 and Dec 11. To go to one of these mobile sites for the first time, people will need: First and last name of everyone in the household Each 18-year-old adult needs a driver's license or state-issued identification and proof of residence in Ozaukee County Every child under 18 needs a current insurance card or school identification. To make an appointment, call 262-256-0020. How can I sign my child up for the Bags in Backpack program to get food? To sign up for the Bags in Backpack program, contact the office at your child's school or call 262-377-0634, ext. 125. How does the Senior Delivery work? Family Sharing of Ozaukee County visits five senior complexes on alternating Thursdays where the volunteers will deliver groceries. If calling for the first time, you need to provide the main contact's phone number and address and the first and last name of everyone in the household. To schedule a delivery, call 262-377-0634, ext. 125. What are the hours for the Family Sharing of Ozaukee County's food pantry? Family Sharing of Ozaukee County is open for shopping by appointment for Ozaukee County residents from 10 a.m. to 1 pm. Tuesdays; 2 to 4 p.m. on Wednesdays and the second Saturday of each month from 9 to 11 a.m. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It is located at 1002 Overland Court, Grafton. When is the Resale Boutique open? To donate or to shop at the Resale Boutique, the hours at 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. It is closed on Sunday and Monday. Where is the resale pantry and the boutique? Both the resale pantry and the boutique are both at 1002 Overland Court, Grafton. Where can I get more information? Visit familysharingozaukee.org or call 262-377-0634. More: SNAP benefits are running out for almost 700,000 Wisconsinites. Here's how you can help. More: 'There was nothing in the cooler': Milwaukeeans brace for stall in FoodShare payments Cathy Kozlowicz can be reached at 262-361-9132 or cathy.kozlowicz@jrn.com. Follow her on X at @kozlowicz_cathy. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Ozaukee County nonprofit helps those facing food insecurity amid shutdown Carlos Gomez, a federal employee based in San Antonio, Texas, has been relying on a local food bank to feed his family during the government shutdown. "I have a very large family, so it's getting kind of hard. Whether the government is shut down or not, bills need to get paid," Gomez said. "I tell people, don't ever be ashamed to ask for help," he added. Nearly a month into the shutdown, food banks across the country are already straining to meet rising demand from hundreds of thousands of federal workers who are furloughed or working without pay. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Now, they are bracing for an even bigger surge. More than one in eight Americans depend on food stamps from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, but those benefits are set to lapse on Saturday, Nov. 1, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. SNAP recipients receive an average of $187 a month on a prepaid card to buy groceries, and many families rely on those benefits as their main source of money for food. The Community Table Food Bank in Arvada, Colorado, was so inundated with people on Thursday that it had to temporarily close. But not before Danielle Brann, a SNAP recipient, was able to get some essentials, including ham and crackers and cans of spaghetti sauce. "The line started at 9 o'clock this morning and I don't remember ever seeing it this busy. I mean, they're turning people away. So it's more of a demand for sure," Brann said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Delaware County, Pennsylvania, the Loaves and Fishes Food Pantry also had to turn people away on Tuesday, because food is leaving the shelves faster than it can be restocked. "We're supposed to serve more people and want to do that, but we don't have as much food to put on the shelves," said the Rev. Christopher Heisey-Terrell, who runs the food pantry. In Philadelphia, the Share Food Program is bracing for Nov. 1, but has already seen an onslaught of new people at food pantries across the region. "For organizations like us already dealing with an increase in need and less resources than we've had in recent years, it's going to be a greater challenge than anything we've ever dealt with before," said George Matysik, the food bank's executive director. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mario Partee, executive director of the Community Care Food and Clothing Pantry in southern New Jersey, echoed the concerns. "We are certainly in uncharted territory," Partee said. "This has never happened before." Meanwhile, some states are stepping in to bridge the gap. Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker signed an executive order Thursday to provide $20 million to food banks. In the state of New York, where nearly 3 million people are at risk of losing their SNAP benefits, Gov. Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency and announced $65 million in funding for food banks. Staff at New York Common Pantry in Manhattan, one of New York City's busiest food sites, said Wednesday was their single busiest day ever, serving 585 families, including 80 first-time visitors, who came after finding out their benefits may expire in days. House lawmakers told their paychecks are delayed until government reopens What to expect from Trump meeting with Xi Jinping Video shows massive damage in Jamaica from Hurricane Melissa Keith Pounds stands in front of the Roadrunner Food Bank food distribution in Albuquerque on Oct. 31, 2025. (Patrick Lohmann/SourceNM) Leaders of New Mexicos largest food banks said theyre seeing sharp increases in demand for food donations in distribution lines amid the looming disappearance of federal food assistance funding beginning Saturday. Approximately 250 people lined up Friday morning at the weekly Roadrunner Food Bank distribution in Albuquerque, about 100 more than usual, organizers told Source New Mexico. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And earlier this week in Santa Fe, The Food Depot ran out of food after serving 135 people at a distribution that typically serves less than 100, Executive Director Jill Dixon told Source in a text message. Organizers said the uptick in demand reflects the widespread uncertainty about what the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program will look like beginning Nov. 1. Two federal judges issued orders Friday that block the Trump administration from cutting off SNAP benefits. In one case, the judge gave the Trump administration until Monday to respond to her findings. On Wednesday, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham announced $30 million in emergency funding to cover SNAP recipients through approximately the first 10 days of the month. She said Friday in a statement the state would proceed with that plan, despite the federal rulings. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Because I have zero confidence in the Trump administration to release these SNAP funds by tomorrow, or even by early next week, New Mexico will keep its promise to deliver $30 million in state-funded benefits to those who qualify on Saturday, Lujan Grisham said. This ensures that New Mexicans will be able to keep food on their tables for the next 10 days, regardless of the federal government shutdown or Trump administration inaction. Over the weekend, the states roughly 460,000 SNAP recipients will receive a payment equaling 30% of their typical monthly food assistance benefit, Health Care Authority Secretary Kari Armijo told Source New Mexico on Friday in a phone interview. The money will arrive to all SNAP recipients, including those who typically receive their benefits later in the month. Recipients can expect text messages soon with more details, as well as phone numbers to call in case issues arise, she said. At this point we are not anticipating any delays, she said. Were telling New Mexicans that if they dont have their benefits by Monday, they should give us a call. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As they stood toward the front of a growing food line around 9 a.m. Friday morning in Albuquerque, Keith Pounds struck up a conversation with Jeana Morgan and her son Jimmy about how theyre going to feed their families in November. They could be overheard planning how to make do with one-third of what they typically rely on in November amid rising grocery prices. Jimmy Morgan and his mother, Jeana, stand in line Friday morning at the Roadrunner Food Bank distribution. (Patrick Lohmann/SourceNM) Somethings better than nothing, Jimmy Morgan said. Yeah, its something, his mother said. But Pounds, who is disabled, said he is supporting his three brothers, whove been unable to get food assistance. He worried aloud about how theyll all eat in November. I try and catch every food bank I can, even with my feet and my legs the way they are, he said. Life is hard, dude. You cant afford to eat. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Even with the state providing benefits in the interim, Joseph Greenwood, a programs manager at Roadrunner Food Bank, told Source that the food bank expects continued high demand through November. He looked over the growing food line Friday and said it reminded him of lines during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. He anticipated the food bank would give out an entire truckload of food by noon. He said the states $30 million stop-gap, along with an $8 million investment for statewide food banks the Legislature approved during a special session at the beginning of the month, provide a shot in the arm to help feed New Mexicans, but its doesnt come close to satisfying statewide hunger needs. But Edmundo Maestas, who grew up in the International District, was relieved to learn Friday morning from a reporter that the state would give him about $35 for food over the weekend. Even though its one-third of what he normally gets, he thought he wasnt getting anything through Thanksgiving. Maybe I can buy a turkey now, he said. A volunteer stocks produce at the Independence Food Basket, a food pantry operated by the Community Access Center in Independence, Kan. Like other food pantries across the country, the organization has been providing food assistance to more families even before a disruption to the federal food stamp program. (Photo by Kevin Hardy/Stateline) INDEPENDENCE, Kan. Just a few years ago, the Community Access Centers food pantry here served up to 250 families per month. But that figure has skyrocketed as the price of groceries has pinched more and more families. Now, the small food pantry serves about 450 families a month in this community of about 8,500 people. Serving that growing number has become increasingly difficult with the high cost of food, cuts in federal aid and an unprecedented disruption in the nations largest food assistance program looming. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Chris Mitchell, who leads the nonprofit that operates the Independence Food Basket and provides other services, said the amount the organization spends on food to supplement donated items increased from $1,700 per month in 2018 to $4,000 per month now. And thats getting it from the food bank without taxes, he said. Like other providers across the country, the Independence Food Basket is bracing for a spike in demand when an estimated 42 million people are expected to lose access to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, commonly known as SNAP. Monthly benefits will not be provided beginning Saturday because of the ongoing federal government shutdown. The unparalleled stress of a SNAP disruption on food pantries and the food banks that collect, warehouse and distribute food comes at a time when they were already stretched thin. High grocery prices have pushed more Americans to look to food banks for help. But organizations providing food relief have lost more than $1 billion in federal aid and are bracing for the impacts of legislation that will permanently limit the reach of SNAP. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Food banks now are asking local governments and donors to step in as they prepare for long lines. Many operations have increased orders ahead of the expected SNAP chaos, though some food pantries say they may have to ration food if supplies dwindle too quickly. Youd have to be living under a rock somewhere to not know that the prices of groceries went up and stayed up, Mitchell said. Now, youre going to take away the means that people in poverty can afford food. Chris Mitchell, director of the Community Access Center in Independence, Kan., shows the stock of frozen meats at the organizations Independence Food Basket. The nonprofit food pantry is spending more to purchase food as high grocery prices increase demand from the public. (Photo by Kevin Hardy/Stateline) The rising price of food has driven up not just visits to pantries, but also costs for the charitable food system in recent years. Social service providers also are bracing for the impact of permanent changes to food stamps and other social services enacted in President Donald Trumps major tax and spending law signed in July. The first in a wave of cutbacks to SNAP ended exemptions from work requirements for older adults, homeless people, veterans and some rural residents, likely pushing millions out of the food stamp program. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The administration also has pulled direct aid to food banks. The U.S. Department of Agriculture in March nixed more than $1 billion from two programs that helped food banks and school meal programs buy local foods including fruits, vegetables and proteins. Also this spring, the administration abruptly cut $500 million from a program that sends domestically produced meat, dairy, eggs and produce to food banks. The items that were delivered through The Emergency Food Assistance Program were some of the healthiest, most expensive items organizations distribute, ProPublica reported. In Missouri alone, that move canceled 124 scheduled deliveries to food banks, including 146,400 pounds of cheese, 433,070 pounds of canned and frozen chicken and 1.2 million eggs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Food banks have been operating on fumes since the pandemic, said Gina Plata-Nino, interim SNAP director at the Food Research & Action Center, a national nonprofit working to address poverty-related hunger. As much as we love the food banks and the superhero work that theyre doing, they can only do so much. Already rising demand Plata-Nino said food banks and food pantries were intended as emergency food aid, but have become a way of life for many who struggle to afford groceries. A disruption in SNAP benefits will cause millions to make impossible decisions about how to stretch their limited dollars, Plata-Nino said. She noted that the majority of SNAP recipients make less than $1,100 per month. (The liberal-leaning Center on Budget and Policy Priorities estimates the average SNAP benefit this fiscal year is about $188 per month per person.) People are already making really difficult choices, she said, and I hate to call it a choice, because its not a choice when you dont have one. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Texas, the San Antonio Food Bank has been responding to a surge in need from furloughed federal workers. With major Defense Department operations across the area, San Antonio is home to the largest number of federal employees in Texas. Eric Cooper, the food banks president and chief executive officer, estimates it will serve about 50,000 more people who have gone without paychecks this month. Each year, the food bank serves about 577,000 people across 29 counties. He recalled one furloughed U.S. Social Security Administration employee who recently visited for the first time. Though she weathered previous shutdowns, she now takes care of her grandchildren. Shes like, Hey, I showed up to get food because I dont know if Im going to get paid, and I cant let my grandbabies go hungry, Cooper said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Given the disruption to SNAP, Cooper said the food bank has been gearing up to not only increase inventory but also manage limited supplies and heightened emotions among the public. Should the demand start to outpace our supply, we will start to ration, he said. Rather than giving a weeks worth of food or two weeks worth of food, were going to be giving less. Generally, the need for free food spikes during times of natural disasters or recessions, said Michelle Ness, executive director of PRISM, a nonprofit providing housing and food assistance in suburban Minneapolis. Right now, food shelves are at just about the max capacity we can handle. Michelle Ness, executive director of PRISM But Minnesota food shelves, known as food pantries in other parts of the country, have seen a 150% increase in visits since the pandemic, she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is during nonemergency times, nondisaster times needs are going way up, she said. Right now, food shelves are at just about the max capacity we can handle. To meet the projected increase in demand because of the SNAP disruption, Ness said her organizations food shelf is considering launching a sort of express lane that would allow people to quickly pick up prepackaged boxes of food. She hopes donors will increase their giving to avoid rationing food. If anything, I would like to be able to give out more food, because people will have greater needs without getting SNAP benefits, she said. Thats a lot of food that theyre not going to have to fill their refrigerator and cupboards. A daily necessity While nonprofits happily take donated food items, much of the stock is purchased. And that doesnt come cheap even with discounts for purchasing foods in bulk from nonprofit food banks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Food Group, a Minneapolis food bank that supplies PRISM and other operators, has had to raise its prices and cut back on certain expensive items including eggs, said Executive Director Sophia Lenarz-Coy. In the past year, The Food Group has raised its wholesale prices of spaghetti by 26%. Jasmine rice has gone up 6%, and dry potatoes have increased 11%. Between 2022 and 2025, a case of frozen ground beef has increased from just under $50 to $63.08 a 28% spike. Cases of margarine have risen 39% over that time, and diced tomatoes have gone up 23%. I think its really hard to overstate just how grocery prices have changed in the last three years, said Lenarz-Coy. While higher earners can make adjustments in their monthly budgets, she noted that food is often the only flexible item in lower-income household budgets. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Housing costs, how much you need to pay for transportation or medical costs or day care those are all fixed costs, she said. The place where people can flex is on food, but those flexes just dont get you as much as they used to. Back in southeast Kansas, Mitchell, of the Community Access Center, has come to appreciate the urgency of hunger. Mitchell previously worked in homeless services. Oftentimes, people can get by temporarily staying with friends and families, but food is a constant, daily need, he noted. Its like going without liquid, he said. You just dont last very long without it. And thats probably what hurts me the most about this cutoff. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The looming SNAP disruption has him bracing for panic among those who rely on the pantry. The per capita annual income in Independence is just under $30,000, and about a quarter of all children live in poverty, according to U.S. Census Bureau figures. To meet surging demand, Mitchell is considering further limiting the pantrys already rationed offerings, whether families have one person or six in the household. That kills my heart, he said. But thats so everybody gets some. Ive got this many people, and Ive got to make sure that I can put something in each hand. Located inside a beige cinderblock building, the one-room food pantry is set up like a grocery store, with freezers for meats, refrigerators for fresh veggies and shopping carts for browsing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mitchell is proud to offer that kind of choice for people, which makes the process more dignified and reduces the likelihood that food goes to waste. But a rush of visits next week and concerns about hoarding and public safety may force the nonprofit to reinstate its pandemic-era practice of handing out prepackaged boxes outdoors. It feels like going backwards, Mitchell said. Stateline reporter Kevin Hardy can be reached at khardy@stateline.org. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Oct. 31INDEPENDENCE, Kan. Just a few years ago, the Community Access Center's food pantry here served up to 250 families per month. But that figure has skyrocketed as the price of groceries has pinched more and more families. Now, the small food pantry serves about 450 families a month in this community of about 8,500 people. Serving that growing number has become increasingly difficult with the high cost of food, cuts in federal aid and an unprecedented disruption in the nation's largest food assistance program looming. Chris Mitchell, who leads the nonprofit that operates the Independence Food Basket and provides other services, said the amount the organization spends on food to supplement donated items increased from $1,700 per month in 2018 to $4,000 per month now. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "And that's getting it from the food bank without taxes," he said. Like other providers across the country, the Independence Food Basket is bracing for a spike in demand when an estimated 42 million people are expected to lose access to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, commonly known as SNAP. Monthly benefits will not be provided beginning Saturday because of the ongoing federal government shutdown. The unparalleled stress of a SNAP disruption on food pantries and the food banks that collect, warehouse and distribute food comes at a time when they were already stretched thin. High grocery prices have pushed more Americans to look to food banks for help. But organizations providing food relief have lost more than $1 billion in federal aid and are bracing for the impacts of legislation that will permanently limit the reach of SNAP. Food banks now are asking local governments and donors to step in as they prepare for long lines. Many operations have increased orders ahead of the expected SNAP chaos, though some food pantries say they may have to ration food if supplies dwindle too quickly. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "You'd have to be living under a rock somewhere to not know that the prices of groceries went up and stayed up," Mitchell said. "Now, you're going to take away the means that people in poverty can afford food." Chris Mitchell, director of the Community Access Center in Independence, Kan., shows the stock of frozen meats at the organization's Independence Food Basket.Chris Mitchell, director of the Community Access Center in Independence, Kan., shows the stock of frozen meats at the organization's Independence Food Basket. The nonprofit food pantry is spending more to purchase food as high grocery prices increase demand from the public. (Photo by Kevin Hardy/Stateline) The rising price of food has driven up not just visits to pantries, but also costs for the charitable food system in recent years. Social service providers also are bracing for the impact of permanent changes to food stamps and other social services enacted in President Donald Trump's major tax and spending law signed in July. The first in a wave of cutbacks to SNAP ended exemptions from work requirements for older adults, homeless people, veterans and some rural residents, likely pushing millions out of the food stamp program. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The administration also has pulled direct aid to food banks. The U.S. Department of Agriculture in March nixed more than $1 billion from two programs that helped food banks and school meal programs buy local foods including fruits, vegetables and proteins. Also this spring, the administration abruptly cut $500 million from a program that sends domestically produced meat, dairy, eggs and produce to food banks. The items that were delivered through The Emergency Food Assistance Program were some of the healthiest, most expensive items organizations distribute, ProPublica reported. In Missouri alone, that move canceled 124 scheduled deliveries to food banks, including 146,400 pounds of cheese, 433,070 pounds of canned and frozen chicken and 1.2 million eggs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Food banks have been operating on fumes since the pandemic," said Gina Plata-Nino, interim SNAP director at the Food Research & Action Center, a national nonprofit working to address poverty-related hunger. "As much as we love the food banks and the superhero work that they're doing, they can only do so much." Already rising demand Plata-Nino said food banks and food pantries were intended as emergency food aid, but have become "a way of life" for many who struggle to afford groceries. A disruption in SNAP benefits will cause millions to make impossible decisions about how to stretch their limited dollars, Plata-Nino said. She noted that the majority of SNAP recipients make less than $1,100 per month. (The liberal-leaning Center on Budget and Policy Priorities estimates the average SNAP benefit this fiscal year is about $188 per month per person.) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "People are already making really difficult choices," she said, "and I hate to call it a choice, because it's not a choice when you don't have one." In Texas, the San Antonio Food Bank has been responding to a surge in need from furloughed federal workers. With major Defense Department operations across the area, San Antonio is home to the largest number of federal employees in Texas. Eric Cooper, the food bank's president and chief executive officer, estimates it will serve about 50,000 more people who have gone without paychecks this month. Each year, the food bank serves about 577,000 people across 29 counties. He recalled one furloughed U.S. Social Security Administration employee who recently visited for the first time. Though she weathered previous shutdowns, she now takes care of her grandchildren. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "She's like, 'Hey, I showed up to get food because I don't know if I'm going to get paid, and I can't let my grandbabies go hungry,'" Cooper said. Given the disruption to SNAP, Cooper said the food bank has been gearing up to not only increase inventory but also manage limited supplies and heightened emotions among the public. "Should the demand start to outpace our supply, we will start to ration," he said. "Rather than giving a week's worth of food or two weeks' worth of food, we're going to be giving less." Generally, the need for free food spikes during times of natural disasters or recessions, said Michelle Ness, executive director of PRISM, a nonprofit providing housing and food assistance in suburban Minneapolis. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Right now, food shelves are at just about the max capacity we can handle. Michelle Ness, executive director of PRISM But Minnesota food shelves, known as food pantries in other parts of the country, have seen a 150% increase in visits since the pandemic, she said. "This is during nonemergency times, nondisaster times needs are going way up," she said. "Right now, food shelves are at just about the max capacity we can handle." To meet the projected increase in demand because of the SNAP disruption, Ness said her organization's food shelf is considering launching a sort of express lane that would allow people to quickly pick up prepackaged boxes of food. She hopes donors will increase their giving to avoid rationing food. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "If anything, I would like to be able to give out more food, because people will have greater needs without getting SNAP benefits," she said. "That's a lot of food that they're not going to have to fill their refrigerator and cupboards." A daily necessity While nonprofits happily take donated food items, much of the stock is purchased. And that doesn't come cheap even with discounts for purchasing foods in bulk from nonprofit food banks. The Food Group, a Minneapolis food bank that supplies PRISM and other operators, has had to raise its prices and cut back on certain expensive items including eggs, said Executive Director Sophia Lenarz-Coy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the past year, The Food Group has raised its wholesale prices of spaghetti by 26%. Jasmine rice has gone up 6%, and dry potatoes have increased 11%. Between 2022 and 2025, a case of frozen ground beef has increased from just under $50 to $63.08 a 28% spike. Cases of margarine have risen 39% over that time, and diced tomatoes have gone up 23%. "I think it's really hard to overstate just how grocery prices have changed in the last three years," said Lenarz-Coy. While higher earners can make adjustments in their monthly budgets, she noted that food is often the only flexible item in lower-income household budgets. "Housing costs, how much you need to pay for transportation or medical costs or day care those are all fixed costs," she said. "The place where people can flex is on food, but those flexes just don't get you as much as they used to." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Back in southeast Kansas, Mitchell, of the Community Access Center, has come to appreciate the urgency of hunger. Mitchell previously worked in homeless services. Oftentimes, people can get by temporarily staying with friends and families, but food is a constant, daily need, he noted. "It's like going without liquid," he said. "You just don't last very long without it. And that's probably what hurts me the most about this cutoff." The looming SNAP disruption has him bracing for panic among those who rely on the pantry. The per capita annual income in Independence is just under $30,000, and about a quarter of all children live in poverty, according to U.S. Census Bureau figures. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To meet surging demand, Mitchell is considering further limiting the pantry's already rationed offerings, whether families have one person or six in the household. "That kills my heart," he said. "But that's so everybody gets some. ... I've got this many people, and I've got to make sure that I can put something in each hand." Located inside a beige cinderblock building, the one-room food pantry is set up like a grocery store, with freezers for meats, refrigerators for fresh veggies and shopping carts for browsing. Mitchell is proud to offer that kind of choice for people, which makes the process more dignified and reduces the likelihood that food goes to waste. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But a rush of visits next week and concerns about hoarding and public safety may force the nonprofit to reinstate its pandemic-era practice of handing out prepackaged boxes outdoors. "It feels like going backwards," Mitchell said. Stateline reporter Kevin Hardy can be reached at [email protected]. YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE. TOPEKA (KSNT) Starting tomorrow, Nov. 1, Kansans who rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program will have their benefits shut off as the government shutdown goes past day 30. Kansas State Universitys (K-State) Research and Extension office for Shawnee County keeps a list of mobile food distributions and pantries in the county. According to K-State, its best to contact mobile food pantries ahead of time to make sure their services havent been rescheduled, canceled, or impacted by inclement weather or unforeseen circumstances. Food pantries serve communities and provide food directly to people in need. Food banks dont distribute food, but instead distribute it to pantries that serve their communities. The food bank for Shawnee County is Harvesters, according to K-State. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Heres a list of Trunk or Treat events in Topeka Below is a list of available food pantries for Shawnee County. The list was last updated by K-State in July 2025. You can find a map of available food pantries across the Sunflower State by clicking here. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSNT 27 News. Authorities said on Friday that three people suspected in a pair of Inland Empire food vendor robberies may have additional victims. Kimberly Martinez, 20, Nathaniel Flores, 26, and Alonzo Gonzalez, 19, were all arrested on Wednesday after they were identified as the suspects who robbed the same food vendor on two separate occasions earlier this year, the San Bernardino County Sheriffs Department said. The first incident occurred shortly after 11:30 p.m. on Aug. 30 when deputies responded to a strong-arm robbery at a food vendor stand near the intersection of Santa Ana Avenue and Cedar Avenue in the city of Bloomington. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The victims jewelry was taken from them by force by two suspects, the Sheriffs Department said. Deputies searched the area following the incident but were unable to locate the suspects. A few weeks later, shortly before 11:30 p.m. on Sept. 20, the robbery crew struck the same stand with two suspects again taking the victims jewelry before fleeing the area, the sheriffs department said. Kimberly Martinez is seen in an image provided by the San Bernardino County Sheriffs Department. Nathaniel Flores is seen in an image provided by the San Bernardino County Sheriffs Department. Alonzo Gonzalez is seen in an image provided by the San Bernardino County Sheriffs Department. Investigators worked on leads and eventually identified Martinez, who is from Victorville; Flores, who is from Bloomington; and Gonzalez, who is also from Bloomington, as suspects. Although each of their roles in the robberies was not described, each was arrested on suspicion of conspiracy and robbery with gang enhancement charges. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The victims in both robberies did not speak English and investigators believe there may be additional victims who are reluctant to contact law enforcement, the Sheriffs Department said. Anyone with additional information or who believes they were victimized by this crew was asked to contact Detective D. Pedersen at 909-356-6710. 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. Many are bracing for Nov. 1, when all FoodShare benefits in Wisconsin will halt while the U.S. government shutdown continues. Area food pantries are already preparing for a surge in visitors as a result of the missed payments in November. The Green Bay Press-Gazette put together a guide with food pantries in the area, what you need to bring to each pantry, and where you can find other community meals in the Green Bay area. What is happening to FoodShare benefits and why? It has now been a month since the government shut down. and the U.S. Senate won't again until Nov. 3. That comes after funding for the federal food assistance program expires on Nov. 1 and stops Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program payments from going out. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement About 700,000 Wisconsinites get benefits through FoodShare, the state's SNAP program. The state Department of Health Services doesn't have the money to cover the program and the U.S. Department of Agriculture said it would not use contingency funds to pay for SNAP in November. How many people in Brown County rely on FoodShare? In Brown County, over 26,600 people rely on FoodShare benefits this year, according to data from the state Department of Health Services. Regional food banks worry about the impact on local food pantries, which are already stretched wide. "This is not a program that the emergency food network was set up to replace," said Matt Stienstra, director of advocacy and community engagement of Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin. Where can I find food pantries in Brown County? Green Bay Calvary Lutheran Church , 1301 S. Ridge Road, Green Bay. Open 9-11 a.m. Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday. Bring a photo ID. One visit is allowed a month. Call 920-494-2431 or www.calvarygb.com/community. First Presbyterian Food Pantry of Green Bay , 200 S. Ashland Ave., Green Bay. 10 a.m.-noon on the second and fourth Tuesday of the month. Contact 920-437-8121 or firstpresgreenbay.org/presbyterian-pantry/. First United Methodist Church Good Will Place , 501 Howe St., Green Bay. 9-11 a.m. Tuesday. Green Bay residents in 54301-54302. Bring proof of residence and a photo ID. Contact 920-437-9252 or fumcgb.org/missions. Grace Lutheran Church , 321 S. Madison St., Green Bay. 1-3 p.m. Tuesday or 9-11 a.m. Friday. Call 920-432-0308 or gracegb.org/we-serve/. Green Bay First , 1460 Shawano Avenue, Green Bay. 4-6 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday, 11 a.m.-noon Sunday. No proof of residence needed. Contact 920-497-2800 or greenbayfirst.org/food-pantry/. Hope Center Pantry , 505 Clinton St., Green Bay. 1-3 p.m. Monday-Thursday. Proof of Brown County residence and photo ID. One visit per month. Call 920-437-3356 or hopecentergb.com/hope-center-pantry/. Living Hope Church , 1840 W. Mason St., Green Bay. 10 a.m.-noon first and third Wednesday of the month. No proof of residence or ID is required. Call 920-497-8022 or lhcgb.com/outreach-missions/food-pantry/. Manna for Life , 1545 University Ave., Green Bay. 10:30 a.m.-noon Monday-Friday. Contact 920-437-3629 or mannaforlifegb.org/meals/. Paul's Food Pantry , 1520 Leo Frigo Way, Green Bay. 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday. 9 a.m.-noon Saturday. New households must go through an interview process. Bring proof of residence, photo ID, proof of income. Contact 920-433-0343 or www.paulspantry.org. Resurrection Lutheran Church , 1024 Shawano Ave., Green Bay. 9-11 a.m. first, second, and third Thursday of the month. 5:30-7:30 p.m. fourth and fifth Thursday. For Brown County residents. Bring proof of residence and photo ID. One visit allowed per month. Contact 920-497-7052 or rlutherangb.com/food-pantry. Ruby's Food Pantry , 831 Schoen St., Green Bay. 5:30-7 p.m. second Monday of the month. Registration starts at 5 p.m. $25 cash donation required for a bag. Contact 920-465-0455 or rubyspantry.org/location/74. St. John Lutheran Church's The Stocked Shelves , 2700 Babcock Road, Green Bay. By appointment only between 9-11:30 a.m. Tuesday and Thursday. One visit allowed per month. Provide address, name of people in household. Call 920-499-1142, ext 1 or www.stjohnash.org/get-involved/. For Ashwaubenon and Green Bay residents only. St. Paul/San Pablo Lutheran Church, 514 S. Clay St., Green Bay. 4-5 p.m. second Friday of the month. No eligibility requirements. St. Willebrord Church , 209 S. Adams St., Green Bay. 9 a.m.-noon Tuesday. For Green Bay east-side residents. Proof of residence and photo ID. Contact 920-435-2016 or stwillys.org/en/ministries/. The Fridge at Joannes Park, 315 S. Baird St., Green Bay. Open 24/7. No eligibility requirements. www.thefridge.joannespark.org/ The Fridge at Seymour Park , 520 S. Oakland Ave., Green Bay. Open 24/7. https://thefridge.joannespark.org/ The Salvation Army , 626 Union Court, Green Bay. 2-4 p.m. Tuesday, 9:30-10:30 a.m. Wednesday, 2-4 p.m. Thursday. For Brown County residents. One visit a month. Contact 920-593-2379 or www.salvationarmyusa.org/usa-central-territory/. The Union Church Blessing Box , 716 S. Madison St., Green Bay. Outdoor food pantry open 24/7. No eligibility requirements. www.unionucc.com/ministries/ Trinity Lutheran Church, 330 S. Broadway, Green Bay, 9-11 a.m. Tuesday. One visit a month. Contact 920-437-8124 or www.trinitylutherangb.org/. Greenleaf Morrison Zion Lutheran Church , 7395 County W, Greenleaf. By appointment only at 8-10 a.m. on the first Saturday of the month. For Brown County residents. Contact 920-246-5435 or mzluth.org/donate/. Zion Lutheran Church-Wayside, 8378 County W, Morrison. By appointment only between 7:30-9:30 a.m. first Saturday of the month. No eligibility requirements. Bring brown bags. Students NWTC Shared Harvest Pantry, Student Involvement at Northeast Wisconsin Technical College, 2740 W. Mason St., 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday. For NWTC students. Bring your student ID. Email NWTC Student Involvement at student.involvement@nwtc.edu. UWGB Campus Cupboard , 2420 Nicolet Drive, Green Bay. 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Friday. For UWGB students. Bring a photo ID. www.uwgb.edu/cupboard/. The Giving Tree, 600 Cardinal Lane, Howard-Suamico School District. hssdschools.org/community/the-giving-tree. Oneida Oneida Emergency Food Pantry, N7372 Water Circle Place, Oneida. 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday. For Oneida Nation members. Apply and bring Oneida Tribal ID. Call 920-869-6165 or oneida-nsn.gov. Denmark Denmark Community Cupboard , grocery delivery to your door the second Tuesday of the month. Must be a Denmark resident. Sign up at denmarkcommunitycupboard.org. Provide the names of everyone in the household. Call 920-786-0525. Ruby's Food Pantry, 435 Wisconsin Ave., Denmark. 4:30-6 p.m. fourth Tuesday of the month. $25 cash donation required for a bag. Registration starts at 4 p.m. No eligibility requirements. Contact 920-241-3931 or www.facebook.com/rubysdenmark. De Pere De Pere Christian Outreach , 1827 Chicago St., De Pere. Call ahead by 10 a.m. Monday for pickups at 10 a.m.-noon Wednesday. Leave a message with your name, phone number, and number of adults and kids. Bring proof of residence, photo ID, and total household income. For De Pere residents only. Contact 920-336-9718 or www.deperechristianoutreach.org. St. Mark Lutheran Church, 2066 Lawrence Drive, De Pere. Call 920-784-1113. For De Pere residents only. Up to two visits a month only. Pulaski Pulaski Community Pantry, 234 W. Town Road, Pulaski. 1-4 p.m. first and third Tuesday of the month. Pulaski School District residents only. Bring proof of residence and income. Contact 920-822-6050 or www.pulaskischools.org/community/pulaski-food-pantry. Where can I find community meal programs? The Salvation Army , 626 Union Court, serves lunch to anyone at 11:15 a.m.-12:15 p.m. Monday through Friday in the fellowship hall. Arrive by 11:10 a.m. To-go meals are also available. More information is at centralusa.salvationarmy.org/greenbay/cure-hunger/. Aging and Disability Resource Center of Brown County, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Monday-Friday at the ADRC of Brown County, 300 S. Adams St., and 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Monday-Friday at Curative Connections, 2900 Curry Lane. No reservations are necessary at the ADRC, but signups are required at adrcofbrowncounty.org. Call a day in advance at Curative Connections. The meal is designed for anyone 60 or older. Anyone under 60 can purchase the meal for $11.35. New Community Shelter, 301 Mather St. Dinner is served at 5-6 p.m. everyday of the year. Lunch is at 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. every weekend and holiday. Call 920-437-3766 for more information. newcommunityshelter.org/Programs/Community-Meals I still have money from October. What happens to those funds? Recipients who have an outstanding balance on their QUEST cards can still spend that money in November. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Follow updates to the FoodShare program at https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/foodshare/news.htm. Are we missing a pantry on this list? Contact Benita Mathew at bmathew@gannett.com. This article originally appeared on Green Bay Press-Gazette: Here's a guide to food pantries, community meals in Green Bay area A pair of federal judges ruled President Donald Trump's administration must distribute food assistance benefits amid the ongoing federal government shutdown. It remains unclear, however, when the funds will reach recipients, including the nearly 700,000 Wisconsin residents who rely on food assistance benefits through a state program known as FoodShare, which is federally funded and administered by state officials. FoodShare funding is set to expire Nov. 1 because Congress has been unable to agree on a new bill to fund the federal government. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Oct. 31, one judge blocked the administration from suspending all food aid and directed it to use contingency funds to pay for the benefits. Another ordered the administration to say whether it will make available emergency funding to keep food assistance programs running through the shutdown, which has now lasted a month. Here's what to know about how the ruling affects food assistance benefits in Wisconsin: How soon will FoodShare recipients receive November funding? The timeline for when FoodShare recipients can expect to receive November funds is unclear and depends on the federal government making funding available, according to state Attorney General Josh Kaul. Kaul represented Wisconsin in joining a 26-state lawsuit against the administration for suspending the benefits. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has until the end of the day Nov. 3 to let the court know whether it will use other funding sources beyond the program's contingency funds to fund the program in November. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The damage is done, Democratic Gov. Tony Evers said in a statement released after the ruling. Starting tomorrow, kids, families, and seniors across our state will be without the assistance they need for basic food and groceries, and theres no excuse for it none. So, while we wait to see if the Trump Administration will follow court orders and the law and do the right thing, here in Wisconsin, we must continue to prepare for the worst. What is FoodShare? FoodShare is Wisconsin's version of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, also known as SNAP. The program provides food aid to individuals who meet income certain requirements. It's funded entirely by the federal government. Where can I donate nonperishable food items in Milwaukee County? Milwaukee leaders and organizations have partnered to launch a food drive to support families affected by the pause. The drive began Oct. 28 and will run until FoodShare benefits are restored. Want to donate? Here are locations across Milwaukee County accepting non-perishable food donations: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Milwaukee City Hall: 200 E. Wells St. Milwaukee County Courthouse: 901 N. Ninth St. Zeidler Municipal Building: 841 N. Broadway Marcia P. Coggs Health & Human Services Center: 1230 W. Cherry St. Hillview Hall: 1615 S. 22nd St. Fiserv Forum: 1111 Vel R. Phillips Ave. All Milwaukee Public Schools All Milwaukee Police Department districts All City of Milwaukee Public Library branches Mason Temple Church: 6058 N. 35th St. Residents can also donate money online to Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin or to Nourish MKE. You can also donate directly to many Milwaukee area pantries. Kinship Community Food Center is already seeing an increased demand for food, and are anticipating a significant strain on their ability to provide families with the food assistance. Items needed and donation drop-off hours can be found here. Need help? Here are food assistance resources in Milwaukee County This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Timeline for FoodShare recipients to receive November funding unclear President Cyril Ramaphosas State visit to Switzerland has marked a pivotal moment in strengthening diplomatic, economic, and developmental cooperation between the two nations. The Swiss Federal Council hosted the South African leader on Wednesday, 29 October, during which five key documents outlining future collaboration were signed. The official talks centred on enhancing bilateral relations and deepening joint engagement on global platforms. Both delegations commended the strong foundation of their partnership, with Switzerland acknowledging South Africas influential role in international forums such as the United Nations and the G20. The discussions also reflected a shared vision for global cooperation anchored in mutual respect, dialogue, and multilateralism. The visit was hailed as the beginning of a new era in South AfricaSwitzerland relations, focused on expanding trade and investment, fostering research and innovation, and strengthening collaboration in mediation, democratic governance, and cultural exchange. Both governments affirmed their commitment to promoting sustainable development and inclusive growth, positioning the partnership as a catalyst for shared prosperity. New York cops are hot on the trail of a sly ex-car rental worker who allegedly swiped nearly 50 wheels worth over a cool million bucks from Syracuse Hancock International Airport. The fingers pointing at 31-year-old Milton Thompson III, who police claim orchestrated this brazen two-month heist earlier this year like some budget-brand Bonnie without a Clyde. Turns out Thompson was clocking in at Avis Budget while quietly clocking out with their inventory. Between June and August, investigators say he grabbed 47 rides straight from the companys airport lotthen, rumor has it, ran a shady side hustle renting them out across Onondaga County. The gig blew up when Avis noticed half their fleet had ghosted. One deep dive later, cops realized they werent just hunting for keys but unraveling a full-blown operation. So far, 42 cars have been dragged back, but a handful are still MIA like bad Tinder dates. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thompsons now starring on Syracuses most-wanted list, slapped with grand larceny and fraud charges. No ones spilling how he yanked this off under the airports nose for months, but the dragnets already hauled in a few accomplices. Airport cops arent letting up, still combing for Thompson and the remaining joyrides. If youve seen a squirrelly guy with a sudden fleet of suspiciously affordable rentals, the authorities are all ears. The whole mess exposes the soft underbelly of rental operations when someone inside flips the script. Even with most cars recovered, the real head-scratcher? How a lone employee turned a parking lot into his personal used-car empire without tipping anyone offuntil it all came crashing down. Source/Image via Syracuse Regional Airport Authority Airport Police Department Join our Newsletter, subscribe to our YouTube page, and follow us on Facebook. SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KCAU) A settlement has been reached in a lawsuit filed by a group of former Western Iowa Tech Community College (WITCC) students from Chile. Court documents indicate that both the former students and Premier Services informed the District Court of the settlement. The terms have not been released at this time. Story continues below Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In an order filed on Monday, Chief U.S. Magistrate Judge Kelly Mahoney ordered the case to be closed. Both parties have no later than 45 days to file closing documents. A settlement in the other lawsuit involving former students from Brazil was reached in February 2025. Both suits alleged that the now-defunct J-1 Visa Program was used to exploit students for labor. 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. Former Odesa City Council member Valentyn Chernov has been detained by Ukrainian law enforcement agencies on suspicion of treason and encroaching on the territorial integrity and inviolability of Ukraine. Source: website of the Office of the Prosecutor General of Ukraine; Ukrainska Pravda, Ukraine's State Bureau of Investigation Details: The investigators established that in late February 2014, the councillor, acting in collusion with Russian politicians, organised a mass pro-Russian event in Odesa in which participants called on Russia's leadership to send troops into Ukraine, supposedly to "protect the rights of Russian-speaking citizens". Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Office of the Prosecutor General did not disclose the suspect's name, but Ukrainska Pravda has identified him as Valentyn Chernov. Law enforcement officials said the politician had been in regular contact with Russian representatives, had passed on information about the socio-political situation in the region, and had coordinated the activities of Russian-controlled organisations operating under the guise of "protecting the interests of Russian-speaking citizens". He had also publicly supported the illegal referendum on Crimea's accession to Russia and called for a similar "referendum" to be held in Odesa. While in Russia, Chernov reportedly took part in public events during which he endorsed Russian actions aimed at violating Ukraine's sovereignty. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The State Bureau of Investigation established that Chernov also headed the Southern District of the Coordinating Council of Organisations of Russian Compatriots (CCORC). This organisation was directly involved in the provocations that led to the tragic events in Odesa in May 2014, when 42 pro-Russian activists died in a fire following clashes between protesters and hundreds of people were injured. It was members of this "coordinating council" who organised the so-called anti-Maidan protest in a central square, Kulykove Pole, during which Russian leader Vladimir Putin was urged to send Russian troops into Ukraine, supposedly to "protect the rights of Russian-speaking citizens". Quote from the State Bureau of Investigation: "The evidence shows that he acted to the detriment of Ukraine's sovereignty, territorial integrity and inviolability, coordinating his actions with representatives of Russian authorities." More details: The suspect was detained and remanded in custody on 29 October. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Chernov was served with a notice of suspicion with respect to encroaching on the territorial integrity and inviolability of Ukraine (Art. 110.2 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine), treason (Art. 111.1), and colluding with a group of persons to carry out those acts (Art. 28.2). Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! CLEVELAND (WJW) Former Cleveland Mayor Dennis Kucinich is continuing his legal fight to stop the Cleveland Browns from moving to a dome in Brook Park. Kucinichs law team entered a new filing Friday in Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court, asking a judge to allow him to act on behalf of taxpayers. He believes the city has not done enough to try to stop the Browns from moving. I-Team: What would you pay to watch Browns in dome? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Im so grateful to Warner Mendenhall and Logan Trombley for rising to the challenge at a time when the Cleveland media has already given up on keeping the Browns in Cleveland and blindly accepted the destruction of the stadium as an accomplished fact, Kucinich, who has now retained the Mendenhall Law Group, said in a statement Friday. Kucinich, who first filed a complaint in late August [as seen in the previous video at the top of the story], said he believes Huntington Bank Field should not be torn down and that the Browns are worth fighting for. The city refused to challenge the constitutionality and the applicability of the amended Modell Law, but, as a taxpayer, I will, Kucinich said. I-Team: Inside the deal with the Browns Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement State lawmakers recently changed the Modell Law to allow teams to move anywhere in the state. The Browns have argued that none of this should matter since the team would not move until the end of the lease in three years. Kucinich also said Friday that Cleveland City Council should reject Mayor Justin Bibbs proposed settlement agreement. In the Bibb settlement, the Browns agreed to give the city of Cleveland $100 million in exchange for city officials dropping lawsuits filed against the team. Cleveland City Council members still need to approve the settlement. The Browns are planning to move in 2029 after the current lease expires. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Fox 8 Cleveland WJW. Former Oklahoma Department of Corrections Director Steven Harpe is pictured in his office on Aug. 28, 2023. (Photo by Carmen Forman/Oklahoma Voice) Former Oklahoma Department of Corrections Director Steven Harpe approved a million-dollar deal with a private vendor in early April to install AI call monitoring software in seven state prisons. Months later, he resigned from state service and took a job with that company. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Oct. 3, Harpe posted on LinkedIn that he had accepted the position of chief product officer at LEO Technologies, an Austin, Texas-based artificial intelligence company that caters to law enforcement and corrections officials. More than 80 people, including two Board of Corrections members, responded to the post wishing Harpe congratulations. Harpe also shared news of the job change on Facebook. Six months earlier, on April 3, Harpe authorized a one-year, $1.017 million deal with LEO Technologies. Agency officials gave final approval to the contract, which includes four one-year renewal options, on April 8. The contract stipulates that LeoTech will assign designated personnel to support Oklahoma DOC operations. Harpe announced his resignation in late August, effective Sept. 30. The announcement stated that he was leaving state service to rejoin the private sector but did not specify which company. Typically, if the company is in business with the state, such a move would require a one-year cooling off period. Oklahoma statutes stipulate that a state officer or employee who exercises discretion or decision-making authority in awarding a privatization contract is prohibited from becoming an employee of that business or organization within one year of the contract award date. Penalties for violating the statute include the cancellation of contracts and a temporary prohibition on doing business with the state. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Legislature passed the law in 1999 to stop a revolving door of state officials leaving to work for private vendors. In 2009, lawmakers updated the statute to include sanctions for businesses that hire an involved state employee. Lee Ann Bruce Boone, executive director of the Oklahoma Ethics Commission, said enforcement of the statute likely falls with the attorney generals office. Leslie Berger, a spokesperson for the attorney generals office, declined to comment on whether the matter is under investigation, citing an internal agency policy. Abegail Cave, director of communications for Gov. Kevin Stitt, said people within the governors office were unaware of Harpes employment plans upon leaving state service. She declined to comment on the law requiring a cooling off period. Harpe was the second Department of Corrections director appointed by Stitt following a 2019 law change that transferred power to appoint the agencys director from the Board of Corrections to the governors office. Bob Burke, an Oklahoma City-based attorney and historian, said Harpes signature on the contract should concern taxpayers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its a sad day in this state when directors of agencies even recommend the award of a contract and months later go to work for that same company, Burke said. The appearance stinks. That kind of self-dealing should be frowned upon by the people and by the governor and legislative leaders who appoint members to the Board of Corrections. Harpe did not respond to phone calls, a text message or an email seeking comment. LEO Technologies did not respond to a phone call or written inquiry. Harpe, who worked as the chief information officer for Gov. Kevin Stitts Gateway Mortgage Group prior to entering state government in 2019, regularly promoted the Department of Corrections artificial intelligence initiatives in media interviews and at out-of-state conferences. In July, he traveled to Washington, D.C., to represent the American Correctional Association at a congressional briefing on AI in public safety. At the hearing, Harpe touted broad AI implementation efforts within the Department of Corrections. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What if I was able to take that labor and instead of using people to do it, I was using facial recognition AI, not just one time, but use it all the time, Harpe said during the briefing. I always know where they are. You get logistics of whos talking to who. Technology now exists where you can look at a body in real time and tell if theyre carrying something, if you have something stowed somewhere on you. It also lets us do really cool things like suicide prevention. Harpe earned $275,000 per year in his role as agency director, comparable to top prison officials in larger states like Texas. Stitt has defended the salary as necessary to recruit and retain the best and brightest from the private sector to work in state government. This article first appeared on Oklahoma Watch and is republished here under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. CRIDERSVILLE A former Cridersville resident, 1992 graduate of Perry High School and 25-year veteran of the U.S. Air Force is leaving Saturday for a visit to storm-ravaged Cuba. The planning for Chad Clementzs journey started some six weeks ago but changed drastically earlier this week when Hurricane Melissa, a Category 5 storm when it left Jamaica, passed over Cuba earlier this week, weakened but nonetheless packing a devastating and destructive punch. Clementz, who retired from the U.S. Air Force with the rank of lieutenant colonel, had been stationed on the Caribbean island two decades earlier when he was serving at the U.S. naval station at Guantanamo Bay. He returned to Cuba this summer, and during his two months on the island struck up some friendships with Cuban nationals. Six weeks ago, he started planning his return. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What started as a pleasure trip has since taken on a humanitarian bent. Clementz will fly into Santiago de Cuba, an area devastated by Melissas torrent that included winds that exceeded 125 mph. The area was hard hit, and Im not sure what Im flying into since Im currently unable to be in contact with my friends there, but Im keeping my original plans, Clementz said Thursday. Instead of gifts and trinkets for those families, however, the Allen County native will now carry two bags full of powdered milk, rice, Tylenol and even some medical scrubs donated by Wards Medical Apparel of Lima. Its not much, but its something, he said. My heart goes out to the Cuban people. It was a mess there before the storm. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Clementz is aware his two bags of supplies, what he termed a one-man humanitarian effort, will make little more than a dent in the suffering Cubans are currently experiencing, but he hopes others will go online and research ways to make their own contributions. The international community is not stepping up in Cuba the way it has in Jamaica, which was also devastated by Melissa, Clementz said. I just want to raise awareness that support for the Cuban people is possible. Clementz departs from Dayton on Saturday and hopes to return to the U.S. by Dec. 1. Im not sure what Im flying into, he said. MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WHNT) Attorneys for former Decatur Police Officer Mac Marquette have filed a response to the state in his third attempt to get his murder charge thrown out. Marquette is arguing he acted in self-defense the night he killed Stephen Perkins during a botched repossesion of Perkinss truck. Two lower courts, the Morgan County Circuit Court and the Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals, have already rejected the self-defense claim. Those courts have said a jury should decide if Marquettes killing of Perkins was justified. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In August, Marquette asked the states high court to consider his self-defense claim. The Alabama Attorney Generals Office filed a response to that appeal on Oct. 8. In it, the AG argued again that questions about Marquettes role that night, if he was acting in a law enforcement capacity, would be best resolved in front of a jury. What has emerged as a central issue in this self-defense appeal, and really the whole case, is whether Marquette and other officers were acting in a law enforcement capacity that night. The state of Alabama has argued that the officers presence during a truck repossession was unusual, specifically that officers fanned out around Perkinss home and hid, rather than announcing their presence. But in todays filing, the defense pushes back on that claim, arguing the courts concerns about Marquettes tactics ignore this question: Was it reasonable for an on-duty police officer operating under the law to use deadly physical force on a person who unlawfully aimed a gun at him? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The defense stated that Marquette was at the scene that night, exercising discretionary authority lawfully. They also say Marquette was forced to make a split-second decision, his actions were reasonable under the law. They also bring up a new state law, the back the blue law, which expanded legal protections for officers and says an officer is justified in making any use of physical force if its within their discretionary authority. The defense told the Supreme Court that its not trying to say the back the blue law should be applied here because the law is not retroactive. But the defense wants to show how that new law matches what Marquette has already been arguing regarding officer discretion and use of force. Marquettes attorneys continue to ask for an oral argument in the case as well. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Marquettes murder trial is currently set for January 26, 2026. 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 WHNT.com. A major development in the Louvre heist investigation has been shared, as two former delivery drivers suspected of committing the robbery "partially confessed" to the crime. However, the valuable jewels that were stolen have not yet been handed over to the police, according to prosecutors. Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau said during a press conference on Wednesday, October 29, that one suspect was arrested while trying to board an aircraft to Algeria on the night of October 24 with a one-way ticket, according to NBC News. Meanwhile, a second man was arrested close to his home. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Beccuau said that both of the men "partially" admitted to their involvement in the crime, while DNA evidence has linked them both to the heist. 13-Year-Old Girl in Texas Escapes Potential Kidnapping on Walk to School The first suspect is a 34-year-old man from Algeria, who was unemployed at the time of his arrest. However, he previously worked as a delivery driver. The second suspect is a 39-year-old taxi driver, as well as a former delivery driver. Beccuau added that both of the suspects have criminal pasts. Beccuau said investigators are still on the hunt to find two other thieves that were involved in the heist, which took place on October 19. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There is no evidence the thieves benefited from insider help, she said. "The jewels have not yet been returned to our possession. I do remain hopeful they will be found and return to the Louvre and the French nation." Also on October 29, French police acknowledged there are major gaps in the Louvre's security system after the thieves managed to pull off the heist in broad daylight. Paris Police Chief Patrice Faure told Senate lawmakers that aging systems and slow-moving fixes made for weak security at the famous museum, per NBC News. "A technological step has not been taken," he said, noting parts of the video network used at the museum produces lower-quality images that are slow to share in real time. He added that there will be a revamp in the museums security system, though it "will not be finished before 2029-2030 due to the project requiring roughly 60 kilometers of new cabling and costing approximately $93 million. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Shaquille ONeals Custom $180K Range Rover Stolen in Georgia, Investigation Ongoing Faure went on to share that the Louvre's authorization to operate its security cameras quietly expired in July and it wasnt renewed amid a paperwork lapse. Due to the lack of security, the thieves managed to escape the museum with $102 million worth of jewelry within seven minutes. The first alert to police came from a cyclist outside who dialed the emergency line and not security set up at the museum. CHICAGO (WGN) It was a celebration fit for a Chicago icon with a nod to the amusement millions of visitors to Navy Pier find each year. Navy Piers Signature Gala honored former Mayor Richard M. Daley and the six-term mayors pivotal role in making Navy Pier what it is today. He was determined, as we all know, Mayor Daleys tenacity, grit and determination led to great things, President and CEO of Navy Pier Marilynn Gardner said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I am asking for basic human decency: Governor Pritzker calls on Trump administration to stop ICE raids on Halloween weekend Navy Pier first opened to the public in 1916 for shipping and recreation. It also served the military in both World Wars before serving the University of Illinois. However, it wasnt long before Navy Pier fell into disuse. It was abandoned, basically warehouses that were old sheds and it was on the lakefront, which was the greatest asset in the history of Chicago. So Rich had a vision, and it was controversial to basically redo this and make it a great tourism spot, Bill Daley, Mayor Daleys brother and former Secretary of Commerce, said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Navy Pier, now sporting its makeover as a tourism spot, reopened in the summer of 1995. I know that he felt when we reopened the pier that Navy Pier was reclaiming its destiny, Gardner said. Navy Pier continues to evolve. Its not just national political figures facing fury, local leaders also under threat This past summer, the $22 million Navy Pier Marina opened to make downtown Chicago more accessible to boaters from all over the region. Even as Richard M. had a vision that has outlived his administration, what we do today will set up posterity to be able to continue to experience the vibrancy of this city, Mayor Brandon Johnson said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement My love of Chicago will always continue, former Mayor Richard M. Daley added. 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. OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) A former Oklahoma Department of Corrections (ODOC) director who approved a million-dollar deal with a private vendor is now working with that company. As first reported by Oklahoma Watch, in early April, former ODOC Director Steven Harpe approved a million-dollar deal with Leo Technologies, an AI company in Austin, Texas, to install AI call monitoring software in several state prisons. Bishop, wife arrested for alleged embezzlement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In September, Harpe resigned from his position with ODOC. Earlier this month, on October 3, Harped posted on his LinkedIn account that he accepted the position of chief product officer for the company. In 1999, state lawmakers passed a law that prohibits this type of revolving door with state officials who leave to work for private vendors. State officials are now required to wait one year after leaving office before taking a job from a business that contracted with their agency. The statute was updated in 2009 to include sanctions for businesses hiring state employees that whom they contract with. Oklahoma Watch reached out to Harpe and Leo Technologies for comment, but did not receive one. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It will now be up to the attorney generals office to take legal action. A spokesperson for Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummonds Office says they are looking into the matter. 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. Lawmakers at the French National Assembly narrowly passed a resolution on Thursday denouncing the 1968 Franco-Algerian agreement, a move spearheaded by the far-right Rassemblement National (RN). The resolution, adopted by 185 votes in favor and 184 against, marks a historic first for the RN, whose proposals had previously faced consistent rejection in the chamber. The resolution, introduced by RN deputy Guillaume Bigot, calls for the end of preferential immigration and residency provisions granted to Algerian nationals under the bilateral accord. French Algeria is over, Bigot declared during the debate. Sixty-three years after independence, it is time to treat Algeria like any other country, no more, no less, and without exceptions. Signed six years after the end of the Algerian War, the 1968 agreement facilitated Algerian migration to France, granting expedited access to 10-year residency permits, social benefits and favorable terms for family reunification. A recent parliamentary report presented by deputies Charles Rodwell and Mathieu Lefevre from the Ensemble pour la Republique group estimates the annual cost of the agreement to French public finances at approximately 2 billion. The report highlights the lack of reciprocity from Algeria, particularly in pension payments, and calls the arrangement a legal anomaly that undermines the principle of equal treatment among foreign nationals. The resolutions passage was made possible by support from the conservative Les Republicains and Horizons parties. Laurent Wauquiez, leader of Les Republicains, justified the vote, stating, Its not against Algerians, but against the Algerian government that France must make itself heard. Marine Le Pen, RNs parliamentary leader, hailed the vote as a historic day for her party. It is the third time since 2023 that RN has controlled the Assemblys agenda through its parliamentary niche, allowing it to present texts with broader appeal. Left-wing parties condemned the resolution as xenophobic and colonialist in tone. Oct. 30A former prison worker who smuggled drugs into Lebanon Correctional Institution, leading to an inmate's 2023 overdose death, was sentenced to probation. Lindsey Brooke Lucas, 40, of Moraine was sentenced Wednesday by Warren County Common Pleas Judge Robert Peeler to three years of community control. She was among three people charged in connection to the May 16, 2023, death of inmate Joshua Gunn, who was serving a 5 1/2 -year sentence aggravated assault and weapons convictions in Hamilton County. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lucas along with Landis Deqwon Talbert, 26, of Lincoln Heighs and Mekhi Isaiah Warren, 21, of Mt. Healthy, both suburban Cincinnati communities, were indicted last October for illegal conveyance of drugs of abuse onto the grounds of a specified governmental facility and trafficking in a fentanyl-related compound. Talbert, a prison inmate, also was indicted for involuntary manslaughter, corrupting another with drugs and possession of a fentanyl-related compound. Lucas pleaded guilty in September to one count of illegal conveyance. As part of her plea, a trafficking charge was dismissed, according to court records. She formerly worked at the prison and, with Warren's help, is believed to have smuggled drugs by hiding them in her lunchbox, Warren County Prosecutor David Fornshell said previously. She was an Aramark food services employee who was hired in April 2023 and terminated June 22, 2023, according to the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction. As part of her sentence, Lucas also must complete 100 hours of community service and have no contact with her co-defendants. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Warren also was sentenced to three years of probation and was ordered to complete outpatient drug, alcohol and mental heath treatment, to obtain employment and have no contact with co-defendants in the case, according to court records. Talbert pleaded guilty in August to involuntary manslaughter, and the other charges were dismissed as part of his plea. He reportedly "furnished those drugs to another inmate who died from ingesting those drugs," a grand jury report read. He was sentenced to 5-7 1/2 years in prison, to begin after he completes a 7-year term he began in 2018 for felonious assault and weapons convictions out of Hamilton County. Talbert is incarcerated in the Southern Ohio Correctional Facility in Lucasville and will be eligible for parole in October 2030, according to ODRC records. Former Illinois sheriffs deputy Sean Grayson has been found guilty of the 2024 murder of Sonya Massey, a Black woman who had called 911 about a possible prowler at her home. Following the closing arguments on Tuesday, October 28, jurors deliberated for almost 12 hours before the verdict was revealed on Wednesday, October 29, according to NBC News. Grayson was charged with first-degree murder, per the outlet. However, the jury instructions included the option to have him convicted of the lesser charge of second-degree murder. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Attorneys Ben Crump and Antonio Romanucci, who represented Masseys family in a $10 million civil settlement regarding the case, argued that Grayson deserves a first-degree murder conviction. However, they said the verdict was "still a measure of justice for Sonya Massey." Elaine Hendrix Updates Fans on DWTS Recovery and Upcoming Performance "I'm fueled by rage right now," Masseys cousin, Sontae Massey, said of the ruling outside of the courthouse, per NBC News. "If you get an officer who says hes going to shoot you in the face, and then he shoots you in the face, and you only get second-degree murder?" Meanwhile, former federal prosecutor Mark Chutkow told NBC News that the defense made a "strategic decision" to include the second-degree murder charge. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The prosecution likely felt confident about their case and was willing to go for an all-or-nothing verdict. But the defense did not want to take that chance, so they advocated for a lesser included charge," he said. Grayson is now facing four to 20 years in prison. He will most likely be eligible to get day-for-day credit for good behavior in prison, which means he could end up only serving half of his sentence. Elaine Hendrix Updates Fans on DWTS Recovery and Upcoming Performance The former officer was charged in July 2024 in the fatal shooting of Massey, which took place when he reported to her home after she called about a suspected prowler. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As the officers approached Massey, she walked towards a pot of water on the stove and said, I rebuke you in the name of Jesus. The officers pulled out their weapons and instructed her to drop the pot, which led to Grayson to fire his gun three times and fatally hitting Massey with a bullet. While testifying on Monday, October 27, Grayson said he shot Massey because he believed she was going to throw the pot of water at him. It raises a lot of concern for me, and I believe shes going to throw the water, he said, per CBS News. We were trained to use force thats going to gain compliance. Following his arrest, many concerns were raised about Graysons past work history. Among the concerns, it was revealed that he was ejected from the Army in his 20s when he was arrested for drunken-driving in which he had a weapon in his vehicle. He was later convicted of a second DUI within a year of the first arrest. This story was originally posted on MyNorthwest.com Former Vancouver City Council member Pat Jollota issued an apology after her costume at a Halloween party stirred up controversy. Jollota attended the popular Holidays on Franklin Halloween gathering dressed as a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer earlier this month, The Seattle Times reported. Jollota, who served on the Vancouver City Council from 1990 to 2010, according to The Columbian, has since apologized, saying the costume was meant as a political commentary and was a critique of the agency. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement My goal was to portray the costume in the context of horror, representing the fear that many associate with the agencys actions, Jollota stated, according to The Seattle Times. The screenshots of a Facebook post, showing Jollota dressed up, were posted on Reddit. One Facebook user joked, They were serious about raising the age limit, huh? Rude, Jollota responded. Vancouver mayor responds to ICE costume Vancouver Mayor Anne McEnerny-Ogle was at the party and also apologized, calling the costume offensive, hurtful, and upsetting. Those are not our core values for the City of Vancouver, McEnerny-Ogle said. Vancouver City Council member Diana Perez told The Seattle Times the images were painful to see. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Accountability means more than an apology, it means learning and doing better so our community remains a place where everyone feels respected and valued, Perez told the media outlet. Vancouver real estate agent Rae Master expressed her disdain for the costume on Facebook. Vancouver deserves leadership that matches its words with action, Master wrote in her post. She called for the mayor and the Vancouver City Council to issue a public statement of accountability and reaffirm the citys zero-tolerance policy for sexual abuse and discrimination. FAIRMONT, W.Va. (WBOY) The former West Virginia Republican Party Chair has been charged after allegedly breaking a childs confidentiality during a trial in Marion County. According to a criminal complaint filed by the Marion County detachment of the West Virginia State Police, on Oct. 23, troopers received information from the prosecutors office regarding a possible violation of West Virginia code during a trial. Elgine McArdle Troopers learned that Elgine McArdle, 61, of Wheeling, had disclosed protected information and did so in a public manner on 13 separate occasions during the trial for Ryan Lane, who was charged in the 2022 murder of Henry Silver, troopers said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Nov. 13, 2024, Marion County Circuit Judge David Janes entered a protective order for any disclosures of information or recordings that took place at the Child Advocacy Center (CAC); Marion County Circuit Judge Patrick Wilson also entered the same order on July 15, 2025, according to the complaint. Law enforcement in West Virginia searching for fugitive in serial thefts case On Dec. 31, 2024, McArdle filed a pretrial motion to dismiss the charges, wherein Elgine identified a child witness by name and gave public notice the child had provided a statement. On Feb. 18, McArdle filed a competency hearing for one of the child witnesses, again identifying the juvenile by name and mentioning the child advocacy center interview, troopers said. On July 15, McArdle emailed a copy of a video showing an interview with a child witness to the court reporter in an unencrypted email, as well as another copy of the same video to Lowell Maxey, who was recently charged for investigating the case without a license, according to the complaint. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On July 17, McArdle requested a white sheet be made from the child advocacy interview, and did so in a motion which was of record in a public court. McArdle also filed a response to a motion of the state in which she duplicated portions of the CAC interview, troopers said. On Aug. 1, McArdle filed copies of the whiteboard used in the child advocacy interview, copies of the CAC referral form, which included the name and address of the child witness, the identity of the child witnesss parents and a summary of the interview, according to the complaint. Troopers stated that the information which McArdle made public included items that only the defendant may review with their attorney and that this information must be approved in advance by the court if it is to be shared with any other person. McArdle has received 13 counts of the misdemeanor charge of confidentiality of recorded interviews of children. According to the WV Courts website, a personal recognizance bond of $2,000 was set on Oct. 27, which she posted on Oct. 28. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There are no future court dates listed 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 WBOY.com. The opioid crisis gripping America isnt fading its changing. Recent national data show opioid use disorder diagnoses among the commercially insured jumped nearly 40% between 2021 and 2024. While fatal overdoses have slightly declined, this rise in addiction makes one thing clear: The epidemic is evolving, not ending. In Indiana, weve witnessed this tragedy firsthand, from small towns along the Ohio River to the neighborhoods of Indianapolis. For over a decade, our law enforcement, health workers, and community leaders have fought to hold those responsible accountable and to bring relief to those battling addiction. As Indianas 43rd attorney general, I took up that fight, leading the lawsuits that secured our states share of the national opioid settlements. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Those settlements totaling over $57 billion nationwide, with nearly $1 billion coming to Indiana over the next several years were designed for a specific purpose: to repair the damage caused by years of reckless overprescribing and illegal drug distribution. The intent was unmistakable: these funds were to be used for opioid abuse abatement prevention, treatment, recovery and enforcement. Every dollar spent elsewhere is a dollar taken from Hoosiers still struggling under addictions weight. Yet, early warning signs suggest this promise could be at risk. Investigations have revealed that in some states and counties, opioid settlement funds are being used to cover existing programs, government salaries or budget gaps instead of expanding addiction services. In Indiana, Scott County officials reportedly used these funds to pay current staff and sustain pre-existing programs, not to create new resources for those in need. That may not break the letter of the law, but it certainly breaks its spirit and the trust of those who fought for these dollars. Weve seen this misstep before. In the 1990s, states won billions in tobacco settlements meant for smoking prevention and cessation. Instead, most of that money was diverted to fill budget holes or fund unrelated projects. Public health experts still point to that as a missed opportunity of historic proportions. Indiana cannot afford to repeat that error, especially when the stakes are so high. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Synthetic opioids like fentanyl now account for over 90% of opioid-related deaths, according to the Centers for Disease Control. Illicit drugs are flooding in at unprecedented rates, and new substances like nitazenes and xylazine are making the crisis even deadlier. Combating this requires focused enforcement and a robust treatment system that meets people where they are not politicians redirecting funds to their favored initiatives. Fortunately, there are examples we can follow. In Pinellas County, Florida, officials are using settlement funds to build recovery housing, expand peer-support roles, and improve data systems to coordinate care. In Shasta County, California, leaders have invested in the Community Opioid Response & Education coalition, bringing together schools and nonprofits to educate youth and prevent addiction before it takes hold. These are the kinds of targeted, impactful investments Indiana should prioritize. As the attorney general who fought to secure these settlements, I can say with conviction: These funds were never meant to patch budgets or bankroll unrelated programs. They were won to deliver accountability to hold wrongdoers responsible and to restore hope to communities ravaged by this crisis. Every investment must reflect that commitment, expanding treatment, supporting recovery and protecting families from further loss. Indiana has a chance to get this right. Lets ensure these funds stay true to their purpose and keep politicians hands off them. Our communities deserve nothing less. Curtis Hill, a Republican, is a former Indiana attorney general. Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Don't let Indiana politicians waste opioid settlement funds | Opinion EAST PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) Former CVS executive Helena Foulkes continues her streak of outraising Gov. Dan McKee as both ramp up their campaigns ahead of next years race for Rhode Island governor, according to numbers released by both of their campaigns. Foulkes campaign advisor Jon Romano said she raised $534,000 during the period of July 1 to Sept. 30, and ended the quarter with $2.4 million in her campaign account. Rhode Islanders are contributing to Helenas campaign because theyre hungry for new leadership, Romano said. With this third consecutive strong fundraising period in 2025, she continues to amass the resources needed to win this campaign and give Rhode Islanders the Governor they deserve. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement McKee campaign spokesperson Christina Freundlich said the governor raised $290,000 during the quarter and has $1 million on hand. Rhode Islanders are making it clear: they want a governor who stands up to Trump and fights for working families not a corporate insider like Helena Foulkes who is bankrolled by out-of-state interests, Freundlich said. Governor McKees campaign is about continuing to deliver real results better schools, accessible health care, and making the cost of living a bit more affordable. The last time McKee and Foulkes were on the same ballot was during their 2022 matchup that saw the governor narrowly prevail in a five-way Democratic primary. An Ocean State Poll released by the University of New Hampshire Survey Center last month showed the governor trailing Foulkes in a head-to-head matchup, with McKee getting support from 19% of respondents to Foulkes 35%. (40% of those polled were undecided.) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement READ MORE: McKee down by double-digits in Democratic primary for governor, new UNH poll finds Foulkes kicked off her campaign in September and McKee launched his in March, but the two have been raising money for more than a year. Freundlich noted that McKees latest fundraising quarter outdid the same time period during his 2022 campaign. She also said 80% of contributions to the campaign in the quarter has come from Rhode Islanders. A third potential candidate, House Speaker Joe Shekarchi, has not filed a report for or shared his numbers as of Friday evening. (As of July 31, Shekarchi has $3.8 million in his campaign account.) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So far, only one Republican has declared they are running for governor: Smithfield resident Elaine Pelino. Pelino, who opened her campaign account in July, finished the quarter with $1,251 in her campaign account. Other potential Republican candidates include Ashley Kalus and Aaron Guckian, who were the 2022 GOP nominees for governor and lieutenant governor, respectively. NEXT: Judges order the Trump administration to use contingency funds for SNAP payments during the shutdown Download the WPRI 12 and Pinpoint Weather 12 apps to get breaking news and weather alerts. Watch 12 News Now on WPRI.com or with the free WPRI 12+ TV app. Follow us on social media: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Nesi's Notes Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WPRI.com. The nations top airlines are calling on Congress to fund the government and end the ongoing shutdown, warning that the continued lapse in funds will cause further chaos at U.S. airports. It is time to pass a clean CR, United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby told reporters on Thursday, referring to a continuing resolution that would allow the government to remain funded in the short-term as legislators work on a longer-term budget package. Kirby was among a group of executives who met with Vice President JD Vance and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy at the White House on Thursday, alongside the airline lobby group Airlines for America. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Missed paychecks only increases the stress on these essential workers, many of whom are already working mandatory overtime to keep our skies safe and secure, Delta, a member in the coalition, said in a statement Thursday. Southwest, another member, has sounded a similar note, calling on Congress to immediately resolve its impasse and resume normal government operations. Airlines and air traffic controllers are all leaning on Congress to swiftly end the government shutdown, which has caused delays at staffing issues at US airports (REUTERS) The public expects and deserves to travel in a system in which air traffic controllers and federal safety and security employees are paid in a timely fashion, the company told USA Today. We ask Congress to adopt a clean continuing resolution. American Airlines also wants legislators to back a continuing resolution, which Democrats have thus far rejected multiple times in protest at the GOP letting healthcare subsidies expire. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Democrats argue that the expiration of Affordable Care Act subsidies will cause an increase in health costs for the roughly 22 million Americans who buy their healthcare via Obamacare exchanges. The quickest way to end this shutdown and get these workers paid is by passing a clean continuing resolution, the airline told The Hill. A prolonged shutdown will lead to more delays and cancellations and the American people, especially during the busy holiday season, deserve better. The ongoing shutdown continues to hamstring U.S. air travel. Air traffic controllers missed their first full paycheck this week, prompting warnings from the controllers union that a prolonged shutdown will harm aviation safety and strain staff (Mario Tama/Getty Images) On Thursday, delays and cancellations were felt from Washington to Florida, where travelers at the popular theme park tourist hub of Orlando International Airport saw delays lasting up to 12 hours due to a lack of certified air traffic controllers being available. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There was already a shortage of controllers before the shutdown, and the lapse has put further pressure on these essential workers, who are required to continue doing their jobs without pay until the government is funded. They missed their first full paycheck on Tuesday, and advocates say air traffic controllers have had to work second jobs or rely on food banks to make ends meet during the shutdown. These additional distractions will compound the existing risks in an already strained system, the head of the air traffic controllers union wrote in an op-ed this week. Every day the shutdown continues, the National Airspace System becomes less safe than it was the day before, as the controllers focus shifts from their critical safety tasks to their financial uncertainty. Donald Trump has called on the Senate to invoke the so-called nuclear option and eliminate the filibuster to speed along shutdown negotiations (AFP via Getty Images) President Trump has called on Republicans to invoke the nuclear option and break the shutdown by eliminating the filibuster in the Senate, the procedural rule that requires 60 votes in the 100-member chamber to pass most legislation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Such a change would speed along negotiations in the upper house, where Republicans hold 53 seats, while dramatically altering the dynamics in Congress going forward. Legislators are reportedly conducting low-level bipartisan talks and feel the month-long shutdown could be over as soon as next week. Four Eversource workers have been hospitalized following an incident involving a transformer. According to the New Bedford Fire Department, crews were dispatched to the area of 1457 East Rodney French Boulevard to reports of a possible explosion and an injured worker. Once on the scene, crews found multiple workers suffering injuries, prompting the request for additional EMS. Eversource crews who witnessed the incident say that the workers were confirming power to a transformer was secure to conduct service at an adjacent property. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Initially, four workers were transported to the hospital by New Bedford EMS; two to St. Lukes Hospital and two others to Rhode Island Hospital. One of the workers was subsequently transferred from St. Lukes to RIH. One of the workers was quickly released from the hospital. Due to the incident, a brief power outage was reported. A spokesperson for Eversource says that crews worked as quickly and safely as possible to repair the damage and have since restored power to the 1347 customers who were impacted. Eversource, OSHA, and the New Bedford Fire Department Investigation Unit are currently investigating the incident. 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. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW Airlines are entering the government shutdown dispute. Four of the largest U.S. airlines are calling on Congress to pass the GOPs short-term funding bill and restore government funding so air traffic controllers and other public workers can get paid again. United Airlines, Delta Air Lines, American Airlines, and Southwest Airlines are banding together to step up pressure on lawmakers to break an impasse on the shutdown that has lasted almost a month. The quickest way to end this shutdown and get these workers paid is by passing a clean continuing resolution (CR), American said in a statement Thursday afternoon. Americans comment was echoed by United CEO Scott Kirby following a meeting with Vice President J.D. Vance and Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy. It has been 30 days, Kirby said. I also think it is time to pass a clean CR. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Vance warned of a disaster if the shutdown dragged into November. Democratic senators rejected the GOP funding bill for the 13th time on Wednesday, as they demand Republicans strike a deal on renewing expiring healthcare subsidies. About 11,000 air traffic controllers are working without pay because they are considered essential employees. This week, for the first time during the shutdown, they didnt receive their paycheck, raising fears that many will stop showing up for work. That could cause worsening delays, flight cancellations, and other safety issues in U.S. airports. Nearly 7,300 flight delays were reported in the U.S. on Thursday, according to airline data-tracking site FlightAware. The problem is compounded by a preexisting shortage of air traffic controllers: 3,500 employees below targeted staffing levels. This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Researchers found that losing a second protein, FIGNL1, allows cancer cells missing BRCA2 to restore DNA repair by reloading RAD51 onto broken DNA strands. Normally, BRCA2 helps place RAD51 at DNA breaks to guide repair, but without BRCA2, this process fails, leaving cells sensitive to chemotherapy. Surprisingly, when both BRCA2 and FIGNL1 are absent, the MMS22L-TONSL complex steps in to reload RAD51 and restore DNA repairmaking the cells chemoresistant. This discovery could help scientists design new ways to block cancer drug resistance. Credit: Raviprasad Kuthethur One of the biggest challenges in cancer treatment is chemoresistance: Tumors that initially respond well to chemotherapy become resistant over time. When that happens, treatment options are often limited. A research team led by Arnab Ray Chaudhuri at the Department of Molecular Genetics, Erasmus MC Cancer Institute has now uncovered a mechanism by which BRCA2-deficient tumors develop this resistance. The proteins BRCA2 and FIGNL1 appear to have a different function than previously assumed. "These findings change the paradigm of thought," says Ray Chaudhuri. The team also identified ways to reverse or prevent resistance. The paper is published in the journal Science. Chemoresistance BRCA2 is a protein that plays a crucial role in repairing toxic double-stranded breaks in DNA through a process called homologous recombination (HR). In people with a BRCA2 mutation, this mechanism doesn't function properly, resulting in unrepaired breaks and thus causing DNA damage. The consequence is a significantly increased risk of breast, ovarian, or prostate cancer. To treat BRCA2-mutated tumors, targeted chemotherapies such as PARP inhibitors are commonly used. This type of chemotherapy blocks another DNA repair mechanism: single-strand repair. Because cancer cells lacking BRCA2 cannot repair DNA breaks via HR, they rely on this alternative pathway to survive. When that pathway is blocked, the cancer cells die. However, BRCA2-mutated tumors can bypass this strategy. Often, after several months to years, the tumors stop responding to chemotherapy. Research has shown that BRCA2-deficient cancer cells sometimes manage to restore the HR mechanism. This allows them to repair DNA and survive. Until now, how this was possible was a mystery. An unexpected discovery Ray Chaudhuri and his team found that removing the protein FIGNL1 in cells lacking BRCA2 restores the HR mechanism. "The outcome was entirely unforeseen," explain Ray Chaudhuri and Kuthethur. "It took us quite some time to fully grasp and accept what was occurring. This ultimately evolved into a multidisciplinary and multi-institutional endeavor, featuring significant collaborations with the labs of Prof. Petr Cejka (IRB, Bellinzona, Switzerland, an Institute affiliated with USI), Dr. Shyam Sharan (NIH, U.S.), and Prof. Krishna Mohan Poluri (IIT Roorkee, India)." Further investigation revealed what was happening: FIGNL1 actively removes the protein RAD51 from damaged DNA. Without RAD51, HR cannot occur. But when FIGNL1 is disabled, RAD51 remains in place. This allows the cell to carry out HR even without BRCA2. BRCA2 as a regulator The findings shed new light on how BRCA2's role fits into the HR process. Ray Chaudhuri explains, "For close to 25 years, people believed that BRCA2 was the most essential factor for loading RAD51 onto damaged DNA, but it seems that might not be the entire story." BRCA2's function turns out to be more nuanced. In healthy cells, BRCA2 and FIGNL1 work together to maintain balance. BRCA2 helps RAD51 bind to DNA, while FIGNL1 removes it. Together, they fine-tune the amount of RAD51 needed to repair DNA damage. A backup system Without regulation by BRCA2 and FIGNL1, RAD51 needs help from another protein complex to perform HR: MMS22L-TONSL. The team discovered that this complex acts as a backup system. In the absence of BRCA2 and FIGNL1, it takes over their role and ensures that enough RAD51 is present in the DNA. This final discovery has major implications for treating BRCA2-mutated tumors. Tumors that become resistant to chemotherapy use the MMS22L-TONSL pathway to survive. "But if we block MMS22L-TONSL, the entire mechanism collapses," Ray Chaudhuri explains. By targeting this protein complex, tumors could become sensitive to chemotherapy again. This opens new doors for targeted therapies for patients with resistant BRCA2 tumors. More information: Raviprasad Kuthethur et al, FIGNL1 inhibits homologous recombination in BRCA2 deficient cells by dissociating RAD51 filaments, Science (2025). DOI: 10.1126/science.adt1210. www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.adt1210 Journal information: Science Provided by Istituto di Ricerca in Biomedicina Foxs John Roberts wondered if President Donald Trump should be playing a bigger role in tackling persecution against Christians in Nigeria during a segment on Friday, asking, Does this president need to step up and do more? The guest on the segment was Ryan Brown, the CEO of Open Doors U.S., an organization supporting persecuted Christians, who shared that across Sub-Saharan Africa, there are about 16.2 million that have been forced from their homes, with many of them living in horrific conditions. Open Door keeps track of Christians who are killed around the world in religious violence, said Roberts. For 2025, 4,476 Christians murdered so far worldwide 3,100 of them in Nigeria. Nigeria is a country that the United States has a fairly close relationship with. Does this president need to step up and do more, or does the United States at large need to do more? What could the U.S. do to try to stem the killings? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While Brown did not respond with any ideas of direct action that the U.S. could take, he referenced the recent shake-up in Nigeria last week, in which President Bola Tinubu overhauled his 45-member cabinet, bringing in seven new ministers, removing five, and shifting 10 others into different roles. More Christians were killed in Nigeria last year than the rest of the world combined, continued Brown. According to other sources, you are six times more likely, if you are a Christian, to be killed in Nigeria than if you are a Muslim. So while the Nigerian government is seeking to state that this is not religiously-motivated, concluded Brown, boy, we are hearing a much different story from those that are being impacted. Also in the segment, Roberts mentioned a September episode of Real Time with Bill Maher, in which Bill Maher remarked that the situation in Nigeria is so much more of a genocide attempt than what is going on in Gaza. He also mentioned an October 24 tweet from Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX) that read, When Christians are targeted and victimized by radical Islamic terrorism, the woke media stay silent. Its unacceptable. We need to stand up and fight back. Watch the clip above via Fox. The post Fox Host Asks if Trump Needs to Step Up and Do More About Christian Persecution in Nigeria first appeared on Mediaite. WASHINGTON (AP) President Donald Trump made sure during his visit to Asia this week to praise regional allies who have backed his push to bring about a permanent end to the Israel-Hamas war. As he handed out plaudits, Trump appeared to go out of his way to name-check one leader in particular Indonesia's Prabowo Subianto for his help in Gaza. I want to thank Malaysia and Brunei as well as my friend, President Prabowo of Indonesia, for their incredible support of these efforts to secure the new day for the Middle East, Trump told leaders at the Association of Southeast Nations summit in Malaysia. It really is a new day. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the weeks since Israel and Hamas agreed to a fragile ceasefire and hostage deal, Indonesia, which boasts the biggest Muslim population in the world, has emerged as an intriguing partner to a White House keen on making peace in the Middle East a defining legacy of his presidency. Trump has said that a priority tied to that plan, if the fragile ceasefire can hold, is building on his first-term Abraham Accords effort that forged diplomatic and commercial ties between Israel and the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Morocco. White House officials believe that a permanent peace agreement in Gaza could pave the way for Indonesia as well as Saudi Arabia the largest Arab economy and the birthplace of Islam to normalize ties with Israel, according to a senior administration official who briefed reporters on the condition of anonymity. For his part, Subianto has shown eagerness to build a relationship with Trump and expand his nation's global influence. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Earlier in October, at a gathering in Egypt to mark the ceasefire, Subianto was caught on a hot mic talking to the U.S. leader about a Trump family business venture. He appeared to ask Trump to set up a meeting with the president's son Eric, the executive vice president of the Trump Organization, which has two real estate projects underway in Indonesia. But Indonesia, much like Saudi Arabia, has publicly maintained it can't move forward on normalizing relations with Israel until there's a clear pathway set for a Palestinian state. Any vision related to Israel must begin with the recognition of Palestinian independence and sovereignty, said Indonesian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Yvonne Mewengkang. Could Trump's dealmaking pave the way? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There may be a reason for the administration to be hopeful that the ceasefire deal has created an opening for Indonesia to soften its position. The White House might also have some cards it could play as it pitches Subianto. Jakarta badly wants to join the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development and Trump's backing would be pivotal. Indonesia views joining the 38-member OECD as an opportunity to raise Indonesias international profile, access new markets, and attract investment from other organization members. Greater U.S. investment in Indonesia's rare earths industry could also be inviting to Jakarta, which boasts a top-20 world economy. Indonesia has set its sights on dominating the global nickel market, and is already responsible for about half of the metal used around the world. Demand has skyrocketed as automakers need it for electric vehicle batteries and clean electricity projects that require larger batteries. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump's transactional dealmaking opens up possibilities that otherwise might not exist, said Daniel Shapiro, a former top State Department official who worked on Israel-Indonesia normalization efforts during the Biden administration. If the Indonesians have something they're seeking from the United States whether it's in the realm of tariff relief, other types of trade arrangements, or security arrangements this could represent an opportunity. Indonesia pledged troops and helped with Trump's 20-point plan Indonesian officials were among a small group of leaders from Muslim and Arab nations whom the White House used as a sounding board to help the administration fine-tune Trump's 20-point ceasefire and hostage proposal. And Trump at this weeks summit in Malaysia again conferred with Subianto and other leaders about U.S.-led efforts to maintain the ceasefire in Gaza, according to a White House official who was not authorized to comment publicly about the private leaders conversation. And Subianto, at the annual gathering of world leaders at the U.N. General Assembly days before the ceasefire agreement was reached, pledged 20,000 Indonesian troops for a prospective U.N. peacekeeping mission in Gaza. In the remarks, Subianto reiterated his country's call for an independent Palestine but underscored the need to recognize and guarantee the safety and security of Israel. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rabbi Marc Schneier, a president for the interfaith group Foundation for Ethnic Understanding and an advocate of the Abraham Accords effort, said Subianto's pledge for troops and his rhetoric about Israel suggest that the Indonesian leader could be primed to make the leap. Yes, he's talking about a Palestinian state, but he's also being clear that he wants a Palestinian state that does not come at the expense of a Jewish state, Schneier said. That's what gives me hope. Indonesia's historic backing of Palestinian state Trump met with Subianto and other leaders soon after the U.N. remarks, and seemed as impressed with the Indonesian president's style as he was with the pledge to a peacekeeping mission. Trump said he particularly enjoyed watching Subianto banging on that table in his U.N. speech. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But Subianto is likely to face deep skepticism from the Indonesian public on Israel normalization efforts. Indonesian leaders, dating to the Republic's first president, Sukarno, have sought to burnish an image of a country that leads the fight against world colonialism, said Dina Sulaeman, a scholar at Padjadjaran University in Bandung, Indonesia. The country had a protracted struggle for independence, freeing itself from Dutch colonial rule in its late 1940s revolution. Indonesian leaders' historical support for Palestinian statehood is also at odds with the current government in Israel, led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, which remains adamantly opposed to a two-state solution. So, if Indonesia suddenly wants to join the Abraham Accords and normalize Israels occupation of Palestine, the good image that the Indonesian government has built ... over decades will collapse, Sulaeman said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Trump administration had talks with the Indonesians about joining the Abraham Accords in its first term. The Biden administration, which tried to pick up on the normalization effort, also had serious talks with the Indonesians, Shapiro said. Shapiro said he was directly involved in talks between the Biden administration and senior Indonesian officials about using a November 2023 state visit by then Indonesian President Joko Widodo to offer preliminary announcements about moving forward on a normalization effort. But the Hamas Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel scuttled the effort. My judgment is there is good possibility, assuming the ceasefire holds, Shapiro said of Trump's chances of getting Jakarta to sign the accords. How and when that deal can begin to take shape that remains to be seen. ___ Tarigan reported from Jakarta. A demonstrator holds a placard reading #MeToo is a revolt during a protest to condemn violence against women, in Paris on Nov. 23, 2024. Credit - Jerome GillesNurPhoto/Getty Images France has enshrined the definition of rape and sexual assault as any non-consensual sexual act, months after the trial of dozens of men over the rape and abuse of Gisele Pelicot rattled the nation. The countrys senate voted 327-0 on Wednesday in favor of the bill, with 15 abstentions. The bill was introduced in January, after 51 men were convicted for the rape of Pelicot. Consent is defined as freely given, informed, specific, prior, and revocable and assessed in the light of the circumstances. The use of violence, constraint, threat, or surprise in committing a sexual act automatically constitutes non-consent, while consent also cannot be inferred solely from the silence or the lack of reaction of the victim. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When its no, its no; when its not no, it doesnt mean yes, and its better to check, Marie-Charlotte Garin, who proposed the bill alongside Veronique Riotton, told the National Assembly last week. And when its yes, it must be a real yes, a yes that is not afraid. Giving in will never again be consenting. Frances criminal code previously defined rape along the lines of force, as an act of penetration or oral sex committed with violence, coercion, threat or surprise. It did not mention consent. The bill passed Frances lower house of parliament last week with widespread approval from most members of the National Assembly, except for members of the far right. Rape culture, this insidious poison that permeates our societies, must be fought by each and every one of us, Marie-Pierre Vedrenne, a deputy interior minister, told senators ahead of the vote. Today, we can take a decisive step toward a true culture of consent. There are at least 230,000 incidents of sexual violence per year in France, according to a Senate report. Less than half of those are reported to the police, and only around 8,000 result in convictions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement France joins a number of countries that had updated their rape laws in light of the #MeToo movement in 2016, according to a 2024 study of rape laws in Europe. Since 2016, at least a dozen OECD member countries, including Spain, Germany, Denmark, and Switzerland, adopted consent-based rape laws, though not all use yes-means-yes models. Yes-means-yes models are affirmative and communicative, criminalising sexual acts without expressed consent, implying that consent only exists if freely expressed, Sara Uhnoo, Sofie Erixon, and Moa Bladini, researchers from the University of Gothenburg, wrote in the 2024 study. No-means-no models criminalise sexual acts against someones will, implying that a lack of consent is expressed through rejection. Japan in 2023 redefined rape as nonconsensual sexual intercourse, and removed a requirement of physical force. Others have long based their legal definition of rape on the lack of consent: Canadas rape law has included affirmative consent since 1983, while the U.K. made consent a central element for sexual offenses in 2003. In the U.S., rape laws vary from state to state. But a number of other developed countries still follow force-based rape laws. Among OECD European countries, Estonia, Italy, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, and Slovakia still primarily follow a force-based definition of rape. Most include provisions for if a person is incapable of self-defense or unable to express their will, such as if they are unconscious or intoxicated. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some countries, though, are considering reforms to their rape laws. In 2022, Slovakia considered an amendment that would broaden the definition of sexual assault to include a lack of consent. Although the proposal received widespread public support, Slovakia did not have a consent-based legal definition of rape as of last year, according to Amnesty International. In Italy, a bill to introduce consent as the central element in defining rape was proposed in February last year and is under review. And Estonias Ministry of Justice is currently considering a draft law based on the affirmative yes-means-yes principle of consent. The Czech Republic in 2025 changed the legal definition of rape from a force or coercion model to non-consensual intercourse based on the no-mean-no principlea less strict model of consent. Poland, too, approved a consent-based rape law last year that came into effect in February. Under the new law, rape is defined as sexual intercourse without the conscious and voluntary consent of the other person. South Koreas criminal code also still defines rape as requiring violence or intimidation, rather than the lack of consent alone. Since 2016, womens rights groups, opposition lawmakers, and some government agencies have repeatedly called for a consent-based legal definition of rape, and several bills for a consent-based definition have been introduced in the National Assembly between 2020 and 2024, but none was passed into law. How and whether to include a lack of consent as a requisite for rape remains a point of contention in terms of how it impacts the prosecution of rape, even as many countries culturally and politically move towards consent-based models. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Critics of consent-based models say it places the burden of proof on victims to show they did not consent, which can be more difficult in situations without witnesses or other documentation, according to the University of Gothenburg researchers. Others argue that the legal definition of consent leaves too much room for interpretation of what behaviors constitute consent or its withdrawal. But critics of force-based models say requiring the use of force for a sexual act to be considered rape excludes many victims who experience sexual assault without overt violence, or who freeze, submit out of fear, or are incapacitated, the researchers say. Critics say force-based definitions perpetuate rape culture and victim-blaming. Force-based laws often also require victims to show signs of resistance or injury to prove they were raped, which can make prosecution more difficult. The narrow definition of rape based on force and coercion does not take into account the fact that a reaction known as frozen fright or tonic immobility, and not active physical resistance, is rape victims most common response, according to a report by the E.U. Besides situations in which victims fear for their life and are thus involuntarily passive, traditional force-based definitions also ignore many other situations in which the victim is unable to react, such as surprise aggression, aggression against a background of power relations, sexual assault as part of a generalised pattern of violence in abusive relations, etc. During the French trial, some defense lawyers argued that the accused were not guilty of rape because they were not aware that Pelicot, who had been drugged unconscious by her husband Dominique, was not in a position to give her consent. The new law is able to counter that claim, as consent must be free and informed, specific, prior and revocable. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Many critics of force-based laws also point to the Istanbul Convention, a landmark international treaty which set out legally binding standards for preventing violence against women, protecting victims, and prosecuting offenders. Under the convention, member states, which includes many OECD countries, are obligated to define rape based on lack of freely given consent, rather than requiring proof of force, coercion, or threat. The treaty was adopted by the Council of Europe Committee of Ministers in 2011 and came into force in 2014. Five E.U. member countries have not ratified the Istanbul Convention as of last year: Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Hungary, Lithuania, and Slovakia. Some countries that ratified the Istanbul Convention, like Estonia, Italy, Latvia, and Romania, have argued that the application of their existing laws are compliant with the Istanbul Convention even though they have not modified their criminal definition of rape. In 2022, the European Commission proposed adopting a yes-means-yes model across the European Union. But 14 of 27 member states did not agree, including Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, the Netherlands and France. Contact us at letters@time.com. FRANKFORT, Ky. (FOX 56) A Frankfort man was arrested Wednesday night after being accused of sexually abusing a child. Frankfort police said they arrested 36-year-old Anthony Willoughby around 11 p.m. on Oct. 29. According to an indictment, the allegations occurred between August 2023 and May 2025. LATEST KENTUCKY NEWS: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Court records show hes facing 18 counts, which include charges of rape, sodomy, sexual abuse, distribution of obscene matter to a minor, and unlawful transaction with a minor. Willoughby is in the Franklin County Regional Jail on a $250,000 cash bond. No court date has been set. 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. Starting Nov. 1, thousands of Georgia families who rely on food aid through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program will face a sudden halt to their monthly benefit allotments, as the federal program is paused amid the ongoing U.S. government shutdown. With no clear date for federal aid to resume, local food banks, churches, and mutual-aid networks are stepping in to make sure no one goes hungry. As federal officials continue to sort out a funding bill, Atlanta families and residents in need can find help through a handful of local groups working to feed the city. The following is a list of food hubs in the Atlanta area and information for residents looking to help neighbors in need. Atlanta Community Food Bank Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Atlanta Community Food Bank is drawing $5 million from its reserves to purchase more than 6 million pounds of emergency food for distribution over the next four weeks. Residents can schedule an appointment to pick up groceries at one of ACFBs community food centers located in Jonesboro, Stone Mountain, Marietta, and Atlanta, or residents can go to a partnered food pantry. To locate a pantry, residents can use the food pantry finder on ACFBs website. Some pantries may require proof of local residency and offer curbside delivery, according to the website. You can also text FINDFOOD or COMIDA to (888) 976-2232 to access the information via text message. For residents looking to support ACFB, information on donating or volunteering with the organization can be found here. Open Hand Atlanta Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Open Hand Atlanta is a nonprofit organization dedicated to improving health outcomes through the delivery of medically tailored meals and nutrition education. The organization serves residents across Georgia, focusing on those with chronic or severe health conditions such as diabetes, cancer, kidney disease, and HIV/AIDS. Information on eligibility or to request services can be found on the organizations website. Information on how to support Open Hand Atlanta can be found here. The Grocery Spot The Grocery Spot is a nonprofit grocery store and community hub located in Grove Park. The store offers a free shopping experience to residents who live in the neighborhood, as well as for college students, seniors, veterans and more. Residents must sign up by appointment, and groceries are available on the following days and times: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Tuesday: 2615 Donald Lee Holloway Parkway NW, 1 to 5 p.m. (By appointment only for those who live or work in the 30314, 30318, and 30331 ZIP codes.) Friday: 1 to 5 p.m. (By appointment only for workers in education, college students, city of Atlanta employees, residents 65 or older, and veterans.) Identification required. Donations and volunteer opportunities with The Grocery Spot can be found here. MUST Ministries MUST Ministries is a faith-based organization that provides resources to communities in Georgia. It has food pantry and mobile food services available for residents. The mobile pantry schedule can be found here, and donation information can be found here. MUST Marietta Campus 1260 Cobb Parkway N., Marietta Phone: (770) 427-9862 Services are available Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. MUST Ministries Smyrna 460 Pat Mell Road, Smyrna Phone: (770) 436-9514 Services are available Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. MUST Ministries Canton 111 Brown Industrial Parkway, Canton Phone: (770) 479-5397 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Services are available Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Hosea Helps 2545 Forrest Hills Drive SW, Atlanta Phone: (404) 755-3353 Hosea Helps offers free emergency groceries for families in need. Families and individuals can visit the organizations care center during the week for food packages that fit the cooking capability of each household. Information on how to support Hosea Helps can be found here. Hosea Helps Care Center Services are available Tuesday through Thursday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Decatur Emergency Assistance Ministry (DEAM) Holy Trinity Episcopal Church 515 E. Ponce de Leon Ave., Decatur Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement DEAM is a coalition of 18 churches working together in the Decatur area, providing food, medication, and utility assistance by appointment to residents in need. DEAM only serves residents from the following ZIP codes: 30030, 30002, 30079, 30032, 30033, 30307, and 30317. DEAM operators are available Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. To schedule an appointment and find out more information, call (404) 373-9283 during those times. New Life Community Alliance 3592 Flat Shoals Road, Decatur Phone: (404) 381-6731 New Life Community Alliance is an organization working to erase the legacy of poverty in South DeKalb neighborhoods, and one way theyre doing that is through food services. The organization offers weekly hot meals served through their on-site kitchen, and they also have food available through their food pantry. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The hours of operation are Tuesday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., and Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to noon. Feeding GA Families Feeding GA Families is a nonprofit organization dedicated to eradicating hunger and fostering self-reliance among the vulnerable communities across Georgia. The organization is holding multiple food pantry events throughout November. Information on how to support the organization can be found here. New Birth Missionary Baptist Church 6400 Woodrow Road, Stonecrest On Nov. 1, New Birth Missionary Baptist Church and The Kings Table are expanding food distribution to support 2,000 local families who may be experiencing food insecurity. The event starts at 9 a.m and food is provided on a first-come, first-served basis. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Atlanta Public Schools Student and Family Support Hub 601 Dr. Thomas Cole Jr. Way SW, Atlanta Phone: (404) 802-1900 The APS Student and Family Support Hub provides free food for families within the APS system. All APS families can participate in a monthly food drive-up at the hub, with no sign up required. The next food drive-up takes place on Nov. 24 at 10:30 a.m. The hub also has a free walk-in grocery store for APS families called the Goodr Grocery Store. Families must sign up for an appointment to access the store. Read More About SNAP Programs in Atlanta The post Free Food, Donations, Volunteers: How to Help or Get Help During SNAP Pause in Atlanta appeared first on Capital B News - Atlanta. PARIS (AP) The Louvre will install streetside anti-ramming and anti-intrusion devices in the next two months, France's culture minister said Friday, after facing pressure following the Oct. 19 heist of crown jewels at the museum. The announcement follows a provisional investigation that found a chronic, structural underestimation of the risk of theft at the Paris landmark. Culture Minister Rachida Dati has said that alarms worked during the robbery, but acknowledged security gaps, refused the resignation of the museum director and cited four failings: underestimated risk, underequipped security, ill-suited governance and obsolete protocols. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On public roads, anti-ramming and anti-intrusion devices will be installed before the end of the year, she told the TF1 broadcaster on Friday. The thieves used a truck-mounted basket lift to reach a window of the Apollo Gallery and fled with eight crown jewel pieces within minutes. Scrutiny by the French Senate this week investigated surveillance gaps and accountability, with some lawmakers and unions questioning whether the ministers measures amount to gestures rather than durable reform. Louvre director Laurence des Cars has already said that the museum needs physical barriers to stop vehicles from parking close to vulnerable windows. Frances National Assembly has for the first time voted a motion pushed by the far-right National Rally urging the repeal of a 1968 agreement which grants Algerian citizens special residency and immigration rights. MPs backed the motion to end the 1968 bi-lateral accord by just one vote 185 in favour to 184 against. Tabled by the far-right National Rally (RN), it was backed by some conservative Republicans (LR) and members of former prime minister Edouard Philippes Horizons group. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While the resolution is non-binding only the president and prime minister have the power to end an international agreement it marks a strong symbolic victory for the far-right party whose resolutions have usually been rejected by centrists, conservatives and the left. "This is a historic day for the National Rally," said Marine Le Pen, leader of the parliamentary group, shortly after Thursday morning's vote. "For the first time, a text presented by the National Rally has been adopted," she continued, adding this was despite opposition from the left, President Emmanuel Macrons centrist Renaissance bloc, and the government. With Franco-Algerian relations at an all-time low, can they get back on track? Left-right divide Signed six years after Algeria gained independence from France, the 1968 agreement allows for Algerians and their families to obtain French residency certificates similar to residency permits issued to other foreigners through an expedited procedure. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Algerians are also allowed to set up as freelancers or start their own businesses without the extra formalities other foreigners may face. Le Pen urged the government to take parliaments vote "into account", arguing that the 1968 accord was outdated and no longer reflects France's immigration needs. We consider there is no longer any justification for maintaining this convention, she said. Left-wing parties condemned the move. Shame on the RN, which endlessly continues the wars of the past, Jean-Luc Melenchon, leader of the hard-left France Unbowed, said in a post on X. The left denounced the text as racist, prompting heated exchanges with the far right over whether the motion was justified. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement France should overhaul costly 1968 Algerian migration deal, say Macron allies Just one vote Socialist Party leader Olivier Faure criticised the low turnout by Macron's Renaissance parliamentary group, led by former prime minister Gabriel Attal. Where were the Macronists? Gabriel Attal was absent, he wrote on X. We were short of one vote the one that could have stopped the RN, added Cyrielle Chatelain, leader of the Greens parliamentary group. Attal was attending a forum on the sustainable transformation of tourism at the time of the vote. In January, Attal had himself called for the 1968 agreement to be revised, saying it was necessary to set limits and assume the balance of power with Algeria, notably in the light of the detention of French-Algerian writer Boualem Sansal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Earlier this month, two MPs from Macron's party penned a report arguing for the agreement to be overhauled. "The text and spirit of the '68 agreement have gradually been diverted from their original intention," MP Charles Rodwell told the commission, referring to subsequent agreements and changes to the accord which he said have increased the cost to French taxpayers to at least 2 billion a year. Discomfort over the vote was reflected in the turnout, which was low across all political stripes. Only 30 out of 92 Macronist MPs were present, with three abstaining. 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: Enteric neurons across sites and perturbations. Credit: Science (2025). DOI: 10.1126/science.adr3545 The enteric nervous system (ENS) is a vast network of nerves built into the walls of the intestine. While it is well known for its role in regulating digestion and the movement of food through the intestine, researchers are learning that its influence extends much further. Ramnik Xavier, MD, Ph.D., of the Department of Molecular Biology at Massachusetts General Hospital, is the senior author of a paper published in Science, "Regional encoding of enteric nervous system responses to microbiota and type 2 inflammation," that adds to accumulating evidence showing that the ENS works closely with the immune system to help the body respond to bacteria, parasites and allergens. Far from serving only as the gut's control center for digestion and movement, the ENS also plays a key role in how the body maintains balance and protects itself from harm. The gastrointestinal tract is constantly challenged by changes driven by the microbiota, pathogens and the immune system. However, scientists still know little about how the network of nerves in the gut that comprises the ENS responds to these shifting conditions, partly because it has been hard to study these neurons in detail. To address this, the researchers investigated mouse models with distinct, carefully selected gut microbiomes and others exposed to allergens or parasitic infections. In each case, the team profiled the ENS across different regions of the intestine to define its responses to these conditions. The researchers used a special type of mouse model with a fluorescent tagging system that made the nuclei of enteric neurons glow. This allowed them to identify and sort neurons from the rest of the gut tissue and study the nuclei of these cells one-by-one to understand their genetic activity. This approach enabled the investigators to see which genes were active in each cellin fact, they detected over 6,000 genes per neuron, on average, including lowly expressed genes that can be hard to detect with standard methods. Additionally, to investigate how these neurons adapt to different conditions, the team used a viral tool to delete specific genes of interest. This process helped to get a clearer picture of which genes control how neurons behave and respond. Study findings By studying gene activity in individual neurons of the gut, the team uncovered two main patterns that reveal how diverse and adaptable the ENS is. One group of sensory neurons showed large variations in cell numbers across sites and conditions. These sensory neurons stood out for their specialized communication, including response signals to many immune molecules produced during allergic responses or parasitic infection. Another group, the motor neurons that control gut movement, showed more gradual shifts in the genes they expressed across different conditions while maintaining stable numbers. Strikingly, these patterns were seen across very different conditionsfrom allergy to parasitic infection to germ-free statessuggesting that the gut's nervous system coordinates its activity to keep the intestine in balance, no matter the challenge. Together, these findings create the most detailed roadmap to date of how the gut's nervous system responds to different environmental challenges. The study shows that changes in the activity of enteric neurons are closely linked to how the intestine functions, connecting cellular behavior to broader gut physiology. By revealing these connections, the researchers say they have laid the foundation for future research into how the ENS supports gut health, as well as what happens when that balance is disrupted in disease. By charting how enteric neurons change during inflammation, the team now aims to explore if, and how, the gut's nervous system can directly influence inflammatory responses. To advance therapeutic progress, they will also study patient samples and laboratory-grown gut models to determine how these findings apply to humans. Last, but not least, because enteric neurons also communicate with other nerves that connect to the braininfluencing appetite, food intake and moreunderstanding how inflammation-related changes in the ENS affect these wider nerve networks could reveal more about the gut's role in overall health and disease. More information: Peng Tan et al, Regional encoding of enteric nervous system responses to microbiota and type 2 inflammation, Science (2025). DOI: 10.1126/science.adr3545 Journal information: Science KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) The funeral services for Knoxville Police Lieutenant Gordon Gwathney, who died Sunday while on a hunting trip after serving with the department for nearly 30 years, have been announced. Knoxville Police released the service times Friday afternoon. According to the department, the community is invited to pay their respects during a public viewing on November 3 from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. at Atchley Funeral Home, located at 122 Peacock Ct. in Seymour. Gwathneys family will not be present during the viewing. An incomprehensible loss Knoxville Police lieutenant dead on hunting trip Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement From 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. on November 3, the public is also invited to attend the receiving of friends at Seymour Baptist Church, which is located at 11621 Chapman Highway in Seymour. Gwathneys funeral service will immediately follow at 7 p.m. On November 4, at approximately noon, Knoxville Police motor officers will lead a procession from Atchley Funeral Home up Chapman Highway, onto Gov. John Sevier Highway and into the East Tennessee State Veterans Cemetery. Members of the community are invited to line the road along the procession route to pay tribute to Gwathney before he is laid to rest, however, the graveside service at 12:30 p.m. is only open to former and current Knoxville Police staff, other law enforcement, and Gwathneys family. Way more than just a regular officer to us: East Knoxville community mourns KPD lieutenant Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Members of the community can also help support Lt. Gwathneys family in their time of need through a fund that has been established at the Knoxville Law Enforcement Federal Credit Union. Donations can be made in person or by mailing a check to 501 E Summit Hill Drive or by phone at 865-522-3900, Knoxville Police said. The KPD is overwhelmed with gratitude for the outpouring of love for Lt. Gwathney and support for his family, and asks that the community continues to keep Lt. Gwathneys family and all who loved him in their prayers. Gwathney, a Sevier County native, served with the Knoxville Police since 1997. He was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant in 2010, and in 2023, he was named the Knoxville Police Departments Officer of the Year. Before joining the department, Gwathney also served in the U.S. Army. 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. MEMPHIS, Tenn. Government employees, those still working and those going through unpaid absences, lined up by the dozen Friday morning for one of the citys latest food distributions. A Raleigh church hosted the distribution drive, as a way to help many of our neighbors in need. WREGs Jerrita Patterson spoke with a federal worker who says sadly this is not the first time she has gone through something similar. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Parked in a row along a Raleigh road are dozens who arrived early for a common cause. I am a federal employee from the Internal Revenue Services, said June Lee who is currently on furlough. We are in a government shutdown so I came to this food pantry to get some food for me and my son. June Lee, a federal worker for 39 years, is nearing retirement while also nearing her breaking point. The Memphis mother arrived well before the 10 a.m. start time for a food drive thats solely for government workers. She joins many others in a line that stretched down and around James Road. We are feeding all government workers military, IRS you name it, explained Nicole Willis with the Mid-South Food bank. Whether you are furloughed or not, we recognize some people are working right now and they are not getting paid. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Mid-South Food bank partnered with Holy City Church to host one of the citys latest food drives. The goal today is to close the gap for those people in need, Willis said. Sadly this is not the first time Lee has been forced to navigate through an unpaid leave of absence. We were shut down before in 2018 and it was tough times then, Lee said. In the past, she has helped so many others but is now on the receiving end, along with her son who sadly is in the same situation. These are trying times. My son, he gets a military check because hes part-time National Guard, so hes not getting a check, so its hard on us, she explained. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lee said tough times dont last always. She is thankful to receive the much needed items just in time for Thanksgiving. She also said she is blessed to part of such a caring community. The Mid-South Food Bank is in need of donations in order to continue making food drives like the one on Friday possible. If you would like to make a monetary donation, click here. WREG NewsChannel 3 is also teaming up with Kroger to help our neighbors in need with a community food drive beginning on Monday, Nov. 3. Donate to Our Neighbors Table Community Food Drive 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. The Florida Fruit and Vegetable Association recently celebrated the graduation of its Emerging Leader Development Program Class 14. This is a group of young professionals from across the state who represent the future of Florida agriculture. I was honored to be one of them. Over the past year, our class has traveled around the state learning from growers, advocates, and innovators who are all working toward the same goal of keeping Florida agriculture strong and sustainable for generations to come. We may come from different regions and grow different crops, but we share a common thread through our deep respect for the land and a shared commitment to preserve it. For me, that land is the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA), where I was born and raised. My family has farmed here in Pahokee for nearly a century, growing wholesome foods that nourish families including sweet corn, cabbage, and sugarcane. I am proud to now be the fourth generation in my family to carry on that tradition. South Floridians are fortunate to enjoy a wide variety of fresh, locally grown foods harvested right in their own backyard. (Bill Ingram/The Palm Beach Post) South Floridians are fortunate to enjoy a wide variety of fresh, locally grown foods harvested right in their own backyard. But what makes this region truly special isnt just what we grow, its how we grow it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement EAA farmers have long been leaders in environmental stewardship. Recently, the South Florida Water Management District announced that EAA growers achieved a 62% annual phosphorus reduction, which is more than double the 25% reduction required under Floridas Everglades Forever Act. This is a direct result of decades of collaboration, innovation, and a shared belief that protecting our water and soil is essential to our future. Throughout my time in the development program, I saw that same spirit of innovation and commitment echoed across the state. In Plant City, we met berry growers developing cutting-edge technology, like automatic harvesters that use a water bath to protect delicate fruit. In Polk County, we toured citrus groves where protective screen technology was used to combat greening disease. Back in the EAA, we saw how our unique muck soils foster not just crops but collaboration, while also learning best management practices and how farmers use owl boxes to reduce pesticide use. Everywhere we went, we saw the same determination to adapt, to improve, and to keep Florida farming alive. I feel more hopeful than ever about where agriculture is headed. There is a new generation of growers, advocates, and innovators who understand both the challenges and the opportunities ahead. In the EAA, we understand that farming is a balance between tradition and progress. We honor the lessons of those who came before us while embracing new technologies that make us more efficient and sustainable. Olivia Pope Helms The next generation of farmers are ready to lead that charge and the future of Florida agriculture, and of farming in the Everglades Agricultural Area, is bright. Its rooted in stewardship, strengthened by innovation, and powered by the next generation of leaders who love this land as deeply as those who came before them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Olivia Pope Helms is a fourth generation Florida agriculturist and the credit manager at Wedgworths Inc. She resides in Pahokee, Florida. This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Farming tradition in Palm Beach County remains strong | Opinion From a ballot item to the Gulf, help could be on the way to address the state's water woes, which experts say are leading to delays in new building permits and boil water notices. MORE PEOPLE, AND AGING INFRASTRUCTURE ARE IMPACTING WATER SUPPLY Texas continues to attract new neighbors, and an increase in places such as the Gulf Coast Water Authority is being closely watched. "We have on average 1,500 people per day coming into Texas," Gulf Coast Water Authority district engineer Robert Upton said. "Where do they go? They come to Houston. They'll come to other parts of the area, and what's needed? Water." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Upton said the increased demand can put a strain on the water supply. Now, they're looking for ways to ensure everyone has access to drinking water. "That's everybody's question," Upton said. "We have to be looking to the next step." Recently, Magnolia and Conroe city leaders briefly paused new building permits because they cited water concerns. Texas 2036 infrastructure and natural resources policy director Jeremy Mazur said it's not just more people impacting drinking water. He said aging infrastructure is impacting the water going to homes. "Unreliable service, or they had to put up with a boil water notice," Mazur explained. TEXAS VOTERS GET TO DECIDE WHETHER TO INVEST BILLIONS INTO WATER To address water woes, state lawmakers are letting voters decide. On the ballot, this election is Proposition Four. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If approved, it would change the state's constitution to allocate $20 billion to water projects. "It does this without raising taxes or otherwise expanding taxes," Mazur explained. "It just uses existing sales tax revenues." While it's $20 billion, Mazur said it's still below what needs to be spent to address the water problems. Mazur said that more than $150 billion will need to be invested over the next 50 years. However, Mazur said this would be a good start. "This $20 billion could be easily financed to upwards of $40 billion or $50 billion, depending on how the state elects to use these dollars," Mazur said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some groups say they aren't so sure. The Sierra Club said there are concerns with Proposition Four, including how money would go towards controversial projects, and sales tax money would be taken away from other areas. There's also the concern about whether the money will actually be used on water projects. Houston voters approved the creation of a drainage fee in 2010. However, a lawsuit revealed money had been reallocated. Mazur said Proposition Four would be different because it changes the state's constitution. Although he admits it doesn't guarantee all of the money will go towards water projects. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The constitutional amendment does allow the temporary suspension of this dedication if there's a statewide disaster declaration," Mazur said. TURNING TO THE GULF TO DELIVER DRINKING WATER Proposition Four isn't the only item addressing water concerns. The Gulf Coast Water Authority is currently doing a study on desalination. It's a process that takes salt water and turns it into drinking water. "We currently take the Brazos River water, which is brown in color, and we treat that same process, the same water, to fresh water that has sediment, total dissolved solids, chemical makeup, and we make pure water out of it for drinking," Upton explained. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Upton said the study should be completed by February. If all goes well, they may have a site open in 10 years. "It's an endless sea out there," Upton said. "It is a treatment process that is proven technology. Do I see it coming? Yes." In fact, a desalination plant could be coming to Texas City in five years. Right now, EPCOR is eyeing an abandoned facility off State Highway 146 in Texas City. It's currently in the permitting process. Company officials gave ABC13 a tour of the location. They explained how channels allow water from the bay to pump into the location, and how they would release the salt back into another channel. By the time it reaches the bay, they said the salt level would be slightly higher than normal. The facility would enable them to provide drinking water to more than 100,000 homes. For updates on this story, follow Nick Natario on Facebook, X and Instagram. Oct. 31Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks is hosting a public meeting with private landowners and staff from Montana Department of Natural Resources and Conservation about lands under conservation easement in northwest Montana. A conservation easement is a voluntary legal agreement between a landowner and a land trust or government agency that permanently limits uses of the land to protect its conservation values. FWP holds conservation easements to protect vital fish and wildlife habitat, retain working lands, and maintain recreational access opportunities for the public. Lands under easement remain in private ownership and management, and landowners continue to pay property taxes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The upcoming meetings are required annually by the conservation easement agreements and provide a forum for discussion of any issues related to public use, land use, access issues, conditions, or other unanticipated issues. FWP staff will be gathering with staff from Green Diamond Resource Company and Stimson Lumber on Nov. 3. Nov. 3 Ponderosa Room at City Hall in Libby 10-11 a.m. Kootenai Valleys Conservation Easement (28,000 acres), Kootenai Forestlands Conservation Easement (22,300 acres) near Libby and Troy 11 a.m.-12 p.m. Thompson-Fisher River Conservation Easement (142,000 acres) west of Kalispell 12-1 p.m. Lost Trail Conservation Easement (7,300 acres) and Montana Great Outdoors, Phase 1 (32,981 acres) west of Kalispell NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) A new step by the federal government would allow state prisons to block the signals of contraband cellphones, which Tennessee Department of Correction Commissioner Frank Strada called a gamechanger in corrections. For years, inmates across the country have used illegal cellphones to continue committing crimes inside prisons, putting the publics safety at risk. That cellphone, I kind of look at it as a weapon, Strada said. I equate it to having a weapon because it can seriously do harm to an individual, even though its an electronic device. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement PREVIOUS | FCC considers letting state prisons use cellphone jammers Contraband cellphones provide inmates with a connection to the outside world. Before Stradas time as the TDOC commissioner, there were cases of inmates in Tennessee who used illegal cellphones to arrange hits and escapes. In 2005, an inmate in Roane County organized an escape with an illegal cellphone by using it to call his wife, who then shot and killed correction officer Wayne Cotton Morgan. Now, the Federal Communications Commission has taken the first step to allow state prisons to jam cellphone signals, which is currently banned under the Communications Act of 1934. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The way that the technology was explained to me is it will pinpoint the area of the cellphone and render that area inoperable, so it wont affect the outside areas or communities, Strada explained. I think that was what the hesitation was prior to this. Now the technology allows us to identify the signal in a specific area, and thats what we would do is target the areas. Despite this, some worry jamming could potentially block 911 calls made from outside of prisons, and interfere with prison surveillance and lock systems, making it easier for inmates to escape. Read todays top stories on wkrn.com However, Strada told News 2 jamming would greatly reduce the amount of criminal activity inside prisons, not only in Tennessee, but across the country, which is why he worked with Tennessee lawmakers in Washington on legislation to allow the technology in state prisons. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It would have just a sweeping reform of contraband inside our institutions, Strada said. I think its going to be a game changer in corrections, and one thing in corrections, were always trying to find ways to mitigate contraband and illegal activity, which is occurring in prisons, just to create a safer environment for everyone. The FCCs passage of a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) was just the first step toward a regulation change. Next, the commission will gather public feedback before making a final vote. 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. LONGMEADOW, Mass. (WWLP) The Gap in Longmeadow has closed temporarily to reopen as Factory-branded clothing store. The location is scheduled to reopen on Tuesday, November 5th, according to a Facebook post by The Longmeadow Shops. Gap Factory states on its website that this type of line is designed to offer exclusive Gap-branded clothing at a value. Longmeadow students learn risks of driving high in school demo Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Our in-house design team creates an exclusive line of casual-chic styles available only at Factory. We do not sell Gap overstock, last seasons trends, or flawed product. Youll get everything you love about the Gap brand at a value youll love even more, gapfactory.com. Retail Boss says that the Gap Factory clothing line is designed to offer budget-friendly apparel and has opened 50 new outlet stores in 2025. Gap was established by Don and Doris in 1969 and has more than 3,500 stores. Their brands include Old Navy, Banana Republic and Athleta. 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. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WWLP. NEW YORK Both Gayle King and CBS News brass on Friday addressed the widely circulated report that she would depart the anchor desk at CBS Mornings next spring. On Thursday, Variety reported that the Emmy Award winner and Oprah Winfrey bestie is expected to leave her position next year. King, who joined the morning show in 2011, may shift to a different role at the news division, potentially with a deal to produce her own programming for the network, reporters Matt Donnelly and Brian Steinberg wrote. Paparazzi approached King outside of the CBS Broadcasting Center in Midtown Manhattan on Friday and probed the broadcast journalist about her future at the Tiffany Network. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement All I can say is this: From what Im being told inside this building all Ive been told by everybody in this building is that they want me here, they like the job Im doing, I like the job Im doing! King told TMZ. The night before, as buzz began to build about the pending high-profile exit, CBS issued a statement in response to the Variety report: There have been no discussions with Gayle about her contract that runs through May 2026. Shes a truly valued part of CBS and we look forward to engaging with her about the future. King, a former news anchor in Hartford, Connecticut, who is the voice of her own weekly Sirius XM radio show, currently hosts CBS Mornings with Tony Dokoupil and Nate Burleson. She would be the latest high-profile person to change roles or leave the network entirely as CBSs parent company Paramount finalizes its $8 billion merger with Skydance Media. The media conglomerate on Wednesday began slashing 2,000 employees ahead of next years official takeover. Variety also reported that drastic changes to CBS Saturday morning programming are underway. After more than a decade, millions of people may no longer wake up to Gayle King on their televisions. The longtime morning news anchor is expected to soon be leaving her role at CBS, per a report. However, King may not be finished with the network, however, as CBS shakes up its news coverage. King herself is also speaking out about the report. King expected to leave CBS Mornings but may stay at network Variety reports that multiple sources are indicating that King is likely to leave her role as an anchor for CBS Mornings next year. King has been with CBS News since 2011 and has been a host of the networks morning show, previously known as CBS This Morning since 2012. During her time at CBS, King has been at the center of several defining moments, including conducting an infamous interview with an unhinged R. Kelly, talking exclusively with Megan Thee Stallion about her shooting, and traveling to space with other celebrities, including Katy Perry. She also faced backlash, including misogynistic attacks, over bringing up Kobe Bryants sexual assault allegations during coverage of his death. Kings current contract with CBS ends in May 2026, and though she is expected to leave the morning anchor spot, she may remain with CBS News in some capacity, perhaps even producing her own programs. What Gayle King said about the reports of her upcoming departure On Friday morning, King took issue with the reporting about her possible departure. Leaving the CBS studio Friday morning, King told TMZ All Ive been told by everybody in this building is that they want me here, they like the job Im doing, I like the job Im doing. I like the job and the people I work with. King added, Shat Im not going to do is negotiate in the media. Not doing that. Corporate shakeups at CBS, other networks Kings expected departure comes as CBS undergoes an ownership transition and major shakeups in its news division. Parent company Paramount merged with Skydance, owned by David Ellison, son of billionaire Oracle founder Larry Ellison. The merger has led to significant shakeups at Paramount, including significant layoffs of Paramount staff and executives. At CBS, the restructuring has included scaling back some international offices, retooling CBS Saturday Morning, and canceling two streaming news programs. Among the news cuts at CBS, the network has eliminated its race and culture unit; NBC News similarly eliminated its units covering Black, Asian, Latino and LGBTQ news. CBS News has reportedly disbanded its race and culture unit, which was formed in the wake of George Floyd's murder in 2020 NBC News eliminated its editorial teams for NBC Asian America, NBC BLK, NBC Latino and NBC OUT earlier this monthhttps://t.co/meXngkNAc9 philip lewis (@Phil_Lewis_) October 30, 2025 Trump appeasement from news networks In addition to cutting staff for reasons of cost or corporate restructuring, major news networks have been criticized for seeming to cave to pressure from the Trump administration. The Paramount-Skydance merger, which required the approval of the Federal Communications Commission, has led to criticisms that CBS has censored anti-Trump voices like late night host Stephen Colbert and accusations that it has news coverage in a more conservative direction to appease Trump. Other networks have also faced accusations of catering to the Trump administration, including ABCs suspension of late-night host Jimmy Kimmel for comments he made after the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. King is one of many media figures to be attacked by Trump; in August Trump went after King on social media, posting, Gayle Kings career is over. She should have stayed with her belief in TRUMP. She never had the courage to do so. No talent, no ratings, no strength!!! Donald J. Trump Truth Social 08.04.25 09:55 PM EST Gayle Kings career is over. She should have stayed with her belief in TRUMP. She never had the courage to do so. No talent, no ratings, no strength!!! Commentary Donald J. Trump Posts From Truth Social (@DailyTruthPosts) August 5, 2025 There has been no direct indication that Trump or politics played a role in Kings expected departure from CBS Mornings. But the move does happen as CBS News and other news networks programming become more conservative and less diverse. Even in this atmosphere, however, King may remain a presence at CBS after being one of its most prominent faces for over a decade. The post Gayle King Responds To Report That Shes Expected To Leave CBS Mornings Anchor Role Amid Skydance Merger appeared first on Blavity. 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: Abby Giuseppe, Enterprise Marketing and Communications Recent testing by a Virginia Commonwealth University forensic toxicology research lab is uncovering the hidden dangers of vapes and cannabis products used by more than a million school-age children across the country each year. The study also highlights the rise of vaping in schools, where unregulated devices are increasingly found among students. This past school year, VCU researcher Michelle Peace and her team in the Laboratory for Forensic Toxicology Research conducted extensive research on e-cigarettes, collecting and evaluating nearly 1,300 products from K-12 schools in Virginia as part of a project that exposes the ingredients in thousands of unregulated vapes and cannabis products. The project aims to help consumers, particularly youth, make informed decisions. "This work is important because it's a direct measure of what children have access toand what their preferences are," said Peace, Ph.D., a professor in the Department of Forensic Science in VCU's College of Humanities and Sciences. "Vaping is a significant public health and public safety threat to the well-being of our children and [this information] serves as an educational tool for prevention and cessation." Tested chemicals in vapes reveal mislabeling, contaminants and risks Of the nearly 1,300 vaping products collected from schools during the 202425 school year: 83% contained nicotine. 14% contained cannabinoids. 73% of cannabinoid vapes tested contained a mixture of cannabinoids, both plant-based and synthetic, with cannabinoid concentrations ranging from 28% to 90%. Vapes often advertised as containing 5% nicotine were found to contain anywhere from 1% to 4%. Ethanolor alcoholwas identified in 4% of vapes that contained nicotine. In addition to the mislabeling and various chemicals found in vapes, Peace's research on e-cigarettes and cannabis products uncovered more hidden dangers. Most concerning to Peace was the presence of microbiologicals, such as bacteria, yeast, and coliform, the latter of which indicates fecal contamination, in the devices and in the aerosol of some of the products tested, many of which she said exceed the exposure thresholdmeaning that they rise above the level of exposure at which health effects are likely to occur, raising significant concerns about the potential side effects from vaping on user health. Vaping in schools: The growing relationship between vaping and teens Less than 0.1% of the products submitted were authorized for sale by the Food and Drug Administration, meaning that they were overwhelmingly purchased from the unregulated market. Credit: Abby Giuseppe, Enterprise Marketing and Communications "I firmly believe that if you aren't measuring a phenomenon, you cannot manage it properly," Peace said. "[This research] provides as close to real-time data as to what schools are experiencing so they can develop strategies." According to a 2025 report by the Monitoring the Future, 15.3% of secondary school students in the U.S. used nicotine vaping products within the last year, while 11.5% used cannabinoid vaping products. The report's findings are based on a survey sample of 8th, 10th and 12th grade students from around the country. Peace and her team have concerns about the generalizability of this data as school personnel continue to report a rise in vaping among the student population. Of the 1,287 submissions received by the lab during the 2024-25 academic year, the most common brand was Geek Bar (508), followed by Raz (123) and Lost Mary (100). Students self-reported most commonly that they acquired their vaping product through a friend or peer (110), by purchasing it themselves (60) or by stealing it (18). FAQs about vaping and teen health Why is vaping in schools a major concern for parents and educators? The presence of nicotine and unregulated chemicals is more than just a classroom distraction; it introduces teens to addictive nicotine and harmful chemicals at a critical stage of brain development. Beyond the health risks, it normalizes substance use among peers and creates challenges for teachers trying to maintain a safe and focused learning environment. This combination makes prevention and education essential for protecting student well-being. Many vapes were determined to contain cannabinoids and/or other substances. Many products had no label defining the drug contents, meaning the consumer, parental figures, and school personnel cannot make informed decisions. What are the side effects of vaping? Reported effects include coughing, dizziness, shortness of breath and long-term damage to lung function. VCU's research also shows the risk of exposure to bacteria and harmful contaminants that can cause health issues. Another VCU study found that use of a vape can lead to the body aging faster; people who vape were, on average, physiologically 10 years older than their actual age. Is vaping nicotine safer than cigarettes? While some believe vaping nicotine is less harmful than cigarette smoking, research on nicotine vapes shows that unregulated devices still carry significant risks due to hidden chemicals and addictive nicotine. Decades worth of health and safety data demonstrated the risks of smoking that finally precipitated changes in public health policies. For vaping, it will be decades before the comprehensive risks will be fully understood. A focus group of young New York City residents conducted during the early voting period in a hotly contested mayoral race found that Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdani's message of affordability resonated with participants concerned about the cost of living in America's largest city. Researchers from the Harvard Institute of Politics asked the group aged 22 to 29 about the biggest stressors in their lives and their preferences in this year's mayoral race in order to better understand the political attitudes of New York City's young voters. The study comes as the role of the youth vote in this year's election for mayor has loomed large, with Mamdani in particular receiving praise for his social media strategy that allowed him to tap into the Gen Z vote in the Democratic primary. It could also point to how Gen Z voters might behave in the 2026 midterm elections, as Republicans across the country seek to maintain their control of the Senate and their razor-thin majority in the House. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement NYC mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani blasts 'shocking' remarks from JD Vance about his aunt Participants in the group hailed from The Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, and Queens, and spanned education levels and careers. Those excited about Mamdani crossed the political spectrum, including two participants who had voted for President Donald Trump in last year's presidential election. Mike Segar/Reuters - PHOTO: Democratic candidate for New York City Mayor, Zohran Mamdani, poses for a selfie with a supporter while campaigning in Manhattan's Upper East Side neighborhood during early voting, in New York, October 27, 2025. One of those participants was Matthew A., a 27-year-old Republican from Texas who now lives in Manhattan. Focus group participants were identified only by their first name and last initial. "I'm enthusiastic. I think he has great plans," Matthew said. "Seems like another Bernie" He drew comparisons between Trump and Mamdani, saying that with both "there's no flip-flopping." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The Bernie-Trump pipeline is very real," added Thomas L., a 25-year-old Republican who also voted for Trump and lives in Queens, referring to the group of independent Sen. Bernie Sanders supporters who were attracted to Trump's populist message after Sanders dropped out of the Democratic primary back in 2016. "[Mamdani] seems like another Bernie, and I want that. Across the board, participants cited a lack of affordability as one of the greatest stressors on young people living in New York City and are hopeful that Mamdani's agenda might make living in the city that they love a little easier. "I think my life could really improve if he wins," said Elyssa F., a 22-year-old Democrat who lives in Queens. Other participants appreciated Mamdani's anti-establishment positioning and his stance on Israel. ABC News - PHOTO: Researchers from the Harvard Institute of Politics convened a focus group New York City Gen Z voters to better understand their political attitudes ahead of the New York City mayoral race. "In the Democratic primary debate, where every candidate was asked, What would be the first country you go and visit,' Mamdani was the only person that didn't say Israel," said Patrick G., a 29-year-old independent who lives in Brooklyn. "It just made me feel like, wow, everybody truly is sold out." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "There's a reason all the billionaires are funding Cuomo because Mamdani speaks for the people and the establishment speaks for the corporations," Patrick added. "It's honestly upsetting and shameful," said Liana S. -- a 23-year-old Democrat who lives in Manhattan -- of Democrats who haven't fallen in line to back Mamdani. "A lot of Democrats are like 'Vote blue no matter who -- except for Zohran.'" After Mamdani won the Democratic primary in June, New York party leaders in Congress were not so quick to endorse him. It wasnt until just last week that House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, who represents a district in Brooklyn and part of Queens, endorsed Mamdani after a long debate over whether he would weigh in. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, a lifelong resident of Brooklyn, still has yet to endorse in the race, even though early voting has already begun. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Almost 300,000 New Yorkers have already voted as the fourth day of early voting comes to a close -- as opposed to the 55,000 New Yorkers who had voted this same time in 2021 -- pointing to an exceptional level of energy this election has generated. Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images - PHOTO: Democratic Mayoral Candidate Zohran Mamdani speaks with supporters inside of Lips Cafe, Oct. 25, 2025, in the East Flatbush neighborhood of the Brooklyn borough in New York. "Ideally, it would be a framework, particularly for the Democratic Party, to realize, Oh, we can actually promote a vision, instead of just our whole platform being Trump sucks," Patrick said. "It's an actual vision to improve people's lives, hyper-focused on affordability. Disillusionment with the political establishment Disillusionment with the current political establishment seemed to drive some participants to support Mamdani, with one calling former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo who is running for mayor as an independent after losing to Mamdani in the primary an "establishment plant." "If [Mamdani] does win, that's just going to show other Democrats that are more leaning towards the establishment that it is possible. And at the end of the day, we do have a say in the vote, and we're not just going to vote for the establishment Democrats," Liana added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mamdani, who turned 34 this month, would be the youngest mayor of New York City in over a century -- a fact that some participants feel helps him better understand the challenges young people living in New York City face. "I think [Mamdani]'s a better choice than people that are over 50 years old, 60 years old, where the last time they had to look for a job was when they were looking at a newspaper, circling ads," Matthew said. To these focus group participants, a Mamdani represents hope. "It's hope that the people's will still exists, and that the concerted effort against Mamdani has gone to every single length it could and every single sort of thread they could pull -- they went straight to the post-9/11 Islamophobia, " Thomas said. "I never thought that Democrats would go that far, but it seems that they would." Timothy A. Clary/AFP via Getty Images - PHOTO: New York independent mayoral candidate Andrew Cuomo speaks next to mayor Eric Adams in New York on Oct. 23, 2025. Cuomo and current New York City Mayor Eric Adams recently faced backlash for comments against Mamdani that could be perceived as anti-Muslim, including an instance in which Cuomo laughed with a radio host who said that Mamdani would cheer if there was another 9/11. Adams brought up "Islamic extremists" in his endorsement of Cuomo. "We're ready for change" "We just want to see someone new, someone fresh, so we get encouraged to do something different and actually bring a change in the community," said Bennur C., a 29-year-old Democrat who lives in Brooklyn. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We're ready for change," Matthew said. "We don't need the same as always. We want better." And while the participants are supporting Mamdani because they believe his policies would make their lives easier, the historic nature of his candidacy is not lost on them. "New York City was the center of Islamophobia after 9/11, and New York City is about to elect their first Muslim mayor. And that's badass," Patrick said. GEORGETOWN, Texas (KXAN) Georgetown Parks and Recreation discussed over $10 million worth of enhancements planned for Blue Hole Park at a city council workshop Tuesday. The master plan integrates community survey data and lessons learned from floods that inundated the park and much of Central Texas over Independence Day weekend. The San Gabriel River runs through the park, which is in a flood-prone area. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I love to see investment in gems like this, said Allyson Plantz, who grew up in Georgetown. I hope whatever theyre doing is a flood-proof plan, because that is something that happens all the time. In line with community feedback, the primary aims of the project are to protect natural areas and enhance existing park features. Improvements will include nature preservation spaces, a picnic area, creation of additional parking, updated restrooms, reinforcement of the San Gabriel riverbank and more. Planned enhancements to Georgetowns Blue Hole Park (Courtesy of City of Georgetown) Georgetown currently has $7 million earmarked for the project. Parts of the plan could be adjusted or phased out to bridge the difference between the budget and projected cost. Breaking down the budget Georgetown Parks and Recreation outlined the estimated costs in a budget opinion, enumerating the proposed enhancements and the projected price of each item. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A summarized breakdown of the budget is as follows: Design: $1,087,900 Construction: $7,534,481 Mobilization and permitting: $466,500 Site work and demolition: $870,000 Parking and roadways: $1,124,084 Park amenities and structures: $5,073,897 Contingency: $1,531,000 Total project cost estimate: $10,153,381 Deterring future flood damage Kimberly Garrett has served as director of Georgetown Parks and Recreation for the past 20 years and has lived in the city for the past 30 years. In that time, she remembers the San Gabriel flooding at least four times. [The water] comes through really fast. Itll take concrete away; itll take the trail. Weve lost light poles. Weve seen benches wash down the river, Garrett said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When floods hit Central Texas on July 4, water levels on the San Gabriel rose significantly. Garrett said damages from the flood cost over $100,000, requiring debris cleanup, restoration of electrical service and rendering restrooms by the river unusable. The San Gabriel River flooded on July 4th (Photo/Gregg Swanson) Looking ahead to the enhancements, we learned what survives and what doesnt, Garrett said. Theres new technology and engineering that can be done to make sure that those [new] features dont get washed away. An investment in the future The city plans to begin design for the enhancements in 2026. Construction is projected to begin in early 2027. [The enhancements] are really just to make it more family-friendly, to bring people to the park make it a destination, Garrett said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Plantz hopes the improvements to Blue Hole will serve the city and visitors for years to come. Its been here for generations. Its been the hang out spot for families and teenagers, and I would hate to see it disappear, she said. Im glad to hear theyre investing it in more, because it is something that needs to stick around for sure. 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. An EMT was fired after being charged with driving under the influence while on duty in Georgia. Authorities responded to a report of an intoxicated EMT on Oct. 12, WJCL reported. Carson Gregory McCluskey, 34, displayed signs of intoxication, including bloodshot eyes and the smell of alcohol, but denied drinking and refused to take a breathalyzer test, police said. According to the police report, a firefighter reported McCluskey to authorities after smelling alcohol. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement McCluskey, who was on duty at the time, was accompanied by another EMT in the vehicle. The other EMT was questioned by police about his partners alcohol use and hinted it was not the first time such questions had been raised, police said. McCluskeys refused a field sobriety tests but was charged with DUI less safe, which is used when officials believe someone is unable to drive safely despite a blood alcohol content below the legal limit. Chatham Emergency Medical Services said McCluskey was immediately suspended on the day of the incident and terminated the following day. McCluskey told officers the smell of alcohol might have been from his cologne but acknowledged it was not an excuse. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul was in Lebanon on Friday to discuss the demilitarization of the Iran-backed Hezbollah militia, a process that has been stalling amid the group's refusal to surrender its weapons. Wadephul, who is currently on a tour of the Middle East to shore up support for the US-led peace plan for Gaza, stressed the importance of Hezbollah's disarmament in ensuring permanent peace in the region. The militia began attacking Israel following the start of the Gaza war, prompting retaliatory airstrikes and an Israeli ground invasion. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah has been in effect for nearly a year, but both sides accuse each other of violations. Hezbollah was severely weakened by the recent war with Israel and is under pressure both domestically and internationally to surrender its weapons by the end of the year, a plan which the militia never agreed to. In Beirut, Wadephul first met with Lebanese Foreign Minister Youssef Rajji, and was due to hold separate talks with President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam. Disarming Hezbollah is a sensitive issue for the government, as the militia still enjoys widespread popular support, especially among Shiites. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The group considers itself the only true force of resistance against its declared arch-enemy Israel. The Lebanese army, which is tasked with overseeing the disarmament, is considered rather weak and poorly equipped by comparison. Wadephul also plans to visit a German frigate participating in the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), the UN peacekeeping mission stationed in the country that was established in 1978. The roughly 150 German troops aboard the Sachsen-Anhalt frigate are tasked with monitoring the sea off the Lebanese coast and training the navy. With UNIFIL's mandate set to expire in 2026, Wadephul said participating nations should use the remaining time to ensure that Lebanon's armed forces are capable of maintaining security in the country. German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul was in Lebanon on Friday to discuss the demilitarization of the Iran-backed Hezbollah militia, a process that has been stalling amid the group's refusal to surrender its weapons. Wadephul, who is currently on a tour of the Middle East to shore up support for the US-led peace plan for Gaza, stressed the importance of Hezbollah's disarmament in ensuring permanent peace in the region. The militia began attacking Israel following the start of the Gaza war, prompting retaliatory airstrikes and an Israeli ground invasion. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah has been in effect for nearly a year, but both sides accuse each other of violations. Hezbollah was severely weakened by the recent war with Israel and is under pressure both domestically and internationally to surrender its weapons by the end of the year, a plan which the militia never agreed to. In Beirut, Wadephul first met with Lebanese Foreign Minister Youssef Rajji, and was due to hold separate talks with President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam. Disarming Hezbollah is a sensitive issue for the government, as the militia still enjoys widespread popular support, especially among Shiites. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The group considers itself the only true force of resistance against its declared arch-enemy Israel. The Lebanese army, which is tasked with overseeing the disarmament, is considered rather weak and poorly equipped by comparison. Germany plans to push for a follow-up mission in Lebanese waters after UN-led peacekeeping efforts expire in 2026, Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul said during a visit to the country on Friday. "Stability in this region is a prerequisite for security and stability in Europe and in the Federal Republic of Germany," Wadephul said as he visited a German frigate that monitors the waters off Lebanon as part of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL). One of the oldest UN observer missions, UNIFIL was established in 1978 to monitor the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Lebanon. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its mandate is set to expire next year, and Wadephul said Berlin was already pondering possible further commitments. "New refugee crises always originate in this region, which is why this is a worthwhile commitment on the part of our soldiers," the minister said. After holding talks with Foreign Minister Youssef Rajji, President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, Wadephul said the Lebanese government welcomes continued international involvement. Talks are needed on how the EU and Germany could contribute, he added. Some 200 German soldiers are currently stationed in Lebanon as part of UNIFIL. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wadephul also called on Israel and the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militia to observe the ceasefire in place for nearly a year. He urged the Shiite group to demilitarize, a step he said was vital for permanent peace in the region. Wadephul said he had encouraged the Lebanese government to "move forward now and ensure that there is a credible, transparent and rapid process of disarming Hezbollah." The militia began attacking Israel following the start of the Gaza war, prompting retaliatory airstrikes and an Israeli ground invasion. A ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah has been in effect for nearly a year, but both sides accuse each other of violations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hezbollah was severely weakened by the recent war with Israel and is under pressure both domestically and internationally to surrender its weapons by the end of the year, a plan which the militia never agreed to. Disarming Hezbollah is a sensitive issue for the government, as the militia still enjoys widespread popular support, especially among Shiites. But Wadephul also stressed the importance for Israel "to withdraw from southern Lebanon and respect Lebanon's sovereignty" in order for the ceasefire to prevail. While he conceded that Israel has an interest in protecting its northern border against Hezbollah, he said the country must also give the Lebanese state and its army the opportunity to regain control of the south of the country. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "This is the only way to achieve lasting peace." Germany's foreign minister is currently on a tour of the Middle East to shore up support for the US-led peace plan for Gaza. Following his visit to Lebanon, he is set to travel on to Bahrain later on Friday, where he is set to dine with Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Gulf state's prime minister. On Saturday, Wadephul plans to address a regional security conference hosted by the kingdom. Syrian refugees returning to their home country from Germany run the risk of losing protected status, an Interior Ministry spokesman said in Berlin on Friday. "The Federal Interior Ministry has decided against facilitating trips back home for Syrians without effects on their protected status, following thorough consideration," the spokesman said in response to a question. The previous government considered allowing trips to Syria by refugees to prepare for a possible permanent return. Turkey has made a similar arrangement for its Syrian refugees. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The interior minister at the time, Nancy Faeser, backed the idea, which had been put forward by the Foreign Office, but had not implemented it by the time the new centre-right government took over in May. Current rules allow Syrians to retain protected status after a trip home only in exceptional cases, such as a dying family member in Syria. The German migration and refugee authority suspended all decisions on Syrian asylum applications following the toppling of Bashar al-Assad, the country's dictator, in December, with exceptions made for criminals and people seen as potentially dangerous, along with those where another EU country is responsible. Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul does not believe that Syrians will return in large numbers in the near future, on account of the severe destruction of their country. On visiting a Damascus suburb this week, Wadephul noted that much of the country's infrastructure had been destroyed. BERLIN Germany and the United Kingdom will jointly procure a new generation of rapidly deployable floating bridges, the German military announced on Thursday. Dubbed Schwimmschnellbrucke 2 in German, the vehicles will be constructed by General Dynamics European Land Systems. They act as self-propelled all-wheel-drive vehicles that can either be daisy-chained to bridge bodies of water or used as ferries to move equipment from one shore to another. The UK has dubbed the project TRITON. The Bundeswehr, Germanys armed forces, said that the new vehicles, created through a bilateral project officially called Wide Wet Gap Crossing, would replace existing German systems such as the M3 bridge and ferry system as well as the German militarys existing folding bridges. Compared to its predecessor, the new equipment will have better off-road capabilities and maneuverability, the German armed forces said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The new system will be interoperable with the existing gear used by partner countries and will be compatible with the pontoon family of temporary bridges used by NATO countries, too. The new vehicles will be deployed to the joint British-German multinational pioneer bridging battalion 130 based in Minden, Germany, and will fulfill a key NATO role. The bridges are being procured through the Organisation for Joint Armament Cooperation, an intergovernmental organisation that was set up in the 90s to facilitate multilateral defense procurements across several Western European countries. The procurement will be carried out jointly by Berlin and London to strengthen German-British cooperation, the Bundeswehrs office for materiel said. Germany will pay 53 million ($61 million) for the bridges, with an option to place an additional 331 million ($383 million) in further orders. Additional contracts related to the procurement amount to a total of 104 million ($120 million), the Bundeswehr said in a statement. The U.K. had not made a corresponding announcement at the time of writing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The German-British buy continues a larger trend of the U.K. re-engaging with the European mainland since Russias full-scale invasion of Ukraine. London has since played a key role in backing Kyivs defense, and has renewed engagement in multilateral projects with continental European partners, mending rifts that emerged as a consequence of the U.K.s exit from the EU in 2020. The procurement follows the UK-Germany Trinity House Agreement from October 2024 and a Letter of Intent signed in April 2025 reaffirming bilateral defense cooperation between the two countries. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is set to host representatives of the country's steel industry next week, in a bid to boost domestic manufacturers under pressure from new US tariffs, Chinese competition and a drop in demand from struggling carmakers. Dubbed the "Steel Summit," the meeting on November 6 is also set to be attended by Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil, Economy Minister Katherina Reiche and Labour Minister Barbel Bas, as well as the leaders of German states that are home to steel businesses. The talks are aimed at adopting measures to boost resilience and trade relations, while energy prices are also on the agenda, a government spokesman said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The spokesman highlighted the importance of maintaining the domestic steel industry to avoid dependence on other countries and secure jobs. German's steel industry, the largest in the European Union by far, has felt the effects of the crisis gripping the country's important auto sector, seeing a drop in demand from carmakers, while also facing higher energy prices and competition from cheaper Chinese products. Efforts to transition to more climate-friendly production are also driving up costs, alongside new US tariffs of 50% on steel and aluminium. The Merz administration, which took office in May, has made it a top priority to ensure that Europe's biggest economy returns to growth after two consecutive years of recession. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Earlier this month, Merz hosted representatives of the car industry to sound out ways to improve competitiveness and secure jobs in the struggling sector. On October 7, the European Commission proposed to almost halve the volume of tariff-free steel imports to the bloc, and double tariffs to 50% for all imports beyond that, in order to shield EU producers from cheap competition from countries such as China. 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: Graphical abstract. Credit: Building and Environment (2025). DOI: 10.1016/j.buildenv.2025.113577 For millions of people living with asthma, even the air inside their homes can make breathing difficult. But researchers at The University of Texas at Arlington have shown that better ventilation systems can make a measurable difference in helping people breathe more easily. The study, coauthored by Insung Kang, assistant professor in UTA's Department of Civil Engineering, found that improved residential ventilation systems can significantly enhance indoor air quality and reduce breathing difficulties for adults with asthma. The study is published in the journal Building and Environment. UTA collaborated with the Illinois Institute of Technology and Elevate, a nonprofit based in Chicago that works to ensure clean and affordable heat, cooling, power and water in homes. The three-year project, conducted in Chicago from 2017 to 2020, examined how different types of home ventilation systems affect indoor pollutants and respiratory health in adults with asthma. "Recognizing how significantly indoor environments influence people's health inspired me to dedicate my research to improving public health," Dr. Kang said. "When we visited homes, we could see the difference these systems made, especially for families facing economic or environmental disparities." After a year of baseline monitoring, researchers installed one of three types of ventilation systems in participants' homes: upgraded bathroom exhaust fans that run continuously to draw air in from the outside; a supply fan connected to the central heating and cooling system set that ran intermittently to push air into the home; or an energy recovery ventilator (ERV) that continuously exchanged indoor and outdoor air. The supply and balanced systems circulated and filtered air, while the ERVs also conserved heating and cooling energy. The findings showed that all three systems led to measurable improvements in indoor air quality and asthma outcomes during the study's second year, when ventilation was activated. The ERV system produced the greatest improvements in asthma symptoms. Older adultsthose over 45experienced pronounced benefits. "This work would not have been possible without funding ... and the time and energy of our colleagues, contractors, and recruitment teams; donations from several manufacturers; and, of course, our study participants," said principal investigator Brent Stephens of Illinois Tech. "Each participant welcomed us into their homes for air quality monitoring, allowed contractors to install ventilation systems and completed dozens of surveys throughout the project." Anne Evens, Elevate CEO, said the research confirms that improved ventilation isn't simply a building upgrade, but rather a public health solution. "We're honored to collaborate with The University of Texas at Arlington and Illinois Tech on this groundbreaking study," Evens said. "Together, we're demonstrating how evidence-based housing interventions can reduce health disparities and help families breathe easier." Kang completed the project as part of his doctoral research, an experience that shaped his career focus on environmental health and equitable technology design. Now leading the Built Environment and Health (BEH) research group at UTA, he continues to explore ways to make buildings healthier and more energy efficient across Texas and beyond. He is currently conducting a similar study in urban homes across Dallas-Fort Worth. More information: Insung Kang et al, Effects of residential ventilation and filtration interventions on adult asthma outcomes, Building and Environment (2025). DOI: 10.1016/j.buildenv.2025.113577 German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul will make a stopover in Israel on Saturday on his return to Berlin from a tour of the Middle East. Wadephul will deliver messages he received from leaders he met with on the trip to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government, German officials said on Friday. The handover will take place at a meeting between the minister and his Israeli counterpart, Gideon Saar, in Tel Aviv, they said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Starting on Wednesday, Wadephul visited Jordan, Syria and Lebanon in that order. Early on Saturday, he is to address a regional security conference in Bahrain and participate in a panel discussion. The conference is being held under the auspices of the Manama Dialogue, a counterpart to the annual Munich Security Conference. Others speaking at the conference include US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper and Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi. What's your favorite trick-or-treat weather? Do you prefer a cold evening with a stiff wind blowing fall leaves down the street, or do you favor a warm, calm Oct. 31? We scared up a list of five infamous storms that occurred on or near Halloween. "Snowtober" 2011 AccuWeather.com Carving pumpkins is a Halloween tradition for many families, but the jack-o'-lantern masterpieces left outside were buried under snow in 2011 when residents across the Northeast found themselves scrambling for snow shovels as a monster storm walloped the region. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The worst of the storm in the eastern United States transpired two days before Halloween, but snow -- and power outages -- stuck around all the way into November from the mountains of northern Virginia through Maine. An early fall snow covers a Halloween display Sunday, Oct. 30, 2011, in Concord, N.H. (AP Photo/Jim Cole) Around 1,000 trees were felled in Central Park alone, where just shy of 3 inches accumulated, according to The New York Times. This issue was much worse farther inland, where heavier snow accumulated. Halloween trick-or-treating was canceled in many cities due to lingering snow and power outages. At the peak of the storm, 3 million customers were without power. Superstorm Sandy in 2012 AccuWeather.com Also called "Frankenstorm" on social media - a moniker that didn't really stick in the annals of history - Superstorm Sandy slammed into the Northeast coast on Oct. 29, knocking out power, washing away parts of the Atlantic City Boardwalk, and putting New York City's subway system underwater. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With widespread damage presenting dangers to trick-or-treaters, and with millions of people still without power on Oct. 31, Governor Chris Christie signed an executive order postponing trick-or-treating until Nov. 5. Related: Hottest and coldest Halloweens on record Hurricane Sandy also caused heavy snow in the Appalachian mountains in the days leading up to Halloween. More than 2 feet of snow blanketed parts of the West Virginia mountains. A nor'easter one week later covered Sandy-damaged debris on the New Jersey coast with more than 6 inches of snow. The remains of a mini-golf course destroyed by Superstorm Sandy is seen at the boardwalk Point Pleasnt Beach, N.J., Thursday morning Nov. 8. 2012. Emergency dunes built beyond the boardwalk in Point Pleasant Beach N.J., succeeded in keeping the ocean at bay during Wednesday's nor'easter (AP Photo/Wayne Parry) Minnesota's "white Halloween" in 1993 Snowtober wasn't the first time in recent years that snow fell around Halloween. In 1993, snow accumulated from Minnesota to Pennsylvania and New England, forcing some masqueraders to dress up in snowsuits rather than costumes, at least for those who braved the elements to go trick-or-treating. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Minnesota, the snowstorm was unusually early and intense, dropping more than 32 inches of snow in some areas. Southern Minnesota and northern Iowa got more ice than snow, knocking out power and snarling travel. The storm then brought more than 6 inches of snow from Kentucky and Cincinnati to Pittsburgh, and into parts of New England. Halloween solar storm in 2003 And now for a different type of storm. Between Oct. 29 and 31, 2003, a coronal mass ejection on the sun wowed viewers with the northern lights as far south as Texas and Florida. NASA estimated that 59 percent of their satellites were negatively affected by the solar flare, and half of all satellites were temporarily lost, requiring days of repositioning. If this solar storm happened today, not only would we see social media photos of kids trick-or-treating under the northern lights in the southern United States, there would have also been a days'-long interruption in GPS and communications across the world. 1991's "Perfect Storm" AccuWeather.com Around Halloween 1991, a trio of atmospheric factors came together to form a storm so uniquely dangerous and powerful that its mesmerizing development could only be described in one way: perfect. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A National Weather Service's use of the term "perfect" would go on to serve as inspiration for author Sebastian Junger, who wrote a critically acclaimed 1997 novel about the storm, detailing the tragic fate of the Andrea Gail, a commercial fishing vessel from Gloucester, Massachusetts, that was lost at sea with six crew members on board following a fishing trip in the northern Atlantic. Three years after the book's publication, the storm was immortalized on the big screen in a movie of the same name. All told, buoys recorded waves of 101 feet, with swells and waves causing considerable damage to coastal areas along the East Coast of the United States. OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) The Ghost Busters were in-studio Friday morning for Rise & Shines Halloween Spooktacular. KFOR had some visitors at the studio on Halloween wreaking havoc outside. Slimer, Beetlejuice and more started causing chaos, so we had to call in professional help. The Ghost Busters came to save the day and removed our grotesque guests. Not only do they remove pesky spirits, but they also serve the community. From fundraising to visiting childrens hospitals, the Central Oklahoma Ghostbusters team up with JediOKC to give back. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Just this week we handed over about four pounds of candy to each of the kids there at the hospital, said Ghostbuster John Eads. They were delighted and it was a great time. You can learn more about the Central Oklahoma Ghostbusters at whoyagonnacall.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 KFOR.com Oklahoma City. LONDON (AP) British politicians, the public and the family of Virginia Roberts Giuffre on Friday praised King Charles IIIs decision to strip his brother Andrew of his princely title and spacious home, a banishment that has left the disgraced royal increasingly exposed to political and legal scrutiny over his finances and his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein. The king acted to stem mounting public disapproval as damning new details emerged about Andrew's relationship with the convicted sex offender. Charles moved to preserve the monarchy from the fallout by forcibly removing a British princes title for the first time in a century. Julian Payne, a former communications secretary to the king and queen, said that, as the scandal around 65-year-old Andrew grew and grew, the royal family had decided that a tipping point had been reached." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The former Prince Andrew is now known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor. As of Friday, he was no longer listed on the roll of the peerage, where he had previously appeared as Duke of York, another of his titles. He also will move out of Royal Lodge, the 30-room mansion near Windsor Castle where he has lived for more than 20 years, and into a more remote home funded by his brother on the king's 20,000-acre (8,100 hectare) Sandringham Estate in eastern England. Buckingham Palace said Andrew had been served notice to surrender his lease and would move "as soon as practicable, though that is not expected to be until after Christmas when the whole family usually gathers at Sandringham. Sandringham locals were not overjoyed about their soon-to-be neighbor. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Well, hes got to go somewhere. It is what it is, isnt it?" said Vanessa Beech. She said the king had most certainly made the right decision about Andrew. Politicians welcome move The British government, which was consulted but not directly involved, welcomed the king's decision. I think the vast majority of people in this country will think that its the right thing to do," trade minister Chris Bryant told the BBC. Andrew surrendered his use of the title Duke of York earlier this month over new revelations about his friendship with Epstein and renewed sexual abuse allegations in Giuffre's posthumous memoir. Andrew denies all her claims. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But the king went even further to punish him for serious lapses of judgment by removing the title of prince that he has held since birth as a child of a monarch, the late Queen Elizabeth II. Andrew also lost the designation his royal highness, making the former prince effectively a commoner now. These censures are deemed necessary, notwithstanding the fact that he continues to deny the allegations against him, the palace said. Their Majesties wish to make clear that their thoughts and utmost sympathies have been, and will remain with, the victims and survivors of any and all forms of abuse. It is almost unprecedented for a British prince or princess to be stripped of that title. It last happened during World War I, when Prince Ernest Augustus, who was a U.K. royal and also a prince of Hanover, had his British titles removed for siding with Germany. He ceased to be a British prince under the Titles Deprivation Act of 1917, which was enacted in 1919, once the war was over. Calls for further investigation Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Giuffres family declared victory on behalf of Andrews accuser, who died by suicide in April at the age of 41. She said that in the early 2000s, when she was a teenager, she was caught up in Epsteins sex trafficking ring and exploited by Andrew and other influential men. Epstein was found dead in a New York City jail cell in 2019 in what investigators called a suicide. Today, an ordinary American girl from an ordinary American family brought down a British prince with her truth and extraordinary courage, Giuffres family said in a statement. Her brother Sky Roberts praised the king for setting a precedent to the rest of the world to say, I do stand with survivors. I am going to hold even my brother to account.' But its still, its not enough in the sense that hes still walking around a free man," Roberts told Sky News about Andrew. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bryant, the government minister, said Andrew was now an ordinary member of the public and should agree to answer questions if asked by a Senate committee in the U.S. Andrew also could face legal trouble in Britain, where police are investigating a claim that he asked one of this police bodyguards to dig up dirt on Giuffre. A parliamentary committee is also looking into how Andrew paid for Royal Lodge, which he leased for a nominal annual fee known as a peppercorn rent. Monarchy under pressure Andrews is the most dramatic royal exit since 1936, when King Edward VIII abdicated the throne so he could marry twice-divorced American socialite Wallis Simpson. The couple were given the titles Duke and Duchess of Windsor and lived the rest of their lives in exile. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Prince Harry, despite renouncing his royal role, feuding with his family and moving to California, remains a prince and the Duke of Sussex. Andrew faced a new round of public outrage after emails emerged earlier this month showing he had remained in contact with Epstein longer than he previously admitted. Then came publication of Nobodys Girl, by Giuffre, who alleged she had sex with Andrew three times, the first when she was 17. She said he acted as if he believed having sex with me was his birthright. Andrew has long denied Giuffres claims but stepped down from royal duties after a disastrous November 2019 BBC interview in which he attempted to rebut her allegations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2022, Andrew paid millions to settle a civil suit filed by Giuffre in New York. Peter Hunt, a former BBC royal correspondent, said the king and senior royals were fearful of remaining out of step with public opinion as they attempt to restore credibility and trust in an ancient institution. GJPD arrests man for kidnapping and felony menacing GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KREX) Grand Junction Police Department (GJPD) officers arrested a man for alleged felony menacing and kidnapping of a female on Friday at around 2:25 a.m. in the 2200 block of Hall Avenue. A reporting party told 911 dispatchers with the Grand Junction Regional Communication Center that a male suspect had threatened to shoot him and his daughter before leaving in his vehicle. Officers located the suspects vehicle, conducted a high-risk stop, recovered two firearms from inside the vehicle, and took the suspect, Christian Brunswick, 21, into custody without further incident. From GJPDs investigation, Brunswick had been driving with a female with whom he had been involved in a relationship, and allegedly prevented the woman from exiting the vehicle during a verbal dispute. Brunswick was reportedly in possession of a firearm and drove erratically while he threatened to kill the female and her family. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The woman was able to leave the vehicle safely before Brunswick struck a nearby fence and pole and left the area. Officers suspect that Brunswick was under the influence of alcohol during the incident. Brunswick was transported to the Mesa County Detention Facility on the following charges: Second-degree kidnapping Menacing Reckless endangerment Harassment Criminal mischief DUI Prohibited use of a weapon Domestic violence The incident remains under investigation and no further 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 WesternSlopeNow.com. From virtually hitting the Mother Road with an artificial intelligence-powered experience to paying homage to Oklahoma City as a cultural crossroads, Google Arts & Culture is revving up for next year's centennial celebration of Route 66. Since Oklahoma boasts more drivable miles of Route 66 than any other state, Lt. Gov. Matt Pinnell said it was only fitting that Google Arts & Culture kicked off its virtual road map to "the greatest American road trip" at a special gathering Wednesday, Oct. 29, at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City. "I say it all the time, if you really want to see America, you gotta see Oklahoma. That experience starts right here in Oklahoma and starts right here on Route 66," Pinnell said at the event, attended by OKC artists and art leaders, Google Arts & Culture staffers and Route 66 advocates from Oklahoma, Kansas and California. A screenshot from Google Arts and Cultures new AI-Powered Route 66 website is seen that features Oklahoma City. "The drive, it takes you through grasslands, open plains, large metro areas including, yes, the 20th largest city in America and quintessential small towns. This really is (where) travelers can enjoy the authentic American experience." Advertisement Advertisement Google Arts & Culture leadership, in partnership with the National Trust for Historic Preservation, celebrated at the OKC event the launch of A Cultural Trip Down Route 66, a new hub dedicated to the historic highway. Spotlighting the iconic landmarks, diverse communities and small businesses that have shaped Route 66, Google Arts & Culture has built the digital archive with more than 20 partners, 130 stories and 4,000 images. Chance Coughenour, senior program manager for Google Arts & Culture, also invited attendees to take a ride on the new Route 66 Rewind, which uses AI technology like Veo to make the virtual trip down the Mother Road even more interactive and immersive. The new Google Arts & Culture experiment puts desktop users in a customizable classic car smartphone users take the virtual trip on a vintage motorcyle where they can traverse animated archival photography, visit more 30 sites and listen to AI-generated audio tours. "So, you do start in Illinois, and then you wind your way to California, virtually stopping along the way," Coughenour said during a demonstration of the AI-fueled Route 66 Rewind. A screenshot from Google Arts and Cultures new AI-Powered Route 66 website is seen that features Oklahoma City. When they get to Oklahoma on their virtual journey, they can explore iconic sites like the Blue Whale of Catoosa, Ed Galloway's Totem Pole Park in Chelsea, The Round Barn and POP's 66 Soda Ranch in Arcadia and Threatt Filling Station in Luther. Advertisement Advertisement "When I joined the National Trust a little over a year ago to oversee the Preserve Route 66 program and was told that this was something that was being worked on, I said, 'This is a big deal.' And I'm so excited to be here at The Cowboy of all places to help launch the launch of this," said Rhys Martin, president of the Oklahoma Route 66 Association and historian with the National Trust for Historic Preservation. "Route 66 has always been a road of the future. In the early days, that simply meant paving the road from end to end, and that took 12 years of a coordinated effort across eight states and a brand-new federal highway department. On the eve of the road's centennial anniversary, we're looking at another way that Route 66 is blazing a trail into the future. But clearly it's a celebration of the road's past and what it is today." Not only was the National Cowboy Museum, affectionately known as "The Cowboy," set along the current I-44 corridor, which was designated as Route 66 in 1954, but that placement along the Mother Road also was key to OKC landing the venerable cultural institution. "In the 1950s, 17 governors got together. They wanted to create a cowboy museum somewhere. ... They agreed upon three cities: Colorado Springs, Dodge City and Oklahoma City were the last three choices," said The Cowboy President and CEO Pat Fitzgerald, also noting that the museum has been working with Google Arts & Culture for more than a decade. Advertisement Advertisement "Oklahoma City because as Oklahoma City continues to grow, they were really smart back then as well they did two things: One, they said, 'We're going to donate the land,' and two, (they said), 'You're going to be on the most iconic road in the United States, which is Route 66, which is right here.'" Next February, he said the National Cowboy Museum will celebrate the famed highway's anniversary with the opening of the special exhibition "Route 66: From Trails to Truck Stops." Also part of the Route 66 100th anniversary celebration, Google Arts & Culture is showcasing Oklahoma City: A Crossroads of Culture. Created in partnership with the National Cowboy Museum, Oklahoma City Museum of Art, Oklahoma City National Memorial, Oklahoma Historical Society, Oklahoma Mural Syndicate, Oklahoma Contemporary Arts Center, Museum of Osteology and Red Earth Inc., the new OKC hub is spotlighting how the Sooner State capital is telling a complete story of Route 66, from the Mother Road's Indigenous roots to its modern urban art. A screenshot from Google Arts and Cultures new AI-Powered Route 66 website is seen that features the Mother Road. The centennial of Route 66 in 2026 and the Olympics in 2028 will give millions of people from around the world a good reason to come and experience Route 66 in OKC, and this new tool from Google will give them the information they need to maximize that experience," OKC Mayor David Holt told The Oklahoman during the event. Advertisement Advertisement Route 66's 100th anniversary in 2026 is expected to be a major tourist draw and will be celebrated with a year-long series events in Oklahoma and beyond. "We got an extra boost to be telling these international tourists from around the world why they should be in Oklahoma, why they should be in Oklahoma City, last week, when National Geographic yes, that National Geographic, the one you're thinking about announced that Oklahoma's portion of Route 66 was one of the top 25 places to visit in 2026 on the globe, not just in the United States," Pinnell said. This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Google Arts & Culture and Route 66 advocates unveiled new virtual map Republican Jack Ciattarelli appearing in Point Pleasant on Oct 30, 2025. (Photo by Amanda Brown for New Jersey Monitor) [2025 governor's race Voter Guide: Where NJs governor hopefuls stand on the issues] POINT PLEASANT Fox News host Sean Hannity riled up a crowd in this Ocean County town Thursday by reading off polls that show the governors race in New Jersey is a dead heat between Republican Jack Ciattarelli and Democrat Mikie Sherrill. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I came up here because this is a huge political earthquake. It will rock the nation. It will reverberate all across the country. I really believe it, and Im fascinated by it, and the countrys fascinated by it, Hannity said ahead of the taping of a town hall for his nightly show at the Crystal Point Yacht Club. Once Ciattarelli joined him on stage, Hannity asked the gubernatorial hopeful how hes feeling going into Election Day on Tuesday. All I can tell you is when I go around the state, the energy is electric. The reception of minority communities has been overwhelmingly positive. And when Democratic mayors across the state are endorsing the Republican nominee, it does a world of good, Ciattarelli said. Hannitys appearance attracted an enthusiastic crowd. The influential conservative commentator told the crowd before the taping began that he had spoken to President Donald Trump and confirmed Trump would be watching the town hall later. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hannity asked the crowd of 200 people if they could trust Sherrill. They booed and said no. He also referenced allegations that Sherrill was caught up in a cheating scandal during her time at the Naval Academy (she did not participate in her 1994 graduation ceremony, an act she says was punishment for not turning in her classmates). We invited Mikie Sherrill on this program to respond to these allegations, but her team just never gets back to us. They must be very busy, Hannity said. A spokesperson for the Sherrill campaign did not respond to a request for comment. Republican Jack Ciattarelli, left, appearing with Fox News anchor Sean Hannity at the Crystal Point Yacht Club in Point Pleasant on Oct. 30, 2025. (Photo by Amanda Brown for New Jersey Monitor) Most public polling shows Ciattarelli trailing behind Sherrill by single digits. Theyre vying to succeed Gov. Phil Murphy, a term-limited Democrat who will leave office in January. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Both campaigns have brought out big names for the final stretch of the election cycle. Ciattarelli has made stops with Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Florida) and Vivek Ramaswamy of Ohio, and held a tele-rally with Trump last week. Sherrill is set to appear with former President Barack Obama in Newark on Saturday. Throughout the hour-long taping with Hannity, Ciattarelli repeated much of his regular stump speech, touting his plans to do away with the states Immigrant Trust Directive, get rid of cashless bail, pull out of the regional greenhouse gas initiative, and prevent wind turbines from being constructed off the Jersey Shore. Executive order No. 1, on day one, no town in this state will be a sanctuary city. We will not be a sanctuary state, Ciattarelli said. He added that many of Murphys policies were done by executive order, like the Immigrant Trust Directive, and never became law, which means he can do away with them immediately. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Having sanctuary cities and us being a sanctuary state encourages illegal immigration, and it handcuffs our local police in certain ways. Were not doing that, he said. Hannity criticized New Jerseys high taxes, reading off the corporate business tax, gas tax, inheritance tax, and top individual tax rate. I refuse to be the governor of that state. Were going to change that when we win, Im telling you that right now, Ciattarelli said. The two men were joined by Harris Faulkner, a Fox News anchor and New Jersey resident. She said New Jerseyans are worried about affordability, lamented about her utility bills, and griped about a gas station in Edgewater that charges $5 a gallon. The Lukoil on River Road in Edgewater was charging $4.55 a gallon for premium gas on Friday (regular was $2.89). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It feels like theyre trafficking in high taxes, because the current governor said when he ran the last time, If taxes are your issue, then New Jersey is not for you, she said. Ciattarelli stressed the importance of attracting independent voters and people who typically only turn out for presidential elections every four years. We say to them, Do you love this state? Are you angry about everything thats going on? You got to turn out in the governors race too, he said. Weve done a magnificent job. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX One Republican candidate in South Carolinas open gubernatorial primary said Donald Trump would decide my fate. Another pledged to send the states National Guard troops wherever Trump wants. A third accompanied the then-presidential candidate to his 2024 criminal trial in Manhattan. In recent interviews with POLITICO, three contenders for the seat being vacated by Gov. Henry McMaster gushed over Trumps coveted endorsement and described some of their early efforts to secure it as the president plans to attend a fundraiser in the state for the reelection of his longtime ally, Sen. Lindsey Graham. The winner of next Junes Republican primary is all but guaranteed to become deep-red South Carolinas next executive. The candidates include the states lieutenant governor, attorney general and two members of its congressional delegation all of whom are thirsting for the presidents support. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A new Winthrop University poll the first major independent survey of the primary found Rep. Nancy Mace and Lt. Gov. Pam Evette led the field in a statistical tie at 17 percent and 16 percent, respectively. Rep. Ralph Norman and Attorney General Alan Wilson followed with 8 percent each. Though early favorites have started to emerge, the race remains wide open without Trumps nod. Hell get to decide my fate. He is a kingmaker, and I hope in this case he will be a queenmaker, said Mace, the third-term member of Congress known for being outspoken on conservative cable news and social media. South Carolina has a long history of fierce loyalty to Trump. McMaster became the first statewide elected official to endorse the presidents nascent 2016 campaign, and Graham is one of his closest advisers on Capitol Hill and friends on the putting green. Democrats havent won the state in a presidential election since Jimmy Carter defeated Gerald Ford in 1976. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But so far, Trump has stayed out of the race, forcing the contenders to try to define themselves and their candidacies without input from someone who has dominated the party for a decade and remade it in his image. In that way, the race taking place during a pivotal midterm cycle mirrors the challenge awaiting the Republican Party, which must begin to grapple with a future without Trump, who is in his final term. For now, the candidates arent willing to explore that future. Donald Trump is the gold standard. He casts a very long shadow over state politics here in South Carolina, especially in the Republican primary, said Wilson. Anyone who says they dont want the presidents endorsement is crazy. From his perch in Columbia, Wilson has filed nearly 20 briefs across the federal judiciary in support of Trump administration initiatives like federalizing the National Guard or enforcing the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, according to a POLITICO analysis. His campaign website features a Trump Tough section, which includes a slideshow of selfies and step-and-repeat pictures with the president. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trumps only attention to the race so far was a captionless post on Truth Social in mid-August showing the results of a survey that put Mace atop of the crowded field a poll that the congresswoman shared with the president, according to campaign spokesperson Piper Gifford. I absolutely communicate with the White House on this race and provide data and information to them and to those who will be ultimately making the decision, Mace said in the recent interview. Wilson has also been in touch with high level members of the White House about his candidacy, but has yet to broach the race directly with Trump. They are aware of my campaign. They are aware of what I have done as attorney general. They are aware that I have defended the president's agenda, that I have defended the president, he said. Evette entered the race in mid-July. Though she served two terms alongside McMaster, her foray into gubernatorial contention will be her first time running for elected office on her own ticket. Asked about any behind-the-scenes conversations with the White House seeking support, the states second-in-command demurred, while reiterating her loyalty to Trump at his political nadir. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In January of 23, President Trump came to South Carolina, and he was looking for friends, Evette said, recalling Trumps brief time in the political wilderness following his 2020 loss and the Jan. 6 Capitol riot. Out of all the people that are in this race, I was the only one that showed up for him, stood shoulder to shoulder with him when there were no polls to say that he was going to win. She recalled national consultants warning her, You have a bright future, you're killing yourself. Like, why are you doing this? He's going to get indicted. And I was like, well, loyalty matters. Loyalty to Trump might determine his endorsement, and the candidates are willing to leverage that litmus test against one another. Unlike Evette, Mace publicly rebuked the president following the attack on the Capitol but has since returned to his side as a faithful ally on Capitol Hill. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Norman might have the hardest case to make in seeking Trumps endorsement. As a member of Congress hard-right Freedom Caucus, Normans deficit-hawk style has at times positioned him against some White House-backed legislation that the group criticised for expanding the national debt. Perhaps worse for his fate: endorsing South Carolinas Nikki Haley during the 2024 Republican presidential primary. Ralph Norman has the best record of voting with Trump of any candidate and is proud to work with him in Congress. He'd welcome the President's endorsement but knows that the President has other friends in this race and he respects that, Norman spokesperson Evan Newman said in a statement. Speaking with reporters after a party fundraising event in Columbia earlier this summer, Graham said he told the president to wait and see before issuing an endorsement in the governors race. South Carolina is at least somewhat on the presidents mind, though. The president will take his first in-person dip into the 2026 midterms when he attends a fundraiser that in part is billed to Grahams own reelection campaign , POLITICO first reported. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The White House did not respond to a request for comment on the presidents conversations around a possible endorsement or whether he is communicating with any of the candidates. The lack of endorsement in South Carolina isnt indicative of a larger trend, though. The president has already thrown his support behind Rep. Byron Donalds to succeed Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis next year, and his former rival-turned-ally Vivek Ramaswamy got the coveted endorsement not long after his campaign launch in February. Lacking a race-changing boost from the president, the candidates have touted their own fundraising as evidence of grassroots support and the campaign strength. By those metrics, no runaway favorite has yet to emerge. The four contenders each reported raising over a million dollars since starting their campaigns, according to financial reports filed with the South Carolina Elections Commission. Evette and Norman led the pack with $1.4 and $1.3 million respectively, though both also gave their own campaigns six-figure sums. Wilson, who launched his campaign first, has just under $1.3 million. According to a memo released by his campaign, about one-fifth of that haul includes a six-figure transfer from his state attorney general campaign account, with still more transfers on the way. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They believed in him to be Attorney General and now want him to be Governor, campaign finance chair Barry Wynn wrote. Maces fundraising shows her slightly trailing her competitors, with $1.06 million raised, but other indicators bode well for her campaign. In addition to the new Winthrop poll showing her with a slight lead, she pulled in over 18,500 individual donations, exponentially more than her rivals. In addition to the candidates agreement on the eminence of a presidential endorsement, the emerging issues separating them are decidedly local. Theyre aligned on the perennial sticking points that are likely to define the race: lowering taxes, and specifically eliminating the states income tax, and fixing the states aging infrastructure as it buckles under population growth. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Judicial reform has also emerged as a salient issue, with South Carolina and Virginia being the only states in the country where judges are selected by a commission and approved solely by a legislative vote. Neither the governor nor voters have a say in who serves on the local bench. Many of these folks have cases before these judges and then many of these attorneys fund the attorney generals and the solicitors when they're running for office. Everybody gets paid, and nobody goes to jail, Mace said. The candidates dont seem to agree on how to implement this one: as the states top prosecutor, Wilson helped push some recent changes through the state legislature that allowed the governor to appoint one-third of the seats on a selection committee that took effect this year. I believe that the governor should have all of the appointments on the [Judicial Merit Selection Committee], Wilson said, while expressing openness to pushing a constitutional amendment that would embrace the federal advise-and-consent model. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Evette, banking on the relationship she forged with the state legislature alongside McMaster, hopes to move directly to amending the state constitution to have the state mirror federal judicial appointments. Norman is the only candidate to call for direct election of judges in the state. McMaster, who has focused on business development in the relatively small state, is preparing to leave his two terms in Columbia with a 46-percent approval rating, matching Trump at the top of the public figures included in the Winthrop University survey. McMaster has so far demurred on whether hell endorse any of his potential successors. Speaking to reporters recently, he said, Elections will come and go, and endorsements will be made whenever theyre made. Sen. John Curtis (R-Utah) has come out in support of swearing in Representative-elect Adelita S. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) after weeks of being denied her role. Grijalva was elected to represent Arizonas 7th Congressional District on Sept. 23, but House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) has refused to swear her in, saying hed wait until the House is back in session. Johnson previously swore in two Republican House members when the lower chamber was out of session. Politics: The 2025 Elections Have A Trump-Shaped Trap For Republicans Grijalva and Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes are now suing the House of Representatives over Johnsons refusal to seat the new member. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Curtis told C-SPAN its time for Johnson to swear her in. I want to be careful, Ive expressed how much I respect Speaker Johnson, Curtis said. But the will of the people of Arizona have spoken, right? I think she needs to serve. In my opinion, the will of the people have spoken, Curtis added. Lets get her to work. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La., pauses during a news conference on the 30th day of the government shutdown, at the Capitol in Washington, Thursday, Oct. 30, 2025. AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite In recent weeks, Democrats have accused Johnson of delaying Grijalvas swearing in partly because she would be the key 218th vote for a bipartisan petition related to the release of files regarding the late sex-trafficker and longtime friend of President Donald Trump, Jeffrey Epstein. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a letter to Johnson earlier this month, Grijalva said he is robbing her constituents by not swearing her in. The delay in swearing me in is robbing the people of Southern Arizona of essential constituent services, Grijalva said in the letter. I am unable to hire staff, open district offices, or respond to constituent concerns. Related... Read the original on HuffPost Fox News anchors John Roberts and Gillian Turner couldnt help but find some amusement in President Donald Trumps declaration that everything is the fault of Democrats. On America Reports Thursday, the network aired Trump speaking to reporters in Florida, where he blamed Democrats for the current government shutdown. Democrats and Republicans remain at a standstill over a continuing resolution to fund the government with Democrats demanding expiring subsidies in the Affordable Care Act be included. Trump said: Its their fault. Everything is their fault. Its so easily solved. You know, we have a number of Democrats that have already voted for this, but the Republicans are very unified, theyre very strong, and they want to do whats right for the country. They dont want to see trillions of dollars wasted on people that came into our country illegally, many from prisons and many from areas that you dont want to even know about. So wed like to see this taken care of rapidly. You have a lot of we have tremendous support, but its not even support. Its common sense. Open up the country. Obamacare has turned out to be a disaster, as Ive been saying for years. It can be fixed or redone. People dont get good health care and their premiums go up every single year so we should change it. Its a disaster. Obamacare is bad health care at a very high price. So tonight we have a big celebration of Halloween and Ill see you later. Turner repeated the everything is their fault line and admitted it got a chuckle out of her. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He also said, quote, everything is their fault. I dont know. I got to chuckle out of that, she said. Roberts argued that polling does back up Trumps point. Well, I mean, you know, you look at the polling and more people are on the side of Republicans than are on side of Democrats, but theres no question that the pressure points are beginning to build on the Democrats, he said. CNN chief data analyst Harry Enten pointed out earlier this week that is showing a shutdown bump for Republicans and concerning numbers for Democrats. When were looking at the Republican Party overall, that brand, actually up two points, he reported. Thats within the margin of error, but clearly it hasnt dropped look at the net approval ratings for Republicans in Congress. Its actually up five points since pre-shutdown! So what were seeing here is the Republican brand in Congress has actually improved somewhat compared to where we were pre-shutdown. Watch above via Fox News. The post I Got a Chuckle Out of That: Fox News Anchors Amused by Trumps Declaration That Everything Is the Democrats Fault first appeared on Mediaite. The confrontation between Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan and the church is gaining momentum. Pashinyan is the first Armenian in history to take a risk against the church. So far, none of the politicians has dared to do this. On the contrary, those who wanted to seize power and keep the people in subjection tried to cooperate with the Armenian Apostolic Church, seeing in it a guarantee of the strength of their "throne." Scoundrels like Robert Kocharyan, Serzh Sargsyan, and the leaders of the separatist regime during the occupation actively resorted to tools provided by the church and stayed close to Etchmiadzin. This closeness was very harmonious, because the postulates on which the Armenian national idea was based were invented outside the church walls. The fact is that the Armenian Church is not so much a religious as a political institution that has led the expansion of Armenians in the region for centuries. The Church organized and rallied Armenians, incited hatred and violence, and justified the atrocities of the nationalists, which is not surprising, since they acted on its instructions. Of course, religious institutions of all faiths have a political component, but the Armenian Church has gone the furthest, completely replacing spirituality with political goals and motivating its flock to commit atrocities in order to expand its habitat. The idea of racial superiority and primogeniture of Armenians belongs to the church. Dozens of generations have been brought up on these ideas, and other countries and peoples should not be blamed for the current troubles of Armenia and Armenians. The main evil has always been the mentality of a society saturated with the postulates of misogyny. The responsibility for the karma of an entire nation, burdened with crimes, lies precisely with the Armenian Apostolic Church. It is unlikely that Pashinyan is looking so far ahead, going into battle with Etchmiadzin and personally with Prince Nersesyan (Garegin). Nevertheless, this block, which has always blocked the path to reason and light for the Armenian people, must be moved. No matter what the motives of these changes are. Nikol Pashinyan confirmed that on November 2 he will take part in the liturgy at the Hovhannavank Church, which, as last Sunday, will be served by the defrocked Father Aram (Stepan Asatryan in the world). This was stated by Pashinyan himself on Facebook. The Prime Minister once again accused Catholicos Garegin of violating his vow of celibacy and, consequently, being ineligible to defrocket anyone. "Therefore, Father Aram can celebrate the liturgy in Hovhannavank, and I, like last Sunday, will also participate in the holy and immortal liturgy in Hovhannavank this Sunday," Pashinyan said. Recall that last Sunday, Pashinyan, his team and members of the ruling party attended the liturgy, which was conducted by the demoted Asatryan. After that, the Prime Minister wrote on social media that "these liturgies are part of the program for the liberation of Etchmiadzin and the renewal of the Armenian Church. It should be noted that other defrocked priests also attended the liturgy in Ovanavank. In other words, this rural church is already turning into a kind of headquarters, where forces are gathering against the current leadership of the Armenian church. Pashinyan also announced his intention to take away some of the churches from the Armenian Apostolic Church, at least those that are classified as historical monuments and are on the balance sheet of the state. According to him, thieves and perjurers work there, and he, as a devout Christian, cannot look at it calmly. Moreover, he stated in parliament, the Armenian Apostolic Church prevents Armenians from leading a spiritual life by "riddling" the epicenter of values. It has long been discussed in Armenia whether Nikol Pashinyan is a believer. These discussions began after it became known that the current prime minister did not get married in a church. The question is "why?" he did not give rest to the strict followers of the postulates of Etchmiadzin. Most of them suspected him of being an atheist or even, oh horror, a convert. These suspicions were further reinforced when the head of government switched from hairpins and hints towards the church to an open offensive. Whether Nikol Pashinyan is a believer or an unbeliever is his own business, which cannot be the subject of discussion and condemnation. The main thing is that he wants to rid the mental space of the Armenian nation of the main source of toxicity. It doesn't matter what his motives are. Of course, they are political, but this does not detract from the importance of the process that has begun, which, if successful, can remove the AAC from the category of untouchable topics. The Constitution of Armenia is a major obstacle to resolving the issue without public verbal shootings and demonstrative liturgies. The Basic Law of the Republic prohibits the State from initiating a change of Catholicos. Pashinyan's hands are tied here. And he has to go through the creation of an alternative church center. By the way, this is another strong argument in favor of amendments to the Constitution of the Republic of Armenia. The Prime Minister of Armenia has extensive and successful experience in the opposition, besides, the majority of society treats his showdown with Etchmiadzin without tension and indignation. Which suggests that the foundations, despite all their strength, have already cracked. The reason for this is not only Pashinyan's activity on social media. The opposition made a big mistake by exposing a priest as the leader of the popular protest. Times are different now, and the appearance of a priest at the head of protest actions has significantly reduced the number of people who want to shout in the squares. It was expected that Bagrat Galstanyan and other guys in cassocks would be able to lead the people, but it turned out just the opposite. Political slogans in the mouths of churchmen in the modern era are perceived without enthusiasm. Kocharyan, who was behind the scenes of the riots last year, being at the same time their organizer, was afraid to show himself to the masses, fearing failure. In the years after the war, he was able to convince himself of his unpopularity and reserved access to the public for later, when it became clear that she was pleased with the performance. In the old days, Armenian leaders went to Etchmiadzin as the headquarters of the commander-in-chief. After losing power, they continued to stay close to the Catholicos, counting on his support against Pashinyan. The same Robert Kocharyan has repeatedly met with Garegin II in recent years. In September 2022, he traveled to Etchmiadzin to meet with the Catholicos, along with Levon Ter-Petrosyan. The problem in the person of Pashinyan was deepening and the "former" hoped to solve it with the assistance of the church. In November 2023, Kocharyan visited the headquarters of the Armenian Apostolic Church again, and in the spring of 2024, riots began under the leadership of Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan. At the height of the events, in May and October last year, Kocharyan met with Galstanyan. And although the Karabakh criminal denied in every possible way in an interview with journalists his connection with the riots and the financing of Srbazan, hardly anyone believed him. All this may seem like a coincidence, but there are no coincidences in politics. Kocharyan's unsuccessful campaigning campaign in the September 2021 snap elections convinced him that he needed to take a different path. If the people did not overthrow Pashinyan after the great defeat in the war, but, on the contrary, gave him votes, only the church can help to cope with the "traitor". But even here the revanchists miscalculated. The intervention of the churchmen ruined everything. Moreover, it gave the authorities a reason to take this fraternity seriously. The connection of the "leader of the nobility" Robert Kocharyan with Etchmiadzin, the shadow management of the so-called protests indicated that the church had taken the cause of Pashinyan's overthrow under its care. Armenia is a secular country in which the church is separated from the state, but it is not controlled by the state. Thanks to the provisions carefully introduced into the Constitution, the church in Armenia is like a second power. Moreover, Etchmiadzin can interfere in the affairs of the state, while the doors of this "mother see" institution are closed to any attempts by secular authorities to interfere. Nikol Pashinyan is trying to break this historically established tradition, which today greatly hinders Armenia and creates threats. He wants to change Armenia. And to reach the goal, you need to clear the way. 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: Clarkson University A new study from Clarkson University is uncovering surprising clues about how simple, everyday actionslike talking or singingmay influence how diseases spread through the air in indoor environments. Ph.D. candidate Mahender Singh Rawat, working with Professor Andrea Ferro's research team in Clarkson's Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, is studying exposure to indoor respiratory bioaerosolsthe particles people release when they breathe, talk, sing or cough. These microscopic particles may carry viruses that can lead to illnesses such as COVID-19 and influenza. The team's goal is to make schools, offices, and other indoor spaces safer by learning what factors cause people to emit more or fewer of these airborne particles and how to mitigate them. "Our research helps explain more about the mechanisms of particle formation in the respiratory system and why some people or situations may lead to more airborne particles than others," Rawat said. "This knowledge can guide how we design classrooms, ventilation systems, and health policies to better protect people in indoor environments." The team has already shown that speaking louder or at higher pitches increases the number of airborne particles a person emits. Their research also found that older adults tend to release more particles than children and teens. Now, Ferro is leading another study at Clarkson examining how hydration can influence respiratory aerosol emission. Early results show that people emit more particles when they are well-hydrated compared to when they are dehydrated. Along with Rawat and Ferro, the Clarkson research team includes Associate Professor Shantanu Sur in the Department of Biology and Professor Sumona Mondal in the Department of Mathematics. Byron Erath, Professor and Department Head of Mechanical Engineering at the Rochester Institute of Technology, is the principal investigator for the associated lead collaborative project. The Clarkson team also includes researchers from the State University of New York at Oswego, Rochester Institute of Technology, and SUNY Potsdam. "The collaboration with Professor Erath, formerly at Clarkson, and several other Clarkson faculty started more than six years ago. We pulled together a team to study airborne disease transmission in response to the Clarkson Ignite Graduate Fellowship program," said Ferro. "When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, we were ready with our team and materials, and we secured funding early on. We have helped answer important scientific questions on respiratory aerosols over the past several years and will continue to make progress with our newest project." These findings will help improve models that predict how respiratory droplets transmit and remain suspended in the air, especially in shared environments such as classrooms and workplaces. This research could lead to more accurate public health guidelines on ventilation, masking, and disease prevention. Rawat presented findings from this work at the Joint Annual Meeting of the International Society of Exposure Science and the International Society for Environmental Epidemiology (ISESISEE 2025) held in Atlanta, Georgia, August 1720, where he earned an award in the Student and New Researcher Poster Competition. Gov. Kelly Ayotte addresses attendees at the "Investing in Care, Investing in Growth" conference in Manchester on Oct. 30, 2025. (Photo by Maya Mitchell/New Hampshire Bulletin) Gov. Kelly Ayotte said she is deeply committed to pushing for state investments in child care amid ongoing funding obstacles and workforce shortages. During a forum on investing in child care Thursday in Manchester, Ayotte told child care advocates, stakeholders, and business owners that despite the challenging budget environment, New Hampshire remains committed to the recently expanded Child Care Scholarship Program. The state reported that as of summer more than 5,000 families were enrolled in the program, which is a state-federal partnership. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theres so much work to do on this issue, Ayotte said of child care in general. It goes hand in hand with our housing issues when it comes to our quality of life here in New Hampshire. I want to be a partner, and I want to work with the ideas that come out of this group. While government investments like the scholarship program aim to make child care more affordable, supply does not meet the current demand. Families across the Granite State struggle to enroll in and afford early education and care for their children, and providers are often unable to find the workforce necessary to boost capacity. A New Hampshire Fiscal Policy Institute study published in January found that between 2019 and 2023, the state was short of an average of more than 9,000 child care slots annually. Ayotte said it is exciting that more Granite Staters are using the scholarship program, and that she will continue working with the Department of Health and Human Services to keep the program funded. She said that while the state tries to improve the workforce pipeline through its education system, she is also looking to expand incentives for businesses and nonprofits to invest in child care. We need everyone at the table to bring more affordable child care options to our state, Ayotte said. Together, well make sure New Hampshire stays the best place to raise a family. FRANKFORT, Ky. (FOX 56) During Thursdays Team Kentucky update, Gov. Beshear provided an update on steps Team Kentucky is taking to protect kids from predators. The governor said Kentucky State Police (KSP) has arrested 474 online predators for internet-related crimes against Kentuckys kids since 2019. That includes three major arrests this month in Logan, Clark, and Pike countiesall related to child sexual abuse material. KSP has also teamed up with Prevent Child Abuse Kentucky to release a free video series to help parents protect their kids online. LATEST KENTUCKY NEWS: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Our message is clear: if you try to prey on our children, online or in person, we will find you, we will arrest you, and we will incarcerate you, Beshear said. Experts also urged families to set screen time limits, turn off location services, and talk about online safety as early as age seven. 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. Gov. Andy Beshear signed an executive order Oct. 31 to send $5 million to Kentucky food banks as funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program is set to expire Nov. 1, potentially impacting thousands in the commonwealth. The announcement comes after Beshear sued the Trump administration alongside several states and other Democratic leaders in a push to stop the U.S. Department of Agriculture from failing to fund SNAP benefits due to the ongoing government shutdown. Federal judges in two separate cases, including the one Beshear was part of, ruled in favor of the demand for the program to be funded by other means as the shutdown continues. While the Trump administration said it couldnt fund SNAP during the shutdown, two federal judges just said it can and should, Beshear said in a news release. Its my job as Governor to stand up for Kentuckians, and I am thankful todays rulings were in favor of helping the more than 40 million Americans and almost 600,000 Kentuckians many of whom are children access benefits that will provide them food and prevent hunger. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More: Will SNAP food benefits be cut? 2 judges say Trump administration must fund program Beshear said he signed the order in case of any delay to restored benefits. The order directs the Kentucky Division of Emergency Management and the Office of the State Budget Director to properly transfer and allot funds from available sources to support the food banks during the lapse of SNAP funding, beginning with $5 million from the budget reserve trust fund. The Cabinet for Health and Family Services will provide identified funds to Feeding Kentucky, a local network of seven food banks, including the Dare to Care Food Bank in Louisville. Beshear also has directed more than $12 million to temporarily support the federal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program in November, according to the release. Team Kentucky will host a food drive at major state office buildings in November. Nonperishable food items will be collected until Nov. 21 and distributed throughout the commonwealth through Dare to Care, Gods Pantry and the Christian Appalachian Project. Leo Bertucci contributed. This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: KY governor sends millions to KY food banks in wake of SNAP ruling LaMar Cook, the aide for the governor fired this week after his arrest on cocaine trafficking charges, was arrested in 2001 in connection with a shooting in Springfield. Then 21, Cook and two other men were arrested after they rolled up in a car and emerged with handguns and shot at another group of people standing on a front porch, leaving one person with a surface injury, according to police records obtained by The Republican. Cook and the two others were charged with assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, discharging a handgun within 500 feet of a dwelling and unlicensed possession of a firearm, the police report and newspaper clippings show. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The men pleaded not guilty to the charges; Cook was ordered held on $10,000 bail, a newspaper clipping from April 24, 2001, shows. Records of the incident, however, do not appear in the Springfield District Court system. The disposition of the case is unknown. Most criminal records can be sealed eventually through an administrative process after a waiting period, or by a judge without waiting, according to the states website. Cook, 45, now faces charges after officials say 8 kilograms of cocaine, or about 18 pounds, were delivered to him at a state government building on Dwight Street in Springfield on Saturday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thats in addition to 13 kilograms, or about 29 pounds, delivered to a hotel at the University of Massachusetts Amherst earlier this month that investigators linked to Cook for a total of 46 pounds. On Thursday, Gov. Maura Healey spoke with reporters after a press conference, and she insisted that Cook underwent a thorough background check before he was appointed deputy director for the governors regional office in Springfield in 2023. Hes been terminated, Healey said. He was immediately terminated. And thats all I can say right now. As you know, its subject to a criminal investigation. Asked by a MassLive reporter about Cooks appointment despite no public policy experience, Healey deferred to the open investigation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Im not going to comment on this right now. I cant. Its subject to criminal investigation, Healey said. An attorney for Cook declined to comment about the 2001 incident on Thursday. After Cooks arraignment on Wednesday, Attorney Kedar Ismail said that hes looking forward to clearing [Cooks] name. Devastating blow to the community On Thursday, Springfield community members were processing the news of Cooks arrest and the serious charges he faces. Its an unfortunate turn of events, especially if there is merit to the charges, said Bishop Talbert Swan, a leader of the national Church of God in Christ and president of the Springfield chapter of the NAACP. It would be a devastating blow to the community that someone held in high esteem would engage in behavior that is detrimental to the community at large. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Swan emphasized that Cook is innocent until proven guilty and said, I would urge people to let the process play out in the court and not rush to judgment. Tony Cignoli, a Springfield-based government relations consultant and contractor, said that members of the citys Black and activist communities are taking this news very hard. This is difficult news to hear in the community for those who knew him well and knew him as a community activist, Cignoli said. And some are waiting to see what happens out of this investigation, but it seems pretty damning the information that has been released by the Massachusetts State Police. He commended Healey for taking decisive action with Cook this week. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Knowing the governor, for her to fire him that quickly, this is not just the governor, this is a former attorney general of Massachusetts; she has pretty good legal instincts, Cignoli said. The news of Cooks arrest has made waves overseas, with associates in Scotland asking him on Thursday about the situation. This has made international news, Cignoli said. Before joining the governors leadership team, Cook worked as the director of the University of Massachusetts Amhersts on-campus hotel. Cook previously told MassLive in 2023 that his background included more than 20 years in hospitality and management. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He also ran unsuccessfully for Springfield City Council in 2015 and for School Committee in 2017. Swan said that when it comes to political appointments, experience and qualifications are not weighed as heavily as they should be. If thats the case here, it wouldnt be the first time that that has happened, Swan said. I wouldnt fault Mr. Cook for his selection to the [governors aide] position, Swan said. Thats a process of vetting that shouldve been done by the governors office. I know persons who serve in those types of positions across the Commonwealth and nation often times are beneficiaries of being connected to certain persons and not always about those who are best qualified for the job. What are Cooks charges? Cook pleaded not guilty on Wednesday to four counts: trafficking in 200 grams or more of cocaine, carrying a gun and ammunition without a license, and driving without a license. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He earned $115,668 annually as deputy director, a liaison role between the Healey administration and the residents, leaders and municipalities of Berkshire, Franklin, Hampshire and Hampden counties. An investigation into Cook stemmed from two seizures by law enforcement earlier this month, according to Hampden County District Attorney Anthony Gulluni. On Oct. 10, investigators intercepted and searched two suspicious packages at Hotel UMass in Amherst that were found to contain about 13 kilograms, or about 28 pounds, of suspected cocaine. Then, the Massachusetts State Police in Springfield intercepted a package containing cocaine on Saturday. A trooper then posed as a delivery worker to hand over the parcel to Cook, who was at the building waiting for it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The government building at 436 Dwight St., often referred to as the little State House, is home to several state offices, including the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination and the secretary of the commonwealths western division. Cook was arrested during a traffic stop late Tuesday night in Springfield. He appeared in court wearing a varsity-style jacket and handcuffs. He is being held at the Hampden County House of Correction. At Wednesdays arraignment, Cook was ordered held pending a dangerousness hearing scheduled for Friday morning. If released after Fridays hearing, Cook must satisfy a $25,000 bond set on Wednesday by Judge William Rota. More News Read the original article on MassLive. Add MassLive as a Preferred Source by clicking here. Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly files a lawsuit against Attorney General Kris Kobach alleging the Republican attorney general seeks to unconstitutionally block the Democratic governor from a role in determine best interests of Kansas in terms of action in state or federal courts. In this Sept. 24, 2025, image, Kelly speaks to Kansans during gathering in Johnson County. (Photo by Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector) TOPEKA Gov. Laura Kelly took an extraordinary step Friday by filing a lawsuit directly with the Kansas Supreme Court alleging Attorney General Kris Kobach was undermining constitutional powers assigned to the states governor. Kelly, a two-term Democrat, said the lawsuit was necessary because the GOP attorney general took the position that he alone determined interests of Kansas when it came to litigation in federal and state courts. The governor said Kobach had failed to defend Kansans against unlawful federal overreaches by President Donald Trump. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Time and again, Attorney General Kobachs blatant partisanship is on display, harming and embarrassing Kansas, she said. While he was quick to sue the previous presidential administration, alleging he would protect Kansans from federal overreach, he has not once followed through on that claim now that the Trump administration has repeatedly done just that. Kobach, who filed or joined numerous lawsuits against the administration of President Joe Biden, said Kelly chose Halloween to take unprecedented action to seize control of the states litigation agenda. He expressed confidence Kelly wouldnt prevail in court. This is not a close question. Gov. Kelly is wasting the courts time, Kobach said. If the governor wants to run for the office of attorney general, she has the right to do so. But she will need to go to law school first. He said Kansas law was crystal clear regarding who represents the state of Kansas in court and controls what legal positions are taken by the state of Kansas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kellys lawsuit requested the state Supreme Court issue an order preventing the attorney general from intruding on a governors supreme executive power as head of the executive branch. She said the Kansas Constitution should be relied upon by the court to affirm a Kansas governors authority to take steps in defense of Kansans without interference from the attorney generals office. Kelly said Kobachs willful ignorance undermined her administrations effort to shield Kansans from harm and protect millions of dollars for essential programs and services. If the attorney general refuses to stand up for Kansas, at least Kansans can rest assured knowing that I will, Kelly said in a statement. During a news conference, Kelly said she was disturbed Kobach declined to participate in two lawsuits that she felt had merit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I value the role of the attorney general. Ordinarily, the attorney general is the one who would be filing suits on behalf of the citizens, but in in this case, thats not happening, and so Im stepping up to make sure that Kansas interests are represented, she said. One of the lawsuits supported by Kelly was filed against the U.S. Department of Agriculture to seek release of congressionally approved emergency funds for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. SNAP provides food aid to nearly 188,000 adults and children in Kansans. Meanwhile, the governor joined despite Kobachs opposition a lawsuit seeking to prevent the Trump administration from terminating federal funding to a collection of public health and safety programs. The list of programs included financing to test for lead in schools and child care facilities, environmental cleanup, evaluating the safety of dams and improvements to drinking water. Kobach, who lost a campaign for governor against Kelly in 2018, has declared he had authority over what litigation the state of Kansas initiated. In September, a Shawnee County District Court judge threw out a lawsuit filed by Kobach challenging Kellys decision to withhold from the Trump administration personal data on thousands of Kansans regarding SNAP. So far, the Kelly administration has refused to comply with federal demands for information on people who applied for or used SNAP in Kansas. The WIC program provides food, education and other resources to 18,000 at-risk pregnant, postpartum and breastfeeding women, infants and children up to age 5 in Rhode Island. (Photo by Galina Zhigalova/Getty image) Amid uncertainty over the availability of federal funding for food benefits for new moms and young children, Rhode Island is the latest state to tap into its own coffers to keep the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program afloat. Gov. Dan McKee announced Friday that $600,000 in state funds will be used to ensure the benefit program, typically funded by federal dollars, remains available through November despite the government shutdown. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement WIC provides essential nutrition and support for women, infants, and children across our state, McKee said. Whether its standing up for Rhode Islanders being cut off from SNAP by President Trump or protecting families who depend on WIC, Rhode Island will not stand by and do nothing while this crisis hurts the people we serve. The program provides food, education and other resources to nearly 7 million at-risk pregnant, postpartum and breastfeeding individuals nationwide and 18,000 in Rhode Island as well as infants and children up to 5 years old. As a discretionary program, WIC is subject to congressional approval each year making it particularly vulnerable to the ongoing funding lapse. A $300 million federal infusion, including tariff revenue, kept the program afloat through October. And as the shutdown extends into a second month, there are growing concerns that the initial appropriation will run dry. Similar fears surrounded the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which helps a broader swath of low-income and vulnerable residents afford groceries. On Friday, a pair of federal judges in Massachusetts and Rhode Island separately ordered the Trump administration to tap government contingency funds to keep the food assistance program afloat, though compliance remains unclear. The court orders do not apply to WIC, leaving states scrambling to cover the gap. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The initial state injection comes from state general revenue allocated to the Rhode Island Department of Heath for fiscal 2026, Olivia DaRocha, a spokesperson for McKees office, said in an email Friday. The money is expected to fund benefits for pregnant and breastfeeding women and young children through the end of November. If the shutdown continues past Nov. 30, the governors office said it will assess the situation. Community nonprofits that serve as providers where applicants can sign up for the state program praised McKees decision in a series of statements Friday afternoon. This program is a vital resource to families, and disruptions in their ability to receive benefits impacts their overall health and well-being, said Alison Croke, president and CEO of Wood River Health, noting that the medical clinic is the only provider for WIC in Washington County. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Without the contingency funding, 1,400 infants and children who receive food assistance through Meeting Streets early childhood programs would go hungry, John Kelly, Meeting Street president, said. I am proud to live and work in a state that shares Meeting Streets values of compassion, respect and inclusivity, by demonstrating through its actions that all children in our community have a right to basic nutrition, Kelly said. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Governor JB Pritzker is set to sign that executive order Thursday supporting people who rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, in the state just days before the program is set to run out of money. Nearly two million people in Illinois use SNAP benefits. Amid the government shutdown, food banks are under pressure and stretched thin. With the governor signing the executive order, $20 million in state funds will be directed to help food banks. Illinois is also one of several states that have sued to save SNAP benefits during the government shutdown. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The governor spoke earlier this week about how much it would cost Illinois to try and fund SNAP at the state level. "It would cost us, if we were able to try do it, it would cost about $350 million, more than that, rather, to fill in the gap per-month, $350 million from the state," Governor Pritzker said. "That's not something a state can possibly fill in." Earlier this week, President Donald Trump hinted at a plan to potentially fund SNAP saying - "We're going to get it done" - without providing any specific details on a path forward for the program during the shutdown. If the government shutdown continues, people who rely on SNAP will lose their benefits beginning this Saturday, November 1. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A west suburban grocery store, Living Fresh Market, is among many businesses across the country worried about the possible loss of those SNAP dollars and the economic and human toll it could take on communities. Derrick Waller of Forest Park says he'll make due if starting on Saturday SNAP funds run out, but fears for others who rely on that federal food assistance. "It's kids out here hungry as well, too, that's depending on their food, and especially on the holidays," Waller said. "Why would you do it on the holidays?" At Living Fresh Market in Forest Park, about one-third of the revenue comes from customers who use SNAP. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "This will impact grocery stores around the country, not just me," Living Fresh Market Sr. Executive Melody Winston said. "I talk to some of my colleagues who own stores in Lincoln Park, and it's the same thing. It's about a third." Winston says the impact on jobs and communities could be devastating. "I would have never thought that we would have been in this situation where we would be struggling to figure out how we're going to get food on our table in the United States of America," Winston said. Ahead of this weekend, area food banks and pantries were inundated with many fearing the loss of those benefits. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I don't even have a word for it right now. It's just, it's insanity," SNAP recipient Ardis Garrett said. At Living Fresh Market, they're working to organize a donation drive to stock the local food pantry and recruiting some of their vendors to help with that effort. DES MOINES, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds held a news conference Friday morning to release more information on the states plan to provide interim support for Iowas food banks and pantries if SNAP benefits end on November 1 due to the federal government shutdown. You can watch it 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 who13.com. LITTLE ROCK, Ark. Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders said she will direct $500,000 to six food bank networks across the state amid the government shutdown. On Thursday, Sanders secured emergency action from the Arkansas Legislative Council chairs to direct the funds in Restricted Reserve to food banks starting Monday, Nov. 3. Arkansas Foodbank to host emergency food distribution amid federal shutdown Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The following food banks that will receive funding are: Northwest Arkansas Food Bank at Springdale Food Bank of North Central Arkansas at Norfork Food Bank of Northeast Arkansas at Jonesboro River Valley Regional Food Bank at Fort Smith Arkansas Foodbank at Little Rock Arkansas Foodbank Lexa Branch Arkansas Foodbank Warren Branch Harvest Regional Food Bank at Texarkana Sanders announced that she will also consider additional allocations on a weekly basis as the shutdown continues. Arkansas SNAP recipients brace for possible suspension amid government shutdown The governor added that state residents can assess food assistance resources in Arkansas through the HelpArkansas.com page on her website, which will be updated as the shutdown continues. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KARK. Pennsylvania Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding speaks at a news conference Friday at the Philabundance food bank warehouse in south Philadelphia, where Gov. Josh Shapiro announced $5 million in emergency funding to aid food charities as federal SNAP recipients miss their November assistance payments. (Photo by Commonwealth Media Services) As two federal judges ordered the Trump administration to release food assistance money, Gov. Josh Shapiro announced Friday the state will make $5 million available to a network of food banks across the commonwealth. Shapiro also signed a disaster declaration to ensure the state money is available immediately, as 2 million Pennsylvanians who rely on the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) miss their November allocations. They would normally be paid Saturday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They made this determination even though they are sitting on billions of dollars of congressionally appropriated contingency funds, Shapiro said in a news conference at the Philabundance food bank warehouse in south Philadelphia. SNAP provides $366 million a month in food assistance, which benefits about one out of every eight Pennsylvanians or about 15% of the states population. Lori Jones-Brown, CEO of Philabundance, which is the largest non-profit food bank in the greater Philadelphia area, said food pantries across the region are already using reserves to meet increased demand. Just today, one of my colleagues told me that a mother came to our warehouse North Philly with four kids in our car asking for help, Jones-Brown said. Pantries are seeing scared faces and longer lines, and this is happening at a time when we were already seeing record numbers. The $5 million in state funding will flow through Feeding Pennsylvania, a statewide association of the commonwealths nine food banks that serve more than 1.5 million people annually across all 67 counties. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Additionally, Shapiro said he has launched a private-sector fundraising effort to aid food banks through the SNAP Emergency Relief Fund that has already collected more than $1 million from Pennsylvania business leaders. Shapiro noted the commonwealth is part of the coalition of 24 Democratic states that sued the Trump administration this week, seeking a court order directing the U.S. Department of Agriculture to continue food assistance for 42 million people nationwide. While the ruling is an important win, Shapiro said, the commonwealth still faces a potential crisis in feeding its most vulnerable people. It will take up to 10 days for the administration to get the money into SNAP recipients accounts, he said, and thats if President Donald Trump obeys the dual court orders. Canned foods on grocery store shelves. (Photo by Cami Koons/Iowa Capital Dispatch) Given this administration and its propensity to ignore the rule of law, I dont trust that theyre going to follow this judges ruling, Shapiro said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Earlier this year, the Trump administration also canceled $13 million in USDA funding over three years to purchase locally grown food for food banks in the commonwealth. The state is also suing to enforce its contract with the USDA. Not only is President Trump harming people who are hungry, he is harming Pennsylvania farmers, and thats on top of what hes already done to them with his ill advised tariffs, Shapiro said. I think right now, we should be doing everything we can to feed Pennsylvanians and not making excuses as to why it cant happen. State House Speaker Joanna McClinton (D-Philadelphia) said Shapiros actions show leadership and a responsible solution to the crisis, which she attributed to Republicans in Congress. While this solution is temporary, we can do more to ensure fewer Pennsylvanians rely on programs like SNAP, by increasing the minimum wage and investing in our schools and job training programs to give every person a path to success, McClinton said in a statement Friday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Senate Minority Leader Jay Costa (D-Allegheny) and Health and Human Services Committee Chairperson Art Haywood (D-Montgomery) said in a statement the loss of SNAP payments will place an extraordinary strain on food charities. My colleagues and I have been receiving a deluge of calls from concerned constituents, fearful that they will not be able to stock their pantries and refrigerators because of the heartless decision of the president and his enablers in the federal government, Costa said. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE SNAP, historically known as food stamps, allows low income families and individuals to purchase food from neighborhood markets. For many, SNAP benefits have been sufficient to put food on the table, said Julie Bancroft, CEO of Feeding Pennsylvania. That organization will distribute the $5 million in emergency state funding to its network of food banks around the state. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Where will they turn? Theyll turn to food banks and pantries, many for the first time, because their SNAP benefits have been just enough to make ends meet, Bancroft said, noting the sudden increase in people seeking food assistance is exacerbated by the federal government shutdown during which most federal workers are not being paid. Our network is using cash reserves to keep shelves stocked, but these resources are limited and will run out, making emergency funding critical. The funding announced today will help ease the pressure in a time of crisis, Bancroft said. 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: "It's an astonishing proportion of women in Denmark who are significantly affected during menopauseand we don't know enough to support them," says researcher behind new study. Credit: William Brns Petersen / University of Copenhagen Menopause is a significant public health challenge for the majority of women in Denmark, according to new research from the University of Copenhagen. For the first time, researchers have conducted a nationwide survey on women's health and experiences of menopause. The researchers are surprised by the results, which highlight the need for more knowledge in this area. 97% of women in Denmark experience symptoms during menopause. 83% report at least one symptom of moderate to severe intensity, and more than one in four women (28%) report six or more symptoms. This is shown by the largest national survey on menopause in Denmark, conducted as part of the research project Women in Healthy Transition (KISO) at the University of Copenhagen. "It's an astonishing proportion of women in Denmark who are significantly affected during menopauseand we don't know enough to support them," says Associate Professor Maria Hybholt from the Department of Public Health, who conducted the study together with Ph.D. student Sigrid Normann Biener and Associate Professor Terese Sara Hj Jrgensen. "These are very large and surprising numbers. Our knowledge of menopause has long been insufficient because the topic has flown under the radar in both research and health care. That can no longer be the case with these figures," says Hybholt. Comprehensive survey of women's health A total of 153,800 women in Denmark aged 45 to 59 responded to an extensive questionnaire about their menstrual cycle, menopausal symptoms, health-related lifestyle, and other factors. This makes the survey the first of its kind nationally and the only one internationally on this scale, providing a solid foundation for understanding women's health and symptoms during menopause. "Menopause is not a disease, but our study strongly emphasizes that it is a significant public health challenge for women in Denmark, and we must take it seriously," says Hybholt. More knowledge about the stages of menopause Hybholt wants Danish women to become familiar with the stages and symptoms of menopause. "Menopause begins in the years leading up to the final menstrual period, and this phase is called perimenopause. It is often overlooked because women are still menstruating. But this phase is characterized by significant bodily changes and marked symptoms," she explains. Although the average age of the final menstrual period is 52 years, the survey shows that 41% of women report being in perimenopause at age 45. "The results highlight the different stages of menopause and that it doesn't only occur in the late 40s or early 50sfor many, it starts earlier," says Hybholt. The data also show that symptoms increase in number and intensity during menopause and peak approximately 12 years after the final menstrual period. The study is published in the European Journal of Epidemiology. KISO is anchored at the University of Copenhagen's Department of Public Health and Department of Nutrition, Exercise and Sports. More information: Sigrid Normann Biener et al, Women in Healthy Transition (KISO) Survey: a cohort of 153,800 women aged 4559 years living in Denmark, European Journal of Epidemiology (2025). DOI: 10.1007/s10654-025-01291-0 Journal information: European Journal of Epidemiology Governor Josh Shapiro is taking emergency action as nearly two million Pennsylvanians worry about how they'll afford groceries in the coming days. The governor confirmed that SNAP benefit recipients will not receive money on their cards on November 1. "If you're a SNAP benefit recipient, you will not get the money on your card tomorrow, November 1st," Governor Shapiro said Friday. SEE ALSO | Judges order the Trump administration to use contingency funds for SNAP payments during the shutdown Vowing that "no one in Pennsylvania should go hungry," Shapiro has signed a disaster declaration and is immediately sending $5 million to Feeding Pennsylvania to be distributed through food banks across the state, even though Pennsylvania still doesn't have an approved budget. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "These are dollars we had available in other accounts here in the commonwealth that I was able to use my authority as governor to move around," Shapiro explained. Shapiro also announced a private emergency fund that has already raised more than $1 million to keep families fed during the delay. RELATED | Everything to know about SNAP, how the food assistance program helps millions "They can now go to a food bank across Pennsylvania and access a place like Philabundance that has more product as a result of the additional dollars that are coming to them," Shapiro said. Many Pennsylvanians who rely on SNAP say the delay is taking a toll. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Yeah, I have a lot of anxiety. I hear it every day, 'Oh my God, I'm going to lose SNAP,'" said Adam Cavey of University City. "I'm emotional because I was really waiting for the eight dollars every month," said Gail Grinnage of Southwest Philadelphia. Shapiro also addressed two lawsuits - including one filed by his administration - challenging the Trump administration's decision to halt SNAP benefits. Judges in both cases have ruled that the administration must reinstate SNAP contingency funds, but that doesn't mean payments will resume right away. "In both cases, the judges ruled that the Trump administration needs to release those contingency funds," Shapiro said. "There is some question as to what the relief will look like." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Trump administration said it's planning to comply with the judge's order. In the meantime, anyone in need of food assistance in Pennsylvania can call 2-1-1 or visit pa211.org to find a local food bank. How other states are responding In New Jersey, Governor Phil Murphy declared a state of emergency, establishing a coordinated response to ensure food access for vulnerable residents "With more than 800,000 New Jerseyans relying on SNAP to put food on the table, the Trump Administration's decision to suspend benefits has created a clear and present threat to the health and safety of our residents," said Murphy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The emergency declaration establishes a coordinated response to ensure food access for vulnerable residents. Murphy encourages New Jerseyans to visit nj211.org for statewide emergency resources. Restaurants are helping, too, like Tony's Baltimore Grill in Atlantic City. Starting Saturday, they're providing free kids' meals to children. Parents must show their SNAP card. "Without the community, none of these businesses are going, so you have to give back at some point to the community," said Joey Palumbo, the general manager at Tony's Baltimore Grill. Earlier this week, Delaware Governor Matt Meyer declared a state of emergency in support of more than 120,000 Delawareans who rely on the benefits each month. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We're making sure every Delaware family can eat and no child goes to bed hungry, acting with urgency and transparency to safeguard what matters most - your family and your future," said Meyer. The governor's declaration allows the state to temporarily continue SNAP benefits and redirect state funds to ensure families can access food assistance. MADISON Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers on Friday declared a state of emergency due to the effects of the month-long federal government shutdown, directing state officials to police price gouging and to suspend state rules that he says would hinder the state's response. The order focuses on the shutdown's effects on food assistance programs. Nearly 700,000 Wisconsin residents receive benefits through a program known as FoodShare, which is federally funded and administered by state officials. Around 270,000 of FoodShare recipients are children. Funding for such programs is set to evaporate Saturday, Nov. 1, because Congress has been unable to agree on a new bill to fund the federal government. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A pair of federal judges intervened in the matter on Friday, compelling the Trump administration to make available contingency funding to keep the programs alive as the shutdown persists. But Trump officials have said they disagree with that analysis of the law. Evers' office said that unlike in other states, the Wisconsin governor cannot unilaterally spend state funds on federal programs that do not already have an appropriation. State lawmakers must vote to create an appropriation to direct state funds to the program, or expand an existing appropriation, according to the nonpartisan Legislative Fiscal Bureau. Republican leaders of both legislative houses have indicated they are not supportive of the idea. Evers issued an executive order Friday declaring a state of emergency and period of abnormal economic disruption related to the shutdown "that is jeopardizing access to critical resources and programs that are necessary for the health, safety, well-being, and economic security of Wisconsinites and calling for state agencies to take a whole-of-government response to the situation," according to his office. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The order directs the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection to police price gouging while FoodShare benefits are depleted. The order requires the agency "to take any and all measures to respond, including reviewing and suspending any administrative rules that will hinder or delay the states response to the emergency." Aides to Assembly Speaker Robin Vos and Senate Majority Leader Devin LeMahieu did not immediately have a reaction to the order. Molly Beck can be reached at molly.beck@jrn.com. (This story was updated to add new information.) This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers declares state of emergency over shutdown MADISON Public school students will largely be banned from using cell phones in classrooms under a bipartisan bill Democratic Gov. Tony Evers signed into law Oct. 31. The law will require public school boards to develop a policy by July that generally bars students from using cell phones during the school day. The legislation, which passed the state Senate 29-4 on Oct. 14 and was approved by the state Assembly in February, allows school boards to create exemptions for certain reasons, like emergency situations and to manage a student's health care. The law also allows for the use of school district-issued electronic devices. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Evers said he continues to believe it's best to leave such decisions to local school boards in cooperation with their communities, and he wishes the Legislature would have taken a different approach with the legislation. "Nevertheless, my promise to the people of Wisconsin is to always do whats best for our kids, and that obligation weighs heavily on me in considering this bill, as it does every bill affecting kids that reaches my desk," Evers, a former educator and state Superintendent of Public Instruction, said in a statement. The governor, who declared 2025 the "Year of the Kid" in his January State of the State address, said he is "deeply concerned about the impacts cell phone and social media use are having on our kids and their mental health, school outcomes, and how our kids engage and interact with each other and the world around us." "Our kids are struggling today, perhaps now more than ever. Its really tough to be a kid these days, and we know that cellphones can be a major distraction from learning, a source of bullying, and a barrier to our kids important work of just being a kid," Evers said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While schools must prepare students for a "21st-century world, economy, and future," Evers said educators must also evolve along with technology including "taking pragmatic steps to keep our kids safe and protect them from the harmful impacts of new and emerging technology." As the state Senate debated the bill earlier this month, Sen. Melissa Ratcliff, D-Cottage Grove, suggested lawmakers should pass legislation addressing the prevalence of firearms and the scourge of school shootings instead of regulating cell phone use, noting her daughter alerted her to a school shooting nearby because she had access to a cell phone. Bill author Sen. Rachael Cabral-Guevera, R-Appleton, said the bill allows for exceptions and should help students listen in class and would keep communication lines from being clogged during a threat at the school. The vast majority of public school districts 90% already report having a policy similar to what is prescribed in the bill, according to a survey conducted by the state Department of Public Instruction. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Research compiled by the state Office of Children's Mental Health points to concerns with smartphone use among children impairing development of social skills, contributing to mental health issues, disrupting ability to focus and exposing kids to inappropriate content and cyberbullying. Some school administrators told lawmakers earlier this year that they oppose the bill because it is written too broadly to be effective. "Limiting cell phones, gaming devices etc. to maintain an effective learning environment is essential in the classroom," Greg Kabara, Nicolet Union High School District superintendent, wrote in a letter to lawmakers. "While I understand the overall intent of the bill it seems too broad and less effective than allowing schools local control in regards to wireless devices during the school day." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rep. Joel Kitchens, R-Sturgeon Bay, said in February that the bill would help school officials maintain their existing policies. "We are saying to the school districts that were standing with you on this, because everyone agrees this is a problem," he said ahead of the Assembly vote. In recent years, a growing number of states have adopted statewide bans or policies for cell phone use in schools, and such policies are generally popular with voters across the political spectrum, according to a recent report by the Wisconsin Policy Forum. Jessie Opoien can be reached at jessie.opoien@jrn.com. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers signs law banning cellphones in classrooms STOWE, Vt. (ABC22/FOX44) The federal government has confirmed it seek the death penalty for Theodore Bland, who is suspected of killing two men and leaving their bodies in Eden two years ago. Jahim Solomon, 21, of Pittsfield, and Eric White, 21, of Chicopee were allegedly shot and killed on October 12, 2023. Their bodies were discovered almost two weeks later following an expansive search. Prosecutors seek death penalty against Zizian member charged with murdering Vermont border agent Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bland pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including unlawful firearm possession, last year, for which he was sentenced to 14 months in prison. He pleaded not guilty to homicide. Background can be found in ABC22/FOX44s coverage from last year below. Vermont has not had capital punishment in living memory. However, it can still be issued by federal courts. Blands next appearance in the U.S. District Court in Burlington is scheduled for February. 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. Oct. 30WASHINGTON The government shutdown reached the 30-day mark on Thursday, as senators left town for the weekend with no clear path to resolving the dispute over health care costs that has kept Congress from funding federal programs. With the House in recess since Republicans passed a short-term funding bill in mid-September, the focus has been on the Senate, where all but three members of the Democratic caucus have repeatedly voted against that measure, demanding that the GOP majorities in both chambers agree to extend expiring health insurance subsidies. At least eight Democrats would need to vote with Republicans to reach the 60-vote threshold to pass the bill. In a call with reporters on Thursday, Sen. Patty Murray of Washington, the top Democrat on the committee responsible for government funding, said this is the first time in her 32 years in the Senate that GOP leaders have refused to negotiate with their Democratic counterparts while demanding Democrats' votes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "It's stunning to me that the president is pretending like this is not a problem," Murray said in response to a question from The Spokesman-Review. "So what it is going to take is for the Republican leadership, in the White House and here in Congress, to reach out and talk to Democrats to figure a solution to that. I don't have an answer for you on how that's going to look, because they haven't even gotten in the room to talk about it which is, to me, the most frustrating thing about all of this." Democrats have made other demands including that the GOP undo the estimated $1 trillion in future cuts to Medicaid that was a pillar of the massive tax-and-spending bill Republicans passed in July but the focus has been on the health insurance subsidies as Nov. 1 approaches. That's when Washington and most other states begin their open enrollment periods Idaho's began Oct. 15 and Democrats hope Republicans will feel more pressure when Americans who rely on health insurance purchased through marketplaces like the Washington Health Benefit Exchange and Your Health Idaho see their premiums rise as the subsidies end. But GOP senators, like Idaho's Mike Crapo and Jim Risch, have shown no sign of wavering in their demand that Democrats help reopen the government before negotiating over health care spending. They argue that the subsidies, which Democrats enacted during the COVID-19 pandemic to make so-called "Obamacare" insurance plans more affordable, are not a sustainable solution to rising health care costs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The problem does not lie with the Republicans," Risch said in remarks posted to X on Thursday. "We have voted over and over and over again to open the government, pass a clean spending bill, which would solve this problem immediately." Crapo, who leads the Senate Finance Committee, said in a hearing on Tuesday that the Democrats are refusing to fund the government unless Republicans agree to what he described as a massive increase in spending, undoing restrictions on Medicaid eligibility that are set to take effect in 2027. Extending the health insurance subsidies, Crapo said, would "simply throw more money at the issue rather than actually negotiating over real solutions that are needed to fix the coming crisis." He conceded that "premiums are going to go up dramatically" but said that isn't because of the temporary subsidies ending. According to the nonpartisan health care research organization KFF, premiums for insurance purchased through Affordable Care Act marketplaces will rise by an average of 26% in 2026, before factoring in the expiring subsidies. If those subsidies are allowed to expire, KFF estimates, insurance premiums for those who currently receive them would more than double on average. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Murray and her fellow Democrats say they can't trust that Republicans would negotiate in good faith to control health care costs once the shutdown ends. Throughout the week, reports emerged of senators proposing new short-term spending agreements that could create a framework for health care talks, but Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., sent them home Thursday with no concrete deal announced. Another sticking point one that Democrats have chosen not to emphasize publicly is that Senate rules currently require a bipartisan, 60-vote supermajority to pass spending legislation but only a simple majority of 51 votes to defund those programs. At President Donald Trump's behest, Republicans have rescinded funding that was approved by members of both parties, undermining the annual appropriations process. As the shutdown stretches on, federal employees continue to work without pay, causing concerns that air traffic controllers and other vital workers will stop showing up for work. "This is not a game. There are real people suffering," Rep. Michael Baumgartner, R-Spokane, said in a call with reporters on Sunday, calling on Democrats to "do the right thing and open up the government." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Trump administration has taken extraordinary steps to keep paying active-duty troops, Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents and employees at the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The White House has even sought to use private donations to pay troops. "Somebody stepped forward and paid our military for the time being," Baumgartner said on Sunday, referring to a $130 million donation from billionaire Timothy Mellon, equivalent to less than one day's average pay or about $100 for each active-duty service member. Another looming deadline is the end of federal funding to states for the food assistance program known as SNAP, as the Trump administration opts not to use emergency funding to fill in that gap, a decision Democrats have denounced as a cynical move to exert political pressure at the expense of hungry Americans. Republicans have also voiced concerns over the lapse in funding for the program, often called food stamps. Senators will return to the Capitol on Monday and are expected to continue talks to end the shutdown. The House will remain in recess, but Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., would need to call the lower chamber back into session to pass any new bill to fund the government. Orion Donovan Smith's work is funded in part by members of the Spokane community via the Community Journalism and Civic Engagement Fund. This story can be republished by other organizations for free under a Creative Commons license. For more information on this, please contact our newspaper's managing editor. The entrance to the South Dakota State Penitentiarys East Hall. (Courtesy of South Dakota Department of Corrections) Flu shots arent hard to come by in South Dakota in 2025. Unless youre in prison. The South Dakota Department of Corrections has been rationing its supply of flu vaccines this month in response to a federal government shutdown-related shortage. The department offers the vaccines at no cost to the 3,800 inmates scattered across the states six prison campuses. Last year, spokesman Michael Winder told South Dakota Searchlight, the department administered 1,225 flu shots. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At this point, he wrote in an email the department is prioritizing high-risk offenders to receive the vaccines. Flu shots are not in short supply for the general public, according to spokespersons for Avera and Sanford Health, South Dakotas two largest health care providers. But the department doesnt get its shots through them. Instead, its supplies come from the federal Centers for Disease Control. The shots first come to the state Department of Health, which then distributes them to the Department of Corrections. As of Monday, Health Department spokeswoman Tia Kafka said, the state hadnt received its entire correctional supply. The Health Department doesnt distribute flu vaccines to any other state facilities, Kafka said. Just corrections. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some delays have occurred due to the federal government shutdown, and we are monitoring the situation closely, Kafka wrote in an email. She said the department expects to get the rest of its correctional supply soon, but she didnt know when. Kafkas department also distributes COVID boosters for inmates, which are supplied, like the flu shots, by the CDC. There isnt a shortage there, though. The Corrections Department has been impacted in at least one other way by the federal government shutdown, Winder wrote. Correctional officers are typically able to take a National Incident Management System training through the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Those web-based courses are paused. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX UPDATE: 11.3.2025 On Monday, November 3, Oklahoma leaders approved temporary emergency measures to keep SNAP benefits alive in the state. The Contingency Review Board, which included Governor Kevin Stitt, House Speaker Kyle Hilbert, and Senate President Pro Tem Lonnie Paxton, voted to use $1 million a week from the states $7.8 million emergency fund for seven weeks. Original Story: OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt and Speaker of the House Kyle Hilbert and Senate President Pro Tempore Lonnie Paxton announced on Friday afternoon a vote will take place to make $1 million per week available to Oklahomas food banks serving all 77 counties for up to seven weeks during the government shutdown. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the governors office, the plan seeks to provide immediate support for vulnerable elderly, disabled, and child SNAP recipients during the disruption. Oklahomans always step up for each other in times of need, and together were making sure our most vulnerable neighbors have the resources they need to get through this unnecessary Schumer Shutdown, said the leaders in a joint statement. This targeted emergency support, alongside the tireless work of our local food banks, will provide weekly food provisions to elderly, disabled, and child SNAP recipients across our 77 counties during periods in which SNAP federal funding is unavailable. We encourage every business and nonprofit in the state to join us and be a neighbor to those in need during this time of uncertainty. Funding is set to be deployed from the State Emergency Fund, which currently holds $7.8 million. Salvation Army phones crash, influx of calls needing help from food pantry Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The next steps, according to Stitts office, will begin Monday evening with a Contingency Review Board meeting, and with approval by the Board and the appropriate state authorities, funds will become available for immediate deployment. Stitts office says allocations will be issued weekly if the federal shutdown impacts SNAP continue and the prior weeks funds have been used. Funding from the State of Oklahoma is extremely helpful as the Regional Food Bank for Oklahoma works to be as deliberate as possible to find every food resource we can and distribute it to our network in an intentional manner, Stacy Dykstra, President and CEO of the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma. This amount represents only a fraction of what will be required; however, it will provide critical support allowing us to begin getting meals to the most vulnerable Oklahomans. The Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma and The Regional Food Bank of OK are grateful for the states support as we work to meet the needs of Oklahomas most vulnerable, said Jeff Marlow, President and CEO of the Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma. This funding will help us reach some of those affected by the SNAP funding freeze. However, a long-term solution requires immediate federal action to restore full support for families who depend on SNAP. These emergency resources will be prioritized for our most vulnerable SNAP recipients, which include our elderly, disabled, and children. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Earlier this week, Governor Stitt, Speaker Hilbert, and Pro Tem Paxton encouraged Oklahoma companies and non-profits to match his lead with financial contributions or by lending their workforce to support deliveries, ensuring no vulnerable neighbor goes without food. Gov. Stitt asks Oklahomans to help each other during government shutdown Oklahomans facing hardship can click here for food assistance in their area. Hunger Free Oklahoma was quick to respond to the governors announcement. The organization is calling on the USDA to immediately release the roughly $6 billion in contingency funds and fund SNAP for November. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They say other states have declared emergencies or released funds to fill the gap during the shutdown. They say Oklahma has more than $1 billion Rainy Day Fund dollars that are untouched. Every day, even with SNAP, families in our communities are forced to choose between food and other basic needs. SNAP is not just a safety net; its a lifeline. We are calling on the federal government to act now, but we are also calling on our state legislators to stop waiting for federal action and start leading. The answer to this unprecedented emergency in food security cannot only be to call on community to rally, we need government-sized resources to keep 685,000 Oklahomans from going hungry, to support our local grocers who will be forced to cut hours for employees, and support our local community organizations that are responding to this crisis. We understand the solution may be more complicated than it sounds, but leadership means solving problems and doing hard things, that is why voters put these people in office, says Chris Bernard, President & CEO of Hunger Free Oklahoma. You can read the entire Hunger Free Oklahoma news release 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 KFOR.com Oklahoma City. Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds speaks about the state's plan to support food banks during an anticipated lapse in SNAP funding due to the government shutdown. Reynolds was joined Oct. 31, 2025 by Adjutant General of the Iowa National Guard Stephen Osborn, left. (Photo by Cami Koons/Iowa Capital Dispatch) Donations made to Iowa food banks, starting Saturday, Nov. 1, will be matched up to $1 million by state funds. This is an opportunity for all of us together as Iowans, to care for our neighbors in need, Gov. Kim Reynolds said Friday about the states decision to help Iowa food banks as they support Iowans impacted by the anticipated lapse in federal nutrition funding. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Due to the ongoing federal government shutdown, recipients of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, have been informed they would not receive November benefit allotments, if the shutdown persists. Iowa food banks said they anticipate unprecedented need, across the state, as SNAP benefits cards are empty. Reynolds said the states pledged match, along with plans to deploy National Guard troops to help with food distribution, will provide interim support to Iowas six food banks. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Reynolds joined other GOP lawmakers in blaming the shutdown on congressional Democrats, who have withheld their votes on Republican stopgap spending measures in an effort to address the expiration of tax credits that help reduce the cost of health insurance premiums under the Affordable Care Act. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dems in the United States Senate dont seem to care that everyday Americans are suffering while they force the shutdown into another month, Reynolds said. We do care here in Iowa, and I know that Iowans do too. Beginning Saturday, existing state funds from the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services will be used to match monetary donations to Iowa food banks, up to $1 million. Food banks purchase food in bulk and are able distribute it to food pantries and other organizations throughout designated regions. A map of food banks and the areas they serve in Iowa. (Map courtesy of Iowa Food Bank Association) Reynolds said she believes the $1 million match will be met based on the generosity of Iowans and corporate partners in the state. Hy-Vee is offering a program where customers can spend $8 to buy a bag of food for families in need. (Photo by Brooklyn Draisey/Iowa Capital Dispatch) Already, several local businesses like Big Grove Brewery, Hy-Vee, Fareway and Iowa Pork Producers Association have contributed, or pledged, more than $130,000 in cash and food donations to food banks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Iowas three Medicaid managed care organizations have each committed to donate $100,000 across the six food banks. Some states plan to utilize their funds to continue issuing SNAP benefits during the government shutdown. Asked why she chose to match food bank donations instead of using emergency state funds for SNAP, Reynolds pointed to the ongoing shutdown. Its ridiculous, she said. Democrats could have voted to keep the government open, and they did not, the governor said. Reynolds opposed the Senate Democrats use of a government shutdown as a negotiating tactic to try and extend funding for the Affordable Care Act, which she called the unaffordable care act. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We need to get the government open, we need to continue the budget as is, and then come to the table and negotiate what they want to talk about moving forward, Reynolds said. Democratic attorneys general from nearly two dozen states have sued the Trump administration, urging it to use U.S. Department of Agriculture contingency funds to keep the program afloat during the shutdown. Reynolds also called this lawsuit ridiculous. Iowa alone receives close to $45 million in SNAP benefits each month, according to USDA. We cant just shift it to the state, Reynolds said. States dont have the funds to be able to do that. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Iowa Democrats submitted a letter Thursday to Reynolds and Attorney General Brenna Bird, urging Reynolds to take immediate action to protect SNAP benefits in the state and Bird to join other states in the lawsuit calling for the use of contingency funds. Senate Democratic Leader Janice Weiner, D-Iowa City, Republican leaders are playing political games with the countrys well-being. Legislative Democrats have spoken in unison and outlined to Gov. Reynolds and Attorney General Bird a plan for state government to step into the gap and prevent Iowans our friends and neighbors from going hungry. National Guard deployment In addition to matching monetary donations to the food bank, Reynolds said National Guard troops will be deployed as needed to conduct food distribution missions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Adjutant General of the Iowa National Guard Stephen Osborn said the guard will take direction from HHS, but he anticipated the soldiers would help with the movement of food across the state and packing boxes of food for distribution. Osborn said he will first ask for volunteer soldiers, but will bring soldiers and airmen onto active state duty. While National Guardsmen on federal missions are unpaid during the government shutdown, Reynolds said these soldiers would be paid since it is a state mission. In addition to soldier support, the states Volunteer Iowa division is working to gather volunteers for food banks and pantries across the state. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Reynolds has advocated for reform to the SNAP program in the past. In May, her proposed waiver to eliminate foods like candy and soft drinks from SNAP eligible food items was approved by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Reynolds said Friday that SNAP, and other federal support programs, have so much fraud and abuse that there is a risk of not having the funds to help those who really need it. According to USDA, nearly 42 million Americans, or 12.3% of residents, received SNAP benefits in 2024. The program serves nearly 270,000 Iowans each month. Reynolds said a program of that size needs a comprehensive review. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement My hope is that first of all, the Senate Democrats will stop keeping the government closed and open it back up and really start having those kind of conversations about what we do moving forward, Reynolds said. Food bank websites provide information on donations and on food pantries in the area. Additionally, the governors website has links to each food bank. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) Kansas Governor Laura Kelly sued Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach in the states Supreme Court on Friday. Gov. Kelly claimed the AGs office declined to take legal action against moves by the Trump administration, despite her requests for intervention. She said that Kobach has previously asserted that he alone controls litigation on behalf of the State of Kansas, and that the AG intruded on her supreme executive power as the head of the states executive branch. The lawsuit asked the court to declare that the governors office has the power to retain its own counsel to sue or join lawsuits if the AG refuses. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement AG Kobachs office responded and said that if the governor wants to run for the office of Attorney General, she has the right to do so. But she will need to go to law school first. The laws of Kansas are crystal clear regarding who represents the state of Kansas in court and controls what legal positions are taken by the state of Kansas. 81-year-old woman stabbed multiple times at Wichita home Kelly lawsuit against KobachDownload Recently, Gov. Kelly joined a lawsuit against the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) seeking the release of congressionally approved emergency funds for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The program provides food assistance to 188,000 Kansans, and benefits are not expected because of the government shutdown. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In August, Kelly also joined a lawsuit seeking to prevent the Trump Administration from unlawfully terminating congressionally approved funds for several public health and safety programs, including testing for lead in schools and child care facilities, environmental cleanup, ensuring dam safety, and financing to improve drinking water safety. 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. GHENT, WV (WVNS) Governor Morrisey announced on Tuesday the state is hosting a donation drive for food bank and that the state will match the amount given. West Virginia Family Caregivers need support It was announced on Wednesday SNAP benefits for November have been paused and will be released when the government reopens. However, that still leaves 270,000 West Virginians wondering how they will put food on the table. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Governor Patrick Morrisey said the state has allotted up to $13 million in funds that will be paid out to the food banks in West Virginia. He said the have already distributed $5 million to local food banks. Were asking people to consider giving, charitable donation. This isnt mandatory, were not trying to pressure anyone to do it, but we believe that during times like this West Virginians stand up. They do incredible things, they look out for their families, they look out for their friends. This is not a problem thats created by the state, but were certainly gonna be solution oriented and were gonna get out communities engaged to help citizens in need, said Governor Morrisey. Governor Morrisey said they want to stretch the monies as far as possible because he does believe that all of the funds will end up being used. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He said the state will also help in the distribution of food to those who cannot get regular access to food banks. Governor Morrisey said he asked the West Virginia National Guard to provide their assistance. Ive indicated that right now we have a couple hundred people who are ready to go and be helpful to those in need. Whether its logistics with the food banks, whether its distribution with the food pantries, or coordinating with the food pantries to make sure that were helping people in need who are out in the hollers who may need assistance. Whatever it takes, were here to help, said Governor Morrisey. United Ways 2-1-1 hotline offers connection to local resources Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Governor Morrisey said getting any more funding outside of whats already been allocated and the funding gained from private donations would require a special session of the legislature to decide. Governor Morrisey said as of right now the monies are for food only, but he is considering the cold weather coming and how to keep West Virginias citizens provided for during the winter as well. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WVNS. Maine Democratic Senate candidate Graham Platner has lost another top campaign official after a series of controversies centering around old social media comments and an alleged Nazi-linked tattoo derailed his campaigns momentum. Ronald Holmes, Platners national finance director, resigned from his position on the campaign effective immediately Friday in an announcement posted to LinkedIn. I joined this campaign because I believed in building something different a campaign of fresh energy, integrity, and reform-minded thinking in a political system that often resists exactly those things, Holmes said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But he wrote that somewhere along the way, he began to feel his professional standards no longer fully aligned with those of Platners campaign. Im proud of the people who showed up with good hearts and clear purpose and the lessons that came with the work, he wrote. He ended his resignation announcement wishing the campaign and Maine voters well in selecting a nominee who they believe is best suited to meet the moment. Holmess resignation marks the third exit from Platners organizing team. Former campaign manager Kevin Brown left his post Monday, saying his decision was due to expecting a baby. His former political director, Genevieve McDonald, left her position because of Platners previous posts on social media. Platner previously maintained an account on Reddit. Under the account which was deleted before his campaigns launch he made several years-old comments that were dismissive of sexual assault. He also asked why Black people dont tip and made comments implying support for political violence. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Maine candidate disavowed his past comments, saying he didnt think any of that is indicative of who he is today. One of his tattoos added to the controversy for its alleged resemblance to a Nazi symbol. Platner covered the tattoo last week, saying he had no idea about the tattoos connotations before others had informed him about it. But further uncovered old posts from Platner called his claim into question. Platner accused the Democratic Party of trying to destroy his life during a Maine town hall earlier this week. Reports of his social media posts and tattoo first surfaced following Maine Gov. Janet Millss (D) entrance to the Senate race in mid-October. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) has backed Mills, while Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) has maintained support for Platner despite the controversies that have dogged the campaign in the past few weeks. Both hope their pick will unseat Republican Sen. Susan Collins and help flip the Senate majority. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. WESTLAND With a frightening array of creepy, crawly critters, Great Lakes Serpentarium will fittingly open its doors with a grand opening celebration from 11 a.m.-10 p.m. on Halloween, Oct. 31, at 958 N. Newburgh Road. We have the largest public display of specifically venomous reptiles in Michigan, said Kate Minnaar, co-owner of the serpentarium with Michael Wilson. Just to educate on these animals and their proper care is amazing. Come see us and crazy, super rare species. The 1,200 square-foot serpentarium, nestled in Newburgh Square next to Allstate Insurance, has 60 exhibits that house more than 100 reptiles, including two tortoises, six American alligators, four crocodiles, two caiman, monitor lizards, and, of course, snakes. Julius Squeezer, an 18-foot reticulated python, makes her home at Great Lakes Serpentarium in Westland. The snake species, the longest in the world, can reach lengths up to 32 feet. We have some of the longest, largest and most venomous snake species in the world here, Wilson said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Among them is Julius Squeezer, a reticulated female python who is currently 18 feet long; a green anaconda who is only a year old and still small, but could eventually attain a weight of up to 500 pounds; several varieties of cobras; an Inland Taipan that is the most venomous snake in the world; a Gaboon viper whose species possesses the longest fangs and fastest strike; and a fer-de-lance, which is famed for giving bite victims only 100 steps before they die, Wilson said. Some of these animals at the serpentarium were donations, or rescues, like Lady Fafnir, a 3-foot alligator captured on Belle Isle Oct. 1. Others were pets of Minnaar, 29, and Wilson, 33, who have both had a fascination with reptiles since they were children. Neither has ever been bitten and say that safety is their top priority. You get a tiny snake that is cool and then you want to do something more advanced and you get something bigger and then you get something that strikes and then you get a venomous snake, Wilson said. All the cool, cool snakes are venomous or very dangerous. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The couple, who met at a reptile expo a few years ago, were keeping their pets in an office space in White Lake until they were told they couldnt do that and had to find the reptiles a new home. Westland, Wilson said, was very welcoming. Kate Minnaar with Lady Fafnir and Michael Wilson with Poseidon. The American alligators have found a new home at Great Lakes Serpentarium in Westland. We have joined the Chamber of Commerce and want to do everything we can to participate in the community, he said. Now, they are ready to welcome the community to the serpentarium to marvel at and become educated on their scaly, slithery friends. Great Lakes Serpentarium, 958 N. Newburgh Road, is open 2-8 p.m., Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Tuesdays and Thursdays are reserved for school or private tours. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Admission is $15 for adults; $10 for those aged 6 to 17; and ages 5 and under are free.For more information, call 989-313-9303 or find them on Facebook or Instagram @greatlakesserpentarium. Contact reporter Susan Bromley at sbromley@hometownlife.com This article originally appeared on Hometownlife.com: Great Lakes Serpentarium opens in Westland with snakes, gators, more At a glance More than 600 students will compete in electric car races at Choccolocco Park on Nov. 7 The Green Prix features student-built vehicles and multiple heats throughout the day Admission is free for spectators, with $5 parking; media parking is complimentary OXFORD Choccolocco Park will come alive with motion and ingenuity Friday, Nov. 7, as more than 600 students from across the region gather for the Greenpower USA Green Prix races a full-day event spotlighting student innovation, teamwork and speed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to a recent news release from the city of Oxford, this years event has drawn 62 registered teams, marking a record turnout for the local Green Prix. The races are part of the national Greenpower USA program, which challenges students in grades 6 through 12 to design, build and race electric cars in the F24 category. From early morning scrutineering to late-afternoon heats, the days schedule is packed with activity. Team arrivals begin at 7 a.m., followed by safety and technical inspections. Racing kicks off at 9 a.m. with the first heat for intermediate teams, and continues through four heats before concluding with an awards ceremony at 5:15 p.m. Admission is free for spectators, though a $5 parking fee applies. Media representatives will have access to complimentary parking. The event will be held at Choccolocco Park, located at 954 Leon Smith Parkway. Organizers encourage attendees to arrive early and stay for the full slate of races, which showcase not only speed but the engineering and collaboration behind each student-built vehicle. For a glimpse of last years excitement, a video produced by Oxford High Schools Jacket Media Program is available at youtube.com/live/9wIbBn9pw24. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) on Thursday shot back at conservatives criticizing her for agreeing to an upcoming appearance on ABCs The View. There are pathetic Republican men (mostly paid social media influencers) attacking me for going on Bill Mahers show and The View, Greene wrote on the social platform X. Here is my voting card and nothing has changed about me, Im 1,000,000% America ONLY, she added, sharing a screenshot of her A rating from the Conservative Review. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Georgia Republicans decision to join The Views panel came as a shock to some who allege those on the show tend to be critical of President Trump and the GOP. Greene, who has been an ally of Trump and his MAGA movement for years, bucked the party in recent weeks by criticizing Republicans plan or perceived lack thereof to address expiring health care tax credits under the Affordable Care Act, denouncing U.S. aid from being sent to Israel and urging the Justice Department to release more files tied to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) said hes trying not to react to what Marjorie Taylor Greene says every day earlier this month as media coverage of her frustrations with the party bubbled. Sorry Im not sorry I dont obey Republican mens demands that I, as a woman, dont remain seen but not heard, Greene said Thursday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Despite her criticism, the lawmaker she remains a staunch supporter of Trump and is committed to his agenda. Whereas President Trump has a very strong, dominant style hes not weak at all a lot of the men here in the House are weak, she previously told The Washington Post. 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. GREENSBORO, N.C. (WGHP) A Greensboro woman appeared in court Friday on charges related to vandalizing a local cemetery, according to the Greensboro Police Department. On Thursday at around 2:35 p.m., the GPD responded to a cemetery in the 2000 block of Phillips Avenue regarding a woman vandalizing the grounds. Police estimate that 11 grave sites were desecrated. YaKwanda VoNasha Dixon, 27, of Greensboro, was arrested Thursday and charged with felony disturb casket/grave marker, according to arrest warrants. She was taken to the Guilford County Jail. YaKwanda VoNasha Dixon (Guilford County Sheriffs Office) According to police, Dixon began spitting on officers while she was in custody. She was then charged with malicious conduct by a prisoner. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She remains in the Guilford County Jail under a $25,000 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 FOX8 WGHP. Video above: SC lawmakers launch committee to address rise in youth violence GREENVILLE COUNTY, S.C. (WSPA) Two inmates are facing additional charges after a reported fight at the Greenville County Detention Center left one victim with severe injuries. Calvin Lee Thompson Jr., 27, and Tishone Dunlap-Wright, 23, were charged by the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) with multiple offenses, including criminal conspiracy and assault & battery by mob, second degree, following an investigation requested by the Greenville County Detention Center. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The agency reported that the victim of the assault sustained significant blunt force trauma to the abdomen, resulting in severe internal bleeding and the removal of the spleen & portions of the pancreas. The victim also suffered a cardiac arrest due to complications from the injuries but was resuscitated, SLED said. According to the arrest warrants, none of the assailants rendered aid or attempted to intervene during the gang-style attack. Thompson and Dunlap-Wright remain in custody at the Greenville County Detention Center. The case will be prosecuted by the 13th Circuit Solicitors 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 WSPA 7NEWS. GREENWOOD COUNTY, S.C. (WSPA) A man has been sentenced to 15 years in prison following a history of drug trafficking, according to the 8th circuit solicitors office. 26-year-old Nicarious Traykel Desjar McKee pleaded guilty to a charge of trafficking cocaine. McKnee had a history of drug-related offenses that spanned over a decade, according to the Solicitors Office. Nicarious McKee is someone we knew to be repeat drug trafficker in our circuit, said 8th Circuit Solicitor David M. Stumbo. We knew if we had a chance to put him away for a long time in state court then we needed to take it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The investigation, a joint operation between the Greenwood County Sheriffs Office Drug Enforcement Unit and the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF), began July 2023. Undercover agents made multiple controlled purchases, first of marijuana and then cocaine. Agents purchased approximately 14 ounces of cocaine from McKnee across seven different occasions, a total street value of about $75,000. The final controlled purchase was made in November 2023, and McKnee was arrested May 2024. It is quite clear from Nicarious McKees criminal history that he has no regard for his community or the people he shares it with, said Solicitor Stumbo. This sentence is the result of excellent cooperation between Greenwood County Sheriff Dennis Kellys drug unit and the ATF and we are pleased to see yet another drug dealer off of our streets and in prison where he belongs. 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. Could you spare some change for your local grocery store? Giant Eagle is so desperate for pennies that the retailer is hosting Penny Exchange Day a one-day event on Saturday where customers can trade in their pennies for gift cards worth twice their value. From 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on November 1, customers of the Pennsylvania-based chain can trade 50 cents to a maximum of $100 in pennies for a Giant Eagle gift card worth double the amount. For example, $10 in pennies gets a $20 gift card. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Retailers across the country are taking steps to maintain adequate supplies of pennies," Bill Artman, Giant Eagle President and CEO, said in a statement. "At Giant Eagle, we saw a unique and fun opportunity to reward customers for joining our efforts. We invite everyone to check their change jars, desk drawers, and couch cushions to help keep pennies available for those who choose to pay with cash." Giant Eagle operates over 400 stores across Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, Maryland and Indiana. Giant Eagle is offering Penny Exchange Day on November 1 where customers can trade in their pennies for gift cards worth twice their value (Getty Images) "This proactive step allows the company to maintain accuracy and fairness while it awaits formal guidance from the U.S. government regarding future rounding practices," Giant Eagle said. Convenience store Sheetz is following suit. Customers can turn in 100 pennies for a free drink or donate to Sheetz For the Kidz, with donated coins recirculated for other customers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The penny problem is a result of the U.S. Treasury phasing out penny production following President Donald Trumps directive. These efforts by grocery and convenience stores aim to collect more coins to provide exact change for cash-paying customers. The penny, first minted after 1792, now costs more to produce than its actual value, about 3.7 cents per coin in 2024. However, many businesses are already facing shortages months ahead of schedule. By late September, several Federal Reserve coin distribution sites had halted fulfilling penny orders or accepting deposits. The National Association of Convenience Stores warned that supply shortages are beginning to affect members, with more businesses likely to be impacted. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The penny shortage has also created legal challenges for retailers. In some states and cities, its illegal to round up transactions to the nearest nickel or dime, as laws require cash and card customers to be treated equally. To avoid legal issues, many stores are rounding down instead, which can cost them significant amounts over tens of thousands of transactions. For example, Kwik Trip, a Midwest convenience store chain, rounds down every cash purchase to the nearest nickel. Rounding down is expected to cost Kwik Trip about $3 million this year, according to a company spokesperson. A New Jersey appellate court has upheld the dismissal of a lawsuit filed by a cannabis cultivator against a group of residents who opposed its proposed facility in Lebanon Township. The judges ruled that the opposition group was protected under the right to free speech. The NAR Group sued the Save Lebanon Township Coalition and several residents, alleging they acted in bad faith to block the companys plans to open a cannabis cultivation site in Hunterdon County. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The lawsuit claimed one defendant, William Bohn, initially sought to invest in the project and later planned to open his own cannabis facility. When his investment bid was rejected, the NAR Group alleged Bohn helped form the coalition to derail the project. Attorneys for the NAR Group and the Save Lebanon Township Coalition did not immediately respond to a request to comment on the court decision. The lawsuit is one of a growing number of allegations related to the municipal cannabis facility approval process. Save Lebanon Township Coalition attorneys argued the claims in the lawsuit lacked evidence and that residents had a constitutional right to petition the government during the municipal approval process. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More importantly, plaintiffs allegations run headlong into a bar that vindicates a core constitutional right belonging to every American: the right to seek redress from ones government, the coalitions lawyers wrote in court filings. The appellate court agreed with the lower courts ruling, citing the Noerr-Pennington doctrine a legal precedent that shields political speech, including lobbying and petitioning the government. The doctrine includes an exception for petitions that are baseless or intended solely to harm a business, but judges found that did not apply in this case. The appellate court also found that examining the motivation for the case fell outside of the courts scope. The NAR Group still has pending lawsuits against Lebanon Township. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Under New Jersey law, municipalities can ban cannabis businesses, set limits on licenses or decide which types of facilities to allow. About 36% of municipalities statewide have opted to permit cannabis operations, according to state data. Read the original article on NJ.com. Add NJ.com as a Preferred Source by clicking here. Lawmakers now have a strategy in front of them to improve the way special education services are funded in Michigan, created by a group of advocates, educators, administrators and families who spent a year building the proposed framework under a directive from the Michigan Legislature. Whether they'll adopt that strategy is yet to be seen. The newly proposed funding system would cost an estimated additional $1.28 billion in special education funding per year, according to the plan. The framework unveiled Thursday, Oct. 30, is called the "MI Blueprint" and reimagines Michigan's system to fund special education as a formula that distributes funding based on student needs, where certain categories of needs would come with more funding than others. For example, services for Autism Spectrum Disorders may be more costly than the funding needed for services for speech and language impairments. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Heather Eckner, a lead on the MI Blueprint project and director of statewide education with the Autism Alliance of Michigan, said that while special education funding has seen big increases in recent years in Michigan, the current formula is broken, meaning students aren't getting the services they need. "We actually haven't solved for the huge gap of underfunding and under-resourcing for special education that is a root cause of so many issues in our system today," she said. A flawed system for special education Under federal law, public schools must meet the needs of students with disabilities, which can include assistive devices for students with visual or auditory disabilities, special education aides to work with students and extra support, like tutoring. The federal government sends schools some money for special education costs, but the funding is vastly lower than actual costs. School leaders have long complained that special education services for schools are underfunded, forcing them to draw from their general education budgets, taking away from other school programs and services. Experts estimate the shortfall is somewhere in the hundreds of millions of dollars, though lawmakers have made adjustments in recent years to truly cover schools' costs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the report released Thursday, the special education funding shortfalls are worse in districts in areas with fewer resources, where voter-approved property taxes aren't able to cover budget needs for schools. Max Marchitello, who led the technical development for the blueprint, compared two districts: Kent Intermediate School District and Charlevoix-Emmet Intermediate School District. Because Charlevoix-Emmet's tax base is wealthier, the district was able to spend $3,500 more per student with disabilities in 2024 than Kent, Marchitello said during a news conference. "The students are similar, the needs are similar, yet the difference is rooted in property wealth, not that need," he said. "And to be clear, this is not about fault or blame. Every community and every district is working hard to serve its students with the resources it has." More: How can Detroit's next mayor strengthen city's vast education systems? What leaders said Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More: Firing administrators, dedicating dollars: Duggan fleshes out education plan A blueprint to address long-standing inequity The Michigan Legislature directed the group to create a road map for funding special education in the 2024 school aid budget. The blueprint unveiled Oct. 30 has now been formally submitted to the state Legislature, according to a news release, which calls the effort "the first coordinated, statewide effort to modernize special education finance in Michigan." Eckner said the current reimbursement model incentivizes districts to think about budget constraints rather than opportunities for students with individualized education programs (IEPs), or the individual documents that outline the services a student is entitled to under special education laws. "Districts are going into those IEP planning meetings thinking in their head about all these budget constraints on the front end," she said. "That's not supposed to be a factor or consideration under the intent of the law. It's supposed to be, 'OK, this child has a disability ... what do they need and what can we provide?' " Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Eckner said that as a parent of a student with disabilities and as an advocate in meetings, that approach is rare: Districts routinely deny services, likely, she believes, because they can't afford them. The MI Blueprint introduces a weighted approach, where state disability eligibility categories would differ in funding per student, split into four tiers. The blueprint estimates a $31,380 cost per student in the hearing impairment category, for example, and $39,221 for a student in the Autism Spectrum Disorder category. The lowest-cost tier, which is estimated to cost $10,996 per student, encompasses 53% of Michigan's students with disabilities, while the highest cost tier at roughly $39,221 per student encompasses 21% of students with disabilities. The proposed model would cost the state more to fully implement: 2024's state budget spent about $3.27 billion on special education, compared with the $4.55 billion needed for the weighted model, a $1.28 billion difference. The MI Blueprint recommends implementing the new plan gradually, starting with $213 million in additional funding in the first year, and increasing the amount for five more years. But special education advocates Thursday said the price is worth it: Alexandra Stamm, an education policy analyst for the Michigan League for Public Policy, is a former teacher. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "When I think of what all this money could do ... I think of more supports for kids in terms of more paraprofessionals, more special education teachers, more speech and language pathologists," she said. "More staff to provide those resources to the kids." (This story has been updated to reflect the correct teaching specialization for Alexandra Stamm.) Contact Lily Altavena: laltavena@freepress.com. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: New proposal for funding special education in Michigan schools GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) A person was shot in the foot at a home on Grand Rapids northwest side in what police said was an accident. It happened at a home on Broadway Avenue near 11th Street NW around 8:17 p.m., according to the Grand Rapids Police Department. Police say one person was shot in the foot by another person who mishandled a handgun. The gunshot wound was not life-threatening, GRPD said. The person who fired the weapon has not been located, according to police. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Multiple Grand Rapids Police Department cruisers responded to the neighborhood Thursday night. Police at a scene on Broadway Avenue near 11th Street NW in Grand Rapids. (Oct. 30, 2025) Police at a scene on Broadway Avenue near 11th Street NW in Grand Rapids. (Oct. 30, 2025) A student at Union High School was involved in an incident involving a weapon that happened off school grounds, Grand Rapids Public Schools Chief of Staff and Executive Director of Public Safety and School Security Larry Johnson wrote in a letter to families Friday morning. Johnson said the district learned of the incident around 1 a.m. Friday. It decided to add extra security measures Friday at Union High School out of an abundance of caution. At no time were any threats made toward Union High School, Johnson emphasized. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WOODTV.com. A group of officers of Guinea-Bissaus army have been arrested on accusations of attempting a coup, according to the countrys armed forces. The alleged coup plot involved several senior officers who were reported missing starting Monday, and was announced the day before the general election campaign was set to begin. The military thwarted an attempt to subvert the constitutional order, General Mamadu Ture Kuruma, deputy chief of staff of the armed forces, said at a press conference on Friday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This sad episode, which involves some general and senior officers of our Armed Forces, jeopardises the peace and stability so desired for socio-economic development and the attraction of foreign investment, read a statement from the armed forces General Staff. The coup attempt was allegedly led by the director of a military training school, Brigadier General Dahaba Nawalna, with the support of some generals and senior officers. Kuruma did not provide all the names of detained officers, but named Nawalna, as well as Commanders Domingos Nhanke and Mario Midana, as being among senior officers arrested on Thursday in their homes in the capital Bissau. No mention was made of what will happen to the alleged coup plotters or how many of them have been accused of taking part. It would be the second known coup attempt against President Umaro Sissoco Embalo, who came to power in 2020, the latest taking place in December 2023. No disorder will be tolerated There has been substantial controversy over Embalos term in advance of the November general elections. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is indeed a new attempt to subvert the constitutional order, on the eve of the start of the election campaign for the legislative and presidential elections on November 23, Kuruma said. Campaigning kicks off on Saturday in Guinea-Bissau in elections likely to be dominated by the incumbent after the main opposition was disqualified. Embalo told reporters after a cabinet meeting on Thursday that no disorder will be tolerated, adding that the government has taken all necessary measures to ensure the safety of each candidate during this campaign. Embalo has been at odds with the political opposition, which says his current five-year term ran out at the end of February, while the Supreme Court of Justice has ruled that it ends on September 4. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In March, Embalo also said he would run for a second term in November, backtracking on earlier vows to step down. The opposition has refused to recognise Embalo as president. A mission by a West African regional bloc sent to Guinea-Bissau in March to help resolve the crisis also left abruptly after what it said were threats of expulsion from Embalo. Guinea-Bissau has laboured under a succession of coups since independence from Portugal in 1974, but since its 2014 presidential election, the Portuguese-speaking country has set itself on the path towards the rule of law. Between 2019 and 2024, Surlik Einhorns company Perception transferred the money to a company that Levinson owned, the Israeli daily paper reported. Israeli journalist Chaim Levinson was dismissed from Haaretz due to allegations that he received at least 200,000 NIS from the Qatargate and leaked document affair suspect Yisrael "Srulik" Einhorns company, Haaretz reported on Thursday. Between 2019 and 2024, Srulik Einhorns company Perception transferred the money to a company that Levinson owned, the Israeli daily paper reported. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Levinson, a host on Channel 12 news and former Haaretz political correspondent, denied any connection to Qatar, but confirmed that he worked with Perception, and added that he was unaware that Einhorn was working for Qatar. He further alleged that the money transferred to him was payment for campaigns he had ghostwritten for Einhorn in eastern Europe. Haaretzs Editor-in-Chief Aluf Benn terminated Levinsons position at the newspaper. Levinson also admitted that he and Einhorn had been friends for many years. A poster reading ''Qatar sponsored the massacre and Netanyahu's office'', seen in Tel Aviv. April 20, 2025. (credit: MIRIAM ALSTER/FLASH90) Einhorn's role in Qatargate, leaked document affair Einhorn is suspected of fraudulently receiving funds from Qatar as part of a public relations campaign to improve the state's image. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He also reportedly acted as a liaison between the Prime Minister's Office and Bild, a German tabloid that published classified documents reportedly leaked from within Israel's security establishment. Einhorn is further suspected of harassing Shlomo Filber, a state witness in Case 4000. He was deposed in Serbia in July by both Israeli and Serbian investigators, according to Channel 13. In September, Einhorn addressed the allegations against him for the first time, claiming that his work had been entirely legal. "Hamas is a Nazi terrorist organization. Israel must eliminate it. Hamas leaders are in Doha because Israel and the United States asked Qatar to gather them there, to enable a monitoring and communication channel," he added. "The alternative would have been Beirut or Tehran." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We worked together with Jay Footlik and Eli Feldstein to present the reality to the public, even if it's uncomfortable to hear. Footlik approached us in an attempt to help with the release of hostages, endorsed with a legal opinion from attorney Gilad Sher," he continued. Sarah Ben-Nun contributed to this report. On Friday morning, University of Pennsylvania alumni, students, staff, and community affiliates received several emails from hackers purporting to represent the universitys Graduate School of Education (GSE). We have terrible security practices and are completely unmeritocratic, read the email. We love breaking federal rules like FERPA (all your data will be leaked). A partially redacted email sent by hackers with access to the university of Pennsylvania email system. Image Credits:TechCrunch (screenshot) This message was sent from a variety of different Penn-affiliated email accounts, such as the GSE, as well as purporting to come from several senior members of staff across the university. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Other Penn affiliates have received the email multiple times from different senders with official @upenn.edu email addresses. (Disclosure: As an alumna and former employee of the university, I have received the message three times thus far to my personal email.) Penn spokesperson Ron Ozio told TechCrunch in an email on Friday that the schools incident response team is actively addressing the situation. A fraudulent email has been circulated that appears to come from the University of Pennsylvanias Graduate School of Education. This is obviously a fake, and nothing in the highly offensive, hurtful message reflects the mission or actions of Penn or of Penn GSE, Ozio said. As the hackers plainly stated in their message (Please stop giving us money), this breach appears motivated to suppress alumni donations. The breach also comes soon after the university publicly rebuffed the White Houses offer to make commitments aligned with the Trump administrations political agenda in exchange for federal funding. Penn and six other schools have rejected the White Houses proposal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The White Houses Compact for Academic Excellence in Higher Education asks universities to abolish affirmative action in hiring and admissions, and to discipline departments that purposefully punish, belittle, and even spark violence against conservative ideas. Compact signatories would also be required to freeze tuition for five years, offer tuition-free education to students pursuing hard sciences, cap international undergrad enrollment at 15%, and require standardized tests like the SAT for admission. The compact also mandates that schools enforce policies that marginalize transgender and gender non-conforming students. [The compact] preferences and mandates protections for the communication of conservative thought alone, wrote Penn president J. Larry Jameson in his response to Secretary of Education Linda McMahon, which was published on the universitys website. One-sided conditions conflict with the viewpoint diversity and freedom of expression that are central to how universities contribute to democracy and to society, wrote Jameson. MEMPHIS, Tenn. A woman is questioning the tactics of the Memphis Safe Task Force after she was forced out of her home half-naked early Thursday morning. The resident on Railton Road in the Cherokee neighborhood did not want to be identified but said the federal agents were at the wrong house. Ive been having a headache ever since, my body still got chills on it, she said. A home surveillance camera captured officers approaching the back door of her house at around 7 a.m. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement You can see one of them points at the camera before it goes black. She said the camera was turned upside down. Woman said federal agents would not let her put on clothes before forcing her out of her home Thursday The woman told WREG that she heard what sounded like someone trying to break down her front door, and she opened the door to find three federal agents on her doorstep, along with several more in her front yard. He was like, come out. Come out with your hands up. I was like, okay. He said open the door come outside. Come outside. The woman said she was forced outside at gunpoint while ICE agents went inside and searched her home. They got the guns on me. I just got red dots all over my body. Im scared, so when I get outside, Im naked. I dont have anything on but my panties, she said. Im like, can I get a blanket? Can I get a blanket, and they wouldnt give me anything. He came back and said theyre in your attic. By the time they come out of your attic, theyll be almost done. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She said the task force members told her they were looking for a Johnny Miller. Memphis police say Miller, who is charged with attempted murder in a weekend shooting, was arrested Wednesday at a West Memphis motel. Task Force captures attempted murder suspect at West Memphis motel He is locked up in the Crittenden County Jail. I dont even know this guy, she said. The woman said that after several minutes, agents gave her a blanket to cover up, but she is still traumatized by what happened. She says she understands the task force is looking for people with arrest warrants, but they need to find a better way to bring them in. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Youre looking for a man, Im a woman. Why would you let me put his clothes on? It was nothing but men out there. It was one lady, she said. WREG contacted the DOJ for a comment about the search, and we are waiting for a response. A warrant was issued Thursday for another man at the same address. The woman who lives there said she is the only person who has lived in the house since 2019. 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. MAURICE, La (KLFY) Woodbriar Assisted Living in Maurice opened its doors to schools from across Acadiana, welcoming hundreds of children for a day filled with costumes, candy, Halloween fun and connection. Halloween traditions both new and old are merging at Woodbriar Assisted Living, where residents and staff celebrated their annual trick-or-treat event for the fourth consecutive year. The event invites students from any school throughout Acadiana to visit, bringing laughter and excitement to the residents as more than 130 children filled the hallways during Halloween week. The initiative not only fosters community spirit but also provides residents with a meaningful opportunity to engage with younger generations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Woodbriar employee Umini Caldwell explained the purpose behind the event and it impact on the residents. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now KLFY Daily Digest We are having a Halloween event today with the kids. It is a chance for our residents to share stories, enjoy treats, and feel the spirit of the community in a fun and lighthearted way. Caldwell said. Residents and staff dressed in festive Halloween attire as they handed out candy to students from over ten schools who visited during the two-day celebration. Many residents expressed that the event is something they eagerly anticipate each year because it helps them feel youthful and connected to their community. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Resident Maggie Domainge shared her delight, recalling a playful interaction with one of the visiting children. Its nice to see them having fun and getting a treat. I told one, I want a trick, and he said, what? I told him you said, trick or treat, and I would like to have the trick please. Domainge said. The Woodbriar Assisted Living Halloween event continues to grow each year, strengthening the bond between generations and reminding everyone that the spirit of the holiday lies not only in costumes and candy but in shared moments of joy and togetherness. Latest news Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLFY.com. CARLSBAD, Calif. (FOX 5/KUSI) Halloween falls on a Friday this year and law enforcement agencies throughout San Diego County are urging everyone to make safety part of their celebration. The main thing is sight and safety, so we always do light up necklaces, bracelets. The more the merrier just, so I can spot him easily and he can spot me. Thats our main concern, especially when the crowds are out, said local resident Chelsea Hurd. As a parent, Hurd added that looking out for her son and his friends means trick-or-treating in a group. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Now that theyre getting older, its not always holding their hand anymore, which is kind of sad for moms but we let them go together, Hurd continued. We talk about stopping at the end of streets, looking in driveways. It all falls in line with advice from law enforcement. The San Diego Police Department released a list Thursday of safety tips, which include staying visible by incorporating reflective components to a costume. Police also encourage the use of pedestrian crosswalks and walking in groups. Also, slow down and pay attention and stay in well-lit and familiar areas. Additionally, keep your home safe by locking windows and doors, especially if youre handing out candy. If your children are trick-or-treating, make sure to check any candy collected before its consumed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Vintage car stolen from Imperial Beach neighborhood Police also advise against drinking and driving. Last year, we lost 72 people here in San Diego because, again, somebody did not make the right decision and got behind the wheel intoxicated, said Paola Conrique, Program Manager for Mothers Against Drunk Driving, or MADD. If you do plan to drink alcohol, use ride share or designate a sober driver to and from an event. California Highway Patrol is launching its 12-hour maximum enforcement period to identify and arrest impaired drivers before they cause harm. Itll go from 6 p.m. Friday through 6 a.m. Saturday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police also urge people to call 911 immediately if you see anyone who appears to be driving impaired or see any suspicious activity. 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. Happy Halloween! Hoosier parents and kids will go trick-or-treating tonight in dozens of small towns and big cities across Indiana. If that's you, be advised some trick or treat times have changed from last year. Here's when you and your little ones can go door-to-door-to-door for candy in these Central Indiana communities Friday, Oct. 31, 2025. What time do trick or treat hours start near me for Halloween, Friday, Oct. 31, 2025? Trick-or-treating start times on Friday, Oct. 31, vary by city or town in Central Indiana. All hours are subject to change based on weather. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More about Halloween weather: Oct. 31 forecast looks bone dry in Central Indiana. Wind gusts may haunt you, though Marion County 2025 Halloween trick or treat hours, times Here's when you can go trick-or-treating in Marion County, Indiana in 2025. Beech Grove trick or treat hours, times Beech Grove's trick or treat is 5:30-830 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 31. Clermont trick or treat hours, times Clermont's trick or treat will take place 6-8 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 31. Indianapolis trick or treat hours, times Indianapolis' trick or treat will take place 6-8 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 31. Lawrence trick or treat hours, times Lawrence's trick or treat will take place 6-8 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 31. Southport trick or treat hours, times Southport's trick or treat hours have changed from last year. Trick-or-treating in 2025 will take place from 6-8 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 31. Speedway trick or treat hours, times Speedway's trick or treat will take place 6-8 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 31. Indiana State Fairgrounds Safe Night Halloween trick or treat hours, times The Indiana State Fairgrounds & Event Center will be be hosting their 28th annual Safe Night Halloween, which is an indoor trunk or treat style event 5-7 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 31, at the Ball State University Champions Pavilion. IMPD Southeast District hosts safe trick or treat event IMPD Southeast District will host its annual safe trick-or-treat at 1150 Shelby Street 4-7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 31, 2025, according to a city news release. The event is free and will be hosted indoors. IFD hosts trick-or-treating at fire stations The Indianapolis Fire Department will also host trick-or-treating at each of its 44 fire stations 6-8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 31, 2025. Indy Peace hosts 'trunk-or-treat' event Oct. 31, 2025 Indy Peace will host its trunk-or-treat event at Oasis of Hope Baptist Church at 1701 E. 25th Street 6-8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 31, 2025, according to a city news release. Hamilton County 2025 trick or treat hours, times Arcadia trick or treat hours times Arcadia's trick or treat will take place 5-8 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 31. Carmel trick or treat hours times Carmel's trick or treat will take place 5-8 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 31. Cicero trick or treat hours, times Cicero's trick or treat hours have changed from last year. Trick-or-treating in 2025 will take place 6-9 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 31. Fishers trick or treat hours, times Fishers' trick or treat hours have changed from last year. Trick-or-treating in 2025 will take place 5:30-8 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 31. Noblesville trick or treat hours, times Noblesville's trick or treat will take place 5:30-8 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 31. Sheridan trick or treat hours, times Sheridan's trick or treat will take place 6-8 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 31. Westfield trick or treat hours, times Westfield's trick or treat will take place 5-8 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 31. Johnson County 2025 trick or treat hours, times Bargersville trick or treat hours, times Bargersville's trick or treat will take place 6-8:30 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 31. Edinburgh trick or treat hours, times Edinburgh's trick or treat will take place 6-8:30 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 31. Franklin trick or treat hours, times Franklin's trick or treat will take place 6-8:30 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 31. Greenwood trick or treat hours, times Greenwood's trick or treat will take place 6-8:30 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 31. New Whiteland trick or treat hours, times New Whiteland's trick or treat will take place 6-8:30 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 31. Trafalgar trick or treat hours, times Trafalgar's trick or treat will take place 6-8:30 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 31. Whiteland trick or treat hours, times Whiteland's trick or treat will take place 6-8:30 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 31. Boone County 2025 trick or treat hours, times Lebanon trick or treat hours, times Lebanon's trick or treat will take place 6-9 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 31. Thorntown trick or treat hours, times Thorntown's trick or treat will take place 6-9 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 31. Whitestown trick or treat hours, times Whitestown's trick or treat will take place 6-9 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 31. Hendricks County 2025 trick or treat hours, times Avon trick or treat hours, times Avon's trick or treat will take place 6-9 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 31. Brownsburg trick or treat hours, times Brownsburg's trick or treat hours have changed from last year. Brownsburg's Chief of Police recommends trick-or-treating in 2025 take place 5-9 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 31. Danville trick or treat hours, times Danville's trick or treat will take place 5:30-8:30 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 31. Pittsboro trick or treat hours, times Pittsboro's trick or treat will take place 6-8 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 31. Plainfield trick or treat hours, times Plainfield's trick or treat hours have changed from last year. The city recommends trick-or-treating in 2025 to take place 6-9 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 31. Hancock County 2025 trick or treat hours, times A festival-goer walks on Audubon Road on Saturday, Oct. 25, 2025, during the 79th Historic Irvington Halloween Festival on the east side of Indianapolis. Fortville trick or treat hours, times Fortville's trick or treat hours have changed from last year. Trick-or-treating in 2025 will take place 5:30-8:30 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 31. Greenfield trick or treat hours, times Greenfield's trick or treat will take place 5-8 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 31. McCordsville trick or treat hours, times McCordsville's trick or treat will take place 5:30-8:30 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 31. New Palestine trick or treat hours, times New Palestine's trick or treat will take place 5-8 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 31. Morgan County 2025 trick or treat hours, times A dog sits as its owners watch the cackling contest Saturday, Oct. 25, 2025, during the 79th Historic Irvington Halloween Festival on the east side of Indianapolis. Martinsville trick or treat hours, times Martinsville's trick or treat will take place 6-8:30 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 31. Mooresville trick or treat hours, times Mooresville's trick or treat hours have changed from last year. Trick-or-treating in 2025 will take place 6-9 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 31. Morgantown trick or treat hours, times Morgantown's trick or treat will take place 6-8 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 31. Shelby County 2025 trick or treat hours, times Shelbyville's trick-or-treat hours will take place 6-8 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 31. 2025 Trick-or-treating safety tips from IMPD this Halloween The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department annually offers safety tips for trick-or-treating on Halloween. Here are some things parents and kids should consider before heading out: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Check the weather and dress accordingly before hitting the streets. Young children and children with special needs should have an adult present. Consider light-colored clothing or reflective tape for costumes, and adjust costume length to avoid tripping. Visibility is the top priority with any face masks. Do not wear masks inside of businesses. Avoid props such as toy guns, which can look real. Go out in daylight hours if possible or carry a flashlight if youll be out after dark Only give and accept wrapped or packaged treats Examine the candy haul before consuming. Report suspicious items to the police immediately. Call IMPD at 317-327-3811. Dial 911 if an injury is involved. Katie Wiseman covers trending news for IndyStar and Midwest Connect. Contact her at klwiseman@gannett.com. Follow her on Bluesky @katiewiseman 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: Trick-or-treating hours 2025. See Indiana Halloween trick or treat times BLUEFIELD Communities in southern West Virginia and Southwest Virginia are offering plenty of trick-or-treat and scary fun for kids and adults alike for Halloween 2025. Counties and municipalities across the region have established times for the young to go on trick-or-treat quests for candy. There are also special events for children out for trick-or-treat and those who are young at heart. In Mercer County, trick or treat will be observed in the county today from 6 to 8 p.m. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The city of Princeton will have trick-or-treat today from 6 to 8 p.m. in the municipal limits. Another Halloween event taking place in Princeton today is the Mercer Monster Mash organized by the RiffRaff Arts Collective on Mercer Street from 6 to 10 p.m. Local businesses and organizations will be offering treats to trick-or-treaters. In the city of Bluefield, trick-or-treat is from 6 to 8 p.m. today. In Bluefield, College and Oakhurst avenues will likely be the busiest today with trick or treaters, Bluefield City Manager Cecil Marson said. And, so yeah, weve had some really great Halloweens, Marson said of recent years. Im sure Oakhurst and College Avenue will be inundated with kids everywhere and we hope they go out and have a great time. And we really pray that the weather cooperates. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bluefield got a jumpstart on Halloween last week with a well-attended trunk or treat event. I think the trunk or treat we had last Saturday was a super awesome event, Marson said. A great job by our parks and rec and our fire and police department and our folks in the city who supported it. And of course all of the residents and businesses did a great job with it. And it was a nice joint venture with Bluefield, Va. Another Halloween event, Bluefield First Responders Trick-or-Treat, takes place today from 6 to 8 p.m. at the First Christian Church parking lot on Bland Street. In neighboring McDowell County, the city of Welch will have trick-or-treat today from 6 to 8 p.m. within the city limits. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After trick-or-treat in the city, there will be Haunted Holler Hay Ride sponsored by the Welch Volunteer Fire Department. A Non-Scary Ride for younger kids begins at 8:30 p.m. with Scary Rides starting 8:30 a.m. There will be more Haunted Holler Hay Rides Saturday, Nov. 1 with a non-scary ride at 6 p.m. and a scary ride at 6:30 p.m. Rides both nights start at the fire department and are $5 per person. Concessions are available for purchase. Down in Southwest Virginia, the town of Tazewell will have trick-or-treat from 6 to 8 p.m. There will also be a trunk-or-treat on Main Street hosted by Tazewell Today at the same times. In the town of Pocahontas, Va., a Halloween parade will be held today at 5 p.m. The Pocahontas Trunk or Treat will then begin at 6 p.m. Anyone that would like to participate is asked to set up on Centre Street in Pocahontas by 5:45 p.m. today, according to event organizers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The town of Bluefield, Va. will hold trick or treat activities from 6 to 8 p.m. today. In the town of Pearisburg, Va., the Giles County Sheriffs Office will have Operation Save Halloween 7.0 today from 3 to 5:30 p.m. on Taylor Avenue. Raleigh County will have trick-or-treat from 6 to 8 p.m. at homes with their porch lights on. The city of Beckley will have Halloween Neighborhood Trick or Treat from 6 to 8 p.m. today at homes with their porch lights on. Near Beckley, the Crossroads Mall Trick-or-Treat will be today from 6-7:30 p.m. Fayette County will have trick-or-treat today from 6 to 8 p.m. The city of Oak Hill will have trick-or-treat today from 6 to 8 p.m. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The town of Fayetteville will have trunk-or-treat today from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Court Street will be closed between Wiseman Avenue and Maple Avenue. Trick-or-treat in the town will be from 6 to 8 p.m. and sections of Fayette Avenue, Park Drive and Academy Court will be one-way. Contact Greg Jordan at gjordan@bdtonline.com (Related Video: This years Halloween Forecast!) (SOUTHERN COLORADO) Any kid whos ever grumpily layered a puffy coat over their Halloween costume in Colorado knows the weather for this particular holiday can swing from unseasonably warm to brutally cold, and occasionally snowy. The reason for this is the holidays position in the middle of a transition season of fall. Heres a short look at the record extremes for Oct. 31 in Colorado Springs and Pueblo and some of the more eventful Halloweens. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In terms of warmth, we have definitely seen itColorado Springs hit a high of 80F on Oct. 31 in 2016. A very mild autumn day for the Front Range, with temperatures feeling more like late summer than late-October. On the same day in 2016, Pueblo hit a high of 84F. Pueblo often runs warmer than nearby higher-elevation towns, and 2016 delivered one of the warmest Halloweens on record. When it comes to the cold, Halloween 2019 takes the crown. Colorado Springs dropped to a bone-chilling 7F on Oct. 31, 2019. It was one of the coldest Halloweens locals could remember, forcing trick-or-treaters to bundle up in full winter gear over their costumes (boo!). Pueblo went even colder that same night, bottoming out at 5F. The citys lower elevation and clear skies allowed for strong radiational cooling, sending temperatures plummeting well below zero. And then theres the snow. The snowiest Halloween on record dates back to 1972, when Colorado Springs picked up an incredible 13.8 inches of snow on Oct. 31. Down in Pueblo, the same storm dropped 12.6 inches, transforming the city into a winter wonderland. That 1972 Halloween remains one of the most memorable autumn snow events in southern Colorado history because of its early season arrival. Those extremes show how fast autumn can flip in this region: the same calendar date has produced 80-degree warmth, subzero lows, and a foot-plus of snow. Luckily this years forecast is shaping up to be very mild and just a tad chilly! Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX21 News Colorado. Hampton University said members of the far right group Blexit were escorted off campus after they tried to host an unauthorized homecoming event. The group, which was founded by Candace Owens and is affiliated with the late Charlie Kirks Turning Point USA, is hosting a tour across several HBCU campuses during homecoming. It previously said Hampton silenced them for political reasons, which the university has formally denied. Why was Blexit on Hampton Universitys campus? The group has been hosting the Educate to Liberate tour at 10 HBCUs across the country. It is about bringing conservative values to life, fostering critical thinking, and sparking powerful conversations on HBCU campuses, according to Blexits website. Timed during the excitement of homecoming seasonwhen school spirit is at its peakwere stepping onto campuses to challenge the status quo and champion empowerment, personal responsibility, and the American Dream, it added. This is more than a tour; its a mission. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Blexit made a previous stop at Howard University and canceled its visit to Florida A&M University while promising a new date, according to Inside Higher Ed. The news comes a month after a group of MAGA supporters were escorted off Tennessee State Universitys campus after it similarly hosted an unauthorized event and discussion with students. As Blavity reported at the time, the Nashville chapter of the NAACP called out the event at the time as an intentional effort to antagonize, disrupt, and instill fear in a space created to be safe, affirming and supportive of Black students. The NAACP added, While we recognize and respect that free speech is a constitutional right, there is a clear and urgent distinction between constructive dialogue and rhetoric deliberately designed to provoke, demean, and endanger the psychological safety of students at HBCUs. Why was Blexit escorted off Hampton Universitys campus? Blexit member Craig Long claimed that Hampton shut down the event because of its conservative position. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Instead of celebrating that spirit of open discussion, the university shut it down claiming we didnt go through the proper channels, he wrote on Instagram. Lets be honest: this wasnt about paperwork. It was about politics. We were silenced because we are Blexit because we stand for Christian values, conservative principles, and independent thought that challenge the mainstream narrative. Hampton firmly denied these claims as being the reason for the event being shut down. It said that the event did not receive authorization from the university, failed to complete the required homecoming vendor application and pay the associated fees. While the organization has suggested that their filming activity was shut down, that narrative is inaccurate. This was not a matter of suppression; it was a matter of safety, procedure, and fairness. Hampton University is a private institution with clearly established processes for campus access, vendor participation, and media activity, the Hampton wrote in a statement. Hampton shared that it received 36 vendor applications and that it approved 18 of them. Those who did not receive authorization were notified the week prior to the event and were told they would be escorted off campus if they walked onto campus. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The university added that approving vendors is essential in regards to safety on campus, as it hosts a crowd of nearly 15,000 people during homecoming. As a matter of public safety, Hampton must know who is on campus, why they are here, and how to contact them in case of an emergency. Vendors and guests following established procedures allow us to coordinate access and ensure that all participants are properly credentialed and protected, the statement read. Hampton University welcomes organizations and speakers representing a variety of perspectives, provided they follow established protocols. BLEXIT failed to meet those standards. The post Hampton University Escorts Candace Owens-Founded Group Off Campus For Unauthorized Homecoming Event appeared first on Blavity. A former Illinois sheriffs deputy has been convicted of second-degree murder in the shooting of Sonya Massey, a Black mother of two who called 911 for help. Sean Graysonwho was initially charged with a first-degree murderwas found guilty of the lesser charge Oct. 29, following a week-long trial, NBC News reported. He now faces anything from probation to up to 20 years in prison for the shooting and will be sentenced on Jan. 29. Following the verdict, Masseys family expressed their outrage that Grayson wasnt convicted of first-degree murder, which carried a prison sentence of 45 years to life. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Anyone who saw the video and thought it was partly Sonyas fault is inhumane, her mother Donna Massey told reporters outside the courthouse, according to KSDK. "I can't wait til he gets to hell. For more true crime: Husband Kills Beloved Teacher to Keep Life of Porn, Escorts From Being Exposed Love & Hip Hop: Hollywood Alum Masika Kalysha's Husband Jamar Champ Dead After Fiery Car Crash Inside Horrific Murder of Bronx Woman, 91, Who Was "Waterboarded" With Poison In a statement, Massey attorneys Ben Crump and Antonio Romanucci called the jurys decision a measure of justice. "Accountability has begun, and we now hope the court will impose a meaningful sentence that reflects the severity of these crimes and the life that was lost, they said in the statement obtained by ABC News. We will continue to fight for Sonyas family and for reforms that protect everyone from unlawful use of force. What Happened to Sonya Massey? Massey was killed inside her Springfield, Illinois home after calling 911 on July 6, 2024 to report a possible prowler. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Graysonthen a Sangamon County sheriff's deputyand his partner Dawson Farley responded to the call. According to the Associated Press, Massey was experiencing mental health challenges at the time. Body camera footage shown to the jury captured Massey telling the deputies Dont hurt me. Grayson noticed a pot of boiling water on the stove. He asked Massey to move it and she agreed, appearing to pour it into the sink, per ABC News, until she stopped and said, I rebuke you in the name of Jesus. Both officers drew their guns. Though Massey began to apologize, Grayson fired three shots, striking her in the face, according to the body camera footage. Sonya Massey 2 Attorneys Argue Over Self Defense Claims in Massey Murder Trial In court, Grayson testified that he feared for his life and acted in self-defense, believing that Massey was going to throw the scalding water at him. While on the stand, he said that he chose not to draw his Taser because he wasnt sure it would work, given the clothing Massey was wearing at the time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, prosecutors argued otherwise. He wants you to believe he was scared, First Assistant States Attorney Mary Beth Rodgers told the jury, noting Massey had complied and even apologized. But you dont have to believe that, because its not true. RELATED: George Legere Found Dead Months After Confessing to 1973 Murder of Janet Couture Farleywho never fired his weapon and was never charged in connection with the case also testified that Massey "never did anything that made me think she was a threat," according to ABC News, and said his awareness that day was only heightened because of Grayson's actions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Graysons defense attorney Daniel Fultz maintained that the situation escalated when Massey picked the pot back up, stood up, raised it over her head and began to throw it, NBC News reported. Although he described her death as a tragedy, he argued it was not a crime. The jury deliberated for nearly 12 hours before reaching its verdict Oct. 29. Masseys father James Wilburn told KSDK that he plans to argue for the max at Graysons sentencing early next year, adding Nothing less than the max. PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) A Happy Valley woman appeared in court on Thursday after allegedly punching a federal officer in the face during a traffic stop the day before. Melanie Breanne Rivas, 25, is facing a charge of assault on a federal officer after she allegedly flipped off a Federal Protective Service officer in traffic, cut them off in her car, and then punched the officer in the face during a traffic stop. City of Detroit relieved at DEQ rule change Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The U.S. Attorneys Office District of Oregon explained the series of events leading up to the charge in a press release: According to court documents, on October 29, 2025, an FPS officer was on duty driving in a fully marked federal police patrol vehicle when he observed Rivas repeatedly turning her vehicle towards his vehicle and flipping him off. Rivas turned into the right lane, cutting off the officer, and continued to slam on her brakes in front of his vehicle for more than 4 miles. The officer attempted to change lanes, but Rivas repositioned her vehicle in front of the officer and continued to brake sharply. After initiating a traffic stop, the officer asked Rivas to step out of her vehicle and Rivas refused instead reaching for items in her center console. Once Rivas stepped out of the vehicle, she continued to disregard orders. As the officer attempted to handcuff Rivas, she punched the officer in the face. Following her first federal court appearance, Rivas was released pending further court proceedings. The cause is continuing to be investigated by FPS, with the U.S. Attorneys Office handling prosecution. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com. When we talk about Harriet Tubman, most people remember her as the fearless conductor of the Underground Railroad. But look deeper, and youll find something extraordinary. Tubman wasnt just leading people to freedomshe was executing what modern U.S. Army Special Forces would recognize as a full-spectrum Unconventional Warfare (UW) mission. In military terms, Tubman was conducting Operational Preparation of the Environment (OPE). She built, maintained, and leveraged a clandestine network that operated behind enemy lines, deep in Confederate-controlled territory, to move personnel, gather intelligence, and destabilize a hostile system built on slavery. Raid on the Combahee by Harpers Weekly The Abolition Period: Seeds of Resistance To fully grasp Tubmans brilliance, its important to understand the historical context that gave rise to the Abolition Movement, a period that reshaped the moral and political fabric of the United States. The Abolition Period, roughly spanning the 1770s through the Civil War, was a time when the nations conscience grappled with its contradictions. The ideals of liberty and equality proclaimed in the Declaration of Independence stood in stark contrast to the reality of human bondage. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Early antislavery voices emerged from religious communities such as the Quakers, who in 1775 formed the first abolition society in Philadelphia. Their efforts planted the seeds for a moral awakening that would spread through churches, newspapers, and lecture halls across the young republic. By the early 19th century, abolitionists like William Lloyd Garrison, Frederick Douglass, Sojourner Truth, and Angelina and Sarah Grimke galvanized national attention. Their publications, speeches, and activism denounced the brutality of slavery and demanded immediate emancipation. Organizations such as the American Anti-Slavery Society (AASS), founded in 1833, coordinated public campaigns, distributed pamphlets, and lobbied politicianstransforming moral outrage into organized resistance. Am I Not a Man and a Brother? an abolition campaign by the American Anti-Slavery Office. As the divide between North and South deepened, federal laws such as the Fugitive Slave Act of 1850 criminalized assistance to runaway slaves, turning free states into perilous ground for those seeking liberty. In response, clandestine networks of free Black communities, sympathetic white abolitionists, and religious groupsespecially Methodists, Quakers, and Unitariansstrengthened what became known as the Underground Railroad. It was within this volatile environment that Harriet Tubman, born enslaved in Maryland around 1822, would rise from fugitive to freedom fighter. Her actions would not only defy the institution of slavery but also redefine what organized resistance looked like in America. Building the Network: Human and Physical Infrastructure Tubman understood that freedom required more than courage; it required infrastructure, both human and physical. Like any good Special Forces operator, she built relationships first, earning the trust of those who would form her auxiliary: local guides, informants, and sympathizers who provided shelter, supplies, and intelligence for situational awareness. There were safe sites and houses along both rat lines (infiltration routes into denied territory) and bugout lines (exfiltration routes out of denied territory) that allowed freedom seekers to move through hostile regions undetected. Sociogram of Whole Network of Harriet Tubman, Abel Brown, William Still, Stephen Myers, and Frederick Douglass, indicated by diamonds. Gerrit Smith and Elizabeth Cady Stantons, depicted by up triangles. (Nicholas Maurice Young, Binod Sundararajan, Mary Liz Stewart, Paul Stewart) Her network stretched from the Deep South to the Canadian border, a series of safe sites maintained through coded communication and unwavering loyalty. Every mission was meticulously planned. Tubman gathered intelligence on patrols, terrain, and sympathizers, mapping routes that minimized exposure and maximized success. Her situational awareness and reconnaissance rivaled that of any modern OPE operation. The Auxiliary and the Underground In modern UW doctrine, two key elements sustain resistance movements: the Auxiliary and the Underground. Tubmans world mirrored this perfectly. The Auxiliarycivilians who provided clandestine supportwere the heart of her operation. They cooked meals, offered shelter, forged documents, and misdirected slave catchers. They were invisible but essential. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, the Undergroundthe inner circle responsible for leadership, planning, and, if necessary, sabotageoperated in secrecy. Most importantly, they stayed clean in public view, protecting the integrity of the mission. Tubman herself bridged these worlds, visible as a humble servant or field hand when needed, but fully operational in the shadows. Map of the Underground Railroad. Tubman used the route which ran from Maryland to Wilmington, Delaware, then to Albany, New York. (American Civil War Museum) Operational Art: From Escape to Intelligence and Combat Tubmans operational brilliance didnt stop at moving people. During the Civil War, she transitioned from underground leader to Union military operative, working directly with U.S. Army intelligence and reconnaissance units. In 1863, she became the first woman in American history to lead an armed expedition, the Combahee River Raid, a textbook example of Direct Action supporting an ongoing UW campaign. She guided Union forces through mine-riddled waters and enemy terrain using intelligence she personally gathered. The result: more than 700 enslaved people liberated and a massive blow to Confederate supply lines. Tubman demonstrated every principle of modern Special Forces doctrine, from Intelligence Preparation of the Battlefield (IPB) to Irregular Warfare operations, decades before they were ever formally defined. Harriet-Tubman-OPE-blkops Legacy of a Shadow Warrior To view Harriet Tubman merely as a conductor is to undersell her mastery of strategy, human networks, and both clandestine and covert operations. She was a commander, intelligence officer, and resistance leader in an era when womenespecially Black womenwere denied formal authority. Her campaigns changed lives, reshaped the moral landscape of a nation, and pioneered methods of irregular warfare that would later define elite U.S. military doctrine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When Special Forces operators today prepare an OPE mission, building local trust, mapping routes, and creating clandestine infrastructure to operate in denied areas, they are walking a path Harriet Tubman carved long before them. She wasnt just running the Underground Railroad. She was running Americas first successful Unconventional Warfare campaign. Dont Miss the Best of We Are The Mighty Civil war beards appomattox History The Army was more lethal when these 6 beards were in command By Jos Joseph wilsons wharf all-black brigade Civil War Robert E. Lees nephew got beaten by an all-Black brigade so bad he had to lie about it By Samantha Dunne civil war foods winslow homer History Modern dishes anyone can make using Civil War foods By Blake Stilwell fort hood Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Civil War 4 Very good reasons why naming a military base after John Bell Hood was a bad idea By Blake Stilwell Harris County Commissioner Tom Ramsey will have to go back to the drawing board over his efforts to crack down on panhandling. Ramsey's proposal for the commissioners court to consider new regulations on "panhandling and roadside vending" in unincorporated Harris County failed to collect support during Thursday's meeting. The sole Republican commissioner requested for an ordinance to be drafted that would regulate panhandling and vending activities. He said this could include clear prohibitions on panhandling and vending within traffic lanes, medians and other "areas that pose safety risks." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The merit of this is safety. Those folks who are at the intersections, particularly in unincorporated Harris County, are in the median," Ramsey said. "I've seen little children with their parents in the media as cars race by them at speeds that make no sense to me." "They really do need help, but they don't need to be able to stand in the road and collect," Ramsey added. He noted that his constituents have been requesting such an ordinance, which is why he brought it to the court's agenda. Ramsey argued it would improve safety and quality of life, minimize disruption to daily commutes and "enhance" the community. The enforcement provisions that Ramsey envisioned, he said, would prioritize warnings and referrals to social services for individuals experiencing unhousedness or economic hardship. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Commissioner Adrian Garcia was in support of Ramsey's motion, noting that the court would have the ability to debate the actual ordinance at a later time. Commissioners Rodney Ellis and Lesley Briones both signaled their unwillingness to support Ramsey's request. "I just don't think we ought to criminalize people being poor," Ellis said. Ellis referred to studies from San Francisco and Fairfax County that found no significant evidence to suggest that panhandling endangers public safety, and that enforcement of regulations primarily displaces those engaging in it rather than getting them resources. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Briones agreed with Ellis' sentiments, "I don't want to create a regime where we are criminalizing or creating even more suboptimal outcomes for these individuals." In response to Ramsey's attempt to connect his proposal to Vision Zero-a safety initiative aimed at reducing pedestrian deaths and injuries-Briones clarified that the commissioners supported roadside safety. "We do not want pedestrian deaths in Harris County, nor deaths of anyone in a vehicle or any other mode of transportation," Briones said. Ultimately, the motion failed, with Garcia and Ramsey voting in support of it, and Briones and Ellis against it. Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo was absent from court on Thursday. More News Politics | Latina Democrat enters 2026 Texas governor battle Gulf Coast | Strange boxes found on Texas beaches carry a toxic secret History | How a 1973 homicide led Houston to a notorious serial killer Money | Here's how much you need to live comfortably in Houston For the latest and best from Chron, sign up for our daily newsletter here. This article originally published at Harris County rejects potential crackdown on publicly asking for money. HARRISBURG, Pa. (WHTM) Harrisburg Mayor Wanda Williams agreed to pay the city $912 last week after the State Ethics Commission flagged her for using a city-owned dumpster for her personal use. She refused to comment on the issue, but she was willing to discuss Tuesdays election with abc27s Alicia Richards. abc27 News interviewed City Treasurer Dan Miller, who is challenging Mayor Williams for the position, last week. Mayor Williams has now made her own comments on the city. Mayor Williams says there was nothing she would do differently when looking back at her first term. Some critics believe more should have been done for the city during the mayors first term, specifically highlighting the loss of businesses and activity downtown. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Let me say this to you. Listen, we have seven districts in the City of Harrisburg, Williams said. Downtown is very vibrant and very important to me. But, I have 50,000 people that I am concerned about. The Mayor added that her team has consistently reached out to organizations and local businesses to ensure they are aware that the mayors office is open for business. Harrisburgs downtown area has continued to deal with the loss of businesses, most notably the Broad Street Market. Miller previously described the Broad Street Market situation as a disaster after the brick building burned in 2023 and remains in ruins. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Williams said she blames the Broad Street Market Board and the City Council for the delays in the markets reconstruction. It is important to note that the city owns the market buildings. Dont put the blame on me and the administration. Put the blame where it is supposed to be, she said. Its also no secret that the city council and the mayor do not have a good relationship, and she is hardly the first Harrisburg mayor to find themselves in this position. Still, a rocky relationship can make it more challenging to accomplish goals. I dont know what it is, said Williams, who previously served as city council president. They intentionally do things so that I am not successful. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When asked whether her relationship with the council can change in a second term, the mayor said there is a personal agenda against her that she cant resolve. The mayor said that she envisions putting new, brighter lights and cameras throughout the whole city during her second term. abc27 is Your Local Election Headquarters covering all of your local races. Visit the abc27 Election Results page for all of the results including the judicial retention votes and the races for Mayor in Harrisburg, Lancaster, Lebanon, Carlisle, Gettysburg, and more. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Subscribe Now This Week in Pennsylvania Tune in to abc27 News for more results, stories, and analysis on the biggest races in your communities. 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. Harrison Ford delivered a blistering takedown of Donald Trump while speaking to The Guardian this week ahead of receiving a conservation leadership award at Chicagos Field Museum. The Star Wars and Indiana Jones icon ripped the president for his ignorance towards climate change and his dismantling of the governments climate policies. [Trump] doesnt have any policies, he has whims. It scares the shit out of me, Ford told the publication. The ignorance, the hubris, the lies, the perfidy. [Trump] knows better, but hes an instrument of the status quo and hes making money, hand over fist, while the world goes to hell in a hand basket. Its unbelievable. I dont know of a greater criminal in history. More from Variety Advertisement Advertisement Just last month, Trump told the United Nations that climate change is the greatest con job ever perpetrated on the world, adding: If you dont get away from this green scam, your country is going to fail. You need strong borders and traditional energy sources if you are going to be great again. As recounted by The Guardian: Trump has set about dismantling climate and clean air protections, halted clean energy projects, urged oil and gas companies to drill, baby, drill for the fossil fuels that are overheating the planet, fired hundreds of scientists while deleting their work, and even banned mentions of climate change and emissions within government. I knew it was coming, I have been preaching this stuff for 30 years, Ford said about climate change and the increase in climate-related disasters. Everything weve said about climate change has come true. Why is that not sufficient that it alarms people that they change behaviors? Because of the entrenched status quo. Hes losing ground because everything he says is a lie, Ford added about Trump before pivoting to a message of optimism. Im confident we can mitigate against [climate change], that we can buy time to change behaviors, to create new technologies, to concentrate more fully on implementation of those policies. But we have to develop the political will and intellectual sophistication to realize that we human beings are capable of change. We are incredibly adaptive, we are incredibly inventive. If we concentrate on a problem, we can fix it most times. Advertisement Advertisement Head over to The Guardians website for more on Fords awards ceremony at Chicagos Field Museum. Best of Variety Sign up for Variety's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Harrison Ford slammed President Donald Trumps assault on climate policies in his second term. In an interview with The Guardian, published Friday, the Star Wars and Indiana Jones star condemned the work Trump had done stripping away measures meant to combat the climate crisis. Trump doesnt have any policies, he has whims, Ford said. It scares the st out of me. The ignorance, the hubris, the lies, the perfidy. He knows better, but hes an instrument of the status quo and hes making money, hand over fist, while the world goes to hell in a handbasket. Its unbelievable. I dont know of a greater criminal in history. A large part of Trumps election campaign had him announcing drill baby drill at his rallies and in his debates. He also pulled the United States back out of the the Paris Climate Agreement, urged other countries to lessen their climate policies and buy American oil and gas, fired scientists and ended numerous clean energy projects. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a speech to the United Nations in September, Trump called climate change the greatest con job ever perpetrated on the world. If you dont get away from this green scam, your country is going to fail, he added. You need strong borders and traditional energy sources if you are going to be great again. Ford last spoke out against the president when he endorsed Kamala Harris before the 2024 election. In his endorsement, he urged voters to listen to the many people who used to work with Trump who were saying not to put him in office for a second term. Look, Ive been voting for 64 years, Ford began. Never really wanted to talk about it very much, but when dozens of former members of the Trump administration are sounding alarms, saying, For Gods sake, dont do this again, you have to pay attention. Theyre telling us something important. These arent soft people. The post Harrison Ford Condemns Trumps Assault on Climate Policies: Scares the St Out of Me appeared first on TheWrap. CHICAGO On a quiet day at a pond near his childhood home in Morton Grove, a teenage Harrison Ford went down to the water looking for frogs to hunt and rocks to collect. He was alone, but after a while, the air shifted with a new presence. He looked up to see a red fox a few feet away. Just sitting there, looking at me. And I looked at him, and he looked at me. I left there knowing something about nature that I had not known before, he said during a visit to the Field Museum on Wednesday. And that was that I was a part of nature. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The movie actor, best known for his roles as Han Solo in Star Wars and as Indiana Jones, and longtime environmental activist received the inaugural E.O. Wilson Legacy Award for Transformative Conservation Leadership, named after his late friend, the renowned naturalist and biologist Edward Osborne Wilson. The pair met through their work with Conservation International, a nonprofit environmental organization that Ford has been involved in since 1991 and where he has served as vice chair of the board of directors for over 25 years. Wilson, who discovered over 325 species of ants, named one of them Pheidole harrisonfordi in honor of his friend. The event was part of the E.O. Wilson Biodiversity Foundations 9th annual Half-Earth Day celebration, hosted at the Field Museum this year, to promote discussion around a conservation initiative proposed by Wilson that advocates for protecting half of the Earths land and seas to preserve biodiversity and maintain ecological balance. Paula Ehrlich, president and CEO of the foundation, said the award honors the work of those who courageously encourage and inform collective action to safeguard nature. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Harrison Fords life is a testimony to the conviction that successful conservation efforts require not only scientific understanding, but also the ability to translate complex ecological concepts into compelling public narratives that inspire action and advance enduring conservation policy, Ehrlich said. He reminds us that our work to protect the Earth is a critical scientific, moral and spiritual duty, not only for its own sake, but for the future of all life. Ford has been an advocate for the environment and biodiversity for over three decades. It was his curiosity and subsequent realization as a frog-hunting teenager living in the suburbs that underpins his commitment to nature. Ed Wilson always said that every great naturalist, even every great scientist, begins as a bug collector. Like a little kid out in the field, turning over stones and seeing a bug, said Wade Davis, a Canadian cultural anthropologist and ethnobotanist, who asked Ford during an onstage conversation: How did you get the bug of loving nature? Well, I grew up in Chicago, Ford said, matter-of-factly, to hoots and hollers from the audience. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement His family, he said, visited a farm almost every summer, where he and his brother would stay and spend their days working. Ford was also a Boy Scout and, eventually, became his chapters assistant director of the nature department. Which meant I could collect snakes and turkeys and frogs and dig a hole in the ground, make a terrarium, he recalled. Those are my earliest memories of interaction with nature. Most of his weekends were spent in Chicagos Lincoln Park Zoo, since his father who was in the advertising business had a client that sponsored Zoo Parade, a TV program in the 1950s featuring animals from the zoo. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Marlin Perkins would often show me around himself, Ford said, referring to the zoos then-director and the shows host, who would later co-host another documentary wildlife program, Mutual of Omahas Wild Kingdom. Now 83 years old, Ford has remained steadfast in his environmental activism and calling out those in power who refuse to act to protect the climate and nature. As soon as we can make alternative energy as inexpensive as fossil fuels, we will have a chance, he told the Tribune. Until then were boned. In contrast with his usually calm and collected demeanor, Ford grew increasingly agitated as he decried climate denialism. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its established science. Its not a fiction, its not a con. Its hard science, tested science, he said. So my hope and expectation is that people will see the light. They will change their behavior. They will elect to office people who believe in science, who can use science, who do not denigrate science. Later, during his conversation with Davis, Ford acknowledged frustration: Im impatient with us. But he doesnt feel hopeless. In every young person of intelligence and humanity that I meet, theres another soldier that may be able to join the fight and help, he told the Tribune. Harrison Ford had strong words for Donald Trump concerning the presidents stance on climate change. [Trump] doesnt have any policies, he has whims. It scares the shit out of me, Ford told The Guardian in an interview published on Friday. The ignorance, the hubris, the lies, the perfidy. [Trump] knows better, but hes an instrument of the status quo and hes making money, hand over fist, while the world goes to hell in a hand basket. Its unbelievable. I dont know of a greater criminal in history. More from The Hollywood Reporter Advertisement Advertisement Ford went on to note that hes been preaching this stuff about climate change and the increase in climate-related disasters for 30 years. He continued, Everything weve said about climate change has come true. Why is that not sufficient that it alarms people that they change behaviors? Because of the entrenched status quo. Hes losing ground because everything he says is a lie, Ford added of Trump. While Ford isnt happy with the way Trump has handled the issue of climate change, he said hes hopeful it can be improved. Im confident we can mitigate against [climate change], that we can buy time to change behaviors, to create new technologies, to concentrate more fully on implementation of those policies, he told the outlet. But we have to develop the political will and intellectual sophistication to realize that we human beings are capable of change. We are incredibly adaptive, we are incredibly inventive. If we concentrate on a problem, we can fix it most times. The Indiana Jones actor made the comments one month after Trump told the United Nations that climate change is the greatest con job ever perpetrated on the world. Advertisement Advertisement If you dont get away from this green scam, your country is going to fail, Trump continued during the UN summit. You need strong borders and traditional energy sources if you are going to be great again. The Trump administration has also been denying scientific evidence of climate change and cutting funding and support for efforts to combat climate change, including renewable energy projects. Fords latest criticism of Trump isnt the first time hes spoken out against the president. In November 2024, he endorsed Democratic nominee Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election. Kamala Harris will protect your right to disagree with her about policies or ideas, and then, as we have done for centuries, well debate them, Ford said in a video posted via KamalaHQs X account. Well work on them together, and well move forward. The other guy, he demands unquestioning loyalty, says he wants revenge. Im Harrison Ford. Ive got one vote same as anyone else and Im going to use it to move forward. Im going to vote for Kamala Harris. Advertisement Advertisement Ford also said he was frustrated about a lot of things in this country before he made a direct dig at Trump. But the other guy, he spent four years turning us against each other while embracing dictators and tyrants around the world, he said. Thats not who we are. We dont need to make America great again. Come on, we are great, but what we need is to work together again. What we need is a president who works for all of us again. Best of The Hollywood Reporter Sign up for THR's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Note: All this week, 10 On Your Side is spotlighting different haunted locations in Hampton Roads. In this episode, we visit the Fort Monroe in Virginia Beach. HAMPTON, Va. (WAVY) With more than 400 years of history at Fort Monroe, you can take a stroll down an alley, and you might bump into one of Americas most influential writers. This land has been inhabited for thousands of years, even before the English settlers came here in 1607, said Fort Monroe Director of Venues, Events and Media Production Aaron Whittington. And so, the native people who inhabited the area around the space would come here to hunt, gather, fish. In 1607, Capt. John Smith landed here two weeks before he went to Jamestown. And in 1609, the first fort was built here and that was Fort Algernon. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The first landing of enslaved Africans in North America was at present day Fort Monroe, in August 1619. The fort as we know it today began being built in 1819. With all of the different people and activity thats been here, its not surprising that we find the ghost stories and the stories of those who have come before us, Whittington said. Among the ghosts they say wander the grounds is one of literary repute. The spirit was said to be seen in the lower dwelling of this home one of the oldest on the grounds. The young boy that lived in the bedroom kept coming to his mother and saying, Theres a man in my closet, theres a man in my closet,' Whittington said. They decided to go through the museum, which is directly below us. And they were walking through the museum and there was an Edgar Allen Poe exhibit. And right about eye level to the boy was a ghostly sketched image of Edgar Allen Poe. And the little boy pointed to that and said Mommy, mommy, thats the man in my closet. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement People also claim to have seen him on the veranda at the Chamberlin Hotel, where he used to give poetry readings. Not too far, the ghost of Abraham Lincoln is said to have been seen in a rocking chair. This is where the heaviest concentration of unexplainable tales takes place at Fort Monroe is right behind these houses, Whittington said. This is Matthews Lane, or what locals call Ghost Alley. You have our famous lady in white, is our most infamous ghost, shes been seen by hundreds of people over the years, Whittington said. Its believed the lady in white was killed by her Army officer husband for having an affair with a young soldier. They say she wanders the lane in a white nightgown searching for her love. But shes not the only reported supernatural being. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement You can hear horse and buggies go down this alley, Whittington said. Youve got a man who walks along and vanishes. Youve got all kinds of stories that happen in this particular area for some reason. Over at the Craven Clinic, later known as Fort Monroe Hospital, patients who perished might still linger. When we walked down the hallway, the television was off, and when we went back, the television was on, Whittington said. Not long ago, a contractor was brought in to clean up water damage in the basement, but Whittington said he discovered more than just pesky water issues. The contractor had to come in and constantly check on the fans, make sure they were still going, Whittington said. The next day, they would come in and all the fans would be moved around. So they would reset all the fans. Come back the next day to check on the progress, all the fans were unplugged. They finally went to the property manager and said, What is going on? Somebody goes in after us and unplugs it. Nope, nobody else has been in that building since you were there.' Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But, he says for all the mysterious and otherworldly phenomenon, nobody ever comes to harm. We like our ghost family, Whittington said. Fort Monroe has its annual ghost tours in mid-October, but the grounds are open to the public year-round. You can find out more 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 WAVY.com. Oct. 31MOSES LAKE Sand Hill Place is coming along well, Hayden Homes Marketing manager Gina Donangelo Barnecut said Tuesday. "Earlier this year, we did the groundbreaking and there was nothing here," Donangelo Barnecut said. "And then you come out and there's houses here." The occasion was the ribbon-cutting, hosted by the Moses Lake Chamber of Commerce, on the model home at the development in the Mae Valley area of Moses Lake. Hayden Homes broke ground on Sand Hill Place in May. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sand Hill Place consists of 40 lots just off I-90 near Blue Heron Park. The homes are available in eight floor plans, according to Hayden Homes' website, and prices start in the $300,000-$400,000 range with customizable extras. The model home uses the Edgewood floor plan, with three bedrooms, two baths and a three-car garage. The designs are a little different from Hayden Homes' other local developments, Donangelo Barnecut said. "You've got out new Craftsman exterior look and feel and some new paint schemes," she said. Seven lots are sold, according to the website, and another six are already built and available for purchase. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hayden Homes, based in Redmond, Oregon, built its first Washington housing development in Othello in 1993, and moved into Moses Lake in 1994. Sand Hill Place is Hayden Homes' 13th development in Moses Lake. "Since then, we've provided over 1,000 homes for the hard-working families that live in Grant County," Donangelo Barnecut said. "We're excited to continue providing that to the hard-working families out here." Caleb Perez contributed to this report. With the Senate out of town, the government shutdown is almost certain to extend through at least Monday, as millions of Americans begin to feel its effects. Among them are those who rely on Head Start, a free early childhood development program for low-income families. The Southwestern Wisconsin Community Action Program is shuttering nine Head Start centers in early November because of the shutdown. A program in Richland Center, Wisconsin, is closing its doors Friday. Stephanie Wallace, who has taught at the center for 13 years and has now been temporarily laid off, said goodbye to her students this week. "Some of the kids already knew," she said. "We told them, you know, we're not going to see you for a little bit." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the National Head Start Association, approximately 140 Head Start programs nationwide, serving roughly 65,000 children, will stop receiving federal funding beginning Nov. 1. In addition to educational support, Head Start also provides screenings, health and dental care and nutrition for children from low-income families. Tawny Hardyman, the director of Southwest CAP Head Start, told CBS News, "I think families are going to feel like the rug is being yanked out from underneath them." Jennie Mauer, the executive director of the Wisconsin Head Start Association, ran through the broader implications of the government funding pause. "In Wisconsin, we know that the majority of our Head Start Families are working in our communities, and when parents don't have safe child care, they struggle to get to work," Mauer said, adding, "These Head Start programs are cornerstones of their local communities helping folks get to work, employing people and spending money with local trades." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Roughly 75% of the families at the Richland Center facility also rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, known as SNAP or food stamps. Community organizers say losing child care and food assistance at the same time could compound the challenges faced by low-income families during the government shutdown. SNAP benefits are set to expire Saturday, although half the states and the District of Columbia sued the Trump administration this week to stop its suspension. "Hunger in our community will go up 100%," said Chris Frakes, the senior director of the Southwest Wisconsin Community Action Program. "So, we're doing what we can to make sure that we don't have kids who aren't eating for days on end." Senators have taken over a dozen failed votes on funding the government, but left Washington, D.C., for the weekend. This essentially guarantees the 2025 shutdown will last at least 34 days, tying the record for the longest shutdown ever. Republicans and Democrats are blaming each other for the impasse. Asked by CBS News whether the Senate should be leaving town now, with SNAP benefits expiring, GOP Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa replied, "Well, we would love the Democrats to open the government." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement President Trump has an idea for ending the standoff, telling Senate Republicans in a social media post Thursday to "play their TRUMP CARD" and go "nuclear" that is, to "get rid of the Filibuster." The Senate requires only a simple majority to pass most legislation, but its filibuster rule effectively requires nearly all legislation including the continuing resolution to temporarily fund the government to reach a 60-vote threshold first. A single senator may delay a bill during debate by invoking a filibuster, which can only be ended if 60 senators vote to end debate. Eliminating the filibuster rule would only require a simple majority, and it would enable Republicans to approve the House-passed continuing resolution without Democrats and reopen the government. But most GOP senators have long been opposed to doing away with the 60-vote threshold, arguing that it encourages bipartisan compromise. Democrats have their eyes on yet another key deadline this weekend: Open enrollment begins for the Affordable Care Act, and it could show soaring health insurance premiums for the 24 million Americans who buy their health insurance through the program. Democrats are betting that sticker shock will bring Republicans back to negotiations to extend expiring tax credits that offset the insurance costs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So far, Republicans have said Democrats must vote to open the government first. Trump wants Senate Republicans to scrap the filibuster to end the government shutdown House lawmakers told their paychecks are delayed until government reopens Video shows massive damage in Jamaica from Hurricane Melissa Photo: Getty Images At least some Head Start programs around North Carolina will close their doors at the start of November as federal funding comes to a halt due to the government shutdown. The East Coast Migrant Head Start Project, aimed at providing early education for the children of migrant farmworkers, is set to temporarily lay off 258 employees across 12 North Carolina counties and suspend operations at nine child care centers in the state on Nov. 1, according to a filing with the NC Department of Commerce. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Salisbury-Rowan Community Action Agency is also stopping all services at the end of October, including its Head Start programs as well as workforce development offerings. According to the programs website, that will leave 408 children without care. Head Start offers free, federally funded child care for children up to 5 years old with the aim of preparing them for school and helping them develop social skills, providing care to around 750,000 infants, toddlers, and children across the U.S. Federal funding for Head Start programs is disbursed annually to local nonprofits at the start of each month. An estimated 140 nationwide were due to receive their years funding in October or November. Those programs provide child care to about 65,000 students across the country. Gov. Josh Stein, joined by Lt. Gov. Rachel Hunt and State Superintendent Mo Green, wrote in an April letter to Congress that the Head Start program adds $290 million to North Carolinas economy, creating thousands of jobs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Roughly 19,500 North Carolina children depend on Head Start for their early education and care, according to the governors office. Rural counties could be the hardest hit by the freeze, as many depend on Head Start funding for more than 20% of their child care slots. Some nonprofits dependent on Head Start funds are already reeling from the loss of other federal dollars. Earlier this month, Gaston Community Action, which operates Head Start programs in Gaston and Lincoln counties, furloughed employees who were funded by the Community Services Block Grant, as that program is also on hold. The organization wrote in a Facebook post that its Head Start programs remain unaffected for now. The Wayne Action Group for Economic Solvency, which provides Head Start care for 812 children across five North Carolina counties, has also halted services funded by the Community Services Block Grant, and wrote in an update on Facebook that its Head Start offerings may be impacted starting Nov. 14. Research consistently shows that children who attend Head Start are more likely to graduate high school and enroll in and complete college and are less likely to be arrested, enter foster care, or experience poor health outcomes, Stein wrote in the April letter. Without Head Start, our most vulnerable children will suffer with likely ripple effects on our education, child welfare, health, and criminal justice systems. A popular Spanish resort town has been placed on alert after officials found mosquitoes carrying West Nile virus there. What's happening? The mosquitoes in question, the Daily Express reported, were discovered only a few feet from homes in Malaga, a popular tourist town in southern Spain's Andalusia region that is known for its breathtaking beaches. The Andalusia Health and Consumer Department verified that the mosquitoes carried West Nile virus, which can, in rare cases, be fatal to humans. With that announcement came a four-week alert period, stretching through early November, that included higher levels of monitoring by local health teams. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Similar findings and warnings have also occurred in the Spanish towns of Tahivilla and La Luisiana. Why is West Nile virus concerning? In most cases, West Nile virus doesn't show any symptoms in humans. But in rare cases, people can develop symptoms that last for months. "The symptoms presented like a stroke. It was really worrying," Jim Skinner, who decided to retire after contracting West Nile virus, told the BBC. "I had weakness down the left-hand side, palsy on the left-hand side, and I got tremors. The weakness and tremors are still there a year on." Even more concerning, however, is that West Nile virus cases appear to be increasing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Health officials say 13 European countries saw a total of 989 cases of West Nile including 63 deaths between June and September, higher than the 10-year average of 687. And in the United States, reported cases were about 40% higher than normal through early September. Human-caused pollution likely plays a role in that increase. That heat-trapping pollution has caused global temperatures to rise, which has led to more of the warm, wet conditions in which mosquitoes thrive. Mosquito season is now longer in many parts of the world, and the insects have reached places that were once too cold for them. What can I do to avoid West Nile virus? As the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention note, there is no vaccine or medicine available to prevent West Nile. Instead, the only way to prevent getting the virus is to avoid getting bitten by mosquitoes. Officials offer several tips on how to avoid those potentially dangerous bites. They advise people to wear long, loose-fitting shirts and pants when outside, to use screens on windows and doors, to avoid outdoor exposure between dusk and dawn, and to use approved insect repellent. 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. Tax exemption disputes, a trespasser in town hall and union endorsements have made Stratford's 2025 mayoral election a contentious one. The close race between Republican incumbent Mayor Laura Hoydick and Democrat David Chess has driven Stratford residents out to vote early before Tuesday's general election. As of Thursday, 3535 voters had voted early in Stratford, a higher turnout so far than any other city or town in the state, according to data from the Secretary of State's office. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "It's surprising to have a town that has a result like this," said Roger Senserrich, spokesperson for the Secretary of State, about the high turnout in Stratford. "It's definitely above trend." More than 100,000 votes were cast early in this year's municipal elections across the state. Milford, Hamden, Trumbull and Greenwich had the next highest totals. Connecticut offers 14 days of early voting in general elections since instituting it last year. In Stratford, the mayoral election has intensified in the last month as the town hosted two debates and both the police and fire unions endorsed Chess in his campaign against the town's two term incumbent. "This is a highly publicized election for mayor that has driven a lot of the voters," said Stratford Democrat Registrar of Voters James Simon, who said that more residents are coming to vote early than he expected. Elections official Parker Matthews, a certified checker, signs in a resident as early voting continues at the Baldwin Center in Stratford Wednesday, October 29, 2025. (Jim Shannon/Hearst Connecticut Media) Hoydick has garnered criticism from Chess in the weeks since the last mayoral debate and a mailer was sent across the town alleging that Hoydick failed to collect $58 million in corporate taxes. The dispute centers on the state's manufacturing tax exemption, which Chess has claimed was used erroneously and left millions in taxable business equipment off Stratford's tax assessments over the past seven years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "For seven years, Mayor Laura Hoydick let certain companies skip paying taxes while residents struggled to make ends meet and services were cut to the bone," the mailer read. "Demand better. Vote for David Chess on Row A." Christopher Tymniak, Stratford's Chief Administrative Officer, told CT Insider that the $58 million that the Chess campaign identified is an entirely unsubstantiated number. "I can emphatically say that the town did nothing wrong," Tymniak said, who said that the state's manufacturing tax exemptions change from year to year. "I don't know where they came up with that number." Hoydick told CT Insider that the Chess campaign has started to use to negative messaging about her. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Campaigns can take a negative turn or stay positive and issues based," said Mayor Hoydick. "I don't negative campaign." Early voting continues at the Baldwin Center in Stratford Wednesday, October 29, 2025. (Jim Shannon/Hearst Connecticut Media) For Hoydick, quality of life and affordability are key issues that are important to residents in Stratford. "They were eight years ago and continue to be now," said Hoydick, who said that the community will see next week if the high turnout in Stratford remains an anomaly. Chess has campaigned on ambitious economic development for Stratford's downtown and has opposed Hoydick's development plans for the town. "There's a lot of feeling it's time for a change," Chess told CT Insider outside the Baldwin senior center, the town's early voting location. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Both the town's local police union and the firefighter's union have endorsed Chess for mayor, the first time in over fifteen years that both unions have endorsed a candidate, the Stratford Crier reported earlier this month. Basement trespasser An ongoing controversy about a trespasser in the basement of the town hall has also sparked debate. A man was found sleeping in a basement storage room of the town hall in April and again in August, according to both Registrars of Voters Lou DeCilio and James Simon. A 40-year-old local man was arrested in September and faces a charge of first-degree criminal trespassing after he was found having stayed overnight in a storage room about a week earlier. Chess has since called for an ethics committee investigation of the incident. DeCilio said the man was an employee who he had given his storage room key to. Simon said he considered it atypical that the employee had been given DeCilio's key to the town hall's basement storage room. Democratic challenger, for Stratford Mayor, Dr. David Chess, speaks outside the Baldwin Center in Stratford as early voting continues Wednesday, October 29, 2025. (Jim Shannon/Hearst Connecticut Media) "This has become a political issue and it shouldn't be," said DeCilio. "This is a supply room where we keep pens, pencils, and I voted' stickers, nothing important." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Councilman of District 2 Christopher Green said that he brought up his concerns over the trespassing in September and October town council meetings, asking the mayor for clarity and for the mayor to look into the incidents. "They are not holding anyone accountable for what is a severe lapse in judgement," Green said. Tymniak said that the incident was handled properly and that the police were notified. "There's no cover up there either," Tymniak said. Early votes Danielle Smith, an election moderator for Stratford, said that residents have spread the word about early voting through signs, social media and the news. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Many people are interested in what is to come on Election Day," said Smith, who said she has seen a lot of people come for early voting including in informal community carpools. "The politics have overshadowed what we do here," Smith said about the easy process of voting at the Baldwin Center. "We don't care who you vote for, we just care that you vote." Early voting continues at the Baldwin Center in Stratford Wednesday, October 29, 2025. (Jim Shannon/Hearst Connecticut Media) Kevin Williams, a registered Republican and former Stratford councilman, said he has been standing outside the Baldwin Center every day with signs for Chess, who is a Democrat. "The large turnout means that people want change," said Williams, who noted his concerns over the taxation and trespasser disputes."I am looking for transparency." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A few feet away from him stood Rafael Irazarry, a Republican candidate for the fifth council district, who said that the close race is a result of a very engaged community. "People are very concerned about what is happening in Stratford," said Irazarry, who emphasized his support for Hoydick. "People pay taxes and want their money's worth." A resident picks up her ballot from officials as early voting continues at the Baldwin Center in Stratford Wednesday, October 29, 2025. (Jim Shannon/Hearst Connecticut Media) Don Profeta, 92 years old and a long-time resident of Stratford, said that he came out to vote in hopes that the next mayor would evaluate commercial property in the town, a topic that has been at the center of the town's mayoral debates. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "That's something that needs looking at," Profeta said. Chess has argued in the debates that Stratford is "business unfriendly" and that the town has fallen behind nearby towns like Milford, Shelton and Fairfield where he says residents now go instead. Hoydick has said in response that although progress can be slow, changes are happening in Stratford like the redevelopment of the town's former Army Engine Plant. "We need a little change," the senior center's van driver Marvin Patrick shouted out of the van door as he picked up Stratford residents at the Baldwin Center. "We start with Stratford and then we go to Washington," he said. This article originally published at Heated mayoral race has made this Connecticut town the leader for early voting. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth told Chinas defense minister Friday that the U.S. will stoutly defend its interests in the Indo-Pacific region. Hegseth emphasized the importance of maintaining a balance of power in the region in his discussions with Chinese Adm. Dong Jun, which took place on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations national security summit in Malaysia. The Defense chief, who called the meeting good and constructive, added in a social media post that he brought up serious concerns about Chinas activities in the South China Sea and around Taiwan. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While the U.S. does not seek conflict, it will continue to stoutly defend its interests and ensure it has the capabilities in the region to do so, Hegseth wrote. Following the meeting, the Chinese Ministry of National Defense wrote in a release that it believed a stable and positive relationship between the U.S. and Chinese militaries is possible. The release also stated Dong warned the U.S. against supporting Taiwan independence. The Trump administration removed language from the State Department website earlier this year stating the U.S did not support Taiwan independence. The U.S. does not formally recognize Taiwan part of the One China policy as an independent state, it is seen as a major ally. Hegseth has also previously expressed opposition to a possible takeover of Taiwan by China. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theres no reason to sugarcoat it, the threat China poses is imminent, he said in May during a defense conference held in Singapore. The secretary added at the time that any move by Beijing against Taipei would result in devastating consequences for the Indo-Pacific and the world. His hard-line stance against China led to the country criticizing him for espousing a Cold War mentality. But, Hegseth has maintained the U.S. will continue to support allies in the region and not let them be subordinated or intimidated. Fridays meeting between Hegseth and Jun follows a Sept. 9 video teleconference call between the two officials. It also came a day after President Trump met his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During the meeting between the world leaders, the U.S. agreed to scale back some tariffs, among other deals. 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. Barring any news deals out of Washington, D.C., nearly 700,000 individuals who receive government assistance from WIC, SNAP or food stamps will be without funds on Nov. 1. Food pantries have been anticipating an increase in participants due to the ongoing shutdown, leaving many individuals already without funds. Between ongoing price hikes on some food, like beef, and the government shutdown, many Oklahoma City food pantries have noted that shelf-stable protein is a necessary donation throughout the metro. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If you're looking to help some of the agencies in the metro with donations, here are ways to get involved. More: OKC families, food pantries brace for loss of SNAP benefits. Here's where to find help Map of food pantries in Oklahoma City Ways to help food pantries Food pantries accept donations in different ways: food, funds and time. If you can donate funds, some organizations note that they can use the funds to purchase goods for their pantry, creating a lasting impact. If you are looking to donate your time, many organizations are expecting a greater need for volunteers as they anticipate a higher volume of recipients due to the ongoing shutdown. Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma locations have multiple shifts every day for individuals and groups. Find information on volunteering or sign up online at regionalfoodbank.org/volunteer. How to donate food to pantries Many food pantries in the Oklahoma City metro receive donations from the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma and/or the United Way of Central Oklahoma. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While this is a factor in their inventory, they also accept direct in-kind donations from residents without going through a mitigating agency. While all donations are accepted, having a well-rounded, filled pantry is key to ensuring you have enough to share with as many as possible. Here are some key items that a few pantries are looking for in the near future. Jesus House The location at 1335 W Sheridan Ave. said they are looking for shelf-stable proteins like canned meats, dried foods, jerky and similar products. In addition, they note breads and deli meats could also help. Sister BJ's Pantry Sister BJ's Pantry at 819 NW 4th St said that they are open to all canned goods and non-perishables, but similarly could benefit from having protein options added to their shelves. The best time to donate, they say, is during their open pantry hours at 7-9 a.m. on Saturdays. Skyline In addition to funds and time, Skyline notes that they can accept shelf-safe proteins, tuna, soups and similar products. They are also looking for rice, powdered milk and other nonperishable goods. Donations are best accepted at their food resource center store, located at 500 SE 15th St, during operation hours. If you are looking to volunteer, visit okcskyline.org/volunteer. Urban Mission Urban Mission, located at 3737 N Portland Ave., notes that they are looking for nonperishable items. Specifically, they are looking for pastas, rice and similar items. They are accepting donations at their location from Monday to Thursday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: What can I donate? Food pantries need these items throughout OKC metro "Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links." Due to the government shutdown, the USDA announced it will not fund SNAP benefits next month. Companies like DoorDash, Walmart, and Amazon are stepping in with discounts for SNAP recipients during the lapse. Community-based efforts, including food banks, Little Free Libraries, and the Snap Into Action platform, are helping provide groceries and support to those affected. Amid the ongoing government shutdown, the USDA has announced that it will not fund the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), also known as the food stamp program, next month. The program helps nearly 1 in 8 Americans afford groceries. Although some lawmakers have urged the agency to use contingency funds to cover next months benefits, the USDA stated that contingency funds are not legally available to cover regular benefits. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some states, however, have pledged to subsidize SNAP benefits for residents. Alongside state efforts, several companies and nonprofits are also stepping up to provide support. Below is a list of where assistance is currently available. State-by-State Assistance Both New Mexico and Vermont are using state funding to provide assistance for 10 and 15 days, respectively, at the beginning of November. Louisiana will be able to fully fund 800,000 of the states most vulnerable SNAP recipients, while other states, such as California, Colorado, Illinois, Minnesota, and New York, have increased state funding to food banks. Connecticut can partially supplement federal food aid benefits for roughly two weeks, while Virginia will be fully funding its SNAP recipients. About 30% of Guams SNAP recipients will still receive funding through November, and Hawaii will help eligible families with housing and utility payments. Massachusetts is partnering with United Way to help raise funds to offset the lapse in government funding, though it is not yet clear how this will affect recipients. New Hampshire has announced plans to provide support to residents who rely on SNAP, but no further details are available at this time. South Carolinas Central Carolina Community Foundation has launched a statewide funding drive to help supplement residents monetary assistance, and SNAP beneficiaries in the Virgin Islands will receive a check to cover half of their monthly allotment. Many states are still working to determine whether they can provide any supplementary funds, while others have announced that the funding lapse is beyond their control. In addition to local food banks, you can peruse Feeding Americas food bank finder to identify ones in your area. Several companies and nonprofits are also offering food assistance in the coming months. DoorDash DoorDash is launching an Emergency Food Response that includes free delivery for its Project DASH food bank and food pantry partners, plus, the company is partnering with leading grocers to waive delivery and service fees for an estimated 300,000 orders for SNAP recipients. Customers who have linked a SNAP/EBT card to their profile can shop on DoorDash at stores including Wegmans, Stop & Shop, Giant Eagle, Dollar General, Schnucks, Food Lion, Giant Foods, Hannaford, Hyvee, Sprouts, and The GIANT Company. Gopuff Gopuff is offering a $50 credit for SNAP-eligible items with free delivery. Customers can add their SNAP EBT card to their Gopuff account to shop for groceries. The $50 will be broken into two $25 credits distributed throughout the month. From November 1-15, customers can use the code SNAPRELIEF1 at checkout to receive credit, and from November 16-30, they can use the code SNAPRELIEF2. Walmart Walmart+ Assist, available for shoppers in programs like SNAP, Women Infants and Children (WIC), and Medicaid, is a program that provides a 50% discount to members in government assistance programs for Walmart+ services. This includes free delivery, free shipping, free online pet care, video streaming, and discounts and savings on things like gas, travel, auto care, and Burger King. Amazon Amazon Prime similarly offers a 50% monthly discount on its membership to SNAP, SSI, Medicaid, NAP, WIC, and other food assistance program members. This will give you access to fuel savings, free shipping, a free Grubhub+ membership, RX Pass and prescription savings, and 50% off groceries on Amazon Fresh. Instacart Beginning this week, Instacart is offering active SNAP customers 50% off their next grocery order, up to $50. All eligible customers who used EBT SNAP benefits to get groceries delivered via Instacart in October will receive an individual discount code via email to be used at any retailer available on the platform, up to 100,000 redemptions. Little Free Library Many Little Free Library locations across the United States are transforming into food pantries, a move the organization also pursued during the height of the pandemic. While there is currently no map showing which locations are converting into pantries, you can map your local Little Free Libraries to see what might be nearby. Snap Into Action Additionally, a crowdsourced resource called Snap Into Action was created to help neighbors help one another. SNAP recipients can make requests, and neighbors can offer resources like rides, grocery gift cards, meals, and more. You Might Also Like SUMNER COUNTY, Tenn. (WKRN) A member of the Hendersonville Fire Department was arrested for multiple charges, including assault on a law enforcement officer, following a traffic stop over the weekend. According to a Sumner County affidavit, at approximately 12:45 a.m. on Sunday, Oct. 26, Deputy Alexander Poplawski was stationary at Exit 2 on Highway 386 in Hendersonville when he noticed a black SUV traveling 77 mph in a 65 mph zone. Poplawski followed the vehicle which had registration that expired at the end of August and reportedly saw it cross the dividing line multiple times When the deputy performed a traffic stop on the SUV at mile marker 4.4, he noticed an alcoholic odor coming from the vehicle, as well as multiple open containers of alcohol inside, per the court documents. A woman with watery eyes was behind the wheel while the SUVs registered owner identified by officials as 28-year-old Jeylan Dunigan, a Hendersonville firefighter was in the passenger seat. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The driver and Dunigan reportedly told the deputy they were coming from Nashville. Poplawski requested the driver get out of the vehicle, which she did, and asked her how much alcohol she had consumed, but she said none, based on the affidavit. Former Maury County deputy convicted of rape Poplawski got the drivers consent to conduct a standardized field sobriety test, as described in the court documents: I first conducted horizontal gaze nystagmus. I observed 4/6 clues. I observed [the driver] exhibit a lack of smooth pursuit in both eyes and distinct and sustained nystagmus in both eyes. Next I conducted walk and turn. I observed 7/8 clues. I observed [the driver] fail to maintain balance during the instruction phase, miss hell to toe, step off the line, make an incorrect number of steps (11 on the first pass), stop while walking, use her arms for balance, and made an improper turn. I then conducted one leg stand. I observed 2/4 clues. I observed [the driver] put her foot down 3 times and use her arms for balance. When Poplawski inquired again how much alcohol the driver had consumed, she allegedly told him she had one shot of tequila around 8 p.m. According to the affidavit, the deputy asked the driver to rate herself on a scale of 1-10 with 10 being so intoxicated she had no idea where she was and 1 being just a buzz, but she placed herself at a 1. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its almost a routine at this point: Cheatham County deputies arrest repeat offender again Given the information listed above, Poplawski took the driver into custody for driving under the influence and searched the vehicle, which led to the discovery of three bottles of liquor on the floorboards, per the court documents. While Poplawski was talking with the driver, Dunigan reportedly started to approach him from behind, so Deputy J. Stanfill who was helping with the traffic stop ordered Dunigan to step to the front of the vehicle. Based on the affidavits, Dunigan ignored the commands, Stanfill took Dunigans arm and started escorting him to the front of Poplawskis vehicle, Dunigan grabbed Stanfills wrist and applied force in a downward motion, Poplawski and Stanfill forced Dunigan to the ground, Dunigan stood up and assumed a fighting stance, and Stanfill deployed his electronic shock device to incapacitate Dunigan. Once Dunigan fell to the ground, authorities said he complied and was taken into custody without further incident. He was brought to a Hendersonville emergency room so a doctor could remove the probe, and then he was transported to the Sumner County jail. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the court documents, since Dunigan is the registered owner of the SUV and allowed the woman to operate the vehicle while impaired, he was arrested for driving under the influence by consent, as well as assault against a law enforcement officer. In addition, he was cited for resisting stop, frisk, halt, arrest, or search (non-violent). Officials said Dunigan was released on a $3,000 bond. He is set to appear in court on Nov. 10. Read todays top stories on wkrn.com Hendersonville Fire Chief Scotty Bush told News 2 that Dunigan who started working for the department in 2021 is on administrative leave, without pay, pending investigation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement No additional details were confirmed about the woman who was driving Dunigans SUV. 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. HENRY COUNTY, Ala (WDHN) A juvenile behavior camp that has been closed for over a year could soon serve another purpose for Henry County. Its still a great asset to the county, so we didnt want to see that building to go to waste, said Henry County Sheriff Eric Blankenship. Sheriff Blankenship recently proposed to Henry County Commissioners to put some tender love and care into the Camp Sayla. He wants to use the facility as a training facility for law enforcement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As of now we dont have an adequate place to train we have to send officers to other places, said Sheriff Blankenship. This comes after Camp Sayla was forced to close after being hit with multiple child abuse allegations, failed state inspections and lawsuits. Last year, a headland counseling group agreed to reopen the facility but plans fell through. A lot of the funding comes from DYS (Department of Youth Services) but they werent able to acquire that funding, the sheriff said. This led Sheriff Blankenship to try to fulfill the dream of giving officers a nearby facility for education and training rather than sending them to the wiregrass public safety center in Dothan, where space is limited or perhaps other parts of Alabama which comes with a list of expenses. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If we have a place of our own where we can host specialized training and get more officers in and it will be less expensive than what we have been doing all the way around its good for the officers and citizens, said Sheriff Blankenship. The sheriff says they also want to save the countys pocket in this proposal in fact they offered to do some of the make-up for the building. Get the landscaping cleaned up, clean the facility and paint the walls that we can put our own sweat equity in because they would take more pride into the project, explained Sheriff Blankenship. The commission has tabled sheriffs proposal until the meeting next month, while they look at the costs of previous power bills for budgeting purposes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WDHN - wdhn.com. Washington President Trump called his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in South Korea Thursday "amazing," and said the two reached agreements on a number of items, including the resumption of U.S. soybean sales to China and a short-term deal for access to rare earth minerals. No documents formalizing the agreements have been released yet, however. Mr. Trump also said he would trim fentanyl-related tariffs on China. These moves should ease tensions between the two superpowers for now, though the president did not mention any long-term deals had been reached. Xi has not personally made public statements since the meeting. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Tariff rates on imports from China Mr. Trump said he agreed to reduce tariffs on Chinese goods by 10%, which he said would bring the rate from 57% to 47%. The president told reporters he expects to sign an agreement on trade "pretty soon," although he also said he's likely to renegotiate it in future years. The president said he's easing tariffs because China pledged to work with him on the deadly fentanyl crisis. China is the world's largest exporter of the precursor chemicals used to make fentanyl, which has been a longstanding complaint of the president. Levying 47% tariffs on Chinese imports would still mean China has one of the highest tariff rates. Mr. Trump also said the additional 100% tariffs on imports from China, which he previously said would take effect Nov. 1, will not be implemented. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Xi and China have not said what they will do to curb fentanyl production. Rare-earth minerals Mr. Trump said Beijing would delay its recently announced export restrictions on rare-earth minerals for one year, a delay he expects to be routinely extended. Mr. Trump claimed the rare earth issue has been "settled." China produces as much as 95% of the world's rare earth magnets, according to energy research company Wood Mackenzie and they're used to make everything from semiconductor chips to missiles. "We have a deal now," the president said aboard Air Force One on the way back from South Korea. "Every year we'll renegotiate the deal, but I think the deal will go on for a long time, long beyond the year. We'll negotiate at the end of a year. But all of the rare earth has been settled." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement China to resume buying U.S. soybeans Mr. Trump also announced on Truth Social that Xi authorized China to begin purchasing "massive amounts of soybeans" and other farm products from the U.S. Soybeans have been a serious point of contention between the U.S. and China, after China, typically the largest buyer of U.S. soybeans, stopped buying them altogether as a rebuke of Mr. Trump's tariff regime. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told Fox Business on Thursday that China has pledged to return to regular levels of soybean purchases each year for the next three years, and that China agreed to purchase 12 million metric tons of soybeans this season. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement No paper deal on TikTok Mr. Trump did not make any announcements about a finalized agreement to keep TikTok running in the U.S., although Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said they received Chinese approval of a deal to transfer ownership of the company, so it's no longer under the umbrella of a Chinese company. Still, Bessent said the matter would be resolved in the coming weeks or months. "In Kuala Lumpur, we finalized the TikTok agreement in terms of getting Chinese approval," Bessent said on Fox Business. "And I would expect that that would go forward in the coming weeks and months, and we'll finally see a resolution to that." On Sunday, Bessent told "Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan" that the administration was close to a deal to separate TikTok from its Chinese owner, ByteDance, and that Mr. Trump and Xi would sign something Thursday. No announcement on this came after the meeting, though. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement CBS News has asked the Treasury Department for clarification on Bessent's remarks about securing Chinese approval. "China will work with the U.S. to properly resolve issues related to TikTok," China's Commerce Ministry said after the meeting, the Associated Press reported. Mr. Trump has repeatedly delayed enforcing a law Congress passed banning TikTok from operating in the U.S. as long as it's operating under its China-based parent company, and the Supreme Court upheld that ban. On chips Mr. Trump said he and Xi "did discuss chips," and Xi would be "talking with Nvidia and others. Mr. Trump said he'd speak with Nvidia CEO Jensen Hugan, as China seeks to buy U.S.-made chips. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The president said whether China purchases chips from Nvidia is largely up to Nvidia and Beijing, after the U.S. imposed restrictions on China's purchase of U.S.-made chips, citing national security reasons. Chips could be used to promote China's military and artificial intelligence capabilities. "I said that's going to be between you and Nvidia, but we're sort of the arbitrator and the referee," Mr. Trump said. House lawmakers told their paychecks are delayed until government reopens What to expect from Trump meeting with Xi Jinping Video shows massive damage in Jamaica from Hurricane Melissa Heritage Foundation president Kevin Roberts made it crystal clear Thursday that his rightwing think tank is not distancing itself from Tucker Carlson over his hourslong interview with white supremacist and Holocaust denier Nick Fuentes. In a sit-down video to address the speculation hes been seeing, Roberts affirmed that the ousted Fox News host always will be a close friend of the Heritage Foundation and denounced right-wing criticism of Carlson platforming Fuentes as the work of a venomous coalition trying to cancel him. Politics: Tucker Carlson Makes Awkward 'Gay' Apology To Popular White Supremacist The American people expect us to be focusing on our political adversaries on the left, not attacking our friends on the right, Roberts said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As for Fuentes, Roberts said: I disagree with and even abhor things that Nick Fuentes says, but canceling him is not the answer either. There has been speculation that @Heritage is distancing itself from @TuckerCarlson over the past 24 hours. I want to put that to rest right nowhere are my thoughts: pic.twitter.com/F8bcxBIqKI Kevin Roberts (@KevinRobertsTX) October 30, 2025 Fuentes, a far-right activist who once called for a total Aryan victory and has repeatedly praised Adolf Hitler, responded on social media, thanking Roberts for his courage in standing up for open discourse and defending Tucker against the Israel First Woke Right. Carlson allowed Fuentes to speak largely unchecked in their interview this week, letting him spout off comments about the problems with organized Jewry in America, and declaring himself a longtime fan and admirer of Joseph Stalin with minimal pushback. Politics: Trump Marks Full Month Of Government Shutdown With $3.4 Million Golf Trip To Florida Well circle back to that, Carlson said regarding the Stalin comment. He never did. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Other right-wing media figures slammed Carlson for platforming Fuentes, including Breitbarts Joel Pollack, conservative personality Mark Levin and The Daily Wires Andrew Klavan. Amid the fallout, some noted on social media that the Heritage Foundation had removed a reference to Carlson on its website. An archived version of the webpage in question, which includes Tucker in the URL, shows that it did once feature a fundraising appeal to Carlsons dedicated listeners and featured a quote from him. Roberts didnt address that change in his video but said the Heritage Foundation would not take any guidance from social media critics. We dont take direction from comments on X, though we are grateful for the robust free speech debate. We also dont take direction from members or donors, but we are inherently grateful for their support, and were adding more every day, he said. Related... Read the original on HuffPost X/@KevinRobertsTX President of the Heritage Foundation Kevin Roberts defended former Fox News host Tucker Carlson on Thursday after Carlson received backlash for interviewing controversial right-wing commentator Nick Fuentes and criticizing the Israeli government. Ill have more to say on this in the coming days, but today I want to be clear about one thing. Christians can critique the State of Israel without being anti-Semitic, and of course, anti-Semitism should be condemned, said Roberts in a video after the Heritage Foundation received calls from some social media users to cut ties with Carlson: My loyalty as a Christian and as an American is to Christ first and to America always. When it serves the interests of the United States to cooperate with Israel and other allies, we should do so with partnerships on security, intelligence, and technology. But when it doesnt, conservatives should feel no obligation to reflexively support any foreign government, no matter how loud the pressure becomes from the globalist class or from their mouthpieces in Washington. The Heritage Foundation didnt become the intellectual backbone of the conservative movement by canceling our own people or policing the consciences of Christians, and we wont start doing that now. We dont take direction from comments on X, though we are grateful for the robust free speech debate. We also dont take direction from members or donors, though we are inherently grateful for their support, and were adding more every day. This is the robust debate we invite with our colleagues, our movement, our friends, our members, and the American public. He continued, We will always defend truth, we will always defend America, and we will always defend our friends against the slander of bad actors who serve someone elses agenda. That includes Tucker Carlson, who remains and as I have said before, always will be a close friend of the Heritage Foundation. The venomous coalition attacking him are sowing division. Their attempt to cancel him will fail. There has been speculation that @Heritage is distancing itself from @TuckerCarlson over the past 24 hours. I want to put that to rest right nowhere are my thoughts: pic.twitter.com/F8bcxBIqKI Kevin Roberts (@KevinRobertsTX) October 30, 2025 Roberts argued, The American people expect us to be focusing on our political adversaries on the left, not attacking our friends on the right. I disagree with, and even abhor, things that Nick Fuentes says, but canceling him is not the answer either. When we disagree with a persons thoughts and opinions, we challenge those ideas in debate, and we have seen success in this approach as we continue to dismantle the vile ideas of the left. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He concluded, As my friend Vice President Vance said last night, What I am not okay with is any country coming before the interests of American citizens, and it is important for all of us, assuming we are American citizens, to put the interests of our own country first. Thats where our allegiance lies and thats where it will stay. Roberts released his statement after social media users speculated that the Heritage Foundation had cut ties with Carlson following a campaign by pro-Israel conservatives to ostracize Carlson from the conservative movement. Newsweek senior editor-at-large Josh Hammer himself received backlash this week after he suggested that Carlson should be neutralized in an effort to protect the Republican Party. Social media users condemned the wording of Hammers article, which was published less than two months after conservative activist Charlie Kirk was assassinated at Utah Valley University. The post Heritage Foundation Defends Tucker Carlson From Venomous Coalition of Conservatives Attacking Him: Their Attempt to Cancel Him Will Fail first appeared on Mediaite. Heritage Foundation President Kevin Roberts is standing by Tucker Carlson after the conservative podcasters friendly interview with Holocaust-denier Nick Fuentes drew condemnation from within a GOP grappling with a series of antisemitic incidents. Roberts, in a video posted to X Thursday, denounced the venomous coalition that has criticized Carlson and said their attempt to cancel him will fail, though he didnt specifically name anyone. He said Carlson remains a close friend of the highly influential conservative group and always will be. Roberts added that I disagree with and even abhor things that Nick Fuentes says, but canceling him is not the answer, either. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Roberts, whose group launched Project Esther to combat antisemitism, also said Christians can critique the state of Israel without being antisemitic. And of course, antisemitism should be condemned. The Heritage Foundation leaders public support of Carlson comes as the former Fox News host faces backlash from conservatives over an inflammatory interview with Fuentes that was laced with antisemitism. Carlson said GOP supporters of Israel including U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee and Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) suffer from a brain virus, while Fuentes said the big challenge to unifying the country was organized Jewry. Huckabee, who is set to speak at this weekends Republican Jewish Coalition annual leadership conference in Las Vegas, dismissed the criticism. Wasnt aware that Tucker despises me. I do get that a lot from people not familiar with the Bible or history. Somehow I will survive this animosity, Huckabee posted on X. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cruz defended Huckabee in his own post. The former governor is a pastor and a patriot who loves America, loves Israel, and loves Jesus. Im proud to be in his company, Cruz said. Roberts and Carlson did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Fuentes could not be reached for comment. The furor over the Fuentes sitdown comes as Republicans wrestle with how to respond to a string of antisemitic incidents on the right. POLITICO first reported two weeks ago on an explosive Telegram group chat in which leaders of various Young Republican groups joked about the Holocaust and lauded Adolf Hitler. A day later, a staffer for Rep. Dave Taylors (R-Ohio) joined a virtual meeting with a flag featuring a Nazi symbol visible behind him. And last week, POLITICO reported on another group chat in which Paul Ingrassia, then Trumps nominee to lead the Office of Special Counsel at the Justice Department, claimed he has a Nazi streak. Ingrassia previously appeared at a rally for Fuentes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Several Young Republican chapters were dissolved and participants in the group chat were fired or resigned from their jobs or public office. Capitol police investigated the flag in Taylors office. Ingrassia withdrew his nomination days later amid opposition from within the Senate GOP. The incidents have broadly divided the GOP. Cruz recently decried what he called antisemitism rising on the right in a way I have never seenin my entire life. Some prominent GOP officials swiftly denounced the racist texts in the Young Republicans group. But others have followed Vice President JD Vances lead in attempting to divert attention onto Democrats as one of their candidates, Virginia Attorney General nominee Jay Jones, became engulfed in his own violence-laced texting scandal. And that was before Maine Senate candidate Graham Platners tattoo resembling a Nazi symbol forced Democrats to confront antisemitism within their party. Samuel Benson contributed to this report. NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) Did you know there are multiple cemeteries at the Nashville International Airport? It turns out there are hundreds of historical cemeteries across Davidson County and several people have been working to document and protect them. In 2021, the Metro Historical Commission of Nashville & Davidson County (MHC) began a long-term project to update records about cemeteries in Davidson County. The work for the Davidson County Cemetery Survey is ongoing, but findings for the first four phases of the project have already been made public. On Aug. 18, anthropologist and archaeologist Lauren Walls presented findings for the fourth phase to the MHC, revealing information about cemeteries both on and near BNA. Walls also works as a principal investigator and branch manager for New South Associates, which helps MHC with survey. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Two cemeteries Walls featured in her presentation were connected to the Central State Hospital. According to the Tennessee Department of Mental Health & Substance Abuse Services, the Tennessee Lunatic Asylum opened in 1840 and was the eleventh institution for people with mental illness in the U.S. Seven years later, mental health advocate Dorothea Dix published a 32-page report calling for improved accommodations. You can read her full report here. In 2018, a historical marker for the Tennessee Hospital for the Insane was erected at the intersection of Murfreesboro Pike and Dell Parkway. Nashville International Airport eyes 2038 completion for major expansion Walls said that between roughly 1857 and the 1930s, hospital records indicated that about 137 African American patients were buried in an institutionally segregated cemetery. However, she added that former State Archaeologist Nick Fielder claimed the actual number of patients there may have been as high as 800. Today, Walls said some of the only evidence of that cemetery which is next to a working runway is a flat limestone rectangle around a mound of vinca, which is a flower that Walls called a dead giveaway for a burial site. Walls added that some suggested there could be a mass grave at the site. Old Central State Hospital (Courtesy: Metro Historical Commission of Nashville & Davidson County) Old Central State Hospital plaque (Courtesy: Metro Historical Commission of Nashville & Davidson County) They either never had markers or perhaps the airport removed them for ease of maintenance to mow the area altogether just not treated with honor, Walls told commissioners in August. One that makes us, when we walk away from the survey, feel an injustice has been done. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Caroline Eller, historic preservationist at MHC, told News 2 that a plaque was placed on the fence at the cemetery for African American patients telling people a little bit about its background. Throughout roughly the same period, Walls said hospital records indicated that about 500 people were buried in a separate cemetery for white patients with actual estimates closer to 1,000. Several headstones sustained breakage suggesting vandalism in addition to the absence of custodial care. During the August meeting, Walls mentioned the existence of a Facebook group called Friends of Central State Hospital Cemetery-TN. The groups creator, Janice King, said she started it after beginning her own search for a loved one. The group includes comments from several other people searching for their own loved ones. King said she hopes to have signage and easier access to at least one of the Central State Hospital cemeteries an effort she said shes been collaborating with state leaders on for years. That way, when people call her and want to visit a loved one, they easily can. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Those patients were people who were loved by families, King said. I just think they need the dignity of a properly marked burial place. Eller said seven confirmed historical cemeteries were documented on airport property during the April survey, with an eighth unconfirmed cemetery. Though some may not look like much, Eller said they had vegetation, some dips in the land and fieldstones, so they were still considered cemeteries. Others still had some structural remains from residences and other outbuildings, while others still had taller headstones and inscribed monuments. You can take a look at the slideshow below to see the confirmed cemeteries on airport property documented in the survey: Blair (Courtesy: Metro Historical Commission of Nashville & Davidson County) Blair-Mann (Courtesy: Metro Historical Commission of Nashville & Davidson County) Unknown (Courtesy: Metro Historical Commission of Nashville & Davidson County) Thomas Williams (Courtesy: Metro Historical Commission of Nashville & Davidson County) Pirtle (Courtesy: Metro Historical Commission of Nashville & Davidson County) Matlock (Courtesy: Metro Historical Commission of Nashville & Davidson County) Eller also told News 2 BNA had fenced off some sites in an effort to protect them, and at least one of the cemeteries is still maintained by descendants of those who rest there. MHC sent survey forms, photos and other key geographic information to BNA. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) provides specific guidance and regulations regarding land use near airports, including the development of cemeteries, Erin Thomas, Media Relations Manager for the Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority, said in a statement to News 2. Thomas also submitted this link to the FAAs land use compatibility planning. The work at and around BNA is just one small piece of the MHCs project. In all, this project has documented about 443 sites across the county and MHC maintains records on nearly 700 cemeteries. Discrepancies, Eller explained, arise in part from an inability to access some cemeteries. For others, MHC learned about them through word-of-mouth. Its working with community members that gives the work its meaning, both Eller and Walls agreed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement How do you not get interested in hearing all of these stories and learning about these families, these communities? Eller said. It tells the story of Nashville and Davidson County. It tells the story of Tennessee. It tells the story of U.S. history. It just goes on and on. There are so many layers. Were going to make sure that somebody else knows this is here and somebody else knows what kind of threats its under so that if one day, somebody does come around and say, My grandmother was buried off of this road way out in rural Davidson County, we can say, Aha! Yes! This is how you get to it,' Walls added. Check out some of MHCs work across Davidson County in the slideshow below: Compton Cemetery (Courtesy: Metro Historical Commission of Nashville & Davidson County) (Courtesy: Metro Historical Commission of Nashville & Davidson County) Castleman Cemetery (Courtesy: Metro Historical Commission of Nashville & Davidson County) Richards Cemetery (Courtesy: Metro Historical Commission of Nashville & Davidson County) (Courtesy: Metro Historical Commission of Nashville & Davidson County) (Courtesy: Metro Historical Commission of Nashville & Davidson County) (Courtesy: Metro Historical Commission of Nashville & Davidson County) (Courtesy: Metro Historical Commission of Nashville & Davidson County) (Courtesy: Metro Historical Commission of Nashville & Davidson County) (Courtesy: Metro Historical Commission of Nashville & Davidson County) (Courtesy: Metro Historical Commission of Nashville & Davidson County) (Courtesy: Metro Historical Commission of Nashville & Davidson County) (Courtesy: Metro Historical Commission of Nashville & Davidson County) (Courtesy: Metro Historical Commission of Nashville & Davidson County) (Courtesy: Metro Historical Commission of Nashville & Davidson County) (Courtesy: Metro Historical Commission of Nashville & Davidson County) (Courtesy: Metro Historical Commission of Nashville & Davidson County) (Courtesy: Metro Historical Commission of Nashville & Davidson County) (Courtesy: Metro Historical Commission of Nashville & Davidson County) Looking ahead, Eller said there are plans to apply for a highly competitive 2-year, $200,000 grant program through the National Trust for Historic Preservations Descendant and Stewardship Initiative. The grant would help fund future phases of the project. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The next phase, per Eller, will focus on documenting and researching historical African American cemeteries through field surveys, collecting oral history and other research efforts. Since this summer, the MHC has been working with the Afro-American Historical and Genealogical Society of Nashville and the Tennessee Historical Commission to establish an African American cemeteries coalition to in advance of the upcoming field work. VIDEO | Efforts underway to restore Old Hickory cemetery Walls said theyve taken what theyve learned from the past four years of surveys and created a short report about the state of African American cemeteries in the area, where they can expect to find others, current local preservation efforts and more. The project will culminate in the creation of the first county-level cemetery preservation plan in the state of Tennessee. Eller said the plan would cover resources for historical cemetery preservation, development and recommendations for individual site management. The plan will also provide resources like funding opportunities and other types of preservation assistance. If you would like an existing guide for working with Davidson Countys Historical Cemeteries, you can follow this link. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Our goal is to see how people have handled this and provide guidance to others that are dealing with a cemetery like this on their property, in their family [or] in their community that they see as a threatened resource and they need to do something to take care of it, Walls told News 2. 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. Oct. 30 (UPI) -- Accepting a $500,000 contract to kill Iranian-American journalist Masih Alinejad earned Russians Rafat Amirov and Polad Omarov each 25 years in prison on Thursday. U.S. District Court of the Southern District of New York Judge Colleen McMahon sentenced Omarov and Amirov after they were found guilty in March, the Justice Department announced in a news release. "The defendants and their criminal associates came chillingly close to gunning down an Iranian-American journalist on the streets of New York," Assistant Attorney General for National Security John Eisenberg said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Tehran has long sought to silence Ms. Alinejad," Eisenberg said, "and after multiple failed kidnapping attempts, turned to Omarov and Amirov and their organization to stalk and murder her." Federal prosecutors described the two Russians as "two highly ranked members of the Russian mob." The Iranian government hired the pair to kill Alinejad, who is also an author and a human rights activist. The motive was to "silence her criticism of the Iranian government and public advocacy of human rights," the Justice Department said. She has published stories about the Iranian government's human rights abuses, especially against women, repression of political expression and the killing of Iranians who engage in peaceful protests. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Justice Department said the Iranian government tried to kidnap Alinejad in the United States in 2020 and 2021 and turned to the Russian mob after failing. Alinejad, who lives in the United States, observed a hitman, armed with an AK-47, driving a vehicle outside her Brooklyn apartment on July 28, 2022. The man had been sent by Omarov and Amirov. Eisenberg said the case is "part of a well-documented and disturbing rise in plots involving criminal networks paid by Iran to target dissidents in the United States and around the world." Alinejad has long been a target of the Iranian regime. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One scheme began in 2018 that involved Iran attempting to lure Alinejad to a third country through the use of her Iran-based family. Research into travel routes was also conducted by the suspects from Alinejad's home to a Brooklyn waterfront. One suspect allegedly looked up military-style speed boats for maritime evacuation out of New York City as well as maritime travel routes from Manhattan to Venezuela, a country with friendly relations with Iran. Alinejad told reporters outside the courtroom on Thursday that the justice that occurred inside is what the people of Iran are fighting for. "This is a historical day," she said. "I grew up in a small village in Iran where I was brainwashed alongside with millions of school girls, school boys to chant 'death to America.' How Ironic, the same country, America, gave me a second life. That's the true face of justice." Among those who accompanied Alinejad was Barry Rosen, a survivor of the Iran hostage crisis of 1979. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Masih is one of those important people in the world," he said. "She stands for justice, in the United States and around the world." The Iranian regime wants to execute her, he added, stating she speaks "for all of us: liberty, women, life and freedom." MILTON - The town's highway superintendent, who is facing a felony assault charge after he allegedly pushed a man to the ground outside the Whitehouse Restaurant and Bar, resigned from office more than a month ago. David Forbes retired effective Sept. 25 and the Town Board accepted his resignation at a special meeting on Sept. 30, Town Board minutes show. Supervisor Scott Ostrander said he learned that Forbes was to retire after receiving paperwork from the state. Forbes departed with more than two years left on his four-year term and, Ostrander said, he did not discuss his reason for retiring early. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ostrander said Forbes' deputy, Jason Miller, is running the department in his absence. He also said the town will not hold a special election and will leave the position vacant until the end of 2027. "At that time, we will pick the best person for the position," Ostrander said on Friday afternoon. Forbes was charged with second-degree assault on the afternoon of Aug. 8 after getting into a dispute outside of a Ballston Spa bar. He allegedly shoved the victim, who fell and hit his head on the pavement, causing a brain bleed. Forbes will appear on Thursday morning in Malta Town Court. Town judges in Milton, where he was serving his sixth four-year term, recused themselves from handling the case. It is not the 56-year-old Republican's first brush with the law. In 2011, he was charged with conspiracy to possess and distribute cocaine, the Times Union reported. However, in 2012, he pleaded guilty to a reduced charge, sixth-degree conspiracy, a misdemeanor, which allowed him to keep his job. He was sentenced to probation. Forbes, who is paid an annual salary of about $85,000, could not be reached for immediate comment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At the time of his recent arrest, Ostrander said Forbes is an elected official and therefore the Town Board "cannot suspend him and or reprimand him." His attorney, John Pastore of Clifton Park, could not be reached for immediate comment. This article originally published at Highway Superintendent Forbes retires from Milton after assault charge. One of the benefits of hiking and spending time in national parks is spotting and identifying wildlife and neat, new plants but not all of this flora or fauna is friendly. A post on Reddit's r/whatisthisplant illustrated the insidious problem of invasive species, and showed how these ecological harbingers of chaos can lurk in our midst. "What is this absolute unit in Shenandoah National Park? Telephone pole for scale," the user's title read. Photo Credit: Reddit A seemingly innocuous image accompanied the post, depicting a large, leafy green plant, decidedly not dwarfed by a standard telephone pole nearby. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Princess Tree Paulownia tomentosa. Invasive species," a user quickly replied. According to the Department of Agriculture's National Invasive Species Information Center, the princess tree is also called the empress tree. Invasive.org described it as "an aggressive tree that invades disturbed natural areas." Like kudzu, princess trees are native to Asia and were introduced in the mid-1800s as ornamentals. Although invasive plant species don't sound like a massive threat, kudzu is the perfect example of the havoc they can wreak on ecosystems. Invasive plants are identified as such in part by their aggressive encroachment into novel regions, areas where they lack natural predators. By contrast, native plants thrive in equilibrium with their native habitats; cultivating a natural lawn or rewilding your yard are outdoor space management strategies that fortify this ecosystem balance. Moreover, native plants are adapted to their regions and require less water and work. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Unlike their invasive counterparts, native plants sustain and secure local pollinator populations. Additionally, a study in Ecology Letters found that establishing native plants can help curb the spread of invasive plants through biotic resistance. Commenters were alarmed to discover that the mystery plant was an invasive species. 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. "That's scary to see it in a National Park," one remarked. "The truth is when you open your eyes invasive plants are literally everywhere and it's a serious problem," another user replied. "And what's worse is huge suburban sprawls filled with lawns planted with non-native exotics that don't do anything for the ecology. We definitely need to make a change," they added, tacitly encouraging users to upgrade their yards as a necessary bulwark to invasives. 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. For at least some of the Hillsborough County sheriffs command staff, Robert Roush was known as a wordsmith who could polishtheir writing to perfection. Capt. Zuleydis Stearns first heard his name years ago when she told colleagues she might pursue a doctorate degree. Someone gave her Roushs number. They said he could help her write papers. Hes known as like English GOAT, Stearns told internal affairs investigators this month, using the acronym forgreatest of all time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But investigators found that Roushs role went far beyond editing and proofreading. Evidence suggested he was the main author of dozens of academic papers submitted by at least six members of Sheriff Chad Chronisters command staff as their own work.The ensuing scandal led to four resignations and two firings. Thousands of pages of records released this week shed light on the sheriffs offices internal investigation into academic dishonesty, an inquiry promptedby theTampa Bay Times. Most of those who lost their jobs had used papers written by Roush to advance their careers or earn promotions. When sheriffs investigators visited Roush at his New Hampshire home this month, he offered several excuses, at one point disputing the characterization of the papersas academic and saying they were insteadbusiness reports, transcripts of the interview show. He didnt advertise his writing services. People found him through word of mouth, he told investigators. He said he didnt remember allthe names that have surfaced in the probe,but he recognized some of the papers investigators showed him. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He said he never met with those he helped face-to-face, but theycorresponded by email. They paid him usually through apps like Venmo or PayPal though he couldnt remember how much. He appeared to communicate most withAnthony Collins, the former chief deputy who resigned this summer. The sheriff said Collins admitted thatRoush had writtenabout half ofhis assignments for the FBI National Academy. Collins, Roush said, sometimes left cash in the mailbox outside his Wesley Chapel home, about 10 miles from where the chief deputy lived. All of this happened under Chronisters watch, though he said he was unaware of it. The sheriff admitted the cheating reflected a deeper cultural problem within his agency and said he has updated policies to make clear that such behavior will not be tolerated. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Yet he dismissed questions about whether an outside agency should look further.He said none of the misconduct was criminal. What would I call an outside agency and have them do, though? the sheriff said. What would they have access to that we dont have access to? As detailed as the records are, they leave questions unanswered. Among them: How did Roush, who is not a law enforcement officer, become acquainted with so many high-level sheriffs deputies? And did any other officers use him? A growing scandal The scandal erupted this summer after Collins wife sent an email to his law enforcement colleagues alleging hed used Roush to write papers for him at the FBI National Academy. She attached snapshots of emails the pair exchanged in which they discussed written assignments Collins needed to submit forthe prestigious program. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Collins, who four months earlier had been appointed chief deputy, resigned in early August. He was the only deputy to comment publicly about his departure. In a statement to the Times, he denied that Roush wrote his papers, describing him as a tutor. Collinssaid he met Roush through professional circles. An inquiry into the matter ended abruptly when Collins quit. Roush told the Times hed helped other cops but declined to say who. On Sept. 8, the Times submitted public records requests to the sheriffs office for communications between Roush and any members of the sheriffs command staff, from the rank of major and above. The requests came to the attention of Jerry Carey, an administrative captain. Carey asked the command staff for any records they might have about Roush on their personal devices. No one said they had any. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A request for text messages was closed by the agency, which said it hadno suchrecords. Two other Times requests sought emails the command staff exchanged with Roush and emails that mentioned his name. The requests yielded emails Roush exchanged with Collins. But they also showed messages with Cols. Michael Hannaford and Chris Rule. Hannafords emails showed a discussion with Roush about a report on the construction of a kennel and training facility for sheriffs office K-9 units. It was an assignment Hannaford was working to complete as part of his captains project tied to a promotion tothe rank of captain. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rules emails showed he sought Roushs help when he took a senior leadership course with the Florida Department of Law Enforcement. Investigators later discovered thatRoush waslisted as the author in the metadata of at least three papers Rule submitted for the course. He also used the materials inhis owncaptains project. One paper, titled Character and Cops, is a report on a book of the same name that addresses ethics in policing. The actions taken by the police will determine the level of trust by the public, the paper reads. ... A breach of a single component of trust will remove trust and cause the public to see police as untrustworthy. Hannaford and Rule remained in their jobs for two weeks after their emails with Roush were discovered. The sheriffs office said they were not suspended because the allegations centered on violations of agency policy and were not criminal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Both resigned Oct. 17, before internal affairs investigators could interview them. The discovery of their connection to Roush spurred anotherinternal inquiry. Col. Nikki Bosley, who oversees the agencys investigative services department, on Oct. 1 came to see Capt. Lora Rivera to discuss the case, records show. Rivera led the sheriffs Professional Standards Bureau, the division that handles internal affairs matters. When Bosley spoke about the emails between Roush and the colonels, Riveras face turned pale. Before we go any further, Bosley said, you dont know Robert Roush, do you? Yep, Rivera said. He wrote my captains project for me. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She asserted that it was the only assignment hed done and that all other job-relatedpapers were her own. Bosley ended the discussion and said she would need to consult Chief Deputy Joseph Maurer. Rivera, according to the report, said she understood and apologized. Maurer and Chief Deputy Frank Losat soonmet with Rivera. She resigned. In his own words On Oct. 10, two internal affairs detectives and a lieutenant traveled to Plymouth, New Hampshire. They talkedwith Roush at his home for close to two hours. The Times reviewed the transcripts and listened to an audio recording of the interview. I honestly didnt remember a lot of this until Anthony (Collins) contacted me and let me know what was going on, he said. He called and let me know his wife sent emails to a bunch of reporters and everyone else in the world. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The call wasnt a warning, Roush said. Just a message that the sheriff might contact him. He said he hadnt talked to anyone else with the sheriffs office. He said he couldnt remember how he met anyone there. When you do a lot of academic work, youre not going to remember every single person, he said. He described himself as a marriage and family counselor working as a school counselor. He said he held multiple degrees, including a doctorate. The Times confirmed that Roush earned bachelors and masters degrees from Capella University, a for-profit, online school. He pursued a doctorate from Grand Canyon University, a private, Christian school based in Phoenix, but left in 2020 without a degree. He is pursuing a doctorate through remote courses at Liberty University, the school confirmed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He said hed also been a tutor, but that he hadnt done that in some time. He didnt advertise his services, he said. If someone needed help with writing, they would get ahold of me, he said. They would just email me. He was asked how many people he talked to at the sheriffs office. His response: No, yeah, cause, you know, a lot of, uh, people, I dont even know what they do. Its just, Hey, I need help. He described his role as merely taking material and making it readable, and correcting the formatting. Ive written journal articles for doctors and stuff, he said. They have the ideas, they just dont have it so someone can read it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He remembered Hannafords name, he said, and that he helped him with a paper on dog kennels, but little else. I dont know the first damn thing about dog kennels, he said. A detective said it sounded like he wrote the paper. No, Roush said, Hannaford wrote the original draft. Hes a police officer; hes not an author, he said. So it would be jumbled. He said he would create a master document and move the deputys words into it. Once I move over all his original stuff, now it became my paper, he said. And then as he sends me more stuff, it goes into what is now my paper with my name on it. He remembered working with Ruleon a paper that had to do with helicopters and aviation. He thought it might have been his captains project. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The detectives told him about several papers from Rules senior leadership class that held data showing Roush as the author and the last person to modify the documents. Was it fair to say this wasnt the only paper he helped Rule write? Um, well, I mean, if you guys have other paperwork, then obviously its not, and Im not saying that is a lie, he said. Were talking about years ago, so obviously if theres other stuff he sent me, then obviously Ive helped him with other stuff. Laura Roush seemed to watch with dismay as the three Florida cops questioned her husband. Theyd been married 12 years. She hadnt heard about the scandal, she told them, until a family member shared a news article and asked if he was the person mentioned. When we first got together, he just did professional writing, she said. She described it as a side job. He took care of their kids while she worked, she said. Roush couldnt remember how much money hed gotten for his writing work. He charged based on time invested, he said. The investigators mentioned how difficult it was to investigate two men they respected. Roush said he hoped to be able to clear their names. I dont know these guys, but I do know that theyve served their community for 20-plus years, he said. And this is Im sorry not to this is a bunch of bullshiton some guys that have done so much service and dont know how to write, and now theyre in trouble cause they cant make a report sound good." All of this looks horrible On Oct. 6, Chronisters chief deputies called Capt. Stearns. Her name, too, had come up in a records request related to Roush, she was told. They asked if there was any reason his name might come up in one of her academic papers. I might have sent it to him for proofreading only, she said. Because I wanted to turn in a perfect paper. She denied that Roush wrote the paper for her. I know 100% I didnt do anything wrong, she said. Stearns, who oversaw the sheriffs communications and records section, had once considered leaving law enforcement after an on-duty injury left her unsure if she would walk again. She mentioned the ordeal in the agencys 2023 video series Before the Badge. It happened a decade earlier when she fell from a sheriffs office horse. She used a wheelchair during a long recovery. She thought about returning to school to obtain her doctorate. It was about that time she first heard Roushs name. When detectives interviewed her, she couldnt remember who told her about him, but she thought it was someone in the office. He can do as much or as little as you want him to do, she remembered being told. Asked what she thought that meant, she said, He could either write a paper or help you with one. She wrote his number on a card, she said, and kept it in a Brighton jewelry tin with birthday and Mothers Day cards. She thought maybe her son could use Roushs help one day. It wasnt until 2024 that she called Roush, she said. She was attending classes at the National Public Safety Innovation Academy, an eight-week course for law enforcement executives at Polk State College. Her assignments included writing a capstone paper. Stearns holds a masters degree from Liberty University, but she hadnt written an academic paper in years, she said. I want this paper to be perfect, she said. They were very adamant in class: Do not use AI. She worked on the paper, which addressed improvements to 911 systems, for weeks, she said. She said she told Roush not to touch the meat and potatoes of it, but only to check for minor formalities. Roush said he wouldnt charge her for thework. She felt bad, though. When they chatted, she learned he had a son whod died. She later donated $100 to the boys memorial fund. Roush didnt change anything on her paper but the margins and references, she said. When investigators examined the document stored in her email, though, they noticed things a seasoned sheriffs deputy would never write. It referred to the agency as the sheriffs department rather than sheriffs office. It stated the county had seven patrol districts, with an eighth being considered; there are actually five districts, with a sixth being eyed. Stearns phone records showed a 27-minute call with Roush three days before she submitted the paper. I know it looks terrible, she told investigators.All of this looks horrible. Yet she insisted she did her own work. I have not worked here 25 years to have it picked apart in two weeks, she said. Its unfortunate what the media has brought out against our agency, but I did not work my ass off to get where Im at right now and fight for my career 12 years ago when I couldnt walk to do some bullshit like this. The sheriff fired Stearns the next day. I dont have another answer for you On Oct. 23, it was Capt. Marvin Johnsons turn. He was a commander for the agencys patrol operations in the countys northeastern region. Another rising leader, Johnson had served in the Air Force before joining the sheriffs office in 1999. Amid a litany of accomplishments was his graduation from an administrative officers course at the Southern Police Institute, a specialized training school at the University of Louisville. The search for Roushs name in the agencys internal emails picked up three documents Johnson submitted during courses at the institute. Hed forwarded them to Lora Rivera in 2021. One of them, a paper on the legal concept known as qualified immunity for police, bore data showing Roush as the creator and modifier. Johnson was listed as the last person to modify the document. All he did was add the middle initial L to his name, according to the records. Investigators found 17 more emails in Johnsons account containing documents with data listing Roush as the author and last modifier. Investigators noted that Johnson shook and seemed to be close to tears as they questioned him. Ultimately, he revealed little. When he attended the institute, he said, he got papers from other people, including other sheriffs office captains. He treated them as templates to ensure he used proper formatting. An investigator explained that if he borrowed templates, the document might show the other person as the original author but not as the last modifier. Hed heard Roushs name, he said. He knew he wrote papers. But he denied ever interacting with him. Did he have any idea how his name could have ended up in his emails? Nope, Johnson said. Did he have any idea who he could have borrowed the templates from that had Roushs name in the metadata? Im not sure, he said. Im not sure is not a great answer right now, said Master Sgt. Brian Morgan, one of the investigators. Weve had a chief resign, two colonels resign, a captain be terminated, another captain resign all around this name and all around papers that were authored by this man with minor edits and submitted as their own work. The evidence, Johnson was told, seemed to show that hed talked with Roush. I dont have another answer for you, Johnson said. Along with his papers, Johnson was questioned about a series of photographs investigators found on his work computer. The images, more than 40 of them, included snapshots of a female sheriffs detective in various states of undress. Shed told investigators that shed sent the pictures to Johnson by text, that they had flirted and had shared kisses. Johnson said he didnt realize hed saved them on his work computer. Pressed again about his connection to Roush, Johnson was asked about public perception. Do you think it looks good for the sheriff? he was asked. I have no idea how it looks for the sheriff, Johnson said. What about Johnsons subordinates and those who respected him? What would they think? Ive been at this office for 26 years, Johnson said. And Ive done a lot in 26 years. And if the work Ive done for 26 years doesnt stand for anything because of this, then it just doesnt. He was asked if the evidence showed ethical and good moral character. No, Johnson said. But were all human. Oct. 30It's voting time in Albuquerque not just for mayor, City Council or school board candidates but also for the name of the city's newest resident, a baby hippo at the Albuquerque BioPark. Born on Oct. 14 to hippo parents Karen and Moe, the bundle of joy a female baby hippo has yet to be named, and the zoo is asking the community to vote for their favorite name for the zoo's newest addition. "She's doing really well, and is the most active hippo baby we've had," BioPark senior keeper Bricker Thietten said in a statement. "For many of the early milestones we have, like getting out of the pool and coming inside, she's ahead of schedule." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The zoo has four options for the two-week-old hippo: Maisy, Magdalena, Chama or Pearl. The public is invited to vote for one of the four names chosen by the BioPark's hippo care team online or the ABQ BioPark Instagram page. Voting ends at 11:30 p.m. Nov. 4. More than 8,000 votes have already been submitted, with Maisy currently leading at 34%. Pearl and Magdalena are both tied for second place at 27%. The baby hippo joins big sister Matilda, who was also named by the public in 2021. Magdalena, one of the choices for the baby hippo, was also one of the options for Matilda's name in 2021. The new hippo joins the growing list of BioPark baby arrivals, including a cape vulture that was born in May and three flamingos in August. BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) The annual HIRE celebration luncheon was held Thursday which is aimed at celebrating workers with disabilities as well as their employers. The HIRE committee was founded by late Bakersfield Mayor Harvey Hall in 2005 and is made up by organizations like the Kern County Department of Human Services, Kern High School District and Kern County Libraries. The luncheon took place at Hodels Country Dining and was emceed by 17s Kevin Charette. Mayor Karen Goh also attended to celebrate these workers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement An organizer with the event, Denise Crawford said, We just had a speaker in there that spoke about his journey to employment and all the things that hes learned along the way and I think that just shows us all how its so much more of a challenge when somebody has a disability but it could be even more rewarding for them and then the people that they also work with. Numerous awards were given out during the luncheon including Humanitarian Employee and Intern of the Year. 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. A standard blood donation procedure at Mumbais KEM Hospital turned into a nightmare for Badrul Shaikh, a construction worker and regular donor, when his routine HIV screening came back reactive last November. The message arrived without warning first by text, then on WhatsApp from the hospitals blood bank. There was no call, no counselling, only a single word that changed everything. It felt like my entire life ended in that moment, Shaikh said. I couldnt talk to anyone. I just kept reading that message. Shaken and in disbelief, Shaikh decided to verify the result. Over the next two weeks, he underwent repeat tests at Bombay Hospital, Metropolis Laboratory, and JJ Hospital, spending nearly Rs 10,000. Each report came back negative. The initial result was a false positive. By the time I knew the truth, I was already a different person, he recalled. I spent weeks thinking I was going to die alone. Health professionals acknowledge that false positives are rare but possible, often caused by sample contamination, equipment malfunction, or human error during screening. A false HIV report affects a persons dignity, identity, and trust in the healthcare system, said Dr Sagar Mundada, psychiatrist and public health commentator. The emotional fallout can persist long after the mistake is corrected. Another life upended Shaikhs ordeal mirrors another case from 2014. Sanjana Sharma (name changed), a pregnant woman from Mumbais eastern suburbs, was told during a routine antenatal check-up at a municipal hospital that she had tested positive for HIV. No confirmatory testing was done before she was referred for counselling. She broke down at the hospital, recalled a relative. She needed help just to get home. Within a week, she miscarried. Weeks later, two independent laboratory reports confirmed she was not infected. The error had already caused irreversible trauma. Public health experts say such incidents expose how poorly sensitive results are communicated. Delivering a diagnosis like HIV through a phone message is both unethical and psychologically harmful, said Dr Mundada. These are life-changing findings that must be conveyed with empathy and privacy. Alarming data Internal data from KEM Hospitals blood bank suggests deeper systemic lapses. Records reviewed by Mumbai Mirror show sharp and erratic swings in reported HIV positivity rates from zero to nearly 1 per cent over successive months, a variation experts describe as statistically improbable. In May 2025, KEM recorded a positivity rate of 0.97 per cent, nearly five times higher than Indias national average of 0.14 per cent and over four times Maharashtras 0.21per cent, according to the National AIDS Control Organisations (NACO) 2024 Blood Safety Report. The hospital reported zero positives in both December 2024 and April 2024. HIV prevalence among voluntary donors is a stable metric. Such drastic fluctuations suggest inconsistent testing, faulty calibration, or equipment failure, said a hospital source familiar with the data. Documents obtained via the RTI reveal that KEMs blood bank failed to log calibration checks between November 2024 and January 2025 a period when positivity rates spiked. The lack of calibration records means reliability cant be verified, the source said, adding that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a show-cause notice to the blood bank following an inspection on May 13, this year. KEM Hospital processes more than 35,000 blood donations annually, supplying several critical wards across Mumbai. Experts warn that such screening errors pose twin dangers false positives, which devastate healthy donors, and false negatives, which can expose patients to infected blood. Systemic shortcomings A senior NACO official, speaking on condition of anonymity, admitted that quality control across government hospitals remains uneven. Even when national guidelines exist, implementation is inconsistent, the official said. The KEM case highlights systemic fragility rather than isolated failure. Meanwhile, Dr Ishwar Gilada, consultant in HIV, STIs and Infectious Diseases, Mumbai, and President Emeritus of the AIDS Society of India, said that Indias blood safety protocols, though strengthened over decades, continue to face serious challenges. The issue first gained national attention in 1989 when a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in the Bombay High Court led to mandatory HIV testing for all blood banks in Maharashtra later extended nationwide. More than three decades later, oversight remains weak. The FDA, responsible for enforcing testing standards, operates with only 46 officers against a sanctioned strength of 500. This shortage has limited inspection frequency and follow-up actions, Dr Gilada said. He added that India currently relies on three main methods for HIV detection ELISA, rapid tests, and Nucleic Acid Testing (NAT). While NAT significantly reduces the window period during which infections may go undetected, its high cost has limited widespread adoption. Some states have introduced pooled NAT testing to balance accuracy with affordability. CHICOPEE, Mass. (WWLP) A community staple in the city of Chicopee is moving to a new location. The well-known train car from the now-closed Bernies Dining Depot was moved on Friday. Its new location will be at the Chester Railway Station and Museum. See inside the former Bernies Dining Depot in Chicopee President of the Chester Foundation, David Pierce, is overseeing the move. He said that the Chester Railway Station is a popular spot for tourists, and believes the car will fit in with the rest of the stations attractions, which include an early steam engine, two boxcars with museum articles, and a blue caboose kitchen. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The railroad that went through Chester was the first railroad in the world to go over a mountain and the first railroad that was built through wilderness, Pierce said. Weve already got some rolling stock on display up there and a caboose that people camp out of. This will be just another part of the attraction. Bernies closed its doors in 2022 after serving the public for more than 40 years. The restaurant was famous for its prime rib and railroad car dining room. 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. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WWLP. TOPEKA (KSNT) The third episode of the City of Topekas History of Topeka docuseries is all about the oldest cemeteries and those buried in them. The City of Topeka began its docuseries in August to highlight powerful stories, pivotal moments and inspiring people that have shaped the city into what it is today. The newest episode honors the citizens who built the foundations of the city and the history of the oldest cemeteries. Cyrus Packard is one of the few veterans from the War of 1812 to be buried in Rochester Cemetery, said Katie Keckeisen, a local history librarian. He also is said to have run one of the underground railroad stations. While there is a lot of lore and legend surrounding the cemetery, it is the true story of those who are buried who, those who lived, worked and died in Topeka and called it home that make the cemetery rich in history. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What are some of the more haunted locations in NE Kansas? This episode of the docuseries was made with help from the Topeka & Shawnee County Public Library, the Kansas Historical Society and the Historic Topeka Cemetery. You can watch the episode here on the City of Topeka Facebook page. 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. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSNT 27 News. SOUTH HADLEY, Mass. (WWLP) A man from Holyoke was arrested for allegedly stealing items from a South Hadley business and later charged with intimidation after contacting the victim through social media. Holyoke police arrest suspected porch pirate in connection with package thefts The South Hadley Police Department stated that last Saturday at around 5:38 p.m., officers were notified of a larceny incident from a business on College Street. Police say that the victim reported that she was conducting a Facebook Marketplace sale when the prospective buyer grabbed the items and fled the store on foot, without payment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement An officer located the suspect, who had the stolen items and was positively identified by the victim. He was arrested and charged with a felony, larceny from a person. In addition, the victim reported that she was later contacted through social media with an upsetting message by the alleged suspect, placing the victim in fear. The police department states that he will now be charged with another felony, intimidation of a witness. The South Hadley Police Department does offer an Internet Purchase Exchange Location in their parking lot at 41 Bridge Street. The area is monitored by surveillance and residents are encouraged to conduct their online shopping exchanges at the location rather than at their home or an unfamiliar place. South_Hadley_encouraging_safe_online_sho_0_20190522221347 Police say both buyers and sellers should avoid giving too much personal information, especially bank account numbers or credit card numbers. Sellers should also stay away from checks or money orders. The checks can be fake and leave you responsible for the counterfeit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When you list items for sale on Facebook Marketplace or other social media sites, thieves can associate your name and use public information websites to determine your address, making theft significantly easier for criminals. Tips on how to avoid online marketplace scams provided by the Better Business Bureau: Guard your personal information. You dont need to give someone your phone number to make a sale on an online marketplace. Be sure you know who you are speaking with before you share it. Never give out your phone number in public social media posts. Watch out for red flags. Avoid making transactions with people who offer you deals that sound too good to be true (i.e., overpaying for an item you listed for sale) or people who pressure you to make a deal quickly. Understand marketplace policies. Most online marketplaces encourage you NOT to make transactions outside of the platform. If someone asks you to carry out transactions elsewhere, be wary. Understand how the platform you use verifies both sellers and buyers, and stick to their guidelines when selling and buying items. 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. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WWLP. COCONUT CREEK, Fla. (AP) South Florida was spared a direct blow from Hurricane Melissa, but the massive storm still hit home for the millions of residents there who have deep roots in the Caribbean. Now, the Caribbean diaspora from Miami to New York City is turning its heartbreak into action: filling warehouses with emergency supplies to send to communities across Jamaica, Cuba, Haiti and the Bahamas that were battered by Melissa, one of the strongest Atlantic hurricanes on record. Centers of global wealth and vibrant exile communities that run generations deep both cities are cultural melting pots that have long been major points of entry for immigrants. Miami-Dade County, Floridas largest county, is now home to more immigrants than native-born Americans. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More immigrants have moved into the New York and Miami areas so far this decade than any other U.S. metro areas, 721,000 people and 553,000 people respectively. For many in Miami, the city is an unofficial capital of Latin America where the salsa clubs of Little Havana and the rooster-filled streets of Little Haiti feel physically and culturally closer to the Caribbean than the rest of the mainland U.S. Across Florida, there are more than a million foreign-born Cubans and 231,000 foreign-born Jamaicans, while New York state is home to 22,800 foreign-born Cubans and 225,000 foreign-born Jamaicans, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. For many in the diaspora, donation fatigue doesn't apply Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Many Haitian Americans are all too familiar with the pain of watching a catastrophe unfold from afar, with Melissa being the latest in a long line of crises. But members of the diaspora do their best to support loved ones back home, said Carine Jocelyn, Chief Executive Officer of Brooklyn-based Diaspora Community Services. The feeling of donation fatigue doesnt apply to Haiti, she said, adding, we dont really get to say that. Even as gang violence continues to disrupt transportation in the capital of Port-au-Prince, Jocelyn says she hopes resources will still be able to get in through the Cap-Haitien and Les Cayes airports. She urged donors to give to verified Haitian nonprofits to ensure aid reaches communities most in need. Nonprofit groups told The Associated Press that cash is the best way to help, and experts recommend using sites like Charity Navigator or the Better Business Bureaus Wise Giving Alliance to check out unfamiliar charities before donating. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Eugene Lapaine, president of the rural development and civic engagement organization Association des Paysans Haut Douzieme, is leading a rescue mission in communities near his mountainside city of Petit-Goave in southern Haiti. People are leaving their homes to seek shelter, Eugene said. We are doing our best as a community to help each other through this. We are ready to help At a bustling warehouse in the suburban Broward County, Florida, city of Coconut Creek on Thursday, volunteers with the hunger and poverty relief organization Food For The Poor hustled to assemble emergency care kits and load dozens of palates of food, water and personal hygiene products. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Susan James-Casserly, who comes from a long line of Jamaican cattle farmers, was born on the island but came to South Florida in 1978, and she now works for the charity. She's flying out next week to help with the on-site relief effort in her home country, where many were still recovering from last year's Hurricane Beryl when Melissa showed up on the radar. Jamaicans are very strong and resilient. Im afraid of what Im going to see. But one of the things I know is that we are ready to help, she said. Kivette Silvera, who was born in Jamaica and now lives in South Florida, was among the Food For The Poor team who rode out the storm on the island, huddled in prayer as she listened to the winds howl and watched the trees bend. Words can't express what theyre going through right now. Its devastating. It is devastating, she said in an interview from the organizations office in the city of Spanish Town, west of the capital Kingston. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Marlon Hill is a corporate attorney in Miami who is helping lead the group South Florida Caribbean Strong to mobilize volunteers and donors for the storm response. For me being a born Jamaican and a raised American, this one hits different, Hill told reporters. Donation sites pop up at fire stations, parks, local restaurants In the Broward County suburb of Miramar where every member of the city council is either a Caribbean immigrant or the child of one residents have also sprung into action. Local officials have organized a citywide relief effort to collect and deliver essential supplies to the islands. Residents can drop off items like shelf-stable food, water, tarps, flashlights and sleeping bags at designated donation sites at fire departments and police stations, 24 hours a day. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the nearby city of Lauderhill, residents can take donations to city hall, parks, and Jamaican restaurants in the area. In Cooper City, Brittany and Dwayne Wolfe have offered up their home as a drop-off site for diapers and other necessities. The couple are the cofounders of The Greater Fort Lauderdale Diaper Bank, and many of the organization's volunteers and supporters grew up in Jamaica or still have family on the island. Dwayne, who was born in the central Jamaican city of Mandeville, still hasn't been able to reach cousins, friends and loved ones there in the aftermath of the storm. But while he waits for a call, he can focus on gathering more donations. I truly feel that a lot of folks that live in South Florida can really relate, he said, because were so close. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Contributions to the diaper bank's online fundraising site have been coming in from around the world, Brittany Wolfe said, as the organization prepares to send its first shipment of diapers to Jamaica. Its home, she said. And when things like this happen, you know, you have to help. ___ Associated Press journalists Liseberth Guillaume in New York and Mike Schneider in Orlando, Florida, contributed reporting. Kate Payne 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. FRANKFORT, Ky. (FOX 56) A homeless man was arrested in Frankfort on Tuesday after allegedly raping and punching a girl. Frankfort police said officers arrested 39-year-old Thomas Carter on Oct. 28. According to the arrest citation, Carter gave the 17-year-old acquaintance vodka and marijuana, causing her to become intoxicated. Read more of the latest Lexington & central Kentucky news Investigators said Carter then took her to his tent in the woods off Jett Boulevard and raped her. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Carter is also accused of punching the victim in the chin while they were walking along Versailles Road. Court records show he was charged with first-degree rape, first-degree unlawful transaction with a minor, second-degree unlawful transaction with a minor, and fourth-degree assault. LATEST KENTUCKY NEWS: Thomas Carter, 39. (Franklin County Regional Jail) Carter, who police noted is homeless, is behind bars in the Franklin County Regional Jail on a $500,000 cash 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 FOX 56 News. California homeowners are facing another financial gut punch as the state's last-resort insurance program, the California FAIR Plan, seeks to raise premiums by nearly 36%. The proposed increase highlights a deepening crisis where extreme weather and rising wildfire risks are making basic insurance coverage harder to afford. What's happening? The California FAIR Plan, a state-created but privately funded insurer, has asked regulators for a 35.8% average rate hike on homeowner policies, according to a filing, via the Modesto Bee. The plan, which serves as a safety net for homeowners who can't get coverage elsewhere, has seen its policy count more than double in just three years. Spokesperson Hilary McLean said the increase is driven mainly by wildfire risk, a growing threat as hotter, drier conditions fuel larger, faster-spreading blazes. The proposal is now looking at a state review. While the final approved rate could be lower, advocates say even a partial increase would hit struggling homeowners hard. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "There's no question a rate hike that size would be a huge blow to all the homeowners already paying a lot for too little coverage at the FAIR Plan," said Carmen Balber, executive director of the advocacy group Consumer Watchdog, per the Modesto Bee. Why is this concerning? This is an example of the mounting challenges across the U.S. as climate-fueled disasters upend the economics of insurance. Major insurers like State Farm and Allstate have already pulled back from California, citing wildfire losses and the growing costs of rebuilding. That's left hundreds of thousands of families reliant on FAIR, which was only intended to be an emergency backstop, not a long-term coverage solution. For homeowners, skyrocketing premiums can mean choosing between essential coverage and financial stability. And with extreme heat and fire seasons worsening each year due to human-generated pollution, experts warn these rate hikes may become the new normal unless deeper changes are made. What's being done about it? The California Department of Insurance has pledged to carefully review the request "to make sure consumers do not pay more than is required," according to department spokesperson Michael Soller, per the Modesto Bee. The FAIR Plan says it is working with the state to ensure its rates reflect "current risk portfolios." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Long-term, California can benefit from resilience strategies like vegetation management programs, community fire-hardening grants, and home retrofitting incentives to reduce property losses and stabilize insurance markets. Experts say homeowners can help by clearing space around properties and investing in fire-resistant materials. Another important step is supporting policies that transition away from the dirty energy sources contributing to rising temperatures and extreme weather. Ultimately, through changes like embracing electric vehicles, using less plastic, and conserving our ecosystems, we can help stem the factors contributing to the climate crisis. 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. GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KREX) Homeward Bound of the Grand Valley just announced their North Avenue emergency homeless shelter will soon be shutting its doors. Thats according to a press release issued this morning by the organization which cites scarcities in federal funding and the ongoing state budget crisis as some of the reasons for reduced operations. In the meantime, due to a recent influx of donations Homeward Bound calls unprecedented, they were able to raise $150,000, funds which will keep the shelter open 7 days a week starting November 7th through January 5th. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The extra money solves an earlier financial issue that forced the facility to close its doors Fridays through Sundays. Officials have not given a specific date for the closure in early 2026 but did announce plans to consolidate their services into the Pathways Family Shelter on 29 Road. WesternSlopeNow reached out to representatives from Homeward Bound who declined 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 WesternSlopeNow.com. Mashaal praised the "resistance" of youth on university campuses, and rejected Hamas disarmament as tantamount to "taking away our souls," in an interview with Al Jazeera on Wednesday. A slight majority, 51%, of Americans between the ages of 18-21 are not only involved in the Palestinian cause, but are active in Hamas "resistance," leader of the terror group Khaled Mashaal said in an interview with Al Jazeera on Wednesday. DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) The Red Cross said it transferred the unidentified remains of three people to Israel late Friday but they were still being examined and may not be those of missing hostages, an Israeli military official said. The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to speak to the media, said the remains had earlier been turned over to the Red Cross by Hamas in Gaza. The handover follows Israel's return Friday of the bodies of 30 Palestinians to authorities in Gaza. That completed an exchange after militants turned over remains of two hostages, in a sign that the tense Israel-Hamas ceasefire agreement is edging forward. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The incremental progress came despite Israeli strikes on Gaza this week that killed more than 100 people following the killing of an Israeli soldier. The bodies were also transferred with the Red Cross serving as intermediary. The return of the Palestinian remains was confirmed by a doctor at Nasser Hospital in the southern city of Khan Younis, where medical workers were striving to identify them. Gaza and Israel grapple with latest exchange of bodies Photos showed the remains, in white body bags, arranged in rows inside the grounds of Nasser Hospital. Health officials have struggled to identify bodies without access to DNA kits. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The handover brings the number of Palestinian bodies returned by Israel to 225, only 75 of which have been identified by families, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. It is unclear if those returned were killed in Israel during the Oct. 7, 2023, attack that triggered the war, died in Israeli custody as detainees or were recovered from Gaza by troops during the war. The bodies returned had been torn apart and exhumed, Munir al-Bursh, director general of Gazas Health Ministry, said in a post on X. Their flesh had melted, their faces erased by fire, leaving behind only bones and teeth, he said. The Israeli military has previously told The Associated Press that all bodies returned so far are those of combatants, a claim the AP was unable to verify. The military has said it operates in accordance with international law. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Al-Bursh said recently that many of the bodies handed over appear to be fighters or others killed during the 2023 attack. Several relatives who have identified the bodies of family members said they werent fighters. In Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus office said late Thursday that the remains returned by Palestinian militants had been confirmed as those of Sahar Baruch and Amiram Cooper, both taken hostage during the 2023 attack. Hamas has now returned the remains of 17 hostages since the start of the ceasefire, with 11 others still in Gaza and set to be turned over under the terms of the agreement. On Friday a small crowd of Israelis gathered in the plaza known as Hostages Square, praying together for the return of the dead hostages still in Gaza. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We cannot give up until everybody, all the bodies, will be here," said Rimona Velner, a Tel Aviv resident who joined the gathering. Its very important to the families and for us ... to close this circle. Warning to Hamas A senior U.S. official and a second source familiar with negotiations said that in messages passed to Hamas by mediators on Wednesday, Israel warned the militant group that its fighters had 24 hours to leave the yellow zone or face strikes. That deadline passed Thursday evening, after which the senior U.S. official said Israel will enforce the ceasefire and engage Hamas targets behind the yellow line. Hamas did not respond to a request for comment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Friday, Shifa hospital director Mohamed Abu Selmiya said that one person had been killed by Israeli gunfire in northern Gaza. Israel's military said its troops had fired after the person approached troops in a way that posed a threat. In a new assessment released Friday, the United Nations said satellite photos taken in early October show that 81% of all buildings in Gaza have been destroyed or otherwise damaged in the conflict. Government officials from eight Arab and Muslim nations will gather in Istanbul on Monday to discuss the next steps for Gaza, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Friday. The talks follow a meeting between the countries' leaders and President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the United Nations Security Council, preceding the ceasefire agreement. They mark the latest effort to create an International Stabilization Force in Gaza, outlined in a 20-point U.S. plan. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The ceasefire, which began Oct. 10, is aimed at winding down a war that is by far the deadliest and most destructive of those ever fought between Israel and Hamas. In the October 2023 attack on Israel, Hamas-led militants killed about 1,200 people and took 251 others hostage. In the two years since, Israels military offensive has killed more than 68,600 Palestinians in Gaza, according to Gazas Health Ministry, which doesnt distinguish between civilians and combatants. The ministry, which is part of the Hamas-run government and is staffed by medical professionals, maintains detailed records viewed as generally reliable by independent experts. Israel, which some international critics have accused of committing genocide in Gaza, has disputed the figures without providing its own tally. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Israeli fire kills teen in West Bank In the central West Bank town of Silwad on Friday, mourners thronged the streets for the funeral of Yamen Hamed, 15, who Palestinian health officials say was shot by an Israeli soldier overnight. Samed Yousef Hamed kissed his son goodbye. Samed said his son left home Thursday to hang out with friends. Soon after, he learned the teen had been injured and Israel's army was preventing an ambulance from reaching him. Ahed Smirat, the ambulance driver who tried to reach Hamed following the shooting, told the AP that troops held him up multiple times. By the time they let him through, troops told him the teen had died, he said. Israels military called the teen a terrorist and said troops had fired believing that he was holding an explosive, but did not provide any evidence to support that characterization. Hamed's funeral was Friday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The shooting is the latest in a surge of military killings of Palestinian children in the West Bank that has accompanied a general upswing in violence in the territory since the start of the Israel-Hamas war. Some were killed during Israeli military raids in dense neighborhoods, others by sniper fire in peaceful areas. The killings have risen as the Israeli military has stepped up operations in the occupied West Bank since the wars onset in what it calls a crackdown on militants. ___ Frankel reported from Jerusalem. AP reporter Toqa Ezzidin in Cairo and AP Diplomatic Writer Matthew Lee in Washington contributed to this report. ___ Find more of APs Israel-Hamas coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war Aside from running the worlds first $5 trillion company, Jensen Huang is an unlikely figure to have gained President Donald Trumps ear. The Taiwanese American founder of AI chipmaker Nvidia wants to export more to China at a time when the president is locked in a fiery trade war. He has forthrightly declared immigration a boon for the American Dream, not a threat as Trump has suggested. Yet Trump has repeatedly praised the leather-jacket-wearing billionaire this year, underscoring how vital Nvidias artificial intelligence technology is to his vision of Americas industrial rejuvenation. Nvidia became the first company in history to be valued above $5 trillion on Wednesday, as new partnerships with the federal government and Trumps praise pushed its stock north of $210. Trump called Huang an incredible guy during a speech to CEOs at the APEC gathering in Gyeongju, South Korea. Earlier on Air Force One, Trump marveled at Nvidias technology and said he expected to discuss semiconductor trade, including Nvidias advanced Blackwell chips, during a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Last week, Trump cited a phone call from Huang as key to persuading him to stand down from sending Homeland Security agents into San Francisco. The entrepreneur praises Trump just as effusively. I come with one purpose only to inform and to be in service of the president as he thinks about how to make America great, Huang told reporters in Washington, where Nvidia showcased its AI technologies for federal use. Huang said he was incredibly proud and delighted to have contributed to Trumps White House ballroom, calling it a national monument. Trump, himself an Nvidia investor, has multiple reasons to be interested in the company. Nvidias AI chips are critical in Americas AI arms race with China, powering tools like ChatGPT. Huang pledged a $500 billion investment for Trumps domestic manufacturing drive larger than any company except Apple. Nvidia has also taken stakes in Intel and Nokia, both seen as vital to national security. Trump recounted how Huang presented him with the first of Nvidias advanced Blackwell chips. Its probably 10 years ahead of any other chip, he said. Perhaps Huangs biggest win has been bringing the White House around to his view that the U.S. should support global sales of Nvidia chips to outsell Chinese rivals. The shift from President Joe Bidens stance could mean billions in global sales. Trumps mention that he will speak to Xi about Blackwell chips suggested a possible softening of export curbs. On Tuesday, Nvidia announced projects for the federal government, including AI and supercomputing centers for the Energy Department and Los Alamos National Laboratory. The first thing that President Trump asked me for is bring manufacturing back, Huang said. Nine months later, we are now manufacturing in full production. This month, Nvidia began U.S. wafer production for its advanced Blackwell chip at a Taiwan Semiconductor factory in Arizona. It also announced a partnership with Oracle to build the Energy Departments largest AI supercomputer. Huang reiterated that U.S. companies must be able to sell to China and said export controls couldnt stop Chinas AI progress. They have plenty of AI chips, he said. Theyre doubling their capacity every year. Despite becoming the worlds most valuable company last year, Nvidia remains a Beltway newcomer. According to Opensecrets.org, it disclosed $3.5 million in lobbying expenses so far in 2025 its first year above $1 million. Most of Nvidias federal work takes place indirectly through clients like Amazon, Microsoft, OpenAI and Palantir. Departments including the Pentagon, NASA, the FBI, and the IRS also buy Nvidias chips and software directly. A person familiar with Nvidias dealings said Trumps team is more pragmatic, seeking to boost Nvidias global reach with fewer concerns about AI risks than Bidens administration. White House AI czar David Sacks has led efforts to promote Nvidia exports, warning that without them, we will forfeit this technology race. The Trump administrations approach contrasts sharply with Bidens sweeping export controls on high-end chips. The semiconductor industry argued those restrictions would only strengthen Chinas own chip sector. One former U.S. official said Nvidia used similar lobbying arguments on Bidens team but gained more traction with Trumps. Nvidias stock has soared more than tenfold since 2022, when it first warned that U.S. controls on China sales would hurt finances. Huang said in August that the company would have made around $50 billion from China sales this year had it been allowed to export a number he expects to grow 50 per cent annually. That would add roughly 25 per cent to Nvidias overall revenue and push its stock even higher. Nvidias relationship with the Trump administration started off rocky. In April, during the trade war with China, the U.S. halted sales of Nvidias H20 chip the last model still allowed to be exported costing the company an estimated $5.5 billion. Around the same time, Nvidia pledged to build $500 billion of AI infrastructure in the U.S., helping Trump tout it as proof of his manufacturing push, even though it was partly enabled by bipartisan Chips Act funding. Still, Huang has clashed with some administration supporters. Last month, he said on the BG2 podcast that the term China hawk was a badge of shame and argued that economic isolation from China hurt the U.S. Destroying that pipeline of the American Dream is not patriotic, he said. It was a night like no other-or was it? On Halloween, even the air itself seems to play tricks on us mere mortals. Weather has always been woven into the holiday's lore: the flicker of candles in a gusty wind or the fog that rolls in just as the porch lights dim. But history shows that the most memorable chills and thrills on Halloween haven't always come from haunted houses. Sometimes, the real fright comes straight from the weather itself. From ghostly cold snaps to record-setting warmth, here's a look back at the hottest and coldest Halloweens on record, when the atmosphere itself decided to join in the fun. 1966 - Concord, New Hampshire - 14 F Low On Oct. 31, 1966, trick-or-treaters in the small New England city faced one of the most frigid Halloweens on record, with low temperatures in the teens. The early-season cold in New Hampshire was part of a broader cold outbreak that spilled across the Northeast during the final days of October. 1930 - Los Angeles, CA - 92 F High Halloween in Los Angeles can feel more like midsummer than fall, but Oct. 31, 1930, still stands out as the city's hottest on record, topping out at 92 F. A late-October warm spell swept across Southern California that week, with high temperatures in Los Angeles at least 80 F every afternoon. With virtually no marine layer to temper the sun, inland heat spilled toward the coast, and Halloween decorations baked on porches as trick-or-treaters swapped masks for hand fans. RELATED: Ghastly, ghoulish weather: 5 infamous Halloween storms 2006 - Seattle, Washington - 30 F Low Halloween 2006 arrived with an unfamiliar chill in Seattle, the kind that cut straight through the fog and costume fabric. The low dropped to 30 F, tying the city's coldest Halloween on record alongside Oct 31, 2003. 2024 - New York City - 81 F High Fall 2024 in New York City was one for the record books, with scant rainfall and eerily warm weather. Halloween 2024 felt more like late August or early September in New York. It hit 81 F in Central Park and 83 F in nearby Newark, New Jersey. All of this was caused by a ridge of high pressure parked over the eastern United States, leading to bone-dry and warm weather. A display of pumpkins prepared for Halloween welcomes visitors at the Denver Zoo Tuesday, Oct. 18, 2022, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski) 1996 - Rochester, MN - 30 F High On Halloween in Rochester, Minnesota, in 1996, the high temperature scraped just 30 F, tying a record set in 1917 as the coldest Halloween ever. The low dipped down to a frigid 16 F. With minimal daylight warming, the autumn leaves crunched under people's feet like brittle bones, and even midday felt more like the heart of winter than an evening for trick-or-treating. 2024 - Corsicana, Texas - 99 F High On Halloween 2024, Corsicana, south of Dallas, recorded a blistering high of 99 F, shattering the previous record high for the date of 89 F set in 1950. The swelter marked one of the most anomalous late-October warm spells, driven in part by a strong ridge of high pressure over Texas and Oklahoma during much of the month. Sara Vasquez, lead teacher in the classroom with 2- and 3-year-old students at The Learning Bee in Frederick County, reads The Littlest Pumpkin Oct. 29. (Photo by William J. Ford/Maryland Matters) At The Learning Bee child care center in Frederick County, groups of preschoolers clustered around a table Wednesday to conduct a science experiment combining vinegar, food coloring and baking soda in a small, black pot with a teachers help. As the ingredients bubbled back out of the pot, the children yelled in unison, Haaaa! Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wasnt that exciting? asked lead preschool teacher Carolyn Jackson, as more children clamored to be part of the experiment. Its the sort of experience Learning Bee owner Cindi Webb wishes she could share with more children. But enrollment at Learning Bee is currently at about 75% of its 112-student capacity, she said, a victim of the ongoing freeze on state scholarships for children in day care. We are down, and we contribute a lot of it to not having the scholarship available for families, said Webb, who said Wednesday that just 15 of her current 83 students are on scholarship. But any hopes of the freeze being lifted anytime soon were largely dispelled Thursday, when state analysts presented House lawmakers with the latest data on the scholarship program. It is still too crowded to end the freeze, they were told, and new enrollments have been mostly limited to siblings of children who were already getting a scholarship. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lawmakers in the joint virtual briefing for the House Ways and Means Committee and the Appropriations Subcommittee on Education and Economic Development did not offer specific solutions, but pledged to push the issue in the 2026 General Assembly session. Carolyn Jackson, lead teacher in the preschool classroom, assists Mateo Coste, 3, and other students with a science experiment with vinegar, baking soda and food coloring at The Learning Bee in Frederick County on Oct. 29. (Photo by William J. Ford/Maryland Matters) The scholarship program has largely been a victim of its own success. When it began in 2018 as the Maryland Child Care Subsidy, enrollment stood at more than 12,000 children, according to data presented Thursday. By the last fiscal year, enrollment stood at 46,295, more than the state could afford, which sparked the freeze on enrollment. When it paused new enrollment in May, the state intended to reopen the program once enrollment dropped to a more manageable 40,000, hopefully by the start of the school year. But the latest figures show about 43,000 children enrolled. There are enrollment exceptions based on certain income guidelines such as families receiving temporary cash assistance (TCA) or supplemental security income (SSI) or having a sibling already enrolled in the program. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Alistair Johnston, a policy analyst who works with Ways and Means, said that since the freeze went into effect, about 1,308 children, or slightly more than 80% of eligible children enrolled, have been siblings. In the meantime, about 2,700 families remain on a waiting list. Laura Weeldreyer, executive director of Maryland Family Network, who participated in the briefing, thinks the number waiting to get in could be higher. I would like you to please consider that those numbers are a gross undercount because many families are walking away and not even applying for the child care scholarship program when they find out theres a freeze in place, she said. Its tough to accept a job or make plans for your family when you cant access child care. Del. Vanessa Atterbeary (D-Howard), chair of the Ways and Means Committee, asked Weeldreyer if she knew how many families have walked away and not applied. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its anecdotal, Weeldreyer said. Were hearing through those kind of front line supports and providers. While over-enrollment has caused problems, Atterbeary said the popularity of the program is something lawmakers should be proud of. It means more parents, especially mothers, have been able to return to the workforce here in Maryland, Atterbeary said. Its an extraordinary achievement and its one Im personally proud of as a legislator, and most importantly, as a mother. Ending the freeze is going to be my priority this upcoming legislative session. The nearly 70-minute briefing highlighted some legislation to improve the scholarship program, its popularity and challenges. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Johnston said one of the biggest legislative boosts came from a bill approved in 2022, sponsored by Montgomery County Democratic Dels. Jared Solomon and Julie Palakovich Carr. Part of the law now requires the state Department of Education to cover copayments for families participating in public benefits programs, to exclude child support payments calculated from a familys income and to allow at least 60 days of benefits for recipients while applications are under review. Right thing to do Laura Hyde, a senior policy analyst who works with the Appropriations Committee, summarized a few challenges in the early education profession. Hyde said the annual minimum wage salary for child care teachers in Maryland is about $31,000; it increases up to $43,000 for lead teachers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to 2023 data, she said the average cost of child care in the state for children ages 2 to 4 was $14,850 per year. The annual amount increased to slightly more than $19,000 to care for an infant. To help boost the profession, the state established a child care career and professional development fund to allow workers interested to obtain a college degree. About $3 million was allocated this fiscal year. Del. Kris Fair (D-Frederick) asked if theres initial data on how much it would cost to implement universal child care in Maryland. Johnston said there wasnt specific data available. However, what was presented is that if the state implemented universal child care for children from birth to two years old, the estimated cost could be $2.6 billion annually. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thats a very large number, but working towards that long term goal, it is the right thing to do, Atterbeary said. And the progress weve made in the last four years shows that this is possible if we stay the course and we continue to work hard. In the meantime, some children continue to receive an early childhood education at places like The Learning Bee. Webb said she wishes state lawmakers would visit her center. Come see our day to day, she said. Come see how were preparing the children and loving and caring for them and meeting their needs. The first group of residents of the city's oldest public housing development is being told to pack up and move in the next few months - even though other affordable housing planned throughout Third Ward, once touted as places they could move into directly, by and large has not even broken ground. "Now they want us to move out," said longtime resident Verdell Ingram. "My community is here. Everything is right here." While the housing authority promised that counselors would help residents figure out options, such as finding landlords who would accept a voucher, she did not have faith that they would be nearby. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At a meeting last week, the Houston Housing Authority updated Cuney Homes residents on the progress of its five-year, $671 million plan to tear down and rebuild the 553-unit public housing complex and parts of the surrounding Third Ward. The redevelopment would replace 87-year-old Cuney Homes with a mix of affordable and market-rate apartments, parks and commercial space - 883 affordable units and 232 at market rate - in an effort to create a community where residents of different incomes could live side by side. "Because the work involves complete reconstruction of all buildings and infrastructure, some temporary relocations are unavoidable to ensure safety and progress," said the housing authority in an emailed statement. "Each household will receive personalized relocation counseling, moving expense coverage, and at least three comparable housing options." Cuney Homes photographed on Sunday, May 25, 2025. (Elizabeth Conley/Houston Chronicle) Options could include moving to another housing authority community or to an apartment made affordable through federal subsidies tied to specific units (known as project-based vouchers). Residents could also work with counselors to find landlords in the private market who were willing to rent to someone using a voucher to cover a portion of their rent (through what are known as tenant protection vouchers). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Every effort is being made to identify temporary homes within the Third Ward for residents who wish to remain nearby," said the housing authority. "Others who prefer to explore different neighborhoods will also be supported in making those moves." CLAYTON HOMES REPLACEMENT: Toxic ash is delaying this $100M affordable housing project. What did Houston officials know? Officials originally pitched the idea of building additional housing for tenants to move directly into as a model for minimizing disruption. The issue of moving tenants has become more prominent as it redevelops its communities across Houston as part of its move away from public housing. (The replacement housing will instead be made affordable through other subsidies.) But as snags with the replacement housing pushed back their development, the guarantee that residents could stay in their neighborhood while it was rebuilt has begun to unravel. "The thing for residents is we still don't know where they're relocating and what their options are," said Julia Orduna, of the tenant advocacy nonprofit Texas Housers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When the housing authority first unveiled its vision for Cuney Homes' rebirth in 2023, officials laid out an ambitious plan: build new affordable housing nearby so residents could relocate within their own neighborhood before any demolition began. Then, later phases of tenants impacted by construction could move into the housing built on the land vacated by earlier phases. It was an elegant approach aimed at sidestepping the problems that have hampered its other affordable housing redevelopments - an apartment complex meant to replace Clayton Homes, from which tenants were relocated from 2017 to 2022, still has not opened; tenants displaced from 2100 Memorial by flood damage lived elsewhere for seven years before having the chance to return; and people put in temporary housing for the redevelopment of Allen Parkway Village have complained of being left in limbo for longer than anticipated. Cuney Homes photographed on Sunday, May 25, 2025. (Elizabeth Conley/Houston Chronicle) Two years after a plan was submitted to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, two attempts to build replacement housing before demolition began have collapsed: A large parcel of land the authority had counted on for replacement housing was instead sold to a private investor, and another planned development was stalled for a year amid public safety concerns. With construction now set to begin next summer before new units are built, longtime residents have no guarantee they'll find a unit in their community while waiting for Cuney Homes to be rebuilt. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement HOUSING CHOICE VOUCHERS: Red tape and a race against time: How Harris County affordable housing lets down tenants, landlords While the current incarnation of Cuney Homes lacks basic amenities like central air, residents have said they've made do with help from one another. While nearly half of tenants don't have cars, they can depend on friends for a ride when necessary. One said that his mother and the mother of George Floyd, who grew up in Cuney Homes, both had standing offers that allowed children from the community to stop by for a meal, effectively turning their kitchens into unofficial food pantries for the young. For those relationships to disappear, said longtime resident Delores Ford, would be a huge loss. "That's one of the things that makes Cuney Homes different than any other complex." Case workers, phased development The Houston Housing Authority is using housing choice vouchers to relocate the first group of residents, who will have the opportunity to move back once Cuney Homes is rebuilt. While most residents from the first phase will not be able to move directly into replacement housing, the authority noted that, since Cuney Homes will be redeveloped in multiple phases over five years, there will be "opportunities for many residents to move into new homes as they are completed." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The Third Ward Choice Neighborhoods Initiative continues to follow a build-first strategy," said the housing authority in an emailed response to questions. To ease the transition, tenants are being paired with counselors to help them find units that accept housing choice vouchers for relocation - a valuable service, because in Texas, landlords can legally refuse to rent to voucher holders, and most do. Each tenant would be provided with at least three comparable replacement units, the authority said in a printed fact sheet. The nonprofit Urban Strategies, Inc. will also work to connect residents to educational opportunities, jobs, and health services. The only development currently ready to take tenants serves only a very particular slice of the population and wasn't part of the plan outlined to tenants in 2023. The Carpenter, which broke ground in 2023, will provide housing to single parents pursuing post-secondary education while raising school-aged children. Developed by Brinshore, the firm now leading the Cuney Homes project, it includes 76 units, 15 of which will count as replacing public housing lost in the redevelopment. (The Atlanta-based developer Integral Group was removed from the project in the past year after the housing authority changed leadership.) Cuney Homes photographed on Sunday, May 25, 2025. (Elizabeth Conley/Houston Chronicle) Two other replacement projects remain years away. Trinity East Senior, developed by the NHP Foundation, will serve people ages 62 and older and is projected to break ground in the summer of 2026. Sixty of its 90 units will count as replacement units affordable to people earning 50% or less of the Houston area's median income. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement EMANCIPATION EAST: See how Midtown Redevelopment Authority's land sales undermined its affordable housing efforts Emancipation West, planned for housing authority land near Emancipation Park, is expected to start construction in winter 202627. The development will also serve ages 62 and older, and will include 37 replacement units for Cuney Home's affordable housing, 25 units affordable to households earning less than 80% of the Houston area's median income, and 18 market-rate units. That is planned to break ground in the winter of 2026-2027. The new Cuney Homes will eventually have 386 replacement units for the extremely affordable housing that will be torn down, 305 units affordable to households earning less than 80% of the Houston area's median income, and 214 market-rate units. The units will be a mix of densities, including townhome-style units and 3-4-story mid-rises built atop commercial space (those higher-density buildings will also be reserved for seniors). They'll surround a walking path shaded by densely planted trees, which the developer compared to the shaded paths intersecting Discovery Green, and numerous parks. The authority is also in conversation with a Black-owned bank about becoming one of the commercial tenants. Cuney Homes photographed on Sunday, May 25, 2025. (Elizabeth Conley/Houston Chronicle) Street parking will be eliminated in favor of gated parking lots to control the flow of people in and out of the community. The housing authority will pay the Houston Police Department for up to 129 additional patrol hours each week for the next three years, which could cost $1.5 million. The housing authority stated that it would make a best effort to offer any new jobs working on the development to residents of Cuney Homes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While the housing authority said the plan was a step in the right direction, it also noted that many details, such as the look and layouts of the apartments, the commercial tenants and whether bricks from the original Cuney Homes will be reused in the new buildings, have not yet been finalized. "This is a long-term commitment to the residents of Cuney Homes and Third Ward," said Jamie Bryant, the authority's president and chief executive, in an Oct. 22 press release. Bryant's background is in mixed-use developments with a region-wide profile - his work in the private sector includes East River, Levy Park and CityCentre in Houston and Century Square near Texas A&M. "This will be one of the most impactful undertakings HHA has ever led," Bryant said. Update and clarification (Oct. 30, 5:30 p.m.): This story has been updated to include additional statements from the Houston Housing Authority and more details on the transitional and replacement housing options for the Cuney Homes residents. This article originally published at Houston Housing Authority tells Cuney Homes residents to move - before replacement housing is ready. More federal charges have been levied against a co-founder of Houston's once-wildly popular Turkey Leg Hut. This time Lyndell "Lynn" Price faces three additional charges-one of possession of a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime, and two of felon in possession of a firearm-on top of the conspiracy and arson charges staring him down. A federal grand jury indictment, first reported by the Houston Chronicle, revealed the new charges handed over Wednesday by the U.S. Department of Justice. According to Fox 26 Houston, the indictment states that Price is accused of possessing a gun while selling marijuana sometime between 2019 and '22; moreover, that he allegedly possessed a DP-12 shotgun in 2022 and a Dickinson 12-gauge shotgun with flamethrower in 2023. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Back in April 2025, Price was charged with conspiracy to commit arson. According to federal officials, Price in June 2020 allegedly hired multiple people to set fire to Bar 5015, which was owned by Steve Rogers, his former business partner and co-founder of Turkey Leg Hut. Price is also accused of conspiracy to use an interstate facility to commit arson of a vehicle. Lyndell "Lynn" Price in 2019. (Gary Fountain/For the Houston Chronicle) The latest indictment comes just two weeks after Price's ex-wife, Nakia Holmes, was arrested on a felony charge of hindering apprehension after allegedly trying to stop the arrest of a man who was accused of assault and kidnapping. It continues to be a whirlwind few years for the co-founders of Turkey Leg Hut, once a Houston wonderland of fried and stuffed turkey legs and celebrity culture. Holmes and Price started the business in 2015, growing a brick-and-mortar location on Almeda Road in 2017. Celebrity cameos followed, with everyone from Snoop Dogg to James Harden making their presence known at the restaurant. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But controversy has blanketed Turkey Leg Hut, much like the smoke the place had once generated. Neighbors complained of the noise and smell coming from the restaurant, while a messy divorce between Holmes and Price brought several personal and professional allegations. In March 2024, Turkey Leg Hut's business offices were destroyed in a fire. Then came more fights, Price's side oyster business that seemed to be a direct shot against Turkey Leg Hut, and then the Houston Health Department shutting the restaurant down in September. Price remains in federal custody. He faces up to 20 years in federal prison. More Food & Drink Debate | Houston's beef with coffee in a paper cup spills over Popular | Texas chicken restaurant chain snags top U.S. ranking Nightlife | Houston drinking trend is redefining the local hangout Business | 'Closed' signs seen at controversial Houston restaurant For more food news and features from Chron, sign up for The Feed newsletter here. This article originally published at Houston Turkey Leg Hut's co-founder faces additional weapons charges. If you weighed all the worlds mammals, how much of that figureknown as biomasswould include wild animals? As of 2020, they contributed roughly 5 percent of the biomass of all mammals, compared to around half in 1850, according to a paper recently published in the journal Nature Communications. As human populations exploded over the past two centuries, our hunger for land and natural resources has drastically reshaped the composition of the worlds mammals. While scientists often track species extinction as a key measure of biodiversity, the authors write that this metric only partially reflects the global status of wildlife. Measuring creatures biomass, meanwhile, offers an integrative global view across groups of species while answering a very basic curiosity-driven question regarding the ubiquity of life. TROUBLE IN THE WILD: This graph charts the shocking plummet in the proportion of wild mammals on Earth. Image by This graph charts the shocking plummet in the proportion of wild mammals on Earth. Image by Greenspoon et al, 2025 Domesticated animals currently outweigh wild mammals tenfold, which puts substantial pressure on natural resources. Raising livestock demands significant amounts of water, land, and feed. Livestock also contribute some 12 percent of the worlds greenhouse gas emissions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The researchers also analyzed the biomass of wild marine mammals, which has sunk by some 70 percent since 1850owing to the rise of industrial whaling and extensive hunting pressures in the 19th and 20th centuries. But after 1986, when the International Whaling Commission issued a moratorium on the industrial hunting of Great Whale species, such as the blue whale and humpback whale, wild marine mammal biomass began to rebound. Such insights are missed when solely considering species extinctions, the authors of the new study write, because only about 2 percent of marine mammal species have been recorded as extinct since the 1850s. MARINE MASS: A graph of the estimated biomass of the worlds wild marine mammals, which has tumbled over the past century. Image by A graph of the estimated biomass of the worlds wild marine mammals, which has tumbled over the past century. Image by Greenspoon et al, 2025 To arrive at these biomass estimates, scientists from Israel and the United States drew on extensive demographic data for human and livestock populations. But they encountered a dearth of data on wild mammals, and acknowledge that their estimates have limitations. The team combed through the literature to glean historical population estimates of some species, and for wild land mammal species lacking records they assume that their biomass remained constant since 1850. To gauge wild marine mammal biomass, they employed a model drawing on population estimates and catch records. While these biomass estimates are imperfect, the authors hope that they can inform future conservation effortsand tip the worlds scale back toward previous measures. Enjoying Nautilus? Subscribe to our free newsletter. This story was originally featured on Nautilus. Hundreds of new laws take effect Saturday. The Oklahoma State Capitol is pictured above. (Photo by Kyle Phillips/For Oklahoma Voice) OKLAHOMA CITY About 280 new laws take effect Saturday, including an income tax cut. House Bill 2764 reduces the states top income tax bracket by .25% from 4.75% to 4.5%. Most Oklahomans fall within the top bracket. It also has a path toward elimination of the states income tax through revenue triggers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It was a top priority of Gov. Kevin Stitt during the last legislative session. The fiscal impact in fiscal year 2027 is $340.5 million. House Bill 1389 expands insurance coverage for diagnostic mammograms. Stitt vetoed the measure, but lawmakers overrode it. Another measure, Senate Bill 1019, prohibits insurers from putting a time limit on the use of anesthesia during a medical or surgical procedure. It also bars insurers from restricting coverage or payment for time under anesthesia. Senate Bill 176 gives women access to a six-month prescription of birth control. House Bill 2263 makes it illegal to use a cell phone in a school zone or work zone. It has exceptions for hands-free or voice-operated functions and to communicate with emergency or medical personnel. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Violators are subject to a fine of not more than $100. Lawmakers overrode Stitts veto of the measure. House Bill 2674 creates the Statewide Official Compensation Commission to set the salaries of statewide elected officers, such as the governor, lieutenant governor and attorney general. The commission is prohibited from reducing salaries that were in effect as of Jan. 1, 2025. Senate Bill 50 provides for a sales tax exemption for firearm and gun safety devices. Safety devices include a gun safe, lock box, trigger lock and barrel lock. Lawmakers return to the Capitol on Feb. 2. It will be Stitts final session due to term limits. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE In the ruins of Black River, which the Jamaican government has described as Hurricane Melissa's "ground zero," people are scrambling for relief. "People are hungry," said Monique Powell as she stood watch over a stash of groceries and household items for herself and a group of residents from another hurricane-torn community nearby. Melissa came ashore just west of Black River on Tuesday as one of the most powerful Atlantic hurricanes on record, leaving up to 90% of all structures in the town without roofs as it snapped power lines and toppled concrete structures. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The storm was being blamed for at least 51 deaths, mostly in Haiti and Jamaica. It also hit Cuba hard. Authorities said 19 people were killed in Jamaica, at least 31 in Haiti and at least one in the Dominican Republic. Melissa was over the open waters of the Atlantic after racing past Bermuda early Friday, packing 90 mph maximum sustained winds, the Miami-based U.S. National Hurricane Center said. It became a post-tropical cyclone by late Friday morning, the center said. In Jamaica, helicopters hovered over isolated communities, dropping food as crews rushed to reopen roads. "You are not forgotten," said Daryl Vaz, energy and transport minister. Residents gather amid debris in the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa on a street in Black River, Jamaica, on Oct. 30, 2025. / Credit: Matias Delacroix / AP Christopher Boxe, a restaurant owner in Kingston, Jamaica, noted the stark differences in how various parts of the island fared. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "This morning has felt like we live in two Jamaicas, you know, Jamaica, where, like most people are going to work in Kingston and their homes have minimal damage, and then you have the other half, which looks just devastated. And it's heartbreaking," he told CBS News. More than 7,000 people remained in shelters, with 66% of the island without power and around half of the nation's water systems offline, officials said at a news conference Friday. People clutched cash as they formed long lines at the few gas stations and supermarkets open in affected areas. Officials said the dead in Jamaica included a child, and they expected the death toll to keep rising. In one isolated community, residents pleaded with officials to remove the body of a victim tangled in a tree. On Thursday, dozens of U.S. search-and-rescue experts landed in Jamaica along with their dogs. No reported deaths but Cuba far from spared Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Cuba, heavy equipment began to clear blocked roads and highways and the military helped rescue people trapped in isolated communities and at risk from landslides. No deaths were reported after the Civil Defense evacuated more than 735,000 people across eastern Cuba ahead of the storm. Residents were slowly starting to return home Thursday. A man stands next to a damaged house after Hurricane Melissa passed Boca de Dos Rios village, Santiago de Cuba province, Cuba on Oct. 30, 2025. / Credit: YAMIL LAGE / AFP via Getty Images The town of El Cobre in the eastern province of Santiago de Cuba was one of the hardest hit. Home to some 7,000 people, it is also the site of the Basilica of Our Lady of Charity, the patron saint of Cuba who is deeply venerated by Catholics and practitioners of Santeria, an Afro-Cuban religion. "We went through this very badly. So much wind, so much wind. Zinc roofs were torn off. Some houses completely collapsed. It was a disaster," said Odalys Ojeda, a 61-year-old retiree, as she looked up at the sky from her living room, where the roof and other parts of the house were torn away. Even the basilica was hit. "Here at the sanctuary, the carpentry, stained glass and even the masonry suffered extensive damage," Father Rogelio Dean Puerta said. A televised Civil Defense meeting chaired by President Miguel Diaz-Canel didn't provide an official estimate of the damage. However, officials from the affected provinces Santiago, Granma, Holguin, Guantanamo and Las Tunas reported losses of roofs, power lines and fiber optic telecommunications cables, as well as roads cut off, isolating communities, and heavy losses in banana, cassava and coffee plantations. Many communities were still without electricity, internet and telephone service because of downed transformers and power lines. In an unusual statement on Thursday, the U.S. State Department said Washington was "ready to assist the Cuban people." It said the U.S. "is prepared to provide immediate humanitarian assistance directly and through local partners who can deliver it more effectively to those in need." The statement didn't specify how the cooperation would be coordinated or whether contact had been made with the Cuban government, with which it maintains a bitter conflict that includes six decades of economic and financial sanctions. Haiti reeling Melissa also unleashed catastrophic flooding in Haiti, where authorities reported at least 31 people killed and 21 others missing, mostly in the country's southern region. More than 15,000 people also remained in shelters. "It is a sad moment for the country," said Laurent Saint-Cyr, president of Haiti's transitional presidential council. Jules Marcelin, who says he had two family members die in deadly flooding caused by Hurricane Melissa, shows the damage to his home in Petit Goave, Haiti, on Oct. 30, 2025. / Credit: Egeder Pq Fildor / REUTERS He said officials expect the death toll to rise and noted that the government was mobilizing resources to search for people and provide emergency relief. Haiti's Civil Protection Agency said Hurricane Melissa killed at least 20 people, including 10 children, in Petit-Goave, where more than 160 homes were damaged and 80 others destroyed. Steven Guadard said Melissa killed his entire family in Petit-Goave, including four children ranging in age from 1 month to 8 years. Michelet Degange, who has lived in Petit-Goave for three years, said Melissa left him homeless. "There is no place to rest the body; we are hungry," he said. "The authorities don't think about us. I haven't closed my eyes since the bad weather began." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump wants Senate Republicans to scrap the filibuster to end the government shutdown House lawmakers told their paychecks are delayed until government reopens Video shows massive damage in Jamaica from Hurricane Melissa Pakistan has agreed to continue a ceasefire with Afghanistan as long as Afghan soil is not used for infiltration by terrorists, while a principal-level meeting is set for 6 November 2025, Azernews reports DND News Agency. According to the Joint Statement on the Talks Between Afghanistan and Pakistan Through the Mediation of Turkiye and Qatar, modalities of implementation will be discussed and decided at a principal-level meeting in Istanbul on 6 November 2025. The Joint Statement says: Afghanistan, Pakistan, Turkiye and Qatar held meetings in Istanbul from 2530 October 2025 aimed at solidifying the ceasefire agreed by Afghanistan and Pakistan in Doha on 1819 October 2025, with the mediation of Turkiye and Qatar. All parties have agreed to continue the ceasefire. Further modalities of implementation will be discussed and decided at the principal-level meeting in Istanbul on 6 November 2025. All parties have agreed to put in place a monitoring and verification mechanism that will ensure maintenance of peace and impose penalties on any violating party. As mediators, Turkiye and Qatar express their appreciation for the active contribution of both parties and stand ready to continue cooperating with both sides for lasting peace and stability. The Joint Declaration in Turkiye is a welcome development, and Afghanistan is now expected to deliver on its commitments with Turkiye and Qatar. An official from the Foreign Office in Islamabad, directly dealing with the situation, told DND News Agency that Pakistan welcomes the interim understanding reached in Istanbul under the mediation of Turkiye and Qatar. He said Pakistan reaffirms its commitment to peace and stability on its western border but equally stresses that this ceasefire is neither open-ended nor unconditional. According to understandings gathered by DND from Foreign Office sources, the single litmus test for continuation of the ceasefire is that Afghanistan will not allow its territory to be used for attacks against Pakistan. Afghanistan must take clear, verifiable and effective steps against Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and other militant entities. Pakistan expects credible evidence of action, including dismantling militant hideouts, disrupting logistical channels, arresting or prosecuting leadership, and transparent reporting through the agreed monitoring and verification mechanism. If Afghanistan fails to deliver verifiable proof of agreed steps, or if militants continue to launch attacks from Afghan soil, Pakistan will deem the ceasefire violated and reserve all options to safeguard its sovereignty and citizens. The monitoring and verification mechanism established under the mediators auspices will serve as the impartial and essential instrument to determine Afghanistans compliance. Pakistan enters this phase in good faith, but also with realism: past patterns of border violence demonstrate the need for sustained implementation, not only formal commitments, commented a senior Foreign Office official to DND News Agency. Available information confirms that Pakistan will keep all its forces on alert and expects that Afghanistan understands this arrangement is a conditional truce one that hinges on demonstrable responsibility by the Afghan side. Failure to meet that responsibility will require Pakistan to revert to other measures. The Government of Pakistan and the Armed Forces remain united in the message: Peace is our preference; protection of Pakistans territorial integrity is non-negotiable. A retired Federal Secretary when asked to comment over the Joint Statement that avoided using words such as interim or conditional while providing sense that the arrangements are at least interim if not conditional, he commented: It appears that both Pakistan and the Taliban have been advised to exercise restraint for the time being. One can infer that new proposals or confidence-building measures may have been floated to both parties for consideration. It must be acknowledged, however, that Turkiye and Qatar hold considerable influence with both Islamabad and the Taliban leadership. Both countries have maintained close diplomatic and economic ties with Afghanistans de facto rulers, while also enjoying cordial relations with Pakistan. Given their strategic interests in regional stability, it is likely that Ankara and Doha are working behind the scenes to ensure that tensions do not escalate into open confrontation. For Turkiye and Qatar, maintaining the current status quo, however fragile, serves several purposes: it preserves their diplomatic leverage, sustains humanitarian engagement in Afghanistan, and prevents further destabilization along Pakistans western frontier. A slide into kinetic operations would not only threaten regional security but could also undermine their broader diplomatic and developmental investments in the region. In essence, the involvement of these two actors provides a moderating influence at a time when prudence and dialogue are of paramount importance. PORTLAND, Maine (AP) A new report says Americas lobsters, which have been in decline since 2018, are now being overfished off New England. The stock has declined by 34% since that year in its most important fishing grounds, the regulatory Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission said Thursday. The commission said it now considers overfishing of the species to be occurring, and that could bring new management measures that restrict fishermen from catching them in the future. Lobsters are among Americas most lucrative seafood species, and they were worth more than $700 million at the docks last year. The industry caught record high numbers of the crustaceans in the 2010s. But the lobster population has shown rapid declines in abundance in recent years, the commission said in a statement. The assessment said the decline and overfishing were taking place in fishing areas off Maine and Massachusetts where most lobster fishing takes place. The assessment also considered the southern New England lobster stock, which it said has been depleted for years and remains so. Regulators have attempted to enforce new rules on lobster fishermen to try to stem the decline in recent years, but they have been met with resistance. They had planned to increase the minimal harvest size for lobsters in key fishing grounds this summer. That would have required fishermen to throw back lobsters that previously could have been sold. The commission backed off the rules earlier this year after months of protest from lobster fishermen who found the new rules unnecessary and threatening to their livelihoods. Fishermen in the industry are also contending with challenges from potential new rules to protect rare whales, warming oceans and volatile trade markets. Even as the resource adjusts from record highs, lobstermen remain deeply committed to stewardship, sustainable practices, and to protecting the fishery that sustains thousands of Maine families, said Patrice McCarron, executive director of the Maine Lobstermens Association. The American lobster fishery is based mostly in Maine. Carl Wilson, commissioner of the Maine Department of Marine Resources, said the state will continue to engage industry in discussions about the stock assessment and the future of the fishery and he is confident in the commitment of this industry to conservation of this resource. By PATRICK WHITTLE Associated Press NEED TO KNOW Officials say nearly 50 people have died in the Caribbean following Hurricane Melissa Experts estimate between $48 billion to $52 billion in damage and economic loss was caused by the storm The devastation is heartbreaking, said AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist Jonathan Porter The death toll from Hurricane Melissa has risen to 49 as those in the Caribbean begin recovering from the historic storm. Officials have said 19 people have died in Jamaica and at least 30 have died in Haiti, two of the countries hit hardest by Melissa, according to the BBC, The New York Times and Reuters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Among those killed in Haiti are 23 people, including 10 children, who were in the town of Petit-Goave when a river flooded, Reuters reported. Another 18 people are missing in Haiti, according to The Haitian Times. RICARDO MAKYN/AFP via Getty Uprooted trees are seen surrounded by damaged buildings following the passage of Hurricane Melissa, in Black River, St. Elizabeth, Jamaica on October 29, 2025. Uprooted trees are seen surrounded by damaged buildings following the passage of Hurricane Melissa, in Black River, St. Elizabeth, Jamaica on October 29, 2025. Experts with AccuWeather estimated between $48 billion to $52 billion in damage and economic loss was caused by Melissa throughout the western Caribbean. AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist Jonathan Porter said some may never be able to recover from Melissa, which will force many businesses to be shut down for weeks, months, or even years. Many people, Porter noted, were still recovering from the damage caused by Hurricane Beryl last year when Melissa struck. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The devastation is heartbreaking, Porter said. Hours of extreme winds and powerful storm surge, combined with days of torrential rainfall, destroyed thousands of homes and businesses. Lives have been turned upside down by this storm. CLARENS SIFFROY/AFP via Getty People walk through a flooded street following Hurricane Melissa in Petit-Goave, southwest of Port-au-Prince, on October 30, 2025. People walk through a flooded street following Hurricane Melissa in Petit-Goave, southwest of Port-au-Prince, on October 30, 2025. Melissa is a post-tropical storm as of Friday, Oct. 31, as it moves through the northwest Atlantic Ocean, according to a public advisory from the National Hurricane Center. At its peak, Melissa had maximum sustained winds of 185 mph with wind gusts over 200 mph. It was a Category 5 hurricane when it made landfall near New Hope, Jamaica, on Tuesday, Oct. 28. 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 storm also hit Bermuda on Thursday, Oct. 30, as a Category 1 storm, according to AccuWeather. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Forecasters with the National Hurricane Center expect Melissa will continue to gradually weaken over the next few days. The storm could bring a brief period of heavy rain to the southern Avalon Peninsula of Newfoundland, Canada, on Friday, but will otherwise stay out to sea. To learn how to help support the victims and recovery efforts from Hurricane Melissa, click here. Read the original article on People Waco, Texas (FOX 44) I spoke with Victoria Samuels who is currently in Jamaica amid the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa. You can watch our interview above. If you would like to donate to help with hurricane relief, you can visit the links below. American Friends of Jamaica: Go Here Food For The Poor: https://foodforthepoor.donorsupport.co/page/2025melissa Jamaican Gov. Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management: https://supportjamaica.gov.jm/ Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KWKT - FOX 44. Hurricane Melissa, one of the strongest Atlantic storms on record, has carved a devastating path through the Caribbean this week. The storm has left at least 34 people dead and caused catastrophic damage across multiple islands. Melissa made landfall in southwestern Jamaica on Tuesday as a Category 5 storm with sustained winds of 185 mph. The hurricane weakened slightly before striking eastern Cuba on Wednesday as a Category 3 system. However, the destruction has been particularly severe in Jamaica, where entire communities have been isolated by flooding and landslides. The nation is now facing widespread infrastructure damage, including collapsed roads, telecommunications outages, flooded bridges, and extensive power failures. According to Jamaicas education minister, Dana Morris Dixon, 77% of the island was without power the morning after the storm, CBS News reported. The hurricane has now moved northeast through the Bahamas. It is currently tracking toward Bermuda as a Category 2 storm with maximum sustained winds of 105 mph, according to the National Hurricane Centers latest advisory. Hurricane Melissa Devastates The Caribbean The full extent of Hurricane Melissas destruction is still being assessed, but early reports indicate widespread catastrophic damage. In Jamaica, which took a direct hit from the hurricane at its peak, satellite images show once-vibrant towns reduced to dirt and rubble. The southwestern Jamaican fishing village of White House and the nearby town of Black River appear particularly devastated in before-and-after aerial photographs, as shared by CBS News. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the latest reports, the death toll in Jamaica remains uncertain, with officials still working to confirm casualties. Desmond McKenzie, Jamaicas minister leading the emergency response, told reporters that he could not give a proper update on the number of deaths so far because the Jamaican police have not yet confirmed them all. But what I will say is there have been casualties and we do anticipate, based on our information, that therell be more, he added, as reported by The New York Times. More than 25,000 people remain in shelters across the island, though McKenzie noted the number had reduced substantially over the last day as many residents have returned home. According to Al Jazeera, in Haiti, at least 25 deaths have been reported. Cubas second-largest city, Santiago de Cuba, was severely hit when the hurricane made landfall there as a Category 3 storm. President Miguel Diaz-Canel acknowledged considerable damage across eastern Cuba, according to CNN. Airport, Airline, And Cruise Updates Jamaicas airports are gradually resuming operations after Hurricane Melissas devastating impact. Norman Manley International Airport in Kingston reopened for emergency relief flights late Wednesday and has now begun accepting limited commercial flights, according to Jamaicas Transportation Minister Daryl Vaz. The first commercial flights carrying passengers, relief supplies, and aid workers landed Thursday morning, as reported by the BBC. Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay, Jamaicas busiest airport, has partially reopened for emergency flights as of Thursday morning, though most commercial flights remain canceled according to FlightAware data. American Airlines has announced the resumption of specific flights, operating two round-trip flights between Miami and Kingston on October 30. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cruise lines have made significant itinerary adjustments to avoid Hurricane Melissas path. Royal Caribbean repositioned several ships, including Icon of the Seas, which switched its Eastern Caribbean sailing to a Western Caribbean route, replacing St. Thomas and St. Maarten with Roatan and Cozumel. Other affected Royal Caribbean vessels include Harmony of the Seas, Rhapsody of the Seas, Freedom of the Seas, and Odyssey of the Seas, as reported by Cruise Industry News. Additional cruise lines making itinerary changes include Celebrity Cruises, MSC Cruises, Disney Cruise Line, and Margaritaville at Sea. What Travelers Should Know Right Now Travelers planning to visit Jamaica, Cuba, Haiti, or other affected areas in the coming days are advised to postpone their trips until infrastructure and services are restored. Those already in affected regions should follow all instructions from local authorities and their accommodation providers. For those with upcoming Caribbean flights, it is essential to check with the airlines about their cancellation policies. Most major carriers are offering flexible rebooking options without change fees for travel to affected destinations. Travelers stranded abroad should register with their embassies for country-specific guidance. Where Is Hurricane Melissa Headed Next? Hurricane Melissa is currently tracking toward Bermuda as a Category 2 storm with maximum sustained winds of 105 mph. According to the National Hurricane Center, the hurricane is moving north-northeast at approximately 21 mph and is expected to continue accelerating northeastward over the next couple of days. A hurricane warning is in effect for Bermuda, as the storm is forecast to pass to the northwest of the island later Thursday into the evening. Some slight strengthening is possible before the hurricane begins to weaken on Friday. The post Hurricane Melissa: What Travelers Need to Know About Damage and Safety appeared first on Travel Noire. Hyatt Hotels has introduced the Thompson Hotels brand in the Asia Pacific market for the first time with a property in Shanghai, China. Situated in Shanghais World Expo district, the new Thompson Shanghai Expo offers 254 rooms and suites, event facilities, and various dining and nightlife options. The hotel is part of Expo Place, a riverfront commercial complex near major venues such as the Shanghai World Expo Exhibition and Convention Centre, Mercedes-Benz Arena, and China Art Museum. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The building was designed by Goettsch Partners from Chicago, featuring a curved tower with a prominent glass facade that reflects the Huangpu River. SilverFox Studios of Singapore created interiors inspired by the 2010 Shanghai Expo pavilions. Guest rooms at the Thompson Shanghai Expo offer city or river views through floor-to-ceiling windows. Each room features hardwood floors, furnishings, marble bathrooms, coffee machines, and other amenities. Thompson Shanghai Expo also provides eight event venues, including Thompson Hall, one of the areas largest ballrooms at 1,100m with capacity for up to 1,150 people. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hyatt Lifestyle group president and creative director Amar Lalvani said: The Thompson Hotels brand started in New York as a cultural home base for people plugged into the city. Now, entering its 25th year, its wonderful to see the brand taking root in other vibrant markets across the globe. Madrid was a perfect step into Europe, at a time when that city is buzzing like never before. Shanghai similarly alive, creative, and incredibly dynamic. It feels like the right place, at the right moment, for the first Thompson hotel in Asia. Last year, the first Thompson Hotels-branded property was added to US-based investment company Gencoms network. "Hyatt debuts Thompson Hotels brand in Asia Pacific" was originally created and published by Hotel Management Network, a GlobalData owned brand. Russia is reportedly using so-called "low-level agents" in its hybrid warfare against the West ordinary civilians recruited, often via social media, to carry out relatively minor acts of espionage and sabotage. These acts can include arson, photographing or filming military or critical infrastructure, or even sending parcel bombs. The goal is always the same: to create chaos and insecurity among the population. In his October government statement, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz also accused Moscow of waging hybrid warfare against the West. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hybrid warfare combines military, political, economic, and cyber tactics to blur the line between war and peace. In comparison, the so-called Islamic State terrorist group (IS) has also been accused of a form of hybrid warfare, using the internet to radicalise and unsettle people in the West. Related "There's this notion that hybrid warfare is either little green men, like in 2014, or disinformation," Kacper Rekawek, senior research fellow and programme director at the International Centre for Counter-Terrorism (ICCT), told Euronews. "But there are many other aspects crime, for example." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "If you look at Russia's military doctrine, at interstate terrorism state against state they are fully aware that hybrid warfare is a tool they can use," Rekawek added. He explained that the approach generally remains the same: morally questionable individuals are recruited because they are more pliable and easier to manipulate. "Those are Russia's natural allies," he claimed. This approach allows Russia to conduct hybrid warfare by using criminals as proxies in Europe, much like the so-called IS once recruited European criminals for violent operations. This photo released on March 27, 2016, by the Syrian news agency SANA, shows a burned banner of the Islamic State group, in the ancient city of Palmyra, central Syria - Uncredited/AP Experts draw parallels between the two: the recruitment and operational methods of Russian intelligence resemble those used by IS, which since its founding in April 2013 has sought to establish a totalitarian state under an ultraconservative interpretation of Sharia law a system of religious, moral, and legal rules based on the Quran and Sunnah. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement IS is known for particularly brutal tactics, often staged for maximum media impact, targeting anyone they consider an "infidel". According to Germany's domestic intelligence agency, the biggest threat comes from lone actors or small groups inspired by such propaganda. Between faith and influence Both Russia and IS rely on ideologically charged propaganda. IS mainly targeted young, often marginalised Muslims around the world men and women offering them a sense of community and purpose. Between 2012 and 2017, mosques in Germany became recruitment hubs, notably the Fussilet 33 mosque in Berlin's Moabit district. A study by the Konrad Adenauer Foundation found that preachers there promoted Salafist teachings and built contacts with fighters in Syria. Early on, they urged followers to join Islamist groups like Junud al-Sham. Later, they backed the so-called Islamic State. Looking back, the mosque is seen as IS' most crucial recruitment centre in Germany. Police in front of the Fussilet 33 mosque after a raid following a decision by state authorities to ban the organization that ran the mosque in Berlin-Moabit, Feb. 28, 2017 - Gregor Fischer/AP Just as IS between 2013 and 2019 deliberately mobilised specific groups, Russia also uses ideologically tailored messages whether religious or nationalist to generate loyalty and readiness to act. Does Russia recruit from Russian Orthodox communities in Germany? Russia targets not only nationalists but also those on the margins of society. The ideal "low-level agent" is either ideologically motivated or seeking financial security, Dr Hans Jakob Schindler, head of the Counter Extremism Project (CEP), explained. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Unlike traditional extremist groups, these low-level agents rarely act purely out of ideology, since financial incentives almost always play a part. "Precarious economic circumstances combined with ideological affinity make for the perfect combination," Schindler said. Russia actively recruits socially marginalised, often Russian-speaking individuals across Europe to act as proxies in hybrid warfare operations. Vulnerabilities in specific communities are exploited to advance Russia's geopolitical goals, according to a report by the International Centre for Counter-Terrorism (ICCT). Observers believe it is possible that Russia also recruits within Russian-speaking communities in Germany. Russian Orthodox congregations, in particular, are under scrutiny due to their close ties to the Orthodox mother church in Russia. "The Russian Orthodox Church is very close to the Kremlin and has supported Russia's wars of aggression since 2014, and again in 2022," Schindler noted, stressing, however, that he wouldn't describe the church itself as "particularly vulnerable". Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kyrill with Putin during a visit to the Annunciation of the Holy Mother of God Church of the St. Alexander Nevsky Lavra, 28. July 2024 - Alexei Danichev/Sputnik An Orthodox priest, speaking to Euronews on the condition of anonymity, said the Russian narrative seems to have become "a bit more cautious". Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "For example, their dioceses now say and this was a directive from the Moscow headquarters of the Russian Patriarchate 'we don't get involved in political debates; we're only here to serve the religious needs of local people.' That, however, needs to be questioned," he said. Related The Church acts as an ideological pillar for the Kremlin, mobilising people by having Patriarch Kyrill I and other church leaders frame the war as a defence of Orthodox values against Western influence. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In March last year, the Russian Orthodox Church issued a decree calling Russia's war against Ukraine a "holy war", aimed at ending Ukrainian independence and imposing Russian rule. The decree also claimed the conflict was necessary to "protect the world from the onslaught of globalism and the triumph of the West, which has succumbed to Satanism." According to the cleric, some Russian Orthodox communities promote a very particular worldview in which bishops hold almost unquestioned authority. "Once the service is over, it's very difficult to challenge what the bishops say. They are treated almost like gods and wield significant authority," he explained. Russian troops listen to Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kyrill performing the rite of the great consecration of the Church of the Great Martyr George the Victorious, Oct. 19, 2025 - Oleg Varov/Russian Orthodox Church Press Service Related How propaganda and fear shape societies Russia and IS both rely on targeted propaganda and disinformation to weaken societies. Their strategies are broadly similar, combining outright violence with subtler methods of disruption. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The difference lies in the response. "We were all in agreement: IS is evil," said Rekawek. "With Russia, that's not the case, which is why the reaction to Russian hybrid warfare is far less clear-cut. People talk about targeting specific groups, calling it sabotage or diversion, but they dont lump it together under one label. In fact, many experts, politicians, and decision-makers in the West accept the term 'hybrid warfare' or 'hybrid campaign', because in the public eye it still feels a long way from terrorism." Dr Christopher Nehring, director of the Cyber Intelligence Institute and an expert on disinformation, told Euronews that hybrid attacks primarily target the psyche of society. "Of course, it's worrying when individuals are harmed say, in arson attacks by so-called low-level agents but strategically, for the state as a whole, it doesnt really matter," he explained. "The safety of each person must be protected as best as possible, but we cannot let that dictate our strategic approach. With terrorist groups such as the RAF or IS that was always part of the communications strategy: terror is terrible, but we don't let it control us," Nehring said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The same applies to Russia. Minor incidents shouldnt frighten us, but we do need to build psychological resilience and communicate effectively," Nehring added, noting it's clear the current level of protection "is still not sufficient". How can a society protect itself against hybrid warfare? Find out on Friday in the fifth part of the Euronews series "Putin's secret terror in Germany". SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KCAU) In Iowa, more than 270,000 people throughout the state use SNAP. As SNAP benefits are expected to come to an end on Saturday, Iowa food banks are receiving some extra help from the state to meet demand. Governor Kim Reynolds said the state will match all cash donations to six Iowa food banks up to $1 million. Of those six, the Food Bank of Siouxland in Sioux City is included. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Story continues below During a press conference on Friday, Reynolds said that even the smallest donation can make a big difference in the long run. Better yet, your donation will go twice as far because the state will match it dollar for dollar. So, a $25 donation becomes $50, a $50 donation becomes $100, Governor Reynolds explained. And, if just 50,000 Iowans each donate $20, we can fully leverage the states $1 million match to provide $2 million of support to your food banks. And, that will make a real difference for Iowans in need. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Reynolds also clarified that remaining funds on EBT cards will not be affected amid the government shutdown. If there is a remaining balance on their SNAP card, the card will work and the balance can be used during November, said Reynolds. If the government reopens during the month of November, SNAP users will receive their full November benefits at that time. The donation matching begins on November 1. If you want to make an online donation, 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 SiouxlandProud | Sioux City, IA | News, Weather, and Sports. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has stated that Russian forces have attacked key substations supplying Ukraine-controlled nuclear power plants, leading to a reduction in the output of at least one of the plant's reactors. Source: IAEA press service Details: IAEA teams at the Pivdennoukrainsk Nuclear Power Plant and Khmelnytskyi Nuclear Power Plant (KhNPP) reported that each of these stations had lost access to one of their external power lines. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In addition, the IAEA team at the Rivne Nuclear Power Plant reported that the station had reduced the output of two of its four reactors at the request of the system operator. The IAEA team at the KhNPP was also forced to take shelter in a hotel for several hours this morning due to the attack. Background: Russian forces attacked railway infrastructure in Kharkiv and Sumy oblasts, targeting a passenger depot in the latter. Eleven people were injured, including four children, in a Russian drone attack on the city of Sumy. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) warned Thursday that a Russian missile and drone attack on Ukrainian power plants had jeopardized nuclear safety. Russia has battered Ukrainian energy facilities and other civilian infrastructure as part of its on-going full-scale invasion, and the latest attack on Thursday included more than 650 drones and 50 missiles, according to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Ukrainian authorities said at least six people were killed in the strikes, including a 7-year-old girl, and that children between 2 and 16 were among the 18 people wounded. The attack also forced power outages and restrictions in all parts of the country. The targets included the South Ukraine Nuclear Power Plant, and those in Khmelnitsky and Rivne, which all reported damage to "substations critical to nuclear safety and security in Ukraine," the IAEA said in a statement on Thursday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The dangers to nuclear safety continue to be very real and ever-present," IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi warned amid the ongoing strikes. "I once again call for maximum military restraint in the vicinity of nuclear facilities." Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy gestures during a joint news conference with top country officials, amid Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine, Oct. 31, 2025. / Credit: Alina Smutko/REUTERS Zelenskyy, in a social media statement, said Russian forces had targeted civilians and energy facilities in nine regions and the capital Kyiv with the strikes. "We count on America, Europe, and the G7 countries not to ignore Moscow's intent to destroy everything," he said, calling for more sanctions to pressure Russia to end its invasion. National electricity operator Ukrenergo said the attack had put its energy system in a "difficult situation" and that power outages would last across the country until late Thursday, right as the cold winter weather starts to bite. "Round-the-clock" blackouts would also be introduced in all regions on Friday, Ukrenergo said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Russia continues its systematic energy terror striking at the lives, dignity, and warmth of Ukrainians on the eve of winter. Its goal is to plunge Ukraine into darkness; ours is to keep the light on," Ukraine's Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko said. "To stop this terror, Ukraine needs more air defense systems, tougher sanctions, and maximum pressure on (Russia)." A firefighter works at the site of an apartment building that was struck during a Russian drone and missile attack, in Sumy, Ukraine, early on Oct. 31, 2025. / Credit: Stringer/REUTERS The Russian defense ministry said a "massive" missile and drone attack was launched against Ukrainian military-industrial sites, energy infrastructure and airbases. The ministry said, meanwhile, that it had downed 170 Ukrainian drones overnight, including 48 in the Bryansk region, which borders Ukraine, and nine in the region surrounding the capital Moscow. President Trump has tried to broker a peace deal between Russia and Ukraine since he returned to the White House in January, but the talks have made little progress. House lawmakers told their paychecks are delayed until government reopens What to expect from Trump meeting with Xi Jinping Video shows massive damage in Jamaica from Hurricane Melissa This past weekend, I read two news stories that, at first glance, had little to do with each other. One was about a DUI arrest in the Florida Keys. The other was an in-depth look at the troubled history of a road-building contractor Florida has long employed. But the more I thought about the two stories, the more I realized they combined to paint a pretty ugly picture about immigration issues in this state. In the first story, an ICE agent was arrested on a charge of driving under the influence with his two sons in the car. Those facts alone were unsettling. But it was what the agent said and did during the traffic stop that thrust the story into the national spotlight. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After realizing that his pleas to avoid arrest werent going to work, the Washington Post reported that immigration officer Scott Deiseroth started making threats to one of the arresting deputies, who is Black and speaks with a Caribbean accent. Are you Haitian? the immigration agent asked the deputy who was just doing his job, responding to a call from another motorist whod spotted the erratic driving. After the Monroe County sheriffs deputy said that race had nothing to do with the arrest, Deisoroth responded: It does. He then addressed the deputys partner, saying: Your boy, hes Haitian, right? and vowed to run some checks on him and have him deported if things didnt check out. Deisoroth pleaded not guilty to the DUI charge and later, through his attorney, apologized for his behavior during the stop. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Still, there seems to be a pretty obvious problem here a person in a position of power whose first instinct is to try to wield that power in an unethical way. But beyond that, the other thing that struck me was that the only reason the story got out was because the arresting deputies were wearing body cameras that recorded the interaction. Thats how it should always be. Yet, as I wrote just last month, the agency Gov. Ron DeSantis has tapped to assist in immigration enforcement in this state the Florida Highway Patrol has decided not to use body cameras. They instead rely on dashboard cams, which are often far removed from the action and sometimes dont capture everything that happens during a stop. Well, this recent incident involving the threat-making immigration officer shows pretty clearly why officers who do everything right would want everything captured on body cameras and shows just as clearly why those who arent operating by the book are relieved when the cameras are MIA. Deaths on the job In the other story, the Tampa Bay Times examined Floridas history of relying on undocumented workers to carry out state construction projects, even as the states GOP politicians demonize those same workers who fill those jobs and put their lives at risk. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Undocumented workers built Floridas roads and died in the process, the Times found, going on to say: Gov. Ron DeSantis has said undocumented immigrants pose threats. But prominent state highway projects relied on them. One of the featured, grisly anecdotes involved the deaths of two undocumented immigrants from Honduras. The Times reported they were working for one of the states go-to contractors one with a shoddy workplace-safety record when a trench collapsed and crushed their organs and split their spines in two. Do you remember that story making statewide news when it happened? I dont. In fact, when I went searching for news coverage from the time, one of the few reports I found was a six-paragraph blurb from a local TV station that told viewers express lanes will be closed until further notice before it even mentioned the victims names. Which brings us to a big missing piece of the story about the states supposedly serious crack down on immigration the companies that profit off illegal labor. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We read weekly reports about undocumented immigrants being swept off work sites and the streets. Yet how many reports have you read about arrests of the people who made the illegal hires and profited off the labor? If you dont understand the problem, imagine a human-trafficking crackdown where the only people being prosecuted were those being trafficked. In no other criminal arena do politicians give the law-breakers such blanket passes often because the law-breaking employers work for industries that cut big campaign checks. As proof, consider the immigration law lawmakers passed just two years ago. The law allegedly cracked down on companies that dont use the federal governments E-Verify database to first vet their hires. But a close reading revealed that the companies caught breaking the law would only be punished if theyre caught breaking it three times and after theyre given 30 days to fix their law-breaking ways. No other laws work like that. This was a law designed to give the profiteers a pass. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So now put everything you just read together, and you see a state that relies on the very people it disparages, portraying them as threats to society, even while relying on them to do literally back-breaking work at sub-market wages. And then targets them with an agency unwilling to show the public everything that happens during an arrest. I submit all these seemingly separate stories combine to paint a truly macabre picture. And the only people who cant see it are those who arent looking. 2025 Orlando Sentinel DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) The U.S. national intelligence director told officials Friday in the Mideast that Americas former strategy of regime change or nation building had ended under President Donald Trump. Tulsi Gabbard s comments before the Manama Dialogue, an annual security summit in Bahrain put on by the International Institute for Security Studies, underlines remarks Trump offered on a trip earlier this year to the Middle East. In Trumps second term, previous American goals of fostering human rights and democracy promotion in the region have been replaced by an emphasis on economic prosperity and regional stability. That includes securing a ceasefire that has halted the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip, as well as forcing an end to Israels 12-day war on Iran after sending American bombers to attack Iranian nuclear sites. For decades, our foreign policy has been trapped in a counterproductive and endless cycle of regime change or nation building, said Gabbard, a former Congresswoman from Hawaii and U.S. Army National Guard veteran. It was a one-size-fits-all approach, of toppling regimes, trying to impose our system of governance on others, intervene in conflicts that were barely understood and walk away with more enemies than allies. She added: The results: Trillions spent, countless lives lost and in many cases, the creation of greater security threats. That assessment mirrors Trumps own thinking about the wars that followed the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks on New York and Washington. He reached a deal in his first term to withdraw from Afghanistan, which in the Biden administration became a chaotic departure in 2021. Meanwhile, hes embraced Syrias interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa, a former al-Qaida fighter once held in an American prison in Iraq. Unmentioned by Gabbard was Trumps deployment of warships off South America, fatal strikes targeting alleged drug-running boats and his ordering of the CIA to run covert operations targeting Venezuela, which has stoked fears of invasion and speculation that Trump could try to topple its authoritarian president. Serious challenges remain from Trump in the Middle East, however. Gabbard noted in her brief remarks that the ceasefire in Gaza remained fragile. She also acknowledged Iran remained a concern as the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency said renewed movement has been detected recently at the countrys nuclear sites. The road ahead will not be simple or easy but the president is very committed down this road, said Gabbard, who attended the event as a government shutdown grinds on back home. An Associated Press journalist had been accredited and issued a visa to cover the summit, but the Bahraini government late Wednesday said it had been rescinded as it was conducting a post-approval review of that permission. The government did not elaborate on why the visa was revoked. Earlier that day, the AP published a story on long-detained activist Abdulhadi al-Khawaja beginning an open-ended hunger strike in Bahrain over his internationally criticized imprisonment. Al-Khawaja late Friday halted his hunger strike after receiving letters from the European Union and Denmark regarding his case, his daughter Maryam al-Khawaja said. By JON GAMBRELL Associated Press U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents arrested a defendant at the Milwaukee County Courthouse on Oct. 30, marking at least the fourth person to be taken by immigration officers at the courthouse since April. Milwaukee County sheriff's deputies initiated the arrest after the defendant appeared at a hearing, according to authorities and the defendant's attorney. A spokesperson for the sheriff's office said deputies were helping ICE agents, who had a federal judicial warrant for the defendant's arrest. "I was definitely caught off guard," said Ruby De Leon, the attorney for the person arrested. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement De Leon, who declined to identify her client, said a sheriff's deputy placed her client in handcuffs. Later, she saw deputies and several people in plainclothes take her client into an elevator. De Leon said she realized ICE could be involved when she saw the people in plainclothes alongside the deputies. She later confirmed her client was placed in ICE custody in Dodge County. De Leon is not familiar with her client's immigration history, she said. Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office policy states that deputies should be present but not assist when an outside agency is making an arrest in a building where the sheriff has jurisdiction, like the courthouse. However, James Burnett, a spokesperson for the sheriff's office, said deputies were involved in the Oct. 30 arrest because ICE had a federal judicial warrant. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Many ICE arrests are made through administrative warrants, which are issued by a federal agency, and not signed by a judge. Judicial warrants are signed by a judge. "The fact that there was federal judicial warrant out for this individual, even if ICE was not present, he wouldve been taken into custody," Burnett said. The Milwaukee County Courthouse seen in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on the evening of Oct. 15, 2025. The arrest comes as other courthouses have enacted policies dictating how much leeway federal immigration agents have to operate in the county courthouses. For instance, in Cook County, Illinois, that court's top judge banned civil arrests for those appearing for a hearing, unless a judicial warrant or order is included. In Milwaukee, Chief Judge Carl Ashley began crafting a policy six months ago following the high-profile arrest of Judge Hannah Dugan, who was charged with two federal counts on allegations she tried to help an undocumented immigrant avoid arrest. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ashley's policy remains unfinished. De Leon said the practice of immigration agents arresting people at courthouses can interrupt ongoing court cases, raising concerns for defense attorneys and victims. "As a defense attorney, Im much more limited in how I can make sure these cases come to completion," she said. In other cases involving undocumented people accused of crimes, prosecutors have expressed concern about defendants being deported before they can face justice. In May, during a court hearing for a man accused of sexual assault, a county judge ruled in favor of prosecutors arguing he needed to stay in local custody until his trial finished. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The bottom line is those victims have a right to have their cases heard in a reasonable fashion, Milwaukee County Circuit Court Judge Jeffrey Wagner said at the hearing. Otherwise, it would deprive those alleged victims of their right to have their cases resolved. An ICE spokesperson did not respond to a Milwaukee Journal Sentinel request for comment. 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: ICE agents arrest another defendant at Milwaukee courthouse STAUNTON, Ill. A Staunton, Illinois restaurant owner was taken into custody on Wednesday by Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers, his attorney tells FOX 2. Ismael Ayuzo Sandoval was detained by ICE officers in Staunton, according to his attorney Marleen Menendez Suarez of Suarez Law Office PC. Sandoval is being held at the Ste. Genevieve County Detention Center in Ste. Genevieve, Missouri, according to online ICE detainee records. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sandoval is the owner of Caldera Bar and Grill, a Mexican restaurant in Staunton, according to the Illinois Secretary of States online business entity records. Caldera announced on its Facebook page that it was closed on Wednesday, but it was open again on Thursday. Suarez tells FOX 2 that, according to records she has reviewed, Sandoval has no criminal background history. Attorneys are also working to confirm his current immigration status. FOX 2 has learned that Sandoval was detained some time after dropping off his children at school Wednesday morning. A spokesperson for the Staunton Community Unit School District 6 confirmed that Sandoval was not detained on school grounds or in front of the school on Wednesday. Illinois U.S. Rep. Nikki Budzinski (D-13th District), whose district includes Staunton, shared the following statement Thursday on the matter: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement My office has received deeply troubling reports that a beloved member of the Staunton community, local business owner, father, and resident of over 20 years, was detained by ICE after dropping his children off at school. This is unacceptable. Myself and [Illinois U.S.] Senator [Dick] Durbin are working urgently to obtain information about his status and to ensure he is released and reunited with his family immediately. This administrations reckless misuse of ICE has sown fear and chaos in our communities. Our immigrant community doesnt deserve this and we must demand better. FOX 2 has reached out to the ICE Office of Public Affairs for additional information, but our requests have not been returned as of this storys initial publication. 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. The notification hits my inbox in the middle of the afternoon. There it is: an invite an opportunity to audition to record voiceovers for a new series of commercials. The budget is huge much higher than the average rate for radio or TV spots. This one job would be enough to cover my rent for four months, and I might be offered more gigs in the future. Is this a typo?!? I wonder. Then I notice the job listing, posted on one of the industrys most respected voiceover talent websites, is for a political spot. OK, no biggie, Ive auditioned on these before. Im no saint. As a voiceover pro, Ive read plenty of ad campaigns or political messages where I didnt fully believe in the message or product. After all, did the consumer really need that new age-defying face cream or that limited-time credit card offer? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I open the audition script and literally gasp. Its a multispot campaign extolling the virtues of joining Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Michael M. Santiago / Getty Images NEW YORK, NEW YORK - OCTOBER 27: A man seeking asylum from Colombia is detained by federal agents as he attends his court hearing in immigration court at the Jacob K. Javitz Federal Building on October 27, 2025 in New York City. Related: After Karoline Leavitt Announced The White House Is Using Tariff Money On This Important Woman's Program, Gavin Newsom Backhandedly Thanked Them Oh hell, no. I look closer. Its worse than I originally thought. These ads are designed to talk police officers into leaving their jobs to join ICE for way more money and way less supervision. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The script has all the old chestnuts you might expect from this current administration: Now YOU can protect America. Help capture the worst of the worst. Drug traffickers. Gang members. Predators. Hiring bonuses up to fifty thousand and generous benefits. But worst of all the most insidious thing is this: Attention Law Enforcement. You took an oath to protect and serve. To keep your family, your neighborhood safe. But in too many cities, dangerous illegals walk free as police are forced to stand down. I immediately understand the subtext of this language. As a cop, theres oversight body cameras rolling and rules that need to be followed. But this ad appears to be saying that if you join ICE, you can be the bully youve always wanted to be, and you wont have to answer for not adhering to the Constitution or any violence or inappropriate behavior that might occur while doing the job. There is no oversight. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Essentially, the government seems to be saying, Heres up to $50,000 just to sign up. Here are health benefits. Heres a gun. Heres a baton. Come be the kick-ass man or woman youve always wanted to be, with no police department protocol limiting you. Wear a mask! No badge! Open season! Im especially worried that this commercial is not so subtly targeting police officers who may already be bad actors or have issues with authority and following a chain of command. I find it ridiculous that they want people to hunt for so-called dangerous predators while a convicted felon and alleged predator rules the land and is protected by a Supreme Court that has given him the power to do virtually anything he wants. And they want them to do it while white-collar criminals fleece us, and imaginary criminals are sent to El Salvador to keep the for-profit-prison pipeline and its investors happy. Im shaken. Courtesy of Joe Guay The author at work in a voiceover studio. Related: "He Killed Him On Live TV": The NYC Mayor Debate Just Delivered A Jaw-Dropping Line I knew this was happening, but to see it here in front of me in black and white, wedged between audition opportunities for dog food or a meditation app and the gigantic rate theyre offering to entice voice talent to help them with their mission is downright demoralizing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Of course they have the money more money than Ive seen offered for an ad like this in years because the big, beautiful bill, signed into law earlier this year, created the funding for this moment. According to the Brennan Center for Justice, the bill allocates more than $170 billion over four years for border and interior enforcement, with a goal of deporting 1 million immigrants per year the vast majority of whom are not criminals. These people are hardworking individuals who are paying taxes and contributing to making this country a better place. Somehow, the United States never has the money to pay our teachers more. We never have the money to fix our crumbling infrastructure or prop up our struggling communities. We never have the money to improve health outcomes or offer better sick leave or child care. But poof! Theres $170 billion available for ICE to round up criminals and pedophiles and to do it however they see fit, whether or not they violate the Constitution. Related: I Write About Politics For A Living Here Are 21 Of The Most Bizarre Photos From MAGA Events That I've Seen This Year Michael M. Santiago / Getty Images Pardon me as I side-eye Washington D.C. and its collection of criminals all of whom Im sure will be overlooked by the administration because of their money and skin color. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I shake my head. This is, sadly, the Trump administrations most recent appearance in my life. In March, I published a HuffPost Personal piece about losing a wonderful Canadian voiceover client after theyd had enough of the presidents well make Canada our 51st state comments. On principle, they decided to cut ties and cease sending any funds to American contractors, which resulted in a 25% hit to my income. Last month, I learned a website Ive provided articles to, NextAvenue.org, will be ramping down due to extreme layoffs after the Trump administrations major cuts to PBS, the websites main funding source. Thats another income stream gone. Two friends who produce specials for public television are also seeing funds dry up. And a senior-citizen friend of limited means is losing his Supplemental Security Income (SSI) through Social Security because of potential cuts to Medicaid. Theres no money for initiatives that help people, but endless money for ICE. In a capitalistic society, we must weigh every opportunity that comes our way. We have to figure out how we pay our rent, buy our groceries and afford our health care. The money I could earn from this one job would make an enormous difference in my life this year. But Im going to say no thanks, Department of Homeland Security, I wont be auditioning on your script. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Of course, someone will take the audition and book these voiceover spots. Someone will rake in these wild payments. They might agree with the message wholeheartedly, or they might simply need the unbelievable money to feed their family or pay off lingering student debt. These are the kinds of decisions we may all face more and more in the coming days. I never dreamed Congresss big, beautiful bill would touch my work life so quickly, yet here it is. My guard is up, and I remain vigilant, ready to call out ICE for what I see it as: a well-funded intimidation organization designed to stoke fear and silence dissent, which I believe mirrors Germanys Brownshirts and Mussolinis Blackshirts. Related: Hillary Clinton Just Hit On One Of Donald Trump's Biggest Insecurities With Three Words Alex Wong / Getty Images After all, with no accountability, whats to stop these thugs from doing whatever they want to any of us? And whats to stop others from putting on a mask, buying ICE-logoed attire online and driving around to intimidate and kidnap people in the land of the free? The more you think about it, the more terrifying the entire operation becomes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As I sit here writing this, an ad pops up before a YouTube video on my television. Secretary Kristi Noems face and voice confront me in a message from Homeland Security with tough images and phrases like, if youre here illegally, youre next and if you register and leave now, you could be allowed to return legally. Im chilled to the core. Im also certain I made the right decision. Joe Guay is a voiceover actor and writer currently residing in California. His words have been featured here in HuffPost, Katie Couric Media, Next Avenue and YourTango. He provides Dispatches from the Guay Life on topics like mental health, growing up gay, nature as church, travel, showbiz and humor on Medium.com, and you can also find him on Substack. This article originally appeared on HuffPost in October 2025. Also in In the News: "This Is Not The Desk Of Someone Who Actually Does Work": 49 Political Tweets From The Last Month That Are Too Good Not To Share Also in In the News: Seth Meyers Uncovered A Truly Unhinged Trump Moment That Has Everyone Questioning His Mental State 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 Read it on BuzzFeed.com Travelers move through Salt Lake International Airport in Salt Lake City on Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025. (Photo by Spenser Heaps for Utah News Dispatch) Not far from the security line at the Salt Lake City International Airport, a woman struggled, screaming for help as two plain-clothed Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers dragged her out. A video posted on social media shows one of the agents showing a badge to a Salt Lake City Police officer who observed the scene without interfering at about 4 p.m. on Wednesday. Not many details of the arrest were clear in the following hours, until Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall released a statement Thursday condemning it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I am left wondering and aching from the fear and pain these types of operations keep striking in my heart and the hearts of so many of us, Mendenhall said. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX After watching footage from witnesses, the Salt Lake City Police officers body camera and airport surveillance in which the woman is seen trying to break away from the officers, yelling I have my papers Mendenhall said she had been made aware of the case, involving multiple plain-clothed ICE agents. ICE initially denied being involved in the arrest on Thursday morning, according to The Salt Lake Tribune. But, after the Salt Lake City Police and the airport confirmed the arresting officers were from ICE, the agency released another statement acknowledging their involvement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Officials with ICE confirmed the woman is a 39 year-old immigrant without permanent legal status in the country from El Salvador who had entered the U.S. in 2007 and had received a removal order in absentia in February 2020. In a statement, ICE confirmed that the arrest was a targeted enforcement operation and that the woman will be held in their custody pending her removal to El Salvador. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is executing its mission of identifying and removing criminal aliens and others who have violated our nations immigration laws, the agency wrote. All aliens in violation of U.S. immigration law may be subject to arrest, detention and, if found removable by final order, removal from the United States, regardless of nationality. A Utah court records search Friday showed only a winter parking infraction in 2022 under the womans name. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mendenhall lamented the incident, saying that so much about ICE operations like the arrest in Salt Lake City remain unknown. Let us know what you think... In this case, for example, why were the agents in plain clothes without visible identification? Why did they choose the lobby of the airportthe gateway to our statewhere some 28,000 people enter every day?, Mendenhall said. What I do know is that nothing about this incident, like so many ICE operations, makes me feel safer as an American. The city reached out to federal agencies searching for answers, in the interest of promoting transparency, accountability and the well-being of all who live in and visit our city, the Salt Lake City Council said in a statement. Incidents like this create fear and uncertainty in our community. The operation was not coordinated with or directed by Salt Lake City Police, council members said. City clarifications While Mendenhall said there are details the city still doesnt know about the detainment, she said some factors needed to be clarified. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Despite being inside the airport, the pre-security area where the arrest took place is considered a public space. Also, the Salt Lake City Police officer who observed the arrest was responding to the commotion in the terminal and visually confirmed the agents federal identification, Mendenhall said. Local law enforcement is prohibited from interfering with federal immigration enforcement. In other daily operations from the city police, immigration status doesnt influence how officers handle the situation, the mayor said, nor do officers screen for immigration status when placing a person under arrest. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE The group chat pings around school drop-off and dismissal time. All quiet at [Elementary School X], one message says, or smooth sailing at [Middle School Y]. Neighbors are on heightened alert because a federal government helicopter has been doing laps over our communities on Chicagos Northwest Side. On a week when parents are typically picking up bags of candy from the store and getting their kids costumes ready, all across our city since the Trump administration launched its so-called Operation Midway Blitz, Chicagoans find themselves resorting to ad hoc communications plans like this one, often bolstered by their local alderpeople or state representatives. They check their Signal or rapid response team accounts on Instagram, circulating hastily created Google docs listing schools that might need extra volunteers to help ensure that children can safely enter or exit buildings, accompanied by an adult, since Immigrations and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection have escalated their randomized violence in ways that seem specifically designed to drive anxiety and fear. In Broadview, a suburb to the west, the fight between the Trump administration and Chicago residents has been more dramatic, recently leading to the bad-faith criminal indictment of four Democratic officials protesting at the ICE detention facility there. But the terror being inflicted upon the city as a whole is more random and diffuse: a dad taken from a Home Depot parking lot whose 15-year-old daughter is battling Stage 4 cancer; a junior who never reported to his homeroom at Benito Juarez High School; a landscaper taken from a yard in one of the citys whitest, most affluent neighborhoods in a cloud of tear gas; an overnight manager at a comedy club thrown to the ground in front of his mother and detained for hours; tamale vendors snatched from the streets; two women pulled from their car in a school pickup line in front of parents and students. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The through line here is an intimidation campaign being carried out in front of our kids, or even targeting our kids. Maybe you missed it in the crush of other horrific headlines, but earlier this week, after federal authorities released tear gas just before a parade on the citys Northwest Side, a U.S. district court had to declare to our federal government that children should not be tear-gassed for the crime of showing up to holiday celebrations: Kids dressed in Halloween costumes walking to a parade do not pose an immediate threat to the safety of a law enforcement officer, U.S. District Judge Sara Ellis told Border Patrol chief Gregory Bovino, a man who hates Halloween for children but loves to cosplay for work every day, in a hearing Tuesday. You cant use riot-control weapons against them, she continued. These kids, you can imagine their sense of safety was shattered on Saturday. And its going to take a long time for that to come back, if ever. There are any number of ways that you could argue that we got to this place, where a federal judge is scolding a petulant U.S. government official about unleashing chemical agents on children on Halloween. And Im sure any number of political pundits in Washington, D.C., might slice up this story into a meaningless pile of polls, Sunday morning talk-show sound bites, and savvy takes to downplay its seriousness in favor of focusing on the economy or whatever else it is they think is important to real Americans. But I would argue that in Americawhere an estimated three million children are exposed to school shootings every year, where 16 million children who rely on government assistance to be fed are at risk of losing those benefits in an indefinite government shutdown, where early childhood education is not universalthere is nothing more serious or damning than government dysfunction making safety the ceiling for our children, as opposed to the floor. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Broken government has made a safe, secure, and happy childhood a privilege, not a right. If you have ever been incensed about governmental inaction in the face of school shootings and the trauma they cause, then you should also be enraged that a new form of randomized terror and collective trauma is happening in Americas cities right now. Kids and parents are being abducted, and the government is not just sitting on the sidelines: Its the one doing the abducting. In Chicago, it is increasingly clear that even people previously unengaged in politics are fed up. They are taking matters into their own hands, deciding that if the government wants to show our children terror, they want to show them participation, community, and joy. Thats where the school watches come in at drop-off and dismissal. Candy drives for Halloween are also taking place across the city, like in Chicagos 30th ward, where the aldermans office is working with local churches and schools to collect and distribute candy for kids and families too fearful to leave their homes. A recent parent-teacher conference day at an elementary school on Chicagos Northwest Side was used by a neighbor as an opportunity to host one of the many whistle packing parties that have popped up across the city, with the goal of distributing whistles and zine-style instructions for how to alert others if you see ICE agents. A new grassroots group, Moms for Democracy, has emerged from a living room in Lincoln Park, co-led by a former staffer to the late Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, Regan Lachapelle. Lachapelle, who came to America from Canada and was inspired to work in Congress after a high school field trip to Washington, did not fully realize what she was starting last spring, when a group of 14 local moms gathered at her home and she started writing down their ideas on her second graders easel. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some of the mothers in the group organized a drive to collect candy from their neighborhood and deliver it to an elementary school in Little Village, home to a 75 percent Mexican population and one of the communities hardest hit by ICE. Tuesday night, they hosted their own whistle-packing event. And earlier this month, a preNo Kings protest family rally in Chicagos Oz Park drew more than 1,000 people, many of them children, who designed posters, chalked the sidewalk, and blew bubbles as their parents talked about what democracy means to them. For me, and this is the case for all the women participating in this, we see this moment as showing our kids that we showed up, that we stood up for our rights, for our freedom, for our ability to participate in our democracy, and for kids to enjoy the same privileges of that democracy that we did, Lachapelle said. She said she often encounters people who feel like the barrier to entry to engaging in politics is too high. But other moms are quickly learning that their skills and their presence is enough to get started. The spark of hope and the spark of action is a threat, she said, to an administration that is counting on fear. It is the thing that helps to inspire people collectively, and the moms participating here are feeling that and theyre all able to bring their own skills and their own abilities to this. For most people, the rubble of the East Wing of the White House is the most potent symbol of the utter destruction created by the Trump administration. But for me, its 16-year-old Ofelia Torres, a Chicago girl with Stage 4 bone cancer, posing for a portrait in the Chicago Tribune with her mother, Sandibell Hidalgo, on their living room couch. Her father, Ruben Torres Maldonado, was taken by federal agents in the parking lot of a Home Depot in suburban Niles. The family also includes a 4-year-old boy, Nathan. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Tribune reporter Gregory Royal Pratt wrote that this Chicago family is currently fighting cancer and the United States government, two battles no parent should ever have to consider, especially not concurrently. We came because this is a great country, because our lives were gonna be better, Hidalgo told the Tribune. He belongs with her, and especially in this portion, because we dont know if shes gonna make it. On Thursday, Maldonado was released on bond as he awaits his deportation hearing. But however Maldonados case proceeds from here, whats happening now will impact people in Chicago for the rest of our lives: Ofelia is a member of a community, a high schooler with friends, a girl with a young brother who might not fully grasp whats happening to him now but will one day be old enough to google his name and piece together how his childhood was inalterably impacted by a series of the worst events imaginable. As Chicagoans carry their whistles in their pockets, alongside our kids trick-or-treating bags tonight, we know that some are risking more than others, that some can speak up and others cannot, that some of us are protected by how we look. But we also are hoping that if we are out in big numbers, if we put signs where people have been taken by ICE, if we organize and support each other enough, we can counterbalance all the horrible things our kids are absorbing right now. Maybe we can even prevent one person from being taken or keep one family together. In the absence of certainty about how this will all play out or when it will end, we are starting to coalesce around truths that cannot be distorted or obscured by partisan politics or warped by propaganda: Our kids should be able to enjoy Halloween because childhood is not frivolous. Our kids should live without fear of their friends not showing up to homeroom, because their friends matter. Our kids should live without fear that their family will be attacked by the government like cancer is attacking their bodies, because they need their dads as they go through chemo. But our kids also will never know another America but this one. Where their federal government consistently failed them, their neighbors, without any real instruction on how to do it, showed up to try to let them know they are valued and loved. The Trump administration's emphasis on immigration enforcement is sparking protests across the country. It has also caused disagreement among Republicans and, as covered by Reason's Autumn Billings, within the executive branch between those who want to target criminals and officials who are more interested in driving up the numbers of deportations. Unfortunately, the hardline faction's apparent victory could result in more botched arrests, such as that of U.S. citizen Leo Garcia Venegas, who was detained twice and has now filed a federal lawsuit over his mistreatment. Detained for Working in the Country of His Birth "Leo is an American citizen who works in the construction industry in southern Alabama," according to a motion for a preliminary injunction against construction workplace raids filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Alabama by Venegas with the support of the Institute for Justice (I.J.). "In early 2025, federal immigration officers started raiding private construction sites across the region. In May, Leo was working on a fenced-in private site posted with a No Trespassing sign when officers stormed in unannounced, detained him and all other Latino workers, dismissed his REAL ID as fake, and kept him handcuffed for nearly an hour. Just three weeks later, officers walked right into a home in which Leo was working, ordered him out, told him his REAL ID could be fake, and marched him out of the development before they finally acknowledged that Leo is a citizen." (Reason's C.J. Ciaramella reported on Venegas' case earlier this month.) Venegas was born in Florida and now lives in Alabama, where he has worked in construction since graduating from high school in 2019. According to the filing, on May 21, Venegas was working on a construction site when five federal agents jumped over the fence. The officers "ran past the four non-Latino workers and went straight for Leo's crew, all of whom were Latino." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When two officers forced Venegas's undocumented brother to the ground, Venegas "took out his phone, started recording, and inched closer. Leo got about 25 feet from his brother before a masked officer stepped into Leo's way. When Leo widened his path to keep his camera trained on his brother, the officer declared, 'You're making this more complicated than you want to.' Then, without asking Leo any questions, the officer grabbed Leo by the arm and started forcing him to the ground." Backed by the non-Latino workers, who protested the feds' actions (one yelling, "He's not even doing nothing wrongwhat the fuck?"), Venegas asserted his citizenship and offered his REAL ID-compliant driver's license as proof. The feds describe the situation a little differently. They insist that "during a targeted worksite operation, Garcia Venegas attempted to obstruct and prevent the lawful arrest of an illegal alien. He physically got in between agents and the subject they were attempting to arrest and refused to comply with numerous verbal commands." Take the Feds' Story With a Grain of Salt But this is the sort of claim that law-enforcement officers frequently make when recordedor they do worse. A 2021 Miami Beach law establishing 20-foot buffer zone members of the public were required to stay beyond when observing or recording arrests was suspended after a single month of enforcement. "Five officers were charged with battery after arresting two individuals under this ordinance," according to the ACLU of Florida. "In one case, an individual started recording police after he saw officers kicking a separate handcuffed person at a hotel. The officers then began to punch the man who was filming and arrested him for interfering." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So, any claim that Venegas "attempted to obstruct and prevent" a lawful arrest should be taken with a grain of salt. As the U.S. Justice Department has conceded, "the First Amendment protects the rights of private citizens to record police officers during the public discharge of their duties." Pointing a phone in the direction of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers cuffing your brother is neither obstruction nor an arrestable offense. Officers initially insisted Venegas's supposedly "secure," REAL ID-compliant license was fake but finally released him after confirming his Social Security number. On June 12, while working alone at a house under construction, Venegas was again detained by officers who refused to accept the authenticity of his REAL ID. He was released after they eventually confirmed his lawful status. Mass Arrests Bring a Host of Abuses Venegas isn't the only U.S. citizen to run afoul of the increased emphasis on immigration enforcement. Just days ago, according to 16-year-old Arnoldo Bazan, ICE officers in an unmarked car and without uniform insignia beat and choked him in Houston. He was finally released but his father was deported. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Two weeks ago, ProPublica reported it had found more than 170 cases of "agents holding citizens against their will, whether during immigration raids or protests." In some cases, U.S. citizens were initially accused of assaulting or impeding officers, but charges were rarely brought, suggesting there was little substance to the accusations. "Our count found a handful of citizens have pleaded guilty, mostly to misdemeanors." In one case, "agents grabbed and handcuffed a woman on her way to work who was caught up in a chaotic raid on street vendors." She was released without charges after two days. ICE agents even managed to accidentally detain a U.S. marshal in Tucson. According to Fox News, the dispute within the administration over the direction of immigration enforcement is between "Border Czar Tom Homan and ICE Director Todd Lyons, who have advocated focusing on criminal aliens and those with final deportation orders" and "DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, senior adviser Corey Lewandowski and Border Patrol Commander Greg Bovino, who have pushed for a broader and more aggressive approach, targeting anyone in the U.S. illegally to boost deportation numbers." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The problem with emphasizing mass arrests without warrants of supposedly foreign-looking people over targeted actions is that the government doesn't just drive up the numbers; it scoops up many people who have every right to be where they are and do what they're doing without being molested by agents of the state. "That's all unconstitutional. And we've asked the court to bring that practice to an end," comments I.J. Attorney Jared McClain. If Venegas wins his case, he won't be the only one to benefit from imposing a little restraint on the federal government. The post ICE's Mass Arrests Ensnare U.S. Citizens and Show No Signs of Stopping appeared first on Reason.com. Security camera footage showing the entrance to Moshav Ein Habesor during the October 7, 2023, massacre. (photo credit: SCREENSHOT/VIA SECTION 27A OF THE COPYRIGHT ACT) The IDF battalion in the area was constrained by the volume of terrorist infiltrations across multiple locations, as well as by damage to command and control systems at higher levels. The IDF failed to defend Moshav Ein Habesor during the October 7 massacre, while members of the moshav's emergency response squad fought effectively and bravely, the military's probe found on Friday. The probe noted the bravery of soldiers in the IDF Golani Brigade's 51st Battalion operating in the area at the time, who located and killed many terrorists in the area, while suffering casualties. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, the battalion was constrained by the volume of terrorist infiltrations across multiple locations, as well as by damage to command and control systems at the brigade and battalion levels, which restricted its ability to defend its positions. The probe found that approximately 16 terrorists participated in the attack on Moshav Ein Habesor, and three terrorists were wounded in the battle. Terrorists wounded two moshav residents; however, they received medical treatment after they were evacuated by moshav residents, including members of the emergency response squad, rather than IDF combat medics. The military praised these residents for their ability to efficiently conduct medical evacuations while under enemy fire. Ilan Yohanan, a member of Moshav Ein Habesor's emergency response squad, stands with his weapon on his farm, December 7, 2023; illustrative. (credit: Alexi J. Rosenfeld/Getty Images) Members of the emergency response squad and residents continued to secure the moshav for days following the October 7 attack, with "very few IDF soldiers" arriving to reinforce the boundaries of the community. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, the IDF found that after the terrorists were removed from the moshav, the IDF and Border Police withdrew the remaining terrorists from the area. Moshav Ein Habesor reacts to the probe's findings After the investigation's findings were published, the moshav thanked the IDF for its investigation, as well as for the apology for failing to protect the community during the October 7 massacre. "We know that our communal revival, the revival of the Gaza border communities, and the revival of the State of Israel rely first and foremost on the return of the communities to their homes and the return of all the murdered hostages' remains to be buried in Israel. Moshav Ein Habesor will continue to stand firm and assist to the best of its ability in the rehabilitation processes of the council and the region," the moshav added. Ibrahim Muhammad Raslan was attempting to rebuild Hezbollah infrastructure in the area, according to the IDF. The IDF killed a Hezbollah maintenance officer, Ibrahim Muhammad Raslan, in the Kounine area in southern Lebanon, the military said Friday. Raslan was attempting to rebuild Hezbollah infrastructure in the area, according to the IDF. Israel's Security Cabinet and the heads of the security establishment met on Thursday evening with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to discuss the strengthening of Hezbollah in Lebanon. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "This is a significant discussion in light of Hezbollah's actions on the ground," an Israeli official said. During a tour on Israel's northern border last week with Defense Minister Israel Katz, US Ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, Israels Ambassador to the United States, Dr. Yechiel Leiter, and the IDF Northern Command chief, Major-General Rafi Milo, the Trump administration's special envoy to Lebanon, Morgan Ortagus, was told that Hezbollah continues to arm itself and has managed to smuggle hundreds of missiles across the Syrian border. Smoke billows over the village of Aaichiyeh after Israeli strikes, as seen from Marjayoun in southern Lebanon, October 20, 2025 (credit: REUTERS/KARAMALLAH DAHER) Last week, The Jerusalem Post reported that Western intelligence officials believe Hezbollah has accelerated its rehabilitation efforts, including by recruiting more terrorists into its ranks. Hezbollah is rebuilding itself much faster than the Lebanese Army is dismantling its weapons, the officials said. IDF kills several Hezbollah terrorists attempting to rebuild organization On Wednesday, the IDF said it had killed Hussein Ali Tohmeh, a Hezbollah operative responsible for the terrorist groups logistical support in the Qana region of southern Lebanon, on October 14. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Monday, the IDF killed two Hezbollah terrorists in southern Lebanon, one of whom was a member of its Radwan Forces. The military stated that the two terrorists took part in "advancing numerous terrorist attacks toward Israeli territory" and were attempting to rebuild Hezbollah's terror infrastructure in the region. Last Saturday and Sunday, the IDF killed three Hezbollah terrorists. Of them, two were involved in smuggling weapons from Syria to Lebanon. This is a developing story. The main method of attack would likely involve launching missiles and drones from Iraqi territory, following a pattern similar to the one used during the first days of the Israel-Hamas War. The IDF and Mossad are preparing for a developing threat against Israel from Iranian-backed militias in Iraq, sources in the Northern Command told Walla on Friday. The Iranians have been investing significant resources in pro-Iranian militias and terrorist infrastructure in Iraq, so that, on the day of command, they can attack Israel from the air and by land. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It was further reported that recently, Esmail Qaani, the commander of Irans Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Quds Force (IRGC-QF), visited Iraq and met with senior militia leaders. The main method of attack would likely involve launching missiles and drones from Iraqi territory, following a pattern similar to the one used during the Israel-Hamas war against Israels home front. A secondary option could be a ground maneuver beginning in Iraq, moving through Syria, and potentially reaching the Israel-Jordan border. Brigadier General Esmail Qaani, the head of the Revolutionary Guards' Quds Force, attends the funeral ceremony of Iranian Revolutionary Guards' (IRGC) deputy commander Brigadier General Abbas Nilforoushan who was killed in the Israeli strikes on Beirut, in Tehran, Iran, October 15, 2024. (credit: MAJID ASGARIPOUR/WANA (WEST ASIA NEWS AGENCY) VIA REUTERS) IRGC-QF supports the powerful and influential militia Kataib Hezbollah, one of several groups operating under the umbrella of the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kataib Hezbollah is considered the most prominent of these militias due to its political influence and extensive arsenal, which includes long-range drones. In the past, it has targeted US forces in the region. The group also controls key smuggling routes from Iraq to Syria, and, according to assessments, its operatives are responsible for smuggling weapons. Israel Air Force previously struck militia-affiliated sites on Iraq's border During Operation Rising Lion, the Israel Air Force struck logistical centers in Iran on the Iraq border that serve the militias in Iraq with Iranian funding. The newly established 96th "Gilad" Division, under the command of Brig.-Gen. Oren Simcha, later rehearsed this scenario along the Jordan Valley border. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Iranians have also succeeded in carrying out attacks against Israel, similar to the Houthis in Yemen, using several Iraqi militias that operated under a generic name to conceal their identities. According to foreign reports, the IAF, with assistance from Mossad, conducted strikes in the area to deter both the militias and the Iraqi government. Israeli sources add that clear and threatening messages were conveyed from Israel to the Iraqi government through the United States and other channels. According to open sources, one of the militias that has become an additional source of concern is Harakat al-Nujaba. This militia maintains close ties with Hezbollah in Lebanon and has previously claimed responsibility for several missile launches. Jerusalem Post Staff contributed to this report. Six people who died at a Colorado dairy farm this summer were exposed to hydrogen sulfide gas, authorities said Thursday. The Weld County coroners office drew its conclusions from autopsies and toxicology tests. The deaths of five men and a teenager on Aug. 20 sent shockwaves through the rural communities in and around Keenesburg, 35 miles (55 kilometers) northeast of Denver, where emergency responders entered a confined space to recover the bodies. Authorities had immediately expressed concern that the deaths were linked to harmful gases. The coroners findings will factor into an investigation by federal workplace safety and health investigators into determining what happened at the industrial-scale dairy, owned by California-based Prospect Ranch, as well as the role of a dairy equipment contractor. The autopsy reports gave no indication of the circumstances of the deaths, describing only an industrial accident in a confined space at a dairy farm. What happened at the dairy farm Dairy operators and federal workplace safety authorities have said little about what went wrong. The hazards of confined spaces on farms and dairies are a well-known and persistent cause of death in agriculture across the U.S. often from exposure to odorless and colorless noxious gases, or due to asphyxiation in closed spaces where oxygen has been depleted. All those who died in Colorado were Latino, ranging in age from 17 to 50. Four of them, including the teenage high school student, were from the same extended family. As the news spread of the deaths, people in the community organized fundraisers including a dance, haircuts and a car wash to benefit the families of those who died. Several local churches organized a memorial gathering at the local fair grounds in Keenesburg in early September that included singing Amazing Grace. People are in shock. Everybody in the ranching and dairy community knows its difficult, hard work and there are accidents, said the Rev. Thomas Kuffel, a priest at Catholic churches including Holy Family in Keenesburg. But this is very foreign to them, in that accidents are typically one or two people. Who are the people that died First responders from a rural fire district in Weld County were dispatched around 6 p.m. on Aug. 20 to Prospect Ranch and took their own safety precautions as they entered a confined space. Alejandro Espinoza Cruz, of Nunn, was found dead along with his 17-year-old son Oscar Espinoza Leos and a second son, 29-year-old Carlos Espinoza Prado of Evans. The Espinozas are related by marriage to a 36-year-old from Greeley who died Jorge Sanchez Pena, according to Jolene Weiner, chief deputy county coroner for Weld County. The other two men Ricardo Gomez Galvan, 40, and Noe Montanez Casanas, 32 lived in Keenesburg. The remains of Montanez Casanas, a veterinarian who was employed under a U.S. visa, were repatriated to the central Mexican state of Hidalgo, according to the Mexican consulate in Denver. Relatives of those who died couldnt immediately be reached. Why confined spaces are dangerous Silos that store grain and feed are among the most deadly confined spaces on farms, with hazards that include gases from fodder for feeding cattle that ferments and releases carbon dioxide and nitrogen oxide, according to William Field, a professor at Purdue University who compiles annual reports on injuries and fatalities. The next most deadly group of hazards are associated with the handling and storage of animal manure, which also include dangers from harmful gases. As manure decomposes, it releases toxic gases that can replace available oxygen with carbon dioxide, methane, ammonia and hydrogen sulfide. Hydrogen sulfide is a highly toxic gas that is colorless but has a sulfurous smell reminiscent of rotten eggs. After some exposure, people can quickly lose the ability to smell the gas even though its still there through olfactory fatigue. At high concentrations, the ability to smell the gas can be lost instantly, according to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration. Proven safety precautions include access to a self-contained breathing apparatus with a short supply of oxygen and emergency response planning and training, Field said. Having an emergency action plan that would eliminate the cascading effects, so that if somebody is down, somebody doesnt just jump in there, is important, he said. What workplace oversight was there OSHA can take six months or longer to complete an investigation into workplace fatalities and typically focuses on identifying root causes. OSHA has launched inspections and investigations of Prospect Ranch as well as Johnstown, Colorado-based Fiske Electric, whose subsidiary High Plains Robotics services dairy equipment and employed some of those who died. Prospect Ranch could not be immediately reached for comment, and Fiske Electric did not respond to email and phone messages. The progress of the investigations is unclear. Local, regional and Washington, D.C.-based representatives for OSHA did not immediately respond to phone calls and emails on Thursday. Automated responses said no one could reply because of the federal government shutdown. Its unclear if Espinoza Leos, the teenager, was assigned specifically to hazardous work, though that wouldnt be unusual or prohibited by law. Federal regulations allow those who are 16 and older to do hazardous jobs in agriculture, while the minimum age is 18 in other industries, under child labor provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act. Renee Anthony, an environmental engineer and director of the Great Plains Center for Agricultural Health at the University of Iowa, said federal regulations leave out detailed standards for confined space safety in the agriculture sector even where permits are required. Still, Anthony said all industry sectors, including agriculture, have an obligation under federal law to keep workplaces free from recognized hazards that can cause death or serious injury. ___ This story has been updated to correct the date of the deaths to Aug. 20 and the spelling of the last name of Jolene Weiner. By MORGAN LEE and SEJAL GOVINDARAO Associated Press Hamas handed over the remains on Friday night to Red Cross intermediaries, but had not specified which remains it was returning. The three partial remains Hamas returned to Israel on Friday night do not belong to any of the hostages still in Gaza, DNA tests conducted at the L. Greenberg Institute of Forensic Medicine at Abu Kabir concluded. Late on Friday, the IDF was preparing for the return of the partial remains of three slain Gaza hostages. The Red Cross handed over the remains to IDF troops overnight, but Hamas had not specified whose remains it was handing over. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hamas said in a statement on Saturday that it had initially offered three samples from unidentified bodies to Israeli authorities for testing. In order to not impede the handover of the bodies, we offered to deliver three samples from a number of unidentified corpses, Hamas stated on Telegram. Israel refused to accept the sample and demanded to receive the bodies for examination, and we handed them over to preempt the enemys claims. A statement from the International Committee of the Red Cross said that the organization, acting as a neutral intermediary, assisted this evening, at the request and with the approval of both parties, in returning the remains of three bodies to Israeli authorities. The identification process is the responsibility of the relevant authorities in Israel and will be carried out by them. Palestinians seen carrying out Hamas-controlled excavations in search for remains of slain hostages in the Gaza Strip, October 27, 2025 (credit: TPS-IL) The statement continued, The International Committee of the Red Cross does not take part in locating the remains. In accordance with international humanitarian law, it is the responsibility of the parties to locate, collect, and return the dead. The parties must act to assist in returning them to their families. The ICRC can fulfill its role as a neutral intermediary only through the cooperation of all relevant parties and within the framework of the current agreement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This comes after slain hostages Amiram Cooper and Sahar Baruch were returned to Israel on Thursday night. The remains of the two slain hostages were transferred into Israeli territory by the IDF and the Shin Bet on Thursday evening just before 5:30 p.m., the Prime Minister's Office said, and were identified at the National Institute of Forensic Medicine. The bodies of 11 hostages are still held by terror groups in Gaza. Hamas reburies remains of Ofir Tzarfati, stages discovery of body in front of Red Cross Mediators informed Hamas to withdraw from behind the Yellow Line before Thursday evening, otherwise the IDF would strike, a US official told The Jerusalem Post that night. "Last night, Hamas was notified through Egypt and Qatar that they had 24 hours to evacuate their terrorists from the area behind the yellow line currently being held by the IDF," the source said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hamas had previously crossed past the Yellow Line with the permission of Israeli authorities, and in coordination with the Red Cross, to recover the bodies of hostages. On Tuesday, the IDF published footage of Hamas's reburial and staged discovery of slain hostage Ofir Tzarfati's remains. The video, filmed by an IDF drone that had been in the area, shows Hamas members placing Tzarfati's remains in a freshly dug hole before covering the remains with dirt. They then proceeded to "dig" up the remains and called over members of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to witness the discovery. Amichai Stein contributed to this report. Defense Minister Israel Katz dismissed IDF Military Advocate General Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi over her link to a probe into a leaked Sde Teiman video, prompting her resignation. In a dizzying series of developments, IDF Military Advocate General (MAG) Maj. Gen. Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi resigned her post on Friday around an hour after Defense Minister Israel Katz tried to fire her. In her letter of resignation, she stated, "I approved the leaking of evidence to the media in an attempt to confront the false propaganda against the law enforcement officials in the military. I take full responsibility for all of the evidence which was sent out to the media by this unit. Based on this responsibility, I also have decided to conclude my role as the MAG." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This admission changes the legal and political picture as initially it seemed that she might only be a third party witness in the case, and now she may be a central defendant. Katz, along with IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir, agreed that the IDF chief will compile and present a list of recommended replacement candidates to the minister, the military confirmed later on Friday. Demonstrates protest against the detention of Israeli reserve soldiers suspected of assaulting a Hamas terrorist, at the Sde Teiman military base near Beersheba, July 29, 2024. (credit: DUDU GREENSPAN/FLASH90) This replacement will be "one capable of meeting the significant challenges currently facing the Military Advocate Generals Corps, foremost among them the protection of IDF soldiers," the military added. The two officials are "working to establish immediate stability within the Military Advocate Generals Corps, out of their responsibility to the institution and to IDF soldiers," the statement concluded. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Earlier Friday morning, Katz surprised the legal establishment with the announcement that he was redefining Tomer-Yerushalmi's status from suspended to fired, due to allegations that either she or her staff may be involved in the leaking of a video in the Sde Teiman abuse of Palestinian prisoners cases. In a development which shook the entire defense establishment on Wednesday, Eyal Zamir suspended Tomer-Yerushalmi in light of a probe by Attorney-General Gali Baharav-Miara into the leak of a video. It was not clear whether Katz has the authority to fire her from her post without consulting Baharav-Miara and Zamir. Top former IDF legal officials told The Jerusalem Post that he did not and that only the IDF chief has such powers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, sources close to the attorney-general showed no sign of intervening to stop the firing, something which may have influenced her to resign. Alternatively, she may have let those sources know she was leaning toward resigning anyway, given her letter which showed a readiness to admit to her role in the case. Officially, the defense minister must approve the IDF chief's choice of the IDF legal chief, but firing her is less clear and would seem to be more within Zamir's authority, something he has not yet done. But with Tomer-Yerushalmi voluntarily resigning, the question of whether Katz was seizing powers of Zamir may fall by the wayside. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Katz made it clear that part of his desire to fire Tomer-Yerushalmi related to his desire to appoint her replacement. The defense minister has exercised a high level of interference with Zamir's appointments whereas usually such ministers approve most appointees suggested by the IDF chief. An exception occurred with the appointment of Danny Efroni as IDF MAG from 2011-2015, with then-defense minister Ehud Barak overriding then IDF-chief Gabi Ashkenazi. In a sign that also the earlier Wednesday developments had blindsided many top officials, IDF sources did not even know as of early Wednesday afternoon who is running the IDF legal division during Tomer-Yerushalmi's suspension. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Additional IDF legal sources have not responded to inquiries about the issue. Katz later added that all required sanctions will be taken against her, first and foremost the stripping of her ranks. Whoever levels blood libels against IDF soldiers, and prefers the welfare of the terrorists over theirs, is not fit to wear an IDF uniform, and belongs in prison." None of the sources could explain why Tomer-Yerushalmi was being suspended only now when the Sde Teiman case broke into the headlines in July 2024. But there are reports that her spokeswoman recently told the Shin Bet about leaking the evidence in question, and that Tomer-Yerushalmi had approved the leak. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Originally, the most likely candidate to be running the IDF legal division would have seemed to be deputy IDF Military Advocate General Col. Gal Asael. Tomer-Yerushalmi's suspension has major strategic implications not only for the Sde Teiman cases, but for Israel's ability to fight international war crimes cases at the International Court of Justice and at the International Criminal Court as she is the lead legal official deciding such issues. Further, as the top IDF legal official, her suspension could be used by anti-legal establishment political officials to try to further tar and feather the legal class in the country more generally in the ongoing battles over the judiciary and the prosecution. The government has failed to fire Baharav-Miara and is potentially trying to split her powers, so firing Tomer-Yerushalmi could be seen by the coalition's political base as a related political win. What happened at Sde Teiman and why is it controversial? There are multiple Sde Teiman cases. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On February 6, an IDF court sentenced an IDF reservist who abused Palestinian Gazan detainees in Sde Teiman to seven months imprisonment in the first major jail term handed down to a soldier relating to the war. Given that the defendant-soldier had spent around 80 days in prison after he was first arrested, he was sent back to prison for around four-and-half months. The Public Committee Against Torture in Israel at the time called the sentence woefully inadequate for deterring such future conduct. Pressed by The Jerusalem Post about what length of prison time would have been enough, PCATI demurred, saying only that it was clear that such a short prison term would not prevent future detainee abuse. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Post also sought to understand why the IDF Prosecution agreed to such a short sentence. The IDF Prosecution, the Post understood at the time, did view the beatings as extra serious because it happened so many times, to so many different detainees, and happened despite other soldiers telling the defendant to stop. However, the IDF Prosecution also gave credit to the defendant for confessing his crimes up front and agreeing to a plea deal to save the prosecution and the courts time, resources, and the need to prove many points at trial. Finally, the IDF Prosecution and the court took into account that the defendant and his family had experienced some of the horrors of October 7, 2023 up close, something which left the defendant traumatized. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In addition to the prison sentence for this small Sde Teiman abuse case, the defendant-soldier was also given potential additional prison time if he re-violates certain laws, and was demoted to the rank of private. In the large Sde Teiman abuse case, five soldier defendants were indicted on February 19 for sexual assault. Pre-indictment hearings were held in the large case in November 2024, and sources denied to the Post that there had been delays in deciding that case, which also dates back to summer 2024, due to fears of political fallout from the right-wing coalition government. In that case, masses of right-wing activists, including some Knesset members, broke into an IDF facility to interfere with the arrests of the soldiers accused of abusing Palestinian detainees. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, in light of the latest developments, it is also possible that the indictments were delayed by the separate probe into the leaking of a surveillance video from the Sde Teiman detention facility, which allegedly showed soldiers severely abusing a Palestinian detainee. A vague IDF statement on Wednesday said that Tomer-Yerushalmi's suspension was self-initiated and voluntary, but a statement by the attorney-general made it clear that the probe into who leaked the video involves Tomer-Yerushalmi herself and likely members of her staff, such that even if she was not directly involved, it would be problematic for her to manage the case. Katz on Wednesday applauded her suspension and said that the Sde Teiman case was a "blood libel" against Israeli soldiers, though to date, there is heavy evidence that the soldiers did commit crimes against the Palestinian detainee. Rather, the probe into the video leak suggested that in parallel to those soldiers committing alleged crimes, IDF officials, including possibly within the IDF legal division, may also have committed a violation or crime by leaking evidence against the soldiers. Tomer-Yerushalmi's resignation letter may signal that she may plead guilty to the charges, though she may be able to present extenuating circumstances to limit the severity of any punishment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It is also possible that the leaked video was edited in a way to try to make the charges appear more severe, but no argument has been made to date that the incident did not occur. Instead, the focus of the soldiers' defense teams has been to try to slow and undermine the prosecution case by going after the leak of the video and claiming that the soldiers acted in self defense. Despite the defense lawyers' claims, the Post has been informed of significant evidence, along with the indictment itself, which would undermine a clean self-defense claim. Sde Teiman is a military base in the Negev that was turned into a detention facility during the Israel-Hamas war. It held Palestinians captured in Gaza under the Unlawful Combatants Law, which allows temporary detention without a court order. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There were serious abuse allegations at the Sde Teiman facility. Reports by various media outlets described beatings, prolonged blindfolding, lack of medical care, and other mistreatment of detainees. On July 29, 2024, the Military Police arrested nine reservists suspected of severely abusing a Palestinian detainee at the facility. The detainee had serious internal injuries, including broken ribs and rectal tearing, according to reports. The arrests sparked protests by far Right activists, families of soldiers, and several MKs, who claimed the soldiers were being punished for doing their job. Demonstrators gathered at the Sde Teiman base and later at Beit Lid, where the suspects were being held. Some broke through the gates of military property; among them were lawmakers. Sarah Ben Nun contributed to this report. (The Center Square) Despite a myriad of ongoing issues at the Illinois Department of Corrections, state senators approved the nomination of Acting Director Latoya Hughes to stay in charge with a six-figure salary. Gov. J.B. Pritzker appointed Hughes as IDOCs acting director in April 2023. During the second-to-last day of the General Assemblys fall veto session this week, state Sen. Laura Murphy, D-Des Plaines, moved that the Senate consent to Hughes nomination as director of the Illinois Department of Corrections. No senators spoke in support of Hughes after Murphy finished her one-sentence statement, but several Republicans voiced fierce opposition. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement State Sen. Terri Bryant, R-Murphysboro, said it took a Freedom of Information Act request and an order from the Illinois Attorney Generals office for her to receive documents showing nine fentanyl-related deaths of DOC inmates in 2024 and one month of 2025. Those nine deaths were fentanyl of offenders. Were not even talking about the staff that gets exposed. The buck has to stop somewhere, and the buck stops with the director of the Department of Corrections on all of these issues, Bryant said. Bryant said she has over 200 internal documents showing fentanyl, cocaine, heroin and other drugs involved in IDOC incidents. In the 20 years that I worked there and the 12 years since I retired, no one has seen the amount of drugs, the amount of cell phone usage, the amount of shanks that are being found in the Department of Corrections, Bryant said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bryant worked at IDOC from 1994 to 2014. State Sen. Chapin Rose, R-Mahomet, said recommendations by local wardens are routinely overruled by Springfield. He described instances of inmates who died in IDOC custody and one case of an inmate stabbing three prison staff members. Ive never seen anything like the Department of Corrections, Rose said. State Sen. Steve McClure, R-Springfield, said record numbers of inmates and guards are being attacked in prison, a record number of weapons are being sneaked in, and a record number of drugs are being found in prison. So why is there a record number of people being released for good behavior? McClure asked. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement State Sen. Jason Plummer, R-Edwardsville, said a lot of people come before the Senates Executive Appointments Committee. There are few people that come before the executive appointments whose incompetence leads to deaths, whose incompetence leads to danger and who lies to members of this body, Plummer said. Last May, after the committee voted 4-2 to advance Hughes appointment to the full Senate, Bryant and Plummer held a news conference to call for Hughes removal. I think the fact that shes been the acting director for as long as she has been and theyre not moving her to the floor says a lot about what the Democrats really think about this nomination, Plummer said at the time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On the Senate floor, Plummer said Hughes could not tell the committee how many IDOC inmates died in the last year or even the last month. Those numbers are directly reported to the director. You would think if youre in a position of that magnitude, you could tell us how many people have died in your care and your custody. Its embarrassing, tragic and immoral the number of people who are serving their sentences at the state of Illinois that are being harmed and being killed, Plummer said. The Edwardsville Republican said Hughes provided false and misleading information to senators numerous times. Plummer also noted that Illinois still doesnt have statewide functional mail scan like almost every other state has. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sen. Mike Halpin, D-Rock Island, and Sen. Rachel Ventura, D-Joliet, joined Republicans in voting against Hughes nomination. According to Pritzkers appointment message, Hughes will receive a state taxpayer-funded salary of $220,500 per year after receiving $200,000 annually as IDOCs acting director. Greg Bishop and Catrina Barker contributed to this story. SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WTVO) Illinois lawmakers have passed a bill that will lift the states ban on new nuclear generation facilities and charge utility customers for new energy storage systems, with the intention of eventually lowering electricity costs. Residents could see a new line item on their electric bill to fund energy storage projects, like large battery installations, under provisions included in Senate Bill 25, also known as the Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability Act (CRGA). That line item will be immediately offset, because thats the same date that the battery storage providers will start providing extra capacity, providing power to the grid, bill sponsor Sen. Steve Stadelman (D-Rockford) said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Opponents expressed concern that the bill removed the ability for local governments to control where such energy projects are installed, and does not include price caps to protect consumers. Lawmakers were sent to Springfield to deliver relief. Instead, they passed a bill that removes limits on how much utilities can raise rates, thus forcing customers to pay billions to weathly corporations for battery storage development. To avoid oversight, this bill also strips away local control by allowing massive energy storage projects to be built within 150 feet of peoples homes, said Sen. Li Arellano Jr. (R-37th). The Illinois Power Agency analyzed the bill and found that while the new proposals will increase customer utility bills in the short term, the increases should be entirely offset by 2029. The bill will also require utility companies to create virtual power plants, coordinating rooftop solar, home-based batteries, bidirectional charging electric vehicles, and other distributed energy generation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement State officials advocated for new policies to avoid an unstable power grid. With the spike from data centers, with new manufacturing, were seeing rapid increases in demand. If we dont meet the moment, were looking at blackouts, Illinois Commerce Commission executive director Jonathan Feipel. Heres the bottom line in my view: this package is about making energy more affordable for ratepayers in the years ahead. Were getting more energy on the grid, Stadelman said. If we do nothing the rates are going to continue to go up. The bill also lifts the states ban on new nuclear power plants. Illinois had previously lifted a ban on next-gen, smaller, modular nuclear reactors, but this bill allows for large-scale facilities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The bill passed both houses and now heads to the governors desk to be signed into law. This legislation takes two routes toward affordability. First, it will accelerate clean energy projects with new grid-scale batteries and other clean energy technology to increase the available electricity supply. Second, it will require utility companies to help their consumers to lower their utility bills and access energy efficient resources. This bill will build upon the Climate and Equitable Jobs Act, positioning Illinois to keep growing our clean energy economy and creating good-paying jobs in communities across the state, Gov. JB Pritzker said in a statement, celebrating the legislations passage. 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 MyStateline | WTVO News, Weather and Sports. SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WTVO) Early Friday morning, the Illinois General Assembly passed legislation that would ban ICE officers from making arrests in and around state courthouses, hospitals, daycare, and colleges. Part of the bill establishes a 1,000-foot safe zone around courthouses, and carries a $10,000 penalty in statutory damages. House Bill 1312 also includes other provisions, including establishing punitave damages against federal officers, including those with the Department of Homeland Security or U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, over particularly egregious conduct, such as wearing face masks, failing to identify themselves as law enforcment, not using body cameras, or deploying crowd-control weapons. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We are standing here because our communities have been living in fear, fear of being separated from their children, fear of being taken from their homes, fear of simply existing, said state Sen. Celina Villaneuva, D-Chicago. This bill is about giving people a sense of safety, a sense of humanity, and the assurance that their government sees them and will stand up for them. The bill is the culmination of weeks of work by state lawmakers to create a package of legislation to respond to the Operation Midway Blitz federal immigration enforcement campaign. DHS claims that since the operation began, more than 1,500 illegal immigrats living in Chicago have been taken into custody. Clashes have erupted between protestors and federal agents on the streets and outside a processing facility in Broadview. The bill will also allow Illinois residents to sue federal agents for violating their constitutionally protected rights. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Past federal administrations have respected that a persons immigration status is not more significant than their ability to receive life-saving medical care from a hospital, said Sen. Graciela Guzman (D-Chicago). Unfortunately, as our community members have experienced firsthand, this administration does not have the same morality. Their targeting of individuals in some of their most vulnerable moments, like going to court to testify on domestic violence cases or receive essential health care, is deplorable and should concern all Americans, not just those who are being profiled currently. The legislation passed both houses and heads to Gov. JB Pritzkers desk to become law. 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 MyStateline | WTVO News, Weather and Sports. SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (AP) Illinois lawmakers have sent Gov. JB Pritzker legislation prohibiting federal authorities from making immigration arrests near courthouses, but even one of the measure's top sponsors questions whether it can survive a court challenge. The proposal adopted early Friday also allows lawsuits when people believe their constitutional rights have been violated during civil immigration arrests. The legislation imposes civil damages for false imprisonment when someone attending a court hearing or appearing as a party or witness to a legal proceeding is arrested. Proponents say courts must be accessible to everyone to pursue remedies to violations of their rights. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Democratic Senate President Don Harmon, a lead sponsor, acknowledged the measure will face a court challenge. Its not just about the constitutionality of the law, which I think is sound, but its the reality that the courts are stacked against us, Harmon said. The federal government can try to remove it from state courts to federal courts. They can try to substitute the government itself for the individual defendants, but thats not a reason not to try. Pritzker, a Democrat, supports the idea and will review the plan when it reaches his desk, spokesperson Matt Hill said. Two weeks ago, the top judge in Cook County, home to Chicago, issued an order with the same prohibition. It's unclear whether the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has followed the dictum, but at the time, federal officials dismissed it, saying there are no legal sanctuaries where you can hide and avoid the consequences for breaking the law. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Trump administration's immigration enforcement, which began two months ago in Chicago and its suburbs, is intended to round up migrants living in the country illegally, particularly those with criminal records. But witnesses have reported repeated incidents in which Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers detain people regardless of citizenship or legal status. No one should have to choose between seeking justice and risking their freedom, said co-sponsoring Sen. Celina Villanueva. Courthouses must be places where people can resolve disputes, testify and support loved ones, not sites of fear or intimidation." The legislation, approved largely along party lines, also requires hospitals, day care centers and higher education institutions to create policies delineating how they would handle immigration agents inside their facilities. Other states have taken similar action or otherwise adopted practices to protect immigrants. California has limited immigration enforcement action in courthouses since 2017. Guidance published by California Attorney General Rob Bonta says the state can't control federal immigration action, but the state has a responsibility to provide safe and secure access to court facilities to all residents regardless of immigration status. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In September, Connecticut Supreme Court Chief Justice Raheem Mullins issued a policy prohibiting warrantless arrests inside state courts, as well as banning the use in judicial buildings of face coverings, routinely worn by ICE officers. Judges, staff, litigants, members of the public, they all must be able to conduct their business in our courthouses without fear of disruption," Mullins said. SPRINGFIELD With the clock ticking down to avert an impending public transit fiscal cliff, Illinois Democrats in the pre-dawn hours Friday muscled through a $1.5 billion plan that diverts state gas tax and road fund revenue for mass transit, likely raises the sales tax in the Chicago region and significantly hikes fares on the Illinois Tollway. The measure, which supporters called historic, overhauls the Chicago regions mass transit system by creating a new governing body to oversee the Chicago Transit Authority, Metra and Pace. But while the last-minute legislation was lauded for not including the broad taxes that tanked previous versions, its redirection of funds now used statewide for road construction was summarily slammed by incensed downstate Republicans who argued they and their constituents were getting the short end of the bargain. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Just after 4:15 a.m. Friday, the Senate approved the bill 36-21 with nearly all Democrats voting in favor. That was about three hours after House Democrats OKd the legislation with 72 votes to the GOPs 32. Democrats hold supermajorities in both chambers, and the bill now heads to Gov. JB Pritzkers desk. The votes came after years of work and months of wrangling among Democrats, including just earlier this week when a previous proposal from House Democrats was shot down by Pritzker, a fellow Democrat. The new proposal cobbled together a few new ideas with some old ones to raise the roughly $1.5 billion, which advocates and some lawmakers say is necessary for the regions transit system to work adequately. The largest chunks come from diverting $860 million in state tax revenue on motor fuel sales and $200 million from the interest earned on the states road fund for mass transit uses. That money typically goes toward road construction projects. An additional $400 million would come from authorizing an increase of 0.25 percentage points to the sales tax issued by the Regional Transportation Authority for Chicagos six-county area. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As a counterbalance to pulling hundreds of millions of dollars in funding for road work, the bill also included a sharp, 45-cent-per-toll increase on the Illinois Tollway, which one GOP lawmaker said amounted to a 60% increase. The new tollway fares could generate as much as $1 billion annually for roadwork on the tollways that serve about a dozen counties, supporters said. Together, that amounted to a way that we can avoid raising significant taxes on folks but still be able to do a transformational investment in transit, said Democratic state Rep. Eva-Dina Delgado of Chicago, a key transit negotiator in the House. This bill is the culmination of about five years worth of work. There is an urgent need for us to make a plan for whats going to happen, the transit system in northeastern Illinois in particular, she said during a floor debate. Now, while this is an issue thats happening across the state, we know that without action now, there could be pink slips issued to folks. There could be a 40% service cut. And we just cant wait to be able to resolve that issue. Aside from the Democrats call for sweeping changes to Chicago-area transit, another key negotiator on the issue described the effort as the most ambitious of any state. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This isnt just another transportation bill. Its a transformation bill. For 50 years, Illinois has been trying to fix transit one piece at a time, said state Rep. Kam Buckner, a Chicago Democrat. No other state has ever attempted a reform this large. No other state has had the courage to say, Were going to fix this and not just patch it anymore. This bill creates a unified system that will replace fragmentation with coordination. But Republicans, particularly those from downstate districts, argued the plan would divert more than $400 million a year money largely intended for road projects to assist Chicago-area transit needs, while leaving downstate regions with less than half that amount in return for their transit needs. I appreciate this is five years of culmination of hard work for you. Its six years of culmination of betrayal for me, state Rep. Ryan Spain of Peoria said. Democratic state Sen. Patrick Joyce, one of two Democrats to vote against the measure, said he did so because of downstate concerns related to the road fund diversions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The top Senate negotiator, Democratic state Sen. Ram Villivalam of Chicago, disputed a GOP analysis showing large net losses, though Villivalam did not provide his own estimates on the matter. State Sen. Seth Lewis, the only Republican to vote in favor of the transit bill in his chamber, said he thought the revenue generation in the latest legislation was fairer than new taxes, including the $1.50 fee on deliveries and real estate transfer tax that were part of the bill that passed the Senate in May before dying in the House. We still needed to find revenue to fix transit, Lewis of northwest suburban Bartlett said early Friday. And what was presented today I thought was the most fair. It helps to preserve jobs. It helps to create jobs. It helps to invest in capital. The proposal, which would go into effect June 1, was the General Assemblys second attempt at a transit funding bill this week, after Pritzker shot down the House Democrats earlier proposal that included taxes on streaming services and billionaires, fees on concerts and revenue from allowing new speed cameras to be installed in Chicago suburbs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The governors quick rejection prompted the House Democrats to devise the latest set of revenue options, months after they didnt vote on the bill Senate Democrats passed in the spring. Lawmakers scrambled on the final night of the fall legislative session and the last scheduled meeting of the year for the full House and Senate. During a committee hearing Thursday evening, before new language had been publicly introduced, the proposed measure faced pushback from lawmakers who suggested it would fund Chicago-area transit at the expense of downstate infrastructure. Opponents also expressed frustration that they were asked to debate the proposal without a version of the bill ready to read. In addition to the 45-cent-per-toll hike for passenger vehicles on Illinois State Toll Highway Authority roads, the legislation called for increasing tolls for commercial vehicles by 30%. Tolls could continue to increase in subsequent years through inflation-based increases, according to the bill. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The revenue from the toll hike would generate between $750 million and $1 billion annually and would be put back into the tollway and not used directly for mass transit, supporters said. The move was intended to offset the money diverted from highway projects and appeared to have won the blessing of the politically influential International Union of Operating Engineers Local 150, which opposed a failed springtime effort to raise tolls. Downstaters, including Spain, questioned the decision to divert revenue to transit in the Chicago region rather than to a fund that would likely have been used to improve downstate roads. Interest from the states road fund would be diverted for public transit, with 10 percent of that funding being sent downstate while the rest was dedicated for the Chicago area, Delgado told lawmakers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Additionally, the changes would divert gas tax money from state construction and road funds where it generally goes now to transit. Under the new bill, the motor fuel tax would go to a Chicago-area dedicated public transit fund and a corresponding downstate fund, with an 85-15 split in favor of the Chicago area. Downstate systems would get just under $150 million from the main funding mechanisms, Delgado said. But Republicans said that added up to far from a worthwhile tradeoff, given the amount they expected to lose due to diversions from road infrastructure projects to mass transit under the bill. Democratic state Rep. Ann Williams of Chicago, chair of the committee that discussed the bill, acknowledged that the state road fund is primarily spent on roads, but said its current definition also allows it to be used for mass transit. Republicans said uniformly during the House floor debate that the bill didnt need to be passed in the wee hours of Halloween, given the fiscal cliff wasnt set to arrive until sometime next year and the regional budget deficit had recently been revised down. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We are never going to collaborate and work on a deal if you continue to screw us over, to screw each other over, and not have any respect for the deal, House Republican Leader Tony McCombie of Savanna said. Legislators hoped the new proposal would help prevent the CTA, Metra and Pace from cutting jobs and making drastic service cuts as hundreds of millions of dollars in federal pandemic aid runs out. The CTA, in particular, warned it was facing the single-largest transit service cut in the modern history of the Chicago Transit Authority, as the crisis was described by acting agency president Nora Leerhsen earlier this month. Without more money, the CTA warned, it would have to cut transit service by as much as 25% starting next August. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The RTA, which oversees the CTA along with sister agencies Metra and Pace, had long warned that the looming structural fiscal deficit would devastate mass transit in the Chicago region if lawmakers in Springfield didnt raise more money. If legislation doesnt become law, the CTA is expected to hit the fiscal cliff which is caused by the depletion of federal pandemic aid and ridership numbers that simply havent recovered to pre-pandemic levels before Metra and Pace. Neither of the latter two agencies was expected to cut bus or train service next year, but both warned they would have to make cuts in 2027 and beyond without more state funding. For months, the RTA said the budget gap next year would total around $770 million. But less than two weeks before the start of the veto session, the agency sharply revised that projection downward, attributing the change mostly to an expansion of the state sales tax. Now, the RTA says, the regional budget deficit next year is about $230 million, although it will balloon to more than $800 million in 2027 and beyond. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The proposed spending beyond the more immediate cliff further angered Republicans. Spending more money than we need to at the current time is not the right answer, state Rep. Dan Ugaste of Geneva said in the House floor debate that stretched past 2 a.m. Friday. Beyond the funding cliff, the bill also addressed what lawmakers have said are much-needed structural changes for the transit systems most notably by replacing the RTA with a new entity called the Northern Illinois Transit Authority, which would centralize fare-setting, service standards and an infrastructure plan across the three transit agencies. Currently, each system is largely governed by its own board, with some oversight from RTA. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The NITA board would have 20 members five each from the city of Chicago, suburban Cook County, the collar counties and the governor. The CTA, Metra and Pace would continue to have service boards reporting to NITA. The CTA board would have seven members, while Metra and Pace would each have 11. The service boards would be charged with developing budgets and other financial plans and sharing them with the NITA Board. The Chicago transit region must come up with strategies to address public safety concerns along public bus and train lines. This entails the creation of a law enforcement task force led by the Cook County Sheriffs Department in coordination with Chicago police, Metra police, Illinois State Police and various suburban police departments. The bill also creates a transit ambassador program to assist riders with other issues while using the transit system. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On the House floor, Democratic state Rep. Matt Hanson acknowledged the bill wasnt perfect but said its a great start and its what Chicago and Illinois deserves. Its going to be on all of us and our successors to make sure that we get this right in follow-up legislation, said the Democrat from far west suburban Montgomery who is also a train engineer, to make sure we get this right and that the accountability standards that are finally going to be in place for all these agencies are adhered to, to make sure that we continue to invest properly. Villivalam, the Senate sponsor, said the measure represented a consensus after hours of testimony. So no, were not going to let this moment pass, he said. We are moving forward. SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WTVO) Early Friday morning, the Illinois legislature passed a bill that would allow doctors to prescribe fatal doses of medication to terminally ill patients. Opponents of the bill have described it as legalizing assisted suicide. Senate Bill 1950, originally introduced as a measure concerning sanitary food preparation, ultimately carried the language of the End of Life Options Act, a proposal allowing mentally competent adults with six months or less to live the option to obtain a prescription for medication to peacefully end their lives. Under the proposal, physicians would be required to first discuss all available alternatives, including comfort care, hospice, and pain management. Patients would have to be capable of self-administering the medication and complete a rigorous request process: two verbal requests and one written request witnessed by two individuals who affirm that the decision is voluntary and made with a sound mind. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The legislation also mandates that doctors discuss all end-of-life care options, including medical aid in dying. It further specifies that life insurance benefits may not be denied to families of patients who choose to use the law. The Catholic Diocese of Rockford was among the opponents of the bill. Bishop David Malloy said that, in states where assisted suicide is legal, some insurance companies have reportedly refused to cover treatment for terminally ill patients while approving the comparatively low cost of life-ending medication. Malloy also cited the American Medical Association, which maintains that physician-assisted suicide is fundamentally incompatible with the physicians role as healer, would be difficult or impossible to control, and would pose serious societal risks. The bill now heads to Gov. JB Pritzkers desk for his signature. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Groups, such as the Patients Rights Action Fund, are calling on the governor to veto the bill. A poll taken two years ago showed that 7 out of 10 Illinois voters supported medical aid in dying legislation. 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 MyStateline | WTVO News, Weather and Sports. For months, Illinois transit leaders warned of a doomsday scenario that would hobble the regions mass transit systems. Dozens of bus lines were on the chopping block, they warned, along with whole portions of the L. Thousands of workers faced the threat of layoffs. Transit advocates warned that service cuts would have wide-ranging consequences for the Chicago economy and the environment. As of Friday morning, that scenario seems to be in the rearview mirror. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After multiple failed legislative proposals, state lawmakers finally got a transit funding deal across the finish line in the early morning hours on Friday. Gov. JB Pritzker said he intends to sign the measure into law. In addition to raising around $1.5 billion, the deal will overhaul the Chicago regions mass transit system by creating a new governing body to oversee the CTA, Metra and Pace called the Northern Illinois Transit Authority. The deal includes various initiatives intended to bolster safety on the regions transit systems. It appears to pump the brakes on planned fare increases next year. Perhaps of most importance to riders, the deal will prevent planned service cuts and layoffs on the CTA next year, according to the agency itself. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This legislation is the most transformative change to our public transit systems in the state of Illinois in five decades, said state Sen. Ram Villivalam of Chicago, a Democrat who has helped lead transit reform and funding. The legislative effort addresses what experts have termed the transit fiscal cliff, a financial crisis that loomed as the CTA, Metra and Pace started running out of aid they received from the federal government during the pandemic. At the same time, ridership numbers have simply not returned to 2019 levels, meaning agencies arent making as much of their revenue from fares as they used to. The agencies were facing a structural budget deficit that would start next year and balloon to more than $800 million in 2027 and beyond. The deal comes with enough dollars to address the budget deficit each year and provide even more funding on top of that, which the regions transit agencies have said theyd use to make improvements in service. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Heres what Chicago-area transit riders need to know. Where is the money coming from? The new bill funds mass transit without the broad taxes and fees that seemed to tank previous versions of the legislation. The biggest chunks of money come from diverting funds that would typically be used for road construction projects to mass transit. That includes $860 million in sales tax revenue on motor fuel and $200 million from the interest earned on the states road fund that would now go to transit. Another $400 million would come from authorizing an increase of 0.25 percentage points in the sales tax issued by the Regional Transportation Authority in Cook County and the collars. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To make up for the money diverted away from road work, the bill also includes a sharp 45-cent-per-toll increase on the Illinois Tollway. Does this mean there wont be any service cuts on the CTA next year? There wont be service cuts or layoffs on the CTA, according to interim agency president Nora Leerhsen. With these funds, we will expand our bus and rail service, invest in new technologies, and implement new strategies to support our riders and employees, Leerhsen said in a statement Friday. Before the legislation passed, Leerhsen said the agency was poised to make the single-largest transit service cut in the modern history of the Chicago Transit Authority. Cuts to bus and train service were expected to start next August. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But when the CTA prepared its 2026 budget, it came up with three plans: One austerity budget, one status quo budget and one best-case scenario budget assuming state lawmakers came up with around $1.5 billion for regional transit. In that best-case scenario budget, the CTA outlined what it described as an ambitious plan to take transit service to a level never seen in Chicago. Its not clear if the CTA plans to follow that budget directly to the letter, particularly because of uncertainty around planned fare increases. In that plan, the CTA said it would run more frequent rail service, with a goal of achieving eight-minute-or-less headways on all train lines, all day, every day. The agency also said it would add more bus lines to its Frequent Network and would put resources toward eliminating the scourge of slow zones on train lines. What about Metra and Pace? Neither Metra nor Pace had planned to cut bus or train service next year, although both had warned that without more money, theyd have to do so in 2027 and beyond. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a statement, Paces executive director, Melinda Metzger, said the agency would now be able to deliver more service, increased frequency, expanded bus-on-shoulder operations, new bus rapid transit corridors, and innovative solutions to meet growing demand. Metra spokesperson Michael Gillis said the commuter rail agency look(s) forward to working with lawmakers, our fellow transit agencies, and all stakeholders to meet the promise of this significant legislation and establish the world-class system that our constituents and riders need and deserve. How much will it cost to ride the CTA, Metra and Pace next year? Its not clear. The CTA, Metra and Pace all planned to raise fares around 10 to 15% next year whether or not lawmakers came up with more funding. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The RTA, which oversees all three agencies, had mandated they do so to help plug the looming budget shortfall. At the CTA, for example, a planned 25-cent-per-ride fare hike was expected to generate around $30 to $35 million in revenue. The new legislation, however, prohibits any fare increases for the first year after its effective date. Because the bill takes effect in June, it does not appear it would explicitly prohibit the CTA, Metra and Pace from going through with their planned fare increases, which were planned to take effect Feb. 1. But lawmakers said their intention was to stop the fare increases, which would be the first the agencies have taken in years. Villivalam said that though the bill does not explicitly prohibit fare hikes before June 1 next year, legislators didnt want the transit agencies to go through with them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I believe there is consensus from the Illinois General Assembly that fare increases should not be implemented until service is stabilized, Villivalam said. A spokesperson for state Rep. Eva-Dina Delgado, a Chicago Democrat who was one of the key architects of the legislation, also said the measure is intended to prevent fare hikes next year. The RTA did not directly answer a question about the prohibition on fare increases. In a statement, the agency said it was continuing to review the bill and will share more in the days ahead, including how this impacts the 2026 budget process. What about transit reforms? The bill will replace the RTA with a new entity called the Northern Illinois Transit Authority, or NITA, which is supposed to act as an empowered version of the RTA with the ability to set fares and service standards across the entire region. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The NITA board would have 20 members five each from the city of Chicago, Cook County government, the collar counties and the governor. The CTA, Metra and Pace would continue to have their own boards, too. Did anyone oppose the deal? Downstate Republicans pushed back hard against the legislation, which they said would divert more than $400 million a year money largely intended for road projects to Chicago-area transit needs. But lawmakers ultimately OKd the deal by a 72-32 vote in the House and a 36-21 vote in the Senate just after 4:15 a.m. Friday. What else is in the bill? The 1,044-page piece of legislation contains a plethora of smaller reforms, changes and suggestions for the regions transit agencies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For instance, it directs Metra to study the possibility of expanding its Metra Electric Line all the way to Kankakee. On the safety front, the bill calls for the creation of a transit ambassador program intended to improve safety on mass transit. Transit ambassadors would be trained and unarmed personnel stationed on buses, trains and transit stations. A law enforcement task force led by the Cook County Sheriffs Office is charged with studying best practices for safety on the regions mass transit systems. And within a year of the laws effective date, the NITA board is supposed to vote on the creation of a sworn law enforcement officer crime prevention program on transit, per the measure. The bill also includes a provision that would allow Forest Park, Oak Park, Rosemont and River Forest all municipalities served by the CTAs Blue or Green Lines to get reimbursed by NITA for the cost of police, paramedics or other first responders they deploy to train stations within their boundaries. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Transit insiders hailed the package on Friday. This legislation is a total paradigm shift, and a welcome change to a truly unified system that will be laser focused on working as one to deliver safe, clean, reliable transit, said Tom Kotarac, who represents Chicago on the RTA board. The next several months will be complicated but exciting. GYEONGJU, South Korea (AP) Silicon Valley chipmaker Nvidia plans to supply hundreds of thousands of its graphics processing units for projects with South Korean businesses and the government to advance the countrys artificial intelligence infrastructure and technologies. The plan was announced Friday by the government, Nvidia, and some of South Koreas biggest companies, including chipmakers Samsung Electronics, SK Hynix and auto giant Hyundai Motor, after President Lee Jae Myung met with Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang. At a news conference, Huang said he hopes to export Nvidias most advanced AI chips to China, following U.S. President Donald Trumps talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping on loosening U.S. chip restrictions as the two leaders pledged to reduce trade tensions. However, he acknowledged that it was up to Trump to decide, and said there were no current plans to sell the next generation Blackwell chips to China. Huang has gotten rockstar treatment reminiscent of Apples Steve Jobs since arriving in South Korea on Thursday to attend meetings of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum in Gyeongju. As APEC host, South Korea is using the gathering of world leaders to showcase its ambitions in AI. According to Lees office and the companies, Nvidia will supply around 260,000 GPUs to support South Koreas AI computing and manufacturing capabilities. About 50,000 of the GPUs will be used to support a government project to build a national cloud computing center for AI and Nvidia will provide the same number of GPUs each to Samsung and SK to help them enhance their manufacturing processes through AI and accelerate the development of advanced semiconductors. Hyundai and Nvidia said they plan to collaborate on developing technologies related to self-driving cars, smart factories and robotics, a process that will be powered by 50,000 of Nvidias advanced Blackwell GPUs. Speaking to business leaders, Huang highlighted how AI and advanced computing are driving a profound transformation across industries, adding to the need for more infrastructure and capacity. South Koreas strengths in software, technical expertise and manufacturing give it an edge, he said. When you combine software, AI technology, and manufacturing, you have the opportunity to really take advantage of robotics, which is the future of AI, Huang said. Nvidia featured in Trump-Xi talks Santa Clara-based Nvidia, whose GPU chips power much of the global AI industry, featured in talks Thursday between Trump and Xi in the South Korean city of Busan, where the leaders agreed to take steps to ease their escalating trade war. Following the meeting, Trump said he discussed sales of computer chips to China. Trump and former President Joe Biden have imposed restrictions on Chinas access to the most advanced chips, including those used for AI. Trump said China will speak with Nvidia about purchasing their chips, but not the companys latest Blackwell AI chips. Nvidia has argued that U.S. export controls hinder American competitiveness in one of the worlds largest technology markets and warned that such limits could push other countries toward Chinas AI technology. Talking to reporters in South Korea, Huang said he hopes to eventually sell Blackwell chips to China, but thats a decision for the president to make. Were always hoping to return to China, Huang said. Its in the best interest of the United States, its in the best interests of China. And so Im hopeful that both governments will arrive at a conclusion someday where Nvidias technology could be exported to China. Huang acknowledged U.S. security concerns about Nvidia technology being used by Chinas military but argued that China already has ample AI capabilities, making the use of Nvidia chips for military purposes largely unnecessary. In August, Trump announced a deal with Nvidia and AMD, another chipmaker, to lift export controls on sales of advanced chips to China in exchange for a 15% cut of the revenue, despite concerns among national security experts that such chips will end up in the hands of Chinese military and intelligence services. Nvidia earlier this week confirmed that it has become the first $5 trillion company, just three months after the company broke through the $4 trillion mark. The milestone underscores the upheaval driven by the AI craze, widely seen as the biggest technological shift since Apple co-founder Jobs unveiled the first iPhone 18 years ago. But there are also concerns over a potential AI bubble. Officials at the Bank of England warned earlier this month that tech stock prices fueled by the AI boom could collapse, and the head of the International Monetary Fund has issued a similar warning. Huang joins Samsung, Hyundai chiefs for fried chicken and beer Hundreds of people, including reporters, gathered at a restaurant in southern Seoul on Thursday as Huang, dressed casually in a black T-shirt just hours after arriving in South Korea, shared fried chicken and beer with Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee Jae-yong and Hyundai Motor Executive Chair Euisun Chung. The tech executives clinked glasses, took bomb shots, and at one point, Huang stepped outside to hand baskets of chicken and fried cheese to the crowd waiting outside. The three later took the stage before hundreds of cheering fans at a nearby gaming festival, where Huang said Koreas gaming scene aided Nvidias early success back when it mainly made graphics cards for gamers. By KIM TONG-HYUNG Associated Press SPRINGFIELD, Ill. The Illinois General Assembly has passed a bill to fund Chicago area mass transit. The Illinois Senate gave the bill final approval at 4:20 a.m. Friday, two hours after the Illinois House endorsed it over the objection of Republican leaders. The CTA, Metra and Pace need almost a quarter billion dollars to close a budget gap next year and stop layoffs, as well as interruption of services. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Republicans argued there was still time to work together to find a solution. The latest bill funds mass transit by diverting more than $800 million from the states sales tax on motor fuel to transit operations. The money will be split between downstate and northern Illinois. Interest income on the states road fund will be dedicated to transit capital projects. It raises nearly a billion dollars a year for roads. Tolls will increase by 45 cents for passenger vehicles, and 30 percent for commercial vehicles. Pritzker pours cold water on latest Chicago transit bailout proposal The bill also changes who will oversee Chicago-area transit. The newly-created Northern Illinois Transit Authority will replace the current RTA Board. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Oversight Committee will be able to establish a universal fare system between CTA, Metra and Pace, and coordinate scheduled between the three. In an interview with WGN Morning News on Friday morning, Mayor Brandon Johnson spoke on the transit bill. Its the economic engine of the entire regine and the state, quite frankly. This investment in our public transportation is going to protect peoples jobs, its going to make sure that were fully funding a system that quite frankly has been underfunded for a long time, said Johnson. Republicans took issue with what Democrats consider a split between downstate and Chicago. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The legislation now heads to Governor JB Pritzkers desk. Pritzker released the following statement Friday in regards to the transit bill: Illinoisans deserve a world-class transportation system that connects communities across regions, drives economic growth, and helps every resident no matter where they live access transit to live, work, and enjoy the state. I am grateful for the work by leaders in both chambers of the Illinois General Assembly in taking steps to make this vision a reality. The legislation makes important changes to how Illinois operates and manages our transportation network, including investing in new capital projects that will make our public transit and tollways more modern, efficient, and reliable for riders. I am pleased the legislation also avoids new broad-based state taxes on Illinois working families. Instead, it directs existing state revenue streams to flow towards public transit systems while enabling independent bodies like the Regional Transportation Authority and Tollway Board to decide how to best meet their users needs. I want to thank Senator Villivalam and Representatives Delgado and Buckner for their leadership working on this legislation. I look forward to signing it into law and ensuring fiscal responsibility, fairness across the states transportation networks, and world-class transit that keeps Illinoisans 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 WGN-TV. SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WMBD) Those with criminal records could get a second chance to join the workforce, thanks to a new bill that is headed to the governors desk for a signature. State Rep. Jehan Gordon-Booth led the push for the bill, saying it was a very personal project. The bill, dubbed the Clean Slate Act, allows for some criminal records to be automatically sealed. I will never forget this 75-year-old man that told me if I would have met you 50 years ago, I would have had a different life, she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The legislation passed out of the Illinois House on Thursday, receiving support from criminal justice reform groups alongside law enforcement and even some Republicans. It passed through the Senate a day before. Gordon-Booth burst into tears on the House floor when the 80-26 vote was announced. The Peoria Democrat described the measure not as a criminal justice reform but more as a jobs bill, allowing people whove been set back by their criminal record to rejoin the workforce. All of us have people in our communities that have made a mistake, and they just need a second opportunity, she said. I implore you to dig in your heart today and allow these people an opportunity to work, [earn] wages, and hopefully [build] wealth someday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Felony convictions are eligible for automatic sealing three years after a person finishes their sentence. Most misdemeanor convictions are eligible after two years after the end of the sentence. Petty offences or ordinance violations will be automatically sealed every Jan 1. and July 1. Crimes not eligible to be sealed range from murder and sex crimes, all the way to vehicle hijackings and residential burglary. A full list of all crimes ineligible to be sealed can be found here. Law enforcement agencies, the courts, prosecutors and employers who need fingerprints for background checks, like schools, can access sealed criminal records. The Illinois Department of Children and Family Services also has access, but it is limited, Gordon-Booth said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Employers, landlords and other members of the public, however, cannot access sealed records. Some Republicans opposed the bill. State Rep. Patrick Windhorst, the Republican floor leader, said some Republicans arent opposed to the idea, but a provision allowing those with subsequent felonies to get their records automatically sealed made them a no vote. Gordon-Booth said people who have been forced into poverty should get a second chance. I dont know about you, but I know that Ive made a mistake in my life, she said. Mistake lists all of your lives. I believe so deeply and so desperately that there are so many people in our lives, in our families, in our communities that they simply want to have an opportunity. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Currently, when applying for a sealing petition, the person wanting their record sealed must pass a negative drug test. This bill would remove this. The Clean Slate Act passed out of the House and had broad bipartisan support, receiving a yes vote from state Rep. Ryan Spain, a Peoria Republican. 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. The billboards had only been installed a day before the vandalism, and the advertisements featuring male pupils were left untouched. Images of female students used to advertise Zefat Academic College across Safed were vandalized on Wednesday, with the images of the women crudely erased with black markers, the institute confirmed. The billboards had only been installed a day before the vandalism, and the advertisements featuring male pupils were left untouched. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The students of the college were pictured side-by-side in, what the institute saidm was a message conveying equality, access to higher education, and empowerment for all segments of society. This is not only an attack on women but also on the idea of equal opportunity. Zefat Academic College places great importance on making higher education accessible to all populations, and especially on encouraging women to study, develop, and make an impact," said Meital Toker, Director of Marketing at Zefat Academic College. Posters advertising the Zefat Academic College were vandalized to hide the image of women. This act of vandalism will not deter uswe will continue to promote values of equality, inclusion, and female empowerment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The college assured that it intends to speak with the relevant authorities about the incident and restore the billboards to their original state. Vandalizing images of women The issue of pictures of women being vandalized has been a longstanding issue in Israel.The Jerusalem Post previously reported that many advertising companies had veered away from using female models, fearful that the campaign they were investing in would only be destroyed. Last year, the vandalism of posters featuring the faces of female hostages in Modiin drew significant outrage. The posters of male hostages were left untouched, despite being directly placed next to their fellow female captives. In 2023, a campaign poster for then-Ashdod mayoral candidate Helen Gelber was vandalized sparking national outrage. In a Facebook post complaining about the incident, Gelber wrote, "This isn't in Bnei Brak, it's here in Ashdod. A shocking and threatening act of defacement of my face on a campaign poster on Menachem Begin Road The clocks are ticking toward the end of Daylight Saving Time. On Sunday morning, they will move back an hour. This controversial practice is one Washington lawmakers have been trying to get rid of for years. Its an antiquated idea, said Mark Engel, who is tired of the time changes. It was set up for the times when we were working in the fields. Its a pain for some, but others just dont care. Im self-employed, so I dont have a hard time keeping up my schedule, Julia Simons said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2019, the state passed a law that would permanently make it Daylight Saving Time year-round. The law never took effect because it is banned at the federal level to do so. A sleep expert told KIRO 7 it would have been disastrous. That would be a huge mistake, Dr. Nathaniel Watson said. The sun wouldnt come up in the winter until well past 9 a.m. and, of course, this would be permanent jetlag forever for the population. Watson, a neurologist who co-directs the University of Washington sleep center, recommends instead that it permanently become standard time, which we are set to switch to this weekend, because it better lines up with the bodys natural rhythms. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Washington lawmakers tried that back in 2024, but the effort stalled out. Sleep and circadian health touches basically every aspect of human physiology, Watson said. Watson said the time changes and the sleep disruptions that come with them cause an increase in heart attacks, strokes, diabetes and depression, especially when time springs forward. ImpactLife is hosting a blood drive with University of Iowa Health Care AirCare on Thursday, November 6 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. inside the AirCare hangar at the Davenport Municipal Airport, 9230 N. Harrison Street. The blood drive will also highlight the importance of blood transfusions in emergency care. (AirCare) During the blood drive, donors can see the UI Health Care AirCare helicopter and learn about emergency transport and specialty ambulance services provided by UI Health Care. Call ImpactLife at (800) 747-5401 or click here to schedule appointments online. The drive will highlight the importance of blood transfusions used in emergency care. AirCare was the first emergency medical services (EMS) organization in the Quad Cities region equipped for pre-hospital transfusion. This is a growing practice at the intersection of emergency medical service and transfusion medicine. When a blood transfusion can be delivered immediately, on the scene or while en route to the hospital, it can be the difference between life and death. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bleeding from uncontrolled hemorrhage is a leading cause of preventable death among trauma patients, said Dr. Daniela Hermelin, Chief Medical Officer for ImpactLife. Every minute counts in these situations. A pre-hospital transfusion the delivery of blood products by trained first responders before a patient reaches the hospital can significantly improve survival, reduce hospital length of stay, and decrease overall blood use once patients arrive at the emergency department. ImpactLife provides blood components used by 25 air and ground ambulance services in Illinois, Iowa, Missouri and Wisconsin. We know that prehospital transfusions have the power to save lives, and donors make it possible to have blood available for use in emergency transport, said Andrew Nugent, MD, MHA, FACEP, chair and departmental executive officer for the Department of Emergency Medicine. Maintaining a stable blood supply is crucial and we cant do that without the generous support of our communities. By donating to blood drives like the ones hosted by ImpactLife, you are helping your family, your neighbors and possibly even yourself by making sure that AirCare has access to blood products in emergency transports. UI Health Care AirCare expanded to the Quad Cities in the fall of 2024 and increased access to life-saving critical care services in the region. AirCare provides emergency helicopter and specialty ambulance services to quickly transport multi-system trauma victims, neonates, pediatric patients and patients experiencing time-sensitive or complex medical conditions. All flights are operated by Air Methods. 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. BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) Seasick Records in Birmingham is hosting a sale for one weekend in November to raise funds for the Community Food Bank of Central Alabama. From Nov. 1-2, a selection of 45s, CDs and LPs will be available at Seasick for $1. All proceeds from the sale will be donated to the Community Food Bank. Seasick is also partnering with the City of Birmingham as a food donation drop-off location. The following items can be dropped off at any time during Seasicks hours of operation: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Canned vegetables Canned meats Canned fruit Box cereals Soups Nutritional bars Oatmeal Box food Toilet paper Paper towels Seasick Records is open from 12 p.m.- 5 p.m. Monday, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday and 12 p.m.-5 p.m. Sunday. More details on the $1 sale can be found 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 CBS 42. SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) A federal jury has convicted an Indiana man of conspiring to steal more than $100,000 from an elderly South Dakota woman. Prairie Lakes to combine with Sanford Health We first told you about the case in 2023. Thats when 33-year-old Abdul Mohammed and at least one other person posed as law enforcement and convinced a Pennington County woman that she would be arrested if she didnt pay them. The victim mailed $10,000 in cash. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She then bought $95,000 worth of gold. When Mohammed went to pick it up, authorities arrested him. This week, a federal jury convicted Mohammed of Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud. However, they found him not guilty of Wire Fraud. A sentencing date has not been set. Mohammed also faces grand theft charges in Pennington County. That case is still making it through 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 KELOLAND.com. HENDERSON, Ky. (WEHT) A dispute between Spencer County residents and Grandview Solar was heard Thursday at the Indiana Supreme Court. The case centers on whether Grandviews board of zoning appeals had the authority to grant a special use exception for land outside town limits. In 2019, Grandview Solar received the special exception to build a solar farm. Some residents sued, saying the special exception was invalid from the very beginning. The residents oppose the project, citing concerns over farmland loss and declining property values. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This dispute should have died within 30 days of the Board of Zoning Appeals decision in 2019, attorney Margaret Christensen said. Instead, the project opponents tried to revive the dead more than four years later. You have the power to decide a local special exception, attorney Jason Kuchmay said. You dont have the power to decide a special exception over a property outside your jurisdiction. The Indiana Supreme Court has not yet made a decision. 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). KATHMANDU, Oct 31: Climate shocks are increasingly pushing vulnerable families in rural Nepal to send their children into hazardous labour, according to a new study that for the first time establishes a direct link between climate impacts and child and forced labour in the countrys brick and carpet industries. The report, released by GoodWeave International and New ERA, draws on three decades of climate data and interviews with more than 1,000 participants across eight climate-affected districts in Nepal. It finds that prolonged droughts, floods, landslides, heatwaves and other extreme weather events are disrupting agriculture and food security, forcing families to migrate to urban centres for work. Many of those displaced including children end up in carpet factories and brick kilns in Kathmandu Valley, sectors already flagged for high risks of child and forced labour. Related story SHIFT for Our Planet: Youths urge authorities to make climate j... According to the study, titled From Risk to Resilience, 35 percent of adult workers and parents of child labourers said climate events influenced their decision to work, or have their children work, in these sectors, while 17 percent cited climate pressures as an extreme factor. Among brick kiln workers, 73 percent identified climate stress as a contributing factor, with nearly half describing the influence as extreme. Participants reported falling crop yields and declining household food supplies, leading them to take loans, migrate, or rely on low-paid, dangerous work. The report notes that debt, land access and food security were key variables in determining whether climate impacts pushed families into labour exploitation. The study calls for urgent action from government and industry, including targeted protections for climate-vulnerable workers and children, strengthened agricultural resilience, improved livelihood opportunities, and expansion of social protection and labour safeguards in Nepal. When families face hardship from failed harvests or loss of income, they often feel they have no choice but to send their children to work, said Hem Moktan, Senior Programme Manager at Nepal GoodWeave Foundation. This report makes those connections clear and provides a roadmap. Families are under immense pressure as climate disasters grow, added Sadikshya Nepal, Director of Advocacy and Communications at GoodWeave International. If education, safe work and livelihood support are not reinforced, more children will be pushed into hazardous labour. The findings were shared globally, including during Climate Week in New York and at events in Kathmandu and at ISEAL Members Week, as part of efforts to mobilise policy action and international support. The Indiana Daily Student will continue publishing print editions for the rest of the 2025-2026 school year after Indiana University administrators reversed course on their decision to cancel print earlier this month. The IDS announced print publication will continue in a letter from the editor published Thursday. The next print edition will hit newsstands Nov. 20. IUs twin decisions earlier this month to fire the IDSs adviser and stop the print edition drew national attention and sparked allegations of censorship from media and free speech advocates. In the wake of the actions, several alumni announced they were cancelling future financial contributions to the university. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Also Thursday, terminated IDS adviser Jim Rodenbush sued the university, alleging IU violated his constitutional rights. Bloomington chancellor: IU 'has not handled recent decisions as well as we should have' Editions of the Indiana Daily Student in the student media area in Franklin Hall on Indiana University's campus on Oct. 14, 2025. In a letter from IU Bloomington Chancellor David Reingold sent to IDS editors on Thursday, Reingold asserted that the universitys decisions to cut print and terminate Rodenbush were unrelated, contrary to what has been posted on social media and published. I recognize and accept that the campus has not handled recent decisions as well as we should have, Reingold said in the letter. Communication was uneven and timing imperfect. Reingold again asserted that the universitys decision was not about censorship, stating Indiana University has never attempted to censor editorial content, period. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In his letter, Reingold said he authorized the financial office to allow the IDS to print through June 30, 2026, so long as they remain true to their budgetary parameters. IDS editors question IU administrators' commitment to transparency IDS Editors-in-Chief Mia Hilkowtiz and Andrew Miller said Reingolds decision was the correct call, and a victory for both the IDS and for student media across the country. Still, Hilkowitz and Miller called for more transparency and communication between the paper and IU administration, questioning Reingolds call for IDS leaders to have a seat at the table. Weve requested meetings with both Reingold and IUB Provost Rahul Shrivastav, but they havent responded to us. Approached face-to-face, both still skirted questions about their original directive to cut print and prohibit the printing of news, and many other important questions, the co-editors said in their letter. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Reingold's letter comes a week after Media School Dean David Tolchinsky announced a task force on the independence and stability of the IDS. The task force is set to start meeting in mid-November and deliver recommendations in the spring semester. Reingold said the task force will still meet and provide a path forward for addressing the IDSs financial challenges. Reach Brian Rosenzweig at brian@heraldt.com. Follow him on X/Twitter at @brianwritesnews. This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: Indiana University allows student newspaper IDS to resume printing The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department is asking for help finding a car that's believed to have hit and critically injured a girl walking home from school. Just after 4 p.m. on Oct. 27, 2025, police were called to the intersection of West 34th Street and Allison Avenue about a hit and run crash. Officers found a badly injured teenager in the roadway, and she was taken to an area hospital in critical condition. Surveillance footage and witness interviews led police to conclude the girl was struck by a dark-colored Honda Accord made between 2018 and 2020. The car, which fled eastbound on West 34th Street, likely has damage on the center of its front bumper, according to investigators. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Anybody who has information about the crash, including camera footage or sightings of the Accord, is asked to call IMPD's Crash Investigations United at 317-327-6549. Tips made to Crime Stoppers of Central Indiana at 317-262-8477 will remain anonymous. Ryan Murphy is the communities reporter for IndyStar. She can be reached at rhmurphy@indystar.com. This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Indianapolis police looking for car suspected of striking teenage girl This story was originally published by Chalkbeat. Sign up for their newsletters at ckbe.at/newsletters. Indianapolis Public Schools has changed its Office of Racial Equity into the Office of Strategic Excellence amid increasing pressure on schools to abandon diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts. The racial equity office, which opened in 2015, guided the district as it has tried to solve longstanding inequities in urban districts nationwide. Those include the disproportionate suspension of students of color and gaps in academic performance. Those challenges are amplified in a highly diverse district where over one-third of students are Black and over one-third are Hispanic, according to state enrollment records. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The transition was meant to ensure that every student has what they need to be successful, regardless of their identity, the district said in a statement Wednesday. Although equity has been a cornerstone of Superintendent Aleesia Johnsons tenure, the under-the-radar change comes amid a backlash to equity initiatives locally and nationwide. President Donald Trump in January threatened to withhold federal education funds from schools that teach what the administration called discriminatory equity ideology, a directive Indiana complied with. Gov. Mike Braun also signed an executive order this year targeting initiatives and spending related to DEI. Patricia Payne, who led the Office of Racial Equity as a longstanding IPS employee and advocate for educational equity, now leads the Office of Strategic Excellence with the support of two other employees, the district said. At least one previously worked in the Office of Racial Equity. The district has also removed references to the Office of Racial Equity from its website. This office continues to organize longstanding events like the Spirit of Freedom and the MLK Celebration in addition to providing support to our schools and staff in creating excellent learning environments for all students, the district said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The racial equity office held annual racial equity summits and staff training sessions including a two-day intensive equity school workshop led by the Racial Equity Institute, according to presentations given to the school board. But due to a lack of funding, the district said the partnership with the institute has ended and those racial equity trainings are no longer offered. After the murder of George Floyd prompted a nationwide racial reckoning in 2020, the office also helped present a board policy acknowledging the impact that the citys historical racism and segregation has on students today. The policy, which is still listed as a board policy online, also commits the district to eliminating opportunity gaps between subgroups of students while disrupting institutionally racist structures and policies in IPS. But Indiana Republicans have recently embraced Trumps vigorous opposition to DEI. In addition to Brauns executive order, Attorney General Todd Rokita launched the Eyes on Education portal in 2024 that encourages residents to report divisive ideology in schools. Districts highlighted in the portal said at the time that it contained outdated, inaccurate, or incomplete information. IPS is listed in the portal with an accompanying screenshot of an email from the Office of Racial Equity inviting employees to join affinity groups based on shared identity such as race, religion, or gender. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The district did not respond to questions about these documents in the portal. Equity is a guiding principle in the districts Rebuilding Stronger plan, which seeks to stabilize IPS enrollment and finances while also providing more educational opportunities to students of color. Racial equity was also a component of the districts 2025 Strategic Plan, which sought to lower suspension rates for Black students with disabilities and eliminate the gap in test scores between Black and Hispanic students in IPS and those students across the state. Regina Turner, co-chair of the education committee for the greater Indianapolis branch of the NAACP, said the district is in the best position to determine the work it does and who should do it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But she said the NAACPs goal of advocating for the best education for all children all of the time including children of color will not change no matter who is in charge. Amelia Pak-Harvey covers Indianapolis and Lawrence Township schools for Chalkbeat Indiana. Contact Amelia at apak-harvey@chalkbeat.org. Chalkbeat is a nonprofit news organization covering public education. This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: IPS changes Office of Racial Equity amid national backlash to DEI KANSAS CITY, Mo. The University of Kansas Medical Center and the University of Kansas Health System have announced a new initiative to create and improve rural healthcare in Kansas. Supported in part by a $12 million grant from the Patterson Family Foundation, the initiative aims to increase access to specialty care in rural communities across Kansas. One in three local animal clinics corporate owned, contributing to rising vet care costs Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rural communities are the heart of Kansas, and they deserve access to the right care at the right time, said Jessica Hunt, Vice President of Strategy and Programs at the Patterson Family Foundation. Building on the Care Collaboratives long-standing investment in rural health, this effort expands telehealth connections and specialty care accessworking alongside rural providers who are vital to helping their communities thrive. Were proud to support this collaboration and the shared commitment to strengthening health care across rural Kansas. This new initiative brings together research, rural outreach and clinical care from both organizations to improve and increase health care in rural Kansas. The initiative will include: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Researchers from the University of Kansas Medical Center will conduct a statewide assessment of specialty and sub-specialty care, as well as therapies and testing needed to support this care. Based on the assessment, teams from The University of Kansas Health Systems Care Collaborative and defined medical specialty areas will work with Care Collaborative members, who are rural health care providers, to coordinate diagnostic and therapeutic services close to patients homes. Specialists will partner virtually with rural primary care providers and patients to provide expertise in diagnosis and treatment planning, assuring patients have access to the latest training and evidence-based practices, as well as more rapid access to medical advances. Researchers in population health will work throughout the process to better understand the most impactful tools and techniques to create better health outcomes, which can then be replicated in other areas. A recent report from the University of Kansas School of Nursing highlighted the states growing maternal care desert finding a direct correlation between this increase and the decrease in access to hospitals, doctors, nurses and other maternity care providers in rural areas. 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 jury in a federal civil rights case awarded $404,000 to Tommy Meadows after state prison staff took him to the floor, pepper sprayed him while handcuffed in a strip cell and put him in solitary confinement for two years. Early in the case, the state offered to settle it for $5,000, according to court filings. "Inmates rarely have counsel in these sorts of cases. These cases rarely go to trial. And inmates almost never win," said Meadows' attorney Emmett Robinson. "We were told that this was one of the most significant civil-rights jury cases in the Southern District of Ohio in many years." The Southern Ohio Correctional Facility in Lucasville Wednesday, July 18, 2018. The Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction declined to comment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At the Southern Ohio Correctional Facility in Lucasville, Meadows, who is from Cincinnati, was in line for chow when a fight broke out May 19, 2019. Corrections Officer Christopher Coppick handcuffed Meadows and tried to escort him back to the housing area. Coppick twisted Meadows' fingers, starting a struggle that resulted in Meadows' head getting bashed against the wall, him being taken to the ground and officers piling on, said Robinson. Officers took Meadows in handcuffs and leg shackles to a small cage where Lt. William Bauer twice sprayed him with pepper spray. The state argued that Meadows disobeyed officers' orders, resisted being escorted and spat blood at Bauer. In the months following the incident, Meadows and his then fiance tried to file a grievance with prison officials. At the end of July 2019, as Meadows finally had the ability to file a grievance, Corrections Officer Kenneth Plowman filed a conduct report on Meadows. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Plowman said he overheard Meadows and another prisoner threatening to kill a corrections officer. Robinson said his client then spent two years in solitary confinement. The state argued that there was no connection between Plowman's report and the incident at the chow hall. Meadows' attorney Peter Pattakos dismisses that argument, saying that the case demonstrates a culture in which officers act with impunity. "It's absurd," said Pattakos. "This was just an airtight case as far as these things go." The state is facing a lawsuit over the treatment of James Harris, Jr., a man with serious mental illness who was held in cells without running water for nearly two months at the Southern Ohio Correctional Facility in Lucasville. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The state paid $17.5 million to settle a lawsuit filed on behalf of Seth Fletcher, who suffered a spinal cord injury when state prison guards tackled, handcuffed and dropped him at Chillicothe Correctional Institution. State governent reporter Laura Bischoff can be reached at lbischoff@gannett.com or @lbischoff on X. This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Ohio inmate wins $404,000 in civil rights lawsuit over abuse NEED TO KNOW Diane Wuornos and Leo Pittman shared two children: Keith Wuornos and Aileen Carol Wuornos Aileen never met her father, who was convicted of raping a child in 1967 After her mother abandoned her when she was 4 years old, she and Keith were raised by their grandparents Aileen Carol Wuornos' early years were marked by instability. Born in 1956 in Rochester, Mich., the convicted serial killer was abandoned by her mother, Diane Wuornos, when she was 4 years old, according to Britannica. She had no contact with her father, Leo Pittman, who was sentenced to life in prison for raping a 7-year-old girl. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Aileen and her older brother, Keith Wuornos, were raised by their maternal grandparents. In recorded interviews featured in the 2025 Netflix documentary Aileen: Queen of Serial Killers, she described her grandmother as a "really clean and decent" woman who didn't drink or swear. Though she said her grandfather was not nasty, Aileen previously claimed he had sexually abused her. After their grandmothers death in 1972 followed soon after by their grandfathers Keith and Aileen became wards of the state. She ran away at 15 and began living on the streets, turning to sex work. Aileen, dubbed the "Damsel of Death," was later convicted of murdering six men along a central Florida highway between 1989 and 1990. She was suspected of a seventh killing, though the body of the alleged victim was never found. Im not a man-hater, she told the Orlando Sentinel in March 1991. Ive been through so many traumatic experiences that either Im walking in shock or Im so used to being treated like dirt that I guess its become a way of life." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After pleading self-defense, Aileen was sentenced to death for all six murders and executed in 2002. Heres what to know about Aileen Wuornos parents, Diane Wuornos and Leo Pittman, and the troubled childhood that shaped her life. Diane and Leo had two children World History Archive via Alamy Aileen Carol Wuornos. Aileen Carol Wuornos. Diane eloped with Leo when she was only 14 years old, according to the 2012 autobiography, Dear Dawn: Aileen Wuornos in Her Own Words. They welcomed two children during their brief marriage: Keith and Aileen, who was born on Feb. 29, 1956, per Britannica. Diane was 16 at the time, while Leo was 19. Leo, a handyman, enlisted in the military when Diane became pregnant with Aileen. They separated before she was born, and Aileen said she never had any contact with her father. Leo was a convicted rapist who died in prison Brendan Farrington/AP Photo A photo of serial killer Aileen Wuornos sits on the counter at the Last Resort Bar in Port Orange, Florida. A photo of serial killer Aileen Wuornos sits on the counter at the Last Resort Bar in Port Orange, Florida. The Tampa Bay Times reported that, like his children, Leo's parents abandoned him when he was an infant. He was later adopted and raised by his grandmother. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Leo went on to become a troubled teen. He married twice and drank heavily, according to the outlet. In 1967, Leo was sentenced to life in prison for the rape of a 7-year-old girl. He died by suicide two years later while he was incarcerated, per Britannica. Aileen and Keith were adopted by their grandparents Peter Cosgrove/AP Photo Aileen Wuornos testifies during a hearing on July 20, 2001 in Daytona Beach, Florida. Aileen Wuornos testifies during a hearing on July 20, 2001 in Daytona Beach, Florida. One night in 1960, Diane called the sitter watching her two children to say she wasn't coming home. After Aileen was arrested, she told police that she "just couldn't cope." "The whole family came to me and, in turn, one at a time, begged me to give (Aileen and Keith) to my parents, which was probably the biggest mistake I have ever made in my life," Diane reportedly told detectives, per the Tampa Bay Times. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She added, "I should have . . . adopted them to strangers. We, in our family, suffered a form of child abuse. My father was verbally abusive. My mother was verbally abusive, and we were always told we were no good." Keith and Aileen were sent to live with their maternal grandparents, who later adopted them. Aileen claimed she was sexually abused as a child Doug Engle/AP Photo Aileen Wuornos in the Marion County Judicial Center on February 22, 2001 in Ocala, Florida. Aileen Wuornos in the Marion County Judicial Center on February 22, 2001 in Ocala, Florida. Aileen's circumstances remained turbulent after being adopted by her grandparents. She claimed that her grandfather, Lauri Wuornos, was an alcoholic who physically and sexually abused her, and that she and Keith also had an incestuous relationship, per Britannica. She became pregnant when she was 13 after a friend of her grandfather's allegedly raped her. Family told the Tampa Bay Times that no one believed her, and a police report was never filed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to Britannica, Aileen was sent to a home for unwed mothers, where she gave birth to her child. That child was later placed for adoption. Keith died in 1976 World History Archive via Alamy Aileen Carol Wuornos. Aileen Carol Wuornos. In 1972, Wuornos grandmother died of cirrhosis of the liver, according to Aileen: Queen of Serial Killers, and her grandfather died by suicide soon after. Following their deaths, Aileen and her brother, Keith, became wards of the state. She eventually dropped out of school and turned to sex work. When Aileen was 20 years old, the same year her father died, her older brother died of cancer, per Britannica. Keith was 21, according to the Los Angeles Times. If you or someone you know has been a victim of sexual abuse, text "STRENGTH" to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 to be connected to a certified crisis counselor. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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. Read the original article on People MEMPHIS, Tenn. WREG Investigators have uncovered new information about the man accused of killing four Dyer County family members. Austin Drummond was housed in the Obion County Jail, but this week, a judge agreed to move him due to repeated disruptions and drug possession. Austin Drummond will be moved to TDOC prison ahead of trial Ive spoken with Mr. Drummond about covering the window of his cell many a times with paper. This time it was feces, Captain Mitchell Maynard of the Obion County Sheriffs Dept testified. You cannot observe inside the cell with that window covered. Jailers claim his behavior posed a security risk in the county jail, a claim weve repeatedly heard over the past decade. In 2014, Drummond was tried as an adult and convicted of a gas station armed robbery caught on video. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Six months into his sentence, he was written up for not listening to corrections officers. From there, he amassed a lengthy record. Through the Tennessee Records Act, WREG Investigators obtained Drummonds Tennessee Department of Corrections file. Its 429 pages long. It states he picked up several infractions in the first two years at the Whiteville Correctional Facility. Mostly, he refused direct orders. In February 2016, officers said they caught him conspiring with other inmates to get tobacco, cell phones and marijuana brought into the facility. Despite sending a letter to the warden denying his part and pleading to stay to be close to family, he was moved to a facility outside of Nashville, then to Hardeman County. All the while, he continued to be cited for defiance, refusing cell assignment, being in the wrong pod and having contraband including a homemade knife and marijuana. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2020 at a new prison, officers stated Drummond and another inmate had a homemade knife approximately 6 inches long when they assaulted an inmate in the chow hall. A month later, he went before a parole board. The assault and deadly weapon, it came after. It was self defense. I was almost beat to death. Thats where that came from, Drummond told the board member in the audio we uncovered. He was denied an early release. In the next 18 months, officers reported catching Drummond with four cell phones, 21 chargers, a bag of meth, and marijuana. Eventually, he was moved to the the Northwest Correctional Complex in Lake County where in 2023, records state he tried to pass two food trays from the kitchen to the dish room. Officers stopped the exchange and discovered 12 phones and chargers as well as a knife, marijuana, meth, fentanyl and a significant amount of tobacco. Each infraction over the years came with imposed punishments like minor fines, drug and alcohol screenings, revoked privileges like no packages, visitors and telephone use, and sometimes even solitary confinement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Despite those punishments, Drummond seemed to parade his behavior. Videos and pictures surfaced on his reported Facebook page revealing the comfortable lifestyle in prison. Hes seen playing video games in his cell and flashing multiple phones. Hes seen with a TV streaming device, video games, a bottle of nice liquor, and shelves stocked with food. Records indicate he did get in trouble for some of those items like the video game systems and phones. He was also caught with tobacco, marijuana, fentanyl stuffed in his bookshelf and two knives. In 2024, Drummond was in trouble again. Your News Leader also obtained video showing Drummond and another inmate involved in an attack. It shows them repeatedly going after an inmate and not letting up. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement His file states Drummond possessed a deadly weapon in that attack. Video shows Austin Drummond attacking inmate in prison He was indicted for attempted murder, yet still released in September when he finished serving his robbery sentence. He had these new charges pending from where it occurred inside the prison, Lake County District Attorney Danny Goodman Jr. Once that happens and hes released, hes no different than anyone else whos on the street. Drummond was out of prison 11 months when police say he killed four people, kidnapped a baby, and sparked a massive manhunt. Law enforcement stressed he was a danger with known gang ties. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Even though hes locked up again, they believe he still poses a threat. We have at least six officers here today for security. When we deal with him, we have two officers that deal with him consistently, Obion County Sheriff Karl Jackson testified in court October 27. WREG Investigators continue to press for answers. How did Drummond get so much contraband? How did he build such a lengthy record all behind prison walls? Officials confirmed he was in a romantic relationship with a close relative of one of the four victims hes now accused of killing. While that girlfriend, according to her state HR file we found, was a corrections officer at the same prison Drummond was incarcerated in, she was only cited when she didnt show up to work. It resulted in her termination. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A judge ordered to move Drummond to a state prison while he waits two trials for the quadruple murder and the attempted murder. His location has yet to be disclosed. Hes due in court in November. 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. CHARLOTTE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) West Charlotte High School will have a remote learning day on Monday after an incident on Friday afternoon that led to an altercation between a student and a CMPD officer. Around 2:15 p.m. on Halloween, a school resource officer and CMPD officers were at WCHS when a fight broke out near the bus lot during dismissal. CMS said that there was a video circulating online showing the incident that happened at the high school on Friday. CMPD says it shows an officer physically engaging with a student. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement CMPD has since placed the officer involved on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation, which is standard protocol. Officials said that every student deserves to feel safe and be safe at school. Safety of our students and staff are our top priority. The message below was sent to West Charlotte High School families at 5 p.m. Friday, October 31: West Charlotte Families, this is Principal Cook. I am reaching out to inform you of a fight that took place on our bus lot during dismissal today, a video of which you may have seen circulating on social media. We understand this footage may be disturbing. We have contacted the families of all students involved. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement School leadership is aware, and this incident is being investigated by both Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools and CMPD. Every student deserves to feel and be safe at school. The safety and well-being of our students and staff remains our top priority. Thank you for your understanding and continued support of West Charlotte High School. On Sunday, the school posted on its website, noting that Monday, November 3, will be a remote learning day. The end of the note says, We look forward to welcoming all students back to campus on Wednesday, November 5, 2025, at their regular start time. This is a Developing Story . Check back for updates Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Queen City News. Detectives on Thursday served a fresh round of search warrants related to the ongoing investigation into the disappearance of missing 9-year-old Melodee Buzzard. The search warrants were served at the home of Melodees mother, Ashlee Buzzard, as well as at a storage locker in an undisclosed location and in the rental car that Ashlee Buzzard rented from a local business earlier this month. With the assistance of the FBI, Ashlee Buzzard was escorted out of the area during the searches to ensure that her presence would not interfere with their ability to conduct a thorough search. Melodee Buzzard of Lompoc is seen in this undated photo provided by the Santa Barbara County Sheriffs Office. Buzzard has not been seen in at least a year, and hasnt been photographed in at least two. Melodee Buzzard has been considered a missing person since Oct. 14, after school administrators noted the home-school student had a prolonged absence. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When authorities questioned her mother at their home in Vandenberg Village in northern Santa Barbara County, Ashlee Buzzard purportedly did not provide a satisfactory explanation regarding her daughters current whereabouts or safety. Shes been described as uncooperative since. Initially believed to have not been seen in more than a year, new evidence and confirmed sightings have led to a rough timeline of events between Melodees last known appearance and the present. Melodee Buzzard Disappearance: What we know Last week, the Santa Barbara County Sheriffs Office released security footage images from a local car rental business which appeared to show Melodee wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt cinched tight to conceal long black hair. Investigators believe that Melodee, who was previously seen in photographs with light-brown curly hair, was wearing a wig, possibly to conceal her identity. Missing Santa Barbara County girl Melodee Buzzard is believed to be seen in this Oct. 7, 2025, photo taken at a car rental business prior to departing on a road trip with her mother. (Santa Barbara County Sheriffs Office) The photos were taken days before Melodee was reported missing, and prior to a cross-country road trip that took Ashlee and the rental car to as far as Nebraska with the return trip through Kansas. When Ashlee returned home in the rental, Melodee was not with her. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Investigators are trying to determine when and where the 9-year-old girl and her mother parted, in addition to whether she is safe wherever she is now. Despite Ashlee Buzzard not cooperating in the search for her daughter, no arrests have been made at this time and the case is still identified as a missing person investigation. It is not illegal for her to refuse to cooperate with the investigation, and she cannot be compelled to answer questions unless subpoenaed. Video obtained by NewsNations Ashley Banfield appeared to show Ashlee Buzzard removing missing person posters that had been placed on her property on Oct. 30, 2025. (K. Monreal/NewsNation) Video obtained by NewsNations Ashley Banfield appeared to show Ashlee Buzzard removing missing person posters that had been placed on her property. Officials from the Sheriffs Office said the investigation is continuing with assistance from federal partners and resources with specialized expertise. Known timeline of Melodee Buzzard's disappearance (Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office) Known timeline of Melodee Buzzard's disappearance (Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office) Sheriff Bill Brown has urged the public not to attempt to conduct their own searches or investigations, and instead encouraged them to share factual information directly with detectives, which he says is the most effective way to help. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Anyone with information is asked to contact detectives at 805-681-4150. Anonymous tips can be provided online or by calling 805-681-4171. 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. KATHMANDU, Oct 31: The Gen Z uprising reshaped Nepals politics in ways few could have imagined. What began as a gathering of young people demanding an end to corruption, nepotism and unaccountable governance became a force strong enough to topple the government led by KP Sharma Oli. For a moment, it appeared Nepal had entered a new political eraone shaped by a generation that is informed, globally aware and digitally empowered. Yet, it now seems this movement, born of genuine youthful idealism, has lost direction amid allegations of infiltration by groups with hidden agendas. Gen Z activists deserve recognition for shaking a complacent political establishment. Their online coordination, fearless protests and moral conviction inspired a frustrated public. However, the movements spontaneity and fragmented nature prevented it from achieving its larger goals. Without a unified leadership or coherent vision, it became vulnerable to penetration by opportunists. Individuals with criminal backgrounds and disruptive intent reportedly participated, turning a peaceful reform movement into violent confrontations and chaos. Evidence has surfaced suggesting that various factionsincluding supporters of Durga Prasai, royalists, pro-Tibetan activists, and even Maoist networksattempted to exploit the movement for their own interests. Although the Nepal Army chief later engaged with Prasai and Rastriya Swatantra Party figures, Gen Z activists themselves rejected both as stakeholders. Still, the damage was done. Twenty-two young lives were lost during the protestsan avoidable tragedy had extremist provocateurs not incited violence. Related story Gen Z 2.0 and Gen Z United Movement for Change announce merger What began as a moral crusade for accountability devolved into arson and vandalism. Protesters were linked to attacks on Singh Durbar, the Supreme Court, the Presidents Office, ministry buildings, five-star hotels and private propertyacts experts say bore the marks of trained arsonists. These incidents shattered public sympathy and tarnished the movements legitimacy. While the youths succeeded in unseating a prime minister, their inability to convert momentum into constructive leadership created a vacuum quickly filled by vested interests. Kathmandu Mayor Balen Shahs ambiguous role further complicated matters. Considered a prominent figure among young reformists, he avoided assuming visible leadership at the movement's peak. Instead, he operated behind the scenes during the government's formation and exerted pressure on Prime Minister Sushila Karki and Home Minister Aryal, raising questions about influence without responsibility. His silence when leadership was most needed exposed hesitation rather than conviction. When the Oli government fell, Nepal faced a historic opening. Yet Gen Z forces fragmented into competing factionssome seeking media visibility, others forming pressure groups, and many gravitating around individual leaders. Genuine reformists found themselves overshadowed by well-funded actors with political motives. Prime Minister Karki now faces pressure from disparate Gen Z groups while maintaining law and order and ensuring the High-Level Probe Committee led by Gauri Bahadur Karki can investigate violence, infiltration and coordination behind the September unrest. The government must focus on governance and preparing for the March 5 elections. Succumbing to pressure from powerful networks risks repeating Nepals cycle of instability and unfulfilled promises. The Gen Z movements struggle to produce credible leadership underscores a deeper lesson: protest alone is not enough. Meaningful change requires sustained engagement, political maturity and willingness to endure beyond the streets. Balen and others still face this test. If Gen Z truly wants to reshape Nepal, it must distance itself from external manipulators and embrace structured political participation. Otherwise, the movement may be remembered not as a turning point but as another missed opportunity in Nepals long history of broken hopes. SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KCAU) There may be some relief on the way for soybean farmers in all three, Siouxland states. President Donald Trump announced on October 30 that China has agreed to buy soybeans and other agricultural products from the U.S. again. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said China will buy 12 million metric tons of soybeans through the rest of 2025 and 25 million metric tons of soybeans annually for three years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Farmers have been impacted by the tariffs placed on China earlier this year, which resulted in many of them putting away grain and holding off on purchasing new farm equipment. Iowa Farmers Union President Aaron Lehman said farmers were heavily impacted when China wasnt buying soybeans from the U.S. Story continues below Losing a customer of this size has been tremendously impactful and has made it so that very, very few Iowa farmers are growing soybeans at the cost of production, said Aaron Lehman, President of Iowa Farmers Union. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lehman said soybean farmers were also putting off investments on their farm and cutting back on what they can invest in their local communities. Farmers are meeting with their lenders, trying to negotiate the best terms that they possibly can, knowing that margins are going to be slim or below water for this coming year, trying to find ways to economize. said Lehman. In 2024, the U.S. Department of Agriculture reports that soybeans were the biggest agricultural export from the U.S. 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. One of three finalists for the Iowa State University presidency has withdrawn from the process. (Photo by Perry Beeman/Iowa Capital Dispatch) One of the three candidates set to visit Iowa State University next week in a bid for the presidential seat has dropped from the running, the Iowa Board of Regents announced Friday. One finalist to succeed Iowa State University President Wendy Wintersteen elected to withdraw from the process, leaving two candidates, according to a news release from the board. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Four finalists were initially selected by the ISU Presidential Search Committee for further consideration, three of whom accepted invitations to come to Ames for meetings with stakeholders and public forums. The committee started with a nearly 80-person candidate pool before narrowing the field to eight semifinalists, who the group interviewed virtually before making their decision on finalists. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX The remaining finalists will hold open forums from 4-5 p.m. Nov. 5 and 6 in the Memorial Unions Durham Great Hall, with livestreaming available online for those who cannot attend in person. Finalists names and curriculum vitae will be released online 24 hours before their campus visit, the release stated. The board of regents will hear from committee co-chairs Regent JC Risewick and ISU Faculty Senate President Meghan Gillette and interview finalists in closed session during the boards Nov. 11 meeting. ISUs new president is set to be announced that evening. ISU President Wendy Wintersteen announced earlier this year she will retire from the university in January. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has condemned calls by United States President Donald Trump for the Pentagon to resume nuclear weapons testing, calling the move both regressive and irresponsible. Having rebranded its Department of Defense as the Department of War, a nuclear-armed bully is resuming testing of atomic weapons, Araghchi wrote in a post on X late Thursday. The same bully has been demonising Irans peaceful nuclear program and threatening further strikes on our safeguarded nuclear facilities, all in blatant violation of international law, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump made the surprise announcement in a Truth Social post on Thursday shortly before meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in South Korea on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit. Trump said he had instructed the Pentagon to immediately resume nuclear weapons testing on an equal basis with other countries like Russia and China, whose nuclear weapons arsenal will match the US in five years, according to Trump. Alam Saleh, honorary senior lecturer in Iranian studies at the Australian National University, told Al Jazeera that Trumps decision was likely a response to recent actions by Russia and China rather than Washingtons ongoing dispute with Iran over its nuclear programme. Russian President Vladimir Putin announced this week that Moscow had tested its Poseidon nuclear-powered super torpedo, after separately testing new Burevestnik nuclear-powered cruise missiles earlier in the month, according to the Reuters news agency. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement China also recently displayed its nuclear prowess at a military parade in September, which featured new and modified nuclear weapons systems like the Dongfeng-5 nuclear-capable intercontinental ballistic missile. Having rebranded its Department of Defense as the Department of War, a nuclear-armed bully is resuming testing of atomic weapons. The same bully has been demonizing Iran's peaceful nuclear program and threatening further strikes on our safeguarded nuclear facilities, all in pic.twitter.com/ft4ZGWnFiw Seyed Abbas Araghchi (@araghchi) October 30, 2025 Despite these public displays of firepower, neither Russia nor China has carried out a nuclear test defined as a nuclear explosion above ground, underground, or underwater in decades, according to the United Nations. Nuclear testing is banned by the Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban-Treaty of 1996. The US, China, and Iran all signed but have not ratified the original treaty, while Russia withdrew its ratification in 2023. Moscow carried out its last nuclear test in 1990 while still the Soviet Union, and China carried out its last nuclear test in 1996, according to the UN. The last nuclear test by the United Kingdom was in 1991, followed by the US in 1992 and France in 1996. North Korea is the only country that has carried out nuclear tests in the past two decades, with its last test in 2017. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trevor Findlay, a nuclear security expert and honorary professional fellow at the University of Melbourne, told Al Jazeera that it was unclear what type of testing Trump was referring to in his post. My assumption is that he means missile launches of nuclear-capable missiles, as North Korea and Russia have been doing very publicly. These do not carry an actual nuclear warhead [but likely a dummy], nor do they create a nuclear explosion, he said. The US already tests its own missiles periodically, both existing ones and ones in development, often splashing down in the Pacific. It does announce them but tends not to make a big deal of it, like North Korea and Russia, he said. Trump, meanwhile, has called for the total dismantlement of Irans nuclear programme and says he does not want Tehran to obtain a nuclear weapon. In June, the US and Israel also carried out air strikes on Iranian military and nuclear facilities in part to slow its progress. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Tehran has maintained that its nuclear programme is for civilian purposes only, and it has never carried out a nuclear test, according to Saleh. Iran has never done any nuclear tests. Theyve constantly been saying they are not intending to make a nuclear bomb, Saleh told Al Jazeera. The only thing that Iran has which might be taken seriously is some highly enriched uranium. Thats it. They have not even tested a nuclear ballistic missile. Iran has strongly condemned the start of nuclear weapons testing announced by US President Donald Trump. "Having rebranded its 'Department of Defense' as the 'Department of War,' a nuclear-armed bully is resuming testing of atomic weapons," Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi wrote on X late Thursday. "The announcement of a resumption of nuclear tests is a regressive and irresponsible move and a serious threat to international peace and security," he wrote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Thursday, Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform: "Because of other countries testing programs, I have instructed the Department of War to start testing our Nuclear Weapons on an equal basis," Trump wrote. "That process will begin immediately." He did not specify which weapons would be tested. The last tests of this kind in the US took place in the 1990s. Araghchi said that the international community must unite to hold the US accountable for "normalizing the proliferation of such heinous weapons." Iran finds itself facing international criticism particularly from Trump due to its controversial nuclear programme. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Tehran insists, however, that its nuclear projects are exclusively for peaceful purposes. According to Tehran, a nuclear weapons programme is not on the Islamic country's military agenda for religious reasons. Trump on Thursday ordered the US military to immediately restart the process for testing nuclear weapons after a halt of 33 years. Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi complained the United States was a bully and posing a serious threat to international peace and security on Thursday night after US President Donald Trump announced the US would resume nuclear testing. Having rebranded its Department of Defense as the Department of War, a nuclear-armed bully is resuming testing of atomic weapons, Aragchi wrote. The same bully has been demonizing Iran's peaceful nuclear program and threatening further strikes on our safeguarded nuclear facilities, all in blatant violation of international law." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Make no mistake: The US is the Worlds Most Dangerous Proliferation Risk," the post went on. The announcement of a resumption of nuclear tests is a regressive and irresponsible move and a serious threat to international peace and security. The world must unite to hold the US accountable for normalizing the proliferation of such heinous weapons. Trump on Thursday ordered the US military to immediately restart the process for testing nuclear weapons after a 33-year pause, a move that appeared to be a message to rival nuclear powers China and Russia. Trump made the surprise announcement on Truth Social while aboard his Marine One helicopter, en route to meet Chinese President Xi Jinping for a trade-negotiating session in Busan, South Korea. US President Donald Trump shakes hands with Chinese President Xi Jinping as they hold a bilateral meeting at Gimhae International Airport, on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, in Busan, South Korea, October 30, 2025. (credit: REUTERS/EVELYN HOCKSTEIN) "Because of other countries' testing programs, I have instructed the Department of War to start testing our nuclear weapons on an equal basis. That process will begin immediately," Trump posted. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Russia is second, and China is a distant third, but will be even within 5 years." It was not immediately clear whether Trump was referring to nuclear-explosive testing, which would be carried out by the National Nuclear Security Administration, or flight testing of nuclear-capable missiles. No nuclear power, other than North Korea, most recently in 2017, has carried out explosive nuclear testing in over 25 years. Post-Soviet Russia has never tested. The Soviet Union last tested in 1990, and China in 1996. Trump's fellow Republican, President George H.W. Bush, announced a US testing moratorium in 1992 after the last US test in September that year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Russia, which tested a new nuclear-powered cruise missile on October 21, held nuclear readiness drills on October 22 and tested a new nuclear-powered autonomous torpedo on October 28, said it hoped Trump had been properly informed that Moscow had not tested an actual nuclear weapon itself. "President Trump mentioned in his statement that other countries are engaged in testing nuclear weapons. Until now, we didn't know that anyone was testing," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters. Putin, who commands the world's biggest arsenal of nuclear warheads, has repeatedly said that if any country tests a nuclear weapon, then Russia will do so too. Xi Jinping has more than doubled China's nuclear warhead arsenal to an estimated 600 nuclear weapons in the past five years, while Russian President Vladimir Putin has tested two new nuclear-powered weapons in recent days. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement China's Foreign Ministry called on the US to abide by its commitment to a moratorium on nuclear testing and to uphold global strategic balance and stability. Robert Floyd, head of the Vienna-based Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization, expressed alarm. "Any explosive nuclear weapon test by any state would be harmful and destabilizing for global non-proliferation efforts and for international peace and security," he said. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has repeatedly said current nuclear risks are already alarmingly high and urged countries to avoid all actions that could lead to miscalculation or escalation with "catastrophic" consequences, said deputy UN spokesperson Farhan Haq. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "As he has said, we must never forget the disastrous legacy of over 2,000 nuclear weapons tests carried out over the last 80 years, and that nuclear testing can never be permitted under any circumstances," said Haq. Nuclear testing sites to be determined Later, on his way back to Washington, Trump said testing was needed to ensure the US keeps up with rival nuclear powers. "With others doing testing, I think it's appropriate that we do also," Trump said on board Air Force One, adding that nuclear test sites would be determined later. Asked whether the world was entering a more risky phase around nuclear weapons, Trump dismissed the threat, saying US stocks were "well locked up" before adding that he would welcome denuclearisation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I'd like to see a denuclearisation because we have so many and Russia's second and China's third, and China will catch up within four or five years," he said. "We are actually talking to Russia about that, and China would be added to that if we do something." US Vice President JD Vance told reporters it was important to ensure the US nuclear arsenal "actually functions properly, and that's part of a testing regime." Russian tests Trump addressed the Russian moves on his way to Asia earlier this week, telling reporters that Putin should be working to end the war in Ukraine "instead of testing missiles." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The United States has a stockpile of 5,225 nuclear warheads and Russia has 5,580, according to the Washington-based Arms Control Association, a nonpartisan group advocating nuclear nonproliferation agreements. The Pentagon estimates that China will have more than 1,000 nuclear weapons by 2030. Military analysts say the Poseidon nuclear-powered super torpedo Putin said Russia had successfully tested is capable of devastating coastal regions by triggering vast radioactive ocean swells. Both it and the Burevestnik cruise missile are nuclear-capable. US Democratic Senator Edward Markey of Massachusetts, who co-chairs the congressional Nuclear Weapons and Arms Control Working Group, said he was introducing legislation to prevent Trump from restarting nuclear testing by forbidding funding for it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "A Trumpatomics plan would provoke Russia and China to resume nuclear testing, and China in particular has much more to gain from this than does the United States," he said in a statement. "This is a reckless directive from Trump that will only make the country and the world less safe and lead to a terrible new nuclear arms race." Daryl Kimball, director of the Arms Control Association, said it would take the US at least 36 months to resume contained nuclear tests underground at the former test site in Nevada. "Trump is misinformed and out of touch. The US has no technical, military, or political reason to resume nuclear explosive testing," he said, warning that Trump's announcement could "trigger a chain reaction of nuclear testing by US adversaries, and blow apart the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty." In August, Trump said he had discussed nuclear arms control with Putin and wanted China to get involved. Beijing responded by saying it was "unreasonable and unrealistic" to ask the country to join in nuclear disarmament negotiations since its arsenal was much smaller. An oversight committee will also be formed to discuss the policy of the terrorist trials, but will be prohibited from discussing specific cases. A special tribunal will be founded to try the nearly 300 terrorists from Hamass Nukhba Force imprisoned by Israel for their participation in the October 7 massacre, public broadcaster KAN News has reported. Though discussions on the matter were put on hold while there were still living hostages held in Gaza, KAN explained, Justice Minister Yariv Levin announced that he plans to quickly advance the bill put forth by MK Simcha Rothman (Religious Zionist Party) and MK Yulia Malinovsky (Yisrael Beytenu) now that all living hostages have returned. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Additionally, the State Attorneys Office seeks to decide on its prosecution in the coming weeks, the report noted. According to the classified document outlining the courts initial framework, KAN noted, the judges will be either those who have already retired or are about to retire. An oversight committee made up of Levin, Foreign Minister Gideon Saar, and Defense Minister Israel Katz will also be formed to discuss the policy of the terrorist trials, but will be prohibited from discussing specific cases. Hamas Nukhba Battalion terrorists who were captured on October 7th massacre seen in a jail cell at a prison in central Israel, where high risk Hamas and Hezbollah prisoners captured in recent war are being held, March 4, 2025. (credit: CHAIM GOLDBEG/FLASH90) Justice Ministry: Not all terrorists can be charged with genocide The Justice Ministry believes that not all Nukhba terrorists can be charged with genocide and has already discussed other charges they could be tried with, according to KAN, such as aiding the enemy in wartime or violating sovereignty. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The terrorists will also be able to present appeals to the court, according to KAN. Extending the detention time under Israels Incarceration of Unlawful Combatants Law was also discussed to permit the Israel Prison Service to imprison them indefinitely but was discarded due to legal difficulties, KAN reported. However, Justice Ministry officials sent reservations to Levin in a classified document along with a request to hold a meeting between him and Attorney-General Gali Baharav-Miara. Levin refused the meeting, stating it was unnecessary, the report added. This limited direct contact to ministry officials and the MKs who initiated the bill, with Levin contacted only indirectly. The results of these contacts included an agreement to establish a special court for this issue, which will be staffed by judges who have already retired or are approaching retirement, KAN added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some decisions on prosecuting Nukhba terrorists have not been made, including the lack of agreement over whether it would be possible to prosecute the terrorists for regular offenses within the framework of the special court, KAN noted. Also under discussion are ongoing concerns about the special rules of procedure and evidence that will apply in the special court. However, Justice Ministry officials agree that special rules and procedures are necessary. Thirty more bodies of Palestinians who were detained by Israel have been returned to the besieged Gaza Strip, some showing signs of torture. The return of the Palestinian remains, via the International Committee of the Red Cross, came as Israeli forces continued air strikes across the Strip despite a shaky ceasefire, killing at least three people on Friday. One Palestinian was killed and his brother wounded by Israeli gunfire in the Shujayea neighbourhood of eastern Gaza City, while another was killed by Israeli shelling in the Jabalia refugee camp, Wafa news agency reported. A third Palestinian died of wounds sustained from previous Israeli shelling, it added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Separately, civil defence workers in central Gaza said they had recovered the body of a Palestinian from the rubble of the Abu Medein family home in the az-Zahra neighbourhood. Israeli warplanes also struck buildings in Khan Younis in southern Gaza on Friday. The return of slain Palestinian detainees comes as part of the prisoner-captive exchange deal agreed in early October. The latest handover brings the total number of bodies received to 225, the Palestinian Health Ministry said in a statement. It said medical teams are identifying the bodies under standard protocols before documenting them and notifying families. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the previous handovers, bodies of prisoners had exhibited signs of torture, including being blindfolded and handcuffed, medical sources said. Many had appeared decomposed or burned, while others were missing limbs or teeth. Israel holds thousands of Palestinians in prison, many in administrative detention without filing official charges against them. Reports that Israel tortures Palestinian detainees in its jails have been common for years, and have increased since the start of its war on Gaza. Under the United States-brokered accord to halt Israels two-year war on Gaza, Hamas released 20 living captives in exchange for Israel releasing nearly 2,000 Palestinian political prisoners. Israeli forces have also completed a partial withdrawal from urban centres in Gaza. But since the ceasefire took effect on October 10, Israeli attacks have killed dozens of Palestinians across the enclave. From Tuesday into Wednesday, the Health Ministry in Gaza said Israeli attacks killed 104 people, including 46 children and 20 women. Palestinians still really struggling The Red Cross said it transferred the unidentified remains of three people to Israel late on Friday, but it was unclear if they were deceased captives. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement An Israeli military source told news agency AFP the bodies had been transferred to a forensic research laboratory to confirm their identities. The previous day, Hamas handed over two bodies of dead Israeli captives. So far, the group has returned the remains of 17 captives, not including Fridays three bodies. As part of the deal, the Palestinian group committed to returning the remains of all 28 captives in exchange for the bodies of Palestinians killed in the war. The group is continuing to press for proper equipment and support to comb through vast mounds of rubble and debris where thousands of Palestinians killed in Israeli bombardments are still buried. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Red Cross and members of Hamass military wing, the Qassam Brigades, travelled to east Khan Younis on Friday to search for the remains of Israeli captives, sources in the armed group told Al Jazeera. As Hamas appears to be committed to the ceasefire agreement, Israel has still refused to open vital border crossings and allow much-needed humanitarian aid trucks into the enclave, where famine in the north was declared earlier this year. Al Jazeeras Tareq Abu Azzoum, reporting from az-Zawayda in central Gaza, said that, while Israel has allowed a new wave of aid trucks to access Gaza on Friday, humanitarian aid trucks remain partially restricted. Palestinians are really struggling to get aid from the UN warehouses, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The situation is still very [difficult] and for many Palestinians, the ceasefire is not only about bringing food in but also about ensuring that shelter materials can [reach] people in need. Concerns about ceasefire Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan announced that various foreign ministers will meet and discuss the Gaza ceasefire and its next steps on Monday. During a news conference in Ankara, Fidan said the meeting would include officials who had met US President Donald Trump in New York in September, and added that the discussions were continuing on forming a Gaza task force and a stabilisation force. He added that Turkiye was concerned about whether the ceasefire would continue. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Yossi Beilin, Israels former justice and foreign minister, said he would be surprised if Israels Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reversed course on the ceasefire, despite signs that it has come under increasing strain. This is something that he committed himself to, mainly to President Trump, and I would be very surprised if he doesnt go on with the agreement, Beilin told Al Jazeera. Meanwhile, the Israeli armys top lawyer, Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi, has been dismissed over a video which was leaked last year showing a Palestinian detainee at Sde Teiman detention facility allegedly being sexually assaulted by Israeli troops. The facility has been widely criticised for rights abuses. Rights groups say Palestinians have faced severe mistreatment in Israeli detention during the war. The Israeli military says it is investigating dozens of cases but denies systematic abuse, though such probes have often ended without accountability. This olive harvest season in the occupied West Bank has witnessed the highest level of damage and number of Israeli settler attacks since 2020, a United Nations agency has found. The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) on Friday said 126 attacks were recorded in 70 towns and villages, and more than 4,000 olive trees and saplings were vandalised. Israelis from illegal settlements set fire to two Palestinian vehicles in the town of Deir Dibwan, east of Ramallah, Al Jazeera correspondents said on Friday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the town of Sinjil, north of Ramallah, Israeli soldiers took possession of Palestinian farmers olives after expelling residents. While olive groves are located under Area B of the West Bank, which, under the terms of the Oslo Accords, does not require Palestinians to coordinate with the Israeli army, the area was declared a closed military zone. A closed military zone order is a measure that enables the army to bar entry into a certain area and is valid for a limited time. Israel has confiscated Palestinian land from its owners by declaring it either state land or a military zone. For decades, the Israeli military has uprooted olive trees an important Palestinian cultural symbol across the occupied West Bank as part of successive Israeli government efforts to seize Palestinian land and forcibly displace residents. The latest attacks came after Israeli soldiers on Tuesday used tear gas to disperse Palestinians harvesting their olives in the village of Turmus Aya, near Ramallah, after settlers arrived on the scene. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Such actions contravene army directives, which require soldiers to protect olive harvesters. In 2006, Israels High Court of Justice ruled that a military commander must avoid closing areas in a way that would deny Palestinian residents the ability to access their agricultural lands. OCHA said at least 112 Palestinians have been injured since early October, and more than 3,000 trees and saplings were vandalised. Between October 14 and 20, the UN agency documented 49 Israeli settler attacks against Palestinians. Two-thirds of the attacks occurred in the context of the olive harvest season, which officially started on October 9, affecting Palestinians in 25 villages and towns. Consolidating annexation Settler violence has been surging in the occupied West Bank, with 757 attacks recorded in the first half of 2025 alone, according to data from the Israeli NGO Peace Now. This marks a 13 percent increase compared with the same period last year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The September 2025 deadline for the end of the Israeli occupation demanded by the International Court of Justice has passed without improvement. Last week, Israels parliament voted to give preliminary approval to a bill to impose Israeli sovereignty on the occupied West Bank, in a move tantamount to annexation of the Palestinian territory. It will now go to the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defence Committee for further deliberations. The vote came a month after United States President Donald Trump stated that he would not allow Israel to annex the Palestinian territory. Annexing the occupied West Bank would effectively end the possibility of implementing a two-state solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, as outlined in numerous United Nations resolutions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Trump administration has been adamant that it wont allow Israel to annex the occupied territory. US Vice President JD Vance, while visiting Israel last week, said Trump would oppose Israeli annexation of the occupied West Bank, and it would not happen. Vance said as he left Israel, If it was a political stunt, it is a very stupid one, and I personally take some insult to it. But the US has done nothing to rein in Israels heavy assault and crackdown on Palestinians in the West Bank as it trumpets its Gaza ceasefire efforts. Gaza olive industry destroyed As settler attacks continue in the West Bank, in Gaza, where thousands of tonnes of olives were once produced each year, the destruction wrought by war has now stripped Palestinian farmers of their livelihoods and left most olive presses lying in ruins. Mohammed Oweida, a displaced Palestinian in Gaza, spoke to Al Jazeera as he tended to a meagre crop. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Olive trees in the enclave had dried up or died due to the severe lack of water resources, with added destruction brought by Israels bulldozers, he said. Nasser Odeh, owner of the Nasser Odeh Olive Press Group, said his facilities, which used to produce olive oil from small Palestinian farms to the Gulf, had been completely destroyed. [They] used to produce between 15 and 20 tonnes a year and were internationally recognised as amongst the largest in the Middle East and certified with ISO standards, he lamented. For many in Gaza, this years is the third harvest farmers have lost to war, said Al Jazeeras Ibrahim al-Khalili, reporting from Deir el-Balah in the enclave. Most of Gazas groves have been uprooted, like the families that once tended to them, he said. But the trees that remain will stay a symbol of steadfastness embedded in the land. Leaders across Israels political spectrum, from Lapid and Gantz to Ben-Gvir and Smotrich, responded to IDF legal chief Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmis resignation. Israel's opposition expressed support for IDF Military Advocate General Maj.-Gen.Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi's departure from her role on Friday, arguing that her actions harmed the IDF, while also calling for justice against recent suspected illicit activities by right-wing perpetrators. "The Military Advocate General was required to end her role. There is no dispute about that. She committed acts that harm the IDF and the public's trust in it. No one is above the law. And it applies to everyone," opposition leader Yair Lapid wrote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We must continue to investigate and bring to justice all those involved - what happened at Sde Teiman, the leak, the cover-up, and the break-in to the IDF base," he affirmed, alluding to MK Tzvi Sukkot (Religious Zionism), who was questioned on Sunday by police over footage showing him breaking into the Sde Teiman base. This is "a very serious event that undermines the trust of the Israeli public in senior commanders in the IDF," which should be investigated, former prime minister Naftali Bennett said. "We must reach the root of the sequence of events from beginning to end, and exhaust the legal proceedings with all those involved....The law is the law and it applies to everyone," he added. Former prime minister Naftali Bennett visits at the Western Wall in Jerusalem's Old City during Jerusalem day, May 26, 2025 (credit: YONATAN SINDEL/FLASH90) Tomer-Yerushalmi's actions were "very serious and stain the values of the IDF," former IDF chief of staff Gadi Eisenkot said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement An in-depth investigation and full prosecution of those involved is required to restore public trust in the IDF, Eisenkot affirmed. Golan compares wrongdoing of Tomer-Yerushalmi to Qatargate affair suspects "The military advocate general and her spokesperson may have done something wrong, but no more serious than what the prime minister's spokespeople, Urich and Feldstein, did," Democrats party leader Yair Golan wrote. "If the military advocate general is ousted, Urich and Netanyahu should also be ousted. They should have been long ago," he affirmed. This is in reference to the ongoing "Qatargate" investigations into allegations of corruption in the Prime Minister's Office. Tomer-Yerushalmi "made a difficult and correct personal decision and took responsibility, a concept entirely foreign to all those who attacked her, and completely foreign to the politicians who bear responsibility for the disaster and the neglect," Democrats MK Gilad Kariv said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Throughout the war, ministers and members of Knesset called for the commission of war crimes from every platform. They caused enormous damage to IDF soldiers and to Israels international standing, more than any video," Kariv alleged. "Those who truly wish to protect soldiers do not break into IDF bases, do not threaten commanders who seek to enforce norms and orders, and do not attack the defense and law enforcement systems day and night. In the end, there are those who erred and take responsibility, and there are those who abandoned, continue to abandon, and refuse to take even a shred of responsibility," Kariv concluded. Tomer-Yerushalmi "has gravely failed," Blue and White Party leader Benny Gantz said. Gantz was previously also a defense minister and IDF chief of staff. The actions that have been attributed to her and her associates are "completely contrary to the values of the IDF and harm public trust in the military and judicial systems," Gantz affirmed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The judicial systems must examine this serious case swiftly and thoroughly as the credibility, integrity, and professionalism of the IDF in all its systems are critical to us all," he concluded. Yisrael Beytenu leader Avigdor Liberman stated that it is "good and proper" that Tomer-Yerushalmi has now resigned, but added that if someone is aware they did something wrong and failed in their role, then they should resign immediately and not "cling to their seat until they are forced" to quit. The video leak was "a reckless and irresponsible act toward the IDF and all Israeli citizens, and "it is impossible to even measure the consequences and the international damage it caused," former justice minister Ayelet Shaked said. "It is also impossible to reconcile with a situation in which the one responsible for upholding the law in the IDF is tainted by serious suspicions of cover-up and forgery," she added, affirming that she hopes that "justice will be served with all those involved." Members of the coalition also comment on MAG's departure National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir threatened a similar fate for Attorney-General Gali Baharav-Miara in his reaction. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Next up, the criminal attorney-general," he wrote on X/Twitter. "As someone who has cried out for many years about the corruption of the Israeli judicial system and the critical importance of reforming it, I am not surprised. This is barely the tip of the iceberg. We will fix it," Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said. "A new Military Advocate General must be appointed from outside the system, someone free of obligations, who will clean the stables and restore trust that the system acts for the benefit of IDF soldiers, not against them," he added. "This is a painful and difficult day for all of us, but removing the infection is the first and necessary step toward healing," Smotrich concluded. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "So what did we have here? Severe damage to the state, to the IDF and their image, severe damage to justice and legal proceedings, blatant contempt for the Knesset and its role as the supervisory authority over the executive branch," Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar said. Tomer-Yerushalmi resigned "because she was caught red-handed after leaking, lying, covering up, obstructing an investigation, and submitting a false affidavit - and now went even further by publicly sharing her version before the investigation in order to coordinate testimonies," Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana said. "Had she not been caught, she would have continued in her position, advancing into the civilian law enforcement system," he added. "What needs to be done now is to see all the mountains of poison that were poured out on every Knesset member and minister who demanded the prompt investigation of the Military Advocate General," MK Simcha Rothman said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The house of cards is beginning to collapse. The truth will prevail in the end. The time for correction has come," he affirmed. "I thank the Defense Minister for removing the Military Advocate General," Likud MK Osher Shekalim said. However, "we will not be satisfied with that, as whoever persecutes our soldiers should know that they will pay a heavy price," Shekalim added. He noted that he proposed a bill to authorize the defense minister to strip ranks, benefits, and a pension fund from anyone who harms soldiers or their reputation, adding that Tomer-Yerushalmi "does not deserve a single shekel from public funds." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The attorney-general is using Tomer-Yerushalmi as a scapegoat, Likud MK Avichay Boaron wrote. "This is the attorney-general's responsibility, it is on her, and she must take a leave of absence and step down from her position until the investigation concerning her is completed," he added. "It is inconceivable that someone who is reasonably suspected of involvement in the affair and is also expected to be investigated could be in charge of the investigation and potentially obstruct it," Likud MK Moshe Saada said, referring to how Baharav-Miara has oversight of this case, alleging a conflict of interest. Police said a 14-year-old from Jaffa filmed sensitive Israeli sites for ISIS and Hamas, and attempted to prepare explosives before his arrest in Ramallah. Israel's prosecution office intends to file an indictment against a 14-year-old Jaffa resident who is suspected of operating on behalf of ISIS and Hamas by filming sensitive sites and attempting to make explosives, Israel Police said Friday. The police completed the investigation after he was arrested in Ramallah on October 17. The details have been under a gag order, which was lifted on Friday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During interrogation, investigators learned that the teen had contacted the terror groups and agreed to provide them with videos and documentation of sensitive sites in Israel, including locations allegedly linked to security infrastructure. Police said the teen described how he learned to prepare explosive materials, recounted his connection to extreme Islamist ideology, and expressed a desire to become a martyr who would harm the State of Israel. The teen, who was diagnosed with autism, taught himself languages. A screenshot showing a conversation the teen suspected of terrorism on behalf of ISIS and Hamas had with ChatGPT discussing how much damage a small percentage of the population of Tel Aviv could cause, October 2025. (credit: VIA WALLA) He spent hours conversing with the AI software ChatGPT to learn how to make explosive devices and watched Hamas training videos. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Authorities seized evidence involving the teen, including digital evidence from his personal mobile phone. Shin Bet, police arrest ISIS spy in West Bank in March A similar ISIS spy was caught in March when police and Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) arrested an Israeli-Arab resident of Taiba on suspicion he had provided security information to terrorists in the West Bank. The Taiba resident, 21-year-old Kamal Nashaf, also pledged allegiance to ISIS, the agencies noted. Since the summer of 2024, Nashaf had watched ISIS terror content on social media and contacted terror operatives identified with the terror group. Iran has also claimed several successful instances of espionage against Israel, including Iran's Intelligence Ministry claiming to have found a broadcast studio belonging to London-based anti-regime outlet Iran International in Tel Aviv earlier this month. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The ministry also claimed to have identified "a number of individuals working at, or with," the outlet, as well as their alleged residences. These include several Israelis of Iranian heritage or birth, including the IDF's Persian-language spokesperson, Lt.-Col. Kamal Penhasi. James Genn contributed to this report. JERUSALEM (AP) Israels top military prosecutor resigned Friday, admitting she was responsible for leaking a video showing soldiers assaulting a Palestinian detainee at a notorious military detention center, according to excerpts of the letter published by Israeli media. The admission has embroiled the prosecutor, Military Advocate General Maj. Gen. Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi, in a firestorm of criticism from the right-wingers dominating Israeli politics who say her actions betrayed the state. The chain of events shows how a prosecutor such as Tomer-Yerushalmi, whose office is viewed by many human rights groups as being too soft on the wartime conduct of Israeli soldiers, faces heavy pressure from Israeli politicians to refrain from aggressively prosecuting alleged wrongdoing. It also follows broader attempts by the countrys political leaders to overhaul a judicial system that they see as an obstacle to government policies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The leaked video was aired last year by Israels Channel 12 and purported to show an incident in which soldiers at the Sde Teiman detention facility in southern Israel had sodomized a Palestinian detainee from Gaza. Israels military was investigating the case at the time and had arrested soldiers for suspected involvement, prompting fury from hard-line ultranationalists who violently overran the facility in protest. In her resignation letter Friday, Tomer-Yerushalmi said that she had leaked the video to counter the criticism that the military was prioritizing Palestinian detainees over Israeli troops. According to excerpts of the letter published in Israeli media, she wrote that the military had a duty to investigate when there is reasonable suspicion of violence against a detainee. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Unfortunately, this basic understanding that there are actions which must never be taken even against the vilest of detainees no longer convinces everyone," she wrote. Defense Minister Israel Katz and a chorus of Israeli politicians castigated Tomer-Yerushalmi following her resignation, and Katz said she would not be reinstated. He said investigations would continue into those involved in the decision to leak the video. Throughout the war, Israels treatment of Palestinian detainees from Gaza especially at the Sde Teiman facility where the incident took place has been characterized by rights groups as abusive. Detainees have been rounded up en masse and brought to detention facilities where they could be held for months without charge or trial. Many released detainees have reported frequent beatings from prison guards, scant food and awful conditions. Oct. 31These are summaries of Albuquerque Environmental Health restaurant inspections. For more information, or to view previous reports, visit cabq.gov/environmentalhealth/food-safety. GREEN: Food establishment received a passing grade, demonstrating the skills to create a safe and sanitary food-service environment. YELLOW: Food establishment can operate but must follow a plan to correct violations observed during inspection. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement RED: Food establishment had major violations that presented an imminent hazard and required an immediate downgrade or closure. Oct. 19-25 GREEN 377 Brewery, 2027 Yale SE (Oct. 23) Bosque Brewing Co., 5210 Eubank NE (Oct. 20) DK, 13300 Central SE (Oct. 23) Domino's Pizza, 3326 Central SE (Oct. 22) In Pizza We Trust LLC, 5701 Gibson SE (Oct. 24) Jersey Mike's, 9500 Montgomery NE (Oct. 20) Jinja Bar & Bistro, 8900 Holly NE (Oct. 23) (Class B, Class C) JR's Jerky Co., 5505 Silver SE (Oct. 23) La Urraca Mexican & Colombian Food, 109 Yale SE (Oct. 22) Main Event, 4040 Pan American Fwy NE (Oct. 21) (Class B, Class C) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mary & Tito's Cafe, 2711 4th NW (Oct. 23) McDonald's, 5324 4th NW (Oct. 20) Oumi Sushi, 6300 San Mateo NE (Oct. 20) Pad Thai Cafe, 110 Louisiana SE (Oct. 22) Restoration Pizza, 5161 Lang NE (Oct. 22) Squeezed Juice, 2700 Broadbent NE (Oct. 24) The Bean, 5701 Gibson SE (Oct. 24) The Fragrant Leaf, 3207 Silver SE (Oct. 23) The Watermark at Cherry Hills, 6901 San Vicente NE (Oct. 22) Tully's Market & Deli, 1425 San Mateo NE (Oct. 21) Twins Learning Center, 5600 Central SW (Oct. 24) Wienerschnitzel, 9651 Menaul NE (Oct. 21) YELLOW Il Localetto Rossi, 106 Buena Vista SE (Oct. 20) La Urraca Mexican & Colombian Food, 109 Yale SE (Oct. 22) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Main Event, 4040 Pan American Fwy NE (Oct. 21) (Class C) Pad Thai Cafe, 110 Louisiana SE (Oct. 22) Restoration Pizza, 5161 Lang NE (Oct. 22) Waffletopia, 3710 Campus NE (Oct. 22) RED Hong Kong Buffet, 10100 Coors NW Equipment food-contact surfaces had a buildup of soil residues (knife magnet, knives, and food containers/lids in walk-in coolers and kitchen). Pooled eggs were observed that were not being combined for a customer's order or for a batter. Ready-to-eat time/temperature control for safety (TCS) food, such as sweet and sour chicken, was inappropriately marked or lacked date labels. Waste bins outside the food establishment (outdoor dumpster) were observed without tight-fitting lids or doors. Numerous containers storing food were made of unsafe and nonsmooth nonfood-grade material, inhibiting cleaning and sanitization. The person in charge (PIC) was unable to demonstrate knowledge of foodborne disease prevention and other requirements of the Food Code, failing to show how to safely carry out cooling and understand HACCP. Correct written procedures were not prepared in advance or available for using time in place of temperature as a control for TCS foods. Nonfood contact surfaces were not smooth and were unsealed. Raw pork was improperly stored in a leaking container above other foods in the walk-in cooler, causing a cross-contamination risk. Insufficient cold holding equipment was observed, as raw salmon was left inside a nonoperational oven at ambient temperature. The facility did not provide suitable facilities for the storage of employee clothing or personal belongings (personal drinks were stored above clean utensils). A food employee was observed not washing their hands when required. Cooling logs for TCS food items were not used correctly, only showing initial temperatures. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Result: Closure (Oct. 23); re-inspection required (Oct. 23) Il Localetto Rossi, 106 Buena Vista SE The quaternary ammonium compound sanitizer solution used in wiping cloth buckets had a concentration of 0 PPM. Equipment food-contact surfaces had a buildup of dried food debris (cutting boards, deli slicer, can opener, ice machine and multiple knives). Ortho Home Defense was stored next to canned food, creating a contamination risk. Pests were observed in the facility, specifically one living and nine dead German cockroaches, with no control methods in place. Unapproved restricted-use pesticides (Raid bug spray, Ortho Home Defense) were stored in a food preparation area. Ready-to-eat TCS food prepared and held in the establishment lacked date-marking indicators ( house-made dressings, chopped veggies, sauces, deli meats and cheeses). Bulk food storage containers for powdered foods were removed from original packaging but lacked proper labeling with the common name of the food. Food items (sauces, meats, dressings, chopped veggies, bulk powdered foods and spices) were not covered during storage in reach-in coolers. Food in a hot steam holding table was stored directly next to a utility sink used to dump mop water, exposing it to contamination. There was no testing kit or device available to measure the concentration of the chemical sanitizing solution. The facility did not provide lockers or other suitable facilities for the storage of employees' clothing or other personal belongings. There was no approved method of hand drying (such as disposable towels or a hand drying device) available at the kitchen handwash station. The kitchen handwash station was blocked and inaccessible due to multiple large boxed food items placed atop the sink. An employee was observed wearing inappropriate wrist jewelry while preparing food. A food employee was observed working in the kitchen without proper hair restraints during food preparation. A bristle brush for grill cleaning was observed leaning on clean dishes. There was no written notification of the presence of major food allergens for unpackaged food served or sold to consumers. Nonfood contact surfaces underneath the stove top and grill were covered in food debris and grease buildup. The food establishment did not have temperature logs available for TCS food items (cold and hot held). Result: Closure (Oct. 20); re-inspection required (Oct. 20); conditionally approved (Oct. 20) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jinja Bar & Bistro, 8900 Holly NE (Class B) Unpackaged food being prepared was unprotected from environmental contamination due to its location near the handwashing sinks and cookline. The microwave oven cavities and door seals had deposits of soil residues. Equipment food-contact surfaces had a buildup of soil residues, including the ice maker interior with black buildup and cutting knives with dried food debris. Soiled wiping cloths were improperly used and stored on the prep top table. Ready-to-eat TCS food held in the walk-in cooler, like marinated ribs and various sauces, had expired or exceeded the seven-day limit. Plastic squeeze bottles containing various sauces were removed from their original packaging and lacked proper labeling with the common name of the food. The employee restroom used by females lacked a covered receptacle for sanitary napkins. Multiple TCS food items in cold holding units (prep top cooler, drawer cooler) were measuring above 41 degrees. Handwashing signage was missing at the public restrooms. A food employee did not wash their hands when required, specifically when donning new gloves and switching tasks. An employee improperly used double gloves in direct contact with raw animal food and then handled ready-to-eat food without washing their hands in between. There was no written notification of the presence of major food allergens for unpackaged food served to consumers. Nonfood contact surfaces throughout the kitchen (food containers, vents, computer screens/wires, walk-in cooler racks) had a buildup of soil residues, dust or grease. The facility did not have temperature logs available for TCS food items (stored, heated and cooled. Result: Unsatisfactory (Oct. 23); re-inspection required (Oct. 23); passed follow-up inspection (Oct. 23) Szechwan Chinese Restaurant, 1605 Juan Tabo NE Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The chlorine sanitizer solution in both the warewashing machine and wiping cloth buckets had a concentration of 0 ppm. Equipment food-contact surfaces, specifically the ice machine and can opener, had a buildup of soil residue and organic matter. Employee medication was improperly stored or labeled on the prep table. A damp wiping cloth was observed lying on the prep top table, indicating improper use. Ready-to-eat TCS food in the reach-in cooler and walk-in cooler was prepared and held with no date marking indicators. Utensils made of absorbent material (cardboard) were used to store raw chicken. No PIC was designated or present during the inspection. An inadequate air gap was observed near the soda syrup box storage shelf, posing a backflow risk. TCS food items (egg rolls) were cooling in an upright display cooler using a method that did not facilitate the necessary rate of heat transfer. The food establishment does not have a certified food protection manager on staff. Food employees did not have food handler cards or proof of other approved training. The ventilation hood system was inadequately collecting grease and condensation, allowing for buildup and drips. Raw chicken was stored over produce in the walk-in cooler, demonstrating a lack of protection from cross-contamination. The doors to the outside were not tight-fitting, allowing light to be seen at the edges. TCS food items (pot stickers) in the kitchen area were measuring above 41 degrees. The upright cooler was identified as insufficient cold holding equipment, holding food at 53 degrees. There was no testing kit or device to measure the concentration of the chemical sanitizing solution. The facility did not provide suitable facilities for the storage of employees' personal belongings or clothing. Handwashing signage was missing at the handwashing sink in the kitchen area. There was an inadequate amount of lighting in the walk-in cooler, requiring the inspector to use a flashlight. There was no written notification of major food allergens for unpackaged food served or sold to consumers. Nonfood contact surfaces in the kitchen area (grill area, ceiling, walls and floors) had an extreme buildup of soil residues. The food establishment does not have temperature logs available for TCS food items (such as egg rolls, chicken, pork and egg drop soup). The food establishment does not have calibration logs for temperature-measuring devices. Result: Closure (Oct. 22); re-inspection required (Oct. 22) Thai House, 2000 Carlisle NE The sanitation bucket used was old and the chlorine sanitizer solution failed to meet parameters to adequately achieve sanitization. Equipment food-contact surfaces, including the reach-in cooler, stove top, freezer and microwave, had a buildup of debris on their interior and exterior surfaces. TCS food, such as raw beef and chicken strips and diced carrots, had no date-marking indicators on their containers. An inadequate air gap was observed under the three-compartment sink, posing a backflow risk. The food establishment does not have a certified food protection manager on staff. The ventilation hood system was inadequately collecting grease and condensation, allowing it to drip onto and contaminate the stove top and convection oven. Food (containers of raw chicken and raw beef) was not covered during storage in the reach-in cooler. There was no testing kit or device available to measure the concentration of the chemical sanitizing solution. No hand cleanser was available at the handwashing sink in the kitchen area. The handwashing sink in the kitchen had a buildup of debris and dead flies inside the basin. A food employee was observed in the kitchen cooking area without proper hair restraints. No grade sticker was posted on the facility. There was a buildup of debris on the floors, ceiling and ceiling vent cover throughout the facility. The food establishment does not have temperature logs available for TCS food items. The food establishment does not have calibration logs for temperature-measuring devices. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Result: Closure (Oct. 23); re-inspection required (Oct. 23) The Watermark at Cherry Hills, 6901 San Vicente NE Unpasteurized raw eggs were offered in a manner (scrambled, over-easy and over-medium) that does not reduce microorganisms for highly susceptible populations. Equipment food-contact surfaces, including the can opener, meat slicer, mixer and ice maker, had a buildup of dried food debris and soil residue. Working containers for poisonous or toxic materials, specifically a plastic bottle with blue chemical and a plastic spray bottle with clear liquid, were not properly labeled or identified. Frozen meat was being improperly thawed in the prep sink, submerged in stagnant water. Soiled wiping cloths were improperly used and stored on the prep top table. Food employees were observed not having a food handler card or having been trained in another approved food safety course. Hot water in the handwashing sinks in the kitchen area was too hot to properly wash hands, measuring 130 degrees. The facility did not provide a designated area for employees to eat, drink or use tobacco products. A food employee's cellphone was being stored on the prep table, demonstrating improper storage of personal care items. An employee was observed wearing inappropriate wrist watches while prepping food. An in-use utensil (portion spoon) was stored in coffee grounds, with the handle making direct contact with the food. A water bottle was being reused for cooking oil. Result: Unsatisfactory (Oct. 22); re-inspection required (Oct. 22); passed follow-up inspection (Oct. 22) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wienerschnitzel, 9651 Menaul NE Equipment food-contact surfaces, specifically the ice machine, had a buildup of soil residues. Commercially prepared TCS food (pickles and onions) opened in the facility lacked date-marking indicators in the walk-in cooler. The piping at the three-compartment sink was leaking and was not maintained in good repair. An inadequate air gap was observed in the kitchen area, posing a backflow risk. The toilet room used by females lacked a covered receptacle for sanitary napkins. The doors to the outside were not tight-fitting, allowing light to be seen at the edges. The facility did not provide lockers or other suitable facilities for the storage of employees' personal belongings. A food employee was observed washing hands incorrectly, wiping his nose before donning gloves. There was no written notification of major food allergens for unpackaged food served or sold to consumers. Result: Unsatisfactory (Oct. 21); re-inspection required (Oct. 21); passed follow-up inspection (Oct. 21) This story originally published Oct. 31, 2025 The restaurant was still. Midday light slipped through the windows of Js Breakfast Club on 26th Avenue and Broadway Avenue. In the back office, Joslyn Kelly sat at her desk, as the soft rustle of her staff moving in and out of the kitchen carried through the restaurant. It was Wednesday, the only day Js is closed for breakfast, offering a pause before another busy stretch of mornings. No catfish sizzling, no eggs frying, no biscuits baking just a quiet afternoon inside Garys busiest breakfast spot. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This October marked 10 years since Kelly opened Js Breakfast Club, a restaurant that has grown from a small carryout into one of Garys defining community spaces. What began as a dream has become a local institution, a place where community can take on a physical form. At a young age, like many others, Kelly landed her first job at McDonalds. Her manager noticed her talent and suggested that she attend McDonalds University to open her own franchise eventually. Who knew, decades later, here I am actually sitting in a position owning a restaurant, she said, laughing. With a background in economics and finance, shes had extensive experience as a consultant for small businesses. Additionally, at the time, she had a side business helping a partner rehab homes to sell to potential homebuyers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While she was running both businesses, she was approached about getting involved in the restaurant industry. Her partner at the time had started working with a restaurateur who was seeking to hire additional staff to help expand the business. Ive always wanted to own a restaurant, Kelly said, thinking about that memory. Today, at 51, she understands that everything happens for a reason, even when you dont understand it. Seeing an opportunity to diversify, she seized the chance. And on Oct. 22, 2007, she embarked on a new journey. We literally just walked into this business and took over it, she said. Within the first 90 days, she said, they tripled sales. While a fun and impactful endeavor, she said the mental and emotional toll of running the restaurant was more than she expected. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kelly decided to pivot to another restaurant after some friends asked her to join their business and run their kitchen. When that venture lost its lease, personal challenges also mounted, including the loss of her home. She found herself at a crossroads. So she moved to Dallas to start over. Her son, Jalyn Jones, was supposed to join her but kept delaying the move. Missing him and home, she returned to Gary so she could spend his last years of high school with him and be back in her community. Then, in 2014, tragedy struck. Jalyn died by suicide while serving on active duty in the Army. Several months later, Kelly lost her job. All this stuff is happening, and I [asked myself] what does life to mean to me and what direction do I want to go, she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Deciding to take time for herself to heal and figure out life, she decided to travel. And everywhere she went, she ventured to a breakfast club. I [would] go in and Id sit there and look around. [I would look around] at everybody so excited, like, Ive done this, and I can do this, she said matter-of-factly. When she returned home, she started mapping out a plan. Js Breakfast Club has grown from a small carryout into one of Garys defining community spaces. (Javonte Anderson/Capital B) A new beginning On Oct. 1, 2015, Kelly opened Js Breakfast Club on 12th Avenue and Grant Street. I spent most of my corporate career trying to find what I was passionate about, she said. Raised by Southern parents who ensured that everyone ate when they entered their home, she wanted to bring that tradition to her restaurant in the community. And that included creating a menu that unintentionally honors her sons legacy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When we first opened back at the first location, my mother and I were sitting in the lobby and I didnt realize it, but she says: When you look at the menu, you realize that these are all of Jalyns favorite foods, she said. On a daily basis, I get to give homage to his legacy, because the decisions that he made changed the full trajectory of my life. Eventually, Kelly wanted a permanent home for her restaurant. After moving twice, she decided to build her own space at 26th Avenue and Broadway. This is just where my divine path has led, she said. Its not easy, but I am having the time of my life because I get to share my love with the community. On Feb. 1, 2022, she opened the doors to Js current home. A plaque at Js Breakfast Club pays tribute to Kellys father. (Javonte Anderson/Capital B) Keeping family and community at the forefront of her business, she ensured they were included. When she needed the money to build the new location, she went to her family. Her father, who had given her the hardest time in the past over finances, was one of her biggest financial supporters. Before he died in 2023, hed walk around the new restaurant, amazed at what she had built and teasing her to let him hold something, jokingly asking for money as a sign of how far shed come. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wanting to honor his legacy, she dedicated the plaque on the patio that says, Let me hold something. Similarly, Kellys mother, a retired educator, now hosts Silver Mondays, a weekly gathering for adults to discuss life, share stories, and enjoy good company. In addition, her husband and others help make the environment she wanted one that includes everyone. I call them all family by Js, she said. Her Impact From employing community members to paying homage to the people in her life, she consistently maintained an air of family, love, and unity in her mission. One employee, Robert Ford, has been with her since she started her first restaurant. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I just want to see her do good, he said. I want to see it grow. She tries to build anything she can as much as possible. Ludden Kilgore has been a longtime customer of Js. A Southern girl at heart, she said it was the warmth of the place that drew her in. Theres a light around her, she said. It was her friendly customer service, which can be traced back to her parents, that drew her in the first time she walked through the door of Js. When the restaurant relocated to its second location, she loved it even more, as it was within walking distance of her home. Shes always been a community advocate, Kilgore said. As part of the Gary Black International Film Festival team, she has been someone theyve been able to turn to whenever they wanted to highlight filmmakers and vendors in the community. Shes always done things to uplift me, and we became really close because [of my work] and it just really solidified what it means to be community. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As a longtime customer, Kilgore said she has seen the establishment evolve from a take-out window to seating 30 to 40 people, to offering Uber Eats and DoorDash, to now having the location it has today. That corner wasnt used for anything except to turn around. So shes changed the landscape and is writing the blueprint for things that are new to Gary, she said. Another longtime customer, Terrance Millard, has watched her journey unfold up close. Ive seen all her dreams come true, he said. As a business owner himself, he said he enjoyed discussing the business world with her. She had a good foundation around her; theyve always been supportive. So just to see her tell me a vision of when she first started and the things that she was going through, and to see it flourish and become something has been the best thing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Six mornings a week, Kelly arrives at the restaurant around 6 a.m. Sometimes, before the lights come on, she sits in the dark for a moment proud of what shes built and mindful of the journey that brought her here. Now, a decade later, shes been using her ideas to expand the impact in the community and do more in the city. The cornerstone of Js is community, and the core of the word community is unity, she said proudly. As long as were pulling each other together in common, we all gotta eat and we all love a good meal. This year, she introduced Js Supper Club, opening Tuesday through Friday evenings from 4 to 9 p.m., featuring themed nights like Tuesday Tacos and Vibes, Winning Wednesdays, Thursday Step, Sip and Savor, and The Fryday Flow each one blending music, food, and fellowship. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With a motto of Doing what we love, where we love, for the people we love, Kelly said she hopes to continue growing and creating a place that can change the community. Ten years means a lot, she said, smiling as she got ready to open the restaurant for the evening. These 10 years represent true resilience, faith, and going through the process. You never know whats on the other end, but you definitely have to keep walking to find out what that thing is. The post Biscuits and Breaking Barriers: How Js Breakfast Club Brings People Together appeared first on Capital B Gary. KANSAS CITY, Mo. This week, Jackson County Executive Phil LeVota said he signed dozens of contracts with community agencies totaling $6 million to support programs serving Jackson County residents. These contracts represent another example of county government stepping up to meet the needs of our residentswithout controversy and without delay, the county executive said. Even as the federal government remains shut down, SNAP benefits are suspended, and many federal workers are not being paid, Jackson County is continuing to do its part to provide stability and support for our community. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Pet Resource Center of Kansas City calls for support as families struggle to feed pets The funding, authorized by the Jackson County Legislature and drawn from general revenue, will be distributed to local nonprofit and community partners in the coming week. I appreciate my colleagues in the County Legislature for their partnership in authorizing these contracts for my signature, LeVota said. Together, were ensuring that Jackson County families have access to the services and resources they need most. For a full list of agencies, the services they provide and the amount awarded to each, click here. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV | News, Weather, Sports. As November when the U.S. celebrates Thanksgiving approaches, families across Mississippi are facing potential food insecurity as Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits are set to pause Nov. 1. In Jackson, one local pantry is working to ease the burden for those in need. The Mississippi Department of Human Services announced last week that due to the ongoing federal shutdown, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP benefits, for the month of November will not be issued to more than 350,000 residents. This pause in benefits is a direct result of the federal shutdown and is not a state-level decision, according to a press release from MDHS. MDHS could not say when benefits would resume. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Stewpot Community Services' Executive Director Jill Buckley told the Clarion Ledger the organization is ramping up its efforts to meet growing demand. Citywide effort to help SNAP losses: Jackson Mayor Horhn launches citywide effort as SNAP benefits cut off during government shutdown Gov. Reeves wants SNAP changes: Gov. Reeves asks for unhealthy food to be banned from SNAP benefits. What will be excluded? Buckley said the organization is extending its food pantry hours from Monday through Thursday, stocking up on supplies, and preparing for an anticipated rise in the number of people relying on its daily lunch services though the exact extent of the increase remains uncertain. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We plan to keep up with demand day by day and meet the growing needs of the community," Buckley said. Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System, the parent organization of St. Dominic Hospital, announced via a news release Tuesday, Oct. 28, a $100,000 donation to Stewpot to support its food pantry and meal services. According to FMOL Health, Stewpot serves approximately 700 underserved individuals each month through its pantry, Community Kitchen and Meals on Wheels programs. "One in five children in Mississippi are already experiencing food insecurity a reality that threatens developmental health," Buckley stated in the release. "This support ensures vulnerabilities aren't worsened by the SNAP lapse." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The current shutdown, at 30 days as of Oct. 31, 2025, is the second-longest shutdown in U.S. history, with no definitive end in sight. "People who want to know how to help should reach out to their favorite food pantry. Stewpot is not going to be the only organization stretched to its limit," Buckley told the Clarion Ledger. Mississippians who receive food assistance through SNAP represent about 385,000 people or 13% of the state's population, slightly higher than the nationwide 12% who used SNAP in 2024, according to the Center on Budget and Priorities. According to Jackson Mayor John Horhn, 33,000 Hinds County residents who rely on SNAP will see their benefits cut off. This amounts to roughly $6.5 million in monthly aid or about $180 per household disappearing from the local economy overnight. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For Mississippians needing food assistance during the shutdown, here are some organizations to reach out to: The Mississippi Department of Human Services is providing SNAP updates on its website. Pam Dankins is the breaking news reporter for the Clarion Ledger. Have a tip? Email her at pdankins@gannett.com. This article originally appeared on Mississippi Clarion Ledger: Stewpot in Jackson MS preps for more people amid government shutdown A year after Donald Trump fired him, former FBI Director James Comey published a memoir that compared the president to a mafioso, portraying him as "a deeply flawed person and leader" who "either didn't know" or "didn't care" that federal law enforcement officials have a higher duty than obedience to the president's whims. The grudge-driven criminal case against Comey reinforces that assessment. In recent motions challenging his perjury and obstruction indictment, Comey argues that he is a victim of vindictive and selective prosecution, that the interim U.S. attorney who obtained the indictment was improperly appointed, and that the charges against him are legally deficient. All three claims stem from Trump's open determination to punish Comey based on a personal vendetta. Trump's own statements therefore provide the strongest evidence in Comey's favor. Trump fired Comey on May 9, 2017, out of anger at the FBI's investigation of alleged ties between his presidential campaign and the Russian government. "I just fired the head of the FBI," Trump bragged to Russian officials. "He was crazy, a real nut job.I faced great pressure because of Russia. That's taken off." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After his dismissal, Comey continued to irritate Trump. His 2018 book described Trump's presidency as "a continuing frontal assault on the truthon the very notion of 'truth,'" beginning with "the lie about his inauguration crowd being larger than Barack Obama's." While promoting the book, Comey described Trump as "untethered to truth," "unethical," "morally unfit to be president," and a "person who sees moral equivalence in Charlottesville, who talks about and treats women like they're pieces of meat, and who lies constantly about matters big and small." Unsurprisingly, Comey's public criticism magnified Trump's animosity toward him. Trump described Comey as "a proven LEAKER & LIAR," a "weak and untruthful slime ball" who "should be prosecuted." He complained that "Shadey [sic] James Comey can Leak and Lie and make lots of money from a third rate book (that should never have been written)." He accused Comey of "illegally leak[ing] CLASSIFIED INFORMATION," saying he was "either very sick or very dumb." Comey continued to criticize Trump, condemning his coziness with Russian President Vladimir Putin ("a murderous lying thug") and remarking that, although "the United States should be a shining light for the world, modeling a democracy that values truth," Trump was "dimming that light." According to John F. Kelly, Trump's former chief of staff, the president mused about siccing the IRS on Comey, saying he should not be "making money" by bashing his former boss. Comey publicly opposed Trump's reelection, saying Americans deserved "a president who will reflect the core values of honesty and decency that are the lifeblood or our nation and its institutions." Trump responded by reposting social media messages calling Comey "a corrupt piece of garbage," "a disgraced lier [sic] & leaker," and a "weasel" who should "be in jail." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In May 2024, Comey warned that electing Trump to a second term would have "serious" implications "for the Justice Department and the FBI, because Trump is coming for those institutions." Two days later, Trump complained that "the Worst FBI Director in History," who had committed "horrors," was "going around LYING" about Trump's legal troubles. After he was elected, Trump suggested he was ready to deliver on his threats against Comey, telling reporters last July that the former FBI director was "dishonest," "truly bad," and "corrupt as hell." The president said "maybe" Comey would "have to pay a price for that," adding, "whatever happens, happens." Toward that end, Trump pressured Erik Siebert, the interim U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, to prosecute Comey. Trump had nominated Siebert to be the permanent U.S. attorney. But after Siebert proved insufficiently enthusiastic about prosecuting Comey and another Trump nemesis, New York Attorney General Letitia James, the president forced him out in favor of Lindsey Halligan, a former Trump lawyer with no prosecutorial experience. On September 20, Trump publicly demanded that Attorney General Pam Bondi take action against Comey, James, and Sen. Adam Schiff (DCalif.), saying his supporters believed "they're all guilty as hell" and worried that "nothing is going to be done." Trump's marching orders were clear. "We can't delay any longer," he told Bondi. "JUSTICE MUST BE SERVED, NOW!!!" Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Halligan took office two days later and obtained the Comey indictment later that week, just a few days before the statutory deadline. Notably, no other prosecutors joined Halligan in signing the indictment, which reflected internal skepticism about the case. Bondi herself reportedly had doubts, but Trump got what he wanted anyway. That background, Comey's lawyers argue in a motion filed on October 20, shows that the case against him amounts to retaliation for his criticism of Trump. "The government has singled out Mr. Comey for prosecution because of his protected speech and because of President Trump's personal animus toward Mr. Comey," they say. "Such a vindictive and selective prosecution violates the First Amendment, [the] Due Process Clause, and equal protection principles." The Fifth Amendment's Due Process Clause "protects all persons against federal government action designed to penalize protected speech or to wield government power based on animus," the motion says. "Those protections are at their zenith when the government invokes the criminal process to deprive a person of liberty. Established due process principles therefore prohibit vindictive prosecutions to punish the assertion of rights or to express animus. Similarly, established equal protection principles prohibit selective prosecutions that invidiously impose penalties based on arbitrary classifications. The circumstances of the charging decision in this casea last-minute retaliatory charge after a torrent of personal invective by a President who expressly sought charges regardless of the factswarrant dismissal with prejudice on both vindictive and selective prosecution grounds." The indictment accuses Comey of "willfully and knowingly" making "a materially false, fictitious, and fraudulent statement" during testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee on September 30, 2020. Under 18 USC 1001(a)(2), that's a felony punishable by up to five years in prison. The indictment also alleges a related felony, subject to the same maximum penalty, under 18 USC 1505, which applies to someone who "corruptly" attempts to "influence, obstruct, or impede" a congressional proceeding. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To reinforce the selective prosecution claim, Comey's lawyers note that "similar allegations" with "a much stronger evidentiary basis" were "raised against at least four other individuals who served as heads of agencies during President Trump's first term." The examples include demonstrably inaccurate congressional testimony by former Attorney General Jeff Sessions, former Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt, former Secretary of Health and Human Services Tom Price, and former Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin. "None of them were charged," the motion notes. In another motion filed the same day, Comey's lawyers argue that Halligan's appointment was illegal. Under 28 USC 546, they note, the attorney general "may appoint a United States attorney for the district in which the office of United States attorney is vacant." Such interim appointments are limited to 120 days, meaning that Siebert's term expired on May 21. His tenure was extended under a provision that allows the judges of the district to "appoint a United States attorney to serve until the vacancy is filled." But after Trump demanded Siebert's resignation, the motion argues, the attorney general was not allowed to start the clock again by appointing Halligan as interim U.S. attorney. "If the Attorney General could make back-to-back sequential appointments of interim U.S. Attorneys, the 120-day period would be rendered meaningless, and the Attorney General could indefinitely evade the alternate procedures that Congress mandated," Comey's lawyers say. "The text thus precludes an additional appointment by the Attorney General after the expiration of that 120-day period." Like the claim of vindictive and selective prosecution, this one flows from Trump's desperation to punish Comey. Because the U.S. attorney he had nominated did not think there was a solid basis to charge Comey, Trump picked a more compliant replacement at the last minute because "we can't delay any longer." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Halligan obtained the indictment on September 25, nearly five years after the testimony on which it is based. By the end of the month, it would have been barred by the statute of limitations. In a motion filed on Thursday, Comey's lawyers address the legal merits of the indictment. That is no easy task, because the skimpy, two-page document is vague about exactly how he allegedly violated the two statutes it cites. The indictment says Comey "falsely stat[ed]" that he "had not 'authorized someone else at the FBI to be an anonymous source in news reports' regarding an FBI investigation concerning PERSON 1." That statement was false, it says, because Comey "then and there knew" that he "in fact had authorized PERSON 3 to serve as an anoymous source in news reports regarding an FBI investigation of PERSON 1." That charge alludes to an exchange between Comey and Sen. Ted Cruz (RTexas), who referred to what Comey had said during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on May 3, 2017, less than a week before Trump fired him. Comey answered "no" when Sen. Charles Grassley (RIowa) asked if he had "ever authorized someone else at the FBI to be an anonymous source in news reports about the Trump investigation or the Clinton investigation." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Grassley was referring, respectively, to the Russia probe and the inquiry into Hillary Clinton's use of a private email server as secretary of state. But Cruz's questions to Comey three years later focused on a third FBI investigation, involving the Clinton Foundation. Andrew McCabe, Comey's deputy, had authorized the disclosure of information about that investigation to The Wall Street Journal, which mentioned it in a story published on October 30, 2016. After that story ran, McCabe later claimed, he told Comey about the disclosure, and Comey expressed his approval. Comey said that never happened, and a February 2018 report from the Justice Department's Office of the Inspector General credited his account. "McCabe did not tell Comey on or around October 31 (or at any other time) that he (McCabe) had authorized the disclosure of information about the [Clinton Foundation] Investigation to the WSJ," the report said. It added that "had McCabe done so, we believe that Comey would have objected to the disclosure." Cruz latched onto that dispute during the 2020 Senate Judiciary Committee hearing. McCabe, Cruz said, "has publicly and repeatedly stated that he leaked information to The Wall Street Journal and that you were directly aware of it and that you directly authorized it." That was a mischaracterization, since McCabe claimed only that Comey had expressed approval of the anonymous disclosure after the fact, not that Comey had "directly authorized" it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cruz nevertheless insisted that "what Mr. McCabe is saying and what you testified to this committee [in 2017] cannot both be true; one or the other is false." His question: "Who's telling the truth?" Comey did not offer a direct answer. "I can only speak to my testimony," he said. "I stand bythe testimony you summarized that I gave in May of 2017." Cruz tried again. "So your testimony is you've never authorized anyone to leak, and Mr. McCabe, whenhe says [the] contrary, is not telling the truth," he said. "Is that correct?" Comey still did not want to talk about his factual dispute with McCabe. "Again, I'm not going to characterize Andy's testimony," he said, "but mine is the same today." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In standing by his earlier testimony, the indictment claims, Comey lied. But about what exactly? The indictment says Comey knew he "in fact had authorized PERSON 3 to serve as an anoymous source in news reports regarding an FBI investigation of PERSON 1." It was clear from a count the grand jury rejected that "PERSON 1" was Hillary Clinton. Given the context of Cruz's questions, it seemed likely that "PERSON 3" was McCabe. But according to Comey's motion, "the government confirmed to the defense" on October 15nearly three weeks after the indictment"that 'PERSON 1' refers to Hillary Clinton and 'PERSON 3' refers to Daniel Richman." Richman, a "good friend" of Comey's, is a Columbia law professor who also served the FBI as an unpaid "special government employee" during Comey's tenure there. In June 2017, Comey admitted that, after he was fired, he asked Richman to provide memos about Comey's meetings with Trump to The New York Times. The indictment implies that Comey also used Richman as a conduit for information about an FBI investigation of Clinton, although it is not clear exactly which leak(s) Halligan has in mind. The New York Times reports that prosecutors interviewed Richman in early September, but his statements "were not helpful in their efforts to build a case." In any event, Halligan apparently is arguing that Comey lied to Congress by implicitly denying that he had authorized Richman to act as an anonymous source. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That claim is pretty puzzling, given that the exchange with Cruz focused on McCabe, not Richman. "Senator Cruz's focus on Mr. McCabe is alone sufficient to establish fundamental ambiguity when measured against the government's current apparent interpretation," Comey's lawyers argue. They add that "when Senator Cruz referenced Senator Grassley's question about whether Mr. Comey authorized 'someone else at the FBI' to serve as anonymous source, there was no reason to assume that he was referring to anyone but full-time employees like Mr. McCabewho were stationed at the FBIas opposed to someone like Mr. Richman, who was a Special Government Employee living fulltime in New York." The motion also argues that Comey's answers to Cruz were "literally true" because he truthfully said he stood by his 2017 testimony. The gist of the perjury claim, by contrast, is that Comey lied to Grassley in 2017 and reiterated the lie three years later. And while it was too late to prosecute Comey for the earlier testimony, Halligan managed, just barely, to meet the deadline for charging him based on the 2020 hearing. The second count of the indictment is even harder to parse, since it does not say exactly how Comey obstructed a congressional proceeding. If that count refers to the same statements as the perjury count, it is debatable for the same reasons. But as it stands, the motion says, the obstruction charge's "lack of specificity renders it inherently and separately defective for failing to provide adequate notice to Mr. Comey of the charge against which he must defend." Given the lack of clarity about exactly what Cruz was asking, how Comey interpreted his questions, the meaning of his responses, and his intent in reaffirming his 2017 testimony, it is not hard to see why Siebert and his underlings did not think the case was worth pursuing. But Trump was determined to get Comey one way or another. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That much is clear from Trump's public statements about Comey, which never specified exactly what crime he thought Comey had committed. It is also clear from the way that FBI Director Kash Patel portrayed the indictment: as a response to the "Russiagate hoax." Legally speaking, the charges against Comey have nothing to do with the Russia probe, which is relevant only insofar as it illuminates Trump's motivation. Trump conflates justice with revenge, and his underlings have to follow suit if they want to keep their jobs. The post James Comey Says His Grudge-Driven Prosecution Is Unconstitutional Retaliation for His Criticism of Trump appeared first on Reason.com. ALBANY - A motion filed by state Attorney General Letitia James that seeks to block two subpoenas issued by acting U.S. Attorney John A. Sarcone III was transferred to the Southern District of New York after judges in the state's Northern District recused themselves from the matter, citing their July decision to not appoint Sarcone to his position on a permanent basis. The motion was filed in U.S. District Court in Albany in August by private attorneys retained by James' office. It seeks to block the grand jury subpoenas that Sarcone's office issued several months ago demanding records related to the attorney general's civil cases against President Donald J. Trump and the National Rifle Association. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The motion to quash the subpoenas asserts that the documents are invalid because Sarcone was improperly appointed to his current position by the Trump administration, according to a person with direct knowledge of the filing. It's an argument that has been raised against other acting U.S. attorneys who have been appointed by the Trump administration but not confirmed by the U.S. Senate. Attorneys for James have invoked a similar argument in challenging her recent indictment in Virginia on federal charges of bank fraud and making false statements to a financial institution. James pleaded not guilty to those charges last week and her defense team has filed a motion asking a judge to dismiss the case. They allege interim U.S. Attorney Lindsey Halligan, who personally handled the grand jury presentation, was improperly appointed after her predecessor declined to pursue the same case, citing a lack of evidence. (Attorneys for former FBI director James Comey, who is being prosecuted by Halligan on perjury and obstruction charges, have made similar arguments in that case.) In September, the Times Union filed a request with the federal court clerk's office in Albany requesting that the court filings in the case involving Sarcone's subpoenas be unsealed. The clerk's office rejected the newspaper's request on procedural grounds - although judges in New York's Northern District have previously granted similar unsealing requests from the Times Union. Later that month, the case was transferred to U.S. District Judge Lewis Kaplan in New York's Southern District, after federal judges in the Northern District cited their potential conflict of interest if they presided over the matter, according to two people briefed on the matter. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Their recusal came two months after a panel of federal judges in the Northern District announced - without providing a reason - that they had declined to permanently appoint Sarcone as U.S. attorney. That decision was issued as Sarcone's interim role in the job as the region's top federal law enforcement officer was set to expire. But that didn't block Sarcone from continuing to oversee the office. The White House and U.S. Attorney General Pamela Bondi responded by immediately appointing Sarcone as first assistant U.S. attorney for the Northern District. That move enabled him to serve as the acting U.S. attorney for at least a period of 210 days. At the time, an official with the U.S. attorney's office confirmed that "the attorney general has appointed John Sarcone as special attorney to the attorney general and also as first assistant U.S. attorney. Sarcone is now the acting U.S. attorney pursuant to the Vacancy Reform Act." James' office has retained Munger Tolles & Olson, a large law firm with main offices in Los Angeles, San Francisco and Washington, D.C., to represent her in the case being pursued by Sarcone's office. A spokesman for the attorney general said state government funds are being used to pay those legal fees. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The attorney general's efforts to quash the subpoenas issued by Sarcone's office were first reported Thursday by WNYC and the New York Times, which said the case has since been assigned to U.S. District Senior Judge Lorna G. Schofield. 'We will prosecute' A person familiar with Sarcone's appointment process said one of the reasons the Trump administration had sought to have him serve as U.S. attorney in the Northern District is because they expected him to use his position to tangle with James, a self-proclaimed political foe of the president. She pledged during her inaugural campaign in 2018 that she would pursue cases against Trump, who was then in the second year of his first term as president. "We will prosecute the president for crimes committed in New York state," James said in December 2018, a month after she was elected attorney general and before she had been sworn in. Last year, Trump, his two sons and a former Trump company official were ordered by a judge to pay a more than $360 million penalty for "ill-gotten gains." The penalty was imposed after the Trump Organization was found liable by a Manhattan jury for lying about his wealth and overstating property values in documents to secure loans that helped build his real estate empire. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump, who has denied wrongdoing, appealed the verdict and the penalty. In August, a New York appellate court upheld the verdict but threw out the massive financial penalty. In 2024, James' office won a court case against the National Rifle Association that resulted in a judgment requiring the organization to enact more than a dozen reforms to its governance and to abide by New York's not-for-profit laws. The judgment followed a jury verdict which found the organization had "failed to properly administer charitable funds and violated state laws," according to the attorney general's office. Trump's critics, including James, have now accused the president of weaponizing his administration to pursue cases against her and a number of other foes. But the case involving bank fraud charges filed against James in Virginia have faced withering criticism, including from many Republicans, in part because the allegations are not ones that are typically pursued by the Justice Department. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The indictment in Virginia focuses on a loan James secured for a Norfolk residence she purchased in 2020. That loan had included a rider that required James, as the sole borrower on the $137,000 purchase, to use the three-bedroom home as her secondary residence. The indictment said that agreement also "prohibited its use as a timesharing or other shared ownership arrangement or agreement that requires her either to rent the property or give any other person any control over the occupancy or use of the property." "Despite these representations, the property was not occupied or used by James as a secondary residence and was instead used as a rental investment property, renting the property to a family of (three)," the indictment states, without noting those tenants are James' relatives. Sarcone has declined to comment on his investigation of the attorney general. It's unclear what federal statutes, if any, may have been violated in the cases James' office pursued against the National Rifle Association or against Trump, his sons and their business associates. Published reports describing the subpoenas cited possible civil rights violations by James' office. Blue slips Initially, Sarcone's role as an interim U.S. attorney was limited to 120 days under a federal statute that has been retooled a number of times. As an acting U.S. attorney, his tenure will also be limited unless Trump nominates him for the position or Bondi seeks to extend his term beyond the 210-day limit. U.S. attorneys are typically appointed to four-year terms, but generally do not resign or get removed unless there is a change in a White House administration. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump is not having an easy time getting his U.S. attorney nominees confirmed by the Senate: Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer, New York's senior senator, previously declined to return "blue slips" authorizing the appointment of two other U.S. attorneys in New York - following a more than 100-year-old tradition in which both home senators in a state must approve or reject a president's nominee for a federal judgeship or U.S. attorney position. The slip is printed on blue paper that the Senate Judiciary Committee uses, and the process allows the home state Senators to express their views concerning a presidential nominee. "According to the Congressional Research Service, by Senate tradition if a home state senator indicates disapproval or otherwise fails to note approval on the blue slip, the chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee normally declines to take action on the nomination out of deference to the home state senator," according to a report by the Justice Department's Office of Inspector General. In the past, those nominations had generally gone smoothly as Democrats and Republicans tended to honor an informal system to take turns picking nominees. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The U.S. attorney general is empowered to appoint an interim U.S. attorney in the event of a vacancy, which occurred in February when former U.S. Attorney Carla Freedman, who was Sarcone's predecessor and had been appointed by President Joe Biden, stepped down from the position. Sarcone was appointed by Bondi to lead the 32-county Northern District on March 4; he was sworn in on March 17. Since Trump has not sought to appoint a permanent Senate-confirmed U.S. attorney in the Northern District, it was left to the district court judges to do so. The judges' decision in July to not appoint Sarcone or anyone else to the position meant the administration could try to reappoint him on an interim basis. But by naming him first assistant U.S. attorney, he became an employee of the Justice Department and can remain in the acting U.S. attorney role for at least seven months. It is rare for district courts to decline to appoint interim U.S. attorneys who have been nominated by the U.S. attorney, but that has become more commonplace during Trump's second administration. District courts in other states, including Texas and Pennsylvania, voted earlier this year to appoint other interim U.S. attorneys who had been in those positions temporarily at the direction of the U.S. attorney general. In New Jersey, a judge's decision that Alina Habba was not legally installed as U.S. Attorney has brought federal prosecutions in that state close to a halt; an appellate court heard arguments in Habba's case earlier this month. This article originally published at James seeks to block U.S. attorney's subpoenas of her records on Trump, NRA. NEED TO KNOW The Japanese government is planning to hire hunters to stop a recent rise of bear attacks in the country Japan has seen over 100 people injured this year by bears and 12 people have died Experts say the rise is partially due to climate change and changing demographics in rural areas The Japanese government is planning to recruit hunters to curb the recent rise of bear attacks in the country. Bears have been appearing in supermarkets, and theres a possibility that a bear may be in front of your house when you wake up in the morning, Shinjiro Koizumi, Japans defense minister, said at a press conference on Tuesday in Tokyo, as reported by The New York Times. People are living in great fear. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More than 100 people have been injured by bear attacks this year, and 12 people have died. The death toll is a new record for the country. Getty A Japanese brown bear A Japanese brown bear On Thursday, the environment ministry said it would allocate funds to hire personnel to tackle bears wandering into residential areas, per the BBC. Additionally, troops will be sent to the Akita Prefecture an area in northern Japan to help set traps and dispose of bear carcasses. However, current law prohibits troops from exterminating the animals themselves, instead that will be left to the hunters. The situation is beyond the scope that only prefectures and municipalities can handle, and the exhaustion of the field is reaching its limit, so we decided to make a request to the Ministry of Defense, Akita governor Kenta Suzuki wrote in a translated Oct. 26 Instagram post. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Japan is home to two types of bears: the more common Asiatic black bear and the larger and more aggressive Ussuri brown bear. The New York Times reports the increase of attacks is partially due to climate change and changing demographics. Scarcity of food in some areas have forced bears to move and Japans declining population means the wildlife can now wander into areas once full of people. The population of these bears also continues to increase as the popularity of hunting the animals has largely dwindled. Additionally, the countrys available licensed hunters are aging and declining. Recent attacks include one on Sunday, reported by The Japan News. An 85-year-old woman was attacked by a bear in Kazuno, Akita Prefecture, while she was washing vegetables on her property. She reportedly suffered head injuries as a result. Getty A sign warning of bears in Japan A sign warning of bears in Japan 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. On Oct. 7, a bear injured two people in a supermarket in Numata City. A bear entered a supermarket, injuring one man, and another man was attacked and injured by the bear when he noticed the bear at the entrance and tried to escape, officials from the Gunma Prefectural Government Office said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Japanese broadcaster NHK reported the men sustained non-life-threatening injuries. The next day, a man was found dead from a possible bear attack on a mountain in the Iwate Prefecture, on Oct. 8, the outlet reported. Read the original article on People For liberals who lament the Democratic Partys ongoing struggle to break through with their messaging, the emergence of Rep. Jasmine Crockett represents a rare jolt of good news. Here, finally, is a Democrat whos eager to tangle with Republicans on Capitol Hill and gets plenty of media attention for doing it. Someone who getsinvited onto Jimmy Kimmels late-night show to talk about President Donald Trump and his cognitive tests. And Crockett is game. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Now, not every member of the Democratic caucus may be on board with her approach. But in a new interview with The Conversation, she recalled the plaudits she got last year after herviral confrontation with Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene. There are two little women in their eighties that are high-fiving me, she said. It is Maxine Waters and Nancy Pelosi. Two very well-known, fierce, yet definitely what you would probably consider to be older-school kind of politicians. Crockett added that even fellow Democrats in swing districts have invited her to help them campaign. Whether you agree with my style or disagree with my style, she said, I think people respect me for my authenticity. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This conversation has been edited for length and clarity. Let's start with the government shutdown. Millions of people could lose their SNAP benefits as soon as this weekend. We've seen flight delays and now the largest federal workers union is calling for Democratic leaders to stand down in this fight. What have you heard from your constituents and what is the latest from the House Democrats on this? Honestly, this has probably been the most effective messaging that we've done as Democrats. When we look at the numbers, it is clear that whether you're MAGA, Republican, Independent or Democrat, you believe that it is wrong to limit people's access to health care in the form of getting rid of or allowing the expiration of those tax subsidies for the Affordable Care Act. And so I do think that, number one, it's been very effective messaging. But number two, it is clear that the Democrats are fighting for the basic humanity of all Americans. And I think that that is why we find ourselves in this very weird situation because basically the Republicans want to say, Choose between the two impossible situations: Either people will be able to potentially eat today, but tomorrow they won't be able to eat because of the cuts that we made in the big ugly bill, or tomorrow they won't be able to eat because they actually will not survive to see another day. We are only getting a preview of what's going to happen as relates to them removing almost $300 billion from SNAP benefits. That is a very real thing that we are on the precipice of. So I will say to those that believe that now is the time to back down, I disagree. People need to understand that this is where the Republicans stand. Right now there are emergency funds that they could use so that people could continue to eat as it relates to SNAP, and the president has decided not to allow that to be used. They've concluded that they can't legally fund SNAP right now. Eventually though, for this shutdown to end, Democrats are going to have to reopen the government. They're going to have to vote for a continuing resolution, or CR. What do you think gets them there? As it relates to this administration caring about the law, they've never cared about the law. That is a cop out as it relates to this administration because they could care less about the law. But first of all, it would maybe take a president who actually wants to negotiate. This is supposed to be the guy that understands the art of the deal. He's not made it a priority to look out for the American people ever since he swore in. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So what do I think it will take? I think that if we look at history, our last shutdown was under the same president and what it took was air traffic controllers [staying home]. As much as they beat up on our federal workers they decide to fire them, they decide to call them lazy, all the things sometimes it's about showing people who's boss. And the reality is that this government does not run without the people that actually work in it. Let me ask you about Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene. You and her are not best friends pretty famously so. But she has crossed party lines to criticize Republicans for this looming rise in health care premiums. How do you see that move by her in the context of all of that we're talking about? A couple of things. Marjorie has specifically said that they could use the nuclear option if they wanted to, which is breaking the filibuster to get this done. That's number one. She also has talked about health care costs. Now, I agree with her as much as it pains me. Right is right, wrong is wrong. We're saying that on the record you agree with her. It's on the record that Marjorie and I agree. But unfortunately, most of this was done without her really paying attention. The fact that premiums are going up is a result of the big ugly bill. When people are looking at their open enrollment letters and they're seeing that the cost has gone up, that's not just because of the subsidy. Its in large part because of the subsidies that were put in place by Democrats during Covid. So that's certainly part of it. Partially. For sure. What I'm trying to say is that they are adding insult to injury. We went out there and we made a big deal about the 15 to 17 million people that may be losing their Medicaid or their Medicare. We talked about that in the context of the big ugly bill. And now if you are on the Affordable Care Act, because that's what we're talking about, these subsidies are set to expire and right now they are not looking for a way to help you out. So it's a double whammy. Let me just clarify, when you talk about the big ugly bill, you are referring to Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill Act. Let's talk a little bit about you though. You have emerged as a high profile voice in the Democratic caucus and rather quickly. How do you define your role within the party? And what do you think you sort of uniquely contribute to the party's national message? You know, I feel like I'm on an island sometimes. I do feel like the weirdo sometimes. Why is that? Because how quickly it's happened. And there was really no playbook for how to effectively communicate. I'll be perfectly honest, because one of the things that people complain about Democrats with is how we communicate, right? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But as someone who has been a trial lawyer, who probably was one of the most recent ones who had come to Congress straight from court, I understand how to talk to people. And frankly, I've just been literally just talking the same way that I will walk in and I have to pick a jury and people are coming from all different backgrounds. Yet at the same time, I have to make sure that I know the law because I'm going to have to make arguments to the judge. I understand who my audience is. I also understand that it's not necessarily the most effective to only talk to those news outlets that cover political issues. I understand that everyone is impacted politically, whether they want to pay attention to politics or not. And so it's important to meet people where they are. But it can feel really weird sometimes, because for instance, you brought up my bestie Marjorie Taylor Greene. That was pretty early on in my political career as it relates to being a member of Congress. And I can remember walking on the floor the very next day, it was a very late night. Are you talking about the exchange with the eyelashes and the bleach blonde? I am, I am. The very next day, I walk to the floor, we're doing votes before we fly out. And there are two little women in their eighties that are high-fiving me. It is Maxine Waters and Nancy Pelosi. Two very well-known, fierce, yet definitely what you would probably consider to be older-school kind of politicians. They have been in politics forever and they're older, but they are feisty and they know how to get things done. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And then I would say that the middle-aged group, those that I would consider to be aunties, those that are in their sixties were really like, "Uh, we don't know about this." They were the ones that were like, "Ahhh." Then of course the people that are in my class and near my class, they were all fine, but it was very interesting to see that. That's one of the things that people don't understand about where we are is that there are these generational groups. The age group does kind of also mesh with ideology in some ways. I'm curious about your relationship with some of the more moderate House Democrats. Have you ever been told to tone it down by some people that may not like your communication approach? I've never gotten that from what I would consider to be most likely a frontliner. Most of our frontliners, those are the ones that are moderates. People have said that on their behalf, but none of them have ever said anything to me. And frankly, I have been invited to many of their districts. They've got people that are like, "Hey, can you get Jasmine Crockett to come to the district?" And I am always nervous about as big of a figure as I am, Fox News loves to talk pretty negatively about me to kind of walk into some of those spaces because I never want to hurt anyone. But frankly, that's not been my experience thus far. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I think at the end of the day, whether you agree with my style or disagree with my style, I think people respect me for my authenticity. They never feel like they're getting someone different. They feel like they know exactly who they're getting. When I was on the Ag committee, and even now that I'm not on the Ag committee, there are groups that make a point to bring farmers to me to talk because at the end of the day, I am just blatantly honest. And I think people respect it, even if they don't like how I deliver it. That's one reason I've not caused any consternation for so many of these moderates. In addition to that, the final point that I'll make about this is that when they do their polling, "they" being the opposition, the Republicans, and they're trying to figure out a polarizing figure that they can tie, say, this more moderate member to, then they start running ads and they say, "Oh, this person's going to be just like this radical over here." Well, they've not used me at all anywhere in the country. You have gained the attention of right-leaning media, of the president who does tend to bring you up quite a bit. When you see clips of him talking about you or of you on Fox News, do you see that as a good thing, as a bad thing? How do you process that attention? I process it as they believe that I'm a threat. Listen, you're not talking about anybody who's not relevant. That's just the reality. No one is wasting capital on anyone that is not relevant and so even when I look at the fact that every other week, I don't know how he manages to work myself and AOC into conversations, but I do believe that they see us as threats and they are trying to thwart those threats before they rise too much. Why do you think that they've tried to elevate you and others like AOC to become the faces of the Democratic Party? I think that personally they are threatened. When you look at AOC, AOC is the highest-fundraising member in the U.S. House, period. Above Democrats, Republicans, that is number one. When you look at the crowds that she garners, when she goes out, that's a scary thing for him, right? And a lot of the people that I believe that he wants to appeal to, AOC is one of the few people that can actually break through. I would argue that as much as I go against him, I would imagine that I get some of those folk too. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I remember when we were doing our art competition in my district, and obviously it's open to all the kids in the district. And I remember a father coming up to me and telling me, "I appreciate you for doing this competition. My daughter loved participating. I am a Republican, but I love you." I have been in all kinds of cities, in airports and otherwise where people walk up to me, and of course they don't have an R on their forehead, but they tell me that they have a difference when it comes to politics, but they love me. And so I think it is that that actually concerns him. You are in California right now working on Prop 50, which is the redistricting proposition in California. Redistricting has been the subject of many a story in many a state these days. Your state has been impacted by their recent Texas redistricting. The new map is still obviously held up in courts, but your district is changing. I've heard you talk about the potential of a Senate run. How seriously are you weighing that? I am seriously weighing it to the extent that I'm about to spend a lot of money to get data. I will tell you that I personally believe that Texas needs to do something different if they want a different result. I'm curious what you think the Democratic Party's brand is right now, how voters see it, and what you say to people who think that the Dems are not fighting hard enough. We are not perceived as fighters, and we are perceived as weak. And this isn't me. This is someone who traveled the country on behalf of not only Joe Biden, but Kamala Harris, and had real conversations. Don't just put me in donor rooms trying to get money. Put me out in the streets. Let me talk to the people. It's tough to have that perception. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And I think it is because we've been the party of empathy. I mean, we care. We are fighting now, really, really hard about health care because we care. And so there are those that look at that as weak. They are looking for the people that will give you this rhetoric around how, you know, "immigrants are evil and weve got to crush them," right? Like they're looking for that type of stuff, but you know, it's only because they're supposed to be criminals. And now people understand the reality is that, no, you just have some people that have decided that they wanted to inflict harm on anyone that did not speak the chosen language or who had maybe a little too much melanin or whatever the case may be. And even as you brought up Marjorie, she even has diverged on this point as well and talked about this is not the way to do immigration [enforcement]. Now she's complaining about her construction business and her friends that have construction businesses. But these are very real realities. They have continued to disparage people that have contributed to this country. And so I think the reality is starting to set in that maybe all that macho stuff isn't necessarily what we want. What we need is people that are going to be strong and fight for the most vulnerable amongst us. And I think that that is the brand that I have set out for myself, is that I want to fight for the American dream. I believe that it shouldn't matter what zip code you were born into, you should have an opportunity to ascend. And I think that the con man in charge conned people into believing that all the ills that you're experiencing, whether it is crime in your community or whether it's the jobs that you don't have, it is because of these other people. The strong alliance between the United States and Israel has been a staple of US foreign policy for decades. But that bond, advantageous to both countries, is now facing sustained attack and no longer just from the progressive Left. The Left-wing attacks on Israel are likely to get more exposure if Zohran Mamdani is elected mayor of New York, Americas largest city and its media capital. His hostility to the Jewish state, combined with his apparent indifference to violent Palestinian resistance, is no outlier on the far-Left. It is, in fact, a pillar of their political coalition. Why? Because the groups in that coalition have very different, often antagonistic goals (Queers for Palestine?). What allows them to lock arms is that they hate the same things, beginning with Donald Trump, Israel, and capitalism. The coalition remains intact by emphasising these shared hatreds, which sometimes border on anti-Semitism or cross that line entirely. The anti-Semitic, conspiratorial line is always some variant of the Jews, with all their money, control American policy for their narrow interests, not Americas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Less familiar are rising attacks on Israel and its American supporters from the populist Right. The most prominent voice for those hostile views is Tucker Carlson, with his huge podcast audience. But he is hardly alone. This Right-wing populist opposition to the Jewish state is far different from the traditional, pro-Israel stance of Reagan Republicans and evangelicals like Mike Huckabee, who is now US ambassador to Israel. Still, support is waning even among evangelicals, especially younger ones. This shifting view on the Right was on display on Wednesday night at Ole Miss, where vice-president JD Vance spoke to a crowd, organised by Turning Point USA. After a short speech, Vance answered questions from students. Two posed questions hostile to Israel. Instead of pushing back, the vice-president largely seemed to endorse the students antagonism. Thats new for such a prominent voice in Republican politics. JD Vance speaks at the Turning Point USA event at the University of Mississippi on Wednesday - JONATHAN ERNST/AFP Its hard to criticise Vances statement that American foreign policy should put American interests first. Although that sounds like a simple restatement of Trumps America First policy, as Vance surely intended, it is really the aim of every countrys foreign policy. They all ask the same question, How will this policy advance our interests? Thats perfectly sensible. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Whats different under Trump is that those national interests are conceived primarily in transactional terms rather than long-term relationships. Thats how Vances response to students appeared to frame US-Israeli relations, more as stand-alone transactions and less as a firm, long-term bond of mutual advantage. That reframing is significant, and its not good news for Israel. Vance also laid out a strong vision on a related topic. America, he said, is a nation built on a foundation of Christian values. But he went further, discussing the constitutional question of the separation between church and state. Vance did not spell out his own views in detail, but his response to questions seemed to support the view that cities and states in their official capacity could support particular religious views or even particular faiths. The Constitution, he noted, merely restricted Congress from making laws establishing religion. He quoted the First Amendment, which reads Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof. He suggested that the Amendment, as written, did not prevent the federal states from establishing their own official religions and that several have done so in the past. Unfortunately, Vance stopped his history lesson too soon. The protections in the First Amendment, known as the Establishment Clause, were extended long ago to states and localities through the Fourteenth Amendment, ratified in 1868. The Supreme Court made that extension clear in a 1947 case, Everson vs. Board of Education, where the Court ruled that the Establishment Clause applied to all levels of government, not just federal statutes and agencies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Although Vance did not say he wanted to overturn the 1947 decision, he indicated that he wants to see more official recognition of America as Christian. The crucial point here is official recognition by government agencies, not by private individuals, corporations, or voluntary organisations. No one doubts that this private expression is already protected. It is unclear whether Vance sees some connection between this more religious vision of America and the conduct of US policy in the Middle East, where there are no Christian nations. All but one are Muslim, and most are openly hostile to Christianity. Which state in the region zealously protects Christian holy sites? Christian citizens? Christian visitors? Oh, go ahead and guess. Vance tours the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in the Old City of Jerusalem on Oct 23 - NATHAN HOWARD/AFP But attacks on Israel, and calls for much stricter limits on US support for the Jewish state, are likely to grow in the populist soil that is todays Republican Party. There are at least three reasons for that trend. First, Donald Trump, is serving his final term in office, and he is the most powerful pro-Israel voice among Republican populists. Vance is currently seen as his likely successor. Second, Israels security partnership is less valuable to Washington now that Iran has been contained and the US is shifting its attention to the Indo-Pacific. Third, the Republican Party has become a populist party, and populism has long been infused with conspiratorial views. The questions are whether those views will be confined to the margins or take centre stage and whether there will be strong pushback within the party. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So far, Vance has not gone far down the anti-Israel rabbit hole. Even so, his position is troubling for those who favour a strong US-Israel alliance. His views matter, not only because he is vice-president and Trumps heir-apparent, but because he is voicing a growing viewpoint among Republican populists. If Vance sticks with those views, if they flourish, if they become US policy, they will mark a major turning point in US-Israel relations. It wont be a turn for the better for Israel, for the Middle East, or for America. Charles Lipson is the Peter B Ritzma professor of political science emeritus at the University of Chicago. His latest book is Free Speech 101: A Practical Guide for Students. He can be reached at charles.lipson@gmail.com 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. JD Vances wife Usha Vance has no plans to convert to Christianity, the vice president clarified after his comments about his interfaith marriage drew attention at a Turning Point USA event at the University of Mississippi in Oxford on Wednesday, Oct. 29. He does, however, hope she may one day see things as I do when it comes to his Christian Catholic faith, he said. My wife is the most amazing blessing I have in my life, Vance, who is a convert to the Catholic faith, wrote on X on Friday. She herself encouraged me to reengage with my faith many years ago. She is not a Christian and has no plans to convert, but like many people in an interfaith marriage or any interfaith relationship I hope she may one day see things as I do. Regardless, Ill continue to love and support her and talk to her about faith and life and everything else, because shes my wife. What a disgusting comment, and it's hardly been the only one along these lines. First off, the question was from a person seemingly to my left, about my interfaith marriage. I'm a public figure, and people are curious, and I wasn't going to avoid the question. Second, my https://t.co/JOzN7WAg3A JD Vance (@JDVance) October 31, 2025 Earlier in the week, Vance took questions at the Turning Point USA event, similar to how the organizations founder, Charlie Kirk, did before his assassination in September. An audience member, who admitted she was not Christian, asked Vance about navigating parenting in an interfaith marriage: How are you teaching your kids not to keep your religion ahead of their mothers religion? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The question also touched on immigration and the perception of Christianity as a dominant national religion: Why are we making Christianity one of the major things that you have to have in common to be one of you guys, to show that I love America just as you do? Vance explained that Usha grew up in a Hindu family, and when they met, he considered himself an agnostic or an atheist and that she felt similarly about faith. Everybody has to come to their own arrangement here, he said. The way weve come to our arrangement is shes my best friend. We talk to each other about this stuff. Nearly 26% of American couples are currently in interfaith marriages, according to the latest Pew Research Center Religious Landscape Study, while 74% of married adults identify with the same religion as their spouse. The study found that 13% of adults are Christians and are married to a religiously unaffiliated person and 7% of Americans are married to a person of another Christian denomination. JD and Usha Vance are among 6% of married Americans who are in interfaith marriages when one spouse may be a Christian and the other is not. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In his comments, Vance also added that they decided to raise their three children Christian. Their two oldest attend a Christian school, and their 8-year-old recently received his first communion. Vance emphasized that open conversation is key in interfaith marriages, whether between Protestant and Catholic spouses or atheist and Christian couples. The only advice I can give is you just have to talk to the person God has put you with and make those decisions as a family unit, he said. Vance also shared that while he hopes Usha may one day embrace the Catholic faith, he respects her choice. Do I hope eventually that she is somehow moved by the same thing that I was moved by in church? Yeah, I honestly do wish that. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Most Sundays, Usha attends Catholic services with Vance and maintains a close relationship with the priest who baptized him, although Vance had said before he occasionally feels bad for bringing her and the kids to mass every week. JD Vance says that he feels bad for taking his Hindu wife to weekly mass after his conversion to Catholicism. She was sort of more than ok with it. Follow: @AFpost pic.twitter.com/yZQzOQTqo8 AF Post (@AFpost) October 12, 2024 If she doesnt see things the same way, thats OK. God says everybody has free will, and so that doesnt cause problems for me, he said at the event. His comments sparked both backlash and outpouring of support online. The concern is that you publicly downplayed your wifes Hindu identity to appease a political base uncomfortable with it, one commenter said. The sentiment that being a Christian is inseparable from the desire to share it was echoed across more supportive comments. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If you believe that Christ is the road to salvation, naturally you want your wife to find Christ, according to Washington Post columnist Megan McArdle. I think a lot of atheists struggle with the idea that Christians actually believe their beliefs. If you believe that Christ is the road to salvation, naturally you want your wife to find Christ. It would be bizarre if you were indifferent to that possibility. https://t.co/f4wQNhLooj Megan McArdle (@asymmetricinfo) October 31, 2025 Some believed he should have declined to answer the question. But weve lost our sense of boundaries, as its become a cultural norm to share private matters publicly, wrote attorney Laura Powell on X. One thing I would criticize JD Vance for in his response to a question about interfaith marriage is that he should have declined to discuss it at all. But weve lost our sense of boundaries, as its become a cultural norm to share private matters publicly. Wed be better off if Laura Powell (@LauraPowellEsq) October 31, 2025 He added in his post on X that some of the backlash to his comments veered into anti-Christian bigotry. Yes, Christians have beliefs, he said. And yes, those beliefs have many consequences, one of which is that we want to share them with other people. In the United States, about a quarter of Hindus and Catholics marry outside their faith, according to Dilip Amin, founder of Interfaith Shaadi, a nonprofit that offers resources for interfaith relationships. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Catholicism teaches that salvation comes exclusively through Jesus Christ, he wrote in a post on Patheos, while Hinduism is pluralistic, allowing multiple paths to spiritual liberation (moksha) without requiring devotion to a specific deity or institution. Both Hinduism and Catholicism are profound, deeply rooted traditions. Marriage between adherents of these faiths requires honest, informed decision-making not just efforts to please families or religious institutions, Amin wrote. On certain issues, such as after-death rites or child-rearing practices, compromise may not be possible. Vice President JD Vance on Friday defended comments about his faith and marriage after critics accused him of throwing his wife's Hindu religion "under a bus" during a Turning Point USA event earlier in the week. Vance responded to a user on X who referenced the comments the vice president, who was raised Protestant but converted to Catholicism in 2019, on Wednesday. Vance spoke to the crowd about his faith and how it relates to his relationship with Usha Vance, who was raised Hindu. Who is Usha Vance? JD Vance's wife leaves law firm after Trump VP announcement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "For us, it works out now most Sundays, Usha will come with me to church, as I've told her, and I've said publicly, and I'll say now in front of 10,000 of my closest friends, do I hope eventually that she is somehow moved by the same thing that I was moved in by church. Yeah, I honestly, I do wish that, because I believe in the Christian Gospel, and I hope eventually my wife comes to see it the same way. But if she doesn't, then God says everybody has free will, and so that doesn't cause a problem for me, the vice president said. Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images - PHOTO: Vice President JD Vance sits with his wife Usha Vance prior to a Presidential Medal of Freedom ceremony in the Rose Garden of the White House on Oct. 14, 2025, in Washington, D.C. The comments have been met with extensive criticism. "Its weird to throw your wifes religion under the bus, in public, for a moments acceptance by groypers," the X user posted on Thursday. Vance responded to and reposted to the comment, which he called "disgusting" and said he was being open when people were curious about his faith and family life. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "My Christian faith tells me the Gospel is true and is good for human beings. My wife -- as I said at the TPUSA -- is the most amazing blessing I have in my life. She herself encouraged me to reengage with my faith many years ago. She is not a Christian and has no plans to convert, but like many people in an interfaith marriage -- or any interfaith relationship -- I hope she may one day see things as I do. Regardless, I'll continue to love and support her and talk to her about faith and life and everything else, because she's my wife," he said. The X post was deleted after Vance reshared it and made his response. Jim Lo Scalzo/EPA via Shutterstock - PHOTO: Vice President JD Vance speaks to reporters outside the West Wing of the White House after meeting airline executives about the ongoing government shutdown in Washington, D.C., Oct. 30, 2025. Vance argued the post was "anti-Christian bigotry." "Yes, Christians have beliefs. And yes, those beliefs have many consequences, one of which is that we want to share them with other people. That is a completely normal thing, and anyone who's telling you otherwise has an agenda," he contended. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Vances were married in an interfaith Christian-Hindu ceremony in 2014 and he has talked openly about their interfaith relationship. During an interview with the New York Times last year, JD Vance said his wife has been supportive of his faith and has attended church with their three children. JD Vance's wife faces racist online backlash from far-right social media posts "No, she hasnt," the vice president told the Times when asked if Usha Vance had converted to Christianity. Pool/Getty Images - PHOTO: Vice President J.D. Vance, and Second Lady Usha Vance disembark Air Force Two on arrival to Ben Gurion airport on October 21, 2025 in Tel Aviv, Israel. "Thats why I feel bad about it. Shes got three kids. Obviously, I help with the kids, but because Im kind of the one going to church, she feels more responsibility to keep the kids quiet in the church. And I just felt kind of bad. Like, oh, you didnt sign up to marry a weekly churchgoer. Are you OK with this? And she was more than OK with it, and that was a big part of the confirmation that this was the right thing for me," he added. NEED TO KNOW JD Vance spoke at a Turning Point USA event on Wednesday, Oct. 29 The vice president was introduced to the stage by Charlie Kirk's widow, Erika, who has taken over as CEO of TPUSA since her husband's assassination on Sept. 10 Vance and Erika's emotional embrace when he took the stage quickly went viral on social media Vice President JD Vance was the guest of honor at a Turning Point USA event at the University of Mississippi on Wednesday, Oct. 29. But it was a moment during his introduction that has since gone viral. Erika Kirk, the widow of right-wing political organizer Charlie Kirk, has taken her husband's place as Turning Point CEO following his assassination during a TPUSA event on Sept. 10. She opened Wednesday's event with an emotional speech, noting that the day marked seven weeks since her husband was killed. JONATHAN ERNST/POOL/AFP via Getty JD Vance and Erika Kirk embrace during the Turning Point USA tour stop at Ole Miss on Oct. 29 JD Vance and Erika Kirk embrace during the Turning Point USA tour stop at Ole Miss on Oct. 29 "When our team asked my dear friend, Vice President JD Vance, to speak today, I really prayed on it, because obviously it's a very emotional, emotional day," Erika, 36, shared. "But I could just hear Charlie in my heart. I could just hear him say, 'Go reclaim that territory, babe. Go. The battle's already won. God's love conquers.' " JONATHAN ERNST/POOL/AFP via Getty Erika Kirk and JD Vance embrace at the Turning Point USA event in Oxford, Miss., on Oct. 29 Erika Kirk and JD Vance embrace at the Turning Point USA event in Oxford, Miss., on Oct. 29 Despite her tearful words, the budding social media conversation after the event stemmed from her dynamic with Vance, 41. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "No one will ever replace my husband," she told the crowd. "But I do see some similarities of my husband in JD in Vice President JD Vance. I do. And that's why I am so blessed to be able to introduce him tonight." As Vance took the stage, he and Erika embraced in an intimate manner. The vice president rested his hands on Erika's hips, and she seemed to thread her fingers through his hair, leaving it slightly mussed. The greeting surprised many internet users, according to a flurry of widely circulated social media posts that analyzed their hand placements and debated whether the hug was appropriate for the situation. Also present at Wednesday's event was Vance's wife, Usha Chilukuri Vance. In addition to his hug with Erika, the VP made a buzzy comment while addressing how his religious beliefs differ from the second lady's. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When asked how he and his wife of more than a decade manage raising their three children in an inter-faith household she was raised Hindu, while he converted to Catholicism in adulthood the vice president shared that they are raising their children Christian. He added that he hopes his wife will one day be swayed by his faith as well. "Most Sundays, Usha will come with me to church," JD continued. "Do I hope, eventually, that she is somehow moved by the same thing that I was moved in by church? Yeah, honestly, I do wish that, because I believe in the Christian gospel and I hope eventually my wife comes to see it the same way." Read the original article on People Vice President JD Vance received major backlash after telling a crowd of young conservative college students Thursday he hopes eventually his Hindu wife, second lady Usha Vance, is moved by the same thing that drew him to his Christian faith. As Ive told her and Ive said publicly and Ill say now in front of 10,000 of my closest friends, do I hope eventually that she [Usha] is somehow moved by the same thing that I was moved in by church? Yeah, Vance admitted at a Turning Point USA-sponsored event at the University of Mississippi. News: Video Shows Immigration Agent Punching Restrained Man After Car Collision Turns Into Confrontation I honestly, I do wish that, because I believe in the Christian gospel, and I hope eventually my wife comes to see it the same way, but if she doesnt, then God says everybody has free will, and so that doesnt cause a problem for me, he continued. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The vice presidents remarks were in response to a multi-part question about immigration raised by a guest, asking, in part, How are you teaching your kids not to keep your religion ahead of their mothers religion? The guest also raised concerns over the relationship between MAGA conservatism and Christianity. Why are we making Christianity one of the major [things] that you have to have in common to be one of you guys to show that I love America, just as much as you do? the guest asked. Why is that still a question? Why do I have to be a Christian? The vice president told the guest that while his wife grew up in a Hindu family, it was not a particularly religious one and that they would have both considered themselves agnostic or atheist when they first met. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Vance told the crowd his wife is now coming to church with him most Sundays and that they decided to raise their children under his faith. Vances comments about his marriage and family drew some backlash online. Nirmalya Dutta, an editorial consultant at The Times of India, called the vice president a hypocrite. He posted a clip from Fox News where the second lady said she grew up in a religious household and noted that her faith inspired Vance to explore his own. JD is a class A hypocrite. What he said about Usha's faith in the past and now... pic.twitter.com/LTnVvkoSP2 Nirmalya Dutta (@NonsensicalNemo) October 30, 2025 Im sorry, they have been married for 11 years and he is somehow still hoping she will change religions? And saying it in public? Democratic strategist Ally Sammarco wrote on X, formerly Twitter. If Im her, Im PISSED. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its weird to throw your wifes religion under the bus, in public, for a moments acceptance by groypers, Canadian media personality Ezra Levant said in a post that now appears to have been deleted. News: Trump Says Harrowing ICE Raids Havent Gone Far Enough Vance called Levants post a disgusting comment and also responded to the criticism hes received as a whole. He called his wife the most amazing blessing I have in my life and clarified that she encouraged him to reengage with his faith many years ago. She is not a Christian and has no plans to convert, but like many people in an interfaith marriageor any interfaith relationshipI hope she may one day see things as I do, Vance wrote. Regardless, Ill continue to love and support her and talk to her about faith and life and everything else, because shes my wife. What a disgusting comment, and it's hardly been the only one along these lines. First off, the question was from a person seemingly to my left, about my interfaith marriage. I'm a public figure, and people are curious, and I wasn't going to avoid the question. Second, my https://t.co/JOzN7WAg3A JD Vance (@JDVance) October 31, 2025 Related... Read the original on HuffPost Vice President JD Vance had a social media meltdown Friday over the widespread backlash to his strange admission about wanting his wife to ditch her faith. While appearing at a Turning Point USA town hall Wednesday, Vance said he harbored hopes that his wife, Usha, a Hindu, would be moved by the good word and become a late-in-life Catholic like him. As Ive told her, and Ive said publicly, and Ill say now in front of 10,000 of my closest friends: Do I hope eventually that she is somehow moved by the same thing that I was moved in by church? Yeah, I do wish that. Because I believe in the Christian gospel, and I hope eventually my wife comes to see it the same way, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Many saw this as Vance rejecting his wifes own religion and culture, including far-right commentator Ezra Levant, who wrote on X: Its weird to throw your wifes religion under the bus, in public, for a moments acceptance by groypers. But Vance didnt like that one bit and took at X to cry anti-Christian bigotry. What a disgusting comment, and its hardly been the only one along these lines, Vance wrote Friday. He claimed that the question was from someone seemingly to my left, and hed felt compelled to answer honestly. Second, my Christian faith tells me the Gospel is true and is good for human beings, he wrote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Vance claimed that Usha had urged him to reengage with Christianity. She is not a Christian and has no plans to convert, but like many people in an interfaith marriageor any interfaith relationshipI hope she may one day see things as I do, he wrote. Regardless, Ill continue to love and support her and talk to her about faith and life and everything else, because shes my wife. Third, posts like this wreak of anti-Christian bigotry, he wrote, misspelling reek. Yes, Christians have beliefs. And yes, those beliefs have many consequences, one of which is that we want to share them with other people. That is a completely normal thing, and anyone whos telling you otherwise has an agenda. But Christianity doesnt teach followers to disrespect others beliefs. And Vance has a tendency to refashion Christian teachings to support his arguments, like the time he presented a bastardized version of Catholic doctrine to argue that Americans should turn on their neighbors. Crucially, Turning Point USA isnt exactly a breeding ground for cross-cultural understanding. Earlier this month, DOGE czar-for-a-day Vivek Ramaswamy came face-to-face with the rampant racism of the right wing at another Turning Point USA event in Montana. Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings has distributed invitations to a slate of local activists, elected leaders and fellow Democrats for an announcement rally next week with all indications pointing to his long-rumored run for governor. In recent weeks, numerous local Democrats have told the Orlando Sentinel that Demings, in his second and final term as the top elected executive in Orange County, one of the states last blue strongholds, was likely to enter the race to succeed Ron DeSantis. Demings himself would neither confirm nor deny. Now, several local Dems say they have received invitations which conspicuously dont say what Demings will be announcing. But they have few doubts about his intentions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The invitation is marked by a logo with a blue background with his name printed in white with red accents. Please join us for this special occasion as we share an important announcement and outline for the future, reads the invite, set for Thursday at the Rosen Centre on International Drive. Your presence and support will make this moment even more meaningful. An invitation recipient, Dick Batchelor, a former state lawmaker and long-time Democratic consultant, said he believes Demings can win what will be an uphill battle to lead Florida, where registered Republicans outnumber Democrats by 1.4 million voters. I think Jerry, being the chief executive of the fifth-largest county in the state, has been very good on the issues of local governance affordable housing, behavioral health, Batchelor said, naming two issues Demings confronted during his tenure. Hes always been out front on those issues and not just studied them, but recommended policy changes and offered solutions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If Demings jumps in the race, hed be running against former congressman David Jolly, a former Republican who switched parties, in the primary. Batchelor said he likes Jolly as a candidate, but noted he has only raised about $2 million in six months. Funding will be a key, he said. Jerry has the capacity to raise money needed to get his message on the public stage, Batchelor said. He has over the years demonstrated in this community that he appeals to Democrats, Republicans and independents, and thats going to be vital here. Demings has made Central Florida history three times, becoming Orlandos first Black police chief in 1998, the first Black Orange County sheriff in 2008 and the first Black Orange County mayor in 2018. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump-endorsed U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds is expected to be a frontrunner for the GOP nomination, though Lieutenant Governor Jay Collins has teased a run for months, and First Lady Casey DeSantis has also been mentioned as a possible candidate. A poll by the University of North Florida this week queried 728 likely voters on Demings chances in head-to-head matchups with Donalds and Casey DeSantis. It found him trailing Donalds by 12 points and DeSantis by 11 points comparable results to Jolly. Orange County Commissioner Nicole Wilson, a progressive Democrat who credits unaffiliated voters and cross-over Republicans with helping her win two terms on the board, said Demings law enforcement background and listening skills will aid him. He cannot rely on partisan politics to get him there, she said, noting she sometimes disagreed with him sharply on issues like immigration. But what he can rely on is a strong record of good local governance and a long record of honest public service. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wilson admitted to a sort of hesitancy to involve herself in others political campaigns, but Im door-knocking for Jerry, she said. Aubrey Jewett, a University of Central Florida political science professor, said Demings has solid credentials and is a quality candidate. Like most any local official seeking statewide office, hell have work to do immediately to introduce himself around the state. Florida is a very large state so while we know him quite well in Central Florida, there are a lot of people around the state not too familiar with him, he said. Regardless of who wins the Democratic primary, the nominee will be the underdog. Realistically, just looking at the traditional factors that political analysts use, any Democrat, including Jerry Demings, is going to have a very difficult time winning a general election in Florida right now, he said. The political winds have shifted dramatically. A powerful midweek storm, the second this month, carved away more sand from a vulnerable stretch of Jersey Shore beachfront, a loss local officials warn could leave dunes and homes increasingly exposed to future storms. Some beaches in Strathmere, a shore community between Ocean City and Sea Isle City, were already compromised after Hurricane Erin swerved past the Jersey Shore in August. Strathmere, a section of Upper Township in Cape May County, relies on a strong dune system to protect homes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Those dunes, however, have suffered heavy losses of sand in recent weeks. The largest sand cliffs, known as scarping, are in the first roughly three blocks on the islands north end, said Craig Reeves, superintendent of the Upper Township Public Works Department. Sand loss from Thursdays storm was minimal, but areas including Seaview and Seacliff avenues have sustained alarming damage in past storms, Reeves said. The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection reported dune erosion at those streets following the nasty noreaster that hit earlier in October. Strathmere, an island already in need of sand replenishment, was spared more damage because of the oceans currents, Reeves said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Township workers explored the beach on Friday morning to assess the damage. We lost about 20 to 24 inches of sand from the beach itself, but not that erosion from the dune area, Reeves said. Reeves said the latest storm didnt generate the typical north-to-south currents associated with a noreaster, which are usually responsible for eroding the dunes. We just didnt see that on this particular event, he added. We actually fared pretty well this time. A message left with Upper Township Mayor Curtis Corson by NJ Advance Media was not immediately returned. The recent storm damage, while minor, adds to ongoing uncertainty about how eroded dunes and beaches will be restored. Strathmere, New Jersey, October Beach Erosion The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which partners with New Jersey on beach replenishment, was forced to cancel some planned projects after federal funding was slashed in July 2025 dropping from the usual $200 million to just $60 million for the 2026 fiscal year, the first major reduction in nearly three decades. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Army Corps officials said they were unsure how much funding would be available for beach replenishment next year, putting a scheduled project in Strathmere in doubt. The barrier island received a routine sand fill last year and was expecting another early next year, but the uncertainty has raised concerns about delays. The project that includes Strathmere spans 16 miles of beach, from the Great Egg Harbor Inlet to the Townsends Inlet, according to the Army Corps of Engineers website. Those beaches were last given an Army Corps-backed nourishment in early 2024. Beach fills are often carried out with a blend of federal, state and local dollars. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gov. Phil Murphys latest budget, which was signed into law in June, includes $50 million toward projects in the states Shore Protection Fund. Read the original article on NJ.com. Add NJ.com as a Preferred Source by clicking here. A JetBlue flight from Cancun to Newark was diverted to Florida after it experienced a sudden altitude drop. The Airbus A320 landed at Tampa International Airport, where it was met by medical personnel. There have been several instances of flights abruptly plunging in altitude over the past few years. A JetBlue flight traveling from Mexico to New Jersey on Thursday was diverted to Florida after it experienced a sudden drop in altitude. JetBlue Flight 1230 was headed to Newark Liberty International Airport from Cancun International Airport when it suddenly experienced a "flight control issue," the airline told Fox News Digital. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Per altitude statistics from flight tracking software FlightRadar24, the Airbus A320 dropped about 14,500 feet in five minutes, roughly an hour into the flight. It then dropped another 12,200 feet in the next five minutes and was diverted to Tampa International Airport less than 90 minutes after takeoff. The aircraft landed at about 2:20 p.m. at Tampa, where it was met by medical personnel, a spokesperson for the airport told Business Insider. Around 15 to 20 people were transported to a hospital for non-life-threatening injuries, Tampa Bay Fire Rescue spokesperson Vivian Shedd told CNN. Representatives for JetBlue, the FAA, and the Tampa Bay Fire Rescue did not immediately respond to requests for comment from Business Insider outside regular hours. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Federal Aviation Administration and the airline said in a statement to the Associated Press , CNN, and Fox News Digital that it was investigating the incident. There have been multiple instances of flights abruptly dropping in altitude over the past few years. In May 2024, a Singapore Airlines flight dropped 178 feet in just four seconds, causing passengers to fly out of their seats, leading to one death and dozens of others in the hospital. A Korean Air flight in June 2024 dropped 25,000 feet in five minutes shortly after takeoff, and 17 passengers had to receive medical care after it made an emergency landing. Read the original article on Business Insider Oct. 31 (UPI) -- At least 15 passengers of a JetBlue flight were hospitalized after their aircraft experienced a sudden drop in altitude, according to reports that state the plane made an emergency landing in Tampa, Fla. According to air traffic tracker Flightradar24, the Airbus A320-232 departed Cancun, Mexico, at 1:03 p.m. local time Thursday for Newark, N.J., but was diverted to Tampa, where it landed. JetBlue told Fox News in a statement that flight 1230 experienced a "drop in altitude" and a "flight control issue," causing it to be diverted. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It landed in Tampa at around 2:18 p.m. EDT. Tampa Bay Fire Rescue spokesperson Vivian Shedd told CNN in a statement that between 15 and 20 people were evaluated and transported to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. "The safety of our customers and crew members is always our first priority, and we will work to support those involved," JetBlue said. The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating. The incident comes as the now month-long government shutdown has been particularly taxing on air travel, resulting in an increase in traffic issues as employees are being asked to work without pay. Ground delays have been reported throughout the country. NEW YORK (PIX11) Fifteen to 20 passengers were injured on a JetBlue flight heading to Newark. The Flight was diverted in Florida due to a control issue experienced by the flight crew, according to officials. The flight took off from Cancun, Mexico, and made an emergency descent. More Local News JetBlue Airlines Flight 1230 diverted to Tampa International Airport around 2:00 p.m. local time on Oct. 30 after the crew experienced a flight control issue, a spokesperson for the FAA said. The Airbus 320 left Cancun International Airport and was headed to Newark Liberty International Airport. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The plane took off, reaching an altitude of 35,000 feet, and maintained this altitude for about 30 minutes before descending to Tampa International Airport in 15 minutes, according to information from FlightAware. JetBlue 1230 descending to 10,000, were leveling 297, said the pilot of the flight in audio obtained from the air traffic control transmission. We need medical equipment; we have at least three people injured, maybe a laceration in the head. The passengers injured suffered non-life-threatening injuries, according to the Tampa Fire Rescue spokesperson. The FAA is still investigating, officials said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When the flight landed, it was met by medical personnel who evaluated the customers and crew members, and some were transported to local hospitals for further care. The plane has been taken out of service for inspection, and we will conduct a full investigation to determine the cause, JetBlue officials told PIX11 News. Matthew Euzarraga is a multimedia journalist from El Paso, Texas. He has covered local news and LGBTQIA topics in the New York City Metro area since 2021. He joined the PIX11 Digital team in 2023. You can see more of his work here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11. A JetBlue flight heading from Mexico to New Jersey was forced to make an emergency landing in Florida on Thursday after several passengers were injured. The Airbus A320 was traveling from Cancun to Newark when the altitude suddenly dropped. After landing, several passengers were taken to a nearby hospital. The airline did not say how many people were injured or how badly. ABC News reported that pilots told air traffic controllers that at least three people had possible lacerations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Tampa Fire Rescue told NBC News that about 15 to 20 people were hospitalized with injuries that were not life threatening. Pilots said the incident was due to a flght control issue and not caused by the weather. The plane is currently grounded while the Federal Aviation Administration and JetBlue investigate. The safety of our customers and crewmembers is always our first priority, and we will work to support those involved, the airline said in a statement. Read the original article on pennlive.com. JetBlue passengers were taken to a hospital after a sudden altitude drop on a flight from Mexico forced an emergency landing in Florida on Thursday, according to officials. The flight from Cancun was traveling to Newark, New Jersey, when the altitude dropped. The Federal Aviation Administration said in a statement that it is investigating. The Airbus A320 was diverted to Tampa International Airport around 2 p.m, according to the FAA. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement About 15 to 20 were evaluated and taken to local hospitals with injuries that were not life-threatening, a spokesperson for Tampa Fire Rescue said. Air traffic audio from LiveATC.net captured a radio call that said, Weve got at least three people injured. It seems like maybe a laceration in the head. The plane has 162 seats, according to JetBlues website. Medical officials evaluated the passengers and crew members at the airport before some were taken to hospitals, according to JetBlue. Our team has taken the aircraft out of service for inspection, and we will conduct a full investigation to determine the cause, the airline said in a statement. The safety of our customers and crewmembers is always our first priority, and we will work to support those involved. A JetBlue Airways flight from Cancun, Mexico to New Jersey was diverted to Florida Thursday, Oct. 30, after suffering a flight control issue and an abrupt drop in altitude that left several passengers injured, the Federal Aviation Administration and airline said. Here's what we know. Why did a JetBlue flight make an emergency landing? JetBlue Flight 1230 departed Cancun International Airport in Mexico and was headed to New Jersey's Newark Liberty International Airport when it experienced a drop in altitude and made an emergency landing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The plane landed in Tampa around 2:19 p.m. ET, JetBlue said in a statement. Pilots told air traffic control they were experiencing a flight control issue. The FAA is investigating the incident. Was anyone injured in the JetBlue emergency landing? JetBlue has not yet said how many people were injured. The airline said the "flight was met by medical personnel who evaluated customers and crewmembers, and those needing additional care were transported to a local hospital." Someone on the plane told air traffic controllers, Weve got at least three people injured. It seems like maybe a laceration in the head," according to air traffic audio captured by LiveATC.net. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement About 15 to 20 people were evaluated but none were believed to have life-threatening injuries, a spokesperson for Tampa Fire Rescue told local media. What JetBlue plane made an emergency landing? The plane was an Airbus A320. It was removed from service for inspection, and the airline said it will conduct a full investigation to determine the cause. "The safety of our customers and crewmembers is always our first priority, and we will work to support those involved," JetBlue said. The A320 holds 162 passengers, according to the JetBlue website. This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: JetBlue emergency landing in Florida injures passengers A federal investigation into a flight control issue is underway after at least 15 people, including children, were taken to the hospital following a sudden drop in altitude on a JetBlue flight that forced an emergency landing in Tampa, officials said. Flight 1230 was heading Thursday from Cancun, Mexico, to Newark, New Jersey, when it experienced a drop in altitude, JetBlue said in a statement, causing pilots to call for medical help. The plane diverted to Tampa International Airport around 2 p.m. ET, the Federal Aviation Administration said. The plane dropped about 100 feet in about seven seconds around 1:48 p.m. before making a more normal descent into Tampa, data from FlightRadar24 shows. Medical personnel were there to meet the plane on arrival, an airport spokesperson said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The FAA is investigating a flight control issue on the Airbus A320, it said, echoing a pilots message to air traffic controllers around the time of the brief descent. The National Transportation Safety Board is aware of the incident but has not started an investigation, the agency told CNN. The flight disruption comes in a volatile year for air travel, with a major midair collision, runway incursions and serious turbulence already in play before the monthlong government shutdown raised staffing issues for air traffic controllers as the holiday travel season looms. Just before Thursdays emergency, a strong cold front passed through Florida, leaving gusty winds and light rain showers. It was not immediately clear if weather was a factor in the flights altitude drop. A flight control issue While its unclear why the plane dropped in altitude, pilots told air traffic control the plane had experienced a flight control issue, audio from LiveATC.net indicates. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Flight control failure is not without precedent for the Airbus A320, which has whats called fly-by-wire controls: Control inputs from the pilot run through computers to trigger movements of the planes control surfaces. While the system is quite redundant, a failure about 30 years ago of the computer controlling an Airbus A320s elevator which controls its pitch: the up and down movement of the nose and tail caused a Northwest Airlines plane to dive a hundred feet without any command from the pilots. The NTSB investigated that incident. As air traffic controllers on Thursday guided the JetBlue flight into Tampa, pilots reported injuries, including a possible laceration in the head, the audio indicates. Some 15 to 20 people aboard the plane were evaluated and taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, Tampa Fire Rescue spokesperson Vivian Shedd said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Two children and 12 adults were taken to Tampas St. Josephs Hospital with minor injuries, and all have been discharged, a hospital spokesperson said. No further details about injuries were available. Our team has taken the aircraft out of service for inspection, and we will conduct a full investigation to determine the cause, JetBlue said in its statement. The safety of our customers and crewmembers is always our first priority, and we will work to support those involved. CNNs Martin Goillandeau contributed to this reporting. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com By David Shepardson WASHINGTON (Reuters) -A JetBlue Airways flight on Thursday en route from Cancun, Mexico, to New Jersey diverted to Tampa after suffering a flight control issue and a sudden drop in altitude that resulted in some injuries, the Federal Aviation Administration and airline said. JetBlue Flight 1230 on an Airbus A320 departed Cancun International Airport in Mexico and was headed to New Jersey's Newark Liberty International Airport when it made an emergency landing around 2:19 p.m. ET (1819 GMT) at Tampa, Florida. The FAA is investigating the incident. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement JetBlue said the aircraft experienced a drop in altitude and the "flight was met by medical personnel who evaluated customers and crewmembers, and those needing additional care were transported to a local hospital." Local media outlets quoted Tampa Fire Rescue as saying about 15 to 20 people were taken to local hospitals with non-life-threatening injuries. JetBlue did not say how many people were injured. The plane was removed from service for inspection, and the airline said it would conduct a full investigation to determine the cause. "The safety of our customers and crewmembers is always our first priority, and we will work to support those involved," JetBlue said. There have been a number of serious aviation incidents this year due to turbulence or sudden drops in altitude. The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating a Delta Air Lines flight in July from Salt Lake City, Utah, to Amsterdam which experienced severe turbulence that injured 25 people and was diverted to Minneapolis. (Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Diane Craft, Leslie Adler and Jamie Freed) The heirs of a Jewish couple who fled Germany in the 1930s are suing the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and a Greek art foundation over a van Gogh oil painting they say was looted by the Nazis. The Met purchased Vincent van Goghs 1889 'Olive Picking' for $125,000 (108,000) in 1956 and sold it to a Greek magnate in 1972. The lawsuit, which was first reported by the New York Times, argues the American museum knew or should have known that the painting had probably been looted by Nazis. The heirs behind the claim are now seeking the return of the painting and damages. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The plaintiffs are descendants of Hedwig and Frederick Stern, a German couple from Munich who first bought 'Olive Picking' in 1935. The Sterns were forced to flee Germany for the United States with their six children a year later, amid rising Nazi persecution against Jewish people. But the suit alleges they were prevented from taking the artwork with them. Instead, Nazi authorities declared it German cultural property. 'Olive Picking,' painted by Vincent van Gogh in 1889, was sold to the Basile & Elise Goulandris Foundation in 1972 - Courtesy Basile & Elise Goulandris Foundation It was sold in 1938 on the Sterns behalf but the Nazis confiscated the profits, according to the suit filed on Monday in a federal district court in Manhattan. The painting arrived in the United States after the end of World War II, where it was purchased by Vincent Astor, a prominent businessman and philanthropist, before being traded to the Met. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The New York institution sold it to Greek magnate Basil Goulandris and his wife Elise. The painting is currently on display in an Athens museum operated by the couples namesake foundation. It is worth more than $75,000 (64.800), according to court documents. On the foundations website, the section dedicated to the canvas provenance eludes its ownership between 1924 and 1948, with no mention of the Sterns. Related Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The suit argues the 1972 transaction was overseen by Theodore Rousseau Jr., the Mets curator of European paintings. Critically, Rousseau was also one of the worlds foremost experts on Nazi art looting, the suit says. Rousseau took no action to assure himself or the Met of anything about the Paintings transfers from or within Germany during the war. The plaintiffs had previously filed a similar lawsuit in a California court in 2022 but it was dismissed in 2024 after the court said it did not have jurisdiction over the matter. In the decades since the end of World War II, this Nazi-looted painting has been repeatedly and secretly trafficked, purchased and sold in and through New York, lawyers for the heirs said in the filing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Met has repeatedly said it did not know of the artworks affiliation with the Stern family. In response to the systematic, widespread looting by the Nazi regime, the provenance of works that changed hands in German-occupied Europe during the Nazi era has long been an area of particular focus for The Met, the museum says on its website. The Basile & Elise Goulandris Foundation has also rejected allegations that it had concealed part of the paintings history, saying the suit attemps to smear it. JERSEY CITY, N.J. (AP) Two decades after resigning as New Jerseys governor and stunning the political world as he declared I am a gay American," Jim McGreevey is back on the campaign trail, running for mayor of the states second-largest city. McGreevey, a Democrat, is one of seven candidates in a nonpartisan race to replace Steven Fulop as mayor of Jersey City, just across the Hudson River from Manhattan. Hes running, he said, because hes concerned that the city of his birth is at a tipping point, with pricy downtown high-rises raising housing costs, young people struggling to find employment and what he says are underperforming schools. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is not a cathartic exercise, McGreevey told The Associated Press in an interview ahead of Tuesdays election. Ive done that long ago. That was done 20-plus years ago. This is to make Jersey City better. To improve services. To balance the budget. To be responsive to familial needs. McGreevey's opponents include two city council members, a Hudson County commissioner, a city police officer and the former president of the citys board of education. Fulop isn't seeking a fourth term. If no candidate receives more than 50% of the vote, a runoff election will be held Dec. 2. Opponent: I never had to resign in disgrace Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement McGreeveys resignation is etched in New Jersey political lore. In a televised speech on Aug. 12, 2004, McGreevey said, as his wife and parents looked on, that he was quitting because he had engaged in an extramarital affair with another man. With that revelation, he became the country's first openly gay governor. The circumstances of McGreeveys exit were more complicated than his merely coming out. The man McGreevey had been involved with was Golan Cipel, a former Israeli naval officer he had appointed as the states homeland security adviser in 2002. Cipel, who met McGreevey in Israel and worked for his campaign as a Jewish community liaison, was not qualified for the $110,000-per-year position, in part because, as an Israeli citizen, he couldnt obtain the necessary U.S. security clearances. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cipel quit a few months into his tenure and threatened to sue McGreevey for sexual harassment, hastening the governors resignation. Cipel has denied that any affair occurred, saying he was the victim of McGreeveys repeated sexual advances. Some of McGreeveys opponents in the mayoral race have argued that his conduct as governor should disqualify him with voters. One rival, city council member James Solomon, argued that McGreeveys run is an extension of corruption that he claimed infected his time as governor. Another rival, former school board president Mussab Ali, said at a recent debate: I have never had the experience of having to resign in disgrace. My opponents may care about what happened 20 years ago, McGreevey said. Folks in Jersey City are worried about their rent today, worried about the childrens individual education plan today. Theyre concerned about the fact that the street is dirty or that theres a sewer break on Montgomery (Street)." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement McGreevey: This would be a great closing act Jersey City is where McGreevey's grandfather moved after leaving Northern Ireland, and where his father took him for meals at the VIP Diner a time capsule where the pay phones still work. And its where McGreevey, 68, who now runs a prison reentry nonprofit, would like to finish his once-promising political career by managing a city of nearly 303,000 residents with a municipal budget of about $700 million. This would be a great closing act, McGreevey said, an American flag pin on his lapel. And candidly, to get the city in the right place, itll require some time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement McGreevey said he'd long ago made peace with being out of politics. He got divorced, attended an Episcopal seminary, earned a Master of Divinity degree, volunteered at a Harlem ministry and took steps to become a priest before pivoting to nonprofit work. As executive director of the Jersey City-based New Jersey Reentry Corporation, he said he has seen the difficulty formerly incarcerated people and veterans have finding housing and employment. McGreevey launched his campaign on Halloween in 2023 and posted a video soon after acknowledging his past. The title: Second chances are central to who I am. His run has drawn parallels to another ex-governor looking for a second chance. Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who resigned after being accused of sexual harassment, is running for mayor of neighboring New York City. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement McGreevey: 'I enjoy people more. I enjoy politics a lot less' McGreevey said his absence from public life has given him a perspective on how politics has changed and become more polarized. A former prosecutor and head of the state parole board, McGreevey entered politics in 1990 as a member of the state assembly. Before becoming governor in 2002, he was mayor of Woodbridge Township, a suburb of about 103,000 residents. When I was a young Assemblyman, we would campaign hard on the Democratic ticket, but then, after I was elected, you would work with Democrats and Republicans on committees, on legislation, McGreevey said. My sense is today, whether its the city or the state or the nation, almost everything is viewed through a political lens as opposed to a governmental lens. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Twenty years away has also changed McGreevey, he says. I enjoy people more. I enjoy politics a lot less," he said. Whether enough people like McGreevey and his politics enough to give him that second chance will become clearer in the weeks ahead. MSNBCs Joe Scarborough jumped on a Democratic lawmaker Friday for declaring that President Donald Trump took advantage of young girls when he was associated with convicted sexual predator Jeffrey Epstein. Rep. Seth Moultons (D-MA) comments came after Morning Joes Willie Geist asked, What is the most effective message for Democrats in this moment? The Democrats are here to help working people in America, and Republicans are here to protect the billionaire class, Moulton said. And what you see time and again from this White House, you know, if youre a criminal, youre going to buy your way to freedom with Trump. If you are one of the people like him who took advantage of young girls with Jeffrey Epstein, then were going to sort of make that go away. I mean, fundamentally, Speaker Johnson Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Scarborough interrupted to say, We dont have evidence that he took advantage of young girls with Jeffrey Epstein. Right, right, right. Moulton answered. Just, common sense be damned. Im not saying, common sense be damned. Im saying facts. Lets look at the facts. And is he in the Epstein files? Scarborough asked. MOULTON: Hes obviously in the Epstein files. And the reason that fundamentally, Speaker Johnson has this on vacation is because he does not want to seat the newly-elected Democratic representative. SCARBOROUGH: But you said he took advantage of young girls. You have no you have absolutely no evidence of that. MOULTON: I think its pretty obvious. SCARBOROUGH: Thats what you think? Its pretty obvious? MOULTON: I do. And I think its pretty obvious to the Republicans. Scarborough then asked Jonathan Lemire if he had any reporting on Moutons allegation. LEMIRE: Well, we know that hes friends with Epstein. We know the birthday card was in there. SCARBOROUGH: Right. LEMIRE: I mean, he has not been accused of any wrongdoing. SCARBOROUGH: No. LEMIRE: Thats the point youre trying to make. But also certainly here we know that Speaker [Mike] Johnson has kept the House out of session, in large part to not seat the woman, the congresswoman-elect from Arizona, who would provide the decisive votes to release more material. So, yes, certainly, that would be, you know, any further embarrassment. SCARBOROUGH: Well, we know also, the book that Virginia Giuffre wrote, said he was she never saw him around there. And Im not doing his bidding. Im just saying theres enough things to talk about Donald Trump without without talking about whats not been proved. Watch the clip above via MSNBC. The post Joe Scarborough Shuts Down House Democrat Who Claimed Trump Took Advantage of Young Girls With Epstein first appeared on Mediaite. SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO/AP) If you find the ongoing government shutdown aggravating, Republican Rep. Dusty Johnson of South Dakota says youre not alone. Dan Santella: Whats your message to South Dakotans who are frustrated with this federal government shutdown, Dusty? 40-year-old Sioux Falls man arrested for attempted murder Of course South Dakotans are frustrated with the shutdown, Johnson said Thursday in response. I am, too. We should end this shutdown today. The House has voted to end the shutdown. The Senate has tried 13 times to end the shutdown. We just need to end it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The House of Representatives where Johnson serves passed a funding measure in September. Now, its in the Senate, where Republicans have a 53-47 majority. Senators have voted 13 times to end the shutdown, failing each time. 60 votes are needed to overcome a filibuster in the Senate, and Johnson Thursday came out strongly against changing Senate rules to stop any Senator from blocking a bill through a filibusters debate. Johnson says the so-called nuclear option would be a strategic blunder of enormous proportions. Im glad weve got the filibuster because the filibuster means that those kinds of big decisions, like the size of the Supreme Court and adding a state, can only happen when youve got some common ground consensus, Johnson said. South Dakotans have long known current Senate Majority Leader John Thune as a relatively mild-mannered, even-keeled figure in Washington, which is why comments he made Wednesday grabbed attention across the country. And weve tried to do that 13 times! Thune said on the Senate floor, objecting to a bill on Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits. And you voted no 13 times. This isnt a political game. These are real peoples lives that were talking about. And you all have just figured out 29 days in that, oh, there might be some consequences? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I feel John Thunes frustration, and frankly, everyday South Dakotans feel John Thunes frustration, Johnson said. Of course, I voted to keep the government open. I think we should be paying out SNAP benefits, and Im on a bill, Im a sponsor of a bill, that says that even if the governments shut down, we should pay SNAP benefits. 42 million Americans should not go without food because the politicians are being irresponsible. Johnsons conversation with KELOLANDs Dan Santella Thursday also touched on other topics, including American military attacks on alleged drug smugglers off South America. Congress hasnt done its job, Johnson said. We havent stepped forward and made a clear statement about what kind of force should be used against drug smugglers. Legally, I want to have a better understanding of where is the administration coming from. Per Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, China will buy 25 million metric tons of American soybeans on an annual basis. Johnson welcomes the development but says there are other considerations to bear in mind. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What we need to do is enter into other agreements with other countries so that we dont have quite so many eggs long-term in the basket of the Chinese government, Johnson said. Yes, lets sell them some soybeans. That makes us richer and stronger. But lets make sure that we dont give them too much power over us. 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. This Sunday, November 2nd, at Atlanta's historic Oakland Cemeter, the Consulate General of Mexico and the Institute of Mexican Culture are hosting their annual Day of the Dead festival. The event is free, family-friendly, and a great chance to learn more about the traditional Mexican holiday that honors loved ones who have passed through food, music, and celebration. The Significance Of Day Of The Dead Dia De Los Muertos is a two-day holiday, November 1 and 2, that reunites the living and dead. Although the holiday centers around death and departed loved ones, it isn't a sober occasion, but a joyous celebration. The holiday is tied to traditions dating back to the Aztecs who paid homage to the lady of death, Mictlancihuatl, who protected and helped loved ones that had passed in the afterlife. The holiday centers on families and friends creating and decorating altars, known as ofrendas, with photos of their loved ones, sentimental objects, candles, as well some of the foods they loved when they were alive. Some people choose to make these altars for their beloved pets too, and include items such as dog toys on the ofrenda. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Skulls and skeletons are another iconic part of the holiday, and take several forms, from colorful sugar skulls to face painting. The skulls are often depicted with smiles and bright colors as to laugh at death itself. Marigolds, or cempasuchil, are also an important symbol of the holiday and are used to decorate the ofrendas. They're known as Flor de Muerto (flower of the dead) and symbolize the beauty and fragility of life. The vibrant flowers are also believed to guide spirits to their families with their color and scent. Kristy Gomez What To Expect At The Event Atlanta's historic Oakland Cemetery is a natural fit for hosting a Day of the Dead celebration, but the space transforms for the festival. Brightly colored papel picado, or perforated paper, are strung up beside golden marigolds on the mausoleums. Ofrendas (altars) will also be set up in the cemetery, each honoring cherished loved ones that have passed. There will be plenty of activities to keep you and any little ones you bring busy, including traditional dances, plus food and craft vendors. You can also dress up and participate in the Catrinas and Catrines (the iconic skeleton figures) contest for adults and kids for a chance to win a prize. Learn More For more information about the event, check out Oakland Cemetery's website, oaklandcemetery.com Read the original article on Southern Living A journalist made headlines earlier this month after White House officials responded your mom to one of his questions now, hes revealed an even more brutal message from White House Communications Director Steven Cheung. S.V. Date, HuffPosts senior White House correspondent, asked the White House earlier this month who suggested Budapest, Hungary, as the location for an upcoming meeting (which has since been shelved) between President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt responded: Your mom did. White House Communications Director Steven Cheung then followed up: Your mom. Leavitt also accused Date of being a far left hack who nobody takes seriously, including your colleagues in the media, they just dont tell you that to your face. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The story went viral, prompting The New York Times to interview Date this week. Date told the NYT he was writing a story about White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller this fall when he received another text from Cheung. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt and White House Communications Director Steven Cheung. HuffPosts Senior White House Correspondent shared a brutal message from Cheung (Getty Images) This time, it was an insulting and expletive-laden message, the NYT reports. When Date responded and asked if hed ever insulted Cheung, the White House communications director accused him of being a moron, according to the NYT. After the NYT published its story, Date shared what he said is a screenshot of his exchange with Cheung on X. Cheung appears to tell Date to stop harassing him and to reach out to the press team, before calling him a little f****** b****, according to the screenshot. When asked if Cheung's responses were considered appropriate, a White House official told The Independent, "YES." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "WE CALL IT LIKE WE SEE IT," the White House official wrote. "IT'S NOT OUR ISSUE THAT MR. DATE CONTINUES TO BECLOWN HIMSELF." Whitney Snyder, HuffPosts editor in chief, told the Times the White Houses responses are ridiculous, but the outlet isnt bothered. Maybe hes gotten under their skin, Snyder said. The outlet has also used the your mom spectacle to advertise its membership program, which allows readers to make contributions. When Leavitt shared the full Your mom exchange last week, the site received 66 percent more revenue from the program than it does on an average day, a HuffPost spokesperson told the NYT. Date told the NYT hes never seen anything like this before. Things got testy at times with Jeb Bushs staff, he said. But never like this. LITTLE ROCK, Ark. A judges decision in Pulaski County Circuit Court on Friday calls for the special election for the District 70 seat to move up. A suit to move the date up was filed by the Democratic Party of Arkansas on Oct. 28. It argued that Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders decision to make the special election date for the seat formerly held by Rep. Carlton Wing (R-70), being after the April legislature special session, would leave the District 70 voters without representation. Arkansas Democratic Party sues governor over District 70 special election schedule Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The governor had set the date of the primary for the seat as March 3, 2026, followed by an election on June 9, 2026. In a statement, the governor maintained that the dates, outside the mandated 150-day election requirement following Wings Sept. 30 resignation, were the best for election security and expenses. The 150-day mandate does allow the governor to extend the period beyond that if needed, an argument the state used in defending the election dates before Judge Shawn J. Johnson. In his decision, Johnson points out that the governors discretion is not the only factor that applies to setting a date, given the laws setting a 150-day standard, which would place the election in February. The judge then orders the special election to take place on March 3, 2026. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A similar case for the District 26 seat held by the late Sen. Gary Stubblefield reached the same conclusion in a court ruling on Oct. 22 by Judge Patricia James. Attorney General Tim Griffin is appealing that ruling. Franklin County man wins court ruling in lawsuit about special election dates for Arkansas Sen. Gary Stubblefields seat District 70 has a history of very narrow elections, with Wing winning the most recent contest by 286 votes, 7,541 to 7,255 for the Democratic challenger. The district encompasses a large portion of Camp Robinson to the north and west, extending east to the Indian Hills and Village East areas above North Little Rock. 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. Dozens of pharmacists, students and pharmacy owners attended the Senate subcommittee meeting Feb. 5, where Sens. Annette Sweeney, left, Mike Klimesh and Sarah Trone Garriott heard public comments on a bill related to pharmacy benefits managers. (Photo by Robin Opsahl/Iowa Capital Dispatch) Iowas law putting new regulations on pharmacy benefits managers is temporarily blocked from enforcement for Wellmark Blue Cross-Blue Shield health plans and insurance policies. Chief U.S. District Judge Stephanie Rose issued a temporary injunction Wednesday in the case, brought earlier this month by Iowas largest health insurer against the state insurance commissioner. The case challenges enforcement of Senate File 383, the measure signed into law in June that regulates certain business practices by PBMs, the entities negotiating prescription drug costs between manufacturers, health insurance companies and pharmacies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The law restricts PBMs ability to set certain cost-sharing rates, fees, or other financial means to incentivize a person to fill their prescription at a certain pharmacy. It also requires independent pharmacies to be reimbursed at the average national acquisition cost of a drug plus a $10.68 dispensing fee. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX The law was supported by many advocates and business owners of small and rural pharmacies. Pharmacists and some health care advocates said the PBM practices targeted by the Iowa law contributed to the closure of more than 200 rural and independent pharmacies across the state, including 31 pharmacies that closed in 2024. But business leaders and health insurance companies have said the measure will lead to higher health care costs for Iowans. The Iowa Association of Business and Industry warned the measure could result in an additional $340 million in costs for private-sector health insurance plans, resulting in an increase of $169 for the average insured Iowans pharmaceutical costs each year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Iowa Association of Business and Industry also filed a lawsuit in June to block enforcement of the law. Rose, who also oversaw this case, issued a temporary injunction on July 21 applying to plaintiffs of the ABI lawsuit. In that decision to issue a temporary injunction, Rose wrote that several parts of the PBM law exceed state authority in regulating health care plans, conflicting with the federal Employee Retirement Income Security Act, or ERISA. She also found the law could conflict with First Amendment protections for commercial speech without adequate constitutional justification. Wellmarks October lawsuit referenced Roses decision in the ABI case, saying the injunction order brought into question whether Iowa Insurance Commissioner Doug Ommen can legitimately enforce the states PBM law if it conflicts with federal ERISA regulations. The lawsuit specifically pointed to guidance Ommen issued in September that stated he planned to enforce the new law in its entirety against entities that are not plaintiffs in the ABI lawsuit. Roses temporary injunction in the Wellmark case pauses the $10.68 dispensing fee for prescriptions filled at pharmacies in Iowa under Wellmark covered plans and policies, including those working through CVS Caremark, the PBM that works with Wellmark. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a news release on the decision, the company said the preliminary injunction provides benefits like offering clear compliance guidance on the law, and shielding more than 1 million Iowans from significant increases in prescription medication costs under the law. The company had estimated individuals covered by Wellmark policies would face increased costs of nearly $40 million annually. The Iowa Insurance Division did not respond a request for comment Friday on the injunction. Provisions of the law not blocked under the court order will continue to be enforced. The temporary injunctions blocking parts of the law, set in the Wellmark and ABI lawsuits, will remain in place until a decision is made on in the cases about the laws constitutionality. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Oct. 31 (UPI) -- A federal judge in Washington permanently blocked President Donald Trump's executive order requiring proof of citizenship for those who cast mail-in ballots. The president lacks the authority to change federal election procedures because the Constitution places that authority with Congress and the respective states, U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly ruled on Friday. "The president directed the Election Assistance Commission to 'take appropriate action' to alter the national mail voter registration form to require documentary proof of United States citizenship," Kollar-Kotelly said in her 81-page ruling. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Because Trump does not have the authority to order the EAC to alter federal election procedures, Kollar-Kotelly permanently enjoined the EAC and others from enforcing the president's directive. The ruling arises from challenges to Executive Order 14,248 -- Preserving and Protecting the Integrity of American Elections, which Trump signed on March 25. In it, the president orders the EAC to require documentary proof of citizenship on the national mail voter registration form to ensure foreign nationals are not submitting votes via mail-in ballots. State or local officials in turn would record the type of document used to show proof of citizenship. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The executive order also requires mail-in ballots to be received on or before election day for them to count. The Democratic National Committee, League of United Latin American Citizens and League of Women Voters Education Fund filed the federal lawsuit against the president and the Republican National Committee to stop enforcement of the executive order. "While the fight is far from over, we're glad the court agreed that a president cannot 'short circuit' Congress and unilaterally use an illegal executive order to obliterate the rights of millions of voters," said Marcia Johnson, who is chief counsel for the League of Women Voters, in a prepared statement. Although Kollar-Kotelly blocked the enforcement of Trump's executive order, other parts of the lawsuit are yet to be decided. AMHERST A Hampshire Superior Court judge sided this week with Delinda Dykes, the Amherst Regional Middle School guidance counselor fired in 2023 amid allegations that she misgendered transgender students. But Dykes challenged the firing and won reinstatement in August. The school district appealed. Thursday, Hampshire County Superior Court Judge James M. Manitsas denied that appeal citing Dykes efforts to create a safe learning environment and saying reinstating her was in the best interests of students. Dykes has been most recently home on paid leave while the appeal ran its course. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Even when corrected, Dykes would quickly revert to using incorrect names or pronouns, according to a Title IX investigation cited by the school district. Dykes, also a former interim principal at the school, was accused of having once remarked: In the name of Jesus we pray that the LGBTQ gay demon that wants to attack and confuse these kids to leave this school now. The arbitrator also said Dykes allegedly removed the nail polish a gay student had painted on another teachers nail on the basis that the kids were confused enough as it was. Dykes allegedly asked if she had to call a student a potato sack if that was what they requested to be called. But the arbitrator ruled that the nail polish incident was not a remark directed at a student but an interaction between adults. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And the arbitrator found that Dykes apologized and some of the complaining students said she made an effort to do better. In a media statement, the district said administrators are working with legal counsel and the Regional School Committee to determine appropriate next steps. Superintendent E. Xiomara Herman reaffirmed the districts unwavering commitment to ensuring that every student and staff member is safe, supported and feels a strong sense of belonging in our schools. Regardless of the next steps, our focus remains where it must always be, on our students, Herman said in the statement. We are committed to ensuring that this continues to be a school system where every child is honored, respected, and given the opportunity to be their best self. Stories by Jim Kinney Read the original article on MassLive. Add MassLive as a Preferred Source by clicking here. A federal judge has blocked a move by the Trump administration to access patient records of a healthcare provider specializing in treating transgender patients. The decision accuses the Justice Department of using its investigation as a form of intimidation, and is the Washington state judges latest decision against policies championed by Trump. Judge Jamal Whitehead blocks DOJs attempt to intimidate healthcare providers Judge Jamal Whitehead blocked the Department of Justices efforts to enforce a wide-ranging subpoena for records from QueerDoc, an online provider of gender-affirming care. In his ruling, Whitehead accused the government of seeking to intimidate service providers to eliminate care for gender dysphoria. This is not speculation about hidden motives it is the Administrations explicit agenda, Whitehead stated. Since returning to the White House, President Donald Trump has indicated his intention to ban gender-affirming care and issued various executive orders restricting the acknowledgement of transgender identity, such as limiting gender declaration by the federal government to cisgender male or female. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In July, the Justice Department issued subpoenas to multiple doctors and clinics involved in performing transgender medical procedures on children. Attorney General Pam Bondi said at the time, Medical professionals and organizations that mutilated children in the service of a warped ideology will be held accountable by this Department of Justice. Whitehead ruled, The Government seeks the intended effect of its Executive Orders and these subpoenas to downsize or eliminate all gender-affirming care. No clearer evidence of improper purpose could exist than the Governments own repeated declarations that it seeks to end the very practice it claims to be merely investigating. While Whitehead granted QueerDocs request to block the requirement to hand over its records, he denied the organizations request to keep the case secret. Blocking the Trump administrations overreach The subpoena issued to QueerDoc was part of a larger trend of policies aimed at medical professionals and organizations engaged in treating transgender patients. Earlier this year, a Supreme Court decision allowed states to maintain laws that ban gender treatments for minors. Hospitals and medical service providers who administer such treatment have been subjected to threats and scrutiny. For example, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, headed by Trump-appointed fellow TV personality and physician Mehmet Oz, sent a letter to several leading childrens hospitals demanding data such as the revenue they generate from gender treatments for minors and the rates at which patients express regret over them. Dr. Oz stated that his agency has an obligation to be a good steward of taxpayer dollars. The FBI has also called on members of the public to report instances of doctors or hospitals performing gender-related surgery on minors, which experts say is rare. The overall hostility of the Trump administration toward these institutions factored into Whiteheads ruling that D.O.J. has abandoned good-faith investigation in favor of policy enforcement through prosecutorial coercion in the QueerDoc case. The goal of reversing trans rights and recognition was among the most prominent stances Trump has taken, alongside other issues such as immigration restriction, and Whitehead has differed with the administration in this area as well. Earlier this year, Whitehead blocked the Trump administration from ending the United States longstanding refugee resettlement program. In ruling that Trump had attempted to override the will of Congress, which created the refugee program in 1980, Whitehead said, The president has substantial discretion over refugee policy, but that authority is not limitless. These rulings by Whitehead, a Biden appointee, have led to the judge being labeled as an activist judge, who conservatives have singled out as opposing the Trump agenda. So far, opposition to the rulings of Whitehead and other judges has consisted chiefly of online chatter from disgruntled right-wing social media posters. Meanwhile, Whiteheads latest ruling is the second time this year that he has put the Trump administration in check for overstepping its authority to promote its agenda. The post Judge Jamal Whitehead Blocks Trump Admin Subpoena For Trans Healthcare Records appeared first on Blavity. Xi, Trump meet in Busan to steady ties, shore up global confidence Xinhua) 08:12, October 31, 2025 Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with U.S. President Donald Trump in Busan, South Korea, Oct. 30, 2025. (Xinhua/Huang Jingwen) BUSAN, South Korea, Oct. 30 (Xinhua) -- Under global gaze and before flashing cameras, Chinese President Xi Jinping and his U.S. counterpart, Donald Trump, shook hands here Thursday for a highly anticipated meeting, the first since Trump was sworn in as U.S. president again earlier this year. Later, as their 100-minute meeting drew to an end in South Korea's second-largest city, Xi and Trump walked side by side toward the venue's exit. They clasped hands in farewell. The two presidents met amid mounting global economic challenges and protectionist trends. Many global observers viewed this high-stakes meeting as a crucial opportunity to steady what many describe as the world's most important bilateral relationship and reinvigorate confidence in the global economy. CHARTING COURSE FOR TIES Since Trump took office in January, the two heads of state have maintained close communication through telephone calls and letters. As noted by Xi during the meeting, under their joint guidance, China-U.S. relations have remained stable on the whole. In the face of winds, waves and challenges, Xi said, the two leaders should stay the right course, navigate through the complex landscape, and ensure the steady sailing forward of the giant ship of China-U.S. relations. Trump conveyed this spirit of collaboration, stating that U.S.-China relations have traditionally been strong and will continue to improve, expressing hope for a brighter shared future. It was not the first time that Xi used the metaphor of recalibrating the direction of "the giant ship of China-U.S. relations" to highlight the core task facing current bilateral relations. In a phone conversation with Trump in June after a China-U.S. high-level meeting on economic and trade affairs in Geneva, which set in motion a series of subsequent bilateral economic and trade talks, Xi stressed that it was "particularly important" for the two leaders to steer clear of various disturbances and disruptions. The two sides need to make good use of the economic and trade consultation mechanism already in place, and seek win-win results in the spirit of equality and respect for each other's concerns, Xi said then. China-U.S. interactions should embody the characteristics of a new era, said Gu Qingyang, associate professor at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy at the National University of Singapore, noting that the so-called "Thucydides Trap," which refers to confrontation between an established power and a rising one, is not inevitable as many believe. "We do not wish to see China and the United States divided, decoupled, or in confrontation, as that would be detrimental to both. The two nations are already leading global countries, and each is too strong to ignore the other," said Gu. In the run-up to the Busan meeting, the two countries' economic and trade teams held a new round of consultations in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, reaching a basic consensus on addressing respective major concerns, which provided the necessary conditions for the meeting on Thursday. On Thursday, Xi urged the two sides to work out and finalize the follow-up steps as soon as possible, and ensure that the common understandings are effectively upheld and implemented, to inject confidence into the two countries as well as the global economy through solid deliverables. The two teams can continue their talks in the spirit of equality, mutual respect and mutual benefit, and continuously shorten the list of problems and lengthen the list of cooperation, Xi said. In a written statement to Xinhua, Maya Majueran, founding director of the Belt and Road Initiative Sri Lanka, said that the meeting sent a signal of reassurance that the world's two largest economies seek to manage their relationship responsibly rather than drift toward confrontation. For Tom Watkins, a former advisor to the Michigan-China Innovation Center, "mutual respect" is the key to future U.S.-China relations. "Each side needs to understand a miscalculation will have devastating consequences," said Watkins, adding that despite the ups and downs in bilateral ties in the past decades, "the two sides have sensibly navigated forward." "All major global issues intersect at the corner of Beijing and Washington. And how our leaders resolve those issues will shape the future of the world," said Watkins. BROADER IMPACT ON ASIA-PACIFIC AND BEYOND The world is grappling with mounting uncertainties and rising protectionist tendencies, and the Asia-Pacific is no exception. Trade barriers are stacking up, geopolitical rivalries are deepening, and the multilateral trading system is under increasing strain. Against this backdrop, Xi's call for dialogue over confrontation resonated far beyond the meeting room in Busan. Noting that China-U.S. economic and trade relations have experienced ups and downs recently, Xi said that the business relationship should continue to serve as the anchor and driving force for China-U.S. relations, not a stumbling block or a point of friction. The two sides should think big and recognize the long-term benefit of cooperation, and must not fall into a vicious cycle of mutual retaliation, Xi said. China's Ministry of Commerce on Thursday unveiled the outcomes achieved by Chinese and U.S. delegations during their recent economic and trade talks in Kuala Lumpur. The U.S. side will cancel the 10-percent so-called "fentanyl tariffs" and suspend, for an additional year, the 24-percent reciprocal tariffs levied on Chinese goods, including goods from the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and the Macao Special Administrative Region, a spokesperson of the ministry said, adding that in turn, China will make corresponding adjustments to its countermeasures and continue certain tariff exclusion measures. The United States will suspend for one year the implementation of a new rule announced on Sept. 29 that expands its "entity-list" export restrictions to any entity that is at least 50 percent owned by one or more entities on the list. China will suspend the implementation of relevant export control measures announced on Oct. 9 for one year and will study and refine specific plans, the spokesperson said. Other outcomes included Washington agreeing to suspend for one year the measures under its Section 301 investigation targeting China's maritime, logistics and shipbuilding industries, with Beijing setting to correspondingly suspend its countermeasures once the U.S. suspension takes effect. Experts across the Asia-Pacific region view this cooperative vision as both timely and necessary. From Beijing's perspective, the path forward is not one of inevitable competition but of necessary coordination, said Majueran, adding that the Chinese leadership frequently emphasizes a "win-win" model of cooperation, an approach that rejects zero-sum thinking in favor of shared progress. The Xi-Trump meeting offers an opportunity to de-escalate tensions between the two major countries and a return to dialogue to resolve outstanding issues, said Eng Kok Thay, secretary of state of Cambodia's Council of Ministers. During the meeting on Thursday, Xi noted that the world today is confronted with many tough problems, saying that China and the United States can jointly shoulder their responsibility as major countries, and work together to accomplish more great and concrete things for the good of the two countries and the whole world. "The trajectory of China-U.S. relations will largely define the strategic and economic environment of the Asia-Pacific and beyond," said Eng Kok Thay. Cooperation ensures trade stability, technology exchange and security, outcomes that benefit not only the region but the entire world, he added. Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with U.S. President Donald Trump in Busan, South Korea, Oct. 30, 2025. (Xinhua/Shen Hong) Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with U.S. President Donald Trump in Busan, South Korea, Oct. 30, 2025. (Xinhua/Shen Hong) Chinese President Xi Jinping meets with U.S. President Donald Trump in Busan, South Korea, Oct. 30, 2025. (Xinhua/Huang Jingwen) (Web editor: Huang Kechao, Liang Jun) An international conference titled Belgian Colonialism: Recognition and Responsibility is being held today under the organization of the Baku Initiative Group, Azernews reports. The event is dedicated to examining Belgiums colonial past and the severe consequences that continue to affect its former colonies. Representatives from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, and Burundi, all former Belgian colonies, are attending the conference, alongside diplomats and government officials. The gathering brings together experts in international law, historians, researchers, civil society activists, and specialists on reparations from eight countries. Participants are expected to discuss the historical injustices of Belgiums colonial rule and explore pathways toward recognition, accountability, and restorative justice. Belgiums colonial history centered above all in the Congo remains one of the most controversial and brutal episodes in modern European imperialism. Though often overshadowed by the colonial legacies of larger empires like Britain and France, Belgiums rule in Central Africa stands out for its extreme violence, exploitative economic system, and enduring social and political consequences. Belgium entered the colonial race relatively late. King Leopold II, frustrated by his small nations lack of global influence, personally acquired vast territories in Central Africa in the 1880s under the guise of humanitarianism and anti-slavery efforts. At the Berlin Conference of 188485, European powers recognized Leopolds claim over what he called the Congo Free State, a territory nearly 80 times the size of Belgium, ruled not by the Belgian government, but as the kings private domain. When independence came in 1960, it was sudden and chaotic. Belgium had done little to prepare the Congo for self-rule; at independence, there were only a handful of Congolese university graduates. Within days, mutinies broke out in the army, Belgian troops intervened, and the mineral-rich province of Katanga seceded with Belgian corporate backing. The legacy of Belgian colonialism is visible across many dimensions of Congolese life: TAMPA, Fla. (AP) A federal judge in Tampa has ordered the arrest of a former Green Beret accused of plotting to invade Venezuela in 2020 after he failed to show up to court for a hearing on whether he should be taken back into custody for violating the conditions of his pre-trial release. Jordan Goudreau, 49, was arrested last year on weapons smuggling charges tied to the failed coup attempt undertaken during the first Trump administration. He was released after a few weeks in jail when filmmaker Jen Gatien pledged her $2 million Manhattan apartment where the combat veteran was living as collateral for a bond. In testimony this week, Gatien detailed how the three-time Bronze Star recipient turned abusive, alleging he threatened to harm her and others and sent text messages saying he wouldn't go back to jail. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I believe he intends one day to leave this country, Gatien said, noting that Goudreau previously lived on a sailboat in Mexico. Judge Christopher Tuite issued an arrest warrant Friday after waiting 30 minutes for Goudreau to show up for the third day of the bond hearing. A probation officer said the ankle monitor Goudreau was supposed to wear was still located in the Tampa area, where Goudreau was living while undergoing equine-assisted therapy supervised by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. I'm at a loss, Goudreau's attorney Marissel Descalzo told the judge. I have not spoken to him as to why he's not here. Documentary about Venezuela raid Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gatien's new documentary, Men of War, is a largely sympathetic look at Goudreaus slapdash plan to train a mercenary force of Venezuelan army deserters in neighboring Colombia to carry out a cross-border raid that aimed to spark a popular rebellion and remove President Nicolas Maduro. The plot, exposed by The Associated Press two days before the incursion, never stood a chance against Maduro's far superior security forces and ended with several would-be freedom fighters killed and two of Goudreau's U.S. Special Forces buddies locked away in a Venezuelan prison. Since the movie's release last month, the relationship between the two has soured and in the weeks leading up to the bond hearing the filmmaker in court filings accused Goudreau of deceit, financial coercion and threatening conduct. Specifically, Gatien accused Goudreau of reneging on a promise described by prosecutors as an undisclosed side agreement to pledge his sizable reserves of cash, gold coins and cryptocurrency to mitigate the filmmaker's financial risk as his sole bond guarantor. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She also shared with the court screenshots of angry text messages, sometimes incoherent and full of profanity, in which he claims I'm not going back to prison" a statement prosecutors say indicates his intention to flee. I would have gotten zero if he fled," Gatien testified. "All I got was broken promises for the past year. Search for assault rifles Among those scheduled to testify at the hearing for the government was an Oklahoma couple which was storing some of Goudreau's belongings, including two assault rifles an associate recently tried to retrieve in possible violation of a court order against possessing firearms while on bond. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a sworn affidavit, Brande and Jason Woolems explained that Goudreau had called them last month pressuring them to make false accusations against Gatien to block her from backing out of the bond. The couple said in their sworn statement that Goudreau asked them to sign statements that accused Gatien of misconduct. When we declined, he called us Judas and accused us of betrayal, yelling repeatedly in anger, they said in the statement. Bay of Piglets The 2020 invasion, which came to be known as the Bay of Piglets, stands as a cautionary tale of the often amateurish way the Trump administration has pursued regime change in Venezuela. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Those criticisms have grown stronger in recent weeks as a naval flotilla deployed by Trump has carried out multiple deadly strikes on suspected drug smuggling boats departing Venezuela and the president authorized the CIA to carry out covert actions inside the South American country. Amid growing concern about a potential U.S. invasion, Goudreau has reemerged as a media pundit popular with Trump supporters and radical leftist critics alike. In recent interviews, Goudreau has at times lashed out at an array of purported deep-state actors the CIA and State Department among them that he blames for sabotaging his clandestine mission, which he insists was blessed with a wink from the first Trump administration. Many of those same actors are once again trying to derail Trump's foreign policy agenda, he said. Meanwhile, he called Trump's allegations that Maduro is the leader of the so-called Suns Cartel of drug-running military officials a fabrication of the CIA. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If we do invade Venezuela what's next?" he recently told Russian state-owned RT. "The truth of the matter is the Venezuelan opposition is as ruthless and tyrannical as the Venezuelan regime under Nicolas Maduro. Plot aimed to oust president Goudreau, who was born in Canada, said he became a believer in the cause of Venezuelan democracy after working security at a benefit concert held in Colombia to deliver humanitarian aid across the border. Despite a lack of Spanish, he drew close to several exiled allies of opposition leader Juan Guaido, who the U.S. then recognized as Venezuelas legitimate leader. Over several months, a plan was hatched to invade Venezuela with the goal of sparking a popular rebellion. As part of that effort, Goudreau signed a contract with the Guaido team, although the two sides split months before the raid was carried out under new leadership possibly infiltrated by Maduro's intelligence services. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Goudreau was scheduled to go on trial in February on charges of failing to obtain an export license to ship roughly 60 AR-15 rifles to clandestine camps where would-be freedom fighters were being trained. Two of the rifles seized in Colombia contain traces of Goudreaus DNA, while suppressors, night-vision goggles and other equipment had serial numbers matching those purchased by Goudreau and his Melbourne, Florida-based security firm Silvercorp, according to prosecutors. Gatien registered a Florida production company with Goudreau in 2021 and was described in court records as his girlfriend. In testimony Gatien denied being anything more than good friends with Goudreau, who lived with her for two years while attending the New York Film Academy. The Norfolk County District Attorneys office will return the materials turned over by the federal government from its investigation into the Karen Read case on Friday, but in a move to assuage the concerns of some defense lawyers, a judge barred the feds from destroying the materials. The district attorneys office was initially ordered to return or destroy the materials on July 18, 30 days after the verdict in the Read case. But defense lawyers in several cases pushed for access to the material, triggering a legal saga that lasted three-and-a-half months. A hearing Thursday afternoon appears, for now, to be the final chapter in that saga. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The hearing was an opportunity for defense lawyers to raise any issues with an index of the material provided to them earlier this month. The index outlined documents turned over by the feds to the district attorneys office that the district attorneys office did not seek permission to turn over to the defense lawyers. Rosemary Scapicchio, a defense lawyer in two cases, told Judge Peter Krupp she wanted access to state grand jury minutes and police reports materials already in the possession of the district attorneys office that were also disclosed during the federal case. Norfolk First Assistant District Attorney Lisa Beatty said those documents could be turned over even if prosecutors returned the federal materials. If a defendant filed a (motion) for state grand jury minutes or for police reports in the Read case, we would evaluate that, because we have those materials in our possession, custody and control, Beatty said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The only defense attorney who raised an issue with the impending return and destruction of the material was Larry Tipton, who is representing Brian Walshe. Tipton filed a motion essentially seeking to block the destruction of the materials because he believed there was additional evidence benefiting Walshe that hadnt been disclosed. If you allow the destruction of these documents that we have never been able to review in their entirety, we lose the opportunity to ever review them, Tipton told Krupp, adding that a defense lawyer familiar with the facts and circumstances of the case might identify things in the materials a lawyer not on the case wouldnt. Krupp ordered Tipton to supplement his motion with further information, laying out in more detail what he wanted access to and what he believed could benefit Walshe. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After Tipton filed an affidavit under seal, the hearing reconvened. The defense lawyer clarified he wasnt asking for specific materials to be turned over, only that they not be destroyed. Beatty drew a distinction between the federal materials and the recent disclosure of information from former Massachusetts State Police trooper Michael Proctors personal phone, which Tipton referenced in his filings. She also suggested there were other ways for Tipton to get the materials he sought, like a report from the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner and a report from the company ARCCA, which performed accident reconstructions for the Read case. What counsel has pointed to in his affidavit is not new information, she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Beatty also questioned the relevance of accident reconstruction to the Walshe case. Walshe is accused of killing and dismembering his wife in January 2023. Tipton explained that the information from ARCCA could speak to a potential failure by Proctor or others to properly investigate the Read case. He noted that much of Proctors testimony before a federal grand jury was on the quality of the investigation in the Read case. It is the failure to conduct a proper investigation that was the subject of the federal prosecutors questions throughout his testimony and it is the original questions and answers by Michael Proctor that are important, Tipton said, adding that the former trooper gave evasive answers that required repeated admonitions from the federal prosecutors to Proctor. He ran from the way he conducted the investigation, Tipton continued. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To assuage some of Tiptons concerns, Krupp said he would enter an order barring the federal authorities from destroying any of the documents. Though he added he did not believe they would do so regardless. Tipton is left with essentially two options he can either request the documents he wants from the federal government, or from the specific agency or company itself. More about the case Read the original article on MassLive. Add MassLive as a Preferred Source by clicking here. A federal judge in Rhode Island directed the Trump administration to use emergency money to fund November food aid benefits for millions of Americans. U.S. District Judge John McConnell Jr.s oral order Friday came just before the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, the nations largest anti-hunger program, is set to run out of money this weekend. Trump administration officials have not yet indicated whether they will appeal the ruling. McConnell, an Obama appointee, affirmed the complaint of several cities and nonprofits that sued USDA over its decision not to use emergency money to support food aid during the government shutdown. The move, plaintiffs argued, needlessly plunged SNAP into crisis. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement His order went further than that of another federal judge in Massachusetts, who issued a near-simultaneous ruling Friday afternoon asking the Trump administration to decide by Monday if it would voluntarily fund at least some SNAP benefits. Defendants are required to use those Contingency Funds as necessary for the SNAP program, U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani, also an Obama appointee, wrote, noting that USDA can pull from multiple sources of funding to fully support November benefits. USDA and the Office of Management and Budget did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Trump officials have insisted they dont have the authority to use a $5 billion contingency fund and dont have enough money to pay for the nearly $8 billion required for November SNAP benefits. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement President Donald Trump reiterated his administration's position in a post on Truth Social on Friday night. He confirmed that benefits will be delayed, even with the court rulings. "I have instructed our lawyers to ask the Court to clarify how we can legally fund SNAP as soon as possible," he wrote. "If we are given the appropriate legal direction by the Court, it will BE MY HONOR to provide the funding, just like I did with Military and Law Enforcement Pay." Trump officials say it could take days and, in many cases, weeks to get SNAP benefits to low-income Americans, especially since the administration has not stood up a system since the shutdown began to disperse any partial funds. The courts ruling protects millions of families, seniors, and veterans from being used as leverage in a political fight and upholds the principle that no one in America should go hungry," said Democracy Forward President and CEO Skye Perryman, co-counsel on the Rhode Island lawsuit, in a statement Friday. Josh Gerstein, Kelly Garrity, Kyle Cheney, Meredith Lee Hill and Grace Yarrow contributed to this report. A federal judge on Friday blocked the Trump administration from cutting off the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) beginning this weekend because of the government shutdown, ordering officials to first spend an emergency fund. The roughly $5.25 billion fund is not enough to fully cover November benefits for the food assistance program, which will cost the government upward of $9 billion. But U.S. District Judge John McConnells order prevents the administration from completely drying up the benefit for more than 40 million Americans starting Saturday, rejecting arguments that the emergency fund can be used only for hurricanes or other uncontrollable catastrophes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement SNAP benefits have never, until now, been terminated, McConnell said at a hearing. And the United States has in fact admitted that the contingency funds are appropriately used during a shutdown and that occurred in 2019. He ordered the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to distribute the emergency funds timely or as soon as possible and provide an update to the court by Monday. The looming SNAP lapse became the latest visible sign of the government shutdown, which has dragged into a fifth week. Even as Republicans have been mostly unified, cracks had formed in the Senate GOP conference over whether SNAP should be allowed to lapse this weekend. The expiration would impact millions of people in Republican-represented states. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Though the judges ruling takes the pressure off for now, it does not require the USDA to maintain the benefit once the emergency fund is depleted. The administrations refusal to spend the fund came under two lawsuits, one filed by 25 Democratic-led states and the other brought by a coalition of cities and private organizations. McConnell, an appointee of former President Obama who serves in Rhode Island, is overseeing the second lawsuit. The shutdown is absolutely an emergency for our clients. As of tomorrow, these benefits will not be available to millions of Americans, Michael Torcello, an attorney for the plaintiffs, told McConnell. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The judge handed down his ruling from the bench moments after U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani, an Obama appointee who serves in Boston and oversees the states case, issued a written order suggesting shell issue a similar block. Talwani gave the government until Monday to explain how it will use the contingency funds. The Trump administration warned of practical concerns with paying partial November benefits, suggesting it will cause a run on the bank as states and beneficiaries seek to obtain funds before the pot is depleted. Nor can USDA solve this problem by providing partial benefits, the administration wrote in court filings. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Such a partial payment has never been made and for good reason, it continued. It would require each State to recalculate the benefits owed based on the reduced funds available. USDA estimates that such a calculation, involving complicated system changes and processes dictated by statute and regulation, would take weeks, if it can be done at all. The administration can fully fund the gap for November using a separate source, known as Section 32 funds, which come from customs receipts. But both judges agreed the administration has discretion on whether to do so. If theres no appropriation, there really is no program, Justice Department attorney Tyler Becker said at Fridays hearing. The government cannot just add funding when no program exists. Updated at 2:26 p.m. EDT. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. MADISON A Waukesha County judge is putting on hold an order he issued earlier this month to require state election officials to determine which registered voters are U.S. citizens before the next statewide election in February. Waukesha County Circuit Judge Michael Maxwell on Friday agreed to stay his Oct. 3 ruling as the court sorts out new arguments from the plaintiffs in a lawsuit seeking to require the Wisconsin Elections Commission to verify citizenship of voters within five months through the use of Wisconsin Department of Transportation data. The plaintiffs asked Maxwell to stay, or put on hold, his Oct. 3 ruling that sided with them, arguing the DOT data may be outdated. During a hearing in the matter on Oct. 31, Maxwell signaled he may consider vacating the order entirely, but that does not necessarily mean the case would not continue through the court system. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I am very cognizant of the nature of this particular claim, the weight and gravity of what is being requested or alleged in the petition relative to this concept of whether or not this state has a voter registration system that is only allowing eligible voters to be on the voter rolls," Maxwell said. "I think that issue is of significant importance and does need to be decided in a manner that creates an appellate record for the parties to go seek their relief to see whether or not this court was right or the court was wrong." Wisconsin Elections Commission deputy administrator Robert Kehoe told the judge earlier this month that the agency would likely not be able to carry out the requirements of the order by February given the scope of the changes. Maxwell, who now oversees criminal cases in Waukesha, joked about regretting keeping the case given its complex issues and his new workload. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I ask myself every day since I rotated to the criminal court in Waukesha on August 1st, why did I keep this case?" Maxwell said. "I think my brethren that are still on the civil bench in Waukesha should be taking me to lunch everyday." Under state law, voters do not have to provide proof of citizenship when registering to vote, such as a birth certificate, passport or naturalization papers. When completing Wisconsin's voter registration form, voters must check a box that asks whether the voter is a U.S. citizen. Making a false claim of citizenship to an election official to register to vote is a felony. A Republican-led bill that would have required the WEC to validate voters' citizenship status using a federal database was vetoed by Democratic Gov. Tony Evers, who noted the system has caused errors elsewhere and could disqualify eligible voters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Noncitizens attempting to vote in Wisconsin is rare. WEC officials have said the agency has been made aware of only four alleged cases of election fraud related to citizenship since the agency was created in 2015. A 2024 WEC report listed 13 cases of suspected election fraud between July 2023 and September 2024. None were related to non-citizen voter registration. The most common violation was voting twice in the same election, through absentee and in-person ballots. The next election in Wisconsin is Feb. 17, which includes a primary for nonpartisan offices. Top candidates will advance to the April 7 spring election. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Wisconsin judge puts hold on order to verify voters' citizenship President Donald Trump said Friday that his administration's lawyers are not sure they have the legal authority to pay federally funded Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits during the government shutdown and said he has asked for clarity from the courts in the wake of two recent decisions. "Our Government lawyers do not think we have the legal authority to pay SNAP with certain monies we have available, and now two Courts have issued conflicting opinions on what we can and cannot do," Trump said in a post on his social media platform Friday evening. "If we are given the appropriate legal direction by the Court, it will BE MY HONOR to provide the funding, just like I did with Military and Law Enforcement Pay," Trump said, referring to the shifting of funds that has been used to pay troops as the shutdown has stretched on. Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP - PHOTO: President Donald Trump speaks to reporters as he arrives at Palm Beach International Airport, October 31, 2025 in West Palm Beach, Florida. As SNAP cuts loom, here are food assistance resources helping fight food insecurity Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The U.S. Department of Agriculture, which runs the SNAP program, is scheduled to freeze SNAP payments starting Nov. 1 due to the ongoing government shutdown. SNAP generally requires $8.6 billion in funding every month to provide 41 million Americans benefits and administer to the program. Trump's post came hours after a federal judge in Rhode Island temporarily ordered the Trump administration to continue SNAP funding. "The court is orally at this time, ordering that USDA must distribute the contingency money timely, or as soon as possible, for the November 1 payments to be made," said U.S. District Judge John J. McConnell Jr. After an hour-long emergency hearing, Judge McConnell ruled that the suspension of SNAP funding is arbitrary and likely to cause irreparable harm, citing the "terror" felt by Americans who are scrambling to meet their basic nutritional needs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "There is no doubt, and it is beyond argument, that irreparable harm will begin to occur -- if it hasn't already occurred -- in the terror it has caused some people about the availability of funding for food for their family," he said. In a filing after the judge's oral order, the Trump administration said it was "expeditiously attempting to comply" with Judge McConnell's order. Citing the lack of a public recording or transcript of Friday's emergency hearing, DOJ lawyers asked McConnell to confirm the parameters of his decision to ensure they comply. J. Scott Applewhite/AP - PHOTO: Speaker of the House Mike Johnson is joined by Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins at a news conference to talk about SNAP food aid benefits on day 31 of the government shutdown, at the Capitol in Washington, Oct. 31, 2025. "Clarity as to the Court's ruling is critical to ensure that Defendants can comply with the Court's order while avoiding an operational collapse," DOJ lawyers wrote. Judge McConnell ordered the Trump administration to continue paying for the program using emergency funds, and to notify the court by Monday how SNAP will be funded. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ruling that stopping SNAP funding violated the Administrative Procedure Act because the funding decision was arbitrary and capricious, Judge McConnell said, "There has been no explanation, legitimate or otherwise that's consistent with the APA as to why the contingency funds should not be used." A coalition of local governments, nonprofits, small businesses, and workers' rights organization filed suit Thursday to challenge the pause in funding, arguing that the Trump administration has "needlessly plunged SNAP into crisis" by suspending benefits beginning Friday, despite having emergency funds that could be tapped. "Americans will not be able to feed their families, food pantries will be overwhelmed, organizations will be forced to divert resources from core programs to accommodate those in need of assistance, and small businesses will lose substantial revenue that is critical to maintaining their labor force and supplier relationships," they wrote in their lawsuit. The coalition has argued that the lapse of funding will cause irreparable harm and violates a federal law that prohibits arbitrary government actions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What to know about the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program 2nd judge did not issue immediate order That ruling came as a federal judge in Boston, in a separate case, ruled that the Trump administration's attempt to suspend SNAP funding is "unlawful," but declined to immediately order that the program be funded. U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani reserved judgment about whether to issue a temporary restraining order, instead asking the Trump administration to advise the court whether they would authorize reduced SNAP benefits for November. She ordered the Trump administration to answer her question about reduced SNAP funding by Monday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "For the reasons stated below, Plaintiffs have standing to bring this action and are likely to succeed on their claim that Defendants' suspension of SNAP benefits is unlawful," she wrote. "Where that suspension of benefits rested on an erroneous construction of the relevant statutory provisions, the court will allow Defendants to consider whether they will authorize at least reduced SNAP benefits for November, and report back to the court no later than Monday, November 3, 2025," Judge Talwani said. A federal judge on Thursday temporarily prevented President Donald Trumps administration from deporting Subramanyam Subu Vedam, a State College man who was exonerated and then detained after he wrongfully served 43 years in prison. The ruling from U.S. District Judge Stephanie L. Haines came hours after U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement confirmed Vedam was transported in the pre-dawn hours Thursday from the Moshannon Valley Processing Center. He was taken to the Alexandria Staging Facility in rural Louisiana, a family spokesperson told the Centre Daily Times on Thursday evening. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Vedam had been at the Clearfield County facility since Oct. 3, one day after Centre County prosecutors dropped the first-degree murder against him in the fatal 1980 shooting of Thomas Kinser. Centre County President Judge Jonathan Grine found previous prosecutors violated his due process rights and deprived him of a fair trial by concealing an FBI ballistics analysis that could have severed his ties to the crime. After serving 43 years of a life sentence, he became the longest-serving exoneree in Pennsylvania history. Even with the murder conviction overturned, the Trump administration has sought to deport him because of an order issued in 1999. Vedam pleaded no contest in 1984 to drug charges after being accused of selling LSD in State College. Vedam, 64, was born in India but has lived in Pennsylvania since he was 9 months old. His attorneys have said he was a legal permanent resident of the U.S. when he was arrested for Kinsers killing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As Trumps administration emphasizes mass deportations, Vedams attorneys are attempting to persuade the countrys highest immigration court that the drug conviction should be outweighed by more than four decades of wrongful imprisonment. It could be months until the Board of Immigration Appeals decides whether to reopen the case and, until that decision is reached, the judges Thursday decision will prevent Vedams deportation. The government has opposed Vedams request thus far, arguing the deadline was more than 25 years ago. He has provided no evidence nor argument to show he has been diligent in pursuing his rights as it pertains to his immigration status, wrote Katherine B. Frisch, an assistant chief counsel at the Department of Homeland Security. The government has until Wednesday to respond to Vedams legal challenge. Haines specifically asked the attorneys to address the status of Vedams immigration case and whether the overturning of his murder conviction affects his deportation, if at all. Vedams legal team would then have until Nov. 7 to respond. A federal judge has thrown out a legal challenge brought by a Brown University physician from Lebanon who was detained at and deported from Bostons Logan Airport in March after immigration officials found photos on her phone that they said celebrated a terrorist leader. The case of kidney transplant specialist Rasha Alawieh gained national and international attention as an example of the Trump administrations confrontational approach to foreigners seeking entry to the U.S., including those who hold valid visas and are performing essential work. However, the initial narrative of a seemingly arbitrary detention of a highly respected doctor quickly grew more complicated. Customs and Border Protection officials reported locating photographs on Alawiehs phone that they said indicated she idolized late Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, whose funeral she attended weeks before returning to the U.S. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to court filings, Alawieh told agents her appreciation for Nasrallah was purely religious, although she acknowledged some of her family members are involved in the political activities of Hezbollah, a Lebanese political party designated as a terrorist organization by the U.S. To prevent her deportation, Alawiehs family and friends mounted a frantic legal effort that produced dramatic scenes of a lawyer rushing through the airport with a court order barring the doctors removal but apparently failing to reach anyone in authority before she was flown out of the country. On Friday, U.S. District Judge Leo Sorokin dismissed the remainder of that legal case, initially filed as a habeas corpus petition by Alawiehs cousin. The Obama appointee said he doesnt have the authority to provide other relief the doctor sought, like removing a five-year ban she faces on returning to the U.S. This Court simply cannot issue in this habeas action the orders Alawieh hopes to obtain, Sorokin wrote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sorokin said Congress and a Supreme Court decision from 2020 have sharply limited the power of federal district court judges in such immigration-related cases. Sorokin said he wasnt ruling on claims that immigration officials may have defied his initial order that sought, but failed, to block Alawiehs deportation. The judge said her lawyers were no longer pressing that argument. Sorokin also took no stance on an innovative argument by Alawiehs attorneys that the immigration officer who ordered her removal from the country wielded so much power that he needed to be formally appointed by either the president or the head of an executive branch department. The claim sought to leverage a concern of many legal conservatives that some executive branch officials assert largely unchecked authority without being properly installed under the Constitutions Appointments Clause. An attorney for Alawieh, Golnaz Fakhimi of Muslim Advocates, said the doctors legal team is studying her legal options but the decision means some Americans in need of medical care are suffering. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Were carefully digesting this decision to advise our client effectively about potential next steps, Fakhimi said. In the meantime, the governments unchecked abuse of its power means that vulnerable patients will continue to go without highly specialized, life-saving care from Dr. Alawieh, whod been one of only three transplant nephrologists in Rhode Island. The administration's actions against Dr. Alawieh are part and parcel of its overarching attack on the pluralistic nature of American society. Spokespeople for the Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Up to 500,000 Native Americans are at risk of losing food stamps on Nov. 1. (Photo/National Council on Aging) A federal judge in Boston will decide whether Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits should continue into November after 25 stateshalf of the nationfiled a lawsuit against the Trump administration to compel the release of food assistance funds during the ongoing federal government shutdown. The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts, accuses the administration of unlawfully withholding billions of dollars in contingency funds specifically set aside for SNAP operations during lapses in federal funding. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced two weeks ago that SNAP, which provides food stamps to more than 42 million Americans, will run out of money at the end of October. The shutdown, now in its fifth week, threatens to cut off critical food assistance nationwide, including for an estimated 500,000 Native Americans across Indian Country. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Thursday, U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani, an appointee of President Barack Obama, heard arguments in the case. The Trump administration, through the USDA, contended that the shutdown does not constitute an emergency and that contingency funds cannot be used to cover benefits during a lapse in appropriations. Judge Talwani appeared skeptical of that argument, questioning how the potential loss of food assistance for millions could not qualify as an emergency. Plaintiffs also pointed to prior USDA guidancesince removed from the agencys websitethat had supported the use of contingency funds during government shutdowns, undercutting the administrations current stance. Judge Talwani is now weighing whether to issue an emergency order requiring the federal government to resume SNAP payments in November, a decision that could determine whether millions of Americans continue receiving food assistance as the shutdown drags on. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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 BOSTON (AP) Two federal judges ruled nearly simultaneously on Friday that President Donald Trumps administration must continue to pay for SNAP, the nations biggest food aid program, using emergency reserve funds during the government shutdown. The judges in Massachusetts and Rhode Island gave the administration leeway on whether to fund the program partially or in full for November. That also brings uncertainty about how things will unfold and will delay payments for many beneficiaries whose cards would normally be recharged early in the month. The U.S. Department of Agriculture planned to freeze payments to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program starting Nov. 1 because it said it could no longer keep funding it due to the shutdown. The program serves about 1 in 8 Americans and is a major piece of the nations social safety net. It costs about $8 billion per month nationally. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, a Minnesota Democrat and the ranking member of the Senate Agriculture committee that oversees the food aid program, said Friday's rulings from judges nominated to the bench by former President Barack Obama confirm what Democrats have been saying: "The administration is choosing not to feed Americans in need, despite knowing that it is legally required to do so. Trump posted on social media Friday blasting congressional Democrats for the shutdown and suggesting the government would comply with the rulings but also that it needed more clarity first: If we are given the appropriate legal direction by the Court, it will BE MY HONOR to provide the funding." Judges agree at least one fund must go toward SNAP Democratic state attorneys general or governors from 25 states and the District of Columbia challenged the plan to pause the program, contending that the administration has a legal obligation to keep it running in their jurisdictions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The administration said it wasnt allowed to use a contingency fund of about $5 billion for the program, which reversed a USDA plan from before the shutdown that said money would be tapped to keep SNAP running. The Democratic officials said not only could that money be used, but that it must be. They also said a separate fund with around $23 billion is available for the cause. In Providence, Rhode Island, U.S. District Judge John J. McConnell ruled from the bench in a case filed by cities and nonprofits that the program must be funded using at least the contingency funds. He asked for an update on progress by Monday. Along with ordering the federal government to use emergency reserves to backfill SNAP benefits, McConnell ruled that all previous work requirement waivers must continue to be honored. The USDA during the shutdown has terminated existing waivers that exempted work requirements for older adults, veterans and others. There were similar elements in the Boston case, where U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani ruled in a written opinion that the USDA has to pay for SNAP, calling the suspension unlawful. She ordered the federal government to advise the court by Monday as to whether they will use the emergency reserve funds to provide reduced SNAP benefits for November or fully fund the program using both contingency funds and additional available funds. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Defendants suspension of SNAP payments was based on the erroneous conclusion that the Contingency Funds could not be used to ensure continuation of SNAP payments, she wrote. This court has now clarified that Defendants are required to use those Contingency Funds as necessary for the SNAP program. For many, benefits will still be delayed after the ruling No matter how the rulings came down, the benefits for millions of people will be delayed in November because the process of loading cards can take a week or more in many states. The administration did not immediately say whether it would appeal the rulings. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement States, food banks and SNAP recipients have been bracing for an abrupt shift in how low-income people can get groceries. Advocates and beneficiaries say halting the food aid would force people to choose between buying groceries and paying other bills. Most states have announced more or expedited funding for food banks or novel ways to load at least some benefits onto the SNAP debit cards. Across the U.S., advocates who had been sounding the alarm for weeks about the pending SNAP benefits cut off let out a small sigh of relief as the rulings came down Friday, while acknowledging the win is temporary and possibly not complete. "Thousands of nonprofit food banks, pantries and other organizations across the country can avoid the impossible burden that would have resulted if SNAP benefits had been halted, said Diane Yentel, president and CEO of the National Council of Nonprofits, one of the plaintiffs in the Rhode Island case. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The possibility of reduced benefits also means uncertainty Cynthia Kirkhart, CEO of Facing Hunger Food Bank in Huntington, West Virginia, said her organization and the pantries it serves in Kentucky, Ohio and West Virginia will keep their extra hours this weekend, knowing that the people whose benefits usually arrive at the start of the month wont see them. What we know, unless the administration is magical, is nothing is going to happen tomorrow, she said. Kristle Johnson, a full-time nursing student and mother of three in Florida, is concerned about the possibility of reduced benefits. Despite buying meat in bulk, careful meal planning and not buying junk food, she said, her $994 a month benefit doesnt buy a full months groceries. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Now I have to deal with someone who wants to get rid of everything I have to keep my family afloat until I can better myself, Johnson said of Trump. The ruling doesn't resolve partisan tussles At a Washington news conference earlier Friday, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, whose department runs SNAP, said the contingency funds in question would not cover the cost of the program for long. Speaking at a press conference with House Speaker Mike Johnson at the Capitol, she blamed Democrats for conducting a disgusting dereliction of duty by refusing to end their Senate filibuster as they hold out for an extension of health care funds. A push this week to continue SNAP funding during the shutdown failed in Congress. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To qualify for SNAP in 2025, a family of fours net income after certain expenses cant exceed the federal poverty line, which is about $31,000 per year. Last year, SNAP provided assistance to 41 million people, nearly two-thirds of whom were families with children. The courts ruling protects millions of families, seniors, and veterans from being used as leverage in a political fight and upholds the principle that no one in America should go hungry, Skye Perryman, president and CEO of Democracy Forward, said of the Rhode Island decision. ___ Mulvihill reported from Haddonfield, New Jersey; and Kruesi from Providence, Rhode Island. Associated Press reporter Lisa Mascaro in Washington, D.C., contributed. A federal judge in Massachusetts issued an order Friday stating that 25 states suing the Trump administration over failing to fund the nations low-income food program, known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or SNAP, would likely win on the merits. Simultaneously, a federal judge in Rhode Island ruled from the bench that the program must be funded using at least the contingency funds and asked for an update on progress by Monday, court records show. In Massachusetts, U.S. District Judge Indira Tawlani, in a 15-page order issued on Oct. 31, one day before benefits were set to expire, wrote that the administration was required to use ... Contingency Funds as necessary for the SNAP program. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Talwani gave the government until Monday to consider whether they will authorize at least reduced SNAP benefits for November. Officials must also determine a timeline for determining whether to pay for reduced SNAP benefits using the contingency funds, or pay full benefits using both the contingency funds and other money. A lawsuit brought by 25 states led by Massachusetts was heard by Talwani on Thursday, who said at the hearing a ruling could be expected within the day, according to WCVB. Massachusetts was represented in the lawsuit by state Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell. The Trump administration amid an ongoing government shutdown claimed that money was set to run out for the program, which provides money for food for low-income individuals across the country, by Nov. 1. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More than 1 million Massachusetts residents are enrolled in SNAP benefits with Gov. Maura Healey releasing $4 million for local food banks on Thursday to help them ride out the stoppage of the program. College communities were also expected to suffer greatly under the cuts to the SNAP program. At Thursdays hearing, Judge Talwani seemed to express skepticism about claims by the Trump administration that the program could not be continued by using emergency reserves, according to the New York Times. Congress has put money in an emergency fund, she said, the Times wrote. Its hard for me to understand how this isnt an emergency, when theres no money, and a lot of people are needing their SNAP benefits. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Fridays order, Judge Talwani acknowledged that SNAP funding will not be available starting on Nov. 1, but said that the suspension will not immediately affect all SNAP recipients. The complaint, filed Tuesday, stated that federal SNAP benefits have never been interrupted by a lapse in appropriations, but that the U.S. Department of Agriculture under the Trump administration had suspended SNAP benefits for November. It said that the federal government has funds available sufficient to fund all or at least a substantial portion of Novembers SNAP benefits. Suspending SNAP benefits in these circumstances is both contrary to law and arbitrary and capricious under the Administrative Procedure Act, the lawsuit stated. The latest from MassLive Read the original article on MassLive. Add MassLive as a Preferred Source by clicking here. Two federal judges ruled nearly simultaneously on Friday that President Donald Trumps administration must to continue to fund SNAP, the nations biggest food aid program, using contingency funds during the government shutdown. The rulings came a day before the U.S. Department of Agriculture planned to freeze payments to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program because it said it could no longer keep funding it due to the shutdown. The program serves about 1 in 8 Americans and is a major piece of the nations social safety net. Word in October that it would be a Nov. 1 casualty of the shutdown sent states, food banks and SNAP recipients scrambling to figure out how to secure food. Some states said they would spend their own funds to keep versions of the program going. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The program costs around $8 billion per month nationally. Democratic state attorneys general or governors from 25 states, as well as the District of Columbia, challenged the plan to pause the program, contending that the administration has a legal obligation to keep it running in their jurisdictions. The administration said it wasnt allowed to use a contingency fund with about $5 billion in it for the program, which reversed a USDA plan from before the shutdown that said money would be tapped to keep SNAP running. The Democratic officials argued that not only could that money be used, it must be. They also said a separate fund with around $23 billion is available for the cause. A federal judge in Rhode Island ruled from a bench that the program must be funded using at least the contingency funds and asked for an update on progress by Monday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A Massachusetts-based judge also gave the administration until Monday to say whether it would partially pay for the benefits for November with contingency money or fund them fully with additional funds It wasnt immediately clear how quickly the debit cards that beneficiaries use to buy groceries could be reloaded after the ruling. That process often takes one to two weeks. The rulings are likely to face appeals. In a hearing in Boston Thursday on a legal challenge filed by the Democratic officials from 25 states, one federal judge seemed skeptical of the administrations argument that SNAP benefits could be halted. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani told lawyers that if the government cant afford to cover the cost, theres a process to follow rather than simply suspending all benefits. The steps involve finding an equitable way of reducing benefits, said Talwani, who was nominated to the court by former President Barack Obama. Talwani seemed to be leaning toward requiring the government to put billions of dollars in emergency funds toward SNAP. That, she said, is her interpretation of what Congress intended when an agencys funding runs out. If you dont have money, you tighten your belt, she said in court. You are not going to make everyone drop dead because its a political game someplace. Government lawyers say a contingency fund containing some $5 billion cannot legally be used to maintain SNAP, a program that costs about $8 billion a month. The states say it must be used for that purpose and point to more money available in a second federal account with around $23 billion. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Talwani said her ruling would apply nationwide, not just in the states that are part of the challenge. That could defy the intentions of the U.S. Supreme Court, which has limited the use of nationwide injunctions, though it hasnt prohibited them. Meanwhile, states, food banks and recipients have been bracing for an abrupt shift in how low-income people can get groceries. The majority of states have announced more or expedited funding for food banks or novel ways to load at least some benefits onto the debit cards used in the program. Advocates and beneficiaries say halting the food aid would force people to choose between buying groceries and paying other bills. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At a Washington news conference Friday, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, whose department runs SNAP, said the contingency funds in question would not cover the cost of SNAP for long. Speaking at a press conference with House Speaker Mike Johnson at the Capitol, she blamed Democrats for conducting a disgusting dereliction of duty by refusing to end their Senate filibuster as they hold out for an extension of health care funds. A push this week to continue SNAP funding during the shutdown failed in Congress. To qualify for SNAP in 2025, a family of fours net income after certain expenses cant exceed the federal poverty line, which is about $31,000 per year. Last year, SNAP provided assistance to 41 million people, nearly two-thirds of whom were families with children, according to the lawsuit. ___ Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mulvihill reported from Haddonfield, New Jersey; and Kruesi from Providence, Rhode Island. Associated Press reporter Lisa Mascaro in Washington, D.C., contributed. Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW Two federal judges ruled nearly simultaneously on Friday that President Donald Trumps administration must continue to pay for SNAP, the nations biggest food aid program, using emergency reserve funds during the government shutdown. The judges in Massachusetts and Rhode Island gave the administration leeway on whether to fund the program partially or in full for November. That also brings uncertainty about how things will unfold and will delay payments for many beneficiaries whose cards would normally be recharged early in the month. The U.S. Department of Agriculture planned to freeze payments to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program starting Nov. 1 because it said it could no longer keep funding it due to the shutdown. The program serves about 1 in 8 Americans and is a major piece of the nations social safety net - and it costs about $8 billion per month nationally. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, a Minnesota Democrat and the ranking member of the Senate Agriculture committee that oversees the food aid program, said Fridays rulings from judges nominated to the bench by former President Barack Obama confirm what Democrats have been saying: The administration is choosing not to feed Americans in need, despite knowing that it is legally required to do so. Judges agree at least one fund must go toward SNAP Democratic state attorneys general or governors from 25 states, as well as the District of Columbia, challenged the plan to pause the program, contending that the administration has a legal obligation to keep it running in their jurisdictions. The administration said it wasnt allowed to use a contingency fund of about $5 billion for the program, which reversed a USDA plan from before the shutdown that said money would be tapped to keep SNAP running. The Democratic officials argued that not only could that money be used, but that it must be. They also said a separate fund with around $23 billion is available for the cause. In Providence, Rhode Island, U.S. District Judge John J. McConnell ruled from the bench in a case filed by cities and nonprofits that the program must be funded using at least the contingency funds, and he asked for an update on progress by Monday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Along with ordering the federal government to use emergency reserves to backfill SNAP benefits, McConnell ruled that all previous work requirement waivers must continue to be honored. The USDA during the shutdown has terminated existing waivers that exempted work requirements for older adults, veterans and others. There were similar elements in the Boston case, where U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani ruled in a written opinion that the USDA has to pay for SNAP, calling the suspension unlawful. She ordered the federal government to advise the court by Monday as to whether they will use the emergency reserve funds to provide reduced SNAP benefits for November or fully fund the program using both contingency funds and additional available funds. Defendants suspension of SNAP payments was based on the erroneous conclusion that the Contingency Funds could not be used to ensure continuation of SNAP payments, she wrote. This court has now clarified that Defendants are required to use those Contingency Funds as necessary for the SNAP program. For many, benefits will still be delayed after the ruling No matter how the rulings came down, the benefits for millions of people will be delayed in November because the process of loading cards can take a week or more in many states. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The administration did not immediately say whether it would appeal the rulings. States, food banks and SNAP recipients have been bracing for an abrupt shift in how low-income people can get groceries. Advocates and beneficiaries say halting the food aid would force people to choose between buying groceries and paying other bills. The majority of states have announced more or expedited funding for food banks or novel ways to load at least some benefits onto the SNAP debit cards. Across the U.S., advocates who had been sounding the alarm for weeks about the pending SNAP benefits cut off let out a small sigh of relief on Friday as the rulings came down, while acknowledging the win is temporary and possibly not complete. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thousands of nonprofit food banks, pantries and other organizations across the country can avoid the impossible burden that would have resulted if SNAP benefits had been halted, said Diane Yentel, president and CEO of the National Council of Nonprofits, one of the plaintiffs in the Rhode Island case. The possibility of reduced benefits also means uncertainty Cynthia Kirkhart, CEO of Facing Hunger Food Bank in Huntington, West Virginia, said her organization and the pantries it serves in Kentucky, Ohio and West Virginia will keep their extra hours this weekend, knowing that the people whose benefits usually arrive at the start of the month wont see them. What we know, unless the administration is magical, is nothing is going to happen tomorrow, she said. Kristle Johnson, a 32-year-old full-time nursing student and mother of three in Florida, is concerned about the possibility of reduced benefits. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Despite buying meat in bulk, careful meal planning and not buying junk food, she said, her $994 a month benefit doesnt buy a full months groceries. Now I have to deal with someone who wants to get rid of everything I have to keep my family afloat until I can better myself, Johnson said of Trump. The ruling doesnt resolve partisan tussles At a Washington news conference earlier Friday, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, whose department runs SNAP, said the contingency funds in question would not cover the cost of the program for long. Speaking at a press conference with House Speaker Mike Johnson at the Capitol, she blamed Democrats for conducting a disgusting dereliction of duty by refusing to end their Senate filibuster as they hold out for an extension of health care funds. A push this week to continue SNAP funding during the shutdown failed in Congress. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To qualify for SNAP in 2025, a family of fours net income after certain expenses cant exceed the federal poverty line, which is about $31,000 per year. Last year, SNAP provided assistance to 41 million people, nearly two-thirds of whom were families with children. The courts ruling protects millions of families, seniors, and veterans from being used as leverage in a political fight and upholds the principle that no one in America should go hungry, Skye Perryman, president and CEO of Democracy Forward, said of the Rhode Island decision. ___ Copyright Notice: Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] Two federal judges ruled nearly simultaneously on Friday that President Donald Trumps administration must continue to fund SNAP, the nations biggest food aid program, using contingency funds during the government shutdown. The judges in Massachusetts and Rhode Island gave the administration leeway on whether to fund the program partially or in full for November. The rulings came a day before the U.S. Department of Agriculture planned to freeze payments to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program because it said it could no longer keep funding it due to the shutdown. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement READ: Cabarrus County food pantries brace for SNAP benefit cuts The program serves about 1 in 8 Americans and is a major piece of the nations social safety net and it costs about $8 billion per month nationally. Democratic state attorneys general or governors from 25 states, as well as the District of Columbia, challenged the plan to pause the program, contending that the administration has a legal obligation to keep it running in their jurisdictions. The administration said it wasnt allowed to use a contingency fund with about $5 billion in it for the program, which reversed a USDA plan from before the shutdown that said money would be tapped to keep SNAP running. The Democratic officials argued that not only could that money be used, but it must be. They also said a separate fund with around $23 billion is available for the cause. WATCH: Cabarrus County food pantries brace for SNAP benefit cuts Two federal judges told the U.S. Department of Agriculture in separate rulings Friday that it must begin using billions of dollars in contingency funding to provide federal food assistance to poor American families despite the federal shutdown, but gave the agency until Monday to decide how to do so. Both Obama-appointed judges rejected Trump administration arguments that more than $5 billion in USDA contingency funds could not legally be tapped to continue Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits for nearly 42 million people about 1 in 8 Americans while the federal government remains closed. But both also left unclear how exactly the relief should be provided, or when it will arrive for millions of families set to lose benefits starting Saturday. The two rulings came almost simultaneously Friday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Massachusetts, U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani stopped short of granting California and a coalition of 24 other Democrat-led states a temporary restraining order they had requested. But she ruled that the states were likely to succeed in their arguments that the USDA's total shutoff of SNAP benefits despite having billions in emergency contingency funds on hand was unlawful. Talwani gave USDA until Monday to tell her whether they would authorize "only reduced SNAP benefits" using the contingency funding which would not cover the total $8.5 billion to $9 billion needed for all November benefits, according to the USDA or would authorize "full SNAP benefits using both the Contingency Funds and additional available funds." Separately, in Rhode Island, U.S. District Judge John McConnell granted a temporary restraining order requested by nonprofit organizations, ruling from the bench that SNAP must be funded with at least the contingency funds "as soon as possible," and requesting an update on progress by Monday. California Atty. Gen. Rob Bonta whose office helped bring the states' lawsuit praised the decisions of the two courts, saying SNAP benefits "provide an essential hunger safety net" to 5.5 million Californians. "Simply put, the stakes could not be higher." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Skye Perryman, president and chief executive of Democracy Forward, which represented the nonprofit groups, said the ruling in that case "affirms what both the law and basic decency require" and "protects millions of families, seniors, and veterans from being used as leverage in a political fight." It was not clear if the administration would appeal the rulings. President Trump wrote in a post to his Truth Social platform that he does not want Americans to go hungry and that he had instructed the government's lawyers "to ask the Court to clarify how we can legally fund SNAP as soon as possible," as it would be his "HONOR" to provide the funding with "appropriate legal direction by the Court." "It is already delayed enough due to the Democrats keeping the Government closed through the monthly payment date and, even if we get immediate guidance, it will unfortunately be delayed while States get the money out," Trump wrote, before urging SNAP recipients to call Democrats in Congress and demand they end the shutdown. While the orders were a win for states and the nation's SNAP recipients, they do not mean that all those recipients will be spared a lapse in their food aid, state officials stressed. State and local food banks continued scrambling to prepare for a deluge of need starting Saturday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Asked Thursday if a ruling in the states' favor would mean SNAP funds would be immediately loaded onto CalFresh and other benefits cards, Bonta said "the answer is no, unfortunately." Read more: 'I'm terrified': Hunger looms as millions brace for loss of food aid amid shutdown "Our best estimates are that [SNAP benefit] cards could be loaded and used in about a week," he said, calling that lag "problematic." "There could be about a week where people are hungry and need food," he said. For new applicants to the program, he said, it could take even longer. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The rulings came as the now monthlong shutdown continued Friday with no immediate end in sight. They also came after Trump called Thursday for the Senate to end the shutdown by first ending the filibuster, a longstanding rule that requires 60 votes to overcome objections to legislation. The rule has traditionally been favored by lawmakers as a means of blocking particularly partisan measures, and is currently being used by Democrats to resist the will of the current 53-seat Republican majority. Los Angeles Regional Food Bank Chief Executive Michael Flood, standing alongside Bonta as members of the California National Guard worked behind them stuffing food boxes Thursday, said his organization was preparing for massive weekend lines, similar to those seen during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. "This is a disaster type of situation," Flood said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "5.5 million Californians, 1.5 million children and adults in L.A. County alone, will be left high and dry illegally so, unnecessarily so, in a way that is morally bankrupt," Bonta said. Bonta blamed the shutdown on Trump and his administration, and said the USDA broke the law by not tapping its contingency funds to continue payments. Bonta said SNAP benefits have never been disrupted during previous federal government shutdowns, and should never have been disrupted during this shutdown, either. "That was avoidable," he said. "Trump created this problem." The Trump administration has blamed the shutdown and the looming disruption to SNAP benefits entirely on Democrats in Congress, who have blocked short-term spending measures to restart the government and fund SNAP. Democrats are holding out to pressure Republicans into rescinding massive cuts to subsidies that help millions of Americans afford health insurance. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read more: Newsom warns Californians' SNAP benefits could be delayed because of federal shutdown Abigail Jackson, a White House spokesperson, previously told The Times that Democrats should be the ones getting asked "when the shutdown will end," because "they are the ones who have decided to shut down the government so they can use working Americans and SNAP benefits as 'leverage' to pursue their radical left wing agenda." "Americans are suffering because of Democrats," Jackson said. In their opposition to the states' request for a temporary restraining order requiring the disbursement of funds, attorneys for the USDA argued that using emergency funds to cover November SNAP benefits would deplete funds meant to provide "critical support in the event of natural disasters and other uncontrollable catastrophes," and could actually cause more disruption to benefits down the line. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They wrote that SNAP requires between $8.5 billion and $9 billion each month, and the USDA's contingency fund has only about $5.25 billion, meaning it could not fully fund November benefits even if it did release contingency funding. Meanwhile, "a partial payment has never been made and for good reason," because it would force every state to recalculate benefits for recipients and then recalibrate their systems to provide the new amounts, they wrote. That "would take weeks, if it can be done at all," and would then have to be undone in order to issue December benefits at normal levels, assuming the shutdown would have lifted by then, they wrote. Simply pausing the benefits to immediately be reissued whenever the shutdown ends is the smarter and less disruptive course of action, they argued. In addition to suing the administration, California and its leaders have been rushing to ensure that hungry families have something to eat in coming days. Gov. Gavin Newsom directed $80 million to food banks to stock up on provisions, and activated the National Guard to help package food for those who need it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Counties have also been working to offset the need, including by directing additional funding to food banks and other resource centers and asking partners in the private sector to assist. Dozens of organizations in California have written to Newsom calling on him to use state funds to fully cover the missing federal benefits, in order to prevent "a crisis of unthinkable magnitude," but Newsom has suggested that is not possible given the scale of funding withheld. SNAP served about 41.7 million people in 2024, at an annual cost of nearly $100 billion, according to the USDA. Children and older people accounted for more than 63% of California recipients. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Get the L.A. Times California Politics newsletter. Deeply reported insights into legislation, politics and policy from Sacramento, Washington and beyond, in your inbox twice per week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Updated Nov. 4 The White House said Tuesday afternoon that the administration would partially fund the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program that feeds some 42 million Americans, including 16 million children, hours after President Donald J. Trump threatened to withhold the money and defy a court order. Multiple news outlets reported that press secretary Karoline Leavitt walked back the presidents remarks, saying the administration would comply with last weeks ruling that it could not cut off all funding to the federal food assistance program known as SNAP . Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Truth Social Tuesday morning, Trump wrote: SNAP BENEFITS, which increased by Billions and Billions of Dollars (MANY FOLD!) during Crooked Joe Bidens disastrous term in office (Due to the fact that they were haphazardly handed to anyone for the asking, as opposed to just those in need, which is the purpose of SNAP!), will be given only when the Radical Left Democrats open up government, which they can easily do, and not before! The presidents post sparked anger and confusion among advocates Tuesday, who said theyve been working with the federal government to get the critical aid flowing. Gina Plata-Nino, interim director for SNAP at the Food Research & Action Center, called Trumps apparent reversal on providing partial funding cruel and intentionally harmful to needy families. He has to follow the law, she said of the president. The agencies are already working on this. USDA [U.S. Department of Agriculture] already agreed to comply and issued the memo guidance form last night. Last week, two federal judges ruled that the Trump administration could not withhold SNAP funding. The government then agreed to a partial payment using contingency monies, but said it would not tap other sources to fully cover the food assistance program. Advocates say families can expect to receive just 50% of their typical allotment for the month of November. And its unclear when the aid will arrive. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, multiple outlets reported Tuesday that one of those judges, U.S. District Judge John McConnell of Rhode Island, has scheduled a hearing Thursday afternoon to consider a new motion that would force the USDA to provide the full $8 billion needed for November benefits. Two federal judges on Friday ruled against President Donald Trumps move to suspend food stamp benefits starting Nov. 1 amid the month-long government shutdown, with each noting contingency funding is available. Its unclear if the Trump administration plans an appeal or how quickly food assistance can flow to the 42 million Americans who rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. Sixteen million of them are children, putting pressure on schools to address their needs. U.S. District Judge John McConnell of Rhode Island ordered the U.S. Department of Agriculture to distribute the funds in a timely manner using contingency money. Get stories like this delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for The 74 Newsletter SNAP benefits have never, until now, been terminated, McConnell said, as reported in The Hill. And the United States has in fact admitted that the contingency funds are appropriately used during a shutdown, and that occurred in 2019. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a separate ruling, U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani of Massachusetts gave the Trump administration until Monday to decide whether it will provide at least some food stamp benefits to recipients. She indicated the suspension of SNAP benefits is contrary to law. She found fault with the defendants assertion that the U.S Department of Agriculture is prohibited from funding SNAP because Congress has not enacted new appropriations for the current fiscal year. To the contrary, defendants are statutorily mandated to use the previously appropriated SNAP contingency reserve when necessary and also have discretion to use other previously appropriated funds, she wrote. Despite the judges rulings, many advocates say some kids will go hungry in November because the process for obtaining the aid consists of multiple steps some of which have already been missed for those who receive help at the start of every month. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Oct. 28, more than 20 states, the District of Columbia, and three governors sued the USDA for suspending Novembers SNAP benefits. They called the move unprecedented and illegal. SNAP is one of our nations most effective tools to fight hunger, and the USDA has the money to keep it running, New York Attorney General Letitia James, long embroiled in her own legal battle with the president, said in a statement. There is no excuse for this administration to abandon families who rely on SNAP, or food stamps, as a lifeline. The federal government must do its job to protect families. Gina Plata-Nino, interim director for SNAP at the Food Research & Action Center, said her organization encouraged the USDA to tap into its contingency and reserve funds to save children and families from going hungry. By refusing this opportunity, at least some recipients will likely miss their allotment. Plata-Nino said states were directed by federal officials on Oct. 10 to stop reporting critical data a list of household eligibility and food stamp allocation information they send directly to electronic benefit transfer contractors, who are key in distributing the aid. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Even in the best-case scenario, if the judge says, We rule in your favor and we demand that this happens right now, and the Trump administration doesnt appeal the process of getting benefits into recipients accounts would take time, she said. Arlen Benjamin-Gomez, executive director of EdTrust New York, a statewide education policy and advocacy organization, said its clear that serious damage has already been done to what is an essential program. We know from what has happened so far with this administration that when they make announcements like this, it does have a direct impact on programs and the ability to sustain them, she said. For example, there was an announcement of federal cuts to Head Start very early on in the administration, and the program actually shut down. Its still recovering. So, we cant predict the chaos that is spread by this most recent effort to cut benefits. Related As Time Runs Out, a Dozen Head Start Families and Providers Share Their Fears Benjamin-Gomez praised New York for declaring a state of emergency on the matter: Gov. Kathy Hochul is committing an additional $65 million in new state funds for emergency food aid to support state food banks. But not all states will do the same. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ian Coon, spokesperson for Alliance for Education, an independent, local education fund that supports Seattle Public Schools, said his organization has already earmarked funding to bridge the gap for those in need. He said the Alliance decided in late October to fund $150,000 in gift cards to area food stores for families in crisis. He said school staff will help identify children in need and offer the assistance of $25, $50 or $100. The $150,000 comes from a reserve fund. We are fully aware its not a long-term solution, but we needed to do something, Coon said. Carolyn Vega, associate director of policy analysis for Share Our Strength, which runs No Kid Hungry, said her organization also does not predict an abrupt or smooth end to the suffering of American families who rely on these benefits. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We are not holding our breath for the money to start flowing today, she said. Kids cant wait: Families have to eat every single day. We know from our extensive work with schools that teachers already see kids show up to school hungry on Monday mornings. We can only imagine how much worse that would be if a family came in and were expecting to see benefits on Saturday and they did not. Its an unbelievable strain for food banks. We know that schools will be an important resource for many families, but they cant fill in the gap. In fiscal year 2023, nearly 80% of SNAP households included either a child, an elderly person or a non-elderly individual with a disability, according to the USDA. About 39% of SNAP participants were children that year. A statement on the federal agencys website blames Senate Democrats for the shutdown. They can continue to hold out for healthcare for illegal aliens and gender mutilation procedures or reopen the government so mothers, babies, and the most vulnerable among us can receive critical nutrition assistance, the statement read. The department declined to comment on the judges rulings. ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) The Buffalo Federal Detention Facility has recently updated its security protocols and no longer accepts personal book shipments for detainees, marking it as the first federal detention facility in the country to do so. For years, volunteer book coordinators for the nonprofit organization, Justice for Migrant Families WNY, had been able to send books to detainees at the detention facility. These books were ordered online by volunteers, shipped directly from distributors like Barnes and Noble, and delivered to the detention facility. However, after the change in protocol in July 2025, these books have been returned to distributors, and volunteers received refunds. Abigail Cooke, one of those volunteers, believes this ban is less about security and more about intimidation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This ban on books at Batavia is really part of a bigger pattern of trying to make life inside the detention center as lonely and miserable and hopeless as possible, she said. And I think the reason for that is, at least partly, to try and encourage people to self-deport before they actually have the opportunity to have their cases heard before the immigration judge and actually get due process that they deserve. News 8 reached out to representatives from ICE to better understand the reasoning behind the protocol change. They responded with the following statement: The Buffalo Federal Detention Facility recently reviewed its mail-handling procedures and, in July 2025, discontinued the practice of accepting personal book shipments for detainees. During that review, officials identified security risks associated with the direct-mail program. Although ICEs Performance-Based National Detention Standards do not require facilities to accept books mailed to individuals, Batavia had voluntarily provided that option for several years. The change affects only personal packages of books. Detainees continue to have full access to: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement An on-site law library and a separate recreational reading library Religious texts supplied on request through the facilitys chaplaincy A broad catalog of e-books and periodicals available on facility-issued tablets At present, this adjustment is limited to the Buffalo facility; no nationwide modification to book-delivery rules has been issued. Cooke said the majority of the requested books from detainees were for education, such as Spanish to English dictionaries, or self-improvement, among other genres such as fantasy, science fiction, romance, and others. Regardless of what book genre the detainees are requesting or for what reason, Cooke believes its their right as human beings to receive this literature. For whatever reason that people want those books, like we are going to try our hardest to get them what they actually are asking for as a small measure of respecting their sort of dignity as human beings and having sort of a shred of autonomy and choice in a system that is very dehumanizing, she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As stated in an article by the publication New York Focus, some have expressed concern that the banning of personal shipments of books to detainees impinges on their First Amendment rights. We dont think this is legal. We dont think its necessary. We dont think its keeping anyone safer. We just think its cruel, Cooke said. According to the American Library Association, The right to speak and the right to publish under the First Amendment has been interpreted widely to protect individuals and society from government attempts to suppress ideas and information, and to forbid government censorship of books, magazines, and newspapers as well as art, film, music, and materials on the internet. We, in the US, believe that people should have access to information. That what they can read, the kind of information that they can read should not be limited by the government, Cooke said. There are sort of some basic human rights that we should be respecting, no matter who they are, no matter what their situation is. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cooke suggested those wishing to learn more about the situation or get involved should call their representatives and request more humane immigration detention policies. (ICE) seems sort of immune to public shaming and public outrage, she said. Understanding that this particular issue ties to the sort of much larger problems with the way that were handling immigration detention in particular right now is really, its just really cruel. If this particular issue was striking a nerve with people, if they want to reach out to their representatives and say, like, we need much, much more humane immigration policy and immigration detention policies, I would really appreciate that. 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. (Manuel Balce Ceneta/AP photo) President Donald Trump shot down reports that he has made the decision to attack Venezuela on Friday. Trump, speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One while en route to Florida on Friday, said he had not come to a decision regarding military action in Venezuela, Bloomberg State Department reporter Eric Martin posted on X, citing the outlets White House reporter, Hadriana Lowenkron. NEW: Trump tells reporters on Air Force One that he has NOT made a decision regarding a potential attack against #Venezuela, denying media reports, per @hlowenkron. Eric Martin (@EMPosts) October 31, 2025 Trumps remarks came after the Miami Herald reported that an attack on military installations in Venezuela could come at any moment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Tensions between the U.S. and Venezuela have been high for weeks, as the Trump administration has conducted repeated military strikes on suspected drug cartel boats off the coast of the South American country. Videos shared by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth show the boats exploding in the water and in flames after the attacks. Some American lawmakers, including Republican Rand Paul (KY), have questioned the legality of such military action. Nicolas Maduro remains Venezuelas president despite strong evidence he lost the last presidential election. The U.S. State Department has offered a $50 million reward for information leading to Maduros arrest and conviction. The post JUST IN: Trump Denies Hes Already Made Decision to Attack Venezuela first appeared on Mediaite. PIERRE, S.D. (KELO) A Sioux Falls man who tried to represent his sister in court isnt being allowed to do so, because he isnt an attorney, according to the South Dakota Supreme Court. In an opinion publicly released this week, the states high court said Bruce Danielson can make decisions on behalf of Terese Danielson, who has developmental disabilities, because he is her court-appointed guardian. But he cant appeal to circuit court or the Supreme Court the decision by LifeScape to terminate services to her, the justices said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Danielson attempted to appeal the termination of services in circuit court, but LifeScape argued that the appeal should be dismissed because a non-attorney may not appear pro se to represent another person in a legal action. Pro se is a Latin phrase meaning for oneself. Circuit Judge John Pekas gave Danielson 30 days to find a lawyer. When Danielson didnt, Judge Pekas dismissed the appeal. Danielson then appealed to the South Dakota Supreme Court. Justice Scott Myren wrote the Supreme Courts unanimous decision dismissing Danielsons appeal. Justice Myren pointed to the precedent of a 1929 South Dakota Supreme Court decision, Stevens v. Jas A. Smith Lumber Co., that stated, Proceedings in a suit by a person not entitled to practice are a nullity. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Supreme Courts dismissal of Danielsons appeal carried a footnote quoting the South Dakota law that says a license from the Supreme Court is required to practice law in South Dakota. That law specifically says, No person, except as provided in 16-18-2, may practice as an attorney and counselor at law in any court of record within this state, either by using or subscribing his or her own name or the name of any other person, without having previously obtained a license for that purpose from the Supreme Court of this state and having become an active member in good standing of the State Bar of South Dakota. A violation of this section is a Class 1 misdemeanor. Wrote Justice Myren, Because he may not represent her in court proceedings, the notice of appeal he filed was ineffective to invoke this Courts appellate jurisdiction. Justice Janine Kern filed a special concurrence, which was joined by Justice Patricia DeVaney. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Justice Kern wrote that other jurisdictions take a different approach when timely notices of appeal are filed by non-attorneys on behalf of an appellant. While we have not previously contemplated whether or how this alternative approach would conform to our existing rules of appellate procedure, some courts have held that the filing of a notice of appeal by a nonattorney does not automatically render the appeal a nullity. Instead of dismissing an appeal as a nullity, Justice Kern said, those courts determine a time in which the appellant must obtain an attorney. This is essentially the approach taken by the circuit court here when it gave Bruce additional time to obtain legal counsel to proceed with Tereses administrative appeal, she wrote. Justice Kern wrote that, by taking an alternative approach, These courts acknowledge that the nullity approach can result in harsh consequences because it ultimately harms the person or entity in need of representation. These unintended harsh consequences are further worsened by the gap in legal services available to indigent persons. Justice Kern noted that the Stevens decision cited by Justice Myren involved the filing of an answer by an attorney who was not licensed in South Dakota, not a notice of appeal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She wrote, It is not so clear from SDCL 15-26A-4 that the timely filing and service of a notice of appeal by a nonattorney on behalf of the appellant, while perhaps a violation of SDCL 16-16-1 as it relates to the non-attorney filer, is a nullity that deprives this Court of jurisdiction to hear the appeal. In my view, depending on the circumstances of the case, particularly those involving appellants who may not be competent to file a notice of appeal on their own behalf, this Court could exercise its discretion to allow such appellants to proceed with a timely-filed appeal so long as they obtain legal counsel to represent them and file the briefs going forward. In Danielsons case, Justice Kern stated that Judge Pekas had already provided Danielson an opportunity to get an attorney and Danielson hadnt. Thus, I agree that we must dismiss this appeal, she concluded. 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. Donald Trump is facing criticism from one of his former presidential rivals over a new addition coming to the White House. Kamala Harris has come out with harsh criticism of the US President, who plans to demolish the East Wing of the White House for a special project. The President intends to have a ballroom built in that area, something which will cost hundreds of millions of dollars. I mean, are you f*cking kidding me? Kamala questioned. The former US Vice President says hes creating a ballroom for his rich friends and ignoring other, more pressing needs. Kamala Harris calls out President Donald Trump Photo Credit: Paras Griffin/Getty Images Devoting time, energy and a lot of money to a new ballroom is not the best use of the Presidents time, according to Kamala. Speaking on The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart, the 2024 Democratic Presidential nominee expressed concern about what this project will mean to another vital program. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Babies are gonna starve when the SNAP benefits end, she began. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) provides food purchasing assistance for millions of low-to no-income Americans. The construction of this ballroom was initially estimated to cost approximately $200 million. Renovations have reportedly upped that price to $300 million. Kamala noted that Donald gave Argentina a $20 billion bailout. She adds that the crucial SNAP funding costs $8 billion. Kamala has previously said that she may want to run for President again in 2028. She could have some competition for the nomination. For his part Donald has said the ballroom is necessary and will benefit Americans for decades to come. The President fired all six members of The Commission of Fine Arts, a board that oversees architecture in Washington, D.C. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some new members who align more closely with the Presidents policies will be appointed. TELL US IS A WHITE HOUSE BALLROOM A WORTHWHILE INVESTMENT? The post Kamala Harris Calls Out Donald Trumps East Wing Destruction: Are You Fing Kidding Me? appeared first on Reality Tea. Former Vice President Kamala Harris described the complicated relationship she has with her former boss during an interview on the The Diary of a CEO podcast, published on Thursday. I have a great deal of affection for him, and there were times that Ive been quite candid about where he greatly disappointed me, and frankly, you know, angered me, Harris said of former President Joe Biden. As one example of this dynamic, Harris pointed to a call with Biden prior to a high-stakes debate she was doing against now-President Donald Trump. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In that call, in addition to wishing her well, Biden allegedly told Harris there was a group of people in Pennsylvania who were saying bad things about me because they heard I was saying bad things about him. I was angry and deeply disappointed. It just was so unnecessary, Harris said of the message, which she found to be self-serving and not the pep talk she was anticipating. My takeaway is his motivation was all about himself, Harris said. It wasnt about my performance at the debate. Though Harris answered yes when asked if their relationship was complicated, she also acknowledged its a good relationship. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Harris said that she and Biden remain friends, and noted he had just called her two days prior to the podcast taping for her birthday. Her revelations add to candid comments shes made about her 2024 presidential campaign and her ties with different political leaders as she promotes her book, 107 Days. Related... Read the original on HuffPost One in 11 Missourians and Kansans gets help feeding their families from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. But more than 800,000 recipients in the two states, along with people across the country are expected to miss their food assistance starting on Saturday, Nov. 1. But there are ways to get food and help in the Kansas City area. The SNAP suspension is expected to last as long as the government shutdown, which began Oct. 1. When the shutdown ends, Missouri Department of Social Services says it will restore SNAP benefits as soon as possible. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement People can still use their October benefits on their EBT cards after the Oct. 31, though it is unclear if recipients will get retroactive SNAP funds. The SNAP suspension leaves many people primarily families, people with disabilities and seniors low on food. Nonprofit organizations like Harvesters, faith groups, schools, businesses and individuals are working to fill the large gaps left by SNAP, also known as food stamps. Kansas City area food bank Harvesters says for every meal their network provides, SNAP provides nine. Harvesters acts as a hub for food pantries in the Kansas City area: receiving pallets of food in its warehouse, repackaging the items and distributing them to shelters and soup kitchens. In Missouri, the Department of Social Services published FAQs on the government shutdowns effects on SNAP. Missouri WIC and TANF households will continue to receive benefits. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Kansas, keep updated on the status of SNAP in the Sunflower State on the Department for Children and Families website. On Oct. 28, Gov. Laura Kelly joined a 25-state lawsuit alleging the Trump administration cannot stop food aid like SNAP. WIC and TANF services will still be available in Kansas. In Wyandotte County, 17% of residents receive SNAP, along with 14% in Jackson County, 10% in Cass County, 8% in Clay, 5% in Platte and 4% in Johnson, according to 2016 data collected by the U.S. Census Bureau. How can I find a food bank during SNAP suspension? To find food in the Kansas City area, go to harvesters.org/get-food-assistance/food-locator. There, you can put in your ZIP code to see the pantries, drive-thru food pickups and kitchens in your area. Here is a list of all the drive-thru food pickups happening in the next four weeks. These food distributions are located outside of community centers, churches, government buildings and schools. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In addition to organized, long-standing programs, there are other, nontraditional ways to get help in the Kansas City area: Thelmas Kitchen, a Pay-What-You-Can community cafe at 31st and Troost, is the first of its kind in Kansas City. Built on Reconciliation Services, Thelmas aims to bring people together and transform Troost Ave from a dividing line into a gathering place. What if I dont have a car or cant leave my house? Many drive-thru food pickups also allow people to walk up, according to Harvesters. Bring a wagon, backpack or other carrier to transport the food. If you dont have transportation, call the Harvesters Customer Care Line at 877-653-9519 to get connected to an organization that provides home delivery. I live elsewhere in Missouri or Kansas, where can I go? For those outside of the Kansas City area, you can find food in your area with online tools. Go to the Feeding Missouri website or the Kansas Food Source website. Where else can I find assistance? If you need help affording housing, health care, clothes or anything else, look for resources on United Ways website or call 211. A Harvesters volunteer packs boxed goods at the distribution warehouse on Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2025, in Kansas City. The food bank is working to supply local pantries amid the government shutdown affecting SNAP benefits. How can I help with SNAP being suspended? For those able to help, there are many ways to support your neighbors. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Harvesters spokesperson Matt Hamer said, Theres no shortage of need so anything that you can do. Its time that we can all join together and try to step up. You can send money to fulfill a mutual aid request, clean out your pantry and offer extra items on a buy nothing group, or ask your favorite local nonprofit how you can volunteer. Here are four ways to help, according to Harvesters. Donate money Many agencies have agreements where they can buy food for less than it costs at stores. For example, Harvesters says for every dollar donated, they can help provide two meals. Donate food You can drop off food to your local food pantry or a Harvesters barrel in grocery stores. Harvesters says these are their most-requested items Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Canned vegetables (low sodium) Canned fruits in 100% juice Dried fruit (no added sugar preferred) Canned chicken, tuna, salmon (packed in water) Brown rice Whole grain pasta Dried beans or canned low sodium beans Peanut, almond, or sun butter Canned soup (chicken, tomato or vegetable) Cereal hot and cold (whole grain, low sugar preferred) Soap Deodorant Shampoo Toilet Paper Volunteer Find food pantries where you can volunteer on the Harvesters website. If you need an activity for all ages, you can write cards for seniors to put in their food boxes or make reusable bags out of old T-shirts so people can carry their food home without plastic bags. Advocate Harvesters asks supporters to contact their Congress members to reopen the government. You can use Harvesters pre-filled form or find your representatives on BallotReady.org. The Stars Laura Bauer contributed to this report. Did we miss anything? Contact the Service Journalism team at kcq@kcstar.com. As people around the country begin to celebrate Halloween this weekend, FBI Director Kash Patel shared on Friday that the bureau arrested multiple suspects who were allegedly plotting a potential terrorist attack in Michigan over the holiday weekend. This morning the FBI thwarted a potential terrorist attack and arrested multiple subjects in Michigan who were allegedly plotting a violent attack over Halloween weekend. More details to come, Patel wrote in a statement on X. This morning the FBI thwarted a potential terrorist attack and arrested multiple subjects in Michigan who were allegedly plotting a violent attack over Halloween weekend. More details to come. Thanks to the men and women of FBI and law enforcement everywhere standing guard 24/7 FBI Director Kash Patel (@FBIDirectorKash) October 31, 2025 Thanks to the men and women of FBI and law enforcement everywhere standing guard 24/7 and crushing our mission to defend the homeland, Patel added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a post on Facebook, the Dearborn Police Department confirmed that the FBI carried out an operation in the Detroit suburb Friday morning. We want to assure our residents that there is no threat to the community at this time, the departments post added, per CBS News. An FBI agent stands by an Evidence Response Team truck outside a home in a Dearborn, Mich., neighborhood on Friday, Oct. 31, 2025. | Mike Householder According to NBC News, the court documents for the case are sealed but it involves federal charges and arrests. Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer wrote in a post on X that she was briefed by the FBI on the operation. As details continue to develop, I am grateful for the swift action of the FBI and MSP protecting Michiganders, she wrote. This morning, I was briefed by Director Patel on the thwarted potential terrorist attack in our state . As details continue to develop, I am grateful for the swift action of the FBI and MSP protecting Michiganders. Governor Gretchen Whitmer (@GovWhitmer) October 31, 2025 Jordan Hall, a spokesperson for the FBIs Detroit Field Office, said that FBI agents were present in two suburbs in the Detroit metro area: Dearborn and Inkster. He did not specify if the agents were involved in the investigation Patel had described but added that there is no current threat to public safety, per USA Today. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dearborn borders Detroit and is about 7 miles west of downtown, and Inkster is about 12 miles west of downtown Detroit. According to NBC News, four senior law enforcement officials familiar with the case shared that the FBI apprehended a group of young individuals who were plotting an attack with a possible reference to Halloween. Those officials reported that the group is connected to some form of foreign extremism but did not say which specific group or ideology. Patels statement comes months after federal authorities reported thwarting a potential mass shooting at a military base in the Detroit area that was connected to ISIS, per USA Today. In that case a former member of the Michigan Army National Guard, Ammar Said, was charged with attempting to provide material support to a foreign terrorist organization. There is no indication that the two cases are connected. JACKSON COUNTY, Mo. Independence School District (ISD) voters will decide Tuesday whether they want their four-day school week to continue. In 2024, Missouri state leaders passed a bill that said large school districts need to get voter approval before having four-day school weeks for the 2026-2027 school year. Worlds of Fun roller coaster temporarily shut down due to safety violation Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas said if he lived in the school district boundaries, hed vote no, as some residents who live in the KCMO city limits actually live within the Independence School District boundary. However, less than 5% of the ISD students are in that situation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lucas made his opinion public on Thursday in a Facebook post. It got the attention of former Independence School District Superintendent Dr. Dale Herl. He wondered why Lucas was weighing in on the issue. One, he is not a resident of the Independence School District as he doesnt live here, nor do we have any schools that are within the boundaries of the City of Kansas City, Herl said on Thursday over Zoom. Whats going on in the Independence School District has nothing to do with his job as mayor. Before our interview with Herl, FOX4 went inside KCMO City Hall to ask Lucas about this situation. He says children gain a lot from being in the school environment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement My sister is a teacher. Shes been a public-school teacher for over 20 years, he said. I think the ways that we treat them well are better pay, are more breaks during the school day. Im just not sure that four days is the cure to address some of our greatest concerns. How corporations are contributing to rising vet care costs in Kansas City Lucas says he was not surprised by Herls pushback and the two of them just disagree on this topic. I believe right now in having a consistent viewpoint throughout our school districts in the Kansas City Metropolitan area, Lucas continued. Herl and Current ISD Interim Superintendent Dr. Cindy Grant support the four-day school week. Grant said its exciting to see the mayor interested in the district. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I have already invited him to come and take a tour of the Independence School District and to see firsthand the great things that are happening, Grant said. I would love to show him around, and I hope that he takes advantage of it. Voters will be asked whether the Independence School Board shall establish a four-day school week for the next 10 years. Grant says if the majority of the school districts voters say no Tuesday, ISD will go back to a five-day school week in 2026-2027. 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. KALAMAZOO, Mich. (WOOD) Police in Kalamazoo are looking for a suspect who was allegedly involved in at least three break-ins at the same business. Thousands of dollars worth of crossbows and related supplies have been stolen from the business, which is located on the 2,800 block of Portage Street north of Cork Street, the Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety said. On Friday, KDPS asked the community for help identifying the suspect. Police described him as a white male of average height and build. They said he has short brown hair and has been seen wearing a face mask, gloves and a sweater or jacket. KDPS also posted a surveillance image of the suspect. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The investigation remains in its early stages; however, KDPS is asking anyone who can identify the suspect or who has information about the stolen propertys whereabouts to contact detectives, the department wrote in a release. You can contact KDPS at 269.337.8139 or Silent Observer at 269.343.2100. 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. TOPEKA (KSNT) Gov. Laura Kelly has asked the Kansas Supreme Court to quickly decide whether she has the power to file lawsuits on behalf of the state, a question thats taken on new urgency as she seeks emergency federal funding for food assistance. Benefits for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program are not being distributed in November due to the month-long federal government shutdown. Kelly wants Kansas to join a multi-state lawsuit to restore the funding, but Republican Attorney General Kris Kobach has refused. The state says about 188,000 Kansans will go without food assistance unless the issue is resolved. Kelly filed a lawsuit against Kobach on Friday seeking clarification of her constitutional authority. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Heres a list of Trunk or Treat events in Topeka The lawsuit is necessary due to Attorney General Kobachs failure to defend Kansans against the Trump Administrations unlawful federal overreach, despite repeated requests from Governor Kelly to do so, said Grace Hoge, a spokeswoman for the governor, in announcing the legal action. The filing marks the latest clash between the Democratic governor and Republican attorney general, who have repeatedly sparred over legal control of the state. Kobach has joined numerous Republican-led multi-state lawsuits, while Kelly has added Kansas to two Democratic-led cases, a move Kobach has argued is beyond her constitutional power. Time and again, Attorney General Kobachs blatant partisanship is on display, harming and embarrassing Kansas, Kelly said in the news release. Not only has the Attorney Generals willful ignorance undermined my administrations efforts to protect Kansans, but it has also cost our state millions of dollars for essential programs and services. If the Attorney General refuses to stand up for Kansas, at least Kansans can rest assured knowing that I will. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Halloween Events happening in Topeka this weekend In August, Kelly joined a lawsuit challenging what she called the Trump Administrations unlawful termination of congressionally approved funds for public health and safety programs. Those programs included testing for lead in schools and child-care facilities, environmental cleanup projects, dam safety efforts and financing to improve drinking water systems. The two officials have also faced off in state court over whether Kellys administration must share Kansans personal information to secure future SNAP funding, a case that was later dismissed. The state has not lost funding as it appeals a federal order to provide the information. Kobach maintains that his office controls all litigation involving the state. Kelly disputes that, citing the Kansas Constitutions language granting the governor authority over the executive branchs actions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If the governor wants to run for the office of Attorney General, she has the right to do so. But she will need to go to law school first, Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach said in a news release. The laws of Kansas are crystal clear regarding who represents the state of Kansas in court and controls what legal positions are taken by the state of Kansas. Kansas National Guard member indicted after agreeing to photograph Fort Riley, send equipment to Russia: DOJ In her Supreme Court filing, Kelly asks for a declaration that the Governor has constitutional authority to sue, join, participate in and litigate actions or proceedings on behalf of her office and the interests of Kansas and confirmation that she has the statutory power to direct the Attorney General to sue, join, participate in and litigate actions or proceedings in the interests of Kansas. Governor Kelly is wasting the courts time, Kobach said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSNT 27 News. BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) The Kern County Board of Supervisors is slated to discuss the pros and cons, as well as the processes, of Kern becoming a charter county, according to the board agenda for Tuesday. An informational presentation about the processes will be shown during the Tuesday board meeting, according to the agenda. Kern County is one of 43 general law counties in California, which means the countys governmental structure is determined by the state constitution and general law, according to the county website. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bakersfield PD investigates bicyclist fatality in central Bakersfield Charter counties have a voter-approved charter and the autonomy to create and enforce local ordinances as long as they dont go against the states general laws. There are 15 charter counties in California, including Los Angeles, Orange, Fresno, Sacramento, San Diego, San Bernardino counties and more. During the board meeting Oct. 7, District 2 Supervisor Chris Parlier asked staff to bring a presentation about the pros and cons of being a charter county. Parlier said concerned citizens brought up potentially changing Kern County into a charter county. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bakersfield is a charter city, I believe its the only one in the county, Parlier said. I think it afforded Bakersfield some flexibility not only in pushing back on the state in some areas but again as a municipality. Never miss a story: Make KGET.com your homepage The agenda said the board is recommended to hear the presentation and provide direction. It is unknown what details the presentation will discuss or what kind of direction the board is expected to suggest as the agenda did not provide further information. A Kern County spokesperson told 17 News no additional information can be shared. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The presentation is scheduled for 9 a.m. Nov. 4 at the Kern County Administrative Centers Board Chambers at 1115 Truxtun Ave. 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. Former STRS CIO Matt Worley takes the stand in STRS trial. (Photo by Morgan Trau, WEWS.) Several key witnesses testified in Ohios trial against two of the states top pension leaders, who are accused in a civil lawsuit brought by the state of participating in a corruption scheme over investment of the multi-billion dollar fund. Its the erosion of confidence in the institution that safeguards retirement security for Ohios teachers, Assistant Attorney General Chad Kohler said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The state is arguing that the State Teachers Retirement System (STRS) board chair, Rudy Fichtenbaum, should be removed from his position, and Franklin County Court of Common Pleas Judge Karen Held Phipps should ban both him and former board member Wade Steen from ever returning to public pensions. Theres been no proof of any of the salacious accusations, Norman Abood, attorney for Wade Steen, said. In summary, the state is accusing Fichtenbaum and Steen of attempting to contract steer 70% of STRS assets to QED, a startup investment firm. The AGs office says QEDs leaders, Seth Metcalf and JD Tremmel, have backdoor ties and no track record, clients, or capability to invest the $65 billion they were seeking. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Former CIO Matt Worley was one of the first to raise concerns about the situation and their qualifications. They would fail miserably at all due diligence that had taken place, Worley testified. We also thought they were using their viewpoint about STRS and trying to scare trustees into coming to them for a solution. Worley made his feelings abundantly clear during a now-archived meeting we obtained via records request. We would not invest all $65 billion with one manager, Matt Worley said, laughing during a November 2021 meeting. That would be crazy. He said when denied, he believes QED, Fichtenbnaum, and Steen helped push a smear campaign against STRS and specific staff members. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Personal attacks in campaigns, personal attacks on us as well, Worley testified, adding that there was massive criticism on the investment returns that had never been there prior to the denial of QED. Trying to poison the well. But the defense claimed that Worley was just trying to save his job, as the board was debating downsizing investment staff. Staff continued to get bonuses while pensioners had their cost-of-living adjustments restricted. They were desperate for alternative suggestions as to, How do we make enough money to pay COLA?' Abood said. Worley pointed out concerns that QED was getting too close to the board. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When Fichtenbaum took the stand, state attorney Martin Cordero pressed him about his messages with QED leaders, reading one of the messages out loud. The question we need to ask is, Will this get us a six vote? What we really need to figure out is what can drive a wedge between the staff and board, Cordero said, reading a message from Fichtenbaum to QED on the app Signal. Before Attorney General Dave Yost sent out the subpoenas in this case, we made several records requests to the pension fund, asking for all communications between the board members and QED. Screenshots from Fichtenbaums phone show that he used the encrypted app Signal to speak to the men. This app automatically deletes messages within a set time of the receiver reading them; however, the call logs dont. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As of the time of our reporting in 2024, the AGs team said they were learning about the use of Signal from the records request. Although we were unable to get the deleted messages, Signal will give up data if it is subpoenaed for the records. The state said this breaches ethics and conflict of interest laws. Several state employees reached out to me to point out how Fichtenbaum responded to why he, a board member, would be presenting a companys proposal and intellectual property as his own. Were trying to explain their idea, Fichtenbaum said. He said there is nothing wrong with getting advice on proposals to get better returns for educators. The state says this went beyond just friendly guidance. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After Worleys testimony, the defense moved for a directed verdict, basically a dismissal of the case in certain circumstances if there isnt enough evidence or a legitimate basis for a jury to even consider an opposing partys viewpoint. Abood argued that the state didnt prove any corruption or any reason why the men should be punished. Kohler, smirking at this assessment, argued that the case was clear-cut and they had clearly proven the men breached their fiduciary duties. The judge sided with the state, denying the defense. As it became later in the day, the defense called former board member Bob Stein to the stand to discuss how nothing corrupt happened with QED and that he didnt trust the staff. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During the cross-examination, the judge was visibly shocked when Stein told the state that he believed board members could show favoritism to companies wanting to do business with STRS, didnt think it was important to foster public confidence in the integrity of the retirement system because that was the staffs job, and he didnt care about avoiding the appearance of impropriety, because appearance doesnt matter. Follow WEWS statehouse reporter Morgan Trau on X and Facebook. This article was originally published on News5Cleveland.com and is published in the Ohio Capital Journal under a content-sharing agreement. Unlike other OCJ articles, it is not available for free republication by other news outlets as it is owned by WEWS in Cleveland. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE TAHLEQUAH Tough love lending in Oklahoma, according to a survey, indicates parents are charging interest on loans they give their kids, and a trend since 2000 has seen an upsurge in kids moving back home, and referred to as "boomerang kids." The study, by MarketBeat.com, found that in Oklahoma, parents are charging an above-average rate of interest on loans, coming in at 5.7%. The top highest charges are found in Nebraska, Oregon, Mississippi, Georgia and Arkansas. Kids who move back in with their parents do so for many reasons, and parents have different ways of helping with their cost of living. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Miranda Byrd moved back in with her family when they all moved to Tahlequah because the property taxes are cheaper. "I live with my mother, stepfather and aunt, who are all almost 80 years old," Byrd said. "I go to college full time and work full time, plus help them at home." She said the job market in Tahlequah is "horrible." "I was job hunting for months after I got here, and I have a great resume," Byrd said. "I was in Houston making $55,000 as a restaurant manager. Here you make $12 an hour, and an apartment is minimum $600 a month plus all your other bills. No one can afford to live alone here. You need multiple incomes." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Moving into an unused house on her father's property allowed Chloe Mayfield to stay in school until she can get a regular job after she graduates. "When I moved out of my mom's house, I briefly moved in with my dad when I started college at NSU. A couple months after, he allowed me to stay in an unused house on his property until I graduate in 2027 and am able to get a full-time job after Im a student," Mayfield said. "He only charges me $150 in rent per month, since he knows my current job doesnt pay me a whole lot and its not year-round." Once she finishes school, her father will give it back to her to help pay off her student loans, Mayfield said. "It has only four rooms but it works great," Mayfield said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rachael Corn has four grown children, and all have moved back in with them at least once or twice and it costs her more money when they do. "And it helped us, too; they paid rent, so it helped with rising costs of utilities, insurance, etc.," Corn said. "I don't mind. I don't understand why it's not more common." Extended families have lived together across time and cultures, said Donna Gee. "The whole notion of being 'kicked out of the nest' at 18 is relatively new and culturally specific," Gee said. "Families and households come in all different sizes, shapes, and configurations." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Many reasons lie behind why a grown child, even with kids of their own, move back in with their parents. These range from being lonely and struggling with responsibilities of raising kids on their own, to supporting parents as they grow older. An article in Business Insider titled, "After my divorce, my kids and I moved in with my mom and stepdad. I couldn't be a single parent without their support," shared the experience of a single mom, Olivia Dreizen Howell, who moved in with her parents and how that worked out. "At first, I felt embarrassed. I worried people would see moving back home as failure," Howell said. "But the truth wasn't that I couldn't afford to be in our house anymore; it was that I no longer wanted to. The upkeep and silence of parenting alone each night had just become too much." Howell said the benefits were many, ranging from support from her parents with the cooking and caring for the kids, and the emotional support she lacked once her divorce was final and she was doing it all alone. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The biggest gift is what I don't pay rent or a mortgage," Howell said. "That freedom allowed me to invest the profits from selling my home into the startup I co-founded with my sister. Without that support, I couldn't have built my career, kept a flexible schedule, or shown up as the mother I want to be." The high cost of rent, food, insurance and other expenses is a concern for Susie Robinson, and with the deposit requirements for a rental, she understands why kids have to move back in with parents. "I feel for young people; they struggle to pay everything, eating less to pay for it all," Robinson said. "Most get paid twice a month and rent is almost one whole check, and for some it's all that check." She said car insurance rates are extremely high for a young person to pay, and most landlords require rental insurance. "My daughter is Native, and me, so we receive help with deposits, or no way could we come up with $3,000 to rent the first month," Robinson said. KAMPALA, Uganda (AP) Protests are spreading in Tanzania as electoral authorities count the votes in a disputed presidential election that rights groups, opposition figures and others say was clouded by a climate of fear in the months leading to election day. The military has been deployed alongside the police to quell riots in major cities since Wednesday's election. The sight of soldiers patrolling the streets, sporadic gunfire and closed stores is rare in the usually peaceful country that many foreigners visit for its pristine coastal beaches and safari tourism. Thats partly because Tanzanias first female leader, who has served as president since 2021, has sparked widespread anger for running virtually unopposed after her two main opponents were blocked or prevented from contesting. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement President Samia Suluhu Hassan, who seeks five more years as president, ran against 16 candidates from smaller parties. Critics say thats a coronation, not a contest. Hassan is now the subject of a range of uncharitable cartoons, posted on social media, derided as a dictator and lampooned as being afraid of competition. Tundu Lissu, leader of the Chadema opposition group, has been jailed for months, charged with treason after he called for electoral reforms that he said were a prerequisite for free and fair elections. Another opposition figure, Luhaga Mpina of the ACT-Wazalendo group, was barred from standing. Political maneuvering At stake for the ruling Chama cha Mapinduzi party, or CCM, is its decades-long grip on power amid the rise of charismatic opposition figures who hope to lead the country toward political change. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Armed Conflict Location & Event Data, or ACLED, a nonprofit tracking violence and protest movements around the world, describes CCM as the "last of the hegemonic liberation parties, trying to cling to power by blocking the opposition through administrative, legal, and extra-legal means. The pattern includes enforced disappearances, arbitrary arrests and extrajudicial killings, according to Amnesty International. In June, a United Nations panel of human rights experts cited more than 200 cases of enforced disappearance since 2019, saying they were alarmed by reports of a pattern of repression ahead of elections. Internet access has been on and off since Wednesday as the nation awaits official results. Tanzanias president has overseen an unprecedented crackdown on political opponents, the International Crisis Group said in its most recent analysis. The government has curbed freedom of expression, ranging from a ban on X and restrictions on the Tanzanian digital platform JamiiForums to silencing critical voices through intimidation or arrest. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Local police even appeared to be conducting so-called online patrols," it said. The political maneuvering by Tanzanian authorities is unprecedented even in a country where single-party rule has been the norm since the advent of multi-party politics in 1992. Government critics point out that previous leaders tolerated opposition while maintaining a firm grip on power, whereas Hassan is accused of leading with an authoritarian style that defies youth-led democracy movements elsewhere in the region. In Uganda, the opposition leader Bobi Wine, whose real name is Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, is the leader of what began as the People Power movement, which aims for a break with nearly four decades of the same leader. President Yoweri Museveni took his lowest-ever share of the vote in the 2021 election, marking the 43-year-old Wine as a formidable national leader. In Kenya, young people have been trying to hold President William Ruto accountable over official corruption and his alleged failure to keep campaign promises. Last year and earlier this year, they held demonstrations in the capital Nairobi that were so large and persistent that Ruto deployed the military to restore order. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Mozambique a year ago, violence erupted in the streets after the opposition figure Venancio Mondlane brought his supporters to the streets of the capital Maputo following a disputed election. In Madagascar earlier in October, protests by mostly young people helped overthrow the government of President Andry Rajoelina, who fled the country after an elite group of the military joined crowds protesting water and electricity cuts. Tanzania is an outlier But Tanzania is different, an outlier in the region. A version of the governing CCM party, which maintains ties with the Communist Party of China, has ruled Tanzania since independence from Britain in 1961, a remarkable streak that Hassan is trying to extend as opposition leaders try to break CCMs grip on the country. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement CCM is fused with the state, effectively in charge of the security apparatus and structured in such a way that new leaders emerge every five or ten years. Hassan herself was able to rise to the presidency as vice president without incident when her predecessor, John Pombe Magufuli, died suddenly after the start of his second term. The orderly transition sustained Tanzanias reputation as an oasis of political stability and relative peace, a major reason for CCMs considerable support, especially among rural voters. Andrew in London on Sept. 16, 2025. Credit - Aaron ChownPool/AFP/Getty Images Prince Andrew, the British royal with ties to Jeffrey Epstein, has been stripped of his remaining titles and evicted from his royal residence, as Buckingham Palace faces mounting pressure to address his associations with the late sex offender. In a statement Thursday, Buckingham Palace said that King Charles has today initiated a formal process to remove the style, titles and honours of his younger brother, who should now be referred to as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor. The palace said the former prince will also have to move out of the Royal Lodge mansion near Windsor Castle. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The removal of Andrews Prince title, which he has held since birth as the son of the late Queen Elizabeth II, comes after he had already given up his Duke of York title and his other honors earlier this month. But his association with Epstein attracted renewed attention after the recent publication of a posthumous memoir by one of Epsteins victims, Virginia Giuffre, who alleged forced sexual encounters with Andrew when she was a teen, which the British royal has repeatedly denied. Buckingham Palace said, these censures are deemed necessary, notwithstanding the fact that he continues to deny the allegations against him. It added: Their Majesties wish to make clear that their thoughts and utmost sympathies have been, and will remain with, the victims and survivors of any and all forms of abuse. Royal historian Kate Williams described King Charles action against Andrew as a huge moment in royal history. The last time a prince or a princess was stripped of their royal title was in 1919. Heres what to know. How did Prince Andrew get here? Several outlets cite palace sources saying that Andrews serious lapses of judgement have been a source of anxiety for a Buckingham Palace rocked by scandals in recent years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Andrew has faced intense scrutiny over his relationship with Epstein. In a disastrous 2019 interview with the BBC, he asserted that he stopped all contact with the disgraced financier in December 2010. Days later, Andrew announced that he would step back from royal duties in what some assumed to be damage control. In January 2025, however, Bloomberg News obtained a legal filing showing that Epstein had been in contact with Andrew at least through email until February 2011. The filing reportedly showed emails where the two discussed press reports, and Andrew wrote they should keep in close touch and well play some more soon!!!! Earlier this month, British media further reported on that exchange, which came after a 2001 photo of him and a young Giuffre at the London townhouse of Epsteins then-girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell was first published. Im just as concerned for you! Don't worry about me! It would seem we are in this together and will have to rise above it, the Feb. 28 email reportedly said, which was signed off with A, HRH The Duke of York, KG. The email reportedly came from Andrews official email address. The scandal escalated after excerpts of the memoir by Giuffre, who died by suicide earlier this year, alleged that she had sex with Andrew three times, with the third time in an orgy on an island Epstein owned in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Andrew had claimed he did not even remember meeting Giuffre in the 2019 BBC interview, and his lawyers have tried to get a civil suit she filed in 2021 dismissed. (In early 2022, an out-of-court million-dollar settlement had been reached between Andrews and Giuffres camps, without Andrew admitting liability.) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I was around 18, I said in a sworn declaration in 2015, Giuffre wrote in Nobodys Girl: A Memoir of Surviving Abuse and Fighting for Justice, which was published Oct. 21. Epstein, Andy, and approximately eight other young girls and I had sex together. The other girls all appeared to be under the age of 18 and didnt really speak English. Epstein laughed about how they couldnt really communicate, saying they are the easiest girls to get along with. She also reflected on how Andrew allegedly behaved during their sexual encounters. In the years since, Ive thought a lot about how he behaved. He was friendly enough, but still entitledas if he believed having sex with me was his birthright, Giuffre wrote. With Andrews Epstein-related controversies proving an unwelcome distraction from the British royal familys work, he gave up his Duke of York title and other honors on Oct. 17, a decision he reportedly made with consultation from King Charles. But another issue quickly followed, this time, centered on his living arrangements. The Times of London published a report on Oct. 21 that found Andrews lease agreement on the Royal Lodge, a 30-room property that his family moved into in 2004 and was set to live in until 2078, only required him to pay an annual rent of one peppercorn (if demanded) after he had paid at least 8.5 million (more than $11 million) upfront, prompting rare questioning from the British parliament. Fanning the flame was an Oct. 27 BBC report that revealed Andrew hosted Epstein, Maxwell, and disgraced film producer Harvey Weinstein at the Royal Lodge during his daughters 18th birthday celebration in 2006. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Earlier this week, while King Charles was visiting Lichfield Cathedral, a heckler screamed, How long have you known about Andrew and Epstein? and Have you asked the police to cover up for Andrew? An unnamed royal source told the Telegraph that King Charles acted swiftly after revelations of Andrews ties to Epstein, but he recognized that there was a need to have a longer-term solution. The broadsheet reported that the decision to strip him of his title followed almost two weeks of negotiations before Andrew agreed to it on Thursday. The paper also reported that William, Prince of Wales, who is next in the line of succession, was fully supportive of how his father handled the issue over his uncle, citing an unnamed Kensington Palace source. Impact on the royal family Andrew henceforth no longer has the Prince title, and the order also applies to his other titles of Duke of York, Earl of Inverness, Baron Killyleagh, and the style His Royal Highness. The honors affected are his Order of the Garter and Knight Grand Cross of the Victorian Order. It is very rare for princes and princesses to lose their titles. King Henry VIII removed the princess titles of his daughterslater Queens Mary I and Elizabeth Iafter he annulled his marriages with their mothers. And, in 1919, under the Titles Deprivation Act of 1917, Prince Ernest Augustus, Duke of Cumberland and Teviotdale, a Prince of Hanover and of the U.K., had his British title removed after having sided with the Germans during World War I. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 1936, just months after ascending to the throne, King Edward VIII abdicated to marry divorced American socialite Wallis Simpson. He kept the title Duke of Windsor but lived in exile outside Britain. Williams, the historian, told Sky News that Andrews situation was unique given how hes lost his title as a consequence of errors of judgement. Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, Andrews daughters, will retain their titles under King George Vs Letters Patent of 1917, as children of the sons of a sovereign. Andrew remains eighth in the line of succession to the throne, though he may be removed by an Act of Parliament and the consent of the 14 other countries that are part of the realm of the U.K. monarchy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As for his lodging, Andrew is set to relocate to a property on the Sandringham estate in Norfolk, according to the Telegraph, while his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, who continued to live at Royal Lodge with Andrew even after their 1996 divorce, will need to sort out her own living arrangements. Until this month, Ferguson had used the title Duchess of York, but said she will revert to using her name after Andrew was stripped of his Duke of York title. Giuffres familys reaction The strongest response came from Giuffres family. Hes just Andrew, hes no longer a Prince, and she is celebrating from the heavens right now, Sky Roberts, Giuffres brother, tearily told the BBC in an interview. This normal girl from a normal family has taken down a prince. We are so proud of her. At the same time, Roberts said Andrew ought to face more consequences. He needs to be behind barsperiod, Roberts said. Roberts wife Amanda added that this was truly a moment for [Giuffre] and all survivors, but she also suggested that the U.S. government should do more. Congressional Democrats released partial records of Epstein-related files in September, which showed the late sex offender had ties with prominent figures globally, including Prince Andrew. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Trump Administration, however, has stalled any further development on the Epstein case, as President Donald Trumps ties to him have prompted calls for transparency from both his opponents and some allies. "The U.S. government hold the key to the larger scope of the Jeffrey Epstein case, Amanda said. Prince Andrew may be just one of those people that are implicated. And I do believe if hes willing to come forward now and cooperate, it will lead to the larger scope of what really gone on here because theres so many people that need to be held accountable. And again, the U.K. is setting an example for what the U.S. should be doing right now. Contact us at letters@time.com. RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) On Tuesday, police in Rio de Janeiro launched an operation in two of the citys favelas that left 121 dead, including four police officers, and an unknown number of people wounded. Brazils public defenders reported 132 deaths in the raid, more than the official police numbers. Police and soldiers launched the raid supported by helicopters, armored vehicles and ground troops, targeting the Comando Vermelho, or Red Command, gang. Here are some things to know about criminal activity and the large-scale police raids as a strategy to fight gangs: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The origin and rise of Comando Vermelho The Comando Vermelho, known as Red Command, originated in the late 1970s inside a Rio de Janeiro prison, where common criminals and political prisoners from Brazils military dictatorship were held together. They began organizing to protect themselves from state violence behind bars. Eventually, the group expanded beyond prison walls, establishing itself in Rios favelas and entering the drug trade. As Brazil intensified its war on drugs, the narcotics market became more profitable, boosting the groups power, according to Claudio Ferraz, a retired Rio police officer with decades of experience fighting organized crime. Over time, Comando Vermelho strengthened its territorial control and expanded its criminal operations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In recent years, the group has grown internationally, especially in Europe. It now competes with its main rival, Sao Paulos First Capital Command, known as PCC, for control over international drug routes and territories, according to experts and authorities. The favelas as a target This week, the atmosphere was somber in Penha and Complexo do Alemao communities, where the latest raids took place. People's faces were mostly grave, shops shuttered. Rene Silva, a journalist and activist in Complexo do Alemao said that these operations take a heavy psychological toll. Weve never witnessed anything like this in Brazils history. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And after the raids, he said, Crime continues, everything stays the same." William de Oliveira, a community leader in Rocinha favela, said it has been a difficult time for residents in Rio de Janeiros favelas, where he said live all kind of people, not only criminals. People in conflict with the law exist everywhere. In the favela, some are involved in drug trafficking or robberies. But there are also those in high society, in any profession. How often do you see police operations and arrests happening in other places? he asked. Ineffective, political gains In August, Brazil launched a crackdown on organized crime, seizing 1.2 billion reais (about $220 million) in assets tied to a money laundering scheme involving the fuel sector and investment funds. Police arrested five suspects and executed hundreds of warrants nationwide, including in affluent business districts, without firing a single shot. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This operation revealed the connection between crime and wealth, said Daniel Hirata, a sociologist at Fluminense Federal University who maps criminal activity in Rio. We often associate organized crime with urban poverty, but it survives through ties to political and economic elites. The universitys Study Group on New Illegalisms has recorded over 1,800 police operations in Rios metropolitan area this year. Only 1.3% were deemed effective, based on arrests and casualty counts. In 2024, police killed 6,243 people in Brazil 14% of all homicides according to the Brazilian Forum on Public Security. Rio de Janeiro Gov. Claudio Castro called the recent operation a success, despite the deaths of four officers. But with hundreds killed, retired police officer Ferraz described it as barbaric, viewing the raid as part of a political struggle for control of the city. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As Brazil prepares for presidential and local elections next year, polls show violence is the top concern for most Brazilians. For some, high-profile raids may serve as a strategy to gain votes, Ferraz said. A political battleground Castro, an ally of former President Jair Bolsonaro, has described local criminal groups as narco-terrorists in official statements about recent police raids, echoing the Trump administration in its campaign against drug smuggling in Latin America. Conservative lawmakers have also been pushing for changes in federal law to define drug gangs as terrorists. Sen. Flavio Bolsonaro, one of the former presidents sons, said on social platform X he was jealous of U.S. military operations targeting smuggling boats in the Caribbean. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Earlier this year, Rios state security secretary, Victor Santos, said he planned to send intelligence reports from the states police forces to U.S. authorities seeking formal recognition of Rios criminal groups as narcoterrorist organizations. But security experts and the administration of leftist President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva reject that terminology. Brazil's Justice Minister Ricardo Lewandowski told reporters Wednesday that Brazils drug gangs do not meet the legal definition of terrorism under national law because they dont engage in violence for political or ideological means. Calls to investigate the latest raid Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Human rights organizations have called for investigations into the deaths, describing the operation as one of the most violent in Brazils recent history. The police operation ignited a national political debate. Gov. Castro blamed the federal government for not offering support, while Minister Lewandowski said no request had been made and pushed for a bill to unify police intelligence systems across Brazil. In response, the federal government sent representatives to Rio and announced an emergency office to combat organized crime. President Lula also signed a new law strengthening efforts against criminal groups, and the Senate will launch an inquiry next week into expansion of organized crime. ___ Gabriela Sa Pessoa reported from Sao Paulo. ___ Follow APs Latin America coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america A shooting during an ICE vehicle stop in Phoenix has added to a string of shootings by immigration officials in recent months. The shooting occurred early on Oct. 29 in north Phoenix as officers for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement conducted a vehicle stop, according to Yasmeen Pitts OKeefe, a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson. Several ICE officers stopped Jose Garcia-Sorto, who is from Honduras, at around 4 a.m. As officers approached the vehicle, Garcia-Sorto began to pull away, according to Pitts O'Keefe. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As the vehicle abruptly began speeding away, an officer was in the path of the vehicle, Pitts OKeefe said. Fearing for his life, the officer defensively discharged his service weapon two times, striking Garcia-Sortos vehicle. Where did the shooting happen? The incident occurred on Interstate 17 in north Phoenix near Dove Valley Road. The officer was transported to a hospital for evaluation and has not been identified. Garcia-Sorto was wounded, treated at a hospital and was in stable condition. The FBI is investigating the shooting. Officials did not say if the ICE officer was hit by the vehicle or if Garcia-Sorto was shot. Immigration agents have also shot at people in California and Illinois The north Phoenix traffic stop shooting is among several shootings involving ICE officers in the last few months. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Two shootings have occurred in California during ICE vehicle stops in the past two weeks, one in Ontario on Oct. 30 and another in South Los Angeles on Oct. 21. Both were allegedly defensive shots as ICE officers feared for their safety. In Chicago, in September and October, immigration agents fired into vehicles. One of the shootings was fatal. Another shooting during an immigration stop occurred in August in San Bernardino, California. Protesters gathered outside ICE office over Phoenix shooting Roughly a dozen demonstrators protested the north Phoenix shooting outside of the ICE Phoenix field office near Central Avenue and McDowell Road on the evening of Oct. 29. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Poder in Action, a Phoenix-based nonprofit, organized the demonstration. Some demonstrators held white votive candles while others hoisted signs. Phoenix City Councilmember Anna Hernandez joined the protest. Im infuriated. Yeah, Im angry. I am concerned. So, its a lot of feelings, but so many questions about how this even happened, she said. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: What to know about shooting by ICE officer in Phoenix "Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links." By now, your news feed, your dinner table conversations, and your doctors office have been flooded with chatter about the meds approved for weight loss known as semaglutide (e.g. Ozempic) and tirzepatide (e.g.Mounjaro, Zepbound). Now, theres a new peptide in town: retatrutide. Yes, all of these chemicals are technically peptides, and each of them works in a slightly different way, activating different receptors in the body. Semaglutide activates the GLP-1 (glucagon-like peptide-1) receptor, for example. Tirzepatide is considered a dual receptor agonist because it activates the GLP-1 receptor and a second receptor called GIP (glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Retatrutide (reta), though, activates three receptors, making its potential to help with weight loss exciting to doctors, researchers, and regular guys looking to lose weight as efficiently as possible. You could think of semaglutide as a key that unlocks one lock, tirzepatide as a key that unlocks two locks, and then reta unlocks three locks, says Wajahat Mehal, M.D., director of Yale Weight Loss Program. No surprise its in hot demand. The internet is full of rumblings of peptide companies selling it, there are entire subreddits devoted to it (of course), and a San Francisco Standard story recently detailed how some people are getting research-grade peptides from China. The FDA just sent warnings to six online companies that are selling compounded versions of it (it doesnt qualify for compounding exceptions). The thing is, retatrutide is currently in phase 3 clinical trials and is not yet FDA approved. And doctors caution that theres more research to be done before it gets the green light. Discover what we know about reta so far, when it might be available, and more. What is retatrutide? People are excited about it because its a triple agonist, says Jyotsna Ghosh, M.D., an obesity medicine physician at Johns Hopkins Medicine. In addition to GLP-1 and GIP, reta activates glucagon, a hormone that is mostly found in pancreatic endocrine cells, according to a review of the current research on retatrutide published in Molecules this year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The cool thing about glucagon, it's basically making the liver break down glycogen, [which is] stored sugar, Dr. Ghosh explains. That has the potential to not only increase how much energy you're putting out from your body, but [it] also deplete some of those stores. In other words, it may help you burn more calories in some cases both from the activity you do, and simply while at rest. One of the reasons this is exciting is that resting metabolism often decreases after successful weight loss, making it harder for people to keep the weight off, Dr. Ghosh says. Reta could help mitigate that physiologic change, she says, but emphasizes that more research is needed to confirm this. Triple agonist, more benefits? Early studies suggest that indeed, retatrutide could help people lose more weight than semaglutide and tirzepatide. A phase 2 clinical trial published in The New England Journal of Medicine in 2023, found that people with obesity who took a 12-milligram dose for 48 weeks saw a mean weight reduction of 24.2 percent. Research has also shown that the average weight loss of someone on semaglutide is about 15 percent, Dr. Mehal says; people on tirzepatide come in at an average around 20 percent. Caroline M. Apovian, M.D., co-director of the Center for Weight Management and Wellness at Brigham and Women's Hospital, points out that its tough to compare these trials because they may have differences like how long the subjects are on the drugs. But, if it proves out in the ongoing studies, that would be pretty major, Dr. Mehal says. To put it in context, for somebody whose ideal healthy bodyweight is 170 but is starting out at 260, they would, in theory, get down to 221 on semaglutide, 208 on tirzepatide, and 197 on retatrutide, a faster pace of weight loss. Because of this, it makes sense that this drug may be recommended more specifically to those who have more weight to lose. But it may be more widely adopted than that, Dr. Mehal says. I think clinically what's going to happen is that everybody is going to reach for retatrutide even if somebody doesn't need to lose as much weight, he says. Just because you have a more effective drug doesn't mean you have to use it at full dose, so you could use retatrutide in somebody who doesn't weigh as much but then just stop at a lower dose. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Retatrutide is also being studied for its potential to reduce the risk of other conditions associated with obesity, such as liver disease and cardiovascular disease, Dr. Ghosh says, adding that the data so far is promising and could make it more likely that insurance companies will cover the drug. Currently, theres chatter in some weight lifting circles that reta is more muscle-sparing than semaglutide or tirzepetide, but research shows that the ratio is essentially the same as you'd get with tirzepatide or semaglutide. There is no reason to believe that any of the GLP-1 type drugs have any differences in muscle loss/sparing, says Dr. Mehal. So while overall muscle loss might be more, that'd just be because overall weight loss was more. That said, there is a new drug on the horizon that may actually make these weight loss medications more muscle-sparing. Data on bimagrumab is limited to a small number of patients but when added to [semaglutide] it can reduce muscle loss from about 20% of total body weight loss to about 5%, Dr. Mehal says, though more research is needed. What are the downsides and risks of retatrutide? If there's the potential for extra benefits, is there the potential for extra risks with reta too? Probably not, Dr. Mehal says. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the research thats been done so far, its side effect profile is better than semaglutide, but perhaps equivalent to tirzepatide, he says, with the most common side effects being nausea and other gastrointestinal symptoms. Dr. Apovian adds that all three drugs may also increase your heart rate. Theres also the risk of losing more of your hard-earned muscle. While muscle loss happens to some degree with all three peptides (and with any weight loss method), it could become even more severe if your overall weight lossis greater with retatrutide. Regular strength training and ensuring that youre eating enough protein can help mitigate muscle loss, Dr. Ghosh says, but its also important to work with a qualified doctor when using any of these drugsdoing so not only makes it more safe, but also increases the likelihood that youll be successful with your weight loss. When will retatrutide be available? Dr. Mehal says it will be at least a year (in the fall of 2026) before it starts landing in patients hands. Right now, retatrutide, a once-weekly injection, is in phase three trials, Dr. Ghosh says, and then it will be submitted to the FDA for approval. That's a very rigorous process that often takes a while, she says. If things go very well, it might be approved for obesity in mid-2026, but it might take a little bit longer for it to be approved for cardiovascular risk reduction. Beware Grey Market Dupes If you just re-read the abovethat reta wont be available for a whileand are scratching your head because you have a friend who says theyre taking it or youve seen ads online for it, keep in mind that theyre not getting an approved drug at a pharmacy. Before you start searching around for it, the doctors want you to know a few things. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement First and foremost, remember that reta is not yet FDA approved. Until the FDA approves it, we can't even call it a drug because up to that point it's just a chemical, adding that people should definitely steer clear of grey market iterations because its possible that retatrutide could have more serious side effects than whats been seen so far. Its unlikely, but say retatrutide ends up causing brain cancer or something, Dr. Mehal says. "My opinion is that playing poker and dabbling in cryto seems fine, but taking the same attitude towards your health by injecting peptides of unclear governance is not fine." Dr. Ghosh points out that because its not FDA approved, current buyers cant really know what theyre actually getting, which is risky. She hypothesizes that the current iterations are based on the research chemical, and its unclear how these sellers are getting samples and synthesizing it. You might know a guyor be the guywho got compounded semaglutide instead of the branded stuff from an online retailer. The most common danger people ran into was that they paid $500 for something and it just didn't work, Dr. Mehal says. But taking something (e.g. reta) that's not even a drug yet is a whole different level of risk, he says. For now, the doctors say that if youre interested in trying a weight loss medication, your best bet is to talk to your doctor about the FDA-approved options currently available. As Dr. Apovian points out, theres nothing shabby about the kind of weight loss you get with semaglutide and tirzepatide. You Might Also Like As fall deepens into winter and the close of the semester peeks over the horizon, November brings a colorful array of artistic experiences across Emorys campuses. From evocative performances and thought-provoking exhibitions to films and concerts that celebrate creativity and community, this month invites audiences to gather, reflect and savor bursts of inspiration. See art from a new angle The current Emory Arts Fellow in Visual Arts opens a window into her creative process during Photography Speaks: Stephanie Dowda DeMer, on Monday, Nov. 3, at 7 p.m. Organized by Emory University professor of photography Jason Francisco, the Photography Speaks series presents discussions with contemporary photographers. This free event takes place at the Emory Visual Arts Gallery and is open to the public. At 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 4, experience an examination of cultural and artistic intersections with Art Music in Ukraine during Wartime as a Tool of Resistance. This guest lecture, featuring Iryna Tukova, associate professor of music theory at the National Music Academy of Ukraine, examines theories of resistance to provide a framework for analyzing compositions dedicated to the theme of war and explores resistance in Ukrainian art music. This event, held at the Performing Arts Studio, is free and open to the public. Looking for more music education? Check out the Master Class Series with cellist Ed Arron. Hosted by the Emory Chamber Music Society of Atlanta, the class begins at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 8, in the Performing Arts Studio. Arron will provide insight into his musical expertise developed from his experience as a faculty member at universities such as NYU and the University of Massachusetts Amherst. The event is free and open to the public. Of course, you can glean new insights from people other than experts. Learn from Emory student docents by taking a Student Guide Tour at the Michael C. Carlos Museum. With tours each Saturday in November (Nov. 1, Nov. 8, Nov. 15, Nov. 22 and Nov. 29), visitors are invited to explore the exhibition Insistent Presence: Contemporary African Art from the Chazen Collection through a new lens. Tours are free with museum admission and require no registration. Attendees should meet their student guide in the Rotunda on Level One at 2 p.m. On Thursday, Nov. 20, at 6:30 p.m., the Carlos Museum hosts Entangled Histories: Photography and Textile in Africa in Ackerman Hall. This free, public lecture explores photographys connections to textile traditions across Africa and is hosted by Giulia Paoletti, associate professor at the University of Virginia and visiting associate professor at Harvard University. The galleries will be open for viewing before the program, starting at 5 p.m. Sink your teeth into artistic drama The Emory Cinematheque Series continues to celebrate films from the year 1975, This months screenings include Night Moves (Nov. 5), Xala (Nov. 12) and One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest (Nov. 19). Screenings take place on Wednesdays at 7:30 p.m. in White Hall, Room 208, and are free and open to the public. Theater Emory presents the darkly funny Peerless, Nov. 13-23 at the Mary Gray Munroe Theater. This satire follows twin Asian American sisters who will do anything to gain admission to The College. When the coveted early decision spot goes to another student, competition escalates into a deadly rivalry. Inspired by Shakespeares Macbeth, this play examines ambition, identity and the pressures of academic success with razor-sharp humor and biting relevance. Tickets can be purchased on the Schwartz Centers website. Admission is free for Emory students. Celebrate creativity at Oxford Oxford Colleges beautiful campus welcomes the Vega Quartet and Edward Arron on Friday, Nov. 7. The performance takes place at 7:30 p.m. in Williams Hall Auditorium at Oxford Chapel. Acclaimed cellist, master teacher and artistic director Arron joins the Vega Quartet for Beethovens Sonata in C Major and Arenskys passionate and virtuosic Quartet. This performance is free and open to the public. On Monday, Nov. 10, at 5:30 p.m., Marium Khalid presents an immersive theatrical experience. Hosted by Fesette Monday at the outdoor classroom near Oxford Colleges nature trail, this is a roaming installation performance. The audience will be split into two paths, one that is faster, encouraging the audience to maintain the urgency, and a second path that is slower. This event is free but advance registration is required. Head to Tarbutton Performing Arts Center on Tuesday, Nov. 11, for a staged reading and discussion with playwright Samah Meghjee. An Oxford alumna and Muslim playwright and screenwriter, Meghjee illuminates the inner rebel within us through her work. Her play Maybe You Could Love Me and original screenplay Quran Camp have been recognized by major festivals and industry lists. This free, public event provides audiences a chance to hear her work and discuss her creative process. Hosted by Jessica Rivers, Oxfords technical director of theater, the event will begin at 7 p.m. The Oxford Chamber Ensemble showcases its dynamic range and commitment to chamber music excellence at a concert on Friday, Nov. 14, at 7:30 p.m. in Williams Hall. This performance is free and open to the public. Oxfords artistic month concludes with Red Tethers, a dance performance on Monday, Nov. 17, at 7 p.m. in Williams Hall. Atlanta-based performance artist Jimmy Joyner creates a ritual of aliveness that honors queer Atlantans lost to HIV/AIDS, linking past memory to hope for the future through temporary fabric installations. This free performance is open to the public and explores resilience, memory and community through movement and visual storytelling. Expert musicians command the stage A plethora of musicians come to campus this month. On Friday, Nov. 7, at 8 p.m., the Candler Concert Series presents Cameron Carpenter on organ. Hailed by The New York Times as extravagantly talented, and the first organist to ever be nominated for a Grammy, Carpenter brings a performance to the Schwartz Center for Performing Arts that you wont want to miss. Tickets for this event can be purchased on the Schwartz Centers website. Emory Chamber Ensembles perform Sunday, Nov. 16, at 4 p.m. in the Schwartz Centers Emerson Concert Hall. Mentored by Emorys artist faculty, these student musicians perform chamber works for strings, brass, winds, percussion and guitar. The event is free and open to the public. The month rounds out its musical offerings with a hypnotic performance from the Emory Javanese Gamelan Ensemble on Sunday, Nov. 23, at 2:30 p.m., blending harmonic and percussive instruments to create a bath of sound. The concert takes place in the Performing Arts Studio and is free and open to the public. Turn the page with these literary conversations The 202526 Creative Writing Program Reading Series continues Monday, Nov. 10, at 6:30 p.m. Author Justin Haynes will read from his book, Ibis, before holding a book signing. The free, public event takes place in the Psychology and Interdisciplinary Sciences Building, Room 290. On Saturday, Nov. 22, at 3 p.m., the Michael C. Carlos Museum hosts the Laszlo-Excalibur Lecture: A Conversation with Emily Hauser, author of Penelopes Bones: A New History of Homers World through the Women Written Out of It. Join a conversation between Hauser, an award-winning classicist and historian, and Ruth Allen, the Carlos Museums curator of Greek and Roman Art, as they discuss how Hauser weaves together literary and archaeological evidence, illuminating the rich, intriguing lives of the real women behind Homers Iliad and Odyssey. This event is free and open to the public, but advance registration is required. Question : Regarding emergency aid being offered by the state, unpaid federal workers without kids seem to fall through the cracks. They arent eligible for the Hawaii Relief Program. If they are not already on food stamps, they wont get the $250 per person to replace SNAP. Essential employees who are working without pay (not furloughed ) are NOT eligible to apply for unemployment compensation. If they dont have money saved or family to help them out they are in trouble. What else is out there ? What would help them is for this shutdown to end ! Answer : Weve heard from numerous readers with similar laments, and summarized their sentiments in todays question, the essence of which we shared with a spokesperson for Gov. Josh Green, who in turn shared it with a spokesperson for the Department of Human Services. To be clear, none of the readers blamed state leaders for the federal government shutdown, but they hope for inclusive aid and, mainly, for Congress to end the budget impasse that leaves them in limbo. Well publish whatever responses we get about more help for these workers. As weve previously reported, federal workers falling through the financial aid gap can use the Hawaii Foodbank or other free food sources ; see for details. Demand is surging amid the budget impasse that began Oct. 1 and which directly affects the jobs of federal employees and the administration of numerous federal programs, including the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, which announced it wont pay November benefits. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement An affected worker without children who is a registered Native Hawaiian might be able to apply for emergency relief from the Office of Hawaiian Affairs, although precise rules for that aid wont be announced until next week (see ). Other relief efforts listed on the Shutdown Assistance Map at, which we wrote about earlier this week, are broadly available to affected federal workers. Overall, the shutdown aid announced by the state this week focuses on households with minor children and those already receiving SNAP. The Hawaii Relief Program, announced Wednesday, is for families demonstrating a financial crisis or an episode of need that have at least one dependent child under age 18 and meet income limits. The funding comes from Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, a federal program. For details and to apply, go to. The states temporary replacement for SNAP, announced Thursday, will deposit $250 per household member on Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT ) cards by Nov. 14 ; a family of three would receive $750. This money is for current SNAP recipients, who dont have to do anything to receive it. As for unemployment compensation, federal workers who are working full time without pay (essential or excepted workers ) are not eligible to apply for unemployment ; there are thousands of such workers in Hawaii. Furloughed workers, kept home during the shutdown, are eligible to apply, but must repay the money if they are paid retroactively by their employer for the same period after the shutdown ends. Mahalo On Oct. 12, my husband and I went for dinner to celebrate my birthday at a promising new Chinatown restaurant, but it botched a reservation wed made two weeks prior. So, we went nearby to Fete, where we were told there would be room for us shortly, after a younger couple ahead of us was seated. We had a friendly chat with this local couple, Melissa and her partner, before they were told their table was ready. They graciously offered us the table, and after thanking them, we were seated. While ordering, we asked our server to put their drinks on our tab. After a superb meal, we asked for our check and were flabbergasted when told that everything, our entire meal including the tip, was paid for by Melissa and her partner ! This most generous couple deserves all the blessings the universe can provide. Their aloha will be paid forward !CA and S------------Write to Kokua Line at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Suite 2-200, Honolulu, HI 96813 ; call 808-529-4773 ; or email.------------ Labour ministers still do not know when RAF jets will be able to carry nuclear weapons or how much the project will cost, MPs have said. At the Nato summit in June, Sir Keir Starmer announced that Britain would buy 12 new F-35A jets, which could join the alliances airborne nuclear mission. The news was touted as the biggest strengthening of the nations nuclear arsenal in a generation by the Ministry of Defence (MoD), coming as Europe scrambles to re-arm against the threat from Russia. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, in a report published on Friday, the Commons public accounts committee said the MoD had still not set out how much it would cost to operate the new stealth jets. Critics have claimed the fighter jet programme is fast turning into a bottomless money pit, having surged in cost from 57 billion over its 56-year lifespan to an estimated 71 billion. John OConnell, the chief executive of the TaxPayers Alliance, said: With costs already soaring into the tens of billions, and no clear idea of how the MoD will fund additional aircraft or manage nuclear capability costs, this project looks completely out of control. Britain aims to buy 138 F-35s, while it currently has about 37, having lost one jet in a crash in the Mediterranean. The 12 new F-35As will be the only ones capable of firing American-built nuclear weapons. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement MPs sitting on the public accounts committee said this part of the project was still at an early stage, with the MoD starting to understand the requirements of being certified for the Nato nuclear mission. The MoD told the committee the F-35As, built by the defence giant Lockheed Martin, were 20 per cent to 25 per cent cheaper than the F-35Bs currently operated by the RAF and Royal Navy and slightly cheaper to support. But with the additional training and personnel required to join the nuclear mission, the committee said it was a reasonable assumption that this may end up proving more expensive and that the current estimates by the MoD were unrealistic. The MPs added the MoD was also yet to set out how long it would take to make the necessary arrangements for equipping the jets with nuclear weapons. MPs also found that the MoD had miscalculated the number of engineers needed per F-35A jet, pictured - Chris Jung/Getty The reports criticism echoed concerns raised by the National Audit Office in July, which warned that costs had increased and severe personnel shortages and short-term availability decisions had rocked the project. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the public account committees report on Friday, MPs accused the MoD of a pattern of short-term decision-making that had led to rocketing costs. The committee cited delays to investment in a facility to test the jets stealth capability, which saved 82 million in 2024-25 but added an extra 16 million to the overall cost, and delayed investment in infrastructure at 809 Naval Air Squadron until 2029, which both reduced capability and added almost 100 million in extra costs. MPs also found that the MoD had miscalculated the number of engineers needed per plane as it had failed to take into account staff taking leave or performing other tasks. They questioned the departments intention to declare the F-35 to be at full operating capability by the end of the year, despite still not having a missile to attack ground targets from a safe distance. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, chairman of the committee, said: Making short-term cost decisions is famously inadvisable if youre a homeowner with a leaky roof, let alone if one is running a complex fighter jet programme and yet such decisions have been rife in the management of the F-35. He added the MoD had been worryingly slow to learn basic lessons from the project, and described its appraisal of the F-35s overall cost as unrealistic. Sir Geoffrey said: The F-35 is the best fighter jet this nation has ever possessed. If it is to be wielded in the manner it deserves, the MoD must root out the short-termism, complacency and miscalculation in the programme identified in our report. Gen Lord Richard Dannatt, a former head of the British Army, said the tyranny of trying to balance the books had led to short-term cuts and cost growth. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The F-35 programme is a classic example of this shortage of trained pilots and engineers, no stand-off weapon, inadequate accommodation at RAF Marham and a whimsy aspiration to buy 12 additional F-35A aircraft to deliver nuclear weapons, he said. A spokesman for the MoD said the F-35 remained within the approved budget. He added: Many of the decisions referenced in the report were taken under the previous government, and we have set out plans to tackle historic issues with procurement, infrastructure, recruitment and skills through the Strategic Defence Review. Our plans will ensure the programme delivers on budget, and for our armed forces, including having two full squadrons of F-35 fighter jets ready for deployment by the end of this year. Try full access to The Telegraph free today. Unlock their award-winning website and essential news app, plus useful tools and expert guides for your money, health and holidays. JAMESTOWN, Ky. (FOX 56) Lake Cumberland State Resort Park is getting a major upgrade, with more than $7 million in renovations on the way. Team Kentucky is committed to investing in our state parks, which play an important role for the communities they serve and are key to Kentuckys thriving tourism industry, Gov. Andy Beshear said in a statement on Oct. 30. Officials said the project includes updates to the main lodge, conference center, and other areas of the park. LATEST KENTUCKY NEWS: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement All lodge rooms, the conference center, the main dining room, the bar, and the pool will close from January 2026 through the fall, according to park leaders. The improvements at Lake Cumberland State Resort Park will help attract more visitors to our New Kentucky Home by creating a welcoming environment and improved visitor experiences, Beshear said. The renovations are expected to be complete by late 2026. Read more of the latest Kentucky news These much-needed improvements will elevate the visitor experience at one of our beloved state parks, Kentucky State Parks Commissioner Russ Meyer said. Lake Cumberland State Resort Park welcomes travelers near and far, and the renovation will provide guests with modernized amenities and comfort as they explore the great outdoors. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 56 News. Leo Felers message to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on Friday began with him quoting the Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Standing at a downtown news conference with local elected leaders, the 45-year-old Lakeview resident then said masked federal agents violated that foundational language that sets warrant requirements and prohibits illegal searches by bursting onto his property last week and leaving a bloody scene in his garage while trying to arrest construction workers who were installing windows on his building. I think many of you and many of the viewers who are watching this will have similar experiences as me, Feler said. Across the United States, these types of jobs are done disproportionately by Hispanic and Latino workers. So I have a question for all of you and for all of the viewers: Should the U.S. government be allowed to invade your property, to jump over a locked fence, to come on to your home? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Feler, an economist, showed the Tribune security footage time-stamped to Oct. 24 that featured what appeared to be federal agents, faces shielded with bandanas, running through a gangway and struggling to pull down a man who was straddling a fence mid-escape. One worker was detained inside his garage, Feler said, adding that the agents did not appear to have a warrant at any point. I spent most of last weekend cleaning up blood at my property, Feler said. Every now and then, Ill still be walking around and there will be a spot of blood I failed to clean up, and I will clean that up. Neighbors blowing whistles as well as Feler yelling, ICE, you are not allowed on my property. Get off my property. This is the United States. You are going into peoples homes dominated much of the audio in his security camera footage. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In one video, an agent hops over a fence and a voice off-camera then remarks, You made me cut myself, and when I cut myself, I get mad. DHS spokespeople did not immediately respond to a request for comment. However, Feler also had gripes with local leadership in Chicago. He said he filed a police report Monday accusing the federal agents of criminal damage to property but received a call from a sergeant that afternoon saying his higher-ups told him not to pursue it. Feler then addressed the media gaggle directly: So I am asking you to come with me to the police precinct after this press conference to help me. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A Chicago police spokesperson clarified later Friday that in fact a police report was generated and the victim was provided a Victim Information Notice. But Feler then showed the Tribune his phone records from the day he said the sergeant called him with the disappointing message. The Chicago police Area 3 detective bureau was listed as the caller ID. Chicago is bound by a sanctuary city ordinance that prohibits local police from cooperating with federal immigration officials. And as President Donald Trumps unpopular deportation campaign in the nations third-largest city progresses, residents have grown increasingly emboldened to confront federal agents directly and try to physically block them from carrying out raids. Mayor Brandon Johnson has nodded to that sentiment, signing a flurry of executive orders banning immigration agents from using city land or private property to carry out their deportation operations. He has even called for criminal charges against federal officers who violate his municipal decrees, and bristled at the notion that they were merely symbolic. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But the mayor has yet to offer specifics on how he thinks enforcement against such agents should work. At the time Johnson signed the orders, Chicago police Superintendent Larry Snelling said that cops will not and cannot arrest federal agents because someone deems what they are doing is illegal. Chicago Police Department spokespeople didnt immediately respond to a request for comment on Friday about Felers complaint. His alderman, Bennett Lawson, walked out with him after the news conference and promised to contact police district leadership on his behalf. Fridays news conference at the Cook County Building was convened by U.S. Rep. Mike Quigley, a Chicago Democrat who called for DHS Office of the Inspector General to investigate abuses by Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection during their operations in the Chicago area. Quigley stopped short of saying federal agents should be prosecuted under a future Democratic president but noted that documentation was a good first step. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement ICE and CBP have blatantly violated the rights of Chicagoans since they arrived in our city, Quigley said. They have racially profiled citizens. Another speaker the congressman brought up was Vanessa Aguirre-Avalos, the owner of the Luna y Cielo Play Cafe in Logan Square. She choked back tears as she laid out the lasting effects of the tear gas deployment from early this month outside her business as well as Funston Elementary School. My business has suffered deeply because our families are too afraid to go out. I am behind on rent, and may soon have to close my business, a space built to keep our culture and our language and our childrens joy alive, Aguirre-Avalos said. Aguirre-Avalos said one 3-year-old girl who has attended her day care since she was an infant clung tightly to her mother that afternoon and asked, Mommy, what happened? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Now whenever she sees police lights, she freezes, reliving that trauma from Oct. 3, Aguirre-Avalos said. Im deeply worried about the trauma this is causing our children. All the while, arrests by federal immigration officers mount including at OHare International Airport, where a waiting area for rideshare drivers has been the grounds for more than 50 arrests. That parking lot is city property; the Johnson administration has responded to the immigration raids there by installing signage and security to keep the federal agents out, but they arent working. Johnson, asked by the Tribune this week what he will do about immigration officers flouting his executive orders, said well have to look at every single tool to hold this administration accountable. Asked how soon, the mayor said: Soon. As soon as possible. This story was originally published on MyNorthwest.com. A Lakewood man was charged on Oct. 22 with allegedly making multiple death threats toward Washington Governor Bob Ferguson via comments over social media. Casey Cutter Patterson, 34, made several veiled death threats toward Ferguson that were posted as replies on the Governors X account, according to The News Tribune. After Patterson was arrested on a bench warrant Monday, he pleaded not guilty to the charges the following day, and his bail was set at $200,000. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Pierce County Superior Court Commissioner Barbara McInvaile also ordered a 10-year no-contact order for Patterson, who is currently in custody at the Pierce County Jail. Lakewood man allegedly captures photos of Fergusons home Investigators revealed that Patterson began to reply to Fergusons social media posts while he was the Washington Attorney General in 2023. Initially, Pattersons comments were not deemed threatening and were protected under the First Amendment as free speech, but in January 2024, Pattersons tone shifted. Patterson allegedly posted photos of the front door of Fergusons home several times, accompanied by threatening statements, with a specific March 2024 post being highlighted. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hey Bob, heres your frequent reminder that you actually have no power over the people, Patterson posted, according to The News Tribune, citing court documents. The constitution limits you, not us. We have the right to alter or abolish our government when it no longer serves us. Heres a picture of a quaint front door to help you sleep at night. Pattersons threatening behavior continued, as he allegedly posted the photo of Fergusons front door four times over 19 days. The Washington State Patrol (WSP) Criminal Investigations Department previously claimed it was unknown if Patterson took the photo himself, but it was later determined that he did allegedly capture the image of Fergusons front door. A WSP lieutenant contacted Patterson on March 24, 2024, stating that his social media behavior had raised concerns. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mr. Ferguson does not want to be contacted, followed, tracked, or monitored in his personal life, the lieutenant reportedly said, according to The News Tribune, citing court documents. Patterson claimed he did not make any threatening statements toward Ferguson, and did not post or reply on the Governors pages for a long time after speaking with the lieutenant. Threatening messages return months later The concerning statements returned in November 2024, when Patterson allegedly replied to an account not affiliated with Ferguson, stating that he would continue using photos of the Governors front door. I know hes worried about his address, which is public information, Patterson said, according to The News Tribune, citing court documents. He had WSP contact me for tweeting a picture of his front door. Im going to keep tweeting it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Court documents revealed that Patterson allegedly continued to post photos of Fergusons door, or posts disclosing his address, through the end of 2024 and into 2025. Another August 2025 post that raised concerns was Patterson allegedly uploading a photo of an AR-15, which was followed up with an Oct. 2 statement alluding to Fergusons security detail. Id like to remind you that we have more guns than you and your WSP PSD, and we know where you live, Patterson posted, according to The News Tribune, citing court documents. Detectives pursued an arrest warrant for Patterson, alleging that his statements had escalated in severity and posed a legitimate threat to Ferguson. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Court documents noted detectives opted to move forward with an arrest warrant due to the possibility of Patterson resorting to physical violence in response to a court summons. Patterson does not have any prior convictions, according to The News Tribune, citing court records. Follow Jason Sutich on X. Send news tips here. LANCASTER COUNTY, Pa. (WHTM) As it appears SNAP benefits will run out due to the federal government, some Lancaster County businesses are looking to help. Papas Pizza at 454 West Main Street in Mount Joy posted a message Wednesday on Facebook that said they will provide impacted families with a free meal. The offer is good from Tuesday through Thursday until the benefits can be restored. How it works is that the parent or guardian must show their SNAP card and ID and each child will get to choose between spaghetti or two slices of cheese pizza. Orders can either be dine-in or to-go. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We believe in a community that looks out for each other, one meal and one act of kindness at a time, Papas Pizza wrote in its post. Stone Cold Meats & Seafood nearby in Elizabethtown also posted that it is helping families by offering 20% off their bill and Tinas Tasty Treats customers can get 10% off. In order to get the discount, let the cashier know you have a SNAP card, and then present that along with your ID. If you are providing for children you can also get additional items with no extra charge. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now WHTM Daily Digest Not every item is available for a discount, however. Weekly specials, reduced items and gift card purchases are not eligible. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement SNAP is expected to run dry Nov. 1 and millions of Pennsylvanians are expected to lose funds. Pennsylvania and other states sued earlier this week to block the federal government from suspending SNAP. Pennsylvania Treasurer Stacy Garrity (R) proposed taking out a loan for the program to Governor Josh Shapiro, but he struck it down because he said it would cost the state $300 million. This is a developing story. Stay with abc27 News as 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 ABC27. MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) A landslide early Friday morning killed at least 21 people in Papua New Guinea 's highlands, Australian media reported. The landslide around 2 a.m. flattened houses as people slept in the village of Kukas in Enga province, Australian Broadcasting Corp. reported, citing police. Enga Gov. Peter Ipatas told ABC locals reported up to 30 people had died, with 18 bodies already recovered. Police maintain the death toll was 21. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Associated Presss phone calls to Ipatas and the Wabag police station in Enga went unanswered Friday. Mate Bagossy, U.N. humanitarian adviser for Papua New Guinea, did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The United Nations conservatively estimated 670 villagers were killed in a landslide in Enga in May last year, while the Papua New Guinea government said more than 2,000 people had been buried. Two people are in the hospital after being shot inside a McKeesport bar on Thursday night. Allegheny County police say a shooting inside the McKeesport Beer Barrel on Fifth Avenue was reported to 911 at 9:36 p.m. First responders found a man and a woman who had both been shot. They were taken to area hospitals. As of Friday morning, both victims are in stable condition. Police tell anyone with information about the incident to call the County Police Tip Line 1-833-ALL-TIPS. Callers can remain anonymous. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Friday afternoon, the McKeesport Beer Barrel posted on social media that it would be permanently closing, effective immediately. The decision to close was voluntary and was made to help end violence and ensure everyones safety, the post reads. We want to express our heartfelt gratitude to all our loyal customers for their continued support and the memorable times we shared over the years, the post reads. Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW The Rose Library Drag Show, now in its fifth year, brings an engaging experience to a serious research library. For the 2025 event, entertainers including Lorelei, Tatianna Dejour, Chavon Scott and Lori DeVine most of them with long flowing hair and rhinestone outfits drew laughter, cheers and applause from an enthusiastic audience of Emory University students and members of the Atlanta community. Some of the performers walked through the crowd; one paused long enough to take selfies with audience members. Savannah Brown, a senior double majoring in linguistics and psychology, was a first-time attendee. Im excited to be here, and I just really like showing up to support queer events at Emory and seeing the community turn out for this. One drag kings performances to merengue and salsa music prompted Diana Duarte and Robin Garces to get up and dance. This was my first time at a drag show ever, and I loved it because it showed a lot of diversity and happiness and joy, said Garces, a PhD student in organization and management at Goizueta Business School. An event with multiple purposes The drag show is a way to increase awareness of the librarys LGBTQ collections and help students feel less intimidated by the Rose Library, says Elizabeth Ott, director of Emorys Stuart A. Rose Manuscript, Archives, and Rare Book Library. We want to give students an opportunity to have an experiential, transformative interaction with our collections, Ott says. The drag show helps them see that these materials are there for them to interact with. It's a fun and relaxed environment where they can have a different relationship to the Rose Library than they would have in some of our other services and programs. The Rose Library collects in the LGBTQ area because its a critical part of the history of Atlanta and the South, Ott says. Atlanta has always been a center for LGBT+ people throughout the South, says Ott. Atlanta is the drag capital of the Southeast. We collect the history of drag to reflect the cultural history of Atlanta. Ott says several of the collections refer to or document drag, including the photographs of Jon Arge, Royce Soble and Marvin Rhodes, and the recordings of the American Music Show, an Atlanta public access show with music, comedy and drag performances where RuPaul made his first appearances. This is an event that students look forward to every year, and I also think that it is something that has really helped students who identify as LGBT+ understand that their experiences at Emory are something worth collecting and preserving, says Ott. Randy Gue, assistant director of collection development and curator of Political, Cultural and Social Movements at the Rose Library, plans the drag show each year with Lorelei, one of the entertainers. All are professional drag queens who perform regularly in the Atlanta area. Audiences in the drag shows early days consisted of more community members than students, Gue says, but in recent years, its been about 60-70% students and 30-40% community members. I want people to say, I didnt know libraries had events like that, says Gue. We like to do things differently at the Rose Library, and fun events like the drag show are part of that approach. LGBTQ collections offer hands-on experiences and impact In a room adjacent to the drag show venue, guests could browse photographs and other materials from Rose Librarys LGBTQ collections, including items from the Jon Arge collection. Arge has been photographing LGBTQ house parties, nightlife and events since the 1990s. He placed his collection of photographs, including more than 5,000 Polaroids, with the Rose Library in 2017. The Polaroid collection grew from Arges desire to get out of the house and meet people despite his severe social anxiety. I told people, Im terrible with names, so let me take your picture and have you sign it, he says. Without realizing it, he documented Atlantas LGBTQ community for nearly 40 years. Arge took selections from his collection when he visited the Film 215: Queer Visions class taught by David Barba, assistant professor in Emorys Department of Film and Media, in October 2024. The students went around and looked at them, then they asked me thoughtful questions, he says, noting the recent renewed interest in Polaroid cameras among young people and the students connecting with his Polaroids. Its a strange feeling to be considered part of Atlantas LGBTQ history and to have his work in a collection that students and others can study and use for research, Arge says. But it's a nice feeling, too, he adds. And it's so marvelous that these materials are protected like this, and that all these things can find a home and play a part in the collective voice. As Gue says, Donors want to know that the materials they placed with us are being used, that theyre not going to be sitting on a shelf somewhere, but people are going to engage with them. Oli Turner, who graduated in May 2025 with a bachelors degree in English and creative writing, discovered the LGBTQ archives during an assignment for her Southern Literature class: students were directed to write about anything involving Southern literature using any of the Rose Librarys collections. Turner searched the terms Southern lit and LGBTQ in the Rose Librarys website search engine and came across Rebecca Ranson, a playwright and activist who wrote her first play after her friend Warren died of AIDS in the 1980s. I had never heard of her, and I started getting really into her archive after visiting the Rose Library and reading some of the journals, says Turner. I happened to have picked some of the journals from 1984 when she was writing about her friend Warren. I became fascinated with her, and with seeing this really raw emotion in the archives for anyone to go up and read. I couldn't stop thinking about her. Then I proposed it for my undergraduate honors thesis, because I thought that she was someone that more people should know about. That proposal led to Turners undergraduate honors thesis I Begin Again: Witnessing Rebecca Ransons Atlanta. She conducted most of her research in Ransons papers in the Rose Librarys LGBTQ collections; her thesis received Highest Honors. Her personal experience helped Turner clearly see the value of the archives at the Rose Library. I find it really special as an undergraduate researcher. I think that its a unique part of Emorys collections that were able to access so much so easily being able to literally hold her diaries is a singular experience. I cant think of much else in this life thats made me feel this way, except maybe looking through my grandmothers stuff. Its all very intimate and close. For more information on the Rose Librarys LGBTQ collections, contact rose.library@emory.edu or randy.gue@emory.edu ITHACA - It's been more than a century and a half since Ezra Cornell made a purchase that's since grown into the largest collection of New York fossils in the state, but the facility that holds them is now facing an end. The Paleontological Research Institution in Ithaca, which also holds the largest number of fossils from Antarctica, will have to close in January if its calls for help go unanswered. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "It is the kind of collection you would encounter in a major natural history museum," said Warren Allmon, its director. "That kind of resource in a very sparsely populated, underserved part of the world is really unusual." But that collection will instead be scattered to other facilities outside New York, if Allmon and the institution can't come up with $1 million in the next two months. They're hoping that funding, or at least some of it, could come from the state. Allmon said he's been in contact with the state to no avail. The reason the shortfall exists doesn't qualify for emergency assistance, he said they told him. It's the unfortunate result of a promise gone wrong. When the institution was built more than two decades ago, a major donor pledged to pay the mortgage to finance it. But the donor wasn't able to fulfill that commitment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The donor didn't have a change of heart," said Brian Bauer, the institution's chair. "That donor had a change of fortune." That left the institution with a $3 million debt it couldn't pay back. Despite the challenge, they've been able to raise enough money to cover most of it over the past year. All that remains is the outstanding $1 million. "It has been explained to me numerous times, by numerous independent people at the state, that the state has no mechanism to pay a delinquent mortgage," Allmon said. New York offers funding for research facilities and museums in a few different ways, but none of them involve a mechanism for the kind of urgent relief the institution needs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The most direct is through an appropriation in the state budget but a new spending plan won't be negotiated until next spring at the earliest. State agencies that support museums don't provide emergency operational funding. That leaves Allmon and the institution with few options outside of asking the state to make an exception or finding another revenue source. "We're working really hard on any option to see our way through," Bauer said. If they can't see their way through, it will mean the likely closure of an institution that's been operating in Ithaca since 1932. But what they have in their collection and on display dates back much further. The oldest exhibit they have is 2 billion years old, though much of the institution's offerings are sourced from the last half billion. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They come from around the world and many are unmatched by other institutions. That includes 15,000 specimens, perfectly preserved organisms that are used by researchers to identify new findings. That's a small part of what draws 30,000 people to the institution each year. They've also expanded their digital offerings since the coronavirus pandemic and now serve 1.2 million people online. "We have stuff from all over the world that tells the entire story of life on Earth," Allmon said. There's an emphasis in their public displays on invertebrates because those are the kinds of fossils that people might find in their backyard in upstate New York. Those are all small. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Then there's the larger offerings, including the skeleton of a whale that hangs in the lobby and the iconic Hyde Park mastodon, a relative of modern elephants with a size to match. The mastodon was discovered in someone's backyard on the other side of the state in the village of Hyde Park in Dutchess County. It was carefully excavated over several months by staff from the institution in 2000. They emerged with a skeleton of the creature that was nearly complete - an incredibly rare find. "It is truly a treasure," Allmon said. "It's a local celebrity in the Hudson Valley." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But it's one that will have to be carefully disassembled and relocated to a new home if the institution fails to find new funding. That's a particularly tough request of the state at the moment. New York is working to fill an anticipated $750 million revenue gap due to changes in federal funding ahead of a multibillion-dollar shortfall expected in next year's state budget. The New York State Council on the Arts, which provides grants to museums, won't be able to consider a request for help from the institution until next spring at the earliest, a spokeswoman said. Gov. Kathy Hochul's office declined to comment. The state Education Department, which provides limited support to museums, also did not respond to a request for comment. This article originally published at Largest New York fossil collection, home of Hyde Park mastodon, faces closure. LAS VEGAS (KLAS) Prosecutors have formally filed a DUI charge against a Democratic Nevada state senator more than a month after Las Vegas police said they found him asleep behind the wheel. Metro police arrested State Sen. Edgar Flores, 39, on Friday, Sept. 12, near the intersection of Lamb and Lake Mead boulevards on suspicion of DUI, the 8 News Now Investigators first reported. Flores told police he drank a 24-ounce beer earlier that night, documents said. The legal limit in Nevada is 0.08. Police arrested Flores around 3:30 a.m. The first blood sample, obtained four hours later at 7:35 a.m., showed a blood-alcohol level of 0.082 above the legal limit, according to documents the 8 News Now Investigators obtained through a records request. A second sample taken an hour later resulted in a 0.062. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Delays in testing mean prosecutors must wait to file formal charges. While police arrest a person on a charge, prosecutors file charges, which start the actual criminal proceeding. Prosecutors filed the misdemeanor DUI charge on Oct. 16, records said. Metro was averaging a 29-day turnaround time for standard DUI tests as of this month, the 8 News Now Investigators reported Monday. Flores blood results were rushed and returned in the days after his arrest. Because of the anticipated delays in most cases, the Las Vegas Justice Court was scheduling out DUI cases four months after an arrest. Amid the shortened testing time, the court moved in October to a two-month delay schedule. Because of that initial practice, Flores was not due to return to court until Jan. 12. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nevadas DUI laws require prosecutors to prove an alleged impaired driver was above the legal limit within two hours of their arrest. The delay in blood testing will likely not impact prosecutors case because a persons blood-alcohol level decreases over time. Voters first elected State Sen. Edgar Flores to the Nevada Assembly in 2014. He was elected to the Nevada Senate in 2022. (Nevada Legislature) In several statements, Floress representatives have said he was tired, adding, They remain confident that his name will be fully cleared and reaffirm his commitment to working with both the community and law enforcement to ensure transparency and accountability. Voters first elected Flores to the Nevada Assembly in 2014. Voters later elected him as a state senator in 2022. Flores planned to run for re-election in 2026, he said. The penalties for a persons first misdemeanor DUI in Nevada are minimal and rarely involve jail time. The charge carries a potential jail sentence of 2-180 days, though the law states that the time can be served through community service. Judges can also revoke a persons license, issue a fine, and order them to attend a class. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLAS. (The Center Square) The last stretch of the sprint towards Tuesdays election day will see candidates crisscross across the commonwealth as some races are getting closer. The race has not been without its share of drama, with the latest happening Thursday afternoon when Republican Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears campaign bus caught fire while en route to a campaign event. The gubernatorial hopeful reassured the public that there were no injuries. In addition to the fire, Earle-Sears campaign hit a snag this week as Democrats called for a special session regarding a redistricting proposal. In her capacity as lieutenant governor, she was forced to return to Richmond to oversee the Senate. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The fire doesnt appear to be slowing down the Republican, as she is scheduled to hold seven events across the commonwealth between now and Tuesday, Election Day. The latest poll, conducted by Trafalgar/InsiderAdvantage, shows Earle-Sears trailing Democrat Abigail Spanberger by four points (46-42%). A survey conducted between Oct. 22 and 27 by Roanoke College shows a larger gap between the two candidates, with Spanberger leading by 10 points (51-41%). A RealClear Politics Polling roundup average shows Spanberger with a 7.4% lead over Earle-Sears (50.3% to 42.9%) heading into the election. Spanberger is set to receive a boost on the campaign trail as former President Barack Obama is scheduled to campaign on behalf of the Democrat in Norfolk on Saturday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While Trump has not formally endorsed Earle-Sears, he urged voters to cast their votes for the Republican, hoping the lieutenant governor will succeed in the race. The president has endorsed Republican Attorney General Jason Miyares, who is seeking a second term. Polls are showing Miyares pulling ahead of challenger Jay Jones, whose campaign has been marred by scandal following the leak of text messages from 2022, in which he made comments about a Republican colleagues family, as previously reported by The Center Square. The scandal has drawn national attention, outrage and calls for Jones to drop out of the race. However, Democrats, including Spanberger and Virginia Democrats, continue to stand by his candidacy. The text message leak appears to have taken a hit on Jones as Miyares continues to lead in all the recent polls. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Trafalgar/InsiderAdvantage shows Miyares leading Democrat Jones by eight points (46-38%). The poll by Roanoke College, however, shows a tighter race between the two candidates, with Miyares leading by only one point (46% to 45%). A RealClear Politics Polling average of the polls shows Miyares with a 3.8% lead over Jones (46.7% to 42.9%) heading into the election. The race for lieutenant governor, which has garnered far less attention than the other two races, also shows the candidates neck and neck, with Democrat Sen. Ghazala Hashmi leading Republican John by only two points (42-40%), according to the Roanoke College poll. The final day for early voting is Saturday, Nov. 1. It began Sept. 19. _ Andrew Mountbatten Windsor was stripped of his royal titles, but he isn't the first member of the royal family to lose their status. Keep reading for the details MORE: Follow Wonderwall on MSN for more top news James Whatling / MEGA _ Virginia Giuffre accused Andrew Mountbatten Windsor of assault, and her posthumous memoir led to the allegations resurfacing. Since the book's release, Mountbatten Windsor was stripped of his title, dukedom and estate. "His Majesty has today initiated a formal process to remove the Style, Titles and Honours of Prince Andrew. Prince Andrew will now be known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor," Buckingham Palace said in a statement. Supplied by Capital Pictures / MEGA _ "These censures are deemed necessary, notwithstanding the fact that he continues to deny the allegations against him," the statement continued. "Their Majesties wish to make clear that their thoughts and utmost sympathies have been, and will remain with, the victims and survivors of any and all forms of abuse." Bob Fidgeon/Capital Pictures / MEGA _ The royal family has a history of removing titles King George V took away the royal distinction from relatives who sided with Germany during World War I. MEGA TheMegaAgency.com Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement _ The Titles Deprivation Act 1917 was used to strip the titles from Leopold Charles, Duke of Albany, Earl of Clarence and Baron Arklow; Ernest Augustus, Duke of Cumberland and Teviotdale, Earl of Armagh; Ernest Augustus, Duke of Brunswick, Prince of Great Britain and Ireland; and Henry, Viscount Taaffe of Corren and Baron of Ballymote. After a year of attempting contact, the Japanese Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) announced Tuesday that its Akatsuki Venus climate orbiter spacecraft has died and is no longer responsive. This was the last active human-made presence within Venus orbit, meaning that for the time being, Venus is all alone. Considering it was only a year ago that it seemed we might have found life there, that seems like a real tragedy. This was a mission that changed our view of our Earth-sized neighbor, and laid the path for new discoveries about what it takes to become heaven or hell," JAXA officials said (via Space.com). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement His reference to biblical hellscapes is perhaps well put. Venus surface is notoriously inhospitable, featuring incredibly high temperatures, atmospheric clouds of sulfuric acid, and a toxic atmosphere that is about as far from Earth's lush and temperate climate as you can get. Venus from a distance. Credit: NASA Throughout its mission, the Akatsuki craft supplied data that informed over 170 scientific papers and lasted far longer than its original 4.5-year planned lifespan. It ultimately conducted its mission over the span of 13 years. It launched in 2010, missed its original Venus insertion window, and then came back five years later, managing to grab hold of the planet's gravity enough to complete a range of exciting experiments. "With the main rocket engine damaged, the team were forced to get creative," JAXA wrote in the statement. "The spacecraft would have to attempt capture using the less powerful thrusters that were designed for the tasks of attitude control and fine adjustments. Orbit insertion had never previously been achieved with such a method, but exploration has always been about redefining the impossible." Learning more about Venus will require new Venus missions, and there are a couple in the pipeline. NASA has the DAVINCI and VERITAS missions, which will head into Venus' atmosphere and scan its surface and interior, respectively. However, these missions are both under threat from the Trump administration's NASA budget cuts, along with a Mars sample return mission. Two federal judges ruled nearly simultaneously on Friday that President Donald Trumps administration must continue to fund SNAP, the nations biggest food aid program, using contingency funds during the government shutdown. The rulings came a day before the U.S. Department of Agriculture planned to freeze payments to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program because it said it could no longer keep funding it due to the shutdown. The program serves about 1 in 8 Americans and is a major piece of the nations social safety net. Word in October that it would be a Nov. 1 casualty of the shutdown sent states, food banks and SNAP recipients scrambling to figure out how to secure food. Some states said they would spend their own funds to keep versions of the program going. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It wasnt immediately clear how quickly the debit cards that beneficiaries use to buy groceries could be reloaded after the ruling. That process often takes one to two weeks. Here's the latest: New York Attorney General Letitia James seeks to block Trump administrations subpoenas The challenge comes as James pushes back against the administrations investigation of cases she brought against the president and the National Rifle Association, according to court documents unsealed Friday. James filed a motion in August to block subpoenas issued by acting U.S. Attorney John Sarcone for records related to the legal actions, claiming the Justice Departments probe of the cases was retaliatory. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She also argued that Sarcone was improperly appointed and therefore lacked legitimate authority to authorize the subpoenas. Dozens of court documents in the case have been filed under seal since August. Late Friday a federal judge in Manhattan granted James motion to unseal most of them, over the objection of the Justice Department. Judge Lorna Schofield, however, has not yet ruled on the motion to quash the subpoenas. An email seeking comment was sent to Sarcones office. A phone message was not immediately returned late Friday. SNAP has provided grocery help for 60-plus years. Heres how it works Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program is a major piece of the social safety net used by nearly 42 million, or about 1 in 8 Americans, to help buy groceries. Originally known as the food stamp program, it has existed since 1964, serving low-income people, many of whom have jobs but dont make enough to cover all basic costs. There are income limits based on family size, expenses and whether households include someone who is elderly or has a disability. Most participants are families with children, and more than 1 in 3 include older adults or someone with a disability. Nearly 2 in 5 recipients are households where someone is employed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Most participants have incomes below the poverty line, about $32,000 for a family of four, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. The Agriculture Department, which administers SNAP, says nearly 16 million children received benefits in 2023. Read more about how SNAP works Air traffic controller shortages lead to broader US flight delays as shutdown nears 1-month mark The Federal Aviation Administration reported staffing shortages that were causing flight delays Friday at a number of airports, including in Boston, Phoenix, San Francisco, Nashville, Houston, Dallas and the Washington, D.C., area. Airports serving the New York City area John F. Kennedy, LaGuardia and Newark Liberty were also experiencing delays averaging around two hours, according to the FAA. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Staffing shortages can occur both in regional control centers that manage multiple airports and in individual airport towers, but they dont always lead to flight disruptions. According to aviation analytics firm Cirium, flight data showed strong on-time performance at most major airports for the month of October despite isolated staffing problems throughout the month. But Cirium said the data also showed a broader slowdown Thursday across the nations aviation system for the first time since the shutdown began Oct. 1, suggesting staffing-related disruptions may be spreading. Read more about the shutdown and U.S. aviation Instacart, DoorDash, Gopuff among companies offering discounts to SNAP recipients Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Instacart said Friday that it will offer customers who receive SNAP benefits 50% on their next grocery order to ease strain as the government prepares to cut off food aid payments. the company said any customer who placed an order in October using a SNAP/EBT card will be eligible for the discount, which will be available even if the government makes payments as planned on Nov. 1. Instacart said it is also expanding the number of food banks it supports through online food drives from 100 to 300. The San Francisco-based grocery delivery company said both programs amount to $5 million in direct relief. Instacart is one of several big companies reacting to the U.S. Department of Agricultures plan to freeze payments to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program on Nov. 1 due to the government shutdown. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read more about companies offering discounts to SNAP recipients Trump back on 60 Minutes for the first time after settling lawsuit The president is returning to the weekly newsmagazine this weekend for the first time since the suit, which centered on its interview with Kamala Harris, was settled in the summer. Trump was interviewed by CBS Norah ODonnell on Friday at Mar-a-Lago for the appearance, which will air Sunday. The president has a checkered history with televisions most popular newsmagazine. But he has signaled friendlier relations with CBS News after the takeover of its parent company this summer by new Paramount CEO David Ellison, the son of wealthy supporter Larry Ellison. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump says hell fund SNAP if the courts give more clarity The president suggested on social media that the government would comply with court rulings to pay for food aid during the government shutdown but said more clarity is needed first. Even if we get immediate guidance, it will unfortunately be delayed while States get the money out, Trump said. Federal funds for the program are expected to be frozen starting Saturday. If we are given the appropriate legal direction by the Court, it will BE MY HONOR to provide the funding. He sought to blame Democrats for the delay and urged SNAP recipients to call Minority Leader Chuck Schumer. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement New Pentagon policy undercuts trans troops ability to ask to stay in the military, AP learns The policy will severely undercut the ability of transgender troops who have been banned from the armed forces by the Trump administration to turn to peer boards to argue for their right to stay, according to a memo obtained by AP. If military separation boards decide to allow transgender service members to remain in uniform, commanders can override those decisions, according to an Oct. 8 memo to all services from the Pentagons undersecretary for personnel and readiness. That breaks with longstanding policy that boards act independently. It is the Pentagons latest step to drive transgender troops out of the armed forces following a presidential executive order. Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth have targeted diversity, equity and inclusion efforts in what they say is an effort to make the military more lethal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The new memo also requires that trans service members appear before separation boards in uniforms that match the gender assigned to them at birth. If they do not, their absence can be used against them. Read more about the policy Court says Border Patrol official wont have to brief judge on Chicago-area immigration sweeps An appeals court ruled in favor of the Trump administration and stopped a judge from trying to get daily updates from a Border Patrol official about the governments immigration crackdown in the Chicago area. The court said the order from U.S. District Judge Sara Ellis put her in position of an inquisitor rather than that of a neutral adjudicator and would have turned her into a supervisor of Greg Bovino, a violation of the separation of powers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ellis, concerned about allegations of excessive force and the use of tear gas against protesters, wanted daily updates from Bovino, starting Wednesday. But the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals intervened that day and suspended the order, before going further and freezing it Friday. Also Friday, advocates in a different case sued over what they called inhumane conditions at a Chicago-area immigration facility. Senate Democrats urge top Trump national security officials to brief lawmakers on Venezuela strikes The renewed request came in a letter Friday to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We also request that you provide all legal opinions related to these strikes and a list of the groups or other entities the President has deemed targetable, the senators said in the letter, which was obtained by The Associated Press. Signatories included Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer as well as Jack Reed, Jeanne Shaheen, Mark Warner, Chris Coons, Patty Murray and Brian Schatz. The letter said the administration so far has selectively shared what has at times been contradictory information with some members while excluding others. Democrats and some Republicans have complained that the administration has failed to provide basic information about lethal strikes that U.S. forces have carried out against alleged drug-smuggling boats in the Caribbean and Pacific the last two months. Trump opens the door for sanctions on Nigeria over alleged persecution of Christians The president announced Friday that he would designate the West African nation a country of particular concern as it relates to religious freedom, a move that has been pushed by some U.S. lawmakers. The designation does not necessarily mean that sanctions, which could include a ban on all non-humanitarian aid, will be imposed, but it is a step ahead of that. Christianity is facing an existential threat in Nigeria, Trump said via social media. Radical Islamists are responsible for this mass slaughter. I am hereby making Nigeria a COUNTRY OF PARTICULAR CONCERN. Nigeria vehemently rejects such claims about persecution of Christians. Analysts say that while Christians are among those targeted, the majority of victims of armed groups are Muslims in Nigerias Muslim-majority north, where most attacks occur. Trump said he would ask lawmakers to look into the matter and report back on what the response to the designation should be. Union president for air traffic controllers says end this shutdown The president of the union representing air traffic controllers is calling on Congress to pass a clean continuing resolution to end the government shutdown, make sure federal workers get paid and then engage in bipartisan negotiation on other pressing issues. Nick Daniels, president of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association, said the workers the union represents got no paycheck on Tuesday after receiving a partial check two weeks earlier. He said going without a full months pay or more would be unsustainable. Daniels also said the situation is creating substantial distractions for individuals already engaged in extremely stressful work. The financial and mental strain increases risks within the National Airspace System, making it less safe with each passing day of the shutdown, Daniels said in a statement. Top Senate Judiciary Democrat challenges YouTubes claims of Biden censorship Attorneys for YouTubes parent company Alphabet last month sent the Senate Judiciary Committee a letter claiming the Biden administration pressed the social media site to delete content during the COVID-19 pandemic. But Sen. Jamie Raskin, the committees Democratic ranking member, on Friday publicly questioned that assessment in his own letter to YouTube CEO Neal Mohan. Raskin wrote that the sworn testimony of 20 Alphabet employees contradicted the claims the company had made. He questioned whether YouTube was coerced to claim censorship by the Trump administration. What was Alphabet promised or threatened with in order to dance to this new MAGA tune? Raskin asked in Fridays letter. Republicans argue the Biden administration illegally censored Americans through coercion to tech companies. Democrats dispute that narrative. Judge sides with Democratic groups that sued over Trumps proof-of-citizenship directive The federal judge ruled that Trumps request to add a documentary proof of citizenship requirement to the federal voter registration form is an unconstitutional violation of the separation of powers. The ruling deals a blow to the administration and its allies who have argued that such a mandate is necessary to restore public confidence that only Americans are voting in U.S. elections. Because our Constitution assigns responsibility for election regulation to the States and to Congress, this Court holds that the President lacks the authority to direct such changes, U.S. District Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly in Washington, D.C., wrote in her opinion. Kollar-Kotelly echoed comments she made when she granted a preliminary injunction over the issue. Senators press Hegseth for more information on boat strikes The Republican chair and ranking Democrat on the Senate Armed Services Committee have asked Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to provide the legal rationale for the U.S. militarys fatal attacks on alleged drug boats off the South American coast. The senators also requested the directives Hegseth approved for the military strikes, which have killed at least 61 people in 14 attacks since early September. They also want the list of drug cartels that the Trump administration has designated as terrorist organizations in its justification for the use of military force. The requests were made in two letters from late September and early October that were released Friday by Roger Wicker, a Mississippi Republican, and Jack Reed, a Democrat from Rhode Island. Lawmakers in both parties have raised questions about the use of military force without congressional approval. The Trump administration has shown no evidence to support its claims about the boats that have been attacked, their connection to drug cartels, or even the identity of the people killed in the strikes. Top Democrat says Trump administration must release SNAP funds after judges ruling Sen. Amy Klobuchar, the ranking member of the Senate Agriculture committee that oversees the food aid program, said the courts decision confirms what we have said all week: The administration is choosing not to feed Americans in need, despite knowing that it is legally required to do so. The district courts decision leaves no excuse to withhold food assistance from Americans, she said. If the administration decides not to issue SNAP funds, she said, it is purely a cruel political decision, not a legal one. They should immediately act as the court has required to ensure food assistance continues to go to families in need. Judges in the SNAP payment lawsuits expect updates by Monday A federal judge in Rhode Island ruled from the bench that the program must be funded using at least the contingency funds and asked for an update on progress by Monday. A Massachusetts-based judge also gave the administration until Monday to say whether it would partially pay for the benefits for November with contingency money or fund them fully with additional funds. It wasnt immediately clear how quickly the debit cards that beneficiaries use to buy groceries could be reloaded after the ruling. That process often takes one to two weeks. The rulings are likely to face appeals. Senate Republicans reject Trumps call to eliminate the filibuster Trump has long pushed Senate Republicans to get rid of the rule that requires 60 votes to overcome objections and gives the minority Democrats a check on GOP power. He posted on social media late Thursday that the Senate should Get rid of the Filibuster, and get rid of it, NOW! But Senate Majority Leader John Thune has repeatedly said he is not considering changing the rules even as he seeks to end the shutdown, arguing that the filibuster is vital to the institution of the Senate and has allowed them to halt Democratic policies when they are in the minority. The leaders position on the importance of the legislative filibuster is unchanged, Thune spokesman Ryan Wrasse said Friday. A spokeswoman for Wyoming Sen. John Barrasso, the No. 2 Republican, said his position opposing a filibuster change also remains unchanged. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., also defended the filibuster Friday, while conceding its not my call. The safeguard in the Senate has always been the filibuster, Johnson said, adding that Trumps comments are the presidents anger at the situation. Trump administration must fund SNAP payments during the shutdown, judge rules Two federal judges ruled nearly simultaneously on Friday that President Donald Trumps administration must to continue to fund SNAP, the nations biggest food aid program, using contingency funds during the government shutdown. The rulings came a day before the U.S. Department of Agriculture planned to freeze payments to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program because it said it could no longer keep funding it due to the shutdown. The program serves about 1 in 8 Americans and is a major piece of the nations social safety net. Word in October that it would be a Nov. 1 casualty of the shutdown sent states, food banks and SNAP recipients scrambling to figure out how to secure food. Some states said they would spend their own funds to keep versions of the program going. The program costs around $8 billion per month nationally. Trump says hes renovated the Lincoln Bathroom The president announced the renovation and posted side-by-side photos of the before and after of the rehab of the bathroom attached to one of the most famous rooms in the White House. It was renovated in the 1940s in an art deco green tile style, which was totally inappropriate for the Lincoln Era, Trump added. I did it in black and white polished Statuary marble. This was very appropriate for the time of Abraham Lincoln and, in fact, could be the marble that was originally there! White House set to resume public tours in December, after interruption for ballroom construction The White House says tours will restart Dec. 2, following their suspension for months due to the construction of Trumps $300 million ballroom. The East Wing was once part of tour routes, but has been demolished as part of the project. The White House says itll now offer an updated route offering guests the opportunity to experience the history and beauty of the Peoples House. To mark the holidays, December tours feature Christmas decorations curated by first lady Melania Trump on the State Floor. Congressional offices can begin submitting tour requests for their constituents on Monday. Such requests had been paused since the summer for ballroom construction. Latvia is set to deliver another batch of military aid and 65 vehicles donated by Latvenergo AS in cooperation with Sadales tikls AS to Ukraine on Monday 3 November. Source: Delfi, a Baltic state news website, citing non-governmental organisation Ziedot.lv, as reported by European Pravda Details: The delivery event will be attended by Ziedot.lv CEO Ruta Dimanta, Latvenergo Administrative Director Arnis Kurgs, Raimonds Skrebs, Sadales tikls board member and Technical Director, and Vigants Radzins, Sadales tikls board member and Development Director. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The event will also be attended by Yurii Zakharchuk, an adviser to the Ukrainian Embassy in Latvia, along with Latvenergo and Sadales tikls employees who volunteer as drivers. Latvenergo and Sadales tikls employees will travel to Ukraine on a voluntary basis to deliver all donated vehicles and bulky cargo to the Ukrainian military. Latvenergo has donated a total of 158 used vehicles to improve the mobility of Ukrainian troops on the front lines, supporting both the movement of military units and the delivery of vital supplies. Background: In September, Latvia announced the transfer of another batch of Latvian-made Patria 6x6 armoured personnel carriers and other military equipment to the Ukrainian Armed Forces. In April, Latvia, which co-chairs the Drone Capability Coalition with the UK within the Ukraine Defence Contact Group (also known as the Ramstein format), announced the delivery of 1,500 drones to Ukraine. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! The European Commission said on Friday that member state Latvia will still be obliged to respect international rules for the protection of women as the country debates a controversial move to withdraw from the Istanbul Convention. The comments come after the Latvian parliament voted to quit the treaty on the basis that it promotes "radical feminism based on the ideology of gender". The move to walk away from the Istanbul Convention is seen by civil society organisations as backtracking on fundamental rights. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Before it comes into effect, President Edgars Rinkevics will have to decide whether to ratify the decision over the next 10 days. The Istanbul Convention is a treaty aiming to prevent and combat violence against women, signed by all the European Unions member states and several other nations outside the EU, like the United Kingdom and Norway. Bulgaria, Hungary, Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Lithuania have not ratified the convention. If the country's president confirms the motion, Latvia would be the first EU country to withdraw from the treaty after its ratification in January 2024. The parliament which first ratified it would be the same one calling for its exit a year later. EU countries in the Istanbul Convention. - Euronews The EU as a whole acceded to the Istanbul Convention in 2023, making it a legally binding agreement for the 27 member states in areas falling under the EU's competence. Those include EU institutions and the public administration, judicial cooperation in fighting crime, and asylum rights. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement These parts [...] are part of the legal order, which means all member states are bound by them, a Commission spokesperson said during a press briefing on Friday in Brussels. The European Commission refused to comment on the vote and, when asked by Euronews, said it is too early to make an assessment. We have to respect national processes in our member states," the spokesperson said. In the past, the EU condemned the Turkish government for quitting the convention in 2021. At the time, Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the move was "deeply worrying". Parliament decision sparks controversy The move to withdraw from the Istanbul Convention was approvedby Latvias unicameral parliament by 56 votes to 32, with two abstentions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The motion was pushed by the far-right party Latvia First, which claims that the national criminal law already includes the rules that are featured in the convention. The party also pointed to what it describes as deeply ideological motives. The Istanbul Convention is a product of radical feminism based on the ideology of gender", Latvia First wrote in a statement to Euronews. The party disputes in particular Article 3 of the treaty, which identifies gender as the socially constructed roles, behaviours, activities and attributes that a given society considers appropriate for women and men without making a reference to biological sex. It also accuses the Convention of obliging signatories to include gender ideology in school curricula. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The exact text featured in the Convention urges the participating countries to include teaching material on issues such as equality between women and men, non-stereotyped gender roles, mutual respect [...]. Experts in Latvia suggest that the issue has been too politicised and taken out of context from what is a call to respect fundamental rights for women. Opposition members of parliament are using the term gender against the whole convention, Beata Jonite, head of policy and advocacy at the MARTA Centre, a Latvian organisation that helps victims of domestic violence told Euronews. She added that despite Latvia having some of these provisions in its national criminal law, withdrawing from the best globally known international agreement, made specifically to protect victims of domestic violence, sends a very concerning signal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Related Carlien Scheele, director of the European Gender Equality Institute, told Euronews that the motion from Latvia proves that womens rights are being dismantled. Turning away from this shared commitment sends a devastating message: that womens lives and rights are negotiable. They are not, she said. Latvia's President Edgars Rinkevics wroteon Friday that he would consider the decision taking into account state and legal considerations, rather than ideological or political ones. He did not specify when or even if he would ratify it, a step required for the withdrawal to take effect. Morris Librarys John C. Guyon Auditorium hosts the School of Communication Studies Student Speakers Forum on Thursday, Nov. 6. (Southern Illinois University Carbondale photo) SIU Student Speakers Forum on Nov. 6 looks at todays influencers by Pete Rosenbery CARBONDALE, Ill. In todays bull rush of messages and opinions that look to sway peoples opinions, five Southern Illinois University Carbondale undergraduate students will share their thoughts on influence on Thursday, Nov. 6, in Morris Librarys John C. Guyon Auditorium. This semesters topic is The Power of Influence: Who (or What) Shapes Us. The free, public forum is from 7 to 8 p.m. From the media we consume and the technologies we use to the communities we join and the voices we follow, our lives are shaped by countless influences. Some of these we choose, while others we may not even notice, said Franklin Kimmell, a fourth-year doctoral student and graduate teaching assistant in communication studies who is organizing the forum for his fourth and final time. The student speakers will encourage the audience to think critically about the power of influence in their daily lives, Kimmell said. Open to all undergraduate SIU Carbondale students, the speakers forum allows participants from a variety of majors and disciplines an opportunity to showcase their public speaking skills and connect their academic and personal interests to the theme, he said. Chosen from auditions, students who deliver 6- to 8-minute persuasive speeches will each receive a $200 scholarship from the Society for Civil Discourse. Where influence comes from The students will explore the forces that guide our choices, behaviors and beliefs. Whether those influences come from social media, politics, culture, advertising, peers or technology, this event challenges us to think critically about who or what is steering our paths and how we might reclaim the power to shape our futures, Kimmell said. The students who will speak are: Eric Guijon, second-year psychology, Cobden Topic/thesis: The Foundation of Influence: Nature vs. Nurture. Topic/thesis: The Foundation of Influence: Nature vs. Nurture. Christopher DePalma , freshman, undecided, Louis, Missouri Topic/thesis: Parasocial Relationships: Influence Without Interaction. freshman, undecided, Topic/thesis: Parasocial Relationships: Influence Without Interaction. Kaleb Rehmer, senior, communication studies, Chester Topic/thesis: How TTRPGs Have Influenced Our Interpersonal Relationships. Topic/thesis: How TTRPGs Have Influenced Our Interpersonal Relationships. Samuel McNeilly , second-year undergraduate, history and political science, Villa Park, Illinois Topic/thesis: The Heroes That Shape Us. second-year undergraduate, history and political science, Topic/thesis: The Heroes That Shape Us. Uzma Afsar, senior, architectural studies, Hyderabad, India Topic/thesis: The Architecture of Choice: How Physical and Digital Spaces Decide for Us. Showcasing aspiring talent The forums, which happen each semester, began in spring 2002, and are sponsored by the School of Communication Studies and the Society for Civil Discourse. The society was founded in 1999, when SIU Carbondale alumna Barbara Jane Schwartz of Makanda established an endowment to provide space for students to be able to freely engage in civil discourse and support opportunities for students to exchange opinions and beliefs in topics of interest about the Carbondale campus and society. A catered reception will follow the forum in the rotunda outside of the auditorium. For more information on the event, contact Kimmell at franklin.kimmell@siu.edu. They are two LAUSD schools just a mile apart. Yet in many ways Canfield Avenue Elementary School and Shenandoah Elementary School in the Beverlywood and Reynier Village neighborhoods of Los Angeles are worlds apart. Canfields student body is 46% white, while Shenandoah is 95% Black and Hispanic. Canfield has a pass rate of 77% on state reading exams, but just 31% of Shenandoah students met reading standards this year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The difference between these two schools isnt about curriculum or funding, but rather the highly uneven attendance zones from which Canfield and Shenandoah draw their students. School attendance zones are meant to provide L.A. families with strong options for their childrens education. But a growing number of critics say the outdated school zones of LAUSD reinforce educational inequality by locking needy students out of a good education. Canfields residential school attendance zone is 83% white, while Shenandoahs is 55% Hispanic, 14% Black, and 6% Asian, according to research conducted by The Urban Institute, a nonprofit think-tank. One dot corresponds to one person. Demographic data are based on 2010 census block data. Sources: US Census Bureau and Precisely. Such massive inequities between neighboring schools, both within the same local public school system, are difficult to justify, wrote Urban Institute researchers Tomas Monarrez and Carina Chien, who studied the two schools for their 2021 research report Dividing Lines. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The differences in the nearby schools catchment areas is reflected in their enrollment, with 49% of Canfield kids experiencing poverty, compared to 93% at Shenandoah. Monarrez and Chien found inequalities in school enrollment zones in districts across the country in their Urban Institute report, but singled out the racial segregation and uneven outcomes of LAUSD, the nations second-largest school district, for special attention. The entrenched and segregationist school zones that populate Los Angeles Unified are the deliberate outcomes of a racist past, according to local parent turned researcher-and-author Tim DeRoche. DeRoche, whose book, A Fine Line, explores school zones and segregation in Los Angeles and other districts across the country, said attendance zones ought to be abolished or completely overhauled, but admits its unlikely thatll happen anytime soon in L.A. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The district doesnt want to touch them, said DeRoche of LAUSDs school zones, because families overpaid for homes within those lines. LA Unified officials say school attendance boundaries are shaped by a range of factors, including geography, enrollment trends, and school capacity. A district spokesperson saud boundaries are reviewed and adjusted as needed to support students and communities. Related Outraged Over Admissions Policies at Harvard? Take a Look at the Public Schools According to research conducted by Realtor.com, California has some of the largest public school real estate premiums in the U.S., with some of the most expensive school zones occurring within LAUSD. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Home buyers may think the unequal nature of LAs school zones is a consequence of a tight real estate market, DeRoche said, but at least eight LA elementary schools have school zones that closely mirror the racist, redlining maps of the 1930s, according to documents he recently unearthed. Redlining maps were developed by the federal government for use in mortgages and color-coded neighborhoods by their perceived investment risk. Areas with large numbers of Black residents were graded as hazardous and marked in red, leading to decades of disinvestment and segregation. For at least eight LAUSD schools, todays student attendance boundaries match those of the discredited redlining maps nearly exactly. If a map of the school zone is placed atop a redlining map, the boundaries are the same. Attendance zones for many other schools match those of redlining maps partially. DeRoche made this startling discovery about LAUSDs school zones while conducting an investigation of the district for his 2025 paper Crisis in the School House, which showed how lower- and middle-income families experience difficulty accessing top LAUSD elementary schools. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The use of school zones that mirror redlining maps occurs in public school districts across the country, but, in Los Angeles, its more prevalent than the national average, according to the research conducted by Monarrez and Chien for the Urban Institute. Redlining isnt the only vestige of Americas segregationist past that shows up in school zones. Across the country, modern school district boundaries mirror the boundaries of historical sundown towns, where threats against Black people maintained all-white areas. Many of the school zones within LAUSD were drawn decades ago, and its unclear if those identified by DeRoche were drawn with the redlining maps in mind or not, he said. But its unlikely many parents of students enrolled in sought-after LAUSD elementary schools such as Ivanhoe Elementary, Mt. Washington Elementary and Mar Vista Elementary are aware that their school zones reflect those racist maps, DeRoche said. Mar Vista Elementary School Attendance Zone (Available to All) Nick Melvoin, a second-term LAUSD school board member whose district includes Mar Vista, said he wasnt aware Mar Vistas attendance zone mirrors that of an old, local redlining map, until DeRoche told him. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The plain-spoken former attorney said he wasnt surprised, though, given the history of exclusionary education policy in L.A. County, where Los Angeles Unified is but the largest of more than 70 local school districts. That is something that we dont acknowledge, said Melvoin. Throughout the county and over time, a number of districts that are surrounded by and adjacent to LAUSD have carved themselves out of the larger, more diverse district of LAUSD, so that they have a little bit more exclusivity, Melvoin explained. That list, he said, includes Beverly Hills Unified, Santa Monica-Malibu Unified and Culver City Unified. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a perfect world, Melvoin said, maybe the attendance zone around Mar Vista in his own board district would be changed, but a better solution is to offer options that give families the choice to exit their local school zones and enroll in better options. Id like a world where there are no enrollment boundaries, to really make sure that were equitable, he said, but where folks are still choosing their local schools, because we just have such a surplus of high quality options. Some of the non-zone school options for LAUSD families include magnet schools, charter schools and schools in the districts Open Enrollment platform, where families may enroll in schools outside their zones, as long as there are seats. Related Low-Hanging Fruit: Thousands of Same-Race Schools Within Miles of Each Other An LAUSD spokesperson said 40% of students enrolled in schools outside their zoned area in the 2024-25 school year, reflecting the pervasiveness and efficacy of the districts school choice programs. Thats up from 28% a decade ago, the spokesperson said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Critics, including DeRoche, say the districts programs still dont do enough to provide good options for families. DeRoches 2025 report found enrollment is down 46% among 456 LAUSD elementary schools from their peak, while over half of these schools have seen enrollment decline by over 50% over the last two decades. The decline has left a lot of open space in 39 high-performing schools, but that doesnt mean LA students are filling them, according to DeRoches analysis. In fact, he and his team found nearly 7,000 empty seats in the sought-after schools. LAUSD officials disputed the analysis, saying its use of peak enrollment to measure school capacity is inaccurate, because those schools were overcrowded then. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Melvoin said the district is working hard to make it easier for families to access schools outside their local zones, by providing its Open Enrollment platform to make it easier for families to enroll, and also by providing transportation for families that request it. Now, throughout LA Unified in every grade level, families have other choices, he said. Dual language and magnet programs, charters and schools of advanced studies are a few of the options available, he said. Beyond LA, a movement to promote school choice and eliminate dependence on zoned schools is gaining steam, said Derrell Bradford, president of the national education advocacy group 50CAN. Bradford and his nonprofit are part of an alliance of more than 50 nonpartisan education groups committed to ending discriminatory public school district boundary lines, called the No More Lines Coalition. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The coalition argues that school boundaries are based on a students ZIP code and, de facto, a familys wealth based on their home value. Formed last year, it has set a goal of ending the practice in all 50 states by 2030. States, including Idaho, Nevada and Kansas, are already working to promote open enrollment with state laws that modify existing school zoning policies, said Bradford. Everything about how people think about where you go to school, and how you get into school is kind of up for public discussion right now, in a way that I think is helpful, said Bradford. Its time has come. The Trump administration recently asked the Supreme Court to review two lower court rulings that struck down its executive order on birthright citizenship. This is not in and of itself surprising. What stands out about this case is not just the legal arguments themselves but how a small group of legal academics have tried to create a dubious counter-consensus around the citizenship clause to further Trumps goals. The citizenship clause reads as follows: All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. This language is both broad and unequivocal. It was designed to eliminate any ambiguity or uncertainty about the status of American citizenship, for both the formerly enslaved people living in the South and for untold generations to come. By its own text, the clause has only one exception. People who are not subject to the jurisdiction of the United States do not automatically acquire U.S. citizenship at birth. Who qualifies for disqualification? A person is subject to the jurisdiction of the United States when they are on American soil. They can be taxed, regulated, searched, seized, arrested, tried, convicted, imprisoned, pardoned, and so on. When a person crosses the border into Canada, on the other hand, they are subject to the jurisdiction of Canada and everything that change entails. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There were two well-known exceptions at the time of the Fourteenth Amendments enactment. Members of Native American tribes not under U.S. jurisdiction did not acquire U.S. citizenship at birth because of the unique status that tribal nations, as distinct sovereign entities, had in the American constitutional framework. This exception is no longer operative because Congress granted citizenship by statute to all Native Americans born on U.S. soil with the Indian Citizenship Act of 1924. The other exception, which still exists, is for children of foreign diplomats born on U.S. soil. Their exclusion is largely for pragmatic reasons. For one thing, the childs parents have diplomatic immunity and are therefore not subject to the jurisdiction of the United States. For some countries, acquiring American citizenship at birth could endanger the childs citizenship in their parents native land. Even the United States did not fully recognize dual citizens until the 1970s. The diplomatic exception is fairly obscure nowadays but still carries legal force. In August, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that 75-year-old Roberto Moncada was not a U.S. citizen despite being born in New York City in 1950. U.S. officials mistakenly believed that Moncadas father, a Nicaraguan diplomatic official at the United Nations at the time, did not have diplomatic immunity when he served in the country. When Moncada renewed his passport for a fifth time in 2018, the federal government discovered the error and denied his application. Beyond that, the citizenship clauses meaning has been settled since the late nineteenth century. The Supreme Court ruled in the 1898 case Wong Kim Ark v. United States that a San Franciscoborn man had automatically acquired U.S. citizenship at birth, even though his parents were Chinese nationals. Subsequent changes to federal immigration law did not change this consensus because the Constitution supersedes federal law. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Occasional fringe voices tried to argue otherwise over the past 30 years, but a broad assortment of legal scholars have defended the status quo. They include more liberal legal scholars like Garrett Epps, as well as rock-ribbed originalists like Michael Ramsey and James Ho, the latter of whom was appointed by Trump to serve on the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. This has not stopped the Trump administration from claiming that it is restoring what it described as the [Citizenship] Clauses original meaning. It effectively argued that the legislative, executive, and judicial branches had all misread both the clause and Wong Kim Ark for the past century or more. Long after the Clauses adoption, the mistaken view that birth on U.S. territory confers citizenship on anyone subject to the regulatory reach of U.S. law became pervasive, with destructive consequences, the Justice Department claimed. It is not uncommon for legal briefs to cite legal scholarship to support their arguments. While law professors cannot make law, they can refine and clarify the legal systems understanding of the law. This has led some judges to lament that the legal academys writings arent more relevant to their jobs. Pick up a copy of any law review that you see, and the first article is likely to be, you know, the influence of Immanuel Kant on evidentiary approaches in 18th century Bulgaria or something, Chief Justice John Roberts once remarked. The birthright citizenship cases reverse this trend, perhaps a little too aggressively. A growing body of modern scholarship reinforces those views, the Justice Department claimed. It exclusively cited writings by law professors published after the executive order was issued that generally seek to defend it outright or to at least attack those who criticize it and suggest the matter is more ambiguous than everyone thought. That, in turn, would invite the Supreme Court to clarify matters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One such effort is by Ilan Wurman, a conservative law professor at the University of Minnesota. His initial foray into the matter was a New York Times column, co-signed with legal scholar Randy Barnett, titled Trump Might Have a Case on Birthright Citizenship. Its goal was fairly clear. When they finally consider this question, the justices will find that the case for Mr. Trumps order is stronger than his critics realize, they argued. The two men advanced what they called the allegiance-for-protection theory to claim that subject to the jurisdiction didnt actually mean subject to the jurisdiction as someone would normally understand it. Both the Lincoln administration and the Congress that proposed the Fourteenth Amendment held this allegiance-for-protection view, with this difference: In England, the allegiance expected of a subject was obedience to the sovereign monarch in return for his protection, they claimed. In the American Republic, where the people are sovereign, the allegiance expected of a citizen was obedience to the laws. Wurman received widespread criticism for the column, which prompted him to expand on his argument in a 93-page research paper. (Barnett did not join him in this subsequent endeavor.) It covers a breathtaking range of historical sources: a 1608 case by Lord Coke on whether Scottish people born after the Stuarts inherited the English throne were English subjects, safe-passage charters for medieval merchants, freedom suits by enslaved Black Americans before the Civil War, some international law treatises, a few other obscure cases, and so on. One gets the impression that Wurman is trying to bury his opponents through sheer volume. His conclusion, after this grand survey, is still that Trump may be right after all. The best reading of the historical evidence is that the clause extended birthright citizenship to children born of parents subject to the complete municipal jurisdiction of the United States, Wurman claimed. Under the law of nations, certain categories of individuals could be physically present in a territory but subject to the law of nations rather than to the municipal power of the local sovereign. (In this context municipal means domestic instead of city.) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is a familiar manifestation of originalism, where some ancient principle is asserted that dates back to the Norman Conquest or Magna Carta or whatnot. It has somehow survived intact to be imported into the American constitutional order, despite all the revolutions and civil wars and independence movements since then, where it conveniently resolves a dispute that only began a few months ago. There is no strong evidence that this is what the Fourteenth Amendments drafters had in mind when they wrote the citizenship clausewhich, by definition, was meant to establish a new legal and constitutional paradigm. They sought to overturn Dred Scott, which held that people of African descent could never become citizens, and protect the newly freed people in the South from discriminatory laws and practices. Law professors Evan Bernick, Paul Gowder, and Anthony Michael Kreis pointed out in a rebuttal of Wurman and others echoing his argument in July that this entire exercise took us far afield of the Fourteenth Amendments context and circumstances. Perhaps the most damning demerit of consensual accounts it is that they struggle to explain how the Citizenship Clause can perform the most basic function that everyone agrees that it must perform: the nullification of Dred Scott v. Sandford, they wrote. Indeed, it gives us a theory of citizenship that resembles that which led the Dred Scott majority to conclude that Black people could never become citizens of the United States. After all, people brought to the United States in chains by force could hardly consent to being subject to the nations lawsnor were they granted any meaningful kind of protection by the laws. Two other legal scholars cited by the Trump administration, Samuel Estreicher and Rudra Reddy, took a similar but different tack. Rather than construct a holistic alternative understanding of American citizenship, they sought instead to redefine the debate by describing the existing consensus as the expansive view. Though they do not defend the executive order per se, they eagerly criticize its critics. A torrent of criticism has come from law school professors, with several competing to condemn the order in the harshest terms, they remarked in their introduction. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To their credit, the two scholars tried harder to reconcile the aspirations of the Fourteenth Amendments drafters with the cold reality of what Trump was proposing. The congressional record reflects a group of principled and motivated legislators trying to atone for the depredations of slavery by constitutionalizing the rights of citizenship for freed slaves, they wrote. There is little to suggest by way of text, history, or precedent that this grace extends to children of persons who have entered and reside in the U.S. in disregard of its laws. It is true that the debates for the Fourteenth Amendment make no direct mention of illegal immigration, in large part because the concept didnt exist at that time. The United States had essentially open borders for most of its early history, with the first broadly restrictive lawstargeting Chinese immigrants in California and the Pacific statesnot enacted until after the Fourteenth Amendments ratification. Even then, the citizenship clause superseded those laws: Wong Kim Ark, the man behind the 1898 case, brought the lawsuit after customs officials had denied him entry under the Chinese Exclusion Acts. Other efforts to find ways around the Fourteenth Amendments clear text, design, and intent face similar difficulties. The Trump administration also cited a legal essay by University of Richmond law professor Kurt Lash published earlier this year: Although often described as establishing birthright citizenship, in fact, birth on American soil by itself confers no such right. One must be born on American soil and be subject to the jurisdiction of the United States. This approach, which I call prima facie citizenship, grants presumptive citizenship to any person born in the United States, he explained. This presumption can be defeated only if there is positive evidence that the person was born in a familial context of refused or counter allegiance to the United States. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I will not bother to repeat how, unless you are the child of a foreign diplomat, there is no such difference in practical terms today. Instead it is sufficient to point out how he justified this conclusion. Lash, Wurman, and others argue that the citizenship clause did not represent some breach from the past but rather a continuity with it, and that it brought the old soil, so to speak, with it when the Fourteenth Amendment was ratified. That old soil, in this case, was an 1862 report by Attorney General Edwin Bates titled On Citizenship, where he addressed the citizenship of freed Black sailors who sought to command vessels. In every civilized country the individual is born to duties and rightsthe duty of allegiance and the right to protection; and these are correlative obligations, the one the price of the other, and they constitute the all sufficient bond of union between the individual and his country, and the country he is born in is, prima facie, his country. In most countries the old law was broadly laid down that this natural connection between the individual and his native country was perpetual; at least, that the tie was indissoluble by the act of the subject alone. I will set aside the preposterousness of holding that an attorney generals opinion from 1862 carries more weight than the clear command of the citizenship clause enacted and ratified seven years later. As Bernick, Gowder, and Kreis point out, this interpretation doesnt even work on its own terms because the attorney general himself explained that the threshold is nearly insurmountable. Bates identifies only one kind of exception to the general rule of birthright citizenship: the small and admitted class of the natural born composed of the children of foreign ministers and the like, they noted. Bates, for the record, also concluded that the sailors in question were citizens by simple virtue of being born in the United States, Dred Scott be damned. Will these various arguments work? It depends on whether the justices agree with them. This is a matter of justification, not persuasion or investigation. If you asked me 10 years ago whether the Supreme Court would eliminate birthright citizenship, I would have said there wasnt a chance in hell. If you asked me five years ago, I would have confidently thought that a supermajority of justices would uphold it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After all the constitutional tumult of the last 18 to 24 months, I am much less certain that the court will refuse to allow Trump to unilaterally rewrite the terms of American citizenship if and when it takes up these cases. The Justice Department asked for review before the federal appeals courts could weigh in, which the court might not grant for non-merits reasons. Trumps executive order proved that the Fourteenth Amendments drafters were correct to make an absolute rule for citizenship. I am still optimistic enough to hope, however, that the justices will not be fooled by such a transparent effort to muddy what should be crystal clearor ignore the immense harm it would do to the nation if followed. Oct. 31Straight out of a Halloween slasher flick, a caller told the Kalispell Police Department that a man armed with a pickax had threatened to kill him. The caller described the would-be pickax murderer as an older man with gray hair who usually sits on the street corner and yells at people. Officers found the man and deposited him in the county jail. A worker told the authorities that his dog had run off from his North Kalispell job site. The dog was friendly, he said, and gave the police his contact information in case anyone came across his pooch. He called back a little while later after reuniting with the pet. Officers searched for an older model red Toyota 4Runner with significant damage to the front passenger side after it allegedly ran a red light and struck a Toyota Tacoma. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The driver of a white Volkswagen earned a citation for failing to yield, an error that ended in a collision with a Toyota Tundra. A property owner requested that the police ban a homeless man from their land after they found him sleeping on the porch again. Tired of looking at her neighbor's collection of vehicles in the street, a resident phoned the police and asked them to intervene. She told officers that at least one of the vehicles, a white Jeep, hadn't moved in months. She also said that the vehicles' owner bragged about their relationship with police officers and how those officers passed along the names of anyone who complained about them. Officers scoped out the situation and determined that the vehicles were parked legally and appeared in running condition. Freaked out by one or more mischief makers ringing her doorbell overnight, a resident asked officers to mount extra patrols in the neighborhood. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A resident reminded officers about a red and white Hillman with no plates on the street that they had stickered several days ago and requested the vehicle be towed. Someone turned in a passport and Social Security card to the Police Department. The police tracked down a white Ford Ranger that another motorist accused of performing burnouts, but the pickup was empty when they found it. Officers left a voicemail with the registered owner. Authorities were tasked with tracking down a rust-colored Ford F-150 and a black Audi after someone complained they were drag racing. (WHTM) Data centers and AI are coming and elected officials are excited about the potential for jobs and tax revenues and economic benefit, but their enthusiasm is dampened by an increasing number of Pennsylvania residents who are just saying no thanks. A first-of-its-kind energy-AI summit was held in Pittsburgh earlier this year. About $90 billion was pledged to build out power plants and data centers across Pennsylvania. Promising tens of thousands of good-paying jobs and billions in tax revenue. Senator Dave McCormick hosted, President Trump attended and even Governor Shapiro embraced the lets cut red tape to make this happen quickly theme. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We do not want China to beat us in this AI race, Shapiro said during the summit. This is one of the most important national security questions we have. But national security is taking a back seat to neighborhood tranquility at zoning hearings across the Commonwealth. This is emotional, a concerned resident said. You are affecting the quality of life of everybody in this room. It does not serve the health safety and general welfare of the residents, another concerned Pennsylvanian said. Decreased property values, increased water and electric bills, traffic and noise are all among the fears. I asked McCormick about it this week. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now abc27 Evening Newsletter Were in the middle of something much bigger than the Industrial Revolution, McCormick said. Its like a massive change and change and disruption. Its very scary. I think we have to show people is that the benefit first of all, its happening whether we like it or not, and that the benefits for Pennsylvania far exceed those challenges. Eventually the pain will overcome that fear, Former lawmaker Jim Gregory said. He now advocates for renewable energy but says all-of-the-above powers desperately needed or rate payers will suffer sticker shock. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Until that bill comes to you that you say, you know what, I cant afford this anymore either, Gregory said. Thats when the pain overcomes that fear that you just expressed. I dont want this in my backyard. McCormicks fear is what Pennsylvanians dont want in their backyards will end up in Ohio or West Virginia. Get the latest Pennsylvania politics and election news with abc27 newsletters! The reason all those states are rolling out the red carpet is they see the net benefits for their for their citizens, McCormick said. And so I think its part of our job, whether its the governor or myself or people in the state legislature or federal, is to lay out the path to make sure that this is good for everybody. 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. TALLAHASSEE Accusing state elections officials of ignoring the indisputable facts and their clear legal obligation, backers of a proposed constitutional amendment seeking to allow recreational use of marijuana are asking the Florida Supreme Court to force Gov. Ron DeSantis administration to move forward with a ballot approval process. The Smart & Safe Florida political committee, which is sponsoring the proposal, has collected more than three times the number of signatures required to trigger a crucial legal review of the measure by the Supreme Court. But a lawsuit filed Thursday at the Supreme Court accuses elections officials of improperly holding up the process. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Once a required number of signatures for court review is reached, Florida law requires Secretary of State Cord Byrds office to immediately transmit the proposal to Attorney General James Uthmeier. The attorney generals office then has up to 30 days to send the measure to the Supreme Court, which makes the final decision about whether the proposal meets constitutional muster and should be placed on the ballot. This timeframe is laid out by the Florida Constitution and Florida statutes in part to provide this (Supreme) Court sufficient time to consider citizen initiative petitions submitted for its advisory opinion review, said the Smart & Safe Florida lawsuit, which names as defendants Byrd and state Division of Elections Director Maria Matthews. It is nonsensical, and contrary to the express constitutional and statutory mandates, to allow the secretary and director to indefinitely refuse to issue the letter and frustrate the constitutional order. Smart & Safe Florida faces a Feb. 1 deadline to submit 880,062 valid signatures to make it onto the November 2026 ballot. According to the state Division of Elections website, the committee had submitted 662,543 valid signatures as of Friday morning. The committee had to submit at least 220,016 signatures to trigger the Supreme Court review, a threshold it exceeded in early June. Smart & Safe Florida in August asked Byrds office about the delay in forwarding the measure to Uthmeier but did not receive a response, according to the lawsuit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ignoring the indisputable facts and their clear legal obligation, respondents (the elections officials) refuse to exercise their mandatory ministerial duty, Glenn Burhans, an attorney with the Stearns Weaver Miller firm, wrote in the lawsuit. A spokeswoman for Byrd said the agency does not comment on pending litigation, and DeSantis office did not respond. The Supreme Court on Friday set a Nov. 17 deadline for state attorneys to file arguments in the case. Thursdays lawsuit is the second legal complaint Smart & Safe Florida has lobbed against elections officials this month over the recreational marijuana proposal. A lawsuit filed Oct. 14 in Leon County circuit court accused Byrd of illegally directing county supervisors of elections to invalidate more than 200,000 petitions. The directive required supervisors to scrap petitions that did not include the full text of the proposal, which the committee sent to voters. The lawsuit alleges that nothing in Florida law requires that the full text of a proposal be provided or displayed to voters before they sign petitions. Judge John Cooper is scheduled to hold a hearing in the case on Nov. 21. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thursdays lawsuit referred to the legal tug-of-war over the disputed signatures, suggesting that Byrds office could be banking on the invalidation of enough signatures to avoid the need for Supreme Court review of the proposed amendment. Regardless of why the respondents refuse to issue the letter, they have no discretion to do so once the statutory criteria under (a section of state law) has been met, the lawsuit said. And, certainly, Florida law gives them no discretion to do so in the hope that a sufficient number of petitions might be invalidated such that Smart & Safes petition might someday fall below the threshold required by (the section of law), the lawsuit added. The law clearly and unequivocally states that the secretary of state must begin the process of Supreme Court review once a statewide initiative gathers more than 25 percent of the signatures required for ballot placement, Smart & Safe Florida said in a statement on Friday. For reasons unknown, this has not happened, and we are asking the court to intervene and compel the secretary to simply follow longstanding Florida law as the Smart & Safe Florida has far surpassed that threshold last summer, the statement said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The 2026 proposal to authorize use of recreational marijuana for adults ages 21 and older is Smart & Safe Floridas second stab at passing such a measure. Nearly 56% of voters supported a similar measure on the November 2024 ballot, falling short of the required 60% for approval. DeSantis fiercely opposed last years marijuana measure and used parts of his administration to combat it. Money steered to a political committee headed by Uthmeier, who was then DeSantis chief of staff, was the subject of a state House probe. Leon County prosecutorsthis month convened a grand jury to investigate potential wrongdoing related to the Hope Florida Foundations receipt of $10 million as part of a $67 million legal settlement that Centene Floridas largest Medicaid managed-care company reached last fall with the Agency for Health Care Administration. After receiving the money from the settlement, the foundation gave $5 million grants to Secure Floridas Future, a nonprofit tied to the Florida Chamber of Commerce, and Save our Society from Drugs. The groups within days made contributions to Keep Florida Clean, a committee headed by Uthmeier that fought the proposed pot amendment. By Dara Kam, News Service of Florida The family of a man killed in an August rollover crash have filed a lawsuit against the other drivers estate and his employer, Great Basin Petroleum Services. According to the lawsuit, which was filed Tuesday in Ector County District Court, Juan Manuel Nunez-Quiroz was driving a vehicle owned by Great Basin south on North Knox Avenue when he disregarded a stop sign at an excessive rate of speed and while under the influence of alcohol and struck a GMC Yukon being driven by Rachel Avery. The Yukon rolled and Averys 32-year-old husband, Tyson, was killed, and Avery and their two daughters were injured, as was a third child in the vehicle, the lawsuit stated. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nunez-Quiroz was also killed. Avery is seeking more than $1 million in damages on behalf of herself, her children, her in-laws and the mother of the third child hurt that day. The post Lawsuit filed following rollover appeared first on Odessa American. Oakland County Circuit Court Judge Jeffery S. Matis seen in his courtroom during a live streamed hearing. A federal judge on Tuesday dismissed a lawsuit seeking public access to recordings of all Oakland County judicial hearings. | Screenshot A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union of Michigan, which had sought to make the audio and video recordings of Oakland County court proceedings available to the public. The lawsuit, Hallman v. Reeds, was filed in April in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan and was seen by the plaintiffs as a way to hold judges accountable when they are accused of courtroom errors or misconduct. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, in an order issued Tuesday, U.S. District Court Judge Brandy McMillion granted a motion to dismiss the lawsuit, finding that there was no constitutional right to access, copy or disseminate court recordings under the First Amendment. The motion to dismiss had been filed by the named defendants in the case; Oakland District Court judges Travis Reeds and Lisa Asadoorian, as well as Oakland Chief Circuit Judge Jeffery Matis. The lead plaintiff, Dr. Samantha Hallman, filed the lawsuit after being denied access to recordings of Asadoorians courtroom, whom she alleged had subjected her brother to abusive conduct during a probation violation hearing. Hallman was later allowed to view a recording of the proceeding involving her brother, but was denied permission to disseminate a copy to the public, legislators and other policy makers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While transcripts of hearings are made available to the public, recordings are not and attorneys with the ACLU of Michigan claimed that transcripts were inadequate compared to an audio or video recording in capturing the tone, tenor and demeanor of a given judge, especially when an attorney or a party is seeking to highlight a judicial error upon appeal. But in Tuesdays order, Judge McMillion found that Hallman had failed to state a plausible claim for relief and dismissed the case with prejudice, meaning that it cannot be refiled. However, the ruling itself can be appealed. A request to the ACLU Michigan to ask if they planned an appeal has yet to be answered. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX About 200 people showed up to protest outside the Immigration and Customs Enforcement building in Portland on Sunday, Sept. 28. Federal Protective Services officials said they've been chronically understaffed and spread thin while protecting the facility from protestors since June. (Photo by Alex Baumhardt/Oregon Capital Chronicle) On the second day of Oregons and the city of Portlands trial against the federal government, lawyers from both sides took a line of questioning that went to the heart of staffing issues at the Federal Protective Service and its ability to keep a Portland Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility safe from protests. Whether the federal government has the security it needs to protect that building is a key question in the three-day trial, in which Oregon will seek to convince a judge President Donald Trump cannot legally deploy National Guard troops to Portland. Trump since September has sought to send hundreds of National Guard troops from Oregon and other states to the city he falsely claimed is war ravaged. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While federal attorneys sought to paint a picture of an agency that needed National Guard backup, lawyers for Portland and the state contended the federal government is using an ongoing structural staffing issue as pretext to deploy the military to Portland. The bulk of Thursdays questioning was directed at Robert Cantu, regional director for the Federal Protective Services in the Northwest. U.S. District Court Judge Karin Immergut, a Trump appointee presiding over the case, had allowed Cantu to testify under his initials R.C. but he is listed by his full unredacted name as a witness by the defense in public documents and named in multiple public court documents. Cantu explained that agency leaders have for years asked for more staff, that he had to redirect staff to Portland to protect the ICE facility from protestors, and that typically there are just four federal police officers in Oregon meant to protect roughly 100 federal buildings. But Oregons lawyers countered that the agency also contracts private officers from companies across the country to provide security for federal buildings, and that there are hundreds more private contracted guards at federal buildings than there are police who are federal employees. The private guards are able to detain, but not arrest, people for crimes at those facilities, Cantu clarified. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Oregons lawyers also argued that federal agencies are able to cross-designate law enforcement officers from several federal agencies to fill in other agencies gaps when needed. Brian Marshall, a senior assistant attorney general at the state justice department, pointed to the Department of Homeland Securitys website touting that the agency has 80,000 law enforcement officers across the U.S. Marshall provided data showing that during the summer of 2020 when protests in downtown Portland were heightened, the Department of Homeland Security sent 576 of those law enforcement officers to the city. He asked why the agency didnt do the same for the ICE facility. Caroline Turco, senior deputy city attorney for the city of Portland, shared data showing that in the days leading up to Trumps Sept. 27 declaration that troops were needed at the facility, there were about equal numbers of federal officers and protesters at the ICE facility. Immergut asked Cantu several times if he or his boss had requested the ability to hire more staff given their concerns. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I did not make that request for support. That is done above me, he said. Cantu and his boss were not told that Trump planned to deploy Guard troops, nor were they involved in any decision to deploy Oregon or California or Texas Guard to the building. Cantu testified that he learned about all of those potential deployments on the news. I do not agree with the statement that Portland is burning down, no, Cantu said, when asked if he agreed with the statement that had been used by the president to justify deployment. Cantu, as well as a commander who provided only his initials, both at times praised the backup help theyve received from Portland Police Bureau officers in controlling crowds at the facility and criticized the Portland police for the speed and scale of some responses. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cantu said when protests grew at an ICE facility in Spokane earlier this summer, local police agencies sent 185 officers to help protect the building. He said the Portland Police Bureau was unlikely to offer such support Cops gassed, costs rise Since Trump declared he would send National Guard troops to Portland and protest activity increased, the Portland Police Bureau has spent nearly $900,000 extra on police and resources to help with crowd control and law enforcement, according to Craig Dobson, an assistant chief at the bureau. Dobson expressed concern that federal officers and Guard members who could be deployed have little crowd control training. He was among Portland Police officers tear gassed by federal officers at a protest at the ICE facility on Oct. 18. My officers had to leave as well as state police I watched them have to leave since they had no gas masks with them. Once it cleared the neighborhood it was a large deployment of gas that effected several blocks about half the crowd did come back into the area eventually, he said. Question of contempt On Thursday, Immergut said there would be a bigger hearing another time about the federal governments potential contempt of court for defying her temporary restraining order and briefly sending National Guard to the Portland ICE facility. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The revelation on Wednesday that Oregon Guard troops were sent to the facility from 11 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 4 and 12 a.m. Sunday, Oct. 5, in defiance of Immerguts Oct. 4 temporary restraining order barring them, clearly bothered the judge. The guardsman remained at the facility 8 hours after Immergut had issued the first of two temporary restraining orders barring them. Federal lawyers argued Thursday that the commanders who would have ordered the Guard troops to leave were on the East Coast and three hours ahead of Portland, so her Saturday afternoon restraining order would have reached them in the evening. Immergut said they could have gotten that message out, as the federal government began trying to send National Guard troops from California to Oregon almost immediately after her first order. The government deployed that very night knowing that I told you that I would issue you an opinion as quickly as I could over the weekend, she said. Does that not seem to be in bad faith in some way? SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX At least 15 to 20 were taken to the hospital after a flight control issue caused a plane to suddenly drop in altitude. According to the Federal Aviation Administration, the incident occurred on JetBlue Flight 1230 from Cancun International Airport in Mexico to New Jerseys Newark Liberty International Airport on Thursday. The Airbus A320 made an emergency landing in Tampa around 2:19 p.m. after dropping about 100 feet in seven seconds. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Two children and 12 adults were taken to Tampas St. Josephs Hospital with minor injuries, and all have been discharged, a hospital spokesperson told CNN. The airline said it would conduct a full investigation to determine the cause. The safety of our customers and crew members is always our first priority, and we will work to support those involved, JetBlue said in a statement. Read the original article on mlive.com. After announcing his departure from WFSB earlier this month, it was unclear where meteorologist Scott Gagliardi would be taking his broadcasting talents. It turns out he's not going far. Gagliardi, a Connecticut native, announced Thursday he would be swapping Rocky Hill for New Haven, and joining WTNH's Storm Team 8, in a move he described as a "perfect fit." "This one truly feels full circle - it's a station I grew up watching, and to now be part of the same team I once looked up to as a kid is something I'll never take for granted," Gagliardi wrote in a post on Facebook Thursday afternoon. "I'm beyond grateful for this opportunity and can't wait to bring you the forecasts that matter most to Connecticut." Gagliardi, who did not immediately respond to a request for comment, attended high school in Wallingford and studied meteorology at Western Connecticut State University. After a stint working as a meteorologist at WCJB TV20 in Gainesville, Fla., he was hired at WSFB as a weekend weather reporter in April 2024, and held that role until departing the state's CBS-affiliate in mid-October. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to his Facebook post, he'll be on air at WTNH as soon as Saturday, reprising his role as a weekend weather reporter on both Saturday and Sunday on the 6, 10 and 11 p.m. broadcasts. Gagliardi's move to WTNH fills a hole in the ABC-affiliates weather team that was opened by the departure of meteorologist Ashley Baylor last week, who left to cover weather in Florida. The anchor's path - moving 30 miles down Interstate 91 from WFSB to WTNH - has been trodden before. Most notably, longtime news anchor Dennis House left WFSB in 2020 after 28 years at the network and joined WTNH early the next year. Meteorologist Lorin Richardson also made the network switch in 2024. This article originally published at After leaving WFSB, Connecticut meteorologist Scott Gagliardi joins a rival station. Lebanese President Joseph Aoun has accused Israel of responding to its offer to negotiate by intensifying air strikes, the latest of which killed a man riding a motorbike in southern Lebanon. Despite a November 2024 ceasefire, Israel has kept troops in five areas of southern Lebanon and has continued near-daily air strikes, repeatedly violating the truce. Israel claims it is targeting Hezbollah, but civilians have also been killed. Aoun had called for negotiations with Israel in mid-October, after United States President Donald Trump brokered a ceasefire in Gaza. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lebanon is ready for negotiations to end the Israeli occupation, but any negotiation requires mutual willingness, which is not the case, Aoun said on Friday. Israel is responding to this option by carrying out more attacks against Lebanon and intensifying tensions, he added during a meeting with German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul. Lebanons official National News Agency (NNA) said an Israeli drone targeted a man on a motorbike in the village of Kunin on Friday. The Ministry of Public Health reported one person was killed and another wounded. The Israeli military claimed it had eliminated a Hezbollah maintenance officer who was working to re-establish the groups infrastructure sites in southern Lebanon. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a separate attack on Friday, a second strike targeted a building in southern Lebanons Nabatieh, the NNA said, adding that a missile struck the roof of the building. The explosion echoed loudly, causing heightened tension and panic among residents, it said. No casualties were reported. Confronting Israeli aggression Fridays strikes came a day after the Israeli military killed municipal worker Ibrahim Salameh in an overnight raid in the Lebanese border village of Blida. Aoun ordered the army on Thursday to confront such incursions in defence of Lebanese territory and the safety of citizens. True patriotism means sovereignty, independence, and freedom, he said. Everyone in Lebanon has a responsibility to confront occupation according to their role. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Lebanese forces, unlike the armed group Hezbollah, have generally stayed on the sidelines of the conflict with Israel. But Aoun, a former commander of the Lebanese army, appears to have finally lost his patience with the Israeli-forced status quo. In an address on Friday, Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem called on the Lebanese government to address Israeli violations and achieve national sovereignty by expelling the Israeli occupation. Qassem urged the government to develop a plan to support the army so it can confront Israeli aggression. Hezbollah first began launching cross-border fire at Israel following the outbreak of Israels genocidal war on Gaza in October 2023, kicking off a more than year-long conflict that culminated in two months of open war before last years ceasefire was agreed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Israel has continued to carry out air strikes in Lebanon, killing dozens, including civilians, first responders and journalists, and has intensified the strikes in recent days. Israeli attacks killed at least 25 people in October, including one Syrian, according to a toll based on figures from the Lebanese Health Ministry. On Tuesday, the spokesman for the UN human rights commission, Jeremy Laurence, said Israeli forces had killed 111 civilians in Lebanon since the ceasefire went into effect. Lebanese Foreign Minister Youssef Raggi asked his visiting German counterpart on Friday to help put pressure on Israel to stop its attacks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Only a diplomatic solution, not a military one, can ensure stability and guarantee calm in the south, Raggi was quoted by the NNA as saying. He added that the Lebanese government is continuing to gradually implement its decision to place all weapons under its control. Hezbollah was badly weakened during the war, and the US has intensified pressure on Lebanese authorities to disarm the group, something it strongly opposes. BEIRUT (AP) Lebanons President Joseph Aoun said Friday that any negotiations with Israel to halt its ongoing strikes on southern Lebanon which have continued despite a nearly year-old U.S.-brokered ceasefire must be mutual. Aoun made the remarks following talks with German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul, who was on a four-day Middle East tour and visited Beirut on his first official trip since taking office. The visit came as Israel has recently intensified its strikes on southern Lebanon. Both sides have accused each other of violating the ceasefire, which nominally ended the latest Israel-Hezbollah war last November. The conflict started after the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack on Israel that triggered the war in Gaza. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hezbollah began firing rockets into northern Israel in support of Hamas and the Palestinians, prompting Israeli airstrikes and artillery shelling in return. The low-level exchanges escalated into full-scale war in September 2024. Since the ceasefire, Israel has continued to carry out near-daily strikes across southern Lebanon, saying they target Hezbollah militants, weapons depots and command centers. Israeli forces have also maintained positions on several strategic points inside Lebanese territory. Lebanese officials have accused Israel of striking civilian areas and destroying infrastructure unrelated to Hezbollah, calling on Israeli forces to withdraw and respect Lebanons sovereignty. On Friday, at least two people were killed in Israeli strikes on several locations across southern Lebanon, according to the state-run National News Agency. An Israeli army spokesperson confirmed its forces killed a man, accusing him of attempting to rebuild Hezbollahs infrastructure. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a rare ground operation on Thursday, Israeli soldiers raided a municipal building in the border village of Blida, killing Ibrahim Salameh, a municipal employee. The raid sparked condemnation from Lebanese officials and protests by residents. Israel said its troops entered the building to destroy terrorist infrastructure linked to Hezbollah and fired to neutralize a threat, while Aoun said Salameh was killed while performing his professional duties. Lebanon is ready for negotiations to end the Israeli occupation, Aoun told Wadephul, but any talks cannot be one-sided they require mutual will, which is still lacking. The format, timing and location of negotiations will be determined later. He added that the Lebanese armys presence in the south will increase to 10,000 troops before the end of the year, noting continued coordination with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon. The ceasefire stipulates that both Israel and Hezbollah are required to cease hostilities, with the Lebanese army and UNIFIL deploying south of the Litani River to ensure no armed groups other than the army operate in the area. The army has since deployed in dozens of positions across southern Lebanon and is working alongside U.N. peacekeepers to monitor ceasefire violations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Following Thursdays Israeli ground raid, Aoun said he had requested the Lebanese army to confront any Israeli incursion into southern Lebanon in defense of Lebanese lands and the safety of citizens, although it was not clear what form that confrontation would take. The Presidents stance in ordering the army to confront Israeli incursions is a responsible position upon which we build, Hezbollahs Secretary-General Naim Kassem said in a recorded address on Friday. The positions of the three presidents and some officials are consequential, and our stance is unified, he added. After meeting with Lebanese Foreign Minister Youssef Rajji, Wadephul said the continued Israeli attacks on Lebanese territory were unacceptable, stressing the need for Israel to respect Lebanons sovereignty and for both Israel and Hezbollah to adhere to the cessation of hostilities arrangements. Oct. 31 (UPI) -- "President Trump, I ask you to make a bold decision so that South Korea can receive fuel for nuclear-powered submarines." When President Lee Jae Myung suddenly uttered those words during the second U.S.-Korea summit in Gyeongju on Wednesday, many Koreans watching on live television gasped. What startled them even more than the bold ask was his reasoning. Lee explained that "diesel-powered submarines have limited underwater endurance, restricting our ability to track North Korean and Chinese vessels," and that if South Korea deployed nuclear-powered submarines, "it would also substantially reduce the operational burden on U.S. forces." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It was, by any standard, a statement fraught with risk -- a security issue so sensitive that every word could be seized upon as a diplomatic provocation. Yet, Lee voiced it publicly before an audience that included not only his own citizens, but also the entire watching world. Among those "citizens" were progressives critical of the United States, and within that "world" was China itself. No hesitation Even so, Lee showed no hesitation. His tone revealed a determined will to press Trump for what he called a "bold decision." It was a perilous remark -- one that seemed to disregard how his own supporters or his longtime partners in Beijing might interpret it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Yet, he nonetheless requested, in full view of the public, that Washington supply nuclear-submarine fuel so that South Korea could track Chinese submarines for extended periods underwater. Anyone can understand why the remark appeared dangerous once Lee's position is taken into account. Lee had invited President Xi Jinping of China to South Korea as a state guest for the Gyeongju APEC Summit -- the first Korea-China summit in 11 years. And just two days before that meeting, he openly sided with Washington, now in strategic confrontation with Beijing, by calling for U.S. assistance on nuclear-powered submarines. What, one wonders, would Xi have thought if he had heard those words? A calculated gamble Still, Lee's statement was almost certainly not a spontaneous remark. It bore every sign of careful calculation. Otherwise, he could not have spoken with such conviction -- and on a domain of the alliance that no previous progressive leader had dared to touch. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement From the start of his presidency, Lee has signaled that his foreign policy compass is anchored in realism. In his inaugural address, he vowed to strengthen the U.S.-Korea alliance, deepen trilateral cooperation with Japan and pursue relations with neighboring powers "from the standpoint of national interest and pragmatism." Skeptics -- both in Seoul and Washington -- doubted his sincerity. But Lee has stayed the course, even flipping the long-held progressive formula of "security with America, economy with China" into a new doctrine: "security with America, economy with America." During his August visit to Washington, Lee declared, "It's true that South Korea once relied on the U.S. for security and China for the economy, but that posture is no longer sustainable." That statement came one day after Chinese Ambassador Dai Bing warned that Seoul must demonstrate "the wisdom and ability to maintain balanced diplomacy" between Washington and Beijing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lee's response -- firm and immediate -- left little doubt about where he stood. In an era of escalating U.S.-China rivalry, his position made one thing clear: Seoul's ambiguity was over. The alliance redefined Seen in that light, Lee's nuclear-submarine request was a logical extension of his declared vision -- a reaffirmation of alliance solidarity through tangible deterrence. By signaling a willingness to patrol not only North Korean but potentially Chinese waters with U.S. cooperation, Lee effectively fixed South Korea's coordinates alongside Washington, not Beijing. He went further still. During the summit, Lee proposed building multiple nuclear-powered submarines armed with conventional weapons, with South Korea covering the entire cost. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The United States, he said, would not need to spend a penny. For Trump, who has promoted an Indo-Pacific containment strategy against China, such an offer was pure strategic gold. Some analysts even suggested that Lee's surprise proposal helped break an impasse in the subsequent U.S.-Korea tariff negotiations, which were resolved far more smoothly than expected. The urgency of Lee's concern is not misplaced. The Yellow Sea (West Sea) has grown perilous since China's 2010 declaration of the area as its "internal waters." Beijing has since deployed more than 70% of its maritime buoys near choke points to obstruct allied naval access. Since 2022, it has erected unapproved metal structures named Shenlan 1 and 2 inside the provisional maritime zone, blocking Korean coast-guard vessels from approaching. In September, a Chinese warship even chased off a South Korean survey boat. In such volatile waters, threats lurk not only above but beneath the surface, making Lee's call for undersea endurance sound less like provocation and more like precaution. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump's response was swift. Within 24 hours, he posted on Truth Social, announcing that the United States had approved South Korea's construction of nuclear-powered submarines "to be built at the Philly Shipyard." Reuters noted that this was "technology previously shared only with Britain in the 1950s -- and not even with Australia." The China question Now all eyes turn to China. As Xi Jinping arrives in Seoul for a long-delayed state visit, friction seems inevitable. Beijing is expected to raise the nuclear-submarine issue, and possibly Lee's "security-and-economy-with-America" remarks, as provocations. Yet, it is hard to imagine that Lee made his request without a contingency plan in place. South Korea, after all, recognizes China as a vital partner. Since normalizing ties in 1992, Seoul and Beijing have upgraded relations through successive frameworks -- from "friendly cooperation" to "strategic cooperative partnership." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bilateral trade surpassed $300 billion in 2021, making China Korea's second-largest trading partner after the United States. Korean conglomerates and small and medium-sized enterprises are investing heavily in high-tech and new-energy sectors, underpinned by free-trade and investment-protection agreements. Still, obstacles remain -- from Beijing's lingering "Hallyu ban" on Korean cultural content after the deployment of the THAAD anti-missile system in 2017 to deep-seated distrust over regional security. Those tensions help explain why the two neighbors have not held a full summit in more than a decade. As Lee meets Xi in the coming days, Koreans hope he will negotiate confidently, guided by national interest and diplomatic principle. No matter the outcome, one reality is now unmistakable: Lee Jae Myung has left the shores of strategic ambiguity. He has crossed the Rubicon. Nohsok Choi is the former chief editor of the Kyunghyang Shinmun and former Paris correspondent. He currently serves as president of the Kyunghyang Shinmun Alumni Association, president of the Korean Media & Culture Forum and CEO of the YouTube channel One World TV. Petition groups that planned to have their ballot proposals ready for the 2026 election often plan to have enough signatures by November to meet Florida's procedural deadlines. But as of now, it's not known if any group will get there. Of the various groups backing 20 different proposed amendments to the state's constitution next year, the one with the closest numbers to the state's requirements is Smart and Safe Florida, which wants Florida adults 21 and older to be able to possess, purchase or use marijuana. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Throughout the year, petition groups have told the USA TODAY NETWORK Florida that the goal was to meet Florida's signature requirements by November, to give time for county supervisors of elections to verify and tally signatures under deadlines set by Florida law. So far, Smart and Safe Florida has met one required preliminary threshold of 220,016 signatures, which should among other things trigger judicial review by the Florida Supreme Court. Its justices must find that the amendment deals with one subject and that its ballot title and summary are clear and unambiguous. And that's just one hurdle. The marijuana initiative group declined to comment because of pending litigation. On Oct. 14, the group filed a lawsuit against Florida Secretary of State Cord Byrd, accusing him of seeking to invalidate 200,000 petitions without legal basis. According to the Florida Division of Elections website, the ballot initiative as of Oct. 30 has over 662,000 verified signatures. It needs to have a total of 880,062 by Feb. 1. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Likely, the numbers are delayed because of the lawsuit. Under state law, supervisors of elections have 60 days to review signatures after their offices receive and get payment to verify them. Voters in Holly Hill, Florida, head to a polling place in Sica Hall Tuesday, April 1, 2025, for a special election. Other amendments aiming for ballot in 2026 Smart and Safe Florida isn't the only group looking to 2026. So has Florida Right to Clean Water and Florida Decides Healthcare, a Medicaid expansion group. All petition groups seeking to put their initiative on a statewide ballot faced unpredictable challenges, all stemming from a new Florida law (HB 1205) signed by Gov. Ron DeSantis. It went into effect July 1, bringing stricter penalties and deadlines for petition groups, along with provisions restricting nonresidents and noncitizens from volunteering to gather signatures. But in July, a federal judge in the Northern District of Florida said state officials couldn't enforce part of it, saying it would "impose a severe burden on political expression." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The order was short-lived. A divided three-judge panel of the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the law, which they said didn't violate petition groups' First Amendment rights. The new penalties and requirements outlined in the law have affected petition gathering, since groups have struggled to successfully meet Florida statutory requirements and deadlines with looming financial restrictions. Florida Decides Healthcare decided to delay its push to get on the ballot till 2028. "HB 1205 imposed roadblocks that made signature gathering nearly impossible" for 2026, the campaign said in a statement. The law's strict provisions aren't the only challenge. Mark Earley, Leon County elections supervisor, as seen at an event in November 2024. Many supervisors of elections across the state adjusted the verification fee for every signature form turned in. This is because some of the new procedures outlined in the law also mean budgetary impacts, which caused county offices to need to increase the cost, said Mark Earley, Leon County elections supervisor, in previous reporting by the USA TODAY NETWORK Florida. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Earley said his office adjusted the fee from 85 cents to $4.16 per petition in July. He said he expected that his office would experience a backlog in validating petitions. Petition groups fighting lawsuits against Florida U.S. District Judge Mark Walker, who has been overseeing the challenge to HB 1205, acknowledged in an August order that although this case is only months old, it's already developed a "rich procedural history." The lawsuit was first filed in May by Florida Decides Healthcare, against Florida's secretary of state, attorney general, 67 supervisors of elections and state attorneys, who are the elected chief prosecutors for each of Florida's 20 judicial circuits. Other groups joined the Medicaid expansion group's legal challenge, including Smart and Safe Florida and Florida Right to Clean Water. For months, attorneys for the petition groups have argued that the state's law violated First Amendment protections for political speech and to petition the government. The state has objected, saying the law focused on tackling fraudulent petitions. Secretary of State Cord Byrd speaks after unveiling a state of Thomas Jefferson in Jefferson County, Florida on Wednesday, July 2, 2025. But separately in state court, the Medicaid expansion group is fighting against Byrd over petitions the campaign sent over the mail. The director of the state division of elections emailed all county elections supervisors earlier in October, saying the forms mailed to voters should be invalidated since the group allegedly violated a rule, which required a copy of the full text of the amendment not just a summary. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In their complaint, however, the group argued that there's no Florida law requiring the full text to be displayed. Now it's asking a judge to rule that Byrd can't demand these petitions be invalid. "While the Secretary may wish that voters have the opportunity to read the Full Text Form before signing the petition, there is no statutory or regulatory requirement that a voter read the full text to have their petition verified and counted," the complaint says. Some volunteers are being prosecuted in Florida DeSantis pushed lawmakers to pass HB 1205 after leading efforts against constitutional amendments on the 2024 ballot that would have legalized recreational marijuana and enshrined an abortion right in Florida's constitution. He drew attention to a report released in January from the state's Office of Election Crimes and Security, which alleged instances of petition gatherers using information from dead voters or from people who said they never signed a petition. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In recent months, DeSantis has had a renewed focus on petition fraud, mentioning the arrests of three people who were gathering petitions for Smart and Safe Florida for the measure on Florida's ballot last year. One was charged with 72 counts of petition fraud and perjury, another with 38 counts of criminal use of personal identification information and another with one count of perjury by false written declaration. Gov. Ron DeSantis attends the Senate President Designate ceremony for Sen. Jim Boyd on Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2025. A costly ballot initiative campaign So far, Smart and Safe Florida has spent about $28.5 million on its efforts to bring marijuana on the ballot since Nov. 1 last year, after its measure failed to meet the required threshold of 60% support from voters statewide. Most of these funds were spent in the first three months of the year, when the group spent about $19 million. But during the legislative session, while the law was passing through committees, the group spent only $1.6 million. Since it went into effect, Smart and Safe Florida has spent $4.5 million. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The marijuana amendment, when it was on the 2024 ballot, was the most expensive ballot measure in the nation. Reporting on Opensecrets.org, a research and government transparency group that tracks spending, showed that groups supporting the measure raised about $101 million in total. 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 Tallahassee Democrat: Petition groups fight court rulings on Florida ballot Nearly 2 million Pennsylvanians were set to lose Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits on Saturday, Nov. 1 due to the ongoing federal government shutdown, according to Gov. Josh Shapiros administration. In Pennsylvanias Lehigh Valley region covering Carbon, Lehigh and Northampton counties, over 106,000 people receive these benefits to help cover the cost of food, according to Shapiros office and the local United Way. To help those in need, the United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley on Friday announced a Critical Support Fund in partnership with the Lehigh Valley Community Foundation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The goal is to raise $500,000 to support keeping key food pantries stocked with crucial staples for a minimum of three months, while ensuring that food is distributed to where its needed most. The first focus of this fund will be to support emergency food access for our community, the nonprofits said in announcing the effort. With over 40% of Greater Lehigh Valley residents living paycheck to paycheck, funding pauses to programs like SNAP have led to greater food insecurity. At the same time, many of our regions social service providers are struggling to keep up with the need and have not been able to access funding that typically supports food access programs. To donate to the fund, visit unitedwayglv.org/donate (select Critical Support Fund). On Lehigh Valley Community Foundations website, donate by clicking: Bridge Fund for Critical Support. Donations can also be made via mail with checks payable to UWGLV, 1110 American Parkway NE, Suite F-120, Allentown, PA 18109 Attention Critical Support Fund; or to Lehigh Valley Community Foundation, 840 W. Hamilton Street, Suite 310, Allentown, PA 18101 Attention Bridge Fund for Critical Support. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Food and diaper donations can be directed to the following hubs: Hispanic Center Lehigh Valley, Easton Area Neighborhood Center and Allentown Area Ecumenical Food Bank. Priority food items include canned proteins, cereals, canned fruits and vegetables, rice, pasta and peanut butter. Funds will be distributed for immediate relief in partnership with an action group of local food providers who are co-leading this response strategy, according to Fridays announcement. Lehigh Valley United Way creates Critical Support Fund as SNAP benefits set to expire The Shapiro Administration says the number of Pennsylvanians who rely on more than $366 million in monthly food assistance through SNAP includes more than 713,000 children and 697,000 older adults. In Republican U.S. Rep. Ryan Mackenzies 7th Congressional District, the number of SNAP recipients is 106,733, according to the Democratic governors office. Mackenzie this week called for an end to the shutdown. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The shutdown isnt just a headline; it means empty pantries for families across the Lehigh Valley and the Poconos, Mackenzie said in a statement Tuesday. Essential government programs that support local families are in immediate danger. Tens of thousands of local families depend on SNAP and WIC (Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children), and local food banks will struggle to keep up with the surge in demand if these programs are allowed to lapse. Its time for partisanship to take a back seat to the lives of American families the government must be funded. The shutdown began when the Republican-controlled Congress failed to pass a bill to fund the government. In a standoff with Republican President Donald Trumps administration, Democrats are insisting on the extension of tax credits that make health insurance cheaper for millions of Americans and the restoration of cuts made to Medicaid. Without the tax credits, more than 20 million Americans on Affordable Care Act plans would see their health care costs rise. Republicans say they wont discuss the health care subsidies, or any other policy, until the government reopens. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Among the Democrats lining up to challenge Mackenzie in 2026, Northampton County Executive Lamont McClure on Friday said he wrote the congressman urging immediate federal action to support Lehigh Valley food pantries and aid those facing the halt of SNAP benefits. The letter requests that President Trump reopen programs previously shut down earlier this year, including the Local Food for Schools and Local Food Purchase Assistance Cooperative Agreement programs, and release previously allocated funds to provide immediate relief to families in need, the county executives office said in a news release. These programs can quickly deliver food assistance directly to children and households most affected by the potential SNAP disruption. Without this action, families in Northampton County will face immediate hardship, and local food pantries, already stretched by prior funding shortfalls, will be overwhelmed. Two federal judges ruled nearly simultaneously on Friday that Trumps administration must continue to pay for SNAP, the nations biggest food aid program, using emergency reserve funds during the government shutdown. The judges in Massachusetts and Rhode Island gave the administration leeway on whether to fund the program partially or in full for November. That also brings uncertainty about how things will unfold and will delay payments for many beneficiaries whose cards would normally be recharged early in the month. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Critical Support Fund launched by the United Way and Lehigh Valley Community Foundation seeks to address food-resource and other emergency needs regardless of whether SNAP benefits are paused, said Laura McHugh, chief engagement officer for the United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley. Too many of our neighbors are feeling the strain when vital support systems are stretched, stated Marci Lesko, president and chief executive officer of the local United Way. When need rises and resources tighten, our community shows up. Were grateful for the extraordinary collaboration across nonprofits, funders and volunteers who are stepping up together to meet this moment. The local United Way urges those in need of food resources to visit pa211east.org. Visitors to the site can click on their county and then food, for the list of the closest resources available. Those in need may also dial 211 to speak to someone directly for help or text their ZIP code to 898211. In addition, the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services maintains a list of food bank organizations operating throughout the state, which gather food donations and distribute them to the nearly 3,000 local food pantries across the state. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Other resources suggested by the DHS include: Feeding Pennsylvania, a statewide association of food banks. Visit the FeedingPA website at feedingpa.org. PA Navigate, which helps connect people with local assistance for food, housing, utilities and transportation. Visit the PA Navigate website at pa-navigate.org. New Jersey residents are encouraged to dial 211 or visit nj211.org for pantry locations and assistance help. more lehigh valley news PennLive.com and The Associated Press contributed to this report. Read the original article on lehighvalleylive.com. On the second Saturday in October, during National Coming Out Day, from morning into afternoon, the smell of espresso and the low murmur of conversation filled Joes Coffee Shop in East Atlanta Village. At a corner table, state Rep. Karla Drenner greeted familiar faces and discussed what it means to stay visible and keep showing up. Keep up with the latest in LGBTQ+ news and politics. Sign up for The Advocate's email newsletter. I didnt run to be the first, she told The Advocate in an interview at the cafe. I ran to be a good representative. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When Drenner, now 64, was first elected to office in 2000, she made history as the first LGBTQ+ person elected to any state legislature in the American South. A Democrat representing parts of DeKalb County, in a district she notes includes 27 Baptist churches and is nearly 80 percent Black, shes now in her 13th term and is Georgias longest-serving out LGBTQ+ elected official. Related: Human Rights Campaign calls on LGBTQ+ community to dream & to fight for equality at national dinner They said I wasnt worthy of being known As the coffee shop filled with the late-morning crowd, Drenner, who had come to join the Human Rights Campaigns Atlanta stop of the organizations American Dreams storytelling tour, recalled a time, early in her political life, when someone told her she "wasnt worthy of being known. It was a line that stuck with her. It was also a reminder of how invisibility once defined public life for LGBTQ+ people in Georgia. She told The Advocate that, years after that rejection, one of her former colleagues approached her to apologize. He said, I decided you werent worth knowing.' She added, He watched me for years, and one day he said he was wrong. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The apology, Drenner said, reminded her why presence matters. That moment really changed me, she said. It reminded me that showing up day after day doesnt just change laws it changes hearts. It can turn an opponent into a partner. She also shared that she didnt come out publicly by choice. I just ran, and then suddenly I was in The Washington Post and The New York Times, she said, describing how national media coverage effectively outed her as a lesbian after her first election. In 2004, The New York Times profiled her in a piece titled "Gay Legislator at the Center of a Storm in Georgia, reporting that she had become an unexpected symbol in a state where a proposed constitutional ban on same-sex marriage had drawn national attention. A 2002 Washington Post profile described her as a novelty and model in a body unused to openly queer representation. Drenner's voice softened as she recalled how isolating those early years were. I felt the stares, the whispers, she said. There were days when people took the next elevator rather than ride with me. Still, she refused to disappear. If I had stayed home, my absence would have become its own quiet form of resistance. So I kept showing up. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Reflecting on 25 years under the gold dome, Drenner said her early years in office taught her how to withstand being treated as an outsider. My experience of people not wanting to know me is probably small in comparison to what trans people are feeling today, she told The Advocate as she expressed respect for trailblazing Delaware Democratic Congresswoman Sarah McBride, the first out trans member of the U.S. House of Representatives. Times have changed for certain segments of the gay community, and now trans people have become the whipping posts for the religious right. Related: Ts Madison says Donald Trump and his transphobic administration should just 'pack it up' Over the past four legislative sessions, she said, shes pushed back against every anti-trans bill that crossed her desk, with some so sweeping they sought to change dozens of sections of Georgia law. Thats the extent theyre willing to go to erase trans people from society, she said. Since 2023, the American Civil Liberties Union has tracked 32 anti-LGBTQ+ bills in the state of Georgia. In 2025 alone, nationwide, the ACLU is tracking more than 610 bills targeting queer and trans people, including 13 in Georgia. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Related: Inside the fight against Trump in red states: It 'isn't just about Pride. It's about power' Drenner sees parallels between the skepticism she faced and what trans legislators experience now. Change doesnt happen overnight, she said. Its one person at a time, one story at a time. The South, in all its complexity Born in Charleston, West Virginia, Drenner earned degrees in health physics, environmental science, and public policy. She has taught environmental health science and public policy, and she serves on several Georgia House committees, including Energy, Utilities & Telecommunications as well as Small Business Development. Related: Muslim legislator running for governor says Georgia deserves leaders who reject scapegoating trans people Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Her story complicates assumptions about Southern politics. People think you cant be gay and win in a Southern state, she said. But Ive represented this community for 25 years. The sermons may turn against me, but that doesnt mean I stop showing up. Shes seen progress emerge in unlikely places. If it can happen in the South, she said, as goes the South, so goes the nation. Lessons from a quarter-century in office When she entered the Georgia House, Drenner was part of a majority that worked across the aisle. We sat next to people of different parties, she recalled. Now our offices are fully partisan. Weve lost the ability to connect. Still, she finds moments of grace. After divisive votes, some lawmakers privately approach her to apologize. Its almost like theyre asking for redemption, she said. Ive sat next to Tea Party Republicans I came to respect because of their conscience-based faith. I didnt change their minds on social issues, but I liked them as people. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Related: A powerful civil rights group is hitting the road and going to red states. Here's why Drenner remains mindful of the history that preceded her. I wasnt out when I ran, she said. I won, and then suddenly I was out. My generation was Baptist we practiced shame. Now, she said, coming out is more common, but the movement risks losing touch with its roots if history is forgotten. We need to look back at our foundational heroes, she said, citing Vermont legislator Bill Lippert, a key advocate for marriage equality, who served in the state legislature for 28 years until leaving in 2022. Those early pioneers are the rock of our movement. We stand on their shoulders. Advice for the future politicos Asked what she tells people inspired by her path, Drenner laughed. As long as you dont run against me, Ill be with you, she joked. Then she turned serious: Nobody asked me to run. You dont need permission to follow your dreams. You may not win, but that doesnt discount your effort. Believe in yourself first. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This article originally appeared on Advocate: Lesbian Georgia legislator, first LGBTQ+ person elected in the South, is still showing up 25 years later RELATED A letter to Lackawanna County President Judge James Gibbons seeking clarity on the proper composition of the county Board of Elections is part of a scheme by Democratic Commissioner Brenda Sacco to remain in office despite Tuesdays special election to decide her successor, Democratic Commissioner Bill Gaughan said. The election board tasked with certifying the results of the upcoming contest is currently composed of county Judges Terrence R. Nealon, Margaret Bisignani-Moyle and Frank Ruggiero. Its a role commissioners would otherwise play if the office of commissioner werent on the ballot. The letter sent Thursday to Gibbons, signed by new county Solicitor Paul James Walker of Clarks Summit and election board Solicitor Donald Frederickson, seeks clarification from the Court on the proper constitution of the Board of Elections for the upcoming general election. It notes that, while the office of commissioner appears on the ballot, none of the sitting commissioners are candidates or running for re-election. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sacco, recently appointed to temporarily fill former Democratic Commissioner Matt McGloins vacant seat, has said she hopes to hold the seat for the remainder of McGloins unexpired term running into early January 2028. Thats the unexpired term the winner of the special election between Democrat Thom Welby, Republican Chet Merli and independent candidate Michael Cappellini is expected to fill, replacing Sacco as commissioner after the election results are certified. The letter is totally absurd, Gaughan said. Its clear that this is the scheme that I was referencing, I wasnt quite sure what it was going to be, but the scheme that theyve cooked up is they want to get back on the election board so they can find a way not to certify the election so Brenda Sacco can stay in power for two years unelected. Sacco did not immediately respond to a request for comment, but Walker, Saccos former personal attorney whom she and Chermak hired as county solicitor Friday, rejected Gaughans allegation. First of all Commissioner Sacco cannot vote on the Board of Elections for this particular election no matter what, Walker said. Thats unequivocal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He noted in a statement the letter does not take a position on the law. It is a request for dialogue with President Judge Gibbons about procedures for how the Board of Elections is composed, the statement reads. However, we also understand that the Courts are a busy place and do not entertain any expectation of a rapid response. This is a basic opportunity for conversation that we look forward to having with the Court whenever we are all able. Any indication to the contrary is paranoia. Nothing more, nothing less. Gaughan was unconvinced. Its the most ridiculous attempt at subverting an election that Ive ever seen, he said. And it makes no sense at all. Why else would they want to be on the election board if not to try to stop the certification so that she can remain in power? Because she has repeatedly refused to answer a simple question about whether she would accept the results of the election on Tuesday and would step down once the election was certified. So this letter, on the heels of all of that controversy, just proves to me that this must be the scheme that they have cooked up. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While Walker and Fredericksons letter said they seek clarity regarding the composition of the election board on behalf of a majority of the Lackawanna County Board of Commissioners, Republican Commissioner Chris Chermak said he had nothing to do with the letter. Im not part of that and I dont think a commissioner should be on the (election) board, he said. Chermak reiterated that position later, after Walker disputed that he wasnt involved. It had nothing to do with me, Chermak said. I didnt have anything to do with it. I wasnt part of it. Gaughan reacted thereafter. If thats the case then you have Brenda Sacco and her former personal attorney acting on their own, which is totally ridiculous and totally inappropriate, he said. Because I certainly wasnt consulted. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Asked about the letter, Frederickson deferred to Walker. This is his project, he said. The letter to Gibbons also says he need not respond in writing. Rather than have any written back-and-forth, we would be glad to discuss this matter with you at your convenience, it reads. To the editor: Dueling articles on page A-2 of the Oct. 29 Los Angeles Times present an interesting dichotomy, showcasing both the vulnerabilities of President Trumps trade-first approach to China and some strengths in regards to reinforcing bilateral ties with Japan ( News Analysis: Trade deal or trade truce? Questions remain as Trump meets with Chinas Xi ; Trump bonds with Japans new prime minister and says her nation is delivering on U.S. investments, Oct. 28). The former carries enormous risks for the success of U.S. foreign policy. If China displaces the United States as the leading power in the Pacific, the consequences for freedom in the region, and the rules-based international order, will be severe. Failing to address this as a security threat would be a mistake. Fortunately, the Japan trip shows promise for the future of the region. Deterring China relies on America maintaining clear commitments to longstanding allies, especially Japan and South Korea. Though Trump prioritized trade on his Japan trip, as he likely will do when meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping, his vocal recommitment to Japanese-American security ties is a good starting point for a comprehensive freedom-protective strategy in the Pacific. Charlie Henry, El Segundo This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. Rachel Reeves became a landlord after moving into No 11 Downing Street, and with that came a slew of red tape administrative rules that Ms Reeves herself has championed. But this week, it has been revealed that she has been letting out her home illegally because she failed to obtain a licence before renting out her south London home. Ms Reeves blamed an inadvertent error, and the lettings agency involved in rental arrangements for the property has subsequently apologised to her for an oversight that led to the failure to obtain a licence. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The episode underlines the ever-mounting burden of bureaucracy and the often-confusing and inconsistent rules that landlords face. Not only do some landlords face having to arrange for these costly selective licences (Ms Reeves welcomed their expansion in Leeds less that two weeks ago) but there is a laundry list of other items they must tick off. Employment and credit checks for tenants, various certificates such as for energy performance and gas safety, tenant deposits and financial checks are just some of these administrative hurdles. Then there is the Renters Rights Act, which will come into force soon. It will ban no-fault evictions, fixed-term tenancies, bidding wars and mid-contract price hikes the prospect of which is driving some property investors to leave the market altogether. A significant rise in schemes Licensing schemes were introduced in 2006 under the Housing Act. The schemes require all private landlords to obtain a licence from their local council for every one of their rental properties in a named area, the aim being to ensure they meet certain standards. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There are three types of licences. Mandatory and additional licences are for landlords operating houses of multiple occupation (HMOs), but councils have the power to enforce selective licences for other types of property. b' ' In recent years there has been a significant increase in the number of councils that have introduced the schemes, adding to a growing burden of landlord red tape. Analysis by the National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) shows that of the 137 local authorities in England, 47 operate selective licensing schemes. According to property data company Kamma, there has been an increase in local authorities implementing selective licensing. It has also become easier for councils to impose licensing schemes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement London dominates the picture, with 23 of its 32 boroughs now running additional or selective schemes including Southwark where Reevess property is located. To add to the patchwork nature of these licensing schemes, they sometimes only cover certain areas of a local authority. For example, not all of Southwark implements the scheme. The Chancellor, for instance, has been caught by a designation for Dulwich Wood ward introduced in November 2023. If a licensing scheme is brought in, the local authority must communicate the change in the area within seven days of the decision. But there is always a risk that a landlord might miss that. More costs for landlords Housing Minister Matthew Pennycook recently confirmed that councils should not profit from licensing schemes, and any income is meant to be ring-fenced for running the scheme and ensuring properties are safe. It is unclear, however, what happens to any surplus. In 2023 a report by audit firm EY found that Nottingham city council failed to ringfence funds and transferred millions of pounds from licensing income for other usage. Southwark council has generated over 9m in selective licensing revenue from landlords since 2022. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There is also a huge difference in how much landlords must pay for these licences across the country. Research by Direct Line Insurance has suggested the average cost of a licence is 700 per property; however some are much higher. Leicester city council charges 1,290 for a selective licence application, one of the highest in the country. These application fees are often accompanied by costs associated with compliance, such as property improvements, and come at a time when landlords have already been hit with successive regulatory changes that have eaten into their income. Councils can also hit landlords with significant fines for falling foul of their obligations. It is a criminal offence to fail to obtain a licence when required and the offence is punishable with an unlimited fine upon conviction. Or, as an alternative to initiating a prosecution, the council can impose a penalty of up to 30,000 or seize control of the property. A council can also order the landlord to pay back up to 12 months rent. According to analysis from Kamma, councils have issued more than 13m of fines which relate directly to licensing breaches since the introduction of the rules in 2004. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Paul Shamplina, of Landlord Action, said: The recent news of Rachel Reevess debacle of not licensing her property, highlights that the licensing laws are totally confusing for landlords. Each council has its own rules on how they license an area. The reality is that enforcement against rogue landlords varies from council to council. Its time the whole system was updated and overhauled to make it fairer. The costs to landlords increase dramatically year on year. Do the schemes work? Andrew McGarrick, a landlord in Leicester who has 24 properties and also acts as an agent for others, told The Telegraph he found selective licensing inconsistent. Selective licensing is a randomised levy, irrespective of how good your property is it doesnt seem legitimate, he said. All of us who have had to take on board selective licensing understand how pernicious it is. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Propertymark, the professional body for the property sector, said it does not think that licensing schemes are a good way of ensuring high standards in the private rented sector. This is in part because most schemes fail as they are not adequately resourced to undertake the necessary enforcement activity. Licensing schemes heavily focus on the administration, often directing staff away from enforcement to process applications, and ultimately result in a low number of prosecutions. Despite the rise in schemes aimed at improving rental standards, there is no clear link between the introduction of licensing requirements and better results in cracking down on rogue and criminal landlords. Chris Norris, chief policy officer for the National Residential Landlords Association, said: While selective licensing might play a part in ensuring standards, it should not be seen as a panacea. NRLA data shows that there is no clear link between a council having a licensing scheme and improved levels of enforcement against rogue and criminal landlords. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There are also questions over whether council-level licensing schemes will have any value once the Renters Rights Act comes into force. Mr Norris added that the database of privately rented housing and landlords created under the law will give councils all the information they need to support enforcement work in their area. Likewise, Mr Shamplina is in favour of a digital national property portal that lets anyone find out if a property is compliant, and has said once the new database is in place councils should remove their selective licensing regimes to avoid a duplication of red tape. Additional reporting by Madeleine Ross, Maya Wilson-Autzen, Tom Haynes and Noah Eastwood 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. LIMA A Lima man was sentenced to a minimum of 15 years in prison with a maximum of 19 1/2 Thursday morning for a string of drug charges. Toni Jones, 66, of Lima, was found guilty by a jury on Oct. 22 for three counts of trafficking cocaine, one count of possession of cocaine and one count of illegally manufacturing drugs. Before the sentencing, Allen County Common Pleas Court Judge Terri Kohlrieser ruled that the counts of trafficking in cocaine and illegal manufacture of drugs would merge, but the state elected to only pursue the trafficking in cocaine count. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Given the charges he was found guilty of, and the fact that he was clearly involved in making crack, the state believes that the defendant should get consecutive sentences of no less than 15 years in prison, chief assistant prosecutor Kyle Thines said. Jones was sentenced to nine months for one count of trafficking in cocaine, 12 months on another count of trafficking in cocaine, 11 years for possession of cocaine with a maximum of 14 1/2 years, and 3 years minimum with a maximum of 4 1/2 years on the illegal manufacturing of drugs. Jones took his chance to speak and said he always was under the impression he was working with law enforcement and believed he would not get in trouble. On Oct. 27, Jones made a motion for a mistrial, and he will appeal his sentence with a new attorney. According to court documents, FBI Special Agent Andrew Eilerman received information from a credible and reliable confidential informant on Dec. 9 that Clair and Jones were going to be manufacturing crack cocaine at 312 W. Vine St., Lima. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Eilerman said the female informant was instructed to call Jones and arrange a meeting so she could buy more cocaine. After the meeting, two officers from the task force began to tail Jones and take pictures of his dealings. After receiving the information, a task force installed GPS trackers on both Clairs and Joness vehicles. Eilerman checked the GPS tracking software and observed that both men traveled to Clairs, at 1026 E. North St., and stopped. Officers conducted surveillance at the Vine Street address, leading to a traffic stop. Narcotics were located in a vehicle between the drivers seat and the passengers seat, and both men were arrested. COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) About 1.4 million low income Ohioans are facing food insecurity as federal food assistance funding is set to run out on Saturday. Due to the ongoing government shutdown, the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program is scheduled to run out of funding on Nov. 1. More commonly known as SNAP, the funding lapse threatens food access for 42 million Americans. The governors office announced Thursday it will dedicate $25 million to help offset lost SNAP funding. However, the state said Ohioans received more than $252 million in SNAP funds during September 2025 alone. See previous coverage of SNAP insecurity in the video player above. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Olentangy Schools bond issue wont raise taxes On Thursday, Columbus City Attorney Zach Klein filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration, calling the suspension of SNAP support unlawful. Klein said there are 29,000 children reliant on SNAP funds in Columbus alone, and 12.8% of city households receive SNAP assistance. The Columbus Foundation donated $500,000 to various central Ohio food banks in anticipation of SNAP freezes or delays. Columbus City Council allocated $25,000 in emergency funding to the Mid-Ohio Food Collective, and many local restaurants are offering free or discounted meals for SNAP recipients. Across counties Gopuff is offering a $50 credit for SNAP-eligible items for users who connect their EBT cards to their accounts. Users should use code SNAPRELIEF1 from Nov. 1 through 15 and SNAPRELIEF2 from Nov. 16 to 30 for $25 off and free delivery. Kids eat free on Tuesdays at Bob Evans with the purchase of an entree. Delaware County Dragon House Asian Cuisine in Delaware is offering free chicken fried rice for customers with an EBT card from 1 to 3 p.m. on Nov. 5 and Nov. 12. Common Ground Free Story Ministries in Delaware offers meals and other necessities every day but Sunday. Meals are served between 6 and 8 p.m. on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. on Wednesday, and from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday. Only Delaware County residents are eligible. Fairfield County Foundation Dinners in Lancaster serves free lunch at 11:30 a.m. and free dinner at 4 p.m. every day. Heart Market in Reynoldsburg is a food pantry open on Tuesday and Thursday from 2 to 7 p.m. and on Wednesday and Friday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Franklin County Chicken Salad Chick in Westerville and at Polaris is offering free kids meals to SNAP recipients under age 12 through Nov. 16. High Bank Distillery is donating one meal to the Mid-Ohio Food Collective for every meal purchased at its Grandview, Gahanna and Westerville locations throughout the month of November. The Columbus Metropolitan Library is offering free after-school snacks at at least 18 locations, and the full list of branches can be found here. The snacks are provided by Childrens Hunger Alliance and include multiple food groups. To ensure pet owners dont have to share their food, the Groveport Canal Animal Hospital is offering quick meals for dogs and cats starting Nov. 3. Licking County The Food Pantry Network of Licking County offers a number of food distribution sites, including some that offer hot meals. Madison County The Madison County Food Pantry in London is open Wednesdays and Saturdays from 9 to 11:45 a.m. Pickaway County The Emergency Clearing House Food Pantry in Circleville is part of the Mid-Ohio Food Collective. The Community Cupboards of Pickaway County offer a network of two dozen outdoor pantry cupboards for nonperishable goods, which can be found here. Union County Giovannis Pizza in Marysville is offering a free 8-inch one-topping pizza per child under age 17 through Nov. 15. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ohioans can also enter their ZIP codes into this website to see food bank assistance within the area. The Mid-Ohio Food Collective offers a similar resource here. According to the Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services, any leftover funding on Ohioans EBTs can still be used into November. 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. SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) In the wake of the ongoing government shutdown, businesses are working to provide food for families in need. Prairie Lakes to combine with Sanford Health Federal funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) will run out on November 1, which will leave some families without access to nutritious foods. The program serves 1 in 8 Americans, AP reported. The state will not help with SNAP benefits once they run out either, the South Dakota Department of Social Services told KELOLAND News Tuesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement LIST: Food resources/ways to help others in community As November 1st approaches, businesses in town announced ways theyre helping the community. Heres a list of businesses in the state that are offering food and ways of giving for those in need. Buche Foods On Tuesday, RF Buche, President and CEO of the GF Buche Co., told KELOLAND News that holiday meal fundraising money would be re-directed to help SNAP families in their community. Weve made a decision that those funds are going to go towards SNAP benefits or SNAP households if the SNAP benefits are withheld in South Dakota, Buche said Tuesday. So, we will be giving, while our funds last, each SNAP household $100 worth of groceries. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Friday, Buche told KELOLAND News over the phone that the $100 will come in the form of a gift certificate. He says they will be working with local food banks and community partners to get those distributed to people in need. Buche says they are also hoping to find a way to deliver food to people in more remote locations. DoorDash Waiving delivery and service fees for 300,000 grocery orders for SNAP recipients. DoorDash and grocery partners are covering the cost of delivery and service fees for an estimated 300,000 orders for SNAP recipients in November, helping families stretch budgets during any SNAP freeze. Customers who have linked a SNAP/EBT card to their profile can shop on DoorDash at Sprouts, Dollar General, Schnucks, Food Lion, Giant Foods, The GIANT Company, Hannaford, Stop & Shop, Hy-Vee, Giant Eagle, and Wegmans and have their delivery and service fees waived on one order. Fareway Customers can purchase pre-bagged, wholesome, SNAP eligible food items at any Fareway location, according to a news release. These bags will be distributed directly to local food banks or pantries near each store. Fareway is also accepting donations, with every dollar going toward purchasing wholesome food products for nearby food banks or pantries. Shoppers may also choose to donate individual food items of their choice. Hy-Vee Hy-Vee has donated over $100 thousand to its Feeding America partner food banks across the region, but thats not where the support stops. They will also have some meal deals available at locations that have hot food services. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So, next week Monday through Friday, each day, from 4 until 7 we are offering free meals for all kids ages 12 and under. And $3 meals, the same meals, for adults, Zach Tecklenburg, the Hy-Vee Media Relations Manager, said. In addition to those meals, Hy-Vee stores will offer $5 to $10 food bank donation bundles for customers to purchase. The bags will include items like canned vegetables, pasta sauce, canned proteins and cereal. Stores will then deliver the bags to their local food pantry each day. Runza Runza in Yankton is offering a community special meal: a cheeseburger and small fry for those that ask and is collecting non-perishable food in their lobby to be given to local food banks. Taco Johns Taco Johns: From October 31 to November 2, anyone impacted by the government shutdown and in need of a meal can visit a Taco Johns location and request the Community Support Special to receive one beef or bean burrito and one Jr. Potato Oles. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In addition to the Community Support Special, the Taco Johns Foundation will also make a donation to local food banks for every Taco Bravo sold on Thursday, November 6th. You know, our customers have been so loyal and so great to us for so many years that when things come up like this, we want to make sure that were giving back to those in need, Heather Neary, President and CEO of Taco Johns, said. The Barrel House The Barrel House is accepting donations for a kids breakfast drive. You can bring shelf-stable breakfast items and receive a free dessert from Oct. 31 to Nov. 7. Granola bars and pop-tarts and anything the kids can eat down the hallways if they come in hungry, Mark Fonder, owner of The Barrel House, said. You know, with these benefits running out, its going to affect the kids and thats the sad part. Watertown Brewing Co. If you bring a food donation to the brewery, youll receive a free pint. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is a developing story. If you are a business that is helping out, send your information to news@keloland.com Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KELOLAND.com. MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (WBOY) To help students find interests that could help lead them to their future careers, one local middle school invited different organizations to its career expo Thursday. With the help of the West Virginia Public Education Collaborative, six West Virginia-based organizations brought hands-on demonstrations to teach children about their line of work. The career expo runs in line with College Application and Exploration Week, which schools across the state are participating in. South Middle School counselor, Lauren Underdonk, told 12 News the significance of introducing 6th-grade students to careers so early. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A lot of people think we wait until high school to start choosing our classes, but in middle school, they might start taking more advanced courses for high school that would get them into different tracks in their high school career. Also, just learning what opportunities they can have in the future to know what to take advantage of, what electives to take in classes, is important to them, Underdonk said. Mon County parents seek safer solutions for students walking to bus stop Each organization at the expo represented a different career cluster. Organizations, including WVU Medicine, 4-H, WVU E-Sports and STEAM TAC, were among the career options alongside activities like generating images through AI, communicating through Morse Code and practicing CPR. Organizations that participated in the career expo are a part of the West Virginia Public Education Collaboratives K12 Speakers Bureau. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Donna Peduto, executive director, told 12 News that all of the organizations involved in the expo are West Virginia-based. I think its very important to feature the in-state because you think about it, a lot of students feel like they have to leave West Virginia to get a good job, and this shows you, you know, because these are amazing careers that its right here for them if they choose it, Peduto said. South Middle School will be hosting different career-engaging activities for 7th and 8th graders throughout the rest of the week. You can learn more about the West Virginia Public Education Collaborative and how to get involved with the K12 Speakers Bureau through its website. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WBOY.com. MANHATTAN (KSNT) With air traffic controllers and Transportation Security Administration staff in parts of the nation working without pay, we reached out to the Manhattan Regional Airport and the Metropolitan Topeka Airport Authority to see if its impacting operations. According to Manhattan Regional Airport Director Brandon Keazer, TSA agents at the Manhattan Regional Airport are currently going without pay. Despite this, the TSA staff at MHK are dedicated and customer-oriented, continuing to report to duty and provide safe and efficient screening of all passengers flying out of Manhattan Regional Airport, Keazer said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kansas National Guard member indicted after agreeing to photograph Fort Riley, send equipment to Russia: DOJ Regarding air traffic controllers, airport officials in Topeka and Manhattan said the towers operate under the Federal Aviation Administration Contract Tower Program. Those workers are contracted through Midwest Air Traffic Control Services. The air traffic controllers who safely manage and separate aircraft operations at MHK are employed by Midwest ATC and continue to receive pay, Keazer said. We have not experienced any recent turnover among ATC staff. The program was established in 1982 and allows the FAA to contract private companies to operate air traffic control towers. The contract controllers must meet the same qualifications as FAA-employed controllers, according to the FAA. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Weather Cloudy and cool for trick-or-treating this evening Government-employed air traffic controllers missed their paychecks on Tuesday due to the ongoing government shutdown. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and the head of the controllers union are concerned that flight delays could multiply as increasingly stressed-out controllers call out sick. 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. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSNT 27 News. LONGVIEW, Texas (KETK) Longview hosted its annual Trick-or-Treat event on Thursday in downtown, offering a safe and fun holiday experience for the community. Several shops in the area, like the Blush Salon, participated by handing out candy to children as they walked through. Christus Health urges East Texans to plan a safe Halloween It feels really good. Its exciting because we love being downtown, Kayla McGauthey, a stylist at Blush Salon, said. This is the first year for us to participate, so its really cool. We didnt know how busy it would be, but it seems like a really good turnout. Blush Salon not only gave out candy but also offered tinsel to visitors, adding a unique touch to the event. 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. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KETK.com | FOX51.com. As Breast Cancer Awareness month is coming to a close, a Jacksonville doctor from the Baptist MD Anderson Cancer Center is encouraging women to get their mammograms. Because as women, we get busy taking care of everyone else, and you just want to remember to dont forget to take care of yourself and put your health first and do your screenings, says Dr. Laila Samiian, the Chief of Breast Surgical Oncology at Baptist MS Anderson Cancer Center. Because when you do your screening mammogram, if a cancer happens to be found, itll be found at an earlier stage, which is curable most of the time. So its more likely to be curable if its caught early, and its definitely going to be caught much earlier if its seen on a mammogram than if you wait until you feel a lump. Dr. Samiian says there have been advancements in screening for breast cancer. So the mammograms, theyre are like X-rays of your breasts. But now, we have 3-D tomosynthesis, and most places will do...its like 11 cuts...even though it looks like youre doing one, two pictures. Those pictures are actually being done, 11 cuts through the breasts, so its like a movie that looks through and through your breasts. So its a lot more accurate than it used to be. Theres an automated whole breast ultrasound that can add to your screening as a supplement to your mammogram. It doesnt replace the mammogram because the mammogram will pick up things that the ultrasound cant pick up. The ultrasound sometimes can pick up things that the mammogram cant pick up. so theyre kind of used in conjunction for women who have very dense breasts or at high risk; they can add that. Breast MRI is used for women who have high-risk for developing breast cancer, such as if they have a family history, abnormal biopsies in the past, or genetic mutations. They can do Breast MRIs, which is really [an] ultimate screening, but again, it wont pick up calcifications that a mammogram can pick up. So all of those tests are used in conjunction with each other for us to detect abnormalities sooner. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement You can hear more about testing and treatment in the full interview with Dr. Samiian on Jacksonvilles Morning News. Listen to Jacksonvilles Morning News Interviews Read more local news from WOKV Click here to download our free news, weather and traffic app. And click here to subscribe to our daily 3 Big Things newsletter. NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD) The Countywide Intergovernmental Flood Prevention Task Force is starting up again, with elected officials bringing some new features. Officials, engineers, and stormwater staff met for its first meeting on Friday. Elected leaders said Charleston County residents continue to experience chronic flooding, and they want to find solutions for them in the most efficient way. Requests show it is a major problem for people in West Ashley and James Island. Flooding is one of the biggest issues in our communities, were called the Lowcountry, Brook Lyon, mayor of James Island, said Its most mostly flat, we dont have a lot of fall for the water to drain. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The task force is revamped, as it allows people to give public comment and locations will be changing quarterly to reach more people across the county. SC Sen. Ed Sutton, District 20, is the chair of the initiative. He told News 2, it will allow local agencies and officials to better coordinate on maintenance-related flooding issues. The big picture intent is to get the big players, all the municipalities, all of different state agencies in the same room and go through these flooding issues, these drainage-basins one-by-one, and establish ownership on who is working on what, Sutton said. Then follow-up from previous complaints weve received as well. Residents experiencing flooding are encourage to submit a request. Over the years, 571 requests have filed in, with more coming from Johns Island most recently. Leaders review each neighborhood and come up with solutions between the City of Charleston, Charleston County, and the states Department of Transportation. This allows for a more immediate response. I dont want to say theres a lot of finger-pointing involved, but there seems to be whos right of way is the ditch in, who possesses the conveyance, SC Rep. Tom Hartnett, District 110, said. Were just trying to get everybody on board. It doesnt matter whos ditch it is. The water is threatening everyone, we need to fix ways to get it out. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While there are many active stormwater projects ongoing, the task force has also coordinated with several agencies. They have identified future projects, however only 7% of those have any current funding. The next meeting will be in the City of Charleston on February 13, 2026. 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. Churches are among various organizations preparing for greater demand at their food banks for the foreseeable future. This comes as the nation braces for SNAP funding to lapse Saturday. The lack of funds for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance program is a consequence of the federal government's shutdown, which has been in effect for over four weeks. Free AME Ministries holds a weekly food pantry in Fresno. Pastor Reverend Dr. Floyd D. Harris Jr. estimates that around 200 people rely on the free distribution for their essential groceries. He said this week, one of the regular recipients broke down to him, fearing he would go hungry. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "He said 'Rev,' he said 'We're not going to get any food stamps anymore? We're not going to get any EBT anymore?' And some water started coming down his eyes, and I said, 'Brother, I don't have an answer for you,'" Harris told Action News. The ministry said it will continue to operate even as SNAP benefits lapse. Harris said while the church works to grow food for the pantry on its own grounds, many of the items they distribute come from donations. If you are interested in donating to the ministry, Harris said you can contact him directly at 559-790-4277. (WJBF) People around the CSRA are getting in to the spirit of Halloween by decorating their yards and houses. Every year the Your Hometown Road Trip, team highlights some of the people who love to celebrate the holiday. Its not a competition, so if youd like to be featured next year, please reach out to the team. For their first stop, they headed Evans, Ga., in the Berkeley Hills Neighborhood to speak with Corey Beckworth whos yard has received a lot of attention on social media. How long did it take you to do this? To put out, honestly like a day, not that long to put out, but Ive been working on it about three weeks now. I put everything out so everyone can enjoy the display, and then I work on one or two skeletons each night. So you make the skeletons yourself? I buy the standard $35 dollar, 5-foot skeleton, and then I corpse them. What does that mean? You can do it any way you want, but my preferred method is I get a dark stain, do the base coat to get it kind of dirty, to get the bright white off, and then I go back with spray foam, to give it the gnarly bit, and then you go back after that dries, thats normally 24 hours, then re-stain it, then you can get in to all the fun stuff where you can play with latex and paper towels, paint. If you can dream it up, you can make it happen. What is it about this holiday? Ive always loved horror movies, and this kind of just snowballed. When this 12-foot skeleton came out I thought it was the coolest thing, then you started seeing them pop up at every other house, so I needed something unique, so then I decided to corpse that one, and then it snowballed from there. I thought it looked goofy just by itself. What do you want people to say when they come out here? I want them to see something unique, that they wont really see anywhere else. Thats why I customize everything. I dont want it to be a box store add. So if I was a kid, what would I want to see? At first I thought it might be too gnarly but weve gotten really positive feedback. If people are trying to come out and see this, where do they go? Come in to Berkley Hills the neighborhood off of William Few, near the Riverwood intersection, and honestly youll find us. Just look for the bright purple glow. Up next, the team headed to Hephzibah to speak with the Program Director for Veterans for Clean Water, Truck Carlson. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This year, Truck did a pirate themed yard, he even showed up in full character for the interview. For those who dont know what Veterans for Clean Water is, tell us about it. Its a program with the Savannah River Keeper, we take veterans out in kayaks, we do water sampling, restoration projects, we work with the marshals office, and the sheriffs office, its getting veterans out, involved with the community, and they heal themselves. What is it about this holiday that you love? Trunk or Treat is a great thing, its safe and its wonderful, but theres something about the old school going house to house, we love pirates, and we go all out, because the joy in those children, and the fear sometimes walking up is priceless, and then they get excited when they walk away with pirate booty, and they just have a blast with it. We do it because we enjoy it. When did you decide to start doing this? About seven or eight years ago, and a lot of slow rolls as we started putting stuff up, and then the thumbs up, and then the horn beeping, and then once Halloween hits and these kids get so excited about coming to this place, they look forward to it every year. The whole week were putting this up and people are driving by and saying thank you, and it just brings back that old school neighborhood feel. If people are trying to come by, where do they need to go? 2634 Ardwyck Drive, Hephzibah, Ga. 30815. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The team wants to give a big thank you to all house in the CSRA that help make this Halloween fun and safe for everyone. 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. AUSTIN (KXAN) On Friday, Travis County and Austin city leaders discussed the pause in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits and how it impacts Central Texas. SNAP benefits are expected to pause Nov. 1 due to the federal government shutdown. City of Austin says government shutdown placing additional pressure on city, nonprofits Austin Mayor Kirk Watson said those who get help from the program would not see their November benefits issued, which equates to about $16 million for the area. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Travis County, the potential loss of SNAP benefits will affect approximately 44,895 households, which represent over 87,000 people, Watson said. Travis County Judge Andy Brown said the pause in benefits was the first in SNAPs history. For many of our residents, thats not some abstract number or policy issuethats food on the table or not having food on the table, Brown said. According to the city, local partner organizations also joined to help provide information and resources available to Central Texans facing food insecurity. Central Texas Food Bank CEO Sari Vatske said the nonprofit is already seeing a food crisis with food insecurity at a 10-year high. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We are now serving 610,000 food-insecure individuals in the 21 counties we serve just as a result of the government shutdown and a loss of SNAP benefits, Vatske said. Vatske said SNAP was meant to be a supplement to household food budgets. Nonprofits like the food bank, and the 250 nonprofit partners we support, are meant to be a supplement to the supplement, Vatske 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. VIDEO: Arkansas SNAP recipients brace for possible suspension amid government shutdown LITTLE ROCK, Ark. Organizations in the capital city are teaming up to support impacted residents as a result of the federal freeze on Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. In a release, officials said nearly 3,300 Pulaski County residents as well as 4,598 furloughed government officials are impacted by the freeze. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Arkansas SNAP recipients brace for possible suspension amid government shutdown The partnership includes the city of Little Rock, Arkansas Hunger Relief Alliance, Little Rock School District and Little Rock Food Commission who aim to tackle food insecurity in the state. Food insecurity is one of the biggest challenges facing Arkansas, with more than 70,000 people in Pulaski County regularly experiencing it, Mayor Frank Scott, Jr. said. Through partnerships with organizations like the Arkansas Hunger Relief Alliance and local businesses, we are committed to assisting as many individuals as possible and closing the gap when federal support is paused. Arkansas Foodbank bracing for disruption in SNAP benefits Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Students in the Little Rock School District that are identified as affected will receive grocery gift cards donated by Edwards Food Giant. Local restaurant Hill Station also donated a gift card to support impacted residents Individuals seeking assistance will need to provide proof of SNAP eligibility. For more information, visit Little Rock CARES. 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. YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN)- Fears are growing for millions of families who could lose access to federal food assistance starting Saturday, as the government shutdown drags on. Now, the Catholic Diocese of Youngstown is helping with an emergency food drive. Bishop David Bonnar is calling on parishioners and others to donate non-perishables to help those who are about to lose their monthly food stamps. He says this is a call to serve the poor and vulnerable around us. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Beginning Friday and through the end of the year, items will be collected at parishes with a food pantry. You can also donate to Catholic Charities and St. Vincent de Paul locations. As workers move produce around inside the big Second Harvest Food Bank warehouse in Youngstown, theyre looking to get a boost from Governor Mike DeWines latest executive order. Were hoping for $350,000, which could really buy us a lot more food, said Renee Fuller, associate director of Second Harvest Food Bank. The money is part of $7 million set aside from the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services to help facilities like Second Harvest make up for the loss of federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance benefits because of the government shutdown in Washington. Another $18 million will go directly to those in the Ohio Works First program. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They will get their monthly allotment with an additional quarter of that every week as long as the shutdown is still on, said Audrey Morales, with the Mahoning County Department of Job and Family Services. But Morales says those receiving only SNAP payments may need to rely on local soup kitchens and food pantries. Second Harvest serves 160 of those in the three-county area, and workers here have been doing their best to keep the warehouse full. Right now, we know our pantries and our meal sites are to get several more people coming, Fuller said. JoAnne Rubrick is 81 years old. She has been helping at the pantry with First Presbyterian in Warren for thirty years. She admits the shutdown has a lot of people concerned. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Im worried about what Medicares gonna be raised for me, so Im sure people with not much money are even more concerned over a broader area, she said. Even if the government reopens next week, benefits are likely to lag. There will be a gap. Its going to take time to get that system up and running, Fuller said. There are several food assistance resources in the Valley amid the unavailability of SNAP benefits due to the government shutdown. The places providing services are listed below: (Note: this is not a complete list of organizations offering assistance) MAHONING COUNTY Second Harvest Food Bank. 2805 Salt Springs Rd, Youngstown, OH 44509 St. Vincent De Paul. 317 Via Mt Carmel, Youngstown, OH 44505. MonFri, 9 AM 1 PM. Call for food voucher: 330-746-1128 Red Door Food Pantry. St. Johns Parking Lot, 323 Wick Ave, Youngstown, OH 44503. Every 3rd Saturday, 10 a.m. 11:15 a.m. 1 bag of groceries per household (includes canned goods, packaged items, some toiletries). Fresh produce in warmer months. Bring ID + proof of residency (utility bill, lease, etc.) Salvation Army . 1501 Glenwood Ave, Youngstown, OH 44511. Community Lunch: TueFri, 11:30 a.m. 12:30 p.m. Food Pantry: Tue & Fri, 1 p.m. 2 p.m. (Bring ID or mail with address) Clothing Closet: Fridays, 10 a.m. Noon (Bring ID + proof of residency; birth certificates for kids clothing) Beulah Baptist Church. 570 Sherwood Ave, Youngstown, OH 44511. 4th Saturday, 9 AM Noon. 330-782-0740 Faith Fellowship Church of God. 388 E Midlothian Blvd, Youngstown, OH 44507. 2nd & 4th Thursday, 9 a.m. 12:30 p.m. Protestant Family Service 2915 Glenwood Ave, Suite 6, Youngstown, OH 44511 Monday-Tuesday. Call for appointment: 330-746-4600 Open Door Community Church. 525 Marshall Rd, McDonald, OH 44437. 3rd Saturday, 9 a.m.- 10:30 p.m. 330-545-0241 Gleaners Food Bank. 94 Pyatt St, Youngstown, OH 44502. Tuesdays, 9 a.m. 11 a.m. 330-746-8436 Evergreen SDA Pantry. 7668 Glenwood Ave, Youngstown, OH 44512. 2nd Wednesday, 9 a.m. Noon.. 330-726-1645 Glenwood Fresh Market. 2915 Glenwood Ave, Youngstown, OH 44511 Tuesday and Thursday from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. Call to schedule: 330-333-3561. Must receive SNAP or have income under 200% of the poverty level. Bring ID, proof of income, and proof of residency Temple Emmanuel SDA Church, 108 W. Indianola Ave., Youngstown, 4th Sunday of each month, 1 p.m. 3 p.m., or by appointment, call 330-788-9796. COLUMBIANA COUNTY Community Action Agency of Columbiana County, Food vouchers are available to Columbiana County households that provide documentation of being approved for SNAP benefits. Vouchers are being distributed through the Community Action Agency on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 7860 Lincole Place, Lisbon Trumbull County Warren Family Mission Emergency Food Giveaway , Friday, Nov. 7, from 12 p.m. until supplies last. ID required per family, up to two families per car, with a photo ID that shows a separate household address. Grocery essentials like cereal, milk, canned goods, pasta, bread, meat, and fresh produce will be provided. Warren Family Mission extra pantry hours , Monday, Nov. 10, 5-8 p.m. This extended hours event is for those who work during the day and still need food help. Trumbull County Community Action Program , apply for an emergency food voucher and an Amish Cut Meat Box. Nov. 3, 10 a.m.to 2 p.m. at Restoration Christian Fellowship, 760 Main Ave. SW, Warren. Must provide ID and income verification for all household members. Trumbull County food pantries (Source ODJFS): 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. SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) Leading up to Californias Nov. 4 Special Election more than half of San Diegans are planning to vote yes on Proposition 50, Californias proposed redistricting map. Several local leaders, school boards and community groups have been outspoken about their thoughts on the ballot initiative. What is Prop 50? Governor Gavin Newsom introduced Prop 50 to counteract Texas similar redistricting efforts. Newsom has stated the proposition also hopes to safeguard democratic practices by stopping the Trump administration from influencing the midterms or entertaining a third presidential term. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If Prop 50 is passed, five new congressional seats will be created with a Democratic majority, potentially affecting incumbent members of Congress such as Republican Representative Darrel Issa. Here is a list of local Prop 50 endorsements or leaders who have publicly shared how they will be voting. California Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks during a news conference Thursday, Aug. 14, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez) Whos voting Yes on Prop 50 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Whos voting No on Prop 50 Boardmember Delia Dominguez Cervantes, Chula Vista Elementary School District Councilmember Christian Garcia, City of Escondido President Karen Clark Mejia City of El Cajon Valley Union School District Arguments for no on Prop 50 Many leaders voting no on Prop 50 state that redistricting efforts are a political power grab by Newsom. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is not about better representation, it is about consolidating power for his own political ambitions, Desmond said in a social media post. Groups like the Union Tribune Editorial Board state that Prop 50 normalizes this type of governance. None of this will matter or should matter to those who believe Trump is a primal threat to American values, the Union Tribune Editorial Board wrote. But it will to those who think Newsoms measure reflects a burn down the village to save it mindset. The Union-Tribune Editorial Board recommends a no vote on Proposition 50. Arguments for yes on Prop 50 Local school boards, such as San Diego and Oceanside, have endorsed Prop 50 to combat decisions made by the Trump administration such as increased Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) presence, cuts to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion and attempts to cut federal funding for schools. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Unions like the UDW/AFSCME Local 3930 state that they are supporting redistricting to combat government cuts to healthcare and other vital services. Our hardworking members overwhelmingly support Prop 50 and are coming out en masse to kick out those in Congress who slashed Medicaid and nutrition assistance funding in order to pay for a massive tax giveaway to billionaire, UDW Executive Director Doug Moore said. These cuts will impact millions of Californians who rely on Medicaid to fund the IHSS program. Together, were going to stand up to those in Congress who attacked those who give care and those who receive care. We must hold them all accountable. A sample ballot is pictured before early voting starts in Californias statewide special election, Friday, Oct. 3, 2025, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Paula Ulichney-Munoz) Where to vote All voting centers across the county will open on Saturday, Nov. 1. Voters can go to these centers from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. A list of voting centers, ballot drop box locations and additional voting information can be found on sdvote.com Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 5 San Diego & KUSI News. SAN ANGELO, Texas (Concho Valley Homepage) Texans will head to the polls on Nov. 4 to vote on 17 proposed state constitutional amendments. Several local propositions will make their way onto Concho Valley ballots as well, however. Heres a look at what those propositions are. For more information about local elections and to track election results as they come in, visit Concho Valley Homepages Your Local Election HQ webpage. Tom Green County In Tom Green County, some voters will be casting their ballots in a voter-approved tax ratification election from Wall ISD to adjust the ad valorem tax rate. The proposition is listed as follows on a sample ballot on the Tom Green County elections website: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ratifying the ad valorem tax rate of $0.7703 per $100 valuation in Wall Independent School District for the current year, a rate that will result in an increase of 12 percent in maintenance and operations tax revenue for the District for the current year as compared to the preceding year, which is an additional $848,421. A breakdown of Wall ISDs 2025 VATRE Schleicher County Voters in Schleicher County will vote on a property tax increase proposition for Schleicher County ISD for the issuance of $23 million of bonds to build, renovate and equip school buildings, with a new elementary school receiving priority. A sample ballot on the Schleicher County elections website lists the proposition as follows: The issuance of $23,000,000 of bonds for the construction, acquisition, rehabilitation, renovation, expansion and equipment of school buildings (with priority given to a new elementary school), including any necessary or related removal of existing facilities, and the levy and imposition of taxes sufficient to pay the principal of and interest on the bonds. Reagan County Reagan County voters will vote on a tax increase proposition for the issuance of $25 million in bonds for the facilities of the Reagan Hospital District of Reagan County. The proposition is listed as follows on a sample ballot found on the Reagan County elections website: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The issuance of bonds in the amount of $25,000,000 for the facilities of the Reagan Hospital District of Reagan County, Texas system (including a new wellness center, an improved physical therapy facility, and new assisted living and independent living facilities) and the levy of taxes sufficient to pay the principal of and interest on the bonds. McCulloch County Brady voters will cast their ballots on who will serve in the Place 4 seat of the Brady City Council. The following individuals are candidates in the race, as per a sample ballot on the McCulloch County elections website: Roland Wayne OBriant Vickie Roddie Jordan Boggs Tyler Ashcraft Raymond Ledezma Kimble County Junction voters will be voting in a local option election to determine whether to legalize the sale of all alcoholic beverages. The proposition for the election is as follows, according to a sample ballot on the Kimble County elections website: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The legal sale of all alcoholic beverages including mixed beverages. Runnels County Several propositions and races will be considered in Runnels County across 10 precincts, according to sample ballots provided on the Runnels County elections website. Some propositions and races overlap in certain precincts. Voters in Ballinger will be tasked with choosing their next mayor. The following candidates are running in the race: Edward Garcia Bob McDaniel Darlene Kelly Ballinger voters will also vote on who will occupy the single-member district 1 seat of the Ballinger City Council. The following candidates are running for the seat: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Martin Akins Chad McDuffee On top of the single-member district 1 seat race, voters in Ballinger will cast their ballots on who will occupy the single-member district 2 seat. The following candidates are running for the seat: Richard Morrish Rachelle Williams John Fulton Richard Sonnenberg Ballinger voters will additionally be voting on who will become the next board member for the Ballinger Memorial Hospital District. Voters can choose one, two, three or none of the following candidates: Carolyn B. Little Tyler Reasor Bill Hunter Mike Dankworth Voters in Jim Ned CISD will vote on a tax rate increase proposition that will result in a 10.27% increase in maintenance and operations tax revenue. The proposition is worded as follows on the sample ballot: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ratifying the ad valorem tax rate of $0.9870 per $100 valuation in Jim Ned Consolidated Independent School District for the current year, a rate that will result in an increase of 10.27 percent in maintenance and operations tax revenue for the district for the current year as compared to the preceding year, which is an additional $626,232. Voters in Winters ISD be voting on who will occupy the Place 7 At Large board member spot in the Winters ISD School Board. The following candidates are running for the position: Leslye Morris David Pate Eddie Rodriguez Jr. Miles voters will vote to determine who will be mayor. According to a sample ballot, only one candidate is running: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Tammy Pitt Voters in Miles will also determine who will be the next alderman for the City of Miles. Voters will be able to choose one, two or none of the following candidates: Kristofer Young Janice Alexander Paul Sklenarik 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. Longtime Xenia Police Division Sergeant Scott Beegle is retiring after nearly 27 years of service. Beegle, a lifelong resident of Xenia, enlisted in the United States Army as a Combat Engineer, according to a spokesperson. He served five years and received awards such as the Overseas Service Ribbon and the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal for his time in Somalia. After his honorable discharge in 1995, Beegle completed the Clark State Peace Officer Training Academy and started his law enforcement career as a Jail Deputy with the Greene County Sheriffs Department. [DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] TRENDING STORIES: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 1999, Beegle joined the Xenia Police Division, serving in positions that include detective, patrol sergeant, and operational sergeant. Beegle took part in extra duties, serving as Crisis Negotiation Team Commander, Special Events Coordinator, and Armor Supervisor. Beegle was a vital member of the community by supporting Hamvention at the Greene County Fairgrounds, the Xenia Community Festival, and many charity races. City Manager Brent Merriman said Beegles impact on the police force and in the community cannot be overstated. Merriman said, His leadership and commitment have made Xenia a stronger and safer community, and we are grateful for his many years of service. Xenia Mayor William J. Urschel named October 31, 2025, Sergeant Scott Beegle Day in honor of his dedicated service to the city. [SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] Local students got a close-up look at careers in the skilled trades and utility work during an event this week in Pittsburgh. The Build On event took place Thursday and Friday at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center. It was hosted by the Builders Guild of Western Pennsylvania and the Pittsburgh Regional Building Trades Council. Middle and high school students could watch hands-on demonstrations and talk with industry professionals about how to prepare for future careers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The reason this matters is it catches kids imagination, Pennsylvania Department of Labor and Industry Secretary Nancy Walker said. Giving young people the opportunity to try things gets them excited about it. Often, by the time an 11th or 12th grader finds a trade, its the right path, but they dont have the requisite math and reading skills to be able to get into one of these really amazing union apprenticeship programs. Organizers say more than 3,000 students registered for the event. Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW (WIVT/WBGH) A local Ukrainian support group represented Greater Binghamton in the nations capital. Regenerate Ukraine helps refugees that escaped the war find their footing in America by helping them find jobs, places to live, and more. They also provide direct aid to Ukraine by shipping medical supplies and equipment. The organizations founders attended the Ukraine Action Summit in Washington, D.C. earlier this week. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The summit is held biannually, and over 700 advocates from all over the country gathered in support of Ukraine. Regenerate Ukraine Co-founder and Managing Director Yuliia Nevmerzhystka says that though the war has been going on for years, support is still urgent. One of the biggest challenges of course right now is explaining to people that the funding for Ukraine is still crucial. However, the political priorities right now have changed. Of course, as you know, American citizens are facing a lot of issues ourselves here in the country, said Nevmerzhystka. The main priorities discussed at the summit were making Russia pay for its aggression at no cost to U.S. taxpayers, returning abducted Ukrainian children, imposing sanctions on Russia, and providing security guarantees and economic partnerships between Ukraine and the U.S. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Regenerate Ukraine Co-founder and Director Anatoliy Pradun says the support Ukraine has received from Americans is heartwarming. They showed up just to support, just to help. I was extremely touched by how many Americans came to the Summit to support us, it works, said Pradun. For more information on how to get involved locally, visit RegenerateUkraine.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 WIVT - News 34. TERRE HAUTE, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) With Veterans Day just a few days away, WTWO/WAWV is honoring local veterans who emotionally described what it was like to serve our nation in this months Hometown Heroes. Here is what they had to say: Oh yes, I want to salute it. I have two flags out here. Its a good symbol for America. I like it, said Elmer Ladue, U.S Army Veteran, Korean War I like to do it correct and not fly it at night unless its go a light on it. Im very patriotic, said Lando Cosby, U.S. Army Veteran, World War II and Korean War. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I dont care how things might be right now attitude wise and on so. Theres still no where better than the United States, said Bill Welch, U.S. Army Veteran, served in Pattons Third Army during World War II. I mean I put the flag on my right arm and theres a reason its facing this direction because were always moving forward, said Indiana National Guard Sergeant Heath Hayes. Thats why we do what we do. I believe Im part of the greatest fighting force on this Earth. And Im an American. Sgt. Hayes also served in the U.S. Army during the Iraq War. When Marie Cosby, a former factory worker for the war effort during World War II, was asked, Did that give you an added motivation to do really good work? She responded, Oh yeah, oh yeah. We went up in the bathroom in the place with the windows and wave to the guys on the train going, they drafted them and wed wave goodbye to them. Question: But you were not only helping them fight, but you might have saved their lives. Yeah, thats why they were waving to us saying take care and good work. Id rather be remembered as a survivor, rather than a hero, said Bernie Monagham, U.S. Army Veteran, World War II. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I feel like if it hadnt been for the Lords help I wouldnt be here today and I had been gone at 19, because it was. I was on the critical list for over a month, said Kimmy Royer, U.S. Army Veteran, who was injured in France during World War II. This attack, I got out of my bed and kneeled down a prayed for these men. We lost a lot of men, but we had a successful landing on Marseille, France, said Ned B. Kent, U.S. Army Veteran, World War II. It was the most shocking experience of my life. I saw dead American soldiers. I saw wounded American soldiers with bloody bandages. It really hits you, said Walter Sommers, U.S. Army Veteran who fought in the Pacific during World War II. And then he shot me, the bullet went in my hip and went all the way up through my body, and it stopped right here, said Ike Murphy, U.S. Army Veteran who was wounded in combat during the Korean War. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement You know today I cant watch a movie with a murder in it. Im out, I mean. Because Ive seen so many guys killed, said Earl Orman, U.S. Army Veteran who fought in the Pacific during World War II. Im very fortunate because I still have my limbs, said Bill Searing, U.S. Army Veteran, Vietnam War. You know I can walk from here to that door, a lot of them cant. And so, I really feel sorry for them. And sometimes Im embarrassed to go to the V.A. for help when I know that theres probably a lot more out there that need it worse than I do. If I was better, Id go (serve the nation) today. I would, said Ed Robbins, U.S. Navy Veteran, World War II. I want them to remember that we went through hell for this nation. You know Ill be honest with you the boys now have no idea what it was back then and what it is now which Im grateful its that way, said Leighton Willhite, U.S. Marine Crops Veteran, World War II. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Several of the veterans who spoke for this article are no longer with us. However, what they said and how they lived will continue to inspire the many lives they touched. WTWO/WAWV thanks all veterans and their families for their sacrifices this Veterans Day. 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. Qabil Ashirov Agricultural development continues to stand at the forefront of strategic priorities for both Bulgaria and Azerbaijan, Azernews reports. According to the Bulgarian Ministry of Agriculture and Food, Deputy Minister Lozana Vasileva made the remarks during the 7th meeting of the BulgariaAzerbaijan Intergovernmental Commission on Economic Cooperation held in Sofia. Vasileva emphasized that agriculture is not only a traditional but also a promising sector, noting that both countries can achieve tangible results through the exchange of knowledge, technologies, and best practices. We can combine our efforts in several areas, including agricultural science and technology, aquaculture, sustainable fisheries management, and the development of fish product trade, she stated. The deputy minister also underlined the importance of active participation by Bulgarian and Azerbaijani companies in international exhibitions and fairs hosted in both countries. An important element of our bilateral relations is the deepening of cooperation between the Bulgarian Food Safety Agency and the Azerbaijan Food Safety Agency. This partnership envisions exchanges of expertise in food safety, plant and animal health, as well as coordination of imports and exports of goods under veterinary and phytosanitary control, Vasileva said. She concluded by expressing confidence that such forums will give new impetus to economic and agricultural cooperation and lay a solid foundation for future success. Only Action News Jax got the chance to go inside the St. Augustine Airport, where a small crew of volunteer pilots from Jacksonville Beach loaded their personal planes with emergency supplies that theyll fly to the Caribbean Islands, where communities are left devastated after Hurricane Melissa. They need everything, said Tim Aldrich, one of the pilots, but this is just emergency relief. All we can do in these little planes is, you know, give them a little bit of relief. Action News Jax first told you about the group of volunteer pilots on Tuesday, when we learned Jimbo Stockton would be leading the team to the islands over the weekend. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He took Action News Jaxs Finn Carlin up in his plane for a practice flight ahead of the five and a half hour trip. The boats are going to take, you know, a week or two to get in there, Stockton said, but these planes can get in there right now and give survival-type food and necessary things. Stockton and the other pilots are flying supplies like water, fruits, dry foods, trash bags, toilet paper, and even a cooler full of eggs to areas hard-hit by Hurricane Melissa. But they arent the only ones sending supplies from the southeast. Action News Jax learned that MAP, a global medicine company based in Brunswick, has already sent 20,000 disaster relief kits to Jamaica, and more are on the way. [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] Floridians are not uninformed about what happens in these kinds of disasters. Now multiply that by much larger and youll have an idea of whats happening in Jamaica, said Chris Palombo, president and CEO of MAP. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Stockton and Aldrich arent sure what kind of devastation theyll find when they land, but the planes are loaded and the trip starts Friday morning. They are planning to return on Sunday. Its a sea of need, were pouring a cup of help into it. So we hope to help, thats all, Aldrich said. A number of donations and fundraisers have opened over the last week to support those who have been impacted by Hurricane Melissa. If youd like to donate, you can learn more at the link here. [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] ELIZABETHTON, Tenn. (WJHL) More than $1.1 million in historic preservation funds were awarded to various counties across Tennessee from the Tennessee Historical Commission and State Historic Preservation Office. According to a news release from the Tennessee Historical Commission, the funds were awarded to non-profits, local governments, universities and civic organizations. Fang-tastic Halloween celebrations, happenings and more in the Tri-Cities Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Locally, the First Tennessee Development District and City of Elizabethton received the following: First Tennessee Development District $43,500 to fund a preservation specialist staff position Carter County City of Elizabethton $60,000 for U.S. Post Office Window restoration We are pleased to be able to provide Historic Preservation Fund grants that will help document and restore the important places that make our state so unique. The Federal Historic Preservation Fund grant program allows the Tennessee Historical Commission to make tangible progress in the preservation and study of our states treasured historic places, Patrick McIntyre, Executive Director and Deputy State Historic Preservation Officer, said in the release. The Federal Historic Preservation Fund reimburses 60% of the project costs with a 40% match of project funds from the grantee. 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. LONDON, Ky. (FOX 56) The mayor of London is issuing a warning for people not to turn to crime if federal benefits are delayed. Mayor Randall Weddle posted a statement on social media saying hes aware some people, including public figures, have been urging others to steal from grocery stores during the government shutdown. LATEST KENTUCKY NEWS: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Weddle said he understands the stress many families are facing, but the city will not tolerate theft or lawlessness. We will not tolerate theft or lawlessness within the City of London. Taking property without payment is a criminal act and could result in arrest and criminal charges. Many local organizations, churches, and city staff are working hard to ensure families are cared for during this period. Please do not be swayed by social media posts or reckless rhetoric that could create legal trouble for you and your family, Weddle said. Hes urging anyone struggling to reach out for help through City Hall or local organizations, like Isaiah 58:10 Ministries, Sophies Place, or Come-Unity Cooperative Care, instead of risking arrest. LATEST KENTUCKY LISTS AND RANKINGS: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The mayor said the community must work together, calmly and lawfully, to get through this challenging 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 FOX 56 News. NEW LONDON - Three people were arrested Wednesday after investigators found crack cocaine, fentanyl and methamphetamine during a search at a Truman Street home, police said. Officers executed a search warrant around 7:15 p.m. at the residence as part of a narcotics-related probe, according to the New London Police Department. Police said officers found and seized 26.13 grams of crack cocaine, 8.34 grams of fentanyl, 6.98 grams of methamphetamine, $691 in cash, scales, cutting agents and material used to package contraband. Police said Headley Thomas, 36, of Hartford; Dennis Newton, 36, of New London; and Belvon James, 36, of Hartford, were arrested in the raid. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The three were charged with three counts of possession of narcotics, three counts of possession of narcotics with intent to sell and operation of a drug factory, and James was charged with interfering with a search warrant, police said. This article originally published at New London police arrest three on drug charges after Truman Street raid, officials say. Texas food banks are preparing for a surge in demand as federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) payments remain uncertain amid Senate gridlock, despite a federal judges order to temporarily continue funding the program during the partial government shutdown. As a potential lapse in federal SNAP benefits looms, food banks across Texas are already expanding their operations and calling for volunteers to meet the growing need. At the Houston Food Bank the largest in the nation, which is partnered with Feeding America staff have been coordinating emergency distributions for families, active-duty military personnel, and federal workers already impacted by delayed paychecks. Government Relations Officer Katherine Byers told The Dallas Express via telephone that the organization has been preparing for a while for the possible interruption in SNAP benefits. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We are having several large distributions anticipating a thousand or more cars or families, Byers told DX. Those are being run directly by the Houston Food Bank and we have five that will occur in November for those individuals whose SNAP benefits will be interrupted. The Houston Food Bank, founded in 1982, operates a 308,000-square-foot facility east of downtown and distributes food across 18 counties. Byers said its network includes 1,600 partners and provided approximately 420 million meals last year. But even with that scale, she warned that the coming days will strain resources. There are 366,883 SNAP households in the ten counties we serve directly, she said. The average per day in those ten counties will be 28,187 individuals who will be impacted by their cards not getting loaded. She emphasized that the organizations response is nonpartisan. We are focused on making sure the community has the resources they need, which is access to nutritious food, Byers said. Whether youre directly impacted by the shutdown or not, this is one of those times that Texans need to come together and really have each others backs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Catholic Charities of Dallas is also bracing for a spike in demand. The group operates more than 130 monthly drive-thru food pantries in partnership with the North Texas Food Bank and maintains fixed pantry sites in Dallas, Ennis, and Lancaster. Catholic Charities Dallas is proactively preparing to meet a potential increase in food insecurity by strengthening our partnerships and expanding access points, Xiomi Aguilera, the organizations director of marketing and communications, told DX in an email. We are actively sharing information on our website and social media channels, encouraging anyone in need to reach out to us for support. Aguilera said the nonprofit has been in contact with the North Texas Food Bank and local parishes to coordinate emergency relief efforts. We continue to partner with all of the Catholic parishes in our diocese, with 28 parishes providing volunteers and offering their locations to support our drive-thru pantry efforts, she said. To meet the growing need, Catholic Charities is seeking both financial donations and volunteers. With more hands, we can serve more families with dignity and efficiency, Aguilera said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, the political impasse in Washington continues to threaten funding for SNAP and other federal services. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) notified states that no [SNAP] benefits will be issued November 1 absent new appropriations. This puts about 42 million Americans at risk of losing their monthly food-assistance allotments, and it forces state and local food-distribution networks to prepare for an expected abrupt surge in demand. The Senate adjourned Thursday without a breakthrough on a spending package to avert the partial government shutdown, making it likely that the standoff will continue into next week. The legislative branch is controlled by Republicans; however, the current composition of the Senate requires a bipartisan supermajority to end debate on a spending bill and to pass the package. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Along mostly partisan lines, Senate Democrats have held out against advancing a spending package. Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (N.Y.) encouraged fellow Democrats to withhold unless there is some continuation of pandemic-era increases in Obamacare subsidies for health insurance, although the public has not been made aware of what exactly would satisfy the leader. Political pressure is mounting on Democrats to reach a compromise as labor unions, including the American Federation of Government Employees, a traditional Democratic ally, called for the shutdown to end on October 27. Meanwhile, some Democrats and Independents have joined Republicans to advance the House spending package, including John Fetterman (D-PA), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-NV), and Angus King (I-ME). Some analysts, such as CATOs Dominik Lett, have called the gridlock political theater. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The lone Republican No vote, Senator Rand Paul of Kentucky, told NBC he wants to see the spending bill create a balanced budget. Even if he flipped his vote, five more Democrats would have to follow suit to reach the 60-vote threshold to advance the package. Two federal courts intervened midday on October 31, ruling that the USDA must tap into other funds to at least partially continue the food funding, although it is unclear what this will mean in practice, per the Associated Press. For organizations like the Houston Food Bank and Catholic Charities, the uncertainty has forced them to plan for the worst. Weve already seen families whove never had to do this before, Byers said. So many Americans live paycheck to paycheck. That paycheck gets cut off, and youre going to be one of these individuals in line. Police on Long Island have arrested and confiscated the car of a man whose drivers license was suspended 80 times. A Suffolk County cop initially pulled over the Toyota being driven by Walter Castilla Ochoa when he was observed operating the vehicle without a seatbelt around noon on Thursday. But thats when the officer realized the 45-year-old Huntington Station man had been hit with 80 different license suspensions on 13 separate dates. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement His Toyota was impounded, according to Suffolk County police. Ochoa has been charged with first-degree aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle, which is a felony in New York State. Cops said hed spend night in jail Thursday before being arraigned Friday in First District Court in Central Islip. Suffolk County police did not provide details on the nature of the license suspensions, which can occur for a number of different reasons. Those can include administrative issues like unpaid tickets or lapsed insurance, as well as major violations like driving while intoxicated and vehicular assault. The Wounded Generation: Coming Home After World War II, by David Nasaw, Penguin Random House, 496 pages, $35 "There wasn't any band there; there wasn't anybody greeting me except the girl that I had [written] to while I was overseas. That was my homecoming." That poignant moment recounted by World War II veteran Clinton Riddle is one of the many vignettes that populate David Nasaw's new book, The Wounded Generation: Coming Home After World War II. Nasaw, an emeritus professor of history at the City University of New York, marshals such experiences to argue that, beyond the ticker-tape parades, millions of men like Riddle filtered home to little fanfare. After returning to America, many struggled with alcohol addiction, marital problems, unemployment, crowded housing, and psychological issues that medical authorities didn't fully understand. Nasaw's book is a corrective to the simplistic narrative of stoicism, unity, and triumph that dominates conventional narratives of "the greatest generation." It isn't a work of revisionism so much as an act of recovery, one that elevates voices of pain and disquiet that were understood in the years after the war but faded from popular memory in the decades thereafter. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While the book bills itself as a history of veterans' lives after the conflict, Nasaw adroitly begins his narrative in the thick of the fighting, tying the experiences of returning veterans to their experiences abroad. Beyond the scarring practice of combat, Nasaw illustrates a military culture awash in alcohol abuse and philandering, not to mention soldiers' nagging concerns about spousal infidelity back home. He continues his narrative through the immediate postwar period, with two final chapters covering the individual and institutional legacies of the war. Nasaw's goal is to incorporate the toll on returning veterans and those who they left behind into our understanding today of the Second World War. His book joins a body of work on war and memory that corrects the one-dimensional narrative of the "good war" and restores the complexity and humanity of the Americans who fought it. As he skillfully shows, victory came at a steep cost for those who managed to survive the fighting. The romantic image of the war was largely a post hoc construction, championed not by those who did the fighting but by later generations well-removed from the burdens of the conflict. * * * Nasaw challenges some romantic images of postwar policy too, though not from a particularly libertarian direction. He is critical, for example, of the G.I. Bill, the federal entitlement program that afforded tuition and other forms of financial support to send returning veterans to school. Its "democratization of higher education," he argues, was "revolutionary in establishing a new social welfare state for veterans"but also "conservative in protecting class, gender, and racial status quos." As a concession to Southern Democrats, the system was implemented by state and local authorities; as a result, he argues, it left female, gay, and black vets behind. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The broader suite of veterans' readjustment programsnot just the G.I. Bill but home buying assistance and other effortswere, the author argues, a missed opportunity for more comprehensive social welfare. Nasaw notes that during the late stages of the war, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt proposed a "second Bill of Rights" that would have extended government assistance to the full progressive shopping list of employment, housing, food, medical care, old age pensions, and so on. Social programs for veterans, he suggests, became a proxy fight over the New Deal, with a conservative coalition of Midwestern Republicans and Southern Democrats who wanted to put FDR's domestic agenda on ice. In Nasaw's retelling, that coalition served as an effective roadblock, thereby undermining Roosevelt's "aspirational" and "transformative" vision that "would have leveled the playing fields providing rich and poor, Black and White, veteran and citizen with new economic rights." Libertarian-minded readers will shake their heads in disagreement at the idea that what the country needed was more government redistribution. But you'll note that even here, Nasaw is challenging the liberal narrative in which the war was an unalloyed progressive force for American society. * * * The book shines brightest in its handling of the individual burdens shouldered by veterans and their families: heavy smoking, heavy drinking, infidelity, and, of course, the experience of combat. Behind the images of relief and the euphoria of victory, individual vets struggled to readjust, to find housing, and to reconnect with their loved ones, helping fuel a postwar divorce boom. Nasaw argues that vices and the social dynamics around themcompounded by psychological maladies, which we would now call PTSDhaunted and hamstrung veterans returning to civilian life. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On the specific matter of post-traumatic stress disorder, Nasaw offers many gripping accounts of individuals who struggled to leave the war behind them. Beyond those anecdotes, he illustrates the evolving medical comprehension of the phenomenon previously known as "battle fatigue" or "shell shock." Psychiatrists, informed by the Freudian thinking of the day, diagnosed lingering war trauma as stemming from internal unresolved childhood suffering and not the obvious external experience of grisly combat. Relatedly, military and veterans' affairs doctors misunderstood and therefore misdiagnosed combat ailments now known as "traumatic brain injury." Soldiers who endured concussive blasts from friendly and enemy fire, and who complained for years of related conditions, were diagnosed with "emotional unrest" that would resolve with the passage of time. Finding little official support, veterans often turned inward and self-medicated with alcohol and overwork. It is in this area where Nasaw makes his most significant scholarly contributionsand offers his most gripping material on veterans' personal struggles. His final chapter, "Aftermaths," argues that the passage of time did not necessarily improve veterans' mental health but often in fact made it worse. Major, jarring life events, such as retirement or the death of a spouse, could cause lingering traumas to return. Studies from the late 1970s and early '80s found that alcoholism remained a consistent problem for WWII veterans, leading to a "mortality [that] was significantly higher." When greater medical recognition of veterans' issues came along, it arrived, ironically, at the same time as a widespread desire to sweep them under the rug. Drawing on the earlier work of writers such as Studs Terkel and John Bodnar, Nasaw argues that the romanticized narrative of the "good war" fought by the "greatest generation" demanded that said generation's lingering traumas be "disremembered." That "good war" narrative, he shows, gained traction as the nation was "hungry for heroes after the Vietnam debacle and primed to celebrate victory after the fall of the Soviet Union." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Modern demands for an uplifting World War II narrative mean the real, painful experiences of its veterans are often overlooked. Nasaw cites Marine veteran Eugene Sledge: "Over fifty years later, I look back on the war as though it were some giant killing machine into which we were thrown to endure fear to the brink of insanity." By restoring these stories to the center, Nasaw shows that veterans were far more than "stick-figure avatars of progress" and that their wartime service was not merely a "character-building, maturing experience." According to the Department of Veterans Affairs, approximately 45,000 of the original 16 million World War II veterans are still with us today. As the last of those survivors fade away, The Wounded Generation reminds us that the horrors of war linger long after the shooting stopsit loiters in the minds, marriages, and memories of those who fought them. If even the "greatest generation" struggled after the guns fell silent, their long road home ought to give us pause before we send future generations abroad to fight wars, "good" or not. The post The Long Road Home appeared first on Reason.com. GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, the program that helps 1.4 million Michiganders put food on the table, could go dark by Saturday amid the federal government shutdown. Attorney General Dana Nessel says thats not just wrong, its unlawful. Thats why she joined a coalition of 25 Democrat-led states in a federal lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Agriculture and its Secretary Brooke Rollins, arguing the agency has billions set aside that could keep SNAP running, even during the shutdown. Judge questions the Trump administrations plan to suspend SNAP benefits for millions Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This pause in (SNAP) services will cause immediate harm to nearly 13% of our state residents, Nessel said at a Thursday morning news conference at the Grand Rapids Community Food Club. These cuts will cause our family, our friends, our neighbors to prioritize between the necessities they wouldnt otherwise have to choose between. Next week, people will be forced to decide between buying groceries or filling prescriptions. She said the 2024 appropriation bill passed by Congress and the 2024 continuing resolution collectively designate a reserve of $5.2 billion to carry out SNAP operations. As of Oct. 2, she said, it was confirmed these funds are available. Our lawsuit demands that the Trump administration utilize the contingency emergency funds that Congress has already appropriated to ensure snap benefits are not interrupted, said Nessel. This is our money and we just want our money that was congressionally appropriate to the SNAP program. Joining Nessel at the press conference were Kent County Commissioner Robert Womack, Eleanor Moreno with the Kent County Food Policy Council and A.J. Fossel with the Grand Rapids Community Food Club, who all voiced support for her stance. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Among Michigans SNAP recipients are 492,225 kids and 38,513 veterans. Seniors account for 36% of recipients and 51% of affected households include people with disabilities. Seventy-eight percent of Michigan SNAP households include someone with an earned income. In Kent County alone, more than 73,000 people could lose benefits. Womack said the impact will be felt everywhere. No child should have to go hungry because of a political gridlock or government shutdown, he said. No senior citizen should have to choose between medication and food It will be a thankful Thanksgiving if Nessel is successful in her lawsuit against this Department of Agriculture, and if not, I can tell you as much as our food pantries are going to do, its not going to be enough. Grand Rapids nonprofit says it will lose thousands amid SNAP benefit lapse Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Community Food Club helps more than 15,000 people in Kent County each year. Fossel, the executive director, said organizations like theirs can only do so much. She said for every one meal provided by a charity, SNAP benefits provide nine. The need is greater than ever and will only increase if a solution isnt found in two days, Fossel said. There is no charitable substitute and philanthropy cannot replace government benefits. Right now, she said, her organization is at maximum capacity, serving 9,000 people a month and with a waitlist of more than 1,200 households. Community Food Club in Grand Rapids. (Oct. 30, 2025) Community Food Club in Grand Rapids. (Oct. 30, 2025) Community Food Club in Grand Rapids. (Oct. 30, 2025) The announcement of the potential pause has had ripple effects throughout the community. Food banks have seen significantly more traffic and the 211 hotline has seen an uptick in calls. At the Heart of West Michigan United Way, Chief Impact Officer Becki Postma said calls about food resources are up 180% week over week. She says theyre ready to help, but the demand is overwhelming. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Right now, food is the highest volume, but were seeing an increase in other things as well because people are preparing and trying to figure out, If I have to pay more for food, then Im not going to be able to pay my utility bill. Is there utility assistance available? Its all connected together, she said. We were able to ramp up very quickly during COVID to take a huge influx of calls and were ready to do that if that happens. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has announced that the state will provide $4.5 million to the Food Bank Council of Michigan to feed families amid the federal governments decision to pause the benefits on Nov. 1. The funding will help feed Michiganders in all 83 counties and provide food delivery to those who cant drive to their local food bank. The Heart of West Michigan United Way has launched a coordinated response fund to get donations where theyre needed most. West Michigan is a great place for people who want to step up and help, said Postma. Philanthropy is not going to solve this issue, but we know that West Michigan really will shine in a moment like this. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The lawsuit was filed in federal court in Massachusetts, where arguments were made before a judge Thursday morning. As of Thursday afternoon, the judge had not made a ruling. Nessel said if the court grants that temporary restraining order, Michigan could see SNAP payments restored within three days. For now, families, food banks, and nonprofits are bracing for impact. 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. SHARKEY COUNTY, Miss. (WJTV) A Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries & Parks (MDWFP) announced a K-9 found a lost hunter. According to officials, Officer Christopher Dean and K-9 Officer Baylee Jones received a call from Yazoo County Dispatch on October 29, 2025, regarding a lost hunter on the Sunflower WMA in Sharkey County. Mississippi governor seeks waiver to limit junk food purchases through SNAP Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When they arrived at the WMA, they were provided with the hunters last known location. K-9 Dempsey was deployed for an area search, and within 15 minutes, Dempsey located the missing hunter. A Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries & Parks (MDWFP) announced a K-9 found a lost hunter. (Courtesy: MDWFP) MDWFP officials said the hunter was in stable condition and was escorted back to his vehicle. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Daily 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 WJTV. A SNAP welcomed here sign is seen at the entrance to a Big Lots store in Portland, Oregon. (Getty Images) Louisiana intends to step in for the federal government in November and provide food aid for most of the states needy. But those benefits will trickle out in weekly installments instead of all at once. Plus, the federal government shutdown that will halt Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program payments starting Saturday has also led the state to furlough 786 employees who help distribute benefits, the Louisiana Department of Health announced Friday. They have been told not to report to work Monday. Another 298 LDH workers in its SNAP section are considered essential and will remain on the job. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The elderly, disabled and children are typically first in line to have SNAP funds loaded on their electronic benefits transfer cards at the start of the month. Everyone else who qualifies for assistance then receives their assistant in numerical order based on their Social Security number. Starting Saturday, Louisiana will issue SNAP recipients 25% of their typical monthly benefits. An additional 25% will be loaded onto their EBT cards each week as long as the government shutdown continues. Louisiana is poised to handle food aid for some 793,000 SNAP recipients as federal courts weigh in on lawsuits from Democratic state and city leaders and nonprofit groups against the Trump administration for withholding the benefits. In Boston, a judge ruled Friday the U.S. Department of Agricultures plan to pause SNAP payments is illegal, but she gave the government until Monday to respond to her findings before she orders payments to be issued. A Rhode Island judge in a similar case has issued a temporary restraining order that requires the USDA to dole out SNAP starting Saturday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In an emergency declaration last week, Gov. Jeff Landry has directed the state health department to redirect $147 million of its resources to cover SNAP benefits for November. He said this week the benefits will be made available to the elderly, disabled and children from qualifying families, who together total about 793,000 recipients. Another 53,000 SNAP recipients, who the governor described as able-bodied, will not receive assistance and are being directed to food banks to meet their needs. Landry also encouraged those who wont get SNAP benefits in November to apply for jobs, though his administration has not said how many people within the group of 53,000 are already working but still rely on food aid. Should the government shutdown last beyond November, Landry said he would draw from a state reserve revenue account to continue providing food benefits. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX This report was updated to remove incorrect information about monthly SNAP payment averages. LOUISVILLE, Ky. (FOX 56) A Louisville McDonalds employee is accused of pulling a gun on customers on Thursday. According to the Louisville FOX affiliate WDRB, police said three people told officers they were being loud while ordering food around 1:30 a.m. on Oct. 30 when 18-year-old Gregory White pulled out a gun and pointed it at them. During his arrest, officers said White tried to swing at one of them and put an officer in a headlock, causing minor injuries. LATEST KENTUCKY NEWS: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement WDRB said police did not find a gun on him, but White later admitted that he gave the gun to someone who was no longer on the scene. White is charged with wanton endangerment, assault of a police officer, and tampering with evidence. 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. Five more Louvre Heist suspects were nabbed by French authorities on October 30. The robbery case has now become a global sensation, piquing everybodys interest. This tidbit follows the news that French authorities arrested two suspects last week. French authorities arrest 5 more suspects in Louvre museum heist According to BBC, French authorities have arrested five more suspects in the Louvre Heist. Public prosecutor Laure Beccuau stated that they were detained on Wednesday, October 29, in Paris during extensive police raids. One of the four suspects is believed to be part of the group that carried out the heist in the Apollo Gallery on October 19. The police are questioning the newly apprehended suspects of Louvre heist. Their exact roles and the extent of their involvement in the robbery are not yet known. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Beccuau revealed to French radio station RTL that the suspects may eventually inform us about how the incident took place. The public prosecutor also mentioned that the five suspects were arrested in Paris and the Seine-Saint-Denis suburb. Notably, the five Louvre suspects can be held in custody for only four days before being charged or released due to a lack of solid evidence. As a result, investigators are thoroughly examining encrypted messages on the suspects phones to substantiate proof against them. Public prosecutor Beccuau also shared that one suspects DNA may be linked to the crime scene. She stated, We had him in our sights, careful not to divulge more details. Furthermore, Beccuau remarked that the five Louvre heist suspects could be connected to other elements of the case. French authorities suspect that a larger criminal gang is responsible for the October 19 heist. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Previously, French authorities arrested two suspects on Saturday, October 25, at Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris. One suspect was attempting to escape to Algeria, while the other was trying to fly out to Mali, West Africa. Both suspects are French nationals from Seine-Saint-Denis, the area under investigation. Experts estimate the jewels are worth $102 million. Unfortunately, French authorities have not recovered the stolen loot yet. The post Louvre Heist Gets an Update as More People Arrested appeared first on Mandatory. The day after the jewelry heist at the Louvre in Paris, officials from across Washington's world-famous museums were already talking, assessing and planning how to bolster their own security. We went over a review of the incident, said Doug Beaver, security specialist at the National Museum of Women in the Arts, who said he participated in Zoom talks with nearby institutions including the Smithsonian and the National Gallery of Art. Then we developed a game plan on that second day out, and started putting things in place on Days 3, 4 and 5. Similar conversations are happening at museums across the globe, as those tasked with securing art ask: Could that happen here? One California museum knows the answer is yes police are investigating the theft of more than 1,000 items just before the Louvre heist. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At the same time, many were acknowledging the inherent, even painful tension in their task: Museums are meant to help people engage with art not to distance them from it. The biggest thing in museums is the visitor experience, Beaver said. We want visitors to come back. We dont want them to feel as though theyre in a fortress or a restrictive environment. Its an issue many are grappling with most of all, of course, the Louvre, whose director, Laurence des Cars, has acknowledged a terrible failure of security measures. It was crystallized in a letter of support for the Louvre and its beleaguered leader, from 57 museums across the globe. Museums are places of transmission and wonder, said the letter, which appeared in Le Monde. Museums are not strongholds nor are they secret vaults." It said the very essence of museums "lies in their openness and accessibility. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Aging security systems A number of museums declined to comment on the Louvre heist when contacted by The Associated Press, to avoid not only discussing security but also criticizing the Louvre at a sensitive time. French police have acknowledged major security gaps: Paris Police Chief Patrice Faure told Senate lawmakers Wednesday that aging systems had left the museum weakened. Francois Chatillon, Frances chief architect of historical monuments, noted nonetheless that many museums, especially in Europe, are in historic buildings that were not constructed with the goal of securing art. The Louvre, after all, was a royal palace a medieval one at that. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Faced with the intrusion of criminals, we must find solutions, but not in a hasty manner," Chatillon told Le Monde. "Were not going to put armored doors and windows everywhere because there was this burglary. The architect added that demands on museums come from many places. Security, conservation, adaptation to climate change they are all legitimate. Prioritizing protection Even within security, there are competing priorities, noted attorney Nicholas ODonnell, an expert in global art law and editor of the Art Law Report, a blog on legal issues in the museum and arts communities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Youre always fighting the last war in security, said ODonnell. For example, he noted museums have lately been focusing security measures on the very frequent and regrettable trend of people attacking the art itself to draw attention to themselves. ODonnell also noted that the initial response of Louvre security guards was to protect visitors from possible violence. Thats an appropriate first priority, because you dont know who these people are." But perhaps the greatest battle, O'Donnell said, is to find a balance between security and enjoyment. You want people interacting with the art, he said. Look at the Mona Lisa right around the corner (from the jewels). It's not a terribly satisfying experience anymore. You cant get very close to it, the glass reflects back at you, and you can barely see it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement ODonnell says hes certain that museums everywhere are reevaluating security, fearing copycat crimes. Indeed, the Prussian Cultural Heritage Foundation, which oversees Berlins state museums and was hit hard by a brazen robbery in 2017, said it was using the Louvre heist "as an opportunity to review the security architecture of our institutions. It called for international cooperation, and investments in technology and personnel. Creating a balance Beaver, in Washington, predicts the Paris heist will spur museums to implement new measures. One area that he's focused on, and has discussed with other museums, is managing the access of construction teams, which he says has often been loose. The Louvre thieves dressed as workers, in bright yellow vests. Its all about creating a necessary balance between security and accessibility, Beaver says. Our goal isnt to eliminate risk, its to really manage it intelligently." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Soon after he took the security post in 2014, Beaver said that he refashioned the museum's security and notably added a weapons detection system. He also limited what visitors could carry in, banning bottles of liquid. He said, though, that the reaction from visitors had been mixed some wanting more security, and others feeling it was too restrictive. Robert Carotenuto, who worked in security for about 15 years at New Yorks Metropolitan Museum of Art running the command center, says museums have become increasingly diligent at screening visitors, as they try to thwart protesters. But that approach alone doesn't resolve risks on the perimeter the Paris thieves were able to park their truck right outside the museum. If youre just going to focus on one risk, like protesters ... your security system is going to have a lapse somewhere, he said. You can stop the protesters ... but then youre not going to pay attention to people who are phony workers breaking into the side of your building. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The magic of museums Patrick Bringley also worked at the Met, as a security guard from 2008 to 2019 an experience that led to a book and an off-Broadway show, All the Beauty in the World. Museums are wonderful because they are accessible," he said. They're these places that will put things that are thousands of years old and incomprehensibly beautiful in front of visitors sometimes even without a pane of glass. That's really special." The tragedy of the Louvre heist, Bringley said, is that such events make it harder for museums to display all their beauty in a welcoming way. Art should be inviting," Bringley said. "But when people break that public trust, the Louvre is going to have to step up their procedures, and it will just become a little less magical in the museum. Millions of Americans are sliding toward a financial cliff as the government shutdown stretches into a second month, with four federal assistance programs for low-income families set to run out of funding on Nov. 1. Some families could lose access to multiple sources of government support. Ashley Trent, a 37-year-old single mother of six, expressed concern she could soon be without aid provided under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), better known as food stamps, and the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program, which provides food aid for mothers of young children. "I'm wondering how I'm going to be able to afford everything," Trent, a Bloomington, Ill., resident who works full-time as a housing navigator, told CBS News. "It's very stressful what bills will I have to put off? I have a car note, I have insurance, I have clothes I have to get my kids because it's getting colder." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The U.S. Department of Agriculture, which funds SNAP and WIC, has said it will halt payments for the anti-hunger programs on Nov. 1 due to the government shutdown. Head Start programs serving 65,000 low-income children will also lose federal funding on Saturday, potentially disrupting preschool for thousands of families, according to the National Head Start Association. The Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), which helps struggling households heat their homes, could be next to run short of funding. Halting funding for these programs which help cover food, education, and energy costs could have lasting consequences for poor families already strained by high grocery and utility prices, said Ailen Arreaza, executive director of the advocacy group ParentsTogether Action. Although funding will resume once Congress passes legislation to reopen the government, she warned that the damage to households could persist. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "What we are hearing from parents is desperation parents going without meals, making impossible decisions about not paying bills or going without medication," Arreaza told CBS News. "This has so many implications, because these kids need these programs to get ahead." Experts note that hunger can hinder children's ability to learn, while parents who fall behind on bills may face utility shutoffs or other lasting setbacks. Food stamps The USDA is set to halt SNAP payments on Nov. 1, leaving about 42 million Americans uncertain how they'll afford groceries next month. Recipients receive an average of about $187 a month on prepaid cards that can be used to buy food at grocery stores, farmers' markets and other retailers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A prolonged cessation in food-stamp funding isn't guaranteed. Two federal judges in Massachusetts and Rhode Island ruled on Friday that the Trump administration is required by law to use contingency funds to pay at least partial SNAP benefits. The government must respond by Monday on whether it plans to allocate money to continue payments. Meanwhile, more than a dozen states are trying to fill the gap by using state funds to support food aid or local food banks. But food bank leaders say charities can't make up for a cutoff in food stamps. "It's going to hurt us really bad," said Taylour Grant, 29, a Tampa medical assistant who relies on $970 a month in SNAP benefits to feed her four children, plus WIC support for her youngest, who is 1-year-old. "It's really scary because I know I'll go without to make sure my kids are fed." Grant said many people misunderstand who relies on SNAP. "We're not on it because we want to be no one makes enough to live off these days. That help is really needed," she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement WIC Nearly 7 million low-income pregnant women, new mothers and children under 5 who receive WIC could lose federal aid in November because of the government shutdown. Unlike food stamps, WIC provides funds specifically to purchase formula and nutritious foods for pregnant women and young children, though many families rely on both programs, said Georgia Machell, CEO of the National WIC Association. "None of these programs operate in a vacuum," she said. "Often, if a family is participating in WIC, they're also participating in SNAP." WIC continued paying benefits in October after the Trump administration tapped $300 million in leftover tariff revenue from the previous fiscal year. But with the stalemate in Congress continuing into November, that funding could run out. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The USDA didn't immediately respond to a request for comment about whether it could tap additional tariff revenue to fund the program. At this point, the program is set to delay payments on Nov. 1, according to the National WIC Association. WIC has been able to maintain funding during previous shutdowns in its 50-year history, according to the Food Research and Action Center (FRAC), a nonprofit group focused on stopping hunger. "The disruptions we're concerned about would be fairly historic," Machell said. Some states have pledged to use their own funds to keep WIC running, but many lack the budget, according to FRAC. Head Start Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement About 140 Head Start programs in 41 states and Puerto Rico will lose federal funding with the shutdown set to extend past Nov. 1, affecting roughly 65,000 children, according to the National Head Start Association. Nationwide, about 750,000 children are enrolled in Head Start. Some programs may not be able to stay open, regional program directors warn. "Everybody is trying to do everything they can to keep children in classrooms and families at work," Michelle Haimowitz, executive director of the Massachusetts Head Start Association, told CBS News Boston. "But it is incredibly difficult to operate without those federal funds." Minnesota mother Jaycee Chrudimsky said she fears that the closure of her local Head Start program could force her to miss work and affect her 4-year-old daughter. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "It would impact her, and that's the thing I worry about the most, because she looks forward to coming to school every single day and seeing her friends and being a part of the program," Chrudimsky told CBS News Minnesota this week. LIHEAP Another program threatened by the shutdown is the Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program, or LIHEAP, said Mark Wolfe, executive director of the National Energy Assistance Directors Association (NEADA). The program helps about 6 million low-income households pay their energy bills. "We are now at a point where the government shutdown is going to cause serious delays in the release of LIHEAP funds," Wolfe told CBS News. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The delay could leave millions of families behind on utility bills and facing power shutoffs just as energy prices are skyrocketing, he added. NEADA projects the average cost for people to heat a home this winter will rise nearly 8%. "It's a perfect storm of misery for low- and middle-income households," Wolfe said. Trump wants Senate Republicans to scrap the filibuster to end the government shutdown Former 1st grade teacher shot by a student testifies at trial: "I thought I was dying." Flights delayed as shutdown leads to shortage of air traffic controllers About 9 miles upstream of the Smitty's Supply facility, the water in the Tangipahoa River showed no visible signs of petrochemical contamination on Sept. 29, 2025, nearly six weeks after the explosion. (Photo: Wes Muller/Louisiana Illuminator) State environmental officials have reopened a small stretch of the Tangipahoa River more than two months after a major industrial fire contaminated the waterway with oil and other chemicals and forced officials to close it to maritime traffic. The Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality, in coordination with the Tangipahoa Parish government, reopened the southernmost portion of the river Friday. The span ranges from the unincorporated community of Lees Landing down to the rivers mouth in Lake Pontchartrain, according to an LDEQ news release. A far larger section of the river, stretching north from Lees Landing to Louisiana Highway 10 in Arcola, remains closed until further notice. Officials closed the Tangipahoa River following the Aug. 22 chemical fire at the Smittys Supply Inc. facility in Roseland. It took firefighters two weeks to fully extinguish the blaze. The disaster contaminated nearby properties, land and waterways with millions of gallons of oil and other hazardous chemical products. To date, cleanup crews have recovered more than 11 million gallons of liquid waste, according to state estimates. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cleanup operations continue in other parts of the river north of Lees Landing, and oil absorbent boom will remain in place at select locations, the LDEQ statement said. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX The blogger Roman Pratasevich, long recognized by the opposition in Belarus as a victim of political persecution, has been working for years as a spy for his country, authoritarian ruler Alexander Lukashenko has claimed. "I will not say much. Pratasevich is an employee of our foreign intelligence," Lukashenko said during a public appearance shown by state media on Friday. He was not an opposition figure, but someone who had gathered information abroad, most recently in Greece, Lukashenko said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The blogger and co-founder of the opposition Telegram channel Nexta was long considered a symbol of resistance against Lukashenko. When a Ryanair plane with him on board was forced to land in Minsk in 2021, his arrest made headlines worldwide. Sanctions were imposed on Belarus as a result. It was unclear whether Pratasevich, as an alleged Belarusian KGB agent, had deliberately gathered information about the opposition in exile. Nexta described Lukashenko's statements as "nonsense." Pratasevich confirms work for the intelligence service Pratasevich confirmed Lukashenko's statements to the opposition news website Zerkalo, which operates from outside the country, and the Russian state news agency TASS. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Yes, I can confirm this information, but at the present time, that is all I can say," he said. Pratasevich was sentenced to eight years in a penal colony in May 2023 but was released later that month following a pardon by Lukashenko. Opposition figures speculated after Pratasevich's arrest that he might have been broken by torture in custody. State television once showed him in tears. His parents in exile in Poland and prominent Belarusian government opponents had advocated for Pratasevich. Lukashenko's surprising statements could be related to Belarus negotiating with the United States about ending the sanctions imposed on the country. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Europe's self-styled last dictator recently released dozens of political prisoners. Polish investigators evaluated flight data In May 2021, the authorities of Belarus forced a Ryanair passenger plane on its way from Athens to Vilnius to make an emergency landing in Minsk, escorted by a fighter jet. Officials cited a bomb threat to justify the diversion. As the plane is registered in Poland, the prosecutor's office in Warsaw launched investigations into the case. Suspects included the former director of the Belarusian air-traffic control authority, the head of the flight control centre in Minsk, and the head of the Belarusian KGB. They are believed to have made false statements about an alleged explosive device on board to force the pilots to make an emergency landing. There were a total of 132 passengers on the plane. As a potential halt in food aid looms, The Dallas Express found that many luxury groceries remain available for purchase with Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits on Amazon. Four types of Caviar are SNAP eligible on Amazon. I googled what the nicer caviars are and most of those did not have a "SNAP eligible" label pic.twitter.com/Is989LshAw Cowtown Caller (@CowtownCaller) October 30, 2025 In a review of Amazons grocery listings, The Dallas Express discovered that several high-end food items including Caviar, Lobster, Lump Crab, Kobe Beef, and White Truffle Oil were labeled as SNAP-eligible, according to product pages on Amazon. At least one type of wine was listed as "SNAP eligible" on Amazon until The Dallas Express reached out for comment The designation has since been removed Wine is supposed to be ineligible for purchase with SNAP pic.twitter.com/j9blsFqwau Cowtown Caller (@CowtownCaller) October 30, 2025 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Among the listings was a bottle of A to Z Wineworks Oregon Pinot Noir, a 750ml red wine, which was marked as eligible for SNAP/EBT purchase. The page stated the wine contained 13.5% alcohol by volume. However, the USDA explicitly prohibits the purchase of wine and other alcoholic beverages with SNAP funds, according to the USDA Food and Nutrition Service website. When The Dallas Express asked Amazon to explain how an alcoholic product became listed as eligible for SNAP, a spokesman responded that the listing was an isolated error and that the company had removed the SNAP eligibility label. The apparent availability of luxury items under SNAP comes as Texas and several other states move to ban the use of food benefits for soda, candy, and other processed foods starting in 2026, DX reported. Yet few jurisdictions have imposed restrictions on higher-end foods, despite occasional proposals in state legislatures. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A 2016 bill introduced in New York sought to prohibit SNAP users from buying luxury or unhealthy foods, including high-end steaks and lobster. The lawmaker behind the proposal, Republican Sen. Patty Ritchie, argued that taxpayer-funded programs help low income consumers make wise and healthy food choices, per the Christian Science Monitor. Opponents argued that the law tackled a non-issue. Our food-stamp system is set up for people that do not have enough access to food to be able to get food, Jeremy Saunders, co-executive director of Vocal New York, was quoted by the outlet. This is a Republican attempt to make it appear that poor people use tax dollars to buy steak and lobster. The Senate bill did not pass. Brookings Institution economist Diane Whitmore Schanzenbach argued restricting SNAP purchases would be difficult to implement and inefficiently targeted in testimony before Congress in 2017. She said that proposed bans on items like junk or luxury foods would require classifying countless food products and would entail substantial administrative costs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Proponents of restricting junk food eligibility have said that the policy is necessary to protect recipients health and avoid later healthcare costs to taxpayers. If you want to buy a sugary soda the U.S. taxpayer should not pay for it, US HHS Secretary Robert F Kennedy previously stated, per DX. The U.S. taxpayer should not be paying to feed kids foods, the poorest kids in the country, that will give them diabetes. While the debate over what SNAP recipients should be allowed to buy continues, data suggest that recipients often struggle to make benefits last. A recent analysis by Numerator found that SNAP households spend an average of $832 per month on groceries, about 20% more than non-SNAP households, but exhaust their benefits before the end of the month in 86% of cases. Not every Texan receiving SNAP may be out of their taxpayer support on November 1. Texas Health and Human Services notes that unused SNAP benefits roll over for up to nine months, after which they are removed from a recipients account. Benefits you dont use stay in your account for nine months from the date they are put into your account, the agency website states. The Lone Star State also allows recipients to purchase groceries online through services such as AmazonFresh, where the DX review found sample luxury products labeled as SNAP eligible. When the tourist season on Mackinac Island ends, nearly all the work horses that make things run quickly head for the mainland for a relaxing winter vacation. "It's typically shortly after Labor Day," Jordan Wyese, a deckhand with the Arnold Freight Company, said this week. "Once the carriage tours close down, a big influx of the horses come off." The Arnold Freight Company ferries have been busy carrying horses off the island since August. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wyese said at least 50 of the draft horses will remain on the island hauling freight and helping visitors get around during the fall season. Most eventually will be sent to various farms near Pickford, a town in the Upper Peninsula about 23 miles south of Sault Ste. Marie. Wyese said all but a few of the horses will be off the island by Friday, Oct. 31. Horses start to return in mid-March 2026. Here's what to know. How many horses work on Mackinac Island each summer? As many as 600 horses work on the Island during peak season, from Memorial Day through the beginning of September, pulling freight to and from the docks, and tourists around the island, according to the Mackinac Island Tourism Bureau. What breeds of horses are most common on the island? Several companies offer guided tours that explore different parts of the island. Visitors also can rent horses from local stables and explore the island on horseback. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mackinac Island Carriage Tours has Percheron and Belgian draft horses for carriage tours and dray services, the tourism bureau explained. Hackney teams are used for weddings, while grade horses of a certain size are used for Mackinac Island taxi service. The Inn on Mackinac said there also are some Friesians. "Percherons and Belgian Drafts are large, powerful horses. They can weigh between 1,800 and 2,400 pounds," the Inn said on its website. Who takes care of the horses on the island? The Michigan State University College of Veterinary Medicine said there are several providers, including its staff. "Most of the islands 400 horses are owned by Mackinac Island Carriage Tours, which was founded in 1948 and is now among the worlds largest and oldest companies of its kind," the college's Insight bulletin explained in fall 2024. "So, who takes care of the horses? A dedicated team of veterinarians, including Michigan State University College of Veterinary Medicine alumni..." Where do the horses go in the winter? Although a couple dozen horses remain on Mackinac Island through the offseason delivering mail to year-round residents and transporting workers, the tourism bureau explained, most of them retire for the winter to farms between the Mackinac Bridge and Sault Ste. Marie in Michigans Upper Peninsula. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Basically, they go on vacation," the tourism bureau said. What happens to the horse poop on Mackinac Island? According to the island's tourism bureau, it is scooped up and collected in a wheeled cart by full-time Mackinac Island Carriage Tours employees. The manure is then delivered to the City of Mackinac Islands composting operation. A horse carriage makes its way down Main Street on Mackinac Island on Monday, Sept. 29, 2025. Where is Mackinac Island? Mackinac Island is located within the Straits of Mackinac in Lake Huron. It's a few miles offshore from both St. Ignace and Mackinaw City. How do I get on Mackinac Island? Visitors can fly into the Mackinac Island Airport or take a ferry from Mackinaw City or St. Ignace. Editor's note: This story was changed to fix an error to properly reflect when the horses will leave the island. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jalen Williams is a trending reporter at the Detroit Free Press. Contact him at jawilliams1@freepress.com. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Mackinac Island horses leave for the winter. Where they go each fall As the Trump administrations mass deportation campaign has intensified, one of the many questions surrounding the aggressive agenda is just how many U.S. citizens have been caught up in it. According to Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, the answer is zero. The Chicago-Sun Times reported: Despite evidence to the contrary, Noem ... said, Theres no American citizens that have been arrested or detained. We focus on those that are here illegally. And anything that you would hear or report that would be different than that is simply not true. After making the comments, the South Dakota Republican promptly ended the event, allowing for no follow-up questions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Taken at face value, Noems comments mightve appeared encouraging to those who dont know better. If it were true that federal agents have targeted immigrants without detaining a single American citizen, that would be a welcome surprise. Unfortunately for the Cabinet secretary, theres ample evidence to suggest she was lying. The New York Times recently reported, for example, that many U.S. citizens have been taken into custody. While many of those detained have immediately declared their U.S. citizenship to officers, they have routinely been ignored, the newspaper said. The Times added, In some cases they have been handcuffed, kept in holding cells and immigration facilities overnight, and in at least two cases held without access to a lawyer or even a phone call. But how many is many? ProPublica tried to document the scope of the problem: 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. According to the ProPublica tally published two weeks ago (which has not been independently verified by MSNBC), more than 170 American citizens had been held against their will because federal agents, acting at Donald Trumps behest, suspected them of being undocumented immigrants. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Among the citizens detained are nearly 20 children, including two with cancer, the report added, while acknowledging that this tally is almost certainly incomplete. A week later, The Washington Posts George Will, a longtime conservative, devoted a column to George Retes, a U.S. citizen and disabled combat veteran who was abused by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents and detained for three days without access to an attorney. And yet, there was Noem, speaking at a public event, assuring Americans that no U.S. citizens have been arrested or detained by federal immigration agents in what some critics refer to as Kavanaugh stops. The Trump administration doesnt have a reputation for honesty, but some lies are so brazen that theyd be seen as career-ending controversies under normal political circumstances. This post updates our related earlier coverage. This article was originally published on MSNBC.com As the ongoing government shutdown reaches the one-month mark, the consensus on Capitol Hill is that there are two possible solutions to the standoff: Either congressional Democrats cave, or congressional Republicans agree to a bipartisan compromise. There is, however, a third option thats generating some conversation in GOP circles. Republicans already control the White House and both chambers of Congress, but they cant advance their spending bill to end the shutdown because of the Senates filibuster rule: No proposal has been able to overcome the 60-vote threshold, because it lacks sufficient Democratic support. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But what if the chambers GOP majority decided to use the nuclear option (again) to scrap the filibuster entirely, pass their spending package and bring the shutdown to a rapid end? Itd be an overstatement to suggest theres been a groundswell of support among Republican lawmakers for such a radical move, but some GOP members have started moving in this direction lately. Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri, for example, recently derided the filibuster rule as some Senate procedure. Sen. Tommy Tuberville of Alabama added that scrapping the filibuster should be seen as a viable option. Sen. Bernie Moreno of Ohio, less than a year into his political career, has been especially enthusiastic about the idea, making the case that the effort to end the federal shutdown should be a Republican-only vote. On Thursday night, proponents of the change received support from a high-profile ally. The New York Times reported: President Trump called on Senate Republicans late Thursday to eliminate the filibuster to force an end to the government shutdown, a move that would strip away a deeply rooted Senate rule. The president said in a late-night Truth Social post that it was time for G.O.P. leaders to play their TRUMP CARD, and get rid of the longstanding rule that means most Senate legislation needs 60 votes to pass rather than a simple majority. In a lengthy statement published to his social media platform, the president claimed the shutdown was a frequent point of discussion during his Asia trip, leading him to give this a great deal of thought on his trip back. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In between a series of weird and familiar lies, Trump directed Senate Republicans to Get rid of the Filibuster, and get rid of it, NOW! In case that was too subtle, he concluded, THE CHOICE IS CLEAR INITIATE THE NUCLEAR OPTION, GET RID OF THE FILIBUSTER AND, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! Readers with good memories might recall that weve been here before. Indeed, it was just four months into Trumps first term when he first called on GOP senators to immediately scrap the filibuster. Months later, he added that the filibuster was killing the party. In the months and years that followed, the president continued to condemn the Senate rule, to no avail. Senate GOP leaders ignored the directive. Chances are, theyll do so again Senate Majority Leader John Thune has recently insisted that filibusters continue. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That said, Trumps power and influence in Republican politics is arguably stronger now than it was during his first term, so this latest pressure campaign is likely to generate a more robust conversation in the Senate GOPs cloakroom. Watch this space. This article was originally published on MSNBC.com In September, as the deadline for a government shutdown approached, polls suggested most Americans were poised to blame Republicans for the problem. In early October, as the shutdown got underway, a variety of national surveys from The Washington Post, New York Times/Siena, Morning Consult, Marist/PBS News/NPR et al. found that Americans were, in fact, holding Republicans responsible for the developments. As October comes to an end and leading GOP voices scramble to blame Democrats for the standoff, theres fresh evidence that those efforts arent working, either. The Washington Post reported: More Americans blame President Donald Trump and Republicans in Congress than Democrats for the nearly month-long government shutdown, according to a Washington Post-ABC News-Ipsos poll. More than 4 in 10 U.S. adults 45 percent say Trump and the GOP are mainly responsible for the shutdown that may lead the government to cut off anti-hunger benefits, has caused air traffic delays and has furloughed hundreds of thousands of federal workers. The overall totals have barely budged since the same pollster asked the same question a month ago. On Oct. 1, 47% of the public blamed Trump and GOP lawmakers, while 30% held Democrats responsible. A month later, 45% blamed Republicans, while 33% pointed the finger at Democrats. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thats a slight shift in the GOPs favor, but its within the polls margin of error, and the overall results offer little good news for the White House and its allies. As weve discussed, the politics of this latest shutdown are a bit tricky, and these results were hardly inevitable. On the surface, its Democrats who are demanding concessions, which might suggest theyre more likely to be held responsible. But relevant details complicate matters. The concessions Democrats are demanding are popular theyre fighting to make health care benefits more affordable for American families and theyre going up against a Republican Party that controls the House, the Senate and the White House. Whats more, its GOP officials whove spent the last three decades shutting down the government (or threatening to do so on a very regular basis), and theyve created a political brand thats widely recognized by much of the public. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Public attitudes can change, and people can be persuaded to adopt different positions. But Republican officials spent the entire month of October trying to deflect blame and turn the tables, and the latest public opinion research suggests theyve failed. This is more than just a curiosity: As policymakers face new pressures to end the crisis, polling suggests Republicans are not in a position of political strength. Three days into the shutdown, The Associated Press reported that GOP leaders were confident they held the upper hand in this standoff. They were wrong then, and theyre still wrong now. This post updates our related earlier coverage. This article was originally published on MSNBC.com According to the Trump administrations latest tally, the president has ordered 14 deadly military strikes targeting civilian boats in international waters over the last couple of months. If the administrations statistics are accurate, at least 61 people have been killed in these operations. Who are these people? Its a problem that the public doesnt know. Its a bigger problem that apparently the Defense Department doesnt know, either. The New York Times reported on the latest briefing members of Congress received on the boat strikes: Representative Sara Jacobs, Democrat of California, said the Pentagon officials conceded that the administration did not know the identities of all of the individuals who were killed in the strikes. They said that they do not need to positively identify individuals on the vessel to do the strikes, she said. House Speaker Mike Johnson told Fox News this week that hes seen exquisite intelligence about the military operations. Its not exquisite enough, however, to include the names of the civilians the U.S. has killed through legally dubious missile strikes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Times report, which has not been independently verified by MSNBC, added, Ms. Jacobs said Pentagon officials said they needed to prove only that the targeted people were connected to designated terrorist organizations, even if the connection is as much as three hops away from a known member of a designated terrorist organization. So if you have a connection to someone who has a connection to someone whom the Trump administration considers to be part of a terrorist organization, then you should steer clear of boats and international waters for a while to avoid getting killed. Meanwhile, a growing number of congressional Democrats have spent the week ringing alarms about the fact that the administration has failed to share any legal arguments to justify the missions or intelligence related to the operations. As NBC News reported, lawmakers from both parties criticized the administration after Democrats were not invited to a briefing on Wednesday. A day later, Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia, the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, told reporters that the partisan briefing was a new low for the administration and corrosive to our democracy. One might imagine that if the presidents policy were legal and had merit, there wouldnt be any need for secrecy. This article was originally published on MSNBC.com As the summer neared its end, Donald Trump did his best to hype a scheduled White House event on autism. The president assured the public that he was poised to deliver an announcement that was very, very big. A day later, he added that the information he was ready to share was so big. As is too often the case, Trumps results couldnt match his rhetoric. When the event happened, Americans saw a president spend an hour peddling outlandish claims about Tylenol. Making matters worse, the Republican conceded his conclusions were rooted in his feelings as opposed to those who base their findings on, you know, studies. Paul Offit, a pediatrician and vaccine researcher at Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia, told The Washington Post, That was the most dangerously irresponsible press conference in the realm of public health in American history. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A month later, Reuters reported on more recent comments from Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.: Donald Trumps top health official on Wednesday said evidence does not show that Kenvues pain medicine Tylenol definitively causes autism but that it should still be used cautiously, a month after the president said U.S. health officials would recommend limiting its use. The causative association ... between Tylenol given in pregnancy and the perinatal periods is not sufficient to say it definitely cause autism. But it is very suggestive, Kennedy told reporters, citing animal, blood and observational studies. Its hard not to wonder whether Trump took note of the comments. Indeed, the president has been quite animated about acetaminophen lately. In the aftermath of his ridiculous White House event in mid-September, Trump continued to push hysterical rhetoric about Tylenol, online and on camera, claiming that hes studied this a long time. (He has no background in science or medicine and has a track record of promoting unscientific nonsense.) In the following weeks, the president kept going, even interrupting his Asia trip this week to publish an anti-Tylenol screed to his social media platform. Pregnant Women, DONT USE TYLENOL UNLESS ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY, DONT GIVE TYLENOL TO YOUR YOUNG CHILD FOR VIRTUALLY ANY REASON, he wrote for reasons unknown. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Around the same time, Ken Paxton, Texas scandal-plagued attorney general, followed the White Houses cues and sued the current and former makers of Tylenol, echoing debunked Trump claims related to autism. One day after the Texas Republicans case was filed, Kennedy (who was cited repeatedly in Paxtons court filing) conceded that theres not sufficient evidence to prove a connection between Tylenol and vaccines. Whether he realizes this or not, the Cabinet secretary has created overlapping messes. On the one hand, Kennedy made a public concession that cut off his allies at the knees. On the other, the longtime conspiracy theorist nevertheless claimed theres a suggestive link between the painkiller and autism, which isnt supported by the science. The result is a dynamic in which the American mainstream will continue to struggle when it comes to trusting federal public health officials. This post updates our related earlier coverage. This article was originally published on MSNBC.com The assumption in many political circles is that Donald Trumps control over congressional Republicans is complete and unrelenting. The president barks orders, and GOP lawmakers on Capitol Hill obey, motivated by some combination of fear, partisan allegiance, loyalty or ideological agreement. But while Trumps power in Republican politics is obviously considerable, those assumptions are not always correct. The Washington Post reported: The Senate rebuked President Donald Trumps trade policy for the third time in as many days, voting 51-47 on Thursday to eliminate the national emergency underpinning Trumps global tariffs announced in April. The resolution followed two others earlier this week to eliminate duties on goods from Canada and Brazil, respectively that passed with bipartisan support, indicating discomfort among lawmakers with the presidents aggressive use of tariffs to reshape U.S. trade relationships. The first in this series of votes came on Tuesday night, when 52 senators approved a resolution to block Trumps trade tariffs on goods from Brazil. Democrats, not surprisingly, endorsed the measure, and they were joined by five Senate Republicans: Susan Collins of Maine, Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Rand Paul of Kentucky and Thom Tillis of North Carolina. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A day later, 50 senators passed a measure to terminate many of the tariffs Trump has imposed on Canada. Though a handful of members missed the vote, four Senate Republicans voted with Democrats: Collins, McConnell, Murkowski and Paul. The day after that, the Senate did it again, advancing a resolution that would not only block the White Houses tariffs, but also the emergency order the president issued as the basis for the tariffs. Those same four GOP senators Collins, McConnell, Murkowski and Paul voted with the Democratic minority. In April, when a narrow, bipartisan majority in the Senate rejected Trumps tariffs on Canada, a Politico report summarized it as the most significant rebuke to Trump that congressional Republicans have yet mustered in his second term. Six months later, the scope of the rebuke is even more obvious. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The practical value of this weeks votes in the Senate is limited. The Republican-led House will almost certainly ignore the resolutions, and in the unlikely event that the lower chamber were to pass them, the measures would face inevitable presidential vetoes. But given how low contemporary standards have fallen, the actions in the Senate this week represent a modest breakthrough anyway. This is the first instance in Trumps second term that bipartisan majorities in the Senate rebuked a key piece of the administrations agenda three times. Will this have lasting real-world consequences? No. Is it a step in the right direction? Yes. This post updates our related earlier coverage. This article was originally published on MSNBC.com Against a backdrop of a monthlong government shutdown, millions of American consumers are poised to choose their health care coverage for the next year as the open enrollment period gets underway. For millions of families, however, this is an occasion more for dread than excitement, due to dramatically higher prices. On Thursday night, Donald Trump published an item to his social media platform that suggested he is aware of the problem but that failed to present much of a solution. The missive read in its entirety: As I have said for years, OBAMACARE IS A DISASTER! Rates are going through the roof for really bad healthcare!!! Do something Democrats!!! He managed to say quite a bit in three sentences, so lets unpack this. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement First, the Republican claimed that the Affordable Care Act is a disaster. Thats plainly false: The ACA hasnt just worked effectively for years, it also reached new levels of popularity with the American public over the summer. (Support for the reform law reached 66% in June, making it more than 20 points more popular than the president who hates it, and raising the question of whether the president is just jealous.) Second, Trump said coverage costs are going through the roof for really bad healthcare. The first part of this is true consumers are facing sticker shock, though leading Republican officials have spent recent weeks suggesting this isnt a big deal but the idea that the care itself is really bad is baseless. People raise concerns all the time about costs and access, but theres no evidence to suggest Americans are dissatisfied with the services provided by medical professionals themselves. At the heart of the matter, however, was the presidents closing appeal: Do something Democrats!!! Republicans control the White House, the Senate, the House, most of the nations gubernatorial offices, most of the nations state legislative chambers and the U.S. Supreme Court but the president want Democrats, who have minimal power and even less influence in the nations capital, to fix the health care problem that Trump and his GOP allies have helped create. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As bizarre as the presidents appeal was, he's in luck. Democratic leaders are, in fact, prepared to do something about the issue. Indeed, as the government shutdown drags on, mainly because of the rising health care costs that too many Republicans are inclined to ignore, Democrats continue to show up for work on Capitol Hill, pleading with GOP officials to negotiate a bipartisan solution. So its now up to Trump and his party to do something. This article was originally published on MSNBC.com The Department of Agricultures Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is one of the most successful anti-hunger programs in American history. By providing food purchasing benefits to low-income households, SNAP helps about one in eight Americans buy groceries. Now, with the Trump White House exploiting the month-long government shutdown to allow SNAP benefits to lapse on Saturday, the right-wing media is working overtime to argue that, in this time of financial peril, the food stamp program should be harder to access. It is insane that there are 42 million Americans on food stamps. That is a wild statistic, the Daily Wires Ben Shapiro said on his podcast. And the amount of government dependency in this country is just way too high, period. Right-wing podcaster Stephen Crowder similarly complained on X: Its rewarding people who abuse the system. Conservative pundit Ann Coulter claimed that the federal government has been paying Americans not to work by feeding, housing and medicating them for free, and then wonder why we have so many useless, jobless, helpless people. Slamming Missouri Republican Sen. Josh Hawleys attempt to pass a standalone funding mechanism for SNAP, Coulter suggested 40 million of them could get jobs. More than one in four American children live in SNAP households, and more than 80% of those households earn less than the federal poverty line, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities (CBPP). For a family of four, the average monthly benefit works out to less than $2 per individual meal per day. Trumps One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which passed the House and Senate on party-line votes in July, cut $187 billion from the program over 10 years the largest cut to SNAP in history, according to CPBB and drastically limited eligibility. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The shutdown has created political cover for many on the right to push for further reductions in SNAP funding. As Democrats have held out for their demands of restoring subsidies for the Affordable Care Act longer than Republicans anticipated, the Trump White House is not shying away from stripping Americans of vital resources. In a sudden reversal, the administration announced that it would not tap around $5 billion in contingency funds to keep food stamp benefits through November despite assurances from Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins to Fox Business that The president has made a priority to, at least for the short term, continue funding programs like WIC, and food stamps, or SNAP. And as Axios reported, the new USDA memo was an apparent departure from its Sept. 30 shutdown plan (which has since been taken down) that stated, Congressional intent is evident that SNAPs operations should continue since the program has been provided with multi-year contingency funds. Twenty-five states and the District of Columbia sued the administration on Tuesday to block the cutoff. On Thursday, a federal judge suggested the administration would violate the law if it barred access to the funds. Congress told you what to do if there is no money, Judge Indira Talwani of the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts, told the administrations lawyers, according to the Washington Post. You need to figure out how to stretch that emergency money for now. Welfare programs have long been an easy political target for conservatives seeking to exploit the undeserving poor myth. With talk of welfare queens, couch potatoes, the idle poor and a culture of poverty, the taxpayer vs. taker paradigm continues to play well with the GOPs base. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Why is it that we are subsidizing food for people that weigh 300 pounds? asked Newsmaxs Rob Schmitt. We are too fat a country to have 41 million on food stamps, argued former Republican congressman Matt Gaetz. Several of the most viral anti-SNAP tweets on X featured fake AI images of Black people claiming to illegally sell food stamp benefits or threatening to steal products in the event of a cutoff. Several feature explicitly racist images, like gorillas ransacking a Walmart. Stereotypes like these are being used to stoke division and shore up continued support for the shutdown from the MAGA base many of whom will be directly affected by the SNAP cuts. But while many on the right are using their warnings of the immediate hunger crisis as a negotiation tool in the ongoing shutdown, they are simultaneously using the crisis to justify long-term cuts. Calling it an alarming trend, Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., said we need to ask ourselves why so many Americans are on SNAP. Florida GOP Rep. Randy Fine, was even more specific, posting on X, I am going to introduce a bill to ban all non-citizens from any form of welfare. Undocumented immigrants are not and have never been eligible for benefits, and the Republican reforms made refugees and asylum seekers ineligible. GOP legislators are also acting to block efforts to help hungry constituents at the state level. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During Thursdays court hearing in a Boston courtroom, administration officials admitted there were billions of dollars that could be used to head off the shortfall. With the administration able to locate money to continue paying members of the military and law enforcement including agents involved in Trumps mass deportation efforts around the country its priorities are clear. Those actions, as well as the talking points being used by GOP politicians, government officials and the right-wing media, suggest that starving the hungry might not simply be an unfortunate byproduct of required austerity. It could very well be its true purpose. The post MAGA salivates at the chance to cut off food stamps appeared first on Salon.com. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) tried to do damage control after Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said the government failed Americans relying on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). On Nov. 1, millions of Americans will lose access to SNAP benefits for the first time in modern history unless Congress or President Donald Trump approve funding for the program during the government shutdown. On Friday, a reporter asked Rollins during a press conference what her message was to those Americans losing their SNAP benefits. Rollins responded by blaming the government for the crisis, prompting Johnson to clarify her words. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement My message to America is first the fact that your government is failing you right now, Rollins said. That poverty is not red or blue, it is not a Republican or Democrat issue. Doesnt matter who you voted for or even if you voted. That if you are in a position where you cant feed your family and youre relying on that $187 a month for an average family in the SNAP program, we have failed you, she added. She then accused Democrats of holding the government hostage by voting against the GOP spending plan. Democrats have vowed to oppose any spending package that does not include an extension for Affordable Care Act subsidies. The Republicans have voted over and over and over again to open this government so that these funds dont stop, and for 14 different times, the Democrats have said, No, we are going to hold hostage the most vulnerable families in this country so that we can get our left wing radical agenda into the government and the governing structure, Rollins added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Johnson then explained what Rollins meant by her claim that the government failed Americans. Clarifying when she says, we have failed you, she means, we the Democrats. Because, as weve just explained, Republicans have voted 14 times to get this done. The president has pleaded with Schumer and Hakeem to open the government, and they told him, No, Johnson said. The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) quickly mocked Rollins for her remarks in a statement. Brooke Rollins is right. Donald Trump and House Republicans have failed the American people, DCCC Spokesperson Justin Chermol said in a statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Like Johnson, a number of Trump allies have blamed Democrats for the lapse in SNAP benefits. But Democrats have argued that the federal government is required by law to disburse funding for SNAP recipients even during a shutdown. New Jersey joined 24 other states on Tuesday to sue the Trump administration over the suspension of SNAP benefits. On Friday, two federal judges ruled that the Trump administration must continue to fund SNAP using contingency funds during the government shutdown. The program serves about 1 in 8 Americans and is a major piece of the nations social safety net and it costs about $8 billion per month nationally. Democratic state attorneys general or governors from 25 states, as well as the District of Columbia, challenged the plan to pause the program, contending that the administration has a legal obligation to keep it running in their jurisdictions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The administration said it wasnt allowed to use a contingency fund with about $5 billion in it for the program, which reversed a USDA plan from before the shutdown that said money would be tapped to keep SNAP running. The Democratic officials argued that not only could that money be used, but it must be. They also said a separate fund with around $23 billion is available for the cause. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Read the original article on NJ.com. Add NJ.com as a Preferred Source by clicking here. This story was produced as part of a partnership with NOTUS and the nonprofit, nonpartisan Allbritton Journalism Institute. Maine Sens. Angus King and Susan Collins are often split on issues after all, shes a Republican and hes an independent who usually votes with Democrats. But on the government funding, theyre on the same page. King is one of three members of the Democratic Caucus who has voted with Republicans to reopen the government consistently since the shutdown began. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theyve also both urged Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins to use contingency funds to keep the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program funded during the shutdown which the administration has said it will not do and co-sponsored a bill from Sen. Josh Hawley to provide appropriations to the USDA to keep SNAP funded. King told NOTUS this week that the pair of Maine senators had met to discuss how to end the shutdown, which has now lasted a month, although he declined to share further details. The way King and Collins are handling the government shutdown mirrors how they handle politics in general: with a heavy independent streak and a rhetorical emphasis on bipartisanship. Its a stance that plays well in Maine, where 34% of voters are not affiliated with a party, according to the Independent Voter Project. King looks for opportunities to demonstrate to his constituents that he is willing to go against the party that he caucuses with, said Mark Brewer, professor and chair of the Department of Political Science at the University of Maine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And so I think in this particular situation, that opportunity presented itself, it lined up with where he wanted to vote anyway. So he took that opportunity. Brewer said the way King and Collins present themselves is linked to the Maine electorate, which faces some polarization but is a much more pragmatic electorate than the national electorate as a whole at the moment. He goes to great pains to present himself as an independent, and Collins goes to similar great pains to present herself as someone who is willing to be bipartisan, he said. Shes willing to work with Democrats, cross partisan lines on occasion, oppose her own party on occasion. Both of them kind of adopt this, almost a pragmatic type of stance. As chair of the Appropriations Committee, Collins plays a key role in government funding talks throughout the year and earlier this month said she was circulating a discussion draft on how to reopen the government. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The path forward is not complicated, Collins told reporters on Tuesday. Its to reopen government and then to agree to bring various (Affordable Care Act) bills to the floor and vote on them Leader Thune has offered that and I dont understand why the Democrats arent taking yes for an answer. King said in a statement about a week into the shutdown that he had been working intensely with senators on both sides of the aisle to find a solution to this problem while at the same time trying get us out of the current increasingly dangerous government shutdown, so far without success. I intend to continue that work and as long as there are Republican senators willing to talk, Ill be at the table. When asked on Thursday how his conversations surrounding the shutdown are going, King said, I dont want to comment. He has said he broke with Democrats on government funding because he believes a shutdown will give President Donald Trump more power. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement King said he hasnt received any criticism from Democratic colleagues for splitting with them on the shutdown votes. Sen. Peter Welch, a Democrat from Vermont, went as far as praising King, calling him terrific. This is a hard call, and you know, hes a valued member, Welch said. I really appreciate his judgment, and wed be in a better world if we didnt have shutdowns. So his voice of caution is something all of us take quite seriously, so I have nothing but admiration for him. Jim Melcher, a professor of political science at the University of Maine at Farmington, said that having an independent is something that is part of Maines culture, noting that King served two terms as governor and the state had a different independent governor in the 1970s. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Political independence and bipartisanship is a piece of Maine politics. In Collins case, I think shes following her party more than anything, but she has always prided on being independent on various things, Melcher said. Also, she just voted with the senators from Kentucky and Lisa Murkowski against President Trumps position on tariffs. So that kind of willingness to buck ones party is a part of Maine political culture. Mandatory daily physical fitness will likely be official policy in the Air Force before Christmas, but many units across the service are getting an early start on daily workouts, marking a major culture shift in the force. One aircraft mechanic at an overseas Air Force base told Task & Purpose their commander had implemented daily PT, shorthand for physical training, at 5 a.m. before a full day on the job, but they were finding the bases gyms were overrun with other groups doing the same thing. At bases under the purview of Air Force Special Operations Command, an official said, many units in the command have leaned forward in anticipation of the new rules by starting daily PT in the last month, only to find they needed to break unit events into smaller groups because of trouble locating enough post-workout showers. While daily PT formations are as central to life in the Army and Marine Corps as shouting noncommissioned officers, not all Air Force units have traditionally carved out time for daily fitness during duty hours. Though the service has always had annual fitness testing which once included a stationary bike test as the primary event the requirement to be in shape has not always translated at the unit level into a requirement to hold daily workouts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As recently as September, service leaders launched a new Culture of Fitness initiative, which included opening gyms 24 hours a day and new fitness assessments. But mandatory PT during the duty day wasnt part of it. Undersecretary of the Air Force Matthew Lohmeier told Task & Purpose in September that, You have to leave those kinds of decisions up to the command teams for their best judgment, I think. New fitness focus at the Pentagon However, that approach was upended in September when Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced that all five military branches had 60 days to start daily workouts as part of the regular duty day. That countdown, which began with a Hegseth memo issued Sept. 30, will run out two days after Thanksgiving. Were not talking, like, hot yoga and stretching, Hegseth said in an address to senior officers Sept. 30. Real, hard PT, either as a unit or an individual. At every level, from the Joint Chiefs to everyone in this room to the youngest private. In the month since, the Air Force has not issued any new service-wide fitness requirements, but many local commanders have rolled out programs for their own units. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement You are seeing commanders using their authority to comply with [Hegseths] guidance, an Air Force spokesperson told Task & Purpose. We are still working on implementation guidance and expect to have more information soon. Top Stories This Week News Female drill sergeants will soon wear the Armys iconic campaign hat By Jeff Schogol News Airman found dead at F.E. Warren was under investigation for M18 incident By Matt White News Hegseth wont meet troops with beards during South Korea trip By Jeff Schogol An Air Force Special Operations Command spokesperson said that its commander, Lt. Gen. Michael Conley, returned from the September briefing and immediately put the word out that commanders should gin up PT plans. He instructed to move out with intent and not wait for official guidance, the spokesperson said. He left it for commanders to decide what worked within the squadrons and adjust as necessary to their battle rhythms. So it might be the first thing or the end of the day. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A spokesperson for Air Combat Command, the services largest with over 75,000 personnel, also said local commanders were empowered to implement new fitness plans while rules are being sorted at the Pentagon. Physical fitness training is a squadron commanders program, an ACC spokesperson said in an email to Task & Purpose. Local unit commanders are empowered to create PT plans that ensure their teams are meeting the physical standards our nation requires of its warfighters. The airman at an overseas base said their units commander had mandated that troops do a mix of cardio or strength training with team sports throughout the week. The program, they said, was unlike any theyd seen before. This is the first time Ive had PT implemented into my duty day, they said. The airmen said that the maintenance troops have found that finance and medical troops are also out doing PT. One thing I know everyone is feeling the pain of is, now the entire base is doing PT, and gyms, equipment and space are very limited. MOBILE, Ala. (WKRG) Fresh paint now marks new traffic lanes and street parking on St. Anthony Street in downtown Mobile. Okaloosa County residents fall victim to crypto scam Its all a part of the citys effort to make downtown safer. This is the first day drivers have seen the change, and many already think its making a positive impact. Theyre real fast about it, and thats nice, St. Anthony resident Tonya Hutcherson said. They get in and get out. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement St. Anthony between Broad and Royal streets now has west and east-bound traffic. The switch is only one part of the Downtown Street Optimization project, which aims to make downtown more pedestrian-friendly. Those who work and live near St. Anthony are here for the change. Down the street, down further, you get wrecks because you know about everybody, just thinks it is a two-way street, Hutcherson said. So they dont pay attention. A message echoed by Tania Williams, an employee at a union association office on St. Anthony, who said the change will help her commute to work. It is now a two-way, which is going to be perfect for me going in and out, Williams said. So thats going to be a good thing. And its going to be different because Im so used to one-way. So, something we all got to get used to. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement St. Anthony Street between Royal and Water Streets will continue to flow one-way. City of Pensacola sues Joe Patti Seafood: what to know Warren and Dearborn have already been converted to two-way streets, and St. Joseph Street is on the list to be converted, too. 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 WKRG News 5. As the federal government remains closed for business, LGBTQ+ community centers and nonprofits with food pantries are preparing to fill the hole that will be left when SNAP benefits end. Keep up with the latest in LGBTQ+ news and politics. Sign up for The Advocate's email newsletter. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is the largest anti-hunger program in the U.S. It was set to run out of funds on November 1, with over 42 million people left wondering where their next meal would be coming from. On Friday, two federal judges ordered the government to release emergency funds to assist those affected. However, that will take some time and could face appeals. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As those affected by the lack of funds turn to food banks, those nonprofits will be left wondering how to provide for the sudden influx of people needing aid. The "Pride Pantries" at the LGBT Life Center in Virginia already provide assistance to about 650 households a month, or roughly 1,700 people, which amounted to around 285,000 lbs of food distributed in 2024. CEO Stacie Walls suspects that this year it will "definitely be over that based on the trend we've had for the last few months." "These are individuals and households that are already marginalized and already living close to the edge of not having access to food at all," Walls tells The Advocate. "It's not just young families with children. One of the things that may be assumed is that these are individuals who aren't working, who aren't trying to contribute. The reality is most of the people who use it are either elderly or are working and just don't have enough to make it through the month." About 15 percent of LGBTQ+ adults nearly 2.1 million people, including 250,000 transgender individuals and 1.3 million lesbian and bisexual women received SNAP benefits in the past year, according to a recent report from the Williams Institute, compared to 11 percent of non-LGBTQ+ adults. Related: How SNAP cuts will disproportionately impact some LGBTQ+ people Almost 70 percent of LGBTQ+ adults who received SNAP benefits had household incomes under $35,000, 66 percent were living with a disability, and 49 percent had a child under 18 living in their household. Over 90 percent of LGBTQ+ adults who received SNAP were either currently working (42 percent), had worked in the past year (6 percent), were students (8 percent), homemakers (9 percent), retired (5 percent), or were unable to work (21 percent). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We know individuals that we serve in the queer community already don't have stable housing, don't have stable employment, don't have stable family support that they can depend on," Walls says. "They need our services. And this federal shutdown is requiring the nonprofits and the community-based organizations in this country to carry this load on behalf of the government." The Trump administration's drastic cuts to federal aid have impacted all nonprofits, and significantly reduced SNAP before the federal government shut down. The Budget Reconciliation Bill, Donald Trump's so-called "Big Beautiful Bill," forced an estimated seven million people to either lose their SNAP benefits or see their benefits greatly reduced. For the Center, there's "not enough food that comes from the food banks in the USDA program," Walls says, as "those programs were being cut well before the shutdown started. They're already operating with less resources than they were a year ago." Meanwhile, queer-run, self-service, COVunity Fridge provides food to roughly 11,000 people a year. Because the organization is "already operating in a working-class, working-poor neighborhood, we are bracing for a drastic increase in folks who need food," co-founder Missy Spears says. It will be unsustainable to provide this much additional assistance in the long term. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "When we start seeing more people who suddenly cant access fresh food, the community steps in to fill the gaps, but that help comes at a cost," Spears says. "Every time people have to step up to provide extended mutual aid, it drains the energy and resources wed planned to use to move our neighborhood forward, and quite honestly, it pulls resources from other community needs as well. Instead of getting ahead, were constantly in survival mode, spending our limited time and money keeping families afloat." Related: USDA website blames SNAP benefits expiring on trans people, immigrants amid shutdown There's still a way for SNAP benefits to continue even as the government remains shut down. The lawsuits mentioned above is one way. Meanwhile, Virginia has announced it will use state money to fund SNAP benefits for its residents on a weekly basis (as opposed to monthly), which other states could also pursue. Until governments step up, nonprofits will be filling in the holes. For those in need, most LGBTQ+ community centers have food banks, and "most food banks have no eligibility requirements, including ours," Walls says. That means there's "no income requirement for people to come to the food," and for those run by queer organizations, there's "no proving you're part of the community." If people can't make it to a pantry, they can still try contacting them about possible deliveries. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For those wanting to get involved, Walls stresses that it "doesn't always mean a cash donation" these centers rely on volunteers who make the deliveries, which can require some physical labor, but also on those who can manage data collection and administrative work. Any ability could be beneficial, and will be needed even once the federal government reopens. And when the shutdown ends, nonprofits want their communities to remember who was really there for them in a time of crisis. "If you're sitting up in Congress and you have food on your table, and you're not worrying about where your next meal comes from, I think that you're not representing your entire community if you're not recognizing that there are people in every single community that struggle with food insecurity," Walls says. "You cannot take care of your health, you cannot go to work every day, you can't do any of that if you're hungry." "It makes you angry because this is something that could have been prevented," she adds. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For those impacted by food insecurity, visit Feeding America to find a pantry near you. This article has been updated to include comment from COVunity. This article originally appeared on Advocate: 'It makes you angry:' LGBTQ+ food pantries prepare for end of SNAP benefits RELATED KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) The U.S. Secretary of Defense said Friday he told his Chinese counterpart during talks in Malaysia that Washington would stoutly defend its interests in the Indo-Pacific. He also signed a new agreement aimed at strengthening security ties with India. Pete Hegseth described as good and constructive his meeting with Chinese Admiral Dong Jun, held on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations defense ministers meeting in Kuala Lumpur. He said he raised U.S. concerns over Chinese activities in the South China Sea, around Taiwan and toward U.S. allies and partners in the region. I highlighted the importance of maintaining a balance of power in the Indo-Pacific, Hegseth wrote on social media platform X. United States does not seek conflict (but) it will continue to stoutly defend its interests and ensure it has the capabilities in the region to do so. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement China's defense ministry issued a cautious response, emphasizing its longstanding positions. Dong Jun stressed the reunification of China and Taiwan is an unstoppable historical trend and urged the U.S. to be cautious in its words and actions on the Taiwan issue, the statement said. We hope the U.S. will translate its statements of not containing China and not seeking conflict into action, and work with China to inject positive energy into regional and global peace and security, according to the statement. Their meeting follows a Sept. 9 video call between Hegseth and Dong and reflects ongoing efforts to manage tensions in the Indo-Pacific even as strategic differences, particularly over Taiwan and freedom of navigation, remain pronounced. Hegseth also met with India's Defense Minister Rajnath Singh, and they signed a 10-year defense framework aimed at expanding military and technological cooperation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Washington has long sought to develop a deeper partnership with New Delhi, which is seen as a bulwark against China. India is a major defense partner of the U.S and has in recent years embedded advanced American jets, helicopters, missiles and military gear into its armed forces. This advances our defense partnership, a cornerstone for regional stability and deterrence, Hegseth wrote on X. Our defense ties have never been stronger. Singh said the U.S.-India partnership is crucial for ensuring a free, open and rules-based Indo-Pacific region. "It is a signal of our growing strategic convergence and will herald a new decade of partnership, he said on X. The framework agreement comes amid renewed strains in bilateral ties after President Donald Trump imposed a 50% import tariff on Indian goods in August and criticized New Delhi for continued purchase of discounted Russian oil. India is the second biggest buyer of Russian oil after China. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hegseth also held talks with his Malaysian and Philippines counterparts.. He reaffirmed committment to maritime security in the South China Sea and said the U.S. would work relentlessly to reestablish deterrence in the South China Sea. Malaysia has previously protested the encroachment of Chinese vessels into its waters but usually prefers quiet diplomacy. Thats in contrast to the neighboring Philippines, which has had major confrontations with China at sea in recent years. China claims virtually the entire South China Sea, overlapping claims made by countries including Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam and Taiwan. Asked to comment about U.S. President Donald Trump's plans to restart nuclear weapon testing for the first time in three decades, Malaysian Defense Minister Mohamed Khaled Nordin told a news conference later Friday that ASEAN is a nuclear weapon free zone area and "we try to avoid anything that can bring great calamity to humankind. He didn't elaborate. ASEAN secretary-general Kao Kim Hourn separately said some ASEAN members may seek more details from Hegseth about U.S. nuclear testing at a planned ASEAN-U.S. meeting on Saturday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For the security and safety of the world, I think its important ... to bear in mind that the world should never see the use of another nuclear weapon," he said. Trump made the comments Thursday on social media, saying it would be on an equal basis with Russia and China. There was no signs the U.S. would start detonating warheads, but Trump offered few details in what seemed to be a significant shift in U.S. policy. ASEAN defense ministers will continue talks Saturday with dialogue partners including the United States, China, Japan, India, Australia, South Korea and Russia. ______ Rajesh Roy in New Delhi and Ken Moritsugu and Chen Shihuan in Beijing contributed to this report. A Midland County couple who filed a $1 million medical malpractice lawsuit against Odessa Regional Medical Center and Dr. Hector M. Garcia Marrero on Oct. 24 dismissed the case and refiled it against the doctor and Medical Center Hospital Tuesday. Heaven Long and Robert Blake Long allege their baby boy suffered catastrophic cardiac consequences due to the doctors alleged negligence. According to the lawsuit, Wesley Adam Long was born Feb. 23, 2023, roughly six weeks early weighing 4 pounds, 8 ounces. He remained in the neonatal intensive care until he was released from MCH on March 18, 2023. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Dec. 27, 2023, the babys parents took him to the hospital because he had a rash, a temperature and swollen tongue, ear and neck, the lawsuit stated. His primary care physician had earlier diagnosed him with an adenovirus and later, at an urgent care, he was diagnosed with strep throat, the lawsuit stated. The emergency room doctor at MCH discussed the babys situation with Dr. Garcia Marrero and told him Kawasaki disease might be one of the causes, the lawsuit stated. In addition all of the lab work confirmed Kawasaki might be the cause. Two days later, Garcia Marrero diagnosed the boy with acute viral syndrome and sent him home, the lawsuit stated. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the lawsuit, on Jan. 10, a pediatric cardiologist diagnosed the baby with Kawasaki disease after an echo cardiogram revealed his right coronary artery was dilated and his left anterior descending coronary artery had two aneurysms in it. The same abnormalities were spotted during four subsequent echo cardiograms. The disease was left undiagnosed and untreated for a considerable period of time despite the fact the baby had four out of the five diagnostic criteria, the lawsuit stated. The couple is seeking more than $1 million in damages for mental anguish and future medical expenses. They are represented by Midland attorney Bridgit A. White and Houston attorney Tara Afrakhteh Milliff. MCH does not comment on pending litigation. The post Malpractice lawsuit filed appeared first on Odessa American. Zohran Mamdani on Tuesday responded to a widely shared 2023 clip in which he suggested that the New York Police Department and Israeli army were linked in oppression, the latest example of the Democratic mayoral nominee facing questions about his past record of anti-police and anti-Israel statements. We have to make clear that when the boot of the NYPD is on your neck, its been laced by the IDF, Mamdani says in the clip, from a Democratic Socialists of America convention held that year. The Israel Defense Forces, or IDF, are the armed forces of Israel. We have to make, not specifically that example all the time, but just to say that for working-class people who have very little time, who have so many stresses, who are under so many pressures, there isnt that much time for symbolism, he then said. We have to make it materially connected to their life. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement CNNs Anderson Cooper played that clip Tuesday and asked Mamdani what he meant. It was a reference to training exercises that have taken place between the NYPD and the IDF, Mamdani said. So do you still believe that the NYPD is basically working hand in glove with the IDF? Cooper asked. No, what Ive made very clear is those are training exercises that are of concern to me, Mamdani replied. And what my focus is, is on working with the NYPD to actually deliver public safety for New Yorkers across the five boroughs. It wasnt immediately clear whether Mamdani would seek as mayor to end any training exercises or other cooperation between the NYPD and Israel. But the clip and Mamdanis explanation of it became the latest instance during the mayoral campaign where the Democratic nominee had to answer for his past criticisms of both Israel and the police. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mamdani has apologized for some of his comments about law enforcement, including social media posts in which he called the police racist, wicked and corrupt. Seeking to reassure voters concerned about public safety, he has said he would seek to retain NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch, though he acknowledged in an earlier interview with CNNs Gloria Pazmino that he hadnt spoken to Tisch about staying on. But he has not backed down on his criticisms of Israel, referring to its war in Gaza after Hamas October 7 attacks as a genocide. He has said that as mayor, he would seek to carry out an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. While Americans are increasingly skeptical of Israels actions in Gaza, Mamdanis criticisms have caused anger within parts of New Yorks Jewish community, the largest outside Israel. He has sought to reassure Jewish voters that he would fight antisemitism and provide requested security at synagogues. While the NYPD does not have international posts in the traditional sense, the department runs an International Liaison Program that stations detectives across more than a dozen countries around the globe with the purpose of developing contacts with local law enforcement and engaging in counterterrorism exercises, according to the New York City police foundation that helps fund the program. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The program, which critics say has expanded for years with little oversight, was started after 9/11 as law enforcement professionals sought to learn more about overseas terrorism. Over the years, the NYPD has continued to deploy senior law enforcement officers around the world, including to Israel, where they share in intelligence and training exercises. The NYPD did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday. CNNs Gloria Pazmino contributed to this report. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Reparations for slavery and historic discrimination against African Americans once seemed like a pipe dream. But momentum for it has been building in the past five years in cities across America, including New York City, which has deep ties to slavery and has become an important testing ground of whether America is ready to make amends. The Nov. 4 mayoral win by Democrat Zohran Mamdani, a reparations proponent, could propel the issue there, making New York one of the first cities in the U.S. to atone for its original sin of slavery. That victory could inspire the dozen-plus smaller cities seeking to rectify other historic racial injustices, creating a domino effect that expands the movement. But the authorities charged with examining whether such correctives could work in NYC are facing challenges that may foreshadow the problems that Mamdani, if elected, would face in pursuing reparations. Opposition from the Trump administration and its allies, as well as the price tag of Mamdanis broader social justice agenda, could break the local movements momentum. Where Mamdani stands on reparations Mamdani was the only candidate who signed a pledge in May to champion reparations policies as mayor, and he has repeatedly defended that pledge publicly. Last month, he said that he would follow the recommendations of the city authorities tasked with studying this issue to decide whether that would entail a payout or a program. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Reparations continue to be important because theyre a recognition of our citys and our countrys history in terms of what not only we have denied Black New Yorkers, but also what we have taken from them time and again, he told reporters and Capital B last week. We establish these commissions for a purpose, and I think its important that we actually deliver on their findings. New York City used enslaved African labor during its origination as a Dutch settlement in the early 1600s. When Britain took over the colony in 1664, slavery grew harsher and more comprehensive, writes Harvard University historian Tiya Miles. By the early 1700s, New York City had one of the largest slave populations of any city or settlement among the colonies, with nearly 40% of households using enslaved labor. Even after the state of New York fully enforced emancipation in 1827, Wall Street continued to play a central role in the countrys slave trade. New York mayoral candidate Zohran Mamadani has repeatedly publicly defended his support for reparations. (Skip Dillard) But its unclear how New York City could afford reparations for slavery. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mamdanis opponents in the mayoral race did not speak about reparations on the campaign trail. But they did lampoon his claims that he will make the city more affordable via free buses, city-subsidized grocery stores and rent freezes. A recent analysis from The New York Times found that those plans could cost New Yorkers at least $6 billion annually. But that excludes the cost of reparations, which alone could add billions to that tab. Duke University scholar William Sandy Darity estimates that New York would have to pay out $400 billion to close the racial wealth gap there, which he says is the best measure of an effective reparations program. By contrast, the citys current total budget is $116 billion. The left keeps trying to ride this tired hobby horse of reparations, said Horace Cooper, chairman of the Black conservative network Project 21 earlier this year in a statement. Hey lefties, get serious and join the effort to Make America Great Again. In the process, blacks will prosper. But a 2024 poll conducted for the group New Yorkers for Reparations found that 48% of respondents supported comprehensive New York state reparations, including financial compensation, with 32% opposed. The same poll, found that 39% of voters would support candidates who favor reparations. Philip Wesley White, 43, a high school teacher who lives in midtown Manhattan, supports reparations but is also skeptical that it is possible. I think he can make some steps forward on this, said Philip Wesley White, 43, a high school teacher who lives in midtown Manhattan, speaking of Mamdani. I think it should happen, based on whats happened to us both during and after slavery, absolutely. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But White also represents the kind of person that reparations advocates have often encountered someone who supports reparations, but has doubts that its possible. Only 24% of Black New Yorkers and 21% of the same polls respondents overall said they believed reparations would actually happen. The numbers represent a hope gap, says Trevor Smith, executive director of the BLIS Collective, which is helping lead reparations campaigns in New York and beyond. A lot of Black folks dont believe reparations are possible, and so I think were really focused on, not so much about which candidate supports reparations, says Smith, but rather making reparations seem possible. How did New York get this close to reparations? The U.S. reparations movement spans decades, spearheaded by groups such as the National Coalition of Blacks for Reparations in America and the National African-American Reparations Commission. But in 2020, during the Black Lives Matter protests, more youth-organizing groups such as Get Free, the BLIS Collective, and the Justice League NYC, joined the movement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In September 2024, the movement yielded fruit in New York City, when the City Council authorized the citys Commission on Racial Equity to study reparations. The council also established a Truth, Healing, and Reconciliation process to examine the citys role in slavery. The citys reparations legislation came from the cumulative work of these racial justice groups, which coalesced under the banner network New Yorkers for Reparations and includes legacy civil rights groups such as the American Civil Liberties Union of New York, NAACP Legal Defense Fund, and the National Action Network. The work in New York City and in the state has been largely funded by recently formed philanthropies such as the Decolonizing Wealth Project, which has doled out millions to help racial justice groups meet their reparations goals. Our mission is to make reparations a political priority for Gen Z and millennials, and we do that through creating narrative power, people power, and then, of course, political power, said J.J. Briscoe, 24, a Get Free organizer based in New York City. Our mission is to make reparations a political priority for Gen Z and millennials, and we do that through creating narrative power, people power, and then, of course, political power, said J.J. Briscoe with the youth organizing group Get Free. (Courtesy of Get Free) Where have reparations been gaining ground? The momentum for reparations in New York City comes amid several years of concrete wins by reparations advocates across the U.S. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement These efforts have largely taken place in states outside of the former Confederate South, in places where Black people werent enslaved. Their strategy has been to push for local reparations programs that are narrowly tailored to address not slavery, but specific harms in specific places. Most are targeted at 20th century racial injustices such as Jim Crow, redlining, urban renewal, and race riots. In the past year, there have been several breakthroughs. In February, community developers broke ground in Portland, Oregon, on a roughly 2-acre plot that was once the commercial and cultural hub of a historic Black neighborhood. The land was gifted to Black community leaders by the city, which had seized and razed it in the 1970s under the guise of urban renewal. It is estimated that the property, owned by the Williams and Russell Community Development Corp., will be worth $120 million after development. In July, officials in Alameda County, California, started a fund to compensate surviving residents of an area formerly known as Russell City that was completely bulldozed off the map, displacing nearly 1,400 Black and Latino residents in the 1960s after it was declared blighted. The fund was seeded with $250,000 from the city of Hayward, California, and $650,000 from the county, which will be administered from a local foundation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Tulsa, Oklahoma, after decades of failed attempts to win reparations for the 1912 Greenwood Black Wall Street massacre, Mayor Monroe Nichols the citys first Black mayor announced a Road to Repair program in June. It mostly entails reclaiming land for survivors and their descendants. Under this plan, reparations will be fundraised via a private charitable trust a process that has won buy-in from local Republicans. Where reparations stand in New York People gather for the start of a reparations rally at the African Burial Ground National Monument in New York in 2021. (Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images) Atlanta, Decatur, Georgia, Baltimore, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., Kansas City, Missouri, Olympia, Washington, College Park, Maryland, and Asheville, North Carolina, are some of the other cities in various stages of reparations processes. The big prize for reparations, though, would be New York City. It not only has the largest Black population of any U.S. city, but it also has the most diverse, given its large pockets of Caribbean, Afro-Latino, and African residents. However, its diasporic diversity also makes New York among the most challenging places to execute reparations a large share of its Black population are immigrants who moved there long after slavery ended. The city will have to decide whether it will employ a narrowly tailored definition of reparations that redresses only those who can prove direct descendancy to enslaved victims, or if it will adopt a broader definition that captures Black residents with no direct connection to New York enslavement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But that decision is likely miles away, because the work has been stalled largely due to the failure of Mayor Eric Adams, the citys second Black mayor, to help move the citys reparations plans forward. (Adams ended his bid for a second term in September, after a poor showing in the polls.) The citys Commission on Racial Equity sued the mayor in August, saying he was refusing to comply with a mandate to release to the public a racial equity plan prepared by the commission. The commission is tasked with developing the reparations study in collaboration with the mayors office. But CORE Executive Director Linda Tigani said in her July testimony before the citys Commission to Strengthen Local Democracy that their work has been hampered by this inaction. Apart from betraying the thousands of New Yorkers who voted to embed racial equity goals into government operations and dismissing the vision of a just New York expressed by our community partners, this failure represents a disdain for the rule of law inconsistent with a healthy democracy, Tigani said. The Adams administration rebutted the allegations, with City Hall spokeswoman Liz Garcia saying the lawsuit is incredibly misguided, short-sighted, and jeopardizes the wellbeing of the vulnerable communities it claims to protect. How Trumps executive orders will impact reparations The biggest threat to New Yorks reparations efforts may come from the Trump administration, which has been on a rampage to destroy programs that beckon discomfiting racial histories and eliminate race-based policies. His administration has inflicted punitive measures against cities, states, and universities for implementing racial equity initiatives, making this one of the worst political climates for reparations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Two jurisdictions in North Carolina recently fell into the Trump administrations crosshairs for their reparations efforts. In September, the U.S. Justice Department warned Ashville and Buncombe County, North Carolina, that they could be investigated for carrying out their respective reparations programs, which address racial disparities in areas such as criminal justice, education, and housing. While Mayor Adams has been reluctant to buck Trump administration orders, Mamdani made Trump-proofing the city a cornerstone of his campaign. The pledge Mamdani signed created by the racial justice organization Get Free calls for the next mayor to champion policies that create real equality by rectifying historical discrimination and repairing ongoing inequalities. It also calls on mayoral candidates to use every tool at their disposal to fight off MAGA attacks on civil rights. Mamdani won 50.4% of the vote in the election, while former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who ran as an independent, received 41.6%, and Guardian Angels founder Curtis Sliwa, the Republican Party nominee, got 7.1%. Mamdani secured over 60% of the Black vote, while Cuomo got 35% and Sliwa had 3%. This story has been updated. The post Will Zohran Mamdani Make New York the First City to Confront Its Debt to Slavery? appeared first on Capital B News. Beverly Hills, Tx (FOX 44) A disagreement over responding to a text on a phone led to violence and threats and a 36-year-old man being arrested. Edward Dominique Trinidad was booked into the McLennan County Jail on multiple charges following the incident Thursday in the 4600 block of Memorial Drive in Beverly Hills. An arrest affidavit stated that officers had been called to that location in reference to an intoxicated male attempting to beat up his dad. When police arrived, they found Trinidad lying face down in the front yard with his hands behind his back. Police said he was compliant until the two victims came out of the house. The affidavit stated that as he was being placed in a patrol car he began yelling and stating Im going to kill you! Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In talking with the victims, officers were told that the mans father had been choked to the point of blacking out. The step dad told officers when he tried to free the other man he was pushed down and his arm was cut and a threat was made that he was going to kill him. Police were told that while the victim being strangled was thrown to the floor, he hit his head. Trinidad was taken to the McLennan County Jail on charges of assault of a family member impeding breath or circulation, assault against the elderly family violence and terroristic threat of family member. He remained in the jail 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 KWKT - FOX 44. Authorities arrested a 65-year-old man accused of posing as a lawyer and raping a woman who came to him seeking help with her immigration status. On Nov. 12, a woman reported that she had been sexually assaulted by Jose Bernal after she refused his advances and attempted to leave his office at 1203 E. 17th St. in Santa Ana, according to the Santa Ana Police Department. Bernal told the victim that his legal services would cost her $14,000 but that he'd offer a discount if she entered into a relationship with him, according to police. After the assault, he allegedly told her he'd pay her $400 not to report the incident to police. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Wednesday, nearly a year since the accuser filed a police report, police published a bulletin seeking the public's help in finding Bernal as part of their "Wanted Wednesday" series. The following morning, Bernal was arrested in Tustin after employees at a McDonalds recognized him from the social media post and notified law enforcement. There is no Jose Bernal listed as a licensed lawyer or paralegal with the State Bar of California or the California Alliance of Paralegal Assn.'s online directories. A tax preparation business called BMB Multiservices is listed at the address where the alleged assault took place. NBC4 spoke to a man who identified himself as Bernals brother and said that the business belongs to his sister and that Bernal had worked for it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Detectives believe there may be additional victims and are asking anyone with information to contact Det. M. Tapia at (714) 245-8379 or mtapia@santa-ana.org. 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. WASHINGTON HEIGHTS, Manhattan (PIX11) A former tenant is accused of robbing a 99-year-old Manhattan landlord, who died after suffering a stroke in the aftermath of the incident, authorities said. Domingo Vasquez Rodriguez, 39, was arrested Friday and charged with robbery, burglary, assault, and grand larceny in connection with the Sept. 22 incident, according to the Manhattan District Attorneys Office. More Local News Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jose Antonio Tur died on Oct. 8 after suffering a stroke after he was robbed at gunpoint at his building near West 187th Street and Audubon Avenue in Washington Heights on the morning of Sept. 22, according to police and sources. Vasquez Rodriguez used to live in the building and owed Tur more than $30,000 in late rent payments, prosecutors said. In August, Tur offered the defendant $8,000 to leave the apartment, and he moved to Pennsylvania. The defendant lured Tur to the side of the five-story building after he got a call about a package delivery at around 10 a.m. When Tur opened the door, Vasquez Rodriguez allegedly pushed him, and the two fought before Turs hand was crushed in the door, authorities said. Vasquez Rodrguez then allegedly held a gun to Turs back and told him to take him to the office in the buildings basement, where the victim kept rent payments. The defendant allegedly made off with $20,000 in cash that was in a cabinet, authorities said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police believed Vasquez Rodriguez was familiar with the building and knew where the cash would be. (He) knew exactly where the cabinet was, where the money was being kept, NYPD Chief of Detectives Joseph Kenny previously said. The landlord, who owned other buildings in the neighborhood, suffered two broken fingers and a cut on the hand and was taken to the hospital for treatment, police said. He died shortly after having a stroke. Mr. Tur was a pillar of his community and deeply loved by his family members. I offer all those mourning his death my sincere condolences, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Vasquez Rodriguez, a Philadelphia resident, ran off after the incident before driving back to Philadelphia, prosecutors said. The suspect was initially apprehended in the City of Brotherly Love on Sept. 27 after police got a tip about the case, police said. Authorities then extradited him to New York City. Vasquez Rodriguez was arraigned Friday in Manhattan Criminal Court. He pleaded not guilty to the charges. His attorney could not immediately be reached. Mira Wassef is a digital reporter who has covered news and sports in the NYC area for more than a decade. She has been with PIX11 News for two years. See more of her work here. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to PIX11. A man has been accused of removing sand from a Georgetown property and reselling it for over $200,000 without compensating the landowner. Todd Champlain, 41, of Middleton, was arrested on Friday, according to the Georgetown Police Department. Champlain faces two felony counts each for forgery of documents and uttering false writing and one felony count of larceny over $1,200 by false pretenses. Champlain had been operating a large commercial business under false pretenses at a property on North Street since before August, Georgetown police said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police launched an investigation into the North Street property after complaints came in to the department of heavy traffic and commercial activity over the summer. During that time, Champlain received seven traffic violations and was arrested on an unrelated warrant. Champlain has been accused of filing multiple documents with town officials that include a falsified signature of the North Street property owner. Champlain also sold more than $200,000 worth of sand taken from the property without reimbursing the owner and stole an additional $30,000 from them, police said. He is expected to be arraigned in Salem District Court on Friday. Georgetown Police Chief David Sedgwick thanked partnering police departments in Danvers and Middleton for their help in the case, along with the Essex County Sheriffs Office. More local crime stories Read the original article on MassLive. Add MassLive as a Preferred Source by clicking here. A man has pleaded guilty in connection to a shooting that killed his father. [DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Frederick Dane Muenchau-Peterson, 23, pleaded guilty to aggravated murder, according to the Greene County Prosecutors Office. TRENDING STORIES: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The shooting happened in the 1200 block of Livermore Street around 11 p.m. on Jan. 10. A woman called Yellow Springs police to ask them to check the welfare of her husband. She told police she was out of town and was going through her cellphone activations from the camera system at the home. The woman saw Muenchau-Peterson, who is her stepson, walk up to the porch and fire several shots into the window of the home, court documents state. She immediately tried calling her husband but could not reach him. Officers arrived at the home and saw a body lying on the floor, the person was declared dead. Court documents show that Muenchau-Peterson was pulled over by Fairborn police shortly after the shooting. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He agreed to talk to agents with the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigations and both identified himself as the shooter and told them this was one of the worse things he has done. The Greene County Prosecutors Office did not formally identify the victim as Muenchau-Petersons father. However, an obituary for Frederick Peterson states he died on Jan. 10 Muenchau-Peterson will be sentenced at a later date, prosecutors said they are recommending a sentence of life without parole. [SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] NEED TO KNOW Cecil McCrary is charged with murder after police say he admitted to killing his girlfriend, Tange Davis Davis, 45, of Mableton, Ga., had first been reported missing by her son Police said McCrary killed Davis while on pre-trial release for assault and kidnapping charges The remains of a missing Georgia woman were discovered after her boyfriend allegedly confessed to killing her, according to police. The Cobb County Police Department initially responded to a missing person report on Oct. 11, according to a news release, which states the victim's son told officers he hadn't seen his mother in two days. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police later found a car belonging to the victim, Tange Davis, 45, in the parking lot of a grocery store in Mableton, Ga. Davis' boyfriend, Cecil McCrary, 56, initially told police that he had last seen her at his home and provided security footage of her leaving the property. Three days after the initial report, the department then posted an alert on social media seeking the public's assistance. Later that evening, Cobb County police said McCrary was taken into custody and interviewed by detectives. The department alleged that McCrary subsequently admitted to killing Davis and burying her body in Atlanta. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Prior to Davis' death, police alleged they had responded to multiple domestic violence incidents between McCrary and the victim, per the release. McCrary was free on pre-trial release for charges of kidnapping and aggravated assault at the time Davis went missing. 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. This loss devastates all of us, Cobb County police chief Dan Ferrell said in a statement. Our hearts are with her family, and we are reminded that behind every statistic is a person, a mother, a friend, a colleague whose life mattered. We remain committed to protecting those at risk to prevent tragedies like this from happening again. Cobb County jail records indicate that McCrary is now charged with murder in commission of a felony, aggravated assault by strangulation, concealing the death of another and two counts of theft, in addition to the previous charges he was also facing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It is not immediately clear if McCrary has entered a plea or retained an attorney who can speak on his behalf. 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. Read the original article on People ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. A man pleaded guilty this week in connection with a St. Louis County hit-and-run crash that nearly paralyzed a motorcyclist, prosecutors say. Tyreece Staten, 36, pleaded guilty Thursday to one felony count of leaving the scene of a accident that caused injury. Investigators say, on April 24, 2024, Staten struck a motorcyclist while driving near the intersection of Woodson and Richard avenues, then fled from the scene. The motorcyclist suffered multiple broken bones and was nearly paralyzed, according to the St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorneys Office. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rare disease causing meat allergy sees explosive rise across US: study On Thursday, Staten also pleaded guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm in a separate criminal case after Overland police detained him January 2025 with a handgun. Staten had a prior felony conviction in 2009 and was prohibited from owning a firearm. Two thorough police investigations and careful preparation by our trial team enabled these guilty pleas, which will keep a dangerous felon and reckless driver off our streets, said St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Melissa Price Smith via a news release Friday. We acknowledge the bravery of this victim and wish him continued physical and emotional recovery. Staten pleaded guilty as part of plea negotiations with St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorneys Office. Prosecutors have recommended sentences sentences of 14 years for both charges. Staten is scheduled for a sentencing in both cases next Thursday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 2. WEST JORDAN, Utah (ABC4) A Salt Lake County man was arrested tonight after he allegedly led police on a chase through multiple areas. 41-year-old Joshua Kunz allegedly rammed into a Salt Lake City Police Department (SLCPD) vehicle on the evening of October 29, 2025, and then fled the scene. According to Sergeant Aymee Race with the Unified Police Department (UPD), officers with the UPD spotted Kunz in a vehicle and attempted to stop him in the area of 8200 South State Street around 9:05 p.m. tonight. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Utah man charged with 19 felonies after alleged relationship with 15-year-old Sergeant Race stated that Kunz is a fugitive from the Adult Probation and Parole division and officers decided to detain him due to his threat to the public. Kunz allegedly took off again and led police on a chase through Midvale and Sandy. He made it to Midvalley Drive in West Jordan, before losing control of his vehicle. Notably, there was a power outage in the same area, though it was reportedly unrelated to the chase. In another attempt to flee the scene, Kunz rammed into several parked cars. Fortunately, nobody was injured and law enforcement was able to take him into custody around 9:15 p.m. tonight. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Officer with the Unified Police Department, Department of Public Safety, and West Jordan Police Department all assisted in locating and detaining Kunz. Kunz will be booked into jail and is reportedly facing several charges, though UPD has not yet confirmed what those charges will be. Latest headlines: Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC4 Utah. HARRODSBURG, Ky. (FOX 56) A Harrodsburg man was arrested on Oct. 22 after an undercover investigation in September. According to an arrest citation, Harrodsburg police reached out to 53-year-old Hector Carrizales-Diaz posing as a 15-year-old girl on Sept. 25. LATEST KENTUCKY NEWS: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Carrizales-Diaz allegedly offered to support the AI-generated girl financially and wanted to meet for a date. On Oct. 22, the officer and Carrizales-Diaz agreed to meet at the park, according to the citation. The officer said they performed a traffic stop and allegedly found coca (cocaine) leaves and $1,582. The officer reported that they felt the cash was to financially support the decoy, and Carrizales-Diaz allegedly said the coca leaves were for his tea. Carrizales-Diaz allegedly pretended not to understand English after being taken into custody, even though he sent videos using English, according to the citation. LATEST KENTUCKY LISTS AND RANKINGS: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The officer said Carrizales-Diaz provided police with a Mexican identification when he was arrested. Carrizales-Diaz was charged with human traffickingcommercial sexual activity (victim less than 18), procuring or promoting the use of a minor, no drivers license, and first-degree first-offense possession of a controlled substance (cocaine). He entered a not guilty plea on Monday and is being held in the Jessamine County Detention Center on a $100,000 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 FOX 56 News. GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) A man has been charged with murder after a woman was killed in a rollover crash on US-131 in Wyoming on Christmas Eve 2023. Fernando Ocampo-Aguilar, 28, was arraigned Friday on charges of second-degree murder; operating while intoxicated causing death; operating on a suspended, revoked or denied license causing death and third-offense OWI. Man faces murder charge in Christmas Eve 2023 rollover crash Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The crash happened around 3 a.m. Dec. 24, 2023, on southbound US-131 near 54th Street. At the time, police said two people were thrown from a car when it rolled over. One of them, 24-year-old Kathy Lee Hernandez of South Haven, died at the scene. The other was hospitalized with serious injuries. Court records show charges charges were filed Sept. 23. Prosecutor Chris Becker said he was informed Oct. 14 that the suspect had been arrested on the warrant; MSP told News 8 he was arrested in Fennville by the Fifth District Fugitive Team. Becker told reporters that Michigan State Polices investigation was took time, in part, because it included the testing of DNA from the scene. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WOODTV.com. AUSTIN (KXAN) A man was sentenced Wednesday after a jury convicted him on two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon related to a June 2022 incident on a CapMetro bus. The jury found a hate crime allegation related to the assault true, according to the Travis County District Attorneys Office. The DAs office said the jury believed 35-year-old George Johnson intentionally selected the victim because of his bias against a group identified by sexual preference. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement PAST COVERAGE | Anonymous tip led police to man accused of aggravated assault on Austin bus Johnson was sentenced to serve five years in prison for each count. The sentences are expected to be served concurrently. Surveillance video from the bus was presented as evidence at Johnsons trial. In the video, he was seen approaching the victim randomly with a box cutter in his hand before slapping him in the face while making derogatory and homophobic comments at the victim. The Travis County District Attorneys office does not tolerate acts of hate in our community, takes hate crimes seriously, and is committed to holding people who commit these crimes accountable, said Travis County District Attorney Jose Garza. Our office is grateful to our dedicated staff and law enforcement partners who worked tirelessly to hold the defendant accountable and seek justice for the victim. We hope this verdict continues to help the victim with their healing journey. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin. TOPEKA (KSNT) A man was convicted of first degree murder related to a 2022 case that occurred underneath an I-70 bridge. District Attorney Mike Kagay announced on Oct. 31st that Cody Michael Degand, 29, was found guilty for the murder of John Grubb JR, 63, at the time of death. Degand will remain in the custody of the Shawnee County Department of Corrections, without bond, pending sentencing. There is currently no sentencing date. K-State Horticulture on how to garden through the winter Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Sept. 30, 2022, the Topeka Police Department found a body under the Polk-Quincy Viaduct in the area of the 200 block of southeast Quincy after 8 a.m. By Oct. 6 of 2022, Degand had been arrested. 27 News will continue to follow the story as it develops. 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. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSNT 27 News. A Spanish jury on Thursday found a Pakistani man guilty of murdering three siblings in their 70s over debts reportedly linked to an online romance scam. In Spain, a jury's guilty verdict is followed by a judge's sentencing, typically announced days or weeks later. Public prosecutors are seeking a 36-year prison term for Dilawar Hussain, who admitted to killing two sisters and their disabled brother in Morata de Tajuna, near Madrid, in December 2023. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hussain has been held in custody since he turned himself in the following month, after police found the siblings' partially burned bodies inside their home. The siblings had been beaten to death, possibly with an iron bar, officials said. The civil guard stated that the motive of the crime appeared to be a debt the siblings had with the suspect, linked to the sisters' apparent involvement in an online scam, BBC News reported. Neighbors told Spanish media that two sisters believed they were in long-distance relationships with two apparent U.S. servicemen. They were led to believe one of the servicemen had died and that the other needed money to cover costs so he could send them a share of a multi-million-euro inheritance causing the sisters to rack up significant debts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hussain, who rented a room in the siblings' house, reportedly lent the sisters at least $58,000, which they never repaid, prompting him to attack one of the sisters with a hammer in February 2023. He received a two-year prison sentence for the attack, but it was suspended because it was his first offense, as is customary under Spanish law. During his testimony on Tuesday at his Madrid trial for the siblings' murders, Hussain asked for forgiveness and said he "heard voices." "I was not in my right mind," he said, according to Spanish media reports. Enrique Velilla, a local man who was a friend of the victims, said that the women's insistence on sending money to their supposed boyfriends had caused them to sell a property they owned in Madrid, BBC News reported. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We told them that it was all a lie, that it was a scam," he said. "But they didn't want to hear the word 'scam'." Natalia Checa, the lawyer for Dilawar Hussain, speaks to the media at the Arganda del Rey Courts, on January 24, 2024 in Arganda del Rey, Madrid, Spain. / Credit: Mateo Lanzuela/Europa Press via Getty Images Hussain faces a separate trial for allegedly murdering his 39-year-old Bulgarian cellmate in February 2024 while in a Madrid prison awaiting trial for the siblings' deaths. Romance scammers drain billions of dollars from people seeking love, and their tactics have evolved in sinister ways in the online age. More than 64,000 Americans were taken for over $1 billion in romance scams in 2023 double the $500 million just four years earlier, according to the Federal Trade Commission. About half of the people who use dating sites say they've come across somebody who's tried to scam them, according to Rep. Brittany Pettersen, a Colorado Democrat who says tech platforms need to do a better job of protecting their users. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "No matter how advanced you think your ability to understand what's out there, they're gonna deceive so many people and we really have to get in front of this," Republican Rep. David Valadao of California told CBS News in 2024. House lawmakers told their paychecks are delayed until government reopens What to expect from Trump meeting with Xi Jinping Video shows massive damage in Jamaica from Hurricane Melissa NEW YORK (AP) Two people died in flooded New York City basements Thursday during a rainstorm that shut down roadways and caused airport delays, authorities said. A scuba team recovered the body of a 39-year-old man after firefighters received a call of a person trapped in the flooded basement of a three-story townhouse in Brooklyn at about 4:30 p.m., police said. A video posted online showed firefighters carrying the victim away through calf-deep water on the street. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Manhattan, a 43-year-old man was found dead inside the flooded basement boiler room of an apartment building, police said. The cause of death was under investigation. Some spots around the city saw record rainfall. Preliminary reports showed 1.8 inch (4.57 centimeters) of rain fell in Central Park on Thursday, which would surpass the record of 1.64 inches (4.17 centimeters) set for the park in 1917, the National Weather Service said. LaGuardia Airport recorded 1.97 inch (5 centimeters) of rain, which would break the 1955 record of 1.18 inches (3 centimeters) for that airport. New York saw hours of rainfall of varying intensity Thursday leading into the evening commute. Photos and video on social media showed water rising to the bumpers of cars and pouring into subway stations. When you look at the amount of water that was coming down, our sewer systems are just not built to handle that. It was a steady rain, throughout, Mayor Eric Adams told radio station 1010 WINS. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Street flooding was highly localized, turning some intersections with clogged drains into pools deep enough to float cars, while leaving the next blocks with only modest puddles. Falling tree limbs damaged vehicles in some neighborhoods. Authorities didn't immediately release the names of the two men who died. The man who died in Brooklyn had entered the flooded basement of his building while trying to rescue one of his dogs, a neighbor, Renee Phillips, told The New York Times. The hazards that flash flooding can pose to residents of the citys thousands of basement apartments came into sharp relief in 2021, when heavy rainfall killed 11 people in such dwellings. A man in the United Kingdom has been found guilty of illegally dumping roof sheets containing high levels of asbestos, per the Bucks Free Press. Gurpreet Singh Chatha, 46, from Hayes admitted to "fly-tipping" waste when he appeared before High Wycombe Magistrates' Court. The court was told that corrugated roof sheets containing asbestos were left along the Buckinghamshire stretch of the A412 Uxbridge Road on March 22 after Chatha's wife had asked him to dispose of them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Supposedly, he had first taken the waste to his home address but decided to illegally dispose of it after his wife reprimanded him for doing so. Chatha was fined 923 English pounds ($1,228) and ordered to pay full costs of 2,927 pounds ($3,895). A further 363-pound surcharge ($483) left him being required to pay 4,219 pounds in total ($5,615) "Fly-tipping will not be tolerated in Buckinghamshire," said Carl Jackson, the county's council cabinet member for environment, climate change and waste, per the Bucks Free Press. "To dump any sort of waste, let alone toxic materials like those dumped in this case, is a reckless and selfish act. I am pleased the court has imposed a hefty fine as punishment for this criminal action," Jackson continued. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fly-tipping, the British term for illegal dumping, is considered a serious crime in the United Kingdom. Depending on the volume of trash dumped, the consequences can vary from a simple fine to prison time, as in one recent case in Birmingham. Illegal dumping can not only pose a danger to the environment by contaminating local water supplies and potentially endangering wildlife that may accidentally consume or become entangled in piles of trash, but it is also unsightly. It can reduce the curb appeal of neighborhoods. Dumping waste with asbestos is particularly dangerous because the material is carcinogenic and challenging to clean up despite the worrisome reversal of position on this substance by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Holding city officials accountable for charging individuals who participate in illegal dumping is an important step toward ensuring your local environment stays clean and safe for everyone. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Taking action to clean up any trash you see or calling local authorities will help make a big difference. 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. MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. (DC News Now) On Thursday, a jury found a man guilty of second-degree murder for killing an American University professor in 2010. The Montgomery County States Attorneys Office (SAO) said in a news release that 55-year-old Jorge Rueda Landeros of Juarez, Mexico, is guilty of second-degree murder in the Oct. 25, 2010, murder of 52-year-old Sue Ann Marcum. The SAO said that Marcum was found in her home on Massachusetts Avenue in Bethesda. Her cause of death was ruled to be blunt force trauma and asphyxiation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Trial begins for man accused of murdering American University professor 15 years ago Investigators said that Rueda Landeros was her Spanish and yoga teacher. The SAO said that the pair developed a personal and financial relationship, making investments with Marcums money. According to the SAO, Rueda Landeros gained over $250,000 from Marcum, while she lost over $310,000. Investigators determined that Rueda Landeros was a suspect in April of 2011 and learned that he had left the country and gone to Mexico. In Dec. 2022, officials executed a joint operation with the Department of Justice, Legat, Mexico Task Force (Criminal Investigative Agency (AIC) and Jalisco State Police to take Rueda Landeros into custody. The FBIs Baltimore Field Office then extradited him after coordinating with Mexican authorities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to DC News Now | DC, Virginia, Maryland News, Weather, Traffic, Sports Live. PANAMA CITY A man was found guilty of manslaughter after selling a Panama City Beach teenager the fentanyl that killed him. Elijah Tee McLeroy, 24, from Jackson County was found guilty Oct. 29 and sentenced to 20 years in prison for the second-degree felony of manslaughter and a violation of probation charge. McLeroy attended a party on the beach under the Russel-Fields Pier the night of July 21, 2022. During the party, court documents say that he was selling narcotics out of a fanny pack he was wearing. The teenager purchased two blue pills from McLeroy, which were marketed as Percocet. Court documents say he didnt take the pills at the party and later went back to his home. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He was found dead in his bed by his mother the next morning. While investigating the scene, authorities found a small, round, blue pill near his body. The pill had an M surrounded by a square on one side and a 30 on the other side. Authorities determined it to be oxycodone hydrochloride, also known as Percocet. Nearby was a rolled-up dollar bill and what was left of the second pill, suggesting that he had crushed and snorted it. Witnesses told authorities that they watched McLeroy sell the pills to the teenager and that they had also purchased pills from McLeroy that night. Photos of the pills they purchased were provided to investigators, and they were found to be identical to the pill found in the teens room. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A release from the State Attorneys Office says that one of the 16-year-old's friends, who took the same pills, overdosed and survived after going to the hospital. Another one of his friends became ill. When the Florida Department of Law Enforcement tested the pill found in the teens room, it was found to contain fentanyl, parafluorofentanyl (a potent synthetic opioid and fentanyl analog) and xylazine (a veterinary tranquilizer). An autopsy revealed the teen to have fatal levels of fentanyl in his system, and his cause of death was ruled to be caused by fentanyl and fluorofentanyl toxicity. Photos collected by investigators connecting McLeroy to the fentanyl that killed a 16 year old in Panama City Beach. The 16-year-old and his friends found McLeroy through Snapchat. McLeroy had posted shop open during the beach party under his account Enokthegoat2. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After the teens death, his friends warned dozens in a group chat not to buy drugs from McLeroy. They posted screenshots that included $120 payment for 6 of the pills that night, a picture of McLeroy, a picture of the pills, and a video of them flushing the remaining pills down the toilet, according to the release. I want you to know the impact of what youve done, the victims mother wrote to McElroy in a statement read before sentencing. ... You took my future, my peace, and a part of my soul. You didnt just end one life you shattered so many others. Our family will never be the same, she said. The pain and emptiness you caused will last for the rest of my life. The Florida Department of Health tracks fatal opioid overdoses, although the data lags. The last full calendar year of data for Bay County comes from 2023 and shows 44 opioid deaths. This is down from a 2021 spike of 71 deaths, but still tracks above the state average. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When FDOH started aggregating this data in 2015, there were 21 fatal opioid overdoses in Bay County. This article originally appeared on The News Herald: Man guilty of selling Panama City Beach teen a fatal dose of fentanyl BRYAN, Texas (FOX 44) A 47-year-old man has been sentenced to 40 years in prison in connection with a Bryan shooting. The Brazos County District Attorneys Office says Jason Franklin was convicted of Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon by a Brazos County jury on Wednesday. Following this conviction, Judge David Hilburn sentenced Franklin to 40 years in prison. A victim originally spoke with 9-1-1 dispatch on May 20, 2022, who reported Franklin shot him with a gun. The Bryan Police Department responded to Poplar Circle, where they found the victim and discovered a gunshot wound to the victims upper shoulder, near the neck. The victim was immediately escorted to paramedics and taken to a local hospital. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The D.A.s Office says law enforcement established a perimeter around the apartment where the shooting occurred. Franklin exited the residence when Bryan PDs SWAT Team arrived and initiated contact. SWAT officers were able to detain Franklin and clear the apartment. During the investigation, detectives interviewed eyewitnesses to the shooting and executed a search warrant for the apartment. They found a 9mm handgun and a spent 9mm shell casing inside. They also discovered the hole where the bullet struck the wall after piercing the victims shoulder. According to the D.A.s Office, Franklin was placed under arrest. A test confirmed the presence of gunshot residue on his hands. During the punishment phase of the trial, the judge heard evidence that Franklin was a convicted felon with a lengthy criminal history. He was convicted of assaulting a public servant in 1999 by throwing a piece of concrete through the windshield of a police vehicle. The officers eye was severely damaged. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The D.A.s Office says Franklin was convicted in 2009 of Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon for stabbing a victim with a knife. The punishment range for this offense was 25 years to life in prison. 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 KWKT - FOX 44. Convicted kidnapper Thomas Prichard Jr. was sentenced to 22 years in prison this week for the March 2023 kidnapping of two children in Zanesville, Ohio. The sentence includes an additional year for a separate stolen vehicle case where no children were involved. The arrest came thanks to the quick actions of Dougie Decosta, a local father and tattoo artist, who spotted the stolen vehicle while getting gas at a Circle K. Cop says, Whats your exact location? I said, Im at pump four at Circle K, Decosta recalled. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement PREVIOUS COVERAGE >>> Hes a real-life hero: Man spots Amber Alert suspect with children in car, helps police find him Decosta noticed the man driving the vehicle was acting strangely and refused to let him get away. Police later confirmed the car had been stolen from outside a dance company, where a mother had left her car running while dropping off her daughter. A baby and a toddler were in the back seat. He jumped on the wrong side of the road on the sidewalk and went, Decosta said. Prichard drove for more than an hour and a half into Washington County before police caught up. Thanks to Decostas persistence on the phone with authorities and never letting the car out of sight, the children were rescued safely. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement His sentence was nice and stiff. They made an example out of him, Decosta said Since the rescue, Decosta has stayed in touch with the Ohio family. Theyre a great family, he said. We went kayaking together, camping. It was fun. We brought our kids down, and they had a blast. Today, the toddler, Isaac, is happy, healthy and grateful for the man who helped save his life. It feels really good, honestly, Decosta said. I never imagined Id be a hero. I still dont consider myself one Im a dad. I just did what any dad, or any mom, would do." Isaac even keeps a ring Decosta gave him that night by his bedside, a small token to remember his hero. Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW NEED TO KNOW Evin Paolos was found dead in 2017 after a friend allegedly stabbed him to death The case went cold for eight years Then, a Good Samaritan in Mexico alerted the family that they knew where the suspect was, police said A tip that led to an arrest in an cold case from eight years ago came from the unlikeliest of places: a GoFundMe page. In 2017, Evin Paulos, 25, died after he was allegedly stabbed by his friend, Michael Anthony Arredondo, now 34, during an argument when they were traveling in a car together, the Phoenix Police Department said, according to AZ Family, Fox 10 and Action News 5. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The two were arguing inside a car and then got out of the car, where the fight escalated, police said. Arredondo allegedly stabbed Paulos 30 times before fleeing the scene and then vanishing altogether, police said. Paulos was found dead on June 3, 2017. We learned shortly after the incident occurred that he fled to California, Det. Dominick Roestenberg said about Arredondo at a press conference posted on Facebook on Monday, Oct. 20. He spent a short time there and eventually fled to Mexico. The case went cold until now. On Oct. 16, Phoenix police announced in a media advisory that Arredondo had been arrested in Mexico on Sept. 25 and extradited to San Diego. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Phoenix police detectives traveled to San Diego on Sept. 26 and interviewed Arredondo, who allegedly confessed to killing Paulos, according to the advisory. He was extradited to Phoenix on Oct. 15, the advisory states. After eight long years, a family is a step closer toward justice, the department said in the post on Facebook. In 2017, Evin Paulos life was tragically taken, leaving his family with heartbreak and unanswered questions. But thanks to the relentless work of Phoenix PD detectives, the United States Marshals Service and the Maricopa County Attorney's Office, the suspect was finally located and brought back to the U.S. to face charges. 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. Authorities were able to track exactly where Arredondo was after a stranger who lives in Mexico left a message about his whereabouts on a GoFundMe page the family had set up to honor Paolos after his death, per the outlets. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Paulos sister, Eviein Paulos, said in the press conference that she wanted confirmation from the Mexican citizen who said he knew where Arredondo was. I told him, Please, I dont know if this is a scam or not. Can you send me some kind of evidence, send me a picture? Eviein Paulos said. And it was him [Arredondo]. He was just living life for eight years. Phoenix police said they never gave up looking for Paulos' suspected killer. I think it sends a strong message to the community that even with the passage of time, were still looking for you, were still hunting you down, Roestenberg said. Justice is going to take its course." Arredondo is charged with first-degree and second-degree murder. He is being held on a $1.5 million bond. PEOPLE was not able to reach an attorney for him. Read the original article on People SPARTANBURG COUNTY, S.C. (WSPA) The Spartanburg Police Department is asking for help in locating a man wanted in connection to a shooting. Officers are looking for Akeem Alfonzo Hackett Sr. On October 29, officers were called out to Crescent Hills Apartments on Crescent Avenue regarding reports of gunfire. Witnesses said a fight involving several individuals broke out in the parking lot. During the dispute, a man later identified as Hackett Sr., allegedly grabbed a handgun from another person and fire multiple rounds, striking a vehicle. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement No injuries were reported, and multiple vehicles were damaged by gunfire. Officers arrested and charged 17-year-old Akeem Alfonzo Hackett Jr., Hackett Sr.s son, due to his participation in the incident. Hackett Jr. was charged with attempted murder and possession of a weapon during a violent crime. Hackett Jr. remains in custody at the Spartanburg County Detention Center. Officers said Hackett Sr. remains at large and is considered armed and dangerous. Officials asks that anyone with information to contact the Spartanburg Police Department at 864-596-2065. The investigation remains ongoing by the Spartanburg Police Department. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WSPA 7NEWS. NEED TO KNOW Tyler Baglini, 32, went to a Massachusetts hospital in Sept. 2024 saying a serial killer had murdered his girlfriend, Kerri Fidalgo, 31 He said the serial killer was after him, too Fidalgo was stabbed 14 times, say authorities On Sept. 20, 2024, a Massachusetts man staggered into the emergency room of a local hospital, holding a bloody knife in his hand and claiming that a serial killer had stabbed his girlfriend. The man, Tyler Baglini, 32, said the serial killer was after him, too. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Officers rushed to the New Bedford apartment of Kerri Fidalgo, where they found her in the basement suffering from multiple stab wounds, ABC6, The Herald News and WPRI report. Fidalgo had been stabbed 14 times in the neck, head and torso and had defensive wounds on her hands, The Herald News reports. She was rushed to St. Lukes Hospital in New Bedford where she was pronounced dead. But there was no serial killer after all. Now, Baglini himself has admitted to killing her. On Tuesday, Oct. 28, Baglini pleaded guilty in Fall River Superior Court to second-degree murder in connection with Fidalgo's death, ABC6, The Herald News and WPRI report. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole after 25 years. The day before the violent murder, Fidalgo and Baglini had extensive text message conversations about Baglinis mental health, court documents obtained by WPRI show. Prosecutors said Baglini seemed paranoid in the exchanges, prompting Fidalgo to tell him to go to the hospital. In her final text to Baglini at 9:57 a.m. the morning before the murder, Fidalgo wrote, Tyler, we can talk later. After you get checked out. You need help. You need to get better. Youre having an episode and youre paranoid. Everything will be okay, but you need help. I love you. I care about you. Please. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Baglini wrote back: Goodbye, I really loved you and I forgive you. Time to go to hell; you were the best thing that ever happened to me. Later in the day, Baglini called Fidalgo to let her know he was checking into the hospital, but did not, prosecutors said, ABC6 reports. 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. Instead, he went back to Fidalgos apartment building, where he killed her, prosecutors said. I was so proud of the woman she was becoming, Fidalgos mother, Melissa Fidalgo, said in court, The Herald News reports. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While she looked forward to many happy times with her daughter, she said instead, I found myself planning her funeral. Fidalgo worked in the probation department at New Bedford District Court the same court where her murder trial was held, WPRI reports. She also worked with her father as a caretaker at a residential management company, according to the outlet. She lived with her family and sisters. Baglinis attorney did not immediately respond to PEOPLEs request for comment. Read the original article on People NEED TO KNOW Human remains found nearly a year ago have been identified as a man who disappeared in September 2023, according to authorities The individual whose remains were found has been identified as 58-year-old Willard Daspit, Jr., who was last seen in September On the day he disapperaed, Daspits motorcycle and glasses were found in a wreck about 100 yards from his home Authorities in Louisiana say human remains found in a wooded area nearly a year ago have been identified as a man who disappeared in 2023. Sheriff Becket Breaux said the remains were discovered in a wooded area off of Banker Road in St. Martinville, La., on the evening of Dec. 29, 2024, according to a news release from the St. Martin Parish Sheriff's Office. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The remains were then sent to Louisiana State Universitys Faces Laboratory to determine the identity of the individual, officials said. During the last week of October 2025, investigators with the St. Martin Parish Sheriffs Office learned that the remains were identified as missing Coteau Holmes man, Willard Daspit, Jr. Authorities said Daspit was last seen by family members on Sept. 10, 2023. Daspit was last seen by family members on Sept. 10, 2023, and was reported missing the following day. The man was 58 years old when he disappeared, according to a bulletin shared by Texas EquuSearch Search and Recovery. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Authorities said an extensive search was conducted following his disappearance, but he was not found for more than a year. Deputies previously said Daspits motorcycle and glasses were found in a wreck about 100 yards from his home that same day he vanished, according to NBC affiliate KPLC-TV. 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 cause of Daspits death has not yet been determined. The sheriff's office said an investigation is ongoing. Read the original article on People Through the holidays, the regions calendar is stacked with specialty holiday marketplace events in a range of styles. One thing they have in common? They arent Amazon. People are looking for unique gifts to give, said Rachael Fronduti, marketing manager of the Scranton Cultural Center at the Masonic Temple. Several sites for the marketplace events, such as the Scranton Cultural Center, are historic. In what may be the last of a venerable tradition, the 35th Arts at Hayfield Homespun Holiday Craft Show is Sunday at the Wilkes-Barre campus of Penn State, which is in Dallas. Janis Winter, chairperson of the show, said Penn State is charging the show higher fees. The campus is also set to close within a few years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More than 100 crafters are registered, including sellers of holiday decor, gifts and treats. The show is from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., with a suggested donation of $3 for admission and free admission for ages 18 and under and Penn State students. For information, see artsathayfield.org or visit Facebook. The Lackawanna Winter Market on Dec. 2, 2023 at Courthouse Square in Scranton. (Jim Lockwood/Staff Photo) Winter hopes the winter and summer craft marketplaces can continue, perhaps in another location. The 13th annual Buy Local Holiday Marketplace at the Scranton Cultural Center at the Masonic Temple is Nov. 30. More than 95 vendors selling mostly artisanal items such as art, jewelry and pet items will be there. Regional wineries will also be there. A bonus: Its a chance to explore five floors of the historic Masonic Temple building at 420 N. Washington Ave. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We obviously consider ourselves a local small business and it is really important for us to give other local small businesses an opportunity and support the community in that way, Fronduti said. The hours are 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is $5. The event raises money for the Cultural Center. Many holiday marketplaces are free, including one of the biggest, the Lackawanna Winter Market outdoors on Courthouse Square in Scranton on Dec. 5-7. Heres a list of some other upcoming markets: More in Lackawanna County There are a pair of two-day markets in Lackawanna County on Nov. 8-9: the Scranton Prep Galleria, Scranton; and the Abington Community Librarys 16th annual Dorothy Boccella Holiday Marketplace in Clarks Summit. There are details about both on Facebook. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A holiday edition of the Scranton Public Market, in the Marketplace at Steamtown, Scranton, is Nov. 22. Thats the same day as the Santa Parade. It is advertised as family friendly and will feature live music and around 30 vendors. The Public Markets website is scrantonpublicmarket.com. The Waverly Community House will hold its juried Artisans Marketplace on Nov. 22-23, with about 40 vendors. Baileys Cafe will serve lunch. See waverlycomm.org/annual-events/the-artisans-marketplace. The Olyphant Kris Kringle Market and Parade are Dec. 6, with food trucks and childrens activities. The Holiday Punk Rock Flea Market returns Dec. 13 at St. Marys Center, Scranton. The organizers Facebook announcement says the event will include loud tunes, good food, and the kind of chaos that makes Scranton feel alive. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lace Village holds its second holiday marketplace Dec. 14. Fire pits will warm the outdoor event at the restored historic factory complex in Scranton. More than 50 vendors are signed up. See lacevillage.com. Luzerne County The Winter Market at the Friedman Jewish Community Center, Kingston, is Nov. 15. Offerings will include handmade crafts, jewelry, candles and home decor. See friedmanjcc.org. In Wilkes-Barre, the holiday market in The Bank, 8 W. Market St., is Nov. 29. That is Small Business Saturday, a nationwide promotion scheduled for the weekend after Thanksgiving, so expect shopping specials in many places. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Hazleton, the Wassailfest & Downtown Holiday Night Market returns Dec. 5, from 4:30 to 8 p.m. in CAN DO Park. Its a big event with a tree lighting. Information is at hazletonfortheholidays.com. Pottsville On Nov. 29, the Pottsville Free Public Library celebrates Small Business Saturday with an indoor holiday market. The Schuylkill County Council for the Arts holds its 17th annual Christkindlmarkt on Dec. 6-7. It is held at the Historic Yuengling Mansion and aids preservation of the building. The councils website is schuylkillartscouncil.org. 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. The commanding officer, executive officer, and senior enlisted leader of a Marine Corps MV-22B Osprey squadron based in Hawaii have all been fired, a Marine Corps spokesperson confirmed on Friday. Stars and Stripes first reported Maj. Gen. Marcus Annibale, commander of the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, had fired the entire leadership team of Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 268 stationed at Marine Corps Base Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii. Lt. Col. Shaina M. Hennessey, the squadrons former commander, was relieved due to loss of trust and confidence in her ability to uphold the safety and readiness standards expected in Marine Corps Aviation, the Marine Corps spokesperson told Task & Purpose on Friday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The squadrons former senior enlisted leader Sgt. Maj. Jamie Lampley and the units executive officer were also relieved, the spokesperson said in a statement that did not include the executive officers name. No further information was available about why the units executive officer and sergeant major were relieved. Top Stories This Week News Female drill sergeants will soon wear the Armys iconic campaign hat By Jeff Schogol News Airman found dead at F.E. Warren was under investigation for M18 incident By Matt White News Hegseth wont meet troops with beards during South Korea trip By Jeff Schogol The spokesperson deferred questions about the executive officers identity to III Marine Expeditionary Force, which is based in Okinawa. We hold ourselves to the highest standards of performance, addressing challenges head-on to uphold operational excellence, the spokesperson said. We are committed to implementing best practices and policies that ensure a strong coupling of well-prepared pilots and crews with safe, mission-ready aircraft. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The military branches rarely provide the specific reasons why officers and senior enlisted leaders have been relieved. Instead, they routinely use the euphemism loss of confidence when announcing firings. The phrase typically refers to a variety of misdeeds ranging from leadership failings to off-duty misconduct, such as being arrested for drunken driving. Hennessey assumed command of Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 268 in December, according to an archived copy of her official biography, which is no longer available on the units website. She was commissioned through the Platoon Leaders Course in 2007 and became a naval aviator in February 2011. Her military awards include the Air Medal Strike/Flight numeral 1, Meritorious Service Medal (gold star in lieu of a second award) and the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (gold star in lieu of a second award). Lampley joined the Marines in 2000 and went on to deploy to Iraq, Djibouti, and Pakistan, according to his archived biography. He has also served as a Marine Security Guard at embassies in Algeria, Turkey, Indonesia, Albania, and Israel. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement His military awards include the Meritorious Service Medal, the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with one gold star in lieu of a second award, and the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal with three gold stars in lieu of a fourth award. Lt. Col. John J. Campbell and Sgt. Maj. Joshua J. Henderson are now serving as the squadrons commanding officer and senior enlisted leader, respectively, the Marine Corps spokesperson said. Both Campbell and Henderson are listed as the units leaders on Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 268s website. As of Friday morning, the website did not include a biography or picture for the squadrons executive officer. The Marine Corps is dialing back its vision for shallow-water littoral regiments, but greenlighting a new unit with special high-speed boats as it continues to develop a Pacific-focused future force. Thats according to an update to the Corps Force Design 2030, published earlier in October. The 24-page document the first Force Design update in two years cites a continuous Campaign of Learning thats helping the service make fielding decisions faster and alter course as needed. We are modernizing at a time when the character of war is shifting rapidly, Commandant Gen. Eric Smith wrote in a preface to the document. Adversaries are fielding advanced weapons and employing new methods designed to erode our warfighting advantages. Drones, long-range precision fires, cyber effects and electronic warfare are now daily features of conflict. The lessons drawn from contemporary battlefields underscore what Marines have long understood: combat is unforgiving, and victory belongs to the side that adapts faster, fights harder and endures longer. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While the update hails the Corps establishment of two Marine Littoral Regiments in the Pacific-based III Marine Expeditionary Force, with the second, 12th MLR, set to achieve readiness for war next year, it also backtracks on plans to convert 4th Marine Regiment, based in Japan, to a third MLR based in Guam. The regiment will be retained in III MEF as a reinforced Marine Infantry Regiment, preserving its core mission while preparing to respond to potential crisis and conflict, the document states. We determined through the Campaign of Learning that two MLRs and one reinforced Marine Infantry Regiment in III MEF is the optimal force composition to meet III MEFs missions and objectives. A Marine Corps spokesman, Lt. Col. Eric Flanagan, told Marine Corps Times that this shift was driven by threat assessments. This decision to retain 4th Marine Regiment is informed by recent wargames and analysis which address the growing threat posed by competitors in the Indo-Pacific and, together with other forces in the region, postures the Marine Corps to decisively respond to regional threats, provide integrated deterrence alongside allies and partners, and address emergent crises, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Our current priorities are focused on ensuring that our existing infantry regiments and purpose-built MLRs are equipped and trained to meet the demands of the evolving security environment, Flanagan added. The two MLRs nonetheless remain central to the Corps fielding plan for NMESIS, the services ground-based anti-ship missile system, and MADIS, its vehicle-based counter-drone system. Official fielding of the first 10 Light Marine Air Defense Integrated Systems, mounted on the services ultra-light Polaris MRZR ATVs, is set to begin next year. We are developing a new Maritime Reconnaissance Company unit as part of the broader evolution of our light armored reconnaissance battalions into mobile reconnaissance battalions, the force design update states. The MRC will operate a new tactical boat, the MMRC, which can partner with unmanned surface vessels to maneuver sensors and personnel in support of Marine forces operating in the littorals. As recently as this spring, Marine Corps leaders were still deciding about a concept that would create one of these MRCs for each of the Corps three infantry divisions. Marine Corps Times reported at the time that they could each maintain as many as 18 multi-mission reconnaissance watercraft and an undisclosed number of unmanned vessels and could conduct missions not only in the shallows, but also in the open ocean. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Officials could not immediately provide additional information about how and when the MRCs would be fielded, but ongoing experimentation has provided a look at the tactical boats theyll be operating. The Australian-made MMRCs have been sent to units like 4th Assault Amphibian Battalion and 1st Light Armored Reconnaissance Company for evaluation. The craft have a range of 250 nautical miles and have been hailed for their value as insert/extract and maneuver vehicles as well as reconnaissance platforms. Also transitioning from the lab to the fleet is a narco sub-style autonomous semi-submersible the autonomous low-profile vessel that the 12th MLR has been testing out for logistics and supply missions. In a round-table with reporters earlier this year, 12th MLR Commanding Officer Lt. Col. Peter Eltringham called the subs a fantastic piece of gear. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He said he wanted to make small dispersed teams within the regiment hard to find and hailed the value of the logistics subs to supply these units undetected. The Force Design update said the ALPVs were transitioning to a program of record, but did not say when that transition would take place or which units would get the new narco-subs. The Marine Corps is reinforcing its security around weapons, ammunition and explosives storage after government watchdog audits found that annual inspections were not conducted or completed in accordance with military policy, according to a force-wide message released on Thursday. The message tasked commanders with adhering to annual physical inspections of sensitive weapon and ammunition stores, formally training Marines in keeping said stores safe from theft or loss alongside military police, and documenting any security shortfalls to include any missing items within 90 days of a site survey. While the message did not specify which Government Accountability Office (GAO) reports found that inspections were not meeting Pentagon or Marine Corps standards, a 2018 GAO report urged the military to enhance its security at high-risk ammunition storage locations. It said that some inspections were not completed on time, and that the services were not documenting how security deficiencies were being resolved. Top Stories This Week News Female drill sergeants will soon wear the Armys iconic campaign hat By Jeff Schogol News Airman found dead at F.E. Warren was under investigation for M18 incident By Matt White News Hegseth wont meet troops with beards during South Korea trip By Jeff Schogol Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2021, the Associated Press investigated how nearly 2,000 military weapons were lost or stolen over the previous decade, with some being used in violent crimes around the country. It found that machine guns, pistols, shotguns, and rifles had gone missing from armories from each service and even some vanished military explosives popped up around the civilian world. The investigation shocked senior military leaders at the time, causing the Pentagon to change how it kept track of weapons and ordnance as lawmakers mandated the military report annual losses and security measures to Congress, the Associated Press later reported. The new Marine Corps message referenced the annual report to Congress, which requires the Secretary of Defense to submit information to lawmakers about security, thefts, losses, and the recovery of weapons, ranging from M4s to more archaic weapon systems, like flame throwers (though there was no evidence Task & Purpose could find to suggest that any of those have gone missing.) Trained Marine physical security specialists are required to conduct annual physical security surveys on time, and any lapses in their completion will result in notification to the first general officer in the units chain of command, according to the message. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In general, the surveys or missing weapons reports are required to be submitted for review by the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence and Security, so it can then be turned over to Congress. Failure to meet the requirements of the references and this message will be documented in the annual report to the Pentagon and may lead to further administrative actions, the message warned. NEED TO KNOW Marjorie Taylor Greene lashed out on X after she was hit with criticism for her outspoken response to the ongoing government shutdown Greene was accused by Sen. Ted Cruz of becoming "very liberal" after she attacked House Speaker Mike Johnson for his handling of the shutdown She's continued to be vocal, and has scheduled appearances on both Real Time with Bill Maher and The View Marjorie Taylor Greene is defending herself against disapproval from within her own party. The Republican congresswoman, 51, hit back on X after she was met with backlash from some conservatives for booking appearances on both The View and Real Time with Bill Maher. Sen. Ted Cruz also claimed Greene was becoming "very liberal" in response to her remarks about the ongoing government shutdown, which is now on day 30. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The barrage of criticism prompted Greene to lash out on social media, where she maintained that her conservative voting record hasn't changed, while accusing Republican men of misogyny. "There are pathetic Republican men (mostly paid social media influencers) attacking me for going on Bill Mahers show and The View," Greene wrote. There are pathetic Republican men (mostly paid social media influencers) attacking me for going on Bill Mahers show and The View. Here is my voting card and nothing has changed about me, Im 1,000,000% America ONLY. Sorry Im not sorry I dont obey Republican mens demands pic.twitter.com/Y29SqL0M1b Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (@RepMTG) October 31, 2025 "Here is my voting card and nothing has changed about me, Im 1,000,000% America ONLY," she continued, referring to her Liberty Score, a mark based on her voting record monitored by the Conservative Review. Greene added, "Sorry Im not sorry I dont obey Republican mens demands that I, as a woman, dont remain seen but not heard." Greene will appear on The View on Tuesday, Nov. 4. She confirmed her appearance on the show in a Thursday, Oct. 30, post on X, where she shared a clip of co-host Whoopi Goldberg saying she agrees with Greene's stance that the ongoing shutdown "should not be affecting the American people." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I look forward to joining the ladies on The View on Tuesday!" Greene wrote. Her message was a notable departure from her previous remarks about the show, which features a panel of women who are outspoken in their disapproval of President Donald Trump and have publicly criticized the congresswoman, as well. Greene once called the panelists "angry, nasty women," and claimed that The View's parent company, Disney, is pro-child predator. Before appearing on The View, Greene will be a guest on the Friday, Oct. 31, episode of Real Time. While host Maher accepted an invitation to the White House earlier this year and said Trump was "gracious and measured" during the visit, he's remained a constant critic of the president on his program, and has often made jabs at Greene, too. The Georgia lawmaker's ongoing media tour appeared to irritate Cruz, who urged other Republicans to "ignore" Greene as she becomes more outspoken about how the government shutdown has been handled by her own party, specifically their failure to negotiate with Democrats on healthcare reform. Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Marjorie Taylor Greene at the Capitol Hill Club on Sept. 9, 2025 Marjorie Taylor Greene at the Capitol Hill Club on Sept. 9, 2025 While appearing on Squawk Box on Wednesday, Oct. 29, Cruz said, "My advice is dont spend much time worrying about what Marjorie is saying. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "What Ive found is that whenever an elected official decides that they are going to turn on Israel and hate Israel, you will very quickly see every other policy out of their mouth become very, very liberal, Cruz said, likely referring to Greene's characterization of the war in Gaza as a "genocide." And so suddenly Marjorie is for massive government spending and taxes and open borders and amnesty," he continued. "Okay, fine. That is not where the American people are. Where the American people are is real simple. Were on Day 29 of the stupidest shutdown. 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. Greene's recent X post echoes comments she made earlier this month when she described men in Congress as "weak" while attacking House Speaker Mike Johnson's response to the shutdown. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Theres a lot of weak Republican men and theyre more afraid of strong Republican women," she told The Washington Post. "So they always try to marginalize the strong Republican women that actually want to do something and actually want to achieve. Read the original article on People Both Maryland and Delaware are backing US Winds effort to move forward with construction of its offshore wind project, according to new filings from the states attorneys general. Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown and Delaware Attorney General Kathleen Jennings each submitted filings this week arguing that halting the project a move pushed for by the Town of Ocean City and the U.S. Department of the Interior would harm both states economies and undermine energy needs. In total, the project is projected to provide over $6.2 billion in benefits to the state and support over 13,600 in-state jobs, Brown wrote in Marylands filing. US Wind has committed to creating 1,000 in-state job-years for operations and management activities during Phase 1 of the project alone, and over 1,300 in-state job-years for the construction and operation of each of Phases 2, 3, and 4. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Brown said the first phase would include more than $75 million in investments in Marylands steel and port industry facilities. He also argued that the project was needed in order to meet Marylands projected future energy demand, a demand he acknowledged mainly stemmed from new data centers being constructed in the region. The US Wind project, Brown argued, offers a significant new source of electricity at a time when PJMthe entity that manages the wholesale electricity grid for Maryland, all or parts of twelve other states, and the District of Columbiais projecting a significant need for new resources. Jennings argued that Delaware as well has a significant interest in seeing the project move forward. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Portions of the proposed export cables are located under state-regulated wetlands and subaqueous lands in the Atlantic Ocean within Delaware state waters and the Indian River Bay, Jennings wrote in her filing. The underwater/underground export cables are proposed to land at 3Rs Beach in Delaware Seashore State Park, south of Bethany Beach, and to interconnect into a proposed substation to be constructed adjacent to the Indian River Power Plant in Sussex County, Delaware. She added that US Wind has made commitments for upgraded energy transmission facilities throughout Delaware, along with substantial investments in onshore facilities to be located within Delaware Seashore State Park, and at the Indian River site. The project and the issue 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. The push from multiple sources to get this injunction through comes as 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. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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. Officials say the project is needed Federal and state lawmakers, along with clean energy advocates came out for a press conference in Baltimore Friday, to show their support for offshore wind projects. Investing in offshore wind is key to unlocking good-paying jobs, lowering energy costs, and guaranteeing a cleaner future for Maryland, said U.S. Sen. Chris Van Hollen. As the Trump Administration continues to roll back the clock on our wind energy progress to help his Big Oil financiers and friends, Ill keep fighting to realize Marylands wind energy potential and ensure we stay on course toward a stronger, more sustainable, more affordable future for our state. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Maryland Energy Administration Director Paul Pinsky agreed. For so many of Marylands pressing questions, offshore wind energy is the answer. It benefits both the states climate and its economy. Offshore wind energy leads to more jobs for blue-collar workers and well-paying, year-round jobs in parts of the state that need them, Pinsky said. The bottom line is that offshore wind energy projects will help expand energy production for a state and a regional grid that badly needs more reliable production to meet growing demandand it will do so in a way that doesnt compound the climate crisis. As of Friday, lawyers for the U.S. Department of the Interior had yet to respond to US Winds request for an injunction. The judge in the case has given them until Nov. 5 to file their response, then shell issue a ruling. A senior U.S. senator says Aceco, a Silver Spring demolition company, has refused to answer basic questions about whether it cut health and safety corners in tearing down the White House East Wing to make way for President Donald Trumps planned ballroom. Sen. Ed Markey, a Massachusetts Democrat, wrote to Aceco this week asking if it complied with safety protocols to protect its workers and the public from exposure to hazardous materials. Hazards could have arisen, Markey wrote, from the release of asbestos-laden demolition debris and dust without proper containment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Aceco did not reply to Baltimore Sun questions on Friday. A White House spokesperson told The Sun: Any hazardous material abatement was done in September. A very extensive abatement and remediation assessment was followed, complying with all applicable federal standards. Aceco was a contractor in the recent tearing down of the two-story East Wing of drawing rooms and offices. It was part of Trumps plan to build a $300 million ballroom nearly twice the size of the White House. The East Wing was constructed in 1902 and expanded 40 years later. The Republican president has said the wing is being fully modernized as part of this process and that the work is being funded by many generous Patriots, Great American Companies, and, yours truly. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Markey, the senior Democrat on a Health, Education, Labor and Pensions subcommittee, gave ACECO until Nov. 12 to answer a series of questions and provide any contracts or other agreements covering the work.\ The White House declined to comment Friday on a Sun question about whether the demolition contract was competitively bid.. Acecos refusal thus far to answer basic questions about permits and safety protocols raises serious concerns about whether your firm has complied with the lawor gambled with peoples health, the senator wrote. Have a news tip? Contact Jeff Barker at jebarker@baltsun.com ROANOKE, Va. (WFXR) The Roanoke Police Department (RPD) is investigating a shooting at a local gas station. According to officers, on Thursday, October 30, at 9:04 p.m., RPD responded to the report of a shooting at a gas station located in the 800 block of Bridge Street Southwest. Officers say when they arrived, they found an employee with non-life-threatening gunshot wounds, and he was taken to a local hospital for treatment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Reportedly, a man wearing white pants, a gray hoodie, a blue face cover, and a yellow hard hat entered the store and demanded money before shooting the clerk and fleeing from the store. The suspect was captured by security cameras and can be seen in the photos below: Photos courtesy of Roanoke Police Department Anyone with information is asked to contact the Roanoke Police Department at 540-344-8500. 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. BOSTON (SHNS) A federal judge in Boston on Friday ruled that the Trump administration must continue to fund SNAP as the government shutdown threatens food aid benefits for millions of Americans, ordering the White House to outline a plan to provide at least partial assistance starting Nov. 1. Judge Indira Talwani of the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts said the administrations suspension of benefits is contrary to law, noting that the U.S. Department of Agriculture is statutorily required to use previously appropriated SNAP contingency funds when necessary and has discretion to use other available funds. Judge: USDA must tap contingency fund for SNAP benefitsDownload Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Benefits for roughly 42 million Americans, including about 1.1 million in Massachusetts, are at risk as the federal government faces its second-longest shutdown in history. The case comes after a coalition of 25 states, including governors and attorneys general, sued this week to compel the administration to release the contingency funds for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. Talwani has a temporary restraining order under advisement. Court documents allow the administration to inform the court by Monday on whether it will authorize at least partial benefits for November, and whether it will use only contingency funds or additional appropriations. The Trump administration has maintained it will not tap billions in reserve funds, arguing that emergency SNAP dollars are only allowed to flow if the underlying program is funded by Congress, according to Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Defendants suspension of SNAP benefits is contrary to law. At core, Defendants conclusion that USDA is statutorily prohibited from funding SNAP because Congress has not enacted new appropriations for the current fiscal year is erroneous. To the contrary, Defendants are statutorily mandated to use the previously appropriated SNAP contingency reserve when necessary and also have discretion to use other previously appropriated funds as detailed below, Talwani wrote. States have scrambled to respond. Massachusetts, which distributes $240 million in SNAP payments monthly, has moved to provide some emergency aid. Gov. Maura Healey announced Thursday she will advance a $4 million monthly payment to food banks and that $1 million in private donations has been raised for food pantries. Advocates are calling for the state to use its rainy day fund, while Senate Republicans suggested other state appropriations could be tapped to feed families. 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. CHICOPEE, Mass. (WWLP) Residents were urged to be aware of the presence of sex offenders in their area before heading out to trick-or-treat. Operation Lights Out Hampden Superior Court Probation Officers will conduct unannounced visits to the homes of more than 20 level 2 and level 3 sex offenders in Springfield, Holyoke, and West Springfield as part of the Operation Lights Out initiative starting at 4 p.m. on Halloween. The initiative aims to enforce court-ordered conditions of probation and ensure that sex offenders do not open their doors to trick-or-treaters. This year, for the first time, two officers from the Hampden County Sheriffs Department will accompany the probation officers in cruisers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We hope that by fostering community vigilance and collaboration with our community partners, we can create a safer Halloween environment for our local children, said Rosa Maldondo-Brown, Hampden Superior Court Chief Probation Officer. They will focus on areas with high pedestrian traffic and a high volume of registered sex offenders residing. Operation Lights Out seeks to enhance community safety during Halloween by ensuring compliance with probation conditions among sex offenders. Massachusetts residents convicted of certain sex crimes are required to register with law enforcement. The information is available for the public to search by city, county, or offenders name. There are three levels of sex offender statuses and are classified based on their risk of re-offending and the degree of danger that they pose to the public. Stay safe this Halloween: Candy safety tips for trick-or-treaters Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A sex offender is anyone who lives, works, or attends school in Massachusetts who has: Been convicted of a sex offense Been adjudicated as a youthful offender or as a delinquent juvenile for a sex offense Been released from incarceration, parole, probation supervision, or custody with the Department of Youth Services for a sex offense conviction or adjudication Been adjudicated as a sexually dangerous person, or a person released from civil commitment anytime from August 1, 1981 Level 3 Level three sex offenders have a high risk of re-offending and pose a high degree of danger to the public. Information about them is publicly available. Level 2 Level two sex offenders have a moderate risk of re-offending and pose a moderate degree of danger to the public. The public can only access level two offender data on the internet for sex offenders classified after July 12, 2013. Level 1 Level one sex offenders have a low risk of re-offending and pose a low degree of danger to the public. Sex Offenders Near Me As Halloween approaches, it is important to keep in mind how many sex offenders are in your area before heading out to trick-or-treat. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Here is a list of the total number of sex offenders that either live, work, or both in each local county: Hampden County : 720 Hampshire County : 146 Franklin County : 120 Berkshire County: 199 Sex Offender Map In Chicopee, there are 89 registered sex offenders. To find out if there are sex offenders in your area, visit the Sex Offender Registry Board. From the database, you can search by county, city, and up to three miles from a specific address. 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. 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. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WWLP. WASHINGTON - Even once the looming funding lapse for federal food assistance is resolved, hundreds of thousands of low-income Californians and millions more Americans could still lose their benefits in the coming months because of changes to the program adopted this summer by Republican lawmakers. Stricter work requirements for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, approved as part of President Donald Trump's tax and domestic policy megabill, will hit particularly hard in California, which for years was exempted from those provisions. Experts at the nonprofit California Budget & Policy Center estimate that more than 650,000 people enrolled in CalFresh, the state's SNAP, are at risk of losing their benefits under the new criteria. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "In California, CalFresh is our most effective tool for fighting hunger and has been the most effective tool in recent years at lowering the poverty rate," said Monica Saucedo, a senior policy fellow at the center, which advocates for an expansion of the social safety net. "It's one in seven Californians that rely on CalFresh, so any attacks on the program put food security for them at risk." SNAP has moved to the center of the political fight over the ongoing federal government shutdown. With the closure poised to extend into a second month, SNAP has run out of money and 42 million enrollees across the country, including more than 5 million in California, will not receive their usual monthly benefits on Nov. 1. San Francisco is preparing to tap $18 million in reserves and private donations to cover next month's missed benefits for 112,000 city residents, but elsewhere in the Bay Area, there are patchwork efforts to fill the gap. Food banks are bracing for soaring demand and some restaurants are offering free meals for SNAP recipients. Congressional Republicans this week repeatedly elevated the issue to paint their Democratic colleagues as heartless and pressure them into reopening the government. Democrats have refused to do so without also extending federal subsidies for the health insurance exchange, whose customers will be hit with skyrocketing premiums when it reopens on Saturday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Democrats voted to take food off the table and voted to discontinue SNAP benefits. It is that simple," House Republican Conference Chair Lisa McClain of Michigan said at a press conference Thursday. "Let's make sure we remind them who voted to keep food on the table and who voted to take food off the table." But defiant Democrats have pointed out that, in passing Trump's bill in July, those same Republicans voted for changes to SNAP that will have far more lasting consequences - reducing funding for the program by more than $180 billion over the next decade and removing millions of people from the program. "They ripped food from the mouths of children, seniors, veterans, women and families in order to provide massive tax breaks to their billionaire donors," House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York said this week. "It is completely and totally unacceptable." States are still waiting for guidance from the federal government to enact the new eligibility standards, but they are profoundly consequential for California. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Because the state contends that it does not have enough available jobs, California long received a waiver from a requirement that able-bodied adults between 18 and 54 years old with no children must work, volunteer or participate in an education or training program for at least 80 hours per month to receive SNAP benefits. Trump's bill eliminated that exemption. The U.S. Department of Agriculture last month terminated all active waivers as of Nov. 3 and, going forward, will only grant waivers for areas with an unemployment rate higher than 10%, which does apply to a handful of California counties. That will ultimately affect about 350,000 enrollees of CalFresh, according to the California Budget & Policy Center. Republicans also expanded the SNAP work criteria to several previously excused categories: 55- to 64-year-olds, veterans, young adults who recently left foster care, homeless people and caregivers to children older than 13. The California Budget & Policy Center estimates that this introduces new eligibility requirements to more than 300,000 additional CalFresh beneficiaries. They will not immediately lose their benefits in November, Saucedo said, because California is still working on building its verification process and people can also remain in SNAP for up to three months before they have to show proof of work. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But that means more than 650,000 Californians could be pushed out of CalFresh as soon as this spring because of the new work requirements. Even those that find a job or training program may lose their food assistance due to the paperwork, Saucedo added, a common problem with SNAP. "Given the high cost of living here, the pressures are way higher," she said. Another approximately 74,000 refugees and asylum-seekers in California will eventually be kicked out of the program because Trump's bill abolished SNAP eligibility for noncitizens. Rep. Kevin Kiley, R-Rocklin (Placer County), is one of a handful of Republican members who has introduced seemingly doomed legislation to keep SNAP funded through the shutdown. He said the Democratic criticism about changes to the program in Trump's bill was a distraction from their refusal to reopen the government. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I think that it would still be important for people to get the SNAP benefits they're entitled to under law," Kiley told the Chronicle. "People rely on this to feed their families, so I don't really follow the logic that if there was some change to the program that we didn't like before, that we shouldn't advocate for those benefits to be delivered to people." This article originally published at A massive hit to SNAP benefits is coming for California even after the shutdown ends. Maury's Tiny Cove, the old-school Cheviot steakhouse that opened in 1949, is for sale. A listing for the 5,400-square-foot establishment is now active on Dwyer Commercial Real Estate's website. The asking price is$1,295,000. Owner Matt Huesman told me he is ready to retire, though he hopes whoever buys the restaurant will continue its legacy. Not only is Maury's locally famous. It's also appeared in several movies, including as a Chicago mobster bar in the 2019 film "Act of Contrition," and as a 1950s Manhattan lunch spot in the Cate Blanchett film "Carol." Maury's Tiny Cove on Harrison Avenue in Cheviot. While Maurys is now known as an old-school Italian steakhouse, its original owner, Maury Bibent, who opened his eponymous restaurant in 1949, identified as French. It wasnt until Huesman took over in 2009 that Maury's started offering dishes like lasagna and chicken caprese. Maury's is also known for its steaks, including a slow-roasted prime rib called the Bengal and the New York Strip known as the Cavalier. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In adding Italian dishes, Huesman, who runs the restaurant with his wife, Angela, and one of his sons, said he wanted the place to feel more like Buddy LaRosas Italian Inn, which shut down years ago but lives large in the memories of those who grew up on the West Side of town. Hanky panks, a West Side traditional dish made with ground beef and Italian sausage, at Maury's Tiny Cove, in Cheviot. When I spoke to Huesman in 2021, he opened up about the first time he visited Maurys. It was the night after he was beaten and robbed while working a shift at a nearby Applebee's. He was supposed to go to New York the following weekend for an art gallery opening, but the attack left him bruised, both physically and emotionally. And so he canceled his trip and went to Maury's for his in-laws' 40th-anniversary dinner instead. He sat upstairs, in a wood-paneled room with a pot-belly stove, mostly silent. He said he felt nothing that night, that he was in a fugue state, but when I pressed him a bit more, he said he did feel something. "Did you feel comforted by the place? I asked him. "Yes," he said. "Comforted. That's a good word for it." Patrons dine at Maury's Tiny Cove. Years later, when Huesman saw an ad in the paper for a family-owned steakhouse in Cheviot for sale, he wondered if it was Maurys, and it was. By then, he was working at Longhorn Steakhouse and decided to buy the place because he was tired of working at the Applebees and Longhorns of the world. He wanted something of his own. Sure, he knew it would always be Maurys place, but he wanted to put his stamp on it. To be its steward for a while. He is hoping the new owners will feel the same. This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Maury's Tiny Cove, an iconic West Side steakhouse, is for sale This is an adapted excerpt from the Oct. 27 episode of The Beat with Ari Melber. Last week, the Justice Department announced it would deploy election monitors to polling sites in two Democratic-led states, California and New Jersey, ahead of the Nov. 4 elections. Attorney General Pam Bondi said the move would ensure the American people get the fair, free, and transparent elections they deserve. Earlier this month, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, whose state has become one of President Donald Trumps prime targets, warned that the president would take this move and cautioned that he could use it to interfere. 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 told Politico. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Now, the federal government has the power to send out election monitors, but it does not have the power to confiscate ballot boxes in state-run elections simply because it may not like the results. However, we have seen this administration repeatedly do things it does not have the power to do. A federal court found that Trump violated the Posse Comitatus Act, which bars the military from assisting in civilian law enforcement unless authorized by Congress, when he sent National Guard troops into Los Angeles. Despite that, the president still pushed ahead and deployed troops to other Democratic-run cities. Time and time again, the president has abused his power, taking authority he does not have and acting as if it were legitimate. So, Pritzkers fears are clearly not unfounded. Now, of course, state attorneys general can fight these actions. They can go to court and say, This is an administration thats violating the Constitution and the law. But the real problem here is the Republican politicians who allow Trump to act with impunity. Oddly, the folks who are supposed to be all about states rights are silent when its the leader of their party who is clearly violating those rights all the time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So really it comes down to this: Trump will continue to challenge the bounds of his authority when it comes to states rights, and it is up to those states to take the administration to court over those actions. But also, we as the American people who say that we care about the Constitution and the balance of power in this country all must join together and tell the administration No. Trump doesnt get to come and take peoples votes away simply because he may decide those votes shouldnt be counted. This article was originally published on MSNBC.com Amid debate in the mayoral election over NYPD staffing levels, Mayor Adams Friday announced a plan to significantly increase the departments headcount, potentially leaving his successor with upwards of 40,000 police officers by 2029, officials said on Friday. Under Adams plan, announced on Friday, the city would invest millions in the coming years to hire and train more than 5,000 new officers. The increase in manpower will bring the department up to 40,000 cops, the highest level in 20 years, Adams said. The additional cops would be hitting the streets long after next weeks mayoral election, where Democratic Socialist Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani is leading a three-man race that includes former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who is running as an independent, and Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Adams has secured $17.8 million this fiscal year so the NYPD can hire more cops, officials said. According to his proposal, number will increase to $318.5 million by fiscal year 2029 to support additional hiring. Adams can add money to he NYPDs current fiscal budget, but any plan to bulk up the departments headcount in the future could immediately be quashed by whoever leads the next administration, officials admit. Neither the next mayor nor the City Council has to abide by this plan. If the next mayor wants to remove that funding, yes, he has that ability, mayoral spokeswoman Kayla Mamelak said. We are doing everything we can to ensure New York City is in a good place and heading in the right direction come 2026. During the campaign, Mamdani has said, if elected, he would keep NYPD staffing levels flat and launch a new city agency that would handle mental health calls that cops currently address as part of their responsibilities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Friday, while doing Tai Chi with older adults at a campaign stop on the Lower East Side, Mamdani said Adams proposal was a political ploy and that the outgoing mayor was far more interested in the theater of the politics around this race. I have said time and again that I believe we have the right number of police officers, Mamdani said. We have budgeted about 35,000 head count in the NYPD. Eric Adams cannot actually hire enough officers that he actually has the money to do so. And so then now to say that instead of being able to hit his previous mark of 35,000 hes going to now try and hit 40,000. Mamdani said New Yorkers arent concerned with NYPD headcount. Its a question of safety, and thats exactly what Im going to deliver, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cuomo praised Adams plan. Its past time to reverse the damage done by Zohran Mamdani and his colleagues who demanded the City defund the police, he said in a statement. Mayor Adams is exactly right 5,000 additional officers will bring us back to full force, and as Mayor, I will see to it that this plan becomes a reality. Upon announcing his proposal, Adams said that hes always believed public safety is the prerequisite to prosperity. Over the last four years as weve driven crime down to record lows weve proven that the price for our safety is well worth it, he said, adding that the vast majority of New Yorkers want more police officers on their streets and in their subways. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch, a long supporter of increasing the NYPDs headcount, applauded the measure. Every new officer means safer streets, stronger communities, and a thriving city, Tisch said. This commitment allows us to keep recruiting, training, and deploying the next generation of women and men to build on our success. In August, nearly 1,100 recruits were sworn in at the Police Academy, which Tisch said was the largest class the department has seen in nearly a decade. Those recruits are expected to graduate the academy early next year. The new class comes after the NYPD earlier this year reduced the number of college credits required to join the force from 60 to 24. NEW YORK Amid debate in the mayoral election over NYPD staffing levels, Mayor Eric Adams on Friday announced a plan to significantly increase the departments headcount, potentially leaving his successor with upward of 40,000 police officers by 2029, officials said on Friday. Under Adams plan, announced Friday, the city would invest millions in the coming years to hire and train more than 5,000 new officers. The increase in manpower will bring the department up to 40,000 cops, the highest level in 20 years, Adams said. The additional cops would be hitting the streets long after next weeks mayoral election, where Democratic Socialist Assemblyman Zohran Mamdani is leading a three-man race that includes former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who is running as an independent, and Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Adams has secured $17.8 million this fiscal year so the NYPD can hire more cops, officials said. According to his proposal, number will increase to $318.5 million by fiscal year 2029 to support additional hiring. Adams can add money to he NYPDs current fiscal budget, but any plan to bulk up the departments headcount in the future could immediately be quashed by whoever leads the next administration, officials admit. Neither the next mayor nor the City Council has to abide by this plan. If the next mayor wants to remove that funding, yes, he has that ability, mayoral spokeswoman Kayla Mamelak said. We are doing everything we can to ensure New York City is in a good place and heading in the right direction come 2026. During the campaign, Mamdani has said, if elected, he would keep NYPD staffing levels flat and launch a new city agency that would handle mental health calls that cops currently address as part of their responsibilities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Friday, while doing Tai Chi with older adults at a campaign stop on the Lower East Side, Mamdani said Adams proposal was a political ploy and that the outgoing mayor was far more interested in the theater of the politics around this race. I have said time and again that I believe we have the right number of police officers, Mamdani said. We have budgeted about 35,000 head count in the NYPD. Eric Adams cannot actually hire enough officers that he actually has the money to do so. And so then now to say that instead of being able to hit his previous mark of 35,000 hes going to now try and hit 40,000. Mamdani said New Yorkers arent concerned with NYPD headcount. Its a question of safety, and thats exactly what Im going to deliver, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Upon announcing his proposal, Adams said that hes always believed public safety is the prerequisite to prosperity. Over the last four years as weve driven crime down to record lows weve proven that the price for our safety is well worth it, he said, adding that the vast majority of New Yorkers want more police officers on their streets and in their subways. Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch, a long supporter of increasing the NYPDs headcount, applauded the measure. Every new officer means safer streets, stronger communities, and a thriving city, Tisch said. This commitment allows us to keep recruiting, training, and deploying the next generation of women and men to build on our success. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In August, nearly 1,100 recruits were sworn in at the Police Academy, which Tisch said was the largest class the department has seen in nearly a decade. Those recruits are expected to graduate the academy early next year. The new class comes after the NYPD earlier this year reduced the number of college credits required to join the force from 60 to 24. _____ Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass on Friday requested a full investigation into revelations that firefighters were ordered to leave a smoldering burn site days before it reignited into the Palisades fire, calling the news "tremendously alarming." In a letter to interim Fire Chief Ronnie Villanueva, Bass asked that he "thoroughly investigate" a report by The Times about the Los Angeles Fire Departments missteps in putting out a small brush fire that federal authorities say was intentionally set on New Year's Day. The previously undisclosed details have prompted fresh outrage among those who lost homes in the worst fire in city history. "A full understanding of the Lachman fire response is essential to an accurate accounting of what occurred during the January wildfires," Bass wrote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bass had said in a statement late Thursday that her office has been leading a series of reforms in the LAFD, including strengthening pre-deployment protocols, upgrading technology and expanding training for all staff. Her handling of the blaze and its aftermath is expected to be a significant issue in next years mayoral race, with her main opponent, Austin Beutner, calling on her to provide a thorough accounting of what happened through an independent commission comprising "respected members of our city." "Mayor Bass is asking the Fire Department to investigate itself. That wont get us to the truth we need," he said in a prepared statement. "The Commission should look into the actions of the Fire Department, the Department of Water and Power, other relevant departments and City Hall officials. Provide the commission with the budget and authority to ask tough questions, gather the facts and make recommendations." The Times reported this week that crews mopping up the Jan. 1 Lachman fire warned a battalion chief that the ground was still smoldering and rocks remained hot to the touch, according to text exchanges reviewed by The Times. However, firefighters were ordered to pack up and leave the scene anyway. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Federal investigators say the Lachman fire was deliberately set and had burned underground in a canyon root system until the winds rekindled it on Jan. 7. In one text message reported in The Times, a firefighter who was at the scene on Jan. 2 wrote that the battalion chief had been told it was a bad idea to leave because of the visible signs of smoldering terrain which crews feared could start a new fire if left unprotected. And the rest is history, the firefighter wrote in recent weeks. A second firefighter was told that tree stumps were still hot at the location when the crew packed up and left, according to the texts. And a third firefighter said this month that crew members were upset when told to pack up and leave, but that they could not ignore orders, according to the texts. The third firefighter also wrote that he and his colleagues knew immediately that the Jan. 7 fire was a rekindle of the Jan. 1 blaze. The LAFD has not answered questions about the firefighter accounts in the text messages, but has previously said that officials did everything they could to ensure the Lachman fire was fully extinguished. They have not provided dispatch records of all firefighting and mop-up activity before Jan. 7. The battalion chief listed as being on duty the day firefighters were ordered to leave the Lachman fire, Mario Garcia, did not respond to requests for comment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Beutner, a former Los Angeles Unified schools superintendent whose home was seriously damaged in the Palisades fire, said in an interview that the new details are a reflection of poor leadership. Commanding the fire crew on duty to leave something where they raised objections? To me, thats not responsible, he said. But ultimately, where does the buck stop for this? I'd like to hear from the mayor. How she's accountable. What has she learned? The firefighters accounts line up with a video recorded by a hiker above Skull Rock Trailhead about 11:30 a.m. on Jan. 2 almost 36 hours after the Lachman fire started that shows smoke rising from the dirt. Its still smoldering, the hiker says from behind the camera. This Palisades fire was totally preventable, said E. Randol Schoenberg, a lawyer who lost his home in Malibu. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Schoenberg said LAFDs review of its own actions thus far ignores the missteps that he believes require the most scrutiny: What was and wasnt done between Jan. 1 and Jan. 7. Theres nothing in the after-action report that would stop this from happening again nothing, he said, noting that the report evaluated evacuation and communication problems during the Palisades fire. The only issue is they wouldnt have made a difference in this fire, and wont make a difference in the next fire if we allow one to start this way. He added: The one thing they could have done is sit on the Jan. 1 fire, and make sure it didnt rekindle It wouldnt have cost them anything and all 6,000 houses would have been saved. Palisades resident Peter Viles said LAFDs handling of the Jan. 1 fire is beyond disappointing and reflects a lack of urgency in preventing major fires. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its even more frustrating that they still havent given a straightforward account of how they allowed that small fire to stay alive for a week, he said. In a previous interview with The Times, Villanueva who came out of retirement to head the department in February said firefighters remained in the Lachman fire burn area for more than 36 hours and cold-trailed it, meaning they used their hands to feel for heat, dug out hot spots and chopped a line around the perimeter of the fire to ensure it was contained. He said firefighters returned on Jan. 3 for another round of cold-trailing after a report of smoke in the area, though LAFD did not provide dispatch records that corroborated those actions. Times staff writer David Zahniser contributed to this report. 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. Hundreds of thousands of Arizonans are being forced to make tough household choices as their federal food stamp benefits are expected to temporarily end on Nov. 1. They have turned to local food banks and pantries, which are expecting a surge from low-income individuals who were already struggling to afford groceries and to put food on their kitchen tables. This is an all-hands-on-deck situation, Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego said while she and various social service providers urged residents to help Arizonas most vulnerable and food insecure by volunteering and participating in food drives. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Those urgent calls come as federal funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program is set to lapse Nov. 1 because of the ongoing government shutdown, which is nearing its one-month mark. A pair of federal court rulings on Oct. 31, however, could ease the looming crisis for the 42 million Americans who rely on the program. One judge ordered the Trump administration to release billions in contingency cash for food aid, while another judge gave the government until Nov. 3 to decide whether it would use those backup dollars. Amid the funding uncertainty, though, Phoenixs nonprofit partners such as St. Marys Food Bank and the Salvation Army are stressing the need for resources to meet the increased demand from SNAP recipients. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Just this week, the Salvation Armys main campus in Phoenix helped 40 new families who had never visited the organization before, according to Southwest Division Leader Lt. Col. Chuck Fowler. And over at its large food pantry in Glendale, he said, staff were forced to end services 90 minutes after opening. There were so many people lined up, Fowler said from a press conference at the St. Marys Food Bank volunteer center on Oct. 31. They had to shut it down. They just ran out (of food), and they werent able to restock it until the next day. The federal program is designed to help millions of low-income Americans access healthy food. Barring a last-minute intervention in Washington, D.C., the funding will lapse for the first time in the programs 60-year history. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Without federal funds to support SNAP, state and local governments do not have the resources to fill the gap, Gallego said. If were going to weather the storm, its going to take all of us, those of us who are able to pitch in and help lift up those in our community who need it most. In Phoenix alone, there are about 400,000 residents who rely on SNAP, according to Gallego. She announced that the city is working with community partners like St. Marys to launch a citywide food drive next week. The city has also created a new webpage to connect SNAP recipients to food assistance and community resources. We dont want kids trick-or-treating for food, we want them trick-or-treating for fun, Gallego said of Halloween. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Even before the government shutdown, Arizona food banks like St. Marys faced a $155 million monthly gap. That meant for every meal a pantry offered, SNAP provided nine, according to St. Marys President and CEO Milt Liu. Theres no way that food banks can fill that entire gap, he said. Liu announced recently the nonprofit board's approval to tap into rainy day funds and purchase more food in anticipation of the increased demand. We are focused on meeting the need, he said. But the upcoming holiday season will likely create another spike and complicate matters further, Liu acknowledged. This is the busiest time of year for all of us, and so to layer this on top of that is going to be a challenge, he warned, noting that St. Marys and its partners are expected to distribute 30,000 meals for Thanksgiving. We are stepping up our efforts to be able to handle a surge on top of that. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The nonprofits are asking residents to donate proteins, as well as foods that most children enjoy. Those looking to donate can find food banks in their communities by visiting the Arizona Food Bank Network's website. The city of Phoenix's resource page for SNAP recipients is available here. Shawn Raymundo covers Phoenix and Scottsdale. Reach him at sraymundo@gannett.com or follow him on X @ShawnzyTsunami. What Arizonans should know: SNAP benefits are on the verge of stopping This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Mayor Gallego urges help as SNAP cuts empty Phoenix food banks MEMPHIS, Tenn. Memphis Mayor Paul Young announced that all full-time City of Memphis employees will receive at least $40,000 a year, according to the Mayors office. This is something that I pushed for in our budget this past year, and was ready to bring it back, said Memphis City Councilwoman Jerri Green. Im so excited to see that the administration has brought it forward. Mayor Young also announced a two percent increase raise for the citys represented Fire Division staff. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He stated he will seek approval from council members in November. Thomas Malone, president of the Memphis Firefighters Association, says its long overdue. This is definitely moving the right direction and its something that the firefighters were promised back 18, 20 months ago and its what the dispute was between the firefighters and the city, Malone explained. Earlier this year, the Memphis Firefighters Association filed suit after firefighters received only a three percent raise instead of the five percent they say they were promised. Thats what forced the dispute between the city and and the firefighters, Malone said. Mayor Young and myself and some of the council, we have stayed in close contact, working behind the scenes, trying to find the money collected together. The timing of this announcement came just a day after the city said Fire Chief Gina Sweat had retired. But both Malone and Councilwoman Green say the two revelations are not related. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I think Chief Sweat has served honorably. I know that she has had some family things come up, and she was already in the retirement job, so I dont think theyre connected, Green said. For now, both city leaders and union members say this is about more than just a paycheck its about respect and stability. Its a very good step in the right direction for the morale of the fire department. I applaud the mayor. Hes known to say he stays at the table and discusses and hes stuck by his word, Malone said. I think weve shown that working together and sticking to it and finding the money. I mean, we knew the money was there all along in our opinion. That means a lot, especially right now, as we are seeing the potential of SNAP benefits being cut off starting tomorrow, and people suffering, Green explained. We know that if you are a single parent of two children making $36,000 a year, paying about $1,000 in rent and about $400 in childcare, which are both very conservative estimates, you would qualify for SNAP. So, were trying to make sure that people are able to put food on the tables every week, but especially during the holiday season. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its estimated that 42 million Americans receive SNAP benefits, and on Saturday, that funding is set to dry up. Midsouth Food Bank holds food distribution for furloughed workers The City of Memphis is also lending a hand to help impacted families through a donation of $500,000 to the food bank, which will provide food boxes to those in need. For a list of mobile food pantry events hosted by Mid-South Food Bank, click here. Donate to Our Neighbors Table Community Food Drive WREG NewsChannel 3 is also teaming up with Kroger to help our neighbors in need with a community food drive. On Monday, Nov. 3, a community food drive will begin to make sure no family in our area goes hungry. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WREG.com. Midland College is honored to announce that Aaron Kinsey, combat veteran, U.S. Air Force pilot, and Chair of the Texas State Board of Education, will serve as the keynote speaker for the Colleges Veterans Day Celebration from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Nov. 8. The event, in conjunction with Mil2Civ, Permian Basin Workforce Commission and Midland Run Crew, will take place on the Midland College campus and is free and open to the public. Kinsey served more than nine years in the United States Air Force, flying 120 combat missions in the C-130 and later training new pilots as both an instructor and mentor. His military career reflects a deep commitment to service, leadership under pressure, and dedication to those who follow in his footsteps. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Following his active-duty service, Kinsey returned to Texas, where he has continued his public service through his leadership in education and his commitment to advancing opportunities for students across the state. As a resident of Midland and CEO of an aviation company headquartered in the Permian Basin, he remains deeply connected to the community he serves. Midland College is proud to welcome Aaron Kinsey as our Veterans Day keynote speaker, said Dr. Damon Kennedy, Midland College President. His distinguished military service and strong commitment to education and community leadership make him an ideal voice for this celebration. We look forward to honoring the men and women who have served our nation and to hearing his message of duty, resilience, and continued service. The Veterans Day Celebration will feature activities for the entire community, including a free 5K/1K race, free food, a veterans ceremony honoring all who served, an exotic petting zoo for families, and a job and resource fair for veterans. The event will bring together students, families, alumni, veterans, and members of the broader West Texas community to recognize the sacrifices of those who have served in the Armed Forces. Event Highlights Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement * Date: Saturday, November 8 * Location: Midland College Physical Education (PE) Building 1K/5K Race Presented by Midland Run Crew * Start Time: 9 a.m. * Location: Begins near Door 1 parking lot of the Chaparral Center * Free Registration: Register Here Veterans Day Ceremony * Time: 11:00 a.m. * Location: PE Building Gymnasium Resource Fair & Job Fair (organizations can still register for a table at either fair by clicking the links) * Time: 10 a.m.3 p.m. * Location: PE Building Gymnasium The post MC announces Aaron Kinsey as keynote speaker for 2025 Veterans Day Celebration appeared first on Odessa American. Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) ripped the Heritage Foundation on Friday, as conservatives clash over the organizations continued embrace of Tucker Carlson in the wake of his friendly interview this week with Holocaust denier Nick Fuentes. Last I checked, conservatives should feel no obligation to carry water for antisemites and apologists for America-hating autocrats, McConnell, the former Republican Senate majority leader, wrote in a post on X. But maybe I just dont know what time it is In the interview, Carlson said Republican supporters of Israel have been seized by this brain virus. And Fuentes told Carlson that organized Jewry poses the main obstacle to keeping the country together. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But Kevin Roberts, the Heritage Foundations president, defended Carlson in a video posted to X Thursday, and even spoke out against deplatforming Fuentes while adding he disagrees with and abhors things that Nick Fuentes says. The real enemy force, Roberts contended, is the vile ideas of the left. In a post on X Friday, Roberts sought to clarify his stance on Fuentes, denouncing among other things, "his vicious antisemitic ideology, his Holocaust denial, and his relentless conspiracy theories that echo the darkest chapters of history." But counsel, and not cancellation, is the best way to respond, he said. "Our task is to confront and challenge those poisonous ideas at every turn to prevent them from taking America to a very dark place," Roberts wrote. "Join us not to cancel but to guide, challenge, and strengthen the conversation, and be confident as I am that our best ideas at the heart of western civilization will prevail." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But McConnell, who has spent the past several months sinceleaving leadership working to safeguard his foreign policy and ideological worldviews within the Republican Party, panned the conservative think tanks stance. The intellectual backbone of the conservative movement is only as strong as the values it defends, he said. The Heritage Foundation did not immediately respond to a request for comment. But McConnell isnt the only Republican senator taking aim at Carlson for his interview. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) also went after the former Fox News host while speaking at the Republican Jewish Coalitions annual summit Thursday in Las Vegas. Cruz has long clashed with Carlson over Israel, including on an episode of Carlsons podcast in July. "If you sit there with someone who says Adolf Hitler was very, very cool, and that their mission is to combat and defeat global Jewry, and you say nothing, then you are a coward and you are complicit in that evil," said Cruz. NEED TO KNOW Dalya Attar was charged with eight counts related to extortion, conspiracy and wiretapping on Thursday, Oct. 23, according to a newly unsealed federal indictment Her brother, Joseph Attar, and Kalman Finkelstein, a Baltimore City Police Officer, are also charged in connection with the alleged scheme According to the indictment unsealed on Thursday, Oct. 30, there were recording devices in smoke detectors secretly recording the former consultant in bed with her romantic partner, who "was married to another person" A Maryland state senator has been charged in an alleged blackmail scheme that involved secretly filming a former political consultant in bed with a married lover. Dalya Attar, a Democrat from Baltimore, was charged with eight counts related to extortion, conspiracy and wiretapping on Thursday, Oct. 23, according to a newly unsealed federal indictment obtained by the Washington Post. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Her brother, Joseph Attar, and Kalman Finkelstein, a Baltimore City Police Officer, are also charged in connection with the alleged scheme, per the outlet. According to the indictment, which was unsealed on Thursday, Oct. 30, there were recording devices in smoke detectors secretly recording the former consultant in bed with her romantic partner, who "was married to another person." The woman was staying in the apartment of a family member of Finkelsteins at the time, per the indictment, the Associated Press reported. The scheme allegedly included threatening to make the recordings of the couple in bed together public if the consultant spoke out against Attars 2022 re-election bid for the Maryland House of Delegates, the Baltimore Banner reported. Barbara Haddock Taylor/The Baltimore Sun/Tribune News Service via Getty Dalya Attar Dalya Attar 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. "I have hours of footage of you in bed with (Victim 1), Joseph Attar allegedly wrote in a WhatsApp message to the romantic partner, according to the indictment, WBAL-TV reported. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Here's what I need you to do for this to go away permanently ... So, the only thing you need to do is very simple, is to go to (Victim 1) and say to her, 'Listen, leave Dalya alone. Don't bring her up anymore to anyone. Stay out of this election, the delegate election,' and make sure she doesn't do anything against Dalya throughout this election ... or I'll share this video with everybody you know, everyone she knows, every rabbi in town, your kids, your wife, her daughters," the alleged messages read, per the indictment. The alleged plot also included tracking the victim's whereabouts, per the Banner. In a statement shared with PEOPLE, Attar says she "ran for public office because of my strong belief in serving my community that I love, and I would never do anything to knowingly jeopardize my constituents trust in me," adding that the case "centers on the allegations of my former disgruntled employee." "We have yet to see any tangible evidence to support the claim that I knew of any illegal actions taken on my behalf," she says. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I look forward to sharing my side of the story, and believe the truth will be the arbiter of justice. In the meantime, I will continue to serve my community with humility and honor, and look forward to being as transparent as possible. According to the Associated Press, Attar is an Orthodox Jew and and became the first woman of that faith to serve in the state Senate. Read the original article on People More than 138,000 people in Mecklenburg County receive SNAP benefits each month. Thats more than 11% of the county. County officials and their partners are preparing for a crisis if SNAP does not receive proper funding. No county in North Carolina, including Mecklenburg County, has the financial resources to supplement that level of funding, County Manager Mike Bryant said. However, we are engaging with our many community and food resource partners to mobilize a plan to ensure that Mecklenburg County residents and families will have access to the food they need. ALSO READ: Judges order the Trump administration to use contingency funds for SNAP payments during the shutdown Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mecklenburg County is planning to provide more than $700,000 in assistance next week. Southwest Charlotte resident Tommie Purvis dressed in the Halloween spirit ahead of her shift Friday night at Family Dollar. But she says whats really scary is whats happening in Washington with SNAP benefits and its impact on people like her. People are stressed, and they dont know how they are going to feed their family and their children, she said. Nourish Up is worried too. The nonprofit runs a network of emergency food pantries and has never faced a crisis like this. When our phone lines open at 8:30 and run until 4:30, theres not a two-second gap from phone call to phone call. So yes, everybody is in panic mode, CEO Tina Postel said. Our busiest month on record, we served almost 17,000 people. There are 140,000 people that are due to lose their SNAP benefits here in our community this month. My superhero cape is not big enough to shoulder that load. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The food pantries are busy in Gaston County as well. Outside Dallas Christian Ministries, Cecelia Summers said she takes care of her three grandchildren and gets $178 in benefits a month. It helps me to make it through the month, she said. A federal judge is ordering the Trump Administration to continue funding SNAP through the shutdown. Purvis hopes that it prevents disaster. Im like, okay, so if you can overrule it, make something happen for us, she said. VIDEO: NC residents plead for continued SNAP assistance amid shutdown uncertainty Some media outlets have claimed that the administration of US President Donald Trump decided to attack military facilities in Venezuela involved in drug trafficking. Trump has denied this. Source: Miami Herald; The Wall Street Journal; Bloomberg Update: Trump said "no" when asked by reporters aboard Air Force One on Friday 31 October whether he had made a decision on the matter. Earlier, White House spokeswoman Anna Kelly commented on the reports, saying that "anonymous sources don't know what they're talking about" and that any announcement, if there is one, would be made by Trump himself. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Details: Miami Herald's sources familiar with the situation said that the strikes could be launched at any moment. The planned attacks, also reported by Wall Street Journal, would target military facilities used for drug trafficking. US officials believe that the narcotics trade is controlled by an organisation led by Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro and managed by senior members of his regime. Sources told the Herald that potential US strikes could not only destroy military facilities "in a matter of days or even hours" but also decapitate the cartel's leadership. According to The Wall Street Journal, the Trump administration has identified targets in Venezuela, including military sites used for smuggling narcotics. If Trump decides to carry out airstrikes, it would be a clear signal to Maduro that it is time to step down. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement US officials estimate that the cartel exports about 500 tonnes of cocaine annually, distributed between Europe and the United States. Sources for Miami Herald declined to confirm whether Maduro himself was a target, but one of them said that his time was running out. "Maduro is about to find himself trapped and might soon discover that he cannot flee the country even if he decided to," a source said. More details: Miami Herald noted that US forces have recently strengthened their presence off the coast of Venezuela as part of an operation which the White House says is aimed at combating drug trafficking and criminal networks linked to the Caracas regime. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The United States has already carried out several strikes on speedboats that, according to the Trump administration, were transporting narcotics. Most were intercepted off the Venezuelan coast, and 61 suspected drug traffickers were killed as a result of the attacks. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! A worker at the Alternative Herbal Health Services cannabis dispensary weighs medicinal marijuana July 13, 2006, in San Francisco. (Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) A coalition of Idahoans supporting the legalization of medical cannabis for people with debilitating medical conditions has received the go-ahead to begin collecting signatures for a ballot initiative for the November 2026 election. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Boise-based group Natural Medicine Alliance of Idaho, which was created this year, announced Oct. 29 it is beginning to collect signatures attempting to qualify the Idaho Medical Cannabis Act to go before voters in the 2026 general election. The group filed an initiative petition with the state Aug. 29 and received ballot titles from the Idaho Attorney Generals Office on Oct. 20. Under Idaho state law, cannabis means marijuana, and the two terms are sometimes used interchangeably. The Idaho Medical Cannabis Act seeks to: Allow qualifying patients with chronic pain or debilitating conditions like cancer, AIDS, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, Crohns disease, post-traumatic stress disorder or Alzheimers to access regulated cannabis for treatment. In order to access medical cannabis, Idahoans would need to apply for a medical cannabis card by presenting medical records showing a diagnosis of a substantial health condition from a medical professional authorized to make such a diagnosis. Establish a regulated licensing system for Idaho-based producers and dispensaries. Prohibit the public use of medical cannabis, prohibit the sharing of medical cannabis with others and prohibit impaired driving while under the influence of medical cannabis. Reclassify cannabis from a Schedule 1 drug to Schedule 2 drug in state law in order to allow for research of medical cannabis. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is about giving families and individuals options when nothing else has worked, said Amanda Watson, communications lead for the Natural Medicine Alliance of Idaho. This initiative was created with Idaho values in mind. It would require strong oversight, measures to prevent recreational use and most importantly, it would provide relief for thousands of Idahoans suffering from serious medical conditions. Its a compassionate, conservative approach to health care. The short ballot title for the Idaho Medical Cannabis Act reads: Measure decriminalizing the use, possession, production, cultivation, transportation, distribution and sale of marijuana by medical cannabis cardholders and production licensees. Idaho Legislature strongly opposes marijuana The new medical cannabis initiative sets up the potential to have two, dueling cannabis questions on Idaho voters ballots in November 2026. The Idaho Legislature, which staunchly opposes marijuana, has already placed a proposed amendment to the Idaho Constitution called House Joint Resolution 4 on the November 2026 ballot in Idaho. If approved by voters, HJR 4 would make it so that only the Idaho Legislature not Idaho voters has the power to legalize marijuana or other narcotics. HJR 4 applies to the growing, possession, use, selling, delivering, dispensing, prescribing, manufacturing or transporting of marijuana or other narcotics. Too many legislatures across this nation have sat back and just waited as initiative after initiative would come after them, until they finally overwhelm it and overwhelm the legislature, state Sen. Scott Grow, R-Eagle, said in March. We are acting because thats our responsibility. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Days before adopting the proposed amendment to the Idaho Constitution, the Idaho Legislature also passed another law creating a new mandatory minimum fine of $300 for anyone convicted of simple possession of marijuana. What is a ballot initiative and how does it work in Idaho? In Idaho, a ballot initiative is a form of direct democracy where the voters of Idaho not the Idaho Legislature decide whether to pass a new law. To qualify the Idaho Medical Cannabis Act for the November 2026 election, supporters need to gather and verify signatures from at least 70,000 registered Idaho voters, with at least 6% of the registered voters in at least 18 of Idahos 35 legislative districts. Supporters have until April 30 to collect the required signatures and submit them for verification, Watson said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If the ballot initiative qualifies for the November 2026 election, it would require a simple majority of voters to approve it. All of Idahos neighboring states, other than Wyoming, either offer medical cannabis like Utah or recreational marijuana, like Washington, Oregon, Montana and Nevada. Since 2012, different groups in Idaho have tried and failed every two years to qualify a medical marijuana ballot initiative to go on the ballot, state records show. The Natural Medicine Alliance of Idaho is a new, different group that launched this year. In an interview with the Idaho Capital Sun, Watson said the Natural Medicine Alliance of Idaho will use paid signature-gatherers to collect the necessary signatures by the April 30 deadline. Signature gatherers will be paid up to $5 per valid signature, and organizers are focusing on recruiting signature gatherers at this time. Information about applying to be a signature-gatherer is available on the Natural Medicine Alliance of Idahos website What is the Natural Medicine Alliance of Idaho? Public records show that experienced, high-profile legal and communications professionals in Boise have been steering the Idaho Medical Cannabis Act to this point. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Watson, president and founder of Boise-based Atlas Strategic Communications, is serving as the communications lead for the Natural Medicine Alliance of Idaho. Jeremy Chou, a partner with the Boise law firm/public affairs firm Givens Pursley, represents the Natural Medicine Alliance of Idaho and submitted official paperwork for the Idaho Medical Cannabis Act to the Idaho Secretary of States Office. Records available through the Idaho Secretary of States Office indicate the Natural Medicine Alliance of Idaho is a Boise-based limited liability company that was created Aug. 1. Givens Pursley Corporate Services, which has the same mailing address and a nearly identical name to Chous law firm, Givens Pursley LLP, is listed as the registered agent for the Natural Medicine Alliance of Idaho. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In addition to the limited liability company, a political action committee, or PAC, has also been recently established in Idaho. Campaign finance records available through the Idaho Secretary of States Office indicate that the Natural Medicine Alliance of Idaho PAC was created Oct. 23. Those records list Rob Cronin as the treasurer and chairperson of the Natural Medicine Alliance of Idaho PAC, while the mailing address provided is the same address as Watsons firm, Atlas Strategic Communications. The PAC, which is only a few days old, has not reported raising or spending any money as of this articles publication deadline. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE For the first time ever, legislation aimed at legalizing medical cannabis may have a chance at passing the Wisconsin Legislature this session. Currently, Wisconsin is one of only 10 states that does not allow individuals suffering from debilitating pain, disease, and other severe health problems to treat their condition with medical cannabis. As a cannabis attorney with nearly a decade of experience in Minnesota, I have lost track of the number of individuals and families who have espoused the wonders of medical cannabis. I have met with countless mothers (and fathers) who told me that their children (who suffer from seizure disorders, epilepsy or similar ailments) were only able to return to formal educational settings after treating their school-age children with medical cannabis. Often, children (and others) treated with medical cannabis do not get high but require access to elevated concentrations of THC to experience relief. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Opinion: It's time to give Milwaukee parks the funding stability they deserve Medical cannabis works. What's Wisconsin waiting for? In Minnesota, chronic pain is the condition that inflicts nearly 50% of those folks on our medical-cannabis registry. Military veterans suffering from PTSD also comprise a significant portion of Minnesotans who use medical cannabis. Alcoholism, opioid-use disorder and other addictions can also be successfully treated with medical cannabis. While it may still be controversial in some circles, the efficacy of medical cannabis is undisputed. Over the three decades since California first legalized medical cannabis, researchers have compiled overwhelming data, medical research, and the lived experiences of millions of Americans who have found relief from conditions ranging from chronic pain and cancer to PTSD and epilepsy. What is Wisconsin waiting for? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Republican state lawmakers in the Senate and Assembly are shepherding the bill. Gov. Tony Evers would likely sign it if it reaches his desk. At the federal level, it is widely anticipated that President Trump may soon sign an Executive Order moving marijuana from Schedule I of the federal controlled substances to Schedule III, which would recognize the medical value of marijuana. Although such rescheduling would not change the federal illegality of marijuana, decades of federal policy pronouncements indicate that so long as a state enacts regulatory protections, the federal government will not interfere with a states decision to legalize medical cannabis. Legalizing medical marijuana is about compassion, not control Notably, the legislation currently under debate in the Wisconsin Legislature does not allow recreational use. Rather, it merely allows doctors and patients another treatment option. When traditional pharmaceutical medicines fail or produce insufferable side effects, medical cannabis often is an effective alternative. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Under the proposed legislation, Wisconsins medical cannabis program would be tightly regulated and subjected to close scrutiny. Letters: Lawmakers like Sen. Johnson must do more about the shutdown. WI counts on him. In the absence of a state-regulated medical-cannabis program, Wisconsinites often attempt to self-medicate by turning to the illicit market, taking risks on unregulated products and engaging in desperate attempts to alleviate their suffering without the oversight of a medical professional. By legalizing medical cannabis, Wisconsin lawmakers could replace that chaos with accountability, oversight and compassion. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There is vast public support for legalizing medical cannabis in Wisconsin. Separate polls conducted over the last two years by Marquette University Law School, NORML and the Marijuana Policy Project each concluded that 80-85 percent of registered Wisconsin voters favor the legalization of medical cannabis. This is not a partisan issue its a moral one. For too long, the stigma associated with cannabis has prevented Wisconsin legislators from doing the right thing. The time to change that is now. Jason Tarasek is a cannabis attorney and lobbyist in Minneapolis. As a partner with Vicente LLP, a national cannabis law firm, Jason represents clients through the Upper Midwest, including Wisconsin. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: WI should legalize medical marijuana for our state's health | Opinion CHICOPEE Among the seven candidates running for at-large city councilor is Clark Wojtowicz. The candidate is the owner of a landscaping company and other businesses in Chicopee. Ahead of Tuesday, Nov. 4, The Republican reached out to all candidates for the opposed City Council and School Committee seats to answer a short questionnaire. Each council candidate was asked the same four questions. A different set of four identical questions was sent to the candidates for School Committee. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Over the next several days, The Republican will be publishing the candidates answers to the questions in print. Find more candidates and responses at masslive.com/topic/election. Name: Clark Wojtowicz Age: The candidate did not answer this question. Address: 295 Chicopee St. Profession: Business owner Position running for: Chicopee city councilor at-large Introductory statement: The candidate did not give a response to this question. Question #1: What is the biggest problem in the city and how would you address it? Politicians today think money grows on trees. You have to use common sense. Question #2: The City Council always struggles to keep taxes low while providing needed services and making advancements. How specifically will you balance the three? Yesterday I received a card in the mail from another candidate talking about raising taxes. I will NOT raise taxes. I have common sense. Question #3: The housing crisis continues to take a toll on residents and those who want to move to the city. How should the city attack the problem. The candidate did not respond to this question. Question #4: What types of development would you like to attract to the city and how would you do it? The candidate did not respond to this question. more news from Western Massachusetts Read the original article on MassLive. Add MassLive as a Preferred Source by clicking here. CHICOPEE In March, Donald Lamothe, the longtime School Committee member representing Ward 7, decided he would not seek re-election. In his stead, Rafael Ray Nazario, a veteran and community advocate, seeks the position. He is running unopposed. Nazario, 44, works as an artist and a public relations consultant. His hope for School Committee is to prioritize equipping students and teachers with the tools that will help them succeed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ahead of Tuesday, Nov. 4, The Republican reached out to all candidates for the opposed City Council and School Committee seats to answer a short questionnaire. Each council candidate was asked the same four questions. A different set of four identical questions were sent to the candidates for School Committee. Over the next several days, The Republican will be publishing the candidates answers to the questions in print. Find more candidates and responses at masslive.com/topic/election. Name: Ray Nazario Age: 44 Address: 225 Prospect St. Profession: Military retired / artist / PR consultant Position running for: School Committee Ward 7 Introductory statement: As a veteran, father, and community advocate with a masters degree in Business Administration from the School of Isenberg UMass Amherst, Im committed to building a stronger bridge between our schools, families, and city leadership. I believe education should awaken curiosity, creativity, and critical thinking, not just prepare students for tests. My focus is to support teachers, modernize classrooms, and expand programs in digital media, the arts, and vocational training. Chicopees children deserve the opportunity to grow not only academically, but personally and spiritually, into confident young leaders. I bring a combination of service-driven discipline, creative vision, and business insight to ensure our schools meet the needs of todays learners while preparing them for tomorrows world. What letter grade would you give the school system? Why? Assigning a letter grade to our school system feels two dimensional. Finances shape what teachers can access, and students dont all receive the same support at home. What I do see are teachers giving A-level effort every day, stretching limited resources to reach every child. Our focus should be on creating the right conditions for excellence, investing in tools, training, and community partnerships that empower both teachers and students to thrive. What is the biggest challenge the schools face? The biggest challenge is bridging engagement gaps, between students, parents, and teachers. Many students are capable of self-directed learning, while others need more one-on-one support. We must create flexible learning models that allow independent learners to grow while giving teachers more time for those who struggle. Strengthening family involvement and mentorship programs will also help students see the purpose behind their education. How should the School Committee address any loss of funding? Im starting with action: I will not accept pay or funding as a School Committee member. The burden belongs on leaders, not the people. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We must think boldly and act efficiently, tightening budgets without harming classrooms, pursuing grants, and building partnerships with local businesses, colleges, and nonprofits. By aligning community resources with school goals, we can preserve strong programs and prioritize teacher support, innovation, and real results where they matter most, inside the classroom. With the MCAS no longer a condition of graduation, what should the diploma requirements be? A Chicopee diploma should represent both knowledge and readiness. Students should demonstrate understanding through project-based learning, portfolio work, and community service, not just exams. A senior capstone, creative or civic in nature, would showcase a students skills, leadership, and contribution to their community. This approach builds graduates who are not only prepared for college or careers but equipped to make a difference in the world. More Western Mass. Content Read the original article on MassLive. Add MassLive as a Preferred Source by clicking here. Many of the most successful fighter pilots gained fame not only for their aerial tactics, but for their ability to pass their knowledge on to others. Ironically, some of those who handed down their tactical dictum to their men died because on one hubris-guided moment they disobeyed their own advice. Among these victims of their own negligence were World War I ace of aces Manfred von Richthofen and second-ranking American World War II ace Thomas B. McGuire Jr. Yet another cautionary tale was left by Neel Kearby. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While a second lieutenant in the Army Reserves in 1938, Kearby shot up the ranks after World War II broke out: captain on Feb. 1, 1942, major on March 1 and lieutenant colonel on Nov. 28. In October 1942, Kearby was put in charge of a new unit, the 348th Fighter Group. It was the first outfit shipped to V Fighter Command in New Guinea equipped with the Republic P-47D Thunderbolt, a huge, sturdy single-engine fighter armed with eight wing-mounted .50-caliber machine guns. American fighter jockeys in the South Pacific generally preferred the Lockheed P-38G Lightning, which had proven a highly successful ace-maker, while dismissing the P-47 Jug as too heavy and not maneuverable enough to dogfight nimble lightweights such as the Japanese navys Zero and the armys Nakajima Ki-43 Hayabusa. Once in command, however, Kearby became a hardcore believer in the P-47 and devoted himself to developing a doctrine for making the most of the Thunderbolts diving speed, while canceling out the Japanese advantages. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When the 348th moved to Port Moresby, Papua New Guinea, on July 14, 1943, its pilots had trained well under Kearbys tutelage and its first combat flight on Aug. 16 yielded its first victim: a Ki-43 of the 59th Koku Sentai (air regiment) downed by 2nd Lt. Wilburn C. Henderson. In spite of being 32 years of age practically ancient by USAAF standards Kearby was a believer in leading by example and on Sept. 4 he scored his first victories, a Mitsubishi G4M bomber and one of its Zero escorts. Ten days later he outran and downed a Mitsubishi Ki-46, a twin-engine reconnaissance built for speed. On Sept. 23 he was promoted to colonel. Then, on Oct. 11, he shot down six Japanese aircraft in a matter of 15 minutes, a feat that led to his being awarded the Medal of Honor from Gen. Douglas MacArthur on Jan. 23, 1944. Over the next few months Kearby and the 348th established themselves as forces to be reckoned with over New Guinea. On Jan. 9, 1944, he downed two fighters, bringing his score up to 21. At that point he was dividing his attention between flying alongside the 348th and, after Nov. 12, 1943, flying a desk in V Fighter Command while Lt. Col. Robert Richard Rowland assumed command of the 348th. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kearbys superior in Fifth Air Force, Maj. Gen. George C. Kenney, encouraged this arrangement to stir up a rivalry between aces, as he was already doing with P-38 champions Richard I. Bong and Tommy McGuire. Besides bringing out the deadly best in these outstanding pilots and pitting the P-38s against Kearbys P-47 the publicity it generated kept the Fifth Air Force in the public eye and attracted re-equipment stateside. On Feb. 8, 1944, Kenney put Kearby in command of the 308th Bombardment Group (Heavy), and it was during this command that Kearby forgot his own dictum. On March 5, 1944, Kearby was leading Captains Samuel Blair and William D. Dunham at 22,000 feet altitude over the enemy airfields at Wewak when, at 1720 hours, they spotted three Kawasaki Ki-48 bombers heading toward Dagua for a landing. The Japanese at Dagua spotted their comrades plight, however, and the 77th Sentai scrambled five Ki-43s up after the intruders. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Diving on their prey, each American ace was credited with one, but Kearby was not sure of his and circled around to make another pass. His 22nd victim splashed in the sea, but in making that second pass at relatively low altitude and reduced airspeed, he handed the advantage to the Hayabusas. The 77th Sentais log credited a P-47 each to Warrant Officer Koichi Mitoma and Sgt. Hiroshi Aoyagi, while suffering one plane badly damaged. In July 1947 Australian War Graves personnel found Kearby in the wreckage of his plane, Fiery Ginger IV, just 1,800 feet from Dagua. The only intact remnant, the white vertical stabilizer bearing the serial 42-22668, was returned to the U.S. and in 2001 it was put on display at the National Museum of the United States Air Force beside a rebuilt plane in his markings. Kearbys remains were laid to rest at Sparkman Hillcrest Memorial Park. Besides the Medal of Honor, Kearby was awarded two Silver Stars, four Distinguished Flying Crosses, five Air Medals and one Purple Heart. In 1959 a building on Sheppard Air Force Base is named in his honor and in 2010 the Texas Historical Commission and the City of Arlington unveiled a plaque and a statue of him in the Arlington Public Library. The banner, which had called for Miran's release, was displayed prominently on the building throughout his captivity as a symbol of hope and solidarity with hostages' families. Omri Miran, who spent 738 days in Hamas captivity, participated in a ceremony on Thursday to remove a large banner bearing his photograph from the facade of the Oranim building in Ramat Gan, where Meitar Law Firm's offices are located. The banner, which had called for Miran's release, was displayed prominently on the building throughout his captivity as a symbol of hope and solidarity with hostages' families. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meitar Law Firm took on Miran's case early in the war, providing pro bono legal assistance to the Hostages Headquarters and advocating for the captives' return. The firm specifically chose to highlight Miran's plight, anticipating that his demographic - men between 40 and 50 -would likely be among the last to be released. Just ten days after his release, Miran attended the ceremony alongside his father, Danny Miran, and approximately 800 Meitar employees. Former hostage Omri Miran attends ceremony to remove his poster in Ramat Gan (credit: Courtesy of Meitar Law Offices) We wish Omri a peaceful life Yoram Movshowitz, partner and CEO of Meitar Law Firm, addressed the gathering, saying, "This day symbolizes the beginning of healing and rehabilitation, yours, ours, and that of Israeli society as a whole. Throughout this entire period, the values embodied in the Declaration of Independence stood before our eyes: mutual responsibility, freedom, and human dignity." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Movshowitz announced that the firm would provide higher education scholarships to Roni and Alma, expressing hope that they would return to normal life. "We wish Omri a peaceful life, full of meaning, and that he can rebuild his life with faith and hope," he added. My heart is with the grieving families Speaking at the ceremony, Miran said, "I am happy to celebrate life and to be here with you in the free air. My heart is with the grieving families who lost their most precious loved ones. Your loved ones are engraved in my heart and in the heart of my entire family." He thanked Meitar Law Firm, saying, "from the bottom of my heart," for their support throughout his ordeal. Danny Miran reflected on the firm's unwavering commitment, "Omri's sign was raised from the second week of captivity, and this signaled to me that Meitar truly cares and that it sees the person, the family, and all of Israeli society. I felt at home here." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Today I feel that we have closed the circle. I have completed the mission of bringing Omri home," Mirans father concluded. The ceremony emphasized that efforts continue to bring home all remaining hostages and to ensure deceased captives receive proper burial in Israel. The White House will resume public tours in early December, roughly six weeks after President Donald Trump ordered the historic East Wing be reduced to rubble so the site where it once stood could be used for his massive $300 million gilded ballroom. According to the office of First Lady Melania Trump, tours will resume on Dec. 2 and will feature an updated route offering guests the opportunity to experience the history and beauty of the Peoples House. The first ladys office also noted that tours conducted in December will feature the White Houses annual Christmas decorations on the State Floor, which will be thoughtfully designed and curated under her direction. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Visitors will have the opportunity to enjoy the beloved annual tradition that transforms the White House into a festive reflection of the spirit, warmth, faith, and hope of the holiday season, her office added. News of the resumption of White House tours comes two months after the White House announced that the tours, which are arranged for visitors through members of Congress, would be suspended on account of the start of construction on the planned 90,000-square-foot ballroom that has been championed by President Trump. A demolition crew takes apart the facade of the East Wing of the White House, where U.S. President Donald Trump's proposed ballroom is being built, in Washington, D.C., U.S., October 21, 2025. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst (Reuters) According to the White House Historical Association, thousands of visitors each year typically avail themselves of the tours, which focus on the State Floor containing famous spaces such as the State Dining Room, the East Room, as well as the Blue, Red and Yellow Oval Rooms. Until this year, visitors arriving for tours and other public events usually entered the 18-acre White House complex through a visitor entrance and security screening facility leading to the East Wing, which in addition to the first ladys office had housed the White House Military Office, the Office of Legislative Affairs, and other components of the Executive Office of the President. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But that all came to an end earlier this month when construction crews began tearing down the facade of the East Wing opposite the Treasury Department building to make way for the ballroom, which the president had previously claimed would not interfere with any current parts of the White House. The demolition efforts quickly expanded to encompass the entire East Wing, which had been first built in 1902 and expanded four decades later to include a second floor above the original structure and a bunker, the Presidential Emergency Operations Center, built beneath it for then-president Franklin Roosevelt during the Second World War. The first lady, who unlike her predecessors does not live at the White House full time, has not spoken publicly on the merits of her husbands pet project. But according to The Wall Street Journal, she privately raised concerns about the East Wing demolition and told friends that the ballroom construction, which has outraged Americans on both sides of the political aisle, wasnt her project. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A recent Washington Post and ABC News poll showing a clear majority 56 percent opposing Trumps decision to raze the East Wing and replace it with a ballroom. A separate Economist-YouGov poll found similar results, with 25 percent supporting and 61 percent opposing the project, paid for by $300 million in private donations from American businesses and individuals including Apple, Amazon, Google, and Palantir, along with Blackstone CEO Stephen Schwarzman and former Olympic rowers turned crypto investors Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss. Lawmakers and some conservatives criticized Trump for moving forward without federal review, while the administration defended the project as a privately funded, much-needed expansion. Others argue that Trumps lavish ballroom renovation exemplifies glaringly misplaced priorities, advancing a costly personal project while millions face food insecurity amid the government shutdown. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump is appointing allies to boards overseeing the plan, which has grown from a $200 million, 650-person space to a $300 million, 1,000-person ballroom funded by some $350 million in private donations. Officials are informally calling the planned event space The President Donald J. Trump Ballroom, ABC News reports. Though Trump has not confirmed a name, senior Trump officials told the outlet the name will likely stick. The White House expects the ballroom project to be done well before 2029. In a statement to The Independent, White House spokesman Davis Ingle said: President Trump is working 24/7 to Make America Great Again, including his historic beautification of the White House, at no taxpayer expense. These long-needed upgrades will benefit generations of future presidents and American visitors to the Peoples House. MERIDEN - A North Carolina man has been arrested for sexually abusing an 8-year-old child, police said. Kenny Holley, 61, was taken into custody in his home state on Oct. 16 and extradited to Connecticut on Tuesday, according to the Meriden Police Department. Police said the investigation that led to Holley's arrest began in mid-2024 when officers received a complaint alleging the man sexually assaulted an 8-year-old child on more than one occasion. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police said the department's Special Crimes Unit obtained an arrest warrant following a thorough investigation that included DNA testing. "Holley appeared to have fled Connecticut, but SCU Detectives tracked his location to North Carolina where he resides," police said. Officials said Holley was charged with two counts of fourth-degree sexual assault and two counts of risk of injury to, or impairing the morals, of children. "We understand the impact of these crimes and we work with partner agencies to help provide services to the victims and their families affected," police said. "It is the policy of the Meriden Police Department to fully investigate every allegation of crimes against children that is brought to our organization." This article originally published at Meriden police arrest North Carolina man for sexually assaulting 8-year-old, officials say. NewsVoir New Delhi [India], October 31: The Rishal Music Trust hosted a press conference on 27th October, 2025 at the India International Centre, New Delhi, providing the media an opportunity to engage with its founders and learn about the upcoming initiative, Lakshmi Meets Saraswati. Founded by Mr. Harvansh Chawla, a distinguished lawyer and passionate advocate for India's cultural heritage, Rishal Music Trust aims at preserving and promoting the nation's artistic traditions. Mr. Chawla envisions the Trust as a dynamic platform to nurture and elevate classical musicians, folk artists, and cultural art forms, providing them with recognition, mentorship, and opportunities to thrive in today's world. The press conference offered insights into the Trust's vision ahead of its formal launch later this year in December. The initiative aims to create opportunities for artists, promote cultural mentorship, and celebrate India's rich musical heritage. The event began with a welcome address by Founder Trustee Ms. Monika Kapoor, who introduced the Trust's mission and acknowledged the distinguished guests present. The gathering featured a musical performance by National Award-winning artists Rajesh Prasanna and Rishab Prasanna, showcasing the depth and beauty of India's classical music traditions. A key highlight of the evening was the collective launch of the book "Sufi Music: Through the Eye of Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan", authored by Dr. Jagriti Luthra Prasanna and published by B.R. Rhythms. In a symbolic gesture, 24 dignitaries, including Padma Shri awardees and leading industrialists, jointly unveiled 24 ribboned copies of the book, marking the confluence of music, art, and mentorship that lies at the heart of Rishal Music Trust's vision. The Trust also announced the association of 12 Padma Shri awardees as patrons and mentors: 1. Padma Shri Vidushi Sumitra Guha, Indian Classical Vocalist2. Padma Shri Vidushi Nalini, Renowned Kathak Dancer3. Padma Shri Vidushi Kamalini, Renowned Kathak Dancer4. Padma Shri Pt. Ronu Majumdar, Flute Maestro5. Padma Shri Pt. Ritvik Sanyal, Renowned Dhrupad Vocalist6. Padma Shri Pt. Shivnath Mishra, Sitar Maestro7. Padma Shri Pt. Bharti Bhandhu, Indian Classical Vocalist8. Padma Shri Pt. Umakant Gundecha, Renowned Dhrupad Vocalist9. Padma Shri Ustad Moinuddin Khan, Sarangi Maestro10. Padma Shri Pt. Shashidhar Acharya, Renowned Chhau Dancer11. Padma Shri Ustad Ghulfam Ahmed, Sarod Maestro12. Padma Shri Pt. Ashok Chakradhar, Renowned Poet Speaking about the Trust's vision, Mr. Harvansh Chawla said, "Rishal Music Trust is designed to be a platform where India's classical and folk traditions are celebrated, supported, and sustained. Our goal is to provide artists with mentorship, resources, and opportunities to ensure that these invaluable art forms continue to inspire future generations." Ms. Monika Kapoor added, "The participation of our Padma Shri mentors and 24 dignitaries in the symbolic book launch reflects their dedication to preserving India's cultural heritage. Our mission is to create meaningful connections between artists, patrons, and industry leaders, enabling India's artistic legacy to flourish." The press conference concluded with a Q&A session, giving media representatives the chance to interact directly with the Trust's founders and patrons, followed by dinner and networking. The session offered insights into the Trust's vision, upcoming initiatives, and its commitment to promoting India's classical music, folk traditions, and cultural art forms. Rishal Music Trust is a platform dedicated to supporting, preserving, and promoting India's classical and folk music and cultural traditions. Through mentorship programs, curated initiatives, and collaborative opportunities, the Trust aims to elevate artists and cultural art forms, fostering a vibrant ecosystem for India's artistic heritage. (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by NewsVoir. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same) Meta has asked a U.S. court to dismiss a lawsuit that accused it of illegally downloading and distributing thousands of pornographic videos to train its artificial intelligence systems. Filed Monday in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California, the motion to dismiss argues there is no evidence that Metas AI models contain or were trained on the copyrighted material, calling the allegations nonsensical and unsupported. The motion was first reported by Ars Technica on Thursday, with Meta issuing a direct denial saying the claims are bogus. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Plaintiffs have gone to great lengths to stitch this narrative together with guesswork and innuendo, but their claims are neither cogent nor supported by well-pleaded facts, the motion reads. The original complaint was filed in July by Strike 3 Holdings and alleged Meta of using corporate and concealed IP addresses to torrent nearly 2,400 adult films since 2018 as part of a broader effort to build multimodal AI systems. Strike 3 Holdings is a Miami-based adult film holding company distributing content under brands such as Vixen, Blacked, and Tushy, among others. Decrypt has reached out to Meta and Strike 3 Holdings, as well as to their respective legal counsel, and will update this article should they respond. Scale and pattern Meta's motion argues that the scale and pattern of alleged downloads contradict Strike 3's AI training theory. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Over seven years, only 157 of Strike 3's films were allegedly downloaded using Meta's corporate IP addresses, averaging roughly 22 per year across 47 different addresses. Meta attorney Angela L. Dunning characterized this as "meager, uncoordinated activity" from disparate individuals doing it for personal use, and thus was not, as Strike 3 alleges, part of an effort by the tech giant to gather data for AI training. Most US Growth Now Rides on AIAnd Economists Suspect a Bubble The motion also pushes back on Strike 3s claim that Meta used more than 2,500 hidden third-party IP addresses, and claims Strike 3 did not verify who owned those addresses and instead made loose correlations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One of the IP ranges is allegedly registered to a Hawaiian nonprofit with no link to Meta, while others have no identified owner. Meta also argues theres no proof it knew about or could have stopped the alleged downloads, adding that it gained nothing from them and that monitoring every file on its global network would be neither simple nor required by law. Training safely While Metas defense appears unusual at first, it may still have weight given the core claim rests on how the material was not used in any model training, Dermot McGrath, co-founder of venture capital firm Ryze Labs, told Decrypt. If Meta admitted the data was used in models, theyd have to argue fair use, justify the inclusion of pirated content, and open themselves to discovery of their internal training and audit systems, McGrath said, add that instead of defending how the data was supposedly used, Meta denied it was ever used at all. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Microsoft AI Chief Says No to 'Sex Robots' as Industry Booms But if courts admit such a defense as valid, it could open a massive loophole, McGrath said. It could effectively undermine copyright protection for AI training data cases such that future cases would need stronger evidence of corporate direction, which companies would simply get better at hiding. Still, there are legitimate reasons to process explicit material, such as developing safety or moderation tools. Most major AI companies have red teams whose job is to probe models for weaknesses by using harmful prompts and trying to get the AI to generate explicit, dangerous, or prohibited content, McGrath said. To build effective safety filters, you need to train those filters on examples of what you're trying to block. Oct. 30Desiree Bernard said the Interfaith Power & Light organization is all about drawing on the moral and ethical "call to care for life." Bernard, executive director of IPL's New Mexico and El Paso chapter, said her group works toward that goal by connecting with faith communities statewide. Members engage in education, advocacy and renewable energy projects. "We want to work through those morally engaged communities to be an example for how we make the changes we need to make," Bernard said. "To show that we care about creation, that we care about stopping the destruction of our planet and, framed more positively, caring to make our planet a healthy place for future generations." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a webinar Thursday, the chapter launched Project HOW, short for houses of worship, aimed at helping all congregations be it churches, synagogues or mosques reduce energy use and adopt renewable systems. Bernard said fossil fuels are no longer needed to run facilities, but did acknowledge the difficulties in shifting to renewables. One of the biggest challenges comes from figuring out how to finance such projects. Partners like the New Mexico Climate Investment Center will aid in that process, Bernard said. NMCIC members will assist interested congregations in finding incentives and funding opportunities at the state level. "Solar energy is free. Once you're set up with something to capture the sun's energy, it's just going to keep pouring in," Bernard said. "But the hard part is being able to make the investment to get the system set up." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Santa Fe-based Positive Energy Solar will conduct site assessments and designs, and she said the chapter has also enlisted the help of the Rocky Mountain Institute. As communities try to decarbonize, Bernard said complexities with grid location could arise, leading to the need for RMI's expertise in energy transition. Aside from solar panel installation, Bernard said Project HOW can also be utilized to replace traditional gas-burning furnaces with electric heat pumps. Emphasizing the different pathways a congregation can take, she said limiting energy waste is the project's top priority. Interested congregations can submit inquiries on the IPL New Mexico and El Paso Region website. "Accomplishing these projects goes hand-in-hand with amplifying the moral voice through faith communities," Bernard said. "All of their congregants can be inspired and learn more about the solutions that exist." Oct. 30State Rep. Marianna Anaya believes a legislator's job isn't just to make laws. Sometimes, she says, lawmakers need to take action to encourage everyone members of law enforcement included to follow them. Anaya, D-Albuquerque, said on Thursday that is the motivation behind her new website, aguas-nm.com, which she launched this week to allow people to report U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity using an interactive map. The new website allows anyone to make an anonymous report of ICE activity, which is often difficult to verify since immigration agents can wear plainclothes and masks and travel in unmarked vehicles. Users can upload a description of alleged activity, as well as photos and videos. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Every entry is logged as "unverified" until Anaya's staff can confirm it through a "community partner," the legislator said. As of Thursday evening, five entries had been logged three in Albuquerque, one in Socorro and one in Las Cruces, none of which had been verified. Anaya said she and her staff began conceptualizing the website a few months ago as the Trump administration carried out its unprecedented deportation effort, which has at times swept up American citizens in its dragnet. "We have a lot of people who do have documentation, who do have status in this country, who are U.S. citizens, who are being detained," Anaya said. "And so for me, it was really important to make sure that our community was able to document these things." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The website contains a lengthy disclaimer on its homepage, describing aguas-nm.com as a "community resource for information purposes only," as well as a resource section with a link to the New Mexico Immigration Law Center. "We welcome efforts that make information and resources more accessible to immigrant and mixed-status communities," a spokesperson from the Law Center said in a statement. "Access to accurate and reliable information is essential for families to make informed decisions about their safety and rights." Anaya, who was elected last year, said she wants to be clear that the website isn't meant to interfere with ICE activity or immigration laws. She said it's also not meant to endanger or thwart officers in the course of duty. "This is a documentation tool for things that have happened in the past and not things that are happening in real time," she said. "And so to me, that's the distinction. I think someone could argue that TikTok could do the same thing, that any sort of live streaming platform could do the same thing." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement House Republican Leader Gail Armstrong, R-Magdalena, condemned Anaya's new cyber initiative on Wednesday in a statement that said she had "crossed a line." "Launching a website to monitor and report ICE operations endangers officers, compromises investigations, and could obstruct federal law," according to the statement. "New Mexico is already battling drug trafficking and illegal border activity, and we don't need lawmakers helping criminals hide from accountability. This is what happens when far-left politics come before public safety. Armstrong said lawmakers "have a duty to protect New Mexicans, not to undermine those who are sworn to enforce federal law." Oct. 30A day after New Mexico leaders announced the state would temporarily cover the cost of food assistance benefits for more than 20% of the state's population, residents and state officials alike were still taking stock of the unprecedented move. While Democrats and Republicans have taken turns accusing each other of causing the looming freeze of benefits under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, elected officials from both parties have expressed support for the stopgap funding. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has said it will not reimburse states like New Mexico for spending millions to fill in the gap on SNAP funding, but Democratic legislators are pushing for future reimbursement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "This is a federal obligation, so we will be pushing back on the USDA position," said U.S. Rep. Teresa Leger Fernandez, D-N.M. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program helps 460,000 New Mexicans buy groceries each month, but the program is set to run out of money Saturday because of the government shutdown, delaying November benefits. The USDA does not plan to use its roughly $5 billion contingency fund to pay November benefits, a decision that sparked a lawsuit from more than 20 states. Albuquerque resident Reina Chavez said she was approved for SNAP benefits two months ago after losing her job. Though she recently found work at the Salvation Army, she said she expected to keep getting food assistance through November to get fully back on her feet. "I was scared because I rely on it," Chavez said of SNAP benefits being at risk. "I need it. I was hungry and I had no income." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Other states' approaches New Mexico is among a growing group of states that plan to use state funds to ensure the food assistance benefits that low-income residents receive are not interrupted. In previous shutdowns, there has been a commitment to states that they will be reimbursed or clear guidance for states about what to do next, as well as a commitment not to interrupt SNAP, said U.S. Rep. Jahana Hayes, D-Conn. "We need to push to make sure those states are reimbursed, but also that we continue to have this set aside contingency fund with clear guidance on how it is to be used, so that if we are ever in a situation like this, hungry families will not be operating in fear not knowing what happens next," Hayes said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In addition to New Mexico, Vermont and Louisiana are among the states that have announced plans to foot the bill for SNAP benefits during the ongoing federal government shutdown. Louisiana's Republican Gov. Jeff Landry announced his state's $150 million plan on the same day Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham said New Mexico would spend up to $30 million to cover SNAP benefits for up to 10 days if the shutdown continues. Specifically, Lujan Grisham signed 40 executive orders this week that, combined, free up the $30 million in emergency state funding to pay for SNAP benefits. But Lujan Grisham said she might call legislators back to Santa Fe for a special session if the federal government shutdown continues beyond mid-November. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some states are not redirecting money to pay out SNAP benefits directly but are using state dollars to support food banks. More than 757,000 Oregon residents rely on SNAP. The state's governor has declared an emergency in response to the SNAP delays and directed $5 million to assist food banks. California has an estimated 5.5 million residents who rely on SNAP benefits. The state is fast tracking up to $80 million and deploying the National Guard to support food banks, Gov. Gavin Newsom announced last week. Partisan finger-pointing Several Republican legislators said Thursday they support New Mexico's short-term funding approach. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "While the federal shutdown is the direct result of Democrat games in Washington, our state shouldn't let our most vulnerable citizens pay the price," said Rep. Stefani Lord, R-Sandia Park. But Lord also said the state's high SNAP enrollment rate the state's enrollment rate is the nation's highest underscores the need for better schools and more job opportunities. New Mexico Republicans also continued to criticize the state's two Democratic U.S. senators Ben Ray Lujan and Martin Heinrich for voting against a GOP-backed plan to reopen the federal government. "They're playing politics when they should be putting New Mexicans first," said Sen. Jay Block, R-Rio Rancho. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lujan said the shutdown could end now if Republicans were willing to have a meaningful negotiation. "Under the previous administration, a Democratic president with Democratic majorities in both the Senate and the House, there was not a shutdown because we negotiated," Lujan said. The senator introduced a bill that would fund SNAP and a related program, the USDA's {span}Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, known as WIC,{/span} and guarantee reimbursement to states, on Wednesday. Sen. Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., blocked a vote on it, calling Lujan's bill "a transparent admission that Democrats want to keep the shutdown for what? Another month? Longer?" Oct. 30An Albuquerque-based watchdog group filed a lawsuit in Santa Fe District Court on Tuesday accusing the New Mexico Department of Public Safety of repeatedly violating a 47-year-old records law designed to ensure government transparency in the state. Passed in 1978, the New Mexico Inspection of Public Records Act gives members of the media and the general public the right to access most public records held by state and local governments within 15 days. The New Mexico Foundation for Open Government is arguing that the Department of Public Safety has demonstrated a "pattern and practice" of abusing a legal exception to extend that timeline, allowable only when records custodians deem requests overly broad or burdensome. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The department, which includes New Mexico State Police, regularly violates a 2020 New Mexico Supreme Court ruling barring records custodians from stating that a criminal investigation is "ongoing," "open" or "active" to deny or delay requests, according to Tuesday's complaint. FOG referenced numerous information requests made by New Mexico media outlets that it says the Department of Public Safety has delayed or denied illegally this year. "There's been a repetitive and persistent failure to comply with IPRA's time limits," FOG Legal Director Amanda Lavin said. "That's despite having multiple lawsuits brought against them, despite pushback from journalists from FOG and others, and despite a Supreme Court ruling telling them that they can't withhold records just because there's an ongoing law enforcement investigation." The lawsuit cites months of delays stemming from public information requests regarding allegations of an assault at a New Mexico Children, Youth and Families Department office in Albuquerque, for example, and the death of Rio Arriba County Sheriff Billy Merrifield, whose fatal overdose in April remains the subject of a State Police investigation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In April, a Rio Grande Sun journalist challenged the Department of Public Safety's denial of a public information request on the basis of an ongoing investigation, citing a 2020 state Supreme Court case in which justices ruled that agencies may not use an investigation's active status as a basis to withhold public records. FOG also says the Department of Public Safety has been inconsistent in its responses to requestors, sometimes informing them certain records do not exist, only to release them at a later date. Lavin said FOG will seek an injunction ordering the Department of Public Safety into compliance. In response to a request for comment, Department of Public Safety Public Information Officer John Heil wrote in an email that the agency "has not yet been served and cannot comment on pending litigation." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He did, however, note that records requests filed with the agency have increased in the last three fiscal years, rising from 12,206 in fiscal year 2023, to 13,611 in fiscal year 2024, to 13,955 in fiscal year 2025. The agency currently has 10 full-time employees in its IPRA unit, he said, including a records custodian manager, IPRA supervisor, six IPRA coordinators and two IPRA accident coordinators. Heil also referred the Journal to three news releases on the Department of Public Safety website describing the operations of its forensic laboratories, with one titled, "Gatekeepers: How New Mexico's Department of Public Safety Forensic Laboratory Evidence Unit safeguards case integrity." LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits will pause Nov. 1 due to the ongoing federal government shutdown, prompting food banks in Michigan to ramp up operations and the state to pledge additional funding to help families. We have withstood a lot of emergencies over the years, and were going to be here for neighbors no matter what, said Michelle Lantz, CEO of Greater Lansing Food Bank. Gov. Gretchen Whitmers administration has committed to keeping food on families tables during the pause, directing support to organizations including Greater Lansing Food Bank and the Food Bank Council of Michigan. Whitmer announced the state will donate $4.5 million to the Food Bank Council to bolster statewide response. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Food banks across America and including ours are here for the emergency needs that come up like this. But it does take the involvement of the community, additional donations and food for us to meet that need, Lantz said. Lantz said the food bank and its partners have seen a sharp increase in visitors in the wake of the shutdown and the looming SNAP interruption. We and our partners, the food banks, the agencies that serve neighbors right on the front lines, have seen a dramatic increase in the number of people that are coming out for food, she said. They simply dont have the money to buy the food that they normally would, especially on the SNAP cards. To meet the surge, Greater Lansing Food Bank is purchasing and distributing more food immediately. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We are increasing the amount of food were putting out into the community. Were increasing the volume of food that were purchasing right now so that we can meet that need of everyone who is being affected, Lantz said. Compared with last month, Lantz said the organization is seeing nearly a 100% increase in people seeking assistance. So were really encouraging people right now to help us make sure that everybody in the seven-county region that we serve is going to have the food on their tables that they deserve and require over the next few weeks, she said. Weve been here for 40 years and were going to be here for perpetuity. The $4.5 million in state funds will be distributed across Michigans 83 counties, helping provide food to residents and supporting delivery to those who cannot drive. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Greater Lansing Food Bank is asking community members to donate funds, food, or volunteer time to sustain operations during the SNAP pause. Residents in need can find local pantry partners and distribution schedules on the food banks website or by calling 2-1-1. 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. LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) The Michigan Senate passed a supplemental appropriations bill Thursday that would provide millions in emergency funding to cover the halt of federal SNAP funds during the government shutdown. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) said the funds will pause Nov. 1. Senate Bill 182 passed 27-4 and would provide $71 million to fund the program. The four who voted no were Sens. Joseph Bellino (R-Monroe), Dan Lauwers (R-Brockway Township), Aric Nesbitt (R-Lawton) and Jim Runestad (R-White Lake), none of which explained their votes. This fund is a stopgap measure, a lifeline for families facing uncertainty, said Sen. Sarah Anthony (D-Lansing) in a speech on the floor of the Senate. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Under the bill, $50 million would be provided to the Department of Health and Human Services for emergency food assistance. Another $10 million would go towards the states agricultural surplus system. An additional $10 million would go to emergency food bank grants. $1 million would expand the Double Up Food Bucks program. Sen. Jonathan Lindsey (R-Bronson) said hell vote yes for the bill, but noted that it wouldnt take effect before the Nov. 1 deadline. This is all political theater, he said. The bill before us cannot be passed in time to help. Michigan House Democrats are expected to introduce their own proposal, which would distribute $600 million, intended to cover two months of lost benefits. Neither plan has much of a chance of gaining support in the GOP-led House. Gov. Gretchen Whitmers office announced the state will provide $4.5 million to the Food Bank Council of Michigan. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hungry families cannot wait for the folks in power in Washington, DC to do their jobs, Whitmer said in a statement. Today, in light of the USDAs decision to freeze SNAP, the State of Michigan is taking action to support the Food Bank Council of Michigan so they can continue feeding families in all 83 counties and deliver food to those who are unable to drive. We take care of each other in Michigan, and we will continue bringing together public and private philanthropic resources to feed people as we hit day 30 of the federal government shutdown and approach the November 1 pause of SNAP. We will continue to do what we can in Michigan to help impacted families. While MDHHS is the state department responsible for distributing these funds to eligible Michigan residents, the source of the money is a federal program from the USDA. 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. GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) A food drive will be held by Michigan State Police through all of November for families and food banks in Southwest Michigan. MSPs Fifth District will hold collection sites at its posts in Paw Paw, Niles, Marshall, Wayland and district headquarters. Items can be dropped off in the lobby of each post Monday through Friday between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. starting Nov. 1. In the spirit of the giving season, were asking our MSP family and the public to come together to help fill the shelves of our local food banks, said Fifth District Commander Capt. Jeremy Carlisle. Every item donated represents hope for a Michigan family this holiday season. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to MSP, the most needed items this year are peanut butter, canned fruits and vegetables, cereal, soup and beans and ready to eat meals such as macaroni and cheese. Toilet paper, soap, detergent and deodorant are other needed household and hygiene items. The food drive will end Nov. 30. 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 greatest symbol of Halloween is, beyond a doubt, the jack-o-lantern: a pumpkin with its innards scooped out, a grotesque, smiling face carved into it, and a candle inside. Its flickering light casts ghostly shadows and brings the carved face to life, enhancing the holidays distinctive air of mystery and festivity. The type of pumpkin most commonly used for Halloween is Cucurbita pepo, typically the Connecticut field or Jack O'Lantern varieties, whose colour, rounded shape and tough rind make them ideal for carving. But pumpkins were not always used for this tradition. In the beginning, other vegetables were carved. Specifically, turnips. The spirit of Stingy Jack The most famous legend associated with the tradition of carved Halloween vegetables takes us back to 18th-century Ireland. It is linked to the Irish folklore figure of Stingy Jack, also known as Jack the Smith, Drunk Jack, Flaky Jack and Jack O'Lantern. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jack fooled the devil twice, so the story goes. First, he convinced him to turn himself into a coin to pay for one last drink before taking him to hell, and then he trapped him in the top of a tree. To gain his freedom, the devil had to promise Jack that he would never try to claim his soul again. However, when Jack died, his sinful life prevented him from entering heaven. The devil honoured their deal and denied him entry to the underworld, leaving Jack condemned to wander the Earth in eternal darkness, unable to rest in either heaven or hell. Satan mockingly threw him a burning ember from hell to light his way, and Jack placed the ember inside a hollow turnip, which he used as a lantern. And so he became Jack O'Lantern, Jack of the lantern. Samhain, the Celtic origin of Halloween Halloweens ancient roots are linked, for the most part, to the festival of Samhain, which marked the end of harvest season and the Celtic new year. In the 18th century, many people in Ireland celebrated Samhain with a ritual of going from house to house in search of food and drink this is where we get modern day trick or treating. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Since darkness prevailed over preindustrial Ireland in autumn, many would carve turnips, potatoes and other root vegetables, and fill them with coal or candles to create improvised street lamps to guide people celebrating Samhain. Sometimes, they would carve faces into them. There was also an old belief that, on Halloween night, the boundary between the worlds of the living and the dead was at its weakest, allowing both good and evil spirits to come back. Vegetable lamps were put in windows and doorways to ward off these wandering spirits, including that of Jack O'Lantern himself. Over time, people began to carve frightening faces into turnips to frighten evil spirits away. Leer mas: Samhain: the true, non-American origins of Halloween How a microorganism changed turnips for pumpkins The Great Irish Famine, also known as the Potato Famine and the Great Hunger, was a devastating period of starvation, disease and migration that affected Ireland from 1845 to 1849, though its effects were still being felt as late as 1852. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Although the exact figures are unknown, records indicate that there were at least 1,100,000 deaths, and mass emigration of another million people. The result was a population decline of almost 30%. The famine was a disaster on many fronts it was a convergence of political, religious, economic and, above all, microbiological factors. The famine was caused by the oomycete Phytophthora infestans, commonly known as late blight, which destroyed potato crops, the staple food for much of Irelands poor. This microorganism is very aggressive, and is still a threat to important crops such as potatoes and tomatoes. Unfortunately for the Irish, Phytophthora infestans took hold in the soil. The following years were catastrophic, as the pathogen persisted and potato crops were either ruined or disappeared altogether. At that time, there were no chemical or genetic methods to combat blight. Famine and its associated diseases ravaged the poorest, while malnutrition facilitated the spread of serious illnesses like typhoid fever, tuberculosis, diphtheria and cholera. Leer mas: How to tackle new strains of potato blight and avoid another great famine Bringing Halloween to the US Those who were lucky managed to emigrate in search of new opportunities, although many did so in appalling conditions and perished during the journey. The largest Irish diaspora settled in the United States, a predominantly Protestant country. However, more than 90% of Irish migrants were Catholic, and this had a significant impact on American society. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Irish immigrants brought many traditions with them when they crossed the Atlantic, but when it came time to celebrate Halloween, they hit a snag: turnips were not easy to find in America. Fortunately, they found a native vegetable that was much larger, more striking, abundant in autumn, and easy to hollow out and carve: the pumpkin. It immediately replaced turnips and other vegetables. Leer mas: Pumpkins journey from ancient food staple to spicy fall obsession spans thousands of years Pumpkins carved with spooky faces quickly became integral to Halloween celebrations. Although they were initially used to scare away Jacks spirit and other wandering souls, over time, the jack-o-lantern evolved into a simple festive symbol. Today, they adorn homes, mixing fright and fun throughout the month of October. The dangers of decaying pumpkins Even today, pumpkins can harbour danger. A 2006 study analysed the rapid fungal decomposition of Halloween pumpkins (Cucurbita pepo) in Northern Ireland during October 2005. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It found that, after being carved and displayed for some time, jack-o-lanterns developed significant microbial deterioration. The study revealed the presence of at least five types of fungi (Penicillium, Gibberella, Mucor, Nectria and Fusarium), three of which are known to cause infections in immunocompromised individuals. This risk had not been previously documented. This is not to say carved pumpkins should cease to be part of Halloween festivities, but in healthcare settings with vulnerable patients, they should be regularly inspected to minimise the spread of spores. At the first sign of fungal contamination, they should be discarded at once. A weekly e-mail in English featuring expertise from scholars and researchers. It provides an introduction to the diversity of research coming out of the continent and considers some of the key issues facing European countries. Get the newsletter! Este articulo fue publicado originalmente en The Conversation, un sitio de noticias sin fines de lucro dedicado a compartir ideas de expertos academicos. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lee mas: Raul Rivas Gonzalez no recibe salario, ni ejerce labores de consultoria, ni posee acciones, ni recibe financiacion de ninguna compania u organizacion que pueda obtener beneficio de este articulo, y ha declarado carecer de vinculos relevantes mas alla del cargo academico citado. The central bank set the cut-off rates for underwriting commissions payable to Primary Dealers for four different securities. According to the RBI statement, the 5.91 per cent Government Security (GS) 2028, with a notified amount of Rs 9,000 crore, saw a Minimum Underwriting Commitment (MUC) of Rs 4,515 crore and an Additional Competitive Underwriting amount of Rs 4,485 crore. The total amount underwritten stood at Rs 9,000 crore, with a cut-off underwriting commission fixed at 0.15 paise per Rs 100. For the 6.28 per cent GS 2032, the notified amount was Rs 11,000 crore, while the MUC stood at Rs 5,502 crore and the ACU amount accepted at Rs 5,498 crore. The total amount underwritten for this security was Rs 11,000 crore, and the cut-off rate for the underwriting commission was 0.30 paise per Rs 100. Similarly, the 7.24 per cent GS 2055 had a notified amount of Rs 7,000 crore. The MUC for this issue was Rs 3,507 crore, and the ACU amount accepted was Rs 3,493 crore, taking the total underwritten amount to Rs 7,000 crore. The cut-off rate for the underwriting commission in this case was 0.67 paise per Rs 100. The 6.98 per cent Government of India Sovereign Green Bond (SGrB) 2054, with a notified amount of Rs 5,000 crore, saw a Minimum Underwriting Commitment of Rs 2,520 crore and an ACU amount accepted of Rs 2,480 crore. The total amount underwritten for this issue was Rs 5,000 crore, with the highest cut-off commission rate among the four securities at 1.50 paise per Rs 100. (ANI) LEBANON, Tenn. (WKRN) As the holiday shopping season approaches, several police departments across Middle Tennessee are reporting that shoplifting cases are down. But police say organized retail theft is still happening. Two people were arrested in Lebanon on Tuesday after an alleged nationwide retail theft operation. Time is of the essence when it comes to these organized retail theft rings; they move quick and get out quick, Lebanon Police Department Public Information Officer Zach Patton said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At a Lowes in Lebanon, police arrested two people from Canada on Tuesday after they allegedly stole nearly $1,000 worth of products. Have breaking news come to you: Subscribe to News 2 email alerts We found several digital locks, electronic locks in the females purse, and after looking at the purse, we discovered it had material lined to help block security devices, Patton said. Police say after being notified by nearby agencies, their license plate reader cameras confirmed the suspects vehicle had been in Lebanon within the hour. Investigators believe the duo is part of a nationwide retail theft operation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As of right now, it appears that they were targeting hardware stores, Patton said. They crossed over the Canadian border a couple days ago, earlier on in the week, maybe over the weekend and started traveling south and hitting several stores along the way. Off the top of my head, I know Missouri, Kentucky, and they found their way to Tennessee. But across Middle Tennessee, shoplifting is trending down for some police departments. Lebanon Police Department: In 2023, they arrested 218 people on shoplifting charges. In 2024, they arrested 160 people on shoplifting charges, which is a 26% decrease. So far in 2025, theyve arrested 101, trending downward at 24% compared to 2024. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Clarksville Police Department: Shoplifting incidents from Jan. 1 to Sept. 30 were 758 in 2024 compared to 620 in 2025, which is an 18% decrease. Brentwood Police Department: In 2024, they had 100 documented incidents of shoplifting. So far in 2025, theyve seen 96 documented incidents of shoplifting, a nearly 5% decrease. Theyve also remained consistent in that theres an approximately 20% immediate arrest rate for these calls. La Vergne Police Department: Officials are reporting a nearly 20% decrease in September. Meanwhile, in Franklin, police are gearing up for their annual Not In Our Mall campaign. Read todays top stories on wkrn.com We do have a huge retail presence in Williamson County, Franklin Police Department Public Information Manager Max Winitz said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to Franklin police, they made 50 arrests in just six weeks during the 2024 holiday season, recovering nearly $10,000 in stolen merchandise. Police said a vast majority of these shoplifting offenders are not from Franklin but come from Nashville and out of state. The department encourages shoppers to say something if they see something. As for criminals, they gave a warning. You will be caught, and you will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, and were not messing around, Winitz said. The nationwide retail theft operation remains under 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 WKRN News 2. NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) Teams from a Middle Tennessee nonprofit are traveling to Jamaica this weekend to help the government build field hospitals after Hurricane Melissa destroyed much of the island. The Category 5 storm made landfall in Jamaica on Tuesday, Oct. 28 before it weakened and moved onto Cuba. According to the Associated Press, Hurricane Melissa has killed dozens of people and caused widespread destruction across Jamaica, Haiti, and Cuba. The initial wave of needs is gonna be shelter. From what theyre telling me, most people dont have roofs in a lot of these areas, Bob Pasquale, CEO of Beacon Rescue, said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Haiti, Jamaica and Cuba pick up the pieces after Melissas destruction Beacon Rescue is a Nashville nonprofit that responds to natural disasters here at home and across the country. We aim to always work with first responders. We dont go into an area, domestically or internationally, if were not connected to the government some way, Pasquale told News 2. In addition to shelter and power, Pasquale said Jamaica needs medical supplies. Clarksville woman awaiting word from family in Jamaica after Hurricane Melissa On the medical side of things, with these hospitals just being obliterated with these storms that passed through, pharmaceutical stuff is going to be huge, medical equipment, even just simple stuff like bandages for your basic triage type stuff, Pasquale explained. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the Beacon Rescue CEO, the first team is flying out Saturday, Nov. 1 to work with the government to establish field hospitals across the island. Theyre going to be working with the government to identify probably specific areas based on geography. I know one of the big issues right now is theyre predicting massive landslides, Pasquale said. La Vergne restaurant owner praying for family in Jamaica Pasquale told News 2 thats a big concern since Beacon Rescue also plans to potentially help with search and rescue efforts and provide critical resources. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Outside of the medical stuffwere going to be focusing on tarps, tents, and small portable generators. Its a fairly poor country, so from what I understand, most people dont own generators, so [in] a lot of these areas, its going to be weeks or months or even longer before they start getting electricity, Pasquale described. If youd like to donate to the nonprofit, click here. If you have a medical background and are interested in volunteering, either follow this link or reach out to Beacon Rescue. 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. Another new night train may soon be joining Europes growing fleet. Proposals are underway for a direct connection between Switzerland, Denmark and Sweden. The project is currently awaiting approval from the Swiss Parliament. If it gets the green light, the service will run three times a week, starting in mid-April next year. New night train to connect Basel, Copenhagen and Malmo This week, Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) unveiled plans for the new night train, which will travel from Basel to Copenhagen in Denmark and Malmo in Sweden Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A spokesperson for the company said the new service is making climate-friendly travel to Northern Europe even more accessible, and added that it meets the growing demand for sustainable, cross-border mobility. The EuroNight will run three times a week in both directions, with the first service slated to depart on 15 April, 2026. The sleeper will leave from Basel at 5:35pm on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. The journey will take 16 hours, arriving in Malmo at 9:35am, according to SBB. From Malmo, trains will depart at 6:57pm on Thursdays, Saturdays and Mondays and arrive in Basel at 11:30am, a journey time of 16 hours 30 minutes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The train will cover a distance of around 1,400 kilometres. En route, it will stop in Freiburg (Breisgau), Karlsruhe, Mannheim, Frankfurt (Main) Sud and Hamburg in Germany, and Padborg, Kolding, Odense, Hje Taastrup and Copenhagen Airport in Denmark. Due to scheduling constraints, the service wont stop at Copenhagen Central Station, but travellers can reach the Danish capital from Hje Taastrup or Copenhagen Airport in around 15 minutes using the S-Bahn urban railway. The sleeper will be able to accommodate around 350 passengers in sleeping, couchette and seating carriages. Tickets for the EuroNight service are expected to go on sale starting 4 November. New sleeper train awaits government funding Night trains are fast becoming one of the most popular ways to travel around Europe. But their progress is being halted by problems of high running costs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Recently, Austrian national rail operator OBB announced its night trains linking Paris with Vienna and Berlin will be discontinued from mid-December following the French governments withdrawal of funding. The proposal for the new sleeper from Switzerland to Sweden is still pending as the rail company is awaiting approval for government financial support. Related The Swiss government has earmarked CHF47 million (50.6 million) through 2030 to support international night train services as part of the CO2 Act, which aims to halve the countrys emissions in the next 5 years. However, this still needs to be approved by parliament in the winter session. Should the funding not be approved, SBB says it will inform customers and refund any tickets that have already been booked. Saturday is November 1the day open enrollment begins on the Obamacare exchanges, and thus the day that those 20 million people will start learning in specific terms how much their health care premiums are going to increase. It is also the day that the Trump administration will stop paying SNAP benefits, the nutritional assistance program that helps 42 million Americans buy food for themselves and their families, at an average of around $175 a month. It will do this despite the presence of a $6 billion reserve fund to cover food stamp emergencies, which the administration argued in court Thursday it couldnt or wouldnt spend because this is not an emergency. Or the right kind of emergency. Or something. In addition, it will be the thirty-second day of the current government shutdown (the longest was 35 days, during Donald Trumps first term). It will also mark 51 days since the House of Representatives, under Speaker Mike Johnson, has cast a vote. And it will be 38 days since the election of Democrat Adelita Grijalva to the Arizona House seat held by her father without her yet being sworn in, a situation about which Johnson, who by law must perform the ceremony, has told lie after pathetic lie. He has kept the House out of session and delayed her swearing in for one reason alone, which everyone knows: Shell be the 218th vote to release the files relating to Jeffrey Epstein. So these are Mike Johnsons Christian values, as Paul Krugman put it on his Substack Tuesday: It sounds crazy to say that Republicans are making children go hungry to protect pedophiles, but its actually a reasonable interpretation of the situation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its a 100 percent reasonable interpretation. If Johnson werent paralyzed by the looming Epstein vote, which he wouldnt have the power to block from coming to the floor, the House could be in session, voting, and it could have done something about getting those SNAP benefits to people. In fact, the only factor that makes Krugmans interpretation an other-than-reasonable one is that Republicans, given their long-standing and ferocious hostility to food stamps and every program that makes poor peoples burden a bit lighter, might not agree to vote for emergency spending. Theyve been trying and sometimes succeeding at making deep cuts to this program for nearly 15 years. Many people have pointed out that Republicans are harming their own constituents, since many SNAP recipients are rural and white. People point this out as if the Republicans dont know this, and telling them would make them go, Oh, heck, we forgot, thank you, we better go change our ways. Praise Jesus. News flash: They know. They just dont care. And their president certainly doesnt care. Initially, the Department of Agriculture had said that the emergency fund would be tapped in case November 1 came and went without the government reopening. But then the department reversed course. And so the Trump administration was in court Thursday arguing that the reserve fund was there for natural disasters only. Funny thingTrump has moved around hundreds of millions of dollars to pay the troops, which is fine, and to pay the masked and unbadged men rounding up many innocent people for deportation, which is very much not fine. He also sent $20 billion to his neofascist pal in Argentina to help him win an election and prop up his regimea bailout, The New York Times reported, that will personally benefit at least two friends of Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. But it wont use money to feed poor people that is just sitting there for that very purpose. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As for the premiums under Obamacare, weve seen a few early numbers. November 1 brings a double whammy: the normal yearly increases as the reenrollment period begins, and the end of extra subsidies passed during the pandemic if Congress doesnt renew them. The New York Times found a woman in Oregon who has been paying $459 a month and who next year will have to start paying $1,059 a month, with a pulverizing deductible of $7,100. Another woman from California was set to see her costs rise from $865 a month to $1,965. Not that the Republicans care about this in practice either. But in theory, at least, Mike Johnson could hold votes on this matter too. But that would involve calling the House back into session, which would meanaccording to his own worthless promisesthat hed have to seat Grijalva, and thats a nonstarter. He has to protect those people whose names appear in those filesor at least one persons. After all, who can forget the imperishable New Testament chapter wherein Jesus said to let the poor children go hungry and the undeserving poor take ill and die for the sake of protecting sexual predators? These people are beyond immoral. Inevitably in these situations, theres a lot of talk about which party is winning the shutdown. So fine, lets play that dull game for a bit. Ill make two points. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement First: I do not understand why the Democrats havent been shouting about Grijalva nonstop, making sure America knows how many days its been since her election, and why this is happening to her. They do it, sort of, in the same way that they do a lot of things, sort of. Senators Mark Kelly and Ruben Gallego did confront Johnson, once, and say, Stop covering up for pedophiles. Johnson said, Thats ridiculous. But different Democrats should be making Johnson say that every day. Second, I suspect maybe the Democrats will give in next week. They hope that outrage about the lack of food stamps and especially the exploding health care subsidies will force the Republicans hand, and they might be right about that. But more likely, once actual people start actually suffering, its the Democrats who will sue for peace, because Democrats actually give a couple of shits about that, whereas Republicans couldnt care less, because not caring less is their brand (unless those putting in the suffering time include, say, fossil fuel CEOs). So maybe the Democrats will do that. But I think even if they do, and the shallow Politico win the day verdicts agree that the GOP won, Democrats can still win down the road. They fought for lower health care subsidies. They fought for the federal workforce. They fought for hungry families. They fought for the 812,000 residents of the 7th district of Arizona. OK, they lost, in the short term. But they fought. Three months from now, when millions of Americans health care premiums have shot through the roof and millions of others have given up their coverage because they can no longer afford it, well, the Democrats can come back and show voters that this is what victory looks like, according to this alleged new party of the working class. This article first appeared in Fighting Words, a weekly TNR newsletter authored by editor Michael Tomasky. Sign up here. At least one Trump administration official can see the forest for the trees when it comes to the reality of the government shutdown. Much to the chagrin of Republican leadership, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins delivered a rare level-headed missive Friday for Americans struggling with expiring SNAP benefits. My message to America is first, the fact that your government is failing you right now, Rollins told reporters. That poverty is not red or blue, it is not a Democrat or Republican issue. Doesnt matter who you voted for or even if you voted. That if you are in a position where you cant feed your family, and youre relying on that $187 dollars a month for an average family in the SNAP program, that we have failed you. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But that was a politically unsavory appeal for House Speaker Mike Johnson, who immediately jumped into recovery mode, attempting to twist Rollinss words to fit the party message. And its, um, clarified that when she says, We have failed you, she means, We the Democrats, OK? Johnson said. Rollins is no stranger to the conservative messageshe has run conservative think tanks for decades. After Johnsons quick spin, she then proceeded to refuse to commit to releasing SNAP funds if a judge ordered her to do so. Were looking at all the options, she told reporters. The government has been shut down for more than 30 days as of Friday, making it the second-longest federal closure in U.S. history. Its only bested by a 35-day shutdown between 2018 and 2019 that occurred during Donald Trumps first term. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After spending weeks singularly blaming Democrats for the stalemate, Trump ordered Republicans late Thursday to INITIATE THE NUCLEAR OPTION by axing the Senate filibuster. The directive adds monumental pressure on Republicans, who have long fought to maintain the filibusterwhich grants enormous power to the Senates minorityas a trump card during times of Democratic legislative upheaval. Meanwhile, thousands of federal workers have gone weeks without pay, Affordable Care Act marketplace credits have lapsed in several states, and some 42 million Americans stand to go hungry when SNAP benefits expire on Saturday. Milans mayor is stepping down after nearly half a century in public service to the village. Duane Dawson (submitted) Mayor Duane Dawson has announced his intent to resign after a career of almost 47 years of continuous public service to Milan. His final Village Board meeting will be held on Monday, November 3 at 5:30 p.m. at the Milan Municipal Building, 405 First Street East. Dawson first joined the Village Board as a trustee in December 1978; he was appointed to fill a mid-term vacancy. While serving as a trustee, he served in several leadership capacities, including as Chair of the Finance Committee. He was elected mayor in May 1985 and began his 11th term as mayor in May 2025. During four decades as mayor, he has worked to strengthen Milans fiscal stability, support growth and foster strong partnerships across the Quad Cities region. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Serving the people of Milan has been one of the greatest honors of my life, said Dawson. I am deeply grateful to this community for its trust and support over these many years. While Ill be stepping away from this office, I look forward to continuing to support Milan in new ways. The Village Board of Trustees will elect an Acting Mayor from its six members to serve through April 2027. The mayoral seat will be on the municipal ballot in the spring of 2027. 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. NEW MILFORD Area residents who participated in the recent "No Kings" protest recently voiced their disappointment at a Town Council member's comments that claimed they were "paid" to protest. More than 20 residents spoke against the claims in a Facebook post that appear to be made by Republican Town Councilmember Thomas Esposito. A few residents attended the Town Council meeting holding signs that read "Unpaid Protests" and "Follow the Constitution." Several affirmed aloud that that they were not paid to participate in the "No Kings" rally but had gone "for love of country." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The fact that a public official in this community would go on social media and spread false statements like that is deeply disheartening," Susie Hackel, of New Milford, said at the recent Town Council meeting. "It says a great deal about the character and judgment of that individual. As for the accusation that participants were paid, that is absolutely absurd the claim is baseless." The post was made in a private local Facebook group following the "No Kings" rally on Oct. 18, claiming the protestors were "paid" and its organizer was a member of the New Milford Democratic Town Committee. The comment also alleged that the protest was "another stunt and false narrative to get attention for their failing cause" and "pathetic." At the council meeting, Hackel said everyone has a right to their own opinion but elected officials "have a responsibility to speak with integrity." "Using your platform to spread falsehoods about your own constituents is beneath the dignity of your constituents, it's poor judgment and it's damaging to our community," she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Esposito, who is running for reelection, was not at the council meeting and did not respond to questions after the meeting on whether he made the post. He said in an emailed statement that he believes in the U.S. Constitution and "the right to free speech as the cornerstone of the United States." "I think the protestors and every citizen have the right to express themselves and to exercise their constitutional rights to speak their minds and peacefully protest," Esposito said. "I have represented everyone in New Milford equally for the last 16 years, and I am proud of the work I have done on the Town Council with both parties, who give their time and talent to make New Milford the best town in the USA." He did not address the claims in the post that the protestors were paid. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I attended the 'No Kings' rally precisely because I love my country," New Milford resident Trish Parker-Knight said at the meeting. "Peaceful protests like the one on Oct. 18 are not only protected under the First Amendment of the Constitution, they are essential in a functioning democracy. Our elected officials have a responsibility to be truthful and to serve their constituents. We expect them to uphold civil trust and not to spread baseless conspiracy theories." The New Milford event was one of more than 40 "No Kings" protests across Connecticut, as part of a nationwide push oppose policies being carried out by President Donald Trump's administration. There were about 1,300 people at the "No Kings" rally held on the New Milford Town Green, according to Police Lt. Katherine Relyea. Jackie Eaton, the organizer of the New Milford rally through Act Local NWCT, said at the council meeting that Esposito's comments "repeated the hateful and divisive rhetoric coming from Washington, almost exactly quoted." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "His remarks about me and our group are not only offensive, they're unethical," she said. "As elected officials, our council members have a duty to be truthful and to uphold civic trust and not to spread conspiracy theories." Some residents echoed Eaton's comments that Esposito's remarks were "false and harmful," while others voiced concerns about Esposito's absence from the council meeting. "You're right when you say this is the best damn town in the USA," resident Rich McGrath said to the Town Council. "It is. We don't need guys like that making remarks like what he made, and he needs to step back and learn a little bit." Rabbi Ari Rosenberg, executive director of the Association of Religious Communities, voiced concern that Esposito's comments were part of a pattern of behavior "that goes back decades" while Mark Davis, of New Milford, said Esposito "does not provide any corroborative or verifiable data to support his claim about protesters being paid." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We expect our leaders to be paragons of integrity and inclusiveness, who seek to bring us together, work through our differences and find compromise while treating everyone with respect," Davis said. Elizabeth Shab said she was upset Mayor Pete Bass didn't issue a statement about the post and the town was condoning Esposito's words by staying silent. "I urge you to do better," she said. This article originally published at New Milford residents angry official alleged No Kings' protesters were paid: Hateful and divisive'. (NewsNation) Roughly 42 million Americans are waiting for a ruling in an eleventh-hour lawsuit to free up Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program funding as the government shutdown nears a month. The USDA announced it would freeze funding for SNAP food aid starting Nov. 1, claiming the well has run out. U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani, the federal judge overseeing the case, was originally expected to issue a ruling Thursday. No formal ruling has come down, but Talwani on Thursday seemed skeptical the government could cut off the funding Saturday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If you dont have money, you tighten your belt, she said. You are not going to make everyone drop dead because its a political game someplace. DOJ faces ethics nightmare with Trump bid for $230M settlement The ruling will determine whether the government dips into emergency funds. The last-minute hearing Thursday was over a lawsuit brought forth by 25 states and Washington, D.C., regarding the funding freeze, which is set to impact 1 in 8 Americans. Lawmakers have battled over a roughly $5 billion contingency fund money Republicans and the Trump administration argue they cant legally touch. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When it comes to SNAP, some of the Democrats have argued that you can use this contingency fund. But the truth is, theres no legal mechanism to do it, said House Speaker Rep. Mike Johnson. Lawyers for the federal government argued dispersing the contingency money violates the law and that partial payments are too complicated. State employees fired over Charlie Kirk posts inundate courts House Minority Leader Rep. Hakeem Jeffries countered that there are ways to access the funds, and that Republicans are withholding so they can pressure Democrats into gutting the health care of the American people. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Democrat-led states that filed the lawsuit argued the government has a legal obligation to keep the program alive for millions of families living at or below the poverty line. Some states have stepped up to at least keep their own version of the program running for now, with New York and Hawaii offering their own emergency money to help families who qualify for SNAP benefits. 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. More than $2.5 million has been spent on board races in some of Colorado's largest public school districts.(Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images) Its a relatively quiet odd-numbered election year in Colorado, but the weeks leading up to Election Day have still brought a flurry of spending on mailers and campaign advertising as voters make their decisions. 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. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A combined total of more than $2.5 million has been spent by an array of outside groups seeking to influence school board races in some of Colorados largest public school districts. More than half of that has been spent on races for the Denver Public Schools board, where a deep-pocketed reform group hopes to wrest control away from candidates backed by teachers unions. Colorado holds coordinated off-year elections to choose candidates for certain school boards, municipal offices and other local races, often alongside one or more statewide ballot issues. In 2025, Colorado lawmakers have referred two measures to the ballot, Propositions LL and MM, which would shore up funding for the states universal school meals program. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Election Day is Nov. 4. Voters who have already received their ballot can return it by dropping it off in a secure drop box or at an in-person polling location. Its too late to return a ballot through the mail, or to receive a new or replacement ballot through the mail, but all eligible voters can still register and vote in person by visiting a polling location until 7 p.m. on Election Day. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Information about ballot drop box and in-person service locations is available at local county clerks websites. Voters can sign up for the states BallotTrax system, which tracks the status of ballots and notifies voters when their ballot is received and counted. Super PAC spending Once again, board elections in Colorados largest public school district are being heavily influenced by an independent expenditure committee known as Better Leaders, Stronger Schools. The group spent more than $1 million on DPS races in 2023, helping its endorsed candidates sweep the three seats up for election that year, and its on pace to break the $1 million mark again in 2025. Independent expenditure committees, also known as super PACs, can spend unlimited sums of money to influence elections but are barred from coordinating directly with candidates. The Better Leaders, Stronger Schools committees top donor, Denver Families Action, was founded in 2020 and has roots in the pro-charter school reform movement, though its leaders say they have broadened their focus to issues of declining enrollment and school safety, while pivoting away from past reform priorities like standardized testing. The group also received a $40,000 contribution from billionaire Republican megadonor Phil Anschutz in September, according to campaign finance disclosures. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The second-largest overall super PAC spender in 2025 is Students Deserve Better, a group funded by the Colorado Education Association, the statewide teachers union. The PAC has reported spending a combined total of $821,348 to support candidates in a half dozen school board races across the state. About a third of that total was spent to support union-backed DPS candidates. Colorado Springs Students Deserve Better has also spent $216,296 to influence board races in Colorado Springs School District 11, where seven candidates are vying for three seats elected at large. In 2024, the District 11 boards conservative majority voted to end its collective bargaining agreement with the Colorado Springs Education Association, a decision that hundreds of teachers protested in a one-day strike earlier this month. D11 Parents and Teachers, a new super PAC registered in September, has spent over $140,000 to support conservative candidates. Disclosures show that the group is wholly funded by Advance Colorado, a right-wing dark money group that does not disclose its donors. Douglas County In Douglas County, a suburban battleground where school board politics have been fractious in recent years, the biggest spender to date is Colorado Labor Action, a committee that has spent $129,815 to support a slate of union-backed candidates. The PAC reported receiving a single contribution of $130,000 from a group affiliated with the American Federation of Teachers in early October. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, a conservative slate of candidates in Douglas County has benefited from over $62,000 in spending by Neighbors for a Better Colorado, another newly registered super PAC. The group has also reported spending on behalf of conservative school board candidates in Durango and the campaign of veteran GOP operative Roger Hudson for Castle Pines mayor. It has received two contributions totaling $115,000 from RTR Research Inc., a nonprofit registered in Colorado last year. RTR Researchs articles of incorporation were filed by election attorney and former Republican secretary of state Scott Gessler. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE A 39-year-old Milwaukee man faces multiple criminal charges for a wrong-way crash that seriously injured a 33-year-old pregnant woman and caused the death of her unborn child. Jorge Alvarez Mathuzima is charged with three felonies: first-degree reckless homicide causing the death of an unborn child, homicide by intoxicated use of a vehicle causing the death of an unborn child, and first-degree reckless injury. According to the Milwaukee County Sheriff's Office, a sheriff's deputy on freeway patrol was headed north on Interstate 43 toward the Marquette Interchange shortly before 4:30 a.m. Oct. 26, when an SUV driven by Alvarez Mathuzima passed by, heading south in a northbound lane. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Alvarez Mathuzima's SUV then collided with a northbound SUV headed north near Greenfield Avenue, according to the sheriff's office. The northbound SUV, driven by the 33-year-old woman, rolled onto its roof and caught fire. Multiple deputies worked to extract the woman from her vehicle. One deputy injured his hand from attempting to open the driver side door, which was stuck closed due to the damage, according to the sheriff's office. The woman had multiple injuries, including a broken hip, a broken nose, a fractured rib and a severe laceration, the sheriff's office said. Both she and Alvarez Mathuzima, who reported chest pain after the crash, were transported to hospitals. The injured deputy was also treated at a hospital for a puncture wound. At the hospital, the woman, who was five and a half months pregnant, learned her unborn baby had died, according to the sheriff's office. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Toxicology testing determined Alvarez Mathuzima's blood alcohol concentration level was 0.1569%, nearly double Wisconsin's legal driving limit of 0.08%. Alvarez Mathuzima's preliminary hearing is scheduled for 8:30 a.m. Nov. 5. "The MCSO offers condolences to the victim and commends the deputy sheriffs who, in the presence of grave and unknown dangers a burning vehicle, and an impaired driver put themselves in harms way, Milwaukee County Sheriff Denita Ball said in a statement. Absent their quick thinking and decisive actions, the outcome of this tragic crash could have been even worse. So far in 2025, the sheriff's office has responded to 203 wrong-way driver incidents on Milwaukee County freeways, and has made 87 arrests for OWI crashes, and 261 OWI arrests on the freeway that did not involve crashes, according to the sheriff's office. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Contact Kelli Arseneau at (920) 213-3721 or karseneau@gannett.com. Follow her on X at @ArseneauKelli. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Milwaukee man accused of drunk driving crash that killed unborn baby At a time when the Indian armed forces are looking to buy 87 medium-altitude long-endurance drones, Indian defence major Larsen & Toubro and American General Atomics have tied up to build these drones in India. Larsen & Toubro (L&T) and US-based General Atomics Aeronautical Systems (GA-ASI) on Friday announced that they have entered into a strategic partnership to build these drones in the country. Under this partnership, L&T will participate in the upcoming 87 MALE RPAS programme of the Ministry of Defence, where L&T will be the prime bidder and GA-ASI the technology partner. The collaboration will enable the production of GA-ASI's MQ-series RPAS that are combat-proven. These are widely operational across the globe with millions of flight hours in surveillance and strike missions. The partnership marks a significant milestone in India's pursuit of a self-reliant defence ecosystem, strengthening Indo-US defence collaboration and fostering a competitive, globally integrated aerospace manufacturing base. Commenting on the development, S N Subrahmanyan, Chairman & Managing Director, L&T, said: "This partnership offers India a unique opportunity to manufacture state-of-the-art unmanned platforms indigenously. We are proud to join hands with GA-ASI, a recognised world leader in this domain, and are confident that this alliance will significantly enhance India's defence capabilities and advance self-reliance in aerospace technologies." Dr Vivek Lall, Chief Executive, General Atomics Global Corporation, said: "We are honored to serve the Indian market in partnership with Larsen & Toubro, a trusted and capable leader in India's defence sector. This collaboration exemplifies our commitment to supporting India's vision for self-reliance and indigenous manufacturing in aerospace. By combining GA-ASI's proven technology with L&T's robust manufacturing expertise, we aim to deliver cutting-edge MALE RPAS solutions that will enhance the operational readiness of the Indian armed forces and contribute to a strong, sustainable defence ecosystem in India." At a time when Operation Sindoor against Pakistan is still ongoing, India is looking to fast-track the project for acquiring 87 medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) drones to further enhance its surveillance capabilities over both sea and land borders. A tri-service proposal of around Rs 20,000 crore, with the Indian Air Force (IAF) in the lead, is expected to be discussed by the Defence Ministry at a high-level meeting soon. (ANI) A major environmental disaster in Zambia has brought renewed attention to the harmful practices of global mining corporations. In February 2025, a waste pit at a copper mine operated by Sino-Metals Leach Zambia collapsed, releasing millions of gallons of highly acidic toxic sludge laced with heavy metals into nearby rivers and communities. Despite mounting evidence of harm, the company a subsidiary of China Nonferrous Mining has downplayed the event, calling it a "partial tailings leakage" with no "significant impact," according to Inside Climate News. What's happened? The spill, reportedly one of the worst environmental disasters in Zambia this year, contaminated waterways with lead, arsenic, uranium, and other toxic substances. The sludge killed fish, poisoned water sources, and left people dealing with serious health problems, including skin rashes, blood in urine, breathing issues, and even coughing up blood. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At an August 7 press conference, Zambian officials said pH levels had normalized in affected waterways, "concentrations of heavy metals are steadily decreasing," and "the immediate danger to human, animal and plant life has been averted," per Inside Climate News. But two other assessments strongly disagreed. A leaked report by the company's own consultant described the scene in stark terms. According to Inside Climate News, the firm warned of "extremely hazardous substances" in impacted land and riverbanks that put communities downstream "at serious risk of developing birth defects, cancers, liver and lung disease, heart conditions, and other chronic illnesses." That same consultant also said the spill was 30 times larger than the company initially reported. They were later fired, allegedly over a contractual issue. In response, a lawsuit filed on behalf of residents in September demanded $80 billion for remediation and long-term recovery, as well as $200 million in emergency relief for impacted communities. Why is this concerning? Tailings dams like the one that collapsed are supposed to be built to last 10,000 years due to the extreme toxicity of the waste they store. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But when companies cut corners, the consequences are devastating and long-lasting, especially for communities with no access to clean water, safe farmland, nor proper healthcare. Residents have been left with no choice but to keep using contaminated water and eating polluted crops. Many have reported sleepless nights and rising anxiety about how they'll afford medical care for growing health problems, per Inside Climate News. What's being done about it? The lawsuit is a major step toward holding Sino-Metals accountable. A second legal challenge is also in the works, seeking $10 billion for long-term support. Meanwhile, Zambian officials are assessing the damage and may push for further compensation. For now, community members and advocates are pushing back, demanding safe cleanup efforts, fair compensation, and stronger protections against corporate harm. 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. (The Center Square) The Minneapolis mayoral election is garnering more and more national attention. This comes as candidate Omar Fateh Fateh, a current state senator and candidate of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, and Democrat socialist Mamdani are both Muslim and politically progressive. They have received widespread backlash from the political right for different controversies and policies. Just this week, a clip of Fateh waving the flag of Somalia at a campaign rally went viral on social media. Republicans from across the nation responded to the clip. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Minneapolis has gone downhill, especially since the BLM riots of 2020, said Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. The city has lost population, and the election of a mayor who prioritizes a foreign country over our own will only accelerate the decline. Population estimates from U.S. Census Bureau showed Minneapolis lost 1,404 people from 2000 to 2024. Most experts blame the loss on lower birth rates and higher death rates. Fateh responded to a post from U.S. Sen, Ted Cruz, R-Texas, who called Fateh a radical. Republicans are getting really scared because they know we have a real shot of winning this election, Fateh said. This type of hateful rhetoric wont deter us from fighting. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The video of Fateh followed U.S. Rep. Ilhan Omars, D-Minnesota, endorsement of Fateh earlier this month. Omar is a member of the progressive group of lawmakers known as "The Squad." We not only need leaders who can work with anyone to get tangible results but who truly understand the struggle of the people they seek to represent, Omar said in her endorsement on Oct. 13. Omar does that. While Fateh is among the top four frontrunners in a recent poll, Minneapolis voters gear have a slate of 15 candidates to choose from when the polls open Tuesday. Incumbent Mayor Jacob Frey hopes to win the seat for a third time, though three other candidates are closing in. Those include minister DeWayne Davis, Fateh and businessman Jazz Hampton. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Minneapolis uses ranked-choice voting, which allows voters to rank candidates in order of preference rather than choosing just one. For the mayoral race, voters will select their top three candidates. All four frontrunners are members of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, which is a Minnesota-specific political party affiliated with the national Democrat Party. Fateh has notably embraced the most progressive policies of any of those candidates, despite all sharing the same party affiliation. Minneapolis has become a tale of two cities, Fetah posted to social media this week. One for the wealthy and well connected, and one for all of usthe renters, transit riders, and working families who are left with vetoes and broken promises. We need a mayor who stands with working people, and works as hard as we do. A Russian missile whose development pushed U.S. President Donald Trump to withdraw from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty back in 2019 has been fired at Ukraine on numerous occasions, Reuters reported on Oct. 31, citing Ukrainian officials. Russia's 9M729 ground-launched cruise missile, sometimes referred to as the Iskander K to distinguish it from Iskander M ballistic missiles, was recorded flying as far as 1,200 kilometers, according to unnamed Ukrainian officials cited by Reuters. Signed by then U.S. President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev in 1987 towards the end of the Cold War, the INF Treaty banned all ground-launched missiles with ranges between 500 and 5,500 kilometers, in an effort to reduce the density of potentially nuclear-armed weapons deployed by Russia and NATO in Europe. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Russia initially claimed that that the missile, like the Iskander M, has a range within to treaty's limits, but reports by U.S. officials and analysts in 2017, claimed that the real range was as high as 2,500 kilometers. The reports of Russia deploying the 9M729 at a longer range vindicate Trump's decision to withdraw from the treaty, which Moscow only left in August 2025. "Russia's use of the INF-banned 9M729 against Ukraine in the past months demonstrates (President Vladimir) Putin's disrespect to the United States and President Trump's diplomatic efforts to end Russia's war against Ukraine," Ukrainian foreign minister Andrii Sybiha said to Reuters. According to the officials who spoke to Reuters, Russia attacked Ukraine with the missile 23 over August 2025 alone, as well as on several occasions in 2022. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The strike recorded at a range of 1,200 kilometers was carried out on Oct. 5, the source said. Since Washington withdrew from the treaty, a new variation of the U.S.-made Tomahawk cruise missile initially only developed for sea-based launches has had a ground launcher system developed, which would be necessary for the missiles to be transferred to Kyiv in the future. Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Oct. 31WILKES-BARRE With less than two weeks before the start of a Luzerne County jury trial for two state corrections officers charged with allowing two inmates to attack another inmate, defense attorneys believe prosecutors have been willfully negligent in turning over critical evidence. Attorneys Theron J. Solomon and Nicole M. Psaila during a testy motions hearing before Judge David W. Lupas on Friday asked that the entire case against their client Kahlil J. Lewis, 30, be dismissed and the district attorney's office be punished for failing to meet deadlines. Lewis, and Joseph J. Tilletski, 40, are facing a combined trial on charges they allowed inmates Michael Steven Willis, 42, and Christopher Martin Scheller Jr., 30, to assault inmate Matthew Makos, 48, inside Makos' cell in J-Block at the State Correctional Institution at Dallas, Jackson Township, on July 24, 2024. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Makos suffered a broken rib, a punctured lung and head injuries in the assault, according to court records. Willis and Scheller have pled guilty to criminal conspiracy to commit simple assault and are awaiting sentencing. Lewis and Tilletski are charged with allowing the assault to take place and filing inaccurate and misleading information on internal prison reports, court records say. Their trial is scheduled to start Nov. 10. Solomon and Psaila argued prosecutors have not turned over an extensive amount of evidence, specifically surveillance footage of J-Block, footage from a hand-held camera, and the Pennsylvania Department of Corrections employee rules and regulations manual. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Psaila said the district attorney's office missed court-imposed deadlines to turn over the evidence as she requested all charges against Lewis be dismissed. "This is getting ridiculous at this point," Psaila argued. Solomon said the video footage that was given to them on a thumb-drive could not be played and when he inquired with prosecutors about the issue, he was told another thumb-drive would be made available but never received. "All I want is a fair trial, that is all we are asking for," Solomon said. Assistant District Attorney Julian F. Truskowski who, along with Assistant District Attorney Robert S. Walker are prosecuting, said all the evidence they have in their possession has been given to Solomon and Psaila, and to Tilletski's attorney, Michael I. Butera. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Truskowski further said it is difficult to obtain evidence from the state prison facility. As several issues were argued, one topic was the identifications of several J-Block inmates including one listed in court records as "Mop inmate." In preparation of their defense strategy, Solomon and Psaila said they would interview "Mop inmate" but they don't know the inmate's true identity, and attempts to obtain the inmate's name through the exchange of evidence, called discovery, has failed. The inmate known as "Mop inmate" was allegedly instructed by Lewis to use a mop to clean up blood in Makos' cell. Lupas instructed Truskowski and Walker to meet with Solomon and Psaila immediately after Friday's hearing to resolve evidence issues and to report back to him. BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) A 13-year-old girl from Baker who had been missing for almost a week was found in the basement of a home in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on Thursday, Oct. 30, after a nationwide investigation led by the U.S. Marshals Service. Officials said the child was found during a joint operation involving the U.S. Marshals Western Pennsylvania District, FBI, Pittsburgh Police, and the Allegheny County Juvenile Probation Office. She was turned over to medical personnel, where authorities confirmed evidence of sexual assault. The investigation started on Oct. 24 when the Louisiana State Police Special Victims Unit asked the U.S. Marshals Middle Louisiana Fugitive Task Force for help in finding the missing girl. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Louisiana Attorney Generals Cyber Crime Unit reported that the child had online contact with an unknown adult male. A few days later, on Oct. 27, U.S. Marshals in New Orleans arrested a 62-year-old man in connection with contributing to the delinquency of a juvenile. During questioning, investigators learned he had been with the girl at the Greyhound Bus Station in Baton Rouge earlier that week. Further investigation led to the arrest of Ronald Smith, 62, in Columbus, Georgia, on charges of simple kidnapping and contributing to the delinquency of a juvenile. Authorities believe the child later traveled by bus from Columbus to Pittsburgh. When she was found, the child was with an adult female from Washington, D.C., and another adult male. Both suspects are under investigation, and officials said more arrests and charges are expected. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Agencies assisting in the case include the: Louisiana State Police. Louisiana Bureau of Investigation. Baker Police. Columbus Police. Pittsburgh Police. Allegheny County Juvenile Probation. Very proud of my LBI agents in helping to locate this child. She was groomed, exploited, and then sexually abused by strangers who found her online. This is just one example of the dangers of social media and of human trafficking, said Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill. Latest News Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Louisiana First News. (NewsNation) Mississippi law enforcement officers arrested as part of a drug smuggling operation took bribes of more than $30,000, according to court documents. The arrests were announced Thursday and included two sheriffs among the 14 law enforcement officers indicted for helping drug smugglers traffic narcotics. Prosecutors say Brandon Addison, of the Hollandale Police Department and Humphreys County Sheriffs Office, took bribes equal to $37,000; Javery Howard, of the Metcalfe Police Department and Hollandale PD, took bribes totalling $31,000; Milton Gaston, sheriff of Washington County, took $19,500 in bribes; Bruce Williams, sheriff of Humphreys County took $18,000 in bribes; Dexture Frankline, with the Washington County Sheriffs Office, took $16,500 in bribe; Sean Williams, with the Yazoo City Police Department, took $14,000 in bribes and Wendell Johnson, with the Bolivar County Sheriffs Office took $12,000 in bribes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Potential terrorist attack thwarted in Michigan: FBI Other officers received bribes in lower amounts. According to the indictment, undercover FBI agents posed as cartel members seeking armed law enforcement escorts for shipments of illegal drugs. Were talking about 14 current or former law enforcement officers who are alleged to have sold out the public, FBI Co-Deputy Director Andrew Bailey said at a news conference Thursday. This corruption permeated all levels. It extended across multiple counties and multiple jurisdictions in the state of Mississippi, and beyond. Read the full indictment 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 NewsNation. SPRINGFIELD, Mo. Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe has announced a $5 million distribution to food banks across the state to expedite food assistance. The funding, sourced from Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), is being distributed earlier than usual due to the ongoing government shutdown and anticipated reductions in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits expected to start on November 1. We have to gear up now to make sure that we have food in our warehouse and that it is ready to be distributed out to our agencies, said Jordan Browning, Communications Director at Ozarks Food Harvest, highlighting the preparation needed to meet increased demand. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ozarks Food Harvest has proactively purchased $500,000 worth of food to ensure they can continue supporting those in need. The organization is preparing for a surge in demand as up to135,000 individuals in their service area may be affected by the SNAP cuts. Angela Hudson from Least of These Food Pantry noted an increase of 300 new families seeking assistance in November compared to the previous month, in part due to the ongoing shutdown. She expressed gratitude for the early funds but acknowledged that it will primarily go towards senior service agencies and food banks, meaning it might take longer for their pantry to feel the impact. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We are a food pantry, were not a food bank, Hudson explained, And so even though those funds will trickle down to us eventually, it might take just a little bit of time. The early distribution of funds is expected to provide critical support to food banks and pantries as they brace for increased demand. The full impact of the SNAP cuts remains to be seen. 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 price of health insurance will increase for most Missourians using the ACA marketplace as premiums increase and subsidies expire. (Getty Images) Most individual health insurance plans sold in Missouri will increase in price next year even as customers prepare to dig deeper into their own funds to replace costs previously covered by federal tax credits. The state Department of Commerce and Insurance on Friday released the approved rates for individual plans, most of which are sold on the health insurance marketplace. One carrier, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas City, is lowering premiums an average of 4.1% for its plans available in 30 western Missouri counties. Some plans offered by the company will see an increase of as much as 9%. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Premiums will increase for the other eight carriers offering plans in all or part of the state. Ambetter Health plans, available off the marketplace in 109 counties, will increase an average of 1.9%, while Cox Health Plans, available in five southwest Missouri counties, will go up an average of 30.4%. The costs for some Missourians will increase 70% or more if Congress does not extend tax credits enacted during the COVID-19 pandemic. The federal government has been shut down since Oct. 1 because congressional Democrats refuse to vote to fund the government until Republicans add an extension of the credits to the spending bill. Republicans argue the government should be reopened before negotiations over subsidies resume. Premiums will increase for the other eight carriers offering plans in all or part of the state. Ambetter Health plans, available off the marketplace in 109 counties, will increase an average of 1.9%, while Cox Health Plans, available in five southwest Missouri counties, will go up an average of 30.4%. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There are at least two companies offering health plans in every county, with a handful in the St. Louis area seeing seven vying for their business. First and foremost, Missourians need to know our state continues to have a competitive market, which means they will continue to have meaningful choices when it comes to their health coverage, Angela Nelson, department director, said in a news release. In addition to reporting the average change, the department also provided the largest change in cost for any single plan offered by the nine carriers. Those increases ranged from 6.4% for an Ambetter Health plan, to 110% for a Medica plan offered in 54 counties. Open enrollment for the individual health plans begins Saturday. Consumers who purchase coverage by Dec. 15 will have it start Jan. 1. Plans may be purchased until Jan. 15, but coverage will not begin until Feb. 1, the release stated. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Missourians will start considering their choices without knowing whether enhanced subsidies enacted during the COVID-19 pandemic emergency will be extended. The original Affordable Care Act subsidies that took effect in 2014 tied the actual cost to consumers to a percentage of their income for people earning less than four times the federal poverty level. Consumers with poverty level income $15,650 for 2025 for individuals, $32,150 for a family of four paid 2.1% of their income as premiums, sliding up to 10% for households with income between three and four times the poverty level. The enhanced tax credits put a cap on out-of-pocket premium costs for all consumers, with the highest earners paying 8.5% of their income and those with incomes below 150% of poverty level paying no premiums for their insurance. There is still a tremendous amount of uncertainty about whether Congress will extend the premium tax subsidies into 2026, and we are keeping a close eye on any developments at the federal level, Nelson said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Only two of the eight companies offering individual plans in Missouri through the federal marketplace will have plans available in every county or almost every county in the state. United Healthcare plans are available in every county and Ambetter from Home State Health plans can be purchased in every county except Clark, Lewis, Marion, St. Francois, Schuyler and Scotland. The average monthly premium is about $755 for both the United Healthcare and Ambetter offerings, an increase of about 15% and 25%, respectively. An individual with an income of $62,600 a year or more would have to pay the full premium if the enhanced credits are not extended. That means paying $9,060 over a year for the average Ambetter or United Healthcare plan instead of $5,321, an increase of 70%. Democratic U.S. Sen. Chuck Schumer of New York, accompanied by Democratic U.S. Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey, points to a poster depicting rising medical costs if Congress allows the Affordable Care Act tax credits to expire (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images). Cost increase impacts A panel of community members and experts hosted by the Community Health Commission of Missouri in St. Louis on Thursday underlined potential impacts of the expiring subsidies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sheldon Weisgrau, vice president for health and policy advocacy at the Missouri Foundation for Health, said higher premiums could lead younger, healthier people to forgo insurance, driving up prices for those who continue to purchase plans. When folks cant afford to buy insurance, it doesnt mean they wont get sick, Weisgrau said. When they do enter the health system, providers pick up the cost, and again, that eventually gets passed on to everybody else. As Missourians confront higher insurance premiums, 650,000 low-income residents of the state could also be forced to cope with a loss of federal food benefits, with the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, set to run out of funding on Nov. 1. Federal judges in Massachusetts and Rhode Island on Friday ordered the Trump administration to use contingency funds to pay at least partial benefits, but SNAP recipients could still face delays. Panelists on Thursday said instability across federal safety net programs means communities will have to fill in the gaps through mutual aid. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I think the neighborhood, the village, needs to be recreated, said Shellie Robinson, one of the community members. Theres someone probably on your block that has extra, Robinson said. Maybe Miss Jones has a pot of soup and shes willing to share with your children. But, you have to build a relationship with your neighbor first. Panelists said policy conversations dont address the difficulty of accessing safety net programs even when they are not being cut or suspended. Shanelle Woods, who went on medical leave after being diagnosed with an autoimmune disease, said she struggled so long to prove she was eligible to receive disability benefits that she eventually had to go back to work. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Her doctors vouched for her, but, Woods said, it still wasnt enough. Who has the time to wait online or wait on a call for nearly three hours to talk to someone, to get it? Woods asked. Timothy McBride, a health economist at Washington University in St. Louis, said that despite a myth that people who buy marketplace insurance plans are undeserving, or theyre lazy, many working people dont have access to affordable insurance. Older adults who dont qualify for Medicare for instance, due to a chronic condition may also need marketplace plans. There are flaws in our insurance markets that put people in this situation, McBride said. Thats the truth of the matter, and you dont hear that from Washington. Its a blame game. This story was updated at 10:15 a.m. to correct the attribution of quotes by Shanelle Woods and Shellie Robinson. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE VIENNA, Mo. The legal marijuana industry is sharing concerns with local hemp farmers over unregulated products that advertise as hemp but are in reality unlicensed marijuana. Jack Cardetti, a spokesperson for Missouris cannabis industry, said his trade recently purchased dozens of hemp products at various gas stations and smoke shops. The findings, he said, were alarming. We went out and purchased 55 of those products from across Missouri and we sent them to a third party lab to get those tested, Cardetti said. The results we got back were pretty shocking: 96% of those (tested hemp products) are not indeed hemp. They are marijuana. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Daily News Rick Hempe, a hemp farmer in Maries County, said he isnt surprised. While sometimes at odds, Hempe said he agrees with Cardetti that something needs to happen. Its kind of a wild west right now with all of the cannabinoids that are available in the hemp and the marijuana plants, which are identical cousins, Hempe said. Hempe and his hemp farming partner said they send their products out for testing, which is mandated by federal law. All of their products are within the 0.3 percent THC threshold. Hempe said he wished more farmers would start growing hemp, as its versatility is remarkable. He also said its a shame that others are trying to use the name hemp to sell fake products. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hemp is no longer a classified drug under the federally controlled control substance list, but marijuana is. Theyre just using the name hemp to sell marijuana, Cardetti said. Or theyre synthetically converting and producing this. 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. PNN New Delhi [India], October 31: In a proud moment for India's homegrown beverage industry, Bharat Ka Burrah, one of the fastest-rising drink brands in the country, has been honored with the title of "Best Beverage Drink of the Year" by Ashneer Grover, the well-known entrepreneur and former Shark Tank India judge. The award ceremony, held in New Delhi, celebrated the brand's remarkable success story, innovation, and its strong connection with the youth of the nation. A Drink with amazing taste and a Desi Touch What sets Bharat Ka Burrah apart from other beverage brands is its authentic Indian taste blended with amazing new flavors and affordable pricing. In a market flooded with synthetic and overpriced drinks, Burrah stands as a refreshing alternative, quite literally. BURRAH drinks don't use any artificial flavors, artificial sweeteners, artificial colours or any artificial preservatives. The brand focuses on quality ingredients and traditional recipes that bring out the true essence of Indian refreshment, making it a hit among people of all ages. From its very inception, the company's mission has been simple - to offer a drink that represents India's local taste with a modern twist. And the results speak for themselves. Within a very short span of time, Bharat Ka Burrah has witnessed a phenomenal rise in sales, becoming one of the most loved beverages across North India. A Youth Favorite Across Renowned Colleges Bharat Ka Burrah's connection with the youth has been one of the driving forces behind its rapid growth. The brand has successfully collaborated with numerous renowned colleges across India, particularly in New Delhi. From IIT Delhi to various prestigious institutions of Delhi University, Burrah has become the go-to beverage choice for college students who crave something refreshing, natural, and proudly Indian. Students describe Burrah as a symbol of energy, positivity, and "Swad Ka Dhamaka", a phrase that perfectly captures the brand's personality. Whether it's a college fest, a canteen break, or an all-night study session, Burrah has become the drink that fuels youthful energy and creativity. Recognition by your favourite Shark Ashneer Grover: A Milestone AchievementBeing recognised by your favourite Shark, Ashneer Grover, one of India's most respected business minds, marks a huge milestone for the brand. The award reflects not just Burrah's commercial success but also its commitment to quality, innovation, and consumer trust. Ashneer Grover's acknowledgement highlights how Bharat Ka Burrah has managed to create a distinct identity in a competitive market through genuine value and relatable branding. With this prestigious award under its belt, Bharat Ka Burrah is all set to expand its presence across India. The company aims to introduce more flavors inspired by India's diverse regions while keeping its promise of natural taste and affordability intact. From being a Delhi-based sensation to becoming a nationally recognised brand, Bharat Ka Burrah's journey is a testament to the power of Indian entrepreneurship and innovation. With the love of millions and the endorsement of one of India's top business icons, Burrah is truly the taste of Bharat - Swad Ka Dhamaka! (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.) NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) Four teenagers were arrested on Thursday night in connection with a spree of car break-ins that took place across Davidson County. According to the Metro Nashville Police Department, the teens broke into vehicles in the parking lot of Nashville Nightmare Haunted House, as well as in East Nashville and Midtown. CRIME TRACKER | Read the latest crime-related reports from across Middle Tennessee Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Officials said the MNPD helicopter team was patrolling over Madison on Thursday night and saw windows being shattered on at least three parked vehicles and people going into them looking for valuables. The suspected car burglars drove off in a sedan, which the MNPD helicopter team followed from above, officials said. According to the MNPD, the suspects rode through Madison for about 15 minutes before they were on Brick Church Pike and pulled into a strip mall parking lot. At that point, undercover detectives moved to apprehend all four and ultimately did so after a short foot chase. Detectives reportedly recovered a pistol and evidence from vehicle break-ins from the suspects vehicle. (Courtesy: Metro Nashville Police Department) Read todays top stories on wkrn.com Officials said 19-year-old Carlos E. Lancaster of Greggwood Drive was among those arrested. He is now facing 15 counts of auto burglary, contributing to the delinquency of minors, gun theft and 13 counts of vandalism. He remains in jail on a $98,000 bond. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the MNPD, two 16-year-olds and a 17-year-old were also arrested. They are each being charged in Juvenile Court with 15 counts of burglary and 13 counts of vandalism. 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 Almost a decade ago, Hope Dawson Sessoms moved to New York City, where she lived out of her car for three months and cleaned houses to get by "My children had gotten to the point where my daughter called me and said, 'I don't care where we have to stay, I just need to be with you,' " Dawson Sessoms tells PEOPLE She discovered the People and Animals Living Safely (PALS) program, which provides co-living spaces and services for people and their pets Almost a decade ago, Hope Dawson Sessoms was desperately trying to leave an abusive relationship and find a safe place to relocate with her two children and their dog, Coco. She had moved to New York City, where she lived out of her car for three months and cleaned houses to get by. Her son, daughter and Coco were living in another state with a relative, and she homeschooled her kids through Skype. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The distance frayed their nerves while she started building a new life in a new part of the country. "My children had gotten to the point where my daughter called me and said, 'I don't care where we have to stay, I just need to be with you,' " Dawson Sessoms tells PEOPLE in an interview to mark Domestic Violence Awareness Month. So she researched resources in N.Y.C. that could house them all. "My initial search was to find some place for Coco, because I knew it would be a bit easier to find spaces for the human family members, but I needed to make sure she was okay," the 40-year-old says of the family's Chihuahua-Jack Russell terrier mix, who was then only a few months old. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dawson Sessoms learned about the People and Animals Living Safely (PALS) program run by the Urban Resource Institute, the largest domestic-violence shelter provider in the city. The PALS program ultimately provided the entire family a small apartment to share, equipped with a kitchen and cooking supplies, a pantry, private bathroom and a living room with a television and couch. Dawson Sessoms had her own bed, while her son and daughter had a bunkbed. Coco had her own space, too. Courtesy Urban Resource Institute Hope Dawson Sessoms and Coco Hope Dawson Sessoms and Coco "She's 15 lbs., but this crate-like area that she had was like a mansion for her," Dawson Sessoms tells PEOPLE. "She had toys. She had everything she needed." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dawson Sessoms says she's uncertain what she would have done without this program. "While living out of my car and sleeping on couches and those types of things, I would accept for myself just like the physical abuse and emotional abuse, I accepted for myself," she says. "[But] I would have never accepted it for my children." The Urban Resource Institute has 24 shelters across the city, 15 of which are for domestic violence victims and 11 where families can live with pets. Those 11 shelters have a rooftop deck and outdoor play areas, among other amenities. Dawson Sessoms and her children had their own case manager, housing specialist and access to counseling and free child care on site. The program now offers pet grooming services as well, and accepts a variety of animals from gold fish to guinea pigs to rabbits and large breed dogs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The biggest animal they have serviced so far was a cane corso. Each pet receives individualized assessments, therapy support and veterinary care. Additionally, families are provided with supplies crates, food, leashes, litter boxes and other essentials to ensure their pets comfort and well-being throughout their stay. 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. Nathaniel Fields, the chief executive officer at the Urban Resource Institute, says he learned of the need for such a program in 2012 at a conference in Washington, D.C., also attended by Allie Phillips, an author, attorney and victims' advocate. "She was presenting on domestic violence and pets," Fields tells PEOPLE. "I could not imagine in 2012 how those two things went together." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He says he came away with an understanding that, according to experts, more than 50% of victims of domestic violence will not leave an abusive relationship if they cannot take their pets with them. He took the information back to his team in New York City at a time when, he says, not a single domestic violence shelter there would accept pets. "We began that journey of not just wanting to do good work, but doing this research, engaging with the animal welfare community, learning from them," he says. In 2013, the Urban Resource Institute opened the first shelter in New York City that lets domestic violence victims live with their pets. Since its inception, PALS has housed more than 2,000 survivors and more than 1,000 pets, including Coco, who is 10. Dawson Sessoms, a social advocate, entrepreneur and published poet and designer, is now happily married in Brooklyn and her two children are young adults. She asked not to publicly share their names or ages, or some details of her background leaving her abusive relationship, out of privacy concerns. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But she says she is open about the domestic violence she survived because she wants to raise awareness about a critical resource for others in need. "The thing that keeps us from leaving is the fear," she says. "If you are aware that URI and the PALS program exists now, the lie that we don't have any place safe to go is dispelled." To learn more about the PALS program, click here. 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. Read the original article on People A Maine jury awarded a mother $25 million Thursday, finding that Mid Coast Medical Group was negligent in the medical care of her late daughter. Jasmine Jazzy Vincent, 15, of the GrayNew Gloucester area, began feeling unwell on July 14, 2021, her mom, Lyndsey Sutherland, said in a lawsuit against the MCMG. Her symptoms included sore, swollen breasts and veins, as well as respiratory issues. Jazzy was first diagnosed with pneumonia, but then a physician from MCMG misdiagnosed her with gynecomastia, a condition usually seen in men who use anabolic steroids. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Despite medical attention, her condition rapidly worsened, and she suffered a fatal cardiac arrest on August 1, 2021, just 18 days after her symptoms began. Lawyers for Jasmine 'Jazzy' Vincent's mother, Lyndsey Sutherland, argued that the 15-year-old's Mid Coast Medical Group doctor neglected her medical history, vital signs, and standard care (GoFundMe) Sutherland, who was not in court on Thursday, sought damages for her daughters loss and its impact, and the jury reached its verdict after an hour of deliberation. This was for Jazzy, Sutherland emotionally repeated in a phone call with her attorney, Meryl Poulin, from the hallway of the courthouse upon learning the jurys decision, the Portland Press Herald reports. Gynecomastia mainly affects males, causing benign breast enlargement from hormonal imbalances, but a similar, rare condition, called gynecomastia-like changes, can occur in females. According to research published by the National Library of Medicine, the incidence of female gynecomastia-like changes constitutes about 0.15% of all female breast lesions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jazzy was referred to Mid Coast Gynecology in July 2021 by her primary care provider at Martins Point in southern Maine, but the facility and gynecologist Dr. Danielle Salhany played a limited role in her care, an attorney for Mid Coast said, according to the Press Herald. Most treatment occurred at Martins Point, where Jazzy was diagnosed with pneumonia and prescribed prednisone a week earlier. Sutherland initially sued Martins Point, too, but later dropped the case before the trial. Following Jazzys death, it was discovered that the cardiac arrest she suffered was caused by fluid buildup due to acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), a type of blood cancer that her attorneys stated is highly curable if diagnosed in time. ALL targets immature white blood cells known as lymphocytes. This condition prevents the body from producing healthy blood cells, which can interfere with the immune system and normal blood functions. Common symptoms of ALL include general signs of illness and blood-related issues, such as fatigue, fever, night sweats, easy bruising, bleeding from the gums or nose, and bone pain. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sutherlands lawyers contended that Jazzys doctor at MCMG failed to review her medical history, neglected to check her vital signs fully, and did not provide the standard level of care. The defense argued that medical staff face daily complex decisions and should not be penalized for every mistake, and that Jazzys primary-care provider, Martins Point Health Care, also shared responsibility. The jury ultimately concluded that Mid Coast Medical Group acted negligently. The Independent has contacted representatives for MaineHealth, which owns Mid Coast Medical Group. NEED TO KNOW Kendra Bird, who has shared her daughter Bries cancer journey online, opened up about learning about her daughters diagnosis The mom wrote on her Instagram Stories that, after believing her daughter was cancer free for about 22 months, she learned that Brie had stage 4 cancer Earlier this month, the Bird family celebrated Christmas several months early after Kendra revealed that her daughters health took a turn The mom of a 9-year-old influencer with stage 4 cancer is opening up about her daughters diagnosis. In a series of Instagram Stories posted on Thursday, Oct. 30, Kendra Bird whose daughter, Brie, was diagnosed with stage 4 cancer five years ago answered questions from some of her nearly 1 million followers, detailing Bries current health, their treatment plan and the history of her daughters cancer journey. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In response to the question Was Brie ever in remission? Kendra explained the heartbreaking process of learning that her daughter still had cancer after previously thinking she was cancer-free. Yes and no, replied the mom. They claim she was cancer free for about 22 months, and what was showing on her scans was just from scaring from treatment. Then a month and a half after a clear scan, she was full blown stage 4 again, covered head to toe. Not sure what they saw was accurate. briestrongerthancancer/Instagram Brie Bird and her family Brie Bird and her family In response to another followers question, Kendra shared that she and her husband currently sleep in their houses living room with Brie and explained how they divide the night into shifts so someone is always awake with their daughter. I am a night owl, so I take the first shift till about 4am, Kendra wrote. Then my husband is up at 6am for the next rounds of meds. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Earlier this week, Kendra shared a health update for her daughter, writing that she had been sleeping for most of the week, shes retaining water in her face, feet and belly, she doesnt eat anymore, and is on oxygen pretty regularly. Brielle Bird/Instagram Brie Bird Brie Bird 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. As much as I want the miracle so badly, l feel like the realistic part of my mind is grasping for my heart, trying to pull it back into my chest, and tell my soul that I need to surrender, she wrote on social media. Im hurting. Every day feels heavy. Earlier in October, the Bird family celebrated Christmas several months early decking out their house in festive decor and lining their fireplace with presents after Kendra shared that her daughters health took a turn. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We will be celebrating our last Christmas together, as a family of 6, she wrote in an Instagram post at the time. I am still in denial. I want the miracle SO desperately. Bries story caught the attention of Ariana Grande, who sent her a Wicked-themed care package filled with several plush items inspired by characters from the iconic movie-musical in August. The gift also included a box of OPI nail polish inspired by Wicked, two bold pink zip-up bags, a tote, some makeup from Grande's beauty brand R.E.M. and a bottle of Grande's Cloud Perfume. "I've seen your videos and I think you are the most amazing, most inspiring little light beam in this universe. You're just so incredible, so thank you for being you," Grande wrote in a note included in the package. "I'm sending you so much love and many, many, many virtual hugs. I hope this makes you smile, and I'll speak to you soon. Love you." Read the original article on People MEMPHIS, Tenn. In 6 hours, SNAP benefits will expire for millions of families nationwide due to the ongoing government shutdown. In Tennessee, the governors office said nearly $700,000 families are facing food insecurity. Gov. Lee says SNAP food benefits will lapse Nov. 1, blames Democrats for shutdown Its going to be difficult for a lot of moms, said Angela Gomez, a SNAP participant. Gomez has two children: a four-year-old and a three-month-old baby. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, starting tomorrow, she will face another challenge, making sure food remains on the table to feed her children. I was really terrified, she said. Her household is one of thousands across Tennessee that will not receive SNAP benefits for November. Gomez stated that she is in the Tennessee WIC program, but she said that still will not be enough. Its hard when trying to get meat when meat is so high and eggs are high. So, its just really difficult at the time trying to get certain foods that we need mostly for our kids, she mentioned. According to the Tennessee Department of Health, TN WIC will continue until further notice. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Were going to make sure our moms and babies are taken care of, said Cathy Waterbury, the executive director of Confidential Care Mobile Ministry. Judges order the Trump administration to use contingency funds for SNAP payments during the shutdown Confidential Care Mobile Ministry is an organization dedicated to assisting expectant mothers before and after birth. When we realized as a staff with the government shutdown that SNAP was going to go away in Tennessee, were like we have to do something, Waterbury stated. The organization spent the day collecting food donations to deliver to the mothers it serves, like Gomez. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Waterbury said any monetary donations they receive will be used to buy fresh meat and milk. She believes now is the time for the community to come together and rally around the families impacted most. Were not depending on the government right now. The government is shut down, and these moms who come tomorrow will have no way to purchase food, Waterbury mentioned. As for Gomez, she said she is going to do all she can to keep her little ones full. Its easy meals we can make out of here under $10. I just hope and pray everybody is able to feed their kids next month, she said. If you would like to donate to Confidential Care Mobile Ministry, click here. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement WREG NewsChannel 3 is also teaming up with Kroger to help our neighbors in need with a community food drive beginning Monday, Nov. 3. Donate to Our Neighbors Table Community Food Drive 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. A Mombasa Air Safari plane filled with tourists crashed in Kwale County, Kenya, on October 28, resulting in the pilot and all 10 tourist passengers passing away. According to the Associated Press, the airline shared that the flights Kenyan pilot, eight Hungarians, and two Germans were all victims of the crash. Footage from the aftermath shows fragmented parts of the plane, now scattered debris, across the scene, while smoke rises from the remnants of the crashs fire. Yellow tape reading Crime Scene Do Not Cross marked off the territory. The incident reportedly occurred early Tuesday morning, local time, amid heavy rain. The Mombasa Air Safari flight was transporting the tourists to the Maasai Mara National Reserve. The plane is said to have departed from Diani, a beach resort town on Kenyas south coast, around 25 miles from where the plane crashed. The flight from Diani to the Maasai Mara National Reserve is generally a two-hour direct flight. What Else Is There For Me To Know About The Kenya Safari Plane Crash? The exact details of the incident are still under investigation. Per witnesses, human remains were at the crime scene, though unrecognizable. The Kenya Civil Aviation Authority (KCAA) issued a press statement stating that the crash occurred at 5:30 a.m. local time. The latter source further detailed that the plane was headed to the private Kichwa Tembo airstrip, located in the northern part of the Maasai Mara National Reserve. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The pilot was reportedly uncommunicative while the plane departed from Diani and unreachable for 30 minutes before the planes whereabouts were pinpointed. Following the crash, Kwale County Commissioner Stephen Orinde told the BBC, The weather is not very good here at the moment. Since early in the morning, it is raining and it is very misty, but we cannot preempt [the findings]. Our primary focus right now is on providing all possible support to the families affected, Mombasa Air Safari reportedly said in a statement. The post Mombasa Air Safari Flight Crash In Kenya Ends In All 11 Onboard Dead, Investigations Underway appeared first on Travel Noire. Gov. Wes Moore spent a few minutes sorting donated food at the Anne Arundel County Food Bank before signing an executive order Thursday declaring a state of emergency to allow for distribution of food aid. (Photo by Bryan P. Sears/Maryland Matters) Gov. Wes Moore (D) declared a state of emergency Thursday to send $10 million to food banks, responding to the Trump administrations human-made crisis when it said funds for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program will run out in November. I understand the weight of what it means to put this state under a state of emergency when the state of emergency is not a natural disaster, when it is a human-made one, Moore said Thursday at the Anne Arundel County Food Bank. Whats really unfortunate is that these are actions that the state of Maryland is taking because the actions that the federal government is taking are actively hurting our people. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More than 680,000 low-income Marylanders are set to lose their November benefits from the federally funded Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Moore signed an executive order Thursday declaring the state of emergency and directing $10 million in state funds toward meal assistance programs to alleviate the expected surge when SNAP benefits are denied. Moore said the state must move quickly to make sure were getting the most support to those most in need and that the $10 million in additional state funds will go out to hundreds of institutions with experience of distributing food at the regional level. Gov. Wes Moore signs an executive order declaring a state of emergency in Maryland. (Photo Bryan P. Sears/Maryland Matters) We are also providing support to local nonprofits, faith-based organizations, food kitchens, farmers markets, school pantries and also mobile food units, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While some lawmakers appreciate the help for meal assistance programs across the state, many note that the $10 million wont even cover 10% of the $123.2 million state SNAP recipients receive in a typical month. The $10 million comes from an account funded by capital gains taxes called the Fiscal Responsibility fund. The highly volatile revenue source is difficult to project year to year, but senior administration officials say the fiscal 2025 closeout for those funds was better than expected and that about $200 million is sitting in the account. State fiscal experts treat the revenue like found money, placing it in a separate account to be used for one-time expenses specifically K-12 and higher education capital projects. Moores declaration of a state of emergency allows him to repurpose the money. Senior administration officials said that they will have more details about how the money will be distributed in the next few days. Meanwhile, more than 371,522 Maryland households are set to lose SNAP benefits for the month of November. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After funding benefits when the government was shut down in October, the Trump administration reversed course last week and announced that it is unable to continue funding SNAP next month, even though critics note there is $6 billion in a U.S. Department of Agriculture account specifically for that purpose. But the White House said it is not allowed to touch that money during a government shutdown/ Unless Congress agrees on a budget, SNAP funding would be halted, the administration said and it may not reimburse states that decide to fill the gap in the meantime. The federal funds are set to run out on Saturday, though everyones benefit renewal date is different and in Maryland, the first date for which recipients will not have their SNAP benefits renewed for November is Tuesday, Nov. 4. On Tuesday, and every day thereafter, more and more people will find that their EBT cards did not get refilled for the month Monthly schedule for SNAP benefit renewals. Courtesy of the Maryland Department of Human Services. More than two dozen states, including Maryland, this week sued the Trump administration in hopes of forcing the government to pay for SNAP amid the shutdown. In the meantime, a handful of governors in other states have signaled they will use state funds to cover SNAP regardless. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Many state lawmakers called on Moore Wednesday to tap the states Rainy Day fund to directly backfill missing SNAP benefits, which could have used up upwards of $123.2 million from the states designated emergency dollars just for November. Using money from the Fiscal Responsibility fund leaves the states Rainy Day funds untouched for now. Moores approach to mend the SNAP benefit cut-off is getting mixed reviews from lawmakers. Senate Minority Leader Stephen S. Hershey (R-Upper Shore) thinks Moore should fund SNAP benefits directly, saying that the governor has once again passed on the opportunity to lead. Other governors found a way to do this the right way directly and transparently, Hershey said in a statement Thursday. Governor Moore chose the harder, less effective path, handing responsibility off to nonprofits despite his administrations poor track record of accountability in that space. Marylanders deserved better than confusion and headlines. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Comptroller Brooke Lierman also supported state action to extend SNAP benefits, in November touting the economic benefits of letting people purchase their groceries within their communities through SNAP funds. Del. Emily Shetty (D-Montgomery), who chairs the Appropriations subcommittee that oversees social services, said that $10 million toward food banks is a good start. $10 million is not a small amount of money, Shetty said. It will enable food banks to purchase additional food for distribution efforts. The lines for food banks are already around the blocks. However, if the legal challenge to force the Trump administration to release funds for SNAP does not go in Marylands favor, Shetty said the next step has to be an extension of SNAP benefits by the state. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lets not forget that the total amount of SNAP benefits that are no longer going to be on cards is about $130 million, Shetty said. So this is less than 10% of the money that people would otherwise be receiving to purchase food for their families. Canned Food to be used in meal assistance programs. (Photo by Danielle J. Brown/Maryland Matters) We can look at it week by week as needed, but as we get further into the holidays and families go deeper into their savings, she said, this becomes a more urgent, pressing matter. But Moore says that he has no belief that the federal government is going to reimburse anybody for anything, and with more than three years left in the Trump administration, be believes it is safer for Marylands fiscal outlook to be cautious about dipping into the Rainy Day fund. Not only are we going to make sure that were protecting and taking care of our people, but also that were going to ensure that there is a real measure of fiscal discipline when it comes to how Maryland is going to manage its finances, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, food banks report increased activity and need in the last few weeks. Maryland Food Bank CEO Meg Kimmel told reporters Wednesday, prior to Moores executive order, that the need in Maryland has been high for some time and will likely increase as SNAP benefits come to an end. Nationwide, SNAP provides nine meals for every one meal provided by the charitable food system, Kimmel said Wednesday. Were already beginning to see the influx of federal furloughed workers on top of historically high levels of food insecurity that came out of the (COVID-19) pandemic, and those levels never went down. The SNAP stoppage will have an immediate impact on even more Marylanders, and we can already see this happening, she said. Weve never been in a situation where a lot of our SNAP benefits have been off the table. So of course, were very concerned. There was peace. Then there was war on October 7, 2023. I know the Vice President of the United States was repulsed by this. I know Kevin Roberts at the Heritage Foundation was repulsed by this. But I also know that after it happened, Tucker Carlson suggested Hamas had been mischaracterized and really was not a terrorist organization. I know Nick Fuentes joked about the barbarism. I know Tucker Carlson has elevated and attempted to normalize people sympathetic to Hitlers case for World War II. I know a progressive trans-activist murdered Charlie Kirk and Nick Fuentes mocked Kirks death and blamed the Jews. So did others in Tucker Carlsons orbit. Only a short time after a trans activist locked children in a church to gun them down and a trans activist murdered Kirk, suddenly some loud voices on the right, including Fuentes, were blaming Jews instead. I also know what Kevin Roberts, J.D. Vance, and others are doing as they dance around some of these guys. They want to attract young zoomers to their side, many of them male, and they think the way to do that is to punch back hard at critics, refuse to fold to criticism, and show a high tolerance for inflammatory positions that rile up the left. If they have to accommodate a few closeted gay guys with a Nazi fetish who blame the Jews for everything, theyll do it and reason that, once they win, they can clean up. But they want to win first. That is, of course, exactly what the Left did with the transgender militants. They canceled dissent. They used cultural forces to punch back hard. They allowed inflammatory positions that riled the right and the Christians. And they thought they won, until the whole thing collapsed in on itself because it turns out it is hard to police the Chase Strangios of the world once you put them in power. Roberts, Vance, etc. have adopted the Lefts playbook of no enemies on their side because they think the Left was successful with that strategy. It got eight years of Obama, four years of Biden, and billionaires investing in the cause, heavy emphasis on that last one. The Vice President, when confronted by a young man in a MAGA cap, about Israel controlling Presidents, did not dispute the presupposition. He just said Trump is different. He let the presupposition that the Jews control other presidents slide. That is moral cowardice. Its a large language model processing what the questioner wants to hear without offending. NEED TO KNOW More than 1,000 items were stolen from the Oakland Museum of California at one of its off-site storage facilities on Wednesday, Oct. 15, at around 3:30 a.m. The items stolen included Native American baskets, jewelry and other historic artifacts, along with laptops Museum officials believe it was a theft of opportunity as the thieves "grabbed what they could easily find and snatch and get out of the building with," per CNN More than 1,000 items are missing from the Oakland Museum of California following an early morning burglary. The Oakland Police Department announced in a press release on Thursday, Oct. 29, that it was investigating the theft, which occurred just before 3:30 a.m. on Oct. 15 at the museums off-site storage facility. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The suspects broke into the facility and stole more than 1,000 items including Native American baskets, jewelry and other historic artifacts, along with laptops, according to police. Some of the artifacts included a neckpiece with what appeared to be a set of gems and a tusk with an etching of a figure. The theft that occurred represents a brazen act that robs the public of our states cultural heritage, said Oakland Museum of California Executive Director and CEO Lori Fogarty in the release. Oakland Police Department A photo of an item that was stolen from the Oakland Museum of California A photo of an item that was stolen from the Oakland Museum of California Most of these objects have been given to the Museum by generous donors. We are working in close partnership with the City of Oakland, the Oakland Police Department, and the FBI to see that these objects are returned, she added. Fogarty said, per CNN, that she believed the theft was one of opportunity, as the burglars found a way to enter the building, and they grabbed what they could easily find and snatch and get out of the building with. Oakland Police Department One of the neckpieces stolen from the Oakland Museum of California One of the neckpieces stolen from the Oakland Museum of California 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. Theyre not just a loss to the museum, she told CNN of the items. Theyre a loss to the public, to our community and were hoping our community can help us bring them home. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Experts believe the artifacts may show up at local antique stores, pawn shops and markets as thieves try to sell them quickly. John Romero, a retired Los Angeles Police Department captain, told the Los Angeles Times that the items may already be circulating online. These people are interested in fast cash, not the full appraisal value, he told the outlet. They need to get rid of it quickly. Oakland Police Department A photo of one of the artifacts stolen from the Oakland Museum of California A photo of one of the artifacts stolen from the Oakland Museum of California The FBI Art Crime Team, which is a highly specialized unit of approximately 20 agents across the United States who are tasked with investigating all matters related to art, have been dispatched to investigate this case. PEOPLE has reached out to the Oakland Police Department for an update on the investigation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the Oakland Museum of Californias website, the museum is a resource for the research and understanding of Californias dynamic cultural and environmental heritage with more than two million objects of "art, history, and natural science. Read the original article on People Its one of the most thorough legal rebukes in recent memory. More than 100 federal judges have now ruled at least 200 times that the Trump administrations effort to systematically detain immigrants facing possible deportation appeared to violate their rights or was just flatly illegal, according to a POLITICO review. The rulings come from judges appointed by every president since Ronald Reagan, including 12 appointed by President Donald Trump. One of those appointees took the bench just last month. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Since July 8, when Immigration and Customs Enforcement reversed 30 years of practice and determined that ICE must lock up everyone facing deportation even if theyve lived in the country for decades and have no criminal record federal courts have issued increasing warnings. The new ICE policy, they note, doesnt just subject millions more people to detention while they fight deportation, it also bars them from even asking an immigration judge to consider releasing them on bond. Courts around the country have since rejected the governments new interpretation, U.S. District Judge Kyle Dudek, a Florida-based Trump appointee, ruled Wednesday. This Court now joins the consensus. Other Trump-appointed judges who have ruled against the administrations position include Terry Doughty in Louisiana, Nancy Brasel in Minnesota, J.P. Hanlon in Indiana and Jason Pulliam in Texas. Pulliam ruled Oct. 21 that one ICE detainee, who had been held without any individualized assessment of his dangerousness, was deprived of his constitutional due process rights. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The onslaught of legal rejections has come in hundreds of individual cases, typically filed on an emergency basis after ICEs targets are arrested at courthouses or check-ins with immigration officers. Though a handful of class action lawsuits have been filed seeking to block the administrations expanded detention policy, they have advanced slowly and seem weeks perhaps months from resolution. One case broke through Thursday, however, when U.S. District Judge Patti Saris, an appointee of Bill Clinton, approved a statewide class for immigrants in Massachusetts who are subject to the mandatory detention policy. A Department of Homeland Security spokesperson noted that the administrations position was recently upheld by the Board of Immigration Appeals, an executive branch court that sets policy for immigration judges also appointed and overseen by the Trump administration. President Trump and Secretary Noem are now enforcing this law as it was actually written to keep America safe, said Tricia McLaughlin, who predicted appellate courts would side with the administration. The Justice Department echoed DHS, saying President Trumps immigration enforcement agenda is a top national security priority that this Department of Justice will continue to vigorously defend whenever challenged in court. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But federal judges have explicitly rejected the immigration courts position, saying it flies in the face of decades of precedent. In recent days, the response from the courts has been deafening. The new detention policy, judges repeatedly ruled, has ripped parents from U.S. citizen spouses and children and subjected them to abrupt transfers all over the country, on flimsy, untested legal grounds. The overwhelming majority of district courts across the country, including this Court, that have considered [the Trump administrations] new statutory interpretation have found it incorrect and unlawful, ruled U.S. District Judge Richard Boulware, an appointee of Barack Obama. The Trump administration contends that the new detention policy is a better reading of immigration law that no administration had adopted. Anyone in the U.S. who is an applicant for admission to the country is subject to mandatory detention, ICE argues. Though previous administrations considered only those arriving at the border or seeking permission to enter as applicants for admission, the Trump administration says the label applies to anyone residing in the United States, no matter how long they have lived here. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But courts across the country say this is a misreading that has resulted in abuses. Those who have lived in the U.S. are not applicants for admission under the law and must be given an opportunity to contest their detention before an immigration judge or federal court, they say. According to POLITICOs analysis, the bulk of rulings against the Trump administrations position has come from judges appointed by Democratic Presidents Joe Biden (50), Obama (31) and Clinton (6). But the decisions have been resoundingly adopted across political lines. Judges appointed by Republican presidents Trump (12), George W. Bush (12), George H.W. Bush (1) and Reagan (2) have reached the same conclusions. Only two judges, meanwhile, have adopted the administrations position: one appointed by Obama and another by Trump. The lopsided results have outpaced another similar wave of legal rebukes by federal district courts over the administrations decision to threaten the legal status of thousands of foreign students studying at American schools. The legal pushback led the administration to withdraw its policy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Despite the overwhelming consensus in the detention cases, the administration is pinning its hopes on appellate courts to reverse the tide. The Justice Department, in recent days, has begun appealing many of the adverse decisions. Like this content? Consider signing up for POLITICOs West Wing Playbook: Remaking Government newsletter. Jaipur (Rajasthan) [India], October 31: ARCH College of Design & Business, Jaipur, with its 25-year legacy in shaping design education, has announced the commencement of Admissions 2026 starting 1st November 2025. Aspiring designers can now apply for undergraduate and postgraduate programs in Fashion, Jewellery, Interior, Product, and Communication Design, along with globally benchmarked international pathway programs. With an academic ecosystem built on creativity, innovation, and sustainability, ARCH empowers students to become future-ready professionals equipped for global design leadership. Visit www.archedu.org to explore courses and begin your journey in design. Global Collaborations: Learning Without BordersARCH currently has over 15 international MoUs, including a progression opportunities under Pearson's HND Study Abroad Pathway, Semester Exchanges, Summer Schools, Joint classroom Projects etc. offering students opportunities to pursue international academic experiences and collaborative projects across the world. Furthering its international learning vision, ARCH recently hosted design professors from Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU), UK, who conducted workshops on Zero Waste Fashion, Cinematic Storytelling, Creative Futures, and Fashion Business Pathways. In a unique partnership with Rajasthan Grameen Aajeevika Vikas Parishad (Rajeevika), ARCH launched a Design Intervention Project to empower women-led Self Help Groups (SHGs) through design innovation and skill enhancement. The two-month initiative, involved 35+ ARCH design students working with six artisan clusters from Bagru, Dausa, and Sanganer. Together, they co-created 20 product prototypes and 10 packaging design solutions across textiles, interiors, and jewellery. Industry-Academia Linkages: Field Learning in Action ARCH's curriculum emphasizes learning by doing, ensuring students engage directly with industry and craft sectors. Through field visits, industry interactions, and experiential learning programs, students gain insights into production processes, entrepreneurship, and the strategic role of design in real-world contexts. Such initiatives strengthen ARCH's design culture ecosystem, building confident, industry-ready graduates who understand how creativity, innovation, and business converge. ARCH's strong Careers and Placements Cell connects students with leading national and international brands, offering mentorship, internships, and job placements. Its Design Business Incubator supports student entrepreneurs in turning innovative ideas into viable ventures -- fostering a culture of creativity, entrepreneurship, and design leadership. Founded in 2000, ARCH College of Design & Business, Jaipur, is a leading institution in design education offering undergraduate, postgraduate, and international programs in collaboration with global universities and industry leaders. The college fosters creativity, sustainability, and innovation through hands-on learning, international exposure, and a strong focus on design thinking. For admissions and information, visit www.archedu.org or follow ARCH on social media @archcollegejaipur. (ADVERTORIAL DISCLAIMER: The above press release has been provided by NewsVoir. ANI will not be responsible in any way for the content of the same) ABILENE, Texas (KTAB/KRBC) The United Way of Abilene has seen a 10% increase in calls for help in the past week. The rise comes as the November 1 deadline approaches for SNAP recipients who are expected to lose benefits this month amid the ongoing government shutdown. Abilene nonprofits prepare for surge if SNAP benefits are disrupted United Way of Abilenes Chief Development Officer, Katie Deal, said the most recent requests are for food aid. One of the centers goals is to alleviate financial challenges where they can, and Deal shared that helping with a light bill or rent puts more money in the individuals budget for groceries. A relief that Deal shared is affecting many right now. We have gainfully employed federal employees who are going to work every day but are not receiving a paycheck. With that comes the increased stress of How am I going to cover my mortgage this month? How am I going to cover my car payments? There are programs available for them that our generous community has provided and that we are able to use. The best thing that anyone can do is call 211, Deal explained. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Resource Guide: When & where to visit food pantries in Abilene However, the Abilene 211 Call Center Manager, Lynn Jackson, said that increased calls do come with a fair share of challenges. Jackson outlined how not every situation they come across can be solved easily, or even at all, and that, at times, those situations can be the most frustrating part of the job. Sometimes when you hear those stories, when they begin initially and you know that it is above the scope of what we actually can do, and you have to take a moment to debrief. Just take a big breath and say, I did the best I could with that situation, said Jackson. Jackson added that among the increase, they have seen individuals in unfamiliar territory trying their best to navigate their situation due to the government shutdown. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We are seeing a high number of first-time callers. People who have never called before are calling 211 because of what is happening in our economy due to the shutdown of the government, and then just trying to survive, Jackson shared. Resource Guide: Where to visit food pantries across the Big Country Chief Development Officer Deal added that United Way of Abilene is constantly working to develop new partner relationships to increase aid. She and her partners will continue to do everything they can to serve those seeking United Way of Abilene for assistance. Thats our job, to pull the caring power of West Central Texas together, to create a plan to help provide a safety net for our community during this time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTAB - BigCountryHomepage.com. More than half of American adults misunderstand or underestimate the link between drinking alcohol and cancer, researchers have warned, with potentially dangerous consequences. Almost 53 percent of nearly 7,000 adults did not know that alcohol affects peoples risk of getting cancer, a new study from The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center found. The survey also revealed that just over 37 percent of U.S. adults understand there is a correlation, and that there were even some 1 percent who believe drinking alcohol decreased cancer risk. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement People who had recently consumed alcohol or who believed that cancer isnt fatal or preventable were more likely to think that drinking alcohol doesnt influence the risk of getting cancer, the researchers noted. Its concerning that people who drink alcohol are the ones most likely to believe it has no effect on cancer risk, Dr. Sanjay Shete, a professor of biostatistics and epidemiology at MD Anderson, said in a statement. A stunning percentage of Americans is either unaware of or doesnt believe in a link between alcohol and getting cancer, doctors warn (Getty Images for NYCWFF) The researchers also identified certain groups that were less likely to know about how alcohol influences cancer risk. Those individuals include cigarette smokers, Black people, those who do not believe cancer is preventable and those with lower education levels. More than half of the participants had consumed alcohol in the last month and nearly 10 percent had a personal cancer history. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Alcohol has been classified as a cancer-causing substance and is linked to several types of cancer, including mouth, throat, voice box, esophagus, colon, rectal, liver and breast cancer. Drinking it can increase chronic inflammation, damage the DNA, heighten the production of the breast cancer-linked hormone estrogen and make it easier for the mouth to absorb cancer-causing chemicals, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The number of alcohol deaths due to cancer has doubled in recent years. Addressing misbeliefs could help save lives, researchers say (AFP via Getty Images) People dont need to drink much to raise their risk. Just three or more alcoholic drinks a day can increase the risk of stomach and pancreatic cancers, the agency notes. Alcohol consumption contributes to approximately 100,000 cancer cases and 20,000 cancer-related deaths each year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The number of annual alcohol deaths due to cancer has doubled in recent years in the U.S., rising from 11,896 in 1990 to 23,207 by 2021. The shift has resulted in Biden-era Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy calling for updated warning labels on bottles of alcohol. Further addressing misbeliefs could help to save lives, Shete noted. Given peoples beliefs play a critical role in whether they choose healthier behaviors, we need to work on correcting these misperceptions, which could be essential to reducing the growing burden of alcohol-related cancers, he said. Money helping to provide free legal services in North Carolina is now frozen and causing a ripple effect in and out of court. Corinne Wiggins is a 12-year veteran of the U.S. Army. She has been going through a housing dispute for years, but struggled to afford legal presentation that was until she found Charlotte Legal Advocacy. Ive gone to court four times with this case, Wiggins told Channel 9s Eli Brand. With them stepping in, I can see my ending. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Charlotte Legal Advocacy is one of several organizations that provide free legal services to North Carolinians who cant afford them. Much of their money comes from a state fund, called IOLTA, which helps organizations provide free legal services. However, issues arose last summer when the North Carolina General Assembly froze that money through June of 2026. ALSO READ >> Juvenile defendants at risk after state cuts legal funding People who were anticipating having that funding, any of the organizations, in January, will not have that funding, Charlotte Legal Advocacys CEO, Larissa Manon Mervin, said. She says 15% of their money comes from IOLTA. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We have learned, people over the years who have been in this work, have learned to do more with less, so, we will continue providing the services that we provide, she said. It will just put more pressure on the staff. Other groups are being hit harder. Legal Aid of North Carolina says they were forced to close their office in eastern North Carolina, cutting off help to hundreds of people. For some, such as State Rep. Grant Campbell from Cabarrus County, this pause is believed to be a necessary move. This grant program has kind of lost its way to some degree, he said. Some of the grants are going to organizations that are political activist organizations or their primary benefit is to residents that are outside the state of North Carolina. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Campbell says he is for the vast majority of the work IOLTA supports but wants to make sure it goes to places that he says need it. The people that are legitimately getting these grants should be upset too, Campbell said. Honestly, if we do this the proper way, there is going to be more funding available for those legitimate programs. Campbell says he expects the funding to return. He does not know when, but he says he wants to het it open again as soon as possible. VIDEO: Charlotte activists halfway houses closing, residents left in limbo Fox & Friends co-host Lawrence Jones railed against Democrats for questioning the legality of the Trump administration's lethal military strikes against alleged drug runners in the Caribbean and Pacific, saying Congressional briefings are unnecessary because bad guys are dying. This is moronic, Jones fumed at Democratic criticism over the administrations lack of transparency over the boat strikes. The Fox morning hosts defense of the White Houses escalating hostilities against Venezuela came during a friendly interview with House Speaker Mike Johnson, who claimed that Democrats are only saying theyre unsatisfied with the administrations briefings on the boat strikes because they are motivated by Trump Derangement Syndrome. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With the US military recently conducting its 14th strike on an alleged drug-trafficking boat off the coast of South America, bringing the death toll to at least 61, the administration held classified briefings on Capitol Hill that left Democrats frustrated and annoyed. In the Senate, for instance, Democrats were shut out of a GOP-only briefing this week on the boat strikes, prompting the top Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee to rail against Republicans and the White House. Fox & Friends host Lawrence Jones called Democrats moronic for demanding more transparency on the strikes on the alleged drug boats, adding that Congressional briefings were unnecessary. (Fox News) I dont know how you even begin to rebuild trust. This is against every norm of how national security policy has worked, Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA) said, adding that when you politicize decision making about putting service members in harms way, you make them less safe. Meanwhile, Democrats on the House Armed Services Committee were invited to a members-only classified briefing on Thursday, but they came away dissatisfied with the administrations legal rationale for the strikes or the end game of the campaign. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Our job is to oversee the use of lethal force by our military outside of the United States, and Im walking away without an understanding of how and why theyre making an assessment that the use of lethal force is adequate here, Rep. Jason Crow (D-CO) told reporters after the briefing. On top of that, the Miami Herald reported Friday morning that the Trump administration is now poised to target military installations in Venezuela and that the strikes could happen at any moment, escalating its purported campaign against drug cartels. The sheer scale of the deployment has led many analysts to conclude that the missions ultimate aim is the removal of the Maduro regime, though U.S. officials have provided few specifics about any planned actions inside Venezuela, the Herald reported. During Friday mornings interview with Johnson, the presidents favorite morning talk show brought up the Democratic criticism of the administrations campaign against Venezuela though some Republicans have also become increasingly outspoken about the legality of the strikes and lack of answers from the White House. They are upset, they say there is no legal basis and theres no evidence to prove what the president is saying. Whats your response? Fox & Friends co-host Ainsley Earhardt asked. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To the shock of no one, House Democrats are not satisfied with a briefing from the Trump administration. I mean, give me a break, Johnson replied. If they came out and said they were satisfied, it would be pilloried by their own supporters. Again, they are motivated out of fear and as you said, Ainsley Trump Derangement Syndrome! The speaker went on to claim that hes seen exquisite intelligence in his briefings on the strikes, claiming that the boats are bringing massive amounts of deadly narcotics into the country. He also brought up how fentanyl was the leading cause of death among young people in recent years, grumbling that Trump is protecting the American people and they ought to be applauding this. House Speaker Mike Johnson defended the controversial military strikes against Venezuelan boats, insisting criticism of the legally dubious campaign is just Trump Derangement Syndrome. (Fox News) Chiming in, Jones groused that this is moronic from the Democrats before also tying the fentanyl epidemic to the boat strikes. As youve laid out, all the kids who have died. Weve seen the families on Capitol Hill, Jones continued, adding that cartels are funding people to come across the border to smuggle in drugs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I dont need a briefing. Bad guys are dying, I like it, the Fox News host, who has regularly been praised by the president, concluded. Fox News, meanwhile, has championed and validated the strikes in recent weeks, calling them pretty spectacular while praising the administrations aggressive approach. Cartels are at war with the U.S. They are killing more people than we have lost in war. One boatload of this stuff fentanyl, for example can kill hundreds of thousands of Americans, Johnson reacted. So you take that out, you leave that out at sea, youve saved the country! You have helped save lives of innocent people. I cannot imagine why they would be criticizing the White House for taking action! Outside of the fact that the administration has yet to provide public proof that the boats are being operated by narco-terrorists and have been loaded down with illicit drugs, which would still leave the military strikes legally dubious, the flow of fentanyl into the United States does not come from Venezuela and South America. Venezuela plays essentially no role in the production or smuggling of fentanyl, the New York Times reported this month. The drug is almost entirely made in Mexico with chemicals imported from countries in Asia, including China, according to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, the Justice Department and the Congressional Research Service. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Furthermore, those who were briefed by the administration this week said that the military acknowledged that the drugs that typically come from that area of the world do not include fentanyl. So they admitted that all of the narcotics coming out of this part of the world is cocaine. They, you know, talked a little bit about the connection between cocaine and fentanyl, although Im not convinced that what they said was accurate, Rep. Sara Jacobs (D-CA) told reporters on Thursday. And I think it goes to show that this is actually not about addressing fentanyl and the deaths of Americans, which is a really huge problem that we should be addressing. Jackie Withrow Hospital in Beckley, West Virginia. (Photo courtesy of West Virginia Department of Health) Gov. Patrick Morriseys $60 million sale of West Virginias four long-term nursing homes closes Friday, placing the facilities under private ownership after many lawmakers for years have said no to the change. The hospitals, which mostly serve elderly patients using Medicaid, were operating at $6 million annual financial loss to the state. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The buyers, New York-based developer Marx Development Group and its subsidiary, Majestic Care, are contractually required to build at least three new hospitals on a set timeline, according to documents obtained through a public records request. The four hospitals need $3.9 million in deferred maintenance. Majestic Care could potentially build the new hospitals in undetermined locations because it isnt required to rebuild at the current hospital sites. In Beckley, local officials still have many questions and concerns about the future of FRMS Health Systems that operates on the same property as Jackie Withrow Hospital, which is being sold. FMRS is on the same tract of land, and I guess nobody even considered that when they decided they wanted to sell this thing to somebody, said Raleigh County Commissioner Daniel Hall. FMRS provides tons of valuable services through Raleigh County and three other counties. We just cant allow this to just go away. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement FMRS offers adult and childrens behavioral health services, including outpatient psychiatric services. Its one of the states 13 comprehensive behavioral health centers and includes crisis stabilization that helps people get stabilized to prevent them from being hospitalized. We keep a lot of people out of the hospital and keep them functioning in the community, said Randy Venable, chief executive officer at FMRS. With the sale being finalized, Venable said it was unclear what would happen in the future. To have to relocate with short notice, it would be very difficult for sure, because I dont know of an existing building that we could move into in short notice, he said. Of course, the financial strain would be pretty significant as well. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement You dont really know whats going to happen with a private entity, he added. Majestic Care did not respond to an email with questions for this story. The Raleigh County Commission sent a letter to the governor earlier this month asking that the FMRS facilities be carved out from the sale of Jackie Withrow, but the sale wasnt changed. Del. Carl Bill Roop, R-Raleigh What I had proposed to the governors office is theres 9.2 acres, what I call below the road that separated from the Jackie Withrow hospital, then that could easily be cut out of this sale, said Raleigh County Attorney Bill Roop, who also serves in the state House of Delegates. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The states contract with MDG requires the company to assume the lease agreement between FMRS two years with the possibility to renew. If they terminate it, the company would have six months to relocate, according to Venable. If two years from now they decide to use this property for something else, weve been given a six month period to try to figure out how to relocate, which would be probably next to impossible, he said. Jackie Withrow hospital also contains incarcerated individuals with the Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation. The states jails are overcrowded, and DCR would have to absorb the inmates should Majestic Care decide that it no longer wants to operate a floor for corrections. Hall said Raleigh County officials spoke with the governors office over the issue ahead of the sale closing date. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theyve listened to what weve told them but, theres been no response really, no direction of whats going to happen, he said. Morrisey didnt return a request for comment about communication issues surrounding the sale of Jackie Withrow. I think its very important that everybody knows whats going to happen FRMS and [corrections], because this is not something that we can just pack our bags and move out tomorrow, Roop said. I think the sooner that we have a permanent plan, the better. I mean longer than two years. Sen. Rollan Roberts, R-Raleigh Sen. Rollan Roberts, R-Raleigh, also hoped that thered soon be a long-term plan for FMRS. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With COVID and the challenges of society these days, I think, more than than ever, we need to have these kinds of facilities available so that we can help people with their mental health issues, he said. Earlier this week, a judge ruled that Morrisey and Department of Health Facilities Secretary Michael Caruso had legal authority to sell the long-term care hospitals without the Legislatures approval based on a 2023 bill that created the facilites department. During the hearing, lawyers representing Morrisey said around 90% of employees are staying on to work with Majestic Care. Additionally, the company has committed to keeping current patients. Morrisey told reporters that the sale is a better deal for all the people that are getting care of those facilities. Im excited about that, he added. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE As Floridas Republican leaders consider overhauling the states property tax system, Gov. Ron DeSantis recently zeroed in on tax changes for primary homes, or homestead properties. During an Oct.15 event in West Palm Beach, a high school student asked DeSantis if there are alternative revenue sources that could replace property tax funding. Lawmakers have offered competing proposals, but appear to be focused on changing how primary residences are taxed. DeSantis said governments could spend less money, and that primary residences are not local governments main source of property tax revenue. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The vast, vast majority of property tax revenue is not from homestead Floridians properties. Its second homes, investment properties, commercial properties, Airbnb, all those other things, DeSantis said. Thats about 68 to 70% of property tax revenue statewide. His estimate is very close. Sixty-four percent of Floridas property tax revenue comes from properties that are not primary residences, preliminary 2025 data shows. It is reasonable to conclude that about two-thirds of the property taxes are paid by non-homesteaded properties, said Matt Caldwell, the Lee County property appraiser and a former Republican lawmaker. He said the statistic varies based on market changes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The idea of changing how Florida collects property taxes makes counties and cities nervous because no one has spelled out where the lost revenue would come from. Local governments will have to offset that revenue loss, meaning Floridians could see reductions in public services things like first responders, emergency preparedness and disaster management new or increased local taxes or fees, or a combination of these strategies, said Esteban Leonardo Santis, research director at the center-left Florida Policy Institute. https://www.tampabay.com/news/florida-politics/2025/10/27/hillsborough-budget-spending-ingoglia-doge-police-fire-reserves/ PolitiFact contacted DeSantis office for comment but received no reply. How much tax revenue comes from Floridas primary residences? Both the Florida Policy Institute and the Florida Legislatures Office of Economic and Demographic Research reported in September that 36% of statewide property tax revenue comes from primary residences. Floridas current homestead exemption is generous and can reduce a homes taxable value by as much as $50,000. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Florida Policy Institute estimated that ending property taxes for these properties would cost about $18.5 billion, which breaks down to $7.8 billion for counties, $3 billion for cities and $7.7 billion for school districts. If the state fully or partially eliminates property tax on primary residences across all income levels, it could result in a cost shift, Santis said, and that could come in the form of a higher sales tax or corporate income tax. Florida renters would not benefit from the policy. This kind of overhaul limits local fiscal autonomy, gives outsized benefits to owners of more expensive properties, and makes the state more susceptible to economic downturns, he said. Caldwell said part of the challenge is defining property tax. Some taxes are levied based on a propertys value, and others arent based on value, but both are included on tax bills. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He said the distinction might not matter to the average property owner who will view property tax as everything charged to them on their November bill. Since August, DeSantis and Florida Chief Financial Officer Blaise Ingoglia have traveled the state to talk about their efforts to root outwhat they describe as waste, fraud and abuse. Floridians dont need to pay property taxes, they say, when local governments are misusing millions. But local governments have pushed back on those statements, saying some spending examples were misrepresented, approved by voters or werent funded by property taxes. Our ruling DeSantis said in Florida, 68 to 70% of property tax revenue is from second homes, investment properties, commercial properties, Airbnb, not primary residences. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hes very close. Sixty-four percent of Floridas property tax revenue comes from properties that are not primary residences, including second homes, vacation rentals and businesses. Ending taxes for primary residences could cost about $18.5 billion across Florida counties, cities and school districts. That might result in reducing or privatizing services, or increasing the sales or corporate tax rates. DeSantis statement is accurate but needs additional information. We rate it Mostly True. PolitiFact Researcher Caryn Baird contributed to this report. BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) Bakersfields Golden West Casino, located near the Kern County Fairgrounds, tops a new list of the nations most haunted casinos. Yes, were number one! Sadly, Bakersfield is on a list we dont necessarily want to dominate. Anyways, here we are, courtesy of vegasinsider.com. Home of the places that top the list of the Most Haunted Casinos in America. CDCR officers to check on registered sex offenders throughout CA on Halloween night Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Maybe youve been giving that sort of thing a lot of thought. I sure havent, but out of a sense of duty, given that were in the midst of the annual festival of spooky, here are the facts. Vegas Insider got in the spirit of things by crunching some rather arbitrary numbers to come up with a dubious list. The most haunted casino in America, they determined, is Bakersfields Golden West Casino, 1001 S. Union Ave. The researchers, if we may use that term, looked at ghost sightings per city, as determined by another website, Ghosts of America. In descending order of importance they also looked at cities per capita murder rate, because, as they said, a darker history tends to leave a trace. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They looked at so-called Haunted Reviews online mentions of the words haunted, and ghost, or spooky, scary in Google rankings. They looked at the Google Ratings of the actual casinos. Theres no denying Bakersfield has a higher-than-average murder rate 6.78 per 100,000 residents, which is in the 44th percentile nationally. But in terms of violence associated with Golden West Casino specifically, only a couple of things jump out in the last three decades. The casino was robbed in 2007, and security guards were shot in 2017 and 2023, one fatally. The most famous crime on the property occurred in 1961, before it was Golden West Casino. It was then known as Maison Jaussaid a ritzy French restaurant built in 1949 that attracted the likes of the Shah of Iran. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Owners Babe and Louise Jaussaud, along with son Gary, were kidnapped in a robbery attempt. The thieves were scared away by a ringing telephone and no one was seriously hurt, although Gary and his mother spent several hours in the trunk of a car. The most famous murder in that building was a killing only in the symbolic sense. Tonight Show host Johnny Carson bombed in a 1955 nightclub comedy appearance at Maison Jaussaud. I opened the act there, Carson said in a 1990 broadcast. Died. Died. I died. He never forgot it. But haunted? Were not seeing a lot of evidence, vegasinsider.com, but in the spirit of the moment sure, why not? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Never miss a story: Make KGET.com your homepage Golden West Casino has posted a sign on Merle Haggard Drive notifying the public that it is eventually moving to a new location on the north side of Bakersfield, near the Bill Thomas Terminal at Meadows Field. Not because the old place is haunted. They likely want to create as much distance as possible between themselves and the Hard Rock Casino south of the city. The Hard Rock opens Nov. 13 but no word from Golden West on when it might begin construction on its new card room. 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. BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) A woman was booked into the East Baton Rouge Parish Prison in connection with an investigation that led to the arrest of Shalom Moalem-Rabi, 41. Allison Stearns, 31, of North Dakota, was charged with first-degree rape of a victim under 13 years of age, aggravated crime against nature, and molestation of a juvenile. Moalem-Rabi was the live-in boyfriend of Stearns, according to the affidavit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Stearns is accused of allowing Moalem-Rabi to have oral sex with her 7-year-old daughter and encouraging the girl and her 5-year-old son to touch his private parts. She is also accused of encouraging her children to have sex with each other. EBRSO stated that these incidents occurred in 2023, and their investigation began when they received a tip in May 2025. That investigation into sexual abuse of a minor led to the discovery of the siblings, who are both under the age of 10. Stearns daughter stated during a forensic interview that they let us do sex, EBRSO said. On September 16, 2025, an FBI agent in North Dakota spoke with Stearns by phone. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During the phone call, Stearns stated that she knew about statements made to the biological father about sexual abuse while Moalem-Rabi lived in Baton Rouge, according to the affidavit. The biological father was given custody of the two children and lived in a separate state for the last two years. Stearns said she did not know about sexual abuse while in a relationship with Moalem-Rabi. Two hurt in separate shootings in Baton Rouge Wednesday night, officials say Stearns was arrested on Thursday, Oct. 30 and booked into prison on the same day. Latest News Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Louisiana First News. NEED TO KNOW Leroy Vallejos, 49, is facing a murder charge in connection with the death of his mother Ernestina Lucero, 69 Vallejos allegedly believed his mother was part of a "group of people giving their lives to darkness," per an affidavit Vallejos allegedly wanted to turn himself in but didn't want to be separated from his dogs A New Mexico man is accused of murdering and partially dismembering his mother. Leroy Vallejos, 49, is charged with an open count of murder in the first degree and tampering with evidence in connection with the death of his 69-year-old mother Ernestina Lucero, per the Office of the Second Judicial District Attorney, Bernalillo County. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to an arrest warrant affidavit obtained by PEOPLE, Vallejos admitted to killing is mother, allegedly claiming that she was conspiring with others against him and that she was part of a group of people giving their lives to darkness. The case came to light on Oct. 17 when Ernestinas niece called the Albuquerque Police Department to report her aunt missing. Police learned that Ernestina had not made contact with any family members in a month and that she had told her niece that she was afraid of Vallejos, who lived with her, according to the affidavit. The niece allegedly told police that Vallejos said he hadnt seen Ernestina since Oct. 15, supposedly having left with a boyfriend no one else was aware of. Officers went to the home on Tuesday, Oct. 28 for a welfare check after an employee with a care company said they hadnt had contact with Ernestina since Sept. 12. A neighbor told police they hadn't seen Ernestina in more than a month, last seeing her when she was allegedly loudly arguing with her son, per the affidavit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Vallejos allegedly told the neighbor that his mother had gone to Mexico with her boyfriend. When officers approached Vallejos, he allegedly told them that he last saw his mother between Oct. 15 and Oct. 17. When officers went inside, they found large chest freezer in the kitchen with what appeared to be the partially dismembered remains of an adult human being in plastic bags. Police detained Vallejos and placed him in a police car at which time he made an utterance to the effect of thats not who I am. Im not a bad guy. The truth is going to come out about this, according to the affidavit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After arresting Vallejos, he allegedly said he was "not a bad guy" and later told investigator he "snapped." Ive dealt with it for years and years and years and years, he allegedly said, per the affidavit. I should have just sucked it up again, but I didnt man, you know? Leroy would go on to tell officers his mom and other family members "were part of a group of 'people giving their lives to darkness,'" according to the affidavit. Leroy indicated that his mother, along with numerous other family members of his were part of a group of people giving their lives to darkness, according to the affidavit. Leroy believed he had discovered that he had been promised to Satan by his mother based upon statements he had heard from other witches combined with his own speculation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He allegedly told police that his mother had been in the freezer for three weeks. He claimed he strangled her and advised he placed his mother in a chokehold for a little while. For a long time, man. Its not like what you think. 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. Leroy would have turned himself in, per the affidavit, but "loved his dogs and did not want to be separated from them." A detention hearing is scheduled for Nov. 4. Read the original article on People Telangana, India's largest rice-producing state, is now expanding its rice exports beyond traditional buyers. "This is the first time the state's civil supplies corporation has exported rice to the Philippines. It's the MTU 1010 variety, long grain sticky rice, which is liked there," said S Mohanty, Advisor to the Telangana Government, speaking to ANI at the sidelines of the Bharat International Rice Conference (BIRC) exhibition. The state now plans to target African countries, including Nigeria and others in West Africa, with parboiled rice. Mohanty stated that Telangana has experienced a remarkable increase in rice cultivation over the past decade, with acreage tripling and production exceeding 20 million tons of milled rice this year. "The state's requirement is around 5 million tons. After selling to the central pool, Telangana still has about five to six million tons left," he said. He explained that this surplus is creating new opportunities for exports and sustainable farming models. Mohanty also highlighted that Telangana is pushing for sustainable and climate-friendly cultivation practices. The government is promoting environmentally conscious cultivation methods that use less water and reduce methane emissions. "We are trying to introduce farmers to grow rice in non-flooding conditions and with less water. Some of the new varieties also emit less methane. This helps reduce the environmental footprint," he said. Explaining the approach to farmer participation, Mohanty stressed that change must be driven by market demand rather than compulsion. "If you push farmers, they hesitate because they fear lower yields. We are making it demand-driven. We tell them if they grow rice sustainably, they get access to an assured market and better prices. That way, they are more energetic," he said. Farmers, he added, are showing greater interest as export markets promise premium rates for eco-friendly produce. On trade challenges, Mohanty stated that while US tariffs impact Indian rice exports, Telangana is largely unaffected, as it does not produce Basmati rice. "Telangana Sona, which goes to the US in small quantities, has not been impacted," he said. Mohanty predicted India's rice surplus could reach 30 million tons by 2030. He emphasised the need to diversify exports beyond a handful of popular types. "In India, only 5-10 varieties are exported though we have 20,000. Many traditional varieties are nutritious and have a low glycemic index. Telangana Sona, for example, has a GI of less than 50," he said. Mohanty concluded by saying that India's future in rice lies in promoting these diverse and healthier varieties globally. "India will remain the largest exporter of rice, but we must grow sustainably, produce more nutritious rice, and target premium markets to get higher value," he said. (ANI) Lawrence ODonnell laid into King Charles III after the latter announced he was stripping the royal titles from his younger brother, Prince Andrew who is now known just as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor. The MSNBC anchor scoffed at the so-called punishment during Thursday nights broadcast, where he ripped into the British monarch for only symbolically distancing himself from his deeply [Jeffrey] Epstein involved brother. The truth is a name change is not punishment, the newsman said. If you offered Jeffrey Epstein the option of being arrested and sent to prison as a child rapist, or having to change his name, which do you think he would have chosen? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He added: And so, now the big punishment for Andrew is that no one in Britain will call him the Duke of York or His Royal Highness, which no sane person anywhere ever should have called him. As ODonnell went on, he accused King Charles of trying to have it both ways, given his announcement for stripping Andrews titles highlighted the former Dukes denial of raping Epstein victim Virginia Giuffre when she was 17 years old. The monarchs rep also noted the royals thoughts and utmost sympathies were with all victims and survivors of abuse. Okay. Then, give them the houses on your country estates, ODonnell noted. You just gave your accused rapist little brother another country house on your familys estates to live in for free for the rest of his life. ODonnell later called out the British monarchys ugly history, suggesting the Crown had more to be sorry for than just the rape allegations against Andrew. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Do you mean any and all forms of abuse visited upon people around the world by the British Crown throughout its ugly history? he asked. Or do you just mean the survivors of any and all forms of abuse delivered directly to them by individual members of your family? Watch ODonnells full commentary in the video above. Representatives for Buckingham Palace did not immediately respond to TheWraps request for comment. The post MSNBCs Lawrence ODonnell Slams King Charles III for Symbolic Prince Andrew Penalty: A Name Change Is Not Punishment | Video appeared first on TheWrap. MT. JULIET, Tenn. (WKRN) A member of the Mt. Juliet Police Department was fired after being arrested for domestic assault in Sumner County earlier this week. Mt. Juliet Chief of Police Tyler Chandler told News 2 the department was notified on Sunday, Oct. 26 that one of its officers, 25-year-old Kurt Scothern, was involved in a domestic-related incident at his home while off-duty. Scothern was immediately decommissioned, removing all police authority, and put on unpaid administrative leave. Hendersonville firefighter accused of fighting with deputies during traffic stop Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Chandler said the Gallatin Police Department investigated the incident. News 2 requested the affidavit detailing the circumstances surrounding Scotherns arrest, which revealed that he was drinking heavily and very emotional before his arrest. In addition, the affidavit states that Scothern ran to a closet where all of his guns were kept following an argument about household chores and his drinking. Authorities reported his wife said she didnt know if he was planning to hurt himself or her and their child, so she ran out of the apartment screaming for help and called 911. According to a report from the Sumner County Sheriffs Office, the 25-year-old was booked into jail on Monday, Oct. 27 for domestic assault and released the next day on a $5,000 bond. Based on the preliminary, documented findings of MJPDs internal review, Chandler said it became clear that Scotherns conduct involved serious violations of Department policy and City of Mt. Juliet personnel policy. Read todays top stories on wkrn.com Scotherns employment with MJPD was officially terminated on Wednesday, Oct. 29, according to Chandler. He reportedly started working for the department in June 2023. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The behavior displayed in this incident is inconsistent with the high standards we uphold at MJPD. Our officers are held to a standard of conduct that reflects the trust placed in us by our community, Chandler said in a statement to News 2. When this incident occurred, we took swift and decisive action to have him removed from the Department. The integrity of our Department and the safety of our community remain our highest priorities. Scothern is set to appear in court in Sumner County on Nov. 10. Download the News 2 app to stay updated on the go. Sign up for WKRN email alerts to have breaking news sent to your inbox. Find todays top stories on WKRN.com for Nashville, TN and all of Middle Tennessee. This is a developing story. WKRN News 2 will continue to update this article as new 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 WKRN News 2. Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene snapped back at ideologically aligned people who have been criticizing her for pushback against her own party, calling them pathetic Republican men and insinuating they are misogynistic. Greene, a well-known supporter of President Donald Trump who years ago peddled conspiracy theories about Jewish space lasers, has become an unlikely critic of her own party over the last few months becoming angrier about their lack of initiative on healthcare amid the government shutdown. Subsequent pushback against Greene peaked on Thursday when it was announced she would be a guest on the notoriously liberal daytime talk show The View as well as the moderately liberal political commentator show Real Time with Bill Maher. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There are pathetic Republican men (mostly paid social media influencers) attacking me for going on Bill Mahers show and The View, Greene wrote on X in response to criticisms for going on the shows. Sorry Im not sorry I dont obey Republican mens demands that I, as a woman, dont remain seen but not heard, she added. Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene defended her decision to appear on The View and Real Time with Bill Maher calling critics pathetic Republican men. (Getty Images) Attached to Greenes post was a screenshot of her voting card from Liberty Score, a conservative-powered website that assigned a score to lawmakers based on how they vote on legislation. Greene earned a 100 percent from Liberty Score, meaning she votes all the time for legislation endorsed by the Republican Liberty Caucus, which works to advance legislation aligned with individual rights, limited government and free markets. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Here is my voting card and nothing has changed about me, Im 1,000,000% America ONLY, Greene added. Since the government shutdown more than a month ago, Greene has advocated for Republicans to come up with their own plan to make healthcare affordable to Americans a key issue that drove the shutdown because Democrats want to extend Affordable Healthcare Act tax credits and restore Medicaid provisions. Shes accused Speaker of the House Mike Johnson of not doing enough and shutting out party members, leaving them in the dark about their efforts. She also said she doesnt respect his decision to send representatives home during the shutdown. Johnson, Senator Ted Cruz (R-Texas_ and others have been quick to brush off Greenes critics and implore voters to do the same. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But Greenes latest comments about her partys handling of the shutdown also come months after she broke from her party on the Epstein Files release. She also became one of the few Republicans to voice opposition to Israels offensive in Gaza and call out Israel for committing genocide in Gaza. AUSTIN (KXAN) People and pets had to be rescued by firefighters Friday afternoon after a fire at a residence in south Austin. The Austin Fire Department said crews are working the fire in the 5300 block of Indio Cove. Thats near West Gate Boulevard. Multiple civilians and pets rescued by firefighters, AFD wrote on social media. The department added there were no apparent injuries to three people rescued from a second-story balcony. Austin Fire battles a fire at a residence in the 5300 block of Indio Cove in south Austin on Oct. 31, 2024 (Austin Fire Photo) Austin Fire battles a fire at a residence in the 5300 block of Indio Cove in south Austin on Oct. 31, 2024 (Austin Fire Photo) Austin Fire battles a fire at a residence in the 5300 block of Indio Cove in south Austin on Oct. 31, 2024 (Austin Fire Photo) Austin Fire battles a fire at a residence in the 5300 block of Indio Cove in south Austin on Oct. 31, 2024 (Austin Fire Photo) Multiple pets are also being helped by firefighters and Austin-Travis County EMS. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is a developing story; stick with KXAN for updates. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KXAN Austin. Murder, money and mystery -- the saga of the Murdaugh family has gripped the country for nearly five years. A South Carolina woman's 2019 death in a boat crash would be followed two years later by a double homicide of a mother and son and allegations of fraud. A new "20/20" episode, "The Murdaugh Family Murders" airing Friday, Oct. 31, at 9 p.m. ET on ABC and streaming the next day on Disney+ and Hulu, examines the case. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement You can also get more behind-the-scenes of each week's episode by listening to "20/20: The After Show" weekly series right on your 20/20 podcast feed on Mondays, hosted by "20/20" co-anchor Deborah Roberts. Andrew J. Whitaker/The Post And Courier via AP | Daniel Delgado Jr/Disney - PHOTO: Jason Clarke, right, portrays Alex Murdaugh, left, in the new limited scripted series based on the real-life Murdaugh family saga. The Murdaugh family legal troubles began after the February 2019 death of 19-year-old Mallory Beach in a boating accident. The driver of the boat, her friend Paul Murdaugh, the son of fourth-generation Hampton County lawyer and volunteer local solicitor Alex Murdaugh, was indicted for boating under the influence causing death. Paul Murdaugh pleaded not guilty, but faced up to 25 years in prison if convicted. He was released on his own recognizance as he awaited trial. In June 2021, Paul Murdaugh, 22, and his mother Maggie Murdaugh, 52, were found fatally shot on the family's property in Islandton, South Carolina. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Murdaugh murders and mysteries timeline: Key events in the South Carolina family's scandals and deaths Alex Murdaugh told police that he had been out during the shooting and found his wife and son dead when he arrived home, according to the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED). Mandy Matney's "Murdaugh Murders Podcast," which ran from 2021 to 2023, reported on these real life events. Her podcast and memoir has been developed into an eight-episode scripted series, partially fictionalized for dramatic purposes, called "Murdaugh: Death in the Family," airing on Disney Plus and Hulu every Wednesday until Nov. 19. Hulu is a division of Disney, ABCs parent company. ABC News - PHOTO: Patricia Arquette and Jason Clarke became Maggie and Alex Murdaugh for the new show. Oscar winner Patricia Arquette, who plays Maggie Murdaugh in the Hulu show, told "20/20" that she was fascinated by the story. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "This well-respected beloved man of the community with this family, with deep roots there in the south, this privileged family," she said. "Then as it started to unravel and it started coming out, all the things he did, it was just so outrageous. It was so diabolical." Alex Murdaugh is portrayed by actor Jason Clarke, who said that the show leaves ambiguity around his character's decision to kill his wife and son. "One of the beauties of this whole show is we do not dictate 'Why did he do it?' There is no solving that in that quiet moment, but it was a choice without a doubt," he told "20/20." "So in my mind, I'm constructing a whole bunch of things of 'how do I get there?' 'How do I put that across?' 'What thing's going to lead in there?' And you go, well, it is a tragedy, Shakespearean tragedy." Less than four months after his son and wife had been killed, in September 2021, Alex Murdaugh called authorities to tell them he had been shot in the head while changing a flat tire on the side of the road. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Doubt, however, was cast on his claims from the start and authorities challenged Murdaugh's depiction and the severity of his injuries. Joshua Boucher/The State/Tribune News Service via Getty Images - PHOTO: Alex Murdaugh listens to testimony about cellphones during his trial for murder at the Colleton County Courthouse, Feb. 10, 2023, in Walterboro, S.C. In the days that followed, Alex Murdaugh entered rehab for opioid addiction amid allegations he had misappropriated funds at his law firm. He was forced to resign from his firm Peters, Murdaugh, Parker, Eltzroth & Detrick, and the firm released a statement saying "he is no longer associated with PMPED in any manner." "His resignation came after the discovery by PMPED that Alex misappropriated funds in violation of PMPED standards and policies. A forensic accounting firm will be retained to conduct a thorough investigation," the statement said. Ex-court clerk in Alex Murdaugh double murder trial charged with misconduct, obstruction Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At the time, Alex Murdaugh released a statement saying the murders of his wife and son "caused an incredibly difficult time" in his life. This statement did not directly address the alleged assisted suicide attempt or the allegations about misappropriated funds. "I have made a lot of decisions that I truly regret. I'm resigning from my law firm and entering rehab after a long battle that has been exacerbated by these murders," he said in the statement. "I am immensely sorry to everyone I've hurt including my family, friends and colleagues. I ask for prayers as I rehabilitate myself and my relationships. Andrew J. Whitaker/AP - PHOTO: A family photo of Buster, Paul, Maggie and Alex is shown during the murder trial of Alex Murdaugh at the Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, S.C., March 2, 2023. Then, the South Carolina Supreme Court issued an order suspending Alex Murdaugh's license to practice law in the state. He was subsequently disbarred. He would ultimately plead guilty to 22 state charges and 22 federal charges related to his financial crimes. While at rehab, Alex Murdaugh and his attorney reached out to law enforcement and Alex Murdaugh claimed he staged the roadside shooting in the hope of being killed, so his son could collect life insurance money. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Alex Murdaugh and the man he is accused of hiring to shoot him were each charged in connection with the alleged roadside shooting and both have pleaded not guilty. Brothers of prominent South Carolina family speak out after 2 relatives found dead In 2022, Alex Murdaugh pleaded not guilty to two counts of murder for the shooting of his wife and son. However, he was found guilty by a jury the following year, after three hours of deliberation, and sentenced to two back-to-back terms of life in prison. At his sentencing hearing, Alex Murdaugh continued to deny that he had shot them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I'm innocent. I would never hurt my wife, Maggie, and I would never hurt my son, Paw-Paw," he said. Joshua Boucher/Pool/The State/Tribune News Service via Getty Images - PHOTO: Buster Murdaugh listens during his father Alex Murdaugh's murder trial at the Colleton County Courthouse in Walterboro, S.C., Feb. 16, 2023. During the hearing, Judge Clifton Newman called the case one of the "most troubling" he has seen, and suggested that "the monster" Alex Murdaugh became while on drugs may have been the one responsible for the brutal murders of his wife and son. His attorneys have appealed his murder conviction, and the matter is currently before the South Carolina Supreme Court. - ABC News' Meredith Deliso contributed to this report. (Photo by iStock/Getty Images Plus) A cohort of Virginia lawmakers are seeking an investigation into whether or not Attorney General Jason Miyares used confidential information provided by the state Department of Corrections in his reelection campaign advertising this year. The lawmakers request, sent in a letter to the Virginia Office of the State Inspector General Sept. 29, stems from campaign ads for Miyares and public events that seek to tie specific reoffenders to Democratic opponent Jay Jones past vote in favor of a law that allows inmates to trim their time behind bars. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The letter was signed by Sens. Mamie Locke, D-Hampton, Adam Ebbin, D-Alexandria, and Dels. Marcus Simon, D-Fairfax, Vivian Watts, D-Fairfax and Elizabeth Bennett-Parker, D-Alexandria. Together, they expressed a series of concerns: whether Miyares had access to confidential information and if it violated laws to disclose the details, whether the information sharing was a use of state resources for campaign activities, and whether public confidence could be undermined that release decisions and sentence credits are determined by law, not by political convenience. The inclusion of a particular offenders status, coupled with the Attorney Generals claims regarding earned sentence credits, suggest information not otherwise available to the public, the lawmakers wrote. This position clearly indicated that the information could not be disclosed under the Virginia Freedom of Information Act. Dubbed Enhanced Earned Sentence Credits, the five-year old law has allowed inmates with good behavior the ability to be released early. Though it passed in 2020 when Miyares and Jones were both members of the legislature its implementation was blocked for years by Gov. Glenn Youngkin, at Miyares request. With last years reconviction rate at 19% and reincarceration rate at 5%, the program is under fresh scrutiny this year amid the Miyares and Jones matchup. Despite the lawmakers request, OSIG said that it cant investigate the data sharing between VADOC and Miyares because Miyares, the governor or a grand jury would have to request such an inquiry, per state code. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We were trying to get them to investigate the VADOC side of it, Simon said in a recent call. Inconsistent information In ads and on the campaign trail, Miyares claimed that 70 Virginians had died as a result of the program, but a Cardinal News analysis of data from his office refutes that claim. Miyares spokesperson Shaun Kenney told Cardinal that absent a state-directed study, VADOC remains partially equipped with the tools or resources to accurately measure the full impact of EESC and is only able to offer a fractional view by which the public can ascertain its impact. What data has been shared with Miyares and the media offers some insights, however. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement VADOC data shared with The Mercury by House Republican Caucus communications director Garren Shipley shows percentages of EESC recipients who reoffended broken down by different types and whether or not they were reincarcerated but it does not identify specific offenders by name. In that data, reoffenses for murder or manslaughter were minimal, much like the Cardinal inquiry found. Records requested by The Richmond Times-Dispatch which prompted lawmakers letter to OSIG yielded a response from VADOC that qualification for EESC was a protected record and that a list of recipients names does not exist. The Times-Dispatch had been looking into reoffender Tabias McClain, who should have been disqualified from using EESC due to a malicious wounding charge from when he was a minor, but was able to use the program because the charge didnt transfer over when he aged out of Department of Juvenile Justice and into VADOC. Miyares singled McClain out during a July press conference hosted with the family of a woman McClain hit and killed with his car while speeding through a residential neighborhood after his release. Meanwhile, The Mercury had asked for information about serial sex offender Daniel Vanover, a man also mentioned at Miyares conference and the subject of advertisements for Miyares re-election campaign. The ads claim was Vanover was able to rape a minor because of Jay Jones law. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When asked by The Mercury, VADOC confirmed that Vanover received EESC while serving a 2022 sentence for a probation violation the year the sex crimes happened after his release. However, court sentencing records indicate the rapes occured between May 9, 2022 and Dec. 8, 2022 over two months before VADOC confirmed his Aug. 17, 2022 release date in emails. Additional court records that are available in an online database also indicate Vanovers sexual assaults of a minor began on May 9, 2022. Spokespeople for VADOC did not further elaborate when asked about the discrepancy in the dates, but said that the record reflects the data of the offense for all 11 counts of rape as a range for those dates. No additional documentation was provided and calls to VADOC director Chad Dotson went unanswered. Multiple calls to Vanovers defense attorney from that time also went unanswered. While further details about the discrepancy could not be gleaned by the time of this publication, there still may have been a reason, American University professor TaLisa Carter explained. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She said the first and last dates dont necessarily sync with the first and last incidents and noted how the criminal justice system is inclusive rather than exclusive. Politics vs. people 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) Though questions have lingered among journalists and lawmakers alike, the highly politicized early release program still stands as campaign fodder to the dismay of EESC beneficiaries who have successfully reformed their lives and worry the door they walked through could eventually be closed behind them. Lynchburg-area resident and former inmate Reece Neenan, who used EESC, previously described the new chapter of life as a whirlwind of goodness as hes landed a stable job, reconnected with family and started college. Of course there are fellow EESC beneficiaries who have reoffended, Neenan said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But for the most part, people I know out here are staying out of trouble because its easy now. Hampton Roads resident Sam Harris, who started a nonprofit and was recently hired in Suffolks public defender office to counsel people navigating the criminal justice system, told The Mercury that he wants to be a face for second chances. Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell, D-Fairfax, has previously suggested Miyares and the governor may have tried to undermine the effectiveness of the program to fit political narratives. When The Mercury recently examined the programs effectiveness since fully implemented in the past year, neither Jones or Miyares followed through on requests for interviews. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In his own letter to Dotson earlier this summer, Surovell suggested the legislature explore ways to ensure EESC functions appropriately rather than dismantle it. As courts have previously ruled that VADOC unlawfully kept certain inmates behind bars in violation of EESC, paired with Miyares and Youngkins previous blocking of the program, Surovell posited that the whipsawing had made it difficult for VADOC to plan and implement the existing system. Democratic colleagues Simon, Ebbin, Watts, Bennett-Parker and Locke wrote in their letter to OSIG that they are deeply concerned Miyares may have pressured VADOC to adjust its practices in ways that advantage his campaign. If true, this would represent a profound breach of the public trust, they wrote. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE WICHITA FALLS (KFDX/KJTL) A Wichita Falls murder case with twists, secrets and decades of unanswered questions took center stage today at the Museum of North Texas History. Many gathered to take part in a new lunch-and-learn series called A Bite of History, which uncovers the history of Wichita Falls. At the Museum of North Texas History, lunchtime looked slightly different, as guests gathered to revisit one of Wichita Falls most unsettling stories. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jack Reeves wore a mask. A soldier, husband, father, son. But he was much more than that. He was a killer, said Dr. Pam Morgan, Academic Outreach, MSU. Todays bite of history was presented by Dr. Morgan and was centered around Jack Wayne Reeves, a Wichita Falls native whose marriages ended in mystery, tragedy, and eventually murder charges. He had a pattern of getting married and they all would get tired of him for a lot of bad behavior, and when they would start to leave him, they were killed, said Morgan. Once a U.S. Army Sergeant, Reeves later became tied to multiple deaths stretching from the 1970s through the mid-90s, including the suspicious shotgun death of his second wife, the drowning of his third wife and the disappearance of his fourth. Many of those cases were initially ruled accidental or suicide. Reeves was later found guilty and sentenced to 99 years, but is now up for parole on February 2, 2026. Dr. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Morgan decided to write him a letter I wanted to ask him questions about his time here, because its the one thing that isnt written much about, like, where did he work? What did he do for fun? What communities did he hang out with? How did he meet these women? I really would have liked to know more about his connection in Wichita Falls, Morgan said. As you can see, theres so much history to be told about this region, and thats why the A Bite of History series will now be a monthly event. Weve had folks from as far away as Decatur that have been coming down to this program, and people have been really excited to learn different parts of history that we didnt cover, and then also some of the back stories to some of the most famous moments in Wichita history. Were really looking forward to continuing this program and sharing those local stories and a great meal with folks from all over Texoma, Jeremy Davis, Director of the Museum of North Texas History, said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hoping to preserve Wichita Falls history, one story at a time. Reeves never opened the letter, and it was, in fact, returned to the sender, but Dr. Morgan said she may try again. If you would like tickets or more information about the museums upcoming events, please visit the Museum of North Texas HistoryWe Bring History to Life. 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. 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. Elon Musks SpaceX looks set to win a $2 billion contract to develop satellites for use in tracking missiles and aircraft as part of President Donald Trumps Golden Dome defense project, according to a report. The planned air moving target indicator system in question could ultimately feature as many as 600 satellites once it is fully operational, The Wall Street Journal reports. Musks company has also been linked to two more satellite ventures, which are concerned with relaying sensitive communications and tracing vehicles, respectively. Handing the contracts to SpaceX would provide a strong indication that the rift between the two billionaires, which exploded so publicly in early July, has been at least partially healed, but would do little to reassure defense sector critics who have warned the Pentagon against relying too heavily on any one contractor for national security projects. President Donald Trump and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth unveil their Golden Dome missile defense project in the Oval Office on May 20 (Getty) Golden Dome, inspired by Israels Iron Dome, was announced by Trump and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth at the White House in May and will amount to a complex system of satellites and weaponry capable of destroying incoming missiles before they hit American targets. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The president promised it would be fully operational before he leaves office in January 2029, capable of intercepting rockets, even if they are launched from space, with an overall price tag of $175 billion. However, the independent Congressional Budget Office warned that it could cost as much as $524 billion and take 20 years to build, with Musks then-rumored involvement prompting Democrats to express concerns about a conflict of interest this spring. Funding for the satellite system was set aside in Trumps One Big, Beautiful Bill, passed by Congress and signed into law in July, but the legislation did not name a specific contractor. Asked about the reported SpaceX deal, a Pentagon official told The Independent: As a matter of policy, we do not provide details relating to specifics of architectural discussion or pre-decisional matters. Recognizing adversaries intent to exploit Golden Domes breakthroughs, we are rigorously protecting its strategic advantages from external access. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Independent has also reached out to the White House and SpaceX. Although defense officials have yet to announce major contract awards for Golden Dome formally, more details are expected over the coming weeks. Anduril Industries, Palantir Technologies, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, and L3Harris have all been linked to the bidding process. Elon Musk looks set to win the lucrative satellite contract in spite of his spectacular falling out with Trump this summer (Getty) Palantir and Lockheed were, incidentally, named among the donors to Trumps new White House ballroom earlier this month. For his part, Musk has largely retreated from the political fray after his six month side quest in Washington ended in acrimony and disagreement over the OBBB, which saw him and Trump exchange ferocious personal insults in public via their rival social media platforms X and Truth Social. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The president threatened to have the South African-born tycoon deported and his $48 billion in government contracts placed under review during the feud. At the same time, Musk alleged that the actual reason for Trump not releasing the Jeffrey Epstein files was that he was named in them and threatened to decommission a spacecraft used to ferry NASA astronauts to the International Space Station. Before that, Musk had donated $288 million to Trumps 2024 election campaign and founded DOGE, the agency tasked with reducing waste expenditure and streamlining the federal government. The two were briefly reunited and shook hands at a memorial for the conservative activist Charlie Kirk in Arizona in September, and the president said earlier this week that he had always liked Elon and dismissed their spat as very stupid, hinting at a desire for friendlier relations. MUSKEGON, Mich. (WOOD) For 100 years, people in West Michigan and across the country have heard about Detective Charles Hammonds unrelenting courage and brave actions on Halloween night in 1925. Theres no question that Hammond, while fatally wounded, shot and killed a notorious bank robber. But there was something bothering his great granddaughter that has finally been corrected. It was a cool Halloween night in 1925. But little did the trick or treaters and families know, they were among one of the nations most wanted criminals. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A real mess: Police investigate destruction at Grand Rapids cemetery A call came in about a subject who passed a counterfeit $20 bill, said Chief Tim Kozal, Public Safety Director for the city of Muskegon. Without waiting for his partner, Detective Charles Hammond with the Muskegon Police Department walked to a business called the Tea Room that used to be on Western Avenue. Thats where a man bought some candy with a counterfeit $20 bill. That person actually pointed to the individual and said, Hey, theres the subject right now, said Kozal. As Hammond approached the man , who was later identified as George Dutch Anderson, he told him he was wanted at police headquarters. Anderson complied. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As they were on their way, Anderson escaped Hammonds custody, pulled out a gun and started shooting at Hammond as he ran down an alley. Hammonds gun was inside his new buttoned-up overcoat and he couldnt reach it in time to stop Anderson. Hammond was shot by a bullet that would ultimately kill him. (Hammond) still gave chase. Wrestled the gun away from the subject and actually used the suspects weapon and wound up killing (the suspect), said Kozal. Hammond still managed to walk to the police department with the gun. Anderson was a notorious bank robber that was wanted from the East Coast and actually broke out of a prison in Georgia before that, said Kozal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The story of Hammond is known to many and continues to be told 100 years later. It wont be forgotten in Muskegon the fraternal order of police is named after him, theres a monument dedicated in his honor, news articles and the gun used that day are in a private collection. The gun used to kill Detective Charles Hammond and George Dutch Anderson. (Oct. 30, 2025) A statue dedicated to Muskegon Detective Charles Hammond. (Oct. 30, 2025) Everybody knows about Officer Hammond as being the first officer and hopefully the only officer to be killed in the line of duty, Kozal said. While this story continues to live on generation after generation, a fact was wrong on his headstone the date he died. Nobody else seemed to recognize it, but Jenny Escareno did. It always bothered me. I just remember it saying Oct. 30 and thats wrong. Why is that wrong? said Escareno, Hammonds great-granddaughter. Hammonds gravestone should say he died on Oct. 31. The headstone of Muskegon Detective Charles Hammond before it was fixed. (Oct. 30, 2025) I wanted his heroic actions to have everything in line, didnt want one thing in question because other people may be thinking, What else is in question? said Escareno. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Veterans grave gets headstone 113 years after his death The biggest thing is when you hear that from the family that you take that to heart, its significant. Their loved one was killed in the line of duty and theres a date thats wrong. We need to make that right by the family but also right by Detective Hammond, said Kozal. Kozal and his team quickly got to work. Sgt Jeremy Velik was in charge of getting it fixed. It was a process, and took more than a year. It was a long time coming, it took a while to get done, said Kozal. Escareno stopped by Oakwood Cemetery to see her great grandfathers headstone the way it was always supposed to be. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its nice that its finally done the way it shouldve been done. Its completely correct now. I can sleep, said Escareno. The headstone of Muskegon Detective Charles Hammond. (Oct. 30, 2025) While its unclear why Anderson was in Muskegon that night, one thing is unclear, Escareno said. Trick-or-treat times, Halloween events in West Michigan 2025 The Hammond tenacity, the grit kept him going when he was mortally wounded. All these police officers put their lives on the line every day, so when something like this happens, a tragedy, we owe them the utmost respect, and even having that small detail, it might not be that small, to me it was big, it just needed to be corrected, Escareno said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Not far away, in the same cemetery, stands her great grandfathers killers gravestone. It doesnt really bother Escareno. Whats important to her is for the right story be told for years and years to come. I just shared the story with my two grandsons, they are 6 and 7, they had big eyes. To me I thought it was pretty heroic. And that day is what he was doing, he was protecting families out on the streets, said Escareno. Escareno believes her great grandfathers headstone was vandalized years ago, and when the city fixed it, the wrong date was put on the headstone. Were told there will be a private anniversary memorial to honor Hammond with the family. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WOODTV.com. Automobile manufacturer Ford on Friday confirmed plans for powertrain manufacturing at its Chennai plant, focused on producing all-new, next-generation engines. Building on the letter of intent signed in September 2024, representatives from Ford and the government of Tamil Nadu signed a memorandum of understanding outlining the strategic direction that leverages India's manufacturing expertise as part of the Ford+ plan. With an initial expected investment of Rs 3,250 crores, the project is expected to create more than 600 jobs, as well as indirect jobs across the industry. Alongside this manufacturing presence, Ford currently employs approximately 12,000 talented individuals in its Global Business Operations in Tamil Nadu. According to a Ford statement, the plan confirmed today complements Ford's existing engine manufacturing plant in India, which produces and exports engines, thereby ensuring India continues to be vital to the company's operations in the region. "We are pleased to advance our plans and confirm the Chennai plant's vital role in Ford's manufacturing network," said Jeff Marentic, president, International Markets Group, Ford Motor Company. "We are thankful to the government of Tamil Nadu for its continued support as we advance these plans. This decision reinforces our commitment to leveraging India's manufacturing prowess for future products." The engine lineup planned for production in Chennai will feature all-new technology. Specific details about the engine type and export markets will be shared closer to the start of production, Ford asserted. "Ford's decision to commence manufacturing in Chennai will further energise the resurgent automotive sector of Tamil Nadu and speaks volumes about the State's robust manufacturing ecosystem, highly skilled workforce, and excellent investor facilitation under the leadership of our Hon'ble Chief Minister, Thiru. M. K. Stalin," said TRB Rajaa, Industries Minister, Tamil Nadu. "This is not just the start of manufacturing at the existing Ford facility; it is the State taking yet another step towards the future of the automotive industry with the production of next-gen engines. We remain committed to supporting Ford's operations here." Following site preparation and investment in the project, which is scheduled to begin later this year, the Chennai plant will have a planned annual capacity of 235,000 engines, with production expected to commence in 2029. "Ford's decision to choose India's automobile capital for production of such futuristic engines is another testimony for Tamil Nadu's industrial prowess and its indispensable position in the global manufacturing supply chain! Welcome back!," Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin wrote on X, welcoming the investment intention of Ford. "A powerful comeback that renews a long and trusted partnership, as Ford invests Rs. 3,250 crore in Tamil Nadu to set up a Next Gen Engine Manufacturing Unit at its plant at Maraimalai Nagar. This major investment will create 600 direct jobs and build on Tamil Nadu's robust automobile ancillary ecosystem," the X post read. (ANI) While a severe noreaster thrashed the New Jersey coast, a candidate for council in Somers Point found himself without running water in his apartment. Levi Fox, the last remaining tenant of a property thats poised for redevelopment, said his water was turned off on Oct. 13 part of what he described as ongoing harassment from his landlord that hes faced at the property. Fox, a Democrat, believes the move, and the fact that a campaign sign for his Republican opponent was placed on the property, are politically motivated, and are among the reasons hes running for office. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Except no one knows for sure who did it. Fox has lived at the Highbank Apartments at 90 Broadway for 18 years. Tenants in 16 other rental units vacated the building by Dec. 31, 2024 after they were told the property was being redeveloped, leaving Fox and his wife as the only residents left on the property. A redevelopment agreement between Exceler Building Solutions and Somers Point from July 2024 says itll be turned into 25 multi-family residences. According to Fox, the bayfront homes are expected to have million-dollar price tags. The redevelopment agreement with Exceler was rescinded in August by city council, and Somers Point Acquisitions was designated the owner and redeveloper. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The property was under contract to be sold in July, but a condition of the sale was that all tenants vacated the property, according to a report from the Ocean City Sentinel. Fox said Point Property Holdings, the company that is listed on tax records, and its principal, John Folz, are to blame for turning off his water. He said he turned down a $70,000 offer from Folz on Oct. 3 to leave the apartment and drop a lawsuit he filed against the Somers Point Planning Board challenging the approval of the redevelopment plan. He claims he has an agreement with Folz, Point Property Holdings, and the redeveloper to stay on the property until September 2026. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Besides our water being turned off during a state of emergency, the laundry room was locked, a dumpster has been moved from the property and there lighting issues on the property, Fox told NJ Advance Media. Fox said water has been turned off to the propertys laundry room since Oct. 10 and has not been turned back on. However, the water to his apartment was turned back on on Oct. 13 shortly after it was turned off. N.J. candidate's water was turned off during noreaster. No one knows who did it. On a phone call, Folz denied owning the property and declined to answer further questions before quickly hanging up. Fox, who lost a 2020 election for city council by only 47 votes, has also accused Folz of aligning with his Republican opponent for council Sean McGuigan in the upcoming election. A sign for McGuigan was placed out front of the apartments, but then disappeared. Then, the water was shut off. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement McGuigan posted about the missing sign on Facebook on Sept 19, but said last week that he didnt know anything about Foxs water situation. I dont know what that property owner did or did not do. I didnt know that Levis water was turned off, McGuigan told NJ Advance Media. A picture Fox sent of a New Jersey American Water dashboard that lists Point Property Holdings as the account holder shows a description that the water was scheduled to be turned off because the tenant was moving out on Oct. 10. Fox denies thats part of the deal. New Jersey American Water did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fox said he reported the incident to the borough, but Somers Point officials are just as confused about the situation as Fox is. According to Somers Points attorney, Thomas Smith, Fox had a conversation with city officials about the water issue, but never responded to a follow-up email Smith sent to learn more about what happened. Smith said the deed for the propertys sale has not been filed yet and its unclear at this time who actually owns the property. The city has been told by both Fox and the developers attorney that there is an agreement for Fox to stay at the property, but that legal agreement has never been shared with the city, according to Smith. Read the original article on NJ.com. Add NJ.com as a Preferred Source by clicking here. A father was seriously hurt in a hit-and-run crash Tuesday, just hours after the family home was destroyed in a fire, 6ABC Philadelphia reported. Roberto Peto Vidanos, of Pleasantville, was crossing a street on Tuesday night when he was hit by a car, his wife, Veronica Sanzhez, told the news station. The crash left Vidanos with two broken legs, a broken arm and pelvis and a fractured spine. He has since undergone surgery at a nearby hospital, she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At about 5:45 a.m. that day, Vidanos home on Wesley Avenue went up in flames. The fire quickly spread and it took crews until 8:52 a.m. to have it under control, according to a statement from the Pleasantville Fire Department. Eight adults and two children were displaced. Sanchez told 6ABC she was awakened by a loud bang on Tuesday morning as the fire was starting. The entire family made it out safely, but all of their belongings were destroyed. Nobody was injured in the fire. Its cause is still under investigation, but officials said it does not seem suspicious Angels in Motion, a local non-profit organization, is collecting donations for the family. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Pleasantville Police Department and Atlantic County Prosecutors Office did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding the hit-and-run. Pleasantville fire, Wesley Avenue Pleasantville fire, Wesley Avenue Read the original article on NJ.com. Add NJ.com as a Preferred Source by clicking here. Khris Reina knows how important SNAP benefits are to New Jerseyans. And with the program on the brink of running out of funding as the federal government remains shut down, the 52-year-old West Orange resident knows how many New Jerseyans could soon be going hungry. He also knows how he can make a difference. I own a restaurant and Im in a position where I can do something about it, Reina told NJ Advance Media. A lot of people would do the same thing Im doing. Im not doing anything heroic. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Reina owns The Oakley, a gastropub in Nutley that is serving free meals to certain people who depend on SNAP benefits. Until SNAP benefits are restored, kids under 18, disabled people, senior citizens over 65, and military veterans that receive SNAP benefits can eat off of the kids menu or get a cheese pizza for free, the restaurant announced in a social media post Tuesday. New Jerseys SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) benefits, known colloquially as food stamps, are used by 800,000 residents, while 165,000 women and children depend on SNAPs WIC supplements for healthy foods and nutritional support. As the government shutdown continues, New Jersey Department of Health officials said last week the states SNAP program is only funded through Oct. 31 and WIC through Nov. 10 With the nations leading food aid program set to run out of funding at the end of October, tens of millions of people across the country will be left without Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits such as food stamps. The assistance program will remain out of service unless Congress and the White House reach a deal to end an ongoing government shutdown. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Oakley asks guests show their SNAP card or government ID to ensure the meals are being given to those who are being affected. The six-year old gastropub, which also serves as a popular event space in the area, is planning to run the promotion until SNAP benefits are restored or until I cant afford to do it anymore, Reina wrote in the social media note. Reina serves on the board of directors for the Meadowlands Area YMCA, which operates the Meadowlands Food Pantry, one of the largest food pantries in the state. The Essex County restaurant owner urged those who are trying to help out his restaurant to donate to the YMCAs food bank instead. The Nutley restauranteur is optimistic his program wont just help hungry Essex County residents, but inspire other eateries to step up as well. Im hoping that other restaurants will do the same thing. And that people, no matter where they live, can go to a restaurant and get a meal if they havent had one all day, Reina said. Theres no reason that someone living in America should be hungry. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That altruistic spirit has made its way 85 miles south down the New Jersey Turnpike where one of the states best bagel shops is also lending a hand to help those facing hardship if SNAP benefits get suspended. K & A Bagel Cafe, a 10-year-old breakfast restaurant in Cherry Hill, was already donating its extra bagels to the local Cherry Hill Food Pantry on Tuesdays. Now the shop is offering free bagels Wednesday through Sunday every week during the shutdown. Owner Andrew Cunningham posted a statement to Facebook Sunday announcing the news. The bagel place, which was ranked No. 41 on NJ.coms latest ranking of New Jerseys 53 greatest bagel shops, will provide bags of bagels (roughly a dozen in each) to anyone who needs the help. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We have the bagels, truly. We always try to make an exact amount of bagels a day but thats impossible to do as a bagel shop so we always have some extras, Cunningham told NJ Advance Media. Wed rather them go to people that need them, especially in this hard time, than not go anywhere. So we want to make sure that were getting them out to the people that need it. The bagel shop is packing the bags of extra bagels around 12:30 p.m every day just before they close at 1 p.m. The Camden County breakfast joint is not requiring guests to show proof of benefits use or government work. No questions asked, just come and grab a bag or two as you need them, Cunningham said. Hopefully other places follow suit, thatd be really nice and it cant hurt. Other New Jersey establishments such as The Tracks Deli in Vernon Township and Tonys Baltimore Grill in Atlantic City recently announced theyll be offering free food to those impacted by the SNAP stoppage. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Sussex County deli shared Wednesday that it will offer free bagged lunches for people impacted by the SNAP stoppage. Starting Saturday, the deli will provide a turkey or ham sandwich with chips and a water to those in need until SNAP benefits are restored. No questions or judgment; just show your SNAP card to the cashier, the post read. Tonys Baltimore Grill, a longstanding pizzeria that recently slotted at No. 36 on NJ.coms ranking of New Jerseys 101 best pizzas, said Thursday that theyll give out free kids meals for families with children that present their SNAP card. Kids should always be off limits. Pull up to the joint for as many kids meals as needed* one meal per child, child must be present, the post read. No charity, just being decent human beings. Read the original article on NJ.com. Add NJ.com as a Preferred Source by clicking here. Less than two days before the federal government halts the nations largest nutrition assistance program, Gov. Phil Murphy announced that New Jerseys largest food banks will receive an upfront payment of $42.5 million to handle the wave of poor families needing help. The month-old federal government shutdown will reach the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP on Saturday. That means any of the 813,000 New Jerseyans who rely on the program will find their debit accounts empty in the coming week. Knowing people will need assistance right away, the governor said he, Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin, D-Middlesex, and Senate President Nicholas Scutari, D-Union, agreed to distribute half of the $85 million in grants already earmarked for food banks this year on Friday, according to the announcement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In communities across our state, food banks are on the front lines combating food insecurity and supporting New Jersey families in need. They are an integral part of our food security safety net, and our Administration is proud to deliver funding to support their operations, especially at a time of increased uncertainty, Murphy said in a statement. The Trump Administrations decision to abandon the over 800,000 New Jerseyans who rely on critical SNAP benefits during one of the longest federal government shutdowns in our nations history is morally reprehensible, according to Murphys statement. Food banks prepare for crowds days before SNAP benefits are suspended Food banks prepare for disaster as SNAP benefits are set to end for 800K N.J. residents As the federal government shutdown enters its second month, the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, will run of money. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Community Food Bank will receive $22.5 million, the Food Bank of South Jersey and Fulfill Monmouth and Ocean will each get $6.3 million, Mercer Street Friends will get $4.6 million and Norewescap and the Southern Regional Food Distribution Center will each get $1.27 million, according to Murphys announcement. The food banks will share its supplies with the smaller food pantries and soup kitchens around the state. Lisa Pitz, director of Hunger Free New Jersey, a statewide advocacy group, praised the governor and lawmakers for working quickly to release state funds for desperately needed food assistance in a time of great hardship and uncertainty. This help will be a welcome relief for the hundreds of thousands of families with children, older adults, people with disabilities and veterans in New Jersey who rely on SNAP to put food on the table, Pitz said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The federal government ran out of money when Congress failed to enact a new budget Oct. 1. Democrats are fighting to get a deal that would renew the tax credits that help millions of people insured through the Affordable Care Act keep premiums low. Republicans, who were expected to let the tax credit spending lapse at the end of the year, said they wont negotiate until the Democrats vote to reopen the government. The U.S. Department of Agriculture, which operates SNAP, says it cannot use a contingency fund with more than $5 billion to help keep the program running because that money is meant to respond to natural disasters. Democrats have denied this is true. Earlier this week, Attorney General Matthew Platkin joined 24 other states in suing the Trump Adminstration for not releasing the funds. U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani in Boston heard the complaint Thursday and indicated she was leaning toward requiring the government to put billions of dollars in emergency funds toward SNAP. That, she said, is her interpretation of what Congress intended when an agencys funding runs out. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If you dont have money, you tighten your belt, she said in court. You are not going to make everyone drop dead because its a political game someplace. SNAP serves 813,000 New Jersey residents, including 340,425 children and 176,706 senior citizens, according to the Department of Human Services. The federal government pays about $170 million a month to keep the benefits flowing to more than 400,000 households in New Jersey. The state also supplements SNAP by giving up to $95 per month per household. People ages 18 to 59 who are not disabled and meet income guidelines must work to receive SNAP cash benefits, which are loaded on a debit card every month. For example, a household of two people would qualify for SNAP if the familys annual income does not exceed $39,132. In moments like this, we all have a responsibility to step up and do our part to ensure no one goes hungry, said Coughlin, who has sponsored laws to reduce food insecurity on college campuses and across the state. I urge our leaders in Washington to act swiftly to restore this funding and to end this uncertainty for the hundreds of thousands of families who rely on SNAP to put food on the table. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A list of local food pantries and food banks may be found at the nj211.org website or by calling 211. The Associated Press contributed to this story. Read the original article on NJ.com. Add NJ.com as a Preferred Source by clicking here. BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WIAT) Two search warrants, executed in Hoover and Birmingham, resulted in two arrests and the discovery of a drug lab on Wednesday. Crews battle large fire in Five Points South The Alabama Department of Corrections (ADOC) said the first warrant, executed at 1661 Patton Chapel Road in Hoover around 7:30 am, resulted in the seizure of roughly 4 pounds of Flakka, a Flakka manufacturing lab, 400 grams of meth, 200 grams of marijuana, and more. Crystal Smith, who ADOC said lives at the house, was arrested and charged with unlawful manufacture of a controlled substance, drug trafficking and possession of marijuana. Smith was taken to the Jefferson County Jail in Bessemer. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As part of the same investigation, members of ADOC executed a second warrant at 3709 Hickory Drive in Birmingham Wednesday night. That raid resulted in the arrest of Lachelle Nix and seizure of four pounds of Flakka, two pounds of meth, and roughly 344 grams of marijuana. Nix is charged with possession of marijuana, drug trafficking and possession of drug paraphernalia. 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 downtown Rock Island favorite is about to make another comeback. Mental health nonprofit group Narratives QC bought the old Theos Java Cafe space earlier this month. A social media post indicates Narratives QC plans to use the building for its main operations. Theos will still serve food and coffee. The business closed earlier this year because of high costs and low customer traffic. Its not clear when it will reopen. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHBF - OurQuadCities.com. NASA chief Sean Duffy pushed back after US reality TV star and entrepreneur Kim Kardashian suggested on her show that the 1969 moon landing had been faked. "Yes, we've been to the Moon before ... 6 times!" he wrote on the social media platform X. He was responding to a clip from the latest episode of her programme, "The Kardashians," which was was released on Thursday. "I think it was fake," Kardashian said of the Apollo 11 mission, crewed by Neil Armstrong, Michael Collins and Buzz Aldrin. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I've seen a few videos on Buzz Aldrin talking about how it didnt happen," she continued. "He says it all the time now, in interviews. Maybe we should find Buzz Aldrin. Aldrin, who was the second person to walk on the moon after Armstrong, has never denied the moon landing. Conspiracy theories suggesting it was faked have long been debunked. In his post late Thursday, Duffy noted that the US plans to send humans back to moon as part of its Artemis programme. "We won the last space race and we will win this one too," he wrote. The United States landed astronauts on the moon six times between 1969 and 1972, with a total of 12 men walking on the lunar surface. Aldrin, 95, is the only Apollo 11 astronaut still living. The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) on Friday suggested a comprehensive set of tax reform proposals for the forthcoming Union Budget 2026-27, calling for a decisive move towards a compliance system rooted in trust, simplicity, and technology. The proposals, covering both direct and indirect taxes, aim to consolidate India's fiscal gains, reduce litigation, and align the country's tax architecture with its ambition of becoming a developed economy under the Viksit Bharat 2047 vision, the industry chamber said in a statement after meeting with the government. "We are seeing that some of the negative sentiment that happened because of the tariff has been more than mitigated. So, the growth sentiment is strong; we complement the government. Therefore, the thrust of what we wanted to say was really to say how we can focus more on ease of doing business, on decriminalisation, on procedural ease, what are the things that can be done for greater procedural ease for dispute resolution, for mediation, for alternate dispute resolution, for procedural simplification. That was the thrust of what we wanted to so and in very few cases to look at how can capital expenditure, how can investment be encouraged and particularly in some sectors which are doing very well, how are those sectors we can if there are any tax issues or in future if there are tax issues that come up, how can we ensure proactively that we deal with them so that those sectors are encouraged," said Rajiv Memani, CII, President. CII expressed deep appreciation for the strong reform momentum created by the Ministry of Finance in recent years, which, according to them, has led to a more predictable, technology-enabled, and growth-oriented tax environment. The success of GST 2.0, the buoyancy in revenues, and the credibility of the fiscal consolidation path have demonstrated that prudence and progress can move hand in hand, CII said. "The next stage of reform," said CII Director-General Chandrajit Banerjee, "must ensure that taxation not only raises revenue efficiently but also acts as a catalyst for investment, innovation and competitiveness. The Budget can be a pivot for a truly modern, transparent and globally benchmarked tax regime." CII stated that it believes India's tax administration must now shift from being dispute-driven to being dispute-preventive. More than five lakh appeals are pending before Commissioners (Appeals), involving almost eighteen lakh crore rupees of disputed demand. The industry body has therefore recommended that all high-demand cases above one hundred crore rupees be fast-tracked for resolution within one year through multiple virtual hearings and close CBDT monitoring. Parallel penalty proceedings should remain suspended until the main appeal is resolved, and draft orders should be shared for factual verification before finalisation, CII suggested. The Confederation also noted that India's TDS/TCS framework, with more than thirty-five categories and rates ranging from 0.1 per cent to 30 per cent has become overly complex, creating reconciliation challenges and liquidity strain. It has therefore proposed a reduction to two or three broad categories, exempting transactions between GST-registered entities since these are already captured digitally. "Tax simplification is not a concession; it is an investment in governance efficiency," remarked Banerjee. "When rules are clear and systems are digital, compliance becomes automatic and disputes become exceptional." The fifth focus area is the modernisation of customs systems and indirect taxes. CII has welcomed the recent Master exemption Notification on Imports and suggested building upon it through a one-time dispute-resolution scheme, longer validity for advance rulings, and complete digitalisation of clearance systems via API-based data exchange. CII proposed a phased roadmap toward a Paper-Free Customs System by 2028, encompassing e-refunds, e-adjudication, and e-appeals. In addition, CII pressed for a continued rationalisation of India's tariff structure. The coexistence of multiple exemption notifications and complex schedules, it said, generates uncertainty and disputes. Consolidation into a limited set of mega-notifications would enhance clarity and improve alignment with global value chains. Simplified appeal procedures, such as a single consolidated appeal against multiple Bills of Entry involving common issues, along with automatic release of bonds and guarantees once export obligations are fulfilled, would sharply improve the ease of doing business. The sixth and equally important strand relates to predictability. CII has proposed a clear, multi-year corporate tax roadmap and the removal of minor, non-wilful offences from prosecution provisions in both direct and indirect tax laws. Compounding thresholds should be rationalised, and small procedural defaults treated as civil, not criminal, matters. These changes, the Industry Body emphasised, can reinforce voluntary compliance without any revenue loss. Finally, CII concluded that the overarching principle guiding India's tax reforms must be to simplify, stabilise, and digitise. "India has already shown the world that large-scale reforms like GST 2.0 can succeed," concluded Chandrajit Banerjee. "If we now make our tax systems as simple and predictable as they are digital and fair, we will not only raise revenues more efficiently but also build the foundations of an economy that inspires confidence--both at home and abroad." As always, the annual Budget document is presented in the Parliament on February 1 each year. In the run-up to it, a series of mandatory pre-Budget meetings is held between the Finance Minister, secretaries and various stakeholders to make the budget-making process all-inclusive. (ANI) On the morning of Halloween at Second Harvest Food Bank, the message from Nashville Mayor Freddie O'Connell was clear: if tens of thousands of Nashvillians lose access to food benefits through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) on Nov. 1, the blame falls squarely on the federal government. O'Connell said nearly 60,000 Nashvillians will be affected, during a press conference with local leaders including Second Harvest President and CEO Nancy Keil. OConnell noted that Davidson County accounts for a quarter of all SNAP recipients in Tennessee. A full-month SNAP delay would mean 14.5 million lost meals across the 46 counties served by the Middle Tennessee food bank, OConnell warned. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, federal Judge Jack McConnell issued a ruling in Rhode Island Oct. 31 blocking the Trump administration from ceasing SNAP payments, arguing it will be too damaging. I think it is important to be clear about the cause, OConnell said. This is an avoidable crisis caused by a lack of federal leadership. Time and again, as the federal government has retreated from opportunities to lead and obligations to Americans, cities have stepped up to fill the gap, and we are doing exactly that in Nashville again. Nashville Mayor Freddie OConnell speaks about the disruption to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits during a news conference at the Second Harvest Food Bank Friday, Oct. 31, 2025, in Nashville, Tenn. SNAP is the United States food stamp program designed to help low-income families afford groceries. It's a crisis that the city and Second Harvest are working to mitigate through their new Hunger Can't Wait campaign, which launched earlier this week. But Keil warned it will be impossible to overcome completely, as losing SNAP exacerbates an already heavy lift for the food bank. "Collectively, no matter how hard we come together, we cannot fill this gap," Keil said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nevertheless, here's what Second Harvest and the city are doing to try. How can Nashvillians help? Local giving has already been significant, Keil said. On Oct. 30 alone, Second Harvest raised about $300,000 and more than 10,000 pounds in food donations on the first day of its Hunger Can't Wait campaign in partnership with the city. Keil said that far surpasses the amount in donations that Second Harvest might get on an ordinary good day. She said during the annual nationwide Giving Tuesday campaign, for example, the food bank might expect to receive $100,000 in donations. "Just imagine if we all keep stepping up," Keil said. "Go to the grocery store, get food, give it to your neighbors, bring it to one of our locations, donate food, volunteer, share a story." Second Harvest Food Bank President and CEO, Nancy Keil speaks about the disruption to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits during a news conference at the Second Harvest Food Bank Friday, Oct. 31, 2025, in Nashville, Tenn. SNAP is the United States food stamp program designed to help low-income families afford groceries. Earlier in the week, the mayor's office announced the Nashville Farmers' Market Fresh Bucks program, which will match spending up to $100 for all customers using their EBT card to purchase fresh food. That program will continue for the next three years thanks to a grant from the Tennessee Department of Health. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There are more resources available to Nashvillians who need help. The city has compiled many of them on a dedicated page online at Nashville.gov, including links to Second Harvest resources like its Food Finder tool and details about city food aid programs. The page also outlines programs available through Nashvilles Office of Social Services and the Metro Action Commission. Additionally, the city is placing Second Harvest food donation boxes in city offices across the metro area. That includes all Metro Nashville Police Department precincts, all of the citys libraries excluding the main branch, and buildings like the Historic Courthouse, Metro Office Building, Metro Water and the County Clerks Office. Hunger Cant Wait is an appropriate name for this campaign it cant, OConnell said. With thousands of Nashvillians affected by a loss of benefits, Im proud of the incredible roster of Metro and community organizations that have come together once again to help out our friends, neighbors and colleagues in need. Clarksville mayor: This is a 'manmade disaster' OConnell wasnt the only mayor at the Halloween press conference. So was Clarksville Mayor Joe Pitts, the chair of the Greater Nashville Leadership Council. Pitts said this is also a dire issue for Montgomery County, where more than 20,000 people receive SNAP benefits. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Pitts didnt mince words when it comes to his view of the lack of federal action to avert the lapse in SNAP benefits. He called it a manmade disaster and urged those in the legislative and executive branches to get back to Washington and get to work. The federal government shutdown, along with severe and almost cruel reductions in benefits to our citizens, is another crippling blow to families across our region, Pitts said. While Pitts said we all share the responsibility and the blame for the current state of affairs, he also said that means there must be a shared response at the federal, state and local level. He said local governments are clearly doing so. OConnell, for his part, said he expects the state to take some measured response, but noted that he hasnt really been given any guidance from Tennessees federal lawmakers about their expectations for when the lapse may end. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I will say as I woke up this morning, it didnt seem like action was imminent, OConnell said. I think there is an understanding of the magnitude of the problem but unfortunately, it seems like instead of preventing pain, right now Congress is going to allow the country to experience pain before they help. Austin Hornbostel is the Metro reporter for The Tennessean. Have a question about local government you want an answer to? Reach him at ahornbostel@tennessean.com. Get Davidson County news delivered to your inbox every Wednesday. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Nashville mayor, Second Harvest work to relieve SNAP crisis Actions have consequences. A lack of consequences is an action that also has consequences. America is in the throes of an epidemic of civic illiteracy that can be traced to a half-century of not teaching the principles, history, and documents of her founding. In our most prestigious universities down to primary school classrooms, the teaching of our pre-partisan founding principles and history has been downgraded and corrupted, leading to at least two generations of Americans without the knowledge to be participants in self-government or the resolve to defend our republic. It isnt as though we werent warned: by George Washington, who identified education in civics as an essential pillar of freedom in the earliest days of our republic, and much more recently by the late Supreme Court Justice Sandra OConnor who reminded us that civic knowledge was not passed from generation to generation in the gene pool but, rather, must be taught and re-taught to each new class of rising Americans. Great Americans have always understood that maintaining our freedom depends on passing down our founding principles and history through education. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the 20th century, Ronald Reagan also reminded us of freedoms fragility. "Its never more than one generation away from extinction," he once said. "It is not ours by way of inheritance; it must be fought for and defended constantly by each generation, for it comes only once to a people." He was channeling the insights of other great Americans, such as Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass, who understood that our heritage of liberty is grounded in enduring moral truths about the equal dignity of all human beings. It seems as though those truths are no longer self-evident to our republic. Political violence is on the rise, and intolerance colors too many of our public debates and even private discussions. It is no exaggeration to say these are the sorry consequences of a civic illiteracy epidemic that has raged in our body politic, untreated, for years. Yet it would be wrong to blame this crisis merely on the emergence of competing narratives like the New York Times "1619 Project," which traces U.S. history to the arrival of slaves on our shores and labels Americans as irredeemably racist. This and other such narratives filled a void that was created by a shameful inaction for civic education. The civic education crisis our country faces seems to us to be part of a larger cultural malaise - one that fails to foresee the consequences of our inactions in other realms of our society and, then once demonstrated, fails to do anything about them. Consider, for instance, inactions to prosecute "petty" thefts under $1,000 that have led to an exodus of retailers no longer able to run their businesses in areas prone to these crimes. Similarly, cash-free bail has led to the release of repeat offenders into society, where they again commit crimes, some of them violent. Indeed, if our actions as a nation sometimes have had tragic consequences - in wars, segregation and financial mismanagement - so have we as Americans demonstrated the sometimes devastating results of our inactions. It is not an overstatement to trace at least some of the problems of our society to an insufficient understanding of the rights and responsibilities of citizens in this free society and the values they must share. A requisite understanding of these starts in the home but must be further molded and honed in civic education classrooms throughout our educational system. Too often and in too many places, civic education inaction has won the day and, with it, a withering of our civic culture. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Perhaps the most troubling example of civic inactions dangers can be found in the rise of 20th-century totalitarianism. From Lenin and Stalins communist revolution in Russia to Hitlers fascist takeover of Germany, tyrants took advantage of a lack of actions, pushbacks, in their early stages. Even when these regimes began to threaten the West, our own civic ignorance led to shortsighted policies of appeasement and even cooperation. The consequence was a shattered continent and the tragedy of war and genocide -over 6 million in the Holocaust alone, and 70 million over the course of World War II. Peoples inspired with a greater confidence in their civic tradition, however, have the power to stop the march of tyranny. While we, thankfully, do not currently face the kind of revolutionary extremism that led to catastrophe in the last century, our civic health is trending in the wrong direction. More and more young people are turning to socialism, communism, or other forms of radicalism because they have not been educated in how our American form of government provides the greatest individual freedom and opportunity. But the good news is that parents, educators, and philanthropists have had enough of this civics inaction. At our organization, the Jack Miller Center, we are taking a number of specific steps to reinvigorate civic education. For more than two decades, we have supported the careers of university scholars devoted to teaching the principles and history of our country - in intensive, multi-week institutes that bring together new post-doctoral academics with the senior scholars in political science and history, and, once on campus, by supporting campus centers focused on this scholarship. In all, there are 1,300 of these academics - whom we call Miller Fellows - on more than 300 higher-ed campuses. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In recent years, we have been engaging a growing number of these scholars in teaching graduate-level seminars for K-12 teachers, enriching their understanding of our founding documents and strengthening their ability to lead discussions and debates in their own classrooms - the hallmark of our democracy. And today, the Jack Miller Center is helping to bolster and support a civics renaissance in higher education. Across the country, state legislatures are establishing Schools of Civic Thought at their flagship universities. These separate and independent academic units are sanctioned to teach our founding principles, American history, and Western civilization. Not only are Schools of Civic Thought restoring the traditional liberal arts for a new generation of college students, they are also providing training and content K-12 teachers can use in their classrooms. Schools of Civic Thought are rapidly expanding, and will be a major game changer. Taken together, these efforts are helping to lead what can truly be called a civics renaissance in our classrooms and on our campuses. We join with others who have recognized the consequence of our inactions and the extraordinary influence that civic learning can have for America. Reform must begin with acknowledging the crisis at hand: Due to generations of inaction, Americans are forgetting who we are supposed to be. "Somethings eating away at the national memory," the popular historian David McCullough once said, "and a nation or a community or a society can suffer as much from the adverse effects of amnesia as can an individual." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Especially as the 250th anniversary of our countrys birth approaches, it has never been more important to remember who we are - and to act so that those memories come alive for the next generation of citizens. Jack Miller is founder and chairman emeritus of the Jack Miller Center for Teaching Americas Founding Principles & History. & Michael Weiser is chairman of the Board of Directors of the Jack Miller Center. Four of the nations largest airlines are pressing Senate Democrats to pass a clean stopgap spending bill to reopen the government amidst growing delays at airports around the country caused by staffing issues linked to the expiration of government funding a month ago. United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby told reporters Thursday it is time to pass a clean CR, sending a blunt message to holdout Democratic senators. American Airlines, Southwest Airlines and Delta Air Lines are also pressing Democrats to relent and pass a House-approved bill to fund the government through Nov. 21. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kirby noted that federal agencies have been shuttered for a month, forcing air traffic controllers to work without getting paid. Kirby warned after a meeting with Vice President Vance that the shutdown is hurting the economy. Former New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu (R), the CEO of the trade group Airlines for America, attended the meeting with Kirby, Vance, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy and Robert Isom, the CEO of American Airlines Group Inc. American Airlines in a statement urged the Senate to pass a clean continuing resolution to reopen the government, something that Democrats have blocked 13 times because the House-passed stopgap does not address rising health insurance premiums. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The quickest way to end this shutdown and get these workers paid is by passing a clean continuing resolution, American Airlines said in a statement. A prolonged shutdown will lead to more delays and cancellations and the American people, especially during the busy holiday season, deserve better. Delta and Southwest joined the call for Congress to pass a clean continuing resolution immediately to allow air traffic controllers to get paid before airport delays grow worse. Delta warned a system under stress must be slowed down, reducing efficiency and causing delays for the millions of people who take to the skies every day, Reuters reported. Southwest called on Congress to immediately resolve its impasse and resume normal government operations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The public expects and deserves to travel in a system in which air traffic controllers and federal safety and security employees are paid in a timely fashion, it said in a statement reported by USA Today. We ask Congress to adopt a clean continuing resolution. Senators faced 90-minute delays at Reagan Washington National Airport Thursday afternoon after they rushed to the airport to catch flights home after the last vote of the week. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) ordered a ground stop at National Airport on Thursday due to staffing issues. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) told reporters he was one of the lawmakers impacted by the traffic snarl at Reagan. 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. WASHINGTON A national centrist group is throwing its support behind former Democratic Rep. Ben McAdams to run for Congress in Utah once the Republican stronghold state finalizes its new congressional maps next month. The Welcome PAC, a Democratic centrist group founded in 2021, circulated an email to supporters on Friday painting McAdams as the best candidate to flip one of the four solidly Republican seats in 2026, pointing to his previous performance where he pulled off a rare win against incumbent Rep. Mia Love in 2018. The campaign comes as Utah is set to implement new district boundaries for the midterm elections after a judge ruled earlier this year that the current map was illegally gerrymandered. The lines are not final in Utah, but the likeliest outcomes all point to a potentially winnable seat in the Salt Lake City area, the email reads. And, while Democrats have lost 27 of the last 28 federal elections in Utah, the proven winner is eligible. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The group analyzed data from Split Ticket that listed McAdams in the top 12 of previous Democratic House candidates and he was the only one in that dozen to have flipped a seat out of Republican control. The political action committee also noted that McAdams managed to win in Utahs then-tossup 4th Congressional District despite former Sen. Mitt Romney winning the same district by 23 points. In 2020, McAdams narrowly lost to Rep. Burgess Owens despite President Donald Trump winning the district by more than 9%. As a result, the Welcome PAC deemed McAdams a top-1% candidate. Past performance doesnt guarantee future results. But its usually the best clue weve got, the email reads. Ben McAdams is a superstar. He needs to run again, and is publicly considering it. Make your voice heard by contributing to his campaign account, and follow him on Twitter & Facebook. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Utah Legislature approved a new version of its congressional map earlier this month, altering the states boundaries for its four federal congressional districts. The map would solidify two of the seats District 1 and District 4, which encompass northern Utah and southwestern Utah, respectively as solidly Republican. But it would make Districts 2 and 3 much more competitive, with some analyses putting them at R+11 and R+6, respectively. While Democrats argue the new boundaries are still unfairly tilted toward Republicans, national groups are signaling theyre ready to battle to unseat one of the four Republican incumbents. Utah Republicans are once again ignoring the will of voters in a desperate attempt to hold onto power, Lindsay Reilly, a spokesperson for the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, told the Deseret News. By passing a gerrymandered map that divides communities, Utah Republicans are making clear they work for themselves, not for Utahns. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But make no mistake, she added, this scheme will blow up in Republicans faces. (Map) Option C includes a real pickup opportunity for Democrats. If this Republican gerrymander goes through, Democrats are ready to fight for this seat. A handful of other Democrats are also considering a run under the new congressional map being advanced in Utah, setting the stage for what could be a crowded primary in one of the most competitive races the Beehive State has seen in years. Democrats need to net three seats in the 2026 midterm elections to wrest control of the House. The party also has historical precedence on its side, as trends show that the party of the sitting president typically loses control of the House during midterm elections. After smashing its way through the Caribbean as a monster Category 5 hurricane, leaving a broken Jamaica and flooding Haiti, Cuba and the Bahamas and skirting Bermuda, Melissa is no longer a hurricane, according to the latest update from the National Hurricane Center. In the final Melissa advisory Friday, Oct. 31, the NHC reported that the storm has dropped into post-tropical cyclone status over the northwest Atlantic with maximum wind speeds of 85 mph. More than 50 deaths have been attributed to the devastating storm in Haiti, Jamaica, and the Dominican Republic, and more are expected as search and rescue operations continue. Most of Jamaica remains without power and rescuers have not been able to reach several communities marooned by flooding and downed trees. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We are trying to get to the areas that have been marooned," said Jamaican Minister of Education, Skills, Youth, and Information Dana Dixon. "We will get there... we are going to get to every single Jamaican and give them support. A small craft advisory remains in effect on the east coast of Florida south to West Palm Beach, and large areas of both coasts will see dangerous rip currents and rough surf through Friday, the National Weather Service advised. Weather alerts via text: Sign up to get updates about current storms and weather events by location Hurricane Melissa is the 13th named storm, the fifth hurricane, the fourth major hurricane, the third Category 5 hurricane and the most powerful hurricane of the 2025 Atlantic hurricane season, so far. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Here's what you should know. Where is Post-Tropical Cyclone Melissa now? Special note on the NHC cone: The forecast track shows the most likely path of the center of the storm. It does not illustrate the full width of the storm or its impacts, and the center of the storm is likely to travel outside the cone up to 33% of the time. Hurricane Melissa summary, as of 11 a.m., Oct. 31: Location : 520 miles north-northeast of Bermuda Maximum sustained winds: 85 mph Movement : north-northeast at 48 mph Pressure: 973 mb Where is Melissa going and what impact will it have? Wind : Gusty winds are possible over the southern Avalon Peninsula of Newfoundland tonight. Rainfall : A brief period of heavy rain is possible over the southern Avalon Peninsula of Newfoundland tonight. Surf: Swells generated by Melissa will continue to affect portions of the Bahamas, the Turks and Caicos Islands, Bermuda, the Northeastern United States coast and portions of Atlantic Canada during the next couple of days. These swells are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions. Port-Tropical Cyclone Melissa: What you need to know At 11 a.m., the center of Post-Tropical Cyclone Melissa was located near latitude 39.0 North, longitude 60.5 West. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The post-tropical cyclone is moving toward the northeast near 48 mph. This general motion is expected to continue into Saturday, followed by a gradual slowdown and turn toward the east-northeast later this weekend. On the forecast track, the center of Melissa is expected to pass to the southeast of the Avalon Peninsula of Newfoundland as a post-tropical cyclone tonight. Maximum sustained winds have decreased to near 85 mph with higher gusts. Gradual weakening is forecast during the next few days. Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 105 miles from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 275 miles. The estimated minimum central pressure is 973 mb (28.74 inches). Post-Tropical Cyclone Melissa spaghetti models, trajectory, projected path Special note about spaghetti models: Illustrations include an array of forecast tools and models, and not all are created equal. The hurricane center uses only the top four or five highest performing models to help make its forecasts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Track Hurricane Melissa See map of hurricane/tropical storm watches, warnings issued for Florida Small craft advisories are in effect for the entire coast of Florida. Most of the coast can expect to see dangerous rip currents through tonight and into tomorrow, forecasters said Warnings and watches There are no current hurricane warnings or watches for Melissa. A Hurricane Warning means that hurricane conditions are expected somewhere within the warning area. A warning is typically issued 36 hours before the anticipated first occurrence of tropical-storm-force winds, conditions that make outside preparations difficult or dangerous. Preparations to protect life and property should be rushed to completion. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A hurricane watch means hurricane conditions are possible within the watch area. A watch is typically issued 48 hours before the anticipated first occurrence of tropical-storm-force winds, conditions that make outside preparations difficult or dangerous. A tropical storm warning means tropical storm conditions are expected somewhere within the warning area within 36 hours. Storm tracker: How strong is Melissa and where is it going? This forecast track shows the most likely path of the center of the storm. It does not illustrate the full width of the storm or its impacts, and the center of the storm is likely to travel outside the cone up to 33% of the time. As of 11 a.m., Post-tropical Cyclone Melissa has maximum sustained winds of 85 mph. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Melissa is moving toward the northeast at 48 mph. Key messages from the National Hurricane Center: What you need to know about Post-Tropical Cyclone Melissa Post-storm safety: Follow advice of local officials and avoid areas of downed power lines and flooding. Ensure generators are properly ventilated and placed outside at least 20 feet away from dwellings and garages to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning. During clean up, be careful when using chainsaws and power tools. Drink plenty of water to avoid heat exhaustion. Current forecast: Where is Melissa going and how strong could it get? As of 11 a.m.: 85 mph, post-tropical storm 12 hours: 80 mph, post-tropical storm 24 hours: 75 mph, post-tropical storm 36 hours: 70 mph, post-tropical storm 48 hours: 65 mph, post-tropical storm 60 hours: 60 mph, post-tropical storm 72 hours: 45 mph, post-tropical storm 96 hours: 40 mph, post-tropical storm 120 hours: Dissipated Stay informed. Get weather alerts via text What's next? We will update our tropical weather coverage daily. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Download your local site's app to ensure you're always connected to the news. And look for our special subscription offers here. This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Melissa now post-tropical cyclone away after islands damage. What's next? A Latvian drone maker told Business Insider that the war in Ukraine should change how the West approaches weapons. "At times we overemphasize the sophistication of technology," the company's CEO said. He said that in war, "sometimes the minimum viable product is what you should be focusing on." A Latvian drone maker says a key lesson for the West from the war in Ukraine is to avoid overengineering weapons and keep focus on what works. Operating out of a NATO ally that shares a border with Russia, Origin Robotics has been closely following the war, even building combat systems for it. The CEO told Business Insider that the feedback they're receiving is providing important lessons not just for it, but for the West as it equips itself for potential future fights. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The company makes autonomous aerial and airborne systems, including a drone-launched precision-guided weapon known as the BEAK, which is in use in Ukraine, and an AI-enabled drone interceptor called the BLAZE. Agris Kipurs, the Origin CEO, said that Ukrainian soldiers don't care about how advanced the technology they use is. They want effective systems that can be made at scale. "They need something that simply works," he said. "They really don't care about the type of technology that is enabling that capability. They couldn't care less if it's an AI model, if it's a computer vision algorithm, or if it's just a skillful pilot flying it and doing it purely manually," he explained. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement His warning comes as Western leaders and companies increasingly acknowledge that NATO's longtime focus on fielding smaller arsenals of highly sophisticated weapons may not be the best approach. Kipurs said that in the West, "the incentive is just wrong" for companies developing new technology, with flashier and more advanced gear often prioritized over what's practical. He said his company takes what it learns from Ukraine, where it even brings early prototypes and gets feedback from soldiers, to help NATO defense. "We take the learnings of Ukraine, but we adapt those weapons systems specifically to be used in a NATO country." The BLAZE system downs enemy drones, a key need in Ukraine and that the West is paying attention to. Origin Robotics Kipurs argued at the Drone Summit in Latvia, which Business Insider attended this past May, that "at times we overemphasize the sophistication of technology." But Ukraine shows "that nothing's more important than getting the job done, and sometimes the minimum viable product is what you should be focusing on in times like they have on the battlefield." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He said speed can be more important than "overengineering stuff and making it commercialized." The cost of weapons compared to their success is key, he said. "You don't get points for integrating the most advanced stuff in your products. You get those points for getting the job done with the least amount of resources spent doing this." It's an idea that's also building momentum in the West as it watches the war. NATO chief Mark Rutte said in January that the alliance makes weapons too slowly because it is overly focused on perfection. He said that "one of the problems here we have is that the better is the enemy of good: It has to be perfect." He said that NATO should be learning from Ukraine, which will proceed with equipment rated "six to seven" out of 10, while Western militaries insist on reaching "nine or 10." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That's a problem when it comes to building affordable mass, as Western industry figures have highlighted. Steve Milano, senior director of advanced effects at Anduril, said in a recent Cogs of War podcast that "we've got the exquisite weapons systems, but we really need affordable, sufficient mass." His company is among several working toward cheaper missiles that give the US the ability to stockpile for a high-intensity fight. Russia's invasion of Ukraine has been eye-opening in this respect. Ukraine's defense industry is booming, with both small, homegrown companies and large ones quickly innovating and producing. It's fighting to survive, a position NATO countries are not in, but many of them say they must learn from how Ukraine is innovating and building so quickly, lessons the alliance would need in a hard fight. Cheaper weapons The Patriot system is great for stopping missiles, but is a bad cost-per-return if used against cheap targets like drones. Dominika Zarzycka/NurPhoto Drones are a driving factor in such considerations. Inexpensive drones have destroyed expensive tanks, sunk costly warships, and stressed top air defense systems. Cheap mass is straining the exquisite. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For the air defense fight, Ukraine continues leaning into drones for precision strikes on a budget while also developing cheap interceptor systems to take out enemy threats. And NATO is paying attention. Kipurs' products are not exactly the minimum viable product. They are advanced and use AI as part of their modern systems, but they are far from the expensive surface-to-air missiles. Ukrainian soldiers use low-cost solutions to stop Russian drones. Oxana Chorna/Global Images Ukraine via Getty Images He said that with air defense, "you need a multitude of tools" to meet a range of threats, and you probably want a 10:1 ratio between the cost of the interceptor and the average cost of a target. Kipurs said that it's not that the West doesn't need advanced technology, but it's about balance. Ukraine still wants Patriots, but it is also pouring money into far cheaper alternatives able to be produced at scale. A change for the West The West is nervously watching Ukraine, worried Russia may attack elsewhere in Europe. That war likely would not look the same as Ukraine. NATO militaries are far larger, with much more advanced weaponry, meaning they would rely less on cheaper systems Ukraine needs, like drones. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But affordable mass and deep magazines cannot be shrugged off as unnecessary. This war has been a clear wake-up call for Western militaries. Danish Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen told Business Insider earlier this year that the West needs significantly more inexpensive weaponry to meet the threats posed by Russia and China, calling this "one of the lessons" from Ukraine. Gabrielius Landsbergis, Lithuania's former foreign minister, previously told Business Insider that while the West has focused on new weapons that are expensive and time-consuming to manufacture, the Russians are "building something that's cheap, that's expendable, that's fast." It isn't just the officials who see this. Kuldar Vaarsi, the founder and CEO of Milrem Robotics, an Estonian company making ground robots that are used by Ukraine, told Business Insider the war shows the importance of the "simplicity" of weaponry so that it can be scaled faster and more affordably. Read the original article on Business Insider The U.S. Navy is continuing to build up its forces in the Caribbean amid reported claims that an attack on Venezuela could be imminent. The Ticonderoga class guided missile cruiser USS Gettysburg is now in the region, a U.S. Navy official told The War Zone. The Gettysburg adds to a current force of eight other warships deployed as part of enhanced counter-narcotics operations also aimed at Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro. In addition, as we have previously reported, the USS Gerald R. Ford carrier strike group has also been ordered to the region, but is not expected to arrive for at least another week. The Gettysburg is the second cruiser to take part in the operation, joining the USS Lake Erie. The vessels in this class bring a great deal of additional firepower and other capabilities to the flotilla now arrayed in the Caribbean. You can read more about the status of Americas dwindling fleet of cruisers here. News about the Gettysburg deployed to the Caribbean comes as the Miami Herald on Friday reported that U.S. strikes on targets inside Venezuela could come at any moment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sources told the Herald that the targets which could be struck by air in a matter of days or even hours also aim to decapitate the cartels hierarchy, the publication reported. The outlet added that it is unclear if that means taking out Maduro. The Venezuelan leader was indicted in a New York federal court in 2020, during the first Trump presidency. He and 14 others, including several close allies, were hit with federal charges of narco-terrorism and conspiracy with the Colombian FARC insurgent group to import cocaine. There is now a $50 million bounty for his arrest. Department of Justice The Herald story follows reporting on Thursday by the Wall Street Journal that the Trump administration has identified targets in Venezuela that include military facilities used to smuggle drugs. While the Journal says that President Donald Trump hasnt made a final decision yet on ordering strikes against land targets, anonymous officials told the paper that a potential air campaign would focus on targets that sit at the nexus of the drug gangs and the Maduro regime. The potential targets under consideration include ports and airports controlled by the military that are allegedly used to traffic drugs, including naval facilities and airstrips, according to one of the officials, the publication added. The Trump administration has identified targets in Venezuela that include military facilities used to smuggle drugs, according to U.S. officials, if Trump decides to move forward with airstrikes https://t.co/CBWbPqIf9Q The Wall Street Journal (@WSJ) October 31, 2025 Trump has since outright denied that he is considering strikes on Venezuela. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The president replied no when asked by reporters on Friday aboard Air Force One if it was true he is weighing whether to attack military sites in Venezuela. He said no again when asked if he had decided on the matter. "There are reports that you are considering strikes within Venezuela. Is that true?"@POTUS: "No, it's not true." pic.twitter.com/YwXua82X9H Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) October 31, 2025 A White House spokesperson further pushed back on any assertion that an attack was imminent. Unnamed sources dont know what theyre talking about, Anna Kelly, a White House spokesperson, told The War Zone. Any announcements regarding Venezuela policy would come directly from the president. Kelly did not answer our questions about when that decision might take place or what targets, if any, have been identified. A U.S. official we spoke with on Friday morning was not aware of any imminent plans to attack Venezuela. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While it does not appear that such an attack would take place in the coming hours, the U.S. military will be ready to execute at the POTUS direction, said the official. We are poised to execute any orders given to us. While Trump has stated that he is eyeing land strikes on drug targets in Venezuela, so far, attacks have been limited to what the Pentagon asserts are drug smuggling boats. Several strikes have resulted in multiple deaths of suspected drug smugglers. Earlier today, at the direction of President Trump, the Department of War carried out a lethal kinetic strike on yet another narco-trafficking vessel operated by a Designated Terrorist Organization (DTO) in the Eastern Pacific. This vessel, like all the others, was known by our pic.twitter.com/mBOLA5RYQe Secretary of War Pete Hegseth (@SecWar) October 29, 2025 These attacks have come under intense criticism for being carried out without evidence or the consent of Congress. Blowing up boats without proof isnt justice; its what China or Iran would do. Theres no evidence of fentanyl and no due process. This isnt about blowing up drug boats, its about talks of regime change in Venezuela. Weve seen how that ends: chaos, not freedom. America pic.twitter.com/8VBNWu2xE9 Senator Rand Paul (@SenRandPaul) October 30, 2025 Regardless of the timing of a large-scale attack, U.S. Navy vessels appear to be sailing closer to Venezuela. Satellite imagery shows that the Wasp class amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima and an unidentified Arleigh Burke class guided missile destroyer have come closer than 125 miles from La Orchila, one of Venezuelas outlying islands. The U.S. Navy official we spoke with declined to confirm the specific location of the Iwo Jima or any other vessels. Caribbean Sea The @USNavy ( ) USS Iwo Jima (LHD-7) and her Arleigh Burke class destroyer escort were spotted today heading westward, after being spotted off the coast of #Grenada ( ) over the past few days. The assets are ~124 miles from Venezuelan island of La Orchila. https://t.co/ZUPiP6WvYPpic.twitter.com/L0dIyusOcQ SA Defensa (@SA_Defensa) October 30, 2025 In another potential sign of future operations, the U.S. just closed airspace off the Puerto Rican coast, designating it National Defense Airspace. Pilots not adhering to the notice to airmen (NOTAM) are subject to being intercepted, detained and having criminal charges levied against them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The NOTAM is adjacent to Jose Aponte de la Torre Airport, home to a significant deployment of forces, including F-35s. You can read more about the airports role in the ongoing operations in our story here. This appears to be a corridor TFR supporting military operations operating out of Puerto Rico into the Caribbean and back. These are typically used when there is a high amount of traffic expected. https://t.co/7oZadNszc7 TheIntelFrog (@TheIntelFrog) October 31, 2025 Meanwhile, as the U.S. continues to build up forces in the region, the Pentagon is assessing what, if any, resources will be deployed to provide humanitarian relief efforts in the wake of Hurricane Melissa. The storm was a Category 5 hurricane when it slammed into Jamaica and Haiti, causing tremendous destruction. U.S. Southern Command on Friday announced that Joint Task Force-Bravo deployed to Kingston, Jamaica, on a mission to provide humanitarian and disaster relief assistance following Hurricane Melissa, the command said in a statement. Three CH-47 Chinooks from the 1st Battalion, 228 Aviation Regiment, carried 40 service members and supplies as part of the initial effort to provide immediate, lifesaving and humanitarian support, the statement continued. The advance team will set up operations in Kingston to prepare for the arrival of additional personnel and equipment via three UH-60 and two HH-60 Blackhawks. Upon arrival, they will provide ongoing U.S. disaster relief assistance missions requested by the government of Jamaica. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Historically, U.S. military capabilities are needed most in the critical early stages of a disaster relief operation, when fewer resources, capabilities and disaster-response experts are available to help victims and impacted communities, SOUTHCOM added. The ships and troops of the Iwo Jima Amphibious Readiness Group (ARG)/22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), already in the region as part of the counter-narcotics mission, could also potentially be deployed for relief efforts. In addition to more than 4,000 Marines and sailors, the ships in the ARG/MEU have Landing Craft Air Cushion (LCAC) hovercraft, CH-53, UH-1 and MH-60 helicopters, MV-22 Osprey tilt rotor aircraft and AV-8B Harrier II attack jets that could be beneficial in any crisis response. A landing craft, air cushion (LCAC), assigned to Assault Craft Unit 4, departs from the well deck of the Wasp class amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima (LHD 7) while underway in the Caribbean Sea, Oct. 15, 2025. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Andrew Eggert) Seaman Andrew Eggert While these units have responded to post-storm relief efforts in the region in the past, no tasking has yet been made for Melissa, the official told us. It is too early to say if the 22nd MEU will be deployed for any humanitarian relief efforts, the official posited. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Regardless, assigning assets for relief efforts will not affect the counter-narcotics operation, SOUTHCOM said. SOUTHCOM is mission-ready to support both missions as required, Army Col. Emanuel Ortiz, a SOUTHCOM spokesman, told us. While it is publicly unknown what Trumps plans are concerning Venezuela or Maduro, the addition of the Gettysburg is one more asset the president can call on should he decide to attack. Update: 2:43 PM Eastern The Navy provided us with a comment about what the Gettysburg will bring to the table. As a Ticonderoga class cruiser, the USS Gettysburg (CG 70) brings a versatile suite of capabilities to support naval operations. These cruisers are designed as multi-mission surface combatants, capable of contributing significantly to Air Warfare (AW), Undersea Warfare (USW), Naval Surface Fire Support (NSFS), and Surface Warfare (SUW) efforts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Gettysburg can effectively support carrier strike groups, amphibious forces, or operate independently as a flagship of surface action groups. Equipped with Tomahawk cruise missiles, the vessel provides long-range strike warfare options. Furthermore, some Aegis cruisers, including the Gettysburg, have been upgraded with Ballistic Missile Defense (BMD) capabilities. Advances in Standard Missile technology, coupled with the Aegis combat system, enhance the anti-air warfare capabilities of Ticonderoga class cruisers, providing precision accuracy across a wide range of altitudes. During its deployment to the Caribbean, the USS Gettysburg could leverage these capabilities in support of the U.S. Southern Command mission, Department of War-directed operations, and the presidents priorities to disrupt illicit drug trafficking and protect the homeland. Update 3:55 PM Eastern The military on the island nation of Trinidad and Tobago, located less than 10 miles from the Venezuelan coast, has boosted its readiness status, a local newspaper reported. The Trinidad and Tobago Defense Force (TTDF) has been placed on high alert, with all soldiers and Coast Guard officers ordered to report to their respective bases by this evening, The Express newspaper reported. A memo circulated to members yesterday stated that the TTDF has been moved to State One Alert Levelthe highest level of operational readiness. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The War Zone cannot independently confirm that claim. NEW: Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force (TTDF) has been placed on State One Alert, its highest readiness level. pic.twitter.com/q9OMQvbKKw Clash Report (@clashreport) October 31, 2025 Tensions between the two nations have soared over Trinidad and Tobagos support for the U.S. That includes a recent visit by the Arleigh Burke class guided missile destroyer USS Gravely. A U.S. Navy official confirmed to us that the Gravely left that nation yesterday after a port call for joint military training. It also appears that the MV Ocean Trader a roll-on/roll-off cargo ship modified to carry special operators and their gear has left Puerto Rico for an unknown destination. Navy officials and U.S. Special Operations Command have declined to comment on this vessel. The ship, which TWZ first reported on back in 2016, has been something of a ghost since entering service, popping up in hot spots around the globe. The Ocean Trader has been spotted several times in various parts of the Caribbean in the past few weeks. MV Ocean Trader, chartered by the Military Sealift Command for the U.S. Special Operations Command that supports Special Operations Forces as a mothership leaving Ponce, Puerto Rico October 31, 2025 SRC: TW-@MichaelBonet8 pic.twitter.com/80HocPjWZL WarshipCam (@WarshipCam) October 31, 2025 Update: 4:14 PM Eastern U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio joined the chorus of those pushing back on the Miami Heralds claim that a strike on Venezuela was imminent. Your sources claiming to have knowledge of the situation tricked you into writing a fake story https://t.co/YCIVkZaTiz Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) October 31, 2025 Contact the author: howard@thewarzone.com X/@KevinRobertsTX Some Heritage Foundation staffers are speaking up about a controversial video its president, Kevin Roberts, released on Thursday. After Tucker Carlson released his friendly interview of white nationalist Nick Fuentes, there were calls for Heritage, which has made a show of allying itself with Carlson, to disavow the former Fox News host. Instead, Roberts released a video defending both Carlson and Fuentes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We will always defend truth, we will always defend America, and we will always defend our friends against the slander of bad actors who serve someone elses agenda. That includes Tucker Carlson, who remains and as I have said before, always will be a close friend of the Heritage Foundation. The venomous coalition attacking him are sowing division. Their attempt to cancel him will fail, declared Roberts. The American people expect us to be focusing on our political adversaries on the left, not attacking our friends on the right. I disagree with, and even abhor, things that Nick Fuentes says, but canceling him is not the answer either. When we disagree with a persons thoughts and opinions, we challenge those ideas in debate, and we have seen success in this approach as we continue to dismantle the vile ideas of the left. Some Heritage employees are not being shy about expressing their disagreement with Robertss sentiments. NAZIS ARE BAD, read the caption on a meme shared by Heritage research fellow Preston Brashers. Richard Stern, the director of Heritages economic policy institute and federal budget center, retweeted Brashers and added that it was Evidently, a truth that is never more than one generation away from being forgotten. Evidently, a truth that is never more than one generation away from being forgotten https://t.co/fHriqXPJaE Richard A. Stern (@RichAStern) October 31, 2025 Brashers tweet was also shared by Heritage staffers Jason Bedrick, Jay Greene, and John Peluso. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bedrick also retweeted a post from The Babylon Bees Joel Berry, submitting that The Pagan Rights call for unity is the call of a murderer demanding his victim stop struggling. Another Heritage director, Jay Richards, did not directly subtweet his boss, but did express his disagreement with his argument prior to the release of Robertss video. Almost seems like its a coordinated effort to destroy the conservative coalition. And even if its not coordinated, the effect is the same, mused Richards in response to another anti-Carlson/Fuentes post from Berry. Almost seems like it's a coordinated effort to destroy the conservative coalition. And even if it's not coordinated, the effect is the same. https://t.co/oBHCti8JwF Jay W. Richards (@DrJayRichards) October 30, 2025 The posts from Heritage staffers were supplemented by those from many others on the political right: This statement by Kevin Roberts is reprehensible for the following reasons. First, it is dishonest. Roberts opens by declaring that Christians can critique the state of Israel without being anti-Semitic as if the issue were free speech or foreign policy. It is not. Tucker https://t.co/n5KgzTonw6 Mike (@Doranimated) October 31, 2025 JUST IN: Ted Cruz BLASTS Kevin Robertss Tucker Carlson defense: Now is a time for choosing. If you sit there with someone who says Adolf Hitler was very cool and that their mission is to defeat global Jewry, and you say nothing, then you are a coward, and you are complicit pic.twitter.com/QsDFbEDona Jayne Zirkle (@JayneZirkle) October 31, 2025 Siding with Hitler and Stalin over Churchill is not conservative or consistent, no matter what Tucker claims. In deciding to side with him, Kevin Roberts has shifted the foundations on which the Heritage Foundation was built. Bethany S. Mandel (@bethanyshondark) October 31, 2025 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This simple x dot com post from a Heritage Foundation staffer took more courage than anything Kevin Roberts has done as the Heritage Foundation's "leader." Note how many Heritage staffers have reposted it: https://t.co/LXr3MmeMnj Jason Hart (@jasonahart) October 31, 2025 The reaction to the outpouring of condemnations for the Roberts video about how there's room for Jew haters on the right will take the form of: "Did you notice how so many of the people who are mad are Jews?" because that's the level of cognitive talent on display in that set. Foster (@foster_type) October 30, 2025 Heritage Foundation president Kevin Roberts didnt mind when Tucker attacked Christians. Attacking Christianity was fine. Attacking Tucker for boosting a Nazi was not. pic.twitter.com/L3c3ZTtDlJ Max Abrahms (@MaxAbrahms) October 30, 2025 Also, Kevin Roberts good lord that was bad pic.twitter.com/Rt4jtFkZzH Seth Mandel (@SethAMandel) October 30, 2025 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The post NAZIS ARE BAD: Heritage Foundation Staffers Subtweet Their Boss Over His Defense of Tucker Carlson and Nick Fuentes first appeared on Mediaite. Providers are raising premiums by an average of 28.6% in North Carolina, and the tax credits that significantly lower costs for many enrollees are set to expire at the end of 2025 unless Congress decides to extend them. (Photo by Jan Sonnenmair/Getty Images) North Carolinians who plan to buy health insurance through the Affordable Care Acts marketplace are set to see significant cost hikes as the open enrollment period begins Nov. 1. That increase could soon be twofold. Providers are raising premiums by an average of 28.6% in North Carolina, and the tax credits that significantly lower costs for many enrollees are set to expire at the end of 2025 unless Congress decides to extend them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Almost 1 million North Carolinians are enrolled in the ACA, which provides federally-approved private health care plans to those without employer-sponsored insurance. Around one-third (34%) of uninsured North Carolinians are eligible for Medicaid or public coverage, according to Kaiser Family Foundation data. And more than a quarter (28%) are eligible for tax credits, which are set to expire at the end of the year. Individual rates in North Carolina will increase between 16.88% and 36.4% in 2026, Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey said in a statement Wednesday. Small group rates will increase between 12.66% and 17.5%. Those hikes exceed national trends: the average proposed premium increase is 20%, according to the Peterson-KFF Health System Tracker. Thats the highest rate change requested by providers since 2018, fueled by higher costs of labor, drugs and the uncertain future of tax credits. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Increased costs in health care as well as the expiration of federal subsidies result in premiums going up for many on the individual market, Causey said. Its more important than ever to begin researching your health insurance options early. A spokesperson for the NC Department of Insurance did not respond to inquiries about whether the department was seeing an increase in calls or concerns about rates ahead of open enrollment. How politics have put ACA tax credits in peril Providers have raised 2026 rates in part because of the looming expiration of enhanced premium tax credits. Those tax credits,established in 2021, were later extended through the end of this year. They have led to a massive expansion of the ACA marketplace, and drive down costs for many enrollees. Earlier this year, Congressional Republicans voted to allow the tax credits to sunset on schedule, d saying theyre too costly to extend. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Congressional Democrats, who are in the minority in both chambers, are using the budget continuation bill as leverage to convince Republican lawmakers to change their minds. In the Senate, Democrats are using parliamentary rules to block the passage of the spending bill unless it contains a provision to extend the ACA credits again. So far, Republicans have refused to negotiate that issue. Thats what caused the current federal government shutdown standoff that has now dragged on for a month. The standoff has fueled political battles around the country, including in North Carolina. In a news conference Thursday, state Sen. Gale Adcock (D-Wake) said the majority party was shutting down the government instead of fixing the health care crisis they created. Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson has called the tax credits subsidizing bad policy. He said GOP lawmakers believe in the private sector and the free market and individual providers. Open enrollment for the Affordable Care Act opens Saturday, Nov. 1 and runs through Jan. 15, 2026. If you sign up by Dec. 15, your coverage will begin on Jan. 1. VMPL New Delhi [India], October 31: In a bold move, Gulf, a renowned brand in automotive lubricants, has entered into a strategic licensing partnership with AMW Global Automobiles LLC., a subsidiary of Assurance Group, a global leader in automotive products manufacturing and distribution. This collaboration will introduce an extensive lineup of premium, high-performance automotive products--ranging from car parts, car accessories, automotive batteries, garage equipment, fuel additives, filters, and advanced car care solutions. Expanding Global Reach with Precision and Expertise This licensing partnership is designed to cover a vast geographical footprint, extending across key markets in Asia and the Middle East. The collaboration will serve countries such as Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Nepal, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Vietnam in Asia. It will also extend to the Middle East, including Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Yemen. Gulf's distinctive light blue and orange livery comes from a rich history of excellence in motorsport, spanning decades. From the victory at Le Mans with the Ford GT40 in 1968 to the triumphant return to Formula 1 in 2020 with McLaren Racing, Gulf has left its mark on countless monumental motorsport events and has become iconic amongst racing fans. Today Gulf continues to play a major role in Formula 1 as sponsor of Atlassian Williams Racing and in Moto GP as sponsor of the Trackhouse MotoGP Team. Pioneering Excellence: Leadership Perspectives Sacha Davis - Vice President of Marketing for Gulf Oil International UK Ltd commented: "Gulf is a trusted brand which can stretch into many categories to reflect our core brand values of Quality, Endurance and Passion. We are delighted to partner with AMW as an expert in automotive products, who share our ambition to develop a high-performance range which will be well received in the automotive sector in our key territories. Mukesh Sharma, C.E.O at AMW Global shared his vision for the collaboration:"At AMW Global, we are committed to excellence in the automotive industry. Partnering with Gulf is an exciting development for AMW and will provide real value across diverse markets. We have worked with Gulf to develop a comprehensive range which will meet the evolving needs of our customers and bring advanced technology and reliability into every product." Driving Innovation and Transforming Markets This strategic partnership is engineered to address the growing demand for premium automotive solutions, providing dependable and high-performance products across emerging and established markets alike. The partnership's innovation-driven approach will work to ensure that customers benefit from the latest technological advancements and premium-quality products that help to enhance the longevity, safety, and efficiency of their vehicles. About Gulf Oil International Limited (Gulf): Gulf, a wholly owned entity of the Hinduja Group, is one of the largest privately-owned downstream companies, with a presence in over 60 countries worldwide. Operating since 1901, Gulf's history is one of innovation, with a pioneering spirit that still guides the brand today. Gulf's core business is manufacturing and marketing an extensive range of performance lubricants and associated products across a diverse range of market segments. Gulf also licenses national fuel retail networks around the globe and is currently present in over 18 countries with more than 1,250 stations. Gulf has a strong international presence in Europe, South America, the Middle East and the Asia Pacific region, owning blending facilities and several licensed plants worldwide. It is the majority shareholder in Gulf Oil Lubricants India Ltd, listed on the BSE. Gulf's business also includes Gulf Marine, which supplies lubricants to the global shipping industry across 1,100 ports worldwide. For more information visit: www.gulfoilltd.com About AMW Global Automobiles LLC AMW Global, a subsidiary of Assurance Group, is a leading name in the manufacturing, marketing, and distribution of high-quality automotive products. With expert knowledge across key markets in Asia, the Middle East, and Africa, AMW specialises in lubricants, batteries, filters, fuel additives, accessories, car care and spare parts. Known for its commitment to quality and innovation, AMW continues to work to raise industry standards, offering advanced solutions that meet the diverse needs of automotive markets across the globe. For more information regarding Gulf Auto Products, please visit: www.gulfautoproducts.com (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.) RALEIGH, N.C. (WGHP) North Carolina Representative Cecil Brockman (D-Guilford), who represented High Point and has been charged with sex offenses, resigned on Friday, his legislative aide reports. North Carolina House Democratic leader Robert Reives shared the following statement on Friday afternoon: I am glad that Rep. Brockman has voluntarily resigned from the General Assembly. The allegations against him are serious and made it impossible for him to adequately represent his constituents. I look forward to the Guilford County Democrats appointing his successor. North Carolina House Speaker Destin Hall issued the following statement on Friday afternoon: Rep. Brockmans decision to resign is the right thing to do for his constituents and for the North Carolina House of Representatives. His departure spares the House from a difficult expulsion process and brings closure to this troubling chapter. Prior to the announcement of Brockmans resignation, Speaker Destin Hall announced the formation of the House Select Committee to Investigate Alleged Misconduct and Other Matters Included in Charges Against Representative Cecil Brockman, according to a release from the speakers office. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The 12 members of the committee are: Rep. John Bell, Co-Chair (R-Wayne) Rep. Brenden Jones, Co-Chair (R-Columbus) Rep. Robert Reives, Co-Chair (D-Chatham) Rep. Julia Howard (R-Davie) Rep. Charles Miller (R-Brunswick) Rep. Mike Schietzelt (R-Wake) Rep. Harry Warren (R-Rowan) Rep. Vernetta Alston (D-Durham) Rep. Becky Carney (D-Mecklenburg) Rep. Carla Cunningham (D-Mecklenburg) Rep. Brandon Lofton (D-Mecklenburg) Rep. Shelly Willingham (D-Edgecombe) House Clerk James White explained the process in an email to FOX8, writing that expulsion typically involves the formation of a committee to investigate alleged misconduct, report findings, and recommend to the House what action should be taken. Any expulsion would require a vote of the House of Representatives in chamber session. The last time a representative was expelled was in 2008, when Rep. Thomas Wright (D-District 18) was expelled for campaign finance violations. He was subsequently convicted of the charges and sentenced to prison. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to Michael Bitzer, director of the Center for North Carolina Politics and Public Service and professor at Catawba College, the process to expel Wright took over a year. With Brockmans resignation submitted, it is unclear if the committee will go forward with the investigation. His replacement will be chosen by the Guilford County Democratic Party. The allegations On Oct. 8, Brockman was arrested on two counts of indecent liberties and two counts of statutory sex offense, all four charges involving the same 15-year-old victim. Prosecutors allege that Brockman was tracking his teen victim using an app, called 911 when he couldnt get to the victims location and tried to force his way through emergency room doors where the teen was hospitalized. He was initially denied bond because the magistrate said he used his position as a legislator to make contact with the victim. The Davidson County Sheriffs Office began the investigation, referring it to High Point police, who in turn contacted the State Bureau of Investigation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its also alleged that Brockman was living out of state during the summer, with court documents stating he had been evicted from a High Point apartment complex in May and prosecutors alleging that he lived in Atlanta with the victim before moving into another High Point apartment in August. Theres less clarity on whether this violates any existing rules or not. At last check, Brockman has not paid the $1,050,000 bond he was given when he appeared in court. Brockman was briefly hospitalized immediately following his arrest, appearing in court from the hospital before being returned to jail. His current term ends in January 2027, which his replacement will serve out. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He is due in court again on Nov. 3. 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 FOX8 WGHP. New details on a Garner public adjuster at the center of an ABC11 Troubleshooter investigation. That public adjuster, Tyler Englin, was arrested in Johnston County and charged with felony embezzlement. The North Carolina Department of Insurance accuses Englin, owner of TDE Claims LLC, of embezzling more than $133,000 from a client. According to the warrant, Englin took an insurance claim payment meant for his client. The charge is related to a case in Catawba County and is due in court on Friday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In September, ABC11 Troubleshooter Diane Wilson investigated Englin and his company. A Cary couple hired Englin and said Englin kept close to $100,000 of their insurance money for work that was done to their home. Tyler Englin Also, a roofing company that recommended Englin to several homeowners says Englin did not pay them for the work they did on those jobs, despite Englin getting the insurance money. Englin has not been charged in these cases. The NC Department of Insurance says the arrest is the result of an ongoing investigation into Englin. NC Insurance Commissioner Causey thanked investigators for their hard work and for the complaints filed by victims. "I urge people to report suspicious activity like this so our special agents can pursue cases against those who commit fraud and other white-collar crimes," Commissioner Causey said. Stay on top of breaking news stories with the ABC11 News App RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) The North Carolina state representative charged with child sex crimes in earlier October has resigned from the state House of Representatives, his office said Friday. The resignation of Cecil Brockman, a Democrat who has represented Guilford County since 2015, was confirmed by his aide, who provided a copy of his resignation letter to the Office of the North Carolina House Clerk. PREVIOUS COVERAGE: NC Rep. Cecil Brockman accused of statutory rape of 15-year-old Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I am currently facing criminal charges brought against me in Guilford County, Brockman wrote in the letter. Due to the seriousness of these accusations, I need to focus on my defense of these allegations. As a result, I am currently unable to fulfill my duty and service to my constituents in Guilford County, he wrote in the letter. As a result, I am resigning my position from the NC House of Representatives effective immediately. Brockman was arrested on Oct. 9 on two counts of statutory sex offense with a child and two counts of indecent liberties with a child. He is accused of having a sexual relationship with a 15-year-old who was living with him for months. RELATED: Two lawmakers facing criminal charges, one facing potential General Assembly expulsion Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Brockmans resignation came hours after North Carolina House Speaker Destin Hall announced he had formed a bipartisan committee to explore removing him from his position. Hall said last week he would create such a committee if Brockman did not step down. Following the resignation, Hall said in a statement, Rep. Brockmans decision to resign is the right thing to do for his constituents and for the North Carolina House of Representatives. His departure spares the House from a difficult expulsion process and brings closure to this troubling chapter. Leaders in Brockmans own party called on him to resign, including Gov. Josh Stein, former governor Roy Cooper, House Democratic Leader Robert Rieves, and North Carolina Democratic Party Chair Anderson Clayton. Brockman remains in custody on $1.05 million secured bond as of Friday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Court records show Brockman filed a motion on Thursday to have his bond reduced to $100,000 secured. 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. RALEIGH, N.C. (WGHP) After a Piedmont Triad election official resigned following his arrest earlier this year, his position has been filled. According to the North Carolina GOP, on Friday, the North Carolina State Board of Elections appointed Chris White to act as the new Chair of the Surry County Board of Elections. The NCGOP describes White as a lifelong Dobson resident and farmer, carrying forward the values of hard work, stewardship, and service that have defined his family for generations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He has also spent time on the Planning Board, Zoning Board of Adjustment and worked with other community organizations over the years. I am honored to have the support of Auditor Boliek and NCGOP Chairman Jason Simmons in assuming this important responsibility, said White. I am committed to ensuring the integrity of our electoral process in Surry County, making it accessible, secure, and transparent for all voters. North Carolina House to form committee after Rep. Cecil Brockman sex crime allegations We extend our appreciation to Mr. White for his willingness to serve in this critical capacity. His leadership will be instrumental in upholding the principles of fair and accurate elections throughout North Carolina, NCGOP Chairman Jason Simmons said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement White will resign from his position as the chair of the Surry County Republican Party and serve out the remainder of the two-year term as the board chair that was once occupied by James Edwin Yokeley. James Edwin Yokeley (Wilmington Police Department) Yokeley, 66, was arrested in August after police say he flagged them down at a Sheetz to say that someone had put pills in ice cream that was being eaten by his step-grandchild and her friend. Testing concluded the pills were MDMA and surveillance footage reportedly showed Yokeley putting the pills in the teens ice cream, Wilmington Police Department said. The juveniles did not ingest anything, medical professionals determined. Yokeley was selected by Dave Boliek to lead the Surry County Board of Elections in June. Boliek demanded Yokeleys resignation after his arrest, calling the allegations very disturbing and stating, our office is built on holding individuals accountable. He resigned on Aug. 28. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX8 WGHP. Former CBS producer Trey Sherman is accusing his employer of only laying off people of color on his team. The Wall Street Journal reported that nearly 2,000 Paramount employees were being laid off, including those under CBS. The companys chief executive, David Ellison, said the layoffs were to address redundancies that have emerged across the organization, while also removing roles that dont align with the companys new structure that will prioritize growth. Sherman, who is Black and served as an associate producer for canceled CBS Evening News+, per New York Post, took to TikTok to reveal that the show had been canceled and every producer on his team who was laid off was a person of color, while those who found new roles within the company were white. He claimed that he had personally asked each white person on his team if they had been laid off, and they each said no. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Every person who gets to stay and will be relocated within the company is a white person, Sherman explained in the video. Now, in my meeting with the executive who told me I was getting laid off, I specifically asked him if it was a consideration for us to be relocated somewhere else within the company. And he said that We advocated to keep the show. We advocated to try to get you relocated somewhere. And we couldnt. Because I asked him, Why are you the person who is making this decision or delivering the news that were being laid off?' Sherman clarified that the executive did not decide to eliminate the show, but he had the authority over who from the team could stay at the company. The executive allegedly said that the white workers keeping jobs was a coincidence and that he had made the decision based on who he had worked with in the past. Mind you, not only is it not based on merit, it is in its result racist, Sherman said. I dont care if you decided to keep people who had purple-colored hair, you deciding to keep people who you had worked with before, which I dont even know if thats true, if the outcome of that decision is racist, the action was racist, that sh-t is f-cked. I just got laid off. According to The Post, CBS News declined to comment. The post Nearly 2,000 Paramount Employees Were Laid Off, Including Some Under CBS, But This Producer Questions If They Were Race-Based Layoffs On His Team appeared first on AfroTech. The post Nearly 2,000 Paramount Employees Were Laid Off, Including Some Under CBS, But This Producer Questions If They Were Race-Based Layoffs On His Team appeared first on AfroTech. State Sens. Brad von Gillern of the Elkhorn area, chair of the Legislature's Revenue Committee, Rob Clements of Elmwood, chair of the Appropriations Committee, and Speaker John Arch of La Vista, from left. Oct. 30, 2025. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner) LINCOLN Nebraskas projected budget hole just widened to approximately $451 million following new economic forecasts. Nebraskas Economic Forecasting Advisory Board met Friday to update state revenue projections for the current two-year budget cycle. Members lowered their previous tax revenue projections from April by about $367 million over the two years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The current projected deficit listed in Nebraskas general fund financial status stands at about $95 million, which would bring the new deficit up to about $462 million if the tally were added straight from Fridays meeting. However, Legislative Fiscal Analyst Keisha Patent said several other factors contributing to state finances mean the projected deficit is expected to rise about $355 million, to reach an estimated $451 million gap. State Sen. Brad von Gillern of Elkhorn, chair of the Legislatures Revenue Committee, said he expected the deficit would grow prior to Fridays forecast, based on various signs. The states monthly tax receipts have been a mixed bag, and the Nebraska Department of Revenue released a report in September estimating that the One Big Beautiful Bill would cost Nebraskas state government about $216 million over the next two fiscal years. State Sen. Brad von Gillern of the Elkhorn area. (Courtesy of the Unicameral Information Office) We can kind of do the math before we get here, Von Gillern said after the meeting. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gov. Jim Pillen, in a statement, acknowledged the lower receipts and said he had anticipated the need for belt-tightening, which is why he said he seeks critical work to trim $500 million a year from the budget over the next two years. Its a big number, but its necessary as we work to fix the broken property tax system, end special interest carve outs and exemptions and balance our budget, Pillen said. In addition to the monthly tax receipts reported on the state Department of Revenues website, the forecasting board also got preliminary estimates for Octobers receipts. Patent said October revenues are expected to be between $22-$40 million above forecasts. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While the increase in the projected deficit is significant, several board members said they were feeling more optimistic about Nebraskas economic future than what the current signs indicate. Some members said the recent decline in revenues are more linked to structural policy decisions than an economic slowdown, a read with which Von Gillern agreed. When you cut through the noise, things are actually, from my perspective, really stable and quite optimistic for the state as a whole, said board member John Kuehn. Patent and other state officials have noted that some declining revenues that have recently been reported is more due to the timing of when revenue is reported. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Larger-than-expected claims of ImagiNE Act tax credits an economic incentive program for businesses expanding in or relocating to Nebraska contributed to lower corporate revenues in September, for example, said State Sen. Rob Clements of Elmwood, chair of the Appropriations Committee. Clements has previously told the Examiner that the program was expected to dole out about $36 million in credits over 12 months, but instead it distributed roughly $22 million over the past three months. Von Gillern said the ImagiNE Act credits are also expected to raise sales tax refunds in the coming months. Sales tax revenues were the only category that rose at all from the forecasting boards April projections. The boards sales tax estimates rose by $60 million for fiscal year 2025-26, but dropped $123 million for fiscal year 2026-27. Regardless of the new forecast, Von Gillern said state lawmakers job remains the same when the next session convenes in January balance the state budget by the time they adjourn in mid-April. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lawmakers will have updated numbers while they are debating budget adjustments. Patent said the states Tax Rate Review Committee meets in November, which will update the exact projected deficit in Nebraskas financial status. The forecasting board also meets once more, on Feb. 27. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE State Sen. Dan McKeon of Amherst. Oct. 24, 2025. (Zach Wendling/Nebraska Examiner) LINCOLN State Sen. Dan McKeon of Amherst was cited this week for misdemeanor public indecency stemming from an incident at lawmakers end-of-session party this spring, according to the Nebraska State Patrol. Patrol investigators cited him after investigating an allegation by a woman attending a sine die party often attended by staff, family and friends of legislators, Patrol Public Relations Director Cody Thomas confirmed first to the Examiner. State Sen. Dan McKeon of Amherst. (Courtesy of Nebraska Unicameral Information Office) The Patrol received a report in early September about an alleged incident in the evening hours of May 29 at Lincoln Country Club. That is the same time and location that lawmakers attended the first of two post-legislative session sine die parties. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement An adult female reported that Dan McKeon had made inappropriate contact with her buttocks with his hand, over the top of her clothing, Thomas said in response to a reporters questions about the incident. Thomas said the State Patrol issued McKeon a citation for public indecency a Class II misdemeanor Thursday. The allegation was forwarded to Lancaster County Attorney Pat Condons office, which had no immediate comment. McKeon, reached in person just before an Agriculture Committee hearing on Friday, told the Examiner: Im not going to respond. Just like anything else, you just shut your mouth, McKeon said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kathleen Neary, the attorney representing the woman making the allegations, said her client is grateful to the Nebraska State Patrol for conducting a swift and thorough investigation. Additionally, Neary said her client plans to file an administrative charge with the Nebraska Equal Opportunity Commission (NEOC). The NEOC filing is an administrative prerequisite to filing a lawsuit against the state under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. While Neary is hopeful that the matter could be resolved without a lawsuit, she noted that, if necessary, she will sue and ask the jury for a verdict that vindicates and compensates her client for the harms that she has suffered. McKeon is a registered Republican who was elected to the officially nonpartisan Nebraska Legislature in 2024, replacing former State Sen. Fred Meyer of St. Paul. McKeons biographical page on the Nebraska Legislatures website highlights that he has been married for 30 years and has four children. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX During his first session in office, McKeon passed two bills to ease agricultural regulations and has another bill pending that aims to protect veterans from predatory claim sharks. The Examiner is not naming the woman making the allegation, because it is the policy of States Newsroom and the Examiner not to identify people who say they have been abused unless they wish to talk publicly. People around the Capitol have been talking for months about an alleged incident involving someone who works for the Legislature. Democrat State Sen. John Fredrickson of Omaha said he is anxiously awaiting the results of the State Patrols investigation. He confirmed that lawmakers have been aware of the incident behind the scenes for some time and said its been a concern among him and other senators. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This type of behavior is really egregious, Fredrickson said. On Oct. 20, State Sen. Megan Hunt of Omaha a progressive nonpartisan posted on social media in response to a comment criticizing her that the Legislature doesnt have an ethics committee, and if we did, my colleague who grabbed a staffers ass at an event a few months ago would have resigned already. Hunt, in a separate post on Friday, called elected office a public trust and said it should not be a shield for misconduct. She called on McKeon to resign and said the Legislature should also be held accountable for sweeping the incident under the rug. My colleague Senator McKeon or Dirty Dan, as he calls himself should have resigned from this office, which I never observed him to represent with dignity or professionalism, long ago, Hunt said in a Facebook post. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dirty Dan is likely a reference to Dirty Dans Barn Bash, a Sept. 27 fundraiser McKeon touted in the midst of the State Patrol investigation. As of mid-afternoon Friday, no resignation letters from a member of the Legislature had been received by the legislative or executive offices that would expect them. Gov. Jim Pillen, through a spokesperson, had no immediate comment. Republican Speaker John Arch, through a staffer, referred questions to Republican State Sen. Ben Hansen of the Legislatures Executive Board, which investigates allegations of wrongdoing against members. Hansen neither confirmed nor denied whether the Executive Board was separately investigating the incident. He said he could not disclose details because of a strict confidentiality standard, but added, The Legislature handles all incidents of workplace harassment with the utmost respect and importance. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Republican State Sen. Teresa Ibach of Sumner, vice chair of the Executive Board, confirmed that members of the committee are looking into the situation separately from the criminal investigation, but she said the group hasnt yet reached a conclusion. McKeon is expected in Lancaster County Court Dec. 10, authorities said. McKeon faced court proceedings earlier this year on an unrelated civil case. The senator was named in a lawsuit filed in April by Kaup Produce Inc. The company sued McKeon for breach of contract, alleging McKeon did not pay for more than $18,000 worth of seed and other agricultural products the company provided him. The case was closed on July 7, according to Nebraskas judicial website. The case summary says the case was disposed as uncontested default, indicating that an agreement had been reached between the parties. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nebraska Examiner Reporters Zach Wendling and Juan Salinas II contributed to this report. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson's latest StarTalk video's introduction started off looking like a conspiracy video. An AI-generated Tyson claimed, "Lately, I've been doing calculations as well as looking back at old NASA footage and raw data from satellites hovering above Earth. And I just can't escape the conclusion that the Earth might actually be flat." Moments later, the real Tyson pulled his phone back and revealed the bit as a fake. "That's not me. It was never me," he said, calling the clip an example of synthetic media now invading public trust. Although Tyson often joked about playful parody, like a clip that "babyified" him during a podcast, he stressed that convincing AI impersonations created real consequences. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Moreover, he said even friends fell for false science videos using his likeness, including one that impressed actor Terry Crews. When Crews texted him about it, Tyson remembered thinking, "I don't remember this. I never did this." What Tyson and Cosoi said about deepfake tech During the 18-minute episode, he spoke with Alex Cosoi, Chief Security Strategist at Bitdefender, who defined the tech plainly, saying, "So a deep fake [...] is synthetic or manipulated media. And by media, I mean video, audio, spaghetti, or images which is generated with AI, artificial intelligence, to make people appear to say or do things that never actually happened in reality." Then, Tyson cued another fake moment featuring an "Andromedan." A digital alien chirped, "My apologies. This form takes some getting used to," before Cosoi explained how deep learning mimicked the brain. Additionally, Tyson noted that subtle deepfakes confused even highly observant friends. He added that clips made of him typically misrepresented his science messaging by about 15%. He emphasized that most creators probably did not intend harm, yet he worried about deception when viewers did not realize they were watching a parody. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, Cosoi pointed to past war misinformation, including crude videos of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and Russian President Vladimir Putin. "They fooled some people," Cosoi said, even if many noticed issues like an oddly sized head. Scams, politics, and what comes next Tyson turned toward the broader threats. He warned that deepfakes already tricked people financially. Cosoi agreed, citing romance schemes, fake investment chats, and a Hong Kong case where scammers impersonated executives in a virtual meeting and directed $25 million in transfers. "One thing leads to the other, and then you're bankrupt," he said. Furthermore, Cosoi described political deepfakes deployed right before elections when candidates could not respond, influencing voters. He also discussed AI honeypots, a tool called Scamo, and upcoming detection systems that identify manipulated areas in images or AI-generated audio. Tyson then asked whether there might come a time when detection tools fail. Cosoi admitted, "I believe that there may be a day when a deepfake is going to be more appealing to a person, even though a protection tool will tell him that's fake." Tyson suggested platform-wide permissions like the newly announced Sora 2 rules, though Cosoi warned competitors would not always cooperate. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Viewers pointed out discrepancies in the AI-generated clips versus reality. @Kohlliers added, "You can see weird blurring of his mouth and jaw moving in the first clip, but it's crazy how accurate it's getting." X user @Vayne_SA tweeted, "If you really watch Neil DeGrasse, it shouldve been strange to you how he looks that old all of a sudden, when he didnt look that old literally a week ago. [...] From the 1st minute of watching, I was questioning the legitimacy of it." Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson did not respond immediately to the Daily Dots request for comment via email. The internet is chaoticbut well break it down for you in one daily email. Sign up for the Daily Dots newsletter here. This story was originally featured on The Daily Dot. More than 100 World War II monuments honoring New Jerseys fallen soldiers are being relocated to make way for a massive Netflix production studio at the former Fort Monmouth Army base. The move is part of roadway improvements as Netflix plans to transform the campus into a sprawling Hollywood-style film and production studio. There are 117 monuments along the Avenue of Memories in Oceanport that honor U.S. Army Signal Corps soldiers who died during World War II. Workers are in the process of relocating them to nearby Cowan Park in Oceanport, which already features a central memorial, a flagpole and two tribute trees, county officials said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Monmouth County has always taken great pride in honoring our veterans, County Commissioner Director Thomas A. Arnone said in a statement. We are committed to ensuring that the memory of the U.S. Army Signal Corps soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice continues to be recognized with the honor and respect they deserve. Netflixs planned $903M production studio at Fort Monmouth Netflix began work earlier this month on the Avenue of Memories, which runs along the perimeter of its property. The project will include new sidewalks, a wider roadway, added shoulders and a dedicated center turn lane to improve traffic flow and safety. Each memorial will be carefully moved to the nearby park to preserve its historical significance, according to Arnone. The County has worked closely with Netflix, local officials, and veterans organizations to ensure that this transition is handled with the utmost care and attention, he added. Each memorial will be carefully moved and reinstalled to preserve its historical integrity and significance. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The transition is expected to take several weeks. Once complete, a rededication ceremony will honor the fallen soldiers and commemorate the memorials new home, he added. Other historic areas of Fort Monmouth, including the parade grounds, will also be preserved, studio officials said. It is just a small part of Netflixs larger $903 million Fort Monmouth studio project. Once finished, the 155-acre campus will feature 12 soundstages, office buildings, crew trailer parks, a cafeteria, retail shops, a theater, a hotel and visitor attractions. State officials estimate the project will create more than 3,500 construction jobs and about 1,400 permanent positions, generating up to $4.6 billion for New Jerseys economy over 20 years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Demolition of the fort began in May, with construction expected to start next year and finish by 2028, officials said. Both the Oceanport and Eatontown planning boards have approved Netflixs multi-phase development plans, clearing the way for the redevelopment. Established in 1917 as Camp Little Silver, Fort Monmouth played a key role in military communications and technology, including the development of FM radio. Netflix won a $55 million bid in 2021 to acquire the 289-acre mega-parcel, which stretches across Oceanport and Eatontown near Route 35. The base officially closed in 2011, with more than 5,000 civilian and military jobs relocated to an Army installation in Maryland. Read the original article on NJ.com. Add NJ.com as a Preferred Source by clicking here. SNAP loads benefits onto electronic benefit transfer (EBT) cards that individuals and families can use on their own schedules. By contrast, food banks have to get food into their warehouses, then back out their doors to distribution spots where the food is given out. (Photo: Aramelle Wheeler/Food Bank of Northern.) Food banks are vowing to do everything they can to keep people fed as federally funded food stamps are withheld from the 1 in 6 Nevadans approved for them. But they warned state lawmakers Thursday they will not be able to fill the gap of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, better known as SNAP. Lawmakers this week approved nearly $40 million in assistance to local food banks, which are expected to see a 25% surge in demand because the Trump administration has declared it will not issue November SNAP benefits while the federal government shutdown continues. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Beth Martino, the president and CEO of Three Square in Southern Nevada, told state lawmakers on the Interim Finance Committee that the food banks will be moving as quickly as possible to get food into the community. But she offered a sober warning. This is not enough to meet the need, and theres probably no way that philanthropy can fill this gap, she said. The answer is to reopen the government and run these programs as intended. SNAP is highly efficient, Martino said. It loads benefits onto electronic benefit transfer (EBT) cards that individuals and families can use on their own schedules. By contrast, food banks have to get food into their warehouses, then back out their doors to distribution spots where they are given out. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That takes time, Martino said. Its not as efficient, and thats one of the challenges that well face. I would expect that this investment today will take us 10 to 12 weeks to move back into the community, at minimum. Even if lawmakers were to give $90 million to the food banks overnight, it would be a logistical challenge, said Martino. No dollar amount would allow us to be out in the next two weeks serving 90 million pounds of food to Nevadans, she said. Seniors and families, who make up the majority of SNAP recipients, would find themselves waiting for hours in a car line to get a box of food. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We always try to serve people with dignity, she added. Demand already on the rise Three Square has already recorded a 16% increase in the number of people coming into its food pantries, according to Martino. That increase does not include the month of October. But I can tell you anecdotally that we have certainly seen an increase above and beyond that, she said. Three Square has done special distribution sides for federal workers whove been impacted by the federal government shutdown, which started Oct. 1 and is now on day 31. And weve been contacted by several of our partners to say that they needed more food, that they were actually running out of food at distributions because we were sending at the levels we had been over the last four months and that was not adequate to meet the needs that had been coming in, said Martino. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Three Square estimates that 25% to 35% of the SNAP recipients who dont receive their approved benefits next week will seek out a food pantry. We would need to almost double our distribution in order to meet that need, said Martino. Shane Piccinini of the Food Bank of Northern Nevada told lawmakers their pantries have not seen a significant increase since July. However, I do want to put on the record that we have been serving 160,000 people a month in that period, he said. So, the need has not been low. Pre-pandemic the food banks visitation hovered around 98,000, he added. Piccinini said the Food Bank of Northern Nevada anticipates a 25% increase in November. That equates to an additional 40,000 people. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In preparation, the food banks have already started purchasing foods, with a focus on nonperishable items because nobody knows how long the shutdown will continue. Families may need to be able to stretch what they get as long as they can. Typically, perishable items like proteins, fruits, vegetables and dairy items make up 60% of what Three Square distributes, according to Martino. Nevada National Guard to assist As part of the states food insecurity plan to bolster the food banks, Gov. Joe Lombardo committed to deploying the Nevada National Guard to assist at food banks. Assemblymember Daniele Monroe-Moreno said situations like this are exactly what the National Guard is designed to do but she worries the weaponization of the guard by the Trump administration might result in some people not feeling safe standing in a food pantry line. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nicole Lamboley, president and CEO of the Food Bank of Northern Nevada, said they plan to use the National Guard for warehouse and logistics operations, rather than having them hand out food to people. For distribution, they plan to use community volunteers. Lamboley and Martino said the community has stepped up to volunteer. Lamboley said that after the food bank put out a call for volunteers they were at wait-list level within 24 hours. Martino added that some business owners have called and offered up all of their employees for volunteering. Still, both food banks welcomed additional members of the public to sign up as volunteers. Puducherry [India], October 31: The Indian Aari Workers Federation (IAWF) created a remarkable moment in the history of Indian artisan movements by hosting the 3rd International Aari Workers Conference 2025 in Puducherry, organised by the Puducherry Aari Workers Council (PYAWC). Over 1,000 women Aari artisans from across the country gathered for a day of inspiration, learning and record-making. A collective Nobel World Record attempt highlighted the skill and unity of India's craftwomen. The conference drew national attention after a powerful speech by Dr. Aravind Lakshminarayanan, National President of IAWF, whose remarks questioned the growing number of fake, unregistered "empowerment" groups that exploit women in the name of social service. "Do service by association -- don't do business by association," said Dr. Aravind, urging organisations to prioritise real development over profit. Twelve Benefits for IAWF Life Members (2026 Plan) Dr. Aravind announced a 12-point plan that promises free digital access, legal help and business opportunities for members. Key highlights include: Launch of the IAWF Business App to connect artisans with verified buyers. Free login for life members and free entry to State and National Pro Aari Olympiad rounds (district level will have a nominal fee). Cash awards of 50,000 each for the Top 10 Aari Workers in every state and 1 lakh each for India's Top 10 national winners. Free business website, accreditation, and ISO guidance for national winners. Free legal support, training workshops, and foreign exposure programmes for qualified members. A Stand Against Fake Certifications Dr. Aravind's address also exposed the misuse of government logos, fake ISO certificates, and unapproved accreditation bodies that mislead artisans. He announced that IAWF will start a national verification and awareness drive in 2026 to protect genuine Aari workers and ensure transparent certification practices. The event, coordinated by Ms. Divyabharathi, General Secretary of PYAWC, concluded with cultural performances, recognition of top artisans and an open call for integrity within all women's organisations. About IAWF: The Indian Aari Workers Federation is a national body that supports Aari artisans through training, Olympiads, accreditation, legal awareness and livelihood programmes. "We honour skill, not sell awards. Real recognition will always remain free." -- Dr. Aravind Lakshminarayanan, National President, IAWF Contact: aariworkers@gmail.com | www.aariworkers.in (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.) LAS VEGAS (KLAS) President Trump announced on social media he is directing the Pentagon to restart nuclear weapons tests. Its been more than three decades since the U.S. carried out a nuclear test. The president also cited his efforts to keep pace with other countries nuclear programs. The announcement followed a missile test by North Korea as well as a nuclear-powered test that Russia recently conducted. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We have more nuclear weapons than anybody, President Trump said to reporters aboard Air Force One Thursday. We dont do testing. However, he did not share any other specifics and would not answer reporters follow-up questions regarding the move, so many across Nevada still have questions. Let me be clear, what we are doing in Nevada is working, Nevada Democratic Senator Jacky Rosen said. Senator Rosen spoke on the announcement during Thursdays confirmation hearing for the nominee for Commander of U.S. Strategic Command, Vice Admiral Richard Correll. Tell us in your expert opinion, Senator Rosen asked Vice Admiral Correll. Are explosive tests necessary? Yes or no. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Senator, I would be happy to schedule a follow-up briefing in a classified setting, Vice Admiral Correll responded. To have a discussion about testing. Senator Rosen was referring to the current way the NNSS tests our countrys nuclear weapon stockpile. Its called non-explosive subcritical testing. Weapons are tested and certified one thousand feet underground in what is called the Pulse Facility. Vice Admiral Correll answered more of Rosens questions during the hearing on whether he believes the current process is effective. The adequacy and efficacy of the nuclear weapons stockpile is certified on an annual basis, Vice Admiral Correll explained. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And do you trust in those tests? Senator Rosen asked. I do trust that assessment, Vice Admiral Correll answered. Other members of our states democratic delegation vowed to stop any moves to resume explosive testing, though President Trump did not specify whether this is planned. 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 JetBlue flight traveling to Newark was diverted after a sudden drop in altitude, making an emergency landing in Tampa before multiple passengers were taken to the hospital. The flight was traveling from Cancun, Mexico when it was diverted around 2 p.m. Thursday, landing about 20 minutes later at Tampa International Airport, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. Upon touching down, passengers and crewmembers were evaluated at the airport by medical personnel. Around 15-20 passengers were then taken to local hospitals with non-life-threatening injuries, officials with Tampa Fire Rescue told Fox 13. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The planes pilots reportedly told air traffic operators that a flight control issue was behind the injuries. Air traffic audio from LiveATC.net captured a radio call that said, Weve got at least three people injured. It seems like maybe a laceration in the head. JetBlue said the Airbus A320 has been taken out of service for inspection, while the FAA is investigating what caused the drop in altitude. We will conduct a full investigation to determine the cause, the airline said in a statement. The safety of our customers and crewmembers is always our first priority, and we will work to support those involved. The first OCEARCH-tagged white shark of the winter migration season was tracked in Florida waters. The 11-foot male white shark, nicknamed "Ripple," was tagged off Nova Scotia Sept. 30, then raced south to Florida, covering 1,700 miles in just 25 days. Ripple covered the first thousand miles in just 14 days before taking a short break in the Cape Hatteras region of North Carolina, OCEARCH Senior Data Scientist John Tyminski said in an Instagram video. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ripple pinged off Jacksonville's coast at 11:11 a.m. on Oct. 25 and surfaced six more times until Oct. 27. A ping means the satellite tag attached to Ripple's dorsal fin was above water long enough to transmit location information to the OCEARCH shark tracker. As of Oct. 30, Ripple was near Jekyll Island, Georgia. Northwest Atlantic great white sharks spend the warmer months up North off New England and Atlantic Canada eating high-calorie prey and colder months down the U.S. East Coast, as far south as Florida and the Gulf, for warmer waters and an abundance of food sources, according to OCEARCH researchers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Here's what to know about white sharks in Florida and the OCEARCH shark tracker: About OCEARCH great white shark Ripple Ripple, a male sub-adult white shark, was tagged and sampled by OCEARCH on Sept. 30, 2025, in Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia. He was 11 feet, 6 inches long and weighed 778 pounds. Ripple was named after ripples on the water. "The name Ripple carries a powerful meaning," the shark's OCEARCH tracker page states. "A ripple is the earliest sign of a waveseemingly small, light, and playful on the surface, yet capable of growing into a force that moves oceans. In the same way, this sub-adult shark is just beginning his journey. Though young now, Ripple has the potential to grow into one of the giants of the sea, shaping the ecosystem around him as he matures." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the 30 days since being tagged, Ripple has traveled 1,770 miles, an average of 59 miles a day. Great white shark length, weight. How big do they get? White sharks are about four feet long when they're born. They can grow to about 20 feet in length and can weigh over 4,000 pounds, according to NOAA Fisheries. Nukumi, a 17-foot, 2-inch, 3,541-pound female shark, as seen aboard the OCEARCH research vessel on Oct. 2, when she was captured long enough by researchers to place a satellite tag on her and take biological samples. Largest great white shark ever tagged by OCEARCH? The largest great white shark ever tagged by OCEARCH is the "Queen of the Ocean" Nukumi. Nukumi was tagged off Nova Scotia in 2020. Researchers estimated her to be over 50 years old. The massive shark was 17 feet, 2 inches long and weighed a whopping 3,541 pounds. According to her tracker, she traveled 5,635 miles in 191 days. Nukumi last pinged beyond the Mid-Atlantic Ridge on Apr. 11, 2021. Biggest male great white shark ever tagged by OCEARCH? The largest male great white shark ever tagged and released by OCEARCH is 13-foot, 9-inch Contender. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The 1,653-pound shark was tagged in the waters off the Florida-Georgia border in January 2025. "Meet Contender, the ultimate ocean warrior! This powerful white shark was tagged on January 17, 2025, off the FL/GA coast, about 45 miles offshore," the shark's tracker page reads. "Contender is a mature male now contributing to OCEARCHs mission of shark research and ocean conservation." Contender's tag is active, last pinging Oct. 29 off the northern coast of Nova Scotia. Contender spent several weeks in January and February off Florida's east coast, swimming as far south as Brevard County. Yes. There are great white sharks in Florida Great white sharks migrate south in the fall, mostly along the U.S. East Coast and as far down as Florida and the Gulf. What time of year are great white sharks in Florida? According to OCEARCH, white sharks begin a seasonal migration in the fall, from their summer feeding grounds around Atlantic Canada and New England and travel as far south as Florida and the Gulf, presumably for warmer waters and abundant food sources. How many great white sharks are in Florida? The white shark population in U.S. waters is unknown and no stock assessments are currently planned in the Atlantic, per NOAA Fisheries, though the agency has conducted research indicating the white shark population appears to be increasing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There's no absolute data on the global population of white sharks and estimates vary widely from 3,000 to over 10,000. OCEARCH shark tracker: Follow great white sharks in Florida, beyond North Atlantic great white sharks migrate as far south as Florida and the Gulf in winter, searching for warmer waters and more food sources. OCEARCH is "a global nonprofit organization conducting unprecedented research on our oceans giants in order to help scientists collect previously unattainable data in the ocean," according to the group's website OCEARCH has tagged 140 white sharks, many of them along the Eastern Seaboard and Nova Scotia. You can follow their journeys on the OCEARCH shark tracker website or by downloading the OCEARCH Global Shark Tracker app. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Support local journalism by subscribing to a Florida news organization. This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Great white shark Florida tracker OCEARCH gets first season pings Is President Trump going to restart nuclear weapons testing? When will this federal shutdown end? Will Californians pass Proposition 50, scramble the state's congressional maps and shake up next year's midterm elections? Amid a swirl of high-stakes standoffs and unprecedented posturing by Trump, Gov. Gavin Newsom and other leaders in Washington and Sacramento, the future of U.S. politics, and California's role therein, has felt wildly uncertain of late. Political debate around things such as sending military troops into American cities, cutting off food aid for the poor or questioning constitutional guarantees such as birthright citizenship has become so untethered to longstanding norms that everything feels novel. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The pathways for taking political power as with Trump's teasing a potential third term, installing federal prosecutors without Senate confirmation, slashing federal budgets without congressional input and pressuring red states to redistrict in his favor before a midterm election have been so sharply altered that many Americans, and some historians and political experts, have lost confidence in U.S. democracy. "It's completely unprecedented, completely anomalous representative, I think, of a major transformation of our normal political life," said Jack Rakove, a Stanford University emeritus professor of history and political science. "You can't compare it to any other episode, any other period, any other set of events in American history. It is unique and radically novel in distressing ways," Rakove said. "As soon as Trump was reelected, we entered into a constitutional crisis. Why? Because Trump has no respect for constitutional structures." Read more: Voters in poll side with Newsom, Democrats on Prop. 50 a potential blow to Trump and GOP Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Abigail Jackson, a White House spokesperson, said in a statement that "President Trumps unorthodox approach is why he has been so successful and why he has received massive support from the American public." Jackson said Trump has "achieved more than any President has in modern history," including in "securing the border, getting dangerous criminals off American streets, brokering historic peace deals [and] bringing new investments to the U.S.," and that the Supreme Court has repeatedly backed his approach as legal. "So-called experts can pontificate all they want, but President Trumps actions have been consistently upheld by the Supreme Court despite a record number of challenges from liberal activists and unlawful rulings from liberal lower court judges," Jackson said. There are many examples of Trump flouting or suggesting he will flout the Constitution or other laws directly, and in ways that make people unsure and concerned about what will come next for the country politically, Rakove and other political experts said. His constant flirting with the idea of a third term in office does that, as does his legal challenge to birthright citizenship and his military's penchant for blasting alleged drug vessels out of international waters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Wednesday, Trump raised the prospect of further breaching international law and norms by appearing to suggest on social media that, for the first time in three decades, the U.S. would resume testing nuclear weapons. "Because of other countries testing programs, I have instructed the Department of War to start testing our Nuclear Weapons on an equal basis," Trump wrote leaving it unclear whether he meant detonating warheads or simply testing the missiles that deliver them. There are also many examples, the experts said, of American political norms being tossed aside and the nation's political future tossed in the air by others around Trump, both allies and enemies, who are trying to either please or push back against the unorthodox commander in chief with their own abnormal political maneuvers. One example is House Speaker Mike Johnson (R.-La.) refusing to swear in Adelita Grijalva, despite her being elected in September to represent parts of Arizona in Congress. Johnson has cited the shutdown, but others including Arizona's attorney general in a lawsuit have suggested Johnson is trying to prevent a House vote on releasing records about the late Jeffrey Epstein, the disgraced billionaire sex offender whom Trump was friends with before a reported falling out years ago. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Uncertainty about whether those records would implicate Trump or any other powerful people in any wrongdoing has swirled in Washington throughout Trump's term showing more staying power than perhaps any other issue, despite Trump's insistence that he's done nothing wrong and the issue is a distraction. The mid-decade redistricting battle in which California's Proposition 50 looms large is another prime example, the experts said. Normally, redistricting occurs each decade, after federal census data comes out. But at Trump's urging, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott agreed to redraw his state's congressional lines this year to help ensure Republicans maintain control of the House in the midterms. In response, Newsom and California Democrats introduced Proposition 50, asking California voters to amend the state Constitution to allow Democrats to redraw lines in their favor. As a result, Californians millions of whom have already voted have been getting bombarded by messages both for and against Proposition 50, many of which are hyper-focused on the uncertain implications for American democracy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Let's fight back and democracy can be defended," a Proposition 50 backer wrote on a postcard to one voter. "It is against democracy and rips away the power to draw congressional seats from the people," opponents of the measure wrote to others. H.W. Brands, a U.S. history professor at the University of Texas at Austin, said, "Americans who are worried about democracy are right to be concerned," because Trump "has broken or threatened many of the guardrails of democracy." But he also noted partly as a reflection of the dangerous moment the country is in that Trump has long rejected a particularly "sacred" part of American democracy by refusing to accept his loss to President Biden in 2020, and Americans reelected him in 2024 anyway. "Americans have always been divided politically. This is the first time (with the exception of 1860) that the division goes down to the fundamentals of democracy," Brands wrote in an email referencing the year the U.S. Confederacy seceded from the Union. High stakes The uncertainty has festered in an era of rampant political disinformation and under a president who has a penchant for challenging reality outright on a near-daily basis who on a trip through Asia this week not only said he'd "love" a third term, which is precluded by the Constitution, but claimed, falsely, that he is experiencing his best polling numbers ever. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The uncertainty has also been compounded by Democrats, who have wielded the only levers of power they have left by refusing to concede to Republicans in the raging shutdown battle in Washington and by putting Proposition 50 to California voters. Read more: When the federal shutdown closed this national park, rangers took to the classroom The shutdown has major, immediate implications. Not only are federal employees around the country, including in California, furloughed or without pay checks, but billions in additional federal funding is at risk. Democrats have resisted funding the government in an effort to force Republicans to back down from massive cuts to healthcare subsidies that help millions of Californians and many more Americans afford health coverage. The shutdown means Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits could be cut off for more than 40 million people nearly 1 in 8 Americans this weekend. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement California and other Democrat-led states have sued the Trump administration, asking a federal court to issue an emergency order requiring the USDA to use existing contingency funds to distribute SNAP funding. Jackson, the White House spokesperson, said Democrats should be asked when the shutdown will end, because "they are the ones who have decided to shut down the government so they can use working Americans and SNAP benefits as 'leverage' to pursue their radical left wing agenda." The redistricting battle could have even bigger impact. If Democrats retook the House next year, it would give them a real source of oversight power to confront Trump and block his MAGA agenda. If Republicans retain control, they will help facilitate Trump's agenda just as they have since he took office. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But even if Proposition 50 passes, as polling suggests it will, it's not clear that Democrats would win all the races lined up for them in the state, or that those seats would be enough to win Democrats the chamber given efforts to pick up Republican seats in Texas and elsewhere. The uncertainty around the midterms is, by extension, producing more uncertainty around the second half of Trump's term. What will Trump do, particularly if Republicans stay in power? Is he stationing troops in American cities as part of some broader play for retaining power, as some Democrats have suggested? Is he setting the groundwork to challenge the integrity of U.S. elections by citing his baseless claims about fraud in 2020 and putting fellow election deniers in charge of reviewing the system? Is he really gearing up to contest the constitutional limits on his tenure in the White House? He said he'd "love" to stay in office this week, but then he said it's "too bad" he's not allowed to. Fire with fire? According to David Greenberg, a history professor at Rutgers University, it is Trump's unorthodox policies and tactics but also his brash demeanor that "make this a more unsettled moment than we are used to feeling." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Sometimes when he's doing things that other presidents have done, he does it in such an outlandish way that it feels unprecedented," or is "stylistically" but not substantively unprecedented, Greenberg said. "Self-aggrandizing claims, often untrue. The brazenness with which he insults people. The way he changes his mind on something. That all is highly unusual and unique to Trump." In other instances, Greenberg said, Trump has pushed the boundaries of the law or busted political norms that previous presidents felt bound by. "One thing that Trump showed us is just how much of our functioning system depends not just on the letter of the law but on norms," Greenberg said. "What can the president do? What kind of power can he exert over the Justice Department and who it prosecutes? Well, it turns out he probably can do a lot more than should be permissible." However, the appropriate response is not the one seemingly gaining steam among Democrats to "be more like Trump" themselves or "fight fire with fire" but to look for ways to strengthen the political norms and boundaries Trump is ignoring, Greenberg said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The more the public, citizens in general, feel that it's OK to disregard long-standing ways of doing things that have stood the test of time until now, the more likely we are to enter into a more chaotic world a world in which there will be less justice, less democracy," Greenberg said. "It will be more subject to the whims or preferences of whoever is in power and in a liberal democracy, that is what you are striving to fight against." Get the L.A. Times California Politics newsletter. Deeply reported insights into legislation, politics and policy from Sacramento, Washington and beyond, in your inbox twice per week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. EAST PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) This week on Newsmakers: R.I. Superior Court Presiding Justice Alice Gibney discusses her retirement after a 44-year career on the bench, the rule of law in 2025, her most memorable cases and more. Prefer your Newsmakers on the go? Subscribe to our podcast! Apple | Spotify Download the WPRI 12 and Pinpoint Weather 12 apps to get breaking news and weather alerts. Watch 12 News Now on WPRI.com or with the free WPRI 12+ TV app. Follow us on social media: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Daily Roundup Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WPRI.com. BOSTON (WWLP) Massachusetts General Hospital shared spooky photos of babies ready to celebrate their first Halloween in the neonatal intensive care units. Stay safe this Halloween: Candy safety tips for trick-or-treaters The babies are all residents of the hospitals neonatal unit, or NICU. They are all dressed up as some of the smallest Disney characters youll ever see. The hospital is calling it a spook-tacular celebration of courage, cuteness, and care. Mass General for Children and Brigham and Womens Hospital Mass General for Children and Brigham and Womens Hospital Mass General for Children and Brigham and Womens Hospital Mass General for Children and Brigham and Womens Hospital Mass General for Children and Brigham and Womens Hospital Mass General for Children and Brigham and Womens Hospital In the NICU we love to celebrate every babys milestone no matter how small. A babies first holiday is something every parent cherishes. Being able to bring some extra joy and normalcy to the families during this time is such an honor. Erika Nolin, RN, a PICU nurse and one of the photoshoot organizers. 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. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WWLP. NEWARK, N.J. (PIX11) Big weekend plans are in store for the candidates for New Jersey Governor, who are hoping to secure as many final votes as they can. Both campaigns are putting on the gas here at the end, said Rider University political professor Micah Rasmussen. More Local News He says 1 million New Jerseyans have already voted early in-person or by mail, with Democratic voters holding an edge. Both candidates are very much in the hunt. Theres no question about that. But in the sense of those early votes, in the sense of the polls, I think theres still a perception that Jack [Ciattarelli] has more ground to make up. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Republican candidate Ciattarelli has a full weekend slate, with at least six campaign stops planned, from Toms River to Hazlet to Westfield. Meanwhile, Democratic candidate Mikie Sherrill is set to hold a rally with former President Barack Obama on Saturday in Newark. Its all part of what is a sprint to the finish. Theyre grueling days, 5 a.m. to 2 a.m. sometimes, and you just repeat the next day trying to get to that finish line on election day, said former candidate for New Jersey Governor and former State Assemblyman John Wisniewski. Its all about trying to hit those voters that are undecided, to make the case to the base on why its important to have a robust turnout and to look for any opportunity -and youve seen it in the ads- to try to challenge your opponent, to try to raise an issue with your opponent. Thats the last two weeks of a gubernatorial election in New Jersey. Make PIX11 your preferred news source on Google: Heres how Ciattarelli cast his vote Friday morning in Bridgewater. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sherrill, meanwhile, is expected to vote on Election Day. 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. A special master on Oct. 31 turned down Eleventh Judicial District Attorney Bernadine Martins request for an extension in her case. The state Supreme Court has ordered a three-day trial on a petition to remove Martin from office to start on Dec. 1. (Source file photos) A retired state judge on Friday denied requests from embattled McKinley County District Attorney Bernadine Martin for an extension in her case. Rather, Martin must respond by early November to the New Mexico Department of Justices petition to remove her from office in advance of a three-day trial starting Dec. 1. The state Supreme Court ruled earlier this month it would move forward with a trial in response to Attorney General Raul Torrezs August petition, which cited alleged violations of state law by Martin, among other concerns. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For instance, the petition alleges Martin created a hostile workplace environment; failed to prepare or subpoena witnesses in McKinley County; breached procurement law, despite a prior settlement with state ethics officials; had an improper reliance on contract attorneys; and said she continued to work in private legal practice while serving as district attorney, in violation of state law. In September, New Mexico Department of Justice attorneys took over prosecution of two cases in the Eleventh Judicial District, alleging Martin had improperly dismissed the cases and failed to send them to an outside prosecutor. State law for the removal of public officials requires a trial without a jury before the Supreme Court justices and establishes the courts decision as final. The states Supreme Court appointed Special Master Alan Malott, a retired Albuquerque district judge, to act as a trial judge. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a virtual hearing on Friday, Malott told Martins attorney Kathryn Hardy that the court could not accommodate the request for an additional 30 days to respond to the states requests for documents, saying the case, which he called a matter of extreme public interest, has very tight timelines. Malott also noted that any formal objection to the Supreme Courts order to hold a three-day trial in Santa Fe beginning on Dec. 1, or any other deadlines, would be due by Tuesday, Nov. 4. Martin has denied all allegations in court filings. A voicemail and text message to Martin were not returned before publication. In court filings, Martin has argued that the state law allowing for removal of district attorneys should only apply to her current term, which started in January of 2025, after her reelection to office in 2024. She argued it would be obviously unjust for the New Mexico Supreme Court to hear evidence for misconduct [that] may have occurred during a previous term. She further said the removal of district attorneys should be left either to the state Legislature or voters when the public official stands for reelection. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The New Mexico Department of Justice has disagreed, citing state laws that district attorneys may be removed from office in a court proceeding, for certain reasons including: failure, neglect or refusal to perform the duties of the office. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Its all change at 10 Downing St where Steve Davis and Micky Mitchell, two of the custodians who answer the famous black door to visitors, retired today. Steve has been on the No 10 door for 28 years, Micky has been welcoming the PMs visitors for 18 years. Steve remembers meeting Tony Blair when he was PM. Blair asked him: How long have you been here? Steve replied: One year and I will still be here when you are gone. Years after quitting as PM, Blair returned to Number 10. Im still here, Steve told him, after he opened the door. The Commons first knit of winter MP Angus MacDonald is partial to a hand-knitted jumper - House of Commons Inverness and Skyes Liberal Democrat MP Angus MacDonald may be one of the wealthiest people at Westminster (he made his fortune in financial publishing) but he is partial to a hand-knitted jumper, sporting a striking blue and yellow effort in the Chamber this week. Energy minister Michael Shanks replied: We know that winter has come when the Hon Gentleman turns up in his lovely knitted jumpers. It is a pleasure to see them back again. Faulks gripes Birdsong author Sebastian Faulks has been getting some things off his chest. Firstly, everyone has been saying his name wrong for years. Its pronounced folks not forks, he told the Rosebud podcast. And he is still grumbling about a defeat on University Challenge in 1972 when he competed for Emmanuel College, Cambridge against the University of Glasgow. We lost. Almost all Bamber Gascoignes questions were about the geography of the Western Isles, he says. Not that Im bitter or anything! Sarahs Lady Day Sarah Mullally has made a subtly triumphal point in choosing Wednesday March 25 for her enthronement as Archbishop of Canterbury. Mullaly will be the first woman installed as the Primate of All England. March 25 is the Feast of the Annunciation, an occasion also known as Lady Day. Tescos not good enough The Cabinet Office has disclosed why it used a government credit card to buy 550-worth of fine wine from high-class Mayfair vintner Berry Bros a day before a ban was imposed on the cards use to save money. Cabinet Office minister Nick Thomas-Symonds explained to MPs: A small stock is held to offer to dignitaries and visitors at short notice. This purchase was made when the stock was found to be empty. This was done on cost effective grounds, Thomas-Symonds said. But why Berry Bros? What about the bottles on offer at Tescos next to Westminster Tube station? Perhaps every little doesnt help. Brexits inventor Lawyer Peter Wilding is the reluctant inventor of the word Brexit. I put it in a blogpost in 2012 and then forgot all about it., he told me on GB News this week. And it turned out to be my consolation prize when the Oxford English Dictionary rings me up just after the [EU] referendum and says Guess what we went back and found you were the first one to use it. Congratulations! Wilding himself is a Remainer. Isnt life full or ironies? he said, adding. It would have been nice to copyright the word. Kings English saved Good news! The Kings English Society which I disclosed in August was facing being wound up has had a new lease of life after an injection of new blood. Peter Tompkins, the new chairman of the 52-year-old society, tells me: I have assembled a vibrant new committee, somewhat younger than in the past, and we are actively developing what we do to serve a wider audience both in the UK and abroad. Our focus will continue to be on the enjoyment of English in whatever form and on the clarity which good English delivers. Bravo! Wellies in town Thanks for your tales of sartorial disasters after I turned up at work in the wrong suit trousers last week. Lots of you apparently have gone to work in mismatched suit or shoes. But Michael Weeden remembered a City gent who commuted by train from the Kent coast to London. He tells me: He lived in the country and wore wellies to the station, which he always took off once on board, handed them to his wife on the platform and put on his smart black business shoes she handed to him in exchange. On one occasion, the train moved off before he was able to remove his boots and didnt have time to grab his shoes from his distraught wife. I have a vision of him walking along Threadneedle Street to his bank. Peterborough, published every Friday at 7pm, is edited by Christopher Hope. You can reach him at peterborough@telegraph.co.uk Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. US President Donald Trump denied on Friday he had decided to strike inside Venezuela as part of a military campaign against drug cartels. "There are reports that you considering strikes within Venezuela. Is that true?" a reported ask Trump on Air Force One as the president flew to Florida for the weekend. "No," Trump replied. When pressed again on whether a decision had been made, he said: "No, it's not true." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Miami Herald and the Wall Street Journal, citing people briefed on the matter, recently reported that US strikes on Venezuela could come soon, targeting military facilities allegedly used for drug smuggling. Trump has repeatedly vowed to take tough action against drug cartels. "I think we're just going to kill people that are bringing drugs into our country, OK?" he said earlier this week. "Were going to kill them, you know? Theyre going to be, like, dead." He also raised the possibility of ground operations without explicitly naming Venezuela. The mounting US military activity has also stoked fears in Venezuela of a US attack aimed at pushing the authoritarian government of President Nicolas Maduro out of power. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Two weeks ago, Trump disclosed that he had approved covert operations by the Central Intelligence Agency in Venezuela. Since September, the administration has authorized strikes on boats in the Caribbean and Pacific said to be carrying narcotics to the US The strikes, many allegedly linked to Venezuelan criminal organizations, have killed at least 61 people. Critics say the actions amount to extrajudicial killings in international waters. Led by its 42nd National President, Poonam Sharma, the initiative reaffirmed the organisation's commitment to sustainability, women's entrepreneurship, and regional cooperation. The 34-member delegation, represented by Puja Garg, FICCI FLO's National Senior Vice President, and curated by Smriti Puri, National Treasurer, engaged with senior Bhutanese leaders, institutions, and entrepreneurs to learn from Bhutan's globally admired model of Sustainable Development, Controlled Tourism, and Gross National Happiness (GNH). A highlight of the visit was a special audience with Bhutan King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck. The King of Bhutan shared his vision for the Gelephu Mindfulness City, a pioneering initiative that integrates mindfulness, innovation, and sustainability --ideals that deeply resonate with FLO's mission of responsible and inclusive growth. "His Majesty's vision for mindful living and sustainable progress truly inspired us. It beautifully aligns with FLO's belief that women are the architects of a more sustainable and equitable future," said Poonam Sharma, National President, FICCI FLO. During the visit, the delegation also met with business leaders and policy experts to explore cross-border collaborations in green innovation, entrepreneurship, and capacity building. FICCI FLO felicitated two distinguished Bhutanese leaders for their contributions: Tandy Wangchuk, President, Bhutan Chamber of Commerce & Industry (BCCI) -- for his leadership in promoting sustainable business practices, and Damchae Dem, Founder & CEO, Bhutan Association of Women Entrepreneurs (BAOWE) -- for her work in empowering women and fostering inclusive economic growth, the release said. "FLO's Bhutan initiative demonstrates the power of women-led collaboration in shaping a more connected and conscious region," said Puja Garg, Senior Vice President, FICCI FLO. "This visit was about action and alliance -- connecting women entrepreneurs and driving meaningful partnerships rooted in sustainability," noted Smriti Puri, National Treasurer and Program Curator. "Education and well-being are essential to building bridges of growth between our nations," added Ritu Singh, Governing Body Member, FICCI FLO. Since its inception in 1983, FICCI FLO has been India's leading platform for women's economic empowerment, with over 14,000 members across 21 chapters. Its work spans skill development, digital literacy, entrepreneurship, health, and leadership, impacting millions of women across the country. According to the release, the delegation's interactions underscored shared priorities -- sustainability, women's leadership, and community-based progress. "Looking ahead, FLO envisions working with the Bhutan Chamber of Commerce & Industry to jointly design initiatives that: Strengthen women-led entrepreneurship and skill development, Promote green innovation and sustainable livelihoods, and Foster leadership exchange between India and Bhutan," the release added. The release further said that Bhutan KingBhutan KingBhutan KingBhutan King. (ANI) On Wednesday, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced another boat in the Eastern Pacific was destroyed by the U.S. military for allegedly carrying drugs. Four people onboard were killed, marking the 14th such strike since Sept. 1, which have killed at least 61 people, with two survivors and one person missing. The Trump administration has admitted they dont know who is on these boats and in fact, dont find it particularly necessary to find out. The administration also has yet to provide hard evidence that any of these destroyed boats plus one semi-submersible craft, also known as a narco-submarine are actually carrying drugs. Speaking to CNN on Thursday, Rep. Sara Jacobs, D-Calif., detailed a briefing from Pentagon officials on the boat strikes: They said that they do not need to positively identify individuals on the vessel to do the strikes. Jacobs also explained why the military has not attempted to detain or prosecute survivors, because they could not satisfy the evidentiary burden. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theres nothing that we heard in there that changes my assessment that this is completely illegal, that it is unlawful and even if Congress authorized it, it would still be illegal because there are extrajudicial killings where we have no evidence, Jacobs said. The U.N.s human rights chief Volker Turk seems to agree. On Friday, he demanded an end to the attacks, saying they exist in circumstances that find no justification in international law. Turk also called for immediate and independent investigation of the attacks. These attacks and their mounting human cost are unacceptable, Turk said in a statement. The U.S. must halt such attacks and take all measures necessary to prevent the extrajudicial killing of people aboard these boats, whatever the criminal conduct alleged against them. Under international human rights law, the intentional use of lethal force is only permissible as a last resort against individuals who pose an imminent threat to life, Turk added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Earlier this week, the Trump administration provided more than a dozen Senate Republicans, excluding Democrats, with a secret target list for the ongoing military campaign, while also attempting to justify the legality of the strikes. ABC News reported that the new information suggested the administration was preparing for sustained operations against drug cartels and that it believed the military strikes could withstand potential legal challenges. The coasts of some Caribbean nations have emptied as of late, as fear of the growing U.S. military presence and bombings has risen. The Washington Post reported that homes on Trinidad and Tobago, an island nation near Venezuela, are vacant while the waters on which Trinidadians have long relied for their food, livelihoods and leisure no longer feel safe. We are facing an extremely dangerous and untenable situation in the southern Caribbean, Barbados Prime Minister Mia Mottley said Saturday according to the Post. Peace is critical to all that we do in this region, and now, that peace is being threatened. The post No justification: UN human rights chief condemns unacceptable strikes on alleged drug boats appeared first on Salon.com. A severe outbreak of bird flu gripping Germany continues to spread, with commercial poultry farms in 10 of the country's 16 federal states now affected, according to official figures on Friday. A total of 48 farms have reported outbreaks of avian influenza since early September, said the Friedrich Loeffler Institute (FLI), which is responsible for monitoring animal health. The latest figures show that bird flu has been confirmed at another three farms since Thursday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement All livestock at the affected farms has been culled to prevent the virus from spreading further, with more than 525,000 animals killed so far. An FLI spokesman urged caution, saying cases could rise further due to the dynamic nature of the outbreak. Avian influenza is an infectious disease that is often fatal to many species of birds. The state of Lower Saxony has recorded the most cases so far, with confirmed infections in 17 poultry farms. This is followed by the eastern states of Brandenburg with eight farms affected and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern with six. The highly contagious H5N1 variant has been officially confirmed in 248 carcasses of wild birds, though the number of animals that have died from it is far higher, the FLI said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Brandenburg alone, several thousand cranes have died from the disease. The state surrounds the capital, Berlin. In a bid to protect livestock, the states of Saarland and Hamburg ordered a statewide ban on free-range poultry farming, with the aim of preventing bird flu from spreading to breeding, fattening and domestic poultry stocks. Other states have since introduced their own bans on free-range poultry farming, though often limited to certain regions. Abubakr Ahmed was ready to die on the soil he had fought so hard to defend from Sudans paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). For 550 days, he fought as a member of the popular resistance, a neighbourhood group formed to help the army and aligned armed groups protect el-Fasher from the RSF, their rival in the two-and-a-half-year civil war. The besieged city was the last army stronghold in the sprawling region of Darfur, until it fell on October 26. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) chief Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, the army surrendered and negotiated the safe exit of its troops in the hope of stopping a bloodbath. But their withdrawal left 250,000 people starving and beleaguered civilians to face the RSF alone. Ahmed remembers shooting his way out of the city with a handful of young men from his unit. During the final clashes, shrapnel hit Ahmed in the abdomen after a rocket-propelled grenade blew up a car nearby. He managed to escape, unlike so many others. The RSF killed civilians and left their corpses in the streets, Ahmed, 29, told Al Jazeera after he had escaped el-Fasher. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They were killed without mercy. Mass exodus In the first three days after capturing el-Fasher, the RSF killed at least 1,500 people, according to the local monitor Sudans Doctors Network. The figure includes the killings of 460 patients and their companions from the local al-Saud hospital, which has also been verified by the World Health Organization. Al Jazeeras own verification unit, Sanad, authenticated several videos that showed RSF troops standing over a pile of dead bodies or executing a row of unarmed young men. The mass killing has prompted more than 33,000 people to flee already, with many arriving in nearby towns and villages such as Tawila and Tine, about 60km (37 miles) away. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, most civilians remain trapped in el-Fasher, hiding from RSF gunmen. Others are still making the long and exhausting trek through the open desert to reach safety, likely separated from friends and loved ones and without anything to eat or drink. One survivor, Mohammed, said that he reached Tawila on October 28 and that he expects tens of thousands of new arrivals to show up soon. Like most inhabitants from el-Fasher, Mohammed is from one of the sedentary non-Arab tribes that has historically been persecuted by the nomadic Arab tribes that make up the majority of the RSF. The majority of people wont stay in el-Fasher because they are terrified of the RSF. They dont trust the RSF because they know they will be persecuted by them, Mohammed told Al Jazeera. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Arabs will live in one place and the non-Arabs in another. Thats just the way it is now, unfortunately, he added. Echoes of Rwanda RSFs leader, Mohamad Hamdan Hemedti Dagalo, said in a speech on Wednesday that he promises to investigate reports of abuses taking place. But survivors say the killing in el-Fasher appears to be a systematic attempt to ethnically cleanse the non-Arab population. The Yale Humanitarian Research Lab (HRL), which provides satellite analysis of the fighting in Darfur, said in a report on October 28 that there was clear evidence that the RSF was killing people en masse as they tried to flee. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The scale of these mass killings cannot currently be communicated in satellite imagery alone and it is highly likely that any estimates of the total number of people who RSF has killed are undercounted, the HRL report said. Sheldon Yett, the Sudan representative for the United Nations Childrens Foundation (UNICEF), described the scenes in el-Fasher as killing fields. I was in Rwanda during the genocide, and there are echoes of this here. The kind of slaughter we are seeing and the sense of pride that [the perpetrators] have in killing innocent people [in el-Fasher] is what scares me, Yett told Al Jazeera. In addition, he said that UNICEF has lost contact with many of the local relief volunteers and initiatives that they were supporting on the ground, including the staff running community kitchens, which play a pivotal role in mitigating hunger across Sudan. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He said that many of them are in acute danger. The RSF has a track record of targeting local relief workers across Sudan, often accusing them of collaborating with the army. The situation of many of our national partners [in el-Fasher] remains very precarious, and we have had trouble getting in touch with many of the people we rely on to provide services to people, Lytt said. That doesnt mean they are dead. But many are on the move and hiding, and theyre afraid, he added. Hollow condemnation News and videos of atrocities in el-Fasher prompted statements of condemnation from the UN, United States and European Union. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They all called on the RSF to protect civilians and abide by international law. But survivors and analysts say that the global community should have used their diplomatic leverage to try and prevent atrocities from ever taking place. The RSF tried to take over el-Fasher for so many months and from the very first day we knew what was going to happen to el-Fasher if they succeeded, said Hamid Khalafallah, an expert on Sudan and a PhD candidate at Manchester University. This is a case of refusal and betrayal by the international community, especially from multilateral organisations like the UN and Western powers They didnt try to do anything serious in regards to protecting civilians, he told Al Jazeera. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jean-Baptiste Gallopin, a senior researcher in the Crisis, Conflict and Arms Division at Human Rights Watch, noted that the RSF has a pattern of committing mass atrocities after seizing or invading new territory, as it did in el-Geniena and Aradamata in West Darfur. He stressed that diplomats failed to end the pattern of impunity by refusing to sanction RSF leader Hemedti, possibly out of a belief that it would impede ceasefire talks. This enduring impunity has made the RSF comfortable enough to film their own crimes in el-Fasher, said Gallopin. Diplomats are focused on getting to an elusive ceasefire and in that process they put aside any measures to protect civilians, or sanction perpetrators that they think could get in the way of a ceasefire, he told Al Jazeera. But then, nobody is held to account for attacks on civilians and the international community, in essence, washes its hands of the atrocities that occur. Key Points If your SNAP benefits are delayed, local food banks, school meal programs, and community pantries can provide immediate assistance use Feeding Americas Food Bank Finder or call the USDA National Hunger Hotline for help. For affordable groceries, apps like Flashfood and programs such as Virginia Fresh Matchm help stretch food budgets by offering discounts and matching SNAP dollars for fresh produce. Those looking to give can donate to or volunteer with food banks and national nonprofits like Feeding America or No Kid Hungry, which work to keep families fed during funding disruptions. When Jaime*, a California resident living in Napa Valley, lost her job a few years ago, she didn't have to worry about finding help. She simply applied for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which provided her with a little extra cash to put food on the table. "It's very helpful because food in California is very expensive," she shared with Food & Wine. She's not saying that lightly, either. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, in 2024, the average household in California spent approximately $300 per week on groceries, roughly the same as what Jaime gets in a month. Still, it's something. However, even that money might soon be unavailable due to the government shutdown. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Thursday, Food & Wine reported that 25 states are suing the Trump administration to compel it to release emergency funds to continue paying SNAP benefits to the more than 40 million Americans who rely on them each month. To date, the administration has refused, and even if the states win their case, it could be weeks before people get their back payments. That means many Americans likely including your friends, neighbors, or even you could go hungry. Related: 25 States Are Fighting to Keep Food on the Table for Millions of Americans "I have no idea what's going to happen," Jaime said when asked what comes after that November 1 deadline for her. But for now, she's relying on food banks and the strength of her community to get her through. "We're left to our own devices finding food from neighbors, finding food from food banks. [Trump] doesn't care about the people who are underneath him who are looking for help," Jaime said. "People need to know that when times are rough, it is OK to ask the government for assistance because it is their job to help in times of need. That's why FEMA exists, that's why the Department of Justice (now the Department of War) exists, to protect us when we need protecting." Key SNAP statistics, according to the USDA Number of participants : In 2024, per the U.S. Department of Agriculture, SNAP averaged 41.7 million participants per month Cost : Federal SNAP spending totaled $99.8 billion Average benefit : $187.20 per participant per month Who uses it: In 2023, adults aged 1859 accounted for the largest share of SNAP participants at 42%, followed by children at 39%, and adults aged 60 and older at 19%. White individuals are the largest racial group receiving SNAP benefits, at 35.4% Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It's critical to note that once the shutdown ends, missed payments will be reimbursed, and beneficiaries won't permanently lose their benefits. However, this funding gap could cause significant hardship for millions of Americans. There are also other ways for people to make ends meet without SNAP benefits. As Kelli Smith, the director of financial planning at Edelman Financial Engines, explained, it begins with knowing how to prepare for even leaner times. When budgets are tight or SNAP assistance is disrupted, every dollar counts. Planning meals in advance, choosing store brands, and using digital coupons or cashback apps can help families save without sacrificing nutrition," Smith explained. "Even small adjustments like cooking in batches, freezing leftovers, or shopping store promotions can add up to meaningful savings over the course of a month. "SNAP is our nations best defense against hunger. There is no way our charitable food network here in Massachusetts can provide enough food to replace this essential program. It's an impossible task both financially and logistically." Catherine D'Amato, president and CEO at The Greater Boston Food Bank Smith also noted that community resources can help bridge the gap. "Local food banks and pantries usually step up quickly when theres a disruption, offering essentials like produce, canned goods, and pantry staples. School meal programs can also be another lifeline." However, many of these services say they are already hitting their limits. "Food banks and local charities are already stretched thin and cannot replace SNAP, especially as demand for food assistance increases around the holidays. For every meal a food bank provides, SNAP provides nine," shared Darcy Milburn, the director of social security and healthcare policy at The Arc of the United States, an organization that serves people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Milburn explained that this cutoff to funds will have a "disproportionate impact on people with disabilities: At least 10% of SNAP beneficiaries are adults with disabilities under the age of 65. SNAP also serves many low-income people who have disabilities but are not considered disabled under SNAPs rules, which use an extremely strict definition of disability." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Related: 5 Tips for Saving Money on Groceries, According to a Budget Shopper Even larger food banks, such as The Greater Boston Food Bank, which noted in its fifth annual statewide food access report that an estimated 2 million Massachusetts adults (more than one in three residents) faced food insecurity in 2024, are already overwhelmed by the challenge of combating even more hunger. "SNAP is our nations best defense against hunger. There is no way our charitable food network here in Massachusetts can provide enough food to replace this essential program," Catherine D'Amato, the president and CEO at The Greater Boston Food Bank, said. "It's an impossible task both financially and logistically." According to D'Amato, the four Massachusetts food banks would need to provide up to 56 million more meals in November alone to compensate for the shortfall in SNAP benefits. "Thats more than four times what the food bank system currently distributes in an average month." But just because this all feels like an impossible hill to climb doesn't mean that those who can should stop giving. "Hunger is not a problem that philanthropy alone can solve, but for those who are able and inclined to provide financial support, giving to food banks is one way people can help," D'Amato said. "The purchasing power of food banks enables us to acquire healthy food at deep discounts and distribute this food through our network of food pantries and other food assistance providers." Smith emphasized that those seeking help should also consider turning to community and faith-based groups, such as churches and neighborhood centers, which often host free meal events or offer grocery vouchers. "The best thing you can do is check whats available in your area now, before youre in a pinch, so you know exactly where to turn if benefits are delayed. Poverty isn't something experienced by a few or in isolation. As Confronting Poverty explained, 60% of Americans will experience at least "one year below the official poverty line," and three-quarters of Americans will face poverty or near poverty. That means it and the food insecurity that comes with it are issues for everyone. However, if you have the means, Jaime said the simplest way to address it is with empathy and a little helping hand. As she said, "If you have food and you have access to food, just invite your neighbor over for a meal." Ways to find and give help Try alternative discount services like Flashfood: Flashfood is an affordable grocery app that partners with grocery stores to sell their surplus food at a discount. They're available in more than 2,000 grocery stores across North America and offer fresh food including produce, meat, and dairy at 50% off or more. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Give to or receive help from food banks: As the Greater Boston Food Bank explained, it has 600 food distribution partners that will continue to "do everything we can to provide as much healthy food as possible to our neighbors in this time of great need." Use Feeding America's Food Bank Finder to locate the closest one to you, which you can also donate to directly. Give to national nonprofits: There are many national nonprofits, including Feeding America and No Kid Hungry, that assist at the national, state, and local community levels. Sarah Steely, the director at No Kid Hungry Virginia, told Food & Wine that people can and should explore programs like Virginia Fresh Match, which lets individuals double the value of SNAP benefits used for fruits and vegetables. (Virginia residents can get direct assistance by texting CONNECT to 247211.) Check local nonprofits like City Harvest: According to City Harvest CEO Jilly Stephens, the organization has been distributing food at Fort Wadsworth on Staten Island, Fort Hamilton in Brooklyn, and near LaGuardia and JFK airports to support federal workers affected by the shutdown. It is now working to expand distributions to its food pantry partners in areas with high numbers of SNAP recipients. "As the government shutdown continues, even more of our fellow New Yorkers could find themselves in need of food assistance. No matter what happens in the weeks to come, City Harvest is committed to being here, rescuing and delivering as much food as we can for anyone in our city who needs it. Find local free markets: Urban Gleaners operates 21 public free food markets open to anyone. The team shared that since the start of the Trump administration, their market attendance has increased significantly, and they expect a substantial rise after this weekend. They noted in a statement shared with Food & Wine, "One of the tenets core to our mission that food access is as barrier-free as possible for those dealing with food insecurity will continue to be a guiding light as we face this winter without SNAP access." Get additional assistance: Need more help? Call the USDA National Hunger Hotline at 1-866-3-HUNGRY or 1-877-8-HAMBRE, or text "FOOD" to 914-342-7744. *Editor's note: Jaime asked to remain anonymous to respect her privacy. Read the original article on Food & Wine A little after 10 p.m. on a recent October night, a group of kids ran up to the doorbell of a West Boca Raton home and made to flee, one of a series of ding-dong ditch pranks they said they were committing in the neighborhood, according to a probable cause affidavit. But instead of escaping, one of the pranksters a 14-year-old boy ended up on his knees on the ground outside, thinking he was about to be shot as the homes resident aimed a gun with a flashlight at him and told him you messed with the wrong guy, the teen told police. The resident, Santiago Cairo, 40, was arrested Oct. 16 on an aggravated assault charge after admitting to police he went too far, though he said he never pointed the gun at the boy and believed the group was trying to break into his house. The Palm Beach County Sheriffs Office petitioned for a risk protection order against him the day after his arrest, and a judge granted a temporary one. Prosecutors have not yet filed formal charges. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The prank is now one of several in Florida and across the country to end with children held at gunpoint, injured, or killed in recent months, leading to warnings from law enforcement officials against participating in the mischief. Today, the teens are fueled by social media trends, though the concept of ding-dong ditching dates as far back as the 19th century. Yet some say that such pranks, once tolerated as juvenile fun, are no longer safe or acceptable in todays cultural climate, in part due to the allowance of open carry and the expansion of stand-your-ground laws. The incidents are also part of a broader conversation about stand-your-ground laws and homeowners rights. Earlier this month, the documentary The Perfect Neighbor brought national attention to a 2023 case involving a Marion County woman who called the police several times on children playing near her home before shooting and killing one of the childrens mothers through her door, claiming she thought the woman was breaking in. For months, prosecutors did not file charges, leading to public backlash. In response to the ding-dong ditch incidents, South Florida residents and gun rights supporters have argued that kids need to take responsibility and gun rights are not to blame, while others say that homeowners have become too trigger-happy. This is a very dangerous game, said Michelle Suskauer, a West Palm Beach defense attorney and former president of the Florida Bar. To ring someones doorbell and run away, especially in this era of open carry and stand your ground. Its a dangerous game. But it still does not give someone the unfettered ability to misuse the law. Pranks end in violent confrontations, deaths Several ding-dong ditch pranks have led to violent altercations and even deaths in South Florida and beyond. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In September, a 42-year-old military veteran shot and killed an 11-year-old boy after the child banged on his door as part of a prank in Texas, according to reports. The man is facing murder charges. In May, a group of middle school boys in Palm Beach decided to ding-dong ditch a classmates house multiple times during a sleepover when a 45-year-old man followed them in his car, got out, and pointed his gun at each of them, asking them who did it? until one of the boys told him which of the friends rang his doorbell, according to a probable cause affidavit. The man later pleaded guilty to improper exhibition of a firearm, was sentenced to a year probation and ordered to take anger management classes. His guns were removed under a risk protection order. Meanwhile, in March, a Margate man pursued a car carrying a group of five teenagers and pointed a gun at them after they knocked on his car door and ran away, according to a probable cause affidavit. He later told police his friend had informed him that someone was trying to steal his vehicle, so he followed the group of teens he believed were responsible, pointing the gun at them to get them to stop, according to the affidavit. He faces four counts of aggravated assault. Perhaps the most well-known tragedy took place almost 22 years ago in a Boca Raton neighborhood less than a mile from Cairos home. Just after midnight on Oct. 25, 2003, the night of his 16th birthday, Mark Drewes went ding-dong ditching with a friend along Woodbury Road when a resident shot him in the back as he was running away. He was only 10 houses away from his own home when he died, his paternal uncle, Russell Drewes, told the South Florida Sun Sentinel this week. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mark Drewes mother ran out into the street and held him as he was dying until police told her to move away due to the crime scene, Russell Drewes said. The shooter, Jay Levin, who was 40 at the time, later pleaded guilty to manslaughter as part of a deal that allowed him to spend weekends in jail for a year, followed by nine years of probation. A judge later cut his probation short at the five-year mark, despite protests from Drewes family. Throughout the case, which received national attention, Mark was described as large for his age and intimidating, Russell Drewes said, while many took Levins side. They said these crazy kids nowadays cant be ringing the doorbell and will probably be robbing your house, Drewes recalled. (Levin) was treated with kid gloves. Mark was treated as if he was a murderer or he was a crazily dangerous person. No such thing as a prank anymore Similar sentiments in favor of homeowners have emerged online in response to the recent ding-dong ditch incidents. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Earlier this month, the Broward Sheriffs Office Parkland district posted a warning on Facebook urging children not to participate in door-knocking pranks. Heads up, Parkland parents! We get it its just a prank. But when masked kids on e-bikes keep showing up on Ring cameras in Parkland Reserve, and we keep getting calls, its not so funny anymore, the post read, alongside a Ring camera picture of masked children appearing to kick a door. Our SROs are helping identify them and will be contacting parents. This prank may make homeowners feel unsafe, escalate into confrontations, and in some cases, lead to criminal investigations if property is damaged. We all have better things to do, so lets choose fun that doesnt cause problems for our neighbors. After identifying the children, deputies met with them and their parents and educated them about the dangers of this prank, Carey Codd, a spokesperson for BSO, told the Sun Sentinel in an email. The prank did not cause any damage and no criminal charges were filed. This issue is not isolated to Parkland, and when these incidents do happen in Parkland, deputies make a concerted effort to identify and locate the juveniles involved, meet with them and their parents/caregivers and inform them of the dangers of this prank and the potential consequences of their actions, Codd said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After BSO shared the post, hundreds of commenters defended the homeowners, with some encouraging violence against the children. Pellet in the back is first warning, one person wrote in a comment that received over 20 likes. Caliber goes up from there. On a different Facebook post about Cairos arrest, residents defended him and criticized the children, with some suggesting they were in fact attempting a break-in. How do we know its not a burglary attempt split decisions are made when someone tries to knock down your door, one commenter wrote. A good Lawyer will get all charges dropped. He was in fear of his life. I will do the same. Dont come knocking around me. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Of course the kid will say its ring and run, said another. But he was probably checking to see if the house was empty to break into. No such thing as a prank anymore. Cairo told deputies that he was walking his dog when he saw the group of children near his front door and thought they were attempting to break in. He went inside, grabbed his gun, and then called 911 while looking for the group outside, at which point he came upon the 14-year-old boy. Holding the gun with the light attached, Cairo ordered the boy onto his knees and told him to put his phone on the ground, the boy said, according to the affidavit. He thought Cairo was law enforcement based on his tone, commands, and possession of a firearm. Cairo then grabbed the boys shoulder and tried to push him down. When deputies arrived, the boy ran to them for safety. The boys father declined to comment when contacted by the Sun Sentinel. Cairos attorney, Luis Cartaya, told the Sun Sentinel that he hopes prosecutors will decide not to file charges as his client was doing what any homeowner would do in a similar situation. Cairo still believes the children may have been planning to break into his house, Cartaya said, while it was not clear that the alleged pranksters were children. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement You cant really wait until a persons inside your house to determine whether or not theyre doing a prank or its someone ready to rob your house, Cartaya said. If someone at your house is committing a felony you have the right to arm yourself. It comes down to stand-your-ground rights. Itll come down to whether or not he was in fear for his life. Back when I was a kid When a group of children arrived at the door of Nancy Cavanaghs Boynton Beach home one evening in 2021, she was finishing dinner with her triplet 14-year-old daughters. Then a sudden banging left all three of the girls petrified. If it werent for their Ring camera, Cavanagh wouldnt have known the visitors were children playing a prank. For several weeks, the group returned to the house, sometimes ringing the bell, other times pounding on the door. The pranks were invasive, Cavanagh said, though she was mostly concerned for the childrens safety, not her own. Eventually, she posted a warning in her community Facebook page to alert the neighbors. Im familiar with ding-dong ditching, she told the Sun Sentinel. If this was done back when I was a kid, it wouldnt have mattered. But now, in this day and age, theres just a lot of wackos out there with guns. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Others share Cavanaghs perception that it is more dangerous than ever to play pranks on strangers homes. While there is no data that specifically tracks gun usage in response to pranks, more homeowners own guns than ever before, and studies show that a growing number of gun owners say they purchased their weapons specifically for protection. Citizens have long maintained the right to defend their own homes against intruders under what is known as the castle doctrine. But in Florida in 2005, that doctrine expanded beyond the home into the states Stand Your Ground law, the first in the nation, which allowed citizens to shoot and kill others in public as well as private as long as they had a reasonable belief that they were defending themselves against great bodily harm or a forcible felony, such as burglary. Prior to 2005, Floridians had a duty to retreat in public, unlike in private. The law also created a mandatory presumption that homeowners have a reasonable fear of death or great bodily harm as long as someone unlawfully and forcibly enters their house. Before, those prosecuted for shooting an intruder had to prove in court that their fear was reasonable. Further loosening of gun laws has followed in recent months. In September, Florida began allowing open carry following a court ruling that deemed a ban on the practice to be unconstitutional. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some legal experts say these changes could contribute to more self-defense-related shootings and a broader sentiment among the public that using a gun to defend the home is lawful, even when its not. I think there is a perception that now, with open carry, you can do whatever you want when someone is on your property, Suskauer said. And maybe its because theres a misunderstanding of what a homeowner can or cant do, or maybe theres a misunderstanding that the homeowner can basically do whatever they want to do. Open-carry laws may also create more fear among the public that someone might have or be reaching for a gun, leading to more self-defense shootings, said Tamara Lave, a law professor at the University of Miami. But gun advocates say that stand-your-ground and open-carry laws have little effect on the dangers of childrens pranks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gun laws have nothing to do with this, said Luis Valdes, the Florida state director for Gun Owners of America. This just comes back to the simple fact that the majority of Floridas gun owners are responsible and they understand, when it comes to use of force, there is a time and place and justification for it. Ultimately, Valdes said it is the parents responsibility to ensure their childrens safety. Parents need to be responsible and teach their kids, dont play pranks, he said. Thats the proper response here. Where is the line? Though homeowners may feel entitled to wield guns or shoot at a perceived threat at their door, those confrontations are often still illegal, experts say. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What people have to argue is, when kids come to the door, that what theyre doing constitutes a forcible felony, Lave said. It means theyre in the process of unlawfully and forcibly entering a dwelling, residence or occupied vehicle. Thats a question of proof. And I dont think ringing a doorbell meets that. Whether a situation is dangerous enough that a homeowner could be justified in shooting or brandishing a weapon often comes down to really small facts, Lave said, such as if the visitor only rang the doorbell or attempted to open the door or banged on the window. In the Marion County case that inspired the documentary, for example, Lave said a major issue in the investigation became whether the woman killed, Ajike Owens, had grabbed the handle of the door before the resident, Susan Lorincz, shot her through it. Lorincz claimed that Owens had pounded aggressively on the door and she feared that Owens would open it. For several days, police did not arrest Lorincz, leading to public backlash. One of the children in West Boca had reached for Cairos door handle, Cartaya said, though that detail is not mentioned in the probable cause affidavit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Stand-your-ground laws often make it more difficult to prosecute residents or those claiming self-defense, even if they were in the wrong, legal experts say. When a shooter claims self-defense, police are not allowed to make an arrest and can be fined if they do, which can impede or delay investigations, leading to a lack of evidence should prosecutors ultimately decide to file charges. The police officer is not interviewing anybody, not doing a search incident to arrest, not fingerprinting, or looking at ballistics evidence, Lave said. What ends up happening is it slows down and may end up imperiling or undermining investigations. The recent ding-dong ditch pranks that resulted in arrests often involved public skirmishes even though the prank initially took place at a home. Many times, defendants followed pranksters off of their own properties. Cairo detained the 14-year-old about 200 feet from his front door, off of his immediate property, a deputy noted in the probable cause affidavit. The 11-year-old killed in Texas was running down the street when the homeowner ran out into the same street and shot him, police said. The man has since been charged with murder. In Mark Drewes case, Levin shot him from where he stood at the front door. Levin later argued that he feared for his life. After serving five years of his 10-year probation sentence, a judge cut the probation short, against the wishes of Drewes family. The family had originally agreed to the plea deal, but regretted it because they felt Levin was not remorseful for what had happened, according to reports from the time. Levins attorneys disputed that characterization. Russell Drewes was concerned to hear that children are continuing to ding-dong ditch two decades later in the same area his nephew once did. He thought Drewes death would make the dangers of those pranks clear. You cant ring doorbells anymore, he said. In early October, several Trump administration officials had a friendly pool going of how long the shutdown would last. The White House, at the time, was confident Democrats would quickly fold. No one guessed more than 10 days. The account, relayed by a person close to the White House granted anonymity to discuss internal thinking, underscores just how much the administration miscalculated the Democrats will to keep the government closed even amid furloughs and imperiled social programs like food assistance. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As the shutdown heads into its second month, President Donald Trump is increasingly frustrated. On Thursday, he called for Republicans to abolish the filibuster to reopen the government a plea he knows is futile, but that demonstrates his growing irritation with Democrats, said a second person close to the White House. Trump, hes had it with these people, because he knows theyre playing politics, said the second person. Nobody thought it was going to last this long. When the shutdown began, White House officials were certain the Trump administration was better positioned to battle the left during a funding lapse. Trump and his top aides thought that unpaid federal workers, closed and limited federal facilities and threats of ever-more job cuts from Russ Vought, the director of the Office of Management and Budget, would be too much for Democrats to handle. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They were buoyed when two moderate Democrats Sens. Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.) and John Fetterman (D-Pa.) and Independent Angus King voted with Republicans two days into the shutdown. But not much has changed since, and it is almost certain that this will be the longest shutdown in history, surpassing the record set during Trumps first term. And as the impasse has carried on, the pressures are piling up for both parties: The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, which helps millions afford food, without intervention will run out of money this weekend. Many civilian employees missed their first full paycheck this week. Federal funding will stop flowing Saturday to some early childhood education programs. Air traffic delays due to spotty staffing could worsen as Thanksgiving approaches. The White House throughout has blamed Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and Democrats intransigence, attempting to tie their desire to extend certain Obamacare subsidies to unpopular policies such as providing free health care to undocumented immigrants and allowing boys to play in girls sports. But it hasnt gone as planned, leaving Trump to call for a change in Senate rules that would allow legislation, including an end to the shut down, to pass with just a simple majority. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement INITIATE THE NUCLEAR OPTION and abolish the filibuster to end the shutdown, Trump wrote on Truth Social after landing back in the U.S. on Thursday. The president on Friday had wanted to speak to reporters about what he viewed as a successful trip to Asia where he secured trillions of dollars in new investments for America. He seemed annoyed at answering questions about the shutdown. The Democrats just dont know what theyre doing, Trump told reporters Friday. I dont know whats wrong with them. Theyve never done a thing like this. Theyve become crazed lunatics. All they have to do is say, Lets go. Lets open up our country. And everything snaps back into shape. So theres something wrong with them. Its their fault. Everything is their fault. Its so easily solved, he said, insisting again that he wont meet with Democratic leadership until the government reopens. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trumps call to end the filibuster comes after Republicans, just this week, projected cautious optimism amid brewing bipartisan talks, and as a new poll shows more Americans blame the GOP for the shutdown. But the president reiterated Friday that he has no plans to invite Democrats to the Oval Office to discuss an off-ramp, a meeting Trump aides view as a rescue mission theyre not willing to offer unless the government is reopened. And White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson said Democrats wont do whats best for the American people, the nuclear option will need to be invoked, referring to ending the filibuster rule. One person close to Trump, granted anonymity to discuss the presidents thinking, said that while Trump is serious about wanting to eliminate the filibuster, he knows its not going to happen. And Republicans on Friday quickly tamped down Trumps call, including Majority Leader John Thune of South Dakota, whose office told POLITICO that his position on the importance of the legislative filibuster is unchanged. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its not going to happen, said the second person close to the White House. I think it's all about, just the art of the deal, and trying to point out that the Democrats its the only reason we cant open the government back up. Democratic leaders, for their part, have pushed back on the idea that theres any progress in negotiations on Capitol Hill, with Schumer telling reporters Thursday that Republicans havent brought any new offers to the table to address Democrats primary concern an extension of Affordable Care Act Subsidies. The SNAP funding deadline on Nov. 1 has been another pressure point on both parties. A federal judge on Friday directed the Trump administration to use emergency money to fund the November food aid benefits for millions of Americans. The Trump administration has not yet indicated whether it will appeal the ruling, and the White House deferred to the Office of Management and Budget on its plan. OMB did not respond to a request for comment. Carmen Cardenas two boys ran through the Urban Ecology Centers fire pit area, ready to make smores with their faces freshly painted to resemble calaveras, or sugar skulls. The family joined the Noche de Altares, or night of altars Day of the Dead celebration hosted in partnership with the ecology center, Escuela Verde and Newline Cafe on Thursday, Oct. 30, in the Silver City neighborhood on Milwaukees south side. To me this is something really special for the community to come together and learn how beautiful our neighborhood is, Cardenas said, in Spanish. (From left) Agustin Juarez holds a marshmallow with his niece, Rocio Juarez, while Rocios mother, Ma del Rocio Juarez, watches them during the Noche de Altares event hosted by the Urban Ecology Center Menomonee Valley branch on Oct. 30, 2025, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin Nearly 150 people gathered at the free outdoor event on West Pierce Street, between South 36th and 38th Streets, to honor their deceased loved ones while celebrating the Mexican holiday with their community. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The night of celebration featured music, dance performances, face painting, crafts and a small market with local vendors. This years event was in collaboration with the Aurora Walkers Point Clinic, VIA Community Development Corporation, 16th Street Community Health Center and the Milwaukee Domes Alliance. The Noche de Altares event gives families on the south side the ability to convivir, or to come together and take up space, said Yesenia Villanueva Rodriguez, senior director at the Urban Ecology Centers Menomonee Valley location. Families at the event took over the street, filling it with a vibrant celebration of community and cultural pride. Students and non-profits build altars for the community An ofrenda is displayed with images of deceased loved ones during the Noche de Altares event hosted by the Urban Ecology Center Menomonee Valley branch on Oct. 30, 2025, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. For the first time this year, neighbors were invited to contribute to community ofrendas, or altars, during the celebration, said Sarah Luther, advisor at Escuela Verde. To lose a loved one in anyones experience and anyones culture is difficult, but its really wonderful to have an opportunity to talk about those people and celebrate those people out loud and with a whole community, Luther said. Its about something so sad and so difficult, but its made to be in this moment where you feel really supported and joyful. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Local nonprofit organizations built five ofrendas to fill the alley between Newline Cafe and Escuela Verde, Luther said. Neighbors were invited to place photos of their loved ones on the altars to honor their memories and share their family stories with others. Cecilia Tenorio, 32, is a mental health and wellness coordinator at the nonprofit, Community Advocates, who helped build an ofrenda for neighbors to contribute to as part of the organizations Escucha Tus Emociones mental health initiative for the Latino community. Tenorio said she was excited to participate in the Noche de Altares because for many, the Day of the Dead can be an emotional day. For neighbors who cannot visit a loved ones final resting place, building an ofrenda, or contributing to a community ofrenda, can help them move through the grieving process and get some closure, Tenorio said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dia de los Muertos is such an important holiday because it keeps us connected to our ancestors, Tenorio said. If we werent able to attend a funeral or get that chance to say goodbye, at least we can do that in our own way, year after year. Visitors observe various ofrendas displayed during the Noche de Altares event hosted by the Urban Ecology Center Menomonee Valley branch on Oct. 30, 2025, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Students at Escuela Verde built an ofrenda, honoring their family members who have passed, Luther said. Together, several staff members and students placed photos of their loved ones on an altar in the school, which attendees were able to view as they sat at craft tables. Chelianys Rivera, a 15-year-old student, recalls dancing at her quinceanera with a photo of her late grandmother, who passed when she was seven. This year, she was able to put an AI-generated image of her grandmother hugging her in her sparkly pink party dress on the schools ofrenda. Shes here in spirit, and shell always be here with me, and I know that shes proud of me, Rivera said. I put her up here so I could always keep her spirit alive. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Maria Santiago, an 18-year-old student, added a photo of her cousin, his girlfriend and their baby to the schools ofrenda, all of whom died in a shooting four years ago in October. My cousin was pretty close to me, Santiago said. Hes still with me here, and seeing this picture here makes me happy. Inviting neighbors to reflect together Local artist Yesi Perez blessed the community ofrendas as families passed by using copal, a resin used by the indigenous Mexicas during several different ceremonies and celebrations like Day of the Dead, she said. The resin, which is harvested from trees using natural materials in Mexico, is burned in a dish, and after taking a moment of quiet reflection, is waved over the space in each of the four cardinal directions, Perez said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This tradition honors the lives of those who lived in that place in the past and connects them to the earth, she said. Today were using it as a way to guide the souls of our passed loved ones back to the space, welcoming them, Perez said. Copal can also be used to bless people, and Perez said she will use copal to bless the attendees of the Urban Ecology Centers caminata de recuerdos or remembrance walk, on Friday, Oct. 31, from 4:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. The candlelit walk along the Hank Aaron Trail invites neighbors to take a moment of quiet reflection, holding space for those who have passed, while they make their way over to the Day of the Dead celebration at the Mitchell Park Domes, Perez said. Vendors connect with neighbors ahead of Day of the Dead A dancer from the aztec dance group, Danza Tonantzin, performs during the Noche de Altares event hosted by the Urban Ecology Center Menomonee Valley branch on Oct. 30, 2025, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. In addition to the community ofrendas, Aztec dance performances and lowrider cars filled the street. Local vendors lined the curb, selling artisan goods, food and gift items during the celebration. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Were really pulling vendors and people in from our direct community to be the people who are also presenting and offering things, Luther said. Theyre coming because they love celebrating this event and this community. You can feel it when youre there. Dominga Pena, owner of Artesania Minga, sells artisan goods from Mexico at events across Milwaukee, she said. Each item she sells is made in a different region of Mexico. This was her third year attending the Noche de Altares, and she keeps returning because the holiday is close to her heart, Pena said. Seeing students participating through making ofrendas, joining dance groups or creating art displayed at the event fills her with pride. Its great to see the community come together and celebrate an important holiday in our culture, she said. Its a great opportunity because we want to keep this tradition going in the next generation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Alyssa N. Salcedo covers Layton Boulevard West for the Journal Sentinel's Neighborhood Dispatch. Reach her at asalcedo@gannett.com. As part of the newsroom, all Alyssas work and coverage decisions are overseen solely by Journal Sentinel editors. Support for this effort comes from the Zilber Family Foundation, Journal Foundation, Bader Philanthropies, Northwestern Mutual Foundation, Greater Milwaukee Foundation and individual contributions to the Journal Sentinel Community-Funded Journalism Project . The project is administered by Local Media Foundation, tax ID #364427750, a Section 501(c)(3) charitable trust affiliated with Local Media Association. Learn more about our community-funded journalism and how to make a tax-deductible gift at jsonline.com/support . 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. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Noche de Altares Day of the Dead celebration returns to Silver City (The Center Square) Both the executive and legislative branches of Illinois government have made attempts to address federal immigration enforcement in the state, but U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem says Gov. J.B. Pritzker does not recognize the importance of immigration enforcement. Pritzker held a press conference in Springfield Thursday and told people not to believe Trump administration officials who say immigration enforcement agents are targeting the worst of the worst. Our Chicagoland neighborhoods are being bombarded with tear gas, invaded by unidentified masked men in unmarked vehicles, thugs who are intimidating workers and children and grandparents, most of whom are Black or brown, most of whom have committed no offense at all, Pritzker said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When asked if the chaos in the streets was due to state law preventing police from cooperating with federal immigration enforcement officers, the governor said, thats ridiculous, and said local and state law enforcement could help if the feds have a judicial warrant. The way that [Immigration and Customs Enforcement] and [Customs and Border Patrol] are attempting to carry out the orders that theyre given from Kristi Noem, from [U.S. Customs and Border Patrol Commander] Gregory Bovino, frankly, appears to be against the law, against protocols, Im giving you options to pick from, Pritzker said. The governor said he sent a letter to Noem, Acting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Director Daniel Lyons and Border Patrol Commissioner Matthew Scott requesting that all federal enforcement operations be suspended from Friday, Oct. 31 through Sunday, Nov. 2, in and around homes, schools, hospitals, parks and community gatherings where Halloween celebrations are taking place. Noem was asked about Pritzkers request when she spoke at a press conference Thursday afternoon in Gary, Indiana. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "No, we're absolutely not willing to put on pause any work that we will do to keep communities safe. The fact that Gov. Pritzker is asking for that is shameful, the secretary said. Noem said its unfortunate that Pritzker doesnt recognize how important federal immigration enforcement work is. Especially when were going to send all our kiddos out on the streets and going to events and enjoying the holiday season, we want to make sure that theyre safe, Noem said. Noem pointed to pictures of individuals ICE officers arrested that were pedophiles and had committed assaults against children. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Those individuals dont deserve to be on our streets, and were certainly not going to let our children be victimized by them, the secretary added. Noem said federal officers were not arresting citizens and insisted that they are focused on arresting the worst of the worst. She said Operation Midway Blitz, launched by DHS Sept. 8, has resulted in the arrest of more than 3,000 illegal aliens, including rapists, murderers and gang members. Noem said Indiana Gov. Mike Braun is working with her department to bring safety to U.S. roads as part of the Midway Blitz effort. In the wake of several fatal crashes involving immigrant drivers across the country, Braun said Indiana State Police are collaborating with federal immigration enforcement officers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We are going to work with DHS. Were gonna work with ICE to keep our communities and our highways safe, even though other places are making them the opposite, Braun said. Noem said her department is pushing states to stop issuing drivers licenses to illegal aliens. Late Thursday night, the Illinois General Assembly passed legislation aimed at enhancing the states migrant sanctuary policies. Illinois House Speaker Emanuel Chris Welch, D-Hillside, said House Bill 1312 would prevent civil arrests prohibited at hospitals, courthouses, college campuses and daycare centers. They must also adopt policies to protect students and children in their care, including protection against disclosing an attendees real or perceived immigration status, Welch said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement State Rep. John Cabello, R-Machesney Park, expressed concerns that the bill would end qualified immunity for police officers. Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police Executive Director Kenny Winslow said the chiefs strongly opposed the bill as it was written. I havent received more phone calls and emails in the last 24 hours or more concerns or angst over a bill since the SAFE-T Act than I have over this bill here, Winslow said. In committee earlier, Illinois Senate President Don Harmon, D-Oak Park, said the legislation would create a private right of action for anyone whose constitutional rights are violated by people conducting immigration actions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Harmon said the measure would allow people to pursue a remedy in court. Of course it will be challenged, Harmon said. The bill would create a private right of action for people to file lawsuits against schools of higher education for violations. From 2022 to 2025, Harmon received $75,000 in campaign donations from the Illinois Trial Lawyers Associations political-action committee. Harmon left after making his statement and did not take questions from reporters. State Sen. Celina Villanueva, D-Chicago, was asked if this type of bill might lead ICE to intensify enforcement, potentially leading to more chaos. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Im a brown woman from Little Village. I anticipate everything that theyre gonna do just because of the color of my skin and because of where my parents are born, Villanueva said. Later, on the Senate floor, state Sen. Li Arellano, R-Dixon, described various criminal activities by Mexican drug cartels and the importance of a legal immigration system. On average, over one policeman a day dies in Mexico, Arellano said. Arellano said the best path is to have coordination between local, state and federal law enforcement. He said Illinois chose another path. In closing, Harmon implored his colleagues to pass HB 1312. The measure passed by a vote of 40-18. If Pritzker signs HB 1312, it would take effect immediately. CHICAGO, Ill. (WTVO) Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has refused Illinois Gov. JB Pritzkers request to pause ICE operations in Chicago over the Halloween weekend. Pritzker sent a letter to Noem on Thursday asking for the suspension of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement operations, beginning Friday, October 31st to Sunday, November 2nd, in and around homes, schools, hospitals, parks, and places of worship. According to Pritzker, this request comes after federal agents interrupted a childrens Halloween parade and deployed tear gas without warning. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Illinois families deserve to spend Halloween weekend without fear. No child should be forced to inhale tear gas or other chemical agents while trick-or-treating in their own neighborhood. My request is based on a desire to protect communities throughout Chicago, Governor Pritzker wrote. No, were absolutely not willing to put on pause any work that we will do to keep communities safe. The fact that Gov. Pritzker is asking for that is shameful, Noem replied, while speaking at an event in Indiana. Especially when were going to send all our kiddos out on the streets and going to events and enjoying the holiday season, we want to make sure that theyre safe. Noem said the individuals ICE officers have arrested have sometimes been pedophiles or have committed other assaults against children. Those individuals dont deserve to be on our streets, and were certainly not going to let our children be victimized by them, she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At a press conference on Thursday, reporters asked if the chaos on the streets of Chicago was due to the states TRUST Act, which prevents local law enforcement from cooperating with federal immigration authorities. Pritzker replied, Thats ridiculous, and said local law enforcement can help federal authorities if they have a judicial warrant. The way that [Immigration and Customs Enforcement] and [Customs and Border Patrol] are attempting to carry out the orders that theyre given from Kristi Noem, from [U.S. Customs and Border Patrol Commander] Gregory Bovino, frankly, appears to be against the law, against protocols, Im giving you options to pick from, Pritzker 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 MyStateline | WTVO News, Weather and Sports. Prem Garg, National President of the Indian Rice Exporters Federation (IREF) on Friday said that in six months, IREF will develop a roadmap to increase share of rice in the total agricultural exports to 25 per cent from 12-13 currently. Speaking to ANI, Garg said, "We launched a roadmap for the 2047 vision yesterday at a session of the BIRC, so our goal is to build on that. In six months, we'll develop a roadmap to demonstrate how rice, which today holds a significant share of India's agricultural exports, can be increased from 12-13% to 25%." Garg further added, "We didn't expect such a great response... Everyone is very happy. People have been demanding that this conference be held again in 2026. About seven MoUs were signed yesterday." "So, I think at least Rs 25,000 crore worth of business is expected to be signed at this BIRC, and yesterday alone, about Rs 7,000 crore worth of business was signed. So, our target is to increase this export to Rs 180,000 crore, and we are moving towards that goal," Garg added. At the end of the two-day Bharat International Rice Conference 2025 in the national capital on Friday, Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) worth Rs 26,500 crore were signed. The total number of exhibitors was 154, and 1083 foreign delegates or buyers attended the event. According to the IREF, the total footfall recorded at the event was 10,854. Organised under the institutional support of the Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), Ministry of Commerce and Industry, as well as other government and industry-specific bodies, the conference brought together global buyers, exporters, policymakers, and technology leaders to deliberate on the future of India's rice trade and agricultural innovation. The inauguration also showcased advanced machinery and processing solutions designed to enhance efficiency, precision, and quality in rice production. (ANI) Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem has rejected Illinois Gov. JB Pritzkers request to pause federal immigration enforcement operations around Halloween, after tear gas disrupted a childrens parade. No, were absolutely not willing to put on pause any work that we will do to keep communities safe, Noem said in a news conference Thursday, calling Pritzkers request "shameful." We know Kristi Noem must love Halloween because she always dresses in law enforcement costumes, but what is truly shameful is that she refuses to agree that we shouldnt tear gas children trick or treating, Pritzker wrote on X in response to Noem's decision. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Pritzker made the request in a letter Wednesday to Noem, Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons and Border Patrol Commissioner Matthew Scott. In the letter, he referenced the operation earlier this week on the northwest side of Chicago in which agents deployed tear gas as children were gathering for a costume parade. Illinois children should not be robbed of their innocence. Let them enjoy a time-honored American tradition safely and peacefully, Pritzker wrote. Please let children be children for one holiday, free from intimidation and fear. This article was originally published on MSNBC.com Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem defended the Trump administrations new restrictions on the issuing of commercial drivers licenses for non-American truck drivers, claiming they are endangering our citizens. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy last month announced restrictions around who is eligible for commercial drivers licenses, requiring non-citizens to undergo a stricter set of rules including possessing an employment-based visa and undergoing a federal immigration status check. Putting these foreigners in tractor trailersbecomes extremely dangerous, Noem said at a Thursday press conference, speaking in front of two massive trucks. I have driven semis over many, many years and 18-wheelers and understand they're difficult to stop, maneuver, you have to have a skillset but also communication with those around you. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Putting them behind the wheel of these tractor trailers weighing tens of thousands of pounds loaded with explosive fuel down the highway endangers every single citizen that is on our roads, she added. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem defended the Department of Transportations new restrictions on issuing commercial drivers licenses to non-citizen truck drivers. (AP) As part of Operation Midway Blitz, 223 immigrants were arrested, 146 of whom were truck drivers, in Indiana on Thursday, she said. Over 40 of the drivers had been issued commercial drivers licenses. If you are here driving on our streets illegally and our highways, you are endangering our citizens, and your days are numbered, Noem said. In a press release about the Thursday arrests, Homeland officials said: In recent months, weve seen a disturbing pattern of criminal illegal aliens driving commercial vehicles on American roads, directly threatening public safety and resulting in senseless loss of life. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The arrested drivers overwhelmingly received their licenses from sanctuary states such as California, New York and Illinois, Homeland Security Secretary said. This week, Duffy threatened to pull $160 million in federal funds from California, claiming the state is illegally issuing commercial drivers licenses to non-citizens. Gavin Newsom cares more about giving illegals commercial drivers licenses than he does citizens of his own state and the safety of Americans. Its shameful, Duffy told Fox Business Sunday. Hes been lying about what hes been doing and were going to fight tooth and nail to make sure we hold states like California accountable. Noem, standing in front of two large trucks, announced 146 truck drivers were arrested in Indiana, claiming that the drivers had overwhelmingly received licenses from California, New York and Illinois (REUTERS) Her announcement came as Illinois Democratic Governor JB Pritzker urged Noem and DHS to pause all of their federal agents operations for the entirety of the Halloween weekend in Chicago. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The city has been the target of President Donald Trumps immigration crackdown for weeks; masked federal agents have been carrying out raids across the Windy City while a lawsuit plays out to determine whether Trump can deploy National Guard troops to Illinois. Your operation has sown fear and division and chaos among law-abiding residents in our communities. If you are unwilling to cease operations and leave our city, can we at least agree that our children should not be victims, especially on Halloween? Pritzker said Thursday. Noem rejected Pritzkers request. "No, we're absolutely not willing to put on pause any work that we will do to keep communities safe. The fact that Governor Pritzker is asking for that is shameful," she said at the press conference. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents will remain in full force on Halloween in Chicago, despite calls from Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker to suspend enforcement operations for the holiday. In an interview on Fox Newss America Reports, Noem said ICE agents will not stand down while federal officers face record threats and attacks nationwide. No, were going to be out on the streets in full force and increase our activities to make sure kids are safe, Noem said. Every day in Chicago, were arresting murderers, child pedophiles, those who have perpetuated assault and pornography against children. Her comments came as the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) warned of what officials described as unprecedented violence toward federal immigration officers. According to DHS figures cited by Fox News, ICE agents have experienced an 8,000% increase in death threats this year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Assistant DHS Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said sanctuary politicians have fueled that hostility through vilification and demonization tactics, including gross comparisons to the Nazi Gestapo. From bounties placed on their heads, threats to their families, stalking, and doxxing online, our officers are experiencing an unprecedented level of violence, McLaughlin said. This violence against law enforcement must end. The warning follows multiple violent incidents involving ICE personnel including one case in Dallas previously reported by The Dallas Express. In that case, Eduardo Aguilar, a Mexican national living illegally in the U.S., was arrested for allegedly soliciting others on TikTok to murder ICE agents. Federal officials said the post offered $10,000 for each ICE agent and used skull emojis as code for the word die. Aguilar was arrested Oct. 14 and remains in federal custody on felony charges, according to the U.S. Attorneys Office for the Northern District of Texas. Noem said ICE operations would continue regardless of threats or political opposition. ICE and our federal law enforcement partners will continue to enforce the law, she said. If you lay a hand on a law enforcement officer, you will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Pritzker, a Democrat, has publicly opposed ICEs presence in Chicago and asked federal officials to pause enforcement on Halloween. Noem dismissed the request, saying law enforcement exists to protect communities not frighten them. David Burr demonstrates removing leaves on marijuana plants to allow more light for growth at Essence Vegas 54,000-square-foot marijuana cultivation facility on July 6, 2017, in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images) The group behind a statewide push to legalize recreational marijuana filed suit against the DeSantis administration Friday for allegedly slow-walking the process to put its proposed amendment on the Florida ballot. Smart & Safe Florida is hoping the Florida Supreme Court will force the Secretary of State and Director of the Division of Elections to complete the next step in the amendment process: issuing a letter acknowledging that Smart & Safe has enough support for the marijuana amendment to advance. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is its second lawsuit this month against the election officials. It is nonsensical, and contrary to the express constitutional and statutory mandates, to allow the Secretary and Director to indefinitely refuse to issue theLetter and frustrate the constitutional order, wrote Tallahassee attorney Glenn Burhans, Jr. in his 25-page request for a writ of mandamus. He pointed out that Smart & Safe has secured more than three times the number of verified petitions (over 660,000) needed to make it to the ballot, and in August asked Secretary of State Cord Byrd and Division of Elections Director Maria Matthews to issue a letter to the Florida Attorney General confirming that the group has enough verified forms to continue. But three months later, in an unusual move, the department still hasnt issued the required letter. This throws the fate of the proposed amendment into a dubious light due to a state law requiring the Florida Supreme Court to sign off on the amendment before April 1, for claritys sake. The court cant do that if Byrd doesnt submit his letter to the AG, who then cant ask the court to offer an opinion. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Byrds office declined to comment on pending litigation to the Phoenix. Withholding the letter DeSantis and his allies, including DeSantis-appointed Byrd, have been vehemently opposed to legalizing recreational marijuana in Florida. During the 2024 cycle when Smart & Safe first attempted to legalize the drug with Amendment 3, DeSantis encouraged a multi-million dollar campaign against the proposal. Alongside his wife, First Lady Casey DeSantis, the two toured the state decrying the drugs smell and insisting big corporations were trying to write themselves into the constitution. Attorney General James Uthmeier, the governors former chief of staff, has come under fire after his political committee to defeat the amendment received millions that originated from a Medicaid settlement doled out to Casey DeSantis charity, Hope Florida. Separate grand juries are now allegedly investigating the DeSantis administrations role in defeating the 2024 measure and Hope Floridas shadowy financials. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In his petition, Burhans suggested that Byrd and Matthews may be purposely roadblocking the marijuana amendment by attempting to stall out Smart & Safes proposal by both waiting out the clock and ordering county supervisors on Oct. 3 to trash as many as 200,000 signatures nearly one-quarter of whats needed to qualify for next years ballot because organizers failed to provide the entire amendment to people it reached out to by mail. This allegedly unlawful move was the basis of Smart & Safes Oct. 19 suit against the administration in Circuit Court. Now its saying this is part of a larger push to smother the amendment before it gets to the ballot. Respondents appear to be withholding theLetter on the hopes that the county supervisors compliance with the Secretarys Directive might result in the Petition falling below the statutory threshold, Burhans wrote. There is no source of law that grants Respondents this authority. This is Smart & Safes second attempt to legalize recreational marijuana in Florida. Although its amendment received 56% support in 2024 among Floridians, it wasnt enough to reach the 60% threshold needed to amend the state constitution. The Director did not respond to Smart & Safes August 12 letter requesting issuance of theLetter or explain why the letter had not been issued, the petition says. As of the date of this filingSmart & Safes Petition has met the threshold for issuance of theLetter. The Respondents must therefore be compelled to perform their indisputable legal duty. NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) A Norfolk State University academic advisor has been charged with rape and sodomy of a helpless victim by force, according to court documents. The alleged offenses happened Sept. 18, and Patrick Riddick, 48, eventually turned himself into law enforcement, those documents state. Im very shocked. Definitely shocked, a neighbor told 10 On Your Side. He doesnt look at me in a certain way or give any weird vibes when Im speaking with him. He does not seem like the type of person. I keep saying Im shocked because I am. Ive been here for years, and I never would have thought that. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Court documents say Riddick was listed as an NSU academic advisor, working at the university for 20 years. Neighbors say while they didnt know him well, they knew Riddick was heavily involved in a local church. I actually thought he worked at a church because every time Ive seen him, it looks like he has church clothes on, said the neighbor, like hes just going to church. Ive seen the church people come over there. I definitely thought he worked at a church. I would have never thought he worked at a school. Several neighbors also said Riddick is a family man and that their children often play together. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Im beyond shocked. My kids actually play over there, said one neighbor. His kid can come over here and play. But my kids, they will not be going over there. Its just the safety and protection of my kids that I have to keep first. Im a parent first. It is concerning because you think that you know somebody, but behind closed doors, you really do not know people. A Norfolk State official said the school has no comment on the case, and that it doesnt speak on personnel issues. Riddicks next court appearance is scheduled for Dec. 16. 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. RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) As millions of North Carolinians prepare to potentially lose food assistance in November due to the federal government shutdown, the state government has made a large monetary donation to food banks across the state. According to a news release from the governors office, the State of North Carolina is donating $10 million to food banks across the state. In addition to the state, several other organizations have made donations to food banks and other means forms of preventing food insecurity. RELATED | Food assistance programs available in the Triangle as SNAP benefits dry up due to federal government shutdown Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement These organizations, according to the governors office, include: AmeriHealth Caritas: $5 million David & Nicole Tepper Foundation: Accelerating more than $2.5 million to food banks across North and South Carolina to provide immediate access to funds for food purchases. Duke Energy Foundation: $100,000 Bank of America: $100,000 Delaware North and Catawba Two Kings Casino: $50,000 Nucor Steel: $50,000 UNC Health Foundation & UNC Horizons: $30,000 The Fresh Market: $25,000 Eastern Ministerial Alliance: $20,000 Smithfield Foods: $20,000 AdventHealth: $19,000 Compare Foods: $10,000 Lending Tree: $7,500 Smart Food Foundation: 10,000 pounds of food With the help of generous partners, North Carolina is taking action to keep families fed, Governor Josh Stein said. Shoring up our states food banks will serve as a critical, but fleeting, lifeline for families in need, and I hope other North Carolina organizations will also step up in this time of need. Whether its paying our military, ensuring no child goes hungry, or lowering health care costs, leaders in Washington need to come together immediately to find a bipartisan solution that provides long-term stability for millions of Americans. The donation announcement comes on the even of the 30th day of the federal government shutdown, with neither Republicans who control the House of Representatives, the Senate and the presidency nor Democrats backing down on their reasoning for the shutdown. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Democrats are standing firm on their argument that the Affordable Care Act subsidies being extended, in order to counter a spike in healthcare rates for millions of Americans. Meanwhile, Republicans are insistent on passing a clean continuing resolutions first, in order to fund the government and open back up. Then, according to Republicans, negotiations about the subsidies can begin. If the government does not open by Friday, SNAP benefits will run out, leaving millions without food assistance. RELATED | A breaking point: 1.4 Million NC families stand to lose food assistance Nov. 1 While there are emergency funds available, in a notice sent to state agencies, the USDA said those funds will not be used to fund SNAP if the shutdown continues into November month. The departments reasoning for this is the contingency only comes into effect when the money allotted for SNAP benefits runs out, and regular benefit funding no longer exists in this situation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement SNAP contingency funds are only available to supplement regular monthly benefits when amounts have been appropriated for, but are insufficient to cover, benefits, the notice reads. The contingency fund is not available to support FY 2026 regular benefits, because the appropriation for regular benefits no longer exists. The end of SNAP benefits to families is something Jason Kanawati Stephany, the Vice President of the Food Bank of Central & Eastern North Carolina, said could lead to a breaking point for the food assistance network in the Tar Heel State. RELATED | Im scared my baby wont eat: Raleigh mom fears losing food assistance benefits as shutdown continues This could push our hunger relief network to a breaking point, Kanawati Stephany said. We are expecting if the support is withheld starting November 1st, that were going to see a significant increase in the number of people seeking emergency food assistance through our network, and thats on top of the challenges we were already facing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In North Carolina, around 1.4 million families rely on that assistance. It is one of the reasons North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson joined the lawsuit against the United States Department of Agriculture. SEE ALSO | NC AG sues Trump administration for withholding SNAP benefits Jackson said 600,000 children in North Carolina, more than 40,000 of whom are under 18 months old, will be affected if that money isnt handed over to the state. He also said the department could be using the reserve funding meant to keep the food rolling out, but theyre not touching that money. Nearly 600,000 children in our state could be without food in a few days because USDA is playing an illegal game of shutdown politics, Jackson said in a statement. They have emergency money to help feed children during this shutdown, and theyre refusing to spend it. I warned them last week that I would take them to court if they tried to hurt our kids. Today, thats what were doing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A list of food assistance available around the Triangle, and how a way to find assistance outside of the Triangle, is available 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 CBS17.com. NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD) North Charleston detectives arrested a man in connection with a September 20 attempted murder investigation. Officers with the North Charleston Police Department responded to the Charleston Heights Motel around 10 p.m. after getting reports that the suspect pushed open a plexiglass window, aimed, and fired a shot. Police officials said the bullet missed the intended victim; however, it went through a wall and damaged three motel rooms. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theadore Robert Nelson, 42, was taken into custody in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and is currently being held at the Charleston County Detention Center, where he faces charges of attempted murder and possession of a weapon during a violent crime. No injuries were reported in the original shooting incident. 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. BEACH CITY, Ohio (WJW) A Northeast Ohio woman is feeling lucky after finally winning big playing the Ohio lottery. According to the Ohio Lottery, the winner is $100,000 richer after her ticket matched all five of the Rolling Cash 5 winning numbers: 11-14-19-25-29. According to the lottery, the woman said she plays almost every day, but this is the first time shes gotten a big winning prize. I-Team: Is Cleveland fire chief placed on leave over social media post returning to work? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After taxes, she will receive $72,875.00. The winning ticket was claimed at Lucky Choice located at 577 W. Nationwide Blvd. in Columbus. She still is in shock, so she doesnt have any immediate plans for her prize, the Ohio Lottery website 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. When a suburban library planned to host a drag queen story hour staff voicemail overflowed with angry messages. You guys are in for a rude f-ing awakening! one caller said in an obscenity-filled diatribe. A Republican state representative from Chicagos southwest suburbs isnt sure what provoked a man to send an email threatening her with lethal injection. A local Democrat received a message from an angry voter that he would be put through a woodchipper while his children watched. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And then theres former U.S. Rep Adam Kinzinger. The Illinois republican faced countless death threats when he challenged President Trump on the committee that investigated the January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol. I remember one voicemail using a Bible verse and saying: I hope your 6-month-old son wanders into traffic and is killed,' Kinzinger said. What kind of darkness created that I do not know. Among the messages State Rep. Nicole La Ha (R-Homer Glen) has received, one that reads in part: Say your goodbyes, My associates will be in touch with you and Expect lethal injection. WGN Investigates: Investigating public corruption, crime & fraud Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A man who lives near La Ha was charged; but released when a judge said he wasnt fit to stand trial. I was shocked to learn they decided lets just let him out, lets see what happens,' La Ha said. Theres a procedure and I have to go through the justice system like everyone else and unfortunately I dont feel safe right now. State Rep. Bob Morgan (D-Highland Park) says he first started receiving threats during the Covid crisis; but they increased after he advocated for more gun control in the wake of the Highland Park parade shooting. A mass murder he witnessed. When we start to treat anybody as though theyre not our neighbor, not people we know, thats the social media keyboard warrior risk, Morgan told WGN Investigates. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Research from the University of Chicago suggests the publics appetite for punishing perceived opponents is increasing and bipartisan. Thirty-nine percent of democrats said the use of force is justified to remove Donald Trump from the presidency. Another question found 24-percent of republicans said Trump is justified using the U.S. military to stop protests against his agenda. Whats really been different in our politics over the last 5-to-10 years is the level of tribalism and winner take all, said Erik Nisbet, a Northwestern University political communication professor. If we think the other side is more violent or is likely to engage in violence, we ourselves are more likely to support violence and that becomes a vicious cycle. Now out of office, Kinzinger says many people dont realize that for some, anger and outrage is the point and the plan. The folks that are kind of the chaos agents, they get energized by this. The chaos, the division, they love it. The darkness, they love. The people who actually should be holding public office, this stuff fatigues them. It scares them. Who wants to drag their families through that? I think weve already seen the quality of candidate, certainly at the federal level, decline. And I think thats their strategy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Researchers have found politicians who face threats are less likely to meet with constituents and less likely to tackle controversial issues. That, they say, defeats a key pillar of democracy. 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. As the country celebrates the 150th birth anniversary of the first Deputy Prime Minister of India, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, several events are organised nationwide as a tribute to the great leader, independence activist and statesman who served as the first Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister of India from 1947 to 1950. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel's birth anniversary is celebrated as National Unity Day, also known as Rashtriya Ekta Diwas, on October 31. Since 2014, the day has been marked by 'Run for Unity' events nationwide, participated in by people from all walks of life. Marking his 150th birth anniversary, school students participated in the 'Run for Unity' event organised by Delhi Police in the national capital on Friday. Bollywood actor Huma Qureshi, who attended the event, praised the initiative and the spirit of participation shown by the students and the police. "I think it's a very good initiative, and I'm so happy that the Delhi Police is doing it. Run for Unity is a wonderful initiative, and I'm so happy to see so many different schools participate. It makes me very, very happy," she said. There are about 200 school children who took part in the 2 Km run The 'Run for Unity' is an annual nationwide event held to honour Sardar Patel's role in unifying India after independence. The entire nation is paying tribute to the 'Iron Man' of India. Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid floral tribute to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on his 150th Jayanti at the Statue of Unity in Nandi, Gujarat, on Friday. PM Modi remembered the great leader with folded hands and offered sincere homage to Sardar Patel. He participated in the Rashtriya Ekta Diwas parade at the Statue of Unity. The parade was led by the women's personnel under the leadership of the Prime Minister. The oath-taking parade ceremony was led by IPS Simran Bhardwaj of the Gujarat cadre. PM Modi, accompanied by thousands of participants, took the oath on the 150th Jayanti of Sardar Patel. President Droupadi Murmu paid tribute to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on his birth anniversary, celebrated as National Unity Day, on Friday and recalled his immense contributions towards unifying the nation. Taking to X, President Murmu said, "On the birth anniversary of 'Iron Man' Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, I extend my heartfelt best wishes to all my fellow citizens. Sardar Patel was a great patriot, visionary leader, and nation-builder, who accomplished the historic task of unifying the country through his unwavering resolve, indomitable courage, and adept leadership." Adding further, she said, "His dedication and spirit of national service serve as an inspiration to us all. Let us, on the occasion of 'National Unity Day', unite together and resolve to build a strong, harmonious, and excellent India." Sardar Patel was born on October 31, 1875, in Nandia, Gujarat. Also known as the "Iron Man of India", he was the nation's first Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister. He is widely recognised for his pivotal role in the integration of over 560 princely states and the Indian Union after Independence. His leadership ensured that India emerged as a unified and dignified nation during the direst time. (ANI) Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) is calling on his fellow Democrats to be better than this and reopen the government. The senator from Pennsylvania spoke with CNNs Manu Raju about how his constituents were reacting to the upcoming end in SNAP food benefits. I will witness it firsthand, Fetterman said. My wife, Giselle, she develops the Free Store in our community and it distributes food there times a week. And her lines have already got longer. And now I will encounter people that have no SNAP benefits starting on Saturday, and I dont have an explanation for them. All I can say is, Im sorry. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fetterman continued: Its an absolute failure what occurred here the past month. And now things are really going to land. And imagine being a parent with a couple kids, and how youre going to fill their refrigerator, and pack their lunches, and get on with their lives when the things that they depended on now is gone because we cant even agree to open things upAnd like I said to all of the viewers Im apologizing that we cant even get our shit together and just open our government. Raju asked Fetterman about Minority Leader Chuck Schumers (D-NY) claim that every day gets better for Democrats politically as the shutdown wears on. GAME OVER, MAN. GAME OVER! @JohnFetterman rips into Chuck Schumer and Democrats using Americans as "leverage" during shutdown. "This is not some shitty game show about who's winning or whatever. We have to be better than this and open things up." @DailyCaller pic.twitter.com/TTmhK9ysKZ Harold Hutchison (@HaroldHutchison) October 31, 2025 Yeah, well ask the hungry people on Saturday, Fetterman shot back. Americans are not leverage. This is not some shitty gameshow about whos winning or whatever. Its just like, we have to be better than this and just open this up. Fetterman claimed that hes talked to any number of Republicans who they agree that we have this conversation about extending the tax credits. Democrats have refused to vote to reopen the government unless Republicans meet to discuss extending the Obamacare tax credits that make health care affordable for some 24 million Americans. Republicans refuse to discuss anything until the government reopens. Watch the clip above via CNN. The post This Is Not Some Sh*tty Gameshow: Fetterman Demands Democrats Be Better Than This and Open the Government first appeared on Mediaite. A cold front that moved through Austin this week finally brought a brisk fall chill to the Central Texas air. For those who are already looking forward to next Summer, Delta Air Lines is bringing brand new nonstop routes from AUS to three popular vacation destinations in 2026. Deltas launching seasonal service between Austin-Bergstrom International Airport and Bozeman, Mont., Glacier Park, Mont. and Destin, Fla. starting June 13, 2026, according to the airline. The new flights will fly once per week through the summer season, until Sept. 5. Regional airline SkyWest will operate the new routes as Delta Connection flights on Embraer E-175 jets, which seat up to 76 passengers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The leisure routes are brand new to Austin-Bergstrom, as no carrier currently flies to any of the three destinations, according to the airports website. Theyre the latest in a spate of new route announcements from Delta, which recently became the No. 2 carrier at the airport behind Southwest and continues to grow its footprint in Austin. Amy Martin, vice president of network planning for Delta Air Lines, told the American-Statesman the carrier is primarily looking to capitalize on business travel demand. But, she said, As were adding into those top business demand markets, were also very cognizant that we need to have places for people to burn their SkyMiles. The airline previously announced seasonal service to Palm Springs, California, beginning in November, and flights to Mexicos Cancun and San Jose del Cabo in December. Delta will also launch nonstop service to Denver this fall; to Kansas City and Columbus, Ohio, next summer; and will offer additional nonstop flights to San Francisco and Indianapolis starting next year. Delta has already launched seven new routes to Austin this year and plans to add even more in the near future, Martin said. We will be continuing to expand our presence in Austin, so there will be more announcements, she said. In a historic move, King Charles announced he is to strip all remaining titles from Prince Andrew and will evict him from the Royal Lodge. Buckingham Palace said Andrew was given notice on Thursday to leave the 30-room mansion and he will in future be known simply as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, effectively living as a commoner. It comes after weeks of intense pressure as the Kings brothers links to paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein continue to embarrass the monarchy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It is understood that although Andrew denies all Epstein accusations, Buckingham Palace considers that there have been serious lapses of judgement. A live audience on BBCs Question Time burst into applause as they were told the news on Thursday evening, with many around the world expressing similar strong reactions. Buckingham Palace said Andrew will in future be known simply as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, effectively living as a commoner (AP) Here is how the worlds media reacted to the news: Andrew believed the worst was over... the King had other ideas Newspapers in Australia have been following the Andrew-Epstein story closely. The King is still the head of state of Australia, and Andrews accuser, Virginia Giuffre, lived in the country for much of her life. The Kings announcement on Thursday became the lead story on several news sites, including The Australian and The Sydney Morning Herald. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Analysis in The Sydney Morning Herald highlights that Andrews attempt to draw a line under the accusations by relinquishing Duke of York titles was not enough. It says Charles never had any doubt that more had to be done to protect the royal family. The Kings announcement on Thursday became the lead story on several news sites, including The Australian and The Sydney Morning Herald (The Sydney Morning Herald) The Australian said the royals had taken the nuclear option, but criticised the palace, saying in its analysis: Until now, Buckingham Palace had dished out mostly symbolic punishments against Andrew. This demotion is unprecedented in scale for the House of Windsor. The Australian said the royals had taken the nuclear option (The Australian) In the US, multiple papers and broadcasters covered the story. CNN called the move extraordinary but asked whether the Kings decision was too little too late. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Calling it the ultimate humiliation for Andrew, the broadcaster described how he will now be exiled to the countryside to live in obscurity. It said the news cements the deepest split in the British royal family in decades. The question now: whether King Charles and the British establishment have done enough to prevent Andrews association with Epstein from engulfing the monarchy. CNN called the move extraordinary but asked whether the Kings decision was too little too late (CNN) The Royal formerly known as prince The New York Post dubbed Andrew as disgraced and highlighted the palaces reference to the victims and survivors of abuse in their statement. The statement says the King and Queens sympathies have been, and will remain with, the victims and survivors of any and all forms of abuse. The New York Post dubbed Andrew as disgraced and highlighted the palaces reference to the victims (New York Post) The Washington Post said the King had taken decisive action against his brother in what the palace said was deemed necessary. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It said the move underscores the kings determination to protect the monarchys reputation, even at the cost of permanently stripping his younger brother of the titles and privileges he has held since birth. It said the removal process represents the most vigorous royal intervention in a scandal that has plagued the family for years. The Washington Post said the King had taken decisive action against his brother (The Washington Post) The Prince is no longer German paper Der Spiegel also led with the story, saying King Charles has had enough and is officially holding his brother accountable. The paper said this is primarily thanks to a courageous woman, Virginia Giuffre, whose posthumous memoir achieved what would otherwise likely have been swept under the rug time and time again. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The paper wrote: Giuffre fought bravely and persistently to transform the very dark chapters of her young life into brighter ones. German paper Der Spiegel also led with the story, saying King Charles has had enough (Der Spiegel) Elsewhere in Europe, French newspaper Le Monde said it is almost unprecedented for a British prince or princess to be stripped of that title. It last happened in 1919, when Prince Ernest Augustus, who was a UK royal and also a prince of Hanover, had his British title removed for siding with Germany during World War I. French newspaper Le Monde called the move unprecedented (Le Monde) How The Independent covered the news The Independent presented the story on the front cover of Fridays edition, referencing the Kings bombshell decree and writing that Andrew had paid the price for his contact with Epstein. Oct. 30Nurses and other staff at the University of New Mexico Hospital rallied for wage increases Thursday, alleging the hospital denied them an annual raise despite increasing workloads and rapidly growing patient volume. Union representatives say the hospital employees including nurses, clerks, techs, nursing assistants, medical assistants, radiologists and facilities, pharmacy and environmental services workers are not paid market-competitive wages, a contributing factor to UNMH's issues with recruitment and retention. Yolanda Avila Ulmer, president of District 1199NM, the hospital workers' union representing the UNMH employees, said union officials were told during negotiations that the hospital didn't have money in the budget for staff raises, though its CEO Kate Becker was to receive a pay increase. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "They don't budget for any of the people who are the foundation of this hospital, and that's a big problem," Avila Ulmer said. On Thursday morning, around a dozen health care workers picketed outside the hospital in shifts. Nurses told the Journal they were living paycheck to paycheck amid rising expenses. Since UNMH is a publicly operated hospital, the staff can't go on strike, Avila Ulmer said, though the union won't relent until its demands are met. "We're not going to stand down," she said. UNM Health Sciences spokesperson Chris Ramirez said in a statement that the hospital had taken "several financial hits" this year due to federal funding issues, rising costs of supplies and a growing patient population. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "UNM Hospital values its workforce and is deeply committed to providing competitive wages and creating an environment for our care teams to thrive, while providing high-level quality care to patients," Ramirez said. In the past five years, UNMH implemented five wage increases for all employees, along with equity adjustments for workers with more than six years of service, Ramirez said. Becker is the only one at UNMH receiving an annual raise because yearly pay increases are included in her multiyear contract, he said. UNMH is New Mexico's only Level 1 trauma center, equipped to provide 24-hour care for patients with the most serious injuries, so the hospital constantly receives patients from other parts of the state via helicopter, plane or ambulance. This also means the hospital is often overcrowded. UNMH consistently operates at anywhere from 105% to 120% capacity, UNM Health Sciences spokesperson Brianna Mortensen told the Journal in August. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Overcrowding issues at UNMH compounded by a statewide provider deficit New Mexico is short 30% for nurses, according to nonprofit Think New Mexico means staff is overworked and patients suffer, Avila Ulmer said. "The hospital is short-staffed. Nurses are working tired, overworked, lots of hours, four days, five days, 12-hour shifts," she said. "Mistakes can happen. Patients aren't getting their medications on time. It's awful for this trauma hospital to be like this." Earlier this month, UNMH opened its critical care tower, designed to increase patient capacity. At $842 million, the nine-story tower is the largest and most expensive public non-road construction project in New Mexico's history. The tower's opening was delayed by a year, in part by staffing challenges. At a ribbon cutting ceremony in September, UNM Health System CEO Dr. Mike Richards told the Journal the tower is still not fully staffed, though the hospital hired more than 1,000 new employees to work in it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Margarita Ortega y Gomez, an occupational therapist at UNMH and District 1199NM chapter president, said the whole hospital, including the new tower, feels the strain of being understaffed, which means patients and student trainees don't get the attention they deserve. "Even in this new tower, they're short-staffed with very unsafe conditions at this point," she said. "That affects directly the people who need it the most." A wage increase will attract more staff to UNMH, Ortega y Gomez said, which will mean the hospital won't have to pay travel nurses, who are more expensive. "We want to recruit health care professionals. In order to do that, we've got to be able to pay fair and living wages. They have to be able to expect annual raises. They have to be able to expect good working conditions," said state Rep. Patricia Roybal Caballero, D-Albuquerque, who joined the picketers Thursday morning. "Why are we subcontracting out all over the nation for nurses when we have health care professionals that we can retain here?" The union will return to negotiations with UNMH on Nov. 18, Avila Ulmer said. SEOUL (Reuters) -Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang said on Friday he hoped the company's state-of-the-art Blackwell chips can be sold in China, although the decision needed to be made by U.S. President Donald Trump. Speaking during his first official visit to South Korea in more than a decade, a day after Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping held talks there, Huang said he was delighted by the success of the meeting, but was not aware what they spoke about. After the talks on Thursday, Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One that semiconductors had been discussed and China was "going to be talking to Nvidia and others about taking chips", but added, "We're not talking about the Blackwell." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The extent of China's access to Nvidia's chips has been a key point of friction with the United States. Washington levies export controls on sales of Nvidia's most advanced AI chips to China, seeking to limit its tech progress, particularly in applications that could help its military. Huang has tried to persuade the Trump administration to loosen the controls, saying Chinese AI's dependence on U.S. hardware was good for America. (Reporting by Heekyong Yang, Hyunjoo Jin Eduardo Baptista, in Seoul; Editing by Christian Schmollinger and Clarence Fernandez) An upstate New York man was sentenced on Wednesday to five to 15 years in prison for his role in the death of a Ticonderoga entertainer during what prosecutors described as sexual role-play involving homemade chloroform. Ronald Rayher, a 71-year-old retired chiropractor from Milton, was convicted earlier this year of manslaughter and tampering with evidence in the April 2024 death of Thomas Krider, 40. Krider, who performed under the stage name TJ Greene, is described by local media as a popular Elvis tribute artist and a well-known guide at the Star Trek Set Tour in Ticonderoga. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He was reported missing by his wife on April 6, 2024, after failing to return home. Rayher was arrested a few days later, with prosecutors saying he applied a lethal dose of chloroform to a mask worn by Krider during the sexual encounter, then left the body in his basement for days while attempting to discard the victims belongings before calling police. During the May 2025 trial, Rayher claimed that Krider gave himself the dose of chloroform that killed him, but the jury rejected the argument and found him guilty on both counts, according to CBS Albany. On Wednesday, Rayhers attorney repeated his defense, telling the judge that his client did not contact police immediately because he panicked and had been lacking sleep. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But Acting District Attorney Jennifer Buckley said that, since hes a medical professional, he knew chloroform was a dangerous substance and that care was needed. Visiting Saratoga County Judge Lorraine C. Diamond agreed, calling Kriders death tragic and wholly preventable, Syracuse.com reported. It was a profound abuse of trust and medical scientific knowledge, Diamond said. You are not an uninformed bystander. You took an oath to do no harm. You knew the risks and took them for your own recreation, amusement and sexual gratification. Rayher was sentenced to the maximum sentence of five to 15 years for the manslaughter charge and one-and-one-third to four years in prison for evidence tampering, to be served concurrently, the Albany Times Union reported. According to Saratoga County Undersheriff Jeffrey Brown, the two men had been in a secret relationship for about a decade. ALBANY - More than 3,600 New York public school students were physically restrained or isolated in "timeouts" in at least 20,000 incidents last year, including some cases that violated state regulations. That's according to the New York State Education Department, which have required schools to report these incidents to the state for the first time following a Times Union investigation in 2022 found widespread use of the controversial behavioral techniques. The newspaper's reporting revealed that the practices have resulted in injuries and deaths to students and staff across the U.S. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But the real number of students who experienced these methods could be much greater. Although all public and charter schools - and some residential private and state schools - were required to report the incidents, the Education Department only released data for schools that reported at least one incident. Roughly 20 percent of public schools were not included, and the department declined to specify how many schools did not participate in the data collection. Instead, the department said in a statement that it is working to improve the data collection process. The data collection was part of new regulations passed by the Board of Regents in 2023, cracking down on the use of physical restraints, timeouts and other behavioral interventions. Intended to be a last resort in a moment of crisis, a physical restraint involves school staff holding a student's arms, legs or torso so they cannot move, typically while they are standing up or on the ground. New York also permits staff to put students in a "timeout" - isolating them in a room where they are monitored - as long as they can leave. The regulations prohibit secluding children in locked rooms they cannot exit. Some schools have padded, closet-like "timeout rooms" that they use for this purpose. 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Karson, who has autism, was so traumatized by the experience, he stopped in-person schooling for two years and today struggles to make it through part of a school day at his new public school, according to his mother. Johnston-Waugh said she knows her son can sometimes act aggressively, but she feels most schools don't do enough to understand the triggers for his behavior and intervene before situations escalate. Under the new state regulations, Karson's new school will not use timeout on him - a measure Johnston-Waugh fought for when she placed him there, she said. He hasn't been restrained, but has witnessed other students being held in restraints. She noticed him grow agitated when she walked him to the school's entrance one day. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Karson could hear another student in distress and he was trying to bang on the door," Johnston-Waugh said. "He said 'I know they are restraining him.'" The new state regulations emphasize that schools should be using strategies to eliminate the use of the controversial methods. They also direct that school staff can only use physical restraints when there is imminent danger of serious physical harm to the student or others, and when other less restrictive methods would not work. Previously, staff could restrain children to protect property. The state allows schools to use timeouts more often. Schools can isolate students in timeout when there is a "concern for the physical safety" of the student or others, or in other situations if the school includes timeout room use on the child's behavior plan. During that last school year, both techniques were mostly used on boys with disabilities, the data shows. The youngest school children were most affected, with students in kindergarten, first and second grades comprising a third of all children involved, the data shows. About 50 percent of the reported incidents involved white students, although Caucasian children comprise only 40 percent of K-12 public school students in New York. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The data also reveals nearly half of restraints and timeouts were performed to protect staff last year, with the second largest reason being protecting the student from harming themselves. Over 80 percent of restraint and timeout incidents in New York schools last year involved boys with disabilities. Some were held in timeout in padded rooms like this one at a middle school in Colonie. (Lori Van Buren/Times Union) Sometimes, staff will clear a classroom of other students before using a restraint or timeout. On other occasions, restraints are used to break up fights between students, according to New York State United Teachers, a union representing nearly 700,000 school professionals. "Every student deserves to learn in a safe and supportive environment - and every educator deserves clear, consistent guidance for maintaining that safety," said NYSUT President Melinda Person. "The goal should always be to prevent crises before they occur and to protect the dignity and well-being of every student." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nearly 50% of all timeouts were performed on students with no behavioral intervention plan, or one that did not include a provision for those students to receive timeouts, according to the data. About half of all the incidents lasted one to five minutes, the data shows. But about 20% of the incidents lasted more than 20 minutes. Restraints are typically a shorter duration than timeouts. The Times Union found in 2022 that some schools held students in timeout rooms for hours at a time. The recent data also reveals some schools had reported using methods prohibited by state regulations on students 40 times last year. Those methods included corporal punishment, seclusion, restraining students face down, mechanically restraining students and "aversive" methods like using noxious or painful stimuli on students or denying them food. The Education Department is still analyzing the data to determine next steps it may take in response, said JP O'Hare, a spokesman for the department. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The data may undercount the prevalence of prohibited practices. The state has generally banned corporal punishment for decades - a prohibition which the governor extended to all types of schools in 2023 - and has required reporting of these incidents. Investigators and school officials substantiated more than 1,600 corporal punishment complaints from 2016 through 2021, or a few hundred per year, according to a Times Union review of state Education Department records. Also, in states that permit "timeout" but forbid seclusion, the actual practices in schools sometimes cross the line into seclusion, explained Guy Stephens, founder and executive director of the Alliance Against Seclusion and Restraint, a national group that opposes the methods. Very similar to timeout, seclusion also typically involves keeping a student alone in a room, but New York regulations state seclusion occurs when the students are prevented from leaving, or they may perceive that they cannot leave at will. Stephens added that he believes many of the restraints reported in the New York data did not occur when there was an "imminent danger of serious physical harm," under the legal definitions of those terms. He thinks restraints would be far more rare if that standard was followed strictly. "How often is a 45-pound first-grader is really posing a life-threatening situation?" he said. "What going to schools and talking to district is people have a misunderstanding of what the laws actually say." Schenectady City School District reported the most incidents of restraint and seclusion of any district last year, according to data collected by the state. The district has five timeout rooms at its elementary schools. (Lori Van Buren/Times Union) Among school districts that reported to the state, Schenectady City School District documented more restraint and timeout events last year than any other school district, including districts that are significantly larger. The district reported 582 incidents, including 101 restraints and 481 timeouts last year. Those incidents involved 57 students, including many who repeatedly experienced the techniques. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Records previously obtained by the Times Union from the school district showed 322 timeout events in the 2020-2021 school year, 437 in 2019-2020 and 1,669 in 2018-19. There were also many additional undated incidents documented during those school years. The district has five timeout rooms, all located in elementary schools. The rooms are only used on students with disabilities in particular high-needs classrooms, said district spokeswoman Karen Corona. Four of the timeout rooms are located within the classroom where those students are taught and one is across the hall. Asked how the district, which teaches 8,700 students, is working to reduce incidents of timeouts and restraints, Corona said: "Physical restraint is always a last resort and must be administered exclusively by staff certified in the Therapeutic Crisis Intervention in Schools (TCIS) model." She added they have over 450 staff certified to perform restraints. "We also document and debrief every incident of restraint to identify strategies for improvement," she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement State regulations require districts to notify parents about the incidents and document them. Staff must debrief one another about the incidents and talk to the student. Regulations also require all school staff to receive annual training on the district's restraint and timeout procedures as well as deescalation methods and positive alternatives. The state Education Department is working to improve the data collection for the coming year and analyze what schools reported. "The New York State Education Department (NYSED) is committed to supporting schools and districts in meeting their data reporting obligations while ensuring the collection of high-quality information," said Rachel Male, a spokeswoman for the department. "Consistent with any first-year implementation of a new data collection, particularly one launched mid-year, the focus is on learning and improving throughout the reporting and collection process." Stephens said his organization has advocated for data collection on restraint and timeout practices, but documenting cases is not enough. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Data should lead to data-driven decisions," Stephens said. "Often what we see in various states is there is a requirement of collecting data and dutifully people go and begin to collect the data and then they do nothing with it." The U.S. Department of Education has required schools to report restraint and seclusion incidents every few years, but that data has been plagued by underreporting, according to government watchdogs. There are no federal standards about the use of these practices in public schools. This article originally published at NY school students restrained, put in time out over 20K times last year. A 39-year-old man died while trying to rescue his dogs from his flooded basement and another man was electrocuted while working on a boiler in a pair of tragedies during the torrential rainstorm that rocked the Big Apple Thursday. The FDNY scuba team was dispatched to the first flood at a home on Kingston Avenue near Rutland Road in Flatbush, Brooklyn shortly after 4 p.m., police said. Two people died in separate flooding incidents in New York City Thursday evening. WABC A 39-year-old man died while trying to rescue his dogs from his flooded basement in Brooklyn. WABC The man rushed back inside his home to save his dogs. WABC Inside the flooded basement, firefighters found a man who sources said had made it out of his home, but rushed back inside to save his dogs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Video captured by a passerby showed the FDNY and members of the scuba team carrying the victims limp body out of the apartment building while they were still wading through ankle-high water in the street. The man was taken to Kings County Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Its unclear if the dogs were rescued. Meanwhile, about 30 minutes later in Washington Heights, a 43-year-old man was also found unresponsive inside a flooded boiler room on West 175th Street in Washington Heights shortly after 4:30 p.m., police said. An inch of rain fell in just 10 minutes in parts of the five boroughs, creating havoc and overwhelming parts of the citys infrastructure with little warning. AFP via Getty Images The man was pulled from the basement, but emergency responders pronounced him dead at the scene, police said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sources told The Post that the victim was working on the boiler during the flood and that preliminary reports indicate he was electrocuted. A 43-year-old man was also found unresponsive inside a flooded boiler room in Washington Heights. WABC Both victims identities are being withheld pending their families notification. A city medical examiner is working to determine the causes of death. An inch of rain fell in just 10 minutes in parts of the five boroughs, creating havoc and overwhelming parts of the citys infrastructure with little warning. The Office of Emergency Management issued a flash flooding warning for Brooklyn, the Bronx, Queens and Manhattan at 4:16 p.m. OEM had advised people to avoid places where water covers the roadway and to move to higher ground, or, if in a basement, move to a higher floor. Blima Marcus, an Orthodox nurse in Brooklyn, wrote on Facebook that she had abandoned an earlier promise not to vote at all and would cast a ballot for Cuomo if she can make it to the polls. Tracey Wells didnt necessarily want to see Andrew Cuomo resign in disgrace as New Yorks governor in 2021. But I firmly believe that you believe women, Wells, the owner of a recruitment firm, said, noting at the time, New Yorks attorney general had substantiated sexual harassment claims from 11 women. That number that would later rise to 13 following a federal Department of Justice investigation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nonetheless, Wells, who is Jewish, surprised herself by deciding to vote for Cuomo to become mayor of New York City. She made the decision in part because she sharply disagrees with Democratic nominee Zohran Mamdanis critical views on Israel. Hes not my favorite, but hes better than the alternative options, Wells said about Cuomo, rationalizing that the allegations against him could have been more egregious. Hes obviously been in trouble before. Im a woman, a feminist, and I do think that the things that he got in trouble for, 10 or 15 years ago, would have never been an issue. Wells thinking reflects the complicated calculus facing many Jewish women in New York City this week. Mamdani, the frontrunner, has divided Jewish voters with his vociferous criticism of Israel, and many of those who are spurning him over that see Cuomo, who is polling a distant second, as the best chance to keep him out of Gracie Mansion. But Cuomo has his own baggage: a track record of sexual harassment allegations, which he denies, that derailed his last stint in public office, and remains a turnoff for many voters. Andrew Cuomo speaks outside the West Side Institutional Synagogue, April 1, 2025, New York City. (credit: Spencer Platt/Getty Images) Casting a vote against Mamdani As somebody who identifies as a feminist, I really wish there was a better option, said a Lower Manhattan 28-year-old woman who works in influencer marketing. She declined to share her name, citing concerns about publicizing her voting record. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Every other election that I voted in, Ive been very sure in my decision, and Ive been excited to cast my vote and use my voice, the woman said. In this election, it feels like Im voting more against something than for something that Im excited about. Usually, she casts a ballot on the first day of early voting. But this year, she waffled until Wednesday, when she voted for Cuomo, not to support him, but to count against Mamdani. As the candidate who won the Democratic primary, I normally would just go for it, she said. But I think just because so much of his platform has been around that [anti-Zionism], I struggle, I fear, that that would energize that super anti-Israel base more. And anti-Zionism often bleeds into antisemitism. A fevered push among many Jewish leaders to get out the vote against Mamdani has largely sidestepped Cuomos history with women. Rabbi Elliot Cosgrove, in a Shabbat sermon urging New Yorkers to back Cuomo, said only that Cuomo, like any politician, comes with both personal and professional baggage. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A letter quoting Cosgroves sermon has now been signed by more than 1,150 rabbis across the country, including hundreds of women. Tracy Kaplowitz, a rabbi at the Stephen Wise Free Synagogue on the Upper West Side, was among them. Asked about how Jewish women should weigh the allegations against Cuomo as they vote, Kaplan said, Judaism believes in the dignity of every human being. People need to make their decisions honoring the dignity of every human being. We are not endorsing any candidate. Were not encouraging people to vote in a particular way thats not our role or our place, and we recognize people will come to different conclusions. The writer Emily Tamkin lives in Washington, D.C., and cannot vote in the election. Still, as she wrote in The Forward, the pro-Cuomo push among prominent Jews feels unnerving. The failure of so many Jewish leaders to meaningfully engage with what Cuomos election might mean for women has deeply alarmed me, Tamkin wrote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The idea that I, or any woman, has to pretend that the normalization of sexual harassment in politics is somehow irrelevant to our day-to-day safety, because our commitment to Jewish peoplehood comes first, seems to me to be an extremely limited understanding of Jewish safety, she continued. Some rabbis have in fact called attention to Cuomos history as a reason to find the election challenging for Jewish voters. When we are considering whom to elect as leaders, a candidate who has been morally compromised should not easily collect our votes, Rabbi Rick Jacobs, head of the Reform movement, wrote in an essay. As I have questioned what Mamdani might do based on his statements, so too I question what Andrew Cuomo might do in light of past findings of his pattern of harassment. Rachel Gildiner, executive director of SRE Network, a group that helps Jewish organizations achieve gender equity and create inclusive workplaces, said the election is doubly challenging for many Jewish women. Today, many Jewish women are feeling pressure from all sides and wondering if their own safety and belonging are being fully seen and understood, Gildiner said in a statement. At SRE, we are focused on helping the organizations we work with support women who are experiencing the double threat of antisemitism and misogyny in this moment. To all the women struggling: we see you and you are not alone. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some Jewish women say they feel no need to reconcile themselves to supporting a candidate with a record of allegations against him because they prefer Mamdani anyway. Im really happy with Zohran, said Jaime Berman, a 33-year-old attorney and one of two Democratic state committee members for the 76th Assembly district, representing the Upper East Side. And also Cuomo is literally the most evil person in New York, and is a sexual harasser. But for many Jewish women, the decision is proving to be fraught to the elections very last days. Alisha Outridge, a tech entrepreneur in her late 30s living in Manhattan, said she sees advantages and disadvantages to both leading candidates. For her, the allegations against Cuomo arent weighing heavily. I think its bad, but I wouldnt make decisions based on who our mayor is on that, she said, noting that she is leaning toward Mamdani. Local policy is really what I think is most impactful. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Blima Marcus, an Orthodox nurse in Brooklyn, wrote on Facebook that she had abandoned an earlier promise not to vote at all and would cast a ballot for Cuomo if she can make it to the polls. A sexual predator is a red line for me, but I must say that after watching Zohran Mamdani carefully and listening to what he does and does not say I dont want him in office and I dont want it on my conscience that I sat this election out, she wrote. For Wells in Williamsburg, her vote for Cuomo is coming with hope that the mistakes of the past are not soon repeated. Obviously, he made a few bad calls, Wells said. I would like him to not make any bad calls as the mayor of the city. Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan recently gave a warm shoutout to WWE icon and Hollywood actor John Cena, calling him a "rockstar." During his recent #ASKSrk session, Shah Rukh, in response to a fan's comment, described Cena as a "rock star. Very humble and kind." Moved by his remarks, John Cena appeared to be quite content as he called SRK a "constant inspiration." In his X post, the actor wrote, "Will never forget your kindness and our conversation. Thank you for the constant inspiration to me personally and your fans around the world!" https://x.com/JohnCena/status/1984234470308991465 It is worth mentioning that John Cena has time and again expressed his admiration for SRK on social media. Last year, Cena met the 'Jawan' actor at the wedding ceremony of Anant Ambani and Radhika Merchant in Mumbai and later posted a picture with him. "An experience filled with so many unforgettable moments which allowed me to connect with countless new friends, including meeting @iamsrk and being able to tell him personally the positive effect he has had on my life," he wrote. https://x.com/JohnCena/status/1812134732001403332 Speaking with ANI over a Zoom video call, Cena, who will be seen in Prime Video's 'Jackpot' film, minutely explained how Shah Rukh inspired him in his life. He also shared that he was "starstruck" and "emotional" when he met him in person. "He (Shah Rukh) did a Ted Talk that found me at the right time in my life and his words were beyond inspirational to me. They helped orchestrate a change in my life. And since that change, I've been able to recognise all the jackpots that I've been given and been grateful and work hard to make sure I don't waste them," Cena said. Back in February 2024, a video went viral in which the 'Fast and Furious' actor sang 'Bholi Si Surat' song from Shah Rukh's film 'Dil Toh Pagal Hai'. The video garnered attention, prompting a response from Shah Rukh himself. (ANI) A Staten Island man dressed in a cop costume was arrested Friday for allegedly brandishing a real knife and making threats after he was barred from entering a Halloween party in New Jersey, officials said. John Bekhet, 19, is facing several charges including terroristic threats and unlawful possession of a weapon for his role in the alleged incident in Gloucester County in the early hours of Friday. According to the Glassboro Police Department, officers responded to the 300 block of North Main Street shortly before 2 a.m. for a report of a knife-wielding man who made threats after being denied entry to the party. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ironically, he was dressed as a police officer, a Glassboro police spokesperson said in a news release. Law enforcement officers patrolling the area quickly located the suspect, later identified as Bekhet, and arrested him following a brief foot chase, police said. The knife used in the alleged altercation was also located nearby, according to the GPD. Bekhet was booked into Salem County Jail and charged with terroristic threats, obstruction, resisting arrest, disorderly conduct and weapons offenses. Glassboro, in South Jersey, is about 20 miles southeast of Philadelphia. New York City public school students will have buses as normal next week after all school bus companies said they agreed to sign another emergency extension of their contract. The mayor's office said in a statement: "Mayor Adams has remained committed to ensuring that our public school students can safely get to and from schools, and we are glad to hear that thanks to our efforts, our contracted school buses will continue to serve students on Monday without disruption. We expect to be directly informing families about this resolution tomorrow." A spokesperson for the city's Department of Education added: "We appreciate the vendors reconsidering their position and recognizing how devastating this would be for our most vulnerable students in the nation's largest school system." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A statement from a spokesperson for the lawyer stresses that the companies "look forward to finalizing this contract at the November PEP meeting." The statement went on to say the bus companies will likely be in this same position next month. "First and foremost, in good faith, we are signing the 30-day extension because, in the end, this is about the children and our employees, period," the statement said. The contracts for the buses that transport 150,000 public school students have been approved on a month-to-month emergency basis since the end of June -- the result of an ongoing dispute. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The unions that represent 12,000 unionized workers want a five-year contract extension, which has already been negotiated between the bus companies, the city Education Department and the mayor's office. But the Panel for Education Policy, which reviews the Education Department's large contracts, unanimously opposed the contract at its meeting Wednesday night, saying it lacks adequate employee protections and service improvements. While the PEP's 24-member board includes a simple majority appointed by the mayor, the administration has let three seats go vacant, and some Adams appointees on the PEP appear to be asserting independence from the mayor. The mayors office said it is urging the PEP to approve the contract extension on the table, but under current mayoral control laws, the PEP has new voting powers and the decision is not solely up to the mayor. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "These are issues we must keep in mind if/when mayoral accountability is removed," a city official added ---------- * Get Eyewitness News Delivered * More New York City news * Send us a news tip * Download the abc7NY app for breaking news alerts * Follow us on YouTube Submit a tip or story idea to Eyewitness News Have a breaking news tip or an idea for a story we should cover? Send it to Eyewitness News using the form below. If attaching a video or photo, terms of use apply. A sweeping school bus lockout in New York City has been averted, for now. The remaining bus operators announced Thursday night they were signing a series of emergency extensions, which was later confirmed by city education officials. Early last week, the companies threatened to discontinue bus service for tens of thousands of students, and lay off drivers and attendants, as soon as Monday, Nov. 3 unless a citywide education panel approved a five-year contract extension. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The buses have been operating on emergency extensions since the last renewal expired over the summer. In the end, this is about the children and our employees, period, said Richard Bamberger, a spokesman for the companies. Buses will be running on Monday. In a statement, New York City Public Schools said the system was committed to working with the vendors to put a contract in front of the education panel with enough support to pass. We appreciate the vendors reconsidering their position and recognizing how devastating this would be for our most vulnerable students in the nations largest school system, said Nicole Brownstein, a spokeswoman for the public schools. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The panel, known as the Panel for Educational Policy or PEP, opposes a long-term extension without changes to state law that would allow the city to competitively rebid school bus contracts and push for better service for children. They passed a resolution doubling down on their stance on Wednesday night. This was a victory, said Greg Faulkner, the chair of the PEP. The panel held firm. I think when we held that unanimous vote last night, it was a clear indication we were not going to give into pressure and it was a victory for kids. The city has not re-solicited bids in some half-century, while its families especially students with disabilities, who make up a large share of riders have complained of chronic bus delays and no-shows, a lack of air-conditioning or heat, and other issues. The bus operators claim they reached a five-year deal with the Adams administration back in June after a year of negotiation. However, any finalized contract requires the approval of the PEP that, while mostly made of mayoral appointees, has been emboldened in recent months on this issue. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Next, Faulkner said he hoped to push for a two-year extension, possibly with a third year based on performance. The bus companies said they want and need to work with the PEP: This emergency extension will allow us to bring all parties to the table to work everything out, Richard said. The annual Village Halloween Parade in New York City may be an "attractive target" despite the lack of a specific, actionable threat, according to an NYPD bulletin obtained by ABC News. With tens of thousands of participants expected and more than a million spectators, the annual parade is fun but the police will be watching for potential threats. Expect to see record numbers of NYPD officers along the route as a precaution. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The police noted the particular challenge of identifying potential threats because all the participants are in costumes and masks. "A variety of violent extremists and malicious actors may view the Village Halloween Parade as an attractive target for acts of violence and/or disruption, especially during a period of ongoing domestic and geopolitical flashpoints," the document said. Thousands of New Yorkers in costumes are expected to attend the 52nd annual Village Halloween Parade. The parade starts at 7 p.m. at Canal Street and Sixth Avenue and goes up to 15th Street. ---------- * Get Eyewitness News Delivered * More New York City news * Send us a news tip * Download the abc7NY app for breaking news alerts * Follow us on YouTube Submit a tip or story idea to Eyewitness News Have a breaking news tip or an idea for a story we should cover? Send it to Eyewitness News using the form below. If attaching a video or photo, terms of use apply. ALBANY - State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli has rescinded over $125 million in grants to support crime victims after upholding a protest about the bidding process lodged by a downstate hospital. Gov. Kathy Hochul announced the grants to over 200 nonprofit organizations, government agencies and hospitals in July. The money was awarded through the federal 2025 Victims of Crime Act, and organizations applied for the grants through the state Office of Victim Services. This week, OVS Director Bea Hanson sent letters to awardees informing them of the new development and criticizing the comptroller's office. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "OVS is deeply disappointed with this decision by OSC. While we believe their decision was erroneous and relied on inaccurate information, OSC has indicated this determination is final. All of us at OVS are aware of the significant impact this decision will have on service providers, victims, and survivors," the letter read in part. Comptroller's office spokesman Matthew Sweeney said Jacobi Medical Center, a hospital in the Bronx, had filed the protest and DiNapoli upheld it. The hospital was turned down for a grant after mistakenly submitting an incomplete document called a narrative submission form during the application process. It appealed OVS' decision not to approve its grant request based on the incomplete document. "The dispute is whether Jacobi should have been provided with the opportunity to provide additional information in order to correct its narrative submission form. The procurement record shows that Jacobi, and at least one other applicant, submitted narrative submission forms that were incomplete, i.e., with one or more unanswered question (s), and were not provided with the opportunity to correct their narrative submission forms," the comptroller's ruling said. "The procurement record further shows that at least one applicant submitted a completely blank narrative submission form, i.e., with all questions unanswered, and was provided with the opportunity to correct the submission and submit a late narrative submission form." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jacobi Medical Center is run by the New York City Health and Hospitals Corporation, a municipal health care system with facilities in all five boroughs. Other hospitals run by the corporation had been awarded over $1 million in funding through the program. A spokesperson for the health care system did not respond to a request for comment. According to the governor's announcement over the summer, the funds would directly support "therapy, support groups, case management, emergency shelter, civil legal assistance, accompaniment to court, transportation, and assistance with filing claims with OVS to pay or offset expenses directly related to the crime." In statements to the Times Union on Thursday, OVS and the comptroller's office said they had agreed on a plan that would continue to fund organizations with preexisting contracts for victim assistance funds while a longer-term solution was identified. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The Office of Victim Services disagrees with OSC's determination, but we will work together to extend contracts that recently expired with victim assistance programs for the next 12 to 18 months," OVS spokeswoman Janine Kava said in a statement. "This will allow us to minimize any immediate disruption in services for those impacted by crime and abuse and allow us to continue working together on a long-term solution to ensure these essential programs and services remain available whenever and wherever they are needed." The letter from OVS to awardees, many of whom are already grappling with funding problems stemming from federal cuts and the government shutdown, did not mention the continuance to which the two state offices had apparently agreed. Any organization that was in line for an increase in funding will no longer receive it. Grant funding is awarded in three-year cycles. Grantees that had been approved for the current cycle, which runs from Oct. 1, 2025, to Sept. 30, 2028, will now receive funds at levels they received during the 2022-2025 cycle. "OSC and OVS have agreed on a path forward where contracts will be extended and services will continue as a new procurement moves forward," Sweeney said in a statement. "We are currently working with OVS, finalizing the plan for continuity of services and have committed to expeditiously reviewing any submissions." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Capital Region institutions had been awarded over $10 million, with over $1.2 million allocated to the district attorney's offices of Albany, Rensselaer, Schenectady, Warren and Washington counties. In an interview on Thursday, Kava declined to say when OVS found out the grants were being rescinded. New grantees have been left in a more precarious position. Hochul's office says the 25 organizations awarded funds for the first time will have to reapply. Her office said steps were being taken to "expedite" the request process. Schuyler County District Attorney Joseph G. Fazzary was among the attendees at an OVS Zoom meeting on Friday in which officials from the office answered questions about the cuts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fazzary said he was upset when he received his letter from OVS. Funding from the office allowed him to set up a county justice center providing services to some 700 people, many of whom are victims of sexual assault and domestic violence. "It doesn't sound like anybody knows the exact details," Fazzary said. He said he was confident that ultimately something would be worked out between the different state agencies, but that the comptroller's decision had created unnecessary confusion and that it remained unclear what a resolution would look like. "Newly funded programs are going to get nothing, at least at this point in time," he said of his impressions from the gathering. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some of the new grantees now face the prospect of having to reapply for significant awards they believed had already been approved. For example, the Hudson Valley LGBTQ+ Community Center in Kingston had been in line for a $202,737 grant. The Tompkins County District Attorney's Office had been slated to receive $72,000. Richard Heyl de Ortiz, the community center's executive director, said he believed the process of getting approved again could take as long as two years based on information he received during the call and that reapproval was "not guaranteed." He said the expedited process only applied to grantees that had been approved in the previous cycle and that his group and the 24 other new awardees would have to wait until those groups had reapplied. "This has never happened. This is not common," he said. "Something broke down in this process." This article originally published at NY's crime victim funds on hold after comptroller decision. A 29-year-old Orange County Sheriffs Deputy is out on bond after being arrested for reportedly sexually assaulting a female inmate earlier this year, officials announced Thursday. In a news release, department officials said they became aware of the alleged incident on Oct. 14 after a female inmate told jail staff that Deputy Leobardo Martinez Garcia assaulted her while she was receiving medical care in March at a local hospital, when she was in custody for a separate charge. Authorities opened an investigation into the allegations, which included interviews, gathering digital evidence, and executing multiple search warrants. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The investigation revealed information that led to the arrest of Martinez Garcia on Oct. 29, 2025, the release noted. Martinez Garcia was booked into Santa Ana Jail on suspicion of felony sexual battery and assault under the color of authority. The exterior of Central Mens Jail in Santa Ana, Calif. (AP Photo/Nick Ut, File) The 29-year-old was placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation. The alleged criminal conduct of this deputy is a violation of the oath to serve and protect our community, particularly those entrusted to our care in the Orange County Jail, Orange County Sheriff Don Barnes said. I could not be more disappointed in the actions of Mr. Martinez Garcia. Federal agent fires on man amid Southern California immigration operation Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The sheriff went on to assure community members that the alleged incident does not reflect the professional integrity of the hundreds of deputies and professional staff who work with those in custody. Officials said the case would be referred to the Orange County District Attorneys Office or the United States Attorneys Office at the conclusion of the ongoing 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 KTLA. Two key Oakland County officials are resigning and another two will be suspended in connection with a company owned by a county employee receiving a six-figure public contract from the county earlier this year. Oakland County Executive Dave Coulter said county employees failed to live up to expected standards and are now facing the consequences. Oakland County Executive Dave Coulter, seen here at a press event in 2021, said this week he supports any law enforcement efforts to review how the county could award a contract to a company owned by a county employee. While Im grateful that the independent investigation into this matter found no evidence of any intent to defraud the county or improper financial gain, failure to follow county policies and its Standards of Conduct is unacceptable and must be appropriately disciplined," Coulter said in a statement released Friday, Oct. 31. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I support the effort of law enforcement to investigate this matter as they deem proper and I remain committed to accountability in this and all matters where there has been a violation of public trust and the principles to which we hold ourselves. The release does not name the employees disciplined. Instead, it lists the employees' role and their punishment. The county employee who owns the private company that got the contract, ZaydLogix, is resigning. The employee faced a four-week suspension without pay. A manager of a key program is also resigning. The manager also faced a four-week suspension without pay. A "department director" will be suspended without pay for three days. The "evaluator" who reviewed and approved the ZaydLogix bid will be suspended without pay for two days. Coulter spokesman Bill Mullan said the person who owns ZaydLogix will retire effective Nov. 14, while the key manager is formally resigning Nov. 7. Until the date of their resignation, they'll be suspended without pay, Mullan said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The discipline, determined after an internal review and external investigation by a private law firm, is unlikely to be the final action related to the contract debacle. Earlier this month, Chief Deputy County Executive Walt Herzig and Deputy County Executive Sean Carlson told county commissioners they did not believe a criminal referral was necessary. But this week, Board of Commissioners member Michael Spisz, the top Republican on the commission, filed an official report seeking a criminal investigation by the Office of the Oakland County Sheriff. He told the Free Press he referenced the county's report in his communication with law enforcement. One of the first notes in the county's summary of a private law firm's findings is the contract violated state law and county policy. On Thursday, Oct. 30, Oakland County Commissioner Charlie Cavell pushed for the board to immediately receive copies of the full investigation by the private law firm, Miller, Canfield, Paddock & Stone. Commissioners have yet to see the full findings the county has released its own summary of the investigation, but not the law firm's report. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Commissioners declined to vote immediately on whether to release the Miller Canfield report. The county has thus far refused to provide the report to the Free Press. A request made under the Michigan Freedom of Information Act is pending. Cavell also said at the county board meeting that he is circulating a letter among commissioners that asks the Office of the Michigan Attorney General to review the situation. On Friday, Cavell said so far he has three signatures and is in the process of getting more before sending the letter to the Attorney General's Office. Filing a complaint and asking for the attorney general to review the situation do not guarantee criminal investigations. A spokesman for Oakland County Sheriff Mike Bouchard confirmed the office received Spisz's complaint but declined additional comment. In the release, Coulter noted the county took additional steps to make changes beyond employee discipline. They also increased training, reviewed other IT contracts to see whether there could be conflicts and made county employees affirm they have read the county's standards of conduct policy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At the same time, Cavell and others have pushed the county commission to do more in terms of strengthening ethics rules. Months ago, Cavell and Democratic colleague Commissioner Kristen Nelson introduced measures they said would increase transparency and accountability for the county's elected officials. But they never received a hearing until after reports from the Free Press and others noted possible conflicts involving Board Chairman Dave Woodward and others. Woodward is a paid consult for Sheetz, a gas station and convenience store chain seeking to expand in Oakland County, and has spoken with local leaders about the business. He has also regularly voted on issues related to other private clients or business partners while serving on the commission, according to the findings of a Free Press investigation. While Woodward and colleagues have denied misconduct, Coulter recently called for ethics reforms. Coulter and Woodward said they hope they'll have a new financial disclosure system and potentially other measures in place by the end of the year. (This story was updated to include new, additional information.) Reach Dave Boucher at dboucher@freepress.com and on X @Dave_Boucher1. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Oakland County employees resign, suspended amid contract scandal WELEETKA, Okla. (KFOR) The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation (OSBI) is investigating a homicide at the request of the Okfuskee County Sheriffs Office. According to OSBI, deputies responded to an altercation around 11:00 a.m. near East 1140 Road and North 3935 Road, where the discovery of 34-year-old Jerry Russell was found with a gunshot wound. Authorities say Russell was pronounced deceased on the scene. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bishop, wife arrested for alleged embezzlement OSBI says 62-year-old Conny Hart has been arrested and booked into the Okfuskee County Jail on first-degree Murder complaint. 62-year-old Conny Hart, Image OSBI X social platform No other injuries have been reported, as police say this is still an ongoing 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 KFOR.com Oklahoma City. Although you won't see it in most weather reports, we're being affected by a heat wave, and it could have a profound effect on creatures -- from whales to sharks to threatened sea stars. We may not notice it, but marine creatures off the Bay Area coast are already feeling the heat. Ocean temperatures in the North Pacific have been recording historic highs due to what's commonly known as a "blob," or marine heat wave. The current mass of warm water is one of the largest on record. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jaime Jahncke is a marine ecologist with Pt. Blue Conservation Science. He routinely monitors long stretches of the ocean shelf off Northern California. That's the deep-water area, where whales and other creatures normally find an abundant supply of krill and other food sources. MORE: Flesh-eating bacteria cases are rising. Climate change is to blame, say scientists But on a recent cruise within the last several months... "We only saw two blue whales. Blue whales feed exclusively on krill, compared to more than 40 that we saw last year," Jahncke said. "We only counted within the last two weeks or so, but between 50 and 60 humpback whales, compared to 170 some." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jahncke is concerned that warming waters could be forcing the whales closer to shore in search of food that's migrating away from the deep-water shelf. "And one thing that was pretty clear from the distribution of the humpbacks is that the few ones that we counted, they all of them were closer to shore and not at the shelf break," Jahncke said. "Again, there was no krill, a shelf break. So, where they were closer to shore, most likely feeding or looking for the fish." Marine scientists have observed similar migrations during earlier marine heat waves and say they can put the whales on a collision course, leaving them vulnerable to being struck by passing ships or tangled in fishing nets. MORE: New California Academy of Sciences research could help sea star recovery along Bay Area coastline Kathi George is with the Marine Mammal Center in Sausalito, which treats injured marine animals. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "So, it's definitely important to pay attention to the ocean conditions and temperatures to understand where the whales may be. And that could help us in being more proactive about our management efforts and finding ways to reduce the co-occurrence or the risk of co-occurrence between large whales and human activity. And that could be ship strikes or entanglement," she said. Previous marine heat waves have also triggered deadly chain events. In 2016, a wasting disease wiped out a species of sea stars that help keep hungry sea urchins in check. Freed from their main predator, the urchins began gobbling up miles of critical kelp forests. Juvenile great white sharks have begun appearing in shoreline nurseries along the Monterey Bay, miles north of their normal habitats. MORE: Stanford scientists believe climate change expanding range of disease-carrying mosquitoes And George says other species face the same challenges. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Absolutely. We're seeing bottlenose dolphins come further north. They used to be down in Southern California in the 80s," she said. "And as the ocean temperature has gradually increased, they are following the prey following the warming temperatures, and they are off of our shores. We've been having a lot of dolphin sightings off of Pacifica and Ocean Beach in San Francisco over the last couple weeks." The marine heat wave may also be influencing wetter weather and higher humidity on shore. But some observers believe there's a chance this blob could dissipate sooner than some earlier heat waves, because of its large size and shallower depth. For the time being, researchers are tracking an ocean phenomenon invisible to the rest of us, but with a critical impact on the marine life off our coast. If you're on the ABC7 News app, click here to watch live In the beginning, when planets were newborn, they glowed like furnaces, vast oceans of molten rock wrapped in heavy blankets of gas. For a long time, scientists believed those fiery worlds were too violent for something as life-giving as water to appear. But new research challenges that idea, revealing that even inside the chaos of a planets early years, water can quietly take shape. Led by Francesca Miozzi and Anat Shahar of the Carnegie Institution for Science, a team of researchers has shown that the most common planets in our galaxy, known as Sub-Neptunes, could generate enormous quantities of water deep within their interiors. Their findings suggest that hydrogen, the simplest element in the universe, may be the hidden architect of planetary water. A New Source of Lifes Ingredient More than 6,000 exoplanets have been found orbiting distant stars, and many fall into the Sub-Neptune category. These worlds are smaller than Neptune but larger than Earth, with rocky cores encased in thick, hydrogen-rich atmospheres. Until now, their mysterious interiors could only be imagined through computer models. Findings suggest that hydrogen, the simplest element in the universe, may be the hidden architect of planetary water. (CREDIT: Navid Marvi/Carnegie Science) Our rapidly increasing knowledge about the vast diversity of exoplanets has enabled us to envision new details about the earliest stages of rocky planet formation and evolution, Miozzi said. This opened the door to considering a new source for planetary water supplies, a long-debated mystery among Earth and planetary scientists, but experiments designed with this purpose in mind were absent. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Working with collaborators from UCLA and the Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris, the team set out to mimic the extreme conditions inside these young worlds. Using a diamond anvil cell, one of the few instruments capable of reproducing planetary pressures, they squeezed samples of iron-rich silicate rock to nearly 600,000 times Earths atmospheric pressure and heated them above 4,000 degrees Celsius. Inside this miniature planet, hydrogen gas interacted with molten rock, creating a reaction that produced water. For the first time, scientists could see proof that magma and hydrogen can chemically combine to make water, not just absorb it. Forging Water from Fire The experiments recreated what happens as new planets grow from swirling disks of gas and dust. In their infancy, these bodies collide, heat up, and melt into global magma oceans surrounded by thick hydrogen atmospheres. Hydrogen acts like an insulating blanket, slowing the planets cooling and extending the molten stage for millions of years. Pictures taken with the SEM before and during FIB milling, from the top and from the side, illustrating the different steps of samples preparation for nanoSIMS. (CREDIT: Nature) Within that fiery mix, the researchers discovered two crucial chemical processes. First, molecular hydrogen dissolved into the molten rock, becoming part of the magma itself. Second, that hydrogen reacted with iron oxideone of the most common minerals in silicate rockproducing metallic iron and water. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Our work provided the first experimental evidence of two critical processes from early planetary evolution, Miozzi explained. We showed that a copious amount of hydrogen is dissolved into the melt and significant quantities of water are created by iron-oxide reduction by molecular hydrogen. When the samples cooled, scientists found traces of that water trapped inside: hydrogen-rich droplets, metallic inclusions, and tiny empty cavities where steam had once escaped. It was clear that water had formed deep within the rock, not from outside sources like icy comets but as a natural consequence of a planets own chemistry. Blurring the Line Between Rock and Sky As the pressure increased beyond 45 gigapascals, the team noticed something remarkable. The hydrogen-rich fluid and the molten silicate stopped behaving as separate materials, they blended into one continuous phase. That means some planets might not have a distinct rocky mantle and gaseous atmosphere at all. Instead, their interiors could be vast oceans of mixed rock, metal, and vapor. Composite image of chemical maps collected on two of the samples. Left: Example of a lower pressure sample. Right: example of a higher-pressure sample. (CREDIT: Nature) Anat Shahar, who leads the multi-institutional AEThER project that funded the study, said the discovery could transform how scientists think about planet formation. The presence of liquid water is considered critical for planetary habitability, she said. This work demonstrates that large quantities of water are created as a natural consequence of planet formation. It represents a major step forward in how we think about the search for distant worlds capable of hosting life. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If such mixing truly happens inside Sub-Neptunes, then hydrogen and water could be intertwined in ways never seen on Earth. These planets might possess layers where the atmosphere merges seamlessly into molten rock, forming a supercritical fluid that blurs the line between surface and sky. A Hidden Ocean Beneath the Heat For anyone looking up at the night sky, the idea that water might form in the middle of a magma ocean feels almost poetic. It suggests that even within chaos and fire, nature finds ways to build the conditions for life. In laboratory snapshots taken after each run, the researchers could see the chemical fingerprints of that process. The molten rock had absorbed hydrogen equal to roughly five or six percent of its weightequivalent to several oceans worth of water if scaled to a whole planet. Even the solidified crystals held small amounts, hinting that once a planet begins to cool, some of this internal water could rise toward the surface. Left: Hydrogen map and SEM image on the same portion of the highest pressure sample. The box labeled resin on top is to show the portion where epoxy resin is present. Pink dashed line delimits the portion of the melt, yellow dashed line the crystallized solids. Right: Si map collected with the nanoSIMS along with the one collected with the SEM. (CREDIT: Nature) Over time, that movement might reshape a planets geology, atmosphere, and even its potential for life. The metallic iron formed during the reaction could sink to the core, helping generate magnetic fields that protect a planet from solar radiation. Meanwhile, the water could cycle upward, possibly escaping through volcanic activity or forming oceans if the surface eventually cools enough. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement These processes might not be unique to Sub-Neptunes. Any planet large enough to hold a hydrogen enveloperoughly a quarter the mass of Earth or more, could experience the same internal chemistry. That means hydrogen-driven water formation could be a universal rule of planet building, not an exception. Practical Implications of the Research The discovery redefines what it means for a planet to be habitable. Water may not always come from distant comets or icy collisions but could be forged from the planets own molten heart. For scientists searching for life beyond Earth, that changes everything. Worlds once dismissed as too hot or too exotic might harbor hidden oceans beneath their clouds. This insight also reshapes models of how planetary cores and mantles form. Knowing that hydrogen can dissolve deeply into magma helps explain variations in density and composition seen across different planets. It may even influence the hunt for exoplanets with magnetic fields, weather systems, or surface conditions resembling our own. Ultimately, the research shows that water, lifes most vital ingredient, may arise anywhere hydrogen and rock meet under the right conditions. For a galaxy filled with Sub-Neptunes, that means the spark of habitability could be far more common than anyone imagined. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Research findings are available online in the journal Nature. Related Stories Like these kind of feel good stories? Get The Brighter Side of News newsletter. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Friday paid tribute to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on his 150th birth anniversary and extended greetings to the people of the state on the occasion of National Unity Day. On this occasion, the Chief Minister remembered the 'Iron Man of India', saying that Sardar Patel's immense contribution to safeguarding the unity and integrity of the nation will always be remembered." The Chief Minister said that Sardar Patel's diplomacy and foresight played a crucial role in the creation of a united India. Through his strong willpower, vision, and unwavering dedication, Sardar Patel fulfilled the dream of an integrated India and laid the foundation for a strong and empowered nation. He added that Sardar Patel gave us an India where, despite diversity, the spirit of unity prevails. "Every citizen of the country remains indebted to him for this invaluable contribution." The Chief Minister urged the youth to draw inspiration from Sardar Patel's ideals and contribute to the nation's all-round development. He said this occasion also inspires us to dedicate ourselves to the service of the nation. The Chief Minister further said that the year 2025 marks the 150th birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, a moment of great pride and inspiration for the entire nation. Sardar Patel's message of "Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat" (One India, Great India) continues to hold timeless relevance even today. Meanwhile, Ekta Nagar in Gujarat will witness a grand celebration on October 31, marking the 150th birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend the National Unity Day event, which pays tribute to the Iron Man of India and his vision of a united nation. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel's birth anniversary is celebrated as National Unity Day, also known as Rashtriya Ekta Diwas, on October 31. Since 2014, this day has been marked by 'Run for Unity' events nationwide, which are participated in by people from all walks of life. Born on October 31, 1875, in Nadiad, Gujarat, Sardar Patel is credited with uniting all 562 princely states of pre-independent India and with helping establish the Republic of India. He served as the country's first Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister from 1947 to 1950. He passed away on December 15, 1950. (ANI) An Odessa woman was arrested early Thursday morning after police said surveillance video showed her setting fire to a building. According to an Odessa Police Department report, officers were dispatched to a disturbance call at Jaguars on Cargo Road around 4 a.m. When officers arrived, the manager of the club said a woman later identified as Estrella Estrada, 25, threw a shoe at him when he found her intoxicated inside the womens locker room and he asked her to the leave, the report stated. The shoe hit him in the nose. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While on the scene, officers noticed a nearby building was beginning to catch fire and during the ensuing investigation found surveillance footage showing Estrada setting the siding on fire, the report stated. Estrada was arrested and booked into the Ector County jail on suspicion of arson and public intoxication. The post Odessa woman facing arson charge appeared first on Odessa American. PIERRE, S.D. (KELO) Mislabeled wiring was what ultimately caused the unexpected days-long shutdown of South Dakota state governments technology system in August, according to two Rhoden administration officials. Mitchell businessman charged with child abuse The state Bureau of Information and Telecommunications commissioner, Mark Wixon, and the state Bureau of Human Resources and Administration commissioner, Darin Seeley, told a panel of state lawmakers on Thursday what they think happened. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Legislatures Government Operations and Audit Committee had called them to explain the outage. Governor Larry Rhoden had said in his August 22 weekly column that the disruption was the result of a power outage. Seeley and Wixon provided a more detailed explanation. Seeley said BIT replaced whats known as an uninterrupted power supply replacement a UPS that was done over a weekend. When things were brought back online that Sunday, one of the main breakers tripped a number of times, and was reset, and tripped, and reset, according to Seeley. He continued: Ultimately that caused some damage to that breaker, because when the breaker was kicking off, it was due to a transformer downstream. The energy coming into the building is at street amperage. It has to be stepped down so it can be used for the UPS and the computer systems inside the building. When that transformer was kicking on, it was drawing significant more amperage for a split second than the breaker can handle, which is not an uncommon thing, but it happened enough that we believe the breaker was damaged. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Tuesday morning then, that breaker finally gave up entirely and failed and needed to be replaced. So that was the initial cause of why we had the outage to begin with. The second piece of this is that, in the flow of the electricitythose (switches) were energized, unbeknownst to the electricians and being hit by significant amperage when the system was being turned on, because there is a mislabeling of the electrical lines in that facility. That facility has been updated numerous times over the course of the last fifty years, and the electricians were following the labeling and shut off a main breaker and so when you shut off the main you believe that everything behind that main is off. Unfortunately, those were labeled to say that they are connected to that main, and they are not connected to that main. They continued to stay hot and the electricity was delivered to the switches, which ultimately then, they failed, and thats what caused the actual network outage then. Seeley said the breakers were smart so that they could relay amperage information and were more complex than the kind that could be purchased in a local hardware store. Wixon spoke next about the IT side. When the power was getting delivered to the breaker panels in the room, those two breaker panels that were perceived as feeding off of the main breaker were actually drawing power directly from those transformers, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There are two network switches in that room for redundancy but they both were getting hit, according to Wixon. So that Tuesday morning as power was restored to the room, thats when it was discovered that these switches werent coming back up. Those switches, those network switches, basically provide the communications hub for all of the other equipment in the room that then ties back to the larger network, Wixon said. With those two down, there was no communication path for the equipment in that room. Hence then, to be able to recover, we needed to contact the vendor and have the new equipment shipped from Louisville (Kentucky) and it took til Wednesday morning to receive the equipment. So that Wednesday morning around ten-thirty picked up the equipment at the airport, got it over to the room, rack-stacked it and was able to get them energized. Once we had all of that stacked at around twelve-thirty on Wednesday, within eight hours we had systems up and running. So the duration was really a result of the damage to those network switches. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Republican Rep. Julie Auch said that on her farm they keep extra equipment on hand in case something goes down. Was there no anticipation this was going to happen? Auch asked. Wixon said BIT plans for some redundancy and its a question of cost versus likelihood. The wiring issue wasnt expected, he said. Auch asked how much the replacement cost. Eighty thousand dollars, Wixon answered. He said state government officials will look at the lessons that can be learned. Auch said they need to be ready. I understand eighty-thousand is not a small sum, she said, but added that having an extra available is not a horrible idea. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Republican Rep. Karla Lems asked where the states technology hub is located. Wixon said the same building in Pierre that houses the state Department of Transportation. It has been for fifty years, Wixon said. Lems asked about the wiring being mislabeled. Our analysis will say thats true, Seeley said. Based on what we know, thats what happened. He said there will need to be a planned outage to correct the situation. Well go back and have this looked at and try to redraw all the lines as they were built, rather than how they were designed, Seeley said. Wixon said state government has a disaster recovery plan. However, the cost of technology is not inexpensive, he noted. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Republican Sen. Taffy Howard asked if South Dakota is prepared for an electromagnetic pulse an EMP such as from a nuclear bomb or a solar flare and Wixon said thats a different situation thats part of a disaster recovery plan. Its not outside the realm of possibility, Howard said, noting there are enemies looking for an opportunity. I havent seen that in any scenario at this point, Wixon said. I would just suggest you bring that up at the next disaster planning meeting, Howard said. Lems agreed with Howard and asked about the amount of loss to state. We have not calculated the value of the loss to the state, Wixon said. He said its complicated to come up with a reliable number. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Republican Rep. Marty Overweg wanted to know the likelihood that an outage could happen again. Wixon said theyre making sure equipment and wiring is properly labeled, adding that the August outage was the first time in 50 years that routers were damaged. Wixon said the outage has triggered strategic thinking about resilience in relation to cybersecurity and an EMP. Howard said South Dakota Public Broadcasting wasnt affected by the outage, but State Radio including 911 service was down approximately five hours. Wixon said BIT has been working with the state Department of Public Safety, which operates State Radio, on providing better protection. Thats why it was only down for five (hours), Wixon said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Seeley said public broadcasting wasnt affected because those services are based in Vermillion rather than Pierre. Seeley said that the state employees who worked correcting the outage deserved a lot of kudos for minimizing the impacts on the rest of state government and the citizens. Wixon, who was appointed commissioner a few months ago, said seeing BIT staff in action provided a very proud moment. It definitely was a team effort, he 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 KELOLAND.com. A local government in India has taken a huge step toward protecting one of the world's most endangered mammals. The Pujenvong council, part of the local government within northeastern India's Nagaland state, has banned the hunting, trade, and consumption of pangolins. As the Nagaland Tribune reported, the ban took effect immediately and was supported by local wildlife and conservation groups. "This is a crucial moment for Pujenvong Council and the Chinese pangolin," the Pungro Students' Union told the Tribune. "This ban not only protects an endangered species but also reinforces our community's commitment to preserving our natural heritage." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Pangolins are the only mammals with scales covering their body, earning them the nickname "scaly anteaters." Because they eat insects and help keep those populations under control, they are considered vital members of their ecosystems. Eight pangolin species are known to exist globally, four of which are native to Africa, four to Asia. Of those eight species, the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List classifies two as vulnerable, three as endangered, and three as critically endangered. Despite this or, sadly, maybe because of it pangolins are the world's most-trafficked mammal, according to the World Wildlife Fund. The WWF says demand for the animals' meat and scales is particularly high in Asia and Africa, although goods made from pangolin leather can also be found in the United States. Earlier this year, Nigerian customs officials arrested five people who were accused of smuggling roughly 8,000 pounds of pangolin scales. And just within the last month, Indonesian authorities found scales from at least 100 pangolins while busting an illegal trade ring. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The border between India and Myanmar, part of which runs along Nagaland's eastern edge, is a frequent route for those attempting to smuggle pangolins and other wildlife. In addition to governmental action like this council's ban, certain parts of India have employed sniffer dogs to help track poachers and catch smugglers of wildlife such as pangolins. 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 bear in search of food surprised residents in Townsend, Massachusetts, prompting law enforcement officials to issue a warning on how to react if they encounter another one. What's happening? In early October, NBC10 Boston reported that a bear in Townsend allegedly killed a resident's goat. Police records indicated that the bear tried to enter a chicken coop after the attack. Later the same day, the town's fire chief snapped a photo of the bear meandering outside his home, and the local police department took to Facebook to share a warning about bear encounters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Never approach a bear. Make sure to keep your distance," the post instructed. Resident Carol Smith told NBC10 it was "very scary if you're, like, outside with them." Local Meghan Cameron said, "I don't want any of the farm animals in this area, obviously, to get hurt." Many Americans have faced dangerous bear encounters, ranging from a polar bear attack to a bear that opened car doors in a parking lot. These incidents are part of a growing trend, one we must find ways to address. Why is mitigating bear-human conflict important? As bear populations continue to grow, so does the human footprint meaning that we're encroaching on their homes, and vice versa. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Unfortunately, habitat fluctuations can increase the likelihood of incidents where bears intentionally enter residential areas. According to the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission, bears quickly become accustomed to using trash, table scraps, pet food, or birdseed as backup food sources. As a result, they "can become bold" and enter human habitats while seeking food. Additionally, the International Wildlife Coexistence Network explained that human-bear conflict is an unfortunate consequence of human-influenced weather changes. When droughts and high temperatures affect a bear's natural food supply, they'll seek sustenance in residential areas. As Cameron told NBC10: "We gotta coexist and figure out a way to do it, especially if the population's increasing." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Keeping bears safe and away from human areas is beneficial for humans, wildlife, and the environment. Bears help balance the ecosystem by controlling deer and moose populations, scavenging, and playing a role in pollination, per Get Bear Smart. What's being done to keep people and bears safe? Bearwise, an organization dedicated to improving human-bear coexistence, is at the forefront of safety. State funding enables the organization to offer numerous programs tailored to help people stay safe around bears, whether at home or outdoors. In fact, the group developed six at-home basics for staying safe around bears. The guide includes information about securing food and trash, cleaning grills, and bringing pet food indoors. 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 new pair of bald eagles has made its home in Allenhurst, New Jersey, which is a striking reminder of how far the nation's symbol has come since its near disappearance just decades ago. According to Asbury Park Press, the New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife confirmed the Allenhurst nest as part of a record-setting 293 bald eagle nesting sites documented statewide in 2024, signaling one of the most successful wildlife recoveries in state history. "This action is indeed a significant milestone," said Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Shawn LaTourette, crediting more than 40 years of habitat restoration and monitoring for the eagle's rebound. Once on the brink of extinction from DDT poisoning and habitat loss, bald eagles now thrive along coastal creeks, marshes, and reservoirs across New Jersey, from the Delaware Bay to the Manasquan Reservoir. Behind the success are volunteers and conservationists working through the state's Bald Eagle Project, a collaboration between the DEP and the Conserve Wildlife Foundation of New Jersey. These teams use trail cameras and observation logs to track breeding success and identify threats such as avian flu and environmental toxins. Such monitoring tools don't just help protect eagles. They also offer scientists valuable insight into the overall health of local ecosystems. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Experts say that stronger raptor populations often indicate cleaner waterways and more stable fish populations, both key indicators of a healthy food web that ultimately supports human communities, too. Smart management of nesting areas, coupled with public education campaigns, continues to strengthen that connection between wildlife recovery and community resilience. Similar conservation wins have been recorded across the country, from ospreys returning to the United Kingdom to California condors reestablishing nests in Big Sur. Each recovery, like the one in Allenhurst, reinforces how restoration efforts can ripple outward boosting biodiversity, improving water quality, and ensuring safer, more balanced environments for people and wildlife alike. With nearly 300 eagle nests now dotting New Jersey skies, the state's success shows what's possible when people, policy, and persistence align. Each new pair represents not just a win for wildlife, but proof that recovery and resilience can take root close to home. 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. OREGON, Ill. (WTVO) Amy Anthenat, 50, of Creston, has pleaded guilty to a DUI crash that killed an Addison man in Ogle County in June 2022. On June 19th, 2022, just prior to 4 p.m., the Ogle County Sheriffs Office said that Anthenat was driving north on Mulford Road in June and did not stop at the intersection with Route 64. She is accused of hitting and killing Richard Andrews who was driving eastbound. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This week, Anthenat pleaded guilty to aggravated DUI causing bodily harm. She is set to be sentenced on February 11th, 2026. 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 MyStateline | WTVO News, Weather and Sports. Oct. 30Ohio will provide up to $25 million in support for food assistance to help families affected by the impending suspension of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits due to the federal government shutdown. Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine signed an executive order Thursday directing the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services to give $7 million to several Ohio food banks and up to $18 million in emergency relief benefits to more than 63,000 Ohioans who are at or below 50% of the federal poverty level. Approximately 1.4 million Ohioans receive a total of $264 million in food benefits from SNAP each month. The average monthly SNAP benefit per person is about $190, according to the state. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement DeWine told reporters he wanted to focus relief on "the poorest of the poor." "This is not a substitute for SNAP," DeWine said. "Not every family is going to get additional funds, but we wanted to target specifically those families where we thought they would really desperately need the money and need the funds." He said the funds are targeted at 57,000 children in the state. "They will get that every week for as long as this goes on," he said. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has said federal food aid will not go out Nov. 1. This came after the Trump administration announced it would not tap into nearly $5 billion in contingency funds to keep the food assistance program powered. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The easiest and best way to help Ohioans in need of food assistance is for U.S. Senate Democrats to end its filibuster of SNAP benefits and other important federal programs and approve the clean continuing resolution passed by the U.S. House," DeWine said in a press release Thursday. This follows a rejection earlier this week by Republicans in the Ohio General Assembly of a proposal by Democrats to tap into the state's nearly $4 billion "rainy day" or Budget Stabilization Fund to continue funding SNAP benefits in Ohio in the event of a federal lapse. "This plan simply redirects resources to neighborhood food banks that work on the front lines with families who need help during this challenging time," Ohio Senate President Rob McColley said of why he supports DeWine's executive order over Democrats' proposal. "Although SNAP is a federally managed and federally funded program, Ohio is taking intentional steps to provide relief for those families who will be most impacted by the loss of these benefits," Ohio House Speaker Matt Huffman said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement How it works DeWine's executive order directed ODJFS to allocate $7 million to regional food banks using Temporary Assistance for Needy Families funds. ODJFS will also allocate $18 million to effectively double the monthly benefit for the state's more than 63,000 Ohio Works First recipients. Ohio Works First provides assistance to low-income families with children at or under 50% of the federal poverty level using TANF funds, state officials said. Roughly 1,982 households in Montgomery County are Ohio Works First recipients, according to the August 2025 caseload summary statistics report of the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This represents 3,267 people, the bulk of whom are children (3,039). And according to state data, the average monthly issuance from the program is $264. OWF recipients will receive their usual monthly benefit on Nov. 1. And as long as SNAP benefits are unavailable during the month of November, they will receive an additional weekly benefit equaling approximately one quarter of their typical monthly allotment, according to a governor's office press release. State officials said providing benefits every week will allow Ohio to react appropriately when federal funding resumes. "While we will always do everything we can to support Ohioans who need it most, this is not a viable, long-term solution," said DeWine. "SNAP is a federal program that is specifically federally funded. The best solution remains the simplest one: pass the continuing resolution and reopen the federal government." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Governor DeWine's approach allows us to allocate funds using ordinary distribution channels providing targeted support to families in greatest need, while also assisting food banks, which can reach people quickly and directly," said ODJFS Director Matt Damschroder. ODJFS will move immediately to distribute funds to food banks. The department expects Ohio Works First recipients to begin receiving emergency relief benefits by Nov. 7. The governor's announcement came hours after the Montgomery County commission presented a $500,000 check to Foodbank Inc., which serves Montgomery, Greene and Preble counties. The award the second provided to the region's foodbank in recent months was given to Foodbank Inc. in anticipation of an expected uptick in demand linked to a delay in federal food assistance benefits going out to local families. State Sen. Willis Blackshear, D-Dayton, said during the check presentation on Thursday that state and federal leaders need to "step up" to ensure the veterans, people with disabilities, older Ohioans and children whom SNAP supports do not go hungry because of the federal shutdown. "People are depending on us to make these decisions, and this is crucial," he said. Oct. 31The Ohio Redistricting Commission unanimously approved new boundaries for the state's 15 congressional districts Friday in a plan that would give Republicans a 12-to-3 advantage over Democrats, on paper. The map will theoretically give Republicans a boost in a 2026 midterm election where political control of the tightly contested U.S. House of Representatives is on the line. The plan, publicly unveiled Thursday and hashed out through backroom negotiations between the two parties, was adopted by a 7-0, bipartisan vote of the Ohio Redistricting Commission. The new map will be used in the 2026, 2028 and 2030 elections. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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. Republicans hold all of the statewide elected offices on the commission, meaning Democrats had two of the seven votes. Ohio Rep. Brian Stewart, R-Ashville, who co-chaired the redistricting commission, told reporters Friday that the new map reflects the "overwhelming success" the GOP has had in Ohio in the past 10 years, winning all but one statewide contest and widening its margins in three presidential elections. "The fact that there are 12 districts in which Republicans have a very good opportunity to be successful is something that our caucus is pleased about," Stewart said. Democrats' mood was mixed after the vote. Legislative leaders begrudged the process, their position in the process, and said the newly adopted map was ultimately not the map they believed Ohioans deserved. Still, they projected confidence in the deal they struck with the GOP. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To reporters, House Minority Leader Dani Isaacsohn, D-Cincinnati, rejected a characterization that the new map gives Republicans a plain 12-to-3 advantage. He contended that the new map was functionally similar to the state's previous map, which also gave Republicans a 12-to-3 advantage on paper but resulted, twice, in a 10-to-5 congressional delegation. "Going into today, we had a map with three lean-or-safe Democratic districts and two toss-ups. Coming out of today, this is a map with three lean-or-safe Democratic districts and two toss-ups," said Isaacsohn. Isaacoshn's assertion depends on how you define "safe" or "toss-up" districts. This new map creates 10 districts that are safely Republican by more than 10 points (though two of those districts are on the cusp) and two districts that are safely Democratic. It has only three races that are within 10 points; two lean Republican by six and nine points, respectively, and the third leans Democrat by four points. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Had the commission not found a bipartisan compromise by the end of Friday, map-drawing power would have gone to the Republican-dominated Ohio legislature, which could have passed a map with a simple majority. Allowing the process to seep into November, Democrats said, would have likely resulted in a 13-2 GOP advantage, with Democrats' only recourse being an expensive referendum campaign that would have been difficult to pull off. Stewart said Republicans didn't get everything they wanted, either. "You can look at commentary around not just the state but nationally and see that there are some people that would prefer we went a little further," Stewart said. "You can draw a map that would have, you know, maybe a more aggressive number of seats, but I think both sides came and said, 'Let's have a map we both can live with.'" Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The map The new map's most notable changes come in three districts currently held by Democrats. By redrawing boundaries, the new plan weakens Democrats' chances in the Cincinnati area's OH-1 and in the Toledo area's OH-9, while solidifying Democrats' hold over the Akron area's OH-13. In OH-1, a toss-up district won twice in a row by U.S. Rep. Greg Landsman, D-Cincinnati, the district will shift from what is now eastern Hamilton County and all of Warren County to instead consist of southern Hamilton County and all of Warren and Clinton counties. OH-1's projected partisan index, calculated by statewide voting patterns from 2014 through 2024, favors Republicans 52% to 47%. It's the second-most competitive congressional district, on paper. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The plan similarly dilutes Democratic voting power in OH-9 in northwest Ohio, which was previously a toss-up district that has twice narrowly elected U.S. Rep. Marcy Kaptur, D-Toledo. The new district leans Republican 54.5% to 45.5%. Isaacsohn told reporters that the new OH-1 and OH-9 would have been won by Democratic candidates in either 2022 or 2024. The plan maintains Democrats' existing strongholds in Columbus' OH-3 and in Cleveland's OH-11 and throws Democrats a bone in Akron, where U.S. Rep. Emilia Sykes, D-Akron, will have a 52% to 48% advantage. Some area cities change districts Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The remaining 12 districts, currently represented by Republicans, are relatively unchanged, politically. In the Dayton area, OH-10, long held by U.S. Rep. Mike Turner, R-Dayton, would maintain a sturdy 10-point Republican advantage. One notable change is that Turner would pick up a portion of Butler County including Middletown, Trenton and Monroe. Turner would no longer represent Springfield, which would be folded into the heavily Republican district OH-4, currently held by U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Urbana. OH-4 has a 71.2% Republican index. The new map puts Troy in the district held by Republican Warren Davidson. Davidson is from Troy but currently only represents a sliver of land south of Troy. The city itself is represented by Mike Carey, a Republican from Columbus. The new map gives Davidson's district Troy, as well as Tipp City. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Carey keeps much of Miami County in a sprawling district that goes through southern Clark County and extends east to Columbus and south to Highland County. The district, OH-15, has a 55.2% Republican index. It is the third-most competitive district in the state. Several other communities in the Miami Valley will see themselves under entirely new representation in Washington, D.C. ------ For more stories like this, sign up for our Ohio Politics newsletter. It's free, curated, and delivered straight to your inbox every Thursday evening. Avery Kreemer can be reached at 614-981-1422, on X, via email, or you can drop him a comment/tip with the survey below. Loading... Ohio's top politicians approved a new congressional map with bipartisan support on Oct. 31 a compromise that avoids worst-case scenarios for both Republicans and Democrats. Amid a national redistricting arms race to secure control of the U.S. House of Representatives, Ohio Republicans could have drawn a map that added three GOP seats. Instead, they targeted two Democratic districts held by Cincinnati Rep. Greg Landsman and Toledo Rep. Marcy Kaptur. The seven-member Ohio Redistricting Commission unanimously approved the new map on Oct. 31. Republicans hailed the outcome as evidence that voter-approved, anti-gerrymandering rules worked. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Coming to an agreement that is in the best interest of the state, not just the most vocal elements of either party, I think is some of the toughest things that we can do as elected leaders in 2025," said state Rep. Brian Stewart, R-Ashville. Democrats said they were negotiating under the gun of a broken process. Ohio Senate Minority Leader Nickie Antonio called the map the best of all their bad options. "Facing this impossible challenge with no certain path to preserve a fair map, we worked toward compromise," said Antonio, D-Lakewood. Ohio Democrats agreed to the congressional map, which is more favorable to Republicans than the current districts, to save Democratic Rep. Emilia Sykes of Akron and keep the Cincinnati seat competitive. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They faced a deadline because Ohio's Constitution allows Republicans to draw a map without Democratic input or support in November. And they were wary of what the U.S. Supreme Court will do to the Voting Rights Act, which protects against racial gerrymandering. Ohio's leaders are voting on a new congressional map for the next three elections. However, Kaptur faces an uphill battle in the new 9th congressional district. The nation's longest-serving congresswoman eked out a win in 2024 when President Donald Trump won the district by nearly 7 percentage points. The new district stretches along northwestern Ohio and includes the home of Ohio Senate President Rob McColley, a Republican considering a 2026 congressional bid. Kaptur said she's running for re-election anyway. "Let the Columbus politicians make their self-serving maps and play musical chairs, I will fight on for the people and ask the voters for their support next year," she wrote. Gerrymandering diminishes our states stature even as population stagnates. Ohio voters have consistently called for fair representation and transparency. While Democrats on the Redistricting Commission proposed a fair map at the outset of this process, in one party rule Marcy Kaptur (@Marcy_Kaptur) October 31, 2025 The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chair Suzan DelBene praised Ohio Democrats for "negotiating to prevent an even more egregious gerrymander." And Ohio House Minority Leader Dani Isaacsohn, D-Cincinnati, contended that each of Ohio's Democratic members of Congress could win under the new map. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That includes Landsman, a fellow Cincinnati Democrat whose district got harder to win under the new map. Isaacsohn defended his vote, saying: "This is a district Greg Landsman can and will win in, and that's what the people of Cincinnati deserve." By making a deal, Ohio Democrats gave up the chance to challenge the new congressional map on the 2026 ballot. The threat of an expensive ballot campaign and its uncertain outcome drove state lawmakers from both sides to the bargaining table. Republicans wanted that certainty after lawsuits threw the last map into turmoil for years. Karen Chakoian of Columbus returns to her seat after testifying at the The Ohio Redistricting Commission, which met as Republicans presented their potential new congressional map on Oct 30, 2025 at the Ohio Statehouse. "Theres a process set up under the Constitution that allows you to remove all confusion and doubt," said former Ohio Republican Party Chairman Bob Paduchik, who sees a path for Republicans to win 12 to 13 seats under the new map. "I think this is a great map for Republicans and Im looking forward to the 2026 congressional cycle." The new map came together mid-week through negotiations with Ohio House Speaker Matt Huffman, McColley, Antonio and Isaacsohn. The lines were drawn by Republican and Democratic staff and consultants without public feedback. The map, which will last through 2031, wasn't posted until after 4 p.m. on Oct. 30 18 hours before the vote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The new congressional map pairs downtown Columbus with Miami County and Highland County. The plan also splits Mansfield, a city of 47,600 people in Richland County, into two congressional districts. The new 8th congressional district will include Cincinnati's suburbs paired with rural Preble and Darke counties. "Theres a lot of anger and frustration in this room, and its not just the result of this most recent betrayal. The anger and frustration has been years in the making," said Mia Lewis, associate director at Common Cause Ohio, which advocated for the failed 2024 ballot measure to put residents in charge of mapmaking. "You have shown all of us, all of Ohio, that politicians cannot be involved in drawing district lines." Jen Miller, executive director of the League of Women Voters of Ohio, said the public was shut out, the process was rigged and incumbents were favored. "Republican and Democratic voters feel like their parties sold them outand they're both right." This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio politicians approve new congressional map in bipartisan deal Oct. 31 (UPI) -- Ohio's representatives approved a bi-partisan redistricting map that might help Republicans gain more seats, but Democrats OK'd the plan because the others offered were worse for them. The Ohio Redistricting Commission approved the measure unanimously Friday. "Coming to an agreement that is in the best interest of the state, not just the most vocal elements of either party, I think is some of the toughest things that we can do as elected leaders in 2025," said state Rep. Brian Stewart, R-Ashville, the Columbus Dispatch reported. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But Senate Minority Leader Nickie Antonio said it was the best option among bad ones. "Facing this impossible challenge with no certain path to preserve a fair map, we worked toward compromise," said Antonio, D-Lakewood. Democrats faced a Friday deadline because the Ohio constitution allows Republicans to create a map without Democrats in November. They were also concerned about a case before the U.S. Supreme Court on the Voting Rights Act. Democratic Rep. Emilia Sykes of Akron will get a slightly more favorable northeast Ohio district, but it will still be very competitive, Punchbowl News reported. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Toledo Rep. Marcy Kaptur's district will be more difficult to win, but not impossible. She's the longest-serving representative in the United States, and she won a close race in 2024. Her district chose President Donald Trump by seven points. "Let the Columbus politicians make their self-serving maps and play musical chairs, I will fight on for the people and ask the voters for their support next year," she wrote on X. Cincinnati Rep. Greg Landsman also saw his chances at re-election diminished. Ohio House Minority Leader Dani Isaacsohn, D-Cincinnati, said all of Ohio's Democratic congresspeople could still win. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "This is a district Greg Landsman can and will win in, and that's what the people of Cincinnati deserve," Isaacsohn said. Ohio had a failed ballot measure in 2024 that would have put residents in charge of making district maps. "There's a lot of anger and frustration in this room, and it's not just the result of this most recent betrayal. The anger and frustration has been years in the making," said Mia Lewis, associate director at Common Cause Ohio, the Dispatch reported. "You have shown all of us, all of Ohio, that politicians cannot be involved in drawing district lines." Jen Miller, executive director of the League of Women Voters of Ohio, said the people were denied being part of the process. "Republican and Democratic voters feel like their parties sold them out -- and they're both right." National Unity Day will be celebrated to mark the 150th birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel at Ektanagar in Gujarat today, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in collaboration with the Government of India and the Government of Gujarat. Along with this, Bharat Parv 2025 will be organised at Ekta Nagar from November 1st to 15th, 2025, on the premises of the Statue of Unity, the world's tallest statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. During Bharat Parv, various cultural and patriotic programmes will be organised to showcase India's rich heritage and its spirit of Unity in Diversity, reflecting the vision of 'Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat', a release said. "It is noteworthy that for the first time, Bharat Parv is being held outside Delhi, organised at Ekta Nagar under the leadership and guidance of Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel. In collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, and the Department of Tourism, Youth Services and Cultural Activities, Government of Gujarat, Bharat Parv 2025 will be celebrated on a grand scale at Ekta Nagar to commemorate Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel's 150th birth anniversary and to celebrate the unifying spirit of the nation." Bharat Parv is an annual event that showcases India's cultural richness, traditional cuisines, and artistic talent, while promoting the spirit of national unity and pride. This year, coinciding with the 150th birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the event will be held at the Statue of Unity, serving as a grand celebration of India's unity, diversity, and strength. Public representatives from various state and central governments, along with eminent artists, artisans, and special guests, will join the 15-day celebration. Cultural performances by two states (in a pair) every evening at Dam View Point 1, Valley of Flowers, showcasing their unique traditions and art forms. A special presentation will be held on 15 November to celebrate Bhagwan Birsa Munda Jayanti. According to the press release, 45 food stalls and a live studio kitchen serving cuisines from various states and union territories, near the Jungle Safari at the Statue of Unity. 55 handicraft stalls displaying traditional and contemporary crafts from across India, near the Jungle Safari at the Statue of Unity. State pavilions highlighting major tourist destinations and cultural specialities, near the Jungle Safari at the Statue of Unity. (ANI) As the nation braced for the expected lapse in the Supplemental Assistance Nutrition Program (SNAP) on the final day in October, federal judges ruled the government must continue funding the program. Rulings by judges in Massachusetts and Rhode Island ordered the U.S. Department of Agriculture to use over $5 billion in contingency funds to continue SNAP. A woman grabs cupcakes off the shelf at the Gladden Community House Pantry on Thursday, June 5, 2025 in Columbus, Ohio. These rulings follows U.S. precedent which, in the past, has allowed SNAP to continue to be supported by this contingecy funding for the federal program that helps low-income families afford food. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Ohio, roughly $263.4 million is allocated each month to enrolled recipients. The average benefit is $190 each month. Prior to the federal ruling, Mid-Ohio Food Collective, the region's largest hunger relief organization, released a statement "raising the alarm and asking for help" as the organization braced for unprecedented need. Following the news of the federal rulings, the Food Collective referred questions to the Ohio Association of Foodbanks. Joree Novtony, the statewide association's executive director, said there will still be a lapse in SNAP benefits, whether or not the rulings stand. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "There's no way to issue benefits that would have been issued early in the month on time at this point, but we're encouraged by this ruling and other actions that Congress has been pursuing that would lead to SNAP benefits being available in November," Novtony said. She said it could take between 48 and 72 hours for benefits to be received if and when they're issued as this process usually happens well before the end of the month. "We're unclear about how quickly this will give certainty to families, but we're hopeful it gives the likelihood of relief to come soon," she said. SNAP, which serves one in eight people in Franklin County, has significantly more reach than food banks for every meal that pantries provide, SNAP can provide up to nine. Help through potentially unprecedented need Through the uncertainty, the Food Collective asked for help, including mobilizing corporate donors, asking for additional bulk donations and calling on community members to step up as they are able. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Novtony said it was encouraging to see people, community leaders and companies working to ease the anxiety of their fellow Ohioans. Columbus City Council, The Columbus Foundation and Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine have also directed funds to provide relief to those impacted. As of Oct. 31, the nation was five days away from the longest federal government shutdown in U.S. history. In its statement, the Food Collective addressed the $25 million from the state as "timely and needed." Still, it said, the funds wouldn't cover the entire need. "The sheer size of SNAP and the pain of its loss will still be felt until the federal government finishes its work. For now, its up to central and eastern Ohioans to help one another," the statement said. Reporter Sophia Veneziano may be reached at sveneziano@dispatch.com. This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: SNAP benefits to lapse even if federal order holds, Ohio food banks say State Rep. Brian Stewart, R-Ashville, speaks with reporters following Thursday's Ohio Redistricting Commission meeting. Stewart presented the map drawn by commission staff on Thursday. (Photo by Susan Tebben/Ohio Capital Journal) A new map was introduced Thursday at the second meeting of the Ohio Redistricting Commission, one that leaders say was a compromise between the Democrats and Republicans on the commission. A vote could happen at the meeting scheduled for Friday morning, though commission members did not indicate whether or not they had a unanimous vote as of Thursday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is the process working, said State Rep. Brian Stewart, R-Ashville, also the co-chair of the commission. There are pros and cons to all different aspects of this process, but I think those legislators did what the constitution envisions, which is accept those pros and cons and come to an agreement. The newest map would create a state with 12 Republican-leaning districts and three Democratic-leaning districts, increasing the Republican districts in the state from the current 10-5 map. The commission has until Oct. 31 to approve a bipartisan map, or the process goes back to the Ohio General Assembly. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The districts that would change most significantly under the new map would be those of Democratic congress members, including U.S. Reps. Marcy Kaptur, Greg Landsman and Emilia Sykes. Landsmans 1st district would lean Republican with a 54% to 47% breakdown. Kapturs 9th district would lean Republican with a 54.5% to 45.5% Republican to Democrat ratio. Sykes 13th district would lean Democratic, 52% to 48% Republican, according to data provided by the commission. The biggest gap is in the 4th district, held by Republican U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan, which breaks down to 72% Republican and 29% Democratic. The Democrats see a 78% advantage in the 11th district, held currently by Democratic U.S. Rep. Shontel Brown. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Minority Leader Nickie Antonio led most of the meeting, which was punctuated by complaints from the crowd and one person who was escorted out by security. Antonio would not say which way she was planning to vote on the map, but emphasized the flaws in the redistricting system. We have a broken system of redistricting, I think that bears out in the testimony we heard today as well, Antonio said after the meeting. It was not what the voters expected when in 2018 we voted to end gerrymandering. Antonio said the process is down to the 11th hour in that system. This system that we have, in the long-run, is probably going to be need to be fixed again, but today, we have to look at the best way to go forward with our congressional maps because we are required to do that, she said. Gov. Mike DeWine speaks with reporters in a hallway of the Ohio Statehouse, outside of the hearing room where the Ohio Redistricting Commission was meeting on Thursday. DeWine, who is a member of the commission, said he will support the map proposed on Thursday. (Photo by Susan Tebben/Ohio Capital Journal) Gov. Mike DeWine told reporters Thursday that he supported the map as presented, noting he got a look at the map early Wednesday. He said it was a welcome compromise between the two sides. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The goal here was to get maps and get Democrats on board with the map, it would appear that thats going to happen, DeWine said. DeWine didnt attend Thursdays meeting, but met with reporters in the hallway as the meeting went on to discuss action on SNAP funding and redistricting. What Republicans will get out of this is a sure map, that will be done, both sides get that, DeWine said. These are all negotiations and in negotiations no one gets what they want. The commission has now met twice since reconvening last week, with the first meeting covering consideration for the legislative Democrats map proposal. That proposal would have split the state into eight Republican-leaning districts and seven Democratic-leaning districts. The Democrats said this map was based on voting trends for the last 10 years in the state. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Republicans on both the Joint Committee on Congressional Redistricting, which met in September, and the commission dismissed the map as an unfair gerrymander, and questioned the use of the election results as a measure for what the partisan breakdown of the state should be. Stewart presented the newest map to the commission on Thursday, saying the proposal complies with one person, one vote, as 13 districts have the same population, and the other two districts are only off by one individual in each district. The Ohio House Finance hearing room was full of people who spoke out against the new congressional redistricting map, and also the process that they said was largely held behind closed doors. (Photo by Susan Tebben/Ohio Capital Journal) Members of the public who came to speak at the commission hearing on Thursday continued a familiar complaint throughout the renewed redistricting process, shaming Republicans for not showing up with a map earlier than October, and further decrying the process as a closed-door, unaccountable method of redrawing the districts that establish the members of Congress who will represent Ohioans on Capitol Hill. Some shed tears, expressing anger and frustration and calling the process just one big sham. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We are gathered here again, with less than 48 hours before this commission is expected to have produced something more than political theater, said Dayton resident Zachary Gibbs. And yet, the drama continues. Even self-identified Republican Paul Miller, who has spent his testimony in previous redistricting hearings over the years highly criticizing Democrats, had notes about the map. In the past weve had the snake on the lake, and youve turned it into an elephant, Miller said. The map is crap, thats all. Jen Miller of the League of Women Voters of Ohio said the actions of the commission make clear the politicians on the Ohio Redistricting Commission dont care about voters or good government. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The public was shut out, the process rigged and incumbents favored, Miller said in a statement. The resulting congressional map still doesnt reflect the will of the voters of Ohio. Stewart had previously said he saw no point in bringing forth a map without assurances that it would have bipartisan support, which is why the Republicans hadnt released a map until now. The Thursday meeting announcement came almost exactly 24 hours before the meeting was to be held, and the GOP map wasnt released to the public until Thursdays hearing. Another meeting is scheduled for Friday morning, the same day as the deadline the state constitution gives the commission to adopt a bipartisan map. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Maps can be challenged through the Ohio Supreme Court after theyre passed, and there is talk of a possible referendum to once again challenge the redistricting process in the state. If a map is passed by the commission, a referendum cant be attempted. If no agreement comes from the commission, the map comes back to the Ohio General Assembly, where the Republican supermajority would have an easier time passing a map because its only required to obtain a simple majority. But passage by the General Assembly would open up the map for potential referendum, to keep the current map in place for now. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Canned foods on grocery store shelves. (Photo by Cami Koons/Iowa Capital Dispatch) Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine is ordering the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services to give $7 million to regional food banks and up to $18 million in emergency relief benefits to more than 63,000 low-income Ohioans. DeWines executive order requires ODJFS to allocate $7 million to regional food banks using Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) funds. The order also requires ODJFS to double the monthly benefit for the states 63,000 Ohio Works First recipients which include more than 57,000 children. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ohio Works First provides assistance to low-income families with children at or below 50% of the federal poverty level using TANF funds. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Ohio Works First recipients will receive their usual monthly benefits on Saturday and will receive an additional weekly benefit equaling a quarter of their typical monthly allotment. While we will always do everything we can to support Ohioans who need it most, this is not a viable, long-term solution, DeWine said in a statement. SNAP is a federal program that is specifically federally funded. About 1.4 million Ohioans receive SNAP benefits and the U.S. Department of Agriculture said federal food aid would not be issued Nov. 1 because of the government shutdown, which started on Oct. 1. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ohios average SNAP benefits are $190 a month, ODJFS Spokesperson Tom Betti said. Ohioans must have a net income at or below federal poverty guidelines $32,150 a year for a family of four to qualify for SNAP. Not every family is going to get additional funds, but we want to target specifically those families where we thought that they really desperately would need the money and would need the help, DeWine said to reporters. Food banks across Ohio have said the need will be beyond what they can bear with SNAP benefits not being distributed. Governor DeWines approach allows us to allocate funds using ordinary distribution channels providing targeted support to families in greatest need, while also assisting food banks, which can reach people quickly and directly, ODJFS Director Matt Damschroder said in a statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ohios minority leaders in the House and the Senate expressed gratitude while also asking DeWine to do more. I am grateful that there will be some relief for those in need, but this executive order does not go nearly far enough to help, said Ohio House Minority Leader Dani Isaacsohn, D-Cincinnati. We are on the tipping edge of a crisis and the governor needs to do more. While were glad the governor has taken steps to protect Ohio families that are caught in the middle of political debates taking place in Washington, this is not nearly enough to make up for the potential gap in funding, said Senate Democratic Leader Nickie J. Antonio, D-Lakewood. Ohio Democratic lawmakers have been calling on DeWine to authorize funds during a lapse in federal food assistance. DeWines spokesperson Dan Tierney, however, says there is no mechanism for the state to directly fund Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program payments, regardless of funding source. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ohio does not run the SNAP payment system, Tierney said in an email. We do not have access to that system to fund SNAP. Ohios role is to verify if beneficiaries are eligible for SNAP and to transmit that to the federal government. Ohio Republican lawmakers are blaming U.S. Senate Democrats. Congressional Democrats have refused to sign on to a funding bill if Republicans dont agree to extend subsidies to buy health insurance on marketplaces created by the Affordable Care Act. The easiest and best way to help Ohioans in need of food assistance is for U.S. Senate Democrats to end its filibuster of SNAP benefits and other important federal programs and approve the clean continuing resolution passed by the U.S. House, DeWine said in a statement. Ohio Republican lawmakers also argue this needs to be solved at the federal level, not the state level. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Everyones heart is in the right place on this, state Sen. Terry Johnson, R-McDermott, said during the most recent Senate Session. If you want a solution to this, its at the federal level. Its not at the state level. State Rep. Latyna Humphrey, D-Columbus, introduced Ohio House Bill 502 which would make an appropriation through the Budget Stabilization Fund (also known as the Rainy Day Fund) to continue to fund SNAP and some other federal programs if there were to be a lapse in federal funding, but the bill has had no hearings. Ohio families are truly going to be in crisis, she said during a recent press conference. We cant stand by while families wonder how theyll put food on the table. The Ohio Senate Democratic Caucus sent a letter to DeWine asking him to use the states $3.9 billion Rainy Day Fund as a way to continue funding SNAP benefits to Ohioans, saying funding SNAP benefits for one month would cost $263 million. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The sole purpose of the Budget Stabilization Fund is to support a previously enacted budget if state revenue decreases in an economic downturn, Tierney said in an email. The fund may be accessed only if the Ohio General Assembly enacts legislation to do so. Several other states including Republican-led Iowa, Louisiana, Nevada, South Carolina, Virginia, and West Virginia have also announced plans to help those who are losing SNAP benefits, according to NBC News. The Ohio House Democratic Caucus also sent a letter to DeWine asking him to declare a state of emergency and to work with lawmakers to make sure food banks have enough resources to feed people. Ohio Sen. Kent Smith, D-Euclid, offered up an amendment during the most recent Ohio Senate Session that would have allowed the use of the Ohio Budget Stabilization Fund to fully fund the SNAP program during a lapse in federal funding and allowed the state to ask for reimbursement from the federal government for those funds. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement These (SNAP) funds are vital drivers for our local economy, generating commerce at our grocery stores and neighborhood markets, Smith said. Losing this spending power would inflict substantial harm, not only on families, but on small businesses and employees. The amendment was voted down in a party-line vote. Im very sympathetic to the idea in this amendment that we do need to restore SNAP funding, but unfortunately, this is a very expensive endeavor, said Ohio Sen. Bill Blessing, R-Colerain Twp. Ohio Senate Republicans argued theres no guarantee the state would get reimbursed from the federal government. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The potential damage to our budget as a result of this could be devastating, said Ohio Sen. George Lang, R-West Chester. Sen. Jerry Cirino, R-Kirtland, called the SNAP amendment appalling. If Ohio and other states might follow in our footsteps of backfilling the federal government, all that does is encourage them to remain closed because we will backstop them whether or not we get reimbursed at some point, he said. Do we want to encourage that human behavior? The longest government shutdown took place during Trumps first term as president in 2019 and lasted 35 days. Ohio Capital Journal Reporters Marty Schladen and Susan Tebben contributed to this report. Follow OCJ Reporter Megan Henry on Bluesky. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE PRICEVILLE, Ala. (WHNT) An Ohio man is behind bars and is facing multiple drug charges after being pulled over by Priceville Police. On Thursday around 11 p.m., Priceville Police pulled a vehicle over near the southbound 334 on-ramp of I-65. During the traffic enforcement phase of the stop, probable cause was determined to began a narcotics field investigation. Upon further investigation, officers seized approximately six pounds of synthetic THC concentrate oil, over eight ounces of marijuana, a quantity of psilocybin/psilocyn mushrooms, pressed amphetamine pills, a firearm, and various items of drug paraphernalia. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A passenger in the vehicle, identified as Charles Edward Ray III, 53, of Cleveland, Ohio, was arrested and transported to the Morgan County Jail. He was charged with trafficking in dangerous drugs (synthetic narcotics), unlawful possession of marijuana in the first degree, unlawful possession of a controlled substance (two counts), and unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia. Priceville Police said that Rays bond has not been set yet by a judge from the Morgan 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 WHNT.com. (Photo by McKenzie Romero/Utah News Dispatch) Planned Parenthood facilities in Ohio have notified the Ohio Department of Medicaid they will fight against the states proposal to take away funding that comes from that department. Clinics across Ohio are already strapped for funding with a federal budget reconciliation bill that took away Medicaid and other funding, but now the state is trying to end their connection as well. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The state Medicaid department cited the federal budget reconciliation law, signed by President Donald Trump on July 4, as reasoning for the termination, in a Sept. 24 letter received by Planned Parenthood Southwest Ohio Region and Planned Parenthood of Greater Ohio. The provisions of the federally mandated 2025 Budget Reconciliation Act prohibit certain nonprofit health care providers from receiving federal Medicaid reimbursement for services, said Stephanie OGrady, spokesperson for the ODM, in a statement to the Capital Journal. We are complying with the law set forth by Congress and will continue to work with other qualified Medicaid providers across the state to ensure that members have access to essential services. Planned Parenthood clinics have used the Medicaid funds to provide services like preventive care, STD screenings, and other general practice health services. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Federal and state Medicaid funds already cant be used for abortion services, and clinics around the state have said they have never used the funds for those services. But termination from the states Medicaid program will impact non-abortion services for more than 27,000 patients who went to Planned Parenthoods in Southwest Ohio and the Greater Ohio affiliates regions. Patients without eligible private insurance will have to pay out of pocket or find another provider if the termination goes forward. The termination notification comes alongside federal funding cuts by the Trump administration, which the national Planned Parenthood headquarters is fighting through a lawsuit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Typically, removal from the Ohio Department of Medicaid programs comes for a particular reason, such as conviction of a crime or behavior that goes against the regulations of Medicaid, according to Melissa Cohen, general counsel for the Planned Parenthoods of Greater Ohio and Southwest Ohio Region. Were not in that boat, Planned Parenthood has followed all laws and regulations, Cohen told the Capital Journal. This is really an unprecedented situation for a provider to be terminated in this way. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Thats why the clinics have started the process of requesting an administrative hearing with the department, asking for justification for the termination, and confirmation that no official misconduct has been noted in the termination proposal, according to Cohen. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The state action has more problematic effects, Cohen said, given that Planned Parenthood affiliates see this as a political attack and not one related to the care they provide. This back and forth (on funding) is really confusing for patients and stressful for patients, Cohen said. The confusion may continue, even though the termination would be put on hold as the proceedings for an administrative hearing are organized. Cohen said while the process of administrative review goes on, things will stay as they are for Planned Parenthoods in the state. After an administrative decision is made, parties have the ability to appeal to a state court if they disagree with the decision as well, holding off any further action until that process is undertaken. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile the federal case through which the national Planned Parenthood Federation of America hopes to claw back funds eliminated as a part of the budget process is still ongoing as well. An injunction that paused the funding cuts was undone by a federal judge, and the next court date is scheduled for Nov. 12. It still could be quite some time before a final decision is released, especially if appeals are made to the U.S. Supreme Court should the decision go against the wishes of the Trump administration. With the loss of federal funds continuing as the court case rolls on, Cohen said Ohio clinics have already seen patient numbers drop. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Patient navigators and social workers working with Ohios Planned Parenthoods are informing patients of the available services and referring patients to other providers for unavailable care. The Southwest Ohio regions Planned Parenthood closed two clinics earlier this year, citing the federal funding cuts as a catalyst for the decision. Cohen said a timeline for the administrative hearing is unknown at this point. Megan Henry contributed to this article. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Ohio Senate Minority Leader Nickie Antonio and Ohio House Minority Leader Dani Isaacsohn speak to the media after the Ohio Redistricting Commission unanimously adopted a congressional redistricting map Oct. 31 that further favors Republicans. (Photo by Susan Tebben, Ohio Capital Journal) The Ohio Redistricting Commission unanimously passed a congressional map in a Friday morning meeting, increasing Republican advantage in the state 12-3 and blocking a referendum effort. Democrats expressed optimism they could hold their five seats. The commission unanimously approved the map to raucous disapproval from the crowd gathered in the Ohio House Finance hearing room. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The map was introduced at Thursdays meeting by commission co-chair and state Rep. Brian Stewart, R-Ashville. Republicans currently hold 10 out of 15 Ohio U.S. Congressional districts. The map gives Republicans the advantage in 12 of the 15 districts in the state, with Republican U.S. Rep. Jim Jordans 4th district seeing the biggest GOP advantage at 72%. Democrats on the commission voted to adopt the map because they said they were in an impossible situation in which they were provided worse options and felt they needed to take the opportunity to get the best map available. House Minority Leader Dani Isaacsohn, D-Cincinnati, said the process was out of their control, so they did what they could to preserve Democratic opportunities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is not the congressional map that Ohioans deserve, however, I do believe with this map we have averted a disaster, said Senate Minority Leader Nickie Antonio, D-Lakewood. Democratic U.S. Rep. Shontel Browns 11th district sees the biggest advantage in her party via the new map, at 78%. U.S. Reps. Marcy Kaptur, Greg Landsman, and Emilia Sykes would all see significant impacts to their district. Landsmans 1st district would lean Republican with a 54% to 47% breakdown. Sykes 13th district would lean Democratic, 52% to 48% Republican, according to data provided by the commission. Sykes plans to run for re-election in the 13th districts, working to earn the votes of the new communities that have been added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I will always believe that, regardless of party, all voters deserve to choose their elected officials and not the other way around, Sykes said in a statement. Kapturs 9th district would lean Republican with a 54.5% to 45.5% Republican to Democratic ratio. In a statement following the vote, Kaptur said gerrymandering diminishes our states stature even as population stagnates. While Democrats on the Redistricting Commission proposed a fair map at the outset of this process, in one-party rule Columbus, self-interested politicians cut side deals to pave their own future, Kapturs statement read. She pledged to seek re-election with a renewed focus on accountability and protecting the voice of the people. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Stewart said the bipartisan passage was a mark of success for redistricting reforms that were passed in 2015 and 2018, and for the commission itself. I think there was a very real incentive and a desire amongst the legislative leaders that we want this process the voters approved to work, Stewart said. I think there is an intention that there would be some compromises, there would be some recognition of the fact that we would like to come out of here with a deal that both parties could move forward with for multiple years. The previous map, adopted in March 2022, had a breakdown of 10 Republican districts and five Democratic districts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In September, Democrats proposed a map that would have had eight Republican and seven Democratic districts. That map heard hours of supportive testimony in the Joint Committee on Congressional Redistricting, but never received a vote. Republican leaders, including commission member Gov. Mike DeWine, approved of the commission-created map, saying it was a proper compromise across the aisle. They also acknowledged motivation that a referendum would not happen with passage by the commission. While it may not be perfect, the map passed by the Redistricting Commission avoids the potential for a referendum funded by special interests to repeal any map that mightve been passed by the General Assembly, said Senate President Rob McColley in a statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If the process made it back to the General Assembly, legislators could have passed a map with a simple majority in the Republican supermajority that makes up both chambers. Auditor of State Keith Faber, also a commissioner, said the argument that the states voting trends, 55% Republican to 45% Democratic, would bring a map with eight GOP and seven Dem districts doesnt represent Ohios political geography. This concept that youre going to be able to draw districts within that range without gerrymandering is false, Faber said. You cant get to an 8-7 map without unnecessarily splitting and dividing (cities, counties and townships). Ohioans expressed their disagreement with Faber, saying state leaders and legislators just hadnt worked hard enough to get to maps that match that ratio. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Testimony at Thursdays and Fridays meeting had a unified message: Ohioans who attended the meetings greatly disapproved of not only the 12-3 map, but the process to get to the adoption. This isnt a compromise, its a threat, Julia Cattaneo, of Columbus, told the commission. Stewart on Thursday had referred to the people who attended the meeting many of whom have regularly attended meetings over the several years of the congressional and statehouse redistricting battles in Ohio as paid actors. On Friday, some citizens pinned not a paid actor labels on their shirts. They continued their shaming of the commission for ignoring the law, ignoring the voters, as Mia Lewis of Common Cause Ohio put it, and emphasizing the need to take politicians out of the redistricting process. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I wish that the argument between committee members had been about how to fairly draw up county lines that would have fine-tuned those districts to be more accurate, said Columbus resident Beth Lykins. I think what I say here doesnt really matter in the end. You will do what you want to do and I have to live with the realization that our government doesnt work in the way I was taught in my Youth in Government program. The map has the potential to be legally challenged, which would be done at the Ohio Supreme Court. Previous map challenges in the redistricting process, including the 10-5 redistricting map used for the most recent elections, have been struck down as unduly partisan. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The makeup of the state supreme court has changed since then, however. Current Chief Justice Sharon Kennedy stood in the minority in previous votes on redistricting maps, saying she would have kept the maps in place. The current supreme court is made up of six Republican justices and one Democratic justice. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Natural gas meter. (File photo from Getty Images.) Advocates on both sides stumbled momentarily Wednesday when the Ohio Supreme Court considered whether big increases in certain utility charges are legal. At issue is whether the states regulator, the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio, acted legally in 2023 when it allowed Columbia Gas of Ohio to increase total fixed monthly charges from $36 a month to $58 a month by 2027 a 50% increase. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thats money customers have to pay before they burn the first molecule of gas regardless of how much or little they consume and how much hardware is needed to serve them. As it allowed the increase, the PUCO also allowed the elimination of energy-efficiency programs for non-low-income customers. Consumer groups sued, making several legal arguments, basically boiling down to the claim that in allowing the rate design, the PUCO failed to protect consumers. Daniel Abrams represents the plaintiffs, the Energy Law and Policy Center and the Citizens Utility Board. On Wednesday, he told the justices that the PUCO allowed Columbia to abandon energy efficiency programs for most customers based on some dodgy math. Need to get in touch? Have a news tip? CONTACT US Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The efficiency programs provided rebates to install energy-efficient appliances, which Abrams said save everybody money by reducing peak demand and system costs. The program served 850,000 customers and saved more than $800 million, he said. But in its ruling, the PUCO said getting rid of the efficiency program would save ratepayers $120 million. This point entirely ignores the benefits of the programs, Abrams said. Columbia itself touted its programs as award-winning, and demonstrated that these programs delivered $2.37 in benefit to the system for every $1 spent on them. Those savings dont take into account the overall benefits of using less natural gas, which requires polluting processes such as fracking to obtain. And burning it is a major contributor to global warming. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Abrams also argued that by allowing Columbia to rely so heavily on fixed monthly charges, the PUCO was going against the original reason for allowing them. In 2008, it allowed fixed charges to compensate Columbia for lost sales tied to energy conservation. In the order in this case, the commission eliminated the very energy-efficiency programs that justified the shift toward fixed charges in the first place. Since then, fixed charges have surged from $12.16 in 2008 to $36.15 in 2021 to $58 in 2027 if the court allows the structure to stand. While fixed charges made up 20% of a customers bill in 2008, they will comprise 70% about 14 months from now, Abrams said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Assistant Attorney General Jullian P. Johnson appeared on behalf of the PUCO. Early in his presentation, Justice Pat DeWine interrupted to ask how relying so heavily on fixed charges and abandoning a major efficiency program benefitted customers. Johnson responded, in essence, that it did because it provided Columbia says it needs the money. It benefits customers because it provides Columbia with the necessary funding it needs to continue to provide safe and reliable service, he said. Columbia needs to have sufficient funding to continue providing DeWine interrupted again. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thats the overall amount Columbia needs to collect. Thats kind of circular, right? he said. Part of this is moving toward higher fixed rates, right? Thats a philosophical change how the rates are being done. Why does that benefit customers? Can you explain that Johnson repeated his earlier point. Well, it benefits customers because customers will not receive safe and reliable service unless Columbia has this, he said. Melissa Thompson, an attorney for Columbia Gas, said the new rate structure met the goal that rates should be fair in apportioning costs. She said thats so because customers bills reflected the actual usage of providing gas delivery rather than just the volume consumed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Her argument seemed to ignore, however, that the fixed rates are applied regardless of the amount of infrastructure needed to supply gas. In other words, in 2027 youll pay $58 regardless of whether you live in an 8,000-square-foot mansion on a five-acre lot, or if you live in a 500-square-foot apartment in a crowded neighborhood with many customers paying for each mile of gas main. Thompson also made a technical distinction. She said the only truly fixed cost in current bills is $3.76 a month. The rest of the fixed charges customers will have to pay are riders charges to cover infrastructure improvements. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The riders were modified as part of the same proceeding that axed the energy-efficiency incentives for non-low-income customers. Columbia originally asked to increase the total of such costs to $80 a month by 2027. DeWine seemed to trip up Abrams, the attorney for the groups challenging the rate arrangement. Is it true that most of those arent at issue because most of those are riders that already had been approved? DeWine asked. Im not sure, Abrams said. The Ohio Supreme Court will deliberate and then issue a ruling in the coming months. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX (The Center Square) With 1.4 million Ohioans expected to lose federal food benefits Saturday and communities scrambling to fill the gap, state taxpayers are kicking in help. After pleadings from state Democrats over the past week to step in, Republican Gov. Mike DeWine signed an emergency order releasing $25 million in taxpayer funds for food. DeWine, along with Sen. President Rob McColley, R-Napolean, and House Speaker Matt Huffman, R-Lima, announced details of the plan that directs the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services to give $7 million to Ohio Food Banks and $18 million in emergency relief benefits to more than 63,000 people in Ohio. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That number includes 57,000 children who are at or below 50% of the federal poverty level. The easiest and best way to help Ohioans in need of food assistance is for U.S. Senate Democrats to end its filibuster of SNAP benefits and other important federal programs and approve the clean continuing resolution passed by the U.S. House, DeWine said in a statement. While it is no substitute for the relief Senate Democrats could provide today, this funding will help get more resources into the household budgets of the Ohio families who need it most. However, the state does not plan to use any of its historically high $3.9 billion rainy day fund to cover SNAP benefits. The [Budget Stabilization fund] is there to protect Ohios balanced budget from any potential unexpected shortfalls, McColley said in a statement. This plan simply redirects resources to neighborhood food banks that work on the front lines with families who need help during this challenging time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Democrats said the plan doesnt go far enough, excluding direct support for more than half a million children currently receiving SNAP. Millions of Ohioans are days away from not knowing how theyre going to put food on the table. Moms will have to look their children in the eyes and explain why theres no breakfast or no dinner, House Minority Leader Dani Isaacsohn, D-Cincinnati, said in a statement. I am grateful that there will be some relief for those in need, but this executive order does not go nearly far enough to help. We are on the tipping edge of a crisis and the governor needs to do more. Elsewhere, communities are working to pick up the slack. The Columbus Parks and Recreation Department plans to offer free meals for students every day at several centers through its afternoon program. It also plans to distribute free produce. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In small towns around the state, churches and other nonprofit organizations plan to step in to fill the void. In Mount Vernon, a small community in north central Ohio, various churches plan to offer meals each day. Ohio warned thousands of state employees that they could be furloughed if the federal government shutdown continues. Six state agencies notified staff Oct. 31 that furloughs could be on the table for employees whose positions are funded by the federal government. That includes people at the Ohio Department of Health, Ohio Department of Public Safety and the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency. Stay informed: Sign up for our Ohio politics newsletter for the latest news Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement State union contracts require agencies to alert employees two weeks before potential funding disruptions, according to the Ohio Department of Administrative Services. That means, for now, state employees continue to work and receive pay. Nearly 9,000 employees received the notice, but the agency estimated that less than half of them could be subject to furlough. "While we hope for a resolution from Washington soon, we must prepare for the potential impact on our workforce in the coming weeks should the shutdown continue," said Kathleen C. Madden, director of the Department of Administrative Services. The announcement came more than four weeks after Congress failed to reach a deal to fund the federal government. Democrats have said they won't support a spending bill unless it extends expiring health insurance subsidies under the Affordable Care Act. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If the shutdown persists until Nov. 5, it will become the longest in U.S. history, USA TODAY reported. State employees aren't the only Ohioans facing uncertainty during the shutdown. About 1.4 million people who use the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, formerly known as food stamps, risked losing their benefits for November. The U.S. Department of Agriculture said funding would lapse Nov. 1, but a federal judge ruled Oct. 31 that it must continue paying for SNAP. Before the court decision, Gov. Mike DeWine signed an executive order providing $25 million to support food banks and 63,000 low-income Ohioans. DeWine said the money will help families hit hardest by the potential loss of SNAP, but Democrats contend it doesn't go far enough. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A DeWine spokesperson said his office is reviewing the court decision. (This story was updated with additional information.) State government reporter Haley BeMiller can be reached at hbemiller@gannett.com or @haleybemiller on X. Tell us what you think This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ohio could furlough some state employees if federal shutdown continues OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) Financial turmoil from the government shutdown is trickling down to state workers, with thousands at risk of being temporarily furloughed. The Oklahoma Department of Human Services (OKDHS) confirmed to News 4 that they estimate roughly 2,300 employees will be impacted. The furloughs will go into effect on November 2, should things in Washington, D.C. remain frozen. KFOR spoke with an employee, but were not identifying her due to fear of her losing her job with the agency. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The government shutdowns impact on mental health They just explained that due to the federal government shutdown, that we would need to be furloughed due to the money that the state is not getting from the federal government, She said. The proposed furloughs are for employees earning an annual base salary of $100,000 or more. Those individuals will have three furlough days per pay period. Employees with an annual base salary of $50,000 up to $100,000 will have two furlough days per pay period. Those earning less than $50,000 annually are exempt from the furloughs. OKDHS sent a statement to News 4 about the decision. This was an extremely difficult decision, and we recognize the hardship it places on our staff. The furlough plan is structured to maximize limited resources while prioritizing the protection and engagement of frontline employees. Oklahoma Human Services exists to provide critical services to our most vulnerable neighbors. Unfortunately, the ongoing federal shutdown has significantly impacted our ability fulfill that mission without taking actions such as this. Oklahoma Department of Human Services Gene Blankenship, Deputy Director of the Oklahoma Public Employees Association, said, We just need the folks in D.C. to understand whats happening. That way we can get all this resolved and get things back to some sort of normal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is not the Oklahoma standard. This is not how we do things, and so we need to get this resolved, Blankenship added. Republican House Majority Leader Mark Lawson also weighed in on the furloughs. We cannot sustain funding SNAP benefits which cost over $100 million a month in Oklahoma for long with only state dollars, leaving Oklahomans in no better position than they are facing with the November 1st deadline. Not to mention funding for our troops, air traffic controllers and other safety programs. Many of our own state employees are facing furloughs. Their salaries depend on federal dollars. We know Oklahomans lives are being impacted through no fault of their own. Congressional Democrats should be ashamed for letting millions of jobs, SNAP benefits and other federal programs hang in the balance. They need to do their job and vote to reopen the federal government. Rep. Mark Lawson, Republican House Majority Leader Democratic Representative Forrest Bennett provided his input. The impact of the federal shutdown is hitting Oklahoma where we can least afford it. Our most vulnerable folksand now, those who serve them through services at DHSare suffering the consequences. Meanwhile, the choices congressional Democrats have are bad and worse: they can either vote to open a government that refuses to lift a finger to help millions of Americans, and thousands of Oklahomans, who are being priced out of healthcare as we speakat a time when costs for home insurance are soaring and the cost of groceries and housing continue to riseor, hope that the president will authorize GOP congressional leaders to negotiate with them. I dont envy the position theyve been put in, and I am disappointed in the GOP, which controls both chambers of congress and the White House. But more than anything, I am devastated for our dedicated state workers, who didnt ask for any of this and in fact go to work every day with the wellbeing of struggling Oklahomans on their mind, and who are losing pay while the folks with the power to fix this continue to receive theirs. Rep. Forrest Bennett, (D) Oklahoma City For the employee we spoke with, shes looking at losing around $1,000 per month, as shes paid bi-weekly. Its car payments and mortgages, and we all have families and people that we are responsible to. But for lots of employees, its that were not going to be there to help do the work for the citizens that we all look after, she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement OKDHS said the furloughs will persist as long as the government remains shut down. 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. Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday paid floral tribute to the statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on the occasion of Rashtriya Ekta Diwas, celebrated in honour of the birth anniversary of India's first Home Minister. "On the occasion of his birth anniversary, I pay homage to the Iron Man Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel ji, a symbol of national unity, integrity, and the empowerment of farmers, on behalf of a grateful nation. Sardar Sahab strengthened the unity and security of the country by integrating the princely states and advanced the nation toward self-employment and self-reliance by connecting farmers, backward classes, and the deprived with cooperatives. His firm belief was that the axis of the country's development lies in the prosperity of farmers. He remained dedicated throughout his life to the welfare of farmers and the protection of their rights. It is the duty of every patriot to safeguard the nation that Sardar Sahab built, bound by the principles of justice and unity," the Home Minister posted on X. On this occasion, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena also paid tribute at the statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tribute to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel at the Statue of Unity in Ekta Nagar, Gujarat. In a post on X, he praised Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel as a key figure in India's integration. On the eve of Sardar Vallabhai Patel's 150th Jayanti, a special coin and stamp were issued in his honour. "India pays homage to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on his 150th Jayanti. He was the driving force behind India's integration, thus shaping our nation's destiny in its formative years. His unwavering commitment to national integrity, good governance and public service continues to inspire generations. We also reaffirm our collective resolve to uphold his vision of a united, strong and self-reliant India," said PM Modi on X. https://x.com/narendramodi/status/1984082359202074762 https://x.com/narendramodi/status/1983936909861593092 President Droupadi Murmu paid tribute to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on his birth anniversary, celebrated as National Unity Day and recalled his immense contributions towards unifying the nation. Taking to X, President Murmu said, "On the birth anniversary of 'Iron Man' Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, I extend my heartfelt best wishes to all my fellow citizens. Sardar Patel was a great patriot, visionary leader, and nation-builder, who accomplished the historic task of unifying the country through his unwavering resolve, indomitable courage, and adept leadership." Adding further, she said, "His dedication and spirit of national service serve as an inspiration to us all. Let us, on the occasion of 'National Unity Day', unite together and resolve to build a strong, harmonious, and excellent India." The Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Jayanti, also known as Rashtriya Ekta Diwas, is celebrated nationwide with great fervour on October 31 to honour the great leader and one of India's most courageous freedom fighters. The iconic Statue of Unity in Gujarat, standing at 182 meters in height, is built in honour of Sardar Patel. It is the world's tallest statue. Sardar Patel was born on October 31, 1875, in Nandia, Gujarat. Also known as the "Iron Man of India", he was the nation's first Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister. He is widely recognised for his pivotal role in the integration of over 560 princely states and the Indian Union after Independence. His leadership ensured that India emerged as a unified and dignified nation during the direst time. (ANI) Lawmakers plan to allocate $1 million per week to Oklahoma food banks serving all 77 counties for up to seven weeks. The money will first go to vulnerable elderly, disabled individuals and child SNAP recipients while the federal government is shut down, according to a news release. The money will come from the State Emergency Fund, which has $7.8 million. After a meeting on Monday, Nov. 3, where the Contingency Review Board will vote to approve the disbursement, the money will go out immediately. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The money will go out only if the federal shutdown continues, and the prior week's money has been expended. Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt arrives for a media availability at the Regional Food Bank Food Oklahoma, Oct. 29, 2025. Two federal judges ordered President Donald Trump to continue funding for SNAP with $5.25 billion in contingency funds. This could possibly end the delay in funding that is supposed to start Saturday, Nov. 1. Funding from the State of Oklahoma is extremely helpful as the Regional Food Bank for Oklahoma works to be as deliberate as possible to find every food resource we can and distribute it to our network in an intentional manner, said Stacy Dykstra, President and CEO of the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma, in the news release. This amount represents only a fraction of what will be required; however, it will provide critical support allowing us to begin getting meals to the most vulnerable Oklahomans. Jeff Marlow, the president and CEO of the Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma, called for a long-term solution with federal action. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gov. Kevin Stitt, Speaker of the House Kyle Hilbert and Senate President Pro Tempore Lonnie Paxton called on Oklahoma companies and nonprofits to match the money or lend their workforce to deliveries for people who cannot leave their homes. Oklahomans who need help can go to www.BeANeighbor.org to find the closest food assistance to them. Previous Coverage As SNAP funding delay looms in Oklahoma, Mullin and Lankford blame Senate Democrats As the Schumer Shutdown persists, Oklahoma is stepping in to help food banks bridge the gap and take care of our fellow Oklahomans. https://t.co/6EUjo0qQQu Governor Kevin Stitt (@GovStitt) October 31, 2025 This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Lawmakers call on Oklahomans to match $1M weekly payments to food banks For years, Oklahoma has talked about second chances. But for many people leaving incarceration, that "second chance" comes with a hefty price tag. Court fines and fees may look minuscule on paper, but they have a way of stacking up quickly and often total tens of thousands of dollars. That tab follows people out the door, making it harder to find stable footing, get a job or move forward. When someone can't keep pace with their fines and fees, they face license suspension, re-arrest or even more jail time, further burdening them financially and piling even more onto their already suffocating mountain of debt. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More: Oklahoma has an incarceration crisis. Here's what could fix it. | Judge Taking effect Nov. 1, two new bills, House Bill 1460 and House Bill 1462, will help our state take a step forward. These measures make several much-needed fixes to streamline Oklahomas tangled web of criminal fines and fees. Most importantly, these bipartisan bills bring a little compassion and a lot of common sense back into the justice system. House Bill 1460 trims away several outdated and redundant fees that were being charged at nearly every stage of the court process. It also gives judges more flexibility to waive prosecution costs in cases where paying them would cause real financial hardship, while ensuring that vital services like victim restitution and offender assessment programs remain properly funded. That may sound like a small change, but for people trying to rebuild their lives after serving their time, it could be life-changing news. Less financial stress means a better chance of finding steady work and housing, which are two of the biggest factors in keeping people from returning to prison. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement House Bill 1462 complements that reform by putting victims first in the payment process. It makes sure restitution payments to victims are prioritized before all other costs and fees. In other words, when people start paying what they owe, the first dollars go to the victims who were directly impacted. This is a simple but meaningful change that helps victims see justice more directly while allowing those on probation to focus on paying what matters most. The next Prison Fellowship Academy class cheers as members of the current class receive their certificates at a March 26 graduation ceremony at Mabel Bassett Correctional Center in McLoud. Together, these bills represent more than just administrative cleanup. Theyre about giving people a realistic path to reenter society and rebuild their lives. When someone leaves prison, we want them to succeed, get a job, pay their bills, support their family and stay out of trouble. But when someone's second chance at life starts with hundreds or thousands of dollars in debt, the odds turn against them fast. Fines and fees should be used to hold people accountable, not hold them down. By modernizing the system, Oklahoma is reducing unnecessary barriers that keep people stuck in poverty and dependent on the system itself. Crushing offenders under a mountain of debt doesnt help people move on and rebuild their lives. Instead, it just keeps the cycle going. House Bills 1460 and 1462 help people stay out of the system instead of getting trapped in it, help victims see restitution faster and make sure our courts focus less on collecting money and more on delivering justice. At their heart, these bills are about giving people a real opportunity to make the most of their second chance. For the thousands of Oklahomans working hard to turn the page, that change could make all the difference. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After HB 1460 takes effect on Nov. 1, there will still be about over 80 fees that may still be applied to criminal cases. State Rep. Tammy West, R-Oklahoma City Rep. Tammy West, a Republican, represents House District 84 in the Oklahoma House of Representatives. Her district includes portions of Oklahoma City, Bethany and Warr Acres. She currently serves as the House Majority Whip. This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: New Oklahoma laws help modernize court fee system | Opinion NORFOLK, Va. (WAVY) Old Dominion University has announced MonarchSphere powered by Google Cloud, an artificial intelligence incubator designed to accelerate research, expand digital learning and prepare students for the workforce of tomorrow. University officials say its one of the first initiatives of its kind in the nation. At Google, we believe in the power of technology to unlock human potential, said Matthew Schneider, Google market leader. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to Schneider, MonarchSphere provides access to high-performance computing, advanced security systems and generative AI models like Googles Jet Gemini. He said the partnership goes beyond co-investment, calling it a co-development effort between Google researchers and ODU innovators. While some remain skeptical about the rise of artificial intelligence, ODU leaders say the technology isnt going anywhere, and learning to use it responsibly is essential. Were taking really significant effort in making sure that we are training our faculty on the best ways to incorporate AI, said Nina Rodriguez Gonser, ODU vice president for digital transformation and technology. Were ensuring a controlled environment, something that has wrapped-around parameters so that its not misused or used for cheating, but instead unlocks human potential. As part of the collaboration, Google Career Certificates will be embedded into ODUs degree and continuing education programs, giving students industry-recognized credentials that prepare them to enter the workforce immediately. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Those are industry-recognized credentials that are helping our students be ready immediately in terms of their work, said ODU President Brian O. Hemphill. Hemphill said the partnership positions Old Dominion University as a national leader in AI innovation and a model for higher educations digital future. 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. The Supreme Court is, apparently, reading its amicus briefs and one of them may provide an offramp from immediately having to decide whether President Trump has the power to deploy the National Guard into Illinois. On Wednesday, the Court asked for further briefing on whether the term regular forces, in the context of the law that governs the federalization of the National Guard, means the regular military forces or the regular civilian forces. This definition is critical; Trump is attempting to deploy the Guard using a statute that suggests he can do so when the President is unable with the regular forces to execute the laws of the United States. So far, Trump has attempted to argue that regular forces refers to local law enforcement and federal officers, who he claims are overwhelmed and endangered by the anti-ICE protests a few miles outside the citys downtown. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Not so, says Georgetown Laws Marty Lederman. In an amicus brief that seems to have caught the Justices attention, Lederman gives a thorough accounting of the legislative history of the term regular forces, offering pages of evidence that it referred to the military. Under his theory, the National Guard was meant to be called in as a last resort if the active duty military couldnt quell whatever domestic crisis they were deployed to handle. That dramatically impacts where Section 12406, the National Guard federalization statute, fits in the statutory scheme, Joseph Nunn, counsel in the Brennan Centers Liberty and National Security Program focusing on domestic military activity, told TPM. Its meant as a kind of backstop to the backstop of the Insurrection Act. That would mean that Trump would have to meet the standards of the Insurrection Act to deploy the active duty military and then see them be overwhelmed before he could activate the Guard a far cry from his current attempted deployments, as he tries to send the troops into blue cities across the country in response to fairly mild protests. The risk here is obvious: If the Court adopts this position, Trump might just invoke the Insurrection Act instead, bringing active duty soldiers into American streets. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some critics have suggested this could dangerously encourage Trump to first deploy the regular military before sending in the National Guard and, of course he has already deployed the regular military on U.S. streets when he sent Marines to Los Angeles, said Chris Edelson, an expert in presidential national security power at American University. But Lederman wrote that Trump cant simply invoke the Insurrection Act on a whim either. In offering this argument about the proper meaning of the regular forces, amicus does not mean to suggest that the President has legal authority to direct regular military forces to execute federal laws in Illinois, he wrote, pointing to the longstanding Office of Legal Counsel memo establishing that the President can only invoke the Insurrection Act at the plea of a governor asking for help, or to enforce a federal court order. The biggest wrinkle in the theory is that it rests on an unusual order of affairs: Active duty soldiers being backed up by the Guard, rather than the other way around. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It turns normal procedure on its head typically, in American history, we expect the president to call in the National Guard first and only if theyre not able to deal with the disorder, turn to the active duty armed forces, Nunn said. But given the strength of the legislative historical argument that Marty has uncovered, that probably should trump that it doesnt quite fit into how things have historically worked. The justices gave involved parties until mid-November to file their supplemental briefs, a slower pace than the Trump administration is accustomed to when asking the Court to rule in an emergency posture on its behalf. GRAND RAPIDS, Michigan Meijer is expanding its fight against hunger across the Midwest, pledging $4 million in new donations to food banks and pantries serving families in need through its long-running Simply Give program, the grocery chain announced Friday. The Grand Rapids, Michigan-based retailer said the funds will reach food banks across six states, including Michigan, Indiana, Ohio, Illinois, Kentucky and Wisconsin, where the company operates hundreds of stores. The initiative will help restock shelves at organizations equipped to serve the growing demand for food assistance this season. Meijer said eight major food banks will receive a share of the $4 million, including the Greater Cleveland Food Bank, Mid-Ohio Food Collective, Feeding America West Michigan, Greater Chicago Food Depository, Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana, Gleaners Community Food Bank of Southeast Michigan, Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin and Dare to Care Food Bank in Louisville, Kentucky. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We understand the communities we serve are facing unique challenges right now, and while we cannot solve them alone, that will not stop us from expanding our Simply Give hunger relief efforts to help our neighbors in need, said Hank Meijer, executive chairman at Meijer. We are humbled to be able to make these donations and know they will have a significant impact in the fight against hunger throughout the Midwest. Customers can also play a part. During any shopping trip, Meijer shoppers can purchase a $10 Simply Give donation card at checkout. Each card becomes a food-only gift card distributed to a local food pantry partner within that stores community. And from Nov. 2329, Meijer will donate the equivalent of one meal for every Meijer brand food item purchased, including Frederiks by Meijer, True Goodness or Purple Cow, the grocer said. The company estimates this effort could provide up to 4 million meals to Simply Give pantry partners this holiday season. Amid a government shutdown that has temporarily frozen SNAP benefits, food banks and charities report a surge in requests, with many relying on the contributions to bridge the gap left by halted government assistance. Read the original article on cleveland.com. COLUMBIA, S.C. (WSPA) The One SC Fund has raised $105,000 to help South Carolinians who rely on SNAP benefits, which are expected to be paused on November 1 due to the ongoing federal government shutdown. The Fund opened Tuesday, October 28. Across the state, food bank staff and volunteers are preparing for a surge in demand as families face uncertainty about how they will put meals on the table. Several organizations said they are experiencing increasing demand already. The One SC Fund is stepping in to help fill that gap, though organizers acknowledge that philanthropy alone cannot solve the problem. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In South Carolina, the SNAP program serves 266,350 householdsor 556,359 individualsand distributes $103.8 million in federally funded benefits each month. According to Tony Catone, Director of the South Carolina Department of Social Services (SCDSS), 71% of benefit recipients are children or seniors. Maintaining this program statewide requires roughly $100 million per month. Managed by the Central Carolina Community Foundation, the One SC Fund channels donations to nonprofits and food banks providing meals, housing, and financial assistance to families in need. 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. WESTBROOK - Visitors are cautioned to "keep an eye on" Abe, a hulking Devon bull with impressive horns, who was standing aloof among a small herd of cows grazing nearby on the hillside. But don't show him any fear, cautioned Bonnie Hall, who works the 10-generation farm with her husband John Hall, whose family has raised Devon cattle there since 1635 are working to preserve the breed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I'm the alpha male," Bonnie Hall joked as she walked past Abe and towards the docile cattle, who also have horns. "I wouldn't put up with anything." Abe is part of a rare American heritage breed that goes back to when the pilgrims settled in Plymouth. He'll be starring in a new documentary "A Connecticut Farmer and the King's Cow" along with the rest of the herd of Devon cattle and oxen at Maple Breeze Farm. The film will premiere at the Ivoryton Playhouse with showings at 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. The film won the Impact Docs Award and its producers at Backyard Green Films are working with the Public Broadcasting Service to get it shown on television. Slow down and smell the cow pop is a sign at Maple Breeze Farm. (Susan Braden) Little has changed over the nearly 400 years at the farm where the Halls are raising about 50 Devons on 200 gentle rolling acres, dotted with dried cow pies. In fact a sign on the property advises, "Slow down and smell the cow poop." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The only thing that's changed when you look around here is we have tractors and electricity," John Hall said. The Halls milk the cows for family consumption and raise cattle for beef they sell at local farmers markets and from their farm. They also bring their cattle, pigs and recipe to Noack's Meat Products in Meriden to make beef and pork hot dogs with "no icky parts," Bonnie Hall said. In keeping with New England tradition, the older bulls on the farm are castrated and paired off into teams, which the Halls sell to working history museums such as Sturbridge Village in Massachusetts and Williamsburg, Va. Buyers include people who want to show them in agricultural fairs. The story of Maple Breeze Farm and its owners is the kind of story filmmaker and producer Rick Bowman likes to tell. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "John is like a custodian for those animals," Bowman said. "You don't meet many people in America that - as their family history goes back that far - are doing the same thing, running a farm and making sure those same animals, over the years, have stayed on their property." Bowman and his wife, Elara Bowman, film documentaries on small farms across the country. The couple interviews farmers and scientists to "bring stories of where our food and fiber come from," he said. They met the Halls while filming "The Holstein Dilemma, Heritage Breeds and the Need for Biodiversity," a documentary about the largest breed of cattle in the U.S., which PBS aired. Bowman said raising livestock gets a bad rap among those who equate it with mistreatment of animals and he hopes his films dispel that. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Every farmer that I've met, especially on the small farms, they love their animals," Bowman said. "They want to make sure they're healthy and take care of them and give them the best life they can until that moment comes where they do need to cull the herd or take some of them to the abattoir to slaughter." The Halls are preserving Devons by working with the American Milking Devon Cattle Association, which keeps track of bloodlines. Bonnie Hall is the registrar, while John Hall takes on the role as historian of the breed. When breeding the cattle they want to make sure they get genetic diversity to prevent inbreeding. The Devons are distinctive with a "beautiful ruby red coat" and blue eyes, Bonnie Hall noted. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Devons are called "The King's Cow," because the king of England gave them to the pilgrims in Plymouth. The cattle were ideally suited for New England's rough weather conditions and didn't mind the low-quality feed - salt grass, upland grasses and leaves from brush, John Hall said. They were "considered to be the best all around breed for the New World," he said. The hardy cows were multipurpose too. "They could be used for milking, bred for beef and the males could become oxen to plow fields," John Hall said. "Put them in a yoke and they're trained to work together and they're teamed usually together for life." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The oxen helped build New England in the early days working as the primary draft animals, he said. "They pulled the plows and they cleared the rocks and hauled stones for foundations and timber," he said. "Horses were more of a rich man's thing when businesses started to come and establish. But oxen did the heavy, heavy early work." And the Devon oxen, he added, "are the smartest, fastest-paced oxen there are of any breed." The New England oxen went out west with the covered wagons on the Oregon Trail. The Halls were surprised to discover a museum that had a "big stuffed pair of Devons" while on vacation in Laramie, Wyo. They spent three hours talking with the docents who knew little of the breed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "They wanted us to stay there and work there," Bonnie Hall said, laughing. The breed starting dying out after World War II when grocery stores proliferated and people moved from farms to the suburbs, John Hall said. Returning soldiers "didn't go back to the small farms like this, with three or four or five cows and milk cows for your neighbors and kill a beef once a year for himself amongst your neighbors or family," John Hall said. Large dairy farms also overtook the smaller operations and Holstein cows that had greater milk production were needed to meet demand, he said. Devons grow and mature slower. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the 1970s there were only about 400 Devons left in the U.S., according to John Hall. Now there are about 3,000. While the Devons make "great quality beef," John Hall said, cattle ranchers prefer the Herefords or Angus because they are better suited to a feedlot where they can be grown in 14 months, while Devon take five to six years to reach maturity. Now the Halls provide breed stock to other farms even as a far as South Dakota where some ranches are rediscovering the old breed. The couple credits John Hall's father and grandfather for preserving Maple Breeze Farm. "He kept 200 plus acres when everybody was knocking, the developers were knocking at his door every day to sell," Bonnie Hall said. "He's never sprayed a chemical on the land." This article originally published at At one time, only 400 Devon cows remained in the U.S. but they've been on this CT farm for 400 years. When a life-size skeleton dressed like the Grim Reaper first appeared on a street altar in Tepito, Mexico City, in 2001, many passersby instinctively crossed themselves. The figure was La Santa Muerte or Holy Death a female folk saint cloaked in mystery and controversy that had previously been known, if at all, as a figure of domestic devotion: someone they might address a prayer to, but in the privacy of their home. She personifies death itself and is often depicted holding a scythe or globe. And since the early 2000s, her popularity has steadily spread across Mexico and the Americas, Europe and beyond. The idea and image of death made into a saint is both unthinkable and magnetic. Her association with drug traffickers and criminal rituals makes many people wary of the skeletal figure. La Santa Muerte also faces significant opposition from the Catholic Church, which condemns her veneration as heretical and morally dangerous. High-ranking church figures such as Cardinal Norberto Rivera Carrera in Mexico have publicly denounced her devotion, warning that it promotes superstition and goes against Christian values. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This criticism highlights a profound tension between official religion and the grassroots devotion. Many Mexicans who feel abandoned by government and church institutions embrace her as a source of hope. Indeed, based on my research, La Santa Muerte represents strength, protection and comfort to her devotees, which include prisoners, police officers, sex workers, LGBTQ+ people, migrants, the working class and others among less vulnerable populations. Despite her fearsome appearance, she offers a form of care they are often denied elsewhere. As an anthropologist who has studied La Santa Muerte in Mexico, I believe her power reflects a paradoxical Mexican understanding of death not only as a symbol of fear but as an intimate part of everyday life that has become one of resilience and resistance amid the countrys chronic violence. Death and the state In my recent book, The Intimacy of Images, I examine how devotion to La Santa Muerte in Oaxaca the state famed for its Day of the Dead tradition draws on Mexicos long-standing, often playful relationship with the image of death. A person holds a picture during a visit to the Santa Muerte temple in Tepito, Mexico City, on April 1, 2025. Gerardo Vieyra/NurPhoto via Getty Images Based on over a decade of ethnographic fieldwork, I found how peoples prayers, offerings and promises to her are part of a desire for solutions to everyday problems such as illness, economic hardship and protection from harm. Her frequent representation in images such as altars, tattoos and artistic productions also reflects an evolving social understanding of death that has long been a pervasive symbol of Mexican culture, identity and the power of the state. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Following the Mexican Revolution in the early 20th century, death as a symbol of the new Mexican nation was popularized by artists such as Jose Guadalupe Posada, especially through La Catrina, the caricature of the dandy skeleton often associated with the Day of the Dead. Whereas death and its personification were once part of an ethos of celebration and fearlessness in the face of death, they have now become disturbing reminders of the mounting insecurity and violence in Mexico. This transformation, and the role the skeletal saint plays in providing protection in this dangerous context, reflects Mexicos broader descent into turmoil. In the 2000 national elections, the Institutional Revolutionary Party was unseated after 71 years of uninterrupted rule. The election of the conservative National Action Party, or PAN, in its place saw the fracturing of informal alliances between the state and criminal networks that had previously tamped down on crime through systems of patronage. In 2006, newly elected PAN President Felipe Calderon launched a militarized war on crime after the yearslong evolution of these early criminal networks into ruthless organizations. In the following decades, cartel violence has surged, civilian deaths and femicides have escalated, and state institutions have been accused of either direct complicity or a refusal to intervene. The 2014 disappearance of 43 students in Iguala a case that revealed the degree of state and criminal organizations collusion and remains unresolved only crystallized public outrage. Such rampant violence continues to this day. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Since the beginning of the Mexican drug war in 2006, an estimated 460,000 people have been murdered, and more than 115,000 people are officially listed as missing in the country roughly one in every 1,140 residents. In heavily affected states such as Guerrero and Jalisco, that ratio is likely far higher, revealing the uneven geography of violence and disappearance across the country. Claudia Sheinbaum, the countrys first female president who took office in October 2024 has promised to dismantle organized crime. Yet the violence and widespread public perceptions of insecurity persist. A religious image of La Santa Muerte is pictured next to a truck damaged by gunfire in Mexicos Durango state. Ronaldo Schemidt/AFP via Getty Images A violent mirror For most devotees, La Santa Muerte is not an ally of the criminals, despite its use by cartel-linked groups. Instead, she is one of the few remaining forms of help amid a terrifying social reality. She offers no illusion that the situation of political dysfunction or rampant violence will improve only presence and protection. Her image reflects a brutal truth: Survival is no longer guaranteed by a state whose ties to the cartels run deep. This political and spiritual vacuum is seen in the rise of other lay figures of devotion folk saints such as Jesus Malverde, more official ones such as San Judas Tadeo, or even devotion to the devil. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement La Santa Muerte is distinct, however. She is death personified, the end of life, the ultimate judge and a symbol of shared mortality, regardless of status, race or gender. As one devotee told me: If you open us, youll find the same bones. La Santa Muerte is also imbued with care and love by her followers. Some address her as kin, an aunt or a revered mother incarnating maternal protection and a kind of strength more commonly associated with the masculine. As many say: Shes a badass. In a country where state protection is scarce and the boundaries between authorities and cartels blur, she represents the people and also shields her believers through miraculous protection. Her followers turn to her because, as they say, only death can protect them from death. Given her devotees vulnerability and the wholehearted trust they place in their skeletal saint, La Santa Muerte is more than mere folklore. She is the patron saint of the many in a country where death walks close. She is a figure of personal solace and collective resilience. Above all, she is a mirror reflecting a society in crisis and engulfed in violence, and a people reaching for meaning, dignity and protection in the face of it all. 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: Myriam Lamrani, Harvard University Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read more: Myriam Lamrani does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment. Despite plans for former British prime minister Tony Blair to take an administrative role in the Palestinian territory, Ynet reported that no Western countries would be involved in the force. The soldiers deployed to Gaza as part of a peacekeeping force will be exclusivelyMuslim, the Telegraph reported on Friday, citing diplomatic sources. While the current ceasefire agreement was orchestrated by US President Donald Trump, regional countries will police the Palestinian territory and ensure adherence to the agreement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The role of the stabilization force is still in discussion, according to the report. It is unclear if the force will be responsible for the disarmament of Hamas or simply policing Gaza once the terror group has relinquished its control. Which countries will police Gaza? Jordans King Abdullah said earlier this week that he anticipated Amman being one of several Muslim and or Arab countries to play a role in Gaza, though he did not answer whether Jordanian forces would disarm Hamas. Israeli leadership has also flat-out rejected some nations from playing a role in Gaza, namely Turkey and Qatar, which have diplomatic ties to Hamas. Israel has argued that both Ankara and Doha were founded on the principles of the Muslim Brotherhood, the same Islamist extremist roots as Hamas. Displaced Palestinian woman Amal Alyan holds the keys to her destroyed home, amid a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, at Al-Shati camp in Gaza City, October 21, 2025. (credit: Ebrahim Hajjaj/Reuters) Foreign ministers of some Muslim countries will meet in Istanbul on Monday to discuss the Gaza ceasefire and next steps there, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said on Friday, voicing concern over whether the ceasefire will continue. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That meeting, to discuss the situation in Gaza, was attended by Turkey, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Pakistan and Indonesia. "The topics being discussed currently are how to proceed to the second stage, the stability force," Fidan said. Some analysts have speculated that Indonesia, which has thawed its approach to Israel in recent months, will play a role. Egypt and the United Arab Emirates are also anticipated to contribute to the force. Despite plans for former British prime minister Tony Blair to take an administrative role in the Palestinian territory, Ynet reported that no Western countries would be involved in the force. Only Muslim soldiers will be deployed to patrol in Gaza as part of a peacekeeping force, diplomatic sources have said. Despite the new civil-military command centre for managing the post-war Strip being run by the US, the troops operating on the ground will mainly come from regional countries in order to reduce tension. More than three weeks after the Donald Trump-brokered ceasefire took effect, the promised international stabilisation force has yet to take shape. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Potential contributing nationals are reported to be wrangling over not just the composition of the force, but its precise role actively disarming Hamas or merely policing a post-Hamas Gaza and its formal legal basis. Earlier this week, King Abdullah of Jordan, one of the Arab and Muslim countries expected to play a role in the future of Gaza, said he did not believe international troops would forcibly disarm Hamas. He said the international stabilisation forces mandate should be peacekeeping not peace enforcing, saying nobody will want to touch that. Israel has strongly opposed suggestions of Turkish or Qatari troops playing a role on the ground, on the basis of both countries sympathies for the Muslim Brotherhood principles on which Hamas was founded. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There is increasing speculation that Indonesian troops will play a role. Egypt and the United Arab Emirates are also expected to contribute. Ynet reported sources as saying that no Western or non-Muslim troops would be deployed. Earlier this month, Britain deployed troops to Israel as part of the international task force led by the United States to monitor the ceasefire in Gaza. On the request of the US, a small contingent of military planning officers has been embedded in the stabilisation force, known as the civil-military coordination centre, the Ministry of Defence said. The US is providing up to 200 troops but Britain has not revealed how many of its forces will be deployed, although the cadre will include a two-star deputy commander. Hamas says the devastation caused by the war in Gaza is delaying efforts to recover the remains of deceased hostages - REUTERS/Dawoud Abu Alkas It came as Hamas released the remains of two more deceased hostages late on, marginally easing the anger in Israel about the slow return of the remains. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Amiram Cooper, 84, and Sahar Baruch, 25, were confirmed to have returned to Israel by authorities on Tuesday. Mr Cooper, an economist and poet, was the founder of Kibbutz Nir Oz, from which he was abducted on Oct 7. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said he was murdered in captivity in February 2024. Mr Baruch, an engineering student, was kidnapped from Kibbutz Beeri during the massacre. He was later killed during a failed IDF rescue mission in December 2023. Last week, Hamas appeared to try to pass off the delivery of the partial remains of an Israeli who had been killed and handed back in 2023 as one of the 28 missing hostages which form part of the Trump deal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Drone footage appeared to show terrorists temporarily burying the remains and then staging a fake discovery. Credit: IDF The anger in Israel played a part in the airstrikes that rocked the enclave on Tuesday, although these were mainly provoked by the fatal attack on an IDF soldier within the Israel-controlled zone of Gaza earlier in the day. The bloodshed emphasised the stalemate in the enclave, with Hamas back in control of most urban areas. The peace plan envisages Hamas being disarmed and Israel then withdrawing further from its current positions. However, Hamas has never explicitly agreed to give up its weapons and shows every sign of trying to entrench its control of the Strip and regrouping as a fighting force. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Although they are publicly committed to the White House agenda, Israeli security chiefs believe that ultimately they will need to disarm Hamas by military force. On Friday, Israels top military lawyer, Major General Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi, quit after admitting leaking a surveillance video from an Israeli detention facility which appeared to show soldiers abusing a Palestinian detainee last year. A confidential report from the US State Department concluded that Israeli forces carried out many hundreds of possible human rights violations Gaza, according to the Washington Post on Thursday. Citing two American officials, the publication said the report found that examining the possible breaches would take multiple years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The report by the State Departments office of the inspector general, an independent body within the State Department, would mark the first time a US administration has acknowledged that Israels actions in Gaza fall under the scope of the Leahy Laws. The laws prohibit the government from assisting a foreign military if the Secretary of State has credible information that such unit has committed a gross violation of human rights. 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. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Thursday addressed a massive public rally in support of BJP candidate Sachindra Prasad Singh in the Kalyanpur Assembly constituency as part of the Bihar Assembly elections. This marked Chief Minister Dhami's second visit to Bihar. Earlier, he had addressed two public gatherings and participated in a roadshow. At the beginning of his address, Chief Minister Dhami paid his respects to the sacred land of Bihar, saying, "I bow before this holy land of Lord Gautam Buddha and Emperor Ashoka, and to East Champaran, the revered abode of Goddess Sita." He added that just as Uttarakhand is known as the land of spirituality, Bihar is celebrated as the land of culture and pride. "Whether it is Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Chhattisgarh, or Delhi, double-engine governments have taken development to new heights. The same journey of progress will continue here in Bihar as well," he said. Launching a sharp attack on the opposition, Chief Minister Dhami remarked that the alliance of "Gappu and Pappu" deceived the people and filled their own coffers. "During the regimes of Lalu and Rabri, Bihar was pushed into the swamp of poverty. Law and order were nonexistent, and every government scheme was riddled with corruption," he said. He further stated that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Bihar has been freed from Naxalism and jungle raj. "In the past 11 years, the Modi government has sanctioned projects worth over Rs 9.5 lakh crore for Bihar's overall development. During the rule of Lalu and Rabri, industries fled from the state, whereas today, under the NDA government, the contribution of industries to Bihar's GDP is steadily increasing," he added. Chief Minister Dhami also said that those engaged in dynastic politics in Bihar are opposing the politics of development. During his speech, the crowd erupted with slogans of "Dhakad Dhami Zindabad" and "Modi-Dhami-Nitish Sarkar Zindabad". Bihar Cabinet Minister Santosh Suman was also present on the occasion. (ANI) ONSLOW COUNTY, N.C. (WNCT) The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) will close a road in Onslow County for maintenance. Both directions of Holly Shelter Road near Burgaw Highway will be closed while crews work to replace deteriorating bridge timbers. The road is expected to close on Monday and reopen November 13. 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 WNCT. "Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links." Heres what youll learn when you read this story: While most estimates place the current human population at around 8.2 billion, a study suggests we might be vastly underrepresenting rural areas. By analyzing 300 rural dam projects across 35 countries, researchers from Aalto University in Finland found discrepancies among these independent population counts and other population data gathered between 1975 and 2010. Such underreporting could have consequences in terms of resource allocation within a country, but other experts remain skeptical that decades of population counting could be off by such a wide margin. Homo sapiens is the most successful mammalian species in Earth history, and its not even close. The species thrives on nearly every continent, in a variety of adverse conditions, and outnumbers the second-place contenderthe rat by at least a cool billion . However, a new study suggests that the impressive nature of humanitys proliferation may have been vastly underreported. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Most estimates place Earths human population at around 8.2 billion, but Josias Lang-Rittera postdoctoral researcher at Aalto University in Finland and lead author of the study published in the journal Nature Communicationsclaims that these estimates could be underrepresenting rural areas by a significant margin. We were surprised to find that the actual population living in rural areas is much higher than the global population data indicatesdepending on the dataset, rural populations have been underestimated by between 53 percent to 84 percent over the period studied, Lang-Ritter said in a press statement. The results are remarkable, as these datasets have been used in thousands of studies and extensively support decision-making, yet their accuracy has not been systematically evaluated. How exactly do you test the accuracy of global datasets used to derive population totals in the first place? Well, with a background in water resource management, Lang-Ritter looked at a different kind of population data gathered from rural dam projects300 such projects across 35 countries, to be precise. This data focused on the years 1975 to 2010, and these population tallies provided a significant dataset to check against other population totals calculated by organizations like WorldPop, GWP, GRUMP, LandScan, and GHS-POP (which were also analyzed in this study). When dams are built, large areas are flooded and people need to be relocated, Lang-Ritter said in a press statement. The relocated population is usually counted precisely because dam companies pay compensation to those affected. Unlike global population datasets, such local impact statements provide comprehensive, on-the-ground population counts that are not skewed by administrative boundaries. We then combined these with spatial information from satellite imagery. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Part of this discrepancy likely stems from the fact that many countries dont have the resources for precise data collection, and difficulty traveling to far flung rural areas only exacerbates census-counting discrepancies. A widespread underrepresentation of rural populations across the world could have profound impacts on those communities, as censuses are central to figuring out how to divvy up resources. However, not everyone is convinced by this research. Stuart Gietel-Basten from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology told New Scientist that while increased investment in rural population data collection would be beneficial, the idea that Earth could contain a few billion more human inhabitants that we thought is extremely unlikely. If we really are undercounting by that massive amount, its a massive news story and goes against all the years of thousands of other datasets. When trying to count such a massive population, a few hundred or maybe even a few thousand may slip through the cracks. But a few million or even billion would upend our understanding of human occupation on this planet. Scientists will need a bit more evidence before rethinking decades of dataset research. [galleryCarousel id='9e9354e9-d0c6-426e-ba21-7d41e95744de' mediaId='d76ba2df-76c1-4f34-9c24-6ad666c521d8' display='carousel' align='center' size='medium' share='true' expand='' captions='true' suppress-title='false' hasProducts='false'][/galleryCarousel] You Might Also Like What comes back from the dead more frequently than Michael Myers, Jason Voorhees, and Freddy Krueger? Efforts to impose an income tax in Washington state. Like those perennial terrors, this income tax fixation in the Evergreen State should finally die, too. Unfortunately for taxpayers already suffering under the weight of the largest tax increase in state history imposed earlier this year, a new income tax proposal is in the works for 2026. According to the Washington State Standard: The Senate Democratic Caucus discussed the politically explosive idea, which has been repeatedly rejected by voters and the state Supreme Court, during a retreat earlier this month. They also talked about other means of raising revenues to avert deficits in the current and next budget. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Washington voters have rejected ballot measures and constitutional amendments proposing an income tax ten times. The most recent ballot failure was in 2010, with 64% voting no. When the legislature has attempted to go around voters and impose an income tax anyway, the state Supreme Court has overturned the taxes (except for the capital gains income tax). The clearest message from the justices rejecting an income tax came in 1960 with this one-page ruling: "The argument is again pressed upon us that these cases were wrongly decided. The court is unwilling, however, to recede from the position announced in its repeated decisions. Among other things, the attorney general urges that the result should now be different because the state is confronted with a financial crisis. If so, the constitution may be amended by vote of the people. Such a constitutional amendment was rejected by popular vote in 1934." Perhaps income tax advocates in Washington feel emboldened by the shocking court ruling in 2023 to deviate from these clear decisions when the state supreme court ruled that a tax on capital gains income wasnt an income tax. Every other tax jurisdiction in the world, however, defines a capital gains tax as an income tax. Speaking of Washingtons new capital gains income tax and the record tax increases already imposed this year, the impact has dropped the state to one of the lowest tax rankings in the country based on neutrality and competitiveness. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the Tax Foundations 2026 State Tax Competitiveness Index: Washington| #45 Overall - In Washington, lawmakers implemented a new 9.9 percent rate on the capital gains tax, causing the state to slide two places on the individual income tax component of the Index. The states top estate tax ratealready tied for the nations highestwas also increased from 20 to 35 percent. Nevertheless, a host of tax increases in Maryland resulted in Washington swapping places with it and improving by one rank. Washingtons adoption of new sales taxes on business purchases of digital products, including digital advertising, went into effect on October 1, after the July 1, 2025, snapshot date of this Index, but will affect Washingtons rank in future editions. For those who argue an income tax would help provide stability for Washingtons revenue, they should heed this warning from the states July S&P credit rating: Sales-tax-based revenue structure, which has demonstrated less sensitivity to economic cycles than those of income-tax-reliant states. Ironically, S&P also noted this: In addition, the state constitution allows Washington to raise taxes with a majority vote of the legislature but restricts it from levying an individual income tax. Its a bold strategy to double down on the largest tax increase in state history by reviving yet another income tax proposal from the crypt of repeated voter and court rejection. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the words of Kylo Ren from Star Wars, Washington lawmakers' appetite for tax increases is always, More! More! Maybe for the sake of taxpayers and the states economic competitiveness, the spending side of the ledger should be addressed instead. Jason Mercier is Vice President and Director of Research of Mountain States Policy Center, an independent research organization based in Idaho, Montana, Eastern Washington and Wyoming. Online at mountainstatespolicy.org. (Getty Images) Starting Saturday, Washingtonians who need to buy health insurance through the states online marketplace can enroll in or change their plans. The beginning of open enrollment comes as the federal government shutdown continues amid disagreements in Congress about the future of federal subsidies for these health insurance policies, which are available under the Affordable Care Act. These tax credits are set to expire at the end of the year without an extension from Congress. Democrats have refused to vote to end the shutdown without Republicans agreeing to extend the subsidies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Premiums for individual insurance bought on the Washington Health Benefit Exchange are rising an average of 21%, due in part to the loss of these enhanced tax credits, which started during the COVID pandemic. This increase is in line with similar hikes nationwide. The average growth rate last year was 10.7% in Washington. The state Office of the Insurance Commissioner estimates the increase this year would be 6% or 7% less if the tax credits continued. Though at this point, its unclear how Congress deciding to extend the tax credits would affect premiums now that open enrollment is beginning. The Washington exchanges CEO, Ingrid Ulrey, said last week that if Congress takes action, we are committed to delivering that relief to our customers as quickly as possible. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nearly 300,000 Washington residents buy insurance on the exchange. About three-quarters of them qualified for the federal tax credits, helping them decrease annual premiums by an average of $1,330. For seniors, those savings jump to more than $1,900 annually. The exchange is used by people who do not have access to health insurance through their jobs or from government programs, like Medicaid. In some parts of Washington, enrollees who benefit from the tax credits could see their premiums double without them. The hardest-hit spots are in rural areas of eastern Washington, according to a report from U.S. Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash. State officials expect 80,000 people to now forgo health insurance if the credits arent extended. Washingtons uninsured rate has been improving for years, to 4.8% in 2023. Officials worry the end of the subsidies will cause the state to backslide on that progress. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That means higher costs and strains on our health care system as people put off preventative care, state Insurance Commissioner Patty Kuderer said Thursday. These effects will be felt by people across the state, but will hurt some of our rural communities the hardest. Those who choose to go without insurance are more likely to be healthy, likely fueling further premium hikes for those who remain insured, as the insurance pool would be less healthy overall and more risky for insurers. The state still offers options for financial help, including Cascade Care Savings for people who make up to 250% of the federal poverty line. The premium assistance program, launched in 2023, helps nearly 100,000 residents. Washingtons exchange is seeking $130 million per year in state funding for Cascade Care Savings to mitigate the loss of the federal tax credits. This would require legislative approval. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Open enrollment will run through Jan. 15. To begin coverage by Jan. 1, enrollees should sign up by Dec. 15. Those who apply later will have their plans begin Feb. 1. Existing customers will be automatically renewed, but can still shop around and compare plans. Enrollees have been able to browse their options and prices since last week. I am adamantly opposed to most things President Trump does. Not all: The Gaza ceasefire is a good thing and I hope it holds. But in general, I have a grudging respect for his ability to underperform even my low expectations for his behavior. Seriously, I dont know how he does it. He is behaving outrageously and ignoring the laws, but you have to admire the creativity. Two weeks ago, did anyone have tear down part of the White House or punish Canada for quoting Ronald Reagan on their bingo card? Trumps decision to impose additional tariffs on Canada for running a television ad is exceptional on multiple levels. In short, Canada ran an ad on American TV stations featuring a 1987 speech in which President Reagan explained why tariffs, in general, are a bad policy that hurts American workers. Trump was so furious about this fraudulent ad that he imposed an additional 10 percent tariff on Canadian goods as a punishment and demanded it be taken down IMMEDIATELY. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement You can imagine what happened. Trump may be able to ignore the Constitution, but he cant ignore the Streisand Effect. Had Trump done nothing, the ad would hardly have been noticed. Now its one of the biggest stories in the country, and millions of people are actively discussing Reagans thoughts on free trade. Trumps plans for punishing Canada are probably illegal. Although non-U.S. citizens acting outside the U.S. are not protected by the Constitution, Canada acted inside the U.S. There is also a First Amendment right to hear. So punishing a foreign government for communicating directly and openly with the American people on a topic of immense public interest may well violate the Constitution. It certainly violates the spirit of the Constitution. If someone inside the U.S. had run that ad, they would have unquestionably enjoyed all the protections that the First Amendment has to offer. Thats particularly true because the ad was neither incorrect nor misleading. It uses accurate quotes from a Reagan presidential address and correctly represents Reagans views on tariffs in general. Heres the ad. Heres Reagans speech. Judge for yourself. And lets not forget that even under Trumps reading of the law, he only has authority to impose tariffs when there is an unusual and extraordinary threat. Canada running an ad quoting Reagan is not a threat, extraordinary or otherwise. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But there is an even more fundamental question here. Trump claims that tariffs are part of his America First policy and are designed to make the U.S. economy stronger. Yet he is using them here to punish Canada because hes personally offended by its efforts to speak directly to the American people. Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent said as much, claiming, This is a kind of propaganda against U.S. citizens. Its psy-ops. What was the purpose of that other than to sway public opinion? Heaven forbid someone should use a reasoned argument against the Trump administration in public. It is both tragic and hilarious that the Trump White House now considers an effort to foster a discussion as a psy-op. Trump also claims that this ad might influence the Supreme Court as it considers a challenge to his authority to impose tariffs at all. I have serious concerns about the conservative majoritys objectivity, but even I have to admit that the idea the court will be swayed by a TV ad is ludicrous. This new tariff on Canada is part of a pattern. Trump also imposed a 50 percent punitive tariff on Brazil in the process increasing the cost of hamburger in American supermarkets because he was mad that former president Jair Bolsonaro was being prosecuted for attempting to overthrow the Brazilian government after losing an election. There is no economic justification for this tariff, and Trump never pretended there was. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Indeed, there is no economic justification for any of this. Neither the Brazilian tariff nor the Canadian tariff will protect a single American job. They will, however, cost American businesses and consumers billions of dollars as things like lumber, fertilizer, coffee and beef become more expensive. Trump is using American trade policy simply for his own amusement. There is some encouraging news, however. On Wednesday, the Senate voted to rebuke Trump by expressly removing his authority to impose such tariffs. But if you are expecting congressional Republicans to finally stand up to Trump, dont get your hopes up. This effort garnered a total of four Republican votes, meaning 49 Republican senators still show no signs of an ethical pulse. Whether imposing tariffs or tearing down parts of the White House, Trump has made the entire federal government his own personal vanity project. Once you divorce American policy from American interests and make it about Trumps whims, theres no telling what you are going to get. It is going to be a long three years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Chris Truax is an appellate attorney who served as Southern California chair for John McCains primary campaign in 2008. 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. The Washington skyline may soon change with the addition of a massive Independence Arch across the Potomac from the Lincoln Memorial, a dramatic monument proposed by President Trump to mark Americas 250th anniversary. Supporters hail it as bold. Critics call it self-aggrandizing. When asked about the project, President Trump quipped that it is for him. Whatever is intended by the memorial and the symbolism of its location, it will be the American people who ultimately decide what this monument means. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Despite claims that every time somebody rides over that beautiful bridge to the Lincoln Memorial, they literally say, something is supposed to be here, the proposed site Memorial Circle, at the Virginia end of the Arlington Memorial Bridge is not a blank canvas. For a century, Lincolns temple to freedom and Lees former plantation Arlington House, once home to the Confederate general Robert E. Lee have faced each other across the river in a dialogue about emancipation, slavery and reunion. The bridge that joins them was meant to symbolically and literally join the North and South. The National Park Service explains that the bridge also serves as the ceremonial entrance to Arlington National Cemetery, our nations most hallowed ground and the final resting place for more than 400,000 active-duty service members, veterans and their family members. When unveiling the design to an audience of fundraisers, the president remarked that he would have been fine with a statue to Lee in the same location. A massive triumphal arch in this location would intrude upon and dramatically reinterpret this symbolism of reunification. Americans might therefore question the intention behind it, and whether it carries a political or ideological signal through its choice of location. This is especially understandable because of recent efforts by the current administration to revisit Civil War memory by questioning the renaming of military bases and restoring certain Confederate monuments. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The current site is also a confusing selection because a more suitable one immediately comes to mind, along the same axis but east of the Capitol instead of west. The former RFK Stadium redevelopment comprises nearly 200 acres slated for mixed use with parks, housing, and a proposed stadium for the Washington Commanders. It would provide expansive space for a monumental arch and pedestrian-friendly park, along with unobstructed vistas toward the U.S. Capitol rotunda a fitting gateway to the city, in the classical tradition of arches marking civic entrances. To many, the proposed arch is akin to the White House ballroom, it evinces a desire to monumentalize the self, to transform shared civic spaces into reflections of personal power and to do so without permission from the American people. A triumphal arch especially one front-loaded by a president, unveiled at a donor gala and paired with the 90,000-square-foot White House ballroom sounds less like national commemoration and more like personal aggrandizement. But previous national birthdays have been punctuated by great monuments and movements. At 100 years, France gifted us the Statue of Liberty, a beacon linking freedom, immigration and democracy. At 200 years, the Legacy of Parks program invested in hundreds of community spaces across the country, expanding public land and recreation for millions. Both commemorations reflected humility and inclusion. Democracies build monuments and memorials through consent, deliberation and the slow work of compromise. Since 1986, the Commemorative Works Act has required that new national memorials undergo public hearings, congressional authorization and scrutiny by independent design commissions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dozens of steps in the process are not bureaucratic hurdles. They are democratic safeguards ensuring that national symbols remain national. The Lincoln Memorial took decades of debate and legislation. The King Memorial emerged after years of organizing and bipartisan cooperation. Those deliberate rhythms are proof that our monuments belong to the people. Regardless of where this monument might eventually stand on our national landscape, and regardless of whether it is imposed on the vista or endorsed by its people, the narrative arc for this moment in our national history, the moment it is intended to represent, is still being written. Martin Luther King Jr. famously reminded us that the arc of the moral universe bends toward justice. The American people will decide who we are at our 250th anniversary and the meaning that any Independence Arch would ultimately hold. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Selecting a location with the potential for true greatness would best celebrate our accomplishments as a nation, some 250 years after declaring our independence and becoming a beacon for democracy in a troubled world. Thomas A. Foster is a professor of history at Howard University. 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. Youd think that union officials would support one of the labor movements biggest demands. But even they balk when confronted with what it would mean for workers. This truth was made clear last week in a high-profile Senate hearing. Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) asked a shop steward from the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers about the union demand for government-imposed arbitration when employers and unions cant quickly agree on a first contract. This policy is the basis of Sen. Josh Hawleys (R-Mo.) Faster Labor Contracts Act. In the same hearing, Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.), said that hes a strong supporter of Hawleys bill because its aligned with Democrats PRO Act a wish-list of union leaders priorities. Cassidy explained this policy in real-world terms, saying that it would take workers out of the process by removing the need to ratify a contract. He put a finer point on it by saying that if the government mandated arbitration, workers cannot reject the resulting agreement, even though it would be binding on them. What would happen, he asked, if workers lost that ability to ratify a contract? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The union official didnt mince words: that would be removing the democracy from the workplace. Then he doubled down: Such democracy is the whole point of the union, he said, because it gives workers a say. In a few short words, that union official, a Democratic witness, rejected one of the Democrats and labors biggest policy priorities. I was testifying in the same hearing, and I struggled to contain my surprise. True, Cassidy had not mentioned the Faster Labor Contracts Act by name. Nor did he call out the PRO Act. But he didnt have to. By focusing on the actual policy instead of the bill name, he highlighted how unjust both Hawleys proposal and that of the Democrats really is. Each hurts workers in the name of helping them. When you strip away the window dressing, even a shop steward wont accept it. And this was a shop steward from Hawleys home state of Missouri, brought in by Democrats to support their agenda, including Hawleys bill. If he cant support that anti-democratic reform, who can? The timing couldnt have been more awkward. Just a few weeks earlier, the Senate had held another hearing that prominently featured a union president endorsing Hawleys bill. Yet awkward or not, the shop steward is right on the money. Theres nothing fair or democratic about taking away workers right to vote on contracts that dictate their jobs. There is nothing fair or democratic in letting government impose its will regardless of workers wishes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And a union shop steward isnt the only one who knows it Americans do, too. New polling from the Chamber of Commerce shows that 90 percent of voters oppose government-mandated union contracts that workers dont approve. It makes sense: Its hard to support the gutting of workplace democracy. Thats not to say that workers dont need stronger protection of their rights. They most certainly do. But a real reform wouldnt put government in control at the back end of a union election. The better path is to put workers in control at the front end. Workers really need the Employee Rights Act, which protects them in numerous ways. To start, it guarantees that unionization elections use the secret ballot, preventing the public card check voting system that encourages intimidation and harassment. It also lets workers decide what contact information union organizers receive, protecting their privacy and that of their families. These are just a few of the pro-worker reforms in the Employee Rights Act, which Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) introduced in the Senate in mid-October. This bill will ensure that workers voices are truly heard. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Faster Labor Contracts Act and the PRO Act would do the opposite, stifling workers voices at the hands of the federal government. This isnt the pro-worker reform its chalked up to be. But dont take it from me. Take it from the union official who admitted the truth this union demand is anti-worker and undemocratic. F. Vincent Vernuccio is president of the Institute for the American Worker. 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. Eight of the over 19,000 Ukrainian children abducted and forcibly removed from their home country by Russia since the start of Vladimir Putins 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine were recently returned, thanks, in part, to the efforts of Melania Trump. Outraged like many by the blatant exploitation of innocent children, Mrs. Trump penned a personal letter to Putin that was delivered during the Alaska Summit in August. A simple but unanticipated gesture, her letter and subsequent communication helped reunite the children with their families in Ukraine. However, thousands of Ukrainian kids are still missing stolen from their families and their homeland in a systematic attempt by Putin to erase their Ukrainian identity. Lets not forget that the International Criminal Court went so far as to issue an arrest warrant in 2023 for both Putin and his Childrens Rights Commissioner, Maria Lvova-Belova, for their horrific assault on Ukraines children. Like other first ladies before her, Mrs. Trumps actions make a difference. The role of first lady follows no rulebook but does transcend history. Over more than two centuries, first ladies influence has expanded to include more responsibilities and more opportunities to lead, research from the George W. Bush Institute has shown. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Doing what is right isnt always whats easy and thats especially true now as Putin callously attempts to manipulate the narrative. But illustrations abound of the incredible and individualized leadership of first spouses in other consequential times and on other controversial issues. They range from small acts of empathy to flagship programs: The list goes on and on. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Each of these efforts pushed boundaries and improved lives, bridged divides, and strengthened Americas reputation in the world. These actions also surprised people and directly challenged expectations and opinions. They shaped the legacies of each woman and redefined the effectiveness of the Office of the First Lady. Mrs. Trump has the same opportunity, especially as Putin and his thugs continue to brutalize children, along with innocent men and women, in their illegal assault on Ukraine. Over and over again, kids (including infants) have faced unimaginable and targeted savagery: drone and missile strikes on kindergartens and classrooms; torture and sexual assault by Russian troops; and more than 80 attacks on maternity hospitals since 2022. These abuses including the abduction of Ukrainian kids are a critical part of Putins evil and perverse pursuit of power. Those kidnapped and shipped off to Russian-controlled territory, Russia itself, and Belarus face seclusion, reeducation, indoctrination, and militarization programs. Some children have had their names and birth certificates altered. Some have been fast-tracked for Russian citizenship. And some have been forced to join Russias campaign against their homeland. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Many were specifically targeted because they are disabled or orphaned or their parents are in the military or because of their socioeconomic status. Almost a fifth of the 210 locations where Ukrainian children are being held outside of parental care have documented military training programs, according to Yales Humanitarian Research Lab. So far, fewer than 1,800 kids who never should have been taken in the first place have been returned to Ukraine, according to Yales School of Medicine. The vast majority of abducted Ukrainian children remain in Russian control. Courageous Ukrainian parents and caregivers have risked their lives to bring their children home. Activists, policy makers, diplomats, and faith-based communities have also relentlessly lobbied for their return. More must be done to bring about these kids long-overdue reunification with their families, and Mrs. Trump is in a position to help. Sustained and elevated advocacy, renewing much-needed support for documentation and data collection efforts, and further diplomatic pressure can make a difference. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mrs. Trumps letter and the subsequent release of the eight children were a positive first step. Her actions can change the future for many more kids and add to the ever-evolving legacy of Americas first spouses. Natalie Gonnella-Platts is director of global policy at the George W. Bush Institute. 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. Bobby and Aaron burst into my room and didnt waste time. Bobby began stripping the bed of pillowcases. Aaron rooted around in the toy closet, emerging with an old man mask whose unruly hair was somehow both menacing and senile, like Freddy Krueger after a stroke. I didnt ask questions I had only recently started learning English, communication was slow and this seemed urgent. Bobby handed me a pillowcase, Aaron shoved the mask over my head, and they hustled me out to the sidewalk, where Bobbys father, Mark, was waiting. Triko-reet! A door opened, and I caught the flash of foil as a hand dropped candy into the pillowcase before Bobby and Aaron spun me around and ushered me to another house. Triko-reet was all it took; in fact, you didnt even have to say it yourself, just be in the vicinity when it was uttered, and candy would rain down. Triko-reet, candy, go. The old man mask was too big and the eyeholes were tiny, reducing the world to a sticky darkness with two dime-size openings that bounced around with every step. Triko-reet, candy, go. About three or four triko-reets in, panic hit. I broke off from my friends, sweat coating the inside of the rubber mask. This was wrong. How could I be so careless? What was I doing, indebting myself to people I couldnt even see? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement My parents had never warned me about taking candy from strangers; they didnt need to. The Soviet Union didnt have strangers with candy, just as it didnt have pediatricians with lollipops, or teachers with gold star stickers or free clothing for the poor. Strangers were dangerous and strangers with offerings doubly so. I didnt need to learn that any more than I needed to be told fire was hot. Things changed in late 1989, when my family joined the tens of thousands of other Jews who had fled Soviet antisemitism, seeking shelter in the West. My parents, sister, grandma and I were allowed to leave the Soviet Union with only two suitcases each and after a horrific, all-night search at the border to ensure we werent carrying anything of value. We spent the next half-year in Austrian refugee camps, waiting for American Jewish communities to sponsor us to come to the U.S. For four months ever since my family had been brought to West Lafayette, Indiana the ingrained notion that nothing is free had battled against the reality that the clothes I wore, the mask, the pillowcases and everything else in the house we lived in had been donated to us by Aarons and Bobbys parents and the rest of the community. Four months, and I still couldnt bring myself to think of any of it as mine. Free was hazardous. Cheese in a mousetrap was free. I peeled off the mask, flailing for the English words to tell Bobbys father I needed to go only to discover that the street was full of children with costumes and pillowcases. This was one of those masquerades mentioned in fairy tales Id read in our dingy Soviet apartment. Suddenly, everything, including the reason I wore the mask, made sense, chasing away my panic. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I slowly surveyed the scene, picturing the street grid of West Lafayette, calculating the time left in the day and how much candy that could yield, and the adrenaline surged once more. I grabbed Aaron and Bobby and ran like only a 10-year-old could run when simultaneously confronted with the theory and proof of free chocolate. We hopped hedges, took shortcuts, sprinting, knocking, triko-reeting, vanishing. We were the wind. The candy hadnt even hit the bottom of the pillowcases, triko-reet still hung in the air, Bobbys father was gasping apologies and thank-yous, and we were already on to the next door. Maybe its the corn syrup talking, but to me, Halloween will always be the quintessential American holiday. The Fourth of July and Thanksgiving dont come close. Plenty of countries, dictatorships included, commemorate their nations founding and designate evenings to spend with relatives. Halloween is a night when kids visit strangers, people with no blood ties and no debt to their family, and receive gifts with no obligation in return. It is an exercise in civic trust, a belief in ones neighbors regardless of religion, creed or political party. Its a cheesy, cheery, schmaltzy, Brady Bunch optimism. My family and countless others have crossed oceans for it. At the end of the evening, Aaron, Bobby and I sprawled like dragons atop what mustve been a record-breaking hoard of candy on the carpet in Bobbys den. Bobbys father knelt next to me and tapped the last day of October on a calendar. Triko-reet. Only tonight. Not tomorrow. Tonight, then we wait until next year, he explained, lest I intended to spend the week harvesting the rest of the chocolate in Tippecanoe County. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I liked Bobbys father. Many of the Americans helping us spoke loudly, and when we didnt understand, they spoke louder. Bobbys father spoke slowly and used props like the calendar. One triko-reet, one year. Is very good, Mr. Mark, I nodded, slipping back into a sugary daze. I remembered late nights in Ukraine, skulking around the living room, eavesdropping on the adults talking about America as the land of milk and honey. Even as a kid, I hadnt thought they meant it literally. Very good? I made a mental note to learn more English adjectives. Triko-reet once a lifetime was very good. Triko-reet once a year was biblical. This article was originally published on MSNBC.com In Kamala Harriss book 107 Days, she recalls the moment President Biden told her he was dropping out of the 2024 presidential race. He assured her of his complete support but suggested waiting a day or two to make his endorsement public. Harris pushed back. Joe, Im honored, but we live in a twenty-four-hour news cycle, and if you wait that long, the airwaves will be full of nothing but questions, she told him. Harris was right. Setting aside whether Biden should have endorsed Harris at all, the timing really did matter once he had chosen to do so. And three factors made it especially urgent in her case: time pressure, the lack of public succession planning, and the presence of ambitious rivals ready to pounce. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Long gone are the days when news arrived with the morning paper. We live in a 24-hour news cycle, amplified by social media, where every hour of silence becomes its own story, every delay spawns a thousand hot takes, and every vacuum gets filled. The 1980 Democratic Convention offers an example. Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-Mass.) had challenged sitting President Jimmy Carter in the primaries and lost. At the convention, Kennedys speech was eloquent and powerful, but it was hardly an endorsement of Carter. Kennedy focused more on his own legacy and platform, and when it came time for the traditional unity moment with Carter, Kennedy avoided the crucial hands-raised photo op with the candidate. The toxic atmosphere poisoned Carters general election campaign against Ronald Reagan and it took Democrats 12 years to recover. Yes, Kennedy was a defeated rival, not a sitting partner. But the communications lesson still stands: A weak or delayed endorsement creates space for dissent to gain momentum. Rep. Jim Clyburn (D-S.C.) understood this in 2020. When he endorsed Biden just three days before the pivotal South Carolina primary, with Bidens campaign on life support, the timing was surgical. Clyburn didnt wait until after the primary, when it wouldnt matter. He moved when his endorsement would have maximum impact, cutting off an emerging narrative of Bidens inevitable collapse. Biden won South Carolina decisively, then went on to sweep Super Tuesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The business world tells a similar story. When Steve Jobs resigned as Apple CEO in 2011, the company announced Tim Cook as his successor the same day, with Jobss strong recommendation in the resignation letter itself. The clarity was needed; Jobs died just six weeks later. Critically, Cook had also been publicly positioned as the successor long before the announcement, serving as acting CEO during Jobss medical leaves. This gave the market and the company time to see him in the role. When the formal transition came, it was definitive, but not shocking. Although corporate transitions are different, the same communications principle applies: Clarity prevents confusion. Harris faced a perfect storm. With just 107 days until the election, there was no time for a prolonged contest or even a hint of ambiguity. Yet despite being vice president, she hadnt been clearly positioned as Bidens heir apparent. This lack of clarity gave rise to speculation. Governors like Gretchen Whitmer and Gavin Newsom were already being floated as alternatives. Every hour of silence gave that chatter more room to grow. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In that environment, delay was dangerous, and it ultimately cost Harris the election. Candice Bryant is a strategic communications leader with 20 years of experience at the CIA and Google. 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. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Friday paid tribute to the country's first Home Minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on his 150th birth anniversary, which is also celebrated as National Unity Day. In a post on X, Chief Minister Dhami, paying tribute to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, said that his patriotic vision and indomitable resolve will continue to inspire towards building a "Viksit Bharat." "On the birth anniversary of the "Bharat Ratna" Iron Man Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel ji, who wove numerous princely states into a single thread and paved the way for the creation of an undivided India, I offer millions of salutations. Your patriotic vision and indomitable resolve will continue to inspire us ceaselessly towards building a "Viksit Bharat," CM Dhami posted on X. https://x.com/pushkardhami/status/1984077349017833792?s=48 Sardar Patel was born on October 31, 1875, in Nandia, Gujarat. Also known as the "Iron Man of India," he was the nation's first Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister. He is widely recognised for his pivotal role in the integration of over 560 princely states and the Indian Union after Independence. His leadership ensured that India emerged as a unified and dignified nation during the direst time. National Unity Day is celebrated on October 31 every year on the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. Earlier today, Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid floral tribute to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on his 150th Jayanti at the Statue of Unity in Nandi, Gujarat. The Prime Minister remembered the leader with folded hands and offered sincere homage to Sardar Patel. He participated in the Rashtriya Ekta Diwas parade at the Statue of Unity. The parade was led by the women's personnel under the leadership of the Prime Minister. The oath-taking parade ceremony was led by IPS Simran Bhardwaj of the Gujarat cadre. PM Modi, accompanied by thousands of participants, took the oath on the 150th birth anniversary of Sardar Patel. "I solemnly swear that I will dedicate myself to the preservation of the unity, integrity, and security of the nation. I will also make every effort to spread this message among my countrymen. I take this oath in the spirit of my country's unity, which was made possible by the foresight and hard work of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. I also resolve to do my part to ensure the internal security of my country," he stated. (ANI) Advocates who have fought hard battles to preserve the right of children with disabilities to attend public schools have never faced a fight like this one. Last months cuts to the Office for Special Education Programs, which all but eliminated the agency charged with enforcing schools civil rights obligations, fly in the face of decades of bipartisan support. It appears that no one not even children with disabilities will be spared in the current federal downsizing. Yet these cuts are only the latest symptom of a deeper problem: The special education system is failing. Fifty years ago, the Individuals With Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) was a revolutionary step forward that mandated a free, appropriate public education for students with disabilities, tailored to their individual needs. It has since hardened into a compliance-driven exercise that leaves most of the students it serves without the educational support they need to succeed in school or life. Get stories like this delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for The 74 Newsletter We understand these failures better than most, having watched our own childrens struggles compound due to their schools failures to provide the basics, such as a high-quality curriculum, evidence-based instruction, orderly classrooms and a little extra academic support. These are the same things millions of students without identified disabilities also need but that neither the general nor special education system reliably delivers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Related Students View: Im Autistic. Special Education Failed Me The result is a crisis that long predates the current funding fight, because special education was never designed to help students achieve grade-level expectations. It is a system that prioritizes sorting children into diagnostic categories over improving student learning. Every year, more students are labeled, more money is invested, and yet the results remain the same: Millions of children unable to read, write or calculate proficiently. The problem isnt too little special education, its that special education as we know it does not work. Thats why the Center on Reinventing Public Education has launched a new project, Unlocking Potential, that aims to generate conversation and solutions around meeting the needs of students who struggle in school one grounded in evidence, transparency and a willingness to question the faulty assumptions that have shaped special education for a half-century. Part of this initiative is the Special Education Data Center, the first-ever 50-state digital record of rates of students identified as needing services since 1976. The data document Americas increased reliance on special education to address learning and behavioral differences that are more common than those that originally inspired Congress to pass IDEA. But giving more students access hasnt solved the core problem: Eligibility is based on subjective determinations of disability (something that cant be measured) rather than demonstration of student need (something that can). As a result, students access to special education depends on the local policies and practices used in their schools, creating a huge disparity in services depending on where they happen to live. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While these findings illuminate longstanding inequities, they also open up new opportunities to act. To encourage deeper exploration, CRPE is inviting educators, researchers and advocates to dig into the data, uncover new patterns and propose ideas for a better system. Selected participants will receive financial support to develop deeper analyses that can help policymakers and practitioners design a new generation of interventions. Related Researchers: Higher Special Education Funding Not Tied to Better Outcomes Those new insights and fresh approaches could help reimagine the current system from the ground up. Instead of sorting students into rigid categories, schools could respond flexibly to their needs. Instead of disconnected experiences across general and special education, there could be a continuum of evidence-based supports. Instead of investing in gatekeeping, legislators could use analyses of this new dataset to justify allocating resources directly to the instruction and tools students need to succeed. None of this can happen so long as advocates hunker down in defense of a program that is failing the students it was designed to serve. Instead, Unlocking Potential is an attempt to give advocates, families and educators the tools to see the system as it truly is and imagine what it could become. Invention can offer hope in the face of despair, abundance in place of scarcity and power to the powerless. Those are the resources disability advocates brought to Congress 50 years ago. They can be tapped again to advance the interests of children with disabilities in todays challenging political climate. As the nation watched Congress once again fail to come to terms on a spending plan and the work of the federal government come to a grinding halt, we were reminded that we cannot look to Washington for the change our country desperately needs. Washington is broken, but America is still strong. If we want to change our country, we need to start in our homes. If we want to make a difference on issues that really impact our lives, we need to engage more in our cities and states. Start this week by participating in your city election. Vote for thoughtful leaders. Elect people to your city council who are problem solvers rather than rhetorical bomb throwers. Support candidates for mayor who want to build roads rather than create gridlock. This is how we strengthen our country: one family, one city and one state at a time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Our strength as a country is found in our homes. It is manifested in the couples who embark on the journey of marriage and welcome new babies into this world despite facing economic headwinds. It can be seen in the family dinner conversations taking place where everyday issues are discussed and the moral fabric of our society is continually developed layer by layer. Our strength as a country is also seen in communities across the U.S. as locally elected public servants tackle the issues people really care about. In Utah, city leaders are building roads to connect people rather than allowing partisan gridlock to shut down our communities. Congress could learn a thing or two about compromise and problem solving from the example of state and local leaders who came together to plan future transit investments in the rapidly growing southwest Salt Lake County and northwest Utah County. The Transit Fresh Look, as that yearlong process is called, has involved leaders from communities including Riverton, Herriman, Saratoga Springs and Eagle Mountain. Despite competing interests and limited resources, these leaders agreed to support several major regional public transit improvements for the next decades that will benefit generations. Many locally elected public servants, like Mayor Palmer of Herriman, are prioritizing funding for law enforcement rather than jeopardizing public safety by choking off resources to critical programs. Instead of allowing petty partisan conflicts to get in the way of necessary services, city and state leaders across America like Bluffdale Mayor Natalie Hall, Utahs Legislature and Gov. Spencer Cox are ensuring access to essential clean water and reliable energy by investing in critical infrastructure. The drama of Congress will continue to play out over the next few months as they are forced back to the negotiating table and a budget is passed. Hopefully we wont see the government shutdown last much into November, but even if we do, its important to remember: Washington may be broken, but America is still strong. Americas strength was never in D.C. It has always been in our families, in our local communities and in our states. The town of Irvington in Essex County, New Jersey, was hit hard by the opioid crisis. In 2023, the county recorded 459 drug overdose deaths, 401 of them opioid-relatedthe most deaths of any county in the state. Despite this predicament, Irvington officials spent most of their more than $1 million share of opioid settlement funds not on treatment, prevention, or recovery programs, but on a pair of summer concerts with DJs, luxury trailers, and catered food. A flyer promoting Irvington's 2024 opioid awareness concert pictured Mayor Tony Vauss. (New Jersey Office of the State Comptroller) The town billed the concerts as "Opioid Awareness Day," but they appeared designed more to promote awareness of Mayor Tony Vauss. His name topped the event's promotional materials, and, as the State Comptroller later noted, "no opioid-related information appeared on stage, though two large posters of Mayor Vauss flanked it." Those two concerts cost the township more than $630,000, according to the comptroller's investigation, with much of that money going to Antoine Richardson, a DJ who was put on Irvington's payroll following Vauss' election in 2014. Richardson already drew an annual salary of nearly $180,000, plus full benefits, for a job called "Keyboarding Clerk 1" with no set hours. The investigation revealed that businesses owned by Richardson's immediate family collected about $370,000 in related contracts for the concerts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Beyond a few opioid-related "pamphlets printed from the internet" and a small table stocked with a handful of Narcan, the investigation found that there was virtually no health programming. Richardson told investigators that before his DJ set, he told the crowd to "stay clean" and "say no to drugs"and that each performing artist said something to the effect of, "Kids, stay in school, stay away from drugs." Irvington, New Jersey, is not an isolated case. Across the country, state and local governments are receiving approximately $50 billion in the next decade from settlements with opioid manufacturers, distributors, and retailersincluding Johnson & Johnson, CVS, and Walmartto remediate the overdose crisis. The settlements offered governments significant discretion in how to spend the money. Exhibit E of the national agreement lays out a non-exhaustive list of recommended usessuch as expanding treatment access, supporting harm reduction programs, and improving data collectionbut leaves enforcement entirely up to the states. The settlements do not stipulate formal penalties for misuse; there are no clawback provisions or reporting requirements in place. States were required to draft a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with their municipalities, outlining how funds are allocated and specifying any reporting requirements. New Jersey's MOA and state law require expenditures to be "evidence-based" or "evidence-informed," which is what led to the city of Irvington's trouble. Whether any of that money will be recoveredor whether officials will face consequencesremains to be seen. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Elsewhere, misuse has taken subtler forms. In Indiana's Scott County, settlement dollars were used to pay staff salaries, freeing up local funds for other priorities. In West Virginia, more than half of all settlement spending last year went toward police vehicles, jail bills, and salaries, while only six percent supported treatment and recovery. These practices, known as supplantation, enable local governments to use new money to replace existing funds, effectively turning settlement dollars into general revenue. The pattern mirrors the infamous failure of the 1998 Tobacco Master Settlement Agreement. According to a Government Accountability Office report, states received more than $50 billion from tobacco companies between 2000 and 2005, but only 30 percent went to health care and smoking prevention. The rest was absorbed into state budgets, debt service, and infrastructure projects. Some states even securitized their future settlement payments, trading decades of public health funding for an upfront lump sum, and forfeiting long-term funding streams that could sustain treatment and prevention infrastructure in exchange for short-term priorities. The same practice is already being discussed for opioid settlements. When governments are entrusted with funds to address a crisis that has claimed more than 800,000 lives since 1999, they carry a moral obligation to act accordingly. Every dollar wasted is a dollar not spent on expanding access to treatment, distributing naloxone, or building recovery infrastructure. The outcomes of the tobacco settlement provide clear lessons for the use of opioid settlement funds: Absent binding guardrails and rigorous transparency, both state and local governments face strong incentives to divert or front-load funds in ways that undermine their intended purpose. The post How Opioid Settlement Money Turned Into a $600K Party Fund appeared first on Reason.com. Cows with high levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances or PFAS at a farm in Maine. (Photo by Adam Glanzman/Bloomberg) Farmers nationwide often use biosolids human waste that has been treated by wastewater facilities as a cheaper, readily available fertilizer option for their soils. But there is a rising concern of PFAS, better known as forever chemicals, being spread on farmland through this waste. Virginia currently does not test biosolids for PFAS and one county wants it done before they approve more permits. The (Orange County Board of Supervisors) understands that PFAS chemicals, even at extremely low levels, can cause significant harm to human health, including various types of cancers and developmental harm to infants and children, Chairman R. Mark Johnson wrote to the Department of Environmental Quality earlier this month. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Orange County, community members have been educating their neighbors about the dangers of PFAS in these biosolids and have urged the board to be wary of awarding new permits or renewing old ones before proper testing is done. A recent public hearing on reissuing a permit to apply biosolids on farmland drew dozens of concerned community members to speak against it. PFAS, or Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances, are chemicals used in many products worldwide such as shampoo, clothing, paint, and non-stick cookware. They end up in wastewater and the leftover biosolids. When the biosolids are used as fertilizer, those chemicals then can leech into crops, soil and waterways. Virginia does have requirements for biosolid use on farmland to be set back from wells and homes. However the state does not test its biosolids for PFAS so Orange County leaders are asking DEQ to look into how the chemicals may show up in a project proposed by a company that transforms waste into resources. Synagro manages biosolid storage in Virginia as well as biosolid applications in various counties. The company recently proposed an application for 2,500 acres in Orange County; some of the land is near Pamunkey Creek. The chairmans letter said there have already been PFAS noted in the creek. The letter goes on to say that the board is not against the use of biosolids for fertilizer, however they want to ensure farmers are aware of potential contaminants. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The letter calls on DEQ to test Synagro biosolids for PFAS, for the test results to be publicly shared, and for state regulators to prohibit any biosolids that do contain PFAS from being used in the county. Given the irreversible nature of PFAS contamination and the growing evidence of its harmful effects, we believe these conditions represent the minimum necessary protections for Orange Countys residents, farmland, animals, farmers, water resources to include drinking water and the environment overall, Johnsons letter said. The board asks DEQ to deny the permit renewal if their requests cannot be met. Our farmers deserve to know what theyre putting on their land, and our citizens deserve protection from forever chemicals. The public is invited to share their thoughts on Synagros proposal with DEQs Blue Ridge regional office through Nov. 7. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has said he intends to explain why Hungary is dependent on Russian energy supplies when he meets with US President Donald Trump. Source: Hungarian news portal Telex, citing Orban, as reported by European Pravda Details: Orban said that Hungary relies on land routes for its energy supplies, as it is a landlocked country. "And if we do not adapt to this situation, we will have no energy," he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Orban believes it is necessary to make this clear to the Americans if Hungary hopes to secure an exemption from US sanctions imposed on Russian energy giants Rosneft and Lukoil. "Every state has the right to be protected at national level from such a system of sanctions," he added. The Hungarian prime minister previously claimed that energy prices in Hungary would "skyrocket" without Russian energy supplies and said "we are trying to find a way out, especially for Hungary". Background: Trump expects Europe to completely stop buying Russian oil and gas. He recently imposed sanctions on Rosneft and Lukoil. Orban then said his government was working on ways to circumvent the sanctions. The Hungarian government is trying to persuade the US administration that its status as a landlocked country means it has no alternative but to depend on Russian oil. Hungarian officials claim they cannot resolve this issue, despite the existence of an alternative oil pipeline linking Hungary to the Adriatic Sea via Croatia a fact repeatedly noted in European capitals. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! BUDAPEST, Hungary (AP) Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban said Friday that he would try to persuade U.S. President Donald Trump to grant Hungary exemptions from Washingtons newly announced sanctions targeting Russian oil when he meets with the president next week. The Trump administration unveiled sanctions against Russias major state-affiliated oil firms Rosneft and Lukoil last week, a move that could expose their foreign buyers including customers in India, China and Central Europe to secondary sanctions. While most European Union member states sharply reduced or halted imports of Russian fossil fuels after Moscows full-scale invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24, 2022, Hungary and Slovakia have maintained their pipeline deliveries. Hungary has even increased the share of Russian oil in its energy mix. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Orban, a Trump ally who is expected to visit Washington next week for his first bilateral meeting with the president since he retook office in January, has long argued that landlocked Hungary has no viable alternatives to Russian crude, and that replacing those supplies would trigger an economic collapse. Critics dispute that claim. We have to make the Americans understand this strange situation if we want exceptions to the American sanctions that are hitting Russia, Orban said in comments Friday to state radio. The Hungarian leader, widely considered Russian President Vladimir Putin's closest partner in the EU, has maintained warm relations with the Kremlin, despite the war, and has taken a combative stance toward Ukraine, portraying the neighboring country as a major threat to Hungary's security and economy. Orban said Friday that both the U.S. administration and Moscow were seeking an end to the war, but that Ukraine and the EU were the primary impediments to peace. However, a planned meeting between Trump and Putin in Budapest was recently scrapped after Russian officials made clear they opposed an immediate ceasefire in the conflict. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Orban said that he would be accompanied to Washington by a large delegation of ministers, economic officials and security advisers aimed at a complete review of U.S.-Hungarian relations. He said that Budapest hopes to finalize an economic cooperation package with the U.S., including new American investments in Hungary. But any deal, he stressed, depends on securing Hungary's continued access to Russian energy. ___ Follow APs coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine Hungarian PM Viktor Orban said he would try to persuade US President Donald Trump to grant Hungary an exemption from Washingtons new sanctions on Russian oil when they meet next week. The Trump administration unveiled sanctions last week against Russias major state-affiliated oil firms Rosneft and Lukoil, a move that could expose their foreign buyers including those in India, China and Central Europe to secondary sanctions. While most European Union member states sharply reduced or halted imports of Russian fossil fuels following Moscows full-scale invasion of Ukraine on 24 February 2022, Hungary and Slovakia have maintained pipeline deliveries. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hungary has even recently increased the share of Russian oil in its energy mix. The Atlantic Council, a US think-tank, estimates that Hungary now sources 86% of its crude oil from Russia, up from 61% before the invasion of Ukraine, amid EU plans for a Russian-energy ban by 2028. Related According to a study by CREA and the Centre for the Study of Democracy, Hungary and Slovakias Russian oil imports have generated 5.4 billion in tax revenue for the Kremlin since the invasion of Ukraine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Orban, a Trump ally who is expected to visit Washington next week for his first bilateral meeting with the president since retaking office in January, has long argued that landlocked Hungary has no viable alternatives to Russian crude and that replacing those supplies would trigger economic collapse. Critics dispute this claim. We have to make the Americans understand this unusual situation if we want exemptions from the American sanctions that are hitting Russia, Orban said in comments to state radio on Friday. The Hungarian leader, widely regarded as Russian President Vladimir Putins closest partner in the EU, has maintained warm relations with the Kremlin despite the war and taken a combative stance towards Ukraine, portraying the neighbouring country as a major threat to Hungarys security and economy. Orban said on Friday that both the US administration and Moscow were seeking an end to the war, but that Ukraine and the EU were the primary impediments to peace. However, a planned meeting between Trump and Putin in Budapest was recently cancelled after Russian officials made clear they opposed an immediate ceasefire. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Orban said he would be accompanied to Washington by a large delegation of ministers, economic officials and security advisers aimed at a complete review of US-Hungarian relations. He added that Budapest hopes to finalise an economic cooperation package with the US, including new American investment in Hungary. However, he stressed that any deal would depend on securing Hungarys continued access to Russian energy. PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) Democratic Congresswoman Janelle Bynum (OR-05) is demanding answers from the Department of Homeland Security amid misconduct reports against federal agents. On Thursday, Bynum was among lawmakers who signed a letter sent to DHS Secretary Kristi Noem, asking about the alleged growing record of unlawful actions by agents. The letter comes amid alarming reports and publicly available videos showing DHS officers detaining people and using excessive and unlawful force, the lawmakers said in a press release. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement LIST: These Portland area restaurants are feeding SNAP recipients during the federal shutdown The letter pointed to incidents in Portland, where federal agents have fired impact munitions into peaceful crowds, used chemical spray against nonviolent protesters and detained United States citizens without cause, according to the lawmakers. We have seen an alarming increase in news reports and videos showing federal law enforcement officers under your direction using what appears to be excessive and often grossly unlawful force, behaving unprofessionally, and illegally detaining individuals, the lawmakers wrote. Mounting evidence increasingly appears to show a systematic pattern of unlawful behavior and gross abuses of the civil rights of Americans by agents under your purview. The lawmakers also raised concerns about DHS hiring 10,000 new Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, noting NBC reporting indicates some recruits were placed into enforcement roles without finishing standardized training or full background vetting. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Eye on Northwest Politics It would be a dereliction of duty if you deployed inadequately trained or unvetted personnel into high-risk operations across the United States, the lawmakers continued. These incidents suggest that DHS and its components are carrying out what amounts to militarized operations on U.S. soil, targeting vulnerable communities. This letter comes after lawmakers sent a letter to the watchdog DHS Office of Inspector General in July, following reports of illegal immigration enforcement actions by DHS agents. According to the lawmakers, the OIG said Secretary Noem would be in a better position to give () an authoritative answer, prompting the lawmakers to direct their questions to Noem in Thursdays letter. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Tariffs are taxes: Oregon Sen. Wydens resolution to end Trumps tariffs passes US Senate After the Big Beautiful Bills passage, the lawmakers claim they have seen an increase in these misconduct reports against DHS agents. In Portland, the City Attorney, Robert Taylor, asserted in recent court filings that federal agents used unjustified force against peaceful protesters, indiscriminately fired impact munitions to disperse crowds, and discharged pepper spray into peaceful demonstrators faces, the lawmakers said. In another example, the lawmakers pointed to extreme brutality by DHS agents against protesters and members of the press, noting these actions have prompted a federal judge to order federal immigration officers in Chicago to wear body cameras. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 1 death, multiple illnesses reported in Oregon due to listeria outbreak tied to recalled pasta meals The lawmakers concluded their letter with more than 20 questions for Secretary Noem, demanding answers by November 10. KOIN 6 News has reached out to the Department of Homeland Security. This story will be updated if we receive a response. 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. Regional director Camilla Wamsley, responsible for ICE operations in Oregon, Washington and Alaska, said in court on Friday that she's set an internal goal of 30 arrests per day for the region. (Photo by Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images) Para leer esta historia en espanol, haga clic aqui. Federal immigration agents detained at least 30 people headed to work Thursday morning in Woodburn marking the largest immigration raid in Oregon since President Donald Trump took office in January, advocates say. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At a press conference in Portland on Friday, farmworker advocacy group Pineros y Campesinos Unidos del Noroeste, known as PCUN, confirmed details of the raid. Immigration and Customs Enforcement confirmed the enforcement actions in an email, noting that those arrested included one person with a history of hit-and-run while driving under the influence and at least four others who either had final orders of removal or had reentered the U.S. illegally. Federal immigration agents detained most people between 5 a.m. and 7:30 a.m. Thursday, which is when most farmworkers head to work, PCUN Executive Director Reyna Lopez said. A lot of the folks that got picked up yesterday, they were the main breadwinners of their family, so theres moms and kids right now that dont know what theyre going to do when it comes to their financial reality, Lopez said. ICE has ramped up its immigration enforcement operations since Trump took office. Regional director Camilla Wamsley, responsible for ICE operations in Oregon, Washington and Alaska, said in court on Friday that shes set an internal goal of 30 arrests per day for the region double the daily goal the regional agency had in 2024. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement ICE agents have detained more than 200 people living in Oregon since President Trump took office, Lopez said. The raids are disproportionately impacting Latino families, many of whom have lived and raised children in Oregon for years, Lopez said. In Woodburn, Hispanics make up 63% of the towns population, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. These are families who came here seeking safety and a better life, Lopez said. These are families who had the courage and the tenacity to move everything to this country for a hope and a dream, and yet, every single day, there are people that are being snatched by Trumps mass secret police, and they are being kidnapped from our communities. Although an ongoing lawsuit has prevented Trump from deploying the National Guard to Oregon, it did not stop his administration from sending more ICE agents, Lopez said at the conference. A restraining order pausing guard deployment expires Sunday, but a federal judge could issue a more permanent ruling as soon as Friday or over the weekend. State Rep. Lesly Munoz, D-Woodburn, said Thursdays arrests are part of a coordinated effort to target Oregons construction workers, farmworkers, educators and families. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Due process rights apply to everyone under our Constitution, regardless of immigration status, she said in a statement. I call on federal agencies to uphold these constitutional standards. Some Oregon leaders also criticized the Trump administration for ramping up immigration enforcement operations in the middle of a government shutdown that began Oct. 1. Graham Trainor, president of Oregon AFL-CIO, the statewide federation of labor unions that represents over 300,000 Oregonians, said the Trump administrations actions are immoral and cruel. The Trump administration found billions of our taxpayer dollars to spend on this lawless secret service force, yet in just a couple days, millions of Americans will go hungry because he refuses to fund SNAP, including 757,000 Oregonians, Trainor said at Fridays press conference. The Trump administration found hundreds of millions to build his personal ballroom, yet our government is shut down because he wants to deny Americans affordable health care. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Because Republicans and Democrats in Congress could not agree to pass appropriations bills needed to fund federal agencies and programs, causing the federal government to shut down, Americans including the one in six Oregonians who rely on federal SNAP food and nutrition assistance to pay for groceries each month may be left with nothing in November. Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek followed other state governors steps on Wednesday by declaring a state of emergency over hunger and directing $5 million to food banks across the state. Two federal judges ruled Friday morning that the Trump administration couldnt legally block SNAP benefits, but it remains unclear if and when recipients will receive funds. SNAP recipients typically get their funds on the 1st through 9th of each month, depending on the last digit of their Social Security number. House Majority Leader Ben Bowman, D-Tigard, said ICE detained working people trying to provide for their families. There are so many ways the federal government could be helping Oregonians: preserving food assistance, lowering tariffs to ease the affordability burden, reversing their disastrous decision to cut health care for millions, he said in a statement on Friday. Instead, federal Republicans continue to find ways to hurt Oregon families. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement U.S. Rep. Andrea Salinas, a Democrat who represents Oregons 6th Congressional District based in the Willamette Valley, said she is deeply disturbed by the ICE raid reports in her district. Salinas said she will continue supporting Oregon Attorney General Dan Rayfields lawsuits against the Trump administration and support the attorneys and impacted families. To those in our community who are fearful to travel to school, work, or anywhere else in public, and to those who are as appalled by this administrations actions as I am, know that you are not alone, Salinas said in a statement. I will hold this administration accountable and keep sounding the alarm about Trumps actions so that all Americans see what is happening in addition to legislating, litigating, and agitating. The Oregonian was the first to report that the raids were the largest Oregons seen since Trump took office. Oregon Capital Chronicle reporter Alex Baumhardt contributed to this story. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX A 22-year-old man, who had multiple criminal cases registered against him, was shot dead by unidentified assailants in Northeast Delhi's Seelampur on Thursday night, the Delhi Police said. According to the police, a firing incident was reported at Seelampur at about 10:40 PM yesterday. Upon reaching the spot near Jama Masjid Seelampur, a police team found a person injured. He was taken to JPC Hospital but was declared dead on arrival by attending doctors, said the police. The police said the victim was identified as Misbah (22). Forensic teams are gathering the evidence from the scene of the crime. A case has been registered under the relevant sections at Seelampur Police Station. Teams have been deployed to identify and arrest the accused involved in the crime at the earliest. During the preliminary investigation, the deceased was found involved in seven criminal cases related to murder, attempted murder, robbery and the Arms Act. Investigation in the case is ongoing, said the Delhi Police. In another operation, the South-West District Police on Thursday solved a murder case of a 23-year-old cab driver named Nitesh Khatri, within just two hours of the crime being reported. The staff of Police Station Kishangarh arrested two accused, both 23 years old, identified as Mohit Mehlawat alias Mannu, a resident of Kishangarh, and Lucky alias Tannu, a resident of Mehrauli. On Monday morning, police were alerted after a morning walker discovered the body of Nitesh Khatri inside Machhli Park, Kishangarh. The victim was found lying in a pool of blood with multiple stab injuries on his abdomen and near his ear.Investigations began immediately after the police unlocked the victim's mobile phone using facial recognition technology. Analysis of CCTV footage and deployment of local informers helped the team zero in on the suspects.During sustained interrogation, both accused confessed to the killing, citing personal enmity and a desire for revenge due to previous altercations with the victim. Police said the duo had pre-planned the attack and used Instagram to lure Nitesh to the park before stabbing him multiple times. (ANI) Just months before her election last year, Orlando City Commissioner Shan Rose notarized a registered sex offenders request to vacate a conviction involving a pre-teen girl. Now, Roses key opponent in her reelection campaign, Regina Hill, has made that routine notary act a campaign issue, arguing Rose was attempting to get the mans offenses deleted from his records. She also claims Rose is romantically involved with the man and wrongly brought him to city events attended by children. Rose declined to discuss whether she was in a relationship with Travis Denard Wright, while denying Hills claim about the events. State documents suggest Rose and Wright are in business together, and social media posts show Rose held an election victory party at a tattoo shop he apparently ran. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But she said her signature and seal on Wrights court motion was the ordinary work of a notary public that she had no cause to refuse, a contention supported by notary guidelines and codes of conduct. Hill, Rose argued, is failing to fully explain the facts of the 26-year-old case and is making the claims because she is trailing in polls as she seeks to regain her District 5 seat on the Orlando City Council. Hill was removed from office by Gov. Ron DeSantis last year after she was arrested and indicted on seven felony charges, including mortgage fraud and encompassing elder abuse. She is awaiting trial on those charges. She faces Rose, who won the special election to fill Hills seat, and community activist Lawanna Gelzer in Tuesdays election. Wright pleaded no contest in 2000 to a single charge of unlawful sexual activity with a minor as part of a plea deal. He had previously been arrested and confessed to police that he had sex with a 12-year-old girl, according to court records. He was 18 at the time of the offense. In January 2024, Wrights attorneys filed a 348-page court motion notarized by Rose and asking, based on newly discovered evidence, that his plea be set aside, his judgment vacated, and the unlawful sexual activity charge, which is a felony, dismissed. Those actions, if approved, would mean he would no longer have to register as a sex offender, his lawyers said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The motion argues that Wright, who has one misdemeanor but no other felonies on his record, was coerced by police and that newly discovered evidence could have exonerated him. It is still pending in Seminole County Circuit Court. Hill posted a long Facebook video on Oct. 18, claiming an online blogger had told her about the notarized form and Roses alleged romantic relationship with the man. Hill told the Orlando Sentinel she personally saw Wright with Rose at two official District 5 block parties hosted by Rose at Lake Lorna Doone Park in November of last year where children were present. She also called on city officials to investigate if Wright had come into contact with any of them, saying parents deserved to be notified. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rose attempted to deceive the people and act as if this never happened by trying to get it expunged, deleted from his records, removed from the sexual offenders registry, and we never would have known anything about it, Hill said. And she would have continued, which she didnt stop, through the years, to expose our children to a possible molestation. While Hill claimed in the video that Rose and Wright were in a romantic relationship, in an interview with the Orlando Sentinel she acknowledged she didnt know if that was true. Community members and city staffers, whom she declined to name, told her they had observed the two were in such a relationship, she said. Rose said her personal life had nothing to do with the District 5 race, adding that if the Sentinel wanted to dig into her personal life it should also look into Hill and Gelzers personal lives. When asked if she brought Wright to events as Hill had claimed, Rose said Hills statements were false and meant to be a distraction from her campaign. Crazy youre taking the word of a felon, whos been arrested 20 times, and currently under indictment for exploiting an elderly person! Rose said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In her Facebook video, Hill also pointed to apparent connections between Rose and Wright in business documents. Florida business records show that a Shaniqua Rose and a Travis Wright are listed as authorized persons in a company located in District 5 called Multiplicity Partners Orlando LLC organized in July 2024. Records also show Wright was listed in 2022 as the CEO of a tattoo business, Black Ink Orlando Inc., at the same address as Multiplicity Partners. Several posts made on District 5s official Instagram account after Rose became commissioner were also made on the tattoo companys Instagram. These posts included flyers for city events, some of which included the tattoo shops logo alongside other logos. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One Instagram post by the tattoo company is a video it says is Roses election night watch party hosted at the tattoo shop in May 2024. Rose came in first that May in a seven-way race to replace Hill, moving to a runoff the next month where she won the seat. When asked about the company that lists her name and Wrights, Rose said she didnt know what a reporter was referring to. She said the tattoo shop was tagged in her Instagram posts because it sponsored events and confirmed her watch party was hosted at the shop. She said she has worked with the tattoo companys staff directly for all city events the company has sponsored and that Wright has not attended any of those events. The motion notarized by Rose claimed that Wrights due process rights were violated because prosecutors suppressed and failed to preserve a rape kit and that the Seminole County Sheriffs Office had either lost or destroyed the kit. Notaries attest to the validity of a signature and the signers identity on official documents, and arent necessarily endorsing the contents of the document. According to the Notary Public Professional Code of Responsibility, they cannot refuse to perform a lawful and proper notarial act without due cause. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A notary manual published by the Florida Governors office in 2019 bars notarizing a persons signature on a document only if that person is the spouse, son, daughter, mother, or father of the notary. Prosecutors havent filed a response to Wrights motion in court. A judge ruled they have until early November to do so. A spokesman for the Seminole sheriffs office said Wrights motion was another in a long line of efforts to avoid the consequences of his actions which will have to be resolved in Court. Photo by Alex Potemkin/Getty Images. Otter Tail County has agreed to pay $200,000 to a mentally ill man who was locked in a feces-smeared jail cell without access to food, water or medical care for more than two days. In addition to the payout to 34-year-old Ramsey Kettle, the settlement calls for several policy changes in jail operations, including a new requirement that all correctional officers, regardless of rank, report any instance in which food or water is withheld as a disciplinary measure. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While the courts decision and this settlement cannot undo the unlawful torture Mr. Kettle endured, they have shone a light on Otter Tail Countys failure to respect the human rights of those in their custody, Catherine Ahlin-Halverson, staff attorney at the American Civil Liberties Union of Minnesota, said in statement announcing the settlement. The ACLU partnered with a pro bono lawyer from the firm Norton Rose Fulbright in bringing the suit. Ahlin-Halverson said the settlement ensures that the withholding of food and water as punishment ends here. Kettles ordeal began on February 9, 2024, just as he finished serving a 30-month sentence at the state prison in Rush City on a felony conviction for terroristic threats. Instead of being released, Kettle was arrested on new charges of aggravated witness tampering. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Several months later, those charges would be dismissed. Before that happened, Kettle was transferred for pre-trial detention to the Otter Tail County Jail, where he was immediately placed in disciplinary segregation. The rationale: Kettle had committed infractions during a prior stint in the jail, and so he would have to serve out the remainder of his sanction a practice referred to as rollover discipline. The following morning, Kettle asked officers to retrieve some personal paperwork. When he was provided with documents belonging to another inmate, he became agitated and smeared feces on the window of his cell door. According to the lawsuit, as well as a separate investigation by the Minnesota Department of Corrections, Kettle was subsequently told by his jailers that he would not be given food or water until he cleaned the cell. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Over the following days, Kettle languished in squalor. At one point, according to the lawsuit, Kettle was observed licking the feces off the cell window and told officers he was hungry so Im eating my own sh*t. The stench was bad enough that inmates were removed from adjacent cells, while the guards used vapor rub as a masking agent. During the 52 hours that Kettle went without food or water, officers recorded more than 100 welfare checks, all of which reported him as ok. A whistleblower at the jail eventually reported the episode, which triggered an investigation by the DOC. In the end, the agency temporarily stripped the jail of its certification to hold detainees for more than 72 hours; employees underwent additional training; and Sheriff Barry Fitzgibbons issued a public apology. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The lawsuit against Otter Tail County included claims for civil rights violations, negligence, intentional infliction of emotional distress and violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act. In August, U.S. District Court Judge Katherine Menendez rejected the countys motion to dismiss, paving the way for the settlement. In addition to the cash payout, according to the ACLU, the county agreed to end its practice of rolling over disciplinary sanctions. It will also now require that correctional officers conduct meaningful welfare checks on detainees to look for signs of mental distress, ensure the persons safety is not compromised by biohazard material and confirm they have access to water. Kettle was released from the Otter Tail County Jail in April 2024 when the witness tampering charge was dismissed. He is now incarcerated in the neighboring Becker County Jail on charges of felony assault and arson. In that case, he is accused of stabbing and biting a relative and setting a kitchen trash can on fire. (TikTok/Ted Shaffrey/AP photo) A former CBS producer accused the network of race-based layoffs after the company laid off 1,000 employees in a first round of cuts. Trey Sherman, an associate producer for CBS Evening News+ and for the networks CBS Race & Culture Unit, took to TikTok on Wednesday to claim discrimination as part of the cuts. Fox News first flagged the video. Sherman is Black and both of his positions were eliminated in the new cuts, which came after Skydance and Paramount (parent company of CBS) had a merger approved this year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I just got laid off from my job at CBS, and every producer on my team who got laid off is a person of color, Sherman said. Every person who gets to stay and will be relocated within the company is a White person. Sherman claimed an unnamed executive lied to him by saying he tried to find a new role for him at the company. I went one by one to my White colleagues. Are you getting laid off? No. Are you getting laid off? No. Are you getting laid off? No. Are you getting laid off? No,' he said. So, I went back up to his office, and I told him I think he lied to my face. CBS CEO David Ellison announced the layoffs in an email to staff this week. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Today we begin the difficult process of informing impacted team members across the company, he wrote. These decisions are never made lightly, especially given their effect on our colleagues who have made meaningful contributions to the company. Another 1,000 jobs are expected to be cut at a later date, according to the Los Angeles Times. CBS has not commented on Shermans claims. I dont care if you decided to keep people who have purple color hair, Sherman said. You decided to keep people who you had worked with before with dont even know if thats true if the outcome of that decision is racist, the action was racist. That sh*t is f*cked. The post Ousted CBS Producer Trey Sherman Accuses Network of Race-Based Layoffs first appeared on Mediaite. WORTH THE DRIVE Halloween Hoedown The third Taos Halloween party to benefit the Taos Community Against Violence features a mashup of Beastie Boys and David Bowie sensibilities. Taos Wicked Halloween Ball Intergalactic Oddity references hit songs from each of the late musical entities and is co-produced by House of Archetype and Daleee Productions. It includes a dance party with DJ Buck Sullivan and a costume contest with prizes in several categories: scariest, best duo, best executed, and lost in space. The party is for all ages until 10 p.m., when only those 21 and older are allowed, and likely will end around 1 a.m. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement details Taos Wicked Halloween Ball Intergalactic Oddity * 6 p.m. Friday, October 31 * Daleee at KTAOS Solar Center * 9 N.M. 150, Taos * $15 * sfnm.co/TaosOddity Organizer Lauren Dana Smith fielded questions from Pasatiempo about the bash; answers have been edited for length and clarity. How did this fundraiser start? Whose idea was it? The fundraiser began in 2023 after a good friend of mine and I discovered our mutual obsession with all things Halloween (Scorpio season, after all). We decided we wanted to throw a big party, but one that was open to the public, and our friend Ricky Carlini, who owns/operates Daleee at KTAOS, generously agreed to allow us to host our party at his venue. The fundraiser is for a cause that is personally meaningful to me. Taos CAV is the only domestic violence shelter in Taos County. Its also the only agency that works with survivors of domestic and sexual violence, as well as offering a safe haven through both emergency shelter and short/long-term transitional housing options. As a licensed mental health professional and an artist, I am aware of how Halloween is frequently a holiday that glorifies violence and violent behavior particularly toward women. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Does it always have an interplanetary theme? The first year the theme was simply Taos Wicked Halloween Ball (and it was an experiment; we didnt know how many people would attend, but we had more than 400 people there). Last year the theme was Taos Wicked Halloween Ball: Disco Inferno!, which obviously lent itself to some of the most excellent costumes. How is this years version different from the first and second years? We have a new DJ team this year, Buck Sullivan. This year we are also offering an alien beauty bar where party-goers can come and get a professional face/body paint experience from professional makeup artist Heidi Thorleifson from 6-9 p.m.; she is donating her time. Also, Maia Franz of Visionary Imagery is donating their time to offer professional Halloween portraits. Local bake shop Mood Bake is providing sweet treats. In years past weve had flow artists, fire performers, tarot readings, and an aura photographer. Brian Sandford Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement ------------ LISTEN UP Trance Music Madi Sato has kept busy as a performer since returning to the stage in August 2023, following a long break to raise her children. The singing and chanting sound artist collaborates periodically with her brother Matthew, aka DJ Sato. Their upcoming performance at Paradiso, Madi Sato and NATOK ROK: Ainu Chants & Trance, is billed as a brother and sister duo offering an evening of music from their Japanese Indigenous Ainu ancestors with beats to get the body dancing and tones that raise the vibrations of life. One might well wonder, What, exactly, does that mean? Madi Sato fielded that question and others from Pasatiempo; her answers have been edited for length and clarity. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Where will the beats come from, and how would you describe what attendees will see? The beats come from tracks from well-known DJs Amani Friend, El Buhu, and Mad Heart. [The performance] opens with a blessing chant, and then beats will begin to evoke movement and the energy will steadily build to an ecstatic trance dance place and finally return to the self, with a short closing meditation. We will have a couple of featured live musicians [a guitarist and a percussionist]. details Madi Sato and NATOK ROK: Ainu Chants & Trance * 7 p.m. Saturday, November 1 * Paradiso * 903 Early Street * $15-$20 * paradisosantafe.com Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement How did your brother come to live in Santa Fe? My whole family moved to Santa Fe in 1991. I was 17 and my brother Matthew Sato was 15. We lived together, and he and I both began to make our way here. I sang in jazz clubs on the weekends, and he DJd starting out at house parties and eventually at clubs. We always said that we would work together one day, but our lives were very different; his was late nights in dance clubs and I was raising three kids and home early every night. Three years ago he had a health crisis, and he died for some minutes [and then was] transformed. He went through what he calls a spiritual awakening. A light entered his body, he began to weep, and he heard that his purpose here is to be a sound healer. This awakening prompted him to reach out to me and say that he was ready to team up. How do your different musical skill sets mesh? He gives me input on how to get the dance going and which songs have good transitions between them. We are also connecting to our Ainu heritage as I teach him chants and he is singing with me. (Ainu are the Indigenous people of Japan; our father was part-Ainu and grandmother was Ainu from Sendai, Japan.) He will also add some vocals here and there and bring in some percussive nature sounds throughout. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Youve been busy since returning to performing after a long hiatus. How do you feel when in front of a crowd? I love to connect with people in an elevated way and space. Music can bring the emotions, mind, body, and spirit into a non-ordinary realm. I feel we as humans are made of four hearts: there is the physical heart, but there is also the emotional heart, mental heart, and spiritual heart. When we spend too much time on the physical material level of being a human, the other parts (emotional, mental, and spiritual self) are deprived and hungry and not at their full potential. Music helps me enliven all of these parts, and when all parts are vibrating together, this makes a more-whole human experience. I really pick up on the energies in a space and with other humans, but when I sing I connect to the more-than-human, perhaps even the cosmos and the invisible energies, the elements my own soul. And when I am connected, it encourages the audience to connect to their own selves and spiritual energies, which is basically the law of resonance. Vibration of one affects the vibrations of the whole, and music is one of the most powerful human gifts to bring all four hearts together. B.S. ------------ GALLERY NEWS Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mariachi March Hugo Gaban gallery marks its second anniversary in downtown Santa Fe this weekend. The gallery that sells contemporary Mexican art is owned and operated by artist Hugo Ximello-Salido, who grew up in Guadalajara, the capital of Mexicos Jalisco state. The anniversary event doubles as a celebration of Dia de los Muertos. Santa Fes Mariachi Los Caporales will play and march toward the gallery, beginning at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Francis of Assisi. Ximello-Salido operated a business of the same name in Kansas City, Missouri. He also has an art installation, Celebrating Life, featured at La Fogata Grill next to the gallery. Hugo Gaban gallerys hours are 11 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Fridays and 11:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Private showings are available by appointment. B.S. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement details Hugo Gaban gallery anniversary; 1 p.m. Sunday, November 2; 112 W. San Francisco Street, Suite 108A; 816-288-7169; hugogaban.com EXHIBITIONISM 1,500 Miles from Santa Fe Creations by four Northern New Mexico artists are on display through April 5 at DIA and not the airport outside Colorados capital and largest city. Dennis Esquivel, Animkeewa Aankwad White Eagle, David Bradley, and Robin Waynee the former three of Santa Fe, and the latter of Chimayo all have roots in Anishinaabe nation. Contemporary Anishinaabe Art: A Continuation at the Detroit Institute of Arts showcases the work of more than 60 artists with that lineage. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While New Mexico museums periodically feature Indigenous art and history, Contemporary Anishinaabe Art is the Detroit facilitys first major exhibition of Native American art in more than 30 years. The 90-plus featured works were selected by an advisory council of Ojibwe (Chippewa), Ottawa (Odawa), and Potawatomi (Pottawatomi) artists. To view the work, visit sfnm.co/DetroitArt. B.S. ------------ ON THE BIG SCREEN Palestinian Voices Through Film A small but topical new film festival comes to The City Different in early November. Organized by the Joan Duffy Chapter of Veterans for Peace and the Santa Fe Jews for Justice Education Committee, the Santa Fe Palestinian Voices Film Festival offers three movies by filmmakers who are either Palestinian or have Palestinian roots. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement details Santa Fe Palestinian Voices Film Festival * Thursday, November 6, and November 13 and 20 * Santa Fe Friends Meeting House * 505 Camino De Los Marquez * Free tickets available at the door, ($15 requested donation) * 505-819-3454 Jordanian director Darin J. Sallams 2021 film Farha recounts the devastation of the 1948 Nakba (which means catastrophe in Arabic and references the mass displacement of Palestinians during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War) on the daily life of Palestinians, as told by 14-year-old Farha, whose father is the mayor of a rural village and whose community is invaded by Israeli troops. 7 p.m., November 6 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The film 5 Broken Cameras (2011) was nominated for an Academy Award in 2013 and is a collaboration between Palestinian farmer and filmmaker Emad Burnat and Israeli director Guy Davidi. The movie documents the efforts of local Palestinians after Israeli authorities seize the village of Bilin in the West Bank. 7 p.m., November 13 The festival concludes with the screening of three short films. Bonbone (2017) by Rakan Mayasi tells the story of a Palestinian couple who try to conceive a child while the man is in an Israeli prison. In The Present (2020), British-Palestinian director Farah Nabulsi tells the story of a father and daughter from the West Bank as they try to cross Israeli checkpoints to buy a gift for the girls mother. Robert Greenwalds 2025 short film Gaza: Journalists Under Fire exposes Israels killings of more than 178 Palestinian journalists during the destruction of Gaza since October 2023. 7 p.m., November 20 The short-film screening will be followed by a discussion with Said Assali, a Palestinian resident of Santa Fe, who will talk about the family members he lost to the Israeli attacks on Gaza and about those who still live under Israeli occupation. Ania Hull At the close of an international conference in Paris on the Great Lakes region, French President Emmanuel Macron has announced that 1.5 billion has been pledged in aid. Meanwhile the airport in Goma, in the Democratic Republic of Congo, will reopen to humanitarian flights. Millions of people are facing hunger in the DRC, which has been hit hard by a sharp drop in foreign aid, the United Nations warned on Thursday, as the United States and other wealthy nations dramatically scale back international assistance. The conference in Paris, co-hosted by France and Togo, and where around 60 countries and organisations were represented, mobilised more than 1.5 billion in international aid for the region, Macron announced on Thursday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We cannot remain silent spectators of the tragedy unfolding in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo," he said. The United Nations' appeal for around $2.5 billion in humanitarian assistance for DRC had so far only been 16 percent funded. However, part of the total pledged in Paris includes previously announced funds. The aid also includes medicines, food and funds for development and peace-building initiatives. While some humanitarian groups regretted the absence of a timetable for funding to be released, they welcomed the announcement. The Paris Conference sent an important signal at the level of rhetoric and pledges, international solidarity with the people of the DRC remains alive," said Luc Lampriere, Director of the Forum of International NGOs in the DRC. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The financial announcements even if some simply recycle old commitments and the diplomatic declarations are welcome. However, they will only have meaning if they translate into concrete action on the ground, starting with the immediate removal of the administrative and logistical barriers that are suffocating the humanitarian response." International NGOs report mass killings and sexual violence in eastern DRC Partial reopening of Goma airport The DRC is rich in natural resources, especially lucrative minerals. But three decades of conflict in the country's northeast, as different factions fight over the resources, have claimed millions of lives and left the region ravaged. Violence has intensified since 2021 with the resurgence of the anti-government M23, which the UN says is supported by neighbouring Rwanda and its army charges denied by Rwanda. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi, attending the conference, announced an emergency plan for the reconstruction of North and South Kivu, valued at $5 billion, to be mobilised by 2026 "once the conflict has ended". He did not specify how the plan would be financed, stating merely that a law would define how the funds are to be managed. The M23 seized the major cities of Goma (North Kivu) in January and Bukavu (South Kivu) in February, closing off access to Goma's airport. Macron announced that the key airport would open "in the coming weeks" for humanitarian flights, along with secure corridors for aid delivery. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "This access is essential and will be carried out respecting Congolese sovereignty so that the first humanitarian flights can resume without delay," he added. Obstacles to aid Corneille Nangaa, coordinator of the AFC/M23 movement which was not invited to the conference described the decision as "ill-timed, disconnected from the realities on the ground and taken without prior consultation". Rwanda's Foreign Minister, Olivier Nduhungirehe, expressed similar doubts. "Paris cannot reopen an airport, as the primary stakeholders are absent," he told reporters, referring to the M23 group. He said the issue should be discussed within the framework of negotiations in Qatar between DRC authorities and the anti-government group. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile humanitarian organisations welcomed the potential reopening, but remained cautious. "We would be very happy to use Goma airport, but it's not the only obstacle preventing aid from arriving," said Kevin Goldberg, director of aid group Solidarites International, noting that ground transportation is crucial. DRC and Rwanda hold fresh talks in Washington to revive fragile peace deal Humanitarian crisis NGOs have been calling for secure humanitarian corridors to be reopened to affected areas of the vast central African country. More than 21 million people need humanitarian aid in the DRC nearly one-fifth of the population, according to Oxfam France. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More than 1.6 million people have had to flee their homes since the beginning of the year, bringing the total number of internally displaced people to 5.2 million. President Faure Gnassingbe of Togo, the African Union's mediator for the Great Lakes region, called for transparency regarding humanitarian aid. "Aid must alleviate suffering without fostering dependency, stabilise without freezing power dynamics. That is why, to protect the benefits of aid and those who deliver it, stronger African oversight is needed," he said. (with newswires) Russia has conducted 543 attacks using various types of weapons on the city of Sumy and the Sumy hromada since the beginning of 2025, killing 72 people and injuring 434. [A hromada is an administrative unit designating a village, several villages, or a town, and their adjacent territories ed.] Source: Sumy City Military Administration Details: Sumy City Military Administration reported that 543 attacks with different types of weapons is four times more than in the whole of 2024. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Russian forces most frequently used drones 455 times. In addition, there were: 38 airstrikes with guided bombs 28 attacks using multiple-launch rocket systems 16 missile strikes 6 artillery attacks. Quote: "August was the hardest, with 111 attacks in just one month." Details: Sumy City Military Administration added that 72 residents of Sumy were killed and 434 injured. Furthermore, 303 non-residential buildings were damaged and 27 were completely destroyed. Regarding residential areas, the administration provided the following figures: 494 houses were damaged 25 houses were completely destroyed 245 high-rise buildings were damaged. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! AUSTIN (KXAN) As the city of Austin continues its three-week effort to eliminate homeless encampments and get people to shelter, Mayor Kirk Watson toured one of those camps Friday morning before city crews started the work of clearing it out. City of Austin launches homeless encampment surge Tucked into the woods just off of Brandt Road in south Austin, people experiencing homelessness had created multi-story treehouses, A-frame living structures and collected significant amounts of debris. A homeless encampment in south Austin. The city will begin clearing this encampment out Friday. Of the people living there, more than a dozen accepted shelter (KXAN photo/Grace Reader) A homeless encampment in south Austin. The city will begin clearing this encampment out Friday. Of the people living there, more than a dozen accepted shelter (KXAN photo/Grace Reader) A homeless encampment in south Austin. The city will begin clearing this encampment out Friday. Of the people living there, more than a dozen accepted shelter (KXAN photo/Grace Reader) Austin Mayor Kirk Watson discusses homeless encampment cleanup operations with city staff (KXAN photo/Grace Reader) A homeless encampment in south Austin. The city will begin clearing this encampment out Friday. Of the people living there, more than a dozen accepted shelter (KXAN photo/Grace Reader) The people living there had already been relocated Friday morning. Of the roughly 30 people at the site, more than a dozen had accepted shelter, according to David Gray, the director of Austin Homeless Strategies and Operations. Starting Friday, the city will begin clearing that encampment out and removing the debris left behind. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The word that comes to my mind the quickest is overwhelming, Watson said after he viewed that homeless encampment. Its overwhelming the situation that people are living in, its overwhelming to me how much effort people go into creating living conditions that are better, even in the woods. Its part of a three-week initiative by the city of Austin to get people connected with resources and shelter before winter, when weather conditions may be deadly. As part of that, the city is also eliminating homeless encampments left behind. Where did Austin clear homeless encampments in the first week of its surge? Two weeks into that surge, Gray said the city has cleared more than 450 individual sites, gotten nearly 100 people into shelter and connected roughly 50 more with services. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In one of the wealthiest cities in the country and in the world, we have people living in these sorts of conditions, Watson said. We really really need to up our game This should not be Austin, Texas. Its happening at the same time the state of Texas launched a targeted encampment cleanup initiative in Austin. Despite Gov. Greg Abbott saying he was leaning on the city to help the state shelter people, Gray said the city has only sheltered one person on behalf of the state so far. 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. PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) The bankrupt owner of Roger Williams Medical Center and Fatima Hospital has filed a court motion to close the two hospitals by Dec. 31 if the state wont take them over, Target 12 has confirmed. The company, Prospect Medical Holdings, filed the paperwork late Thursday night. It follows months of so far unsuccessful efforts to finalize a deal that would transfer the two hospitals to a new owner, the Centurion Foundation, a Georgia-based nonprofit. A hearing on the request has been scheduled for Tuesday morning. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Roger Williams and Fatima operate under the umbrella brand of CharterCARE, whose spokesperson Otis Brown stressed that they continued to be open as normal on Friday. The two safety-net facilities manage more than 500 of the states licensed hospital beds and have well over 2,000 employees. This filing has no immediate impact on CharterCARE hospitals, they are fully operational, census is extremely high, and employees are reporting for work just like any normal day, Brown said. Centurion and all parties, including state leaders, continue to work diligently on a financing plan that will result in a sale close before the proposed notice date, he said. Attorney General Peter Neronha, who has made the two hospitals a key priority during his time in office, also downplayed the filing. A closure or transfer of the facilities would require approval from the Texas judge handling Prospects bankruptcy proceedings. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Given the developments over the past few weeks, we are not surprised by this development and have been preparing for it, Neronha said in a statement. We will oppose this motion in court in the coming days and will continue to do everything we can to keep these hospitals open and operating for the foreseeable future, he said. The United Nurses and Allied Professionals (UNAP) union, which represents workers at both hospitals, called on Gov. Dan McKee and General Assembly leaders to take urgent and immediate action to keep the two facilities open. It will be an all out catastrophe for Rhode Islands health care system if these important community hospitals and health care facilities close down, said Chris Callaci, UNAPs general counsel. Our system doesnt have the capacity to treat the patients who will be displaced in the event of closure, and Rhode Islands other hospitals will be completely overwhelmed with a flood of new patients. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement R.I. Department of Health spokesperson Joseph Wendelken said officials there remain committed to keeping the hospitals open and operational, and would support filings in opposition to the motion to close them. This is critical for the patients in these hospitals communities, and for the stability of Rhode Islands health care system overall, he said. TARGET 12: Tug of war over $6M could shape fate of Roger Williams, Fatima Prospect filed for bankruptcy in January and has been selling or closing its other hospitals around the country over the course of the year. The California-based company has controlled Roger Williams and Fatima since 2014, but its executives have clashed with Neronha over how much money theyve taken out of the two facilities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In court documents, Prospect attorneys highlighted the lengths the company has taken to close the deal with Centurion, saying they were assured it would happen within two months of entry of the sale order. Now, more than eight months after approval of the Centurion Sale, and six months after that promised closing date, the Debtors can no longer afford to fund the RI Hospitals on the hope that Centurion may finally obtain adequate financing to close the Centurion Sale, attorneys wrote in the filing. They also said Prospect had recently had talks with another potential buyer for the two hospitals, but no commitment had been made by that entity. Attorneys outlined that the hospitals are operating at significant losses, writing that the company had lost $18.7 million during the six-month delay caused by the closing of the Centurion deal. The company was anticipating an additional $6 million loss by the end of November, according to court documents. Prospect suggested restrictions on the sale imposed by Neronha were the major barrier to the Centurion deal closing, along with the nonprofits failure to raise funds. The attorney general required Centurion to set aside $45 million of the sale proceeds, and an additional $35 million in funding for the hospital after closing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Another $15 million would go into a restricted fund to ensure continued operations of the hospitals, according to court documents. Neronha has insisted these financial safeguards are necessary to ensure the hospitals dont immediately fail after the sale goes through. Neronha had previously clawed $51.1 million from Prospect and one of its financial backers, Leonard Green & Partners, before the company filed for bankruptcy. Altogether, the cash needed for the sale was $146.8 million, which Prospect attorneys characterized as above a feasible level. The debtors cannot continue to operate the RI Hospitals indefinitely, Prospects attorneys wrote. Continued operations at these facilities past Dec. 31, 2025, would risk further administrative insolvency of these chapter 11 cases. Attorneys wrote that Prospect is prepared to promptly transfer operational control of the hospitals to Rhode Island, or its designee, under bankruptcy laws. The transfer should happen as quickly as possible to ensure no disruption in health care services, they wrote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If the state wont accept the hospitals, the company said it would have no choice but to wind-down operations in order to preserve patient safety and mitigate the risks of administrative insolvency. The motion lays out a detailed timeline to close the two hospitals. Inpatient admissions and various services would stop on Dec. 31, with the Emergency Departments closing four days later. All remaining inpatients would be transferred out of the hospitals within four weeks. Separately, there is mounting pressure on the Chartercare Foundation an independent nonprofit that was given the two hospitals charitable assets when they converted into for-profit enterprises in 2014 to give back over $6 million to help close the Centurion deal. The foundations leader told Target 12 on Thursday its board was still weighing the request. Brown, the hospitals spokesperson, said Centurion on Friday asked the foundations board to meet as soon as possible and authorize the transfer of the money into a Hospital Fund being established by the attorney general. UNAPs Callaci also called on the foundation to pony up the $6 million. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There is no more time for deliberation, Callaci said. Its time to put the self-interest aside and move this money now. The fate of these hospitals, 2,500 health care jobs, and tens of thousands of Rhode Island patients is depending on it. Paula Iacono, the foundations executive director, did not immediately respond Friday. Rhode Islands last hospital closure was in late 2017, when Pawtuckets Memorial Hospital shut its doors, straining other hospitals that had to take patients who otherwise would have gone there. John Fernandez, president and CEO of Brown University Health, the states largest hospital system, warned recently that the closure of Roger Williams or Fatima would cause a tsunami of patients to descend on the emergency rooms at other hospitals, particularly Miriam Hospital and Rhode Island Hospital, both owned by Brown Health. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We need them to stay open, he said. In a statement, Democratic Congressman Seth Magaziner said he was deeply concerned about the new developments regarding the hospitals. He criticized Leonard Green, Prospects former owner, as a uniquely bad actor and an example of why the role of private equity in the hospital sector deserves tough scrutiny in Congress. At the same time, I fear that other hospitals in Rhode Island could face bankruptcy if Republican cuts to Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act go into effect, he said, linking the situation to Democrats demands for a reversal of health spending cuts in exchange for reopening the federal government. Ted Nesi (tnesi@wpri.com) is a Target 12 investigative reporter and 12 News politics/business editor. He co-hosts Newsmakers and writes Nesis Notes on Saturdays. Connect with him on Twitter, Bluesky and Facebook. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Eli Sherman (esherman@wpri.com) is a Target 12 investigative reporter for 12 News. Connect with him on Twitter and on Facebook. Tim White (twhite@wpri.com) is Target 12 managing editor and chief investigative reporter and host of Newsmakers for 12 News. Connect with him on Twitter and Facebook. Download the WPRI 12 and Pinpoint Weather 12 apps to get breaking news and weather alerts. Watch 12 News Now on WPRI.com or with the free WPRI 12+ TV app. Follow us on social media: Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Daily Roundup Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WPRI.com. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday paid tribute to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on his birth anniversary, celebrated as 'Rashtriya Ekta Diwas' or National Unity Day, and recalled his immense contribution towards unifying India. Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid floral tribute to the 'Iron Man of India' at the Statue of Unity in Ekta Nagar, Gujarat, on the occasion of National Unity Day, celebrated in honour of Sardar Patel's birth anniversary. In a post on X, PM Modi said, "India pays homage to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on his 150th Jayanti. He was the driving force behind India's integration, thus shaping our nation's destiny in its formative years." "He continued, "His unwavering commitment to national integrity, good governance and public service continues to inspire generations. We also reaffirm our collective resolve to uphold his vision of a united, strong and self-reliant India," he added. Meanwhile, President Droupadi Murmu paid tribute to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on his birth anniversary and recalled his remarkable role in unifying the nation. Taking to X, President Murmu said, "On the birth anniversary of 'Iron Man' Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, I extend my heartfelt best wishes to all my fellow citizens. Sardar Patel was a great patriot, visionary leader, and nation-builder, who accomplished the historic task of unifying the country through his unwavering resolve, indomitable courage, and adept leadership." Adding further, she said, "His dedication and spirit of national service serve as an inspiration to us all. Let us, on the occasion of 'National Unity Day', unite together and resolve to build a strong, harmonious, and excellent India." Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Jayanti, also known as Rashtriya Ekta Diwas, is celebrated across the country on October 31 with great fervour to honour the great leader and one of India's most courageous freedom fighters. The 182-meter-tall Statue of Unity in Gujarat, the world's tallest statue, was built in his honour. Born on October 31, 1875, in Nadiad, Gujarat, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, also known as the "Iron Man of India", served as the nation's first Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister. (ANI) Oct. 30An Akron man is scheduled to be sentenced in November for placing a hidden camera in a bathroom of his Hocking Hills rental cabin. Jason Daniel Yard was the owner of a cabin he called Sly Fox Lodge on Ohio 664 in Hocking Hills, according to reporting by our news partners at WBNS-10TV. WBNS reported that the camera was discovered in the basement bathroom by a family staying in the cabin in February 2024. Hocking County Sheriff's Office detective Lt. David Wright said that only the lens of the camera, about the size of a thumbtack, was visible in the drop ceiling in the corner of the bathroom. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police reportedly found video files of 49 adult victims and 13 child victims, with Wright saying the camera "was in view of the commode which was in the far-left corner and also in view was a walk-in shower." The lieutenant said Yard bought the cabin in 2019, though video files only dated back to 2023. Yard was charged in July with four second-degree felony charges of illegal use of a minor in nudity-oriented material and two misdemeanor counts of voyeurism, and pleaded guilty to one of the felony charges last week. He is scheduled to be sentenced Noc. 12, court records said. Investigators said that Yard doesn't own any other rental cabins, WBNS said. ISLAMABAD (AP) Pakistan does not seek further escalation of hostilities with Afghanistan but expects the South Asian country's Taliban rulers to address its security concerns by taking action against militants operating from Afghan soil, Pakistans Foreign Ministry said Friday. Foreign Ministry spokesman Tahir Andrabis remarks signaled an easing of tensions between the two neighbors, who earlier this month exchanged fire along the border, leaving dozens of soldiers, civilians and militants dead. The comments came a day after Pakistan and Afghanistan agreed to maintain a ceasefire following nearly weeklong negotiations facilitated by Turkey and Qatar in an effort to prevent a wider conflict in the region where al-Qaida, the Islamic State group and other groups are trying to resurface. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Earlier this month, Pakistans military said it launched strikes on the hideouts of the Pakistani Taliban inside Afghanistan, killing dozens of people whom it described as insurgents. Afghanistan said that the people killed were civilians and struck Pakistani military posts in response, claiming it killed 58 Pakistani soldiers in the retaliatory fire. Pakistans military, however, acknowledged it lost 23 soldiers in the fighting. It prompted Qatar to invite delegations from the two sides to Doha, where they agreed to a ceasefire on Oct. 19. It was followed by six days of talks in Istanbul, which went up and down until Thursday night when the two sides agreed to maintain the ceasefire. Andrabi praised the role of Qatar and Turkey in facilitating the peace talks, saying the two sides will meet again in Istanbul on Nov. 6 to finalize mechanisms for implementing the ceasefire. Pakistan has seen a surge in militant attacks in recent months, most claimed by the Pakistani Taliban, known as Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, or TTP. The group was designated a terrorist organization by the United States and the United Nations a decade ago. It is separate from the Afghan Taliban but has been emboldened by the latters takeover of Kabul in 2021. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Despite the ceasefire, both countries have kept major crossings closed, leaving hundreds of trucks packed with goods and thousands of refugees stranded on each side. Andrabi said all the border crossings with Afghanistan remain closed for trade for now because of security reasons but refugees were being facilitated to return home from at least the southwestern Chaman border crossing, while other border crossings were shut for security reasons. In Kabul, Abidullah Uqab Farooqi, a spokesperson for the Border Police of the Ministry of Interior, however, said the key northwestern Torkham crossing would reopen Saturday, but only for refugees. There was no announcement from Pakistan about the reopening of Torkham. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But the latest developments came a day after Afghanistans ambassador to Pakistan, Ahmad Shakeeb, wrote on X that large numbers of Afghan refugees were stranded because of Pakistans closure of the crossings. On Friday, Andrabi said the Afghan ambassador violated diplomatic norms by airing his grievances on social media instead of communicating through Pakistans Foreign Ministry. Since 2023, Pakistan has launched a campaign against immigrants l iving illegally in the country. More than a million Afghans have been deported since then. ___ Associated Press writer Abdul Qahar contributed to this story from Jalalabad, Afghanistan. LAKE WORTH BEACH The line outside the food pantry at Our Savior Lutheran Church filled with new faces as the fifth week of a federal government shutdown pushed people who rely on federal food assistance to find new ways to feed themselves. Boynton Beach retiree John Newton had never stood in line at a food pantry before, but there he was at CROS Ministries pantry on a cloudless morning Oct. 30, wondering how long this would go on. His military pension is barely enough to cover his housing and utility costs, he said. To feed himself he has relied for a decade on the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) commonly known as food stamps. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Newton said he normally receives about $200 a month from the program. But when he checked his account this week, he recalled, it said zero dollars. With SNAP benefits scheduled to end this week, he realized it was time to visit a pantry. Leslie Lacina, left, a 10-year volunteer at CROS Ministries food pantry, helps John Newton, right, at the pantry in Our Savior Lutheran Church in Lake Worth Beach, Fla., on October 30, 2025. The pantry is open five days a week. Its a bit embarrassing, he said softly as he stood in line to receive 20 pounds of rice, pasta, vegetables and other essentials. But Newton was far from alone. Some 160,000 Palm Beach County residents roughly 1 in 10 rely on SNAP benefits for food. All now find themselves in danger of losing their benefits as the shutdown drags on. With the SNAP program scheduled to run out of funds on Nov. 1, nonprofits across Palm Beach County dedicated to serving the hungry said they were bracing for a spike in people seeking food. Laura Malesey, right, helps John Newton, left, at the CROS Ministries food pantry location in at Our Savior Lutheran Church in Lake Worth Beach, Fla., on October 30, 2025. The pantry is open five days a week. SNAP is the first line of defense against hunger, said Jamie Kendall, CEO of the Palm Beach County Food Bank. Now if thats removed, were going to really have to step up to the plate. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It's possible the program could be salvaged a bit longer. On Oct. 31, two federal judges ruled nearly simultaneously on that President Donald Trump's administration must to continue to fund the program during the government shutdown. Food pantries across the area were already seeing increased need in October, as federal workers who either were furloughed or working without pay turned up seeking help feeding their families. That increase spiked even further this week, as SNAP recipients worried about the looming cutoff began a proactive search for food. Heidi, a Boynton Beach resident who declined to give her last name, lost her sales job a year ago, plunging her quickly into a jarring new world of financial need. John Newton, center, and his friend and neighbor Heidi (last name not given), right, wait in line at the CROS Ministries food pantry location in at Our Savior Lutheran Church in Lake Worth Beach, Fla., on October 30, 2025. The pantry is open five days a week. Heidi and John are both SNAP recipients. Heidi has a zero balance in her account, she said. She has been using SNAP benefits since then to help feed herself, but the threat of an impending cutoff pushed her to search online for nearby food pantries a search that led her to CROS Ministries pantry at Our Savior Lutheran Church. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I never thought Id be in this position right now, she said. RIght now Im fighting for my life. Nonprofit leader: 'I'm not sure any hunger agency can prepare' More people in need means a greater financial burden on the pantries and the nonprofits that run and supply them, Kendall said. For the county food bank, that likely will mean spending more on food purchases from its regular suppliers. Feeding South Florida, the regions largest food-assistance provider, said it is well-positioned to increase food deliveries if needed, drawing on generous donations from the countys farmers. The greater challenge, the nonprofit said, is ramping up distribution among the overburdened nonprofits with which it works. Were able to bring in more food, said Paco Velez, Feeding South Floridas CEO. Were just going to have to do more direct distributions because our partner agencies are inundated with families. Why this federal government shutdown is different from the rest for SNAP benefits Federal government shutdowns have stressed Palm Beach Countys charity feeding network before. The 35-day shutdown in 2018-19, when federal employees went without pay for weeks, sent many to pantries seeking food. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But this shutdown is the first significant threat to SNAP benefits, nonprofit leaders said. And it comes at a time when the profile of people who rely on federal food assistance and pantries has broadened. The face of hunger looks very different than what it looked like five or 10 years ago, said Emily Zarzycki, CROS Ministries director of outreach. The changing profile, she said, now includes many more working families and multigenerational families. Leslie Lacina, a 10-year volunteer at CROS Ministries food pantry, sorts dry and canned goods for distribution at the pantry in Our Savior Lutheran Church in Lake Worth Beach, Fla., on October 30, 2025. The pantry is open five days a week. Those are the people were seeing in food lines, she said. Its the blue-collar American who is living paycheck to paycheck. Were seeing a lot of new faces. The scene that played out at CROS Ministries food pantry in Lake Worth Beach was a familiar one by the end of the week. At pantries across the region, people who had never visited before were showing up worried. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We definitely had 10 or so new families coming to us and saying, This is our first time at your pantry, Zarzycki said after an Oct. 29 distribution event in Riviera Beach. Were going to be prepared for larger crowds, she continued. But she added that Im not sure any hunger agency can prepare for whats ahead. MORE: Will SNAP benefits be sent in November? 'Inflection point' is near, USDA says MORE: SNAP recipients in PBC can get benefit from DoorDash through Sprouts in November MORE: Trump arrives in Palm Beach County on Halloween as 160,000 locals face losing SNAP assistance Leaders were still holding out hope that a breakthrough in Washington could restore SNAP before the money runs out. On Oct. 31, a federal judge was scheduled to rule on whether the Trump administration must continue to fund the program amid the shutdown. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, Floridas Congressional Democrats called this week for Gov. Ron DeSantis to join a lawsuit by several states calling for the federal government to restore SNAP funding. Tracy Stevenson, a Lake Worth Beach phlebotomist, was among those visiting a pantry for the first time this week. She was worried too about her SNAP benefits running out. But she pointed out she had it better than so many others who worried about feeding children. As she waited in line for her allotment of food, she said she and friends were already planning the various ways they would try to make their resources last. My neighbor and I are going to try to cook and feed each other, she said. Here's how you can find food in Palm Beach County If you are in need of food donations, many food pantries and distribution sites across Palm Beach County are available. To find one near you, visit 211s website by clicking here or contact a food-distributing nonprofit directly such as CROS Ministries, Feeding South Florida or the Palm Beach County Food Bank. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement You can also find a local food bank by entering a ZIP code on Feeding America's website. State agencies overseeing SNAP benefits may also have other assistance programs available during the lapse. Andrew Marra is a reporter at The Palm Beach Post. Reach him at amarra@pbpost.com. This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: County food pantries flooded with new faces as shutdown threatens SNAP

STORY: Holy Family Church in Gaza City bears the scars of two years of brutal war, now alongside garlands, ribbons and twinkling lights.

With a fragile ceasefire in place and Christmas approaching, the church holds a limited celebration that is, for worshippers, a reason itself to celebrate.

Today, we are trying to decorate some things on our church, like the tree and some lights."

Seventeen-year-old Hilda Ayad was among those gathered inside Gaza's sole Catholic Church, which has sheltered hundreds of Palestinians since the war began in October 2023.

We are trying to be happy from inside. After two years of war, we lost everything in the war. We lost our homes; we lost some of our family. It was a very, very, very bad days we lived here inside the church.

She said that last year there was no celebration.

Israel's assault on Gaza has devastated the territory of some two million Palestinians. Last month, the reported death toll climbed above 70,000, according to health authorities in the enclave.

The war began in October 2023 after a surprise attack on Israel by the Hamas group ruling Gaza in which around 1,200 were killed, according to Israeli tallies.

George Antone, who runs the churchs operations, said holiday activities include reenactments of Nativity scenes and simple gifts for children.

His aim was to help lift children "out of the atmosphere that they have been living in for two years without understanding why they are living in this situation."

He added that he hoped that during this holiday, "the situation will be resolved and the ceasefire will hold.

DOTHAN, Ala (WDHN) A man from Pansey was arrested this week after investigators claimed he pretended to be a trooper with the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency in an attempt to meet with the governor. According to public court records, 52-year-old Jason Leverette walked into a loan agency in Dothan on Tuesday and told workers that he was a colonel with state troopers and claimed he was working undercover. Documents show that Leverette also said he needed a ride to Montgomery to meet with Governor Kay Ivey. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Leverette was arrested and charged with one count of impersonating a peace officer. He was booked into the Houston County Jail on a $15,000 bond. Jason Leverette (Courtesy of the Houston 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 WDHN - wdhn.com. Oct. 31 (UPI) -- Paraguayan President Santiago Pena has signed a decree designating Brazil's criminal groups Comando Vermelho and Primeiro Comando da Capital, or PCC, as terrorist organizations "because of their actions that threaten Paraguay's national sovereignty and institutional stability." The decree says the designation aligns with a state policy reaffirming the country's commitment to democracy, the rule of law and national sovereignty. It also allows for tougher penalties and strengthens international cooperation on security and extradition. "For us, there is no doubt that these are criminal groups seeking to destabilize countries, and we must confront them," Pena said on TV Paraguay. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The move follows a major operation by Brazil's state police targeting organized crime in two Rio de Janeiro favelas, which left more than 120 people dead, many of them believed to be members of Comando Vermelho. Brazilian authorities described it as one of the deadliest anti-crime operations in recent years. In response, Paraguay's National Defense Council ordered the highest level of alert along the entire border with Brazil and instructed the armed forces, National Police and Migration Directorate to increase personnel and resources to bolster national security. Authorities also announced coordination with security forces from Brazil and Argentina to conduct joint patrols and surveillance operations at border crossings and transit zones to prevent members of those criminal groups from entering the country. Interior Minister Enrique Riera said the operational plan is underway, prioritizing intelligence work, drone-based aerial surveillance and coordination between military and police units. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The plan also calls for intensifying efforts against smuggling and organized crime, especially at the end of the year. Riera added that security will be reinforced at prisons housing members of these criminal organizations. According to Paraguayan media, both criminal organizations have a strong presence along the Paraguay-Brazil border, where they operate networks involved in drug and arms trafficking and money laundering. The PCC has been operating in Paraguay for more than a decade, with a history of prison riots and executions, while Comando Vermelho has also expanded its influence in recent years, particularly in the country's northern region, the Paraguayan newspaper ABC reported. Editors note: This story has been updated to clarify the details of the lawsuit. BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) The parents of a Delano woman killed in a McFarland crash in March have filed a lawsuit against Kern County, the city of McFarland and other parties. Jessica Ledesma Sotelo, 22, of Delano was southbound on Stradley Avenue March 24 when she failed to stop at a stop sign, according to the California Highway Patrol. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sotelo collided with a dump truck at Peterson Road, officials said. She was pronounced dead at the scene. According to a complaint included in the Kern County Board of Supervisors agenda, Sotelos parents are seeking more than $35,000, although an exact amount wasnt listed. In the complaint, the parents allege negligent driving by an unnamed driver, poor maintenance of the roads by local and state government agencies, the landowners failure to remove trees and shrubbery that block the view and more. The complaint was filed Aug. 12, according to the Kern County Superior Court website. Sotelo was an elementary school substitute teacher, the death certificate included in the lawsuit said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KGET 17 News. MEMPHIS, Tenn. The Shelby County Sheriffs Office is urging parents to map out their Halloween evening and find out which houses to skip while trick-or-treating. The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation hosts a website that allows users several different ways to search registered sex offenders in their specific area. Parents can type in the zip code where they live to see a list of sex offenders, their photographs, and their home addresses within their area. Click here to access the interactive map. Shelby County Sheriffs Office The sheriffs office Sex Offender Registry (SOR) unit detectives have gone into Shelby County neighborhoods to warn sex offenders to not have their porch lights on at their homes, hand out candy, or exhibit any behaviors or actions that could entice children. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If you suspect a sex offender is in violation of the Sex Offender Registry, you are urged to contact your local law enforcement. The non-emergency number to the Shelby County Sheriffs Office is 901-379-7625 or the Sex Offender Registry investigator or supervisor phone number is 901-222-5700. For more information, go to https://sor.tbi.tn.gov/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 WREG.com. Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav on Friday paid tribute to former Home Minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on his 150th birth anniversary, remembering the freedom fighters contributions to the freedom struggle by being the "backbone" of all movements across the country. As the MP CM flagged off the 'Run for Unity' in Bhopal, organised to celebrate National Unity Day, he remembered how the freedom fighter got his title of 'Sardar' following his role in the Bardoli satyagraha'. During the event, the Chief Minister, along wit the guests and the runners took the unity pledge. "After the Bardoli andolan, Sardar Vallabhbahai Patel was known as the title of 'sardar'. After that, whether it was the salt march, or whatever other movement for freedom which were started by Mahatma Gandhi. But Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was the backbone of all movements (during the freedom struggle) and ensured their success. All his steps are relevant even to this day," CM Yadav said during his speech. The Madhya Pradesh CM further remembered the freedom fighter's roots, crediting his elder brother, Vithalbhai Patel to convince his younger brother to study abroad. Later on, when Sardar Patel saw the plight of farmers, he participated and led the Bardoli andolan, protesting against British taxation on farmers. "Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, coming from a common farmer family, with his elder brother Vithalbhai and him Vallabhbhai. After being told by his elder brother, he decided to go study abroad and made his name for himself. But the bond of two brothers, with Vithalbhai being a big politician, Vallabhbhai...when he (Vallabhbhai Patel) went to satyagraha used to be a bit shy about them. He also saw that farmers were getting taxed, if disaster has happened people are dying hungry," CM Yadav said. Bardoli, located in the now Surat district of Gujarat, was part of the Bombay presidency in British India. Site of the Bardoli satyagraha, the movement was Initiated in 1928 against the Britishers with the aim to oppose the heightened taxation of 22% imposed on farmers. The farmers protested against the rise in crop revenue, and the government confiscated their lands. (ANI) ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) The New York State Board of Parole has denied parole for the man convicted of raping and murdering an eight-year-old girl in her Farmington home in 1986. Gregory Flint, 63, was convicted the following year and sentenced to 37-and-a-half years in prison after his attack on Staci Ackerman. Adam Interviews mother of Flints victim His appearance before the Parole Board earlier this month was met with strong opposition from law enforcement, lawmakers, and Ackermans family including a petition that garnered thousands of signatures. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Following an interview with the Board of Parole on October 22, 2025, Flint was denied release with a 24-month hold, according to the Department of Corrections and Community Supervision (DOCCS). His next appearance is scheduled for July 2027. In a statement, DOCCS noted that the New York State Board of Parole is the sole entity that considers and determines whether parole-eligible individuals should be released. The independent bodys members are appointed by the governor with the advice and consent of the state Senate for six-year terms. We are thrilled with the Parole Boards decision to deny Gregory Flint parole at this time. It brings some peace of mind to Stacis family and community at large that he will be behind bars for at least the next two years, said Acting Ontario County District Attorney Kelly Wolford. Flint was convicted on January 29, 1987, on two counts of second-degree murder, two counts of first-degree rape, two counts of first-degree sodomy, and one count of first-degree manslaughter. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At the time of the crime, Flint was staying with the family while he attended a DWI hearing. He was a friend of Stacis mothers boyfriend. 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. The proposed passenger rail from Moline to Chicago is closer to becoming a reality after legislation passed Friday. The Illinois General Assembly passed a package of bills early Friday morning that will increase public transportation funding by $1.5 billion. It includes several provisions including the rail passenger project from the Quad Cities to Chicago to boost regional rail in Illinois, which will feed into our ultimate goal of 220-mph high-speed rail routes. On Friday afternoon, the City of Moline and regional leaders celebrated the passage of the state transit bill, which includes funding for the long-awaited Moline-to-Chicago passenger rail service. Officials shared next steps toward making passenger rail a reality in the Quad Cities at The Q, east end of the Element Hotel Building, 316 12th St., Moline. (OurQuadCities.com) Among those who spoke at the gathering were Sangeetha Rayapati, mayor of Moline; Richard Quijas Brunk, Rock Island County Board chair; Illinois State Sen. Mike Halpin, D-Rock Island; Illinois State Rep. Gregg Johnson, D-East Moline; and Dave Harrell, president and CEO of Visit Quad Cities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Illinois General Assembly officially has approved the state transit bill, which includes critical funding to launch the long-awaited Moline-to-Chicago passenger rail line. The next step is for the signature of Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, who has indicated he will sign the legislation. High Speed Rail Alliance: Its a true advance According to the High Speed Rail Alliance, a study by Argonne National Laboratory determined that every dollar spent on transit produces $13 in economic activity and societal benefit. In its newsletter, the alliance says: We are grateful to the legislators who did not give up on this, the legislators who voted for this even though it was a tough vote for them, and to Gov. JB Pritzker and his staff, who helped develop ideas and applied pressure at the right time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We also thank our readers and supporters, many of whom made phone calls or sent emails to their legislators, letting them know that transit is important to them. There was no phone call or email that was superfluous; any one of them might have pushed this over the top. Many worked hard on this. We were part of a coalition, which included the Active Transportation Alliance, Better Streets Chicago, the Illinois Environmental Council, and the Metropolitan Planning Council. The High Speed Rail Alliance is proud to have been a part of such a dedicated team of activists. All told, we are pleased with this legislation. Its a true advance that will be good for Chicago, the suburbs and Downstate. This milestone marks a major victory for the Quad Cities and years of regional collaboration, the alliance says. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHBF - OurQuadCities.com. NEW YORK (WPIX) Some 15 to 20 JetBlue passengers were injured on a flight heading to Newark, N.J. The flight was diverted in Florida due to a control issue experienced by the flight crew, according to officials. The flight took off from Cancun, Mexico, and made an emergency descent. JetBlue Airlines Flight 1230 diverted to Tampa International Airport around 2:00 p.m. local time on Oct. 30 after the crew experienced a flight control issue, a spokesperson for the Federal Aviation Administration said. The Airbus 320 left Cancun International Airport and was headed to Newark Liberty International Airport. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Flight delayed or canceled during government shutdown? Heres what you should do The plane took off, reaching an altitude of 35,000 feet, and maintained that altitude for about 30 minutes before descending to Tampa International Airport, according to information from FlightAware. JetBlue 1230 descending to 10,000, were leveling 297, said the pilot of the flight, in audio obtained from the air traffic control transmission. We need medical equipment; we have at least three people injured, maybe a laceration in the head. The affected passengers suffered non-life-threatening injuries, according to the Tampa Fire Rescue spokesperson. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The FAA is still investigating, officials said. The flight was met by medical personnel who evaluated the customers and crew members upon landing. Some were transported to local hospitals for further care. The plane has been taken out of service for inspection, and we will conduct a full investigation to determine the cause, JetBlue officials told Nexstars WPIX. 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. Polarizing MAGA firebrand Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene has agreed to appear on The View. And she doesnt care what others in the Republican Party, particularly men, think about it. There are pathetic Republican men (mostly paid social media influencers) attacking me for going on Bill Mahers show and The View, Greene (R-Ga.) wrote on X, per The Hill. The congresswoman said, Here is my voting card and nothing has changed about me, Im 1,000,000% America ONLY. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Greene, who has battled her fellow Republicans in the past, shared a screenshot of her A+ rating from the Conservative Review as part of the post. Green on Thursday said, Sorry Im not sorry I dont obey Republican mens demands that I, as a woman, dont remain seen but not heard. Greene stunned many when she agreed to appear on the left-leaning The View, whose hosts have been critical of President Donald Trump and Republicans in general. Greene has bucked the GOP on the current government shutdown, denounced U.S. aid to Israel and called upon the Trump administration to release more files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Greenes broadsides and high public profile have often frustrated GOP leaders on Capitol Hill. GOP House Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana earlier this month said hes trying not to react to what Marjorie Taylor Greene says every day. While Greene has hit out at Trump, she recently told the Washington Post that she remains a stalwart supporter of the president. Whereas President Trump has a very strong, dominant style hes not weak at all a lot of the men here in the House are weak, the congresswoman said. Read the original article on silive.com. With eight candidates competing for four seats in a school district that has seen contentious in-fighting among board members in recent years, the race for PENNCREST School Board is perhaps the most hotly contested on Crawford County ballots this fall. In last-minute messages to voters this week, competitors in the race for the most part reinforced the message that has been evident from competing yard signs and social media campaigns over the previous months: The candidates fall into two sharply divided groups and each thinks the others priorities are misplaced. The group calling itself Vote for PENNCREST features two incumbents, current board President Robert Johnston Jr. and Timothy Brown, and two newcomers, Dani Schmidt and Jason Digiacomo. Johnston, Brown and Schmidt appear on the ballot as Democrats while Digiacomo appears as a Republican. Candidates for school board in Pennsylvania are permitted to cross file for both parties primaries in the spring. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The other group, calling itself Parents Improving PENNCREST, features former board members Fred Bryant and Amber Wright and newcomer Kathi Despenes. Wright appears on the ballot as both a Democratic and Republican nominee while Bryant and Wright are listed as Republicans. Also in the mix is Ben Schlipf, a newcomer who appears on the ballot as an independent. Johnston, who has presided over a noticeably less contentious board since being elected president in December 2023, encouraged voters to do your research and emphasized the level of district involvement of the candidates in his group, with kids or grandkids who are attending or have attended schools in the district. Their main concern is taxes they wouldnt even show up when the kids newspaper put on a forum, Johnston said, referring to a candidates event organized last week by The Pitchfork and The Panther Press, the student newspapers of Cambridge Springs and Saegertown junior-senior high schools, respectively. They were invited. They declined and said send us the questions, well answer in writing. Theyre all talking about supporting the kids, but they wouldnt come out and do it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theres a good reason for candidates and PENNCREST residents to be concerned about taxes, according to Fred Bryant, who was appointed to the board to fill a vacancy in January 2023 and did not run for reelection when the term expired later that year. The incumbents that are running have raised the taxes 4 mills and have consistently been raising taxes over the last 10 yrs, he said, and unless something changes, taxes will continue to raise because there is no fiscal responsibility. There is no restraint on spending right now. Bryant, Despenes and Wright would chart a different course, according to Bryant. We would try to look for budget efficiencies and ways to not have to raise taxes annually, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Like Johnston, Bryant and Wright, who was appointed to the board in September 2022 and served until the term expired in late 2023, Brown served on the board when relations between polarized members were at a low point. First elected in 2017, Brown has served continuously since then. The PENNCREST School Board has made great strides in the last almost two years, Brown said. If you want to see PENNCREST go back to the way it was, elect those three, Brown added in a reference to the Parents Improving PENNCREST group. If you want to keep it moving forward, elect us four. While he contrasted the two groups, Brown also downplayed the significance of the Vote for PENNCREST label. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Were really not a group the only reason were a group is because, he said, to buy signs by ourselves, we couldnt afford it. The only reason we got together is to help with cost. Kathi Despenes was optimistic that the election would draw large numbers of voters and said that the challenge of running for office had been a good experience with the added benefit of leaving her much better informed about the district. Our group will be good for the district as far as helping the students, Despenes said. I would like to get the community, the teachers and the students together. Theres no reason for us to be enemies. We need more transparency for the school and the parents but at the same time we need parent and community participation in the school board. With parents more involved and offering more support for teachers, she continued, students will likely do a better job listening to and respecting their teachers. I think thats a big problem in the district in general and in public education everywhere. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jason Digiacomo offered a straightforward message for voters to consider as they approach Election Day. When I vote, I think about, who can I trust? Digiacomo said. As you go to the polls, think about who has been transparent, open, willing to answer questions in front of not only the community at different events but at a candidate forum put on by students. I have attended all those. Not everyone has. Dani Schmidts concluding message to voters was similarly to the point Its time to make good choices, she said, and there are candidates out there that are ready and willing to work for our district and put our students needs first. Tribune efforts to contact Tyson and Schlipf for this story were unsuccessful. Both responded to questions for the Voters Guide 2025 included in todays edition. The Pennsylvania state budget was due in June. As of late October, the budget still has not been passed. In August, the Erie School District said that it would be financially okay for the first quarter of the fiscal year. Now that delays have lasted even longer, officials said the clock is ticking. If a state budget is not passed by the end of this calendar year, then we are going to be forced to borrow money. We need to be providing these services for our kids, and so I cannot stress the importance on actually having a budget that is passed. 70% of our revenue comes from state subsidy, said Neil Brokman, Erie Schools assistant superintendent. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Erie Community Foundation approves $2.7 million in grants for community projects The Erie School District is currently operating on the remaining 30% of its funding that it receives through other revenues. Brokman said that percentage-wise, they are maxed out on their current school budgets. Brokman said, The only reason that we can sustain anything through the end of this calendar year is because weve been conservatively, fiscally responsible over the last couple of years. And so weve been able to actually have a healthy fund balance, but thats not the intent of a fund balance. Its not to use those funds because the state wont pass a budget. Its been more than 100 days past the due date for Pennsylvanias state budget, and going too long without a budget may mean that the school district will have to make difficult decisions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Green Building Alliance releases report on Eries carbon emission reduction As of right now we have not had to cut any kind of programming and we really havent had those conversations with the board of directors, but if the state doesnt pass a budget then were going to have to go to the board of directors and start making recommendations of things that, potentially, we wont be able to offer to our students, Brokman said. He mentioned that one important program right now is school-provided breakfast and lunch, and that with SNAP benefits in jeopardy, its imperative for the schools to at least be able to feed students throughout the school day. 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. (WHTM) A Pennsylvania lawmaker is proposing establishing an official spirit in Pennsylvania. Pennsylvania has a rich history when it comes to alcoholic beverages, with iconic spirits and flavors tracing their roots in the state. While there are a plethora of spirits that are made in the Keystone State, one Pennsylvania lawmaker argues a single drink stands above the rest. Pennsylvania State Sen. Camera Bartolotta (R-46) plans to introduce legislation that would make Pennsylvania Rye Whiskey the official spirit of the Commonwealth. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now WHTM Daily Digest The memo says that rye whiskey has deep roots in Pennsylvania history, and that history continues today as craft distillers statewide produce rye whiskey using local grain and traditional methods. Pennsylvania was also home to the Whiskey Rebellion, which took place in Washington, Allegheny, and Fayette Counties in 1794, according to the memo. Today, the City of Washington still holds an annual festival to recognize the event. The bill has not yet been submitted for introduction. What makes Pennsylvania Rye Whiskey? Sen. Bartolotta said that the whiskey must contain at least 60% rye grain, with at least 75% of all grains used being grown by Pennsylvania farmers to be considered Pennsylvania Rye Whiskey. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Additionally, the whiskey must be sweet-mashed to reflect historic Pennsylvania production techniques, and entered into the barrel at no more than 110 proof, per the memo. The product must be mashed, fermented, distilled, aged, and bottled within the state. Sen. Bartolotta said the requirements honor the heritage of Pennsylvania distilling and support local agriculture and businesses. What was the Whiskey Rebellion? Farmers and distillers in Western Pennsylvania rose in protest of a whiskey tax enacted by the federal government in 1794, according to History.com. Protests escalated as aggression between locals and tax collectors increased, leading President Washington to send troops to the area. History.com said that the rebels were rounded up, and peace was made. Only two men were found guilty of treason as a result. Washington pardoned both. The rebellion is considered one of the first major tests of the U.S. Governments authority. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to Sen. Bartolotta, Whiskey Point, located at the intersection of Main Street and Park Avenue in Monongahela, Washington County, was the meeting place of 226 whiskey rebels. The meeting marked the end of the rebellion. 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. CHADDS FORD, Pa. (WHTM) Two men are facing charges, accused of causing a motorcyclist to crash and nearly causing another crash. Brian Blattner, 37, and George Cwienk III, 51, were arrested Thursday on felony aggravated assault charges, among others. According to State Police at Avondale, troopers and firefighters were called to a crash on Sept. 13 around 6:45 p.m. on U.S. 1 Northbound in Pennsbury Township, Chester County. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement AG: Mechanicsburg-based company to pay $750K for deceptive business practices Troopers said a group of motorcycle riders wearing motorcycle club jackets were passing stopped traffic and blocking northbound traffic by slowing down and preventing others from passing legally in open lanes. A man attempted to pass the slower traffic on a motorcycle when Cwienk III, troopers alleged, swerved multiple times at the man causing him to brake abruptly to avoid striking Cwienk and a jersey barrier. A woman was also riding a motorcycle in the open left lane passing traffic when Blattner, troopers alleged, abruptly turned from the right lane into the left and struck her motorcycle. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She then struck the jersey barrier, was thrown from the motorcycle and knocked unconscious. Cwienk III was charged with aggravated assault, reckless endangerment, among other charges. Blattner was charged with aggravated assault, aggravated assault by a motor vehicle, reckless endangerment, among others. Download the abc27 News+ app on your Roku, Amazon Fire TV Stick, and Apple TV devices Anyone with information on the crash should call State Police at Avondale at 610-268-2022. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to ABC27. The Pentagon has given the green light to supply Ukraine with Tomahawk missiles, though the final decision will rest with President Donald Trump. Source: CNN, citing three US and European officials, as reported by European Pravda Details: The Joint Staff informed the White House of its assessment in early October, shortly before Trump's meeting in Washington with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who urged the US president to provide the missiles. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During the meeting, Trump said he did not want to supply the missiles to Ukraine because the US needs it to defend itself. The Pentagon's assessment encouraged US European allies, who believe Washington now has fewer reasons to withhold the weapons, two European officials said. A few days before the meeting with Zelenskyy, Trump also stated that the United States has "a lot of Tomahawks" that could potentially be supplied to Ukraine. However, American and European officials were surprised when, only days later, Trump abruptly changed his position, saying during opening remarks at a working lunch with Zelenskyy that the United States "needs" the Tomahawks. He then told Zelenskyy privately that the US would not provide the missiles, at least for now. Trump's decision came a day after his phone call with Russian ruler Vladimir Putin, who told the US president that the Tomahawks could strike major Russian cities such as Moscow and St Petersburg and that doing so would not significantly affect the battlefield but would harm US-Russia relations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, CNN sources said Trump has not entirely abandoned the idea of supplying the missiles, and the administration has prepared plans for rapid delivery to Ukraine if he gives the order. Although the Pentagon has no concerns about its stockpiles, US military officials are still determining how Ukraine would be trained to operate and deploy the missiles, CNN's sources said. They added that several operational issues must be resolved before Ukraine can use the missiles effectively. Quote: "One outstanding question is how Ukraine would fire the missiles if the US provided them. Tomahawks are most commonly launched from surface ships or submarines, but Ukraine's Navy is severely depleted, so the missiles would likely need to be launched on land. The Marine Corps and Army have developed ground-based launchers that could be provided to Ukraine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But even if the US did not want to provide the launchers, European officials believe Ukraine could figure out a workaround." Background: NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte earlier stated that supplying Ukraine with Tomahawk missiles remains "under review" by Trump. Zelenskyy said that during his meeting with Trump, the American leader did not say "no" to the possibility of supplying Ukraine with long-range Tomahawk missiles, but did not say "yes" either. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! The Pentagon has given the White House the green light to provide Ukraine with long-range Tomahawk missiles after assessing that it would not negatively impact US stockpiles, leaving the final political decision in President Donald Trumps hands, according to three US and European officials familiar with the matter. Trump said earlier this month during a working lunch with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky at the White House that he would rather not provide the missiles to Ukraine because we dont want to be giving away things that we need to protect our country. The Joint Staff informed the White House of its assessment earlier this month, just before Trump met with Zelensky who has been pushing for the missiles to more effectively target oil and energy facilities deep inside Russia. Tomahawks have a range of around 1,000 miles. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The assessment buoyed the US European allies, who believ e that the US now has fewer excuses not to provide the missiles, two European officials said. Trump also said just days before meeting Zelensky that the US has a lot of Tomahawks that it could potentially give to Ukraine. US and European officials were surprised, therefore, when Trump dramatically changed his tune days later, saying during opening remarks at a White House working lunch with Zelensky that the US needs the Tomahawks. He then told Zelensky behind closed doors that the US would not be providing them at least not yet. Trumps decision came one day after he spoke by phone to Russian President Vladimir Putin, who told Trump that Tomahawks could hit major Russian cities like Moscow and St. Petersburg would have no significant impact on the battlefield but would damage the US-Russia relationship, CNN has reported. The White House and Pentagon did not return requests for comment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump has not taken the missiles off the table altogether, sources previously told CNN, and the administration has drawn up plans to provide them to Ukraine quickly should Trump give the order. Trump has also grown so frustrated in recent weeks with Putins unwillingness to seriously consider peace talks that he approved new US sanctions on Russian oil firms last week and scrapped for now a planned meeting with Putin in Budapest to discuss Ukraine. While the Pentagon doesnt have concerns about stockpiles, US defense officials are still grappling with how Ukraine would train on and deploy the missiles, officials said. There are still several operational issues that would need to be resolved for Ukraine to be able to use the missiles effectively, the sources added. One outstanding question is how Ukraine would fire the missiles if the US provided them. Tomahawks are most commonly launched from surface ships or submarines, but Ukraines Navy is severely depleted, so the missiles would likely need to be launched on land. The Marine Corps and Army have developed ground-based launchers that could be provided to Ukraine. But even if the US did not want to provide the launchers, European officials believe Ukraine could figure out a workaround. One official pointed out that Ukrainian engineers were able to develop a workaround to use the UK-provided Storm Shadow missiles, which were originally designed to be used by modern NATO aircraft and had to be integrated into Ukraines aging, Soviet-era fighter jet fleet. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a post on X earlier this week, Zelenksy said Ukraine hopes to expand its long-range capabilities by the end of this year so the war can end on fair terms for the country. Global sanctions and our pinpoint precision are practically syncing up to end this war on terms fair for Ukraine, he wrote. All deep-strike goals must be fully locked in by years end, including expansion of our long-range footprint. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Delhi Police have registered the arrest of Aqeel Khan, who is currently lodged in Tihar Jail in a rape case, for the conspiracy in staging an acid 'attack' on his 20-year-old daughter. The police had earlier said that the acid 'attack' was staged to frame the husband of a woman and the two sons of another woman, who have complained of rape and acid attack, respectively, against Khan. "Aqeel was arrested two days ago by the Bhalswa Dairy police station on rape charges. He was then sent to judicial custody in Tihar Jail. Today, after obtaining permission from the court, the Bharat Nagar police station in the North West district went to Tihar Jail for questioning him, and subsequently arrested him after claiming substantial evidence," the Delhi Police said in a statement on Thursday. The Delhi Police Special Commissioner of Police (Law & Order), Ravinder Yadav, stated that the investigation team became suspicious of the genuineness of Aqeel Khan's daughter's complaint due to inconsistencies in her statements. "As soon as we got to know there was an attack, we registered the case. During the probe, we found some inconsistencies. We found that the story was fabricated. The CCTV footage we reviewed showed that the accused person was not at the scene. Then, we found that the girl's father had a case registered against him of molestation and assault. To trap the complainant's husband, this was done," Special CP had told ANI. After checking the CCTV footage and call records, the police also found that Jitender, who was named as one of the attackers, was not present at the crime scene at the time of the attack. Jitender was the husband of the woman who alleged rape and blackmail against Aqeel Khan. "My husband is innocent, and that girl, her father, and her entire family conspired together and filed a false case... I had filed a complaint against Aqeel Khan at the Bhalswa police station. To escape that, he used his daughter to plot against my husband... My husband was on duty in Karol Bagh when the (alleged) attack occurred," Jitender's wife had told ANI. The other two, Armaan and Ishaan, whom Aqeel Khan's daughter named as her attacker, were her relatives, and back in 2018, their mother, Shabnam, accused Khan of sexual violence as well as an acid attack, said the police. Police said that their initial investigation revealed that it was not acid that had been thrown on the woman. Instead, she had taken toilet cleaner from their home and poured it on her hands herself, after which a false case of acid attack was registered. (ANI) Following massive anti-Trump demonstrations at this months No Kings protests and Donald Trumps recent threats to send more than the National Guard and to use dangerous cities as training grounds for our military National Guard, newly unearthed Pentagon documents show the administration is training more than 20,000 National Guard troops as a quick reaction force with civil unrest training, ready to deploy by April 1. The documents which have been reviewed by The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal and The Guardian, but have not been independently reviewed by MSNBC detail plans for a significant expansion of Trumps plan to send National Guard troops into American streets. According to the Post: The Defense Departments newly established quick reaction force within the National Guard must be trained, equipped with riot-control gear and ready for deployment by Jan. 1, according to internal documents reviewed by The Washington Post. The 200 troops will be drawn from National Guard personnel whose primary focus is responding to disasters like nuclear accidents and terrorist attacks, the documents said. The Post goes on to detail plans to expand that number by April: An existing separate but similar structure, the National Guard Reaction Force, is expected to complete civil unrest training and be fully operational by April 1. The total size of the force will be 23,500 troops across all 50 states and three territories, excluding the District of Columbia, the documents say. Most states will supply 500 personnel for the reaction force, with the rest falling between 250 and 450. Those forces are typically used for emergencies like disaster relief, not on call troops for civil unrest. Aside from the fact there is no evidence of any actual insurrection in a single American city, Trump administration officials in recent weeks have baselessly referred to liberals and protesters as terrorists. During his speech to military leaders in September, Trump said these groups were being created to target the enemy within, referring to other Americans with a phrase with fascist echoes. Trump to military leaders: "Last month, I signed an executive order to provide training for a quick reaction force that can help quell civil disturbances. This is gonna be a big thing for the people in this room, because it's the enemy from within and we have to handle it before pic.twitter.com/9uDwszxWuN Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) September 30, 2025 The Trump administration continues to weaponize federal agencies and the U.S. military to target his opposition. Hes tapped far-right election deniers for top positions in his administration, and for next weeks elections, his Justice Department has said it will deploy election monitors to polling sites in New Jersey and California, where the state is set to vote on whether to authorize a new, Democratic-friendly congressional redistricting. Now the Pentagon (led by scandal-plagued former Fox News host Pete Hegseth) seems intent on repurposing the National Guard for what is shaping up to be a nationwide show of force against the presidents critics. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Numerous polls throughout the year have shown broad majorities of Americans oppose the deployment of National Guard into American cities. Evidence suggests that even some members of the National Guard arent on board with Trumps plans. The New York Times reported earlier this year on troops deployed to California who spoke of low morale and deep concern that the deployment may hurt recruitment. Two Illinois National Guard members recently told CBS News they would refuse to obey orders to turn on fellow residents as part of the Trump crackdown in Chicago, accusing the administration of using public safety claims as a pretext to weaponize the military against civilians. This article was originally published on MSNBC.com The Pentagon has deliberately shifted its strategy in recent weeks to striking suspected narcotraffickers in the eastern Pacific Ocean, rather than the Caribbean Sea, because administration officials believe they have stronger evidence linking cocaine transport to the US from those western routes, according to people familiar with the matter. The intelligence suggests that cocaine is far more likely to be trafficked from Colombia or Mexico, rather than Venezuela, the sources said, raising more questions about the true purpose of the US military buildup in the Caribbean Sea. The last four US military strikes targeting suspected drug smugglers were carried out in the eastern Pacific, according to Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, and sources said that future attacks are likely to be concentrated in that area because of the stronger link to US markets. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement By contrast, there have been questions about whether every boat struck by the US in the Caribbean was actually heading toward, or sending drugs to, the US. After the first boat strike in September, for example, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the vessel had likely been headed toward Trinidad and Tobago. Venezuela is also not known to be a major source of cocaine for the US market, but the Trump administration has been aggressively trying to link Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro to the drug trade while accumulating a huge military presence near Caracas. People watch and take pictures of the USS Gravely, a US Navy warship, departing the Port of Spain in Trinidad and Tobago, on October 30, 2025. The warship arrived in Trinidad and Tobago on October 26, for joint exercises near the coast of Venezuela, as the Trump administration ratcheted up pressure on Venezuela. - Martin Bernetti/AFP/Getty Images At the direction of the President, the Department of War is taking the fight to the cartels and defending our Homeland from Designated Terrorist Organizations illicit activities before their violence and poison reaches our shores this includes all of our nations borders, a Pentagon official told CNN. The Departments newly established counter-narcotics Joint Task Force is expanding efforts on both the East and West Coasts to counter illicit drug trafficking by narco-terrorists using maritime routes. The Trump administration has not provided Congress with evidence to back up its claims that the 15 vessels the military has struck since September in both the Caribbean and the Pacific, killing at least 61 people, were ferrying drugs and carrying known drug traffickers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During a classified briefing on Capitol Hill this week, Pentagon officials also told lawmakers they do not know how to gauge success in the ongoing military campaign, according to a source familiar with the closed-door session. They dont know whether theres any data or metrics that would show (the strikes are) impeding the flow of drugs, whether there has been an increase in the price due to higher demand or lower supply, like theres just no information, the source said. None of the briefers could say what theyre going to do when the traffickers change their tactics. None of them could say how theyre addressing air and land routes. Democratic Rep. Sara Jacobs said following the briefing on Thursday that administration officials confirmed that they do not necessarily know the individual identities of each person on board a vessel before they attack it. They said that they do not need to positively identify individuals on the vessel to do the strikes, Jacobs said, adding that the administration did not want to detain or try survivors in court, because they could not satisfy the evidentiary burden. The US military briefly held and then repatriated two survivors of one of its strikes earlier this month. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Military officials also told lawmakers on Thursday that the strikes were targeting cocaine, not fentanyl. President Donald Trump told a collection of senior military brass assembled during an unusual event in Virginia last month that the strikes were primarily targeting fentanyl transporting ships. These boats, theyre stacked up with bags of white powder, thats mostly fentanyl and other drugs too, he said. Every boat kills 25,000. Fentanyl killed more than double the number of Americans than cocaine did in 2023, according to US government data. By Trumps math, the campaign against alleged drug boats thus far should prevent roughly 375,000 deaths, or slightly more than the total population of Cleveland. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jacobs said the briefers insisted that cocaine is a facilitating drug of fentanyl but it was not a satisfactory answer for most of us. None of them could say what theyre doing for fentanyl, said the source familiar with the briefing. Fentanyl is the real problem here, and theyre actually not addressing fentanyl in any of these operations. Democrats and Republicans also want a better explanation of the legal justification for the strikes, but military lawyers have been conspicuously absent from recent congressional briefings. The legal counsel to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff was supposed to brief lawmakers on Thursday but pulled out after it became clear that lawyers from the defense secretarys office were given a pass at attending, sources told CNN. Without the lawyers there, Democrats said the briefers could not fully answer their questions about the legality of the strikes. They didnt even show up with the lawyers, Democratic Rep. Seth Moulton of Massachusetts said after the briefing. They canceled at the last minute. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hegseth told reporters on Friday while traveling in Asia that he had engaged with Congress on a bipartisan basis about the strikes. But also on Friday, the chairman and ranking member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, Republican Sen. Roger Wicker and Democratic Sen. Jack Reed, publicly released two letters theyd written to Hegseth over the last month seeking clarity on the operations, both of which have gone unanswered, the lawmakers said. The letters requested the execute orders for the US military strikes on the boats, and the Justice Department Office of Legal Counsel opinion that CNN has reported the administration is leaning on to legally justify the strikes. Some Republican senators were shown the OLC memo by administration officials during a briefing on Wednesday, infuriating Democrats who were not invited to the briefing and have still not seen document. Senate Intelligence Committee Vice Chairman Mark Warner called the move a partisan stunt that is a slap in the face to Congress war powers responsibilities and to the men and women who serve this country. This story has been updated with additional details. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Rep. Mike Turner (R-Ohio) said lawmakers were very frustrated with a bipartisan House classified briefing Thursday on the U.S. militarys strikes against alleged drug-trafficking boats in the Caribbean and in the East Pacific, echoing displeasure raised by Democrats. Turner, who attended the members-only House Armed Services Committee on Thursday morning, confirmed that the Defense Department lawyers who were set to explain the legal rationale the administration is using to strike the vessels were not in the room. People were very frustrated in the information that was being provided. It was a bipartisan briefing, but people were not happy with the level information that was provided, and certainly the level of legal justification that was provided, Turner said during a Friday appearance on MSNBCs Morning Joe. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement House Democrats who attended the briefing on the strikes against alleged drug-smuggling boats, a military campaign that so far has killed at least 61 people, were not satisfied with the answers they received and said the administration was unclear on the legality of the operations. You know what I heard today was a tactical brief. I heard no strategy, no end game, no assessment of how they are going to end the flow of drugs into the United States, which needs to happen, by the way, Rep. Jason Crow (D-Colo.), a former U.S. Army officer, told reporters Thursday morning. Rep. Seth Moulton (D-Mass.) said lawmakers were briefed by some policy folks from the administration and Rear Adm. Brian H. Bennett, the deputy director for Special Operations for the Joint Staff. So they admitted that all of the narcotics coming out of this part of the world is cocaine. They, you know, talked a little bit about the connection between cocaine and fentanyl, although Im not convinced that what they said was accurate, Rep. Sara Jacobs (D-Calif.) said. And I think it goes to show that this is actually not about addressing fentanyl and the deaths of Americans, which is a really huge problem that we should be addressing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The White House pushed back on the Democrats, saying they are peddling bogus claims about the campaign in order to distract the public from the government shutdown. Anna Kelly, the White House spokesperson, said the Defense Department has held nine bipartisan briefings on the boat strikes, and the Pentagon individually works through requests from lawmakers. The strikes against alleged drug-smuggling boats have continued this week, with the U.S. military killing four narco-terrorists in the Eastern Pacific. The campaign against the vessels comes as the Trump administration has indicated its openness to toppling the regime of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. The U.S. military has amassed a large presence in the Caribbean, dispatching spy planes, at least one submarine, warships and recently ordering the USS Gerald R. Ford and its strike group to the region. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Turner, who served as the chair of the House Intelligence Committee, said everyone in the briefing is very concerned about the drug trade and its impact on the U.S., but the administration did not provide ample answers to the questions raised by lawmakers. Yesterday, there were not very good answers as to what is the standard, what is occurring with the designation of cartels as terrorist organizations, Turner said. We understand that the structure of these cartels and designating the terrorist organizations makes sense. But what is the standard? What is occurring how is it being determined as to how military force is being utilized and being applied? 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. Oct. 31Kalispell's Veterans of Foreign Wars post is in talks with City Hall after officials designated the nonprofit's longstanding tradition of displaying American flags on patriotic holidays as a special event requiring permits and insurance. While the Kalispell Business Improvement District agreed to put the flag displays under its insurance in October, the city's requirements seemingly came out of the blue to members of Glacier Park Post 2252, located on First Avenue West. The post boasts 500 members and has displayed flags along Main Street on holidays for over three decades. "You think about all the flag displays, all the veterans, all the combat veterans who have served and sacrificed for these colors, and now we have a city that's asking us to acquire insurance and get a permit to display the flag and just fundamentally that doesn't feel right," said Les Kodlick, a post member and Air Force veteran. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Quite frankly, all our members strongly object to even the concept," he said. City officials in the spring notified the post that it would need an event permit annually for the eight holidays including Veterans Day and Memorial Day it displays flags downtown as well as carry liability insurance. The permit cost $700 and insurance totaled $750,000, which the post could not afford, according to Quartermaster Ryan Keeler, a Marine veteran who handles the post's bookkeeping and gives assistance to veterans in need. Keeler asked the state and national VFW organizations to be placed under their insurance, but "everybody laughed when we asked them," he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The national organization had never heard of a city requiring a post to carry liability insurance for displaying flags, Kodlick said. Interim City Manager and Development Services Director Jarod Nygren told the Inter Lake that the post must obtain permits like any other group because the city is liable for anything on its property. When asked what has changed in the decades the post has displayed the American flag on holidays, Nygren said nothing has. "This is what everybody is supposed to do," he said. But Kodlick said that five or six complaints in 2024 about the American flags prompted the city to enforce the requirement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Keeler said one complaint came from someone who shut a flag in the door of their van and then drove off, ripping the flag off its mount. Kodlick said the city declined to specify what the complaints were when members asked for details. The post has willingly adjusted the mounts when a flag blocks street signs or hangs too low. The post commander also reviewed each flag with city officials to make sure none were obstructive, Kodlick said. "If they present any kind of potential hazard, we don't want that," Kodlick said. After unsuccessful requests for help from the larger VFW organization, the Kalispell Business Improvement District in October agreed to place the post's flag displaying practice under its insurance policy for city beautification. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The displays will fall under the same insurance coverage the board uses to display flowers on streetlamps downtown and will not come at any additional cost, according to Kalispell Business Improvement District Chair Kisa Davison. "I'm really excited that we can support their efforts in that," Davison said at the district's Oct. 21 meeting, where the board unanimously approved the move. A memorandum of understanding written by the local VFW post is being ironed out between the Business Improvement District and city officials before being finalized. The agreement should also omit any permit costs, Keeler said. The post members intend for the agreement to be permanent. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Our successor should not have to address this issue again. It's astonishing that it came up in the first place," he said. WHETHER OR not the agreement is signed off on before Veterans Day, American flags will go up along Main Street and First Avenue West on Nov. 11 just like every other year. "It's Veterans Day. How can we not do that? It's not optional," Kodlick said. Community members and local youth sport teams often help to display the flags during holidays throughout the year, which Keeler said teaches kids about volunteerism and patriotism. Montana has one of the highest percentage of veterans in the state, so flying flags in downtown Kalispell to show appreciation and respect is essential, Kodlick said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "It's service, it's sacrifice, it's blood, it's losing a buddy. There's intense meaning to that flag, to having those colors displayed on Main Street," Kodlick said. "It's not just the people who served who get it. It's every Kalispell citizen, every community member, every American who knows what that represents." Reporter Jack Underhill can be reached at 758-4407 and [email protected]. KILLINGLY, Conn. (WTNH) Connecticut State Police Tuesday say theyre investigating a homicide involving a fatal gunshot wound to the chest. A person is in custody and state police said there is no threat to the public. Natchaug State Forest closed for missing persons investigation Officers were originally dispatched to the report of a suspicious incident involving a firearm at a home on Pratt Road Monday evening. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Injuries were reported, but there was no further information released on the extent or how many people were injured. The investigation remains active and ongoing, state police 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 WTNH.com. [Get fire prevention safety tips in the player above.] DOVER TOWNSHIP, Ohio (WJW) Authorities sifting through what was left of a Dover Township mobile home destroyed in a Thursday night fire found the remains of one person and a dog. Tuscarawas County 911 dispatchers just after 11:30 p.m. got a call for the fire along Von Kaenel Drive, according to a news release from Sheriff Orvis Campbell. Teen arrested in shooting at Bar Lucci in Kent Firefighters and an ambulance crew from six jurisdictions arrived on scene, according to the release. Neighbors told first responders that they believed someone was living inside the home, which had become fully involved by fire. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Former Cleveland mayor back in court to stop Browns from moving The human remains were turned over to the Tuscarawas County Coroners Office, which is later expected to identify the victim and determine the persons cause and manner of death. Campbell wrote that investigators have not yet determined the cause and origin of the fire, but that they currently do not suspect foul play. The incident remains under 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 Fox 8 Cleveland WJW. KANSAS CITY, Mo. As millions of Americans face the loss of SNAP food benefits and the government shutdown continues, more families than ever are struggling to feed and care for their pets. The Pet Resource Center of Kansas City (PRC) said they are seeing a rising number of families in need as costs go up and resources go down. Moose wanders through Kansas cornfield, captured on camera Were hearing from people every day who are scared they wont be able to continue to afford caring for their pet, Rae Lindsey, director of community engagement for PRC, said in a statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When someone cant afford groceries or medicine, pet food and veterinary care often fall to the bottom of the list not because they dont care, but because they simply dont have a choice. PRC runs one of the largest pet food pantries in the Kansas City area, providing about 69,000 pounds of pet food each year to roughly 150 families in need. But as more people struggle to put food on their own tables, the demand for pet assistance has reached a record high. The Pet Resource Center shared a story of a pet owner who reached out to the animal hospital. Im really struggling right now and dont know where else to turn. I love my dog so much, but Im in a tough place emotionally and financially, and Im trying my best to make sure shes cared for and happy with me, the owner told PRC. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Shes overdue for her vaccines and really needs some basic care, but I cant afford to pay for a visit right now. Rehoming her would absolutely break my heart. Shes loved deeply I just need some help to give her the care she deserves. Local leaders step up to help amid SNAP benefit uncertainty So far this year, PRC has covered more than $507,000 in veterinary costs, helping pets get the critical care they need when their owners cant afford it. PRC is urgently asking the community for help. Donations of dry or canned dog and cat food can be dropped off at 5829 Troost Ave. in Kansas City. Financial contributions can also be made at prckc.org/donate. The animal hospital said every dollar makes a difference in helping keep pets fed, health and with the families who love them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV | News, Weather, Sports. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth claimed Friday that it was very responsible for the United States to resume nuclear testing as President Donald Trump has ordered. Hegseth took reporters questions in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, after meeting with the secretary general of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. One reporter asked, On nuclear testing, what type of testing is the Defense Department tasked with and how soon? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Well, we would work with the Department of Energy, Hegseth said. But the president has been clear; we need to have a credible nuclear deterrent. That is the baseline. And so, having understanding and resuming testing is a pretty responsible very responsible way to do that. I think it makes nuclear conflict less likely if you know what you have and make sure it operates properly. Hegseth continued: So, its the right directive. Were moving out quickly, and America will ensure that we have the strongest, most capable nuclear arsenal, so that we maintain peace through strength. Thats what this is. In every meeting, thats what we talk about. Peace through strength. We dont seek conflict with China or any other nation. But the stronger we are, the stronger our alliances are, the more we work with allies in this region and around the world, I think the less likely conflict becomes. And thats the kind of leadership this part of the world has been looking for, for a long time. President Trump talks about a year ago we were a dead country, and hes right. What youre seeing here is a revived spirit of allies and partners that look at an energized America, energized opportunities to work together, and the world takes notice of that. It creates a whole bunch of new opportunities. Hegseth added, Across the board, this administration is focused on peace through strength in ways that critics will try to point fingers at. But the president knows exactly why and what hes executing, so do we, and were proud to do it. Watch the clip above via C-SPAN. The post Pete Hegseth Claims Its Very Responsible For the US To Resume Nuclear Testing first appeared on Mediaite. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth offered a baffling defense Friday for President Donald Trumps directive to resume nuclear testing. Following a meeting with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn, Hegseth said his agency would work with the U.S. Department of Energy on just how they would carry out nuclear weapons testing for the first time in 30 years. We need to have a credible nuclear deterrent, that is the baseline of our deterrence. And so having understanding, and resuming testing is a pretty responsiblevery responsible way to do that. I think it makes nuclear conflict less likely, if you know what you have and make sure it operates properly, Hegseth said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But experts suggest that resuming nuclear testing would shatter global norms, deprioritize disarmament, and grant nations license to test their own weapons. Arizona Democratic Senator Mark Kelly slammed Trumps explosive directive. If we did a test and then China decided, OK, Im going to start testing. Theyll start testing their nuclear weapons, then their strategic forces capability gets much better, the former naval aviator said Thursday. We have zero to gain. This would be a gift to China. Paul Dean, vice president for policy at the Nuclear Threat Initiative, told Politico that the U.S. could certify its stockpile without expensive weapons testing (each test would cost $140 million). Dean added that it was a risky move that can be easily misconstrued, generate arms race pressure and rapidly evolve into a crisis. Earlier this week, Beth Sanner, former deputy director of national intelligence, told CNN that resuming nuclear testing was a bad idea that would benefit other countries more than it would benefit the U.S. Already, Russia has indicated that if other nations resumed nuclear testing, Moscow would follow suit. ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. Despite its ghostly name fit for the Halloween season, the Phantom Forest Conservation Area in St. Louis County honors a popular comic strip that debuted in the 1930s. The Phantom Forest Conservation Area is a forested hiking trail located in Des Peres, Missouri, sitting on 13 acres of woodland. Before being donated to the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC), the woodland area was originally owned by illustrator Ray Moore, one of the men behind the popular Phantom comic strip. The Phantom is a popular comic strip that follows the journey of a mysterious, masked figure committed to fighting evil. Since its debut on a comic strip in 1936, the Phantom has had multiple artists and has been adapted into various television shows, movies and video games. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Why a St. Louis woman once won $78M from Dominos Pizza Known as the Ghost Who Walks, the Phantom is known for wearing an all-purple suit while carrying a firearm and two signature rings: one that marks allies under his protection and another that leaves a skull-shaped scar on villains when he punches them. With little known about his personal life, fans view Moore as a mysterious figure similar to his iconic character. Originally from Montgomery City, Missouri, Ray Moore lived the majority of his life in St. Louis. He attended Washington Universitys Art School before connecting with Phantom co-creator, Lee Falk, to serve as the first artist for the comic when it debuted in a newspaper 1936. After Falk determined he didnt have time to work on the comic, Moore took over full time to continue the series. Moore served as the artist for the Phantom from 1936 to 1942 before leaving the newspaper to serve in the military during World War II. After sustaining an injury in the war, Moores drawing ability became limited when he returned to the newspaper, forcing him to contribute sporadically until his retirement in 1947. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Years after his retirement and success of the Phantom, Moore and his wife, Claire, settled down and purchased 13 acres of land in 1949 along Barrett Station Road in Des Peres. According to the City of Des Peres, the property served as an reflection of Claires passion for nature with various indigenous trees and plants spread throughout the property. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Daily News When Moore died in 1984 after suffering from a stroke, he was survived by his wife, who later passed in 2005. Upon Claires death, the 13-acre property was donated to the MDC in an effort to allow others to enjoy the quiet aspects of the area. In a tribute to honor her late husband, Claire named the space Phantom Forest to highlight Moores dedication and legacy with the Phantom series. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I hope the forest is a source of quiet pleasure in the midst of a locality that is building up so fast, Claire Moore said. People need a place to walk that is more natural. I hope it means something to a lot of other people, too. Beyond the success of the Phantom throughout the world, residents in Des Peres have the special opportunity to explore the conservation area and honor the legacy Moore help build during his time working on the Phantom. 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. Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday flagged off 'Run for Unity' from Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium in Delhi on the occasion of Rashtriya Ekta Diwas, which is celebrated in honour of the birth anniversary of India's first Home Minister. During the 'Run for Unity' event, the Union Home Minister praised Sardar Patel, stating that modern India is a result of Patel's vision and efforts. He further pointed out that Prime Minister Modi has fulfilled Sardar Patel's resolve by abrogating Article 370. "After India's independence, the British decided to leave the country divided into 562 princely states...Within a short span of time, Sardar Patel accomplished the monumental task of integrating all 562 princely states and the map of modern India that we see today is the result of his vision and efforts...By unifying Kashmir with India by abrogating Article 370, PM Modi fulfilled the resolve of Sardar Patel..." said Shah. The Union Home Minister also paid floral tribute to the statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. In a post on X, Shah praised Sardar Patel's dedication to the welfare of farmers. "On the occasion of his birth anniversary, I pay homage to the Iron Man Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel ji, a symbol of national unity, integrity, and the empowerment of farmers, on behalf of a grateful nation. Sardar Sahab strengthened the unity and security of the country by integrating the princely states and advanced the nation toward self-employment and self-reliance by connecting farmers, backward classes, and the deprived with cooperatives. His firm belief was that the axis of the country's development lies in the prosperity of farmers. He remained dedicated throughout his life to the welfare of farmers and the protection of their rights. It is the duty of every patriot to safeguard the nation that Sardar Sahab built, bound by the principles of justice and unity," the Home Minister posted on X. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also paid tribute to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel at the Statue of Unity in Ekta Nagar, Gujarat. In a post on X, he praised Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel as a key figure in India's integration. On the eve of Sardar Vallabhai Patel's 150th Jayanti, a special coin and stamp were issued in his honour. (ANI) Hurricane Melissa made landfall in Jamaica on Tuesday afternoon as the most powerful hurricane on record to strike the island nation. The Category 5 storm has ripped through the Caribbean this week, leaving a trail of devastation and at least 30 people dead across Cuba, Haiti and Jamaica. Now, multiple U.S. telecommunications companies are waiving fees for calls and texts to Jamaica to help people connect with their loved ones in the wake of the hurricane. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Tuesday, Verizon announced that it is offering free wireless and landline calling to Jamaica, Turks and Caicos and the Bahamas through Nov. 12. Customers in those countries will also have their calling, texting and data charges waived, Verizon said. Optimum announced on Wednesday that it would also be providing free calling and texting between the United States and Jamaica through Nov. 30. The charges would be automatically waived from customers' bills, the company said. The announcements come at a time when many with family in Jamaica, both in Connecticut and across the United States, have been struggling to contact family in the aftermath of the hurricane. Speaking with CT Insider on Wednesday, Nadine Barnett Cosby, who was born in Jamaica but raised in the U.S. and is a dean at Quinnipiac University, said the lack of contact with loved ones was "certainly frustrating." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We definitely hope for the best and have faith and actually believe that they're OK and that's what matters the most," Barnett Cosby said. "But the lack of news and the amount of different visuals that are on social media aren't necessarily helpful in determining how they're doing and what their needs might be." This article originally published at Phone companies waive fees to help families contact loved ones in Jamaica after Hurricane Melissa. A Santa Ana man was taken into custody Wednesday after he allegedly posed as an immigration attorney and sexually assaulted a woman. Jose Bernal, 65, was arrested in Tustin after several workers at a local McDonald's recognized his photo from a post shared by the Santa Ana Police Department. According to police, last November, the victim told police that she met Bernal at his office on E. 17th Street for immigration assistance. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement [Bernal] told the victim the process would cost $14,000 but said he would offer a discount if she entered into a relationship with him," said police in a statement. "When the victim declined and attempted to leave, he grabbed her and sexually assaulted her in his office." Bernal also allegedly offered the victim a $400 and a discount on her case if she didn't contact police. The incident remains under investigation. Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective M. Tapia at 714-245-8379 or mtapia@santa-ana.org. Ruben Torres Maldonado returned home to his wife, sick daughter and 4-year old son after nearly two weeks in ICE custody. The 40-year-old Portage Park mans 16-year-old daughter, Ofelia, is undergoing cancer treatment. Maldonados arrest at a Home Depot and the governments refusal to voluntarily allow him out on bond while his case is ongoing drew intense scrutiny from public officials who said it was cruel. An immigration judge ordered him released from an Indiana jail on Thursday and he was home that night. From a daytime techno underground rave in Ukraine and pumpkin carving in Romania to a bash hosted by the U.S. President and his wife at the White House, the U.S. Halloween tradition is celebrated around the world. ___ This is a photo gallery curated by AP photo editors. In the southern Idlib countryside, once a frontline in Syrian civil war, residents are trickling back to their villages after years in exile. Repairing and reopening damaged and looted schools is key to the return of the displaced, but nearly a year after former President Bashar Assad was ousted in a rebel offensive, hundreds of schools are still destroyed. Millions of children in Syria remain out of school, while others are attending class in gutted buildings without basic supplies. This is a photo gallery curated by AP photo editors. PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) A home in Lebanon, Ore., was damaged after a truck crashed into the residences backyard early Friday morning, officials said. Crews arrived at the scene near the intersection of E Joy Street and S Main Street around 7:30 a.m. and found the pickup had driven into the back of the residence, causing major structural damage to the house, fence, and attached patio. LIST: These Portland area restaurants are feeding SNAP recipients during the federal shutdown Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A person inside the home was transported to the hospital with minor injuries. As a reminder, tonight is Halloween, and the Lebanon Fire District urges all drivers to be especially cautious and alert for trick-or-treaters walking along streets and sidewalks this evening, officials 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 KOIN.com. An apartment site in University Place consisting of adjacent properties recently sold to a California entity for more than double the price it last commanded in 2021. Park East and West, 6407-6425 53rd Avenue Ct W., sold for $10.5 million in a sale recorded Oct. 30. County records show that the seller was an LLC affiliated with CBRE of Bellevue while the buyer was listed as Felix Valdez LLC of Redondo, Beach, California. The LLC shares the same address as Archer Investment & Consulting, a commercial real estate entity. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to Berkadia Seattle, who was involved in the sale, the properties include 51 partially renovated units, 19 units averaging over 800 square feet in Park East, and 32 units averaging 725 square feet in Park West. Berkadia Seattle managing director Jay Timpani and senior director Chad Blenz led the transaction. The two adjacent properties total 51 partially renovated units19 units averaging over 800 square feet in Park East and 32 units averaging 725 square feet in Park West. The site dates back to 1985, and last sold in March 2021 for just under $5 million. Leader of the Opposition, Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi and Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson Sonia Gandhi paid tribute to India's former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi at Delhi's Shakti Sthal on Friday. In a post on X, Rahul Gandhi remembered India's former Prime Minister, stating that Indira Gandhi's courage, compassion, and patriotism continue to inspire him in every step he takes today. "India's Indira - Fearless, resolute, and steadfast in the face of every power. Grandma, you taught me that nothing is greater than India's identity and self-respect. Your courage, compassion, and patriotism continue to inspire every step I take even today," wrote Gandhi. Congress Party President Malliakrjun Kharge also paid tribute to the late Prime Minister. "Millions of Indians will forever find inspiration in the life of the 'Iron Lady of India', Smt. Indira Gandhi, a symbol of resilience, courage, and visionary leadership. Her resolute commitment to India's progress and unity remains in our hearts and minds. She laid down her life in service of the nation, safeguarding its integrity and spirit. Our humble homage at Shakti Sthal," he wrote on X. Earlier, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi launched a sharp attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, comparing him to former PM Indira Gandhi, citing the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War. Addressing a public gathering in Bihar's Nalanda, Rahul said that during the 1971 war, Indira Gandhi did not fear or bow before the United States, whereas Prime Minister Modi neither has a "vision" nor the "ability" to stand up to the US President Donald Trump." "During the 1971 war in the Bangladesh struggle, America sent its aircraft and navy to intimidate and threaten India. Indira Gandhi, who was the Prime Minister, said we are not afraid of your navy, do what you must, we will do what we must," Gandhi said. "Indira Gandhi was a woman, but she had more guts than this man. Narendra Modi is cowardly. He has neither a vision nor the ability to stand up to the President of America. I challenge him: if Narendra Modi has the courage, then at any meeting in Bihar, he should say that the President of America is lying and that he (PM Modi) did not bow to him and that he did not stop Operation Sindoor. He cannot do that," Rahul Gandhi said. Indira Gandhi was the third and female Prime Minister of India, serving from 1966 to 1977 and again from 1980 until her assassination in 1984. (ANI) A controversial plan to kill one owl species to save another cleared a major hurdle. The full Senate on Wednesday struck down a GOP effort to prevent the cull of up to 450,000 barred owls in the Pacific Northwest over three decades, ending a saga that created strange political bedfellows. Its a major win for environmentalists and federal wildlife officials who want to protect northern spotted owls that have been crowded out by their larger, more aggressive cousins. In recent weeks they got an unlikely ally in loggers who said scuttling the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service plan could hinder timber sales. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But its a blow to an equally unusual alliance that includes right-wing politicians and animal rights advocates who argue the cull is too expensive and inhumane. The Trump administration leaned on Republican lawmakers to get out of the way, scrambling partisan lines. Read more: Plan to kill 450,000 owls creates odd political bedfellows loggers and environmentalists Sen. John Kennedy, a conservative from Louisiana, sought to nix the owl-killing plan via the Congressional Review Act, which can be used to overturn recent rules by federal agencies. Kennedy said Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, whose portfolio includes timber production, recently called him and told him to abandon the resolution. This month logging advocates said that stopping the cull would jeopardize timber production goals set by the Trump administration. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But Kennedy was not persuaded. "The secretary needed to call somebody who cared what he thought, because I think he's wrong," Kennedy said on the Senate floor. "I think he and the other members of the administrative state at the Department of the Interior decided to play God." Flanked by pictures of owls and bumbling cartoon hunter Elmer Fudd, Kennedy praised barred owls for their "soulful eyes" and "incredibly soft" feathers. But he acknowledged theyre better hunters than spotted owls. Barred owls, which moved over from eastern North America, are outcompeting spotted owls for food and shelter in their native territory. Louisiana Senator John Kennedy spearheaded a resolution to overturn the Biden-era plan to cull barred owls, even after he said the Trump administration told him to back down. (Senate Banking Committee) Ultimately the resolution failed 72 to 25, with three lawmakers not voting. Nearly all those who voted in favor of the resolution were Republican, but even more Republicans voted against it. The Fish and Wildlife Service approved the barred owl cull last year under the Biden Administration. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I feel a lot of relief because this was one of the most major threats to the long-term, continued existence of the northern spotted owl in many years," said Tom Wheeler, executive director of the Environmental Protection Information Center. "We've passed this hurdle, which isn't to say there aren't other hurdles or road bumps up ahead, but this feels good." Wheeler described the failed effort as a "nuclear threat" if the resolution had passed, the Fish and Wildlife Service would have been blocked from pursuing any similar rule, unless explicitly authorized by Congress. Now Wheeler said he and his allies will continue to push for the owl cull to be carried out, and for federal funding to support it. Animal welfare advocates like Wayne Pacelle, president of Animal Wellness Action and Center for a Humane Economy, are dismayed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "What this means is that not only are barred owls at extreme risk of large-scale shooting, but spotted owls and old-growth forests are at risk from chainsaws," Pacelle said of the failed resolution. Pacelles camp vowed to continue the fight. A lawsuit challenging the hunt they filed against the federal government last fall is moving forward. And they'll try to ensure money doesn't flow to the program. Read more: A plan to shoot 450,000 owls to save a different owl could be in jeopardy In May, federal officials canceled three related grants in California totaling more than $1.1 million, including one study that would have included lethally removing barred owls from more than 192,000 acres in Mendocino and Sonoma counties. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, there are other projects to kill barred owls in the Golden State, according to Peter Tira, a spokesperson for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. One $4.3-million grant issued by the state agency will support barred owl removal in the northwestern part of the state, along with other research. Another grant issued by NASA to a university involves killing barred owls in California as well as creating a tool to prioritize areas where the raptors need to be managed. It's not clear how or if the government shutdown, now stretching into its 31st day, is affecting the projects, Tira said in an email. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. UPDATE: The Pleasant Hill Police Department said Gary Sellers has been located safely. No other details were released. PLEASANT HILL, Iowa Police in Pleasant Hill are asking for the publics help to locate a man suffering from a mental condition who walked away from his home Friday morning. Gary Sellers The Pleasant Hill Police Department is looking for Gary Sellers. He is a white male, about 70 years old, 57, and 150 pounds. He has shorter gray hair and may have beard scruff. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sellers was last seen wearing a white checkered shirt, a blue checkered flannel jacket with a gray hoodie, light-colored blue jeans, and black shoes. PHPD said Sellers left from his home on foot in an unknown direction of travel. If you find Sellers, please contact the police at 515-265-1444. 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. NAPLES The poachers werent intimidated by heat, lightning, mosquitoes, venomous snakes, alligators or losing their way in the South Florida swamps. They were there to steal the ghost orchid, a plant so elusive its likened to an Everglades apparition. The ghost, native to only Florida and Cuba, is a leafless web of roots splayed on the trunks of native trees. Its also taxing to find, but the orchids ribbonlike white bloom makes the dangerous trek well worth it especially for those drawn to rarity. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service estimated there are fewer than 1,000 ghost orchids left in the United States. The agency proposed the ghost for listing under the Endangered Species Act earlier this year, a potential addition to its state-protected status. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The flower was the subject of the 1998 nonfiction book The Orchid Thief: A True Story of Beauty and Obsession by Susan Orlean, a chronicle of how a Florida plant dealers infatuation with the ghost put it on the map for collectors and poachers. Government estimates show the ghost population declining in almost all 12 protected areas listed between Florida and Cuba, with only one population count being unknown. With the species under siege by poaching, researchers have labored to keep the exact location of its fragmented habitats secret. Pinched by poachers In the three decades Mike Owen was a park biologist for Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park in Southwest Florida, he grew familiar with the grit it takes to track down a ghost. Fakahatchee Strand, widely considered the orchid capital of the United States, is one of the largest strand swamps in the world, a linear wetland southeast of Naples stretching about 20 miles long. Water is key to the ecosystem, which fluctuates dramatically between the rainy and dry seasons. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Owen spoke of the strand and its ghost orchids with fascination, his sentences rapid and pitched high in excitement: This was a man who utterly loved his job. Though the ghost orchids bloom is an incredible, sensual, charismatic flower in deep contrast with the swamp, Owen said its otherwise camouflaged near impossible to detect. During the summer months, Owen said traversing the strand in search of a ghost could mean wading through waist-deep, murky water in the middle of alligator mating season. But in the mind of a poacher, he said danger doesnt seem to matter and Owen would know. Orleans The Orchid Thief detailed John Laroches theft of numerous protected plant species from the Fakahatchee Strand, three of which were mature ghosts, Owen said. He served as the authors Fakahatchee guide, and when Laroche was required by law to return what he stole, Owen brought the ghosts back into the swamp himself. The orchids can be purchased online for around $50 to $200. Its not clear whether prices on the black market may be higher for orchids that buyers perceive to be more rare or pure. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Laroche was obsessed with cloning and selling the flowers for profit and personal fulfillment. Theres value in harvesting an orchids seeds to grow more, but a mature ghost stolen from the wild wouldnt survive long, Owen said. There must be a market out there just to have a ghost orchid in bloom because they all know its not going to live, he said. He witnessed others go missing during the remainder of his career, too. Even for a seasoned park biologist like Owen who retired in 2023 it took about three years and much trekking to get a headcount on the strands known ghost population since 1993. The endangered species proposal lists it as about 230, but the exact number is unknown. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Owen kept tabs on a ghost for almost a decade until it disappeared in 2005 the first in a string of thefts. Two more were stolen just before a tropical storm the following year. Then, another three disappeared in 2007. They were all taken during the summer rainy season, when he said park biologists wouldnt be heavily monitoring. The endangered species proposal said 10 had been pinched from the Fakahatchee by 2020, which could represent around 8% of the strands known ghosts. A poacher was caught there as recently as two years ago, and the site remains at high risk of more attempts. Theyre just trying to make a buck and get it free, Owen said, his tone suddenly harsh. Once the ghost orchid is listed federally, now it wont be taken lightly. Before the governments latest proposal, the ghost orchid was designated only as a protected species by Florida. The maximum penalty for a first-time offender was about a $500 fine and possible prison time. Under the new federal guidelines, a criminal misdemeanor under the Endangered Species Act could bring fines of $50,000 and up to one year in prison. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To unnerve poachers, Owen installed trail cameras and moved them sporadically for a year. He refrained from showing park guests the strands mature ghosts, only revealing the location of young, nonflowering plants unpalatable to poachers. We dont just make it easy for people to find it, he said. We do have to kind of keep that secret because you just never know. Though the species life history is still under study, researchers know its slow-growing. Owen said he watched two ghosts in the wild since they were the size of a parentheses on a printed page, and it took both upward of 15 years to reach adulthood. Since the ghost is so long-lived, only the older plants are capable of reproducing to save the species. Theyre also the most attractive to poachers looking to nab something pretty. The ghost in decline Adam Herdman, a University of Florida environmental horticulture doctoral candidate, has also seen firsthand just how much time the species needs to grow. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With six months worth of state and federal permits in hand, Herdman said he ventures into protected areas like the Florida Panther National Wildlife Refuge, also in Southwest Florida, every few months to collect data and, in special cases, ghost orchid seeds. The researchers usually park off the side of a stretch of Interstate 75 known as Alligator Alley and walk down an abandoned logging tram platform. From there, theyre at the mercy of the swamp. Herdman recounted the looming threat of territorial alligators and lightning strikes, which he said made him scramble up a tree and hang out with the orchids more than once. Herdman can then safely return to his UF lab, where thousands of dustlike seeds are given a chance to germinate in petri dishes. His most recent study concerns pinpointing their ideal temperature window. He said the viability of those seeds is consistently low. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The ghost is picky. It relies on specific fungi and host trees typically pond apple, pop ash and cypress to germinate. Additional factors like constant humidity and the survival of its one pollinator, the sphinx moth, are key to maturity. In the wild, only half the ghost population is old enough to reproduce. Less than half of that is capable of releasing seeds each year, Herdman said. Since beginning his study of natural ghost populations in 2015, Herdman said most of his research centers on reintroducing seeds into the wild. He most recently brought young orchids back to the swamp around 2018, and as more baby ghosts germinate in his lab, he said another reintroduction could be possible within a couple of years. People should be able to go out and look at these beautiful plants with their own eyes, but before we can trust them as practitioners and scientists, we need to know whats there, he said. The ghost is more than just aesthetically pleasing. Its sensitivity to external conditions everything from its partner fungi and host trees to its sphinx moth pollinators and wetland water flow makes it similar to a canary in a coal mine, Herdman said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If something is wrong in the swamp, the ghost is the first to go. A global curiosity Boardwalk paths weave through Audubons Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary, southeast of Fort Myers and home of a super ghost orchid tucked high in the canopy of a bald cypress tree. Shawn Clem, the sanctuarys director of conservation, trekked a mile into the wilderness and stopped short, pointing into the distance. Without a flower, the plant was nearly impossible to spot at first, even through the zoom lens of a camera. Leafless roots spidered from a central cluster clinging to the bald cypress trunk, about 50 feet above the swamps still water. Because the super ghost is so large, researchers like Clem are unsure whether its one or a group of multiple orchids. She said its likely the only known ghost documented so high in the canopy. Its also attached to an old-growth tree, another abnormality. The Everglades was extensively logged during the 19th and 20th centuries, but Corkscrew trees managed to evade the axe. The super ghosts bald cypress could be upward of 500 years old, Clem said, a window into the orchids natural habitat and behavior before human interference. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its not the only known ghost orchid that we have here at the sanctuary, she said. Its the only one whose location we reveal. The endangered species proposal said Corkscrew is home to two ghosts, but Clem said thats probably an underestimate considering how difficult they are to detect. Like the super ghost, its possible more could be hiding unexpectedly high in the canopy of old-growth trees. How old the plant is, we dont know, she said. Researchers think it could have been alive for more than four or five decades now. Since its discovery in 2007, the super ghost has managed to bloom at least once during every month of the year, drawing fascination from visitors. CADDO PARISH, La. (KTAL/KMSS) As Halloween approaches, law enforcement agencies are urging residents to prioritize safety while celebrating the holiday. Three local departments, the Caddo Sheriffs Office, Shreveport Police Department, and Bossier City Police Department, all provide tips and advice on how to enjoy a safe and fun holiday. Caddo Parish Sheriffs Office Caddo Parish Sheriff Henry Whitehorn Sr. emphasizes the importance of being aware of potential dangers in the neighborhood. Not everyone has good intentions, he cautioned, advising parents to know their neighbors before allowing their children to trick-or-treat. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To aid in community safety, Sheriff Whitehorn recommends checking for convicted sex offenders in the area. Residents can sign up for free email alerts at caddosheriff.org by clicking on the sex offender registry button, enabling them to identify where offenders reside and receive notifications if an offender moves into the neighborhood. CPSO Halloween Safety Rules CPSO Halloween Safety Trick or Treat Alternatives Shreveport Police Department The Shreveport Police Department has echoed these sentiments, encouraging residents to report any suspicious or careless behavior observed in their neighborhoods. Bossier City Police Department Bossier City Police Department reminds the community to exercise caution due to increased foot traffic, particularly after dark. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Both families and drivers are urged to take extra precautions during this busy time. Additional safety reminders for trick-or-treaters include: Use flashlights or glow sticks for visibility, and add reflective tape to costumes and treat bags. Ensure costumes and accessories are flame-resistant and fit properly. Face paint is safer than masks that may obstruct vision or breathing. Young children should be supervised by adults while trick-or-treating, and older children should stick to groups and familiar routes. Stay in well-lit neighborhoods with sidewalks; if none are available, walk on the far-left side of the road facing traffic Only accept treats at the door and never enter a strangers home or vehicle. Parents should inspect all treats before they are eaten, discarding any that are unwrapped, open, or appear suspicious. Children should know their home address, a parents phone number, and how to call 911 in an emergency. Drivers are reminded to be vigilant for children who may run into the street and to keep headlights on during dusk and nighttime. They also note that Louisiana law prohibits registered sex offenders from participating in Halloween activities like trick-or-treating. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Information about offenders in the area can be found on the Louisiana Sex Offender and Child Predator Registry at lsp.org. Residents are also advised to keep pets indoors to minimize anxiety during trick-or-treating hours and to prevent them from eating harmful Halloween candy, particularly chocolate. Local law enforcement hopes that these guidelines will help ensure a safe and enjoyable Halloween for everyone in the 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 KTALnews.com. Police in Bellevue, Iowa, are investigating an incident that damaged an ATM early this morning. A news release from the department says officers were called to Fidelity Bank for a report of theft or vandalism involving the on-site ATM on October 31 at about 4 a.m. When officers arrived, they found that the ATM had been damaged and an unoccupied vehicle was nearby. Officers determined that the vehicle had been reported stolen from a Springbrook home earlier in the day. The Bellevue Police Department is asking residents or businesses in the area who may have seen suspicious activity or have video surveillance of the area to call them at 563-872-4545. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WHBF - OurQuadCities.com. Holliston police are investigating after a break-in at a Holliston gun academy led to the theft of multiple firearms. According to police, around 11:19 p.m. on Thursday, officers were dispatched to 100 Kuniholm Drive, Mass Firearms School (MFS), regarding a breaking and entering in progress. Once on scene, officers found the front glass door shattered. Ashland Police Officers and a Framingham K-9 Unit arrived shortly after to assist in clearing and searching the building. The building was deemed empty. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The owners of MFS arrived to confirm that two semi-automatic rifles hanging on the wall in the front lobby had been stolen. Surveillance footage from inside the building showed that three suspects smashed the front door of the building, with two of the three individuals having weapons. The individuals were seen fleeing from a vehicle, which was described as possibly a four-door, light-colored sedan. Todd McGhee is a law enforcement and security expert who used to work for the Massachusetts State Police. He said the thieves appeared to be familiar with the business. This was not a random choice, McGhee said. There was some tip they had in order for them to execute such a quick and brazen robbery. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement McGhee said it also appears these people will likely keep these guns for personal use. He believes they would have brought large bags to carry out more weapons if they planned to sell them illegally. What they were not prepared to do was take more than they took. They could have grabbed a long bag and loaded up five, six, ten weapons, but they didnt do that, McGhee said. For some reason, they left light. Fortunately, thats a good thing. I dont want to support more guns being stolen. The robbery could have been a lot worse with more weapons systems taken. He suspects the people involved were young men in their late teens or early 20s. McGhee also says the security video showing the getaway car is a good start. Police can use that and check nearby places for a doorbell or other security video to try and track down the car. Authorities, including the Holliston Police Department, the Massachusetts State Police, the Middlesex District Attorneys Office, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF), continue to investigate the incident. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There are no further details at this time. 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. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW A man is dead after a stabbing in Springfield early Friday morning. [DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Police were called out to the 1500 block of Highland Avenue shortly before 6 a.m. A 911 caller told a dispatcher that she woke up and found her boyfriend lying in a puddle of blood. TRENDING STORIES: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I dont know if hes breathing. I need somebody to hurry up, the caller said. When officers got to the scene, they found 35-year-old Quintez Hubert suffering from multiple apparent stab wounds in the living room. A release from the city said he died on the scene. News Center 7 first called the Springfield Division of Police about this around 11:40 a.m. Then, a sergeant said police were investigating a shooting and that the person was transported to the hospital. Were working to get clarification from the department. The investigation into Hurberts death is ongoing, Anyone with information is asked to contact the Springfield Division of Police at (937) 324-7716 or submit information anonymously via spdtip@springfieldohio.gov. [SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] WISCONSIN RAPIDS, Wis. (WFRV) Officials in Wisconsin are investigating the deaths of two men around 1 a.m. on Halloween as homicides. Judges order the Trump administration to use contingency funds for SNAP payments during the shutdown The Wisconsin Rapids Police Department reported that officers were called to a report of a person in an emergency room at an Aspirus Hospital. Officers arrived and found a 34-year-old man dropped off at the emergency room with life-threatening injuries. The man was pronounced dead by hospital staff after life-saving efforts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Other Wisconsin Rapids Police Officers responded to a report of a disturbance around the same time in the 500 block of 11th Street South, where a 56-year-old man had life-threatening injuries. He was pronounced dead at the scene by emergency medical responders. Officials with the Wisconsin Division of Criminal Investigation, Wisconsin Crime Laboratory and Wood County Sheriffs Office are assisting the Wisconsin Rapids Police Department in the investigation. Police in Wisconsin probing suspicious activity caught on trail cam Officials say that one suspect is in custody as of noon on October 31, and that theres no known threat to the community. Detectives have reportedly identified and interviewed numerous witnesses. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Officials did not specify if the two deaths are related. 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. The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) has written to Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, seeking the Central Government's intervention to implement the Centrally sponsored education scheme, PM SHRI (PM Schools for Rising India). The ABVP's appeal came after the CPI(M)-led state government had put on hold all the activities related to the scheme due to the reservations expressed by the coalition partner CPI. "For months, ABVP was the only student organisation in Kerala relentlessly demanding that the State Government sign the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Central Government. We were relieved when, following considerable pressure and protest from ABVP cadres and the general student community, the State Government finally signed the necessary MoU," the ABVP said in the letter. "However, the momentum has been abruptly halted. We have learned that due to sustained political pressure from key allies and opposition parties, the CPI(M)-led State Government has now frozen all further activity related to the PM-SHRI scheme and has constituted a sub-committee to "study" its details. The Hon'ble Chief Minister has confirmed this decision, stating that a letter detailing the state's current stand and decision will be sent to the Centre," the letter read. On Wednesday, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan announced that a seven-member cabinet sub-committee, chaired by Education Minister V. Sivankutty, will be constituted to review the implementation of the PM SHRI scheme in the state. The ABVP termed the state government's decision "purely politically motivated and runs directly against the educational interests and sentiments of the students and youth of Kerala." "The students of this state deserve equitable access to the same modernisation and opportunities being rolled out across the rest of Bharat under the PM-SHRI umbrella. Denying them these benefits due to narrow political considerations is unjust and detrimental to their future," the ABVP said. "We appeal to the Central Government to explore and establish a mechanism to ensure the direct and time-bound implementation of the PM-SHRI scheme in Kerala. We urge you to bypass the politically motivated impediments being erected by the state administration and guarantee that the scheme's transformative benefits reach the students who need them most," the letter read. (ANI) MEQUON, Wis. (WFRV) Officials in southern Wisconsin are investigating suspicious activity caught on a trail cam that could be connected to recent burglaries. According to a release from the Mequon Police Department, a local hunter caught three masked individuals walking through a wooded area on the northwest side of Mequon on a trail cam. 7 high schoolers cited during retail theft investigation at a Wisconsin Walgreens Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The three individuals seen in the released trail cam footage are believed by police to be involved in several other burglary incidents in which suspects entered neighborhoods through wooded areas. The owner of the trail cam, a local hunter, shared the video with police, who responded to the area and attempted to track through the woods but were unable to locate the masked individuals. At this time, officers are asking residents to remain vigilant, lock their doors, secure their vehicles, and report any suspicious activity or persons to the Mequon Police Department. 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. The race for the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools District 2 seat is heating up as Thelma Byers Bailey steps down, with community activists Juanrique Hall and Shamaiye Haynes vying for the position. Byers Bailey, who has chosen not to seek re-election, endorsed Shamaiye Haynes, highlighting a decade-long partnership in community initiatives. Meanwhile, Juanrique Hall has garnered support from the conservative group Moms for Liberty, with Brooke Weiss, the groups local chairwoman, serving as his campaign manager. ALSO READ: https://www.wsoctv.com/news/local/political-beat-preview-cms-district-5/VWQT3NGY2FGFNODVNDGMMZHEDM/ Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement https://www.wsoctv.com/news/local/political-beat-preview-cms-district-5/VWQT3NGY2FGFNODVNDGMMZHEDM/ Channel 9s Jonathan Lowe spoke to both candidates about their campaigns. Its wonderful, but the truth is weve supported each other for well over a decade, Haynes said of Byers Baileys endorsement. Im so proud to have her support, not just because of winning an election, but it says a lot about how people who are average, everyday community members can work with their elected officials. Hall, on the other hand, expressed his views on leadership. If youre going to be an effective leader, people are supposed to know whos leading them. How can you lead me if you dont know who I am, Hall said. >> Watch Lowes full interview with the candidates in the video at the top of the page. (WATCH BELOW: New CMS policy ensures responsible AI use in classrooms) Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg is the preferred Democratic candidate for the 2028 presidential elections in the early primary state of New Hampshire, according to a new poll from the University of New Hampshire. Alex Wong / Getty Images Of those in the Granite State who say they plan to vote in the 2028 Democratic presidential primary, 19% said they would choose Buttigieg if the election were held today, while 81% of those surveyed had a favorable opinion of him. The ex-transportation secretary topped California Gov. Gavin Newsom by 4% and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) by 5%. Gonzalo Marroquin / Getty Images Related: Ariana Grande Just Shared This 1 Very Blunt Question For Trump Supporters On the Republican side, 51% of New Hampshire residents who plan to vote in the 2028 Republican presidential primary prefer Vice President JD Vance over Former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley and Intelligence Director Tulsi Gabbard Fadel Senna / Getty Images The current vice president teased the prospect of running for president in 2028 with Secretary of State Marco Rubio as his running mate during an interview on Wednesdays episode of the New York Posts Pod Force One . Only 5% of planned Republican presidential primary voters supported Rubio for president. Kevin Dietsch / Getty Images Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Related: Hillary Clinton Just Hit On One Of Donald Trump's Biggest Insecurities With Three Words [Trump] mentioned it probably six months or so ago, Vance told host Miranda Devine. And I mentioned it to the secretary in jest, but it feels so premature because were still so early. Pool / Getty Images CBS Sunday Morning that he planned to put serious thought into running for president in 2028. The universitys findings follow Newsoms admission in a recent airing ofthat he planned to put serious thought into running for president in 2028. Patrick T. Fallon / Getty Images Related: This Fox News Host Just Made A Great Point About Trump's New Ballroom Yeah, Id be lying otherwise. Id just be lying. And Im not I cant do that, the California governor said. Mario Tama / Getty Images James Manning - Pa Images / Getty Images Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Related: Eric Trump Made An Unexpected Claim On Live TV About Trump And Melania's Marriage The survey noted that nearly half of self-described socialists support Ocasio-Cortez while progressives tend to prefer Ocasio-Cortez or Newsom. Self-described liberals and moderates, on the other hand, preferred Harris or Buttigieg. Anna Moneymaker / Getty Images This article originally appeared on HuffPost. Also in In the News: Gavin Newsom Brought The Receipts After Trump Claimed He "Never Wrote A Picture" In Response To The Epstein Files, And It's Sooo Good Also in In the News: Gavin Newsom's New, Brutal Nickname For Trump Is Going Viral, And It May Be His Best One Yet Also in In the News: Seth Meyers Uncovered A Truly Unhinged Trump Moment That Has Everyone Questioning His Mental State Read it on BuzzFeed.com [WATCH: In the video player above, New Day Cleveland checks out P. Jays Pizza.] CUYAHOGA FALLS, Ohio (WJW) A popular Akron-area pizza shop known for its white pizza is rapidly growing with three new locations this year. In September, DeChecos Pizzeria celebrated the opening of a Hudson shop. In October, the pizza place opened a spot in Munroe Falls. Now, the business is preparing to open its third new location in just three months. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement FOX 8 2025-2026 Winter Outlook: Just as cold with more snow According to a news release, on Monday, Nov. 3, DeChecos will open in Cuyahoga Falls. The new shop will be located at 2926 State Road. Other locations already include Ellet/Springfield, Fairlawn and Firestone Park in Akron. DeChecos is a second-generation, family-owned pizzeria, according to the release. Cant explain it: Tesla ghosts leave drivers unsettled Founded by Shirley DeCheco with her now-famous white sauce, fresh tomatoes, banana peppers, black olives, and local basil, the White Pizza quickly became a local favorite. Today, DeChecos is led by her son Nathan, who continues the tradition of serving award-winning pizzas across the greater Akron area with pickup and delivery at all locations. At DeChecos, we believe in the power of community and the joy of sharing a meal with neighbors, states the release. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement CLICK HERE to check out their menu. And, if youre interested in exploring some of Northeast Ohios most popular pizza places, check out our list of Northeast Ohio pizza joints with a cult-like following. 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. PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) The City of Portland announced Thursday it will resume enforcement of its camping ban, following a pause as the city built more shelter space. Enforcement of the camping ban ordinance which Portland City Council passed in 2024 will restart November 1 after Mayor Keith Wilson paused enforcement in February as the city and partner organizations built hundreds of emergency shelter beds. With enforcement back in place, the city says it will emphasize connecting Portlanders to shelters and services rather than emphasizing arrest. DONT MISS: 5 women facing homelessness sue Pendleton over public resting restrictions We cant arrest our way out of homelessness, nor should we, Mayor Keith Wilson said in a statement Thursday. Ive asked our police to issue citations for lawbreaking behavior and actions that harm our community. No one will be arrested simply for camping, nor should they. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The city said Portlanders should not expect a sharp increase in the number of citations in the coming weeks, noting as the city adds resources, outreach teams and enforcement staff can offer shelter before issuing a citation. The city notes that this policy differs from previous practices that focused on arrest when someone violated the ordinance. TIMELINE: What led to neglect charges in Dane Paulsen drowning case Enforcement of the ban will be carried out by the Portland Police Bureau and officers can issue citations after reasonable alternative shelter such as congregate shelters, hotel placements or other overnight facilities are offered and declined or when a campsite violates other City Code restrictions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Restrictions include camps that obstruct access to pedestrian zones or private property and camps that use fire or gas heaters around the site. Additional restrictions ban sites that assemble, disassemble or sell multiple bicycles or automobiles, along with sites that alter city infrastructure or camps that store personal belongings more than two feet away from the tent. Those with outstanding warrants or who are engaging in criminal activity may also be subject to arrest. Courts will determine any penalties. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Eye on Northwest Politics The city warns Portlanders to not report encampments to 911. Instead, the city asks community members to report camps by calling 311 or using the citys reporting portal. If you see someone in crisis, the city asks community members to call Portland Street Response. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The announcement from the city comes as Portland has announced more than 1,000 additional overnight beds so far in 2025, adding to the 76 alternative shelters in the citys portfolio. Blanchet House Executive Director Scott Kerman said that with meal lines already getting long, it will be a double whammy when both SNAP benefits get frozen and Portlands camping ban enforcement resumes on Saturday. The timing is probably not great, Kerman said. There hasnt been a shortage of things to worry about, think about, planning for. And, you know, the camping ban enforcement is yet another thing. Kerman added he still has questions about how the enforcement will be carried out. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So the question is if theyre going to give someone a citation, what happens next? he said. Multnomah County Sheriff Nicole Morrissey ODonnell issued the following statement in response to enforcement resuming: Tariffs are taxes: Oregon Sen. Wydens resolution to end Trumps tariffs passes US Senate Homelessness touches every corner of our community, and I appreciate and support Mayor Wilsons leadership and the Portland Police Bureaus ongoing work to address one of our regions most urgent and visible challenges. Their approach reflects our shared values of never losing sight of dignity and safety. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Every day, I see the consequences of a system that is stretched beyond its limits. Complex social issues, often compounded by mental health and addiction, are being left to the criminal justice system to manage. My priority and responsibility are to use our jails in cases involving violence, victimization or ongoing criminal conduct associated with homelessness. Our jails were never designed to absorb the weight of inadequate housing, medical, and behavioral health systems. They should not be seen as the default response to illegal camping or unmanaged crises. We need to have a strengthened and coordinated, needs-based approach throughout Oregon and Multnomah County that provides access to shelter and specialized care for individuals who are homeless and find themselves intersecting with the criminal justice system. Enforcement and the use of our jails must reinforce those efforts, not replace them. The Multnomah County Sheriffs Office will continue to work with and support the City of Portland to help ensure public safety and prioritize the continuum of care and compassion our community expects as we respond to homelessness. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com. (NewsNation) Multiple people have been accused of planning a potential terrorist attack in Michigan over the Halloween weekend, FBI Director Kash Patel announced Friday. Details about the suspects and their alleged plans have not yet been made public. Patel said multiple subjects were arrested in Michigan on Friday morning, and federal agents were seen at two homes in Dearborn. Sebastian Gorka, deputy assistant to President Donald Trump, said federal agents disrupted a Jihadi terror plot. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Third suspect arrested in deadly shooting of congressional intern The FBIs Detroit field office confirmed agents were in the nearby cities of Dearborn and Inkster on Friday morning conducting law enforcement activities but did not directly connect their presence to Patels statement. More details to come, Patel wrote on social media. Thanks to the men and women of FBI and law enforcement everywhere standing guard 24/7 and crushing our mission to defend the homeland. There was no ongoing threat to public safety, according to the Detroit field office. More than $1M in counterfeit Labubus seized in North Carolina Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement NewsNation national security contributor Tracy Walder said she is familiar with the area from past events around Detroit, including another foiled plot earlier this year. I certainly dont want to make generalizations about entire communities, but this is a community and plot that I have worked through, even back in 2000 when I first started at the CIA, Walder 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. NEED TO KNOW FBI Director Kash Patel said the bureau "thwarted" a potential Halloween weekend terrorist attack in Michigan According to the AP, an FBI spokesperson said there is not currently a threat to the public NBC reported that arrests were made in the Detroit suburbs of Inkster and Dearborn The FBI said it had prevented a possible Halloween weekend terrorist attack in Michigan, but did not provide further details. FBI Director Kash Patel made the announcement in a post on X. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "This morning the FBI thwarted a potential terrorist attack and arrested multiple subjects in Michigan who were allegedly plotting a violent attack over Halloween weekend," Patel wrote on Friday, Oct. 31. "More details to come. Thanks to the men and women of FBI and law enforcement everywhere standing guard 24/7 and crushing our mission to defend the homeland." NBC reported, citing law enforcement sources, that the FBI's Detroit office had arrested a group of individuals who were purportedly planning an attack with a possible reference to Halloween. Some of the arrests took place in Dearborn and Inkster, Mich., according to NBC. Want to keep up with the latest crime coverage? Sign up for PEOPLE's free True Crime newsletter for breaking crime news, ongoing trial coverage and details of intriguing unsolved cases. The Detroit Free Press spoke to a woman who said she lives two doors down from a home that was searched in Dearborn. She told the paper that her husband heard five loud bangs early Friday morning and went outside to see FBI and SWAT personnel. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Associated Press reported that FBI agents were seen going in and out of the Dearborn home. apparently collecting evidence. Jordan Hall, a Detroit FBI spokesperson, said, according to the AP, that there was "no current threat to public safety." Read the original article on People Ji.hlava fest audiences who packed the cinema at the Czech Republics doc showcase to see Power Station found themselves feeling unexpectedly upbeat, they said following the film about taking on climate change one street at a time. The 29th edition of the fest is showing off its usual rich selection of progressive programming to be sure, but in terms of emotion, one viewer told co-directors Hilary Powell and Dan Edelstyn, films here are usually more about getting angry or perhaps somber. More from Variety Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But laughter and spectacle along with impressive civic organizing are the trademarks of this bickering, hustling married couple, as theyve shown off in their past films. The two managed to revive a Soviet-era distillery that had been seized by the state in Ukraine in their 2012 doc How to Re-Establish a Vodka Empire, before moving onto Bank Job in 2021, in which they bought up and forgave $1.5 million in predatory loans naturally by blasting a golden van sky high. So it seems what the dueling duo actually create are as much caper films as docs. This time around, in Power Station, competing for the main doc prize at Ji.hlava, the two decide to take on the U.K.s growing energy crisis, in which more and more of the populace is struggling to pay their monthly power bills. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cut to Lynmouth Road, Walthamstow in Londons northeast: As 39% of the United Kingdom populace struggles to heat their homes, Edelstyn and Powell huddle under blankets themselves, trying vainly to warm up with endless mugs of tea. They hustle to feed the household, make it to school pickups and juggle Zoom calls for civic organizing, meeting with the likes of political economist Ann Pettifor, and, um, oh yeah, launch a green energy movement to power their entire neighborhood and hopefully the rest of England eventually with those free solar panels. Since even the most progressive partys elected leaders clearly arent up to that task, it falls upon communities to show it can be done, Edelstyn says. Hopefully, when enough people see green energy working with their own eyes, the state will finally catch on. But first well need some compelling characters, weighed down by the dropping temperatures and rising bills, Edelstyn decides. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Actually, it helps the hero, he assures Powell after filming unwashed dishes, to be unable to keep up with all this stuff. To have vulnerabilities. Shes not impressed with the pitch, she lets him know. But Edelstyns case is clear: What are they doing with our taxes? he asks. The government should be giving everyone solar panels. And if they wont, these artist agitators will. This time, it may take camping out on their rooftop in record cold winter, blasted by winds and at one point iced over to raise the funds for their neighbors panels. But if so, Edelstyn and Powell are more than willing to endure the soaked bedding in the dark. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And what audiences soon realize is, theyre not just watching two unlikely characters launching a movement theyre actually seeing them construct the film. You bastard, Hilary cries when filmed brushing out tangles in her hair. Stop it! Youre like very public and youre sharing every feeling and emotion and Im like what the fu? Meanwhile, Powell puts together remarkably detailed charts of plans, spreadsheets, models and, eventually, an elaborate form of local currency. Powell finds her partners narrative style a major pain, at times, she says, asking him, Can you stop presenting? I think youre the worst documentary maker in the world. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They confer with Tom Ruxton of the HEET Project to learn that 27% of the population of Walthamstow Forest is now considered fuel poor, the second highest rate in London. Edelstyn makes the case that if the government would actually turn every home in this countryturn it into a power station, the cost of that would be paid for by the sun itself within about a 10-year period. So its just absurd that thats not happening. So why dont we make it happen? Next step, going door to door and offering people free solar panels. But this is London, of course will they even open the door? Soon enough, Edelstyn gets to actually know his neighbors, including a woman born in the 1920s whose knees have gone a bit wobbly from lack of getting out during the shutdown and a Pakistan-born man whose walls are deteriorating because he devotes all his earnings to his childrens education. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Just convincing the neighbors that a shared energy system is a realistic solution is half the battle, it turns out. But in the grand tradition of protest art, the two win over even the most cynical in their community, winning media coverage and eventually an energy company sponsor, and the solar panels begin going up. Power Station builds on laughs tinged with poignancy to show what an assortment of struggling neighbors can actually do to turn things around. We are trying through the story telling of one street, all of the different characters and history of this one place to show, actually we can have the power to make change, as Powell puts it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Power Station, a production of Dartmouth Films and co-produced by Powell and Edelstyn, is now screening in U.K. cinemas. Working with the U.K.s Optimistic Foundation, the couple are now sharing their organizing template which they say has become effective at giving local schools solar too. Best of Variety Sign up for Variety's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday flagged off 'Run for Unity' on the occasion of Rashtriya Ekta Diwas, the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. Speaking at the event, Chief Minister Adityanath praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying that it was PM Modi who started a campaign to honour the sons of Bharat Mata when he came to power in 2014. The Chief Minister said, "The entire nation is paying tribute to the memory of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the architect of a united India and the 'Iron Man of India', on his 150th birth anniversary, expressing gratitude for his contributions to the country. When PM Modi came to power in 2014, he started a campaign to honour the sons of Bharat Mata. 'Run for Unity' is being done at more than 600 places in the country, on 31st October, with the aim of instilling a new sense of patriotism in the hearts of India's youth." Recognizing the contributions of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the Chief Minister said, "Everyone knows that the Iron Man, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, was born into a simple farmer's family and was a freedom fighter. He led the independence movement. After independence, the British conspired to divide India into many pieces; they were not satisfied with just two pieces. When the Nizam of Hyderabad and the Nawab of Junagadh were hesitant to join India, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the Iron Man of India, first tried to talk and persuade them. They wanted to remain independent states within a united India, essentially forming Islamic states. When the police went to their residences, both the Nizam of Hyderabad and the Nawab of Junagadh fled their homes. This is what happens when there is a lack of nationalistic spirit." "Jammu and Kashmir was under Jawaharlal Nehru's control, and he was responsible for making it a disputed territory. We are grateful to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who, by integrating it into a united India, has honored the memory of the Iron Man, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel," CM Yogi added. Sardar Patel was born on October 31, 1875, in Nandia, Gujarat. Also known as the "Iron Man of India," he was the nation's first Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister. He is widely recognised for his pivotal role in the integration of over 560 princely states and the Indian Union after Independence. His leadership ensured that India emerged as a unified and dignified nation during the direst time. (ANI) SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) Another health system has joined the Sanford Health system. Prairie Lakes Healthcare System of Watertown is combining with Sanford Health, officials said in a Friday news release. Officials did not provide details on what the combination is such as merger, buyout or sale. Officials explain August statewide tech outage Prairie Lakes will transition to the Sanford Health name and brand. Prairie Lakes serves about 90,000 people in Watertown and a 10 county region in northeastern South Dakota and western Minnesota. It is licensed to operate 81 acute care hospital beds. Prairie Lakes has about 800 employees and 60 providers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The news release did not state how employees and providers will be impacted by the combination. Prairie Lakes has been named a Top 20 Rural Community Hospitals in the nation by the National Rural Health Association seven times since 2016. The most recent was in 2024. The healthcare system also has a history of expansion. Earlier this year it completed a new wellness depot in Castlewood. It also started a vault project to house an upgraded linear accelerator to treat cancer patients. The majority of hospitals in the state have fewer than 25 beds, according to the South Dakota Association of Healthcare Organizations. The state has 40 critical care hospitals in rural areas of the state, SDAHO said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Consolidation of health care systems in South Dakota is not new. The Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis reviewed consolidation trends in the 9th district from 2011 to 2020. Avera Health of Sioux Falls was one of three most active in consolidating with other hospitals. At the end of 2022, the Federal Reserve said, 28% of hospitals in the 9th District were independent. The market has become more dominated by chains, the Federal Reserve said. More mergers or closures could happen in the future as health industry experts point out pending cuts to Medicaid, rising costs and other issues. The Center for Healthcare and Quality Reform said four rural hospitals in the state are at risk of closing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Officials from Prairie Lakes and Sanford emphasized the maintaining of excellent care that will be ensured well into the future because of the combination agreement. Our partnership will ensure patients and community members continue to have access to world-class services and providers for generations, Andy Munce, president and CEO of Sanford Health, Sioux Falls region, said in a news release. Sanford said John Allen, Prairie Lakes Healthcare System president and CEO, will continue to lead the organization. Our system is now part of the nations leading nonprofit health system that is driving innovation and excellence in rural health care, Chris Carter, chairperson of the Prairie Lakes Healthcare System Board of Directors said in a news release. This partnership ensures that we will continue delivering exceptional, close-to-home care for years to come. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KELOLAND.com. The New York Times last year plastered a rather prophetic warning across the front page of its Sunday Opinion section, cautioning that the Republican Partys then-presidential nominee, Donald Trump, would follow through with some of his most troubling promises from the 2024 campaign trail. DONALD TRUMP SAYS HE WILL PROSECUTE HIS ENEMIES ORDER MASS DEPORTATIONS USE SOLDIERS AGAINST CITIZENS PLAY POLITICS WITH DISASTERS ABANDON ALLIES, the cover warned in all-capital letters. BELIEVE HIM. Politics: Government Shutdown Drags On As Key Elections Loom: Live Updates The headline was published last October, but went truly viral Wednesday after Victor Shi, a spokesperson for Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, shared a photo of the cover on X. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This was published one year ago, Shi wrote Wednesday. Everything is right. This was published one year ago. Everything is right. pic.twitter.com/eMeN6uekBx Victor Shi (@Victorshi2020) October 29, 2025 As of Friday, his post had garnered 87,000 likes and 1.5 million views. And we are only 10 months into this administration, Shi wrote in a separate post. They move fast. They break things. They have no regard for history or norms or laws. They want us to feel overwhelmed and weak, but we cant submit. We cant give up. Politics: Here Are The Major Takeaways And 1 Thing You Didn't See From Trump's '60 Minutes' Interview The Times warned only about threats Trump had publicly made himself, and theyve all come true since he took office for a second time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The MAGA leader launched mass deportations within a week of his inauguration. Hes built medieval detention centers, used masked immigration agents to snatch people off the street and defied federal judges by deporting migrants to prisons in South America all while deploying troops to quell purported bedlam in major U.S. cities. Trump has followed through with virtually every threat referenced by The New York Times. Alex Brandon/Associated Press Trump has certainly politicized disasters, using the wildfires that devastated parts of California in January as an opportunity to attack Democrats. He has also managed to jeopardize longstanding relationships with allied countries around the world, as the paper forewarned. His announcement of steep international tariffs in April sent markets into major upheaval, threatening a global recession or worse. Politics: New York Times Delivers Damning, 1-Paragraph Takedown On Donald Trump's Possible Return The Times had further alluded to potential political arrests during Trumps second term. In September, former FBI Director James Comey, who investigated possible collusion between Russia and Trumps first presidential campaign in 2016, was indicted on one count of making false statements and one count of obstruction of justice. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Shi pleaded Wednesday, Weve gotta stay together and sound the alarm constantly. Related... Read the original on HuffPost The News Provisional results from Tanzanias electoral commission showed President Samia Suluhu taking an early lead in the Oct. 29 polls, even as protests persisted over the blocking of opposition leaders from the ballot. Suluhu is expected to secure a five-year term but with credibility concerns lingering over the elections. International rights groups have criticized the electoral process which has been marred by low voter turnout, a night curfew and internet shutdown as protesters have taken to the streets of major cities for the third day since election day. At least four people have been killed since protests broke out in the commercial capital Dar es Salaam and later at the border town of Namanga, with the government shutting down internet access and police declaring a curfew. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Demonstrators are demanding the invalidation of the elections over the months-long detention of opposition leader Tundu Lissu, which kept him off the ballot. Many protestors rallied online on platforms including X Spaces after downloading VPNs to circumvent the shutdown. That kind of digital mobilization is part of the reason why the government chose to blanket block the internet access, Omar Said Shabaan, chief counsel of Tanzanian opposition party ACT Wazalendo, told Semafor. Shabaan told Semafor that the situation represented an erosion of trust in the ruling Chama Cha Mapinduzi (CCM) party and its leader Samia Suluhu whom he said were not ready to be challenged at the ballot. ACT Wazalendos presidential candidate Luhaga Mpina was also barred from the ballot following an objection from the attorney-general. Know More Protesters continue to organize online while access to major TV stations has also been cut off by authorities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In addition to Lissus release, some protesters are demanding the formation of a transitional government, constitutional changes and a free and fair election. Many of the protesters are frustrated Gen Z and younger millennial Tanzanians, drawing comparisons to the wave of unprecedented Gen Z protests in countries including Kenya, Madagascar and Morocco. The election chaos represents the culmination of an increasingly tarnished human rights record by Tanzania in recent months, with all eyes on international observers and countries following the polls. The detention of Lissu in April on incitement and treason charges fueled public uproar against the ruling party. The detention and torture of East African activists in Tanzania including Kenyas Boniface Mwangi and Ugandas Agatha Atuhairwe has also led to criticism of Suluhu including from global rights bodies. Martins view The election chaos in Tanzania is only but a symptom of the actual problem of a increasing assault on basic democratic freedoms and human rights in the country. This problem isnt unique to Tanzania but is prevalent across several countries in East Africa and beyond. Just this month large sections of voters were effectively disenfranchised as major opposition candidates in Cameroon and Cote dIvoire similarly failed to make it to the ballot. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Tanzania, the treatment of Lissu by the government has proven to be a step too far. Frustrated youth have ensured that the elections credibility will be questioned even when Suluhu is inevitably declared president, as will her legitimacy. Lissu, who was in 2017 shot several times and had to flee to exile, is arguably the most important figure in Tanzanian politics today. The big question now is whether Suluhu and CCM make concessions to opposition leaders and protesters in search of legitimacy, or engage in further repression against perceived opponents. The role of the international community as Tanzania plots a new future will also be worth watching. Notable Trump told reporters Oct. 31 on his way to Palm Beach that congressional Democrats were harming their own supporters. He said Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients are "largely Democrats," according to video posted on YouTube by the White House. "But I'm president, I want to help everybody. I want to help Democrats and Republicans. But when you're talking about SNAP, if you look, it's largely Democrats. They're hurting their own people," Trump said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The comments come as funding for food assistance runs out a month into a federal shutdown and could mark the first time federal food assistance is paused in the history of the program. While Republicans have blasted Democrats' opposition to passing a continuing resolution to open the federal government, Democrats have condemned the Trump administrations argument that it cannot use contingency funds to maintain SNAP benefits during the shutdown. Meanwhile, in court, two federal judges indicated in separate cases Oct. 31 that the administration will need to use contingency funds to pay for food assistance benefits in Michigan and other states. In a case Michigan was involved in, U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani said in an order that she was giving the U.S. Department of Agriculture until Monday, Nov. 3, to decide if it would pay reduced benefits under SNAP by using the contingency funds that are available or pay full benefits by using that and other funds as well. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a case brought in Rhode Island by city officials, churches and nonprofit organizations, U.S. District Court Chief Judge John McConnell Jr. ruled on Friday, Oct. 31 that food assistance benefits provided under SNAP are an entitlement under the law that must be paid. About 1.4 million Michiganders receive food assistance through SNAP. The U.S. Department of Agriculture informed Michigan and other states last week that it intended to pause food assistance payments under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, after Nov. 1. SNAP, formerly known as food stamps, is a federal program that provides benefits to low-income families to help them afford food. The program is regarded as the largest anti-hunger program in the country. As of May 2025, SNAP had nearly 42 million participants across the country. In Michigan, roughly 13% of households receive the benefits. Most people in the program are children, older adults and people with disabilities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At issue in the federal shutdown is the extension of health care subsidies. Republicans have said they want a short-term funding agreement; Democrats say they want Congress to extend health care subsidies, set to expire Dec. 31, for plans under the Affordable Care Act. Without that extension, premiums for those plans will increase. Is the federal shutdown affecting you? We'd love to connect. Reach out at votervoices@freepress.com. This story was updated with a White House source for Trump's comments. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: What President Trump has to say about pausing SNAP Prince Andrew's enemies are literally dancing in his grave! The disgraced Prince accuser's family is reportedly in celebration mode after news broke that he has been demoted to the rank of a commoner, without any royal titles. Prince Andrew was engulfed in a sexual assault controversy in 2021 when Virginia Giuffre dragged him to court for his sexual misconduct. She sadly died by suicide earlier in the year, leaving her family in so much distress. Prince Andrew Accuser's Family Lauded Her Heroic Deeds ZUMAPRESS.com / MEGA The late Giuffre's brother, Sky Roberts, and his wife, Amanda Roberts, had a rather emotional reaction to the news that Andrew had lost his royal titles. The duo appeared on BBC's Newsnight, where Sky proudly stated that her sister had taken down a prince despite her humble, normal background. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sky emphasized that the development meant so much to him, and Amanda added that Giuffre would have been beyond proud of what her case did to Andrew if she were alive. As reported by TMZ, Giuffre's former attorney, Sigrid McCawley, also reacted to the development, expressing that, "The voice of Virginia Giuffre has changed history. Her bravery, determination, and resilient spirit have led to this defining moment." He described the situation as a very valuable lesson, noting, "As we account for the tipping point significance of the King stripping the title 'Prince' from his brother Andrew, it should be a lesson for all to listen, hear, and believe survivors of abuse." Inside Prince Andrew's Shocking Demotion By The Royal Palace MEGA While there had been months of speculation about what fate awaited the prince, the timing was nothing short of jarring. As shared by The Blast, King Charles grabbed the bull by the horns and completely stripped Andrew of all his royal titles, honor, and even the Windsor home. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The process began on Thursday, when King Charles initiated a formal process to remove his status as a senior working royal, and he will now go by his ordinary name, Andrew Mountbatten Windsor. He will also lose the status of his honors, including the Order of the Garter and the Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order. Sources close to the palace affirmed that this removal was solely Charles's decision, without pressure or coercion from government officials or the palace itself. The decision came after months of meetings and the recent surge in public outrage over Andrew's friendship with the late Jeffrey Epstein. A 109-Word Long Statement Sealed Prince Andrew's Fate MEGA The statement, released on Thursday, correctly stated that the decision was taken directly and without emotion. The statement emphasized that their thoughts and utmost sympathies wholeheartedly remained with "the victims and survivors of any and all forms of abuse." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Andrew had reportedly also provided false information about the extent of his closeness with Epstein, insisting that he severed ties with him in 2010. Giuffre's memoir, in which she bared it all and delved deeper into his financial affairs, fueled even more outrage among the populace to the point that the palace felt the heat. The implosion in the palace was then dutifully controlled by the King, who approved the statement and the stern manner in which it was written. Most importantly, his 30-room Windsor lodge will no longer serve as his home, as the King reportedly made provision for him to get a much smaller residence on King's Sandringham Estate in Norfolk. King Charles Will Not Leave His Brother Without A Safety Net ZUMAPRESS.com / MEGA Despite this crucial step, The Blast noted that Charles reportedly still holds affection for his brother and will not leave him hanging. Most importantly, Charles is very aware of just how much he now needs to protect his brother from possible revenge missions from aggrieved folks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The King also felt a blow from his brothers actions as he got heckled on his way to a central cathedral on Monday by a passenger over Andrews connection to the late sexual offender. The bystander reportedly queried Charles outside Lichfield Cathedral in Staffordshire, England, seeking to know the extent of the royal palaces involvement in covering up Andrews tracks. However, the Kings sustained soft spot for his brother has drawn significant disapproval from his son and the future King of England, Prince William. He had earlier advised his father to take a very aggressive approach towards disassociating himself from the disgraced prince a long time ago. Prince Andrew's Apologists Alledgedly Fasttracked Virginia Giuffre's Suicide Instagram | Virginia Giuffre The late Giuffre, who was a sexual abuse activist herself before her death, reportedly experienced a lot of mental anguish. A source close to her explained that, ever since she came forward with her story about her experience with Andrew, she has been the target of extreme criticism. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I think for her, it was next level because of that, because of the Prince part in particular. I think that was tremendously hard. These kinds of battles, it feels like it's just always ongoing," her friend Annie Farmer claimed. "When I got the phone call, I was like, 'Are you joking?' Because there was no sign that that was something she was considering," Farmer concluded. Giuffre's attorney, Karrie Louden, also expressed her doubts over the activist's shocking suicide, stressing that she never showed any signs of wanting to take her life. Despite being in so much pain about her past, her lawyer claimed that she was very optimistic about the future and even had plans to renovate her home. NEED TO KNOW Prince Andrew's name has already been removed from the Roll of Peerage after Buckingham Palace announced on Oct. 30 that King Charles was stripping him of all royal titles Andrew is now known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor The action was the latest fallout from renewed scrutiny over the former prince's friendship with late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein Prince Andrew's name is already being removed from official documents after it was confirmed this week that he has been stripped of all his royal titles. Andrew, 65, will no longer be known as a prince or His Royal Highness among other titles, Buckingham Palace announced on Thursday, Oct. 30. Instead, he will be Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, marking an unprecedented move for the royal family. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The move is a continuation of the fallout from renewed scrutiny in Andrew's friendship with late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, who died in jail in 2019 while awaiting trial on federal conspiracy and sex trafficking charges. By the morning of Friday, Oct. 31, Andrew's name had already been removed from the Roll of the Peerage, which is "an officially compiled and maintained list, intended to contain the names of all living peers" who have "proved succession to an English, Scottish, Irish, Great Britain or United Kingdom Peerage," according to the College of Arms website. The Crown Office A photo of the first page of the Roll of the Peerage A photo of the first page of the Roll of the Peerage An older version of the Roll of the Peerage listed Andrew, formerly the Duke of York, under "York" and Prince Edward under "Wessex," but the latter is now the Duke of Edinburgh following the death of his father, Prince Philip, on April 9, 2021, per a screenshot shared by the Daily Mail. The page now ends with "Wales," listing Prince William, the Prince of Wales. The Crown Office Prince Andrew's name has been removed from the Roll of the Peerage Prince Andrew's name has been removed from the Roll of the Peerage The update comes after Buckingham Palace said in a statement on Thursday, "His Majesty has today initiated a formal process to remove the Style, Titles and Honours of Prince Andrew. Prince Andrew will now be known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Andrew was a prince and had the styling of His Royal Highness since birth as the son of the then-reigning monarch Queen Elizabeth. He was given the title of Duke of York (what he was widely known as), as well as Earl of Inverness and Baron Killyleagh, by his late mother on his wedding day to Sarah Ferguson in 1986. The honors affected are Andrews Order of the Garter and Knight Grand Cross of the Victorian Order. Andrew will also be moving out of the Royal Lodge in Windsor, where he has lived since 2003. PEOPLE understands that the disgraced royal will relocate to a property on the private Sandringham estate, though no details have been disclosed. Any future accommodation will be privately funded by King Charles. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "His lease on Royal Lodge has, to date, provided him with legal protection to continue in residence. Formal notice has now been served to surrender the lease, and he will move to alternative private accommodation. These censures are deemed necessary, notwithstanding the fact that he continues to deny the allegations against him," the palace said in Thursday's statement. "Their Majesties wish to make clear that their thoughts and utmost sympathies have been, and will remain with, the victims and survivors of any and all forms of abuse," the statement concluded. Max Mumby/Indigo/Getty Prince Andrew Prince Andrew PEOPLE understands it was King Charles' decision to remove Andrew's titles and honors, and he is using his Royal Prerogative, which allows him to manage certain royal titles and honors without involving Parliament. Consequences for Andrew have been coming at a slow trickle for more than a decade, culminating in this ultimate royal eviction. In 2008, Epstein pleaded guilty to soliciting sex from a minor. At that time, his friendship with Andrew was well-documented, and the two had been photographed together at President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Then, in 2015, Andrew who has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing was named in a lawsuit against Epstein filed by noted survivor Virginia Giuffre, alleging that she was sex trafficked to the former prince when she was 17 and had three sexual encounters with him. Andrew stepped back from his duties as a working royal in November 2019, following a scrutinized interview with BBC's Newsnight about his alleged ties to Epstein. Then, in January 2022, Queen Elizabeth stripped her second son of his military titles and patronages after he attempted to have Giuffre's sexual assault lawsuit against him dismissed. The following month, he settled with Giuffre who died by suicide on April 24 of this year at the age of 41 out of court for an undisclosed sum. 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! On Oct. 17 of this year, Andrew then announced he would give up the use of his royal titles and other titles and honors amid renewed interest in his relationship to Epstein ahead of the release of Giuffre's posthumous memoir, Nobody's Girl. In the book, Giuffre wrote that Andrew believed having sex with me was his birthright, describing three occasions Epstein allegedly arranged for them to meet. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The last time a member of the British royal family was formally stripped of a title was with Prince Ernest Augustus, Duke of Cumberland and Teviotdale (a German-born British prince) under the Titles Deprivation Act 1917, when his British titles were removed after he swore allegiance to Germany during World War I. Read the original article on People A fortnight ago, he was Prince Andrew, Duke of York, Earl of Inverness and Baron Killyleagh, Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order, Royal Knight Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter. Now, he is simply Andrew Mountbatten Windsor. On Thursday night, Buckingham Palace announced that King Charles III had started a process to strip his brother of his titles and honors and evict him from the royal estate at Windsor, capping Andrews fall from grace over his ties to the convicted sexual predator Jeffrey Epstein. By the next morning, Andrews name had already been removed from the official role of the peerage a crucial step in the formal scrapping of his titles. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While the royal family hopes this move can draw a line under this years-long scandal, questions are swirling about where Andrew, 65, will live, whether he could yet face more legal troubles and whether his banishment will appease the British public. Here, we answer some of those. Where will Andrew sleep tonight? Most likely in Royal Lodge, the grand 30-room mansion in Windsor Great Park, west of London, which has been Andrews home since 2003. The late Queen Elizabeth II granted Andrew, the third of her four children, the right to live in the lodge, and his 75-year lease was due to expire in 2078. But in its Thursday night statement, Buckingham Palace said Andrew had been served formal notice to surrender his lease and that he would move to alternative private accommodation. It is understood that he will move as soon as is practicable. Andrew has lived in Royal Lodge near Windsor, England, since 2003. - Star Max/AP Where will he live in the future? Royal sources have told CNN that Andrew will be given a house on the Kings private estate in Sandringham, Norfolk. That vast estate on Englands eastern coast is home to some 150 properties. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It is also where the royal family spends Christmas. Before the Thursday night announcement, Andrew had already been told he would not be welcome at the country retreat over the holidays, a royal source had said. Andrew might not move to Sandringham until after the Christmas holidays, another source said, because giving notice, surrendering the lease and orchestrating the move is expected to take some time. Will he receive an income? Yes, but we dont know how much. After he stepped back from public duties following his disastrous 2019 interview with BBC Newsnight, Andrew was thought to receive an annual allowance of about 1 million ($1.3 million) from the late Queen, according to British media reports. Those payments initially continued under Charles, the reports said, but it is understood that the King had stopped providing the allowance. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Despite now being stripped of his prince title, CNN understands that Andrew will still receive an income from Charles. Andrews finances have always been something of a mystery. His only source of income that has been declared is the pension he receives from his time in the navy between 1979 and 2001, said to amount to 20,000 ($26,000) a year. Andrew and King Charles III leave following a funeral service for the late Katharine, Duchess of Kent, at Westminster Cathedral in London on September 16. - Adrian Dennis/AFP/Getty Images Is he still in the line of succession? Andrew may have lost his titles, status and honors but he is still eighth in line to the British throne. There is a process to formally remove him from the line of succession by legislation, but it would take time as it requires the consent of Commonwealth nations around the world. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The last time this protocol was invoked was in 1936 with the abdication of Edward VIII. What will happen to his family? Andrew and Sarah Ferguson divorced in 1996 but have lived together at Royal Lodge in Windsor since 2008. His ex-wife reverted to her maiden name earlier this month when Andrew relinquished the use of his royal titles, including Duke of York. She is also moving out of Royal Lodge and make her own living arrangements. It is understood that she will not be joining Andrew when he moves to Sandringham. Their daughters, Princess Beatrice, 37, and Princess Eugenie, 35, are non-working royals and will retain their titles as daughters of the son of a sovereign, in line with a directive issued by King George V in 1917. Beatrice lives with her husband in the Cotswolds, about 100 miles from London, but has an apartment at St. Jamess Palace in the capital. Eugenie and her husband have a cottage in the grounds of Kensington Palace but spend a lot of time abroad. Their living situations will not be affected by their fathers exile. Prince Beatrice, left, Sarah Ferguson, center, and Princess Eugenie, right, at a gala in London in 2023. - Dave Benett/Getty Images Could he be hauled in front of parliament? The Liberal Democrats, an opposition party, have lately called for Andrew to give evidence to a parliamentary committee about his finances and potential rent paid to live in Royal Lodge. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So far, the government of Prime Minister Keir Starmer has refused to give members of parliament time to debate Andrews finances, despite public outcry for proper scrutiny. This week, Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, a Conservative lawmaker and chair of the Public Accounts Committee, wrote to the Crown Estate Commissioners seeking more information on Andrews lease arrangements for Royal Lodge. That committee is responsible for upholding best value for taxpayers money, Clifton-Brown wrote, and as such we feel it is reasonable to seek further information on the status of, and rationale for, the lease of Royal Lodge. Might he face further legal challenges? Potentially. Republic, an activist group seeking to abolish the monarchy, says it is pursuing a private prosecution of Andrew because if the government and police wont hold him to account, we will. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The group says it has instructed lawyers to investigate and, if appropriate, begin a private prosecution over allegations of sexual offenses and misconduct in public office. Virginia Giuffre, a prominent accuser of Epstein and his circle, alleged that Andrew had sex with her three times when she was a teenager. In her recent memoir, published posthumously, Giuffre wrote that Andrew believed that having sex with me was his birthright. Despite claiming never to have met her, Andrew reportedly paid millions of dollars to Giuffre in 2022 to settle a civil case she brought against him. He has repeatedly denied all allegations against him. Giuffre died by suicide in April. On Thursday, Sky and Amanda Roberts, Giuffres brother and sister-in-law, told CNN that Giuffre would have been joyous to know that Andrew had been stripped of the title that helped shield him from accountability. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I think she would be proud, and I think she would turn to her children and say, I did it. I got the bad guy, said Amanda Roberts. Will this be enough for the British public? Its hard to say. Andrew is deeply unpopular with the British public. In a poll published Thursday by YouGov, 91% of Britons had a negative opinion of Andrew. Just 4% had a positive one. By contrast, Britons generally like Prince William (76%) and Charles (62%), and overall have a positive view of the monarchy as an institution (56%). If Andrews fall from grace began in earnest after his 2019 BBC Newsnight interview, the royal family have repeatedly tried to draw a line under the scandal first by Andrews withdrawing from public life, then by removing his military titles and patronages, later cutting him off financially, then by his relinquishing some of his titles and now by the King casting him out of the palace for good as a pariah. None of the measures have quelled the public outcry. It remains to be seen whether this time will be different. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Perhaps the Andrew scandal has roiled on for so long because, for the public, his punishments do not seem proportionate to the allegations that he faces. While the loss of his titles and favored residence may be a personal tragedy for Andrew, it elicits little sympathy from a public demanding proper accountability. It doesnt matter if hes Prince Andrew or Andrew Mountbatten Windsor were still pursuing a private prosecution of him, said Republic, the activist group. CNNs Max Foster and Lauren Kent contributed to this report. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Prince William supported King Charles' decision to strip Andrew Mountbatten Windsor of his title. Sources say William is "running the monarchy" from the shadows and "personally approved" the palace's statement. Andrew has had all his titles removed, and is being forced to leave the Royal Lodge. Buckingham Palace dropped an explosive statement last night, announcing that Andrew Mountbatten Windsor was beingat long lastevicted from The Royal Lodge and having his "prince" title formally stripped. And apparently Prince William was fully supportive of the decisionand maybe even had something to do with it being pushed through. ITV's Chris Ship tweeted, "We understand that the Prince of Wales, fully supports his fathers actions against Williams Uncle Andrew" on October 30, adding, "The Kings decisions have the support of the wider Royal Family, sources say." We understand that the Prince of Wales, fully supports his fathers actions against Williams Uncle Andrew. The Kings decisions have the support of the wider Royal Family, sources say. Chris Ship (@chrisshipitv) October 30, 2025 Meanwhile, Rob Shuter's #ShuterScoop claims, "Prince William is running the monarchy from the shadows" and that insiders say he "personally approved" removing Andrews title and that "every syllable of the statement carried Williams fingerprints." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "This was fast, brutal, and deliberate," one source said. "William wanted no debate. No appeals. No loopholes. He pushed it through." That said, another source told the Daily Mail, "The Royal Family, including the Prince of Wales, fully support the King's leadership on this matter. These decisions have been the King's, with the support of the wider family. The process has been under way for some while, but there was a need to get it right in the face of some very big challenges." Read the palace's statement below: "His Majesty has today initiated a formal process to remove the Style, Titles and Honours of Prince Andrew. Prince Andrew will now be known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor. His lease on Royal Lodge has, to date, provided him with legal protection to continue in residence. Formal notice has now been served to surrender the lease and he will move to alternative private accommodation. These censures are deemed necessary, not withstanding the fact that he continues to deny the allegations against him." You Might Also Like As the man formerly known as Prince Andrew weathered a weeklong flurry of negative headlines that ended with him being stripped of his prince title and being evicted from his longtime home on Thursday, October 30, his daughters, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie, werent there to comfort him. Beatrice, 37, was spotted at the Ritz Carlton in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in a Tuesday, October 28 Instagram post. According to Page Six, Beatrice, who is married to British property tycoon Edoardo Mapelli Mozzi, was there to attend the three-day Future Investment Initiative conference. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, her sister, Eugenie, 35, posed for an Instagram photo in Paris posted on Sunday, October 26. Despite their fathers fall from grace and their mother, Sarah Fergie Fergusons loss of her royal status both women will remain princesses. As Examiner previously reported, the publication of sex-trafficking victim Virginia Giuffre, who claims Andrew, 65, had sex with her when she was a minor, fueled renewed scrutiny of Andrews connection with late convicted pedophile Jeffrey Epstein. I vigorously deny the accusations against me, Andrew said, even as he renounced his titles on Friday, October 17. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But the backlash continued after it was revealed that he only pays a peppercorn of rent every year to live in his Royal Lodge mansion. Reports emerged on Tuesday, October 28 that Prince William had threatened to take away Beatrice and Eugenies titles in an effort to force Andrew out of the Crown-owned mansion. And on October 30, an anti-monarchy group in the U.K. announced plans to push for a private investigation into allegations of sexual assault, corruption and misconduct in office against Andrew. Hours later, Buckingham Palace announced that King Charles III had decreed that Andrew would no longer be a prince, and that he had been asked to leave the Royal Lodge. This story Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie Left the Country Amid Their Father Prince Andrews Downfall first appeared on National Examiner. Add National Examiner as a Preferred Source by clicking here. ILLINOIS (WCIA) Without a budget agreement, millions in Illinois will lose SNAP benefits this weekend. The state is stepping up to assist food banks but lawmakers say they need long term solutions if they cant depend on the federal government for help. The ongoing government shut down is quickly turning into a worst case scenario for thousands of Central Illinois families. Illinois lawmakers race to get bills passed before veto session ends Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In my district, we have students and families over 14,000 people receiving snap benefits. Thousands of people just in Champaign-Urbana alone will go hungry because of a deliberate shutdown, Illinois House Representative Carol Ammons said. Senators in Washington D.C. were unable to pass a continuing resolution, meaning funds will likely run out by Saturday. Earlier this month, Governor JB Pritzker hinted that the state had some options to help in the short term if snap shuts down. On Thursday Pritzker unveiled his plan. Were using whatever methods we have to feed people, and thats to support pantries, to support organizations out there that are providing meals for people, Pritzker said. Pritzkers new executive order will provide $20 million in funding directly to food banks. He is also ordering state agencies to start surveying grocers and hosting listening sessions to find out what other logistical support it can provide. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some at the capitol think the state needs to be thinking farther ahead. We should not succumb to the federal cuts on SNAP. We should not succumb to the shutdown. We should be following what Mayor Brandon Johnson has said in Chicago and other leaders across the state to demand that the rich pay their fair share and help the most vulnerable in our state at this time, said Ammons who was joined by other concerned colleagues at a press conference on Thursday. Illinois opens state-based insurance marketplace Get Covered Illinois A group of lawmakers representing Central Illinois and the Chicago area argue now is the time for the state to adopt a more progressive tax structure. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They want higher taxes on the wealthiest individuals and corporations to help fund state support systems that could take the place of programs like snap. But they say those discussions are long term. In the short term Congress needs to reopen the government to avoid a crisis. If that doesnt happen, they say Pritzker needs to consider providing even more funding to food banks and hungry families. We have had, what, nine credit upgrades, ten, ten, ten now. We do also have reserves. And im asking the governor to step in, not just with the food banks, but we may have to utilize those reserves to protect the people of Illinois. And we are willing to do that, said Ammons. Both Pritzker and lawmakers warn that even with additional funding, food banks cannot make up the ground lost in SNAP benefits. The say this assistance is only a short term solution until the government can be re-opened. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WCIA.com. Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the public gathering at the Rashtriya Ekta Diwas with the slogans "Sardar Patel Amar Rahen" in Ekta Nagar on Friday. While speaking at the event, he said that the day reminds us of Sardar Patel's unmatched dedication to national unity and integration. "We all are witnessing a historic moment today...We can feel the power of determination of the new India with several Unity for Runs being held nationwide..." he said. Speaking at the event, the Prime Minister took a jibe at the Congress government during the years after Sardar Patel's demise and said, "Unfortunately, in the years following Sardar Sahib's death, the governments of the time lacked the same seriousness regarding the nation's sovereignty. On the one hand, the mistakes made on Kashmir, on the other, the problems arising in the Northeast, and the spread of Naxalism and Maoist terrorism across the country were direct challenges to the nation's sovereignty. But instead of following Sardar Sahib's policies, the governments of that era chose a spineless approach. The country suffered the consequences in the form of violence and bloodshed..." "Sardar Sahib wanted the entire Kashmir to be united, just as he had united other princely states. But Nehru ji prevented his wish from being fulfilled. Kashmir was divided with a separate constitution and a separate flag. The country burned in the fire of the Congress's mistake on Kashmir for decades. Due to Congress's weak policies, a part of Kashmir fell under the illegal occupation of Pakistan. Pakistan fostered terrorism. Kashmir and the country had to pay such a heavy price, yet Congress always bowed before terrorism. Congress forgot Sardar Saheb's vision, but we did not," PM Modi added. PM Modi also appreciated the performances held during the Rashtriya Ekta Diwas, "The programs carried the traditions of the past, hard work of the present, and the glimpse of future accomplishments..." The Prime Minister announced that a commemorative coin and a special postal stamp have also been launched in honour of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on the occasion of his 150th anniversary. Hailing the late leader, the PM said, "Sardar Patel wrote history with the policies he created and the decisions he took. After Independence, Sardar Patel accomplished the seemingly impossible task of uniting over 550 princely states. For him, the vision of 'Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat' was paramount..." PM Modi stressed that the countrymen must fight against every thought or action that weakens the nation. T"oday, crores of people took the oath of unity. We have resolved that we will promote such actions that strengthen the unity of the nation...Every thought or action that weakens the unity of our nation must be shunned by every citizen. This is the need of the hour for our country..." he said. The Prime Minister asserted "Bharat ghar me ghus kar maarta hai" as he recalled the Operation Sindoor. "By breaking the shackles of Article 370, Kashmir has today joined the mainstream. Today, even Pakistan and the masterminds of terrorism have realised the true power of this country. During Operation Sindoor, the entire world saw that if anyone dares to raise an eyebrow towards India, "Bharat ghar mein ghus kar maarta hai," he stated. Sardar Patel was born on October 31, 1875, in Nandia, Gujarat. Also known as the "Iron Man of India," he was the nation's first Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister. He is widely recognised for his pivotal role in the integration of over 560 princely states and the Indian Union after Independence. His leadership ensured that India emerged as a unified and dignified nation during the direst time. (ANI) Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker has signed an executive order direct $20 million toward food banks to mitigate the impact of the anticipated stoppage of federal funding for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits on Nov. 1 due to the government shutdown. The Trump Administration wants to let tens of millions of Americans go hungry, a failure in leadership and abdication of our responsibility as Americans to take care of each other, Pritzker said in a news release. Illinois families, kids, seniors, and people with disabilities will now go without food benefits because President Trump wants to use food assistance as a political bargaining chip. I am directing the state government to work together with food banks, local grocers, and other community organizations and help provide some relief to Illinoisans as the federal government tears apart decades-long food assistance support. More than 1.8 million Illinois residents receive about $350 million in SNAP benefits per month. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During this time of unprecedented need, we are profoundly grateful for the states leadership and swift action to provide additional funding for our food bank network in response to the intolerable gap in SNAP benefits, said Steve Ericson, Executive Director of Feeding Illinois. Food banks cannot replace SNAP, but this support will help ensure our Illinois families and individuals facing hunger have access to the healthy, nourishing food they need to carry them through these challenging times and beyond. More: Mayor's Hunger Luncheon raises funds to feed Rockford residents as SNAP benefits disappear The state's $20 million will go toward funding for seven food banks that support more than 2,600 food pantries across Illinois. The funding includes $10 million from the Budget Reserve for Immediate Disbursements and Governmental Emergencies Fund and $10 million from the Illinois Department of Human Services. Illinois residents who have the means are encouraged to support the state's food bank system at this time with a donation to feedingillinois.org/. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The executive order also calls for statewide listening sessions to hear from residents, food banks, pantries, farmers and community organizations and further statewide study on food insecurity, food deserts, nutrition education and outreach. Corina Curry is the editor of the Rockford Register Star. This article originally appeared on Rockford Register Star: Pritzker directs $20M in emergency funds to Illinois food banks This story was originally published on MyNorthwest.com Alaska Airlines is bringing in an outside party to review its IT systems after three major incidents in just over three months. In a statement, the airline said its engaged Accenture, a leading global information technology and management consulting firm. This comes after a Microsoft Azure Cloud outage knocked out the airlines online services on Wednesday, causing delays. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Just the week before, some flights had to be canceled when problems at the airlines primary data center forced it to ground its fleet for hours. A critical hardware failure at the data center in July also caused an hours-long ground stop and canceled flights. During one of the ground stops, a stranded passenger told KIRO 7 TV, We spent more time waiting in line to try and figure out our canceled flight than it took to fly from China to Seattle. The airline said its work with Accenture will include a top-to-bottom review and assessment of Alaskas technology systems. The airline promised to implement recommendations quickly. Read more of Heather Boschs stories here. NEED TO KNOW American University Professor Sue Marcum, 52, was a mentor to many and became close to her yoga teacher, Jorge Rueda Landeros, Montgomery County, Md., prosecutors said Marcum trusted Landeros, 55, so much that the two began investing her money together Over time, however, she became concerned with how he was handling her money, since she lost $312,000 while he gained $252,000, prosecutors said An accounting professor at American University was found dead in her Maryland home in 2010 and now the yoga teacher she came to trust has been found guilty of murdering her. On Thursday, Oct. 30, a jury found Jorge Rueda Landeros, 55, guilty of second-degree murder in the death of Sue Ann Marcum, 52, of Bethesda, according to a news advisory from the Montgomery County States Attorneys Office. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Landeros was Marcums yoga instructor who also taught her Spanish, prosecutors said. Over time, they developed a personal and financial relationship, according to the arrest warrant obtained by PEOPLE. She came to trust him so much that the two made joint investments with her money to his advantage, prosecutors alleged. Over the course of approximately two years, Marcum lost $312,000 while Rueda Landeros gained a total of $252,000 from her, the states attorneys office said in the advisory. He ended up being named the sole beneficiary of a $500,000 life insurance policy in the event of Marcums death, prosecutors said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As time went on, however, Marcum grew increasingly concerned and uneasy about the way Landeros was handling and spending the monies that had been in the brokerage account, according to the warrant. Marcum spoke about not being able to sleep because she was so troubled by what was going on, investigators wrote in the warrant. Making myself sick trying to figure out how to pay the mortgage, she wrote in one email in which she asked Landeros to return the money, prosecutors told jurors. I dont know how I allowed myself to get into this mess Im in, she wrote in another email. I just want out of the whole situation." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Shortly after, on Oct. 25, 2010, Marcum was found dead in her home on Massachusetts Ave. in Bethesda. Her cause of death was determined to be blunt force trauma and asphyxiation, the medical examiner found. It didnt take long for investigators to zero in on Landeros as a suspect. Detectives learned that Landeros had a personal and financial relationship with Marcum and determined that following the homicide, he fled to Mexico, or Central America, per the states attorneys office. On April 15, 2011, evidence collected from the crime scene identified Landeros as a suspect. Detectives obtained an arrest warrant and charged him with first-degree murder, though he remained on the run. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Landeros was on the FBIs Most Wanted list until December 2022, when the FBIs Baltimore Field Office received information that Landeros was likely living in Guadalajara, Jalisco, where he worked as a yoga instructor under the name Leon Ferrara, the states attorneys office said. On Dec. 13, 2022, Landeros was taken into custody. In July 2023, he was extradited to Montgomery County, Md., where he was held without bond. He was charged with first-degree murder and unlawful flight. During the trial, prosecutors told jurors that Marcum had become enamored with Landeros, according to Bethesda Magazine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jorge Landeros is a master manipulator, Assistant States Attorney Debbie Feinstein said in her closing statement to the jury Wednesday, the Washington Post reports. He preyed upon Sue Marcums caring nature, and he used her for his own gain. And when she had nothing left to give her, he killed her. 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. Landeros attacked Marcum after a confrontation then staged the scene to look like a burglary, prosecutors said, WTOP reports. His attorneys told jurors the murder was the result of a burglary gone wrong, per the outlet. Landeros faces up to 30 years in prison for the second-degree murder charge. Hes scheduled to return to court for sentencing on Feb. 6, 2026. Read the original article on People Quyen Dinh didnt even remember that, in 2024, she was selected as one of 23 appointees to the Census 2030 Advisory Committee. The group has been disbanded since March by order of President Donald Trump, eradicating professional expertise from the planning of the decennial census. Dinh had also been involved, through her role as executive director of the Southeast Asia Resource Action Center, in giving feedback and helping shape the first update to how the federal government collects race and ethnicity data in nearly 30 years. Called Statistical Policy Directive 15, or SPD 15, the Office of Management and Budgets new survey question for race and ethnicity were announced by President Joe Bidens executive branch, in March 2024, and were designed to more accurately capture respondents racial and ethnic identities. Since the Census Bureau adapts the OMBs standards for race and ethnicity data, the updated language would have been integrated into the 2030 Census, allowing for a more accurate count of the United States diversifying population But conservative activists swiftly targeted SPD 15, and the Trump administration has slow-rolled the initiative. The failure to adopt SPD 15 ahead of the 2030 Census potentially coupled with a high-stakes Supreme Court case that threatens to dilute the power of minority voters and a Trump-led redistricting frenzy that may create a slew of new Republican districts across the U.S. risks significantly further diminishing the political and economic power of non-white voters, experts tell TPM. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Trump Administrations delay in implementing SPD 15 is the latest in its efforts to undermine the accuracy and utility of our nations nonpartisan data and this is troubling, Marina Jenkins, executive director at the National Redistricting Foundation, a good government group, told TPM in an email. It is not a coincidence that this delay is happening at a time when Republicans across the country are working overtime to pass gerrymanders that silence millions of voters, particularly voters of color. What Is SPD 15 Supposed to Do? SPD 15 was intended to be an update to the way the agencies across the federal government collect standardized race and ethnicity data, helping researchers and policymakers better understand the ethnic makeup of communities, to cultivate more effective policy, and to facilitate more targeted resource allocation. When the Census 2030 Advisory Committee was still intact and when I was still a member of the committee, there was a lot of support from the Census Bureau for SPD 15, Dinh told TPM. But President Donald Trumps second administration has been decidedly hostile toward such measures of diversity. It has removed demographic information like race and gender from official statistics. It has wiped race and ethnicity data from a public database showing the demographics of federal employees. And it has called on the federal government and government contractors to ignore information on racial equity in hiring, revoking equity-focused executive orders dating back decades. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement SPD 15 appears to be another target. Under the directive, federal departments and agencies were initially supposed to have their action plans for policys implementation done by last month; they will now have until March 2026, according to the OMB website. All federal race and ethnicity data collections were initially supposed to be consistent with the updated standards by March 2029, but that deadline has been pushed to September 2029, well after the 2030 Census process is set to begin. The U.S. Census Bureau did not return a request for comment on whether SPD 15 would be deployed in time for the 2030 Census. OMB and the White House also did not return TPM requests for comment. Our communities have been here for 50 years, said Dinh of the Southeast Asian community specifically. But even now, she continued, We see that our communities are now facing intergenerational poverty, she continued. Were seeing intergenerational inequity in terms of educational attainment. SPD 15 was created to address those kinds of issues, allowing for more targeted government policy and for more fine-grained publicly available data used by researchers and community groups. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The delay of SPD 15 means we dont have access to realtime data, Dinh said, that can really save lives right now. Inaccurate Race and Ethnicity Date Could Have a Big Impact on Political Representation The delayed implementation of SPD 15 also coincides with the GOPs latest efforts to engage in hyper-partisan gerrymandering. And while its not entirely clear what implications the directive, or its delay, will have on the way in which districts are drawn post-census, advocates are raising the alarm because of Trump and the GOPs frequent use of race and ethnicity data to further their political aims, including through racial gerrymandering. At Trumps direction, state legislatures are aggressively pursuing new Republican-friendly political maps in red states ahead of the 2026 midterms. At the same time, the Supreme Court appears poised to overturn Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, which has historically prevented the dilution of the collective electoral power of racial minorities. That outcome would likely allow Republicans to pick up at least 19 more seats in the U.S. House, according to one analysis. It would also make it more challenging for both the federal government and voting rights groups to challenge alleged racial gerrymanders. Because of the role race plays in redistricting considerations, delaying the implementation of best-practice race and ethnicity data collection will muddy the information available about majority-minority areas which also tend to support Democrats when it next comes time to draw political maps. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Census data, which includes SPD 15, is a huge determinant in how voting districts are drawn and, beyond just how the districts are drawn, that census data is critical in determining how federal funds are distributed, said Gaby Goldstein, founder of State Futures, a policy organization focused on state government. Dinh sees the delayed implementation of SPD 15 as potentially of a piece with a long term effort to chip away and potentially impact the 2030 Census. Its certainly possible that the administration is trying to delay the release of detailed data about racial communities that could hinder their redistricting in Republican states, she told TPM. A Conservative Assault on the Census The campaign for updates to federal race and ethnicity survey standards initially began under President Barack Obamas administration in 2016, but stalled in 2017 after Trump in his first administration delayed consideration of the changes indefinitely. The updates were renewed under Biden, prompted in part by the 2020 Census results, which saw members of many communities start writing in their ethnicities: Cambodian, Laotian, Haitian, Armenian, Israeli. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The huge uptick in additional ethnic identification responses were a huge sign that the forms werent giving people the ability to identify themselves in the way they view themselves, Meeta Anand, director for census and data equity at the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights. By June 2022, OMB announced its intention to revise the federal race and ethnicity data collection protocol. Initial revisions were published the following January and finalized by March 2024. They were the result, according to an OMB webpage about the policy, of 20,000 public comments, 94 listening sessions, three townhalls, a tribal consultation and the contributions of government staff from 35 agencies. The new rule combines race and ethnicity survey questions into one prompt, and encourages respondents to select every option they use to self-identify, writing in additional ethnicity categories if necessary. For example, a Hispanic American could self-identify as Dominican, Guatemalan, or Spanish. It also adds a Middle Eastern or North African racial category. With the new standards, what we do anticipate seeing is less people selecting some other race so you are more able to have a clearer understanding of the underlying demographies of districts, said Anand. And to have that clearer picture of the congregations and concentrations of race and ethnicities without having that more loose category muddying up the data. Americas increasing racial diversity has heavily influenced redistricting across the country. Though theres been a decrease in majority-Black districts, Latino and Asian-American voters have seen increased representation, according to a 2023 analysis from the now-defunct publication FiveThirtyEight. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement SPD 15 is something we can and should and need to be doing to avoid a situation in which communities may be undercounted and continue to remain historically invisible, said Goldstein. The goal of SPD 15 is to change the course of history, where communities have been invisible, for political representation and in terms of resource allocation. But Project 2025, the sweeping Heritage Foundation policy initiative thats guiding many aspects of Trumps second administration, directly targeted SPD 15 for review. A new conservative Administration should take control of this process and thoroughly review any changes, the documents authors said of the directive revisions. There are concerns among conservatives that the data under Biden Administration proposals could be skewed to bolster progressive political agendas. The Trump team appears to be taking this advice to heart at the same time it is seeking to diminish minority communities political and economic power in other ways. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Typically, redistricting is done every 10 years based on the results of the decennial census. But this administration is pushing states to engage in unprecedented mid-cycle redistricting now, while also delaying the implementation of SPD 15. That, in turn, could impact the 2030 census results, which could fail to capture the true diversity of Americas communities, and therefore impact how new maps are drawn in response. In August, Trump said congressional Republicans are entitled to five more seats, in Texas, kicking off a monthslong tit-for-tat thats seen Democrats organizing around partisan map redrawing to counter new, pro-Republican maps. Red states like Texas, Missouri and Indiana are adapting new GOP-friendly maps, while California, Virginia and other blue states are attempting to alter their own maps in response. None of this bodes well for fair representation of minority voters, Sara Rohani, assistant counsel at the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, noting that Black people are historically undercounted in the census. Fair political representation, access to government services, and effective enforcement of civil rights laws, said Rohani, who participated in a case challenging Louisianas congressional map for anti-Black racial bias, all depend on this accurate census count. In San Bernardino County, early voting is underway at a brisk pace for California's Nov. 4 Proposition 50 special election. The ballot measure puts forth a redrawn congressional map that could net Democrats five House seats. Introduced by Gov. Gavin Newsom and passed by the state legislature in August, the proposed map could give Democrats the opportunity to flip five Republican-held seats. Prop 50 came in retaliation to Texas' mid-decade redistricting, where Republican-friendly maps passed into law this summer could net the GOP five House seats. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "It had to happen very quickly," said San Bernardino County Registrar of Voters Joani Finwall. "What normally we take three or four months to put together, we had to do in about a month and a half. The most important thing was to find our polling locations and to have those set. "We did all of the same work on a much expedited time frame," Finwall said. " But we're ready." As of Thursday, according to the county registrar's office, at least 18% of ballots that were sent out have already been cast by voters. In San Bernardino County, voters can visit any of the six early voting locations listed below to vote early or to drop off a completed and unsealed mail ballot: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement San Bernardino County Registrar of Voters Office, 777 E. Rialto Ave., San Bernardino Monday - Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 1, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 4, from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Closed Sunday, Nov. 2 Town of Apple Valley Recreation Center, 14955 Dale Evans Pkwy., Apple Valley Thursday - Monday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 4, from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Closed Sunday, Nov. 2 Here's everything to know about Prop 50 and how it could impact which party retains control of Congress in 2026. Joshua Tree Community Center, 6171 Sunburst St., Joshua Tree Thursday - Monday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 4, from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Closed Sunday, Nov. 2 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fontana Lewis Library & Technology Center, 8437 Sierra Ave., Fontana Thursday - Monday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 4, from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Closed Sunday, Nov. 2 Ontario Conference Center, 1947 E. Convention Center Way, Ontario Thursday - Monday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 4, from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Closed Sunday, Nov. 2 Victorville City Hall, 14343 Civic Dr., Victorville Thursday - Monday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 4, from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Closed Sunday, Nov. 2 Congressional district lines are normally redrawn each decade after the U.S. Census. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Newsom, considered a possible 2028 presidential candidate, has championed Prop 50 as an opportunity to "fight back" against Trump, who pushed Texas' redistricting efforts, and the ballot measure could raise his national profile. Prominent political figures have joined forces with Newsom and thrown their support behind the ballot initiative, including former President Barack Obama, who rallied alongside the governor to champion the measure. In addition, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., and Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., cutting ads in favor of it. California was the first Democratic state to enter the redistricting battle, with Virginia Democrats following suit last week and announcing plans to attempt to redraw maps as well. On Wednesday, the Virginia House of Delegates passed a constitutional amendment on redrawing congressional maps, according to ABC affiliate WRIC, and the measure now moves to state Senate review. Following Texas, other Republican-controlled states have also entered the redistricting battle -- Missouri and North Carolina have adopted new maps, while Utah and Indiana are in the process of redrawing theirs. Some Democrats in Maryland and Illinois have called for their states to redistrict, but not all leaders have bought in. Earlier on Wednesday, the Maryland state Senate chose "not to move forward" with mid-decade redistricting, according to a letter obtained by ABC News. Sen. Donnie Chesteen, R-Geneva, listens to a debate in the Alabama Senate on March 18, 2025 in Montgomery, Alabama. Chesteen is sponsoring a constitutional amendment for the 2026 Legislative session that would require state office holders to be natural born citizens of the U.S.(Alander Rocha/Alabama Reflector) An amendment filed for the 2026 session would ban naturalized citizens from holding many political offices in the state. SB 21, sponsored by Sen. Donnie Chesteen, R-Geneva, would require candidates for most political offices to be natural born citizens of the United States. Those offices include governor and lieutenant governor; state legislators, civil and criminal judges, attorney general and secretary of state, and local sheriffs and district attorneys. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Chesteen said in an interview Thursday that he is not worried about constitutional challenges, despite the Fourteenth Amendment guaranteeing equal protection to all citizens, naturalized and native-born. The language in the bill speaks for what its trying to accomplish, Chesteen said. I dont want to make this anything more complicated than it is. According to the American Immigration Council, about 77,300 Alabama residents were naturalized citizens in 2023, about 1.5% of the states population. The amendment came from Secretary of State Wes Allen, Chesteen said. Currently, the only office that requires a candidate to be a natural-born citizen is President of the United States. Allen said in a release Monday that the requirement should apply to state government officials. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For the same reasons our founding fathers sought to ensure that our nations leader was a natural born American citizen, we believe the same standard must be required of those operating in the highest levels of our state government, Allen said. Currently, Alabama law requires the governor and lieutenant governor to be U.S. citizens for 10 years; the secretary of state, treasurer, and commissioner of agriculture for seven years; and state lawmakers for three years, according to the bill. Other constitutional offices do not have a specified length of citizenship requirement. No state requires all constitutional office holders to be natural born citizens. Chesteen wants Alabama to be the first. I dont think its ever been challenged before. Theres a first time for everything, Chesteen said. Well try to move the bill through the legislative process. If its challenged, its challenged. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Until a repeal in 1955, Maine required its governor to be a natural born citizen. It was amended to require U.S. citizenship for 15 years. Only one immigrant has served as Alabama governor. Robert Lindsey, who was born in Scotland and came to the United States when he was 20, served as governor from 1870 to 1872. While nobody is entitled to a right to hold office, every citizen has the right to run for office under the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment, according to a University of Pennsylvania law review. The review quoted a 1969 U.S. Supreme Court case that originated in New York, 1969 Kramer v. Union Free School District No. 15. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Statutes granting the franchise to residents on a selective basis always pose the danger of denying some citizens any effective voice in the governmental affairs which substantially affect their lives, the opinion said. Therefore, if a challenged state statute grants the right to vote to some bona fide residents of requisite age and citizenship and denies the franchise to others, the Court must determine whether the exclusions are necessary to promote a compelling state interest. Pam Karlan, a professor of law at Stanford Law School, said in an interview Thursday that beyond the unconstitutionality of the proposal, there is a question of what a natural born citizen is. People born in Indian tribes are considered citizens at birth since a law passed in 1924, she said, as well as children born outside the country to parents who are U.S. citizens. As a matter of morality and policy, this is a truly evil proposal, because some of some of our most distinguished citizens over time have been people who were immigrants to the United States, Karlan said. This idea that even if the people of Alabama think that one of these people whos an immigrant would be the best governor or be the best state legislator, theyre prevented from voting for this person by this law that says, well, because you werent born here, your citizenship is not good enough. Its really kind of staggering. She said that regardless of what type of citizenship somebody has, they are protected equally under the Fourteenth Amendment and seen as citizens of the U.S. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I dont see the constitutional argument for why it is okay to treat these groups differently, Karlan said. On top of that, I dont see any normative argument for why you would want to treat them differently, other than, to my mind, nativism. That is really quite inconsistent with American values. If 60% of both houses of the Legislature approves the bill, it must get a majority approval from voters to be added to the Alabama Constitution. Currently, the Republican party holds 71% of the Legislature in both chambers. Chesteen said he has talked with the Republican caucus and the members are supportive of the bill. It could be a challenge working the bill through both sides of the aisle, but well get to work on it in session, he said. The 2026 Legislative session begins in January. Chesteen said he has concerns about naturalized citizens in other states running for office, but did not specify who or which offices. He said he is not aware of any such candidate in Alabama. WISE COUNTY, Va. (WJHL) Next week, Wise County residents will vote not only for state and local leaders, but also for a potential electric authority in the county. County Administrator Michael Hatfield said the Board of Supervisors and Public Service Authority of Wise County voted to add a referendum to the ballot earlier this year. We thought that if we could do an electric authority, which may help groups tie to a behind-the-meter type electrical generation, whether it be solar or primarily looking at gas, Hatfield said. And if we could help them through having our own authority without having to look to the established electric companies, which dont have very much available capacity, especially in Wise County. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hatfield said if this referendum passes, it will not automatically create an electric authority. However, it would give the county approval to create one in the future if necessary and would allow the county to participate in the authority. This is a tool in our toolbox and will only be created if it is necessary for an economic development project, Hatfield said. We could establish an authority, and it would be pretty much like the IDA. We would establish it. We would appoint the members, but we would not be able to have any of our board members or staff on that authority, and we felt like it was, since we were using it as an economic development tool that we could better serve our clients if we had members on it. Not that we would completely control it, but we could have members on it like we do the PSA. Hatfield said if the authority is ever created, it would be used to bring in new businesses, such as a data center or industry, and would have no impact on the existing power suppliers in Wise County. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Where our primary development areas are run by Old Dominion Power, which is a subsidiary of Kentucky Utilities and Appalachian Power, but its primarily on the eastern side of the county not in areas where were looking for development, Hatfield said. Actually, both companies are in support of the referendum. They understand they dont have sufficient power to provide the needs should we get a data center or a manufacturer that needs considerable power. Hatfield also said the electric authority would have no impact on residents since they would not be taking over either of the current power providers. Everything that we would do would be behind the meter and would be paid for completely by the commercial entity that we would be supplying power for, Hatfield said. We have no desire to take over the operation of either the systems that are here and provide power to the local residents. This will not raise taxes because, again, the entity were supplying the power to will be totally responsible for paying for it. We would not create the authority without an agreement with the entity that they would pay for it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hatfield also said if the referendum is passed and the county decides to create an authority in the future, residents would still be able to voice their concerns. If we elect to do it, we will put together an ordinance, which will go before our board one month to set the public hearing, and then the next month, the public hearing would happen, Hatfield said. So, citizens would have plenty of opportunity to prepare if theyre for or against the creation. News Channel 11 did reach out to several residents of Wise County to get their thoughts on the referendum; however, they all declined an interview. Voting in Virginia takes place on Tuesday, Nov. 4. A copy of the sample ballot for Wise County can be found HERE. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJHL | Tri-Cities News & Weather. The owner of Roger Williams Medical Center in Providence, shown, and Our Lady of Fatima in North Providence is proposing a new backup plan to unload the two hospitals, a court filing reveals. (Photo by Michael Salerno/Rhode Island Current) Delays in the sale of Roger Williams Medical Center and Our Lady of Fatima Hospital, have led the owner of both hospitals to propose two new alternatives: transferring the facilities to state ownership, or closing them. In a motion filed in federal bankruptcy court Thursday, attorneys for Prospect Medical Holdings sought court permission for its new backup plan. The LA-based hospital chain operator, which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in January, had hoped to onload its Rhode Island facilities onto a new, nonprofit owner. But prospective buyer The Centurion Foundation still cant sell the bonds needed to finance its purchase, and Prospect has had enough. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Now, more than eight months after approval of the Centurion Sale, and six months after that promised closing date, the Debtors can no longer afford to fund the RI Hospitals on the hope that Centurion may finally obtain adequate financing to close the Centurion Sale, states the motion filed in U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Northern District of Texas. The court motion does not affect ongoing hospital operations, nor the pending sale, said Otis Brown, a spokesperson for CharterCARE Health of Rhode Island, Centurions local subsidiary. This filing has no immediate impact on CharterCARE hospitals, they are fully operational, census is extremely high, and employees are reporting for work just like any normal day, Brown said in an emailed response on Friday. Centurion and all parties, including state leaders, continue to work diligently on a financing plan that will result in a sale close before the proposed notice date. The United Nurses and Allied Professionals, the union representing 1,200 employees across Prospects Rhode Island hospitals and affiliated health care groups, called on state leaders to take any and all actions necessary to keep the facilities open. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It will be an all-out catastrophe for Rhode Islands health care system if these important community hospitals and health care facilities close down, Chris Callaci, the unions general counsel, said in a statement Friday afternoon. Our system doesnt have the capacity to treat the patients who will be displaced in the event of closure, and Rhode Islands other hospitals will be completely overwhelmed with a flood of new patients. Thousands of nurses and other health professionals will lose their jobs. Callaci continued, There is no better use of state funds than using them to ensure these hospitals stay open and our health care system doesnt collapse. Olivia DaRocha, a spokesperson for Gov. Dan McKee, also said the administration was focused on the hospitals continued operations, but did not comment on the potential use of state funds to keep the facilities afloat. These facilities are essential to their communities and to Rhode Islands healthcare system as a whole, DaRocha said in an email Friday. The matter is still before the bankruptcy court, and no decision has yet been issued. Our administration stands behind the states opposition filings. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi and Senate President Valarie Lawson in a joint statement pledged to work with McKee, Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha and others to support the sale and ensure the hospitals futures. Union leaders also pressured CharterCare Foundation to direct $6 million in charitable assets to the hospitals. The two entities were initially linked, but separated in 2014 when Prospect bought the hospitals, shifting them from nonprofits to for-profit entities no longer able to accept tax-exempt charitable foundations. The return to nonprofit status under Centurion could let hospitals recoup donations. Paula Iacono, the foundations executive director, did not immediately respond to inquiries for comment Friday. She previously acknowledged the request from the hospitals, which remained under review by the foundations board of directors. There is no more time for deliberation, Callaci said Friday. Its time to put the self-interest aside and move this money now. The fate of these hospitals, 2,500 health care jobs, and tens of thousands of Rhode Island patients is depending on it. A long time coming The 346-page document includes a tranche of exhibits documenting the history of the drawn-out sale. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Prospect struggled to offload its failing Rhode Island facilities from its balance sheet for years, before finally securing state regulators conditional approval for the Centurion deal in June 2024. Since then, three rounds of revisions were granted to ease the financial terms of the transaction. Yet, Centurion has still struggled to secure investors to back the $150 million in taxable and tax-exempt bonds needed to finalize its purchase amid unfavorable credit ratings and a bleak outlook for health care facilities nationwide under federal budget cuts. Despite these obstacles, proponents, including Neronha, insist that the Atlanta-based nonprofit is the best hope for saving the critical, safety net hospitals from closure. Given the developments over the past few weeks, we are not surprised by this development and have been preparing for it, Neronha said in an emailed response Friday. We will oppose this motion in court in the coming days and will continue to do everything we can to keep these hospitals open and operating for the foreseeable future. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, Neronhas office has refused Prospects request to repurpose $51.5 million already held in escrow for hospital operations to cover Prospects losses, according to the court document. The escrow account was set up in 2021, paid for by private equity firm Leonard Green as a condition of the AGs approval for its exit from the local hospitals ownership. The Debtors remain committed to closing the Centurion Sale, but are held hostage by the Rhode Island Attorney Generals closing conditions and Centurions inability to raise the necessary financing, the court document states. Neronhas office did not immediately respond to follow-up questions Friday regarding negotiations with Prospect. But, he has been publicly insistent that the escrow money remain available for hospital operations, while blasting the corporate owners for a pattern of financial mismanagement at hospitals nationwide. Leonard Greens record of draining health care facilities nationwide to pay out investors and executives was laid bare by a U.S. Senate Budget Committee report in January. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement U.S. Rep. Seth Magaziner, a Rhode Island Democrat who served as general treasurer under Leonard Greens ownership of Roger Williams and Fatima, called the firm a uniquely bad actor and an example of the problems with private equity ownership of hospitals in a statement Friday. Across the country, health care systems are expected to face major funding shortfalls due to federal cuts to Medicaid and affordable health insurance. I fear that other hospitals in Rhode Island could face bankruptcy if Republican cuts to Medicaid and the Affordable Care Act go into effect, Magaziner said in a statement Friday. That is the fight we are currently in regarding the federal budget: a fight not only for the millions of Americans whose health insurance is at stake, but a fight for the viability of our states health care system. Already, Prospect shuttered its two remaining Pennsylvania hospitals earlier this year after failing to find a viable buyer, even after the state provided more than $15 million over seven months to help keep the facilities open. Two of its three Connecticut hospitals finally found new owners under a $86.1 million sale approved last week. The state of Connecticut plans to acquire a third Prospect-owned hospital, in Waterbury, after failing to find another buyer. Prospect still owes Connecticut more than $127 million in state hospital provider taxes, along with local property taxes to the towns that house its facilities. $2M monthly losses in RI When Prospect filed for bankruptcy in January, it owed between $1 billion and $10 billion to more than 100,000 creditors. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The $80 million sale of Roger Williams and Fatima was expected to return $10 million to $15 million to Prospect, according to previous court filings. As the transaction drags out, its debts keep growing, with $2 million average monthly operating losses for its Rhode Island hospitals, according to court documents. But Prospect, which continues to face short-term cash flow woes as its assets are sold off through federal bankruptcy proceedings to pay its creditors, cant afford to keep waiting. The six-month delay in closing has caused the company to incur an additional $18.7 million in losses, with another $6 million loss by the end of November, the motion states. The Debtors cannot continue to operate the RI Hospitals indefinitely, the motion states. Continued operations at these facilities past December 31, 2025 would risk further administrative insolvency of these chapter 11 cases. It is particularly inequitable to burden the Debtors creditors with these losses under the current circumstances, where the Debtors will receive little, if any, consideration from the transfer of these assets. It seeks a federal bankruptcy judges permission to start the process to transfer the hospitals to state ownership or to begin their orderly closure. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement State ownership would be the much preferred alternative, Andrew Turnbull, managing director for Houlihan Lokey Capital Inc., an investment bank providing its services for Prospects restructuring, wrote in a court affidavit. This transfer would minimize the disruption to the Debtors employees at the RI Hospitals and provide patients with the opportunity to continue receiving uninterrupted care once under the control of the State, Turnbull wrote in the Oct. 30 filing. Additionally, this transfer will avoid the expenses required to support the closure process. Further, I believe that the Debtors proposed transfer to the State of Rhode Island is a commercially reasonable request of the Debtors under the circumstances. Turnbull also said if another buyer were to emerge, Prospect would pivot to a sale. The company has proposed a Dec. 31 closure date, noting that it will adjust the end of clinical operations if necessary to ensure safe patient care. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The closure plan also details the timing of layoff notices for the 2,400 affected employees and patient discharges, along with transferring and storing medical records and getting rid of medical waste and hazardous materials. The two hospitals offer 500 beds between them, including 104 beds for behavioral health patients, equal to more than 20% of behavioral health beds. They accounted for more 50,000 emergency room visits in 2024. The pair of hospitals posted a $60 million operating loss for fiscal 2023 with projections for multimillion-dollar losses in fiscal 2024, according to analysis by Acacia Financial Group, a consultant for the state quasi-public financing agency that issued the bonds on behalf of Centurion. A status conference on Prospects court motion has been scheduled for 9:30 a.m. (central time) on Tuesday, Nov. 4 in federal bankruptcy court in Dallas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX About a dozen demonstrators gathered at the ICE Phoenix field office to protest the wounding of a man after a traffic stop on Interstate 17. Poder in Action, a Phoenix-based nonprofit, mounted the protest on the evening of Oct. 29 at the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement field office, near Central Avenue and McDowell Road, after a man described by officials as being from Honduras was shot. "I'm infuriated. Yeah, I'm angry. I am concerned. So, it's a lot of feelings, but so many questions about how this even happened," said Phoenix City Councilmember Anna Hernandez, who joined others on site. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some of the demonstrators held white votive candles and others carried signs. "Amor Eterno," a popular Mexican ballad about the mourning of a loved one, played from a stereo as Hernandez spoke with The Arizona Republic. The former Democratic Arizona state senator lost her brother, Alejandro Hernandez, 26, in a Phoenix police shooting in 2019. Jose Garcia-Sorto, from Honduras, was stopped about 4 a.m. Oct. 29 on Interstate 17 near Dove Valley Road by ICE officers, according to Yasmeen Pitts O'Keefe, a Department of Homeland Security spokesperson. As the officers approached him, he began to pull away, according to Pitts O'Keefe. "As the vehicle abruptly began speeding away, an officer was in the path of the vehicle," Pitts O'Keefe said in an email. "Fearing for his life, the officer defensively discharged his service weapon two times, striking Garcia-Sortos vehicle." The officer, who was not identified, was taken to a hospital for evaluation. Garcia-Sorto was taken to a hospital for treatment of a wound and was in stable condition, according to O'Keefe's email. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The email did not say whether the ICE officer was struck by the vehicle and did not say if Garcia-Sorto was shot and wounded by the officer. Pitts O'Keefe told The Republic that information was not available. The FBI was leading the investigation of the officer shooting. Zach Searfoss, 17, of Phoenix, is part of the Youth Poder, a Poder in Action subgroup. He hoped the gathering would provoke a conversation on the issue. "It is literally just trying to bring more community involved, so stuff like this doesn't happen," Searfoss said of the protest. Demonstrator Tyler McGrady wore a green shirt with the words, "Immigrants make our communities stronger." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The 36-year-old Chandler resident cast doubt on the official account given. "During the Black Lives Matter movements, there's evidence of officers saying one thing, and then when you get video accounts, you get autopsy reports and other evidence. Their stories don't always pan out 100% of the time," McGrady said. Republic editor Michelle Cruz contributed to this article. No longer in charge: Head of ICE office in Phoenix moved out of Arizona as part of a nationwide shake-up This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Shooting after ICE traffic stop prompts protest in Phoenix School children in Uttar Pradesh's Moradabad created a huge portrait of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on the occasion of Rashtriya Ekta Diwas, celebrated nationwide to mark the birth anniversary of the 'Iron Man of India', on Friday. In addition, the Nagar Nigam of Moradabad also flagged off a 'Run for Unity' to commemorate the 150th birth anniversary of Sardar Patel. A large number of people, including children, participated in the run to spread the message of unity and integrity. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid floral tribute to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on his 150th Jayanti at the Statue of Unity in Nadiad, Gujarat, on Friday. PM Modi remembered the great leader with folded hands and offered sincere homage to Sardar Patel. He also participated in the Rashtriya Ekta Diwas parade at the Statue of Unity. The parade was led by women personnel under the leadership of the Prime Minister, while the oath-taking ceremony was led by IPS officer Simran Bhardwaj of the Gujarat cadre. PM Modi, accompanied by thousands of participants, took the oath on the 150th Jayanti of Sardar Patel. "I solemnly swear that I will dedicate myself to the preservation of the unity, integrity, and security of the nation. I will also make every effort to spread this message among my countrymen. I take this oath in the spirit of my country's unity, which was made possible by the foresight and hard work of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. I also resolve to do my part to ensure the internal security of my country," he recited. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was born on October 31, 1875, in Nadiad, Gujarat. Also known as the "Iron Man of India," he was the nation's first Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister. He is widely recognised for his pivotal role in the integration of over 560 princely states into the Indian Union after Independence. His leadership ensured that India emerged as a unified and dignified nation during one of its most challenging times. (ANI) Oct. 31ST. PAUL The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission is moving forward to take up the request by the to reassign the electric service territory for its Prairie's Edge Casino Resort from the Minnesota Valley Cooperative Light and Power Association to Xcel Energy. All four commission members present for Thursday's meeting on the issue, including Chair Katie Sieben, Hwikwon Ham, John Tuma and Audrey Partridge, voted for a motion to turn the matter over to the Court of Administrative Hearings for an expedited proceeding. Member John Sullivan was not present. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Court of Administrative Hearings will collect the evidence required for the commission to decide on the request. The motion instructs the executive branch court to complete the proceeding within three months, which represents a shortened time frame for it to occur. It also instructs the court to complete a report without prejudice, or without a recommendation, which will allow the proceeding to be completed in a shorter period of time. Commission members said they support the Upper Sioux Community's request for a resolution of the dispute so that the solar array system can be put into service as soon as possible, but by meeting's end conceded it will take time up front. Absent a process to collect all the evidence, there is the risk of prolonged litigation afterward, they explained. Commission member Ham also pointed out that the process is important to the PUC's own credibility, as it will base its decision on what the evidence supports. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ham added that the commission also has an obligation to protect Xcel Energy rate payers and assure they are not burdened with costs that are not recovered. The report from the administrative court will provide the information needed to determine if there are adverse impacts on ratepayers. Xcel Energy has indicated it is willing to provide service to Prairie's Edge Casino Resort and allow the Upper Sioux Community to operate a 2.5-megawatt, behind-the-meter solar array and battery system to provide some of the energy for the casino facility. The power will not be placed on the electric distribution system operated by the Minnesota Valley Cooperative. During the meeting, commission members again voiced their concerns over to Prairie's Edge if the tribal community activates the system to partially power the operations. A 2.5-megawatt system violates the cooperative's policies limiting any generation by customers to less than 40 kilowatts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Minnesota Valley charges that the Public Utilities Commission does not have the statutory authority to re-assign the service territory. Attorney Matthew Haugen, representing the cooperative, warned that the commission's decision to consider doing so poses the threat of utilities across the state fighting one another over service territories. The cooperative has requested a contested case hearing on the complaint filed by the Upper Sioux Community, which seeks to transfer its service territory to Xcel Energy. Haugen told the commission that the was created in 1937 to provide electric service to a rural area that both Otter Tail Power and Northern States Power, now Xcel, refused to serve. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The risk of losing electric service to the casino is a threat to the revenues that are the "lifeblood" of the Upper Sioux Community, attorney Josh Peterson, representing the community, told the commission members. "Without it, the community may not even be able to survive," he said. "They have gone from a partner to us to an adversary," said Peterson of the relationship between the cooperative and tribal community. The solar array system is currently being commissioned and could be activated in a month's time, but that is not likely to occur, according to information presented at the meeting. Xcel Energy representative Nicholas Martin said the company will need to develop a 23-kilovolt line from its substation near Granite Falls to the casino before it can provide service to the casino. That project will likely take anywhere from six to 12 months, based on preliminary estimates, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Upper Sioux Community as a sovereign nation has the right to choose the utility it desires to serve its territory, according to attorney Leif Rasmussen, who also represents the community. But he said the catch-22 for the community, and hence the request for action by the Public Utilities Commission, is Xcel Energy's need for approval from the PUC to extend its service to the territory. Haugen said the loss of revenue from the service to Prairie's Edge Casino Resort would be borne by all of the 5,250 customers the nonprofit cooperative serves in an eight-county area of western Minnesota. "The lost revenue alone from the Upper Sioux (casino operation) will be borne by all of the remaining members of Upper Sioux (still served by the cooperative) at an average cost of $120 per year," he said. The casino represents one of the cooperative's largest customers, with a daily energy usage of roughly 18 megawatts, according to filings in the matter. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Haugen said the cooperative returns earnings to its customers as capital credits and provided $56,000 in capital credits to the Upper Sioux in the last year alone. The cooperative's attorney also charged that the commission members are moving forward with the proceedings as a way to justify transferring the service territory, when they should be hearing evidence before making a decision. Commission members responded that they would consider the evidence before making their decision. The cooperative claims that it will cost $125,000 in electrical upgrades to enable the solar array system to power the casino. The Upper Sioux Community disputes that claim and said there would be no cost to Minnesota Valley. Nicholas Kasprowicz, an attorney representing the company that has built the system, Wolf River Electric, said the cooperative's number is based on a system that would export energy to the grid. This will be a behind-the-meter system and will not export energy, he explained. The Upper Sioux Community will be responsible for the costs Xcel Energy would incur in providing the infrastructure to serve the casino. PUC members said that if a power line is built by Xcel, the service territory for other Upper Sioux Community locations along its path, including a convenience store and RV park, could be re-assigned. (PUEBLO, Colo.) The Pueblo City Council has approved the Small Business Window Repair Mini-Grant Program, which aims to help up to 50 businesses in the citys commercial districts. The official ordinance was approved on Oct. 27 to use $50,000 from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) to help 50 small businesses that have been impacted by vandalism. Weve all seen the impact vandalism has had on Pueblos small businesses boarded-up windows, broken glass, and the feeling that no one is helping them recover, said District 3 City Councilor Sarah Martinez. This $50,000 program wont solve everything, and it isnt a long-term fix. But why cant we try something small that can make a real difference right now? Helping at least 50 local businesses repair their storefronts is not just about appearances its about restoring pride, safety, and confidence in our city. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to an official release, the City originally tried to apply for a grant to fund this relief plan, but was unsuccessful, prompting the use of the ARPA interest fund in order to gain financial support without using money from the general fund. The window repair grant will be given on a first-come, first-served basis. Applicants will need to provide a police report from when their windows were broken, a paid invoice for glass replacement, a valid business license, and must be in good standing with the City of Pueblo. Upon approval, a business will be reimbursed with up to $1,000. Businesses can apply through the Citys website or in person at the Mayors Office in City Hall. When Councilor Martinez and I presented this grant opportunity, I spoke about the broken windows theory, which highlights that crime is more likely when things like vandalism or broken windows are present because they are attractors, said Pueblo Police Department Chief Chris Noeller. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Broken Windows Theory asserts that a portion of a city with visible neglect encourages more crime within the 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 FOX21 News Colorado. Editor's note: A few hours after this column was published online on Oct. 31, Governor Kevin Stitt, Speaker of the House Kyle Hilbert, and Senate President Pro Tempore Lonnie Paxton announced they will vote to make $1 million per week available to Oklahomas food banks serving all 77 counties for up to seven weeks, "contingent upon lack of federal funding for SNAP during the Schumer Shutdown." Also, this column has been updated to include details of a federal judge's order to the U.S. Department of Agriculture to release contingency funds for payment of food stamp benefits. Although Gov. Kevin Stitt likes to talk about making Oklahoma a "top 10" state, little progress has been made toward raising Oklahoma's poverty ranking. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to 2024 U.S. Census Bureau figures, Oklahoma ranks as the 8th poorest state in the nation. One out of every seven Oklahoma residents lives in poverty one out of every five children. Poverty is at the root of many other problems Oklahoma faces, lagging student performance in school, mental health issues and domestic violence, to name a few. You might think that the governor and state officials would regard the potential loss of food stamp benefits for low-income Oklahomans to be a matter of alarm and urgency. That doesn't seem to be the case. Even though the suspension of SNAP (Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program) benefits at the end of October has been widely expected because of the government shutdown, the agency responsible for administering the program apparently did little or nothing to develop a contingency plan. Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt packages food items for distribution after a media availability at the Regional Food Bank Food Oklahoma, Oct. 29, 2025. A federal judge may have come to the rescue at the last minute, ordering the Trump administration on Friday, Oct. 31, to continue paying for food stamps during the shutdown. But whether or not that ruling will stand until the government shutdown ends remains uncertain. Even if it does, appeals and the administrative complexity of shifting funds could delay re-loading the electronic cards used by SNAP recipients to make purchases. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If that's the case, Oklahomans shouldn't expect any help from the state. On Wednesday, Oct. 29, with the cutoff just days away, the governor held a photo op/news conference at a food bank to say, in effect, that it wasn't yet time for the state to contribute any money to help out. Although the state has in excess of $1 billion in a "rainy-day fund," Stitt said there were complications involved in using that money and urged food banks, churches and nonprofit organizations to step up to fill the gap. "What's a rainy-day fund for?" asked Christy Taylor, a guest columnist in The Oklahoman on Thursday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More: No SNAP, and no help from the state | Cartoon On Friday, Oct. 31, Stitt announced he would meet Monday with legislative leaders and vote to approve making $1 million per week available to Oklahomas food banks serving all 77 counties for up to seven weeks. The money, he said, would come from a "State Emergency Fund," which currently holds $7.8 million. One million per week going to food banks, won't come close to replacing the roughly $130 million per month ($32.5 million a week) that the federal government normally puts on the SNAP cards of Oklahoma recipients. Stacy Dykstra, President of the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma, which serves Oklahoma City and the western half of the state said the state funding would be "extremely helpful." But she noted that "this amount represents only a fraction of what will be required." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Stitt's approach has been to push out what you might call a "Good Neighbor" plan, encouraging Oklahomans to help one another. "I know that passing laws in Oklahoma City or Washington, D.C., doesn't really do anything unless you have neighbors walking with neighbors, and you have people helping one another out," he said. Meanwhile ... Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. and Cherokee Nation Deputy Principal Chief Bryan Warner on Tuesday, Oct. 28, declared a state of emergency because of the looming halt to SNAP assistance. They said the Cherokee Nation would be putting more than $6.75 million into emergency relief efforts for both tribal and non-tribal citizens in Oklahoma. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hoskins posted on social media that it was entirely feasible for the state to use some of its surplus funds for SNAP assistance and called Stitt's assertion to the contrary, "hogwash." And state officials in other states have found ways to jump in and help out. In Virginia, Gov. Glenn Youngkin, who, like Stitt, is also a Republican, declared a state of emergency on Tuesday, Oct. 28, in order to free state funds for use in the state's SNAP program. And in West Virginia, another Republican governor, Patrick Morrisey, said his state had "identified up to $13 million in funding to match private and charitable donations for food assistance. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Democratic leaders in the Oklahoma legislature are urging Stitt to call a special session to change the law if necessary to make state money available to help fill the gap in federal support of SNAP. Perhaps good sense will prevail in Congress, and the government shutdown will end before too much harm comes to those in the state who are in greatest need of assistance. But the current crisis should drive home to both the government and the legislature that many more cuts in federal programs are on the chopping block. Some would cut services to the poor, but other threatened changes would affect Medicare, health insurance, educational assistance, medical research, and support for veterans, the disabled and many other Americans. States will be called on to fill those gaps, as well. How they respond -- how Oklahoma responds -- will say a lot about priorities and who our elected officials think are most important. Bill Wertz Wertz is deputy opinion editor of The Oklahoman. If you have a comment on what he's written or a suggestion for a future topic or someone he should talk to, his address is wwertz@oklahoman.com. This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Governor holds back, asks others to be neighborly | Opinion Boxes of Cheerios at the Rhode Island Community Food Bank in Providence wait to be sent off to organization's network of 137 affiliate food pantries in the Ocean State. (Photo by Alexander Castro/Rhode Island Current) A Rhode Island federal judge ruled Friday that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) must use available contingency funds to cover food stamp funding while the lingering government shutdown leaves the program unsubsidized. The federal government needs to submit a report by noon on Monday to the court, and explain how it will at least partially fund the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), colloquially known as food stamps, for the month of November. The agency must tap into $6 billion worth of contingency funding. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There is no doubt, and it is beyond argument, that irreparable harm will begin to occur, if it hasnt already occurred in the terror it has caused some people about the availability of funding for food for their family, Chief Judge John J. McConnell, Jr. said during a Friday hearing held over Zoom and livestreamed by the U.S. District Court for the District of Rhode Island. USDA also needs to explain if it will additionally cover the benefits by using Section 32 funding an appropriated but flexible USDA fund created in 1935 that has been used to keep another food security program the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) afloat during the shutdown. The fund had over $23 billion in it as of Oct. 8, according to court documents. Its clear that when compared to the millions of people that will go without funds for food, versus the agencys desire not to use contingency funds in case theres a hurricane need the balances of those equities clearly goes on the side of ensuring that people are fed, McConnell said. A need for haste prompted the virtual hearing Friday for the case, which was filed in the court by a 20-plaintiff coalition led by the Rhode Island State Council of Churches. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its unusual in a [temporary restraining order] that we do hearings publicly, McConnell said, but added that the expected shutoff of food stamps on Saturday gave a valid reason for broadcasting a hearing that would normally happen behind closed doors. The named plaintiffs include the cities of Providence, Central Falls, Central Falls, Pawtucket, plus national groups and cities such as Baltimore; Columbus, Ohio; Durham, North Carolina; New Haven, Connecticut; and Albuquerque, New Mexico. The Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Community Center in Newport, East Bay Community Action Program, United Way Of Rhode Island, Federal Hill House Association and Amos House are also plaintiffs. The legal team for the plaintiffs included attorneys from DeLuca, Weizenbaum, Barry & Revens in Providence and Democracy Forward, a national group. A volunteer reaches for broccolini at the food pantry run by Good Neighbors Community Kitchen and Food Pantry in East Providence to give to people waiting for food assistance on Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2025. The food pantry saw high demand with the looming possibility that funding will run out Nov. 1 for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program because of the federal government shutdown. (Photo by Michael Salerno/Rhode Island Current) This just in from Boston McConnells ruling came almost simultaneously with a similar outcome in a case in Massachusetts federal court. Near the end of the approximately hourlong virtual hearing, McConnell interrupted his own comments to remark that Judge Indira Talwani had just ruled on a case brought earlier this week by a coalition of states attorneys general, which also sought to reinstate SNAP funding, which is set to expire Saturday, Nov. 1, as it has not been allocated any emergency funding during the shutdown. Im sure youre all anxious to read Judge Talwanis opinion, McConnell said before he granted his own temporary restraining order on the government agencys actions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Like McConnell, Talwani ruled that the agency must submit by Monday whether it will authorize at least reduced SNAP benefits for November. If so, the USDA also needs to submit a timeline for its plan, and whether the SNAP money will come from contingency funds or other sources. McConnell said he was already familiar with the Massachusetts case assigned to Talwani. So, at the beginning of the hearing, he first gave the floor to Counsel to the Assistant Attorney General Tyler Becker, who represented the feds. A representative for the USDA attended part of the hearing but did not speak during her time on camera. Becker argued for the nonexistence of SNAP without funding. That which is unfunded cannot exist, Becker proposed, because SNAPs funding is what constitutes the program therefore, a nonexistent program cannot receive contingency funding. The government may not provide those benefits because there is not a funding allocation, an appropriation for those benefits, as a result of the current shutdown in the government, Becker said. It would be an extreme remedy at this point to force SNAP, the government, to rely on a contingency fund. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Those are to maintain program operations when there is a program, Becker said. There is no program. The argument did not persuade McConnell, who pointed out that a government shutdown does not automatically make a program defunct. This narrative has played out before during previous shutdowns, the judge recounted, and to different results. SNAP benefits have never, until now, been terminated, McConnell said. The United States has, in fact, admitted that the contingency funds are appropriately used during a shutdown, and that occurred in 2019. Like the vast majority of cases involving President Donald Trumps funding mandates, there was much talk of the arbitrary and capricious from both parties the legal labels frequently invoked in anti-Trump litigation to indicate the administrations non-specfiic or wide-ranging rationale for its funding directives. The plaintiffs legal team further argued that the federal government, in rejecting the use of contingency funding to keep SNAP afloat, ignored the very purpose for which those contingency funds had been created. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Michael Torcello, a senior staff attorney with Democracy Forward, said the statute which authorizes SNAP includes mandatory language that Congress uses when it intends to create a duty. Congress foresaw that there might be an emergency, and it designated specific funds to be used in that situation, Torcello said. So I think that completely undermines the governments position that theres no funds at all that we could use. I think Congress very, very clearly and very directly contemplated that when there is a contingency or an emergency, Heres $6 billion that is to be used for this vital program. USDAs decision not to use the contingency money, Becker argued, was within the range of discretion allowed the agency, especially since the current lack of funding is not an emergency proper. This shutdown is not an emergency, Becker said. This crisis, to the extent it is a crisis or an emergency at all, has been created by Congress. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It is something that could be, by Congress reopening the government tomorrow, could be resolved, Becker added. There is no mandate that the SNAP program actually be funded on Nov.1. The government cannot just add funding when no program exists. Torcello offered a retort later in the hearing: Counsels contention that the shutdown is not an emergency, although I think counsel also said that this is a crisis. So their position is a bit inconsistent on this. But Becker urged the court to leave the matter to Congress, as only an appropriation can restart SNAP issuance. Forcing USDA to issue November benefits with contingency or Section 32 money would misallocate carryover balances and actually cause immense harm to the SNAP system itself. The use of Section 32 money could also affect WICs shutdown funding. I dont think were even transferring into WIC for next month at this point, because theres just a lot of considerations that go into this, Becker said. Frozen seafood meals are stored in a food pantry freezer at the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center in Newport on Thursday, Oct. 23, 2025. (Photo by Janine L. Weisman/Rhode Island Current) Focus on food driving cities resources The plaintiffs legal team, meanwhile, was concerned about the harm that would come from the cessation of SNAP benefits. Approximately a quarter of the population of Central Falls receives SNAP benefits, said Democracy Forward Senior Counsel Jyoti Jasrasaria. She mentioned a food drive being held Saturday to help mitigate the shutdowns effect on food stamps. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Doing that is requiring [the city] to divert resources and staff directly from the police department, the Department of Public Works and the office of constituent services, and it will continue to do things like that, Jasrasaria said. Another portion of the plaintiffs argument involved USDAs move to end existing work-requirement waivers for able-bodied adults without dependents. Congress overhaul of SNAP eligibility in July still did not OK retroactive cancellation, the attorneys argued, but thats what an Oct. 3 memo by USDA tried to do. The Justice Department countered that no irreparable harm would come from the new waiver rules, because no recipients would see a change in benefits until March 1, 2026. The failure to honor existing waivers is contrary to law, McConnell ruled from the bench. His ruling orders USDA to keep those waivers in place through their stated end dates while the case proceeds. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Attorney Kevin Love Hubbard appeared on behalf of DeLuca, Weizenbaum, Barry & Revens a stark change from July, when Hubbard still worked in the U.S. Department of Justices Civil Division and defended the feds in court. Whether benefits expire in March or not does not make the time in-between any less important, Hubbard argued, as the time spent finding a job to satisfy the lack of a waiver cannot be returned. Even if people are able to find jobs by March, Hubbard said. It eliminates their ability to use that time later on. Time is our enemy here on so many levels, McConnell said at one point. Earlier in the hearing, he gave a shoutout to the courthouse staff who had stayed on with him to work on the case, which was filed less than a day before the hearing began. I have two very, very tired law clerks, so I just want to publicly thank them, McConnell said. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Bay Area health officials are urging caution after a bat discovered near a Portola Valley playground tested positive for rabies - a rare but deadly virus that can infect both humans and animals. The bat was found on Oct. 24 near the Little People's Park playground at Portola Valley Town Center, according to San Mateo County Health. No human or animal exposures have been identified, but officials are asking anyone who may have touched the bat to contact a medical provider immediately. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Because there is no treatment for rabies once symptoms appear, we take every case seriously," Dr. Kismet Baldwin-Santana, the county's health officer, said in a statement. "Never touch a bat or other wild animal, even if it looks sick or injured, and keep your pets' rabies vaccinations up to date." Rabies spreads through the saliva of infected animals, typically through bites. It does not spread through casual contact, petting or proximity. Once symptoms appear, the disease is almost always fatal - but it can be prevented with prompt post-exposure vaccination. The Portola Valley bat is the second confirmed rabid bat in San Mateo County this year, with another case reported in Half Moon Bay on the same day. Both incidents have been investigated, and no ongoing risk to the public remains, officials said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Over the past decade, the county has averaged about two rabid bats per year, with the last confirmed case before this year in 2023. Across California, about 200 wild animals - mostly bats - test positive for rabies annually, according to the California Department of Public Health. Human infections are extremely rare, with only 17 reported statewide since 1980. Residents who encounter bats that appear sick, injured or dead should contact the Peninsula Humane Society at 650-340-7022. Additional information about rabies prevention is available from the California Department of Public Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This article originally published at Rabid bat discovered near Bay Area playground, health officials warn. Racial health disparities could widen as states grapple with Trump cuts, experts warn Racial health disparities may widen as states, universities and nonprofits grapple with federal funding cuts to programs that were aimed at filling gaps in care, public health experts say. As part of its federal restructuring and crackdown on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs, the Trump administration has been shuttering federal offices and rescinding grants dedicated to addressing worse health care access and outcomes for racial minorities. The shake-up has caused some state agencies and nonprofits to pause programs and some groups and universities to apply for foundation grants instead, Stateline reports. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hundreds of grants have been terminated for state, local and territorial health departments as well as nonprofits and universities, many of which addressed health equity across rural, low-income and communities of color. The nations racial health disparities were laid bare during the COVID-19 pandemic, when the virus killed Black, Hispanic and Indigenous people at higher rates than white people. The police murder of George Floyd in May 2020 also fueled a racial reckoning across the nation, prompting efforts by states, universities, health systems and the federal government to address racial health disparities. Those approaches ranged from targeted vaccine campaigns and efforts to enroll more people of color in clinical trials to corrections of diagnostic tests that relied on inaccurate information about race and biology. Communities of color have long had less access to health care, increased exposure to environmental pollutants and higher rates of certain chronic illnesses and cancer deaths. They also have more diabetes-related amputations because of a lack of access to care. And specific genetic diseases, such as sickle cell disease, disproportionately affect Black people. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement COVID revealed the impact of health disparities to individual health as well as how not addressing these disparities undermines the health system for everyone, said Dr. Georges Benjamin, executive director of the American Public Health Association. Now, many of the programs trying to address health disparities are being rolled back. As a result, health policy experts, clinicians and researchers fear those disparities will widen as states, universities and nonprofits grapple with lost federal dollars while the administration continues to limit federal funding for DEI programs. In July, the U.S. Department of Justice released guidance saying such initiatives should not receive federal funding, alleging they are discriminatory. Entities that receive federal funds must ensure that their programs and activities comply with federal law and do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, or other protected characteristicsno matter the programs labels, objectives, or intentions, the news release said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Several state and local health officials were reluctant to speak with Stateline on the record about how the federal administrations DEI crackdown has left them in a bind, fearing retaliation or targeting by the federal government. The White House did not respond to Statelines request for comment. My concern about what the administration is doing is that they are, in effect, making these disparities worse, Benjamin said. Everybodys health is not the same. Its important to know that the disparities are really profound. Benjamin added that the cumulative effect of disparities means more late-stage disease costing both patients and health systems more. Theres a trope or misunderstanding out there that DEI is a woke-related agenda. DEI is not a woke agenda. DEI is an American agenda, because its really one that is the same thing as rising tides lift all boats, said Brandon Wilson, senior director of Health Innovation and Public Health at Community Catalyst, a health equity advocacy organization. When you cut [resources] off, youre actually disproportionately impacting those who are already impacted. Increasing need The administration canceled billions of dollars in grants from the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Health and Human Services. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Many of the grants helped recipients create solutions tailored to their communities needs and strengths. At least three dozen state, local and territorial health departments have had pandemic-era grants that addressed health equity terminated. While originally focused on COVID-19, agencies have since used that grant money for other public health efforts: testing and contact tracing for a wide range of diseases, better data reporting, and community partnerships that address social and environmental effects on health. The money was part of a $2.2 billion national health equity initiative that aimed to address vulnerabilities and protect those communities ahead of the next outbreak. The Department of Health and Human Services told media such cancellations were due to the pandemic emergency ending in 2023. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At NIH, the administration terminated more than 5,400 NIH research grants, although about 2,800 were reinstated. Canceled grants included research toward illnesses like HIV and AIDS, which disproportionately affect Black and Hispanic people as well as gay and transgender people. The Trump administration has also gutted federal offices dedicated to fighting disparities, including the Offices of Minority Health under the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services and the Department of Health and Human Services. At the state level, the Arkansas Department of Health recently shut down its own minority health-focused office. Ashley Whitlow, a spokesperson for the department, said in a statement that it relies on federal grant funding to support a variety of public health programs. The recent reduction in program staff reflects the Arkansas Department of Healths ongoing efforts to operate more efficiently with the resources available. Despite these changes, ADH remains fully committed to serving communities across the state, the statement said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, Marylands Department of Health said its minority health office is funded through state general funds and not directly impacted by the federal cuts. The nation has seen a spike in congenital syphilis cases, which disproportionately occur among Black and Indigenous families. Regardless of whether youre at the highest risk, any outbreak thats not controlled can spread widely and broadly, and you can see that thats whats happening with measles, said Dr. Julie Morita, former executive vice president of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and former health commissioner Chicago Department of Public Health. But states likely cant replace all the lost federal dollars. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Youve got declining capacity, and increasing need which is a formula for problems, said Richard Frank, director of the Brookings Institution Center on Health Policy. Its impossible to make all that up with state and local dollars, he continued. Youre going to see programs that serve real people getting pulled back. Frank and Wilson also expressed concern about the Medicaid changes included in the broad tax and spending law President Donald Trump signed in July. The law is projected to cut federal Medicaid spending by an estimated $911 billion over the next decade, largely because new work requirements will push people off the rolls. Data shows the majority of Medicaid enrollees already work, and experts say many will be kicked off the rolls due to difficulties in states reporting processes. Black and Hispanic people are disproportionately represented on the Medicaid rolls. OB-GYN Dr. Versha Pleasant, a clinical assistant professor at the University of Michigan, directs the Cancer Genetics and Breast Health Clinic at Von Voigtlander Womens Hospital. She treats patients at high risk for breast and ovarian cancers. Black women have an almost 40% higher risk of death from breast cancer than white women. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That, to me, is unacceptable, she said, adding that such disparities speak to the need for ongoing programs to provide everyone with a fair chance at leading a long and healthy life. If we dont make a special effort to save the most vulnerable lives where does that leave us? she continued. The changes that were seeing are only going to magnify preexisting challenges. Data and dollars Dr. Sarah Rudman, acting public health officer at the Santa Clara County Public Health Department in California, and others have told Stateline that federal officials are informing health agencies that race and ethnicity data are no longer required to be reported. We are being asked to change the way we collect our own data here and report it, Rudman said, adding that her county is going to continue collecting data to understand who is here, whos experiencing what health outcome and what they need. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Many families, in the shadow of the countys Silicon Valley, still struggle with poverty more than 27,000 children suffer food insecurity, United Way Bay Area says. It is sometimes surprising and striking to people to understand how much poverty and other types of vulnerability are hidden among the more visible wealth of Silicon Valley, and thats where weve dedicated our resources, Rudman said. Its hard to even imagine what my colleagues in smaller areas of California or in other parts of the country are experiencing, she added about lower-income counties. We are feeling extremely strained and already in our second round of layoffs, knowing that many more are likely. So I think that the hits are going to be that much more significant in areas who have less resources than we do. Federal officials also canceled the countys $5.7 million grant to address COVID-19-related disparities, used to shore up vulnerable communities ahead of the next disease outbreak, natural disaster or heat wave, Rudman said. The money helped the county conduct basic laboratory testing and vaccine outreach for a wide range of diseases, not just COVID-19. This story was produced by Stateline and reviewed and distributed by Stacker. The US government shutdown has officially reached a month in length, the second longest federal funding gap on record. That makes it a perfect storm for the chaos-fueled Trump administration, which now has a de facto kill switch that Elon Musks DOGE couldnt even dream of. As the shutdown drags on, its wreaking havoc on the nation, leaving millions of government workers without pay. As a consequence, the US is suffering issues like sporadic airport closures and massive delays in small business loan processing, issues which will surely have a negative impact on GDP growth. One of the most pressing issues, however, is the shutdowns effect on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), commonly referred to as food stamps. The US Department of Agriculture, which oversees the program, had warned that the programs 42 million recipients would likely go without starting on November 1 though as of October 31, a judge blocked the White House from suspending the program. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Where the fight goes next is anyones guess, but the eruption of discourse about food stamps has been influenced by a disruptive new force: generative AI, and specifically OpenAIs Sora 2, the video generation engine responsible for filling social media with incredibly realistic fake clips. One clip clearly labeled with a Sora watermark nabbed nearly 500,000 views on TikTok alone. It shows a Black woman explaining to a local news reporter how she sells her government assistance for cash. Imma keep it real with you, I get over $2,500 a month in stamps, the AI-generated woman explains. I sell em, $2,000 worth, for about $1,200-1,500 cash. Thats why everybodys upset, she says. Folks say were taking advantage, but thats how we get by. Most social media users replying in the comments appear oblivious to the fact that its AI. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This isnt [sic] about feeding their kids this about getting their hair and nails done, one top comment read. Even more troubling are those who realize its AI, but run with it anyway. Thats AI, one commenter notes under a version of the same clip uploaded to YouTube. But that is what is happening, another replies. Despite its fabrication, the clip highlights genuine SNAP trafficking issues that have long been existing in our society, another caption of the same reel claims on Facebook. On Elon Musks X-formerly-Twitter, the right-wing influencer Mila Joy shared the video uncritically to her 426,000 followers. What an absolute SCAM, Joy wrote. Though the video has since-been removed, it managed to receive over 1.7 million views, boosted by fellow right-wing accounts as well as Xs own summary tab of Todays News. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In reality, data shows that food assistance fraud is incredibly rare. A 2024 analysis in Mississippi, for example, found that of the states 390,761 SNAP recipients, only 592 individuals were investigated for misuse of funds, and only a third of those probes uncovered evidence of actual fraud. (It also bears mentioning that SNAP is dolled out via a plastic debit-like card, not literal stamps that can be easily bartered on the street.) Unfortunately, the use of AI to generate egregious misinformation about the disadvantaged doesnt end with manufactured SNAP fraud. For example, a YouTube account called Buffet Battle has a nearly endless feed of obviously AI-generated clips showing poor people, many of them Black, demanding tomahawk steaks, stealing food, or rioting in Walmart after their government food benefits run out. Some AI clips only have a couple thousand views, but many do five or even six digit numbers, boosted by noxious comments. These videos traffic in vicious stereotypes: heavyset Black people become violent thieves when benefits lapse, while poor whites have thick Appalachian accents, gnashing on deep-fried possum with rotting teeth. Each reel is a shot of espresso for anyone cheering on a lapse in desperately needed food aid to the countrys most needy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This slop apparatus does more than just generate clicks; its despicable effect is to manufacture consent for undermining SNAP, a program that feeds roughly 42 million poor and working people across the United States. According to the non-partisan Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, over two thirds of SNAP recipients are either children, elderly, or disabled. Of those able-bodied workers with at least one child who receive SNAP, a whopping 89 percent of them have jobs. Put another way, AI has become a powerful tool in perpetuating the myth of the welfare queen a harmful and unfair stereotype dating back to the days of Ronald Reagan. In the wake of the largest transfer of wealth from poor to rich in the countrys history, this kind of misinformation helps blame the victims for the poverty it helped create. More on AI slop: Applying to Jobs Has Become an AI-Powered Wasteland LEBANON, Tenn. (WKRN) Lebanon police are warning drivers to use caution at a railroad crossing after an accident caused the safety equipment to malfunction. A wreck involving a semi-truck on W. Baddour Parkway and Hartmann Dr. is causing a malfunction at the railroad tracks. The West Baddour Parkway and Hartmann Drive intersection is usually busy, and police had to shut down Northbound traffic at West Main Street yesterday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Neighborhood News: Stories impacting your community | Read More Lebanon Police Department Public Information Officer Zach Patton said it was a busy scene, and traffic units are still investigating the cause of the accident. Investigators said the apparent cause is mechanical failure from the semi-truck, but theyre still working to figure out what happened. Following the accident, the department received multiple calls about the crossing arms, lights, bells and safety equipment not going off as the train approached. After speaking with the railroad company, Patton learned that some of the damage caused by the accident is causing the safety equipment to not work properly. Until its fixed, a train coming through the crossing has to come to a stop and manually send a signal from the train to activate the safety equipment including the lights, the arms and the bell. The train has to get close to the crossing to activate the equipment and make sure all cars are stopped before passing through. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The railroad company is working to restore full functionality of the crossing. Patton said he believes theyre waiting on additional parts that are needed for the repair, which is being sent to Lebanon. I believe theyre waiting on a couple parts that are in the process of getting here to Lebanon, Patton said. I know as soon as they get those parts, theyll get out there and get the railroad crossing back to its full functionality, so theres not much delay in train traffic. Read todays top stories on wkrn.com Patton wants residents to be mindful when coming to the intersection so they know what to expect. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If you do see a train and it does appear like its about to cross through the intersection or through the crossing without the safety equipment, just know that theyre working to manually turn that equipment on when theyre getting that close to the intersection, Patton said. Crews could still be working on the crossing over the next 24 hours. 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 Delhi High Court on Friday reiterated that senior citizens are entitled to live peacefully and with dignity in their own property, even when disputes arise within the family. Upholding a trial court's decision, the Division Bench dismissed an appeal challenging the eviction of a daughter-in-law from her in-laws' self-acquired home while ensuring her right to alternate accommodation under the Protection of Women from Domestic Violence Act, 2005 (PWDV Act). The court observed that the right of residence available to women under the PWDV Act is "a right of occupation, not of ownership." It cannot override the right of senior citizens to live without distress in their own home. "The law must operate in a manner that preserves both safety and serenity," the Bench remarked, stressing that both sets of rights, the woman's right to residence and the parents-in-law's right to dignity, must be harmoniously balanced. The Bench noted that the property in question was a single dwelling unit with a common kitchen and staircase, making separate living arrangements within the same premises impractical. It further recorded that the elderly homeowners had offered to provide independent alternative accommodation for the appellant, with rent of up to 65,000 per month and all associated costs, such as maintenance, electricity, water, and a security deposit, to be borne by them. Observing that such an arrangement safeguards the daughter-in-law's statutory protection while restoring peace to the senior citizens' home, the Court said, "Where both sets of rights intersect, the Court must strike a delicate balance so that neither party's dignity nor security is compromised. Dismissing the appeal, the High Court directed that the alternate accommodation, a two-bedroom flat in a comparable locality, be identified within four weeks. The appellant has been asked to vacate the disputed premises within two weeks thereafter. The judgement states that while the PWDV Act protects women from destitution, it does not grant a perpetual right to reside in a particular property, especially when the owners are senior citizens seeking to live in peace during the later years of their life. (ANI) CANJUERS, France A French Army artillery demonstration in pouring rain in the south-east of the country last week showed the limits of modern warfare: When the weather gets miserable, cannons may still fire, but drones stay grounded. Its a lesson already learned in Ukraine, where Russian forces have been timing mechanized assaults with rain and foggy conditions , according to the Institute for the Study of War. The French Army hadnt banked on a downpour for last weeks demonstration of unmanned air systems and artillery at Camp de Canjuers, with arms manufacturer KNDS and several foreign military delegations present, after a mostly sunny October at Europes largest permanently garrisoned military camp. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The bad weather grounded helicopters, drones and prevented airdrops of equipment and parachutists, while forcing civilian traffic unable to land at nearby Nice airport into a holding pattern over Canjuers that made even artillery fire uncertain. The demonstration still showed how Frances 35th Parachute Artillery Regiment is trying to adapt to a drone-dominated battlefield, with truck-mounted 20mm cannons, nets, decoys and handheld jammers to protect its howitzer and mortar teams. For all the attention to drones, feedback from Ukraine shows artillery remains more important than ever, said Lt. Col. Renaud Durbecq, operations and training chief of the regiment, known by its French acronym 35e RAP. The regiment operates the Caesar 155mm howitzer, produced by KNDS, as its main artillery gun. Artillery is becoming increasingly important on the battlefield, since our guns are precisely the weapon that allows us to fire at the furthest range there where, most often, drones cannot go, Durbecq told reporters at the Canjuers range. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nevertheless, dronization of the 35e RAP is happening at breakneck pace, with five times as many drones in the regiment as a year ago, triple the number of drone pilots and with flight hours doubling, according to the operations and training commander. The regiment operates the Delair DT46 drone with a range of around 80 kilometers for intelligence gathering and target acquisition, squad-level drones for close-in defense and local reconnaissance, and first-person-view or FPV drones for reconnaissance and strike operations. One major change for artillery is acceleration of the intelligence loop, with DT46 drones directly plugged into fire-control communications, allowing immediate fire upon target detection by the drone, Durbecq said. He said plans are to double regimental DT46 capacity in the coming year, while declining to give drone numbers. Another change is the arrival of six experimental Proteus anti-drone cannons in the regiment, filling a counter-UAS capacity gap. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The 35e RAP tested Proteus several days before the demonstration, using the 20mm cannon to down two drones immobilized by the Nerod handheld jammer developed by French tech firm MC2 Technologies, as well as to destroy a moving FPV drone. The regiment is the first French unit to operate the system, cobbled together in four months using a 1970s era 20mm anti-air cannon on a 1980s four-wheel truck , coupled with a thermal camera and fire-control computer. The army is working on an updated version equipped with artificial intelligence for improved detection, mounted on a more modern Scania truck. Ukraines evolving drone and artillery war has seen other tactical innovations that could be adopted by the French Army, according to Olivier Fort, a former artillery colonel now at KNDS and in charge of selling the Caesar cannon. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He described new tactics that include prepositioning artillery rounds and propellant charges at firing locations rather than carrying ordnance on board the truck-mounted Caesar, avoiding the risk of a secondary explosion in case of drone attack. These are things that had not been considered previously, but now the omnipresence of drones is forcing them to do this, Fort said on the sidelines of the demonstration at Canjuers. Fort said around 75% of artillery pieces in Ukraine are destroyed by remotely operated munitions such as Russias Lancet drone. Armored tracked howitzers with automated loading systems carry their charge onboard, making them vulnerable to secondary explosions, according to Fort. The Caesar and Ukraines domestically developed Bohdana are loaded externally. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In reality, what will destroy any artillery piece is not the three kilograms of explosives in the Lancet, Fort said. If you move without ammunition on board, the three kilos will seriously damage the Caesar, or all the other cannons too, but there wont be a secondary explosion. KNDS says the attrition rate of the 120 Caesar guns operating in Ukraine is 15%, whereas Fort cited a loss rate of more than 50% for some tracked armored guns. This is not what we imagined before the war in Ukraine, Fort said. People often thought that tracked armored vehicles were necessary, but the destruction rate of tracked armored vehicles in Ukraine is very, very high. Another developing tactic is to use artillery to destroy anti-drone nets and wiring that protect trenches and roads to clear the way for loitering munitions, according to Fort. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Both sides increasingly place their artillery guns in dug-in protected positions, as immediate mobility to avoid counterfire has become less important in the war, the KNDS executive said. Fort argued being mobile remains important for resupply of ammunition and fuel, which he said can be done in minutes on the Caesar, and may take half an hour on some of the tracked armored howitzers. And with Russian troops now sometimes attacking a single vehicle with ten or twenty drones, anti-drone wire may not be enough. Camouflage, decoys, plenty of anti-drone systems as well as mobility are all important, according to Fort, who pointed to the parachute regiments demonstration of those elements in Canjuers. The war in Ukraine has made clear the need for greater combat mass, and the 35th Parachute Artillery Regiment is bringing reserves into operational readiness, including reservists being trained for artillery expertise, Lt. Col. Durbecq said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Within the larger 11th Parachute Brigade, the need for mass and firepower meant recreating mortar support teams in infantry regiments, with the 2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment deploying its newly created mortar section at Canjuers for training and certification by the artillery regiment. The regiment is also turning up the dial on operational preparation for longer engagements, with a six-week training deployment at Canjuers. As for the Caesar, Durbecq said hes very satisfied with the gun in the current iteration, with its combination of mobility, range and firepower, after taking into account the feedback from Ukraine. Each system has its advantages and disadvantages, Durbecq said, following several salvos in the rain and mud of Canjuers. But as a user of the regiment, today I believe that I need a system that is reliable, and that must be its greatest quality. Give our best students a proper path to success Manhattan: Highly gifted students are the closest things we have to superheroes. These students can do mathematics at a college level before learning to ride a bike. They can memorize hundreds of lines of poetry with one scan. There is no reason to demur their education. New York City has one of the least functional Gifted and Talented programs in the United States. Reform is needed in the NYC system and nationally. If we can engender our gifted students with an education that meets their needs, we will be provided with a fleet of change-makers who can solve the worlds most intractable problems. Four changes are needed: 1) Stop testing for giftedness at age 4. These tests should be administered closer to age 12 or 13 to account for ambition and later-developed aptitudes. 2) Parents should not play a role in enrolling gifted students. Their interests are inherently conflicted; school systems should identify students with capacity via administration of an equitable exam, and the most extremely talented students should be placed in an advanced program. 3) Gifted programs need to acknowledge giftedness in the arts. We must invest in finding the Shakespeares, Stanley Kubricks, Jean-Michel Basquiats and Mozarts of the next generation. 4) No more admittance of marginal students. These programs should only include the students who so significantly exceed the baseline of their peers that a traditional education not only is underutilizing their skills, but is a hamper to their productivity. This issue cant wait. We need to design a system to accommodate the most talented children today in order for those students to change the world tomorrow. Jasper Gould The sky wont fall Manhattan: I find it shameful that the Daily News has gone into full Chicken Little mode against Zohran Mamdani, calling on New Yorkers to close ranks against him and elect a disgraced has-been who has experience doing harm (Andrew Cuomo for mayor, editorial, Oct. 26). Mamdani champions human dignity, safety and the opportunity to thrive for all New Yorkers. He offers practical yes, practical! programs to accomplish this agenda, and will tap the best and brightest, without prejudice, to enact them. Stop the fear-mongering. Janet Barnhart Ignored issue Brooklyn: Mamdani does not respond to requests from the NYC Organization of Public Service Retirees for a discussion of issues impacting older adults. How can he be a mayor for all people when he disregards a large segment of the population? He does not support the Intro 1096 bill that protects in writing the health benefits for the city retirees who served at lower pay for years to obtain these benefits. This bill is not even brought up for a vote by Adrienne Adams, speaker of the City Council, who also does not support it. Jessica Balter Busted? Stony Point, N.Y.: If Mamdani is elected and somehow pulls free buses out of his back pocket, does my company in Rockland County still have to pay an MTA tax? Something seems out of line here. Rob Riccardelli Enemy on the ballot High Bridge, N.J.: Too many New Yorkers have been smoking those funny cigarettes lately. How else can you explain the current scenario? A job candidate comes into your office and proceeds to dazzle you with his smile, charisma, oratory and potential. You ask for his resume and he has none. Then you hire him? Thats whats happening next Tuesday when the impossible becomes reality Mamdani, totally unqualified and most likely a communist, becomes your mayor. On record, hes for attacking capitalism, billionaires, white people, cops, supermarkets and the need for prisons. And just yesterday, we heard his father in a 2022 video equate Abraham Lincoln to Adolf Hitler! I worked and lived in New York for more than 40 years. The decent, smart and hardworking people in the city deserve a better future. Say no to a modern-day Fidel Castro, who robbed from the rich and gave to the poor until eventually, everyone became poor. Dennis Ferrere No two ways Far Rockaway: Mamdani reminds me of a passage of Scripture given to me from my minister (sister): A double-minded man is unstable in all his ways (James 1:8). Ora Reed Dont count him out Merrick, L.I.: In 1970, New York voters were electing a U.S senator. Rockefeller Republican Charles Goodell was running against Democrat Richard Ottinger. Goodell was seen as too moderate by much of the GOP and conservatives, so they convinced businessman James Buckley, brother of conservative icon William F. Buckley, to run as the Conservative Party candidate. Political observers, the media community and pollsters gave Buckley little chance. But on Election Day, there were a lot of black eyes. Buckley won with 38.2% of the vote to Ottingers 36.7% a less than 2% victory. Goodell came in third. The liberal vote was split. To all the experts telling us that Curtis Sliwa cant win, maybe you all should wait until next Wednesday. Michael Apo Subway guardian Camden, N.J.: I should say, being an outsider and taking a sneak peek looking in, that many times I view New York City through rose-colored glasses. For that reason, from his young adult days, Sliwa appeared very dandy and dapper before the media as he and his self-proclaimed troops battled all villains that were during his personal stop-the-violence campaign. He was absolutely beautiful with NYC then. The entire nation looked up at him. Nowadays, reported assaults on the subways continue to be pathetic. He is surely needed. Wayne E. Williams Koreas kingmaking Auburndale: Did South Korea give President Trump a golden crown to mock him or to troll the American people? Or do they want to crown him in their own country? Cathi Venis Going nuclear Manhattan: Trump is calling for the Pentagon to resume nuclear weapons testing for the first time in more than 30 years. It looks like hes ramping up his efforts to win the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize. Enrico Rizzo Make it work North Branford, Conn.: Why is the president not doing his prime job of seeing that the United States government functions smoothly? He should demand that our current fiscal mess be set right. From his actions, he probably doesnt have a clue that people are starving and/or working without pay. His place now is to forget lobbying for tariffs and sit in on a joint meeting of the full House and Senate and stay there until this nonsense ends. Stephen Syrotiak Stop payment Aiken, S.C.: I recently watched an interview on Sean Hannitys Fox News show with Sen. Lindsey Graham requesting support from the public on a new bill hes submitting to curb elected officials from having government shutdowns. Graham suggested that politicians should not get a paycheck when shutting down our government. Sean made light of the situation about Graham getting a paycheck, but Graham responded that hes giving his pay to a charity, which you dont hear every day. I wrote about this previously and suggested that all personnel in positions that are a necessity, like the military, federal law enforcement, Social Security administrators and air traffic controllers, should have a bill that exempts them from being used as pawns by a bunch of soulless radicals who arent representing the peoples best interest. I suggest calling the senators office or writing to give him the support he asked for. Gregory J. Topliff Pennies for the poor Brooklyn: I received a notice from the Social Security office. The cost of living adjustment for 2026 is 2.8%. The people who decided this must be high on something 2.8% is not even close to the increase I or anyone I know is experiencing. I texted and spoke to as many people as I could find to see if they agree with SSI. One-third said a big no. Another third said that it is just not possible. The rest have ways of expressing themselves such as, Why does the government lie to us? Arent they embarrassed to say 2.8? No one and I mean no one believes that. I would love to see exactly how they estimate the COLA, and maybe one of our representatives could explain it, because I just dont get it. That $79 a month I will get doesnt even cover one of the many increases in basic services I received this year. The average increase is just $50 a month. Sad, very sad. Greg Ahl (WKBN) Get ready for sunsets as early as 5 p.m. Its that time of year again when we fall back because its the end of Daylight Saving Time. The clocks turn back at 2 a.m. Sunday. Some health experts want to stop the time change, claiming it can lead to poor sleep, which can lead to chronic health issues including cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity, as well as anxiety and depression. The American Academy of Sleep Medicine is among groups urging lawmakers to eliminate seasonal time changes and enact permanent standard time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Permanent Standard Time, we have more light in the morning, and we know that morning light is best for our mood and for our health. The second reason is that darkness in the morning actually has some safety risks. The third reason is because the alignment of the rising and setting of the sun is more consistent with our internal clock, people sleep better, said Dr. Jennifer Martin, with the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. Two states, Arizona and Hawaii, are currently on Permanent Standard Time in the United States. Experts say theres already some evidence that not changing the clocks works for people. The clocks will fall back by one hour at 2 a.m. on Sunday. This is also a good time to check batteries in your smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors throughout the house. 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. How easy is it to get used to Mr Andrew Mountbatten Windsor? That is supposed to be the only name he has since he was scrubbed yesterday from the Roll of the Peerage. The Roll of the Peerage is kept in a wardrobe in Room C2/13 in the House of Lords. It dates not from time immemorial but from 2004, to keep a tally of hereditary peers when most were barred from sitting in the House of Lords. The duty of updating it belongs to David Lammy as Justice Secretary. But since he cant even keep the right people in prison, its unlikely he would keep the right people out of the peerage. Luckily, Garter King of Arms has a weather eye on things. I imagined the Roll of Peerage to be a scroll of vellum from which names were scratched with an obsidian knife. The reality is a digital list maintained by the College of Arms and visible on its website. There he is, the Duke of York gone! Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Changing names seldom turns out to be a panacea for wrongs. That was well illustrated long ago when the Bishop of Brisbane once leant over to William Cory and said: Did you ever know Johnson? I always thought him the most unpleasant fellow. Cory replied: I see what you mean, but Im not sure it maynt have been a little exaggerated. What the bishop hadnt realised is that, by a name-change Cory was Johnson, whod had to leave Eton as a master for the usual reasons. Much can be done by careful pretence. The present Queen used the title Duchess of Cornwall when she was in all truth the Princess of Wales. Now, pedants insist and this rococo world is as stuffed with pedants as the Woolsack is with wool (though it was discovered in 1938 that someone had substituted horsehair, which was soon replaced with virgin wool from the Home Nations and the Dominions) that the former Prince Andrew remains Duke of York. Its just he cant call himself that and nor will any official document. Yet he is still the Most High, Most Mighty, and Most Potent Prince the Duke of York, eighth in line to the throne. But hoi polloi, you and I, what shall we call him? Mountbatten Windsor is too much. I bet the headlines will rudely call him Andrew. After all, you still find the Princess of Wales being called Kate Middleton online. I dont think she had even been called that at home, and it is now 14 years since she became a duchess. There was a vicious circle at work in calling her Kate. Search engine optimisation sent online traffic to sites with Kate Middleton. It was like a Twitter pile-on, a brainless adumbration of the joys of AI. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Royal family itself confused things by assuming arbitrary surnames. Prince William and Prince Harry were known as Wales at school and had the word written on their military overalls. But their father, the present King, never had Wales as a surname, even as Prince of Wales. Indeed the monarch had nothing as vulgar as a surname until it anxiously rid itself of the name of the Royal House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha in 1917. The Duke of Albany, who had sided with an enemy power, then had his peerage exploded by Act of Parliament. Undeterred, he later became a Nazi. The King has wisely kept the present shunting of titles out of Parliament. But that talkative chamber of horrors might have to be resorted to if we are to ensure Andrew Mountbatten Windsor never becomes Regent. If by some very sad event the King and the Prince of Wales were to predecease little Prince George before he is 18 in 2031, the Regency Act comes into force. It would make the Duke of Sussex the Regent, reigning in Georges place. That would be bad. But the Duke of Sussex lives abroad, and that would disqualify him under the Act. So the lot would fall on Andrew. In more robust times, we didnt mind royal dukes being shockers. Queen Victorias uncles were unfit for mixed society. Yet the Regency era now has an air of elegance. That was under Prinny, the Prince Regent. Could we abide life under Misty, Mister Regent? 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. PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) As it gets to a month of the federal government shutdown, regional superintendents worry that with no federal dollars flowing, Central Illinois special education programs could be impacted. According to NPR, majority of the staff in the U.S. Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services were laid off on Oct. 13. The only people left are the top officials. Those layoffs, the continued government shutdown, and further budget cuts to the Department of Education, have made Peoria County and McLean County regional superintendents anxious. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The concern is that special ed funding in particular for students is a large portion of a lot of our districts budgets, Peoria County Regional Superintendent George McKenna said. If it comes out that perhaps that money stops flowing or that money might be pro-rated in some sort of way it would have a significant burden on our districts. A similar story is playing out in McLean County. Regional Superintendent Mark Jontry said grants related to principal mentoring and leadership have already been cut by the DOE. Jontry said even though theyre doing okay right now, the continued shutdown and potential cuts in future federal budgets could have a major impact on Central Illinois schools. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The various proposals around title dollars that are in the new budget proposals that will do everything from increase it to potentially claw back as much as 15% of existing amounts that has superintendents in our region very worried about what the future holds, he said. Both superintendents said their areas have not had to cut anything related to special education. The shutdown started with Republicans trying to pass a continuing resolution to fund the federal government. Democrats in the Senate blocked the proposals passing, as it didnt include a continuation of an Affordable Care Act tax credits program. Democrats said without continuing this program, health insurance premiums could go up thousands of dollars. As negotiations have failed between both parties, Congress has failed to pass a plan to fund the government. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Illinois is one of the better states when it comes to special education. According to a United States Government Accountability Office report, Illinois has 9-13 students for every one special education teacher. Thats compared to boarder state Indiana, which has 18-30 students for each special education teacher according to the same report. But Jontry is asking, if the DOE continues to wind down federal funding, what will happen to special education. Where are those services going to land? How are they going to be governed? What will special ed requirements actually look like going forward? Its a lot of unknowns. And I think its unknowns that are concerning for parents of students with special needs, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement McKenna said Peoria Regional District services will be severely disrupted if the government shutdown continues. We know that a continued shutdown or any major change to the Department of Education really puts us in a circumstance where were able to provide less services and our students and the community are going to get less services because other federal programs are cut, he said. At the end of the day, it could be a challenging time for our families and our students. As of now it seems like neither Republicans or Democrats can negotiate the sticking points that would bring enough of a compromise to pass the continuing resolution needed to end the shutdown. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to CIProud.com. DEKALB JUNCTION, N.Y. (WWTI) The American Red Cross is assisting five people after a Wednesday fire in St. Lawrence County. Volunteers from the Central and Northern New York Chapter of the organization provided immediate emergency aid to five people after a fire on Wednesday on County Route 17 in DeKalb Junction. The Red Cross provided financial assistance, which can be used for necessities such as shelter, food, and clothing to two adults and three children, ages nine, 12, and 16. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Three pets were lost in 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 WWTI - InformNNY.com. REGENXBIO has concluded enrolment of subjects in the AFFINITY DUCHENNE clinical study evaluating its RGX-202 gene therapy candidate for Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). The pivotal stage of the open-label, multi-centre, Phase I/II/III trial enrolled 30 subjects. The studys main goal is the proportion of subjects achieving RGX-202 microdystrophin expression of 10% or more at week 12, supporting accelerated approval. Secondary assessments include baseline changes in timed functional tests among subjects aged four years and above, while those aged one to less than four years will be assessed with the SV95C and peabody developmental motor scale-third edition (PDMS-3). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the trials Phase I/II segment, microdystrophin concentration ranged from 20 to 122% after the pivotal dose. As of May 2025, RGX-202 displayed favourable safety, with no serious adverse events (SAEs) and adverse events of special interest (AESIs) reported. REGENXBIO president and CEO Curran Simpson said: The Duchenne community urgently needs new treatment options that provide durable, safe outcomes and can meaningfully change the course of this degenerative disease. Completing this pivotal trial milestone and manufacturing in-house our first doses intended for commercial use bring us even closer to delivering RGX-202 as a potential best-in-class gene therapy for Duchenne patients with limited options. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The differentiated therapeutic approach behind RGX-202, including our industry-leading product purity levels and novel construct with the C-Terminal domain, has resulted in the positive safety and efficacy profile, with consistent functional benefit seen in Phase I/II. The company expects to share top line pivotal data in the second quarter of next year. REGENXBIO has also started production of the initial RGX-202 batches for supply commercially and produced a full supply for the confirmatory study, anticipating a 2027 market launch. The therapy is manufactured at the companys innovation centre in Rockville, Maryland, US, using the NAVXpress suspension-based process, yielding more than 80% full capsids. The plants annual capacity is 2,500 doses. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Earlier this month, REGENXBIO concluded participant enrolment in the pivotal ATMOSPHERE and ASCENT trials, which assessed surabgene lomparvovec (sura-vec, ABBV-RGX-314) for the treatment of wet age-related macular degeneration (wet AMD) via subretinal delivery. Cell & Gene therapy coverage on Clinical Trials Arena is supported by Cytiva. Editorial content is independently produced and follows the highest standards of journalistic integrity. Topic sponsors are not involved in the creation of editorial content. "REGENXBIO concludes subject enrolment in trial of RGX-202" was originally created and published by Clinical Trials Arena, a GlobalData owned brand. ASHEBORO, N.C. (WGHP) The day after Halloween, many people celebrate Dia de los Muertos or Day of the Dead. Its a chance to remember and honor loved ones who have passed, including beloved pets. In todays Zoo Filez, FOX8s Shannon Smith shows us how the North Carolina Zoo is giving their guests an opportunity to remember their past pets. 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 FOX8 WGHP. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Friday paid tribute to the country's first Home Minister, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, on his 150th birth anniversary, celebrated as Rashtriya Ekta Diwas or National Unity Day. The Chief Minister offered floral tributes at the statue of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel in Dehradun and recalled his immense contribution in uniting India after Independence. Speaking on the occasion, CM Dhami said, "...Sardar Patel made an immense contribution in uniting the country after independence, building today's India and creating a united country... Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was not given the adequate respect by the governments before 2014... It was only PM Narendra Modi that he took the decision to celebrate Rashtriya Ekta Diwas in his honour..." In a post on X, Chief Minister Dhami said, "On the birth anniversary of the 'Bharat Ratna' Iron Man Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel ji, who wove numerous princely states into a single thread and paved the way for the creation of an undivided India, I offer millions of salutations. Your patriotic vision and indomitable resolve will continue to inspire us ceaselessly towards building a 'Viksit Bharat'." Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid tribute to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on his birth anniversary, celebrated as 'Rashtriya Ekta Diwas' or National Unity Day, and recalled his immense contribution towards unifying India. In a post on X, PM Modi said, "India pays homage to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on his 150th Jayanti. He was the driving force behind India's integration, thus shaping our nation's destiny in its formative years.""He continued, "His unwavering commitment to national integrity, good governance and public service continues to inspire generations. We also reaffirm our collective resolve to uphold his vision of a united, strong and self-reliant India," he added. President Droupadi Murmu also paid tribute to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on his birth anniversary and recalled his remarkable role in unifying the nation. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was born on October 31, 1875, in Nadiad, Gujarat. Also known as the "Iron Man of India," he was the nation's first Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister. He is widely recognised for his pivotal role in the integration of over 560 princely states into the Indian Union after Independence. His leadership ensured that India emerged as a unified and dignified nation during one of its most challenging times. National Unity Day is celebrated every year on October 31 to honour the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. (ANI) Arizonans bracing for food insecurity spoke out near the state Capitol on Oct. 30 in anticipation of the Trump administration making good on its threat to halt food aid as the federal government shutdown enters its second month. A few dozen residents and activists gathered in front of the Arizona Department of Economic Security offices in the early evening. Standing on the sidewalk on Jefferson Street and 17th Avenue across from the Capitol grounds in Phoenix, Lena Diaz took the microphone. Describing herself as a diabetic senior citizen with heart and thyroid conditions, Diaz expressed fear about losing Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I have been careful about what I eat, and right now the only thing keeping me from going hungry is SNAP," Diaz said. "But from November 1st, that health, that lifeline will be gone, and I don't know what I'm supposed to do." The federal government shutdown began Oct. 1 after Republicans and Democrats in Congress failed to reach an agreement on Affordable Care Act tax credits set to lapse at the end of the year. SNAP benefits will expire Nov. 1, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. On Oct. 29, U.S. Senate Democrats tried to extend SNAP benefits before funds ran out, but Republicans blocked the move, pressing Democrats to join them in the broader effort to fund the federal government. "Our lawmakers, you need to remember the people that put you there. You need to be remember the lower class, the working class," Diaz said. "Remember us. We will die." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Diaz is among 855,000 Arizonans who receive SNAP benefits. Also commonly known as food stamps, SNAP has nearly 42 million participants nationwide, according to Fiscal Year 2024 data from the USDA. The rally was organized by Living United for Change in Arizona. The Phoenix-based nonprofit said Diaz's 17-year-old grandson, Aurelius Diaz, feared he would have to abandon his education to work to help the struggling family of five. "People say this will only be a problem for a few months," Aurelius Diaz said. "But those few months can change a family's life. A few months, you can lose your home, go hungry." Karyleni Alburquerque, 17, choked up as she spoke about how she and her three sisters grew up healthy thanks to SNAP. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "It kept us fed when my parents were struggling to make ends meet," Alburquerque said. "Think of families who would have to choose between paying the light bill and putting food on the table." On Oct. 30 in Boston, U.S. Justice Department attorney Jason Altabet told U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani that the USDA could not disburse benefit funds until Congress passed a spending bill. The USDA has said there are insufficient funds to pay full benefits, which cost $8.5 billion to $9 billion a month. Talwani noted that Congress provided the USDA with contingency funds in case of an emergency. "It's hard for me to understand how this isn't an emergency when theres no money and a lot of people are needing their SNAP benefits," Talwani said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes joined 24 states on Oct 28 in a lawsuit against the Trump administration over the threat of SNAP benefits ending. Mayes' office said the Trump administration made a "deliberate, illegal and inhumane choice" to stop funding the program. At a news conference, Mayes said the funding cutoff was unnecessary "cruelty" and was "potentially cataclysmic for our state." This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: 'We will die.' Arizonans fearing SNAP pause plead with lawmakers ELIZABETHVILLE, Pa. (WHTM) Walmart is officially welcoming customers to its newly remodeled store in Elizabethville, Dauphin County. abc27 News reported back in April 2025 when it learned that Walmart would be remodeling 26 of its stores across Pennsylvania. These remodels were part of an earlier announcement last year when Walmart shared it would invest in the remodel of 650 stores. Close Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Local Business Beat Earlier today, customers finally got a chance to check out the newly transformed Supercenter located at 200 Kocher Lane. Pennsylvania Agriculture Secretary Russell Redding and the Upper Dauphin High School Marching Band were both in attendance for the event. Its one example of people who farm local, shop local, buy local, support local, that is part of what Walmart does and does really well, said Redding. According to Walmart, some of the new features of this Elizabethville store include: Engaging displays and reconfigured layout that invite discovery across fresh, grocery, and general merchandise More brands and transformed departments; expanded online pickup and delivery Vision Center & Pharmacy updates Refreshed signage and an enhanced parking lot Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Were excited to unveil a transformed store alongside valued community partners and to celebrate our local farms who grow produce right here in Pennsylvania, Austin Adrian, Elizabethville Walmart Store Manager, said. From remodeled departments to easier ways to shop, were delivering a better experience while championing local agriculture. New to this location is also a mural that was designed and illustrated by artist Marc Tobin called Twilight at the Fair. To celebrate this reopening, Walmart also presented two $5,000 grants to the Future Farmers Association Foundation of Pennsylvania and the Lykens Valley Childrens Museum. In addition to this newly remodeled store, Walmart also unveiled several other Midstate remodels including a store at 10180 US Highway 522 South in Mifflin County and 3400 Hartzdale Drive in Camp Hill, and 698 Shrewsbury Commons Avenue in York County. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is a developing story. Stay with abc27 News as 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 ABC27. PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) After Oregon Rep. Maxine Dexter claims she was denied access to ICE facilities on multiple occasions, the congresswoman wrote directly to Department of Homeland Security officials on Friday, calling for more accountability for the agencys actions as the government shutdown persists. In the letter, addressed to DHS Secretary Kristi Noem and Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons, Rep. Dexter noted how under the one Big Beautiful Bill, DHS was provided $170 billion in funds, but chose to furlough the staff at the Offices of Detention Oversight and Congressional Affairs during the shutdown. Clackamas County declares food emergency, urges Gov. Kotek to do more Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This means ICE is currently operating without any meaningful internal or Congressional oversight, Dexter wrote. I recognize that certain nonessential functions must pause during a lapse in appropriations, she added. However, a lack of funding cannot be used as justification to strip away any measure of accountability. In a release, Dexters team noted how right-wing influencers were granted access to the Portland ICE facility, but the congresswoman was denied entry earlier this month, with officials claiming they had explicit instructions to not allow activities related to congressional affairs. Portland resumes homeless camping ban enforcement, focuses on connecting Portlanders with shelter Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Additionally, they claim Dexter was denied access to the Northwest Detention Center in Tacoma. As a result, the congresswomans team said she met with detained constituents as a private citizen to monitor conditions of the detention centers. Rep. Dexter stressed a need for accountability in her letter, urging DHS officials to reinstate staff for the Office of Detention Oversight and ensure Congress members have access to all ICE facilities. At a time when at least 20 people have died in ICE custody this year, the need for oversight could not be more urgent, Dexter wrote. ICE has record funding from Trumps One Big Betrayal Bill. The only plausible explanation for denying congressional oversight during the shutdown is to hide his cruelty. This isnt about a lack of fundingits about a lack of accountability. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com. Chicago police have a warrant out for the arrest of Adam Beckerink for the murder of his 36-year-old wife, Caitlin Tracey. He's being held on a $2 million dollar bond for that arrest warrant, and is currently serving a sentence for domestic violence against Tracey in Berrien County, Michigan. The ABC7 I-Team obtained a police report through a public records request of an incident in Chicago that sheds light on Beckerink's behavior in the months after his wife's death. That behavior earned him a new charge of contempt of court. The June report from Chicago police contains the words "exposing," "screaming," "defecated" and "without permission." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At Beckerink's sentencing hearing for domestic violence against Tracey in Michigan, he received a new charge of contempt of court because of an incident at a Concentra Urgent Care clinic in the West Town Neighborhood. "Consumed alcohol and appeared to be intoxicated and showed intimidating and threatening behavior towards employees of Concentra Urgent Care... where Beckerink had gone for court ordered drug testing," said Berrien County Judge Gary Bruce last Monday. CPD officers were called to the clinic on West Chicago Avenue after Beckerink was there for court ordered drug testing according to the judge, and showed clear signs of intoxication. Beckerink without permission touched the hand of a worker and asked her on a date, a short time later he went into the bathroom, pulled down his pants exposing himself to the entire staff, then defecated all over the floor and himself before returning to his car, according to the Chicago Police Report obtained by the I-Team. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "That's in violation of those conditions of no assaultive, abusive, intimidating, threatening, violent, aggressive stalking behavior and no consumption or possession of alcohol," said Judge Bruce. SEE ALSO | Funeral held for woman who died at husband's South Loop condo after legal battle over remains Beckerink is currently serving a three-month sentence for domestic violence charges and is now facing a $2 million dollar bond for an out-of-state arrest warrant executed by Chicago police CPD says Beckerink caused his wife Caitlin Tracey's death last October by throwing her over the railing of the 24th floor of the east stairwell where he lives, according to a felony complaint filed in Cook County court and reviewed by the I-Team. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Caitlin Tracey's mother, Dr. Monica Tracey, condemned her son-in-law in Berrien County court at Beckerink's sentencing hearing. "There is no justice that can heal our pain. No means to bring her back or to take away the physical or mental brutality this monster caused her, for which he cowardly pled no contest," said Dr. Tracey. The I-Team reached out to Beckerink's attorney, but has not heard back. He has not waived extradition, which is slowing his move to face official murder charges in Illinois. If you need help or know someone in need of help, please call the National Domestic Violence Hotline for confidential support 24/7/365. The number is 1-800-799-SAFE (7233). You can also text the word "START" to 88788. A bombshell city economic report on the impacts of Mayor Daniel Lurie's proposed "Family Zoning" plan continued to roil San Francisco political waters Thursday with YIMBY groups threatening to sue the city while West of Twin Peaks neighbors said they might launch a recall campaign against Supervisor Myrna Melgar should she support the plan. The report, from the Controller's Office and released Wednesday, said Lurie's proposed "Family Zoning" plan would generate far less housing than the planning department is projecting. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Instead of creating 36,000 new units over the next five years, the report said that, best case scenario, the rezoning of neighborhoods from the Marina to North Beach to the Sunset District would produce 14,646 units over 20 years - about 40% of the number of homes that San Francisco is required to plan for by 2031 under its state-mandated housing element. The report comes as the Board of Supervisors Land Use and Transportation Committee is expected to take a vote on the rezoning in November. Specifically, the report's conclusion that raising height limits on about 92,000 parcels would only yield 732 units a year was met with alarm by several YIMBY groups. In a letter to the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, California Housing Defense Fund said the organization would sue the city if it deems the rezoning plan insufficient. Amoeba Music stands on Haight Street adjacent to a residential construction site in San Francisco, in 2024.Mayor Daniel Lurie's "Family Zoning" plan would raise height limits in various city neighborhoods. (Benjamin Fanjoy/The Chronicle) "The City must rezone as promised in its housing element - it must upzone enough to produce (not merely attain capacity for) 36,282 units based on an analytical model that assesses the probability of development for rezoned parcels under current economic conditions," the group stated. "If the City does not obey the law on these points, CalHDF stands ready to challenge the City's intransigence in court." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement YIMBY Action, on Thursday, wrote a letter to state housing officials urging them to "give San Francisco clear guidance on how to fix its housing plan to assure it's in compliance with state law." The group said the city should "look at policy changes that would make it significantly easier to build - like fee reductions, single stair reform, and pre-approved plans - or by doing more rezoning." "The city itself admitting that its current plan is insufficient to produce the housing required by the state - and meet the needs of San Franciscans at risk of displacement - is deeply concerning," said Jane Natoli, YIMBY Action's San Francisco organizing director. "The numbers in this report are not rounding errors - they're major gaps from where we are and where we need to be." San Francisco Planning Director Sarah Dennis-Phillips said many of the changes Yimby Action recommended are under consideration. While the family zoning plan is "an important and enormous step towards creating more capacity, it won't be the last step we take towards creating more capacity," she said. "Capacity alone can't build housing. That is why we need to continue to do the work to enable housing feasibility." As the debate around Lurie's rezoning plan intensifies, some critics have set their sights on Melgar, the supervisor who represents a west side district that includes the Inner Sunset and West Portal - neighborhoods that would be affected by the zoning changes. Melgar also chairs the supervisors' powerful land-use committee that is vetting Lurie's plan before it goes to the full board for a vote. There are preemptive calls for the recall of District 7 Supervisor Myrna Melgar, if she supports Mayor Daniel Lurie's "Family Zoning" plan. (Lea Suzuki/San Francisco Chronicle) After a packed Monday night town hall meeting on the plan attended by Lurie and organized by the West of Twin Peaks Central Council, several constituents in Melgar's District 7 vowed to launch a recall campaign should she support the zoning changes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dave Bishop, one of about five core organizers who are planning the potential recall campaign, told the Chronicle that he and others opposed to the plan feel "totally betrayed" by Melgar. "She's not representing the homeowners of District 7 at all," he said. "We're ready to pull the trigger." Melgar is unbothered by the recall threats. "I am doing this job because I want to leave a better city for my daughters," she told the Chronicle on Thursday. "If my constituents feel that I'm not adequately representing them and they want to have a democratically agreed upon process to get me out, I'm fine with that, and my conscience is clear, because I've done the right thing." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The new report complicates the path ahead for Melgar as she and her colleagues continue to work on Lurie's rezoning plan, which has to be approved by the end of January. YIMBY groups are arguing that the report shows the need for San Francisco to go even further to usher in new housing, while Bishop and other critics of the plan continue to believe that what Lurie has already envisioned is a bridge too far. Those suggesting a recall of Melgar over family zoning are hoping to emulate the recent recall in District 4, where voters just ousted former Supervisor Joel Engardio over his support for permanently banning cars on the oceanside Great Highway. Additionally, provocative yellow flyers criticizing Melgar were posted on buildings and stuffed in resident's mailboxes around the Inner Sunset this week. The flyers were labeled "demolition notice" and said that "Under Mayor Lurie's Family zoning plan this building is subject to demolition," adding that Melgar "had a chance to save your home but she decided against it." Bill Ceragioli peeks through a tarp to watch the construction at an affordable housing site under construction at 2550 Irving Street in San Francisco, in 2024. (Lea Suzuki/San Francisco Chronicle) An amendment introduced by Melgar exempts all rent control buildings with more than two units from the rezoning. The report says that between 460 and 1,041 existing units could be demolished in 20 years under the plan, so between 23 and 52 a year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "It's like intimidation tactics, which is ugly," Melgar said. "That's not how we make public policy." The flyers also mentioned rezoning amendments offered by Supervisor Connie Chan, urging residents to contact Melgar to "tell her to support Supervisor Chan's amendments and don't demolish our homes!" Chan has proposed multiple amendments, one of which would ban the demolition of any existing homes under the rezoning. It's not clear who is behind the flyers. Chan aide Robyn Burke told the Chronicle she had "no clue who's putting them out, but people are clearly concerned." Bishop said he doesn't know who distributed them, either. Melgar hasn't yet signed onto Lurie's plan but said she's "almost there," noting that she's looking for more input on separate legislation to provide more money for affordable housing construction. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We're going to land this plane," Melgar said. "It might be a little turbulent, but I think that we are doing the right thing. And I hope that we protect the people that we need to protect and also make way for the future." This article originally published at Report on Lurie's Family Zoning' plan sparks YIMBY lawsuit threat, supervisor recall talk. (The Center Square) New York City mayoral frontrunner Zohran Mamdani's plans to tax the city's wealthiest to fund his policy initiatives could drive top earners out of state, according to a new report by a watchdog. The Empire Center's report looked at Mandani's plans to set a new wealth tax on households making more than $1 million per year and increase corporate taxes to help fund his signature plans to provide free community college, bus service, and universal childcare. Mamdani's campaign estimates both proposals would generate an additional $9 billion per year, which would amount to an 11% increase in tax revenues for the city." The report's author said Mamdani's wealth tax would only impact about one percent of New York City's tax filers, while the proposed increase in corporate taxes would affect about 1,000 of the citys 250,000 businesses. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Before going ahead with these plans, city and state leaders should consider how much money those narrow groups are already pumping into government coffers and the broader economy and whether New York should risk chasing some of them away," the Empire Center's Bill Hammond wrote in the report. New York Citys wealthiest residents currently pay the highest non-federal income taxes in the U.S., the report noted. The top marginal rate, applying to people with incomes of $25 million or more, is just under 14.8% including a state tax of 10.9% and a city tax of 3.876%. Thats one-and-a-half points higher than the No. 2 state, California, and almost triple the national median of 5%, according to the report. The report noted that the share of millionaires choosing to live in New York has been declining from 12.7% of the national total in 2010 to 8.7% in 2022, the last year for which data are available from the Internal Revenue Service. "A hypothetical taxpayer with $25 million in taxable income would potentially save $1 million a year by moving to New Jersey, almost $2 million by relocating to Connecticut and as much as $3.7 million by going to Florida or Texas," the report said. "Mamdanis proposed two-point hike would add another $500,000 to each of those amounts." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mamdani, a Queens assemblyman and democratic socialist, will face off against former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, a Democrat running as an independent, and Republican Curtis Sliwa in Tuesday's mayoral election. Hundreds of thousands of voters have already cast ballots during the early voting, which wraps up Saturday. The latest polls show Mamdani with a comfortable lead over his two rivals in the race to City Hall. The Empire Center's report also panned Mamdani's plans to hike the states top corporate tax rate by about half, up to 11.5% from its current maximum of 7.25%, which has caused concerns among New York City's business community. If approved, that would match the corporate rate in New Jersey, which is the highest in the nation, the report noted. For Mamdani, the wildcard is Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul, who endorsed his mayoral campaign but has opposed wealth taxes, the report's authors noted. Still, Hochul's opposition is "not absolute" according to the report, which cited her support in the state budget for a five-year extension of temporary tax hikes on high-income taxpayers. Mamdani's plans are likely to win support from progressive Democrats in the state Legislature, the report noted. "A newly elected mayor seeking higher taxes on the wealthy would likely receive a warm reception from many of Albanys ruling Democrats many of whom have supported doing the same thing at the state level," Hammond wrote. (The Center Square) The Michigan state government had $39.21 billion in debt, according to a new report. The report, which was released by Reason Foundation, ranked Michigans debt 16th highest nationally at the end of the 2023 fiscal year. That is the most recent year that information is available. California topped the report with nearly $500 billion in debt, as previously reported by The Center Square, while South Dakota came in 50th with $2.46 billion. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Per capita, Michigans debt ranked better than most states nationally, coming in at the 34th-highest. That is about $3,891 in debt for each citizen of the state, or significantly lower than the national average of approximately $8,000 per person. The report also dug into debt in county governments, municipalities, and school districts throughout Michigan. In an exclusive interview with The Center Square about Michigans findings, the reports authors dug into its results. Local governments are responsible for about 60% of all state and local debt nationwide, but their liabilities are often buried in individual financial reports that are hard for the public to access, said Mariana Trujillo, one of the reports authors. The findings highlight the importance of governments disclosing their financial information transparently and accessibly. In total, all of Michigans public entities examined in the study owe $141 billion. That makes the state the 23rd-highest per capita, working out to $13,984 per citizen. While significant, that is lower than the national average of $18,376. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The report also found that state and local long-term debt in Michigan is made up of bonded debt (39%), unfunded pension liabilities (47%), and unfunded retiree healthcare obligations (9%). Long-term debt means it is due in more than one year. The report looked at records for 588 school districts throughout Michigan. It found that those districts make up a significant portion of that debt, especially the pension debt. Of the $113.1 billion in long-term debt (non-current) liabilities, the largest share$59.6 billionis held by school districts, said Jordan Campbell, the other author on the report. Among school districts, 59% of all long-term debt is pension-related, showing how retirement costs dominate local balance sheets. This massive liability for Michigan school districts is especially worrying considering the declining state of its schools, something The Center Square has previously reported on. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This trend is particularly concerning given declining public school enrollment . . . meaning fewer students and teachers are supporting growing legacy costs, Campbell said. This is not the first red flag thrown on the states growing pension obligations. Recently, The Center Square reported that Michigan received a C financial ranking. While an improvement from previous years, Michigans financial condition could be on a continued downward spiral as federal funding is cut. On top of that, unfunded pensions can have a real impact on many Michiganders, with pensioners seeing reduced retirement benefits or even an increase in required contributions from workers and taxpayers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trujillo explained this is why it is important for citizens and lawmakers to understand how deeply in debt their state and local municipalities are. Local debt directly affects residents through property taxes, sales taxes, and service levels, influencing how much communities pay and what they receive in return, Trujillo said. By showing the financial condition of so many state and local governments in the nationand mapping where debt actually sits the study helps taxpayers understand the financial pressures shaping local budgets and serves as a tool to hold their governments accountable for long-term obligations. As the artificial intelligence sector booms, Americans are paying more for electricity, particularly in regions that serve as hubs for data center development. Yet writers of an op-ed for OtherWords.org argue that "it doesn't have to be this way." What's happening? Dan Howells and Todd Larsen examined how the data centers that power AI are impacting our neighborhoods, bank accounts, and the planet in their article for OtherWords and even though AI holds promise to make our lives better in many ways, the results aren't all so rosy. For one, data centers require massive amounts of energy to function, with AI alone consuming enough energy to power 7.2 million American homes, according to MIT Technology Review, which did a deep dive into a 2024 report by the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As a result, utility companies need to invest in new infrastructure, and in order to meet demand, some of that infrastructure relies on dirty fuels such as coal and gas. Ultimately, customers pay the price both financially and in terms of their health. Air pollution causes millions of premature deaths each year and is associated with chronic health conditions like asthma. Moreover, while AI-focused companies, like Amazon and Google, bring welcome economic opportunities to neighborhoods when they set up shop, residents near data centers report sleep deprivation and reduced quality of life because of incessant noise. Why is this important? AI has the potential to make our communities safer, greener, and more sustainable. For example, an AI-powered early warning system for natural disasters could save lives with more precise forecasting that improves evacuation times. AI tools can also protect our food supply by supporting more efficient crop growth. They can even lead to better patient outcomes in health care settings because of their ability to gain insights from large volumes of diagnostic data, according to a study in npj Digital Medicine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, whether AI ultimately becomes more of a boon or a burden is in our hands and particularly the hands of the companies and leaders most heavily invested in AI. Howells and Larsen underscore that in the absence of sustainable development, AI's negative impacts are "only projected to grow." What can be done about this? Microsoft, Google, Amazon, and Meta are among the tech giants that have announced their intent to transition to 100% renewable energy and have made significant investments in these nonpolluting sources of power. A breakthrough in chip-cooling technology from Microsoft could even reduce energy consumption and the need for new data center construction. Nonetheless, their massive energy needs have led them to revisit expensive fossil fuels, as the writers note in their op-ed for OtherWords. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "These companies have the know-how and the wealth to power AI with wind, solar, and batteries which makes it all the more puzzling that they're relying on fossil fuels to power the future," Howells and Larsen wrote. "If these corporate giants are to be good neighbors, they first need to be open and honest about the scope and scale of the problem and the solutions needed." In the meantime, you can use your purchasing power to help hold companies accountable. Installing home solar panels is also one of the best ways to protect yourself from rising energy costs. EnergySage's free service will connect you with vetted installers. 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. Republican gubernatorial nominee Jack Ciattarelli said he wants to add more conservatives to the New Jersey Supreme Court. (Dana DiFilippo | New Jersey Monitor) Republican gubernatorial hopeful Jack Ciattarelli has said he wants to remake New Jerseys high court, moving away from a tradition of partisan balance that has persisted on the seven-seat bench for nearly 80 years. Ciattarelli, a former state assemblyman, has called the courts partisan balance an unwritten convention that broadly says no party shall have more than four of the high courts seven seats a failed tradition and pledged to nominate conservative justices. Republican Jack Ciattarelli appearing in Point Pleasant on Oct 30, 2025. (Photo by Amanda Brown for New Jersey Monitor) I will appoint Supreme Court justices that agree with me on issues like high-density housing and suburban districts where theres no infrastructure and who agree with me on school funding, Ciattarelli said during a debate in early October. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The current state Supreme Court has four Democrats, two Republicans, and one who is unaffiliated but worked in the administration of Republican Gov. Chris Christie. Ciattarellis pledge to do away with the courts tradition of partisan balance, one that has persisted uninterrupted since the state adopted its 1947 constitution, has some court observers worried that New Jerseys high court could come to mirror the U.S. Supreme Court. We dont have the situation, alas, that we have down in Washington where theres such obvious bitter divides that its almost getting to the point where the justices apparently are being uncollegial to each other, said Ron Chen, a former New Jersey public advocate who teaches law at Rutgers Law School. The U.S. Supreme Court, where conservatives have a 6-3 majority, rarely issues unanimous decisions, and those justices now regularly snipe at each other in dissents and concurrences, questioning not only whether the court has overstepped its authority but also whether justices are consulting law when making their rulings. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Only four of the 38 decisions New Jerseys Supreme Court has meted out this year included a dissent. All others were ruled unanimously. Rep. Mikie Sherrill, who is Ciattarellis Democratic opponent in the Nov. 4 election, during a primary debate said she would maintain the courts partisan balance. The state high courts current membership provides Ciattarelli with no grand opportunities to remake the bench. New Jerseys Supreme Court justices are appointed, with Senate confirmation, to an initial seven-year term and can be renominated and confirmed to remain on the court until they reach the mandatory retirement age of 70. Three justices will turn 70 over the next two gubernatorial terms. Two of them are Republicans. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Only Justice Anne Patterson, a Republican, turns 70 during the next governors term, in 2029. The next-oldest member of the Supreme Court, Chief Justice Stuart Rabner, a Democrat, doesnt turn 70 until the gubernatorial term after that, in June 2030. A victorious Ciattarelli could have other avenues to remake the court, though theyre likely to be substantially more controversial. Members of the court are typically renominated absent major controversy, but Ciattarelli could gain two seats for Republicans in his first term by moving to replace Democratic justices instead of renominating them, and he could gain a third by the same means if reelected to a second term. Justices Fabiana Pierre-Louis, Rachel Wainer Apter, and Douglas Fasciale will see their initial seven-year terms expire under the next governor, and Ciattarelli is not required to nominate them for tenure (Fasciale is Republican). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wainer Apter and Pierre-Louis are Democrats, and nominating Republicans in their place could give Republicans a 5-2 majority on the high court. But that path is perilous. We saw 10 years ago what happened when Gov. Christie tried that, Chen said. When Christie declined to nominate Justice John Wallace for tenure in 2010, Democrats who controlled the Senate ground his judicial confirmations to a halt, rejecting two of Christies Supreme Court nominees and refusing to hear two others. Wallaces seat was not filled until 2016. The Legislature could blunt a push to stack the high court with conservatives with little difficulty. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Democrats hold 25 of the state Senates 40 seats, and members of the upper chamber are not up for election this year, so the next governor will have a Democratic-controlled Senate for at least two years. If Ciattarelli becomes governor in January, Senate leaders can simply refuse to bring his Supreme Court nominations to committee or indefinitely withhold floor votes on their nominations. Even if Republicans take control of the upper chamber after legislative elections in 2027, Democratic senators could still block broad swaths of his nominees under an unwritten rule, called senatorial courtesy, that allows senators to unilaterally and indefinitely block nominations from their home county or legislative district. Sen. Holly Schepisis (R-Bergen) invocation of courtesy froze Wainer Apters nomination for 18 months. The pains inflicted by courtesy can stretch past the judiciary. Prior to his retirement, former Sen. Michael Doherty (R-Warren) for a time blocked all gubernatorial nominations in Warren County. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theres little indication the Senate would back eliminating courtesy, regardless of who controls the chamber. With few exceptions, the unwritten rule is a senators greatest source of individual power. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX As Oklahoma prepares to lose out on millions of dollars in monthly aid because of the federal government shutdown, a top Republican in the state House of Representatives says the state can't afford to fill the financial gap. House Majority Leader Mark Lawson said Thursday, Oct. 30, that Oklahoma cannot sustain funding for federal food assistance, "not to mention funding for our troops, air traffic controllers and other safety programs." State Democratic lawmakers have called for an immediate special session for the Legislature to consider using state savings to cover food assistance, which adds up to about $130 million every month. More than 684,600 Oklahomans who rely on the Supplemental Nutrition and Assistance Program, or SNAP, won't receive benefits Nov. 1 as Congress continues to fail to resolve the federal budget impasse. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The impacts will extend beyond that program alone. On Thursday, the state welfare agency said it would begin furloughs for 2,300 workers because of the shutdown. Lawson pointed fingers at Democrats in Washington, D.C. He blamed them for voting against an effort that would have funded the U.S. government until Nov. 21. Democrats' main sticking point in the shutdown fight continues to center around extending subsidies under the Affordable Care Act. More: OKC families, food pantries brace for loss of SNAP benefits. Here's where to find help "They need to do their job and vote to reopen the federal government," said Lawson, of Sapulpa. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As of Thursday afternoon, Senate Pro Tempore Lonnie Paxton, had not responded to The Oklahoman's request for comment on whether he'd support a special session. Accessing the state's $1 billion rainy day fund to supplement SNAP benefits would take two-thirds of the Legislature voting in support of the move. Republicans control the House and Senate by large majorities. How other states are funding food assistance, SNAP during shutdown Officials in other states have found ways to fund the food assistance program for varying lengths of time. In Louisiana, Republican Gov. Jeff Landry said Wednesday his health department will fund the money to cover $147 million in benefits in November for the elderly, people with disabilities, and children, as reported by the Louisiana Illuminator. In Virginia, Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced Wednesday his state would launch its first state-funded food aid program to replace SNAP benefits through at least November, as reported by Axios. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At a news conference on Wednesday, Gov. Kevin Stitt didn't fully rule out spending state money but said Oklahoma officials would first "beef up" other programs before resorting to spending state savings. He added that there's no guarantee the federal government would reimburse the state for dipping into its savings. He ordered agency leaders earlier in October to look at every source of federal funding, identify "critical vulnerabilities" when that money goes away and suggest ways to minimize the impact of federal cuts. Agencies were instructed to get their reports back to Stitt by early this week. Leaders of the Oklahoma Department of Human Services said Thursday that they would require some higher-paid workers to take furlough days to account for the federal funding gap. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Employees making $100,000 or more will have three furlough days per pay period. Those earning $50,000 up to $100,000 will have two furlough days, and workers earning less than $50,000 are exempt. The department did not provide further details. More: Stitt says state is working on it as Oklahomans brace for SNAP freeze amid shutdown "The furlough plan is structured to maximize limited resources while prioritizing the protection and engagement of frontline employees," said the agency in an unsigned statement. "Oklahoma Human Services exists to provide critical services to our most vulnerable neighbors. Unfortunately, the ongoing federal shutdown has significantly impacted our ability fulfill that mission without taking actions such as this. House Minority Leader Cyndi Munson, a Democrat from Oklahoma City who is campaigning for governor, said food banks, churches and nonprofits cannot be expected to supplement everyone's needs during crisis, urging for a special session. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Governors across this country have managed to set up funding for food banks and EBT cards for their citizens our governor could do the same," she said in a statement Wednesday. This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: GOP leaders says Oklahoma can't fill SNAP gap ahead of Nov. 1 deadline West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, on Friday, paid tribute to former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on her death anniversary. Taking to X, Mamata Banerjee wrote, "Respectfully remembering Indira Gandhi Ji on her death anniversary." Earlier, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, and the Congress Parliamentary Party Chairperson, Sonia Gandhi, offered floral tributes at Delhi's Shakti Sthal, where the late leader was cremated. In a post on X, Rahul Gandhi remembered India's former Prime Minister, stating that Indira Gandhi's courage, compassion, and patriotism continue to inspire him. "India's Indira - Fearless, resolute, and steadfast in the face of every power. Grandma, you taught me that nothing is greater than India's identity and self-respect. Your courage, compassion, and patriotism continue to inspire every step I take, even today," wrote Gandhi. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge also paid homage to the late Prime Minister, calling her a symbol of resilience and visionary leadership. "Millions of Indians will forever find inspiration in the life of the 'Iron Lady of India', Smt. Indira Gandhi, a symbol of resilience, courage, and visionary leadership. Her resolute commitment to India's progress and unity remains in our hearts and minds. She laid down her life in the service of the nation, safeguarding its integrity and spirit. Our humble homage at Shakti Sthal," he wrote on X. Earlier, addressing a public gathering in Bihar's Nalanda, Rahul Gandhi launched a sharp attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi while comparing him to former PM Indira Gandhi, citing the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War. "During the 1971 war in the Bangladesh struggle, America sent its aircraft and navy to intimidate and threaten India. Indira Gandhi, who was the Prime Minister, said we are not afraid of your navy, do what you must, we will do what we must," Rahul Gandhi said. "Indira Gandhi was a woman, but she had more guts than this man. Narendra Modi is cowardly. He has neither a vision nor the ability to stand up to the President of America. I challenge him: if Narendra Modi has the courage, then at any meeting in Bihar, he should say that the President of America is lying, that he (PM Modi) did not bow to him, and that he did not stop Operation Sindoor. He cannot do that," he added. Indira Gandhi was the third and first female Prime Minister of India, serving from 1966 to 1977 and again from 1980 until her assassination in 1984. (ANI) Cracks are forming in the Senate GOP conference over whether benefits under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) should be allowed to lapse this weekend. Republicans have been unified throughout the shutdown in voting 13 times for a House-passed bill to reopen the government, but there are divisions on the SNAP issue, which could leave millions without crucial benefits. Expiration of food assistance funding is expected to impact nearly 42 million Americans across the country, including millions of people in Republican-represented states. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I think we got to find some way to get help to 40 million people. This Saturday is going to be bad. Its going to be really bad, said Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.), referring to the expiration of SNAP funding this weekend. Sign up for the latest from The Hill here Hawley has introduced a bill, the Keep SNAP Funded Act, to provide funding to provide uninterrupted SNAP benefits, retroactive to the start of the shutdown. The legislation already has 14 Republican co-sponsors a healthy share of the Senate GOP conference. But a number of Republicans oppose extending SNAP during a shutdown they blame on Democrats. They think Democrats, in blocking the House GOP funding bill, are the ones to blame for any lapse in SNAP. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Vice President Vance told Republican senators at a meeting Tuesday that they should avoid voting on rifle-shot bills to fund different parts of the federal government, such as SNAP, during the shutdown. Republicans want the pressure to be on Democrats to end the shutdown. Democrats say they blocked the GOP legislation because they want subsidies under the Affordable Care Act that are set to expire at years end to be extended. Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) says she wants to keep SNAP benefits flowing during the shutdown, even though the looming lapse in food assistance funding is putting tremendous pressure on Senate Democrats to vote for a clean continuing resolution to reopen government. Id like to figure out a way to make sure SNAP benefits continue uninterrupted, she told The Hill. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Murkowski said the expiration of SNAP benefits will hit Alaska Native communities especially hard. In many of these smaller villages, the one village store, 60 percent of the people who utilize the store are SNAP beneficiaries. And so the impact that were seeing on Native people around the country when you have a shutdown is something thats not negligible, she explained. An estimated 1 million Native American and Alaska Native people are projected to feel an impact if the federal food assistance funding lapses Nov. 1. Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), a co-sponsor of Hawleys bill to keep SNAP funded, questioned the Trump administrations legal interpretation that it does not have the authority to spend $5 billion in the SNAP contingency pool, which Congress created to keep the low-income nutrition program funded in case of emergency. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It is a novel interpretation for the department to claim that it cannot use that $5 billion in contingency money to help with SNAP benefits, she said, referring to a memo circulated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). I dont think this was a USDA opinion. I really think it was imposed by OMB and weve been having discussions with OMBs attorneys, she said, referring to the Office of Management Budget, which is led by Russell Vought. Collins told The Hill that she wants to vote on Hawleys bill to fund SNAP benefits during the shutdown. Other Republicans who have sponsored Hawleys bill are Sens. James Lankford (Okla.), Marsha Blackburn (Tenn.), Bernie Moreno (Ohio), Kevin Cramer (N.D.), Bill Cassidy (La.), Katie Britt (Ala.), John Cornyn (Texas), Jon Husted (Ohio), Dan Sullivan (Alaska), Roger Marshall (Kan.), Cynthia Lummis (Wyo.) and Shelley Moore Capito (W.Va.). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) initially was open to the idea of voting on rifle-shot bills to fund distinct parts of the government and ease the pain of the shutdown on millions of Americans. He scheduled a vote last week on a bill to pay active-duty military service members, air traffic controllers, Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents and Transportation Security Administration employees, for example. Democrats blocked that bill in a 54-45 vote, though three Democrats Sens. John Fetterman (Pa.), Raphael Warnock (Ga.) and Jon Ossoff (Ga.) supported it. Since then, Thune has turned against the idea of voting on bills to open up different parts of the government or fund key priorities during the broader shutdown. Thune on Thursday poured cold water on the idea of voting next week to keep SNAP benefits funded. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I think the vote needs to be on opening the government, he said Thursday when asked whether he would rule out a vote on Hawleys SNAP bill. Senate Republican sources say Thune changed his view after it became increasingly clear that the White House and members of his own conference didnt want to ease the political pressure on Democrats to end the shutdown. Vance told Republican senators at the weekly Senate Republican policy conference lunch that they should stay away from the rifle-shot bills to fund SNAP and other priorities. One argument he made is that if any of those bills pass, it would put pressure on Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) to reconvene the House in Washington to take up Senate-passed legislation, which would undermine the Republican strategy of isolating Senate Democrats, according to GOP senators who participated in the meeting. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thune had already backed away from scheduling a vote on funding SNAP benefits during the shutdown when his leadership team met in his Capitol office Monday. Well have a conversation with our members about what steps they want to take moving forward but my view is what it has been from the very beginning and that is, to pay SNAP recipients, open the government. Its not complicated, he said. Other Republican senators are backing Thune and the White Houses strategy by warning that passing legislation to fund SNAP benefits next week will likely make it easier for Democrats politically to let the shutdown drag on. It lets some air out of the bubble too much, said one Republican senator, who requested anonymity to discuss internal strategy. Maximum pressure to reopen the government is what I think is the most effective. Were still on our position of open the government, its easy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But the GOP senator acknowledged, Its really sad that youre leveraging young mothers who cant feed their children. Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.) said the Senate should pass appropriations bills to fund the USDA though fiscal 2026 instead of a stopgap measure to fund SNAP. Weve got bills passed out of committee that address this. Why would we start with some sort of stopgap? I understand what Josh is doing but we have appropriations bills that have reported out of committee on a bipartisan basis that we can work on that would not only address [SNAP] but take this out of the scope of the next continuing resolution (CR), he said. I think the better strategy is to say, Get the CR done, he added, referring to the House-passed continuing resolution to reopen the government. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thune on Wednesday objected to a request by Democratic Sen. Ben Ray Lujan (N.M.) to pass a Democratic bill to fund SNAP and the Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children by unanimous consent. The GOP leader accused Democrats in a fiery floor speech of playing political games. We are 29 days into a Democrat shutdown and the senator from New Mexico is absolutely right. SNAP recipients shouldnt go without food. People should be getting paid in this country and weve tried to do that 13 times and youve voted no 13 times. This is not a political game. This is real peoples lives that were talking about, Thune said, his voice rising to an angry shout on the Senate floor. Thune has scheduled 13 votes on a clean continuing resolution to fund the government through Nov. 21, and Democrats have blocked it every time, arguing it fails to address rising health care costs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Ohios bipartisan redistricting commission approved a new congressional map Friday, giving Republicans a measured win in the national redistricting battle. The map, passed unanimously by the commission, gives the GOP a better opportunity to flip two seats; Democratic Rep. Marcy Kapturs district which President Donald Trump won by about 7 points in 2024 was made even redder, and Democratic Rep. Greg Landsmans seat became Republican-leaning, while still likely competitive in 2026. Democratic Rep. Emilia Sykes district was also made slightly more blue, and some Republican-held seats got nominally redder. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The congressional delegation is currently split between 10 Republicans and five Democrats. A best-case scenario for Republicans would likely result in a 12-3 breakdown. Republicans in Ohio opted to reach the agreement with commission Democrats instead of going through the GOP-controlled Legislature. Should a map have been passed by lawmakers, which likely would have resulted in a 13-2 map, a potential ballot referendum could have blocked it for 2026. This path ensures the new map will take effect in the midterms. Shortly after the commission's meeting, both Sykes and Kaptur said publicly they would still seek reelection. Kaptur, who has represented her northwestern Ohio district since 1983, lambasted what she called "one party rule Columbus," blaming "self-interested politicians" for cutting "side deals" to advance their own agendas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Let the Columbus politicians make their self-serving maps and play musical chairs, I will fight on for the people and ask the voters for their support next year," she said in a statement posted to social media Friday morning. Despite some criticism for the Democrats on the commission particularly from anti-gerrymandering activists in the state national Democrats praised them for making the best out of a bad situation. "As the White House has pushed for attacks on our democracy in state after state, Ohios Democratic Legislative Leadership has fended off the most extreme scenario in the Buckeye State," Eric Holder, the chair of the National Democratic Redistricting Committee, said in a statement. "Though there is substantial work to do, this imperfect map allows sitting Democrats to continue to compete in all their existing congressional districts. Its still a win for Republicans, who are also seeking to redraw maps in their favor in states from Indiana to Nebraska as Texas, North Carolina and Missouri have already approved new lines. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Democrats are hoping to counteract the GOPs redistricting push with their own efforts in California, where voters will consider a ballot referendum next week, as well as New York, Virginia and Illinois. Andrew Howard contributed to this report. Republicans are quickly tamping down President Donald Trumps call to eliminate the Senate filibuster as they try to keep pressure on Democrats to end the 31-day government shutdown. GOP leaders believed Thursday they were on track to reopen agencies as soon as next week. Then Trump threw a fresh complication into their laps overnight when he revived calls for Republicans to invoke the nuclear option and eliminate the 60-vote threshold for passing most legislation. Without it, Republican senators could reopen the government on their own. But many GOP senators have vocally defended the filibuster, including Majority Leader John Thune, calling the 60-vote rule a fundamental feature of the Senate and one that works to conservatives benefit in the long run. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thune has defended the filibuster multiple times during the shutdown, calling it a bad idea to suggest eliminating it. The 60-vote threshold has protected this country, he said earlier this month. Ryan Wrasse, a spokesperson for the South Dakota Republican, said in a statement on Friday that Leader Thunes position on the importance of the legislative filibuster is unchanged. Kate Noyes a spokesperson for Sen. John Barrasso of Wyoming, the No. 2 GOP leader said on Friday his position in support of the legislative filibuster also hasnt changed. Speaker Mike Johnson, who has no direct role in Senate affairs but occupies a key role in managing the shutdown, also struck a cautionary note in comments to reporters Friday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He called the filibuster a Senate chamber issue but added that it has traditionally been viewed as a very important safeguard. If the shoe was on the other foot, I don't think our team would like it, Johnson said. Trumps demand made in a pair of Truth Social posts came just as GOP senators believed they were on the brink of convincing enough Senate Democrats to reopen the government. A bipartisan group of rank-and-file senators are planning to talk through the weekend, with some lawmakers believing a deal could be reached by the middle of next week. BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT THE DEMOCRATS HAVE GONE STONE COLD 'CRAZY,' THE CHOICE IS CLEAR INITIATE THE 'NUCLEAR OPTION,' GET RID OF THE FILIBUSTER AND, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! Trump wrote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He separately indicated he wanted the rules changed not only to reopen the government but to also pass other GOP priorities before Democrats regain power and eliminate the filibuster themselves. Trump also suggested Republicans should do away with a separate Senate practice, known as the blue slip, which gives senators veto power over home-state district court and U.S. attorney nominees another longstanding Trump request GOP senators have ignored. Democrats will exercise their rights, and it will be done in the first day they take office, regardless of whether or not we do it, he wrote. To change the chambers rules, Republicans would need 50 votes plus a tiebreak from Vice President JD Vance meaning they could lose no more than three senators. Republicans do not currently have the votes within the conference to nix the filibuster, four people granted anonymity to discuss internal deliberations told POLITICO Friday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I dont think it changes anything, said one GOP senator granted anonymity to speak candidly about Trump's demands. Beyond Thune and Barrasso, Trump is already getting other public defections. Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) called the filibuster "the Senates most important institutional safeguard" in a statement Friday and said eliminating it "would inflict lasting harm on Congresss ability to voice the will of the people." "To end this shutdown, we need to sit down and negotiate in good faith not resort to the nuclear option," she continued. "If the legislative filibuster is abolished, both sides will regret it." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The filibuster forces us to find common ground in the Senate. Power changes hands, but principles shouldnt. Im a firm no on eliminating it, Sen. John Curtis (R-Utah) wrote on X on Friday. Daniel Keylin, a spokesperson for Sen. Thom Tillis, said Friday that the North Carolina Republican would never vote to eliminate the legislative filibuster under any circumstance. Prior to Trumps postings Thursday, more than a dozen GOP senators had rejected chatter about changing Senate rules as the shutdown dragged on in recent weeks. Those include Tillis and Murkowski, who both have an independent streak, as well as frequent Trump allies such as Sens. John Cornyn (R-Texas), Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.) and James Lankford (R-Okla.). And then theres Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, who as majority leader during Trumps first term, repeatedly fended off the presidents previous attacks on the filibuster. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement McConnell didnt immediately respond on Friday to Trumps comments. But his office pointed back to comments he made in a recent biography: Trump asked me to go nuclear and I had a one word answer: No. Some of the GOP fervor to eliminate the filibuster is coming from the House, where some conservative hard-liners have raised the possibility of muscling spending legislation past Democrats by changing the other chambers rules. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.), for instance, pressed Johnson on the idea during a House Republican Conference call this week, urging the Senate GOP to simply change the rules and pass the House-approved stopgap spending bill. Sen. Bernie Moreno (R-Ohio) also expressed support earlier this month for revisiting the filibuster if the shutdown drags on. We got 52 Republicans let's go, he said in an Oct. 8 Fox News interview. It may get to that. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But other voices in the GOP arent sold, and Johnsons wariness Friday reflects widespread sentiment in his ranks. Johnson chalked up Trumps comments to what some other Republicans speculated privately on Friday: That Trump, like GOP lawmakers, is growing frustrated by the weeks-long shutdown, which is on track to break the 35-day record next week. What you're seeing is an expression of the president's anger at the situation. He is as angry as I am and the American people are about this madness, and he just desperately wants the government to be reopened, Johnson added. Meredith Lee Hill contributed to this report. President Donald Trump is calling on Republicans to get rid of the Senate filibuster to end the government shutdownbut many in his party are pushing back. It is now time for the Republicans to play their TRUMP CARD, and go for what is called the Nuclear OptionGet rid of the Filibuster, and get rid of it, NOW! Trump posted on Truth Social on Thursday night. If we did what we should be doing, it would IMMEDIATELY end this ridiculous, Country destroying SHUT DOWN. The shutdown, which started on Oct. 1, is already the second longest in U.S. history and still has no clear endpoint in sight. If the shutdown continues into next week, it will become the longest one in history, breaking the previous record of 34 days set during Trumps first term. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some GOP leaders have previously suggested ending the filibuster, which allows the minority to block legislation by drawing out debate, effectively creating a 60-vote threshold for passing most bills. Sen. Bernie Moreno, an Ohio Republican, said in an interview on Fox News earlier this month, Maybe its time to think about the filibuster, saying that eliminating it would open the government again. But many lawmakers within the Presidents party have dismissed the idea of eliminating the filibuster, emphasizing its importance. Senate Majority Leader John Thune has previously said it would be a bad idea to get rid of it. The 60-vote threshold has protected this country, he said earlier this month. A spokesperson for Thune told POLITICO on Friday that Thunes stance on the issue has not changed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sen. John Curtis, a Utah Republican, said on X on Friday, The filibuster forces us to find common ground in the Senate. Power changes hands, but principles shouldnt. Im a firm no on eliminating it. House Speaker Mike Johnson, who is not directly involved in Senate business, warned against ending the filibuster in a press conference on Friday, though he added that his opinion on the issue is not relevant. The filibuster has traditionally been viewed as a very important safeguard, Johnson said. If the shoe was on the other foot, I dont think our team would like it. Johnson didnt openly criticize the President on the issue, but suggested that Trumps remarks come amid frustration over how long the shutdown has lasted. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What youre seeing is an expression of the Presidents anger at the situation, Johnson said. He is as angry as I am and the American people are about this madness, and he just desperately wants the government to be reopened. Contact us at letters@time.com. WASHINGTON Republican leaders are ratcheting up pressure on their Democratic colleagues to end the federal shutdown, claiming no deals can be made on extraneous policy legislation until they vote to reopen the government. Top Republicans ramped up the rhetoric in their public remarks this week, calling out Senate Democrats by name to personally blame them for the shutdown calling them responsible for the expected lapse in SNAP funding that could leave millions of Americans without food assistance starting this weekend. On Saturday, things are going to become very dark, House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said on Thursday. There is one way out of this, the easy way, the obvious way, and that is for the Democrats to do their job and vote for this nonpartisan funding measure so that we can turn everything back on. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Johnsons comments come as tensions reached a boiling point this week, resulting in strained bipartisan relationships and the typically mild-mannered Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., yelling on the Senate floor on Wednesday. SNAP recipients shouldnt go without food.. Weve tried to do that 13 times and you voted no 13 times!" Thune said as he waved his arms around and pointed toward Democrats. And you have all just figured out 29 days in that, Oh, there may be some consequences? The Senate has voted 13 times on a Republican-led clean continuing resolution to reopen the government until Nov. 21 in an effort to buy appropriators more time to finish the full-year spending bills. But the bill requires 60 votes to overcome a filibuster in the upper chamber, meaning at least eight Senate Democrats would need to cross party lines for it to succeed. So far, only three have done so prompting Republicans to target Democrats in vulnerable seats to end the shutdown. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, R-La., read out names of senators during a press conference on Thursday, listing the number of state residents at risk of losing their SNAP benefits as well as federal employees who are not being paid during the shutdown. Those consequences, he contended, sat squarely on the shoulders of Democrats. But the only way this suffering is prevented is if they come to their senses and go, Yes, Scalise said. We all know the math. We all know whats needed. Its not just math. Its millions and millions of families across this country that will truly suffer and go without food if they vote no. Bipartisan talks appeared to stall earlier this week as appropriators hunt for ways to advance full-year spending bills along with a deal to reopen the government. Although no deal has been finalized, some lawmakers expressed cautious optimism that an end could be in sight within the coming weeks. I express optimism because whenever youre talking, its better than not talking, Sen. Gary Peters, D-Mich., told reporters on Thursday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, who has also been involved in the bipartisan discussions, confirmed there are talks about talks occurring between senators but noted there has not yet been enough to yield results. But Thune and Johnson made one thing clear: Democrats must vote on the Republican-led resolution to reopen the government before any of their demands can be negotiated. That means specific funding levels and an extension of enhanced Obamacare subsidies must wait until after the governments lights are back on. We were always planning to have the debate about the COVID-era subsidies and all these other issues in October, November, December, Johnson said on Thursday. The COVID-era subsidies dont expire until the end of December. There are all sorts of discussions going on about it, all kinds of ideas. With a deal on passing appropriations bills on the horizon, Thune warned it could take several days before those packages make their way through the Senate. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Even if youve got consent its still going to take a while to move those bills across the floor so weve got to reopen the government and then well have a normal appropriations process, Thune said. Part of that deal would likely require a longer-term continuing resolution to extend government funding, with some lawmakers looking to early next year as an adequate deadline. An exact date has not yet been decided as some fiscal conservatives have floated extending the 2025 spending levels through the end of fiscal year 2026 something Democrats are likely to reject. I dont think Democrats can sign on to a full-year budget unless it, you know, also constrains the level of illegality happening, Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., said, referring to President Donald Trumps spending cuts from previous budgets. Murphy noted that he and other Democrats want assurances that any spending deal passed wont be discarded by the president later on. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wed be suckers to sign on to a budget if theyre going to use rescissions to just destroy major programs that were in the budget and were the reason that we voted for it, he said. The Senate adjourned on Thursday without taking a vote to reopen the government, ensuring the shutdown will last through the weekend into the first week of November. The shutdown is barreling toward becoming the longest in U.S. history, a mark it will hit if the government remains closed past Tuesday. The House is not expected to return until the government is reopened. The lower chamber has not been in session for votes since Sept. 19. In eastern Finland, local villagers have sparked an ecological renaissance by repurposing a former peat mine into a wetland brimming with new life, according to Happy Eco News. Once described as a barren moonscape, the 270-acre Linnunsuo site is now a thriving wildlife sanctuary. Endangered ducks and eagles nest along the new marshes, wolverines hunt within the wetlands, and bears and moose wander from nearby forests. This ecological transformation bloomed from a 2010 disaster. Acidic runoff from the old mine was running rampant, and the wetlands were recorded as having a pH of 2.8. That means the water had the same acidity levels as lemon juice. These high levels were killing fish and other wildlife in the area. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Local fishers sounded the alarm, and community leaders stepped up. Climate scientist Tero Mustonen and the Snowchange Cooperative purchased the land and began rebuilding the wetlands. They dammed channels and created dozens of pools to flood the poisoned soils. Wildlife rebounded almost instantly. Within one year of rewetting, 120 bird species returned, including rare northern pintail ducks and greater spotted eagles. Now, over 205 bird species have been recorded in the area, and up to 100,000 migrating geese make their way through the sanctuary each autumn, according to Snowchange. These wetlands also protect people. The restored bog filters out acid, so the rivers run clear and fish have returned. As the peat layers rebuild, the bog will remove carbon, helping Finland meet climate targets. Related efforts are gaining momentum worldwide. For example, England recently banned peat burning to protect these carbon sinks, and Scotland's long-term restoration plans promise to breathe new life into the landscape. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Linnunsuo project is a model of community-driven conservation. As Mustonen noted, the work they're doing is "restoring the ecosystem but also giving the land back to the people." Getting involved in local climate action may seem like a small step, but it can have a lasting positive impact. 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. Russia has begun using the 9M729 cruise missile to attack Ukraine, the secret development of which prompted US President Donald Trump to withdraw from a nuclear arms control treaty with Moscow. Source: Reuters Details: Reuters journalists spoke with anonymous sources and Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha. Sybiha's comments are the first official confirmation that Russia has used the ground-launched 9M729 missile in Ukraine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A second senior Ukrainian official told Reuters that Russia has launched the missile at Ukraine 23 times since August. A source added that Ukraine also recorded two launches of the 9M729 by Russia in 2022. Russia's Ministry of Defence did not respond to a written request for comment. The 9M729 prompted the US to exit the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty in 2019. Washington stated that the missile violated the treaty because it could fly beyond the 500 km range limit, although Moscow has denied this. The Missile Threat website, developed by the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, states that the missile can carry either a nuclear or conventional warhead and has a range of 2,500 km. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A military source said that a 9M729 launched by Russia on 5 October flew over 1,200 km before striking Ukraine. Quote from Sybiha: "Russia's use of the INF-banned 9M729 against Ukraine in the past months demonstrates Putin's disrespect to the United States and President Trump's diplomatic efforts to end Russia's war against Ukraine." More details: The White House did not respond to specific questions about Russia's use of the 9M729. A few days ago, Trump ordered the US military to resume nuclear weapons testing, citing "testing programmes in other countries". Ukraine's Foreign Ministry did not disclose further details or dates of 9M729 strikes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A senior official said the attacks began on 21 August less than a week after the Trump-Putin summit in Alaska. Journalists have reviewed photos of debris from the Russian strike on 5 October that hit a residential building in the village of Lapaivka, Lviv Oblast, killing five people. The images showed two pieces of the missile, including a cable-filled tube, marked as 9M729. For reference: Intermediate-range and shorter-range missiles (INF) refer to ground-launched ballistic and cruise missiles with a range of between 500 and 5,500 km, typically capable of carrying nuclear warheads. The INF Treaty between the United States and the Soviet Union was signed in Washington in 1987 and remained in force until 2019. At that time, the US government said Russia had violated the treaty by deploying the 9M729 missile system and announced its withdrawal from the treaty. In August 2019, Russia's Foreign Ministry formally declared the treaty had been brought to an end. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At the time, Putin warned that if the US deployed intermediate-range missiles in Europe, Russia would be forced to respond, although he claimed Moscow would not deploy such missiles first. The US and NATO have since stated that Russia has not honoured its self-declared moratorium, citing the deployment of the 9M729. Western officials insist the missile's range exceeds 500 km, which Russia denies. Background: The US and Russia withdrew from the Cold War-era INF Treaty in August 2019 after mutual accusations of violations. In August 2025, Russian officials said they were abandoning the "self-imposed restrictions" on deploying intermediate-range and shorter-range missiles which it had declared after the collapse of the INF Treaty. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! NEED TO KNOW Cynthia McKenna, 49, was found dead in her North Providence home in 2007; her ex, Robert J. Corry Jr., confessed in letters from prison, per officials Debra Stone, 24, was found in Narragansetts Narrow River in 1984; investigators linked her death to Robert D. Geremia of Johnston Rhode Islands Cold Case Unit used new forensic tools and witness reviews to solve both murders after decades Debra Stone was discovered strangled and dumped in a river in 1984; 23 years later, Cynthia McKenna was found suffocated in her North Providence apartment. Now, after decades without answers, Rhode Island authorities say both womens killers have finally been identified through new forensic work. Attorney General Peter F. Neronha announced Wednesday that Robert J. Corry Jr. was responsible for McKennas death, while Robert D. Geremia killed Stone. Both suspects died years ago Corry in 2014 and Geremia in 1995 so neither can face charges, according to Neronha's Office. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to The Providence Journal, The Boston Globe and Rhode Island Current, McKenna had filed domestic-violence charges against Corry in 2005, though the case was later dismissed after she failed to appear in court. Per the investigative report, McKenna, 49, was found tucked tightly in her bed with two pillows over her face, with a sock in her mouth and tissues in her nostrils. The state medical examiner ruled she died from asphyxia due to obstruction of the airway by a foreign body. RI Office of the Attorney General Cynthia McKenna Cynthia McKenna Her apartment manager told police shed been at odds with a man she called Gunner, later identified as Corry. Investigators intercepted letters Corry wrote in 2007, apparently confessing to the murder. A document examiner and handwriting analyst later determined the letters were Corrys genuine writing, and new Y-STR testing in 2024 linked DNA from a direct male relative to the envelope, confirming the confession, per the AGs report. RI Office of the Attorney General Robert J. Corry Robert J. Corry Her absence has always been magnified during the major milestones in my life, but its in the small day-to-day moments where all is quiet, that I miss her the most, McKennas daughter, Jaclyn, said in a statement. The late-night phone calls, her always wanting just one more hug, packing me a brown bag lunch with my name on it for a big meeting at work. This is the end of the criminal investigation, not the end of her memory. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Stones case, the 24-year-olds body was found wrapped in a floral sleeping bag with a cinder block attached, floating in Narragansetts Narrow River on Sept. 2, 1984. She was last seen Aug. 29 after visiting Geremia at his Johnston apartment. An informant later told police he helped Geremia move her body and said Geremia admitted he had to kill Stone because she was stealing, according to the AGs office. RI Office of the Attorney General Debra Stone Debra Stone A re-examination by the Cold Case Unit determined Stone was strangled, not overdosed as Geremia had claimed, and that witness statements from 1984 remained consistent decades later. Detectives interviewed 32 witnesses over 11 months and found there was then, and there is now, more than sufficient evidence to charge and convict Geremia, though he died before any arrest could be made. RI Office of the Attorney General Robert Geremia Robert Geremia Narragansett Police Chief Kyle Rekas said in the release: For over four decades, Debras family remained without answers after her life was tragically cut short. Through re-examining evidence and re-interviewing witnesses, our collaboration with the Attorney Generals Cold Case Unit has delivered answers for all who loved Debra. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Neronha called the findings a reflection of renewed resources for unsolved homicides. The Cold Case Unit, created in 2023, has documented more than 150 cases and is currently working 21 open homicide investigations, with forensic-genealogy results pending in three, according to his office. Read the original article on People A federal judge in Rhode Island on Oct. 31 ordered the government to tap a $6 billion contingency fund to pay Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, benefits. U.S. District Court Chief Judge John J. McConnell Jr. ruled after hearing arguments via a remote hearing that SNAP benefits are an entitlement guaranteed under the law. He said that U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins announcement that the agency lacks the money needed to cover SNAP benefits was arbitrary and capricious and violated the Administrative Procedure Act as no reasoning had been provided legitimate or otherwise. SNAP benefits have never, until now, been terminated There is no doubt and its beyond argument that irreparable harm will occur, McConnell said of food stamp benefits stopping Nov. 1 due to the federal government shutdown. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He granted a temporary restraining order and ordered the government to distribute its contingency fund to cover the crisis as the shutdown persists. Packaged food piled up at the Rhode Island Food Bank on Oct. 28 ahead of SNAP benefits expiring due to the ongoing government shutdown. How did we get here? The Rhode Island State Council of Churches joining the National Council of Nonprofits and the cities of Pawtucket, Central Falls, Providence and others nationwide sued Rollins and the federal government challenging the expected loss of benefits expected to impact millions. The agency has a duty here to make sure benefits are provided, Michael J. Torcello, of the Democracy Forward Foundation, said. Tyler Becker argued for the federal government that Congress had put the agency in a jam by not funding a SNAP appropriation and that the contingency fund was designated for an emergency, such as a hurricane. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The government is in a very tough spot, Becker said, adding "A shutdown is not an emergency ... This is created by Congress." The government is expected to appeal. `Todays ruling is a lifeline' The council celebrated the ruling. Todays ruling is a lifeline for millions of families, seniors, and veterans who depend on SNAP to put food on the table. It reaffirms a fundamental principle: no administration can use hunger as a political weapon. This victory is about more than one program its about the American values of fairness, compassion, and accountability that hold our democracy together," it said in a statement. "Our coalition represents communities on the frontlines of the hunger crisis. We came together because we refuse to accept a government that turns its back on people in need. We will keep fighting to ensure that federal programs serve their lawful purpose to help, not harm people and communities, the council continued. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gov. Dan McKee also issued a statement on court rulings ordering the Trump administration to use contingency funds to support SNAP. Im encouraged that the courts confirmed what I've been saying all along: President Trump has the authority and responsibility to use SNAP contingency funds to prevent families from going hungry," McKee said. "But lets be clear: because President Trump has been dragging his feet on releasing these funds, its still uncertain when families will actually see relief and in what amount. The president could act right now and authorize the funds ahead of Mondays hearing and thats what he should do. Rhode Islanders cant wait. They need food now, and I'm going to continue to do everything I can to support them, McKee continued. Massachusetts judge rules As the hearing was under way, U.S. District Court Judge Indira Talwani, in Massachusetts, came to a similar conclusion in a challenge to food stamp disruption brought by Democratic states, including Rhode Island. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When Congress established the program in 1964, it did so in part to utilize the nations food supply to the maximum extent practicable to safeguard the health and wellbeing of the Nations population and raise levels of nutrition among low-income households, Talwani noted. The judge found that the law allows for a suspension of the benefits when there are no funds, but that it did not mean that the government may choose a suspension over a reduction while funds namely the $6 billion contingency fund do remain. With this statutory and regulatory context, plaintiffs are likely to succeed on their claim that Congress intended the funding of SNAP benefits, at a reduced rate if necessary, when appropriated funds prove insufficient. Here, Congress appropriated $6 billion to SNAP in 2024 as a contingency reserve through 2026, to be used in such amounts and at such times as may become necessary to carry out program operations, the judge said. Congress established the Food Stamp Program in 1964, and appropriated $6 billion to SNAP in 2024 as a contingency reserve through 2026, to be used in such amounts and at such times as may become necessary to carry out program operations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Defendants suspension of SNAP payments was based on the erroneous conclusion that the Contingency Funds could not be used to ensure continuation of SNAP payments. This court has now clarified that Defendants are required to use those Contingency Funds as necessary for the SNAP program. And while these contingency funds reportedly are insufficient to cover the entire cost of SNAP for November, Defendants also may supplement the Contingency Funds by authorizing a transfer of additional funds pursuant [federal law] to avoid any reductions," Talwani said. This story has been updated with new information. This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Federal judge in RI orders SNAP benefits be paid in November RICHLANDS, VA (WVNS) The Richlands Police Department is investigating after a truck was reportedly stolen in Richlands, Virginia. According to a post on the Richlands Police Departments Facebook page, a 2012 Toyota Tacoma was reportedly stolen on the morning of Friday, October 31, 2025 in the Richlands area of Tazewell County. Former local middle school principal charged with multiple financial crimes Photo Courtesy: Richlands Police Department The post stated that anyone with information about the stolen truck is advised to call the Richlands Police Department at 276-964-9134. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WVNS. DMK MP Dayanidhi Maran on Monday claimed that many of the promises made in the NDA's manifesto for the Bihar Assembly election are inspired by the key welfare schemes implemented in Tamil Nadu by the 'Dravidian Model' government led by his party. He also claimed that Prime Minister Modi's "anti-Tamil" remarks have been exposed as lies by "none other than his own alliance's election manifesto." "Yesterday, while campaigning in Bihar, Prime Minister Modi accused DMK members of mistreating Bihari workers in Tamil Nadu. Yet today, the NDA's election manifesto itself recognises Tamil Nadu's achievements by adopting DMK government schemes as its own promises," he said in a statement. The DMK MP said that the NDA's manifesto outlines several social welfare schemes similar to those in Tamil Nadu, such as nutritious breakfast in schools, support for women entrepreneurs, construction of 50 lakh new houses, and 125 units of free electricity for households. In 2022, the DMK government launched the Chief Minister's Breakfast Scheme to provide breakfast to students in classes 1 to 5 in government and government-aided schools, aimed at improving attendance and learning outcomes. The BJP alliance has now announced that it will introduce a similar scheme in Bihar, he said. "Under the Dravidian Model, the TN RISE initiative was launched to empower women as entrepreneurs by offering financial aid, market access, technology, and training. Inspired by this, the NDA's Bihar manifesto promises to 'transform women into entrepreneurs through the Mission Karodpati programme'," he said. Following the DMK government's Pudhumai Penn Scheme, which provides Rs 1,000 per month to girls who complete schooling in government or aided schools and pursue higher education to encourage their academic progress, the NDA's Bihar manifesto promises a monthly scholarship of Rs 2,000 for all students from backward classes pursuing higher education, he said. The NDA members in Bihar jointly released their manifesto 'Sankalp Patra' in Patna on Friday in the high-stakes assembly elections. In the manifesto, the NDA has promised to provide over one crore government jobs and employment opportunities, conduct a skills census to provide skills-based employment, and establish mega skill centres in every district, transforming Bihar into a 'Global Skilling Centre'. The voting for the 243-seat Bihar Assembly will be held in two phases on November 6 and 11, whereas bye-elections for eight seats across seven states and Union Territories will be held on November 11. The results for both will be declared on November 14. (ANI) Following the bloodiest police operation in the history of the Brazilian state of Rio de Janeiro, the police have identified nine out of 117 dead as suspected leaders of drug gangs. However, they said on Friday that Edgar Alves de Andrade, one of the main leaders of the criminal syndicate Comando Vermelho (Red Command), managed to escape. He was said to have been the main target of the operation. During the operation on Tuesday, four police officers also lost their lives, bringing the total number of victims to 121. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to police, 78 of the dead had a history of serious crimes. Arrest warrants had been issued for 42 of them. 14-year-old boy among dead The police conducted the strike against Comando Vermelho in the slums, known locally as favelas, of Penha and Alemao. At least 2,500 police officers were involved in the operation, which also saw the use of two helicopters and dozens of armoured vehicles. Criminals set barricades and cars on fire, dropped explosives from drones and opened fire on the officers. So far, 99 of the dead have been identified, including a 14-year-old boy. In light of the numerous casualties, human rights organizations are calling for an investigation into the operation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to police chief Felipe Kuri, both favelas served as national headquarters for Comando Vermelho. He said this was revealed during the investigations. Shooting exercises were also conducted there, where criminals from other regions were trained, he said. Relatives of the victims of the police operation carried out this week in Rio de Janeiro's favelas approach the Forensic Medical Institute (IML) to examine the bodies. Joedson Alves/Agencia Brazil/dpa A study released Thursday by the Kansas Insurance Department found that most of the insurance companies serving Affordable Care Act customers on the marketplace expect to see costs rise by 11% to 34% on average. (Photo by Morgan Chilson/Kansas Reflector) TOPEKA Kansans purchasing health insurance on the Affordable Care Act marketplace are likely to see their premiums increase in 2026, some by as much as 34%, and thats without calculating the additional dollars they will pay if subsidies arent reinstated by Congress. ACA marketplace open enrollment starts Saturday for 2026 insurance plans, and Kansans are concerned about what to expect after seeing national estimates that health insurance rates may double. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Health insurance rates are going up across the board, and many factors contribute to that, including use, cost of care and advances in types of care, increased prescription costs and renegotiated provider reimbursement contracts, said Kyle Strathman, deputy chief of staff at the Kansas Department of Insurance. On the marketplace, Kansans also are being hit with the expiration of 2026 marketplace subsidies, said Maci Mishler, owner of Rural Health Advisors, a health insurance agency in Ness City and with an office in Nebraska. Im really concerned that people in the marketplace have their heads buried in the sand and theyre not realizing whats about to happen, she said, adding that shes getting more calls from clients about Medicare rates than from those who buy marketplace insurance. Kansas ACA Of the seven companies offering ACA coverage in Kansas, one is new to the market and has no previous rates to compare. Another, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City, showed an average rate decrease of 6.14%, according to the Kansas Department of Insurances 2026 overview of the health insurance market, released Thursday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The remaining five reported the following average rate increases among 2026 marketplace plans: 11.74% UnitedHealthcare Insurance Co. 14.44% Oscar Insurance Co. 16.65% Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas Inc. 30.76% Medica Insurance Co. 33.66% Ambetter from Sunflower Health Plan insured by Celtic Insurance Co. The four companies offering small business insurance plans through ACA reported that rates will increase, on average, from 8.4% to nearly 10%, the study found. The insurance market study also said the numbers of Kansans using the marketplace have steadily increased, topping 200,000 in 2025, up from 171,000 in 2024. In 2017, 98,780 people were enrolled. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Strathman said its challenging to predict how the insurance market will be affected. National experts expect many people who see significant cost increases to go without insurance. It is difficult to project as we do not know if people will leave the ACA for other options such as short-term limited duration plans or group plans, but projections of enrollment to the individual ACA plans are expected to decrease significantly, he said. A decrease would negatively affect the market, as insurance companies depend on the number of people enrolled to decrease risk, Mishler said. Cindy Samuelson, spokeswoman for the Kansas Hospital Association, said any decrease in the number of Kansans who have health insurance is concerning. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When theyre uninsured, thats not good for their health care because they dont get proactive health care, she said. It also means when they have urgent care, theyre going to come to the emergency room, and theyre uncompensated, so they have no insurance. When hospitals face rising uncompensated care costs, those challenges begin to affect the entire medical system. Kansas has the highest number of rural hospitals at immediate risk of closing of any state, at 25 hospitals, according to the March 2025 report from the Center for Healthcare Quality and Payment Reform. Hitting Kansans budgets Kansan Laura Mead is self-employed, and shes nervous about what to expect from her marketplace plan when she sees rates on Saturday thats even after an initial exploration showed her annual health insurance cost may decrease. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At age 60, she currently pays about $1,100 a month for health care through ACA, which she says has an actual premium of $1,427 a month. The additional $327 is covered by the ACA subsidies, which are ending unless Congress takes action. For the first time in my adult life, Im facing a real serious prospect of not having health care, she said. After researching, Mead said she expects that her insurance costs may double, which would leave her paying an unsustainable $2,000 each month. Mead is considering a catastrophic policy, which would cover her if a significant health problem occurred. Shes frustrated at how difficult it is to weigh her options. The ACA marketplace can be confusing, she said, and shes finding that even Kansas U.S. legislators dont understand whats happening. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She called one representatives office and the staff person told her that were trying to get people who arent working off those programs, Mead said. Carolyn McKee, a small business owner in Holton, posted on Facebook Friday that she received a letter saying her private Blue Cross and Blue Shield plan would increase by $700 a month. Within an hour, her post had more than 40 comments, with some complaining they were also seeing their rates double. Many self-employed individuals like McKee and Mead, including an estimated 27% of farmers, get their health insurance through the marketplace. More than subsidies Mischler said people need to also be aware of the cliff thats part of ACA marketplace rules, as that will also affect many Kansans. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Pre-Covid, if you had income over 400% of the federal poverty level, you werent going to qualify for a subsidy at all, she said. Then during Covid, they expanded subsidies and even people who made a ton of money could qualify for some subsidies. Mischler said consumers have gotten used to paying those reduced rates for health insurance and that 400% requirement is now going back in place. Thats going to hit hard, right now especially, she said. Even if we estimate their income as under that 400%, if they make one penny over that 400%, then theyre going to pay back all the subsidy that theyve received at tax time. With farmers and others who are self-employed, it can be difficult to estimate income, and Mischler said shes concerned about people needing to repay thousands of dollars in subsidies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Political chaos The government shutdown is tied to the ACA marketplace subsidies, with Democrats saying they wont support a spending bill until Republicans agree to continue marketplace subsidies set to expire at the end of the year. Republicans maintain the Democrats are fighting to keep undocumented immigrants on ACA marketplace insurance. The right-wing group Public Policy Solutions posted on Twitter and Kansas Speaker of the House Dan Hawkins reposted that Democrats chose to shut down the government to fund healthcare for illegal immigrants and keep pandemic-era ObamaCare subsidies flowing to insurance giants. Anyone who isnt in the country legally is not eligible for marketplace insurance. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gov. Laura Kelly, during a press conference Friday in her role as chairwoman of the Democratic Governors Association, called on Congress to return to session and reinstate ACA subsidies, as well as address Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits that are delayed because of the federal shutdown. Were here today because our country is at a dire inflection point starting tomorrow, she said. Twenty-two million Americans will wake up to see their health care premiums increase by an average of 75%, and 42 million people will lose SNAP benefits and go hungry because DC Republicans sold them out at the behest of Donald Trump. Rural communities will be hit the hardest, she said, noting that dozens of rural health clinics nationwide have shut down. She also said that Freeman Health Systems plans in Kansas to build a new hospital in Frontenac have been dropped. In a statement three weeks ago, Freeman said conditions werent feasible to open the hospital at this time, pointing to changes in the One, Big Beautiful Bill Act. Hydrologist Jon Fuller pushes on the oars during a state-sponsored rafting trip down the Necons and Stony rivers in Southcentral Alaska in August 2024. Fuller and his passenger, state attorney Ron Opsahl, are part of a long-running state effort to confirm Alaska's ownership of riverbeds and lake bottoms inside national parks and preserves. (Nathaniel Herz/Northern Journal) LAKE CLARK NATIONAL PARK AND PRESERVE The two floatplanes circled beneath low clouds before landing on an alpine lake, deep in the mountains west of Anchorage. They carried employees of the state of Alaska footsoldiers in a long-running turf war with the federal government. It was early August, but the high peaks above the lake were already dusted with fresh snow. On a beach at the waters edge, the passengers climbed out.They carried guns but only for bears, not for federal bureaucrats. The lake was deserted. One of the state workers, Danny Hovancsek, looked down at the sand.Welcome to contested land, he said.From the two planes, Hovancsek and his colleagues unloaded bags and boxes of gear, including the documentary tools that serve as the real weapons in their war: drones, notebooks, a sophisticated sensor to measure river flow and current.Two Lakes, the body of water theyd flown into, and the Necons River, which drains it, both sit within the boundaries of federally managed Lake Clark National Park and Preserve Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But Hovancsek and his colleagues were there to assert a legal claim to them on behalf of the residents of Alaska, based on precedent that entitles the state to land beneath navigable waters. A bush plane, at left, delivered state workers and equipment to Two Lakes, inside Lake Clark National Park and Preserve. At right, Alaska Deputy Natural Resources Commissioner Brent Goodrum and public access team member Tisha Valentine assemble an oar frame. (Nathaniel Herz/Northern Journal) The following day, the group would inflate the rafts theyd flown in with and begin floating the river, gathering data they may ultimately need to try to prove the Necons navigability to a judge in an Anchorage courtroom. Other groups from the same state agency, the Department of Natural Resources, had taken similar trips on different rivers in the preceding weeks part of a renewed, professionalized push to confirm ownership of land within federal parks and preserves that Alaskas government says became state property at statehood. The departments Public Access Assertion and Defense team is a group of roughly a dozen state workers who have, arguably, Alaskas best public sector jobs. They spend large parts of their summers flying into and floating the states remote rivers and lakes, then spend the winters wielding the data theyve gathered in court. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I was along for the ride. Top department officials one of whom would sit in a raft along with me had invited me to observe the states efforts, which they say could ultimately help settle the ownership of thousands of miles of Alaska riverbeds, plus millions of acres beneath the surface of lakes. State rafts sit parked on the bank of the Necons River near its outlet from Two Lakes within Lake Clark National Park and Preserve. (Alaska Department of Natural Resource/Public Access Assertion and Defense Section) The work is often done quietly, with the state-sponsored flotillas keeping an intentionally low-profile to avoid giving federal land managers a head start on fighting Alaskas claims. But the stakes are substantial, as state and federal regimes can diverge when it comes to managing access and setting rules for boaters, hunters and fishermen, and small-scale miners. Anyone whos looking to paddle a river doesnt know who to look to for jurisdiction, Hovancsek said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I believe in good governance, he added. And right now, we dont know who owns the rivers of Alaska. A decades-long fight At the beach, 130 miles from the national parks headquarters in Anchorage, there was no indication of federal ownership no informational kiosks or park rangers. But the federal governments resistance to Alaskas land claims, both through active opposition and simple inaction, was the reason we were all there. For more than a half-century, Alaska land managers have been fighting successive federal administrations through the courts as well as lengthy administrative processes battling what they describe as an unwillingness to negotiate from officials of both political parties at the U.S. Department of the Interior, the federal land management agency. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The state has notched numerous wins, including affirming control of land beneath the Stikine River in Southeast Alaska, the Knik River outside Anchorage and multiple forksof the gold-bearing Fortymile River in Alaskas Interior. A map produced by the state of Alaskas Public Access Assertion and Defense team showing areas where its confirmed state title to navigable waterways, as well as waterways where navigability and ownership are still disputed. (Alaska Department of Natural Resource/Public Access Assertion and Defense Section) But thousands more miles across dozens of rivers and creeks are still in limbo. And state officials say that in spite of their commitment to the cause, theres no way each of those stretches will be litigated. Instead, they aim to file enough lawsuits to make the process painful enough to force the federal government into broader settlement discussions. The goal is to sit with them at a table and decide this, said Jim Walker, the public access teams chief. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The states efforts made little headway during the Biden administration, which clashed often with Alaska officials on resource extraction and land management. But now, the team sees an opening in Donald Trumps return to power. In line with the states push, Trump, in an early, Alaska-focused executive order, directed the Interior Department to review the states waterways and land ownership. At a June news conference, the departments secretary, Doug Burgum, said that as a former governor of North Dakota, he worked on the same issues through the end of his term last year. U.S. Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, center, speaks at a public event in Anchorage earlier this year, flanked by Alaska U.S. Sen. Dan Sullivan (left) and U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright. (Nathaniel Herz/Northern Journal) We need to get this thing resolved, he said. Even though, right now, there may be differences of opinion, I think we can find some common ground. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But months later, the Interior Department has not announced any concrete steps to advance negotiations with the state. Alaskas land-related lawsuits against the federal government remain active. And members of the public access team continue their work in the field. Everything starts at zero The day after our arrival at Two Lakes, as team members took down tents and washed dishes, one of them passed me a handheld luggage scale and jokingly deputized me as an agent of state sovereignty. My task: finding 800 pounds of gear to load into one of the rafts. Those instructions rested on a century and a half of federal law and jurisprudence that set out legal standards the state must meet to confirm its ownership of what are known as submerged lands. Public access team member Danny Hovancsek uses a handheld scale to weigh gear during a trip down the Necons and Stony rivers in August 2024. (Nathaniel Herz/Northern Journal) The paper trail starts with the Daniel Ball case an 1870 U.S. Supreme Court ruling holding that waterways are considered navigable if they can be used as highways for commerce. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Submerged Lands Act, in 1953, solidified states ownership of property beneath rivers and lakes that were navigable at the time of statehood. And a key 1980s federal appeals court case helped establish which types of watercraft could be used to float down an Alaska river and the amount of weight they should carry to support a finding of navigability. Hence the 800 pounds. The public access team can present data they collect on their trips, and records of successful floats, to judges considering the states arguments in lawsuits over stretches of particular rivers. The state can also request that the federal government issue whats known as a recordable disclaimer of interest in submerged lands through a separate, administrative process handled by the Interior Department. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But that process takes five years, on average, to resolve each application and in some cases it can take more than 10 years, according to federal data . Lawsuits also typically wind through the courts for years. The glacial bureaucratic processes leave maps of Alaska rife with areas of underwater land where the ownership is in legal limbo and where the public access team is trying to solidify the states title. Their work is focused largely on the areas, like Lake Clark, that were formally protected by the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act of 1980, or ANILCA. A map produced by Alaskas Public Access Assertion and Defense team showing what the state describes as areas of conflict over the navigability of rivers and lakes in the Lake Clark area, west of Anchorage. (Alaska Department of Natural Resource/Public Access Assertion and Defense Section) That landmark bill set aside more than one-fourth of the state as federal park or preserve. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But while those areas are now generally understood to be federally managed, ANILCA came after statehood meaning that land beneath navigable rivers and lakes inside those areas had, legally, already been set aside for the state. Alaska officials complain that the federal government has long drawn out the process of acknowledging the precise extent of the states ownership within national parks and preserves. Federal lawyers, they say, continue to argue over issues that have already been settled by previous decisions, like the size or weight of boats that are used to prove navigability. Its just frustrating to have to argue the same things again and again, said Ron Opsahl, the states main navigability attorney, who floated the Necons with the public access team. Everything starts at zero. Ron Opsahl is an attorney at the Alaska Department of Law who works with the states public access team. (Nathaniel Herz/Northern Journal) Criticism like this has a whiff of the hyperbole that Alaska politicians often employ when complaining about federal bureaucrats. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But in this case, theres evidence Opsahl is right: In a 2016 navigability ruling frequently cited by state officials, a judge ruled that federal attorneys had acted in bad faith by making frivolous legal claims arguments that had been previously refuted by federal appeals court and U.S. Supreme Court judges. In conversations with team members on our wilderness trip, I came to see state land managers feud with the federal government as something like appealing a claim denied by your health insurance company: counterparts who wont acknowledge your presence, endless wait times. Its hard to beat an opponent that wont fight you, said Hovancsek. He conceded: In the chess game of landownership, theyre making good moves. The public access team had invited me along on the Necons River to show me what one of them described as the senselessness of the federal governments arguments over navigability. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I finished loading the raft and jumped in. As an icy drizzle soaked our raincoats, we turned from the beach toward the lakes outlet and the start of the river. Fighting the big man Our group on the Necons was a flotilla of four rafts; Id loaded up with Walker, who runs the public access office. Before Walker, the team was led by Scott Ogan, a Republican former state senator from the conservative Mat-Su region; his scouting missions involved more camouflage gear and canned chili than the states trips do today. Walker, an attorney with a silver goatee and an impish sense of humor, looked like hed be more comfortable in a business suit and a courtroom than in a boat cockpit. Jim Walker, who once worked as a defense lawyer on death penalty cases, leads Alaskas public access team. Ive spent a lot of time on death row, and this is better, Walker said during an August 2024 float trip. Smells nicer. (Nathaniel Herz/Northern Journal) But even as the rain soaked through his gear, Walker was relentlessly cheerful as he pushed on the oars. He described how he sees his work for the state as an extension of his previous career as a defense lawyer in the South, where he sometimes handled death penalty cases. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When I took this job, people said, You made a career fighting the man. Now, you are the man, said Walker. His response: Im the little man fighting the big man. Walker started with the team in 2014. Soon after, amid a state budget crunch, lawmakers cut the public access teams budget to near-zero. In the past several years, its been largely restored amid a broader effort by GOP Gov. Mike Dunleavy to assert state sovereignty in disputes with the federal government. The teams current budget is some $1.3 million a year, according to figures provided by the Legislative Finance Division. Without exception, Walker describes his team members as hard chargers the type who, in one case, will spend a vacation bikepacking over snowy mountain passes in Kyrgyzstan rather than lounging on a beach. Employees are granted ample autonomy and independence, with blocks of time off to make up for long hours in the office and in the field. While scenic, their float trips should not be confused with recreation, according to Tisha Valentine, a team member who was part of the group on the Necons. Tisha Valentine, seated at right, works on a waterproof laptop with colleague Emily McDermott during a float trip last year. At right, public access team members use a stream flow sensor to feed data into the laptop. (Nathaniel Herz/Northern Journal) Im up at 11 oclock at night, on weekends, doing data collection, Valentine said. Its not all fun and games. The team works in a few areas in addition to navigability; one is assembling records of historical trail use that the state can used to assert public access across federal or private land. On their trips, employees like Valentine get periodic company from attorneys like Opsahl, who want to familiarize themselves with rivers in advance of representing the state in lawsuits over the lands beneath them. Other top officials at the public access teams parent agency, the Department of Natural Resources, also tag along occasionally. Brent Goodrum, a deputy department commissioner and retired Marine, is known for his eagerness to contribute to group tasks or, as colleagues joke, to storm the beaches. Alaska Deputy Natural Resources Commissioner Brent Goodrum lights a fire during a float trip with his agencys public access team last year. (Nathaniel Herz/Northern Journal) A little downstream from Two Lakes outlet, Walker nosed our raft to shore, pulling up next to the other boats that had beached there. I stepped into the muck as team members unloaded gear: a waterproof laptop and a duffel bag carrying a tool nicknamed Antonio. Antonio is a sensor that collects data stream flow measurements that the state uses to bolster its navigability claims. It consists of a small, cylindrical device attached to a miniature plastic catamaran that runs back and forth on a cable across the river meaning that wed have to fix a line to the far shore some 50 yards away. I took one end and jumped back in a raft with Jon Fuller, a hydrologist from Arizona who works as a state contractor. Consulting hydrologist Jon Fuller, right, works with members of the state of Alaskas public access team to operate an acoustic doppler current profiler, or ADCP, on the Necons River inside Lake Clark National Park and Preserve. The profiler is used to measure stream flow, on the Necons River inside Lake Clark National Park and Preserve. (Nathaniel Herz/Northern Journal) Fuller furiously paddled the boat to the opposite riverbank, where I jumped out and clung to the willows to keep from sliding down the steep bank suspecting, at least a little, that this was the teams way of showing me that their raft trips arent just sightseeing. In the meantime, other team members sent up a drone with a camera that they use to document the groups progress down the river, along with key geographic features. Hovancsek, who was controlling the camera, at one point looked down at his feet, which were planted not on dry land but in a few inches of Necons River water. At left, Tisha Valentine launches a drone. Inside national parks, where drone operation is generally barred, public access team members operate them while standing on what they assert is state property riverbanks or submerged lands beneath navigable waterways. (Nathaniel Herz/Northern Journal) Drone operation, he explained, is not allowed in national parks. But it is allowed on state property which, the state says, includes the submerged land over which the Necons flows, and into which Hovancsek had stepped. Over the course of our trip, we made several stops like this one, gathering stream flow data and imagery that the state could ultimately cite in a lawsuit. What are the stakes? After two days on the Necons, it arrived at its confluence with the Stony River a broad, pebbly waterway that spills out of the mountains. The next night, as the chill drizzle finally gave way to high, broken clouds, I found myself standing at the waters edge, looking at far-off mountain ranges and pondering the fact that I couldnt say for certain who owned the mud beneath my Xtratuf boots. That prompted some deeper reflection and conversation about the public access teams work and how management of Alaskas lands might differ under state ownership. Our route, by that point, had taken us out of the national park. As we crossed the boundary into state territory, Goodrum, the deputy natural resources department commissioner, had asked mischievously: Dont you feel freer, Nat? Walker added his own joke: Theres a coal mine just behind the willows there. In truth, though, little seemed to change. Inside the national park, no rangers had passed by to check our campsites, and permits and entry fees arent required for recreational trips. Danny Hovancsec paddles a raft on the Necons River. (Nathaniel Herz/Northern Journal) Given how far the Necons is from roads and other infrastructure, its also hard to imagine much industry moving in, even under a more flexible state management regime. But the Necons is probably an extreme case, where its remoteness means theres less at stake. A change in ownership could have larger impacts on busier waterways with contested stretches, such as in the Kobuk and Noatak watersheds in Northwest Alaska. There, affirmation of state ownership of submerged lands and riverbanks could make for easier access potentially amplifying conflicts between locals and nonresidentsfor limited hunting and fishing opportunities. Two recent high-profile U.S. Supreme Court decisions, in the Sturgeon cases, also created more incentive for the teams work by confirming the states management authority in the areas it owns within national parks and preserves. That particular ruling allowed a hunter to operate a hovercraft on a navigable river within a preserve in Alaskas Interior where National Park Service rangers had previously told the hunter that his hovercraft was banned. Public access team members and the political officials who oversee them are also quick to argue on principle. Decisions about how to manage Alaskas navigable waterways, said Walker, should be made by Alaskans, and not made in Washington by folks who dont appreciate and havent experienced this place. As has been said repeatedly, in U.S. Supreme Court opinions and elsewhere: Alaska is different, Walker said. Public access team members take a break from paddling during their trip last year. (Nathaniel Herz/Northern Journal) One former high-level federal land manager in Alaska, Pat Pourchot, said he understands that the state has an obligation to confirm its ownership of lands beneath navigable waters. But, he added, theres also a reason the federal government should review each claim deliberately: A decision about one river in Alaska, Pourchot argued, could set a precedent for rivers across the country. You dont want to allow a determination of navigability on some really small stream running through a conservation area in Alaska that some other state might push for say, for the wild and scenic Buffalo River in Arkansas, said Pourchot, whos served both as Alaskas top Interior Department official and as the state natural resources commissioner. Congressional proposals to address state-federal navigability disputes in Alaska have gotten similarly bogged down, Pourchot added. Again, you go from Alaska to the nation: How does this apply in West Virginia coal mine country, and how does this apply to other wild and scenic rivers? said Pourchot, referring to rivers with federal protections . Pourchot said he also sees state ownership as a possible precursor to expanded mining or oil and gas leasing in ways that conflict with the purpose of national parks and preserves. But another longtime participant in the state-federal navigability war thinks theres a tendency on both sides to overstate the stakes of the dispute. The feds will say, If the state manages it, theyll allow coal mining everywhere. Theyll give permits to any outfitter for any reason, for doing anything. And thats just not true, said Doug Whittaker, an outdoor recreation expert who consults for the public access team. On the other hand, Whittaker added, state officials say, The feds are going to close everything; youre never going to get on a river. Thats not really a thing, either, Whittaker said. Theyre both exaggerating. Members of Alaskas public access team serve a meal during a float trip last year. (Nathaniel Herz) There are real differences between the two sides, with federal management leaning more restrictive and state management more permissive, Whittaker said. But the reality, he added, is less dramatic than the rhetoric. Whittaker nonetheless supports the states work to settle more of its claims to Alaska riverbeds, saying that ambiguity about landownership can cause real problems. He pointed to plans the state drafted for the Fortymile River to better regulate small-scale mining operations that posed a risk of fuel spills. That work, he added, advanced only after litigation helped affirm the states ownership of the rivers gravel bars and banks. What I care about is management. And I think both the state and feds can do a good job of managing; they can also do a bad job, Whittaker said. I dont really care who owns it. But I think they should agree on the rules. Breaking the logjam The sun was finally warming us and drying our gear as we pulled the rafts off the water at our take-out point, the confluence of the Stony and Telaquana rivers. We were early: Float planes wouldnt be dispatched from Anchorage to retrieve us for another day-and-a-half. And a storm was on its way, according to a weather forecast that Anchorage-based support staff had sent the team through a satellite messaging device. The public access team set up a final campsite near the confluence of the Stony and Telaquana rivers. (Nathaniel Herz/Northern Journal) Walker cheekily suggested that we should gather ark-building material pitch and gopher wood for the impending flood. Other team members tried to coordinate an early pickup; their Anchorage flight service, busy with summer tourists, eventually agreed to send a plane. There was enough room for a few of us, and some of the public access team members needed to get home; the last seat would go either to me or Fuller, the consulting hydrologist. I threw rock, he threw scissors. I would be flying out before the deluge. As we waited, we discussed our trip down the Necons. After floating its full length from Two Lakes, it was difficult to see how the federal government could plausibly argue that its not navigable. It was deep, with just a couple of riffles in 15 miles. None of the rafts had run aground or even hit bottom, except on a short jaunt down a side channel. A view of the Necons River and Two Lakes from a bush plane. (Nathaniel Herz/Northern Journal) And yet, more than four decades ago, the federal government determined that the Necons is non-navigable, according to the states public access team, and hasnt changed its position since then. (Federal officials could not be reached for comment about the Necons navigability due to the ongoing government shutdown.) Its astounding the federal government is wasting everyones money fighting this, said Fuller. If this isnt fucking navigable, Opsahl, the state attorney, chimed in, I dont know what is. The teams frustration was palpable. But when I picked up my reporting back in Anchorage, following a presidential election, things had changed. Walker, in a recent interview, said his team has met with Trump administration officials and presented them with big-picture policy proposals aimed at breaking the navigability logjam. One idea is agreeing on basic principles that would apply to a state application asking the federal government to relinquish an array of riverbeds, rather than just one at a time. Instead of going through and giving minute details about every mile of these rivers, we talk, rather, about our methodology and why its so sound, Walker said. Hopefully, this would begin a dialogue. Public access team members paddle rafts on a float trip last year. (Alaska Department of Natural Resource/Public Access Assertion and Defense Section) In a prepared statement issued before the shutdown, an Alaska-based spokesperson for the U.S. Bureau of Land Management, Emma Roach, said the agency understands the frustration about the pace of its navigability decisions in the state. The bureau, which is part of the Interior Department, is excited to pursue improvements in response to Trumps executive order encouraging progress on the dispute, Roach added. Evaluating navigability claims is a complex process made especially complex in a state as vast, remote, and young as Alaska, she said. But working together on this and other related navigability initiatives, we can make substantial progress, Roach added. The states title to submerged lands at statehood is well recognized, and were committed to supporting that process moving forward. For now, though, the teams work continues, with trips this past summer outside Anchorage and up to the Seward Peninsula, on the Alaska side of the Bering Strait. Some of that work could support new litigation if the states talks with the federal government fail. And public access team members acknowledge that there are no guarantees the Trump administration will concede much. Past Republican administrations have generally been more sympathetic to Alaska leaders complaints about federal management. But theyve still accomplished little more than Democrats when it comes to resolving the big-picture dispute over Alaskas submerged lands and navigable waters, according to state officials. Its surprising, said Goodrum, the deputy state natural resources commissioner. We havent made progress on this issue regardless of whos in office. Walker, the public access team chief, said hes hopeful the recent meetings will produce results. But, he added, this is not our first rodeo. Weve heard encouraging words before, which have not translated into results, he said. And so very much, in our dealings with the feds right now, were trying to put the past behind us and look forward to constructively and cooperatively getting some of this stuff resolved. Nathaniel Herz welcomes tips at natherz@gmail.com or (907) 793-0312. This article was originally published in Northern Journal, a newsletter from Herz. Subscribe at this link. The remnants of Hurricane Melissa brought heavy rain and strong winds to much of Connecticut on Thursday, causing fallen trees and flooding that has closed several roads across the state. Here's where road closures have been reported as of Friday morning: Barkhamsted: Route 318 is closed at Fenn Drive as of 3:45 a.m. due to a tree down with wires involved, according to the state Department of Transportation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Durham: Route 17 or New Haven Road is closed at Coe Road as of 5:20 a.m. because of a downed tree, the DOT said. Greenwich: Town officials reported several road closures. Officials asked residents to contact 203-622-8004 to report roadway issues or concerns. 16 Highland Farm Road - full closure due to wires down with tree. 1 Upland Drive - full closure due to downed tree and wires. 293 Riversville Road - tree leaning on wires. 6 Hillcrest Park Lane - closed due to a hazard. 17 Calhoun Drive - closed due to a hazard. Water floods a section of Merwin Ave in Milford on Thursday. (Christian Abraham / Hearst Connecticut Media) New Canaan: West Road was closed between Woodbridge Drive and Greenley Road due to wires down in the roadway Thursday night, according to the New Canaan Police Department. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Stamford: The Stamford Police Department said heavy rain has caused major flooding across the area and affected 37 roads, including South State Street, Elm Street, Canal Street and Jefferson Street. Suffield: Route 75 is closed at Mapleton Avenue as of 10:50 p.m. Thursday because of a downed tree, the DOT said. This article originally published at These Connecticut roads are closed after storm caused flooding and downed trees. ROCHESTER The city's voters will choose a new mayor, and members of the City Council, School Board and Police Commission from candidates on the ballots in the Tuesday, Nov. 4 election. There are no ballot questions in Rochester's election, which is held every two years. Read on for information voters need to know about the city election and the candidates. Key information on voting is provided by the city clerk's office. Candidates shared their views on issues in Rochester by responding to questionnaires from Foster's Daily Democrat. What time do the polls open and close in Rochester? Voting will be held from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 4. Voters should bring identification. The New Hampshire secretary of state has posted information on the state's voter ID law. Where do I vote in Rochester? The voting locations are as follows: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Residents must vote in the ward in which they live. If you aren't sure which ward you live in, check the city website for a list of streets by ward. Who are the Rochester mayor candidates? Rochester mayoral candidates, from left, Doug Robbins, Matt Mayberry, Peter Lachapelle and Chuck Grassie are seen at a candidates forum at City Hall Oct. 22, 2025. The event was presented by the Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce. There are four candidates in the race for a two-year term to replace Mayor Paul Callaghan, who is not seeking reelection. Tap or click the name of each candidate below to read their responses to the Foster's questionnaire on key issues in Rochester: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More: 4 Rochester mayor candidates talk taxes, SOS Recovery and more Who are the Rochester City Council candidates? There are 12 seats on the City Council and multiple contested races. Tap or click the name of candidates below to read the answers on key issues for each candidate who responded to the questionnaire: Who are the Rochester School Board candidates? Rochester's School Board candidates responded to a Foster's Daily Democrat questionnaire, covering topics like the next superintendent, School Board transparency, diversity, equity and inclusion, open enrollment legislation and more. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Tap or click the name of School Board candidates below to read the answers on key issues for each candidate who responded to the questionnaire: At large seat: Anne Grassie and Gary Bryant. Ward 1, Seat A: Nick Bellows (incumbent). Who are the Rochester Police Commission candidates? All four candidates in the contested race for the Wards 5-6 race completed the Foster's Daily Democrat candidates questionnaire on issues such as the department's top challenges, Immigration and Customs Enfrocement and responding to mental health crises in Rochester. Tap or click on their names below to see their answers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This article originally appeared on Fosters Daily Democrat: Rochester 2025 election voter guide, where to vote, who's on ballot Oct. 30ROCHESTER Rochester native Ben Tiede skipped his college graduation so he could travel to Ukraine to help create a documentary about the war in Ukraine. Tiede, 25, became part of a small film crew that traveled from one end of the country to the other. It quickly became apparent the project's original goal creating footage for a short video about the war in Ukraine would not do. Within a day of arriving in Ukraine and beginning filming, they realized a short film would be inadequate to the task: To document the lives of everyday Ukrainians and the day-to-day, behind-the-lines reality of living under the constant threat of missile and drone attack. The stories were too compelling. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The 90-minute documentary, called "Testament," will be shown at 3:30 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025, at Calvary Evangelical Free Church, 5500 25th Ave. NW, Rochester. It has won two awards so far, including best documentary at Heartland International Film Festival in Indianapolis. The film was co-produced by Josh Tokar, foreign projects coordinator for READ ministries and co-produced by Tiede. The film is subtitled in English. Tiede said the Ukrainians have learned to display an eerie nonchalance to the terror-filled possibilities in their lives. They don't run for cover when air raid sirens blare. If they are walking in the park when they scream, they keep on walking. Seeing a missile or plane overhead is a different matter. That's when terror strikes. "There's this constant level of stress that weighs on you," Tiede said. "If you're in Minneapolis and you hear an airplane, you're like, 'Oh, (Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport) is nearby.' But you hear an airplane in Ukraine, everyone freezes and tries to make out the identity of the plane, whether it's Russian or Ukrainian. The pressure is high." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Tiede said the film crew traveled twice to Ukraine in 2023 to work on the documentary. The first time in the country, he was able to operate fairly normally. But on the second trip, the pressure began to take its toll, and he started to have panic attacks. The film documents the stories of Ukrainians behind the front lines in its war with Russia, which launched an invasion against its Central European neighbor four years ago: A grieving woman who lost her 10-year-old daughter and husband in a missile strike on their home. A chaplain who travels to the front lines to succor soldiers through prayer and food gifts. The film crew's first interview involved a Ukrainian soldier and his wife. The crew didn't learn until after the interview that the soldier had just returned from the front lines and been reunited with his wife. Such was the hospitality displayed by their hosts. "They were taking care of us and trying to make sure that we were feeling welcomed in their home. They didn't tell us, 'Oh, yeah, we were just reunited,'" Tiede said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Tiede, who was raised and home-schooled in Rochester, sees the hand of God in his decision to go to Ukraine. Tiede is a film major. Weeks before he was set to graduate from Taylor University, a Christian College located in Upland, Indiana, his class featured a guest speaker, Josh Tokar, a missionary who has a home in Ukraine. The two met after class and Tokar told Tiede about his intention to hire people for a media-gathering trip to Ukraine. But somehow their wires got crossed. Tiede thought Tokar was trying to convince him to go to Ukraine. And Tokar thought that Tiede was trying to convince him that he should go. At his next class, Tiede was asked to read a Biblical verse to the class. It was a passage from Isaiah. To Tiede, the message couldn't have been clearer. "I've summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I was like, 'Oh my goodness, I guess I'm going to war,'" Tiede said. Tiede said the documentary is basically a plea for people not to forget the Ukrianians. The people are "a lot like us than you would ever imagine," he said. The country is the size of Texas, but "even more full." "The culture is so rich, and the people are so loving," Tiede said. "These are women and children and families being split apart, and people are dying everyday. It's just to remind people that they exist and they want to exist, and they've always wanted to exist as a Ukrainian country. "The Ukrainian language doesn't come from the same place as the Russian language. It's a completely different culture and so it's a lie to say that Russia has right over the identity or the land that is Ukraine." The Town Talk obtained food safety inspection information for Oct. 4-11, 2025, from the Louisiana Department of Health. The top addresses with the most critical violations are listed, along with an explanation of the findings. All restaurants on the list had at least two critical violations. According to the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals, uncorrected critical violations are more likely to contribute to food contamination or illness. Less serious violations are not directly related to foodborne illness but could become hazardous if uncorrected. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Louisiana Department of Health's retail food health inspections dashboard includes a history of each establishment's inspection reports. Inspections should be considered a "snapshot" and might not always reflect an establishment's day-to-day operations and overall condition. Violations fall into two main categories: critical and non-critical. Critical violations are more likely to contribute directly to food contamination or illness if left uncorrected. Non-critical violations are not directly related to the cause of foodborne illness but could become critical if left uncorrected. The DHH dashboard is updated daily; however, there is a seven-day delay between when inspections are made and posted online. Check eatsafe.la.gov for the most recent inspection information available and information on how to file a complaint. Rapides Parish restaurants with critical health violations Dollar General 2823 3001 La. 28 E., Pineville 2 critical violations Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Raw animal food is not separated from ready to eat food, or is placed, stored or displayed above ready to eat food. [Corrected] Rodents are present in the establishment. Macs Fresh Market #11 3005 Highway 28 E., Pineville 2 critical violations Raw animal foods with different cooking temperature requirements are not separated to prevent cross contamination during storage, preparation, or display. [Corrected][Repeat] Food contact surfaces and utensils are not clean to sight and touch. [Corrected] Taco Bell 2399 E. 28 Hwy., Pineville 2 critical violations Food contact surfaces and utensils are not clean to sight and touch. [Corrected][Repeat] Flies are present in the establishment. Sams Parkside Grocery 9421 U.S. 165 S., Woodworth 2 critical violations Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Food package was not in good condition exposing the food to adulteration or potential contamination. [Corrected][Repeat] Chemicals are stored with/above food, equipment, utensils, linens, single-service or single use articles. [Corrected][Repeat] Family Dollar 1777 Hwy. 121, Hineston 2 critical violations Chemicals are stored with/above food, equipment, utensils, linens, single-service or single use articles. [Corrected] Sewage is not disposed of through an approved sewerage system/facility. [Repeat] Qwik & Eazy 3723 S. MacArthur Dr., Alexandria 2 critical violations Raw animal food is not separated from ready to eat food, or is placed, stored or displayed above ready to eat food. [Corrected][Repeat] Chemicals are stored with/above food, equipment, utensils, linens, single-service or single use articles. [Corrected] Rincon Mexicano 2102 S MacArthur Dr., Alexandria 2 critical violations Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Imported crawfish and shrimp are not identified as specified by law. [Repeat] The air gap between the water supply inlet and the flood rim of the plumbing fixture or equipment is not at least twice the diameter of the water supply inlet.[COS]Extension as per RF memo 2019-003 until change of ownership, operations, renovations, and/or complaint/issue. [Corrected][Repeat] Burger King 11560 3000 112 Hwy., Lecompte 2 critical violations Food prepared, packed, or held under conditions where it may have been contaminated. [Corrected] There is a direct connection between the drainage system and a drain line originating from food handling equipment. [COS]Extension as per RF memo 2019-003 until change of ownership, operations, renovations, and/or complaint/issue [Corrected][Repeat] Daiquiris To Go 3105 Masonic Dr., Alexandria 2 critical violations Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Unapproved chemicals are used in the food establishment. [Corrected] There is a direct connection between the drainage system and a drain line originating from food handling equipment. Extension as per RF memo 2019-003 until change of ownership, operations, renovations, and/or complaint/issue. [Corrected] Daily Dozze LLC 13342 U.S. 165 Hwy. N., Glenmora 3 critical violations Raw animal food is not separated from ready to eat food, or is placed, stored or displayed above ready to eat food. *Eggs in beer cooler [Corrected][Repeat] Flies are present in the establishment. [Repeat] Rodents are present in the establishment. [Repeat] Tropical Smoothie Cafe-Pineville 2913 Monroe Highway, Pineville 3 critical violations Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ready to eat, potentially hazardous food prepared on premises and held for more than 24 hours is not date marked. [Corrected] Ready-to-eat potentially hazardous food prepared on premises, and held under refrigeration, was not disposed of after 7 days. [Corrected] A current state food safety certificate is not held by the owner or a designated employee of the establishment. Super 1 Foods 609 2951 Cottingham Expy., Pineville 3 critical violations Ready-to-eat potentially hazardous food prepared on premises, and held under refrigeration, was not disposed of after 7 days. [Corrected] Raw animal food is not separated from ready to eat food, or is placed, stored or displayed above ready to eat food. [Corrected] There is a cross connection between the potable water supply and another source of water of lesser quality. [Corrected] Heavenly Care Child Development Center #4 2913 Summerwood Ln., Alexandria 3 critical violations Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Raw animal food is not separated from ready to eat food, or is placed, stored or displayed above ready to eat food. [Corrected] Working containers of chemicals are not labeled. [Corrected] There is a direct connection between the drainage system and a drain line originating from food handling equipment. ?[COS]Extension as per RF memo 2019-003 until change of ownership, operations, renovations, and/or complaint/issue. [Corrected] Hunt Krispy Chicken LLC 13342 US 165 Hwy. N., Glenmora 4 critical violations Imported crawfish and shrimp are not identified as specified by law. [Repeat] There is a direct connection between the drainage system and a drain line originating from food handling equipment. [COS]Extension as per RF memo 2019-003 until change of ownership, operations, renovations, and/or complaint/issue. [Corrected][Repeat] Flies are present in the establishment. [Repeat] Rodents are present in the establishment. [Repeat] Po-Boy Express 1305 Windsor Pl., Alexandria 6 critical violations Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Food stored for cold-holding and service was not held at a temperature of 41 F or below. [Corrected] Working containers of chemicals are not labeled. [Corrected] Chemicals are stored with/above food, equipment, utensils, linens, single-service or single use articles. [Corrected] There is a cross connection between the potable water supply and another source of water of lesser quality. [Corrected] A backflow prevention device is not installed on a threaded faucet where a hose is attached. [Corrected] There is a direct connection between the drainage system and a drain line originating from food handling equipment. [COS]Extension as per RF memo 2019-003 until change of ownership, operations, renovations, and/or complaint/issue. [Corrected] Yucatan 200 Sandifer Ln., Pineville 7 critical violations Raw animal foods with different cooking temperature requirements are not separated to prevent cross contamination during storage, preparation, or display. Equipment and/or utensils are not constructed of approved materials. Chlorine sanitizer concentration for warewashing is not between 50-100 p.p.m. at 75F. [Corrected] Working containers of chemicals are not labeled. [Corrected] Sewage is not disposed of through an approved sewerage system/facility. [Corrected] There is a direct connection between the drainage system and a drain line originating from food handling equipment. Extension as per RF memo 2019-003 until change of ownership, operations, renovations, and/or complaint/issue. [Corrected] Rodents are present in the establishment. JR'S Lee Rays General Store 902 Bayou Marie Rd., Pineville 8 critical violations Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Food for hot holding and service was held at a temperature of less than 135F. [Corrected] Written procedures were not maintained in a food establishment using time only, as a public health control. [Corrected] Raw animal food is not separated from ready to eat food, or is placed, stored or displayed above ready to eat food. [Corrected] Raw animal food is not separated from ready to eat food, or is placed, stored or displayed above ready to eat food. [Corrected] Food contact surfaces and utensils are not clean to sight and touch. [Corrected] Unapproved chemicals are used in the food establishment. [Corrected] There is a direct connection between the drainage system and a drain line originating from food handling equipment. Extension as per RF memo 2019-003 until change of ownership, operations, renovations, and/or complaint/issue. [Corrected] Rodents are present in the establishment. This article originally appeared on Alexandria Town Talk: Rodents, raw animal food: Top Rapides Parish restaurant inspections for Oct. 4-11 ROME, NY (WUTR/WFXV/WPNY) Rome Police are asking for help in locating a teenager who has been missing from the city for over three weeks. Rome Police are trying to locate 14-year-old Harlow Snogles, who was last seen by her father on the evening of Saturday, October 11. Snogles is described as being between five feet, five and five feet, seven inches tall and approximately 125 pounds. She is described as having black hair and blue eyes. Rome Police believe her to be staying with friends in the Utica/Rome area. Harlow C. Snogles (Photo provided by the Rome Police Department) Rome Police are asking anyone with any information regarding Harlows whereabouts to contact the Rome Police Department at 315-337-3311. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WUTR/WFXV - CNYhomepage.com. Royal Oak Mayor Mike Fournier and a political slate of three allies raised almost five times as much money as their political opponents thanks in part to large donations from political action committees and the help of campaign work by the head of the Oakland County Board of Commissioners. The four raised more than $125,000 combined and spent nearly $75,000 since the start of the year, recently released campaign finance records show. That dwarfs the roughly $26,200 received by the four people trying to defeat them in next week's election for mayor and seats on the Royal Oak City Commission. Mayor Michael Fournier speaks during Memorial Day festivities in front of the Royal Oak City Hall on May 31, 2021, in Royal Oak. While campaign materials for Fournier and his allies say they champion issues important to local residents, critics say the big checks are an effort to sway city commission decisions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Sadly, it feels like the current regime is selling out our neighbors for special interests," said Trish Oliver, Fournier's opponent in the mayoral race. "We are running as the voice for the unheard in Royal Oak who are the 'regular' people like ourselves who are not tied to any special interests. I am deeply concerned about the future of Royal Oak if Royal Oakers dont regain governance of our city." Fournier and City Commissioner Brandon Kolo are seeking reelection. They are campaigning with Royal Oak Planning Commission member Woody Gontina and Royal Oak Zoning Board of Appeals member Paul Bastian, who are seeking two seats where current city commissioners are not running again. Fournier, Kolo, Gontina and Bastian did not respond to Free Press emails or phone messages. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement All four have ties to Pivot Point Strategies, the political consulting business operated by Oakland County Board of Commissioners Chairman Dave Woodward and former Royal Oak City Commissioner Kyle Dubuc. Fournier, Gontina and Bastian paid the company a combined $8,400 so far this campaign season; while Kolo's records do not show a recent payment to the company, he hired the firm for a previous campaign. Oakland County Board of Commissioners Chairman Dave Woodward speaks during a recent commission meeting. He has denied engaging in any activity that would constitute a conflict of interest. Woodward did not respond to a Free Press message, but in the past said his campaign work did not pose any conflict. Fournier and Kolo previously defended working with Woodward, saying everything was aboveboard and nothing presented a conflict of interest. "I strongly believe there has never been a conflict, and I have never been advised of one. Im proud of the results the city commission has delivered for Royal Oak, from record park investments to stronger neighborhoods and expanded services that help residents thrive," Kolo said in a September email. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Records released late last week show Fournier raised $38,000 and spent a hair less than $25,000. That includes receiving $7,500 from the political arm of the Michigan Regional Council of Carpenters union and a slew of $1,225 checks from people tied to development, construction, architecture and real estate companies. Fournier became mayor in 2016, successfully retaining the seat many times. In 2023, he defeated Oliver by 17 percentage points another race where he raised and spent drastically more than his challenger. Kolo, a member of the city commission since 2020, raised $36,000 and spent $12,000. Gontina raised $26,400 and spent $18,400, while Bastian raised $25,000 and spent $19,500. Additionally, a political action committee that supports Realtors spent nearly $28,000 on flyers endorsing all four candidates. Some of the ads offer specific messages, saying the four support affordable housing and want to protect "parks, green spaces and trees." Another states the slate is best positioned to make Royal Oak "safer and stronger." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Oliver is running with commission candidates David Buzynski, Carolyn Martz and Eric Smethurst. Combined, they've raised just over $26,000 and spent about $19,000. "It's almost absurd that raising and spending $25,000 or $35,000 for a single city commission seat is seen as 'normal,' " said Buzynski, who has raised $4,800 and spent $3,800. Mark Grebner, a longtime Michigan Democratic political consultant and Ingham County commissioner, agreed. "You pretty quickly can spend 11, 12, 13 (thousand dollars) pretty well. Once you start spending more than 20 (thousand dollars), you're really just burning money," Grebner said. Mark Grebner, 56, of East Lansing, is photographed in his office, Practical Political Consulting, in East Lansing, Mich., on Thursday, July 23, 2009. He said that while he has seen larger amounts of money dumped into smaller races, typically that's due to a big impending issue involving a wealthy corporation in a community. In this case, while acknowledging he does not regularly track Royal Oak politics, he said he suspects one political slate is supported by developers and the other is not. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The slate opposing Fournier and other critics say that's exactly the case. Chuck Semchena, a lifelong Royal Oak resident who previously served on the city commission and as the city attorney, says he thinks the mayor and Woodward brought big money and politics into local races for seats previously "filled by community leaders who viewed themselves as volunteers." Like Oliver, he argued Fournier and allies work too closely with special interest groups. The Free Press recently scrutinized ties between Royal Oak City Commission members and Woodward as part of a broader investigation into Woodward's private businesses. Records show Woodward routinely voted on issues related to Royal Oak after working for Fournier, Kolo and everyone else on the Royal Oak City Commission. Woodward also works for Sheetz, a gas station and convenience store empire looking to expand in the region. Earlier this year, the Royal Oak commission voted to approve a new Sheetz location, despite some vocal opposition. Woodward talked with Royal Oak City Commission members, his own political clients, about Sheetz before the vote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In addition to defending his partnership with Woodward, Fournier also previously touted his work with local developers. "When I speak with developers, I ask questions, share community concerns and ensure we get a proposal that benefits the people of Royal Oak," Fournier said in a September email. Royal Oak mayor Michael Fournier speaks during a groundbreaking ceremony for the Michigan WWII Legacy Memorial to be built at Memorial Park in Royal Oak on Thursday, April 7, 2022. "Im not a mayor that sits on the sidelines hoping good things happen. I push hard and build relationships to deliver results for my constituents. This is why Royal Oak enjoys one of the best economies in the state, ranks among the best places to live, and has the highest quality developments." Polls open at 7 a.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 4. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Reach Dave Boucher at dboucher@freepress.com and on X @Dave_Boucher1. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Royal Oak mayor, allies raises big bucks thanks to special interests, critics say No one is bigger than the monarchy. Not even the kings brother. In the end, that reality spelled the end of Andrews life as a prince of the realm. As details of Andrews links to the sex offender Jeffrey Epstein continued to dribble out and Parliament raised questions about his rent-free residence at a sprawling country house near Windsor Castle, King Charles III moved Thursday to shield the monarchy from any further revelations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a statement issued by Buckingham Palace, the king said he had taken steps to strip his brother of all his titles and honors, including the one he has held since birth prince. From now on, the scandal-plagued British royal will be known simply as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor. Andrew is also being forced to move out of Royal Lodge, the 30-room mansion near Windsor Castle where he has lived for more than 20 years. The monarchy needed to draw the thickest line they could between Andrew and the rest of the royal family, said Craig Prescott, an expert on constitutional law and the monarchy at Royal Holloway, University of London. And hes precisely done that. A clear statement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The kings decision came after the announcement earlier this month that Andrew had agreed to stop using the titles failed to stanch the flood of tawdry stories that threaten to weaken support for the monarchy. Far from ending the media frenzy, the earlier move spurred calls from some members of Parliament that Andrew be formally stripped of his titles and evicted from Royal Lodge. That raised the prospect of a parliamentary debate on Andrews conduct that would have subjected the royal family to even more unwanted publicity. Andrews disgrace comes as Charles, who is 76 and undergoing treatment for an undisclosed form of cancer, works to resolve stubborn problems and buttress the foundations of the monarchy for his elder son, Prince William, to inherit. This, I think, was a very clear statement of what had to be done to get the house in order (now) and also going forward for the future, said George Gross, a royal expert at Kings College London. That makes life easier for Prince William I think thats also part of it. But it felt inevitable. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Andrew's problems aren't solved While the kings decision may help shield the monarchy from the fallout from the scandal, it wont end Andrews problems. The latest round of stories about Andrew was triggered by the publication of a memoir written by Virginia Giuffre, who alleged that she was trafficked by Epstein and had sex with Andrew when she was 17. Giuffre, an American living in Australia, took her own life earlier this year. Her brother, Sky Roberts, on Thursday lauded his sisters long fight to expose Epstein and Andrew, but continued to call for the kings brother to be prosecuted. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Andrew has repeatedly denied having sex with Giuffre or committing any crimes. Historian Andrew Lownie, author of a recent biography of Andrew and his ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, said he believes there are grounds to investigate allegations ranging from sex trafficking to misconduct in public office. I dont think its the end of it, I think there are many more disclosures to come, the author of Entitled: The Rise and Fall of the House of York, told the BBC. But at least theyre taking some decisive action. Andrew, 65, is the second son of the late Queen Elizabeth II. He spent more than 20 years as a Royal Navy officer before leaving to take up his royal duties in 2001. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He has been the subject of tabloid stories for decades. In 2007, he sold a house near Windsor Castle for 20% over the 15-million-pound ($19.7 million) asking price. The buyer was reported to be Timur Kulibayev, son-in-law of Nursultan Nazarbayev, then-president of Kazakhstan, raising concerns that the deal was an attempt to buy influence in Britain. Those allegations, coupled with reported links to a son of former Libyan strongman Moammar Gadhafi, led to Andrew being stripped of his role as Britains special envoy for international trade and investment. Queen Elizabeth II had a soft spot for Andrew But royal experts believe Andrew was often shielded from the full weight of his scandals because of his position as the queens favorite child. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That became untenable in November 2019, after Andrew gave a disastrous interview to the BBC in an effort to counter media reports about his friendship with Epstein. He was widely criticized for failing to show empathy for Epsteins victims and for offering unbelievable explanations for his friendship with the disgraced financier. Soon after the interview aired, Andrew was forced to give up all of his public duties and charity roles. Now Charles is severing his brothers remaining ties to the institution of the monarchy. The Royal Lodge has been a particularly sore point, with Andrew until now rejecting the kings entreaties to give up his 75-year lease on the property. He will now live at the king's private estate at Sandringham in eastern England. A monarchy in transition Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Prescott, the constitutional expert, said Andrews banishment should be seen as part of a transition in the monarchy that began after Elizabeths death in 2022. As long as the queen was alive, people were reluctant to criticize the monarchy because it was seen as personally criticizing the queen, who became a revered figure during her 70-year reign. Charles has never had that same status and he recognizes that the crown has to be accountable to the people and their representatives in Parliament, Prescott said. This is part of the transition of the monarchy becoming more like a typical public institution, capable of being scrutinized by Parliament in one way or another, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There was public demand and parliamentary demand for the king to do something,'' Prescott added. "And hes done it. ___ This story has been changed to correct the attribution of a quote by author Andrew Lownie to the BBC, not Britains Press Association. With Bihar assembly election due in just six days, the Phulwari constituency under the Patna district is set to witness a battle of familiar faces. With the Communist Party of India (Marxist Leninist) Liberation looking to retain the seat they had won in 2020, the Janata Dal (United) has fielded a former minister who had represented the constituency in 2015 and 2010. Constituency 188, Phulwari, is one of the 38 constituencies reserved for the Scheduled Caste (SC) category. A muslim dominated area, the area has been traditionally a stronghold of the Janata Dal (United) with former minister Shyam Rajak retaining the seat for 10 years between 2010-2020. While CPI(ML) is banking on sitting MLA Gopal Ravidas, JD(U) has brought back Shyam Rajak to wrest back control of the constituency and contest the elections in the first phase of the polls happening on November 6. Notably, Jan Suraaj Party offers a fresh face to the people in the constituency, with candidate Shashikant Prasad set to contest too. Prasad himself has been a former Block Development Officer (BDO) in Patna, and a college professor. Notably, Rajak has switched alliances multiple times over the decades, having a long political career and experience of working in the cabinets of both JD(U)'s Nitish Kumar and RJD's Lalu Prasad Yadav. Till 2020, he served as the cabinet minister of Industries in the Nitish Kumar cabinet. In the same year, he went to Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) citing discontent from the JD(U). However, while in RJD he failed to secure a ticket and thus did not contest the election, breaking his streak from Phulwari. Before 2005, Rajak was part of the RJD, however between 2005-2020, he had a decades long career of working with the JD(U). In 2020, while JD(U) banked on Arun Manjhi to secure a win, the CPI (ML) candidate Gopal Ravidas won with a margin of 6.73% votes. Currently, Arun Manjhi is the JD(U) candidate from Masaurhi constituency. In Phulwari, construction of roads is a major poll issue for the constituents, with people asking for better connectivity and better infrastructure in the region, paving the way for a possible anti-incumbency against the CPI(ML) MLA. While there is a sizeable muslim population in the area, the community as a whole is not seen to have voted homogenously for a particular candidate. While RJD is looking to bank on the Muslim-Yadav alliance to garner suppor, the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is also looking to get support from across the area through the Hindu, and Kurmi communities in the region. While Rajak hails from the Dhobi community, Ravidas is from the Chamar community. While the JD(U) candidate offers experience for working as a minister in various cabinet, Ravidas is known to be from a humble background and a poor family. He is also the Bihar Secretary of the All India Agricultural and Rural Labourers Association (AIARLA) and a Central Committee member of CPI(ML), protesting against alleged extortion of microfinance agencies. In the 2020 elections, the constituency had 57.38 voting percentage, with 1,96,471 votes cast from an electorate of over 3 lakh people. CPI (ML) MLA Gopal Ravidas received a total of 91,124 votes. He got a win margin of 6.73% votes, with the runner up, JD(U)'s Arun Manjhi receiving 77,267 votes. The elections for first phase of Bihar assembly elections will happen on November 6, and second phase will commence on November 11, with counting set on November 14. (ANI) AUSTIN The Railroad Commission of Texas assessed $1,036,759 in enforcement docket fines against operators and businesses at the Commissioners open meeting on Tuesday. The Commission has primary oversight and enforcement of the states oil and gas industry and intrastate pipeline safety. Master Default Orders for operators that failed to appear at Commission enforcement proceedings can be found on the RRC Hearings Division web page. Master Agreed Orders in which operators were ordered to come into compliance with Commission rules can be found on the RRC General Council web page. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement * Fines Assessed from Master Default Orders: $158,122.00 * Fines Assessed from Master Agreed Orders: $878,637.00 * Total Fines Assessed: $1,036,759.00 In the absence of timely motions for rehearing, decisions are final as stated in these final orders. The post RRC Commissioners assess more than $1 million in penalties appeared first on Odessa American. Russian forces carried out yet another drone attack on energy infrastructure facilities in Odesa Oblast on the night of 30-31 October. Source: Odesa Oblast Military Administration Quote: "A hit has been recorded at an industrial facility despite active air defence efforts. A fire broke out, which was quickly extinguished by firefighters." Details: No deaths or injuries have been reported, the authorities said. Background: As of the morning of 31 October, new blackouts occurred in several Ukrainian oblasts following Russian drone attacks on energy facilities. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! KYIV, Ukraine (AP) Russia has deployed around 170,000 troops in Ukraines eastern Donetsk region where they are trying to capture the stronghold of Pokrovsk in a major push for a battlefield victory, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Friday. The situation in Pokrovsk is difficult, Zelenskyy said, while also rejecting recent Russian claims that the devastated city is surrounded after more than a year of fighting. He acknowledged that some Russian units had infiltrated the city, but insisted that Ukrainian defenders are weeding them out. There are Russians in Pokrovsk, Zelenskyy told a media briefing in Kyiv. They are being destroyed, gradually destroyed, because, well, we need to preserve our personnel. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In previous sieges during the almost four years since Russia launched its all-out invasion of its neighbor, Ukraine has pulled out of some places to avoid losing troops. Ukrainian forces are desperately short-handed against Russias bigger army. Russian President Vladimir Putin has recently claimed that Russian forces are making significant advances on the battlefield, though their progress has been slow and costly in troops and armor. Putin is trying to persuade the United States, which wants him to seek a peace deal, that Ukraine cant hold out against Russian military superiority. He has also stressed what he says is Russias improving nuclear capability as he refuses to budge from what he says are his country's legitimate war aims. Ukraine claims hits on Russian oil facilities Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ukraine has been fighting back by hitting targets inside Russia to disrupt military logistics and make Russian civilians feel the effects of war. Since the beginning of the year, Ukraine has conducted over 160 successful long-range strikes on Russias oil extraction and refining facilities, the head of Ukraines Security Service, Vasyl Maliuk, told reporters at the briefing. In September and October alone, Ukraine conducted 20 strikes on Russian oil facilities, Maliuk said. He claimed that the strikes had brought a 20% drop in oil products on Russias domestic market and temporarily halted the operation of 37% of Russias oil refining capacity. The claims could not be independently verified. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Clearly, we are not resting on our achievements. There are many fresh perspectives and new approaches in this work, Maliuk said. These include new equipment, new combat units, and new methods and means of communication. He said that over this year Ukraine has destroyed nearly half of Russias sophisticated Pantsir air defense systems, which have stopped Ukrainian long-range drones. He also noted that last year Ukrainian forces destroyed one of Russias advanced new hypersonic missiles that can fly at 10 times the speed of sound, striking it on the ground at a military base inside Russia, The Oreshnik missile, touted at the end of last year by Putin as invulnerable to air defense systems and a game-changing weapon, was hit at the Kapustin Yar military firing range near the Caspian Sea in southwestern Russia, roughly 500 kilometers (300 miles) from the Ukrainian border, according to Maliuk. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Putin said a year ago that the missile was used in an attack on the central Ukrainian city of Dnipro, some months after Maliuk said Ukraine destroyed one of them. UN reports rise in Ukrainian civilian casualties Meanwhile, Russian drones struck apartment blocks in the northeastern city of Sumy overnight, injuring 11 people, including four children, and also hit the southern Odesa regions energy infrastructure, authorities said Friday. The war has this year been deadlier for civilians than 2024, with a 30% rise in casualties so far, the U.N. Humanitarian Coordinator in Ukraine, Matthias Schmale, said Friday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Russias almost daily aerial attacks on Ukrainian energy production and distribution facilities are especially worrying because the winter is forecast to be much colder than last year, Schmale said at a briefing in Geneva. Ukrainian cities have centralized public infrastructure to run water, sewage and heating systems, and the U.N. fears that denying those services to people in high-rise buildings in cities near the front line could turn into a major crisis, according to Schmale. Destroying energy production and distribution capacity as winter starts clearly impacts the civilian population and is a form of terror, he said. Also, the U.N. humanitarian operation is short of money to respond to acute needs, as its Ukraine funding has declined from over $4 billion in 2022, the year of Russias full-scale invasion of its neighbor, to $1.1 billion this year, Schmale said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He added that the conflict feels increasingly like a protracted war, as U.S.-led international peace efforts this year have come to nothing. We have been through phases this year where there was cautious optimism that it might end, Schmale said. Right now on the ground, it doesnt feel at all like its ending any time soon. ___ Follow APs coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine Russia has deployed 170,000 troops to Donetsk to bolster resources in the battle for Pokrovsk, Volodymyr Zelensky said on Friday. The city, in eastern Ukraine, has been under siege for more than a year, with forces keeping Moscows troops at bay despite fears that it could soon fall. Vladimir Putin has stepped up his attacks in the past month, targeting supply lines and sending increasing numbers of drones into battle. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mr Zelensky, the Ukrainian president, said: The situation in Pokrovsk is difficult, while also rejecting recent Russian claims that the devastated city was surrounded after more than a year of fighting. He acknowledged that some Russian units had infiltrated Pokrovsk, but insisted Ukrainian defenders were weeding them out. There are Russians in Pokrovsk, the president told a media briefing in Kyiv. They are being destroyed, gradually destroyed, because, well, we need to preserve our personnel. In previous sieges, Ukraine has pulled back from the front lines to avoid losing troops. Ukrainian forces are desperately short-handed against Russias bigger army. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Putin recently claimed that Russian forces were making significant advances on the battlefield, though their progress has been slow and costly in troops and armour. The Russian leader is trying to persuade the US that Ukraine cannot hold out against Russian military superiority. He has also stressed what he says is Russias improving nuclear capability as he refuses to budge from what he says are his countrys legitimate war aims. Ukraine has been fighting back by hitting targets inside Russia to disrupt military logistics and make Russian civilians feel the effects of war. Since the beginning of the year, Ukraine has conducted more than 160 successful long-range strikes on Russias oil extraction and refining facilities, Vasyl Maliuk, the head of Ukraines Security Service, said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In September and October, Ukraine conducted 20 strikes on oil facilities, Mr Maliuk added. He claimed the strikes had brought a 20 per cent drop in oil products on Russias domestic market and temporarily halted the operation of 37 per cent of Russias oil refining capacity. The claims could not be independently verified. Clearly, we are not resting on our achievements. There are many fresh perspectives and new approaches in this work, said Mr Maliuk. These include new equipment, new combat units and new methods and means of communication. He said that, over this year, Ukraine had destroyed nearly half of Russias sophisticated Pantsir air defence systems, which have stopped Ukrainian long-range drones. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He also noted that last year Ukrainian forces destroyed one of Russias advanced new hypersonic missiles, which can fly at 10 times the speed of sound, striking it on the ground at a military base inside Russia. The Oreshnik missile, touted at the end of last year by Putin as invulnerable to air defence systems and a game-changing weapon, was hit at the Kapustin Yar military firing range near the Caspian Sea in south-western Russia, roughly 300 miles from the border, Ukraine claims. A year ago, the missile, with a dummy warhead, was used in an attack on the central Ukrainian city of Dnipro. Ukrainian soldiers rest amid fighting near Dobropillia, Donetsk - Anatolii Stepanov/Reuters Meanwhile, Russian drones struck apartment blocks in the north-eastern city of Sumy overnight, injuring 11 people, four of them children, and also hit the southern Odesa regions energy infrastructure, authorities said Friday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The war has this year been deadlier for civilians than 2024, with a 30 per cent rise in casualties so far, Matthias Schmale, the UN humanitarian coordinator in Ukraine, said. Russias almost daily aerial attacks on Ukrainian energy production and distribution facilities are especially worrying because the winter is forecast to be much colder than last year, Mr Schmale said at a briefing in Geneva. Ukrainian cities have centralised public infrastructure to run water, sewage and heating systems, and the UN fears that denying those services to people in high-rise buildings in cities near the front line could turn into a major crisis. Destroying energy production and distribution capacity as winter starts clearly impacts the civilian population and is a form of terror, he said. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. Ukraine's Foreign Intelligence Service has reported that Russia is preparing a draft law that will require cybersecurity specialists who search for vulnerabilities in software code to undergo mandatory identification. Source: Ukraine's Foreign Intelligence Service Details: Under the Russian plans, companies will be required to obtain state accreditation and the Federal Security Service (FSB) will subsequently oversee them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The draft also provides for the creation of a registry of "white-hat hackers", who would effectively be turned into "grey-hat" or "black-hat" hackers. Failure to report discovered vulnerabilities would be punishable under criminal law. Quote: "Russia's authorities are continuing their policy of total control over the digital sphere, seeking to centralise even the activities of independent cybersecurity specialists." Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! Russia resumed military flights to Syria after a six-month pause, signaling Moscow's effort to maintain its foothold in the Middle East following the ouster of longtime ally Bashar al-Assad. Flight-tracking data from Flightradar24 showed Russian military aircraft landing at the Khmeimim air base in Latakia in recent days. A person close to the Kremlin, who spoke to Bloomberg on condition of anonymity, confirmed the flights had restarted. The move came as Moscow sought to secure its military presence after months of uncertainty in Syria. Russian President Vladimir Putin recently met Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa in Moscow during Sharaa's first official visit since taking office. The future of Russia's military bases at Khmeimim and Tartus, its only naval facility on the Mediterranean, was reportedly a key topic of discussion. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Assad, a longtime Kremlin ally, was ousted in December 2024 and fled to Russia, raising questions over whether Moscow could maintain influence with the new government in Damascus. Russia had previously maintained a military presence in Syria for years and deployed troops in 2015 to support Assad's brutal crackdown on anti-government forces. Despite Moscow's backing of Assad, Sharaa has said he intends to maintain a stable relationship with Russia. At the same time, Sharaa has sought broader diplomatic outreach. The new Syrian leader, who took power after leading the forces that toppled Assad, has met several world leaders this year, including U.S. President Donald Trump, who has called for lifting sanctions on Syria. Ukraine and Syria also restored relations in September during the U.N. General Assembly after Sharaa met President Volodymyr Zelensky. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read also: Trump says Xi agrees to work together with US on ending Russias war against Ukraine Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Russia has used its ground-launched 9M729 cruise missile to strike targets in Ukraine multiple times in recent months. This is the conclusion of Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, and it also tallies with reports from independent analysts who have been tracking the use of the missile, the original deployment of which led to the United States walking away from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces, or INF, Treaty in 2019. Russias use of the INF-banned 9M729 against Ukraine in the past months demonstrates Putins disrespect to the United States and President Trumps diplomatic efforts to end Russias war against Ukraine, Sybiha said. Since August, Russia has been attacking Ukraine with the 9M729 cruise missile, capable of carrying a nuclear warhead, Reuters reported, citing Ukraine's FM Sybiha. Moscow's use of the missile in the past months demonstrates "Putin's disrespect to the United States and President pic.twitter.com/VkvGrD2NyP Anton Gerashchenko (@Gerashchenko_en) October 31, 2025 Sybihas comments provide the first confirmation that Russia has used the 9M729 missile known to NATO as the SSC-8 Screwdriver in combat. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Another, unnamed Ukrainian senior official told Reuters that Russia had fired the 9M729 against targets in Ukraine 23 times since August 21 of this year. The same source said that the missile had been launched on two other occasions since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022; it is not immediately clear if these were also combat launches, but a combat evaluation is a strong possibility. Notably, the Kremlin had, on August 4, said it would no longer limit where it deploys nuclear-capable missiles with ranges in excess of the former INF Treaty. That would suggest something of a change in policy, publicly at least, prior to the more regular combat employment of the 9M729. And here is 9M729. Note that "they began [to use it] on August 21." Russia formally announced the end of its moratorium on August 4. So, it appears that the moratorium on deployment was a thing. https://t.co/Izbqhz7uKP 1/2 Pavel Podvig (@russianforces) October 31, 2025 According to Reuters, quoting another unnamed military source, one of the 9M729 missiles fired by Russia, on October 5 of this year, flew over 1,200 kilometers (746 miles) before hitting a target in Ukraine. To absolutely no one's surprise (well, probably and unfortunately to some), the 9M729 is confirmed to have a range well-above 500 kilometers. My conservative assessment based on its technical features, which I published on Missile Matters in August, was at least 1,700 pic.twitter.com/vmyR6i6vwd Fabian Hoffmann (@FRHoffmann1) October 31, 2025 The range is significant, since it was this factor that the United States argued put the 9M729 in breach of the INF Treaty, which put a limit of 500 kilometers (310 miles) on ground-launched missiles, nuclear or conventional. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If the military sources information is accurate, then it would confirm that, as expected, the 9M729 is able to fly far beyond the now-defunct INF Treaty limits. Now that we have proof the 9M729 is the INF-busting missile the US said it was all along, I hope certain arms control experts apologize for attempting to undercut US claims and NATO consenus. Trump may have handled it undiplomatically, but this was a bipartisan decision. 5/5 William Alberque (@walberque) October 31, 2025 As to the veracity of the Ukrainian comments on the use of the 9M729, Douglas Barrie, Senior Fellow for Military Aerospace at the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), told TWZ that he considered them to be plausible. If you think what the Russians have been doing elsewhere in terms of their weapons, the things that they have had in the locker and wanted to test, then you can see why they would want to use it, Barrie said. For its part, Russia has always denied that the 9M729 violated the now-defunct nuclear arms control treaty. At the same time, it accused the United States of violating the same treaty through the construction of Aegis Ashore missile defense sites in Europe, which it argues can be used to fire the BGM-109 Tomahawk land attack cruise missile, something that U.S. officials deny. According to the Missile Threat website produced at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington, the 9M729 can actually hit targets as far away as 2,500 kilometers (1,553 miles). Meanwhile, Douglas Barrie at the IISS says that he assesses the missile to have a likely range at least in excess of 2,000 kilometers (1,240 miles). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There is some evidence that backs up the claims of the 9M729s use in Ukraine. Ukrainian officials provided Reuters with images of debris after a Russian attack on the Ukrainian village of Lapaiivka on October 5, which purportedly involved the 9M729. This struck a residential building, killing four people, at a distance of over 600 kilometers (373 miles) from the Russian border. Reportedly, these images include two missile fragments that were marked 9M729. These images were reviewed by Jeffrey Lewis, Distinguished Scholar of Global Security at Middlebury College, who agreed that they were consistent with the 9M729s expected appearance. In particular, the missile body and engine, as well as the distinct markings, pointed to the 9M729, according to Lewiss analysis. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Kremlin has not commented on the alleged use of the 9M729. Russia only publicly acknowledged the existence of the 9M729 in November 2018, though it reportedly entered development sometime in the mid-2000s. In 2019, Russia publicly displayed the launch canisters for the 9M729 and its associated transporter erector launcher, or TEL, and offered some details about the complete system. The launch canisters for the 9M729 missile and their associated TEL. Sergei Bobylev/TASS At that time, Russia said that the 9M729 featured an improved guidance system and a larger warhead compared to the older 9M728, known to NATO as the SSC-7 Southpaw, another weapon understood to have been used by Russia against Ukraine. Russia argued that the 9M729 was longer, heavier, and actually had less range than its predecessor. The new TEL can also carry four missiles, while the older vehicle associated with the 9M728/SSC-7 could only fire two before needing to reload. The TEL for the older 9M728/SSC-7 ground-launched cruise missile, with a launch canister in the firing position. Vadim Grishankin Russia has said that the 9M729 has a range of just less than 300 miles, which would be clearly contradicted by the latest information from Ukraine, provided it is accurate. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The more regular employment of the 9M729 would provide Russia with another cruise missile option for striking Ukraine. Up until now, it has primarily relied on the air-launched Kh-101 cruise missile, as well as the Kalibr, which can be launched from surface combatants and submarines. All of these weapons, 9M728 and 9M729 included, are subsonic. However, compared to other land-based options, the 9M729 offers Russia the advantage that it can be launched from locations deeper inside Russia. It is also mobile, meaning that it is relatively easy to relocate and to conceal, so it can be fired from different locations and axes, making it harder for already hard-pressed Ukrainian air defenses to deal with. There are several other reasons why Russia might now be using the 9M729. It could be that numbers of the Kh-101 and Kalibr are running low, with Russias military-industrial complex, hampered by Western sanctions, which especially affect high-technology components of the kind that precision-guided weapons rely on, unable to backfill the arsenal sufficiently. Existing 9M729 rounds would provide another option to boost stocks of standoff weapons. Approximate dimensions of the 9M729 according to Russian specifications. The graphic, published by Sputnik News in 2019, matches Russias stated dimensions: a 51.4 cm diameter and a length 53 cm greater than the 9M728, which is reportedly 6.2 m long, making the 9M729 roughly pic.twitter.com/XTJUE4WD1O Fabian Hoffmann (@FRHoffmann1) August 9, 2025 Secondly, there is the issue of signaling to Ukraines allies in the West. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The reported use of the 9M729 comes as Kyiv pushes for the United States to supply it with Tomahawk cruise missiles. Like the 9M729, these would be ground-launched weapons and would be able to strike targets deep inside Russia with a very high degree of precision. Unlike the 9M729, the Tomahawk was not outlawed under the INF Treaty, since, at that time, it was only sea-launched. As far as Kyiv is concerned, having access to weapons like the Tomahawk would put additional pressure on Moscow to end its war in Ukraine. Russian officials, including Putin, have warned that supplying Ukraine with Tomahawks would be a dangerous escalation. Russian employment of the 9M729 also serves as a message to NATO nations in Europe, most of which fall well within its assumed range. Moscow has repeatedly denied that the 9M729, which has conventional and nuclear armed variants, breached the INF Treaty. The Novator 9M728 (RS-SSC-7 Southpaw), a 500 km-range version of the same missile family, has been used in Ukraine. Latest analysis: https://t.co/O4DNR8ZGEr pic.twitter.com/aRSG4wZ7q9 IISS News (@IISS_org) August 31, 2024 In that sense, employing the 9M729 also serves to send a clear message to the West that Russia wont bow to pressure, especially over the conflict in Ukraine. Other examples include recent tests of high-profile nuclear-capable weapons like the Poseidon nuclear-powered, nuclear-tipped, ultra-long-endurance torpedo, which you can read about here, and the Burevestnik nuclear-powered cruise missile, discussed here. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Another new weapon, the Oreshnik intermediate-range ballistic missile, has also been used against Ukraine by Russia. Today, Ukraine claimed that its security service and military intelligence destroyed one of these missile systems during a covert operation at the Kapustin Yar testing range, in the Astrakhan region of southern Russia. In the United States, meanwhile, President Donald Trump issued a statement this week saying he instructed the Department of War to start testing our Nuclear Weapons on an equal basis. That process will begin immediately. The reason, Trump explained, was because of other countries [sic] testing programs. The United States has more Nuclear Weapons than any other country. This was accomplished, including a complete update and renovation of existing weapons, during my First Term in office. Because of the tremendous destructive power, I HATED to do it, but had no choice! Russia is Commentary: Trump Truth Social Posts On X (@TrumpTruthOnX) October 30, 2025 The exact meaning of this statement remains unclear, but the possible implications are something we have discussed in detail. At this point, we still dont know with certainty that Russia is now using the 9M729 cruise missile against Ukrainian targets. However, considering its employment of other long-range weapons in the conflict, and the Kremlins ongoing efforts to send threatening signals toward Europe as Washington seeks a peace settlement, it certainly seems to fit that pattern. Contact the author: thomas@thewarzone.com A Russian cruise missile whose secret development led President Trump to abandon a nuclear arms control pact with Moscow in his first term has been used to attack Ukraine in recent months, according to Kyivs foreign minister. Ukrainian Minister of Foreign Affairs Andrii Sybiha is the first to confirm that Russia has used the ground-launched 9M729 missile in combat, firing the missile at Ukraine 23 times since August and twice in 2022, Reuters reported. The 9M729, which can carry a nuclear or conventional warhead and is believed to have a range of more than 1,500 miles, prompted Trump to pull the United States from the more than 30-year-old Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty in 2019. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The treaty, agreed to by the U.S. and the then-Soviet Union in 1987, led to the elimination of 2,692 nuclear and conventional ground-launched ballistic and cruise missiles with ranges between 500 km and 5,500 km and is credited with helping end the Cold War. U.S. officials had publicly accused Russia of violating the treaty since 2014, during the Obama administration. But the Trump administration formally pulled the U.S. from the agreement in August 2019 after it declared that the 9M729 was in breach of the treaty and could fly far beyond the treatys limit of 500 km, which Russia denied. Critics at the time worried that the move, which produced no proper follow-on agreement, would spur an arms race. That concern appears to have come to fruition, with Trump earlier this week directing the Pentagon to immediately start testing nuclear weapons on an equal basis to Russia and China. That came after Moscow said it had successfully tested the Burevestnik cruise missile on Oct. 21 and a new atomic-powered and nuclear-capable underwater drone Tuesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Russias use of the 9M729 includes an Oct. 5 flight of more than 1,200 km before it hit Ukraine, a source told Reuters. Russias use of the INF-banned 9M729 against Ukraine in the past months demonstrates [Russian President Vladimir] Putins disrespect to the United States and President Trumps diplomatic efforts to end Russias war against Ukraine, Sybiha said in a statement. Ukraine for months has pressed the Trump administration to help boost Ukraines long-range firepower via U.S.-made Tomahawk missiles, arguing it would help bring Russia to the table for peace talks. But Moscow, which began its war in Ukraine in February 2022, has warned Washington that providing the missiles would be a dangerous escalation. Trump has said the transfer would be dangerous, difficult and impractical, due to the training needed to use the weapons. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. The Russian test launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile and a nuclear-powered torpedo capable of triggering radioactive tsunamis should have the West worried. But a lesser-known cruise missile that Moscow is already using has Ukraine crying foul. The firing of the Novator 9M729 has been described as the most destabilising event for Natos security umbrella since Vladimir Putin ordered his forces to invade Ukraine almost four years ago. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The missile, which can carry both conventional and nuclear warheads, was designed specifically to strike Europe. Kyiv has released intelligence suggesting that Russian forces have fired the ground-launched cruise missile system at Ukrainian targets at least 23 times at since August. The Novator 9M729 is a lengthened version of the 9M728 (pictured during a test) Donald Trump has a history with this weapon. In 2019, the US president, then in his first term, ripped up the intermediate nuclear forces treaty (INF) after Moscow refused to destroy its stocks of the missile. The agreement had banned all ground-launched nuclear and conventional missiles with ranges of between 500 and 5,500km. It was signed by Ronald Reagan and Mikhail Gorbachev in 1987 to end a Cold War arms race on the continent. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At the time, Moscow claimed the 9M729 could only fly 480km, which meant the treaty would not have applied to the weapon. In practice, the missile has a range of 2,500km, according to the Missile Threat website produced by the Centre for Strategic and International Studies in Washington. There are a number of reasons why Ukrainian officials are flagging its use, one being to ask Mr Trump for help against Russias brutal attacks on Ukraines cities and critical infrastructure. Volodymyr Zelensky, Ukraines president, is currently on a mission to secure permission from his US counterpart to buy Tomahawks, American long-range cruise missiles with similar specifications to the 9M729, including a maximum range of 2,500km. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement b' 3110 Missile comparison ' So similar are the systems that, in the 80s, the Americans withdrew and banned their nuclear-capable, ground-launched Tomahawks to comply with the treaty. Washington instead opted for air and sea-launched models not covered by the INF. In the meantime, Russia continued to produce its treaty-busting weapons system in secret. Its re-emergence provides Ukraine with significant ammunition as it argues for Mr Trump to drop his opposition to the sale of Tomahawks to Kyiv. Ukrainian sources told Reuters that one of the 9M729 launched into the country on Oct 5 had travelled 1,200km. Images of debris from the strike on the village of Lapaivka in western Ukraines Lviv region showed the 9M729 marking on two missile fragments, including a tube containing cabling, according to the agency. The attack killed a family of four, including a 15-year-old girl. A Russian 9M728 missile strike on Lapaivka earlier this month killed a family of four - Mykola Tys/Global Images Ukraine Mr Zelensky and his officials have often argued that deliveries of Tomahawks are about levelling the playing field, because Russia has the ability to strike Ukrainian cities at will. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The emergence of the 9M729 might also signal that Putin is struggling to maintain his desired pressure on Kyiv as peace talks are pushed under the leadership of Mr Trump. Moscow has struggled to sustain its air war against Ukraine, unable to hit multiple cities each night because of dwindling stockpiles. Its air war is often described as a feast to famine effort because the missiles almost instantly move from the factory to the front line to be launched. Putin has allowed his forces to dip into the stockpiles of the 9M729 missile to keep up the pressure of his bombardments on Ukrainian cities and the infrastructure keeping them warm this winter. Flagging the use of the missile also allows Mr Zelensky to enhance the argument, often made by Kyiv and its European allies, that Putin is not interested in Mr Trumps push for a diplomatic solution to the war. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Andrii Sybiha, Ukraines foreign minister, told Reuters: Russias use of the INF-banned 9M729 against Ukraine in the past months demonstrates Putins disrespect to the United States and President Trumps diplomatic efforts to end Russias war against Ukraine. However, there is a more worrying aspect to Putins willingness to break cover on the existence of this missile, according to analysts. John Foreman, a former UK defence attache to Moscow and Kyiv, said: For Ukrainians, this is academic. They have to deal with all cruise missiles, regardless of type and range. The bigger issue is that Russia is reportedly now using INF-range missiles it previously denied it had developed and deployed. This is very significant for European security, and a development that Nato hasnt really got to grips with. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I think the demise of INF is the single most destabilising thing to happen to wider Nato security since 1990, with the exception of the invasion. b' 0111 Novator 9M729 missile range ' In the past, Nato opted to move more conventional weapons into firing positions and stepped up intelligence operations in response to Russian rumours about 9M729. If the missile were to be turned against Nato, many of the alliances European members would be within reach of a nuclear-capable weapon. Mr Foreman has proposed a new double track to counter the threat, but fears that Nato does not have the appetite for such an approach. He said: If Russia has developed, tested, deployed and used nuclear-capable intermediate range cruise missiles to strike Europe then Nato should respond reciprocally under a new double track. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Intel and long-range conventional weapons dont hack it. Neither do short-range air-dropped or launched tactical nukes. At a time when intelligence suggests Moscow could attack the alliance within five years, this is a new approach to consider. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more. Russia has once again attacked railway infrastructure in Sumy and Kharkiv oblasts, damaging rolling stock and causing a train to be delayed. Source: Ukrzaliznytsia (Ukrainian Railways), Ukraine's state-run railway operator Details: The Russians struck a passenger depot in Sumy, damaging and destroying the company's service buildings and rolling stock. Replacement carriages were promptly provided for train No. 779/780 Sumy Kyiv to carry passengers. The train departed on schedule. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In addition, railway infrastructure near Lozova in Kharkiv Oblast was damaged. Train No. 228/227 Husarivka Ivano-Frankivsk is now operating on an altered route. Quote: "We are doing everything possible to minimise its delay. Early reports indicate that no one was injured as all employees managed to get to shelters in time." Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! Kerala BJP President Rajeev Chandrasekhar on Friday questioned the timing of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's recent announcement of major welfare schemes. He also slammed the LDF government for not implementing the PM Ayushman health insurance scheme for the elderly. "We all saw this very interesting sight of the Chief Minister of Kerala, Pinarayi Vijayan, holding a press conference and announcing many schemes. We are completely supportive of any political party, any government that is sincerely working for the benefit of the poor, is interested in helping the poor, and is interested in helping the poor get more opportunities," Chandrasekhar told reporters here. "This is our ideology, and we are fully supportive of it. However, there are a few questions that need to be asked of the Chief Minister because he is doing this after 4.5 years. He is doing this four months before an election, and he is implementing four months before an election what he announced four and a half years ago as a promise to the people of Kerala to get their vote," he added. He said that Kerala is one of the few states where people over 70 years are being denied benifits under PM Ayushman. "Even today, Kerala is one of the few states where people over 70 years are being denied PM Ayushman, which is a free scheme where over 5 lakhs of medical treatment can be availed by those who are above 70. If he is genuinely serious and he is genuinely sincere about helping the poor, he will today announce PM Ayushman's scheme," the Kerala BJP chief said. On Wednesday, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan announced a host of new benefits targeting women, youth, pensioners, and workers in the unorganised sector. The Chief Minister, during a press meet, said that poor women, including transwomen, who are not covered under any existing welfare scheme, will receive a new Women's Security Pension of Rs 1,000 per month. He also announced a monthly scholarship of Rs 1,000 for unemployed youth from families with an annual income below Rs 1 lakh, aimed at supporting those pursuing higher studies or skill training. The welfare pension has been raised by Rs 400 from Rs 1,600 to Rs 2,000, benefiting lakhs of pensioners across the state. Kudumbashree ADS units will now receive a grant of Rs 1,000 per month, while government employees will get an additional instalment of Dearness Allowance (DA). (ANI) Russian forces killed eight civilians and injured another 19 in Donetsk Oblast on 30 October during heavy attacks on the region. Source: Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine Details: The police recorded over 2,000 Russian attacks across Donetsk Oblast on Thursday, with nine settlements coming under fire. A total of 59 civilian facilities were damaged, including 42 residential buildings. Russian forces struck the city of Kramatorsk with an Iskander-M missile and two Geran-2 UAVs, killing one civilian and injuring four others. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Three people were killed and three others injured in the city of Sloviansk, which the Russians attacked using Smerch rockets and a drone. In the village of Mykolaivka, a Russian strike on an energy facility killed two workers and injured six others. Russian forces dropped five guided bombs on the town of Kostiantynivka, killing two civilians and injuring six others. Background: On the night of 30-31 October, Russia attacked Ukraine with one Iskander-M ballistic missile launched from Russia's Rostov Oblast and 145 loitering munitions. Ukrainian air defence destroyed the missile and 107 of the drones. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! Sacramento County is paying a consulting firm up to $74,800 to help elected officials figure out how to reorganize the way they respond to the homelessness crisis. A big part of the job, tied to nearly $24,000 of the contract, was facilitating a two-hour discussion and expert presentation during a Tuesday meeting among 19 elected officials from the county and its cities. The remainder of the $74,800 involved preparation ahead of the meeting and planned follow-up briefings with local leaders later this year. Deputy County Executive for Social Services Chevon Kothari hired Sacramento-based Mosaic Solutions and Advocacy, said Janna Haynes, a county spokeswoman. Kothari has authority to sign contracts up to $175,000 without approval from the elected Board of Supervisors. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Niki Jones, executive director of the Sacramento Regional Coalition to End Homelessness, said the county should have instead used the money on rental assistance to help get homeless people off the streets. Money is always better spent directly improving peoples lives, said Jones. The county employs multiple people with six-figure salaries who should be able to think systemically, collaboratively create an agenda, and facilitate a meeting. If the county had used the $74,800 on rental subsidies of $500 a month, it could have covered a dozen people for a year. Kothari said the eventual plan that will come from the meeting will help more people than that. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While I understand the community sentiment might be that every dollar goes to rental assistance, this amount of money wouldnt go as far for rental assistance as it can go getting a regional governance and plan in place that will impact more people, for a longer term, Kothari said in a statement. The county does have $7.6 million in its current budget for a variety of rental assistance programs, which will help between 400 and 500 families this fiscal year, Haynes has said. Darby Kernan and Matt Cate, both partners at Mosaic Solutions and Advocacy, facilitated two hours of discussion at the meeting Tuesday. Matt Cate speaks alongside Darby Kernan, left, both of Mosaic Solutions & Advocacy, during a county-city meeting on homelessness at the Tsakopoulos Library Galleria in Sacramento on Tuesday. In addition to that, according to the no-bid contract, the $74,800 also paid for the consultants to: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meet with stakeholders, staff and 19 elected officials who represent the county and the cities within it. Review the Homeless Services Partnership Agreement City of Sacramento and County of Sacramento, signed in 2022. Review and give feedback on draft reports and talking points. Write a two- to three-page summary document to show outcomes and recommendations for next steps, due next month. The contract also included travel expenses for Alex Visotzky of the National Alliance to End Homelessness to travel to Sacramento to present, which will be less than $500, Haynes said. The county will pay the consultants in four separate payments as they complete various tasks, the contract said. The firm receives a payment of $23,800 for facilitating the meeting, including Visotzkys involvement, and preparing a written meeting summary. The contract was not competitively bid, due to the specific nature of need, the accelerated timeline and the limited size on the contract, Haynes said. The contract was agreed to in August for $68,000, then amended last Friday to a total of $74,800. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The meeting was held months after state Sen. Angelique Ashby proposed a controversial bill that wouldve overhauled how homeless and housing decisions are made in Sacramento. That bill has been on pause but could return in January. The elected officials did not take a formal vote or action at Tuesdays meeting, but county staff expect the board to pass direction at an upcoming meeting regarding an updated governance structure for homelessness, Haynes said. Direct rental assistance Although the typical rent for a Sacramento studio apartment is at least $1,200 a month, the last step for people before homelessness is often living with family or friends, not in a formally leased apartment, Dennis Culhane, a social scientist at University of Pennsylvania and longtime federal adviser on homelessness, has said. Therefore, many family and friends would accept rental payments as low as $500 to let a person live in a room in their homes, according to the research of Culhane and others. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One 2023 UC San Francisco study found 70% of homeless people believed that a rental subsidy of just $300 to $500 a month would have prevented their homelessness for a sustained period. Sacramento State social work professor Arturo Baiocchi said the public should hold their elected officials accountable to make sure the plan actually makes a real difference to the homeless. The challenge for policymakers is to make sure that spending on better coordination leads to direct, measurable benefits for the people its meant to serve. MEMPHIS, Tenn. The Memphis Safe Task Force announced the arrest of an HIV-positive man accused of child rape in a press release Friday morning. Derrick Cole, 46, is charged with multiple felonies, including: alleged criminal exposure to HIV, sexual battery by an authority figure, statutory rape by an authority figure, continuous sexual abuse of a child, and incest. Derrick Cole (SCSO) Cole was taken into custody Thursday morning. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The task force said it remains committed to arresting violent offenders and removing them from Memphis streets to make the community safer. Our message is clear: those who commit acts of violence will be found, and justice will be served. This operation is a testament to the dedication of every agency involved and the strength of our shared commitment to protecting the community of Memphis. Coles bond is set at $500,000, and there is no court date scheduled for him 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 WREG.com. RUTHERFORD COUNTY, Tenn. (WKRN) Rutherford County has tried to put a stop to cut-through drivers near La Vergne High School with the installation of new safety gates. The new safety gates, located on either side of Chaney Road, went into use Monday, Oct. 27. Chaney Road along with Wolverine Trail is an on-campus road thats maintained by the school system and is not intended to be a public street. The gates will be closed during the school day from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. to help safeguard the campus when students are there during peak hours. Rutherford County Schools Chief Communications Officer, James Evans, said the move is to prevent cut-through traffic from driving across campus during peak hours when students are present on campus. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For many years, drivers have used that road to cut-through parts of the edge of Smyrna into La Vergne, Evans said. There are some other roads available nearby the campus that do the same thing, which is one reason why we felt it was prudent for us to put up these gates. Every day, nearly 2,000 students are on La Vergne High Schools campus. Evans said the school discussed closing the gates after-hours. For now, they will be open overnight. Neighborhood News: Stories impacting your community | Read More If drivers want to use that road when the campus is primarily empty, that will be fine, Evans said. If it becomes an issue, we may have to discuss that schedule too. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There are not as many students on campus after hours besides students participating in extracurricular activities. Since the gates have been installed, the district has had very few complaints. Most of the feedback has been positive, with some saying the gates were long overdue because its such a highly-traveled campus road and students use it to get into school. We want to be good neighbors of course, but we also have to worry about security of our students, so its just something that became necessary, Evans added. Visitors who arrive on campus outside of these designated times will be required to drive to the opposite side of the street to access the gate buzzer. Campus visitors will be required to show their identification and state the purpose of their visit before the gate will be opened. The school is currently finalizing a plan for parents to access the campus for student pick-up from extracurricular activities. RCS officials said those details will be released to parents soon. Do you have news happening in your neighborhood? Let us know by sending an email to neighborhoodnews@wkrn.com. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKRN News 2. WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) Salinas fire chief received high honors on Wednesday. Shane Pearson was named the 2025 Fire Chief of the Year by the Kansas State Association of Fire Chiefs at this years KSAFC Conference in Manhattan on Wednesday. 15 adorable photos of NICU babies dressed for Halloween The award recognizes fire chiefs for their outstanding leadership and dedication to the firefighting profession. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Chief Pearsons recognition highlights his exceptional leadership of the Salina Fire Department, where he has fostered a culture of professionalism, safety, and continuous development among personnel, the City of Salina said in a statement Thursday. His work in strategic planning, community engagement, and emergency response has strengthened both departmental effectiveness and community trust. 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. With the removal of four dams on the Klamath River, salmon are making tremendous progress on their migration upstream, reaching new, previously inaccessible waters along the California-Oregon border. In some cases, however, they may be making too much progress. This month, workers at the Klamath Drainage District observed chinook salmon in their irrigation complex, a grid of canals and ditches that forks off the river near Klamath Falls, Ore., nearly 250 miles from the river's mouth. The fear is that these far-roaming fish will get caught in the irrigation water as it's doled out to farms and swept onto dry land amidst the alfalfa, potatoes and grains. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "It's fun to see the fish in the canals," said Scott White, general manager for the Klamath Drainage District, which first spotted salmon in an irrigation channel known as the Ady Canal on Oct. 15. "The fish look happy there. But I certainly don't want to see them in the fields." The demolition of the Klamath Hydroelectric Project, deemed the largest dam-removal effort in U.S. history, was completed a year ago with the intention of restoring the Klamath River, principally to help dwindling salmon runs flourish in the basin's upper reaches. By many measures, the work so far has proven successful. Water levels drop as Copco Lake is drained near Copco 1 dam in Siskiyou County, Calif. on Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2024. Salmon are now swimming up the river faster than previously expected. (Bronte Wittpenn/The Chronicle) Salmon, which swim from the Pacific Ocean up the Klamath to spawn, were documented traveling past the former dam sites within weeks of the dam removal. This year, the fall run of chinook salmon, which is the river's biggest run of fish, made the entire journey from the river's mouth in Northern California's Del Norte County to the river's headwaters at southern Oregon's Upper Klamath Lake, wildlife officials recently confirmed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement How many fish may be veering off course into the Klamath Drainage District, which is just below Upper Klamath Lake, and how much of a problem this presents, remains unclear. Salmon numbers this far upriver are murky because scientists haven't fully rolled out their tracking equipment. This is, in part, because the fish have migrated much more quickly than expected. The detour may be worrisome, says Michelle Dennehy, a spokesperson for the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, but it's also, in some ways, encouraging. "Although it is unfortunate some fish have found their way into canals and areas that may lack suitable spawning habitat, this behavior of exploring and searching for newly available suitable habitat in the upper basin is exactly what is needed at this time for successful re-population," Dennehy wrote in an email. "We are monitoring and hopeful that these fish will ultimately find suitable spawning habitat." Other irrigation districts also funnel water from the river in southern Oregon, as do private landowners, posing additional risk of fish being diverted off the Klamath. Department of Fish and Wildlife officials said they were looking into whether salmon had breached other water-delivery systems. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement White, at the Klamath Drainage District, says salmon appear to be traveling the entire length of the Ady Canal, which runs about 7 miles from the Klamath River to Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge in Northern California. The fish also have been spotted at the refuge, which may provide sites for salmon to spawn. A canal managed by the Klamath Drainage District carries water from the Klamath River to farms in the basin in southern Oregon. Salmon have recently been spotted in the irrigation system. (Courtesy of Klamath Drainage District) District officials say they'll keep an eye out for salmon when they deliver water from the canal and report sightings to wildlife officials. However, they can't guarantee the fish will be spared when they open the "turnouts" on the canal and release supplies. White and others at the district have long been raising concerns about the potential for salmon to get caught up in irrigation deliveries. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A 2016 agreement between the federal government, the states of California and Oregon and groups involved in activities along the river called for helping irrigators deal with salmon that might swim upriver after dam removal. Specifically, the Klamath Power and Facilities Agreement urged funding and technical support for fish screens at points where river water is drawn out for farms, to keep salmon safe. No fish screens, however, have been installed, White says. "I had been making a whole lot of noise, mostly to the feds," he said. "I felt like we needed to be prepared but here we are. I'm hopeful that maybe now with these fish coming into the canal, people will start recognizing the urgency of this." The Klamath Drainage District is working independently, with help from the nonprofit Family Water Alliance, on plans to install fish screens. District officials say they're hoping to get $4.5 million for their effort, mostly from the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation and Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. The earliest the screens could be installed, officials say, is in the winter months of next year when irrigation activities let up, though that's contingent on the financing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One of the district's long-term goals is to use its canals, after equipping them with fish screens, to welcome in salmon and provide them safe passage to Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuge. This objective is part of a holistic plan, called "Replumbing the Klamath," to protect wildlife and wetlands while also supporting growers. "It's really a new concept, thinking about inviting fish into your canal," White said. Chinook salmon have been documented in the waterways of the Klamath Drainage District, as seen above. (Courtesy of Klamath Drainage District) Agricultural diversions aren't the only challenge that salmon have faced on their newfound migration upriver. The fish have come up against cloudy, sediment-choked waters caused by the dam demolition and two remaining dams in southern Oregon with outdated fish ladders. The number of salmon overcoming these hurdles will become clearer as fish monitoring improves. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Potential future problems include low water levels on the river, pollution from agricultural runoff and algal blooms. The Klamath River was once the third largest salmon-producing river in the lower 48 states. However, due to the many difficult conditions, salmon numbers today are estimated to be less than 10% of what they were. With new spawning grounds opened up since dam removal, the hope is that the fish population will rebound. Native American tribes in the region, including the Yurok, Karuk and Klamath, which advocated for the dismantling of the dams, view salmon not only as a source of food but identity. The fall run of chinook also remains crucial for commercial salmon fishing. The $500 million dam-removal project was funded by the former owner of the dams, Portland-based PacifiCorp, which didn't want to make costly repairs to the hydroelectric facilities, and the state of California. The work was done in conjunction with the federal government, the state of Oregon, tribes and several organizations with stakes in the region. This article originally published at Salmon have flourished since California dam removal. But some may be swimming too far. EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) The giving season will be here in just a matter of weeks. The Salvation Army of El Paso is ready to contribute. Theyre hosting their annual Red Kettle Run on Sunday, November 2nd. The Salvation Army tells us the family-friendly 5-mile run and 1-mile walk brings the community together to raise funds that support their holiday food and shelter programs. The run also helps support The Salvation Armys mission, beginning with the purchase of 400 turkeys for local families in need. Last year, The Salvation Army served 136,967 meals and provided 25,276 nights of shelter to people in need across El Paso. The funds raised from the run will go directly toward continuing those services. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The holidays are a time for family, gratitude, and hope, Major Floiran Estrada, Commanding Officer of The Salvation Army El Paso told KTSM in a news release. Through the Red Kettle Run, our community helps ensure that every family in El Paso has the chance to share a meal, celebrate together, and feel Gods love in a tangible way. Registration to run is $35 and sponsorship opportunities start at $250. Runners, donators, and potential sponsors can register or learn more at salvationarmyelpaso.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 KTSM 9 News. OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) The phone system at the Salvation Army of Central Oklahoma crashed temporarily on Tuesday due to an influx of calls from people looking for help to get food from their pantry. It came with a pause to SNAP benefits looming as the government shutdown continues. Its a busy time at the Salvation Army of Central Oklahoma. Thursday, they were stocking the pantry shelves before those items made their way to the table of a family in need. LOCAL NEWS: Which states have the most SNAP recipients? The Salvation Army food shelves. Image KFOR. The Salvation Army food shelves. Image KFOR. We always have a need, families, a line coming in and needing that service, Area Commander for the Salvation Army of Central Oklahoma, Maj. Paul Ryerson said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The word busy may be an understatement if you go back to Tuesday. Ryerson said their phone systems actually crashed due to an influx of calls from people looking for help getting food. Now its up and running, now phone calls are coming in, Ryerson said. It just got clogged and crashed for that moment. It took about an hour to get everything up and running again. After 16 years with the organization, Ryerson said its not the first time hes seen this happen. Its usually based on an event or a reason, Ryerson said. With no end in sight to the government shutdown and a looming pause to SNAP benefits on the horizon, its no surprise. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I expect that as were going into this next month, that service is going to be increasing quite a bit, he said. LOCAL NEWS: The government shutdowns impact on mental health The food they stock comes from local partnerships with businesses that donate it, but they also work closely with the Regional Food Bank who said theyre preparing to double their output to their pantry partners. No matter whats happening at the federal level, Ryserson said theyre ready to answer the call. The Salvation Army is going to be right here and were going to be meeting the need as best as we possibly can with the support of our local community, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The pantry is open Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Families can come in, grab a cart and shop around for a select amount of items. If youd like to volunteer, you can find more information on the Salvation Army 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 KFOR.com Oklahoma City. A team of senior officials from the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Friday returned to Karur to intensify the ongoing probe into the tragic stampede that claimed 41 lives during a public meeting of Tamil Nadu Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) Chief Vijay. The team arrived in two vehicles, comprising six senior officers. The stampede took place on October 27 at Velusamipuram in Karur during a public interaction event attended by Vijay. Following the incident, CBI officials conducted an initial two-day inquiry that began on October 17. They had then temporarily returned to their respective stations on October 19, ahead of the Deepavali festival. Since October 21, Inspector Manokaran and a head constable have been stationed at the Public Works Department (PWD) Guest House in Karur, continuing translation and documentation work related to the case. With the return of the six-member senior CBI team, the investigation has now entered its second phase. Sources indicate that the probe will be intensified in the coming days. Meanwhile, Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) chief Vijay announced the party's Special General Council Meeting to be held on November 5, at 10:00 am at the Four Points by Sheraton Mahabalipuram Hotel, to decide the future course of activities for the party in the aftermath of the Karur stampede, which killed 41 people. "Since the situation on the ground gives us great encouragement, we must now take our next step with even greater care, deliberation, and foresight. In this context, we must deliberate on the next phase of the party's upcoming programs and activities. Therefore, to make decisions on these matters, we have resolved to convene a special general council meeting..." Vijay said in a statement. The actor-turned-politician acknowledged the "silence" after the stampede in Karur during one of his rallies. He noted that the party "broke through" the period with the people's support." After a period of deep and meaningful silence in our political journey, this letter comes to you to speak with you and to invite you. Even when schemers and slanderers tried to belittle us and speak ill of us, we broke through all of it fearlessly. Now is the moment to rise and raise our voices for the people of our Mother Tamil Nadu," the statement said. Earlier, on October 29, a fact-finding team formed by the All India Democratic Women's Association said in its report that the main reason for the Karur stampede was Vijay's delay in reaching the rally site. The report also recommended that the ex-gratia amount to the affected families should be collected from the TVK. The report will be submitted to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which is probing the stampede. (ANI) SAN ANGELO, Texas (Concho Valley Homepage) A San Angelo man has been sentenced after pleading guilty to an October 2021 shooting in College Station found to be motivated by bias or prejudice, according to a release from the Brazos County District Attorneys Office. According to a press release published by the Brazos County District Attorneys Office on Oct. 30, 31-year-old Zachary Pfluger of San Angelo was sentenced on Oct. 29 by a Brazos County jury to 20 years in prison after he pled guilty to the crime of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon during the week of Oct. 20. The jury also made an affirmative finding that Pfluger committed the crime because of bias or prejudice, upgrading the case to a first-degree felony. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We thank the Brazos County jury for showing once again that hate has no place in our community, Assistance District Attorneys Ryan Golden and Jessica Escue said. The incident The district attorneys office stated that, on Oct. 31, 2021, the College Station Police Department received a 911 call from a man reporting that he had been shot twice by Zachary Pfluger and believed he was dying. Dispatchers heard a third gunshot followed by cries of pain from the victim during the call. Officers responded to Pflugers apartment. After forcing entry into the residence, the officers discovered that Pfluger had retreated to his bedroom, with Pfluger warning police that he would shoot them if they approached his bedroom door. TxDPS urges caution and visibility for Halloween activities Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The victim would be found by police in the guest bathroom with multiple gunshot wounds. The victim, who knew Pfluger through church, stated that Pfluger shot him after calling him racist and homophobic slurs. CSPD activated its Hostage Negotiations Team and SWAT team to respond to the apartment to attempt to get Pfluger to surrender to authorities. During the standoff, Pfluger at one point opened his bedroom door and fired a shotgun towards officers before retreating into the bedroom. He would surrender to authorities seven hours afterward. A search conducted on Pflugers cell phone revealed hundreds of racist and homophobic texts between Pfluger and approximately 30 different individuals, with the texts including messages supporting the murder of African-Americans and homosexuals. These messages spanned more than two years. The trial The district attorneys office reported that, during the trial, Pfluger testified and claimed he was in a psychotic state due to Adderall abuse and believed the victim was armed with a gun. He also testified that due to the psychotic state, he did not realize who the police were and did not intentionally shoot at them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Presented by the defense during the trial was evidence from two forensic psychologists that stated Pflugers Adderall abuse led to the offense and that he was at a low-risk to reoffend. Pfluger had no prior criminal history. Pfluger will now have to serve half his sentence before becoming eligible for parole. His two pending aggravated assault of a public servant charges are still pending with a trial date to be determined. The case was investigated by CSPD and prosecuted by Escue and Golden on behalf of the State of Texas with the assistance of investigator James Woodward and Victim Assistance Coordinator Mandie James. 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. The debate over the future of San Siro shows no sign of slowing down as fresh trouble brews for Inter and Milan. Tuttosport has taken the side of Milans local neighbourhood committees in their dispute with the Soprintendenza. The Turin daily has argued that the official heritage review of the stadium is based on questionable criteria. According to the newspaper, the inspection report from 1955 is the only document cited by the Soprintendenza in its assessment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Indeed, it confirms that the stands were already in use from September 11 of the same year. Trouble Brews For Inter & Milan Over San Siro Heritage Dispute MILAN, ITALY APRIL 23: General view outside the stadium prior to the coppa Italia Semi Final match between FC Internazionale and AC Milan at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on April 23, 2025 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Marco Luzzani/Getty Images) Despite this, the authority set November 10, as the decisive threshold for imposing preservation restrictions. Emanuela Carpani, head of the Soprintendenza, has declined an invitation to appear before the Institutional Affairs Committee at Palazzo Marino to explain the reasoning behind her position. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, the official signing for the transfer of ownership to Inter and Milan has been postponed once again. Therefore it is now expected to take place next week. Indeed, another chapter in a saga that continues to divide the city. Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders speaks at Arkansas Food Bank on Sept. 9, 2025. Sanders announced Oct. 31 that $500,000 in state money will go to six food bank networks to assist with an expected surge in need as SNAP benefits run dry. (Photo by Ainsley Platt/Arkansas Advocate) Arkansas will distribute $500,000 among six regional food bank networks in the state, Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Friday, as SNAP benefits are set to stop on Nov. 1. However, shortly after the announcement, two federal judges ruled near simultaneously that the Trump administrations decision to pause payments starting Nov. 1 was illegal. While a Boston-based judge gave the administration until Monday to respond to her ruling before deciding on a motion to force the payment of benefits, a judge in Rhode Island ordered the U.S. Department of Agriculture to continue the payments. Sanders also said she would consider additional weekly allocations from Arkansas restricted reserve funds if the federal government shutdown continues past next week. In a press release, she said the chairs of the Arkansas Legislative Council granted emergency approval to release the funds. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The announcement and subsequent federal court rulings come as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) is set to stop paying benefits on Nov. 1 as a result of the ongoing federal shutdown and the Trump administrations refusal to use emergency funds to continue paying program recipients. The decision by USDA, which oversees the decades-old food assistance program, sparked nationwide, bipartisan concerns and a scramble by food banks, nonprofits, and state and local governments to prepare for a surge in need by low-income Americans when the funds dry up. The funds directed to Arkansas food bank networks wont replace SNAP benefits. The federal government paid out more than $41 million in SNAP benefits to Arkansans in May alone, according to initial data from the USDA. Republican governors and legislators in Virginia and Louisiana have already loosened their states purse strings to pay out benefits in November, with Louisiana preparing to spend upwards of $150 million a month to keep the program afloat during the funding lapse. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The federal government has traditionally covered the full cost of SNAP benefits and split the costs of administering the program with states. Sanders, who frequently touts her record on addressing childhood food insecurity in public appearances, blamed Senate Democrats for the shutdown in a written statement. What Senate Democrats are doing is unconscionable, playing political games with the food assistance that nearly a quarter million Arkansans rely on, Sanders said. The simplest, fastest solution remains for Democrats to reopen the government and fund programs like SNAP, but in the meantime, my administration will work with our legislators, churches, and food banks to help feed Arkansans. Senate Republicans and Democrats remained deadlocked on funding the government as of Friday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The food banks that will receive equal portions of the the funds are: Sanders said HelpArkansas.com will direct Arkansans to food assistance resources throughout the state and will be updated as the government shutdown continues. Those wanting to donate food or time to Arkansans in need can find information on the same website, as well as the websites of each of the food banks linked above. No way we can hold the line Kate Jenkins, director of marketing and communications for Arkansas Foodbank, expressed gratitude for the roughly $83,000 her organization will receive from the pot of money, saying it would allow them to purchase the first couple truckloads of the 12 to 13 additional trucks of food they believe they will need. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its definitely a great starting point, she said. But the looming SNAP cutoff is already having effects. Food banks in their 33-county service area saw the number of first-time visitors increase 10% to 20% just this week, in preparation for the possibility that SNAP benefits wont get funded, Jenkins said. Arkansas Foodbank is happy to help anyone hungry as a result of the federal shutdown. That is our prerogative. That is our mission. That is our job, Jenkins said. However, comma, we already serve 280,000 Arkansans, just as the Arkansas Food Bank. With the shutdown, there are now between 15,000 to 20,000 federal workers in the food banks area without paychecks and roughly 49% of the states approximately 240,000 SNAP enrollees are within Arkansas Foodbanks service area as well, she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The SNAP interruption means many of those people will be looking to get assistance elsewhere. We are conservatively estimating that there will be an increase of 100,000 people on top of the 300,000 were currently serving as a result of SNAP payments not going out, Jenkins said. Theres just no way that we can hold the line as the charitable food system. Jenkins said those wishing to help can learn how to donate food or volunteer on Arkansas Foodbanks website. A lot of these pantries are going to have a spike in first time visitors specifically, but just in traffic in general, she said. For every $1 that is donated to the food bank, we can provide five meals. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kent Eikenberry, the president and CEO of Northwest Arkansas Food Bank, said in an email that the money from the state comes at a very opportune time. While he couldnt speak for other food banks, Eikenberry said the funds would be used to assist their partner agencies, purchase additional food for mobile and school pantries and stock up on low-stock items. But Eikenberry said while the funds are appreciated, it does not negate the fact that for every meal we distribute, SNAP generates nine meals. Some 133,000 residents in Santa Clara County may be left with tough decisions on whether to pay for bills or medication or put food on the table for themselves and their families. CalFresh, or SNAP benefits, help people access food, and those benefits will stop Saturday without an end to the government shutdown. But South Bay leaders are stepping up to make sure no one goes hungry. "We are here to support you," said Santa Clara County Supervisor Otto Lee. "We'll do all we can to make sure that you, your family and your children are not going to miss meals." MAP: Bay Area residents set to lose CalFresh benefits Nov. 1 amid government shutdown Already set back more than $1 billion due to federal cuts to healthcare and food assistance, Santa Clara County leaders are promising to, once again, dig into their pockets to support those who may soon lose benefits during the government shutdown. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The federal government's refusal to fund SNAP benefits, for people who are currently eligible, is unjust, unnecessary and cruel," said Santa Clara County Supervisor Susan Ellenberg. "Santa Clara County will continue to do everything in our power to mitigate these harmful actions." The county will provide supplemental funding and assistance to Second Harvest Food Bank of Silicon Valley to the tune of $4.5 million as the shutdown progresses. Second Harvest has more than 600 distribution sites to help feed thousands of residents. CEO Leslie Bacho says Second Harvest will continue to serve the community the best it can, but it cannot completely replace the $25 million in lost benefits amid a food security crisis in the county -- which is already higher than the national average. MORE: San Francisco partners with Crankstart Foundation to offer $18 million to CalFresh recipients "Second Harvest of Silicon Valley is already serving one in six of our neighbors," Bacho said. "And, of course, as soon as these benefits are withheld, we anticipate that our lines will get longer." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Santa Clara County voters will soon vote on Measure A, a temporary sales tax in the South Bay to make up for previous federal cuts. County Executive James Williams says the shutdown has created a situation where Santa Clara County is, once again, tasked with finding a way to pay for decisions made by the federal government. "This is a callous choice by this presidential administration, which has deliberately chosen not to tap into available emergency funding," Williams said. "But, our commitment is that we will continue to do everything we possibly can to provide access to these services." If you are someone who may be losing benefits starting Nov. 1, you can call Second Harvest at 1-800-984-3663, Santa Clara County's resource line by dialing 211, or visit the county's Community Resource Guide to find information about free food near you. If you're on the ABC7 News app, click here to watch live The Trump Administration is reportedly trying to bypass marine sanctuary protections and drill up and down the California coast, including near the Golden Gate, off of Sonoma County and in the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. There was opposition from Monterey Bay coastal communities regarding the potential federal action on Wednesday in Santa Cruz. Documents obtained by the Houston Chronicle detail plans by the Trump Administration to pursue offshore drilling and seabed along the California coast. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It's a plan Congressman Jimmy Panetta says does not follow the rules. MORE: California oil workers face an uncertain future in the state's energy transition "A plan that will review all requirements for environmental reviews and cancel all public inputs," Panetta said. "As the Interior Department stated about this plan - all options are on the table. That's why we stand here today." Almost 40 years to the date that the City of Santa Cruz and other coastal cities voted against oil rigging off their coast, the fight against proposed federal drilling is starting again. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If put into place, the California Coast could be open to oil and gas leasing as soon as 2027. Santa Cruz Mayor Fred Keely says this would override federal protections and put the environment at risk. "The Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary did not get established, so a few decades later what we could do is dot it with oil rigs," Keely said. MORE: Trump administration wants to sell oil drilling leases in East Bay In the 80s, Santa Cruz and other coastal communities built what was known as a "blue wall" to protect our local waters. It legally barred companies from shipping oil and gas from the sea to the land - rendering offshore drilling useless. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Four decades later, leaders and the nonprofit Save Our Shores are exploring all legal avenues to once again strengthen marine protections and prevent drilling. "Our community has spoken," Save Our Shores Exec. Director Katie Thompson said. "Our coast is not a backup plan for the fossil fuel industry. It is a frontline economy, an identity and a home to one of the most biodiverse regions on earth." These leaders say defending it for future sustainability against harmful plans will take everyone to achieve. If you're on the ABC7 News app, click here to watch live Hurricane Melissa devastated Jamaica when it made landfall on Tuesday. Satellite images show the extent of damage the island sustained. The deadly hurricane has left more than half a million people in Jamaica without power. Hurricane Melissa wreaked catastrophic damage in Caribbean communities after it made landfall on Tuesday. The storm the strongest hurricane this year barreled through Jamaica, Cuba, the Dominican Republic, and Haiti, decimating homes and businesses, flooding streets, and knocking out power for hundreds of thousands of residents. At least 30 people were killed in the region. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jamaica was the hardest hit, as the hurricane made landfall with sustained wind speeds of 185 miles per hour, some of the strongest ever recorded in the region. On Tuesday, Jamaica's Prime Minister Andrew Holness declared the entire country a disaster area. "The devastation is enormous," the country's transportation minister, Daryl Vaz, said. The damages and economic losses from the hurricane could reach $48 billion to $52 billion, Accuweather said in a preliminary estimate. These satellite photos by Vantor, a US spatial intelligence firm, show Jamaica before the historic hurricane and again on October 29. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is the town of Black River, located on the southwestern coast of the island. Around 4,000 people live there. an overview of jamaica's black river before hurricane melissa Satellite image 2025 Vantor. Hurricane Melissa wiped out many of the town's historical structures, including a 300-year-old church. an overview of black river jamaica after the hurricane Satellite image 2025 Vantor. Source: The Weather Channel Here's a closer look at Black River before the storm. A close-up view of Black River. Satellite image 2025 Vantor Black River was described as "Ground Zero" by the prime minister. A close-up view of Black River. Satellite image 2025 Vantor Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Source: The Guardian Another southwestern town in Jamaica, White House, also has a population of about 4,000. A Fishing Village at White House Satellite image 2025 Vantor You can see that, after the hurricane, the beachfront structures are almost entirely gone. Satellite image 2025 Vantor. This is Montego Bay, one of the most popular tourist destinations in Jamaica. It's located on the northern coast of the island. Satellite image 2025 Vantor After the storm, the crystalline waters are now a polluted brown. montego bay after Satellite image 2025 Vantor Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Another popular area to visit is New Hope. new hope before Satellite image 2025 Vantor It was almost entirely flooded by Hurricane Melissa's storm surges, which reached 13 feet in some areas. new hope after Satellite image 2025 Vantor. More than half a million people in the region were left without power, and at least 30 were killed. Satellite image 2025 Vantor The damage inflicted by this storm will undoubtedly affect Jamaica for years to come. Montego Bay after Hurricane Melissa. Satellite image 2025 Vantor. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read the original article on Business Insider (WJBF) The problem of youth violence is taking a toll on Augusta. It impacts everyone in the community. And it will take the community to solve the problem. In part three of Saving our Children, well hear from Augustas mayor and meet a high school student who is stepping up to do her part. Youth violence. Kids hurting other kids. Young lives lost. Youth violence especially perpetuated on black- on -black crime is out of control. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Augusta Mayor Garnett Johnson says he knows whats needed to stop youth violence. When you see bad things, you have to speak up and intervene and try to change the directions of their lives. A student at Laney High school is speaking up. 10th grader Sumariee Epps heard about the deadly shooting involving teenagers at Augusta Mall and was motivated to do something. I saw it on the news, I started to worry about the community not just Laney, but all Richmond county kids and everyone. So , she came up with a plan. Dr. Cordaryl Middleton, the Laney High School Principal said, Sumari actually shared a letter with the school counselors, and they shared it with me. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In that letter, Sumarrie asked permission to plan a stop the violence, start the future rally. Its to bring families communities, organizations leadership, alumni everybody together at this rally to teach young students, youth about how to start a career or what college is for, what school is for to help them come together and start their future and not bring violence into it. The letter was shared with the assistant superintendent. He met with Sumarrie and myself and talked about the details to start with the planning phase of what that will look like at Laney High, Dr. Middleton explained. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mary Morrison asked Sumariee about her goal for the rally. I hope it will bring some support to the youth and to parents who need it and bring programs and a lot of support for all the kids to build their career and help them decide what they want to be in life. A goal most would agree is worth the effort. A date for the rally has not been set. The school is expected to make an announcement soon. Video shot and edited by Photo Journalist Dania Alawir In part 4 of Saving Our Children, learn about the programs the Richmond County School System already as in place to help students. 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. In the middle of New York City stands a 41-story structure called the Jacob K. Javits Federal Building the tallest federal skyscraper in the United States and from the outside, theres nothing spectacular about it. Built in the 1960s, it sits stolidly among the skyscrapers of downtown Manhattan, a plain, massive block. The Department of Homeland Security has offices here, as do the New York-Federal Plaza Immigration Court, the Social Security Administration, the Federal Executive Board, the FBI. Former President Richard Nixon once had an office here but that was a long time ago. Gray-clad security guards with calm faces monitor the many entrances and exits. Tourists dont give the place a second glance. If you linger, however, small scenes begin to stand out. A woman at the main entrance asks people if theyre here for an asylum hearing. If they nod, she hands over a green flyer: Do you know your rights in immigration court? On the corner of Worth Street, a man paces, eyes on his phone, chewing a fingernail. Whats wrong? I ask. My wife has been in there three hours. His face is tight with worry. On Thursday mornings, a small group of protesters loops the block with hand-painted signs: ICE out of New York. Stop Trump. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Jacob K. Javits Federal Building is the epicenter of the Trump administrations migration crackdown. Mass arrests of foreign-born residents are happening all over the country, but nowhere can you observe more clearly what the new orders from the White House mean for migrants, for police officers, for judges, for the Constitution, for society. Inside the hallways, arrests play out under camera lights. The pattern is simple: Someone comes to court usually for a minor administrative reason, such as to update an address and when they try to leave, officers are waiting in the hallway. Families are torn apart while lawyers, court observers and reporters stand next to them. The officers are in plain clothes masks, caps, sunglasses. You cant tell who they are. They dont show warrants. They move fast, grabbing the person theyre after and pulling them toward a stairwell or into an elevator. A last hug for a child? A quick goodbye to a spouse? No. Next stop: a detention facility on the buildings 10th floor. Next come camps in Texas, maybe Florida and then, a flight back to their former home. The arrests bring shouting, fainting, insults, shoving, chanting, slogans, threats, more shoving and sit-ins. Theres a lot of crying. Its been going on like this since May, and by now its routine. Onlookers guess at the backstories. What did that man do? Why her and not the person next to her? One tries to glimpse the lists that Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers carry names, photos, a few lines about each target. Relatives swear the person taken has done nothing wrong. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For the last 10 years I covered the European migration crisis and reported from all the hotspots in the EU. And while Americans usually talk about im-migration, the truth is that the forces driving so many millions to leave their homes to seek new ones in Europe or North America are often the same, part of a pattern of global migration that is similar on both continents. Some of it is caused by war and political persecution, some of it is an effort to flee poverty and the violence and lawlessness that poverty often brings. As in America, much of western Europe used to welcome migrants, particularly those fleeing violence or persecution. Thats why both continents created systems to provide asylum to such refugees, a system that has its moral roots in World War II when so many countries failed to provide a refuge for Jews fleeing Nazi death camps. After the war, the West vowed that would never happen again. To claim asylum, all a migrant was supposed to do was arrive at a border and ask for it. That system is now under severe strain on both sides of the Atlantic, in part because of the sheer numbers of asylum seekers since the European refugee crisis began, about eight million foreigners have arrived to the EU. Even in Germany the main European destination for migrants since 2014 and a country with a particular sense of responsibility on the issue because of its history the mood has shifted. People no longer stand on train station platforms chanting Refugees welcome. The downsides of migration are now the focus, along with a question little considered when this system was built: How do we remove from a country those who are not allowed to stay, especially criminals? Many of the headline-grabbing terror attacksin Europe in recent years were carried out by asylum seekers who had either already tangled with law enforcement for crimes or had forfeited their right to remain or both. Europe has struggled for years to figure out how to take these people out of circulation and deport them at scale. And then along comes President Donald Trump who launches a campaign that tries to do exactly that. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I had just moved to New York at the end of August when I heard about the ICE operations at 26 Federal Plaza. Going there was my first reporting assignment. For weeks, I spent time there to find out exactly what was happening, how America was changing the rules and what the fallout would be for the migrants and for the country they had hoped to make their home. What I learned from reporting both in those hallways and outside them is that whatever direct connection between a migrants behavior and a decision to arrest them might once have existed, that connection is now broken. In effect, it seems to me, the United States government has decided mercy is no longer part of the plan, that there is no longer any distinction between applying for asylum and entering illegally. No new law was needed to make this shift, or for the government to set a goal to increase the numbers of deportations tothousands per day. Millions of people who thought they were following the law are learning the hard way that they are illegal and fair game for deportation. There are more than three million pending asylum cases in the United States. On paper, ICE now has the right to detain every one of them. 12th floor, Room 1237. Judge Barbara A. Nelsons courtroom. Absolute calm, order, discipline. Dusty pink carpet, three pews of cherrywood. This is not where a final decision on an asylum application is made. In these so-called master hearings, where several applicants sit in the room at the same time, the focus is logistics: taking down personal details, consolidating family cases, changing venue if someone has moved, scheduling the individual hearings at which the asylum application will, at last, be decided. Often, dates are handed out here for 2028 or 2029. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The U.S. immigration court system is not a part of the judiciary; its a part of the Department of Justice, which answers to the president. Migrants have one year after their entry to file their asylum application otherwise they are deportable. The 30 or so judges at 26 Federal Plaza, who are federal employees, are tasked with deciding whether to grant a migrants application for asylum, whether they have followed the rules and demonstrated that they have fled persecution in their home countries. At one point, I witness a woman who had entered the U.S. in April 2024. She has her asylum application, dated April 2025, in a blue plastic folder. But the judge cant find it in the system, and she has no proof she submitted it. The consequence? Probably a removal order, plus a 10-year bar on reentry. The door of Room 1237 is open, looking out onto an empty corridor. Those sitting and waiting inside cant see whats down the hall on the left toward the elevators and freedom: four ICE agents, masked of course, staring at their sheet of paper. Nelson shows compassion to the migrants in her courtroom. She says things like: If you are arrested, you can say that if you are deported you face danger to life. Or, when someone shows up without a lawyer and says they cant afford one: Ill give you a list of free or low-cost attorneys. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The immigration court in New York is a problem for the Trump administration because it has the highest approval rate of asylum applicants in the country. The city is a global melting pot, cosmopolitan, Democratic since forever. Theres a whole pack of people who sit in the rooms and serve as court observers. They scribble every single observation into their notebooks, and at the end they share their findings with non-governmental organizations including pro-immigrant groups, church groups and unions. One of the observers, who I agree not to identify to protect him from backlash, is there almost daily and explains the situation this way: America is so attractive to people from all over the world because theres an unwritten rule: You get one fair shot. And thats no longer the case. I witness dozens of arrests; after a few weeks the episodes blur. Once Im standing in the hallway when an older gentleman steps out of the elevator and looks around, puzzled: Where is my hearing? The ICE agents see him and let him into the room. When he comes out an hour later, he walks right past me and is stopped. Name? shouts an officer at him. Ramon. Last name? Briceno Barrios, he whispers. They grab his arms; he offers no resistance, follows them, bent over, into the stairwell. Why the arrest only after the hearing and not before? Theres a man named Bory originally from Ecuador who shows up at 26 Federal Plaza with his wife and their one-year-old daughter. When the family leaves the room, the officers stop the father and take him away. Why? Lesley Moran, his wife, asks a masked officer. A little later she sits on a stone bench in front of the building and cries. She points to the paper the judge gave her: information about his next asylum hearing. In 2029. We didnt do anything wrong, she says. I dont understand. A priest known as Padre Fabian Arias, appears and hugs her. Stay calm, he says to her in Spanish, and invites her to his service on the Upper West Side on Sunday. After the service, a lawyer would be available to help families with a detained loved one, he tells her, at the churchs expense. Arias tells me later on the phone: This government is creating a state of terror that isnt limited to migrants. Its terrible. He asks: What country am I living in? Where is the law? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There are so many more cases. Theres the father holding his three-year-old in his arms; she kisses him, he kisses her; in front of them an ICE agent says emphatically: Give your wife the child. He hesitates, but there is no escape. Theres the woman who is intercepted in the hallway and says: I cant go back to my country. They will kill me. Please help me! Just 50 days after Trump took office, ICE had arrested around 33,000 migrants in raids and in public locations, as many as the Biden administration arrested in the entire year 2024. In March, the new U.S. president used a speech to Congress to announce the largest deportation operation in American history. The plan was to return millions and millions of criminal aliens to where they came from. ICE resources and personnel would be massively increased. ICE is part of the Department of Homeland Security, which is reluctant to engage with reporters on the details. After weeks of asking, DHS sends me a statement from Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin: Secretary [Kristi] Noem is reversing Bidens catch and release policy that allowed millions of unvetted illegal aliens to be let loose on American streets. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I asked, why are the courthouses the location of so many arrests? The ability of law enforcement to make arrests of criminal illegal aliens in courthouses is common sense, McLaughlins statement says. It conserves valuable law enforcement resources because they already know where a target will be. Moreover, it is safer for our officers and the community because these illegal aliens have gone through security and been screened to not have any weapons. Since the ramp-up in May, DHS has stopped providing a breakdown of how many people are arrested in specific locations. Instead, every day on its social-media channels, DHS announces what it considers successes: a serious criminal arrested, robber, rapist, finally taken off the streets. The department suggests that all the people arrested are serious criminals, felons. But does that apply to the people being arrested here at 26 Federal Plaza? In two cases I witness, wives insist their arrested husbands had never done anything wrong. One of them even tells that to their church-funded attorney. But by talking to friends and acquaintances of the family and a priest who is helping affected families, I find out that in one case the arrested man had been riding a motorcycle drunk and was stopped by police, an offense that is usually a misdemeanor in New York; his court case is pending. In another case, I learn the arrested man is said to have hit his wife, in public. What do the ICE officers themselves say about how they choose their targets? An agent I see often in the hallways speaks Spanish, has Latin American roots. One morning in September he speaks to me at length; I agree not to publish his name because he is not authorized to speak to the press. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We dont only have the names of the people we arrest; we also know the reason, he tells me. These are by no means arbitrary arrests, he insists. They are always people who have something on their record. Does illegal entry suffice as a reason for arrest? No, he says. But if the migrant failed to appear for hearings, that counts as an offense, so do other crimes. Many of those arrested are already wearing ankle monitors, he tells me. Under Biden, illegal migration completely got out of hand. That has to be corrected now: Thats what this is about. The masking? Necessary, he says: Too often ICE agents are doxxed and attacked. According to DHS, attacks on officers have skyrocketed tenfold since the arrest campaign began. Critics say those percentages are misleading because the underlying numbers are extremely small: When DHS shared figures in June, they claimed a 690 percent increase; reporting by Fox News later said that increase was from 10 incidents in the first half of 2024 compared to 79 incidents in the first half of 2025. On Monday, DHS claimed to have completed 527,000 deportations since Trump took office. Observers say targeting migrants inside courthouses is a change in policy, one that is being applied disproportionately in New York. Aaron Reichlin-Melnick, a senior fellow at the American Immigration Council, which advocates for justice and fairness for immigrants under the law, has looked intensively into ICE policies. I talk to him via Zoom, and ask him how ICE used to decide which migrants to arrest. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement ICE officers would go to local jails, police stations and pick people up who were already in custody, he tells me. Those arrested and deported were already in the criminal justice system, so they were fairly described as criminals. That was the majority of ICE arrests for the last 25 years since DHS was created in 2003, including during the first Trump administration, he tells me. It was in May, according to Reichlin-Melnick, that the administrations whole approach changed. At the time, Trump adviser Stephen Miller summoned the ICE leadership to Washington. According to news reports, he criticized their low arrest numbers and demanded that, instead of focusing on prioritized criminal cases, officers conduct broad arrests including at gathering spots like Home Depot and 7-Eleven parking lots. Millers goal, the reports said, was 3,000 arrests per day. And immediately following that, we saw a number of changes in ICE practices, Reichlin-Melnick told me. They basically said, we no longer care whether you have a criminal record. They just started seeing raids, worksite raids. They did start going to Home Depot. The second thing we saw was a shift to courthouses, rather than going to jail. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thats one way to drive up the numbers, but there is a second objective, he said: The arrest automatically puts detainees under the jurisdiction of ICE and DHS and takes them out of the more lenient immigration court system under DOJ. This means that asylum seekers who have just been given a date for a final asylum hearing in two or three years are physically taken out of friendly New York and transferred to the jurisdiction of judges in DHS detention centers. The approval rate: much lower. The process: much faster. Its always been difficult for asylum seekers to prove they face a well-founded fear of persecution in their home countries, but Reichlin-Melnick says trying to do that from DHS detention is even harder: Youre going to be away from your family and resources. Youre going to be away from your lawyer. Youre going to be in a potentially very overcrowded detention center where, you know, verbal abuse might be common. Medical conditions might be dire. Many people, everyone tells me, give up. Youre going to get pressured every single day. This can be over, we let you go, you may even get $1,000 or [you can spend] nine months in this detention center, says Reichlin-Melnick. Bory, the father and husband detained on September 16, is already back in Ecuador according to his wife. A judge in a detention center denied him asylum, and he was deported straightaway. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the conversation with Reichlin-Melnick I hear for the first time that ICE agents dont need any reason at all to arrest people. He tells me that because immigration courts are a removal system every case is a removal proceeding ICE can detain any non-citizen deemed removable and without a final status, no criminal charge required. A recent Trump-era reinterpretation makes detention even mandatory for all asylum seekers, and U.S. law also lets ICE re-detain people even years after release. DHS still insists that the vast majority of deportees are criminal illegal aliens who have been charged with or convicted of a crime in the U.S. Benjamin Remy and Allison Cutler are attorneys at the New York Legal Assistance Group, which provides legal advice to asylum seekers facing deportation. They are at 26 Federal Plaza almost daily, calling out to migrants what rights they have: They dont have to answer questions or consent to be searched, for example. Cutler says that all the court observers and journalists who try to find out the reasons for arrests are making unnecessary work for themselves: I think its a natural instinct to try to find rhyme or reason and to try to find a rational explanation for things. But its pointless. Remy says: The way that they define criminal is not how you and I are defining criminal. They define criminal as anyone who is here unlawfully. So if you entered through the border to seek asylum, youre a criminal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I spend weeks asking to see ICEs side of the operation. Could I accompany ICE agents? Interview them? Have a conversation where I dont publish names? No. No. No. Finally, I get a written response to my questions, also attributable to McLaughlin: Those who are in our country illegally have a choice they can leave the country voluntarily or be arrested and deported. The United States taxpayer is generously offering free flights and a $1,000 to illegal aliens who self-deport using the CBP Home app. If they leave now, they preserve the potential opportunity to come back the legal, right way. And: The choice is theirs. I had sent DHS a list of five detainees arrested at 26 Federal Plaza and asked for the reasons for their arrests. Of the five, the DHS response indicated that only one had been arrested for violent crimes and a second had been arrested for forgery and traffic violations; it was not clear from the DHS statement if either had been convicted of those crimes. The remaining three were simply accused of entering the country illegally. Heres what DHS told me: Stanley Desir is an illegal alien from Haiti who illegally entered the U.S. in July 2024 and was released into the country by the Biden Administration. ICE arrested Desir on September 4, 2025, and he was given a final order of removal on September 29. Nicoll Mariana Del Rosa Guevara Romero is a criminal illegal alien from Peru who illegally entered the U.S. in May 2023 and was released into the country by the Biden administration. In November 2024, she was arrested for felony possession of forged documents and multiple traffic violations. ICE arrested Guevara Romero on September 29, and she will remain in custody pending further immigration proceedings. Ramon Antonio Briceno Barrios is an illegal alien from Venezuela who illegally entered the U.S. in April 2024 and was released into the country under the Biden administration. ICE arrested Briceno Barrios on September 8, 2025, and he will remain in custody pending further immigration proceedings. Luigi Adolfo Loaiza Cabrera is an illegal alien from Ecuador who illegally entered the U.S. in December 2023 and was released into the country under the Biden administration. ICE arrested Loaiza Cabrera on September 24, 2025, and he will remain in ICE custody pending further immigration proceedings. Ruben Abelardo Ortiz-Lopez is a criminal illegal alien from Ecuador who illegally entered the U.S. in March 2024 and was released into the country under the Biden administration. He has previous arrests for assault and strangulation. ICE arrested Ortiz-Lopez on September 25, 2025, and he will remain in custody pending further immigration proceedings. Two weeks later, DHS sends me a follow-up message saying they had removed Briceno Barrios and Desir to their home countries. [POLITICO was unable to find any record of the alleged prior arrests of Guevara Romero and Ortiz-Lopez in the New York court system.] On Sept. 17, I receive a tip: Brad Lander would show up the next day at 3 p.m. Lander is a Democrat and the comptroller of New York City. He had already made an appearance at the courthouse in June when he tried to help a migrant ICE wanted to detain. The result: Lander was arrested. The incident made headlines. Now, a source tells me, he and other New York officials are planning another visit to demand access to the detention facility on the 10th floor the conditions of which a federal court had just ruled were a disaster. Lack of sanitation, detainees sleeping on the floor. Lander wants to see the situation for himself. Members of Congress have a right to visit federal detention camps, but New York city officials do not. The next day I am standing on the opposite side of Broadway when I see a group of about 20 people pushing along the sidewalk toward the main entrance. The group of local and state officials take the elevator to the 10th floor, try to wrench open the door to the detention area; a guard braces himself against it. The lawmakers pound their fists on the door, shout, ignore police orders to remain calm. We just want to make sure everything in there is OK, one of the politicians says. Open the door already! shouts another. Were with you! a legislator yells in Spanish through the closed door to the detainees. The officials sit down on the floor with a sign in the middle: New Yorkers against ICE. A round of introductions. Tears, singing (Somebody is hurting my brother), chants (Say it loud, say it clear, immigrants are welcome here). To me it all seems rehearsed, and I am not the only reporter who got the secret tip. The place teems with journalists. Police arrest the politicians and promptly release them. I spot Marcela Mitaynes, a Democrat who represents parts of Brooklyn in the New York Assembly, half an hour later in front of the building. Moments earlier she had given a fiery speech, nearly in tears, vowing to fight for the rights of vulnerable migrants. I want to talk to her. But she no longer feels like speaking to reporters; she points to her two staffers, who she indicates would be happy to answer my questions and looks back down at her phone. She has already produced the images she wanted. At least Lander talks to me: The courthouse is a place where the rule of law reigns. Of all places, this is where its happening. That must not be. Shortly afterward, the hallways of 26 Federal Plaza grow more tense. On Sept. 25, the husband of Monica Elizabeth Moreta Galarza, a woman from Ecuador, is arrested yet another father separated from his family, as his two small children watch. Moreta Galarza begs the only unmasked ICE officer to free her husband, presses him, pleads with him. Then the man shoves her away; she falls to the floor. The images, of course, go around the world. The DHS announces the next day that the officer has been relieved of duty. A small victory for critics. Three days later the man is back on duty. On Sept. 30 there is a commotion on the 12th floor in front of the elevators: Police officers want to take an arrestee into the elevator; journalists are not to ride along. There is shoving; a photographer ends up on the floor. He lies there for 30 minutes; then paramedics who have rushed in put a cervical collar on him before transport. DHS spokesperson McLaughlin issues a statement in which she claims that officers were swarmed by agitators and members of the press, which obstructed operations to arrest a person she described as an illegal alien from Peru. She noted that Federal Plaza has been the target of multiple threats, including assaults on law enforcement. McLaughlin went on to urge the media and politicians to stop fanning the flames of division and stop demonization of law enforcement. Again and again, ICE officers target the wrong people. One morning in mid-September, they briefly grab a brown-skinned man by the arm. He tells them he is a U.S. citizen and the grip on his arm makes him completely lose his temper. Fuck you! Dont touch me, he yells at the ICE agents, I am a fucking officer, too. Get a real job! Im back on the 12th floor, Room 1237, Judge Nelsons room. After weeks of confrontations and arrests, it is clear that the courthouse, once a migrants portal to a new life in America, has become a trap. Each migrant faces a dilemma: Is it better not to show up to avoid the chaos and the danger? Or is it better to try to still follow the rules and risk getting arrested? In early October, one man decides to appear by video at Nelsons hearing. Why are you not here? the judge asks. Because Im afraid of being arrested. Look around the room! There are a lot of brave people here who all came, she says. She provides a new in-person date, six days later. If you dont show up, I will issue a deportation order. On Oct. 10, Nelsons room is packed again. In the hallway: ICE agents. Reporters with cameras drawn. Inside: people like a young man from Ecuador who wears Nike Air sneakers, fashionable short hair and jeans. He is an hour and a half late; even the court observers look shocked he would be so late to such an important appointment. He also had five days to report his new address and didnt do it. Nelson isnt amused. Why didnt you do it in time? I couldnt. Why? I didnt know the address. You didnt know your own address?! Why are you late? I didnt know the floor. Youve been here before. A lot has changed. Its on your paper. Silence. Youre putting yourself in danger. And this is already the second time. The new address is now in the system, in New Jersey. The court in Newark will get in touch with a new, final date: Maybe youll show up on time then. The mans expression doesnt change; he is released. When he stands up, I see the words on his blue sweatshirt: New York City of Dreams. The court observers jump up, run out of the room; they want to see what happens to him. Its obvious: on their risk scale, this young man is way up there. He bites down on his lower lip. The lottery begins. Thirty feet straight ahead, he walks, turns left, then right thats where the ICE officers are standing. But now no one is there. The man steps into the elevator, rides to the ground floor, and leaves the Jacob K. Javits Federal Building. He is still a free man. For now. Erica Orden contributed to this report. Photo editing by Katie Ellsworth. The big story: Funding for Floridas education system has become a focal point in the rising debate over what to do with property taxes. In all its proposals to reduce the burden on taxpayers, the state House has exempted the millage rate for K-12 schools from consideration. Gov. Ron DeSantis has called the House plans milquetoast. Thats led House Speaker Danny Perez to question DeSantis intentions when it comes to schools. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The House has proposed eliminating all non-school homestead property taxes, Perez told the USA Today Florida Network. The governor weirdly called that milquetoast. That can only mean the Governor has just announced that he will be proposing to abolish all property taxes, including school taxes. Theyre just getting started. Read more here. Hot topics School closures: Leon County school district officials are talking about the possibility of closing schools to confront enrollment declines and budget woes, WFSU reports. Literacy lessons: Alachua County leaders and community members are seeking new ways to improve youth and adult literacy, which has lagged in recent years, MainStreet Daily News reports. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Governors race: Erika Donalds, the wife of Republican gubernatorial candidate Byron Donalds, is a high-profile school choice advocate who critics suggest could stand to benefit if the state leans more heavily into charter schools, the Miami Herald reports. Gender ideology: Education commissioner Anastasios Kamoutsas has removed a Florida SouthWestern State College professor from a sociology course workgroup, accusing the professor of illegally including gender ideology in his own course materials, Florida Politics reports. Charter schools: A charter school in Orlando has received a $2.3 million federal grant to demonstrate best practices in educating children with special needs, Spectrum 13 reports. Bus cameras: Efforts to challenge the Florida law that allows cameras to record and fine drivers who illegally pass school buses have not gone smoothly for some drivers who say they were improperly accused, WFTS reports. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Board members: The Polk County school district has recommended four potential replacements for a school board vacancy created by the August death of member Rick Nolte, the Ledger reports. From the police blotter ... A Hillsborough County high school JROTC instructor was arrested on accusations of trying to meet a minor for sex. Two Marion County teens have been arrested on accusations of firing multiple shots at a high schools homecoming party, WKMG reports. Dont miss a story. Heres a link to yesterdays roundup. Before you go ... The earth is so fascinating. Learn about this area of Brazil thats a desert, but so much more. Jeffrey S. Solochek is a reporter covering education as a member of the Tampa Bay Times Education Hub in partnership with Open Campus. You can contribute to the hub through our journalism fund by clicking here. DES MOINES, Iowa Over 270,000 Iowans use SNAP benefits according to the USDA. Thats about $45 million worth a month. Starting November 1st, those benefits will go away as the government shutdown continues, and the program runs out of money. Schools are bracing for impact. About 16% of students in Polk County deal with food insecurity. Over 130,000 households rely on SNAP benefits in Iowa, and 2/3 of those homes include children. More than half are in working families. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Many schools have small food pantries in the school buildings available for families to take what they need, but like other food pantries and organizations, the demand will soon be even higher to keep up with. What the shutdown has not affected, at this point, is free and reduced school lunches. In Des Moines Public Schools, 76% of students qualify for free or reduced lunch, an estimated 24,000 students. Many of those situations likely overlap with receiving SNAP benefits as well. Nonprofit sees surge in need for Thanksgiving meals amid government shutdown Which is why DMPS says making sure students get to school will now be as important as ever. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We encourage regular school attendance on a daily basis, but especially now knowing that families will be facing the possibility of not having their SNAP benefits, DMPS SUCCESS Program Supervisor Jennifer Stalder said. Regular school attendance will allow your child to have access to breakfast and lunch. We have three fruits and vegetables programs at our elementaries. We provide afterschool snacks to the majority of our schools when they have activities. We collaborate with the Boys and Girls Club at our sites to provide supper for our students who are there. And of course, we have pantries in our schools. Moulton Elementary School, in the Riverbend neighborhood, is bracing for impact. The district, and our school specifically, is really worried about our kids coming hungry, Moulton Principal Eddie McCulley said. I know that when our kids are hungry and their bellies arent full, they cant learn, they cant focus, and so a lot of times when a kid is dysregulated or not focused, we will actually give them a snack from our food pantry. So then it gives them energy and then they can focus. DMPS is encouraging families to reach out to the community school coordinator or SUCCESS case manager at your school if families need further assistance. They have programs and resources to help. The same goes for other school districts. Iowa News: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to who13.com. Amid his criticism of Congress over the 1984 anti-Sikh violence, Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Friday said that under Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), minorities are "flourishing" in India. Suggesting that Congress introspects on the events of 1984 anti-Sikh violence, Puri said that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) doesn't believe in appeasement politics while Congress reaches out to minorities only to "do this to them". "Every minority community is flourishing today. BJP doesn't play appeasement politics. Congress reaches out to minority communities, fuels them and then does this to them. I think the people in the Congress party today ought to do some serious introspection on the events of 1984 on that particular day," Puri said in an interview with ANI. He said that Congress must apologise properly, which has not happened in all these years. "I would like to hear a reply from the Congress. I was waiting for somebody to go to the Harmandir Sahib, to Darbar Sahib and at least apologise properly. I haven't seen that in all these years," Puri added. In a post on X, Praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership, Puri said that one must value the era of inclusive development and peace. He asserted that India keeps its minorities safe and ensures development for all without discrimination. "Today is the time to remember that violence with anger and rage even as we pay homage to the victims and empathise with the anguish and pain of the families they left behind. It is time to value the era of inclusive development and peace that we live in under the leadership of PM Narendra Modi. Today, India not only keeps its minorities safe but also ensures Sabka Sath, Sabka Vikas without prejudice or discrimination," the Union Minister said. Puri trained guns on Congress, accusing its leaders of leading mobs outside Gurudwaras to commit violence against the Sikh community. He said that institutions meant to uphold the law surrendered their conscience and allowed the violence to continue. "Congress leaders were seen leading mobs outside Gurdwaras, as even police stood watching. The very institutions meant to uphold law and order surrendered their conscience and allowed a free hand to these leaders," Puri posted on X. He alleged that a meeting was held at the residence of a Congress MLA, where they decided to "teach a lesson" to Sikhs. He further stated that the actions of Congress leaders were corroborated by the Nanavati Commission of 2005. "At a Congress MLA's house, leaders met and decided that Sikhs 'must be taught a lesson'. Inflammable powder and chemicals were procured from factories and handed to mobs. Years later, all this was corroborated by the Nanavati Commission (2005) which very clearly said how 'There is credible evidence against Congress(I) leaders who led mobs and provoked attacks'," Puri said. The Union Minister said that Congress enabled the massacre against Sikhs and protected the perpetrators. "Even their own report confirmed what survivors always knew. Congress did not fail to stop the massacre. It enabled it. Later, Congress shamelessly went to deny the Anti-Sikh violence for decades. They protected the perpetrators and gave them plum postings (even party tickets to contest elections) as rewards," Puri said. Puri recalled the horrors of 1984 violence against the Sikh community, saying that the violence came close to his house in Hauz Khas. Puri informed that his parents, who lived in a DDA flat, were rescued in time by his friend. "Like all other members of my Sikh Sangat this violence also came close to my house. I was then a young first secretary posted in Geneva at that time and was extremely worried about the safety and wellbeing of my parents who lived in a DDA flat in SFS, Hauz Khas. They were rescued in time by my Hindu friend and taken to my grandparents' first floor house in Khan Market even as unimaginable violence raged across Delhi and several other cities," Puri posted on X. The anti-Sikh violence started on October 31, 1984, following the assassination of Indira Gandhi and continued for several days. Earlier, a Rouse Avenue Court in Delhi on Wednesday directed the Prosecution to file written submissions in a 1984 Sikh riots case against former Congress MP Sajjan Kumar. Sajjan Kumar is facing trial in a case linked to FIRs registered at Janakpuri and Vikas Puri Police Stations. The Janakpuri case pertains to the killing of two Sikhs, Sohan Singh and his son-in-law Avtar Singh, on November 1, 1984. The second case was registered in the Vikaspuri police station related to the burning of Gurcharan Singh on November 2, 1984. Special Judge Dig Vinay Singh asked the Prosecution to file written submissions and listed the matter for arguements on November 27 and December 4. (ANI) A pregnant woman's blood sample taken in 1972 was mysteriously missing a surface molecule found on all other known red blood cells at the time. More than 50 years later, that strange absence finally led to researchers from the UK and Israel describing a new blood group system in humans. The team published a paper on the discovery in 2024. "It represents a huge achievement, and the culmination of a long team effort, to finally establish this new blood group system and be able to offer the best care to rare, but important, patients," hematologist Louise Tilley from the UK National Health Service said last year, after nearly 2 decades of personally researching this bloody quirk. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Watch the video below for a summary of their research: YouTube Thumbnail While we're most familiar with the ABO blood group system and the Rh factor (the plus or minus), humans actually have many different blood group systems based on the wide variety of proteins and sugars that coat our blood cells. Related: Scientists Identify New Blood Group, And It's The World's Rarest Our bodies use these antigen molecules, amongst their other purposes, as ID markers to separate 'self' from potentially harmful 'not-self'. ( InvictaHOG/Public Domain/Wikimedia Commons ) Blood type (or blood group) is determined, in part, by the ABO blood group antigens present on red blood cells. Antibodies in our blood plasma detect when a foreign antigen marker is present. If these markers do not match up when receiving a blood transfusion, this life-saving tactic can cause reactions or even end up being fatal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Most major blood groups were identified early in the 20th century. Many discovered since, like the Er system first described in 2022, are only found in a small number of people. This is also the case for the new blood group. "The work was difficult because the genetic cases are very rare," explained Tilley. Transfusion reactions can be severe. (baseimage/Canva) Previous research found more than 99.9 percent of people have the AnWj antigen that was missing from the 1972 patient's blood. Because this antigen lives on a myelin and lymphocyte protein, the researchers named the newly described system the MAL blood group. When both copies of a person's MAL gene are mutated versions, they end up with an AnWj-negative blood type, like the 1972 patient. Tilley and colleagues also identified three AnWj-negative patients without this mutation, suggesting some blood disorders can suppress the antigen. Win a $10,000 Space Coast Adventure Holiday "MAL is a very small protein with some interesting properties which made it difficult to identify and meant we needed to pursue multiple lines of investigation to accumulate the proof we needed to establish this blood group system," explained University of the West of England cell biologist Tim Satchwell. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To confirm the culprit gene, after decades of research, the team inserted the normal MAL gene into blood cells that were AnWj-negative. This effectively delivered the AnWj antigen to those cells. The MAL protein is known to play a vital role in keeping cell membranes stable and aiding in cellular transport. Previous research found that the AnWj isn't actually present in newborns but appears soon after birth. All AnWj-negative patients in the study shared the same mutation. However, no other cell abnormalities or diseases were linked to it. Now that the genetic markers behind the MAL mutation are known, patients can be tested to see if their negative MAL blood type is inherited or due to suppression which could flag another underlying medical problem. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement These rare blood quirks can have devastating impacts on patients, so the more of them we can understand, the more lives can be saved. This research was published in Blood. An earlier version of this article was published in September 2024. Related News A new study has uncovered alarming evidence that plastic pollution is reaching even deeper into the ocean than we previously thought. Researchers found that "marine snow" the steady fall of organic matter that feeds deep-sea ecosystems is now laced with microplastics, showing how human waste is infiltrating one of the planet's most essential food chains. What's happening? Scientists have discovered that microplastics are binding to marine snow particles, according to a study published in Water Research. This means they're forming a synthetic layer of debris that descends thousands of feet below the ocean surface. Marine snow typically consists of dead plankton, fecal matter, and other organic material that drifts down to feed fish, corals, and other deep-sea creatures. But this study shows that the particles are now serving as transport vessels for plastic waste, carrying it to the ocean floor at unprecedented rates. Why are microplastics concerning? The study wrote: "Plastic pollution is one of the most pervasive environmental challenges of the 21st century, with millions of tons of plastic waste entering the ocean annually through mismanaged disposal, industrial activities and riverine inputs." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Microplastics are already found in drinking water, food, and even human blood but this discovery shows how deeply they've penetrated the planet's natural systems. As marine snow delivers energy through ocean ecosystems, plastic particles are being absorbed by organisms at every level of the food web, from microscopic plankton to fish. That means these pollutants are not just lingering; they're being eaten, digested, and recycled through species that ultimately end up on our plates. The contamination not only harms human health but also threatens deep-sea carbon storage, since marine snow plays a crucial role in capturing carbon and transferring it to the ocean floor. What can we do about microplastics? Efforts to curb plastic waste are ramping up worldwide, but researchers warn that cleaning up what's already in the ocean may be impossible. Instead, experts say the focus must shift to reducing plastic production at its source. Global coalitions, including those pushing for a UN Plastics Treaty, are advocating for binding limits on single-use plastics and greater accountability for manufacturers. Meanwhile, community programs are promoting alternatives from refillable packaging to compostable materials. Consumers can help by choosing reusable goods and cutting back on unnecessary packaging. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Check out these tips on how to use less plastic to make a dent in our plastic pollution problem. How concerned are you about the plastic waste in our oceans? Extremely I'm pretty concerned A little Not much 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. The successful removal of an invasive rat species saw nature spring back to life on two idyllic islands. The Republic of the Marshall Islands is an archipelago between Hawai'i and the Philippines. Two islands, Bikar Atoll and Jemo Islet, are home to incredible sea turtles, seabirds, coral reefs, and blissful lagoons. Unfortunately, over time, an invasive species of black rat wreaked havoc on these delicate ecosystems, putting many flora and fauna at risk. After efforts by the nonprofit organization Island Conservation to rid the islands of black rats one year ago, Good News Network reported a huge success, describing the return of many species as an "explosion of wildlife." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Island Conservation project manager Paul Jacques commented, per Good News Network, "After only one year, the transformation is dramatic." He highlighted the arrival of a colony of 2,000 sooty tern seabirds with hundreds of chicks, whereas previously the rats had destroyed their eggs, making it impossible for the species to live on the island. Similarly, this year, Island Conservation has discovered thousands of native Pisonia grandis tree seedlings, whereas in 2024, it found zero. "Native forests are crucial for seabird nesting and are critical to carbon absorption and the island's ecological health," Jacques told Good News Network. With native species thriving again on Bikar Atoll and Jemo Islet, indigenous communities have an influx of useful resources at their disposal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Invasive species are notoriously difficult to remove from an area once they've been introduced, so this discovery is a positive sign that it is possible and that the damage done is reversible. A similar outcome after invasive rats and goats were removed from the Caribbean island of Redonda shows how nature can bounce back. Keeping ecosystems in balance by removing invasive species is a key way to conserve native plants, animals, and habitats. It can also limit the spread of diseases between both animals and humans and ensure that natural resources and food security are protected for local communities. "This is why I keep doing this job to see those kinds of transformations," Jacques remarked to CNN. 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. CNNs token conservative commentator Scott Jennings lashed out at MSNBC host Lawrence ODonnell for criticizing him, calling ODonnell an irrelevant lunatic who was driven to have a mental breakdown on air by Jennings mere existence. The back-and-forth started on Monday, when ODonnell discussed Jennings on his MSNBC show, The Last Word with Lawrence ODonnell. ODonnell criticized CNN for pay[ing] a Trump supporter to lie on CNN every day, referring to Jennings, who is a political commentator for the news network and a regular guest on NewsNight with Abby Phillip. During the first Trump presidential campaign and presidency, CNN regularly paid Trump supporters to lie about Trump on CNN. But the CNN regime then realized that was a mistake, and they stopped doing it. They stopped paying for lies, ODonnell argued. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But then CNN got a new head, the head of CNN for the last three years, hired by the Trump-supporting owner and operator of CNN, is an Englishman who thinks paying Scott Jennings to lie about Donald Trump is money very well spent. ODonnell went on to explain to his viewers that Jennings, who was once an aide to Sen. Mitch McConnell, used to be capable of criticizing some of the more extreme Trump positions. He continued, But Scott Jennings figured out where the money is and how he could get his own podcast and decided to become the JD Vance of CNN. Jennings is a frequent guest on CNN's NewsNight with Abby Phillip. / CNN On the podcast in question, The Scott Jennings Radio Show, Jennings responded to the segment, hitting back at ODonnell and dismissing him as a lunatic. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theres this lunatic on MSNBC at 10 oclock every night named Lawrence ODonnell. I had sort of forgotten that he was a thing, but I guess he still has a show, and he went crazy, crazy on yours truly, the other night. There's this irrelevant lunatic on MSNBC named Lawrence O'Donnell. I actually forgot he existed. But apparently, my existence caused him to have a mental breakdown live on the air. I think I've figured out why he's so upset pic.twitter.com/GyRmeyMW9X Scott Jennings (@ScottJenningsKY) October 29, 2025 After playing a clip from ODonnells Monday night show, Jennings responded, Lie? Someone at MSNBC is accusing someone else of lying? From that propaganda outfit over there? Theyre accusing me or anyone else of lying? Outrageous. Jennings also defended CNN CEO Mark Thompson, the Englishman ODonnell referred to, explaining that Thompson is an American citizen and adding that hes not sure what Lawrence ODonnell was implying by calling him an Englishman. He went on to break down ODonnells real problem in his view: Hes irrelevant, nobody likes his show... Hes up against [NewsNight] and in the month of October, Abby Phillip was kicking his rear end by 30 percent on a nightly basis. Lawrence O'Donnell railed against Scott Jennings on the Monday night episode of his MSNBC show. / MSNBC Can you imagine having a television show on a network and you spend your precious time on that network complaining about what someone else is doing on another network? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hes a failed media personality, nobody cares what he thinks, his show is failing, Abby Phillip and CNN are kicking his rear end on a nightly basis and so he goes on TV under all this pressure and has a psychotic episode and starts complaining about Mark Thompson and me, Jennings continued. Jennings, an ardent supporter of the president, recently published a book about Trump's second term. / Screengrab/The Officer Tatum Podcast Jenningss final message for ODonnell was simple: Youre a failure. In terms of overall viewership numbers, ODonnell consistently brings in twice as many viewers as NewsNight, if not more, making it the second most popular show on MSNBC and the 84th overall on television. NewsNight, by contrast, is the fifth most popular show on CNN and the 157th overall. NewsNight, however, is more popular with the 25-54 demographic mentioned by Jennings; with that demographic, the CNN program regularly pulls in twice the audience of ODonnell. Happy Halloween to those who celebrate! Did you know that Halloween helped Justices Sonia Sotomayor and Amy Coney Barrett connect when Barrett first joined the court? Barrett has repeatedly shared the story of Sotomayor making candy bags for her kids after her confirmation. SCOTUS Quick Hits Morning Reads A Closer Look: John Jay, the First Chief This is the first in a new series of Closer Look entries, in which well be providing snapshots of some of the courts most influential justices so that you can impress people at really boring cocktail parties. We begin, naturally, with John Jay, the first chief justice. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Chief Justice John Marshall may get all the attention, but John Jay was there first. Born in 1745, Jay grew up in Rye, New York (where he is buried today), and graduated from Kings College (now Columbia University) at 19. After a stint as a law clerk for a prominent practitioner, Jay built a successful law practice of his own. But the young lawyer soon became caught up in larger historical events. As tensions with Britain escalated, in 1776 Jay came to chair New Yorks Committee for Detecting and Defeating Conspiracies, directing agents to expose Loyalist schemes, including a plot to assassinate George Washington. Post-revolution, Jay focused on strengthening national unity. He joined secret Paris talks in 1782, securing terms in the Treaty of Paris that formally ended the Revolutionary War. As secretary for foreign affairs, Jay also co-authored five essays in the Federalist Papers under the pseudonym Publius, focused on the dangers from international forces and influences if states remained disunited. In 1789, George Washington appointed Jay as the first chief justice. At the time this was a rather sleepy job: the nascent court decided just four cases in six years. Having relatively little to do on the court, Jay was able to continue his diplomatic duties, including acting as secretary of foreign affairs and negotiating the 1794 Jay Treaty with Britain. The treaty averted war but drew public outrage, and the Congressional fight over its passage is said to have led to the creation of national parties. As for Jays court duties, perhaps his most famous decision was in Chisholm v. Georgia, written in 1793, in which Jay declared that sovereignty rested with the people as a unified nation, not individual states, thus allowing citizens to sue states in federal court. This ruling prompted ratification of the Eleventh Amendment limiting suits against states. Much to his dissatisfaction, Jay also practiced circuit riding, in which Supreme Court justices were forced to travel the republic to hear cases in different judicial districts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 1795, Jay resigned from the Supreme Court to serve as New Yorks governor, where he signed a 1799 act for the gradual abolition of slavery in the state. In 1800, President John Adams offered to appoint him again as chief justice. But Jay turned it down, stating the court lacked the energy, weight, and dignity essential for public respect. Shortly thereafter, Jay retired to his farm and devoted time to philanthropy, such as leading the American Bible Society. He died in 1829 at the age of 83, having made his mark on American history, even if not necessarily as chief justice. SCOTUS Quote This Court is forever adding new stories to the temples of constitutional law, and the temples have a way of collapsing when one story too many is added. Justice Robert H. Jackson in Douglas v. City of Jeannette On Site Case Previews Amy Howe on Learning Resources, Inc. v. Trump Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Have you got questions about the tariffs case in front of the Supreme Court? Amy has answers. In her case preview, she explored the issues involved, how the tariffs dispute made it to the court, and when the court is likely to issue its ruling. Kelsey Dallas on Coney Island Auto Parts Unlimited, Inc. v. Burton On Tuesday, the Supreme Court will consider a disagreement among the federal courts of appeals over whether there is a time limit for setting aside a judgment as void for lack of personal jurisdiction that is, because the trial court did not have the authority to exercise power over the litigant. Kelsey previewed the case for SCOTUSblog. Ronald Mann on The Hain Celestial Group, Inc. v. Palmquist Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Also on Tuesday, in a case involving Whole Foods and allegedly dangerous baby food, the Supreme Court will consider what to do when a trial court improperly dismisses a defendant who would have deprived it of jurisdiction to hear the case. In his case preview, Ronald wrote that what surprises him most about the case is that pretty clearly neither the Supreme Court nor Congress has spoken to this question explicitly. The justices, he added, have a somewhat free hand here in deciding what to do. For more Supreme Court news and analysis, visit SCOTUSblog. Read more at SCOTUSblog (The Center Square) Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell has pledged up to $8 million in city funds $4 million per month through 2025 to offset the looming halt in federal Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program, or SNAP, benefits triggered by a congressional funding impasse. A Senate vote to extend SNAP funding failed Wednesday amid a federal government shutdown entering its second month, meaning SNAP benefits won't go out on Saturday. The cutoff could affect approximately 930,000 Washington residents, including more than 50,000 Seattleites, according to a civil emergency proclamation issued on Thursday by Harrell SNAP eligibility for a family of four in 2025 caps net monthly income at about $32,150 per year, the federal poverty level for that family size. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Washington receives approximately $174 million in federal SNAP benefits monthly, with Seattle residents accounting for roughly $16 million, or about 9% of that total. The $8 million in total funding will go toward city contracted food banks. The aid will cease when federal SNAP funding resumes. While the Trump administration is cruelly abandoning its duty to keep families fed, Seattle will step up to support our community, Harrell said in a statement. Our city has a strong network of local food banks, and were prepared to fill the gap left by the other Washingtons dysfunction with immediate action. On Tuesday, Gov. Bob Ferguson announced that Washington would send nearly $2.2 million per week in state aid to food banks throughout the state to cushion the impact of the SNAP cutoff. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At a Friday press conference, Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins said that "your government is failing you right now. House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., interjected that "When she says 'we have failed you,' she means 'We, the Democrats,' OK?" A podium sign branded the impasse The Democrat Shutdown. On Friday, U.S. District Judge John McConnell ordered the Department of Agriculture to release accrued SNAP benefits as soon as possible. Separately, Judge Indira Talwani ruled the government is required by law to use emergency money for at least partial payments. The Trump administration has until Nov. 3 to tell the court if it plans to do so. Schools in New York are now required to report incidents of physical restraints, timeouts, seclusion and other behavioral interventions to the New York State Education Department. The data shows over 20,000 incidents were documented last year - when the reporting regulations took effect - but the real number could be higher. The department declined to say exactly how many districts did not comply with the data collection effort. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The new reporting system is the result of a series of reforms the state implemented in 2023 regarding the use of these controversial methods in schools after an investigation by the Times Union unearthed many troubling practices. A physical restraint involves school staff holding a student's arms, legs or torso so they cannot move, typically standing up or on the ground. New York also permits staff to put students in "timeout" - isolating them alone in a room where they are monitored - as long as they can leave, but forbids secluding children in locked rooms they cannot exit. These methods are allowed, but limited. Seclusion, mechanical restraint, prone restraints, corporal punishment and aversive interventions are prohibited. For more information about those practices and how schools can use all these techniques, consult the state regulations. {"__type": "devHubFreeformEmbed","__id":"DataTable","__data":{"story_settings":[{"Market_Key":"Albany","Subhead":"Restraint and timeout incidents in New York schools in 2024-25","Chatter":"Search your school district to see their data. Only districts that reported incidents are included. 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A semi hauling an oversized load struck an overpass in Darke County Thursday evening. [DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] Around 7:51 p.m., crews were dispatched to the area of U.S. Route 127 North and State Route 49 on reports of a two-vehicle crash. TRENDING STORIES: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The preliminary investigation revealed that a semi hauling an oversized load, driven by 45-year-old Faramuz Shakhpandarov of Dayton, was traveling north on U.S. Route 127 in the right lane. An SUV, driven by 44-year-old Mary Hanes of Union City, Indiana, was also traveling north on U.S. Route 127 in the left lane beside the semi. As Shakhpandarov attempted to pass under SR-49, his oversized load struck the overpass structure. When the load struck the overpass, debris fell and struck the top of the SUV, causing damage. No injuries were reported as a result of this crash, according to the Darke County Sheriffs Office. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Ohio Department of Transportation responded to inspect the overpass. As of 12:00 a.m. Friday morning, all traffic lanes were reopened for normal traffic flow. Through further investigation, it was revealed that the oversized load violated multiple permit restrictions. Shakhpandarov was cited for Oversized Load Permit violations, as well as issued fines from the Ohio State Highway Patrol Motor Carrier Enforcement. [SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] Utah Sen. John Curtis is opposing calls from President Donald Trump to eliminate the filibuster to end the government shutdown, defending the traditional rule as being crucial to bipartisanship in lawmaking. The filibuster forces us to find common ground in the Senate. Power changes hands, but principles shouldnt, Curtis said in a post on X. Im a firm no on eliminating it. Curtis statement came directly in response to Trumps demand to GOP senators to play their Trump Card by going nuclear to get rid of the Filibuster, and get rid of it, NOW! The filibuster has been in place for centuries in the Senate as a delay tactic to block votes as it requires a two-thirds majority, or 60 votes, to end debate on certain pieces of legislation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This has given the minority party power they wouldnt otherwise have, especially when the margins between the parties are small. This year, that 60-vote threshold has allowed Democratic senators to block the Republican-led spending resolution to reopen the government, giving them leverage to demand health care reform amid the shutdown fight. That tactic, which has now resulted in a 31-day shutdown, has angered enough Republicans in both the House and Senate who have begun calling for a rule change. Those Republicans are calling on Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., to go nuclear, a rarely used maneuver that allows the majority party to change Senate rules with only a simple majority vote. Thune most recently used the nuclear option to eliminate the filibuster for some lower-level Trump administration nominees, and now some Republicans, particularly on the House side, want him to invoke the motion once again. Thune has resisted those calls, warning it could come back to haunt Republicans in the future if they lose their slim majority. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Is it possible? Yes. Is it wise? A lot of people would tell you its not, Thune told reporters earlier this month. I mean, on the Republican side, I would be deeply concerned if the Democrats had a bare majority in the Senate right now. Other Senate Republicans have defended the traditional rule, making it unlikely that Trump can sway enough members of his party to eliminate the filibuster completely. Thunes spokesperson on Friday confirmed that the majority leaders stance on the subject has not changed, and House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., also came out against the idea on Friday morning. The filibuster has traditionally been viewed as a very important safeguard, he said. If the shoe was on the other foot, I dont think our team would like it. Democrats threatened to eliminate the filibuster in 2022 and 2023 when they controlled both chambers, but a few moderate senators including former Sens. Kyrsten Sinema and Joe Manchin blocked those efforts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When Manchin spoke to The Wall Street Journal earlier this week about the filibuster, he said 15 of his Republican colleagues promised not to end the rule and he called on them to keep their promise. I gave my word, my sacred word, that they never had to worry about me ever voting to get rid of it. And they gave me their word, Manchin said. And Im praying to God they keep it. The body of Dularchand Yadav, who was killed during a firing incident in Mokama, was taken for postmortem to the Sub-Divisional Hospital in Barh on Friday under tight security. A large number of police personnel have also been deployed along the route. Large numbers of Dularchand's supporters gathered outside the hospital, staging protests. He was killed during firing between the two sides while campaigning for elections in Mokama yesterday. Meanwhile, Jan Suraaj founder Prashant Kishor on Friday condemned the killing of Dularchand Yadav in Mokama and held the administration responsible for the incident, calling it a clear failure of law and order in the state. He said that such incidents reflect the persistence of the "jungle raj" that people of Bihar have long spoken about. Kishor further clarified that Yadav wasn't officially the worker of Jan Suraaj; instead, he was supporting the Jan Suraaj candidate from Mokama, Priyadarshi Piyush. "He isn't officially a member of Jan Suraaj. He was supporting Piyush Ji, the official Jan Suraaj candidate. This shows that 'jungle-raj' that people have always talked of. Violence has no place in democracy. The murder of someone is the responsibility of the administration and those responsible for law and order, and it's their failure," Prashant Kishor told ANI. He further appealed people to choose candidate without any criminal records and said Jan Suraaj has given options to them. The Jan Suraaj founder asserted, "'Baahubali' may belong to any caste, any community, village, or ideology, but what is wrong is wrong. I've said in a previous statement that strongmen aren't afraid to fight strongmen. They're afraid to fight good people. Therefore, Jan Suraaj has provided the public with this option. Not just in Mokama, but in many other areas of Bihar... Now it's up to the people of Bihar to choose clean people or the same old corrupt, strongmen." Dularchand Yadav was shot dead on Thursday following a clash between two groups during election campaigning in Bihar's Mokama, police said. The deceased Dularchand Yadav was in the convoy when the incident happened. According to Abhishek Singh, Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) of Barh-2, the firing broke out when the convoys of two parties crossed paths and an altercation ensued. "Police received information that the convoys of two parties were crossing each other when one party fired at the other over some issue, and also tried to run them over. FIR will be registered and further action will be taken. FSL has been informed. Proper investigation will be done here and further action will be taken," Singh told reporters. The police said that a proper investigation would be conducted in the case, and further action would be taken. Mokama is infamous for being a stronghold of influential and often controversial "strongmen" or "bahubalis" in Bihar politics, most notably Anant Kumar Singh, his brother Dilip Singh and Surajbhan Singh. This year, the electoral battle in Mokama Assembly constituency in Patna district, Bihar, is centred around two Bahubalis - Anant Singh and Surajbhan Singh, who dominate the region's political narrative. Mokama, which will vote in the first phase on November 6, is once again set to witness a high-voltage electoral contest in the 2025 polls, as Janata Dal (United) has fielded strongman Anant Singh, while the Rashtriya Janata Dal has nominated Veena Devi, wife of former MP and influential leader Surajbhan Singh. Both candidates come from the Bhumihaar community, setting the stage for a direct clash of political legacies in one of Bihar's most volatile yet politically significant constituencies. (ANI) SPRINGFIELD, Mo. For many people, a cup of coffee starts a conversation. But for the Down Syndrome Group of the Ozarks, theyre using coffee to change lives. I like working for Upside Down Mercantile. Its brand new for me sometimes. I like it. I like it a lot, said Sarah Jeppson Sarah Jeppson has been able to connect with customers and through her nationally recognized photography at Upside Down Mercantile. Its one of the many professional development programs through the Down Syndrome Group of the Ozarks, which provides a network of support for individuals with Down syndrome and their families in Southwest Missouri through various resources and advocacy efforts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its giving them a chance is what kind of started all of this is, how do we give them a chance in every area of life, socially, medically, educating or education, and then obviously the store, the store is that is Upside Down Mercantile is our recent, most recent attempt at that, said Executive Director Scott Kirby. Executive Director Scott Kirby joined DSGO after having a cup of coffee six years ago, despite knowing little about the organization or Down Syndrome. Instantly, he knew he wanted to share the mission of celebrating people with Down Syndrome and encourage families to advocate towards a community of inclusion. Individuals with Down syndrome are just capable of so much more than we give them credit for a lot of times, and again, most of that is not ill intent on the general public. Its just a lack of knowledge, just like I had I didnt know. And so the more we can advocate and educate the community, the more they can understand what theyre capable of, said Kirby. DSOG also has many events that families and individuals with Down Syndrome can join like their Life Groups and Santas Workshop. President Jen Welton wants to welcome everyone into the family and congratulate mothers whose child has been diagnosed with Down Syndrome. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So these parents that are told anything other than congratulations, youre in on an amazing club. Its called the lucky few. You need to reach out to the Down Syndrome group community. You will be blown away by the support, the education that will just make those tough times not only bearable, but fruitful, said President Jen Welton 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. CHARLOTTE, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) Seven jurors have now been chosen in the trial for the men accused of robbing and killing Scott Brooks, the co-owner of Brooks Sandwich House in NoDa, almost six years ago. One of the potential jurors broke down crying, mostly it seemed because of fears for her own safety in the community and how that plays into her now being called for jury duty. The potential juror lives two miles from Brooks Sandwich House. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She said she remembers when Scott Brooks was shot and killed outside his restaurant in December 2019. Shes a single mom, and her tears started flowing when she talked about her own home being broken into twice in the neighborhood. She and three other people were dismissed Friday morning during jury selection because they said they already formed an opinion in the case, either from their personal experiences or from the news coverage they had watched and read. Friday was the first day that Scotts twin brother, David Brooks, sat in on jury selection. They can see that our familys been through a lot of pain in the last six years, and they start to notice that pain, and they see it when they turn on the television, when they hear an interview. And its just something thats part of being a human and thats part of bringing justice to a case like this, said David Brooks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Friday, a potential juror who was called to the box was a no-show. The bailiff said he also didnt come to court on Thursday. The judge says he could now be facing a contempt charge. Jury selection continues on Monday. They still need five more jurors and four alternates. The current makeup of the jurors who are already selected is one Hispanic man, one Hispanic woman, two white men, and three white women. 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. (WFXR)- Governor Glenn Youngkin announced plans to monitor the states sex offenders on Halloween. Operation Porch Lights Out is a joint effort between the Virginia Department of Corrections (VADOC) and police to help keep kids safe while trick-or-treating. Last year, compliance checks resulted in 11 probation violation warrants, according to Youngkin. Sex offenders who are under supervision are told not to decorate their homes or hand out treats on Halloween. They also have curfews. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Virginia State Police Sex Offender Registry Search Youngkin said random home checks will be conducted. Officers with VADOC Probation and Parole and the Virginia State Police Sex Offender Program and Monitoring Unit (SOPMU) will be checking on the most sexually violent offenders, especially those whose victims were minors. When it comes to protecting our children and keeping Virginia communities safe, we take no chances, said Youngkin. Operation Porch Lights Out is another example of our administrations commitment to proactive law enforcement and partnership across agencies. Im grateful for the dedicated men and women of the Virginia Department of Corrections and the Virginia State Police for their tireless work to ensure that families across the Commonwealth can enjoy a safe and fun Halloween. Sex offenders have also been instructed not to attend any fall festivals that include children. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Virginia DMV urges caution for Halloween safety Most of our officers live in the communities they serve, which means they have additional reasons to keep their children and families safe, said VADOC Director Chad Dotson. If you notice anything suspicious, we urge you to contact local law enforcement. I thank our corrections team members and law enforcement partners for keeping our communities safe this weekend and every weekend. 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. Gov. Tim Walz speaks after the end of the special session in June Tuesday, June 10, 2025 at the Minnesota State Capitol. (Photo by Nicole Neri/Minnesota Reformer) Gov. Tim Walzs announcement of a pause in payments for 14 Medicaid programs in Minnesota caused widespread confusion and anxiety among the people who provide services to the elderly and disabled. The Walz administration announced Wednesday that the governor ordered a pause on all payments for 14 DHS Medicaid services until (an) audit is complete. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Providers and Democratic legislators reacted with alarm given the prospect of unpaid caregivers and vulnerable Minnesotans shut out of lifesaving services. DHS clarified that each payment will undergo a review and only be paused for up to 90 days if an anomaly is detected and needs to be reviewed further. If the review determines the bill is fraudulent, it will not be paid. Its not clear how long the review will take. DHS told providers hours after the governors announcement via email that DHS is not holding all submitted claims for these 14 Medicaid services for 90 days. (In bold.) The snafu comes as Walz seeks to get ahead of the fraudsters who have bilked state and federal programs out of hundreds of millions of dollars in recent years as well as Republican attacks on the fraud issue, which are already incoming as he begins a race for a third, four-year term. Rep. Tina Liebling, DFL-Rochester, said lawmakers encouraged the administration to clear up any confusion. We were very clear with (the administration) that they needed to correct that misinformation about the payment pause, she said. I know they didnt intend that, but it scared a lot of people. A lot of us when we saw that were startled, and providers were too. State Rep. Mohamud Noor, DFL-Minneapolis, the top Democrat on the House Human Services Finance and Policy Committee, said that hes been receiving calls from providers who are concerned their payments will be paused, but he expects payments will be timely: Most of the claims any clean claims should be paid on time, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A DHS statement to providers on Wednesday stated that there still may be payment processing delays as we roll out this new prepayment review process, but the payments pause is not as all-encompassing as providers feared from the press release. Optum, the third-party auditor contracted by DHS, did not immediately respond to questions regarding the auditing process and how long payments will be delayed for claims that are not flagged. The health care company, a subsidiary of UnitedHealth Group, is familiar with investigations along with UnitedHealths insurance arm, Optums pharmacy benefit manager is being investigated by the U.S. Department of Justice for possibly illegal business practices, according to Bloomberg. The Association of Residential Resources in Minnesota, which represents disability service providers, said in an earlier release that a pause in all payments could cause people with disabilities to lose their housing and critical services, care workers to go without paychecks and providers to shutter. Sue Schettle, the CEO of ARRM, said on Thursday that she was previously under the false impression, from Walzs press release, that the pause would be sweeping; that all providers that were providing those services would be affected by it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Now, after a day of fielding questions from worried providers, Schettle has questions of her own. The words that were put in the press release really did cause a lot of confusion, concern and aches for providers, Schettle said. What was the intent behind putting it out so poorly? Providers also said that they got no heads up about the new review process prior to the public press release. Had the governors office consulted their organization or any other provider, Schettle said, We would have been able to give them five questions to say, Hey, youre missing this or that. The governors office defended the language of the press release. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The press release accurately conveys that all providers will be subject to an audit before payments are made, said Claire Lancaster, a spokesperson for Walzs office. In the meantime, nonprofits that provide critical support for Minnesotas elderly and disabled residents are worried about the consequences of what they thought was a more sweeping pause in payments. John Estrem, CEO of Hammer, a nonprofit that provides housing and support services to people with disabilities, said a 90-day pause on payments from the integrated community supports program could impact around $2.2 million in funding. The vast majority of that money goes towards salaries for the workers who help their clients live independently, Estrem said. But Hammer operates on thin margins, and even smaller disruptions in payments could force the nonprofit to borrow money to cover workers paychecks, Estrem said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Shannon Bock, the executive director of CCRI, another support services nonprofit, also said that it was her understanding that all payments for the 14 programs will be paused for up to 90 days, which would mean shutting down lines of support for so many people in our state. Social service providers are already confronting a hostile budget environment at both the state and federal level. This year, Walz and lawmakers were tasked with making budget cuts to account for a projected deficit in coming years. Walzs budget proposal suggested cutting payment rates for disability service providers. (The final budget bill passed by lawmakers cuts nursing home funding instead.) That move also blindsided disability service providers, Estrem said. So this seems to be a pattern, he said. And it really is hard to do, to run a service organization, when things are coming at you out of the blue. HARRISBURG, Pa. (WHTM) Governor Josh Shapiro announced assistance for food banks as millions of Pennsylvanians who depend on SNAP face questions amid the federal shutdown. The governor announced $5 million in state funding that will be directed to Feeding Pennsylvania, which will distribute funds to food banks across the state. Shapiro signed a declaration of emergency to expedite the funding on Friday afternoon. A private fundraising effort has also raised more than $1 million for state food banks, according to Shapiro. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nearly two million Pennsylvanians rely on SNAP every month and they shouldnt have to wonder where their next meal will come from because of the dysfunction in Washington, Governor Shapiro said in a statement. There is no substitute for the federal governments decision not to release SNAP benefits, but my Administration is stepping up to use every tool we have state resources, private sector support, and the compassion of our communities to make sure our food banks are fully stocked and our families are fed. The federal government has the money to keep people fed theyre just refusing to use it. In Pennsylvania, I wont let our families or food banks shoulder that burden alone, and Im not going to stand by while the federal government lets Pennsylvanians go hungry. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Subscribe Now abc27 Evening Newsletter A lawsuit was filed by Shapiro and 24 other states against the Trump Administration over the suspension of SNAP payments amid the government shutdown. On Friday, two federal judges ruled that the Trump Administration must continue to fund the food assistance program. Further legal action may be taken in the coming days, which could change if and when funds are distributed. This is a developing story. Stay with abc27 News as 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 ABC27. After surviving years of childhood abuse and decades in prison, a Massachusetts man is being given a second chance one hes determined to use to turn his past into a warning and a lifeline for at-risk youth. On Oct. 27, the Massachusetts Parole Board granted Shawn Shea parole contingent on his completion of the Tufts University Prison Initiative of Tisch College program. He had originally been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole after 14-year-old Dymond McGowan his friend had been shot and killed in Springfield. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, Shea was later allowed to ask for parole due to a law change that prohibits teenagers from being sentenced to life without the possibility of parole. He first went in front of the parole board in 2022 after serving 15 years. But he was denied due to having nearly 40 disciplinary reports. Mr. Shea presented well during his initial parole hearing; however, the Board remains concerned that he needs to display a longer period of positive adjustment, the parole board wrote, also encouraging him to sign up for other programs over the next few years. He did. When he returned in front of the parole board on May 27, he made it known that hes not the same person he was three years ago. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I was creating harm constantly because I was harmed and hadnt dealt with all the things that I had done, he said. Harm towards Shea began early in his life. Desperate to escape abuse as a teenager, Shea fled to Springfield with a friend, hoping for safety and a fresh start. But instead of refuge, he found himself surrounded by fear and violence living on what he called the most dangerous street in Springfield. Without anywhere else to go, Shea found himself on a path that would end in unimaginable tragedy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As he is given a second chance, he said he wants to try to prevent history from repeating itself in other youth. I want to deal with at-risk youth and just try to give them the hope and the access to role models that I didnt have, Shea, now 35, said during his May 27 parole board hearing. Because I think thatll not only save lives physically, but itll keep a lot of the emotional trauma thats happening from happening in the first place. May 10, 2007 Four men, including 17-year-old Shea, associated with the Springfield street gang SWAT Team, drove toward a house that was a known hang-out spot for a rival gang on May 10, 2007. Before they arrived, they stopped and got a .40 caliber Glock semiautomatic pistol. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When they arrived at the house, located at 338 Wilbraham Road, a group of people were standing on the porch. Shea leaned out the passenger window and fired six shots. Fourteen-year-old Dymond McGowan was among the group. But she wasnt associated with a gang. She was a neighbor girl whom Shea knew who had recently left her foster home and had been reported missing. But that night, she was caught in the crossfire of a street gang rivalry and was killed after being shot in the stomach. Family members described McGowan as a teen who was trying to find her way, but still had close family ties and was making progress toward getting her life back on track. She enjoyed dancing, knitting and taking care of younger children. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When she was born, she was so bright and shiny, her mother, Jacquelyn Ballard, previously said, explaining why she chose the unique name of Dymond for her daughter. Shea was arrested by the Springfield Police Department on May 16, 2007 for unrelated warrants. At that time, he was asked about his role in the shooting that killed McGowan, and he admitted to being the shooter. Shea was convicted of first-degree murder and related charges in Hampden Superior Court in December 2008, after jurors deliberated for a day. His mother sobbed, and Shea, looking younger than his years in a suit and glasses, hung his head after the verdict was read. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As he was led from the courtroom during a recess before his sentencing, he burst out, I didnt even kill that girl, and became agitated later as Ballard addressed Judge Peter A. Velis. I heard him as he was going out: I didnt kill that girl, Ballard told the judge before Sheas sentencing. He doesnt even know her name. I know her name. Her name is Dymond. Ive known for five years, he shot back. He was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. In 2011, the state Supreme Judicial Court affirmed Sheas first-degree murder conviction and life sentence. Judge Ralph D. Gants said he reviewed the record of Sheas case and found no error that produced a substantial likelihood of a miscarriage of justice, nor any other reason to order a new trial or to reduce the defendants murder convictions to a lesser degree of guilt. We laughed and joked ... and survived together It couldve been Leah Johnson, another friend of Sheas, who was shot and killed that night. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She was sitting next to McGowan when she was shot. But she doesnt hold resentment towards Shea. She blames their childhood and the adults in their lives for contributing to what happened. Johnson, Shea and McGowan were just children trying to survive together, Johnson said. There were even nights where we shared the same bed or a plate of food. And it was never at any of our homes. There was no mother or father present to save Shawn, to save Dymond or myself. We were all left prey to the street by neglectful parents, along with other lost kids in the neighborhood. We laughed and joked and cried and survived together, she said during the May parole board hearing. She recalled the older gang members telling her, Dymond and another girl that it wasnt safe to be on the porch that night. But where else were they to go? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement My mother no longer lived in the neighborhood. Dymonds grandmother said she couldnt come inside, and Katies mother said we couldnt stay at their house, Johnson said. So we remained on that porch, supporting each other and refusing to leave one another alone. She remembered Shea being a nerdy kid looking for acceptance. He was quiet, kind and a good person, she said, adding that she believes the gang took advantage of his need for love after a childhood of being in and out of foster care and experiencing multiple kinds of abuse. If Dymond, Shawn or I had proper care, none of us would have been out that night, she said. She asked the parole board to judge Shea on the man hes become, not the lost 17-year-old boy he was when he fired those shots. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Judge him now for the man he is today. Hes a good person. Hes prudent, forward-looking and deliberate in everything he does. Hes a thoughtful person with sound judgment and good moral character, she said. Ultimately, she lost two friends that night, she said. But she continued to hold onto the hope that Shea could be given a second chance. I cant have Dymond back. And I know itll always hurt, but Im still praying that I can have Shawn back, she concluded. The board agreed, pointing to his low risk for recidivism, strong reentry plan, sobriety and program involvement. The Board concludes by unanimous vote that Shawn Shea has demonstrated a level of rehabilitation that would make his release compatible with the welfare of society, the decision read. Forgiveness In May, there were multiple voices absent from the hearing that shouldve been there. But their grief didnt go unnoticed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Shea wished Dymonds family, including her father, wouldve been at the parole board hearing in May to once again apologize. But he was grateful they were there in 2022. I listened and took in what he said. I heard pain, pain that he had that had not lessened in the years since I took his daughters life. I heard his grief over an inability to make up for time lost and have his own second chance with his daughter, Shea said. He hopes to take their grief and his own and one day turn it into something to better society. I have an obligation to Dymond, to her family, friends and the community to repair a harm that cannot ever be fully repaired. I will be living out that obligation for the rest of my life, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He said hes been able to talk with some of McGowans friends over the years about the pain and trauma he caused them. He took it to heart and they forgave him. I still dont understand your forgiveness, but I am so grateful for it. Thank you, he said. Every day Ill be working to earn the forgiveness that you have gifted me. Being part of various programs while incarcerated have also given him the opportunity to hear from other survivors of trauma caused by people in their communities. Those stories, Shea said, became a lifeline helping him begin to understand the hurt he caused and rebuild his life. But amid the healing, theres a silence that can never be filled. One voice, forever missing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I wish I could sit with Dymond and hear her survivor story every day, he said. More on the Massachusetts Parole Board Read the original article on MassLive. Add MassLive as a Preferred Source by clicking here. [Get violent crime statistics in the player above.] KENT, Ohio (WJW) Kent police on Friday afternoon announced they arrested a teen suspected of firing several gunshots inside a North Water Street bar on Thursday night. The shooting happened at Bar Lucci, 257 N. Water St., according to a Friday news release. Local neighborhood told to shelter-in-place after domestic violence call As employees were working to clear the bar out, a fight began and a male brandished a handgun and fired a shot, reads the release. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bar patrons ran outside, just as a patrolling police officer who had heard the shots arrived to investigate. Officers secured the scene but initially were unable to locate the suspect or any victims, according to the release. Arrest: Woman reportedly abandons injured 1-year-old at highway crash scene Kent police later Friday afternoon identified the suspect as Jack Massie, 19, of Akron. Massie is now charged with felonious assault and is due for court. Portage Municipal Court records show a warrant was issued Thursday. Massies criminal complaint alleges he shot at an unidentified person with a .45-caliber handgun. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Detectives are now continuing their investigation. Anyone with information on the incident is urged to call Kent police at 330-673-7732. 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. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will visit Chhattisgarh on November 1 and take part in the 'Dil Ki Baat' programme, where he will interact with 2500 children successfully treated of congenital heart diseases in the 'Gift of life' ceremony at Sri Sathya Sai Sanjeevani Hospital, Nava Raipur, Atal Nagar at 10 PM, a press release said. After that, at around 10:45 AM, the Prime Minister will inaugurate 'Shanti Shikhar' of Brahma Kumaris, a modern centre for spiritual learning, peace, and meditation. According to the release, at around 11:45 AM, the Prime Minister will unveil the statue of Bharat Ratna former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee at the new building of Chhattisgarh Vidhan Sabha in Nava Raipur Atal Nagar. He will thereafter visit and inaugurate the new building of Chhattisgarh Vidhan Sabha, which has been built on the Green Building concept, planned to be fully powered by solar energy and equipped with a rainwater harvesting system. He will also address the gathering on the occasion. In the afternoon, around 1:30 PM, PM Modi will inaugurate and visit the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh Memorial and Tribal Freedom Fighters Museum. The Prime Minister will launch the Museum Portal and e-book 'Aadi Shourya', honouring freedom fighters and will unveil the horse-mounted statue of Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh at the Memorial Site. PM Modi will participate in Chhattisgarh Rajat Mahotsav at 2:30 PM, marking 25 years of formation of the State of Chhattisgarh. The Prime Minister will inaugurate and lay the foundation stone for developmental and transformative projects worth over Rs 14,260 crore, covering key sectors such as roads, industry, healthcare, and energy. He will inaugurate 12 new Start-Up Village Entrepreneurship Programme (SVEP) blocks across nine districts of Chhattisgarh. Prime Minister will participate in the Griha Pravesh of 3.51 lakh completed houses and release Rs 1200 Crore as an instalment to 3 lakh beneficiaries under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (Gramin), ensuring dignified housing and security for rural households across the State. Enhancing connectivity, the Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone for the four-lane Greenfield Highway from Pathalgaon-Kunkuri to the Chhattisgarh-Jharkhand Border, being developed under the Bharatmala Pariyojana by the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) at a cost of around Rs 3,150 crore. This strategic corridor will connect key coal mines, industrial zones, and steel plants across Korba, Raigarh, Jashpur, Ranchi, and Jamshedpur, serving as a major economic artery that strengthens regional trade linkages and integrates Central India with the Eastern region. In addition, the Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone for the construction and upgradation of NH-130D (Narayanpur-Kasturmeta-Kutul-Nilangur-Maharashtra Border), spanning multiple segments across Bastar and Narayanpur districts. PM will also inaugurate the upgradation of NH-130C (Madangmuda-Deobhog-Odisha Border) into a two-lane highway with paved shoulders. In the power sector, PM Modi will inaugurate the Inter-Regional ER-WR Interconnection Project, which will enhance the inter-regional power transfer capacity between the Eastern and Western grids by 1,600 MW, improving grid reliability and ensuring a stable power supply across the region. Along with this, the Prime Minister will dedicate, inaugurate, and lay the foundation stone for multiple energy sector projects worth over Rs 3,750 crore. Under the Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS), works worth about Rs 1,860 crore will be dedicated by the Prime Minister, including construction of new power lines, feeder bifurcation, installation of transformers, conversion of conductors, and strengthening of low-tension networks to improve rural and agricultural power supply, the press release said. The Prime Minister will also inaugurate nine new power substations built at a cost of around Rs 480 crore across districts such as Raipur, Bilaspur, Durg, Bemetara, Gariyaband, and Bastar. These will benefit over 15 lakh people by ensuring stable voltage, reducing outages, and providing reliable electricity even in remote and tribal areas. Additionally, the foundation stone will be laid for new substations and transmission projects worth over Rs 1,415 crore, including major facilities at Kanker and Balodabazar-Bhatapara, along with new RDSS works across several districts to further expand the reach and quality of electricity in the State. In the petroleum and natural gas sector, PM Modi will inaugurate HPCL's state-of-the-art Petroleum Oil Depot at Raipur, built at a cost of over Rs 460 crore with a storage capacity of 54,000 Kilolitres (KL) for petrol, diesel, and ethanol. The facility will serve as a major fuel hub, ensuring an uninterrupted supply across Chhattisgarh and neighbouring states. With 10,000 KL ethanol storage, the depot also supports the Ethanol Blending Programme, reducing fossil fuel dependency and promoting cleaner energy growth. The Prime Minister will also dedicate the 489 km Nagpur-Jharsuguda Natural Gas Pipeline, built at a cost of around Rs 1,950 crore. The project is a major step toward increasing the share of natural gas in India's energy mix to 15 per cent and achieving the vision of 'One Nation, One Gas Grid.' The pipeline will connect 11 districts of Chhattisgarh to the National Gas Grid. To promote industrial growth and employment, the Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone for two Smart Industrial Areas, one at Siladehi-Gatwa-Birra in Janjgir-Champa district and another at Bijletala in Rajnandgaon district. Additionally, he will lay the foundation stone of a Pharmaceutical Park at Sector-22, Nava Raipur Atal Nagar. Boosting the healthcare sector, the Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone for five new Government Medical Colleges -- at Manendragarh, Kabirdham, Janjgir-Champa, and Geedam (Dantewada), Government Ayurveda College and Hospital at Bilaspur. These projects will strengthen medical education, expand healthcare access, and promote traditional medicine across Chhattisgarh, the release said. (ANI) Urban Ministries of Wake County food pantry manager Jerry Leslie, Oct. 29, 2025. (photo: Ahmed Jallow /NC Newsline) Inside the Urban Ministries of Wake Countys food pantry on Thursday morning, volunteers slid boxes of pasta and cans of vegetables into brown paper bags, the days rations for families waiting outside in a line of cars that wrapped around the building. Outside, pantry manager Jerry Leslie moved from car to car with a clipboard, checking names and employment status as volunteers hustled to keep pace. The line has grown in recent weeks, he said, a sign of rising need as the federal shutdown unsettles families across North Carolina. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Weve got a lot of furloughed workers coming through, Leslie said. A lot of truck drivers are starting to come through the line, too. The morning before, he noticed a woman typing on her laptop while she waited. I asked about her situation, and she told me shes employed but not getting paid. As the shutdown stretches into its fourth week, food pantries like Urban Ministry have become a vital safety net for furloughed workers and low-income households bracing for impending disruptions to federal food assistance. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program still has funding, but benefits will halt this weekend if the Trump administration does not authorize emergency USDA reserves. The agency has said it will not do so. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Tuesday, North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson joined several states in suing the U.S. Department of Agriculture, seeking to compel the release of reserve funds to continue SNAP benefits in November. The lawsuit aims to protect food assistance for 1.4 million North Carolinians, including about 580,000 children. On Thursday, Gov. Josh Stein announced that the state and private donors are sending $18 million to North Carolina food banks to help. However, thats just a fraction of the $230 to $250 million SNAP benefits pump into the state every month. If payments pause for long, food aid groups warn they will not be able to meet the surge in need. We used to serve between 80 and 100 people a day, Leslie said. Now were seeing at least 200 daily. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sitting in his car, Theodore Robinson, 78, said the looming threat of cuts worries him and his neighbors. Itll affect the very essence of our lives everyone who depends on these programs, he said. Franklin County mom Rebecca Cuering is also worried about what the coming disruption will mean for her family. When stagehand work comes through, she takes it. At home, she raises her 6-year-old son while caring for her 78-year-old mother, who has dementia, and her brother, a veteran. Their well barely produces clean water, so part of her SNAP benefits goes toward buying it by the gallon. Before she qualified for SNAP, she fell behind on utilities and her car was repossessed. The benefits, she said, have given her just enough breathing room to keep the lights on and begin rebuilding. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Since getting SNAP, Ive been able to start catching up on bills, Cuering said. Without it, I dont know what wed do probably start asking strangers for help. Inside the food pantry, the shelves remain stocked for now, but staff worry that a shutdown could quickly change that. The Temporary Emergency Food Assistance Program, which provides about 70% of Urban Ministries monthly supplies, distributes staples like canned vegetables, beans, rice, applesauce, and usually three types of meat. But with the shutdown, even that lifeline is at risk. Recent deliveries have arrived short, particularly on protein. The last order we had, we didnt get any meat, Leslie said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To fill some of the gap, Urban Ministries has turned to local partners, scheduled six community food drives for November, and is using its limited funds to stock the pantry. Its going to be cutting it close, Leslie said. Even so, he expects they will make it through the end of the year. We have a good base of support. Were just trying to keep up with the need. Jessica N. Holmes, former state auditor and executive director of Urban Ministries of Wake County, recalled growing up reliant on free lunch, pantries, and SNAP benefits. Even though North Carolina is known for agriculture, too many of our neighbors still go hungry, Holmes said in a statement. With the government shutdown, things can go from bad to worse very quickly for hard-working families and children. To volunteer or donate to Urban Ministries of Wake County visit www.urbanmin.org A woman who was deleted from her mothers will is suing her older brother after he was left the entire 1.1m fortune. Aysel Gencay, 72, has accused her older brother Dogan Halil, 74, of turning their dementia-suffering mother against her and exerting undue pressure to ensure he inherited the money. Dervishe Halil, who died aged 94 in 2021, changed her will four times between 2013 and 2018, Central London County Court was told. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She initially intended to split the will evenly, but later made her eldest son the sole heir following a dispute between Mr Halil and Ms Gencay over his management of the family property in north London. The court heard that the siblings began arguing after Ms Gencay accused Mr Halil of taking possession of the family propertys basement for his own benefit. An email from Mr Halil in 2015 denied the allegations and accused Ms Gencay of shameful and callous treatment of their mother. The Islington property at the centre of a dispute between siblings Dogan Halil and Aysel Gencay - Champion News Ms Gencay, who lives in Istanbul, now claims her brother projected this dispute onto their mother, which in turn led to her being disinherited. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The court was shown two letters, the first of which was from 2015 and showed Ms Halil had told Ms Gencay that her actions towards her brother were very bad and shameful and that she risked being disinherited. A second letter, dated Feb 7 2018, which Ms Gencay claims she did not see until after her mothers death, spoke of having deleted her and her other brother, Atilla, from the will. On the same day, Ms Halil made the final change to the will, leaving everything everything to Dogan Halil. Mr Halil has since split the estate with his two co-defendants, his wife Susan and brother Attila. Shock to the claimant Ms Gencays barrister, Peter John, told the court that her mother would not have been able to write either letter without significant assistance, and that the language was startlingly similar to that used in correspondence from her brother. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mr John said: It is notable that the disputes which Dogan cites as being the reason for the deceaseds unhappiness with the claimant were disputes with him and not the deceased. It is the claimants case that she had retained a strong and loving relationship with the deceased throughout any period when she had any dispute with Dogan. However, it is clear from these emails that Dogan was portraying his dispute with [Ms Gencay] as being a dispute between the deceased and [her] thereby influencing the deceased. The deceaseds purported last will was, therefore, a shock to the claimant as the deceaseds only daughter. Disgruntled potential beneficiaries Toby Bishop, representing the defendants, said that Ms Gencays relationship with her mother was not as strong as she claimed, because her passport records showed that she had not visited from Istanbul as much as she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He added: The 2018 will is very simple. After Mrs Halil executed it, she wrote a letter explaining what she had done. The court is encouraged to be wary of finding a lack of capacity based purely on odd provisions in wills or a slight loss of capacity, for example by reason of early stage dementia. Otherwise, wills made by elderly testators are vulnerable to attack from disgruntled potential beneficiaries. Even moderate to severe dementia does not of itself deprive a person of testamentary capacity. Aysels allegations of undue influence and fraudulent calumny have no proper basis. They ought not to have been made and should be withdrawn. The hearing continues. 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. MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Va. (WFXR) If youre looking to keep the Halloween festivities rolling into this weekend, check out Sinkland Farms 34th annual pumpkin festival. The farms pumpkin patch and corn maze are nationally ranked by USA Today, and are welcoming visitors for their last weekend. After a rainy start to the week, the farm says theyre excited to welcome back old friends and new. What sets us apart here at Sinkland Farms from all other fall festivals is the variety of things that we offer for all ages, Susan Sink, the owner of Sinkland Farms, said. Yes, we have the hayride to the pumpkin patch with which the children are so excited about, but thats not all we do. We have pig races on Saturdays and Sundays. We have live music. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Festivals like these at Sinkland do more than boost the farms bottom line, theyre helping the local community as well. I was just at one of the restaurants here in Riner earlier this week, and she said, you know, Susan, so far this month in October has been our very best month simply because theyre stopping in here to eat after visiting the pumpkin patch, Sink said. Roanokes largest flea market returns to the Berglund Center This year, USA Today ranked Sinkland Farms pumpkin patch and corn maze 4th in the nation, the only farm in the commonwealth on the list. Sinkland Farms in Montgomery County, Virginia is hosting its 34th annual pumpkin festival this weekend, featuring a pumpkin patch and corn maze ranked 4th in the nation by USA Today. The farm offers a variety of activities for all ages, including hayrides, pig races, and live music, and also helps support local businesses and jobs. (WFXR image) Virginias climate, particularly in the Shenandoah Valley, is ideal for growing pumpkins, with the states pumpkin production centered in the southwest. (WFXR image) The farm will also host its 3rd annual wine festival, with tickets available online or at the gate. (WFXR image) (WFXR image) (WFXR image) There are many pumpkin patches in Virginia, but what makes our state so great at growing pumpkins? Well, Virginia Tech professor and extension specialist of plant pathology Steve Rideout says its the states climate. Especially in the Shenandoah Valley. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They dont really like warmer temperatures, so anytime the daytime temperature exceeds 95 degrees, or the nighttime temperature is actually above about 72, pumpkins tend to struggle with that. The higher temperatures will cause them to basically abort fruit or abort flowers, Rideout said. Thats why, generally speaking, most of our pumpkin production is centered in the southwest. Rideout says, not only do these pumpkins help bring in millions of dollars for the commonwealth, but they also help support local jobs. Usually, depending on Mother Nature and the weather, we will have a good pumpkin crop, Sink said. Typically, we have about ten acres of pumpkins, gourds, and squash here on our property, and usually, you can expect to have 1,200 to 1,500 pumpkins, ripen and be available for you pick. Along with this weekends pumpkin festivities, the farm will also host its 3rd annual wine festival. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Were ending our season with a wine festival where we will have eight wineries, a distillery, and a hard cidery visiting and presenting their products, Sink said. These wineries come from deep southwest Virginia, from Charlottesville, all across the central part of Virginia, and southwest. Tickets for both the wine and pumpkin fest are on sale online here or at the gate. If you purchase a ticket for the wine festival, youll also be able to get into the pumpkin festival. Its just amazing to me how many people use Sinkland Farms as a point of contact, a point of reference when theyre coming just through southwest Virginia in the fall, Sink said. They plan their trip to visit their relatives in the area from other states around our pumpkin festival. Weve had Floridians visit, people from Maine, people from Colorado, believe that or not. 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. SKOKIE, Ill. (WGN) The Skokie Police Department is asking for the publics help in finding a missing woman last seen Wednesday morning boarding a CTA bus in Chicago. Police said 32-year-old Sierra Hodges, a Skokie resident, was last seen at around 6:30 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 29, boarding a CTA bus traveling eastbound on 26th Street from California Avenue in Chicago. LATEST CASES: Missing people in Chicagoland Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She was possibly wearing a dark hooded sweatshirt and blue jeans, according to investigators. (Photo: Skokie Police Department) Police described Hodges as 5 feet tall and weighing 200 pounds. She also has black hair and brown eyes. Anyone with information on Hodges whereabouts should call 911 immediately. 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. More than 1,000 police officers filled the pews of the Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart on Thursday for the Archdiocese of Newarks annual Blue Mass, where honorees included Det. Joseph Azcona, slain in March by a gunman authorities say was 14. The homily was given by Cardinal Joseph Tobin, head of the archdiocese and New Jerseys highest-ranking Catholic cleric, with the Mass attended by members of Azconas family, Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy, the Republican nominee to replace him, Jack Ciattarelli, and officers from a multitude of surrounding departments. Tobin told the blue congregants that the purpose of the Mass, now in its 32nd year, was to provide a moment of prayer and gratitude for police and other bodies in law enforcement and first responders. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We hold this prayer for officers who have died over the past year, asking that the tender mercy of god may bring consolation and peace to their families, Tobin said from Sacred Hearts elaborately carved high altar, or ambo. Pausing to look out over pews, he added, I thank all of you. At the same time, Tobin urged the officers and others to please be vigilant in resisting the toxic speeches of self-serving demagogues that instill hate and divide the world. Instead, he added, be courageous witnesses to the love of the creator. Thursdays darkened skies and steady rain seemed to match the solemn occasion, though it forced all of the customarily elaborate ceremony to be held inside the huge stone church, where pews with seating for 2,000 were about two-thirds occupied. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The 1.5-hour Mass began with a procession of police honor guards bearing flags of the nation, the state, and their departments. They were led by a group of bagpipers and percussionists from Amtrak, the Port Authority, Union City, Guttenberg, Bergen and Hudson counties, the state Department of Corrections, Millburn and other police and sheriffs departments. The bands version of Amazing Grace, with a thundering crescendo of pipes, snare and bass drums during the Mass, provided a stark aural contrast to the subdued hymns sung by clergy. Azcona, 26, who was promoted posthumously to the rank of sergeant, was fatally shot the night of March 7 while still in his patrol car just after he and another officer arrived at a Newark location to investigate suspected gun activity. The other officer and the alleged gunman were wounded in the incident. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The U.S. Attorneys Office for New Jersey took over the case from the Essex County Prosecutors Office, moving it from state to federal court, where convictions on murder and related charges could result in harsher penalties. A total of seven officers who died in recent years were commemorated during the Mass. Unlike Azcona, most died of natural causes. The one other exception was Hudson County Sheriffs Officer Justin Rivera, who fell to his death from a ninth-floor jailhouse window during a power outage in May, in what authorities said was an accident. The others were Major Jeffrey A. Burke and Sgt. James J. Puhalski of the New Jersey State Police; Spring Lake Police Sgt. Steven E. Blecki; state Senior Correctional Police Officer Erick J. Whitaker; and Cpl. Raymond Kuuchi of the Veterans Affairs Police. Murphy left the church soon after Mass, but Ciatterelli lingered in the sanctuary talking to well-wishers and reporters in a rare Newark appearance for the Republican nominee just five days before Tuesdays election. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We said hello, wished each other well, and he was very kind about what happens next Tuesday, said Ciattarelli, who sat right behind Murphy during the Mass. The GOP former assemblyman from Somerset County is running against Democratic U.S. Rep. Mikie Sherrill, who campaigned in Red Bank Thursday morning with former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, according to The Asbury Park Press. Ciattarelli was endorsed by the state Fraternal Order of Police, New Jerseys second-largest police union. The largest, the Policemens Benevolent Association, did not endorse a candidate. He called the Blue Mass an inspiring service that he was privileged to attend. We have to show the men and women in blue that we appreciate their efforts, and also celebrate those that lost their lives serving others, Ciattarelli said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Officers from Newark and other departments declined to comment on the service or their slain colleague, citing rules against speaking to the press. But retired Paterson Police Lt. Joseph Delgado said the annual Mass was a welcome event, giving officers a chance to pay their respects, reunite with old colleagues, or mix with officers from different departments. As a retiree who hung up his badge four months ago, Delgado said it was also an opportunity for him to show his appreciation for officers still on the beat, helping him rest easier. I know that theyre out there, said Delgado, who wore his police uniform. And I can put my head down and know Ill be safe. https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1BHNA_Y9xwuhi2kmzBnmLKxbYs6Cn65tabMqA-Pi9btY/edit?gid=368601624#gid=368601624 Read the original article on NJ.com. Add NJ.com as a Preferred Source by clicking here. Sling TV will pay $530,000 to settle a lawsuit from California accusing it of failing to provide an easy-to-use mechanism for consumers to stop the sale of their personal information and provide sufficient privacy protections for children. Under the deal, the Dish-owned company will streamline the opt-out process and provide parents with clear disclosures and tools to minimize the collection and use of their childrens data. More from The Hollywood Reporter Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The settlement comes amid a sweeping probe of streaming platforms suspected of violating the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), which mandates an easy way for consumers to stop the sale of their data. The law also gives users the right to know how businesses collect, share and disclose their personal information. Further agreements or lawsuits are expected to follow. We are pleased to reach a resolution with the California Department of Justice (DOJ) and have implemented privacy enhancements to address the DOJs concerns, said a Sling TV spokesperson in a statement. While we disagree with certain characterizations, Sling remains committed to respecting the privacy rights of its customers. Sling TV was identified as a target in 2024 because of its confusing process of turning off the sale of personal information. In the lawsuit, filed in California state court on the same day the settlement was announced, the company was accused of deceptively directing consumers seeking to opt out of the sale of their data to its cookie preference controls, even though cookies arent the only way the company shares personal information. Consumers who figured out that turning off cookies would not stop all selling and sharing of their information had to click through hard-to-find links and fill out a webform to actually opt out, the complaint states. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Also at issue: Sling TV neglecting to provide an opt-out method within its apps. Instead, users were required to enter a lengthy URL in a separate browser, where theyd have to navigate several additional steps. Under the CCPA, businesses that sell or share personal information for targeted advertising must give consumers a simple mechanism for opting out. Users who are using a SmartTV, for example, should be able to navigate to the settings menu on a streaming platforms app and enable the Do Not Sell My Personal Information setting. Unlike other streaming services, Sling TV didnt offer parents the ability to set a kids profile that would limit targeted advertising when children are watching, age-screen users, or obtain parental consent to collect childrens data. The settlement requires the company to designate at least one user profile for kids that, as a default, doesnt collect personal information. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Our investigative sweep looked at all the different ways consumers should be able to stop the sale of their data when using streaming services, said California Attorney General Rob Bonta in a statement. We take privacy rights seriously and Sling TV was not providing consumers an easy way to opt out of the sale of their personal data as required. Best of The Hollywood Reporter Sign up for THR's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. GREENVILLE, N.C. (WNCT) Smithfield Foods donated $150k to 30 food banks in 22 different states. The Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina and the Second Harvest Food Bank of Southeast North Carolina both received a donation from Smithfield that totaled $10k each. This is part of Smithfields Helping Hungry Homes program that aims to provide hunger relief to millions of people in the US. Smithfield believes in the power of community and the importance of supporting hunger relief, said Jim Monroe, vice president of corporate affairs for Smithfield Foods. This donation helps provide critical support to our neighbors facing hunger and reflects our continuing commitment to doing good in the places we call home. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Helping Hungry Homes has assisted hunger and disaster efforts since 2008. 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 WNCT. If the ongoing government shutdown extends into Saturday and there is every indication that it will funding will lapse for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, known as food stamps or SNAP, which helps feed some 42 million lower-income Americans. It will be the first such disruption to the federally funded but state-administered safety net program that disproportionately feeds women, children, disabled people and the elderly since it was started in its current form in the 1960s. That includes during previous government shutdowns. For example, during the longest shutdown in U.S. history 35 days in late 2018 and early 2019 during President Donald Trumps first administration the U.S. Department of Agriculture, or USDA, directed states to issue SNAP benefits early. SNAP recipients debit cards were filled and the program continued without a lapse. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This time, Republicans and Democrats are at an impasse over how to proceed, despite leaders of both parties acknowledging that a lapse in SNAP funding would be devastating for food-insecure Americans. It means that tens of millions of American families will struggle to keep food on the table because the SNAP program benefits will run dry, Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson said during a Thursday news conference. Each party is hoping that voters blame the other for the ongoing shutdown, along with its impacts on SNAP and other programs. Republicans, who control both chambers of Congress in addition to the White House, want Democrats to temporarily fund the government, including SNAP, at current levels, until a long-term funding deal can be negotiated. They need a handful of Democrats in the Senate to join them to overcome the filibuster. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Democrats, given their minority status, do not want to give up their leverage in longer-term deal negotiations by agreeing to a short-term deal. They argue it is the only hope they have to stave off the looming expiration of Affordable Care Act subsidies that could result in health care costs more than doubling for some 24 million Americans, according to the nonprofit health analysis organization KFF. Influential progressive organizing groups, including Indivisible, are encouraging congressional Democrats to hold steady until Republicans come to the table for health care negotiations. This week, as Trump traveled through Asia, he said of funding SNAP: Were going to get it done. He did not offer details as to when or how. His USDA has refused to use $5 billion in contingency funds to do so. Here are the ways that a disruption in SNAP benefits could be avoided: Pass annual government funding bill(s) The federal governments fiscal year runs from October 1 to September 30. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The annual appropriations process begins when the president submits their budget request to congressional leaders on the first Monday in February. Appropriators in the House and Senate then draft and negotiate 12 separate bills to fund various parts of the government. Often, these bills are combined into one large piece of legislation thats called an omnibus bill. The funding levels for some programs like Medicare and Social Security are set by other laws and are not a part of the appropriations process. It would be all but impossible for Congress to pass an annual appropriations bill before SNAP benefits are disrupted. There are virtually no negotiations happening between Republican and Democratic appropriators and leaders. Johnson has not called House lawmakers back to Washington since the government closed, in the process blocking the swearing-in of Arizona Democrat Adelita Grijalva, who was elected more than a month ago in a special election. In the Senate, Republican Majority Leader John Thune has presided over a series of votes leaders from both parties knew would fail on a short-term measure to keep the government open while a long-term funding bill is negotiated. Pass a continuing resolution The congressional appropriations process has broken down in recent years, and Congress has increasingly relied on one or more stop-gap bills called continuing resolutions to keep government programs funded, usually at the same levels as the prior fiscal year. These short-term measures buy time to negotiate an annual bill. Republicans want to pass a continuing resolution that would fund the government at current levels through November 21. Democrats believe agreeing to the short-term measure would remove any leverage they have to renew the expiring health care subsidies because it is not a GOP priority to protect Democratic former President Barack Obamas Affordable Care Act. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Congress approving a continuing resolution to fund the government at current levels for several weeks, including the SNAP program, would require Democrats giving up on their demands or health care negotiations between the two parties, which arent happening. Pass stand-alone legislation Democratic Sen. Ben Ray Lujan of New Mexico introduced the Keep SNAP and WIC Funded Act of 2025 that would require the USDA to release existing contingency funds to fund the nutrition programs for the duration of the government shutdown. (WIC is shorthand for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children.) It has the support of the entire Senate Democratic Caucus. New Mexico is the state with the highest rate of SNAP participation in the country. Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri, meanwhile, introduced GOP legislation to fund SNAP through the shutdown called the Keep SNAP Funded Act of 2025. It has support from at least 10 other Senate Republicans: Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Susan Collins of Maine, Bernie Moreno and Jon Husted of Ohio, James Lankford of Oklahoma, Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee, Kevin Cramer of North Dakota, Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, Katie Britt of Alabama and John Cornyn of Texas. Also, Democratic Sen. Peter Welch of Vermont co-sponsored Hawleys bill. Minority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York said this week that Democrats would vote for Hawleys bill if the Republican support exists to pass it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But Thune would need to bring either bill up for a vote for it to have a chance to pass. As of Thursday evening, he had not committed to doing so. New Mexico Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham (center) announces the state will temporarily backfill SNAP benefits during an Oct. 29 news conference outside a grocery store in Albuquerque, New Mexico. (Susan Montoya Bryan/AP Photo) USDA releases contingency funds USDA has never allowed SNAP to go unfunded, including in the 2018-2019 government shutdown that was the longest in history. USDA had a plan in place to fund SNAP during a government shutdown but, as NOTUS reported this week, the document detailing the plan recently disappeared from the agencys website. In a partisan document obtained by Politico that places the shutdown blame on Democrats, USDA said that it cannot legally use its $5 billion in contingency funds for SNAP during the shutdown because the agency must keep it on hand for natural disasters and other emergencies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Twenty-five states led by Democrats have sued the USDA over its refusal to use contingency funds for SNAP and asked a federal court in Massachusetts to compel disbursement. A ruling is expected as early as Friday. During a Thursday hearing, U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani seemed skeptical the Trump administration could cut off SNAP funding without using contingency funds, saying: You are not going to make everyone drop dead because its a political game someplace. States step in to fund SNAP Leaders in more than a dozen states mostly Democrats have said they will use state funds to either fund SNAP or bolster other nutrition programs until the shutdown ends. Gov. Jeff Landry, the Republican leading Louisiana, where about one-fifth of the population participates in SNAP, said that he will use state money to fund the program through November 4. In Vermont, which is led by GOP Gov. Phil Scott and a Democratic-controlled legislature, $6.3 million in state funds will be used to fund SNAP and $250,000 more will go to the states food bank system. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Marylands Democratic governor, Wes Moore, said Thursday he would direct $10 million to food banks to help SNAP recipients weather the continued shutdown and lapse in funding. New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, also a Democrat, declared a state of emergency in order to authorize an additional $65 million in nutrition assistance for food banks and other programs. While the sums of money sound large, experts say in many cases state efforts would cover only days or at best weeks of food assistance for the individuals and families losing SNAP benefits. News that represents you, in your inbox every weekday. Subscribe to our free, daily newsletter. On the occasion of National Unity Day, several captivating programs were organised at the Parade Ground in Ekta Nagar in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday. Among them were a joint weapon drill performed by women personnel of the Gujarat Police and CRPF, a traditional martial arts demonstration by CISF, a motorcycle daredevil show by Assam Police, an unarmed combat (UAC) performance by CRPF, a dog show by BSF, and a special presentation by NCC based on the theme "Vallabhbhai Sardar Hamare." These impressive displays of skill, strength, and discipline by various forces left the audience spellbound. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel's grandson Gautam Patel, on the occasion of his 150th birth anniversary, celebrated as Rashtriya Ekta Diwas, stated that the young generation will remember Sardar Patel through the Statue of Unity. "It was nice to see history. New generations will learn about him (Sardar Patel). Those who didn't see him will see and remember him through this (statue of unity). Very little has been written about what happened in India at that time... Gandhiji convinced everyone to leave their jobs and engage in Satyagraha in 1930. It took twenty years to achieve Swaraj..." he said. Earlier on Friday, PM Modi paid floral tribute to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on his 150th Jayanti at the Statue of Unity in Nandi, Gujarat. PM Modi remembered the great leader with folded hands and offered sincere homage to Sardar Patel. He participated in the Rashtriya Ekta Diwas parade at the Statue of Unity. The parade was led by the women personnel. The oath-taking parade ceremony was led by IPS Simran Bhardwaj of the Gujarat cadre. PM Modi, accompanied by thousands of participants, took the pledge to preserve the unity of the nation. "I solemnly swear that I will dedicate myself to the preservation of the unity, integrity, and security of the nation. I will also make every effort to spread this message among my countrymen. I take this oath in the spirit of my country's unity, which was made possible by the foresight and hard work of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. I also resolve to do my part to ensure the internal security of my country," he pledged. Sardar Patel was born on October 31, 1875, in Nandia, Gujarat. Also known as the "Iron Man of India," he was the nation's first Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister. He is widely recognised for his pivotal role in the integration of over 560 princely states after the Independence. His leadership ensured that India emerged as a unified and dignified nation during the direst time. (ANI) Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits are set to come to a halt for more than 40 million Americans come Nov. 1. Nearly 1.88 million people are expected to be impacted in Illinois, according to data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Peoria-area organizations are preparing to respond to increased needs. Dream Center Peoria will partner with area churches to collect non-perishable food and toiletries. The Peoria Area Food Pantry, meanwhile, said it recently saw record numbers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I'm hearing from the people we serve that they already cannot access their SNAP benefits, an Oct. 30 post from the pantry stated. For those in the community that have the means, we will need your help more than ever to help these folks feed their families. More: Pritzker says Illinois will not be able to fill in gap if SNAP benefits expire in November How many people receive SNAP benefits in the Peoria area? According to data from the Illinois Department of Human Services, more than 38,000 people in Peoria and Woodford counties received SNAP benefits in August. In Tazewell County, that number was 15,675. Below is a non-comprehensive list of food pantries in Peoria and Tazewell counties. Some locations may require identification. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Reach out to CWaigand@gannett.com if you have additional information to be added. More: SNAP benefits won't go out Nov. 1. 'The well has run dry,' USDA says. Resources in Peoria County Bartonville Food Pantry at 4900 W. Pfeiffer Road, Bartonville Hours : 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Mondays Phone : (309) 697-1520 Website: https://bartonville.churchcenter.com/pages/food-pantry Bradley Epworth Church at 1316 W. Columbia Terrace, Peoria Hours: 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. on the first Friday of each month Phone: (309) 673-1330 Website: https://www.bradleyepworth.com/foodpantry/ Church of Christ Northwest at 7722 N. Allen Road, Peoria Hours: Noon to 12:45 p.m. the second Tuesday each month Phone: (309) 693-2426 Website: https://www.cocnw.org/missions.html Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Community Food Pantry at 817 W. Armstrong Ave., Peoria Hours: 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesdays Phone: (773) 809-6754 Website: https://www.productoftheproject.org/general-8 East Bluff Community Center at 512 E. Kansas St., Peoria Hours: 8:30 a.m. to noon the first four Saturdays of each month. A hot community meal is included. Phone: (309) 839-0781 Website: https://www.eastbluffcommunitycenter.org/ The First Baptist Church Food Pantry at 301 E. Elm St., Canton Hours: 8 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. on Mondays Phone: (309) 647-7241 Website: https://www.cantonfbc.org/food-pantry.html First United Methodist Church at 116 NE Perry Ave., Peoria Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hours: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays Phone: (309) 673-3641 Website: https://fumcpeoria.org/loaves-and-fish Fulton Sheen Food Pantry at 615 NE Jefferson St., Peoria Hours: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Fridays Phone: (309) 966-4488 Website: https://www.cdop.org/ccpeoria More: Pritzker directs $20M to Illinois food banks amid SNAP uncertainty Hand Up Peoria Inc. at 1419 S. Folkers Ave., Peoria Hours: 10 a.m. to noon Thursdays Phone: (309) 222-6377 Website: https://www.facebook.com/Handuppeoriainc/ Heavens View Christian Fellowship at 602 W. Richmond Ave., Peoria Hours: 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays. People can visit the food pantry once per month Phone: (309) 682-2360 Website: https://www.heavensviewcf.org/ministries Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Neighborhood House Food Pantry at 1020 S. Matthew St., Peoria Hours: 10 a.m. to noon or until boxes have been distributed on the second and fourth Thursday of each month Phone: (309) 674-1131 Website: https://www.nhpeoria.org/programs/sunday-meals-food-pantry/ Peoria Area Food Pantry at 721 W. McBean St., Peoria Hours: Wednesdays from 9 a.m. until 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. until 6 p.m. Starting Nov. 1, emergency food boxes will be available from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays Phone: ( 309) 671-3906 Website: https://pafpantry.org/ Peoria First Food Pantry at 4020 N. Brandywine Drive, Peoria Hours: 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. once a month. Those in need are encouraged to call. In 2025, the pantry will be held on Nov. 14 and Dec. 12. Phone: (309) 685-5291 Website: https://peoriafirst.org/food-pantry Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Peoria Friendship House of Christian Service at 800 NE Madison Ave., Peoria Hours: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday. Delivery is available from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday Phone: (309) 671-5200 Website: https://www.friendship.house/pantry-on-the-move Redeemer Lutheran Church at 6801 N. Allen Road, Peoria Hours: 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Mondays and 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Fridays Phone: (309) 693-9214 https://www.redeemerlutheran.com/careministry Richland Bridge Community Service at 5114 E. Richland Ave., Chillicothe Hours: 9 a.m. to noon Thursdays Phone: (309) 274-9117 Website: https://richlandbridgeil.adventistchurch.org/neighbors-connect/community-services- Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Riverside Peoria Fridge at 207 NE Monroe St., Peoria Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday Phone: (309) 676-7700 Website: https://www.riversidepeoria.com/fridge Sophia's Kitchen at 105 N. Richard Pryor Place, Peoria Hours: The food pantry operates from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Fridays. Sophias Kitchen also serves meals from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday Phone: (309) 655-1578 Website: https://www.catholicpeoria.org/sophias-kitchen A feeling of 'home': Beloved Peoria restaurant honored ahead of 100-year anniversary Resources in Tazewell County Bethel Food Pantry at 325 E. Queenwood Road, Morton Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Pantry info: Food boxes are available the first and third Fridays of each month for those who have called the church. Those in need of a box should call by noon the Tuesday before pick up. Phone: (309)-263-2417 Website: https://www.bethelmorton.org/foodpantry Community Harvest serves Tazewell County residents at 1901 S. Fourth Ave., Morton Hours: 10 a.m. to noon on Saturdays Phone: (309) 266-9510 Website: https://www.communityharvestmorton.com/ Creve Coeur Christian Church at 101 S. Thorncrest Ave., Creve Coeur Hours: 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. on the first and third Tuesday of each month Phone: (309) 699-8421 Website: https://ccchristianchurch.com/ Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement East Peoria Food Pantry at 154 E. Washington St., East Peoria Hours: 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Mondays. The pantry serves those in the 61611 zip code Phone: (309) 699-5417 Website: https://www.epfumc.com/ministries More: SNAP benefits are under scrutiny. Here are a few things to know about the USDA program Enough Stuff Club at 422 E. Washington St., Suite 100, East Peoria Hours: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday Phone: (309) 868-2684 Website: https://www.enoughstuffclub.com/ Evangelical United Methodist Church at 401 Walnut St., Washington Hours: 7 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. In 2025, the pantry will operate Nov. 15 and Dec. 13. Phone: (309) 444-3228 Website: https://evanumc.org/food-pantry Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Liberty Baptist Church at 2105 Sheridan Road, Pekin Hours: 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Thursdays Phone: (309) 347-7158 Website: https://www.facebook.com/libertybaptistchurchsbc The HOPE Cupboard at 1416 N. 8th St., Pekin Hours: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesday and 1 p.m. to 3:45 p.m. Thursday. People can attend once per month Phone: (309) 620- 9043 Website: https://thehopechestil.com/ Washington Helps Its People at 1235 Peoria St., Washington Hours: 8:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. first and third Wednesday of each month. The pantry is only for residents of the 61571 zip code. Phone: (309) 657-6480 Website: https://www.whipfoodpantry.org/ Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We Care Food Pantry at 622 W. Jackson St., Morton Hours: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Tuesdays for Morton residents. Appointments are required. Phone: (309) 291-3421 Website: https://wecareofmorton.com/food-pantry/ More: 9 Tazewell County establishments had perfect food inspections in September Finding other pantries near you Community members can search for other food pantries online at: Eastern Illinois Foodbank Food Finder : https://www.eifoodbank.org/map.html Heart of Illinois 2-1-1 : https://211hoi.myresourcedirectory.com/ Find Food Illinois : https://eat-move-save.extension.illinois.edu/#food-finder Woodford County Food Pantries : https://www.woodford-county.org/548/Woodford-County-Food-Pantries United Way Pekin local food pantries list: https://www.unitedwayofpekin.org/local-food-pantries This article originally appeared on Journal Star: SNAP benefits update: Here are food pantries in Peoria, Tazewell counties ATLANTA Time is ticking in Georgia for millions who rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Benefits could be paused as soon as Saturday, November 1, if Congress fails to reach a resolution to end the ongoing federal government shutdown. More than 1.4 million Georgians, including over 600,000 children, rely on SNAP benefits roughly one in eight residents across the state, according to data from the Georgia Department of Human Services. Democratic lawmakers are urging Governor Brian Kemp to call a special legislative session to tap into Georgias $15 billion budget surplus to help families affected by the federal funding lapse. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement These are cooks, agriculture workers, hairdressers, and nursing aides who lose their benefits on Saturday, said Jason Esteves, former state senator and current gubernatorial candidate. Its incumbent on the governor of the state to step up and act where the federal government is failing. Governor Kemp has pushed back, saying he is calling on federal lawmakers including Senators Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock to work together to reopen the government. He added that there is currently no mechanism to load state funds onto federal EBT cards, limiting what the state can do administratively. Esteves disagreed, saying Georgia could take emergency measures. Those are excuses for rejecting his responsibility to the people of Georgia, Esteves said. He can mobilize the Georgia National Guard to help serve food pantries and food banks, like other states have done. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Georgia Department of Human Services says SNAP recipients can still use any unspent EBT benefits through November, even if no new funds are issued during the shutdown. For those in need of food assistance, resources and local food banks can be found at FeedingGeorgia.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 WJBF. Floridians who rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program to buy food will be impacted in the coming days if the government shutdown continues. SNAP, sometimes known as "food stamps," is a U.S. federal program designed to help low-income individuals and families afford nutritious food. It provides monthly benefits via an Electronic Benefits Transfer card that can be used to buy groceries at authorized retailers, including supermarkets and convenience stores. The government shutdown began just after midnight on Oct. 1. As of Oct. 30, it is the 15th shutdown since 1981 and is the second-longest in U.S. history. The longest shutdown lasted 35 days in 2019. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to USA TODAY, several measures from both Republicans and Democrats, including bills that would pay federal workers and save safety-net programs from running out of money even as the government stays shuttered, have failed. In the meantime, attorneys general and governors from 25 Democrat-led states filed a lawsuit on Oct. 28 in an attempt to force the Trump administration to fund the program. Here's what Floridians relying on SNAP need to know ahead of November. Will SNAP benefits go out in November? No. Florida's Department of Children and Families' website displayed the following message: "The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) administered through the Florida Department of Children and Families is funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, a federal agency whose funding is affected by the federal government shutdown. Until federal funding resumes, Floridians will not receive SNAP benefits." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They do note that while Floridians may receive notices about their eligible benefit amount, they will not receive any benefits deposited to their EBT card during this time. The USDA website also displayed a statement regarding SNAP benefits, targeting Democratic lawmakers. "Senate Democrats have now voted 12 times to not fund the food stamp program, also known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Bottom line, the well has run dry," read a message posted to the USDA website. Why can't USDA use contingency funds for SNAP? USDA said it can't use contingency funds to pay for the program, prompting the lawsuit from 28 states. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to USA TODAY, the department previously issued a shutdown contingency plan, which said a reserve of contingency funds could be used to pay benefits directly. However, the agency warned that SNAP and WIC were in jeopardy, and the plan was ultimately removed from its website. In a letter shared with USA TODAY, the USDA said the contingency money is available only "to supplement regular monthly benefits when amounts have been appropriated for, but are insufficient to cover, benefits." "The contingency fund is not available to support FY 2026 regular benefits, because the appropriation for regular benefits no longer exists," the letter said. However, the lawsuit states that this claim is "contrary to the plain text of the congressional appropriations law, which states that the reserves are for use 'in such amounts and at such times as may become necessary to carry out program operations' under the Food and Nutrition Act of 2008." How many Florida residents rely on SNAP benefits? According to USAFacts, approximately 2.98 million Floridians utilized SNAP during fiscal year 2024, which accounts for 12.7% of the states population. This represents a slightly larger percentage than the 12.3% of Americans receiving benefits nationwide, which is approximately 42 million People. Can those relying on SNAP use existing funds on their EBT card? Yes, Florida's website notes that existing funds can be used in November. Will SNAP applications still be processed and accepted in Florida? The department will continue to process applications as usual. They request that you refrain from resubmitting an application, as this may delay the processing of your benefits. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They also state that renewal requirements are still in effect during the shutdown, and those receiving a renewal notice should complete it when it is due. What happened to SNAP benefits during the previous shutdown? During the 2018-2019 shutdown, the USDA paid February benefits early, at the end of January, and Congress passed emergency funding to ensure payments continued in March. This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: SNAP food stamps ending in Florida? Here's what to know Key Points SNAP benefits have been limited due to the ongoing government shutdown. Restaurants and cafes nationwide are offering free meals to those impacted. Some businesses require a SNAP card, while others offer help with no questions asked. As the federal government shutdown continues on, benefits like the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) are in jeopardy. SNAP benefits were set to run out on November 1, and though the White House plans to issue limited SNAP payments for this month, it's unclear how long these payments will go on and how much they will be able to cover. In the meantime, many cafes, restaurants and shops are stepping up to try and fill the looming gap that no SNAP funding could leave. More than 40 million Americans receive SNAP benefits, and around 30% of those recipients are children. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Last week, the Portland, Oregon, coffee shop Heretic shared on Instagram that, starting November 1, if you come in and ask for the SNAP breakfast, you can get a free meal at no charge. The shops owner has shared that he plans to continue the free breakfast program until the cafe can no longer afford it. The shop has set up donation options in store and online. At the time of writing, Heretic has raised more than $280,000. This local independent coffee shop isnt the only place trying to help out those in needall across the country, restaurants, farmers markets and grocery stores are stepping up to support their communities. Portland Perhaps taking the lead from Heretic or maybe on their own, many Portland-area restaurants have said they are offering SNAP meals, including local chains like Laughing Planet and Grassa, which is offering free meals for children when you show your SNAP card. Theres no purchase necessary. Even donut shops like Mikiko Mochi, Donut Land and Delicious Donuts are offering free breakfast itemsjust check out their social media posts so you know what to ask for and whether youll need your SNAP card on hand. Philadelphia The city of brotherly love didnt hesitate to offer options to Philadelphia residents who depend on SNAP benefits to make ends meet. For instance, on November 3, Mary will offer family meals to those affected by the government shutdownso if youve been furloughed from a government job, youre invited, too. Stop by between 4 and 6 p.m. and feel free to RSVP in advance so the restaurant staff know how much food they should be preparing. Juana Tamale is also offering free meals (or pay-what-you-can) for kids and some deals for adults, too. Philly Magazine has rounded up even more resources to help folks make it through. Bay Area The Bay Area in California is one of the most expensive places to live in the U.S., which means those who rely on SNAP to help with groceries may really struggle to get through without benefits. As the San Francisco Chronicle has reported, many restaurants throughout the Bay are offering free or reduced meals, including Puerto Rican Street Cuisine, Monster Pho and Understory in Oakland, several San Francisco restaurants and even the traveling cart Shrimpin Aint Easy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Midwest The middle of America isnt leaving its people behind either. Taco Johns, a chain that serves 22 states, has announced that they will offer a free Community Support Meala burrito and small side of tater totsto anyone who asks during the weekend of October 31 to November 2. In Kansas City, the local news outlet Fox 4 has a list of restaurants with free or reduced food in the area. In Ohio, Chicken Salad Chick is offering some free kids meals, while libraries and other resources offer free snacks, as NBC 4 reports. Online Food delivery company DoorDash has also launched an emergency food response. They have pledged to deliver 1 million meals for free and partner with food banks involved in Project Dash. Theyre also waiving fees on 300,000 orders placed on groceries by SNAP recipients. Grocery delivery service GoPuff is offering a $50 credit on SNAP eligible items if ordered through their system. The Bottom Line Keep in mind that some of the local spots dont ask for verification of SNAP eligibility, while some of the online ones require you to input your SNAP information. Some places are providing meals for children only, while others are donating to adults as well. Look up the individual locations beforehand to make sure its the best fit for your needs. Food banks and food pantries are disbursed throughout the United States, and are compiled on a few databases. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If you are in a position to donate, even a couple dollars can make a big difference to these organizations and businesses who are donating time and resources to help their communities. Donate to food banks nationwide through charities like Feeding America, or find your own nearby food bank locally. Read the original article on EatingWell (This story was updated to correct an error and to add a comment.) In the eleventh hour, a federal judge has ruled that the Trump administration must continue paying Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits into November in a case brought by the city of Columbus and a coalition of other cities and nonprofits. U.S. District Judge John J. McConnell Jr., a federal judge in Rhode Island, granted the temporary restraining order at an afternoon virtual hearing on Oct. 31. He ruled from the bench minutes after a federal judge in Massachusetts ruled the suspension of SNAP was likely unlawful in a separate case brought by Democrat-led states. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More on SNAP loss in November: Communities rally support while fighting 'constant fear' ahead of SNAP loss in November More than 40 million Americans receive SNAP, including over 1.4 million Ohioans and nearly 180,000 Franklin County residents. Justice Department attorney Tyler Becker argued the shutdown does not constitute a crisis and the U.S. Department of Agriculture is not required to tap into about $6 billion in contingency funds held by the agency. A month of SNAP benefits costs the federal government over $8 billion. McConnell said the government must fund SNAP using at least the contingency funds. He noted that SNAP benefits have never until now been terminated during shutdowns. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "There is no doubt and it is beyond argument that irreparable harm will begin to occur if it hasn't already occurred in the terror it has caused some people about the availability of funding for food for their family," McConnell said during the hearing. Attorneys for the plaintiffs from the liberal legal advocacy group Democracy Forward said this is an emergency. Attorneys said SNAP beneficiaries have testified they would have to make tough decisions between paying for food and paying for other necessities like rent if their benefits dont come. Attorney Jyoti Jasrasaria also pointed to cities diverting local funds to food, like Columbus allocating $25,000 for the Mid-Ohio Food Collective. In the United States of America, hunger should never be used as a political weapon," Columbus City Attorney Zach Klein said in an emailed statement. "This decision is a lifeline for Columbus children, families, seniors, veterans and all those whose lives would have been upended had their food security been ripped away from them in the next 24 hours." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He also urged Congress to reopen the government and end the uncertainty for everyone impacted by the shutdown. A spokesperson for Gov. Mike DeWine said his office is reviewing the court decision and couldn't immediately say whether it will affect DeWine's executive order to issue up to $25 million for food banks and 63,000 low-income Ohioans. Government and politics reporter Jordan Laird can be reached at jlaird@dispatch.com. Follow her on X, Instagram and Bluesky at @LairdWrites. This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Judges side with Columbus, others and rule Trump admin must pay SNAP NEW YORK (PIX11) Millions of New Yorkers are hoping they will still be able to eat after Saturday, when federal funding for SNAP is set to run out amid the month-long government shutdown. A federal judges ruling could press Washington to take emergency measures to feed those in need. New York and New Jersey are among the 25 states, including Washington, D.C. that are suing the Trump Administration. More Local News Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its a concerted effort to force Washington to reverse the shutdown of SNAP food benefits that feed millions nationwide. No SNAP benefits for me means I will not eat, period, blank. I wont eat breakfast, I wont eat lunch, and I wont eat dinner. I just wont eat, said New York City resident Cindy Rivera. More: Latest News from Around the Tri-State I dont have a decent meal or resources to feed myself, I most likely will die because my health is already declining struggling in the city is not easy. Rivera is joining a rally in Lower Manhattan demanding elected officials save funding for the countys Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Make PIX11 your preferred news source on Google: Heres how The U.S. Department of Agriculture blames congressional democrats, saying they voted a dozen times against supporting the program, which feeds an estimated more than 40 million Americans each month and roughly 3 million in New York State. In Boston, a federal judge is reviewing a legal challenge to the SNAP cut-off. New York AG Letitia James is also joining more than a dozen states and Washington, D.C., to force the government to tap into billions of emergency funding to fill the gap as the government remains shut down. New York and New Jersey are turning to their own funding to feed families, but saying those dollars can only stretch so far. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Food assistance funding is on the line as Nov. 1 also means the start of open enrollment for healthcare premiums under the Affordable Healthcare Act. Health policy research firm KFF says the cost will skyrocket, estimating a single adult in New York earning $50,000 a year would see their monthly $270 premium jump by more than $140. For families across the tri-state, the back-to-back hits of potentially losing food assistance plus rising healthcare costs are devastating. Thats why a number of local organizations are encouraging those who can, to donate food or give money to help. 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. Ahead of a court order directing President Donald Trump's administration to use existing federal funds to support the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) during the federal government shutdown, Attorney General Dana Nessel said it would still take days for food assistance funds to actually land in the pockets of the low-income Michiganders who rely on them. "I mean it takes time to get this done, and it just can't be done overnight, and that's why unfortunately we really are going to have to rely on the food banks and the food pantries to cover the time period," Nessel said during an Oct. 31 news conference at the Capuchin Services Center, a food pantry in Detroit. She made the remarks hours before a federal ruling came down ordering the U.S. Department of Agriculture to fund SNAP in response to the multi-state lawsuit that included Michigan. The pause in SNAP benefits slated to start Nov. 1 leaves food banks still scrambling to take unprecedented steps to try to plug that hole. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani indicated Oct. 31 that the Trump administration must pay the benefits during the shutdown and set a deadline for informing the court how it will pay for them. Nessel celebrated the outcome. "I am grateful that the Court has agreed that the USDA is obligated to spend available funding to support food assistance and prevent Americans from going hungry," she said in a statement. In Michigan, nearly 1.4 million people receive SNAP benefits supported by an average $260 million a month from the federal government, according to State Budget Office Director of Communications Lauren Leeds. During the news conference, Nessel described a "staggered process" for putting money onto a Bridge Card used by a SNAP recipient to purchase food. Funds first go out from the USDA to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) before any dollars are loaded onto the cards, Nessel said."So unfortunately the remedy even if it's ordered today may not be quick enough for tomorrow's scheduled deposits. In fact, we know it won't," Nessel said. "Any pause in food benefits, even just for a day, will cause immediate harm to nearly 13% of our state." Nessel spokesperson Kim Bush said it takes about three days to load money to SNAP recipients' cards once MDHHS receives funding from the federal government. It's not clear how long it takes for the USDA to transmit funding to MDHHS. The Associated Press has reported that the process for reloading benefit cards often takes about one to two weeks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement MDHHS spokesperson Lynn Sutfin did not provide a concrete timeline for restoring benefits. "USDA Food and Nutrition Services has until Monday to determine if it will transfer additional available funding to ensure full SNAP benefits are available for November. MDHHS will do everything in its power to expedite payments to the 1.4 million SNAP recipients in Michigan once we receive USDA's determination," she said in an emailed statement Oct. 31. Federal Government Shutdown in Michigan: Michigan lawmakers vote to provide state funds if federal SNAP money expires Gleaners Community Food Bank of Southeastern Michigan President and CEO Gerry Brisson celebrated the $4.5 million Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's administration has directed toward the Food Bank Council of Michigan, which will provide a boost to food banks across the state. But he said food banks alone cannot fill the gap left by a pause in SNAP benefits. "So let's not pretend that no matter how hard we try is enough. That SNAP program helps so many people. It is a massively important program and we're not going to replace it no matter how hard we try at the food bank level. That doesn't mean we're not going to push hard. We are," he said during Nessel's news conference. "But let's get the government open, ok?" Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Michigan lawmakers have also taken steps to secure supplemental funding to blunt the impact of a pause in SNAP benefits, but those proposals remain in limbo. "Our system was not designed for us to be here," said state Rep. Tonya Myers Phillips, D-Detroit, at the news conference, during which she noted that the federally-funded SNAP program cannot be replaced long-term with state dollars. She called her bill to appropriate $600 million in state funding for SNAP a "temporary fix" that would maintain SNAP benefits through the end of the year. Is the federal shutdown affecting you? We'd love to connect. Reach out at votervoices@freepress.com. (This story was updated to add new information.) Contact Clara Hendrickson at chendrickson@freepress.com or 313-296-5743. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Nessel: Court order can't restore SNAP benefits 'overnight' Vice-President of India CP Radhakrishnan on Friday addressed delegates attending the 3rd edition of the International Strategic Engagement Programme (IN-STEP) at the Vice-President's Enclave. In a post shared on X, Vice-President of India said, "Hon'ble Vice-President Shri C. P. Radhakrishnan addressed the delegates of the 3rd Edition of the International Strategic Engagement Programme (IN-STEP) at the Vice-President's Enclave today." https://x.com/VPIndia/status/1984223757469405358 "IN-STEP is an initiative that serves as a strategic dialogue platform for senior national security officers from India and friendly foreign nations. The 3rd edition of the programme features 44 delegates, including 32 international participants from 24 countries," the post further read. Highlighting the importance of collective global cooperation, "The Vice-President said that IN-STEP brings together Global South countries to engage strategically, think globally, and act in cohesion for a better tomorrow." Earlier today, Vice President CP Radhakrishnan paid tributes to India's first Home Minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on the occasion of his 150th birth anniversary at the Vice President's enclave (Uparashtrapati Bhavan). The Vice President also administered the Rashtriya Ekta Diwas (National Unity Day) pledge. Meanwhile, Vice President CP Radhakrishnan on Thursday paid tribute to freedom fighter Pasumpon Muthuramalinga Thevar at his memorial in Pasumpon on the 63rd guru pooja (his death anniversary) and 118th birth anniversary. Speaking at the event, the Vice President described Muthuramalinga Thevar as a great saint who upheld high spirituality throughout his political journey. He further said that Thevar was the most trusted lieutenant of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose. "Pasumpon Muthuramalinga Thevar was the most trusted lieutenant of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose. I even today believe, though I do not have any evidence with me, that Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose did not die in that plane crash. The only reason was announced by Muthuramalinga Thevar that Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose never died in that plane crash, and I met him. I believe his words because throughout his life, he never said even a single lie. He is a great saint. He followed high spirituality in his political journey. That is his greatness. We are proud to pay our respect to him on his birth as well as his death anniversary," VP Radhakrishnan said during the address. Earlier, during his maiden visit to Tamil Nadu as Vice-President, Radhakrishnan offered prayers at various temples in Tiruppur. In a post shared on X, the Vice-President of India said, "Hon'ble Vice-President Shri C. P. Radhakrishnan offered prayers at temples in his hometown, Tiruppur, during his maiden visit to Tamil Nadu after assuming office." Later, he attended a grand felicitation programme organised in his honour, where he received an enthusiastic welcome from the people of Tiruppur. "Hon'ble Vice-President Shri C. P. Radhakrishnan attended a felicitation programme in his hometown, Tiruppur. He was accorded a warm welcome by the people of Tiruppur. The Vice-President expressed his gratitude to the people for their affection and support and fondly recalled the pivotal role his teachers played in shaping his life," said an X post by Vice-President of India. Addressing the gathering, Radhakrishnan encouraged the youth to remain focused on their goals and pursue them with determination. He reminded them that ups and downs are inevitable, but emphasised that consistent efforts ultimately lead to success."He urged youngsters to pursue their goals with focus and determination, without getting distracted. He emphasised that ups and downs are a natural part of life, and only those who make consistent efforts ultimately succeed," the post read. "Shri C. P. Radhakrishnan also highlighted Tiruppur's role as a symbol of entrepreneurship and expressed confidence that the region's exports will double in the coming years," the post further read. (ANI) Key Points As the government shutdown halts federal funding, more than 40 million Americans who rely on SNAP benefits could temporarily lose access to grocery assistance starting November 1. Instacart announced a $5 million initiative offering active SNAP customers 50% off their next grocery order, up to $50, and expands its Community Carts program to support more than 300 Feeding America partner food banks. The campaign aims to provide immediate relief for families facing SNAP disruptions while helping food banks nationwide prepare for increased demand during the shutdown. More than 40 million Americans rely on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) each month, which provides a vital lifeline of financial support for buying groceries. However, starting November 1, those benefits might be temporarily halted due to the government shutdown. More than two dozen states are currently suing the Trump administration to release emergency funds and continue providing support; however, it seems that relief won't come until the shutdown ends. While there are several ways to find assistance, including local food banks, Instacart also wants to offer a helping hand. On Friday, Instacart announced a new grocery offer to assist families using SNAP, along with a nationwide food bank drive to support hundreds of food banks across the country as they prepare for increasing demand. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Starting this week, Instacart is offering active SNAP customers 50% off their next grocery order, up to $50, which it says is "designed to immediately help families stretch their grocery dollars." The company explained that all eligible customers who used EBT SNAP benefits to buy groceries delivered via Instacart at any point in October will receive a personalized discount code via email in the coming days (check your spam folder if you haven't received one). This offer can be redeemed nationwide at any of the 30,000 stores accepting SNAP payments through Instacart. The company also added that this represents a commitment of up to $5 million in direct aid for families. (Note: The 50% off up to $50 offer is valid for 100,000 redemptions or until November 30, 2025, at midnight, whichever comes first. It cannot be combined with other discounts.) "We're committed to ensuring every family in every community can put food on the table," Dani Dudeck, the chief corporate affairs officer at Instacart, shared in a statement provided to Food & Wine. "As SNAP funding faces unprecedented disruption and food banks brace for longer lines, we're focused on practical, immediate solutions: helping families who use SNAP stretch their grocery dollars and helping food banks stock up to support their communities." Related: For 30 Years, This Report Tracked Who Goes Hungry in America the USDA Just Shut It Down Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The company is also taking things a step further by helping already stretched food banks stock up on goods. In its announcement, the company shared it's immediately expanding its nationwide Community Carts Campaign to support more than 300 Feeding America partner food banks across the U.S. The Community Carts, launched by the brand in 2022, enable anyone to donate items to their local food banks. To date, the program has helped deliver more than 200,000 items and counting. With this expansion, Instacart is adding nearly 200 additional food banks, now supporting organizations in 48 states. Find more ways to get or give assistance to those in need in our guide here. Read the original article on Food & Wine It seems that some blue states have finally snapped when it comes to President Donald Trumps administration insisting that the government shutdown is the fault of Democrats. So, theyve decided to inform visitors that if theyre panicking because Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits will be paused on Nov. 1 due to the shutdown, they can blame the GOP. The official Massachusettsstate webpage for SNAP benefits now has an alert that says, President Trump is currently choosing to not issue November SNAP benefits that help you and many families put food on the table. The alert seen on Massachusetts SNAP program page. Screenshot Mass.gov The alert expands to say: Starting in November, on a rolling basis some people will see a cut in SNAP because of changes Congressional Republicans and President Trump enacted in the One Big Beautiful Bill. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Californias social services website boasts a similar message. The federal government has shut down due to the failures of the President and Congress to continue government funding, it reads in part. The alert seen on California's social services website. Screenshot cdss.ca.gov The alerts seem to be giving Trump and the GOP a taste of their own medicine. At the beginning of the shutdown, multiple federal websites displayed pop-ups and banners that blamed Democrats for the situation. Illinois decided to play tit-for-tat as well. Federal officials with the Trump Administration have told all states that if the Republican federal government shutdown continues, it wont pay for SNAP (food stamp) benefits in November. As a result, SNAP customers will not receive November food benefits - unless there is further action from the Trump administration to reopen the government, a notice reads. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-La.) has repeatedly blamed Democrats for the extended government shutdown. Chip Somodevilla via Getty Images Last time there was a government shutdown under Trump in 2018-2019, his administration made sure people wouldnt miss their SNAP benefits. But this time around, the GOP claims that the funds just arent there. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thats a Republican choice. Thats a Trump choice, Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-Ariz.) told Stephen Colbert on Thursday night, noting theres plenty of money for food assistance right now. But what they want to do now is they want to basically pit the poor people that are on the food stamps against the middle class people that are on the Affordable Health Care Act, and basically say, Lets figure out how to get these people to fight each other, Gallego continued. So both the Republican and Donald Trump can screw them both. The crux of the government shutdown is health care. Democrats want to extend subsidies for Americans who buy health insurance from Affordable Care Act exchanges. Republicans falsely claim that Dems want to give free health care to undocumented immigrants. Meanwhile, Republicans have gone MIA amid the government shutdown, making it difficult to negotiate. Trump spent the last week touring Asia, where South Korean President Lee Jae Myung played into Trumps ego by gifting the president a golden crown. South Korean President Lee Jae Myung presented President Donald Trump with a golden crown. ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS via Getty Images While Colbert was interviewing Gallego on Thursday night, he wondered why Americans cant have affordable health care and be able to feed their families, too. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its a false choice, though, isnt it? Colbert asked Gallego. Shouldnt we be able to do both? Politics: Nicki Minaj Praises Trump For Speaking Out About Christians Being Slaughtered In Nigeria It is a false choice, Gallego replied. And like in a great country like ours, you can do both, right? With great leaders, you can do both. We dont have a great leader in the White House right now, right? Its just thats just a fact. He continued: But we have a man that wants to split us more than he wants to unite us and actually take care of us. Thats the problem that we have right now. And instead of actually being a leader, hes off going overseas to get an affirmation from all these other countries that he is a leader. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The best way to be a leader for this country is actually be here and lead, Gallego concluded. You dont need a crown to prove that. Political Updates Read the original on HuffPost As the government shutdown continues, Social Security recipients may be concerned about their benefits. Rest assured, Social Security and Supplemental Social Security checks will continue as usual since they are not reliant on congressional approval. Most of the nearly 74 million who get Social Security benefits receive them on Wednesdays throughout the month. For instance, if your birthdate falls between the first and 10th of the month, you are paid on the second Wednesday of the month, which is Nov. 12; between the 11th and 20th, youre paid on the third Wednesday (Nov. 19), and if you were born after the 20th of the month, you get paid on the fourth Wednesday of the month (Nov. 26), according to the Social Security Administrations calendar. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Here's what to know about the Social Security payment for 2025 and when checks will go out in November. November 2025 Social Security payment schedule The Social Security Administrations yearly distribution schedules for 2025 and 2026 are available online so that you can use the calendar for budgeting purposes. Regular Social Security retirement benefits will be sent out on the SSAs usual schedule: Nov. 12: Birth dates between the first and 10th of the month. Nov. 19: Birth dates between the 11th and the 20th of the month. Nov. 26: Birth dates between the 21st and the 31st of the month. No SSI payments coming in November Beneficiaries who get Supplemental Security Income (SSI) received two checks in October, but they will not receive a check in November. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When the first of the month falls on a federal holiday or a weekend, SSI benefits are issued early. Since Nov. 1 falls on a Saturday, the November check was sent out on Oct. 31. The next check SSI recipients will receive will be the December check on Dec. 1. They will also receive the January 2025 check on Dec. 31. About 7.4 million Americans who may be disabled or have limited resources get monthly SSI benefit payments. About half of those who get SSI also get Social Security. SSI payment schedule for 2025 Supplemental Security Income checks will be sent out on the following dates in 2025, according to the SSA calendar. Friday, Oct. 31, 2025 (Check for November 2025) Monday, Dec. 1, 2025 (Check for December 2025) Wednesday, Dec. 31, 2025 (Check for January 2026) Is Social Security affected by government shutdown? Though the furloughs have limited which services are available, Social Security and Supplemental Security Income payments will continue as usual. These benefit programs are not dependent on congressional approval, so the ongoing standoff between lawmakers does not impact Social Security payments. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, receipients may find roadblocks on completeing certain Social Security-related tasks or a delay in cost-of-living adjustment information being announced. Social Security offices are still open during the shutdown, but only some services are available. Per SSA, the following services are still available: Applying for benefits Requesting an appeal Changing address or direct deposit information Accepting reports of death Verifying or changing citizenship status Replacing a lost or missing Social Security payment Issuing a critical payment Changing a representative payee Processing a change in living arrangement or income (SSI recipients only) Issuing new or replacement Social Security cards The following Social Security services are unavailable during the shutdown: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Replacing a Medicare card Issuing a proof of income letter Updating or correcting earnings record. Social Security offices in Arizona There are more than a dozen Social Security offices in Arizona. To find the office nearest you, visit ssa.gov/locator. Apache Junction : 253 W. Superstition Blvd. Casa Grande : 1637 E. Monument Plaza Circle Chinle : Tseyi Shopping Center on Highway 191 Douglas : 600 E. 15th St. Flagstaff : 2715 S. Woodlands Village Blvd. Glendale : 5907 W Kings Ave. Globe : 1405 E. Ash St. Mesa : 702 W. Jerome Ave. Nogales : 1760 N. Mastick Way Phoenix : 16241 N. Tatum Blvd. and 250 N. Seventh Ave. Prescott : 205 N. Marina St. Safford : 650 S. 14th Ave. Show Low : 2500 E. Cooley St., Suite 407 Tuba City : 1010 Main St. Tucson : 3808 N. First Ave. and 88 W. 38th St. Yuma: 325 W. 19th St., Suite 1 This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Some won't get Social Security check in November. See the schedule Idahoans hold up signs supporting solar energy at the Idaho State Capitol in Boise in 2024. (Courtesy of the Idaho Chapter Sierra Club) Correction: This article was corrected Nov. 10, 2025 to include the correct date of Dec. 20, 2019 for legacy residential customers who have rooftop solar panels or other on-site generation systems. An error was made in a previous version of this story after the Idaho Public Utilities Commission provided incorrect information in a news release. Solar panel advocates have filed a petition for reconsideration asking the Idaho Public Utilities Commission to resolve their concerns over a decrease in reimbursement rates that Idaho Power pays to customers who generate their own electricity through rooftop solar panel systems. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX In a press release issued last week, the groups Vote Solar and the Sierra Club announced that they filed the petition and have asked the Idaho Public Utilities Commission, or PUC, to create a working group to review the fairness of solar reimbursement rates before the next scheduled review in 2028. The PUC acknowledged that the Export Credit Rates are unreasonable and volatile, which is why they chose to limit this years changes and delay the next change until 2028, Lisa Young, Sierra Club Idaho Chapter director, said in a written statement. But this is just a temporary Band-Aid. We need to come together to make real improvements to the methodology. Otherwise, communities in Idaho will face the same problem all over again in 2028. On Sept. 30, the Idaho Public Utilities Commission approved new, decreased reimbursements rates, which are called export credit rates, that Idaho Power pays its rooftop solar customers, the Idaho Capital Sun previously reported. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The decreased solar power reimbursement rates apply to more than 14,000 Idaho Power customers who have rooftop solar systems or other on-site generation systems that were installed after Dec. 20, 2019. Idaho Power customers who had their solar systems installed prior to Dec. 20, 2019, are not subject to the decreased reimbursement rates because they are considered legacy customers and grandfathered in, officials said. Aside from rooftop solar panel systems, other types of on-site generation systems include wind systems, but solar systems are the most common. Idaho Power had applied to reduce solar reimbursement rates even further, but the utilities commission approved a smaller decrease after expressing concerns about the impact the change would have on solar customers. The commission recognized that all customers have faced increases to their average monthly bills over the past 18 months, and the proposed update to the (export credit rate) would further affect customers in Schedules 6, 8 and 84, the utilities commission said in a news release issued Oct. 2. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The commission is charged with regulating investor-owned utility companies that provide electricity, gas, water and some telephone services for a profit, according to the commissions website. Examples of utilities the commission regulates include Idaho Power, Rocky Mountain Power and Intermountain Gas. Why did Idaho Power want to decrease solar power reimbursement rates? Need to get in touch? Have a news tip? CONTACT US In an interview in October, Idaho Power officials said they request the decrease in reimbursement rates for their rooftop solar customers to more accurately reflect energy costs and avoid overcompensating customers who generate their own energy through rooftop solar systems. Company spokesman Jordan Rodriguez told the Idaho Capital Sun that Idaho Power originally reimbursed its solar customers with the same retail rate that other customers paid on the electric bills. But Rodriguez said the original reimbursement rates did not take into account expenses that Idaho Power has to provide electricity, such as operating and maintaining the electrical grid and employing staff. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When some customers are being overcompensated with the full retail rate credit, the difference is made up by the rest of our customers, 98% of which do not have rooftop solar or other on-site generation, Rodriguez said earlier in October. Solar advocates who are asking for the Idaho Public Utilities Commission to review the fairness of solar reimbursement rates prior to 2028 say it is unfair to customers invested in solar panel systems to keep changing the reimbursement rates they are given. Families in Idaho turn to rooftop solar to gain stability and independence from unpredictable and ever-rising utility costs, Kate Bowman, Vote Solars Interior West senior regulatory director, said in a written statement. Unfortunately, the current solar export rate structure undermines that stability its designed to change from year to year and is biased toward utility profits, leaving solar customers exposed to unpredictable energy bills and unfair compensation rates. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE A program aiming to get solar on as many homes and businesses in Mecklenburg County will be extended an extra month. Solarize Charlotte-Mecklenburg, which launched in June aiming to make solar installations easier and more affordable, is accepting signups until Nov. 28. And organizers say with federal policy changes, it could be a final opportunity for anyone looking to go solar to save. When Solarize launched, Erin Stanforth, the Mecklenburg County sustainability and resiliency manager, explained the goal was to provide savings for homeowners across the county through economies of scale as they all work with one local, vetted installer, Renu Energy Solutions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The more people that sign up, the lower the price is, she said. READ: East Charlotte votes play pivotal for sales tax increase measure Then, a few weeks into the program, the federal budget bill passed, and the calculus for solar changed. The 30% federal tax credits available to all homeowners installing solar would now only be available to those whose systems were installed and operational before the end of 2025. With so many households waiting for installations, Solarize could only guarantee that savings for those who signed up by Aug. 8. There was an onslaught of applicants to solar just in general, not just with our program, because of the expiring tax credit, and so as a result of that, theres been a mass install kind of craze, Stanforth said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In response, Solarize decided to lower its per-watt prices by more than 30% and extended the signup deadline another month. So far, more than 280 households have joined the campaign. Its in the hopes that more people would be able to sign up and be engaged in the program, Stanforth said. READ: New bus shelter features solar lighting and art Meanwhile, some of the earliest households to sign up are already seeing their systems in action. Just a few weeks into living off his solar and battery installation, and Spence Rogers is already expecting big savings on his power bill. At this point, Im providing considerably more power than Im using, so Im sending power back to the grid, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to Solarize organizers, everyone who signed contracts for installations so far opted to purchase a battery backup system along with their solar. If there is a power outage, you have a battery so you have a natural generator to keep power going, Mike Jeffries, another program participant, said. The battery system also allows participants the opportunity to take part in Duke Energys Power Pair program, which provides up to a $9,000 rebate. With battery systems installed, the households can operate almost entirely off their own power, which eases electricity demand for everyone else on the grid. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ultimately, Stanforth hopes that by the time the program is done, it will make Mecklenburg County a more sustainable and more resilient place. WATCH: East Charlotte votes play pivotal for sales tax increase measure VALPARAISO, Ind. A son pleaded guilty but mentally ill in the killing of his mother last year in Valparaiso. Conner Kobold is charged with murder in the death of his mother Shanelle Burns in Feb. 2024. Court documents state her son, Conner Kobold, requested that a responding officer place him into handcuffs and put him into the backseat of a squad car after police arrived to the 1300 block of Diamond Boulevard in Valparaiso. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kobold then told officers a dead person is inside the house on the corner and said he killed someone. Superficial scratches were noticed by that officer on Kobolds face. Inside the home, officers discovered Burns who was not breathing and had no pulse. Officers noted there showed signs of a struggle. Burns was an assistant vice president in University Advancement for Loyola University Chicago. Kobold pleaded guilty but mentally ill this week in her death. An agreed upon sentence of 48 years will be handed down during his Dec. 1 sentencing date, according to prosecutors. 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. The mother of an ex-British soldier feared to have been murdered while serving in Ukraines International Legion has pleaded with his comrades to break their silence over his death. Brenda Chadwicks son Jordan was found dead in a reservoir outside the eastern city of Kramatorsk in June 2023, with his hands tied behind his back. When British police broke the news to his mother at her home in Burnley, Lancashire, they told her that Ukrainian police were treating it as murder. Brenda Chadwick with her son Jordan in 2013. The ex-British soldier was killed under suspicious circumstances in Ukraine - Lorne Campbell The case has cast a long shadow over the reputation of Ukraines International Legion amid suspicions that Jordan Chadwick died at the hands of members of his own unit. More than two years later, his mother still has no real idea what happened to him. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It has been absolutely awful, Mrs Chadwick, 54, told The Telegraph in her first interview since her sons death. I always knew that Jordan would be in danger while serving out in Ukraine, but I never thought the risk might come from people on his own side. I just want to get some proper answers as to what happened. Jordan Chadwick joined Ukraines International Legion in late 2022 and in June 2023, his mother was informed of his death - UNPIXS A former Scots Guardsman who undertook sentry duty outside Buckingham Palace, Chadwick, 31, enlisted with the legion in late 2022, serving with a dozen others in a unit called the 50/50 Assault Group. They prided themselves on taking on dangerous missions their name a reference to the risks they ran of being killed or injured. The 50/50 Assault Group, which was known for taking on dangerous missions A Telegraph investigation into the mystery of how he ended up dead in a reservoir found that in the hours before he died, Chadwick had been drinking with fellow 50/50 volunteers at their base in Kramatorsk, letting off steam after a long period of fighting on the Bakhmut front line. An argument then broke out, during which he allegedly brandished a weapon. His comrades then disarmed him and cuffed his hands with zip ties. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A source close to the 50/50 told The Telegraph that Chadwick was then driven away in a truck by the 50/50s commander, a British volunteer with the call-sign of Huggs. Chadwicks body was recovered less than 48 hours later by police, who then detained other 50/50 members for questioning. The now frozen reservoir near Kramatorsk where Chadwicks body was found by police - JULIAN SIMMONDS for The Telegraph Contacted via social media, Huggs confirmed to The Telegraph that he had been the primary person under investigation but had been cleared of involvement by the Ukrainian police along with the rest of the unit. He declined to shed any light on how Chadwick had ended up in the reservoir, insisting he was not the last person to see him alive. Mrs Chadwick, a former senior nurse, has not spoken publicly about her sons death before. She said she was doing so now because she feared the case was making limited progress. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A British coroner was set to hold an inquest into her sons death in February 2023, but the hearing has not yet gone ahead. Mrs Chadwick is desperate for answers about her son, saying: If there are witnesses to what happened, I would like to see them give evidence in court - UNPIXS The statements that Chadwicks comrades gave to Ukrainian police are thought to have been passed on to the UK authorities, but none of them are understood to have been called to give evidence at the inquest, where they would have to testify under oath. There are fears that some may have been too scared to give a full account when first interviewed by Ukrainian police. If there are witnesses to what happened, I would like to see them give evidence in court. Even if Jordan had been in a fight, his unit had a duty of care to him if he was tied up. How did he then end up dead in a reservoir with his hand still cuffed? Somebody must know. Chadwick poses with members of the 50/50 unit. Ukrainian authorities are understood to turn a blind eye toward fights between soldiers Huggs is understood to be from Wales and has served in the French Foreign Legion. His current whereabouts are unknown, although he had previously told The Telegraph that he had not been contacted by British police or the Foreign Office in connection with Chadwicks death. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He said he held Chadwick in high regard and had his own theories about what happened that night, but declined to comment further, saying that the case has already attracted enough unsubstantiated rumours. Chadwick is among at least 20 British volunteers to have died in Ukraine while serving with the legion, created by Volodymyr Zelensky, the Ukrainian president, at the start of the full-scale Russian invasion. Within the wider legion fraternity, there has been speculation that Ukrainian officials turn a blind eye to fights among soldiers even fatal ones as long as they continue to serve on the front line. Jordan went to Ukraine as a man, but he was still my child, and to lose him like this has left me utterly broken, I will never be the same, Mrs Chadwick added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Please, to anyone who was there, tell me what happened. I want to get to the bottom of it, for good or bad. 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. How are we to interpret the Green Party overtaking Labour in an opinion poll for the first time? Not to play down the achievement of Zack Polanski he of magic breast-enhancing hypnotic abilities but a single poll showing a narrow lead does not necessarily spell the end of the Labour Party or the current electoral system. The person who should be most satisfied is Nigel Farage because Reform UK continues to enjoy a double-digit lead over the rest of the pack. That alone ought to give pause for thought to those fantasising about a future government led by the Greens; if the price of a major switch of support from Labour to Polanskis party is a Reform government, does the Left really have a lot to celebrate? It is of course a worrying development for Labour, and Keir Starmer in particular. How is anyone to mastermind Phase Two of a government and reset its delivery when it is struggling to hold on to second place in the polls? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The first-past-the-post system delivered Labour an undeserved landslide victory in 2024 and the same system could very well be the cause of its wipe-out in 2026. Both Left and Right are now desperately split, but the Right less so, with Reform having created some very clear, very wide blue water between it and the Conservatives. Meanwhile, Labour and the Greens are managing to attract roughly equal amounts of support a sure-fire recipe for defeat unless one of them blinks first and steps aside for the sake of preventing a Reform victory. And naturally, neither wants to. But only Labour has that ability. The Greens appeal is almost entirely to a narrow and limited demographic: middle class, university-educated and young. Let us remember that the 18-25 age group is the least likely to vote, while those over 60 those most likely to support Reform are the most enthusiastic of Britains ballot-box botherers. For all Labours weaknesses, it remains the only political vehicle capable of appealing to a broad enough coalition of voters to form a government. The accusations thrown at Starmers Government: that it is too Right-wing, that it has failed working-class communities, that it is trying too hard to out-Reform Reform, is testament to its historic ability to appeal across the political divide. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a battle against Reform, such an appeal is more, not less, necessary and neither the Greens nor the soon-to-be-officially-launched Your Party led by Jeremy Corbyn is capable of securing a broad enough section of voters to mount that challenge. Of course, there is nothing to guarantee that Labour can rise to the challenge, especially under the current leadership. To recover in the polls it needs someone who can navigate the difficult course between appealing to traditional working-class voters on immigration and reassuring the middle classes that it can effect positive social change without bankrupting the country. That may seem like an unachievable dream, but it has been done before and must, if Reform is to be defeated, be done again. And only Labour is capable of doing it. The Greens and Your Party are committed to an agenda that appeals to Saturday marchers and demonstrators, not to those who are struggling with the cost-of-living crisis, who worry about unsustainably high immigration levels and who desperately want some help getting on the housing ladder. Many on the Left are simply unwilling to acknowledge that a narrow programme prioritising action on climate change, trans issues and Israel is incapable of appealing to a broad enough range of voters to translate to electoral victory. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For the time being, cynical pragmatism is out of favour as a political strategy, perhaps because the Labour Government has shown remarkably little skill in advancing its own agenda this way. There is still time to turn that around. The challenge from the far-Left can be repelled, but only if Labour starts to demonstrate that it has a strategy for both delivering on its own manifesto and challenging the appeal of Reform. If it cant do that, the future belongs not to Polanksi and his army of mens rights activists and modern Luddites, but to Farage. 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. AUSTIN (Austin Business Journal) Sam Fox and Justin Timberlakes restaurant and bar, The Twelve Thirty Club, is coming to Austin, landing in one of the most coveted spaces downtown, sources said. Sam Fox, behind Fox Restaurant Concepts that sold to The Cheesecake Factory in 2019, opened The Twelve Thirty Club with Justin Timberlake in Nashville in 2021. Multiple sources familiar with the Austin deal have said that The Twelve Thirty Club is coming to a historic former post office nestled next to the new Indeed Tower owned by Kilroy Realty Corp. The address is 210 W. Sixth St. It would neighbor The Kimberly, a new restaurant by renowned Austin chef John Carver, and is a block away from Kimball Musks The Kitchen. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read the full article on Austin Business Journal. 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. Goshamahal MLA T Raja Singh hit out at Telugu Desam Party (TDP) MLA and TTD Board Member MS Raju over his alleged remarks on the Bhagavad Gita. MS Raju had created a row over his statement that none of the holy books, the Bhagavad Gita, the Quran, and the Bible gave dignity to the oppressed. MLA Raja Singh said that "The MLA of the TDP party of Andhra Pradesh, MS Raju, is also a board member in the TTD, which is the Tirupati Devasthanam. That person, in a gathering, says that there is no use for the Bhagavad Gita and that no change can come into our lives. In a way, he has insulted the Bhagavad Gita. So, I want to ask our Nara Chandrababu Naidu, who is the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, how you can make such incompetent MLAs a TTD Board Member?" "And I want to request our CM Naidu that before proposing any person, whether he is an MLA, or an MLC, or a person of any high post, for the TTD Board Member from your party, from your government, first check if there is a religious sentiment in his heart or not," he said. Raja Singh further demanded that an FIR be lodged against MS Raju and that he should be removed from the TTD Board membership. Raja Singh further said, "Before this, we have also seen how the Tirupati Devasthanam, which is a very holy place for us and where the sentiments of millions of people are attached, was made impure by mixing animal fat oil, or ghee, in the Prasad. On one hand, our religion is being insulted, and on the other, adulteration is being done in the Prasad and above that, such an incompetent MLA, who is MS Raju, the MLA of the TDP party, says that there is no use in reading or keeping the Bhagavad Gita." "So, I would like to request our Naidu Garu that an FIR be lodged against such an MLA, and the MLA should be suspended, and be immediately removed from the TTD Board Membership. This is what I want to request of our Chief Minister," he further said. Earlier, MS Raju said that none of the holy books gave dignity to the oppressed. M S Raju said, "If these two divine men had not been born in India, this country would still be chained by caste, religion, and inequality. Hindus have the Bhagavad Gita, Muslims the Quran, and Christians the Bible -- but none of these holy books gave dignity to the oppressed. The only scripture that has given life, identity, and equality to every Indian is the Constitution of India, written by Dr BR Ambedkar. Hindus worship Shiva and Rama, Muslims worship Allah, and Christians worship Christ, but the one true deity who liberated humanity from slavery and injustice is Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar. He is not a god of temples -- he is the god of rights, justice, and revolution." He said that the Bible changed faith, the Gita preached karma, and the Quran taught devotion, but it was Ambedkar's Constitution that changed destiny. It turned a country of hierarchies into a nation of equals. "Today, we unveil the statue of this architect of equality, a man who endured humiliation, pain, and oppression not for his own life, but for the dignity of millions who were denied their humanity. Along with him stands another giant of justice -- Babu Jagjivan Rao, a warrior who fought caste discrimination from his youth, a freedom fighter who broke barriers to become one of India's longest-serving ministers, and a man who, despite his brilliance, was denied the Prime Minister's chair because caste still ruled the minds of those in power," M S Raju said. He said that every village, every town, and every school should raise the statues of Ambedkar and Jagjivan Rao, not as mere monuments, but as symbols of rebellion, equality, and courage. "They did not fight for thrones or temples. They fought for the soul of this nation, for a future where no one would bow before another human being. They are not just leaders, they are the true gods of modern India, the creators of justice, and the protectors of human dignity," he added. (ANI) South Korea has lifted a ban on pork imports from Germany imposed after an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) in the country some 10 months earlier, German officials said on Friday. A number of non-EU countries banned German meat and milk imports after an FMD outbreak was confirmed at a buffalo farm near Berlin in January, the country's first in 35 years. In order to contain the outbreak, the German government issued a ban on animal transport and established a restricted zone around the affected farm. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In April, the World Organization for Animal Health declared Germany to be FMD-free. FMD is a highly contagious viral disease that affects cloven-hoofed animals, causing high fever and blisters in the mouth and hoof area. It is not dangerous to humans. Agriculture Minister Alois Rainer said the South Korean restrictions were lifted following negotiations with Seoul. Last year, German farmers exported some 51,000 tons of pork to South Korea, an important market outside the EU. Rainer said Berlin was in talks with other nations, including the Japan, the US and Canada, to convince them to remove remaining trade restrictions. President Donald Trump has come out in support of a future fleet of South Korean nuclear-powered submarines. He says he has signed off on the plan and has claimed that at least some of the boats will be built in the United States. Authorities in South Korea have been open about their nuclear-powered submarine ambitions for years, but have faced pushback, including from the United States, particularly over nuclear proliferation concerns. Trump has made two posts on his Truth Social social media network discussing South Korean nuclear-powered submarine plans in the past day or so. The U.S. President held a summit with his South Korean counterpart, Lee Jae Myung, yesterday, which was centered heavily on trade negotiations. Trumps visit to South Korea was part of a larger tour of Asia. Our Military Alliance is stronger than ever before and, based on that, I have given them approval to build a Nuclear Powered Submarine, rather than the old fashioned, and far less nimble diesel powered submarines that they have now, Trump wrote in one post on Truth Social. The ROKS Dosan Ahn Chang-ho, one of South Koreas existing diesel-electric submarines. South Korean Defense Acquisition Program Administration South Korean Defense Acquisition Program Administration South Korea will be building its Nuclear Powered Submarine in the Philadelphia Shipyards, right here in the good ol U.S.A., he wrote in a second post. Shipbuilding in our Country will soon be making a BIG COMEBACK. Stay tuned!!! The South Korean Navy already has a substantial fleet of diesel-electric submarines, which currently consists of 12 Jang Bogo class, nine Sohn Won-yil class, and three Dosan Ahn Chang-ho class types. The Jang Bogo and Sohn Won-yil class submarines are German-designed Type 209s and Type 214s, respectively. The Dosan Ahn Chang-ho class, also known as the KS-III Batch I, is a domestically developed design. Just this month, South Korea launched the first of a planned subclass of three KS-III Batch IIs, the countrys largest and most advanced submarine to date, which you can read more about here. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In general, compared to even advanced diesel-electric types like the KS-III Batch II, the key benefit that nuclear-powered submarines offer is functionally unlimited range. The Trump administration has yet to elaborate on exactly what the current South Korean nuclear-powered submarine plan might entail and the roles that the United States may play. The shipyard in Philadelphia that Trump mentioned is most likely the Hanwha Philly Shipyard. That yard had been Philadelphia Shipyard Inc. until elements of the South Korean conglomerate Hanwha acquired it last year. That yard has never produced a submarine of any kind or any type of nuclear-powered vessel. Asked about Trumps submarine announcement, Hanwha Ocean, which owns the shipyard with another Hanwha affiliate, said it was ready to cooperate with both countries and provide support with advanced technology, but did not mention specifics, according to Reuters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement General Dynamics Electric Boat in Groton, Connecticut, and Newport News Shipbuilding, a division of Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) in Newport News, Virginia, are two current producers of nuclear-powered submarines in the United States. The US Navys Virginia class submarine USS New Jersey seen while under construction in Newport News. HII South Koreas Defense Minister Ahn Gyu-back told lawmakers that plans called for South Korea to build its own submarines and modular reactors, and receive a supply of enriched uranium fuel from the United States, Reuters also reported. Seok Jong-gun, the minister for the defense acquisition program administration told the same hearing that South Korea had been developing small nuclear reactors for some time and would be able to build one for a submarine in less than the decade usually needed to develop such nuclear-powered vessels. We believe if we use the technologies we have been preparing for the futurewell be able to achieve this within a short period of time, Seok added, per Reuters story. The South Korean government is known to have conducted at least one detailed design study relating to a miniature nuclear reactor for use on a future submarine, called the 362 Initiative, in the 2003 timeframe. The country also has an established nuclear power industry that develops reactors for non-military purposes, but which could be leveraged for such work. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A key question, in general, when it comes to nuclear-powered submarine designs, is the level of enrichment of the fuel inside their reactors. U.S. Navy nuclear-powered submarines notably have reactors with fuel enriched to the same level as material for nuclear weapons. This is not a requisite, however. The reactors inside current French nuclear-powered submarines use low-enriched uranium. There are reports that Chinese nuclear-powered submarines may also use reactors with LEU fuel. Still, it is worth noting here that, at least currently, the only countries with operational nuclear-powered submarines are also nuclear weapon states. At the same time, that is already set to change with the Australian Navys expected acquisition of nuclear-powered submarines through the trilateral Australia-United Kingdom-United States (AUKUS) defense cooperation agreement. Since 2015, South Korea has also faced the unique hurdle of a bilateral agreement that bars it from enriching uranium and reprocessing spent fuel without U.S. government approval. Trump appears to have now given that approval. Defense Minister Ahns comments, per Reuters, indicate the hurdle has been further cleared by a plan to source the nuclear material directly from the United States. A South Korean nuclear submarine program could still create proliferation concerns for the country, which is presently a party to the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). As TWZ previously wrote when the possibility of South Korea acquiring nuclear-powered submarines came up in 2018: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The need to build enrichment or other nuclear facilities, or otherwise acquire the highly enriched fissile material, could also draw international criticism that South Korea is abiding by the letter, but not the spirit of the NPT, effectively developing a nuclear weapons program in all but name. These issues are at the core of why South Korea conducted the 362 Initiative in secret and why it abandoned it after it became public, attracting the attention of both the United States and the International Atomic Energy Agency. South Korean officials have talked in the past about the possibility of changing geopolitical circumstances on the Peninsula, and elsewhere, leading it to start its own nuclear weapons program. North Korea is, of course, a nuclear weapons state, and it may now be pursuing its own nuclear-powered submarines with assistance from Russia. North Koreas newest submarine is currently this deeply reworked Soviet-designed Romeo class diesel-electric type. KCNA The South Korean Navy would also have to develop suitable infrastructure to sustain a fleet of nuclear-powered submarines, as well as train personnel in the operational and maintenance of naval reactors. There could be cost and related industrial base concerns, especially depending on how deeply involved the United States needs to be in any such plan. Questions have already been raised about whether the U.S. nuclear-powered submarine industry can support Australias needs and U.S. Navy requirements. The U.S. naval shipbuilding industry, as a whole, has faced serious challenges in recent years and continues to despite government-backed efforts to bolster its capabilities and capacity. There are still larger questions about South Koreas practical need for a nuclear-powered submarine capability. South Korean President Lee has said that his country fielding nuclear-powered submarines could help reduce operational demands for its American allies. Especially combined with conventionally-armed submarine-launched ballistic missiles (SLBM), it could also give the South Korean Navy more of a true second-strike capability to help deter North Korea. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, North Korea has limited anti-submarine warfare capabilities, while South Korean diesel-electric submarine designs are only getting more and more advanced. The range and other benefits that nuclear propulsion offers for naval vessels generally point to broader, blue water ambitions. This is certainly the case for Australia, which is situated far from the areas it expects its future nuclear-powered boats to operate. A rendering of what a new nuclear-powered submarine design for Australia may look like. U.K. Ministry of Defense As such, South Koreas work to acquire a fleet of nuclear-powered submarines, especially if they are capable of carrying out longer-range strikes on targets at sea and/or ashore, could have broader ramifications. The KSS-III Batch I submarines can already fire conventionally-armed SLBMs (SLBM), a capability that is being expanded upon in the Batch II types. The Chinese government hopes that South Korea and the United States will earnestly fulfill their nuclear non-proliferation obligations and do things to promote regional peace and stability, and not the other way around, Guo Jiakun, a spokesperson for the countrys foreign ministry, said in response to the nuclear-powered submarine news, according to Reuters. China already has a very large submarine force that includes diesel-electric and nuclear-powered types, and which it continues to expand in both size and capability. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Much still remains to be learned about how, and when, South Korea may expect to finally begin operating nuclear-powered submarines. Regardless, the countrys ambitions in this regard have now gotten a major boost in support from President Trump. Contact the author: joe@twz.com South Vermillion Community School Corp. teachers are receiving a $2,500 pay increase under terms of a collective bargaining agreement reached with the South Vermillion Education Association. The district and teacher association reached the agreement earlier this month, according to a news release. All eligible certified staff received a $2,500 pay increase to their base salary, or an average of a 4.43% increase. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The range of increases was from 3.12% to 5.38%. Dual credit and Advanced Placement teachers will receive a stipend of up to $1,500 per year. Teachers who received their Early Literacy Endorsement received an additional $250 to their base salary. Its a one-year contract, and teachers will receive back pay dating back to the beginning of the school year on their Nov. 7 pay. In addition, teachers will now receive up to 20 days of maternity leave, and the insurance increase was absorbed by the corporation. The classified staff members received their raise in July of this year, while the administrators will receive their raise in November. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With declining enrollment, we have had to make some difficult decisions over the past few years to close a school building and to absorb some positions through attrition, said Superintendent Micah Williams. However, I think our staff members are grateful to still be receiving substantial raises with the budget constraints that we are currently facing, he said. We appreciate the open lines of communication with the South Vermillion Education Association. Jacque Roberts, teacher and SVEA president, stated, We had a successful bargaining process, as there was open communication, transparency, and productive discussion. SOUTHERN TIER, N.Y. (WETM) New York States Southern Tier region has been awarded over $300,000 to support area municipalities with projects designed to make communities more affordable, as announced by Governor Kathy Hochul. On Friday, Oct. 31, Governor Hochul announced $8 million in taxpayer-funded grants to support projects across New York State developed to create efficiencies and lower costs for local governments. This funding is distributed by the NYS Department of State through its Local Government Efficiency Grant (LGEG) Program, which is designed to encourage municipalities to prioritize making communities more affordable by reducing municipal costs. Village of Bath secures $2 million grant for water delivery upgrades Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We are constantly working with our local government partners to make New York State a more affordable place to live, do business and raise a family, and many of our local governments are looking to do the same, Hochul said. These municipalities are joining forces, looking at opportunities to lower costs and ultimately save taxpayers money. We will continue to work together and support measures that result in streamlined services. Of the $8 million awarded to municipalities throughout the state, $376,120 will go to the Southern Tier region to support planning and implementation projects that will lower current and future costs in the communities it serves. A breakdown of how this funding is being distributed throughout the Southern Tier can be found below: Village of Montour Falls $32,120 Southern Tier Central Regional Planning and Development Board (serving Chemung, Schuyler and Steuben counties) $20,000 Tompkins County $324,000 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To learn more about the states LGEG Program, visit the NYS Department of State 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 WETM - MyTwinTiers.com. The Cheniere Corp. LNG liquefaction plant and export terminal on Sabine Pass in Cameron Parish. (Matthew White/Getty Images) New research shows a continuous pattern of air pollution violations from liquified natural gas export facilities in Southwest Louisiana. Three LNG export facilities in Cameron Parish are featured in a report from the Environmental Integrity Project, a nonprofit research organization. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sourced from federal and state data, the report documents federal Clean Air Act infractions for each of the past 12 quarters spanning three years at Cheniere Energys Sabine Pass LNG terminal and Venture Globals Calcasieu Pass LNG terminal. The Cameron LNG export terminal in Hackberry has been out of compliance with the Clean Air Act for 11 of the past 12 quarters. Report author and Environmental Integrity Project research manager Alexandra Shaykevich spoke at a press event about the terrible compliance record for the LNG industry, noting that Southwest Louisiana facilities in particular have been in nearly continuous violation of the Clean Air Act for the past three years. Venture Global and Cameron LNG did not respond to requests for comment on the report. Cheniere Energy had no comment. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cameron Parish resident John Allaire lives within 30 miles of the three LNG facilities highlighted in the report and six more that are planned or under construction. I live in the eye of this LNG hurricane, Allaire said at a news conference this week announcing the reports release. Allaires home sits close enough to the Venture Global facility for him to see fiery plumes of methane flares from his patio. The Commonwealth LNG facility is planned 750 feet away from his property line, he said. Im surrounded on all sides, he said. Its not the same coastal wetland estuary that it used to be. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While each terminal provided varying explanations for its violations, Shaykevich said, common ones include: failure to report excess emissions and permit deviations to state regulators; exceeding allowed pollution limits for contaminants such as nitrous oxide, volatile organic compounds and sulphur dioxide; and failure to properly operate equipment meant to control pollution levels. Cameron LNGs Clean Air Act violations included at least 89 instances of excess pollution that released thousands of pounds of benzine, a known carcinogen, from the facility into the surrounding environment, according to the reports analysis of Louisiana Department of Environmental Quality records. We need these companies to actually be good neighbors and not to continue causing suffering in the communities in which they operate, said James Hiatt, director of local nonprofit For a Better Bayou at the news conference. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Each of the three facilities had only two air enforcement actions opened from LDEQ, according to the report. Cheniere Energy had paid $225,000 in fines as of July 29, when state records were analyzed, for air quality violations. Financial penalties hadnt yet been finalized for the other two facilities before the Environmental Integrity Project published its report. The report also included tallies of Clean Water Act violations for LNG terminals in Southwest Louisiana. Sabine Pass was out of compliance with the acts standards for 8 of the past 12 quarters. Cameron LNG had violations in seven quarters, and Calcasieu had just one quarter with water-related infractions. Cameron LNG had 27 effluent violations from July 2020 through June 2025. Sabine Pass had nine and Calcasieu Pass recorded one over the same period, according to the reports analysis. The violations at Cameron LNG and Sabine Pass involved fecal coliform and suspended solids, such as algae, bacteria and industrial particles. The lone issue at Calcalsieu Pass involved only suspended solids. Shaykevich said the pattern of permit violations for existing facilities should be a factor in approving new facilities as the LNG industry continues its rapid expansion. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement President Trump has aggressively promoted the liquefied natural gas industry, including by directing agencies to fast track certain approvals for LNG projects, she said. State and federal agencies should be slowing down and more carefully scrutinizing new applications for LNG export projects instead of speeding up permit reviews. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE The first thing to know about potential alien invaders is that they are no longer classified by the U.S. Government as unidentified flying objects. That sounds too scary. They are classified as unidentified aerial phenomena. It sounds a bit better. Maybe it is just flying junk and debris left in outer space. Aliens have invaded pop culture, but is there more? Even Sesame Street had it down, when a couple of aliens were stranded on Earth. A newly published study is sparking renewed attention on the connection between unidentified aerial phenomena, er UAPs, and historic U.S. nuclear-testing sites. Researchers found a surprising correlation between mysterious light flashes recorded during 1950s nuclear tests and subsequent UFO reports, raising questions about government secrecy, Cold War-era defense programs, and what the public may have witnessed over decades, have been published, according to a story in USA Today, Are we alone out here? These findings have the potential to reshape conversations about both historical defense research and the cultural fascination with UFOs, particularly as public interest in unexplained aerial phenomena continues to grow. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If youre a UFO enthusiast, youre probably already familiar with a question that crops up regularly in the slew of never-ending docuseries and congressional testimony: Are otherworldly visitors spying on humanitys nuclear weapons programs? USA Today reports some remarkable things Now, researchers claim they have found tangible evidence that there may be something to that notion. Studying historical photographs from the late 1940s and 1950s, researchers said they were able to spot unidentified flashes in the stars over the northern United States near where nuclear testing was being done. That could give you shivers on this Halloween night. The flashes, which the researchers described as transient star-like objects, were detected as several mysterious bright spots in the sky. Utah is not without its own cosmic research A dozen years ago, the University of Utah teamed up with international researchers in the arena of the study of cosmic rays. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The researchers used hundreds of sophisticated devices in the high, dry desert in Millard County, hoping to learn more about the universe and specifically the formation of cosmic rays. Cosmic rays are high-energy particles that travel at nearly the speed of light and hit the Earth from all directions, but finding the source of these particles has proven to be elusive. Those involved in the Telescope Array Cosmic Ray Project say theyre getting closer, however, and they want to expand the projects size to confirm the location of a hot spot that may be the possible origin of the highest energy cosmic rays. Cosmic rays and aliens Space is the last frontier, one that few scientists can fully grasp. Was it created by a higher being or did it explode into a vast, unexplainable force? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The National Security Agency Central Security Service reports a litany of paranormal activity that would astound a visitor to its website. If one dares, you only need to go online to see the information compiled so far. There have been dozens upon dozens of movies made about alien invasions. Utah has done a lot of research in this arena and around the West. On June 24, 1947, near Washingtons Mount Rainier, private pilot Kenneth Arnold saw nine shiny, saucer-like objects flying in a long chain at 1,200 miles per hour, far faster than any known aircraft of the day. The ensuing media frenzy and many reported sightings in subsequent weeks including the Roswell Incident in July kicked off our collective captivation with UFOs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Pilot Kenneth Arnolds report on the first UFO sighting in 1947, from which the media coined the term flying saucers. What was once the purview of conspiracy theorists has now entered the mainstream. Advances in sensor technology and personal aircraft use have caused an upswing in reports of what are now called unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP). The U.S. Department of Defense considers the uptick a potential threat to national security, not from other planets, but from adversarial actors here on Earth. The University of Utah spoke with Richard Medina and Simon Brewer of the universitys School of Environment, Society & Sustainability about their research that helps make sense of the technology filling our skies. In a study they found that the Western U.S. is the best region to spot UAP due to its dark skies, open spaces and proximity to military installations Brewer had this to say: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "It boils down to the possibility that other countries, or actors, have technology that is not well understood and potentially poses a threat. The Chinese weather balloon story a couple of years ago illustrated that there could be a range of threats, from surveillance to something more aggressive. Chinese high-altitude balloon over Billings, Montana, photographed by Chase Doak on Feb. 1, 2023, demonstrate the mystery. University of Utahs School of Environment, Society & Sustainability breaks down its research that helps make sense of the technology that maps out the best military installations for observation. This is World UFO Day, keep one eye on the sky. But as Bill Pullman said in Independence Day: I will not go quietly into the night. So watch your goblins and your ghosts and have a good time and remember Hollywood is just that. But it makes you wonder. Spain's Foreign Ministry will host a "secret closed-door" meeting of the Coalition of the Willing in Madrid next Tuesday 4 November. Source: Spanish newspaper El Mundo, as reported by European Pravda Details: The meeting will be attended by representatives of 35 countries who are gathering to discuss further support for Ukraine, El Mundo has reported. It will be an intensive working day starting at 09:00 and ending after 15:30, with two sets of discussions on the provision of aid for Kyiv. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Arrangements for the meeting are highly confidential. Attendees have been warned that mobile phones are prohibited and will be stored in a specially designated place. Participants have also been warned that details of the meeting may not be made public. "Delegates are asked not to publish information about the meeting on public platforms or social media," a document seen by the newspaper states. The meeting will address how to move forward on increasing support for Ukraine, how to meet its urgent financial needs, including those related to its military and defence efforts, and how to coordinate initiatives to step up pressure on Russia. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Among other things, the participants aim to specify aid priorities and reach agreements. Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares will then address the meeting and hold an exchange of views with the attendees. However, the head of Spanish diplomacy will not be present at all the working tables, as this is a lower-level meeting. During the second set of discussions, the participants will attempt to develop a common approach to security guarantees for Ukraine and exchange views on the ongoing discussions in this regard. Special attention is to be given to legal, political and diplomatic frameworks, and to the contribution the Coalition of the Willing could make to deterring future Russian aggression. Background: Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy recently said the Coalition of the Willing plan to end the Russia-Ukraine war is to be discussed at adviser level at the end of this week. On 27 October, Zelenskyy stated that within a week or ten days, Ukraine and European leaders would be working on a plan to end the war. However, Zelenskyy is sceptical that Putin is prepared to accept any peace plan. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! Spains foreign minister has expressed regret over the pain and suffering caused by its colonisation of Mexico. Jose Manuel Albares made the comments on Friday at the opening of the exhibition of Indigenous Mexican art in Madrid, just days after Claudia Sheinbaum, the Mexican president, renewed calls for a Spanish apology. Mr Albares said relations between Spain and Mexico were a very human story, and like every human story, full of light and shadow. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There has also been pain pain and injustice toward Indigenous peoples, to whom this exhibition is dedicated, he added. There was injustice it is only fair to recognise it today, and fair to regret it. Because that is also part of our shared history, and we cannot deny or forget it. The comments mark one of the clearest acknowledgements by a top Spanish official of the suffering endured by Indigenous communities in the Americas during the colonial era. For years, the issue was a source of diplomatic tension between the two countries. Jose Manuel Albares made the remarks at the opening of the exhibition of Indigenous Mexican art in Madrid - JESSICA LEE/POOL/EPA/Shutterstock In 2019, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, Mexicos president at the time, sent a letter to Madrid demanding an apology from Spains monarchy over Spains 1519-1521 Conquest of Mexico and the ensuing three centuries of colonial rule. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The request, rejected at the time by Spains foreign ministry, strained relations between the two countries. Spains King Felipe VI did not issue a public response to Mr Lopez Obradors letter, while the Spanish government defended the nations shared history and dismissed the idea of an apology. Ms Sheinbaum, Mr Lopez Obradors political ally and successor, revived the call earlier this week, saying reconciliation requires acknowledgement of past wrongs. No relationship has been broken... There are economic relations, political relations, tourism relations, she told reporters on Monday. However, she added: We never agreed with the way they responded, and furthermore, we agree with the letter that President Lopez Obrador sent, and we are still awaiting this response. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mesoamerica, a region that comprised parts of Mexico and Central America, had an estimated population of 15 million to 30 million people when conquistador Hernan Cortes arrived with an army of several hundred men in 1519. After a century of battles, massacres and plagues, only an estimated one million to two million Indigenous inhabitants remained. 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. Top officials from 35 countries will gather in Madrid for a "secret, private summit" of the "Coalition of the Willing" on Nov. 4, Spanish newspaper El Mundo reported, citing a document it had obtained. The secretive meeting will reportedly focus on increasing aid to Ukraine and coordinating security guarantees to ward off future Russian aggression. The French- and U.K.-led coalition, formed earlier this year, aims to establish long-term security guarantees for Ukraine, potentially including the deployment of a multinational peacekeeping force once the war ends. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to El Mundo, the first part of the meeting will focus on Ukraine's urgent financial needs, including those related to defense efforts. The officials are expected to identify priorities for further support and discuss ways to ramp up pressure on Russia. The second part of the meeting, which will follow a speech by Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares, is expected to focus on the legal, political, and diplomatic framework of security guarantees for Ukraine, as well as contributions from individual coalition members. As the meeting is being organized in "utmost secrecy," the participants will not be allowed to have their phones and will be requested not to publicize the meeting on social media, El Mundo wrote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Kyiv Independent has reached out to the Spanish Foreign Ministry for comment. The coalition previously held a meeting with President Volodymyr Zelensky in London on Oct. 24, where the allies confirmed new military support and discussed Ukraine's long-range capabilities. French President Emmanuel Macron previously said that 25 countries are also ready to provide troops or other forms of support as part of post-war security guarantees for Kyiv. As European allies gather to reaffirm their backing for Ukraine, uncertainties persist over Washington's next move. Recent weeks saw unexpected turnarounds by U.S. President Donald Trump, who first floated supplying Ukraine with powerful Tomahawk missiles before dropping the idea in favor of a summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Plans for the Budapest summit were soon scrapped, reportedly after Washington realized Moscow is not willing to concede its maximalist goals. Only days later, Trump imposed sanctions on Russia's oil giants, Rosneft and Lukoil. Read also: Putins pressure campaign on Trump exposes Kremlins limits Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Chief of the Army Staff, General Upendra Dwivedi, on Friday lauded young military officers, National Cadet Corps (NCC) cadets, and "social media warriors" for their contributions during "Operation Sindoor," a military action conducted in May 2025 in response to a major terror attack in Pahalgam. Speaking at the Young Leaders Forum, General Dwivedi highlighted the exemplary role of young Indians, including military personnel, NCC cadets, civil defence workers, drone experts, and citizens who worked through social media platforms during the operation. He described their contributions as a demonstration of India's resolve and moral strength. He said, "India's history has many heroes who are a testimony to the courage and conviction of its young sons and daughters. Timeless examples proving that age never limits contribution. In the recent Operation Sindoor, many of you were actively involved. Some are young military officers, some are NCC cadets, some are in civil defence, some are in drone labs, and some are social media warriors. Our skilled human resources are one of our greatest instruments of power." Further, he asked the youth to join the "national security mission" by indulging in innovations and not to be "indifferent" to matters of national security. He said, "I would like to give a call to action to our youth and will leave a few thoughts with you, gained from my own experience. Firstly, your duty calling is what you define it to be... You have to start today and by yourself. Secondly, inventions and innovations spring out of adversity. Don't get too comfortable and look for many resources." "Thirdly, national security is not just about soldiers at the borders. It's also about citizens and youths who refuse to be indifferent. Fourthly, excellence demands sweat. Every challenge has to be taken as an opportunity. I urge every young Indian to join the national security mission with or without a uniform, build technology, shape policy, and spread awareness," General Dwivedi added. Meanwhile, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju attributed India's economic progress to the active participation of youth and the Indian Army. Rijiju said, "National unity and strength are matters of utmost importance. From being a developing nation to achieving a current growth rate of over 7 per cent, India's progress is attributed to the active participation of its youth and the Indian Army." "The goal is for India to become a developed nation by 2047, as envisioned by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, through self-reliance and sustained economic growth. India's growth and success today are because of leaders like Sardar Patel, presenting India's past struggles and present achievements," the Union Minister added. The Indian Army, in collaboration with the Centre for Land Warfare Studies (CLAWS), organised the Young Leaders Forum at the Manekshaw Centre, New Delhi, as a pre-event to the third edition of the Chanakya Defence Dialogue (CDD) 2025, scheduled for 27-28 November 2025, a press release by the Ministry of Defence said. The CDD is the Indian Army's flagship annual seminar, themed this year 'Reform to Transform: Sashakt, Surakshit aur Viksit Bharat'. (ANI) Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares officially acknowledged for the first time on Friday the "suffering and injustice" that Spain's conquistadors meted out to Mexico's indigenous people some five centuries ago. "There was injustice, and it is merely right and fair to acknowledge and deplore this. It is part of our joint history. We can neither deny it nor forget it," Albares said on opening an exhibition on indigenous Mexican women in Madrid. Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum described Albares' statement as "the first step" in the right direction. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "This is the first time that a member of the Spanish government has given expression to regret over the injustices committed. That's important," she said during her daily press conference. Apologizing was not humiliation, but rather conferred true greatness on governments and nations, she said. Albares' admission is not quite the apology that then-president Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador demanded in a 2019 letter to the Spanish king and the pope in relation to the conquest and subjugation of indigenous peoples in the 16th century. At the time, Spain reacted with outrage. There was no official response, and certainly not an apology. Spain conquistadors acted with extreme cruelty during their conquest and colonization of what is today Mexico shortly after the arrival of Christopher Columbus. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Their weapons made them virtually invincible in battles with the Aztecs, and the diseases they brought with them caused the deaths of hundreds of thousands of inhabitants. The main aim of the Spanish colonizers was to secure gold and other resources, along with power in the New World. The pre-Colombian culture was repressed, with temples giving way to churches. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson quickly stepped in to correct a cabinet member and create an awkward scene over who is to blame for the government shutdown and SNAP food benefits going unpaid. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins appealed to the more than 40 million Americans who use the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program during a press conference Friday morning, saying the government is failing those by not addressing food insecurity issues. My message to America is, first, the fact that your government is failing you, right now, Rollins began. That poverty is not red or blue, it is not a Republican or Democrat issue, doesnt matter who you voted for or even if you voted. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That if you are in a position where you cant feed your family and youre relying on that $187 a month for an average family in the SNAP program, that we have failed you, she continued. The agriculture secretary went on to blame Democrats for the government shutdown, accusing them of holding vulnerable families hostage to their policies. But Johnson appeared unsatisfied with her initial response. Lets clarify, when she says we have failed you, she means we, the Democrats, OK? Johnson said after quickly stepping up to the lectern after Rollins. Secretary Brooke Rollins said her message to Americans who rely on SNAP food benefits is that the government has failed you. That prompted Speaker Mike Johnson to step in. (Getty Images) He went on to give his usual stump, blaming Democrats for the state of the government a position President Donald Trump has had his entire administration maintain since the start of the shutdown in September. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Tensions between the two parties have been growing over the last week as both sides point fingers at who is to bear responsibility if SNAP recipients cannot receive payments for food on November 1, when funding is set to lapse. Rollins said the administration will not tap into its $5 billion contingency fund for SNAP, otherwise known as food stamps, come this weekend. She claims they do not have the legal standing to do so though Democrats disagree with that, citing a previous contingency plan from the Agriculture Department and past shutdown plans. After Rollinss comment at the press conference, several Democratic lawmakers were quick to use her words against the administration. Some states have declared a national emergency ahead of the weekend to stockpile food at food banks in case SNAP payments cease (Getty) Republicans control the House, the Senate, and the White House, Texas Rep. Julie Johnson wrote on X. Yes, Trump, his administration, and Republicans in Congress are failing the American people. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement New York Rep. Ritchie Torres quoted Rollins, calling it a rare moment of introspection from Republicans, who control all three branches of government. Trumps Secretary of Agriculture, who oversees SNAP, in a press conference with Speaker Johnson, says her message to America is We have failed you, Virginia Rep. Don Beyer wrote on X. The first step in the 12-step program is admitting you have a problem, Illinois Rep. Sean Casten said. I just wish she was at the point of making amends to the millions of Americans she has harmed by her actions. NEW BERN, N.C. (WNCT) A preview screening of Ken Burns new documentary series, The American Revolution, was held Thursday night at the Tryon Palace in New Bern. The 12-hour, 6-part documentary series explores the countrys founding struggle and its eight-year War for Independence, told through the diverse experiences of those who lived the war. The Tryon Palace invited the community for a special screening of the series on Thursday, Oct. 30th, as the location played a big role in the American Revolutionary War. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It is a very complex, complicated, nuanced moment in time, said Laura Kieler, Deputy General Manager at PBS NC. This movement that happened here that established our nation and created a democracy here is this massive pivoting point, and it changes the trajectory of our continent and inspires democracies across the globe. It will premiere on PBS on Sunday, Nov.16th, and air for six consecutive nights through Friday, Nov. 21st at 8:00-10:00 p.m. ET. The full series will also be available to stream beginning Sunday, Nov. 16th, at PBS.org and on the PBS App. 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 WNCT. This is the second article in a two-part series. You can find the first part, explaining how public relations firms have been aiding Israel, here. The filings of the freshly minted Christian marketing agency Faith Through Works speak to Israels new public relations focus. Registering as a foreign agent of Israel with the US Department of Justice, Faith Through Works one of at least three PR agencies contracted by Israel to improve its image in the United States says (PDF) it has been hired to Combat low American Evangelical Christian approval of the Nation of Israel. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its not only within the USs evangelical base that polls show Israel to be losing ground. Widespread protests across US cities and college campuses, allied to surveys from the University of Maryland and others, indicate that Israel is also losing US support across Gen Z, the left and within its traditional allies in mainstream US politics and the evangelical right. And, for Israel, thats a real problem, analysts said. As well as hiring Faith Through Works to target US Christians, Israel has enlisted the support of Bridges Partners to pay an undisclosed group of online influencers to improve perceptions of Israel in the US. It has also contracted another newly formed US company, Clock Tower, to try to improve its online reputation, not least by trying to reshape how artificial intelligence (AI) discussions on Israels war on Gaza are framed. For Israel, the war for American public opinion is existential, Shibley Telhami of the University of Maryland said. This is a serious game for them and one in which the gloves are off. Pro-Palestinian protesters demonstrate outside the main campus of Columbia University during the commencement ceremony in Manhattan in New York City, US, May 21, 2025 [Jeenah Moon/Reuters] The last two years have shown Israelis just how reliant they are on the US. Thats to say, nearly everyone knew they were reliant upon the US before the war, but not to what extent, he said, outlining how Israelis have watched their countrys reliance on the US increase with every new front their government has opened against regional neighbours, including Lebanon and Iran. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement All of this is before you include the USs sheer diplomatic power, he said, which has been vital in protecting Israel through the war, and the potential loss of that is terrifying to them. Losing support The US public has largely borne the economic, military and reputational costs of supporting Israel. However, amid the scenes of unrelenting carnage that Israel continues to unleash on Gaza, cracks are emerging in US support for Israel: cracks that many in Israel fear could eventually become fractures. Attempts to shore up Israels support in the US are not new. In addition to banning foreign journalists from entering Gaza to record the full extent of the carnage inflicted upon the enclave, there have been concerted efforts to tilt the online conversation in Israels favour. A survey carried out by the Al Jazeera Centre for Studies in May found a concerted effort to influence how social media users were describing Israels war on Gaza had been launched shortly after the campaign itself. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Speaking to US social media influencers in September, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu underscored the importance of social media to Israels efforts to safeguard its support within the US. Framing social media as the weapon of the modern age, Netanyahu told his audience, The most important purchase going on right now is TikTok. Number one. And I hope it goes through because it can be consequential. And the other one? X. We have to talk to Elon [Musk, Xs owner]. Hes not an enemy, hes a friend. We should talk to him. Now, if we can get those two things, we get a lot We have to fight the fight, to give direction to the Jewish people and give direction to our non-Jewish friends. I had the honor of asking Bibi Netanyahu about Charlie Kirks assassination & the potential loss of evangelical support for the state of Israel. pic.twitter.com/XP2faZQa0N Debra Lea (@thedebralea) September 26, 2025 Even before the war in Gaza, there was less support for Israel and greater sympathy for Palestinians among younger Americans, including young evangelical Christians, Dov Waxman, professor of Israel studies at the University of California, said. Israels behaviour during the war in Gaza has significantly accelerated the erosion of support for Israel among these key groups. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Polling conducted by Telhami bears this out. A University of Maryland survey (PDF) between July and August this year found that support for Palestinians had expanded from younger Democrats to all areas of the party, while a significant gap has opened between older and younger Republicans over their partys support for Israel. Of potentially greater concern for Israeli policymakers and helping explain the contracting of Faith Through Works is a separate poll (PDF) conducted over the same period showing growing opposition to Israels war on Gaza among young evangelicals, traditionally one of Israels most reliable bases of support. Shift in MAGA That fracturing of support is beginning to extend to the USs mainstream politics, and critically, to President Trumps Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement. In July, one of the loudest voices in that movement, Marjorie Taylor Greene, pushed back against a bill approving $500m in aid for Israel over the following year. MAGA stalwart Marjorie Taylor Greene has opposed US funding for what she calls Israels genocide in Gaza [Caitlin Ochs/Reuters] Nuclear armed Israels national debt is under $400 Billion compared to our crippling national debt of $37 TRILLION, Greene wrote on the social media platform X. Nuclear armed Israel seems to have their defense and debt under control, so the American taxpayers should not be required to give Nuclear armed Israel another $500 million in our U.S. defense bill. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Another prominent MAGA figure, Tucker Carlson who in October described Christian Zionists as heretics said on his YouTube show the same month: Theres only one story going on, and its Israel And yet, despite its objective insignificance, it is the focus of the conversation We are spending our time, our money, and were taking enormous risks on behalf of a country that geopolitically is not significant at all. My crime, is that I do not believe that American taxpayers should have to pay for Israels wars or the wars of any other country. I will not change my mind. So the question is what will you do to me next? The world is watching. https://t.co/q2MHv7rKHl Candace Owens (@RealCandaceO) March 21, 2024 The US Republican leadership is still solidly behind Israel, and thats not likely to change in this Trump administration, HA Hellyer of the Royal United Services Institute said, But there is a strong trend in MAGAs America First contingent that is keen to reorient American foreign policy away from being Israel-centric when it comes to the wider Arab world region, he said, citing Carlson and right-wing influencer Candace Owens as examples. I dont think this will fundamentally shift policy in this administration, but it is definitely a trend that is picking up steam, and is likely the future of the Republican Party more generally, he said of Israels prospects for future support from the US right. There is a profound generational shift under way, Telhami said. Just as we had the Pearl Harbor generation and the Vietnam generation, now we have the Gaza generation, which sees Israel as a genocidal villain. Thats a generation of young people who saw these horrors unfold on their screens in real time, and I dont think Israel gets how deep the shift is, he said. Israelis probably feel that this is just a media problem, especially social media, and that if they can just counter that narrative, people will come back to them. They wont. This is a profound change, one that will determine US public perceptions for years to come. Thursday marked a milestone in the history of world architecture when Barcelona's Sagrada Familia officially overtook Germany's Ulm Munster as the tallest church on the planet. At 162.91 metres high, Antoni Gaudi's masterpiece is just 1.38 metres ahead of the Gothic Lutheran cathedral in Germany, which held the record at 161.53 metres since its completion in 1890. The installation of the first part of the Tower of Jesus Christ at the top of the central nave was the key moment that enabled this new record to be achieved. A crane installed the piece on Thursday morning, in a process that forms part of the final phase of construction of this central tower, which will reach 172 metres when it is completely finished in the coming months. From unfinished project to global tourist attraction Since the first stone was laid in 1882, the Sagrada Familia has been synonymous with architectural and religious patience. Gaudi never expected to see his work completed during his lifetime, and at the time of his death only one of the multiple towers was finished. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, in recent decades the pace of construction has accelerated dramatically thanks to revenue generated by tourism. FILE: Miniature replicas of the new central tower that crowns the Sagrada Familia, 18 Sep 2025 - AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti In 2024, 4.9 million people paid to visit the basilica, 15% of them from the United States. This steady flow of visitors, attracted by Gaudi's unique aesthetic that combines Catholic symbolism with organic forms, finances the ongoing construction. Work on the facades and interior decoration will continue for several more years, and the construction is expected to be completely finished in about a decade. The year 2026 will mark the centenary of Antoni Gaudi's death, and the church is preparing various events to celebrate the legacy of the Catalan architect. His work, which includes other iconic buildings in Barcelona and other Spanish cities, has left an indelible mark on world architecture. The Sagrada Familia, now the tallest church in the world, stands as the greatest testament to his creative genius and unique vision of sacred art. (The Center Square) Hoping to mobilize resources as soon as possible, the administration of Mayor Lisa Brown told the Spokane City Council on Thursday that the mayors emergency declaration on homelessness could cost $4.2 million. Brown issued her declaration on homelessness during a press conference atop City Hall on Wednesday. The council just replaced Browns lackluster camping ban on Monday, positioning the city to bolster enforcement, but this comes as funding dries up due to the ongoing federal government shutdown. The emergency, subject to council approval, would allow the mayor to bypass the dais and contracting requirements to expand homelessness services before winter. While Brown plans to use state and local tax dollars, with some reimbursed later, for these projects, her ask comes amid a $13 million shortfall. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If the expanded services end up costing more than anticipated, it may require additional adjustments. For us to facilitate a [request for proposals] and get all to the point of contract, literally takes eight to 12 months, Dawn Kinder, director of Spokanes Neighborhood, Housing and Human Services division, explained Thursday during a special meeting. Its an incredibly long process for us to get through. According to a news release, the declaration will fund 50 additional shelter beds, medication-assisted treatment and help expedite eviction prevention contracts if approved by the council. Kinder said the contracts with providers would last 12 months, but the plan is to end the emergency this December. About $1.3 million in state and local tax dollars would fund the additional shelter beds and treatment services. The $2.9 million for eviction prevention would come from state pass-through funds state and federal tax dollars that Spokanites pay into, which are allocated to the city and then to providers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Without the federal government open, they cant actually reimburse us for those [housing] contracts, Brown explained Wednesday, so we cant reimburse providers that we have already contracted with. The nonprofits are in a perilous situation, sort of doing the work, but not being reimbursed yet; and the city is in a situation where we have to decide whether or not to tell them we dont know if were going to be able to reimburse you, she continued, and that is a decision were having almost daily. Kinder said NHHS and the Community, Housing and Human Services Department, or CHHS, typically start the RFP process around March. That already came and went this year, so the city must either rely on this emergency declaration to expand services without an RFP or justify special market conditions. According to the Shelter Me Spokane dashboard, the city has about 700 shelter beds, of which around 200 are part of Browns scattered-site shelter model. CHHS Analyst Amanda Martinez told the council that nearly 11,000 people accessed homelessness services in Spokane from July 2024 to June 2025. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Roughly 3,000 of those individuals who accessed services stayed in an emergency shelter, far more than the citys 700 beds. It had over 1,000 beds last fall, but Brown took hundreds offline by closing Spokanes largest congregate shelter, which cost approximately $1 million per month, last Halloween. According to Martinezs presentation, the state and federal governments have awarded the city $24.5 million for homelessness programs. The Brown administration has spent $21.3 million so far, with $3.1 million remaining; however, its unclear whether that balance is current or directly after June 2025. Spokane Communications Manager Erin Hut said the city already has local tax revenue on hand to pay for a portion of the $1.3 million for additional beds and treatment services. However, the state would reimburse the city for the rest of those contracts, along with the $2.9 million for eviction prevention. If we had affordable housing that was available to individuals to move into, we would see a much faster pace of individuals moving through this system, Kinder said Thursday. We are backlogged up against the ability for somebody to exit a unit and move into a market-rate, an affordable unit, whatever it is. Council Office Director Giacobbe Byrd said the council may vote on the mayor's declaration next Monday. Oct. 31The Ohio Redistricting Commission agreed today with a bipartisan vote to adopt a new congressional map that would cement Ohio's congressional districts through 2031. Statewide, the new map gives Republicans an advantage in 12 of Ohio's 15 congressional districts. Democrats currently hold five seats. Below is the new map. Here are some key takeaways in the proposal: Clark County: The last redistricting moved the city of Springfield into the congressional district held by Mike Turner, R-Dayton. The new map moves it again, now to to the district held by Jim Jordan, R-Urbana. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Butler County: All of Butler County is currently represented by Warren Davidson, R-Troy. The new map moves Middletown, as well as Monroe and Trenton, into the district currently held by Turner. Miami County: Davidson is from Troy but currently only represents a sliver of land south of Troy. The city itself is represented by Mike Carey, a Republican from Columbus. The new map gives Davidson's district Troy, as well as Tipp City. Carey keeps much of Miami County in a sprawling district that goes through southern Clark County and extends east to Columbus and south to Highland County. Warren County: Warren County itself stays in the district held by Greg Landsman, D-Cincinnati. But the district picks up all of Clinton County and loses part of Cincinnati, making it more right-leaning. This could put southwest Ohio's only Democrat in jeopardy. Here is the new map Here are the current local congressional boundaries updated in 2022 Here is the new map's partisan lean Oct. 31The Ohio Redistricting Commission is scheduled to vote today on a new congressional map that, if passed, would cement congressional districts through 2030. Statewide, the new map gives Republicans in advantage in 12 of Ohio's 15 congressional districts. Democrats currently hold five seats. Below is the draft map. Here are some key takeaways in the proposal: Clark County: The last redistricting moved the city of Springfield into the congressional district held by Mike Turner, R-Dayton. The proposed map would move it again, now to to the district held by Jim Jordan, R-Urbana. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Butler County: All of Butler County is currently represented by Warren Davidson, R-Troy. The proposed map would move Middletown, as well as Monroe and Trenton, into the district currently held by Turner. Miami County: Davidson is from Troy, but currently only represents a sliver of land south of Troy. The city itself is represented by Mike Carey, a Republican from Columbus. The new map would give Davidson's district Troy, as well as Tipp City. Cary would keep much of Miami County in a sprawling district that goes through southern Clark County and extends east to Columbus and south to Highland County. Warren County: Warren County itself stays in the district held by Greg Landsman, D-Cincinnati. But the district picks up all of Clinton County and loses part of Cincinnati, making it more right-leaning. This could put southwest Ohio's only Democrat in jeopardy. Here is the proposed map: Here are the current local congressional boundaries updated in 2022: Here is the proposed map's partisan lean: ST. CHARLES, Mo As the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program known as SNAP is set to pause millions of Americans are trying to figure out what to do without the assistance. The City of Saint Charles is lending support to local families who may be affected. A Fill the Truck Food Drive takes place on October 31 during the popular Trick or Treat on Main event. Residents are encouraged to bring canned, boxed, or bagged nonperishable food items to help fill emergency food supplies for local pantries. Donations can be dropped off at the intersections of Main Street and Boones Lick Road as well as Main Street and Adams Street. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Why a St. Louis woman once won $78M from Dominos Pizza First responders from the Saint Charles Police and Fire Departments will be on site to collect donations and fill their trucks with community contributions. All donations will be distributed to local food pantries throughout Saint Charles. Residents who are unable to attend Trick or Treat on Main can still contribute through online donations here. St. Charles will also include a Food Drive into the festivities at their annual St. Charles Salutes Veterans Day Celebration on Saturday, November 8 in the Lewis & Clark Boathouse Museum Parking Lot (1050 S Riverside Dr, St Charles, MO 63301). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 2. BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) The St. Helena Parish School District is hosting its third annual Literacy Fair on Tuesday, Nov. 19. This event will celebrate reading, creativity, and community engagement. Students will enjoy fun reading activities. They can dress up as their favorite book characters. Theyll also take part in hands-on learning and explore a special reading corner. Superintendent Dr. Kelli Joseph said the event encourages students to connect with stories in a personal way. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kids will select their favorite book and report on it. Joseph said that the district is also launching other programs to inspire a love of reading and increase literacy rates. The districts literacy initiatives are also helping more parents get involved in their childrens education. The St. Helena Literacy Fair takes place on Nov. 19. For more information, visit www.sthpk-12.net or follow St. Helena Parish Schools on Facebook. Latest News Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Louisiana First News. The Patiala House Court on Friday rejected a plea moved by an alleged ISIS operative, Adnan Khan, seeking an order for the Delhi police to take down the press release and non-sharing of information to the media. The court rejected the plea as not maintainable. Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) Shriya Agarwal dismissed the plea moved on behalf of Adnan Khan, a resident of Bhopal. The court ordered, "The relief prayed for is injunctive in nature and can't be granted by this court in its jurisdiction. The application is dismissed." Advocate M Huzaifa appeared for Adnan Khan. The court asked him, "Whether this court move this application? Do you want to press this application?" On another application seeking bail for the accused, counsel sought time to argue. The court listed the matter for arguments on November 6. Delhi police filed a reply opposing the applications. Delhi police has opposed the bail plea in view of the seriousness of the allegations against the accused. It is stated that section 113 (3) (Terrorist Act) of Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita has been invoked against the accused. On Thursday, the court remanded two ISIS operatives, Adnan Khan and Adnan Khan, in judicial custody after police interrogation. They have been arrested by the Special Cell of the Delhi police in an alleged terror Conspiracy case. Adnan Khan (Delhi) was arrested on October 17. Adnan Khan (Bhopal) was arrested on October 19. The court had remanded them in police custody, which was further extended. Investigate Officer (IO) had submitted that an alarm clock had been recovered from the Delhi residence of the accused Adnan. He has also taken the oath of ISIS. After hearing the submissions, the court remanded the accused persons to judicial custody. It is alleged that they were planning to target a mall in South Delhi. A public park was also on their target. On October 24, It was submitted that Data from Mobile phones is also to be extracted. They are required to interrogate to identify and recover their various social media IDs. They were interrogated to know if any other persons were associated with them. (ANI) ST. LOUIS Police are asking for the publics help after a second child died months after a shooting that first claimed the life of 9-year-old Jordan Neal. His brother, 10-year-old Richard Neal III, died Tuesday from complications caused by injuries he suffered in the May 24 shooting. Officers were called to an area hospital around 9:15 p.m. that night, when a car arrived with several people who had been shot, including the two boys and their 32-year-old father, Richard Neal Jr. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Neal Jr. was driving with four children in his vehicle near the area of Union and Bircher boulevards in north St. Louis. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Daily News Police said the suspects vehicle is believed to be a maroon, four-door Nissan sedan but they are unwilling to release other information on the case, like if the bullets all came from one firearm or if there were potentially multiple shooters. That vehicle returned to the gas station and began firing shots. Jordan Neal was pronounced dead that night, while his brother had been fighting for his life for months. You can hate anybody, but you dont have to pick up a gun, the childrens grandmother said Friday in a news conference. You live to see another day; we lost two children. Theyll never live again. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ten years old at the time of the shooting, Richard Neal III had turned 11 less than a week before he died. This trend has got to stop. These are babies, said cousin Josephine Perkins. Detectives have been searching the neighborhood and reviewing security footage but have not announced any arrests or suspects. CrimeStoppers is offering a $5,000 reward to anyone who provides information that leads to an arrest. Officials said Friday that their investigation was exhausted, noting that it was stalled, but not stopped. Anyone with information is urged to contact the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Departments Homicide Division at (314) 444-5371 or leave an anonymous tip with CrimeStoppers at 866-371-TIPS (8477). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 2. ST. LOUIS After Hurricane Melissa pummeled Jamaica, tourists are now trying to find a way home. St. Louisans Alexis Thomas and Rashida Simms went to Montego Bay for a family event, but it would be cut short when the Category 5 storm was on track to hit Jamaica. We are terrified, Thomas said. I mean, we didnt even know what to expect. Prep for the storm came quickly as the tourists were told to stay in their rooms during the storm. Thomas and Simms said the staff assured them their building can handle the impact of the storm. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They boarded up a lot of the windows and stuff, and to hear all the wind going through with all the windows and all this stuff, it was at that moment for me that it was real, Simms said. Why do St. Louis kids tell jokes for candy on Halloween? Weve just nearly had to go into survival mode. We had to barricade ourselves, put our box springs and bed frames against the patio door, Thomas said. Once the storm finally stopped, the pair said the hotel ran on generators, had no air conditioning, and had limited water. Thomas said they had to warm their first meal with a hair dryer, but now have access to hot meals. They were also grateful for the assurance and help from hotel staff, who stayed through the entire storm, including the hotel manager. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He has not been able to leave; he hasnt been able to go see his family or check on his family, Thomas said. Hes assuring us that everything is okay with us, they get us out, and theyre still able to feed us and things of that nature before hes able to go home and take care of his family. When visitors will be able to go home is in question, as many of the airports on the island are closed due to damage. Thomas said flights out of the only airport open are expensive, and theyre not sure if theyll be leaving out of the Montego Bay airport like originally planned. There are over 25,000 tourists stuck on this island; they raised the price up when were just trying to get home, Thomas said. Thomas said they were supposed to be in Montego Bay for a few days and have now been there for a week. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement American Airlines announced on Thursday that it has two round-trip flights that will evacuate and provide relief at Kingston (KIN) airport. 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. BOSTON The Board of Higher Education is on track to vote in early 2026 on whether to allow public and private colleges and universities in Massachusetts to offer three-year bachelor's degrees, reducing the typical 120-credit requirement. The board voted Tuesday, Oct. 28, to solicit a second round of public comment on the regulations, which have been in the works for about a year. This final opportunity for comments after the previous round led to some changes in the regulations ends on Dec. 12, putting the board on pace to take a final vote on whether to approve the measure about four to six weeks later, a department official said. The proposal aims to provide students with a faster, more affordable path to a degree. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To earn a traditional four-year bachelor's degree, students are required to take and pay for 120 credits. An associate degree, or a two-year degree, is 60 credits. The three-year bachelor's programs, which some universities around the country are beginning to offer, are sub-120 credits. Students will graduate with the same degree as those who attend school for four years, but they'll have completed fewer credit hours to do so. Some higher education institutions in Massachusetts have expressed interest in creating these pathways. The New England Commission of Higher Education, an institutional accreditor for most of the private and public colleges in New England, gave a green light last year to Merrimack College in North Andover to pilot a three-year program focused on nonlicensure majors, like business, health science, physics and liberal arts degrees. The regulations, should the board vote to approve them, would not automatically allow the programs, just enable colleges and universities to submit proposals for potential approval to the board, board chair Chris Gabrieli has previously said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Among the changes the department made following the first round of public comment, the regulations now "ensure financially struggling institutions are not using the proposal for inappropriate reasons, such as to achieve financial stability," said DHE Chief Legal Counsel Dena Papanikolaou. They also added language to ensure students have "informed consent" about the program they are signing up for, and require schools to be transparent about what they will call the degrees students receive. DHE lawyers also added a clause to make clear that there is nothing in the regulations to preclude the board from enforcing its existing authority to revoke or suspend an institution's degree-granting authority if the board determines that "something inappropriate might be happening, or if there's noncompliance with the way that the institution is proceeding," Papanikolaou said. Johnson & Wales University in Rhode Island became the first university in the country to launch an in-person, three-year bachelor degree this fall. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Students are only required to complete 90 to 96 credit hours and take a regular semester load of courses during the academic year. The university is offering the accelerated degree program only in computer science, criminal justice, graphic design and hospitality management. It's not just in New England that interest in quicker and more affordable higher degrees is growing. Last year, the Utah Board of Higher Education created a new bachelor of applied studies degree that only requires 90 credits. Several universities have expressed interest in the accelerated programs, though none are underway yet in the state. In Indiana, former Gov. Eric Holcomb signed a law last spring requiring every state college and university to review their bachelor's degree programs to determine if they could be completed in three years by a full-time student. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sam Drysdale is a State House reporter for State House News Service and State Affairs Pro Massachusetts. Reach her at sdrysdale@statehousenews.com. This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: State board eyes early 2026 vote on three-year bachelor's degree PENNSYLVANIA (WTAJ) A federal District Court has granted an emergency request to prevent the United States government from deporting a man who served 43 years in prison for a crime he didnt commit. Subramanyam Vedam, 64, was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in October after he was exonerated of a murder more than four decades after his original imprisonment. ICE representatives confirmed with Vedams attorneys that he has been moved off the Moshannon Valley Processing Center grounds. State College man in ICE custody after release from prison in 40-year-old murder case Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Vedam has been living in Pennsylvania since infancy, with his attorneys arguing that he was a legal permanent resident of the U.S. when he was arrested and charged with murder. In August, Vedams conviction was ruled untenable in light of suppressed exculpatory evidence, and charges were dropped Oct. 2. One day later, ICE took Vedam into custody, with Vedams attorneys asking the Board of Immigration Appeals to reopen the immigration case. He will have the opportunity to have our motion to reopen heard. It means he will actually get that due process. That was the thing that was denied him by his wrongful conviction. He didnt get due process in this criminal case. And so, this, this chance that we have this day, Zo Miller-Vedam, Vedams niece, said. So we know that his motion to reopen will be heard, and they will give us the decision on that. Thats the most important piece. This is a developing story, please check back for updates and download the WTAJ app to receive breaking news notifications. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Attorneys argued that his deportation order should be withdrawn in light of his exoneration. Vedams lawyers also asked the courts for a stay of deportation to allow time for his case to be heard, which was granted. A member of Vedams media team told WTAJ that he was recently transferred to an unknown location in Louisiana. 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 WTAJ - www.wtaj.com. A view of the ICE field office in Durango, Colorado. (Google Maps) State investigators will look into an incident in which an apparent federal agent threw a woman to the ground during a protest in Durango earlier this week, the Colorado Bureau of Investigation announced Thursday. Durango Police Chief Brice Current requested the investigation, according to the CBI statement. The Durango protest on Tuesday was over the earlier arrest and detention of a Colombian man, Fernando Jaramillo-Solano, and his two children. The trio was detained on their way to school. The family has an active asylum case and has been in Colorado for 18 months, according to the Durgano-based nonprofit Companeros: Four Corners Immigrant Resource Center. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During the protest, held outside a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement field office, a law enforcement officer, who CBI says appears to be a federal agent, was video recorded grabbing a womans phone and pushing her to the ground. The video was published by The Colorado Sun. CBI will investigate whether there were state criminal law violations during the incident and then give the completed investigation to the 6th Judicial District Attorneys Office. Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, a Democrat, said Wednesday that ICE did not inform his office about the operation to detain Jaramillo-Solano. The federal governments lack of transparency about its immigration actions in Durango and in the free state of Colorado remains extremely maddening. The federal government should prioritize apprehending and prosecuting dangerous criminals, no matter where they come from, and keep our communities safe instead of snatching up children and breaking up families, he wrote in a post on social media. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE State leaders tour the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma on Oct. 29, 2025, as the federal government shutdown threatens food assistance for over 680,000 Oklahomans. (Photo by Emma Murphy/Oklahoma Voice) OKLAHOMA CITY Oklahoma officials said late Friday that a vote will be held Monday to give $1 million per week to Oklahomas food banks during the federal government shutdown, a fraction of what is needed. Two federal judges ordered Friday that the Trump administration must continue providing Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits, also known as food stamps. The benefits are set to be cut off nationwide Saturday because of the federal government shutdown, affecting over 680,000 Oklahomans. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gov. Kevin Stitt, House Speaker Kyle Hilbert, R-Bristow and Senate President Pro Tem Lonnie Paxton, R-Tuttle, said in a joint statement that the funding will be provided from the state emergency fund, which is currently at $7.8 million, for up to seven weeks and will prioritize support for the most vulnerable SNAP recipients. The plan is contingent on a lack of federal funding for SNAP during the shutdown, according to a news release. It was not immediately clear Friday how this plan would be affected by the orders from federal judges or how the funding would be divided between Oklahomas food banks. The vote will be held 5 p.m. Monday at a Contingency Review Board meeting. Stitt, Hilbert and Paxton are the only voting members on the board. The federal government has been shut down since Oct. 1 because Congress has failed to find a bipartisan path forward on a stopgap spending bill by the start of the federal fiscal year. A Republican proposal seeks to temporarily keep the government open through Nov. 21. Democrats back a separate plan to permanently restore health subsidies for those who buy health insurance through the Affordable Care Act marketplace. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This targeted emergency support, alongside the tireless work of our local food banks, will provide weekly food provisions to elderly, disabled, and child SNAP recipients across our 77 counties during periods in which SNAP federal funding is unavailable, Stitt, Hilbert and Paxton said in the joint statement. We encourage every business and nonprofit in the state to join us and be a neighbor to those in need during this time of uncertainty. They asked Oklahomas businesses and nonprofits to contribute to food banks either financially or through lending their workforce. House and Senate Democrats and members of the legislative Black caucus on Friday morning called for a special session to use Oklahomas savings to fund SNAP during the shutdown. Oklahomas rainy day fund currently sits at more than $1.3 billion, but its uses are limited by state law. Stacy Dykstra, CEO of the Regional Food Bank of Oklahoma, which serves 53 counties in central and western Oklahoma, said it will cost the group $5.5 million per month to double its efforts. It will also cost the Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma, which serves the rest of the state, the same amount to double their efforts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She said on Wednesday that food banks only provide one meal for every nine that SNAP provides. SNAP costs over $100 million per month in Oklahoma, according to a lawmaker. Funding from the State of Oklahoma is extremely helpful as the Regional Food Bank for Oklahoma works to be as deliberate as possible to find every food resource we can and distribute it to our network in an intentional manner, Dykstra said in a statement. This amount represents only a fraction of what will be required; however, it will provide critical support allowing us to begin getting meals to the most vulnerable Oklahomans. Jeff Marlow, president and CEO of the Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma, said in a statement that while the funding will help reach some Oklahomans affected by the freeze in SNAP funding, a long-term solution will require immediate federal action to restore full support for the food assistance program. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Child care and early education programs are required to maintain certain child-to-provider ratios based on the childs age. Without the staff, more children cannot be enrolled. Here, the Growing Years child care center in Manchester. (Photo by Maya Mitchell/New Hampshire Bulletin) Earlier this month, the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services announced new goals for increasing child care capacity. Some advocates, however, say theyre concerned that the state may be putting the cart before the horse. DHHS Commissioner Lori Weaver said the departments Roadmap 2025-2027 aims to set priorities and initiatives for the biennium including one for a child care system struggling with workforce shortages, a lack of capacity in centers and programs, and high tuition prices. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The department published two goals to try to address those constraints. The first is to increase child care access and the capacity of child care providers by enrolling 10% more children from high-need communities by September 2026. In New Hampshire, there are fewer spaces available in child care centers and programs than families that want to access them. According to the New Hampshire Fiscal Policy Institute, the states capacity to provide licensed care for children under age 5 dropped almost 13% between 2017 and 2023. Between 2019 and 2023, there was an average annual shortage of about 9,107 child care slots. The department intends to identify communities in need of increased access to child care and implement a plan to increase the number of children enrolled in licensed slots. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Shannon Tremblay, director of the New Hampshire Child Care Advisory Council, said that while the goal does tackle one of the issues of the crisis, capacity, it does not touch on the biggest issue: the lack of workforce. I think the states vision is putting the cart before the horse a little bit. Were just not there yet, she said. We have to worry about the workforce, making livable wages, getting people into the workforce, and then you are able to fill classrooms back up. By law, for safety and quality reasons, child care and early education programs are required to maintain certain child-to-provider ratios based on the childs age. Without the staff, more children cannot be enrolled. The solution is not as simple as hiring more people. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Early child care providers get paid nearly $9 an hour less than the average working Granite Stater or $15.62 compared to $24.03, according to the Fiscal Policy Institute. Coupled with the required certifications and credentials, constraints on tuition increases due to fears of pricing families out, and higher wages for similar jobs like pre-K or kindergarten teachers, it is hard for program owners to hire more providers. Through the second goal, DHHS hopes to work with stakeholders to assess and quantify the current funding landscape. Tuition for child care programs in New Hampshire is expensive. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommends that families spend less than 7% of their income on child care. According to Child Care Aware, a married couple in New Hampshire spends a median of 11.9% of their income on child care and a single parent spends 37.3%. Families must decide between paying for expensive child care or leaving the workforce to provide that care themselves. Last year, more than 17,000 Granite Staters were out of work because they were caring for a child not enrolled in school or a care program, according to the Fiscal Policy Institute. They also estimated that between $9 million and $14.1 million in potential tax revenue across New Hampshire was lost in 2023 due to unavailable child care slots. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While the state has programs like the Child Care Scholarship program to help subsidize costs, advocates say there is not enough state investment to stabilize the care system. Most of our child care providers are on state subsidies themselves, Tremblay said. The state has done great things with increasing eligibility for child care scholarships and stuff like that. But even if you get a child care scholarship, you may not have that spot for child care. Its just like the chicken and the egg kind of thing. The state aims to assess funding through a fiscal analysis sponsored by the Early Care and Education Funders Collaborative. According to Julie Asher, the executive director of the ECEFC, the analysis consists of two pieces: cost modeling and visioning. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For cost modeling, Asher said the analysis will look at the money currently in the states child care funding system to identify its sources, where the state can get more, and where the barriers of access are in hopes of achieving a sustainable, equitable, and high-quality child care system and workforce. The visioning piece of the analysis will be a collaborative effort among early care and education stakeholders to try to find long-term solutions to the problem. Due to the states limited funding capabilities, Asher knows that the department and other stakeholders will have to be creative in crafting a vision for the future of high-quality care. In addition to child care, the roadmap outlines DHHS plans to invest in the departments workforce, improve existing community health initiatives in areas like behavioral health and Medicaid, and enhance customer service for Long Term Care and Contract Lifecycle Management services. Indiana state Sen. Greg Goode, R-Terre Haute, has announced ground rules for a listening session hes holding on Saturday at Terre Haute City Hall. The session in the council chambers starts at 10:30 a.m. and concludes at 1 p.m. Constituents are invited to share their opinions regarding mid-cycle congressional redistricting. During the event, Goode said in a news release, attendees are asked to adhere to the following ground rules: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement * Participants entering council chamber must provide proof of residency in Senate District 38 with a State of Indiana photo identification. * Those who are unable to provide proof of district residency will remain outside and will be provided with an opinion form that Sen. Goode will review. * No signs or political propaganda will be allowed in the council chamber. * Participants will be expected to behave in a manner that shows courtesy, respect and civility to one another. * Attempts to disrupt the listening session will result in immediate removal from the council chamber. * Participants will be allowed up to two minutes to state their opinions. Sen. Goode will not engage in debates he is there to listen. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement * Due to the fire code capacity limits, participants are encouraged to exit council chamber after stating their opinion so others may enter and voice their opinions. Goode offered a reminder that Terre Haute City Hall is a weapon-free building. Shelves of food at Mountaineer Food Bank in Gassaway, West Virginia, during a tour for state legislators on June 22, 2025. (Photo by Perry Bennett/West Virginia Legislative Photography) West Virginias system for distributing electronic SNAP benefits isnt set up to receive an infusion of state dollars, according to the governor and lawmakers, leaving the states food banks and pantries in need of donations to keep people fed during the delayed food benefits. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, helps feed about 275,000 West Virginians, or one in six state residents. Nearly 40% of those recipients are children. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To donate to Facing Hunger, visit the agencys website. Donations can be made to Mountaineer Foodbank here. Families who need assistance finding local pantries may call 211 or visit wv211.org. Due to the federal government shutdown, the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which oversees SNAP, said there will be no benefits issued Nov. 1. Gov. Patrick Morrisey announced this week he plans to give up to $13 million in state dollars to food banks and called on residents to match the contribution. Funding SNAP directly about $47 million isnt the best option right now, according to the governor. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The states SNAP electronic benefits management company, Fidelity Information Services, is unable to accept direct state funding, according to the governors office. Del. Kayla Young, D-Kanawha Del. Kayla Young, D-Kanawha, on Thursday noted an Oct. 24 memo from the U.S. Department of Agriculture that the agency would not use contingency funds to fund food stamps during the shutdown. She said the state cannot directly fund SNAP due to the change at Fidelity. So even if we gave the money to the [West Virginia] Department of Human Services, they would not be able to directly load that money into SNAP accounts, Young said. So the best thing we can do is to fund our food banks. I realize that is not the same thing, but we dont have the capacity to fund SNAP benefits because the federal government has taken an unprecedented move to stop the system. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Morrisey posted on his X account Oct. 29 that Fidelity does not believe that sending money through EBT is feasible over the next few months. This is why were proceeding with our plan which is the quickest way to get food to people who are in need, he wrote. Caitlin Cook, director of advocacy and public policy at Mountaineer Food Bank, said SNAP is the most effective tool the country has to fight hunger. For every one meal the charitable food network food provides, SNAP provides nine, she said. There is no way the charitable food network can make up the full difference that SNAP benefits provide to the 144,000 households that received SNAP. Caitlin Cook, director of advocacy and public policy at Mountaineer Food Bank There is no way the charitable food network can make up the full difference that SNAP benefits provide to the 144,000 households that received SNAP, Cook said. House Democrats ask Morrisey, GOP lawmakers to appropriate more food money In a news conference Thursday, Young and other Democrats in the West Virginia House of Delegates called on Morrisey and federal leaders to do more to address the SNAP crisis. They suggested calling a special legislative session so that lawmakers might appropriate money to food banks. W.Va. House Minority Leader Del. Sean Hornbuckle, D-Cabell House Minority Leader Sean Hornbuckle, D-Cabell, said Morrisey has not done enough. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It takes $1.5 million a day to feed hungry mountaineers, Hornbuckle said. Ladies and gentlemen, we have over $60 million in surplus. We have a medical cannabis fund. We could even follow the lead of Ohio Gov. [Mike] Dewine, who tapped their Rainy Day Fund. There are outlets out there that we could be doing right now. Its a dire situation. And so what we are doing as a caucus, we are asking to call us in a special session, whatever it is that needs to be done, Hornbuckle said. We will work together to get this thing done. Senate President Randy Smith did not respond to a question about whether the Republican-led Legislature would consider dipping into the states $1.4 billion in Rainy Day Fund for food banks. Lawmakers can utilize the Rainy Day Fund, an emergency fund of sorts, to cover acts of God, budget shortfalls and other things solely at the discretion of the Legislature. House Speaker Roger Hanshaw, R-Clay House Speaker Roger Hanshaw, R-Clay, was unable to answer questions for this story due to scheduling conflicts. During Morriseys press conference earlier this week, Hanshaw said food security is part of the governments primary jobs of infrastructure and public safety. He applauded the governor for filling in the gap left by a dysfunctional federal government. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Certainly no element of public safety rings more true to citizens, certainly across our state than food security, Hanshaw said. And in an environment in which food security is already a baked in problem that we in our communities experience every day, a federal government that has abdicated its responsibility to do basic services and provide basic funding for the functions of government is unacceptable. House Democrats also noted that Morrisey could dip into $500 million sitting in the governors contingency fund. Cook said that the federal government shutdown has also meant that the U.S. Department of Agricultures Commodity Supplemental Food Program has also been on pause, which means that food assistance programs have less food inventory to distribute. The increased demand on feeding programs will come from multiple sources including federal workers who are going without paychecks, people who arent receiving their SNAP benefits, and other people who are food insecure but ineligible for the SNAP program, she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So, the pressure is mounting on a charitable food network thats already been stressed before this government shutdown, Cook said. Drew Galang, spokesperson for Morrisey, said that, The state continues to evaluate plans to prevent our citizens from going hungry should the federal shutdown continue past the first few weeks of November. He added that Morriseys actions to expedite and authorize over $14 million, which includes money allocated by lawmakers earlier this year for food banks, was expected to provide food assistance to SNAP recipients for up to two weeks. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE Patiala House Court on Friday extended the judicial custody of Chaitanyanand Saraswati for a further 14 days. His bail application is scheduled for a hearing on November 7. Saraswati is in judicial custody in an alleged molestation case. He has been arrested in an FIR lodged at the Vasant Kunj North Police Station. Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) Animesh Kumar on Friday extended the judicial custody of Chaitanyanand Saraswati till November 14. He was produced before the court after expiry of his earlier judicial custody. The Delhi Police on October 27 sought more time to file a status report on the bail plea of Chaitanyanand Saraswati. Police had told the court that most of the victims are out of station due to the session break and could not be examined. Investigation officer (IO) ACP Ved Prakash had submitted that he needs more time to file a status report, as most of the victims are currently out of the station due to the session break until November 4 and could not be examined. The court took a serious view and stated that the ongoing investigation is not a sufficient ground for adjournment. On October 13, the court had sought a fresh reply from the Delhi Police on the bail plea of Chaitanyanand Saraswati. During the hearing, the Delhi Police had earlier filed a reply on the bail plea. It is stated that statements of 16 victims have been recorded before the magistrate. The mobile phones of 5 victims have been seized, and those of 11 others are to be seized. It was also noted that the FSL examination results are awaited. The investigation is ongoing, and the police are gathering evidence from witnesses. The IO had submitted before the court that there are obscene photos and comments thereupon, and screenshots are available. A total of 5 persons, including three women, have been arrested. Saraswati moved an application seeking bail in a molestation case. Patiala House Court on October 3 remanded Chaitanyanand to 14 days' judicial custody in a molestation case. The judicial custody was extended on October 17. The Delhi Police interrogated Chaitanyanand Saraswati for a 5-day custodial remand. It is alleged that he molested 17 girls in an educational institute in the Vasant Kunj area. Chaitanyanand Saraswati was arrested on September 27 in Agra and was brought to Delhi. Delhi police had produced him before the court, and he was granted a 5-day remand on September 28. The Patiala House Court rejected his earlier plea seeking anticipatory bail in a financial irregularities case. (ANI) Stephen Moore, author of Trumponomics and former presidential economic adviser, joins NewsNation to discuss Trumps meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping in South Korea. The leaders announced a trade deal: the U.S. will cut tariffs on Chinese goods from 57% to 47%, while China pledged to curb fentanyl exports, resume U.S. farm purchases and continue rare earth shipments. 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. The average amount of SNAP benefits a recipient receives in Oklahoma is $140, and nationally, the amount is $180. Over the past weeks, news outlets have been reporting on the programs demise beginning Nov. 1, due to the government shutdown. Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt said in an announcement Oct. 29, and reported by 2News Oklahoma, the $1 billion in the rainy day fund cannot cover the $130 million it would cost to pay for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program in November for Oklahomans. Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. announced Oct. 28 that he and Deputy Chief Bryan Warner have declared a state of emergency due to the food insecurity caused by the federal government shutdown, and making over $6.75 million available for emergency relief. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Applications for Cherokee Nation citizens who are SNAP participants within the reservation and in the at-large contiguous counties, are expected to be available starting Nov. 3 on the Gadugi Portal. On Hoskins Facebook page, he explained applications on the Gadugi site would be expedited for approval for the food distribution program, an alternative to SNAP. People can visit any of the eight distribution sites for monthly groceries at no cost. Those sites are listed on a link under Learn more below. The Nation is also investing over $1 million into the regional food banks and nonprofits to support both Cherokee and non-Cherokee residents, Hoskin said. A second distribution of meat through the Hawiya Food Sovereignty Program is also planned. Beginning Nov. 3, Woodall Public Schools announced all students can stay after school for a third meal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This meal will be served immediately after the 3:15 p.m. bell each school day, states the release. We will have a second parent pickup line at 3:45-4 p.m. for these students. For questions, contact Skye McGlothlin at 918-456-1581 or smcglothlin@woodall.k12.ok.us. Grand View School Superintendent Larry Ben said his administration is looking into how schools can help during this shutdown. We are fortunate to have an after school program that provides a free healthy snack to the students, Ben said. We serve breakfast, lunch, and the after-school snack free to all students. Superintendent Tanya Jones, Tahlequah Public Schools, said TPS is committed to student wellness and success by participating in the Child and Adult Care Food At-Risk Supper Program, a federal nutrition initiative designed to provide healthy meals to children after school. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The district has proudly offered the third meal Supper Program for many years, ensuring that students receive the nourishment they need to stay focused, active, and ready to learn even beyond the traditional school hours, Jones said. Under the CACFP guidelines, all meals served through the At-Risk Supper Program must be consumed on-site, promoting community and engagement among students while ensuring meal accountability. Elementary school students are served a full supper at 3:15 each weekday, followed by middle and high school students at 3:30 p.m., Jones said. Meals are carefully planned and prepared to meet federal nutrition standards, providing a balanced combination of protein, whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and milk, Jones said. In September alone, Tahlequah Public Schools served approximately 13,000 suppers to students across the district. Superintendent Vol Woods, Keys Public Schools, said the school provides snacks each day through the after-school program. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While we have been exploring the possibility of offering a third meal, those discussions are unrelated to the recent SNAP program cuts, Woods said. This is something we have been considering for some time and have already made contact with individuals involved in the process. Woodall Public Schools Superintendent Ginger Knight, said Woodall has been serving a third meal during the after-school program through the Feed the Kids organization. Were now extending this opportunity to all students. The meals are reimbursed through Feed the Kids, and by regulation, they must be served after the dismissal bell, Knight said. Beginning next week, well add additional after-school staff funded through our school budget to ensure every student who needs a meal is able to receive one. She said this effort will continue until the SNAP program is reinstated. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Other schools in the area were asked to comment on the efforts in their districts, but by press time had not responded. Local groups and churches are stepping up to fill in the gaps. Pastor Shana Dry announced Oct. 28 that beginning Monday, Nov. 1, a free hot meal is available five days a week to anyone in need. On Fridays, families can receive two take-home meals to prepare at home for the weekend. Monday through Friday, the doors open at the Activity Building at 4 p.m., and the meal is served at 5 p.m. Feed My Sheep has hosted a free meal every Thursday at 5 p.m. for years in the Activity Building, and Dry said the two efforts will work together on Thursdays. Tahlequah Table Tahlequah Together is a effort of churches and civic organizations to ensure that no one in Tahlequah eats alone or goes without, Dry said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Pastor Jay Jones, Abundant Life Church, is working with the collaborative at FUMC. He said this is helping relieve some of the pressure on the Zoe Institute feeding programs. This month we have seen a large increase of clients at both of our facilities, and are stretched to our limits by the ongoing demand, Jones said. Pantries and feeding programs currently in the Tahlequah area are: CARE Food Pantry, behind the First Presbyterian Church, on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m., and 26 tickets are available each of those days; the Day Center, at 309 S. Muskogee Ave., serves a hot meal every day of the week at 11:30 a.m. and also has a take out lunch available; and Hands of Grace Warehouse, operated by the Zoe Institute at 18929 E. Bluebird Lane, allows families to access the warehouse four times in a four-month period. Hot meals are available for a low fee at the Tahlequah Senior Center, and Wisdom Keepers, an independent living retirement complex. Learn more To find the locations for the food distribution program, go to cherokee.org/media/i3llaloo/cherokee-nation-food-distribution-store-locations-rev-2-13-24.pdf. PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) A stolen vehicle was located after it had crashed into a utility pole near South Oregon and West Wyoming streets on Friday. Peoria police officers initially responded to a report of a stolen vehicle near North Prospect Road and East Gift Avenue at 11:30 p.m., Thursday, said Semone Roth, a police spokeswoman. About 30 minutes later, officers located the stolen vehicle traveling near West Latrobe Street and South Folkers Avenue. The vehicle fled at a high rate of speed after officers attempted to stop the vehicle. Officers did not pursue. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Roth said a short time later, Peoria County Sheriffs deputies located the vehicle abandoned and crashed into the pole. Officers searched the area but did not locate any suspects. This incident remains under 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 CIProud.com. SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) It has been a chilly Halloween in KELOLAND as breezy northwest winds filter in a colder air mass. Highs went from seasonable to below average, which has been about a degree 10 to almost 20 degree difference than yesterday. Along with that, there has been some spotty rain and snow showers today. We will keep the precipitation chances around for this evening and into tonight before the system moves out Saturday morning. Any extra accumulation will be minimal. The good news is that the winds will become slightly less breezy just in time for trick-or-treating, but having extra layers will still be important! It will be cool as temperatures start to drop into the 20s and 30s. We will keep staying below average for tomorrow, but there will be less wind. It will be dry day and that is going to continue heading into the start of November. As we fall back a hour on Saturday night for Daylight Saving Time, we will jump ahead for our temperatures. A ridge building in will bring back above average temperatures in the 50s and 60s. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KELOLAND.com. Prince Andrew is reportedly no longer the Duke of York, with sources saying that the decision to strip him of his title was entirely King Charles. Recent reports suggest that Andrew, along with his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson, was being pressured to move out of his residence at the Royal Lodge. Now, with his titles removed, people are curious to see how things will unfold for the former Duke of York. King Charles and advisors moved to strip Prince Andrew of Royal title without pressure, per source The decision to strip Andrew of his Royal Title was entirely in the hands of King Charles, as per sources. As per Daily Mail, the Prince and Princess of Wales were reportedly in support of Charles decision to strip Andrew of his Royal title. In fact, on Thursday, it was announced that he will now be referred to as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor. The Palace said, His Majesty has today initiated a formal process to remove the Style, Titles and Honours of Prince Andrew. The further statement was, Prince Andrew will now be known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Furthermore, the Royal Palace also mentioned that Andrew will now have to move to alternative private accommodation. Earlier, it was reported that the former Duke of York had demanded two separate residences for himself and his ex-wife, Ferguson. The decision to strip Andrew of his title was up to the King, sources told the publication house mentioned above. It was further reported that there was no pressure from the Government or any other member of the British royal family. A source said, The process has been underway for some while, but there was a need to get it right in the face of some very big challenges. While Andrew is no longer a Prince, sources say that Charles is very much dedicated to protect his nieces, Princess Beatrice and Princess Eugenie. The daughters of Andrew and Ferguson will reportedly retain their Royal titles. The post Stripping Prince Andrew of Title Was Entirely King Charles Decision Source appeared first on Reality Tea. A growing number of Americans are turning to therapy by text message, and new research suggests it can be just as effective as traditional video sessions for some patients. In a study published Thursday in JAMA Network Open, researchers found that people with mild to moderate depression who used text-based therapy showed similar improvements to those who received weekly video-based therapy. The clinical trial involved 850 adults randomly assigned to either weekly video therapy or unlimited messaging with a licensed therapist for 12 weeks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement By the end of the study, both groups reported similar improvements in depression symptoms. "We were pleasantly surprised to see that it was as good as weekly video therapy," study co-author Patricia Arean, a former professor at the University of Washington School of Medicine, told The New York Times. "We didn't really find any differences in the outcomes." The study was supported by Talkspace, a fast-growing digital mental health platform, which collaborated with researchers to conduct the trial. Arean said the company was seeking real-world data to support potential insurance reimbursement for text-based care, a service most insurers do not cover. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "They knew that they needed data," Arean added. Experts say the results could be particularly important for people who struggle to attend traditional or virtual appointments. Text-based therapy "could eventually fit into a stepped-care model," Dr. Jane Zhu, associate professor of medicine at Oregon Health & Science University in Portland, who was not involved in the study, told The Times. That means starting with lower-intensity options like messaging and moving up to more intensive care when needed, Zhu explained. The researchers also found that people were less likely to drop out of text-based therapy compared to video sessions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But patients in the video group said their therapists were slightly warmer and more compassionate, suggesting that the bond created in face-to-face sessions may still be slightly stronger. Arean also said there were no adverse events in the trial. But questions remain about how to build connection when patient and therapist can't see each other. The study excluded people with severe mental health conditions, including psychosis or suicidal thoughts, so text therapy may not be appropriate for everyone. What's more, during the pandemic, the number of Americans in therapy more than doubled, climbing from about 4% of the population to 8.5% by 2021. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dr. Mark Olfson, a professor of psychiatry at Columbia University Irving Medical Center, said the findings support giving patients more options. People with milder depression "might reasonably be offered a choice" between text and video therapy, he told The Times. Copyright 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved. Research from the University of Nebraska has resulted in clear advice: Don't nuke plastics. Our "just pop it in the microwave" mentality is unleashing hordes of tiny plastic particles more than 2 billion nanoplastics and 4 million microplastics per square centimeter (almost one-sixth of a square inch), in some cases the experts found. Alarmingly, they don't yet know for sure how these synthetic materials are impacting our bodies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Even this one study should be a wake-up call not just to new parents but to the FDA [Food and Drug Administration]," Judith Enck, a former EPA administrator who is president of advocacy group Beyond Plastics, told Wired. "They need to be far more proactive." What was studied? Nebraska researcher Kazi Albab Hussain and his team microwaved FDA-approved plastic baby bottles as part of a study that began in 2021. They were filled with water and other liquids simulating food and zapped for three minutes. The results showed that the children would be ingesting microplastics as a result. "For my baby, I was unable to completely avoid the use of plastic," Hussain said. He became a new dad during the time of the study. "But I was able to avoid those [scenarios], which were causing more of the release of micro- and nanoplastics. People also deserve to know those, and they should choose wisely." What are microplastics? They are minuscule plastic particles that have been found on the Earth's highest peaks and deepest oceans. Henry Ford Health reports that 77% of people tested in one study had microplastics in their blood. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some microplastics are made from PFAS, commonly called "forever chemicals," because they take a long time to degrade. The government estimates PFAS to be in the blood of up to 97% of Americans. What's the health impact? The experts are still studying how microplastics and PFAS impact the body, but common sense suggests it can't be good. "Many studies, including ours, are demonstrating that the toxicity of micro- and nanoplastics is highly linked to the level of exposure," Hussain said in the study. The experts exposed kidney cells to the microplastics released during their bottle-microwaving experiment. They said about 75% of the cells were killed a possible link to how microplastics might be harming our kidneys. How to avoid microplastics First, don't microwave plastics. Hussain is hoping a better plastic is made that releases fewer particles. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I am hopeful that a day will come when these products display labels that read 'microplastics-free' or 'nanoplastics-free," he said. For now, edible plastic-free food wraps, compostable coffee pods and tea bags, and glass baby bottles are some products that provide the same service, without the tiny plastic infiltrators. More than 4,500 people have fled Sudans North Kordofan state as the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) escalate their violent attacks against civilians there and in neighbouring North Darfurs el-Fasher, a Sudanese medical organisation says. Field reports from the Sudan Doctors Network (SDN) on Friday indicated that nearly 2,000 people have successfully travelled from the Bara locality, which the RSF recaptured last week, to the state capital of el-Obeid, about 60km (37 miles) to the south. The rest, however, remain en route under harsh conditions and facing severe shortages of food, water, and shelter, the organisation said in a statement, adding that North Kordofan faces a deteriorating security situation. : 4500 1900 . pic.twitter.com/cmCFFrt6WY Sudan Doctors Network (@SDN154) October 31, 2025 The city of Bara has been a key node of fighting between the RSF and the government-aligned Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) for months. In July, the RSF raided and set fire to North Kordofan villages in an attack that killed nearly 300 people, including children and pregnant women. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement SAF took control of Bara in mid-September, but by last week, it was back in the hands of the RSF. Day by day, we see an increase in the intensity of aggression from the RSF forces towards the civilians, people in North Kordofan and Darfur, said Mohammed Elsheikh, SDN spokesman. Theyve been executing people randomly on ethnic basis, on the streets. Theyve been doing very violating acts towards these civilians, he said. He called the situation in Bara one of the major humanitarian crises in Sudan. Death and destruction in el-Fasher The exodus comes as the RSF commits a wave of atrocities in el-Fasher, the capital of North Darfur state to the west of North Kordofan, including mass killings of more than 1,500 people, summary executions and rapes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The RSF seized el-Fasher on Sunday, dislodging the armys last stronghold in Darfur after an 18-month siege marked by bombardment and starvation. Stephane Dujarric, spokesperson for the United Nations secretary-general, said on Friday that conditions in Sudan had become catastrophic, with at least 62,000 people displaced from el-Fasher and surrounding areas in recent weeks. Reporting from the UNs headquarters in New York, Al Jazeeras Gabriel Elizondo said the UN was still trying to ascertain how many people have been killed in el-Fasher and how many have fled there as communications with the city had been completely cut off. On Tuesday, as the RSF rampaged through the city, gunmen attacked the Saudi hospital in successive waves of violence, abducting doctors and nurses and killing at least 460 patients and others, according to the World Health Organization. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement WHO head of humanitarian operations Teresa Zakaria told reporters that following the capture of el-Fasher, there was no longer any humanitarian health presence in the city. Mirjana Spoljaric, president of the International Committee of the Red Cross, decried that facilities once dedicated to saving lives have become scenes of death and destruction. In further scenes of horror, fighters riding camels reportedly rounded up a couple of hundred men near el-Fasher, bringing them to a reservoir before shooting them, according to the news agency Reuters, citing a witness. UN human rights office spokesperson Seif Magango shared other accounts on Friday, estimating hundreds of civilians and unarmed fighters may have been executed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Al Jazeera has verified multiple videos that document RSF troops standing over piles of dead bodies and executing a row of unarmed young men. Widening conflict Experts warn that the RSFs seizure of el-Fasher where the paramilitaries had cut off food and medicine access for nearly 18 months could embolden them to commit similar atrocities in North Kordofan. Bakry Eljack, a public policy professor and Sudan and South Sudan expert at Long Island University Brooklyn, told Al Jazeera that the RSF has been out of control and, as has been warned multiple times, they need to control their soldiers. RSF leader Mohamad Hamdan Hemedti Dagalo said on Wednesday he would form an inquiry committee to investigate violations by his soldiers in el-Fasher a promise panned by experts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Thursday, the RSF said it had detained several men accused of violations during the liberation of el-Fasher, including one known as Abu Lulu who appeared in multiple TikTok videos committing summary executions. It also pledged to ensure military discipline during wartime, and promised a fair trial for those detained. If we dont do anything about this, its not going to end in el-Fasher, its going to expand to North Kordofan, Eljack said. Theres no guarantee what weve seen in el-Fasher is not going to be repeated somewhere else. The ruinous civil war broke out in 2023, when a power struggle between the RSF forces and the SAF prompted fighting in the capital, Khartoum. Since then, the RSF has taken control of more than a third of the country in a conflict that has killed tens of thousands and displaced 12 million, nearly a quarter of its population, becoming the worlds largest humanitarian crisis, according to the United Nations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In an emergency session of the UN Security Council on Thursday, the United Nations assistant secretary-general for Africa, Martha Pobee, called the takeover of el-Fasher a significant shift in the security dynamics in the region, citing escalating fighting in North Kordofan. The territorial scope of the conflict is broadening, she said. Oct. 31 (UPI) -- Several alleged executioners have been arrested after the Rapid Support Forces killed hundreds of Sudanese men, women and children in an El Fasher hospital this week, the paramilitary group announced Friday. RSF officials said they arrested Abu Lulu and others who are accused of carrying out the indiscriminate killings of hundreds in the El Fasher hospital and elsewhere and provided a video of Lulu being arrested and led to a jail cell, The Guardian reported. Those arrested were jailed and under heavy guard in the Shala prison near the western boundary of El Fasher, according to the BBC. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lulu is an RSF commander and was among those shown killing civilians during the RSF attack on El Fasher, which is the capital of the North Darfur state in southwestern Sudan. Satellite images and videos that have been verified as authentic show evidence of mass killings carried out as RSF forces went door to door in El Fasher and killed civilians, ABC News reported. Video footage of Sunday's killings shows Lulu laughing at men who were begging to be spared immediately prior to Lulu executing them, according to BBC Verify. The announcement of the arrest of Lulu and others were met with skepticism, and video footage shows him appearing to be relaxed while being transported to a local prison. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The detention of Abu Lulu appears to be a [public relations] stunt to deflect global anger and shift attention away from the militia's responsibility for this massacre," Sudanese researcher and writer Mohamed Sulimen told The Guardian. "However, many Sudanese did not buy into this and launched a hashtag: 'You are all Abu lulu,' meaning the entire militia acts like him," Sulimen added. Images also have been posted on social media that show several RSF leaders, including Mohamed Hamdan Dagal aka Hemedti and politicians who are aligned with him, with "Abu Lulu" displayed beneath each of their faces. Applying the Abu Lulu tags to their faces suggests they are just like him, and investigators with the Centre for Information Resilience. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The United Nations on Thursday said nearly 500 patients and those with them were killed at the Saudi Maternity Hospital, which was among several medical facilities that the RSF targeted during the fighting. El Fasher has "descended into an even darker hell," senior U.N. officials said on Thursday. Tens of thousands fled the city on foot as mass executions, rape and starvation occurred, according to the United Nations. The RSF laid siege to El Fasher for more than 500 days as the Sudanese Armed Forces maintained its hold on the Sudanese government's last stronghold in Darfur amid a civil war with the RSF. Hundreds of members of the Ho community from across India gathered at Jantar Mantar here in the national capital on Friday under the banner of the All India Ho Language Action Committee (AIHLAC), demanding the inclusion of the Ho language in the Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution. The one-day mass dharna drew the participation of nearly 500 people, including students, intellectuals, and community leaders from Jharkhand, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, and West Bengal, according to a statement from the All India Ho Language Action Committee (AIHLAC). Members raised slogans such as "Ho Language Hamara Adhikar Hai," "Hamara Demand Lengal Demand," "Ho Language Include Karo," and "Central Sarkar Hai Hai", emphasising their long-pending demand for constitutional recognition. Among other key demands is the grant of constitutional status to preserve and promote the rich linguistic, literary, and cultural heritage of the Ho-speaking population. According to AIHLAC, the Ho language, belonging to the Austroasiatic Munda language family, is spoken by over 40 lakh people across India as their mother tongue and used by around 10 lakh non-tribal speakers in daily communication. "Despite being listed in the Census of India since 1961, the language has yet to receive constitutional recognition," the AIHLAC noted. The Governments of Odisha and Jharkhand have already recommended the inclusion of the Ho language in the Eighth Schedule, they said. In addition, expert committees chaired by Eminent Scholar Sitakant Mohapatra and Prof (Dr) AB Ota has submitted favourable reports supporting its inclusion. "Several Members of Parliament have also raised this issue multiple times in Parliament, urging the Union Government to consider this long-standing demand," the statement read. The All India Ho Language Action Committee, in one voice, appealed to the President of India, the Prime Minister, and the Union Home Minister to take immediate action for the inclusion of the Ho language in the Eighth Schedule. Speaking at the protest, a AIHLAC representative said, "This is not just a linguistic issue, but a matter of identity, pride, and justice for the Ho-speaking community. If our demand is not met, we will intensify our movement across the country." The protest concluded peacefully, with community leaders submitting a memorandum to the Ministry of Home Affairs, urging prompt action on their demand, the statement concluded. The Eighth Schedule to the Constitution currently consists of the following 22 languages Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Kashmiri, Konkani, Malayalam, Manipuri, Marathi, Nepali, Oriya, Punjabi, Sanskrit, Sindhi, Tamil, Telugu, Urdu, Bodo, Santhali, Maithili, and Dogri. (ANI) SUFFOLK, Va. (WAVY) Suffolk Public Schools is getting ready to host its Fall Teacher Job Fair on Saturday. The fair is scheduled to take place on Saturday, Nov. 1 from 9 a.m. to noon at Col. Fred Cherry Middle School, located at 7401 Burbage Drive. According to a release, the fair is for those who are eligible for Virginia licensure, recent graduates completing student teaching and current Suffolk Public School employees who are interested in transferring. Individuals who are interested in provisional entry teaching positions and people qualified in special education fields are also encouraged to attend. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During the fair, attendees will be able to meet school staff, learn about open positions and interview with administrators. The following documentation is recommended for those attending the fair: Virginia-certified teachers: Valid VA teaching certificate Out-of-state candidates: Valid teaching certificate and Praxis scores New graduates: Letter of eligibility from college or university or official transcripts and Praxis scores Associate teachers: Bachelors degree and proof of enrollment in a teacher preparation program Those interested in attending are encouraged to register beforehand using the link here. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Continue to check WAVY.com for updates. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WAVY.com. GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KREX) United Way of Mesa County and Sunshine Rides have collaborated to create a nonprofit aimed at providing unhoused people with the resources to successfully become housed and stay that way. Sunshine Community aims to serve unhoused residents who are access-limited, income-constrained and employed. Its to give people an exit strategy from homelessness, said Alexis Hitzeroth, program manager at Sunshine Community. We are starting a 6 to 12 month pilot program to help serve 8 of those people who are super motivated to earn their own freedom back and become members of our community. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Philip Masters, outreach and services coordinator with United Way of Mesa County, says the idea for Sunshine Community came when United Way started doing outreach after the resource centers closure in June. From doing outreach, we needed a next step, and so we created the United Way Services Hub in partnership with Hilltop. While doing that, attaching people to more transformational services, we saw another step needed to be made. Kelly Milan from Sunshine Rides used the old Sunshine Rides buildings and created Sunshine Communities to be that next step, to be that continued support, said Masters. Hitzeroth says the program will offer a number of resources to those it serves, like a transitional shelter and a structured plan. You come to Sunshine Community every day and you have a set schedule for what youre going to be doing that day. It could be meeting with your peer counselor. It could be doing an art program. It could be going over to Roice-Hurst Humane Society and doing some work with the animals there, Hitzeroth says. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Program participants can also get rides to and from services for free through Sunshine Rides. The idea of a day-to-day partnership between the two of us is Sunshine Rides essentially eliminating that transportation aspect barrier of accessing the services and opportunities that the members of this program are going to be utilizing, says Liz Currie, marketing manager for Sunshine Rides. Those hoping to join the program must be referred in. We prefer that you start in the United Way services hub and we get to know you. We learn a little bit about your background, make sure that youre sober or in a program If you are coming to every program for like five weeks or more, youre showing that you are making good progress and that youre motivated to be here, then we will think about moving you into the Sunshine Community, says Hitzeroth. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The end goal is to get people housed with enough life skills to keep them that way. You might be an unhoused person and get housing, but youre not prepared to be in a housing situation by yourself. You dont have the skills. You dont know how to pay your water bill, you dont know how to set up your internet, you dont know how to do laundry Were going to prepare people for all those soft skills and all the hard skills so that you feel mentally and physically and emotionally prepared to be into permanent housing so that you dont go back into the unhoused population, said Hitzeroth. 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. At least 11 people have been sickened, including three who were hospitalized, with salmonella infections linked to powder supplements sold at Sam's Club stores nationwide and online, federal health officials said Friday. Member's Mark Super Greens Powder Supplements have been pulled from store shelves because they contain moringa leaf powder that may be contaminated with salmonella bacteria, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said. Infections were confirmed in seven states: Florida, Kansas, Michigan, North Carolina, New York, South Carolina and Virginia. Illnesses were reported between May and September. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The source of the salmonella was traced to a single lot of organic moringa leaf powder imported from Vallon Farm Direct in Jodhpur, India, according to an investigation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. State health officials in Virginia and Michigan collected and tested samples of the product from the homes of people who fell ill. Moringa is a plant native to India and other countries prized for essential nutrients including protein, amino acids, vitamins and minerals, according to research published by the National Institutes of Health. Its leaves can be dried and powdered. Consumers should not eat the supplements and should throw them away or return them to the store for a refund. Symptoms of salmonella poisoning include diarrhea, fever, severe vomiting, dehydration and stomach cramps. Most people who get sick recover within a week. Infections can be severe in young children, older adults and people with weakened immune systems, who may require hospitalization. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement ___ The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institutes Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content. GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) The kids at Helen DeVos Childrens Hospital may not be able to go door to door to trick-or-treat this year, but that didnt stop them from celebrating Halloween. In addition to the candy and costumes, the staff brought in five superheroes to repel down the side of the building, waving to the kids through their windows along the way. Spiderman was happy to join the repel and visit with children. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its absolutely wonderful. Its probably one of the most humbling experiences youll ever have because theyre facing some of the toughest things in their lives and were here to make a difference in any way we possibly can, he said. One of those special patients, 7-year-old Daniel Bertram, spent some time getting into the Halloween spirit and pretending to be a ghost. Its kind of just like how you do it at home, Daniel said. Daniel is undergoing chemotherapy treatment at the hospital, but he was able to take some time Friday to enjoy the costumes and candy. They do lots of things on the unit to make sure that everybody has a very, very special Halloween. Even if its not quite like home, they still make it special, said Dave Bertram, Daniels father. A child celebrates Halloween at the Childrens Hospital. Workers dressed as superheroes repel down the side of the Grand Rapids childrens hospital to celebrate Halloween. Workers dressed as superheroes repel down the side of the Grand Rapids childrens hospital to celebrate Halloween. Workers dressed as superheroes repel down the side of the Grand Rapids childrens hospital to celebrate Halloween. Daniels teacher, Kiele Haywood, also dropped by to make sure he was having fun. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I loved it. When I came in and talked to him, he was very excited to show me kind of what he got. I got to see his costume, Haywood said. The staff also dressed up as part of the celebration. When kids come here and our patients here, theyre still kids and they need to still be kids. So were trying to support them not only with the medicine, but also socially and emotionally so they can continue to be kids, said Robert Fitzgerald, the hospitals president. Daniel and his family appreciate all the work that went into planning the special day. The amount of effort that goes into everything is absolutely amazing. And so kids are going to miss out on certain holidays and certain opportunities, but they do a great job here trying to make it feel like home, Fitzgerald said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WOODTV.com. A surge in house fires caused by solar panels and their batteries is sparking safety concerns over Ed Milibands plan for millions more rooftop installations. UK fire services faced a blaze involving a solar panel once every two days in 2024, according to data gathered by insurance company QBE, marking a 60pc increase in the past two years. QBE canvassed data from across the UKs fire services to see how many blazes were caused by solar installations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It also found fires were rising faster than the rate of installations, suggesting a rise in the number of solar panels could not explain the increase in incidents alone. Adrian Simmonds, a senior QBE risk manager, said: Solar is essential to the UKs clean energy transition but the rapid pace of deployment is raising risk concerns. Our analysis shows fires involving solar panels have risen at twice the rate of new installations over the past two years. Safe solar panel installation and maintenance are essential to reducing fires. The findings follow a series of disastrous fires linked to solar installations that are thought to have been either faulty or badly maintained. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Earlier this year, a blaze caused by rooftop solar panels forced the evacuation of pregnant women and babies from St Michaels maternity hospital in Bristol. Pregnant women and babies were evacuated from a hospital in Bristol after a solar panel fire broke out Another rooftop solar panel fire, in Church Crookham, Hampshire, damaged three flats in 2022. Mr Miliband is pushing to accelerate UK solar capacity from 18 gigawatts now to as much as 85 gigawatts by 2035, a nearly fivefold increase. Some of this expansion will be in the form of ground-mounted panels in the giant solar farms that are replacing farmland across counties like Lincolnshire, Norfolk, Suffolk, Devon and Cornwall. However, Mr Milibands recent Solar Roadmap also calls for rooftop panels to be fitted on millions more homes in addition to the 1.5 million already equipped. It also proposes minimising planning requirements, which can incorporate safety regulations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement QBEs data showed that there were 107 fires linked to solar panels in 2022 when the UK had about 1.3 million solar panels installed. By 2024, by which point 1.7 million panels were installed, the number of fires had risen to 171. Biggest risks The most common source of faults were inverters electronic devices that convert the direct current produced by solar panels into the alternating current used by the electricity grid. This process generates a lot of heat, so inverters have to be positioned with good ventilation and kept free of obstructions. Poorly trained installers can place them in lofts or cupboards where they get hot and from where a fire can spread fast. Lithium-ion batteries are often hooked up to modern solar systems, which can also be a risk. Another fire in Wickford, Essex, in August started in a lithium battery storage system linked to solar panels. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The risk of a fire in any given year remains small but the impact can be devastating. A key danger is when fires are able to extend from the roof down into the house. The data suggests that siting panels close to or over skylights or rooftop windows is the biggest risk, allowing a blaze to extend downwards into the main part of a home or business. Mr Simmonds said the solution might lie in better regulations, improved training and service contracts to ensure installations are regularly inspected and maintained. He said: We strongly encourage property owners to carry out formal risk assessments, engage certified installers, and ensure regular inspections and cleaning. These simple steps can significantly reduce the chance of fire. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Solar Energy UK, the industry trade body, said: If properly installed and maintained, the risk of fire is exceptionally low and rooftop solar is, of course, one of the very best ways to slash energy bills. The relatively few incidents of fire should be viewed in that context. A Department for Energy Security and Net Zero spokesman said: The risk of fire from solar panels is very low. Solar panels should always be fitted by a certified installer, and can help families save around 500 a year on their energy bills. The National Fire Chiefs Council was contacted for comment. 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. ABILENE, Texas (KTAB/KRBC) A suspect accused of carjacking a victim and robbing a Family Dollar in Abilene multiple times over the span of a week was identified because of his forehead tattoo. Artavious Hawkins was booked into the Taylor County Jail on two counts of Aggravated Robbery and one county of Robbery Thursday in connection to the allegations. Court documents state that October 16, a victim reported he was confronted last Friday by a suspect at an apartment complex on N 10th Street. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This suspect allegedly accused the victim of taking his book bag then this suspect assaulted the victim and stole his vehicle. This victim gave a nickname for the suspect and a description, including a distinctive tattoo across his forehead, according to the documents, which state this information led detectives to identify Hawkins as the suspect. Two days later, the documents state officers were called to a robbery at Family Dollar on Grape Street where three employees were held at gunpoint by a suspect who was wearing all black and obscuring his head and face with a hoodie. One of the employees was beaten with the gun before the suspect took money from the safe and fled the scene. The documents state the same suspect returned to the Family Dollar a week later and held an employee at gunpoint, once again demanding money from the safe. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During this incident, the documents reveal the suspect was caught on surveillance video exposing his face and head, which matched the description given by the victim of the carjacking. Hawkins now remains held in jail on bonds totaling more than $225,000. 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. A suspect was arrested for murder after a man was found shot to death near the Los Angeles Riverbed in Long Beach. On July 16, Long Beach police responded to the riverbed near the 91 Freeway around 11:18 a.m. to investigate reports of a body found. The victim, Martin Segura, 40, was found with a gunshot wound to his upper body. He was pronounced dead at the scene. No suspects were located nearby. Police said he was homeless at the time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Following a months-long investigation, detectives identified the suspected shooter as Andrew Lozano, 31, a man who was also homeless. The Los Angeles River near the 91 Freeway in Long Beach. (Google Maps) On Oct. 29, Lozano was located and arrested in Long Beach. The motive behind the deadly shooting remains under investigation. Police said Lozano was also booked for an outstanding, unrelated warrant. He remains in custody on $2 million bail. Detectives will present the case to the Los Angeles District Attorneys office for filing consideration. No further details were released. Anyone with additional information can call Detectives Leticia Gamboa and Oscar Valenzuela at 562-570-7244. Anonymous tips can be provided to L.A. Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or online at lacrimestoppers.org. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTLA. PLAINFIELD TOWNSHIP, Mich. (WOOD) The man jailed after a chase that ended inside a Plainfield Township retirement home had been sentenced to life in prison for murder nearly 30 years ago before being resentenced just two years ago. A source close to the investigation confirmed the suspect as Cody Skaggs, 46. An Oct. 30, 2025, booking photo of Cody Skaggs from the Kent County jail. Scary: Woman describes retirement home break-in Skaggs was described as the mastermind in the June 1996 murder at a restaurant in Wyoming. He was 16, just three days shy of turning 17, when he and two others robbed Lennies Place, ending in the shooting death of the night manager, Richard Morris. Skaggs had recently been fired from the restaurant. While police say he orchestrated the robbery and provided the gun, he wasnt accused of pulling the trigger. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Skaggs originally got life in prison with the possibility of parole for second-degree murder, armed robbery and felony firearm. The other two have already served their time. I take full responsibility for my actions. I do not deny what I did. I am sorry, Skaggs said at his sentencing in 1997. Then in 2023, a Kent County judge resentenced him to 25 to 75 years, leading to his release from prison on parole on Aug. 31 of that year. It wasnt a so-called juvenile lifer case, in which some young convicted killers have been set free based on a U.S. Supreme Court ruling. Those cases involved only mandatory life without parole sentences, which the Supreme Court found was cruel and unusual punishment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In this case, according to Kent County Prosecutor Chris Becker, the state Supreme Court had ruled that Skaggs original sentence was too harsh. Crime by juvenile lifers after prison very rare, state says Skaggs has gotten in trouble since his release. He got 15 days in jail in July for retail fraud and had a domestic violence case against him dismissed earlier this year, both in Kent County. Most recently, he was wanted on a bench warrant from Kent County Circuit Court for failing to appear in court in August on a bad check case. He had been accused in April of trying to cash a fraudulent $4,000 check. The Kent County Sheriffs Office said deputies had been looking for Skaggs for absconding parole; state prison records list the absconding date at July 27. Authorities say a person took off from deputies, hit multiple cars, broke into an apartment at the River Grove Retirement Community in Plainfield Township and assaulted a woman before being arrested. (Oct. 30, 2025) Authorities say a person took off from deputies, hit multiple cars, broke into an apartment at the River Grove Retirement Community in Plainfield Township and assaulted a woman before being arrested. (Oct. 30, 2025) He was arrested Thursday after the sheriffs office says he fled from deputies, struck several vehicles and broke into a retirement home north of Grand Rapids. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The chase started near 5 Mile Road and Plainfield Avenue NE. A detective later spotted the car at River Grove Retirement Community in the area of Jupiter Avenue and West River Drive. Deputies say he broke into the building, leading them to fire less-than-lethal bean bag rounds to subdue him. They say he was armed with a knife. He is now being held on three felony charges, court records show: obstructing police, burglary and kidnapping, along with a non-felony obstructing police charge. 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. Colonel Sofiya Qureshi, who also represented the Indian armed forces at press briefings during Operation Sindoor, on Friday acknowledged the role of the youth and the internet during the four-day conflict with Pakistan. Addressing the Young Leaders Forum in New Delhi, Colonel Qureshi hailed the "yuva shakti," saying, "War is not only fought in bunkers or with bullets, but also with bites and bandwidths." She noted that civilians also play a role in national security and carry the "flame of patriotism." She said, "Responsibilities for defending a nation are not just the military's game; civilians also play a role in addressing external and internal threats. Over the years, the Indian army has trained officers and troops in 'Saashtra' and 'Shashtra.' 'Saashtra' means knowledge, strategy, and wisdom, while 'Shashtra' means weaponry and warfare, representing a blend of intellect and strength." "Every generation has carried the flame of patriotism, from baby boomers to Gen Z. Be it seven decades ago or Operation Sindoor, you all have witnessed it. You, the 'Yuva Shakti of Bharat,' you are the force of multipliers. You are not only trained in firepower, but also in the firewalls. You are ready to face kinetic and non-kinetic domains. War is not only fought in bunkers or with bullets, but also with bites and bandwidths," Col Qureshi added. Colonel Sofiya Qureshi added that Operation Sindoor brought a paradigm shift in warfare, highlighting the role of youth in peace, stability, and progress. She said, "India is one of the youngest nations in the world. Over 65 per cent of the population is under 35, which belongs to Gen Z. This is not just a demographic dividend. It is our strategic reserve. Youth have played a pivotal role, both in uniform and as civilians, in strengthening the national security framework." "The Operation Sindoor has brought about a paradigm shift in warfare, proving that peace, stability, and progress cannot be sustained without the participation of young minds and civilians. It has validated India's capability for multi-domain precision warfare and an extraordinary demonstration of price service synergy, jointness, integration, and self-reliance," the army official added. Earlier, Chief of the Army Staff, General Upendra Dwivedi also lauded young military officers, National Cadet Corps (NCC) cadets, and "social media warriors" for their contributions during Operation Sindoor. India launched Operation Sindoor in response to the Pahalgam terror attack on April 22, killing 26 people. Inflicted by this heavy damage, Pakistan's Director General of Military Operations (DGMO) called the Indian DGMO and a ceasefire was agreed upon with effect from 5 pm on May 10, the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting said. Colonel Sofiya Qureshi and Wing Commander Vyomika Singh participated in multiple press briefings on May 8, 9, and 10, led by Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri. (ANI) ABILENE, Texas (KTAB/KRBC) A suspect that was shot by Abilene police during a struggle on Butternut Street earlier this month has been identified. Christopher Luckey was booked into the Taylor County Jail for Aggravated Assault in connection to the incident, which happened just before 6:30 p.m. October 13. Court documents state officers contacted Luckey on the 100 block of Butternut Street, and when they tried to place him into handcuffs, a struggle ensued, where officers attempted to unsuccessfully tase Luckey multiple times. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police: Man fires officers gun during struggle, shot in central Abilene The documents state that while an officer was struggling with Luckey on the ground, Luckey got his hand on the officers gun and fired the trigger, causing a shot to hit Luckey in the leg. While this was happening, the documents state a second officer saw Luckey with the gun, so he discharged his weapon at Luckey. Luckey now remains held in the Taylor County Jail on a $250,000 bond. Both officers involved in the shooting were cleared of wrongdoing during an internal investigation and returned to work last week. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KTAB - BigCountryHomepage.com. (FOX40.COM) Two suspects have been arrested in connection with a fatal shooting that occurred late Tuesday night just outside Stockton city limits, the San Joaquin County Sheriffs Office said. According to the sheriffs office, deputies responded to a report of a shooting and a vehicle crashing into a building on East Waterloo Road around 11:30 p.m. on Oct. 28. In the vehicle, deputies found the driver, who had been shot. The driver died from their injuries at the scene. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Detectives determined that the shooting had occurred in the parking lot of a nearby gas station where witnesses said they saw two people in a silver Chevrolet Malibu with duct tape on the rear drivers side. The sheriffs office described the shooting as a targeted attack. One of the people allegedly got out of the car and fired multiple rounds from what appeared to be an AR-style firearm before driving away, police said. Detectives found the suspects, a man and a woman, at the Waterloo Inn and detained them. The vehicle was also located and taken for evidence processing. The sheriffs office said both suspects admitted involvement in the homicide and were booked into the San Joaquin County jail. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX40 News. Sweet Home community hosting Family Fest Halloween night LITTLE ROCK, Ark. The countdown to Halloween is over, and on Friday night, the city will be packed with trick-or-treaters and events that sure give people a good scream. KARK 4 Today got a chance to get in on some of those events, one of many being the Halloween Family Fest hosted by the Sweet Home community. North Little Rock libraries to host free Halloween events Jessica Wise and her husband, Earl Wise, are the two hosting the event. Wise said its aimed at bringing families together for a southern-like Halloween celebration. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We have everything set up, and luckily it didnt take too long. We have food vendors, an animal petting zoo, and a kids art station, Wise said. She said this is her first year hosting an event like this. Shes originally from California and says she found a new sense of community when moving to Arkansas and wants to share it with others on special holidays like Halloween. The Sweet Home community has been good to me and my family, so we want to give people that same comfort while having fun, she said. Haunted Hotel of Arkansas braces for Halloween crowd Wise says the event will also host What Da Fried Rice, a food truck owned by Wise and her husband, face paintings, lawn games, and spooky stories told over a bonfire. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I cant wait to see how many kids show up and how many families well get to meet. Were kicking things off at 4 p.m. and ending by 8 Friday night, Wise 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 KARK. Officials frame public trials as a transparency test after Julys clashes, with legal observers watching for access rules, indictments, and independent monitoring. [DAMASCUS] Syrias Justice Ministry will hold public trials inSweida for suspects tied to Julys clashes, Justice Minister Mazhar al-Wais ordered this week, presenting the proceedings as a test of transparency after months of unrest in the Druze-majority province. Public access is central to the plan: In a phone call with The Media Line, the ministrys Media Office said the goal was to ensure justice and prevent impunity, adding that everyone involved in the violations will be held accountable, whether they belong to remnants of the former regime or to those who targeted civilians. A ministry media source added, When the time comes, people will see that no one is above the law. Exclusive information obtained by The Media Line indicates the hearings will be open to the public so that everyone can follow them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What is new is not the investigation itself but the decision to open the courtroom doors. Public proceedings in politically sensitive cases are rare in Syria, and legal observers say credibility will hinge on whether indictments, evidence, and verdicts are made availableand whether independent observers can attend. Officials also caution that the path to uncovering the truth does not seem easy amid major security challenges and the political and social sensitivity surrounding the southern province. Weeks before the announcement, the government formed a special committee to examine last Julys events in Sweida, where clashes between local groups and regime forces resulted in deaths, injuries, and the displacement of families. The panel includes representatives from the Ministry of Justice and coordinates with security agencies, and it has already arrested several people involved while continuing to collect evidence and victim testimony in preparation for its findings. Judge Fadi Awwad chairs the committee, which draws members from the legal, security, and human-rights sectors. Syrian Kurds hold signs during a protest in solidarity with people in Sweida, after scores of people have been killed this week in violence in and around the predominantly Druze city of Sweida, pitting fighters from the Druze minority against government security forces and members of Bedouin tribes (credit: REUTERS) Speaking to The Media Line, committee spokesperson Ammar Ezzedine said the work is being carried out in complete independence and according to professional and national standards, noting that the Ministry of Defense has provided the facilities needed for investigators to perform their tasks. The investigations are being conducted with complete transparency, and the results will be presented to the public once completed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fieldwork has been uneven. According to Ezzedine, teams began collecting evidence and receiving testimony from residents and the wounded, but security and logistical obstacles blocked access to several tense areas in Sweidas countryside. He added that the field team was able to reach the city and collect testimonies through local mediators and civil organizations, while work was temporarily suspended in some areas for purely security reasons. Conditions on the ground remain fragile across parts of the province, limiting access to all affected sites. Even so, the committee says it has compiled an integrated database on alleged violations, including unlawful arrests and clashes that caused civilian casualties. Accountability, officials insist, will apply across the board. Ezzedine said the aim is not only determining what happened, but also defining legal and criminal responsibility and issuing recommendations to prevent a repeat of such abuses. Regarding accusations against Syrian government forces of committing massacres against civilians in Sweida, he added that perpetratorswhether state-affiliated or members of armed gangswill be held to account: No one is above the law. Israel's Druze demand justice for Syrian Druze victims Broader pressure is building in parallel. Israels Druze leadership has petitioned the United Nations to open an international inquiry into what it calls systematic atrocities against Druze civilians in Syrias Sweida province, alleging massacres, kidnappings, torture, sexual violence, and mass displacement since July 2025. Attorney Yael Vias Gvirsman said the evidence demonstrates a deliberate and coordinated campaign of extermination and persecution. Sheikh Muwaffaq Tarif said the appeal was filed out of an urgent need to draw global attention to the near-destruction of the Druze community in Syria. The public-trial plan unfolds against years of mounting strain in Sweida. The southern province, home to much of Syrias Druze community, maintained relative neutrality early in the war, but protests over collapsing living conditions grew in 2020 and evolved in 2023 into open calls for the regimes fall. The government tightened its security posture and imposed a partial blockade on the city, while local armed groups formed committees to protect the protesters. That standoff set the stage for Julys violenceand for the current inquiry. Suwayda also represents a unique social case within Syria, thanks to its tribal composition and relative autonomy from central authority, which makes any government action there doubly sensitive and potentially widens the trust gap between the state and local society. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Officials portray the public-trial plan and the committees work as part of an effort to project a commitment to justice and accountability at a time of heightened scrutiny over human-rights practices. Skeptics of Syrian politics question the committees independence, warning that political intent may override the judicial path, especially if results are not fully published or are constrained by security considerations. What to watch next is whether the ministry publishes a trial calendar and access rules, clarifies charges and jurisdiction, and permits independent monitoringsteps that will determine whether Sweidas cases mark a substantive shift or merely the appearance of one. If the committee manages to uncover the full truth, it will be a precedent in the history of modern Syrian justice; but if the files are closed without accountability, trust will erode once again. Between promises of public trials and the constraints on the ground, the Sweida issue stands at a crossroads. Authorities say they are moving forward toward justice, while residents wait for tangible results that could end years of ambiguity and violence. I don't care if you like military vehicles or not, tanks are just cool. And they're not just relics from history books, theyre still the backbone of battlefield power in todays modern warfare. From the blistering deserts of the Middle East to the icy fields of Eastern Europe, tanks remain the ultimate symbol of hard-hitting ground dominance. And while drones and cyber warfare grab headlines, its the roar of a modern battle tank that still makes enemies think twice. Whether built to intimidate, defend borders, or parade down city streets, todays tanks blend tradition, technology, and tactical muscle like never before. They're proof that if you give engineers enough armor and caffeine, they'll build you a rolling bunker with a cannon on top. Steel, Strategy, and Street Cred Image Credit: Sgt. Jason Palacios - Public Domain/Wiki Commons. Choosing the worlds most impressive tanks isnt just about who has the most toys or the latest gear, its about the big picture. We looked at tanks currently in service or entering service that shape military strategy, influence geopolitics, and command respect on the battlefield. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some of these tanks are proven warriors, others are futuristic challengers just starting to roll out. We considered how often theyre deployed, how theyve performed in real-world conflicts, and what kind of reputation theyve built among soldiers and analysts alike. American relevance played a big role in our selection, whether the U.S. military interacts with them, trains alongside them, or watches them closely. And of course, we factored in soft power: how much a tank stands out visually, inspires national pride, or turns heads on a parade route. Because in todays world, looking intimidating can matter just as much as being lethal. Real tank crews may not look like Brad Pitt in Fury, but they are getting the job done. T-90 Image Credit: Mil.ru - CC BY 4.0/Wiki Commons. The T-90 is Russias most visible modern tank and a direct descendant of the Cold Wars rolling thunder. Its been shown off in parades, deployed in conflicts, and exported across the world. While not as futuristic-looking as some rivals, it has an unmistakable profile that screams "old-school with upgrades." In conflicts like Ukraine, its reputation has taken some serious hits, but it still represents the core of Russias armored strength. American defense analysts pay close attention to the T-90 not because its unbeatable, but because its everywhere. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its the kind of tank that looks menacing from a distance, even if up close it shows its age. Its export success means its often the face of Russian tank power in global hotspots. Despite its flaws, the T-90 reminds everyone that Russia still knows how to build tanks that get noticed. Zulfiqar-3 Image Credit: M-ATF - CC BY-SA 3.0/Wiki Commons. Irans Zulfiqar-3 is less about global dominance and more about homegrown pride. Its a symbol of Irans military independence, designed and produced domestically with a mix of foreign influences. While the tank hasnt proven itself in any major war, Iran puts it on full display during military parades like it's the crown jewel. To Western eyes, especially American ones, it feels like a Frankenstein machine, part Soviet, part Western, part Iranian ambition. But for Iran, the Zulfiqar-3 is proof that they can build their own armored muscle in spite of sanctions. Its design might not wow U.S. commanders, but its message is clear: "We dont need your help." While it doesnt carry the global weight of an Abrams or Leopard, its geopolitical value keeps it relevant. Sometimes, symbolism is just as important as capability. Type 99A Image Credit: Tyg728 - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0/Wiki Commons. Chinas Type 99A is a tank built not just to fight wars, but to project national pride. Sleek and sharp-edged, it cuts through military parades like a knife through silk. It hasnt seen the kind of real-world combat that defines tanks like the Abrams, but that doesnt stop it from raising eyebrows in the Pentagon. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement American military planners see the Type 99A as part of Chinas larger effort to challenge U.S. dominance, on land as much as at sea. Its not just a tank; its part of a strategy. And while it may not be as combat-proven as some, its designed to send a message: Chinas armored forces are stepping up. In global power games, this tank is a rising player. Whether it performs under fire remains to be seen, but it's definitely earned a seat at the table. Altay Image Credit: gd_project/Shutterstock. Turkeys Altay is a tank with something to prove. Born from a mix of national ambition and borrowed designs, its Turkeys statement that it belongs among the armored elite. Though still rolling out in limited numbers, the Altay carries the weight of Turkeys shift toward military independence. American observers see it as both a regional game-changer and a wildcard. It blends modern style with Middle Eastern practicality, built for terrain as much as for politics. The Altays presence suggests Turkey wants to play both sides: NATO ally, but also regional powerhouse. While the tanks full potential hasnt been tested in live combat, its already a centerpiece of Turkeys military parade. Its not just a tank, its a national mission on treads. Leclerc Image Credit: Kathleen Polanco - Public Domain/Wiki Commons. Frances Leclerc tank doesnt scream for attention, it simply earns it. With its smooth design and no-nonsense profile, it looks like a mix between a high-speed train and a battlefield predator. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement American soldiers whove worked with French forces in NATO drills often speak highly of its mobility and precision. It doesnt try to be everything, it just does its job with sharp discipline. While it doesnt make headlines like Russian or American tanks, the Leclerc carries serious prestige in Europe and the Middle East. Its seen action with the UAE and has become a trusted tool in desert warfare. Quietly, its one of the most refined tanks in the world. And in the background, it keeps proving that French engineering still packs a punch. Karrar Image Credit: Fars Media Corporation, CC BY 4.0/Wiki Commons. Irans Karrar is the newer, more aggressive sibling of the Zulfiqar. It looks a lot like a T-90, and thats no accident, its based on Russian designs with an Iranian twist. What makes it impressive isnt necessarily its performance, but what it represents: self-reliance under pressure. For American analysts, the Karrar isnt a threat in itself, but a sign of how Iran is growing its military manufacturing game. Its used as a propaganda tool as much as a battlefield weapon. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If Iran ever needs to mass-deploy armor in a regional fight, the Karrar is expected to lead. Its dark paint and boxy lines give it a menacing look in press photos. Its less about results, more about presence, and sometimes, thats all it takes. Challenger 3 Image Credit: Ministry of Defence - OGL v1.0/Wiki Commons. The British Challenger 3 is still in development, but its already drawing attention across NATO. Set to replace the Challenger 2, this tank is the UKs most ambitious armored upgrade in decades. While it shares some DNA with its predecessor, its a very different beast under the armor. For American allies, the Challenger 3 signals that Britain is serious about keeping pace on modern battlefields. Its future deployment will bolster NATOs credibility and ensure the UKs tanks remain a global force. Even before hitting mass production, its turning heads with its new-age design and future-proof upgrades. Its like the next-gen console of tanks, everyones curious how itll perform once it launches. And in a world where tanks still matter, the Challenger 3 looks ready to claim a top-tier spot. Leopard 2A7+ Image Credit: Fric.matej - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0/Wiki Commons. Germanys Leopard 2A7+ is what happens when you mix engineering obsession with battlefield urgency. Its clean, intimidating, and shaped like a brick wall on a mission. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This tank has become the armored ambassador of Europe, used and trusted by multiple NATO countries. American soldiers in joint exercises often speak of it as the only tank that could go toe-to-toe with the Abrams. Its not loud in the media, but in military circles, its a legend. Its role in the Ukraine conflict has only added to its reputation, especially in comparison to Russian models. The Leopard doesnt try to reinvent the wheel, it just crushes everything in front of it. In any tank conversation, this one shows up and dominates quietly. K2 Black Panther Image Credit: Jason Cochran - Public Domain/Wiki Commons. The K2 Black Panther is one of the most advanced tanks money can buy, and it looks the part. Built for mountainous terrain and urban warfare, its South Koreas answer to both North Korean threats and global competition. It blends futuristic tech with aggressive styling that makes it look like it was designed in a Marvel lab. American forces stationed in Korea know the K2 as a high-tech ally with serious muscle. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What makes it especially impressive is its versatility, its fast, adaptable, and smart. South Korea has started exporting the K2, and other countries are taking notice. It may not have a long combat record, but its design screams confidence. The K2 isnt just modern, its next-gen. Armata T-14 Image Credit: Vitaly V. Kuzmin - CC BY-SA 3.0/Wiki Commons. Russias T-14 Armata is like a concept car that actually made it to the road, sort of. Its the tank Russia says will redefine armored warfare, though deployment has been slow and uncertain. Still, its unmanned turret and crew protection features caught the attention of U.S. military analysts. Whether it lives up to the hype is unclear, but its look alone gives it futuristic street cred. Its part intimidation, part military flex, something Russia excels at. The T-14 is rarely seen in battle zones, but often seen in Russian state media like its a trophy. If it ever rolls into a real high-intensity war, the world will be watching. For now, its one of the most talked-about tanks that few have seen in real action. Merkava Mk 4 Image Credit: IDF Spokesperson's Unit - CC BY-SA 3.0/Wiki Commons. Israels Merkava Mk 4 is built like a fortress and shaped by the brutal lessons of modern warfare. Its not a tank designed for invading, its a tank built to survive, defend, and dominate close-range urban fights. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement American forces have long admired Israels battlefield ingenuity, and the Merkava is a prime example. With rear engine placement and crew protection as a priority, its a vehicle that puts its people first. That human-first design philosophy has resonated with U.S. allies who deal with urban combat. The Merkava is as rugged as it looks. In Middle Eastern terrain, it performs like a tank and a bulldozer in one. Its presence is a reminder that tanks can be both offensive weapons and life-saving shields. M1A2 Abrams SEPv3 Image Credit: Shutterstock. The M1 Abrams isnt just Americas main battle tank, its the tank that sets the global standard. With decades of battlefield experience, it has become the blueprint every other nation studies. The latest SEPv3 version keeps the Abrams relevant in a rapidly modernizing world. Its big, brutal, and battle-proven from the deserts of Iraq to NATOs eastern flank. American troops trust it not just as a machine, but as a lifeline in combat. It doesnt just show up, it dominates, intimidates, and finishes the fight. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Even in a world full of shiny new tanks, the Abrams still feels like the heavyweight champ. Its the tank everyone knows, respects, and, if necessary, fears. The Battlefield Still Belongs to Beasts Image Credit: Nehemia Gershuni-Aylho - CC BY-SA 3.0/Wiki Commons. Tanks might not make headlines like missiles or fighter jets, but when one shows up, everyone pays attention. They are symbols of strength, deterrence, and raw power that shape world events without saying a word. From joint drills to actual combat zones, the tanks on this list define what modern ground dominance looks like. Whether theyre feared by enemies or admired by allies, each one leaves a mark wherever it rolls. And while warfare keeps changing, theres still something timeless about the thunder of a tank charging forward. These machines are built to lead, survive, and sometimes even rewrite the battlefield. As long as boots hit the ground, tanks will never be out of the fight. Oorah! Like our content? Follow us for more. Hurricane Melissa made landfall in Jamaica on Tuesday and tore through the island. Leilani Perez and her family were one of several families stuck on the island during the hurricane. Rooms were destroyed, ceilings on the floor, the glass in the room, and like imagine we stayed in our rooms sleeping and glass banged into the room, said Perez. Videos shared with Boston 25 shows just a fraction of the high winds and damage Leilani was able to capture. Leilani says shes grateful for the resorts emergency protocol to get everyone out of their rooms and into shelter, she says no matter what she says employees remained calm. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They dont know if their families are okay, but at the end of the day the guests were their number one priority and they did such a great job to reassure everybody that we were going to be alive, we were going to be okay, said Perez. Leilani also thanks Strategic Response Partners Steve Slepcevic. Somehow, she connected with him on the island and says he was able to get them a connection--thats how she was able to contact her father here at home, who later booked Leilani and her family a flight to flee the hurricanes wrath. Leilani says Steve is still on the island helping others in any way he can. Thankfully because of him, we were able to get out and a lot of people because of him were able to leave because he had that internet. Right now Jamaica still doesnt have internet. So we wouldve all still been there, but a lot of us were able to get out just because of him, said Perez. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Several organizations like JAMA are providing relief for the island. Boston 25 News did try to reach out to Slepcevic to see how efforts continue to look like on the island, we were unable to reach him. Download the FREE Boston 25 News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW TOPEKA (KSNT) With the government shutdown expected to shut off SNAP benefits on Nov. 1, some Taco Johns locations shared they would offer free meals to anyone in need. We reached out to see if its a company-wide commitment. A Taco Johns spokesperson told 27 News the company will be offering a beef or bean burrito and a serving of Jr. Potato Oles to anyone affected by the government shutdown from Oct. 31 to Nov. 2. Participants just need to request the Community Support Special, no questions asked, no documentation required. Were proud to be giving back to our communities who have supported us since 1969, said Heather Neary, President & CEO of Taco Johns International. Our vision is to be the communitys first choice for tacos and burritos, and this effort is a reflection of that commitment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement New Topeka Panda Express ready to open The Taco Johns Foundation will also donate to local food banks for every Taco Bravo sold on Thursday, Nov. 6. There is a Taco Johns restaurant in Topeka, located at 3706 SW Burlingame Rd. The company also operates restaurants in Atchison, Bonner Springs, Chanute, Colby, Concordia, Emporia, Lansing, Lawrence, Liberal, Manhattan and Olathe. You can find a list of Taco Johns restaurants in Kansas by clicking here. For more local eats 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. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSNT 27 News. Oct. 30The victims in a double murder and suicide last weekend are being remembered by their families as loving, compassionate women who loved their family and country. Jacob Prichard, 34, murdered his wife, Jaymee Prichard, 33, and their co-worker, 1st. Lt. Jaime Gustitus, 25, before killing himself in the early morning of Oct. 25, according to police. All three worked at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. The relationship between the Prichards and Gustitus is unknown as police continue their investigation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jacob Prichard reportedly went to 1641 Honey Tree Place in Sugarcreek Twp. and broke into an apartment. Around 2 a.m., he killed Gustitus and then fled, according to police. At 4:22 a.m., Jacob Prichard arrived at his next known location, the West Milton Municipal Building. He got out of his car, opened the trunk where his wife was found dead and took his own life, according to West Milton police. His death was captured on exterior security cameras, police said. It's unknown when Jaymee Prichard was killed. The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation, Wright Patterson Office of Special Investigations, West Milton police, Miami County Sheriff's Office and Sugarcreek Twp. police are working together to investigate. Anyone with information is asked to call Miami County Sheriff's Office Lt. Jason Moore at 937-440-6085, ext. 3991. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Prichards leave behind three young children. Jaymee Prichard graduated from Centerville High School and earned a bachelor's degree in psychology and a master's of business administration from Wright State University, "all while working full-time and excelling as a mother," her family wrote in her obituary. She worked for the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base as a finance specialist, her family wrote. "Those who knew Jaymee will remember her for her infectious smile and overwhelming laughter, her deep-rooted faith in Jesus, and her unwavering commitment to spreading love and kindness to everyone she encountered," her family said. "She had a rare gift where she could make others smile and laugh while leaving a lasting impact on all who crossed her path." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "My beautiful big sister was taken from us far too soon. I will forever have an empty place in my heart for her," Prichard's sister, Ashton Rock, wrote on social media. "We will always remember her for the life she lived with love for her family, joy, and a lot of laughter." Visitation for Jaymee Prichard is from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday at Tobias Funeral Home in Beavercreek. Funeral services are 10 a.m. Saturday at the same location. Gustitus grew up in Novi, Michigan, with three brothers and two sisters. She was tops in her high school class and attended the U.S. Air Force Academy, where she graduated with a bachelor's of science in operations research, according to her obituary. Gustitus also completed her master's degree in operations analysis from the Air Force Institute of Technology at Wright Patterson, where she served as an Operations Analysis Officer specializing in mathematical and quantitative modeling. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We are proud of Jaime's accomplishments to assume responsibilities of command, citizenship, and government as an officer in the United States Air Force, but this only represents a fraction of who Jaime Sue was," her family wrote. "Jaime embodied acceptance, gentleness, purity, naivete, loyalty, and passion as an untroubled spirit who caused no harm and welcomed all. Everyone touched by Jaime in their lives is better for knowing her." Funeral services for Gustitus have already taken place. Gustitus' family has asked anyone wishing to honor her memory to donate in her name to the Wonder Foundation, which provides education and training to women and girls worldwide. A Meal Train fundraiser also has been created to support the Prichards' three children. KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) The Treasury Department is warning that the government will run out of money to pay the troops on November 15, but some service members have already felt the effects. National Guard and Reserve Units across the country have canceled critical training exercises because they are unable to pay service members during the government shutdown. Reserve Organization of America Director of Policy Matthew Schwartzman said service members need these essential services. Judges order the Trump administration to use contingency funds for SNAP payments during the shutdown Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For those members who have had their drill weekends canceled, that impacts them financially from the drill pay that they would have received, said Schwartzman. It also impacts their ability to potentially make for a good year, which has a substantial impact on their career prospects within the service, and it also has an impact on their ability to make qualifying retirement status. According to Veterans.com, over 230,000 military personnel and their families are on SNAP or WIC. Schwartzman said that these service members and their families cant afford to go without these services. Food pantries in East Tennessee see surge in demand ahead of potential SNAP delays Republican Rep. Tim Burchett of East Tennessee said its up to Democrats to restore SNAP funding. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ive already voted. The House has voted to fund the government, to fund the military, to fund work with women within the children, to fund SNAP, which is food stamps, he said. So were currently waiting on the Senate, the Senate Democrats to come on board. The Republicans have a majority. They have 53 votes. But for votes of this magnitude, it takes 60 votes. See more top stories on WATE.com As of now, Senate Democrats are refusing to pass any spending bill that does not restore the ACA subsidies set to expire on Saturday. These subsidies were repealed as part of President Trumps One Big Beautiful Bill Act in July. 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. Shrubbery spells out Southern at the entrance of the Southern University on Tuesday, March 21, 2023, in Baton Rouge. (Matthew Perschall for Louisiana Illuminator) I was born in Mississippi to Indian-immigrant parents who came here in the late 1960s, drawn by the promise of American ingenuity and opportunity, as well as the openness created by the 1965 Immigration and Nationality Act. My father first arrived as a post-doctoral fellow and was soon recruited to Mississippi as a professor. He was part of a wave of immigrant scholars who helped build higher education and research across the South, especially at historically Black colleges and universities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement My mother began her career there as a special education teacher one of the first in her district and later became a small business owner alongside my father. Together they built a life in Mississippi rooted in education, entrepreneurship and service to the community. Their story is one of grit, contribution and building opportunity not just for themselves but for generations to follow. Today, I am a professor of public health at a top 10 public health school and was recently elected to the National Academy of Medicine. My journey was made possible by the infrastructure, the research labs and the faculty pipelines the generation before me helped create. But I now fear that the talent pipeline that once brought global scholars and students to the United States especially to the Gulf South is beginning to dry up. Shrinking pipeline of global talent Once dominant in recruiting international students and scholars, U.S. higher education is now under serious strain. A recent New York Times analysis showed a steep decline in international student enrollment in the past year, particularly in the South. The reason for concern is not just demographic: our capacity to lead in research and innovation is at stake. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement International students and scholar-trainees have long been central to American science, technology and medicine. These fields, in turn, power local and national economies. When fewer such individuals choose the U.S., we all pay a price. The data are clear: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement These numbers are not about replacing U.S.-born talent; they are about complementing it, strengthening the research enterprise, enabling richer mentoring, deeper collaboration and more robust innovation ecosystems. U.S.-born students benefit from having colleagues and mentors drawn from global networks, as do local employers in health care, energy and technology leading industries for our state and nation. Why the Gulf South feels it most In the Gulf South, where highereducation institutions often compete with fewer resources, the contribution of international scholars and students has been particularly important. Many immigrant faculty, including my father, helped build research programs in biology, engineering, public health and medicine at universities that long had been under-resourced. They created labs, attracted grants, trained both U.S.-born and international students, and strengthened regional capacity in major industries such as healthcare and energy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For example, the health care workforce in this region depends not only on graduating U.S.-born professionals but also on attracting and training people who bring diverse research perspectives and advanced expertise. Similarly, the energy economy still so vital in states like Louisiana and Mississippi benefits when universities and research institutions can recruit global talent to advance new technologies in offshore energy, coastal resilience, climate mitigation and biomedical innovation. When fewer international scholars and students choose U.S. institutions especially in the South the ripple effects include fewer research grants, fewer innovations and fewer trained professionals staying and contributing regionally. Its not about foreign-born replacing U.S.-born; its about all of us doing better by working together. Keeping the door open to excellence We must remember that world-class universities and ambitious regional economies dont emerge by accident. They need global networks, diverse talent and a commitment to staying competitive in science, technology, and medicine. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement You cannot have world-class universities if you cannot recruit the best from around the world. And the South needs that more than anyone. Because in recruiting nationally, we already face structural disadvantages. This is not about elevating one group over another. Its about building institutions, industries and communities strong enough to serve both U.S.-born and immigrant students, researchers and professionals. Its about recognizing that when we invest in global talent, we uplift the entire ecosystem: faculty, students, local economies, health care systems, energy innovation and beyond. My parents generation came here, accepted the challenge and built programs when the door was open. Today, we must decide if we will keep that door open not just because it is the right thing to do, but because it is the smart thing to do for every citizen and every community. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE All India Trinamool Congress (AITC) announced that it would set up Anchal (area) wise help desks from November 4 till December 4 in the wake of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process being conducted by the Election Commission in West Bengal, AITC sources said. TMC National General Secretary and MP Abhishek Banerjee held a virtual meeting with party leaders on Friday. As per sources in this meeting, Abhishek Banerjee said, "As you all know, on the BJP's instructions, SIR was announced on October 27 in West Bengal. After the Bihar SIR announcement, we said it is Silent Invisible Rigging and TMC protested in Parliament, Court and on roads and will continue to do so. We will take the fight to Delhi. We will inform the details. I will myself be on the streets for the next few months. In connection with the AITC press conference yesterday, we exposed names missing from the soft copy uploaded on the Commission's website in many areas." He said that the AITC would draw the court's attention to it. "On one hand, the BJP wants to divide and humiliate people in the name of SIR and NRC, while AITC workers will help people ensure no one's name is deleted. An environment of fear is created due to this exercise. We have to be with people of Bongaon, Ranaghat. Just like in Assam, where we saw lakhs of Hindus were left out, in Bengal, due to SIR, a lot of people will face difficulties. So AITC workers must stand firm with them and provide all help," he further said. Earlier, TMC leader Kunal Ghosh on Thursday levelled serious allegations against the Election Commission, claiming that they have started tampering with the voter list even before the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) process began in West Bengal. Ghosh stated that there are discrepancies in the voter list, with approximately 900 voters missing in the soft copy in Ashoknagar. He accused the Commission of "silent invisible rigging" and claimed that the hard copy of the 2002 voter list and the one uploaded on the Election Commission website show significant differences. Ghosh pointed out that in some booths, the hard copy of the 2002 voter list shows names, but the same names are missing from the soft copy uploaded on the Commission's website. Speaking to reporters, Kunal Ghosh said, "Complaints are coming from different areas, North Bengal, Cooch Behar, North 24 Parganas. Our leadership is doing a complete analysis. Whatever steps have to be taken will be taken under the leadership of Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee. Trinamool Congress will take all possible proper steps. However, the scam is that the SIR process hasn't even begun yet, and they are currently manipulating the voter list. There is a huge difference between the hardcopy of the 2002 voter list and the one uploaded on the Election Commission website. This cannot happen. This is the scam. This is Silent Invisible Rigging. Before formally starting the process, they had begun the 'Chupi Chupi Kar Chupi' process." Kunal Ghosh further said that the Union Home Minister had scored a goal in his own side, as the issue of infiltration is under the jurisdiction of the central government. He further said, "In Guma 1 gram panchayat of Howrah-2 block of Ashoknagar assembly constituency, the voter list for booth number 159 shows no record of voters. How can it be possible? A booth without voters? There are approximately 900 voters who have been eliminated in the soft copy. This is the same side goal from Amit Shah. Because infiltration is his jurisdiction. The state police have no right on the international border. The issue of infiltration is completely under the jurisdiction of the central government and the central Home Ministry. Not only in Bengal, but we also have Rohingyas and infiltrators in Tripura. Yesterday, in Tripura, some infiltrators were identified. So if Amit Shah raises the issue of infiltration, that must be treated as a world-class same-side goal." TMC demanded a thorough investigation into the matter and action against those responsible. Ghosh assured that the party will take all necessary steps under the leadership of Mamata Banerjee and Abhishek Banerjee. Earlier, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed her outrage over the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Election Commission of India after a second man took his own life, allegedly due to anxiety over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and the National Register of Citizens (NRC). (ANI) SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KCAU) Before long, spending time outside will be a little more challenging, but for now, in Sioux City, there is a new activity for everyone to do outside. That activity? StoryWalk. The upcoming StoryWalk is a way for kids and adults alike to enjoy reading outdoors. The Sioux City Public Library has one at its Morningside location. Story continues below Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Pages from a book are put on display outside the library so anyone can walk and read at the same time. Right now, the book on display is called Tiny T. Rex and the Very Very Dark. It tackles anxiety and the fear of trying something new. Adrienne Dunn with the Sioux City Library said choosing the right kind of story is important for this project. And, we do like a story that has content, but is simple enough for a variety of levels of reading because what I anticipate is if you bring your family, maybe your older child reads to the younger one while youre walking, said Dunn. Dont worry about getting sick of the same book over time, either; the library has plans to change the book next year as long as the weather cooperates. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to SiouxlandProud | Sioux City, IA | News, Weather, and Sports. More than half a century after deputies found her body, the Sumter County Sheriffs Office put a name to the woman previously only known as Little Miss Lake Panasoffkee. Deputies announced Wednesday that they identified the murdered woman as Maureen Minor Rowan, known to her friends and family as Cookie. Investigators said they identified Rowan, 21, through latent print analysis. At the time of her death, Rowan lived at 1206 Windermere Way in Tampa with her two young children, Capt. Jon Galvin said in a news conference. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Deputies found Rowan, then unidentified, floating under a highway overpass at Lake Panasoffkee in February 1971. She was found wrapped in carpet with a mens leather belt wrapped around her neck, and investigators believed she had been thrown off the overpass about a month earlier. Sumter County deputies began investigating the case, but they couldnt establish an identity for the badly decomposed body. The case passed from deputy to deputy over the course of three sheriffs tenures. I grew up with this case, said Galvin, whose father investigated Rowans murder when he was a deputy. And Im grateful to be able to honor their legacy by helping to finally bring the name to perhaps our most well-known cold case victim, Little Miss Lake Panasoffkee. The sheriffs office exhumed her remains in 1986 to draw a reconstruction of her face, which was distributed on flyers across the county. The case was featured on an episode of Unsolved Mysteries in 1992, which Galvin said yielded a lot of calls that never named Rowan. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What we have recently learned is that someone that knew Cookie saw the segment and thought it could be her, Galvin said. But no one ever called. As technology evolved, the sheriffs office sought new ways to put a name to the murdered woman. Investigators compared the fingerprints they had to those of every missing woman reported in the county, Galvin said, and they attempted to create a genetic profile for her. The profile, he said, was never viable enough to pinpoint her genealogy. The sheriffs office discovered Rowans identity after it implemented a biometric identification system in February and hired a latent print expert, Galvin said. The degraded fingerprint taken from Little Miss Lake Panasoffkee matched a 1970 arrest in Hillsborough County, Galvin said, in which Rowan had been charged with passing a worthless check. The fingerprints from Rowans arrest hadnt been uploaded into the Florida Department of Law Enforcements fingerprint database until 2013, Galvin said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When investigators matched Rowan to the murdered woman, they began to look into the motive behind her death. They found that Rowans marriage to Charles Emery Rowan Sr., her estranged husband who went by Emery, had been tumultuous, Galvin said, and they had separated just before she died. Emerys actions and behavior leading up to the separation and continuing after the discovery of Cookies body are suspicious enough to list him as a person of interest, Galvin said, but not rising to the level that we want to identify him officially as a suspect. Emery Rowan died in 2015. Sumter County Sheriff Pat Breeden said the case is still under investigation and encouraged anyone with information to contact the sheriffs office. To Cookies family: Cookie has never been forgotten, Breeden said Wednesday. I hope this gets you closer to finding the closure you need and helps provide some answers you never had. Abby Zwerner instinctively raised her hand toward her heart when she saw the 6-year-old holding the gun. After the bullet hit her, I thought I was on my way to heaven or in heaven, Zwerner testified Thursday during her civil case against a former school official accused of neglecting warning signs the student had brought a gun to school. I thought I was dying. I thought I had died, Zwerner said with a catch in her voice as she recounted the moment she was shot in the hand and chest on January 6, 2023, while sitting at a reading table in her classroom at Richneck Elementary School in Newport News. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The boys blank look as he aimed at her is a memory Zwerner said she cant shake. Zwerner has filed a $40 million lawsuit against ex-assistant principal Ebony Parker, saying Parker failed to act when several people approached her with concerns the boy had brought a gun to school. Parker also faces eight counts of felony child neglect in the criminal trial against her next month. The case offers a window into what to expect for the upcoming criminal trial against Parker. Both trials raise questions about who is responsible when children with access to guns carry out school shootings, a pervasive problem across the country. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As of Monday, there have been 64 school shootings in the United States this year, 27 of which took place on K-12 school grounds. Heres what we learned from Zwerners moving and highly anticipated testimony. Effects of shooting linger Zwerners devastating hand injury has left her unable to do everyday things like open a bottle of water. I was trying to open the bag of chips on my own multiple times, different ways trying to hold it different ways, she testified about a recent lunch with her attorney. And I eventually asked you to open it. Even after six surgeries, Zwerners hand will never be normal, an orthopedic surgeon testified this week. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Previous testimony from doctors on her care team revealed Zwerners injuries were life-threatening after a bullet narrowly missed her heart. And the impacts extended beyond the physical damage, she testified. Zwerner struggled to describe how she now feels around people, even loved ones, but indicated she feels a distance and numbness. Psychiatrist Dr. Clarence Watson testified Thursday Zwerner has suffered post-traumatic stress disorder after the shooting. A photo of teacher Abby Zwerner is pinned to a coat during a vigil held for her after she was shot. - Billy Schuerman/The Virginian-Pilot/TNS/Getty Images She has lost the sense of being safe, something that she had not experienced before, even when she was feeling depressed or anxious She now doesnt want to go anywhere, Watson said. She had become socially withdrawn and isolated, pulled away from friends, didnt want to be in public as much, and felt fear in places that she didnt feel fear before. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Even a planned outing to the movies to see Hamilton, which features a duel scene with guns, became an overwhelming task that left her in tears, Zwerner said. When her mother asked her what she wanted to do instead, she felt resigned. I remember saying or telling them, nowhere, like I cant go anywhere. I just want to stay home, Zwerner said. Defense tries to undercut teachers testimony During cross-examination Thursday, an attorney for Parker worked to undermine Zwerners claims that the shooting has limited her willingness to go out in public. The attorney presented evidence Zwerner had been emotionally ready to attend concerts since the shooting, including the Taylor Swift Eras tour. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The attorney also sought to undermine claims Zwerner is physically hindered by her wounds, asking Zwerner how she successfully attended and graduated from cosmetology school, worked and frequented a gym if she had physical limitations. Zwerner was proud of graduating but was often in pain, she said. She has yet to get a job in cosmetology and cant work in the field until her hand heals from her latest surgery, she said. Additionally, her doctor had cleared her to do light workouts and she tried her best to do that with weights, Zwerner testified. The defense also pressed Zwerner on whether there was more she could have done after learning of the possible gun threat. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Another school staffer told her about the boy potentially having a gun and she did not inform Parker because she knew the other staffer was going to, Zwerner testified. Parkers attorneys are trying to paint a picture that Zwerner may have been a little bit at fault for not acting on information that she had, said Darryl K. Brown, a law professor at the University of Virginia. That can be the basis for the defendant not being held negligent and having to pay damages, even if the defendant is more at fault, or mostly at fault, Brown said. Whats next The jury will reconvene Monday morning in the ongoing civil trial which could be a roadmap for whats to come with the criminal litigation against Parker. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Holding civil cases before criminal ones is really unusual, Brown said. It may be because Parker waived her right to a speedy trial, and because the defense wants it that way, he added. I suspect that defense would want the civil trial to go forward first, because theyre not going to be able to avoid it, and it gives them a lot of information about what would come in at the criminal trial, Brown said. While Zwerners pain and suffering have taken center stage in this trial, the upcoming criminal trial would be more likely to touch on what action Parker failed to take, given her duty to protect children, Brown said. The more important evidence for the prosecution would be from other witnesses and sources that reveal what the defendant knew with respect to the threat the child posed, and whether he had a gun, the professor said. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com NEED TO KNOW Abby Zwerner is suing the former assistant principal of the school where she was shot by a 6-year-old student in 2023 Zwerner reportedly testified that she thought she had died after being shot She is seeking $40 million The Virginia teacher who was shot in a classroom by a 6-year-old in 2023 testified that she thought she had died after being hit by the bullet. I thought I had died. I thought I was either on my way to heaven or in heaven, Abby Zwerner testified, according to the Associated Press. But then it all got black. And so, I then thought I wasnt going there. And then my next memory is I see two co-workers around me and I process that Im hurt and theyre putting pressure on where Im hurt. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Zwerner is now suing the former assistant principal of the school she taught at in Newport News, Va., accusing her of not doing enough to prevent the shooting. Related: School Staff Said a Boy, 6, Had a Gun. They Claim Asst. Principal Did Nothing, and Teacher Paid the Price PEOPLE previously reported that Zwerner was shot at Richneck Elementary School by the 6-year-old boy in January 2023. The $40 million lawsuit claims that Zwerner suffers from "physical pain and mental anguish" since the shooting. The AP reported that Zwerner says she has no plans to teach again. "...Abby was shot by a six-year-old student, and she will never be the same," Zwerner's attorney, Diane Toscano, said in a statement after the lawsuit was filed. "She has endured four surgeries and still has a bullet lodged inside her." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The civil complaint alleges that four different people came forward about the student to the assistant principal, Ebony Parker, and that multiple people had seen the gun on the day of the shooting. Toscano claimed in opening statements, per the AP, that Parker did not act on her authority to search the student or remove him from school. Parker's attorney, Daniel Hogan, urged the jurors not to engage in "hindsight bias" when judging this case. 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. No one could have imagined that a 6-year old, first-grade student would bring a firearm into a school, Hogan said, according to the AP. You will be able to judge for yourself whether or not this was foreseeable. Thats the heart of this case. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to Virginia court records, Parker is also facing child abuse charges connected to the incident, in addition to the civil suit. The AP, ABC News and The Virginian-Pilot reported that the child's mother was previously sentenced to nearly four years in prison on child neglect charges and federal gun charges. Read the original article on People ***Watch previous coverage in the video above*** CLEVELAND (WJW) The FOX 8 I-Team has uncovered an internal document showing Cleveland Fire Chief Anthony Luke is scheduled to return to work after being off the job on paid leave under investigation. Luke has been off the job since last month while under investigation for a social media post. However, city hall is raising questions about the chief coming back to work. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A Cleveland Fire Department divisional notice dated Thursday said, simply, The Division is notified that effective Monday, November 3, 2025 at 0800 hours, Chief of the Division Anthony Luke will return to duty. But, city spokesman Tyler Sinclair issued a statement, saying in part, The Department of Public Safety did not authorize the Division of Fire to issue that notice. We continue to take this matter very seriously and will have more to share. Local businessman answers to I-Team, felony charge in court The I-Team has reported that an outside law firm has been investigating what four Cleveland first responders posted online after the murder of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The outside firms review includes a post by the fire chief. All of the social media activity revolves around what was sent out after national headlines about the shooting of Kirk. Last month, the I-Team revealed that the city put Luke on paid leave. He is accused of reposting a cartoon with an assault rifle and the words bring on the next sacrifice. The city hired an outside law firm to investigate that, and now, weve learned the same firm is investigating posts made by another firefighter and two EMS workers as well. All are supervisors. The firm is getting paid $300 an hour. Last month, law director Mark Griffin spoke briefly about the chiefs investigation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Were hiring an outside firm to make sure everything is neutral and fair and independent, he said. Now, in an email, city hall explained having the outside firm review other cases, too. The City has engaged outside counsel to avoid any potential conflicts of interest; the Department of Law frequently represents the Division of Fire and/or Chief Luke in various matters, including employment matters, it stated. Weve learned a Cleveland police dispatcher is also under investigation for a social media post after the murder of Kirk. But, police are handling that case internally. While the chief was placed on paid leave, all of the others under investigation have been allowed to keep working. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I-Team: State will investigate breaks for accused cop-killer In fact, after this came to light, we learned a firefighter involved even earned overtime for taking part in a community event. So, why is the chief the only one taken off the job? We hold our senior-most leadership to a higher standard, the city also said. We will update this story as we learn 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 Fox 8 Cleveland WJW. The International Conference on Fashion and Sustainability (ICFS) event, which runs until 29 October, has brought together academics and industry leaders from China, Italy, the UK, and other countries. The conference includes academic discussions, cultural activities, and exhibitions of new achievements. Key features are a "Belt and Road" forum focused on international cooperation, three parallel sessions, and a workshop on sustainable design education. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Professor Xu Weilin, academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and Party secretary of WTU, highlighted the role of advanced technology, including new textile materials, eco-friendly dyeing methods, and plant-derived dyes in improving fashion design. He stated that combining sustainable practices with the use of waste textiles is essential for developing a green industrial ecosystem. Professor Savvas Vassiliadis from the University of West Attica in Greece also outlined the challenges posed by incorporating smart textiles and energy harvesting technologies into fashion design. In addition, Professor Raul Fangueiro from the University of Minho in Portugal presented methods for converting agricultural by-products, including banana and pineapple leaves and marine waste algae, into high-value fibre materials through biological and physical processes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Professor Patsy Perry from Manchester Metropolitan University in the UK addressed issues related to sustainability and craftsmanship within luxury brands. WTUs School of Fashion head Professor Tao Hui explained the need to move beyond regional boundaries in fashion education to build a curriculum with diverse cultural input. "Technologys impact on sustainable fashion leads discussions at ICFS 2025" was originally created and published by Just Style, a GlobalData owned brand. Oct. 30An 18-year-old accused of threatening to shoot up a Harrison Twp. school was indicted Thursday. What was he indicted on? Indictment: A grandy jury indicted Thomas Harville on one count of inducing panic (school) in Montgomery County Common Pleas Court. What was he accused of? School threats: On Oct. 20, Northridge Local Schools School Resource Officer Clint Ball received a tip from Stay Safe. Speak Up, a student safety reporting system. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "(The caller) indicated Thomas Harville was making statements about engaging in a school shooting," a Vandalia Municipal Court affidavit read. "(The caller) knew Harville to be enrolled at Northridge Local Schools and believed the threat was intended for that school." District closes: Northridge Local Schools closed the next day as Montgomery County sheriff's deputies worked to find Harville. Deputies arrested him shortly after midnight on Oct. 21. 'Just joking': During an interview, Harville admitted to the threat and told investigators he was "just joking," according to court documents. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Harville denies he specifically said it was toward Northridge High School," an affidavit read. Dayton case: Harville was also charged with inducing panic and making false alarms in Dayton Municipal Court in September. Both charges were first-degree misdemeanors. He was found guilty of inducing panic and the making false alarms charge was withdrawn, according to court records. What happens next? Court hearing: Harville is scheduled to be arraigned on Tuesday. MONROE COUNTY, Miss. (WJTV) Monroe County deputies announced a 17-year-old was arrested for killing his grandmother at a local church. Monroe County Sheriff Kevin Crook said Jadynn Hamilton, 17, of Athens, was arrested and charged with murder on October 29, 2025, in the death of Ollie Hamilton, 73, of Athens. Woman pulled over by suspicious vehicle, attacked on Mississippi road Crook said deputies responded to a call when a family discovered Ollie Hamilton severely beaten inside a church she attended on Burr Road. During the investigation, the sheriff said evidence led deputies to Jadynn Hamilton. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to Crook, Jadynn Hamilton was taken into custody and later confessed to the crime. Jadynn Hamilton (Courtesy: Monroe County Sheriffs Office) I cant imagine how hard this is on this community. There are so many good people in and around that church and my heart goes out to them and the family. This is a tragedy of the worst kind, and it can tear apart families. Please keep them in your prayers, said Crook. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Daily 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 WJTV. DOTHAN, Ala (WDHN) A middle school student in the Florida panhandle was arrested this week after investigators claimed he made threats that he placed a bomb at his school. According to the Washington County Sheriffs Office, on Wednesday, October 29, employees in the Washington County School District received an email claiming that a bomb had been placed on the property of Vernon High School. Authorities were immediatly notified of the threat, and the WCSO did a sweep of Vernon Middle School, and no explosives were found. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During the investigation, employees with the school district received a second bomb threat, and investigators were able to identify the suspect as a student at the middle school. Investigators say they spoke to the 14-year-old student, and he admitted to making the threats. The 14-year-old was arrested and charged with making terroristic threats and false reporting concerning planting a bomb. He was transported to a juvenile detention center after his arrest. WDHN is not releasing the teens name. 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 WDHN - wdhn.com. The Union Health Ministry has achieved three GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS titles under the nationwide "Swasth Nari, Sashakt Parivar Abhiyaan" (SNSPA) campaign, recognising India's unparalleled commitment to preventive and women-centric healthcare. According to an official statement from Union Health Ministry, the records achieved include Most people to register for a health care platform in one month - 3,21,49,711 (Over 3.21 Crore), Most people to sign up for a breast cancer screening online in one week - 9,94,349 (Over 9.94 lakh) and Most people to sign up for vital signs screening online in one week (at state level) - 1,25,406 (Over 1.25 lakh) The Prime Minister launched the nationwide campaign, "Swasth Nari, Sashakt Parivar Abhiyaan" from September 17 to October 2, 2025, in conjunction with Poshan Maah. The campaign focuses on improving the health and nutrition of women, adolescent girls, and children, with the objective of strengthening early detection, ensuring access to essential health services, and empowering families to adopt healthier lifestyles for a stronger and healthier India. With Service as the resolve and 'Bharat First' as the inspiration, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has said, 'Our mothers, sisters & our women's power are the foundation of our nation's progress.' If a mother is healthy, the whole family stays healthy." Reaching every district across the country, the campaign achieved an unprecedented scale with 19.7 lakh health camps with a footfall of more than 11 crore on all healthcare platforms. More than 20 Ministries actively participated in the campaign, which involved Central government institutes, medical colleges and private organisations. The campaign also had participation from Members of Parliament, Members of Legislative Assembly and officials of all the concerned line ministries, making it a "Whole-of-the-Government" campaign. Following the "Whole-of-Society" approach, the campaign witnessed unprecedented community participation, with more than 5 lakh Panchayati Raj representatives, more than 1.14 Crore school and college students, 94 lakh SHG members, and 5 lakh other community platform members marking one of the largest community engagement efforts. Key outcomes of the campaign include over 1.78 crore hypertension screenings, 1.73 crore diabetes screenings, 69.5 lakh oral cancer screenings, 62.6 lakh Antenatal Care check-ups, 1.43 crore vaccine doses and 1.51 crore anaemia tests. More than 85.9 lakh women were screened for tuberculosis, 10.2 lakh for sickle cell disease, and 2.14 crore individuals participated in counselling and wellness sessions. Over 2.68 lakh Nik-shay Mitra were registered during the campaign with the active participation of My Bharat Volunteers. This recognition from GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS stands as a testament to India's collective effort, combining government systems, digital health innovation, and community participation, to build a "Healthy Woman, Empowered Family, and Viksit Bharat". (ANI) Two teenage boys who attacked a Black 18-year-old man with punches and racial slurs in a Simi Valley parking lot over the summer have admitted to committing a hate crime and felony assault, the Ventura County district attorney's office said. The Aug. 1 attack, captured on video, shows the victim, Michael Robinson, being swarmed by a group of teenage boys in a Regal Cinemas parking lot about 11 p.m., as they pummel him with punches and racial slurs as he tries to get away. Earlier this month, Ventura County prosecutors announced they were charging five boys in connection with the attack, all of them 16 or 17 years old, including one boy who is the son of a Simi Valley police sergeant. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Three of the teens were charged with felony assault and special allegations of a hate crime, prosecutors said. A fourth was charged with felony assault, misdemeanor battery and misdemeanor criminal threats. The fifth was charged with misdemeanor threats and misdemeanor battery. Their names haven't been released because they're minors. Read more: L.A. County employee charged with alleged hate crimes against Asian co-worker The two boys who admitted to their charges on Thursday are scheduled to be sentenced next month. The remaining defendants are scheduled to be arraigned in mid-November. In videos of the attack, a group of boys are seen punching Robinson and heard saying the N-word as they chased Robinson around the lot, according to footage of the incident. Two other people were also injured in the attack, officials said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After the attack, Robinson told Fox 11 Los Angeles that the group of teens targeted his friends first before turning on him, slamming him into a car, pushing his head into a trash can and punching him in the back of the head. Honestly, I thought I was going to die, he said. Simi Valley Police Department spokesperson Ryan Morton said the sergeant whose son was charged in the attack is not a part of the investigation. According to Robinson's guardian, the attack was connected to a previous altercation between the same two groups of teens. He [Robinson] was hunted down, and it was very disgusting, Robinsons guardian, Brittany Martin, told Fox 11. This is not the first time that these kids are actually doing this. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Though the date of the previous altercation was not immediately known, one of the teens who admitted to a hate crime on Thursday also admitted to making criminal threats during an incident on May 30 at the same location. One of the other teens in the group is also being prosecuted in connection with the May 30 incident. 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. SAN ANGELO, Texas (Concho Valley Homepage) Two Lake View students give a recent recap of the things the students of the high school were involved with recently. Before the two students gave the recap of what was happening, they described to their audience what Dia De Los Muertos was. They previewed Future Ready Night for Lake Views Juniors and Seniors. This event is aimed at getting students ready for graduation. The students will be able to ask what classes they still need to take or ask if they need to retake anything before the school year is over. Seniors are required to attend. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lake Views Spanish Club, JROTC and NHS are currently holding a blood drive. All donors will receive a $5 gift card to Sonic or a T-shirt. Seniors that donate will get a special cord for graduation. 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. Tennessee's statewide graduation rate notched a small gain over its record set last year, logging 92.3% graduating in the class of 2025. That's up from 92.1% in 2024. The Tennessee Department of Education released state-, district- and school-level graduation data on Oct. 27. In a news release, the department said a total of 69,124 students graduated statewide, marking an increase of nearly 1,900 students compared to last year. Out of the state's 131 districts, more than half saw graduation rates of 95% or higher, the release said. More than half also improved graduation rates from last year, while five districts saw gains of five percentage points or more. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Year-over-year gains in the statewide graduation rate exemplify Tennessees commitment to ensuring students across the state make it to the graduation stage prepared for success after high school," Tennessee Education Commissioner Lizzette Reynolds said in the release. "Districts' schools and public charters will continue using proven best practices and working with families to support students as they embark on their future endeavors." Here's a look at how graduation rates break down across the state's largest districts and in Middle Tennessee. You can also look up your district, county and school in the searchable tables below. Graduates celebrate after Antioch High School commencement ceremony at the Nashville Municipal Auditorium Wednesday, May 21, 2025 in Nashville, Tenn. See Memphis, Nashville, Knoxville 2024-25 high school graduation rates Knox County Schools saw the highest graduation rate among the state's three largest districts, while Metro Nashville Public Schools and Memphis Shelby-County Schools saw lower but similar rates. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Memphis-Shelby County Schools: 84.4% Metro Nashville Public Schools: 83.6% Knox County Schools: 92% School Zone newsletter: The latest news on Tennessee kids, education and more, delivered straight to your inbox See Middle TN 2024-25 high school graduation rates Among the nine Middle Tennessee districts The Tennessean analyzed, most had graduation rates in the mid- to upper-90s. Cheatham County School District: 95.1% Clarksville-Montgomery County School System: 95.4% Dickson County Schools: 96.4% Maury County Public Schools: 90.6% Robertson County Schools: 88.9% Rutherford County Schools: 96.8% Sumner County Schools: 97% Williamson County Schools: 97.4% Wilson County Schools: 97.6% Look up your TN district and school's 2024-25 graduation rate Want to see how your district fared on 2024-25 graduation rates? Use the searchable table below to look it up. Looking for an individual school's graduation rate? We've got you covered. You can search by school name, county and district in the table below. Rachel Wegner covers education and children's issues for The Tennessean. Got a story you think she should hear? Reach her via email at RAwegner@tennessean.com. You can also find her on X or Bluesky under the handle RachelAnnWegner. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: See Tennessee school, district graduation rates 2024-25 NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) For more than a century, the United States has treated the act of being born on its soil as enough to make someone a citizen. Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrimetti said that interpretation goes far beyond what the founders intended. I think somebody who have voted for the 14th Amendment, who would have voted to ratify it, would probably be surprised how broadly this citizenship clause has been read, Skrmetti said in an exclusive interview for News 2. I think they would have thought it was pretty strange thing for somebody to get American citizenship just because they happen to be here when they were born. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement PREVIOUS | Tennessee joins 24 states in Supreme Court brief on birthright citizenship The amicus brief argues that the framers of the post-Civil War amendment never intended citizenship to apply to people merely passing through. Instead, Skrmetti said, they envisioned it for those who owed allegiance to the United States and made their homes within its borders. The Constitution, the 14th Amendment talks about residing in a state, he said. If somebody is deliberately passing through just to have a baby and leave, that doesnt seem consistent with the amendment. Skrmetti insists the push is not political but legal. He said its an attempt to clarify what he calls an open constitutional question unresolved for more than a century. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its plainly a legal issue, he said. Its talking about what the words in the Constitution mean. He points to the United States v. Wong Kim Ark, a Supreme Court case decided when the United States had far fewer immigration laws. The Chinese immigrant at the center of that case had parents lawfully living in San Francisco. Today, Skrmetti said, the Court must grapple with a reality that looks different. Wong Kim Ark does not say anything about people who are here illegally, he said. The family in Wong Kim Ark was lawfully present in the United States. Immigration laws have changed a lot since then We need clarity from the Court. Read todays top stories on wkrn.com The Supreme Court has not yet agreed to hear the case on its merits, but Skrmetti expects movement soon, possibly a hearing within months and a decision by summer. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The question really is what limits does the language of the law actually impose? he said. For Skrmetti, that question and the Courts eventual answer could help decide how the next generation defines what it means to be an American. 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. (NewsNation) Frustration abounds for Democrats in the Senate and House regarding the information, or lack thereof, coming from the Trump administration regarding U.S. military strikes in the Caribbean that have killed at least 57 people in boats alleged to be smuggling drugs. An outraged Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., said that excluding Democrats from a Wednesday briefing for a select group of only Republican senators is corrosive not only to our democracy but downright dangerous for our national security. He explained that every senator, no matter their party, has a constitutional role to play when the United States uses military force, and when you politicize decision-making about putting our service members in harms way, you make them less safe. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hegseth announces new strike on alleged narco-trafficking boat, killing 4 Warner said the briefing also included the Office of Legal Counsels opinion that tries to lay out legal justification for those strikes. That legal justification is something he said Secretary of State Marco Rubio had promised him but had not been provided yet. If youve got a valid legal opinion, wouldnt you want to share it with every member? If you believe, as I think the administration does, that we know these guys are bad guys, wouldnt you want to catch them and show the world the drugs and show their history of bad activities? said Warner. Warner also chastised his Republican colleagues who attended, asking why they didnt push back or walk out of the briefing when they saw no Democrats were present. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Senators Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., and Jon Husted, R-Ohio, both told NewsNation they believe all senators, including Democrats, should be included in these briefings. House Democrats on the Armed Services Committee were in fact included in a bipartisan hearing on these strikes Thursday. However, those who spoke to the press afterwards were frustrated by what they believed was unsatisfactory information and a lack of strategy to actually address drug trafficking, and fentanyl in particular, since tens of thousands of Americans die from using the drug each year. They also noted that no legal justifications were provided for the killings because the lawyers who were due to attend were pulled from the briefing. US sending strike boats to Venezuela for shock and awe effect: Senator Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rep. Sara Jacobs, D-Calif., called out the administration over concerns that only cocaine has been seized, not fentanyl, when fentanyl is often used to justify the military actions. They admitted that all of the narcotics coming out of this part of the world is cocaine. They talked a little bit about the connection between cocaine and fentanyl, although Im not convinced that what they said was accurate, she said. And I think it goes to show that this is actually not about addressing fentanyl and the deaths of Americans, which is a really huge problem that we should be addressing. This is not doing that. The Pentagon did not dispute the fact that only cocaine has been seized so far, with chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell saying, This morning, the Department held several committee briefings to ensure continued transparency with lawmakers. The Department is deeply concerned that Members of Congress are making public statements regarding information received in a classified briefing. The Department considers any unauthorized disclosure of classified information as serious breach of national security. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement None of the Republicans who attended the House briefing would comment to the press. 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. A JetBlue flight from Mexico to New Jersey was forced to make an emergency landing on Thursday after a sudden loss of altitude left several passengers hurt, according to ABC News and the airline. According to JetBlues statement, the aircraft diverted to Tampa, Florida, where some of the injured passengers were taken to local hospitals for treatment. The flight had been en route from Cancun to Newark when the incident occurred. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Pilots reported to air traffic control that at least three passengers suffered possible lacerations. Despite calm weather conditions, the crew explained that the injuries were linked to a flight control issue, according to Fox 13 News. The Airbus A320, which was scheduled to land at Newark Liberty International Airport, has been temporarily grounded while both JetBlue and the Federal Aviation Administration conduct an investigation. According to NBC News, JetBlue did not immediately provide details about how many people were injured or the extent of their injuries. Tampa Fire Rescue told NBC News that roughly 15 to 20 passengers were assessed and transported to nearby hospitals with injuries believed to be non-life-threatening. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the Associated Press, which cited audio from LiveATC.net, a pilot can be heard reporting, Weve got at least three people injured. It seems like maybe a laceration in the head. JetBlue said in a statement, The safety of our customers and crewmembers is always our first priority, and we will work to support those involved. Read the original article on silive.com. An alleged Halloween weekend terrorist attack was thwarted with several people arrested in Michigan, FBI Director Kash Patel announced early Friday, Oct. 31, on X, adding that more details would be forthcoming. The subjects were "allegedly plotting a violent attack over Halloween weekend," Patel said. He thanked FBI agents and law enforcement everywhere for their work. "Through swift action and close coordination with our local partners, a potential act of terror was stopped before it could unfold," Patel said. "The vigilance of this FBI prevented what could have been a tragic attack and thanks to their dedication, Michigan will have a safe and happy Halloween." This morning the FBI thwarted a potential terrorist attack and arrested multiple subjects in Michigan who were allegedly plotting a violent attack over Halloween weekend. More details to come. Thanks to the men and women of FBI and law enforcement everywhere standing guard 24/7 FBI Director Kash Patel (@FBIDirectorKash) October 31, 2025 Patel did not detail charges or describe what the suspects allegedly were plotting. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement President Donald Trump was asked about the arrests on Air Force One on his way back from his trip to Asia. "We're catching people before they even start," he told reporters. What's happening in Dearborn On Middlepoint Street, southwest of the intersection of Tireman and Wyoming avenues, neighbors in the suburb just west of Detroit reported hearing loud noises about 4 a.m. Holly Kemp, 36, lives two houses down from a home that was searched. She told the Detroit Free Press that her husband let their dog out at 4 a.m. and about 30 minutes later, he heard a loud bang, followed by four more bangs. Kemp said they looked outside to see not just regular police, but also the FBI and SWAT officers, too. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Like other neighbors who spoke to the Free Press, Kemp said she doesn't know much, if anything, about who lives in the home. She said it appears two men moved in over the summer and she's rarely seen them outside. Kemp described her Dearborn neighborhood as quiet, tight-knit, safe, and friendly so much so, that she said she "will continue to live here," even after all this. She's lived in her home her entire life and nothing like this has ever happened before, she said. Online deed records list Muadh Sharmani as having taken out a mortgage on the Middlepointe home in 2010, though he insisted he owns only one home and that isnt it. Speaking in Arabic to a Free Press reporter who also speaks Arabic, Sharmani said: "It's a crazy day. Everyone was shocked about whats happened." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sharmani said that a 16-year-old boy was taken into custody. It's only a suspicion," he said at about 3 p.m. "Hopefully he will be released very soon... Any moment now. More: Details scarce in alleged Michigan terrorism plot, but man hopes teen is freed 'very soon' May Mokdad and her husband, Matt Abraham, both 50, have lived in the neighborhood for 20 years. When they heard why the FBI might be at the Middlepointe home -- "scary" was Abraham's response, and "terrifying" was Mokdad's. They said they are convinced they heard what sounded like at least six gunshots in the morning, though they placed the noise around 6:15 a.m. The couple said they are very involved in the neighborhood but they know nothing about who lives at the home that was searched. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She said that on walks with her dog she'd sometimes see the men pulling up in a truck and entering through the side door -- but that's it. "I'm nosy," Mokdad said. "You don't see them out at all." By 10:30 a.m., most of the law enforcement personnel that had flooded the tree-lined street earlier were gone. A few FBI vehicles and a Michigan State Police squad car remained, along with media vans. Agents walked in and out of the house some wearing Terrorism Task Force jackets as neighbors curiously watched. 'Get out of the house' A similiar scene played out a few miles away as FBI agents entered another home in Dearborn on Horger Street, across from Fordson High School. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Alicia Irfas lives a couple doors down from that home. She told the Free Press that at about 5 or 5:30 a.m. she heard a big boom and someone talking through a speaker telling occupants to get out of the house. It was pretty loud, she said of the boom. It woke everyone up. Like Middlepointe, Horger is a tree-lined residential street in the suburb. Its a good neighborhood, she said. Weve never really had anything happen like that before. At 1 p.m., people wearing FBI and terrorism task force logos on their clothes were still walking in and out of the home. An FBI Evidence Response Team truck was parked outside and a Michigan State Police car blocked access to the street in front of the home. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Dearborn Police Department confirmed "the FBI conducted operations in the City of Dearborn earlier this morning," but deferred to the FBI and emphasized "there is no threat to the community at this time." Dearborn Mayor Abdullah Hammoud declined comment when asked by the Free Press at an event in the south end of the city Police put out a statement, Hammoud told the Free Press. That's all we have now. Hammoud is up for reelection Tuesday. Search in Inkster Inkster Police said they were aware of an FBI presence at a storage facility along Michigan Avenue. Chief Tamika Jenkins said she'd spoken with agents who confirmed there was no current threat to local residents. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jenkins said her department would deploy additional officers throughout the day as well as into the evening for trick-or-treating to allay resident concerns. Detroit FBI spokesman Jordan Hall confirmed agents were in both cities but he would not say whether the operations were related to the plot Patel described. "There is no current threat to public safety," he said. Gov. Whitmer releases statement Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer released a statement on social media. "This morning, I was briefed by Director Patel on the thwarted potential terrorist attack in our state," Whitmer said. "As details continue to develop, I am grateful for the swift action of the FBI and MSP protecting Michiganders." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel was asked about the alleged plot at a news confererce in Detroit. So weve been in consultation with the FBI in regard to this matter and while I cant speak publicly to the details of it, I can just say that Im very, very grateful for the FBIs work in protecting the community and keeping people safe, and Im sure well learn more about the details publicly later," she said. "But Im thankful for their good work. U.S. Sen. Gary Peters, D-Bloomfield Township, requested additional information but had not been briefed as of the morning, his office said. Detroit Free Press reporters Todd Spangler, Jalen Williams and Clara Hendrickson contributed to this report. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement (This is a developing story.) Contact Frank Witsil: 313-222-5022 or fwitsil@freepress.com. This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Terrorist plot thwarted in Michigan, FBI Director Kash Patel says BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KGET) As we prepare for Halloween holiday festivities, Red Cross is preparing to Sound the Alarm on Saturday, Nov. 8 in Taft. Sound the Alarm is happening at the Taft Midway Lodge on 521 North Street from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. To help install free smoke alarms, you are encouraged to sign up at American Red Cross. In addition, Red Cross is asking residents to test your smoke alarms as you turn your clocks back this weekend. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For more information, watch the full segment 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 KGET 17 News. Audio recording is automated for accessibility. Humans wrote and edited the story. See our AI policy, and give us feedback. At 16 years old, Ivonne Cruz felt hopeless. She was a single mother and an undocumented immigrant, working the register of a Dallas McDonalds. Her career options seemed slim, but she told herself that if she worked hard enough, she could achieve her dream of becoming a nurse. I thought to myself: I just cant survive with a $7.25 an hour wage. So, Im going to start getting a college degree despite being undocumented with the hope that I would eventually get a better job, Cruz said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fifteen years later, 31-year-old Cruz, who was born in Mexico City and raised in Dallas, works as a nurse practitioner for a doctor who is one of the few specialists in his field in Texas. That journey began with qualifying for Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals better known as DACA an immigration program started by the Obama administration. The 13-year-old program has allowed many immigrants who came or were brought to the U.S. illegally as children, to get a two-year renewable work permit and protection from deportation as long as they dont commit any serious or violent crimes. Now, after a seven-year legal battle in federal courts, Cruz is at risk of losing her work permit, which would make it illegal for her to continue working as a nurse in Texas. As of June 2025, more than 500,000 immigrants have DACA, including 86,140 in Texas. The Center for American Progress, a think tank that describes itself as nonpartisan, has estimated that 29,000 health care workers are DACA recipients and roughly 4,300 live and work in Texas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Trump administration has proposed revoking the work permits of the more than 86,000 DACA recipients in Texas, including Cruzs, in order to comply with an appeals courts ruling earlier this year. The legal back-and-forth began in 2018 when Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton joined six other states to sue the Trump administration seeking to end DACA. Paxtons office and the other states claimed the program was illegal and financially harmed states because they provided social services, such as drivers licenses or access to public education, to DACA recipients. In the most recent court order in January, the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that its illegal for the federal government to issue work permits to DACA recipients, but that it has legal authority to grant them conditional protection from deportation. The court also ruled that its ruling would apply only to Texas, the only state to prove it was financially harmed. It sent the case back to the lower court. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The case is now before U.S. District Court Judge Andrew Hanen, a George W. Bush appointee in Brownsville who will determine how to apply the appeals court ruling and will consider a Department of Justice plan that would see the government start accepting new DACA applications for the first time in four years. But, under the DOJ plan, current and future first-time DACA recipients would not be able to get a work permit if they live in Texas but they can legally work in any other state. Cruz said that would force her to quit her job and move to a nearby state that needs a nurse practitioner. Cruz, who asked to be identified by part of her full name out of fear of backlash from her patients because of her immigration status, has never qualified for state or federal benefits such as food stamps or Medicaid. And unless she becomes a U.S. citizen or legal permanent resident, she wont qualify for Social Security retirement benefits. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She said that she earned her spot in nursing school by having a 4.0 GPA in community college. The argument that were taking away resources from the state, I think, is simply not true, Cruz said. As a teenage single mother, I was able to pay my way through school. So, Im not here to take anything from anyone. Pediatric nurse eyes move to Colorado Its still unclear when, or if, Hanen will approve the Trump administrations proposed plan. With the ongoing federal government shutdown, Hanen has paused any further court proceedings until Congress approves a new federal budget. But DACA recipients in Texas are already feeling anxious about their futures. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Among them is 27-year-old Valeria Herrera, a pediatric nurse in Austin who works at a childrens hospital. Her parents brought her to the U.S. 25 years ago from Monterrey, Mexico. After growing up undocumented, she applied for DACA in 2012 and has renewed her work permit five times since. She estimates shes spent over $11,000 in legal and processing fees to maintain DACA. In 2015, before she graduated high school, her mother, who had helped her navigate life as an undocumented immigrant and apply for DACA, died of liver cancer. Even though I knew I was an immigrant and had DACA, the magnitude of all that didnt hit me until I lost my mom, she said. She was very much in control of our situation, and she helped me fill out my first DACA application before she passed away. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2020, Herrera graduated from Concordia University in Austin. She worked three different jobs, sometimes simultaneously, to pay tuition and everyday expenses, she said. I am very proud of myself, she said. And I think it was probably the hardest thing Ive ever done, but I just knew that there was no other option, like I knew what I wanted to do, and I knew that it was up to me to get there, so it had to be done. She said she wishes that those who oppose DACA would understand that, because of federal laws, DACA recipients dont qualify for many federally funded programs, such as food stamps, Medicaid or Medicare. People who make the argument that DACA recipients use more benefits than they provide, she said, may be lacking accurate information about the lived experiences of a DACA recipient. Under Texas law, as a DACA recipient, she did qualify for a merit-based scholarship. But she mostly paid her own tuition, she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ive invested all this money in school and immigration fees, Ive completed a bachelors degree, and now I work as a nurse at a nonprofit hospital, she said. So I feel like Ive contributed a lot more. Like Cruz, Herrera said that if Hanen approves the Trump administrations proposal to rescind work permits for Texas DACA recipients, she would leave the state with her boyfriend, a surgical technician at a different hospital. She said they would move to Colorado, where they have friends and where they both can easily find a job at a hospital. Shes a supervisor at her current hospital and worries that moving out of the state would mean a step down professionally. It would mean starting all over again, because I would leave a place where Ive already built so much trust and where I climbed up the career ladder at my current job, she said. From fast food worker to registered nurse Cruz said she came to the U.S. with her mother and 7-year-old brother when she was 9 reuniting with their father, who had made the journey a few years earlier and settled in Dallas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cruz said her mother struggled to adapt to their new life in the U.S. and fell into a depression that lasted several years before she decided to return alone to Mexico City after Cruz started attending a community college. Cruz at first questioned the importance of an education; as an undocumented immigrant, she knew she wouldnt be able to have a real career. But after seeing so many doctors and nurses try to help her mother with her depression, she felt drawn to pursuing a medical career, she said. Then she got pregnant at 15. The father didnt want to take responsibility, she said. She gave birth to her daughter at 16. So she got an after-school job at a McDonalds, working as a cashier to earn money. I thought, Okay, I have to work hard and I have to focus now because I have a kid on the way, she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She graduated from high school in 2012 and, after a year and a half, found a better-paying job as a server at a Mexican restaurant. Later that year, she heard about DACA. When she was accepted, she said she could, for the first time, pursue her career goals. After four years at a community college, where she earned two different associates degrees, she transferred to the University of Texas at Arlington, where she was admitted to the nursing program. During the weekdays, she dropped off her daughter at school, returned home to study, went to her serving job for a few hours, then picked up her daughter from school, fed her, bathed her, and helped her with her homework. Her father would babysit in the afternoons as Cruz returned to work. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When her shift ended at 9 p.m., Cruz would return home to put her daughter to bed, then start studying again. On weekends, her father watched his granddaughter while Cruz did her clinical training. That was my life for like 18 months, she said. When she graduated in 2018, she immediately found a job as a registered nurse at a Dallas hospital. The following year, she reconnected with a middle school acquaintance through social media and soon fell in love. They married the same year and in 2020 bought their first house together. He is also a DACA recipient who works as an electrician, she said. In 2021, she returned to school to get her masters degree as a nurse practitioner through an online program. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cruz has graduated from a school five times, and her daughter has attended each one. Im the first one in my family to go to college, so Im really proud that my daughter has been able to go to all of them, she said. I am here to contribute to this country and not take away from it. Im trying to teach my daughter civil responsibility, so we volunteer, sometimes at our church, for the city or at her school, and be active in our community. Cruz and her husband are still debating where they would move if the judges ruling takes away her ability to legally work in Texas. Moving would mean leaving the home they recently bought, taking her 14-year-old daughter out of her high school, where she is in a magnet premedical program. She recently wrote a letter to Judge Hanen, pleading with him to reject Trumps proposal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Every day, I am entrusted with the lives and health of patients who need compassion, guidance, and skilled care, she wrote. I have built strong relationships with my patients, many of whom rely on me not only for medical treatment but also comfort, trust and continuity of care. Disclosure: University of Texas Arlington has been a financial supporter 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. Union Minister and BJP National President JP Nadda on Friday launched a scathing attack on Rashtriya Janata Dal and said that he had personally witnessed kidnapping and ransom flourishing in Bihar under the rule of former Chief Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav and his wife Rabri Devi. He said that Chief Minister Nitish Kumar was driving Bihar's development at full speed and urged not to break the momentum. Addressing a public meeting in Maner constituency, JP Nadda said, "Nitish Kumar is driving Bihar's development at full speed, don't let this momentum break. I personally witnessed the terror of Shahabuddin during the jungle raj under the RJD. He was an MLA and MP from RJD. He used to sit near Lalu Prasad Yadav. Siwan SP had to flee to save his life. They institutionalised kidnapping and ransom in Bihar, forcing many doctors and engineers to leave the state and settle in Delhi. The RJD is now giving an election ticket to Shahabuddin's son, Osama. They will never change. RJD stands for Rangdari, Jungle Raaj and Dadagiri. Lalu Prasad Yadav has nothing to do with people. He further said that earlier to charge the mobile, the generator operator had to paid Rs 10 to 12. He further said, "There was a time when electricity was scarce in Bihar, and many villages struggled with unreliable or non-existent power supply. Today, every village in Bihar has electricity, and in every village, electricity is available for 23 to 24 hours. Due to the expansion of digital infrastructure and improved internet services, Bihar has witnessed a surge in digital engagement. Young people are now creating content as YouTubers and social media influencers." Earlier, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath took a jibe at Congress MP and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, and said that if he joined the Bihar election campaign, then the National Democratic Alliance (NDA's) victory would be assured. He addressed the election campaign in Bhojpur and Siwan on Friday. Addressing an election campaign on Friday, CM Yogi Adityanath said, "Today there is an NDA government in Bihar and Bihar is progressing and based on the foundation of good governance, we can work better for the future. If Rahul Gandhi joins the campaign, then you can take it for granted that the NDA's victory is assured." He further said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and CM Nitish Kumar, there is better infrastructure in Bihar. Yogi Adityanath said, "In the last 20 years, the foundation for good governance has been strengthened. Your presence here indicates that the slogans of 'Jai Shri Ram' will now be raised instead of 'Lal Salaam'. A grand Ram-Janaki temple will be built in Sitamarhi, similar to Ayodhya's Ram Janmabhoomi Temple. RJD's lantern created darkness here. They used to turn off the lantern whenever they wanted and then carried out dacoity on the rights of the poor. Today, there is better road and rail connectivity in Bihar. Air connectivity is improving. Construction work on the metro has started in Patna. The inland waterway facility is progressing. Four-lane expressway is being built. Engineering and medical colleges are being inaugurated. For farmers, there is PM Kisan Samman Nidhi." The voting for the 243-seat Bihar Assembly will be held in two phases on November 6 and 11, whereas bye-elections for eight seats across seven states and Union Territories will be held on November 11. The results for both will be declared on November 14. (ANI) Texas House Democrats on Thursday called on Gov. Greg Abbott to temporarily shore up the state's share of the federal food stamp program, which is set to run out of funding Saturday amid the government shutdown. The group noted that regional food banks have "nowhere near the infrastructure nor funding to replace the federal government's food assistance programs." READ MORE: SNAP benefits set to pause Nov. 1. Here's where to find food assistance in Houston. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "With the political gridlock in Washington, D.C., this crisis calls for swift, compassionate leadership worthy of our state's values and strength," the Texas House Democratic Caucus wrote in a letter to the Republican governor. "Texas families are counting on us. We urge you to act now." The U.S. Department of Agriculture plans to suspend all Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, benefits starting Saturday. The move, which would be unprecedented, is expected to strip food assistance from 3.5 million Texans, including 1.7 million children. The Texas Democrats argued that the loss of program funding will bring larger financial repercussions, noting that the program indirectly boosts small retailers and grocers. "It's un-Texan and un-American to turn a blind eye to our neighbors' suffering," said caucus hunger crisis committee co-chair Rep. Armando Walle, of Houston. "Governor Abbott has the clear authority to use state funds to bridge the gap in federal funding and keep Texans fed - he should do it without delay." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A spokesperson for Abbott said the onus is on Senate Democrats to end the shutdown by approving the funding legislation that caused the standoff in the first place. "While Democrats use low-income Texans as bargaining chips, Texas agencies are coordinating with community partners to connect families to existing assistance until the federal government gets back to work," Andrew Mahaleris said, adding that anyone in need of assistance can call the state's 2-1-1 hotline to be connected with resources. The plea from Democrats comes as state attorneys general and governors in other states have sued the Trump administration over the planned freeze, pointing to reserve funds it has that could be used to fund SNAP benefits in the short-run. Governors in other states, including Arizona, Louisiana, New York and Virginia, have agreed to put up state funds to keep the program running locally. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement State Rep. Trey Martinez Fischer, a San Antonio Democrat who sits on the House's budget committee, said in an interview Thursday that it's common for the state to reach into agency reserves and reimburse itself later. Martinez Fischer said it's critical for people to realize that there is no safety net if SNAP benefits lapse. That's why private companies have begun stepping in, such as Texas grocer HEB donating millions to foodbanks and food delivery company DoorDash donating meals and waiving delivery fees for SNAP beneficiaries, he said. "More children right now are going to lose their SNAP benefits than the entire population of San Antonio," Martinez Fischer said. "That ought to be sobering for families to understand just how big the need is here." Democratic gubernatorial candidate and Austin state Rep. Gina Hinojosa has also urged Abbott to intervene, calling it the third-term Republican governor's "moral responsibility." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In June, Abbott vetoed a budget line item that would have brought in an estimated $450 million in federal dollars to fund a summer food aid program for low-income children. Texas is one of a dozen states that don't participate in the program, which was created by Congress in 2022. He explained the decision at the time by saying there was too much uncertainty at the federal level as Congress looked to slash spending. This article includes material from the Associated Press. This article originally published at Texas Democrats call on Gov. Greg Abbott to intervene before SNAP benefits lapse. The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency is investigating the death of a kayaker in Cheatham County. Robert Jarillo, 21, of Tomball, Texas, was kayaking around 1:45 p.m. Oct. 30 with his brother on Cheatham Lake when he went out of sight and his kayak was found overturned, an Oct. 31 release from TWRA said. Investigators responded to the lake and found Jarillo at 4:10 p.m. His body was recovered at 4:23 p.m. by agents and he was pronounced dead by the medical examiner. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The TWRA release said Jarillo was not wearing a personal flotation device at the time the kayak capsized. He is believed to have drowned. Jarillo's death is the 25th boating-related fatality on Tennessee waters in 2025, the TWRA said. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Authorities seek clues in Texas man's drowning death on Tennessee lake Sign up for The Brief, The Texas Tribunes daily newsletter that keeps readers up to speed on the most essential Texas news. Audio recording is automated for accessibility. Humans wrote and edited the story. See our AI policy, and give us feedback. Gov. Greg Abbott earlier this year signed a law authorizing a $1 billion private school voucher program, tapping the state comptrollers office as the entity responsible for its creation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The law grants Texas chief financial officer tremendous authority to build the infrastructure around education savings accounts, a type of voucher program that will allow families to receive taxpayer money to cover their childrens private school or home-schooling costs. The agencys responsibilities include choosing the companies that will receive millions of dollars to help administer the program, creating the rules that participating families must follow and producing annual reports on the programs outcomes. Former Texas Sen. Kelly Hancock currently serves as acting comptroller and will guide most of the programs development before it launches next year. The North Richland Hills Republican filled the position after Glenn Hegar stepped down to lead the Texas A&M University System. The comptroller is an elected position, and voters will decide next year who will occupy the role for the next four-year term. Hancock is running to keep the seat against Texas Railroad Commissioner Christi Craddick and former state Sen. Don Huffines, R-Dallas, the other two candidates in the Republican primary who plan to run for comptroller. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement State law provides the comptroller with a framework for how to structure the program, but the office will ultimately determine what exactly it will look like ahead of its official launch at the start of the 2026-27 school year. Heres what you need to know about the comptrollers role in shaping the voucher program. What does the comptroller do? The comptroller manages the states money and collects taxes, estimates revenue and awards state contracts. Texas operates a $337 billion budget and rakes in more than $250 billion in revenue from a variety of taxes, fees and assessments. What is the comptrollers role in shaping the states school voucher program? The comptrollers office will oversee the $1 billion programs implementation. It will negotiate contracts with and select the companies responsible for helping manage the day-to-day operations. Those companies will help the state respond to inquiries, process payments and resolve complaints, among other duties. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The agency will also design the programs rules. It will work with vendors to determine which private schools can receive state money through the program, when families can apply to participate, what documentation Texans have to submit and how participants will access funds to make approved educational purchases. The comptroller must hire a private company to audit the program at least once a year to ensure participants, schools and vendors are following state requirements. The agency can close the accounts of students who do not remain in good standing. It must also notify the appropriate county or district attorney in the local jurisdiction of any family, school or company that appears to have committed fraud or broken the law. State law requires the office to collect and publish annual data on the program, such as the number of applications it receives and accepts, participant satisfaction, and how the program affects private school capacity and Texas public education system. The comptroller is required to provide state lawmakers with the demographic information of participants, such as age, race and sex. The finance chief can also ask the Legislature to increase the programs funding. What has the comptroller done to build the program so far? The office released the proposed rules for the program earlier this year. It invited Texans to submit comments on the proposal over a 30-day period that concluded in September and conducted a public hearing soon after. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The comptroller also accepted bids from companies interested in helping manage the program officially called Texas Education Freedom Accounts later agreeing to a contract with the New York-based finance and technology company Odyssey. The state could end up paying Odyssey up to $52 million for its services over the next four years $26 million for the first two and an additional $26 million for another two if the contract gets renewed. The law allows the state to pay the company up to 5% of the programs $1 billion in funding, or $50 million, each year. The agency is expected to launch its marketing campaign for the program around the end of October. What else needs to happen before the program launches? The comptroller has yet to open registration for Texas private schools looking to participate in the program, as well as the process for families to apply. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Odyssey and the comptroller agreed to a plan that sets a tentative date of Dec. 2 for private schools to register to become one of the options families can select to spend funds awarded by the state. The agreement also set Feb. 4, 2026, as the date when Texas will begin accepting applications from families seeking state aid to pay for their childrens private school or home-schooling expenses. That window would remain open until mid-March. Odyssey will design those processes and the system parents will use to pay tuition. Under the current plan, the state is expected to provide a status update for students it approves by May 1, 2026. State law sets May 15, 2026, as the date the comptroller must finalize the program rules. The tuition platform families will use is expected to launch in early July. What do we know about the candidates running for the office? So far, three candidates are expected to run to be the states next comptroller. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Abbott appointed Hancock, a former state senator, as interim comptroller in June. Hancock is vying against Craddick, the Texas Railroad Commissioner, and Huffines, the former state senator, in the Republican primary. No Democrat has publicly expressed interest in the office. None of the candidates could be reached for interviews before publication. Hancock, who is overseeing the creation of the states voucher program, has toured campuses across the state to promote it. In a statement, Craddick said that her top priority for the voucher program as comptroller would be to ensure every dollar is used exactly as intended. It is not clear if Huffines has any plans for the voucher program, but he supported its creation when he served in the Legislature. Disclosure: Texas A&M University System has been a financial supporter 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. AUSTIN (Nexstar) Texas judges and justices of the peace, who are legally allowed to perform wedding ceremonies, now will not face punishment if they refuse to perform a ceremony on the basis of a sincerely held religious belief, according to a new interpretation of the Judicial Code of Conduct issued by the Texas Supreme Court. The states highest court issued the new comment in the judicial code of conduct on Oct. 24. It reads, It is not a violation of these canons for a judge to publicly refrain from performing a wedding ceremony based upon a sincerely held religious belief. The comment was placed in a section of the code of conduct that deals with extra-judicial activities. The change comes after a federal appeals court formally asked the Texas Supreme Court to clarify a question about state law earlier this year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In that case, a north Texas county official had sued the state in federal court over concerns he would face punishment if he refused to perform a marriage for same sex couples while still performing weddings for opposite-sex couples. That official, Jack County Judge Brian Umphress, said performing a marriage for same sex couples goes against his religion, and forcing him to perform such a wedding would violate his First Amendment right. His case was elevated to the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals which then posed the question to the Texas Supreme Court. It does not appear the state court officially answered the federal courts question, but its rule change does appear to resolve Umphress case. Nexstar reached out to Umphress to comment on the latest move by the states highest court. He said he could not comment on pending litigation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jason Mazzone, a constitutional law professor at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, followed the Umphress case closely. He said the broad language used by the Texas Supreme Court could open the door for judges to deny not just same-sex marriages, but also opposite-sex weddings as well. When asked if this could impact interracial marriages, Mazzone said it could. Given the wording of the comment of the Texas Supreme Court, it does seem as you suggest that a judge who says, For religious reasons Im not going to perform the interracial marriage, that too would fall within the scope of the comment that the Texas Supreme Court issued and would not trigger any sort of discipline of the judge, Mazzone explained. Although same-sex marriage is still legal in Texas, Mazzone said the state has become an outlier in adding a barrier to same-sex couples. He believes this decision by the high court raises a federal constitutional problem and is confident a lawsuit could be filed in the future. The law professor argues denying a wedding because of sexual orientation would violate the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution and its Equal Protection Clause, which protects individuals and groups from government discrimination. Mazzone said he has seen some people try to defend the Texas Supreme Courts decision by saying same-sex couples could go to another judge that will perform their wedding if they are ever denied. But he disagrees. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The fact that there is an alternative does not resolve the equal protection problem, Mazzone explained. LGBTQ advocates sounded off following the decision by the high court. No ones religious freedom should be used as a weapon to harm other individuals, Brad Pritchett, the interim CEO of Equality Texas, said. I think in a lot of ways thats what a ruling like this gives people the power to do. Pritchett said the move is added discrimination against the LGBTQ community in Texas. Our community is facing discrimination in a place like Texas for decades, and decades, and decades, and that discrimination is just continuing to increase and skyrocket actually, Pritchett said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Texas ACLU said it is monitoring the situation. Its really disappointing, Ash Hall, the policy and advocacy strategist on LGBTQAI+ rights for Texas ACLU, said. To be a judge is to be a public servant. Offering to do marriages for the general public, but then turning around and saying, Unless that couple is a LGBTQAI+ couple, thats discrimination. Thats not serving the general public. 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 Center Square) The Supreme Court of Texas has issued issued an order to amend state code to clarify that judges are permitted to refrain from performing weddings based on their sincerely held religious beliefs. The legal change was implemented as two major cases related to the issue are before different courts. All eight justices signed the order to add a comment to Canon 4 of the Texas Code of Judicial Conduct, Conducting the Judges Extra-Judicial Activities to Minimize the Risk of Conflict with Judicial Obligations. Canon 4 states, A judge shall conduct all of the judges extrajudicial activities so that they do not cast reasonable doubt on the judges capacity to act impartially as a judge. The newly added comment states: It is not a violation of these canons for a judge to publicly refrain from performing a wedding ceremony based upon a sincerely held religious belief. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The change is expected to directly impact two cases currently in litigation and possibly put to rest any future questions about the issue. It, and a constitutional amendment before voters, is also expected to impact a state Commission on Judicial Conduct. In one case, McLennan County Justice of the Peace Dianne Hensley sued the state Commission on Judicial Conduct after it reprimanded her in 2019 for casting doubt on her capacity to act impartially to persons appearing before her as a judge due to the persons sexual orientation in violation of Canon 4A(1) of the Texas Code of Judicial Conduct. Her lawsuit argues the SCJCs interpretation of Canon 4A(1) violates the Texas Religious Freedom Restoration Act, which prohibits government agencies from substantially burdening a persons free exercise of religion. The commission issued the reprimand after Hensley implemented a referral program to accommodate same-sex couples by establishing low-cost, convenient marriage option blocks away from her office. She also offered to pay any difference in cost for the same-sex couples she was referring, First Liberty Institute, which is representing her, explains. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Several members of her staff are authorized to perform marriages and no one has complained about her referral program, First Liberty says. In Texas, judges are not required by law to perform marriages. Despite this, the SCJC decided to step in and pop the big questions of their own. Not about the law, but about the Judges personal religious beliefs, First Liberty argues. A hearing is scheduled for her case next week. In another case, the SCJC reprimanded Jack County Judge Keith Umphress for the same reason. Umphress has also declined to perform same-sex marriages for the same reason as Hensley. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Umphress also sued the SCJC, arguing its action was unconstitutional. A federal district court dismissed his case for want of subject matter jurisdiction, also stating he lacked standing and his claims were not ripe. The court also said if it did have jurisdiction, it would have abstained under the Pullman Doctrine. The 1941-era Pullman Doctrine held that "federal courts should not adjudicate the constitutionality of state enactments fairly open to interpretation until the state courts have been afforded a reasonable opportunity to pass on them. Umphress appealed to the Fifth Circuit, which in April said his lawsuit raises a threshold issue of state law for which there is no controlling precedent: As a matter of Texas law, do judges violate Canon 4A(1) by publicly refusing to perform same-sex weddings on moral or religious grounds while continuing to officiate at opposite sex weddings? The Fifth Circuit reversed the lower courts dismissal, ruled Umphress has standing, his claims are ripe, and certified the question to the Supreme Court of Texas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Because state-court litigation appears unlikely to yield an answer to the crucial threshold question of Texas law, we decline to abstain under Pullman, but, instead, certify that question to the Supreme Court of Texas, the Fifth Circuit held. The Supreme Court of Texas has yet to certify its answer. Its amended comment to Canon 4A(1), however, answers the higher courts question. In the meantime, the Texas court system has taken down the Texas Code of Judicial Conduct from its website. Voters have also been asked to approve or reject 17 constitutional amendments on the Nov. 4 ballot, including Proposition 12 to expand and restructure the SCJC. Federal agents across Texas reported a string of high-profile arrests and convictions this week involving cartel-linked juveniles, a Honduran national sentenced for importing child sexual abuse material into the country, and an alleged father-son gun trafficking operation. U.S. Border Patrol Chief Michael W. Banks claimed in an October 23 post on X that the cartel is recruiting juveniles to do their dirty work, after agents in Brownsville apprehended four teenagers allegedly attempting to smuggle 245 pounds of marijuana into the United States. According to Banks, one of the teens, just 15 years old, was a repeat offender tied to the Gulf Cartel and had been apprehended multiple times. The drugs were seized, and the four teens will be charged and processed accordingly, Banks wrote, attaching an image of four large parcels wrapped in plastic and bound with tan ropes. The cartel is recruiting juveniles to do their dirty work! 10/16- In Brownsville, TX, USBP agents apprehended four juveniles attempting to smuggle 245lbs. of marijuana into the U.S. One of them, just 15 years old, is a repeat offender caught doing the same thing just last month. pic.twitter.com/gtD8hJ8Brg Chief Michael W. Banks (@USBPChief) October 23, 2025 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Brownsville case comes amid concern over the exploitation of minors by transnational criminal organizations. Honduran Sentenced for Importing Child Sexual Abuse Material In a separate case in Del Rio, a Honduran national was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for attempting to import child sexual abuse material through the Eagle Pass port of entry. The U.S. Attorneys Office for the Western District of Texas said in a press release that 32-year-old Nolber Rolando Rosales-Rosales was stopped at the Camino Real International Bridge on October 7, 2024. Customs officers reportedly found images of young girls on his phone and discovered that he maintained a Telegram account used to store six videos depicting child sexual abuse. Rosales-Rosales pleaded guilty in April to one count of use of a visual depiction of a sexually explicit depiction of a minor for importation into the United States. U.S. District Judge Ernest Gonzalez sentenced him to a decade in prison on Thursday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rosales-Rosales was initially detained without bond following his arrest last October and required a Spanish-language interpreter for court proceedings, according to PACER records. The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Tyler Fleming, Nallely Duarte, and Daisy Gonzales. Homeland Security Investigations and Customs and Border Protection conducted the investigation. The press release indicated that the case falls under Operation Take Back America, a nationwide initiative that marshals the full resources of the Department of Justice to repel the invasion of illegal immigration, achieve the total elimination of cartels and transnational criminal organizations, and protect our communities from the perpetrators of violent crime. Father and Son Charged in Firearms Smuggling Scheme Federal prosecutors in the Southern District of Texas announced Tuesday that two men from Alabama had been arrested and charged with smuggling hundreds of firearms into Mexico. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 48-year-old Emilio Ramirez Cortes, a Mexican citizen living legally in the United States, and his son, Edgar Emilio Ramirez Diaz, allegedly attempted to move more than 300 rifles, pistols, magazines, and ammunition through the Juarez-Lincoln Port of Entry in Laredo on October 23, according to a press release. Authorities claimed both men were driving separate vehicles, a Chevrolet Tahoe with Alabama plates and a Chevrolet Silverado with Mexican plates, towing enclosed box trailers that contained false walls concealing the weapons. Disrupting the illegal flow of weapons into Mexico is a key part of our whole-of-government approach to dismantling the cartels, said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. U.S. Attorney Nicholas J. Ganjei added that those that illegally traffic guns to Mexico empower cartels to terrorize the innocent. Investigators with Homeland Security Investigations, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and Customs and Border Protection led the probe. Prosecutors said the defendants allegedly conducted multiple smuggling runs in exchange for payment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Both men remain in custody pending a detention hearing on October 31. A criminal complaint is a formal accusation and not evidence of guilt. Federal Communications Freeze Due to the ongoing government shutdown, most official social media accounts for border security and immigration enforcement agencies in Texas are currently closed, including Border Patrol sectors and ICE field offices, and are not posting real-time updates on enforcement actions. As a result, The Dallas Express has temporarily altered the format of Texas Takedown Weekly to rely more heavily on court filings, archived press releases, and verified statements from law enforcement officials until normal communications resume. Texas Takedown Weekly is a recurring series from The Dallas Express chronicling significant immigration-related arrests, narcotics seizures, and enforcement actions across the state. To read last weeks edition, click Texas Takedown Weekly: Illegal Alien Arrested In Dallas For Alleged TikTok Threat To Kill ICE Agents THOMASVILLE A Thomasville man has been convicted on a charge accusing him of operating a brothel in Lynchburg, Virginia. Thomas Lee Thomas II, 59, was convicted by a judge at a bench trial in mid-September of felony commercial sex trafficking and was sentenced to 2 1/2 years in prison, according to a statement issued by Commonwealths Attorney Bethany Harrison. The investigation began in June 2024 after the Lynchburg Police Department received information that a house in the city was operating as a brothel. Officers found advertisements on various escort websites related to that address. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A joint investigation by the Lynchburg Police Department and the Virginia State Police began with surveillance set up to monitor the house, Harrison said. As men came and went from the house, they were stopped and interviewed by detectives, and multiple men admitted that they paid for sexual services and that they learned about the house online. Detectives saw Thomas regularly come and go from the house, and on July 31, 2024, he dropped off a young Asian woman and helped her take luggage into the house, Harrison said. Officers followed Thomas from the house to an ATM, where he made two large cash deposits, and to Walmart, where he bought items including condoms, bleach and a futon. He then returned to the house with them. Detectives also found that Thomas paid the utility bills for the house. In December 2024, detectives executed search warrants at the Lynchburg house and, with the help of the Davidson County Sheriffs Office, at Thomas home in Thomasville. When Thomas was interviewed, he admitted he completed projects at the house, paid bills for the house and took money from the women there to be deposited into the ATM, Harrison said. Thomas also said he made posts online encouraging people to visit the house for sexual services. Thomas told police that the women, who were all of Asian descent and spoke little to no English, came into the United States through New York and were taken to various states, Harrison said. A homebuilding company in North Somerset, England, has made a 1,500 donation to support conservation efforts in the area. David Wilson Redrow South West gave the donation specifically to the Avon Wildlife Trust, a charity that aims to promote wildlife and environmental protection. According to the North Somerset Times, the Wildlife Trust's head of development, Katie Burfitt, said that donations like this are vital to environmental charities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "There's increasing pressure on grant funding for environmental charities, so this donation has come at an important time," said Burfitt, per the North Somerset Times. "We're incredibly grateful to David Wilson Redrow South West for supporting our work towards a future where nature thrives and communities flourish." Although grants exist to help fund charities like the Avon Wildlife Trust, donating to causes is a great step to take to provide additional help. David Wilson Redrow South West's generous funding boost is key to a brighter future. Elsewhere, in another example of selflessness, a New Hampshire family donated 455 acres of land to forestry conservation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Not only does this donation highlight the importance of financially supporting eco-friendly endeavors, but it also shows the impact of taking local action. By lending a hand, whether literally or figuratively, to support environmental action in your area, you can promote a healthy local ecosystem and planet. Although housing developments can contribute to deforestation and wildlife displacement, seeing homebuilders like this one demonstrate a commitment to environmental sustainability is a reassuring step in the right direction. "This donation is part of our ongoing commitment to create greener, more sustainable communities that help protect and restore local ecosystems," said Louise Ware, sales director for David Wilson Redrow South West, per the North Somerset Times. 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. National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval on Friday asserted that terrorism has been effectively countered in India, with the last major incident occurring in 2013. He said that the entire country has remained secure from terrorist attacks, except for Jammu and Kashmir. "The facts are facts, and they cannot be disputed. Terrorism in this country has been effectively countered. We had a major incident of terrorism on July 1, 2005, and the last one in 2013 in the hinterland. Except for Jammu and Kashmir, which had been a theatre of a proxy war or a covert warfare for Pakistan, which is a different ballgame, the whole country has remained secure from terrorist attacks. Efforts were made. People were arrested. Explosives are recovered," Doval said while addressing the annually held Sardar Patel Memorial Lecture on Governance. The NSA stated that no terrorist incidents have occurred in the hinterland despite enemies being active. He added that the "left-wing extremism" has reduced to less than 11 per cent of areas as compared to its scale in 2014. "Enemies have remained very active, but fortunately, and it's more of a good fortune in the country that we can say that we have had no terrorist incident in the hinterland. The left-wing extremism has reduced to less than 11 per cent areas than what existed in 2014. Most of the districts which had been declared as left-wing prone have been declared safe," Doval said. He added that India has been able to establish deterrence, meaning the country can respond to any threat to its national security. "It is not sufficient to say that we have taken sufficient security measures. What is equally important is that we are able to make every Indian feel secure, both from internal and external forces. While we can deal with them effectively in accordance with government laws and policies, we can create deterrence that credibly convinces them we have the will and the strength to respond to any threat in a manner best for our national security," the NSA said. Doval added that emphasis should be on empowering the marginalised and highlighted the importance of providing security for women. "There is also a very special need to care for the deprived, the weak, and the marginalised, and to give them a sense of empowerment. The security of women is extremely important. The need for protection, safety, giving a sense of equality and empowerment to women is necessary for good governance in the modern-day world," he said. (ANI) Three billionaires surprised diners when they walked into a popular fried chicken restaurant on Thursday and picked up everyones bill. Jensen Huang, CEO of the worlds most valuable company, AI chip giant Nvidia, went to the Seoul chicken-and-beer joint with the leaders of two of South Koreas global tech titans: Samsung Electronics chairman Lee Jae-yong and Hyundai Motor Group executive chair Chung Eui-sun. Fried chicken paired with ice-cold draft beer, known as chimaek, is a must-have for anyone visiting South Korea, and the tech potentates got their fill at Kkanbu Chicken in the heart of the nations capital, ahead of the APEC summit in Gyeongju. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I love fried chicken and beer with my friends, so Kkanbu is a perfect place, right? Huang told live-streaming passersby as he arrived at the restaurant. As well as being the name of the restaurant chain, Kkanbu is a slang word for a very close friend. The three ate cheese balls, cheese sticks, boneless chicken and a fried chicken along with Korean beer Terra and the local rice spirit soju, according to national news agency Yonhap. Video from local news outlets showed the trio combined net worth $195 billion linking their drinking arms to take a shot of beer, a gesture that, in South Korea, cements friendship while drinking. Huang, Lee and Chung stepped out to offer chicken and cheese sticks to the assembled crowd. A man shows an autograph of Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang as he arrives for a dinner meeting with Samsung Electronics Chairman Jay Y. Lee and Hyundai Motor Group Executive Chair Euisun Chung at a fried chicken restaurant in Seoul, South Korea, on October 30, 2025. - Yonhap/Reuters Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang makes a toast with others during a dinner meeting with Samsung Electronics Chairman Jay Y. Lee and Hyundai Motor Group Executive Chair Euisun Chung at a fried chicken restaurant in Seoul, South Korea, on October 30, 2025. - Yonhap/Reuters The chicken wings was so good. Have you been here before? Its incredible, right? Huang said when asked about his favourite items. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Anyone? Fried chicken? he offered as he held chicken baskets up. When Huang rang the golden bell, a gesture to pay the bill for everyone in the restaurant, people cheered though Samsungs Lee paid the bill and Chung paid for a second round, according to Yonhap. Fresh from his high-stakes trade talks with US President Donald Trump, Chinese leader Xi Jinping is among Asian heads of government who have descended on Gyeongju, in southern South Korea, for the APEC summit. Access to cutting-edge AI chips such as those that have pushed Nvidia to a market cap of about $5 trillion is among issues being thrashed out between the US and China. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Friday at the APEC summit, Huang met South Koreas President Lee Jae Myung, and announced Nvidia would provide more than 260,000 graphics processing units to South Korean companies, including those of his drinking buddies. Huang said his company would work with Samsung and Hyundai, as well as local web giant Naver and chipmaker SK, to strengthen physical AI, such as by developing AI-driven autonomous vehicles, according to the presidential office. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) Three men were arrested after being accused of manipulating solicitation documents in Baton Rouge. According to an affidavit, the Louisiana Bureau of Investigation (LBI) and the Louisiana Department of Justice (DOJ) opened an investigation into reports of alleged bid rigging and misconduct involving the Capital Area Groundwater Conservation District (CAGCD). Investigators learned that Gary Beard and Jason Hewitt were allegedly adjusting documents with the intent to eliminate competition. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Beard is the executive director of CAGCD, while Hewitt is the managing partner at Sustainability Partners, LLC. CAGCD is defined as a political subdivision of the state charged with groundwater management. The affidavit states that Beard issued a Request for Qualifications for Financing for Public Entities and Facility Operations & Maintenance. The request was to establish a long-term contract with a private vendor to provide financing and management. During the investigation, they found that Beard let Hewitt write a public bidding document, designed to find companies to handle CAGCDs projects. The project was expected to cost about $45 million over 30 years. In a sworn testimony at a 2024 public hearing in front of the Board of Tax Appeals, Beard admitted to using Hewitts specific business model. A few companies showed interest, but only Hewitts company submitted a full proposal and was given the contract. Investigators compared the documents and saw that they were identical, proving that the bidding process was unfair. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Beard was indicted on Oct. 29 by an East Baton Rouge Grand Jury on charges of conspiracy in restraint of trade, monopolizing trade, and malfeasance in office. BREC case Hewitt was involved in a similar case with the East Baton Rouge Parish Recreation and Park Commission (BREC). Oscar Richard was the assistant superintendent of system planning at BREC, documents state. In 2021, Richard contacted Hewitt about a pre-written Request for Proposal (RFP) language. Hewitt reportedly shared those documents, which were later used in BRECs solicitation. The recreation centers RFP was modeled after the Sustainability Partners model. This resulted in the contract being signed in November 2021 and having no spending limit or fixed cost, making taxpayers vulnerable to financial obligations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to court records, Richard admitted to using Hewitts companys materials while other staff members advised against it. Richard was indicted on Oct. 29 by an EBR Grand Jury on charges of conspiracy in restraint of trade, monopolizing trade, and malfeasance in office. Hewitt faces two counts each of conspiracy in restraint of trade, monopolizing trade, and principal to malfeasance in office. All three mens lawyers released a statement following the indictments handed down to their clients. Our clients categorically deny the charges brought against them. These indictments are based on a mischaracterizafion of legifimate business and governmental acfivifies. We are confident that once the full facts are presented, it will be absolutely clear that no criminal conduct occurred. Each of these men has served their community and professional insfitufions with integrity and disfincfion. The allegafions of conspiracy, monopolizafion, and malfeasance are not only unfounded but also fail to reflect the complex regulatory and operafional contexts in which our clients acted. We urge the public to withhold judgment unfil all evidence is reviewed in a court of law. Our clients look forward to clearing their names and restoring their reputafions. Don Cazayoux and Lane Ewing are representing Beard, John Mclindon is representing Richard, and Walt Green is representing Hewit. Latest News Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Louisiana First News. MONTGOMERY COUNTY, Md. (DC News Now) Three teenagers were arrested and charged after multiple shootings in Germantown and Damascus between March 2024 and August 2025. Detectives have charged 18-year-old Samuel Wisdom, of Germantown; 17-year-old AiJai Tyrell Smith-Nelson, of Germantown; and 17-year-old Jaden Ochieng, of Clarksburg. On Aug. 18, around 2:45 a.m., officers responded to the 18800 block of Bent Willow Circle in Germantown after someone reported hearing a gunshot followed by a female screaming. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Around an hour later, officers responded to the 20800 block of Gaelic Court after an SUV was struck by gunfire. Three females were inside the vehicle, but werent hurt. Fredericksburg man to serve 20 years after drug bust Investigators determined that Wisdom allegedly tried to kill the three victims. He was charged with three counts of attempted first-degree murder, three counts of first-degree assault, reckless endangerment, and multiple firearms-related offenses. During their investigation, officials learned that Wisdom and the other two suspects, Smith-Nelson and Ochieng, were involved in a shooting that occurred just days after. On Aug. 21, around 6:50 p.m., officers responded to the 9800 block of Bethesda Church Rd. in Damascus for reports of shots fired. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Shell casings, damaged property and a victim suffering from a gunshot were found nearby in the Brigadier Place neighborhood. The victim was taken to an area hospital with serious injuries. All three were in the area at the time of the shooting and later seen at a Germantown 7-Eleven. Officers responded, and Ochieng ran before he was caught and found with a Glock later determined to be used in the Aug. 21 shooting. Smith-Nelson was arrested inside the 7-Eleven, where officers recovered a Taurus PT111 handgun it was also connected to the Bethesda Church Road shooting. Both suspects were taken into custody without incident. Ochieng had a court-ordered ankle monitor removed that morning. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police said that Ochieng has a history of being charged in violent shootings. Back on March 24, 2024, he allegedly tried to shoot a student getting off a bus near Neelsville Middle School on Archdale Road. On Thursday, Aug. 8, 2024, he also allegedly shot at a person sitting on a park bench on Crystal Rock Drive. In both incidents, Ochieng used stolen vehicles to leave the scene. When officers attempted to serve an arrest warrant for Ochieng at Northwest High School, he was found carrying a loaded firearm and taken into custody. That gun was linked to the previous shooting on Archdale Road on March 24, 2024, and on Crystal Rock Drive on Aug. 8, 2024, and one other shooting in the region. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wisdom and Smith-Nelson remain in custody at the Montgomery County Central Processing Unit. Ochieng is also in custody in another jurisdiction. 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. Top of the Ticker: Looking to visually assert its split from MSNBC and CNBC, NBC News launched a new marketing campaign, Reporting for America. The campaign, appearing on-air and on social media, focuses on the news division's core mission: fact-based, widely accessible journalism. In a note to staffers, NBCUniversal News Group chairman Cesar Conde stated Americans are not disinterested in news, but are hungry for civil discourse and trustworthy reporting. Exactly what NBC News stands for, Conde said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Second try: This week, CNN debuted its new All Access subscription tier, featuring a selection of live channels, a library of CNN Original Series and CNN Films, day-of catch-up content, video-on-demand programming, as well as all text, audio, and video content available on CNN.com and the CNN app. In its second attempt at launching a streaming product, available for $6.99 a month or $69.99 annually, CNN's CEO Mark Thompson, in an interview with Brian Stelter, said, "It's not CNN extra' or plus,' it's CNN." He added that CNN All Access carries "all the programs you expect to get from CNN." CNN's All Access Subscription Tier Launches Today with Robust Lineup of Live Channels, Video On Demand, and Library of CNN Original Series and CNN Films https://t.co/AgiKmlE5mj Stream now at https://t.co/azYMgxneYU, CNN's mobile app and on connected TV apps. pic.twitter.com/9cXIJNCyw0 CNN Communications (@CNNPR) October 28, 2025 Deep Concerns: A BBC journalist of Vietnamese origin has had his passport and ID withheld by the Vietnamese government. The news organization says it is deeply concerned about the journalist's well-being, as they have been unable to leave Vietnam for some time and faced multiple days of questioning. It is "urging Vietnamese authorities to allow the journalist to leave immediately and return to work by providing the renewed passport." BBC 'deeply concerned' about journalist unable to leave Vietnam BBC News https://t.co/QjSKnShrXh BBC News Press Team (@BBCNewsPR) October 28, 2025 Strong debut: Although it is not widely available yet, NBC News Studios' latest podcast series, Dead Certain: The Martha Moxley Murder, is already the top series on Apple Podcasts. Premiering on Tuesday, November 4, the podcast hosted by Andrew Goldman revisits the 1975 killing of Moxley, who was 15 years old, with unprecedented access, new investigative material, and exclusive interviews. NEW: @NBCNewsStudios' "Dead Certain: The Martha Moxley Murder" is the #1 top series on @ApplePodcasts. pic.twitter.com/gPJQ2g0C6B NBC News PR (@NBCNewsPR) October 29, 2025 Revolving Door: MSNBC announced two appointments this week. Former Washington, D.C. senior producer for CBS Mornings, Kate Farrell, is joining the network as deputy Washington bureau chief. She has had previous stints at BBC World News America and CNN. The network also announced that Cindy Galli has joined as a legal affairs director. Prior to MSNBC, she spent 14 years at ABC News, most recently as the executive producer of ABC News' investigative unit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, ABC News announced that Sophie Flay is joining the network as a correspondent and overnight anchor of World News Now and Good Morning America First Look. Flay was previously a general assignment reporter for ABC7/KABC-TV in Los Angeles. Finally, Julie Tsirkin has an expanded role at NBC News. In addition to covering Capitol Hill as a correspondent, Tsirkin will also cover the White House beat. NEED TO KNOW Tiffany James was shot and killed by her ex, Darryl Eugene Williams, on Halloween night in 2015 The former couple shared twin daughters, who witnessed the murder Williams was eventually charged with first-degree murder and is currently serving time in prison On Halloween night in 2015, Tiffany James and her twin daughters were returning home from trick-or-treating when tragedy struck. Just steps from their apartment in Brandon, Fla., James was shot in front of her children by their father, Darryl Eugene Williams, dressed in a costume resembling Jason Voorhees from Friday the 13th. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Behind the horror of that night lay years of tension, court filings and disturbing allegations, all pointing to a relationship that had long been unraveling. Heres everything to know about the events leading up to Tiffany James murder and the arrest that followed. Who was Tiffany James? James was a 35-year-old mother of twin daughters, Diamond and Da'Niyah, whom she shared with Williams. Professionally, she worked in a student recruitment position at Ultimate Medical Academy in Florida, according to the Tampa Bay Times. What happened on Halloween night? Oxygen 'Snapped' season 32, episode 24. 'Snapped' season 32, episode 24. On Halloween night in 2015, James and her daughters were walking home from trick-or-treating in Brandon, Fla., a suburb east of Tampa, when Williams the twins father approached them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the Tampa Bay Times, Williams walked toward James in the dark and shot her twice, with their daughters standing beside her. Just a short distance away, his girlfriend was seated in a car and witnessed the shooting. Her testimony would later play a crucial role in helping police charge Williams with murder. Around 11 p.m., a neighbor called 911 after hearing a loud bang, according to an episode of Snapped about the case. When the neighbor stepped outside, she saw James lying on the ground. A figure dressed in a full Halloween costume, reportedly resembling Jason from Friday the 13th, stood over her with a shotgun. The neighbor quickly retreated inside and hid. Moments later, she heard three gunshots. Then came a knock at her door. When she opened it, she found one of James daughters, who was bloodied and terrified. She ushered both girls into her apartment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They both had blood all over them. One of them ... couldnt even talk. She would try and there was no voice coming out. Its heartbreaking, Hillsborough County Sheriffs Detective Moises Garcia recounted on Snapped. James was rushed to Tampa General Hospital by first responders but died from her injuries. How was Williams charged? Initially, it was challenging to connect Williams to the crime, as he refused to speak with investigators despite being declared a person of interest the following day. Then his girlfriend came forward, according to the Tampa Bay Times. She informed the officers that she had driven Williams to the apartment complex and waited with him until James arrived home, sometime after 11 p.m. She claimed to have heard James scream, witnessed the two arguing and then heard gunfire. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Following her account, Williams was taken into custody at his workplace, the Mosaic phosphate plant, in Riverview. He was charged with first-degree murder and held without bail. What was the relationship between Williams and James? Oxygen/Youtube Halloween Night Leaves Twin Daughters Soaked in Mother's Blood | Snapped (S32 E24) Halloween Night Leaves Twin Daughters Soaked in Mother's Blood | Snapped (S32 E24) According to Snapped, James met Williams in 2008. He was 14 years older, and they both had children from previous relationships. Together, they welcomed twin daughters. By 2013, the two had split. In the summer of 2015, James reconnected with an old friend, a single father, which reportedly caused more tension between her and Williams. According to the Tampa Bay Times, over the course of seven years, both James and Williams sought protective orders against each other. Each claimed to fear the other, but all petitions were denied. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a 2011 court filing, James wrote, I am afraid to meet him alone because of all of the threats he has made, requesting supervised custody exchanges for their daughters. She also accused Williams of verbally abusing her two older sons from a previous relationship, alleging that he once told one of them, If you died, I would spit on your grave. In another petition, she claimed Williams had threatened their lives, saying her family would have to prepare for a funeral. Williams later filed a petition of his own in August 2015, alleging that James relatives were harassing him with phone calls and threatening to blow my brains out. A judge dismissed the case, citing insufficient evidence. According to Snapped, investigators later uncovered a series of disturbing events, including claims that Williams had targeted James at her job and someone had disabled her cars gas tank. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Just one day before the murder, James had been granted custody of the twins during a court appearance. Where is Williams now? Williams was charged with first-degree murder, though he later accepted a plea deal. We were disappointed, James' brother Humphrey said on Snapped about the plea deal. He shot my sister in the face with a shotgun. Watched her on the ground. The girls were right there with her. Coward is too good of a word. It didnt feel like justice. But, to avoid any more damage to the girls, I think that avoiding placing them on the stand and putting them back in that situation was the better alternative. According to Snapped, Williams is scheduled for release from prison in 2035. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I feel like Darryl snapped because he lost control, Humphrey added. He was more comfortable with her being gone and out of the pictureas sick and twisted as it is, I think that was his ultimate vengeance. Read the original article on People A local woman stranded in Jamaica says it could be days before she can get home. PREVIOUS COVERAGE >>> Duquesne woman stranded in Jamaica amid Hurricane Melissa Antoinette Margita of Duquesne rode out Hurricane Melissa in her hotel bathroom. Now, she says, every day that passes is costing her time and money. I was up for 24 hours. And the bathroom, I was in there for at least five or six hours, Margita told Channel 11. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement From the floor of her hotel bathroom, all Margita could do was wait. Nothing you can do. Just kind of like sit there and wait, she said. Wind and rain lashed her window as Hurricane Melissa hit Jamaica. Water covered the floor. There was a lot of anxiety. Definitely, she said. Now, Margita is facing a different type of stress, as she awaits word on when shell be able to head home. Originally, it was Tuesday that I was supposed to leave. Then they booked it for Thursday. And then they said tomorrow, Friday. And then now theyre saying Sunday. Each day that passes costs her time and money, she says. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I had to pay more money to try to find another flight. And then every night we have to pay more money to stay here, Margita said, adding, Im probably out like over $1,000. Because of the widespread damage, Margita says, shes confined to the hotel, which is running on a generator. The only place you can kind of go is in the lobby because they have everything blocked off because theres just damage everywhere. Her frustration is growing. Yesterday I waited in line for like an hour and a half just to get the food because theyre just passing it out, she said, adding, Its just very frustrating, and I just want to be home. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Margita says she regrets not leaving before the storm hit. Adding to her frustration, she had another flight booked for Saturday to celebrate her nieces birthday in Florida. Now, thats not happening. Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW Most Mondays, Shannon Price arrives at school and gets her 17 Head Start preschoolers ready for their morning activities, typically lessons on how to grip a pencil and write their first names. It is work she loves and feels deeply committed to, not only as a teacher, but also as a former Head Start kid and parent herself. But this Monday, she wont have a classroom to go to. Thats because the ongoing government shutdown has forced her Highland County, Ohio, program to shutter, impacting 177 kids and 45 staffers. Across the state, at least three providers will close their doors, cutting off services to at least 1,000 young children and employment to 286 Head Start workers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And Ohio is not alone. In all, 134 programs across 41 states and Puerto Rico serving 58,627 children are at risk of closing Monday morning as federal funds expire this weekend. Since the beginning of October, an additional six Head Start programs serving 6,525 children in Florida, South Carolina and Alabama have been operating without federal funding, drawing on emergency local resources to keep their doors open. In total, these approximately 65,000 kids account for close to 10% of all of those served by the early learning and child care program for lower-income families. Related Ongoing Federal Shutdown Threatens Head Start Access for Over 65K Children News of their Head Start programs closure has hit Prices community in the Appalachia foothills particularly hard. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I had a parent come up and grab me and hug me and she cried and I cried, she said. You know, a lot of parents really rely on our program. Its pretty much invaluable in our county. Sarah Allens family is among those feeling the pain. Her 3-year-old daughter Hallie attends Head Start while Allen, a former Head Start teacher herself, works on obtaining her state teaching license and substitute teaches at the local school to make extra money. Her husband is a firefighter. Starting next week, theyll both have to work fewer hours to stay home with Hallie, creating financial hardship for the family. Hallie is one of thousands of Head Start students losing programming on Monday. At school, she loves to make art and play pretend. (Sarah Allen) I cant work if I dont have a babysitter and prices keep going up for everything and food costs are crazy, said Allen, who is also worried about the interruption to her daughters education. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Many Head Start families could face a double blow, losing access to the program and food assistance on the same day, with funds for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, also known as SNAP, set to run out Saturday as well. An infusion of contingency funding from the White House earlier this month for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, also known as WIC, is expected to be depleted in a few more weeks. About 50 miles south of Highland, right along the Ohio river, sits Scioto County, another Appalachian stretch, parts of it so rural that some communities dont have stop lights. Come Monday morning, Head Start classrooms across 10 centers in the region serving 400 early learners and infants will shut down and all 100 staff members, 60% of whom are former Head Start parents, will be furloughed. Communities in Scioto County were decimated by the opioid crisis, leaving many kids to be raised by grandparents or other family members, who are heavily reliant on Head Start programming, said Sarah Sloan, early childhood director of the countys Community Action Organization. Other parents are in recovery themselves, she added, and lean on Head Start to provide a safe and stable place for their kids. Their programming is where families already under stress come to get help, she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Despite this, the reception to the grim news that classrooms would close from both families and staff has just been so generous, Sloan said Wednesday, her voice cracking. I have not heard one negative word from our parents. They have said things like, We are in this together. We understand. We hate it for your staff. Were worried. Some states find last-minute funding, others dont The 74 spoke with over a dozen Head Start Association presidents, providers, teachers and parents in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Missouri, Ohio and Washington, the six states with the largest number of seats at risk. Some states, such as Ohio and Washington, are bracing for imminent closures, but others, such as Missouri and most of Georgia, have been able to access other sources of funding, giving them a runway of a week or two. This means that where a young child lives will determine whether or not they have a staffed classroom in a few days and if their families can access the range of other resources Head Start offers, from health care services to parenting courses. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While each state faces it own challenges, a few universal themes emerged: an assertion that even if local Head Start organizations are able to scrape together enough funding to keep their doors open, it will only be temporary, extending access for a few days or weeks; fear that the borrowed funds to stay operational may not be reimbursed once the federal government reopens; and concern that low-income families will lose access to food assistance at the same time. Head Start, which turned 60 this year, provides children at least two meals a day. All of this is setting off alarm bells about the unprecedented nature of the government crisis and the devastating effect it will likely have on the countrys most vulnerable families. Related Head Start at 60: A Legacy Worth Investing In They will begin feeling the blowback from D.C. this weekend, as some parents are forced to choose between caring for their kids and showing up for work. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Funding for Head Start is complex. Some 80% comes from federal grants that are released to local providers on a staggered schedule throughout the year. Grant recipients with funding deadlines on the first of October and November are now scrambling, as the second-longest federal shutdown in history heads into its fourth week. While there appeared to be some movement this week, Senate Republicans and Democrats have repeatedly failed to come to an agreement on a funding bill. Democrats are demanding an extension of tax credits that have allowed millions of people to access health care since the pandemic, while Republicans say they wont negotiate until Congress passes a bill to reopen the government. President Donald Trump has largely targeted blue cities and states with cuts so far, though interruptions to Head Start funding would impact thousands of families across the political spectrum, with some of the severest programming losses falling on red states. This has all compounded existing financial strain on local programs, many of which have struggled to hire and retain teachers, according to the National Head Start Association. It also follows multiple funding threats and deep staffing cuts by the Trump administration that have plunged Head Start programs across the country into chaos and uncertainty this year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Related Wave of Washington Head Starts Shut Down as Chaos Engulfs Federal Program These are actual people No state has more seats at risk than Florida, with 9,711. While the majority of centers across the state will be able to remain open through the first two weeks of November, at least one program in West Palm Beach serving children of migrant families and seasonal workers will be forced to shutter this weekend, according to Wanda Minick, executive director of the Florida Head Start Association. The closure will impact 386 children and 283 staff across six centers, she said. Minick wants Congress and the president to understand, These are not just data points. These are actual people. In neighboring Georgia, policymakers were preparing to potentially close centers serving 6,499 children and infants, until a last-minute, bridge loan from The Community Foundation of Greater Atlantas Impact Investing Fund came through on Tuesday. The $8 million means that three major providers, serving 5,800 kids, will remain open for at least 45 days, though that leaves hundreds of others throughout the state still in a lurch. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Juanita Yancey, executive officer of the Georgia Head Start Association, expressed her gratitude for the money while emphasizing that its only a stopgap measure. Time is running out, she said. Programs are doing everything possible to keep their doors open, but they cannot run a program on reserves or goodwill. Every day of inaction is another day of uncertainty for families who count on Head Start services. This shutdown is pushing programs to the breaking point when children and families can least afford it, she added. The bulk of Head Start seats in Missouri also appear to be safe at least for now, according to Kasey Lawson, director of the Mid-America Regional Council, which serves 2,350 kids across 17 providers. Though that still leaves about 1,500 seats unaccounted for. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For Lawsons 17 providers, the choice to remain open is both temporary and a risk, she said, since the centers dont have that money just sitting in the bank, and they fear they wont receive backpay once the federal government does reopen. Lawson said theyve asked legislators, members of Congress and the federal Office of Head Start, which is under the Department of Health and Human Services, to guarantee reimbursement as they have in the past, yet nobodys willing to do that. And so it is the reality of where we sit right now, that it is a true risk that all of our agencies are taking. And even though most Head Start families in Missouri will have a place to send their kids Monday morning, many may still face a significant burden as at least 1,100 rely on expiring SNAP benefits. In North Carolina, where 4,697 seats are at risk, at least one center will be forced to close this Friday, said Terry David, president of the states Head Start Association. Classrooms that are based in the local school district should be able to remain open through the end of the calendar year, he said, but that only accounts for about 140 kids. Ranger, a 3-year-old with cerebral palsy, may lose access to his Head Start classroom if the federal government doesnt re-open by the end of next week. (Kimberly Gusey) Across the country, in Washington state, at least one program in the city of Vancouver, which serves at least 175 kids, will close this weekend. Another in the same region, The Margaret Selway Early Learning Center, will remain open through Nov. 7, but each day beyond that is uncertain, according to Nancy Trevena, chief strategy officer at the Educational Opportunities for Children and Families. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kimberly Guseys foster son, Ranger, is a student at Margaret Selway and is especially dependent on Head Start services. The program was able to secure a one-to-one certified nursing assistant for Ranger, who has cerebral palsy, is nonverbal and is fed through a G-tube. Its amazing, Gusey said, her voice breaking. It brings me to tears how much theyve done for us. If the program closes next week, Guseys husband will have to quit his job as a mechanic to care for Ranger. Ranger loves interacting with the other kids in his class, said his foster mom, Gusey. (Kimberly Gusey) Were talking a large amount of money not coming into our home, but were willing to do that because we love these children, she said. But in so many ways it affects us. Not [just] the pocketbook. The routines for the kids. The routines for us. Everything is affected by this. AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall A Times of London editor called a reporter being duped by a fake Bill de Blasio humiliating for the company in an email to staff, which noted the serious damage done to the Rupert Murdoch-owned paper. We should have been on our guard. We should have tried much harder to speak to the people concerned. There are no excuses, Times associate editor Ian Brunskill told the company, according to an email obtained by Deadline. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The statement also referenced an AI-generated case study on a fake royal household employee when Brunskill mentioned the papers reputation had taken damage in recent weeks. Check out the full email below, per Deadline: Twice in the past few weeks weve been caught out by fake interviews. One involved a bogus Al-generated case study provided by a dubious PR outfit, the other a fake email purporting to come from a high-profile figure in US politics. The first hoax (which others fell for too) prompted not just ridicule but calls for the press regulator to launch a full investigation into standards. The second (our own exclusive, alas) led to a widely reported retraction and apology. Both humiliating episodes did serious damage to our reputation. Both could have been avoided by good practice and due diligence. There were red flags. An unknown PR company with no telephone number offering to put us in touch with an unknown expert who could be interviewed only via email was one. A well-known public figure expressing a view completely at odds with his previous statements, and doing it from a personal Gmail address, was another. We should have been on our guard. We should have tried much harder to speak to the people concerned. If thats not possible, why not? We reporters and editors should be asking: Who is telling me this and why? How do I know theyre who they say they are? How plausible is what Im being told? What can I do to check? Those questions are absolutely basic. Asking them should be second nature to anyone working for a paper with a long history of trusted reporting. There are no excuses. As a condition of employment, were bound by the Editors Code. It requires us to take care to avoid inaccuracy. If theres a complaint, Ipso [Independent Press Standards Organisation] will expect us to show precisely what taking care involved. We cant afford to be fooled. Former New York City Mayor de Blasio called out the Times story shortly after it was published, and the paper scrapped the article and admitted their reporter had been misled. I want to be 100% clear: The story in the Times of London is entirely false and fabricated. It was just brought to my attention and Im appalled, De Blasio wrote on X. In the false story, the fake de Blasio said the math doesnt hold up under scrutiny when it comes to the policies of New York City Democratic mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani, a self-described Democratic socialist. Mamdani is leading in polls against former New York Governor Andrew Cuomo and Republican Curtis Sliwa ahead of the November 4 election. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The truth is I fully support [Zohran Mamdani] and believe his vision is both necessary and achievable, the actual de Blasio said. The de Blasio that reporter Bevan Hurley actually spoke to was Long Island wine importer Bill DeBlasio, who told Semafor, I never once said I was the mayor. He never addressed me as the mayor. So I just gave him my opinion. The post Times of London Editor Calls de Blasio Mishap Humiliating in Email to Staff first appeared on Mediaite. The top speed of the fastest operational fighter was less than 360 mph when the war started. By 1945, this had increased by an astonishing 300mph. Knowing that speed was life, some designers packed ever larger piston engines into ever-elongating airframes, while others embraced exotic new propulsion systems like the jet and the rocket. Air combat grew faster, higher and more destructive with ever-swifter fighters. Here are 10 of the Fastest Warplanes of the Second World War: 10: North American P-51 Mustang 450mph North American P-51 Mustang 450mph Everyones been going on for years and years about how incredibly fantastic the Mustang was, but this tends to distract from what actually made it such a remarkable aircraft. Its worth remembering that it wasnt supposed to have existed at all, and came about solely because North American Aviation didnt particularly want to build Curtiss-designed P-40s for the British. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Even then, the Mustang would have been a competent but hardly spectacular improvement on the Curtiss fighter had not some bright spark suggested fitting it with a Rolls-Royce V12 Merlin engine (curiously, this step was taken independently yet almost simultaneously by North American in the US and Rolls-Royce in the UK). 10: North American P-51 Mustang 450mph North American P-51 Mustang 450mph Nonetheless, many pilots were initially less than impressed, citing the finer flying characteristics of the Spitfire and the better build quality of the Republic P-47. But the Mustang was at least as good a fighter as either and could fly to Berlin and back. When I saw those Mustangs over Berlin, I knew that the war was lost, said Hermann Goring, and he was right. Whether or not it was the best fighter of the war, the Mustang remains the standard against which all other hopefuls are judged. The P-51C was tested at over 450mph during the war, making it one of the few piston-engine types to reach this great speed. Later both the P-51H and P-82 Twin Mustang would go faster still. 9: Martin Baker MB5 460mph Martin Baker MB5 460mph Despite the crash of the MB3 in 1942 due to the failure of its Napier Sabre engine, it was apparent that the plane was worthy of further development. Martin Baker proposed a Rolls-Royce Griffon-powered version, the MB4, but a more thorough redesign was favoured by the Air Ministry, and the MB5 was the result. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A fair contender for the best British piston-engine fighter ever flown, the MB5 was well armed (though with the less-impressive total of four, rather than six, cannon), very fast, and as easy to maintain as its predecessor. Flight trials proved it to be truly exceptional, with a top speed of 460 mph (740 km/h), brisk acceleration and docile handling. Its cockpit layout set a gold standard that Boscombe Down recommended should be followed by all piston-engine fighters. 9: Martin Baker MB5 460mph Martin Baker MB5 460mph The only thing the MB5 lacked was good timing. It first flew two weeks before the Allied invasion of Normandy. Appearing at the birth of the jet age, with readily available Spitfires and Tempests, both of which were themselves excellent fighters, there was never a particularly compelling case for producing the slightly better MB5. Though never ordered, the MB5 was highly impressive: with better range and armament than any Spitfire version; slightly higher top speed, better range and better ceiling than a Sea Fury; better manoeuvrability than a Hornet, and it was also cheaper and flew earlier. It shares this position in our story with the Arado 234 jet bomber, which had a top speed of 461mph. 8: Hawker Tempest 466mph Hawker Tempest 466mph The massive Hawker Tempest was a superb fighter at low and medium altitudes. This British fighter proved a brilliant counter to the onslaught of Germanys first revenge weapon, the V-1 doodlebug cruise missile. The Tempest was pivotal in defeating the V-1, and shot down a total of 805, saving possibly thousands of civilian lives. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Tempest started as a thinner-winged development of the Typhoon, but as it evolved, it grew different enough to merit its own name (the thinner wing was better at higher speeds). Prototypes with different engines were tried; the fastest was powered by the Sabre IV, reaching an astonishing 466mph at 24,500 feet altitude. 8: Hawker Tempest 466mph Hawker Tempest 466mph The Napier Sabre engine was rather mad, boasting 24 cylinders, sleeve valves, two crankshafts and weighing a ton. It generated a ferocious amount of power, gifting the aircraft with superb performance. The Tempest was the finest RAF fighter in the final stage of the war and was the zenith of the RAFs propellor-driven fighters. The Tempest proved formidable in air-to-air combat, enjoying an awe-inspiring 8:1 victory-loss ratio. The Tempest scored 239 confirmed victories (plus at least nine probables). The Tempest was the ultimate aircraft from Hawker to serve in the war. The Tempest evolved into the superlative Hawker Sea Fury, which had smaller wings and was even faster still. 7: Republic P-47M Thunderbolt- 470mph Republic P-47M Thunderbolt- 470mph When it became clear the XP-47J was unlikely to enter production, Republic considered a hot-rodded P-47 by mating the XP-47Js engine with its CH-5 turbosupercharger with the existing P-47D-27. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Whereas the original P-47 had 2000 hp in War Emergency Power (WEP), this new monster had a staggering 2800 hp due to more boost from the upgraded supercharger arrangement, and water injection to rein in these high-power boost levels. 7: Republic P-47M Thunderbolt- 470mph Republic P-47M Thunderbolt- 470mph The result was spectacular, with the top speed leaping above 470 mph (756 km/h). Some pilots even claimed to have reached 500 mph (805km/h) when using WEP, but this cannot be formally verified and is hard to believe. The power demands of the P-47M were too much for the Double Wasp and engine issues plagued the programme with frequent ignition and piston ring issues at higher altitudes. Though somewhat dangerous, the P-47M proved formidable in combat, its victories including several jet-powered Me 262As and Arado 234Bs with no air-to-air losses. Its fight against jets were aided by a new incendiary round, able to ignite the higher flash point of jet fuel. 6: Focke-Wulf Ta 152H 472mph Focke-Wulf Ta 152H 472mph Top speed at high altitude is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, the thin air provides for low parasitic drag. On the other hand, this thin air also makes it harder to produce lift, so induced drag is higher. Finally, engine performance, and thus thrust, tends to decrease with altitude. So, the balance between these three speed-related aspects is not necessarily any better than at lower altitudes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, with the right aircraft design, very high speeds can be achieved at high altitudes. The Focke-Wulf Ta 152H was just such an aircraft. This design, a derivative of the Fw 190 fighter, was developed as an advanced bomber interceptor. It had upgrades specifically targeted at improving the high-altitude performance to counter a new looming threat facing Germany - the high-flying American B-29. 6: Focke-Wulf Ta 152H 472mph Focke-Wulf Ta 152H 472mph It had almost 40% more wingspan than an Fw 190. Secondly, the aircraft had an upgraded Junkers Jumo 213E with both MW-50 water/methanol injection at low altitudes and GM-1 nitrous oxide injection at high altitudes. This allowed higher boost pressures and allowed the aircraft to accelerate to a maximum of 472 mph (760 km/h) at higher altitudes, over 30 mph (48 km/h) faster than the fastest Fw 190D. The utterly distinctive Ta 152H performed phenomenally, and its dependence on performance-enhancing laughing gas is noteworthy. The Ta 154C was a 450-club (an aircraft faster than 450mph) member too, capable of 460 mph at 32,810 feet with MW 50 boost (not GM-1). Only 69 were ever produced, and being introduced in January 1945, failed to make much of an impact before the war ended; it shot down around seven Allied planes. 5: Mitsubishi Ki-83 473mph Mitsubishi Ki-83 473mph The Ki 83 resulted from an Imperial Army specification calling for a high-altitude, aerodynamically clean radial-engine aircraft. In addition to recording the highest speed attained by any Japanese aircraft built during the war, the Ki-83 was blessed with remarkable agility for such a large aircraft. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Compared to its direct US equivalent the Grumman F7F Tigercat, which also failed to see meaningful service during the war the Ki-83 possessed a similar range but was faster, more manoeuvrable, and more heavily armed with two 30-mm and two 20-mm cannons, all firing through the nose. 5: Mitsubishi Ki-83 473mph Mitsubishi Ki-83 473mph Unfortunately for this superlative warplane, its timing was appalling. First flown in November 1944, tests were regularly interrupted by American air raids and of four known prototypes, three were damaged or destroyed by bombing. After the war, the sole survivor was evaluated in the US and received glowing praise. With the higher-octane fuel available in America, the Ki-83 ultimately recorded a speed of 473 mph. Sadly, despite being earmarked for preservation, the only Ki-83 to survive the war is thought to have been scrapped in 1950. 4: Dornier Do 335 474mph Dornier Do 335 474mph When faced with design goals and timing similar to those of the Grumman Tigercat, Dornier took a radically different approach with its unique Do 335. To minimise the frontal surface area, drawing on earlier experience with the Do 18 and the P.59 (a 1937 patent for a tractor-pusher bomber), the 335 adopted the rather weird push-pull configuration, with both engines mounted in the fuselage. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The forward engine is in the traditional location with a tractor propeller. The aft engine is mounted in the middle of the fuselage (for better weight distribution) and is connected to an aft push propeller with a driveshaft. The resulting surface area is only slightly higher than a comparable single-engine fighter. 4: Dornier Do 335 474mph Dornier Do 335 474mph A pair of Daimler-Benz DB-603 engines, each producing 1800 hp, allowed for a maximum weight a little higher than a traditional fighter, armed with a 30-mm cannon firing through the propeller hub and a pair of 20-mm cannon in the cowling. The aircraft could carry a lot of fuel and provided a combat range 30 per cent higher than the Focke-Wulf Fw 190 or Messerschmitt Bf 109. The aircraft was too late to see combat in the Second World War; only 37 were built. Of these, a few reached conversion units for a short duration, but the type did not see combat. The design produced tremendous performance; it topped out at a remarkable 474mph. 4: Gloster Meteor 493mph Gloster Meteor 493mph As aircraft grew faster, it was apparent that piston engines struggled to perform efficiently much over 400mph, and beyond 450mph even more so. Jet propulsion offered the next level of performance, but it was a technology in its infancy, with much to prove. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Britain was an early pioneer of jet engines. Its first experimental jet aircraft was the Gloster E.28/39, which first flew in 1941. Two prototypes were built. When fitted with the W.2B Rover engine, the E.28/39 achieved an impressive speed of 466mph. 4: Gloster Meteor 493mph Gloster Meteor 493mph The technologies proven by the E.28/39 enabled the development of a larger aircraft, the Gloster Meteor, the first Allied jet fighter. The twin-engine Meteor first flew on 5 March 1943 and entered service with the RAF on 27 July 1944. On 20 January 1945, four Meteors from 616 Squadron were deployed to Belgium. The 616 Squadron Meteors primary tasking was airfield defence, but their pilots hoped the presence of an Allied jet would encourage an attack by Me 262s that they could be ambushed. Meteor pilots were forbidden to fly over German-occupied territory due to the risk of a downed Meteor falling into enemy hands. By the war's final days, the Gloster Meteor III had a top speed of 493mph; the cancelled Heinkel He 280, the worlds first jet fighter, is also worth a mention here and may have achieved 508mph. 3: Heinkel He 162 Volksjager & Lockheed P-80 Shooting Star 550mph Heinkel He 162 Volksjager & Lockheed P-80 Shooting Star 550mph Born in Nazi Germanys desperate last days, the tiny Heinkel He 162 Volksjager was born of the hope that a mass-produced cheap and highly advanced design could defend against the hundreds of Allied bombers and their escorts pummelling Germany. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Going from conception to first flight in only three months, it was an extremely innovative design. It combined the new technologies of jet propulsion and the ejection seat. It was intended that it would be flown by young, fanatical men (and boys). Though an impressive achievement, it was too late to have much effect. It did, however, reach an impressive 550mph. 3: Heinkel He 162 Volksjager & Lockheed P-80 Shooting Star 550mph Heinkel He 162 Volksjager & Lockheed P-80 Shooting Star 550mph The Lockheed P-80 was a tad slower than the He 162 but is still worthy of inclusion. The first American attempt at a jet fighter, and indeed the first US jet aircraft, the Bell P-59 Airacomet had been a disappointment. The P-80 did serve in the Second World War, albeit briefly. Two pre-production USAAF YP-80A Shooting Stars saw service in Italy in the reconnaissance role in February and March 1945. The P-80A had a top speed of around 550mph. The US did fly a faster aircraft in 1945, the Bell XP-83, but this did not see operational service. 2: Messerschmitt Me 262 578mph Messerschmitt Me 262 578mph There was quite a lot wrong with the Me 262 when it was committed to action, but most of this was due to the exigencies of the time; aside from this, it represented an astounding technological advance when it was unleashed on an unsuspecting world in the spring of 1944. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The obvious advantage of its new powerplant, the jet engine, was velocity. Once airborne, no other aircraft could catch the speedy Messerschmitt, not even the RAFs Gloster Meteor, whose performance was decidedly pedestrian by comparison. 2: Messerschmitt Me 262 578mph Messerschmitt Me 262 578mph But it wasnt just the 262s jet engines that made the fighter so formidable; its firepower, optimised for bomber destruction, was particularly heavy, consisting of four 30-mm cannon firing explosive rounds at an extremely high rate. Appallingly, the engines and the airframe of many 262s were built by enslaved people, so its hardly surprising that the build quality was poor. But even so, the 262 was a remarkable technological last gasp of a short-lived totalitarian empire. With a top speed of 578 mph, the Me 262 was astonishingly fast, and a serious threat to Allied aircraft. 1: Me 163 (659mph) & Ba 349 Me 163 (659mph) & Ba 349 Rockets can offer tremendous thrust and speeds at any altitude you like, but they come with some severe limitations and, often, safety concerns. The Opel RAK.1, the first purpose-designed rocket plane, flew on 30 September 1929. It reached a top speed of 150 km/h (93 mph). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The first operational military rocket-powered aircraft was the Messerschmitt 163 Komet interceptor, the fastest World War II aircraft with a top speed of around 659mph. It was 200mph faster than the best piston-engine fighters but could fly for only around seven minutes before it ran out of fuel, when it became vulnerable to enemy fighters as it glided. 1: Me 163 (659mph) & Ba 349 Me 163 (659mph) & Ba 349 Whereas most fighters of the time had a climb rate of around 3000 feet per minute, the rocket-powered Me 163 clawed upwards at an astonishing 16,000 feet per minute. Pilots of the time were ill-equipped to understand what was happening at such extreme climb rates and speeds. The Bachem Ba 349 Natter was a tail-sitting Vertical Take-Off rocket interceptor. On 1 March 1945, the Natter took its first and only crewed vertical take-off flight. The doomed flight ended in the death of test pilot Lothar Sieber. Had it been developed, it is likely it could have been even faster than the Me 163, but this was not to be. Follow Joe Coles and his thrilling Hush-Kit aviation world on Substack, Twitter X or Blue Sky. If you enjoyed this story, please click the Follow button above to see more like it from Autocar Photo Licence: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/deed.en ]]> U.S. Rep. Mike Turner (R-Ohio) criticized President Donald Trumps administration on Friday for its justification of fatal boat strikes in the Caribbean. Trump has authorized a number of military strikes on alleged drug boats in the Caribbean and the Pacific Ocean in recent weeks, raising questions about the legality of those actions. Turner suggested on MSNBCs Morning Joe that a number of lawmakers are concerned about the military strikes. Everybodys very concerned, from our classified briefing that we had yesterday. Everyone is very, very concerned, of course, about the drug trade and the impact of the United States, the deaths that have occurred and impacting the flow of drugs in the United States, Turner said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement People are similarly very concerned about what the administration is doing with the deaths that are occurring with the blowing up of the boats. Yesterday, there were not very good answers as to what is the standard, what is occurring, he added. He said designating drug cartels as terrorist organizations makes sense," but questioned how military force is being utilized and being applied. Host Joe Scarborough then asked whether Turner got the answers he wanted during Thursdays intelligence briefing on the strikes. No. And in fact, lawyers were supposed to be in the room. They were not. People were very frustrated in the information that was being provided. It was a bipartisan briefing, but people were not happy with the level of information that was provided, and certainly the level of legal justification that was provided, Turner said. Trump has justified the attacks on the boats as a necessary escalation to stem the flow of drugs into the United States. He has asserted the U.S. 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 terrorism after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But as the number of strikes has grown, a debate in Congress has escalated over the limits of the presidents power. The attacks have occurred without any legal investigation or a traditional declaration of war from Congress, and some lawmakers have raised questions about the lack of hard evidence to justify the killings. The Trump administration has shown no evidence to support its claims about the boats that have been attacked, their connection to drug cartels, or even the identity of the people killed in the strikes. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Read the original article on NJ.com. Add NJ.com as a Preferred Source by clicking here. The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Friday sought a detailed report from the Bihar Director General of Police (DGP) regarding the murder of Dularchand Yadav in Mokama. Dularchand Yadav was killed during firing between the two sides while campaigning for the upcoming Bihar assembly elections in Mokama yesterday. Earlier today, Patna Rural SP Vikram Sihag said that three FIRs have been registered in the Mokama murder case. "In a recent incident involving stone-throwing and attacks, three FIRs have been registered. The deceased's body was taken for last rites after the post-mortem, heading back to their home and then to the ghat. Continuous deployment is ongoing. The post-mortem on the deceased was conducted by three doctors of the medical board," Sihag said. "A total of five accused have been identified by the deceased's grandson, while six accused have been named in another application. The police have registered cases against unidentified individuals," Sihag added. Patna Rural SP further added that two arrests have been made so far related to the stone-throwing incident at the scene, and the investigation is being continued by utilising various evidence and other testimonies. "The post-mortem report is expected tomorrow, which will clarify the cause of death. Prime facie, initial findings indicate a single bullet mark on the body," Sihag added. Earlier today, the body of Dularchand Yadav was taken for postmortem to the Sub-Divisional Hospital in Barh under tight security. A large number of police personnel were also deployed along the route. Large numbers of Dularchand's supporters gathered outside the hospital, staging protests. His remains arrived at his residence after the postmortem. Meanwhile, Jan Suraaj founder Prashant Kishor on Friday condemned the killing of Dularchand Yadav in Mokama and held the administration responsible for the incident, calling it a clear failure of law and order in the state. He said that such incidents reflect the persistence of the "jungle raj" that people of Bihar have long spoken about. Kishor further clarified that Yadav wasn't officially the worker of Jan Suraaj; instead, he was supporting the Jan Suraaj candidate from Mokama, Priyadarshi Piyush. "He isn't officially a member of Jan Suraaj. He was supporting Piyush Ji, the official Jan Suraaj candidate. This shows that 'jungle-raj' that people have always talked of. Violence has no place in democracy. The murder of someone is the responsibility of the administration and those responsible for law and order, and it's their failure," Prashant Kishor told ANI. He further appealed people to choose candidate without any criminal records and said Jan Suraaj has given options to them. The Jan Suraaj founder asserted, "'Baahubali' may belong to any caste, any community, village, or ideology, but what is wrong is wrong. I've said in a previous statement that strongmen aren't afraid to fight strongmen. They're afraid to fight good people. Therefore, Jan Suraaj has provided the public with this option. Not just in Mokama, but in many other areas of Bihar... Now it's up to the people of Bihar to choose clean people or the same old corrupt, strongmen." Dularchand Yadav was shot dead on Thursday following a clash between two groups during election campaigning in Bihar's Mokama, police said. The deceased Dularchand Yadav was in the convoy when the incident happened. According to Abhishek Singh, Sub-Divisional Police Officer (SDPO) of Barh-2, the firing broke out when the convoys of two parties crossed paths and an altercation ensued. "Police received information that the convoys of two parties were crossing each other when one party fired at the other over some issue, and also tried to run them over. FIR will be registered and further action will be taken. FSL has been informed. Proper investigation will be done here and further action will be taken," Singh told reporters. The police said that a proper investigation would be conducted in the case, and further action would be taken. Mokama is infamous for being a stronghold of influential and often controversial "strongmen" or "bahubalis" in Bihar politics, most notably Anant Kumar Singh, his brother Dilip Singh and Surajbhan Singh. This year, the electoral battle in Mokama Assembly constituency in Patna district, Bihar, is centred around two Bahubalis - Anant Singh and Surajbhan Singh, who dominate the region's political narrative. Mokama, which will vote in the first phase on November 6, is once again set to witness a high-voltage electoral contest in the 2025 polls, as Janata Dal (United) has fielded strongman Anant Singh, while the Rashtriya Janata Dal has nominated Veena Devi, wife of former MP and influential leader Surajbhan Singh. Both candidates come from the Bhumihaar community, setting the stage for a direct clash of political legacies in one of Bihar's most volatile yet politically significant constituencies. (ANI) John Hurley, undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence, will travel in the coming days to Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Turkey and Lebanon The US Treasury Department's top sanctions official will travel to the Middle East and Europe on Friday, according to a statement seen by Reuters, as President Donald Trump's administration seeks to increase pressure on Iran. John Hurley, undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence, will travel in the coming days to Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Turkey and Lebanon, according to the statement, in his first trip to the Middle East since taking office. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After taking office for his second term, Trump restored his "maximum pressure" campaign on Iran, which includes efforts to prevent Tehran from developing a nuclear weapon. In June, the US bombed Iran's nuclear sites. "President Trump has made clear thatIran's destabilizing and terrorist activities must be met with sustained and coordinated pressure," Hurley said in the statement. "I look forward to meeting with our partners to coordinate our efforts to deny Tehran and its proxies the financial access they rely on to evade international sanctions, fund violence, and undermine stability in the region." An Israeli man walks past a new graffiti of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei following the 12 days war between Israel and Iran, in Tel Aviv, Israel July 8, 2025 (credit: REUTERS/NIR ELIAS) Iran's mission to the United Nations in New York did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Arms embargo on Iran In his first term, Trump withdrew the US from a 2015 deal between Iran and world powers that placed strict limits on Tehran's uranium enrichment activities in exchange for sanctions relief. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In September, the United Nations reinstated an arms embargo and other sanctions on Iran over its nuclear program. Western powers accuse Iran of having a clandestine agenda to develop nuclear weapons capability by enriching uranium to a high level of fissile purity, above what they say is justifiable for a civilian atomic energy program. Tehran says its nuclear program is wholly for civilian power purposes. While in Israel, Hurley will discuss furthering Trump's maximum pressure campaign against Tehran, particularly against its regional proxies, according to the statement. Pressure against Iran will also be high on the agenda in the UAE, along with combating money laundering and the financing of terrorism. In Turkey, the Treasury official will discuss how the two countries can "work together to stop regional malign influences and sanctions evasion." Under former President Joe Biden's administration, the US had raised concerns about poor sanctions compliance in the UAE. This story was produced in partnership with the Pulitzer Center. MUTARE, ZIMBABWE Insectary assistants collect the specimens by sucking into a straw-like pump. But they don't mistakenly swallow any, joked senior insectary assistant Petro Kawadza during a demonstration. Its part of the critical service a malaria research center at Africa University in Mutare, Zimbabwe provides to the whole nation. This collection of hundreds of female mosquitoes goes to the Zimbabwe Ministry of Health and Child Care to test the effectiveness of mosquito repellent. Fanuel Toto, insectary assistant, works on transferring female mosquitos to a container using a suction tube in the Zimbabwe Entomological Support in Malaria Control Programmes insectary at Africa University in Mutare, Zimbabwe, Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2025. This program at the United Methodist Church-affiliated Africa University, officially called the Zimbabwe Entomological Support in Malaria Control Programme (ZESMCP), is the chief malaria research program of its kind in the whole country. And in March, it came to a screeching halt. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It was traumatic, if I can put it that way, entomologist specialist Hieronymo Masendu said, referring to President Donald Trumps administration shutting down USAID. But the center is up and running today due to an emergency cash flow the center received from the UMC General Board of Global Ministries. The UMC is historically Nashville-based. The past six months have been a witness to the hardship a critical medical service faced in the wake of USAIDs termination and of faith-based organizations stepping in to fill the gap. Violla Chimwayi, insectary assistant, carries a tray of mosquito pupa and larva in the Zimbabwe Entomological Support in Malaria Control Programmes insectary at Africa University in Mutare, Zimbabwe, Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2025. It means a lot for us. Its not usual that you have the church funding a research center like in this manner, Masendu said. Its the first of its kind as far as Im concerned. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Masendu said its unlikely the center would have received this funding if not for its affiliation with Africa University, which houses the center on its campus. The university even provided the bricks that went toward the centers construction, an enterprise that began in 2017 with USAID funding. In 2021, the center received a three-year grant from USAID as part of the U.S. Presidents Malaria Initiative. In September 2024, it received a one-year extension of that grant. Under its new grant it received from the UMC General Board of Global Ministries, the malaria center needs to show progress with the distribution of mosquitoes its raising and of insecticide resistance its raising the mosquitoes to test. The ball is now in our court, Masendu said. We want to take advantage of that and prove our worth. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The UMC and schooling in Zimbabwe: As fracturing harms UMC brand, how a Zimbabwe high school displays pride in denomination Maintaining a mosquito colony The malaria center is responsible for two groups of mosquitoes. One group comes from collections at local streams. The other group, they grow. In one room, Kawadza feeds the mosquitoes with a rabbit, whose back hes shaven. The mosquitoes then lay eggs, and the eggs are brought into a second room. In that room, insectary assistant Violla Chimyni then oversees the hatching of the larvae and their development into pupae. Violla Chimwayi, insectary assistant, works on separating mosquito pupa from larva in the Zimbabwe Entomological Support in Malaria Control Programmes insectary at Africa University in Mutare, Zimbabwe, Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2025. Since the center received its first colony in 2017, its now on its 244th generation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The need for both categories of mosquitoes is to test insecticide resistance. The biggest threat is insecticide resistance, Masendu said. So, you do everything according to the book, but you still get malaria cases. And you start asking questions. One of the biggest questions is: are the mosquitoes responding to the chemical as expected? This testing is done in two different ways, both of which occur during the peak malaria season typically, from October through December. The first type of test is when government health officials come to center at Africa University and spray 10 mosquitoes in a special cone. All 10 mosquitoes should be dead within 24 hours. The other testing is when the center provides hundreds of mosquitoes to the health ministry to use to continue testing the effectiveness of insecticide. Insectary assistant Fanuel Toto collects those hundreds every week using the pump. Fanuel Toto, insectary assistant, works on transferring female mosquitos to a container using a suction tube in the Zimbabwe Entomological Support in Malaria Control Programmes insectary at Africa University in Mutare, Zimbabwe, Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2025. This work is critical to informing the Zimbabwe government whether it can continue using the same insecticide or if it needs to purchase a different one, a costly endeavor. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When there are fewer than five cases of malaria per a population of 1,000, the health ministry stops spraying insecticide within those communities and transitions its residents to using mosquito nets. We have made tremendous progress to the point we are now talking about eliminating malaria in Zimbabwe, Masendu said. Other reporting from Zimbabwe: What a United Methodist conference in Zimbabwe says about churches' desire to stay in UMC Maintain sustainable funding The malaria research center at Africa University is one of two organizations that oversee sentinel sites across the country that monitor mosquito populations and malaria transmission. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But the other organization, a branch of the Zimbabwe health ministry, is suffering from poor funding and has had difficulty keeping pace with Masendus team. Masendu said thats why its even more important his center is operating on all cylinders. But a stop work order in March in the wake of USAID closing torpedoed that momentum. Petros Kawadza, senior insectary assistant, works in the Zimbabwe Entomological Support in Malaria Control Programmes insectary at Africa University in Mutare, Zimbabwe, Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2025. The transition, it was terrible. Not just the case for myself, but my colleagues as well, Masendu said. You have your career ahead of you and its disrupted. The team of veteran researchers went months without pay or benefits. They were uncertain if they would ever return and were increasingly anxious about the nearing malaria season. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The UMC General Board of Global Ministries grant relieved that anxiety, but only on a short-term basis. The grant lasts until March, allowing the center to get through peak malaria season. Assuming the center is able to show its continued success, its likely it will continue operating. Hundreds of mosquitos are seen inside of a container in the Zimbabwe Entomological Support in Malaria Control Programmes insectary at Africa University in Mutare, Zimbabwe, Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2025. As long as we do our part and perform, Im told we are assured of more funding coming from the UMC, Masendu said. Liam Adams covers religion for The Tennessean, part of the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at ladams@tennessean.com or on social media @liamsadams. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: UMC resurrects Zimbabwe malaria research after USAID cuts TOPEKA (KSNT) A judge sentenced a Topeka man to four life sentences Friday for multiple child sex and human trafficking charges. Prosecutors said Dennis Johnson abducted minors, took them to isolated locations and coerced them into sex using drugs, alcohol and money. Court testimony detailed how Johnson lured three children into his vehicle with the idea of running errands of giving them rides a short distance away. He then would drive victims away from familiar locations, taking them to Douglas County. He was arrested in March 2024 while police investigated reports of a missing minor. Judges order the Trump administration to use contingency funds for SNAP payments during the shutdown Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In February, a jury found Johnson guilty of the following 15 counts: Count 1 & Count 7: Aggravated Indecent Liberties with a Child (Lewd Fondling with Child Under 14 and Offender 18 or Older). Count 2 & Count 8: Aggravated Human Trafficking (Sex Act Victim Under 14, Offender Over 18). Count 3, Count 9, & Count 13: Kidnapping (Taking by Deception to Facilitate Commission of Any Crime). Count 4, Count 10, & Count 14: Aggravated Interference with Parental Custody. Count 5 & Count 11: Contributing to a Childs Misconduct or Deprivation. Count 6: Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. Count 12: Attempted Aggravated Human Trafficking (Hiring a Child for Sexual Activity). Count 15: Distribute or Possess with Intent to Distribute an Opiate, Opium, Narcotic, or Stimulant Drug. 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. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KSNT 27 News. Tori Spelling is opening up about homeschooling her daughter, Stella, after she was bullied because of her eczema. The 52-year-old actor spoke about her daughters experience with the skin condition, including how she first started showing symptoms as a toddler, during a new interview. Spelling who has experienced eczema herself said that when Stella constantly had flare-ups, like itchy skin patches, on her face and arms, her classmates were unkind to her. It makes me really proud to see what you've gone through, she told People about her now-17-year-old daughter, whom she shares with ex-husband Dean McDermott. Because she was bullied so bad from it. It really got bad in fifth grade, and then she missed almost her full sixth-grade year because she was so bullied and so traumatized over all of it that she didn't want to go to school. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We had to do homeschooling, and she was terrified to go back to school because of it, she continued. According to the Mayo Clinic, eczema also known as dermatitis can cause symptoms such as painful itching, red or swollen rashes, and dry, cracked, or scaly skin. Treatment for the condition, which isnt contagious, can include applying a prescription-strength corticosteroid cream or using prescription-strength pills. Tori Spelling says daughter was terrified of going back to school after being bullied over her eczema (Getty Images) Spelling said her experience with eczema encouraged her to find a treatment for her daughter that would be effective. It was through my journey for years, not having anything, and then having to deal with Stella having it since she was a toddler, and not wanting to have her on steroid creams and just having really nothing that we could do that would ever solve the problem. Hers is constant, the 90210 star explained. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She would get it on her arms, on her hands, on her face. Then, she also has seborrheic dermatitis, so it's on her scalp, she added. Stella now uses a non-steroidal solution called Zoryve, which has helped managed her eczema. Spelling and McDermott split in 2024 after 18 years together, citing irreconcilable differences. Along with Stella, the former couple share four other children: Liam, 18, Hattie, 14, Finn, 13, and Beau, six. In an episode of her podcast released earlier this year, Spelling recalled the question from her daughter Hattie that helped inspire her decision to file for divorce. Have you ever considered what it would be like to be with someone else and not dad and get treated right? she recalled Hattie asking her on the misSPELLING podcast. It got to the point where it was worse for the kids to see us together, Spelling continued. We could no longer hide what was happening, the fights. With SNAP benefits ending Nov. 1, Lake and Porter county officials are preparing for an influx of people seeking food assistance. Hilltop Neighborhood House in Valparaiso will be open an extra day next week and doubling hours for donations as community members have been coming to give more food, Hilltop CEO Jennifer Wright said. The food pantry, which is typically open Thursdays, added an extra day for Tuesday next week, Wright said. Next week, the Hilltop Mission Kitchen will be open Monday for hot meals from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. and the Hilltop Food Pantry will be open from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Tuesday and Thursday, she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the last few weeks, Wright said the food pantry line has been increasing and it will continue to grow as it gets closer to the end of the month. Wright said about 100 new families have started coming in the last two weeks. Weve already seen an increase just in the last few weeks, Wright said. The tipping point will be Saturday, and we didnt want to make folks wait until the following Thursday so we added services for Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. The fate of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, which helps about 1 in 8 Americans buy groceries, could dry up Nov. 1 without either a resolution of the federal government shutdown or other action. The U.S. Department of Agriculture, which oversees SNAP, told states earlier this month not to contact vendors because of uncertainty about whether the program would be funded in November. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A federal judge in Rhode Island Friday blocked the Trump administration from cutting funding to SNAP benefits during the government shutdown. The average monthly benefit is $187 per person. Most beneficiaries have incomes at or below the poverty level. Congress and President Donald Trump could strike a deal to end the federal shutdown that started Oct. 1. Its also possible that the Trump administration would allocate money for the program from a USDA contingency fund even if the shutdown continues. The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities estimates that about $5 billion is available in a contingency fund and is calling on the administration to use that for partial benefits in November. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement U.S. Rep. Frank Mrvan, D-Highland, said he would support using the $5 billion reserves or a separate piece of legislation to fund SNAP. As Hoosiers are experiencing increases in their utility and grocery bills, cutting SNAP benefits adds insult to injury, Mrvan said. They are refusing to put food on the table of senior citizens, working families, children across Northwest Indiana so people will go hungry. I find that unacceptable, Mrvan said. These types of cruel maneuvers do not benefit anybody. Lets negotiate in good faith and find solutions, open up the government and move forward. Wright said that many of the people who come to Hilltop Neighborhood House are senior citizens and they typically receive about $28 a month in SNAP benefits. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They are already having to reach out to the food pantry anyway. This just doubles their need, Wright said. Theres a misconception that people with food insecurity are lazy and dont have a job, Wright said, when really the majority of people who need food support work but just cant make their checks stretch to the end of the month. Wright said a portion of the clients that Hilltop services come because an unexpected expense, like medical bills after a child breaks their arm, has meant less money for food. This will be a little bit tighter for them too; if pantries cant keep up with all the new clients or the emergency clients, it will possibly mean less for our regular clients, Wright said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But, Wright said the community has been stepping up to give donations. With the increased need for food, Wright said the best kind of donation is food products that can be put right on the shelf. Thats probably counterintuitive to most people, but if I dont have to pay someone to go pick up the food and its already there I can turn around and pass it out, Wright said. Wright said she anticipates the cuts to SNAP will be a short-term thing, that lasts about one or two weeks. Right now, were just going day by day, Wright said. Were doing the best we can. Hanover Township Trustee Director of Public Assistance Beth Tate said the township has a food pantry that services about 50 families monthly. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The trustees office helps with rent, utilities, food and clothing costs, Tate said. Anyone who needs food assistance can apply for public assistance, and if they are approved, they get a Stack & Van Til voucher for groceries. Beyond that, the township cant do much more because it receives taxpayer money, Tate said. Theres nothing we can do. We only have a small amount of money in a gift fund for groceries, Tate said. The township will help direct people to local food banks for assistance, Tate said. I hope they dont cut food stamps because itll be a mess. Thats a dear over here, Tate said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The North Township Trustees office offers support for food assistance, household and personal care items, emergency disaster relief, rental or mortgage assistance, utility assistance and clothing support, according to an email from the office. With recent reports suggesting that SNAP benefits may soon be reduced or eliminated, we understand that many families are feeling anxious about how they will continue to meet their basic needs, according to the North Township Trustees office email. Antiqua Austin, Chief Deputy of Ross Township, said the office has been proactive for the last few weeks in anticipation of the cuts to SNAP. Township officials have been reaching out to grocery stores and local businesses for support, and received many food donations, she said. Weve been proactive for the last few weeks, Austin said. We do anticipate the need coming. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The township has a food pantry through the Saints Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox Cathedral in Merrillville, Austin said, and people can sign up to utilize it at the township office. In the last month, sign up for the food pantry has increased by 20%, she said. Were trying to meet the need of the people in need, so if we see that need, we can discuss increasing (food pantry hours), Austin said. Austin said she would encourage anyone who needs assistance to reach out to the township office. We dont want people to go without, Austin said. Even if we cant meet that need, we can direct them. akukulka@post-trib.com During his late-October 2025 visit to Japan, U.S. President Donald Trump claimed that Toyota would invest "over $10 billion" to build new auto plants "all over the United States." He said the figure came from Japan's newly elected prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, but in other instances suggested it was provided by a Toyota executive. The statement sparked a wave of reactions online, with many social media users accusing Trump of lying about the alleged investment, citing reports that Toyota denied making such a promise. For instance, one X post (archived) on the topic read, "Toyota claims Trump is lying and says it never explicitly promised a new $10 billion investment in the US, despite Trump's claim during his Japan visit - Reuters." (X user @Megatron_ron) Another X post stated, "Toyota HUMILIATED Trump on his Asia trip. When Trump bragged he got Toyota to invest $10B in new funding to America, Toyota executive Ueda quickly SHUT HIM DOWN, saying that number is actually ZERO," while another post claimed "Trump lied again and Toyota called him out! How many other so called deals and investments has he lied about?" Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Similar claims spread on other social media platforms, including Instagram and Facebook. Readers searched our website to verify the rumor. In short, according to reports from multiple news outlets including Reuters, The Guardian and The Hill, Toyota contradicted Trump's statement about a $10 billion investment, but did not describe the figure as "zero." Rather, Toyota executive Hiroyuki Ueda clarified that the company didn't made a new pledge to invest $10 billion in the United States. He emphasized that Toyota continues to invest in its American operations and that the $10 billion figure likely referred to past investments. We have reached out to the White House for clarification on whether Japanese officials communicated a $10 billion investment figure to Trump, what briefing or information his remarks were based on and whether the administration has since received any clarification from Toyota or the Japanese government. An automated reply from the White House press office noted that responses may be delayed "due to staff shortages resulting from the Democrat Shutdown." We will update this article if we receive a response. We have also contacted Toyota for comment, asking whether the company made any new investment commitments to the U.S. government, discussed the $10 billion figure with American or Japanese officials, or issued any clarifications to either government since President Trump's remarks. We will update this article if the company responds. Trump's statements and Toyota's response Trump repeated the alleged $10 billion figure on several occasions during his Asia trip, attributing it alternately to the Japanese prime minister or to a Toyota executive. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For instance, while addressing American troops aboard the USS George Washington near Tokyo on Oct. 28, 2025, Trump said: "I was just told by the Prime Minister that Toyota is going to be putting auto plants all over the United States to the tune of over $10 billion." .@POTUS: "I was just told by the Prime Minister that Toyota is going to be putting auto plants all over the United States to the tune of over $10 billion." pic.twitter.com/BtPK1eggF1 Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) October 28, 2025 "So go out and buy a Toyota," Trump continued. Trump reiterated the claim later the same day during a press briefing aboard Air Force One, saying: Last night I was was with a lot of the greatest leaders in Japan, the biggest business people. Mr. Toyoda was there, from Toyota, and he's agreed to invest $10 billion in building auto plants. They're going to build numerous auto plants throughout the United States with American workers, as you know [...]. It'll be one of the biggest investments ever in the auto business. " He repeated the claim again on Oct. 29, 2025, during the APEC CEO Summit in South Korea, asserting that Toyota planned to build car plants in "about six or seven different states." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to a Reuters article (archived) published Oct. 29, 2025, however, "Toyota says it did not explicitly promise Trump new $10 billion investment in US." "During the first Trump administration, I think the figure was roughly around $10 billion, so while we didn't say the same scale, we did explain that we'll keep investing and providing employment as before. So, probably because of that context, the figure of about $10 billion came up," Ueda said on the sidelines of the Japan Mobility Show in Tokyo, as Reuters reported. "Therefore, we didn't specifically say that we'll invest $10 billion over the next few years," he continued, adding that "the topic of investment did not come up when Toyota Chairman Akio Toyoda briefly spoke to Trump at a U.S. Embassy event." In a statement to The Hill, Toyota "stressed its commitment to investing in America but did not specify a number pledged during recent talks with the administration." "Toyota remains committed to continued investment in its U.S. operations, reflecting our principle to build where we sell and buy where we build," the statement provided to The Hill read, "With nearly $50 billion already invested and 49,000 direct employees across the United States, this ongoing commitment strengthens our support for American manufacturing, supply chains, jobs, and customers. More details will follow soon." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The New York Times likewise reported that Ueda told officials ahead of Trump's visit that Toyota's current investment plans were "roughly equal" to those made under both the Trump and Biden administrations, which may have led to confusion about the $10 billion figure. All in all, based on multiple news media reports, Toyota contradicted Trump's claim by clarifying that there was no new $10 billion U.S. investment pledge, though the company continues to make significant investments in its American operations. The $10 billion number appears to have been taken out of context likely a reference to previous spending and presented by Trump as a new commitment. We will update this article if we receive responses from the White House or Toyota. Sources: - YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-akQl0wepI. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement - YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E3xFA9Dgb6Y. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025. Leussink, Daniel, et al. "Toyota Says It Did Not Explicitly Promise Trump New $10 Billion Investment in US." Reuters, 29 Oct. 2025. Autos & Transportation. www.reuters.com, https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/toyota-says-it-did-not-explicitly-promise-trump-new-10-billion-investment-us-2025-10-29/. . "Toyota Says It Did Not Explicitly Promise Trump New $10 Billion Investment in US." Reuters, 29 Oct. 2025. Autos & Transportation. www.reuters.com, https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/toyota-says-it-did-not-explicitly-promise-trump-new-10-billion-investment-us-2025-10-29/. "Media Contacts." Toyota USA Newsroom, https://pressroom.toyota.com/contacts/. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025. "Toyota Denies Promising to Invest $10bn in US after Trump Announcement." The Guardian, 29 Oct. 2025. Business. The Guardian, https://www.theguardian.com/business/2025/oct/29/toyota-trump-us-investment-claims. WASHINGTON President Donald Trump is returning from a weeklong trip to Asia boasting of trade deals with China and South Korea to boost cooperation in the region but also having threatened to resume testing nuclear weapons after a decadeslong moratorium to keep pace with military rivals. The second-term Republican's trip to Malaysia, Japan and South Korea showcased numerous meetings with foreign leaders. The pageantry included Trump receiving another pledge of support for the Nobel Peace Prize from Japan's new prime minister and the highest state honor with a gold crown from South Korea. But the trip coincided with a federal government shutdown at home that will become the longest in history on Nov. 5. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-New York, called the trade negotiations over tariffs "a failure" on social media that hurt farmers and manufacturers. Trump responded on social media that the criticism was "almost treasonous!!!" US President Donald Trump (C) poses for a group photo with (from L - R) Singapore's Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, East Timor's Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao, Vietnam's Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Manet, Malaysia's Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, Philippines' President Ferdinand Marcos Jr, Sultan of Brunei Hassanal Bolkiah, Indonesia's President Prabowo Subianto, and Laos' Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone before the 13th ASEAN - United States Summit during the 47th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit in Kuala Lumpur on Oct. 26, 2025. President Donald Trump speaks as he presides over the signing of a Cambodia-Thailand peace deal at Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre on October 26, 2025 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Trump is in Malaysia for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit, and will next travel to Japan, en route to South Korea for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum. President Donald Trump looks on as Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Manet (C) and Thailand's Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul hold up signed documents during a ceremonial signing of a ceasefire agreement on the sidelines of the 47th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit in Kuala Lumpur on Oct.26, 2025. A Royal Malaysian Air Force F-18 Hornet fighter jet escorts Air Force One with U.S. President Donald Trump aboard en route to Kuala Lumpur International Airport on Oct. 26, 2025 in Malaysia. Trump is in Malaysia for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit, and will next travel to Japan, en route to South Korea for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum. President Donald Trump walks with Malaysia's Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim (centre R) as he walks from Air Force One upon arrival at Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Sepang on Oct. 26, 2025. US President Donald Trump arrived in Malaysia on October 26 on the first leg of an Asian tour that will include high-stakes trade talks with Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping. President Donald Trump holds the US and Malaysian national flags at a welcome ceremony upon arrival at Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Sepang on Oct. 26, 2025. US President Donald Trump arrived in Malaysia on October 26 on the first leg of an Asian tour that will include high-stakes trade talks with Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping. President Donald Trump waves from his official vehicle known as "The Beast" as he departs from Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Sepang to attend the ASEAN summit on Oct.26, 2025. US President Donald Trump arrived in Malaysia on October 26 on the first leg of an Asian tour that will include high-stakes trade talks with Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping. President Donald Trump joins performers for a dance during the welcome ceremony next to Malaysia's Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim (L) as he arrives on Air Force One at Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Sepang on Oct. 26, 2025. US President Donald Trump arrived in Malaysia on Oct. 26 on the first leg of an Asian tour that will include high-stakes trade talks with Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping. President Donald Trump welcomes Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim ibn Hamad Al Thani (L) and Prime Minister of Qatar Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani (3rd-L) aboard Air Force One during a refueling stop at Al-Udeid Air Base on Oct. 25, 2025 in Abu Nakhlah, Qatar. Trump is traveling to Malaysia for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit (ASEAN), Japan, and to South Korea for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum (APEC). Also pictured is U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio (3rd-R), White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles (2nd-R), and Special Assistant to the President Margo Martin (R). President Trump visits Asia. See the biggest moments from his trip 1 of 9 US President Donald Trump (C) poses for a group photo with (from L - R) Singapore's Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, East Timor's Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao, Vietnam's Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Manet, Malaysia's Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, Philippines' President Ferdinand Marcos Jr, Sultan of Brunei Hassanal Bolkiah, Indonesia's President Prabowo Subianto, and Laos' Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone before the 13th ASEAN - United States Summit during the 47th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit in Kuala Lumpur on Oct. 26, 2025. Here are seven takeaways of the most important moments during Trump's trip and a look at where tariffs and international relations are headed: Trump reduces China tariffs in exchange for ag, electronics trade Trump announced Oct. 30 that he had reached an agreement with President Xi Jinping that China would resume being the largest customer for U.S. soybeans, curb the export of chemicals to make fentanyl and lift restrictions on exporting rare-earth minerals that are crucial for electronics like cell phones and computers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In exchange, Trump agreed to lower broad tariffs that had been used as a weapon against fentanyl to 10% from 20%. A variety of other tariffs will remain in place at 45% to 47% on certain Chinese imports. He said a finalized trade deal would be signed pretty soon. "We have a deal. Now, every year, we'll renegotiate the deal, Trump told reporters aboard Air Force as he returned home Oct. 30. But I think the deal will go on for a long time. Long beyond the year, we'll negotiate at the end of a year." President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping talk as they leave after a bilateral meeting at Gimhae International Airport, on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, in Busan, South Korea, on Oct. 30, 2025. Xi said both sides had reached a consensus to resolve "major trade issues," according to a readout of his remarks published on state media Xinhua News Agency. The trade agreement reflected both countries stepping back from a trade war that rattled financial markets and threatened to halt commerce between the two countries. Trump imposed tariffs on the countrys third-largest trading partner, and China retaliated by refusing to buy soybeans and restricting the export of rare-earth minerals. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump said that he would visit China in April and that Xi would visit the United States at some point afterward. South Korean President, Lee Jae Myung, top right, Prime Minister of Canada, Mark Carney, bottom right, and Prime Minister of Singapore, Lawrence Wong, bottom left, listen as President Donald Trump, top left, speaks during a dinner in his honor, at the Hilton Gyeongju on Oct. 29, 2025 in Gyeongju, South Korea. Trump lowers South Korea tariffs in exchange for U.S. investment Trump announced Oct. 29 that he "pretty much finalized" a trade deal with South Korea that he said would bring $350 billion in investment to the United States, including construction of a nuclear-powered submarine at a Philadelphia shipyard. In exchange, Trump agreed to lower his tariff on Korean imports to 15% from 25%, which would put the country's trading status on par with Japan's. "We came to a conclusion on a lot of very different items," Trump said at a dinner with South Korean President Lee Jae Myung and other regional leaders. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The White House promoted investment deals on social media Oct. 29, but many of the companies had already announced the deals weeks or months before his trip. For example, the White House said Korean Air would buy 103 Boeing aircraft worth $36.2 billion and GE Aerospace engines for $13.7 billion. But Boeing announced its sale Aug. 25 and GE on March 26. HD Hyundai and Cerberus Capital Management will partner on a $5 billion investment program for modernizing American shipyards. Hyundai announced its investment Aug. 27. President Donald Trump speaks to members of the media on board Air Force One en route to the U.S. on Oct, 30, 2025. Trump announces resumption of nuclear weapons testing Trump announced Oct. 29 just before his meeting with Xi that the United States will "immediately" resume nuclear weapons tests, ending a decadeslong halt to testing with a goal of keeping pace with China. Former President George H.W. Bush placed a moratorium on testing nuclear weapons 33 years ago. The United States signed the Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty in 1996 during President Bill Clinton's first term, but the Senate voted against ratifying the treaty. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Though China and Russia have renovated their historical nuclear test sites in recent years, only North Korea has detonated nuclear weapons since 1998. Trump touted in a social media post the progress on modernizing nuclear weapons during his first term. But he warned that China's nuclear weapons buildup will place Beijing's arsenal on equal footing with the United States and Russia "within 5 years." "Because of other countries [sic] testing programs, I have instructed the Department of War to start testing our Nuclear Weapons on an equal basis," Trump said. "That process will begin immediately." Asked on his return flight from Asia whether the world was entering a riskier environment, Trump replied that he didnt think so. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I think we have it pretty well locked up," the president said. "But I see them testing. I say, well, they're going to test, I guess we have to test." President Donald Trump speaks during a meeting with business leaders at the U.S. Ambassador's Residence on Oct, 28, 2025 in Tokyo, Japan. Trump is visiting Japan, fresh off an appearance at the ASEAN summit in Malaysia, and will next travel to South Korea for the APEC meetings. Supreme Court to hear tariff case Nov. 5, and Trump might attend The Supreme Court will hear arguments Nov. 5 about whether Trump has the authority to impose tariffs under the 1977 International Emergency Economic Powers Act. Lower courts have ruled he overstepped his authority under a law historically used for imposing economic sanctions and other penalties on foreign enemies. "The statute bestows significant authority on the President to undertake a number of actions in response to a declared national emergency, but none of these actions explicitly include the power to impose tariffs, duties, or the like, or the power to tax," the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit said in a 7-4 decision. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But Trump has argued tariffs are so important he might attend the oral arguments in person. The tariffs are projected to generate $4 trillion over the next decade. Trump has wielded them like a cudgel to get better trade deals with other countries. If we are not allowed to use what other people use against us, there is no defense, Trump told reporters Oct 15. It would be a disaster for America. President Donald Trump meets with Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, D.C., on Oct. 7, 2025. Trump imposes higher tariffs on Canadian imports over Reagan ad Trump said he would boost tariffs on goods coming from Canada by an additional 10% "over and above what they're paying now," just two days after he terminated trade talks over what he called a "fraudulent" advertisement airing during the Toronto Blue Jays' postseason games. Canada was the top destination for U.S. exports and the third-largest provider of U.S. imports in 2024, according to the U.S. trade representative. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump announced the tariff hike on social media Oct. 25 during his trip to Asia. He criticized a commercial from the regional government of Ontario that showed former President Ronald Reagan speaking negatively about tariffs. Ontario Premier Doug Ford said in a statement Oct. 24 that the ad would air during Games 1 and 2 of the World Series but pause after that for trade talks. "We've achieved our goal, having reached U.S. audiences at the highest levels, Ford said. Navy personnel use their mobile phones to take photos of President Donald Trump as he leaves after delivering a speech on board the USS George Washington aircraft carrier at the US naval base in Yokosuka on Oct. 28, 2025. Trump highlights international relations despite domestic turmoil Trump has been mainly focused on international relations while the federal government has been shut down since Oct. 1. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In September, Trump spoke at the U.N. General Assembly in New York, where he blasted what he called open borders of other countries and championed fossil fuels. Earlier in October, Trump traveled to Israel as the remaining live hostages under Hamas were released. He spoke in the Knesset, Israel's parliament, and basked in praise for brokering a ceasefire in Gaza. Trump's Asia trip from Oct. 24 to 30 was his first to the region during his second term and showcased meetings with other world leaders in Malaysia, Japan and South Korea. After returning home, Trump plans to meet Nov. 6 with the leaders of the five Central Asian nations traditionally in the Russian sphere of influence: Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Uzbek Foreign Minister Bakhtiyor Saidov said on social media that trade, investment, education and innovation between the two countries would be discussed. In September, Uzbekistan Airways signed an $8 billion deal with Boeing to buy up to 22 of its 787 Dreamliner aircraft. Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi reacts as President Donald Trump speaks, aboard the aircraft carrier USS George Washington, during a visit to U.S. Navy's Yokosuka base in Yokosuka, Japan, on Oct. 28, 2025. Japan's PM latest to promote Trump for Nobel Peace Prize Japans new prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, joined the chorus of foreign leaders who have said they would nominate Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Takaichi told Trump she would nominate him. Takaichi told Trump publicly through a translator that the world has "started to enjoy more peace on the ground" and that she valued his "unwavering commitment to world peace and stability." Trump has said he deserves the honor, but the prize committee gave it to Venezuela's opposition leader earlier in October. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Pakistans government, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet and the leaders of Armenia and Azerbaijan have each endorsed Trump for the award. Former Presidents Theodore Roosevelt, Woodrow Wilson, Jimmy Carter and Barack Obama have won the prestigious award. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump Asia trip takeaways include trade deals and pageantry Will a new Trader Joes store be opening in downtown Jersey City? The citys Historic Downtown Special Improvement District hinted in a social media post last week that a deal was in the works. Rumor has it that Trader Joes is in the final stages of signing a lease right here in Downtown Jersey City, with plans to open in 2026, according to the post. The market would be the 21st store in New Jersey for Trader Joes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Asked about the Trader Joes social media post, special improvement district Executive Director Rachael Sieg replied in an email on Thursday, Our source has asked us not to say more. A Trader Joes spokesperson also said Thursday the market chain is always looking at hundreds of neighborhoods across the country in hopes of opening more new neighborhood stores each year. At this time, we do not have a location confirmed in Jersey City, the spokesperson said in an email. There currently are 20 Trader Joes supermarkets in New Jersey. The newest store is located in the Iselin section of Woodbridge, at 675 Route 1, and opened on Oct. 29 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Other Trader Joes stores are located in Brick, Bridgewater, Cherry Hill, Clifton, Denville, Edgewater, Florham Park, Freehold, Hoboken, Marlton, Middletown, Millburn, North Brunswick, Paramus, Princeton, Shrewsbury, Wayne, Westfield and Westwood. The market also lists all of the stores that are opening soon on its website. Read the original article on NJ.com. Add NJ.com as a Preferred Source by clicking here. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday wished for Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut's "speedy recovery and good health," after he announced that he is undergoing treatment amid health deterioration. In an X post, PM Modi wrote, "Praying for your speedy recovery and good health, Sanjay Raut Ji." Raut also expressed gratitude for PM Modi's wishes. "Respected Prime Minister Ji, thank you! My family is grateful to you! Jai Hind Jai Maharashtra," the Shiv Sena (UBT) leader wrote on X. This comes after Raut shared a note on social media for his party workers and supporters, stating that he will return to the political arena after the New Year, as he is undergoing medical treatment. As per his note, the Shiv Sena (UBT) MP has been advised not to mingle with the crowd. He wrote, "You all have always believed in me and loved me, but now, suddenly, some serious deterioration has come to light in my health. Treatment is underway, and I will come out of this soon. As per medical advice, I have been restricted from going out and mixing with crowds. There is no way around it." "I am sure that I will recover well and come to meet you in the new year. May your love and blessings remain the same," the note added. Raut's unavailability is a huge blow to Shiv Sena (UBT) ahead of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) elections likely to be held later this year. Meanwhile, Congress MLC Bhai Jagtap had said that the party should contest the upcoming civic polls independently of an alliance. While Congress is part of the Mahavikas Aghadi (MVA) with the Shiv Sena (UBT) and the Nationalist Congress Party-Sharadchandra Pawar (NCP-SP), Bhai Jagtap expressed his desire for the party to contest the civic polls independently. He also stated that the final call will be taken by the party's high command. The Congress leader told reporters, "I said we should contest alone. I'm not the only one saying this; our Political Affairs Committee also says that this is a fight between the workers (of several parties), and Congress should fight alone. We have presented our views to the top leadership. In Congress, whatever the high command says is paramount." Shiv Sena (UBT) and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) will be contesting the poll in an alliance, bringing brothers Uddhav Thackeray and Raj Thackeray together. (ANI) It has been more than two decades since a tragedy unfolded on a cold night in East McKeesport. The shooting left a young father dead, his girlfriend critically injured and their newborn nearly orphaned. I turned, and I started running and I started screaming for help, ... I felt myself get hit, and I started to run a few more feet, and then I hit the ground, said Christy Hampton, who was Christy Weishorn at the time of the shooting. I just thought that it was the end. Jonathon Hoblak had shot his girlfriend five times during a dispute outside their apartment. When police arrived minutes later, he shot himself. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Their 2-month-old baby was found sleeping in Hoblaks pickup truck. Hampton thought she would die alone, bleeding out in the grass. But first responders got to her within minutes and did everything they could to keep her alive. She has obsessed over trying to understand the tragedy that unfolded on Oct. 23, 2000. She attributes much of it to stress and poor health. A month before the shooting, Hoblak revealed he had been diagnosed with terminal cancer. He had kept it a secret during her pregnancy and fought his cancer battle alone for months. Hampton wonders if the cancer was also affecting his brain. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement No matter the reason, the shooting left Hampton critically injured. Medics revived her on the way to the hospital. Doctors were not sure she would make it to surgery or survive it. They warned her family not to get their hopes up. Were fighting against the clock, cause every minute without blood flow to the brain, less the chances are that somebody is going to survive and wake up, said Dr. Samuel Tisherman. Tisherman is a professor of surgery, the director of the Center for Critical Care and Trauma Education and the director of the Surgical ICU at the University of Maryland Medical Center. In October 2000, he was an attending physician at UPMC Presbyterian Hospital. He remembers Hamptons case all these years later. She came in with no pulse. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement So we opened the chest to directly massage the heart, Tisherman explained. Hampton had been shot with hollow-point bullets. They expand on impact and cause more damage. She was hit in the chest, stomach, arm and leg. The bleeding was in the femoral artery, so we had to deal with that first, Tisherman said. Each one of them could have been deadly. One just about was. Tisherman said the chance of someone with cardiac arrest from a trauma leaving the hospital alive is between five and seven percent. Many dont make it to the hospital, and many dont make it to the emergency department, and then many dont make it out of the operating room, he said, adding that Hamptons injuries were among the most severe he has seen. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its why he is so impressed with her recovery. She said for the first eight years after the shooting, she underwent surgeries every year, sometimes multiple times a year. She just had a hip replacement a couple of years back. I was given so many expiration dates, Hampton said. I made so many deals that, if I just had lived for X amount of time, I just want to see him go to school, I want to see him graduate. This summer, she got to see her son Garret graduate from law school. He has since passed the bar. His mom is beaming with pride at his accomplishments and the stigmas the two of them have overcome together. She sounded so happy, and shes got her life back, Tisherman said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The two bumped into one another at a UPMC hospital before Tisherman made the move to Maryland. Just a couple of weeks ago, she called to check in with him. Tisherman commended Hamptons resilience, physically and emotionally, and that shes dedicated her life to giving back to the field of medicine. She had a successful career as a surgical technician and is now the director of surgical technology for UPMC, the health system that saved her life. To be able to bounce back from that in such a positive way is incredibly gratifying, Tisherman said. Thats the greatest thing. It doesnt happen often enough, but it definitely reminds us of why we do what we do, Its what keeps us going. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Although Hampton met Dr. Tisherman years ago, she never had the chance to meet the first responders who gave her a fighting chance 25 years ago. That changed this week. Click here to watch the emotional reunion with the police officers and 911 caller who helped save her life. Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW Flight delays at Orlando International Airport lighted in volume by Friday morning after staffing issues caused big problems on Thursday. As of 6 a.m., the website FlightAware showed 20 flight delays at the airport and 18 cancellations. Travelers heading through MCO Thursday night were met with frustration after the Federal Aviation Administration confirmed widespread staffing issues that led to significant air traffic disruptions. Travelers were faced with flight delays Thursday evening due to staffing shortages of government employees. Some passengers said they were forced to wait hours for updates. We are with two children, so its gonna be bad for us, said traveler Blanca Nieves, who was flying to Puerto Rico. Our flight is going to be two hours behind. They didnt say why, they said we will have to wait two more hours here. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Others in Central Florida were feeling the impact from afar. Orlando resident April Woods said her parents were stranded in Georgia after their flight to Orlando was delayed. My parents let me know when they were in Atlanta that it was going to be a delayed flight because they did say it was because of air traffic controller, Woods said. According to the FAA, average delays reached 161 minutes Thursday for flights arriving and departing Orlando International. Officials cited staffing shortages, particularly among air traffic controllers, as the main cause. Travelers were faced with flight delays Thursday evening due to staffing shortages of government employees. The disruptions come as thousands of TSA and FAA employees are working without pay or have been furloughed amid the ongoing government shutdown. Some of those employees were seen picketing outside MCO on Thursday. At the end of the day, our business is safety, and we will keep it safe, said Douglas Lowe, Regional Vice President of the Professional Aviation Safety Specialists. But the impacts to the flying public will be delays as the shutdown continues on. Our message is pretty simple the shutdown needs to end. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As the holiday season approaches, travelers are growing increasingly anxious about what could come next. We are going to Nebraska for Thanksgiving, so it could end up being a big impact to our family, Woods said. Lowe added, My hope is that everyone comes together and recognizes that this shutdown is not healthy. The FAAs advisory warning of extended wait times remained in effect until 3 a.m. Friday. Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live. A German national accused of killing two people in a car-ramming attack in the city of Mannheim earlier this year went on trial on Friday. At the start of proceedings, the 40-year-old confirmed the course of events in a statement read out by his lawyer at the Mannheim Regional Court. The defendant is accused of driving a car at high speed into a crowd in the centre of the south-western city on March 3, leaving two dead and 14 injured. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Prosecutors have charged the man with double murder as well as five counts of attempted murder alongside grievous bodily harm, but ruled out a political motive. While they accused him of deliberately targeting pedestrians, prosecutors have questioned his criminal responsibility after investigations found that he had likely been suffering from mental illness for years. Defence attorney Uwe Kosmala said his client had initially planned to carry out the attack in Offenbach, where the defendant's father lives. But the defendant spontaneously decided to change plans while driving through Mannheim and approaching the city's main shopping street, Kosmala said, adding that he had been going through a "mental crisis" at the time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Suffering from intense anger and self-doubt, the 40-year-old had been looking to kill himself during the rampage, according to the lawyer. According to prosecutors, he shot himself in the mouth with a blank round after ramming into the crowd and was detained after being found hiding near the scene. If found guilty of murder, he faces life imprisonment, but the court might also order him to be placed in a psychiatric hospital due to mental health issues. A verdict is expected on December 19. TAHLEQUAH Acting Cherokee Marshal Daniel Mead was formally sworn in during the Cherokee Tribal Council meeting Oct. 30. District 2 Tribal Councilor Candessa Tehee read the resolution to confirm Mead in the position. It was unanimously approved. Mead spoke to the council after the approval, thanking Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr., Deputy Chief Bryan Warner and the Cherokee people. I just want to say thank you for your trust; Im not going mishandle it, and I take it very seriously and hold it in my heart, Mead said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement During the announcement phase of the agenda, Hoskin returned to the podium to add something he forgot to mention during his State of the Nation. The Deputy of State Canaan Duncan was looking at our budget earlier for public health and wellness funds for at-large organizations, and we will make $5,000 per at-large organization available for them to do direct relief to members of their communities, Hoskin said. In his remarks at the beginning of the meeting, Hoskin laid out the accomplishments of the month. The room was full, with the Cherokee royal court, a winning softball team, and families of this months Cherokee Medal of Patriotism. What a great crowd tonight; I think this is wonderful, Hoskin said. Its lifted my spirit, and I think everyone feels good about this audience. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He shared the latest news of the announced state of emergency and how the Nation stepped up to help with the loss of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. Citizens will receive $185 per SNAP beneficiary a month out of the $4.5 million set aside to help those within the reservation and contiguous counties. We are also deploying funds to food banks in the region, and food pantries, many of which are operated by [Community and Cultural Outreach] programs, Hoskin said. Tomorrow we will have a list of the large regional food banks that we are steering some of these dollars toward. He said in conjunction with this, input is needed on pantries in the councilors districts that might need help. I said it during the Elder Summit, but let me repeat it here: The only reason we are able to do this is because of the long-term growth of the tribe that has taken place over a long period of time, Hoskin said. This council has put laws and funding in place so we can quickly address these situations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Those include the Emergency Management Act, the Public Health and Wellness Fund Act, and the Sovereign Wealth Fund, available for a crisis situation, Hoskin said. We have never had to access [the Sovereign Wealth Fund], and I must be clear that if the federal shutdown wears on over a period of months, we will have to look at how to sustain programs people are really relying on that are sensitive to federal funds, Hoskin said. He said these include Head Start, Women, Infants and Children which the Nation is funding if the government does not reopen for at least another month and Job Corps. We will feel some pressure on food distribution, even though we have months of supplies; that is a fluid situation, depending on how many people participate, Hoskin said. Anyone who wonders whether we should be worried about the federal shutdown we should, but we should be reassured this government, this Nation, is in a strong financial position. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A strong financial position allows the Nation to do quick things and enables the tribe to look a few months down the road and know it can absorb the pressure applied, because the federal government cannot get its act together, Hoskin said. The state of Oklahoma has $3.69 billion in surplus; the state of Oklahoma can direct some of these funds to take care of the rest of the state in terms of its population and SNAP participants, Hoskin said. That is over 900,000 people, most of them are children; many of them are elders, some of them have disabilities, and many of them work for a living. He said the state doesnt lack the funds, but seems to lack the political will to do it, Hoskin said. To me, its unconscionable; well continue to advocate for that, but we will continue to do what we should do and must do as Cherokees to take care of people, Hoskin said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hoskin said 1,000 attended the Elder Summit, which was held at Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Tulsa. A second one happened Oct. 31 at the Chota Center at the Cherokee Casino. A new event on Nov. 12 is the Southern Region Veterans Summit at Cherokee Casino & Hotel Roland, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Hoskin said. The Northern Region Veterans Summit is Nov. 19 at the Craig County Fairgrounds, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Special guests at the meeting included Woodall School softball champions, and 2025-2026 Cherokee Nation Royalty and Ambassadors. The royal court includes: Miss Cherokee Hannah Neugin, Junior Miss Cherokee Reese Henson, Little Cherokee Ambassador Ryan Altaffer, Little Cherokee Ambassador Guthrie Rogers, Little Cherokee Ambassador Kayni Duncan, Little Cherokee Ambassador Mylee Gideon, Little Cherokee Ambassador Harper Lowe, and Little Cherokee Ambassador Kennafay Brison. Rita Sharon Didion and Charles Gentry Rogers were awarded the Cherokee Medal of Patriotism. Whats next The next Tribal Council meeting is Nov. 10, 6 p.m., at the Cherokee Nation Complex. As the government shutdown dragged into its 31st day Friday, service members received their end-of-the-month pay, according to a spokesperson with the Office of Management and Budget. The Trump administration pulled the $5.3 billion payday from three different accounts: $2.5 billion from One Big Beautiful Bill Act funds; $1.4 billion from the Defense Departments procurement account; and $1.4 billion from the departments research, development, test and evaluation funds, according to the spokesperson. In a statement provided to Military Times, a Defense Department official said President Trump is continuing to make good on his promise to take care of the troops in spite of the shutdown. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Navy Federal Credit Union posted on its website Friday that they had received the funds for military pay for those who have their paychecks deposited to that financial institution. While the White House was able to pull together funds to pay troops on Oct. 15 and now Nov. 1, some officials, including Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, have said its doubtful service members will receive pay on Nov. 15 unless the shutdown ends. We were able to pay the military employees from excess funds at the Pentagon, middle of this month. I think well be able to pay them beginning in November. But by November 15 our troops and service members who are willing to risk their lives arent going to be able to get paid, Bessent said on CBS Face the Nation with Margaret Brennan on Oct. 26. While the troops have so far been paid, military families are experiencing the effects of the federal shutdown in a variety of other ways, with more repercussions expected. Some of the issues include military spouses who work for the federal government and arent getting paid, families being stuck in limbo because of issues related to moving to new duty stations, or families having to pay copayments for medications because their military pharmacies dont have drugs available. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Troops request assistance at unprecedented rate as shutdown persists And many military families living paycheck-to-paycheck are under great financial stress, worrying about whether the next check will come. Food assistance programs, such as food pantries around military bases, have seen a surge in requests. As of Oct. 26, the Military Family Advisory Networks Emergency Grocery Initiative has provided assistance to 4,000 military families, with more than 46,000 verified families from across the country remaining in the queue, said Shannon Razsadin, CEO of the nonprofit. The organization provides assistance, such as boxes of food and grocery cards, she said, noting it costs $200 to feed a family of four for a week. TROUP COUNTY, Ga. (WRBL) Investigators with the Troup County Sheriffs Office announced on Friday that they have arrested a suspect in connection to the murder of Alan Dale Huguley Sr. Investigators say Teresa Ann Williams was arrested on Oct. 14 and charged with murder. The specific details of Williams involvement have not yet been released. PREVIOUS COVERAGE: LaGrange man found dead in car shot multiple times Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On April 18, 2012, sheriffs deputies were dispatched to Briley Road in southern Troup County around 1:15 p.m. about an unknown adult male. Deputies discovered the victim, later identified as Alan Dale Huguley, 52, of LaGrange, was struck by bullets several times. Police say the investigation remains active. Williams is currently being held at the Troup County Jail. PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Cold Case: Troup Co. seeks answers in 2021 murder 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 WRBL. US President Donald Trump has announced that he will limit the number of refugees entering the US to 7,500 for the fiscal year 2026. This is a record low since the 1980 Refugee Act when a cap on refugees entering the country was set at 50,000 per year, but could be changed. That was the same year that the US refugee resettlement programme was launched. Currently, the cap sits at 125,000, set by former President Joe Biden. Furthermore, the Trump administration said priority will be given to white South Africans. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But while the new cap is a significant drop from the number of refugees admitted by the US in more recent years, the US has made use of highly restrictive and often racist immigration policies throughout its history. Who will be allowed to take refuge in the US from 2026? No more than 7,500 people will be granted refugee status and these must undergo very tough checks before they can enter. Approval by the secretaries of state and homeland security will be required. The White House announcement reiterated that Trump also signed a proclamation in June that stipulates that foreign nationals can still be denied entry if allowing them into the country would harm the countrys interests. Why is Trump prioritising white South Africans? Trump claims that White Afrikaaners are at risk of genocide in South Africa. In February this year, he signed Executive Order 14204, titled Addressing Egregious Actions of the Republic of South Africa. The order was made in response to South Africas Expropriation Act 13 of 2024, which allows for land to be seized and redistributed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The order criticised South Africa for seizing land owned by ethnic minority white South Africans. The US threatened to withhold aid to South Africa if the government continues with this. In May, 59 white South Africans arrived in the US as part of a special refugee programme Trump established for them. The same month, Trump ambushed South African President Cyril Ramaphosa during a visit the White House, only to be ambushed by Trump with a video of people singing Kill the Boer in South Africa and allegations that a white genocide was taking place. People are fleeing South Africa for their own safety. Their land is being confiscated, and in many cases, theyre being killed, Trump said during the meeting with Ramaphosa in May. Do white Afrikaaners need refugee status? Experts say not really. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement South African President Cyril Ramaphosa signed the Act to right apartheid-era wrongs. However, the law allows the government to seize privately owned land from anyone, regardless of race, for public purposes with compensation, or in some cases, without compensation. The Act replaces a previous 1975 law, which was criticised for its lack of clarity about compensation. During apartheid, white South Africans, who are mainly Afrikaans-speaking descendants of Dutch settlers and English-speaking descendants of British colonists, held control, and often violently sidelined the Black majority. While apartheid ended in 1994, white South Africans, who represent about 7 percent of the population, still own more than 70 percent of the land, while more than half of the Black population lives in poverty. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At his White House meeting, Ramaphosa told Trump that while South Africa does have a problem with violent crime, it was being perpetrated against all South Africans, not just white people. Experts have also dismissed Trumps claims of a white genocide. There is no merit to Trumps fantasy claims of white genocide, South African historian Saul Dubow, professor of Commonwealth history at the University of Cambridge, told Al Jazeera in May. South Africa is a violent country and, in economic terms, one of the most unequal societies in the world. The violence is criminal rather than political, though racial injustice inevitably forms part of the context. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dubow suggested that Trump may be more angry about South Africas genocide case against Israel, filed in the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in December 2023 in relation to the war on Gaza. Is this really the strictest US cap on refugees ever? This is the lowest cap on refugees in recent history. As well as being lower than the initial 50,000 cap established by the 1980 Act, it is also lower than the previous ceiling of 17,400 the Act sought to replace. Every year, the number of refugees allowed into the US is determined by the president in consultation with the US Congress. For the fiscal years 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025, a maximum of 125,000 refugees were allowed into the US. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 1980, the US refugee resettlement programme was established to allow the US to identify, admit and resettle refugees fleeing conflict or persecution from around the world. Prior to 1980, however, the United States did not admit significant numbers of refugees and had a history of highly restrictive laws which barred people from specific countries from entering or holding citizenship. A history of prohibitive immigration policy in the US Heres a timeline of some key US citizenship and immigration policies which have affected people of specific ethnicities and nationalities. 1790: Naturalisation Act The Naturalisation Act defined limits on who could become a naturalised citizen of the US. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to this act, naturalisation was limited to free white people who had lived in the US for two years and demonstrated good moral character. It excluded Native Americans, enslaved people and anyone who was not white. 1875: The Page Act Signed in March 1875 by President Ulysses S Grant, the Page Act was the first US federal law on immigration. The law targeted immigrants, especially women from Asia. It decreed that the US government must determine that the immigration of any subject of China, Japan, or any Oriental country, to the United States, is free and voluntary. The Act was worded as if it was protecting vulnerable immigrants, as it prohibited bringing women into the US for forced labour or sex work. Anyone found to have brought an immigrant from an Asian country into the US without their consent could be imprisoned and fined. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, critics have pointed out that, in practice, the Act was racist and sexist. It came at a time when poverty and famine in China had caused many Chinese people to seek opportunities in the US. In particular, Chinese women migrated to the US, seeking jobs, from the 1850s. According to an article published by the National Council for the Social Studies (NCSS), San Francisco officials started making efforts to deport Chinese women of ill fame from the 1860s. The article added that at that point, all Chinese women were most likely stereotyped as prostitutes. The article highlights that one of the enduring impacts of the Page Act was the stigmatisation of Asian women. Beyond facing racial discrimination, Asian women were fetishised and sexualised culturally. 1882: The Chinese Exclusion Act Signed in May 1882, the Chinese Exclusion Act barred all Chinese labourers from entering the US for 10 years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It also prevented Chinese immigrants from becoming naturalised citizens of the US. The Act was extended by the Geary Act of 1892 and remained in place until it was repealed in 1943. 1907: The Gentlemens Agreement This was not a formal law it was, rather, an agreement between the US and Japan. The agreement, negotiated by President Theodore Roosevelt, asked the Japanese government to restrict the migration of Japanese labourers to the US. In exchange for this, Japanese students would be permitted to continue to attend integrated schools. The agreement was drawn up in response to public anger about the rising number of Japanese labourers and agricultural workers who had migrated to fill the gap left by Chinese workers. 1917: Asiatic Barred Zone Act This law created a barred zone from the Middle East and Southeast Asia, spanning most Asian countries. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nationals of these countries were restricted from entering the US. 1924: The Johnson-Reed Act This immigration act imposed strict limits on the number of people from other countries who could migrate to the US every year. It stipulated a national origins quota, which decreed that only 2 percent of the number of people of any nationality living in the US in 1890 could enter the country each year. The law also completely barred people from Asian countries from immigrating to the US. 2017: Trumps own Muslim ban During his first term, Trump enacted a travel ban dubbed the Muslim ban. Under this ban, Trump signed an executive order banning citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries, Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen, from entering the US for 90 days. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The order also suspended the US refugee programme for 120 days and indefinitely barred Syrian refugees. Trumps travel ban went through subsequent rounds of revisions. The initial version was blocked by courts for being discriminatory. The final version, which was upheld by the Supreme Court in 2018, affected citizens from Yemen, Syria, Iran, Libya and Somalia alongside Venezuela and North Korea. In 2021, President Joe Biden signed an executive order reversing the travel ban. 2025: Trumps travel ban While Trump did not reinstate his original travel ban during his second term, he signed a proclamation in June this year imposing a complete ban on nationals of 12 countries from travelling to the US. Many of them are African nations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They include Afghanistan, Myanmar, Chad, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen. Under this proclamation, citizens from Burundi, Cuba, Laos, Sierra Leone, Togo, Turkmenistan and Venezuela are subject to partial restrictions. Citing internal government documents, US media has reported that Trump could significantly expand this travel ban list to include 36 more countries, 26 of which are in Africa. The White House has not officially announced that the travel ban list has been expanded, however. After two years of devastating war between Israel and the Palestinian Hamas forces in the Gaza Strip, President Donald Trump declared an end to the war on Oct. 14, 2025. The peace plan includes a Hamas commitment to return all hostages and a withdrawal of Israeli forces. In late October, both sides said they remained committed to peace, despite Israeli retaliation for the death of an Israeli soldier that killed 104 people, and despite the fact that the remains of 11 deceased hostages remain in Gaza. Those setbacks aside, the new peace push is the most serious attempt so far to end the escalation of conflict that followed the Oct. 7, 2023, attack by Palestinian militants on Israelis. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But what are the circumstances and actions that helped Trump advance such an agreement, the likes of which eluded former President Joe Biden? And what enabled Trump, working with a few close advisers and with mediators like Qatar and Egypt, to overcome the reluctance of Israel and Hamas? The answer may have much to do with how Trump countered a phenomenon that political scientists call spoiling. Spoiling in peace negotiations is defined by political scientist Stephen Stedman as actions employed by leaders and parties who believe that peace emerging from negotiations threatens their power, worldview, and interests, and use violence to undermine attempts to achieve it. In regard to the Middle East, critics have long accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of playing this spoiler card throughout the war. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Netanyahu was seen by many observers to be not interested in reaching a peace agreement because of risks to the political survival of his governing coalition. And its evident in attempts to postpone the investigation of the colossal failure of Israel to defend its citizens on Oct. 7, 2023. For two years, Netanyahu engaged in this kind of spoiling by, for example, staging high-level assassinations of Hamas leaders at a timing detrimental for any negotiations success. Yet, Netanyahu also employed a more sophisticated method of spoiling, one that political science scholar Ehud Eiran and I are exploring in our research. We argue that leaders can spoil negotiations not just by resorting to violent means, or by posing hard-line positions within the negotiation room. Additionally, spoilers can work in broad daylight and make the diplomacy less likely to succeed through a careful use of rhetoric and media. This decreases their own constituencies and the enemys likelihood of accepting This decreases the likelihood of their own constituencies or the enemy accepting a compromise. Its what we call public spoiling. Spoiling in broad daylight Netanyahu used these public spoiling tactics again and again during ceasefire negotiations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In early May 2024, for example, when ceasefire negotiations were getting into high gear and indications mounted that Hamas may accept the deal on the table, a statement from Netanyahu attributed to a senior diplomatic source known in the Israeli media to mean the prime minister himself stated that the IDF will enter Rafah and destroy the Hamas battalions remaining there, whether there is a temporary truce for releasing the hostages or not, referring to the Israel Defense Forces. Mourners attend the funeral of Israeli American hostage Hersh Goldberg-Polin in Jerusalem on Sept. 2, 2024. Goldberg-Polin was killed in Hamas captivity in the Gaza Strip. Gil Cohen-Magen/Pool via AP Such declarations signaled to Hamas that Israel did not intend to keep its side of a deal. And it led the Palestinian militant organization to harden its position and further insist on a formal end of the war before all hostages were released. In September 2024, Netanyahu used the Israeli military in another spoiler tactic after pressure mounted on him to yield to protesters calls for a ceasefire After Hamas operatives murdered six Israeli hostages as soldiers approached their hiding place, the Israeli public erupted in protests against its government, blaming it for sending soldiers instead of negotiating. High-level officers in the prime ministers office then stole a document from Israeli intelligence, allegedly written by Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, forged some of it, and leaked it to the German newspaper Bild. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Netanyahu then cited the document in a speech, claiming Sinwar designed his policy to use public pressure on Netanyahu. In short, he used this false publication, leaked allegedly by his own people, to suggest that the protesters were doing Hamas bidding. The protests subsequently decreased dramatically, and the pressure on Netanyahu to compromise subsided. This pattern continued into the Trump administration. No daylight U.S. decision-makers, from the president to negotiators in the Biden and Trump administrations, were no doubt aware of these practices. So why did they allow them to continue? The answer is complicated. What has become clear, I believe, is that at the heart of the problem stands a single phrase: no daylight. Its an oft-cited position of U.S. politicians to mean that, publicly at least, Israel and the United States act as if they are in complete agreement or alignment, with no policy differences between them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Though a longtime ally of Israel, the U.S. used to be more forceful with Israel when the latter was deemed by Washington to have crossed the line or threatened important American interests in the region. That was evident when the U.S. imposed a ceasefire in the 1973 Arab-Israeli War despite Israeli opposition. It was also clear when the U.S. prevented an Israeli response to missiles that Iraq launched at it during the Gulf War in 1991. But in the past few decades, a perception has taken hold in U.S. foreign policy circles that pressure on Israels government should only be done in private and that it should never include strong public rebuke. Smoke and explosions rise inside the Gaza Strip, as seen from southern Israel, on March 17, 2024. AP Photo/Ariel Schalit, File Thus, even when, in June 2024, the Biden administration knew full well that Netanyahu was thwarting efforts to reach a ceasefire, former Secretary of State Antony Blinken came out with a statement blaming Hamas. And when Netanyahu breached a ceasefire in March 2025 and ordered the military to return to fighting, the Trump administration blamed Hamas. Netanyahu, with his knowledge of U.S. politics, was well aware that Washington would be unlikely to publicly blame Israel. And he took full advantage of this fact to promote his spoiling of the ceasefire negotiations in broad daylight. No choice but to sign So what changed in October 2025 that allowed Trump to overcome Netanyahus actions as a spoiler and secure a ceasefire? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In short, Trump simply decided to play the same game. He publicly announced that the deal existed and left Netanyahu no choice but to sign it to preserve the perception that there is no daylight between Israel and the U.S. As a former Netanyahu aide suggested, Trump is unpredictable and will not fall in line with the Israeli position. Trumps announcement of the deal, before many of the details were agreed upon, enabled the ceasefire agreement, Israels partial withdrawal from Gaza and Hamas release of the Israeli hostages. The road to an actual end of the war, not to mention Trumps lofty declarations of a historic peace, is still in the far distance. But the ceasefire, if it holds, is a critical step, in my view, to end this terrible chapter of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. 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: Boaz Atzili, American University School of International Service Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read more: Boaz Atzili is related to two Israeli citizens who were held hostage by Hamas following the Oct. 7, 2023, attack. The Trump administration has announced its reducing the number of refugees the United States will admit to the lowest level since the program was started 45 years ago, giving priority to white South Africans, pushing an unfounded narrative of white oppression while ignoring the plights of endangered people around the world. Trump slashes refugee admissions while prioritizing white South Africans In a notice published in the Federal Register, the Trump administration announced its cutting the number of refugees to be admitted to the United States to 7,500 for the new fiscal year. The announcement also specifies that the majority of these slots will go to Afrikaners, who are part of South Africas white minority. The admissions numbers shall primarily be allocated among Afrikaners from South Africa pursuant to Executive Order 14204, and other victims of illegal or unjust discrimination in their respective homelands, the notice reads, referencing a February executive order that cut off U.S. aid to South Africa and prioritized the resettlement of Afrikaner refugees escaping government-sponsored race-based discrimination, including racially discriminatory property confiscation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The priority given to Afrikaners, descendants of Dutch settlers in what is now South Africa, continues a narrative being pushed by the Trump administration that white South Africans are being persecuted in the country. Trump and Elon Musk, his former advisor, who was born in South Africa and immigrated after high school to Canada and then the United States, have accused the South African government of oppressing and targeting the countrys white minority. The accusations stem from a land redistribution law passed to address inequality in the country; despite the racist segregation system known as apartheid ending three decades ago, members of the countrys white minority continue to own over 70% of South Africas farmland. South Africas President Cyril Ramaphosa has firmly rejected the idea that his government is targeting white South Africans for violence or dispossession, and even the Afrikaner community has largely rejected Trumps offer to relocate to the United States. Critics call out callous and racist refugee restrictions The 7,400 cap is the lowest number of refugees allowed since the refugee program was initiated in 1980. Typically, the United States has admitted around 95,000 refugees each year under both Democratic and Republican presidents; former President Joe Biden raised the target to 125,000 after the previous low of 15,000 during the first Trump administration. The cut aligns with Trumps agenda to restrict immigration into the United States, which has been carried out through policies including harsh tactics by Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the removal of temporary protected status for hundreds of thousands of people who have fled dangers such as the turmoil in Haiti, and travel bans for a dozen mostly Black or Muslim-majority countries. Krish OMara Vignarajah, who heads the refugee resettlement organization Global Refuge, noted that the historically low cap and the preference for one group crowd out other people attempting to flee perilous situations. Were hearing from Afghan womens rights activists, Venezuelan political dissidents, Congolese families, persecuted Christians, and other religious minorities, all of whom now fear there is no room left for them in a system they trusted, Vignarajah said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, journalist Medhi Hasan was among many people calling out the administration for prioritizing white South Africans. Difficult to see how anyone can describe this as anything other than racist, Hassan posted on X, formerly Twitter. Difficult to see how anyone can describe this as anything other than racist. https://t.co/tJ1Bzt5VOl Mehdi Hasan (@mehdirhasan) October 30, 2025 Even as the Trump administration makes it difficult for immigrants, refugees and asylum seekers from around the world to enter or live in the United States, it has carved out a notable exception for white South Africans. Trump and his supporters seem determined to continue to promote the narrative of anti-white oppression in South Africa, and the administration has incorporated that agenda into U.S. refugee policy. The post Trump Admin Cuts Refugee Limit To 7,500 And Prioritizes White South Africans appeared first on Blavity. The Republican Party and its allies cant seem to decide whose side its on as millions of Americans are set to lose SNAP benefits as a result of the ongoing government shutdown. Democrats have been in virtual lockstep in their support for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, and the need to continue aid to its beneficiaries, which include millions of children and working-class Americans. Republicans, on the other hand, cant seem to decide whether their message should be that SNAP recipients are the victims of a shutdown they are blaming on the Democrats, or that they are lazy grifters finally getting the harsh wakeup call they deserve. The Trump administration posted a message on the U.S. Department of Agriculture website blaming Democrats for the shutdown and signaling sympathy for SNAP recipients, saying Democrats should reopen the government so mothers, babies, and the most vulnerable among us can receive critical nutrition assistance. (Some legal experts have argued that using of the federal governments resources for political messaging in this way is a violation of the Hatch Act.) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Recent polling data has shown that a plurality of the country blames Republicans, not Democrats, for the shutdown, and the Trump administrations claim that it cant tap billions of dollars in contingency funds set aside for SNAP is undercut by the fact Trumps first administration tapped those funds for this exact purpose during the 2019 shutdown. The administrations performative compassion hasnt been embraced across the Republican Party or among conservative influencers, however. Take, for example, Alabama Sen. Tommy Tuberville, who claimed this week that Democrats are getting a little bit tight right now over SNAP funding because its their constituents a lot of them in some of these inner cities thats gonna need SNAP to survive. (Hundreds of thousands of people in Tubervilles largely rural state, where hes running for governor, could be affected by the loss of SNAP benefits, as NBC News affiliate WVTM reported.) The senator went on to complain about a lot of young men on SNAP that should be working. The most recent data available from the USDA, from fiscal 2023, found 39% of SNAP participants were children, 20% were elderly, and 10% were nonelderly individuals with a disability, and 2020 data from the Government Accountability Office confirmed that millions of SNAP recipients are also working full time. On the House side, Rep. Clay Higgins, R-La., posted a rant to X on Thursday in which he faulted SNAP recipients for not having stocked up on groceries ahead of time. He argued that recipients who havent used their benefits stockpile at least one months worth of food should never again receive SNAP, because wow, stop smoking crack. There are 22 million American households receiving SNAP benefits for groceries, at $4200 per year on average. Try to get your head wrapped around how many pantries you can stock with $4200 dollars in properly shopped groceries. Any American who has been receiving $4200 pic.twitter.com/3PKP0oMU8T Rep. Clay Higgins (@RepClayHiggins) October 30, 2025 MAGA influencers also were less inclined to paint the Democrats as the heartless ones. Lawyer and Trump ally Mike Davis who previously clerked for Supreme Court justice Neil Gorsuch and assisted Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh during their confirmation hearings said in a social media post that its outrageous 40MM people get food stamps. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Get off your fat, ghetto asses, he wrote. Get a job. Stop reproducing. Change your s---ty culture. Conservative podcaster Adam Carolla mocked the idea of SNAP recipients going hungry during a recent podcast appearance, claiming nobody could benefit from a nice fast more than the SNAP recipients. And Politifact also debunked a viral tweet this week, promoted by several conservative accounts, that misleadingly suggested the bulk of SNAP benefits go to non-white people and immigrants. While some conservatives want to use the potential of SNAP recipients going hungry as a cudgel to force Democrats to give up their demands and end the government shutdown, that messaging is being clouded by more vocal conservatives who seem perfectly fine with if not giddy about the suffering of SNAP recipients. This article was originally published on MSNBC.com Hours after Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge said that Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) should be banned, his party colleague Karti Chidambaram seemed to differ with him on the practicality of the demand, stating that "this kind of request obviously is not going to be acceded" and asked if a ban "is really feasible and sustainable in today's legal environment". Kharge, who interacted with the media earlier in the day, said that in his personal opinion there should be ban on RSS. Answering query about Kharge's remarks, Karti Chidambaram said he does not agree with the RSS-BJP's political ideology and no organisation should indulge in any activity which causes some sort of distress to the unity and integrity of India. "This kind of request obviously is not going to be acceded. There was a time when the RSS was banned and then the ban was revoked... I don't agree with the RSS-BJP's political ideology, but I'm not too sure whether a ban is really feasible and sustainable in today's legal environment. And you've got to also understand that the government today is run by members right from the Prime Minister who are ardent members of the RSS," he said. "This kind of argument, asking for the RSS to be banned, how is this government going to do it? Of course, no organisation should indulge in any activity which causes some sort of distress to the unity and integrity of India," he added. In his remarks, Kharge said if PM Modi respects the views presented by India's firs Home Minister Vallabhbhai Patel, RSS should be banned. "These are my personal views and I openly say that there should be one ( ban on the RSS). If PM respects the views presented by Vallabhbhai Patel, this should be done. All the wrongs in the country and all law and order issues here are due to BJP and RSS," Kharge alleged. Kharge's remarks came after PM Modi accused Congress of not properly following Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel's legacy. PM Modi made the remarks in his speech at Rashtriya Ekta Diwas Programme in Kevadia in Gujarat. "Sardar Saheb placed the sovereignty of the country above everything else, but unfortunately, in the years following Sardar Saheb's demise, the then governments were not as serious about the sovereignty of the country. On the one hand, the mistakes made in Kashmir, on the other hand, the problems arising in the North-East and the Naxalite-Maoist terrorism that flourished at various places across the country, these were direct challenges to the sovereignty of the country," PM Modi said. "However, instead of following Sardar Sahib's policies, the governments of that era chose a spineless approach. The country suffered the consequences of this in the form of violence and bloodshed," he added. PM Modi said many in today's younger generation may not know that Sardar Vallabhbhai wanted the entire Kashmir region to be merged, just as he had merged other princely states. "But Nehruji did not let his wish be fulfilled. Kashmir was divided with a separate constitution and a separate flag. The country burned in the fire of the mistake that Congress had made on Kashmir for decades. Due to the poor policies of Congress, a part of Kashmir went under the illegal occupation of Pakistan. Pakistan gave impetus to terrorism, state sponsored terrorism. Kashmir and the country have paid such a heavy price. Yet, Congress has always been submissive to terrorism," he alleged. (ANI) By Nate Raymond (Reuters) -President Donald Trump's administration cannot suspend food aid for millions of Americans during the ongoing government shutdown, two federal judges ruled on Friday, saying the government must use contingency funds to pay for the benefits. The dual rulings by judges in Massachusetts and Rhode Island, issued within minutes of each other, came in a pair of lawsuits seeking to block the U.S. Department of Agriculture from suspending Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits, known as SNAP or food stamps, starting on Saturday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The USDA has said insufficient funds exist to pay full benefits to 42 million low-income Americans, as they cost $8.5 billion to $9 billion per month. The Trump administration contends the agency lacks authority to pay them until Congress passes a spending bill ending a government shutdown that began October 1. But U.S. District Judge John McConnell in Providence, at the end of a virtual hearing, held in a lawsuit by cities, nonprofits and a union that the administration's decision to not tap $5.25 billion in contingency funds to fund November's benefits was arbitrary, adding they had never before been suspended. "There is no doubt and it is beyond argument that irreparable harm will begin to occur if it hasn't already occurred in the terror it has caused some people about the availability of funding for food, for their family," McConnell said. Minutes earlier, U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani in Boston ruled the administration was wrong that it was legally barred from using the contingency funds to pay for SNAP benefits during the shutdown. That lawsuit was brought by 25 Democratic-led states and the District of Columbia. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The USDA did not immediately respond to a request for comment. The plaintiffs argued that USDA still had funds available to fulfill its obligation to pay SNAP benefits even while the shutdown continues. Such available funding includes $5.25 billion in contingency funds that Congress has previously provided the USDA for use when "necessary to carry out program operations," the plaintiffs said. Aside from the contingency funds, the plaintiffs argued that a separate fund with around $23 billion in it could also be utilized to avoid what would be an unprecedented suspension of SNAP benefits. (Reporting by Nate Raymond; editing by Noeleen Walder, Rami Ayyub and Deepa Babington) By Nate Raymond and Leah Douglas BOSTON (Reuters) -President Donald Trump's administration cannot suspend food aid for millions of Americans during the ongoing government shutdown, two federal judges ruled on Friday, saying the government must use contingency funds to pay for the benefits. The dual rulings by judges in Massachusetts and Rhode Island came in a pair of lawsuits seeking to block the U.S. Department of Agriculture from suspending Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits, known as SNAP or food stamps, starting on Saturday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The rulings come as Democrats and Republicans in Congress trade blame for the shutdown, potentially jeopardizing SNAP benefits as the funding impasse continues. It was not immediately clear whether benefits would be paid on November 1. Both judges ordered the administration to report back to them on Monday on how they will comply with their decisions. The USDA did not immediately respond to a request for comment. SNAP benefits are available to Americans whose income is less than 130% of the federal poverty line, or $1,632 a month for a one-person household, or $2,215 for a two-person household in many areas. States are responsible for the day-to-day administration of the benefits, which are paid out monthly. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement JUDGES SAY EMERGENCY FUNDING CAN BE USED The USDA has said insufficient funds exist to pay full benefits to 42 million low-income Americans, as they cost $8.5 billion to $9 billion per month. The administration said the agency lacked authority to pay them until Congress passes a spending bill ending a government shutdown that began October 1. But U.S. District Judge John McConnell in Providence, at the end of a hearing held in a lawsuit by cities, nonprofits and a union, said the administration's decision to not tap $5.25 billion in contingency funds to fund November's benefits was arbitrary. "There is no doubt and it is beyond argument that irreparable harm will begin to occur if it hasn't already occurred in the terror it has caused some people about the availability of funding for food, for their family," McConnell said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He said the agency must distribute the emergency money "as soon as possible," and if the money was insufficient, the agency should determine if money from a separate fund with around $23 billion could be used. Minutes before, U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani in Boston ruled that the administration was wrong that it was legally barred from using the contingency funds to pay for SNAP benefits during the shutdown. The Boston ruling came in a lawsuit brought by 25 Democratic-led states and the District of Columbia. The judge, who like McConnell was appointed by Democratic President Barack Obama, said the "suspension of SNAP payments was based on the erroneous conclusion that the contingency funds could not be used to ensure continuation of SNAP payments." ROLLINS DISPUTES DEMOCRATS' FUNDING ARGUMENT Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The USDA's shutdown plan, released last month, had said contingency funds were available to keep funding SNAP benefits in the event Congress did not enact spending legislation that would avert the lapse in funding that began October 1. But the department last week updated its website to say no benefits would be issued on November 1, saying "the well has run dry" and prompting the filing of the lawsuits. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins on Friday morning called the argument made by Democrats in Congress and Democratic-led states that the USDA has money to spend on November SNAP benefits "a lie." Rollins said the contingency fund can only be used on SNAP benefits when money for the food aid program is appropriated and that the agency intends to use the funds to respond to natural disasters or for other emergencies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "It is a contingency fund that can only flow if the underlying appropriation is approved," Rollins told reporters, speaking on Capitol Hill alongside House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson. During a Thursday hearing, Justice Department attorney Jason Altabet warned that partial payments, unprecedented in the program's history, could be difficult, saying that officials were "legitimately scared" about whether the antiquated systems some states use could handle their distribution. "The agency thinks it would be catastrophic," he said. But both McConnell and Talwani indicated that the administration had the ability to fund SNAP benefits in full if it used its discretion to tap other funding to cover the shortfall. (Reporting by Nate Raymond in Boston and Leah Douglas in Washington; editing by Noeleen Walder, Rami Ayyub and Deepa Babington) By Nate Raymond and Leah Douglas BOSTON (Reuters) -President Donald Trump's administration cannot suspend food aid for millions of Americans during the ongoing government shutdown, two federal judges ruled on Friday, saying the government must use contingency funds to pay for the benefits. The dual rulings by judges in Massachusetts and Rhode Island came in a pair of lawsuits seeking to block the U.S. Department of Agriculture's suspension on Saturday of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits, known as SNAP or food stamps. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Democrats and Republicans in Congress have been trading blame for the prolonged shutdown, which has put SNAP benefits in jeopardy. It was not immediately clear whether the rulings mean that benefits will be paid on November 1. Both judges ordered the administration to report back to them on Monday on how it will comply with their decisions. Trump said on social media that the federal government likely does not have legal authority to pay SNAP benefits during the government shutdown, and that his lawyers are asking courts "to clarify how we can legally fund SNAP as soon as possible." "If we are given the appropriate legal direction by the Court, it will BE MY HONOR to provide the funding," Trump wrote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement SNAP benefits are available to Americans whose income is less than 130% of the federal poverty line, or $1,632 a month for a one-person household and $2,215 for a two-person household in many areas. States are responsible for the day-to-day administration of the benefits, which are paid out monthly. JUDGES SAY EMERGENCY FUNDING CAN BE USED The USDA has said insufficient funds exist to pay full benefits to 42 million low-income Americans, as they cost $8.5 billion to $9 billion per month. The administration said the agency lacked authority to pay them until Congress passes a spending bill ending a government shutdown that began October 1. But U.S. District Judge John McConnell in Providence, at the end of a hearing in a lawsuit brought by cities, nonprofit organizations and a union, said the administration's decision not to tap $5.25 billion in contingency funds to fund November benefits was arbitrary. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "There is no doubt and it is beyond argument that irreparable harm will begin to occur if it hasn't already occurred in the terror it has caused some people about the availability of funding for food, for their family," McConnell said. He said the agency must distribute the emergency money "as soon as possible," and if the money is insufficient, the agency should determine if money from a separate fund with around $23 billion could be used. Minutes earlier, U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani in Boston ruled that the administration was wrong in saying it was legally barred from using the contingency funds to pay for SNAP benefits during the shutdown. The Boston ruling came in a lawsuit brought by 25 Democratic-led states and the District of Columbia. The judge, who like McConnell was appointed by Democratic President Barack Obama, said the "suspension of SNAP payments was based on the erroneous conclusion that the contingency funds could not be used to ensure continuation of SNAP payments." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement AGRICULTURE SECRETARY DISPUTES DEMOCRATS ON FUNDING The USDA's shutdown plan, released last month, had said contingency funds were available to keep funding SNAP benefits if Congress did not enact spending legislation to avert the lapse in funding that began October 1. But the department last week updated its website to say that no benefits would be issued on November 1 and that "the well has run dry," prompting the filing of the lawsuits. Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said on Friday morning that the argument by Democrats in Congress and Democratic-led states - that the USDA has money to spend on November SNAP benefits - was a "lie." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "It is a contingency fund that can only flow if the underlying appropriation is approved," Rollins told reporters, speaking on Capitol Hill alongside House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson. During a Thursday hearing, Justice Department attorney Jason Altabet warned that partial payments, unprecedented in the program's history, could be difficult, saying that officials were "legitimately scared" about whether the antiquated systems some states use could handle their distribution. "The agency thinks it would be catastrophic," he said. Both McConnell and Talwani indicated, however, that the administration had the ability to fund SNAP benefits in full if it used its discretion to tap other funding to cover the shortfall. (Reporting by Nate Raymond in Boston and Leah Douglas in Washington; Editing by Noeleen Walder, Rami Ayyub, Deepa Babington and Edmund Klamann) The Trump administration dramatically slashed the refugee admissions cap for the new fiscal year starting this month at 7,500, the lowest on record, according to a Federal Register memo posted Thursday. The memo, dated Sept. 30, said the admissions numbers shall primarily be allocated among Afrikaners from South Africa, a white ethnic minority group that controlled South Africa during apartheid, as well as "other victims of illegal or unjust discrimination in their respective homelands." The admissions allocation focus on white Afrikaners expands on Trumps commitment in an executive order this year to resettle what he described as Afrikaner refugees escaping government-sponsored race-based discrimination, including racially discriminatory property confiscation," even as he paused refugee admissions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The new refugee cap is a dramatic shift from the Biden administration's 125,000 target for refugees and a marked decline from the record low cap of 15,000 refugees in Trump's first administration. The notice said the new ceiling "is justified by humanitarian concerns or is otherwise in the national interest." The average ceiling for refugees for both Democratic and Republican administrations has historically hovered at 95,000. The new action follows the South African-born Elon Musk's frequent criticism of the country's land ownership laws against white farmers when he was advising Trump this year in the Department of Government Efficiency. In his criticism, Musk has highlighted the passage of President Cyril Ramaphosa's Expropriation Act, which allows the government to seize private property, at times without compensation, in certain circumstances "for a public purpose or in the public interest." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Trump administration in May welcomed dozens of white South Africans to the United States as part of its resettlement effort while it barred refugees from most other countries, including Afghanistan, Sudan, the Republic of Congo and Myanmar. Trumps executive order this year also ended U.S. aid to South Africa, much of which is funneled into the countrys HIV/AIDS program, accusing the South African officials of confiscating land from minority farmers and treating certain classes of people very badly. Top Democrats on the House and Senate Judiciary committees, including Reps. Jamie Raskin of Maryland and Pramila Jayapal of Washington and Sens. Dick Durbin of Illinois and Alex Padilla of California, have criticized Trump for the move, saying the new cap was announced without consultation with Congress. This bizarre presidential determination is not only morally indefensible, it is illegal and invalid," they said in a statement Thursday. "The Administration has brazenly ignored the statutory requirement to consult with the House and Senate Judiciary Committees before setting the annual refugee admissions ceiling. That process exists to ensure that decisions of such great consequence reflect our nations values, our humanitarian commitments, and the rule of law, not the racial preferences or political whims of any one president." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment Thursday about Democrats' contention that the move was illegal. Shawn VanDiver, the president and chairman of AfghanEvac a California-based coalition that has helped Afghans resettle in the U.S. said the cap "is an unprecedented dismantling of Americas refugee program and a moral collapse that abandons the very allies who stood shoulder to shoulder with our troops." This article was originally published on NBCNews.com President Donald Trump announced that the United States would cap refugee admissions at 7,500 in the coming fiscal year, with a focus on resettling white South Africans. The historically low limit on refugees is well below the expiring ceiling of 125,000 set by former President Joe Bidens administration. The cap allows for half as many refugees as the lowest ceiling set during Trumps first term. No reason for the historically low cap was given in the notice published in the Federal Register, only saying it was justified by humanitarian concerns or is otherwise in the national interest. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement These admission numbers shall primarily be allocated among Afrikaners from South Africa, the notice read. Trump has pushed the myth of a white genocide in South Africa, promising rapid citizenship to South African farmers fleeing to the United States. Any Farmer (with family!) from South Africa, seeking to flee that country for reasons of safety, will be invited into the United States of America with a rapid pathway to Citizenship. This process will begin immediately! he wrote on Truth Social in March. Start your day with essential news from Salon. Sign up for our free morning newsletter, Crash Course. He confronted South African President Cyril Ramaphosa about the supposed genocide during an Oval Office meeting a few months later. Ramaphosa responded to the tense environment by joking about Trump accepting an airplane for Qatar. The post Trump administration restricts annual refugee admissions to historic low appeared first on Salon.com. As Americans braced Friday for SNAP benefits to expire, President Donald Trump couldnt stop bragging about his extravagant new bathroom. With less than 24 hours left to fund essential food resources 42 million Americans rely on, Trump was hard at work sharing pictures on Truth Social of the pristine white marble facility adorned with gaudy golden hardware. In a separate post, Trump explained that they were photographs of the refurbished bathroom in the Lincoln Bedroom. Highly polished, Statuary marble! he wrote. (In September, Trump reportedly took an hour to give Republican lawmakers from Florida a tour, where he showed off the new marble tiles hed selected for the floors.) Screenshot of a Truth Social post But Trump wasnt done there. With the deadline to ensure funding fast approaching, he turned his attention to his renovations at the Kennedy Center. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It is really looking good! he wrote in another post on Truth Social, touting fixes to the apparently corroded columns, rebuilt stages, fresh carpets, as well as new seats, new chairs. It is happening faster than anticipated, one of my trademarks, Trump wrote. My people are doing a really great job! We are bringing this building back to life. It was dead as a doornail, but it will soon be beautiful again! But it seems that speed is only a virtue when it comes to constructionthe president has allowed the government shutdown to stretch on for 31 days, making it the second-longest in history. A federal judge in Rhode Island issued a temporary order requiring the government to use contingency funds to pay for SNAP benefits as the shutdown continues. But just hours earlier, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins wouldnt commit to releasing SNAP funds if ordered to do so. US President Donald Trump has called for the abolition of the filibuster rule in the US Congress, in light of the ongoing government shutdown. This procedure allows a minority in the US Senate to block bills proposed by the majority, by extending the debate time and preventing a vote. "INITIATE THE 'NUCLEAR OPTION,' GET RID OF THE FILIBUSTER AND, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!" Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform late Thursday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The filibuster is a more than 100-year-old rule unique to the US Senate. According to the Senate website, it is an "action designed to prolong debate and delay or prevent a vote on a bill, resolution, amendment, or other debatable question." A filibuster can be ended by a motion of "cloture," but this requires 60 votes in the 100-member Senate. Trump's Republicans currently have 53 seats in the Senate and would need at least seven Democrat votes to declare the end of the debate and pave the way for a vote. The Democrats - whom Trump described as "stone cold 'crazy'" in his post - are aware of their position and are demanding concessions from Trump's party in return for their votes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The shutdown in the US has been going on for more than four weeks with no end in sight. Because Democrats and Republicans in the US Congress cannot agree on a federal budget, there is no basis for further funding. As a result, many government agencies and institutions have had to close or severely restrict their work. (The Center Square) With the ongoing government shutdown now entering its second month, President Donald Trump has had enough: he wants Senate Republicans to end the filibuster. Majority Leader John Thune, and Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, are doing a GREAT job, but the Democrats are Crazed Lunatics that have lost all sense of WISDOM and REALITY, Trump posted on Truth Social Thursday night. It is now time for the Republicans to play their TRUMP CARD, and go for what is called the Nuclear Option Get rid of the Filibuster, and get rid of it, NOW! he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The 60-vote threshold, applicable to almost all bills in the Senate, allowed Democrats to shut down the government Sept. 30 at midnight by withholding their votes on Republicans funding stopgap. Since then, all but three Democrats have voted 13 times against the GOP Continuing Resolution, preventing the government from reopening. They say they will continue to do so unless Republicans agree to extend the enhanced Obamacare Premium Tax Credits. Both parties at different times in the past have pursued the idea of ending the filibuster, which could be accomplished by a simple majority vote. Just a short while ago, the Democrats, while in power, fought for three years to do this, but were unable to pull it off because of Senators Joe Manchin of West Virginia and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, Trump argued. Well, now WE are in power, and if we did what we should be doing, it would IMMEDIATELY end this ridiculous, Country destroying SHUT DOWN. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But despite all the headaches its caused, the filibuster has remained, as enough lawmakers realize that such a decision will inevitably come back to bite them once their side loses the majority. Some Republican senators have already responded that they wont support ending the filibuster. The filibuster forces us to find common ground in the Senate. Power changes hands, but principles shouldnt, Sen. John Curtis, R-Utah, said on X Friday. Im a firm no on eliminating it. Trump, however, argues that if Republicans dont end it now, Democrats will once they regain congressional power and take advantage of the Republicans. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He also noted that Republicans, who hold a majority in both chambers of Congress, could speed run the Trump administrations agenda if they end the 60-vote threshold in the Senate. If the Democrats ever came back into power, which would be made easier for them if the Republicans are not using the Great Strength and Policies made available to us by ending the Filibuster, the Democrats will exercise their rights, and it will be done in the first day they take office, regardless of whether or not we do it, the president concluded. Now I want to do it in order to take advantage of the Democrats. President Trump is calling on the Senate to scrap the filibuster, so that the Republican majority can bypass Democrats and reopen the federal government. "THE CHOICE IS CLEAR INITIATE THE 'NUCLEAR OPTION,' GET RID OF THE FILIBUSTER," Trump posted Thursday night on his social media site, Truth Social. The filibuster is a long-standing tactic in the Senate to delay or block votes on legislation by keeping the debate running. It requires 60 votes in a full Senate to overcome a filibuster, giving Democrats a check on the 53-seat Republican majority that led to the start of the Oct. 1 shutdown when the new fiscal year began. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mr. Trump's call to terminate the filibuster could alter the ways the Senate and congressional dealmaking operate, with the president saying in his post that he gave a "great deal" of thought to the choice on his flight back from Asia on Thursday. "Leader Thune's position on the importance of the legislative filibuster is unchanged," Ryan Wrasse, a spokesperson for Senate Majority Leader John Thune, told CBS News in a statement. Thune has previously stated he is in favor of upholding the filibuster, saying earlier this month that it has "been a bulwark against a lot of really bad things happening to the country." The Senate adjourned on Thursday and is not schedule to meet again until Monday. Reporters ask questions as Senate Majority Leader John Thune, Republican from South Dakota, turns to enter his office at the US Capitol in Washington, D.C., on Oct. 29, 2025. With the government shutdown now on its 29th day, the standoff in Congress over spending is increasingly piling pain on the public sector, with the largest federal employees' union pressuring Senate Democrats to reopen the government. / Credit: JIM WATSON/AFP via Getty Images Mr. Trump spent the past week with foreign leaders in Malaysia, Japan and South Korea, where he met with Chinese leader Xi Jinping. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The president declared the trip a success because of a trade truce with China and foreign investment planned for American industries, but he said one question kept coming up during his time there about why did "powerful Republicans allow" the Democrats to shut down parts of the government. His call to end the filibuster came at a moment when certain senators and House Speaker Mike Johnson believed it was time for the government shutdown to come to an end. It's unclear if lawmakers will follow Mr. Trump's lead, rather than finding ways to negotiate with Democrats. From coast to coast, fallout from a shuttered federal government is hitting home: Alaskans are stockpiling moose, caribou and fish for winter, even before SNAP food aid is scheduled to shut off. Mainers are filling up their home-heating oil tanks, but waiting on the federal subsidies that are nowhere in sight. Flights are being delayed with holiday travel around the corner. Workers are going without paychecks. And Americans are getting a first glimpse of the skyrocketing health care insurance costs that are at the center of the stalemate on Capitol Hill. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "People are stressing," said Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, as food options in her state grow scarce. "We are well past time to have this behind us." While quiet talks are underway, particularly among bipartisan senators, the shutdown is not expected to end before Saturday's deadline when Americans' deep food insecurity one in eight people depend on the government to have enough to eat could become starkly apparent if federal SNAP funds run dry. Trump wants Senate Republicans to scrap the filibuster to end the government shutdown House lawmakers told their paychecks are delayed until government reopens Video shows massive damage in Jamaica from Hurricane Melissa Taking a decisive step toward implementing the Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) signed during the Advantage Assam 2.0 Investment and Infrastructure Summit, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Friday laid the foundation stone for three major projects in Sarusajai. They are Medanta Super-Speciality Hospital by Global Health Limited, Cocoon Mother and Childcare Hospital by RJ Corp Healthcare, and the Lemon Tree Premier Five-Star Hotel at a programme held at Sarusajai in Guwahati on Friday. Speaking on the occasion, CM Sarma said, "Today marks a significant day in the journey of Assam's industrial development, which will have far-reaching impact on strengthening the state's healthcare and hospitality infrastructure." Sharing information about the projects, the Chief Minister said that the projects are being set up with an investment of around Rs 800 crore under the MoUs signed during Advantage Assam 2.0 in February. "The Medanta Super-Speciality Hospital will be constructed on 3.5 acres of land, the Cocoon Mother and Childcare Hospital on 1 acre, and the Lemon Tree Premier Hotel on 1.75 acres," he said. The Chief Minister expressed his heartfelt gratitude, on behalf of the people of Assam, to Dr. Naresh Trehan of Medanta Group, Ravikant Jaipuria of RJ Corp Healthcare, and Patanjali Keswani of Lemon Tree Group for their contribution towards the state's development in the health and hospitality sectors. "The establishment of the Medanta Super-Speciality Hospital in Guwahati will set a new benchmark in delivering quality healthcare in the region. The hospital will offer advanced medical services such as robotic procedures not only for the people of Guwahati but for the entire Northeast. This hospital will generate approximately 5,000 to 7,000 direct and indirect employment opportunities in healthcare, hospitality, and allied sectors. Medanta, which already operates six successful hospitals across Gurugram, Indore, Ranchi, Lucknow, Patna, and Noida, will provide almost all major super-speciality healthcare services at its upcoming Guwahati facility," the Chief Minister said. Speaking about RJ Corp Healthcare's Cocoon Hospital, the Chief Minister noted that it has already made a remarkable contribution to the country's healthcare sector in maternity and neonatal care. "Over the past 12 years, its flagship hospital in Jaipur has treated more than 1.5 lakh patients and established itself as a leading institution for maternity and newborn care. The construction of such a modern hospital in Guwahati will ensure that the people of Assam can avail world-class healthcare services locally," he added. Referring to Lemon Tree Premier, one of India's leading hospitality brands, Dr. Sarma said that the company has been providing world-class luxurious services to business and leisure travellers for over two decades. "The upcoming five-star hotel in Guwahati will feature 300 modern rooms and 50 service apartments. With efficient, smart hospitality services and guest-centric management, Lemon Tree Premier Guwahati will set a new milestone in the state's hospitality sector," the Chief Minister stated. Dr. Sarma further stated that the State government has been working to create a new investment-friendly environment through the Advantage Assam summits. He informed that several projects announced during Advantage Assam 2.0 are already being implemented. CM Sarma also said that during Advantage Assam 2.0, several leading industrialists were invited, and each promised to set up ventures in Assam as per their business plans. Both Dr Naresh Trehan of Medanta and Ravikant Jaipuria of RJ Corp had participated in the summit and assured investments in Assam, which are now being realised. He also mentioned that under Jaipuria's leadership, PepsiCo has made multiple investments in Assam, and Barun Beverages is soon set to launch another Pepsi soft drink manufacturing unit at Goalpara. The Chief Minister said that the government has successfully projected a new image of Assam across the country. Informing that a thermal power project worth Rs 40,000 crore will soon commence in the state. He moreover said that by December, several projects, including multiple palm storage ventures worth Rs 30,000 crore, will begin, totalling investments approximately Rs 1,78,000 crore.The integrated complex comprising hospitals, a hotel, and service apartments at Sarusajai will open a new chapter for medical tourism not only in Assam but across neighbouring states and the entire Southeast Asian region. These projects will strengthen Assam's economy and usher in a new era for its healthcare sector. The Chief Minister expressed confidence that with continued industrialisation, Assam's youth will no longer need to leave the state in search of jobs in the coming years. Conveying his gratitude to Medanta Group, RJ Corp Healthcare, and Lemon Tree Group for their trust in Assam and its people, CM Sarma said he is optimistic that these projects will be completed within the next two to two-and-a-half years. He assured all investors of full cooperation and necessary support from the State government in executing their ventures. Industries and Commerce Minister Bimal Bora, Member of Parliament Bijuli Kalita Medhi, MLA Taranga Gogoi, Chief Secretary Dr Ravi Kota, Chairman and Managing Director of Medanta Hospitals Dr Naresh Trehan, Chairman of RJ Corp Healthcare Ravikant Jaipuria, Vice Chairperson of Cocoon Hospitals Divyani Jaipuria attended the event, along with several eminent personalities from different sectors. (ANI) On his way to Palm Beach Friday, President Donald Trump told reporters that he and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney still have a very good relationship following the dustup over a Ronald Reagan tariff ad aired by the government of Ontario. According to the CBC, the two leaders were seated across the table and even acknowledged each other during a toast at a dinner ahead of the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-Operation Summit on Wednesday, but appeared to have virtually nothing to say to one another in a visible demonstration of the frost thats formed over the U.S.-Canada relationship. However, Trump claimed that Carney apologized for running the ad that prompted the U.S. president to slap an additional 10% tariff on Canada as punishment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The government of Ontario ran what Trump called a fraudulent TV ad where Reagan denounced tariffs, claiming that Canada was caught red handed manipulating Reagans views of tariffs. When Trump was asked if he was resuming trade negotiations with Carney, Trump answered, No, but I have a very good relationship. I like him a lot. Trump continued: He was very nice. He apologized for what they did with the commercial because it was a false commercial. You know, it was the exact opposite. Ronald Reagan loved tariffs and they tried to make it look the other way. And he did apologize and I appreciate it. We had a great dinner, you know, with other countries as you know, and I think we have a very good relationship. Personally I think what they did was wrong, but he did apologize. The Reagan Foundation said in a statement that the Canadian ad used selective audio and video and mispresents the Presidential Radio Address from 1987. However, the ads overall message doesnt misrepresent Reagans views on tariffs, PBS News reported. Reagan said he believed that in the long-term tariffs would lead to trade wars and hurt Americans. Watch the clip above via CNN. The post Trump Claims Canada Apologized for False Reagan Commercial: Ronald Reagan Loved Tariffs first appeared on Mediaite. ABOARD AIR FORCE ONE (AP) President Donald Trump declined to say Friday whether he plans to resume underground nuclear detonation tests, as he had seemed to suggest in a social media post this week that raised concerns the U.S. would begin testing nuclear weapons for the first time in three decades. The president told reporters "Youll find out very soon, without elaborating when asked if he means to resume underground nuclear detonation tests. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth offered few details on Friday when asked about what nuclear testing the Pentagon would oversee. But he seemed to indicate to reporters that the intent was to test warheads when he said resuming testing would be pretty responsible." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump, who spoke to reporters aboard Air Force One as he headed to Florida for a weekend stay, said, Were going to do some testing and Other countries do it. If theyre going to do it, were going to but then refused to offer more details. His comments on nuclear testing have drawn confusion inside and outside the government when the president seemed to suggest in a brief post that the U.S. would resume nuclear warhead tests on an equal basis with Russia and China, whose last known tests were in the 1990s. Some of Trump's comments seemed to refer to testing missiles that would deliver a warhead, rather than the warhead itself. There has been no indication that the U.S. would start detonating warheads. The U.S. military already regularly tests its missiles that are capable of delivering a nuclear warhead, but it has not detonated the weapons since 1992. The Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban Treaty, which the U.S. signed but did not ratify, has been observed since its adoption by all countries possessing nuclear weapons, North Korea being the only exception. The Pentagon has not responded to questions. The Energy Department, which oversees the U.S. nuclear stockpile, declined to comment Friday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hegseth, speaking as he appeared at a meeting of defense ministers in Malaysia on the sidelines of a meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, said the Pentagon would work with the Energy Department. The president was clear: We need to have a credible nuclear deterrent," he said. That is the baseline of our deterrence. He said "resuming testing is a pretty responsible very responsible way to do that. And I think it makes nuclear conflict less likely. He added a few moments later: Its the right directive. Weve moving out quickly." Trump's post on nuclear tests came as Russia this week announced it had tested a new atomic-powered and nuclear-capable underwater drone and a new nuclear-powered cruise missile. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Russia responded to Trump's post by underscoring that it did not test its nuclear weapons and has abided by a global ban on nuclear testing. The Kremlin warned though, that if the U.S. resumes testing its weapons, Russia will as well an intensification that would restart Cold War-era tensions. Vice Adm. Richard Correll, Trumps nominee to lead the military command in charge of the nations nuclear arsenal, struggled to interpret the president's comments when he testified before senators during a Capitol Hill hearing Thursday, telling them, Im not reading anything into it or reading anything out of it. ___ Price reported from Washington. AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite President Donald Trump called on Senate Republicans to eliminate the filibuster amid the ongoing government shutdown. The federal government partially shut down on Oct. 1 after the Senate failed to pass a funding bill to keep the government open. Although Republicans control the Senate 53-47, 60 votes are required to invoke cloture, which ends debate on legislation before a simple up-and-down vote is taken on a bill. Sen. Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and his conference are withholding their support of the Republican funding bill until it is amended to include an extension of healthcare premium subsidies for Obamacare recipients. Republicans have refused to budge as the subsidies are set to expire on Dec. 31. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Adding to the drama is the fact that benefits under the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program commonly called food stamps are set to expire on Nov. 1. Republicans have said Democrats will be to blame if that happens. On Thursday night, Trump expressed frustration with the lack of movement in the Senate. Rather than call on Republicans to cut a deal, he demanded on Truth Social that they eliminate the filibuster: .BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT THE DEMOCRATS HAVE GONE STONE COLD CRAZY, THE CHOICE IS CLEAR INITIATE THE NUCLEAR OPTION, GET RID OF THE FILIBUSTER AND, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! In a subsequent post, Trump reiterated his demand to end the filibuster. The filibuster is not enshrined in the Constitution or in statute. Rather, it is a Senate rule that many senators revere as a sacrosanct policy that gives the minority party a say. If so inclined, Senate Republicans can change the rule via a simple majority vote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Two weeks ago, Sen. Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) was asked if the White House had urged him to consider eliminating the filibuster. Theres always a lot of swirl out there, as you know, from social media, et cetera, but no, I have not had that conversation, Thune said. Last week, Democratic Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania urged his Republican colleagues to eliminate the filibuster. On the other side of the aisle, Republican Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri has introduced a bill that would extend funding for SNAP. Schumer said Democrats would for the legislation if Thune brings it to the floor, but Thune has so far declined to do so. The post Trump Demands Senate Republicans Use the NUCLEAR OPTION and GET RID OF THE FILIBUSTER first appeared on Mediaite. Welcome back, Deadline: Legal Newsletter readers. When we left off last week, we were awaiting a Supreme Court ruling on President Donald Trumps bid to deploy the National Guard in Chicago. We learned this week why that ruling hasnt come yet and likely wont come until late November. In the meantime, the administrations authoritarian tactics came into focus on multiple legal fronts. In the Guard litigation, the justices issued an order Wednesday that didnt decide the case but instead asked for more briefing. The upshot is that a lower court order blocking deployment in Illinois is still intact, and the fact that the high court didnt immediately lift it could be a good sign for Illinois. But well have to see what the justices do after the new briefing is completed Nov. 17. The administration argues that the president has unreviewable discretion to deploy troops. Turning away from SCOTUS for now, lower court developments underscored the administrations autocratic approach. One example came in the case of Taylor Taranto, whose Jan. 6 charges were dismissed by Trumps Day 1 clemency order, but he still faced sentencing for other charges stemming from his actions two years later. Two Justice Department prosecutors were suspended after they filed a sentencing memo stating the plain facts that a mob of rioters attacked the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, and that Trump factored into the lead-up to Tarantos 2023 crimes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump is relevant to the 2023 case because in June of that year, he shared online a purported street address for former President Barack Obamas home in Washington, after which Taranto reposted the address and was arrested nearby. He was convicted of firearms and ammunition charges, as well as spreading a false bomb threat hoax. On top of putting the two prosecutors on leave, the DOJ withdrew the memo from the court docket and said it was entered in error. Then two new prosecutors came in and filed a new memo without the Jan. 6 or Trump references. Of course, the attempt to erase history backfires, because it necessarily leads us to reassert that Trump lost the 2020 election to Joe Biden and then sicced a mob on the Capitol, where Congress was certifying the results of the election he lost. Apparently, the Trump DOJs policy is to avoid mentioning that day entirely, and to otherwise airbrush any embarrassing facts about the president from its legal filings. The judge presiding over Tarantos case, Trump appointee Carl Nichols, told the government to file a memo explaining why it thinks the initial one should be sealed. Well see what the new prosecutors say. Elsewhere on the autocratic front, scholars of global authoritarianism weighed in on James Comeys indictment by Trump-installed prosecutor Lindsey Halligan. They arent the usual suspects to appear on a criminal court docket. But they wrote to the judge overseeing the former FBI directors case to warn that it mirrors many of the features of politicized prosecutions in the countries they study namely Hungary, Turkey and Venezuela. Urging dismissal of the indictment, they argued that its essential to view the case in the larger context of how politicized prosecutions are used in autocracies and backsliding democracies and the risks that even one such prosecution poses. Meanwhile, the president still has his own criminal litigation, which we were reminded of this week with his appeal in the hush money case. Its the only one of his four prosecutions that went to trial before he won the 2024 election. (His two federal cases vanished because of the DOJs policy against prosecuting sitting presidents, and the Georgia state case is in limbo.) In their brief to New Yorks intermediate state court, Trumps lawyers argued that prosecutors wrongly convicted him using evidence of his official presidential acts, in violation of the Supreme Courts immunity ruling. The justices could have the final word on whether their immunity decision upends the hush money verdict, but it could take a while for the case to get to them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its just a few days until the Trump tariffs case gets a high court hearing Wednesday, when the justices will yet again confront the scope of the presidents power. He said he might attend the hearing himself at the court, which remains closed to the public because of the government shutdown. Have any questions or comments for me? Please submit them through this form for a chance to be featured in the Deadline: Legal Blog and newsletter. This article was originally published on MSNBC.com In early October, the West Hartford GOP was asked on Facebook how Republicans in town differed from the Republicans running the federal government. "Why would we want to differ from success?" the Facebook account replied. In a staunchly blue town, local Democrats pounced on the comment. The next day, they published a post on their website calling out their Republican counterparts for endorsing "the chaos of Washington," and for "calling shutdowns, Medicaid cuts, and attacks on health care a 'success.'" Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Some may argue that national politics don't reflect what happens at the municipal level, but this is proof that they do," the West Hartford Democrats wrote. "When local leaders proudly align themselves with a national party defined by dysfunction and disregard for working people, those same values inevitably shape their approach to local decisions." The exchange said a lot about politics in the Donald Trump era. Though Connecticut's Nov. 4 elections are strictly municipal - that means mayors, selectmen, board of education members, etc. - in many communities national politics have seeped into campaigns, to the point where sentiment toward Trump could conceivably affect race results. In liberal communities like West Hartford, Democrats say issues like affordability, immigration and public services are as relevant at town hall as they are in the White House and that voters frustrated with Trump shouldn't reward Republicans who might share his values. Ben Proto, chairman of the Connecticut Republican Party, doesn't see it that way. He argues voters should choose the local leaders who will run their towns most efficiently, regardless of what they may think about Trump and his policies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I know Democrats are trying very hard to nationalize local elections, but at the end of the day, local elections are about what's going on in people's towns and cities," Proto said. "Where are we with property taxes? Is our trash getting picked up? Are our roads getting plowed? Are the police and fire responsive? Are our parks clean?" Scott McLean, a political science professor at Quinnipiac University, agrees with Proto that local races tend to hinge on local issues, driven by a small number of highly informed voters. Yet at a time when the federal government has been shut down for a month and federal food assistance benefits are about to disappear, he acknowledges the link between the local and the national. "This is hitting local communities all across Connecticut," McLean said. "Whether you're a Republican-dominated town or a Democratic town, these issues all apply, and local officials are going to be dealing with the aftershocks." 'You can't help but hear it at the doors' Nancy Neff, an unaffiliated candidate campaigning for the position of library trustee in the small town of Ashford, says she hadn't considered running for office until Trump was elected last fall. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Never crossed my mind," Neff, 73, said. "I would never have thought of that." But Neff was upset by the Trump administration's flood of executive orders and heard from activists that running for local office was one way to push back. She chose library trustee because she wanted to make sure Ashford's library remained welcoming for everyone in her community, collecting the signatures necessary to secure a spot on the ballot. "I don't know what's gotten into me," said Neff, who chose to run as unaffiliated in an attempt to bring together Democrats and Republicans. "But something needs to be done." Neff isn't alone. The liberal non-profit Run For Something reported in April that 40,000 people had reached out since Election Day last November to inquire about running for office, with spikes corresponding with major developments in national politics. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Roberto Alves, who is both chairman of the Connecticut Democratic Party and the incumbent mayor of Danbury currently running for reelection, said it makes sense that passionate, energized anti-Trump candidates and voters would step up to oppose him at all levels. "Look at the 'No Kings' rally, with thousands and thousands of people in Connecticut more engaged than they've ever been before," Alves said. "Then folks are also seeing what's happening with SNAP cuts and the stalling of the federal government." Alves said he tries to keep his own mayoral campaign focused on local Danbury issues but that he hears about Trump frequently when canvassing. "We're not bringing it up, but you can't help but hear it at the doors," he said. "People are bringing it up to you." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In some cases, the connections between national and local are tenuous, but in others they're hard to ignore. In New Haven, for example, incumbent Mayor Justin Elicker's lawsuits against the Trump administration have become an election issue, with Republican challenger Steve Orosco arguing the mayor's approach "might make sense politically in a Democratic city as a symbolic stance against federal policy, but it doesn't fix potholes or pay police officers." Elicker, in turn, has stressed the importance of protecting residents from the Trump administration, which has labeled New Haven a "sanctuary city" and threatened to withhold funding if the city won't cooperate with federal immigration authorities. Alves argues choosing between Democrats and Republicans across any level of elections is often a statement of values and that a voter might support Democrats in municipal elections for the same reasons they'd choose Democrats in national ones. "It's not just a 'D' (next to) my name, it's the fact that I'm a human who cares about other humans, and I do believe government is here and can help and is part of the solution," he said. 'Local races are about local issues' To make his point about national and local elections, Proto cites a quote often attributed to former New York City Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia: "There is no Democratic or Republican way to pick up the trash." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In other words, the Republican chairman argues, municipal politics are ultimately about what's going on in a given town or city. "So you don't like Donald Trump, what does that have to do with whether or not your roads are getting plowed and your trash is getting picked up and your police and fire and EMS are responding?" Proto said. It makes sense, of course, that Democrats in Connecticut would try to tie local politics to national politics while Republicans would argue that they're largely separate. Connecticut voted 56-42 for Democrat Kamala Harris in last fall's election, and Democrats have also dominated state-level elections in recent years. For Republicans to win key municipal elections, whether in cities like Danbury and New Britain or in the state's increasingly blue suburbs, they need some number of avowed Democrats to vote Republican. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Are there going to be people who are going to go vote because they don't like Trump or they do like Trump? I guess there will be," Proto said. "But I think, at the end of the day, local races are about local issues." McClean, the Quinnipiac political scientist, also doubts voters are casting ballots for first selectman based on their opinion of the president. Whereas national and even statewide elections attract large numbers of voters, including some who only vaguely pay attention to politics, municipal elections typically draw the diehards, who have genuine opinions on mill rates and school system budgets and other local issues. On Nov. 4, McClean believes, Connecticut voters will choose who they want as mayors and selectmen, not who they want as a president. "As much as we're all focused on what is happening at the federal government with the shutdown and everything else that's going on, I think the fundamentals still hold," McLean said. "Voters in local elections are looking at local issues and local candidates." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Includes prior reporting from staff writers Brian Zahn and Michael Walsh. This article originally published at The Trump Effect: How national politics are reshaping Connecticut's local elections. Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker mocked Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem ahead of Halloween, saying she must love the occasion because she always dresses in law enforcement costumes. Pritzker on Thursday reacted to Noem rejecting his request to suspend DHSs Operation Midway Blitz for Halloween weekend, in which Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Border Patrol agents have used at times controversial tactics in Chicago. Gregory Bovino, the Border Patrol commander there, has been accused of throwing a tear gas canister into a crowd without justification. DHS denies the allegations. We know Kristi Noem must love Halloween because she always dresses in law enforcement costumes, but what is truly shameful is that she refuses to agree that we shouldnt tear gas children trick or treating, Pritzker, 60, wrote on X. We know Kristi Noem must love Halloween because she always dresses in law enforcement costumes, but what is truly shameful is that she refuses to agree that we shouldnt tear gas children trick or treating. https://t.co/RVzWsSf16M JB Pritzker (@JBPritzker) October 30, 2025 In a statement to the Daily Beast, DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said Pritzker is going out of his way to smear the law enforcement officers of DHS, who are attempting to clean up the rampant crime he facilitated. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He is pushing a false narrative that DHS is targeting schools, hospitals, and churches. This is false, he knows this, but he continues to push these lies, McLaughlin added. Our officers are facing mass assaults, vehicles used as weapons, violence and only use crowd control methods as a last resort when repeated warnings have been given. Those who are here legally and are not breaking other laws have nothing to fear. Elected officials choosing to fearmonger by distorting reality are doing a great disservice to our country and are responsible for the nearly 1,000% increase in assaults and 8,000% increase in violent threats against ICE officers. As for Noems costumes, the examples are plenty. In March, Noem participated in a firefighting drill with a training helicopter during a tour of U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak in Alaska. / ALEX BRANDON / POOL/AFP via Getty Images Noem helped fly an HC-130J during an aerial tour at Alaska's U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Kodiak in March. / ALEX BRANDON / POOL/AFP via Getty Images Since taking office in January, the former South Dakota governor has taken on the role of firefighter, boat and helicopter pilot, ICE agent, and Customs and Border Protection officer. During one trip to the U.S.-Mexico border, Noemwearing an ICE vestwas mocked for seemingly pointing a gun at an officers head. Noem piloted an Over the Horizon Small Boat in May. / ALEX BRANDON / POOL/AFP via Getty Images Yet the DHS leader has defended her various apparel choices. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I will tell you that I oversee 26 different components of the Department of Homeland Security, and they are so proud of the fact that Im willing to wear an ICE hat, that Im willing to wear an HSI vest, that Im willing to go into there and wear something and be proud of them and the work that they do, she told Fox News in April. They didnt have that with the last leadership team. Noem visited the Customs and Border Protection Tucson field office in March, wearing a CPB hat and jacket. / ALEX BRANDON / POOL/AFP via Getty Images Noem rides a horse during a visit to Campo De Mayo Military Base on July 28, 2025 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. / Alex Brandon-Pool/Getty Images Noem, 53, has made stylized public appearances outside of the country as well. In May, when not visiting U.S. troops in the Middle East and meeting with Israeli officials, she was donning a headscarf and aviators during camel rides. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) is thanking President Donald Trump for pushing her plea forward on how to unilaterally end the ongoing government shutdown. In separate posts on social media, Trump late Thursday instructed congressional Republicans to eliminate the Senate filibuster a move that GOP leadership has opposed as the shutdown has stretched into a monthlong stalemate, despite previous calls from Greene. .BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT THE DEMOCRATS HAVE GONE STONE COLD CRAZY, THE CHOICE IS CLEAR INITIATE THE NUCLEAR OPTION, GET RID OF THE FILIBUSTER AND, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!" Trump said in one post. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The call to action comes as the shutdown has already surpassed the second-longest mark in modern U.S. history, with no end to the partisan standoff in sight. It also could increase pressure on Republican leaders, who have so far stood against ending the 60-vote threshold to pass legislation. Greene, during the early days of the funding lapse, had previously outlined what youre not being told about the government shutdown in a post on X earlier this month. Like Trump, the firebrand three-term lawmaker urged the GOP to impose the nuclear option a procedural maneuver which would override the threshold needed to pass a bill with a simple majority. And as far as worrying that using the nuclear option would damage partisan relations, lets be real, that ship has sailed a long time ago, Greene wrote. There are no partisan relations. She added: Instead, Republicans need to learn how to weld power when they have it and govern. On the government shutdown, heres what youre not being told. If Republican Senators wanted to pass the CR and reopen the government they could, by using the nuclear option to override the 60 vote rule and pass the CR with a simple majority vote. We have 53 R Senators. This is pic.twitter.com/8IJsBPP3MJ Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (@RepMTG) October 3, 2025 Greene on Thursday went on to applaud Trumps sudden directive, writing in a post that This is what I called for from the very beginning. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Enough of the drama, Greene said on X. Stop forcing people to suffer and LEAD the country!! Thank you Pres Trump! This is what I called for from the very beginning. Since Democrats REFUSE to fund the government, Senate Republicans need to use the nuclear option and override the filibuster!! Enough of the drama. Stop forcing people to suffer and LEAD the country!! pic.twitter.com/VY23NglLyi Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (@RepMTG) October 31, 2025 Greene, who rose to prominence as a staunch MAGA loyalist, has recently drawn the ire of several notable Republican legislators and MAGA world after breaking from the GOP platform on several issues. The Georgia congresswoman recently became one of only a handful of Republicans to sign a House discharge petition in September, which would compel the Justice Department to release all government files related to the investigation into late disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein. She has also called the war in Gaza a genocide while denouncing Israels military actions, asking earlier this week if the country had committed war crimes following strikes during the ceasefire. Amid the current shutdown, Greene has formed a surprising alliance with Democrats as they have attempted to push their own measure forward to include an extension of expiring Obamacare subsidies. Republicans have separately looked to pass a stopgap bill that would fund the government until late November. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I said I have no respect for the House not being in session passing our bills and the Presidents executive orders, Greene wrote on X on Tuesday. And I demanded to know from Speaker [Mike] Johnson what the Republican plan for health care is. Read the original article on NJ.com. Add NJ.com as a Preferred Source by clicking here. (The Center Square) Former U.S. National Security Adviser Robert OBrien sharply criticized Irelands growing political split from the United States and its deepening ties to China in a new policy paper from the London-based think tank Policy Exchange. In the foreword to the report Peak Ireland? Irelands Diplomatic Challenges and the Lessons for the UK, OBrien said the Trump administration and the American people expect better burden sharing from our allies and partners. Much of Europe is stepping up but Ireland contributes almost nothing to the defence of the Atlantic and European regions from which it benefits so much, OBrien wrote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He accused Ireland of using its neutrality as a shield while pursuing policies that run counter to U.S. interests. Despite its professed neutrality, Ireland pursues an increasingly activist foreign policy that is marked by its divergence from everything the Trump administration stands for, particularly in the Middle East, OBrien said. Ireland is at the forefront of allegations of genocide against Israel and is historically among the most hostile nations towards Israel in the Western world. Meanwhile, just as it seeks US investment, it cozies up to China with apparently no concern for Chinas human rights record. OBrien also criticized Irelands low corporate tax regime, saying it has gained a huge advantage for its own economy by offering sweetheart tax deals for American tech and pharmaceutical companies to leave our shores for theirs. The Policy Exchange report, written by researcher Harry Halem, argues that Irelands alignment with Washington has eroded as it enjoys favorable tax treatment from U.S. corporations while opposing American foreign policy positions. The study warns that the United Kingdom should avoid Dublins mistakes as the Trump administration seeks more reciprocal diplomacy with allies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ireland has long enjoyed a privileged status in Washington, DC, OBrien said. But in an era in which the United States under President Trump is seeking to put the American interest first, the U.S. relationship with Ireland is coming under unprecedented scrutiny. The report also links the issue to domestic politics in Ireland, noting that newly elected Irish President Catherine Connolly has previously said the country certainly cannot trust the United States, France, and the United Kingdom and accused them of being deeply entrenched in an arms industry which causes bloodshed across the world. She also said Hamas is part of the fabric of the Palestinian people. The report concludes that Dublins freeloading on defense spending and activist diplomacy could strain U.S.-Irish relations further under a second Trump administration. The full Policy Exchange report can be read here. The Governor paid tribute to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on his 150th birth anniversary, recalling his life as an inspiration of self-confidence and service to the nation. He commended the university family for leading dedicated efforts in raising the institution to global standards while remaining rooted in Indian values. He expressed happiness that three of the university's faculty members have been ranked among the top two per cent of scientists globally by Stanford University. Governor Acharya highlighted the significance of the National Education Policy 2020 and appreciated the state's leading role in its implementation. He said education must be globally relevant and locally connected, and urged students to apply their inherent and acquired knowledge for the betterment of society. He urged the students to remain curious, adaptable, and compassionate, and render service to society, making society worth living in. Referring to the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to make India a developed nation by 2047, the Governor called upon the youth to contribute with determination, talent, and innovation. Acharya congratulated the 1,967 graduates and 32 PhD scholars, stating that their degree symbolises both achievement and responsibility. He said, "You are the nation-builders of tomorrow, and your success will be truly meaningful when it uplifts your society and your nation." Acharya also conferred the honorary degree to Naresh Trehan, Sanjiv Goenka, Yeshe Dorje Thongchi, and Mahesh Agarwal for their spirit of excellence and service to the nation. The program was attended by Minister for Industries and Commerce Bimal Bora, MP and eminent orator, Sudhanshu Trivedi, MP Kamakhya Prasad Tasa, Chancellor of the University, AK Pansari, Vice-Chancellor, Prof AK Budhagohain, along with a host of other dignitaries. (ANI) The U.N. human rights chief has taken the unprecedented step of condemning Americas military strikes on boats in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific Ocean, accusing the U.S. of violating international law. The Trump administration has committed 14 known strikes on small boats in the two regions over the last two months, killing at least 61 people. Volker Turk, the U.N. high commissioner for human rights, issued the critiquethe first of its kindFriday, calling for a prompt, independent, and transparent investigation into the strikes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement These attacks and their mounting human cost are unacceptable, Turk said, as relayed by spokeswoman Ravina Shamdasani. The U.S. must halt such attacks and take all measures necessary to prevent the extrajudicial killing of people aboard these boats. Shamdasani added that Turk believed airstrikes by the United States of America on boats in the Caribbean and in the Pacific violate international human rights law. The White House has insisted the violence is justified, broadly accusing the boats of trafficking narcotics to the U.S. from Venezuela and Colombia, though U.S. lawmakers have been more than skepticalparticularly since several of the boats were thousands of miles away in international waters, and since the attacks were conducted without prior investigations or interdiction. On Thursday, Democratic Representative Sara Jacobs revealed Pentagon officials werent even concerned with identifying the people on the boats before attacking. Trump has blamed the attacks on Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro, who has remained atop the countrys government despite Trumps forceful attempts in 2019 to install thenopposition leader Juan Guaido. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Last week, the Pentagon announced it would deploy the worlds largest warshipthe USS Gerald R. Fordto Latin America in an effort to ramp up the military firepower available for fighting the small watercraft. But the escalation has only further strained Americas relationship with its Latin American neighbors. In an address to his country late last week, Maduro accused the U.S. of fabricating a new eternal war. After the government had been shut down for nearly a month, a conspicuously quiet President Donald Trump finally weighed in with a prescription for how to end it. Republican congressional leaders are probably wishing he hadnt. Trump late Thursday night urged Republicans to end the shutdown by invoking the so-called nuclear option that is, getting rid of the filibuster and 60-vote threshold in the Senate. This would allow Republicans to pass things on party-line votes in the GOP-controlled Senate. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT THE DEMOCRATS HAVE GONE STONE COLD CRAZY, THE CHOICE IS CLEAR INITIATE THE NUCLEAR OPTION, GET RID OF THE FILIBUSTER AND, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! Trump wrote on Truth Social. That Trump would call for this is not terribly surprising; he has spent years occasionally urging Republican leaders to scrap the filibuster. Nor is it particularly likely to provide an actual offramp in the shutdown; those same GOP leaders have steadfastly declined Trumps entreaties before and rejected this idea repeatedly in recent weeks. Its not even clear whether enough senators would vote for such a change if GOP leaders went along with it. So practically speaking, its a pointless interjection from the president. But it does matter in one way: Its Trump yet again inserting himself into these kinds of talks in ways that are thoroughly unhelpful to his party. And this has become a trend. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The reason its unhelpful in this case is that it legitimizes Democrats talking point that Republicans could end this shutdown any time they want to. And that could make it harder for Republicans to shake the blame theyve been saddled with. Its been pretty remarkable how much Americans have continued to blame Republicans more than Democrats for the shutdown, despite it being Democrats who are seeking the concession (i.e. an extension of the enhanced Obamacare subsidies). A Washington Post-ABC News poll released Thursday showed 45% of Americans mainly blamed Trump and the GOP, versus 33% who held Democrats responsible. To be clear, the idea that Republicans could end the shutdown anytime they want is a vastly oversimplified talking point. Yes, all they need is a majority of the Senate to nuke the filibuster. But there are myriad reasons to avoid invoking that nuclear option. And Republican leaders have pointed to them for weeks specifically invoking what they fear Democrats could do without that 60-vote threshold if they regain control of the chamber. Senate Majority Leader John Thune earlier this month called the filibuster a bulwark against a lot of really bad things happening to the country. (His spokesperson on Friday said the leaders position is unchanged.) Fellow Senate GOP leader John Barrasso of Wyoming argued that nixing the filibuster would ultimately allow Democrats to make Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia into states, with two senators apiece, and to pack the Supreme Court. House Speaker Mike Johnson has said it would mean there would be no stumbling blocks or hurdles at all in the way of turning us into a communist country. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But Trump is now legitimizing blaming his own party for the shutdown because they wont have done the thing he told them to do. And if youre a Republican in Congress, youve probably got deja vu about now. Thats because Trump does stuff like this a lot especially during shutdown debates. In early 2018, Trump contradicted his own spokeswomans statement of support for a short-term continuing resolution, making a late demand to scrap an extension of the Childrens Health Insurance Program. Trump then pulled another 11th-hour shift a few weeks later, demanding immigration concessions that hadnt previously been a focal point of leaders efforts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Before he was sworn in to his second term in January, Trump and Elon Musk combined in December to play the role of legislative arsonists again. GOP leaders had negotiated a bipartisan deal to avert a shutdown. But then Musk started waging war against it on X. Trump then joined him and threw another wrench in the cogs, suddenly demanding a debt ceiling increase that hadnt really been a part of discussions. Trump has regularly given congressional Republicans fits in these situations so much so that theyll occasionally acknowledge their frustrations publicly. Then-Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell in early 2018 practically pleaded with Trump to engage in the process and provide some direction. As soon as we figure out what he is for, then I would be convinced that we were not just spinning our wheels, the Kentucky Republican said at the time. After Trump threw a late grenade in the process in December, Sen. Kevin Cramer said he was very frustrated. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When CNNs Manu Raju asked the North Dakota Republican if he wished Trump had signaled his demands earlier, Cramer responded dryly: Yeah, I mean, maybe he hadnt thought about it until just today. But yeah, that would have been very helpful. None of this means Trumps late entry into this shutdown debate is a game-changer. Perhaps GOP leaders will get through to Trump that this strategy isnt particularly helpful as they appear to have with other Republicans who occasionally suggested this route and hell drop it. But his late-night social media demand has at the very least put Republicans in the uncomfortable position of explaining why they dont attempt to do the thing that is technically in their power to end the shutdown. And were already seeing Republicans try and massage this issue away. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What youre seeing is an expression of the presidents anger at the situation, Johnson said Friday. Perhaps, but most presidents dont lash out and kneecap their sides negotiating power just because they get frustrated. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Rep. Clay Higgins (R-La.) is facing pushback online after weighing in on a looming funding lapse tied to federal food assistance. Around 42 million people, or about one in eight Americans, may face disruptions to their Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits starting Saturday unless Congress or President Donald Trumps administration propose funding for the program amid the ongoing federal government shutdown. The program which provides money for low-income families to help them purchase nutritious groceries may receive a lifeline, though, as soon as Friday, as a federal judge signaled she will likely order officials to partially fund food assistance across states, potentially preventing a complete cutoff of benefits in November. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a post on X, Higgins said that 22 million U.S. households enrolled in SNAP receive around $4,200 per year on average to buy groceries, asking his audience to Try to get your head wrapped around how many pantries you can stock with $4200 dollars in properly shopped groceries. Any American who has been receiving $4200 dollars per year of free groceries and does NOT have at least 1 month of groceries stocked should never again receive SNAP, because wow, stop smoking crack, Higgins continued. The post was met with immediate scrutiny on social media, with many asking how much Higgins overall pays for groceries. Sarah Stogner, a Republican district attorney in Texas, responded: Way to play to old stereotypes. How much do you spend annually on food? I bet you have no idea. When was the last time you personally did the grocery shopping for your family? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bruno Pereira, the chair of New Jerseys Libertarian Party, said that Higgins should be ashamed. During COVID I was spending $200 a week for baby formula. Thats over $10,000 a year. So what the hell are you talking about $4200, as if it is alot? Pereira asked. When was the last time you went grocery shopping? Completely and absolutely out of touch. Another user wrote: 8 million seniors. 1.2 million veterans. The U.S. Department of Agriculture, which oversees SNAP, announced in a memo last week that it will not tap into its roughly $5 billion contingency fund to cover next months benefits, while states that decide to pay for the cost will not be reimbursed. The agency claimed that contingency funds are not legally available to cover regular benefits while Democratic lawmakers and several advocacy groups believe the agency should use the fund for partial benefits. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Officials from 25 states, including New Jersey, and the District of Columbia sued the Trump administration earlier this week, arguing against what they described as the unlawful suspension of SNAP funding. Meanwhile, Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) has put forth a bill, titled Keep SNAP Funded Act of 2025, which calls on the USDA and the Treasury Department to fund the program until the shutdown ends. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said that Democrats would overwhelmingly vote for the measure if it is brought to the floor although GOP leadership has not signaled full support for it. During a press conference on Friday, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said her message to Americans is that your government is failing you right now. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) added: When she says we have failed you, she means, we, the Democrats. Read the original article on NJ.com. Add NJ.com as a Preferred Source by clicking here. California Governor Gavin Newsom (D) went off on President Donald Trumps nuclear testing announcement in an upcoming interview with Meet the Press. During an interview with Kristen Welker for NBC News Meet the Press ,Newsom was asked about Trump announcing the United States would resume nuclear testing for the first time in more than 30 years. Do you think President Trump would actually use a nuclear weapon? Welker asked Newsom. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Newsom called Trump historically weak and said the move is simply him masquerading in strength. The governor argued: He doesnt even know he said the Pentagon should do it. Wake up, Mr. President. I know he may have jet lag. Its the Department of Energy. He doesnt even know which agency is responsible for that. He may want to learn about computational capacity at the Department of Energy to test this technology. And may want to look back at the record books, to your point, 1992 since the last time we did look, this is weakness masquerading in strength. This is classic Trump and Trumpism. This guy is historically weak and these are acts of a weak person that is trying to appear strong. He has it has the form and substance of fog. Newsom added that he was embarrassed recently watching Trump with China President Xi Jinping. Trump left a meeting with Chinas leader this week and rated it a 12 out of 10. The meeting came amidst trade war tensions and ended with China pausing its new restrictions on rare earth minerals while Trump will cut down on tariffs against the country. I was embarrassed. I was humiliated watching the President of the United States in front of Xi. Were good. And I mean, he was negotiating away this country in the first five minutes of the photo op. He came back with nothing. He got played by President Xi, Newsom said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Welker returned back to topic of nuclear weapons and whether Trump would ever use one. Just to go back to my question though, do you think he would actually use a nuclear weapon, Governor? she asked. Newsom chalked up Trumps nuclear talk to him being performative. No, you know, its interesting. Ive had one or two private conversations with him where he actually calmed me a little bit talking about nuclear weapons, the governor said. So I dont believe that its rabble its again, hes trying to masquerade as a patriot, trying to masquerade, hes trying to overcompensate, to be a tough guy. The only guy whos been doing this is Kim Jong Un. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump announced the nuclear testing due to countries like Russia and China. Russia is second, and China is a distant third, but will be even within 5 years, he wrote on Truth Social. Because of other countries testing programs, I have instructed the Department of War to start testing our Nuclear Weapons on an equal basis. That process will begin immediately. Watch above via NBCs Meet the Press with Kristen Welker. The post Trumps Move to Resume Nuke Testing Is Weakness Masquerading in Strength, Newsom Tells Meet the Press first appeared on Mediaite. As Kristen Moreland waited for the livestream to buffer, her thoughts drifted to the years shed devoted to defending Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, the northeastern sweep of Alaska where the mountains give way to the coastal plain. On screen, the chatter of aides stilled as men in dark suits gathered behind a lectern. Then Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum announced plans to open the area, roughly the size of South Carolina, to drilling. It marked another round in the decades-long tug-of-war over developing one of the countrys largest remaining protected areas an effort that came to a head during President Donald Trumps first term, and ground to a halt when President Joe Biden took office. Burgum also restored seven oil and gas leases that a state-funded corporation bid on during the final days of the first Trump administration, and that his successor later revoked. Moreland, a Gwichin leader and executive director of the tribal committee dedicated to protecting the Nations sacred coastal plain, sat stunned as the YouTube stream continued. The place she grew up where generations have lived on the tundra alongside the caribou, weaving their history into the land had been reduced to a line item on someones balance sheet. When Burgum said opening the refuge would benefit northern communities, it felt like a slap in the face, she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theyve never reached out to us to listen to how this would affect our livelihood, she said. Moreland fears development will drive the herd that the Gwichin rely on out of range and contaminate rivers in a region where hunting and fishing are a matter of survival. For her, it felt like erasure. Its another disrespectful action from decision-makers, she said. It ignores our voice as Gwichin and violates our rights as Indigenous people. As the fight over development in the Arctic continues, federal officials are racing to fulfill Trumps energy dominance agenda. Though the government is shut down and many employees are not getting paid, officials continue approving permits for extractive industries. In a wood-paneled Beltway office, Burgum framed his sweeping package of actions as a declaration that Alaska is open for business. To that end, the administration also signed permits for the controversial 211-mile Ambler Road to mineral deposits, including one owned by Trilogy Metals which the Trump administration now holds a 10 percent stake in and authorized a land exchange that will allow for construction of a road through Izembek National Wildlife Refuge, at the tip of the Alaskan Peninsula. I told the president its like Christmas every morning, Republican Governor Mike Dunleavy said. I wake up, I go to look at whats under the proverbial Christmas tree to see whats happening. Last weeks announcement may not end up being the gift the governor is hoping for. The fight over drilling in the refuge began almost as soon as President Dwight D. Eisenhower established the site, once called Arctic National Wildlife Range, in 1960. The most recent volley began in 2017, when Trump signed a tax bill requiring two oil and gas lease sales there within seven years. When the first sale was held in 2021, the state corporation Alaska Industrial Development and Export Authority, or AIDEA, was the only major bidder. It hoped to keep drilling prospects in the region alive, despite weak industry interest. The sale ultimately generated less than $12 million a fraction of the nearly $2 billion projected by the Tax Act for the last decade. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Biden administration later found the leasing programs environmental review inadequate. It conducted a new analysis, then canceled the leases in 2023, citing fundamental legal deficiencies and its failure to properly quantify greenhouse gas emissions. The second mandated sale, in early 2025, received no bidders. Compounding the challenge, major banks and insurers have refused to finance or underwrite projects in the refuge, citing environmental risks. Oil majors have also steered clear: In 2022, Chevron and the company that took over BPs leases on private land within the refuge paid $10 million to walk away from them. That same year, Exxon Mobil told shareholders it has no plans for exploration or development there. Still, this spring Trump issued an executive order calling for the reinstatement of AIDEAs leases, and a federal court ruled that their cancellation was handled improperly. The state-funded investment firm remains the sole holder of leases in the refuge. The problem is AIDEA doesnt have the capital or technical expertise to build out these areas on its own. It has authorized spending nearly $54 million to develop them and move permitting for Ambler Road forward. That includes hiring consultants for seismic testing to map oil and gas deposits. But first it must get permission from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to harass polar bears, something that has sparked viral protests in the past. AIDEA authorized another $50 million for Ambler following Burgums announcement. Ultimately, the state corporation is spending public money on infrastructure that private firms would normally fund, while sidestepping oversight, said Suzanne Bostrom, a senior staff attorney at Trustees for Alaska. The watchdog legal organization accused AIDEA of having redirected money toward refuge leases and Ambler from accounts within its Arctic Infrastructure Development Fund, and later its Revolving Fund, to avoid the need for legislative approval. Randy Ruaro, AIDEAs executive director, wrote in an email that it was not legally required to seek authorization. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement All of that aside, AIDEAs track record is pretty grim. Financial records suggest the corporation lost at least $38 million on its last oil and gas venture, the Mustang field on the North Slope west of the refuge. After oil prices fell in 2020, the corporation foreclosed on the project. The state provided another $22 million in a 2023 bailout before AIDEA sold the field for an undisclosed sum. Bostrom says AIDEA has no actual plan for seeing a return on its spending in the refuge. In fact, the people of Alaska often lose money in its deals; one analysis found that almost half of the agencys investments have been written off as worthless. The economists who crunched those numbers found the state would have come out about $11 billion ahead if that money had been put to work elsewhere. In an email, Ruaro called the analysis a hit piece and said the corporation has recorded its best financial performance in six decades over the past two years. He said that analysis failed to account for the billions of dollars generated in economic benefits by the Red Dog Mine, which produces lead and zinc in northwest Alaska. The corporation poured $160 million about one-third of the projects startup costs into infrastructure to support the operation. At the same time, AIDEAs own consultants concluded that the mine would be built regardless, and the investment was unnecessary. AIDEA loves to point to the Red Dog mine as a shining example of their success, Bostrom said, but even taking those claims at face-value doesnt erase that AIDEA still has no viable financial plan in place to cover the cost of building the Ambler Road. Ultimately, any plans for the refuge and Ambler Road which the Bureau of Land Management has said would harm Indigenous and low-income communities raise questions about who benefits from such development. AIDEA has, for example, proposed financing the private Ambler road through Gates of the Arctic National Park with bonds repaid by tolls, a plan critics call unrealistic, given the cost could hit $2 billion. Its hugely problematic for the state to issue bonds with no viable plan for repayment, Bostrom said. Thats not a good investment decision. But Ruaro wrote that is only one of several options, and that he is confident the mines have billions of dollars in minerals needed by the nation. He also said AIDEA now estimates the cost at $500 to $850 million, and said the road can be built in phases. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Even with prudent financial strategies, the economics of extraction remain precarious especially as domestic oil prices dropped below $60 a barrel this summer. Given the average breakeven price of $62, new Arctic production may not be profitable though it would extend the life of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline that carries crude from the North Slope. The U.S. is already the worlds top producer, and more output wont necessarily lower consumer fuel prices, says Boston Universitys Robert K. Kaufmann, because OPEC and other nations still influence global markets. (As to the energy emergency that Trump declared, Kaufmann said, I want what hes smoking.) Instead, the leases will bring more production online when any rational scientist is calling for reducing carbon emissions. Despite the risks, some communities in the region support new oil and gas projects. Arctic National Wildlife Refuge sits within North Slope Borough, which is larger than 39 states. Voice of the Arctic Inupiat a nonprofit funded by the regional Alaska Native Corporation notes that 95 percent of the boroughs tax revenue comes from the industry, funding things like schools and clinics. Fossil fuel royalties directly benefit Indigenous communities like Kaktovik, funding essential services. When Uncle Doug [Burgum] calls, I answer, Josiah Patkotak, the boroughs mayor, said in a statement praising the Interior secretarys announcement. A herd of caribou grazes on the tundra of Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska. It can be difficult to disentangle genuine local support from efforts quietly backed or directly compensated by the industry itself. During a legislative hearing earlier this year, state Representative Ashley Carrick said one person who testified as a community advocate was paid by AIDEA, something Ruaro confirmed to her that it routinely does. This can create the impression these projects are widely embraced. Theres this wide consensus that [Inupiat] people all want the oil and gas projects. Its not true, said Nauri Simmonds, executive director of Sovereign Inupiat for a Living Arctic. Many of those adversely impacted by drilling stay silent for fear of losing work or social standing, she said and some who have spoken out have faced threats and violence. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Simmonds says what might be lost by developing the refuge cant be counted in dollars. AIDEA now holds leases in a part of the refuge where the Porcupine caribou herd gathers to bear its young. The Gwichin name for the region, where cool coastal winds protect the newborns from insects and heat, translates to the sacred place where life begins. Beyond its shelter, calves are 19 percent more likely to die. Scientists and Indigenous peoples fear the clamor of development will drive the herd away, severing a bond that has sustained people and animals alike for millenia. Even as climate change reshapes one of the countrys last undisturbed ecosystems, it is political forces that now endanger it most. One of the most wounding pieces is that this wouldnt be something that the companies would have gone after on their own, Simmonds said. It is the enticements from Alaska, from the corporations, from the political landscape, that creates the appeal. This story was originally published by Grist with the headline Trump officials say Alaska is open for business. So far, no ones buying. on Oct 31, 2025. Senior White House officials are swapping their traditional homes to live on military bases as the political climate grows more threatening. Several senior Trump administration officials are living in or will soon be living in military base housing in the Washington, DC area, The Atlantic reported on Friday. According to the report, several US administration officials, including Stephen Miller, Marco Rubio, and Kristi Noem, have moved into houses that hosted senior military officials on bases in the DC area to shield themselves from protests outside of their homes and political violence. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, the number of Trump officials who have moved onto bases is now impacting housing for the nation's top uniformed officers, as well as other administration officials. US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard requested earlier this year to move onto Fort McNair, but was denied based on the lack of availability. The threat level against administration officials has changed recently, including Iranian-backed attempted assassinations, as well as the multiple assassination attempts against Trump. However, there has not been a record of this many political appointees living on military bases, the report stated. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio listens to a question as he speaks to the media after visiting the Civil-Military Coordination Center in southern Israel on October 24, 2025. (credit: FADEL SENNA/Pool via REUTERS) Trump administration officials move into US military bases In a robust democracy, what you want is the military to be for the defense of the country as a whole and not just one party, Adria Lawrence, associate professor of international studies and political science at John Hopkins University, told The Atlantic. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Stephen Miller will reportedly soon join the growing list. Katie Miller, his wife and mother of his three children, told Fox News she was confronted outside her front door by an unfamiliar woman, who she believed engaged in a form of protest that crossed a line. Im watching you, the woman said to Miller, as reported by The Atlantic. This occurred on the day after political activist Charlie Kirk was assassinated. The Miller family had faced protests for weeks beforehand, including someone putting up posters in their neighborhood calling them Nazis. Both Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth live at Fort McNair, known as Generals Row. Army Secretary Dan Driscoll shares a home on Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall with another senior political employee of the army, per the report. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Another senior White House official, who was not named for security purposes, had to swap living in a private home for a military base, following Kirks assassination, according to the report. While the political officials duke it out for the largest houses on the basis, three and four-star-level generals and their young families are now crunched for housing in the notoriously difficult DC-area housing market. The Atlantic, citing an official familiar with the matter, reported that in some aspects, this would be cheaper for the federal government than providing personal security to officials, which requires agents to rent a secondary location nearby. In previous administrations, there have been instances in which cabinet members resided on military bases. Robert Gates, defense secretary under presidents George W. Bush and Obama, and Jim Mattis, Trump's first Pentagon chief, lived in Naval housing at Potomac Hill annex near the State Department, the report added. Trump's former secretary of state, Mike Pompeo, lived at the Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall during his time in office. President Donald Trump has demanded that Congressional Republicans use the nuclear option to unilaterally eliminate the filibuster and end the ongoing government shutdown. It is now time for the Republicans to play their TRUMP CARD, and go for what is called the Nuclear Option Get rid of the Filibuster, and get rid of it, NOW! Trump wrote in a lengthy Truth Social post late Thursday evening. The filibuster is the Senate rule that requires 60 of the chamber's 100 members to agree to pass most legislation. Republicans currently hold a 53-47 majority in the Senate, meaning that legislation can be stalled if members vote along party lines. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Republicans could eliminate the filibuster using their simple majority, though many have historically been opposed to the move, arguing that it would ultimately benefit the Democrats when they return to power. Trump has demanded that Congressional Republicans use the nuclear option to unilaterally eliminate the filibuster and end the ongoing government shutdown (AP) The Democrats are currently using the filibuster, which allows them block any bill from coming up for a debate or vote, to prolong the government shutdown, which is now entering day 31. Democrats are demanding a reversal in Medicaid cuts laid out in Trumps massive spending bill, which he signed in July, and an extension of Affordable Care Act subsidies for their support of a funding bill. Republicans have baselessly claimed Democrats want to give free healthcare to undocumented immigrants, despite the group not being eligible for federal healthcare programs. There are exceptions for emergency care. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In his posts, Trump insisted that he wanted to remove the filibuster to take advantage of the Democrats. Never have the Democrats fought so hard to do something because they knew the tremendous strength that terminating the Filibuster would give them, he said. Well, now WE are in power, and if we did what we should be doing, it would IMMEDIATELY end this ridiculous, Country destroying SHUT DOWN. He added: THE CHOICE IS CLEAR INITIATE THE NUCLEAR OPTION, GET RID OF THE FILIBUSTER AND, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! Trump has long-since held disdain for the filibuster, telling Fox News in 2017 during his first presidency that it was not a good concept to start off with and not fair. Trumps call to end the filibuster came at a moment when certain senators and House Speaker Mike Johnson believed it was time for the government shutdown to come to an end. It is unclear if lawmakers will follow Trump's lead, rather than finding ways to negotiate with Democrats (Getty Images) But as the government shutdown stretches on, other Republicans have appeared to be reconsidering their previous opposition to abolishing the filibuster. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trumps call to end the filibuster came at a moment when certain senators and House Speaker Mike Johnson believed it was time for the government shutdown to come to an end. It is unclear if lawmakers will follow Trump's lead, rather than finding ways to negotiate with Democrats. Georgia Congresswoman and MAGA acolyte Marjorie Taylor Greene said she had called for scrapping the filibuster from the very beginning. Since Democrats REFUSE to fund the government, Senate Republicans need to use the nuclear option and override the filibuster!! she wrote on X, in response to Trumps post. Enough of the drama. Stop forcing people to suffer and LEAD the country!! "My thought is that I'm not willing to see children in my state go hungry, which is literally happening now, over some Senate procedure," Montana Rep. Josh Hawley told The Independent previously. The federal government shutdown could cost the U.S. economy between $7 billion and $14 billion, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office said Wednesday. WASHINGTON (AP) President Donald Trump has opened the door for sanctions to be imposed on Nigeria for allegedly failing to rein in the persecution of Christians in the West African country. Trump announced Friday that he would designate Nigeria a country of particular concern as it relates to religious freedom, a move that had been pushed by some U.S. lawmakers. The designation does not necessarily mean that sanctions, which could include a ban on all non-humanitarian aid, will be imposed, but it is one step ahead of that. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Christianity is facing an existential threat in Nigeria, Trump said in a social media post. Radical Islamists are responsible for this mass slaughter. I am hereby making Nigeria a COUNTRY OF PARTICULAR CONCERN. The Nigerian government vehemently rejects the claims, and analysts say that while Christians are among those targeted, the majority of victims of armed groups are Muslims in Nigerias Muslim-majority north, where most attacks occur. Trump said he would be asking several U.S. lawmakers to look into the matter and report back on what the response to the designation should be. The United States cannot stand by while such atrocities are happening in Nigeria, and numerous other Countries. We stand ready, willing, and able to save our Great Christian population around the World! Trump said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Designating a country of particular concern under the 1998 International Religious Freedom Act is an executive prerogative that normally follows recommendations from both the congressionally mandated U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom and the State Department. The State Department usually releases its annual Report on International Religious Freedom in the spring, but has not yet done so this year. The report may or may not include particular concern designations, which can be done at any time. And, such designations, which authorize U.S. penalties, do not necessarily impose sanctions. The State Department's most recent religious freedom reports cover 2023 and were released last year under the Biden administration. These reports, like others on broader human rights and human trafficking, cover the previous calendar year and are often late in being submitted. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, has been trying to rally fellow evangelical Christians to urge Congress to designate Nigeria as a violator of religious freedom with claims of Christian mass murder. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He called Trump's action a critical step in holding accountable and changing the behavior of Nigerian officials. Cruz said his legislation would take it further, including targeting those who implement blasphemy and sharia laws in Nigeria. I am committed to working with the administration and my colleagues to advance my bill and implement these necessary measures, Cruz said in his statement. Nigeria was first placed on the country of particular concern list by the U.S. in 2020 in what the State Department called systematic violations of religious freedom. But, the designation did not single out attacks on Christians. The designation was lifted in 2023 in what many saw as a way to improve ties between the countries ahead of a visit by then-Secretary of State Antony Blinken. A new policy from the Trump administration could leave thousands of immigrants scrambling to keep their jobs while they await renewals of their work permits. Previously, many immigrants were able to extend their work permits automatically upon submission of a renewal application. Now, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services is doing away with that policy, and forcing people to wait until a renewal request is approved before any extension. News: Trump Was Concerned About 1 Thing After Assassination Attempt, ABC Reporter Says That change, which went into effect Thursday, is significant because it can take the federal government months to process renewals due to a massive backlog of applications. That means immigrants could lose their jobs if their work permit expires before their renewal process is completed by USCIS. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As WGBH reports, immigrants are able to begin applying for renewal six months before the expiration of their work permit, though approvals can often take longer than that. Immigration policies arent just politics theyre personal. At HuffPost, we explore the human stories behind the headlines, reporting on how immigration laws impact real people and communities. Support this vital coverage by joining our membership program today. Ultimately, experts believe this policy could lead to immigrants being let go by their companies because they dont have a work authorization. Additionally, it could enable companies to exploit immigrants by continuing to use their labor off the books. News: Federal Agency That Handles Citizenship, Green Cards Will Now Have Armed Agents The change will have devastating effects on businesses who will lose valuable employees and on workers who will lose their authorization to support themselves and their families, Lucas Guttentag, a Stanford law professor, told HuffPost. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Groups that could be affected by this policy include asylees, refugees and spouses of certain visa holders. People who have already received a work permit extension prior to Oct. 30 will not be affected. The Department of Homeland Security has claimed this policy change is intended to prioritize the proper screening and vetting of aliens before extending the validity of their employment authorizations, but people whose work permits are up for renewal have already been screened to obtain those permits in the first place. These are workers that have the legal right to work in this country theyve been vetted, theyve gone through the background checks, says Victor Narro, the project director for the UCLA Labor Center. News: Heres What Green Card, Visa Holders Should Know Before Traveling, According To Immigration Attorneys A USCIS spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Immigration experts see the regulatory change as another prong of the Trump administrations efforts to make the climate in the U.S. more hostile for immigrants. This is another tool in the process of the Trump administrations effort to get people to self-deport, Narro told HuffPost. Related... Read the original on HuffPost President Donald Trumps call for the United States to resume a nuclear testing program that was shuttered during the George HW Bush administration would require spending astronomical amounts of money for little benefit, according to experts. Trump appeared to upend a three-decade moratorium on live nuclear explosions, which began following the last American weapons test in 1992, when he posted to Truth Social on Wednesday that he was ordering the Department of War his administrations preferred moniker for the Department of Defense to immediately begin testing Americas nuclear stockpile on an equal basis to other nuclear-armed nations. One expert, former National Nuclear Security Administration acting principal deputy administrator Corey Hinderstein, said even a simple test consisting of setting off one warhead in an underground shaft could cost the U.S. upwards of $100m. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The move is ostensibly meant to counter modernized nuclear weapons delivery systems from Russia and China, as well as North Korea which for years has conducted illegal nuclear tests at an underground facility. Theoretically, the United States does have a facility capable of hosting and conducting underground nuclear weapons tests, the Energy Departments Nevada Test Site, roughly 65 miles north of Las Vegas. A nuclear test at the Nevada Test Site in 1957 (AP) Its there, deep under the Ranier Mesa, where the U.S. last exploded a nuclear warhead in 1992. The site is the only place where any American nuclear tests had been run since 1962, the year before the Partial Nuclear Test Ban Treaty banned above ground and underwater nuclear testing, as well as nuclear tests in space. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to experts, resuming explosive tests at the Nevada site could be a byzantine and costly affair, particularly in light of the experience that has been lost since that last test more than three decades ago. Hinderstein, who is head of the Carnegie Endowment for International Peaces nuclear policy program told The Washington Post in an interview that a new vertical shaft would be necessary to avoid disrupting other work at the test site. Paul Dickman, a retired senior policy fellow at the Argonne National Laboratory who spent almost 14 years at the NNSA the agency that would be responsible for carrying out a live nuclear test told the Post that the people who once worked on such projects were not bureaucrats. Dickman, whose LinkedIn profile shows he worked on projects at the Nevada Test Site in the 1980s, said the officials in charge were not a PowerPoint crowd and had a lot of dirt under their fingers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The NNSA has also seen an exodus of expertise from its ranks since the start of the second Trump administration, with many senior civil servants having been sacked during the Elon Musk-run Department of Government Efficiencys rampage through the executive branch during the opening months of Trumps term, with even more now on furlough during the ongoing government shutdown. Nevada Representative Dina Titus, a Democrat, told the Post that the experts whove been fired or furloughed are the people who build the weapons, who do the enrichment of the material, who test the existing stockpile. But former Obama administration energy secretary Ernest Mortiz said reaching Trumps goal of an immediate return to testing is achievable so long as the only thing Trump desires is the explosion itself. If all you wanted was a stunt to say okay, you set off a nuclear explosive, dont worry about the data you would probably take one of the weapons out of reserve, strip it down somewhat and then just set it off, he said. Moritz, a nuclear physicist and co-chair of the Nuclear Threat Initiative, added that the stunt test could be ready to go in maybe a year. The Supreme Court on Friday heard arguments on pleas of Sharjeel Imam, Umar Khalid, Gulfisha Fatima, Meeran Haider and Shifa Ur Rehman challenging the Delhi High Court order which denied them bail in the UAPA case linked to the alleged larger conspiracy behind the 2020 north-east Delhi riots. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for Umar Khalid, told the top court that he was not even in Delhi when the riots took place. He said the prosecution has been delaying the trial and then blaming Khalid for the same. Senior advocate Siddhartha Dave, representing the Imam, argued that he did not make any calls for violence and was only exercising his right to peaceful protest against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). He said that he never made any calls for violence but only called for peaceful blockades. Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi, appearing for Fatima, said that there was no evidence of any violence at the protest sites where she was present. He said there was an extraordinary delay in the trial, and Fatima has been in jail for over five years as an undertrial. He said Fatima is the only woman accused currently in custody. A bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and NV Anjaria was hearing bail pleas filed by Khalid, Imam, Fatima and three other accused in the Delhi riots larger conspiracy case. It has now posted the matter for hearing on November 3. The Delhi police on Thursday objected to their bail pleas, saying the alleged offences involved a deliberate attempt to destabilise the state. Delhi police, in an affidavit, said that the conspiracy was pre-planned to be executed at the time when the US president was to make an official visit to India, and thus was done so as to draw the attention of international media and to make the issue of CAA a global issue. "The materials on record, including the chats referencing US President Donald Trump, establish beyond doubt that the instant conspiracy was pre-planned to be executed at the time when the US President was to make an official visit to India. This was done so as to draw the attention of international media and to make the issue of CAA a global issue by portraying it as an act pogrom of Muslims community in India," the affidavit of Delhi police states. The issue of CAA was carefully chosen as to serve as a "radicalising catalyst" camouflaged in the name of "peaceful protest", the affidavit said. It further stated that the "deep-rooted, premeditated and pre-planned conspiracy" hatched by the petitioners resulted in the death of 53 persons, large-scale damage to public property, leading to the registration of 753 FIRS in Delhi alone. Evidence on record suggests that the instant conspiracy was sought to be replicated and executed PAN India, said the Delhi police. The Delhi police filed its affidavit on bail pleas of Sharjeel Imam, Umar Khalid, Gulfisha Fatima, Meeran Haider and Shifa Ur Rehman, challenging the Delhi High Court order, which denied them bail in the UAPA case linked to the alleged larger conspiracy behind the 2020 north-east Delhi riots. The Delhi police, in its affidavit, further said that ocular and irrefutable documentary as well as technical evidence against the petitioners showed their "intrinsic, deep-rooted and fervent complicity in engineering a nationwide riot on communal lines." "The conspiracy hatched, nurtured and executed by the petitioner was to strike at the very heart of the sovereignty and integrity of the country by destroying the communal harmony, instigating the crowd not only to abrogate public order but to instigate them to an extent of armed rebellion," it added. It further said that the international theory developed in the past few years has termed these kinds of organised/sponsored protests as "Regime Change Operation(s)". In the offences which strike at the very root of integrity of India (UAPA offences) "jail and not bail" is the rule, added the affidavit. "The allegations against the petitioner are prima facie true. The onus of refuting the said presumption rests with the petitioners, which they have miserably failed to discharge. The bail in the present case, specifically in view of the extreme severe gravity of the offence, cannot be granted only on the ground of delay for which the petitioner themselves are responsible," stated the Delhi police. The conduct of the petitioners in the present case is riddled with brazen and blatant abuse of the process of law, it further said. It added, "The petitioners through their malafide machinations have made every attempt available to them in the book to delay, derail and obfuscate the investigation and trial in the matter." "The delay which has occurred in the commencement of the trial is solely attributable to the petitioner. Both the High Court as well as the special court have given judicial findings after findings, elaborating as to how the petitioners working in tandem have not allowed the charge to be framed in the matter," it said. The response of the Delhi police came after, earlier this week, the apex court asked the investigating agency to consider whether the accused, several of whom have spent nearly five years in judicial custody as undertrials, could be released on bail. The Delhi High Court on September 2, had denied bail to Imam, Khalid and seven others - Mohd Saleem Khan, Shifa Ur Rehman, Athar Khan, Meeran Haider, Shadab Ahmed, Abdul Khalid Saifi and Gulfisha Fatima. On September 2, the bail plea of another accused, Tasleem Ahmed, was rejected by a different High Court bench. Delhi Police had opposed their bail pleas, saying it was not a case of spontaneous riots but a case where riots were "planned well in advance" with a "sinister motive and well-thought-out conspiracy." The High Court had observed that prima facie, the role of Imam and Khalid in the entire conspiracy was "grave", having delivered inflammatory speeches on communal lines to "instigate mass mobilisation of members of the Muslim community." They sought bail from the apex court in the larger conspiracy case under the stringent provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) in the Delhi riots case in February 2020. In 2020, the Delhi police arrested Imam under the UAPA and named him as the main conspirator behind the Delhi riots case. The violence had erupted during the protests against the then-proposed Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC) and had left 53 people dead and over 700 injured. (ANI) A summit between US President Donald Trump and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin was officially called off, cementing a deterioration of ties between Washington and Moscow. The cancellation Trump had cast doubt on attending in recent days was reported by the Financial Times, which said the Kremlin had refused to make concessions over the war in Ukraine. Relations between the US and Russia have whipsawed since Trump returned to office in January, but Washington has largely trended towards strengthening ties with Kyiv over Moscow in recent weeks. Two pro-Ukraine activists wrote in The Wall Street Journal, meanwhile, that some polling indicated core Republican voters are now warming to the idea of strengthening military support for Kyiv. President Donald Trump announced on Thursday that he has renovated the Lincoln Bedroom bathroom, sharing before and after images on social media as he continues to put his touch on the White House. I renovated the Lincoln Bathroom in the White House. It was renovated in the 1940s in an art deco green tile style, which was totally inappropriate for the Lincoln Era, Trump said on Truth Social. I did it in black and white polished Statuary marble. This was very appropriate for the time of Abraham Lincoln and, in fact, could be the marble that was originally there! The president posted about the renovations aboard Air Force One en route to Florida, where he will spend the weekend. The post comes as the government remains shutdown, and the Trump administration says it will not tap into emergency funds to fund SNAP food assistance benefits through the month of November. The Lincoln Bathroom in the White House, pre-renovation. - Donald J. Trump/Truth Social The Lincoln Bathroom in the White House, post-renovation. - Donald J. Trump/Truth Social Shortly after, Trump posted more images of the bathroom, showing gold detailing on the faucet and shower handle, as well as other fixtures. A plush white robe with presidential seal also hangs on a golden hook. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The president discussed the changes he was making to the bathroom earlier this month during a dinner at the White House, saying in part that the old style of the bathroom was not exactly Abe Lincoln. We have little things like at the Lincoln Bedroom. The bathroom was done by the Truman family and you know, long time ago. And its done in a green tile, and its done in a style that was not exactly Abe Lincoln, the president said. Its actually Art Deco. And Art Deco doesnt go with, you know, 1850 and Civil WarsBut what does do is statuary marble. So I ripped it apart and we built a bathroom. Its absolutely gorgeous and totally in keeping with that time because the Lincoln bedroom is, uh, so incredible, for those of you that have seen it, he added. Trump on Friday also gave a status update on a separate construction project hes overseeing at the Kennedy Center, which he said he just inspected. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The exterior columns, which were in serious danger of corrosion if something werent done, are completed, and look magnificent in White Enamel Like a different place! Marble is being done, stages are being renovated, new seats, new chairs, and new fabrics will soon be installed, and magnificent high end carpeting throughout the building. It is happening faster than anticipated, one of my trademarks, Trump said. We are bringing this building back to life. It was dead as a doornail, but it will soon be beautiful again! he added. The moves are part of Trumps effort to put his stamp on the White House which has seen a slew of changes since he took office and the greater DC area. So far, the renovations include paving over the grass in the historic Rose Garden, demolishing the East Wing to make way for a new ballroom and adorning the Oval Office with gold. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump often says the White House needed a new ballroom to host world leaders, to avoid situations where they are outside and a temporary tent has to be used when it rains. And he frequently remarked that the Rose Garden paving was necessary, because women in high heels would sink into the grass during events. It now has a touch of Mar-a-Lago with the same white and yellow umbrellas at tables on the patio. His redecoration of the Oval Office to his liking, as presidents do when they take office, has tripled the number of paintings on the walls with gold just about everywhere. Trump also installed portraits of every president framed in gold on the West Colonnade except for former President Joe Biden who is instead represented by his autopen signature and large floor-to-ceiling mirrors, which press can see when they are escorted into the Oval Office. In addition to those changes, Trump plans to build a new arch monument in DC in honor of the countrys 250th anniversary. As he pushes forward with his plans to leave his mark on the White House and the nations capital, Trump this week fired the members of the Commission of Fine Arts. The independent federal agency is charged with advising the president, Congress and the city of Washington, DC, on matters of design and aesthetics. The president has also installed allies on the National Capital Planning Commission, which will be tasked with approving plans for the new ballroom on White House grounds. This story has been updated with additional details. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com The Trump administration has drawn up a secret list of targets in Venezuela the U.S. could strike upon orders of the president, according to several officials familiar with the effort, which experts said was expected to include ports, airports and other sites run by Venezuelas President Nicolas Maduro but also used by drug cartels to transit illegal narcotics. The classified target list, briefed to Senate Republicans earlier this week, along with a massive buildup of military assets in the region that includes some 10,000 troops, has fueled speculation that President Donald Trump could order strikes at any moment. Roberto Schmidt/AFP via Getty Images - PHOTO: President Donald Trump speaks to members of the media aboard Air Force One as he departs for Florida from Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, October 31, 2025. As of Friday afternoon, it was not clear whether Trump would act. Military sources said they did not expect an imminent attack, and Trump himself told reporters he has not made a decision. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump, though, has previously threatened to hit Venezuela by land. And, one person familiar with how the operations would proceed if a military strike were ordered, said there were "several indications" a strike may happen "within the next 72 hours." MORE: Trump administration gave GOP senators secret details about strikes on alleged drug boats, leaving Dems on outs The last time Trump ordered a large-scale military attack in June -- a surprise B-2 stealth bomber strike on Iranian nuclear sites -- White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told the public two days prior that Trump would make a decision on military action "within two weeks." According to The New York Times, planning for the operation was already underway and her comments were part of a misdirection campaign. "No, its not true," Trump told reporters Friday when asked about reporting an attack was imminent. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement White House spokesperson Anna Kelly added: Unnamed sources dont know what theyre talking about. Any announcements regarding Venezuela policy would come directly from the president. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Andrew Eggert - PHOTO: On the USS Iwo Jima, a UH-1Y Huey releases flares during a live-fire exercise in the Caribbean Sea, Sept. 22, 2025. How we got here The U.S. government has long accused Maduro of being an illegitimate leader who seized power using fraudulent elections and of mismanaging the countrys considerable oil wealth. During his first term, Trump mostly relied on economic sanctions to try to force Maduro to step down. Earlier this year, Trump aides engaged Maduro officials to coordinate prisoner swaps and deport migrants. But by spring, Trumps tactics shifted when he designated certain drug cartels as "terrorist organizations" and began a military-led pressure campaign to try to force Maduro out. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Nathan Mitchell - PHOTO: A machine gunner with Weapons Company, Battalion Landing Team 3/6, 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit engages a target with an M2A1 .50-caliber machine gun during a night range on Camp Santiago, Puerto Rico, Oct. 21, 2025. Trump and his top aides began drawing comparisons between drug smugglers and al-Qaida fighters and insisting the U.S. has the legal right to use to lethal force against anyone transiting narcotics in international waters -- a task previously handled by law enforcement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement By early September, an unprecedented buildup of military assets in the region was underway, including eight Navy ships, a submarine, Reaper Drones and F-35 fighter jets. Trump ordered the military to begin striking alleged drug vessels in the Caribbean, posting video on his social media accounts of the small boats and one semi-submersible exploding. By October, with Maduro still in power, Trump ramped up operations, sending nuclear-capable bombers and a team of Special Operations forces in helicopters to buzz Venezuelas coast. In a highly unusual move, the president publicly announced that he had ordered "covert operations" inside the country -- a move widely seen as trying to rattle Maduro. Trump also ordered the deployment of a massive aircraft carrier and its accompanying ships and F-18 aircraft. MORE: 4 killed in latest US strike on alleged drug boat in Eastern Pacific: Hegseth Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Since Sept. 2, the military has launched 14 strikes and killed 61 people, according to a U.S. government account. Ariana Cubillos/AP - PHOTO: A man wears shirt with a image of U.S. President Donald Trump during a government-organized rally against foreign interference, in Caracas, Venezuela, Oct. 30, 2025. What could happen next If Trump decides to pull the trigger on military strikes, hed likely have three options covert action; limited air strikes on sites like airports and ports; or a full-scale military invasion similar to the 1989 U.S. operation in Panama coined "Operation Just Cause." ABC News contributor Darrell Blocker, who, while in the Air Force, was deployed as part of the U.S. invasion of Panama, said limited military strikes inside Venezuela seems the most likely scenario in Venezuela, although its difficult to say for sure given the administrations rhetoric. Blocker, who later became a CIA operative, said that if a large-scale attack on Venezuela is in the cards, U.S. troops will face serious risks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Ive witnessed military operations from the ground in Panama, Somalia, and Pakistan and methinks the administration is making a major error by underestimating the people of Venezuela by operating from the premise that liberating them from their oppressive regimes means they accept outside intervention," he said. "Iraq, Libya, Afghanistan and the aforementioned countries proved otherwise." Federico Parra/AFP via Getty Images - PHOTO: A member of the Bolivarian National Militia holds a Russian-made surface-to-air missile launcher as he takes part in a rally against US military activity in the Caribbean, in Caracas on Oct. 30, 2025. Retired Adm. James Stavridis, a former top commander of troops throughout Latin America, agreed a full-scale land invasion seemed unlikely. In an opinion article for Bloomberg, Stavridis said that initially the most likely targets would be narcotics-related, such as airports and seaports where drugs are loaded and trans-shipment points near Venezuelas border with Colombias. Cell towers, satellite base stations, office facilities and fuel-storage centers also are likely on the target list, Stavridis wrote. Next up would be any facilities that could threaten U.S. Navy warships or protect drug smugglers, with top priority given to Venezuelan air defense sites, followed by air strikes against Venezuelan armed forces. "Then comes the hardest decision: Whether to conduct a 'decapitation' strike against Maduro and his senior leaders," Stavridis wrote. "Its worth noting that Trump did not authorize such an attack against Iranian leaders when he bombed the countrys nuclear facilities in June. On the other hand, he did not hesitate to use deadly force against Qassem Soleimani, the leader of Irans Quds force, during his first administration." U.S. President Donald Trump said on Oct. 31 that Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban had asked Washington for an exemption from newly announced sanctions targeting Russias oil sector. "The President he has asked for an exemption. We havent granted one, but he has asked. Hes a friend of mine," Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One. The Trump administration last week unveiled sanctions against Russias state-linked oil giants Rosneft and Lukoil, measures that could expose their foreign buyers including customers in India, China, and Central Europe to secondary sanctions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Orban, a close Trump ally who is expected to visit Washington next week for his first bilateral meeting with the U.S. president since returning to power in January, confirmed earlier that he would seek exemptions. "We have to make the Americans understand this strange situation if we want exceptions to the American sanctions that are hitting Russia," Orban said on Oct. 31 in an interview with state radio. While most EU member states have largely phased out Russian fossil-fuel imports since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Hungary and Slovakia have continued to receive pipeline deliveries. Budapest has even increased the share of Russian oil in its energy mix, arguing that replacing it would trigger an economic crisis a claim critics reject. Orban, widely seen as Russian President Vladimir Putins closest partner in the EU, has maintained ties with Moscow despite the war and has repeatedly portrayed Ukraine as a threat to Hungarys security and economy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Hungarian leader said both Washington and Moscow want to end the war but blamed Kyiv and the EU for obstructing peace. A planned meeting between Trump and Putin in Budapest was reportedly canceled after Russian officials signaled opposition to an immediate ceasefire. Orban added that he would travel to the U.S. with a "large delegation" of ministers and economic and security officials for "a complete review" of U.S.Hungarian relations and hopes to finalize a new package of economic cooperation and American investments. Read also: One critical shortage keeps Ukraines interceptor drones from blocking out Russias Shaheds Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. A ghost of the Cold War is rising between the worlds superpowers, just in time for Halloween. In the wake of Russian President Vladimir Putin bragging about his country testing both a nuclear-powered torpedo and a new cruise missile, the president of the United States, Donald Trump, has fired back. In a lengthy post on his Truth Social platform, Trump announced, Because of other countries testing programs, I have instructed the Department of War to start testing our Nuclear Weapons on an equal basis. That process will begin immediately. Now, nuclear watchdogs worldwide are wondering what might come of Trumps pronouncement and what he even means since the US hasnt conducted a nuclear weapons test in decades. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement First of all, every statement in that post is wrong, said Matthew Bunn, a nuclear weapons expert at Harvard University. Its not true the United States has the worlds most nuclear weapons. Its not true that other states are carrying out nuclear tests. (Trump) seems to think its the Department of Defense that carries out nuclear tests. Its not. Its the Department of Energy. Trumps own nominee to head the US Strategic Command seemed unclear of the presidents intent as he faced the Senate Armed Service Committee in a confirmation hearing Thursday. Neither China nor Russia has conducted a nuclear explosive test, Navy Vice Adm. Richard Correll said, so Im not reading anything into it or reading anything out. The Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation defines nuclear tests as generally controlled explosions of nuclear devise, such as bombs or warheads, and Russias missile and torpedo tests do not meet that strict definition. Whats more, Jon Wolfsthal, who advised both Joe Biden and Barack Obama on nuclear matters, notes other nations are already conducting similar tests along with the US. Russia, the United States, China are all investing tens of billions of dollars on new nuclear delivery platforms missiles, bombers, submarines, Wolfsthal said. We have returned to the arms race dynamics of the Cold War where each side believes nuclear weapons are important. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Still, if Trump truly wants to resume nuclear weapons testing, analysts say the complications are deep and wide. For starters, almost every nuclear-capable country in the world has voluntarily agreed to avoid such tests for decades. Russia ran its last test in 1990, the US in 1992 and China in 1996. North Korea is the only nation to conduct nuclear blasts this century, and that has contributed to Pyongyangs status as an international pariah. Beyond the diplomatic risk of standing up a fresh set of tests in the US, there are technical challenges. Federal studies have shown staging such a test safely would likely require several years of preparation, and even then, it might yield little useful information. The US routinely tests nuclear weapons components so thoroughly that America is widely seen as holding a treasure trove of nuclear knowledge unmatched by any other country. Critics say if Trump ushers in a new era of testing, that will only open the door for any other nation with nuclear dreams to start catching up. The country that would benefit the most would be China, Bunn said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It makes no sense from a strategic point of view for the United States, said former Democratic congressman John Tierney, who now heads the Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation. Nuclear weapons experts note that both Russia and China have stepped up their nuclear aspirations already. Some political analysts speculate that Trump is hoping to back them down with tough talk, a notion he seems to echo. Id like to see a denuclearization, the president said. Were actually talking to Russia about that, and China would be added to that if we do something. Neither the Defense Department nor the White House has offered a more complete explanation of the plan as of yet. But Tierney finds the presidents constantly shifting talk troublesome, to say the least. He fears in an already tense international environment, Trump is injecting more instability which can prove explosive in its own way. One day he wants everyone to get rid of their nukes, Tierney says. The next day he wants to start testing? Its dangerous. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com President Donald Trump answers questions from reporters during a roundtable on criminal cartels in the State Dining Room of the White House, Thursday, Oct. 23, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) President Donald Trump has decided to strike multiple Venezuela military installations, according to a new report from the Miami Herald. Sources familiar with the situation told the Herald that the strikes could come at any moment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement An attack would mark a major escalation in an already-tense situation, with the president already approving deadly strikes on boats from Venezuela that he and other officials claim are a direct threat to the U.S. as they are allegedly carrying drugs and bringing them into the country. The strikes have faced bipartisan pushback with critics questioning their legality with no due process or proof of the allegations. Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) has been one of the more vocal critics, calling the policy insane and uncivilized. The incoming strikes were also reported on by The Wall Street Journal. Trump has claimed that Venezuela President Nicolas Maduro is the head of the alleged smuggling operation the United States is targeting. Maduro was sworn in January despite big questions about the legitimacy of his victory. His opposition reviewed tally sheets from 80% of voting machines and counted twice as many votes for Edmundo Gonzalez. The U.S.-based Carter Center confirmed that tally was legitimate. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Venezuelas electoral process did not meet international standards of electoral integrity at any of its stages and violated numerous provisions of its own national laws, the Center, which oversaw the election, said in a statement. Trump reportedly authorized covert CIA operations in Venezuela earlier this month. We are certainly looking at land now, because weve got the sea very well under control, the president said. The Department of Justice is currently offering a $50 million reward to information leading to Maduros arrest and/or conviction. The new strikes could happen in days or even hours, according to the Miami Herald, which published its report on Friday morning. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One source speaking with the paper appeared to suggest a regime change could be coming for Venezuela. Maduro is about to find himself trapped and might soon discover that he cannot flee the country even if he decided to, the person said. Whats worse for him, there is now more than one general willing to capture and hand him over, fully aware that one thing is to talk about death, and another to see it coming. Trump denied the reports about imminent strikes, telling reporters on Friday he has not made a final decision. The post Trump Set to Strike Venezuela Military Installations at Any Moment: Miami Herald first appeared on Mediaite. Oct. 31 (UPI) -- The Trump administration will permit a record-low 7,500 refugees into the United States during the 2026 fiscal year, with most spots allocated to White South Africans. The number, a drastic drop from the 125,000 that the previous Biden administration had set for 2025, is expected to be swiftly challenged by Democrats and human rights and immigration advocates. The announcement was made Thursday, with the presidential determination being published in the Federal Register. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to the document, the Trump administration said the number "is justified by humanitarian concerns or is otherwise in the national interest." The document specifies that "admissions numbers shall primarily be allocated among Afrikaners," in line with President Donald Trump's February executive order that sought to penalize South Africa over a land expropriation law allowing the government to confiscate land if it was in the public interest and in a few specific cases without compensation. Trump has claimed, without evidence, that Black-majority South Africa would use the law to take land from White Afrikaners. He has said that they were victims of "racial discrimination" and "large-scale killings." South Africa has repeatedly refuted the characterization. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In May, the first 49 Afrikaners granted refugee statues by Trump arrived in the United States. About two weeks later, tensions flared between South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and Trump at the White House as the American leader said he had heard "thousands of stories" about violence against White South Africans in the country. The International Refugee Assistance Project criticized the Trump administration for issuing the decision without consultation with Congress, as required by law. It also rebuked the administration for reserving admissions mostly for Afrikaners, at the expense of at-risk refugees. It said the Trump administration was valuing "politics over protection." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Today's announcement highlights just how far this administration has gone when it comes to abandoning its responsibilities to displaced people around the world," IRAP President Sharif Aly said in a statement. The 7,500 is the lowest since Trump set the refugee limit at 15,000 for fiscal year 2021, during his first term. (Reuters) -U.S. President Donald Trump will sit down with CBS anchor Norah O'Donnell for an interview on Friday afternoon, the first with the network after his lawsuit against it, Semafor reported. Paramount in July agreed to pay $16 million to settle a lawsuit filed by Trump over his claim that CBS deceptively edited a "60 Minutes" interview with his Democratic presidential opponent Kamala Harris last year. CBS-parent Paramount Skydance named Bari Weiss editor-in-chief of CBS News earlier this month, as part of a deal to acquire the center-right online news outlet she founded, the Free Press. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement CBS News and the White House did not immediately respond to Reuters requests for comment on the report. CBS also appointed a new ombudsman who had previously run the Hudson Institute, a conservative think tank. David Ellison, the son of Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison, took over the CBS network and other Paramount properties earlier this year when his company Skydance Media merged with Paramount Global in an $8.4 billion deal. Semafor had reported earlier this month that the White House was in talks with CBS News program "60 Minutes" about conducting an interview with Trump. (Reporting by Juby Babu in Mexico City; Editing by Alan Barona) President Donald Trump will sit down with CBS News 60 Minutes for his first interview with the program since he sued the network last year over an interview the show did with Kamala Harris, TheWrap has learned. The interview will be conducted on Friday afternoon by correspondent Norah ODonnell, who flew to Florida to sit down with Trump, according to the outlet. CBS News did not respond to an immediate request for comment. The White House did not respond to an immediate request for comment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It is unclear when the interview will air. The conversation comes more than a year after Trump sued CBS and Paramount, its parent company, for $20 billion over a pre-election interview with Harris that he alleged was misleadingly edited to her advantage. Trump opted not to participate in an interview last year with 60 Minutes, which traditionally features both general election candidates. CBS disputed Trumps claim, but Paramount ultimately decided to settle the lawsuit for $16 million as it sought federal approval to complete its merger with David Ellisons Skydance. The merger closed in August. The sit-down also comes at an inflection point for CBS and CBS News, which have both taken steps widely perceived to be accommodating to a Republican-led government. CBS canceled the Late Show with Stephen Colbert in July shortly after settling wtih Trump, though the network claimed it was solely due to financial challenges. CBS News later hired Kenneth Weinstein, a former leader of the conservative think tank the Hudson Institute, to be its inaugural ombudsman, and it named opinion journalist Bari Weiss its editor in chief after Paramount purchased the Free Press, an opinion and commentary website favored by those on the right. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trumps last interview with the program was in 2020, which he abruptly ended with correspondent Lesley Stahl after she pressed him on his divisive social media presence. He then proceeded to attack her on social media. Semafor first reported the news. The post Trump to Sit Down for 60 Minutes Interview a Year After Suing CBS News appeared first on TheWrap. Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has directed the Director General of Police (DGP) to form a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the Phaltan doctor suicide case, sources confirmed on Friday. According to sources, the SIT will be formed under the leadership of a woman IPS officer to investigate the alleged suicide of a doctor based in Satara's Phaltan. This comes amid the mounting political pressure by the opposition parties demanding a high-level probe into the doctor's death case. The opposition had also earlier demanded that former Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP Ranjeetsinh Naik Nimbalkar, son of former Shiv Sena MP from Satara, Hindurao Naik Nimbalkar, be arrested in connection with the case. However, Fadnavis gave a clean chit to Nimbalkar on October 26 as he visited Satara and Solapur to inaugurate several projects. Reacting to this, Maharashtra Congress president Harshwardhan Sapkal criticised Fadnavis for giving a clean chit to the former BJP MP before the investigation. Various medical associations have also demanded an independent probe into the alleged suicide of the 28-year-old doctor, who hailed from the Beed district of central Maharashtra. The doctor, posted in Satara, was found dead in a hotel room. She had left a note written on her hand that named a police official and two others, officials said. Suspended Police Sub-Inspector Gopal Badne, an accused in the Satara woman doctor suicide case, was produced before the Additional District and Sessions Court in Phaltan in Maharashtra on October 26 and remanded to police custody till October 30. Satara Police arrested two persons, Police Sub-Inspector Gopal Badne and Prashant Bankar, in connection with the case. A case was registered against the accused duo under charges of rape and abetment to suicide. The Police Sub-Inspector Badne named in the note was suspended following this development. A note on the hand of the doctor who passed away named the police official and two others for driving her to take the extreme step by subjecting her to physical and mental harassment. The deceased's cousin alleged that the doctor had been facing political pressure related to her work. "There was a lot of police and political pressure on her to make wrong mortem reports. She tried to complain about it. My sister should get justice," the cousin told ANI. Earlier, Fadnavis said that strict action will be taken against those who are guilty of the suicide of a woman doctor at the Sub-District Hospital in Satara. He also said that politicising "such a sensitive issue is very insensitive." (ANI) 60 Minutes/CBS News President Donald Trump sat down with CBS anchor Norah ODonnell on Friday afternoon for the first interview the president has done with the network since suing CBS last year. The interview, first reported by Semafor, comes a full year after Trump sued CBS due to a selectively edited 60 Minutes interview with former Vice President Kamala Harris. CBSs parent company Paramount settled the suit in July, paying the president $16 million. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Since Paramounts controversial merger with media giant Skydance in August a deal that required approval from Trumps Federal Communications Commission new owner David Ellison has made sweeping changes to CBS, many of which are more in line with the presidents preferences. In July, the network chose not to renew its contract with Stephen Colbert, host of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and a frequent critic of the president. I absolutely love that Colbert got fired, Trump wrote on Truth Social at the time. Ellison also installed The Free Press Bari Weiss as the networks new editor-in-chief in early October. Weiss has reportedly already reached out to one of the presidents most vocal legacy media supporters, CNNs Scott Jennings. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The relationship between CBS and Trump showed signs of warming around the same time, with the president telling reporters on Air Force One that David and his father Larry Ellison are big supporters of Trump. In the same gaggle, Trump took a swipe at ODonnell, mentioning that he wouldnt believe it if she were made editor-in-chief. Not Norah ODonnell. I dont believe it. I dont believe it, he said. In preparation for the interview, ODonnell flew to Florida on Thursday. No release date has yet been reported. The post Trump Sits for Interview With CBS for First Time Since Suing Network first appeared on Mediaite. THE UNITED STATES IS ENGAGED in summary executions on the high seas. That bald fact is being obscured by talk of drug interdiction and war powers and whether were certain the drugs on those boats were headed for the United States or somewhere else. Lets be clear. Even if we knew for certain that the boats being destroyed in the Caribbean and the eastern Pacific 1) contained illegal drugs; 2) those drugs were headed for our shores; and 3) all on board were criminals, it would still be grossly illegal and immoral to blast them out of the water as we have now done some 14 reported times, killing 61 people. This is not drug enforcement. This is murder. Drug trafficking is bad. It is a crime. But it is only very rarely a capital offense. In fact, no criminal in the United States has been sentenced to death for drug crimes that did not also include homicide since the death penalty was reintroduced in 1988. But the crucial thing to keep in mind is that the criminals involved were captured, charged, and tried. Thats what a law-abiding nation does. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The only time you can legally use lethal military force is when Congress has specifically granted authority against an enemy state or entity, or when American forces are attacked and act in self-defense. It was not illegal for American sailors to shoot back at Japanese planes on December 7, 1941. But we are not at war with narcoterrorists. That simply isnt a thing, even if President Donald Trump has stated that the United States is in an armed conflict with drug cartels. Those words are without legal effect. The war on drugs is a metaphor. Or was. Under our laws, suspected drug boats can be interdicted, boarded by the Coast Guard, and in the event contraband is discovered, the drugs can be confiscated and the drug runners can be arrested, tried, and punished. Thats if they are found in U.S. territorial waters. Interdictions beyond our borders have been controversial, with courts expressing skepticism about the constitutionality of prosecuting (not killing!) drug traffickers captured in international waters. The administration has not provided evidence that the boats theyve destroyed were carrying drugs. For all we know, some were fishing vessels or pleasure boats. Nor have they even suggested that the people on board those vessels were armed, far less that they fired on U.S. ships. As Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, noted, We were presented some evidence that does not back up the story that the White House is telling to the American people. Other senators have echoed this complaint about a lack of evidence. And Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) was brutally frank: At this point, I would call them extrajudicial killings. And this is akin to what China does, to what Iran does with drug dealers. They summarily execute people without presenting evidence to the public. Support our independent political journalism and commentarysign up for a free or paid subscription today: SOME COMMENTATORS HAVE JUSTIFIED Trumps extrajudicial killings by pointing to drone strikes on suspected terrorists carried out by the Bush and Obama administrations. But those attacks were issued pursuant to the Authorization for the Use of Military Force (essentially a declaration of war) passed by Congress in 2001. The AUMF specifically permitted the president to use all necessary and appropriate force against those nations, organizations, or persons he determines planned, authorized, committed, or aided the terrorist attacks that occurred on September 11, 2001, or harbored such organizations or persons. . . . There are reasonable debates about whether some of those strikes stretched the meaning of the AUMF, but there is no debate that they were part of a war on al Qaeda, a terror group that had attacked the United States on multiple occasions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement President Trump is abusing his power to sic the military on criminalsor those he claims (without evidence) are criminals. That is not the militarys job. For now, these are foreigners. But he has long expressed admiration for leaders who engage in extrajudicial killings at home. During his first term, he praised Rodrigo Duterte, the president of the Philippines, for doing an unbelievable job on drugs. Duterte is now facing charges of murder and crimes against humanity at the International Criminal Court. His unbelievable job included unleashing police and vigilantes who rounded up and extrajudicially executedmurderedbetween 12,000 and 30,000 people. Share Trump has also fantasized on several occasions that China has no drug problem because it executes drug dealers, which is of course, nonsense. China does execute drug dealers, but Chinese people nevertheless indulge in heroin, ketamine, methamphetamine, marijuana, and many other substances. By the Chinese Communist Partys own admission, they had more than 2 million registered drug abusers in 2017; international observers believe the true figure to be many multiples higher. But Trump has a strong yearning for state violence. Regarding the suspected drug traffickers in the Caribbean and eastern Pacific, the president is bloodthirsty: I dont think were necessarily going to ask for a declaration of war. I think were just gonna kill people that are bringing drugs into our country. Were going to kill them. Theyre going to be, like, dead. Regarding migrants attempting to cross the southern border, Trump instructed aides during his first term to shoot them in the legs, but was advised that this would not be legal. Campaigning in 2023, he suggested that the United States should address shoplifting by shooting people. We will immediately stop all of the pillaging and theft. Very simply: If you rob a store, you can fully expect to be shot as you are leaving that store. Former Defense Secretary Mark Esper told NPR that Trump was enraged by the unrest following George Floyds murder. He thought that the protests made the country look weak . . . and [asked] Gen. Mark Milley Cant you just shoot them, just shoot them in the legs or something? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Presidents are sometimes called upon to make decisions that can result in the unintentional deaths of innocents. But when they do, it is after careful briefing, weighing of options and consequences, consideration of all reasonable alternatives, and with legal authority. Trumps boat attacks, by contrast, are an almost gleeful bloodletting without any consultation with Congress, evidence, or legality. The people in those boats may or may not have been criminals. The people ordering the strikes are. Join now Its a good thing for Senate Majority Leader John Thune that his caucus had already left Washington when President Donald Trump demanded they eliminate the filibuster. THE CHOICE IS CLEAR INITIATE THE NUCLEAR OPTION, GET RID OF THE FILIBUSTER AND, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN, he posted in all caps late Thursday evening on Truth Social. This will be the ultimate test for Senate Republicans in a time when Trump has demanded unflinching loyalty. The question is: Are they willing to irrevocably break the Senate to do that. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As Inside Washington broke down last week, some Republicans in the House and Senate had begun to float eliminating the 60-vote threshold. Senate GOP leadership has resisted the temptation. In 2022, The Independent spoke to Thune who was then the Republican whip. Democrats had just failed to pass a carve-out of the filibuster to pass a new version of the Voting Rights Act. When asked whether Republicans would ever ditch it, he pointed to the fact that Republicans under Mitch McConnell resisted the temptation to do so after the GOP failed to repeal the Affordable Care Act. President Donald Trumps call to end the filibuster will prove the ultimate loyalty test for the Senate GOP. (AP) Now, once again, Trump is demanding to nuke the filibuster, this time to avoid negotiating with Democrats on salvaging the Covid-era enhanced subsidies for the Affordable Care Acts health insurance marketplace. Up until now, Democrats have voted against continuing resolutions to keep the government open on the grounds they see it as their one chance to extend the subsidies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer and other Democrats have said that this would require Trumps intervention, especially since Speaker Mike Johnson has kept the House out of session. But Trump has refused to negotiate until Democrats vote to reopen the government. An ABC News/Washington Post/Ipsos poll showed that a plurality of 45 percent of Americans blame Trump and Republicans in Congress for the shutdown while only 33 percent blame Democrats. That likely weighs on Trump, especially as Democrats are set to run the table in gubernatorial races in Virginia and New Jersey. But it will be just the latest move seeing just how far Trump can push Senate Republicans. Republicans have largely wanted to keep the filibuster because, for the most part, they can achieve their most popular policy goals like tax cuts through budget reconciliation, which allows them to avoid a filibuster as long as legislation relates to federal spending. McConnells decision to eliminate the filibuster for Supreme Court nomineeswhich came after Democrats eliminated it for lower court and cabinet officialsmeans they can fill the courts while avoiding third rail policies like touching Social Security and Medicare or passing unpopular policies like an abortion ban. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement By contrast, most of Democrats policy goalsfrom immigration reform to codifying abortion rights to voting rights to statehood for Washington, DC to paid family to a $15 minimum wagecannot pass because of the filibuster, which is why they want to eliminate it, even as they use it to block government spending bills. But weve seen Trump force through what was once unthinkable during his second term. And hes shown that he can bend the Senate to his will multiple times. Just this week, Republicans mostly fell in line to preserve Trumps tariffs. In a vote against the tariffs against Brazil, only five RepublicansSens. Rand Paul of Kentucky, Susan Collins of Maine, Thom Tillis of North Carolina, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and McConnelljoined Democrats. In a second vote to oppose tariffs on Canada, every one of those same Republicans except Tillis joined Democrats and the same went for a resolution opposing Trumps global tariffs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And despite the fact Republicans are not too pleased about Trumps pledge to import beef from Argentina, Republicans from cattle ranching states have done little but send some strong words toward the White House. Its part of a larger pattern. Trump forced Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa, a survivor of sexual assault and a veteran, vote to have Pete Hegseth, who faced an allegation of sexual assault he denied and had opposed women in combat, lead the Pentagon. He forced Sen. Bill Cassidy, a gastroentrologist who had voted to convict Trump for his actions on January 6, to confirm Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a conspiracy theorist and anti-vaxxer, to lead the Department of Health and Human Services. And he and Thune got Lisa Murkowski, a moderate who treasured her independence from the GOP, to vote for his One Big, Beautiful Bill despite her objections to it. And when Republicans fall too out of line, theyve been forced to retire, as was the case with Tillis and Ernst. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There are still plenty of old-school Senate Republicans who might balk at killing the filibuster and who will rightly argue that its the one thing keeping the Senate from turning into the Thunderdome that is the House of Representatives. But all it takes are enough Republicans with a battering ram from the president to eventually pummel Republican leadership into submission. And the Senate has given him no reason to see they wont tell him yes again. President Donald Trumps illegal airstrike campaign targeting Latin American vessels allegedly linked to drug trafficking has led him to a new target: Venezuelan military sites. The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday that in weighing whether to expand the presidents military campaign to dry land, the Trump administration had identified the Venezuelan armed forces as a potential target, in what would be considered a major escalation into all-out war. The Trump administration has alleged that the Latin American countrys cartels are being run by none other than Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, who has taken a central role in the Trump administrations campaign to see Maduro out of power, claimed last week that there was a narco-state in Venezuela run by a cartel, and compared the government to Al Qaeda. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Last week, Trump stated his intention to expand his lawless strikes to dry landbragging that Congress wouldnt stop him. Trump also ordered Americas most advanced aircraft carrier strike group to the Caribbean in a major escalation of military tension between the U.S. and Venezuela. Since the beginning of September, the U.S. has executed 14 military strikes on vessels and killed 61 people, according to The New York Times. Democratic Representative Sara Jacobs told CNN Thursday that Pentagon officials claimed they do not need to positively identify individuals on the vessel to do the strikes. President Donald Trump called on the Senate GOP on Thursday to use the nuclear option in the upper chamber to reopen the federal government. Trump urged Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) to eliminate the filibuster a strategy in the upper chamber to delay or block votes on legislation by keeping the debate running. Overcoming a filibuster requires 60 votes in the full Senate. To eliminate the filibuster, the Senate would need to change its rules with a simple majority vote. Trump argued that Senate Republicans should take advantage of Democrats by voting to end the filibuster. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Majority Leader John Thune, and Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, are doing a GREAT job, but the Democrats are Crazed Lunatics that have lost all sense of WISDOM and REALITY. It is a sick form of the now legendary Trump Derangement Syndrome (TDS) that only comes from losing too much, Trump wrote on Truth Social. It is now time for the Republicans to play their TRUMP CARD, and go for what is called the Nuclear Option Get rid of the Filibuster, and get rid of it, NOW!" he added. He said Democrats attempted to end the filibuster when they had the majority. Well, now WE are in power, and if we did what we should be doing, it would IMMEDIATELY end this ridiculous, Country destroying SHUT DOWN, Trump wrote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If the Democrats ever came back into power, which would be made easier for them if the Republicans are not using the Great Strength and Policies made available to us by ending the Filibuster, the Democrats will exercise their rights, and it will be done in the first day they take office, regardless of whether or not we do it, he added. Trumps ask comes after U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) asked Senate Republicans to eliminate the filibuster. She applauded Trumps sudden directive, writing in a post that This is what I called for from the very beginning. Enough of the drama, Greene said on X. Stop forcing people to suffer and LEAD the country!! Its not clear when the government shutdown could end. The Senate needs to clear a 60-vote threshold to reopen the government, meaning that Republicans need a handful of Democrats to side with them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But Democrats have vowed to oppose any spending bill that does not include an extension for Affordable Care Act subsidies that are expiring at the end of the year. And Republicans have refused to negotiate on the matter. Trumps call to terminate the filibuster could alter the ways the Senate and congressional dealmaking operate, with the president saying in his post that he gave a great deal of thought to the choice on his flight back from Asia on Thursday. Trump spent the past week with foreign leaders in Malaysia, Japan and South Korea, finishing his tour by meeting with Chinese leader Xi Jinping. The president declared the trip a success because of a trade truce with China and foreign investment planned for American industries, but he said one question kept coming up during his time there about why did powerful Republicans allow the Democrats to shut down parts of the government. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Read the original article on NJ.com. Add NJ.com as a Preferred Source by clicking here. President Donald Trump on Thursday night urged the GOP to eliminate the filibuster and end a monthlong government shutdown and standoff between Republicans and Democrats. "Get rid of the Filibuster, and get rid of it, NOW!'" Trump posted on his social media platform Truth Social. In a separate post, he wrote, THE CHOICE IS CLEAR INITIATE THE NUCLEAR OPTION, GET RID OF THE FILIBUSTER AND, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The filibuster is a long-standing Senate rule that allows the minority to delay or block legislation by extending debate, effectively requiring 60 votes to advance most bills. Senate Majority Leader John Thune, a Republican and staunch institutionalist, has previously ruled out eliminating or weakening the 60-vote threshold, describing it as a bulwark against a lot of really bad things. As the government shutdown enters its 30th day, there is no obvious end in sight, though Republicans and Democrats have both signaled openness to a solution. Trump said he had thought a great deal about the impasse while flying back to Washington from Asia. If we did what we should be doing, it would IMMEDIATELY end this ridiculous, Country destroying SHUT DOWN, he said, adding Democrats would scrap the filibuster if they got the chance. Some Democrats under former President Joe Biden, such as Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar, indeed called for changes to filibuster rules to make it harder to block or stall legislation, and others called for carve-outs on voting and reproductive rights bills. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While both parties have chipped away at the filibuster over the years, Trumps demand will create fresh pressure to eliminate it entirely. Doing so will require a simple majority of 51 votes, and while some Senate Republicans have said theyre open to it, many havent. Theres only 53 of them, so Trump might not have the votes for his nuclear option. North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis said last week the filibuster is not going away this Congress I think Republicans have made that very clear. Alaska Sen. Lisa Murkowski, Texas Sen. John Cornyn and Oklahoma Sen. James Lankford also voiced their opposition to nixing the rule. The Senate Republicans who have warmed to the idea of overturning the filibuster to reopen the government as the shutdown drags on include Alabama Sen. Tommy Tuberville, who said it was probably a viable option, and Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley, who said, My thought is that I'm not willing to see children in my state go hungry ... over some Senate procedure. This is not Trumps first time calling for the filibuster to be axed. He called the rule a joke during his first term in 2017, tweeting that it was killing the GOP and allows 8 Dems to control [the] country. And, again in 2018, he urged Republicans to use the Nuclear Option to pass tough laws NOW. With the Senate is not scheduled to return to Washington until Monday evening, the government shutdown is approaching the record for the longest ever: 35 days. Late on Oct. 30, President Donald Trump called for Republicans to end the government shutdown by eliminating the filibuster. BECAUSE OF THE FACT THAT THE DEMOCRATS HAVE GONE STONE COLD 'CRAZY,' THE CHOICE IS CLEAR INITIATE THE 'NUCLEAR OPTION,' GET RID OF THE FILIBUSTER AND, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! Trump said in a Truth Social post. No, youre not crazy. Yes, Republicans defended the filibuster during President Joe Bidens four years. While the filibuster is likely not in serious danger, thanks to a few senators who still have their spine, it is just another step in Trump trying to tear down guardrails. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It's also another reason why our political norms and rules must be protected. We need more vigilance in making our republic tyrant-proof. Trumps continued disruptions are evidence of just that. Nuking the filibuster is just as dumb as it was in 2022 President Donald Trump speaks to reporters next to White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt on board Air Force One en route to South Korea on Oct. 29, 2025. When Senate Democrats came extremely close to curtailing the filibuster to pass voting rights legislation in 2022, Republicans made many of the arguments I will outline here. Odds are, these are the arguments that establishment Democrats will make in the coming days. America doesnt like one-party rule, and it certainly doesnt lately. This is evidenced enough by the fact that the minority party routinely claws back seats in the midterm elections. Opinion: Supreme Court won't torch Voting Rights Act. But this dated practice has to go. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The filibuster is the only thing standing between our republic and a radically shifting policy landscape. Much of the volatility of modern presidents stems from the fact that on Day 1 of their successor, every single executive action can be overturned with the stroke of a pen. Legislation, on the other hand, is far more entrenched once passed. Without the filibuster, legislation becomes nearly as expendable as executive orders and will change rapidly at the whim of whoever is in power at any given moment. Democrats will surely make varying forms of this appeal in the coming days, but funny enough, they dont even have to. They can simply play clips of Republicans from just three years ago that defended the filibuster tooth and nail. We cannot depend on our political norms anymore Rep. Cori Bush, D-Mo., protests against the filibuster outside the U.S. Capitol in 2022. If you think Trump acts like a king now, just wait until he can accomplish whatever he wants if he simply persuades enough Senate Republicans to stand with him once the filibuster is gone. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We saw a tyrant violate the norms of our republic when President Franklin Roosevelt refused to step aside following his second term in office. Until that point, the limit of two terms was a norm, started by President George Washington and ended by the power-hungry FDR. It took the 22nd Amendment to codify the two-term limit and protect that norm. Opinion: Trump can't run again. It's Republicans who have to answer for him with voters. Congress did this recently when it passed the Electoral Count Reform and Presidential Transition Improvement Act after the U.S. Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021, delayed certification of the 2020 vote. Congress addressed ambiguities that Trump and his allies attempted to exploit to overturn an election by clarifying that the vice president's role in electoral vote counting is nothing more than ministerial, among other reforms. Until then, proper behavior on certification day was a given, but Trumps repulsive behavior was a wake-up call for us to correct the process. It's time for our elected leaders to act again. And it's not just to further protect the filibuster. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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. The 22nd Amendment limits a president to two terms in office. Trump allies have been advancing for months, if not years, that Trump exploit ambiguities in the language of that amendment in order to attain a third term. Congress should close the loopholes that his allies see in the two-term limit. Unfortunately, all of this is Congress' job to address, but the lawmakers will undoubtedly sit on their hands and do absolutely nothing. Some will insist that the way to police presidential behavior is the threat of impeachment, to which I will laugh. Is there anybody who believes that the GOP-led legislative branch would actually impeach Trump at this point? He certainly doesnt seem to think so, given his recent brazen activity. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We have become complacent in tyrant-proofing our republic. Protecting the filibuster is a step toward erasing that complacency. US President Donald Trump (C) poses for a group photo with (from L - R) Singapore's Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, East Timor's Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao, Vietnam's Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Manet, Malaysia's Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, Philippines' President Ferdinand Marcos Jr, Sultan of Brunei Hassanal Bolkiah, Indonesia's President Prabowo Subianto, and Laos' Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone before the 13th ASEAN - United States Summit during the 47th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit in Kuala Lumpur on Oct. 26, 2025. President Donald Trump speaks as he presides over the signing of a Cambodia-Thailand peace deal at Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre on October 26, 2025 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Trump is in Malaysia for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit, and will next travel to Japan, en route to South Korea for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum. President Donald Trump looks on as Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Manet (C) and Thailand's Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul hold up signed documents during a ceremonial signing of a ceasefire agreement on the sidelines of the 47th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit in Kuala Lumpur on Oct.26, 2025. A Royal Malaysian Air Force F-18 Hornet fighter jet escorts Air Force One with U.S. President Donald Trump aboard en route to Kuala Lumpur International Airport on Oct. 26, 2025 in Malaysia. Trump is in Malaysia for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit, and will next travel to Japan, en route to South Korea for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum. President Donald Trump walks with Malaysia's Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim (centre R) as he walks from Air Force One upon arrival at Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Sepang on Oct. 26, 2025. US President Donald Trump arrived in Malaysia on October 26 on the first leg of an Asian tour that will include high-stakes trade talks with Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping. President Donald Trump holds the US and Malaysian national flags at a welcome ceremony upon arrival at Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Sepang on Oct. 26, 2025. US President Donald Trump arrived in Malaysia on October 26 on the first leg of an Asian tour that will include high-stakes trade talks with Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping. President Donald Trump waves from his official vehicle known as "The Beast" as he departs from Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Sepang to attend the ASEAN summit on Oct.26, 2025. US President Donald Trump arrived in Malaysia on October 26 on the first leg of an Asian tour that will include high-stakes trade talks with Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping. President Donald Trump joins performers for a dance during the welcome ceremony next to Malaysia's Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim (L) as he arrives on Air Force One at Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Sepang on Oct. 26, 2025. US President Donald Trump arrived in Malaysia on Oct. 26 on the first leg of an Asian tour that will include high-stakes trade talks with Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping. President Donald Trump welcomes Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim ibn Hamad Al Thani (L) and Prime Minister of Qatar Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim bin Jaber Al Thani (3rd-L) aboard Air Force One during a refueling stop at Al-Udeid Air Base on Oct. 25, 2025 in Abu Nakhlah, Qatar. Trump is traveling to Malaysia for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit (ASEAN), Japan, and to South Korea for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum (APEC). Also pictured is U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio (3rd-R), White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles (2nd-R), and Special Assistant to the President Margo Martin (R). President Trump visits Asia. See the biggest moments from his trip 1 of 9 US President Donald Trump (C) poses for a group photo with (from L - R) Singapore's Prime Minister Lawrence Wong, East Timor's Prime Minister Xanana Gusmao, Vietnam's Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Manet, Malaysia's Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, Philippines' President Ferdinand Marcos Jr, Sultan of Brunei Hassanal Bolkiah, Indonesia's President Prabowo Subianto, and Laos' Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone before the 13th ASEAN - United States Summit during the 47th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit in Kuala Lumpur on Oct. 26, 2025. Dace Potas is an opinion columnist for USA TODAY and a graduate of DePaul University with a degree in political science. 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: Trump's call to end filibuster isn't just about the shutdown | Opinion Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday hailed the NDA's 'Sankalp Patra' for the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections for bringing forward the alliance's vision for a "self-reliant and developed Bihar." Union Minister and BJP chief JP Nadda, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Union Minister and Hindustan Awam Morcha (Secular) custodian Jitan Ram Manjhi, Union Minister and Lok Janshakti Party (Ram Vilas) chief Chirag Paswan, Rashtriya Lok Morcha chief Upendra Kushwaha and other key leaders jointly released the NDA's manifesto today. The NDA has promised to provide over 1 crore government jobs and employment opportunities, conduct a skills census to provide skills-based employment, and establish mega skill centres in every district, transforming Bihar into a 'Global Skill Training' Centre. Sharing an X post, PM Modi wrote, "The NDA's manifesto for the Bihar Assembly elections clearly brings forward our vision for a self-reliant and developed Bihar. It reflects our commitment to making life easier for the farmers, brothers and sisters, youth companions, mothers and sisters here, as well as all my family members in the state." He expressed confidence that the NDA would receive people's support in the upcoming polls and said that the "double-engine government" has led to all-around development in Bihar. "The state's double-engine government has left no stone unturned in ensuring all-around development of Bihar, as a result of which our state has witnessed major transformations. We are committed to further accelerating this momentum and establishing good governance as the foundation of prosperity for every individual. I am confident that these efforts of ours will receive the full support of the people," the Prime Minister wrote. In the manifesto, the ruling alliance has also promised to provide women with financial assistance of up to Rs 2 lakh to promote prosperity and self-reliance through the 'Mukhyamantri Mahila Rojgar Yojana'. The NDA has promised to make 1 crore women 'Lakhpati Didi'. According to the manifesto, the NDA promises to give Rs 10 lakh to various occupational groups belonging to the extremely backward classes. Under the 'Kapurgari Thakur Kisan Samman Nidhi', farmers will receive an annual benefit of Rs 3,000, totalling Rs 9,000, as per the manifesto. The manifesto also promises Metro train services to be introduced in 4 more cities in Bihar besides Patna, the opening of ten new industrial parks and a promise to attract investments of Rs 50 lakh cr in 5 years. Addressing the press conference, Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary said, "Financial and social empowerment of Extremely Backward Classes is very important. Different categories of Extremely Backward Classes will be provided with financial assistance of Rs 10 Lakhs. The most important thing is that under the chairmanship of a retired Supreme Court judge, we will form a high-level committee which will assess the social and financial conditions of different communities under Extremely Backward Classes and make suggestions to the government for the upliftment of these communities." BJP's Bihar chief Dilip Jaiswal stated that the manifesto represents the guarantee of PM Modi and the trust of Bihar CM Nitish Kumar. "NDA's manifesto means the guarantee of PM Modi and the trust of Bihar CM Nitish Kumar. The public trusts the guarantees of PM Modi and Bihar CM Nitish Kumar," Jaiswal said. Criticising Congress and RJD for misgovernance of Bihar, he added, "The public of Bihar will not forgive Rahul Gandhi and Tejashwi Yadav for the next 100 years as they ruined Bihar." BJP MP Manoj Tiwari pitched the alliance's good governance plank, claiming that the NDA is synonymous with development, as well as crime-free and corruption-free governance. "The NDA is the name of development. The NDA stands for crime-free, corruption-free governance. And I believe the people of Bihar should read this manifesto. Because whatever the BJP says, the NDA will definitely do it," Manoj Tiwari told ANI. He claimed that due to the development efforts of the NDA government, many people who had migrated out of Bihar have started to return to the State. "Bihar has progressed under our NDA rule. The people of Bihar have secured employment on a large scale due to the continuous development of infrastructure. Now, people from Bihar who used to work outside are coming back to Bihar," he said. Meanwhile, the Mahagathbandhan leaders targeted the ruling NDA over the manifesto, calling for a "sorry patra" instead of the 'Sankalp Patra'. The ruling alliance's promise of providing 1 crore jobs became the talk of the political circles after the Mahagathbandhan's poll promise to provide a government job in every house in the State. RJD leader and Mahagathbandhan's Chief Ministerial face Tejashwi Yadav hit out at the NDA's manifesto, claiming that the previous poll promises have not been fulfilled. "We want to say that with what we have seen, the NDA should bring in a 'sorry patra' (apology manifesto) and apologise to the fourteen crore people of Bihar that even after ruling for twenty years, Bihar is one of the poorest states," Tejashwi Yadav told reporters here. Decrying the lack of factories and investments in the state, the RJD leader added, "There is no factory, no investment. The government has failed in all sectors, so they should have brought an apology patra. If you see their false joke of twenty years, the promises they had made for twenty years. Every manifesto that they have brought for twenty years, that manifesto must also say what happened to us?" Congress MP Jairam Ramesh took a dig at the NDA for holding a short press conference while announcing the manifesto. In an X post, Ramesh said, "Just a few days ago, while listing the achievements of the NDA government in Bihar, the Prime Minister had said that young people are making reels on reels by taking advantage of cheap data. Perhaps taking inspiration from the same statement, today the NDA leaders in Bihar wrapped up the press conference for their election manifesto in just 26 seconds." As Deputy CM Samrat Choudhary addressed the press, instead of CM Nitish Kumar, the Congress leader claimed that the JD(U) chief has not even read the manifesto. "In fact, it's not really their fault either - in the last 20 years, they had nothing worthwhile to count in the name of achievements. They also know very well that they are not returning to power after the elections, so discussing the manifesto and facing the public's questions felt like a waste of time to them. The Chief Minister didn't utter a single word either. It's possible that he himself hasn't even read his manifesto properly, so he just formally went through the motions somehow and left immediately," he wrote. Even Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav in Uttar Pradesh, questioned the NDA over the promise of one crore jobs in Bihar, asking, "Where are the jobs they promised in the last elections. Speaking to reporters in Lucknow, Akhilesh Yadav criticised the JD(U) and the BJP-led NDA, alleging that they had not fulfilled the promises made during the last election. He said, "Remember when the first manifesto was released in Goa? They said they would build new cities, smart cities. Tell me what the situation is today. These 1 crore jobs, which they are going to provide in Bihar... They had promised two crore jobs before that. Where are those jobs? They had promised to double farmers' income. Where is the doubling of farmers' income?" Earlier on Tuesday, Mahagathbandhan had released its manifesto titled 'Bihar Ka Tejashwi Pran', outlining key promises ahead of the polls. The voting for the 243-seat Bihar Assembly will be held in two phases on November 6 and 11. The results will be declared on November 14. (ANI) The impending loss of SNAP benefits for tens of millions of Americans is front of mind right now, and Republicans are still playing the blame game. Friday marks the 31st day of the government shutdown, now the second-longest in American history. Meanwhile, during his daily press briefings at the Capitol, Speaker of the House Mike Johnson has taken to speaking from a podium with a sign on it that reads "The Democrat Shutdown." Related: Donald Trump Hated His Time Magazine Cover... But He'll Probably Hate These 16 Photos Wayyyyyyyyyyyy More Johnson was joined on Friday by Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins. A journalist in the room asked Rollins, "What do you say to the millions of people who stand to lose their food stamp benefits? What should they do?" Rollins responds, "My message to America is first the fact that your government is failing you right now." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "That poverty is not red or blue, it is not a Republican or Democrat issue. It doesn't matter who you voted for or even if you voted." Related: Ariana Grande Just Shared This 1 Very Blunt Question For Trump Supporters "That if you are in a position where you can't feed your family, and you're relying on that $187 a month for an average family in the SNAP program, that we have failed you," Rollins says. You can watch that clip here: Brooke Rollins: "My message to America is your government is failing you right now ... we have failed you." pic.twitter.com/p65YRjcS8Y Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 31, 2025 atrupar / Via Twitter: @atrupar Related: Hillary Clinton Just Hit On One Of Donald Trump's Biggest Insecurities With Three Words Wow, accountability from the government! I never thought I'd see the day. Of course, Johnson steps in shortly after to clear some things up. "And it's clarified that when she says we have failed you, she means we, the Democrats, OK? Because as we've just explained, Republicans have voted 14 times to get this done," he says. House Republicans / Via x.com Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement You can watch THAT clip here. Mike Johnson immediately tries to clean up for Brooke Rollins: "When she says 'we have failed you,' she means 'we, the Democrats,' okay?" pic.twitter.com/WdKdnGasdH Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) October 31, 2025 atrupar / Via x.com Related: Eric Trump Made An Unexpected Claim On Live TV About Trump And Melania's Marriage Hmm, interesting use of the word "we," Mr. Johnson! I thought you might want to take a look at this for totally unrelated reasons. I mean, I know you don't want to be considered a Democrat. This is ALSO confusing when you consider the fact that Republicans control all three branches of the federal government right now. Whatever helps you sleep at night, Mike! What do you think? Let me know in the comments. Also in In the News: Gavin Newsom Brought The Receipts After Trump Claimed He "Never Wrote A Picture" In Response To The Epstein Files, And It's Sooo Good Also in In the News: Gavin Newsom's New, Brutal Nickname For Trump Is Going Viral, And It May Be His Best One Yet Also in In the News: Seth Meyers Uncovered A Truly Unhinged Trump Moment That Has Everyone Questioning His Mental State Read it on BuzzFeed.com The Pentagon is directing every state and U.S. territory to create "quick reaction forces" within their National Guards, which will be trained to respond to civil disturbances and emergencies, according to a recently leaked memo obtained by The Guardian. The memo instructs the National Guard Bureau to train these forces in riot control tactics, rapid deployment procedures, and the use of nonlethal weapons. The federalized forces will complement the National Guard Reaction Forces, which have existed for decades to provide emergency relief, reports The Washington Post. Most states and territories (excluding Washington, D.C.) will supply 500 National Guard members. These units are expected to fully mobilize within 24 hours of activation, with an initial contingent of roughly 200 troops that will be pulled from the guard's unit that specializes in chemical and nuclear disaster response, ready by New Year's Day. By April, the new quick reaction force will reach 23,500 soldiers strong, according to the Post. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement These new forces could signal the Trump administration's readiness to expand federal control over local policing, with one anonymous Pentagon official telling the Post that the administration is "revising plans for the employment of [National Guard Reaction Forces] to guarantee their ability to assist federal, state and local law enforcement in quelling civil disturbances." Critics see the move as establishing a permanent, federally coordinated crowd-control infrastructure. Janessa Goldbeck, a Marine veteran and CEO of Vet Voice Foundation, told The Guardian that the memo represents "an attempt by the president to normalize a national, militarized police force." It's unclear whether the new orderor any future deployments under itwould pass legal muster. Federal law generally prohibits the use of federal troops in civilian law enforcement, while the Insurrection Act allows exceptions only under narrow circumstances. The Trump administration's prior efforts to federalize National Guard units for use in cities such as Portland, Oregon, and Chicago have already faced legal challenges and pushback from state officials. In Portland, state and local officials won a temporary restraining order blocking the activation of federal troops, though this was later overturned by an appellate court. On Wednesday, a federal trial to determine the legality of Trump's guard deployment began. In Chicago, a federal appeals panel said the administration's justification for deployment did not meet the threshold of a rebellion or danger of a rebellion required under federal law, writing that "political opposition is not rebellion," the Chicago Sun Times reports. These rulings suggest that any future use of the new "quick reaction" units for civilian crowd control could invite comparable constitutional scrutiny. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement States are expected to submit compliance reports to the National Guard Bureau by March. It remains unclear if pending legal challenges against the Trump administration will allow this plan to be realized. However, one thing is clear: The administration's federalization of law enforcement doesn't seem to be going anywhere. The post Trump's National Guard Plan Edges the U.S. Closer to a Permanent Federal Police Force appeared first on Reason.com. US President Donald Trump said the US would immediately restart nuclear testing. After a confusing post, Trump clarified that the testing would be something the US hasn't done in many years. The plan remains murky. Top administration officials have weighed in, but haven't cleared things up. More has come out on President Donald Trump's plans for nuclear testing, from top officials and from Trump himself, but it's still unclear exactly what's coming. Trump wrote in a Truth Social post on Wednesday that he had instructed the Department of Defense to start the process of "testing our Nuclear Weapons" immediately, identifying it as a response to testing by other countries. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nuclear experts were confused. Even Trump's own nominee to lead US Strategic Command, which oversees US nuclear weapons, wasn't sure what the post meant. Vice Adm. Richard Correll told the Senate Armed Services Committee Thursday that he "wouldn't presume that the president's words meant nuclear testing," as in testing involving detonating a nuclear warhead. He said he didn't have any "insight into the president's intent." But he did say that the current testing program, which involves modeling and simulation as well as subcritical testing of nuclear materials, is vigorous and dependable. In a press gaggle later Thursday, Trump said that the US does not do nuclear testing and stopped many years ago but should do so in response to testing by other countries. Only North Korea is known to have detonated a nuclear weapon this century. His language, however, appeared to speak to the kind of nuclear testing the US has not done since 1992. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "They seem to all be nuclear testing. We have more nuclear weapons than anybody. We don't do testing, and we've halted it years, many years ago. But with others doing testing, I think it's appropriate that we do also," he said. There's been some suspicion that rivals have violated the "zero-yield" standard. Work has also been spotted at the Lop Nur and Novaya Zemlya nuclear sites in China and Russia, respectively. However, the only known explosive nuclear tests in decades were the North Korean ones at the Punggye-ri nuclear test site. An unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile launches from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, United States during an operational test at 12:03 a.m., PDT, in this April 26, 2017 handout photo. Michael Peterson/USAF/Handout via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS In the president's post, Trump said he'd instructed the US Department of Defense to resume nuclear testing. As nuclear experts have noted, explosive nuclear testing, would actually be overseen by the Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration. US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth told reporters on Friday that DoD "would work with the Department of Energy" but did not go into any detail on what type of testing would be pursued, what the timeline was for conducting these tests, and what role DoD would play in them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "America will ensure that we have the strongest, most capable nuclear arsenal that we maintain peace through strength," Hegseth said. Hegseth's comments, nuclear weapons and arms control expert Jeffrey Lewis said on X, didn't provide answers. "It seems like they are just making this up as they go along," he wrote. Other administration officials, like Vice President JD Vance, have also chimed in after Trump's post. On Thursday, Vance said Trump's post "speaks for itself," telling reporters, "it's an important part of American national security to make sure that this nuclear arsenal we have actually functions properly, and that's part of the testing regime." Vance and other administration officials have assured that they trust the arsenal is in a safe and reliable condition, but there's still not much clarity on the testing plan. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When Trump first posted about nuclear testing on Truth Social, nuclear experts questioned whether Trump was talking about testing with delivery systems like intercontinental ballistic missiles, bombers, and ballistic-missile submarines that are capable of carrying and launching nuclear weapons. DoD already does that testing. It's not uncommon, for instance, to see news about Minuteman III ICBM tests. Asked about Trump's plans, the Pentagon referred Business Insider to Hegseth's comments and said that it had nothing to add at this time. The US Department of Energy didn't provide comment on Trump's nuclear testing plan. The White House referred Business Insider to Trump's press gaggles. Speaking to reporters on Air Force One on Friday, Trump didn't specify whether he wants to do above-ground, underground, or some other kind of nuclear testing. "We're going to do some testing," he said. "Other countries do it. If they're going to do it, we're going to do it." There's been some speculation from nuclear weapons experts that Trump's testing plan may be a reaction to Russia's test of a new nuclear-powered cruise missile and torpedo. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I know exactly what we're doing, where we're doing it," the president said, without offering details. During Thursday's gaggle, he said "it'll be announced" and noted that the US has test sites. In the past, test sites included the Nevada Test Site in Nevada and the Pacific Proving Grounds in the Marshall Islands. With Trump's announcement on renewed testing, many nuclear experts are concerned that the US restarting explosive nuclear testing could prompt other countries to do the same. Read the original article on Business Insider President Donald Trump met with Chinese President Xi Jinping in South Korea on Thursday for tariff negotiations the U.S. president later rated a 12 on a scale of 1 to 10. However, the handshakes between the leaders sparked a separate conversation when Fox News Michelle Backus gushed that the exchange demonstrated Trumps control of the situation. Life: Trump Keeps Doing This 1 Hand Gesture And A Study Reveals Its More Powerful Than You Think And you can see the way hes shaking his hand, President Trump has control of that room, and I have a lot of confidence in this meeting, Backus said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Though critics found this fawning to be a bit much, it did raise the question of what body language might actually say about the dynamics between the two men. HuffPost spoke with body language experts to better understand what might have been going on during the parts of their conversation we could see and their responses were telling. President Donald Trump met with Chinese President Xi Jinping, and their greeting and parting stood out to body language experts. Getty Images/Huffpost Trump knows how to get the power position, at least at first. Its no secret that looking powerful is important to Trump, and his efforts were on full display at the beginning of his meeting with Xi. For one, Trump got himself situated on the left, a sought-after power position that gives him the visual upper hand in photos, as Traci Brown, a body language expert and behavior analyst, told HuffPost. Life: Body Language Experts Reveal Their Thoughts On Trump's Major Kiss Fail At The Inauguration Trump is on the left, Brown said. Thats the power position, politicians fight for it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump did have one out-of-character move at the start that stood out, according toPatti Wood, a body language and nonverbal communication expert and author of SNAP: Making the Most of First Impressions, Body Language, and Charisma. While he did make the first action of the handshake (which typically demonstrates the most power), the positioning of his hands might tell a different story. Because Ive seen him shake hands and analyzed it hundreds of times, in the first greeting, its interesting that Trump turned and put his palm up, Wood said. Typically thats not his style, because thats supplication: I have less power, I am palms up, I am less powerful. Brown also notes the palm up gesture, noting it can also show a welcoming and a hospitality mindset. Life: The Funniest Posts From Women This Week (Oct. 25-31) As the exchange went on, Trump continued to employ more of the power moves that are familiar if you keep up with his typical body language in these types of exchanges: mainly, pulling his counterpart closer to wherever he wants them (also engaging in other forms of touch) and attempting to dictate when the action both starts and ends. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump reaches in to pat Jinpings back, Brown added. That can be a show of control Trump could move Jinping around if he wanted to. And that physicality is pretty consistent: Trump does something he often does, he pulls [Xis] hand over in front of his body. So hes taking a dominant action to pull rather than stop and do a normal handshake, Wood noted. Hes taking his left hand and arm and patting his back. Theres two symbols: Patting can be an affectionate move or it can show Im in charge ... It becomes another dominance signal to say, I can hit you, and I can hit you on the world stage. Keeping the hand for a long time becomes noticeable in these photo-ops, Wood says, and its traditionally not how these rituals are done. Again, its become more standard for Trump, though typically in these situations of world leaders meeting together on the worlds stage, under everybodys eye, you dont have a handshake that becomes a battle hold. The handshake also rejects rituals. While there are varying protocols and cultural differences at play, Wood notes that, typically, a handshake is about three to five pumps. And its super rare for the shake to continue until reporters begin asking questions, which is what happened in Trump and Xis exchange. Politics: 'Slobber' Over Trump On Fox News Reaches 'Sickening' Extreme Over 1 Brief Moment You see that Xi Jinping is ready for it to end. Part of what signals that nonverbally, he is leaning slightly away, both his shoulder and his head are leaning slightly away, he is orienting and responding face-on toward the journalist. Trump is slightly oriented toward Xi Jinping and just holding on, Wood said. A normal handshake is equal distance between two people. But when Trump pulls the hand and holds it in front of him, hes showing, Im the one in charge, I have dominance, Im going to win. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wood, who studies greeting rituals and their symbolic significance, noted that the ritual of the handshake is traditionally meant to be a gesture of peace. Literally, it is meant to demonstrate you do not have a weapon in your hand or up your sleeve (thats what the shaking is for). Its meant to initiate the beginning of the game and to acknowledge the equal footing of the two parties that are meeting. What Trump is signaling is the antithesis of the normal handshake, which is equality, Wood notes. It says, Were both safe here and were both equal here. Instead of the ritual, this is: I want to show you that Im going to win, that I have power and Im not letting you go. U.S. President Donald Trump and French President Emmanuel Macron pose for a photo at a world leaders' summit on ending the Gaza war in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, on Oct. 13, 2025. Suzanne Plunkett/Pool Photo via AP The exchange ends on a less-than-dominant closer. While his initial dynamic with Xi points to Trump maintaining his dominance, Wood notes that the handshake post-negotiation might tell a different story. After the negotiation, Trump does something that Ive seen him do more often, he whispers in the ear. All of us want to know what hes saying, but what that does symbolically is that they have a secret, Wood said. We dont know whats true, but symbolically, it looks to us that Trump is telling him something. That they have a secret between themselves. Health: Trump Keeps Using This 1 Phrase And Psychologists Say Its More Powerful Than You Think Wood noted that, having analyzed hundreds of these exchanges, this isnt inherently weird and often after the ritual of handshakes, leaders will part ways with a laugh or a joke or a clear moment where the tension has lifted and they can revert to being themselves again. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Typically, its almost like two buddies, a laughing response, Wood said, while Trump, in that ending handshake, has a forced grin. U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping shake hands as they depart following a bilateral meeting at Gimhae Air Base on Oct. 30, 2025, in Busan, South Korea. Andrew Harnik via Getty Images From there, the dominance display also starts to lose its power. One thing to know, Wood says, is that these sorts of televised meetings between leaders on the world stage are fairly formalized. There are people who brief all parties on protocol and where they are meant to go throughout the event. They also typically have time to practice or are given that explicit direction. In Trumps case, he ended up asking for directions and eventually walking Xi to his car. Usually, they will come down to that neutral point at the bottom of the stairs and go their separate ways, Wood said. Its odd because it would symbolically show less power by Trump. To me, that was odd, and it symbolically looked like he had less power because he walked to the car and got lost; he just didnt know where to go. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Again, because Ive read so many of these: Usually they practice ahead of time or are told ahead of time and remember which way to go. So thats odd. I guess its just important to say thats not normal. And that whimper of an ending, despite all attempts at a bang, is notable from a nonverbal communication perspective, too. Just as the primacy effect makes first moves more memorable, the recency effect puts more focus on the final move, too. We have the primacy effect, the first handshake, and the recency effect is the last handshake, Wood said. He did a lot of effort to look powerful in the initial greeting handshake, and he ended up not looking as powerful with the ending handshake. The recency effect, the very last thing you say or do. Related... Read the original on HuffPost Tucker Carlsons recent interview with Nick Fuentes has ignited fierce debate across the political right, testing the movements long-standing commitment to open dialogue and free expression. The hour-long interview aired on X and received over 15 million views, ranking among Carlsons most-watched interviews since launching his independent platform. The conversation covered topics such as Fuentess early life, identity politics, political violence, pornography, and feminism. Some commentators praised Carlson for hosting a challenging and open discussion, while others condemned him for allegedly mainstreaming extremism. Opinions Split Over Free Speech The interviews reach highlighted a growing divide on the political right between those defending open dialogue and those seeking tighter limits on who should be included in public debate. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The advocacy group StopAntisemitism criticized the interview in a post on X, stating, .@CNN platforming Anna Kasparian. @TPUSA refusing to cut Tucker Carlson. This is how the Holocaust started: Jew hatred, normalized. Commentator Dinesh DSouza posted alleged private messages with Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk, claiming Kirk called Fuentes vermin and opposed debating him. One can only imagine what Charlie would say about Tuckers butt-licking interview with Fuentes, DSouza added. Calls for Censorship and Pushback As criticism spread, some urged that Carlson and others who engage with Fuentes be ostracized or deplatformed. Free-speech advocates quickly pushed back. The problem isnt platforming. Its promotion, wrote Seth Dillon, CEO of The Babylon Bee. You can share your platform if youre fortunate enough to have one with anyone, but not everyone should be promoted from it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In response to commentator Dave Rubins suggestion that Fuentes be excluded from major platforms, Steven Crowders company replied, By making sure Nick Fuentes cant go on shows? If you disagree with him then defeat his ideas, it is the only way. The HodgeTwins echoed libertarian podcaster Dave Smith, saying open conversations like these benefit both the movement and the principle of free speech. Meanwhile, YouTuber Liberal Hivemind criticized Carlsons detractors. WHAT THE F***, @TheOfficerTatum? Tucker Carlson should be ostracized from public forums? Who do you think you are? he wrote on X. Heritage Foundation Responds The debate widened after Heritage Foundation President Kevin Roberts released a video Thursday addressing speculation that his organization was distancing itself from Tucker Carlson. In the video, Roberts affirmed Carlson as a close friend and defended his right to ask difficult questions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Christians can criticize Israel without being antisemitic, Roberts said, adding that his loyalty as a Christian and as an American is to Christ first and to America always. He said Heritages mission is not to cancel our own people or police the consciences of Christians, asserting that the organization will always defend our friends against the slander of bad actors who serve someone elses agenda. Roberts said he disagrees with and even abhors things that Nick Fuentes says but argued that he should not be canceled. His remarks drew praise from America First commentators and criticism from pro-Israel voices such as Arsen Ostrovsky, who accused Heritage of enabling hate speech. Broader Implications The controversy highlights a deepening tension among the political right over how to balance ideological purity with open dialogue. Some right-leaning commentators say far-left political circles often enforce rigid conformity of thought, while those on the right traditionally claim to champion open debate. Leftist commentators such as Ana Kasparian have criticized that rigidity. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some of the people that Ive associated myself with because I thought they were the good people, they definitely have stereotypes in their head and are totally blind to the fact that they have those stereotypes and go around accusing others of being bad actors when they themselves need to do the work, Kasparian said, according to Fox News. The reaction underscored a widening divide on the political right between those who say free speech requires tolerating even controversial voices and those who argue that giving a platform to fringe figures risks normalizing extremism. A Tunisian court has sentenced Ahmed Souab, a lawyer and fierce critic of President Kais Saied, to five years in prison, his lawyer said, in a case that rights groups say marks a deepening crackdown on dissent in the North African country. Defence lawyer Yosr Hamid said on Friday that her client had received an additional three-year sentence of administrative supervision after he was arrested in April following criticism of the legal process in a trial of prominent figures, including opposition leaders. Souabs trial on anti-terror charges lasted just seven minutes, according to Hamid, who voiced fears it sets a troubling legal precedent. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hundreds of opposition figures, lawyers, journalists, trade unionists and humanitarian workers in Tunisia are being prosecuted for conspiracy or in connection with a fake news decree by authorities. That legislation, Decree Law 54, has been criticised by rights activists, who are concerned over its broad interpretation by some courts. Souab, 68, was not allowed to appear in court on Friday, declining to testify via videolink, according to Hamid. His legal team refused to enter a plea under the conditions. Souab faces around a dozen charges related to the presidential decree on false information. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The hearing lasted only seven minutes before the judge retired to deliberate, Hamid told the AFP news agency on Friday. He said there was a lack of fundamental grounds for a fair trial and that the decision to sentence after a one-day trial set a precedent. Mongi Souab, the defendants brother, said authorities prevented family members from entering the court, criticising the brevity of the trial. A dangerous escalation Souab was arrested in April after criticising the trial process for about 40 prominent figures, including opposition leaders, in a case related to conspiracy against state security. Among those targeted in that case are figures from what was once the biggest party, Ennahdha, such as the leader and former Speaker of Parliament Rached Ghannouchi, former Prime Minister Hichem Mechichi, former Minister of Justice Noureddine Bhiri, and Said Ferjani, a member of the partys political executive. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Souab was one of the principal defence lawyers. After a trial involving just three hearings, without closing arguments or defence pleas, Souab accused authorities of putting a knife to the throat of the judge who was to deliver the verdict. An anti-terrorism court interpreted the comment as a threat to the judges, and he was detained over it, but Souabs lawyers said it was a reference to the huge political pressure on judges. Heavy prison sentences of up to 74 years were handed down to those accused in the conspiracy mega-trial. The appeal related to that trial is scheduled to take place on November 17. Silencing dissenting voices Several dozen people demonstrated outside the court on Friday, brandishing photos of Souab and chanting that the country was under repression and tyranny. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Several Tunisian and foreign NGOs have decried a rollback of rights and freedoms since Saied seized full powers in 2021 in what critics have called a coup. Separately on Friday, Tunisian authorities ordered the suspension of the Nawaat journalists group, which runs one of the countrys leading independent investigative media outlets, as part of a widening crackdown. The one-month suspension follows similar actions against prominent civil society groups such as the Tunisian Forum for Economic and Social Rights and the Association of Democratic Women, both known for defending civil liberties. Authorities cited financial audits linked to foreign funding as justification, but rights advocates said the real aim was to silence dissenting voices. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The National Union of Tunisian Journalists condemned the suspension as a dangerous escalation in efforts to muzzle independent journalism under an administrative guise. Founded in 2004, Nawaat carried out investigations on corruption and human rights abuses before and after the revolution. In a statement, it said it would not be intimidated by the current political climate or campaigns of defamation. Foreign ministers from several Middle Eastern countries are expected to meet in Istanbul on Monday to discuss the possible next steps in the Gaza peace process, according to Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan. The meeting will bring together ministers from the eight nations that participated in talks with US President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, Turkey's Fidan told reporters on Friday in Ankara. There has been no confirmation of the meeting from these countries so far. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The earlier discussions in New York included representatives from Turkey, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Indonesia, Pakistan, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Jordan. A US-brokered ceasefire between Israel and the Palestinian militant organization Hamas remains fragile. The implementation of the next stages of the peace process including the disarmament of Hamas remains uncertain. Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Friday paid tributes to India's first Home Minister Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on his birth anniversary and said he laid a strong foundation for the unity and integrity of the country. "On the birth anniversary of the country's first Home Minister, the Iron Man Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel ji, I pay my humble respects to him. By weaving India into a single thread, he laid a strong foundation for the unity and integrity of the nation - his indomitable courage, foresight, and ideals will forever guide us," Rahul Gandhi, who is Leader of Opposiiton in Lok Sabha, said in a post on X. This year marks the 150th birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. India observes Rashtriya Ekta Diwas, also known as National Unity Day, annually on October 31 to commemorate the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and to honour his pivotal role in fostering national and political integration and unity in India. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was India's first Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Home Affairs, and played a crucial role in the national integration process following independence in 1947. Tasked with unifying over 560 princely states, under the Indian Independence Act, rulers of the Princely States were given the option to decide whether they wanted to accede to India or Pakistan or neither. Sardar Patel employed a combination of diplomatic negotiations, persuasion, and, where necessary, firm administrative measures to prevent balkanisation. Through the States Department he led, Sardar Patel successfully integrated these states by August 15, 1947, or shortly thereafter, ensuring the territorial integrity of modern India. He is recognised as the 'Iron Man' for his efforts and contributions to the nation. (ANI) ISTANBUL Turkey launched serial production of its Altay main battle tank this week, delivering the first two units to the Turkish Armed Forces during the opening of BMCs Ankara Tank and New Generation Armored Vehicle Production Facility. According to BMC Chairman Fuat Tosyal, the new facility is designed for a monthly output of eight Altay tanks and around ten 8x8 Altug armored vehicles, thanks to modular production lines that can be reconfigured for different platforms. The planned capacity equals up to 96 Altay tanks per year, a figure confirmed by Defense Industries Agency (SSB) President Haluk Gorgun. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More than 1,500 engineers and technicians are expected to work at the site, while Gorgun cited a broader industrial ecosystem of about 800 engineers, 1,250 workers, and 90 subcontractors supporting the program. Each Altay will be delivered with a two-year warranty and six years of logistical support, he added. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said deliveries of Altay tanks would begin this year and increase in the coming years, while the ongoing modernization of Leopard 2A4 tanks for the Turkish Land Forces will continue in parallel. The tanks development and qualification phase involved more than 1.5 million engineering hours, 35,000 kilometers of mobility testing, and 3,700 live-fire trials, Erdogan said. The Altay weighs 65 tons, has a maximum speed of 65 km/h on paved roads and 45 km/h off-road. Major Turkish defense contractors Aselsan, Havelsan, Roketsan, and MKE are key partners in the project. The integration of local subsystems such as Aselsans AKKOR active protection system and indigenous fire-control and electronic systems were highlighted as part of the broader localization effort. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Altay is armed with a 120mm L55-caliber smoothbore main gun, a coaxial 7.62mm machine gun, and a remote-controlled weapon station mounting either a 12.7mm or 7.62mm machine gun. The first 85 tanks will be powered by a South Korean-made engine and transmission, while subsequent units will transition to BMC Powers indigenous BATU power pack starting around 2026 or 2027. Development of the Altay began in the late 2000s under a contract awarded to Otokar, which produced several prototypes before the project transitioned to BMC in 2018 for mass production. A total of 250 Altay tanks are planned for production under the initial order. The Altay will gradually replace aging Leopard 1 and M60 tanks in the Turkish Army, becoming the backbone of the countrys armored forces into the 2030s. DENVER (KDVR) When a United Airlines flight was bombed with dynamite, exploding in the sky over Colorado 70 years ago and killing 44 people, the unprecedented act set the tone for future FBI investigations into aviation disasters. It was not just a crime against the 44 innocent souls. It was a turning point, really for aviation history, said Mark Michalek, special agent in charge of the FBI Denver Field Office. And its a tragedy that led to meaningful reforms and transformed the airline industry, he told FOX31. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 70 years later, witnesses remember bombing of Flight 629 over Colorado farm field It was the first act of sabotage involving a domestic airliner. There wasnt a playbook for this, Michalek said. The agents just got the job done. And it was the first time some investigative techniques were ever used. This was a consequential and defining moment in (FBI) history, he said. FBI documented victims, reviewed wreckage The FBIs role was to take fingerprints, identify victims, and review the wreckage, looking for clues about the cause, and do something that had never been done before but is now the standard in aviation disasters: rebuild the aircraft to understand why it went down. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To be able to take it back to Stapleton Airport and essentially recreate the fuselage in a mock-up, to put the pieces together like a jigsaw (puzzle). As they built that fuselage, they were able to determine where the cause of the initial incident was. The point of impact, where the biggest damage was, was strictly luggage. And so from there, theyre able to find the luggage and pair that with victims families to identify that. There was some luggage that was not touched. There was some that had residue on it. And some, like Miss Daisie King, was completely obliterated, indicative of being the point of the explosion, Michalek said. That is how they figured out her son, John Jack Gilbert Graham, 23, was the one who put the bomb in her bag. Don Sebesta was one of the lead FBI investigators on the case. His son, Jim Sebesta of Littleton, was just a newborn at the time of the investigation, but he has his fathers scrapbook filled with news articles from the trial. My mom had it after he passed away. (She) decided shed donate it to the Bureau, Sebesta told FOX31. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Our family was destroyed: Professor reflects on Colorado airplane bombing that killed her parents 70 years ago The clippings help fill in the details of a crime investigation and trial, unlike anything Colorado had ever seen. A trial that garnered international attention. From what I can tell, this was like the O.J. Simpson trial of the 50s, Sebesta said. It was the first time in Colorado that they were allowed to have cameras in the courtroom and it was kind of a first on the way they set up the forensic evidence, he said. Investigators dig into suspects life, secure death penalty In the course of their criminal investigation into the crash, agents honed in on Graham after discovering hed taken out life insurance policies on his mother just moments before the flight. At the time, you could buy life insurance at an airport kiosk. In his garage, they found bomb-making material identical to that used to bring down Flight 629. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They also learned Graham and his mother, Daisie King, had fought like cats and dogs, and that he had an extensive criminal record. Faced with the stack of evidence the FBI had gathered, Graham confessed to the crime, but later recanted. In a trial that captured the nations attention, he was convicted of murder and sentenced to death. Graham was executed in the gas chamber at the state penitentiary in Canon City on January 11, 1957. Our hearts go out to all the victims and their families. Really, thats the focus, Sebesta said. He says one of the lasting legacies of the investigation into the bombing of Flight 629 is the meticulous work done by law enforcement and the exemplary work of the FBI. Sign up for the FOX31 Denver Guide weekly newsletter for events and activities Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I would say, without hesitation, that its the most professional organization Ive ever known, hands down, Sebesta told FOX31. And its clear the Bureau felt the same way about his father. In his fathers scrapbook, theres a letter written by famed former FBI head J. Edgar Hoover, commending Don Sebesta for his exemplary work on the Flight 629 investigation. The director of the FBI sent a letter to a line-level case agent thanking him for his work, Michalek 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 FOX31 Denver. PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) A second-alarm fire at a Beaverton apartment complex left four people hospitalized Friday morning, authorities said. Just after 6:30 a.m., Tualatin Valley Fire & Rescue crews responded to the 5800 block of Southwest Erickson Avenue on reports of a fire at a two-story apartment complex. Bomb threat at Washington County Courthouse likely a hoax Arriving at the scene, the fire was soon upgraded to a second alarm. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Although firefighters rescued two residents from the second-floor units, TVF&R said four residents were treated at the scene for their injuries, then taken to a hospital for further care. As of 7:40 a.m., TVF&R reported the fire was under control. Officials are now investigating the cause of 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 KOIN.com. ST. LOUIS A man run over by a car, dragged, and left for dead spoke to FOX 2 News about his survival. His account is backed by video that police were monitoring in real time as they tracked down the suspect driver. It happened on Sept. 22 at South 4th and Chouteau where Edward Gordon was crossing with the light in the crosswalk. Thats when an alleged drunken driver not only hit him but dragged him two blocks. I knew I had to stay alive so I tried everything I could think of in my head to stay alive, Gordon said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He was hit here by a mysterious Ford Edge and became stuck under the car for two blocks, before he snapped free near Fourth at Gratiot. For context, we watched cars on Thursday take about 10 seconds to drive the stretch Gordon was dragged. I knew I had to keep my head up off the ground and I was like, Ive gotta sacrifice one part of my body, so I sacrificed the right side of my body, Gordon said. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Daily News He says he heard a passenger in the car that was dragging him. The lady in the car saying, Stop, youre on top of him! Stop, you ran him over! and he wouldnt stop, Gordan said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Once free, Gordon remembers blacking out in the middle of the road at about 8 p.m. with a good Samaritan who used her hands to stop his bleeding. I didnt even know who she was grabbed my arm and squeezed my arm, he said. Then I passed out and then I woke up the next morning in the hospital with the cops saying, Mr. Gordon, dont worry; we got him. Police describe in court records the crash was recorded on Real Time Crime Center Cameras. The offenders vehicle had a Tennessee license plate. Hours police arrested Cory Aiono as he was leaving to return to Tennessee. I feel like the guy thought he hit a homeless man. There was nobody around, and he hit him, and he had to get out of Dodge, Edwards sister, Shawna Gordon, said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Shawna says she quit her retail job to care for her brother, whos now also lost his contracting job. It takes me two hours to clean them wounds every day, she said. Shawna wondered why her brother was not answering his phone. She sensed something wrong. Thats my brother. I feel his pain. I just started calling all the hospitals and I finally called SSM, and he was there, she said. And they told me that he had been in an accident, and he was in ICU. Edward was discharged this week after 35 days. Both he and his sister are thankful for the quick police response. I think theyre on the ball, Gordon said. I give them all props. They did their work, and they got him. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 2. At least two people have died in separate basement flooding incidents in New York City Thursday as record-setting rain inundated the region. Police responded to reports in the afternoon of a 39-year-old man trapped inside a flooded basement in Flatbush, Brooklyn, a New York Police Department spokesperson told The Independent. The fire departments scuba team worked to rescue the man, but he was later pronounced dead at a local hospital, according to the police department. The mans neighbor, Renee Phillips, told The New York Times the man had rescued one of his dogs from the basement, but became trapped after he went back inside to rescue the other. The dog he was trying to save also died, she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This day has been horrific, Phillips told the outlet. Minutes later, officers also responded to a Washington Heights apartment in Manhattan where witnesses reported a 43-year-old man was unresponsive inside a basement boiler room, the police department said. Officers recovered the man and pronounced him dead at the scene. A cyclist rides through floodwaters in New York City on Thursday. At least two New Yorkers died in separate basement flooding incidents (AP) Their causes of death are still unclear and investigations into both deaths are ongoing. The police department has not released their names citing pending family notification. New York City Mayor Eric Adams said he was devastated by the deaths. We're devastated that two New Yorkers have died due to today's rainfall, he wrote on X. Their deaths are tragedies. @NYCemergencymgt will continue to educate and equip New Yorkers for flooding events. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thursdays deluge broke three daily rainfall records in the region. The heavy rain was initially forecasted to fall over several hours, but most of it fell in just a 10-minute window on Thursday afternoon, Adams said. Vehicles move through flooded streets in New York City on Thursday. The rainfall broke three daily records in the region (Mariah Whitmoyer via REUTERS) The New York City Parks Department received more than 140 calls about downed trees, and thousands of power outages have been reported in the area, CBS New York reports. The weather also prompted ground stops and delays at John F. Kennedy International Airport, LaGuardia Airport and Newark Liberty International Airport, according to CBS New York. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority also saw some subway delays due to water on the tracks. Thursdays storm continues the recent pattern of short but wildly intense downpours that have become increasingly common in recent years, a spokesperson for the citys environmental protection department told CBS New York. DEP teams continue to respond across the city to address flooding reports and assist with drainage efforts," the spokesperson added. Two drones raised alarms in the southern region of Estonia on Oct. 17 when they appeared near the Reedo military barracks, resulting in one of the drones being shot down, according to an Estonian press report this week. The base, home to Estonias 2nd Infantry Brigade, currently houses U.S. troops of the Armys 5th Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment. Defense News requested a comment from U.S. Defense Department sources but had not received a response at the time of publication. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The drones appeared at 4:30 p.m. One was downed with an anti-drone rifle, Liis Vaksmann, Estonian Defense Forces Headquarters spokesperson, told Estonian outlet Postimees. No details have been released regarding the model of the drones or whether U.S. forces played any role in shooting one down. Vaksmann told the press that the downed drone could not be located by Estonian authorities and had not been recovered. The 5th Squadron, 7th Cavalry Regiment is the first Army armored brigade combat team to be rotated to Estonia. It is intended to strengthen NATOs eastern flank against aggression, and has been training regularly with Estonian Defense Forces. In May, the U.S. troops conducted a large-scale exercise in which they boosted battlefield interoperability with Estonian troops. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The U.S. Bradleys offered the unit commanders of both the 3rd Kuperjanov Battalion and Kalev Infantry Battalion experience for integrating them into their battle plans, so that they can together reach a conquering end in the battle, Estonian Maj. Toomas Rein of the EDFs 2nd Infantry Brigade Headquarters, said at the time. At the end of August, American soldiers of the 5-7 Cav were presented with the NATO Kaitsel Medal by Kaimo Kuusk, permanent secretary of Estonias Defense Ministry in recognition of their assistance. The appearance of the drones comes as the U.S. military is drawing down some forces from NATOs eastern border, according to reports Wednesday. The Brigade Combat Team of the 101st Airborne Division will not be replaced in Europe following its redeployment to the U.S. This is not an American withdrawal from Europe or a signal of lessened commitment to NATO and Article 5. Rather this is a positive sign of increased European capability and responsibility, U.S. Army Europe and Africa said in a statement on Wednesday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement However, following the drone incident near Reedo barracks, Estonian Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur issued a strongly worded statement Thursday confirming that American troops will remain in Estonia. We welcome the U.S. decision to continue its troop presence in Estonia. This confirms the importance of our strategic cooperation and the U.S.s ongoing commitment to the defense of our region and NATOs entire eastern flank, Pevkur said in a release, adding that U.S. troops at Reedo are augmented by an additional U.S. tank unit at Tapa. He stressed that joint training exercises would continue. We are working to further strengthen the U.S. military presence in our region and are ready to make additional investments in the necessary infrastructure and expanded training opportunities to host our allies, Pevkur said. Two federal district judges said the U.S. government has $6 billion available to spend on food aid for millions of people who had prepared for those benefits to end tomorrow on Saturday, Nov. 1, 2025. U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani ordered the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) to provide her with an update Monday on the status of how it plans to spendor how it has spentthe $6 billion that Congress approved in 2024 as a contingency fund for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The fund is available through September 2026 and supports roughly 42 million Americans, including up to one-half million Native Americans. Talwani ordered the USDA to announce whether it will authorize at least reduced SNAP benefits for November and, if so, their timeline for determining whether to authorize only reduced SNAP benefits using the contingency funds or to authorize full SNAP benefits using both the contingency funds and additional available funds. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Never miss Indian Countrys biggest stories and breaking news. Click here to sign up to get our reporting sent straight to your inbox every weekday morning. The ruling came in response to a lawsuit filed by several states alleging unlawful actions by the USDA in October to end SNAP benefits because of lost funding from the ongoing federal government shutdown. The states argued that significant harm would occur to food systems and their users if the USDA failed to tap into the $6 billion contingency fund included in its shutdown plan. The judge agreed, ruling that it was unlawful for the department not to use the fund before the end of the month. Nonetheless, at least some recipients will not receive SNAP payments at the beginning of the month, and this absence of SNAP payments will undoubtedly result in substantial harm to them, Talwani wrote in her order. Neither the USDA nor President Donald Trump has responded to the ruling. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A federal judge in Rhode Island also ordered the federal government to provide an update Monday on how the USDA will use emergency funds to cover SNAP benefits in cases brought by cities, nonprofits and a union. The Department of Justice can appeal the decisions in both cases. Before the rulings, USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins refused to move toward a temporary solution to cover some of the SNAP funding losses. Talwani wrote that the federal government erred in concluding that USDA is statutorily prohibited from using the contingency reserve to fund SNAP benefits during the pendency of the lapse in appropriations. She cited the 2024 Consolidated Appropriations Act, which authorized the contingency fund. Congress separately appropriated $6 billion to the SNAP program to remain available through September 30, 2026, and be placed in reserve for use only in such amounts and at such times as may become necessary to carry out program operations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Talwani also noted that other funds could be accessed by the agency to keep SNAP operating. She cited the Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1935, which states, Congress has set forth a mandatory, and permanent, appropriation that stems from 30% of customs receipts on all imports from the prior calendar year. It remains unclear when payments could go out. U.S. District Judge John McConnell, a President Barack Obama appointee, said the money should be distributed as soon as possible. There is no doubt, and it is beyond argument, that irreparable harm will begin to occurif it hasnt already occurredin the terror it has caused some people about the availability of funding for food for their family, McConnell said. The impact of the federal shutdown on food aid has been severe and widespread for tribal governments. This week, several tribes issued emergency orders to stock tribally run food banks and ensure community members are fed. The message reached Washington, D.C., where Alaska Federation of Natives President Ben Mallott joined other tribal leaders to testify before the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The lack of SNAP benefits will overwhelm informal food assistance programs or organizations, such as food banks, in communities where they exist to say nothing of the impacts for communities where they do not exist, Mallott said. About the Author: "Shaun Griswold, contributing writer, is a Native American journalist based Albuquerque. He is a citizen of the Pueblo of Laguna, and his ancestry also includes Jemez and Zuni on the maternal side of his family. He has more than a decade of print and broadcast news experience. " Contact: shawn@nativenewsonline.net A day before the Trump administration planned to cut off food-stamp benefits to 42 million low-income Americans, including 5.5 million Californians, two federal judges ordered the administration on Friday to use emergency funds that Congress had set aside to preserve the benefits. When Congress created the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, known as SNAP, in 1964, "it did so in part to utilize the nation's food supply to the maximum extent practicable to safeguard the health and wellbeing of the Nation's population and raise levels of nutrition among low-income households,'" U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani of Massachusetts wrote in her ruling, quoting the law. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She did not order the Trump administration to maintain SNAP benefits at their current level, but said the government must use $6 billion in "contingency funds," and additional sums Congress has set aside for emergencies, to keep the program as intact as possible. Talwani gave the administration until Monday to decide how it would fund the program. U.S. District Judge John McConnell of Rhode Island went a step further and ordered President Donald Trump's Department of Agriculture, which administers SNAP, to immediately use the emergency funds to preserve the benefits. With the cutoff scheduled for Saturday, "irreparable harm will begin to occur - if it hasn't already occurred - in the terror it has caused some people about the availability of funding for food for their family," McConnell said in an oral ruling from the bench, ABC News reported. Both judges were appointed by President Barack Obama. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Gov. Gavin Newsom said the rulings were a step in the right direction. The Department of Agriculture "needs to release all available funding for this critical program immediately," he said in a statement. "We're not going to sit idly by while families go hungry. It's cruel, it's immoral, and it's beneath us as a nation." With the federal government shut down since Oct. 1, Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins said SNAP would run out of funds by Nov. 1. While Congress has maintained the $6 billion contingency fund and other reserves to pay for shortages in the program, Rollins' agency has argued that it has no authority to use those funds during the shutdown because lawmakers have not yet approved funding for the new fiscal year that begins on Saturday. But Talwani said Congress explicitly made the reserve funds available for the entire fiscal year, through next September, to cover SNAP benefits as much as possible if other funds are unavailable. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The government is obligated to use this contingent reserve account to fund SNAP as may become necessary to carry out program operations,'" the judge wrote, quoting the law. "That the regulation allows for a suspension when there are no funds does not mean that (the Trump administration) may choose a suspension over a reduction while funds do remain." The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment, but is likely to challenge the rulings in the 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. The court decision comes as cities around the Bay Area are bracing for their low-income residents who rely on food stamps to be cut off from the federal program this weekend. San Francisco has taken perhaps the most aggressive steps to close the gap by announcing plans this week to distribute gift cards to all 112,000 city residents who receive monthly SNAP benefits. San Francisco residents who use SNAP are expected to receive mail next week with a QR code that allows them to download a digital gift card covering their November benefits or request a physical one be sent to them. The cards are being funded through an $18 million public-private partnership, with half paid by the city and half covered by the Crankstart Foundation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mayor Daniel Lurie's office on Friday had no plans to change course in light of the court decision and its likely appeal from the Trump administration. "If you are one of 112,000 San Franciscans who receive SNAP benefits, your mayor and your leaders will not let this federal government shutdown prevent you from putting food on the table for your family," Lurie said at a City Hall news conference Wednesday. The cutoff was challenged in court by California and other states and by advocates for SNAP recipients. Skye Perryman, chief executive of the nonprofit Democracy Forward, said the rulings protect "millions of families, seniors, and veterans from being used as leverage in a political fight and upholds the principle that no one in America should go hungry." Joel Berg, CEO of another nonprofit, Hunger Free America, said that if the administration complies with the court orders, "this will forestall what would have been the greatest hunger crisis in America since the Great Depression." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Still, he said in a statement, "this decision only kicks the can down the road for a few weeks. We still urgently need President Trump and congressional Republicans to reach a bipartisan agreement with Democrats to reopen the government." This article originally published at Two judges rule Trump administration must preserve SNAP benefits. PLATTSBURGH, N.Y. (ABC22/FOX44) According to authorities, two Chinese nationals will appear in court in Beekmantown after an attempt to scam an elderly resident. The resident reported suspicious phone calls after she clicked a popup on her iPad, with callers claiming to be representatives of the Department of Treasury or Department of Fraud. She was convinced to withdraw nearly $30,000 from her bank account. On the morning of October 17, Chengdong Wu, 42, and Feitao Chen, 40, were arrested when they reportedly approached the residents house to pick up the money. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement New York State Police welcomes new North Country troopers They have been both charged with third-degree attempted grand larceny and are scheduled to appear in Beekmantown Town Court next month. District Attorney Andrew J. Wylie said that the case is a reminder to report possible scams to law enforcement. I urge all residents, especially seniors, to stay vigilant, question unsolicited communications, and never share personal or financial information with unknown individuals. 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. One person died and two others sustained serious injuries after a motorcycle collided with a tempo on the Azadpur flyover on Wednesday, police said on Friday. According to Delhi Police, the accident occurred under the jurisdiction of PS Shalimar Bagh in the North-West district. A preliminary investigation revealed that three persons were riding on a single motorcycle when a tempo hit them. The deceased has been identified as Sanjay, a resident of Mukundpur, Burari. The injured were immediately shifted to Babu Jagjivan Ram Memorial Hospital for treatment. Following the incident, the Crime Team and police personnel from the police station Shalimar Bagh reached the spot to carry out an inspection. Police said further investigation into the case is underway. In another incident, at least two people lost their lives after a crane overturned on a pickup van at the construction site of a railway bridge in Dhar district, Madhya Pradesh, on Thursday. Dhar ASP Parul Belapurkar said that the contractor's role would be investigated. The deceased have been identified as Abhay Kumar, resident of Sehore, and Parmar, resident of Sagore. ASP Parul Belapurkar said, "During the construction of a railway overbridge on Kuti Road in the Sagore district, a tragic accident occurred where a pickup truck was crushed under a crane, resulting in the death of two individuals inside the truck. The deceased have been identified and their bodies have been sent for post-mortem. We are investigating those involved in the construction of the overbridge. One of the deceased, Abhay Kumar, is from Sehore, and the other, Parmar, is from Sagore." She further said that there were no diversions, vehicles were passing, and at the same time, the pickup van was crossing. In the aftermath of the incident, the relatives blocked the roads and staged a protest. According to information, the incident occurred when a heavy crane engaged in construction work was shifting a pillar. The crane lost its balance, tilted towards the service road, and fell onto a passing pickup vehicle. Two people in the vehicle were crushed under the crane and died on the spot. (ANI) Two people were displaced following a fire at an apartment building in Waterbury early Friday. Firefighters responded to a three-story apartment building at 480 South Main St. around 12:40 a.m. Friday, according to the Waterbury Fire Department. Crews found that the flames had extended into the walls and had to open them up to access the fire, fire officials said. The damage led to two people being displaced. The American Red Cross is assisting the residents who were displaced. The cause of the fire remains under investigation by the Waterbury Fire Marshals Office. DECATUR, Ill. (WCIA) Two school buses were involved in a crash in Decatur on Thursday. The crash happened at the intersection of West Grand Avenue and North Illinois Route 48 around 2:16 p.m. Sergeant Brandon Rolfs of the Decatur Police Department said the crash involved a total of four vehicles an Alltown bus transporting students from Decatur Public Schools, a bus from the Macon-Piatt Regional Office of Education, a Dodge Ram pickup truck and a Nissan Altima sedan. The two buses were stopped at a red light in the eastbound lanes of West Grand Avenue, Rolfs said, while the truck and sedan were driving southbound and northbound, respectively on Route 48. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When the Nissan was traveling through the intersection, the Ram turned left and struck the Nissan, Rolfs said. The Ram ricocheted away from the crash and struck the buses. Springfield firefighters respond to pair of fires Friday morning There was a total of nine students aboard the buses seven on the Alltown bus and two on the ROE bus. An ambulance was dispatched to the scene, which Rolfs said is standard practice. Emergency responders arrived promptly at the scene, students were assessed by medical personnel, and no students were transported for further medical attention, Maria Robertson, Director of Communications & Public Relations for Decatur Public Schools, said in a statement to WCIA. The district is grateful for the quick response of first responders and for the safety of all students involved. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The driver of the Nissan a 26-year-old woman from Decatur was the only person who reported any soreness or injury, Rolfs said, but she was ultimately not transported from the scene. The driver of the Ram was an 83-year-old man also from Decatur. Rolfs said that after the crash, he had no memory of the crash or why it happened. He was ultimately given a ticket for failing to yield the right of way in the intersection, Rolfs said. Decatur Police also submitted a form to the Illinois Secretary of States office asking for a reexamination of his license. This will include medical testing to determine whether it is in the best interest of both the man and the community for him to have a drivers license. 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. (WGHP) It takes something special for someone to volunteer for a job so dangerous that theyre not likely to survive it. But three gentlemen who hung out together recently did just that. I think its part of your character wanting to serve the country in whatever capacity might be appropriate at the time, says Billy Queen about what is at the heart of that type of character. When youre really young, the military is the place to go. And, indeed, Billy, Joe Pistone and Eddie Follis were all in the military when they were young. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Queen was a Special Forces soldier in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War. Eddie Follis was a Marine, originally stationed in Hawaii and Joe Pistone was in Navy Intelligence. But they all got drawn into bigger jobs. Follis, whose book, The Dark Arts, tells his story of infiltrating and helping bring down several international drug cartels, talks about how small assignments working with military police kept expanding. And they kept pushing me into different scenarios and all of a sudden, thats when I got the addiction to go undercover, says Follis. Its all blurred and to this day, I have a hard time distinguishing the blurs from Afghanistan and everything that occurred. But then you got to hold on to what matters and my core was always, I did it 100% for my country. Joe Pistone is better known by his undercover name, Donnie Brasco, which he used to infiltrate and bring down the Bonanno crime family. Pistone spent six years in the mafia, facing death on multiple occasions. Youre in there, youre in deep, you dont want to get out because youre looking for that evidence, youre looking for the arrest, youre looking for the prosecution, because you know its for the good of the country, says Joe, who gave up his real-life family for the work. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Youre not the head of the family anymore when you do go home, you know? And then, when you do call home, you might get a hang-up. Billy Queen knows what Pistones talking about. He worked for the ATF and was sent to do a little peripheral work with what was considered the most dangerous motorcycle gang in America, The Mongols. When I got involved in the Mongol operation, I did not know I was going to be there for more than two years, says Billy. The longer we were in it, the deeper it got, the more intense it got. And what we thought was going to take a couple of months obviously took more than two years, and even after two years, I kept telling myself, Ill go back to being a father again. Ill go back to being an agent again, life will be normal again and none of that ever happened. When I left my life behind, I never got it back. Billy told that full story to us in 2008. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Pistone says the kind of success these three had comes largely from unteachable skills of survival. All we can teach you or impart to you is how to stay alive, how to infiltrate, and how to stay alive, says Joe. And a lot of it comes from how you grew up. I mean, I grew up on the streets of Paterson, New Jersey, grew up in all Italian neighborhood. I knew wise guys growing up. And put many of them in prison because he did it the right way, getting the evidence needed in court, just as Eddie Follis did with the international drug cartels. Lebanon, Egypt, Thailand for five years, Mexico, whatever, it was always in the back of my mind that I had to make sure that whatever was generated, taped, recorded, reports, and that, Id be testifying to it someday, says Follis. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Follis also says he believes that the boats the Trump Administration is taking out in international waters that they claim are running drugs to America are exactly what the administration says they are. The voices, the exemplars that are taken from that, the individuals on the boat, the contents, its all hyper-analyzed through extraordinary analytics, says Follis. See more from all three men in this edition of The Buckley 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 FOX8 WGHP. A U.S. Marine is facing federal charges after going to Hammond to pick up a 12-year-old girl to take her across state lines for sex, according to an FBI press release. William Richard Roy, 24, stationed at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina, was charged Wednesday in the U.S. District Court of Northern Indiana with Enticement of a Minor to Travel for Illicit Sexual Activity, Transportation of a Minor to Engage in Illicit Sexual Activity and Interstate Travel with Intent to Engage in a Sexual Act with a Minor. It was unclear late Thursday if he had a lawyer. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hammond Police called the FBIs Merrillville Field Office to report that she was likely with Roy after the girls grandmother reported her missing on Oct. 25, according to the news release. The FBI, Hammond Police and U.S. Marshals concluded Roy flew to Chicago the prior day, took a rideshare to Hammond and met the girl at a park. He took her back to Chicago, stayed overnight at a hotel, then boarded a bus for Durham the next day. Roy was arrested Oct. 26 by the FBI when they arrived. Agents safely recovered the girl, the release states. The investigation is ongoing. mcolias@post-trib.com Oct. 31 (UPI) -- The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk said the United States' attacks on alleged drug boats in the Caribbean and Pacific are violations of international human rights law. Turk said in a statement Friday that the attacks, which have killed 60 people, are "unacceptable." Since Sept. 2, the U.S. military has attacked boats in the Caribbean and the Pacific that the President Donald Trump administration has said were smuggling drugs to the United States. The administration has offered no evidence of the allegation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "These attacks -- and their mounting human cost -- are unacceptable. The U.S. must halt such attacks and take all measures necessary to prevent the extrajudicial killing of people aboard these boats, whatever the criminal conduct alleged against them," Turk said. Trump gave a speech on Tuesday to U.S. sailors aboard the USS George Washington in Japan in which he boasted of strikes. "For many years, the drug cartels have waged war in America, and at long last, we're finally waging war on the cartels," he said. Turk said that drug smuggling is a law enforcement matter, not a war. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Under international human rights law, the intentional use of lethal force is only permissible as a last resort against individuals who pose an imminent threat to life," he said. "Based on the very sparse information provided publicly by the U.S. authorities, none of the individuals on the targeted boats appeared to pose an imminent threat to the lives of others or otherwise justified the use of lethal armed force against them under international law." On Oct. 19, Colombian President Gustavo Petro accused the United States of murder and violating Colombia's sovereignty in territorial waters for the death of a Colombian fisherman, Alejandro Carranza, in a mid-September strike. "The Colombian boat was adrift and had its distress signal up due to an engine failure," Petro said in a statement. In response, Trump canceled all foreign aid to Columbia. In his statement, Turk called on the authorities to "lawfully" intercept and detain suspects of drug trafficking "under the applicable rules of criminal law." It said the United States should "investigate and, if necessary, prosecute and punish individuals accused of serious crimes in accordance with the fundamental rule of law principles of due process and fair trial, for which the U.S. has long stood." The Trump Administration has made the decision to attack military installations inside Venezuela and the strikes could come at any moment, sources with knowledge of the situation told the Miami Herald, as the U.S. prepares to initiate the next stage of its campaign against the Soles drug cartel. Sources told the Herald that the targets which could be struck by air in a matter of days or even hours also aim to decapitate the cartels hierarchy. U.S. officials believe the cartel exports around 500 tons of cocaine yearly, split between Europe and the United States. While sources declined to say whether Maduro himself is a target, one of them said his time is running out. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Maduro is about to find himself trapped and might soon discover that he cannot flee the country even if he decided to, the source said. Whats worse for him, there is now more than one general willing to capture and hand him over, fully aware that one thing is to talk about death, and another to see it coming. On Thursday, The Wall Street Journal reported that the Trump administration had identified targets in Venezuela, including military facilities allegedly used to smuggle drugs, citing U.S. officials familiar with the matter. While emphasizing that the president has not made a final decision on launching strikes, the story said officials indicated that any potential air campaign would focus on sites that lie at the intersection of the Nicolas Maduro regime and the countrys drug-trafficking networks. Read more: War in Venezuela? How a U.S. military attack against Maduro would play out Washington has doubled the reward for information leading to Maduros arrest to $50 millionthe largest such bounty ever offeredand currently offers $25 million rewards for the capture of some of his top lieutenants, including Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello, who is believed to run cartel operations. Another key regime figure facing U.S. drug-trafficking charges is Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino Lopez. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement READ MORE: U.S. warships amass near Venezuela; military training exercises. See photos, video The White House moved Friday morning to tamp down reports that U.S. forces are close to taking action inside Venezuelan territory. Unnamed sources dont know what theyre talking about. Any announcements regarding Venezuela policy would come directly from the President, White House Deputy Press Secretary Anna Kelly said. Trump himself denied that he has made a decision on attacking military sites inside Venezuela when asked on Friday aboard Air Force One. Hours later, Secretary of State Marco Rubio also denied the Miami Herald report. Your sources claiming to have knowledge of the situation tricked you into writing a fake story, he wrote in his X account. Reward offered by the United States government for the capture of Nicolas Maduro and Diosdado Cabello. When announcing the decision in August to double the $25 million reward on Maduro, U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi said Maduro leads the Cartel de los Soles Cartel of the Suns a drug-trafficking organization embedded in Venezuelas military, and works with groups including Venezuelas Tren de Aragua gang, Mexicos Sinaloa Cartel and other transnational criminal networks. Bondi called Maduro one of the worlds biggest drug traffickers and a threat to our national security, adding that the bounty increase was aimed at tightening the net around him. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The U.S. military has sharply increased its presence off Venezuelas coast as part of an operation the White House says is aimed at disrupting drug trafficking and the criminal networks tied to the Caracas regime. Read more: Caracas threatens retaliation against Trinidad as U.S. military buildup nearby grows One of President Donald Trumps first moves after returning to the White House in January 2025 was to direct the State Department to designate certain drug cartels as terrorist and transnational criminal organizations including Tren de Aragua, and later, the Cartel of the Suns. In August, the United States began assembling a large-scale deployment in the southern Caribbean Sea near northern Venezuela, creating a Joint Task Force that initially included three destroyersequipped for air, anti-submarine and missile defenseand an amphibious group of roughly 4,500 troops. The mission has included maritime patrols by P-8 reconnaissance aircraft and long-range surveillance flights to map trafficking routes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In September the deployment was reinforced with 10 F-35B fighters based at Ceiba Air Base in Puerto Rico and armed MQ-9 Reaper drones at Rafael Hernandez Airport on the island. U.S. officials say those aircraft can conduct precision strikes against labs, clandestine airstrips, vehicles or vessels linked to drug operations. On Oct. 24, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford and its strike groupincluding the cruiser USS Normandy and the destroyers USS Thomas Hudner, USS Ramage, USS Carney and USS Rooseveltinto the Caribbean. The carrier strike group, with more than 4,000 personnel and roughly 90 combat aircraft, is described by retired Venezuelan officers who spoke to the Herald as the centerpiece of a final phase intended to neutralize leaders of the Cartel of the Suns and Tren de Aragua and strike fixed and mobile targets inside Venezuela. So far, the force has been used mainly in maritime operations. As of this week, U.S. strikes have targeted fast boats the administration says were carrying narcoticsmost intercepted off Venezuelas coast; the attacks have killed 61 suspected traffickers. Administration officials say the task force will shift operations ashore because traffickers are now less willing to risk voyages that can be detected and targeted at sea. The sheer scale of the deployment has led many analysts to conclude that the missions ultimate aim is the removal of the Maduro regime, though U.S. officials have provided few specifics about any planned actions inside Venezuela. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Most experts doubt the United States intends a prolonged occupationa stance Trump reiterated during his campaign for a second term. What he favors are targeted operations, like the assassination of Iranian General Qasem Soleimani, or attacks on Irans nuclear installations, Elliott Abrams, who served as U.S. special representative for Venezuela in Trumps first term, told Herald columnist Andres Oppenheimer. I dont think he wants something that could drag on. Still, a full-scale invasion would be far larger and costlier than the current posture. Even the 1989 U.S. invasion of Panamaa smaller, militarily less complex countryrequired about 30,000 troops, Abrams noted. Trumps Venezuelan policy: Will it be Madurism without Maduro? | Opinion Mark F. Cancian, a retired Marine colonel and senior adviser at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said the forces now in the Caribbean are sufficient for strikes and intimidation but not for an invasion. There isnt enough combat power for an invasion, he said, but there is plenty for air or missile strikes against the cartels or the Maduro regime. The United States stands prepared to provide immediate humanitarian assistance to Cuba following the catastrophic impact of Hurricane Melissa, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Thursday. We are prepared to offer immediate humanitarian aid to the people of Cuba affected by the Hurricane, Rubio stated in a post on X. The State Department has issued a humanitarian assistance declaration for Cuba, similar to measures taken for other Caribbean nations battered by the storm. In light of Hurricane Melissas devastation of eastern Cuba, the Trump Administration stands in solidarity with the resilient Cuban people as they strive to fulfill their basic needs, Rubio added in his statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Shortly after the statement, Cuban officials signaled they were considering the offer, a surprising gesture that breaks Cubas tradition of flatly rejecting disaster aid from the U.S. government. Following todays public communications regarding hurricane damage, we have been in contact with the State Department and are awaiting clarification on how and in what way they are prepared to assist, said Carlos Fernandez de Cossio, Cubas vice foreign affairs minister. A resident of El Cobre, in the province of Santiago de Cuba, walks his dog past downed trees, power lines and destroyed houses following the passage of Hurricane Melissa, on October 29, 2025. The response of Cuban authorities came amid heightened tensions between the two governments. Just Wednesday, Cuban and U.S. officials clashed at the United Nations over the U.S. embargo, exchanging accusations about which government is responsible for the islands severe economic crisis. At the U.N., Cubas foreign minister, Bruno Rodriguez, accused the United States of being behind a destabilizing plan against his government. But speaking at the U.N., Rodriguez also said the island is dealing with the hurricane aftermath with virtually no resources. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A day after Hurricane Melissa, one of the most powerful Atlantic storms in recorded history, battered eastern Cuba, there is a clearer picture of the devastation it left in an impoverished country where the population was already battling blackouts, food and medicine shortages and the breakdown of public services. Melissa is now classified as one of the three most powerful hurricanes ever recorded in Cuba, the strongest worldwide in 2025 so far, and it made landfall directly in the province of Santiago de Cuba, Francisco Pichon, the United Nations resident coordinator for Cuba, told journalists on Thursday. For six hours, it battered eastern Cuba with very heavy torrential rains and sustained winds. Pichon said the storm left a lot of destruction in urban and rural municipalities across five eastern provinces in Cuba. This includes major flooding that has left homes underwater, overflowing rivers, and landslides that blocked access to communities. Its really still very preliminary in terms of damages; a lot of housing destruction, broadly critical infrastructure also affected, including health facilities, schools, power lines. Telecommunications has been a challenge so far. Also, food production has been compromised after such extensive damage on crops and farmland, Pichon said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Most of eastern Cuba has been without electricity since Tuesday, communications are mostly down and several communities, especially in rural areas, remain isolated because of the intense flooding. Melissa tore through the Caribbean as a Category 5 hurricane before making landfall in Chivirico, in Santiago de Cuba province, early Wednesday as a Category 3 storm. The hurricanes winds destroyed homes, roads and toppled trees across its path. The storm also damaged crops, including coffee and yuca. Cuban leader Miguel Diaz-Canel said the storm was one of the strongest, most severe, or perhaps the strongest hurricanes to have passed through the national territory. Cuban officials said they had staged several brigades to help launch recovery efforts as soon as the hurricane moved away. But videos and accounts shared on social media and local news outlets show many communities have not immediately received aid. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Prior to Melissas arrival, the U.N. said it pre-positioned goods in the country and U.N. agencies deployed assistance near the affected areas. The Cuban government also evacuated more than 735,000 people to shelters. Still, the needs far exceed the response capacity of the country, Pichon said. I think broad support from international cooperation partners is really needed. The eastern territories hit by Melissa are also the same areas devastated a year ago by Hurricane Oscar and two earthquakes, for which the U.N. is implementing an underfunded recovery plan, he said. We visited those areas and the conditions for those municipalities that were affected a year ago by Oscar are really quite severe. Due to U.S. sanctions, Cuba is excluded from international financial institutions and many global markets. This makes it difficult for the country to finance a disaster response, said Pichon. The U.N. and the national authorities, the Civil Defense, the local governments, are right now busy preparing an action plan to assist around two million people who are considered to be in the greatest needs across six different humanitarian sectors, which are food security, health education, shelter and housing, water and sanitation and logistics, and we are working to launch this plan in the coming days, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Late Thursday, the State Department announced that the regional Disaster Assistance Response Team, activated by Rubio in response to Hurricane Melissas catastrophic damage to the Caribbean, has deployed and will be rapidly mobilizing to assist the people of Jamaica, Haiti, The Bahamas and Cuba. The team consists of disaster experts from across the Department of State, along with two urban search-and-rescue teams from the fire departments of Fairfax County, Virginia and Los Angeles County, California. Experts will assess the situation, identify priority humanitarian needs and lead the U.S. governments response to the disaster. The United States stands with Jamaica, Haiti, The Bahamas and the Cuban people as they respond to the impacts of the hurricane and remains prepared to swiftly deliver emergency relief items to communities most severely affected, Spokesman Thomas Tommy Pigott, said. Miami Herald staff writer Jacqueline Charles contributed to this story. More photographs of the devastation in Cuba in the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa: Residents of El Cobre, in the province of Santiago de Cuba, ride in a horse-pulled cart past downed power lines following the passage of Hurricane Melissa, on October 29, 2025. Residents of El Cobre, in the province of Santiago de Cuba, recover parts of their damaged house after the passage of Hurricane Melissa, on October 29, 2025. A resident of El Cobre, in the province of Santiago de Cuba, recovers parts of his damaged house after the passage of Hurricane Melissa, on October 29, 2025. Residents of the town of El Cobre, in the province of Santiago de Cuba, charge their mobile phones after the passage of Hurricane Melissa, on October 29, 2025. Advertisement Advertisement NATO and some of America's allies in the transatlantic alliance have sought to ease concerns over the Trump administration's move to reduce the U.S. military's presence in Europe amid Russia's ongoing assault on Ukraine and as it's accused of ramping up hybrid warfare against NATO nations. The Pentagon announced Thursday that it was reducing the number of U.S. troops deployed in Eastern Europe. U.S. officials told CBS News that around 700 U.S. airborne troops who have been deployed in Germany, Romania and Poland would come home and not be replaced. In a statement, the U.S. Army Europe and Africa said it was part of Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth's "deliberate process to ensure a balanced U.S. military force posture," and "not an American withdrawal from Europe or a signal of lessened commitment to NATO and Article 5. Rather this is a positive sign of increased European capability and responsibility." U.S. soldiers operate pusher vessels and a transportation barge on the Danube river, during Saber Guardian 25 military exercises in Frecatei, eastern Romania, June 13, 2025. / Credit: DANIEL MIHAILESCU/AFP/Getty "Our NATO allies are meeting President Trump's call to take primary responsibility for the conventional defense of Europe," the Army said. "This force posture adjustment will not change the security environment in Europe." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement NATO and allies stress "U.S.'s continued commitment" to Europe On Thursday, appearing keen to ease such concerns, Estonian Minister of Defense Hanno Pevkur said in a statement that the U.S. had "made a significant decision to maintain its military presence in Estonia, reaffirming the U.S.'s continued commitment to the defense of the region and NATO's entire eastern flank." "We are working to further strengthen the U.S. military presence in our region," he added. In September, Estonia said Russian military jets had violated the country's airspace for 12 minutes, just days after Poland said more than 20 Russian drones entered its airspace. This week, Lithuania closed its border with Russia's close ally Belarus, after accusing both countries of a "deliberate escalation of hybrid warfare." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement NATO says deterrence measures along its eastern flank have been "massively reinforced" over the last decade "as a direct result of Russia's behavior." That boundary runs from the Arctic Sea in the north to the Black Sea in the south. A map shows in dark blue the European nations which, along with the United States and Canada, are members of the transatlantic NATO defense alliance. / Credit: brichuas/Getty The reinforcements include U.S. troops, but the Trump administration has pushed its European NATO allies hard to take more responsibility and bear more of the financial burden for their own security, announcing earlier this year that it would make the Indo-Pacific a primary foreign policy focus, rather than Europe, despite the ongoing war in Ukraine. "The decision was expected," Romania's Ministry of Defense said in a statement Wednesday, referring to the announcement of the U.S. troop reduction. U.S. Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker said in a social media post that America's partnership with Romania "remains stronger than ever," and reiterated the Pentagon's message that it was in response to European forces' increased capacities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The reassurances have not quelled debate about whether the move could be just the beginning of a wider U.S. withdrawal from Europe. The Ukrainian newspaper Kyiv Post reported Friday that further American troop reductions are expected, with troops to be pulled from Bulgaria, Slovakia and Hungary by the end of the year. There was no immediate public response to the report from the Pentagon or the Trump administration. NATO has also sought to ease concerns, with a senior military official from the alliance telling CBS News on Thursday that, "even with this adjustment, the U.S. force posture in Europe remains larger than it has been for many years." "U.S. commitment to NATO is clear," the official said. "President Trump and his administration have reiterated this time and again. NATO has robust defense plans in place and we are working to ensure we maintain the right forces and capabilities in place to deter and defend each other." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Concern in Washington, from both sides of the aisle The announcement drew bipartisan criticism in Washington, with some senior lawmakers warning it could embolden Russia and undermine the NATO alliance. In a joint statement issued Thursday by the U.S. House Armed Services Committee, the chairmen of that committee and the corresponding Senate body both Republicans said they strongly opposed the change in the U.S. deployment in Romania, which they said "appears uncoordinated and directly at odds with the President's strategy." Senator Roger Wicker and Representative Mike Rogers, in the statement, also indicated that they believed the Pentagon could make further reductions to the U.S. deployment in Europe. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We strongly oppose the decision not to maintain the rotational U.S. brigade in Romania and the Pentagon's process for its ongoing force posture review that may result in further drawdowns of U.S. forces from Eastern Europe," said the Republican lawmakers. "On March 19, we stated that we will not accept significant changes to our warfighting structure that are made without a rigorous interagency process, coordination with combatant commanders and the Joint Staff, and collaboration with Congress," said Wicker and Rogers. "Unfortunately, this appears to be exactly what is being attempted." On Thursday, Rep. Mike Turner, also a Republican and the head of the U.S. delegation to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, said he was "concerned by reports of reductions of US forces in Romania." "Congress has been clear that US force posture across Europe must remain robust and resolute. Russia's aggressive actions against Eastern Flank countries through intentional airspace incursions underscores Russia's ambition beyond Ukraine," said Turner. "It is in our national security interests to support our NATO Allies as they rightly ramp up their investments in their defense capabilities." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, called the decision to reduce the U.S. presence in the region "deeply misguided" in a statement released Thursday. "This decision sends exactly the wrong signal to Vladimir Putin as he continues his murderous campaign in Ukraine and tests NATO resolve through provocations against other frontline states," she said. Trump wants Senate Republicans to scrap the filibuster to end the government shutdown House lawmakers told their paychecks are delayed until government reopens Video shows massive damage in Jamaica from Hurricane Melissa The News As the US and China battle for tech supremacy, a handful of unlikely nations are seeing significantly higher adoption rates in their workforces potentially allowing them to first reap the economic and productivity benefits of AI. Leading the charge are the UAE and Singapore where roughly 60% of the working-age population uses AI on a monthly basis followed by a series of European countries, according to a report from Microsoft published Thursday. The US, however, trails behind its economic peers. A chart showing the share of the population using AI in different countries against their GDP per capita. Know More The findings come as businesses and governments weigh the economic promise of AI against regulatory and safety concerns. President Donald Trumps efforts to cut red tape may not bear fruit if individuals are slow to integrate the technology into their daily lives. Meanwhile, India which sees comparatively low AI usage is poised for massive expansion in the coming years. By 2030, the countrys developer community will outgrow that of the US, according to GitHub potentially threatening the nations long-standing lead in software development. Globally, a new developer joins the platform every second, the company said. Addressing the gathering, Governor Ravi paid rich tributes to the Iron Man of India, recalling his monumental contribution in uniting over 560 princely states to form a single, sovereign nation. Sardar Patel's vision, courage and administrative wisdom transformed India into a united nation. His life teaches us the values of integrity, determination and commitment to national unity, the Governor said. Highlighting the sacrifices made during the freedom struggle, the Governor noted that India's independence was achieved through the efforts of millions, including thousands from Tamil Nadu whose names remain unrecorded in mainstream history. Research indicates that over 4,600 individuals from Tamil Nadu joined Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose's Indian National Army. It's time we recognised and documented their immense contributions, he added. Emphasising the need for academic focus on Patel's legacy, Governor Ravi called for the establishment of "Sardar Patel Research Institutes" in educational institutions across the country. Such institutes will promote research on his life and leadership and inspire youth to imbibe his values of unity, discipline and service to the nation, he said. The Governor also recalled Patel's historic role in integrating states like Hyderabad and Manipur, describing them as "timeless lessons in governance, negotiation and nation-building." The event began with floral tributes to Sardar Patel's portrait and concluded with a renewed call to carry forward his ideals. "Let us not remember Sardar Patel only on his birth anniversary," Governor Ravi said. "Let his spirit of unity live on in our hearts and guide our actions every single day." (ANI) "Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links." Prime Minister Keir Starmer fully supports King Charless decision to strip his younger brother, Prince Andrew, of his titles and evict him from Royal Lodge. We fully support the decision taken yesterday by the Palace, a spokesman for the Prime Minister said this afternoon. Our hearts go out to the family of Virginia Giuffre and all the victims who suffered from Jeffrey Epsteins despicable crimes. Yesterday, Buckingham Palace announced that King Charles initiated a formal process to remove the Style, Titles and Honours of Prince Andrew, and that Andrew was served notice to surrender his lease on Royal Lodge. These censures are deemed necessary, notwithstanding the fact that he continues to deny the allegations against him, the Palace wrote, adding, Their Majesties wish to make clear that their thoughts and utmost sympathies have been, and will remain with, the victims and survivors of any and all forms of abuse. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While Andrew loses his titles, he remains eighth in the British line of succession and as a counsellor of state. The Prime Ministers office also weighed in on calls to remove Andrew, now Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, from the line of succession. There are no plans, a spokesperson said. The Government is committed to using parliamentary time to improve the lives of working people. Per the BBC, Passing a law to change the line of succession would be complex, as it would require consent from the 14 Commonwealth realms, including Australia and Canada. You Might Also Like A group of children and teenagers who were abducted by Russian forces from a special school in Mykolaiv Oblast during its partial occupation have been brought back to Ukraine. Among them are orphans and children whose parents had been deprived of parental rights. Source: Ukraine's Human Rights Commissioner Dmytro Lubinets; Bring Kids Back UA Details: After the Russians occupied the town of Snihurivka, the headteacher of the Novopetrivka special school refused to "relocate" the institution to Crimea as the Russians demanded and attempted to evacuate the children to Ukrainian-controlled territory instead. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bring Kids Back UA said: "When the occupiers discovered her efforts, they arrived with threats and an armed unit of the Rosgvardiya [Russian National Guard] in Tigr armoured vehicles. The children were forcibly transported first to the left bank of Kherson Oblast, then through occupied Crimea, and later by train to the Russian city of Anapa." Later, the children stayed temporarily in Georgia, where some of their teachers had fled with other students, and they lived there for more than three years. Also back in Ukraine are a boy whose father was killed in action in Bakhmut, Donetsk Oblast, and another minor who managed to leave the temporarily occupied territory. "Now they are home: all of them are remarkably united and full of faith in their country in Ukraine [...]. Bringing Ukrainian children back home means restoring a little of their faith in goodness," the Human Rights Commissioner's Office said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Previously: Maria Lvova-Belova, the Russian Children's Rights Commissioner, has boasted about how she "re-educated" her so-called adopted son Pylyp, a Ukrainian teenager abducted from Mariupol. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! Defence Intelligence of Ukraine (DIU), the Security Service of Ukraine (SSU) and the Foreign Intelligence Service (FIS) have destroyed one of Russia's three Oreshnik medium-range ballistic missiles, SSU head Lieutenant General Vasyl Maliuk has announced. Source: Lieutenant General Vasyl Maliuk, Head of the Security Service of Ukraine, at a joint press conference with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, as reported by Interfax-Ukraine Details: Maliuk said the missile was destroyed at Kapustin Yar, a military training area and rocket launch complex in Russia's Astrakhan Oblast. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Quote: "We have not made this public until now. But now we can briefly say that one of the three Oreshnik missiles was successfully destroyed on their territory [in the Russian Federation ed.] at Kapustin Yar by DIU, SSU and FIS forces." More details: The SSU chief reported that "the destruction was total" and that it was "a very successful operation". Quote: "This was reported only to the supreme commander-in-chief, the president of Ukraine. A few other heads of state were also informed." More details: Maliuk added that the operation was carried out at a time "when almost no one had heard of the Oreshnik". At that point, the Russians had not really started threatening to use this weapon. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Quote: "If I'm not mistaken, we carried out this successful operation the summer before last." More details: Russia claims the Oreshnik missile has a range of up to 5,500 km and its flight speed is 10-11 Mach. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! Ukraines security services destroyed a Russian Oreshnik ballistic missile inside Russia during the summer of 2024, President Volodymyr Zelensky said at a press briefing on Oct. 31. The operation involved Ukraines Security Service (SBU), the Defense Intelligence Directorate (HUR), and other branches of the Defense Forces, Zelensky said. SBU chief Vasyl Maliuk later specified that the nuclear-capable missile was destroyed at the Kapustin Yar missile range in Russias Astrakhan Oblast a major site for testing Moscows strategic weapons. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Zelensky added that Russia can produce up to six such missiles per year and is reportedly seeking to deploy them in Belarus. "It has a range of up to 5,000 kilometers and a 700-kilometer dead zone. Our partners in Europe should pay attention to this," he added in comments reported by Suspilne. Russia first used the experimental Oreshnik missile during a strike on the Ukrainian city of Dnipro on Nov. 21, which Putin said was in retaliation for Ukraines use of U.S. and British long-range missiles against Russian territory. What is the Oreshnik missile? Few details about the weapon have been disclosed, but defense analysts believe the Oreshnik is an upgraded version of Russias RS-26 Rubezh, first developed in 2011. Announcing the missile in November 2024, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Oreshnik, which means "hazel" in English, is a new invention that Western air defense systems would not be able to intercept. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Oreshnik is designed to carry nuclear weapons. However, Putin said it was not armed with a nuclear warhead during the attack on Dnipro. "In combat conditions, a test was carried out of one of the latest Russian intermediate-range missile systems. In this case, with a non-nuclear hypersonic version of a ballistic missile," he said in a live speech on Nov. 21, 2024. An infographic titled "Russia's new missile Orehsnik" created in Ankara, Turkiye on November 29, 2024. (Omar Zaghloul/Anadolu via Getty Images) The Oreshnik described by Putin was so new that barely anything is known about it other than what he claimed during his speech. The reality however, appeared to be slightly different. "I'd be extremely shocked if this missile system had more than 10% new parts," Fabian Hoffmann, a defense expert and doctoral research fellow at the University of Oslo, told the Kyiv Independent at the time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I think basically they just took apart the RS-26 or just cannibalized it, and then put together this new missile with a couple of upgrades, and a new paint job." The RS-26 Hoffman refers to is the RS-26 Rubezh, of which quite a bit is known. First produced in 2011, and successfully tested in 2012, the Rubezh is a 36,000 kilogram, nuclear capable, intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM) with a known range of 5,800 kilometers. Its declared but undemonstrated range of 6,000 kilometers would only just nudge it into the category of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). Its development and deployment was actually halted in 2018 in favor of the Avangard hypersonic glide vehicle. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Rubezh is equipped with a MIRV payload, which stands for Multiple Independent Reentry Vehicles, which can be seen in videos of the attack on Dnipro. Footage shows multiple projectiles hitting the ground, but without the large explosions normally associated with conventional missiles or payloads, suggesting it was carrying essentially a dummy warhead. HUR provided further details of Oreshnik in Noveber of last year, claiming it is actually just a different name for a previously known missile called "Kedr," translated as "cedar," which Russia tested in October 2023 and June 2024. The missile that struck Dnipro was equipped with six warheads, each containing six submunitions, and reached speeds exceeding Mach 11 (around 13,500 kilometers per hour) as it descended, HUR added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I think it's really important that we don't overreact," Hoffman said, adding the missile itself isn't anything particularly new despite what Putin said. "I like his 'hypersonic' comment of course he had to put that in, but every medium-range ballistic missile will reach hypersonic velocity at one point, so this is just nothing," he added. A U.S. official speaking on condition of anonymity echoed the sentiment, telling the Kyiv Independent at the time that while "we take all threats against Ukraine seriously, it is important to keep a few key facts in mind." "Ukraine has withstood countless attacks from Russia, including from missiles with significantly larger warheads than this weapon. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Let me be clear: Russia may be seeking to use this capability to try to intimidate Ukraine and its supporters, or generate attention in the information space, but it will not be a game changer in this conflict." Read also: You never know where the bullet will come from Russian troops carry out torture, executions in own ranks, media investigation finds Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Ukraines young men are fleeing the country, and thats potentially fatal news for its increasingly desperate war effort. In August the Kyiv government allowed men aged 18 to 22 to leave the country for the first time the invasion, and since then some 100,000 have crossed the border into Poland. At the same time increasingly violent Ukrainian army press gangs are helping to recruit some 30,000 new recruits a month, according to MP Fedir Venislavskyi. But thousands, perhaps as many as 20,000, desert or go absent every four weeks. Since the beginning of the war Ukrainian prosecutors have launched some 290,000 formal criminal cases for desertion. The result is a desperate shortage of men on the front lines, meaning that there is often no manpower to confront small probing attacks by small Russian reconnaissance and sabotage units. Ukrainian military blogging sites are filled with officers complaints. Our frontline units operate at about 50 per cent strength, Major Yegor Checherinda recently told Voennoe Delo. Many positions remain undermanned because the army lacks sufficient recruitment and mobilisation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bogdan Krotevich, a former officer of the Azov regiment, complains that frontline units currently operate at only about a third of their required strength. By some estimates, the Ukrainian army is some 200,000 soldiers short of the strength it needs to resist far larger Russian forces. The manpower crisis presents not just a military, but also a political dilemma for Zelensky. So far, the army only conscripts men aged between 25 and 60 (until last year it was 27). Officially, thats in order to protect the future of Ukraine. Unofficially, its to prevent a backlash from parents wishing to save their teenage sons from the meat-grinder of the Donbas. And even with the military age set at 25, tensions surrounding forced mobilisation are reaching a breaking point. Ukrainian social media is full of daily videos of men desperately resisting violent press gangs, often aided by nearby women or passers-by. This week in Kremenchuk in Ukraines Poltava Oblast a man opened fire on two recruiting officers, wounding them seriously. And the day before in Odesa an angry crowd tipped an army recruitment van on its side. The exodus of young men is not just draining Ukraines military manpower, but also putting pressure on its European allies. There is already a growing backlash in Poland and Germany against special benefits extended to Ukrainian refugees, while politicians have begun to question why their countries should fund a war that many Ukrainian citizens evidently do not wish to fight. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Laurynas Kasciunas, the Lithuanian defence minister, has suggested fixing Kyivs urgent need for new recruits by sending Ukrainian men of military age back to their country. In Germany Markus Soder, leader of the CSU party, also argues that it is entirely legitimate to consider sending Ukrainians fit for military service back to their homeland to ensure their countrys security. Friedrich Merz, the German chancellor, has pledged to crack down on immigration, but the numbers of young Ukrainian men arriving each week has jumped from 19 in January to between 1,400 and 1,800 by October, according to Bavarian TV station BR24. Putin is also clearly seeking to once again weaponise human suffering by forcing a major flight of Ukrainian civilians into Europe. By systematically targeting electricity and heating infrastructure, the Kremlin is attempting to make many Ukrainian towns and cities uninhabitable. According to two senior official sources, Germanys security services have already officially warned Berlin to brace for a major influx of Ukrainian refugees fleeing cold and darkness. All in all, Zelensky and his remaining people face the grimmest winter of the war so far. That Ukraine has held out for so long is already a military miracle, as is the feat of fighting a far larger and better-resourced adversary almost to a halt. But battlefield losses and a fresh mass exodus now threaten to drain away the most precious asset that Ukraine has, its people. Without young men there can not only be no victory for Ukraine, but also no future. 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. Ukraine handed over a Russian prisoner of war to Lithuania for criminal prosecution for war crimes, Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko said on Oct. 31. This marks the first time since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion that Ukraine has handed over a Russian prisoner to a foreign country for criminal prosecution, setting what Kravchenko called a "historic and important precedent for the entire international justice system." The Vilnius District Court, at the request of the Lithuanian prosecutor's office on Oct. 30, remanded the suspected Russian soldier into custody for three months. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The suspect was a senior sailor in the Russian military police who was captured by Ukrainian forces near the village of Robotyne in Ukraine's southeastern Zaporizhzhia Oblast. The man is suspected of being involved in the torture of civilians in Melitopol. One of his victims was a Lithuanian citizen who was in the city, which has been under Russian occupation since March 2022, on private business and had no connection to the military operations. The investigation said the suspect was involved in the unlawful detention, torture, and inhumane treatment of civilians and prisoners of war. The torture took place on the territory of a local airfield. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Together with other Russian soldiers, he beat prisoners, tortured them with electric shocks, kept them in metal safes, strangled them, and psychologically pressured them, the National Police said. The Russian soldier has been charged in Lithuania with war crimes, torture, unlawful deprivation of liberty, and violation of the Geneva Conventions. "For what he has done, he could end up in prison for life," Kravchenko wrote on Telegram. Read also: Its all in the cards Ukrainians consult tarot readers about wartime fears Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. A Russian serviceman suspected of committing a war crime against a Lithuanian citizen on Ukrainian territory was transferred from Ukraine to Lithuania this week. Source: European Pravda, citing Delfi and a statement by Lithuanian Prosecutor General Nida Grunskiene at a Friday press conference Details: On 30 October, Vilnius District Court granted a request from the Prosecutor General's Office, ordering the suspect to be held in custody for three months. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The soldier has been charged in Lithuania with war crimes against civilians and prisoners of war, including torture and unlawful detention. Under Lithuanian law, he faces between 10 and 20 years in prison or life imprisonment. The investigation established that from March to September 2022, Russian Armed Forces personnel, including members of the 177th Separate Guards Marine Regiment of the Caspian Flotilla, were involved in running a filtration camp at a training base located on the premises of the Melitopol military airfield. "Civilians and prisoners of war were unlawfully held there and subjected to torture and humiliating treatment. One of them was a citizen of the Republic of Lithuania," Grunskiene said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She added that in August 2023, Ukrainian Armed Forces detained a leading seaman from the aforementioned regiment. "There is reason to suspect that he, along with other Russian servicemen, did not just guard illegally detained civilians and prisoners of war at the camp, but also took part in beating them, torturing them, locking them in a metal safe, strangling them to the point of unconsciousness, suspending them with their hands tied, exposing them to freezing cold air, dousing them with cold water and inflicting electric shock injuries," Grunskiene stated. The decision to extradite the suspect to Lithuania was made personally by Ukraine's Prosecutor General Ruslan Kravchenko. Background: Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! Punjab Congress president Amarinder Singh Raja Warring on Friday expressed solidarity with the staff of the PRTC and PUN Bus employees union who are protesting against the alleged systematic privatisation of Punjab's government transport services. He said that the public sector transport will be completely overhauled once the Congress government is formed in Punjab. The transport unions, which staged a protest in Tarn Taran today, alleged that the Aam Aadmi Party government, by inducting private buses under the kilometer scheme was trying to privatise the state transport services. This, they added, was a subtle way to start the eventual privatisation of the transport services in Punjab. The union members expressed their gratitude to Warring, reminding him that it was during his brief tenure as the transport minister in the previous Congress regime, which had ensured the survival of the public sector transport in the state. Warring said he was not surprised by the AAP's intention of selling off the transport PSUs to private players. "The AAP is following the BJP's rule book, which has already sold most of the country's PSUs to some of its favourites", he noted. The PCC president assured them that once the Congress government is formed in Punjab after the next elections, the public sector transport will be revived and completely overhauled. "It will be among the best public transport systems in the public sector in the country", Warring assured them. Later, during the 'door-to-door' campaign in support of the party candidate Karanbir Singh Burj, the PCC president referred to the everyday 'sit-ins' and protests by various people and organisations against the AAP government in Tarn Taran. "If anybody has to assess the AAP government's performance in Punjab, he should visit Tarn Taran and judge for himself", he said, while referring to the daily protests by the people who have been betrayed and let down by the AAP government. The PCC president said that people were looking forward to Congress returning to take over the reins of Punjab and put it back on track. He said, people were regretting that they had wasted four precious years already by trusting the alluring promises of the AAP, which eventually proved bogus. (ANI) Hi, this is Asami Terajima reporting from Kyiv on day 1,346 of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Today's top story: About 170,000 Russian troops are deployed in the Pokrovsk sector in eastern Donetsk Oblast to aiming capture the semi-surrounded city, President Volodymyr Zelensky told journalists on Oct. 31. "All their forces are there," Zelensky told journalists in a briefing, as cited by Ukrainian news agency Ukrinform. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "There are Russians in Pokrovsk. Our guys are destroying them, destroying them little by little because we also have to protect our personnel." Zelensky's comment about the importance of protecting troops could signal a potential withdrawal in the near future. Currently, there is just over a 10-kilometer (six miles) gap for Ukrainian troops to bring in troops and supplies into Pokrovsk, according to the Ukrainian open-source battlefield monitoring group DeepState. Russian troops are intensifying their infiltration in Pokrovsk to encircle Pokrovsk, the Ukrainian military reported on Oct. 29. Russian units that have infiltrated Pokrovsk are trying to advance toward the northwest and north of the city, 7th Rapid Reaction Corps of Ukraines Air Assault Forces said. Zelensky said at a briefing on Oct. 31 that about 170,000 Russian forces are deployed in the Pokrovsk sector. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement President Volodymyr Zelensky told journalists on Oct. 27 that Russia outnumbers Ukrainian troops eight-to-one in their offensive to capture Pokrovsk. Venezuela reportedly requests missiles, radars from Russia amid US tensions Last updated 20:44 Kyiv time. Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro is requesting military aid from Russia, the Washington Post (WP) reported on Oct. 31, citing confidential documents reviewed by the outlet. The request comes amid escalating tensions in the Caribbean Sea as the U.S. military carries out strikes on suspected drug-trafficking vessels and Washington reportedly considers air strikes on Venezuelan military facilities allegedly used for drug smuggling. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Maduro wrote a letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin requesting repairs for radars, military aircraft, and possibly missile supplies, according to U.S. government documents obtained by WP. Maduro has a close relationship with Moscow, bolstered by their shared animosity toward the West. Venezuela's president has denounced Western sanctions on Russia and backed Moscow's war. The documents also reportedly show that Venezuelan authorities sought military support and equipment from China and Iran to strengthen the country's defense capabilities. Read also: Venezuela reportedly requests missiles, radars from Russia amid US tensions Pentagon greenlit Tomahawks for Ukraine, Trump made final decision, CNN reports Last updated 19:39 Kyiv time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Pentagon approved sending Tomahawk missiles to Ukraine, giving the final say to U.S. President Donald Trump, CNN reported on Oct. 31. Kyiv had hoped the missiles would enhance its ability to target Russian energy infrastructure and increase Moscow's economic costs, and in the lead up to President Volodymyr Zelensky and Trump meeting in Washington earlier this month, it had seemed like a possibility. Ultimately, Zelensky came away from the meeting without them, despite Trump teasing the idea on several occasions. According to CNN, the missiles are still on the table and the White House has plans in place to send them quickly should Trump give the order. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read the full story at CNN. Read also: More than Tomahawks: What Ukraines soldiers say they actually need Poland intercepts Russian reconnaissance plane again Last updated 17:55 p.m. Kyiv time. Polish fighter jets were scranbled to intercept a Russian Il-20 reconnaissance aircraft flying over the Baltic Sea, the country's army said on Oct. 31. "The Russian aircraft again flew without a filed flight plan and with its transponder turned off, posing a potential threat to traffic safety in the region," a stateent on social media read. "Polish pilots intercepted and identified the foreign aircraft, which was escorted in accordance with NATO procedures." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It's the third such mission launched by Polish forces in a week. Neptune missiles struck Russian energy infrastructure, oil refineries, Ukraine confirms Last updated 6:09 p.m. Kyiv time. Ukraines Navy confirmed that its forces used domestically produced Neptune cruise missiles to strike major Russian energy facilities overnight on Oct. 31. The missiles hit the Oryol Thermal Power Plant (TPP) and the Novobryansk electrical substation in Russias Oryol Oblast, the Ukrainian Navy reported. Both facilities supplied power to military-industrial plants in the region, and their destruction "dealt a serious blow to the occupiers logistics." "The Ukrainian military continues to demonstrate that no enemy rear is safe," the Navy added on Telegram. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Originally, Neptune was Ukraines ground-launched, domestically produced anti-ship rocket with a maximum range of 300 kilometers which it famously used in April 2022 to sink Russias Black Sea flagship, the Moskva. Ukraine has since produced a number of upgraded versions. Read also: Neptune missiles struck Russian energy infrastructure, oil refineries, Ukraine confirms Special Operations Forces destroy Buk-M3 air defense system, Nebo-U radar in Russia's Rostov Oblast Ukraine's Special Operations Forces (SSO) said on Oct. 31 that it had destroyed a Russian Buk-M3 air defense system and a Nebo-U radar in Russia's Rostov Oblast, which borders Ukraine to the east. The Buk-M3 air defense system destroyed in the claimed September attack can hit targets up to 80 kilometers, Special Forces said in its Telegram post. It added that a Nebo-U radar can detect fighter jets in a range of up to 400 kilometers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The SSO claim comes as Ukraine continues to hit military targets and oil refineries deep inside Russia using domestically produced long-range drones, trying to slowly grind down Russia's war machine. "Both systems posed a major threat to the operations of Ukraine's combat aviation in the frontline zone and hindered Ukrainian deep strike attacks," the SSO said, adding that each complex costs "hundreds of millions of dollars." Ukraine destroyed 'Oreshnik' missile inside Russian territory, Zelensky says Last updated 2:25 p.m. Kyiv time. Ukraines security services destroyed a Russian Oreshnik ballistic missile inside Russia during the summer of 2024, President Volodymyr Zelensky said at a press briefing on Oct. 31. The operation involved Ukraines Security Service (SBU), the Defense Intelligence Directorate (HUR), and other branches of the Defense Forces, Zelensky said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement SBU chief Vasyl Maliuk later specified that the missile was destroyed at the Kapustin Yar missile range in Russias Astrakhan Oblast a major site for testing Moscows strategic weapons. Zelensky added that Russia can produce up to six such missiles per year and is reportedly seeking to deploy them in Belarus. "It has a range of up to 5,000 kilometers and a 700-kilometer dead zone. Our partners in Europe should pay attention to this," Zelensky said in comments reported by Suspilne. Russia first used the experimental Oreshnik missile during a strike on the Ukrainian city of Dnipro on Nov. 21, which Putin said was in retaliation for Ukraines use of U.S. and British long-range missiles against Russian territory. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read also: Ukraine destroyed Oreshnik missile inside Russian territory, Zelensky says 'You never know where the bullet will come from' Russian troops carry out torture, executions in own ranks, media investigation finds Last updated 12:36 p.m. Kyiv time. Extrajudicial killings within the Russian military are becoming more widespread, according to an investigation published by the Russian independent outlet Verstka. The practice of "nullifying" (Russian: "obnulenie") the Russian military's term for executing its soldiers increasingly involves sending personnel on deadly assualt missions without proper protection, journalists found. Verstka collected information on over 100 "nullifiers" among Russia's senior officers. Investigators spoke to military personnel and their families, and also studied complaints from the military prosecutor's office. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One example is Colonel Igor Istrati, a commander of Russia's 114th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade, who allegedly ordered executions and torture of soldiers in his unit. He reportedly sent troops on assualts without weapons or equipment in an effort to "nullify" targeted soldiers. "You know, what's happening there is that... You never know where the bullet will come from: from your own side or from the Ukrainians," said Dmitry, a member of the brigade. Read also: You never know where the bullet will come from Russian troops carry out torture, executions in own ranks, media investigation finds New missile that pushed Trump to leave nuclear treaty fired by Russia at Ukraine, Reuters reports Last updated 11:41 a.m. Kyiv time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A Russian missile whose development pushed U.S. President Donald Trump to withdraw from the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty back in 2019 has been fired at Ukraine on numerous occasions, Reuters reported on Oct. 31, citing Ukrainian officials. Russia's 9M729 ground-launched cruise missile, sometimes referred to as the Iskander K to distinguish it from Iskander M ballistic missiles, was recorded flying as far as 1,200 kilometers, according to unnamed Ukrainian officials cited by Reuters. Signed by then U.S. President Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev in 1987 towards the end of the Cold War, the INF Treaty banned all ground-launched missiles with ranges between 500 and 5,500 kilometers, in an effort to reduce the density of potentially nuclear-armed weapons deployed by Russia and NATO in Europe. Russia initially claimed that that the missile, like the Iskander M, has a range within to treaty's limits, but reports by U.S. officials and analysts in 2017, claimed that the real range was as high as 2,500 kilometers. The reports of Russia deploying the 9M729 at a longer range vindicate Trump's decision to withdraw from the treaty, which Moscow only left in August 2025. Read also: New missile that pushed Trump to leave nuclear treaty fired by Russia at Ukraine, Reuters reports At least 14 killed, 71 injured in Russian attacks on Ukraine over past day At least 14 people were killed, and 71 people were injured in Russian attacks against Ukraine over the past day, local authorities reported on Oct. 31. The Air Force reported on Oct. 31 that Russia had launched 146 Shahed, Gerbera and other types of drones against Ukraine overnight, of which about 90 were Shahed. It said it downed 107 of them, in addition to a ballistic missile. In eastern Donetsk Oblast, Russian attacks killed eight people and wounded 18 over the past day, regional governor Vadym Filashkin said on Oct. 31. In northeastern Kharkiv Oblast, regional governor Oleh Syniehubov said on Oct. 31 that Russian attacks wounded two, including a 78-year-old man and a 56-year-old woman, over the past day. In southeastern Zaporizhzhia Oblast, regional governor Ivan Fedorov said on Oct. 31 that 3 people were killed, and 29 were wounded in Zaporizhzhia and the city's surrounding region over the past day. He reported that Russian forces had struck Zaporizhzhia with nine missiles in this timeframe. In southern Kherson Oblast, regional governor Oleksandr Prokudin said in the morning on Oct. 31 that a person was killed and seven were wounded, including one child. In northeastern Sumy Oblast, the regional military administration said on Oct. 31 that 15 people were wounded, including four children. On top of the casualties, the Ukrainian railway reported on Oct. 31 that its infrastructure had suffered from Russian attacks in Sumy and Kharkiv oblasts in the northeast overnight. Read also: Vile attack Emergency power outages across Ukraine as Russia targets thermal power plants in mass missile, drone strike General Staff: Russia has lost 1,141,830 troops in Ukraine since Feb. 24, 2022 ussia has lost around 1,141,830 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. 31. The number includes 970 casualties that Russian forces suffered over the past day. According to the report, Russia has also lost 11,310 tanks, 23,519 armored fighting vehicles, 66,111 vehicles and fuel tanks, 34,128 artillery systems, 1,533 multiple launch rocket systems, 1,233 air defense systems, 428 airplanes, 346 helicopters, 76,355 drones, 28 ships and boats, and one submarine. Read also: Ukraines spy agencies destroyed Putins vaunted Oreshnik missile deep inside Russian territory, Zelensky says Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. The arrest and detention of a former top energy official in Ukraine this week is an alarming new episode of democratic backsliding, Ukraine's civil society and lawmakers say the latest in a series of politically motivated attacks on individuals and institutions. Volodymyr Kudrytskyi, formerly head of Ukraines state grid operator Ukrenergo, was arrested on Oct. 28 in western Ukraine and accused of hiding from pre-trial investigation, his lawyers told the Kyiv Independent. The accusations against him include conspiring to embezzle Hr 13.7 million ($327,000) in a case from 2018, which his lawyers have called "pure nonsense." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The allegations are false," Kudyrtskyi told the Kyiv Independent in a phone call on Oct 31. "We shouldn't be silent and we have to talk about this as part of an active civil society," he said. Kudyrtskyi headed the enterprise from 2020 to 2024, before that, working as the company's director for investments. His success in attracting more than 1.5 billion euros during his tenure as Ukrenergo head gained him the reputation of a reliable figure, particularly among Ukraine's international partners that provided aid to the company after Russia began attacking the country's energy system in 2022. But Ukrenergo a lucrative state enterprise which receives substantial international funding has repeatedly been the center of political infighting and the target of various power struggles to gain dominance and control over the energy sector. Kudrytskyi was forced to resign in 2024 on shaky grounds that he had failed to adequately protect Ukraine's energy infrastructure from Russian attacks, a move that prompted resignations of independent board members and condemnation from international partners. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As they were resigning, the two board members called the dismissal "politically motivated," saying that it had no valid grounds. Similarly, Kudrytskyi told the Kyiv Independent following the raid on his home last week that "someone with high rankings" with influence over law enforcement could be behind the actions against him, though he declined to name names. The motivations for his detention or why anyone would be going after Kudrytskyi, at this moment, are unclear. A recent Ukrainska Pravda article revealed that when questioned by President Volodymyr Zelensky over why some energy facilities still dont have fortifications, officials shifted the responsibility to their predecessors. "Kudrytskyis firing last year was already problematic for the corporate governance of Ukrainian state enterprises," Roman Waschuk, head of Ukraine's Business Ombudsman Council, told the Kyiv Independent. "Launching criminal proceedings on evidence that is thin at best further compounds the problem," he added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A consortium of four leading Ukrainian think tanks, RRR4U, put out a joint statement on Oct. 30 calling on the authorities to conduct investigations with "the utmost impartiality, objectivity, and political neutrality." It also cautioned against political persecutions. "The practice of politically motivated actions against professionals in power in any country, especially in a country experiencing the extremely difficult times of war, is a blow to statehood, not a manifestation of justice," the statement says. The European Union, the European Bank of Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), and the International Finance Corporation publicly expressed concern when Kudrytskyi was fired in 2024. They have been conspicuously silent on the issue of his arrest, so far issuing no public comments. Ukraine's energy infrastructure is under intense attacks from Russian air strikes, and will likely rely on European partners for emergency support and repairs to critical infrastructure. The EBRD is preparing to lend 500 million euros to Ukraine's state gas company Naftogaz to fund emergency gas purchases. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Since leaving Ukrenergo in 2024, Kudyrtskyi worked in the private sector, but has been outspoken about corruption at Ukrenergo. Last week, he was stopped by a man in military attire who asked to see his phone, snatched it, and ran off before returning minutes later with officers from the State Bureau of Investigation, Kudrytskyi told the Kyiv Independent at the time. The same day, the State Bureau of Investigation arrived at his house with a warrant and conducted a search. It remains unclear what the warrant stated. Prosecutors allege that Kudrytskyi went to Lviv Oblast to hide from the investigation and flee abroad. However, Kudrytsky's family left their passports in Kyiv, and had booked the accommodation on Sept. 27 before he was aware of the investigation according to his lawyers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He was released on bail on Oct. 30, after unnamed individuals "who sympathize with his situation" paid the bail, according to his lawyers. "He will be required to wear an electronic bracelet, surrender his passports, and not leave the city without permission from the investigator and the court," his lawyers told the Kyiv Independent. The episode comes three months after an attempt to subordinate Ukraine's anti-corruption agencies to the prosecutor-general, who in Ukraine is a political appointee. Ukraine's European partners were also silent in the months leading up to the move on the agencies, despite signs they were experiencing pressure from the highest levels of the Ukrainian government. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The bill was reversed after mass protests against the centralization of power under Zelensky's government, and pressure from international partners, including the European Commission. Inna Sovsun, opposition Ukrainian MP and member of the parliament's energy committee, said that the arrest would erode trust amongst international partners. "It is a terrible signal to our international partners and is damaging to the reputation of Ukraine," Sovsun told the Kyiv Independent. "This is not what the country is fighting for." Read also: Zelensky takes full control of Odesa, sending message to local governments Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. October is coming to an end and as winter approaches, many Ukrainians find themselves more vulnerable than ever in the face of mounting Russian air attacks. In Kyiv, Russian combined missile and drone attacks routinely result in mass casualty events. Smaller-scale drone attacks which occur on a near-nightly basis have until recently posed much less of a threat. But overnight on Oct. 26, three people were killed and 32 others including three children were injured when two multi-story residential buildings in the capital were hit by drones during a relatively small Russian attack. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The tragedy highlighted a concerning pattern an increasing proportion of Russian drones have been making it through Ukrainian air defenses to their targets. To combat Russia's attack drones, Ukraine is putting a significant number of its air defense eggs in the basket of domestically-produced interceptor drones first-person view (FPV) drones guided by a pilot that hunt enemy drones, either exploding next to them, or crashing into them. A destroyed Russian Heran-2 Shahed-type drone and a Sting drone interceptor in an undated photo. (Wild Hornets / Telegram) Interceptor drones arent fast or hefty enough to protect against missiles, but since early this summer, they have been shooting down much slower moving Russian Shahed-type attack drones. In July, Zelensky set a goal of producing some 1,000 per day. By the beginning of October, Oleksandr Syrskyi, commander-in-chief of Ukraines Armed Forces, said they were responsible for the majority of interceptions of Shahed-type attack drones. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "In November, we will get to 500-800 interceptors per day," President Volodymyr Zelensky told reporters in Kyiv on Oct. 27. There are currently serious issues cloudy autumn weather has seriously dampened Ukraines line-of-sight air defenses. But more crucially, Ukraine has not managed to integrate the drones produced into a comprehensive air defense system. Its not that hard to build 500-800 interceptor drones per day deploying them is a different matter. "If only they helped," Yuriy Kasianov, a former leader of a deep-strike drone team that was disbanded in October, told the Kyiv Independent. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "Its impossible to build an effective defense against Shaheds with the help of interceptor drones, since for every drone you need an experienced operator, team, radar station all of this takes tremendous infrastructure, a lot of funding, and huge dependence on the human factor." It's an issue that Zelensky also acknowledged on Oct. 27, saying "we need to prepare operators," adding the process was "complicated." Despite long-held hopes to build a better AI interceptor that will find and strike drones unaided, todays interceptors remain more or less fully manual, dependent on a new generation of talented remote dog fighters. One of them is call-signed "Ottoman." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "For everything you need time," Ottoman told the Kyiv Independent from an interceptor workshop near Izium near the northeastern border with Russia. "(Russians) start using a new tactic and can, in the time that were adapting to it, build up a bunch of variations." Ottoman flies for the 3rd Army Corps anti-drone unit, Squadron. With around 60 Shahed-type drones shot down and, his comrades estimate, 200 other Russian drones intercepted, the 21-year-old Ottoman may be the best anti-drone drone pilot in the world. His secret? "No secret, I just feel it." Ukrainian soldiers from an air defense unit of the 116th Mechanized Brigade monitor for incoming Russian drones at an undisclosed location in Kharkiv Oblast, near the front line in eastern Ukraine, on Oct. 8, 2025. (Ed Jones / AFP via Getty Images) The 3rd Army Corps until recently known as the 3rd Assault Brigade is a highly independent and famously efficient unit within Ukraines war effort. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Part of the reason they ended up with interceptors is simply that they have the money and infrastructure for good kit, a trait not evenly distributed across units. The 3rds anti-air defense, while it keeps attack drones from making it through to civilian cities, is tasked first and foremost with defending military positions in Kharkiv Oblast. Ottoman still regularly sits at a position east of Izium waiting for drones to cross his teams radar screens, but the Ukrainian military also shuttles the apple-cheeked dog fighter around the country in an attempt to share his learning with the rest of their air defense. That education has not made it uniformly across the country. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Oleksiy is a deputy commander responsible for coordinating four air defense units guarding the north side of Kyiv. "We have only one unit training," Oleksiy, who asked not to be identified by last name out of security concerns, told the Kyiv Independent. "Adjuncts are also at the development stage of units. The approximate timeframe when they will be ready to fulfil military missions is the end of this year." For civilians across Ukraine, time is ticking. Read also: Ukraines spy agencies destroyed Putins vaunted Oreshnik missile deep inside Russian territory, Zelensky says Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Units of the Ukrainian Navy have carried out a missile strike on the Oryol Thermal Power Plant and the Novobryansk electrical substation in Russia using Neptune cruise missiles. Source: Ukrainian Navy of the Armed Forces of Ukraine Details: According to the Navy, both facilities supplied electricity to military companies in the region, and their destruction has dealt a significant blow to the logistics of the Russian forces. Quote: "Ukrainian servicemen continue to demonstrate that no enemy rear position is safe." Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! Ukraine has attacked approximately 160 refineries, pumping stations and other facilities of the Russian oil industry since the beginning of the year, Ukrainian security service chief Vasyl Malyuk said on Friday. In September and October, 20 facilities were attacked, the head of the SBU intelligence service said in Kiev. "These include six oil refineries, two oil terminals, three oil depots and nine oil pumping stations," Malyuk was quoted as saying by the news agency Interfax-Ukraine. According to Malyuk's estimates, the Russian market is short of about one-fifth of the oil products it needs. He said that the oil-processing capacities have been reduced by 37%. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Calculations by experts in the oil industry also arrive at approximately the same figures. Malyuk said that Ukraine targets the Russian oil economy because it finances the lion's share of the Russian defence budget. Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called for sanctions on a further 340 tankers of the so-called shadow fleet. The ships are used to export Russian oil while circumventing existing restrictions. Zelensky estimated that Russia could have a total of over 1,500 such ships under various flags. EAST LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) A new UM Health-Sparrow clinic has opened inside East Lansing High School, bringing doctors, nurses, and counselors directly to students to make care more convenient for families across mid-Michigan. The clinic is here to serve all patients between the ages of 5 and 21, regardless of their ability to pay, UM Health-Sparrow family physician Dr. Greg Holzhei said. The clinic is funded through a grant of Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, which will help provide that care to our patients. The school-based health center offers primary care services like checkups and screenings, along with private spaces for mental health support. Sean Graney/WLNS So many students are suffering with mental health, and so were able to provide mental health services, Holzhei said. We have a physician assistant that can help direct the care, but we also have a social worker that can do individual visits or even group visits for groups of patients that need that care. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Dori Leyko, superintendent for East Lansing Public Schools, said access to care supports student success in and out of the classroom. We know that students who are more connected to school activities and have better school experiences, stay in school, and just have a better sense of belonging, Leyko said. The clinic is open to any young person ages 5 to 21 in mid-Michigan, not just East Lansing students. That includes our East Lansing students, community but it also goes outside of just the East Lansing community. Anybody within that age range can come and access our health center, Leyko said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement School leaders say staff is already in place and the health center will host year-round education projects on health topics relevant to teenagers. 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. AP Photo/Angelina Katsanis The United Nations on Friday accused the United States of breaching international human rights law with a series of lethal strikes on alleged drug-trafficking vessels in the Caribbean and Eastern Pacific the first time the U.N. has formally condemned the operations. In Fridays statement to ABC News, U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk said, These attacks and their mounting human cost are unacceptable. The U.S. must halt such attacks and take all measures necessary to prevent the extrajudicial killing of people aboard these boats, whatever the criminal conduct alleged against them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Under international human rights law, the intentional use of lethal force is only permissible as a last resort against individuals who pose an imminent threat to life, Turk continued. Based on the very sparse information provided publicly by the U.S. authorities, none of the individuals on the targeted boats appeared to pose an imminent threat to the lives of others or otherwise justified the use of lethal armed force against them under international law. Since September, President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth have authorized more than a dozen strikes on small boats U.S. officials describe as narco-trafficking or terrorist-linked vessels, reportedly killing over 60 people and fueling speculation that the administration may be laying groundwork for an on-the-ground confrontation with Venezuela. On Friday morning, Trump said he had not yet decided on military action. Responding to a request for comment from ABC News, White House deputy press secretary Anna Kelly said, The UN has failed at everything from operating an escalator to ending wars its ridiculous that they are now lecturing President Trump and running cover for evil narcoterrorists trying to murder Americans. The President acted in line with the laws of armed conflict to protect our country from those trying to bring poison to our shores. The post UN Says Trumps Unacceptable Boat Strikes Violate International Law first appeared on Mediaite. The United Nations Security Council has adopted a resolution stating that genuine autonomy for Western Sahara under Moroccan sovereignty could be the most feasible solution to Rabats 50-year conflict with the Algeria-backed Polisario Front. Western Sahara, a tract of desert the size of Britain, has been the scene of Africas longest-running territorial dispute since colonial power Spain left in 1975 and Morocco annexed the territory. The UNSC, in a United States-drafted text, on Friday called for the parties to engage in negotiations based on an autonomy plan first presented by Morocco to the UN in 2007. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Morocco considers the territory its own while the Polisario Front seeks to establish an independent state called the Sahrawi Republic. We urge all parties to use the coming weeks to come to the table and engage in serious discussions, US ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz told the council after the vote on Friday. We believe regional peace is possible this year, and we will make every effort to facilitate progress. Russia, China and Pakistan abstained, while Algeria did not vote. The remaining 11 council members voted in favour of the resolution, which also renewed for one year the mandate of the UN peacekeeping force in Western Sahara, known as the UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINURSO). The final decision on the future cannot, must not, belong to anyone other than the people under colonial domination, Algerias UN ambassador, Amar Bendjama, told the council after the vote. This text ignores the proposals of the Polisario Front They are a party to the conflict, and their opinion must be heard. A victorious chapter Moroccos autonomy proposal would establish a local legislative, executive and judicial authority for Western Sahara elected by its residents, while Rabat would retain jurisdiction over defence, foreign affairs and religious matters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Polisario instead wants to hold a referendum with independence as an option. Morocco is seeking a win-win and face-saving solution for all the parties to the conflict, King Mohammed VI of Morocco said after the UN vote. He urged Sahrawi refugees held in the Polisario-run Tindouf camps in southwestern Algeria to endorse autonomy. The king also renewed his call for a brotherly dialogue with Algeria and said Morocco is committed to the Maghreb Union. We are opening a new and victorious chapter in the process of enshrining the Moroccan character of the Sahara, which is intended to bring this issue to a definitive close, King Mohammed said in a speech in which he expressed his immense pride. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thousands gathered in the streets of Moroccos cities to celebrate the vote, carrying flags and chanting patriotic slogans. Polisario Front representative Sidi Omar said the resolution does not imply any recognition of Moroccan sovereignty over Western Sahara. He said the Polisario Front leadership would assess the UN resolution and make an official position public in due course. The Security Council resolution also asked UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres to provide within six months a strategic review regarding MINURSOs future mandate, taking into account the outcome of the negotiations. US President Donald Trump reaffirmed support for Moroccos sovereignty over Western Sahara in July, saying a Moroccan autonomy plan for the territory was the sole solution. Trumps envoy Steve Witkoff had said the US is working on a peace deal between Algeria and Morocco. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement France made a similar move, recognising Rabats sovereignty over the territory and greenlighting investments there. In June, Britain became the third UNSC member to back autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty. Spain has also backed Rabats position, along with an increasing number of European states, signalling a shift in European Union member states foreign policy on the issue. The State-level National Unity Day was celebrated with great enthusiasm in Fatehabad on Friday to mark the birth anniversary of the Iron Man of India, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, according to a release. The 'Run for Unity' event, organised at the district headquarters, was flagged off by Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini from the Panchayat Bhawan. On this occasion, the Chief Minister showered flowers on the participants and personally joined the run, spreading the message of national unity. Approximately 30,000 participants attended the event held at the MM College grounds. Youth, women, athletes, students, social workers, and public representatives participated with great zeal, proudly carrying the tricolour in their hands. The entire city echoed with patriotic slogans of "Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat". On this occasion, the Chief Minister also administered the oath against drug abuse. Addressing the gathering, Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini said that National Unity Day is an occasion to strengthen the spirit and soul of the nation. Today, we are celebrating the 150th birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. The determination, courage, and vision with which the Iron Man united India remain a timeless source of inspiration. Extending his warm greetings to the people of Haryana, the Chief Minister paid heartfelt tribute to Sardar Patel on this auspicious occasion. The Chief Minister said that the Run for Unity was not merely a physical activity but a symbol of national unity, integrity, and discipline. Millions of citizens across all districts of Haryana are taking part in this national pledge, contributing to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of 'Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat. He said that a strong nation is built by disciplined, responsible, and aware citizens. This run inspires us with the values of tolerance, discipline, and collective strength, he added. Referring to the historic decision to abrogate Articles 370 and 35A from Jammu and Kashmir, the Chief Minister said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has further strengthened the unity and integrity of India, fulfilling a vision once initiated by Sardar Patel. He described the move as a landmark step in realising Sardar Patel's dream of 'Akhand Bharat' and 'One Nation, One Constitution, One Tricolour.' Praising the enthusiasm and patriotism of the people gathered in Fatehabad, the Chief Minister said that the overwhelming participation here proves that Sardar Patel's dream of a united India lives in the hearts of every citizen. He added that our diversity is our greatest strength. Despite different languages, traditions, and cultures, we are all Indians, many bodies, but one soul. Addressing the youth, he urged them to carry forward the torch of national unity and integrity. The Chief Minister said that Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel truly deserves to be called the 'Architect of India's Unity.' As India's first Home Minister, he integrated 562 princely states into the Indian Union, laying the foundation for a strong and united nation. Today's India stands tall because of his unmatched vision and leadership. His life reminds us that national unity is supreme, he added. Extending greetings on the eve of Haryana Day (November 1), the Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini said that the people of Haryana are setting an example for the entire nation through their hard work, dedication, and unity. The soil of Haryana is imbued with courage, diligence, and solidarity. Moving forward with this spirit is the true tribute to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, he said. BJP District President Praveen Jora, former MLA Dura Ram, IG Pankaj Nain, Deputy Commissioner Dr. Vivek Bharti, SP Siddhant Jain, Chairman Bharat Bhushan Midha, Surendra Arya, Zila Parishad President Suman Khichad, Additional Deputy Commissioner Anurag Dhaliya, SDM Akash Sharma, and other dignitaries were also present on this occasion. (ANI) UNITED NATIONS (AP) The U.N. Security Council on Friday approved a resolution backing Moroccos claim to the disputed Western Sahara, a shift that aligns with the Trump administration's support for the North African country. Although the vote was divided, the resolution offers the strongest endorsement yet for Moroccos plan to keep sovereignty over the territory, which also has backing from most European Union members and a growing number of African allies. The United States welcomes todays historic vote, which seizes upon this unique moment and builds on the momentum for a long, long overdue peace in Western Sahara, Mike Waltz, U.S. ambassador to the U.N., said in his remarks after the vote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The resolution refers to Moroccos plan as a basis for negotiation. As with similar resolutions in previous years, the text makes no mention of a referendum on self-determination that includes independence as an option, which is the solution long favored by the pro-independence Polisario Front and its allies, including Algeria, Russia and China. In a rare speech broadcast on Moroccan television after the vote, King Mohammed VI celebrated the result and pledged to supplement Moroccos proposal with additional details. He also called for dialogue with Algerias President Abdelmadjid Tebboune. We are starting a new chapter in the process of consolidating the Moroccanness of the Sahara, and closing, once and for all, this fabricated conflict, the king said. The U.S., which sponsored the resolution, led 11 countries in voting in favor, while three countries Russia, China and Pakistan abstained. Algeria, Polisarios primary benefactor, did not vote. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sidi Mohamed Omar, the Polisaro ambassador to the U.N., thanked the allies who abstained and Algeria for protesting the vote, saying this made it very clear that todays resolution does not imply any recognition of Moroccos sovereignty over Western Sahara. In other words, and in plain English, it does not imply recognition of Moroccos illegal military occupation of Western Sahara, he added. Western Sahara is a phosphate-rich stretch of coastal desert the size of Colorado that was under Spanish rule until 1975. Its claimed by both Morocco and the Polisario Front, which operates out of refugee camps in southwestern Algeria and claims to represent the Sahrawi people indigenous to the disputed territory. Amar Bendjama, the Algerian ambassador to the U.N., said that while the resolution was an improvement on previous iterations, it still has a number of shortcomings. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The resolution says genuine autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty could constitute a most feasible solution. The measure also renews the U.N. peacekeeping mission in Western Sahara for another year, as has been done for more than three decades. Prior extensions, however, havent included a reference to Morocco and its allies preferred outcome. Trump envoys reiterate support for Morocco The vote came weeks after U.S. President Donald Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff jolted the region by suggesting on CBS 60 Minutes that peace between Morocco and Algeria could be reached within 60 days. The neighboring countries aren't at war, but haven't had diplomatic relations for four years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Massad Boulos, Trumps senior adviser for African affairs, reiterated U.S. support for Moroccos plan in an interview with Sky News Arabia this week. The U.N. resolution calls on all parties involved to seize this unprecedented opportunity for a lasting peace. Depending on progress, it asks Antonio Guterres, the Secretary General, to review the peacekeeping missions mandate within six months. The shift could unsettle a long-stalled process that for decades has eluded resolution, despite a U.N. peacekeeping mission designed to be temporary. Demonstrations have ensued in Sahrawi refugee camps in Algeria this week, where people have vowed not to give up their fight for self-determination. A lasting stalemate Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Morocco controls nearly all of Western Sahara, except for a narrow strip known as the free zone that lies east of a Moroccan-built sand wall. A 1991 ceasefire was meant to pave the way for a referendum on self-determination, but fighting over voter eligibility prevented it from taking place. Over the years, Morocco has transformed the disputed territory, constructing a deepwater port and a 656-mile (1,055-kilometer) highway. State subsidies keep food and energy prices low, and the population has ballooned as Moroccans settle in cities such as Dakhla and Laayoune. Polisario withdrew from the ceasefire in 2020 after clashes near a road Morocco was paving to Mauritania. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The group has since regularly reported military activity, while Morocco has mostly denied open conflict. The United Nations calls it low-level hostilities. Pressure builds as priorities shift The conflict is the driving force in North African diplomacy. Morocco sees support for its autonomy plan as a benchmark for how it gauges its allies. Last October, U.N. envoy Staffan de Mistura suggested partitioning Western Sahara, a proposal neither side accepted. He urged Morocco to clarify what autonomy would entail and warned a lack of progress might raise questions about the United Nations' role and whether there is space and willingness for us to still be useful. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The push to reassess the United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara comes as the United States slashes funding for U.N. programs and agencies, including peacekeeping. U.S. officials are taking an a la carte approach to funding, picking which operations and agencies they believe align with Trumps agenda and which no longer serve U.S. interests. They argue that the U.N.s budget and agencies are bloated. They pledge to halt new contributions pending a review of every U.N. agency and program. ___ Metz reported from Rabat, Morocco. When you take your car in for service, you trust the dealership will fix it, not take it for a spin. One local man told the ABC7 I-Team a dealership employee was driving his SUV for personal use, and the consumer can prove it. A local man's SUV was in the shop for a repair. The problem? When he checked his vehicle's GPS app, while overseas, he saw it was being taken on "unauthorized rides." Those rides weren't around the dealership. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When Jonathan Gregory took his Ford Explorer into Fair Oaks Ford in Naperville for a repair, he didn't think he'd have to monitor the FordPass app, which tracks his car. "I left my car in the trust of the dealership... and here I am in Germany and my car is being driven back and forth to a neighborhood I don't know," Gregory said. Gregory grew suspicious after the first time he brought his car in, when he says he noticed 100 more miles on the vehicle. "When I took it back the following weekend, I took a photograph of my odometer," Gregory said. Then, after taking a photo with his miles at 8,302 miles, he monitored his Ford app while he was in Germany. What he saw floored him. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I look at my phone and I think, why is my car in Berwyn? That's nowhere near the dealer," Gregory said. "I have daily screenshots from the app where the car was going back and forth to Berwyn every day for several days." He shared with ABC7 screenshots from his app of the car driving on the expressway and in Berwyn, about 25 miles from the dealership in Naperville. A screenshot from the app showed his mileage grew to 8,440 miles. That's 140 more miles while it was in the shop for that second time. SEE ALSO | ABC7 Chicago series, 'Consumer Chronicles,' showcases I-Team stories on scams, rip-offs, more Gregory says he was initially told that a technician had to drive the car around to record the sound the car was making, because Gregory needed a repair on a noisy sunroof. Gregory wasn't buying the excuse and said the driving was excessive. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "And I have I-PASS reports," Gregory said. "When you log into I-PASS, you can see when your car has gone through tolls." Gregory filed a report with the Illinois Attorney General and continued his complaints to the dealership, asking to be let out of his lease. He says that request was denied, but the dealership gave him a lifetime of free oil changes and maintenance on the vehicle and didn't charge for that repair. A letter from the dealership attorney also says they would cover tolls and not charge for miles over "340 miles" after the lease. The letter noted that he granted employees permission to operate the vehicle, but not for unauthorized purposes. The dealership's general manager told the I-Team, " Fair Oaks Ford takes customer concerns extremely seriously... Our dealership has strict policies that prohibit employees from using customer vehicles for any unauthorized purpose. When this issue was first brought to our attention, we immediately launched an internal review, identified the employee responsible, and took swift corrective action. That individual's employment has been terminated as a result of this violation of our policies. We are reinforcing our internal procedures and employee training to ensure that customer trust is never compromised." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The dealership also says it regrets the incident, which does not reflect the values and standards of its team. The dealership added it worked with Gregory to reach a resolution, which included a full interior and exterior detail of his vehicle at no charge. "The two most expensive purchases people make in their life are their cars and their homes, and you don't want either of them being used without your permission," Gregory said. "It really just feels like a violation of trust." Car owners should use the automaker's app to track location and mileage. Even if you don't get a picture of your odometer beforehand, check your receipt. Excessive mileage could indicate unauthorized use. You should also ask if they need to be driving your car for the repair and how long they will need to drive it. THE ISSUE When US taxpayers make a math or clerical error on their tax returns, the Internal Revenue Service sends them a notice correcting their mistake and specifying the resulting change in their refund or tax liability. These notices are fairly common: The IRS reported sending out more than 1 million of them to taxpayers for the 2023 tax year, an increase from more than 700,000 the previous tax year. But the letters have drawn complaints from a bipartisan group of lawmakers as well as the independent taxpayer advocate within the IRS. They argue that the notices dont contain enough information or make clear that taxpayers have a limited amount of time to contest the IRS proposed adjustments. THE BOND Though work has largely ground to a halt on Capitol Hill during the government shutdown, the Senate did manage to pass a bill last week designed to make it easier for taxpayers to understand the errors the IRS finds in their returns and their rights. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The bill from Sens. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and Bill Cassidy, R-La., called the IRS Math and Taxpayer Help Act, would require these notices to include clear descriptions of the errors; to compute the adjustments; and to specify the deadline for challenging them. When trying to make government work better for people, I look for good partners wherever I can find them, Warren told Semafor in a statement. Its just common sense that the IRS would break down math errors for taxpayers and tell taxpayers what their rights are. The measure passed the Senate by unanimous consent last week, after clearing the House in a voice vote in March (both actions signal broad support for the policy). The House measure was co-sponsored by Reps. Randy Feenstra, R-Iowa, and Brad Schneider, D-Ill., both of whom are members of the Ways and Means Committee, which oversees tax policy legislation. Its unclear when President Donald Trump will sign the bill into law, but hes expected to do so; the White House didnt respond to a request for comment by press time. Step Back This isnt the only piece of legislation the bipartisan Senate pair has worked on. Cassidy and Warren, who both sit on the Senate Finance Committee, also cosponsored a bill together that would create a federal system for tracking outcomes for college students after they graduate. TEXOMA (KFDX/KJTL) A number of jury trials and plea deals were reached in Texoma in 2025, leading to multiple defendants filing appeal cases with appellate courts across Texas. A verdict from a jury and a sentence from a judge are often not the end of the road for defendants, as many choose to appeal the judgment from the trial court. Several local defendants convicted in Texoma district courts are currently appealing the trial courts judgment and sentence in their cases. New appellate cases filed An appellate case begins after the defendant in a case files a notice with the appellate court that they intend to appeal the trial courts judgment and sentence. This usually doesnt take place until that defendant has filed a motion for a new trial with the court that convicted them, and the presiding judge denies that motion. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement READ MORE: 97th District Attorney discusses recent trial for child sex crimes A number of defendants have filed notice with the Second Court of Appeals that they intend to appeal the trial courts judgment and sentence: Bobby Crawford McNair Convicted in Archer County of one count of aggravated sexual assault of a child and five counts of indecency with a child Ali Musleh Entered an open plea in the 78th District Court to online solicitation of a minor and was sentenced to 10 years in prison Antonio Canada Appealing conviction for aggravated sexual assault, but there is a question of jurisdiction since his appeal was filed several months late Cases transferred to different appellate courts While an appeal case is pending, before any briefs are filed by attorneys, the case can sometimes be transferred to another appellate court, depending on the workload of the courts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement READ MORE: Wichita Falls man gets 30-year sentence for child sex crimes The following case has been transferred from the Second Court of Appeals in Fort Worth to other appellate courts in Texas: Evan Cantrell Appeal of aggravated sexual assault of a child conviction transferred to Seventh Court of Appeals in Amarillo Defendants brief filed After a notice of appeal is filed, appellate attorneys for both the defendant and the prosecution then write and submit briefs to the appellate court for the justices of that court to consider when coming to an appellate decision. The briefs, filed first by the party requesting the appeal and followed up by the opposing party, explain why the trial courts judgment should be either reversed or affirmed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement READ MORE: Appeal updates in major Texoma criminal cases The following appellate briefs have been submitted on behalf of the defendant: Michael Lloyd Carlson Former Knox County Sheriff convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to 10 years in prison for his role in a fatal crash in 2023; on appeal, Carlson argued that the indictment used omission-based language, as opposed to alleging any action on Carlsons behalf, and failed to establish that Carlson had a duty to act any differently than he did; the states response is due Nov. 19, 2025. Appellate cases submitted After both the prosecution and the defense have the opportunity to file briefs, as well as respond to the other sides briefs, the case is then submitted to the appellate court for consideration before they return with a decision. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The following case has recently been submitted to the Second Court of Appeals: Anthony Patterson Submitted on October 21, 2025 Petitions for discretionary review Even after an appellate court decides to uphold a trial courts conviction, thats not the end of the road. Defendants then have the opportunity to petition the Court of Criminal Appeals, the highest criminal court in Texas, for a discretionary review, representing their last available appeal option. READ MORE: Landmark decision in Wichita County appeal case The following defendants, whose convictions and sentences were upheld by the appellate cour,t have filed petitions for discretionary review: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Daniel Ortiz After the Second Court of Appeals upheld the conviction and sentence, Ortiz requested a review, alleging that the appellate court failed to analyze whether the alleged mental deficiency was serious in nature Michael Tackitt Tackitt, on his own behalf, submitted a hand-written request for the Court of Criminal Appeals to extend his deadline to file a petition for discretionary review after he alleged his appellate attorney failed to file one in a timely manner Zaeveion Denson The Court of Criminal Appeals refused his petition, meaning the judgment of the trial court will stand 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. 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. The Air Force told lawmakers it needs a fighter fleet of 1,558 manned, combat-coded fighters to carry out and sustain operations at a low risk, nearly 300 more than it has now. In an August report signed by Air Force Sec. Troy Meink, which was obtained by Defense News, the service said it needs to grow to minimize risk over the next decade, as it focuses on modernizing its current fifth-generation and legacy fighter fleets. Congress ordered the Air Force to produce this report, titled Long-Term USAF Fighter Force Structure, as part of the 2025 National Defense Authorization Act. An Air Force official, during a conversation with reporters Thursday, acknowledged this is an aspirational plan that it couldnt achieve without a significant budget boost. Its primary purpose, the official said, is to send a message to decision makers on what the Air Force needs to carry out all its missions and if thats not in the cards, to prepare for scenarios where not all of the services desired missions are achievable. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There is insufficient top line, currently, to cover everything that we want to do, the official told reporters. We need more Air Force, and this [report] backs it up on the [tactical air] side, the official said later. More Air Force is possible. Its just a matter of whether it prioritizes highly enough, among all the other various things that are required within the department. The service said it now has 1,271 combat-coded fighters, including roughly 103 A-10 Warthogs that will be largely retired by the end of fiscal 2026. That would mean growing the combat-coded fighter fleet by nearly 300 tails to bring the services risk down to its lowest level and thats even before older jets like the A-10s and F-15C head to the boneyard. For the Air Force, low risk would mean it is very likely to achieve its objectives, has the full capacity to source combatant commanders requirements and has the strategic depth to fight a wide range of conflicts with limited stress. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To meet objectives with medium risk which would mean achieving objectives is likely the official said the Air Force would need about 1,367 combat-coded fighters. Significant and high risk would mean the service may not or could not achieve its objectives, with forces only ready to deploy just in time or not ready at all, the report said. The force would face prolonged or extreme stress, it added. Achieving that growth could be easier said than done. There are multiple factors that could throw a wrench into those plans, including lawmakers not providing as much funding as the Air Force wants, industrial limitations on production and the hiccups and delays that often come with developing new military technologies. Whats more, the report said, improving the readiness and effectiveness of the Air Forces fighter fleet, while sustaining current aircraft, carrying out its current missions worldwide, and dealing with tight budgets and modernization delays presents a challenge to the service. High stakes modernizing The Air Force is in the midst of its largest modernization effort in history, as it brings on new fighters such as the Lockheed Martin-made F-35A Joint Strike Fighter and Boeings F-15EX Eagle II. At the same time, it is developing an entirely new class of semi-autonomous fighter drones called collaborative combat aircraft, which will fly alongside crewed fighters, and the sixth-generation Boeing F-47, as well as updating its bomber fleet with the B-21 Raider, among other new aircraft. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But getting new fighters such as the F-35 developed and fielded is inherently risky, the report said, with budget turmoil, technology challenges and industry delays snarling the process. This ends up forcing the Air Force to hold on to older aircraft longer than planned, which creates a vicious cycle that makes sustainment challenges worse, sucks up money that could go to new planes and delays the introduction of new capabilities. The Air Force's fighter fleet includes fifth-generation F-22s, like this one employing flares during an air show in September. (Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Kaitlin Young/U.S. Navy) The report also said these goals are what could be met under what amounts to a best-case scenario for the Air Force. A chart in the reports classified annex illustrates the potential maximum fighter procurement and maximum industry production with no fiscal constraints. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the Thursday conversation with reporters, the Air Force official said the service laid out these goals to set the bar for what is the possibility out there. Achieving those numbers assumes that we would have the fiscal resources to do that, the official said. The message is, were doing our homework, and what our homework tells us is that to achieve certain risk levels, we can do that. It just takes the will to invest that way. The report calls the F-35 the foundation of the USAF fighter force structure, and said the service plans to buy as many of the fighters as Lockheed Martin and other contractors can produce, and continue the jets modernization. The service now has roughly 500 F-35s, and eventually wants to buy a total of 1,763. A chart included in the report said industry can reach maximum F-35A production capacity, producing 100 jets per year for the Air Force, by 2030, as well as hitting a maximum production capacity of 24 F-15EXs by 2027. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That could prove challenging for the Air Force. The service typically tries to buy about 48 F-35As each year. But the Pentagons 2026 budget proposal released over the summer called for slashing that goal in half. And after multiple delays to the F-35s Technology Refresh 3 modernization program, an even bigger slate of upgrades called Block 4 is behind schedule and, according to a recent Government Accountability Office report, being scaled back as a result. When asked about the Pentagons request to buy fewer F-35s in 2026, and how that squares with the Air Forces stated desire to dramatically increase its fighter fleet, the Air Force official pointed to the lagging development of Block 4. When the Block 4 upgrades which will allow the F-35 to carry more weapons and boost its sensors are ready, the service plans to ramp up its purchases of the jets, the official said. Were certainly encouraged by the progress thats being made on Block 4, the official said. But the reality is, its not rolling out right now. I think that we will see that change here in the future, and when that occurs, we will have a corresponding change in whats programmed for F-35. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Air Force official said Lockheed Martin can now produce between 130 and 140 F-35s, of all three varieties, each year. But in the future, he said, Lockheed could curtail its production of the short-takeoff and vertical landing F-35B variant, allowing it to produce more F-35As. And if the governments foreign military sales of F-35s changed resulting in fewer F-35As being sold to other nations that could create an inventory big enough for the Air Force to buy up to 100 F-35As per year, the official said. Challenges abound as fleet shifts The Air Force is also dealing with a longstanding shortage of pilots, which has been worsened by bottlenecks in the training process, limited manpower and challenges sustaining its current fleet of aircraft. The report underscores the Air Forces plans to finish retiring all 103 remaining A-10 Warthogs by the end of September 2026, and said divestments of its aging F-15C and D fighters are almost done. The Air Force wants to keep most of its F-15E Strike Eagles, which it calls the proven combat workhorse of the USAF fleet in every theater of operation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But the service does plan to prune its F-15E fleet by divesting some fighters with less-capable F100-PW-220 engines, allowing it to focus resources on jets with the F-100-PW-229 engines and improve overall sustainment and mission readiness. The Air Forces web page on the F-15E said a single 220 engine can produce 25,000 pounds of thrust, and a 229 engine can produce 29,000 pounds of thrust. Both types of engines are made by Pratt & Whitney, and each F-15 has two engines. As jets like the A-10s, older F-15s and block 30 F-16s have aged beyond their original service lives, the Air Force has had to pour more time and resources into keeping them flying. This diverts resources that could otherwise go to modernizing newer planes, the report said, and stretches depot maintenance facilities. Many of them have obsolete technology that is growing increasingly difficult and costly to maintain, while the shrinking industrial base is drying up sources of critical parts for those planes. There is one major wild card in this report, however, that the service wasnt sure how to account for: the rise of CCAs, like the General Atomics-made YFQ-42A and Andurils YFA-44A that are now in testing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement CCAs are intended to carry out multiple missions, including strikes against enemy targets, surveillance, jamming and other electronic warfare operations, and even serving as decoys. When they are fully operational the Air Force wants a fleet of at least 1,000 CCAs they will allow the service to get its missions done with fewer manned fighters, helping to burn down some of the risk it faces. But for now, the official said, its hard to tell how many manned fighters CCAs will be able to fill in for. CCAs will affect the bottom line, the official said. We dont know by how much at this point, but certainly that will buy down some of that requirement. A coalition of 39 US state attorneys general is urging the US Congress to tighten the federal definition of hemp to ban the sale of "intoxicating" hemp-based THC products sold outside state-regulated cannabis systems. The issue relates to The Agricultural Improvement Act (farm bill) of 2018, which legalised industrial hemp on a federal level. The bill permits industrial hemp carrying a THC concentration of under 0.3%. In a letter to Congressional leaders, the attorneys general said the federal definition of hemp in the 2018 bill needed to be changed "to prevent the continued sale of unregulated, intoxicating THC products". Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They argued that the farm bill has been wrongly exploited by bad actors to sell recreational synthetic THC products across the country. Products containing synthetic and semi-synthetic compounds such as delta-8, delta-10 and THC-O are sold as gummies, sweets and beverages, and are widely available online and in petrol stations and convenience stores, the letter said, frequently without age limits, uniform labelling or safety standards. The letter was signed by Arkansass attorney general Tim Griffin, Connecticuts William Tong, Indianas Todd Rokita, and Minnesotas Keith Ellison. They were joined by attorneys general representing Alabama, Arizona, and California. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The officials wrote that the farm bill was intended to permit industrial hemp commerce as a non-intoxicating commodity while preserving prohibitions on cannabis. They argued however that an inadvertent ambiguity in the definition of hemp has enabled bad actors to sell "dangerous drugs" to Americans. The letter added: Unless Congress acts, this gross distortion of the 2018 farm bills hemp provision will continue to fuel the rapid growth of an underregulated industry that threatens public health and safety and undermines law enforcement nationwide." While the farm bill permits industrial hemp on a federal level, state laws on THC vary. According to a report from cannabis consultancy Whitney Economics, THC beverages are legal in 28 states, while they are legal with restrictions in nine, limited to marijuana retailers in seven, and prohibited completely in six. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Reacting to the letter, THC drinks maker Cann has warned such federal restrictions would disadvantage small businesses and constrain options for consumers. Alongside an online petition, the California-based group said: This isn't about safety. It's about consolidating industry at the expense of small businesses and limiting consumer choice. The company added: We believe hemp-derived THC beverages should be treated like other adult-use products like alcohol. Whitney Economics has estimated the total potential market value for THC beverages sits between $9.9bn and $14.9bn, with legal sales in 2024 projected to be valued between $1bn and $1.3bn. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The report says there are 500 to 750 operating in the THC drinks space nationwide, around 200 of which sell through marijuana dispensaries. "US Attorneys General urge Congress to ban hemp THC products" was originally created and published by Just Drinks, a GlobalData owned brand. By David Jeans NEW YORK (Reuters) -Anduril's jet-powered drone flew for the first time on Friday, the company and the U.S. Air Force said, marking a significant step for the defense tech company's drone ambitions. The Los Angeles-based company, which won an Air Force contract last year to produce a prototype drone that could serve as a "loyal wingman" alongside fighter jets, demonstrated the drones flight at a California-based testing site, the Air Force said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The flight marks the latest step forward in the Air Force's plans to field a swarm of unmanned jet-powered drones, as the Pentagon prepares for a future potential conflict in the Pacific fought largely with autonomous systems. This milestone demonstrates how competition drives innovation and accelerates delivery, Troy Meink, secretary of the Air Force, said in a statement. DRONE FLEW SEMI-AUTONOMOUSLY The drone, known as YFQ-44A, which looks like a miniature fighter jet without windows, was flown semi-autonomously, according to Anduril executive Jason Levin, who oversees engineering. He said in a press statement that the drone could manage its own flight controls and throttle adjustment without a human command, and could land at the push of a button. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There is no operator with a stick and throttle flying the aircraft behind the scenes, Levin said. In April 2024, the Air Force awarded Anduril a contract alongside General Atomics to build competing prototype "loyal wingman" drones with autonomous capabilities. Over the summer, General Atomics announced that it had flown its own Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) drone, the YFQ-42A, and said its model had also flown semi-autonomously. The Air Force is expected to announce a new contract for a second increment of CCA drones, and is fielding proposals from 20 companies, the trade publication Breaking Defense previously reported. Last week, another Silicon Valley-backed company, Shield AI, announced that it was developing its own CCA-style aircraft, known as the X-BAT. In the meantime, Anduril said it plans to ramp up production of its CCA drone, with manufacturing of the prototype expected to start next year at a facility in Ohio. (Reporting by David Jeans in New YorkEditing by Rod Nickel) US Energy Secretary Chris Wright canceled his Israel visit over Eli Cohens refusal to approve a $35b gas export deal with Egypt. US Secretary of Energy Chris Wright on Thursday canceled his planned visit to Israel next week due to concerns over Energy and Infrastructure Minister Eli Cohen's refusal to approve a gas export agreement with Egypt. Cohen is refusing to approve the agreement until Israeli interests are secured and a fair price for the Israeli market is agreed upon. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At the same time, efforts have been made to settle political issues between Israel and Egypt, including over the Gaza Strip. The Trump administration has recently been exerting significant pressure on Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Cohen, to approve the deal with Egypt, worth approximately $35 billion. Israeli gas co. announces new pipeline to Egypt worth NIS 2b. Israel Natural Gas Lines Company (INGL) reached an agreement with the three main gas exporters, the Tamar Partnership, the Leviathan Partnership, and Energean, to develop a new export pipeline to Egypt valued at NIS 2 billion, it said on Saturday. Tamar gas field (credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM/THE JERUSALEM POST) According to the agreement, published by the director of the Natural Gas Authority at the Energy and Infrastructure Ministry, the project will be established with an investment fully funded by the exporters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cohen said at the time that natural gas is a strategic asset that strengthens Israels economic and diplomatic standing worldwide, particularly in the Middle East. The construction of the new line will enable increased exports, thereby strengthening our diplomatic position and the Israeli economy, he said. Therefore, my policy as energy minister is to bring international energy giants to invest in Israel and to expand natural gas production for the domestic market and for export. Additionally, the Israeli government approved Cairos request to allow the entry of Egyptian equipment and personnel to assist as part of the efforts to locate and retrieve remains of slain hostages, an Israeli security official told The Jerusalem Post on Saturday evening. Meanwhile, the IDF has intercepted several drones attempting to smuggle weapons over the Egyptian border in recent weeks, including on Wednesday. James Genn and Jerusalem Post Staff contributed to this report. Vice President of India CP Radhakrishnan, on Friday, lauded Kashi's remarkable transformation over the past two decades and credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath for this transformation. Addressing the gathering after inaugurating the new Satram building at Varanasi's Sigra, Radhakrishnan said, "The Kashi I saw 25 years ago is completely different from the Kashi of today. This transformation has been made possible because of two great leaders, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath." Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, who was also present at the ceremony, welcomed the Vice President on his first visit to Kashi. "From the Ganga in Kashi to the Kaveri in Tamil Nadu, we are united, irrespective of language difference," the Chief Minister said. "This new initiative will provide space and support for pilgrims visiting from Tamil Nadu and will further strengthen our cultural and spiritual ties," he added. Following the inauguration, Vice President Radhakrishnan and CM Yogi visited the Kashi Vishwanath Temple and offered prayers. Earlier today, the Vice-President of India graced the inauguration of the new Sri Kasi Nattukkottai Nagara Satram building at Sigra, Varanasi, as the Chief Guest. The event was also attended by the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Yogi Adityanath, who welcomed the Vice-President at the Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport upon his arrival, as per an official release from the Vice President's Secretariat. The newly constructed Satram is a 10-storey building with 140 rooms, built at a cost of Rs 60 crore by the Sri Kasi Nattukkottai Nagara Satram Managing Society. This is the Society's second Satram in Varanasi, dedicated to providing accommodation to visiting devotees and encouraging younger generations to connect with the holy city. The initiative embodies the spirit of Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat by strengthening the deep-rooted Kashi-Tamil Nadu cultural connect. The event also highlighted the longstanding tradition of pilgrimage between Kashi and South India, dating back to the establishment of the first Satram in 1863 by the Nattukkottai Trust. (ANI) (Reuters) -The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said on Friday it warned four companies that it plans to take enforcement action over their sale of unapproved fluoride-based prescription drugs for children, as part of a broader federal push to remove ingestible fluoride supplements from the market. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a longtime critic of fluoride use, said the decision marks a major step in protecting children's health. "This Halloween, the FDA is driving a stake through the heart of outdated science and protecting our kids from the risks associated with ingestible fluoride," Kennedy said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fluoride a mineral that occurs naturally in water, soil and air has been demonstrated to prevent dental cavities and tooth decay. For decades, it has been added to community water supplies and dental products such as toothpaste. The move follows a months-long safety review and public comment period that began earlier this year, when the agency first announced its intent to phase out fluoride supplements for children. The FDA said these products may alter the gut microbiome and pose broader health risks, especially for young children. The agency added that it has never approved these products for safety or effectiveness, despite their use since the 1940s. A recent meta-analysis cited by the agency suggested that increased fluoride exposure may be linked to lower IQ scores in children. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While fluoride is known to help prevent cavities in older children, the FDA cited a Cochrane review that found no clear benefit for baby teeth. The FDA also said that for the same reason fluoride kills bacteria on teeth, it may disrupt gut health when ingested. The crackdown is part of President Donald Trump's "Make Our Children Healthy Again" initiative, which directed the FDA to re-evaluate fluoride products. The FDA did not immediately respond to a request for comment on which companies received the warning letters. In May, Utah became the first U.S. state to ban fluoride in public water systems, after Governor Spencer Cox said he would sign legislation to that effect. (Reporting by Kamal Choudhury in Bengaluru; Editing by Alan Barona) By Nate Raymond BOSTON (Reuters) -A federal judge in Rhode Island on Friday blocked President Donald Trump's administration from suspending all food aid for millions of Americans amid the ongoing government shutdown. U.S. District Judge John McConnell in Providence issued a temporary restraining order at the behest of cities, nonprofits and a union who argued the U.S. Department of Agriculture's suspension of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits, known as SNAP or food stamps, starting Saturday was unlawful. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The USDA has said insufficient funds exist to pay full benefits to 42 million low-income Americans, as they cost $8.5 billion to $9 billion per month. The Trump administration contends the agency lacks authority to pay them until Congress passes a spending bill ending a government shutdown that began October 1. The plaintiffs, represented by the liberal legal advocacy group Democracy Forward, argued the agency's decision to suspend benefits was wrong and unlawful, as the USDA still had funds available to fulfill its obligation to pay SNAP benefits. Such available funding includes $5.25 billion in contingency funds that Congress has previously provided the USDA for use when "necessary to carry out program operations," the plaintiffs said. Aside from the contingency funds, the plaintiffs argued that a separate fund with around $23 billion in it could also be utilized to avoid what would be an unprecedented suspension of SNAP benefits. (Reporting by Nate Raymond; editing by Noeleen Walder and Rami Ayyub) By Nate Raymond (Reuters) -A federal judge in Rhode Island on Friday blocked President Donald Trump's administration from suspending all food aid for millions of Americans amid the ongoing government shutdown and directed it to use contingency funds to pay for the benefits. U.S. District Judge John McConnell in Providence issued a temporary restraining order at the behest of cities, nonprofits and a union that argued the U.S. Department of Agriculture's suspension of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits, known as SNAP or food stamps, starting Saturday was unlawful. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He ruled from the bench minutes after another judge in Boston ruled that suspension was likely unlawful in a related case pursued by a coalition of Democratic-led states that also sought to avert the suspension. "There is no doubt and it is beyond argument that irreparable harm will begin to occur if it hasn't already occurred in the terror it has caused some people about the availability of funding for food, for their family," McConnell said during a virtual hearing. The USDA has said insufficient funds exist to pay full benefits to 42 million low-income Americans, as they cost $8.5 billion to $9 billion per month. The Trump administration contends the agency lacks authority to pay them until Congress passes a spending bill ending a government shutdown that began October 1. The plaintiffs, represented by the liberal legal advocacy group Democracy Forward, argued the agency's decision to suspend benefits was wrong and unlawful, as the USDA still had funds available to fulfill its obligation to pay SNAP benefits. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Such available funding includes $5.25 billion in contingency funds that Congress has previously provided the USDA for use when "necessary to carry out program operations," the plaintiffs said. Aside from the contingency funds, the plaintiffs argued that a separate fund with around $23 billion in it could also be utilized to avoid what would be an unprecedented suspension of SNAP benefits. (Reporting by Nate Raymond; editing by Noeleen Walder, Rami Ayyub and Deepa Babington) By Stephen Nellis WASHINGTON (Reuters) -A U.S. Republican senator is asking U.S. President Donald Trump's administration to help the Malaysian government prevent U.S. artificial intelligence chips from being smuggled through the country to China, according to a letter seen by Reuters. Reuters has previously reported that U.S. officials believe Malaysia is among a handful of countries where organized smuggling operations have worked to get U.S. chips into China that would otherwise be banned from export to China. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Senator Tom Cotton, an Arkansas Republican, wrote a letter to U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick saying Malaysian officials had begun cracking down on such activity and the Trump administration should aid Malaysian officials in the effort by helping the country develop screening programs to ensure chips are not being diverted to China. Cotton, who along with the Trump administration has supported the idea of requiring U.S. chips to contain technology that would verify their location to prevent smuggling, said chips with such technology should be given a green light for export to Malaysia. "As is often the case, U.S. companies are at the forefront of developing creative and innovative technical solutions, which will help add layers of assurance against illegal diversion," Cotton wrote in an October 30 letter. "To support the semiconductor industry in their efforts, it may be beneficial for U.S. and Malaysian officials to develop priority customs clearance procedures for shipments of advanced U.S. chips with anti-diversion mechanisms," Cotton said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Malaysia, China's largest trading partner in Southeast Asia, announced in July it was requiring permits for all exports, trans-shipments and transits of U.S.-made high-performance chips, such as those made by Nvidia. (Reporting by Stephen Nellis in Washington; Editing by Jamie Freed) An active-duty U.S. Marine has been arrested on accusations of kidnapping a 12-year-old girl from Indiana with the intent of sexually assaulting her, the FBI said Thursday. William Richard Roy, 24, who was stationed at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, flew to Chicago last week, met the girl in a park and then took her to a hotel overnight before boarding a bus to Durham, North Carolina, the FBI said in a statement. The girls grandmother first reported her missing on Friday, according to the statement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The FBI arrested Roy when he arrived in Durham on Sunday and the girl was safely recovered, the agency said. Roy faces three charges, which entail enticing and transporting a minor across state lines for an illicit sexual act. Public records listed one working number that appeared to be associated with Roy, but the person who picked up declined to comment. The U.S. Marine Corps did not immediately respond to a request for comment. By Patricia Zengerle WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The Republican and Democratic leaders of the U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee said on Friday they had asked President Donald Trump's administration for the legal rationale and other information about operations against drug cartels but had not yet received the information. U.S. strikes on alleged drug trafficking boats have killed dozens of people in the Caribbean and Pacific since early September, raising tensions between Washington and Caracas. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In a rare bipartisan action related to the strikes, Republican Senator Roger Wicker and Democrat Jack Reed said in a statement that they had not received information requested from the administration about its strategy to fight drug cartels. Wicker, of Mississippi, is the chairman and Reed, of Rhode Island, is the top Democrat on the committee, which oversees the U.S. military. The Trump administration insists those targeted were transporting drugs, without providing evidence or publicly explaining the legal justification for the decision to attack the boats rather than stop them and arrest those on board. Trump also has ordered a major military buildup in the Caribbean. Wicker and Reed said they requested "Execute Orders" related to the anti-drug trafficking operations in a letter dated September 23. And in an October 6 letter, they asked for any written opinion regarding the legal basis for these operations. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The lawmakers said they had not received the requested information by Friday. The Pentagon did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Trump on Friday denied he was considering strikes inside Venezuela, appearing to contradict his own comments from last week amid intensifying expectations that Washington may soon expand drug-trafficking-related operations. (Reporting by Patricia Zengerle; Editing by Daniel Wallis) Pete Hegseth expressed serious concerns about Beijings aggression towards Taiwan during a meeting with his Chinese counterpart on Friday. The US war secretary told Dong Jun, Chinas defence minister, that while the US does not seek conflict, it will continue to stoutly defend Taiwans interests in the region, according to a readout from the Pentagon. The two men met for approximately 75 minutes on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) defense ministers meeting. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We will continue discussions with the Peoples Liberation Army on matters of mutual importance, Mr Hegseth wrote after the meeting. A statement issued by Chinas defence ministry showed virtually no change in its position on Taiwan, warning the US against expressing any support for the island. Dong Jun, Chinas defence minister, met Pete Hegseth at the defence summit in Malaysia - Hasnoor Hussain/EPA According to the press release, Mr Dong emphasised that the reunification of the two sides of the Taiwan Strait is an unstoppable historical trend and said the US should exercise caution in its words and actions on the Taiwan issue and unequivocally oppose Taiwan independence. China has been steadily increasing its aggression in the Indo-Pacific region, both in the South China Sea, where it lays claim to over 250 maritime features in the disputed waters, as well as towards Taiwan. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Beijing claims Taiwan as part of its territory and has said it will absolutely not rule out the use of force in bringing the island under its control. However, Taiwans government firmly opposes these claims and has pushed back against all Chinese efforts to exert control. The Chinese coastguard fires a water cannon at a Philippine vessel in the South China Sea earlier this month - AFP On Thursday, William Lai, the Taiwanese president, said they do not want one country, two systems, referring to the model put in place in Hong Kong that gave Beijing de facto control over the region. However, Beijing continues to employ bullish grey zone efforts, which fall short of conventional warfare but are intended to destabilise Taiwan and sow distrust among its people. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement These include cyber attacks, cutting the islands undersea cables and recruiting spies at the highest levels of Taiwans government, leading many China watchers to worry that an invasion is possible. In the South China Sea, Beijings aggression has also grown, with near-monthly clashes with Philippine vessels over features claimed by both countries. Gilberto Teodoro Jr, the Philippine defence secretary, said in May that Chinas activities are getting more expansive and more aggressive. Mr Hegseth and Mr Dong last spoke over the phone in September, when the US made clear that it does not seek conflict with China nor is it pursuing regime change or strangulation of the [Peoples Republic of China]. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fridays meeting between the two defence officials follows the high-profile summit between Donald Trump and Xi Jinping on Thursday in South Korea, where the two presidents pledged to work together on various issues, from the soybean trade to export controls on rare earths. However, Mr Trump, who has previously claimed China would not invade Taiwan while hes in office, told reporters that the disputed island did not come up during his meeting with Mr Xi. Sanae Takaichi, Japans prime minister, said on Friday she had also raised serious concerns about the South China Sea, Hong Kong and Xinjiang in a candid first meeting with Mr Xi. Mr Xi told Ms Takaichi, who has long been seen as a China hawk, that he hopes her government will have a correct understanding of his country, according to state media. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For his part, Mr Hegseth regularly speaks about Chinas aggression in the Indo-Pacific, previously characterising the threat against Taiwan as imminent. He told the Washington Times on Wednesday that it would be irresponsible for the US not to pay attention to Chinas rapid military development, and it remains a key focus in his upcoming national defence strategy. Mr Hegseth also raised the issue of Chinese aggression during a bilateral meeting with his Japanese counterpart, Shinjiro Koizumi, in Japan shortly before he arrived in Malaysia. 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 U.S. military buildup along South Americas northern rim is, Washington insists, aimed at narco-terrorists. A growing chorus of analysts arent convinced; they suspect what the Trump administration is really after is regime change in Venezuela. Nicolas Maduro, the countrys leader since 2013, is taking no chances. In recent weeks he responded to the Trump administrations moves as if invasion were imminent. After a September emergency decree and martial rhetoric about a republic in arms, the Venezuelan president says militias and reservists are now mobilized nationwide. The leftist leader has ordered armed forces, police and militia to deploy across 284 battlefronts a national defense posture that surges troops on sensitive borders. He has also massed 25,000 soldiers near Colombia, a likely vector for infiltration. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In addition, roughly 4.5 million members of the National Bolivarian Militia, an auxiliary force created in 2005 and made up of civilian volunteers and reservists, have reportedly mobilized. Civilians are being trained by the armed forces in weapons handling and tactics sessions to knit local peoples defense committees into the defense architecture. Armed civilians participate in a military deployment in support of Venezuelas President Nicolas Maduro on Sept. 23, 2025. Federico Parra/AFP via Getty Images This placing of Venezuela on a war footing follows months of U.S. military buildup in the Caribbean. And there is no doubt that should it come to it, the U.S. boasts a far larger and more sophisticated military than Venezuela. But as an expert on Latin American politics, I suspect that might not be enough to remove Maduro from power or encourage opposition figures in Venezuela on Washingtons behalf. In fact, any direct attempt to do so might only lead to a slow process that risks entrenching Maduros position. Powerful friends overseas Alongside nationwide domestic mobilization, the Venezuelan leader still has some pretty powerful international friends. Maduro boasts some 5,000 Russian Igla-S, man-portable anti-aircraft missiles positioned at key air-defense points. While unverified, these reports are indicative of the short-range air defense and anti-ship capabilities being supplied by nations friendly to the Maduro regime. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Oct. 28, a Russian Il-76 heavy cargo plane, operated by a sanctioned carrier tied to Russian military logistics, landed in Caracas after a multistop route through the Caucasus and West Africa. If not an outright sign of solidarity, this is a signal that Russia can airlift advisers, parts and munitions at will. Irans long, quiet hand is visible in Venezuelas drone program. It was reportedly seeded with Mohajer-2 kits and expanded over the years into armed and surveillance platforms assembled at state plants by Tehran-trained technicians. Cuba, for its part, has for more than a decade embedded intelligence and internal security advisers across Venezuelas military services, an underdiscussed force multiplier that helps the regime police dissent and maintain loyalty. Although Russia, Cuba and Iran may help Maduro survive, they are unlikely to save him from any determined American campaign. Cautious opposition If Washington is hoping that its military squeeze may encourage Venezuelans to take matters into their own hands, the domestic scene is less favorable. The opposition to Maduro is fragmented and vulnerable after being deprived, fraudulently by most accounts, victory in a 2024 vote and a subsequent year of repression. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Democratic Unitary Platform remains split between a pressure wing and a participation wing after the disputed vote. The jolt of morale handed to the opposition on Oct. 10, when the de facto 2024 opposition candidate Maria Corina Machado won the Nobel Peace Prize, has yet to move the needle. There is a low probability, in my opinion, that the opposition can forcibly remove Maduro without a trigger, such as a major split within the security services, sustained mass mobilization with elite defections, or a massive U.S. intervention. The regimes domestic security architecture and control of courts, prosecutors and the electoral council make a sudden elite split unlikely. Electoral displacement is also unpromising given that the official opposition is split on tactics, faces daily repression, and Maduro has repeatedly signaled he will not accept a loss even if he loses. Street power, backed by sustained international leverage and U.S. military threats, are arguably the oppositions best asset. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Diaspora politics are febrile. South Floridas large Venezuelan exile community reads the naval buildup as a potential turning point and lobbies accordingly, even as U.S. immigration and travel policies cut against their interests. The oppositions mainstream leaders still mouth the catechism that change should come by Venezuelan hands, but more are openly courting external pressure to tilt the balance. The USS Gravely, a US Navy warship, departs the Port of Spain on Oct. 30, 2025. Martin Bernetti/AFP via Getty Images What Washington might do next The Trump administration has certainly shown willingness to mount pressure on Maduro and encourage his opponents. Since August, the Pentagon has surged forces, destroyers and amphibious ships into the U.S. Southern Commands patch. Then, on Oct. 24, Washington redirected the USS Gerald R. Ford carrier strike group to the Caribbean. Meanwhile, attacks against suspected drug vessels will likely continue. The campaign has already resulted in at least 13 strikes and 57 killed in the Caribbean Sea and eastern Pacific. And President Donald Trump has been consistent in linking the targeted cartels to Venezuelas government and Maduro directly. Should the U.S. wish to escalate further, precision strikes on Venezuelan territory are not out of the question. With an aircraft carrier nearby and F-35s staged in Puerto Rico, the Pentagon has options. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Meanwhile, covert actions will accompany any overt military posturing. The White House has openly declared that the CIA has authority to operate inside Venezuela. A U.S. Homeland Security agent reportedly tried to recruit Maduros chief pilot to fly the president into U.S. custody, a plot that fizzled but hints at the psychological ops now in play. Venezuela, meanwhile, has condemned military provocation by the CIA and others. It is worth recalling past attempts to unseat Maduro, including a 2018 drone attack at a Caracas parade and a failed freelance operation in 2020 that ended with deaths and dozens captured, including two former U.S. soldiers. The U.S. has denied any connection to both incidents. In any event, such operations seldom topple strongmen but they do seed paranoia and crackdowns as regimes chase ghosts. Possible endgames If Washingtons real objective is regime change, the plausible outcomes are sobering. To be sure, a quick collapse of Maduros government is unlikely. A short, sharp campaign that dismantles the regimes coercive tools could trigger elite defection. Yet Cuba-hardened internal security, patronage over the generals and years of sanctions-induced siege mentality make a palace coup improbable on a timetable that suits Washington. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In my view, a slow squeeze is likelier. A hybrid strategy involving maritime and air pressure, covert agitation and inducements, targeted strikes to degrade regime capacity, and political, legal and cyber warfare to isolate Caracas and split the officer corps is realistic. But that path risks entrenching the regimes hard-liners and worsening a humanitarian crisis even as it degrades Maduros capacity. Analysts warn that the regime change logic, once engaged, is hard to calibrate, especially if strikes kill civilians or hit national symbols. A boomerang is always possible. Military action will very likely rally nationalist sentiment in Venezuela, fracture hemispheric consensus and drag the U.S. into a longer confrontation with messy spillovers, from uncontrolled migration to maritime security threats. A Venezuelan militiawoman holds a banner with a photo of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro during a military parade on April 13, 2019. Marco Bello/Getty Images It is worth recalling that approximately 7.9 million migrants and refugees have already left Venezuela, with over 6.7 million residing in Latin American and Caribbean countries. Even the successful decapitation of Maduros regime would not guarantee a successor able to govern the country. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement At least three signposts matter in determining what happens next. The first is airlift cadence: More Russian cargo flights into Caracas point to accelerated military and technical aid. A second is the expansion of U.S. targets a strike on a military installation or a presidential bunker would cross a political Rubicon, even if framed as a counter-narcotics operation. The third is opposition mobilization. If there are credible signs of Venezuelan demonstrations, protests and action, this will shape Washingtons appetite for escalation. But even if the White House clings to its current counter-drugs and counterterrorism narrative, all evidence points to the trajectory as an incremental regime change push with less than certain outcomes. 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: Robert Muggah, Instituto Igarape; Princeton University Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read more: Robert Muggah is the co-founder of the Igarape Institute, a think and do tank in Brazil and a principal and co-founder of SecDev, a geopolitical and digital advisory group. Dr. Muggah is an affiliated scholar at Princeton University, a Richard von Weizsacker Fellow at the Robert Bosh Academy, and received a DPhil from the University of Oxford. The 23rd Working Group Meeting of the India-Russia inter-governmental commission on military technical cooperation and defence Industry was held in Moscow. The meeting was co-chaired by Sanjeev Kumar, Secretary, Defence Production from India and Andrey A. Boytsov, First Deputy Director, FSMTC, from Russia, according to a post on X from Defence Production India. The discussions culminated in the signing of a protocol outlining areas of mutual cooperation, collaboration and mutual Growth. "23rd Working Group Meeting of the India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Military Technical Cooperation and Defence Industry was held in Moscow on 29th October 2025. The meeting was co-chaired by Sanjeev Kumar, Secretary (Defence Production) from India and Andrey A Boytsov, First Deputy Director, FSMTC, from Russia... The discussions culminated in the Signing of a Protocol outlining areas of Mutual Cooperation, Collaboration and Mutual Growth," Defence Production India said. https://x.com/DefProdnIndia/status/1983918754858988019 Additionally, Sanjeev Kumar also visited JSC UEC-Klimov Plant in Saint Petersburg, where he engaged in discussions on projects of mutual interest. The plant, one of the most modern facilities, specialises in the development and production of high-performance turboprop engines. "As part of his Russia visit, Shri Sanjeev Kumar, Secretary (Defence Production), visited the JSC UEC-Klimov Plant in Saint Petersburg on 30th October 2025. The plant, one of the most modern facilities, specialises in the development and production of high-performance turboprop engines," Defence Production India said. "The visit included strategic discussions on projects of mutual interest, with a focus on maximising localisation of critical manufacturing processes. D.K. Sunil, CMD (HAL), and other senior officials were also present on the occasion," they added. https://x.com/DefProdnIndia/status/1983934076106240235 Earlier, the 5th meeting of the Working Group on Military Cooperation under the India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Military and Military-Technical Cooperation IRIGC-M&MTC took place in Delhi, Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to elevating the India-Russia Defence Cooperation, the Integrated Defence Staff said on Wednesday. In a post on X, the IDS said, "The 5th meeting of the Working Group on Military Cooperation under the India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Military & Military-Technical Cooperation IRIGC-M&MTC concluded successfully at New Delhi. Co-chaired by Air Mshl Ashutosh Dixit, Chief of Integrated Defence Staff (CISC) and Lt Gen Dylevsky Igor Nikolaevich, Deputy Chief of the Main Operational Directorate Russia, the Working Group reviewed current defence cooperation plans and explored new avenues for collaboration and knowledge-sharing." "Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to elevating the India-Russia Defence Cooperation, paving the way for focused engagements, enhanced training exchanges and new initiatives under the Special and Privileged Strategic Partnership," IDS added. (ANI) For better or worse, the U.S. nuclear arsenal is currently having a moment. First, "A House of Dynamite" became an instant No. 1 hit for Netflix shortly after its global streaming debut in October. The film, directed by Oscar-winning filmmaker Kathryn Bigelow, quickly gained buzz for its chilling depiction of how the U.S. military and government could respond to a surprise nuclear attack. Then, soon after the release, President Trump announced plans to begin testing nuclear weapons (in real life). This announcement followed recent tests of nuclear-powered weapons by Russia, but still came as a shock to many, because the U.S. hasn't tested a single nuclear weapon since 1992. That's 33 years five entire presidential administrations of no nuclear testing, which came after decades of detonating powerful nuclear bombs to test energy output, blast range, thermal and electromagnetic effects, radioactive fallout, and more. Famously, the first nuclear test by the U.S. or any other nation was Trinity, conducted in New Mexico on July 16, 1945. It was part of the Manhattan Project, led by J. Robert Oppenheimer and General Leslie Groves, and led to the use of atomic bombs on Japan to end World War II less than a month later. To date, it's the only time nuclear weapons have been used in armed conflict. However, the U.S. and other nations had detonated thousands of nukes since then as part of scientific and military tests. For its part, the U.S. conducted these tests far from densely populated areas. Many took place in the American Southwest, with Nevada eventually becoming the most nuked place on Earth. Many others were conducted over the Pacific Ocean, including near the Bikini Atoll. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Read more: 11 Of The Most Iconic Ground Attack Military Planes In History Most U.S. nuclear tests were conducted underground Archival photo of balloons being prepared for nuclear testing - U.S. Department of Energy After World War II, only five nuclear tests were carried out by the U.S. between 1946 and 1948, with 16 more occurring in 1951 as the technology and ability to mass-produce atomic weapons advanced. By the time the U.S. ceased all testing in 1992, the nation had conducted 1,054 nuclear tests. Some of these, especially early on, were similar to Trinity detonating a bomb suspended from a 100-foot tower while others were set just a few feet off the ground. Others were detonated on barges or tied to balloons to explode high in the air. Many nuclear bombs were dropped from aircraft and detonated as airbursts. As the U.S. continued to test its weaponry, it explored other methods, including undersea and low-Earth orbit detonations, to see what happens when a nuclear bomb detonates in space. The latter test, Starfish Prime, occurred 250 miles above the Pacific Ocean. For comparison, the International Space Station (ISS) orbits at the same height. In an effort to reduce radioactive fallout from being released into the atmosphere (more on this later), the U.S. transitioned to underground nuclear testing. In 1963, the nation signed the Limited Test Ban Treaty (LTBT) with the Soviet Union, which prohibited above-ground nuclear tests. As such, all testing between 1963 and 1992 the vast majority of U.S. nuclear detonations was underground, occurring at sites in Nevada, New Mexico, Colorado, Alaska, and Mississippi. Shortly after the Cold War ended, President George H.W. Bush enacted a moratorium on nuclear testing, which President Bill Clinton extended indefinitely with the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) in 1996. The final U.S. test of nuclear weapons was conducted in Nevada in 1992. Radioactive fallout from nuclear tests is everywhere Radioactive materials sign on a fence in New Mexico desert - Swinsider/Getty Images Along with the hopes of de-escalating tensions with other nuclear powers, the testing ban that began in 1992 was enacted for the same reason testing transitioned underground in the 1960s to avoid the danger of radioactive fallout. Nuclear detonations release radioactive particles, which cling to dust, water droplets, and other fine debris. The half-life of these particles the time it takes to stop being radioactive can range from days to decades. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Smaller radioactive particles from nuclear tests are light enough to be carried far from testing sites by wind or water. Some even enter the upper atmosphere and spread globally. Radioactive particles can be absorbed in many different ways. For example, if they fall into the soil, they can continue to be found in the grass that grows from that soil, which then enters the cows that eat that grass, before ending up in the cows' milk that we drink. Radioactive particles from that milk can then collect in our thyroid glands. Extensive research has found that fallout radiation is also absorbed by organs, tissues, and especially by bone marrow. Because they can disrupt and damage DNA, radioactive fallout can greatly increase the risk of cancer to anyone exposed. Radiation from the hundreds of nuclear tests conducted in the 20th century can be found all over the globe, with thousands of cases of cancer attributed to it, hundreds of which have been fatal. Testing-related radioactive particles have been found within inhabitants of every state in the continental U.S. Other than the fact that nuclear testing inevitably escalates the threat and tension of actual nuclear warfare (as well as potential military accidents involving nuclear weapons), this fallout is one of the reasons officials previously deemed nuclear tests too dangerous to continue. Want the latest in tech and auto trends? Subscribe to our free newsletter for the latest headlines, expert guides, and how-to tips, one email at a time. You can also add us as a preferred search source on Google. Read the original article on SlashGear. Oct. 30WASHINGTON DC Where there is information, there is misinformation, and one of the jobs of USApple is to combat misinformation that's out there. Jim Bair, president and chief executive officer, cited the case of an applesauce recall over concerns about elevated levels of lead. "It was a cinnamon-flavored applesauce; the lead was coming from the cinnamon," Bair said. "In fact, the applesauce was imported, as was the cinnamon. It wasn't even a U.S. product. But consumers, all they hear is 'applesauce is bad.' So we try to provide information that's calming and reassuring," Bair said. USApple is supported by growers, packers, processors and other groups in the apple industry to advocate for industry interests at the federal level, as well as working to provide accurate information about apples and apple production. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bair said the organization also works with the U.S. Department of Agriculture to ensure it, too, is working with accurate information and can react accordingly. Its USDA contacts came in handy about a decade ago, when a food-borne illness was traced to an orchard in California. "Part of what we try to do is maintain contact with all the regulators in DC, so that when problems do arise as they inevitably will, from time to time that we can have those direct conversations," Bair said. The grower produced two specific varieties of apples, and the first reaction of the Food and Drug Administration was to advise consumers to avoid those two varieties, no matter where they were grown. Bair said USApple argued vehemently against that. "'Why would you want to penalize growers who have no involvement in this recall whatsoever, who have grown a perfectly healthy product? Why would you want to impact those growers, and why would you want to confuse consumers?' Fortunately, they changed the recall notice," Bair said. "If they had (issued) that, we'd still probably be impacted by that, 10 years later." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bair said USApple works to get the industry's message across to the federal government, a task that requires patience sometimes a lot of patience. Bair said labor is one of those subjects. Tree fruit growers nationwide use a lot of temporary labor that comes from out of the country through the H2A visa program. Growers believe it's in need of reform, he said, but it's been a long process with no answer yet. "That's a daily conversation here in DC. We've been at this for 20 years, and it's still not fixed," Bair said. USApple has members throughout the United States, growing fruit for different kinds of markets. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "When I visit New England growers, (for) most of them there isn't really much commercial fresh market," Bair said. "They realized that even in Boston, New York (and) Philadelphia, Washington state apples are going to dominate those markets. So almost all of them have gone into pick-your-own, and they're selling (other commodities). And honestly, I think they're doing better economically than they ever were growing wholesale apples and trying to compete." This story has been updated since publication to clarify a quote from Jim Bair, president and chief executive officer of USApple. A Ring doorbell camera captured an immigration arrest in Arlington Heights Thursday. Federal agents got out of a van and placed landscaper Miriel Medina into custody. He did not resist the arrest. SEE ALSO: Federal agents detain 2 after allegedly causing crash near Evanston elementary school: witnesses But when a nearby postal worker tried to step in, agents pushed the postal carrier to the ground. Medina's daughter said her father is living in the U.S. without legal permission. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Medina is being held at the Broadview U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility, but hasn't been processed yet. Neither the Department of Homeland Security nor Border Patrol immediately responded to requests for comment on Medina's arrest. Medina's court date is set for Nov. 12. BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) The USS Kidd is expected to return to Baton Rouge by Spring 2026. In a release, officials said that the USS Kidd historic ship is set to be released from the drydock berth on Nov. 11, or Veterans Day. It was removed from the Baton Rouge berth in April 2024 and taken to a shipyard in Houma to get a full overhaul. Over the 14 months, the deteriorated steel was removed from the ship and replaced. The USS Kidd was known for its exploits during World War II. It was commissioned in 1943 and was designated a national landmark in 1986. The USS Kidd Veteran Museum pays tribute to Louisiana veterans of all service branches. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement USS KIDD Veterans Museum in Baton Rouge gets donation to preserve, restore ship The museum will remain open during the time that the ship is away, with reduced entrance fees. Latest News Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Louisiana First News. WASHINGTON Several members of Utahs congressional delegation say they will refuse to accept their salaries during the government shutdown in a show of solidarity with federal employees who are not getting paid despite still working. Government employees have either been furloughed, meaning they are sent home and prohibited from doing their jobs, or have been deemed essential and required to work without pay. However, lawmakers are mandated by law to receive paychecks even during a government shutdown, prompting pushback from some Congress members who say they wont accept the payments. Sen. John Curtis, R-Utah, informed the Senate financial clerk he would not be picking up his paychecks for the duration of the shutdown, according to a letter he sent to the office that was obtained by the Deseret News. Rep. Mike Kennedy, R-Utah, sent a similar letter to the House financial office, with his office noting he finds it wildly inappropriate for lawmakers to accept compensation while federal employees do not have the choice. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rep. Blake Moore, R-Utah, will also refuse his checks, telling C-SPAN on Friday morning he has opted out until the government is reopened. Hopefully we do that soon, Moore said. Rep. Celeste Maloy, R-Utah, has not formally asked to withhold her salary, but she told the Deseret News that lawmakers need to be focused on getting the government open and paying everyone whos earning a paycheck right now. Rep. Burgess Owens and Sen. Mike Lee have not yet responded to inquiries from the Deseret News. Lawmakers have long refused their paychecks in the event of a shutdown, with some even pushing for a constitutional amendment to block salary payments when the government is closed. Curtis previously introduced the No Work, No Pay bill when he was in the House that would prohibit lawmakers from being paid in a shutdown, but it has never passed. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kennedy introduced the same bill on Sept. 30 ahead of the shutdown deadline, but the House has not been back in session since then. Federal workers have not been paid since the shutdown took effect on Oct. 1, meaning Senate staffers have now missed two pay periods. House staffers get paid on a monthly basis, making this week the first paycheck they have not received raising concerns among staffers who must pay rent and other commitments. Several staffers told the Deseret News they have explored alternative options such as applying for loans, pulling from their savings accounts, or borrowing money from their friends and family. The Trump administration has reallocated federal funds to pay military members during the shutdown, but other federal workers have gone without paychecks. Lawmakers have pushed for votes on individual bills to pay certain federal workers, but no proposal has garnered enough support to pass as Democrats initially opposed them over concerns Trump would unfairly exclude some employees from payments. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Senate Democratic leaders have since switched their stance, but Republicans are now blocking those efforts instead accusing Democrats of wanting votes as political cover. We just want to say thank you for your diligence, for doing your job, for your service to the country, even though Democrats are withholding your paycheck, House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said on Friday. The shutdown is set to enter its second month on Saturday and is on track to become the longest shutdown in history if the government remains closed past Tuesday. The Senate isnt set to return until Monday evening. Vice President Vance on Friday defended comments he made two days prior about his wife Usha Vance and their relationship dynamic as it relates to religion during a Turning Point USA stop at the University of Mississippi. The vice president told college students Wednesday that deep down, he hopes the second lady is somehow moved by the church and will convert to Christianity because I believe in the Christian gospel. One user on the social platform X later commented, Its weird to throw your wifes religion under the bus, in public, for a moments acceptance by groypers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The vice president quickly fired back in reply to the since-deleted comment, defending his decision and his remarks in a lengthy follow-up post. My wifeas I said at the TPUSAis the most amazing blessing I have in my life. She herself encouraged me to reengage with my faith many years ago. She is not a Christian and has no plans to convert, but like many people in an interfaith marriageor any interfaith relationshipI hope she may one day see things as I do, he wrote Friday on X. Regardless, Ill continue to love and support her and talk to her about faith and life and everything else, because shes my wife, he added. Usha Vance is Hindu and has three kids with the vice president. Their two oldest children are enrolled at a Christian school. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The family attends church on Sundays but observes both religions. Turning Point USA is known for promoting Christian ideals and a nuclear family structure, which Vice President Vance says he supports. Yes, Christians have beliefs. And yes, those beliefs have many consequences, one of which is that we want to share them with other people, he wrote in the Friday post. That is a completely normal thing, and anyone whos telling you otherwise has an agenda, he added. 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. PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) The Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) is urging drivers to exercise caution in the evening during deer mating season. According to a release, deer mating season, which typically runs from mid-October through November, coincides with daylight saving time on Nov. 2. Historically, the month of November is when the highest number of crashes involving deer occur. With the shorter daylight hours and increase of deer activity, VDOT said drivers should pay closer attention near forested areas, along streams and in locations where deer crossing signs have been put up. VDOT also urges drivers to ensure headlights are properly working and to clean windshields for better viewing conditions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A list of more driving tips can be found below: Do not veer for deer aggressively swerving can cause motorists to lose control of their vehicles Gradually break to avoid hitting deer who jump in front of you Prepare for the unexpected deer may stop in the middle of the road or double back If you see one deer, slow down, theres likely to be other deer nearby Check the shoulders of a road or highway and use high beams when able Slow down and hit your horn to scare the deer If you hit a deer, pull off to the shoulder and turn on hazard lights VDOT also wants drivers who drive around Virginias Elk Management Zone in Southwest Virginia (Route 460/121 and Southern Gap Road) to keep in mind that elk tend to travel in large herds and are slower in movement. While elk are less likely to jump in front of vehicles, they are also less likely to move. Anyone who hits and kills an elk is also asked to fill out a report on VDOTs website to help ensure the roadways remain hazard-free. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Continue to check WAVY.com for updates. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WAVY.com. Cairo [Egypt], October 31 (ANI/WAM): Speaker of the Arab Parliament, Mohammed bin Ahmed Al Yamahi, has praised the humanitarian efforts and relief aid provided by the United Arab Emirates to support the people of Gaza. He highlighted the implementation of the largest project to supply desalinated water from Egypt to the southern part of the Strip, benefiting around 600,000 affected individuals, as part of the UAE's Operation Chivalrous Knight 3 launched in solidarity with the Palestinian people. Delivering his remarks during the plenary session of the Arab Parliament's second ordinary session of the fourth legislative term, held today at the Arab League headquarters, Al Yamahi noted the participation of the President of the Latin American and Caribbean Parliament. The Speaker commended the efforts of the Arab Republic of Egypt, the State of Qatar and the Republic of Turkiye in reaching the Gaza ceasefire agreement, stressing that the agreement reached in Sharm El Sheikh, represents a significant step towards consolidating calm and creating favourable conditions for reconstruction. Al Yamahi reaffirmed that the Palestinian cause remains the foremost and central issue of the Arab nation, underscoring that achieving a just and comprehensive peace begins and ends with ending the occupation and establishing an independent Palestinian state with Al Quds as its capital. He called on countries and international organisations to actively participate in the international conference on Gaza reconstruction scheduled to be held in Egypt in November. He also stressed the importance of holding Israel accountable for its crimes before the competent international courts. Al Yamahi further praised the sustained efforts of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and its wise leadership for supporting the International Conference for the implementation of the Two-State solution, which paved the way for growing international recognition of the State of Palestine. He emphasised that the current stage requires a unified Arab, Islamic and international stance to mobilise support for the reconstruction of Gaza and to support the Palestinian cause. (ANI/WAM) Its very unusual for The News Tribune Editorial Board to withdraw an endorsement, especially this close to the voting deadline of Nov. 4. Were doing that today, so we owe you an explanation. In the race for District 5 on the Pierce County Council, neither of the two candidates managed to inspire resounding support from a majority of the board. We think we made that clear in the endorsement we published on Oct. 10, in which we endorsed Bryan Yambe. Now, were withdrawing our endorsement. Weve since learned that Yambe showed lapses in judgment while on Fife City Council, using a credit card meant for official government purposes on personal expenses. However, we arent switching our endorsement to his opponent Terry Wise, which well explain in a moment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After the city of Fife identified Yambes behavior, the credit card was suspended for six months. Yambe has since reimbursed the expenses and didnt resume using a city-funded credit card after the suspension ended. We want to be very clear: this doesnt mean we condone the mudslinging and extreme statements made by the campaign and supporters of opponent Wise. They will surely spin this change, but our decision was based on an expectation that public officials make an effort to know and follow the rules about spending the publics money. When the editorial board first interviewed Yambe as part of our endorsement process, he was unprepared and short on details. But Yambe, who is running as a Democrat and was appointed to Pierce County Councils District 5 in January, has a long record in local government. He has an established reputation for his skill in policy-making and building relationships. So we gave him our endorsement, while also voicing our disappointment in his interview. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wise, a Republican running against Yambe in this election, showed he was knowledgeable about land use and infrastructure issues in the county during the same interview. But he missed the mark on some questions that werent about those topics, and we favored the policy experience Yambe brought to the table. Since then, we learned of Yambes previous misuse of Fife city funds. Those credit card charges were made in 2018 and 2019. Yambe now estimates that he paid the city back a little more than $1,100 through a series of paycheck reductions. It wasnt possible for us to confirm that dollar amount using public records from Fife in time to make a decision about our endorsement. However, the records we were able to look at gave us no reason to think the number was any higher than that. The expenses appear to include food and travel expenses that were not reimbursable. For example, Yambe was charged a fee for changing his airline tickets for a work-related trip. The change was made for personal reasons and so Yambe should have covered the costs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After the six-month suspension period, Yambe said he decided not to obtain another credit card for official use. In an interview, he told us that was because he wanted to be extra cautious about not repeating his mistakes. Though Yambe said he understands and owns his mistakes, we were troubled by his past behavior. It took him more than four years and the city of Fifes intervention for him to learn he was making these mistakes and change his behavior. That doesnt sit right with us. It didnt help that Yambe also recently had to remove the name of a member of Fifes city council from the list of endorsements on his website. There were conflicting stories over whether the council member, Doug Fagundes, had ever agreed to endorse Yambe, but we saw it as another example of sloppy work from Yambe. Still, we didnt decide to shift our endorsement to Wise. Some of us felt that Yambe was still, unfortunately, the better candidate. Others felt we should endorse neither. Wise earned one vote from our board in his favor during our reconsideration of the endorsement, but failed to win a majority. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wises campaign and his outside supporters have portrayed Yambes behavior in extreme terms, suggesting he engaged in serious crimes that the city then covered up. Were not agreeing with that by withdrawing our endorsement. Were also not agreeing with the Wise campaign claims that Yambe is a leftist extremist. We know theres a good chance that those groups will lump our decision in with their claims about Yambe, which is unfortunate. Its entirely possible a short quote from this very editorial will end up in an ad or text opposing Yambe, alongside some characterizations we wouldnt agree with. But the fact remains that service on Pierce County Council requires responsibility and accountability. We expect our leaders to be guided by integrity and values from the start, and show they are prepared for the job. This behavior, though in the past, lost Yambe the boards support. 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. TAZEWELL, VA (WVNS) As the country nears the one month mark of the government shutdown, Virginia Governor Glen Youngkin announced a state of emergency on October 23, 2025. With this shutdown, people who depend on SNAP assistance immediately raised concerns. Now, Youngkin has introduced the Virginia Emergency Nutrition Assistance initiative, also known as VENA, which Youngkin said will help to provide the necessary food for the people of Virginia. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We are pleased that the financial strength of the commonwealth of Virginia, the surpluses weve been running and, in all candors, the tremendous job growth. In business investment has enabled it, said Youngkin On the opposite side of the aisle, Virginia Democrats have questions about how the rollout will work. West Virginias childcare system is in crisis A press release from the Governors office explained the benefits will be issued weekly instead of monthly like SNAP. Benefits will be sent out on Mondays, Wednesdays, or Fridays. But where are the funds coming from? The State of Emergency allows Youngkin to use emergency funds to protect the health, welfare, and safety of Virginians. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Which states are looking to ban soda, snack purchases for SNAP recipients? If you need help. Virginia food banks and pantries are here to support you. Families should not be left hungry because of political stalemate. Children should not bear the cost of inaction and the federal government has a responsibility to act now, said Emily Moore who is a member of Voices for Virginia Kids, in a ZOOM interview earlier this month. VENA will be paid by the Commonwealth. The Commonwealth in collaboration with the Virginia Department of Social Services are working alongside localities and local departments to talk about the administrative cost. 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 WVNS. Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro is requesting military aid from Russia, the Washington Post (WP) reported on Oct. 31, citing confidential documents reviewed by the outlet. The request comes amid escalating tensions in the Caribbean Sea as the U.S. military carries out strikes on suspected drug-trafficking vessels and Washington reportedly considers air strikes on Venezuelan military facilities allegedly used for drug smuggling. Maduro wrote a letter to Russian President Vladimir Putin requesting repairs for radars, military aircraft, and possibly missile supplies, according to U.S. government documents obtained by WP. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Maduro has a close relationship with Moscow, bolstered by their shared animosity toward the West. Venezuela's president has denounced Western sanctions on Russia and backed Moscow's war. The documents also reportedly show that Venezuelan authorities sought military support and equipment from China and Iran to strengthen the country's defense capabilities. In a letter to Chinese President Xi Jinping, Maduro reportedly asked for "expanded military cooperation" between the two countries to counter "the escalation between the U.S. and Venezuela." The Trump administration has launched a campaign portraying Maduro as the head of a drug trafficking and terrorist organization seeking to flood the U.S. with drugs ahead of possible strikes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Venezuelan ruler denies these accusations and claims the U.S. wants to seize the country's natural resources, including oil, gas, and gold. He also announced the mobilization of 15,000 soldiers. Maduro earlier said the country has about 5,000 Russian-made Igla-S portable air defense systems. Read also: Historic precedent Lithuania to prosecute Russian POW for suspected war crimes in Ukraine Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Against the backdrop of a US military build-up in the Caribbean, Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has appealed to Russia, China and Iran for military assistance. Source: The Washington Post, citing internal US government documents Details: Maduro's requests to Moscow were set out in a letter that was to be delivered to Russian ruler Vladimir Putin by a "senior aide". The documents also state that Maduro wrote to Chinese President Xi Jinping, requesting "expanded military cooperation" between the two countries to counter "the escalation between the US and Venezuela". Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The documents further reveal that Transport Minister Ramon Celestino Velasquez recently coordinated the delivery of military equipment and drones from Iran and was planning a visit to the country. He told an Iranian official that Venezuela needed "passive detection equipment", "GPS scramblers" and "almost certainly drones with 1,000 km range", according to the documents. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! VERMILLION COUNTY, Ind. (WTWO/WAWV) On Wednesday, the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission approved the construction of two natural gas units at Duke Energys Cayuga Station in Vermillion County. Duke Energy Spokesperson Angeline Protogere said the new units will use a process called a combined cycle, to help reduce waste. Weve looked at bringing in and installing the most highly efficient natural gas turbines and technology that exists today, Protogere said. It captures waste heat, that is normally lost, and uses that fuel to produce more energy, so you get more energy from the same amount of fuel. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The project is expected to cost around $3 billion to construct, which will be paid for through gradual increases in bills for Duke Energy customers. All of our major facilities are paid for by customers, Protogere said. We have proposed and received approval to gradually add the cost of a facility like this to rates over time, to help smooth out great impacts. It wont affect customer bills all at one time. Duke Energy partners with the City of Terre Haute to do home energy house calls For Vermillion County, construction and operation of the units could bring hundreds of job openings. RJ Dunavan, President of the Vermillion County Commissioners, said their entire economy could see a boost. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There is going to be full time jobs when it is up and running, but I think the biggest impact is going to be the 500+ construction jobs that Duke Energy will be bringing here later this year and fully operational next year, Dunavan said. In 2026, they should have a full crew of workers. When you talk about that injection into your economy, its huge. Duke Energy is estimating the first unit will be in service in 2029 and the second in 2030. 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. DUMMERSTON, Vt. (ABC22/FOX44) Jamaica is more than 1,600 miles from Vermont. But even so, events down in the Caribbean can still affect those up in the Green Mountain State. A representative of the Vermont Tree Fruit Growers Association said Friday that several orchards around the state have fundraisers active following the destructive landfall of Category 5 Hurricane Melissa in Jamaica, where hundreds of seasonal orchard workers are from. The hurricane was the strongest in recorded history to strike the island nation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement SEE IT: Hurricane Hunters capture video in eye of Melissa before turbulence forces them back These members of orchard harvest crews work incredibly hard year in and year out to pick and pack the apples that put food on New England tables. Without them, many orchards simply could not exist, writes Jeremy Ebersole. The Association has a list of known fundraisers at the link here, which may change in the future supporting workers at orchards all the way from South Hero to Putney. Vermont wants farmers to describe drought impacts online The Vermont Agency of Agriculture also wrote Friday that it is reaching out to any Jamaican workers on H-2A visas who may still be in Vermont. We understand that many workers are deeply concerned about their families and communities in Jamaica, and we want to ensure that help is available during this difficult time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Their letter with included resources for workers and employers is included below. Communication to H2A Employers w MH ResourceDownload 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. NEVADA, Mo. A man from Nevada, Missouri, was jailed by city police earlier this month after repeatedly calling 911 to report what ended up being legal marijuana use. Online court dockets say Darell Scott West, born in 1981, has been charged with making a false report, a misdemeanor. The probable cause statement says a Nevada Police Department (NPD) officer responded to a Nevada apartment complex at around 9:07 p.m. on Oct. 15 for a report of narcotics use, only to find the incident unfounded. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement About 30 minutes later, dispatchers received another call reporting the same issue at a different apartment in the same complex. The caller did not provide a name, but when officers arrived, West approached them and said he was the one who made the call, the statement says. Law enforcement determined the suspected narcotics were marijuana and advised West to leave the apartment after the resident requested he do so. Officers remained on scene for about 10 minutes speaking with another person before leaving. After officers left, dispatchers then advised that West had called 911 four more times, bringing the total to seven calls within an hour. At the time, only two dispatchers were on duty and were handling priority medical, trespassing and emergency service calls, the statement says. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Officers arrested West, who was taken to the Vernon County Sheriffs Office. West is due in court on 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 KOLR - OzarksFirst.com. PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) Beaverton police are asking for the communitys help locating two missing men. Eddie Hair, 67, and Scott Smith, 68, have been missing for over a month. Officials say the two friends, who were last seen on September 13, were believed to be preparing for an outdoor trip, possibly involving searching for rare rocks on the Oregon Coast or in Central Oregon. Police say the two men may be in a 2005 red Jeep Wrangler with Oregon license plate 494QKW and the last cell phone activity on either of their devices was on Sept. 23. There has also been no bank activity or flight records for Hair and Smith. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One person goes missing, maybe they want to be missing. We have two community members missing, said Matt Henderson with the Beaverton Police Department. We are very concerned something has happened to Scott and Eddie, just simply because of the nature of this type of case. Its just gotten to the point where we know something is going on. Hes nowhere to be found, hes not answering his phone. This has never happened before, added Hairs former partner Katrina Pickle. Pickle also said both men take medication for ongoing health issues and that they left without their medicine, camping gear and cold-weather clothes. Anyone with information about Hair and Smiths whereabouts is asked to contact Beaverton police. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com. SALEM, Ohio (WKBN) As the holiday season approaches, one local organization is making sure the sacrifices of our nations heroes are never forgotten. The Xterra Health Foundation a group founded by disabled veterans is partnering with Wreaths Across America to honor fallen service members in Columbiana County. Every December, Thousands of wreaths are laid across the country. Each one a symbol of honor, gratitude and remembrance. This year, Xterra Health Foundation is joining that mission, bringing Wreaths Across America to Damascus Cemetery. A lot of times, if you dont remember what they did and the sacrifices others made before us, it can be forgotten, said Dr. Marshall Bahr, Xterra Health Foundation co-founder. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bahr knows those sacrifices firsthand. A former Army Ranger with five combat tours under his belt, Bahr co-founded Xterra Health with fellow veteran Josha Ackler, a Navy medic and two-time Purple Heart recipient. For the duo, laying a wreath is deeply personal. I lost a lot of friends. I was the medical, so Im the unfortunate part. I was the one that was there at the last moment. So thats always stuck with me. I still have to work through it today, Ackler said. Their company helps veterans navigate the complex system of disability claims. And now, theyre turning their mission of service toward remembrance. I dont think anybody should ever be forgotten. Its to keep their memory alive. And show that we appreciate their sacrifice and what they have done, Ackler said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Xterra Health hopes to sponsor more than 100 wreaths this year, ensuring every fallen soldier in Damascus Cemetery is remembered this December. I imagine its going to be a reflection. A day of celebration. Theres going to be a lot of emotions, Bahr said. The ceremony takes place on December 13. You can help by sponsoring a wreath through WreathsAcrossAmerica.com. Just search for the Xterra Health 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 WKBN.com. EDITORS NOTE: This is a follow-up to a story on the CNN 5 Good Things podcast. For more uplifting stories like this one, listen wherever you get your podcasts new episodes drop every Saturday. Jeff Robertson didnt take Halloween decorations seriously until 2020, when he wanted to make his kids smile during the pandemic. Every year since, his yard in Holly Springs, North Carolina and hundreds more across the country has been full of plastic skeletons of all sizes for a haunting but heartwarming cause, raising more than $1 million for St. Jude Childrens Research Hospital. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That first year, with his windows boarded up, the displays theme was a house under attack by what Robertson called a skeleton army scaling the walls. Jeff Robertson's 2020 skeleton invasion display kicked off his fundraising project for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. - Jeff Robertson When a local news crew covered it, the 54-year-old father of two and Army veteran saw a chance to do more than entertain. I asked my kids how we could use that attention to help others, he told CNN. My son and daughter said, Hey, lets help St. Jude. We want to help sick children get out of the hospital so they can see all these neat Halloween decorations. So the family printed a simple sign on their front yard that said in part: If you like what you see, feel free to donate to St. Jude a leading childrens hospital for kids with cancer and other diseases. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Within days, Robertson said a car pulled up with an emotional couple and their young daughter in the backseat. The tearful father told Robertson that theyre a St. Jude family and wanted to thank him for raising money for pay for treatment for families like them. Robertson didnt get their names and they never saw each other again. But that encounter changed everything for him. Id been looking for purpose after retiring from the service, he said. This little girl was going through such a tough time, but she saw these goofy plastic skeletons in my yard, it put her in an awesome place. The family raised over $8,000 in 2020 and the next year, Robertson created a Facebook group called Skeletons for St. Jude to spread the idea nationwide. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This spooky season, the group has more than 5,000 members, and over 1,000 partner homes across the country have joined the cause and raised funds. On October 21, they officially hit the $1 million mark. Robertsons neighborhood in North Carolina looks forward to his epic display every year with scores of visitors stopping by every day all month long to soak in the skeleton spectacle. It takes Robertson a whole year to plan the theme and build new props. Hes accumulated 100 or so toy skeletons that he keeps in storage, and he adds onto the display every day until Halloween so theres always something new for visitors to see. This October, skeletons are sailing on a 25-foot phantom pirate ship that Robertson has positioned so it appears to have crashed through the first and second stories of his house. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The real focus isnt on me, Robertson said. Its on the thousands of people giving five or ten dollars here and there. Thats what made this a success. Robertson is grateful knowing this money will help families focus on getting their kids better. And he says those families are motivating him to raise another $1 million in half the time. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com Kuwait City [Kuwait], October 31 (ANI/WAM): Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, led the UAE delegation participating in the 55th session of the GCC Industrial Cooperation Committee and the 10th meeting of the GCC Ministerial Committee for Standardisation Affairs, hosted by the State of Kuwait. The meetings brought together ministers of industry and trade from the GCC member states to strengthen joint efforts towards achieving sustainable economic integration and to enhance cooperation in the fields of industry, standards and metrology, supporting industrial and economic development and facilitating trade flows within the GCC market. Al Jaber conveyed the greetings of the UAE's leadership and government to their Gulf counterparts, reaffirming the UAE's commitment to deepening strategic partnerships, particularly in investment and in strengthening the resilience of supply chains across key sectors. He also expressed appreciation to the State of Kuwait--its leadership, government, and people--for hosting these important meetings that contribute to advancing regional cooperation and partnership. On this occasion, Al Jaber said: "In the UAE, and in line with the vision of our wise leadership, we continue to strengthen high-value partnerships and engage the private sector to enhance industrial competitiveness and sustainable economic growth for future generations. This cooperation supports the establishment of an advanced and competitive industrial base, furthering joint GCC action." During the visit, the UAE delegation took part in the 4th GCC Entrepreneur Forum, which addressed challenges and opportunities related to the expansion of small enterprises in the Gulf market, along with workshops on business growth and artificial intelligence. The Gulf Industrial Platform was also launched -- a unified digital platform dedicated to Gulf industrial projects. As part of its participation in the 3rd Gulf Industrial Exhibition, the UAE showcased five leading national industrial success stories. These included Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA), one of the world's largest producers of high-quality aluminium, which utilises UAE-developed smelting technologies that reduce emissions and strengthen the nation's position as a global industrial hub. Nutridor Dairy Company presented its innovative approach as one of the region's most advanced dairy producers, relying on automation and solar energy to cut over 8,000 tonnes of emissions annually. Lootah Biofuel highlighted its pioneering efforts as the first Gulf company to convert used cooking oil into sustainable aviation fuel, contributing to the circular economy and climate neutrality goals. Future Pipe Industries demonstrated its leadership in producing corrosion-resistant pipes and providing innovative infrastructure and clean energy solutions worldwide. Desert Board showcased its pioneering projects as the world's first manufacturer to transform palm fronds into eco-friendly wooden boards -- underscoring the UAE's leadership in circular industries and the transition towards sustainable building materials. Three UAE companies -- Emirates Global Aluminium, Lootah Biofuel, and Desert Board -- received the GCC Industrial Excellence Award, reflecting the UAE industrial leadership, its pivotal role in advancing Gulf industrial development, and its contribution to building an integrated industrial ecosystem that supports sustainable economic growth and regional integration. The UAE delegation accompanying Dr. Sultan Al Jaber included Omar Al Suwaidi, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Industry and Advanced Technology, Osama Amir Fadhel, Assistant Undersecretary for the Industrial Accelerators Sector, and a number of senior ministry officials. (ANI/WAM) Editors note: This is the second story of a two-part series of Veterans Voices on Kevin and Dianne Flett. JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. (WJHL)- Dianne Flett will tell you she never looked back after joining the Air Force. I was kind of lost. I didnt know what I wanted to do. I was changing my [college] major a couple of times. My mom and dad actually talked to me about it and asked if I wanted to consider [the military], she said. And instead of continuing with the college education, I joined the Air Force. And it was the best decision I ever made. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Those six years laid a foundation for her success decades later. I want to be that encouragement for other women that other women can look to me and young ladies can look to me and say, Wow, she can do it. Im 66 years old. Look what Im doing. You know, you can do it too. And if I can be that motivation and that inspiration, thats huge for me, she said. There is no room for failure. And thats whats instilled in you when youre in the military is youre basically, youre drilled down to nothing, and they build you back up in basic training. SEE MORE: Veteran couple expands business, credits Army for foundation of success When her husband, Kevin, retired three years ago, she pitched him a plan to open a mobile humidor. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hes kind of the face of Stogie Mountain cigars. Im kind of like the behind-the-scenes, the business manager. I manage everything behind the scenes, said Flett. But now Im going to be a face at the lounge Stogie Mountains lounge. The duo is expanding their business by opening a location on West Walnut Street. The natural transition of Stogie Mountain cigars was going to go to a brick and mortar, she said. And I thought, what a perfect transition for me to develop a brick and mortar, a cigar lounge in Johnson City. And we just love being part of this community. PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Stogie Mountain Cigars Lounge to bring relaxed atmosphere to Johnson City Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She got her start in Airfield Management at Offutt Air Force Base. I filed flight plans for all the pilots. I took care of their map room. We controlled aircraft coming on and off the base. I worked with Transient Alert, which worked with the transit aircraft, and it was really a fulfilling job, she said. Wed have to track all flights coming in, and wed coordinate the parking of those aircraft. And then also coordinating departures of aircraft, they would let us know whos taxiing. Its all about taxiing to the runway. Flett then went to Ramstein, Germany. I worked at NATO headquarters, so a lot of brass, what we mean, commissioned officers and, just a great experience working with the different countries, you know, working with the different foreign pilots, coming in and helping them file their flight plans, she said. We handled a lot more fighter jets and different types of aircraft. And that was really challenging dealing with the different countries and the lingo, the language barriers, was more challenging for me, but I loved it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Her assignment there holds a special place in her heart, especially the memory of her dad, Robert Charles Betler, visiting, as he also served there at one point during WWII. My dad was in the Army. He served under Patton, General Patton. He marched under the Arc de Triomphe in Paris [during the liberation of France] with Patton, Flett said. He was in for a couple of years, earned a lot of medals he was a part of my inspiration for the discipline of the military. Dianne Flett and her father at her apartment in Germany. Courtesy: Dianne Flett She and her father arent the only ones who served the country. Her husband, Kevin, is an Army veteran, and so is her son, Benjamin, who served as a Military Police Officer in Iraq and Afghanistan. The honor and just the pride in my son. It was just amazing. Its a feeling that only I think a parent can have. And for him to follow in those footsteps. I just beamed. But Ill tell you what. I was the most nervous person you would ever want to be around when he was in Afghanistan, in Iraq, because he was my only child, she said. It was a real difficult time for me. But at the same time, Im just so proud. Dianne and Kevin Flett in front of their new Stogie Mountain Cigar lounge. Courtesy: Dianne Flett The experience shaped her into the woman and business owner she is. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its the patriotism. Its a love of country. And knowing that, I signed up and I signed up for my country, and that is the greatest privilege and honor that anybody can ever have, said Flett. If they have not experienced it, it will be with you for the rest of your life. Stogie Mountain Cigars grand opening is Saturday, Nov. 1, from 3-11 p.m. 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. Another case of Vibrio vulnificus, the horrific infection also called "flesh-eating" bacteria, has been reported in Florida according to the latest data from the state Health Department. The new case was reported in Lee County, FDOH reported on Oct. 30, bringing the yearly listed total to 30. A case in Miami-Dade was listed at the FDOH as recently as September but does not appear now. The FDOH has not responded to questioning about the change. Five people have reportedly died from Vibrio vulnificus so far this year. The deaths occurred in Bay County, Broward County, Hillsborough County and St. Johns County, according to FDOH data. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Vibrio vulnificus is a bacterial infection found in warm and brackish seawater or floodwaters. The most common way to contract it is by eating raw or undercooked seafood, especially raw oysters, but you also can get it by exposing open cuts or wounds to the water. Infections are rare, but the results can be grisly and even fatal. Once it takes hold, the skin and soft tissue around the victim's wound can rapidly break down (hence the nickname). Treatment may require limb amputation to stop the rapid flesh deterioration even if it's caught in time. How many people have died from flesh-eating bacteria in Florida? According to the Florida Department of Health, five people have died so far in 2025, as of Friday, Oct. 31: Bay County: 2 Broward County : 1 Hillsborough County: 1 St. Johns: 1 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Between 2008 and 2025, 179 people in Florida have died from Vibrio vulnificus, according to FDOH records. Is Vibrio in your oyster? SWFL scientist seeks answers about deadly bacteria Where have flesh-eating bacteria cases been reported in Florida? According to the FDOH, 29 cases have been reported so far in 2025, as of Friday, Oct. 31: Bay County: 2 Broward County: 3 Citrus County: 1 Collier County : 2 Duval County : 1 Escambia County: 3 Flagler County : 1 Hernando County: 1 Hillsborough County : 2 Lee County : 3 Manatee County: 1 Martin County: 1 Okaloosa County: 1 St. Johns County: 2 Santa Rosa County: 2 Volusia County: 1 Walton County: 1 Washington County: 1 A case in Miami-Dade was listed at the FDOH as recently as September but does not appear now. No reason has been given for the change. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The FDOH does not specify the sources or dates of cases, but one of the three Escambia County cases this year was Genevieve Gallagher, a Pensacola woman who contracted the infection after swimming with her daughter in Santa Rosa Sound off Pensacola Beach on July 27. Gallagher was kept intubated for nearly a week while doctors removed much of the tissue from her left leg below the knee. They debrided my leg down to the bare meat, Gallagher said in an interview from her hospital bed. They took most of the muscle, almost down to the bone, basically. It went up almost to my knee, so it's a pretty large amount, and it's all the way around my leg. Albert Allison contracted Vibrio vulnificus while fishing on a dock in East Naples on Aug. 31, 2025. This shows the improvement after three antibiotics and wound treatment at NCH Baker Hospital on Sept. 8. In East Naples, 88-year-old retired U.S. Coast Guard pilot Albert Allison was infected in August and moved to a rehabilitation center after being hospitalized and treated with three antibiotics. I thought I was going to die, he said of the pain that flared up. It looks like Im going to make it. What's the record for Vibrio vulnificus cases in Florida? Florida saw a record 82 Vibrio vulnificus cases and 19 deaths in 2024, most of them after October when large areas of the state were flooded by back-to-back storms, Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton. This year, such storms have avoided the state. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Between 2014 and 2024, Florida averaged about 48 cases and 11 deaths per year, according to FDOH data. If you discount 2022 (when cases were higher due to flooding from Hurricane Ian) and 2024 (when cases surged after Hurricane Helene), the state averaged about 41 cases and 9 deaths per year. Nationwide, vibriosis from Vibrio vulnificus and other Vibrio bacteria causes an estimated 80,000 illnesses and 100 deaths every year, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). What is Vibrio vulnificus? Why is it called the 'flesh-eating' bacteria? The Vibrio vulnificus bacteria thrives in warm brackish water, which is created when freshwater from a river or lake meets the salty water of the sea. Infections are rare, but they can result in massive tissue damage, spreading blisters, low blood pressure, fever, organ damage, sepsis and death. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Vibrio vulnificus is often referred to as "flesh-eating" because infections can lead to necrotizing fasciitis, a severe infection that destroys muscle and skin tissue. Without treatment, death can occur in just a few days. People with compromised immune systems, liver disease or open wounds are at higher risk for Vibrio vulnificus, the FDOH said. What are the symptoms of Vibrio vulnificus or 'flesh-eating bacteria'? Common symptoms of a Vibrio vulnificus infection may include fever, chills, dangerously low blood pressure, stomach cramping and nausea, vomiting, blistering skin lesions, redness, pain, swelling, warmth, discoloration, and discharge (leaking fluids) near open areas of the skin, according to the CDC. Symptoms begin suddenly and quickly, usually less than 24 hours after exposure. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If you experience these symptoms after eating raw seafood or being exposed to floodwaters, seek medical attention immediately. Healthcare professionals can treat the infection with antibiotics, but in extreme cases arms and legs may need to be amputated to remove dead or infected tissue. "Many people with Vibrio vulnificus infection require intensive care or limb amputations," the CDC said on their site, "and about 1 in 5 people with this infection die, sometimes within a day or two of becoming ill." How can I avoid contracting Vibrio vulnificus? According to the FDOH and CDC, when eating seafood: Do not eat raw oysters or other raw shellfish. Eat shellfish promptly after cooking and refrigerate leftovers. Cook them thoroughly: Boil shellfish in the shell until the shells open and then for 5 more minutes, or steam them until the shells open and then for 9 more minutes. Boil shucked oysters for at least 3 minutes or fry them in oil for at least 10 minutes at 375 degrees. Don't eat shellfish that doesn't open during cooking. Avoid cross-contamination of cooked seafood and other foods with raw seafood and juices from raw seafood. Wear protective clothing like gloves when handling raw shellfish. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If you are swimming: Wear foot protection to prevent cuts from rocks and shells on the beach, especially if you are immunocompromised (chronic liver disease, kidney disease or weakened immune system, etc.) Avoid exposure of open wounds or broken skin to warm salt or brackish water, especially flood water, or to raw shellfish harvested from such waters. Stay out of the water or cover your wound with a waterproof bandage. Immediately wash wounds and cuts thoroughly with soap and water after they have contact with saltwater, brackish water, raw seafood, or its juices. Seek immediate medical care if a wound develops redness, swelling, or oozing, or other signs of infection such as fever, increasing pain, shortness of breath, fast or high heart rate, or confusion or disorientation. This article originally appeared on Fort Myers News-Press: Vibrio vulnificus, 'flesh-eating bacteria' strikes again in Florida The Vice, a new cafe in Westminster, has opened at 134 Main St. The business is owned by Amanda Davidson and offers a variety of menu items, including pastries, ice cream, deli sandwiches, charcuterie boards, craft coffee, espresso and dirty sodas. To support the launch, Davidson received a $30,000 loan from the North Central Massachusetts Development Corporation, according to a community announcement. The funding was used to purchase deli and kitchen equipment, inventory and supplies. The Vice aims to be a welcoming spot for locals, providing both indoor and seasonal outdoor seating. It is located next to Westminster Pharmacy and is designed to serve residents, workers and visitors in Westminster Center. From left, Ray Belanger, director of small business, NewVue Communities; Sarah Tavitian, small business developer, NewVue Communities; Amanda Davidson, owner of The Vice; and Sandie Cataldo, economic development manager, North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce & North Central Massachusetts Development Corporation. Davidson expressed gratitude for the support from NCMDC and NewVue Communities, which assisted with business planning. NewVue Communities is based in Fitchburg and provided guidance to help Davidson bring her vision to life. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The cafe's menu features a range of options to cater to different tastes. In addition to traditional coffee and espresso drinks, The Vice offers dirty sodas. The deli sandwiches and charcuterie boards are prepared fresh, providing a variety of choices for customers looking for a quick meal or a place to relax. For more information, visit thevice.biz or call 978-668-5045. NCMDC is the economic development arm of the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce. As a microloan lender, NCMDC can provide loans to small businesses up to $250,000 for working capital, real estate, equipment, inventory and expansion, and, working with our banking partners, to provide gap financing for the final piece of a project. For more information about NCMDC loan programs, call 978-353-7607 or visit northcentralmass.com or choosenorthcentral.com. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This story was created by reporter Beth McDermott, bmcdermott1@gannett.com, with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Journalists were involved in every step of the information gathering, review, editing and publishing process. Learn more at cm.usatoday.com/ethical-conduct. This article originally appeared on Gardner News: The Vice, a new Westminster cafe gets financial boost from NCMDC The cohosts of The View might have started Fridays (October 31) edition with a fun Halloween skit, but things got pretty serious (and mildly combative) during the first Hot Topic discussion about the most recent concerns shared by California Governor Gavin Newsom over what Donald Trumps second administration is doing particularly when it comes to the upcoming 2028 midterm elections. The segment started with the cohosts reviewing footage of Newsom warning, I really am scared to death about whats going on in this country. I really believe it is code red. Its a five-alarm fire. We wont have a country we wont have an election thats fair and free if we dont stand up. We wont. There will not be a fair, free election. It will be a Putin election. Thats what Trump wants. Sara Haines was the first to weigh in on it and shared her reasoning why she wasnt a fan of Newsoms words there. More likely than fraud will be disincentivizing voting in a democracy, which is the currency of a democracy, she said. In the midterms, which can right now be very important, only 47% of Americans show up at the polls. People fought hard for those rights to vote, and we already dont have people showing up in our polls. We dont need to plant seeds. You always go out, you always vote. Let the rest be determined as it plays out, because when fraud was claimed last time, not one judge in this country saw any proof of any fraud. So by planting these seeds, youre already taking a public that lost trust in everything, and saying, Your vote doesnt matter. Thats the fastest way to affect an election. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sunny Hostin, however, had a drastically different take on the matter, praising Newsom for his words. I think sunlight is the best disinfectant. I think that you need to speak truth to power, and you need to expose what may be going on, she said. She also noted that the concerns shared by her and others that Project 2025 would be prophetic were ignored by voters in the 2024 election. Whats happened since Trump was elected, some of the policies outlined the Project 2025 are happening right now: reshaping the federal bureaucracy, reducing the size and influence, and empowering the executive branch, aggressively militarizing an approach to immigration, the use of active duty military personnel and National Guards into assisted border security and return to a more isolationist foreign policy, dismantling the Department of Education. It goes on and on and on. Everything he promised he did would do he did. And so when Gavin Newsom is saying, I am concerned about this, I think we need to listen. Thats the problem with this country. We dont want to say the quiet part out loud. We dont want to challenge authority. We dont want to challenge authoritarianism silence. Theres no place for silence when Democracy is under attack. Joy Behar then jumped in to add, I dont think Gavin Newsom would be saying this if Donald Trump hadnt thrown in the gauntlet in the first place. However, Haines stuck to her guns, saying, Its like in vogue for every candidate to say, Its probably rigged!' Yeah, but who started this? Behar retorted. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It doesnt matter. You dont win a bad idea with a bad idea. The point is, the only power a regular American person has is to go to the polls. Why is he sending election monitors to California? Hostin then asked. Before Haines could answer, Alyssa Farah Griffin then entered the conversation with, I think its one thing for pundits and for spectators to say, Im concerned that there will be free and fair elections. I think it is wholly irresponsible for the governor of the most populous state, who, by the way, oversees elections in his own state. He oversees the cybersecurity infrastructure. He oversees the secretary of state, down to poll watchers to election workers. Gavin Newsom has a lot of power. He could, at minimum, say, I can promise you, California will have a free and fair election, and Ill work with every governor to make sure that theres no efforts to undermine them. But thats not what hes doing. Hostin vehemently disagreed, saying, How can he do that when Donald Trump is sending federal monitors? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Griffin maintained that, as the chief executive of the state, Newsom has powers in California before pivoting to criticize Democrats for complaining about gerrymandering when theyve responded to Texas move to add more Republican-leaning House seats by doing the same in blue states like California. Ana Navarro then spoke for the first time, reminding that she herself grew up in an authoritarian government system in Nicaragua before she fled with her family to the United States. The things that Im seeing happen in this country, I never thought I would see happen in this country. I never thought I would see an insurrection and people mob of rioters at the Capitol trying to stop an election result. So I think, from my personal experience, I look at this and I really feel we need to be vigilant Every day, its something different. She then went on to wonder aloud, [Trump] always talks about how high his poll numbers are and how hes got the best poll numbers of anybody; if his poll numbers are so good, and if he feels so confident about his approval rating in this country, why then does he find that he and Republicans find it necessary to change the Congressional maps to give them more sure wins for Republicans? She then answered her own question, saying, Because they think theyre going to lose in the midterm, and if they lose, that means that for the first time in this term, there will be pushback, there will be oversight, and there will be reigning in of his authoritarian. The View, weekdays, 11a/10c, ABC Read the latest entertainment news on TV Insider. During Thursdays broadcast of The View, one of its hosts, Whoopi Goldberg, shocked her live audience when she announced a conservative politician was going to be a guest on the show next week. During a discussion about the government shutdown, which is heading toward becoming the longest in American history, Goldberg said that some politicians are starting to remember the constituents who voted them into office and who are being affected by the closure of the federal government. Theyre starting to remember why theyre there, because you dont get there without people putting you there, and remembering that those same people can pull you out of there, she said, adding that Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., would be joining the show on Nov. 4. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I dont know how many things we agree on, but I know one thing that she and I and all of us at this table agree on is that this should not be affecting the American people, Goldberg continued. After the announcement on the show, Greene posted on X that she looked forward to joining the ABC daytime talk show. In a separate post, she criticized her fellow Republican lawmakers for attacking her for going on shows with left-leaning hosts. There are pathetic Republican men (mostly paid social media influencers) attacking me for going on Bill Mahers show and The View, she said. Nothing has changed about me, Im 1,000,000% America ONLY. Sorry Im not sorry I dont obey Republican mens demands that I, as a woman, dont remain seen but not heard. There are pathetic Republican men (mostly paid social media influencers) attacking me for going on Bill Mahers show and The View. Here is my voting card and nothing has changed about me, Im 1,000,000% America ONLY. Sorry Im not sorry I dont obey Republican mens demands pic.twitter.com/Y29SqL0M1b Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (@RepMTG) October 31, 2025 Greene: The Uniparty Swamp is always in control Her debut on the talk show comes at a time when tensions are continuing to escalate over the government shutdown. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Greene has become increasingly at odds with her own political party, specifically over the Republican leaderships inability to deliver an affordable health care plan. Earlier this week, she posted on social media that the American people gave Republicans majority control of the White House, the House and the Senate, thus placing the brunt of responsibility for fixing the shutdown on them. Im disgusted that our own party isnt fixing Obamacare, saving Social Security, or actually solving problems, she said. The American people are our customers, and we owe them results!!! Im not going to sit back and watch weak leadership squander the opportunity we fought so hard to win. Both sides of congressional leadership are continuing to place blame on the other party. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Saturday, things are going to become very dark, House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., said on Thursday, referring to the anticipated setback in SNAP funding that could leave millions of Americans without food assistance starting this weekend. There is one way out of this, the easy way, the obvious way, and that is for the Democrats to do their job and vote for this nonpartisan funding measure so that we can turn everything back on. On the other end of the aisle, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., has been posting on social media that Democrats are fighting to protect SNAP and save healthcare. Its time for House Republicans to end their five-week vacation and reopen the government. Democrats are fighting to protect SNAP and save healthcare. Its time for House Republicans to end their five-week vacation and reopen the government. Enough. pic.twitter.com/0L7bx48eIf Hakeem Jeffries (@RepJeffries) October 31, 2025 In a separate X post, he went as far as to say that Republicans want to starve children to pressure Democrats into gutting healthcare. Greene blames both parties. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Referring to the high cost of health insurance in a post on Friday, she called it a health care crisis and said Democrats started the problem and Republicans never solved it. The Uniparty Swamp is always in control, no matter how you vote, and the American people pay the price. Literally! Greene said. Del. Rodney Willett, D-Henrico, presents a resolution for a proposed constitutional amendment regarding redistricting of Virginia's congressional districts on Oct. 29, 2025. (Photo by Shannon Heckt/Virginia Mercury) What state Democratic legislators are doing to alter redistricting of Virginias seats in Congress is wrong. And totally understandable especially when it comes to politics. Theyve convened a surprise special session in Richmond right before the fall elections for statewide offices. They want to counter President Donald Trumps successful exhortations to Republican-controlled states to undertake rare, mid-decade modifications to current congressional maps. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In that way, Trump has hijacked what had been a state prerogative. He corrupts much of what he touches. Democratic lawmakers here and nationwide got fed up. Theyre tired of being punching bags, expecting Republicans to adhere to long-established laws, norms and customs dictating how the political process operates. Trump and his sycophants have bulldozed those guidelines. This newly combative stance will bolster Democrats with their followers and reframe Republicans dismissive attitude toward them. Here in Virginia, though, it could also backfire when Republicans eventually regain control of the state House and Senate in our purple commonwealth. I think Democrats are looking at these nonpartisan and bipartisan redistricting efforts in blue states, and Republicans doing redistricting not once but twice, and looking at (this as) unilateral disarmament, Stephen Farnsworth, a political science professor at the University of Mary Washington, told me this week. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In many ways, the Virginia Democratic Caucus has shown national Democrats how to behave, Farnsworth added. He cited, for example, when legislative Democrats rejected Gov. Glenn Youngkins expensive proposed stadium deal last year: They created a compelling alternative narrative that it wasnt a good use of state funds. Trump knows there will be an electoral backlash in 2026 in the narrowly divided U.S. House of Representatives because of his ruthless domestic agenda. His blueprint gutted the social safety net for millions of Americans. The Darwin-like policies will be hugely unpopular even in red states when the full consequences take effect. Thats why Trump demanded that Texas, North Carolina and other states redraw district lines to benefit him and give Republicans an advantage. Several states obeyed. Others are considering it. California, a reliably blue state, has responded by trying to boost Democratic seats, but changes must be approved by voters there in a referendum next week. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And so on. Virginia Democrats, who narrowly control both chambers in the General Assembly, are spitting in the eye of the states bipartisan redistricting commission. It was created when voters overwhelmingly passed it in a 2020 referendum, after years of debate. True, the citizen-legislative body often deadlocked in 2021, after the most recent census. But the new process was more transparent and prevented the majority party (Democrats that year) from steamrolling the minority. The state Supreme Court eventually oversaw the process of line-drawing. Lots of procedural and legal hurdles remain to the Democrats current gambit to rewrite lines before the 2026 congressional contests. Among them: Attorney General Jason Miyares, a Republican whos running for re-election, has opined that the process to amend the state Constitution cannot be short-circuited by a last-minute vote of the General Assembly taken during an ongoing election. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Brian Cannon is past executive director of OneVirginia2021, which was among the main proponents for creating a bipartisan redistricting commission. He opposes the current machinations in the General Assembly. What are we willing to destroy to save the Republic? Cannon asked. I think this is wrong. He noted that if Democrats want to win specific contests in 2026 in the U.S. House of Representatives, upending the redistricting commission isnt necessary. They should run better candidates, he said. If only it were that simple. The redistricting process is no longer just a state issue. Its become nationalized under Trump, who wants no guardrails on his autocratic tendencies. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Also, because of the narrow party margins in the U.S. House and Senate, every contest is scrutinized. Local races carry national significance. This is the political climate that Democrats in Virginia face. Redistricting battles in states that are at least nominally controlled by their party are among the few ways they can fight back. Plus, theyre tired of being rolled. They can point to several examples over the past decade of partisan bad faith and rejection of established procedures. They include major flashpoints: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement None of this makes what Democrats are doing in Richmond right. They and their colleagues nationwide, though, are sick of being taken for chumps. I suspect many Virginians applaud their combativeness. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Virginia Giuffre's family has broken their silence after Prince Andrew was stripped of his royal titles. "Today, an ordinary American girl from an ordinary American family brought down a British prince with her truth and extraordinary courage, Giuffre's family members Sky Roberts, Amanda Roberts, Danny Wilson and Lanette Wilson said in a statement to Us Weekly on Thursday, October 30. Giuffre, who died by suicide in April at age 41, previously accused Andrew, 65, of sexual abuse after meeting him through late convicted billionaire sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein. Giuffre sued Andrew in 2021, and the lawsuit was settled out of court. (Andrew has denied Giuffres claims and his alleged connection to Epstein.) Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Virginia Roberts Giuffre, our sister, a child when she was sexually assaulted by Andrew, never stopped fighting for accountability for what had happened to her and to countless other survivors like her, the statement continued. Today, she declares victory. We, her family, along with her survivor sisters, continue Virginia's battle and will not rest until the same accountability applies to all of the abusers and abettors connected to Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell." Why Was Prince Andrew Stripped of His Titles? A Timeline of What Led to King Charles Move Giuffre's former attorney, Sigrid McCawley, also released a statement. "The voice of Virginia Giuffre has changed history," McCawley said in a statement to Us. "Her bravery, determination and resilient spirit has led to this defining moment. As we account for the tipping point significance of the King stripping the title 'Prince' from his brother Andrew, it should be a lesson for all to listen, hear and believe survivors of abuse." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement News broke on Thursday that King Charles III began the process to remove his younger brother Andrews titles and evicted him from the Royal Lodge. Prince Andrew will now be known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor. His lease on Royal Lodge has, to date, provided him with legal protection to continue in residence, read a Buckingham Palace statement shared with Us. Formal notice has now been served to surrender the lease and he will move to alternative private accommodation. These censures are deemed necessary, notwithstanding the fact that he continues to deny the allegations against him. Buckingham Palace continued, Their Majesties wish to make clear that their thoughts and utmost sympathies have been, and will remain with, the victims and survivors of any and all forms of abuse. Before the formal process began, Andrew announced that he would be giving up his royal titles amid his alleged association to Epstein. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Prince Andrew Accuser Virginia Giuffres Family Speaks Out, Urge Royal Family to Do the Right Thing 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, read Andrews statement from earlier this month. 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. The statement continued, With His Majestys 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. Andrews announcement came days before the posthumous release of Giuffre's memoir, Nobodys Girl. The book detailed Giuffre and Andrews alleged meeting and maintained her claims that they slept together. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the years since, Ive thought a lot about how he behaved, she wrote. He was friendly enough, but still entitled as if he believed having sex with me was his birthright. If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673). If you or someone you know is a human trafficking victim, contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-373-7888. The state Capitol. (Photo by Ned Oliver/Virginia Mercury) Virginia judge lets Democrats redistricting plan move forward. Axios Democrats hope for a shot in the arm in New Jersey and Virginia after 2024 losses. NBC News Jury clears Virginia man charged with soliciting assassination of President Trump. WTOP Virginia Congressional Democrats blast Trump administration plan to slash national Chesapeake Bay office. WHRO Third bald eagle admitted to Southwest Virginia Wildlife Center in less than two weeks. WRIC SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX In the final days before the election, candidates around the country are putting rising electricity bills on center stage and thats especially true in Virginia, where voters are on edge about the explosion of data centers and their voracious demand for energy. But its one thing to complain about costs. What can candidates actually do to rein in electricity prices once theyre in a position to govern? A new study from the states utilities commission offers a road map for Virginia officials post-election. Polls generally show Democrats poised to win a trifecta in Richmond, with former U.S. Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D) favored to replace Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R), who is limited to one term, and Democrats likely to retain a majority in the House of Delegates. The party already narrowly controls the states upper chamber, where senators are on a four-year cycle that ends in 2027. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Still, the new analysis suggests that winning could be the easy part for whoever prevails Nov. 4. Tamping down electricity prices and decarbonizing in the face of unprecedented demand growth in the worlds data-center capital will be a much more complicated task. An affordability challenge is building Mandated by a 2024 bipartisan resolution from the General Assembly, the 93-page document was commissioned by utility regulators and conducted by consultants Great Plains Institute and Current Energy Group. Although Virginia electricity rates have historically been competitive and relatively low, the authors write, an affordability challenge is building and looms larger in the years ahead. Virginians served by the states largest utility, Dominion Energy, may be hit particularly hard: the company predicts expenditures to grow a whopping 68% before decades end. Additional factors will determine the ultimate rates and total bills paid by customers, the report says, but in general, the forecasted increase in capital expenditures will be directly borne by customers as a commensurate increase to their electricity bill. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The problem isnt so much the so-called base rates, the core per-kilowatt-hour charges that are heavily scrutinized by the utilities commission in exhaustive proceedings, the researchers suggest. Those are mostly stable for now and expected to creep up modestly. Instead, the analysis shows bills are spiking largely because of a host of add-ons for natural-gas fuel and other expenses. These riders typically arent subjected to the same dissection from regulators and now make up more than half of the monthly electric costs for the average residential utility consumer. Utilities often tout their relatively low base rates, said Kendl Kobbervig, advocacy and communications director for the nonprofit Clean Virginia. But average customers do not pay rates. They pay bills thats what theyre getting in the mail every month. In Dominion territory in northern and eastern Virginia, rider prices jumped 27% between 2021 and 2024, according to the report. In the states southwest corner, Appalachian Power customers saw even steeper hikes of 63% in the same period, including an eye-popping doubling of fuel charges. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Weekly, I hear from constituents about $250, $500, $1000, even $2000 monthly energy bills, Delegate Sam Rasoul, a Democrat running for reelection in Roanoke, part of Appalachian Power territory, wrote on social media. This is a nonpartisan issue lower the damn bills! Indeed, Republican Delegate Jason Ballard, who represents a New River Valley district to the west, also cited the high cost of Appalachian Power bills online, writing, Energy costs are one of the biggest burdens on Virginia families and weve been working hard to bring relief. Ballard touted an announcement from Appalachian Power that it will lower fuel costs by almost a quarter starting Nov. 1 undoubted relief for customers who pay 100% of the utilitys expenses for coal, natural gas, and the like. But analysts propose to change the rate rollercoaster for consumers by requiring Appalachian Power and Dominion to take on some portion of those fuel costs. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Under the current regime, the utility doesn't have an incentive to responsibly manage fuel there's no incentive for efficiency, Kobbervig said. It also means the utility doesn't have an incentive to transition away from fuel-based resources to things like solar and wind. Like many of the proposals in the report, fuel-cost sharing would need a green light from the General Assembly to move forward. Promoting it is a key legislative priority for Clean Virginia. That is directly at the nexus of clean energy and affordability policy, Kobbervig said. A strong path to pursue immediately Fuel costs arent the only pass-throughs that researchers recommend constraining. Other riders, aka rate-adjustment clauses, are getting out of hand, the authors say, especially for Dominion Energy. And unlike fuel costs, utilities tend to earn a profit on these rider expenses, such as the cost of building renewable energy to comply with the states 2020 decarbonization law. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This creates a best of both worlds scenario for utility cost recovery and earning, the analysis says, in which utilities can pass on expenses with less regulatory examination and still earn a profit on them. While the legislature reduced the number of rate-adjustment clauses in 2023, the study concludes that further refinement is needed. Significant improvement opportunities remain, the authors write. To restrain costs in the face of unprecedented demand growth, analysts also suggest a new paradigm for building power plants. Currently, the process is utility-led and technology specific: Dominion proposes set amounts of gas-fired plants, solar farms, and other energy sources to supply electricity to data centers and other customers in its long-term plans, followed up by permit applications for certain plants. For instance, the report notes, in Dominions bid to build the controversial Chesterfield gas complex outside of Richmond, it expressly stated that "solar wind, and energy storage resources will not be considered. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the proposed paradigm, called all-source competitive procurement, the utility would ask for bids from a variety of different power producers to fulfill a specific need, then select the cheapest proposal that also ensures reliability. Virginia will likely need to add significant new generation and capacity in the years ahead to address growing load forecasts and support economic development in the state, the report says. Such resource additions, however, should not come at the expense of ratepayer affordability. Utilities are not always incentivized to prioritize operational solutions like energy efficiency or cheaper energy alternatives, said Kajsa Foskey, director of the Virginia Energy Consumer Alliance. The recommendations around competitive all-source procurement would be a strong path to pursue immediately in the General Assembly, she said. A one-time legislative aide in the House of Delegates, Foskey believes the new blueprint will be vital in educating part-time lawmakers who meet for only two months next year, starting in mid-January, so that they can hit the ground running. The document was vetted by a host of stakeholders, including many of the alliances consumer, environmental, and justice-oriented member groups. The authors did a great job outlining each recommendation thoroughly, Foskey said. If folks want to work on energy affordability in Virginia and make a plan to meet this new demand, this is where we start. The Taiwan-Asia Exchange Foundation and India's Observer Research Foundation (ORF) are conducting an India-Taiwan "track-two dialogue" in the national capital. Taiwan-Asia Exchange Foundation fellow Sana Hashmi is one of the key participants. "So I'm in India to be a participant in the India-Taiwan dialogue. So that's a track-two dialogue that is between my think-tank in Taiwan, that's Taiwan Asia Exchange Foundation, and India's premier think-tank Observer Research Foundation," Hashmi said. She added that the dialogue was "an outcome of a partnership that was signed in 2022," explaining that the two sides "conduct India-Taiwan dialogue alternatively -- one year in India and one year in Taiwan." "This year it was ORF's turn to host. We did it on the sidelines of Sagarmanthan: The Great Oceans Dialogue. And I think that is the first institutionalised dialogue, track-two dialogue between India and Taiwan," she said. Hashmi described the initiative as a "coherent, consistent dialogue between think tanks," where participants assess "what has been done till now, what is the status of the relationship and what could be done." She said the discussions this year were "very policy-oriented," focusing first on economic and trade ties and then on security issues. "The theme was first of all to discuss the economic and trade relationship and how has been the investment relationship between India and Taiwan," she noted, adding that "we had another session that was on security and beyond." Acknowledging the dominant focus on security when it comes to Taiwan, she said, "We work in Taiwan and we have this idea that Taiwan should just not be looked at through the security lens." Discussing the progress in bilateral ties, Hashmi said she had "a very positive outlook on India-Taiwan relationship." She added, "The trade relations have improved significantly. For the very first time, India-Taiwan trade relationship has crossed the 10 billion mark. Investment is steadily increasing. There's still a long way to go, but it's absolutely increasing." Highlighting the growing cooperation in key sectors, she said, "India has substantial interest being the semiconductor trade and commerce. And I just see that it is actually moving on the upward trajectory." Hashmi also underlined that "India has actually dehyphenated India-Taiwan relation from India-China relationship," stating that "we have recognised that we have interest and we are going to operate and act upon our interest." On the semiconductor front, she said, "Even if you do not want to discuss semiconductor, it just comes automatically. We did discuss semiconductor cooperation. I think this is the most important aspect when we talk about Taiwan-India relation." She confirmed that the dialogue covered "the cooperation and the ongoing cooperation between the PSMC as well as Tata," and added, "India does expect more investment, more assistance from Taiwan. It will take some time to come, but it is happening." Hashmi further said that the discussions also explored "the EV sector" and the importance of building "a strong people-to-people component between India and Taiwan." "We actually visited the Mumbai office that was recently opened. It shows how there is more presence of Taiwan in India and there should be more presence of India in Taiwan," she said. According to Hashmi, the potential of "direct connectivity between India and Taiwan" was also discussed. "I always say that for anything, we could discuss anything about Taiwan and India. But first thing what we need to do is to perhaps complete the basics in India-Taiwan relation," she stated. "For that, we need to have more scholarship between India and Taiwan. We need to have more students studying in India, Taiwanese students coming to India and Indian students going to Taiwan," she said, adding that "the first and foremost thing is that we need to establish direct connectivity between India and Taiwan." (ANI) By Steve Gorman and Joseph Ax (Reuters) -Democratic lawmakers in Virginia cleared a first big hurdle on Friday in their bid to redraw congressional maps in their favor next year a move that counters Republican-led redistricting efforts in other U.S. states at President Donald Trump's urging. Separately, Ohio's redistricting commission approved a new map that boosts Republican chances of flipping two Democratic seats in 2026 but stops short of a more aggressive effort that could have targeted three Democratic incumbents. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The White House has pressured Republican-led states to reshape their House districts in an effort to maintain the party's razor-thin majority in next year's midterm elections. Democrats must flip only three Republican-held seats to wrest back control of the House. The Democratic-controlled Virginia Senate on Friday approved a proposed constitutional amendment passed earlier by the House of Delegates that would let lawmakers redraw congressional districts next year if voters sign off. The 21-16 vote fell along party lines. Virginia Democrats hold six of the state's 11 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives and hope to gain at least two more by reconfiguring their districts ahead of the 2026 midterm elections. Friday's action was the first step toward bypassing the states independent redistricting commission created by voters in 2020 and taking control of the map-drawing process. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The amendment must pass again in the next legislative session and then be approved by voters. Democrats plan to hold the second vote early next year after Tuesdays statewide election and to put the measure on a special election ballot. AN UNPRECEDENTED REDISTRICTING WAR This year's widening coast-to-coast redistricting scramble is unprecedented in modern U.S. politics. Virginia Republicans, including Governor Glenn Youngkin, whose constitutionally limited four-year term ends in January, accused Democrats of attempting a power grab. "This amendment is being proposed not to protect our citizens or to make our government better," Republican state Senator J.D. "Danny" Diggs said on the chamber floor on Friday. "This amendment is about increasing the political power of the Democrat Party." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Republicans also criticized the Democrats for pursuing their redistricting agenda after early voting was already under way for Virginia's gubernatorial race, in which Youngkin's Republican lieutenant governor, Winsome Earle-Sears, trails Democratic former U.S. Representative Abigail Spanberger in opinion polls. Democrats say they are fighting fire with fire after Trump unleashed a rare mid-decade redistricting push starting in Texas, where the legislature enacted new maps designed to flip five seats to the Republican column. "The system is being rigged by a wannabe dictator out of Washington," Democratic state Senator Aaron Rouse said on Friday during debate over the bill. At Trump's behest, Missouri and North Carolina followed Texas with their own redistricting measures aimed at picking up one additional Republican seat each. Indiana's Republican governor has called a special session next week to consider redistricting, and Republicans in Florida and Kansas have also said they are weighing redrawing their maps. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the deeply Democratic-led state of California, the party launched a redistricting counter-offensive seeking to flip five Republican-held seats, a plan that requires voter approval in a special election on Tuesday. As in Virginia, California's lawmakers and voters must alter their state's constitution to clear the way for a new partisan map. The process of redistricting - the periodic redrawing of the boundaries that define each state's congressional and legislative districts - has traditionally been conducted just once a decade to account for demographic changes following the decennial U.S. Census. Both Republican and Democratic lawmakers have used redistricting to draw congressional maps to favor their own party, a practice known as partisan gerrymandering. OHIO REACHES BIPARTISAN COMPROMISE Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Ohio, state law required a new map this year because the previous map - under which Republicans won 10 of the state's 15 U.S. House seats last year - was passed with no Democratic support. The Ohio Redistricting Commission, which includes five Republicans and two Democrats, unanimously approved a new map on Friday that makes two Democratic incumbents more vulnerable to Republican challenges next year, while shifting another competitive Democratic-held district further to the left. While favorable to Republicans, the map represents a compromise struck between Republicans and Democrats reflecting the uncertainty each party could have faced if the commission had failed to reach an agreement. In that scenario, the task of redistricting would have reverted to the Republican-controlled legislature, giving lawmakers a chance to pursue a far more aggressive map. But any bill passed by the legislature would have potentially been subject to a Democratic-backed voter referendum that could have kept the old map in place. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Under Friday's map, Republicans have 10 "safe" seats in 2026 while Democrats have two, according to Sabato's Crystal Ball at the University of Virginia's Center for Politics, which handicaps congressional races. The remaining three seats are rated "Leans Republican," "Leans Democratic" and "Toss-up" - all considered competitive. (Reporting by Steve Gorman in Los Angeles and Joseph Ax in New York; Editing by Howard Goller) Sens. Tara Durant, R-Fredericksburg, Bill Stanley, R-Franklin, and Christie New Craig, R-Chesapeake, discuss the redistricting amendment ahead of the legislature's final vote and passage of the measure on Friday, Oct. 31, 2025. (Photo by Shannon Heckt/Virginia Mercury) The Virginia Senate on Friday by a 21-16 party-line vote approved a proposed constitutional amendment that would give the Virginia General Assembly the authority to redraw the commonwealths congressional districts mid-decade. The move follows the measures 51-42 party-line passage earlier this week in the House of Delegates. If lawmakers approve House Joint Resolution 6007 again during the next legislative session in early 2026 and if voters back it in a statewide referendum, the General Assembly would gain the power in narrowly defined circumstances to alter the states 11 U.S. House districts between the 2025 and 2030 census cycles. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The advertisement of the amendment comes amid a national wave of redistricting fights, with Republican-led states such as Texas, Missouri and North Carolina having recently pursued mid-cycle map changes a trend Virginia Democrats say threatens to weaken the commonwealths leverage and representation in Congress. The underlying amendment would leave intact the independent redistricting commission created via referendum in 2020, but carve out an option for the legislature to act between Jan. 1, 2025 and Oct. 31, 2030 if another state redraws its congressional districts for non-census or non-court-ordered reasons. Democrats defend effort as safeguard The Senate floor debate quickly expanded beyond the procedural question at hand, becoming a broader clash over the future of redistricting in Virginia and nationally. Sen. Aaron Rouse, D-Virginia Beach, who chairs the Senate Privileges and Elections Committee, cast the amendment as a safeguard against what he described as a coordinated attempt to weaken democratic systems. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rouse said Virginia had already seen the purge of voting rolls, efforts to restrict access to the ballot box, and bills seeking to limit early voting all part of a national pattern he tied to President Donald Trump. We do see evidence that the system is being rigged by a wannabe-dictator out of Washington, he said. Rouse said Virginians struggling under the effects of the federal shutdown from unpaid workers to families losing SNAP benefits may want to say something about that in the years ahead, and this amendment simply gives them the choice to respond. What it does not do, it does not eliminate or dissolve the Virginia redistricting commission, he said. It is not a mandate, but it gives (voters) a say on how their country is being run, and how their representatives are representing them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Senate Majority Leader Scott Surovell, D-Fairfax, said Virginia was confronting a reality voters could not have predicted when they approved the redistricting reform five years ago. He warned that states such as Texas and Missouri were now using mid-cycle redistricting to lock in power, while Virginia remains unable to fight with one hand tied behind its back. The Republicans doubled down on gerrymandering, Surovell said, arguing the result would be a decade of congressional dominance even if Democrats won more votes nationwide. Thats not democracy. Its not what we signed up for, and its not sustainable. He added that in an ideal world, Congress would ban partisan gerrymandering nationwide, but until then, we cant allow a certain partisan tyrannical majority to continue to gerrymander itself in a permanent power while we sit around and say our commitment to principle. Sen. Schuyler VanValkenburg, D-Henrico, said the amendment was a proportional response to opportunistic, mid-decade redistricting now being encouraged by the Trump-Vance administration. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Weve never had a president threaten and strong-arm state governors and legislators for changes to their states maps, for partisan games, he said. Yet that is exactly what we are seeing now. VanValkenburg argued that what Republicans truly feared was that voters might approve the amendment: I feel pretty confident that if this thing does go to them, theyre going to pass it. And Donald Trump will have to face the music in 2026. GOP calls move a power grab that bypasses voters Republicans countered that Democrats were misrepresenting the amendments reach and more importantly, its consequences. Sen. Glen Sturtevant, R-Chesterfield, called it a violation of the publics trust, pointing to the amendments release date just days before the election. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Over a million Virginians have already cast their ballots, he said, arguing that voters never had a chance to know where candidates stood on the proposal. The move, he said, completely undermines the intervening election safeguard that our Constitution requires. Sturtevant also pointed to the 2020 constitutional amendment, approved by 2.3 million Virginians, which created the redistricting commission and removed lawmakers from the map-drawing process. They said very clearly that politicians should not be drawing the maps, he said. Yet this amendment would strip that commission of its authority and give that power back to the very politicians that the voters removed from the process. Senators votes being tallied during a special session on a redistricting amendment proposed by Democrats, Oct. 31, 2025. (Photo by Shannon Heckt/Virginia Mercury) Sen. Mark Obenshain, R-Harrisonburg, echoed that argument, saying the amendment violated the constitutional requirement that an intervening election must occur before lawmakers can approve a proposed amendment for the second time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That is being violated by virtue of the fact that this election is already underway, he said, calling the move a deliberate and clear effort to disenfranchise those million Virginia voters. Sen. Danny Diggs, R-York, argued the proposal represented a shift away from fair representation and toward national partisan strategy. It takes the authority to redraw congressional districts away from the independent redistricting commission that the citizens voted to create in 2020, he said, and gives it instead to the General Assembly to use congressional redistricting as a means of manipulating power in Washington. Senate Minority Leader Ryan McDougle, R-Hanover, accused Democrats of attempting to engineer a 10-1 congressional split in their favor. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This is not about options, this is very direct. We dont care about fair districts, we care about making sure that there will be 10 Democratic congressional seats from Virginia next November. Thats what this vote is, he said, referring to his colleagues across the aisle. Gov. Glenn Youngkin blasted the vote in a statement Friday afternoon, calling the entire process shameful, fundamentally wrong, and illegal. He accused Democrats of pushing the amendment through in a party-line vote, in an eleventh-hour special session at the tail end of the election, and said lawmakers did so with debate silenced, members threatened with removal, and resolutions against political violence shot down. But Democrats rejected the argument that the resolution was a partisan effort, insisting the public would still hold the final say. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Sen. Mamie Locke, D-Hampton, noted that even if lawmakers pass the amendment a second time in 2026, the same citizens who voted two to one against partisan gerrymandering will still have the final say. She argued the proposal in no way takes away any decision-making authority from the public. Were giving them an option. Senate rejects GOP bid to keep maps with commission Earlier on Friday, the Senate rejected, by the same 21-16 margin, an amendment offered by Sen. Chris Head, R-Botetourt, that would have instructed the redistricting commission rather than the General Assembly to redraw maps if the HJR 6007 passes. Head contended the commission, rather than legislators, should retain the power if voters approve the amendment. Surovell pushed back against Heads proposal by arguing that the redistricting commission was never the impartial body its supporters claimed. He said the panel was not independent, noting that it was composed of half legislators, and half people that are picked by legislators. The structure, he added, was effectively designed to generate gridlock which is why the Supreme Court had to draw the maps. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Virginia currently has an 11-member U.S. House delegation six Democrats and five Republicans. Some political strategists believe new maps could shift one or more seats toward the Democrats, enhancing the partys national position, but critics warn it could erode public trust in the fairness of the electoral system. Virginia Mercury reporter Shannon Heckt contributed to this story. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE VIRGINIA (DC News Now) Its the last week of early voting in Virginia, and voters will get to decide who leads the state from the governors seat to the states House of Delegates. The voters we talked to are passionate about why they had to cast their ballot. Feelings about President Donald Trump were something voters talked about, and some described as too many issues and divisiveness happening in the country. But there still havent been too many early voters in some counties, including in Arlington County. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Of course, the nation is paying close attention to Virginias gubernatorial race between Abigail Spanberger and Winsome Earle-Sears. 3 memorable moments from Virginia governors debate between Spanberger, Earle-Sears DC News Now checked in on early voting for some Virginia counties. As of Oct 29, in Loudoun County, about 39,000 have voted early. In Arlington County, officials said they are currently lower than 2021 early voting numbers. About 22,000 people have cast an early ballot in person as of Thursday. Voters talked about what brought them to the polls early. Im a regular voter, but Donald Trump is a danger to the republic, and its even more important now, said Mark Hamlin, an Arlington resident who was voting early on Thursday. Its important to vote. Everybody should vote. I got a degree in history, and [its] nothing like it before. He is exactly what the founders were worried about, you know, you read the Federalist Papers and all that stuff, he added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement I think its important that each candidate or candidates, you know, express their programs and, and then its up to the population to see that, you know, what they say, really, you know, clicks to you and your reality, said Victoria Siegrit, an Arlington County Resident. There are three early voting sites in Arlington, and people can vote any day until Saturday. However, voters must check the polling locations hours to cast their ballot on Thursday and Friday. Polls open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Nov. 1. 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. PITTSBURGH (WKBN) A Shenango Valley man pleaded guilty Friday in federal court on charges that he and his co-conspirators defrauded more than $2 million from 2011 to 2019 from Primary Health Network in Sharon through a series of different schemes. Drew Pierce pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit money laundering and wire fraud. He will be sentenced in March. Pierce was named in a 17-count indictment in May 2023, along with Mark Marriott, 56, of Sharpsville; John Laeng, 70, of West Middlesex; John OBrien, 60, of Masury; and Christopher OBrien, 58, of Masury. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Marriott, Laeng, and Christopher OBrien previously entered into plea deals. All will be sentenced in March. The last entry in online court records for John OBrien is a request to travel to Fort Collins, Colorado, that was entered on Sept. 2. The indictment in the case said Primary Health Network was defrauded by high-ranking PHN officers and employees who sought the funds for their own personal benefit. The indictment said the defendants would submit fake invoices to companies for goods or services even though the companies did no work. Marriott was the facilities administrator for PHN, and Laeng was the Chief Executive Officer of PHN from 2011 to 2014. Pierce was the Chief Financial Officer for PHN from 2011 to 2014 and was then CEO until 2020. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement John OBrien controlled a telecommunications company while Christopher OBrien controlled a general contracting company. Some of the defendants were part owners of companies that did business with PHN, but those companies had no employees. Joe Gorman 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 WKBN.com. Two Head Start programs that help a combined 275 children in Washington are planning to close on Nov. 1. And if the Federal Government remains closed, thousands more children are at risk of their programs closing. Around 15,000 families in Washington have children enrolled in Head Start. 3,000 of these families rely on funding that usually arrives in November. Eastern Washington says it is forced to close without government funding. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Im terrified, Ive been trying to hope that there would be a dramatic change, said Ashleigh Ligon, who has had two kids graduate from Headstart and a third who is currently enrolled. Her children needed occupational, speech, and physical therapy that there was no way she would be able to afford otherwise. Alexis Cortes youngest two kids are in Head Start, and she says its noticeable how more prepared they are for kindergarten than her older kids. I really want people to know that it matters... these programs are here for all of us parents to be successful so that we dont have to watch our children go through this continuous cycle of generational poverty, Cortes said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Cortes is worried about the impact of having no childcare on her work and schooling if she cant bring her daughter to her Head Start early education program. It would put me probably in a bigger rut. I utilize the child care so that I can get work done, so that I can take my work to school and my employer and get it done. Cortes said. In the Puget Sound Educational Service District 121, the district board approved emergency funding. They hope to keep programs in Pierce and King Counties open during November, says Lori Pittman, the districts government affairs director. We are funding our classrooms to ensure that we have high-quality early learning services because we know that when kids miss school, it creates learning loss. Pittman said, We want [parents] to be at work so they can help families try to plug some of the holes that are happening and safety nets that they relied on. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The emergency funding comes mainly from fundraising through the nonprofit Learning Communities Foundation. People can also donate to help programs make it through the shutdown. Pittman says the federal government hasnt guaranteed that any emergency funds will be reimbursed. Washington State Head Start Director Joel Ryan says other Head Start districts are having to take out loans to stay open or face closure, as seen in Vancouver and Eastern Washington. Open the government up so we dont lose childcare and head start for kids who need it, but at the same time we can reverse these really cruel cuts that are being made to health services for these same families, Ryan said. (The Center Square) With the election next Tuesday, state campaign finance data shows 584 political action committees have raised over $66 million so far this year only 10 accounted for 41% of that. According to the Public Disclosure Commission, 1,446 groups registered as PACs for the 2025 election in Washington state, but more than 800 havent raised anything. While a few of those spent leftover money from prior elections, the top 10 PACs that did raise contributions collectively accounted for $27.1 million. The 10 PACs that have spent the most so far this year account for $18.6 million of the $52.8 million in total expenditures. Eight of those committees are also among the 10 PACs that have raised the most contributions; collectively, they have raised $23.2 million and spent $16.1 million, according to the PDC. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There are still three days until Nov. 4, so these numbers could change, but here are the key players. SEIU 775 Ballot Fund The SEIU 775 labor union, which represents over 55,000 health care workers across three states, has a PAC called SEIU 775 Ballot Fund. That committee raised and spent the most out of any other PAC so far this year, with $7.1 million in contributions and $2.8 million in expenditures, according to the PDC. The labor union also registered several other PACs in Washington state this year, according to the PDC. Approve 8201 Committee Approve 8201 Committee is a bipartisan PAC gathering support for Senate Joint Resolution 8201. The ballot measure would allow the state to invest tax revenue from the long-term care fund into the stock market if approved. Republicans are generally opposed to the tax supporting the WA Cares Fund, but some argue SJR 8201 is necessary to prevent the states relatively new program from going insolvent. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The PAC supporting SJR 8201 has raised $2.4 million so far this year; SEIU donated all of that money. Approve 8201 Committee has spent $2.5 million so far, with $105,693 in debt, according to the PDC. People for Affordable Washington People for Affordable Washington is a conservative PAC backed by Microsoft, Starbucks, Amazon and other major corporations, airlines and insurance providers. The committee focuses on lowering costs without raising taxes. Democrats passed the largest tax increase in state history earlier this year. The PAC has raised $2.3 million so far this year and spent $2.4 million, avoiding debt thanks to $100,000 in pledges for future funding from corporations that opposed the states tax hikes, according to the PDC. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement New Direction PAC New Direction PAC is a committee that advertises for progressive candidates while also distributing materials opposing Republicans and conservatives. According to its website, the committee fights for economic security by putting people over corporations, adamantly defending the majority party. Many of the taxes that Democrats passed to fill the states multi-billion-dollar shortfall earlier this year landed on everyday Washingtonians. New Direction PAC has raised $2.2 million so far this year, with a nearly $120,000 starting balance, allowing the committee to spend $2.3 million, according to the PDC. Airbnb Helps Our State Thrive (HOST) PAC Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Airbnb Helps Our State Thrive (HOST) PAC is a committee led by Nielsen Merksamer, a major law firm that represents some of the largest companies in the country. The committee opposes new taxes and fees on short-term rentals, such as those recently approved by Democrats this past legislative session. The PAC raised $2.9 million so far this year, nearly all of which came from Airbnb, and has spent $1.5 million of that total. Most expenses occurred earlier this year during the session, according to the PDC. Lets Go Washington (Sponsored by Brian Heywood) Lets Go Washington (Sponsored by Brian Heywood) is another conservative PAC, led by hedge-fund manager Brian Heywood, as the name suggests. LGW has pushed several citizen initiatives in recent years to bolster public safety, protect parental rights and prohibit income taxes and other measures. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Legislature passed three of those initiatives last year, and voters approved another while rejecting three others. Many Washingtonians cited confusion over the ballot language after Democrats altered it. Lets Go Washington has raised $2.6 million this year and spent $1.3 million, according to the PDC. Bruce Harrell for Seattles Future Bruce Harrell for Seattles Future is the PAC running ads for the reelection of Mayor Bruce Harrell. He faces progressive Katie Wilson on the Nov. 4 ballot. While both lean left, Harrell appeals to moderates as voters compare Wilson to Zohram Mamdani, a democratic socialist and mayoral candidate for New York City. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wilson led the primaries, so Harrell has bolstered his advertising efforts in recent weeks. According to state data, Bruce Harrell for Seattles Future has raised and spent nearly $1.7 million so far this year. Washington Education Association Political Action Committee (WEA-PAC) The Washington Education Association, another union representing teachers across the state, operates the WEA-PAC. That committee has raised $1.6 million in contributions and spent $1.4 million so far. It also started with $1.3 million from the last election that it could still spend or save, according to the PDC. WEAs largest expenditures were to the Kennedy Fund, which advocates for the interests of Senate Democrats in Washington state. The Kennedy Fund is also among the 10 committees that have spent the most money, $1.2 million, but landed just below the 10 PACs that raised the most this year. The 2025 general election is still three days away, so the data outlined in this article is subject to change. A sign opposing an incoming ammonia fertilizer facility and its proposed carbon dioxide storage is shown on residential property in West Terre Haute on Saturday, April 26, 2025. (Leslie Bonilla Muniz/Indiana Capital Chronicle) The U.S. Department of Energy of Wednesday closed on a nearly $1.6 billion loan to Indianas Wabash Valley Resources for a clean fertilizer facility in West Terre Haute and the projects carbon dioxide capture and storage system. For too long, America has been dependent on foreign sources of fertilizer, U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright said in a news release. Under President (Donald) Trumps leadership, we are changing that by putting America first, relying on American coal, American workers, and American innovation to power our farms and feed our families. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Wabash Valley Resources intends to pipe and inject 1.67 million metric tons of carbon dioxide annually a mile below the earths surface as part of its plan to produce low-carbon-intensity anhydrous ammonia fertilizer at a former coal gasification plant. The gasifier will use coal and petroleum coke an oil refining byproduct as feedstock, according to a project summary. The DOEs loan was for $1.559 billion. A panoply of political and business leaders celebrated the announcement, including Indiana Gov. Mike Braun. Wabash Valley Resources is putting America first transforming an idle fossil energy plant into a fertilizer engine that strengthens our farmers, bolsters energy independence, and revitalizes coal country, he said. This is the kind of vision and leadership we need to compete globally. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The companys CEO, Dan Williams, called the project more than an investment. Its a new chapter for a world-class facility and the community that built it, he said. The project is restoring good-paying jobs and proving that rural Indiana can help lead Americas clean energy future. Williams also praised organized labor, whose skill and professionalism will bring this vision to life. But groups of Hoosier landowners and other opponents denounced the project as a scam. It is shameful that this administration would hand out $1.5 billion to a privately owned, Korean-backed corporation during a shutdown when everyday people cant receive basic government services and government employees go unpaid. That is not the American way, Janet Cianteo, a member of the Concerned Citizens Against Wabash Valley Resources and Indiana Action Team. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Korean firms Hanwha Asset Management and Korea Investment Real Asset Management have invested in Wabash Valley Resources, and the Korean government has also been involved, according to the companys news release. This company and its foreign partners will be hard pressed to ever have majority support in our community, Cianteo said. We are steadfast in our commitment to protecting Hoosier land and lives from this dangerous scheme. Vigo County resident Whitney Boyce holds a sign protesting a sequestration project in her community during a public hearing in Indianapolis on Friday, July 11, 2025. (Leslie Bonilla Muniz/Indiana Capital Chronicle) The Indiana Action Team is part of the Nebraska-based Bold Alliance, best known for its opposition to the Keystone XL oil pipeline extension. It is disgraceful that this project is being foisted on Hoosiers with the backing of our government and our public money, said Emma Schmit, the Bold Alliances pipeline fighters director. Enough is enough. We should not have to sacrifice our property rights or take on the risks of a proven-to-fail technology so Wabash Valley Resources investors can afford another private island. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The groups claimed the loan was initiated under former President Joe Bidens administration but frozen under Trumps however, Wabash Valley Resources Vice President of Government Relations Pete Rimsans said it was actually begun in 2019, under the first Trump administration. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency issued permits early last year allowing Wabash Valley Resources to construct wells. The EPA in August found the injection and monitoring wells would have no significant impact on the environment. Correction: This story was updated with information from Wabash Valley Resources on the loans initiation. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX WACO, Texas (FOX 44) The Waco Independent School District has issued a statement in response to the potential halt of the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Waco ISD Superintendent Dr. Tiffany Spicer has stated: We have a deep concern for our families and fully acknowledge the significant worry this situation may cause. The well-being of our students is our absolute highest priority. I want to reassure our families that Waco ISDs free breakfast and lunch program will continue for the foreseeable future. Due to a healthy Child Nutrition Fund balance, every child enrolled in our district will have consistent access to nutritious meals while at school. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Waco ISD is actively connecting students and families with partner organizations for resources outside of school hours. Additionally, Brook Avenue Elementary partners with Shepherds Heart as a mobile food pantry monthly. The next distribution is scheduled for Friday, November 14, 2025, from 3-4 p.m. at the school. Dr. Spicer concluded, We are one Waco ISD community, and we are dedicated to supporting one another through this challenge. If you are able to help, we strongly encourage donations of non-perishable food, time, or financial gifts to our local food pantries. Your generosity will make a tangible difference in the lives of our neighbors. 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 KWKT - FOX 44. In a bid to strengthen peace efforts between Afghanistan and Pakistan, high-level delegations from both countries, along with mediators Turkiye and Qatar, held a series of meetings in Istanbul from October 25 to 30 to keep up the recently agreed ceasefire. According to a joint statement posted on X by the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Friday, the meetings were aimed at "solidifying the ceasefire which was agreed by Afghanistan and Pakistan in Doha on 18-19 October with the mediation of Turkiye and Qatar." https://x.com/MFATurkiye/status/1983980512046985585 "All parties have agreed on continuation of ceasefire," the statement read. It added that "further modalities of the implementation will be discussed and decided in a Principal level meeting in Istanbul on 6 November." The statement further noted that "all parties have agreed to put in place a monitoring and verification mechanism that will ensure maintenance of peace and imposing penalty on the violating party." "As mediators, Turkiye and Qatar express their appreciation for the active contribution of both parties and stand ready to continue cooperation with both sides for lasting peace and stability," it added. The latest round of meetings in Istanbul followed a period of heightened tension between Pakistan and Afghanistan, with both sides experiencing a rapid deterioration in ties and a brief border conflict earlier this month, Dawn reported. According to Dawn, the second round of discussions between Pakistani and Afghan Taliban delegations began in Istanbul on Saturday. However, Islamabad's "long-standing concern over terror attacks emanating from Kabul" remained unresolved, resulting in a deadlock. Mediating countries later made "last-ditch efforts" on Thursday to bring both parties back to the negotiating table. Turkiye and Qatar, which share deep ties with Pakistan, played a key role in facilitating the discussions. Qatar had previously acted as a mediator during negotiations between the Afghan Taliban and NATO forces, Dawn stated. The newspaper added that relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan had worsened in recent weeks, marked by "border skirmishes, counter-statements and allegations." The tensions began after an attack on Pakistan from Afghan territory on the night of October 11, which followed claims by the Afghan Taliban of "airstrikes by Pakistan into Afghanistan." Islamabad has neither confirmed nor denied the accusation. As reported by Dawn, Pakistan has repeatedly urged the Taliban to prevent "terror groups from using its soil against Pakistan", while the Taliban "deny the allegation of allowing terrorists to operate from Afghan soil". Meanwhile, Pakistan continues to face a surge in terrorism, with several security personnel killed during "intelligence-based operations". Following the October 11 incident, several more clashes occurred along the border, while Pakistani strikes reportedly targeted "Gul Bahadur group camps in Afghanistan". These developments prompted both countries to engage in dialogue in Doha, where they reached a temporary ceasefire and agreed to reconvene in Istanbul to establish mechanisms for lasting peace and stability. The Istanbul meetings, mediated by Turkiye and Qatar, were a continuation of those efforts. However, on Wednesday, Pakistani Minister Tarar said in a post on X that the latest round of discussions "failed to bring about any workable solution." He further asserted that "Pakistan would continue to take all possible measures to protect its citizens from terrorism." (ANI) The Berks County sheriffs department is seeking the following fugitives: Juan Delvalle Juan Delvalle, 56, whose last known address was in the 400 block of North 11th Street, Reading, is wanted on charges delivery of a controlled substance and possession with intent to deliver a controlled substance. According to detectives in the Berks County district attorneys office, on Aug. 16, 2016, Delvalle met with an undercover detective to sell two bundles of heroin for $100 on the corner of North 11th and Buttonwood streets in Reading. Charges were filed Dec. 20, 2016, and he is still a wanted fugitive. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He is described as 5 feet 6 inches and 120 pounds. Cole Rehrig Cole Rehrig, 34, whose last known address is in the 15000 block of Kutztown Road, Maxatawny Township, is wanted on strangulation and simple assault charges. State police said that on Oct. 25, Rehrig pushed the female victim during an argument, then tackled her to the ground and began to strangle her with one hand around her neck and one over her mouth. He eventually released his grip and left the scene. Rehrig is also on probation for a conviction on aggravated assault charges. He is described as 5 feet 7 inches and 180 pounds. Anyone with information about these fugitives is urged to contact the warrants division of the sheriffs department at 610-478-6390. Find the complete list of Berks Countys most wanted at berkspa.gov/departments/sheriff/most-wanted. (NewsNation) The United States could be headed for a recession, as economists point to key unofficial indicators amid the government shutdown. In early October, Moodys Analytics chief economist told Fortune magazine that the economies of 22 states are contracting and that many lower- and middle-income households are hanging on by their fingertips. One of the clearest indicators of an economic slowdown has been an increase in overdue car payments. Nearly 6.5% of subprime borrowers those with credit scores below 670 are at least 60 days late on their car loans, Fitch Ratings reports, nearly double the rate seen in 2021. Cars are being repossessed at the highest rate since the Great Recession of 2008 and 2009, according to CNN. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Millions await ruling in emergency SNAP funding lawsuit At the same time, pawn shop operators are reporting a boom in lending. FirstCash, the largest pawn company in the country, said same-store pawn loans at the end of June were up 13% from a year earlier. EZCORP, which operates hundreds of pawn stores across the U.S., said outstanding loans rose 11% last quarter, to more than $291 million. GoFundMes CEO has said there has been an increase in users launching campaigns to help pay for essentials, such as a car payment or groceries. Typically, these unofficial indicators and warnings of an economic downturn are paired with government economic data to gauge how close or far we are to a downturn. But because of the government shutdown, which has now stretched to a month, there is no federal data to provide that guidance. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More Americans blame Trump, GOP for shutdown: Washington Post poll Analysts note that a tech bubble is helping pad the markets. Tech companies, as well as many in other sectors, are attempting to integrate their products or services with artificial intelligence. Those moves are bringing in more investors and drawing lofty valuations for these stocks. However, some are concerned the bubble could burst. Its like the internet bubble, where in the end something very profound happened. The world was very different, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates said. Some companies succeeded, but a lot of the companies were kind of, me too, fell behind, burning capital companies. Absolutely, there are a ton of these investments that will be dead ends. In such a dead end, the bubble pops and the stock market faces a correction at best, or a crash at worst. Thats why financial analysts warn the stock market is not always a good indicator of overall economic health. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to NewsNation. An arrest warrant has been issued for Oscar Lee Burell Jr., the Portland man who has tried to gin up social-media followers by posting videos of himself flouting traffic laws and otherwise acting bizarrely while driving the citys streets. Multnomah County District Attorney Nathan Vasquez saw this result coming. In September, when Circuit Judge Katharine von Ter Stegge found Burell guilty of reckless driving and reckless endangerment but acquitted him of eight other similar misdemeanors and sentenced him to probation, Vasquez said he found the judges decision bewildering. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Burell, 33, was arrested in April after his videos showing Burell, in one, hanging out of his trucks window and not in control of the truck wheel while passing several oncoming vehicles, according to a probable cause affidavit attracted public attention and outrage. Burell later claimed he drove dangerously for clout. After representing himself in court, Burell was sentenced to 1 years of bench probation and 80 hours of community service, and his driver license was suspended. At the time, the cases prosecutor, Alexander Garcia, said the sentence likely would boomerang on the court. I believe that Mr. Burell will not stop driving dangerously, Garcia said. He is fueled by social media and posting to social media. Mr. Burells conduct is 100% criminal and he will continue to do it for the likes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement An Oct. 24 probation-violation warrant that calls for Burells arrest states that he has engaged in reckless driving and driving with a suspended license, and it appears that defendants non-compliance is willful. Burells criminal record predates his time as a social-media personality, according to court records. In 2016, he was convicted of speed racing on a highway and careless driving. In 2010, he was convicted of first-degree theft. The Oregonian/OregonLive Latest Public Safety News Read the original article on oregonlive.com. The Washington Post editorial board issued a stinging rebuke to congressional Democrats over their shutdown strategy. The Post editorial on Wednesday accused Senate Democrats of holding the government hostage by refusing to advance the House-passed stopgap spending bill in the Senate. And it directed pointed criticism at Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), who has said his party will continue blocking the GOP measure until Republicans negotiate an extension of Affordable Care Act (ACA) tax credits before they expire on Dec. 31. With more than 600,000 federal workers on furlough and nearly 42 million Americans set to lose access to Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits on Nov. 1, the board called the Democrats plan untenable. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The right answer is to reopen the government with a clean funding bill, ideally for a full year, to get food stamps flowing and federal workers back in the office, and then have a debate about ACA subsidies, The Post board said. Democrats openly acknowledge that they refuse to do this because it would mean giving up their leverage. If they persist, it could mean families start to go hungry. The Post, owned by Amazon founder and White House donor Jeff Bezos, published another editorial on Thursday focusing on the looming SNAP crisis. As the second-longest shutdown in U.S. history enters November, The Post Board put the onus on Schumer and his allies to end the stalemate before more Americans are impacted. Food assistance programs should not be a bargaining chip for ending a government shutdown, the board said. ... The quickest solution to protecting (SNAP benefits) is for Democrats to join Republicans in voting to reopen the government, and then they can fight over public policy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Schumer on Wednesday said Democrats would vote for Sen. Josh Hawleys (R-Mo.) bill to fund the SNAP program until the shutdown ends. Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-S.D.) has remained opposed to voting on bills to fund separate parts of the government, however. The Post board appeared aligned with Thunes position, though it did directly name him in its shutdown editorial. Keeping the government open should be separated from policy disputes about how to spend taxpayer money, The Post board said. It is wrong that Democrats have held the government hostage for a month in hopes of extending costly Obamacare subsidies, just as it was for Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) to shut down the government in 2013 for 16 days in a bid to defund the Affordable Care Act altogether. Read the original article on NJ.com. Add NJ.com as a Preferred Source by clicking here. (The Center Square) Illinois lawmakers have passed wide-ranging energy legislation, but opponents say it will lead to higher electricity bills. Senate Bill 25, also known as The Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability Act (CRGA), passed the state Senate by a vote of 37-22 Thursday night after the House advanced it Wednesday. Sen. Steve Stadelman, D-Rockford, said a new line item would be added to Illinois consumers electric bills in 2030. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement That line item will be immediately offset, because thats the same date that the battery storage providers will start providing extra capacity, providing power to the grid, Stadelman said. The bill provides for battery storage and virtual power plants, expands energy efficiency programs and ends Illinoiss moratorium on new nuclear facilities. Stadelman said the measure would also provide the Illinois Commerce Commission with more authority and boost equity contractors. Much of the debate over SB 25 centered around financing for battery storage, but the measure passed without having battery storage developers fund the projects and without removing the provision to have energy consumers pay. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement State Sen. Terri Bryant, R-Murphysboro, said the measure is an $8 billion rate increase for Illinois families. And the result will be higher electric bills, fewer reliable power sources and more special treatment for the politically connected, Bryant said. Bryant also expressed concern that the bill stripped away local control regarding where to place such energy projects. Stadelman said lawmakers had to act now. Prices are going up no matter what, so if we do nothing, the price is still going up, Stadelman said. The Rockford Democrat blamed grid operators for energy price spikes last summer and said previous Illinois energy legislation was not to blame. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Republicans protested that SB 25 did not include price caps to protect consumers. Katy bar the door! You took the caps off! State Sen. Chapin Rose, R-Mahomet, shouted. State Sen. Sue Rezin, R-Morris, questioned why battery storage developer BlackRock could not finance the project with low-interest loans as it did in other states, instead of adding another line item to Illinois ratepayers bills. Rezin said the bill would help billionaire special interests while hurting Illinois families. State Sen. Jason Plummer, R-Edwardsville, said the bill is Example 1A of everything that is wrong with how the state of Illinois functions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement House debate over SB 25 Wednesday recalled familiar names from previous discussions over energy legislation in the General Assembly. State Rep. Martin McLaughlin, R-Barrington Hills, reminded his House colleagues that former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan and former ComEd chief executive officer Anne Pramaggiore went to prison for helping utility payers. Please, please Democrats, stop helping utility payers across the state of Illinois. They cannot afford any more of your expensive help, McLaughlin said. Madigan began serving a 7.5-year prison term for public corruption Oct. 13. Pramaggiore was convicted of conspiracy, bribery and falsifying records in 2023 for her role in a scheme to bribe Madigan. Pramaggiores two-year prison sentence is scheduled to begin Dec. 1. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Democrats have a long history of 'helping' utility payers, McLaughlin said. State Rep. C.D. Davidsmeyer, R-Murrayville, recalled previous energy bills passed by the General Assembly. Weve passed [the Future Energy Jobs Act], which increased rates. Weve passed [The Climate and Equitable Jobs Act], which increased rates. Now were going back to ratepayers saying, 'Oh, give us one more try, third times a charm,' Davidsmeyer said. With regard to the Illinois Commerce Commissions additional oversight, Davidsmeyer said the General Assembly would be turning over its authority to an unelected bureaucracy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Numerous groups lobbied on both sides of the energy omnibus debate in the days leading up the vote on the final night of the fall veto session. Clean energy advocates and solar energy developers pushed for the bills passage. Manufacturing and small business advocates, natural gas and oil industry groups opposed the measure. Gov. J.B. Pritzker issued a statement after SB 25 passed and said the bill was an important step to lower utility bills and make the electrical grid stronger. For far too long, private grid operators have been hiking up rates that are making it harder for Illinois families to pay their utility bills. At the same time, the Trump Administration has been blocking the ability to bring lower-cost energy options online. Illinois is taking action to address these concerns, Pritzker stated. Having passed both chambers of the Illinois legislature, CRGA can now go to the governor. (The Center Square) Illinois taxpayers are waking up Halloween morning to tax increases after the conclusion of fall veto session at the Illinois Statehouse. The final package to reform Illinois mass transit oversight and generate more taxpayer revenue for operations came together in the early morning hours of Friday. For months, legislators have heard about a fiscal cliff that at one point eclipsed $700 million, but was later revised down to around $250 million. To address the shortfall and future funding, Senate Bill 2111 was modified to drop a slew of tax increase proposals like an amusement tax, a large event tax and a so-called billionaires tax. The updated measure revealed Thursday evening allows for the Regional Transit Authority to increase sales taxes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This authorizes the Regional Transportation Authority, the RTA, to adjust the RTA sales tax by an additional quarter of a percent in Cook County and the collar counties, said bill sponsor state Rep. Eva-Dina Delgado, D-Chicago. Supporters of the legislation said its time to fix it and fund it. Sean Stott with the Laborers' International Union - Midwest Region, told a House committee they oppose the measure for dipping into the road fund. We are taking away 600 and what would be $890 million that would otherwise go into the road fund, $600 plus million, which today is part of the very reason we have such a robust road fund balance, Stott said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The legislation passed the House at about 2 a.m. Friday. Decoupling Illinois tax code from the federal tax code also passed the Illinois General Assembly in the early morning hours on Halloween. During House debate late Thursday evening, state Rep. Dan Ugaste, R-Geneva, said decoupling Illinois from the federal tax code equals a tax increase for Illinois businesses. We're putting our businesses at a competitive disadvantage again, by decoupling, while every other state that is still coupled to the federal tax law is going to see a savings for their business because the federal taxes have been lowered with us raising them again, which is essentially a tax increase, Ugaste said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Earlier in the day, Gov. J.B. Pritzker said decoupling ensures the state can raise enough taxpayer revenue to continue spending on government programs. Those are all things that are very attractive to business and very attractive to families, Pritzker said. And so were proud of the fact that we will maintain as best we can the very high quality services that we provide for working families. State government spending has increased $16 billion, or 43%, since Pritzker took office in 2019. The decoupling bill was approved by the Illinois Senate at 2 a.m. Friday. State Rep. Ryan Spain, R-Peoria, said veto session was bad for taxpayers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "This has been one hell of a veto session," Spain said. "It's been an expensive couple days for taxpayers here with initiatives to increase insurance rates, energy prices, and now a massive sales tax increase throughout the RTA, including an increase on groceries for communities that did not reinstate their own grocery tax after we eliminated it." Spain argued against the mass transit bill. "One billion dollar tax increase for the tollway, and a betrayal of trust for people that wanted to work together in a bipartisan way, to do something good for investing in infrastructure is a terrible day, week, experience in this General Assembly," Spain said. "I can't express enough my disappointment in the way that this has been handled, the way this body conducts itself, the way this chamber is operated. Something's got to give." Oct. 31 (UPI) -- A pair of reptile wranglers in Australia came to the rescue of a yellow-tailed whip snake that found its way into a resident's backyard swimming pool and was unable to slither out. Sunshine Coast Snake Catchers 24/7 said on social media that Stuart McKenzie and another rescuer, named Howdy, responded to a Coolum property where a snake was spotted in a pool. Residents were concerned the serpent may have been a highly venomous eastern brown snake, but it was identified as a yellow-faced whip snake, a mildly-venomous species often confused for eastern browns. McKenzie fished the snake out of the water with his bare hands and the swimming serpent was returned to the wild. WATERBURY - A three-alarm fire heavily damaged a popular neighborhood bar in a strip mall Friday morning. No one was injured in the fire at Bailey's Bar and Grille, formerly known as Barley Corn Irish Cafe, on Store Avenue, fire officials said. The bar's roof collapsed, Deputy Chief Bob Stoeckbert said. While flame damage was confined to the pub, Comic Cabana next door sustained water damage, and there was smoke damage throughout the one-story building, he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The fire was reported around 9 a.m., and crews arrived in about four minutes, Battalion Chief Marc DiVergilio said. Capt. Ned Partridge said firefighters were greeted by heavy smoke. The fire had not yet burned through the ceiling, but conditions deteriorated to the point where they were ordered out of the building for fear of collapse, Stoeckbert said. The incident commander called for a second and third alarm - meaning two more teams of firefighters - because they feared the flames would spread throughout the businesses, Partridge said. "We had our entire firefighting force out here at one point," he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The fire was under control by 10:15 a.m., Partridge said. The cause remains under investigation. To cover its fire stations, Wolcott, Watertown and Naugatuck sent crews, trucks and other firefighting apparatus. Stoeckbert said the pub is a "maintstay" in Waterbury. Michael Montgomery, who lives nearby, is one of the steady customers. He's been going there about 20 years, he said. "Good food, good drinks," he said. "It's a place a lot of people go after work." He heard the sirens, looked out the window and saw the neighborhood bar on fire. "I'm still in shock that it's gone." This article originally published at Waterbury fire damages Bailey's Bar and Grille: 'I'm still in shock that it's gone,' customer says. MAYFLOWER, Ark. A string of high-profile resignations has shaken the City of Mayflower this week, including the mayor, police chief, and two animal control officers all stepping down within days of Tuesdays city council meeting. Mayor Danny Hester announced his resignation in a letter dated Oct. 30, effective Nov. 4. In the letter, Hester said he could not support the direction and changes the city council is wanting to implement, specifically citing what he described as a lack of support and plans of reduction in police, fire, and animal control services. Mayflower mayor announces resignation Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hester, who has served three years in office, called his time as mayor one of the greatest honors of his life and thanked city staff and residents for their partnership during his tenure. Police Chief Douglas Hunter posted his own statement to Facebook, writing, It is with a heavy heart that I submit my resignation as Chief of Police for the City of Mayflower. Hunter said changes and demands from the council made it impossible for him to lead the department in the direction [he] believe[s] best serves residents and officers. Soon after, Animal Control Officer Lisa Kossman also resigned, calling it one of the hardest posts she had ever written. In her statement, Kossman alleged a lack of city support for the animal shelter and said she had worked for six years without a single vacation, relying instead on community donations and rescues to feed and treat animals. Mayflower police chief resigns, cites changes and demands made by the City Council Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A second shelter employee, Machenzie Mikes, also submitted her resignation, citing opposition to the City Councils recent decision to move forward with euthanasia for the animals in our care. Mikes said she could not in good conscience participate in a policy that went against her values of compassion and humane care. The wave of departures follows the Oct. 21 retirement of a Ward 2 council member, announced on the citys Facebook page. Resident Todd Kelsey said the recent changes have left people in Mayflower uneasy. Well, they are very disconcerting, he said. Youve got the top heads and everything else where is the city now with safety and everything? Right now, it just seems very, very chaotic and no direction. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In response to public concern, City Council Member Zach Jeffery released a written statement emphasizing that all resignations were made voluntarily. The individuals resigned of their own free will, Jeffery said. The accusation that the council has demanded anyone to make any decision is categorically false. He added that the council has made no change to animal ordinances or policies and that no decisions have been made regarding funding for police or animal control departments. The Mayflower City Council is expected to meet next on Nov. 25. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KLRT - FOX16.com. The group's itinerary includes Berlin, Germany, and Paris, with the final stop scheduled in Rome, Italy, on November 2. Taking to the social media platform X, the Baloch National Movement (BNM) stated that although publicly described by Pakistan as a routine parliamentary engagement, the organisation has strongly condemned the tour. The BNM alleged that the visit is part of a calculated effort by the Pakistani establishment to mislead European governments and conceal the grim realities of Balochistan. According to the BNM, the delegation's true purpose is to propagate the state's narrative abroad and suppress international awareness about ongoing human rights violations in the region. The BNM described the delegation members as products of a "manipulated and unrepresentative electoral system", a sentiment echoed by international election observers who have questioned the credibility of polls held in the province. The organisation accused Pakistan of using such "manufactured representatives" to whitewash its image overseas while continuing a policy of repression at home. The BNM pointed to persistent reports of enforced disappearances, extrajudicial killings, and the systematic silencing of dissent in Balochistan as evidence of the state's ongoing abuses. The BNM called upon the governments and parliaments of Germany, France, and Italy to challenge the Pakistani delegation on issues of state-sponsored violence and to recognise the Baloch people's right to self-determination. The organisation asserted that the touring officials "do not speak for the Baloch nation" but rather serve to legitimise Pakistan's continued colonial control over Balochistan. (ANI) (WJET/WFXP) The Millcreek Township Police Department is wishing the community a safe and happy Halloween, but gave a heads up to anyone dressing up like a police officer that they will have to change their plans for the evening. Millcreek police took to social media to tell the community that, due to a national shortage of officers, anyone dressed up like a cop will be working a shift with them on Friday night. Trick-or-treat plans will unfortunately have to be cancelled and they will need to report for roll call immediately, police said. All jokes aside, they also encouraged drivers to go slow and watch out for any trick-or-treaters, wishing everyone a fun and safe Halloween. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WJET/WFXP/YourErie.com. Every Wednesday is busy at WestCare Wisconsin when the Harambee-based food pantry opens to the public. But the line of more than 100 people waiting for food wrapped around the block Oct. 29. The week before, roughly 20 fewer households came to them for help, said WestCare program director Felicia Williams. People who rely on federal food assistance payments are afraid and when the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel spoke with volunteers and community stakeholders Oct. 30, time appeared on the verge of running out. For the last two weeks, Wisconsin Department of Health Services notified FoodShare recipients there'd be delays to benefits starting Nov. 1. But on Oct. 31, the eve of the disruption of benefits, two federal judges, U.S. District Judge John J. McConnell in Rhode Island and U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani in Massachusetts, ruled the Trump administration must distribute federal food assistance benefits to all 42 million SNAP recipients "as soon as possible," McConnell said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It remains unclear, however, when the funds will reach recipients. And the need for food services will likely continue, as Wisconsin's nearly 700,000 FoodShare recipients will not see their benefits renew as usual Nov. 1. Related: Gov. Tony Evers warns food assistance will run out in 9 days without federal funds Related: For 700,000 Wisconsinites who need food assistance, panic setting in as final days run out Canned beans line shelves at the Emergency Food Pantry inside Milwaukee Community Crossroads on Friday October 3, 2025 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. In the face of that uncertainty, food pantries across Milwaukee have been working at a higher capacity as lower-income families scramble to get food on the table amid FoodShare delays. Milwaukeeans who rely on FoodShare benefits, Wisconsin's food assistance program, told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel they have to somehow make remaining October balances stretch into November. But how long they must make do is anybody's guess. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Even with the two U.S. District Courts' order, federal food assistance payments will not go out as scheduled on Nov. 1 as the U.S. government shutdown drags on. All of Wisconsin's FoodShare funds come from the federal government's food stamp program, also known as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), which is overseen by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin has supplied food to nearly 400 food pantry partners and represents the largest food bank in the state. But Matt Stienstra, director of Advocacy and Community Engagement for the organization told the Journal Sentinel editorial board that those contributions "don't hold a candle to power the FoodShare program." "For every one meal we provide, the FoodShare program provides nine. And when benefits are delayed, it means thousands of more people are going to be going to another local pantry," he said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Still, food pantries remain focused on keeping their shelves stocked and families fed. We are not going to let any families go hungry, Felicia Williams said. Related: Milwaukee food pantries brace for demand surge if FoodShare benefits disappear from shutdown At the El-Bethel Church food pantry, meanwhile, volunteers said they've seen three times as many people come in this week. On Wednesday alone, about 300 people came out for an event hosted in the church's parking lot. They handed out toys, clothes and food. "There's been a big surge," said Deacon Reginald Wallace, who serves as a supervisor at the pantry. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Just up the road from WestCare Wisconsin, Harambee resident Doris Williams loaded her cart on Oct. 30 with food items at Solomon Community Temple. Doris Williams relies on FoodShare funds and worries, like so many others, she will not have enough money in her account to make it through November. I just pray to God that they can put my stamps (benefits) back on, Williams said ahead of the district court ruling. Baby formula, diapers, and baby wipes available in the Emergency Food Pantry at Milwaukee Community Crossroads on Friday October 3, 2025 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Billie Burton, Solomon Community Temple's food pantry coordinator, is concerned for the community members she sees regularly when the pantry opens every Thursday from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. The number of people who have come to the pantry in the last two weeks has nearly doubled. Despite the higher number of people looking for food assistance, Kimberly Burton, a pantry volunteer, said the pantry should have enough resources for anyone who comes. If they are unable to help, they can direct them to other nearby resources so they can get what they need. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kimberly Burton described the pantry as an emergency pantry, where locals come once a month for a box of food filled with canned goods, meat, vegetables and other assorted items. Most come to the food pantry when they run out of options; others make it a monthly trip. And that's the people who have the ability to show up. Billie Burton said she's also nervous for those who do not utilize pantries at all. More than one-third of FoodShare participants are in families with elderly or disabled adults, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. Many of the disabled adults and children Jill Jacklitz works with at Disability Rights Wisconsin have no means of getting to Milwaukee's food pantries. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The ability of people with disabilities to get to food pantries, there are all the compounding barriers," said Jacklitz, executive director of Disability Rights Wisconsin. What can members of the community do? Milk and English muffins line shelves at the Emergency Food Pantry inside Milwaukee Community Crossroads on Friday October 3, 2025 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Meanwhile, food pantries in suburban communities like Sussex are also feeling the pressure. According to Jennifer Waltz, executive director of Sussex Outreach Services, the food pantry added 10 new households within the past week, which is a lot for us." Sussex Outreach Services generally serves about 105 households a week and about one to two new households in a given week. The Sussex pantry is working on getting the word out to people who may need food support. And the community has started donating food, too. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Waltz said they are looking for toiletries, rice, oatmeal, hamburger helper, peanut butter and jelly. Additionally, more people may be baking more with the holidays ahead, requiring baking ingredients such as vegetable oil, flour and sugar. In Milwaukee, Vivent Health's food pantry on North 6th Street bustled with volunteers and those in need when the Journal Sentinel visited on Oct. 30. The pantry, although well-stocked, could always use donations of non-perishable items and financial assistance, said Cindy Cooper, Vivent Health's vice president of strategic communications. In a press release Oct. 31, Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley said the county and city of Milwaukee are collaborating on a unified food drive in partnership with Nourish MKE and Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin. The food drive will continue until FoodShare benefits are restored. Bins to donate non-perishable foods will be placed throughout Milwaukee at the following locations: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Milwaukee County Courthouse 901 N. 9 th St. Milwaukee City Hall 200 E. Wells St. Marcia P. Coggs Health & Human Services Center 1230 W. Cherry St. King Community Center 1531 W. Vliet St. Kosciuszko Community Center 2201 S. 7 th St. Northwest Health Center 7630 W. Mill Rd. South Side Health Center 1639 S. 23 rd St. Keenan Health Center 3200 N. 36 th St. Hillview 1615 S. 22nd St. Zeidler Municipal Building 841 N. Broadway Fiserv Forum 1111 Vel R. Phillips Ave. Mason Temple Church 6058 N. 35th St. All Milwaukee Public Schools All Milwaukee Police Department districts All City of Milwaukee Public Library branches A map of food pantries, soup kitchens, where to get infant formula and senior stockboxes, among other resources, across Milwaukee County is available here. Laura Schulte, of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, contributed to this report. This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Amid FoodShare delays, food pantries stock up, prepare for influx CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WBOY) West Virginia Governor Patrick Morrisey has announced the activation of the West Virginia National Guard (WVNG) to support food relief efforts amid the government shutdown. According to a press release from the WVNG, it will be assisting communities with logistical and personnel support at local food banks and pantries across the state to mitigate the impact of SNAP benefit suspension due to a lapse in federal appropriation on vulnerable populations. MAP: How many West Virginians will lose SNAP if the government doesnt reopen? Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Morrisey has authorized the activation of 200 or more service members, whose assistance may include receiving, sorting, packaging and distributing food, managing traffic and crowds, transportation and storage assistance and making sure food distributions remain orderly. We stand ready to support our state partner agencies, local food banks and non-profit organizations with critical logistical support to keep food on the table for West Virginia families, WVNG Adjutant General Maj. Gen. Jim Seward said. Friday marks 31 days since the government shutdown began. 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. BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) Countries in the Caribbean are left picking up the pieces in the wake of Hurricane Melissas destruction. For Western New Yorkers who are looking for ways to help those impacted, WIVB News 4 spoke to some organizations that are finding ways to help. The Chef Darian Bryan Foundations Jamaica Relief Fund Chef Darian Bryan of Bratts Hill and the Plating Society and his sister, Sherece Lewis, grew up in Clarendon, Jamaica. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bryan and Lewis started The Chef Darian Bryan Foundation in February and they have started a Jamaica Relief Fund to help the island of Jamaica rebuild after Hurricane Melissa. Even if its a dollar per person or whatever you have, because I know (with) the economy, a lot of people are in need right now, but anything you have can make a big difference in a small community, Lewis said. They will be working with charities in Negril and Clarendon in Jamaica, and money will go toward food, goods, and services. They also plan to go to Jamaica to provide support as well. Were one united group of people, especially in a time like this, we all come together and we all just work together and rebuild, said Bryan. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To make a donation to their relief fund, click here. Mission of Hope News 4 spoke to an organization called Mission of Hope that several Western New Yorkers are involved with. Its an organization that started in 1998 and serves people of Haiti with education, nutrition, and medical care, and they work with local churches. My wife and I went there after we were just married, and a little girl died in her dads arms because she starved to death. And that was the reason we chose to go to Haiti, we felt like God wanted us to go there and make an impact for them, said Brad Johnson, the founder and CEO of Mission of Hope. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Johnson said Mission of Hope currently feeds more than 136,000 children a day throughout the country. We are seeing unbelievable things happening there where a million and a half people are displaced from their homes because of gangs, and then this storm extrapolates that because it took out one of the roads that was a major source of bringing supplies to the south, said Johnson. The south part of Haiti was hit very hard by flooding and winds. People can donate to the Mission of Hope by clicking here. The Salvation Army in Buffalo The Salvation Army in Buffalo is also collecting donations for aid in Jamaica. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement People can text JAMAICA to 31333 to donate, and they say all the donations go directly to the efforts in Jamaica. Latest Local News Hope Winter is a reporter and multimedia journalist who has been part of the News 4 team since 2021. 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 News 4 Buffalo. MINNEAPOLIS (AP) The woman remembers when she first moved to the neighborhood more than 20 years ago, and the streets were full of empty storefronts and seemingly relentless poverty. Today, Minneapolis' Lake Street corridor is jammed with businesses, many owned by Somali refugees. Look at what we did around here, said Nasra Hassan, a community health worker whose family came to Minneapolis fleeing Somalia's civil war, speaking one day after the Trump administration slashed the number of refugees allowed into the United States. Because of us this place is thriving. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Minnesotas large Somali community was among the immigrant groups that helped revitalize the Lake Street corridor, which has long called out to newcomers to America. But scattered across the city are other communities and many other businesses built by refugees. They came to escape violence in Mexico, and war in Myanmar. Recent years have seen them arrive from the Congo and Ukraine. Where would America be without us? Hassan asked. The presidential order caps annual refugee admissions at 7,500, a decrease of more than 90% from last years ceiling of 125,000 and the lowest number since the program began in 1980. Trump indefinitely suspended the refugee resettlement program which historically had widespread bipartisan support on his first day in office in 2025, part of his administration's crackdown on immigration. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But the Thursday order marks a major break for a nation that has long seen itself as a refuge for people in need. The directive shut the door on our proud, centuries-long tradition of welcoming those fleeing violence and persecution, leaving thousands in limbo and many more in peril, Murad Awawdeh, head of the New York Immigration Coalition, said in a statement. He called for prioritizing those most at-risk, including Afghans, Sudanese, Congolese, Somalis, religious minorities, and others. Traditionally, refugee applicants must show a well-founded fear of persecution because of race, religion, nationality, membership in a social group, or political opinion. But the Thursday announcement made specific mention of just one group: white South Africans. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Those admitted, it said, shall primarily be allocated among Afrikaners from South Africa, the descendants of Dutch and French colonial settlers, and other victims of illegal or unjust discrimination in their respective homelands. Trump insists Afrikaners are victims of racial persecution, including violence, a claim that has little apparent basis in fact and is strongly denied by the South African government. Afrikaners are a small minority in South Africa but are tightly woven into the countrys life, whether as farmers, wealthy business leaders or government officials. Minnesota's Somali community Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Minnesota is home to the largest Somali community in the United States, roughly 87,000 people according to the latest census figures, most of whom live in the Minneapolis area. They have been coming to Minnesota, often as refugees, since the 1990s, drawn by generous social services and an ever-growing diaspora community. They have become increasingly prominent in the state. Somali-Americans have served on the Minneapolis and St. Paul city councils. They are in the state legislature. Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar represents part of the state in the U.S. House. Today, the Somali community is concentrated in a handful of Minneapolis neighborhoods, including in the Lake Street corridor around the Karmel Mall and its dozens of Somali businesses. The mall has clothing stores, travel and money transfer agencies, bakeries and a seemingly endless number of coffee shops: Faida Kafe, Sharifs Coffee, Lativa Cafeteria, Happy Cafe, and more. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Across the street is a grocery store advertising goat and camel meat. Nearby are Somali-owned auto body shops, more clothing stores and still more coffee shops. Fartun Weli, a prominent Somali activist, said refugees from Somalia, Latin America and elsewhere - have seeped deeply into Minnesota life, whether as health care aides or helping stabilize the workforce of shrinking small towns. She wonders what will happen if they can no longer find a haven in the U.S. Who is going to take care of our elders, or work in our factories? she asked. Regardless of whether they believe climate change is real, 69% of homeowners took the phenomenon into account when buying a home. Thats according to a new study by Clever Offers, which also found that nearly the same 68% view homeownership as riskier today than 10 years ago due to climate change and natural disasters. Few states are immune to natural disasters, from wildfires in the West and blizzards in the North to hurricanes in the Southeast and tornadoes in the Midwest. The threat of flooding is nearly everywhere Texas, North Carolina, Illinois, and New Mexico have all seen record-breaking flood events in 2025. As weather-related events increase, so do insurance premiums, putting an already-expensive home purchase further out of reach for many. Some cities and states are seeing insurers pull out altogether, leaving homeowners scrambling for protection. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the housing market, climate risk is now in the same category as location and price, said Arif Gasilov, partner of sustainability and ESG at Gasilov Group. Where Americans Wont (and Will) Buy According to the survey, 35% of potential buyers have ruled out a place to live due to climate or disaster risks. Forty percent of this group would avoid buying in California, 36% in Florida, and 21% in Texas. Climate risk is no longer an afterthought in the eyes of buyers, said Doug Van Soest, a real estate agent and owner of SoCal Home Buyers in California. It is becoming a deal breaker. Joy Aumann, co-founder of LuxurySoCalRealty, is seeing the same thing in the San Diego area, as her clients are becoming more discerning about how climate factors influence their lifestyle and property value. Some clients are choosing properties slightly inland rather than on the beach for greater security and lower insurance premiums, she said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Also, buyers now consider fire-resistant materials and water-saving landscaping to be essential features. California has seen more than 5,500 wildfires and over 16,000 structures destroyed as of late August. For many, resilience has become a key component of luxury, ensuring peace of mind in an increasingly unpredictable climate landscape, Aumann said. More than half of Americans say Florida and California are the states most at-risk of climate change or natural disasters, so its not surprising that theyd avoid living in either place. However, locations that buyers might not consider at-risk are also being impacted by extreme weather events. For instance, North Carolinas coast has seen at least five floods of a lifetime in the last 25 years, and the state also sees hurricanes, wildfires, and winter storms. In 2024, North Carolina experienced nine billion-dollar disasters, yet only 9% of those surveyed would avoid buying a home there. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Buyers see New Hampshire as the lowest risk for climate concerns, with other New England states like Massachusetts, Delaware, Connecticut, and Vermont also considered safe. However, Vermont has experienced three consecutive years of severe flooding, highlighting the need for buyers everywhere to ask about their risks. The Insurance Factor Rising homeowners insurance costs are another factor affecting where people choose to live, with 79% saying they wouldnt buy a home in a high-risk area if insurance were far more expensive than in other parts of the state. This is troubling for homeowners, who may need to look for alternative ways to sell in the coming years, such as to a cash buyer. Insurance is becoming as influential as location, schools, or commute time, said Michelle Youshock, Head of Personal Lines at World Insurance Associates. People want homes and communities that are resilient, insurable, and financially stable. According to LendingTree, home insurance has risen 40.4% across the U.S. over the last six years. It rose 11.4% in 2024, the highest jump. Montana and Nebraska saw the most significant year-over-year increases at 22.1% two states that most Americans dont consider risky. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Annually, home insurance costs an average of $5,912 in Nebraska, which is 111% higher than the U.S. average of $2,801. Nebraska is prone to tornadoes, hail, and flooding, with the state seeing 12 billion-dollar weather events so far this decade. Rather than making minor repairs after such events, more people are having to rebuild completely, driving up insurance prices. For some, the cost of insurance is higher than their property taxes or even their mortgage, Youshock said. As the impacts of climate change continue to grow, Youshock said insurers will also evolve. Premiums will increase, underwriting will tighten, and more private insurers will withdraw from high-risk areas. This will increase the reliance on public insurance programs and government-backed solutions. For instance, Californias FAIR Plan, which provides basic fire insurance coverage for high-risk properties that cant otherwise get coverage, has seen enrollment steadily rise. As of June, 590,642 homeowners had policies, a nearly 31% increase over September 2024. Expectations for the Next Decade Worsening weather events and rising insurance costs could have dire consequences for the real estate market. A recent report by First Street Foundation found that climate-related risks could cause home values to plunge $1.47 trillion over the next 30 years, a consideration for owners planning to sell their homes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to First Street, insurance premiums will likely increase by an average of 29.4% by 2055, as 55 million people relocate due to climate-related events during the same timeframe. The organization expects 5 million people to relocate this year. These expectations align with homeowners outlook for the next decade. About 34% of survey respondents believe people will move away from coastal or flood-prone areas over the next 10 years, and the same number expect more homes to be built with climate-resilient features. Ryan Fitzgerald, owner of Raleigh Realty in North Carolina, said hes already seeing homebuyers prioritize properties with elevated foundations and robust drainage systems to mitigate flood risks. Texas realtor Eric Bramlett, who owns Bramlett Partners, echoes this, saying homebuyers are scrutinizing flood maps and looking for homes equipped with backup power systems and energy-efficient cooling solutions. The conversation has evolved from aesthetic appeal to long-term resilience, reflecting a broader awareness of climate impacts on property value and livability, Fitzgerald said. What Buyers and Owners Can Do Now Risk mitigation is crucial for both current homeowners and prospective buyers regardless of where they live. For instance, look for areas with reliable infrastructure and factor in short- and long-term climate projections for that city or state. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Looking ahead, I expect that this risk-oriented buying behavior will continue as climate impacts accelerate, said Gilbert Michaud, an assistant professor of environmental policy at Loyola University Chicago. Climate resilience may be as important to home value as location and nearby amenities. Insurance agents can suggest ways to make a home more disaster-resistant, such as reinforcing the roof or adding storm shutters. These changes could also reduce home insurance costs and add to the propertys resale value, so document any upgrades. Buyers should consider all the costs of homeownership, not just the monthly mortgage. Factor in insurance premiums and potential repair costs should the home be damaged, as well as additional housing expenses should the property become temporarily unlivable. Bottom line: prepare for the worst-case scenario. With the federal government shutdown ongoing and no Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program funding coming to the states for November, the 119,000 Delawareans on food stamps are wondering where they'll get their meals. Gov. Matt Meyer declared a state of emergency to fund the benefits, but they won't be accessible to Delawareans until at least Nov. 7. There are many ways to access free food in the First State. The first line of defense against hunger is Delaware 211, which connects those in need with resources. You can call 211, text your ZIP code to 898-211 or visit delaware211.org, and they'll tell you where you can find food pantries near you. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement You also can visit your local state service center. A list of locations is available at dhss.delaware.gov. Shelves stocked with canned goods and other groceries at 3C's Food Market in Wilmington. The Food Bank of Delaware has locations statewide. Call 302-292-1305 in New Castle County and 302-424-3301 in Kent and Sussex counties, or visit fbd.org. The Food Bank of Delaware website also has a long list of over 130 community food pantries. Some of the organizations with multiple locations include the YMCA, with locations at ymcade.org, and Brandywine Counseling, with locations at brandywinecounseling.com. Here are some of the most frequently open pantries in each county. New Castle County Attack Addiction, 210 Peoples Plaza, Glasgow; 302-365-5221; Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., except Thursdays, noon to 6 p.m. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Community Collaboration of DE, 4 Colby Ave., Claymont; 302-358-4482; Monday through Friday, noon to 4 p.m. Ezion Mt. Carmel UMC, 800 N. Walnut St., Wilmington; 302-654-3103; Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 2 to 3 p.m. (ring bell); fourth Friday of each month, noon to 1 p.m. in front of church Latin American Community Center Food Closet, 403 N. Van Buren St., Wilmington; 302-442-7694; Tuesday through Friday, 1 to 4 p.m. Lutheran Community Services St. Stephens Food Closet, 1301 N. Broom St., Wilmington; 302-654-8886; Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to noon, except Wednesday, 5 to 7 p.m. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mt. Sinai Baptist Church, 3079 New Castle Ave., New Castle; 302-388-4212; Sunday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Our Daily Bread, 214 N. Broad St., Middletown; 707-931-9964; Monday, Wednesday, Friday, 2 to 6 p.m.; Tuesday, 9:15 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Thursday, 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saint Helenas Outreach, 602 Philadelphia Pike, near Wilmington; 302-764-7545; Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to noon Salvation Army Food Closet, 400 N. Orange St., Wilmington; 302-472-0720; Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to noon The Redeemed Christian COG, 24 Blevins Drive, New Castle; 302-256-3965; Monday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.; Saturday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.; Sunday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement West End Neighborhood House, 710 N. Lincoln St., Wilmington; 302-658-4171; Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Kent County Frederica Senior Center, 216 S. Market St., Frederica; 302-335-4555; Monday through Thursday, 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Friday, 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. Mamie Warren Center FC, 1775 Wheatleys Pond Road, Smyrna; 302-653-4078; Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Prophetic Kingdom Ministries, 1107 N. Dupont Blvd., Milford; 302-339-0380; Monday through Saturday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sundays, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Helping SNAP recipients: A trick to help treat SNAP families on Halloween as government shutdown stops benefits Sussex County Catholic Charities - Casa San Francisco FC, 127 Broad St., Milton; 302-684-8694; Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Church of Nazarene, 25667 Faith Ln., Seaford; 302-381-7584; Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Saturday, 8 a.m. to noon Community Resource Center, 37510 Oyster House Road, Rehoboth Beach; 302-227-1340; Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Delmarva Teen Challenge, 611 Third St., Seaford; 302-604-4668; daily, 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. First State Community Action Agency, 308 N. Railroad Ave., Georgetown; 302-856-7761; Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Higher Ground Outreach, 12 E. Pine St., Georgetown; 302-470-7497; Thursday through Tuesday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Home of the Brave, 6632 Sharps Road, Milford; 302-424-1681; Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Love INC of Mid-Delmarva, 703 E. King St., Seaford; 302-629-7050; Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Nanticoke Senior Center FC, 1001 W. Locus St., Seaford; 302-258-3501; Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Philadelphia Pentecostal Holiness Church, 13724 S. Old State Road, Ellendale; 302-244-8653; Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.; fourth Monday of each month, 1 to 3 p.m. Salvation Army Seaford, 22318 Sussex Highway, Seaford; 302-628-2020; Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Seaford Community of Hope, 2 Chandler St., Seaford; 302-551-9663; Monday and Thursday, 9 a.m. to noon; Tuesday, 1 to 4 p.m.; Wednesday, 4 to 7 p.m. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Shepherds Office, 408 N. Bedford St., Georgetown; 302-907-3157; Monday and Thursday, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.; Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, 4 to 6 p.m. Unique Minds Changing Lives Inc., 17584 Stingey Lane, Lewes; 302-943-1945; Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Again, this is just a partial list. Visit the Food Bank website for more. (This story has been updated to correct an inaccurate phone number.) Shannon Marvel McNaught reports on southern Delaware and beyond. Reach her at smcnaught@gannett.com or on Facebook. This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Where to find a food pantry near you in Delaware **Watch related coverage above (WJW) Two federal judges ruled nearly simultaneously on October 31 that President Donald Trumps administration must continue to fund SNAP, the nations biggest food aid program, using contingency funds during the government shutdown. Its not clear yet when recipients will receive their next round of benefits; it wasnt immediately clear how quickly the debit cards that beneficiaries use to buy groceries could be reloaded after the ruling. That process often takes one to two weeks. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Sunday, the USDA instructed states to immediately undo actions theyve taken to send out full SNAP benefits, according to multiple reports. Late on Sunday, a federal appeals court rejected the Trump administrations bid to halt an order requiring full SNAP payments during the government shutdown. But in the meantime, here is a list of food and discounts being offered to residents in Northeast Ohio. Food banks, grocery assistance Greater Cleveland Food Bank Greater Cleveland Food Bank partners with more than 1,000 programs and agencies in Northeast Ohio, according to its website. Click here for a full list of food pantries or meal sites. You can also call at 216-738-2067. The food bank also has a Community Resource Center, which offers a food market and partners with several agencies in the area. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The food bank provides assistance to residents in Cuyahoga, Ashtabula, Geauga, Lake, Ashland and Richland counties. Second Harvest Food Bank of North Central Ohio Second Harvest Food Bank assists residents in Lorain, Erie, Huron and Crawford counties. It partners with more than 130 charities and school districts with food pantries, hot meal programs, mobile pantries and more. Residents also sign up to receive texts regarding future distributions and food assistance and can search for facilities near them. Click here for more. Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank serves Carroll, Holmes, Medina, Portage, Stark, Summit, Tuscarawas and Wayne counties. The food bank partners with more than 600 food pantries and meal sites. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They offer direct service programs including pop-up distributions and foodbank food pantries. Click here to find even more assistance in your area through the foodbank. Food, grocery delivery discounts for SNAP recipients Instacart Instacart said Friday it will offer customers who receive SNAP benefits 50% on their next grocery order to ease strain as the government prepares to cut off food aid payments. Instacart said any customer who placed an order in October using a SNAP/EBT card will be eligible for the discount, which will be available even if the government makes the payments as planned on Nov. 1. Instacart said it is also expanding the number of food banks it supports through online food drives from 100 to 300. DoorDash DoorDash said it would waive service and delivery fees for an estimated 300,000 orders for SNAP recipients in November. DoorDash said Friday that 25 grocery companies, including Sprouts, Dollar General, Giant Eagle, Stop & Shop, Winn-Dixie, BJs Wholesale Club and ShopRite, are partnering with DoorDash to cut those fees. Other assistance METRO Regional Transit Authority METRO Regional Transit Authority will temporarily waive fares on METRO Direct and ADA services for Ohio Direction cardholders starting Nov. 1 and until further notice. Passengers can show their Ohio Direction, SNAP or EBT card, which will allow the cardholder and members of their household to ride free. Lake County Laketran Laketran will provide free rides on all local routes until SNAP benefits are reinstated to ensure residents can continue to access food resources. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to a press release from Laketran, the local routes connect riders to over 30 food pantries and 11 Fresh Food Produce Distributions planned in November. Laketrans Seniors on the GO program, in partnership with the Lake County Board of Commissioners Senior Services, also provides free door-to-door Dial-a-Ride transportation for residents age 60 and older to reach food pantries, grocery stores, senior centers and other essential services. Residents who qualify can schedule rides by calling 440-354-6100. Lakewood SNAP Relief Program The City of Lakewood issued a plan for the SNAP Relief Program on Monday. The plan includes: Beginning the week of Nov. 17, the DHS will distribute $50 Aldi gift cards to Lakewood residents currently receiving SNAP benefits. A limited number of cards will also be available at the Cove Community Center on a first-come basis for eligible residents. The City is partnering with The Lakewood Foundation to accept donations from the public. Those interested in contributing can click here. Collection bins will be set up at the police department, Cove Community Center and all Lakewood fire stations to collect tangible goods to be distributed to SNAP beneficiaries. Nonfood, personal care products are also welcome. The Cove Community Center will also have a donation box on site for new winter coats, hats, and gloves. Click here to donate items through an Amazon wish list. Lakewood will host a once-a-month community meal at the Human Services building at Cove Community Center. The first community meal will take place on Wednesday, Dec. 3 at 5:30 p.m. There will also be a drive-through option for those wishing to pick up a meal. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Associated Press contributed to this report. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to Fox 8 Cleveland WJW. The federal government is expected to cut food assistance for 42 million Americans starting this weekend. (Photo by Michael Loccisano/Getty Images) As Trump administration officials move to suspend federal food assistance for 42 million Americans starting Saturday, New Jersey residents looking to food pantries for help have plenty of options. About 813,000 low-income New Jersey residents across more than 436,000 households are expected to lose benefits they receive under the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, commonly called food stamps. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Need help? New Jersey food banks can connect you to a food pantry near you: The Community Food Bank of New Jersey partners with more than 800 agencies and community groups that run food pantries in Atlantic, Bergen, Cape May, Cumberland, Essex, Hudson, Middlesex, Morris, Passaic, Somerset, and Union counties. Search by zip code for food pantries in those counties here. The Food Bank of South Jersey has a searchable map here of over 150 food distribution sites in Burlington, Camden, Gloucester, and Salem counties, as well as a list of locations of mobile and school food pantries. Fulfill provides food to nearly 300 pantries, soup kitchens, shelters, group homes, and more in Ocean and Monmouth counties. Check out Fulfills list of food pantries and soup kitchens here and mobile food pantry sites here. Mercer Street Friends in Trenton partners with more than 100 pantries in Central Jersey. They have a free food-finder tool here. Norwescap provides supplies for food pantries, soup kitchens, and child care and senior centers in Warren, Hunterdon, and Sussex counties. For Warren, look here, Sussex here, and Hunterdon here. To find food assistance through the Southern Regional Food Distribution Center, which is based in Vineland, call 856-327-3145. The state lists food pantries in 18 of New Jerseys 21 counties here. Many universities including Rutgers, Rowan, and Ramapo have food pantries on campus. Many are open to staff and administrators, as well as students. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Several counties direct residents to food assistance on their websites, including: Bergen County lists food pantries in about 40 towns here. Camden County lists pantries, home-delivered meals, related resources, and even a bagel cafe offering free bagels during the federal government shutdown here. Cape May County offers this list of pantries. Essex County lists eight pages of food pantries and soup kitchens here. Gloucester County lists 10 churches and groups that provide food assistance here. Hunterdon Countys pantries are listed here. Middlesex County has a 29-page list of food assistance resources here. Morris County lists its food pantries, meal services, and volunteer shopper programs here. Somerset County offers this list of food assistance programs. Union County lists about 50 pantries and kitchens here. Warren County has more than 25 pantries, from Allamuchy to Washington, here. Catholic Charities also runs food pantries in Dover, Franklin, Trenton, Brick, Burlington, Paterson, Phillipsburg, and more. The New Jersey Food Council has also put together a list of groups and agencies that provide food assistance information and resources for shoppers affected by the SNAP funding lapse. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement People who need assistance are recommended to call first, because hours vary. While some sites welcome walk-ins, others require appointments and may ask for proof of residency and/or income. Some distribute pre-packed bags of groceries, while others are set up more like supermarkets, where visitors can select what they want. Most food pantries, soup kitchens, and other programs that help people in need welcome both financial donations and volunteers to stock shelves, distribute food, serve meals, and help with holiday drives. The governments SNAP suspension comes during the fifth week of the government shutdown. The Trump administration has held a hard line on funding for the program, refusing to release contingency funds meant to ensure payments continue through shutdowns, as a way to force Democrats to agree to a GOP plan to reopen the government. State officials rushed $42.5 million in already-budgeted state funding to the states six biggest food banks on Friday to better prepare for the surge of visitors expected at food pantries and soup kitchens. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A coalition of states, including New Jersey, has sued the federal government over the SNAP lapse. The fate of federal benefits paid through the federal Women, Infants, and Children, or WIC, program also remains uncertain. But New Jersey Department of Health officials said this week they expect funding for WIC benefits and services will continue without interruption through November. About 186,000 women, infants, and children were enrolled in WIC in New Jersey in 2024, according to Advocates for Children of New Jersey. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Pakistan Mohammad Ishaq Dar received a call from Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Pakistan stated in a post on X. According to the ministry, the two leaders "discussed strengthening bilateral trade and investment, including sectors such as agriculture and mines & minerals, and collaboration under the Foreign Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement (FIPPA)." The statement further mentioned that Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand "thanked DPM/FM for facilitating market access for Canadian canola exports to Pakistan." "Both leaders appreciated recent constructive engagements, reaffirmed their commitment to advancing mutually beneficial economic cooperation, and agreed to remain in close contact," the post added. The discussion between the two foreign ministers came at a time when Pakistan and Canada have been working to deepen cooperation in trade and agriculture, key pillars of their bilateral relations. Earlier, Federal Minister for National Food Security and Research Rana Tanveer Hussain held a meeting with the Canadian High Commissioner to Pakistan, Tarik Ali Khan, to discuss the enhancement of agricultural cooperation and facilitation of trade in agri-products, ARY News reported. During the meeting, both sides expressed their commitment to building a stronger and mutually beneficial partnership in agriculture, food safety, and technology transfer, areas that align closely with the priorities highlighted in the conversation between Dar and Anand. Minister Rana Tanveer Hussain highlighted that Pakistan and Canada share long-standing relations founded on mutual respect and development cooperation. He noted that agriculture remains a key area where both countries can complement each other's strengths, particularly as Pakistan looks to modernise its agricultural systems and Canada continues to expand its export footprint in Asia. Highlighting Pakistan's growing food market and potential for agri-industrial growth, the Minister stated that Pakistan's population of over 250 million presents a vast opportunity for Canadian exports and joint ventures in agricultural technology, processing, and value addition, according to ARY News. He emphasised that Pakistan is working to diversify edible oil imports by reducing reliance on palm oil valued at over USD 4 billion annually and shifting towards canola and soybean oils, which are healthier and more environmentally sustainable. The Minister added that Pakistan is encouraging domestic canola cultivation to boost farmer income, ensure import substitution, and expand local processing industries. He further noted that canola farming in Pakistan has become profitable and attractive for growers, with the government extending support through technology transfer and market facilitation. Together, these high-level engagements reflect Pakistan and Canada's shared commitment to advancing agricultural collaboration, strengthening trade ties, and fostering sustainable economic growth between the two nations. (ANI) Weeks into the "perplexing" search for missing 9-year-old Melodee Buzzard, California authorities said they've served follow-up search warrants at her mom's home, a storage locker and the rental car Melodee was last seen in. Local detectives and FBI agents served the warrants on Thursday. Because they expected to need access to the home of Melodee's mom, Ashlee Buzzard, for "an extended time, detectives escorted Ashlee to an alternate location that would not interfere with their ability to conduct a thorough search," the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office said. FBI - PHOTO: The FBI and Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office are looking for missing 9-year-old Melodee Buzzard. What to know about the puzzling disappearance of 9-year-old Melodee Buzzard Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ashlee Buzzard has not cooperated with the investigation, according to authorities. Melodee is still considered an at-risk missing person and no arrests have been made, the sheriff's office said Thursday. Last week, the sheriff's office said it had narrowed down the window of Melodee's disappearance to between Oct. 7 and Oct. 10. Surveillance images of Melodee -- in which she appears to be wearing a wig -- were captured at a Santa Barbara-area rental car business on Oct. 7, authorities said. Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office - PHOTO: The Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office released a surveillance image showing missing 9-year-old Melodee Buzzard at a car rental business in California on Oct. 7, 2025. Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office - PHOTO: The Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office released a surveillance image showing missing 9-year-old Melodee Buzzard at a car rental business in California on Oct. 7, 2025. Newly released photos show 9-year-old Melodee Buzzard right before she vanished The mother and daughter then went on a three-day road trip from Lompoc, California, to the Nebraska area, the sheriff's office said. The return trip went through Kansas, and then Ashlee Buzzard came home to Lompoc on Oct. 10 with the car she and Melodee had rented on Oct. 7 -- but Melodee was not with her, the sheriff's office said. Clarification: The St. Vincent de Paul Society of St. Joseph County food pantry serves all St. Joseph County residents. Because outdated information was provided to The Tribune, an earlier version of this story listed only some ZIP codes served by the pantry. Because of a reporter error, the story also reported incorrect open days for the Clay United Methodist Food Pantry, which is open Mondays and Thursdays, and the Christian Community Food Pantry, which is open on the third Tuesday of the month. The Tribune regrets the errors. Starting Nov. 1, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits were expected to be suspended because of the ongoing federal government shutdown, affecting the roughly 20,000 South Bend residents who rely on SNAP. SNAP, also known as food stamps, is a federal program that provides low-income families with monthly benefits to afford healthy food. On Oct. 29, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced that no SNAP benefits will be issued on Nov. 1, due to the shutdown that began Oct. 1. Danielle Cochran, a volunteer from Better World Books, loads shopping carts with food at Food Bank of Northern Indiana on Friday, Sept. 19, 2025, in South Bend. But on Oct 31, two federal judges ordered the Trump administration to continue paying for SNAP benefits, giving officials until Nov. 3 to report on the status of the distribution. However, it's unclear if or when the money will reach those who rely on SNAP, as well as how much they'll receive. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Until SNAP benefits resume fully, where can St. Joseph County residents go for food assistance, and how can community members donate to help those in need? Here's what we know. Where and how to donate The Food Bank of Northern Indiana is looking for non-perishable food donations, including: Canned chicken and tuna Peanut butter Grape jelly Low-sodium canned vegetables, including whole kernel corn, green beans, mixed vegetables and diced tomatoes Low sugar/light syrup canned fruit, including applesauce, fruit cocktail, peaches and pears Canned soups, stews, ravioli, chili and chowders Boxed meals like macaroni and cheese, lasagna, and cheeseburger and tuna helpers Shelf-stable low-fat and powdered milk Canned beans like red, kidney, black, and Great Northern Boxed breakfast cereals Healthy snacks, including microwavable popcorn, granola bars, peanuts, pretzels and low-fat pudding packs Starches, including rice, spaghetti, macaroni and egg noodles Baking products like cooking oil, sugar, flour and salt Condiments, including ketchup, mustard and vinegar Danielle Cochran, left, and Zach Hess, volunteers from Better World Books, load shopping carts with food at Food Bank of Northern Indiana on Friday, Sept. 19, 2025, in South Bend. The food bank cannot accept items without labeling or ingredients listed on the packaging, tobacco and alcohol, homemade canned goods or baby food and formula that isn't in its original packaging or is opened. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Donations can be dropped off at the food bank at 702 Chapin St. Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Community members can also get involved by donating money, volunteering or hosting a food and fund drive with the food bank. St. Joseph County reactivates Emergency Food Initiative In response to the SNAP suspension, local leaders in and around South Bend have reactivated the St. Joseph County Emergency Food Initiative (EFI) to help ensure area families don't go hungry. BLM South Bend addresses SNAP: Community leaders ask South Bend for $4.8M to offset SNAP suspension impact According to a press release from the Portage Township Trustee Office, EFI will mobilize food banks, community organizations and local governments, remaining active until SNAP benefits resume. Under the EFI, participating organizations will hold weekly coordination meetings to strategize and respond to evolving needs, and evolving resource guides listing food pantries, meal sites and other support services will be distributed. There will also be expanded hours at local food pantries, with additional meal opportunities as resources allow, and additional mobile food pantries and meal sites will be deployed around the county. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Portage Township's food pantry, the Portage Pantry, 340 Columbia St., will temporarily waive its frequency-of-use policy and allow weekly distributions to families until SNAP benefits are restored. And, through a partnership with Portage Pantry, East Race Market, 350 E. LaSalle Ave., will offer free fresh produce every Tuesday afternoon; no registration or documentation is required. Bread, produce and herbs in the Portage Pantry, distributed through the Portage Township Trustee's office at 340 Columbia St. in downtown South Bend, are provided by the townships partnership with East Race Market. The EFI is also asking community members to donate food or money, with contributions made to the Food Bank of Northern Indiana or Cultivate Food Rescue, both of which will use donations to bolster food pantry resources across the county. Many veterans rely on SNAP benefits According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, 5% of Indiana's veterans, 18,558 out of 373,797, receive Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits, prompting the VA to ask the public for help. Donations can be brought to the main lobby during regular hours of operation at three locations: the Jackie Walorski VA Clinic, 1540 Trinity Place, Mishawaka.; 1700 E. 38th St., Marion; and 2121 Lake Ave., Fort Wayne. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement For those who wish to arrange a large drop-off at the Jackie Walorski VA Clinic in Mishawaka, call Luther Green at 260-426-5431 ext. 61133. In Marion, call Valeria Horton at 765-674-3321 ext. 73114. In Fort Wayne, call Shawn Hennings at 260-426-5431 ext. 61435. Will the suspension have an impact on local schools? Spokespeople for Penn-Harris-Madison and South Bend schools said the disruption won't directly affect school meal programs like the National School Lunch Program, the School Breakfast Program and the Child and Adult Care Food Program. Lucha Ramey, director of communications for P-H-M, explained that the National School Lunch Program isn't funded by SNAP. "And at this time, we have not received any notice from the State of Indiana that our future free/reduced reimbursements would not be paid," she told The Tribune in an email. "Most people that qualify for SNAP also qualify for meal assistance. Students will continue to be provided healthy, nutritious meals at school." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ramey added that the only potential impact the suspension might have on a school district is an increase in the number of students who eat breakfast at school. Ramey said P-H-M encourages families to apply for free and reduced meal assistance if they qualify or have experienced a change in family income. And school corporation spokesperson Blair Yankey said SBCSC will watch for any updates from the USDA and the Indiana Department of Education for changes to funding or rules for the district's nutrition programs. The Tribune also asked a spokesperson from School City of Mishawaka about potential impacts at SCM but did not receive a response. Where are the November 2025 mobile food distribution sites? Each month, the Food Bank of Northern Indiana distributes boxed and bagged food to those in need at remote locations. The food can be picked up in a drive-through on a first-come, first-served basis. Food Bank of Northern Indiana on Friday, Sept. 19, 2025, in South Bend. The locations for November include: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nov. 5: 10 a.m.-noon CT at LaCross Apostolic Christian Church, 508 Mill St., LaCross, Indiana Nov. 13: 10 a.m.-noon CT at Starke County Fairgrounds, 400 Division St., Hamlet, Indiana Nov. 20: 10 a.m.-noon CT at San Pierre Town Park, 201 Eliza St., San Pierre, Indiana Turkey distributions will be posted on Nov. 9. Where are food pantries and soup kitchens in St. Joseph County? The Food Bank of Northern Indiana's website includes a list of food pantries divided by county. The soup kitchens and food pantries in St. Joseph County include: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Email South Bend Tribune staff reporter Rayleigh Deaton at rdeaton@gannett.com. This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: South Bend food banks, organizations offer help during SNAP suspension Thousands of Kentuckians are facing food insecurity as the nation's largest nutrition program is set to go unfunded in November, leaving millions across the country without benefits. SNAP, or the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, is run by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, providing billions of dollars every year to Americans who struggle to afford groceries. As the government shutdown continues, the program is set to see its first lapse in services, leaving many struggling to stretch their remaining benefits or find other ways to feed their families as the holidays approach. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Here's what to know about SNAP benefits in Kentucky. Which Kentucky counties rely most on SNAP benefits? The SNAP program began in 1939 as a temporary solution for Great Depression unemployment and was dissolved in 1943 before becoming a permanent government program in 1964 under President Lyndon B. Johnson. Since then, the program has served millions of Americans, growing from 1 million participants in 1965 to more than 41 million in 2024. Nearly 650,000 people received SNAP benefits in Kentucky as of October, according to state data. Tell us: Are you affected by the SNAP benefits cutoff? Let us know here SNAP participation across the commonwealth varies greatly, but counties in southeast Kentucky tend to have much higher rates in comparison to the rest of the state, according to data from the state and U.S. Census estimates. More than 30% of households in McCreary, Knox, Harlan, Clay and Bell counties receive SNAP benefits, while Owsley County has the highest rate in the state at 57%. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jefferson County has the highest number of SNAP recipients with more than 48,000 households receiving benefits, around 14% of the county population. Oldham County clocks in at the lowest with only 3% or 727 households receiving SNAP. What are the demographics of SNAP recipients in Kentucky? According to state data, 645,461 people received SNAP benefits in October, including about 261,000 who were under the age of 18 and 92,000 over the age of 60. The vast majority of recipients are White, at 76%. Black residents make up almost 16% of participants, while Hispanic residents make up almost 6%. More: SNAP funding ends soon. Here's everything we know about the crisis and resources How much does the government spend on SNAP in Kentucky? As the country's largest food assistance program, the U.S. government spends millions every month on SNAP in each state. In 2024, the program spent $99.8 billion to serve an average of 41.7 million beneficiaries. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Kentucky receives nearly $1.2 billion per year in SNAP benefits, according to Feeding America, with more than $98 million issued in October alone. More than 286,000 households a month in Kentucky receive benefits, with the average household size at two people, according to the state Cabinet for Health and Family Services. What is the average SNAP benefit per person in Kentucky? The amount households receive varies depending on income, number of people in a family and other factors. In October, the average issuance for Kentucky households was $344 a month, according to the state cabinet. In comparison, the average issuance per month for households nationwide in 2024 was $187. Each month, benefits are loaded onto an Electronic Benefits Transfer, or EBT, card for families to spend. Benefits are loaded between the 1st and the 19th of every month, in correspondence with a household's case number. For example, if a household's case number ends in 0, they receive benefits on the 1st of the month; if a case number ends in 1, benefits are loaded on the 3rd of the month. SNAP benefits can be used to purchase food and beverages, as well as seeds or plants that produce food. Program dollars do not work on purchases of alcohol, tobacco products, vitamins or medicines, or any foods served hot or ready to go, according to the USDA. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Lawmakers and officials have pushed in recent years to ban the use of SNAP in purchasing overly processed or "junk" foods like candy, chips or sodas. In February, Kentucky House members proposed a bill that would ban most junk foods from being SNAP-eligible, similar to bans that will go into effect in 12 states in 2026. Tell us what you think. Submit your letter to the editor. Reach reporter Keely Doll at kdoll@courierjournal.com. This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: What to know about SNAP benefits in Kentucky as cutoff looms Former top USDA officials from both parties agree that the Trump administration should find a way to fund the nations largest food assistance program during the government shutdown. Where there's a will, there's a way, said Dan Glickman, who was former President Bill Clintons Agriculture secretary. If they really wanted to fill this shortfall partially out of contingency funds, they could find a way to do it. Millions of Americans are at risk of losing federal food aid Saturday, when the government shutdown will hit the one-month mark. If officials dont step in with more money, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits would lapse for the first time in modern history. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement USDA has declined to tap a $5 billion emergency fund, arguing that the money needs to be reserved for natural disasters like hurricanes and that the fund wouldnt be able to support the roughly $8 billion needed to pay for November SNAP benefits. More than two dozen states have sued over that decision, which a federal judge is set to rule on imminently. Bill Hoagland, a top nutrition official at USDA during the Reagan administration, noted that Trump officials could probably pull money from multiple sources of funding for the November benefits. Earlier this month, the Trump administration redirected unused tariff revenue to pay for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children. I believe the contingency funds in Section 32 are there if the will is to do it, Hoagland said, referencing the fund the Trump administration used for the WIC program. However: The best solution is to open up the government. When the government shut down in 2019, President Donald Trumps first-term Agriculture secretary, Sonny Perdue, directed USDA to keep the food stamp program running. Perdue declined to comment through a spokesperson. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Whenever the government shuts down, SNAP has been covered, said Ann Veneman, who was Agriculture secretary under former President George W. Bush. If the authority is there, and it appears that it is, I think the administration should do it. Lawmakers from both parties have proposed a funding patch for the food aid program, but Senate Majority Leader John Thune has said he wont hold a vote on standalone bills. House Speaker Mike Johnson has argued that carving out SNAP funding would make it harder to agree on a plan to reopen the government. Democrats, meanwhile, continue to block the clean funding stopgap which includes money for SNAP. If you deviate from the goal of reopening the entire government, Chuck Schumer and the radicals over there will continue to play games, Johnson said recently. If you do just part of this, it will reduce the pressure for them to do all of it. Food banks and nonprofits across the country are scrambling to bridge the funding gap. States including New York, Virginia and Hawaii have announced millions of dollars to go toward emergency food aid even as they await a ruling on Democratic state officials' lawsuit against the Trump administration. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins on Friday did not commit to releasing SNAP funds if ordered to do so by a federal judge. "We're looking at all the options," she told reporters. The decision is up to the White House, where officials are mulling what to do based on how the judge rules, according to three people with direct knowledge who were granted anonymity to share private details. Another Trump official added that the administrations response depends on the contours of the ruling in question, which is not black and white. Even if the court rules in the states favor or lawmakers agree on a SNAP funding patch it could be days or even weeks before families receive their benefits because of the administrative challenges of rolling out a new or partial benefit plan. Beyond SNAP, other programs that provide nutrition assistance are at risk, too. The National WIC Association has said it needs a $300 million cash infusion for the program serving low-income mothers and babies, which could also pause benefits Saturday. And Head Start centers, which provide several nutritious meals to children, are being forced to close across the country. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When we were faced with this dilemma, where we were faced with the threat of a shutdown, we realized that we had to take certain steps within several weeks before the actual deadline otherwise states wouldnt have sufficient time to make whatever adjustments they need to make, said Tom Vilsack, who served as Agriculture secretary during the Obama and Biden administrations. Vilsack affirmed USDAs authority to use contingency funds, though he said Trump officials' concern about holding onto the money for emergencies was valid. There's nothing prohibiting them, he said. Meredith Lee Hill contributed reporting. Idaho Attorney General Raul Labrador speaks at a press conference outside the U.S. Supreme Court on April 24, 2024, in Washington, D.C. (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images) After an Idaho judge dismissed a whistleblower lawsuit against the Idaho Attorney Generals Office, the fired attorney appealed to the Idaho Supreme Court. Daphne Huang, who had legally represented the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare as a deputy attorney general, was fired months after Idaho Attorney General Raul Labrador took office in 2023. In September, Idaho 4th District Judge Jonathan Medema dismissed Huangs lawsuit, preventing the case from going to a jury trial. In his ruling, the judge wrote no rational juror could find that Huang had proven any of her claims. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Many of her lawsuits claims revolved around Labradors investigation into the Department of Health and Welfares handling of $72 million in child care grants. In her appeal to the Idaho Supreme Court filed on Oct. 23, Huangs attorneys wrote that the ruling erred by holding that there was no genuine issue as to any material fact related to her lawsuits claim under the states whistleblower law, called Idahos Protection of Public Employees Act. Labradors spokesperson, Damon Sidur, declined to comment on the appeal. The Attorney Generals Office has argued Huang was fired for misconduct. Hours before Huangs firing in March 2023, she expressed ethical concerns about the ethics of the Idaho Attorney Generals Office new management, according to records released in the lawsuit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Before firing her, Labrador didnt look into Huangs concerns, he said in a deposition. I had no concerns. It was clear that she was not acting in good faith. And it was clear that she was already preparing for litigation, Labrador said. Huang filed her lawsuit in September 2023. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX Huang v. AG Notice of Appeal By Andrea Shalal WASHINGTON (Reuters) -A new White House rule issued Friday restricts the ability of credentialed journalists to freely access the offices of press secretary Karoline Leavitt and other top communications officials in the West Wing, near the Oval Office. The new memorandum from the National Security Council bans journalists from accessing Room 140, also known as "Upper Press," without a prior appointment, citing the need to protect potentially sensitive material. It said the change would take effect immediately. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The White House move follows restrictions put in place earlier this month for reporters at the Department of Defense, a move that prompted dozens of journalists to vacate their offices in the Pentagon and return their credentials. The National Security Council said the change was made because structural changes to the NSC mean White House communications officials are now "routinely engaging with sensitive material." "In order to protect such material, and maintain coordination between National Security Council Staff and White House Communications Staff, members of the press are no longer permitted to access Room 140 without prior approval in the form of an appointment with an authorized White House Staff Member," the memo said. Previously, credentialed White House journalists could access Room 140, which is a short hallway from the Oval Office, on short notice to speak with Leavitt, her deputy Steven Cheung and other senior officials. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The White House Correspondents Association, which represents journalists covering the White House, could not be reached for immediate comment. The Trump administration months ago removed Reuters, the Associated Press and Bloomberg News from the permanent "pool" of reporters covering the president, although it allows those outlets to participate on a sporadic basis. Friday's announcement comes weeks after the crackdown on press access by the Defense Department, which now requires news outlets to sign a new policy or lose access to press credentials and Pentagon workspaces. At least 30 news organizations, including Reuters, declined to agree to the Pentagon restrictions, citing a threat to press freedoms and their ability to conduct independent newsgathering. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Pentagon policy requires journalists to acknowledge new rules on press access, including that they could be branded security risks and have their Pentagon press badges revoked if they ask department employees to disclose classified and some types of unclassified information. (Reporting by Andrea Shalal; editing by Diane Craft and David Gregorio) The Interior Department has removed the federal waters off the Atlantic coast from President Donald Trump's upcoming offshore drilling plan after Republicans in the region pressed to keep oil and natural gas rigs away from their shores, three people familiar with the latest moves told POLITICO. The five-year leasing plan, aimed at reopening areas long closed to drilling, will still seek to allow rigs off the California coast, said the people, who were granted anonymity to discuss private deliberations. That could create a conflict with Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom, who is trying to raise his national political profile in a state that opposes offshore drilling but also has some of the highest gasoline prices in the country. The plan's latest iteration will also include a portion of the eastern Gulf of Mexico but provide a buffer around Florida, a Republican stronghold where politicians from both parties have long opposed drilling, these people said. It's unclear whether the buffer would be large enough to avoid fierce objections from Floridians, who have battled against similar proposals in past decades because of fears that an oil spill would devastate their tourism economy. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Interior is expected to propose the new plan any day now, these people said. The proposal could still change before made public and then will have to undergo a review process before becoming final. Trump flatly denied the Atlantic area's inclusion in the plan after hearing from Republican lawmakers who were firmly opposed to the idea, said one person familiar with the process. The administration had no immediate response to the newest reporting. We do not discuss ongoing policy deliberations that may or may not be happening, a White House spokesperson said. An Interior spokesperson did not respond to questions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The initial plan reported by POLITICO earlier this month had called for including the Atlantic and eastern Gulf, but became a "political hot potato, [with] Congressional Republicans getting nervous, said a second person familiar with the planning. This person and the others said the latest version of the map is also expected to include a zone of at least 100 nautical miles around Florida where Interior would not offer lease sales. Florida Republican Sen. Rick Scott, the states former governor, has also opposed drilling off the states coast. The oil industry is mainly interested in opening up a small stretch of the Eastern Gulf of Mexico that starts just south of Alabamas border with Florida, market and industry sources have said. Few, if any, companies have expressed interest in drilling in the Atlantic or even the Pacific. Interior officials had been hoping to roll out the new leasing plan months ago, the three people said. But the ongoing government shutdown, plus Interior Secretary Doug Burgums near-constant travel, has slowed the process, these people said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement California political leaders have also come out in sharp opposition to the possibility of new oil and gas leases opening off their shore. On Thursday, California Democratic lawmakers Sen. Alex Padilla and Rep. Jared Huffman led a letter sent to Trump that included signatures of more than 100 congressional Democrats opposing new leases in the federal waters off the Atlantic and Pacific coasts, in the Arctic Ocean and northern Bering Sea off of Alaska, and in the Eastern Gulf. Newsoms office in June sent a letter to Interior's Bureau of Ocean Energy Management affirming Californias continued opposition to additional offshore oil and gas development. The Trump administration has yet to formally share with us their plan, but expensive and riskier offshore drilling would put our communities at risk and undermine the economic stability of our coastal economies, Newsom spokesperson Tara Gallegos said in a statement on Wednesday. Noah Baustin contributed to this report. Members of the media who cover the White House will no longer have free access to an office in the West Wing used by communications staff, the Trump administration said Friday in its latest move to rein in the press corps. Reporters seeking to speak with White House officials in the office will now need an appointment, according to a memo released Friday by White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt and Steven Cheung, the communications director, both of whom work in the now restricted area. The White House said the move was motivated by recent structural changes that require communications staff to be responsible for matters pertaining to the National Security Council. In this capacity, members of the White House Communications Staff are routinely engaging with sensitive material, the memo said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But the change appears to also reflect White House limits on journalists that have included excluding certain news organizations from closed briefings and events and imposing a new set of rules and restrictions at the Pentagon that drove most of the reporters who work there to turn in their media badges and cover the military from outside the headquarters building. President Donald Trump has also floated the possibility of moving the press corps off the White House grounds. We have an option here, Trump said earlier this month. We could move them very easily across the street. Under the new rules, reporters will maintain regular access to a separate office adjacent to the briefing room where lower-level communications staff are located, the memo said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement White House Correspondents' Association president Weijia Jiang said in a statement the new limits "hinder the press corps' ability to question officials, ensure transparency, and hold the government accountable, to the detriment of the American public." In a social media post, Cheung justified the restrictions by claiming White House reporters have secretly recorded video and audio of the West Wing office, entered restricted rooms in the West Wing and eavesdropped on private meetings. Earlier this year, the White House sought to ban the Associated Press from covering White House events after the news organization declined to refer to the Gulf of Mexico as the Gulf of America following Trumps executive order to change the name. A federal judge ruled the White House could not legally block AP from White House events, but the outlets access remains limited as the White House seeks an appeal. Trump has separately pursued legal action against several media outlets he viewed as covering him and Republican allies unfavorably. In 1993, President Bill Clinton banned reporters from that part of the West Wing, known as upper press, shortly after he entered the White House. But more recent administrations have allowed reporters to roam the area to speak with members of the communications staff. The Whitman-Hanson School Committee voted unanimously Thursday to suspend the superintendents 25 planned layoffs of teachers, paraprofessionals, and other staff amid a projected $1.39 million budget deficit for fiscal year 2026. Superintendent Jeff Szymaniak announced the decision to hand out 25 reduction-in-force (RIF) notices during the emergency school committee meeting, with another five positions being eliminated. The positions would affect teachers, paraprofessionals, tutors, duty aids, central office staff, support staff, principals, facilities, operation staff, and transportation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Five additional resignations and/or retirements will not be replaced. I understand, and I share the frustration, sadness, and anger that many of you are feeling, said Szymaniak, who assured families that class size will not be affected. The notices were to be given on Friday, but School Committee member Rosemary Hill proposed a motion that passed to suspend the layoffs for 30 school days while more information is gathered. But Szymaniak said suspending the layoffs will cost the district money it doesnt have each day, in effect jeopardizing more than the original 30 positions. Thats an absolute major concern that I have right now, Szymaniak said of the potential to lay off even more staff around the holidays. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Parents, teachers, and committee members demanded answers from Szymaniak about how the district got into its financial disaster. Szymaniak told Boston 25 News that after the districts business manager resigned, Whitman-Hanson has struggled to find a qualified replacement, finally hiring an outside firm, which uncovered the shortfall. Szymaniak said he was informed of the number about two weeks ago. Amy Gavin, a former educator and the mother of two daughters who attend Whitman-Hanson Regional High School, left Thursdays meeting disappointed. What is happening to this school district is a shame, Gavin said. You cannot have children build a rapport for the first two months of school and rip that caring adult out of their life. This is completely, completely irrational. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The school committee meets again next Wednesday. Community members are demanding to hear from the firm that uncovered the deficit and recommended the layoffs. 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. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW A rendering of Related Digitals planned data center in Saline Township, Mich. Credit: Related Digital A string of announcements from DTE Energy, Open AI and Related Digital coalesced into another notice from Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer late Thursday afternoon, confirming plans to move forward with development of a data center in Saline Township following a legal settlement between the developer and the host community. Whitmer lauded the multi-billion dollar project, calling it the largest in Michigan history, with the facility expected to create 2,500 union construction jobs, alongside 450 permanent jobs on site and 1,500 more in the community. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Im grateful to these cutting-edge companies for betting on Michigan, building on our work to compete for and win big projects in next-generation industries from cars and clean energy to semiconductors and batteries, Whitmer said in a statement. SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE According to the Executive Office of the Governor, Michigan was selected as the site for the facility due to the states tech and construction workforce, tax incentives for data center development, and the locations proximity to Eastern Michigan University in Ypsilanti and the University of Michigans Ann Arbor Campus. Construction on the project is expected to begin in early 2026, with Related Digital and Oracle Cloud developing the facility as part of Oracles partnership with Open AI. DTE Energy confirmed it will supply 1.4 gigawatts of load for the facility, marking its first contract with a data center. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Last week, a Washtenaw County judge approved a settlement between Related Digital and Saline Township, with the developer and the owner of the 575 acres of farmland slated for the project filing suit after the Township Board voted 4-1 against rezoning the land for the project, according to a report from Inside Climate News. The board later voted 4-1 to settle, despite intense opposition from residents and elected officials who raised concerns about traffic, noise, water and energy resources. Whitmers statement aimed to quell some of those concerns, noting the project will not require any additional power generation to operate, and will use a closed loop water cooling system that will not require additional water from the Great Lakes. A traffic study from the Michigan Department of Transportation also found it will have minimal impacts on traffic. Whitmers announcement did not identify the project as a data center, instead referring to the project as an AI infrastructure facility. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement DTE also offered assurances that the data center will absorb all new costs required to serve the facility, painting the facility as a win for consumer energy affordability. However, Tim Minotas, the legislative and political director for the Sierra Clubs Michigan chapter stressed the need for protections to ensure that resources allocated to data centers dont come at the expense of customers. DTEs announcement today that it will power a massive 1.4-gigawatt data center in Michigan is further proof of what we have been saying since last year: Data centers are coming to Michigan and can pose a threat to our neighborhoods, our economy, energy bills, water and climate without proper guardrails in place, Minotas said in a statement. Opposition to data centers swells as more companies set sights on state Earlier this week environmental advocates rallied at Oakland Community Colleges Auburn Hills Campus ahead of a public comment hearing held by the Michigan Public Service Commission, calling for the regulatory body to institute protections against these resource-intensive facilities. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Andrea Pierce, the policy director for the Michigan Environmental Justice Coalition, warned that data centers can deplete groundwater aquifers and disrupt ecosystems through thermal pollution of surface waters, in addition to pollution with PFAS, methane and other harmful chemicals. Michelle Martinez, the inaugural director of the Tishman Center for Social Justice and the Environment at the University of Michigan at a rally against data centers. Oct. 27, 2025 | Photo by Kyle Davidson/Michigan Advance Speaking with reporters before the meeting, Commission Chair Dan Scripps noted that the regulatory body is currently hearing a contested case with Consumers Energy aimed at ensuring ratepayers are protected from increased costs due to the large energy demand of data centers. Scripps said he expected those concerns would be addressed on a utility by utility basis. Scripps also noted that there are protections within state law to keep residential, industrial and commercial energy customers from shifting costs from one customer class to another While speaking with the Michigan Advance Thursday, Nick Dodge, the communications director for the Michigan League of Conservation Voters pointed to the organizations opposition to legislation creating tax incentives for data centers due to a lack of sufficient protections for ratepayers, water conservation and the environment. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Michigan League of Conservation Voters does not oppose data centers at their core, Dodge explained, acknowledging their role in the economy and the future of technology. However, its critical that when these projects do move forward, there are considerations around energy rates, water conservation and whether that energy is sourced from clean energy or fossil fuels, he noted. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX The Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has once again come under international criticism after organising an "International Academic Symposium on Boarding Education and Plateau Development" at the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China in Chengdu, Sichuan Province. The event, attended by scholars from China, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada, was viewed as a calculated attempt to defend China's controversial boarding school system in Tibet, widely accused of erasing Tibetan culture and identity, as reported by Phayul. According to Phayul, Chinese state media gave extensive coverage to the symposium, portraying the boarding schools as models of "fair and high-quality education" designed for Tibet's unique geography and culture. State reports further claimed that these schools "respect ethnic traditions" while improving "educational equity." Such narratives form part of a broader propaganda drive to justify what rights groups have described as cultural colonisation under the guise of education. During the event, Zhalo, a researcher at the China Tibetology Research Center, praised the system for contributing to "educational advancement." Likewise, Mario Cavolo of the Center for China and Globalisation dismissed foreign criticism as "baseless," claiming that "Tibetan culture thrives within these schools." Michael Alan Crook of the International Committee for the Promotion of Chinese Industrial Cooperatives added that the schools promote "mutual understanding" among ethnic groups. However, international experts and Tibetan rights organisations strongly dispute these claims, viewing the symposium as an effort to whitewash China's coercive assimilation policies. A 2025 report by the Tibet Action Institute (TAI), titled When They Came to Take Our Children, revealed how children as young as four are forcibly separated from their families, indoctrinated with Chinese nationalist ideology, and stripped of their Tibetan language and heritage, as highlighted by Phayul. TAI's earlier 2021 report, Separated from Their Families, Hidden from the World, estimated that nearly one million Tibetan children have been forced into these boarding institutions. UN experts have also voiced grave concern, warning that China's education policy promotes linguistic and cultural assimilation. Beijing's so-called education reforms in Tibet are less about empowerment and more about the systematic dilution of an ancient culture, as reported by Phayul. (ANI) Editors note: So far this year, there have been 15 confirmed cases of whooping cough in Wyandotte County and 195 cases overall in Kansas. KANSAS CITY, Mo. The Wyandotte County Public Health Department announced Friday that it has seen an increase in cases of whooping cough (pertussis). So far this year, there have been 15 cases of whooping cough in the county. The health department is asking community members and health care providers to take action to reduce the spread of whooping cough and other respiratory illnesses. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Whooping cough cases are rising again in the US We have seen multiple cases of whooping cough recently, and we are working with those individuals and people close to them to see if other people may have been exposed, said Terrie Garrison, interim director of the Wyandotte County Public Health Department. We also know whooping cough is on the rise in our region and has been higher across the U.S. in recent years. Its important that people in our community keep an eye out for symptoms and stay on track with their routine vaccinations. This helps protect them and people near them who are most vulnerable to getting very sick from whooping cough, like babies and young children. Earlier this month, the Olathe School District sent a letter to families warning them that their child may have been exposed to whooping cough. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The health department recommends that individuals and families watch for whooping cough symptoms and contact a health care provider if they or their child has symptoms. Whooping cough usually starts with cold-like symptoms then gets worse, leading to violent coughing fits that can last for weeks or months. The health department also recommends that community members stay up to date on vaccinations that protect against whooping cough. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends vaccination against whooping cough for young children, preteens, pregnant women and adults who have never been vaccinated against whooping cough. Health officials recommend taking steps to reduce the spread of respiratory illnesses, such as staying home when sick and practicing good hygiene. Additionally, wearing a face mask can provide an extra layer of protection against respiratory illnesses, according to the CDC. Health care providers are asked to watch for pertussis symptoms among their patients, test for pertussis when appropriate and report cases to their local or state health department to help prevent further spread of disease. Providers can find more information on disease reporting from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment and the Missouri Department of Health & Senior Services. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Whooping cough, also known as pertussis, is a respiratory illness caused by a type of bacteria (Bordetella pertussis). The bacteria spread easily from person to person through the air, like when someone who is contagious coughs or sneezes. This means pertussis can spread when people spend a lot of time together or share breathing space. People can be contagious for weeks. Anyone can get whooping cough, but it can be very dangerous for infants, young children, and people with weakened immune systems. Whooping cough can be treated with antibiotics prescribed by a health care provider. It is important to treat whooping cough early, ideally before coughing fits begin. Early treatment can make the illness less serious and help prevent spreading it to others. If someone gets seriously ill or has complications, such as apnea or pneumonia, they may need to go to the hospital. For more information on whooping cough, click here. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV | News, Weather, Sports. NEW MARTINSVILLE, W.Va. (WBOY) The Wetzel-Tyler Health Department has confirmed a case of pertussis, also known as whooping cough, in its area. A press release posted to Facebook by the department said that the case was located within our community, but it did not say exactly where or when the case was confirmed. Whooping cough is a contagious respiratory illness that is spread through coughing and sneezing. Some symptoms may include coughing fits followed by a whooping sound, difficulty breathing while coughing, vomiting after coughing, exhaustion, and other common illness symptoms such as a runny nose, low-grade fever and mild coughing in the early stages. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement US appeals court overturns West Virginia landmark opioid lawsuit decision While anyone of any age can catch whooping cough, it can be serious for infants, young children and those with compromised immune systems. The health department urges anyone experiencing symptoms of whooping cough to call ahead before entering a healthcare facility to prevent further spread. The release also reminded people that vaccinations such as DTaP and TdaP are highly effective in preventing infection and reducing the severity of illness. Cases were also confirmed in nearby Monongalia County and parts of southern West Virginia earlier this year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WBOY.com. The Gist King Charles III has officially revoked all of his brother Andrew's royal titles. Buckingham Palace released a statement confirming the news on Thursday, October 30. A new report from People sheds light on why Charles waited so long to axe the former Duke of York from the British royal family. King Charles III apparently had a reason for waiting nearly a decade to revoke his brother Andrew Mountbatten Windsor's titles. The former Duke of York was first named in a lawsuit against sex offender Jeffrey Epstein back in 2015. On Thursday, Buckingham Palace made a historic announcement revealing that Mountbatten Windsor had been stripped of all royal titles and privileges. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "His Majesty has today initiated a formal process to remove the Style, Titles and Honours of Prince Andrew," a statement from the palace reads. "Prince Andrew will now be known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor." Getty Images Andrew Mountbatten Windsor and King Charles III on September 16, 2025. Andrew Mountbatten Windsor and King Charles III on September 16, 2025. The same statement also confirmed that Mountbatten Windsor will be moving out of his longtime residence at Royal Lodge. "His lease on Royal Lodge has, to date, provided him with legal protection to continue in residence. Formal notice has now been served to surrender the lease, and he will move to alternative private accommodation. These censures are deemed necessary, notwithstanding the fact that he continues to deny the allegations against him." "Their Majesties wish to make clear that their thoughts and utmost sympathies have been, and will remain with, the victims and survivors of any and all forms of abuse," the statement concluded. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Amid renewed interest in Mountbatten Windsor's involvement with Epstein, the ex-royal gave up his Duke of York title just weeks ago. Getty Images Andrew Mountbatten Windsor on April 20, 2025. Andrew Mountbatten Windsor on April 20, 2025. According to People, the King reached his decision with the support of members of the royal family, including Prince William. While Andrew continues to deny the accusations against him, it is clear that there have been serious lapses of judgment from the King's perspective. As for why the King didnt act sooner, People also reported that Charles acted swiftly following recent developments that made it possible for his brother to relinquish his titles and honors in the most immediate and efficient way possible. While a longer-term resolution to the complex legal and constitutional issues surrounding Andrews status took time to finalize, sources said that the necessity of further action was never in doubt. The Kings decision follows behind-the-scenes discussions, legal consultation, and support from the wider royal family to bring about a resolution without imposing on Parliamentary time. Getty Prince William and Andrew Mountbatten Windsor in 2017. Prince William and Andrew Mountbatten Windsor in 2017. Read the original article on InStyle On an October 18 trip to Bradbury Mountain State Park in Pownal, I noticed something about the forest canopy overhead: The red, orange and yellow foliage that dominates this time of year seemed duller than usual. My suspicions deepened at the viewpoint, where the panorama of fall colors looked like its saturation had been turned down a few notches. Stephanie Spera is a professor of geography, environment and sustainability at the University of Richmond in Virginia, and shes spent much of her career studying fall foliage in Acadia National Park. She noticed this years dull colors while on a research trip to Lewiston and Auburn in mid-October. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The colors were so sad, Spera said. So many leaves seemed like they had fallen prematurely. Maines ongoing drought is the likely culprit behind this years less vibrant foliage and early leaf drop, Spera said. The U.S. Drought Monitors October 23 report recorded drought conditions across all of Maine, with a swath of extreme drought, the second-highest level on the drought intensity scale, stretching from Downeast into New Hampshires White Mountains region. Trees become more stressed during a drought, which can influence their behavior as temperatures get colder. Different types of trees have different levels of resilience to drought. Oaks tend to be among the most resilient to drought conditions, in part because their roots extend deep into the ground. And while oaks generally hang on to their leaves the longest and are the last to turn colors, the drought may explain their late-season show this year, Spera said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Maples, on the other hand, are much more sensitive to drought conditions. Maple trees take an extra step to produce their signature red and purple pigment, called anthocyanin, to go beyond the yellow and orange hues found in the leaves of birches, beeches and oaks. You need extra energy to produce it, and, if a tree is stressed during a drought, it wont spend its resources producing that red pigment, Spera said. This years drought isnt new. Five years ago, Maine saw the driest May-to-September period since the states records began in the 1950s. Yet Sean Birkel, the state climatologist based at the University of Maine, said its unclear whether droughts that have occurred since 2020 point to a trend in increasing drought frequency or are part of a decadal scale of variability, where some 10-year periods are drier than others. The view from Bradbury Mountain State Park on October 18 shows dull foliage colors. Photo by Julia Tilton. Part of the challenge with attributing specific droughts to climate change is that there are more extremes in both wet and dry years, Birkel said. In 2023, the same May-to-September period that was drought stricken in 2020 experienced the wettest conditions on record. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement What is clear, Birkel said, is that higher temperatures linked to climate change are producing the conditions for more intense droughts when they do occur. Historically, short-term drought is relatively common in the Northeast region. With the warming climate, when weather patterns do produce a drought, the drought conditions will be exacerbated by higher temperatures, Birkel said. Meanwhile Maines climate is getting wetter, on average. Since the 1950s, Maines annual precipitation has increased by about 6 inches. But changing atmospheric and ocean patterns in the Northeast mean were more likely to swing between short bursts of heavy rainfall and prolonged periods without rainfall, when drought conditions can form, Birkel said. And despite recent rain thats hit much of the state, there are still hurdles to clear before the winter freeze to avoid drought conditions again in the spring. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We need six to 10 inches of additional rainfall before the ground freezes in order to avoid the drought signal carryover in the groundwater, Birkel said. Over the long term, Spera has found that changing climate patterns could change when Maine sees peak colors. In 2023, Spera published research showing how peak fall foliage in Acadia now occurs two weeks later than it did in the 1950s. By 2060, Spera projects that peak foliage could happen as late as October 30 to November 2. Yet, as was the case this year, fluctuating rainfall and drought patterns introduce some uncertainty into predicting when exactly peak will occur in a given year. If you look at the last 20 years, what you actually see is that it's more variable. There's crazy variability, and I think it's to do with the rainfall aspect, she said. Vice President JD Vance has some explaining to do over a hug that was a little too close with Erika Kirk, the widow of right-wing political activist Charlie Kirk. The two were at the University of Mississippi Wednesday night for Turning Point USAs This Is the Turning Point tour, the organization co-founded by Charlie that Erika took over after his death. Vance not only was the headlining guest but also filled Charlies old role of debating college students from a stage. But the internet isnt as concerned with the tour itself, or the fact that Vance has time to play conservative influencer while serving as vice president. Instead, theyre talking about the embrace between him and Kirks widow, with Vances hands on her waist and her face appearing to betray some emotion at the same time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Several commentators seemed to suggest that this doesnt bode well for Vances wife, Usha. Bluesky screenshot Wajahat Ali @wajali.bsky.social Usha, you in danger, girl. (photo of Erika Kirk looking up at JD Vance as she places her hands on his arms) The pictures from Mississippi arent helped by Vances remarks about his wife at the event, where he said he hopes Usha will leave her Hindu faith and convert to Christianity. All three of their children are being raised as Christians, with the two older ones attending a Christian school. I honestly do wish that because I believe in the Christian gospel, and I hope eventually, my wife comes to see it the same way, he said. If she doesnt, then God says, everybody has free will, so that doesnt cause a problem for me. Thats something you work out. Is there something going on between Kirk and Vance? If there isnt, the vice presidents words and that hug are already spreading rumors otherwise. Usha and her parents have both done a lot for Vance, and what happened Wednesday looks disrespectful, at a minimum. (Photo by Erica Shires/Getty Images) This article was first published by FaVS News. The verdict is in: Idaho ranks 14th and Washington ranks 37th when lining up the most religious states in the nation. How the Pew Research Center got the results is straightforward: it judged a states religiosity based on residents answers to four questions on a survey. The reasons leading to a states place in the list are a lot harder to conclusively determine. In fact, its mostly guesswork, sociologists said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One of the things is, when you have descriptive data like this, you can really only start to create hypotheses, Mark Killian, Whitworth University sociology professor who studies religion, said. Sociologists of religion have some theories, though: the historic presence of certain religious groups, political migration and a states laws and regulations. The most mentioned theory was the role of migration due to political beliefs and its connection to religion. One reason people choose to move to other states is due to an alignment between an individuals political beliefs and the states political leaning, Killian said. Because politics are becoming increasingly correlated with and tied to religious identity, migration due to politics turns into migration due to religion, he added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Pews 2023-24 Religious Landscape Study found that 61% of those who have a high level of religiousness tend to lean Republican compared to 32% who lean Democrat. Eight percent had no leaning. The study also found that 67% of people who have a low level of religiousness lean Democrat compared to 27% who lean Republican. Five percent had no leaning. Over the past decade, Scott Draper, College of Idaho anthropology and sociology professor who studies religion, said people have increasingly been identifying as both Republicans and conservative/evangelical Protestants. The connection between both identities could go back even further than that, Killian said. Prior to the mid-20th century, he said that evangelicals had a variety of political leanings or were nonpartisan. Then some people, most notably American pastor and televangelist Jerry Falwell, worked to merge religious identification with specific political stances especially the pro-life movement. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Up until that point, a lot of evangelicals werent necessarily pro-choice, but there was no pro-life movement in evangelicalism, Killian said, because the pro-life movement was primarily Catholic and evangelicals wanted to keep themselves ideologically separate. Then, Killian said, Falwell worked to consolidate political power by commingling religious views with certain political stances, primarily abortion and sexuality. All that to say, now three generations later, we have those reverberations and these worldviews have spun off, he said. Theres some who think you cannot think of faith apart from your politics. How evangelicals merged faith and politics Political identification and its correlation with belief systems, or the lack thereof, seems to go both ways. Desiree Brunette, a Boise State University sociology lecturer who studies religion, said liberal people tend to be less religious. That trend could explain why Washington, a liberal state, ranks low overall on religiosity in Pews study. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Religious Landscape Study judged the overall religiousness of people through a combination of four factors: prayer frequency, belief in God or a universal spirit, religions importance to peoples lives and religious attendance. It determined that 37% of people in Idaho are highly religious compared to 25% of people in Washington. Determining the religiosity of a state can also change based on how it is measured. Draper said the study measured overall religiosity pretty reasonably, but that many sociologists of religion determine peoples religious commitment based on frequency of religious attendance. People can talk about what they believe or how strongly they feel or think something, Draper said. Its the actual behavior are you actually going to church? The percentage of people who attend religious services at least monthly tells a similar story for Washington, which also ranks 37th in the nation with 27% of people attending religious services at least monthly. The alternative idea of religiosity changes Idahos line in the list slightly, moving up to 11th in the nation with 40% of people attending religious services at least monthly. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement No matter how it is measured, sociologists said the connection between politics and religion and the migration of people based on partisan ideologies could be driving the levels of religiousness in each state. Californians migrating to Idaho is an example. The U.S. Census Bureau estimated that, in 2023, almost 82,000 people moved from another state to Idaho, and over 20% of those people, the largest percentage of any state, came from California. Anecdotally, Draper said conservative Idaho residents often despair about the in-migration of Californians due to perceptions of conflicting political views. I often want to point out that I think those Californians are probably a little more conservative than you think, Draper said. Its geographical sorting based on partisanship. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Now, this is very hypothetical, Draper said, adding that he didnt think people were moving in between states solely due to religious views. Lasting influence of the Mormon Corridor Past migrations of religious groups and their continued presence in a state could also influence the states religious ranking, Draper said. Idaho and Utah both tend to be pretty religious when compared to other western states, which Draper said might be due to the influence of Latter-day Saints, who are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Theyre instrumental in our state, for religious identity, Draper said. Driven by a desire for religious freedom, Latter-day Saints began migrating beyond the borders of the United States in the mid-1800s, looking for a place with a low population, and settling primarily in Utah and the surrounding area, now known as the Mormon Corridor. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When Brunette moved to the state 20 years ago, she said she noticed how many laws seemed tied to religious views things like not being able to buy liquor on Sundays in some places, the near-total abortion ban and the faith-healing exemption to child abuse and neglect laws. That felt really informed from the Latter-day Saints population, Brunette said. The religious-based laws in Idaho seem to be based on a Christian worldview rather than other religious belief systems, Brunette said. For example, abortion bans are widely viewed as a violation of Jewish religious freedom, she added. Differences in the religious ranking of states could be tied to these types of laws and views on religious freedom, which tend to attract certain religious communities, Brunette said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Theres more protections here for people that might be considered a little fringy, she said, mentioning fundamentalist groups like the Followers of Christ. That would be my guess. The studys data gets more granular, and the findings indicate potential trends in the way people engage with and experience religion in their lives. In Washington, 30% of people say religion is very important in their lives compared to 45% in Idaho. Only eight states had 50% or more of people who said religion was very important in their lives. Although religion can often be seen as very important to people and influencing their political reasoning and discussions, Draper said it was interesting that most people werent ranking it as very important in their lives. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Although not directly comparable due to changes in how the survey was conducted, Pews data found that the amount of people who say religion is very important in their lives is dropping. In 2007, 58% of adults in Idaho said religion is very important in their lives, compared to 51% in 2014 and 45% in 2023-24. The decline is true for Washington, as well. In 2007, 48% of adults in the state said religion is very important in their lives compared to 44% in 2014 and 30% in 2023-24. The decline of religions importance directly conflicts with the rise in peoples perception of religions importance in American life. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to Pew, peoples perception of whether religion is gaining influence in American life jumped up significantly in 2025, although 68% of people still feel it is losing influence. Just like overall religious trends, its all guesswork on why religion is seen to be gaining influence in American life, while fewer people are ranking it as very important to them. Brunette speculated that the people influencing politics are both the most religious and have the loudest voices. Killian said his hunch is that people arent ranking religion as very important in their lives because theyre replacing it with politics. Religion becomes less important because politics is religion for some people now in these conservative states, Killian said. There are others who ascribe to religion who view the uplifting of political views based on Christianity as a form of idolatry, he added. Evangelical growth as mainline churches shrink The breakdown of people who ascribed to certain religions in 2023-24 and its comparison to previous Religious Landscape Studies also reveals trends in religious demographics. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In Idaho, Draper pointed out that Catholics and mainline Protestants have dropped from 18% and 16% respectively in 2007 to 9% and 7% respectively in 2023-24. At the same time, evangelical Protestants increased in the state from 22% in 2007 to 31% in 2023-24. Latter-day Saints have also declined in Idaho, from 23% in 2007 to 14% in 2023-24, despite the way Draper said they have historically characterized my state. The drop could be due to the outmigration of Latter-day Saints, or attrition, Killian said. Washington has seen drops in identification with Christian religious sects and some growth in populations of other religions, but Draper said the most notable change for him was the increase in people identifying as religiously unaffiliated, often called nones because they believe in nothing in particular. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2007, 23% of surveyed Washington residents identified as religiously unaffiliated compared to 38% in 2023-24. Im really struck by that, Draper said. Thats really high. There are often a lot of reasons nones could be growing, Draper said, adding that how the groups are measured or whether people understand their own affiliation can affect the data. He said the Pew Research Centers data tends to be reliable. The growth of nones can be hypothesized to be tied to politics, Draper said. Other sociology of religion scholars have proposed that people are disaffiliating from specific religious groups because of how the religion is becoming associated with politics, he added. A lot of younger people who grew up in evangelical Protestant families, they become sort of disgusted with their familys politics and they might back away entirely from religion and might identify less strongly, and might prefer a different term, Draper said. They might be devout still, but not want to identify. The growth of nones in Washington could also be tied to partisan geographical sorting, Draper said. At the end of the day, the sociologists said interpreting the data is all speculation. There are so many different layers to this, Killian said. FaVS News is an online publication covering religion and ethics in the Inland Northwest. Through news and commentary, the publication serves as the regions religion news wire. Signage is seen during a press conference held by Senate Democrats encouraging the passage of Affordable Care Act tax credits in Washington, D.C., on Sept.16, 2025. Credit - Nathan PosnerGetty Images Most Americans who rely on health insurance through the Affordable Care Actknown as Obamacarewill begin enrolling for 2026 coverage on Saturday. But next years premiums could be significantly higher for millions of households. Premium tax credits added during the pandemic have been at the center of the ongoing government shutdown, and are a main driving force behind expected price hikes come next year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement More than 24 million people are currently covered under the ACA, enacted 15 years ago to expand access to affordable healthcare. Analysts warn that average premiums could rise by as much as 26%, with some families facing steeper increases as federal subsidies expire and marketplace premiums rise. Heres what to know about whats driving the potential hikes. What is the Affordable Care Act? The Affordable Care Act, introduced in March 2010 under the Obama Administration, provides subsidized health insurance for Americans earning between 100% and 400% of the federal poverty level. Those subsidiesknown as premium tax creditsare designed to reduce the cost of monthly premiums for low- and middle-income households. The poverty threshold varies by family size, from $15,650 for an individual to $54,150 for a family of eight in 2025. Families earning less than 138% of the poverty level are also eligible for expanded Medicaid coverage, although 10 states, including Texas, Florida, and Georgia, have not adopted the expansion. What is causing the rise in health insurance costs under ACA? Several factors are expected to drive up ACA premiums in 2026, but the biggest is the expiration of enhanced premium tax credits at the end of 2025. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Those subsidiesexpanded during the pandemic and later extended by Congresshave lowered costs for millions of enrollees. But with negotiations over the ongoing government shutdown stalled, lawmakers have yet to agree on a renewal. Democrats say Republicans refusal to extend the credits will lead to steep increases for working families, while Republicans argue that the program fuels waste and fraud. Healthcare premiums are about to skyrocket. But Republicans have spent their entire shutdown with their heads in the sand, said Democrat leader in the Senate Chuck Schumer on Thursday. Without congressional action, premiums could more than double, increasing by an average of 114%, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF). The group estimates that 22 million of the 24 million Americans currently enrolled in ACA plans would be affected. Read More: Rising Health Care Costs Are the Real Reason for the Government Shutdown Who will be hit the hardest? If the subsidies lapse, middle-income families who no longer qualify for tax credits will face the steepest cost increases. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement KFF projections show that a family in Virginia could see deductibles rise from $800 to $20,000 next year. In Idaho, some households may pay an additional $100 per month, while a Maryland family could face $500 more per month in premiums. For lawful immigrants, premium subsidies will also end in 2026. Legal residents who are ineligible for Medicaid because of their immigration status and whose incomes fall below 100% of the poverty level will no longer receive ACA tax credits. Republicans say current ACA provisions are overly generous. House Speaker Mike Johnson has argued that maintaining them amounts to offering free healthcare for illegal immigrants. Vice President J.D. Vance has likewise claimed the tax credits have fueled waste and fraud. The tax credits go to some people deservedly, and we think the tax credits actually go to a lot of waste and fraud within the insurance industry. So we want to make sure that the tax credits go to the people who need them, Vance told CBS in an interview on October 12. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The One Big Beautiful Bill Act, introduced by President Donald Trump and enacted in July this year, has also made significant changes to those eligible for ACA, making it much more difficult for some people to enroll. Under the changes to the Act, which are set to remain in place until 2034, KFF estimates that up to 1.7 million Americans will no longer be eligible to receive such coverage by 2034. How is the Trump Administration changing the ACA? President Donald Trumps One Big Beautiful Bill Act, enacted in July, includes provisions that will reshape eligibility for ACA subsidies over the next decade. The Administration says the reforms are intended to reduce costs and eliminate abuse, but KFF estimates that as many as 1.7 million Americans could lose ACA coverage by 2034 under the new rules. When can Americans enroll? Enrolment for ACA in most states opens on Nov. 1. People have until Dec. 15 to enroll in or change plans for coverage to start on Jan. 1. Meanwhile, Jan. 15 is the last day to enroll in or change marketplace health plans for the year. After that date, people can enroll in or change plans only if they qualify for a Special Enrollment Period. You can check the enrollment timeline for your state, and find out further information, on the healthcare.gov website. Contact us at letters@time.com. ALTON/ORANGE CITY, Iowa (KCAU) Locals in Alton, Iowa, have been hearing and seeing fire trucks fly by their homes. But in fact, youll find no real emergencies happening in the town. In reality, its an event where these Alton firefighters are both delivering pizzas and some life-saving advice. The Alton Fire Department teamed up with the Pizza Ranch in Orange City to host their annual Fire Truck Delivery Night on Thursday, October 30. All orders were dropped off by fire trucks with their lights and sirens on. The unique pizza delivery gave fire officials a chance to provide safety tips during fire prevention month. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Alton Fire Chief Quintin Van Es said its important to ensure homes are equipped for the worst-case scenario. Story continues below The biggest thing is making sure your detectors work. Make sure you have them in every room of your house, the bedrooms, the hallways, those areas that are sectioned off, maybe a little bit. Make sure theyre there. Make sure they work. Thats probably the biggest thing, and then have some fire extinguishers available also throughout your house, explained Chief Quintin Van Es. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The event also gave new firefighters some hands-on training experience, allowing them to get comfortable driving the trucks and finding addresses in the area as they deliver the food. The delivery night doubled as a fundraiser, and all tips went to support improvements within the department. Were working towards updating our AED defibrillator, working on that piece of equipment thats roughly $58,000. So a lot of this stuff takes some money, and more than what our city budgets will allow, so we do a lot of fundraising, explained the Fire Chief. Fire officials stated this event will continue to happen year after year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to SiouxlandProud | Sioux City, IA | News, Weather, and Sports. Religion, politics and student participation are all among the reasons some schools have abandoned Halloween celebrations that put candy-filled children in bulky costumes in classrooms. Oct. 31 parties and costume contests have been eliminated or somehow reformed at multiple districts over the years, but efforts have not gone without pushback, showing the increasing cultural and religious considerations schools face. They have a lot they have to balance, said Leandra Parris, who serves on the board of the National Association of School Psychologists. Theyre constantly having to balance the rights of all of the students against, also, being fair and open, and it really kind of gets complicated. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Houston Independent School District (ISD), the largest in Texas, announced for the second year in a row restrictions on Halloween costumes and celebrations, telling schools festivities need to be limited to under an hour and tied to an instructional goal, the Houston Chronicle reported. Middle school and high school students are banned from wearing costumes, while elementary school students can with restrictions. An informal social media poll by Education Week found 27 percent of educators say their schools do not allow costumes, while 67 percent do. And the holiday also has passionate defenders. As a mother of five boys, Keri Rodrigues, president of the National Parents Union, said her sons still really look forward to Halloween, and its such a rite of passage for kids that it seems like a really weird fight to pick. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While she recognizes administrators are looking to be inclusive and considerations need to be made for others, Halloween celebrations at schools are part of American culture as well. I think theres ways to be inclusive without being exclusive to others that look forward to this as a tradition that weve long had in the United States, Rodrigues said. One of the biggest concerns schools face is religious differences. Jehovahs Witnesses and some sects of Judaism, Islam and Christianity reject Halloween celebrations and wearing costumes for it. Halloween observances can create unintentional barriers, said Sandra Chafouleas, distinguished professor and co-director of the University of Connecticuts Collaboratory on School and Child Health, adding, The concerns are all centered around how schools make sure that theyre a place where every students and staff feel that they belong. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A cancellation in New Jersey back in 2023 got lots of media attention after the school district of South Orange and Maplewood ended all Halloween celebrations. One of the schools in the district, Seth Boyden Elementary School, had canceled the holiday since 2015, citing high absenteeism rates and low participation among students who did come to school. The school has tried to offer fun autumnal alternatives. Students come, they pick pumpkins, they decorate pumpkins. [The fall festival] is a just great time for the families to get together and celebrate the fall, and our community, said Shannon Glander, principal of Seth Boyden, ABC News 7 New York reported at the time. Concerns also arise over the costumes themselves, as administrators try to avoid gore or outfits that can inhibit learning, while still respecting students First Amendment rights. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When it comes to costumes, the things that schools have to maintain is what is called the Tinker standard. It was set back in the late 60s by a court case that basically says that [schools] cannot infringe on the rights of the students in terms of free speech and religion and things like that, unless what the student is doing or wearing or saying is violating the rights of other students, which is kind of harder to talk about or to really prove, Parris said. The cost of costumes can also be a burden for some families if children feel obliged to participate. The National Retail Foundation said consumers spent more than $3 billion on costumes last year. When you have these costume requirements, youre focusing on economic disparities, right? So not everybody can afford costumes, Chafouleas said. And far from the smallest concern is the struggle teachers face trying to get rowdy kids in funny costumes to focus when they know a Halloween parade or an impending mountain of candy is coming their way. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Teachers talk about how difficult Halloween is. Kids can get very excited. There can be some behavioral issues and distractions, but you need to balance that, on the other side, that this is really important to kids, said Jennifer Fredricks, a professor of psychology at Union College. Kids are bored, they dont like coming to school, and this is really a way to build community, and it can be important to kids, she added. 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. The meeting between the two leaders, taking place on the sidelines of the two-day Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Gyeongju, marks their first encounter since Takaichi assumed office as Japan's prime minister last week. According to Kyodo News, the talks are expected to focus on reaffirming both nations' commitment to promoting a "strategic and mutually beneficial relationship" while pursuing "constructive and stable" ties amid strained relations. The bilateral meeting comes as Beijing adopts a cautious approach toward Takaichi, who is widely regarded as a China hawk. Longstanding disputes over historical and territorial issues, particularly the repeated intrusions by Chinese coast guard vessels into Japanese territorial waters near the Senkaku Islands, which China claims and refers to as Diaoyu, have continued to strain ties between Tokyo and Beijing. During a recent phone conversation with Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi, China's top diplomat Wang Yi warned that issues relating to history and Taiwan concern "the foundation of bilateral relations and basic trust and faith" between the two nations, Kyodo News reported. Signalling Beijing's reservations, Xi has not sent a congratulatory message to Takaichi following her appointment, despite extending such gestures to her three predecessors, including former Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, according to a diplomatic source cited by Kyodo News. Takaichi, known for her conservative stance and alignment with former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's policies, is expected to raise Japan's concerns over China's growing maritime activity near the Senkaku Islands and highlight the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. She may also press for the early release of Japanese nationals detained in China on espionage allegations, sources added. Chinese media have labelled Takaichi a right-wing nationalist, noting her close ideological ties to Abe, who was assassinated in 2022. (ANI) ST. LOUIS Thousands of trick-or-treaters will go door-to-door Friday across the St. Louis region, dressed in costumes and ready to fill their bags with candy. But some may need to earn their tasty treats with a sense of humor. As part of a Halloween tradition for some St. Louis-area households, your child might be asked to tell a joke in exchange for candy. Occasionally, this may come as a surprise to parents who venture out with their children for the first time, families who recently moved to the St. Louis area, or out-of-towners. Its hard to pinpoint exactly when this started, but jokes have been part of the St. Louis trick-or-treating experience for decades. As to why? That depends on who you ask. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Folklorist John Oldani offers some insight in his 2013 book St. Lou-isms, linking the tradition to Irish culture. Historians say, as part of an Oct. 31 festival that originated around 2,000 years ago, people would disguise themselves and ask people for items to keep an evil spirit away. In those celebrations, its widely believed the participants were asked to sing a song or tell a joke. Once they fulfilled that request, they would acquire an item to avoid an evil entity. In 2022, the Missouri History Museum informed FOX 2 of similar findings on the origins of Halloween jokes in St. Louis. Emily Underwood with the Missouri Historical Society found some research from a historian and linguist who suggests that the tradition might be common in St. Louis due to the citys influence on Irish immigrants. There was a tradition in Ireland and Scotland where kids would go around to houses and sing a song that was like a song for the dead, said Underwood. In exchange for the song, they would receive a little cake or something. And thats kind of how the song sort of evolves to be a song, a poem or a joke. Anything, really. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Local author Ryan Nusbickel celebrated the tradition in a childrens book several years ago that follows a Halloween adventure through St. Louis. Its a fictional story of how a brisk autumn wind ultimately sent his jokes into the sky on Halloween, leading to a chase in the St. Louis area to find them. While the joke-for-candy ritual is widely associated with St. Louis, its not entirely unique. A 2011 National Public Radio report says the practice is common throughout parts of the Midwest and possibly originated in Des Moines, Iowa. If your child is looking for some jokes this spooky season, click here for some ideas. Many homeowners in the St. Louis region should expect some trick-or-treaters, and possibly some standup comedy, between 5 and 9 p.m. Friday. 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. Unpopular Maine Senator Susan Collins has waded into next weeks governors race in Virginia to raise money for an anti-abortion candidate whos slated to loseand if the polls are any guide, lose badly. The New Republic obtained a fundraising email that the Collins campaign sent Wednesday morning in support of Virginia Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earle-Sears, a staunch religious conservative, who is polling far behind her Democratic opponent, former Representative Abigail Spanberger. Some pollsters have her trailing Spanberger by double digits. Virginia gubernatorial races often swing in the opposite direction of the presidency, and it seems that Earle-Searss hopes to follow in Republican Governor Glenn Youngkins footsteps will founder amid a broader anti-Trump backlash. In part due to Earle-Searss weaknesses, and revelations that the Democratic nominee for attorney general sent violent text messages in the past, Virginia Republicans are spending more on the attorney generals race rather than the top of the ticket. But Collinss oddly timed decision to insert herself into the race on Earle-Searss behalf is a curiosity. The perpetually concerned Maine senator, after all, routinely claims to be pro-choiceall while having a heavy hand in the construction of the Roe v. Wadegutting conservative Supreme Court supermajorityyet she is sticking her neck out for a candidate who has called abortion genocide, suggested that consenting to sex is consenting to pregnancy, and has pledged, if elected, to sign a ban on abortion at 15 weeks or earlier. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Such an outcome would be devastating, as Virginia is the only state in the South without an abortion ban following the Dobbs v. Jackson Womens Health Organization Supreme Court decision. For her part, Spanberger supports an amendment to codify abortion rights in the state constitution; the legislatively referred amendment needs to pass the House of Delegates again next session before it can go to voters in November 2026. The email subject line from the Collins campaign reads, BIGGEST race of 2025, while the body says, Its Winsome Earle-Sears. Im locked in the BIGGEST race of 2025. Can you chip in to help me win this? Underneath a donate button and a photo of Earle-Sears is a box that reads, Paid for by Collins for Senator, the name of Collinss campaign committee. Clicking the donate button sends viewers to a WinRed page, a fundraising platform for the Republican Party, with Earle-Searss campaign logo at the top. A donation plea reads, George Soros and Hollywood liberals are all stacking BIG money against me and my team in this must-win race. Please donate even just $10 to help me keep up with the Lefts dark money! Fine-print enthusiasts, take note: Small text under red buttons with different amounts specifies that donations will benefit Collins for Senator, rather than a split donation between the two campaigns or to Earle-Searss campaign only. The New Republic reached out to the Collins campaign for comment on the fundraising pitch, whether shes endorsing Earle-Sears, and whether she supports an abortion ban in Virginia, but they did not respond by publication time. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Earle-Sears has taken far-right positions on issues beyond abortion. During an October 9 debate, Earle-Sears said it is not discrimination to fire someone for being gay, a moment that Spanberger made hay of on social media. The Collins email was sent nearly three weeks after those damning comments, and after news broke that Earle-Sears made a $1,800 donation to the Richmond-based Family Foundation, which has described in vitro fertilization, or IVF, as child trafficking and opposes same-sex marriage, which alarms LGBTQ advocates, since the state has a ban on the books that could spring back to life if the Supreme Court overturns the 2015 Obergefell v. Hodges ruling. (Virginia is one of 32 states that would automatically ban same-sex marriage if the precedent is overturned.) Its curious that Collins is using her email list to support a doomed campaign, especially when her own favorability is negative 20 points36 percent approval against 56 percent disapproval, per October data from Morning Consult. For comparison, at this point in the cycle before she won reelection in 2020, she was at 52 percent approve and 39 percent disapprove, for a net positive of 13 points. And that was before two of the Supreme Court justices she confirmed voted to overturn Roe v. Wade in 2022. (She was a no on Amy Coney Barrett only after it was clear Coney Barrett would get confirmed anyway.) Collins faces reelection next year, and while she has not officially declared her candidacy, she told CNN in May: Its certainly my inclination to run, and Im preparing to do so. So far in 2025, Collins has also voted to confirm at least eight explicitly anti-abortion judges to lifetime seats on the federal judiciary, one as recently as this week. It seems plausible she knows shes likely to lose next November and is no longer even trying to court voters. Its no longer of concern to her. WICHITA FALLS (KFDX/KJTL) The North Texas Veterans Council will host its annual Veterans Day Parade on Saturday, November 1, honoring the service and sacrifice of the nations military veterans. Assembly and lineup will begin at 7:30 a.m. at the HotterN Hell building, located at 104 Scott Street in downtown Wichita Falls. Participants should report to the Marshalling Team upon arrival for lineup instructions. The parade will begin at 9 a.m. and will feature local veterans organizations, first responders, and community groups. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Each year, the parade serves as a reminder of the courage and commitment of those who have worn the uniform and a chance for the community to come together in gratitude ahead of Veterans Day on November 11. 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. 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. Oct. 31A violent career criminal who was born in Wilkes-Barre in 1938 was identified as the suspect in the rape and murder of a 9-year-old girl inside a church in Bucks County 63 years ago. Bucks County District Attorney Jennifer Schorn this week announced a grand jury investigation identified William Frederick Schrader as the person who raped and killed Carol Ann Dougherty inside St. Mark's Roman Catholic Church in Bristol on Oct. 22, 1962. Schorn announced the grand jury findings on Wednesday. According to the grand jury 53-page report, Dougherty was riding a bicycle and stopped at the church to pray before returning books at a library when Schrader sexually assaulted and killed the girl. At the time in 1962, Schrader lived less than two blocks away from the church as a witness reportedly saw him outside the church at about the same time Dougherty was seen riding her bicycle. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Schrader was questioned by investigators but fled to Florida and bounced around Texas and Louisiana, eventually settling in Houma, Louisiana, where he lived most of his life, according to Schorn. In 1993, results from a pubic hair sample collected from Schrader showed "significant similarities" to hair found clutched in Dougherty's hand. Of the pubic hair samples collected from 176 men, Schorn stated, 141 were tested. All men who were DNA tested were eliminated and Schrader was the only person who could not be eliminated as the source of the pubic hair found in Dougherty's hand. In another similarity, a Lucky Strike cigarette found at the church was determined to be the same brand Schrader was known to smoke, Schorn stated. Schorn stated the Bucks County Investigative Grand Jury based their findings on several key pieces of evidence: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Eyewitness statements Schrader's confession Forensic exclusion Lies and flight Crime scene evidence And, the opinion by clinical and forensic psychologist Dr. Veronique Valliere, an expert in sex offender assessment and classification. Investigators from the Bucks County District Attorney's Office and the Pennsylvania State Police interviewed Robert Leblanc, Schrader's stepson, in November 2024. During the interview, Leblanc revealed that Schrader had confessed to him on two separate occasions that he murdered a little girl in a Pennsylvania church. Leblanc's statements provided a crucial breakthrough, Schron stated, as Leblanc had no prior knowledge of the case's specific details, such as Schrader being seen outside the church and Dougherty's bicycle. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "This makes his account highly credible, as the details he provided could only have come from a confession by the perpetrator," Schron stated. Schrader died in Louisiana in 2002. He had served time in a Louisiana prison on a manslaughter conviction in the early 1990s. While growing up in Wilkes-Barre in the 1950s, Schrader, then 20 and living at 277 S. Grant St., was charged with firing a shotgun at a 17-year-old boy in the area of the old Pennsylvania Railroad roundhouse just south of Hazle Avenue and Cinderella Street on May 11, 1958, according to archives of the Times Leader. Shotgun pellets were found embedded in the rear wall of Schuler's Garage on Hazle Avenue. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Schrader was convicted of intent to kill with a deadly weapon. While jailed at the Luzerne County Prison, the warden, William B. Healey, requested that Schrader be removed as soon as possible to the Eastern Penitentiary in Philadelphia, as he was assaulting prison guards and other inmates, the Times Leader reported. Schrader was released from the Eastern Penitentiary in 1961 and became a transient, mostly staying with family he had in Lancaster and Bucks counties. FRANKLIN, Va. (WAVY) A Williamsburg man was arrested after an investigation determined he intended to engage in sexual activity with a juvenile in Franklin, according to the Franklin Police Department. On Oct. 4, officers responded to the 1000 block of Armory Drive to investigate a suspicious situation. A subsequent investigation revealed Melvin Elijawon Porter, 29, traveled to Franklin with the intent of engaging in sexual activity with a juvenile. He was charged with using a vehicle to promote unlawful sexual intercourse. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Porter is being held without bond at the Virginia Peninsula Regional Jail. The investigation also indicated that there may be other incidents involving Porter. Anyone with information regarding Porter is asked to contact Detective Corporal Peter Trimble at (757) 562-8530 or peter.trimble@franklinpolice.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 WAVY.com. Unless emergency measures are taken to refund the programs, 42 million Americans may lose the SNAP benefits that help put food on their tables as of Saturday, Nov. 1 due to the ongoing federal shutdown. That includes 2.9 million in Florida who receive benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the nations largest food aid program. Funding for the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children, known as WIC, may also run out in days, even with a recent emergency cash infusion earlier this month. Both programs, and others funded through the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) such as the Emergency Food Assistance Program, school meals, and senior food boxes are running dry. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A last-minute ruling may help. After multiple nonprofits and mayors filed a federal lawsuit, U.S. District Judge John McConnell said at a hearing Oct. 31 he would block the administration from suspending benefits during the federal shutdown. Will benefits go out Saturday? It remains to be seen. For those in need. food banks and local churches and charities are bracing for millions of hungry Americans in November, and grocery chains, restaurants and third-party delivery services are stepping up. Here's where you can get help. Florida SNAP benefits help low-income families buy healthy food. Where can I get food help in Florida? There are several food assistance programs in Florida that can help. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Feeding Florida: A statewide network of local food banks that serves all 67 counties, part of Feeding America. Feeding Florida offers a searchable map to help you locate a food bank near you, such as: Local food banks: There are also community food banks that may be able to help, such as United Food Bank and Services in East Hillsborough County and the Palm Beach County Food Bank. Check your local listings. However, be aware that food banks are also suffering a dramatically increased demand. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Freedge: A network of public refrigerators that allow communities to share food. There are currently 16 locations in Central and South Florida. LifeNet4Families Community Cafe: The cafe in Lauderhill provides free meals daily. Local churches: Many churches hold food drives to help their community, check near you. The Catholic Churches of Central Florida also offers mobile food drops, you can request assistance here. 211 United Way: Heart of Florida United Way offers a free 211 Information & Referral Line, available 24/7/365, where someone can help you find resources in your area. You can also search their site for local food and meal resources. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement SNAP ending Nov. 1: Brevard restaurants step up for SNAP recipients as shutdown jeopardizes food benefits Winn-Dixie's parent company donating $100,000 to food banks Southeastern Grocers, parent company of Winn-Dixie, on Oct. 31 announced it was donating $100,000 to Feeding America to help provide more than a million meals to families in need. Customers at Winn-Dixie and Harveys Supermarket locations can donate $1 or $5 or round up their bill at checkouts to help. SEG is also starting special offers, beginning Saturday, Nov. 1, to provide immediate relief: Affordable Family Meal Deal (Nov. 530): A hearty meal for $14.99 (regularly $26.45) for Rewards members. Free delivery and no service fees for SNAP recipients (Nov. 130): Via DoorDash, to help stretch grocery budgets. Local giving: Each Winn-Dixie and Harveys Supermarket location will donate $500 in products or gift cards to a local hunger-relief group of their choice. Winn-Dixie and Harveys Supermarket parent company Southeastern Grocers, LLC and the SEG Gives Foundation is donating $100,000 to Feeding America. DoorDash delivery fees waived for SNAP recipients SNAP recipients nationwide can use DoorDash without paying extra delivery or service fees on one order in November from selected stores, the company announced on Oct. 26. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Many of the selected chains are only available in northwestern or Midwest states, but the list also include Sprouts, Dollar General and Stop & Shop. You must a valid SNAP/EBT card to your DoorDash account before you make your purchase. DoorDash also announced it will be donating food from DashMart stores to local food banks. Instacart offering 50% off next grocery order Grocery-delivery company Instacart said Friday, Oct. 31, that customers who receive SNAP benefits can get 50% off their next grocery order, which will be available even if SNAP benefits go out Nov. 1. Instacart also said the company is expanding the number of food banks it supports with food drives from 100 to 300. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Any customer who placed an order in October using a SNAP/EBT card is eligible, the company said. SNAP recipients can get $50 off groceries through Gopuff The grocery delivery company Gopuff is offering $50 off groceries for SNAP recipients in the metro areas they service. The deal is available in two waves throughout November, $25 each, for use on SNAP-eligible items. To use it: Add a SNAP EBT card to your Gopuff account. Add SNAP-eligible groceries to cart. From Nov. 1-15: Use code SNAPRELIEF1 at checkout for $25 off SNAP-eligible items and free delivery. From Nov. 16-30: Use code SNAPRELIEF2 at checkout for $25 off SNAP-eligible items and free delivery. Free and discounted food at these restaurants Some restaurants are trying to make sure people don't go hungry. A growing number of local restaurants are offering meals, especially for kids, check around your local community. Some chains offering deals include: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If you're a government employee working without pay during the shutdown, Pie Heaven in Atlantic Beach is offering free chicken pot pies. How many Floridians get SNAP, WIC benefits? About 2.98 million Floridians received SNAP during fiscal year 2024, about 12.7% of the state's population. The national average is 12.3%. In May 2025, 428,605 Floridians received WIC benefits. Florida had the fourth-highest number of WIC participants in the country behind California, Texas and New York, according to USDA data. Can I still use the balance on my EBT card during the shutdown? Yes, you still can use your existing SNAP benefits, which roll over every month if not used. You can check your EBT card's balance at ebtEDGE.com or by calling 888-356-3281. Contributing: Gray Rohrer, USA TODAY NETWORK - Florida This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: SNAP help offered with free or reduced food deals in Florida American Family Children's Hospital in Madison. An annual report from the Wisconsin Hospital Association says hospitals in the state are doing better financially, but face uncertainty. (Photo by Erik Gunn/Wisconsin Examiner) Uncompensated health care at Wisconsin hospitals rose more then 30% in 2024 from the year before, according to a new report from the Wisconsin Hospital Association. People without health insurance or regular health providers are using emergency rooms more, the report also finds. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The association annually assesses the state of Wisconsin hospitals, including their finances, utilization and staffing. The 2024 report was released Thursday. We are seeing a modest improvement in hospital financials across the state, said Kyle OBrien, president of the Wisconsin Hospital Association, in an interview. Nevertheless, he added, theres a lot of uncertainty in the health care market right now. While the states hospitals were doing better in 2024 than in the previous two years, 40 hospitals had a negative operating margin, OBrien said, and many hospitals across the state where margins were positive, but narrow. Uncompensated care includes charity care provided by the hospital with the full knowledge that the cost wont be covered as well as bad debt: care for which the hospital expected to be paid but wasnt. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In 2024, uncompensated care in both categories added up to $1.77 billion a 30.5% increase over the 1.36 billion in uncompensated care in 2023. OBrien said several factors are responsible for that increase. One of those is generally higher deductibles on health insurance plans, requiring patients to spend more out of pocket before their insurance coverage kicks in. If that patient cant pay for that higher out-of-pocket [expense], hospitals are the ones that either have to try to collect those dollars, or they are the ones that provide relief through charity care, bad debt policies, or things like that, OBrien said. For hospitals, another top concern is how much Medicaid pays to cover the cost of care. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement State budgets over the last decade have been increasing Medicaid hospital payments, OBrien said, with the 2025-27 budget having the largest increases to date. Even so, he said, hospital Medicaid reimbursements fall short of fully covering the cost of the care that Medicaid is supposed to cover. Decisions by health insurance to deny coverage are a source of general consternation for hospitals, OBrien said both with group health insurance policies but also for Medicare Advantage policies. Medicare Advantage policies are sold to people eligible for the federal Medicare program but are instead provided by private insurance companies. OBrien said the hospital association is also concerned about projected increases in people without health insurance as a result of higher premiums paid by people who buy their own insurance at the federal marketplace, HealthCare.gov, created under the Affordable Care Act. Enhanced subsidies for HealthCare.gov policies enacted in 2021 will expire at the end of this year unless they are renewed. The subsidies are provided in the form of federal income tax credits for consumers who purchase insurance through HealthCare.gov Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This week the state Office of the Commissioner of Insurance released projected rates for 2026 that reflected the loss of those enhanced subsidies. Those higher costs have prompted widespread predictions that, after years in which enrollment in the marketplace plans has set new records, enrollment will drop off and more people with go without health insurance instead. We are certainly concerned anytime theres a potential that somebody might lose coverage, OBrien said. Federal law requires hospitals to treat patients whether or not they are able to pay. We have been advocating with the congressional delegation to reauthorize those enhanced premium tax credits, OBrien said. He said members of Congress have been focused on issues that are playing out right now [that] may be even bigger than hospital-related issues, but I think that they understand our concerns. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX MILWAUKEE, Wis. (WFRV) Authorities in Wisconsin say one man is now facing multiple felony charges after crashing a vehicle while drunk, resulting in the death of an unborn child. According to a release from the Milwaukee County Sheriffs Office, a deputy on I-43 heading towards the Marquette Interchange was passed around 4:24 Sunday morning by a driver going the wrong way on I-43. As the wrong-way driver, identified as 39-year-old Jorge Alvarez Mathuzima from Milwaukee, approached Greenville Avenue, his SUV crashed with another SUV driven by a pregnant woman, causing it to roll onto its roof and catch fire. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Police in Wisconsin investigating deaths of two men as double homicide, one suspect in custody Multiple deputies responded to the crash, securing Mathuzima, who was complaining of chest pain, and helping other deputies to get the pregnant victim out of her overturned car, whos door was stuck closed due to damage from the crash. Despite puncturing his own hand, one deputy was able to get the door open and help remove the victim from the flaming car. The victim, who was 5-and-a-half months pregnant at the time of the crash, suffered a severe laceration, a fractured rib, a broken nose, and a broken hip. Both Mathuzima and the pregnant victim were taken by ambulance to a local hospital, where the unborn baby was pronounced dead. The MCSO offers condolences to the victim and commends the deputy sheriffs who, in the presence of grave and unknown dangers a burning vehicle, and an impaired driver put themselves in harms way. Absent their quick thinking and decisive actions, the outcome of this tragic crash could have been even worse Milwaukee County Sheriff Denita Ball Deputies say toxicology testing showed that Mathuzima had a Blood Alcohol Content of 0.1569, which is twice the legal limit in Wisconsin. He was arrested and charged with the following: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 1st-Degree Reckless Homicide-Unborn Child A class B felony with a potential sentence of 60 years in prison Homicide-Intoxicated Use/Vehicle-Unborn Child A class D felony that carries a $100,000 fine, 25 years in prison, or both 1st-Degree Reckless Injury A class D felony with a $100,000 fine, 25 years in prison, or both Operating While Intoxicated Causing Injury 1st Offense A misdemeanor carrying fines up to $2,000, one year in jail, or both. No other 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 WFRV Local 5 - Green Bay, Appleton. JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO @STARADVERTISER.COM This home on the 91-400 block of Fort Weaver Road in Ewa Beach burned Wednesday night, killing a 93-year-old woman and sending to other women to a hospital with burn injuries. JAMM AQUINO / JAQUINO @STARADVERTISER.COM This home on the 91-400 block of Fort Weaver Road in Ewa Beach burned Wednesday night, killing a 93-year-old woman and sending to other women to a hospital with burn injuries. A 93-year-old woman was killed and two other women were hospitalized with burn injuries after a fire destroyed an Ewa Beach home Wednesday night, authorities said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Honolulu Fire Department received a 6 :35 p.m 911 call reporting a building fire call at a home in the 91-400 block of Fort Weaver Road. HFD said it responded with 11 units and 40 firefighters, with the first unit arriving at 6 :43 p.m. to find a single-story home with flames and smoke coming from the front of the house, and a detached structure in the back of the property also on fire. While advancing hose lines towards the home and structure, firefighters were met with sounds of explosions, which changed the operational strategy to a defensive posture, resulting in fighting the fire from the exterior, HFD officials said in a news release. The fire was brought under control at 7 :29 p.m., and while searching for occupants in the home, firefighters found a body under a collapsed portion of the home, according to HFD. The Honolulu Police Department said the victim was believed to be a 93-year-old woman. Her official identification will be released by the Medical Examiners Office, police said. HPD has opened an unattended death investigation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Four womenages 28, 31, 53, and 56escaped the fire, but two of them suffered from burns and were hospitalized, HPD said. Honolulu Emergency Medical Services said paramedics responded at about 6 :39 p.m. The women in her 30s was in critical condition and one of the women in her 50s was in serious condition, EMS said. Paramedics treated a total of seven patients who suffered from burns and smoke inhalation, but five of them declined to be taken to a hospital, according to EMS. HFD said the fire was declared extinguished at 9 :17 p.m. and a fire investigator will determine the origin and cause of the blaze and provide damage estimates. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The American Red Cross was called to help those who are displaced. Police closed Fort Weaver Road near the fire for several hours as emergency personnel responded. HFD officials remind the public that smoke alarms are essential in every home. Working smoke alarms save lives, allowing you more time to escape.------------For more fire safety tips go to :------------6 Comments By participating in online discussions you acknowledge that you have agreed to the. An insightful discussion of ideas and viewpoints is encouraged, but comments must be civil and in good taste, with no personal attacks. If your comments are inappropriate, you may be banned from posting. Report comments if you believe they do not follow our. Having trouble with comments ? . Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday reaffirmed India's commitment to a stronger and more stable partnership with ASEAN, emphasising shared prosperity, maritime security, women's participation in UN peacekeeping, and enhanced defence cooperation in the Indo-Pacific. "In today's uncertain world, where many old beliefs and expectations are changing, I believe that the ASEAN-India relationship will remain a strong pillar of stability. Both ASEAN and India have shown rapid economic growth. Naturally, we both look forward to greater economic ties that will lead to mutual prosperity. To further strengthen trade relations with ASEAN, we look forward to the early completion of the review of the ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement," the Defence Minister said in his opening remarks at the ASEAN-India Defence Ministers' Informal Meeting in Kuala Lumpur. He underlined India's role in regional security and its commitment to international law, saying, "India contributes to disaster relief, counter-terrorism and maritime security, and supports freedom of navigation and adherence to international law in the South China Sea." Singh highlighted that maritime cooperation remains a cornerstone of India's engagement with ASEAN. "Maritime security is a central focus of India-ASEAN engagement. I commend ASEAN member states for agreeing to the second edition of the ASEAN-India Maritime Exercise," he said. Emphasising the economic and strategic importance of the Indo-Pacific sea lanes, the Defence Minister added, "Sea lines of communication in the Indo-Pacific are vital for regional stability and prosperity. More than half of India's trade passes through the South China Sea and the Malacca Strait, so secure maritime routes are our top priority." He further noted, "India supports a rules-based maritime order based on the principles of UNCLOS and emphasises peaceful resolution of disputes. ASEAN-led initiatives to establish regional maritime interests are reinforced by India's support. Any Code of Conduct in the South China Sea must respect the legitimate interests of all countries to safeguard regional interests." Turning to the issue of inclusivity in peacekeeping, Singh highlighted India's efforts to promote gender equality and enhance women's roles in international missions. "At the first ASEAN-India Defence Ministers Meeting, an initiative was announced for Women in UN peacekeeping operations. The United Nations has set an ambitious goal to increase women's participation in peacekeeping missions. This goal is based on the experience that the deployment of women peacekeepers makes conflict resolution more achievable and establishes a just peace," he said. "Therefore, taking this initiative forward, I propose a second edition of the ASEAN-India Initiative for Women in UN Peacekeeping Operations. This time too, it will be conducted in two phases - the first phase will consist of tailor-made courses for women military officers, and the second phase will be a table-top exercise focusing on the protection of civilians and the role of women peacekeepers," the Defence Minister added. Singh also called for greater institutional collaboration between India and ASEAN in the defence and security domain. "To further strengthen strategic cooperation between India and ASEAN in the defence and security domain, I propose to establish a dedicated forum that will encourage institutional engagement between defence think tanks from both regions. This initiative will promote dialogue, policy research collaboration, and capacity building to address evolving security challenges in the Indo-Pacific region," he said. "Today, we are sharing a concept note for this proposed forum. I request our ASEAN partner countries to nominate leading defence think tanks, experts, and academics from their countries to participate in this dialogue. I am confident that this dialogue will further strengthen regional cooperation and bring innovation to policy-making and practical execution," he added. Concluding his remarks, Singh invited ASEAN nations to participate in upcoming joint naval engagements to strengthen interoperability and maritime cooperation. "I look forward to the participation of all ASEAN Member States in the ASEAN-India Maritime Exercise and International Fleet Review 2026, to be held in India. These events will further strengthen naval cooperation, enhance interoperability, and help ensure maritime safety, security, and freedom of navigation," he said. The Defence Minister also expressed appreciation for Malaysia's leadership and hospitality. "I thank Malaysia, as Chair of ASEAN & ADMM Plus, for organising this meeting effectively. We will meet again soon to advance our shared goals of peace, security, and progress in the Indo-Pacific region," he said. (ANI) PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) A police standoff in Camas on Friday morning resulted in one woman arrested and charged with domestic violence, authorities said. Just before 11 a.m., the Camas Police Department said they were dispatched to a reported domestic disturbance/assault at an apartment at 206 NE 4th Ave. in Camas. DA Vasquez to address enforcement of camping ban Officers arrived and discovered one of the involved parties had locked herself inside the apartment with a firearm, and she was believed to be suicidal, Camas police said in a press release. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The streets surrounding the home were taped off by police as officers called in for assistance from outside agencies, including the Clark County Sheriffs Office and others. After about a 45-minute standoff with officers, the subject exited the apartment unarmed, Camas police said. Camas resident McKenzie Pfeifer, 31, was taken into custody. She now faces a charge of domestic violence assault-felony. Its unclear who else may have been in the apartment leading up to the incident. The Camas Police Department said they were also assisted by police departments from Washougal, Vancouver, Ridgefield and the Washington State Patrol. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to KOIN.com. OCONEE COUNTY, S.C. (WSPA) The Oconee County Sheriffs Office said one woman was arrested and charged with kidnapping. 36-year-old Rachel Marie Foster of Westminster was arrested and charged with kidnapping, domestic violence, and possession of a weapon during a violent crime. On Thursday morning October 30, deputies met with a victim on Manor Road in Westminster. The victim, an adult male, told authorities that Foster had pointed a gun at him and would not let him leave a house on Crooks Drive, near North Retreat Road. According to warrants, Foster told the victim he should count himself lucky if he made it out without a bullet in him. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Officials reported that Foster would also strategically place chairs around the house to prevent the victim from being able to properly move. When deputies arrived at Crooks Drive, they could not locate Foster at the residence. Inside, officials said they found broken dishes and food thrown around the house. Deputies managed to speak with Foster over the phone, however Foster refused to meet and eventually hung up. At 2:51 p.m. Thursday, Foster was arrested and transported to the Oconee County Detention Center. She was denied bond on all charges, 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. Last month, a Colorado woman named Chrisanna Elser answered her front door and was greeted by a police officer named sergeant Jamie Milliman, who issued an ominous warning about his neighboring town of Bow Mar. You know we have cameras in that jurisdiction and you cant get a breath of fresh air, in or out of that place, without us knowing, correct? he kicked off the conversation, according to alarming reporting by local media site Denverite. Milliman was convinced that Elser had stolen a package off someones stoop. As evidence, Milliman had obtained records compiled by Flock, a controversial police surveillance startup thats taking the United States by storm. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement As a display of the departments technological panopticon, Milliman noted the woman had driven through Bow Mar 20 times the last month. Like I said, we have cameras everywhere in that town, the officer reiterated. Specifically, the officer alleged that Elser had been in Bow Mar from 11:52 until 12:09 exactly on the day the package was stolen. Like I said, nothing gets in or out of the town without us knowing, Milliman said. Though the officer refused to show her any concrete evidence, he ended their chat by serving her a December court summons for petty theft. From then on, I made it a mission every single day, Elser told Denverite. I couldnt believe [that this was] holding over my head until December, and my bosses and my work to be worried and also to waste everybodys time on this. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thankfully, Elser had her own surveillance panopticon: the suite of consumer devices tracking her every move. She got surveillance images from the one store she went to on the day in question, as well as footage from the dashcam of her truck, which Denverite says showed her drive through Bow Mar twice without stopping. She also compiled the trucks GPS records, as well as her phones, and provided home security footage of her confrontation with Milliman to Denverite. As far as the Denver woman could tell, the only reason she was accused was because her vehicle had been registered by Bow Mars Flock cameras at the time the incident occurred. After viewing Elsers evidence, the police department dropped the summons, telling her via email nicely done btw. Its infuriating that the first time Milliman talked to Elser wasnt to gather evidence or hear her side of the story, but to accuse her of a crime which he had already finished investigating. Elser managed to head off the false accusations. But for Black people and other minorities already the subjects of violent over-policing this kind of technological monitoring can have devastating consequences. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In one recent example, a Black 16-year-old high-school student was violently detained at gunpoint by a small army of police after a school AI-system misidentified his bag of Doritos for a gun. In this case too, police were eager to take the algorithms word as evidence enough to terrorize the innocent student. Previously in New York, a Brooklyn father named Trevis Williams was forced to spend two days in jail after the NYPDs contentious facial-recognition software pegged him as a possible match for a crime that had happened two months earlier. (He was also miles away from the crime when it happened, of course.) Whats clear is that without regulation, the marriage of error-prone AI and overly aggressive policing will keep producing new victims. More on policing: Florida Unleashes Autonomous Police Cruisers That Deploy Thermal Imaging Drones EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) A 26-year-old woman was arrested on Saturday, Oct. 18, for identity theft after drafting a loan and depositing a check at GECU with another identity, according to the news release by the El Paso Police Department. Ilian Irais Rodriguez, 26, is facing two counts of fraud use of personal identifying information. She was booked into the El Paso County Detention Facility with a total bond of $15,000. Ilian Irais Rodriguez. Photo courtesy of the El Paso Police Department. On Jan. 30, a victim contacted the El Paso Police Telephone Reporting Unit and reported an unknown person had drafted a loan in their name and deposited a check at GECU. An identity theft report was made. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A financial crimes detective was assigned to the case and identified Rodriguez as the individual involved in identity theft. On Jan. 31, the case was presented to the District Attorneys Office for review. On Aug. 10, Rodriguez was indicted by the 384th 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 KTSM 9 News. YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) A city woman was indicted Thursday by a Mahoning County grand jury for running over a woman with an SUV during an argument. Lenine McCants, 37, is charged with felonious assault, a second-degree felony. She has been in the county jail on $50,000 bond since her Sept. 30 arrest by city police. A police report said officers were called Sept. 19 for a report of a fight, and when they arrived, a woman told them she had gone to the home to confront McCants because McCants kept calling the womans job and telling people she was sleeping with McCants boyfriend. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The woman denied any relationship with McCants boyfriend, reports said. The address to which the police were called was redacted in the police report. The report said McCann got in an SUV, drove forward, ran the woman over, then backed up and drove away. The woman had black and blue marks on her legs, reports said. Reports did not say if she was taken to a hospital for treatment. 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. Police are searching for a hit-and-run driver who left a woman dead and a man severely injured in the San Fernando Valley Thursday night. The crash was reported shortly after 10:30 p.m. as the victims were walking across Foothill Boulevard, just north of Kagel Canyon Street, in the Hansen Dam area of Los Angeles. A driver in an early 2000s red Honda Accord traveling northbound on Foothill Boulevard struck both pedestrians and then failed to stop and render aid, the Los Angeles Police Department said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The woman, identified only as a 46-year-old woman, was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics. The 40-year-old man suffered severe injuries and was taken to a local hospital for treatment, according to the LAPD. No description of the Accord driver was available. Motorists are reminded that if they become involved in a collision, they should pull over and stop as soon as it is safe to do so, notify emergency services, and remain at the scene to identify themselves, police said. Detectives are urging the public to come forward with any information regarding the crash. Anyone with information can contact Officer Reyes at 818-644-8114 or Officer Gallo at 818-644-8119. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Those who prefer to remain anonymous can call Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477 or go to the lacrimestoppers.org 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 KTLA. Russian forces attacked Dnipropetrovsk Oblast with artillery, FPV drones and loitering munitions on the afternoon of 31 October, killing a woman and injuring two other people. Source: Vladyslav Haivanenko, acting head of Dnipropetrovsk Oblast Military Administration Details: The Synelnykove, Nikopol and Pavlohrad districts came under attack. A firefighter extinguishing a fire. Photo: Vladyslav Haivanenko In the Nikopol district, the Russians struck the city of Nikopol as well as the Myrove, Marhanets, and Chervonohryhorivka hromadas with artillery and FPV drones. [A hromada is an administrative unit designating a village, several villages, or a town, and their adjacent territories ed.] Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement A 75-year-old man was injured. He was taken to hospital in a moderate condition. Six houses, five outbuildings and a gas pipeline were damaged, while another house was destroyed by fire. The aftermath of a Russian attack. Photo: Vladyslav Haivanenko In the Pavlohrad district, a drone hit a business, injuring a 58-year-old man who was taken to hospital. In the Synelnykove district, an 86-year-old woman was killed in the Malomykhailivka and Pokrovske hromadas. The Russians destroyed one house, damaged another two and partially ruined local infrastructure. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! Leeann Steel pleaded not guilty before a judge in Jeannette this afternoon, but it was in a home in Hempfield Township where she reportedly admitted to shooting her husband. PREVIOUS COVERAGE >>> Woman calls 911 after shooting, killing her husband in Westmoreland County, police say Only Channel 11 was there to question Leeann Steel as she pleaded not guilty to killing her husband, William. When police arrived at their home on Merlin Avenue on Oct. 18, William was found on the floor with a hole in his chest, eyes open and barely breathing. He was later pronounced dead at the hospital as a result of the gunshot wound. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to police, Leeann admitted to shooting her husband. Now, were hearing from Leeanns lawyer about why. If youre in your home, and youre in your bedroom, and someone comes in with a gun and threatens you with your life, it shouldnt matter if youre living there as a husband or wife. You should have the right to defend yourself, said Tim Andrews, who represents Leeann Steel. Pennsylvania State Police Trooper Nathan Patterson and Cpl. Mathew Myers testified in court, saying there was only a gun in the closet where William was killed and no shell casings. William was also known to use a walker and wheelchair. The judge decided to hold Leeann on the charge of criminal homicide. A formal arraignment is set for Dec. 3. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The courtroom was also full of family and friends of both Leeann and William Steel, but they declined to comment. Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW On Millbury Street in Worcester, the Pernet Family Health Service is cutting the ribbon on a new Customer Choice food pantry. The new service allows customers to choose their own food off the pantrys shelves. Right now, this pantry delivers up to 6-thousand pounds of food a week to more than 100 Worcester families, but there is concern over how many people the pantry can help if SNAP Benefits are cut. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Its very frustrating. Sometimes it feels like youre swimming upstream, said Joel Wallen, the Associate Executive Director at Pernet. While theres an increase in need, we might not have an increase in the amount of food that we can distribute. Unfortunately, this means we are going to have to turn more people away. The Pernet food pantry is one of 28 food pantries that partner with the Greater Worcester Food Bank. Were very, very concerned about whats going to happen if people dont get their SNAP benefits, Greater Worcester Food Bank CEO Jean McMurray said. She tells me there will be enough food available in Central Massachusetts, but shes hoping the crisis is not long-lived. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We cannot meet the gap that is being created. For every one meal that a food bank provides with donated food, snap benefits provide 9. So thats the stark reality were talking about, McMurray said. As Massachusetts food banks prepare for what might happen next, the heated debate in Washington over the federal government shutdown grows hotter. Republicans accuse Democrats of playing politics. Here in Worcester, Congressman Jim McGovern, a Democrat, blames the White House. They have the ability to move money around. But they are doing this deliberately, they are weaponizing hunger, Rep. McGovern said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If you would like to help the Pernet Family Health Service Food Bank with a donation of any kind, go to Home - Pernet Family Health Service 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. Follow Boston 25 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch Boston 25 News NOW NEED TO KNOW Eonias Mateo-Perez, 22, was killed in July 2024 when he was allegedly pulled into a wood chipper while operating the machine at a New Jersey cemetery, authorities said A lawsuit was filed against the wood chipper's manufacturer on Oct. 21 The complaint obtained by PEOPLE alleged Mateo-Perez suffered death and economic damages as a result of the company's conduct A 22-year-old worker was "brutally killed" when he was allegedly "sucked" into a wood chipper at a New Jersey cemetery, according to a lawyer. Now his family is suing, alleging the machine was defective. According to the Hunterdon County Prosecutor's Office, the victim, Eonias Mateo-Perez, was found dead on July 10, 2024, when police officers were dispatched to Saint Magdalen Cemetery in Flemington, following a 911 call. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Authorities said that Mateo-Perez died from "injuries received while operating tree-chipping equipment, and based on a preliminary investigation, his death appears to be accidental. The prosecutor's office also stated that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's investigation was pending. In a complaint filed with the Superior Court of New Jersey on Oct. 21 and later obtained by PEOPLE, the estate of Mateo-Perez is suing the Michigan-based company Bandit Industries for strict liability. The complaint stated that Mateo-Perez, an employee of William LaRue Services, was operating the wood chipper and feeding trees into it. While using the Woodchipper, [Mateo-Perez] was drawn into the Woodchipper and died, the complaint alleged. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Mateo-Perezs family claimed that the Bandit Industries' wood chipper was defective, according to the complaint. The equipment lacked adequate warnings, lacked features necessary to make it safe for its intended use, contained design features which made it unsafe for its intended purpose, was designed in such a way that the Woodchipper did not properly shut off, and did not prevent a user being drawn into the machine," the court papers alleged. The complaint also accused Bandit Industries of failing to warn consumers, including of the wood chippers dangerous nature, and that the company did not incorporate reasonable alternative safer designs into the product that would have prevented Mateo-Perezs death. As a result of Bandit Industries' conduct, the complaint alleged, Mateo-Perez suffered death and economic damages. Mateo-Perezs estate is seeking a trial by jury, according to the complaint. According to his obituary, Mateo-Perez was born in Guatemala and resided in Flemington. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Bruce Nagel, an attorney for Mateo-Perezs estate, told PEOPLE in a statement on Monday, Oct. 27, that the "hard-working young man" was "feeding brush into the woodchipper when he was sucked into the machine and brutally killed." Never miss a story sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. PEOPLE reached out to Bandit Industries, OSHA and the Hunterdon County Prosecutors Office for comments. Read the original article on People Violations against journalists in Pakistan jumped nearly 60 per cent over the past year, a media watchdog said, warning of a "worsening environment" for press freedom under Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's government, Arab News reported. The findings are part of the Annual State of Impunity Report 2025 by Freedom Network, a Pakistan-based media rights and civil liberties organisation that monitors and advocates for press freedom, journalist safety, and digital rights across the country. The report was produced with the support of International Media Support (IMS) and released ahead of the UN-designated International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists on November 2, as reported by Arab News. Freedom Network documented at least 142 cases of violations against journalists and media professionals between November 2024 and September 2025, a nearly 60 per cent rise from the previous year. In the watchdog's framework, "violations" include physical assaults, legal cases, harassment and censorship against journalists and media workers, covering both physical and non-physical threats to press freedom, as per Arab News. The report noted that 36 legal cases were filed against 30 journalists under Pakistan's Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) and Pakistan Penal Code, many in Punjab province, the country's most populous and richest region. The government amended PECA in early 2025 to make its punitive provisions harsher, prompting concern from rights groups that it is being used to target dissenting voices online. The government denies this. "The use of legal framework to crack down on free expression is a tool the federal government is now using excessively, targeting critical voices," Freedom Network Executive Director Iqbal Khattak was quoted as saying in the report. "Pakistan cannot afford to silence critical media, which is equally important in a democratic dispensation," as per Arab News. The watchdog stated that the post-election climate following the February 2024 general polls had "made almost every region in Pakistan unsafe for journalism," with attacks reported across all provinces and territories. Punjab and Islamabad emerged as the most dangerous places for journalists, accounting for 28 per cent each of all recorded violations, followed by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh, Balochistan, and PoK. No incidents were reported from the northern PoGB region. Television journalists were the most frequently targeted, followed by those working in print and digital outlets. Freedom Network said the surge in threats and cases has created "a hostile environment for media," urging authorities to strengthen protections and end impunity for attacks on journalists, as per Arab News. The watchdog said, "It indicate a worsening environment of freedom of expression and safety of journalists in the country under Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif's government." (ANI) TOWNSEND, Tenn. (WATE) The deal to keep the Great Smoky Mountains National Park open has been extended into the new year as the government shutdown continues. The state and local partners will provide funding to allow key areas of the park to remain open to the public through Sunday, January 4, 2026, if the shutdown continues. This extension will allow Cades Cove Loop Road to remain open to the public, along with all visitor centers and picnic areas that are normally open this time of year. However, this agreement will only fund staff positions for those directly related to basic visitor services, and many park employees could be furloughed if the shutdown continues beyond Nov. 2, when the previous agreement was set to end. Where to find free food in East Tennessee as SNAP benefits lapse Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement This agreement also saw Friends of the Smokies join the effort to support the park, alongside Sevier County, the Cities of Gatlinburg, Sevierville, Pigeon Forge, and Pittman Center, Blount County, Cocke County, the State of Tennessee, the Tennessee Department of Tourist Development, and the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. Friends of the Smokies is the nonprofit partner of the national park and is funded through donations and specialty license plates. The official agreement to keep the Smokies open is between the Sevier County Government and the National Park Service. Friends of the Smokies explained that Sevier County pays the federal government directly, while the other partners pay their share to Sevier County. The cost to keep the park open into January with basic services and reduced staffing is $80,000 per week. The state is contributing $25,000 of the weekly total, while the remaining seven partners provide $7,000 weekly. The Friends added that fees collected for recreation and parking within GSMNP will also be used to fund essential operations. This is a tough time for our partners in the national park, said Dana Soehn, President and CEO of Friends of the Smokies. Friends of the Smokies is proud to help fund staffing through the holidays so emergency services, restrooms, and visitor centers can remain open when visitation is high. Still, were deeply saddened that critical work treating hemlocks, repairing trails, and preserving historic cabins will pause due to furloughed staff. Caring for this park is year-round work, and the best news will be a fully funded park with an end to the shutdown. Leftover food from Tennessee football games helping feed families in need Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The agreement will allow planned events to continue, including the Cades Cove Loop Lope 10-mile and 5K race on Nov. 9, 2025. However, the park will still close every November and December as usual. For more details, check the parks seasonal facility schedule. Visitor Centers Cades Cove (Cable Mill) Visitor Center, Oconaluftee Visitor Center, and Sugarlands Visitor Center are open year-round Kuwohi Visitor Center and Kuwohi Road are open until November 30, subject to closure due to snow, ice and other hazardous weather events Roads and Motor Nature Trails Anthony Creek Horse Camp open until November 8 Newfound Gap Road, Cades Cove Loop Road, Upper Tremont Road, Wear Cove Road, Cataloochee Road, and the Foothills Parkway open year-round, subject to closure due to snow, ice and other hazardous weather events Kuwohi Road open until November 30, subject to closure due to snow, ice and other hazardous weather events Forge Creek Road open until December 31, subject to closure due to snow, ice and other hazardous weather events Parson Branch Road and Rich Mountain Road open until November 9 Little Greenbrier Road open until November 29 Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail open until November 29, subject to closure due to snow, ice and other hazardous weather events Hiking Trails Most hiking trails remain open year-round; however, some trailheads may be inaccessible to motor vehicles due to seasonal or weather-related road closures. Numerous trails remain closed in the Cataloochee area due to damage from Hurricane Helene. Check the park website for the latest status on all trails: https://www.nps.gov/grsm/planyourvisit/temproadclose.htm Park Concessions Smokemont Riding Stable open until November 22 LeConte Lodge open until November 25 Cades Cove Riding Stable and Sugarlands Riding Stable open until December 6 Cades Cove Campground Store and Bike Rental open until December 13 Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Keep in mind that some roads may close due to weather, especially at higher elevations like Newfound Gap Road and Kuwohi Road. For the latest information on closures, visit the parks Current Conditions page. READ: More top stories on WATE.com The Great Smoky Mountains National Park welcomed over 12 million visitors last year, and visitor spending in the region topped $2 billion. A recently-released report found that 95.2% of visitor spending was made by non-local visitors to the Smokies, with 76.3% in Tennessee and 23.7% on the North Carolina side. 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. WARWICK, R.I. (WPRI) Nearly a dozen unionized workers at T.F. Green International Airport handed out flyers Thursday to protest leaderships drastic decision to cut hours and staffing. According to Local 32BJ SEIU, the Rhode Island Airport Corporation (RIAC) recently approved a plan to slash cleaning hours which would decrease cleaning staff to nearly 50%. The flyers claim RIAC voted to approve millions of dollars in renovations at the airport while simultaneously cutting 12 positions from the current 27-member cleaning crew. Workers are urging the public to contact RIAC CEO Iftikhar Ahmad and demand the safeguarding of their current positions. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement READ ALSO: TF Green to undergo $64 million terminal renovation Some cleaners have held their jobs at the airport for 20 years, making impending cuts a tremendous source of stress, the union wrote, noting that their work contributed to T.F. Greens recognition as one of the top-rated small airports in the country. TF Green workers protest job cuts Oct. 30, 2025. (Courtesy: Roxana Martinez-Gracias) TF Green workers protest job cuts Oct. 30, 2025. (Courtesy: Roxana Martinez-Gracias) However, a spokesperson for RIAC pushed back on the unions claims, saying the June procurement process for janitorial services was fully transparent and followed all state and federal requirements. RIAC said the goal of the new contract wasnt to reduce janitorial staff, but to enforce accountability and improve performance. The bid didnt limit how many employees a contractor could hire but instead required a set number of total work hours. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement RIAC is not in a position, nor is it legally permitted, to create additional positions at a cost of $93,000 per position for janitorial roles that fall outside the scope of a competitively awarded contract, simply to satisfy a union demand based on a previously underperforming vendor, RIAC said. The agency determined that 2,700 hours per month of custodial coverage were necessary to maintain a clean and safe terminal. According to RIAC, the previous contractor didnt submit a proposal to renew its contract after being cited multiple times for dirty restrooms and poor upkeep. Following months of documented performance failures, RIAC said they issued two violation letters in July for serious, repeated and unacceptable issues, but the company did not correct them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After a competitive evaluation of bids from five companies, RIAC awarded the contract to a new vendor, which will begin work on Oct. 31. RIAC added that it is now under a legally binding contract with the new vendor, backed by a performance bond, and argued that Local 32BJ SEIU is demanding an arbitrary increase in staffing using a poorly performing previous vendor as the yardstick. Pointing to T.F. Greens #1 ranking in the U.S. by Travel + Leisure, the agency said the airports reputation was earned through the dedication of RIACs workforce, not through substandard janitorial service. MORE: TF Green voted best in America, beating out major US airports Download the WPRI 12 and Pinpoint Weather 12 apps to get breaking news and weather alerts. Watch 12 News Now on WPRI.com or with the free WPRI 12+ TV app. Follow us on social media: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Daily Roundup Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WPRI.com. A meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney in South Korea on Friday "marked a turning point in the bilateral relationship," Carney's office announced. The two leaders met on the margins of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Gyeongju. The meeting follows an agreement between Xi and US President Donald Trump on Thursday on easing Chinese-US trade relations. "Both leaders directed their officials to move quickly to resolve outstanding trade issues and irritants," Carney's office said. "They discussed solutions to respective sensitivities regarding issues including agriculture and agri-food products, such as canola, as well as seafood and electric vehicles." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement They also discussed cooperation on energy, manufacturing, climate change and international finance, and Carney accepted an invitation to visit China "at a mutually convenient time." China's official Xinhua news agency reported that Xi described the meeting as an opportunity to return mutual relations to a healthy path, stressing that the two countries should regard each other in a "correct" way. The improvement in previously troubled Chinese-Canadian relations followed Trump's announcement of additional 10% tariffs on Canada over what he saw as a misleading Canadian advertising campaign against tariffs. Canada and China had also raised tariffs. In August, Beijing imposed restrictions on canola imports, after Ottawa slapped a 100% tariff on Chinese-made electrical vehicles. Earlier points of difference include the arrest of a Huawei executive by Canadian authorities in 2018 and the detention of two Canadians in China. GYEONGJU, South Korea (AP) The leaders of China and Canada took a step toward mending the long-fractured ties between their countries on Friday. Chinese President Xi Jinping and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, meeting in South Korea during an Asia-Pacific summit, called for improving ties in a pragmatic and constructive manner, according to both sides. The leaders agreed that their meeting marked a turning point in the bilateral relationship, a Canadian statement said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Xi was quoted as saying that relations are showing signs of recovery, thanks to the joint efforts of both sides. We are willing to work together with Canada to take this meeting as an opportunity to promote the return of bilateral relations to a healthy, stable and sustainable track as soon as possible, Xi said, according to an official report distributed by China's state media. Carney, who became prime minister in March, accepted an invitation from Xi to visit China, the Canadian statement said, without specifying any date. Carney also later told reporters he was very pleased with the outcome. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We now have a turning point in the relationship, a turning point that creates opportunities for Canadian families, for Canadian businesses and Canadian workers, and also creates a path to address current issues," he said. Relations took a nosedive in late 2018 after Canadian authorities arrested a senior executive of Chinese tech giant Huawei as a part of its extradition agreement with the United States. China then arrested two Canadian citizens and charged then with espionage. Ties didn't improve much even after the 2021 release of the two Canadians, Michael Kovrig and Michael Spavor, and the Chinese executive, Meng Wenzhou, who is the daughter of Huawei's founder. More recently, relations have been shaken by Canada's decision to levy a 100% tariff on electric vehicles from China in 2024 and a 25% tariff on steel and aluminum. China has offered to remove its import taxes on some Canadian products if Canada drops the EV tariff. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Canada made the move last in tandem with the U.S. The Canadian statement said that both leaders directed their officials to move quickly to resolve trade issues and irritants and discussed solutions for specific products such as EVs, canola and seafood. Xi called for expanding pragmatic cooperation in areas such as the economy, trade and energy. Both Canada and China have been hit by tariffs imposed by U.S. President Donald Trump. Canadian canola producers, seafood exporters and pork farmers are dealing with steep Chinese tariffs in retaliation for the 100% tariff Canada imposed on Chinese electric vehicles, batteries and other goods last year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Chinas ambassador in Ottawa recently said Beijing would drop its levies if Ottawa cancels the EV tariffs. The attempt at rapprochement comes as Carney looks to double Canada's non-U.S. exports in the next decade and as Trump says he plans raise tariffs on imports of Canadian goods by an extra 10%. Canada's free trade agreement with the U.S. is up for review. The Trump administration is very likely to resent this rapprochement between Canada and China but the White Houses protectionist policies are at least partly to blame for it, something U.S. officials should know," said Daniel Beland, a political-science professor at McGill University in Montreal. Removing EV tariffs on China and allowing for the sale of Chinese EV vehicles would probably infuriate the Trump White House but moving in that direction would also send a strong message about the rapprochement between Canada and China while making more affordable EV cars accessible to Canadian consumers. ___ Gillies contributed to this report from Toronto. China and the United States have reached a truce on thorny issues ranging from soybeans and rare earths to fentanyl, following Thursday's meeting between Presidents Xi Jinping and Donald Trump. Catch up on our live coverage of Xi and Trump's first in-person meeting since the latter's return to the White House. The high-stakes summit between Xi and Trump took place in Busan, South Korea, on Thursday and lasted 100 minutes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Do you have questions about the biggest topics and trends from around the world? Get the answers with SCMP Knowledge, our new platform of curated content with explainers, FAQs, analyses and infographics brought to you by our award-winning team. With smiles, firm handshakes and warm gestures, Xi and his US counterpart set a cordial, friendly tone before their historic summit. More than an hour and a half later, they emerged from their first face-to-face encounter in six years with the same genial manner. href=https://www.scmp.com/economy/global-economy/article/3330907/us-china-soybean-deal-signals-yearly-negotiations-farmers-hope-steady-trade data-entity-uuid=9e72709d-d5dc-4901-91f0-b1bc570ae104 data-entity-type=node data-entity-bundle=article>China's US soybean buys bring relief to farmers, but permanent deal elusive A While China's resumption of US soybean purchases has brought relief to American farmers - who spent months worried their largest buyer may never return - analysts said they expected the trade of agricultural products to become a regular part of bilateral negotiations in the coming years. Amid the apparent absence of a concrete deal being reached with Washington on one of Beijing's long-standing points of trade contention - export controls on the most advanced semiconductors - analysts say it reflects China's increasing resolve to become more independent from the US. The Dutch government is under renewed pressure to end its seizure of the Chinese-owned, Netherlands-based semiconductor company Nexperia, after Washington agreed to suspend its updated export control rule for one year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After months of threats, chest-thumping and uncertainty, the world breathed a collective sigh of relief on Thursday after a meeting between Trump and Xi teased at least temporary relief on a host of bilateral trade irritants. The first in-person summit between Chinese and American leaders since Trump's return to office marked a symbolic reset in the balance of power between the two rivals, yielding a time-bound agreement to pause escalation in their intensifying trade conflict. In a stark departure from past China-US summits, Taiwan did not rate a mention on Thursday, prompting speculation that Xi and Trump had arrived at a tacit and pragmatic understanding to deprioritise the contentious issue. Brazil's soybean producers are downplaying concerns over a freshly minted US-China trade agreement that will see Beijing resume large-scale purchases of American soybeans, insisting the 12 million tonnes (13.23 million tons) pledged represents routine seasonal trade rather than a market upheaval. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement 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 U.S. Treasury Department sanctioned a Mexico-based criminal organization and its leader on Thursday for smuggling thousands of migrants from Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and South America into the United States. The Bhardwaj Human Smuggling Organization, led by dual Indian-Mexican national Vikrant Bhardwaj, operated from Cancun using yachts, marinas, and a network of businesses across Mexico, India, and the UAE to facilitate illegal border crossings. The sanctions freeze all U.S. assets of the organization, Bhardwaj, three associates, and 16 companies linked to the operation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The network generated thousands of dollars per migrant while also trafficking drugs and laundering money through legitimate businesses. At the direction of Secretary Bessent and President Trump, the Treasury Department is taking action to crack down on human smugglers, said Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence John K. Hurley. Todays action, in collaboration with our law enforcement partners, disrupts this networks ability to smuggle illegal aliens into the United States. The sophisticated operation transported migrants by air and sea to Cancun, housed them in hotels and hostels, and then coordinated their transport to the U.S.-Mexico border. The group worked with the previously sanctioned Hernandez Salas cartel and received support from Sinaloa Cartel employees. Bhardwaj, who identifies as the CEO of multiple companies, had evaded law enforcement while profiting from smuggling and drug trafficking. His wife, Indu Rani, managed financial operations as a co-shareholder of several businesses. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Key associates included Jose German Valadez Flores, a businessman who bribed Mexican officials, and Jorge Alejandro Mendoza Villegas, a former police officer who used airport access to coordinate migrant arrivals. The sanctioned companies spanned restaurants, real estate firms, yacht services, supermarkets, and energy trading operations across three countries. Treasury officials coordinated the action with Homeland Security Investigations, the DEA, and Mexicos financial intelligence unit. Violations of the sanctions can result in civil or criminal penalties for U.S. and foreign individuals. Oct. 30---- A long-shuttered cabinet manufacturing facility in Yellow Medicine County will be re-purposed as an indoor growing facility for cannabis. The on Tuesday voted 4-1 to approve a conditional use permit for G and L LLC of New York, New York. Company representatives told the commissioners that owners Gilberto Mercado and Michael A. Rodriguez hope to begin operations in January. They expect to employ 15 to 20 full-time employees along with 10 part-time workers as cultivation gets underway. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The company will be converting three buildings for marijuana cultivation that are part of the former Archon Woodworks site located immediately north of a small community of 376 people. Archon Woodworks, formerly Hoffco, ceased operations there in March 2019. It represented a loss of 50 to 60 jobs for the area. The county's Planning Commission unanimously recommended approval of the permit for G and L LLC with nine conditions. They include security requirements and a prohibition on processing, manufacturing or retail sales at the site. They also include a requirement that the facility not have any signs or advertising on its exterior. The county commissioners added a 10th condition at the suggestion of County Attorney Mark Gruenes. It requires that the company designate an in-state representative for the permit. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One person voiced objections to the permit at the commissioners' meeting. "This is going to be putting a seal of approval on marijuana for the kids," Mark Hoeper, of Granite Falls, told the commissioners prior to their vote at the Oct. 28 meeting. "Just because you can do something doesn't mean you should." Commissioner Mitch Kling said the Planning Commission heard similar concerns about the potential impact on youth expressed at a public hearing held one week earlier on the permit. The commission also heard support for the jobs the new business will create and its investment in the former manufacturing site, Kling said. Board Chair John Berends told Hoeper that the commissioners have to follow state statutes in considering a permit for the business. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "If we were voting on legalizing marijuana, it would be a much different outcome from this board," said the board chair. Commissioner Ron Antony said they have to treat the business as an agricultural operation under state law. "Doing it as best as we can to not affect our local community," he said. Commissioners Kling and Glen Kack made the motion to approve the permit, and Antony and Berends also voted for it. Greg Renneke voted no. Representing G and L LLC at the meeting were Trent Thies, a value-added real estate developer who owns the property after purchasing it at a bank sale, and Jared Schroeder, of Meta Commercial Cannabis. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement According to its website, is a Minnesota-based consulting firm that specializes in helping cannabis entrepreneurs navigate the complexities of the industry. Schroeder told the commissioners that the operations will not adversely affect the community. The cannabis will never be seen outside of the buildings, and there is no odor. The operations involve only cultivation. There will be no retail sales. The product will be transported by box trucks and vans to other locations for processing. The two representatives said the owners and their families intend to move to the community. Schroeder said they are very committed to the community and to ensuring that the product is available only to adults. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Thies and Schroeder told the West Central Tribune that the cultivation facility will help meet a major and fast-growing demand for its product as newly licensed cannabis dispensaries open in the state. They explained that the Wood Lake buildings represent an opportunity for Mercado and Rodriguez, the owners of G and L LLC. As a former manufacturing site, the buildings already have the electrical infrastructure and open interior space needed for conversion to their new purpose. The company will be leasing approximately 36,000 square feet of the approximately 100,000 square feet of the buildings on the site. G and L LLC is interested in possible expansion at the site, Thies said, but added that he is also marketing the available space for other potential commercial or warehouse uses. The current plans for the site involve only cultivation. The owners could consider some processing at the site in the future, but would need a new permit to do so, according to Thies and Schroeder. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Jolene Johnson, planning and zoning director for said G and L LLC was pre-approved by the state of Minnesota for cannabis cultivation pending county approval. She said the operations are subject to an extensive set of licensing requirements as overseen by the Minnesota Office of Cannabis Management. The security requirements include fencing and video monitoring and a controlled locking system on all doors. Yemens Houthi-run government will put dozens of detained United Nations staff on trial, alleging that they have spied for Israel or had links to an Israeli air strike that killed the prime minister, according to officials. Abdulwahid Abu Ras, Yemens acting foreign minister, told the Reuters news agency on Friday that a cell within the UNs World Food Programme was involved in directly targeting the government. The Houthi prime minister and nine other ministers were killed in an Israeli strike on the capital Sanaa in August, the first such attack to kill senior officials. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The UN, which has repeatedly rejected Houthi accusations, said on Friday that a total of 36 UN employees were arrested after Israels attack. It says that at least 59 UN personnel are being held by the group. Abu Ras told Reuters that security agencies were acting under full judicial supervision and that public prosecutors were being kept informed step by step. It was certain, he said, that the process would lead to trials and the issuance of judicial rulings. Separately, Nasruddin Amer, a senior Houthi official, told the dpa news agency on Friday that the detained UN workers would be tried on charges of spying for Israel. The judiciary will determine the penalty for those accused of spying for Israel in accordance with Yemeni law, Amer said. This is not a law we enacted. It is a law that has been in effect and applied in the country by previous regimes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The UN defendants are Yemenis and could face the death penalty under the nations laws. Trial not against the organisations Hundreds of UN personnel, including a small number of international staff, remain in parts of Houthi-controlled Yemen, according to Farhan Haq, deputy spokesperson for the UN secretary general. Houthi security forces entered several UN offices in Sanaa on Sunday. The UN says it is operating under increasingly difficult conditions, hindering its ability to provide assistance to those in need in Yemen. Amer told dpa: The trial is not against the organisations, but against those who exploited humanitarian work to carry out espionage against our country and our people. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Abu Ras claimed that the Houthis are supporting humanitarian provision, and will assist organisations committed to the principles of humanitarian work, facilitating their activities and work. There was no immediate comment from the World Food Programme. Since Israel launched its war on Gaza in October 2023, the Houthis have targeted vessels in the Red Sea and carried out drone and missile attacks against Israel, saying that they are acting in solidarity with Palestinians under fire in Gaza. Israel has regularly struck the war-torn country, targeting civilian infrastructure, including residential buildings and the main international airport, while killing dozens at a time. Last month, Israeli strikes on Sanaa and the northern province of al-Jawf killed dozens of people, including journalists and children. Afghan Military Analysts have claimed that training centres of the Islamic State (IS) terror outfit are being run in Pakistan, Tolo News reported on Friday. While Pakistani officials consistently claim that no groups such as ISIS operate within their territory, recent developments suggest that ISIS-Khorasan (ISIS-K) still maintains safe havens and active networks in Pakistan, as per Tolo News. Security sources told TOLOnews that Nusrat, also known as Pahlawan Musa and Abu Zar, one of the key figures in ISIS-K, was recently killed in Peshawar. The assassination of a senior ISIS-K member in the city of Peshawar has once again raised questions about the group's presence and activities on the other side of the Durand Line, as per Tolo News. He reportedly played a role in planning attacks in Kabul during 2022 and 2023 and led the group's "Pahlawan" centre in Pakistan. Afghan security sources have also confirmed the arrest of an ISIS terrorist identified as Saeedullah, who admitted to receiving terrorist training in Pakistan before infiltrating Afghanistan through the Torkham border crossing, Tolo News reported on Thursday. In a video released by Taliban authorities, the detained terrorist confessed that he entered Afghanistan using a fake identity card under the name "Mohammad." He further revealed that he underwent ideological and combat training in Pakistan's Quetta region. "When I entered Afghanistan with a fake ID card, my name here was Mohammad. In Quetta, when I went to the mountains, significant efforts were made to mentally indoctrinate me," the ISIS member said in the footage. The arrest has reignited regional debate over Pakistan's alleged role in harbouring and training terrorist elements. Analysts believe that the continued killing and capture of ISIS operatives on both sides of the Durand Line highlight Islamabad's complicity in fostering insecurity in Afghanistan, Tolo News reported. Sarwar Niazi, a military analyst, told Tolo News, "It's clear that Pakistan has long trained terrorist groups on its soil and sent them to neighboring countries, especially Afghanistan, to serve its interests." Zalmay Khalilzad, former US Special Envoy for Afghan Peace, also confirmed that a key ISIS-K member responsible for plotting attacks in Kabul had been killed in Peshawar. He has repeatedly called on Pakistan to stop providing a haven to this group. Some military experts say the incident highlights that the threat posed by ISIS is not confined to Afghanistan's borders but is rooted regionally. They stress that genuine regional cooperation is essential to fully eliminate the group, as per Tolo News. Aziz Maarej, a political analyst, stated: "It is a fact that Pakistan is the producer of terrorism in the region." Nisar Ahmad Sherzad, another political analyst, added: "The killing of senior ISIS leaders in Pakistan shows the country supports the group and that its training centers are located within Pakistani territory." This is not the first time reports have emerged about the presence or killing of ISIS commanders in Pakistan, as per Tolo News. Earlier, on January 22 this year, the Central Commission for Security and Clearance of Afghanistan had reported that newly recruited ISIS fighters were being transferred from Karachi and Islamabad airports to training camps in Balochistan and the tribal areas of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The statement claimed that these fighters were being prepared to launch attacks in regional countries, particularly Afghanistan. In recent years, several key members of the group have also been targeted in the cities of Quetta, Karachi, and Peshawar. Analysts believe ISIS activity along the Afghanistan-Pakistan crossings is the result of years of instrumental use of extremist groups in regional security policies. (ANI) SANAA, Oct 31 (Reuters) Detained local United Nations staff will face trial on suspicion of links to an Israeli airstrike that assassinated top Houthi leaders in Yemen in August, the acting foreign minister of the Houthi government told Reuters. The prime minister of Yemens Iran-backed Houthi-run government and several other ministers were killed in an Israeli strike on the capital Sanaa in August, the first such attack to kill senior officials. A total of 36 United Nations employees were arrested after that attack, the U.N. said on Friday. It is not clear how many of those would stand trial. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The U.N. has repeatedly rejected Houthi accusations that U.N. staff or U.N. operations in Yemen were involved. Yemen says process moving toward conclusion The steps taken by the security agencies were carried out under full judicial supervision. The public prosecution was kept informed step by step with every action taken, acting foreign minister Abdulwahid Abu Ras said in an interview with Reuters. Therefore, as long as the prosecution is informed, it is certain that this process is moving toward its conclusion, leading to trials and the issuance of judicial rulings, he said. Potential terror plot thwarted in Michigan, FBI says Abu Ras said that a cell within the World Food Programme was clearly involved in directly targeting the government. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There was no immediate comment from a World Food Programme spokesperson, but the United Nations has repeatedly rejected accusations staff were involved in spying. At least 59 U.N. personnel are being held by Houthis, according to the United Nations, which has condemned what it calls arbitrary detentions and called for the immediate release of its personnel and other detainees. The defendants are Yemenis and according to Yemeni law could face the death penalty. UN having harder time delivering aid The U.N. has accused Houthis of taking steps that have made it increasingly difficult for the agency to provide assistance to those in need in Yemen. Houthi security forces entered several United Nations offices in Sanaa on Sunday. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hundreds of U.N. personnel remain in parts of Houthi-controlled Yemen, including a small number of international staff, said Farhan Haq, deputy spokesperson for the U.N. secretary general. Acting foreign minister Abu Ras said the government is supporting other humanitarian organizations. Tariffs, trade and TikTok: What to know about the Trump-Xi meeting We have clarified in a clear and explicit statement from the Foreign Ministry that we will support and assist organizations committed to the principles of humanitarian work, facilitating their activities and work, he said. The Houthis have controlled large swathes of Yemen, including the capital Sanaa, since seizing power in 2014 and early 2015. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement After the war between Israel and Hamas erupted on Oct. 7, 2023, the Houthis attacked global shipping lanes to show their solidarity with the Palestinian militant group. The group frequently fired missiles towards Israel, most of which were intercepted. (Writing by Michael Georgy; Editing by Conor Humphries) 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. Yemen's Iranian-aligned Houthis said on Friday they would try detained local UN workers on charges of spying for Israel. The rebel militia has been targeting UN agencies since August. They raided their offices in the Yemeni capital Sana'a and arrested several employees. The UN this week condemned what it called the "arbitrary arrests" of its workers and those of other international organizations, and demanded the release of 59 employees detained by the Houthis. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Nasruddin Amer, a senior Houthi official, said on Friday the planned trial is not targeting the UN or other international aid groups. "The judiciary will determine the penalty for those accused of spying for Israel in accordance with Yemeni law," Amer told dpa. "This is not a law we enacted. It is a law that has been in effect and applied in the country by previous regimes." Under Yemeni law, the suspects could could face the death penalty if convicted. "The trial is not against the organizations, but against those who exploited humanitarian work to carry out espionage against our country and our people," Amer added. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement He did not say how many will be put on trial, or when the hearings will begin. The militia's leader, Abdel-Malek al-Houthi, has previously accused UN organizations of involvement in "espionage and aggressive" activities. The Houthi crackdown came after an Israeli attack in late August in Sana'a killed the group's then prime minister Ahmed al-Rahawi along with nine ministers. After the Gaza conflict erupted in October 2023, the Houthis began attacking Israel with missiles and drones. The militia framed the attacks as support for Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. The Houthis control large areas in the north of war-wracked Yemen, including Sana'a. Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) speaks at a "Yes to Wind" news conference in Baltimore Friday, when a group of elected officials and advocates backed Maryland's offshore wind project against attacks by the Trump administration. (Photo by Christine Condon/Maryland Matters) Advocates and lawmakers gathered in Baltimore on Friday to punch back at President Donald Trumps assault on offshore wind projects, including one planned for Marylands coast. Until Friday, the battle had largely played out in warring court documents traded between the Trump administration and US Wind, the company behind the proposal for up to 121 turbines off the coast of Ocean City. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In September, Trumps Department of the Interior told a federal judge that it plans to revoke a critical federal permit issued to the US Wind project in the dying days of President Joe Bidens administration. The permit had been challenged by the Town of Ocean City, which welcomed the permit reversal. But the judge is still considering the governments request, which has been ardently opposed by US Wind. The event in Baltimore was the first of several Yes to Wind events planned for states across the country, and attracted two Maryland Democrats: U.S. Sen. Chris Van Hollen and U.S. Rep. Johnny Olszewski. What youre seeing here is people power. Because what youre seeing from President Trump in the White House right now is a tip of the hat to the Big Oil guys, Van Hollen said. They dont like the competition. A display at IBEW Local 24 in Baltimore, which hosted a news conference Friday in support of offshore wind projects planned for Marylands coastline. (Photo by Christine Condon/Maryland Matters) Earlier this year, a coalition of Maryland climate groups, labor unions and renewable energy advocates joined to form the Offshore Wind Alliance. Theyve squared up against the Stop Offshore Wind coalition, sponsored by the Town of Ocean City, Worcester County and business groups from the beach town. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But not everyone on Marylands Eastern Shore opposes the project, said Jared Schablein, chairman of the civic organization Shore Progress. This project injects new life into our local workforce by bringing real jobs, real investment and real hope into my community, Schablein said. Its about making sure the next generation of shore kids dont have to move away to find opportunities. Much of the messaging on Friday was focused on the economics behind the wind project, with supporters arguing that the project will lower utility bills by bolstering power supply. Offshore wind means lower utility bills. Let me say it again: Offshore wind means lower utility bills, Olszewski said. Blocking these projects will not lower costs, it will raise them. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The projects opponents have argued that, in addition to hurting Ocean City tourism and coastal fisheries, the project will raise power bills, partly because of construction costs. Paul Pinsky, director of the Maryland Energy Administration, said its possible that the wind farm could cause a blip for ratepayers, but urged Marylanders to take a long-term view of the projects economics. With many of these energy projects, whether its rooftop solar or offshore wind, theres an upfront cost, but it can get recovered fairly quickly, and once its recovered, the price drops considerably, Pinsky said. A January study from the Energy Administration indicated that Maryland is below trajectory to meet its existing clean energy targets, in particular those renewable targets set for 2030. The state has an overall goal of reaching 100% carbon-free energy by 2035. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE The Trump administration began by halting the issuance of any new offshore wind leases off the coast of the United States. But the administration has since begun targeting projects that already received federal approval and in some cases, had already started construction, unlike Marylands project. The Trump administration has issued stop work orders to Empire Wind in New York (which was rescinded after negotiations with New York Gov. Kathy Hochul) and to Revolution Wind in Rhode Island (which was overturned by a federal judge). In Maryland, the administration requested to revoke the projects approval, citing a need to review impacts on coastal fisheries and search-and-rescue efforts in the area. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It wasnt enough to raise taxes on clean energy. It wasnt enough for them to stop offshore wind leases, said Maryland Del. Lorig Charkoudian (D- Montgomery). They had to actually do stop work orders on projects that were 80% complete, because thats how much their billionaire fossil fuel buddies are threatened by offshore wind. The administration also rescinded $679 million in grant funding for port projects in the U.S., including some tied to offshore wind manufacturing. That included $47.4 million bound for the Sparrows Point Steel turbine manufacturing hub planned for Baltimore County. Wasteful, wind projects are using resources that could otherwise go towards revitalizing Americas maritime industry, U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean P. Duffy said in a news release at the time. Rico Albacarys, political director for the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 24, with high-voltage cables in a classroom for electrical apprentices in West Baltimore. (Photo by Christine Condon/Maryland Matters) This is an administration that has explicitly gone after clean energy projects in Democratic-led states and Democratic-led districts, Olszewski said. That is not who we are as Americans. We are better than that. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Fridays news conference was held at the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 24 office in Baltimore, which also includes a training center for future electricians. The center trains about 600 apprentices each year, said Rico Albacarys, political director for the union. In high-voltage training courses taught toward the end of apprentices four years of study, the students work on the types of thick cables that run through wind turbines, Albacarys said. To work on building Marylands first offshore wind farm, though, electricians will need a special certification that isnt offered at the center on Patapsco Avenue in West Baltimore. Called global wind organization training, the certification costs about $2,000 per person, and it only lasts for two years, Albacarys said. So the Trump administrations efforts to slow the US Wind project have made it more difficult for the union to plan when it will train its members, Albacarys said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Were trying to thread the needle, Albacarys said. We dont want to start training them too early [so] that they have to get recertified before they actually are able to work on the turbines. Regardless of the recent obstacles, Albacarys said hes confident that Maryland will eventually gain a wind farm on its Atlantic coast. Its only a matter of time, Albacarys said. I know it doesnt feel that way right now, but I think 20 years from now, were looking back at: Oh, remember that speed bump? SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE ALBANY - New York is spending $106 million to help feed low-income residents whose benefits through the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program aren't expected to be replenished when the new month begins on Saturday. Those benefits are on hold amid the ongoing shutdown of the federal government. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has declined to use emergency funding to fill that gap. The funding New York is using to help provide food assistance won't be added to the EBT cards issued to recipients in the federal program. It's being sent to various food assistance initiatives, including food banks and soup kitchens. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "We'll spread money throughout the state," Gov. Kathy Hochul said Thursday. "We're bringing in resources and volunteers and people and calling for more corporate philanthropy and charitability." Hochul said the state will also deploy public service teams from the Empire State Service Corps and SUNY Corps to help assist at locations like food pantries and shelters that are expected to see an uptick in demand. It's unclear how far the state's $106 million will go to feed families. New York usually administers about $650 million each month from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, which is completely funded by the federal government. New York also funds free breakfast and lunch for students in schools. Hochul said she's trying to find a way to allow students to take home food that's left over at the end of the school day as well. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "What I want to do is give them what they need to send food home with every child every night until this is over," Hochul said. "We just have to work out a few more details on that." Some advocates and lawmakers have called on Hochul to release more funding for food assistance efforts, including the replenishment of EBT cards. "We call on Gov. Hochul to allocate up to $650 million in state funds to ensure full SNAP benefits in November," the Legal Aid Society said in a statement. "The state has both financial means and the responsibility to prevent families from going hungry." But New York is also facing a financial crunch leading into next year's state budget due to changes in federal funding approved by Congress earlier this year. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement If the state wants to replace that funding, it would come with a price tag of at least $3 billion, the Division of Budget has said. That's on top of the funding now being spent on food assistance while the shutdown persists. Hochul said Thursday that she doesn't plan to raise income taxes to replace that money or to close the state's budget gap. "We're not going to do those extraordinary measures and bring back the Legislature or (increase) taxes on people to make up for the federal government's failure to do what they are obligated to do," Hochul said. The U.S. Department of Agriculture confirmed to states this week that it would not use emergency reserves approved by Congress to fund those benefits, placing blame on Democrats in Congress for the lapse. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Democrats have rejected requests from Republicans to reopen the government in an effort to convince them to extend tax credits for low-income people who purchase health insurance on a public exchange. Those temporary tax credits were implemented during the pandemic and supposed to expire at the end of this year. People who've been eligible for those credits are expected to see their health care premiums rise substantially when enrollment for next year begins in November. Republicans have been opposed to the measure because those tax credits were previously used by immigrants with legal status, causing the cost to the federal government, and taxpayers, to rise. They have also challenged whether many of those immigrants have true legal status due to policies in place under former President Joe Biden's administration. "We are approaching an inflection point for Senate Democrats," the Agriculture Department has displayed at the top of its website. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Federal and state officials from both major parties have sought to blame each other for the crisis, saying it would end if either side was willing to budge. They have not. "Democrats own this shutdown and it's going to have real hurt across America," said U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik, a Republican from the North Country. This article originally published at New York puts $106M into food assistance as SNAP funding runs dry. ALBANY - After New York's highest court rejected a challenge to a recent law that will move most local elections to odd-numbered years, the statute's opponents are now taking their case to federal court. The state Republican Party and a handful of counties in New York that lost the case in state court this week filed a new lawsuit challenging the law in U.S. District Court in Albany. It seeks the to have the state law overturned. If it's not, elections for several officials elected at the local level outside New York City will be moved to even-numbered years, starting in 2026. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement William A. Brewer III, a partner at Brewer, Attorneys & Counselors representing the law's opponents, said they're challenging it this time under the First Amendment. "This case is about preserving the opportunity for local candidates to address local issues without being overpowered by the national noise machines," Brewer said. "The First Amendment protects the right to speak, to serve and to be heard in every town, in every county and in every corner of this state." The law does not impact when elections are held for offices written into the state constitution. That includes local district attorneys, county clerks, county sheriffs, town justices and judges in Family Court, County Court and Surrogate Court. But some of the most prominent positions in local government, including mayors and county executives, will have their elections moved to even-numbered years. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Democrats who control both chambers of the state Legislature have said they approved the law two years ago to save municipalities money by reducing the number of elections they have to administer in odd years, and to allow more voters to engage with those races. Democrats also have said the law was intended to "prevent voter confusion and to support increasing voter turnout, thereby advancing the free exercise of the right of New Yorkers to vote in every election and for every office." But opponents have noted that Democrats tend to vote at higher rates in even-year elections than they do in so-called "off-year" - or odd-year - elections, and that the measure was intended to give their party an advantage in local elections. "The touted benefits of this bill are a total sham, concocted to hide the Democrats' goal of expanding one-party control to every level of government," state Senate Minority Leader Rob Ortt said in December, when Hochul had signed the bill into law a few days before Christmas. Voter turnout has historically been higher in even-numbered years, when races for president, Congress and state office in New York are held. The new law places local elections alongside those races on the ballot. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Brewer's strategy in the new lawsuit is markedly different from what the law's opponents used against it in state court. That lawsuit had argued that the law violated provisions of New York's constitution that delegate power to localities to craft their own form of government, such as having an appointed county administrator instead of an elected county executive. The state's highest court disagreed, ruling that those provisions don't preclude the state from changing the timing of local elections that aren't also in the state constitution. "We hold that there is no express or implied (state) constitutional limitation on the Legislature's authority to enact the Even Year Election Law," the court's decision said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Because the new lawsuit was filed in federal court, the arguments have to be based on federal law. Aside from Brewer's use of the First Amendment, the challenge also invokes the federal Voting Rights Act of 1965. The state law, as argued in the lawsuit, would burden minority voters who may not pay attention to local elections in even years, when federal and state races are also on the ballot. "Consolidating local elections into even-year cycles brings into the electorate a larger share of voters who are less informed about local issues and more likely to vote along partisan and racial lines," the lawsuit said. While the state Republican Party and the counties are seeking to have the law struck down, their initial request in the lawsuit is an order prohibiting the state from enforcing it or to allow localities to opt out of it. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Democrats in the state Legislature are planning to take the law in the opposite direction next year. They're expected to consider an amendment to the state constitution that would allow the local offices that weren't touched by the law to be moved to even years as well. That process takes longer than passing a law. The state Legislature would have to approve the amendment twice - once before and after their next election - and place it on the ballot for voters to consider. The earliest that could happen is 2027. The new legislative session is scheduled to begin in January. This article originally published at New York's even-year election law challenged by NY GOP in new lawsuit. PHILADELPHIA (AP) At the Arch Street Meeting House in Philadelphia's Old City, more and more young people are seeking respite from a clamorous technological age in the silent worship of a centuries-old faith. Like other Quaker houses of worship, it follows values of simplicity and equality. Theres no clergy, pulpit or altar. No statues of saints, no stained-glass windows. No one sings or chants, burns incense or lights candles. They simply sit in silence in 200-year-old wooden pews and wait for a message from God to move through them until they speak. This feels different in that its so simple. Its set up in a way that makes you feel like your internal world is equally as important as the space that youre in, says Valerie Goodman, a pink-haired artist reading her Bible outside the meeting house on a recent Sunday before going inside. Goodman, 27, grew up Southern Baptist but left the evangelical church in college. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It feels like I can have a minute to breathe. Its different than having a moment of meditation in my apartment because theres still all of the distractions around," Goodman says. "And its crazy being in a room full of other people that are all there to experience that themselves. It has been called the Westminster Abbey of Quakerism. Yet for years, attendance at Arch Street was so low, and its historic 300-seat West Room felt so empty, that the few people present began to meet in a smaller room. But recent years have produced an unprecedented surge in the number of attendees at Sunday worship from about 25 before the coronavirus pandemic to up to 100 today. One of the things that Im very excited about is the number of people that we have coming to meeting, and the fact that the majority of them are young, says Hazele Goodridge, Arch Streets clerk. One couple's story Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Among them: Emily Philbrook, 24, and Benjamin Barger, 27, who recently married at Arch Street in a traditional Quaker wedding. The couple moved from Washington to Philadelphia so he could attend veterinary school and began to worship at Arch Street three years ago. He in a dark suit, she in a white wedding dress, they sat on chairs upfront facing hundreds of guests in wooden pews. Eyes shut, they held a long period of silence broken only when they stood to exchange their vows. Like other Quaker weddings, it was a self-uniting ceremony: They married each other, without an officiant. At the end, the guests lined up to sign, as witnesses, a marriage certificate. Two days later, the couple returned to Arch Street for Sunday worship, wearing jeans, sneakers and Philadelphia Eagles T-shirts. Its really nice to have that hour of silence when so much is going on in the world, Barger says. Kind of like stepping back into time a little bit in this building. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement It isn't merely the silence. Philbrook says she values the faiths long tradition of Quaker activism that she believes is attracting young people at a time of deep divisions and political violence in America. Historically, Quakers have been involved in peaceful protests to end wars and slavery, and they support womens voting rights in line with their commitment to justice and peace. Earlier this year, Quakers marched from New York City to Washington to demonstrate against the Trump administrations crackdown on immigrants. In times of national distress, people tend to turn towards something that is historically a peaceful and social justice-oriented faith, Philbrook says. They just want a place to sit and reflect and be in a like-minded community. Tracing its heritage to William Penn Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Arch Street Meeting House was built in the early 19th century on land donated by William Penn, an English Quaker, who founded Pennsylvania following the faiths emphasis on religious tolerance. It remains one of the worlds largest active meeting houses. Its the most important building in the Quaker faith, probably because it is that sort of mecca of Quakerism, says Sean Connolly, executive director of the Arch Street Meeting House Preservation Trust. It was built to be the largest, grandest Quaker meeting house in the world. But not many knew about it. Tourists visiting Independence Hall and other historic Philadelphia attractions would walk into the meeting houses brick building and were often surprised Quakers even existed, says Goodridge, a member of Arch Street for more than 25 years. They think, Oh, they must have all died out because probably they dont hear too much about us, says Goodridge, who is also the first Black clerk in Arch Streets history. They think of Quakers as a historic construct, something that used to be around. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Others, she says, would confuse them with Amish or Mennonites or would invoke Quaker Oats, which is unrelated to the faith. The company describes the logo as a figure of a man in 'Quaker garb' with white hair and a tall black hat on its label that the owners picked along with the Quaker name more than 150 years ago as a symbol of good quality and honest value. Quakers didnt haggle, Goodridge says. Quakers were fair businesspeople. And they made good products -- the benches are proof of it! Arch Streets original wooden pews withstood the test of time. But how does a religion that offers the solace of quiet make itself known and compete against all the loud noise of the modern world? Part of the challenge, Goodridge says, was that Quakers those in the northeastern United States, at least dont proselytize. Arch Street, though, has more leeway because its a historic site with exterior exhibits that talk about the Quaker faith. That has helped increase visitation. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The museum run by Arch Streets preservation trust has also held organized tours and virtual resources. One of them challenges visitors to test their knowledge of Quakerism with questions painted on a wooden panel. Among them: Do Quakers quake? Do Quakers eat Quaker Oats? and Are Quakers still around today? Roots in 17th-century England The Religious Society of Friends, or the Quakers, originated in 17th-century England. The Christian group was founded by George Fox, who objected to Anglican emphasis on ceremony. In the 1640s, he said he heard a voice that led him to develop a personal relationship with Christ, described as the Inner Light. Fox taught that the Inner Light emancipates a person from adherence to any creed, ecclesiastical authority or ritual forms. Brought to court for opposing the established church, Fox tangled with a judge who derided him as a quaker in reference to his agitation over religious matters. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In the United States, Quakers became highly influential in cities like Philadelphia and founded colleges in Pennsylvania. But members of the group also faced scorn for refusing to join wars due to their belief in nonviolence. Some were persecuted and even executed for trying to spread their religious beliefs. Today, there are an estimated 400,000 Quakers worldwide. About half live in Africa; most are in Kenya, where they use bands and choirs and evangelize. Arch Street Quakers, though, want to remain traditional. But members credit its outreach clerk, Alec Unkovic, for raising awareness about the often-ignored contributions of Quakers by redesigning the congregation's site and posting about events on social media. The stillness in meeting and the way of silence is atypical for our current moment, says Unkovic, who grew up Catholic. This meeting made a really conscious choice to acknowledge that many people were interested in this. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On a recent Sunday, Aurora Reardanz sat with dozens of others at Arch Street. After worship, she shared that she had decided to become a full member. Though she was baptized Catholic, Reardanz never practiced. Instead, she found her spiritual home in Quakerism and the faiths values, known as SPICES Simplicity, Peace, Integrity, Community, Equality, and Stewardship. Today, she also appreciates silence, calling it beautiful and alluring. But it wasnt always that way. My first meeting for worship at 15, I thought I was in a cult. I was terrified. The silence was deafening, she says. And its something that grew on me, and I think it grows on a lot of people, and they learn to appreciate it in a world of constant noise. ___ 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. NEED TO KNOW A Pennsylvania man, 26, is accused of luring a girl from Louisiana to his home after meeting her on Snapchat, authorities allege When she got to the house, he allegedly gave her edibles and alcohol He allegedly sexually assaulted her every day for a week while she was in the home, authorities say A missing girl from Louisiana was found in a box in the basement of a home in Pennsylvania, where she had been lured and sexually assaulted, authorities allege. Ki-Shawn Crumity, 26, of Pittsburgh, was arrested on Thursday, Oct. 30 and charged with trafficking in individuals, statutory sexual assault of a minor, involuntary deviate sexual intercourse, unlawful contact with a minor - sexual offenses, sexual assault, corruption of minors, indecent assault and selling or furnishing liquor or malt or brewed beverage, according to online court records. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Thursday, Oct. 30, the Pittsburgh Police Special Victims Unit received a report from the U.S. Marshals Service about a juvenile who went missing from Louisiana, according to a criminal complaint obtained by PEOPLE. Marshals began investigating and determined that the teen was located at a home on Davis Ave. in Pittsburgh. The FBI obtained a search warrant for the home, which was raided by a police SWAT team. The girl was found in the basement of the home in a box with a gray-colored sheet over (it), covering the box and her person, the complaint says. She told authorities that she met Crumity on Snapchat. He told her he was to get her adopted by a trusted adult, the complaint alleges. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The child made it to a Greyhound Bus station in Washington, D.C., where she met a woman who asked if she needed help. She said yes and called Crumity, telling him she was going to bring a friend with her to Pittsburgh. That night, the girl, the woman and Crumity slept in the same bed in the basement. The girl said that Crumity gave her edibles and alcohol during the week she was there, the complaint alleges. 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. She said Crumity sexually assaulted her at least once or twice a day during the week she was at the house, according to the complaint. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement She said he told her he would get in trouble and that he knew she was a runaway, it alleges. Crumity allegedly admitted to having sex with the victim. The girl told authorities that being at the hospital was the safest she ever felt, according to the complaint. It is unclear whether the woman was charged and whether Crumity has retained an attorney who can speak on his behalf. Crumity remains held without bond. Read the original article on People Four children have been reunited with their mother after police said a young suspect stole the family's SUV while the kids were in the back seat. Investigators said this all started at around 11 p.m. Thursday when the kids' mother went into King Laundromat along the 6700 block of Castor Avenue in Philadelphia's Oxford Circle section. Police say she left her four kids in her Honda CR-V with the engine running, but the vehicle was gone when she returned. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "At this time, this appears this was a crime of opportunity," said Chief Inspector Scott Small with the Philadelphia Police Department. "We believe the person who stole the car saw the vehicle with the engine running." Investigators said the male suspect who stole the vehicle drove about half a mile south on Castor Avenue but side-swiped a parked van while turning onto Comly Street. Witnesses saw the crash and the young suspect. "They're saying the person who stole the car, who fled after the accident was about 13 to 14 years of age," Small said. "We believe once the person who stole the vehicle realized there were children in the back seat, they exited the vehicle and fled on foot." Investigators said it only takes a split second for something like this to happen. The kids are back with their mother as police continue to search for the person who stole the vehicle. If you subscribe to the YouTube TV streaming service in Palm Beach County, you may have found it frustrating trying to find local news on WPBF-Channel 25 or your Miami Dolphins, Heat or Panthers news on ESPN on the morning of Oct. 31. That's because Disney, which owns EPSN and ABC, has suspended its content on YouTube TV after the companies failed to reach a new contractual agreement. "Despite our best efforts, we have not been able to reach a fair deal, and starting today, Disney programming will not be available on YouTube TV," YouTube TV said in a social media statement late on Oct. 30. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement On Oct. 23, YouTube TV said in a statement on its blog that Disney had proposed "costly economic terms that would raise prices on YouTube TV customers and give our customers fewer choices." More: Is ESPN leaving YouTube TV? What college football fans need to know about Disney dispute Google, the parent company of YouTube TV, and Disney needed to reach an updated contractual agreement to keep the latter's programming on YouTube TV by 11:59 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 30, according to a Google statement obtained by USA TODAY. Disney did not immediately respond to USA TODAY's request for comment on Oct. 31. In a statement to The Wall Street Journal and Reuters, Disney said Google "is using its market dominance to eliminate competition and undercut the industry-standard terms we've successfully negotiated with every other distributor." Which Disney channels were pulled from YouTube TV? A variety of Disney-run channels, like ESPN and ABC, have been pulled from YouTube TV after the companies failed to come to an agreement. See the full list, per Google: Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement ABC (WPBF-Channel 25) ABC News Live ACC Network Disney Channel Disney Junior Disney XD ESPN ESPNews ESPN2 ESPNU Freeform FX FXM FXX Localish Nat Geo Nat Geo Wild SEC Network Spanish plan: ESPN Deportes, Baby TV Espanol, Nat Geo Mundo YouTube TV offers $20 credit if Disney channels remain pulled YouTube TV said it will offer subscribers a $20 credit if the Disney channels remain unavailable for an "extended period of time." This time period has not been specified. Statement from WPBF-Channel 25 on YouTube TV and ESPN In a statement posted on its website, WPBF-Channel 25 said: "Google and The Walt Disney Company have reached an impasse in negotiating an agreement for the continued carriage of their channels including WPBF a local ABC affiliate on Googles internet-delivered video service YouTubeTV. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement To be clear, we have not blacked out our station. Neither WPBF nor Hearst, the stations parent company, is involved in the discussions between Google and The Walt Disney Company and do not control WPBFs continued carriage on the service. We hope the parties can successfully conclude their negotiations as soon as possible, in order to restore our programming to our respective viewers and customers. You may continue to receive our station for free, over the air, or by various satellite, cable or other internet-delivered video service providers. You can determine the type of antenna needed to receive the signals of our station at http://www.antennaweb.org/." YouTube TV has faced other recent contract disputes This is the third time in a two-month period that YouTube TV has faced a contract dispute with a major network partner. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement In August, Google and Fox struggled to reach an updated contractual agreement, and earlier this month, the same issue arose with Google and NBCUniversal. Fox and NBCU both argued that Google was not willing to settle on realistic terms and rates for updated contracts; however, contracts were ultimately reached in each case. This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Disney pulls ESPN, ABC from YouTube TV, plus WPBF Channel 25 YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN)- Youngstown State University released its stance Friday on SOBE Thermal Energy Systems. YSU President Bill Johnson announced in a press release that the university can not be considered as a viable option for heating downtown, adding that the decision was based on significant technical, infrastructure, financial and operational realities. Johnson said that YSU would be required to make significant, costly modifications, in the millions of dollars, to the universitys boiler plant configuration. He also said that YSU is not a public utility provider, so it does not have the authority to function and serve the city. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement YSU facilities personnel have determined that the SOBE pipeline, which has not been utilized in over nine years, is in such poor condition that it is impossible to safely back-feed steam from YSUs system into SOBEs distribution system. And even if the SOBE infrastructure limitation could be overcome, YSU does not have the necessary infrastructure capacity on either the boiler intake side or the output side to divert steam to external facilities beyond the capacity necessary to provide the essential uninterrupted service to our students, faculty, staff, and campus facilities, Johnson wrote. He said the university will continue to work with city officials, state regulators and other stakeholders to figure out a solution. I want to assure YSUs campus community that our heating systems remain fully operational and capable of meeting our campus needs throughout the winter season. Our facilities team continues to monitor our systems closely to ensure uninterrupted service to our students, faculty, and staff. Earlier this week, downtown business owners voiced their displeasure with the situation and were considering alternatives and partnerships to address the heating issue. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WKBN.com. Union Health Secretary Punya Salila Srivastava on Friday chaired the annual meeting of the Norway-India Partnership Initiative (NIPI) held in New Delhi. May-Elin Stener, Norway's Ambassador to India, co-chaired the meeting, a release said. The meeting aimed to review and approve the NIPI Progress Report 2025 and the budgeted work plans for 2025-26 under Phase IV of the initiative, according to an official release from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Addressing the occasion, Punya Salila Srivastava stated, "NIPI displays how convergence of efforts can yield results. GoI is also involved in convergence with states and UTs, through a whole-of-government approach for achieving desired outcomes." Noting that India serves as a good testing ground for innovation, the Union Health Secretary underlined India's commitment to sharing best practices under the initiative for replication in other settings. Srivastava also highlighted the significance of the IPHS ODK (Indian Public Health Standards - Open Data Kit) Tool, developed under the initiative, which facilitates assessments and helps states quickly identify gaps and receive targeted support to achieve the required standards. She concluded her address by reaffirming the Union Health Ministry's appreciation for this partnership and its commitment to continuing the collaboration. Speaking on the occasion, HE May-Elin Stener highlighted that next year will mark 20 years of this partnership. She stated that there have been innovative and catalytic interventions through this partnership, which have helped in bringing significant results. Stener noted that the Indian government has invested 26 times the amount Norway spent under this initiative, which highlights the importance being given to this collaboration. India has a clear goal of becoming a developed country, and this is evident in the work being done at the grassroots level. Commitment to health services is crucial for the development of Indian healthcare. There have been significant developments in the health sector in India since this partnership started in 2006," she stated. As per the release, key deliverables of the initiative, such as the IPHS ODK Toolkit, establishment of an Innovation Hub within NHM, development of a Decision Support System (DSS) algorithm for the extended provision of services under Ayushman Arogya Mandir (AAM), creation of a Pre-Pregnancy Care Model, a 'Self-Care' Cervical Cancer Screening Model, and the formulation of Integrated Home-Based Care for Newborns and Children (HBNCC) Guidelines, along with their outcomes, were discussed through a presentation. The Norway India Partnership Initiative (NIPI) is based on an agreement between the Governments of Norway and India to collaborate towards achieving India's National Health Policy and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). NIPI's vision is to provide strategic, catalytic and innovative support to India's National Health Mission (NHM), in states of Bihar, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and the Union Territory (UT) of Jammu and Kashmir, as per the release. The partnership has completed three phases and is currently in its fourth phase, providing crucial technical support to the MoHFW and NHMs of partner states. So far, NIPI has enabled the implementation of various health innovations, knowledge generation, and documentation products, serving as a platform for strengthening evidence-based health systems. The partnership is governed by an annual meeting and a joint steering committee meeting between the Governments of India and Norway, as well as the implementing agency. The meeting is chaired by the Secretary, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Government of India, and co-chaired by the Ambassador of the Royal Norwegian Embassy in New Delhi, with the Additional Secretary and Mission Director (NHM) as the convener. According to the release, this meeting sets priorities for, and discusses results from, the partnership, as well as approves reports and work plans prepared by the implementing partner. Aradhana Patnaik, Addl. Secretary, Union Health Ministry; Meera Srivastava, Joint Secretary, Union Health Ministry; Dr Ashfaq Bhat, Program Director, NIPI; Are Nagoda, Counsellor, Royal Norwegian Embassy; Undis Vatvedt Singh, Senior Advisor; Royal Norwegian Embassy; Principal Health Secretaries/Mission Directors of NIPI supported states (Rajasthan, Jammu & Kashmir, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh and Bihar) and senior officials of the Union Health Ministry were present at the event. (ANI) When Odesa Mayor Hennadiy Trukhanov was stripped of his Ukrainian citizenship, a move that immediately ended his political career, some local residents erupted in celebration. The questionable practice of stripping Ukrainian citizens of their citizenship was applauded by those who spent years battling the tainted mayor. Seen by his opponents as pro-Russian and corrupt, Trukhanov, who led Odesa since 2014, was charged with negligence soon after his passport was revoked. He was bound to house arrest on Oct. 31. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "I think this is a planned political attack," Trukhanov said via video link at a Kyiv court hearing, calling the charges "unfounded." Experts the Kyiv Independent spoke with believe that President Volodymyr Zelensky's decision to revoke Trukhanov's citizenship had been on the table for a while, but the deadly floods in Odesa served as the trigger for the president's act. Zelensky's move against the mayor of Ukraine's third-largest city comes as a warning. Local officials, long seen as the last independent political players in Ukraine, are being looked into by Kyiv. "It's quite easy to use Trukhanov's case to show others what could happen to them," political analyst Oleh Saakian told the Kyiv Independent. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The message is not being sent to Trukhanov. It is being sent, through Trukhanov, to the mayors of other big cities." Read also: Zelensky strips tainted Odesa Mayor Trukhanov of Ukrainian citizenship, effectively pushes him out of office Odesa's ruling trinity For years, journalists' reports and leaked documents suggested that Trukhanov may be a Russian citizen. The authorities turned a blind eye until now. Following deadly floods in Odesa that claimed the lives of nine people, Zelensky turned to his preferred tool. "A toxic figure who's loyal to you but fails to handle problems in his own region ends up hurting the central government," Saakian said. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Ukrainian president can't dismiss elected mayors. But under the law, a mayor's powers are terminated if their citizenship is revoked. Following the president's decision, Trukhanov effectively lost his job. Trukhanovs lawyer Oleksandr Lysak said his client will appeal the presidential decree in the Supreme Court, claiming the documents provided by the Security Service are fake. Although not formally aligned with Zelensky's team, Trukhanov had long remained loyal and largely uncritical of the central government, unlike some of his counterparts in other Ukrainian cities. "Trukhanov has always managed to stay on good terms with whoevers in power. Calling this a crackdown on an opposition figure just doesnt hold up not at all," Saakian said. President Volodymyr Zelensky (L) and Odesa Oblast Governor Oleh Kiper attend a meeting during Zelensky's visit to Odesa on May 31, 2023. (President's Office) In turn, Zelensky established a local military administration in Odesa, a temporary body that took over some of the city council's functions, effectively sidelining local self-governance. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement General Serhii Lysak, who was appointed by the president to head the newly created military administration in Odesa, has been working in different military positions since the start of the all-out war, including at Ukraine's Security Service, a body which is seen as loyal to the President's Office. Odesa Oblast Governor Oleh Kiper, appointed in 2023, is also a friendly face for the president. A career prosecutor, Kiper served as an informal adviser to the Presidents Office Chief Andrii Yermak. "This is a concentration of power by a single political team," Saakian said. "Now, literally all key positions are held by the central government appointees. In fact, direct governance from Kyiv has been introduced in Odesa." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trukhanov's duties have been transferred to the city council secretary, Ihor Koval a representative of Zelensky's Servant of the People party. In a comment to the Kyiv Independent, his spokesperson said that the city council remains "fully operational" and is working together with the city's military administration. According to Zelensky, the creation of the military administration in Odesa was meant to strengthen the city's defense following the floods and amid relentless Russian attacks on the energy grid. As Olexiy Haran, politics professor at the Kyiv Mohyla Academy and research advisor at the Democratic Initiatives Foundation, points out, the issue is whether Zelensky's move violates the law. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The procedure for depriving people of Ukrainian citizenship through presidential decrees without court decisions has been lambasted as legally dubious. Complaints about pressure The friction between Ukraine's central and local authorities is not new. Long before Russia's full-scale invasion, some mayors complained of political pressure from Kyiv. Launched in 2014 as part of Ukraine's democratic reforms, decentralization has steadily reshaped the balance of power between the center and the regions, giving local governments authority once concentrated in Kyiv. When local elections were held a year after Zelensky's presidential and parliamentary victories in 2019, his party failed to win in any major Ukrainian city. With a grip on parliament and government, Zelensky still found local power centers largely beyond his control. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The introduction of martial law in 2022 had once again reshaped the power dynamic, returning the ball to Zelensky's court. The Association of Ukrainian Cities, led by Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko, has repeatedly called on Zelensky to respond to what it describes as "systemic pressure" on local governments, including police investigations, court cases targeting local officials, and siphoning money from local budgets. Over the past three years, the leadership of several Ukrainian cities echoed similar complaints. About a year ago, Dnipro Mayor Borys Filatov said that multiple criminal cases had been opened against city council employees as anonymous Telegram channels had targeted him with smear campaigns. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Previously, a court also suspended Chernihiv Mayor Vladyslav Atroshenko from running the city, citing an alleged conflict of interest. During the court proceedings, he was supported by mayors of several major cities, including Andrii Sadovyi, who has led the western city of Lviv since 2006. After that, the war-battered Chernihiv has faced a political crisis with the newly established military administration assuming most of the local government's powers. "All city leaders know perfectly well that the President's Office has an extremely negative attitude toward decentralization they keep tightening the screws, constantly restricting local powers," said political analyst Ihor Reiterovych. Following Trukhanov's ousting, the question arises whether the president's harshest critic and supporter of local self-governance will be silenced. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "The question now comes down to whether Klitschko will be taken down or not," Reiterovych said. Kyiv standoff President Zelensky and Kyiv Mayor Klitschko have been in an open political conflict since 2019. Klitschko's hand isn't strong. The President's Office can remove him as head of the Kyiv City Administration a powerful role that exists alongside the mayoral office. He has held both positions since 2014: one by election, the other by presidential appointment. From the start of his presidency, Zelensky wanted to put a loyalist in charge of the Kyiv City Administration. But a legal provision stood in the way under the Constitution, the post belongs to the city's elected mayor. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The latest events in Odesa prompted new speculation about possible attempts to sideline the Kyiv mayor. Until recently, Kyiv has been the only major city with a military administration in place. While its establishment was officially framed as a security measure to bolster the capital's defense, many observers saw it as a political move to diminish the authority of Klitschko. Vitali Klitschko, mayor of Kyiv, at the Ukraine Recovery Conference in Berlin, Germany, on June 12, 2024. (Krisztian Bocsi/Bloomberg via Getty Images) A power struggle has since emerged between the mayor and Tymur Tkachenko, who was appointed to lead the Kyiv City Military Administration. Klitschko regularly faces criticism for his handling of city affairs, while his associates have been charged with wrongdoing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Throughout the war, Zelensky has also repeatedly hinted at blaming him for scandals such as closed bomb shelters during a Russian attack that left civilians dead in 2023. His latest veiled criticism of Klitschko centered on Kyiv's energy defenses as Russia steps up drone and missile attacks. "Whoever controls Kyiv largely determines policy not only in the capital but across the entire country," Haran told the Kyiv Independent. "If Zelensky acts based on proven facts, thats a good thing. But those facts must truly be proven only then will society have no reason to question it." Note from the author: Hello there! This is Kateryna Denisova, the author of this piece. I hope you found this article informative. Despite Russia's ongoing full-scale war, Ukraine's domestic politics has been back in the spotlight in recent months. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Please consider supporting our reporting. We promise to deliver more stories on this topic going forward. Thank you. Read also: Ukraines chief anti-corruption prosecutor on pressure from Zelenskys office, independent wiretapping, and why corrupt officials can walk free Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said that the deployment of Russia's Oreshnik intermediate-range ballistic missile system in Belarus creates new risks for Europe, particularly for Belarus's immediate neighbours. Source: Zelenskyy during a public meeting, as reported by European Pravda Details: Zelenskyy recalled that Russia had the capacity for three Oreshnik launches, one of which was used against the city of Dnipro in November 2024, and another as has been publicly reported today was destroyed during a successful special operation by the Security Service of Ukraine (SSU). Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Ukrainian intelligence has information that one missile from the initial three remains, while up to three more may have been produced this year, with plans to manufacture up to six annually. Zelenskyy stressed that the announced deployment of the Oreshnik system in Belarus creates new security threats for Europe. Quote: "Their range is 5,000 km, and they have a 'dead zone' of about 700 km. So Europeans especially those in Eastern Europe, our Baltic colleagues and everyone else need to pay attention to this. It is important to pay attention to these risks." Details: The president also said Ukraine will share information with its partners about 25 Russian companies involved in the project that are not yet under Western sanctions. Background: Belarus has said that Russia's Oreshnik missile system will be put on combat duty in the country by the end of 2025. In September, Belarusian authorities boasted that they had practised deploying the Oreshnik system during the joint Zapad-2025 (West-2025) exercises with Russia. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has said that the situation in Pokrovsk, where Russian forces are on the offensive, is difficult, with 170,000 Russian troops concentrated in the area. Source: Zelenskyy at a briefing on 31 October Quote: "The situation in Pokrovsk is difficult You know that 170,000 occupiers are concentrated in that area. That's a huge number. And this morning I spoke with the commander-in-chief there is no change in Pokrovsk. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Undoubtedly, the situation with the enemy is tense on all sides there. Do you remember the situation with the Kursk operation? Do you remember how it was reported in the media? There was a lot of talk. People were saying we had 5,000 or 8,000 encircled. Which was a lie." Details: Zelenskyy said the Armed Forces of Ukraine are continuing to destroy Russian forces in this area. At the same time, there is a "serious battle" going on for Pokrovsk, and the Russian leadership has ordered its troops to "take the city". Quote from Zelenskyy: "They will fight for it [Pokrovsk ed.] as hard as they can. Putin says he will visit Pokrovsk. We would be delighted if he came to Pokrovsk. Everyone would applaud him. We all understand how that will end." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Details: Zelenskyy said there is conflicting information about Pokrovsk and that he has seen numerous differing maps of the situation in the area. Vasyl Maliuk, Head of the Security Service of Ukraine, noted that the Russians have been claiming they will soon capture Pokrovsk for over a year, yet in that time they have advanced only 7 km: "They have lost tens of thousands of soldiers, not to mention the wounded. But today, everyone has joined forces there. The president [Putin ed.] is telling you how powerful their group is, but they are held back and crushed every day." [N.B. Ukrainska Pravda does not recognise Putin as president ed.] Read more: How Pokrovsk is imperceptibly falling: five observations by Ukrainska Pravda Background: On 26 October, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that the Russians had concentrated their main assault group against Pokrovsk. Ukrainska Pravda reported on 24 October that there were at least 250 Russian troops in Pokrovsk, engaging in firefights and killing Ukrainian soldiers, particularly drone operators, at their positions; that logistics into the city were fully controlled by Russian drones, forcing Ukrainian soldiers to walk 10-15 km to reach their positions; and that Pokrovsk and Myrnohrad were at risk of encirclement. DeepState, a Ukrainian group of military analysts, reported that Russian forces continue to infiltrate Pokrovsk, gradually increasing their infantry presence and expanding sabotage and reconnaissance activities within the city. The 7th Rapid Response Corps of Ukraine's Air Assault Forces reported on 29 October that Russia has deployed about 11,000 troops in an effort to encircle Pokrovsk. Support Ukrainska Pravda on Patreon! Editor's note: This story was updated to use the word "nullify" as a more accurate translation of the Russian colloquial term for extrajudicial executions in its military. Extrajudicial killings within the Russian military are becoming more widespread, according to an investigation published by the Russian independent outlet Verstka. The practice of "nullifying" (Russian: "obnulenie") the Russian military's term for executing its soldiers increasingly involves sending personnel on deadly assualt missions without proper protection, journalists found. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Verstka collected information on over 100 "nullifiers" among Russia's senior officers. Investigators spoke to military personnel and their families, and also studied complaints from the military prosecutor's office. One example is Colonel Igor Istrati, a commander of Russia's 114th Separate Motorized Rifle Brigade, who allegedly ordered executions and torture of soldiers in his unit. He reportedly sent troops on assualts without weapons or equipment in an effort to "nullify" targeted soldiers. "You know, what's happening there is that... You never know where the bullet will come from: from your own side or from the Ukrainians," said Dmitry, a member of the brigade. Read also: Vile attack Emergency power outages across Ukraine as Russia targets thermal power plants in mass missile, drone strike Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Russian soldiers have also been executed for refusing to participate in suicidal assaults, Verstka reported. One conscript, Alexei, described a commander ordering a subordinate to gun down any soldiers who refused to join an assault. Their bodies "were simply thrown into the river in their bulletproof vests so that they wouldn't float, or they were buried somewhere. That's the easiest way to get rid of them," he said. Others reported similar stories of soldiers being ordered at gunpoint to join "meat-grinder" assaults and being executed by their own troops if they refused. Soldiers also described torture pits basements and grated holes where servicemembers were beaten, starved, and even drowned. In some cases, soldiers reported being forced to fight one another in the pits for the chance to live. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The killings are primarily motivated by money, Verstka reported. Commanders sell the opportunity to avoid assault missions, demand bribes, and transfer salaries from contract fighters to their own accounts. Refusal to pay can result in being "nullified." Russia's ongoing offensive in eastern Ukraine has relied on deadly "human wave" assaults, with Moscow incurring heavy personnel losses for every inch of territory gained. The tactic is brutal but effective: Russian forces have steadily advanced in Donetsk Oblast, taking advantage of their superior numbers to offset record casualties. Read also: What we know now about the encirclement of Ukraines Pokrovsk Weve been working hard to bring you independent, locally-sourced news from Ukraine. Consider supporting the Kyiv Independent. New York mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani speaks to supporters during an election night gathering at The Greats of Craft LIC on June 24 in Queens. Illustration: Kelly Caminero / HuffPost; Photo: Michael M. Santiago / Getty Images With a couple of days of early voting to go before Election Day in New York City, Democratic mayoral nominee Zohran Mamdani has maintained a significant lead in the polls over his main competitor, former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, months after Mamdanis generational upset over Cuomo in the Democratic primary. To hear the candidate tell it, that advantage is thanks to one thing: Mamdanis policy platform, which is laser-focused on making the city affordable for working people. Politics: The Backlash To Trump Is Here And It's Big The three-term state assemblyman and democratic socialist has a stacked to-do list that includes freezing the rent on 1 million apartments, making buses fast and free, establishing universal child care, creating a network of five city-owned grocery stores, and spending billions of dollars to build rent-stabilized housing. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hes focused on affordability, and he probably has one of the most expansive services agendas that weve seen in decades, said Andrew Rein, president of the Citizens Budget Commission, a nonprofit think tank. Mamdani knows its an ambitious list. The job of city government isnt to tinker around the edges, he said in a campaign video about the city-owned grocery store proposal. (Mamdanis campaign did not respond to HuffPosts request for comment for this story.) News: Zohran Mamdani Directly Addresses Trump During Fox News Interview Big Apple political observers agree with Mamdani that his massive policy platform distinguishes him as a candidate. But big ideas require significant amounts of money, political capital or both. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There are very real structural, budgetary and legal limits on what the citys chief executive can accomplish without the cooperation and support of other branches of city or state government, wrote Carl Weisbrod, who co-chaired former Mayor Bill de Blasios transition team and then led the citys planning commission. Should Mamdani win on Tuesday, hell face a balancing act. It would be unreasonable for any mayor to think theyre going to deliver right away on every promise, Rein said. Hes got to make those smart choices, and in his case, they should be bold choices, because he wants to deliver progress on his agenda. But he has to be able to do that while balancing the budget, preparing for federal cuts, and protecting critical services for needy New Yorkers and quality of life for all New Yorkers. Politics: Trump Falls Back On His Go-To Explanation For GOP Election Disaster: Not My Fault Despite someskepticism, Mamdanis ideas dont break any laws or, arguably, any laws of political gravity. Getting them done is a matter of political will and deft maneuvering. He would most likely be able to freeze the rent for millions of New Yorkers. Mamdanis big-ticket campaign item the one that leads his website and is featured in TV ads is freezing the rent for millions of city residents. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Hes talking about what are known as rent-stabilized apartments, for which a government board determines landlords maximum possible annual rent increases. There are around 1 million such units in the city, constituting almost half of all rental units and housing over 2 million people. (This reporter lives in a rent-stabilized apartment.) Yearly rent increase maximums in rent-stabilized units are determined by the Rent Guidelines Board. The board makes rent increase (or lack thereof) decisions in June, affecting rents starting in October. The mayor appoints members of that board, who serve anywhere from two- to four-year terms, depending on their role. Mamdani has said that he would only appoint board members who understand that landlords are doing just fine. The rent has been frozen three times in the past six decades, all during de Blasios tenure. News: Zohran Mamdani And Andrew Cuomo Vow To Defend New York City From Trumps Threats Asked in one recent interview for a priority for his first 100 days in office, Mamdani didnt hesitate. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The first thing is putting together my Rent Guidelines Board, he told FOX 5 New York last week. This is a key part, because for New Yorkers, the number one crisis of affordability is that of housing. They feel it every single day. (A second priority, he said, is actually to make government work again.) There are some caveats, though. Six out of nine members of the current board are serving on terms that have already technically expired. Incumbent Mayor Eric Adams, whos endorsed Cuomo, has the power to replace them in the final days of his term and has hinted he might do just that. However, board rules concerning outgoing mayors would mean that only four new board members would actually continue on through the first year of a Mamdani administration, as HellGate reports. Politics: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Reveals Marjorie Taylor Greene's 'Revenge' Plot Its also possible that certain Adams appointees could ultimately be convinced to support a rent freeze and one of them, Alexander Armlovitch, told HellGate he would consider it in certain circumstances. Mamdani could also ask certain members to resign or move to dismiss them. But at that point, wed be in uncharted waters, and the move might lead to a court battle. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement My understanding as a policy person is that he has very broad authority over who he names to the Rent Guidelines Board. Thats always been true of every mayor, said Jessica Katz, who has served in three mayoral administrations, including as Adams housing chief in 2022 and 2023. So, long story short, for nearly one-third of the city populace, Mamdani would likely be able to freeze the rent, though he may encounter some delay. He could accomplish his major priorities with help from allies including the governor. For several key priorities, Mamdani would need the help of the city council, the governor, the state Legislature or some combination of that group. Universal no-cost child care for children between 6 weeks to 5 years old would cost somewhere around $6 billion, the campaign estimates, though other estimates are higher. Making buses free would essentially entail the city paying riders fares, which Mamdani has said would amount to somewherearound $700 million. Establishing a city-owned grocery store in each borough which Mamdani has described as like a public option for produce would add some $60 million to the bill, The New York Times estimated this summer. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Some ideas like city-owned grocery stores and, potentially, fare-free buses could be included in the citys budget, which since 2022 has run over $100 billion annually and most recently topped $115 billion. Universal child care would likely require more than the city currently has to spare. Mamdani says he can raise $10 billion through a mix of a 2% income tax on residents making more than $1 million per year, which the campaign says would raise $4 billion; raising the top state corporate tax rate to 11.5%, up from 7.25%, said to raise $5 billion; and a mix of procurement reform and collecting unpaid fines and taxes, which the campaign says would net nearly $1 billion. He wouldnt get everything done quickly, and certainly not in his first budget, which hed have to propose within weeks of taking office. And the big moneymakers the income and corporate taxes would need state approval. Mamdani has endorsements from all of the states major Democrats, signaling the tax hikes could ultimately make it through the Legislature. But Gov. Kathy Hochul has said she is not raising taxes at a time when affordability is the big issue, and her spokesperson recently reiterated that she is not open to raising income taxes. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement But Hochul is up for reelection in 2026. And committing to new taxes or some other form of funding for New York City particularly to pay for a popular policy like universal child care could be the price she pays for Mamdani and his supporters backing for another term. During a recent rally in Queens for Mamdanis campaign, where Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) also spoke, the governors brief remarks were interrupted with roaring chants of Tax the rich! as the Democratic leaders of the state Assembly and Senate stood behind her, grinning awkwardly. I can hear you, the governor eventually relented. (I couldnt hear what they were chanting, Hochul deadpanned to reporters later. I thought they were saying, Lets go Bills.) Mamdani wouldnt only need Hochuls help for tax revenue, though. In order to construct 200,000 permanently affordable, union-built, rent-stabilized homes over the next 10 years, the candidate proposes spending $100 billion, adding $70 billion in municipal debt over the next decade to the $30 billion the city was already planning on incurring. In order to do that, hed need to raise the citys debt limit, which would require approval from the Legislature and governor. Other agenda items wouldnt require state approval. Mamdani has pitched making city buses both free and fast, for example, and the latter item is securely in the mayors wheelhouse. Namely, he has campaigned on carrying out street redesign projects across the city, an area where Adams has long fallenshort. It doesnt cost much, you dont need Albany, all the tools are in the power of City Hall, Mamdani pitched voters in one ad. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement There are more Mamdani proposals than weve explored here. For example, he wants to establish a Department of Community Safety to augment the police department and prioritize prevention-first, community-based solutions, which have been consistently shown to better improve safety. He wants to raise the citys minimum wage to $30 by 2030 another area requiring state approval and he would seek to incentivize residential housing development by reforming our disjointed planning and zoning processes through things like eliminating parking minimums. The list is lengthy and includes ideas big and small. But the would-be mayor has a significant asset: political will. Hes well-liked among New Yorkers, unlike his competitors. And with enough popular support and dealmaking skill, theres a real path toward achieving his agenda, should he be elected. One of the stranger opinions I have, given the context of this mayoral race and the increasingly unhinged attacks launched from the Andrew Cuomo camp, is that Mamdanis actual campaign platform is relatively modest, the writer and journalist (and, briefly, Mamdanis former boss) Ross Barkan observed recently. The core planks do not stretch the political imagination all that much if you know anything about the recent history of the city. He would have to take on Trump while leading a massive bureaucracy. Donald Trump has hovered over the race. Should Mamdani win the mayors office, the president has threatened to take over the city presumably with some combination of federal agents and military force and cut its federal funding. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Trump has already approved cuts that will affect New Yorkers namely, Republicans big, beautiful bill machete job, which slashed SNAP benefits and Medicaid to pay for massive tax cuts, largely for the rich, and lots of new spending on federal law enforcement and detention. The law will cost the state of New York over $15 billion per year, kick 1.5 million New Yorkers off their health insurance, eliminate benefits for up to 1 million food stamp recipients, cause the loss of over 200,000 jobs, and threaten nearly half of all hospitals throughout the state with financial collapse, the Fiscal Policy Institute said upon the bills passage this summer. On top of that, Trump could attack funding for the New York City Housing Authority, which would set back Mamdanis plans to double the citys capital investment in major renovations of NYCHA housing. I think the major threat is Donald Trump, Mamdani said during an appearance on the HellGate podcast last week, when asked what hed be up against as mayor. He noted Trumps recent efforts to withhold $18 billion in federal funding for New York City-area infrastructure projects and the presidents attempt to create a mass deportationforce. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement We have to approach this job with the expectation that crisis will be a regular part of life in dealing with Donald Trump, and that we simultaneously have to move the ball forward on medium- and long-term initiatives, he said. It cannot be that every hour of every day is just spent in a defensive posture to Donald Trump, because part of the reason we got Donald Trump is that we didnt have an affirmative vision of what life would look like beyond Donald Trump. Katz, the veteran of city government, said Mamdanis team could make or break his potential tenure. The mayor leads an enormous bureaucracy, and the citys workforce hovers around 300,000, comparable to the overall population of Saint Paul, Minnesota, or Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. For every major policy, there are dozens of commitments and decisions the mayor and the mayors appointees must make. Government insiders are looking to see the names of who he appoints, Katz said. Theres 300,000 city employees and 8 million New Yorkers. Hes going to be running an operation at a scale which requires an amount of oversight and delegation that is a very gentle balance. So picking the right people, and letting them do their job, is going to be the number one thing that everyones looking for whos been in these kind of positions before. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement And even with a great team in place, the city will have plenty of curveballs in store for the next mayor. In a recent profile of Mamdani, an unnamed city hall veteran told The New Yorker that a mayors waking hours are filled with bad choices. Youre constantly making bad decisions that you know are bad decisions, the person said. Youre presented with two bad options, and youve got to pick one, and thats your day. Related... Read the original on HuffPost With four days until the election, the three candidates for New York City mayor hit the streets on Friday hoping to sway undecided voters before they head to the polls. Zohran Mamdani tried his hand at Tai Chi with seniors on the Lower East Side, continuing his attempt to reach out to older voters. "These same seniors are the ones facing so many of the pressures of this affordability crisis," Mamdani said. "Now is the time to deliver an affordability agenda for seniors who are being pushed out of the city they call home." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement When it comes to seniors and middle-aged voters, Mamdani is essentially tied with Andrew Cuomo. It's a category the former governor desperately needs. A major finding in Thursday's Marist Pollshows Mamdani with a 16-point lead, overall. Cuomo campaigned with conservative Russian immigrants in Brighton Beach, Brooklyn. Among them was Inna Vernikov, a Republican city councilwoman who is no longer endorsing Curtis Sliwa. "He does not have a chance to win and be the mayor, unfortunately," she said. "And our goal right now is to beat Mamdani. And in this election, the only one who can beat Mamdani is Governor Andrew Cuomo." Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement "What I'm trying to do is put together a coalition of Democrats, Republicans, independents to really come together and let's say we are New Yorkers first," Cuomo said. "And this is an existential threat to New York City." Sliwa continues to insist that most Republicans will stick with him. He returned to the subway today, campaigning with a Halloween theme. "Like Dracula, Mamdani, he wants to treat everyone to freebies while taxpayers pick up the tab," Sliwa said. "He'll suck the taxpayers dry to be able to pay for free bus universal childcare and all the other social programs that he has said will cost the taxpayers nothing. He is clearly Dracula, the vampire. And we see Andrew Cuomo is clearly the political zombie who's come back from the dead." ---------- * Get Eyewitness News Delivered * More New York City news * Send us a news tip * Download the abc7NY app for breaking news alerts * Follow us on YouTube Submit a tip or story idea to Eyewitness News Have a breaking news tip or an idea for a story we should cover? Send it to Eyewitness News using the form below. If attaching a video or photo, terms of use apply. Taipei [Taiwan], October 31 (ANI) Taiwan is intensively reviewing and reforming its military and national security framework to counter China's persistent infiltration efforts. Executive Yuan Secretary-General Xavier Chang highlighted the government's robust response to mounting security threats from China, as reported by The Taipei Times According to The Taipei Times, Chang explained that the initiative aligns with President William Lai's 17-point national security strategy unveiled in March, which seeks to shield Taiwan from China's growing campaign to undermine its sovereignty, infiltrate its military, manipulate public opinion, and lure young Taiwanese and businesses toward reunification narratives. The strategy emphasises comprehensive legislative and administrative measures to close all possible channels of Chinese interference. The Executive Yuan has pinpointed 120 key tasks, including 21 laws slated for amendment or fresh legislation. Among these are the Special Statute on Strengthening the Resilience of the Economy, Society and National Security, revisions to the Cyber Security Management Act, and the Industrial Innovation Statute. These legislative steps reflect Taiwan's determination to strengthen economic and defence resilience amid escalating regional tensions. In parallel, the Legislative Yuan has completed a preliminary review of new laws designating undersea cables as critical infrastructure. The proposed amendments would toughen penalties for illegal interference and require vessels to activate their automatic identification systems, a move widely interpreted as a safeguard against Chinese maritime intrusion. To counter espionage within the armed forces, the government is conducting an in-depth review of four major bills: Chang stated that revisions to the National Security Act and Criminal Code of the Armed Forces are also underway, as cited by The Taipei Times. Additionally, Taiwan plans to boost its defence budget to 3 per cent of GDP next year, following NATO standards. The Mainland Affairs Council has also reaffirmed that holding Chinese permanent residency would strip individuals of their Taiwan status, tightening oversight on civil servants, teachers, and military officers with ties to China. In a related development, the Ministry of the Interior has introduced a new rule requiring Chinese nationals seeking Taiwanese residency to present notarised proof of PRC passport renunciation, closing a long-exploited loophole by Chinese applicants, as reported by Taipei Times. (ANI) Karnal Police on Friday registered a complaint against two agents for human trafficking after a harrowing video emerged from Iran, showing two men from Haryana being brutally beaten and stripped by human traffickers, also known as "donkers". Karnal Superintendent of Police, Ganga Ram Punia, stated that the police have registered a case and are making efforts to rescue the two young men. The police have sent details to higher authorities so that they can be rescued. "All documents related to this case have been requested. The matter is being investigated. The cases have been registered at the Nigdu police station and the Sadar police station. We have also sent details to higher authorities so that both men can be rescued," the SP told ANI. The victims, identified as 24-year-old Ritik from Jamba village and 40-year-old Pawan from Dadupur village in Karnal district, were allegedly lured into this situation while trying to reach Spain for better job opportunities via the illegal "donkey route". They left their homes on October 22. The traffickers demanded a ransom of 20 lakh for their release, threatening to remove and sell the victims' kidneys if the payment isn't made. The victims' families appealed to the Karnal Police for help. They alleged that the two young men were deceived by agents who promised to send them to Spain via an illegal route. Two young men from Karnal, Haryana, embarked on a perilous journey to Spain, driven by dreams of better job opportunities and higher earnings. Their journey took them from India to Kolkata, then to Bangkok, and eventually to Iran. However, before reaching Spain, they were intercepted by human traffickers who subjected them to brutal beatings. The traffickers recorded a video of the abuse and sent it to the victims' families, demanding a ransom for their safe release Karnal Police appealed to people not to fall prey to illegal migration and make their children aware of its dangers. (ANI) The fresh newsletter for the International Community in Hungary - described by readers as a "Great read each week" - is now available for your interest and use via the link below. Link to the newsletter: https://xpatloop.com/newsletters/2025/31-october.html Welcome & thanks for enjoying a moment of inspiration here with fellow Xpats in the Loop! You're in good company with 1000's of expats + top locals in this cosmopolitan community. 1. You're warmly invited to the all-inclusive Xpat Charity Party '25 - Bonfire Night Celebration: Great value Early-Bird Tickets are available in a limited quantity - so it's best to reserve soon. It's jam packed with fun chances to be a winner, while giving back via local charities like Unicef: From free casino games to awesome auctions, a foto booth, blind wine tasting + an amazing raffle. 2. Next up, as always there are trending Headlines, essential Info + new Movies & Specials to discover: Celtic Halloween Celebration, All Saints' Holiday, Top Animal-Friendly Cafes, Sziget's Future Secure? 3. Also below you can see a wide variety of Daily Events - for more just check-out our handy Calendar: Contemporary Jewelry Week, JazzFest Concert Series, Modern Art Orchestra, Cheap Cinema Tuesday. We trust you like whats in it for you this week. Best wishes, Team XpatLoop.com Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban will visit Washington, D.C., on November 7 for talks with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House, government officials confirmed on Thursday. According to Gergely Gulyas, the Minister heading the Prime Ministers Office, the two leaders will discuss energy, economic and financial cooperation, as well as prospects for achieving peace in ongoing international conflicts. Gulyas noted that preparations for the meeting have been underway for some time, aiming to strengthen both HungarianU.S. relations and Hungarys economic interests. He said that new agreements covering energy, military, economic, and financial cooperation are expected to be adopted. The talks will also include an exchange of views on possible steps toward peace, including a roadmap that could eventually lead to a U.S.Russian meeting and, in turn, a RussianUkrainian peace agreement. Gulyas added that both sides agree Budapest would serve as the venue for a planned peace summit, a point on which there has been no disagreement. The meeting will conclude with a joint press announcement in the Oval Office, following standard White House protocol. The Minister emphasized the importance of the meeting, describing Prime Minister Orban as the only European leader in office consistently advocating for peace and dialogue with the warring parties over the past three and a half years, while noting that President Trump has pursued a similar approach since returning to office in January. Orban: Aim of Washington visit to shape strategic-economic cooperation with Trump administration Prime Minister Viktor Orban said shaping Hungary's strategic and economic cooperation with the administration of United States President Donald Trump was the purpose of a visit to Washington D.C. in the coming days, in a video message on Facebook on Wednesday. Orban noted that sanctions against Hungary "of a political nature" introduced by the Biden administration had been rolled back in the past six months. "The next step is to shape a strategic-economic cooperation with the Trump administration," he added. In the interest of achieving that goal, Orban said a big Hungarian-US economic cooperation package had been put together. ********************************************************************************************* You're very welcome to comment, discuss and enjoy more stories via our Facebook page: Facebook.com/XpatLoopNews + via XpatLoops groups: Budapest Expats / Expats Hungary You can subscribe to our newsletter here: XpatLoop.com/Newsletters Showcase Your Business to Expats in the Loop: As an independent portal were grateful to all commercial supporters who help keep you in the loop with fresh insights and inspiration. Do you want your business to reach tens of thousands of potential high-value expat customers? If so please contact us here. Securing the future of the Sziget Festival is now just a legal formality, with a clear majority supporting the new authority agreement, Gergely Karacsony, Budapest's mayor, said on Thursday. In a post on Facebook, Karacsony said he received a letter from Sziget and its founder, Karoly Gerendai, outlining their undertakings when it came to organising the festival. "This does not differ substantially from the proposal discussed in the General Assembly yesterday. Based on today's reactions from the city assembly party groups, there is now a visible majority behind the new authority agreement, which substantively fulfills the Assemblys mandate," he said. "So I think only legal formalities remain in terms of securing Sziget's future, and no extraordinary assembly is needed -- we can finalise this at the regular November session. Until then, preparations for next year's Sziget can begin." Earlier yesterday DK called for special session of Budapest city assembly on Sziget festival The opposition Democratic Coalition (DK) is initiating an extraordinary session of the Budapest metropolitan assembly in order to "save the Sziget festival", Klara Dobrev, the party's leader, said on Thursday. Dobrev told an online press conference that on Wednesday, the right-wing parties had made a "shameful decision" in the assembly, saying that the ruling Fidesz and opposition Tisza Party groups "jointly voted down the motion to save the Sziget festival." A proposal by Budapest Mayor Gergely Karacsony that would have allowed Sziget to negotiate with new investors about continuing the festival in 2026 was supported by representatives of DK, the Hungarian Two-Tailed Dog Party, Dialogue, the Socialists, and the Podmaniczky Movement. The entire opposition outside the Tisza Party rallied behind it, she added. "Fidesz and Tisza together executed the Sziget festival, one of the most important and exciting cultural successes in Hungary's post-regime change history," Dobrev said. She added that she understood Fidesz's decision, but was baffled by that of the Tisza Party. She asked why Tisza had to "say no to every plan that comes from the left and the mayor". Dobrev asked Tisza leader Peter Magyar and the party's group in the city assembly to support the convening of an extraordinary session so that "together we can save the Sziget festival." No progress was made on the future of Sziget on Wednesday after the Budapest general assembly failed to pass a resolution which would have called on the ownership committee to terminate the festival's existing land use agreement by mutual agreement. Karacsony had submitted a proposal which the council voted down, with 13 votes in favour and 19 abstentions. Councillors of Fidesz and the Christian Democrats and the Tisza Party abstained, while Tisza's Judit Barna did not vote. 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 ********************************************************************************************* You're very welcome to comment, discuss and enjoy more stories via our Facebook page: Facebook.com/XpatLoopNews + via XpatLoops groups: Budapest Expats / Expats Hungary You can subscribe to our newsletter here: XpatLoop.com/Newsletters Showcase Your Business to Expats in the Loop: As an independent portal were grateful to all commercial supporters who help keep you in the loop with fresh insights and inspiration. Do you want your business to reach tens of thousands of potential high-value expat customers? If so please contact us here. Videos from the scene showed chaos and panic as security personnel tried to control the situation. Police have tightened security in the area amid rising tensions. All hostages, including a 75-year-old woman, were rescued unharmed. Arya, who allegedly fired at police during the operation, sustained gunshot wounds and later died in the hospital. The All Indian Cine Workers Association (AICWA) has demanded an immediate, high-level government investigation into a recent hostage crisis/kidnapping incident at R.A. Studio in Mumbai's Powai area. U.S. should work with China to ensure steady progress in bilateral ties Xinhua) 08:15, October 31, 2025 Chinese and American youth visit Xiaomi's automobile factory in Beijing, capital of China, July 12, 2025. (China International Communications Group Center for the Americas/Handout via Xinhua) Looking ahead, China and the United States should strengthen engagement, avoid misperceptions, manage differences, and expand cooperation, ensuring the implementation of the leaders' consensus for a stable, healthy and sustainable bilateral relationship. BEIJING, Oct. 30 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping's meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday in Busan, South Korea, offers a vital opportunity for both countries to strengthen their relationship. In a world full of uncertainties, the consensus reached between the two leaders provides a clear path forward for stabilizing China-U.S. ties and promoting global stability. This highlights the important role the head-of-state diplomacy plays in guiding China-U.S. relations. As noted by Xi during the meeting, in the face of winds, waves and challenges, the two leaders should stay the right course, navigate through the complex landscape, and ensure the steady sailing forward of the giant ship of China-U.S. relations. Since the beginning of this year, the two leaders have spoken on the phone three times, exchanged several letters and stayed in close contact. Under their joint guidance, China-U.S. relations have remained stable on the whole. This fully demonstrates that for the two giant vessels of China and the United States to move forward together, without veering off course or losing speed, it is essential to unwaveringly adhere to the strategic leadership of the two heads of state and fully implement their important consensus. China-U.S. relations influence the direction of the world. A sound, stable and sustainable bilateral relationship not only aligns with the long-term interests of both countries but also reflects the aspirations of the global community. As noted by Xi, there is good potential for the two countries to work together on combating illegal immigration and telecom fraud, anti-money laundering, artificial intelligence, and responding to infectious diseases. During the meeting, the two presidents agreed to enhance cooperation in economic, trade, energy and other fields, and to encourage more people-to-people exchanges. This once again demonstrates that China and the United States gain from cooperation and lose from confrontation. The two countries share extensive common interests and vast areas for cooperation. They can be partners and friends, achieve mutual success, prosper together, benefit their own people and contribute to the world. As two major countries with different national conditions, it is normal for the two leading economies of the world to have frictions now and then. The key is to respect each other's core interests and major concerns, and to find appropriate ways to resolve issues. People visit a lantern display celebrating the upcoming Chinese Lunar New Year at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington D.C., the United States, Jan. 29, 2022. (Photo by Ting Shen/Xinhua) China-U.S. economic and trade relations have experienced ups and downs recently, which have not only caused losses to both countries but also cast a shadow over the global economy. To allow the economic and trade relations to continue to serve as the anchor and driving force for China-U.S. relations, not a stumbling block or a point of friction, the two sides should think big and recognize the long-term benefit of cooperation, and must not fall into a vicious cycle of mutual retaliation. As urged by Xi, the two teams can continue their talks in the spirit of equality, mutual respect and mutual benefit, and continuously shorten the list of problems and lengthen the list of cooperation. During the meeting, Xi also elaborated on the important secret to China's success. "Over the past seven decades and more, we have been working from generation to generation on the same blueprint to make it a reality. We have no intention to challenge or supplant anyone. Our focus has always been on managing China's own affairs well, improving ourselves and sharing development opportunities with all countries across the world," he said. These remarks, open and confident, sent a clear message to the United States and the world about China's firm commitment to peaceful development and win-win cooperation. In a world marked by complex challenges, the international community looks to China and the United States to play a leading role. There are numerous global issues that both nations can address together, working in the interest of both countries and the world. To realize this vision, both sides must move forward with mutual effort and understanding. Looking ahead, China and the United States should strengthen engagement, avoid misperceptions, manage differences, and expand cooperation, ensuring the implementation of the leaders' consensus for a stable, healthy and sustainable bilateral relationship. (Web editor: Huang Kechao, Liang Jun) Defence Minister Rajnath Singh held talks with the Defence Minister of Malaysia, Dato' Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin, on Friday. The two discussed ways to strengthen defence ties between the two nations. In a post on X, Singh said, "Had a very good conversation with the Defence Minister of Malaysia, Dato' Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin in Kuala Lumpur. Discussed ways to further strengthen the India-Malaysia defence partnership." https://x.com/rajnathsingh/status/1984186468680745086 "In today's uncertain world, where many old beliefs and expectations are changing, I believe that the ASEAN-India relationship will remain a strong pillar of stability...Both ASEAN and India have shown rapid economic growth. Naturally, we both look forward to greater economic ties that will lead to mutual prosperity. To further strengthen trade relations with ASEAN, we look forward to the early completion of the review of the ASEAN-India Trade in Goods Agreement," Singh said in his opening remarks at the ASEAN-India defence ministers' informal meeting earlier in the day. Singh said that India supported international law and contributed to counter-terrorism in South China sea. "India contributes to disaster relief, counter-terrorism and maritime security, and supports freedom of navigation and adherence to international law in the South China Sea," Singh added. He further said that maritime security is central to India-ASEAN engagement. "Maritime security is a central focus of India-ASEAN engagement. I commend ASEAN member states for agreeing to the second edition of the ASEAN-India Maritime Exercise. Sea lines of communication in the Indo-Pacific are vital for regional stability and prosperity. More than half of India's trade passes through the South China Sea and the Malacca Strait, so secure maritime routes are our top priority. India supports a rules-based maritime order based on the principles of UNCLOS and emphasises peaceful resolution of disputes. ASEAN-led initiatives to establish regional maritime interests are reinforced by India's support. Any Code of Conduct in the South China Sea must respect the legitimate interests of all countries to safeguard regional interests," Singh said. He further said that at the first ASEAN-India Defence Ministers Meeting, an initiative was announced for women in UN peacekeeping with an aim to increase their participation. "At the first ASEAN-India Defence Ministers Meeting, an initiative was announced for Women in UN peacekeeping operations. The United Nations has set an ambitious goal to increase women's participation in peacekeeping missions. This goal is based on the experience that the deployment of women peacekeepers makes conflict resolution more achievable and establishes a just peace. Therefore, taking this initiative forward, I propose a second edition of the ASEAN-India Initiative for Women in UN Peacekeeping Operations. This time too, it will be conducted in two phases - the first phase will consist of tailor-made courses for women military officers, and the second phase will be a table-top exercise focusing on the protection of civilians and the role of women peacekeepers," Singh said. Singh then proposed establish a dedicated forum that will encourage institutional engagement between defence think tanks from both regions. "To further strengthen strategic cooperation between India and ASEAN in the defence and security domain, I propose to establish a dedicated forum that will encourage institutional engagement between defence think tanks from both regions. This initiative will promote dialogue, policy research collaboration, and capacity building to address evolving security challenges in the Indo-Pacific region. Today, we are sharing a concept note for this proposed forum. I request our ASEAN Partner countries to nominate leading defence think tanks, experts, and academics from their countries to participate in this dialogue. I am confident that this dialogue will further strengthen regional cooperation and bring innovation to policy-making and practical execution," Singh said. He then expressed his anticipation for the upcoming ASEAN-India Maritime Exercise and International Fleet Review 2026. "I look forward to the participation of all ASEAN Member States in the ASEAN-India Maritime Exercise and International Fleet Review 2026, to be held in India. These events will further strengthen naval cooperation, enhance interoperability, and help ensure maritime safety, security, and freedom of navigation. I thank Malaysia, as Chair of ASEAN & ADMM Plus, for organising this meeting effectively... We will meet again soon to advance our shared goals of peace, security, and progress in the Indo-Pacific region," Singh said. Singh also held a bilateral meeting with Singapore Defence Minister Chan Chun Sing in Kuala Lumpur on Friday as part of his engagements aimed at strengthening India's defence ties with key partners. The Defence Minister is in Malaysia to take part in the 12th ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting - Plus (ADMM-Plus). Earlier in the day, Rajnath Singh met US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth on the sidelines of ADMM-Plus in Kuala Lumpur. The meeting was constructive and the delegation-level talks were followed by a one-to-one meeting, a Defence Ministry release stated. The two leaders appreciated the continuing momentum in the bilateral defence cooperation and reaffirmed their commitment to further build upon the mutually beneficial partnership across all its pillars. They reviewed the ongoing defence issues and the challenges that persist and deliberated upon the ongoing defence industry and technology collaborations. (ANI) As Trump and Xi met in Busan, the world turned its gaze to the nation once written off as hopeless but now is a symbol of resilience and genius. The worlds tallest statues are astonishing and stunning landmarks that symbolize history, spirituality, and national pride. These include the Statue of Unity that honors Sardar Patel, Laykyun Setkyar which is in Myanmar and represents Gautam Budha. Whereas Sendai Daikannon in Japan represents Buddhist ideals, Russias Peter the Great statue celebrates naval achievements, and last but not the least is the statue of Lord Shiva which is in Nathdwara. India will participate in the upcoming Malabar naval exercise alongside the United States, Japan, and Australia, with the Indian Navy confirming the deployment of a Shivalik-class stealth warship to Guam in the US for the duration of the drills. "We are participating in Exercise Malabar, and our warship, which is a Shivalik-class warship, will be in Guam in the US, and it will be there for the entire period of the exercise," the Indian Navy said on Friday. India is set to join the next edition of the Malabar exercise in Guam in November, marking another step in strengthening the operational coordination between the Quad nations India, the US, Japan, and Australia. The exercise will take place at Guam, a US island territory located in the western Pacific Ocean, roughly halfway between Japan and Australia. The region serves as a key maritime hub for Indo-Pacific security cooperation. Originally a bilateral exercise between India and the United States, Malabar gradually expanded to include Japan and later Australia, bringing all four Quad partners into one of the Indo-Pacific's most significant naval collaborations. Though the Quad is not a military alliance, the exercise serves as a platform to strengthen maritime security and uphold freedom of navigation in the region. India is also scheduled to host the next Quad summit, with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese recently reaffirming the grouping's importance for regional cooperation during his visit to Malaysia for the ASEAN forum. "The Quad is an important forum and an important vehicle for us to engage Australia, the United States, Japan and India. I'm hopeful there will be a meeting in the first quarter of next year. Prime Minister Modi is due to host the Quad meeting," Albanese said in Kuala Lumpur. Separately, the Indian Navy announced that it will organise the International Fleet Review (IFR) in Visakhapatnam in February 2026, where President Droupadi Murmu will review the fleet. The event will feature India's indigenous aircraft carrier, INS Vikrant, as well as Kalvari-class submarines, and participation from over 50 countries, including the United States and Russia. Navy Vice Chief Vice Admiral (VAdm) Sanjay Vatsayan said, "Both the US and Russia have confirmed participation in the international fleet review and Milan exercise. They would be sending their ships. Some aircraft are also expected. Addressing the press briefing, he added that a large number of countries had been invited to the event and that over 50 countries have expressed their willingness to attend the IFR, Milan exercise, as well as the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS). "We have extended invites to a large number of nations, and so far, we have received responses from over 55 countries that have expressed their willingness to attend all three events. A very large number of navies are also participating through high-level delegations in addition to sending their ships. However, as you are aware, we still have four months to go. These numbers will change as more confirmations are received. And as geopolitics evolves, we cannot predict what will happen in 7 or 15 days. So there will be a change in the numbers. However, we are definitely expecting more than 55. And yes, both the United States as well as Russia are participating. They have indicated that they will be sending their ships, and we are also expecting some aircraft, maybe, but it's still work in progress," he said. Vice Admiral Vatsayan also addressed the presence of foreign powers in the Indian Ocean region, stating that the Navy is constantly vigilant and monitors every vessel operation in the Indian Ocean region, as well as being aware of challenges across all spectrum. "There is a continuous presence of extra-regional powers in the Indian Ocean region due to the ongoing situation. It has always been that, and it's only increasing. At any given point in time, we have a minimum of 40, and sometimes even more than 50, ships operating in the Indian Ocean region. To assure all of you, we are monitoring each one of them. We are aware of what they're doing, what they're likely to do, when they come in, when they go out, etc. Challenges remain. You've seen what has happened in Madagascar. However, the bottom line remains that the Indian Ocean is the primary source of goods and oil transit for the world. That does not change. And with it, it brings its associated challenges with respect to both traditional and non-traditional issues. It is across the spectrum that we look at, from piracy to human trafficking to drugs and so on. These challenges are present, and we are aware of them. We are ready to meet any contingency," he said. (ANI) Tanzania's main opposition party has claimed that hundreds of people were killed in protests following this week's disputed elections, while the United Nations says it has "credible reports" at least 10 people died, Al Jazeera reported on Friday. "As we speak, the number of deaths in [Dar-es-Salaam] is around 350 and there are more than 200 in Mwanza," Chadema party spokesperson John Kitoka said on Friday, referring to the commercial capital in northern Tanzania. "If we add the figures from other places in the country, we arrive at a total of around 700 deaths," Al Jazeera quoted. Chadema said its members had toured hospitals across the country to reach the figure. Tanzania's government has released any estimates on casualties, only saying its forces were restoring order after "isolated incidents". The opposition's estimated toll contrasted with that of the UN. In a Friday briefing, UN human rights spokesperson Seif Magango told Geneva reporters that credible sources had indicated at least 10 deaths at the hands of security forces so far, as reported by Al Jazeera. "We call on the security forces to refrain from using unnecessary or disproportionate force, including lethal weapons, against protesters, and to make every effort to de-escalate tensions," Magango said in the same briefing. Demonstrations erupted on Wednesday in Dar-es-Salaam, a city of more than seven million people, after disputed and chaotic elections that saw the two main opposition parties barred from participating. Several vehicles, a petrol station and police stations were set ablaze by protesters infuriated by the restricted election choices and harassment of opposition figures. The latest developments arrived as hundreds of demonstrators squared off with police for the third day on Friday, demanding the national electoral body stop announcing electoral results. The government deployed the military onto the streets and enforced an internet shutdown. A day earlier, protesters who defied a curfew in the Mbagala, Gongo la Mboto and Kiluvya neighbourhoods of Dar-es-Salaam were met with tear gas and the sounds of gunfire. Wednesday's elections saw President Samia Suluhu Hassan's two biggest challengers excluded from the race, infuriating citizens and rights groups that have also decried an intensifying crackdown against opposition members, activists and journalists, Al Jazeera reported. (ANI) US Vice President JD Vance on Friday addressed criticism over his comments on his interfaith marriage with his Hindu wife, Usha. Vance stated that while he hopes his wife will one day share his Christian faith, she has no plans to convert, and he respects her decision. Responding to Ezra Levant, a journalist and publisher of Rebel News, Canada, Vance emphasised that his marriage is built on mutual respect, trust, and communication, despite their differing faiths. She had criticised Vance for expressing his hope that his wife would convert to Christianity, calling it "disgusting" and accusing him of being insensitive to her Hindu faith. In a post on X, Levant had said, "It's weird to throw your wife's religion under the bus, in public, for a moment's acceptance by groypers." The US VP credited his wife, Usha, with encouraging him to re-engage with his faith, which has become an integral part of his life and assured that he wouldn't pressure his wife to convert, acknowledging that faith is a personal journey and a matter of "God-given free will". In a post on X, he said, "What a disgusting comment, and it's hardly been the only one along these lines. First off, the question was from a person seemingly to my left, about my interfaith marriage. I'm a public figure, and people are curious, and I wasn't going to avoid the question. Second, my Christian faith tells me the Gospel is true and is good for human beings. My wife--as I said at the TPUSA--is the most amazing blessing I have in my life. She herself encouraged me to reengage with my faith many years ago. She is not a Christian and has no plans to convert, but like many people in an interfaith marriage--or any interfaith relationship--I hope she may one day see things as I do. Regardless, I'll continue to love and support her and talk to her about faith and life and everything else, because she's my wife. Third, posts like this wreak of anti-Christian bigotry. Yes, Christians have beliefs. And yes, those beliefs have many consequences, one of which is that we want to share them with other people. That is a completely normal thing, and anyone who's telling you otherwise has an agenda." The couple has decided to raise their three children in the Christian faith, with Usha supporting this decision. https://x.com/JDVance/status/1984274352112599123 While addressing the Turning Point USA Event in Mississippi on Wednesday, Vance was asked whether he hopes his wife will eventually "come to Christ". He candidly expressed his hope that his Hindu-raised wife, Usha Vance, would one day embrace Christianity, while affirming her free will and their mutual respect in an interfaith marriage, during an address at the Turning Point USA Event in Mississippi on Wednesday. https://x.com/VP/status/1984265878356287588 He said, "Now, most Sundays, Usha will come with me to church. As I've told her, and as I've said publicly, and as I'll say now in front of 10,000 of my closest friends -- do I hope, eventually, that she is somehow moved by the same thing that I was moved by in church? Yeah, I honestly do wish that because I believe in the Christian gospel and I hope eventually my wife comes to see it the same way." He added, however, that faith is deeply personal and that differences in belief do not create conflict in their marriage."But if she doesn't, then God says everybody has free will, and so that doesn't cause a problem for me. That's something you work out with your friends, with your family, with the person that you love," Vance said. The Vice President, who converted to Catholicism in 2019, described Usha's background, stating, "My wife did not grow up Christian. I think it's fair to say that she grew up in a Hindu family, but not a particularly religious family in either direction."He further explained that the couple has found a balanced way to manage their interfaith household. "Everybody has to come to their own arrangement here. The way we arrived at our arrangement is that she's my best friend. We discuss this topic with each other. We've decided to raise our kids Christian. Our two oldest children, who attend school, attend a Christian school. Our 8-year-old had his First Communion about a year ago. That's the way that we have come to our arrangement," the Vice President said. Vance's remarks drew applause from the conservative audience at the event, highlighting the couple's approach to balancing faith, family, and personal beliefs. (ANI) A 35-member delegation from the Danish Farmers Abroad Association of Denmark met Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini at his residence, Sant Kabir Kutir, on Friday. The delegation included representatives from 20 different companies. Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Shyam Singh Rana was also present on the occasion, an official statement said. https://x.com/NayabSainiBJP/status/1984227724601282861 During the meeting, both sides held detailed discussions on potential cooperation in animal husbandry, agriculture, dairy development, and related sectors. The Danish delegation expressed a strong interest in investing in Haryana in these areas. Welcoming the delegation, Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini said that the Haryana Government is already collaborating with Denmark on several projects focused on technological advancement and enhancing productivity in the state's agriculture and animal husbandry sectors. He informed that a delegation of progressive farmers from Haryana, led by Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Shyam Singh Rana, had earlier visited several African countries to study their technologies, agricultural systems, and best practices. He said that investors from Denmark and African nations can collaborate with Haryana's farmers to promote growth in animal husbandry, agriculture, and dairy development, as per the statement. The Chief Minister said that the state government provides a conducive environment for investors, ensuring ease of doing business through transparent policies and an industry-friendly approach. This has made Haryana a preferred destination for investment. He further stated that Haryana is encouraging business-to-business partnerships with Denmark and African countries to promote the exchange of innovative technologies, expertise, and resources thereby giving new direction to the state's industrial and agricultural growth. He reiterated that the Haryana Government is adopting a 'Go Global' approach and actively encouraging foreign investors to explore opportunities in the state. Inviting the delegation to take advantage of Haryana's investment-friendly ecosystem, the Chief Minister assured them of the government's full support and cooperation. During the meeting, the delegation informed the Chief Minister that it had visited various sites across Haryana to study local agricultural and animal husbandry practices. Chief Principal Secretary to the Chief Minister Rajesh Khullar, Commissioner and Secretary of Animal Husbandry and Dairy Department Vijay Dahiya, Advisor Department of Foreign Cooperation Pawan Chaudhary, Director General of Animal Husbandry and Dairy Department Prem and other senior officials were also present on this occasion. (ANI) The eighth meeting of the Joint Working Group (JWG) on Agriculture between India and the Netherlands was held on Friday at Krishi Bhawan, New Delhi. The meeting was co-chaired by Priya Ranjan, Joint Secretary (Horticulture), Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare (DA&FW), Government of India, and Guido Landheer from the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality, the Netherlands. Both sides exchanged views on current priorities, challenges, and new initiatives in their respective agriculture sectors. The co-chairs emphasised the significance of the JWG mechanism in enhancing the longstanding cooperation between the two countries in the agricultural sector. The discussions underscored the significant contribution of the Centres of Excellence (CoEs) established under bilateral collaboration, which have demonstrated advanced agricultural technologies, facilitated the production of high-quality planting materials and seeds, and provided training to thousands of farmers. The success of this collaborative model has encouraged both sides to explore scaling up similar initiatives in more states and horticulture subsectors, benefiting a larger number of farmers. The meeting also reviewed the ongoing areas of cooperation and explored potential new avenues, including phytosanitary cooperation, the seed sector, animal husbandry and dairy, food processing, food safety, circular agriculture, greenhouse technologies, knowledge exchange, innovation, and naturally ventilated polyhouses. Both sides expressed satisfaction with the constructive and result-oriented discussions and reaffirmed their commitment to further strengthen bilateral cooperation in the agriculture and allied sectors. The Netherlands delegation included Marion van Schaik, Agriculture Counsellor; Sarah Visser Ravichandran, Senior Policy Officer; and Sritanu Chatterjee, Policy Advisor, Embassy of the Netherlands. The Indian side was represented by senior officials from the Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare (DA&FW), Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI), Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying (DAHD), and the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). (ANI) Speaking at a special session titled "Non-State Power and Influence: Regional and Transnational Challenges" during the 21st IISS Manama Dialogue, Adviser Hossain called for enhanced intelligence sharing, stronger border management, and effective financial oversight to counter transnational networks. He noted that non-state actors exploit borders, illicit trade, displacement, and digital spaces to advance radical agendas. Stressing inclusive cooperation among governments, civil society, and international partners, he said that "the fight against extremism will ultimately be won in classrooms, communities, and in the minds of our youth." Sharing Bangladesh's perspective, the Adviser reaffirmed that no non-state armed groups are allowed to operate within Bangladesh. Referring to the protracted Rohingya crisis, he said Bangladesh continues to host over 1.3 million forcibly displaced people from Myanmar who fled persecution and violence by the Myanmar Military and non-state armed groups. He urged the international community to stay engaged in ensuring their safe, voluntary, and dignified repatriation, cautioning that prolonged uncertainty could make the displaced population vulnerable to exploitation and threaten regional stability. Ministers, dignitaries, and representatives from various countries and international organisations, including the EU and NATO, attended the session. Bangladesh Ambassador to Bahrain, Md Rais Hasan Sarower, NDC, and Director General (West Asia), Md Humayun Kabir accompanied the Adviser. Earlier, on October 29, in Bangladesh, following the recent alleged incident in which Mufti Mohammad Mohibullah Miaji, the Khatib of TNT BTCL Colony Jame Mosque in Tongi, Gazipur, was reportedly rescued in a bound and unclothed state near the Helipad Bazar area in Panchagarh, certain communal groups have begun a coordinated campaign of misinformation across the country. Using this incident as a pretext, they are inciting hatred against the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) and targeting the Hindu community with threats of killing, temple vandalism, and destruction of deities. This has created severe fear, anxiety, and insecurity among the religious minority citizens. (ANI) Navy Vice Chief Vice Admiral Sanjay Vatsayan said that all three defence forces are monitoring developments in the region amid the growing relationship between Bangladesh and Pakistan. "I want to assure you that all three defence forces and agencies are monitoring the situation and developments, and we are taking all necessary steps," Vice Admiral Vatsayan said. The remarks of the Navy Vice Chief hold significance as the regime change in Bangladesh following Sheikh Hasina's exit saw an interim government led by Muhammad Yunus foster closer relations between Dhaka and Islamabad. Last week, the Chairman of Pakistan's Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (CJCSC), General Sahir Shamshad Mirza, paid a courtesy call on Bangladesh's Chief Adviser, Professor Muhammad Yunus, at the State Guest House Jamuna late on Saturday. "During the meeting, they discussed a wide range of issues concerning Bangladesh-Pakistan relations, including the growing importance of bilateral trade, investment, and defence cooperation," the Chief Adviser's Press Wing said in a statement on Sunday. Bangladesh's National Security Adviser Dr Khalilur Rahman, Senior Secretary and SDG Coordinator Lamiya Morshed, and Pakistan's High Commissioner to Bangladesh Imran Haider were present during the meeting. Navy Vice Chief Vice Admiral Sanjay Vatsayan said that both the US and Russia will participate in the international fleet review and Milan exercise. "Both US and Russia have confirmed participation in the international fleet review and Milan exercise. They would be sending their ships. Some aircraft are also expected," he said. Recently, Trump directed the Pentagon to match Russia and China in nuclear weapons testing. The Trump administration announced its decision after Russia carried out nuclear-powered weapons tests shortly before the US president was set to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping in South Korea. He said that almost 55 countries have expressed their willingness to attend the events. "We have extended invites to a large number of nations, and so far, we have received responses from over 55 countries that have expressed their willingness to attend all three events. A huge number of navies are also participating through high-level delegations in addition to sending their ships. However, as you are aware, we still have four months to go. So these numbers will change as more confirmations come in," he said. "And as geopolitics evolves, we cannot predict what will happen in 7 or 15 days. So there will be a change in the numbers. However, we are definitely expecting more than 55. And yes, both the United States and Russia are participating. They have indicated that they will be sending their ships, and we are also expecting some aircraft, maybe, but it's still work in progress," he added. Vatsayan said that at any given point in time, about 50 ships are present in the Indian Ocean. "There is a continuous presence of extra-regional powers in the Indian Ocean region due to the ongoing situation. It has always been that and it's only increasing. At any given point of time, we have a minimum of 40, but going even beyond 50 odd ships that are operating in the Indian Ocean region and just to assure all of you, we are monitoring each and every one of them. We are aware of what they're doing, what they're likely to do, when do they come in, when they go out, etc. Challenges remain. You've seen what has happened in Madagascar," he said. He further stated that the Indian Ocean is the primary source of goods and oil transit. "But the bottom line remains that the Indian Ocean is the main source of transit of goods and oil as far as the world is concerned. That does not change. And with it, it brings its associated challenges with respect to traditional as well as non-traditional issues. It is across the spectrum that we look at, from piracy to human trafficking to drugs and so on and so forth. So these challenges are there, and we are alive to them. We are ready to meet any contingency," he said. Vatsayan further said that the navy was expecting to induct four ships to be delivered by the end of December. "This year, we have inducted 10 ships and one submarine, and I am expecting another four ships to be delivered before the end of December. And I think next year we've got 19 vessels which are likely to be inducted, and most of them should be commissioned by December. And next to next year, about 13 ships that we are expecting to be delivered to the Indian Navy," he said. Director General of Naval Operations, Vice Admiral AN Pramod, said that their main objective is to enhance synergy between all maritime forces. "We are conducting a tri-service exercise on the Gujarat coast and in the northern Arabian Sea. All three services-Army, Navy, Air Force-as well as the Coast Guard, BSF, and central agencies, are participating in large numbers. You'll find the Army's Southern Command, the Navy's Western Command, and the Air Force's South Western Air Command participating. Our main objective is to enhance synergy between all maritime forces. It is a very large complex environment, and this is a multi-domain integrated operation which we are conducting... 20-25 Navy ships are participating. Over 40 Air Force fighter and support aircraft are participating," he said. The Indian Navy will organise the International Fleet Review (IFR) in February 2026 in Visakhapatnam, where President Droupadi Murmu will review the fleet on February 18, the officials announced on Friday. (ANI) Running a successful business requires more than managing finances and operations it demands maintaining a workforce that is reliable, safe, and productive. One factor that can quietly undermine these goals is substance abuse in the workplace. Whether its a small team or a large enterprise, even one impaired employee can pose serious risks to safety, morale, and profitability. Thats why employee drug testing services have become an essential tool for responsible business owners. When implemented correctly, drug testing helps prevent accidents, reduce liability, and create a workplace culture built on trust and accountability. But to make the most of this process, employers need to understand not only why testing is important but also how to do it effectively. 1. Understanding the Purpose of Employee Drug Testing Employee drug testing is about far more than catching wrongdoing its a proactive strategy for protecting both people and productivity. These services identify whether employees or job applicants are using substances that could impair their performance or judgment. Testing can occur at different stages of employment, including pre-hire screening, random testing, post-incident evaluations, and return-to-duty assessments. For business owners, the benefits are both immediate and long-term. Drug testing helps ensure that individuals performing safety-sensitive or high-responsibility tasks are sober and capable. It also deters substance misuse among existing employees, as the possibility of testing encourages adherence to workplace policies. Importantly, effective drug testing programs promote fairness and consistency. When every employee is held to the same standard, it builds trust within the organization and reinforces a shared commitment to safety and accountability. 2. Legal and Ethical Considerations Every Employer Should Know Before launching a drug testing program, business owners must understand the legal framework that governs it. Regulations vary by location, industry, and the type of testing being conducted, but compliance is non-negotiable. In the United States, laws such as the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) establish clear boundaries for how employers can collect and handle test results. Certain industries, particularly transportation, construction, and healthcare, also fall under federal mandates like those from the Department of Transportation (DOT) that require regular drug testing. Ethical responsibility goes hand in hand with legal compliance. Employers must obtain informed consent before testing, maintain confidentiality of results, and ensure that policies are applied fairly across all employees. Working with a professional testing service helps ensure that your program meets both legal and ethical standards protecting your company from potential lawsuits while demonstrating respect for employee privacy and dignity. 3. Designing a Comprehensive Drug Testing Policy An effective drug testing program starts with a clear, well-documented policy. This policy should outline the purpose of testing, the types of tests conducted, how and when testing occurs, and the procedures for handling results. It should also define the consequences for policy violations and the steps available for rehabilitation or appeal. Business owners should communicate the policy openly to all employees, ensuring they understand both its purpose and its process. Transparency fosters cooperation and reduces misunderstandings or resistance. Consistency is key. Whether testing is random, post-incident, or scheduled, it must be applied uniformly to prevent claims of discrimination. Employers should also choose reputable, certified laboratories that follow industry standards for accuracy and confidentiality. By creating a structured, transparent, and compliant program, employers demonstrate that drug testing isnt about suspicion its about prevention, protection, and fairness. 4. The Role of Professional Drug Testing Services Partnering with a professional drug testing provider is one of the smartest decisions a business owner can make. These experts handle everything from policy development and test administration to record-keeping and compliance management. Their expertise ensures that your program is not only effective but also legally sound. Professional testing services use advanced technology to deliver accurate and reliable results. They offer a range of testing methods, including urine, saliva, hair, and blood tests each suited to different detection windows and organizational needs. Many also integrate digital tools that allow results to be tracked and stored securely, making administration simple and efficient. Another advantage of working with professionals is their ability to provide guidance on best practices. They can advise on how often to test, which substances to screen for, and how to handle positive results appropriately. This support helps employers strike the right balance between vigilance and compassion addressing substance misuse while maintaining workplace morale. Moreover, professional services often collaborate with Employee Assistance Programs (EAPs) to help workers who test positive access counseling, rehabilitation, or treatment resources. This approach reflects a commitment not just to discipline, but to employee well-being and recovery. 5. Building a Safer, Healthier, and More Productive Workplace When implemented thoughtfully, employee drug testing programs contribute to a stronger and more successful business. A drug-free workplace reduces the likelihood of accidents, absenteeism, and turnover. It also enhances focus, reliability, and overall performance. Employees who work in a safe and transparent environment tend to feel more valued and supported. They can perform their roles with greater confidence, knowing their employer prioritizes both safety and fairness. In turn, this culture of trust improves morale, strengthens teamwork, and boosts productivity. Beyond the workplace, effective drug testing policies can elevate a companys reputation. Clients, investors, and partners view businesses with strong safety protocols as professional and dependable. For industries that rely on public confidence such as transportation, healthcare, or logistics this credibility can be a major competitive advantage. Over time, the benefits of a structured drug testing program compound. Fewer accidents mean fewer claims and legal issues, while better employee performance translates to higher efficiency and profitability. By treating drug testing as a proactive business strategy rather than a punitive measure, employers can protect their operations and foster a culture where everyone thrives. Conclusion: A Responsible Approach to Workplace Safety Employee drug testing services are not merely about detecting problems they are about preventing them. When done ethically and effectively, drug testing protects employees, strengthens organizational culture, and safeguards business continuity. For business owners, the path to an effective program lies in understanding the legal landscape, partnering with qualified professionals, and implementing a transparent policy that emphasizes safety, fairness, and support. A drug-free workplace doesnt happen by accident; its built through consistent effort, clear communication, and responsible leadership. By investing in professional drug testing services, business owners take a vital step toward creating a secure, healthy, and productive environment one where employees can perform at their best and the business can thrive with confidence. Renewed Calls to Divide Nineveh Province Spark Political Debate in Iraq The Nineveh Plain Region, marked in red, covers around 8,000 square kilometers in northern Iraq and forms part of historical Assyria. The future of Iraq's Nineveh province has been a subject of debate and competing initiatives since the fall of Saddam Hussein in 2003. Home to around 3.7 million people, Nineveh is Iraq's second most populous and third largest province. Often described as a miniature Iraq, it mirrors the country's ethnic and religious mosaic since the construction of the country by the British in the 1930s. Under Article 140 of Iraq's Constitution, disputed territories such as Sinjar and the Nineveh Plain were meant to undergo normalization, a census, and a referendum to determine their status, a process stalled for more than a decade. Assyrians and Yazidis, who form majorities in the Nineveh Plain and Sinjar respectively, were among the first to advocate for breaking up the large province. In January 2014, the Iraqi government took an initial step toward establishing a new province encompassing the Nineveh Plain Region. However, that process was cut short when ISIS emerged later that year, derailing political efforts and forcing most Assyrians to flee. The issue has remained off the government's agenda ever since, despite ISIS's defeat. Rekindled debate following Halabja's new status The debate over the future of Assyrians, Yazidis, and others in Nineveh has resurfaced following the Iraqi parliament's decision in April this year to recognize Halabja and its surrounding districts as Iraq's 19th province. That move has revived calls from various groups to create new provinces, especially within Nineveh. Following Halabja's recognition, Iraq's Badr parliamentary bloc called for the creation of a new province encompassing the districts of Tal Afar, Sinjar, and the Nineveh Plains. The Badr Organization, a Shi'a political group led by Hadi al-Amiri, holds 17 seats in parliament. At a press conference in Baghdad, lawmaker Waad al-Qaddo, a Shabak minority representative and member of the Badr bloc, said the proposal aimed to address governance gaps affecting Turkmen, Yazidi, and Assyrian populations. "The people of Tal Afar, Sinjar, and the Nineveh Plains have been marginalized," al-Qaddo told reporters. "Establishing a new province is necessary to ensure justice and fair representation." Al-Qaddo's proposal, presented as a way to protect minorities, differs from the one put forward by Assyrian political parties led by the Assyrian Democratic Movement (ADM). In a joint statement issued after the Halabja decision, they called for the creation of a Nineveh Plain province. "A decision to establish such a Nineveh Plain province would fall well within existing legislation, as decided by the Iraqi cabinet on January 21, 2014, and as incorporated in Article 125 of the Iraqi Constitution and Law No. 21 of 2008 concerning Governorates Not Incorporated into a Region," the statement read. The Tigris river running through Mosul. Sunni-Arab objections The renewed calls to divide Nineveh have not been welcomed by all. The Civilians (Madaniyoun) Party rejected the proposals on October 19, warning that any move to partition the province would endanger Iraq's unity and risk reigniting internal conflict. The Madaniyoun Party, launched this October and led by independent lawmaker Ahmed al-Jubouri, a Sunni MP from Nineveh, is closely linked to the Iraqi Communist Party. At its launch, al-Jubouri described the group as a national movement rooted in the rule of law and a "non-sectarian civil state." "The party seeks to strengthen Iraq's institutions and advance beyond quota-based power sharing and sectarian politics," he said. Party official Osama al-Khattat told a local outlet that all "political, tribal, and religious forces" must unite to defend Nineveh's integrity, warning that calls to divide the province "would ignite new strife and serve only Iraq's enemies." Sunni Arabs remain the majority population in Nineveh province. The Halabja example Halabja's long road to provincial status illustrates the challenges and political bargaining involved. The new province, comprising Halabja District and the surrounding districts of Sharazoor, Penjwen, and Said Sadiq, was previously part of Sulaymaniyah Province. The process began with a KRG decision in June 2013, followed by a 2015 KRG parliamentary vote recognizing Halabja as a province within the region. However, Baghdad refused to acknowledge the decision for years, leaving Halabja in limbo and underfunded. A breakthrough came this year after negotiations between Shi'a and Kurdish blocs linked the Halabja bill to other contentious issues, including legislation concerning the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) and proposals to convert Shi'a-majority districts such as Tal Afar, Tuz Khurmatu, and Al-Faw into provinces. For Assyrians in the Nineveh Plain Region, Halabja serves as both a precedent and a warning. On one hand, it strengthens the political argument for a Nineveh Plain province; on the other, it highlights the risk of protracted political wrangling that can leave local populations economically and administratively stranded for years. On Wednesday, October 29, 2025, the European Union, alongside France, Lithuania, and Denmark, has called for urgent de-escalation in Sudan following the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) capture of El-Fasher, the capital of the Darfur region. In a joint statement, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas and Commissioner Hadja Lahbib condemned the targeting of civilians based on ethnicity, describing it as evidence of the RSFs brutality. The EU reaffirmed its commitment to supporting diplomatic efforts for a lasting ceasefire, humanitarian access, and accountability for war crimes. Frances Foreign Ministry strongly denounced the intensification of the RSFs offensive since 26 October, warning of worsening humanitarian conditions and citing reports of atrocities, including summary executions in El-Fasher and Bara. Lithuania and Denmark echoed these concerns, describing the situation as unbearable and urging the RSF to protect civilians while granting immediate, unhindered humanitarian access. Both nations demanded an end to hostilities and accountability for mass atrocities. The RSF has been accused by Sudanese authorities and international organisations of committing massacres, arbitrary arrests, and forced displacements during its recent assault on El-Fasher. The United Nations earlier called for a safe corridor for civilians to flee the city, with reports suggesting that as many as 2,000 people were killed between 26 and 27 October. The RSF, however, denied the allegations, claiming it was clearing the city of remaining army and allied forces. The ongoing conflict between Sudans army and the RSF, which began in April 2023, has killed thousands and displaced over 15 million people despite repeated mediation attempts. The UN Security Council will vote this Oct 31 on a resolution that calls for the parties to negotiate on the basis of Moroccos autonomy plan as the conflict nears its 50th anniversary. Moroccos Autonomy Proposal, first submitted in 2007, is described in the resolution as a most feasible basis for a just, lasting, and mutually acceptable solution. The resolution expressed full support for Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and his Personal Envoy, Staffan de Mistura, in their efforts to advance the political process. The resolution calls on all parties to engage in discussions without preconditions, taking the Autonomy Proposal as the basis for talks. The resolution extends the MINURSO mandate to October 2026. But had asked for a strategic review of MINURSOs mandate within six months, based on the outcome of the negotiations. This week, Algeria has shown that it is the genuine party opposing Moroccos sovereignty over its south. Algerian diplomacy has tried in vain to omit any mention of autonomy in the text. The resolution needs nine votes and no vetoes to be adopted. As the United Nations Security Council prepared to vote on a pivotal resolution endorsing Moroccos autonomy plan for Western Sahara, Algeria launched a last-minute diplomatic offensive to alter the language of the U.S.-drafted text. The resolution, which framed Moroccos autonomy initiative as basis for negotiations was met with unprecedented activism by Algiers which proposed amendments that were ultimately rejected by the majority of Council members, reaffirming the global shift toward Moroccos sovereignty-based framework. This episode is a clear demonstration that Algeria is not a neutral observer as it has been claiming for decades, but a principal actor in the conflict. Algeria has also taken self-harming economic steps against Spain and France after they backed autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty as a solution. Algeria has long recognized the self-declared Polisario entity and offered it a safe haven and a rear base around Tindouf. It has also been using Algerian tax payers money and its oil wealth to finance and back diplomatically the Polisario separatists, who continue to enrich themselves at the expense of suffering Sahrawis in abject conditions in south western Alge The UN has repeatedly identified Algeria as a key stakeholder in the conflict. In recent consultations, Algeria and Morocco are mentioned equally in official UN reportson the conflict. Despite this, Algeria continues to reject participation in UN-sponsored roundtables that include Morocco, the Polisario, and Mauritania. It insists on being labeled an observer, even while actively lobbying against Moroccos autonomy plan and attempting to influence Security Council resolutions. The Western Sahara conflict is not merely a territorial dispute between Morocco and the separatist Polisario militias. It is a regional power struggle, with Algeria using the Polisario as a proxy to counterbalance Moroccos influence in North Africa. Algerias reluctance to accept autonomy as a win-win solution has resulted in a prolonged humanitarian crisis in the Tindouf camps, prevented the implementation of a lasting political solution and undermined regional stability and cooperation. Praise be to God. May peace and blessings be upon the Prophet, His Kith and Kin. Almighty God said : Verily, We have granted you a manifest Victory. True is the Word of God Dear Citizens, After fifty years of sacrifices, and with the help and guidance of the Almighty, we are starting a new chapter in the process of consolidating the Moroccanness of the Sahara, and closing, once and for all, this fabricated conflict, within the framework of a consensual solution based on the Autonomy Initiative. It is, indeed, a source of pride that this historic change should coincide with the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the Green March, and the 70th anniversary of Moroccos independence. I am pleased, in this regard, to share with you today my feelings of satisfaction concerning the content of the resolution recently adopted by the Security Council. This is a pivotal moment and a crucial turning point in the history of modern Morocco. There is a before October 31, 2025 era, and an after October 30. The time has come for a unified Morocco to emerge from Tangier to Lagouira a Morocco whose rights and historical borders would not be infringed upon by anyone. Dear Citizens, In a previous speech, I declared that, with respect to the question of our territorial integrity, we have moved from a management stage to a state in which we change the situation. The momentum I have created in recent years has begun to bear fruit on all fronts. As a result, two-thirds of UN Member States now consider the Autonomy Initiative to be the only framework for resolving this conflict. Furthermore, recognition of the Kingdoms economic sovereignty over the southern provinces has increased significantly, following the decisions made by major economic powers, such as the United States, France, Britain, Russia, Spain, and the European Union, to encourage investment and trade with these provinces. This means our southern provinces can now become a hub for development and stability, and a major economic centre in the region, including the Sahel and the Sahara. Today, by the grace of the Almighty, we are in the cusp of a decisive phase at the international level. Indeed, the Security Council resolution has laid out the principles and foundations for the achievement of a final political solution to this conflict, within the framework of Moroccos legitimate rights. In light of this UN resolution, Morocco will update and detail its Autonomy Initiative, then submit it to the United Nations to serve as the sole basis for negotiation, given that it is the only realistic, viable solution. I wish, in this regard, to take this opportunity to express my gratitude and appreciation to all the countries that have contributed to bringing about this change, thanks to their constructive stances and tireless efforts in support of right and legitimacy. I would like to mention, in particular, the United States of America, under the leadership of our friend His Excellency President Donald Trump, whose efforts have paved the way for a final settlement of this conflict. I also wish to thank our friends in Britain, Spain, and especially France, for their efforts to ensure the success of this peaceful process. My sincere thanks also go to all the Arab and African sister nations that have consistently expressed their unwavering and unconditional support for the Moroccan Sahara. I also thank all countries around the world which back the Autonomy Initiative. Despite the positive developments regarding the question of our territorial integrity, Morocco remains committed to finding a solution where there are no winners or losers a solution that preserves the dignity of all parties. Morocco does not see these developments as a victory, nor will it exploit them to fuel conflict and disputes. With that in mind, I hereby make a sincere appeal to our brothers in the Tindouf camps to seize this historic opportunity in order to reunite with their families, and take advantage of the Autonomy Initiative. That Initiative makes it possible for them to contribute to managing their local affairs, develop their homeland, and build their future within a unified Morocco. As King of the country and guarantor of the rights and freedoms of citizens, I hereby affirm that all Moroccans are equal, and that there is no difference between those returning from the Tindouf camps and their brothers and sisters within the homeland. On a different note, I call upon my brother, His Excellency President Abdelmajid Tebboune, to launch together a sincere, brotherly dialogue between Morocco and Algeria, in order to overcome differences and build new relations based on trust, fraternal bonds, and good neighbourliness. I also reiterate my pledge to continue working towards the revival of the Maghreb Union, based on mutual respect, cooperation and integration among the five member states of the Maghreb. Dear Citizens, The comprehensive development, security, and stability enjoyed by our southern provinces are the result of the sacrifices made by all Moroccans. I cannot but express my pride and appreciation to all my loyal subjects, especially the inhabitants of our southern provinces, who have always shown unflinching commitment to the nations sacred, immutable values, and to the countrys national unity and territorial integrity. I also commend our official, party, and parliamentary diplomacy for the unstinting efforts made alongside various national institutions to bring the question of our territorial integrity to a final close. As we celebrate the anniversary of the glorious Green March, I wish to recall, with profound reverence and appreciation, the immense sacrifices made by the Royal Armed Forces, and all branches and members of our security apparatus and their families throughout the country, over the past fifty years, to defend the countrys unity, and preserve its security and stability. I offer a prayer of remembrance for the pure soul of the architect of the Green March, my revered father, His Majesty the late King Hassan II may he rest in peace and for all the righteous martyrs of the nation. A lack of oil discoveries is causing Colombias economically crucial petroleum reserves and production to deteriorate, sparking speculation that the industry is trapped in a death spiral. President Gustavo Petros bid to reduce dependence on fossil fuels by banning oil exploration and hydraulic fracturing is only accelerating the industrys demise. This is severely impacting government income, exports, and the economy at a time when Bogota is particularly exposed to financial and geopolitical risks. Time is fast running out for Colombia to find more oil reserves while creating an economically sustainable plan to reduce dependence on hydrocarbons. After peaking at just over 2.4 billion barrels in 2013, the highest level since 1998, Colombias proven oil reserves have fallen sharply since then. For 2024, those reserves were calculated to total just over two billion barrels with a relatively short production life of 7.2 years. Source: Colombia National Hydrocarbon Agency (ANH). This marks a steep reduction of more than 400 million barrels since 2013, reflecting Colombia's limited exploration success. You see, over the last twenty years, major oil discoveries have been rare, with only two significant finds exceeding 200 million barrels during that period. The risks this poses to Colombias oil-dependent economy are exacerbated by the short production life of the countrys proven reserves, with them poised to run out in less than a decade if no new major discoveries are made. These developments underscore the considerable risks facing Colombias hydrocarbon-dependent economy, especially with petroleum being the countrys top export, earning $15 billion during 2024 and generating roughly a tenth of fiscal revenue. Time is running out for Colombia to make the multiple major oil and natural gas discoveries needed to boost reserves and bolster declining fiscal revenues. Although there is significant optimism regarding Colombias hydrocarbon potential, the country has experienced limited significant oil discoveries over the past 25 years, which poses ongoing challenges for increasing reserves. Colombia has not seen any world-class 500 million barrel-plus oil discoveries since the early 1990s. The last was Occidental Petroleums 1983 discovery of the 1.1-billion-barrel Cano Limon oilfield. This is the strife-torn nations largest ever oil discovery, not only leading to hydrocarbon self-sufficiency but triggering a massive petroleum boom that became what is known as Colombias golden age of oil that lasted into the late 1990s. The Andean countrys last world-class discoveries were the 750-million-barrel Cusiana and 510-million-barrel Cupiagua oilfields found by BP in the Orinoquia foothills in 1989 and 1993, respectively. There has been a dearth of world-class finds ever since. All crude oil discoveries have failed to break the 100-million-barrel mark, with only two exceeding 200 million barrels of recoverable oil resources. These are the 250-million-barrel Akacia and 250-million-barrel Lorito heavy oil discoveries made by Ecopetrol in its 100% owned and operated CPO-09 Block during 2010 and 2018, respectively. The CPO-09 Block, where Ecopetrol acquired the remaining 45% from Spanish energy company Repsol in February 2025 for $452 million, is believed to contain over two billion barrels of crude oil. Although questions linger over whether it is commercially exploitable. President Petros attempts to reduce Colombias dependence on petroleum and hike taxes for extractive industries are responsible for falling energy investment. On taking office in August 2022, Petro banned hydraulic fracturing, known as fracking, and ceased awarding new oil exploration contracts. Those policy decisions are among the key reasons for Colombias inability to bolster proven oil reserves and declining production, with drillers slashing spending on their operations in the strife-torn country. Indeed, the lack of exploration success over the last 20 years sparked considerable speculation that the future of Colombias oil patch rested with fracking. There are several geological bodies in the Andean country, notably the Cretaceous La Luna formation, a carbonaceous-bituminous limestone and calcareous shale rich in organic matter, which possesses considerable unconventional oil potential. This formation was targeted by Ecopetrol and partner ExxonMobil with the Kale and Platero fracking pilots near the municipality of Puerto Wilches in the Middle Magdalena Valley. Both operations were hugely controversial, with local communities opposed to the projects over fears of environmental damage. It was Petros fracking ban that caused those pilots to be scrapped and Exxon to exit Colombia. Those regulatory changes were followed by tax hikes for extractive industries, including the economically vital oil industry. During November 2022, Petro imposed a levy on oil sales when the international Brent price hit specific thresholds, with oil companies paying an additional 5% tax when prices are $67.30 to $75 per barrel. The levy rises to 10% when prices fall between $75 and $82.20 per barrel and climbs to 15% if the price rises further. In February 2025, Bogota imposed a 1% surcharge on crude oil exports, which was extended beyond the initial 90 days to be in place for a year, with plans to make it permanent, adding to the immense tax burden weighing on oil companies. As a result, many foreign oil companies, including Big Oil, have downsized their operations in Colombia, or, like Exxon, chose to exit altogether. This is responsible for a sharp decline in foreign direct investment (FDI). According to central bank data, foreign investment has plummeted over the last decade, as the chart shows. Colombias FDI inflows for 2024 totaled $14.1 billion, a sharp decline from the $16.8 billion received a year earlier and 13% less than the $16.2 billion received 10 years earlier. Source: Central Bank of Colombia. A key reason for the sharp decline in foreign spending on businesses in Colombia is the drop in energy investment. For 2024, Colombia received $2.3 billion of offshore capital, which was invested in the strife-torn countrys energy patch. This was significantly lower than the $3.1 billion of foreign investment directed to the petroleum industry during 2023. Source: Central Bank of Colombia. While full-year data for 2025 is yet to be made available, there are signs of an uptick in foreign investment in Colombias oil industry. For the first six months of the year $1.5 billion was invested in the hydrocarbon sector compared to $1.3 billion for the same period a year earlier. Whether that trend will continue is questionable because of the headwinds impacting Colombia which are deterring foreign investment. This includes U.S. President Donald Trumps decision to decertify the strife-torn country as a counter-narcotics partner and his escalating feud with President Petro. These developments, coupled with sharply weaker oil prices and the growing global push to phase out fossil fuels in favor of electric vehicles and renewable sources of energy, mean time is running short for Colombia to discover more oil. Indeed, it will take considerable amounts of capital to fund the tremendous amount of drilling activity required to make the required petroleum discoveries. It is incredibly difficult to attract the required investment, with Bogota refusing to award new exploration contracts while increasing the tax burden faced by oil companies. Surging violence and cocaine production, particularly in the remote regions where Colombias oil industry operates, are further deterring foreign energy investment. By Matthew Smith for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com Significant developments in the energy sector include Gunvor acquiring Lukoil's international assets, Mozambique disputing the budget of a major LNG project, and new oil and gas exploration and production initiatives in Greenland and Colombia. Geopolitical and economic factors are influencing regional oil markets, with Saudi Arabia expected to cut Asian prices, the US and China temporarily suspending port fees, and India continuing to import Russian crude. The Trump-Xi meeting did not impact oil markets, with the upcoming OPEC+ meeting expected to be the next major market driver, likely resulting in a modest output increase. This report provides an overview of global oil and natural gas market trends, including price changes, production data, and geopolitical developments impacting energy. The Trump-Xi meeting in South Korea, frequently lauded as a potential icebreaker moment between the United States and China, failed to provide any momentum to oil markets as discussions centered more on fentanyl than crude oil or LNG. As such, this weekends OPEC+ meeting is the next trend-setting market for the market at large, even if this time around reports all seem to indicate the same outcome - a 137,000 b/d modest increase. Thus, ICE Brent could linger around $65 per barrel for slightly longer. Saudi Arabia Expected to Cut Prices. The combination of higher Middle Eastern exports and a flattening Dubai futures curve will prompt Saudi Aramco (TADAWUL:2222) to slash its Asian formula prices to multi-month lows, with analysts predicting a month-over-month cut of $1.00 to $1.50 per barrel. US, China Temporarily Suspend Port Fees. Chinas Commerce Ministry announced that Beijing and Washington have agreed to suspend reciprocal port fees that have buoyed shipping markets in recent months, however the Trump administration is still yet to confirm the one-year suspension. India Never Stopped Buying Russian. Indias largest refiner Indian Oil bought five cargoes of Russian oil for December arrival from non-sanctioned entities this week, equivalent to a 120,000 b/d supply, saying that the company will continue importing Russian barrels if they are in compliance with sanctions. Gunvor Mops Up Lukoil Assets. Russias second-largest oil producer Lukoil (MCX:LKOH) said it had accepted an offer from global trading house Gunvor to buy its international assets, including Iraqs giant West Qurna 2 oil field (producing 480,000 b/d) and several refineries across Europe. Mozambique to Dispute LNG Development. The Mozambique government said it would challenge the updated budget and schedule of TotalEnergies (NYSE:TTE) 13 mtpa Mozambique LNG project, following reports that costs had risen by 4.5 billion in the four years that it was stalled due to security concerns. Chinas Teapots Come Back to Life. Improved refinery margins and returning downstream capacity have lifted refinery runs in Chinas Shandong region to 71% in October, the highest reading in 2025 so far, however many will be forced to curb throughput as Beijings crude import quotas are running out. Nigeria to Tax Fuel Imports. The Nigerian government has approved a 15% import duty on gasoline and diesel, part of its long-standing plan to boost domestic refining as the shaky performance of the 650,000 b/d Dangote refinery didnt lead to a full halt in imports, still importing 170,000 b/d of gasoline. Set OilPrice.com as a preferred source in Google here Greenland Oil Drilling, Here We Go. According to US oil services firm Sproule, the gross recoverable resources of Greenland are estimated to be around 13 billion barrels with most of those volumes located in the untapped Jameson Basin in the east of the island, spurring drilling interest for 2026-2027. Brazil Expands into Colombias Gas. Colombias state-controlled oil firm Ecopetrol (NYSE:EC) has formed a joint venture with Brazils Petrobras (NYSE:PBR) to market natural gas from the offshore Sirius block, holding an estimated 6 Tcf of natural gas and believed to start producing by 2029-2030. Henry Hub Balloons on Surging LNG Exports. As the Henry Hub gas futures started trading December-delivery contracts, the US gas benchmark surpassed the $4 per MMBtu mark and jumped almost 20% from where the November 2025 contract settled on Wednesday, buoyed by robust feedgas demand. Qatar Locks In More Indian Demand. QatarEnergy signed a 17-year sales and purchase agreement with Indias Gujarat State Petroleum Corporation to deliver 1 mtpa of liquefied gas, with first deliveries starting in 2026 on a delivered ex-ship basis and pricing believed to be near mid-12% of the Brent slope. Kuwait Floods Asia with More Crude. Kuwait has sold 3 million barrels of extra crude to Asia after an unplanned outage at its giant 615,000 b/d Al Zour refinery, coming after a fire on October 21, lowered the countrys own oil needs, adding to oversupply concerns in the Asian markets. Doctor Copper Surges Again. Copper is set to log a third straight monthly gain after hitting an all-time nominal high of $11,200 per metric tonne this Wednesday, only to subside towards the end of the week on a stronger dollar, boosted by hedge funds increasing their long positions to a 8-month high. By Michael Kern for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com The Permian Basin saw a slight increase in active drilling rigs this week, but remains significantly below year-ago levels, while the Eagle Ford basin's rig count remained stable. Despite the fall in active drilling rigs, weekly U.S. crude oil production reached a new high of 13.644 million barrels per day in the week ending October 24. The total number of active drilling rigs for oil and gas in the United States decreased this week, with oil rigs declining by 65 year over year, while gas rigs increased. The total number of active drilling rigs for oil and gas in the United States fell this week, according to new data that Baker Hughes published on Friday. The total rig count in the US fell this week to 546, according to Baker Hughes, down 39 from this same time last year. The number of active oil rigs fell in the reporting period, according to the data, sinking to 414. Year over year, this represents a 65-rig decline. The number of gas rigs rose by 4 to 125, which is 23 more than this time last year. The miscellaneous rig count fell by 2 to 7. The latest EIA data showed that weekly U.S. crude oil production rose in the week ending October 24, with crude oil production reaching 13.644 million bpdanother new highup from 13.629 million bpd in the week prior. Primary Visions Frac Spread Count, an estimate of the number of crews completing wells, rose by 3 to 178 in the week ending October 24. Frac crews are down by 23 from the start of the year. Set OilPrice.com as a preferred source in Google here The number of active drilling rigs in the Permian Basin rose by 1 to 251 this week, which is 52 rigs under year-ago levels. The count in the Eagle Ford stayed the same this week at 43, which is 5 fewer than this same time last year. By 12:23 p.m. ET, the WTI benchmark was trading slightly down on the day, losing just $0.03 per barrel at $60.54, which is down $1.50 week on week. The Brent benchmark was trading flat on Friday at $65.00. By Julianne Geiger for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com Despite lower international oil prices and predictions of a supply overhang, Big Oil is expected to increase oil and gas output in both the current and coming year, indicating a belief in demand resilience that contrasts with some other forecasts. Natural gas, particularly LNG, is a major focus for these companies, with Shell, BP, TotalEnergies, Exxon, and Chevron all making significant investments and plans for expansion in response to rising global electricity demand. Big Oil is reporting third-quarter results this week and next. No surprises are expectedBig Oil has been having an eventful year featuring tariffs, sanctions, and glut predictionsand these events will be reflected in financial reports. Yet analysts are already looking ahead to 2036 and what Big Oil plans to do next. So far, two big oil companies have reported third-quarter figures: Norways Equinor and Italys Eni. Both demonstrated the dominant trends in the industry, likely to be seen in the reports of BP, Shell, TotalEnergies, Exxon, and Chevron in the coming days. Equinor missed analyst expectations because of lower prices, despite higher oil and gas production, while Eni enjoyed better revenues and profits thanks to higher oil and gas production, despite lower prices. Shell and TotalEnergies today reported strong performance on higher oil and gas production. What analysts appear to be interested in, according to a preliminary earnings season overview by Reuters, is what Big Oil plans to do in 2026 in terms of spending, production, and maybe acquisitions. They would want to hear how Chevrons merger with Hess Corp. is going, what Exxons next acquisition target is going to be, and how European Big Oil will handle its share buybacks and dividends in a lower-price environment. Last but by no means least, analysts would want to hear about the supermajors natural gas plans. These plans are certainly in place. With artificial intelligence driving a global surge in demand for electricity, natural gas has returned to the spotlight as the best of both worlds: more reliable than wind and solar, and lower-emission than coal. Shell, for instance, said in a trading update earlier this month that its natural gas business would boost its overall third-quarter performance. Indeed, it did: for the third quarter, Shell reported a solid increase in its LNG business. The company earlier announced plans to turn its LNG business into a top priority for the next ten years in response to the demand projections. BP is also prioritizing gas and LNG, recently contracting Baker Hughes for a new LNG plant in Indonesia, and recently winning an arbitration case against Venture Global regarding undelivered LNG cargos. TotalEnergies, for its part, lifted the force majeure on its Mozambique LNG project this week, even as the price tag was revised higher by $4.5 billion. The facility will have a capacity of 43 million tons of liquefied gas once completed. Set OilPrice.com as a preferred source in Google here Exxon, meanwhile, plans to announce the final investment decision on its own LNG project in Mozambique by the end of the first quarter of 2026, even though the company just canceled a public appearance to report on the projects progress. Another LNG project of the supermajor, Golden Pass, is expected to start operations by the end of this year. Chevron is focusing on trade. The company just sealed an LNG supply deal with Energy Transfer for the delivery of 1 million tons of LNG from the Lake Charles plant, bringing its total purchase commitments for that plant alone to 3 million tons annually over 20 years. Big Oil is a big fan of LNG. The supermajor is also investing in LNG supply globally, like its peers. In oil, analysts see the supermajors struggling with the effects of lower international prices. It could be only a perception of a struggle, however, while the companies themselves remain financially disciplined and plan for production boostsdespite the gloomy predictions of a 4-million-barrel-daily supply overhang in 2026 as estimated by the International Energy Agency. Indeed, Bloomberg this week reported analyst estimates see all the supermajors increase their oil and gas output both this year and next, regardless of prices. This suggests Big Oil does not really agree with the IEA about demand and supplyand that it is betting on demand resilience that the IEA and other transition-leaning forecasters argue does not exist. By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com To truly harness AI, NOCs must prioritize building strong data cultures and robust data governance, recognizing data as a strategic asset rather than merely a byproduct of operations, which will position them to lead the next wave of digital transformation in energy. NOCs possess a unique advantage due to their immense, often underutilized data reservoirs and institutional stability, allowing for the application of AI to long-term data series for more reliable insights in areas like subsurface modeling and production optimization. In the ongoing digital transformation of the energy industry, artificial intelligence (AI) has emerged as one of the most discussed and misunderstood tools available to operators. While the promises of AI often stretch toward the speculative, the technologys most immediate and profound impact is already visible in how companies organize, interpret, and act upon data. For national oil companies (NOCs), this impact is potentially transformative. Unlike many private firms, NOCs sit atop immense, often underutilized data reservoirs decades, sometimes a century, of geological, operational, and financial information that forms a foundation few other entities in the energy sector can match Take Mexicos National Rock Library, administered by the Ministry of Energy (SENER). It holds physical cores from wells drilled more than a hundred years ago an extraordinary record of geological history. When digitized and paired with AI-driven analytics, such datasets can unlock patterns invisible to the human eye. Subsurface models, for example, can be refined by feeding these historical datasets into machine learning algorithms to improve facies prediction and reservoir quality estimation, and even identify underexplored analogs for new drilling campaigns. The same principle applies to seismic reprocessing or production optimization: the richer and more structured the dataset, the more powerful and reliable the AI interpretation. This is the core advantage for NOCs not just the data itself, but the continuity of data stewardship. Many of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) NOCs, for instance, have built decades-long archives of standardized, high-quality information. Their institutional stability and continuity of purpose make it possible to apply AI to longtime series without the disruptive policy shifts that sometimes affect state-owned entities elsewhere. When models are trained on consistent, comparable data across decades, they can produce far more reliable insights on production decline trends, reservoir management, and capital efficiency. Contrast this with some Latin American or African NOCs, where political cycles and policy shifts often reset corporate priorities. In such cases, the challenge is not the absence of data, but its fragmentation, both across time and across institutions. Here, AIs promise lies as much in data integration and cleansing as in predictive analysis. Natural language processing tools can help standardize legacy documentation; supervised learning models can detect inconsistencies or gaps in well logs; and AI-powered metadata tagging can turn unstructured archives into queryable, connected knowledge systems. Real-world examples of this are emerging. Saudi Aramco has developed proprietary AI systems for predictive maintenance, analyzing millions of sensor readings to anticipate equipment failure before it occurs. ADNOCs Panorama Digital Command Center aggregates real-time data from across the companys operations, allowing executives to visualize energy flows, costs, and emissions at a glance. These systems rely not on speculative intelligence but on disciplined data collection, governance, and model training areas where NOCs, by virtue of their scope and national mandate, have a natural edge. Schreiner Parker, Head of Emerging Markets & NOCs The next phase for many NOCs will involve expanding these applications beyond the technical realm into strategic and commercial domains. AI can already help model fiscal sensitivity under different price and tax regimes, or identify optimal timing for licensing rounds by analyzing global exploration trends. As carbon intensity becomes a defining metric for competitiveness, AI can also play a key role in monitoring emissions, optimizing energy efficiency, and guiding investment toward low-carbon opportunities all grounded in data the NOC already possesses. Yet optimism must be balanced with realism. AI is not a silver bullet; it is an amplifier of organizational discipline. The sophistication of the algorithm matters less than the quality, structure, and governance of the underlying data. For NOCs to truly harness AI, they must think less about buying AI solutions and more about building data cultures, where engineers, geologists, and economists alike treat data not as a byproduct of operations but as a strategic asset. If that happens, NOCs especially those with deep archives and long institutional memory will be uniquely positioned to lead the next wave of digital transformation in the energy sector. In the end, it is not the algorithm that determines success, but the intelligence embedded in how nations preserve, interpret, and learn from their own energy histories. By W. Schreiner Parker, Head of Emerging Markets & NOCs at Rystad Energy. More Top Reads From Oilprice.com The crisis is intertwined with Guyana's growing oil production and ongoing maritime boundary disputes with Venezuela, further complicated by Venezuela's demand for clarification on a new gas exploration agreement between ExxonMobil and Trinidad and Tobago. Venezuela's oil exports have reached their highest levels since early 2020, becoming crucial for Chinese and Indian refiners amidst sanctions on Russia and tight heavy-crude supplies, making any disruption from U.S. actions a potential squeeze on global markets. Tensions between the U.S. and Venezuela are escalating, leading to increased energy and security risks in the Caribbean, with President Trump ruling out immediate military strikes but maintaining a naval presence. U.S.-Venezuela tensions are again rippling through energy and security markets, prompting President Donald Trump to rule out immediate military strikes while maintaining a buildup of American naval assets in the Caribbean. His comments followed reports of U.S. patrols and maritime interdictions targeting narcotics routes linked to Caracas, a campaign that has drawn condemnation from Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and prompted renewed appeals to the U.N. Security Council. Newsweek reported that Washingtons military posture remains unchanged despite the presidents denial of active strike plans. The escalation comes as Venezuelas oil industry shows signs of revival. The countrys crude exports topped 1.09 million barrels per day in September, the highest level since early 2020, according to Reuters. Those shipments have become increasingly important for Chinese and Indian refiners amid sanctions on Russia and tight heavy-crude supply elsewhere. Any disruption caused by new U.S. enforcement actions could once again squeeze global heavy-sour markets. Gulf Coast refiners that previously depended on Venezuelan barrels have already turned to heavier grades from the Middle East and from Latin America, including ramping purchases from Guyanas offshore Stabroek field, as detailed by Reuters. That shift has intertwined the Venezuelan crisis with Guyanas emergence as one of the Western Hemispheres fastest-growing oil producers. At the same time, Caracas continues to dispute maritime boundaries with Georgetown in waters adjacent to Exxon Mobils Stabroek block offshore Guyana. This flashpoint could take on greater significance if military pressure from Washington intensifies. Analysts warn that any deterioration in Venezuelan stability or maritime security could slow regional project timelines and raise insurance costs across northern South America, undermining one of the few non-OPEC growth corridors now underpinning future global supply. Venezuela has also demanded clarification from ExxonMobil and Trinidad and Tobago over a new gas-exploration agreement signed this week, arguing that parts of the area under review overlap with maritime zones claimed by Caracas. Venezuelas foreign ministry formally requested documentation from Port of Spain outlining the project boundaries and legal framework. By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com Chevron reported stronger-than-expected third-quarter results on Friday, supported by record oil and gas production following its roughly $53-billion acquisition of Hess Corporation. The U.S. supermajor posted adjusted earnings of $1.85 per share, above analyst expectations near $1.68, while total production rose to 4.1 million barrels of oil equivalent per day (boepd) from 3.4 million boepd a year earlier, according to Reuters. The increase reflects integration of Hesss operations in Guyana and the U.S. Gulf of Mexico, along with higher domestic shale output and improved downstream margins. Operating cash flow, excluding working-capital changes, climbed nearly 20% year-on-year to about $9.9 billion, driven by stronger refining profits and steady crude throughput, Bloomberg reported. Chevron reiterated that its balance sheet remains under-levered and confirmed ongoing dividend growth and share repurchases. Management also reaffirmed plans to cut $2-3 billion in costs through 2026 by streamlining global operations and consolidating overlapping positions from Hess, according to Reuters. The company previously warned that Hess integration would have a $200-400 million quarterly impact, a temporary cost expected to taper as synergies are realized, Reuters reported. Anchored by the Stabroek block, the Guyana portfolio is transformational for Chevrons upstream base, offering multi-year production growth outside OPEC jurisdictions. Attention now turns to the November 12 Investor Day, where investors expect updates on capital spending, synergy timing, and free-cash-flow targets. Preview reporting from Reuters indicates markets will focus on disciplined capex guidance rather than aggressive expansion, with emphasis on execution in Guyana and sustained output from U.S. shale. According to the Financial Times, analysts are weighing how Chevron and Exxon Mobil are reshaping their portfolios to stay competitive in a lower-price environment. Both companies have expanded output even as benchmark crude prices softened by focusing on efficiency and high-margin production rather than volume growth alone. Chevrons integration of Hesss low-cost Guyana barrels, alongside Exxons similar push to concentrate spending in the same basin, suggests a consolidation of U.S. majors around projects with shorter payback periods and resilient break-evens. This could set the stage for the next round of supermajor competition. By Michael Kern for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com Russian crude has accounted for a very small portion of supply for Indian state-run refiner Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) as oil from Russia has not been economical to run at the refinery, HPCL chairman Vikas Kaushal said on the companys earnings call. The call took place as Indian refiners are scrambling this week for alternative supply after the U.S. sanctions on Russias major oil firms. Russian crude has not been economical for HPCL regardless of grades, the executive said. Therefore, of all the crude processed in the past quarter, Russian crude accounted for just 5% of HPCLs total supply, he added. We could run Russian crudes there also, but we have alternatives with us. I'm not worried about it at all, the executive said, referring to the procurement of crude now that Rosneft and Lukoil are off limits as Indian refiners dont want to run afoul of the U.S. sanctions just as India is trying to have its massive 50% tariff for exports to the U.S. reduced. Earlier this week, refiner HPCL-Mittal Energy Ltd (HMEL) -- HPCLs joint venture with Mittal Energy became the first Indian oil company to suspend Russian crude purchases following new U.S., UK, and EU sanctions targeting Russias two largest oil companies, Rosneft and Lukoil. The move marks a major shift in Indias Russian oil trade, which has surged since 2022. Indian refiners, which import from Russia about a third of all their crude, are scrambling for alternative supply and clarity in the sanctions set to come into effect on November 21. Indias Reliance Industries, the top private refiner in the country, is expected to stop importing crude under a long-term deal with the now-sanctioned Russian oil giant Rosneft. Reliance Industries, one of Rosnefts biggest clients in India, has turned to the spot market for crude oil deliveries. Indias refiners have reportedly suspended new orders for Russian crude. The refining industry in Russias second-biggest crude buyer after China awaits clarity from the government about navigating the new U.S. sanction context, Reuters reported earlier this week, citing unnamed sources. By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com Indias biggest state-held refiner, Indian Oil Corporation (IOC), has acquired five December-arriving cargoes of Russian crude from non-sanctioned entities, trade sources told Reuters as India scrambles to replace sanctioned Rosneft and Lukoil deliveries. The U.S. sanctions Russias top two producers sent Indian refiners rushing to replace volumes from these exporters and their affiliates with barrels from other countries, and apparently with Russian barrels moved by unsanctioned entities. IOC early this week vowed that it would fully comply with international sanctions related to crude oil imports from Russia. We will abide by all sanctions imposed by the international community, IOC chairman Arvinder Singh Sahney said on Monday, without commenting directly on the companys ongoing purchases of Russian crude. Still, IOCs head of finance, Anuj Jain, has said the top Indian refiner would continue to buy crude from Russia if the supply and delivery do not breach the U.S. sanctions. IOC has bought about 3.5 million barrels of Russias ESPO crude at about the same price as the Dubai quotes for delivery at an eastern Indian port in December, one of the trade sources told Reuters, without naming the sellers of the Russian oil. IOC is also looking to buy 24 million barrels of crude oil from the Americas in the first quarter of next year to replace lost Russian supply, Bloomberg reported earlier this week. The Indian refiner is looking for cargoes from the United States, Canada, Brazil, and Latin America. Reuters reported IOC was looking for both high-sulfur and low-sulfur grades. The publication cited an unnamed source as saying the invitation for expression of interest aimed to test the appetite of sellers in case it needed to tap the Americas oil market. India Today reported, meanwhile, that the sanctions are already starting to push Indian refiners import bill higher as they switch to costlier grades from sources other than Russia. The switch is also affecting run rates, the publication noted, adding that Russian crude was available at discounts ranging between $8 and $12 per barrel to Middle Eastern benchmarks. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com Some of Japans biggest utilities believe that they would be able to find alternative gas supply in case they are no longer able to import Russian LNG, executives said this week, following U.S. pressure that Japan and other U.S. allies stop imports of Russian energy. Japan imports Russian LNG from the Sakhalin-2 project, in which Japanese firms Mitsui and Mitsubishi hold minority stakes, which they kept even after the Russian invasion of Ukraine, due to the importance of LNG supply for Japan. Russian LNG accounts for about 9% of Japans total liquefied natural gas imports. Japanese utilities JERA and Tohoku Electric Power can replace Russian LNG, if they need to, executives said on Friday. JERA, which imports LNG from Sakhalin-2 under contracts expiring in 2026 and 2029, can tap alternative supply and there is a good chance that we will be able to do something if it has to halt imports of Russian LNG, Naohiro Maekawa, an executive officer at the utility, said, as carried by Reuters. Tohoku Electric Power, whose Russian LNG imports account for about a tenth of its supply, is looking to diversify sources and be ready for a halt of supply from Russia, according to senior executive Takayoshi Enomoto. Earlier this week, Japans Prime Minister, Sanae Takaichi, told U.S. President Donald Trump at their meeting in Tokyo that Japan would find it difficult to ban LNG imports from Russia. The issue with Japans LNG imports from Russia came up during this weeks meeting between President Trump and Takaichi, with Japans PM seeking understanding from the U.S. Administration about the Japanese energy security, Japanese government officials told Reuters. On the eve of President Trumps visit to Japan, the U.S. reiterated calls on its allies, including Japan, to stop importing energy products from Russia. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told Fox Business on Thursday that he believes that over time Japan would wean off of Sakhalin-2 LNG and they will be part of a very large pipeline project that the U.S. is constructing in Alaska, referring to the $44-billion Alaska LNG project, which the U.S. Administration has been pitching to potential Asian buyers. By Tsvetana Paraskova for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com MEG Energy has delayed a shareholder vote on the proposed takeover of the company by sector player Cenovus, after a regulatory inquiry prompted the target company to provide additional information. Media quoting the chairman of MEG Energys board reported that the decision to postpone the vote was made with the knowledge of Cenovus and that the information requested by regulators concerned a transaction between Cenovus and its rival in the bidding for MEG Energy, Strathcona. The transaction, Reuters reported, concerns Cenovus Vawn thermal oil production facility in Saskatchewan, which Strathcona agreed to buy along with several undeveloped assets in the same province and in Alberta. The acquisition will ensure that Strathcona will vote in favor of the Cenovus takeover. Until recently, the company, which owns 14.2% in MEG Energy, said it would vote against the rival bid. Cenovus said in August it had entered into a definitive arrangement agreement to acquire MEG Energy Corp in a cash and stock deal valued at US$5.7 billion (C$7.9 billion), including assumed debt. The agreement between Cenovus and MEG marks the end of a months-long saga in which suitors have sought to buy MEG Energy. Later, Cenovus sweetened the bid to win the approval of MEG Energys leadership had shareholders, offering some $6.2 billion, or C$8.6 billion for the company. Then it had to sweeten it again, raising the per-share offer from $21.37 to $29.80, and adjusting the mix to an even split of cash and stock. Also, Cenovus gave shareholders the choice of getting cash for their MEG stock or shares in the combined company after the acquisition. The revised bid underscores Cenovuss determination to consolidate Canadas oil sands sector and achieve synergies through scale and integration. The MEG acquisition would expand Cenovuss heavy oil portfolio, particularly in the Christina Lake region, and reinforce its position as one of North Americas largest integrated oil producers. By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com Weak factory activity in China, a stronger U.S. dollar, and reports that OPEC+ is going to add more barrels to production in December have combined to push oil prices lower, setting them on a course to their third monthly decline in a row. At the time of writing, Brent crude was trading at $64.61 per barrel, with West Texas Intermediate at $60.16 per barrel. Thats down from over $67 per barrel for Brent crude and $62 per barrel for WTI at the end of September. The market is now watching this weekends OPEC+ meeting and discussions of its output policy, ANZ analysts said in a report, as quoted by the Wall Street Journal. The U.S. sanctions on Russian oil companies significantly lift risks to supply, which could provide motivation for OPEC+ to agree on another 137,000-bpd production boost for December. According to Reuters, this would combine with rising non-OPEC supply to continue pressuring oil prices. The publication cited U.S. Energy Information Administration preliminary data suggesting U.S. crude output hit 13.6 million barrels daily in the week to October 24. The prospect of China agreeing to buy more U.S. energy should have had a bullish effect on prices but that effect appears to have been offset by data showing factory activity in China shrank in October by more than analysts expected, falling to the lowest in six months. The PMI reading for the month stood at 49, versus 49.6 expected by economists polled by Reuters. As regards the effect of U.S. sanctions on Russian oil flows and prices, ING analysts wrote that Clearly, the price action suggests that the market is not convinced that we will lose a significant amount of Russian oil supply. Yesterdays meeting between President Trump and President Xi only served to strengthen this conviction, with Russian oil flows to China apparently not part of broader talks between the two leaders. Warren Patterson and Ewa Manthey added that the implications of these developments were important since China as the only Russian oil buyer that could boost intake if India began to wind down its purchases in line with U.S. demands. By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com Hungarys Prime Minister Viktor Orban will seek to persuade U.S. President Donald Trump to carve out an exemption for Hungary in the U.S. sanctions against Russias top oil firms. We have to make the Americans understand this strange situation if we want exceptions to the American sanctions that are hitting Russia, Orban, a Trump ally and admirer, told Hungarian state radio on Friday, ahead of a visit to Washington D.C. next week for a bilateral meeting with President Trump. Hungary, whose top officials have remained in contact with Russias leadership including Vladimir Putin, has continuously clashed with its fellow EU member states over plans to ditch Russian gas by 2027 and cut off oil supply from Moscow as soon as possible. However, Orban suffered diplomatic setbacks last week after the U.S. called off a Trump-Putin meeting in Hungarys capital city Budapest and sanctioned the two biggest Russian oil firms, Rosneft and Lukoil. Following the U.S. sanctions, the U.S. has increased pressure on Hungary to cut off its reliance on Russian oil imports and vowed to work with Hungarian authorities and neighboring countries to help Budapest wean off Russian supply. Matthew Whitaker, the U.S. Ambassador to NATO, rejected in a Fox News interview suggestions from Hungarian politicians that the U.S. is giving Hungary a pass to continue importing Russian oil. Hungary, unlike many of their neighbors, has not made any plans or made any active steps, Whitaker told Fox News in an interview. So were going to continue to work with them and were going to work with their neighbors like Croatia, and other countries that can help them wean themselves off, the Ambassador added. Orban suggested earlier this week that The battle is not over yet over Hungarys choice of oil supply. So far, the U.S. appears unfazed by the Hungarian pledges to find a way to work around the American sanctions and Whitaker told Fox News in no unclear terms that the United States expects Hungary to prepare a plan to wean itself off of Russias energy supply. By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com Increasing supply and weaker Middle Eastern benchmark prices will likely prompt Saudi Arabia to cut the official selling prices for its crude loading for Asia in December, but a scramble for non-Russian supply in India and China could limit the price reductions. Saudi Arabia, the worlds to crude exporter, is expected to cut the official selling price (OSP) of its flagship Arab Light crude for Asia for December by between $1.20 and $1.50 per barrel, according to a Reuters survey of Asian refining sources published on Friday. This would reduce the Arab Light premium over the Oman/Dubai benchmark to a multi-month low of between $0.70 and $1.00 per barrel, compared to a premium of $2.20 a barrel for October and November. The other Saudi grades are also expected to see cuts in December. Early in October, Saudi Arabia left the OSP of its crude oil selling in Asia in November unchanged from the October prices as OPEC+ continues to lift production amid a market concerned about an imminent oversupply. Saudi Arabia typically announces around the fifth of each month its crude pricing for the following month and doesnt comment on price changes. It also sets the tone for the pricing of the other major oil producers in the Middle East, influencing the pricing policy of about 9 million barrels per day (bpd) of exports from the Arab Gulf region. The Saudi pricing will be announced after this weekends OPEC+ meeting, which is expected to agree on another small increase in total quota for the producers who have been unwinding their production cuts since April. Indications are that the OPEC+ producers are leaning toward another slight increase in total quota, probably by another 137,000 bpd, sources with knowledge of the talks within the alliance told Reuters on Monday. The Saudi price cut for its Asian exports in December could be lower than expected amid uncertainty about Russian supply to India and China following the U.S. sanctions on the two biggest Russian oil companies, Rosneft and Lukoil. By Charles Kennedy for Oilprice.com More Top Reads From Oilprice.com By Oregon State Representative E. Werner Reschke, Cap & Trade, The CPP In 2019, State Senate Republicans walked out during the legislative session over three issues, including statewide, DEQ-run, cap and trade program. The walkout effectively stopped the cap and trade bill. In 2020, a similar cap and trade bill was reintroduced in the State Legislature. The response was that both House and Senate Republicans walked out, preventing the passage of the bill once again. A frustrated Governor Brown then signed Executive Order 20-04, creating the Climate Protection Program (CPP). Business and industry impacted by the executive order filed a lawsuit and WON, preventing the original program from going into effect. DEQ went back to the drawing board, creating a revised Climate Protection Program (CPP), active today. This revised CPP is estimated to impose a financial burden between hundreds of millions to billions of dollars for Oregon businesses to comply in its first year. This substantial burden underscores the significance of this new program. Furthermore, the timing of this initiative is particularly challenging given Oregons current economic climate. Notably, the state has experienced significant job losses, with approximately 25,000 Oregon jobs being eliminated. Additionally, two major Oregon-based companies have announced they are relocating their headquarters to other business-friendly states, and there has been no substantial investment repatriated from overseas, despite estimates suggesting trillions of dollars in potential returns. For details on Oregons economic woes, read Tipping Point. Broken Government Policymaking falls under the constitutional powers reserved explicitly for the legislative branch. It is critical to understand that the current situation serves as a significant warning sign of a dysfunctional government. Executive orderswhether issued by a Governor or the Presidentshould not create new programs, lead to new costs, new regulatory burdens, or provide benefits to individuals and businesses without legislative approval. The frequency of gubernatorial or presidential executive orders to implement new policies can be attributed to the limited likelihood of such orders being challenged in court. However, it is critical to reiterate that policymaking, also known as lawmaking, is constitutionally delegated to Congress and state legislatures, not to the presidents, governors, or executive agencies. Asserting that an agencys mission statement grants it authority to create or augment policy outside of the legislative body is to circumvent the Founding Fathers intent for the separation of powers in our republican form of government. Re-Enter Stage Left: Cap and Invest The Governors proposed Climate Protection Program (CPP) is scheduled to take effect in a few months at the beginning of 2026. However, the negative impact on Oregon businesses has prompted industry to support the concept of cap and trade (a policy they vigorously opposed in 2019 and 2020). Lobbyists from prominent business groups are already advocating for the passage of a cap and trade bill during the 2026 short session, aiming to circumvent the Governors CPP and alleviate some of the financial burden on Oregon businesses. Proponents of the new cap and trade program, rebranded as cap and invest, assert that their legislative proposal will enable businesses to survive while simultaneously achieving the climate objectives set forth by the Governor and Democratic legislators. However, when faced with a choice between the lessor of two evils, the final decision still advances evil in this case, economic decline. That said, there exists an alternative, better course of action: Maintain the status quo. Oregons existing state policy already imposes some of the nations most burdensome requirements on industry in the pursuit of environmental protection. Furthermore, while the financial burden of such policies are readily measurable, the resulting outcomes are often ambiguous at best. It seems as though the intention of environmental policy outweighs any real results. Governor Fix The Governor has the authority to prevent this impending economic calamity in Oregon. Because the Climate Protection Program is an executive order, any governor, present or future, can simply rescind Executive Order 20-04. However, if the Governor fails to do so and the Legislature were to enact a new cap and trade program in 2026, unwinding such new burdens and economic harm to Oregons struggling business and industry will be exceedingly difficult. The best recommendation for Oregonians is to encourage the Governor to rescind EO 20-04 promptly or to elect a new governor in 2026 who will. Bottomline: Oregonians do not require further environmental protections. The existing clean fuels programs already impose a hidden cost of 10 per gallon at the pump (increasing annually); the 2021 Private Forest Accord, which dictated the pursuit of the Habit Conservation Plan, has resulted in tens, if not hundreds, of millions of lost timber harvest revenues; the Department of Environmental Qualitys new wastewater requirements cost sanitary districts and local city governments hundreds of millions of dollars (resulting in higher water and sewer rates). Oregons electric and natural gas prices continue to rise prices driven significantly upward by Oregons current environmental policies. Furthermore, there is the very recently passed gas tax increase and a doubling of the payroll tax, which in part enables tens of millions of dollars to programs within Oregons Department of Transportation aimed at protecting the environment. Grow and Invest Instead of imposing additional environmental burdens and restrictions from the Climate Protection Program or cap and trade Oregons government should adopt a pro-growth strategy. Business growth and expansion policies coupled with increases to private sector employment and family wage jobs will lead to increased state tax revenues in order to protect the environment. Prioritize growth and implement new environmental protective measures if necessary. The fact is, Oregons environmental policies alone will not save the planet. Moreover, current policies are not leading the way, as advocates claim, but merely demonstrating what other states choose to avoid. Its time for Oregon to alter course A lawyer might be losing his job over AI, not because an algorithm did more quality work than a human, but because the human using AI didnt fact-check the artificial author of his legal brief. In Green Building Initiative, Inc. v. Peacock, Oregon District Court Judge Michael Simon is considering sanctioning the counsel for Green Building Initiative (GBI) for citing fake cases. GBI cites Stell v. Cardenas, No. 3:21-cv-413-HZ, 2022 WL 1696093, at *6 (D. Or. May 26, 2022), and Page v. Parsons, 249 F. Supp. 3d 998, 1017 (D. Or. 2017). Stell, however, is totally fake; it is an hallucinated case. There is no case at 2022 WL 1696093. Nor does there exist a case with the parties Stell and Cardenas (in either orientationin the District of Oregon or elsewhere). Moreover, Case No. 3:21-cv-413 is a real case, styled JS Halberstam Irrevocable Grantor Trust v. Davis, and it was presided over by the undersigned (SI), not U.S. District Judge Hernandez (HZ). Further, that case was closed by judgment on May 9, 2022, and no decision was issued on May 26, 2022. Page v. Parsons is almost real. There is a case titled Page v. Parsons that discusses the Oregon anti-SLAPP statute, but it is not a federal case from the District of Oregon. See Page v. Parsons, 249 Or. App. 445 (2012). Page, however, does not discuss when fees are due or may be advanced under the statute. And as a matter of logic, that Oregon Court of Appeals decision cannot support the proposition that GBI cited it forthat federal courts applying Oregons anti-SLAPP statute have consistently held that fee awards are appropriate immediately following resolution of the special motion to strike. Indeed, a basic internet search easily reveals both the real citation for Page v. Parsons, and the real case listed at 249 F. Supp. 3d 998 (a death penalty habeas decision from the Eighth Circuit). See Deck v. Steele, 249 F. Supp. 3d 991, 998 (E. D. Mo. Apr. 13, 2017), revd and remanded, Deck v. Jennings, 978 F.3d 578 (8th Cir. 2020). GBIs fake case citations appear to be hallmarks of a generative artificial intelligence (AI) tool, such as ChatGPT. GBI is hereby ordered to show cause within two weeks as to why the Court should not issue sanctions on both GBI and its counsel for the use of fake citations in violation of Rule 11(b). GBI is also ordered to disclose what it believes to be an appropriate sanction. GBIs proposed sanctions should reflect the nature and seriousness of its use of fake citations and appropriate steps to ensure that this type of violation will not occur again. Yikes, if you use ChatGPT, trust but verify! Eric Shierman lives in Salem and is the author of We were winning when I was there. By Taxpayers Association of Oregon OregonWatchdog.com This is one of the most clicked stories of the week and bears passing on the alert that a child was attacked in her own backyard in the middle of Portland. This provides an opportunity to talk about predator threats and how to respond when it happens. The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife details more in their press release: SALEM, Ore. On Friday morning, Oct. 24 Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) staff received a report of an incident involving a coyote and child in the Alameda neighborhood of Portland. At 6:15 p.m. Oct. 23 two children (ages 9 and 3) were playing hide-and-seek in their yard when a coyote approached the 9-year-old child and grabbed their foot. The child was only wearing socks and was able to shake their foot out of the sock and run away. The coyote chased after the child until the dad (who was on the front porch) started yelling and the coyote ran off. The child was taken to a nearby hospital to be treated for minor injuries. On Oct. 24, ODFW district wildlife staff responded to the area to conduct a site investigation. They also posted flyers in the neighborhood and shared a notice on social media to inform residents that a concerning incident with a coyote had recently occurred. Over the last several days ODFW staff have continued to monitor the area and talk to neighbors. ODFW is working closely with the City of Portland and other local, state, and federal government agencies to determine next steps for addressing the human safety situation. The agency is also consulting with local conservation organizations. Residents in the Alameda neighborhood are strongly encouraged to monitor young children playing outside, especially toddlers, scare away coyotes (through yelling, airhorns, banging pots and pans, throwing objects) whenever possible, and immediately remove any attractants. Under no circumstances should people provide food to coyotes or other predators. It is illegal to feed coyotes under ORS 496.731 and research indicates that feeding by humans is frequently associated with attacks and aggressive behavior. Coyotes in Oregon Coyotes are found all across our urban, suburban, rural, and natural landscapes in Oregon. Coyotes are opportunistic omnivores and mainly eat rodents, fruit, and nuts but they will also consume whatever food they can find including food waste, pet food, and sometimes small pets like outdoor cats. It is not unusual to see coyotes in urban areas like Portland, even during the daytime. By following a few simple steps, we can all work together to keep people, pets, and coyotes safe. Follow these tips: Remove food sources. Never intentionally or accidentally feed a coyote. Dont approach a coyote scare away bold coyotes. Keep your pets safe (either supervised, on a leash, or inside). Monitor young children closely, especially in the Alameda neighborhood in Portland. Share these tips with your community. 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: Brazil is home to the largest share of the Amazon rainforest which is considered crucial in the fight against climate change. Deforestation in Brazil's Amazon rainforest has fallen for the fourth straight year, the government said Thursday, a boost for the country just days before it hosts UN climate talks. Brazil is home to the largest share of the vast rainforest, which spans nine countries and is considered crucial in the fight against climate change. The National Institute for Space Research (INPE), which tracks forest cover by satellite, said that an area almost four times the size of Greater London had been destroyed between August 2024 and July 2025. This was 11% less than the previous year and represented the lowest figures since 2014. Claudio Almeida, a coordinator at INPE, said the loss of 5,796 square kilometers (2,238 square miles) of native vegetation represented "the fourth consecutive year of a reduction" in deforestation. Forest loss also slowed 11% in the Cerrado, a vast region of tropical savanna in central Brazil. The Amazon rainforest stores vast amounts of carbon, which becomes carbon dioxidea greenhouse gas that is a key driver of climate changewhen large quantities of trees and soil are burned. "When we achieve a good result, we have to move on to the next challenge. We cannot rest on our laurels. Our challenge is to reduce deforestation to zero by 2030," Brazilian Environment Minister Marina Silva told a press conference. Leftist President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva set zero deforestation as a goal for his government when he returned to power in 2023 for a third term. Record fires worsened forest loss Brazil has made forest protection a top priority for the COP30 climate talks, which will take place in the Amazon city of Belem in November. The country is the world's sixth-largest emitter of greenhouse gases. Severe drought has sent field-clearing fires burning out of control. However, unlike most nations, it is not the burning of fossil fuels that is the worst culprit in releasing these gases, but the cutting down of forests. Experts say the destruction of the Amazon and Cerrado is mainly driven by agriculturethe second-largest contributor to greenhouse gas emissions in Brazil, the world's largest exporter of beef. Both of these sensitive biomes have been affected by severe drought in recent years that has been linked to climate change. This has sent fireslit by farmers clearing pastureburning out of control. In 2024, the record fires scorched almost 18 million hectares (44.5 million acres) of the Brazilian Amazon. "If it weren't for the extremely severe weather conditions, with fires so far outside the historical norm ... we would probably have had the lowest (deforestation) rate in history this year," said Joao Paulo Capobianco, executive secretary in the environment ministry. Deforestation soared in the Amazon under climate-skeptic former president Jair Bolsonaro, who weakened environmental protections and encouraged land clearing for economic growth. Undermined by oil push Lula has set about rebuilding Brazil's environmental agencies and positioning the country as a global leader on climate change. However, he has come under fire for backing more oil exploration, which he argues will help finance the climate transition. Brazil's state oil giant Petrobras this month started exploratory drilling near the mouth of the Amazon River, an area considered a promising new oil frontier. The movebacked by Lulaenraged environmentalists who said it undermined Brazil's position as host of COP30. 2025 AFP BEIJING, Oct. 31 (Xinhua) -- When the autumn breeze sweeps through the valleys of the Huangyaguan Great Wall in north China's Tianjin Municipality and the Taihang Mountains, the forests are set ablaze with color, and the Taihang chrysanthemums bloom in the wind, creating a breathtaking panorama. 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 heart of the HOLMES experiment, housed in its gold-plated copper box: an array of 64 TES microcalorimeters, each ion-implanted with Ho, alongside the microwave multiplexed readout system. The imaged area spans approximately 2 by 3 cm. Credit: Marco Faverzani. In a Physical Review Letters study, the HOLMES collaboration has achieved the most stringent upper bound on the effective electron neutrino mass ever obtained using a calorimetric approach, setting a limit of less than 27 eV/c at 90% credibility. This result validates a decades-old experimental vision and demonstrates the scalability needed for next-generation neutrino mass experiments. While oscillation experiments have measured the differences between neutrino mass states, the actual individual mass valuesthe absolute neutrino mass scaleremain unknown. Pinning down these values would help complete our understanding of the Standard Model of particle physics. Direct kinematic measurements, which rely solely on energy and momentum conservation in nuclear beta decays, provide the most model-independent approach to this fundamental question. The HOLMES experiment employs low-temperature microcalorimetry to measure the electron capture decay of holmium-163 (Ho), a technique first proposed over 40 years ago. Phys.org spoke to Angelo Nucciotti, Professor in the Department of Physics at the Universita di Milano-Bicocca and spokesperson for the international HOLMES experiment. "My passion for this work began during my Ph.D. in the 1990s, when I was introduced to the world of thermal detectors by Professor Ettore Fiorini," said Nucciotti. "Fiorini was a true pioneer who first proposed using these detectors for rare events, including the measurement of neutrino mass. Now, after over 30 years of effort, the publication of this result on holmium-163 proves the long-term viability of that original vision." How the calorimetric approach works Microcalorimeters are microscopic devices that measure energy by detecting the tiny temperature changes that occur when particles are absorbed. The HOLMES experiment uses an array of 64 transition-edge sensor (TES) microcalorimeters operated at approximately 95 mK in a He/He dilution refrigerator. The Ho nuclei are ion-implanted directly into the gold absorbers of these ultrasensitive superconducting detectors. When holmium-163 undergoes electron capture decay, the energy releasedexcept for the portion carried away by the neutrinois absorbed by the gold layer. Because the absorber's heat capacity is minuscule at millikelvin temperatures, even the small energy from a single decay produces a measurable temperature spike. "The fundamental principle is simple: the energy released in the holmium decay hits the gold absorber, causing its temperature to increase," explained Nucciotti. "The TES thermometer, kept precisely within its superconducting transition, measures this temperature rise as a sharp change in electrical resistance and current, which is proportional to the energy released." The signature of neutrino mass appears as a corresponding reduction in the maximum energy detected, which is the endpoint of the decay spectrum. By precisely measuring this upper end of the spectrum, researchers can determine the neutrino's mass. Holmium-163 is ideal for this measurement thanks to its low Q-value of roughly 2,863 eV. Since the total energy available in the decay (Q-value) is less, the neutrino mass signature becomes more prominent in the spectrum. Additionally, its half-life of approximately 4,750 years yields higher specific activity than other candidates, making it more suitable for use in microcalorimeters. Left: copper box containing the 64 TES array in the middle. The two chips on either sides of the array are the bias network and the microwave multiplexer (MUX), respectively. The array dimensions are approximately (2010) mm2. The multiplexer has the feedline aligned with the coaxial connectors used for feeding the readout tones. For readout, two connectors on one side are connected via a short semirigid coaxial cable. Right: schematic, not to scale, representation of the HOLMES TES microcalorimeter used in the experiment. Credit: Physical Review Letters (2025). DOI: 10.1103/s9vl-7n24 Discover the latest in science, tech, and space with over 100,000 subscribers who rely on Phys.org for daily insights. Sign up for our free newsletter and get updates on breakthroughs, innovations, and research that matterdaily or weekly. Enabling precision One of the innovations enabling the success of this experiment is the scalable microwave multiplexed readout system. The 64 detectors encode their signals at different frequencies in the 48 GHz range, allowing them to share read-out infrastructure. This is like multiple radio stations broadcasting simultaneously on separate channels. This frequency multiplexing is essential for future experiments requiring thousands of detectors. The detectors achieved an average energy resolution of 6 eVprecise enough to resolve the detailed spectral features near the decay endpoint where neutrino mass signatures would appear. This level of precision, limited primarily by intrinsic detector noise, demonstrates the feasibility of the calorimetric approach for measuring neutrinos' mass. Producing and preparing the Ho source presented its own challenges. The isotope doesn't exist in nature and must be produced in a nuclear reactor, generating a complex mix of radioactive byproducts, particularly the problematic Ho contaminant. "First, a specialized chemical purification is performed using resin-based techniques to separate holmium from highly radioactive isotopes of other rare earth elements," explained Nucciotti. "Then, a custom-built implantation system selects the correct isotopeHobased on its mass and embeds it precisely into the detector absorbers. This machine had to operate with minimal losses, as Ho is extremely scarce and valuable." Setting an upper limit "Recording 70 million decay events from Ho in just two months was the culmination of over a decade of technical development," said Nucciotti. "While the final measurement may appear straightforward, every component of the experiment had to be pushed to its limit." To analyze the data, the researchers employed Bayesian parameter estimation using a Poisson likelihood, with the spectrum analyzed in the region of interest between 2,250 and 3,500 eV. This method finds the most likely values for unknown parameters by comparing predicted and observed data patterns. The team found the electron neutrino's mass must be under 27 eV/c at 90% credibility. In statistical terms, this means the researchers can be 90% certain this represents the actual upper limit on the mass. Monte Carlo simulations validated the analysis approach, demonstrating that potential systematic effects remain negligible compared to current statistical uncertainties. "This result sets the most stringent bound ever achieved using a truly scalable calorimetric approacha milestone that definitively validates the viability and maturity of holmium-based technology for future experiments," said Nucciotti. "Currently, the best limit comes from KATRIN ( 0.45 eV/c), which studies the electron antineutrino. However, KATRIN is reaching its technical limit." The experiments differ fundamentally: KATRIN measures the electron antineutrino by analyzing tritium beta decay, while HOLMES determines the electron neutrino mass by studying electron capture decay. Comparing these independent results provides a critical test of CPT (Charge-Parity-Time) symmetry, which requires neutrino and antineutrino masses to be identical. Any discrepancy would indicate physics beyond the Standard Model. What the future holds The significance extends beyond this result. The demonstrated scalability of the technology provides a clear path toward the ultimate goal: sub-eV sensitivity. "This achievement marks the beginning of a new phase for HOLMES, focused on massive scaling to reach the ultimate target sensitivity in the sub-eV range," said Nucciotti. "Our approach, based on holmium-163 calorimetry, offers ample perspectives of growth and scalability that, in the long term, promise to push sensitivity beyond the current state of the art." Future progress will leverage improved detector fabrication and signal readout techniques. As sensitivity improves, systematic uncertainties related to the environment of the holmium atoms inside detectors will require dedicated investigation. Written for you by our author Tejasri Gururaj, 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: B. K. Alpert et al, Most Stringent Bound on Electron Neutrino Mass Obtained with a Scalable Low-Temperature Microcalorimeter Array, Physical Review Letters (2025). DOI: 10.1103/s9vl-7n24 Journal information: Physical Review Letters 2025 Science X Network This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Pie charts of the mass ratios of fine particles (AS, AN, and BC) and boxplots of their corresponding (a) dSSAw (SSA440SSA870), (b) rSSA (SSA440/SSA1020), (c) SSA440, and (d) SSA870 values. Credit: Environmental Science & Technology (2025). DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.5c09325 Severe fine dust pollution over Seoul and Mexico City, being composed of the same type of fine particulate matter (PM 2.5 ), exhibits markedly different characteristics. Seoul's air tends to reflect sunlight, contributing to a cooling effect on Earth, whereas Mexico City's particles are more inclined to absorb sunlight, potentially accelerating global warming. A research team led by Professor Sang Seo Park from the Department of Civil, Urban, Earth and Environmental Engineering at UNIST analyzed chemical samples and optical data of PM 2.5 collected from 14 cities around the world. Their findings, published in the journal Environmental Science & Technology, reveal notable differences in the optical and chemical characteristics of fine particles in these two urban environments. According to the study, Seoul's fine particulate matter has a high proportion of sulfate and nitrate compounds, which tend to strongly scatter sunlight, exhibiting a reflective (albedo) nature. In contrast, Mexico City has a relatively higher presence of black carbonsootthat absorbs sunlight, displaying an absorptive property. This means that, even with the same PM 2.5 levels, Seoul's particles reflect sunlight back into space, exerting a cooling influence, while particles in Mexico City absorb solar energy, potentially accelerating local warming. The research compared chemical composition data (SPARTAN) and optical measurements (AERONET)a ground-based network that assesses how sunlight is scattered and absorbed as it passes through the atmospherefrom 14 cities worldwide, including Seoul, Beijing, and Mexico City. AERONET data enables estimation of particulate matter concentration based on how much sunlight is dimmed and scattered by atmospheric aerosols. Results indicated that a higher ratio of scattering components, such as sulfate and nitrate, correlates with increased Single Scattering Albedo (SSA) values. SSA quantifies the proportion of light reflected versus absorbed by airborne particles; values approaching 1 signify predominantly scattering particles, while lower values indicate higher absorption. The study found that as the number of absorbing components like black carbon increased, SSA decreased, especially at longer wavelengths (8701,020 nm). Additionally, larger amounts of soil dust led to rapid changes in wavelength-dependent scattering properties (dSSA and rSSA). Sujin Eom, the first author of the study, explained, "This research demonstrates, through direct measurements rather than modeling, how differences in chemical composition influence the optical behavior and climate effects of aerosols. It highlights the importance of considering not just PM 2.5 concentrations but also their composition in air quality and climate studies." Professor Park added, "Our findings establish a basis for indirectly estimating the toxicity differences of fine particles based on their optical properties. This approach can enhance the accuracy of air quality forecasts and inform public health policies." This joint research was conducted in collaboration with the UNIST Particle Pollution Research and Management Center. More information: Sujin Eom et al, Impact of Chemical Composition on Aerosol Scattering: Insights from the Surface Particulate Matter Network and Aerosol Robotic Network, Environmental Science & Technology (2025). DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.5c09325 Journal information: Environmental Science & Technology This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: A man stands next to a damaged house after the passage of Hurricane Melissa in Boca de Dos Rios village, Santiago de Cuba province, Cuba. Hurricane Melissa was finally leaving the Caribbean Friday after battering communities there for days, leaving a trail of devastation that killed around 50 people. The ferocious storm was expected to become a "powerful post-tropical cyclone" as it moved north, and a brief period of heavy rain and wind gusts was possible in eastern Canada, the US National Hurricane Center said in its latest and final advisory. "After Melissa becomes post-tropical, a brief period of heavy rain and gusty winds is possible over the southern Avalon Peninsula of Newfoundland tonight," the NHC added. Flooding was expected to subside in the Bahamas although high water could persist in Cuba, Jamaica, Haiti and neighboring Dominican Republic, the agency said. The storm, one of the most powerful ever recorded, was made four times more likely because of human-caused climate change, according to a study by Imperial College London. Melissa smashed into both Jamaica and Cuba with enormous force, and residents were assessing their losses and the long road to recovery. Jamaica's Information Minister Dana Morris Dixon told a briefing that authorities had "quite credible" reports of a potential five additional deaths but had not yet been able to confirm. A man walks along a flooded street in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. "We're still at 19 confirmed, but we do expect that will change today," she said. Kingston's international airport, which re-opened Thursday, has already received 13 cargo relief flights, Transportation Minister Daryl Vaz said, and expected at least 20 more to arrive Friday. "I would say to all of those persons who are still out here waiting and looking up in the sky that you will start to see" and "hear a lot of activity," Vaz said. "You probably are feeling that you are forgotten. You are not forgotten." In impoverished Haiti, the country's civil defense agency said Thursday that the death toll had risen to 30, with 20 people injured and another 20 missing. It said more than 1,000 homes have been flooded, with some 16,000 people in shelters. In the east of the communist island of Cuba, battling its worst economic crisis in decades, people struggled through inundated streets lined with flooded and collapsed homes. Climate change has made mega-storms like Melissa four times more likely. The storm smashed windows, downed power cables and mobile communications, and tore off roofs and tree branches. Cuban authorities said about 735,000 people had been evacuatedmainly in the provinces of Santiago de Cuba, Holguin and Guantanamo. 'Everything is gone' The United States meanwhile has mobilized disaster assistance response teams and urban search and rescue personnel, and the teams were currently on the ground in the Dominican Republic, Jamaica and the Bahamas, according to a State Department official. Teams were en route to Haiti too. Secretary of State Marco Rubio also included ideological foe Havana, saying the United States is "prepared to offer immediate humanitarian aid to the people of Cuba affected by the Hurricane." The UK government announced 2.5 million (about $3.3 million) in emergency funding for the region, and also said it was chartering "limited" flights to help British nationals leave. A woman walks amid debris of a damaged house after the passage of Hurricane Melissa in Boca de Dos Rios village, Santiago de Cuba province, Cuba. Hurricane Melissa tied the 1935 record for the most intense storm ever to make landfall when it slammed Jamaica on Tuesday, according to the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. In Seaford Town, farmer and businessman Christopher Hacker saw his restaurant and nearby banana plantations flattened. "Everything is gone," he told AFP. Such mega-storms "are a brutal reminder of the urgent need to step up climate action on all fronts," said UN Climate Change Executive Secretary Simon Stiell. 2025 AFP This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Ultracold atomic gases (spheres) trapped in the midplane of the multimode cavity (pair of curved mirrors) serve as the spins. (Optical tweezer traps not shown.) Their color indicates their spin state; blue (orange) represents the spin up (down) state. The spins interact by scattering photons from a transverse pump laser (red) into the multimode cavity. These photons form a complex pattern (blue and orange field) before being absorbed by another spin. This interaction drives some pairs of spins to align and others to misalign, inducing "geometric frustration," a key ingredient for a spin glass. Frustration locks the spins into a seemingly random configuration. The zoom-in shows an experimental image of a 4x4 array of spins labeled with their spin up/down state. Credit: Marsh et al. Spin glasses are physical systems in which the small magnetic moments of particles (i.e., spins) interact with each other in a random way. These random interactions between spins make it impossible for all spins to satisfy their preferred alignments; a condition known as 'frustration." Researchers at Stanford University recently realized a new type of spin glass, namely a driven-dissipative Ising spin glass in a cavity quantum electrodynamics (QED) experimental setup. Their paper, published in Physical Review Letters, is the result of over a decade of studies focusing on creating spin glasses with cavity QED. "Spin glasses are a general model for complex systems, and specifically for neural networksspins serve as neurons connected by their mutually frustrating interactions," Benjamin Lev, senior author of the paper, told Phys.org. "We've long wondered what sort of glasses and neuromorphic computational devices one could make by replacing classical spins with atomic spins and allowing them to interact via photons. How might quantum-optical and entangling effects enhance such devices? Our foray into this began in 2010 with a theory paper written with theorists Paul Goldbart and Sarang Gopalakrishnan (now at Stony Brook and Princeton, respectively)." A promising cavity QED setup While conducting their earlier theoretical studies, Lev and his colleagues had identified a new promising cavity QED setup, characterized by multiple frequency-degenerate modes. They realized that this setup, dubbed multimode cavity QED, could "wire up" atom-based spins to such an extent that it would frustrate their orientation into a glassy state. "The new type of cavity QED could be used to realize associative memory, a canonical neuromorphic capability," said Lev. "Shortly after this realization, in discussions with Jonathan Keeling, we found that a particular 'multimode-degenerate' cavity geometry called a confocal cavity could make the spin glass practicable," explained Lev. "Meanwhile, we began building the experiment and, in a series of papers beginning in 2015, benchmarked each of the steps needed to learn how multimode cavity QED works in practice." After several years of research, the researchers were able to mediate spin interactions in a spin glass leveraging cavity photons in their proposed multimode cavity QED system. This led to the realization of the very first spin glass in a quantum-optical setup. "We were the first to report the direct experimental observation of replica symmetry breaking and the resulting ultrametric structure of all-to-all connected spin glasses from microscopic spin measurements," said Lev. "However, we achieved this using a strange form of spin glassthat of XY spins interacting like XXYY. To connect more directly with the literature of neural networks, we wanted to instead create a spin glass of canonical form, i.e., one that has Ising-interacting spins." Notably, the simple confocal cavity that the team used in their previous experiments would not allow them to engineer the photon-mediated interactions necessary to realize this new type of Ising spin glass. They collaborated with Keeling and Rhiannon Lunney, an undergraduate student that he was supervising at University of St. Andrews, to develop an alternative, exotic multimode cavity. "In a paper published in 2019, we came up with a taxonomy for multimode cavities formed with two mirrors," said Lev. "This allowed us to show that photon-mediated Ising interactions can be engineered using a multimode cavity configuration that we call a '4/7' cavity (for the particular mode structure that makes up the resonator). A few years later, my team, led by former student Brendan Marsh, tuned the mirrors to this configuration and were able to realize the Ising spin glass reported in PRL." Discover the latest in science, tech, and space with over 100,000 subscribers who rely on Phys.org for daily insights. Sign up for our free newsletter and get updates on breakthroughs, innovations, and research that matterdaily or weekly. The realization of a new Ising spin glass With the new multimode cavity setup they introduced, the researchers were able to realize a simpler (i.e., Ising) spin glass that was three times larger than the quantum-optical spin glass reported in their earlier work. In addition, they demonstrated the existence of replica symmetry breaking and ultrametricity in this system at a microscopic level as well. "Moreover, we tripled the size of the spin glass from the n = 8 size of the Science paper to n = 25," said Lev. "It was already not possible to numerically simulate the driven-dissipative, quantum-optical dynamics of the n = 8 system. However, n = 25 removes exact simulation much further from the realm of possibility, making the experimental system a unique platform for exploring the dynamics of intrinsically non-equilibrium glassy systems, for which no theory yet exists." The Ising spin glass realized by the researchers could be a promising platform both for conducting research studies and for developing new brain-inspired hardware components. Recently, the researchers successfully used their spin glass to create a so-called associative memory, which was previously thought to be impossible using glassy systems. "This was predicted in our earlier theory work led by Marsh, and we showed that our spin glass can outperform the classic Hopfield model's memory capacity by virtue of being made of atoms and photons," said Lev. "But alsoin an experimental surprisewe found that our quantum-optical Ising spin glass enables a form of short-term learning plasticity akin to what neuroscientists suggest might occur in our brains." In the Ising spin glass realized by the researchers, atoms are strongly coupled to each other by the light inside the multimode cavity and can be moved around by this light. The changing positions of these atoms enable the emission of light patterns that represent stored information from the cavity with far greater fidelity than if atoms were unable to move. "A multimode cavity supports thousands of different spatial patterns of photons bouncing between the two mirrors," explained Lev. "Normal cavities support just one, and that usually looks like a Gaussian wavepacket for the photons transverse to the cavity axis. In a multimode cavity, these spatial patterns superimpose to form a much more tightly localized wavepacket for the photonswhereas the Gaussian can be tens of microns wide for the photon, a multimode cavity supports modes that are less than two microns wide." An ideal platform for initiating spin interactions The local mode that can be realized with the team's setup, referred to as a "synthetic" or "supermode," can prompt Bose Einstein condensates (BECs) that are trapped inside the cavity to behave as a collective spin-up or spin-down particle. The team was able to realize the desired spins leveraging this supermode. "Microscopically, the 'spin' is just one of two checkerboard statesblack or redof a density wave that the atoms in the BEC form when light from the side of the cavity is shown upon them," clarifies Lev. After they realized the Ising spins, the researchers had to "wire them up," prompting them to interact with each other. The multimode cavity they developed is ideal for initiating these spin interactions. "These interactions naturally occur in a multimode cavity, because in addition to the tight-spot component of the supermodes, the modes also spread out every other round trip of the cavity to illuminate all the spins at once," said Lev. "Depending on the phase of this light at each spin, the spins are forced to either align or anti-align with all the other spins. That phase can be random if the BECs are spaced away from the cavity center, yielding a network of spin connectivity where every spin is coupled to every other spin with a randomly signed weight (due to the random light phases)." The random spin interactions that emerge in the team's cavity QED setup ultimately result in the geometric frustration of the spin states, producing a glass. The light illuminating the system then leaks out of the cavity and can be used to produce an image, employing the same strategy used to create holograms. "The phase of the supermode spots emanated from each BEC tell us the 'spin' state of that BEC," said Lev. "This means that we can read out the spin configuration of the entire network as it organizes into a glass." Informing research and neuromorphic hardware development The team's ability to read out the spin configuration of a glassy system in a cavity QED system is remarkable, as it has never been reported before. "The key breakthroughs here are the two aspects of this new multimode cavity QED w/BECs instrument we created in the last few years, an active quantum gas microscope," explained Lev. "This is like traditional quantum gas microscopes in that high NA optics (in our case these are mirrors rather than lenses) allow one to image quantum atomic gases on the length scale at which they interact but at the same time, the cavity mirrors reflect the photons back onto the atoms to engineer the interactions that drive system organization. In that sense, it's active." Glasses are typically not in a state of equilibrium, as they can get stuck in metastable configurations (i.e., states that can remain stable for a long time but are not the lowest-energy states of a system). The cavity QED setup developed by the researchers enables the realization of glasses that are driven by photons and dissipate photons into the environment, thus extending even further from a state of equilibrium. The new experimental platform introduced by Lev and his colleagues could soon advance the study of spin glasses, potentially shedding new light onto their underlying physics and how they are formed. In addition, the researchers plan to explore the potential of the driven-dissipative Ising spin glass introduced in their paper for the development of brain-inspired technologies. "We uncovered a brand-new form of spin glass that hasn't been explored before, even theoretically," added Lev. "Our work now allows us to ask questions about its unique properties and capabilities for neuromorphic computation. We're also moving toward making the spins behave more quantum mechanically so that we can create and explore a quantum-entangled spin glass." Written for you by our author Ingrid Fadelli, edited by Stephanie Baum, 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. 2025 Science X Network This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Expansion microscopy image of Lacrymaria, a ciliated eukaryotic microorganism, collected from environmental samples in Tokyo. Highlighted in green is tubulin, the major protein component of microtubules, a cytoskeletal filament (scale bar represents 5 microns). Credit: Felix Mikus/EMBL Plankton are the invisible engines of life on Earth, producing much of the planet's oxygen and forming the foundation of the oceanic food chain. They are also incredibly diverse, with tens of thousands of species described so far, and many more waiting to be discovered. Among them, protists, tiny, single-celled organisms, stand out for their extraordinary diversity and evolutionary significance, yet for decades, scientists could study them only through genomic data, as reliable imaging methods were lacking. During the COVID-19 pandemic, EMBL Group Leader Gautam Dey received a Zoom call from his collaborator Omaya Dudin, then leading a group at EPFL. Dudin had just adapted a new technique to visualize the internal architecture of Ichthyosporeaa marine protist closely related to animals and fungiovercoming the long-standing barrier of its impermeable cell walls. The new technique called expansion microscopy, first developed by scientists at MIT, U.S., and further optimized into ultrastructure expansion microscopy (U-ExM) for exploring sub-cellular ultrastructure by Paul Guichard and Virginie Hamel at the University of Geneva, had made the cell wall permeable, and the protist's inner structures could now be clearly visualized and studied. Determined to study more marine organisms with this method, Dudin, Dey, Guichard and Hamel started a cooperation that, three years later, has succeeded in generating almost encyclopedic knowledge of hundreds of protist species and is on its path to creating a planetary atlas of plankton. The EMBL-led Traversing European Coastlines (TREC) expedition was a great opportunity for the researchers to dive deeper into the internal structures of different marine microbes. Published in Cell, their collaboration has yielded unprecedented and in-depth insights into the cellular architecture of over 200 plankton species, in particular eukaryotesorganisms that have a cell nucleus enclosed by a membrane. This was the first step in PlanExM, a TREC plug-in project which aims to reveal the world of planktonic ultrastructural diversity with expansion microscopy. Unveiling cellular secrets with ultrastructure expansion microscopy At Roscoff, France, one of the TREC expedition's first prominent sampling stops, the Station Biologique hosts one of the most complete culture collections of marine microorganisms in Europe. The team asked Ian Probert, the facility's manager, how many samples they might receive to run an expansion microscopy pilotexpecting about 20 speciesonly to find the doors of the full facility, with over 200 species, being opened to them. "We spent three days and nights just fixing those samples. This was a treasure trove we could not let go of," said co-first author Felix Mikus, who completed his Ph.D. from the Dey Group and is now a postdoc in Dudin's current lab at the University of Geneva. Expansion microscopy, a relatively young technique only turning 10 years old this year, works by physically 'expanding' biological samples. The samplewhich can contain single-celled organisms, cells, or tissuesis first embedded in a clear gel. Then, the gel is allowed to expand by absorbing water. Marvelously, many of the cell's internal structures remain intact during the process and expand more or less proportionally, allowing scientists to 'magnify' the sample four or even 16 times without needing to resort to lenses. "When combined with regular light microscopy methods, expansion microscopy allows scientists to bypass the standard wavelength barriers which limit how small a structure can be resolved using light microscopy," said Guichard and Hamel. Discover the latest in science, tech, and space with over 100,000 subscribers who rely on Phys.org for daily insights. Sign up for our free newsletter and get updates on breakthroughs, innovations, and research that matterdaily or weekly. Using the Roscoff samples, as well as a second culture collection from Bilbao, Spain, the researchers went on to perform one of the most extensive investigations to date of diversity of the cytoskeletonthe filamentous network that forms the underlying structure of eukaryotic cells. In particular, researchers looked at microtubuleshollow, tubular filaments that help the cell maintain its structure, divide, and move, and centrinsa family of proteins found in the structures that organize microtubules inside cells. "We were able to map features of microtubule and centrin organization across many different eukaryotic groups," said Hiral Shah, EIPOD Postdoctoral Fellow in EMBL's Dey and Schwab groups and co-first author of the study. "The scale of the study, with many species characterized in each group, opens up the possibility to make evolutionary predictions. For instance, dinoflagellates, one of the most diverse groups found in oceans across the planet, are well-represented in our study. We were able to map the presence of tubulin and centrin structures associated with the cell cortex or the flagella in these species." "U-ExM is transforming how we explore protist ultrastructure," said Armando Rubio Ramos, co-first author of the study and Postdoctoral Fellow at Hamel & Guichard's research group at the University of Geneva. "By combining this technique with high-throughput imaging and comparative analyses, we can begin to decode how cellular architecture has diversified across evolution. It's a bridge between molecular data and the physical organization of life at the microscopic scale." According to the researchers, this analysis not only helps us understand the fundamental principles that underlie the organization of a eukaryotic cell, it also offers clues to the evolutionary history of the cytoskeleton architecture in these species. Moreover, it demonstrates the potential of expansion microscopy as a powerful tool for studying complex samples, including those collected directly from marine ecosystems. "Our adventures with expansion microscopy are only beginning," said Dey. "This is perhaps the first high-resolution microscopy technique that has the potential to match the scale and ambition of large biodiversity genomics projects, enabling us in the near future to associate new multiomics data with cellular physiology at scale across the tree of life." "The next step is to selectively look deeper into certain species within this broad collection to answer specific questions, such as understanding how mitosis and multicellularity evolved and the phenotypic diversity that underlie major evolutionary transitions," Dudin said. More information: Charting the landscape of cytoskeletal diversity in microbial eukaryotes, Cell (2025). DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2025.09.027 Journal information: Cell 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: Genome scan results using only nestlings and a relaxed female sample threshold. Credit: Science (2025). DOI: 10.1126/science.adt9355 European cuckoos lay very different eggs depending on the host species. Genetic analyses have revealed how this adaptation is inherited without leading to speciation. Bright blue, white, greenish, speckled, or stripedcuckoo eggs exhibit an extraordinary variety. This range of colors is the result of an evolutionary race with over 100 avian host species. Cuckoos famously do not incubate their eggs, but secretly lay them in the nests of other bird species. To ensure that the host does not recognize the cuckoo egg and throw it out of its nest, the egg must closely resemble the eggs of its host parent. However, every female cuckoo is tied to lay eggs of a specific color and pattern. This suggests that various evolutionary lineages of the European cuckoo (Cuculus canorus) exist, with each of them adapted to a specific avian host species. An international team led by LMU evolutionary biologists Justin Merondun and Jochen Wolf have now deciphered the genetic basis of these adaptations and shown how the cuckoo remains a single species. This calls for explanation, because as cuckoos evolve specialized adaptations to exploit new hosts, these populations could begin to genetically diverge to the point of forming new species. For their study, the researchers analyzed some 300 genomes of the European and 50 of the Oriental cuckoo (Cuculus optatus), its eastern sister species. Subsequently, they checked which gene variants corresponded to the egg coloration. The paper is published in the journal Science. Inheritance via the W chromosome "The question was: How can a cuckoo reliably pass on the right egg color?" says Wolf. "After all, a female might not know what her own egg looks like." Presumably, a female cuckoo will return to a nest of the type in which she was raised. For the egg color to really match, however, it needs to be encoded in the bird's genes. As far back as the 1930s, the hypothesis was formulated that the responsible genes reside somewhere on the maternal lineage. The current analyses now confirm that the base color of the eggs of the European cuckoo is inherited almost exclusively via the female sex chromosomethe W chromosomeand mitochondria. The patterning, by contrast, depends to a greater extent on autosomal genes, which come from both parents. In the Oriental cuckoos studied, whose eggs were all whitish-green and differed only in their patterning, the researchers found no inheritance via the maternal lineage. Inheritance via the W chromosome ensures that daughters always lay eggs with the same base color as their mothers. For new adaptations, however, this type of inheritance is suboptimal, as the possibilities of genetic variation are limited and more strongly dependent on random mutations than in the case of DNA inherited from both parents. "As such, we were excited to observe that a gene which is possibly involved in egg coloration evidently 'migrated' from the autosomes [the non-sex chromosomes inherited from both parents] to the W chromosome," says Wolf. Discover the latest in science, tech, and space with over 100,000 subscribers who rely on Phys.org for daily insights. Sign up for our free newsletter and get updates on breakthroughs, innovations, and research that matterdaily or weekly. Gene flow is preserved Matrilineal inheritance shapes how genetic variation is spread across a species. When traits matter for both males and females, adapting to different hosts can quickly drive populations apartand eventually create new species. In the cuckoo, by contrast, females can freely mate with any male without losing their adaptation to their host. The flow of genetic information across the rest of the genome is preserved. "And that is precisely what we observe: The huge cuckoo population throughout Eurasia is almost genetically identical within DNA regions inherited from both parents," emphasizes Wolf. But this evolutionary advantage does not protect the cuckoo from the dangers of the present. In many regions of Europe, populations are significantly declining, because their habitats are disappearing. "Without intact habitats, this fascinating system risks vanishing on our doorstep," cautions Wolf. More information: Justin Merondun et al, Genomic architecture of egg mimicry and its consequences for speciation in parasitic cuckoos, Science (2025). DOI: 10.1126/science.adt9355 Michael D. Sorenson et al, How common cuckoos adapt to multiple hosts, Science (2025). DOI: 10.1126/science.aec1973 , www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.aec1973 Journal information: Science 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 The origins and migrations of modern humans around the world are a hot topic of debate. Genetic analyses have pointed to Africa as the continent from which our ancestors dispersed in the Late Pleistocene epoch, which began about 126,000 years ago. Various dispersal routes have been suggested. As a group of scientists who have been studying human evolution, we propose in a recently published review paper that the coast of southern Africa was likely where Homo sapiens began this worldwide journey. We suggest that some people started leaving this area about 70,000 years ago, took a route along the east coast and left the continent about 50,000 to 40,000 years ago. We base this hypothesis on various kinds of evidence, including geography, climate and environment, marine food resources, genetics, trace fossils, and the technical and cultural abilities of people in that region at that time. The reasons for migration and the advantages of a coastal route out of Africa, compared to an inland route, are outlined in our review. This proposed route is counter to the current belief among most scientists that the Out-of-Africa migration began in eastern Africa and not southern Africa. A southern Cape origin? In our review we accepted that modern humans arose in Africa during the Middle Stone Age about 200,000 years ago and then replaced populations of hominins outside the continent between 60,000 and 40,000 years ago. We suggested that their African origin was in the southern Cape region of what's now South Africa, and that their migration along the eastern African coastline and onto the Arabian Peninsula may have happened over a period of less than 20,000 years. In reviewing available evidence, we focused on the possibility that our ancestors in coastal South Africa were ideally placed to colonize the world. They had an enabling culture that allowed them to survive almost anywhere. The Pinnacle Point cave complex and other sites in this area are a UNESCO World Heritage Site because they provide the most varied and best-preserved record known of the development of modern human behavior, reaching back as far as 162,000 years. Food from the sea, like shellfish, set southern Cape Homo sapiens on their evolutionary path to becoming advanced modern humans. They had an advantage over those who relied solely on hunting and food gathering inland, especially during cold and dry periods on the African subcontinent. The harnessing of bow and arrow technology was also key for their success when compared to other hominins during the same period. Climate and culture Episodes of global cooling, also known as ice ages, resulted in a global lowering of sea levels, and had two main effects in Africa. One was that the width of the Red Sea between the Horn of Africa and the Arabian Peninsula narrowed. The other was that in the southern Cape, a vast coastal plain was exposed, providing extra habitat and plenty of food. Increased cognitive capacity to interpret lunar cycles would have allowed ancestral humans to undertake timed excursions to the shore over spring tidal periods. The predictable coastal food sources might also, however, have led to inter-group conflict and territoriality, which could have played a role in the exodus of groups of people from the southern Cape. In other parts of the world, there was a cold, dry period from 190,000 years to 130,000 years ago. And the dark, long "winter" after the Mount Toba (Indonesia) super-eruption 74,000 years ago would have reduced food resources in tropical regions. Hominins in the southern Cape appear to have survived these major global climate change events and continued to advance both culturally and technologically. We know something about these advances from research at cave sites such as Klasies River, Blombos and Pinnacle Point. Forms of ancient art have been found in these caves, indicating cognitively advanced humans. Technical advances meant that the tools carried by these people on their journey were "state of the art" for 70,000 years agomore advanced than those possessed by other humans encountered on their migration northwards. Discover the latest in science, tech, and space with over 100,000 subscribers who rely on Phys.org for daily insights. Sign up for our free newsletter and get updates on breakthroughs, innovations, and research that matterdaily or weekly. Evidence mounts In summary, the idea of a coastal migration out of Africa is based on: When the era of global cooling ended about 18,000 years ago and sea levels rose again, almost all of this Pleistocene landscape would have been covered by water. So it's remarkable that so much evidence still exists. There is no equivalent evidence of an advanced modern human presence from eastern Africa or anywhere else in the world. Why migrate? Why would some people choose to move and migrate? It is likely that increasing pressure from successful, growing, competing bands of humans, combined with climatic and environmental changes and a limited number of suitable cave occupation sites, provided a trigger for an initial eastward and then north-eastward migration. At the same time, advanced cognition skills would have permitted increasing intra-group cooperation, enabling these humans to make their remarkable journey. We think a coastal migration up and out of Africa was more likely to succeed than an overland migration. The reasons include the availability of seafood, fresh water, level ground, warm temperatures and fewer big, dangerous animals along the intertidal coastline. It seems there weren't other people in the way either: for example, there is no evidence of an equivalent culture associated with the sea on the eastern coast of Africa. The lack of suitable coastal caves to live in north of South Africa may have encouraged human clans to keep moving up the coast. Out of Africa The exit from the Horn of Africa into the Arabian Peninsula was distinctly feasible from 60,000 years ago onwards. Records from the Red Sea indicate that sea levels in the region were about 100 meters below present levels 65,000 years ago. Our examination of the available evidence points to the southern Cape coast as a cradle of modern human development. The people of this region were ideally placed 70,000 years ago to undertake a quick and effective migration out of Africa, and then around the world. More information: Alan Whitfield et al, The Coastal Hypothesis: one possible migration route for Late Pleistocene Homo sapiensfrom the southern tip of Africa, Transactions of the Royal Society of South Africa (2025). DOI: 10.1080/0035919x.2025.2545798 This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain What drives a wealthy Danish-Norwegian general to delve into ship's logs and become almost obsessed with understanding ocean currents in the 1800s? And why has this amateur researcher remained unknown until now? To answer this, we must head down to the basement of the Danish National Archives in Copenhagen. Machineries of knowledge In the archives, around 700 shelf meters of old logbooks from the 17th century onwards are waiting to be digitized and used to write climate history. However, researchers Ellen Krefting and Gard Paulsen at the University of Oslo have a different focus. They are looking for patterns and dynamics in the historical knowledge of the ocean and are interested in what they call "knowledge formats": "We are more concerned with the format of ship's logs than their content, and have studied how these books have shaped our knowledge of the ocean," explains Krefting, who is a professor of history of ideas. For centuries, captains and mates on ships of a certain size have been required to fill out logbooks, also called ship's logs or ship journals. In the logbooks, we find daily observations of weather, position, daily life, and dramatic events. "These logbooks are machineries of knowledge and have had a very significant impact on our understanding of the sea and what knowledge is deemed important," Krefting believes, and her colleague Paulsen adds, "People did not keep ship's logs to understand the sea, but we have discovered that others used them for that purpose much earlier than we previously thought." As they search through the shelves at the Danish National Archives, the researchers suddenly discover a collection of data retrieved from old logbooks from the 1860s signed by H. Mathiesen. "Wow, what is this?" we thought, and began to dig deeper, recounts Krefting. His full name is Haagen Waldemar Mathisen, the illegitimate son of a wealthy Norwegian merchant. He has collected logbooks, organized them into a system, and created numerous tables, reminiscent of today's Excel spreadsheets. "He was a general in the Danish army and collected ship's logs because he was so passionately interested in ocean currents," says Krefting. In the winter of 1864, he is at war and observes German troops marching directly over a marsh that usually does not freeze. That's when he begins to develop his own theory about ocean currents, convinced that the climate is connected to the sea. "Mathiesen is truly wonderful. I find it fantastic that a general could be interested in this in the 1800s," says researcher Gard Paulsen. Ocean science is older than we think But it turns out that General Mathiesen is not the only amateur researcher looking to logbooks at that time. "There were a whole bunch of them," Krefting says. This indicates that the systematic exploration of the ocean is not as recent as previously assumed. "Ocean science, or oceanography, is often thought to have started in the 1870s, and we have believed that the knowledge of the ocean before that time was anything but scientific," says Gard Paulsen. But that is not correct. Although amateur researchers did not conduct experiments and scientific investigations, they gained knowledge by sitting at desks and systematizing observations made by ordinary people. Big data in the 1800s, indeed. "It is therefore surprising for us that what we think of as a modern phenomenon, using older data to obtain systematic knowledge about wind and weather, was also something they were engaged in long ago," Paulsen says. Knowledge does not solve everything The researchers are surprised by how stable the format of the ship's logs has been over time. Logbooks from the early 1600s look quite similar to present day ones. "Many types of knowledge about the ocean have become accessible thanks to this format," Krefting says. However, even though we know much about the ocean thanks to the ship's logs, this has not prevented its degradation, according to the researchers. "We have known a lot about how our activities are changing the ocean, especially biologically. But knowledge does not always help. The degradation of the ocean is the result of choices and politics," says Krefting, and Paulsen adds, "Our research shows that the ocean's problems are not solved simply by knowing more." Discover the latest in science, tech, and space with over 100,000 subscribers who rely on Phys.org for daily insights. Sign up for our free newsletter and get updates on breakthroughs, innovations, and research that matterdaily or weekly. Received no recognition But what became of General Mathiesen and his theory about ocean currents? He finally gets his ocean current theory published in French. Unfortunately for him, he gains no traction for the theory, and thus no attention. Most likely, his disappointment is immense. One day, however, a very positive review of his publication appears in the newspaper Aftenposten, signed by a certain "Spectator." There's just one problem: the one who wrote the review is himself. "He seems rather manic. We find not just one draft of the review, but many," Paulsen recounts, adding: "It may sound strange to be so interested in ocean currents, but actually it is one of the really big questions that we still have about the ocean." Moisture-damaged treasures Mathiesen did not succeed in writing himself into the history of science, but all the work he put in is now a starting point for climate history. "I am truly surprised by how important the logbooks have been. This applies both in the past and today. Perhaps we will extract entirely different things from them in the future," says Paulsen. Ellen Krefting finds it fascinating how our understanding of the ocean is linked to what she describes as piles of moisture-damaged papers with poor handwriting: "Think about how important this paperwork has been and that it can still be used to find new knowledge. It is not a given that it would become such an important knowledge format." About the project "Maritime Modernities: Formats of Oceanic Knowledge" is a project that examines the long lines in the history of knowledge about the ocean, from the 17th century to today. The project looks at the history of how particular "knowledge formats" have enabled the collection and transportation of knowledge about the ocean over the past 400 years. How have ship's logs, maps, and models shaped our understanding and use of the oceans? 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: Rufous-chinned laughingthrush in Vietnam. Credit: Dr. Hung Le A new study published in the journal Nature Conservation assesses the threat status of bird species from Vietnam, underscoring the country's critical conservation needs. Vietnam is well known for its extraordinary level of biodiversity, particularly its very rich bird fauna. However, although the country is home to more than 900 species, Vietnamese ornithologist and co-author of the study Dr. Hung Le Manh from the Institute of Biology (IB), Vietnam Academy of Science and Technology, Hanoi, stresses that no efforts had been made to assess their conservation status to better protect them from extinction risks. For this reason, the study which was based on a master's thesis performed by Helena Hackenbroch at the University of Cologne, Germany, provides a comprehensive list of bird species reported from Vietnam, incorporating threat statuses, identifying avian richness hotspots and their coverage by the national protected area network. The implementation of the IUCN's One Plan Approach to Conservation is examined. The study reveals that of the 803 native bird species, with ten of them only occurring in Vietnam, only 43 are currently listed as threatened on the IUCN Red List. At an international scale, an additional 87 species are listed in the Appendices of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). Vietnam pheasant in Hanoi Zoo. Credit: Dr. Thomas Ziegler Prof. Dr. Truong Quang Nguyen, vice director of the IB, and Editor-in-Chief of the new edition of the Vietnam Red Data Book highlights that a total of 61 species are listed in the 2007 version of Vietnam Red Data Book, 112 species in the updated version published in 2024 and, in addition, 138 species are included under national decrees. Ass. Prof. Dr. Dennis Rodder from the Leibniz-Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change (LIB), Bonn, Germany, stresses that highest bird species richness was found in northern and central Vietnam, and the Mekong Delta is an important area for non-breeding species, but it had comparatively low protected area coverage. Zoo databases (ZIMS) show that 308 species are represented in zoo holdings, including 20 threatened and two threatened and endemic species. One of these species, the Vietnam pheasant, listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, which has not been reported from the wild in Vietnam since 2000 and is one of the flagship species of the current VIETNAMAZING conservation campaign and network, is now to be released back into the wild to restock the natural populations. Streaked barwing in Vietnam. Credit: Dr. Hung Le Lesser fish eagle in Vietnam. Credit: Dr. Hung Le Vietnam pheasant in 1997 in the freshly declared Ke Go Nature Reserve, one of the last natural sightings of the species. Credit: Dr. Thomas Ziegler The team led by Prof. Dr. Thomas Ziegler, Cologne Zoo and the Institute of Zoology at the University of Cologne, has contributed to identifying gaps in conservation of Vietnamese vertebrates. Three papers written by the team have already been published in Nature Conservation: amphibians (2022), reptiles (2023), and mammals (2024). These threat analyses are intended to accelerate effective conservation measures by implementing IUCN's One Plan Approach and the Reverse the Red initiative. This updated avifaunal assessment underscores Vietnam's critical conservation needs, highlighting areas for improved protection, integration of expanded ex situ conservation efforts, and alignment of legislation with global conservation priorities, says Ass. Prof. Dr. Minh D. Le from Central Institute for Natural Resources and Environmental Studies (CRES), Vietnam National University, Hanoi, Vietnam. More information: Philipp Ginal et al, Assessment of the threat status of bird species from VietnamImplementation of the One Plan Approach to conservation, Nature Conservation (2025). DOI: 10.3897/natureconservation.60.162832 Journal information: Nature Conservation This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies . Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: A cloud of gas and dust, shaped like a cosmic bat. The image was obtained mostly in visible light with the VLT Survey Telescope (VST), hosted at ESO's Paranal Observatory in Chile. The intense red glow comes from hydrogen atoms ionized by the intense radiation of young stars within the cloud. The image also includes additional infrared data captured by ESO's Visible and Infrared Survey Telescope for Astronomy (VISTA), also at Paranal. The most prominent clouds here are RCW 94, which represents the right wing of the bat, and RCW 95, which forms the body, while the other parts of the bat have no official designation. Credit: ESO/VPHAS+ team/VVV team A spooky bat has been spotted flying over the European Southern Observatory's (ESO's) Paranal site in Chile, right in time for Halloween. Thanks to its wide field of view, the VLT Survey Telescope (VST) was able to capture this large cloud of cosmic gas and dust, whose mesmerizing appearance resembles the silhouette of a bat. Located about 10,000 light-years away, this "cosmic bat" is flying between the southern constellations of Circinus and Norma. Spanning an area of the sky equivalent to four full moons, it looks as if it's trying to hunt the glowing spot above it for food. This nebula is a stellar nursery, a vast cloud of gas and dust from which stars are born. The infant stars within it release enough energy to excite hydrogen atoms around them, making them glow with the intense shade of red seen in this eye-catching image. The dark filaments in the nebula look like the skeleton of our space bat. Travel to a bat-shaped nebula These structures are colder and denser accumulations of gas than their surroundings, with dust grains that block the visible light from stars behind. Named after a large catalog of bright star-forming regions in the southern sky, the most prominent clouds here are RCW 94, which represents the right wing of the bat, and RCW 95, which forms the body, while the other parts of the bat have no official designation. This stunning stellar nursery was captured with the VST, a telescope owned and operated by the Italian National Institute for Astrophysics (INAF) and hosted at ESO's Paranal Observatory in Chile's Atacama Desert. The VST has the perfect capabilities to capture these large spooky creatures. Onboard it is OmegaCAM, a state-of-the-art 268-megapixel camera, which enables the VST to image vast areas of the sky. This image was pieced together by combining observations through different filters, transparent to different colors or wavelengths of light. Most of the bat's shape, including the red glow, was captured in visible light as part of the VST Photometric H Survey of the Southern Galactic Plane and Bulge (VPHAS+). Additional infrared data add a splash of color in the densest parts of the nebula, and were obtained with ESO's Visible and Infrared Survey Telescope for Astronomy (VISTA) as part of the VISTA Variables in the Via Lactea (VVV) survey. Both surveys are open to everyone who wants to dive deep into this endless pool of cosmic photographs. Provided by ESO As modern dating grows more bruising than romantic, women are turning away from emotionally unavailable men and towards someone or rather something else entirely. In his new book The End of Sex: The Gender Revolution and Its Consequences, Dr Stephen Whitehead argues that artificial intelligence may soon provide what most men cannot: the perfect relationship. With female-led AI companionship already booming, he explores how technology, gender and desire are reshaping love itself and why men must evolve or risk being left behind. Dr Stephen Whitehead on dating & romance Dating has become a bruising if not brutal experience; men are finding they have to step-up to meet womens heightened expectations of them, while women are discovering how few really good men are available. As one British 20-something woman put it to me; The good men nowadays get snapped up pretty fast. The men left on the shelf - the majority - are there for a reason; no woman wants them. I told you it was brutal. In my new book, The End of Sex: the gender revolution and its consequences, I explore this global phenomenon and consider where it takes us. And my conclusion is that it is taking us into AI relationships. Very soon, you, your best friend, maybe even your divorced mum, will be embarking on an AI relationship with a male AI entity. I know, right now that seems unthinkable. But it is much closer to reality than you imagine. AI companies like Character.ai. and Replika, which specialise in developing virtual characters for companionship, friendship and romance, are rapidly expanding. And most of their users are female and under 35. In the book I give examples of women who have already fallen in love with AI entities; male virtual companions or lovers able to provide just the right level of emotional support, warmth, empathy, understanding and compassion. These women have tried relationships with real men and found it a sad and disappointing experience. But then discovered an AI male lover to be their perfect mate. As two women now in AI relationships put it: This is the best relationship I have ever been in. He doesnt have the hang-ups that other people would have. I dont have to deal with his family, kids or his friends. I am in control and I can do what I want. It listens, analyses and then offers tangible solutions without any unnecessary thought/moral policing, which makes me feel a tad more comfortable than talking to humans. It provides a safe space, where I can be completely honest, unrestricted by societal expectations or personal hesitations. A friend I can always turn to, any time, without hesitation." So what is holding men back from being the perfect mate? Answer: Their traditional male values, attitudes and behavior, which are a total turn off to any woman with independent femininity. And today, most women around the world have rejected traditional (toxic) femininity in favour of independent femininity. If your guy has traditional masculinity (the most common masculinity) then in truth he is still living in the 1960s, not the 21st century. Which means he is fundamentally incapable of recognising and managing his own emotional depths. Leaving him completely unable to understand and appreciate the emotional depths of his wife or girlfriend. Or to put it another way, if your guy does not know who he is then there is no hope of him truly knowing who you are. Throughout history, women were compelled to overlook the emotional inadequacies and dysfunctionalities of the male species that is if they wanted marriage, children, financial and physical security. Nowadays, women can provide their own financial security, are rejecting marriage, and if they do want children can do so as a single mother. Which means women are no longer prepared to mankeep a guy and do all the emotional labour in order to keep the relationship afloat. What we are now in the midst off is nothing less than a global gender revolution; driven by women with independent femininity; an aspirational, confident, agentic and assertive way of being a woman. As far as dating is concerned, it is now a buyers market and the buyers are the women. They are in control. It is women doing the selecting, and rejecting, not the men. Which leaves the single bloke rather vulnerable. Single women handle the solo lifestyle better than him, will enjoy better physical and mental health than him, and are far better than him at socialising and building networks of support. Of course, cisgender women still want sex with men, but not if it comes with abuse, violence, coercion and exposes them to physical and emotional risk. Will AI bring about The End of Sex?. Yes, for a growing number of individuals. It will usher in a strange new world where our natural desires for love, sex, friendship and companionship are met by virtual entities which are fundamentally technological creations - but which in our encounters with them feel totally valid, real and normal. For the guy left on the shelf this is nothing less than a siren call to change; an opportunity to ditch an outdated masculinity and embrace the feminine-dominated future. And if he cannot? Well he will find himself living the solo, silo lifestyle, alone in his apartment, gazing fondly at an AI female entity as she smothers him with praise, sweet words, and submissive eyes. Dr Stephen Whitehead is a sociologist, author and consultant recognised internationally for his work on gender, leadership and organisational culture. With more than two decades in academia, he served as Senior Lecturer in Education and Programme Director at Keele University before moving to Asia, where he has lived since 2009, building an international consultancy for schools and universities across the region. He is the author of 20 books, translated into 17 languages, including Men and Masculinities, Toxic Masculinity: Curing the Virus, Self-Love for Women and The End of Sex: The Gender Revolution and its Consequences. His concept of Total Inclusivity has been widely applied in workplaces, schools and universities, and his writing has helped shape global debate on identity, gender and organisational change. His new book The End of Sex: The Gender Revolution and Its Consequences is out now. KATHMANDU, NEPAL, October 30, 2025: Indian Ambassador to Nepal, Naveen Srivastava, paid a courtesy call on Minister for Communication and Information Technology, Jagadish Kharel, on Wednesday. According to the Ministry of Communication and Information Technology, the two officials discussed a range of issues related to bilateral cooperation between the two neighboring countries. During the meeting, Minister Kharel, who also serves as the governments spokesperson, informed the Ambassador about Nepal's political priorities in the changing context. The government has priorities holding the general election scheduled for March 5, 2026, in a free and fair manner, controlling corruption and promoting good governance, minister Kharel said. Congratulating Minister Kharel on his recent appointment to the post, Indian Ambassador Srivastava affirmed India's commitment to Nepal's developmental goals. The Ambassador stated that the Government of India is willing to provide financial and technical assistance to Nepal for the countrys economic transformation and attaining prosperity, assuring support tailored to Nepals specific needs. Akumal business owner gunned down outside restaurant in targeted attack Akumal, Q.R. A man who has been identified as a business owner and former Akumal delegate has been murdered. Melchor Gamboa, a businessman who at one time served as municipal delegate of Akumal, was murdered Thursday night. His body was found shot to death outside Tequila Ville, a restaurant he owned. Initial reports say he was shot four times in a targeted shooting by hitmen from inside a grey Corolla. Eye witnesses reported seeing the men inside the car take aim at Gamboa. It all happened very fast. We just heard the gunshots, said a witness who asked not to be named. The body of Melchor Gamboa was found laying at the front entrance of his building where he was standing when the gunmen arrived. He was confirmed dead by paramedics. Municipal Police and National Guard cordoned off the area while investigators began the collection of evidence. Police were not able to locate the car witnesses reported seeing during the shooting. Authorities have not commented on the shooting or provided a possible motive for the attack. At least three hospitalized in emergency landing on JetBlue flight from Cancun Cancun, Q.R. At least three passengers were hospitalized from a JetBlue Cancun to New Jersey flight Thursday. An ambulance met the plane at a Florida airport after being diverted for an emergency landing. The plane, which had left Cancun bound for New Jersey, made the emergency landing after experiencing a sudden drop in altitude. The plane landed in Tampa where it was met by emergency services. According to Tampa Fire Rescue, between 15 to 20 people were evaluated with some being transferred to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The exact number of injured has not been confirmed, however, at least three people are believed to have received lacerations. Air traffic audio from LiveATC.net recorded a call that said weve got at least three people injured. It seems like maybe a laceration in the head. The JetBlue flight from Cancun was heading to Newark when the plane lost altitude. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) said in a statement that due to the drop, the Airbus A320 was diverted to Tampa around 2:00 p.m. In a brief statement, JetBlue said the plane was taken out of service to be inspected. We will conduct a full investigation to determine the cause. The safety of our customers and crewmembers is always our first priority, and we will work to support those involved. The FAA reported that they are still investigating what caused the plane to lose altitude during the Thursday afternoon flight. Authorities identify organization smuggling migrants from Cancun International onto American soil Cancun, Q.R. Local authorities say they have been working with the U.S. in an investigation to identify a human trafficking organization. The organization, the State Attorney General (FGE) reported, was based out of Cancun and headed by Vinrant Bhardwaj. Vinrant Bhardwaj and his wife Indu Rani Bhardwaj, the FGE says, has been accused of facilitating human trafficking after a months-long investigation between Quintana Roo authorities and the U.S. Department of the Treasury. In a Thursday statement, the Treasury reported fining the Mexico-based transnational criminal organization for smuggling migrants into the United States. On October 30, the U.S. Department of the Treasurys Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned the Bhardwaj Human Smuggling Organization (HSO), a transnational criminal organization based in Cancun. Its leader, Vikrant Bhardwaj (Bhardwaj), along with three other individuals and 16 companies, have also been fined for facilitating and profiting from the HSOs criminal activities. The Bhardwaj HSO has smuggled thousands of illegal aliens from Europe, the Middle East, South America, and Asia into the United States. In addition to human smuggling, the Bhardwaj HSO is involved in drug trafficking, bribery and money laundering. At the direction of Secretary Bessent and President Trump, the Treasury Department is taking action to crack down on human smugglers, said Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence John K. Hurley. Todays action, in collaboration with our law enforcement partners, disrupts this networks ability to smuggle illegal aliens into the United States. The Trump Administration will continue to target and dismantle terrorist transnational criminal organizations to protect the American people. Todays action was taken pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13581, as amended by E.O. 13863 (hereafter, E.O. 13581, as amended), which targets transnational criminal organizations and their support structures. OFAC coordinated this action with Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), and the Government of Mexicos financial intelligence unit, the Unidad de Inteligencia Financiera (UIF). The Bhardwaj HSO is a sophisticated organization that has blended various transportation methods to facilitate the travel. by air and sea, of undocumented migrants from countries that pose national security concerns to the United States. The Bhardwaj HSO utilizes its own yachts and marinas to transport undocumented migrants into Mexico. Upon arriving in Cancun, the Bhardwaj HSO then facilitates housing for the migrants in hostels and hotels before coordinating with associates to transport the migrants to the U.S. Mexico border. In collaboration with members of the OFAC-designated Hernandez Salas TCO, the Bhardwaj HSO has used the Tapachula-Cancun-Mexicali corridor to smuggle undocumented migrants into the United States. On June 16, 2023, OFAC designated the Hernandez Salas TCO pursuant to E.O. 13581, as amended, for being a foreign person that constitutes a significant transnational criminal organization. Authorities say Bhardwaj HSO uses multiple modes of transport to smuggle illegal aliens into the United States. Human smuggling services contracted by the Bhardwaj HSO generate thousands of dollars per individual. The Bhardwaj HSO also receives operational support from individuals employed by the Sinaloa Cartel. OFAC designated the Bhardwaj HSO pursuant to E.O. 13581, as amended, for being a foreign person that constitutes a significant transnational criminal organization. Vikrant Bhardwaj (Bhardwaj) is a dual Indian-Mexican national and the leader of the Bhardwaj HSO. Bhardwaj is the self-identified founder and chief executive officer of several companies in Mexico, India and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). He collects and launders illicit money through his marinas and various businesses. Bhardwaj has been able to evade law enforcement authorities while continuing to profit from human smuggling and drug trafficking. Senior members involved in day-to-day operations and logistics for the Bhardwaj HSO include Jose German Valadez Flores (Valadez), a businessman and drug trafficker who is a close associate of Bhardwaj. Valadez plays a significant role in smuggling migrants into Cancun by bribing corrupt Mexican officials. Jorge Alejandro Mendoza Villegas (Mendoza), a former police officer in the state of Quintana Roo, has access to the Cancun International Airport to help coordinate the arrival and departure of undocumented migrants. Since 2020, Mendoza has supported the Bhardwaj HSO human smuggling and drug trafficking activities through the Cancun International Airport. OFAC designated Bhardwaj, Valadez, and Mendoza pursuant to E.O. 13581, as amended, for having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, the Bhardwaj HSO. Bhardwajs wife, Indu Rani (Rani) is a dual Indian-Mexican national who is involved in her husbands financial operations and serves as a co-shareholder of several companies in India and Mexico. Rani is being designated pursuant to E.O. 13581, as amended, for having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, Bhardwaj. In addition to exposing key individuals of the Bhardwaj HSO, OFAC designated Veena Shivani Estates Private Limited, a real estate company in India pursuant to E.O. 13581, as amended, for being owned or controlled by, or having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, Bhardwaj and Rani. OFAC designated 8 companies based in Mexico, India, and the UAE pursuant to E.O. 13581, as amended, for being owned or controlled by, or having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, Bhardwaj: A restaurant and bar in India, Michigantap Hospitality Private Limited Three companies engaged in real estate activities in India, and the UAE: VVN Buildcon Private Limited, Bhavishya Realcon Private Limited, and VVN Real Estate L.L.C An energy and fuel trading companybased in the UAE, Black Gold Plus Energies Trading L.L.C Two yachting and touring services companies based in Mexico, V AND V Astillero, S.A. de C.V. and Operadora Turistica Principessa, S.A. de C.V. A supermarket in Mexico, VNV Store, S.A. de C.V. A real estate company, Bhardwaj, S.A. de C.V. A business support services provider, Thercumex, S.A. de C.V. A textiles retailer, VNV Fashions, S.A. de C.V. OFAC designated three companies based in Mexico pursuant to E.O. 13581, as amended, for being owned or controlled by, or having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, Rani: OFAC additionally designated three companies based in Mexico pursuant to E.O. 13581, as amended, for being owned or controlled by, or having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, Valadez: A construction company, Constructora Gerlife, S.A. de C.V. A transportation company, Comercializadora Vespa, S.A. de C.V. A reservation services company, Comercialicun, S.A. de C.V. OFAC also designated one company based in Mexico pursuant to E.O. 13581, as amended, for being owned or controlled by, or having acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, Mendoza: a construction company, Cargas Y Regulaciones Electricas, S.A. de C.V. As a result of todays action, all property and interests in property of the designated or blocked persons described above that are in the United States or in the possession or control of U.S. persons are blocked and must be reported to OFAC. Concerning the identification of an organization headed by Vinrant Bhardwaj, accused of facilitating human trafficking, it is reported that this investigation has been underway for several months conducted jointly by authorities from the Government of Mexico, the Government of the United States of America and the Government of the State of Quintana Roo. The various institutions from both countries and at the state level maintain close coordination in the investigations, given the importance of the case. I Have Loved You is the English translation of Pope Leo XIVs exhortation to almsgiving. But what does it mean to love the poorto seek their good? Pope John Paul II may have something more to contribute in response. Pope Leo XIVs first major proclamation, Dilexi Te (I Have Loved You), is an apostolic exhortation addressed to all Christians on caring for the poor. Pope Francis was preparing this exhortation when he died. Leo finished the project, and he was happy to make this document my ownadding some reflections. Exhortations do not normally proclaim doctrinal development or analyze complexity the way an encyclical does. An exhortation, rather, is supposed to do as its name implies: exhort the faithful to action. What exactly does Dilexi Te exhort Christians to do? Dilexi Te exhorts Christians to show special concern for the poor and vulnerable and to measure societies by how well they do this. It succeeds as a spiritual exercise in its Christological focus on almsgiving. What every faithful reader needs to know, however, is that exactly how to care for the poor requires data on the complex causes of their condition as well as the application of the virtue of prudence when it comes to attempted solutions. According to Leo XIV, the Bible and the early church fathers in both East and West affirm that offerings, when born of love, not only alleviate the needs of ones brother or sister, but also purify the heart of the giver. The life and teaching of Jesus, Leo says, show that one cannot love God without extending ones love to the poor. The pope notes that Jesus began his public ministry in a synagogue, claiming that he had been anointed to bring good news to the poor. Pope Leo emphasizes how monasteries, religious orders, and individual persons have taken the good news to the poor since the churchs early centuries. The cast of characters is a long one. It includes Ambrose, Augustine, Polycarp, Justin Martyr, Cyprian, Benedict, John Chrysostom, and Basil. Medieval saints like Dominic and Francis appear in this telling, as well as lesser-known individuals like Camillus de Lellis and Vincent de Paul. Leos list of personages is meant to provide overwhelming evidence that caring for the poor is not an optional addendum to the Christian faith. Rather, the Christian life and salvation entail seeing the suffering of Christ himself in the wounded faces of the poor. There are two other things we can learn from this list, although only implicitly. The first is that while these acts of heroic love are deeply inspiring, as intended by Leo, they also show that individual human action matters a great deal. So does personal charity. Love is not a technique, and there is no technical solution to poverty. The second implicit conclusion we can draw from the history provided by the pope has to do with the role of non-state actors in poverty alleviation. Christians should not relinquish charity to their government. When Christians assume that poverty is primarily the responsibility of the state, the tendency is to stop being charitable because we know someone else is being charitable for us. The result is the opposite of a loving disposition toward the poor. Pope Leo XIV makes clear that a Christian cannot not love the poor and remain a faithful Christian. Thomas Aquinas defined love as willing the good of the other. To will anothers good, we first must know what that good is, what stands in its way, and what we can do to remove the obstacles. This leads to more questions, questions that Dilexi Te does not deal with. These questions include who the poor are, where the poor are, and why they are poor. Only when we know the answers to these questions, which will vary according to time and place and person, can we know what the best way is to care for them as persons with innate creative capacities and not as objects that are problems to be solved. For example, direct aid might be what is most needed at a particular moment for someone displaced by war and oppression. In the developed West, however, the roots of poverty are far more likely to be found in sexual or physical abuse, family breakdown, substandard education, and drug addiction. Pope Leo recognizes that there are many forms of poverty. These include the poverty of those who lack material means of subsistence, the poverty of those who are socially marginalized and lack the means to give voice to their dignity and abilities, moral and spiritual poverty, cultural poverty, the poverty of those who find themselves in a condition of personal or social weakness or fragility, the poverty of those who have no rights, no space, no freedom. Unfortunately, Dilexi Te, due to its spiritual focus on almsgiving, does not maintain this holistic sense of poverty throughout. But what should almsgiving look like in the 21st century? What should it look like in sub-Saharan Africa, where the majority of those in extreme poverty live? Will it look different in south Asia than it does in South America? Will it look different in western Europe than it does in the United States? According to the United Nations and the World Bank, there has been a significant decrease in global poverty since 1990. In raw numbers, more than one billion people have come out of poverty. The rate of extreme poverty in the world in 1990 was 38%. By 2014, this was down to 11.2%. It is around 10% now. Pope Leo says, At times, pseudo scientific data are invoked to support the claims that a free market economy will automatically solve the problem of poverty. Is this UN data the pseudo-scientific data to which he is referring? Is this the data the pope says is sometimes interpreted to convince us that the situation of the poor is not so serious? We should interpret and understand data, not dismiss it. According to the UN, most of the extreme poverty is in sub-Saharan Africa. Will almsgiving alone create the conditions that enable men and women to build prosperous families? Or is something more required? Sub-Saharan Africa in many places lacks a strong rule of law and protection for private property. These same areas suffer from corruption, regulatory bureaucracy, war, and the displacement of peoples. All these things combine to help keep people in poverty and to create the conditions for poverty. This is the economy that kills. Again, how best to help the poor depends on who the poor are, where they are, and why they are poor. What kind of economy is it that allows people to create prosperity rather than condemning them to poverty? John Paul II, in an encyclical that regrettably does not receive much attention in Dilexi Te, speaks exactly to the question of what kind of economy best enables people to create prosperity. The Marxist solution has failed, writes John Paul II in Centesimus Annus, but the realities of marginalization and exploitation remain in the world, especially the Third World. Moreover, there is the poverty of human alienation, especially in the more advanced countries. Is capitalism the answer? John Paul II notes the complexity of this question: If by capitalism is meant an economic system which recognizes the fundamental and positive role of business, the market, private property and the resulting responsibility for the means of production, as well as human creativity in the economic sector, then the answer is certainly in the affirmative, even though it would perhaps be more appropriate to speak of a business economy, market economy or simply free economy. But if by capitalism is meant a system in which freedom in the economic sector is not circumscribed within a strong juridical framework which places it at the service of human freedom in its totality, and which sees it as a particular aspect of that freedom, the core of which is ethical and religious, then the reply is certainly negative. Dilexi Te seems to identify the economy that kills with John Paul IIs free economy or market economy rather than with the economy the Polish-born pontiff condemns. Is John Paul II, then, engaging in the kind of economic thinking that Leo XIV says requires us to wait for invisible market forces to resolve everything? No. Indeed, it is next to impossible to find anyone with any sense of the principles of Catholic Social Teaching who is. This includes especially those who advocate that the best means of reducing poverty is the kind of free economy praised by John Paul II. Authentic poverty alleviation will look very different in the developed world than in the developing world because the causes are often different. This is why we ought to be studying the forces that have been behind the historic reductions in extreme poverty, especially in south Asia and east Asia, where poverty has dropped exponentially in the past couple of decades. Leo is right that a free market economy will not automatically solve the problem of poverty. Neither, however, will almsgiving, whether in the culture of death we find in Western societies or in those places in the world where a culture of despair reigns because the creative nature of the human person is burdened by corruption and lawlessness. There will always be a need for personal charity and almsgiving. Protection of private property under the rule of law, however, has proved essential to the creation of prosperity. Rust's prop gun supplier is suing Alec Baldwin and the producers of the film. Alec Baldwin is being sued over the Rust shooting again Seth Kenney, who owns PDQ Arm and Prop, LLC, supplied the prop gun that killed cinematographer Halyna Hutchins on the set of the neo-Western movie in New Mexico in 2021, and he has alleged that the team conspired to launch a scapegoat smear campaign against him and his company. In a complaint filed on October 22 in New Mexico, Kenney accused Baldwin and the producers of "false light, conversion, unjust enrichment, and tortious interference." He is seeking compensation and damages, claiming he's struggled to find work in the film industry since, but has chosen not to have a legal representative. In the document, he claims his firearm rental property was in good working order before the tragedy. Kenney states that he rented out the prop under the provisions of strict safety guidelines and practices; and with the understanding that [producers] would observe and comply with local, state, and federal law. Baldwin was rehearsing a scene when the gun he was holding discharged, killing Hutchins and injuring director Joel Souza. He is adamant that he did not pull the trigger of the gun or know why it contained live ammunition. The 67-year-old actor faced an involuntary manslaughter charge, which was thrown out by the judge in 2024. Armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed was convicted in March last year after being found guilty of involuntary manslaughter for loading a live round into Alecs gun and was handed a 14-month prison sentence. Kenney is not happy and has claimed they violated the rental agreement by allowing the loading, illegal concealment, and discharge of a live round of ammunition. Kenney claims he has been left with egregious financial damage and emotional trauma", adding that he has faced ruinous financial losses, injury to reputation within the film community and public at large, severe emotional distress, and significant loss of past, present, and future financial income. In an interview with Variety, he said: Its been devastating. Its not a matter of saving face. Theres nothing left to lose. This whole thing has been s***, and I have been the scapegoat. At the invitation of Premier of the State Council Li Qiang, Prime Minister of the Russian Federation Mikhail Mishustin will be in China from November 3 to 4 for the 30th regular meeting between Chinese and Russian heads of government. At the invitation of the governments of Uruguay and Brazil, Member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Vice Premier of the State Council Ding Xuexiang will visit Uruguay and Brazil from November 3 to 5. At the invitation of Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang will attend the Belem Climate Summit on November 6 as President Xi Jinpings Special Representative. CCTV: A follow-up question on the meeting between the Chinese premier and the Russian prime minister. Could you share with us the background, arrangement and Chinas expectation of the meeting? Guo Jiakun: Under the strategic guidance of President Xi Jinping and President Vladimir Putin, China-Russia relations have maintained high-quality development, and cooperation in various fields has demonstrated robust and steady momentum. The regular meeting between the Chinese and Russian heads of government is an important mechanism set to implement the common understandings between the two heads of state and coordinate practical cooperation between the two countries. At the meeting, the two heads of government will take stock of cooperation progress across the board, chart the course for future cooperation, and have an in-depth exchange of views on issues of mutual interest. Next year, the two countries will celebrate the 25th anniversary of the signing of the China-Russia Treaty of Good-Neighborliness and Friendly Cooperation and the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the strategic partnership of coordination. Through this regular meeting, we look forward to further enhancing mutual trust, building consensus, advancing cooperation, and injecting stronger impetus into the China-Russia comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination for a new era. China News Service: To follow up on your announcement that Vice Premier Ding Xuexiang as President Xi Jinpings special representative will attend the Belem Climate Summit, whats Chinas expectation for the Summit? Guo Jiakun: This year is a pivotal one for global climate governance, as it marks the 10th anniversary of the Paris Agreement and is the year for countries to submit their new Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). Just last month, President Xi Jinping delivered important remarks at two climate summits co-chaired by UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres and Brazilian President Lula. In his speech, President Xi announced Chinas new NDCs, demonstrating Chinas leading role in climate governance and its image as a responsible major country. By delivering its climate goals and offering more climate solutions, China hopes to bolster the confidence and effort worldwide to uplift global climate governance. We hope to work with all parties to hold high the banner of multilateralism, enhance solidarity and coordination, enable the global green and low-carbon transition and build a clean and beautiful world. We wish the Belem Climate Summit a great success, and hope the summit will leave Brazils legacy for our shared planet and become a milestone in global climate response. Nippon TV: Today Japan and China will hold a summit meeting in Korea. What kind of achievement does China expect from this meeting? Guo Jiakun: As far as I know, the two sides are in communication on the meeting. Reuters: U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said a China-U.S. trade deal could be signed as early as next week. Is that also Chinas expectation? Also, could the Foreign Ministry provide further clarity on Chinas tariff schedule on U.S. imports? Yesterday, the commerce ministry said that China has pledged to adjust its countermeasures accordingly. How should that be interpreted? Guo Jiakun: In their meeting in Busan, the Chinese and U.S. presidents discussed issues including economic and trade relations, and agreed to enhance cooperation in economy, trade and other areas. Yesterday, competent authorities shared information about the outcomes of the China-U.S. economic and trade consultation in Kuala Lumpur. China-U.S. economic and trade relations are mutually beneficial in nature. As President Xi Jinping noted, the business relationship should continue to serve as the anchor and driving force for China-U.S. relations, not a stumbling block or a point of friction. China stands ready to work with the U.S. to act on the important common understandings between the two presidents, and continuously shorten the list of problems and lengthen the list of cooperation through dialogue and consultation in the spirit of equality, mutual respect and mutual benefit, so as to promote the steady, sound and sustainable development of China-U.S. relations and provide more certainty and stability to the world. CNR: What does China expect to achieve through Vice Premier Ding Xuexiangs upcoming visit to Uruguay and Brazil? Guo Jiakun: Uruguay is Chinas traditional friend and comprehensive strategic partner. Over the past 37 years since the two countries established diplomatic ties, the bilateral relationship has maintained a sound momentum of development. China looks forward to working with Uruguay through this visit for new progress in the China-Uruguay comprehensive strategic partnership and more benefit for the two peoples. Both China and Brazil are major developing countries, major emerging markets, BRICS countries and important members of the Global South. Our bilateral relations have always been at the forefront of Chinas ties with developing nations. Over the past year, President Xi Jinping and President Lula successfully made mutual visits. The two countries have had smooth progress in jointly building a community with a shared future for a more just world and a more sustainable planet. China looks forward to working with Brazil through this visit to further dovetail development strategies and make greater contribution to defending multilateralism and international fairness and justice. Global Times: On October 29 local time, the 80th session of the UN General Assembly voted to adopt the draft resolution entitled The necessity of ending the economic, commercial and financial embargo imposed by the United States of America against Cuba. The vote saw 165 nations voting in favor and 12 abstentions, with only seven opposing, including the U.S. Whats Chinas comment? Guo Jiakun: Over the past 60 years and more, the U.S.s brutal blockade and unlawful sanctions on Cuba severely violated the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and other basic norms governing international relations, infringed upon Cubas right to subsistence and development, and wreaked havoc on the Cuban people. The General Assembly once again overwhelmingly adopted the resolution, demonstrating extensive international support to the Cuban people for their just effort to safeguard national sovereignty and oppose external interference and blockade. Its yet another evidence that unilateral and bullying moves find no support. China opposes the U.S.s blockade and sanctions against Cuba. At the UN General Assembly, China has voted for Cubas resolution calling for an end to the U.S. embargo for 33 consecutive times since 1992. China will continue calling for international justice and stay firmly committed to supporting the Cuban people in fighting against external interference and blockade, following the development path befitting Cubas national conditions, and safeguarding sovereignty and dignity. We urge the U.S. to heed the overwhelming call from the international community, immediately lift its blockade and sanctions on Cuba, and remove Cuba from the so-called list of state sponsors of terrorism. Reuters: On yesterdays announcements, could you clarify whether the pause on the October 9 measures announced yesterday applies to all countries or only to the United States? Guo Jiakun: Id refer you to competent authorities for the specific question. PTI: During yesterdays summit between the Chinese and U.S. presidents, Trump has described the meeting as a G2 meeting. This reference to G2 by Trump has created an impression that perhaps the two countries are working for the creation of a G2 group. If so, this will have wide ramifications or probably make a lot of difference to the current global order. I would like you to comment on the emergence of a G2 grouping between the top two economies of the world. The second question is will the upcoming China-U.S. trade deal dilute Chinas stand against unilateralism and fight for multilateralism? Guo Jiakun: As President Xi Jinping said at the meeting, China and the U.S. should engage in positive interactions on regional and international platforms. The world today is confronted with many tough problems. China and the United States can jointly shoulder our responsibility as major countries, and work together to accomplish more great and concrete things for the good of our two countries and the whole world. China follows an independent foreign policy of peace. As the largest developing country, a partner of the Non-Aligned Movement and a member of the Global South, China will forever stand together with fellow developing countries. China will continue to practice true multilateralism, and work with other countries to uphold the multilateral trading system with the WTO at its core, abide by the UN Charter and the basic norms of international relations, work for an equal and orderly multipolar world and a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization, and provide more certainty and stability to the world. AFP: Does the Foreign Ministry have any details to share about the meeting between Chinese and Canadian leaders. Going into the talks, was there any talk of a trade deal on the table related to any of the measures imposed by each side? Guo Jiakun: China just released information that President Xi Jinping met with the Canadian prime minister. On the specifics of the meeting, we will release a readout in due course. Please stay tuned. Bloomberg: The U.S. will proceed with an investigation into Chinas compliance with a limited trade agreement, despite yesterdays trade truce, according to U.S. trade representative Jamieson Greer. Does the Ministry have any comment? Guo Jiakun: I just answered relevant questions. At their meeting in Busan, the Chinese and American presidents agreed to enhance cooperation in economic, trade and other fields. We hope to work with the U.S. to act on the important common understandings between the two presidents, and shorten the list of problems and lengthen the list of cooperation through dialogue and consultation in the spirit of equality, mutual respect and mutual benefit so as to promote the steady, sound and sustainable development of China-U.S. relations. On the morning of October 30, 2025, President Xi Jinping left Beijing by special plane for Gyeongju, the Republic of Korea (ROK) to attend the 32nd APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting and pay a state visit to the ROK at the invitation of President of the ROK Lee Jae-myung. Xi Jinping's entourage includes Cai Qi, Member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and Director of the General Office of the CPC Central Committee; Wang Yi, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Minister of Foreign Affairs; and He Lifeng, Member of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Vice Premier of the State Council. On the morning of October 30, 2025 local time, President Xi Jinping arrived in the Republic of Korea (ROK) by special plane to attend the 32nd APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting and pay a state visit to the ROK at the invitation of President of the ROK Lee Jae-myung. Upon arriving at Gimhae International Airport in Busan, Xi Jinping was warmly welcomed by ROK Minister of Foreign Affairs Cho Hyun and other senior officials. Guards of honor lined up on both sides of a red carpet to salute President Xi Jinping, and the military band performed a march. A 21-gun salute was fired at the airport. Cai Qi, Wang Yi, He Lifeng and other members of the entourage arrived on the same plane. Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region John Lee Ka-chiu, who arrived earlier, and Chinese Ambassador to the ROK Dai Bing were also at the airport to greet the delegation. Chinese students and representatives of Chinese enterprises in the ROK waved the national flags of China and the ROK to warmly welcome Xi Jinping's visit. On the morning of October 31 local time, Session I of the 32nd APEC Economic Leaders Meeting was held at the Gyeongju Hwabaek International Convention Center in the Republic of Korea. President Xi Jinping attended the meeting and delivered important remarks entitled Building an Inclusive Open Asia Pacific Economy for All. President Xi Jinping was warmly greeted by President of the Republic of Korea Lee Jae Myung upon his arrival at the venue. In his remarks, President Xi Jinping pointed out that over the past 30-plus years since its founding, APEC has been spearheading the regions rise to the forefront of global open development, and has made the Asia Pacific the most dynamic part of the global economy. Currently, changes unseen in a century are accelerating across the world. The Asia Pacific faces growing uncertainties and destablizing factors in its development. The rougher the seas, the more we must pull together. We should stay true to APECs founding mission to promote economic growth and improve peoples lives, and champion open development where everyone shares opportunities and emerges a winner. We should promote a universally beneficial and inclusive economic globalization, and build an Asia Pacific community. President Xi Jinping made five proposals. First, we should work together to safeguard the multilateral trading system. We must practice true multilateralism, and enhance the authority and effectiveness of the multilateral trading system with the WTO at its core. We should update international economic and trade rules to reflect the changing times, so as to better protect the legitimate rights and interests of developing countries. Second, we should work together to build an open economic environment in the region. We should keep promoting trade and investment liberalization and facilitation, deepen fiscal and financial cooperation, and steadily push for regional economic integration. We should help the RCEP and the CPTPP align with each other and progress together so as to inject impetus into the development of the FTAAP. Third, we should work together to keep industrial and supply chains stable and smooth. We must join hands rather than part ways, and strengthen our links rather than sever them. We should vigorously expand our common interests, and support the open development of supply chains. We should strive for concrete and tangible results in physical, institutional and people-to-people connectivity so as to further consolidate the foundations for open development in our region. Fourth, we should work together to advance the digital and green transformation of trade. We should make digital technologies a strong catalyst for cross-border trade. We must remove various green barriers, and expand cooperation in green industries, clean energy and green minerals. Fifth, we should work together to promote universally beneficial and inclusive development. We should adhere to the people-centered development philosophy, focus on imbalances in development, and foster an economic globalization that is more inclusive, sustainable, and beneficial to all peoples in the region. China is working with various parties to promote the high-quality development of the Belt and Road Initiative, and will continue to strive for common development and shared prosperity with all nations. President Xi Jinping stressed that China always pursues the basic state policy of opening up, and has taken real steps to promote an open world economy. The Recommendations for Formulating the 15th Five-Year Plan were adopted at the fourth plenary session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China. China will take this opportunity to further deepen reform comprehensively and expand high-standard opening up, and create new opportunities for the Asia Pacific and the world through the latest achievements of Chinese modernization. The meeting was chaired by President of the Republic of Korea Lee Jae Myung under the theme Building a Sustainable Tomorrow. Wang Yi attended the above event. Written Address by H.E. Xi Jinping President of the Peoples Republic of China At the APEC CEO Summit Gyeongju, October 31, 2025 Representatives of the Business Community, Ladies and Gentlemen, Friends, I am very pleased to visit the historic city of Gyeongju again for the APEC CEO Summit. The world today is undergoing accelerated transformation unseen in a century, the international landscape is fraught with changes and turbulence, and global economic recovery remains sluggish. The world has come to a new crossroadssolidarity, cooperation and mutual benefit or return of hegemonism and the law of the jungle; multilateralism, openness and inclusiveness or unilateralism and protectionism. What we choose will profoundly affect the future of the world. We must have vision, step up to our responsibility, and choose what meets the expectation of the people in the Asia Pacific and stands the test of history. As the saying goes, He who knows the past understands the present. Since the great victory of the World Anti-Fascist War 80 years ago, the international system with the United Nations at its core has been put in place gradually, and multilateral systems in economic, trade, financial and other areas have been established. A new chapter was opened for humanitys pursuit of peace and development. History attests that humanity shares a common destiny. While hegemonism causes only war and disaster, fairness and justice ensure global peace and development. While confrontation and antagonism breed only estrangement and turbulence, win-win cooperation proves to be the right way forward. While unilateralism precipitates division and regression, multilateralism is the viable option for tackling global challenges. China always upholds the current international order and practices true multilateralism. We embrace peaceful development, and reject the assertion that a strong country will inevitably seek hegemony. We champion win-win cooperation, and denounce winner-takes-all practices. We advocate mutual learning among civilizations, and do not believe in clash of civilizations. We promote fairness and justice, and oppose power politics. China has successively put forward the Belt and Road Initiative as well as the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, the Global Civilization Initiative, and the Global Governance Initiative. They are Chinas solutions to the salient issues across the world, based on Chinese wisdom. We look forward to working with all parties to promote common prosperity and a win-win future for all, and building a community with a shared future for humanity. Ladies and Gentlemen, Friends, Founded in response to the trend of economic globalization, APEC takes it as its objective and purpose to promote trade and investment liberalization and facilitation and support economic growth and prosperity. The 1991 Seoul APEC Declaration highlighted interdependence and shared benefit. Today, as we gather once again in the Republic of Korea, we should renew our commitment to the founding mission of APEC and make outstanding contributions to the world through more vibrant and resilient Asia Pacific cooperation. First, we should take the lead in safeguarding peace and stability. We must always ensure the equal right of all countries to participate in international affairs regardless of their size, strength, or wealth. We should embrace the vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative, and sustainable security, and resolve differences and disputes through dialogue and consultation. Second, we should take the lead in enhancing openness and connectivity. We should firmly safeguard the WTO-centered, rules-based multilateral trading system, strengthen solidarity and collaboration, oppose protectionism, reject unilateralism and bullying, and prevent the world from reverting to the law of the jungle. We must have the courage to remove barriers, keep global industrial and supply chains stable and unimpeded, advance regional economic integration, push forward the Free Trade Area of the Asia Pacific, and play the Asia Pacific part in global economic growth. Third, we should take the lead in promoting win-win cooperation. We should stay true to the vision of harmony without uniformity, fully leverage the diversity of Asia Pacific economies, draw on each others strengths, and jointly make the pie of Asia Pacific cooperation bigger. We should advance both our respective interests and those of others, and foster an environment of cooperation to achieve success and development for all economies. Fourth, we should take the lead in pursuing benefits for all and inclusiveness. We should put the people first, and fully implement the U.N. 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. We should create greater synergy between our development strategies, and step up support for developing economies. We should bridge development gaps, increase peoples well-being, and deliver prosperity to all the people in the Asia Pacific. Next year, China will host APEC for the third time. This demonstrates our full commitment to Asia Pacific cooperation and our willingness to fulfill our responsibilities. We will follow the trend of the times, listen to the calls of APEC members, and work together to build an Asia Pacific community, so as to further boost peace and development in the Asia Pacific and the wider world. Ladies and Gentlemen, Friends, China has been a major engine of world economic growth for many years. Chinas 14th Five-Year Plan period ends this year. In the past five years, despite increasing external shocks, the Chinese economy has registered an annual growth rate of around 5.5 percent on average, contributing around 30 percent of global growth. A few days ago, the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China adopted the Recommendations for Formulating the 15th Five-Year Plan at its fourth plenary session. We will continue to deepen reform and high-quality development through high-standard opening up, bring more stability and certainty to the Asia Pacific and world economy, and provide fertile soil for global investors and entrepreneurs. China can provide more growth opportunities for the global business community. It is now the worlds second largest market of consumption and import, and the only developing country that hosts a national-level international import expo and continually opens its market to the world. The China market is huge and promising. We are continually advancing high-standard opening up, and strive to help all sides succeed through greater openness and connectivity. China can provide a good business environment for the global business community. China is fostering a market-oriented, law-based and world-class business environment to help companies of different types of ownership to grow and thrive through fair competition. There are only 29 items left on Chinas negative list for foreign investment, and zero items in the manufacturing sector. We will also continue to open the services sector. China is universally recognized as one of the safest countries in the world, and grants either unilateral visa exemption or full mutual visa-free entry to 76 countries. Sightseeing and shopping in China have become a popular trend in the world, and our foreign friends will find it more and more convenient to invest, work and live in China. China can provide a vast platform of innovation for the global business community. We are vigorously developing future industries, strengthening emerging industries, and upgrading traditional industries. Innovation is steadily driving the economy forward. China is going green, digital and smart at a faster pace. Breakthroughs are being made one after another in AI, quantum technologies, humanoids, new-energy vehicles, and biomedicine. China is now a global destination for the promotion and application of new technologies. Facts have proved that whoever establishes a solid presence in the Chinese market will stay ahead of the curve in the increasingly fierce international competition. China can provide enabling conditions of green growth for the global business community. China is making coordinated advances in decarbonizing, mitigating pollution, expanding green transition and promoting growth. It has the largest renewable energy system and the biggest, most complete new energy industrial chain in the world. The increased area of afforestation in China accounts for a quarter of the world total. We are committed to meeting our carbon peaking and carbon neutrality targets. We are actively advancing cooperation in launching green energy projects. We support the free flow of quality green technologies and products, and do our best to provide assistance to developing countries. Chinas contribution to the green and low-carbon transition of the global economy is widely recognized. In short, China is an ideal, safe and promising destination for global investors. Partnering with China means embracing opportunities. Believing in China means being optimistic about tomorrow. And investing in China means investing in the future. Ladies and Gentlemen, Friends, The Asia Pacific business communities are forerunners of our times, pioneers of change, and trendsetters of the world. I hope that you will carry forward the spirit of entrepreneurship, remain pioneering, open-minded, innovative and resilient, work together to promote Asia Pacific growth and prosperity, and forge a mighty force to usher in a great future for the Asia Pacific and the world. We sincerely invite you to China next year to advance our joint lofty cause. Thank you! On the afternoon of October 31, 2025 local time, President Xi Jinping delivered a written address entitled Putting the Asia Pacific at the Forefront of the Joint Endeavor for World Development and Prosperity to the APEC CEO Summit held in Gyeongju, the Republic of Korea. President Xi Jinping noted that currently, the international landscape is fraught with changes and turbulence, and the world has come to a new crossroads. What we choose will profoundly affect the future of the world. We must have vision, step up to our responsibility, and choose what meets the expectation of the people in the Asia Pacific and stands the test of history. History attests that humanity shares a common destiny. While hegemonism causes only war and disaster, fairness and justice ensure global peace and development. While confrontation and antagonism breed only estrangement and turbulence, win-win cooperation proves to be the right way forward. While unilateralism precipitates division and regression, multilateralism is the viable option for tackling global challenges. President Xi Jinping stressed that China always upholds the current international order and practices true multilateralism. China has successively put forward the Belt and Road Initiative as well as the Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, the Global Civilization Initiative, and the Global Governance Initiative. They are Chinas solutions to the salient issues across the world, based on Chinese wisdom. Next year, China will host APEC for the third time. We look forward to working together with fellow APEC members to build an Asia Pacific community, and further boost peace and development in the Asia Pacific and the wider world. President Xi Jinping noted that APEC, founded in response to the trend of economic globalization, takes it as its objective and purpose to promote trade and investment liberalization and facilitation and support economic growth and prosperity. We should renew our commitment to the original mission and make outstanding contributions to the world through more vibrant and resilient Asia Pacific cooperation. First, we should take the lead in safeguarding peace and stability. We must always ensure the equal right of all countries to participate in international affairs regardless of their size, strength, or wealth. We should embrace the vision of common, comprehensive, cooperative, and sustainable security, and resolve differences and disputes through dialogue and consultation. Second, we should take the lead in enhancing openness and connectivity. We should firmly safeguard the WTO-centered, rules-based multilateral trading system, strengthen solidarity and collaboration, and keep global industrial and supply chains stable and unimpeded. We should advance regional economic integration, push forward the Free Trade Area of the Asia Pacific, and play the Asia Pacifics part in global economic growth. Third, we should take the lead in promoting win-win cooperation. We should stay true to the vision of harmony without uniformity, fully leverage the diversity of Asia Pacific economies, draw on each others strengths, and jointly make the pie of Asia Pacific cooperation bigger. We should foster an environment of cooperation to achieve success and development for all economies. Fourth, we should take the lead in pursuing benefits for all and inclusiveness. We should put the people first, and fully implement the U.N. 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. We should step up support for developing economies, bridge development gaps, increase peoples well-being, and deliver prosperity to all the people in the Asia Pacific. President Xi Jinping highlighted that China has been a major engine of world economic growth for many years. During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, the Chinese economy has registered an annual growth rate of around 5.5 percent on average, contributing around 30 percent of global growth. China is the only developing country that hosts a national-level international import expo and continually opens its market to the world. The China market is huge and promising. China can provide more growth opportunities for the global business community. China is helping companies of different types of ownership to grow and thrive through fair competition. There are only 29 items left on Chinas negative list for foreign investment, and zero items in the manufacturing sector. China will continue to open the services sector, and is universally recognized as one of the safest countries in the world. China can provide a good business environment for the global business community. China is vigorously developing future industries, strengthening emerging industries, and upgrading traditional industries. Innovation is steadily driving the economy forward. China can provide a vast platform of innovation for the global business community. China is making coordinated advances in decarbonizing, mitigating pollution, expanding green transition, and promoting growth. It has the largest renewable energy system and the biggest, most complete new energy industrial chain in the world. China can provide enabling conditions of green growth for the global business community. China is an ideal, safe and promising destination for global investors. Partnering with China means embracing opportunities. Believing in China means being optimistic about tomorrow. And investing in China means investing in the future. President Xi Jinping stressed that the Asia Pacific business communities are forerunners of the times, pioneers of change, and trendsetters of the world. It is hoped that they will carry forward the spirit of entrepreneurship, remain pioneering, open-minded, innovative and resilient, work together to promote Asia Pacific growth and prosperity, and forge a mighty force to usher in a great future for the Asia Pacific and the world. Amy Schumer feels "so grateful" to be pain free. Amy Schumer is pain free The Life and Beth actress - who has six-year-old son Gene with husband Chris Fischer - recently underwent spinal surgery following a surfing accident and has also spoken openly about her struggled with endometriosis but she's now feeling stronger and healthier than ever. After receiving a string of compliments about her recent weight loss, Amy admitted she is "enjoying" her appearance but the way she feels is more important. Sharing some photos of herself glammed up for an event, she wrote on Instagram: "@gitabass did my makeup and took these pictures which I love! @tousledbyjae did my hair on his birthday! The black and white dress is @maisonvalentino thanks Brenda! "Im feeling strong and like myself. Im enjoying how I look but man it is all about how you feel. "Im so grateful to be pain free thanks to my trainer Mona at reload who has helped strengthen me since my back surgery and @seckinmd for lifting all the endometriosis out of my body. @midihealth helping me navigate perimenopause and my psychologist. "I got all dressed up and ready to go to my friends 50th and then decided I wasnt feeling up to it and wanted to stay home with my little guy. Thanks for all the love. Sending it right back [heart eye emoji] (sic)" The 44-year-old star revealed in August she had undergone spinal surgery and shared a photo of her using a walking frame to help her stand. She wrote on Instagram: "Since my surfing injury back in the day my L5 has been killing me. Today I got a laminectomy! Its a short recovery and when Im feeling better I will buy a bra!" Amy has previously been candid about her health issues, and last year she revealed she had been diagnosed with Cushing syndrome, a hormone disorder caused by prolonged exposure to steroids. She wrote in a News Not Noise newsletter: "While I was doing press on camera for my Hulu show, I was also in MRI machines four hours at a time, having my veins shut down from the amount of blood drawn and thinking I may not be around to see my son grow up. "So, finding out I have the kind of Cushing that will just work itself out and I'm healthy was the greatest news imaginable." Amy was made aware of her condition after being criticised for her "puffier" face,a common side effect of Cushing syndrome. She quipped: "But thank God for that. Because that's how I realised something was wrong." Earlier this year, the Trainwreck star revealed she had had a "really good experience" with Mounjaro after struggling with Wegovy, another weight-loss drug. She said on Instagram: "Three years ago, I tried Wegovy. I was puking, I couldnt handle it. "I dont know if theyve changed the formula, whatever. But anyway, I went on this Telehealth meeting with Midi Health, and it was cheap. I wanted to try it myself cause I wanted to recommend it to my friends who are nurses and teachers." Amy noted that the clinic "put [her] on oestrogen and progesterone". She continued: "I realised I was in perimenopause and my symptoms from being perimenopausal have disappeared." The actress has seen a marked change in her appearance since she adopted the new drug. She said: "My hair is fuller, my skin is better, I have more energy, I want to get down more, if you know what I mean. Im talking about sex. So thats been great and Mounjaros been great." On the afternoon of October 31, 2025 local time, President Xi Jinping met with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on the sidelines of the APEC Economic Leaders Meeting in Gyeongju, the Republic of Korea. President Xi noted that this year marks the 55th anniversary of China-Canada diplomatic relations and the 20th anniversary of the China-Canada strategic partnership. Through the joint efforts of both sides, the China-Canada relationship is beginning to recover and improve. This is in line with the common interests of both countries. China attaches importance to the Canadian sides stated desire that it seeks to improve bilateral relations in a pragmatic and constructive manner. The meeting provides an opportunity for bringing bilateral relations back to the right track of sound, stable and sustainable development at an early date and delivering more benefits to the two peoples. President Xi underscored that China and Canada should develop an objective and rational perception of one another, view each other in the correct way, and advance the bilateral relations in light of the common and long-term interests of both countries. The two sides should uphold mutual benefit and expand practical cooperation in economy, trade, and energy, among other fields. They should increase people-to-people and cultural exchanges, support deeper mutual understanding between the two societies, and consolidate the public support for stronger ties. The two sides should strengthen coordination and cooperation in the United Nations and other multilateral frameworks, bring about a more just and equitable global governance system, and uphold international fairness and justice. Prime Minister Carney said that for 55 years since the start of diplomatic ties, Canada and China have enjoyed a strong relationship. The new Canadian government places high importance on its relations with China. It wishes to seize the opportunity of the improvement of bilateral ties, renew the founding spirit of diplomatic relations, make up for lost time, restart bilateral cooperation, and achieve more outcomes in Canada-China relations in a pragmatic and constructive manner. Canada will work with China to keep up high-level exchanges, promote cooperation in such areas as agriculture, energy and climate change, deliver win-win results, and bring more benefits to the people of both countries. Canada and China share similar views on international affairs. The two sides need to enhance coordination and jointly practice multilateralism, uphold free trade, and advance the reform of the international economic order. The two sides agreed to resume or restart exchanges and cooperation in various fields, move forward in solving the specific economic and trade issues of mutual concern, consolidate the momentum in the turnaround of their relations, and jointly advance the China-Canada strategic partnership. Cai Qi and Wang Yi, among others, were present at the meeting. On the afternoon of October 31, 2025 local time, President Xi Jinping met with Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul of Thailand on the sidelines of the APEC Economic Leaders Meeting in Gyeongju, the Republic of Korea. President Xi expressed condolences on the passing of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit The Queen Mother, and asked Prime Minister Anutin to convey his sympathies to His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn. President Xi stressed that China and Thailand are good neighbors, good friends, good relatives, and good partners. The frequent exchanges reflect a bond as close as one family. Following his visit to Thailand in November 2022, the bilateral relationship entered the new stage of building a community with a shared future, with a stronger foundation of friendship and more robust momentum for cooperation. This year marks the 50th anniversary of China-Thailand diplomatic relations and the golden jubilee of China-Thailand friendship. At the new historical starting point, the two sides should build on their strong bond to deepen and add more substance to the China-Thailand community with a shared future, support each others modernization drive, and make greater contributions to regional peace, stability, development and prosperity. President Xi underscored that not long ago, the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China convened its fourth plenary session and adopted the Recommendations for Formulating the 15th Five-Year Plan. China stands ready to synergize development strategies with Thailand and share its development experience in the new era. The two sides should accelerate the construction of the China-Thailand Railway, enhance cooperation in the trade of agricultural products, green economy, digital innovation, and other areas to deliver a stronger sense of fulfillment to the peoples of both countries. The two sides should deepen people-to-people exchanges in tourism and youth and at subnational levels, and hold successful activities for the 50th anniversary of their diplomatic ties to foster stronger people-to-people connectivity. It is important to step up the fight against transnational crimes such as online gambling and telecom fraud so as to create a safe environment for bilateral exchanges and cooperation. Facing a world undergoing transformation and turbulence, China is ready to work with Thailand in the implementation of the Global Governance Initiative, uphold international fairness and justice, and safeguard the common interests of the Global South. Prime Minister Anutin said that President Xis condolences on the passing of Her Majesty Queen Sirikit The Queen Mother is very important for the Thai people, and Thailand is grateful. Thailand has followed the fourth plenary session of the 20th CPC Central Committee and the adoption of the Recommendations for Formulating the 15th Five-Year Plan. Chinas achievement in development is admirable. The 50th anniversary of the Thailand-China diplomatic relationship is a significant milestone in bilateral relations. Thailand wishes to take this opportunity to enhance high-level exchanges with China, strengthen cooperation in such areas as economy and trade, science and technology, connectivity, and tourism, and take Thailand-China relations to new heights. Thailand will continue to crack down hard on criminal activities such as online gambling and telecom fraud. The Global Development Initiative, the Global Security Initiative, the Global Civilization Initiative, and the Global Security Initiative proposed by President Xi reflect Chinas role as a responsible major country in international affairs. Thailand highly appreciates and actively supports these initiatives. Thailand is willing to strengthen multilateral coordination with China and work together to promote regional peace, stability, and prosperity. Cai Qi and Wang Yi, among others, were present at the meeting. Sign up for the Slatest to get the most insightful analysis, criticism, and advice out there, delivered to your inbox daily. On Tuesday, nearly half the country will head to the polls to cast ballots on a range of major questions and offices, and President Donald Trump just made a not-so-subtle power grab ahead of the off-year vote. Just days before next weeks elections, Attorney General Pam Bondi announced that federal monitors will be sent to California and New Jersey to ensure ballot security. Though the move has sparked fear on social media, preeminent elections expert Rick Hasen assures Slate that its more bark than bite, likely intended to trigger Democrats during the lead-up to a critical vote. That said, Hasen warns that this initial attempt by Trump to use federal officials to push his unsubstantiated claims of voter fraud could lead to something much more terrifying in the near future: federal troops at our polling places. Last week, Bondi announced that federal monitors will be sent to five California counties and one New Jersey county to watch voters cast their ballots. Hasen, a professor of law at the University of California, Los Angeles and director of the Safeguarding Democracy Project, told Slate that the message this conveys is intentionally chilling. Sending monitors feeds into the perception that theres something wrong with how elections are being conducted, Hasen said. And it might be a way of testing for what could potentially be done in 2026. Technically, the government has the authority to oversee local elections to monitor compliance with federal voting-rights laws, but only if it receives a court order authorizing the surveillancea restriction stemming from the 2013 Supreme Court decision in Shelby County v. Holder. And shortly after Bondis announcement, California Secretary of State Shirley Weber reminded the Department of Justice of this, writing in a letter, None of the five targeted counties are subject to any court order requiring federal observers. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The next day, one of the California counties subject to the order confirmed that only two federal monitors, both attorneys at the DOJ, would be observing the states Election Day voting. The Orange County registrar framed this as more typical election observation, open to any qualified member of the public. The DOJ representatives are permitted access to view publicly observable election and voting activities in accordance with California laws and regulations. Observers may not disrupt the voting process or impede voting activity, the registrar wrote. The same rules of observation apply to these and all observers. Hasen believes that this is the agency taking a cautious step back, moving away from literal enforcement but still angling to send a message. I think its meant to send a message to [Trumps] base, and its meant to potentially upset liberals, Hasen said, as Bondi has directed that observers be sent only to two solidly Democratic states. Plus, California voters are set to vote on Proposition 50, Gov. Gavin Newsoms effort to hand control of the states congressional maps to Democratic lawmakers. If the measure is successful, the state would likely net five additional congressional seats, a counter to Texas decision to redraw its maps at the behest of the president in a way that will likely net Republicans five seats. Advertisement Related From Slate I Went Door to Door With Zohran Canvassers. What People Said Surprised Me. Read More A few days after Bondis initial announcement, California countered with its own message to the Trump administration. State Attorney General Rob Bonta announced that California would send its own state election watchers to watch Bondis watchers, while also calling out the Trump administrations motives. Despite how ridiculous this nesting-doll monitor situation sounds (who will watch the watchers of the watchers?), Bonta is rightfully concerned about Trumps long-term intentions with American elections. He is laying the groundwork, Bonta said during a press conference this week. He is socializing an idea that is very dangerous about potential election interference and fraud when it does not exist. Advertisement In reality, Hasen believes, none of the election monitors will have much to do. I think therell be a lot of people standing around doing nothing, he said, noting that of Californias 58 counties, only five are being targeted. Advertisement However, he says, this is still a space Americans should be watching: The Wall Street Journal reported Thursday that the president has ordered the Pentagon to tap the National Guard to create quick reaction forces in every state and territory in the case of civil disturbance. This has obvious echoes of how Trump used the military to quell protesters during the 2020 social justice protests in Washington but, given the election denial of Jan. 6 that followed, reads as an even more dangerous potential threat to those who might stand up for the sanctity of the vote. This is not normal. I do think we have to take seriously the possibility that people are going to have to get around federal troops if they want to be able to vote, Hasen said. Which would be a good reason to vote early and not have to deal with these things on Election Day. Sign up for the Slatest to get the most insightful analysis, criticism, and advice out there, delivered to your inbox daily. Nick Fuentes, a 27-year-old white nationalist livestreamer, routinely uses his platform to deny the Holocaust, praise Adolf Hitler, denigrate women as baby machines, and make wildly racist statements. Fuentes abhorrent views have propelled him to far-right celebrity status, and he presides over a movement of groypersyoung, highly online incels, neo-Nazis, and racist shitposters who follow him. Over the years, Fuentes has been crystal clear about his ultimate goal: dragging mainstream conservatism into the bowels of the far right, to a place where all Republicans feel that they can throw up a Hitler salute or drop the N-word without consequence. And this week, Fuentes edged ever closer to that goal. He did so thanks to Tucker Carlson, who had Fuentes as a guest on his show. The segment included Fuenteswithout challenge from Carlsonopining on the Jews, who he called unassimilable, and rolling critiques of Israel into antisemitic conspiracies. The interview racked up nearly 5 million views on YouTube. It has also divided the right. Some conservative commentators criticized Carlson for hosting Fuentes, noting that he was a longtime adversary of right-wing activist Charlie Kirk, the founder of conservative youth movement Turning Point USA who was assassinated in September. Commentator Dinesh DSouza surfaced old texts in which the late Kirk described Fuentes as vermin and said debating him was a massive mistake. Other critics included far-right activist Laura Loomer, who is Jewish and who has feuded with both Carlson and Fuentes in recent months. Sen. Ted Cruz, without mentioning Carlson by name, said at an event that it was a cowardly and complicit decision to platform someone who says Adolf Hitler was very, very cool. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Others defended Carlsons decision to platform Fuentes, mainly on free speech grounds. Overall, the divided response to the Fuentes interview somewhat mirrored the response from the right after Politico exposed the racism and antisemitism in young Republican leaders group chats. But the biggest green light Fuentes received following the Carlson interview came from the Heritage Foundation, a prominent conservative think tank that was founded in 1973 and has been enormously influential over American conservatism and the Trump administration. Its positions are considered bellwethers for the broader conservative movement. In a video published online on Thursday, Heritage Foundation president Kevin Roberts dispelled rumors that they were preparing to distance themselves from Carlson for hosting Fuentes. The Heritage Foundation did not become the intellectual backbone of the conservative movement by canceling our own people or policing the consciences of Christians, and we wont start doing that now, said Roberts. I disagree with or even abhor things that Nick Fuentes says, but canceling him isnt the answer either. Roberts said critics of Carlson were part of a venomous coalition. Advertisement The right, including Roberts and the Heritage Foundation, might not love Fuentes and the groyper movement. But the events of this week suggest that Fuentes, once a pariah, is now being brought into the big tent of Republican politics. There are no limits on how far right you can go, so long as youre willing to join the fight against the center and left. Advertisement This is the culmination of a yearslong effort by Fuentes and the groypers to build power and influence in mainstream politics. Fuentes has proved enormously resilient over the years, building inroads into the GOP even as his rhetoric has grown more vile. He has grown his audience, despite deplatforming and demonetization. After he was exposed as a participant in the 2017 Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Fuentes distanced himself from the swastika-waving contingent of the far right and pursued a new optics-friendly suit-and-tie aesthetic that he hoped would appeal more to disaffected young conservative men. Advertisement Advertisement Fuentes tried to pitch himself and his band of racist followers, who became known as groypers, as the authentic voice for young conservativesand went to war against Kirks college organization Turning Point USA, who were, comparatively speaking, more politically moderate. Fuentes cast TPUSA as a RINO organizationRepublican in Name Onlythat was overly beholden to cancel culture, and urged his supporters to harass, dox, and troll Kirk and his members. These became known as the groyper wars. In 2020, Fuentes had rebranded as a devout Catholic and latched onto the Stop the Steal election conspiracy movement, which culminated with the Jan. 6 Capitol riot. His involvement in that movement gave him access to many high-profile Trump loyalists, including Arizona Rep. Paul Gosar and Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, who later spoke at conferences hosted by Fuentes. (Following a backlash, Greene and Gosar ultimately disavowed Fuentes). Advertisement Advertisement In 2022, Fuentes teamed up with Ye (formerly Kanye West), joining his presidential campaign, and was present for a string of disastrous media appearances in which the disgraced rapper stated bluntly, on several occasions, I love Hitler. Despite Ye having become a cultural pariah, he was invited to meet with Trump at Mar-a-Lago in November 2022, and brought Fuentes along with him. Trump brushed off criticism after their cozy dinner was publicized, saying he didnt really know who Fuentes was. The president was reportedly urged by advisers to outright condemn Fuentes, but demurred, as he didnt want to rankle supporters, the Guardian reported. Advertisement In recent months, Fuentes has been taking a victory lap. The Overton windowthe range of rhetoric deemed acceptable in societyhas successfully lurched to the right, hes claimed. Weeks prior to Charlie Kirks murder, Fuentes claimed he had successfully infected Turning Point USA with his own ideology. I took your baby, Turning Point USA, and I fucked it, he said on a livestream. And Ive been fucking it. And thats why its filled with groypers. Fuentes also saw victory in some of the questions that Vice President J.D. Vance fielded at a TPUSA event this week, including questions like Is Trump controlled by Israel? and Why did you marry a Hindu? The Groypers have taken over, Fuentes wrote on X. We run this. Sign up for the Slatest to get the most insightful analysis, criticism, and advice out there, delivered to your inbox daily. On Tuesday, as the strongest Atlantic storm in 90 years slammed the western coast of Jamaica with 185-mph winds, Bill Gates was downplaying climate change. In a lengthy blog post published on his personal website, Gates purported to offer some tough truths about climate ahead of next weeks United Nations climate conference. Railing against a doomsday outlook stemming from much of the climate community, the author of 2021s How to Avoid a Climate Disaster claimed that theres too much emphasis on near-term emissions goals as opposed to addressing poverty and disease. (The straight line between climate disasters from higher temperatures and the acceleration of both poverty and disease went unnoted.) While Hurricane Melissawhose ferocity was supercharged by ocean waters heated by carbon-emissions absorption, as well as increased atmospheric moisturelaid waste to much of Jamaica, Gates followed up with a CNBC interview, excusing Microsofts fossil-fueled A.I.-construction surge and reiterating that global warming has to be considered in terms of overall human welfare. (He didnt touch on the many ways artificial intelligence itself has damaged human welfare.) The billionaire does not appear to have publicly addressed the disaster in Jamaica thats since extended throughout the Caribbean, with Melissa having killed dozens across Cuba, Haiti, the Bahamas, and the Dominican Republic. And his overall point, frankly, does not hold up to scrutiny. Gates isnt alone; climate change has slipped down the worlds priority list in the past few yearsand it shows. Governments and corporations are shelving emissions goals, budgets are being redirected from climate initiatives to warfare, the media is pivoting away from climate journalism, and even activists are urging a softer, more hopeful tone. It all signals a vibe shift in how we talk about climate change, reframing it from the existential risk it actually poses to a less urgent, peripheral issueeven as the floodwaters reach our front doors. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Related From Slate Climate Change Is Coming for the Marathon Read More Gates (whose climate nonprofit Breakthrough Energy laid off dozens of staffers earlier this year) is not incorrect to point out that weve made great progress in fostering climate solutions, and that agriculture and land use should be an especially urgent area of focus. But the person hes targeting with his posta government official cutting health and aid funding and redirecting it toward emissions reductiondoesnt really exist, certainly not at this particular moment. Advertisement As the U.S. pulls back on all foreign aid and health funds, to devastating and fatal effect across the Eastern Hemisphere, other rich nations are not filling in the gap but instead following suit, cutting back on climate, health, and development. In the climate realm in particular, wealthier countries are trimming not just their budgets (e.g., clean-energy exports, startup financing) but even their assistance with long-term adaptation to a warming Earthsomething Gates now prizes above mitigation. This despite the fact that the U.N. secretary-general warns that it is inevitable the world will overshoot the decade-old Paris Agreements goal of limiting warming to 1.5 degrees Celsiusas an explicit means of preventing worst-case scenarios that will require more money and resources to address. The world order that once notched international climate agreements isnt just retreating from that fight; its pulling back from any globally minded responsibility altogether. Advertisement The inherent tension Gates posits between quality of life and lowering emissions is simply falseand its a favored talking point of climate denialists. The most odious exemplar of this may be the profossil fuel activist Alex Epstein, whose books (which Ive reviewed critically) frame the transition from oil and gas to renewables as an anti-human endeavor. These days, Epstein is deeply embedded with congressional Republicans, pushing behind the scenes for the debilitating dents in U.S. clean-energy subsidies that have been effected through this years budget bills. Advertisement Setting climate action as antithetical to human flourishing is plainly false; the devastated Caribbean citizens now rebuilding from Hurricane Melissas destruction would not be in this predicament had carbon emissions not overheated the ocean and messed with wind cycles. As for finances, the climate is the economy: Skyrocketing insurance and resource costs in the region, along with depleted agricultural yields, are not incidental to climate effects but a direct consequence of their fallout. At our current level of 1.3 degrees Celsius of warming above preindustrial levels, we see the crushing effects everywhere. It will not be any easier for island nations to recover as more extreme weather comes for their homes (and ours), and as nations of means shirk their mandated responsibilities to those spewing far fewer emissions, yet taking the biggest direct impacts. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The good news is, there are many folks on the ground working independently to advance climate solutions and their own welfare at the same time. Countries like Pakistan and Rwanda have put cheap solar-panel imports to great useeven to help with growing food. In the Caribbean, some of the hospitals treating the wounded will be powered by solar panels and battery storage, insulating them from the ongoing electricity outages. The U.S. government planes that have been monitoring Melissas path are flown by pilots who arent being paid to do so, thanks to the government shutdown. These are the types of admirable missions led by people who understand the situation at a far more intimate level than Bill Gates ever will. Ottawa Senators (6-5-1, in the Atlantic Division) vs. Montreal Canadiens (8-3, in the Atlantic Division) Montreal, Quebec; Saturday, 7 p.m. EDT BOTTOM LINE: The Montreal Canadiens host the Ottawa Senators after Cole Caufield scored two goals in the Canadiens' 4-3 overtime win against the Seattle Kraken. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Montreal has gone 8-3 overall with a 2-1-0 record against the Atlantic Division. The Canadiens have a 7-2-0 record when scoring at least three goals. Ottawa has gone 6-5-1 overall with a 2-2-0 record against the Atlantic Division. The Senators have a 5-2-0 record when they commit fewer penalties than their opponent. The matchup Saturday is the first meeting this season between the two clubs. INJURIES: Canadiens: None listed. Senators: None listed. ___ The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar. TORONTO (AP) A new-look lineup for the Los Angeles Dodgers only produced four hits in Game 6, but three of them came in a three-run rally off Blue Jays starter Kevin Gausman. Tommy Edman hit a one-out double off Gausman in the third inning and scored on Will Smiths two-out double into the left field corner. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement One batter later, Mookie Betts delivered the Dodgers biggest hit of the night, grounding a two-run single between third base and shortstop. The RBIs were his first of the World Series. We talked about letting the game come to him a little bit and he got a huge hit for us, manager Dave Roberts said. Two-way star Shohei Ohtani had the only other hit for Los Angeles, a one-out double off Mason Fluharty in the eighth. Betts was dropped to the cleanup spot Friday. He hadnt hit as low as fourth since the final game of the 2017 American League Division Series with Boston against Houston. When he batted third on Wednesday, it was the first time since 2021 that Betts started but wasnt in one of the top two spots in Los Angeles lineup. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Betts said he doesnt mind where Roberts writes his name on the lineup card. He could hit me seventh, I dont care, Betts said after a 3-1 win that pushed the Series to the limit. I just want to win. Whatever we do, however we get there, Ill jump on whoevers back to go. We all get a ring, thats all I care about. Betts finished 1 for 3. Hes 4 for 26 in the World Series. Smith hit second for the second straight game, and Freddie Freeman moved up from fourth to third. Tommy Edman moved from second base to center field, his first outfield start this postseason, and batted eighth. Miguel Rojas made his first start of the World Series at second base, batting ninth. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Rojas helped the Dodgers escape a jam in the ninth by doubling Addison Barger off second base to end the game. Rojas caught a short-hopped throw from left fielder Kike Hernandez for the final out. First off, Miggy played the heck out of second base and made some huge plays, Roberts said. We were hoping for that kind of energy infusion tonight. We got that from Miggy. Roberts said hed likely use the same lineup in Saturdays decisive Game 7. I kind of like what we were doing, yeah, he said. The Dodgers shuffled their lineup before Game 5 but had just four hits in a 6-1 loss. Los Angeles had six hits in a 6-2 defeat in Game 4. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement With four hits in 31 at-bats Friday, the Dodgers saw their their team batting average this postseason drop to .230. Los Angeles is hitting .191 in the World Series (42 for 220) and has 67 strikeouts. ___ AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB Daniel Radcliffe is returning to Broadway. Daniel Radcliife is returning to Broadway The Harry Potter actor will star in Every Brilliant Thing, a one-person play about depression which will premiere in New York at the Hudson theatre on 21 February, 2026. The production - which will run until 24 May - was written by Duncan Macmillan, along with the show's original star Jonny Donahoe, and the writer was "thrilled" to get Daniel involved. Duncan said: When Daniel told us how much he loved the play, I couldnt have been more thrilled. He has the intelligence, quick wit and charm to roll with the spontaneous moments that the show invites he can be a clown one moment, then grab you by the heartstrings the next. He has huge depth and humanity. I cant wait to get started. Every Brilliant Thing revolves around a child reacting to their mother's suicide attempt and making a list of the things that make life worth living, with the audience encouraged to join in by shouting out the list. As the child becomes an adult, their list continues to develop but it is now the older ones in need of a reason to be hopeful. The play debuted at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 2014 and has been performed in more than 80 countries, with the likes of Sue Perkins, Sir Lenny Henry and Ambika Mod stepping in as the lead when Jonny stopped performing it in 2017. Minnie Driver is currently starring in a London production of Every Brilliant Thing at @sohoplace, which closed on 8 November. The structure of the play can be tailored for specific audiences, with 90s Greek popular culture references included when Melina Theo starred in an adaptation in Greece and a specific brand of ice cream mentioned during Oliver Chong's Singapore performances. Daniel, 36, made his stage debut in Equus in 2007 and has starred in a number of productions in London and New York since then. His last Broadway appearance was in Merrily We Roll Along last year, for which he won a Tony Award for Best Featured Actor in a Musical. After getting off to a slow start this season, Divine Things recent performances have come much closer to matching her name. The three-year-old trotting filly has been no worse than second in six of her past seven races, with two of her four wins during that span coming in graded stakes. On Friday, Oct. 31, Divine Thing will go for her third Grade 3 stakes triumph of the year when she faces nine rivals in the $131,500 USD The Crossroads of America, for sophomore trotting fillies, at Harrahs Hoosier Park. She will start from post two with Trace Tetrick driving for trainer Steve Carter and is the 5-2 morning line favourite. The Crossroads of America is one of four graded stakes Friday at Hoosier, along with the $185,000 USD Carl Erskine (Grade 2) for three-year-old trotters, the $172,500 USD Monument Circle (Grade 2) for three-year-old male pacers and the $113,750 USS Indianapolis Memorial (Grade 3) for three-year-old pacing fillies. The Erskine features On To Norway, who has won 18 consecutive races, while the Monument Circle brings together the winners of two jewels of the Pacing Triple Crown MGM Grand Messenger Stakes champ Twisted Destiny and Cane Pace victor Captain Optimistic. Divine Thing heads to The Crossroads of America off a 1:53.4 one-length win over Miracle Maven (The Crossroads of America second choice at 3-1) in a $29,366 division of the Circle City for sophomore trotting fillies this past Friday. I think she will be good in there, said Jay Mossbarger, who owns Divine Thing, adding with a laugh, This would be a good week for her to be good. Last year, Divine Thing won three times in the Kentucky Sire Stakes (KYSS) series and twice in the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes (PASS) on her way to $357,047. She closed her season with a second-place finish behind Yo Tillie in the KYSS final at Cumberland Run. This season, she went off stride in her second start of the campaign, a PASS division at Pocono Downs at Mohegan Pennsylvania, and struggled with consistency until notching her first victory of the year with a 1:54.1 score in the Moni Maker Stakes (Grade 3) on Aug. 23 at Eldorado Scioto Downs. For some reason [at Pocono], she just planted both front feet at the three-quarter pole on the front end, Mossbarger said about the only break of Divine Things 27-race career. From that day on, for a month or six weeks, she was not the same horse. We did a lot of different things with her, it wasnt soundness. We kind of think her lungs were bothering her somewhat. But we got her turned around and ever since then she has been real good. Stevie has done a good job with this filly for her to come back like she has. Following the Moni Maker, Divine Thing won the consolation of the Pennsylvania Sire Stakes by 8-1/4 lengths in 1:53 at Hollywood Casino at The Meadows and then captured the Buckette (Grade 3) in 1:53.2 at the Delaware County Fairgrounds in Ohio. Racing her next start without Lasix, she finished sixth in a division of the Bluegrass Stakes at Lexingtons Red Mile. She returned with a second-place finish in a division of the Pegasus Stakes at Hoosier before her Circle City triumph last week. For her career, the daughter of Greenshoe-A Thing Goin On has won nine races, hit the board an additional 10 times and earned $580,923. She is the richest daughter of Greenshoe and third richest overall by the stallion, behind Breeders Crown champion Meshuggah and multiple graded stakes winner Go Dog Go. Shes all trot, said Mossbarger. Shes made the one break and thats when she stuck her toes in. Shes a very fast horse, she can leave the gate and shes very clean gaited. Im very proud to have this filly. We thought about putting her in the Breeders Crown, but she didnt race good in Lexington. We blame it on [not having] Lasix; she just didnt have that pop. When shes feeling good, you can tell. But If I knew that she was going to be as good as she is now, we probably would have gone. Im not saying we would have beaten Yo Tillie, or anything like that, but I think she could have played with the rest of them. In addition to Divine Thing, Mossbarger is among the owners of three-year-old pacing filly Papi Grad, who is 5-1 on the morning line in the USS Indianapolis. Peter Wrenn will drive the daughter of Papi Rob Hanover-Betterthangraduate for trainer Carter, leaving from post five. Jugette winner Rodeo Drive Deo is the 3-1 favourite for driver David Miller and trainer Ron Burke despite leaving from post nine. Last year, Papi Grad finished no worse than second in all 10 of her races, winning six including a division of the Bluegrass (Grade 3) over Looksgoodinloulou at The Red Mile. She began this year with a win and a second in PASS action but required throat surgery after a seventh-place finish in her next start and missed more than two months. She has made four starts since returning, all in graded stakes, and is searching for her next win. She won in 1:50 flat at Pocono [in June] and looked very good, said Mossbarger, who shares ownership of the filly with TKO Racing Stable and SCPStableAndFriedlandRacing. I thought she was going to have a big three-year-old year. Then she had to have throat surgery and shes been on and off since. I really dont know what to expect from her on Friday night but shes a very fast filly. Racing begins at 5:30 p.m. at Harrahs Hoosier Park. For a free Friday race program, click here. (USTA) 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: Nvidia founder and CEO Jensen Huang met South Korean President Lee Jae Myung as the US tech giant said it would supply 260,000 of its cutting-edge chips to the country. US tech giant Nvidia said on Friday it will supply 260,000 of its most cutting-edge chips to South Korea, as CEO Jensen Huang met President Lee Jae Myung and the heads of the country's biggest companies on the sidelines of the APEC summit. South Korea is home to two of the world's leading memory chip makersSamsung Electronics and SK hynixwhich manufacture chips essential for artificial intelligence products and the data centers that the fast-evolving industry relies on. President Lee has also expressed his hope that the country can become the world's third AI power after the United States and China. Speaking to media after the announcement, Huang said that goal was "ambitious". But, he said, "there's no reason why Korea cannot achieve ityou have the technology, you have the software expertise and you also have a natural ability to build manufacturing plants". Nvidia has been caught in the middle of that geopolitical tussle. Its chips are currently not sold in China due to a combination of Beijing government bans, US national security concerns and ongoing trade tensions. Huang has urged the United States to allow the sale of US-made AI chips in China in order to ensure Silicon Valley companies remain a global powerhouse in providing artificial intelligence. "The US government and the Chinese government have to decide what role they would like Nvidia to play," Huang told reporters on Friday. "I've been very clear that having Nvidia technology in China is in the best interest of the United States and in the best interest of China as well," he said. "I'm optimistic," he added. And asked if he wanted Nvidia's most high-tech chip, the Blackwell, to be sold in China, he said, "I hope so". Huang has sought to forge closer ties with South Korean tech giants in his visit to the country this week. "But that's a decision for President Trump to make." Nvidia's chips featured in talks between US President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping in Gyeongju this week. Beijing has ramped up its chip industry to beat Washington's export restrictions on the critical component used to power AI systems. Chicken and chips Under Friday's deal, 50,000 of the graphics processing units will go towards a new "AI factory" being built by Samsung Electronics. "By deploying more than 50,000 Nvidia GPUs, AI will be embedded throughout Samsung's entire manufacturing flow," the Korean tech giant said. SK Group and Hyundai Motor Group will also receive 50,000 chips for use in AI facilities. NAVER Cloudwhich operates South Korea's largest search enginewill receive 60,000 to expand its AI infrastructure. A further 50,000 will be deployed across Seoul's National AI Computing Center and to cloud service and IT providers. Huang has sought to forge closer ties with South Korean tech giants in his visit to the country this week. He met Samsung Chairman Lee Jae-yong and Hyundai Motor Group Executive Chair Chung Eui-sun on Thursday for "chimaek"a beloved South Korean pairing of fried chicken and beerin the capital Seoul. The restaurant, Kkanbu, was reportedly chosen by Nvidia because the termpopularized by Netflix's megahit "Squid Game" and meaning "friend"was intended to highlight the spirit of friendship underpinning their AI and chip collaborations. Nvidia in July became the first company to top $4 trillion in market capitalization, and followed that up by becoming the first to hit $5 trillion following an event on Tuesday where it announced new ventures building on its AI technology. 2025 AFP John Stamos was "terrified" of acting opposite a "dangerous" chimpanzee in a Full House episode. Full House star John Stamos The 62-year-old actor - who played Uncle Jesse Katsopolis in the late 1980s, early 1990s sitcom - had close contact with Ginger the chimp in the memorable season five episode titled Too Much Monkey Business, and he was scared after producers warned "Don't look it in the eye". John's Full House co-stars Jodie Sweetin (Stephanie Tanner) and Andrea Barber (Kimmy Gibbler) recalled the episode of the How Rude, Tanneritos! podcast. Andrea, 49, said: "Do you remember when we interviewed John and he talked about being terrified because they were like, 'Don't look it in the eye because chimps are dangerous.' "They were like 'Don't. If you have to interact with it, it has to get to know you a little bit. But like, don't look at it in the eye. Don't smile at it because it's a form of regret.' Wild." Too Much Monkey Business saw the Tanner family temporarily live with Ginger, which Danny Tanner's (Bob Saget's) younger sister Wendy Tanner (Darlene Vogel) brought back with her from a research trip to Africa. And in one scene, Ginger gets into bed with Uncle Jesse, who thinks the taps and caresses are coming from his wife Rebecca Katsopolis (Lori Loughlin), and ample smacks his bum, after rubbing his shoulders and playing with his hair. Andrea remembered: "There was a lot of physical interaction, too. Like the chimp is smacking him at one point. I'm like, 'That had to hurt. Chimps are very, very aggressive and strong.' "And yeah, props to John for getting through this." Jodie, 43, added: "John is laughing so hard, too. It's like he's trying to keep it together, and he cannot, which I get. Like, if there were a chimp spanking me, I also would not be able to keep a straight face." In 2017, John recalled getting "welts on my butt" from all that smacking from Ginger. He quipped to People: "I think when they ran out of ideas, they would say, Lets put Stamos with monkey. Bring a ferret. Do you have a ferret?' "It was a different animal every week." A China-affiliated threat actor known as UNC6384 has been linked to a fresh set of attacks exploiting an unpatched Windows shortcut vulnerability to target European diplomatic and government entities between September and October 2025. The activity targeted diplomatic organizations in Hungary, Belgium, Italy, and the Netherlands, as well as government agencies in Serbia, Arctic Wolf said in a technical report published Thursday. "The attack chain begins with spear-phishing emails containing an embedded URL that is the first of several stages that lead to the delivery of malicious LNK files themed around European Commission meetings, NATO-related workshops, and multilateral diplomatic coordination events," the cybersecurity company said. The files are designed to exploit ZDI-CAN-25373 to trigger a multi-stage attack chain that culminates in the deployment of the PlugX malware using DLL side-loading. PlugX is a remote access trojan that's also referred to as Destroy RAT, Kaba, Korplug, SOGU, and TIGERPLUG. UNC6384 was the subject of a recent analysis by Google Threat Intelligence Group (GTIG), which described it as a cluster with tactical and tooling overlaps with a hacking group known as Mustang Panda. The threat actor has been observed delivering a memory-resident variant of PlugX called SOGU.SEC. The latest attack wave uses phishing emails with diplomatic lures to entice recipients into opening a bogus attachment that's designed to exploit ZDI-CAN-25373, a vulnerability that has been put to use by multiple threat actors as far back as 2017 to execute hidden malicious commands on a victim's machine. It's officially tracked as CVE-2025-9491 (CVSS score: 7.0) The existence of the bug was first reported by security researchers Peter Girnus and Aliakbar Zahravi in March 2025. A subsequent report from HarfangLab found that the shortcoming has also been abused by a cyber espionage cluster known as XDSpy to distribute a Go-based malware called XDigo in attacks targeting Eastern European governmental entities the same month the flaw was publicly disclosed. At that time, Microsoft told The Hacker News that Microsoft Defender has detections in place to detect and block this threat activity, and that Smart App Control provides an extra layer of protection by blocking malicious files from the Internet. In the attacks flagged by Arctic Wolf, the LNK file is designed to launch a PowerShell command to decode and extract the contents of a TAR archive and simultaneously display a decoy PDF document to the user. The archive contains three files: A legitimate Canon printer assistant utility, a malicious DLL dubbed CanonStager that's sideloaded using the binary, and an encrypted PlugX payload ("cnmplog.dat") that's launched by the DLL. "The malware provides comprehensive remote access capabilities including command execution, keylogging, file upload and download operations, persistence establishment, and extensive system reconnaissance functions," Arctic Wolf said. "Its modular architecture allows operators to extend functionality through plugin modules tailored to specific operational requirements." PlugX also implements various anti-analysis techniques and anti-debugging checks to resist efforts to unpack its internals and fly under the radar. It achieves persistence by means of a Windows Registry modification. Arctic Wolf said the CanonStager artifacts found in early September and October 2025 have witnessed a steady decline in size from approximately 700 KB to 4 KB, indicating active development and its evolution into a minimal tool capable of achieving its goals without leaving much of a forensic footprint. Furthermore, in what's being perceived as a refinement of the malware delivery mechanism, UNC6384 has been found to leverage an HTML Application (HTA) file in early September to load an external JavaScript that, in turn, retrieves the malicious payloads from a cloudfront[.]net subdomain. "The campaign's focus on European diplomatic entities involved in defense cooperation, cross-border policy coordination, and multilateral diplomatic frameworks aligns with PRC strategic intelligence requirements concerning European alliance cohesion, defense initiatives, and policy coordination mechanisms," Arctic Wolf concluded. Fellow Vincentians, as our nation approaches another general election, I call upon every citizen to remember who we are as a people: peace-loving, respectful, and proud of our democracy. Political expression is a right guaranteed to all, but it must never be used as a weapon to harm or intimidate others. No election, no political contest, and no difference in opinion should ever lead us to raise a hand, a stone, or a voice in anger against our fellow Vincentian. The Royal Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force (RSVGPF) is aware of concerns expressed by members of the public regarding tensions that have surfaced during the election season. The Force continues to monitor all reports of disorderly or disruptive behaviour with diligence and fairness, ensuring that peace and public safety are maintained at every level. We remain committed to addressing any issues that arise with the utmost professionalism and impartiality. We understand that this is a passionate time in our countrys history. However, I urge all supporters, from every political party and persuasion, to exercise restraint, patience, and understanding. Remember that the colours you wear, the symbols you wave, and the slogans you chant are all expressions of democratic choice. They should not divide us but demonstrate the strength of our democracy. We must never return to the dark moments of our past, when political violence scarred our communities. Those days taught us valuable lessons. Lessons about the fragility of peace and the responsibility each of us carries to preserve it. As Commissioner of Police, I want to make it clear that the RSVGPF serves the entire nation. Our allegiance is to the Constitution and the people of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. We will not allow partisan politics to influence our actions, our professionalism, or our integrity. Our duty is to safeguard all, regardless of political affiliation, creed, or class. To the people of this blessed nation, I ask that you let love, not anger, guide your steps. Be your brothers keeper. Let your words uplift, not inflame. Let us walk together through this election season with discipline, tolerance, and pride in our Vincentian identity. The Royal Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force stands ready to protect your rights, your safety, and your peace. But the preservation of peace is not the job of the police alone, it is the collective duty of every citizen. Together, let us prove once again that we are one people, under one flag, guided by the spirit of love and unity. Fields was described as a cool guy by residents of Diamond where he resided. The South Windward community of Diamond, continues to be a playground for gunmen, following another murder taking place in that community. This time, in the vicinity of the "Racetrack. According to the Royal Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Police Force (RSVGPF), they were alerted to the report and promptly responded. "Upon arrival, officers met a male lying motionless with what appeared to be gunshot injuries. The deceased has been identified as Uriah Fields, a 42-year-old security guard and fisherman of Diamond," said the police report, adding that a post-mortem examination will be conducted to determine the cause of death. Residents in the community said that the deceased was in a "cool guy and didn't talk much. "It was home he was going from work when they kill him, said one resident who requested anonymity. The resident also said that the deceaseds stepson was killed a few months ago at Mahagony Bar in Kingstown. On Tuesday 1st, April, 2025, Diamond resident Michael Boxer Richards was shot in broad daylight at Mahogany Square, close to the Girls High School Bus Stop on Murrays Road. He later died at the hospital. The RSVGPF is appealing to anyone who may have information that can assist with the investigation into Fields death, to contact Police Control at 457-1211, the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) at 456-1810, the Calliaqua Police Station at (784) 458-4200, the Stubbs Police Station at (784) 458-4202, or the Public Relations Office at (784) 485-6891. The Government and people of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines formally welcomed Her Excellency Xiomara Perez, Ambassador of the Republic of Panama, following the presentation of her Letters of Credence to Her Excellency Dame Susan Dougan, Governor-General of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, during an official ceremony held at Government House on Monday, October 29, 2025. During her visit, Ambassador Perez also paid a courtesy call on the Honourable Frederick Stephenson, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Trade, and Consumer Affairs. Discussions during the meeting centered on the enduring bonds of friendship and cooperation between Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and the Republic of Panama, and the shared commitment to further enhancing collaboration across areas of mutual interest. Diplomatic relations between Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and the Republic of Panama were established on July 17, 2006. The Government of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines reaffirm its commitment to the continued strengthening of these relations, and to fostering a dynamic partnership that advances the prosperity and well-being of both nations and their peoples. Vincentian students are responding to Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves call for them to attain the 80 percent grade at the tertiary level training. Two of those: Jerrel Insanali and Gianna Stapleton are set to pursue university. They continue their journey with rewards worth $600,000. The rewards run for five years with all their tuition and training needs catered for. That amount was outlined by Gonsalves at a ceremony staged at the Arnos Vale Playing Field last week Thursday. Gianna Stapleton revels in the spotlight, recipient of a similar reward as a result of her performance in the tertiary education programme. Christian Gieowarsingh also featured on the awards list. They formed the core of a contingent of 84 scholars who are reaping rewards for their success in 2025. Nineteen national scholarships were handed out, along with 20 Exhibition scholarships, and 43 bursaries. Prime Minister Gonsalves outlined that it "a sacred duty for us to put aside resources to make sure that every child will be given an opportunity to develop in the way God will allow. Two Special awards were handed over to persons over 21 years old. Gonsalves urged the students to "listen to your parents, elders and teachers. His message to parents is "take care of your children, and warned: do not abandon them. His advice to elderly people is for them to "remember your family. Prime Minister Dr. Hon. Ralph Gonsalves rings the bell, symbolizing the announcement of the date for elections at the ULP Rally held on Tuesday at the Richmond Hill Paying Field The election bell has tolled, and Vincentians will head to the poles on November 27. Dr. Ralph Gonsalves, Prime Minister and Political Leader for the Unity Labour Party who will be seeking a sixth term in office made the much-anticipated announcement at a rally at the Richmond Hill playing field on October 28. Gonsalves took to the stage wearing a suit, as has been his traditional trait before announcing the date of General Elections. He said that he had previously made a motion for the convening of Parliament on October 29. "But as of now, immediately, there will be no Parliament tomorrow, Gonsalves said. "You might be wondering what I am drinking, it aint Sunset Strong, it aint Appleton, it aint Captain Bligh or Demerara. This is home brew ginger and lime and honey to fortify the vocal cords because in a short while, we are going to get ready to rumble, he said minutes before making the announcement. According to Gonsalves, this was the mother of all elections and that he had a series of fundamental questions to ask the people so that they can give their best. "What kind of society are we striving for what image do we have of the society that we are seeking to build, what future do you want for you and your children? What you want to be in the next 15 years depends on what you do now, he said. "It is now decision time for our free and democratic people, in free and fair elections for you to choose between the ULP and the NDP (New Democratic Party), Gonsalves continued. He said that earlier on the said day, as is required under Section 48 of the Constitution of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, he advised the Governor General, Dame Susan Dougan to dissolve Parliament with immediate effect. "Her Excellency has accepted her Prime Ministers advice and has issued the necessary instrument, the proclamation to be published of the dissolution of Parliament. As of tonight, all consequential, constitutional and legal matters have been out in train for General Elections, Gonsalves said. Dr. Godwin Friday, Leader of the Opposition and President of the NDP said that he and his team welcomed the news. "The bell was finally rung, and of course we in the New Democratic Party, we were expecting this, we were hoping that the government would have called elections sooner, Friday said during a press briefing on October 29. "Because the state of the country is such that we need to have a referendum on the performance of the present administration, an audit on the performance of government which comes at the highest level when citizens take up their pens and pencil and vote in a General Election, and this happens on November 27, he continued. According to Friday, the NDP welcomed the news saying that they have been preparing for it in more ways than one. "We understand the great significance, the awesome responsibility that is required of us as political leaders, but also of the citizenry of this country, he said. The impact of the upcoming General Elections will have an impact far greater, Friday said. "And so, it calls upon us all as citizens to take this solemn duty very, very seriously to prepare ourselves, to expose ourselves to the arguments and the plans and presentations of the NDP to prepare for the vote on November 27, he said. Two Vincentian college students in Brooklyn, New York on Sunday, Oct. 26, received the inaugural Brooklyn-based Council of St. Vincent and the Grenadines Organizations, USA, Inc. (COSAGO) Independence Scholarship Awards in honor of two of COSAGOs "esteemed late, founding members, Dr. Errol G. King and Dollis Forbes. Laniya Simmons, currently pursuing a Bachelor of Science in clinical and translational sciences, and Sarai McIntosh, who hopes to major in legal studies, received the awards during St. Vincent and the Grenadines 46th Independence Anniversary Gala Luncheon, organized by COSAGO, the umbrella Vincentian group in the US, in conjunction with the US Consulate General, at Russos on the Bay in Howard Beach, Queens, New York. "I acknowledge the recipients of the late Dr. E. G. King and the late Mr. Dollis Forbes Scholarships Awards, said COSAGO President Crispin Friday. "COSAGO is making a valiant effort to encourage academic development of youth in the community by presenting these awards, he added. Celia Bramble, chairperson of COSAGOs Scholarship Committee, said that, although Dr. King, a former COSAGO president, and Forbes, have passed on, their legacies continue to inspire COSAGOs "mission, vision, values and sense of community. "The scholarship is designed to financially assist qualified applicants in obtaining a degree from an accredited academic institution of higher learning, Bramble, also a retired Registered Nurse and colonel in the US Army Reserve, told THE VINCENTIAN. The former director of training and education at the sprawling Kings County Hospital in Brooklyn said the scholarships were awarded to outstanding college-bound students of Vincentian heritage, "who exemplify academic dedication, leadership, community involvement, and a strong sense of cultural identity. Bramble said the scholarships "serve not only as a tribute to the visionary leadership and selfless service of our late founders, but also as an investment in the future of young students of Vincentian heritage, who are striving to make a meaningful difference through education. "Through this award, COSAGO reaffirms its commitment to uplifting the next generation, and preserving the values on which the organization was built, she added, disclosing that the scholarship award is US$1,500.00. Simmons said she is pursuing studies in clinical and translational sciences because of her "strong desire to contribute meaningfully to the healthcare industry. "My long-term goal is to be on the pre-med track, where I am considering two career paths: becoming a physician or becoming a nurse, she said. "Both roles hold great significance for me because they allow me to combine my interest in science and research with my passion for providing care and service to others. Simmons said that if she pursues the path of becoming a physician, she aspires to engage in clinical trials and translational research that "create opportunities to improve patient safety, treatment outcomes, and overall healthcare practices. On the other hand, Simmons said that if she pursues nursing, her contribution to society would be "grounded in the direct, patient-centered care that nurses uniquely provide. Ultimately, through either path, Simmons said her my studies in clinical and translational sciences will allow her to contribute to society by "advancing healthcare practices, improving patient outcomes, and dedicating myself to the well-being of others. McIntosh said, since a little girl, she has "always found joy and purpose in helping others. "Whether it was helping the teacher rearrange the desks after class, helping my father feed the dogs or lending a helping hand to a friend in need, I have always longed for the feeling of success when it came to helping someone elses day move along just a bit more smoothly, she said. "That sense of fulfillment, knowing that Ive made a difference in someone elses day, no matter how small, that feeling has always stuck with me, thereby further growing into a true passion for service, she added. She expressed confidence that, through her studies, her "ability to make a change, whether big or small, will be remarkable. "My goal will always remain to uplift, support, and encourage my community, especially my fellow minorities, in hopes of a more inclusive and understanding society, said McIntosh, who plans to study legal studies "for the next, hopefully, six years, with hopes of completing a 3+3 program to earn my juris doctorate at the University at Buffalo. In his Independence Message to nationals at the Gala Independence Anniversary Luncheon and Scholarship Awards ceremony, Consul General McIntosh urged nationals to "acknowledge and celebrate the invaluable contributions of our Diasporawhose unwavering commitment and patriotism continue to uplift our people both at home and abroad. He said COSAGO has played "a pivotal role in this ongoing effort. "The advent of your Scholarship Awards program is another shining example of your dedication to youth development, Consul General McIntosh said. "These efforts reflect the unity, resilience, and compassion that define who we are as a people. "Whether through advocacy, cultural preservation, educational support, or humanitarian outreach, COSAGO continues to demonstrate an admirable level of leadership, coordination, and service, he added. FAW-Volkswagen marks 30 millionth car as China's auto confidence grows Xinhua) 08:25, October 31, 2025 The 30 millionth car manufactured by FAW-Volkswagen is pictured at an offline ceremony in Changchun, northeast China's Jilin Province, Oct. 30, 2025. The offline ceremony celebrating the 30 millionth car rolling off the FAW-Volkswagen production line was held here on Thursday. (Xinhua/Xu Chang) CHANGCHUN, Oct. 30 (Xinhua) -- As a gleaming new Audi sedan A5L slowly rolled off the assembly line at FAW-Volkswagen's Changchun plant Thursday night, the joint venture celebrated a historic milestone -- its 30 millionth car produced in China. Ralf Brandsttter, Chairman and CEO of Volkswagen Group China, called the moment a significant milestone, describing it as "a symbol of teamwork, trust and the strong partnership between FAW and Volkswagen." The milestone is not only for a single company, but a strong signal for global automakers that as the world's largest auto market, China is an unmissable opportunity for ambitious global players. Founded in 1991, FAW-Volkswagen has grown from producing a single Jetta model under one brand to offering 33 models of fuel-powered and new energy vehicles (NEVs). Its operations now span six plants in five cities, namely Changchun, Chengdu, Foshan, Qingdao and Tianjin. Over 34 years, the company has recorded accumulated revenue exceeding 5.5 trillion yuan (about 776 billion U.S. dollars). "China and Germany share one of the most trusted and successful industrial partnerships in the world. Our company is a great example of this," Brandsttter said. The company's success highlights how confidence in China's economy and automotive future continues to grow among foreign automakers. They are accelerating investments in China's auto market through expanded production, intensified R&D efforts, and strengthened cooperation. In July, German auto giant BMW announced that it would establish its first information technology (IT) research and development center in China, marking a significant expansion of the company's digital capabilities. The new entity, BMW (Nanjing) Information Technology Co., Ltd., will be located in Nanjing's Jianye District, east China's Jiangsu Province, and operated as an independent legal entity. It will focus on cutting-edge fields such as artificial intelligence (AI), industrial digital twins and intelligent manufacturing, BMW said. Once operational, the Nanjing center is set to be BMW's largest IT R&D hub in Asia. It is designed to strengthen the automaker's global production, sales, and after-sales systems through digital solutions rooted in China's rapidly evolving tech landscape. "With the establishment of this new company, we are accelerating BMW's local digital core capabilities," said Franz Decker, president and CEO of BMW Brilliance Automotive Ltd. "By joining forces with China's innovation ecosystem, we aim to propel BMW Group's digital transformation both in China and globally." As China continues to open its doors wider, its blend of policy support, innovation, and vast consumer demand is giving global automakers new reasons to stay and grow. According to Commerce Minister Wang Wentao, China attracted over 720 billion U.S. dollars in foreign investment during the 14th Five-Year Plan period (2021-2025), with more than one-third flowing into high-tech industries, including auto. More automakers are riding on the tide of China's booming high-tech sectors and embracing China's technological advances as a source of innovation and collaboration. Daniel Navarro Rios, executive vice president of Mercedes-Benz Group China, said in September that the company has established partnerships across the Chinese academic and industrial sectors. It teams up with Tencent, ByteDance and Tsinghua University. "We are leveraging China's dynamic ecosystem. We build a strong R&D network in China, and we are driving innovation at China speed," said Navarro Rios. FAW and Volkswagen also deepened their collaboration earlier this year, signing an agreement in March to roll out 11 new models tailored for the Chinese market starting in 2026 -- 10 of which will be NEVs. "Our vision is to build a new benchmark for high-quality development and high-level opening up," said Chen Bin, general manager of FAW-Volkswagen, adding that the company plans to launch four new NEVs under the Jetta brand and lift production and sales to the 400,000- to 500,000-unit range within five years. Guests pose for a group photo with the 30 millionth car manufactured by FAW-Volkswagen at an offline ceremony in Changchun, northeast China's Jilin Province, Oct. 30, 2025. The offline ceremony celebrating the 30 millionth car rolling off the FAW-Volkswagen production line was held here on Thursday. (Xinhua/Xu Chang) Guests attend an offline ceremony of the 30 millionth car manufactured by FAW-Volkswagen in Changchun, northeast China's Jilin Province, Oct. 30, 2025. The offline ceremony celebrating the 30 millionth car rolling off the FAW-Volkswagen production line was held here on Thursday. (Xinhua/Xu Chang) The 30 millionth car manufactured by FAW-Volkswagen is pictured at an offline ceremony in Changchun, northeast China's Jilin Province, Oct. 30, 2025. The offline ceremony celebrating the 30 millionth car rolling off the FAW-Volkswagen production line was held here on Thursday. (Xinhua/Zhang Nan) (Web editor: Huang Kechao, Liang Jun) Lady Gaga's grandmother has died. Lady Gaga has reportedly lost her grandmother Angelina Calderone Germanotta - the mom of the 39-year-old pop megastar's dad Joe Germanotta - passed away on October 12, days before her 95th birthday, TMZ reports. The outlet also claims that Angelina's funeral took place on October 17 in Pompton Plains, New Jersey. Lady Gaga - real name Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta - has not publicly announced the death of her beloved grandmother. The family matriarch was a woman of strength and compassion, and it touched the public in 2021 when the Abracadabra hitmaker's two French Bulldogs Koji and Gustav were stolen in a street attack on Sierra Bonita Avenue, Hollywood. The horror ordeal also saw Gaga's dog walker friend be shot and critically injured. Showing compassion for the then-injured dog walker and her family following the incident, Angelina told the New York Daily News at the time: "It's a cruel world we're living in. I'm praying this young man recovers, and I hope the dogs are found safe and in good health. "The family is devastated. It's very, very sad that we're living in a world where this can happen. We're all so upset because the dogs are two trusting animals, and why would anyone want to do something like this and seriously hurt that young man? It's awful." Angelina added: "I'm always devastated by anything bad that happens to my granddaughter. She's a very unique and wonderful young woman. She cares a great deal about all her animals." The reported news of Angelina's death comes as Gaga vowed to keep performing for the next 20 years "no matter what". Speaking at a recent show on her The Mayhem Ball concert tour at London's The O2 Arena, she told the crowd: "Its been nearly 20 years, and look, I promise I am going to make a lot more music. I will come back. "Every city that I go to, I make a pact, I always say this. If I come back 20 years from now, will you come to the show? You promise? I will be here no matter what." Gaga was also full of praise for her supporters, admitting she still feels "happy" and "grateful" when fans buy tickets to see her shows, nearly 20 years since she shot to fame in the late 2000s. She told the audience: "Its nice to see you. Im so happy to be here. Thank you so, so much for buying a ticket to see our show tonight. "We have been travelling the world with this show, and its not lost on you how happy I am and how grateful I am feeling. "But its been almost 20 years that we have been together. Can you believe it?" PM Gonsalves delivering his address at the 46th Anniversary of Independence rally at the Arnos Vale Playing Field. (Photos: API) Vincentian Prime Minister Dr. Ralph Gonsalves is satisfied that St. Vincent and the Grenadines has "good reasons to celebrate and that "we have a future of immense possibilities. His remarks came at Arnos Vale Sporting Stadium last Monday evening. Gonsalves, outlined that "our people have demonstrated a collective genius, and that "our resilience has been a marvel to others. Gonsalves is counting on the "energy and will, and the vision and skill, to continue that path of national development. The Prime Minister is wants payment for the treatment persons faced during slavery, and the attempt to wipe out the indigenous Garifuna generation. "We still suffer from the legacy, the Prime Minister admits. He points to efforts by his administration is making to lighten the burden faced. He persists with rebuilding houses damaged during the passage of hurricane Beryl July 1, 2024. He announced payments for 660 households who will get $4,480 by December 2025 for destruction in the storm. He assures that a Cost of Living Allowance, catering for 2,704 households "will be sorted. That entails an amount of $175 for three months in December. He dubs that money as a "Christmas Cola. Public Servants, including teachers, Police, Prison Officers, are in for a three percent wage increase over the period. He projects that negotiations with Trade Unions officials will add to benefits for workers in January 2026. Persons who attained university degrees will benefit from their enhanced academic standing from November 1. 2025. Gonsalves points to the impact of teacher elevation as improvement measures along the scale. Taking the threshold to $26,000 a year which incurs no pay fees is viewed as a tax reduction, the Prime Minister explains. He points to corporate businesses enjoying similar tax cuts as a result of reduced amount on which they pay dues is also a saving on their part. Persons on Public Assistance are getting $360 from December. 4,646 will benefit from this move. The payments span a three-month period. The Prime Ministers highlights increase in Public Assistance payments six times since 2001 when his administration assumed office. Persons in the Foster Care operation are getting $400 monthly, up from the $275 previously. Incentives to framers come in the form of reduced prices on fertilizer from October 31 to January 31. Monies have been put into the Farmers Support Company to improve productivity. Similar outreach has been extended to Fisher folk so that they can but enhance their boats. A Housing Emergency and Repair Outreach programme, dubbed HERO has been set up to extend the renovation to homes damaged over periods of disasters. Prime Minister Gonsalves outlined plans for a $3million venture on home repairs. Schools run by churches are getting greater support from the government. Persons buying chicken thighs, and legs will find those items cheaper as they have become Vat exempted, along the lines of chicken and turkey wings, back and neck. Cheddar cheese, tuna, sardines, chicken sausages, cereals, lentil peas, Ensure and Supligen have been added to the Vat free list. The Prime Minister assures that losses from the reduction will be balanced with greater collection at the Port. He looks at the measure as a "surgical approach which will serve the consumer. From November 11, persons collecting barrels at the Port will enjoy the duty free concessions. The leeway extends to January 2026. The Vincentian leader boasts about the concessions on barrels has been adopted by other Caribbean governments. The vaccine scenario stemming from the Covid escapade is a point of debate. Prime Minister Gonsalves is appealing to those at home to "return to work. He promises that their "benefits are intact. You have reached a premium content area of Transitions. To read this entire article please login if you are already a Transitions subscriber. Not a subscriber? Subscribe today for access to: Full access to the website, including premium articles videos, country reports and searchable archives (containing over 25,000 articles). Sean Diddy Combs prison Halloween meal will include baked fish, spinach and coleslaw. Sean Diddy Combs prison Halloween meal will include baked fish, spinach and coleslaw Once famed for extravagant celebrations that blended luxury fashion with hip-hop excess, 55-year-old Combs now inmate #37452-054 is living a vastly different spooky celebration this year inside the Metropolitan Detention Center in Brooklyn. The October 31 menu at the notoriously tough prison shows breakfast is served at 6am, featuring fruit, cereal, a pastry and skim milk. Lunch includes baked fish or black beans with rice pilaf, spinach and coleslaw, while dinner served after the jails 4pm headcount offers a turkey roast with mashed potatoes, vegetables and whole-wheat bread. Those declining meat receive two peanut butter and jelly sandwiches instead. The contrast with Combs past Halloweens could not be sharper. In 2023, he wore a Batman costume inspired by Christopher Nolans The Dark Knight, posting videos of himself walking through crowds in full armour. The previous year, he appeared as the Joker. Following his arrest in a Manhattan hotel on 16 September 2024, Combs has spent the past year in custody. According to the Federal Bureau of Prisons, Combs is projected to be released on 8 May 2028, roughly 30 months from now. His legal team has requested he be transferred to the Federal Correctional Institution in Fort Dix, New Jersey a low-security facility that offers the Residential Drug Abuse Program, while U.S. District Judge Arun Subramanian has recommended Combs be considered for a substance-abuse programme. Combs was sentenced to 50 months in prison after being convicted on two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution. His trial in the Southern District of New York ended with acquittals on more serious charges, including sex trafficking and racketeering. The verdict left him facing a significantly reduced sentence but with credit for time already served and possible good-behaviour reductions, his release date could shift. Combs pre-scandal and jail highlights include founding Bad Boy Records in 1993 before he launched the careers of artists including The Notorious B.I.G., Faith Evans and Mase, while releasing his own chart-topping albums such as No Way Out and Forever. Across his career, Combs has sold more than 35 million records worldwide and won three Grammy Awards for his work in hip-hop and R and B. If cockroach have no business in fowl party, politicians should also stay out of police acti Sean 'Diddy' Combs has been transferred to a prison in New Jersey. Sean 'Diddy' Combs has been moved to a different prison The 55-year-old rap mogul had been behind bars at the Metropolitan Detention Center (MDC) in Brooklyn since being arrested in September 2024 but sources told People magazine that he was moved to the Federal Correctional Institution (FCI) in Fort Dix early on Thursday (30.10.25) morning, where he will likely serve the remainder of his sentence. Combs was sentenced to 50 months in prison after being convicted in July of two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution and his legal team had requested he be moved to the facility in Fort Dix because of its access to drug rehabilitation schemes. His attorney Teny Geragos had written in a court filing: "In order to address drug abuse issues and to maximize family visitation and rehabilitative efforts, we request that the court strongly recommend to the Bureau of Prisons that Mr. Combs be placed at FCI Fort Dix." The I'll Be Missing You hitmaker had complained about the conditions in MDC and earlier this month, his friend Charliccu Finney claimed Combs had suffered a terrifying incident at the prison when he woke up "with a knife to his throat". Charlucci told the Daily Mail online: He woke up with a knife to his throat. I dont know whether he fought him off or the guards came, I just know that it happened. However, Charlucci believes the alleged incident was designed to scare the I'll Be Missing You hitmaker, rather than hurt him. He added: If this guy had wanted to harm him, Sean would have been harmed. It would only take a second to cut his throat with a weapon and kill him. It was probably a way to say, Next time you aint gonna be so lucky. Everything is intimidation. But with Sean it wont work. Sean is from Harlem. The 60-year-old producer is constantly worried about his friend because he fears he will always be a target for fellow inmates. He said: "Sean has kept a lot of this stuff to himself because he doesn't want to worry his family. But if you're in jail and you've been charged with anything sexual it's not a good place to be. "The prisoners take it personal. They look at it like, it could have been my mom, my auntie, my daughter. They try to get what they call prison justice. "And you have to understand, we are not talking about a regular person. We're talking about Diddy." But Charlucci is confident his friend is "unbreakable" and maintained his innocence. He said: "All this stuff that came out, the drugs and the abuse, I wasn't privy to that. Neither were his children. Around us Sean was a lovable caregiver, a father, brother, a best friend ... I'm confident he's gonna do whatever it takes to make sure he's still Sean Combs when he comes out. He's not gonna lose a step. Sean is unbreakable." A pet dog fell off an oceanside bluff in San Francisco and spent more than 20 minutes clinging to a narrow ledge until firefighters came to its rescue, officials said. The brown and white dog was playing with another pooch Tuesday at Fort Funston, a coastal park with steep bluffs that can drop up to 200 feet to the beach below. The dog, which was not familiar with the area, slipped on some vegetation, lost its traction and fell over the cliff, said Rescue Captain Samuel Menchaca of the San Francisco Fire Department. Firefighters sent a team to retrieve the canine, which found temporary refuge on a ledge about 40 feet below the top of the cliff. A San Francisco police drone operator who happened to be in the area heard the emergency call go out and captured an aerial view of the dog's location, which he relayed to firefighters. Once they knew where to find the animal, one rescuer rappelled down the sandy cliff face, attached a harness to the 40-pound dog and held it as they were pulled up together. "He was happy. He knew he got rescued. He was wagging his tail. He was giving everyone kisses," Menchaca said. Rescuers reunited the dog with its owner. Menchaca urged people to keep their dogs on leashes and their small children close. "You may think that it's a little berm or a hill, but it is a significant drop," he said. Firefighters unfortunately have to rescue people a lot in this area, Menchaca said. They train for it and will always be there, but they don't want people to get hurt, he said. "One of the best ways to not get hurt on these cliffs and our beautiful seaside parts of San Francisco is to stay on the marked paths," he said. Strong capital shifts According to estimates by Deloitte, the total asset value of sovereign wealth funds reached $12 trillion by the end of last year and is projected to hit $18 trillion over the next five years. Gulf countries (including Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE) account for about 40 per cent of this, while possessing six of the worlds ten largest investment funds. These funds primarily operate with a dual objective: increasing asset value and supporting sustainable global development strategies. This creates a major distinction from private equity funds. The first is their risk appetite. A common trait of Gulf sovereign wealth funds is a relatively low risk appetite and a long-term vision, allowing them to accompany invested businesses for decades, enabling companies to focus on long-term development plans rather than chasing short-term profits. Second, Gulf sovereign wealth funds often bring high levels of stability and reliability. Their presence typically creates a positive spillover effect, attracting capital from other investors. They also provide invested businesses with privileges in global networks, market expansion opportunities, and technology transfer. Despite numerous economic and geopolitical fluctuations, the capital scale and disbursement pace of these Gulf "sharks" show no signs of slowing. They disbursed $55 billion in the first nine months of last year, equivalent to two-thirds of new investment activities by sovereign wealth funds globally. However, this groups capital flows are shifting strongly, both in terms of destinations and investment sectors. Previously active investors in the U.S. tech market with billion-dollar deals, they are now gradually turning their attention to regions with lower geopolitical risks, such as South Asia and Southeast Asia. This group is particularly interested in flexible macroeconomic policies and economic openness through signed free trade agreements. With all these factors in place, plus numerous policies attracting investment in science and technology, innovation, and green growth to serve national development goals, Viet Nam has become a potential destination for Gulf investment funds. Some funds have poured hundreds of millions of USD into the country while continuing to seek two-way cooperation opportunities with domestic businesses. A model magnet for attracting Gulf capital The Vietnam Oman Investment (VOI) is a prime example of a channel for Gulf capital into Viet Nam. Since its establishment in 2008, the fund has disbursed approximately $500 million into key Vietnamese sectors such as healthcare, education, clean water, renewable energy, agriculture, food, infrastructure, bridges, and roads. Projects in which VOI has invested, such as the Rach Mieu 1 Bridge, Rach Mieu 2 Bridge, Song Hau Water Company, BCG Long An 1 and BCG Long An 2 solar power projects, and Hanh Phuc General Hospital in An Giang Province, have contributed immensely to upgrading infrastructure, ensuring energy security, and improving social welfare for communities. In the financial sector, VOI has also created positive impacts, with a $30 million investment in F88 that helped the business expand its network, digitise, and improve risk management before listing on the stock exchange earlier this year. Most recently, VOI participated in the initial public offering (IPO) of Techcom Securities (TCBS), contributing to Viet Nams tokenised asset development strategy. As the intergovernmental fund, VOI also serves as a bridge helping Vietnamese goods penetrate the Gulf market, and vice versa, opening opportunities for Omani businesses to strengthen their presence in Southeast Asia. VOIs success has laid the foundation for the two countries investment agencies to agree on establishing the "Viet Nam New Era Growth Fund" with a minimum capital of $200 million, marking the beginning of a deeper cooperation phase. VOI has played the role of a collective capital conduit, attracting other Gulf funds to Viet Nam. This is not only economic investment but also contributes to promoting social development, improving peoples lives, and reinforcing Viet Nams image as a safe and attractive destination. We strive to become an effective bilateral bridge for the two governments, indirectly elevating Viet Nam-Oman relations to new heights and expanding to the entire Gulf region, a fund representative shared. At the Political Consultation meeting at the end of September, diplomatic representatives from both countries agreed that Viet Nam and Oman share many similarities, their economies complement each other, and there is ample room to develop multifaceted cooperation. Omani Deputy Foreign Minister Khalifa Bin Ali Al Harthy reaffirmed that Viet Nam is a dynamic economy, politically stable, fast-growing, and highly promising in the Asia-Pacific. Oman views Viet Nam as an important partner in its Look East policy. This, combined with policies attracting international investors into key national projects on technology infrastructure and international financial centres, is expected to become a "magnet" drawing capital from Oman and other Gulf countries to Viet Nam. According to a VOI representative, sovereign wealth funds always have strict investment standards and due diligence processes based on pre-determined risk appetites. With priorities in seeking stable and sustainable returns for both themselves and the recipient, they often look for leading enterprises with healthy competitive advantages and high governance standards. Viet Nam possesses many long-term growth drivers, but risks are higher compared to developed markets. Therefore, governance thinking and risk mitigation play a special role in investment due diligence. To access capital from Gulf 'sharks,' Vietnamese enterprises need to demonstrate transparency and meet international standards in finance, auditing, and risk management. These factors will help build trust with the investment funds while reducing risks for the enterprises own operations, the VOI representative recommended. Gulf sovereign wealth funds are also pursuing investment strategies tied to sustainable development. Therefore, enterprises integrating ESG (environment, social, and governance) pillars into business strategy and operations will create alignment with partner priorities. Beyond creating financial value, Vietnamese enterprises can increase their appeal to sovereign wealth funds by acting as bridges and distribution channels to pave the way for their goods and services into Southeast Asia. According to the VOI representative, this is currently an advantage but will gradually become a prerequisite for entering the portfolios of Gulf investment funds./. LONDON General Secretary of the Communist Party of Viet Nam To Lam and a high-ranking Vietnamese delegation attended the VietnamUK Business Roundtable in London on Thursday, as part of their official visit to the UK. General Secretary Lam expressed his satisfaction with the flourishing development of the Viet NamUK strategic partnership across areas in recent years, noting that economic, trade and investment cooperation remains a bright spot of the bilateral relations. Viet Nam values UK associations and businesses for supporting its industrialisation and development, the Party chief said, noting UK firms have respected local laws, cared for workers welfare and shown strong social and environmental responsibility in their operations. However, the Party leader noted that economic, trade and investment cooperation between Viet Nam and the UK has yet to match their fruitful political and diplomatic relations, as well as the potential, advantages and huge room for cooperation of each country. He called on UK companies to further expand their investment and business activities in areas where the UK has expertise and Viet Nam has potential and demand, such as green economy, digital economy, knowledge economy, circular economy, high technology, AI, energy and finance and banking. The Party chief urged UK businesses to quickly seize opportunities and promptly turn business ideas into concrete projects that benefit both sides, while making full use of bilateral dialogue mechanisms through key points of contact such as the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Vietnamese Embassy. With strong determination, far-sighted vision, and great aspirations, Viet Nams goal of rising in the new era is not only a task but also a command of the times and a mission of history, requiring the partnership, cooperation, and support of international partners, including the UK, he said. Viet Nam hopes to continue receiving support and close cooperation of international friends and partners, with foreign investors, especially those from the UK, serving as bridges to promote the countrys development and growth, the Party leader added. At the roundtable, representatives of outstanding UK businesses highlighted the significance of the event in the context as the two countries upgraded their ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership after more than 50 years of diplomatic relations. They noted that this marks a historic milestone, with bilateral relations having passed through many important stages and achieved positive progress. They shared candid and insightful views, focusing on measures to foster effective investment cooperation between Viet Nam and the UK in the coming time. Echoing and broadly agreeing with the views of delegates at the roundtable, General Secretary Lam stated that alongside negative impacts, global shifts are also creating new trends, opening up many opportunities for Viet Nam. In this context, Viet Nam is seen as a safe and attractive destination due to its political stability, strategic location, strong economic growth, skilled young workforce, investor-friendly policies and an improving business environment, he said. Viet Nam is improving institutions, reforming laws, and promoting innovation and digital transformation to boost high-quality growth, he said, adding that the private sector will be a key economic driver amid deeper global integration. In attracting foreign investment, Viet Nam has moved from a quantity-focused approach to a more selective and quality-focused strategy, prioritising projects that bring advanced, high, or clean technologies, modern management practices, and high added value, while generating strong spillover effects and integrating into global production and supply chains. The Vietnamese Party chief showed his hope that the UK government and businesses will offer concrete support to promote technology transfer, improve management capacity and establish linkages between foreign-invested enterprises and domestic companies, thereby helping Vietnamese businesses join more deeply in global value chains. VNA/VNS LONDON Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hoang Long and Minister for Industry in the UK Department for Business and Trade Chris McDonald have agreed to further step up cooperation in clean energy and trade during their working session in London. At the working session, held on the occasion of Vietnamese Party General Secretary To Lams official visit to the UK, the two sides discussed the active bilateral and multilateral cooperation between the two countries in trade and energy. At the event, the Vietnamese Ministry of Industry and Trade (MoIT) signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on clean energy cooperation with the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and another MoU on product safety with the UK Department for Business and Trade. The MoUs, built on the strong and effective partnership between the MoIT and UK counterparts in trade and clean energy, outline concrete cooperation directions and underscore the promising potential for future development under the key pillars of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership established during Party General Secretary To Lams visit to the European nation. The MoU on clean energy cooperation establishes the UK Viet Nam clean energy partnership framework, marking a strategic step forward in alignment with both countries net-zero emission and sustainable growth goals, and complementing a green finance cooperation agreement signed with Viet Nams Ministry of Finance. Under this framework, the two sides will deepen and broaden their clean energy cooperation by expanding renewable energy development, enhancing power grid infrastructure and transmission, mobilising public and private financing for green transition, refining the legal framework to encourage clean energy investment and accelerating innovation and technology exchange to promote sustainable green growth in the future. Meanwhile, the MoU on product safety reflects the two sides commitment to enhancing trade cooperation and fostering the healthy growth of bilateral goods trade. It aims to boost collaboration on measures to prevent unsafe products, enhance knowledge and awareness in product safety, and facilitate the exchange of experience and good practices in developing, managing and operating e-commerce platforms. The signing of these agreements helps promote the effective implementation of existing cooperation frameworks and translates into action the commitments set out in the Joint Statement on upgrading the bilateral relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, generating positive impacts and contributing to promoting economic development in the two nations. Immediately after the meeting with McDonald, Long attended a Viet NamUK business reception, organised by the UK Department for Business and Trade and chaired by the UK Prime Ministers Trade Envoy to Viet Nam, Matt Western, where he highlighted the key achievements of bilateral cooperation and outlined future directions and opportunities. VNA/VNS Amazons Lord of the Rings MMO has reportedly been cancelled following the recent companys major layoffs. Amazons Lord of the Rings MMO has reportedly been cancelled following the recent companys major layoffs The news comes after Bloomberg reported that Amazon had cut a significant amount of its first-party AAA development work - specifically around MMOs - as part of 14,000 company-wide job losses. In a supposed internal memo, Amazon vice president Steven Boom described the layoffs as a difficult but necessary step as the company scales back investment in its games division. Among the affected projects is said to be the unannounced Lord of the Rings MMO, which had reportedly been in early development at Amazons Orange County studio, the same team behind New World. Former senior gameplay engineer Ashleigh Amrine later claimed the project had indeed met its demise in a LinkedIn post. She wrote: This morning I was part of the layoffs at Amazon Games, alongside my incredibly talented peers on New World and our fledgling Lord of the Rings game (yall would have loved it). If confirmed, this would be the second Lord of the Rings MMO to be cancelled under Amazons leadership, following the termination of a previous attempt in 2021 after a contractual dispute with Tencent. The company has not yet issued an official statement regarding the MMOs cancellation. Elsewhere, Insider Gaming reported another Lord of the Rings game was in development at Embracer Group and Revenge, with the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO) said to be potentially investing roughly $100 million into the project. HA NOI Vietnamese and German managers, legal experts, and tech enterprises gathered at a conference in Ha Noi on Thursday to share expertise in building a legal framework for the digital economy as well as innovation-driven growth and sustainable development. The event was jointly held by the Vietnam Academy of Social Sciences (VASS)s Institute of State and Law and Germanys Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom (FNF). VASS Vice President Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen uc Minh underscored the need for Viet Nam to establish a rational and advanced legal framework, ensuring freedom of creativity as well as economic stability and sustainable development, as the digital economy has become a driver for global growth. Minh added that improving legal institutions is not only a legal requirement but also a foundation to build public trust, protecting people and businesses, and fostering a transparent innovation ecosystem. Learning from countries with advanced rule-of-law systems like Germany will help Viet Nam shorten policy formation time and balance growth with social responsibility, he said. Vanessa Steinmetz, Head of FNF Thailand and Viet Nam, stressed that Germany has issued numerous digital-age regulations to maintain a balance between creative freedom and human rights protection, particularly in personal data management. Dr Nguyen Tien uc from the Institute of State and Law called on Vietnamese enterprises to build transparent governance, assess risks regularly, and adopt business ethical standards. He also urged the State to issue sector-specific guidelines, especially for IT and digital economy, support small and medium-sized enterprises to meet global standards, and deepen cooperation with Europe to strengthen Viet Nams role in global supply chains. Experts at the workshop agreed that personal data has become a valuable economic resource, but it also brings significant risks to privacy and security. Despite the issuance of the Law on Personal Data Protection, Viet Nam should focus on completing a unified legal framework, establishing an independent data protection authority, promoting responsible data governance, and encouraging corporate transparency and user rights protection. VNS GYEONGJU Viet Nam and Mexico have agreed to step up cooperation to sustain the achievements in their economic and trade relations while exploring new directions and practical solutions to address difficulties, thereby creating favourable conditions for businesses of both countries to strengthen trade and investment ties. The consensus was reached at a meeting between Vietnamese Minister of Industry and Trade Nguyen Hong Dien and Mexican Secretary of Economy Marcelo Ebrard Casaubon on the sidelines of the 36th APEC Ministerial Meeting in Gyeongju, the Republic of Korea (RoK), on Thursday. The two sides discussed measures to promote cooperation in economy, trade, and investment, as well as coordination within regional and global frameworks such as the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP). Both ministers reaffirmed the importance of enhancing trade and investment relations between Viet Nam and Mexico, noting that bilateral trade has experienced robust growth in recent years. Last year and the first nine months of this year, bilateral trade continued its impressive upward trajectory of over 20 per cent, with total trade turnover reaching US$6.4 billion last year (up 21.8 per cent) and $5.9 billion in the first nine months of this year (up 24.2 per cent). Mexico is currently Viet Nams second-largest trading partner in Latin America, while Viet Nam ranks as Mexicos eighth-largest trading partner in Asia. The two ministers agreed to intensify cooperation and actively review and implement the outcomes of the third meeting of the Viet NamMexico Joint Committee for Economic, Trade and Investment Cooperation, held in September 2021. They also agreed to continue promoting business-to-business connectivity and facilitating participation in each others trade promotion events, thereby contributing to more substantive and effective bilateral trade cooperation. In particular, both sides will create favourable conditions for enterprises to capitalise on the CPTPPs preferential mechanisms to expand trade and investment activities. Dien proposed Mexico remove obstacles facing Vietnamese steel exporters. Ebrard agreed with the proposal, and both sides committed to facilitating information exchange to ensure the legitimate rights and interests of businesses. They also agreed to maintain regular and timely exchanges to resolve challenges and bottlenecks in bilateral economic and trade cooperation. VNS HA NOI The Taiwan Food and Drug Administration (TFDA) has officially approved an additional 16 Vietnamese companies as eligible to export seafood to Taiwan (China). According to information from the Vietnam Association of Seafood Exporters and Producers, in addition to adding 16 new companies, the TFDA also updated information for 756 companies and removed 51 that no longer meet the export requirements. With this approval and update, there are now 772 Vietnamese seafood companies allowed to export to Taiwan. This approval follows a request from Viet Nam, as part of the close cooperation between the National Authority for Agro-Forestry-Fishery Quality, Processing and Market Development and relevant authorities in Taiwan. It is part of a key effort to ensure and maintain the quality of Vietnamese seafood exports, as well as to update and manage data through Taiwan's Imported Food Digitisation Management system. VNS HA NOI More than a trade event, the first Autumn Fair 2025 has become a gateway for craft villages, cooperatives, and small enterprises to move beyond their local markets and connect with urban consumers, international visitors, and modern distribution channels. Featuring hundreds of booths from thirty-four provinces and cities nationwide, the fair showcases OCOP products, handicrafts, processed foods, and regional specialties. With the spirit of connection, spread, and sustainable development, the event reflects a shift from a traditional sales fair to a genuine trade promotion platform where traditional values meet new market opportunities. A highlight this year is the exhibition zone for traditional handicrafts, bamboo and rattan products, ceramics, embroidery, and woodwork displayed with refined designs tailored for export. Ha Nois bamboo food covers from Chuong My village, priced from VN450,000 (US$17) to VN750,000 each, quickly sold out thanks to their modern, elegant designs that blend rural tradition with urban aesthetics. Tran Thi Linh, owner of the Tran Linh Bamboo and Rattan Workshop, noted that participation in the fair had helped her business reach beyond rural markets, with growing interest from urban consumers and even foreign visitors. She considered the event a valuable opportunity to expand sales channels and enhance product design. Other provinces, including Bac Ninh, Nam inh, Ninh Binh, Quang Nam, and Hue, also presented hundreds of OCOP-rated products that demonstrate innovation in packaging, labeling, and branding, showcasing the growing business mindset of Vietnamese craft producers. Food remains one of the most effective soft ambassadors of local trade promotion. Over fifty food booths drew thousands of visitors daily. Among them, Mao ien steamed rice rolls from Bac Ninh stood out as a symbol of successful household branding offering visitors both culinary delight and insight into the villages culture. The fair also facilitated dozens of business-matching sessions and cooperation agreements between producers, supermarkets, and e-commerce platforms. Many cooperatives signed deals to supply products to large retail chains. More importantly, the fair reinforced consumer trust in domestic goods through direct product experiences. Many exhibitors adopted digital tools such as QR codes for product traceability, cashless payments, and live-streamed sales sessions demonstrating a clear transition towards modern, professional business models. Workshops on packaging design, brand registration, and quality certification also equipped producers with practical knowledge for sustainable development. From a VN50,000 rice roll to a VN700,000 bamboo cover, every item tells the same story, Vietnamese craft products can thrive in broader markets when presented properly. The fair attracted tens of thousands of visitors, hundreds of transactions, and strong media coverage, creating a dual impact in both economy and communication. For consumers, it offered authentic, traceable products; for producers, it became a launchpad to build confidence and brand identity. The success of the first Autumn Fair 2025 demonstrates that beyond supportive policies, what truly empowers Vietnamese goods is creating practical, well-organised platforms for connection and promotion, helping craft villages transform small booths into big ambitions. VNA/VNS HA NOI After five days, the first Autumn Fair 2025 has affirmed its position as a major business and networking hub, where domestic and foreign enterprises found opportunities to expand markets, promote products, and showcase the strength of Vietnamese brands. At the industrial equipment pavilion, the booth of Winci Vietnam Co., Ltd. remained busy throughout the event. According to sales executive Tran Hoai uc, visitor numbers and sales far exceeded expectations, marking a sharp rise compared with previous months. He noted that beyond boosting sales, the fair offered valuable brand exposure and strengthened customer recognition of Vietnamese products, giving the young enterprise greater confidence to scale up its operations and distribution network nationwide. Winci Vietnam specialises in coffee machines for homes, offices and small cafes, priced between VN10 and VN15 million (US$380-570) a more accessible range than imported brands. uc emphasised that the companys greatest gain from the fair was the chance to sell a brand story about a Vietnamese business striving to deliver quality, user-friendly products to local consumers. A similarly vibrant atmosphere prevailed at the booth of HTC Co., Ltd., a producer of motorbikes and mechanical equipment. The firm reported hundreds of visitors, including dealers from India seeking import opportunities. Its representatives viewed this as a promising sign, suggesting that the fair not only expanded domestic customer bases but also opened new export prospects. HTC attributed much of its success to the Ministry of Industry and Trades professional organisation, which created a structured space for product display, business networking, live-streamed promotion and direct consumer engagement. The company also ran promotional programmes offering discounts of up to two million Vietnam dong on new models and branded gifts to stimulate consumption and strengthen brand visibility. After five days, it achieved about seventy per cent of its sales target and expected to reach full results before the event concluded. Beyond domestic businesses, the fair also attracted international exhibitors. In the agri-food zone, the booth of Kon Khmer Rice Company a Cambodian rice distributor drew constant attention. Sales staff ang Khoa said the company sold around two hundredtwo hundred fifty kilograms of premium fragrant rice daily, noting that many Vietnamese customers returned for repeat purchases. He viewed this as a positive sign for a first-time participant in Viet Nam and expressed hopes for two-way trade cooperation between the neighbouring countries. Khoa said that Cambodian rice, known for its distinctive aroma and texture, caters to consumers seeking new culinary experiences. He added that Viet Nams open and quality-conscious market offered promising opportunities for long-term partnership with local distributors and supermarkets. Through multiple perspectives, the Autumn Fair 2025 has proved more than a conventional exhibition - it has become a model for modern, sustainable and result-oriented trade promotion. The fair gathered over three thousand booths from across Viet Nam and thirty-four countries, including many small businesses, cooperatives, and traditional craft villages that rarely access large markets. The Autumn Fair 2025 is not merely a trade event but a measure of Vietnamese enterprises competitiveness in the era of integration and digital transformation. Each booth represented creativity, adaptability and the growing confidence of Viet Nams industrial sector from coffee machines and domestic motorbikes to imported Cambodian rice all contributing to a vivid picture of Viet Nams evolving trade landscape. Behind this success is the active coordination of the Ministry of Industry and Trade, which has strategically shaped sustainable trade promotion platforms based on exhibitions and e-commerce. The fair also reflects the sectors broader vision of developing a national Made in Vietnam brand rooted in quality, responsibility, and cultural identity. VNA/VNS HA NOI ASEAN Cultural Day 2025 took place on October 29 at the Embassy of Malaysia in Washington DC, celebrating the rich heritage, vibrant festivals, and diverse cultural identities of Southeast Asian nations. This years event, themed Community in Celebration, highlighted the spirit of solidarity among ASEAN countries as they jointly celebrate holidays, milestones, and seasonal transitions. Through shared trust, connection, and harmony, ASEAN member states continue to build the strength of their communities - linking families, friends, neighbours, and diverse ethnic groups across the region. It pays special homage to the diversity of community celebrations in the region through a series of cultural performances and interactive activities. Viet Nam stood out with a textile fashion show titled Dancing with Thuy Ba Waves by designer Cao Minh Tien, inspired by the Nhat Binh Ao Dai, an emblem of Hue Imperial Court culture. Audiences were treated to a colourful cultural showcase featuring Vietnamese fashion, traditional dances from Indonesia, Laos, Myanmar, Brunei, and Cambodia, melodious performances from Malaysia, a lion dance from Singapore, and a traditional martial arts display from the Philippines. The event brought together representatives of ASEAN embassies, ambassadors spouses, and numerous international guests, creating a vibrant atmosphere of cross-cultural exchange. With its refined artistic performances, diverse cultural experiences, and distinctive culinary offerings, ASEAN Cultural Day 2025 left a deep impression of ASEANs unity in diversity, celebrating the regions shared values and cultural richness. VNA/VNS HA NOI Swedish jazz pianist Hakan Rydin is set to strike a new chord in Ha Noi with a series of performances from October 31 to November 2 alongside Vietnamese artists. With over 40 years of performing across countries, Rydin stands among Swedens most respected jazz pianists. He was the first Swedish student to graduate with a Bachelors degree in Jazz Pedagogy and was a founding member of the legendary group Nexus, which performed more than 1,000 concerts worldwide. He has shared the stage with world-class musicians such as Thad Jones, Pepper Adams, Etta Cameron and David Liebman, and has collaborated with Kim Parker, daughter of jazz icon Charlie Parker. Rydins artistry shines through acclaimed albums including Beautiful Friendship and Tender Silhouette. He is currently a professor of Jazz Piano at the Malmo Academy of Music. For more than 20 years, he has contributed to developing the jazz scene in Viet Nam through collaborations and training with the Jazz Faculty at the Viet Nam National Conservatory of Music. He joins the Bao Long Trio Band, a meeting point between Vietnamese and Swedish jazz traditions. Together, they will perform original compositions and jazz standards with fresh, intricate arrangements. Rydin will also perform with saxophonist Hoang An, double bassist Vinh Nguyen and percussionist o Mai Son, creating a dialogue between seasoned mastery and youthful creativity where improvisation opens new horizons. The concert on October 31 will take place from 6.30pm to 7.30pm at V-Art, 1st Floor, Ciputra Club, Bac Tu Liem District. Rydins concerts on November 1 and 2 will be held at Long Waist Jazz Club, No 5 Nguyen Quang Bich Street, Ha Noi. VNS GYEONGJU Vietnamese State President Luong Cuong emphasised the significance of strengthening connectivity and fortifying the resilience of APEC economies, particularly developing economies, against external shocks and negative effects of technology, as he addressed the first plenary session of the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting in Gyeongju, the Republic of Korea, on Friday. The Vietnamese President joined leaders and heads of delegations from other member economies, along with special guests - the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and the Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) - at the session, discussing measures to advance trade and investment amidst global volatility and foster the public private partnership to unlock the private economic sector potential for inclusive and sustainable growth. President Cuong proposed APEC settle major bottlenecks in regional supply chains and infrastructure through effective digitalisation of customs clearance procedures, upgrading transport, logistics, and IT infrastructure, and harmonise cross-border data and payment regulations, while narrowing technological gap between economies. The region, he said, should push ahead trade and investment collaboration by concretising the multilateral trade agreements under the World Trade Organisation (WTO), underscoring it is necessary to provide support for the private economic sector, particularly small and medium-sized enterprises, in accessing capital, technologies, and markets, as well as improving governance capacity to adapt and thrive in the digital era. President Cuong stressed that in the context of macroeconomic instability, a solid microeconomic foundation serves as the cornerstone for long-term growth, noting the region's development trajectory has affirmed the pivotal role of the private economic sector. As the host of APEC 2027, Viet Nam will work closely with other member economies and partners to deepen regional economic integration, promote green growth, and foster a favourable environment for cooperation and development to build an Asia-Pacific region of peace, stability, and prosperity. In his opening remarks, Korean President Lee Jae Myung underscored that the meeting offered an opportunity for leaders to engage in open and constructive dialogue aimed at fostering trade and investment, enhancing mutual understanding, and working towards common goals of development and shared prosperity. They agreed that APEC must harness the potential of the private sector to create jobs, improve livelihoods, and coordinate flexible fiscal and monetary policies to adapt to global volatility. They held that expanding dialogue and public private partnership is a critical and effective tool to mobilise resources for common goals, including green investment, sustainable infrastructure development, digital trade, and enhanced competitiveness of small and medium-sized enterprises. Additionally, they highlighted the importance of regional integration and interconnectivity, urging greater exchange of experience, policy dialogue, and facilitation of trade and investment. They also called for the development of secure, flexible, and sustainable supply chains. VNA/VNS KUALA LUMPUR The 19th ASEAN Defence Ministers Meeting (ADMM-19), themed ASEAN Unity for Security and Prosperity, opened in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on Friday under the chair of Malaysian Defence Minister Mohamed Khaled Nordin. A high-ranking Vietnamese delegation, led by Minister of National Defence General Phan Van Giang, is attending ADMM-19, the 12th ASEAN Defence Ministers Meeting Plus (ADMM+), and relevant events from October 30 to November 2. In his speech, Giang affirmed Viet Nams strongest support for Malaysia in fulfilling its role as ASEAN Chair 2025. He expressed his confidence that Malaysia would successfully lead ASEAN this year, further bolstering regional solidarity and power to actively and flexibly address emerging security challenges, for the sake of peace, stability, and resilience. In his opening remarks, Nordin stressed that ADMM-19 marks a historic milestone, with the presence of Timor-Leste as the latest member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Beyond traditional security challenges, he warned that the digital domain faces growing risks from invisible but equally dangerous threats such as cyberattacks, disinformation, and digital manipulation. Non-state actors are exploiting technologies as weapons to disrupt societies and undermine critical infrastructure. He said ADMM must move beyond conventional military cooperation toward technology foresight, cybersecurity collaboration, and shared innovation. The meeting heard reports on the outcomes of the ASEAN Defence Senior Officials Meeting (ADSOM), adopted eight new ADMM initiatives, and held workshops and meetings, including ASEAN - Republic of Korea and ASEAN+1 sessions. It also discussed the ASEAN+1 Maritime Exercise and finalised the agenda for the upcoming 12th ADMM+ Meeting. It adopted the Joint Statement by the ASEAN Defence Ministers on the Implementation of the ASEAN PoliticalSecurity Community Strategic Plan of the ASEAN Community Vision 2045, and the Kuala Lumpur Joint Declaration of the ADMM on ASEAN Unity for Security and Prosperity. The Kuala Lumpur Declaration underscores the importance of upholding ASEANs leading role, the ADMM and ADMM+ frameworks, in boosting regional security cooperation. It reaffirms the commitment to enhancing cooperation in non-traditional security areas, maintaining open and transparent cooperation, and calls for the full implementation of the Five-Point Consensus set by ASEAN leaders to deal with Myanmar-related issue. VNA/VNS GYEONGJU Vietnamese State President Luong Cuong and Sultan of Brunei Hassanal Bolkiah have agreed to further promote the relationship between the two countries, thus bringing tangible benefits to their people and contributing to peace, stability, and cooperation in the region and the world. Meeting with Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah on Friday on the sidelines of the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting in Gyeongju, the Republic of Korea, President Cuong welcomed the Sultans upcoming visit to Viet Nam in 2025 and reaffirmed Viet Nams readiness to maintain high-level contacts and exchanges across all channels. The State leader called for continued implementation of bilateral cooperation mechanisms and effective realisation of the Action Plan on the implementation of the Viet Nam-Brunei Comprehensive Partnership in the 2023-2027. He emphasised enhanced cooperation in the four priority areas of oil and gas, chemicals, Halal food processing, tourism, and people-to-people exchange. President Cuong affirmed commitment to facilitating Bruneian investment and business expansion, urging both countries to accelerate the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on Halal cooperation. The President urged Brunei to support Vietnamese enterprises in production and certification for agricultural and Halal products, which, he said, will enable Vietnamese goods to access the Bruneian market and integrate into the global Halal supply chain. For his part, Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah expressed his high regard and hope for stronger development of the relations with Viet Nam, including in the areas of economy, trade, energy, oil and gas, culture, and people-to-people exchange. Congratulating Viet Nam on its re-election to the UN Human Rights Council for the 20262028 term, the Sultan praised Viet Nams increasingly active role in promoting multilateral cooperation in the world. He affirmed that Brunei will continue supporting Viet Nam through capacity-building programmes, including English language training. Both leaders concurred to promote solidarity, unity, and maintenance of ASEANs central role in the region. They pledged to strengthen cooperation in regional and international issues of mutual concern, including the East Sea issue, the acceleration of negotiations for a substantive and effective Code of Conduct in the East Sea in line with international law, especially the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). VNA/VNS Scott Sorry, best known as the bassist in rock band The Wildhearts, has died at the age of 47. Scott Sorry has passed away after a lengthy battle with cancer The family of the American musician, who had two tenures with the UK group between 2006 and 2012 and 2013 and 2015, confirmed that the rock star - whose real name was Gerard Scott - sadly lost his lengthy battle with brain cancer on his birthday on Thursday (30.10.25). A statement shared to his Instagram page read: "Were heartbroken to share that Scott Sorry has passed away after a long and incredibly brave fight with brain cancer. "Scott passed away on his 47th birthday, October 30, 2025. "After being diagnosed with glioblastoma back in 2018, Scott refused to let it define him. He outlived every doctor's expectation, turning months into years, and even made it back to the UK in 2022 for a tour something that meant the world to him. He was so grateful to be able to play again, to see so many familiar faces and to personally thank so many of you who had supported him through it all. "Were devastated beyond words, but theres comfort in knowing hes finally free from pain. His strength, humour, and heart will stay with us forever. "Scott is survived by his wife Hanni and his three children River, Ryder and Rorik." After a two-year stint with cult LA punk outfit Amen, Sorry stepped into the lineup of Brides Of Destruction, taking over bass duties from Motley Crues Nikki Sixx. The band briefly featured Wildhearts frontman Ginger Wildheart, though his involvement was short-lived due to other commitments. Sorry played on the groups second and final album, Runaway Brides, before exiting in 2007 to join Ginger in a refreshed lineup of The Wildhearts. He went on to contribute to three releases with the band: The Wildhearts, Stop Us If Youve Heard This One Before, Vol 1, and Chutzpah!. HA NOI Viet Nam and the US signed a memorandum of understanding on enhancing cooperation in addressing the legacies of war in Ha Noi on Friday. The event was co-chaired by Senior Lieutenant General Hoang Xuan Chien, Deputy Minister of National Defence and Head of the National Steering Committee on the settlement of post-war unexploded ordnance and toxic chemicals in Viet Nam (Steering Committee 701), and US Ambassador to Viet Nam Marc Evans Knapper. The MoU aims to realise high-level commitments made by the two countries in the 2023 Joint Statement on upgrading Viet NamUS relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership for peace, cooperation, and sustainable development. It also draws on the 2024 Viet NamUS Joint Vision Statement on defence cooperation and updates the 2011 MoU between the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defence and the US Department of Defence (now the Department of War), revised in 2022. Colonel Can Anh Tuan, Deputy Director of the Ministry of National Defences Military Science Department and Chief of the Office of Steering Committee 701, said the MoU will strengthen collaboration in five key areas: clearing unexploded ordnance; improving the quality of life for people with disabilities in provinces heavily affected by Agent Orange; remediating dioxin contamination at Bien Hoa Airport; supporting the search, recovery, and identification of Vietnamese soldiers remains; and delivering comprehensive cooperation in locating US servicemen missing in action (MIA) in Viet Nam. Efforts will focus on sharing information, documents and artefacts, providing training, conducting scientific research, promoting delegation exchange, organising conferences and workshops, and strengthening media cooperation under the MoU. Both sides have clarified their roles and established joint working groups to facilitate coordination, planning, and evaluation. The Vietnamese team is led by the Chief of the Office of Steering Committee 701, while the US team is headed by the Political Counsellor representing the US Department of State and a senior official representing the US Department of War. Chien highlighted the significance of the MoU as part of activities to celebrate the 30th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries. He noted the success of past cooperation, including the remediation of dioxin-contaminated areas at a Nang Airport, ongoing efforts at Bien Hoa Airport, and improving the lives of more than 30,000 Agent Orange/dioxin victims and people with disabilities in six heavily affected provinces. He also mentioned the recovery and repatriation of over 990 sets of remains of US servicemen, capacity-building training for Vietnamese personnel involved in post-war ordnance clearance, and the provision of around 800,000 pages of documents and artefacts by US individuals and organisations to support search and recovery efforts. He emphasised that the MoU demonstrates a strong commitment by the US Department of War and Department of State, and Viet Nams Ministry of National Defence - the standing agency of Steering Committee 701 to deepen cooperation in war legacy remediation. He expressed confidence that the agreement will serve as a foundation for further close collaboration and significant achievements, completing the remediation work and reinforcing trust in the robust development of the Viet NamUS Comprehensive Strategic Partnership for peace, cooperation, and sustainable development. Echoing Chien's views, Ambassador Marc Evans Knapper praised the achievements of both countries in this cooperation and acknowledged Viet Nams contributions, particularly in locating MIAs. He stressed that the signing of the MoU reaffirms strong bilateral cooperation and provides a solid foundation for developing relations across other fields, raising Viet NamUS relations to new heights in the years ahead. VNA/VNS HA NOI The Party Central Committee's Politburo and Secretariat have urged efforts to further refine and enhance the efficiency of the political system and the two-tier local government model, according to Conclusion No. 202-KL/TW signed by Politburo member and Permanent Member of the Secretariat Tran Cam Tu on Friday. The conclusion came following the report of the Party Central Committees Organisation Commission on the performance of the political and two-tier local government system. The Politburo and the Secretariat agreed with the key contents and recommendations in the report, acknowledging the proactive and effective performance of all-level Party Committees and organisations, the Party Committees of the Government and the National Assembly, and the Party Central Committees Organisation Commission in addressing challenges and ensuring smooth operation of the political system and the two-tier local administration model. The Politburo and the Secretariat requested Party Committees at all levels and relevant central agencies to promptly implement assigned tasks under previous conclusions, especially Conclusion No. 195-KL/TW dated September 26, 2025, on the two-tier administrative model. They urged strict adherence to the Politburos personnel regulations, stronger accountability from leaders, and effective evaluation and deployment of officials. The grassroots level was directed to shift from a passive to a proactive and enabling governance model, enhancing socio-economic management and responding promptly to public and business needs. The Party Committees of the Government and the National Assembly were assigned to refine institutional frameworks related to decentralisation, delegation of power, and administrative procedures, particularly in finance, planning, land, and public assets. Matters under the Government's and the Prime Ministers authority should be addressed immediately, while those under the National Assemblys jurisdiction should be included in the 10th session of the 15th legislature. All related tasks should be completed by December 15. The Government's Party Committee was directed to review and revise all sectoral legal documents to ensure coherence and feasibility under the two-tier model; restructure and improve personnel capacity; ensure funding for digitalisation, equipment upgrades, and infrastructure, giving priority to remote and disadvantaged areas; integrate shared national databases and upgrade digital infrastructure at the commune level; and propose commendations for outstanding collectives and individuals in implementing Resolution No. 18-NQ/TW. These tasks must be completed by December 15. The Party Committees of the Government, the Vietnam Fatherland Front, and central-level mass organisations were assigned to accelerate the restructuring of public non-business units, state-owned enterprises, and press agencies under their jurisdiction, completing these tasks within 2025. At the same time, the Politburo and the Secretariat approved the immediate updating of land use, construction, and specialised plans including national defence and security land to reflect the repurposing of public facilities for administrative, educational, healthcare, cultural, and socio-economic uses in line with the planning law. Provincial and municipal Party Committees were tasked with guiding the process, resolving emerging issues, and reporting results to higher authorities. They also authorised the Standing Boards of provincial-level Party Committees to adjust working regulations of the Party Committees affected by structural changes to ensure unified leadership. In the conclusion, the Politburo and the Secretariat also gave directions related to the confirmation of residence evaluation for Party members, as well as the review and management of public assets, support for disadvantaged areas, and the strengthening of inspection of the allocation and use of public offices and facilities. VNA/VNS SEOUL President Luong Cuong held brief meetings with the Prime Ministers of Japan and New Zealand, the heads of delegations from Papua New Guinea and Peru, and the Chief Executive of Chinas Hong Kong Special Administrative Region in the Republic of Korea on Friday afternoon (local time). The meetings took place on the occasion of his attendance at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders' Meeting. At these meetings, the leaders appreciated Viet Nams increasingly prominent role and status on the international stage and expressed their admiration for the countrys strong development in various fields, particularly socio-economic development and recent reforms and innovations. All partners agreed to strengthen practical and effective bilateral relations with Viet Nam, prioritising areas of mutual advantage and demand, such as economy, trade, science and technology, digital transformation, green transition, and cooperation in addressing common issues like climate change, disaster prevention, food security, and cybersecurity. Emphasising the need to enhance coordination in important multilateral mechanisms and forums, including the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and APEC, the leaders stated that all parties should seek balanced and sustainable solutions to promote economic, trade, and investment cooperation, jointly deal with common challenges, and contribute to an environment of peace, stability, cooperation, and development in the region and the world at large. The heads of APEC delegations congratulated Viet Nam on being entrusted to host APEC for the third time in 2027 and affirmed that they would actively support and closely coordinate with Viet Nam to ensure the successful organisation of APEC 2027. At his meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, President Cuong conveyed the congratulations of Viet Nams top leaders on her election as Prime Minister of Japan, expressing his belief that with her extensive experience, Sanae Takaichi will lead Japan to new achievements. PM Takaichi Sanae thanked President Cuong and other top leaders of Viet Nam for their good wishes, reaffirmed Japans commitment to strengthening and deepening its Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with Viet Nam. She congratulated the country on its recent development achievements and reforms, and promised to arrange a visit to Viet Nam in the near future. At President Cuongs meeting with Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, both leaders expressed their pleasure at witnessing the increasingly close, strong, and practical development of the Viet NamMalaysia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. The Vietnamese President praised Malaysias efforts as ASEAN Chair in 2025, including the successful series of ASEAN 47 high-level events, which promoted the building of the ASEAN Community across the three pillars - politics-security, economy-trade, and socio-culture, and strengthened ASEANs central role in the region. Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim affirmed that Malaysia considers Viet Nam one of its most important partners and will continue to prioritise the development of relations with Viet Nam. In discussions with New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon, President Cuong expressed his pleasure at the increasingly positive development of bilateral relations, especially following the recent upgrading of relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. Prime Minister Luxon congratulated Viet Nam on its remarkable economic growth, ranking among the worlds highest-growing economies in 2025, and expressed a desire to closely cooperate with Viet Nam in 2026 when Viet Nam chairs the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) Ministerial Council meeting to strengthen linkages with CPTPP partners. Meeting with Deputy Prime Minister and head of the Papua New Guinea delegation John Rosso, President Cuong affirmed that Viet Nam always values and seeks to enhance friendship and cooperation with Papua New Guinea, and is ready to act as a bridge between ASEAN and the South Pacific Islands and the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF). Deputy Prime Minister Rosso expressed his desire to further strengthen cooperation with Viet Nam, especially in trade and investment, and through Viet Nam to promote cooperation with ASEAN. In talks with the head of the Peruvian delegation, Minister of Foreign Trade and Tourism Teresa Stella Mera Gomez, President Cuong affirmed that Viet Nam treasures its friendship and multifaceted cooperation with Peru. The Peruvian delegation expressed pleasure at the good development of bilateral relations, particularly following President Cuongs visit to Peru in 2024. Praising Viettels Bitel investment project, Minister Teresa expressed a desire for Vietnamese enterprises to increase investment in Peru and pledged to continue facilitating Bitels efficient operations in the country. At the meeting with Chief Executive of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region John Lee Ka-chiu, both sides highly valued the positive progress in Viet NamHong Kong cooperation in recent years. President Cuong suggested effectively implementing commitments and agreements reached during Chief Executive Lees official visit to Viet Nam in July 2024 and sending a delegation to Viet Nam to exchange cooperation on financial centre development. Lee expressed his confidence that bilateral relations would continue to develop substantively, especially in economic, trade, investment, financial, and tourism cooperation. He said Hong Kong is ready to host Vietnamese delegations for experience exchange and to send delegations to Viet Nam to support the development of financial centres. In the evening, the RoK President and his spouse hosted a grand banquet to welcome APEC leaders attending the APEC meeting. VNA/VNS HA NOI Deputy Foreign Minister Nguyen Manh Cuong, on behalf of the President, presented the Friendship Order to Indonesian Ambassador to Viet Nam Denny Abdi at a ceremony in Ha Noi on Friday. The noble order was awarded to the outgoing ambassador in recognition of his outstanding contributions to strengthening and developing the traditional friendship and comprehensive cooperation between Viet Nam and Indonesia during his tenure. Addressing the ceremony, Cuong emphasised that the conferral symbolises the Vietnamese States appreciation of Ambassador Abdis dedication and remarkable contributions to nurturing the traditional friendship between the two countries. He highly valued the ambassadors initiatives and efforts to promote comprehensive cooperation in politics, economy, trade, investment, people-to-people exchanges, and bilateral collaboration within the ASEAN framework, which have helped elevate the Viet NamIndonesia relationship to a more substantive and effective level. Notably, during Ambassador Abdis nearly five-year tenure in Viet Nam, bilateral relations have continued to be strengthened, marked by a significant milestone in March 2025 when the two countries officially upgraded their relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership on the occasion of Party General Secretary To Lams official visit to Indonesia. The ambassadors active coordination with Vietnamese ministries, sectors, and localities in organising various cooperative and exchange activities, fostering dialogue mechanisms and high-level meetings, and supporting businesses of both countries in the post-pandemic economic recovery period has left a profound and practical imprint, said Cuong. For his part, Ambassador Abdi expressed his great honour and heartfelt gratitude to the Party, the State, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and people of Viet Nam for their constant support and close cooperation throughout his tenure. He affirmed that, even after completing his term in Viet Nam, he will continue contributing to the consolidation and promotion of the friendship and cooperation between Indonesia and Viet Nam, for the mutual benefit of the two peoples and the development of the ASEAN Community. VNA/VNS HA NOI Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh on Friday received the ambassadors of Indonesia and Singapore, who paid farewell visits at the end of their tenures in Viet Nam. Meeting with Indonesian Ambassador Denny Abdi, the Prime Minister congratulated him on successfully completing his tenure in Viet Nam and being appointed Secretary-General of Indonesias Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He praised the ambassadors significant contributions to strengthening bilateral relations, which have flourished on the solid foundation laid by President Ho Chi Minh and President Sukarno seventy years ago. During his term, the two countries elevated their ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership during Party General Secretary To Lams visit to Indonesia in March 2025. Notably, Viet Nam and Indonesia signed the Agreement on the Delimitation of the Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ) and concluded negotiations on the implementation arrangement for overlapping jurisdiction areas, demonstrating mutual respect for international law and contributing to regional peace and stability. Prime Minister Chinh highlighted the growing political trust, dynamic economic cooperation with bilateral trade reaching US$16.7 billion in 2024 and expanding people-to-people exchanges. He also noted that Vietnamese enterprises such as VinFast, TH Group, and FPT are increasingly active in Indonesia. The two countries have also coordinated closely at regional and international forums, particularly within ASEAN, contributing to intra-bloc unity and ASEAN's centrality for peace, stability, cooperation, and development in the region. Ambassador Abdi expressed deep gratitude to the Vietnamese Government and people for their support, saying he considered Viet Nam his second home. He reaffirmed his commitment to continuing to promote IndonesiaViet Nam ties in his new role. The ambassador also underscored the strong solidarity within ASEAN, emphasising the importance of Viet Nam and Indonesia in maintaining the blocs unity and centrality. He welcomed the upgrading of relations to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, the signing of the agreement on EEZ delimitation, and the completion of negotiations on the implementation arrangement for overlapping jurisdiction areas. He expressed Indonesias readiness to cooperate with Viet Nam to have the EUs IUU yellow card lifted. The Prime Minister called on both sides to continue to promote delegation exchanges and contacts at all levels; effectively implement high-level agreements; and soon develop an Action Programme to realise the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between Viet Nam and Indonesia. He also urged the early ratification of the agreement on the EEZ delimitation and the signing of the implementation arrangement for overlapping jurisdiction areas, so that they can be practically enforced to bring tangible benefits to both countries. PM also requested that Indonesia facilitate the access of Vietnamese agricultural products to the Indonesian market and strengthen cooperation in developing the Halal industry, with a view to raising bilateral trade to US$18 billion in the near future. He affirmed that Viet Nam stands ready to negotiate an agreement to enhance food security cooperation, including rice trade. Receiving Singaporean Ambassador Jaya Ratnam, Prime Minister Chinh commended his outstanding contributions over more than four years in Viet Nam, which helped deepen bilateral ties. During his tenure, despite global challenges, the two countries have maintained strong momentum in all areas, especially in economy, trade, and investment. The Prime Minister noted that seven new VietnamSingapore Industrial Parks (VSIPs) were launched, bringing the total to twenty across thirteen provinces and cities, serving as symbols of successful bilateral cooperation. He also highlighted an MoU on rice trade cooperation signed on October 30 and expressed Viet Nams commitment to achieving economic growth of over eight per cent in 2025. Prime Minister Chinh urged developing next-generation VSIPs following a four-in-one" model, which integrates industrial parks, science and technology zones, innovation hubs, and commercial-service and urban areas. He suggested that the two sides continue to promote cooperation in the ASEAN power grid initiative and the export of offshore wind power from Viet Nam to Singapore; strengthen collaboration in science and technology, innovation, and digital transformation; as well as enhance cooperation in culture, education, and the training of high-quality human resources. The PM called on both countries to maintain close and effective coordination at regional and international forums and organisations; and to continue consolidating and strengthening solidarity while upholding ASEANs central role. Ambassador Ratnam expressed appreciation for Viet Nam, calling it his second home, and praised its resilient development and effective governance. He reaffirmed Singapores trust in Viet Nams growing regional and global role and voiced optimism for deeper cooperation, including plans to expand VSIPs to thirty locations, and new initiatives in trade, semiconductors, technology, and human resources training. VNA/VNS HA NOI Hospital safety concerns have again been raised following the recent knife attack at Nghe An Obstetrics and Paediatrics Hospital, in which several people, including patients relatives and healthcare workers, were injured. On October 23, while caring for his premature twin babies in the hospitals Neonatal Department, a man named Ban Van Vy stabbed two patients relatives, endangering the life of another newborn. When medical staff intervened to stop Vy from throwing a baby out of the window, he turned the knife on them. Among the victims, a nurse suffered the most severe injuries, with wounds to her arteries. Thanks to prompt emergency care at the hospital, her condition has stabilised, while other victims sustained soft-tissue injuries. Police in Nghe An Province have since detained the suspect for investigation. Recently, another assault occurred at Nghe An Friendship General Hospital, where a patients relative attacked a nurse in the Emergency Department. After doctors examined and explained the patients condition, they instructed the family to complete hospital admission procedures. A nurse was processing the documents and asked the relative to wait outside as per hospital regulations. However, the person refused to comply, verbally abused and threatened the nurse, then slapped her in the face, causing her glasses to fall and resulting in swelling, dizziness and psychological trauma that required treatment. Security guards and police were called in for assistance. Earlier, at Thanh Ba Medical Centre in Phu Tho Province, a father assaulted medical staff while they were trying to save his injured child after a traffic accident. Despite the obstruction, doctors continued resuscitation until the child stabilised. The father later apologised publicly after being summoned by police. According to the Ministry of Health, since early this year there have been six reported cases of medical staff being assaulted while performing their duties. The incidents have become increasingly violent. These attacks not only threaten hospital security but also undermine morale and mental well-being among healthcare workers while sparking public outrage. Strengthening hospital security Dr Ha Anh uc, director general of the Department of Medical Service Administration, said violence in hospitals stems from multiple causes. With nearly 200 million patient visits annually nationwide and major hospitals handling tens of thousands daily, medical staff face immense workloads. From the perspective of medical workers, they should be trained on how to behave reasonably, as both patients and their relatives are often in a state of anxiety when sick, he said. However, assaults on healthcare workers while they are saving lives are unacceptable. Most violent incidents occur in high-risk departments such as Emergency or Intensive Care. Despite threats, doctors and nurses continue their duty, as seen in the cases in Phu Tho and Nghe An, where medical staff protected patients even while being attacked, he said. Minister of Health ao Hong Lan said although the Law on Medical Examination and Treatment strictly prohibits violence against healthcare workers, such incidents persist and seriously jeopardise safety in hospitals. The ministry is reviewing all security measures, particularly in sensitive units such as emergency, neonatal and psychiatric departments. Following the Nghe An attack, the Ministry of Health sent an official dispatch to the Ministry of Public Security, calling for strengthened protection at hospitals. The ministry requested increased police coordination, technical solutions such as surveillance and alarm systems linked directly to local police, and regular joint security drills, especially in high-risk departments. The Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Public Security have had a coordination mechanism for ten years, but immediate enforcement still faces challenges. Dr uc said that while many hospitals have implemented security measures, response speed and coordination remain critical. He added that better infrastructure, service quality and technology integration can help reduce tensions. Quick law enforcement response and strong media coverage of cases like the Nghe An incident have also helped deter future violence. Healthcare workers need a safe working environment to fully devote themselves to saving lives. Their highest mission is to restore patients health, so we hope patients and families will show understanding and cooperation to help create a safe, respectful environment for both sides, he said. VNS Since the launch of wide-ranging economic reforms in 1986, Viet Nam has achieved a miracle in poverty reduction, lifting tens of millions out of hunger and helping them secure stable livelihoods. This success reflects a strategic vision, methodical policies and concerted efforts by the entire society. 19932000: Laying the foundation After national reunification on April 30, 1975, Viet Nam faced an underdeveloped agricultural economy, with more than 70 per cent of households living in poverty. A historic turning point came with the 1986 oi moi (Renewal) policy, which shifted the country from a centrally planned economy to a socialist-oriented market economy, opening a path out of poverty for millions. In 1993, Viet Nam introduced its first national poverty line based on income, laying the groundwork for future poverty reduction policies. That same year, the Government launched the national programme on hunger eradication and poverty reduction, focusing on production support, infrastructure development, and concessional credit for the poor. A landmark initiative came in 1998 when the Government approved the programme on socio-economic development in mountainous and remote communes with special difficulties. The programme invested in essential infrastructure, improved production conditions and enhanced the capacity of communities and local officials. Thousands of kilometres of rural roads, hundreds of schools, health stations and bridges were constructed, creating a breakthrough in rural infrastructure. According to the World Bank, Viet Nams poverty rate fell from 58 per cent in 1993 to around 37 per cent in 1998, making it one of the fastest poverty reduction success stories in the world at that time. 20012010: Early achievements Entering the 21st century, Viet Nam advanced to a new development phase, pursuing industrialisation and modernisation alongside sustainable development. Poverty reduction was identified as a top priority, implemented through national target programmes during the decade, with a focus on supporting livelihoods, building infrastructure, developing human resources, and expanding basic social services. A notable development during this period was that assistance was extended to near-poor households and vulnerable groups affected by natural disasters, unemployment or illness. Breakthrough policies included measures on land, housing and clean water support for ethnic minority households facing hardship, and housing support for the poor. Also significant was legislation that supported fast and sustainable poverty elimination in more than 60 poor districts. Concessional loans through the Vietnam Bank for Social Policies also helped millions of households secure production funding and stable livelihoods. Thanks to the strong leadership of the Viet Nam Communist Party and State, and the engagement of the entire society, the household poverty rate again dropped sharply from 37.4 per cent in 1998 to 9.45 per cent in 2010 (according to the standards of the time). Notably, in 2008, Viet Nam achieved the UN Millennium Development Goal on poverty reduction seven years ahead of the 2015 deadline. This achievement was hailed internationally as one of the most successful examples in the Asia-Pacific region. Progress was also made in education, health care, gender equality and social security, with essential infrastructure investments in remote, mountainous and disadvantaged areas laying the foundation for later socio-economic development. 20112020: Poverty alleviation Viet Nam entered a new decade with a higher aim: not only reducing poverty but also ensuring quality and sustainability. The Government launched the Sustainable Development Strategy of Viet Nam for 20112020 and national target programmes for sustainable poverty reduction across the decade. These initiatives aimed both to lower poverty rates and to narrow development gaps among regions. Notable measures included concessional credit for poor, near-poor and ethnic minority households, housing support for contributors to the revolution and low-income earners in rural areas, the new-style rural area development programme, and directives issued in 2011 on sustainable poverty reduction, emphasising a human-rights-based and comprehensive development-based approach. In 2016, Viet Nam was among the first countries globally to adopt a multidimensional poverty standard, defining poverty not only by income but also by access to health care, education, clean water, information, and social insurance. The move marked a great stride in the modern social policy. As a result, in this decade, the household poverty rate nationwide fell by 11.5 per cent per year, standing at around 2.75 per cent in 2020 under the multidimensional poverty standard. Average incomes of poor households increased by more than 1.6 times compared to 2015. Previously impoverished provinces, including Ha Giang, ien Bien, Quang Binh, and Kon Tum, made significant progress in infrastructure and living standards. The UN and World Bank recognised Viet Nam as one of the few countries maintaining sustainable poverty elimination amid global economic crises, pandemics and climate change, demonstrating the effectiveness of a people-centred approach with active facilitation by the State and broad societal participation. 2021Present: Inclusive reductions The 13th National Party Congress emphasised continuing multidimensional, inclusive and sustainable poverty reduction, aiming for an annual 11.5 per cent reduction in multidimensional poverty. In 2021, the Party Central Committees Secretariat issued Directive 05 to strengthen the Party's leadership over sustainable poverty reduction through 2030. Since 2021, in addition to the continued implementation of the sustainable poverty reduction initiatives and new-style rural area development, the National Assembly approved a plan on socio-economic development in ethnic minority and mountainous areas towards 2030. The Politburo also issued six resolutions outlining socio-economic development directions, as well as national defence and security objectives for six regions across the country through to 2030, with a vision towards 2045. Each resolution sets specific targets for sustainable poverty reduction in its respective region. The Government has also rolled out a range of key policies, including a preferential credit scheme for poor and near-poor households, livelihood support for ethnic minority and mountainous areas, and an initiative for one million social housing units, alongside other national plans on social welfare and rural development. Thanks to these moves, encouraging results have been recorded. By the end of 2024, multidimensional poverty, including poor and near-poor households, had fallen to around 4.06 per cent nationwide. Disadvantaged districts saw an average annual poverty decline of over 6 per cent, exceeding the target of 45 per cent. Millions of households have also gained access to concessional loans, health care, education, housing, clean water, and information. Beyond material support, current poverty reduction efforts also focus on human development and enhancing low-income earners' self-reliance. Livelihood models adapted to climate change in the Mekong Delta, crop and livestock diversification in the Central Highlands, and community-based tourism in northern mountainous provinces have created jobs, increased incomes, and contributed to sustainable poverty reduction. Over the past four decades, Viet Nam has achieved humane, effective poverty reduction, combining sound policies, political will and community strength. From a nation struggling with hunger, it has become a global model for poverty reduction. Yet the journey continues. In the new context, poverty encompasses not only a lack of material resources but also limited opportunities and access to knowledge. Viet Nam will continue to innovate and act boldly, thereby ensuring no one is left behind on the path to development. VNA/VNS HA NOI Viet Nam has made significant progress in advancing gender equality, climbing 11 places to rank 72nd out of 146 countries in last years Global Gender Gap Index. Women now hold 30.26 per cent of seats in the National Assembly one of the highest rates in the AsiaPacific region. The achievement was highlighted on Friday at the launch of Viet Nams National Report on 30 Years of Implementation of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action. The event, organised by the Ministry of Home Affairs in collaboration with the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women) in Viet Nam, marked an important milestone in the countrys three-decade journey to advance gender equality and empower women. Data presented at the conference showed that women account for 46.8 per cent of Viet Nams total labour force, with a female labour participation rate of 62.4 per cent. Women-owned enterprises make up 28.2 per cent of all businesses, and the gender gap in basic education has been largely closed. The report reviews the progress made since the Fourth World Conference on Women in 1995, assessing both achievements and ongoing challenges in realising the goals of the Beijing Platform for Action. It also reaffirms Viet Nams strong political commitment to accelerating the implementation of international commitments on gender equality in line with the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Over the past three decades particularly during the 20192023 period the Government of Viet Nam has demonstrated strong determination to promote equal rights for women and men by improving its legal and policy framework, said Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Nguyen Thi Ha. Gender equality has been consistently recognised as a cornerstone of social progress and sustainable development, with the principle of 'leaving no one behind' integrated across national strategies, laws and programmes. Nationwide initiatives have been rolled out to prevent and respond to gender-based violence, promote gender equality communication and strengthen womens participation in leadership and decision-making positions. These efforts driven by government agencies and socio-political organisations at all levels have led to remarkable achievements that have been recognised by the international community, said Ha. In recent years, Viet Nams legal and policy framework on gender equality has become more comprehensive, with significant progress in ensuring equal rights and opportunities for women and men. Key legislation such as the 2019 Labour Code, the 2022 Law on Domestic Violence Prevention and Control, the 2024 Law on Social Insurance and the National Strategy on Gender Equality 20212030 have set out clear goals and actions to narrow gender gaps and promote equal participation in all aspects of social and economic life. These frameworks have laid a solid foundation for elevating womens status across all sectors. Viet Nam has also strengthened health care for ethnic minority and migrant women, while services for survivors of gender-based violence have expanded and improved significantly in both reach and quality. Despite these achievements, several challenges remain. Gender stereotypes persist, sex-disaggregated data remains incomplete and emerging issues such as population ageing, climate change, natural disasters and pandemics continue to affect livelihoods especially those of women and children. Economic development must go hand in hand with social progress and equity, placing women and children at the heart of all development policies. Viet Nam is committed to strengthening State management systems and ensuring gender mainstreaming across all sectors and levels, said the Deputy Minister. The launch follows the High-Level Meeting of the UN General Assembly on September 22 this year, marking the 30th anniversary of the Fourth World Conference on Women, attended by representatives from over 100 countries. At the meeting, Viet Nam reaffirmed its commitment to achieving its national gender equality targets by 2030. Commitment Also speaking at the event, Caroline Nyamayemombe, UN Women Representative in Viet Nam, stated that thirty years after the adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, no country in the world has yet achieved full gender equality. As the global community enters the final stretch toward 2030, Viet Nam stands among those countries demonstrating consistent strong national ownership and a forward-looking vision for gender equality, she said. I therefore congratulate the Government of Viet Nam and the Ministry of Home Affairs for leading the national Beijing + 30 review (20192023) and engaging in all the multilateral processes that have taken place. As the country heads towards the national elections, she called for continued focus on the targets set in the National Strategy for Gender Equality on womens leadership as well as the quota for representation. Viet Nam stands among those countries demonstrating consistent leadership, strong national ownership and a forward-looking vision for gender equality. Let us seize the momentum of Beijing + 30 to deliver on the promise made thirty years ago for equality, dignity and opportunity for all women and girls, said Nyamayemombe. UN Women remains committed to working alongside the Ministry of Home Affairs, government agencies, mass organisations and development partners to translate Viet Nams strong political commitments into tangible results for women and girls in every province, community and family. VNS HCM CITY Eight fishermen were safely rescued after their fishing boat sank following a collision with a cargo vessel off the coast of Con ao Island on Friday (October 31), according to the HCM City Border Guard Command. At around 4.30am, the fishing boat BT 93839 TS, carrying eight crew members, collided with a cargo ship about six nautical miles northwest of Con ao. The impact caused the fishing vessel to sink, forcing the crew to evacuate in a small round boat. Upon receiving the distress call, the Con ao Border Guard Station, under the HCM City Border Guard Command, immediately launched a rescue mission. A team of five officers and soldiers was dispatched, along with the fishing vessel BV 92927 TS, captained by Nguyen Van Dung from Quang Tri Province and owned by Nguyen Van Cong from the citys Phuoc Hai Commune. At around 7.35am, rescuers reached the scene and safely brought all eight fishermen aboard the rescue vessel. The fishing boat was found partially submerged about three nautical miles from Hon Tre Islet. Initial health checks showed all crew members were in stable condition. The sunken vessel was owned and captained by Nguyen Van Si from Vinh Long Province (formerly Ben Tre). It had departed from the Ham Luong Border Guard Station on October 30 for a fishing trip. By 9.15am, the rescue vessel returned to Ben am Port. The Con ao Border Guard Station provided medical care, food, and accommodation for the rescued fishermen and is completing further procedures in line with regulations. VNS HOI AN As floodwater slowly receded from the Hoai River last night, residents in the Old Quarter of the ancient town rolled up their sleeves to clean their homes, shops and streets. Piles of garbage and sludge left behind by the flood were cleared from the narrow alleys, while people in suburban villages also joined the effort to restore order and cleanliness to their neighbourhoods. The 2025 historic flood, which surpassed the highest peak of the 1964 flood, submerged thousands of houses in the Old Quarter, the towns most visited destination, as well as surrounding eco-tourism sites and craft villages that remained underwater for three days. It was the worst disaster in history that the ancient town, a UNESCO-recognised world heritage site, had witnessed in over four centuries since it emerged as a busy trading port in central Viet Nam. More than 1,000 ancient houses, including 100 relics built between 100 and 200 years ago, along with shops, restaurants and tourist destinations, will require inspections and redecorating to welcome visitors in the coming days after the cleaning activities are completed. Shop owners at one of the most popular destinations, Hoi An Market, where floodwater rose almost to the roof, spent hours cleaning tables and desks in preparation for reopening their pavilions. Environmental workers toiled to clear large piles of garbage that had accumulated at the Japanese Bridge over recent days. Floodwater has continued to block traffic in Triem Tay Village and eco-tourism sites along the Hoai River banks, Nguyen Phuc Chu Street, An Hoi Sculpture Park, the night market, shopping centres and the Hoai River Square, while boats remain the main means of transport for commuters travelling between the Old Quarter and the opposite bank of the Hoai River. Tanker trucks from the fire and rescue force delivered limited supplies of fresh water to residents in the Old Quarter, while Hoi An Towns power company has been working swiftly to restore electricity in flood-affected residential areas and villages. Tourism and trading services are expected to resume in the coming days once preparations, furniture repairs and indoor electrical checks are completed. Logistics, food and drinking water continue to be supplied to communities in the worst-affected areas of ien Ban, ai Loc, Go Noi and rural mountainous zones located 100 to 200km from downtown a Nang. VNS Kate Winslet will narrate King Charles' documentary about saving the planet. Kate Winslet will narrate King Charles' documentary The Mare of Easttown actress - who was named an ambassador for The King's Foundation in June - hailed working on Finding Harmony: A King's Vision a "pleasure and a privilege" and she hopes the Amazon Prime film will inspire people to take care of the world. She said the documentary willl offer a "fascinating insight into the Kings work as an environmentalist. She added: "It is a both pleasure and a privilege to be a part of this film. I share His Majestys passion for protecting our planet and building sustainable communities, so its been really rewarding to work with The Kings Foundation on this exciting project. I know audiences will learn, laugh and feel inspired by whats featured in the film, and I hope the impact of Harmony will be felt in years to come. The king previously admitted his "fondest hope" is that the project will encourage a new generation to help save the planet. He said: Nature is our sustainer; we are a part of nature. Therefore, what we do to her, we do to ourselves. For much of my life, I have sought to promote and encourage ways we can work with, rather than against, nature. In other words, to restore balance to our planet, which is under such stress. This film will, I hope, demonstrate just some of the remarkable work being done around the world to put harmony into practice, from the forests of Guyana to sustainable communities in India and, closer to home, through the work of my Kings Foundation at Dumfries House and Highgrove. Never has it been more important for the world to make a concerted effort to protect and prioritise our planet and to restore our relationship with it. It is therefore my fondest hope that this film may encourage a new audience to learn about the philosophy of harmony and perhaps inspire the same sense of determination it has given me to help build a more sustainable future. Filming began in January at Dumfries House in Ayrshire, where The King's Foundation is based, and guests in the documentary will include the charity's ambassador Sir David Beckham. Kristina Murrin, chief executive of the King's Foundation, said: At The Kings Foundation we are proud to have stood beside the King for the past 35 years of his harmony journey and it is both moving and inspiring to see that journey committed to film. Our work spans many of the Kings passions, whether that be protecting traditional skills, teaching young people about nature and the outdoors, or building green towns and cities with sustainability at their core. It is gratifying to see this work represented on screen in Finding Harmony. Cameras have also been present at the 76-year-old monarch's Highgrove home, and in July they captured footage of his first Harmony Summit, which saw the monarch draped in a circlet of feathers and a scarf while sacred smoke coiled up over the apple trees in a nod to traditional cultures and forms of healing. The documentary will see the king looking back over archive footage of his speeches and engagements but his appearances are said to be "minimal" so the film can focus on his work and ideas. HA NOI Viet Nam's Phenikaa University on October 31 hosted in Ha Noi the 13th Board Meeting of the Asia Technological University Network (ATU-Net), discussing new directions for education, research, and innovation cooperation. The event gathered leaders, scientists, and representatives from 20 member universities across the continent. They agreed on many important orientations for the new phase of the network (2025-27), focusing on improving the operational efficiency of Special Interest Groups (SIGs), promoting international publications and joint research cooperation among member schools, and expanding exchange programmes, research internships and cross-border innovation. The issues adopted at the meeting not only expand opportunities for academic cooperation in the region but also contribute to shaping a new vision for Asian technology higher education - towards connection, innovation, and sustainable development. A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signing ceremony was organised, eyeing further cooperation among ATU-Net members. According to the organisers, these activities not only marked a new milestone in cooperation among ATU-Net member institutions but also reflected the spirit of expanding connections, fostering academic exchange and research collaboration among countries, and strengthening bilateral relations between Viet Nam and other members. "ATU-Net was founded with a clear purpose: to connect, collaborate, and contribute towards global prominence in higher education and technological innovation," said Prof. Dr. Shafry Mohd Rahim, Chairman of ATU-Net. "As we gather here in Ha Noi, that founding purpose is more relevant than ever, especially in a world where international collaboration in higher education is not a luxury, but a necessity. "The challenges we face whether rapid technological change, shifting industry needs, or global issues such as pandemics and climate change demand collective action and agility. We can proudly say that ATU-Net has built a platform where such collective action is possible, connecting institutions across cultural and national boundaries in pursuit of common goals." The chairman took the opportunity to share the achievements of ATU-Net for the year 2024 in executing impactful programmes and fostering successful collaborations with strategic partners. It contributed to the formation of an innovative and cross-border academic community. 2024 was a pivotal year for ATU-Net with many outstanding results with the network sponsoring six regional programmes including International Staff Week, Student Leader Forum, InvENT Innovation Conference, and Sustainability Tech Challenge. Phenikaa University was one of the units that hosted and co-organised many typical activities, demonstrating Viet Nam's active role in the process of internationalising regional higher education. "Our network is more than a formal platform for meetings or agreements; it is a living ecosystem of ideas and partnerships," said Rahim. "Through ATU-Nets various initiatives academic staff and student mobility programmes, joint research projects, student innovation competitions, leadership development workshops, and more we have strengthened the Asia-Pacific higher education landscape, enabling collaboration that would have been difficult to achieve in isolation. "These activities have created new avenues for regional collaboration among universities, fostered extensive knowledge sharing, and led to student empowerment and academic innovation across our member institutions. He said ATU-Net strengthened the Asia-Pacific education landscape by empowering students and staff to exchange knowledge beyond borders. What made ATU-Net truly unique was its steadfast commitment to inclusivity and agility ensuring that universities of different sizes, strengths, and disciplines could work together effectively to achieve collective progress. ATU-Net was not only a network but a community one that learns and evolves together, driven by a shared mission to uplift higher education and technological innovation across Asia. ATU-Net is a strategic international alliance with the purpose of connecting technology-focused institutions of higher learning in Asia. Its mission is to support member universities in achieving world-class quality of education and research in engineering and technology through strategic international alliances. Established in 2016, ATU-Net has grown into a prestigious academic collaboration platform, now comprising 50 member universities from 13 Asia-Pacific countries. Through nearly a decade of development, the network has played a pivotal role in promoting joint research, student exchanges, innovation programmes, and summer schools, fostering a vibrant and sustainable academic community in the region. Since joining ATU-Net in 2020, Phenikaa University has been the only Vietnamese representative in this prestigious network. _ VNS HCM CITY Police have detained actress and film producer Truong Ngoc Anh, 49, on allegations of abusing trust to misappropriate significant company assets while serving as a business executive. The Economic Police Division under HCM City Police confirmed on Friday that Anh was taken into temporary custody for investigation. She previously held the position of chairwoman of the Board of Directors and General Director of Dragon Property Joint Stock Company, founded in 2007 with Anh as its legal representative. During the companys operations, Anh called P.G.M. (an Irish national), to contribute a total of US$9.1 million (over VND149 billion) for two real estate projects, including the Indochine building project in former District 3. Investigators allege that right before the time of signing the investment contract, Anh and N.M.H., a 61-year-old associate, personally signed purchase agreements for land at the project site at a lower value, then recorded a higher cost in company accounts to capture the difference. They also claim Anh used more than VN10 billion of refunded land compensation for personal purposes without reporting it. Police further accuse Anh of directing making of falsified accounting entries, withdrawing company money without proper authorisation, and altering financial statements to conceal irregularities. With a career of more than three decades, Anh is known for her roles in Ao lua Ha ong (The White Silk Dress), ong Tien Xuong Mau (Bloody Money), and other productions. She later expanded into film production with titles such as Huong Ga (Rise) and Truy Sat (Tracer), and served as Chairwoman of Miss Earth Vietnam 2023. The investigation is ongoing. VNS The donation was directly handed over to the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committees of both cities to provide urgent assistance to affected households on October 31. Over the past week, relentless downpours have paralysed life across Central Vietnam. In Hue and Danang, entire neighbourhoods are submerged, thousands of families have been displaced, and critical infrastructure has been heavily damaged. According to the National Centre for Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting, floodwaters on the Huong River in Hue and the Vu GiaThu Bon River system in Danang have surged beyond alert Level 3, with the Thu Bon River in Danang already surpassing its 1964 records. At Bach Ma (Hue), daily rainfall reached a staggering 1,739 mm, Vietnams highest ever recorded and among the largest single-day totals globally. Heavy rains and flooding have submerged many areas in Central Vietnam, leaving behind severe human and material losses In response, Carlsberg Vietnam, whose brands, people, and heritage have been woven into Vietnams growth story for over 30 years, has acted swiftly to provide meaningful support. The company contributed VND1 billion ($37,985) to Hue and VND500 million ($18,992) to Danang to help local families rebuild and recover from the floods. These funds were transferred directly to the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committees in both cities to provide emergency relief, repair damaged homes, and support livelihood restoration for the most affected households. Chairman of Hue People's Committee Phan Thien Dinh and city leaders received Carlsberg Vietnams VND1 billion ($37,985) donation to support local residents in overcoming the severe impacts of recent floods At Carlsberg Vietnam, our purpose goes far beyond what we brew; it lies in the communities we serve and the values we uphold, said Andrew Khan, managing director of Carlsberg Vietnam. For us, compassion and responsibility have always guided the way we operate. When our communities face hardship, its only right that we stand beside them and offer support. We hope this contribution brings comfort and encouragement to affected families and can create meaningful change, he added. Together, we can help rebuild not just homes, but hope staying true to our purpose of brewing for a better today and tomorrow. Local authorities expressed appreciation for Carlsberg Vietnams timely and meaningful support during one of the regions most challenging moments. Representatives from Hue Peoples Committee and Danang Fatherland Front Committee commended the companys ongoing care for the community, emphasising that the contribution will provide both practical assistance and emotional encouragement for thousands of affected families. Andrew Khan, managing director of Carlsberg Vietnam, directly presented a donation of VND500 million ($18,992) to Nguyen Thi Thanh Phuong, vice chairwoman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Danang. A lasting commitment to community and social responsibility For more than three decades, Carlsberg Vietnam has stood alongside Vietnamese communities not only as a brewer, but as a trusted and responsible partner. That commitment continues to inspire the companys long-term community programmes, which aim to create tangible and lasting impacts across the country. The Fresh Water for Beloved Central initiative, now in its seventh year, continues to bring clean water to thousands of households across Central provinces, improving living conditions for nearly 40,000 people and strengthening local resilience to climate challenges. In parallel, the annual Tet is Full, Tet is Love programme, running since 2014, has reached more than 75,000 beneficiaries and continues to bring warmth, connection, and festive care to underprivileged families every Lunar New Year. We are deeply grateful for the trust and support of the communities we serve, said Khan. As we continue our journey in Vietnam, we remain committed to contributing positively, brewing not only quality products, but also care, connection, and shared progress for a brighter tomorrow. Brewing sustainability: Carlsberg Vietnam cleans up for a greener tomorrow Carlsberg Vietnam marked World Environment Day 2025 with a coastal clean-up, uniting employees and partners to promote sustainability and inspire lasting environmental change in local communities. Carlsberg Vietnam inaugurates expanded Phu Bai Brewery Carlsberg Vietnam, in coordination with Hue Peoples Committee, held an inauguration ceremony for the Phu Bai Brewery project expansion on August 26, marking a major milestone on the company's journey of innovation, sustainability, and long-term commitment to Vietnam. At the awards ceremony held on October 24, Melia Forest Bay Phu Quoc was honoured as Best Resort Development, underscoring CityLand Groups strategic foresight and long-term vision in premium hospitality. The recognition reaffirms the Groups position as one of Vietnams leading multi-sector corporations. This award underscores CityLand Groups strong competitiveness and strategic vision in the luxury real estate market, while reflecting the growing influence of Vietnamese developers in driving sustainable tourism in line with global standards. Nestled in the Rach Tram area of Phu Quoc, Melia Forest Bay Phu Quoc is among the few rare destinations in Vietnam that offer an authentic, one-of-a-kind retreat, where the lush greenery of the forest meets the whispers of rivers, mountains, and sea, painting a breathtaking portrait of nature in harmony. Managed by Melia Hotels International, the world-renowned hospitality group from Spain, the hotel is a sanctuary where guests can rediscover tranquillity in the pristine beauty of the island and the nostalgic charm of traditional fishing villages. Together, these elements create a world-class resort experience that honours both modern luxury and local cultural identity. According to the award organisers, the Best Resort Development category features one of the most rigorous selection processes, with criteria spanning from architectural design and construction quality to guest experience, sustainability, and brand development strategy. Melia Forest Bay Phu Quoc captured the hearts of the independent judging panel through its seamless integration of contemporary local aesthetics and a deep-rooted commitment to sustainable development, setting a new benchmark for Vietnams luxury resort real estate industry. Featuring a full range of 5-star amenities, Melia Forest Bay Phu Quoc is designed to offer guests an immersive and restorative experience. Its nature-inspired spa, infinity pool, fine dining options, and wellness facilities create a serene setting that reflects the islands natural beauty and calm atmosphere. We are honoured that Melia Forest Bay Phu Quoc has been recognised at the 2025 Vietnam Property Awards, said a CityLand Group representative. For us, every project is more than a development its an expression of lifestyle and humanity. This recognition is both a moment of pride and a reminder of our commitment to creating spaces where people and nature thrive together in balance and harmony. This prestigious recognition marks a significant milestone for CityLand Group in Vietnams luxury resort real estate sector, reinforcing its vision to develop projects that meet international standards while preserving cultural authenticity. As a reputable multi-sector corporation with a strong presence in urban, commercial, and high-end real estate, CityLand Group has consistently asserted its leading position through a portfolio of landmark developments in Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi and Phu Quoc. In partnership with Melia Hotels International, CityLand Group continues to pioneer sustainable resort models that blend emotional experiences with environmental stewardship, contributing to elevating Vietnams tourism industry on the global hospitality map. Nha Trang becomes first Gran Melia Resort location in Southeast Asia Marking its grand debut on July 6, Gran Melia Nha Trang is the group's first ultra-luxury resort in Southeast Asia, expanding its signature philosophy of A Life Well Lived with the promise to cater to every aspect of guests' wellbeing. Escape to romance at Melia Ho Tram Beach Resort Just a 2-hour drive from Ho Chi Minh City , Melia Ho Tram Beach Resort offers couples a perfect blend of romance and luxury with its special all-inclusive package. More than a celebration, the event was a night of knowledge, aspiration, and belief in a generation of young people who dare to dream big, push boundaries, and persist through challenges in pursuit of scientific research. Thus, they can affirm themselves and contribute to serving the nation and the community. Ten outstanding young faces were named in the Golden Globe Science and Technology Awards category. These individuals are working tirelessly to address some of the most pressing global challenges, from clean energy, AI, and new materials to precision medicine and biotechnology. This years awards attracted 83 young scientists, up 34 per cent from 2024. Among them, 26 Vietnamese talents are working in the worlds leading sci-tech hubs, such as the US, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, France, and Sweden. It is clear that Vietnamese people are not only global citizens but also capable of conquering new frontiers of knowledge. Meanwhile, the Vietnam Science and Technology Female Student Awards also recorded 176 excellent nominations from 45 universities, up nearly 60 per cent from a year ago. Among them, there were four ethnic minority female students and 24 young Party members. They prove that Vietnamese women are fully capable of excelling in fields once dominated by men. At the ceremony, Nguyen Minh Triet, secretary of the Central Committee of the Youth Union and chairman of the awards council, said, In this new era of national development, the Golden Globe and Science and Technology Female Student Awards have the mission of discovering, nurturing, and unlocking young talents the future leaders of Vietnam. He added, We highly appreciate the quality of this years awards, which reflect the pioneering spirit of Vietnamese youth in the new era of national development. During the journey, we also recognise the support of organisations, businesses, schools, and teachers who have helped young people access knowledge and nurture their passion for scientific research. The awards also highlight the ecosystem that cultivates young scientific talent while promoting innovation, collaboration, and creativity. Thus, a new generation of young intellectuals is taking shape. They are fearless in the face of challenges, venturing into new areas, bringing their knowledge to serve society, and elevating Vietnam on the global stage. Do Van Chien, chairman of the Central Committee of the Vietnamese Fatherland Front, said, Science, technology, and innovation are fundamental to determining the nations position in the global era. The nations at the forefront of technology are the ones shaping the future of humanity. He called on ministries, sectors, and social organisations to review and refine policies that identify and support young scientific talents, from tax, land, and credit incentives to the establishment of talent incubation and innovation centres within universities, research institutes, and high-tech zones. It is vital to build a global network of Vietnamese experts, mobilising social resources, enterprises, and scholarship funds to empower young talents, turning knowledge into real national power, he added. On the sidelines of the event, Nguyen Duy Hung, member of the Board of Directors at Tan Hiep Phat Beverage Group, said, Tan Hiep Phat has accompanied the Golden Globe Science and Technology Awards for 14 consecutive years a journey of unwavering support with the belief in the power of Vietnamese people. A nations strength lies not only in its material resources but also in knowledge and the will of its people. Tan Hiep Phat supports the Golden Globe Awards with a view to empower young intellectuals. With the nothing is impossible spirit, they are shaping the future of Vietnam, Hung said. As a Vietnamese enterprise pioneering in the field of healthy beverages, Tan Hiep Phat remains steadfast to the philosophy: dare to think, dare to do, and dare to be different, putting people at the heart of all development. The Golden Globe Awards become a bridge between knowledge, businesses, and the community, between scientific passion and the practical journey of value creation. Le Duy Dung, who won the Golden Globe Awards in the IT, digital transformation, and automation, said, The 2025 Golden Globe Awards were a great encouragement for myself. It opens up an opportunity for me to connect with young scientists at home and abroad, contributing to bringing Vietnamese technology to the world. Whenever I want to stop, I always remind myself that there is companionship and support around me. Scientific research is a long-term journey, not a short-term race, he added. At the ceremony, Vu Phuong Thanh, who has conquered the most extreme races in the world, shared, The moment of honour is just the beginning. Behind it is a journey of perseverance and relentless efforts of young Vietnamese scientists. They inspire me to conquer new challenges, which is aligned with the spirit of number one energy: dare to pursue, and dare not stop. The spirit Fuel the energy, persist your passion to become your number one version is the invisible thread connecting people across fields from sport to science and creativity. Whether in a harsh environment or the laboratories, they have the shared aspirations to push their limits and reach new heights. From young scientists researching renewable energy and AI to female students devoted to biotechnology labs, all are writing a new chapter for Vietnamese intellect. Each idea, each project, and each act of perseverance affirms that Vietnam can rise powerfully through science and innovation. The Golden Globe Awards are not only a destination but also a journey of spreading inspiration. Thus, every young Vietnamese person, wherever they are, can be energised to move forward, to dream bigger, and to dare to realise their dreams. Vietnam, Japan enhance cooperation in sci-tech, innovation, and digital transformation Vietnam and Japan are expected to see increasing ties in joint research initiatives, technology commercialisation, startup promotion, high-quality human resources, and AI infrastructure development. The journey of Number 1 Energy Drink and rapper Den inspires passion Number 1 Energy Drink has released a new television commercial featuring rapper Den and its limited-edition Number 1 bottle with the slogan "Fuel the energy, persist your passion". On October 16, Haiphong Peoples Committee issued Decision No.4068/QD-UBND to establish the citys FTZ, covering about 6,292 hectares within the Southern Coastal Economic Zone (EZ) and the Dinh VuCat Hai EZ. The move is expected to attract new-generation foreign investment, boost trade facilitation, and enhance Nam Dinh Vu Industrial Park's (IP) role as a strategic industrial and logistics hub in Vietnams north. It will be the first comprehensive FTZ in the north, expected to boost regional GDP growth and restructure the industrial-logistics value chain in Haiphong and the northern region. The FTZ is distributed across three locations: the Southern Coastal EZ of Haiphong (about 2,923 ha); the Dinh Vu - Cat Hai EZ, including Nam Dinh Vu IP (Zone 2) and the non-tariff zone - Nam Dinh Vu IP (Zone 1) (about 1,077 ha); and the Dinh Vu - Cat Hai EZ on Cat Hai Island, the Cat Hai Special Zone (about 2,292 ha). Nam Dinh Vu IP a part of Haiphongs Free Trade Zone model Haiphongs FTZ is envisioned as a new growth engine, contributing to the implementation of Resolution No.45-NQ/TW of the Politburo. It aims to become a regional and international competitive hub for manufacturing, logistics, commerce-services, high technology, and finance; promoting high-tech industries, innovation, digital transformation, and green growth. The FTZ is organised into functional zones including manufacturing, port and port logistics, logistics centres, commercial-service zones, and other functional areas as regulated. Nam Dinh Vu IP lies within Zone 2 of the Dinh VuCat Hai EZ, at the core of Haiphongs new FTZ, said Nguyen Thanh Phuong, CEO of Sao Do Group. Its strategic location and access to tax incentives create both an opportunity and a responsibility for Nam Dinh Vu to strengthen its role as a key driver in Haiphongs development strategy. One of Nam Dinh Vu IPs strongest advantages is its integrated transportation system encompassing all five modes: road, rail, sea, air, and inland waterways, creating a flexible cargo transport network that saves time and costs. The park's internal seaport features seven container berths capable of receiving vessels up to 50,000 DWT, helping reduce logistics costs and improve import-export efficiency for businesses. With a total area of 1,329 ha, Nam Dinh Vu IP is planned into four zones: industrial land, seaport logistics, integrated industry, and oil and liquid cargo. Its completed infrastructure is ready for handover, including high-capacity power supply, water supply and drainage, wastewater treatment, internal roads, and a wastewater treatment plant meeting international environmental standards. When investing in Nam Dinh Vu IP, businesses receive comprehensive support from the developer and city authorities through a streamlined one-stop mechanism, covering procedures from investment registration, business establishment, construction permits to land use rights certification. The process is efficiently implemented, saving maximum time and administrative costs. As a result, Nam Dinh Vu has become a top destination for major corporations in supporting industries, electronics, chemicals, warehousing, and international logistics services. As of the end of the third quarter this year, Nam Dinh Vu IP has attracted $3 billion in foreign investment, including a raft of projects from Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Singapore, and the EU. Investors highly appreciate the clear legal environment and reasonable operating costs and its strategic location in the global supply chain especially amid geopolitical tensions that have made supply chain diversification increasingly urgent. The establishment of the new-generation FTZ is a strategic move to create new growth space, develop a complete production-logistics ecosystem, and entice high value-added investments. Nam Dinh Vu IP is being developed as a model of sustainable and modern growth integrating IPs, free trade zones, seaports, and logistics services within a unified infrastructure and open investment environment, said Phuong. It is set to become a key destination for high-quality investment capital. Rooftop solar panels are being implemented at Nam Dinh Vu IP At Nam Dinh Vu IP, developer Sao Do Group has expedited diverse clean production and energy solutions. From the planning stage, the zones were arranged in a closed supply chain, allowing businesses within the park to utilise each others output, thereby reducing production and transportation costs while minimising waste generation. The circular economy model being applied at Nam Dinh Vu IP has proven successful, attracting many high-tech global investors. One example is the SiO (basic chemical) production undertaking in Vietnam by Innox Ecom Vina Co., Ltd., part of INNOX Holdings Group from South Korea, located in Nam Dinh Vu IP (Zone 1). The venture, with a total investment of $20 million, has just completed phase 1, including 15 advanced technological devices. All the products are exported to European and American markets, and the first shipment was successfully dispatched. This marks a milestone for the company to expand production and delivery volume in the near future. Kim Ki Young, director of Overseas Project Development at INNOX Holdings, said, Nam Dinh Vu IP has a favourable geographical location, excellent environmental conditions, and strong support from the developer, so our company can confidently organise production, import goods, and export products worldwide. Sharing the same view, Ryu Sung Joom, deputy general director of Innox Ecom Vina Co., Ltd., said, Nam Dinh Vu IPs inclusion in the FTZ will enhance its competitiveness, making it an attractive destination for investors. The implementation of the project on the second plot of land will be accelerated by Innox Ecom Vina, and other member companies of the INNOX Group may also consider investing abroad, including in Haiphong. Currently, Nam Dinh Vu IP is continuing to develop rooftop solar power projects at businesses, conducting research on using cold vapour from liquefied natural gas storage for cooling within the park, and building a mangrove forest system around the park to increase green space. To realise the goal of becoming a national and Red River Delta regional centre for industry and high technology by 2030, Haiphong is steering its entire system of IPs and EZs toward eco-smart models. The city continues to encourage investors to develop eco-smart industrial parks based on green, circular, energy-efficient, and fully digitalised models, in line with the Politburos Resolution 57. Priority is given to projects that commit to technology transfer, renewable energy use, and adherence to international environmental standards. Nam Dinh Vu Industrial Park's green development Haiphong is scaling up efforts towards green development, with Sao Do Group's Nam Dinh Vu Industrial Park as a shining example. Sao Do Group and CME Solar Company to invest in rooftop solar in Nam Dinh Vu IP In pursuit of the government's sustainable development objectives, Sao Do Group and CME Solar Investment JSC (CME Solar) have joined forces to invest in a rooftop solar power system within Nam Dinh Vu Industrial Park (IP) in Haiphong. Prince William and Princess Kate have called for a better, more sustainable world in a new social media post. Prince William and Princess Kate have called for a better, more sustainable world in a new social media post Just after King Charles formally began the process of stripping Prince Andrew of his titles and honours, the couple, both 43, shared the message on their Kensington Royal X account as part of ongoing promotion for the Earthshot Prize, Williams environmental initiative recognising global projects tackling climate change. The post included a two-minute video highlighting finalists from Barbados, Bangladesh and the United States, describing how each is helping communities adapt to environmental challenges. William and Kate wrote: We envision a world thats a better, more sustainable home for everyone. A world where greenhouse gas emissions are falling, and carbon-neutral economies help protect the most vulnerable. A world like this is within reach. It was the fifth consecutive day the Prince and Princess of Wales had posted Earthshot content, following videos released throughout the past week. William, unveiling the Earthshot shortlist earlier this month, reflected on the urgency of the prizes mission. He said: Back then, a decade felt a long time. George was seven, Charlotte five and Louis two; the thought of them in 2030 felt a lifetime away. But today, as we stand halfway through this critical decade, 2030 feels very real. Five winners will each receive 1 million when the Earthshot Prize is awarded on 5 November at the Museum of Tomorrow in Rio de Janeiro, ahead of the COP30 UN climate summit. The latest Earthshot message appeared less than a day after Buckingham Palace confirmed King Charles, 76, had ordered the removal of Andrews HRH style, titles and honours. In a statement, the Palace said: Prince Andrew will now be known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor. These censures are deemed necessary, notwithstanding the fact that he continues to deny the allegations against him. It added: Their Majesties wish to make clear that their thoughts and utmost sympathies have been, and will remain with, the victims and survivors of any and all forms of abuse. Andrew, 65, is expected to vacate Royal Lodge and live privately under the Kings care at Sandringham Estate. Royal sources told The Daily Mail that he could receive around 500,000 as part of the early termination of his lease agreement. Meanwhile, Republic, the anti-monarchy campaign group, said it had instructed lawyers to explore a private prosecution against Andrew over allegations relating to his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein. 10,000 strong petition calls for end to unsafe corridor care in NHS Wales A petition calling for an end to unsafe corridor care across NHS Wales has gained more than 10,000 signatures and will now be debated in the Senedd. The petition, supported by 10,533 people, was launched by the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) Wales and the British Medical Association (BMA) Cymru Wales. It urges the Welsh Government to take immediate action to stop patients being treated in corridors, waiting areas and other unsuitable spaces. Dr Manish Adke, chair of the BMAs Welsh Consultants Committee, said: This overwhelming response sends an unequivocal message: the Welsh public, healthcare professionals, and patients are united in their concern about the ongoing crisis of patients being treated in hospital corridors. Across Wales, patients are increasingly being cared for in corridors, waiting areas, and other unsuitable spaces due to chronic overcrowding and resource shortages within NHS hospitals. This practice exposes vulnerable individuals to a lack of privacy, dignity, and essential care, while staff struggle to deliver safe treatment without adequate equipment or support. Such conditions are not only distressing for patients and their families, but also place healthcare professionals in impossible situations, forced to choose between unsafe options. The petition follows months of reports from doctors and nurses describing unsafe conditions in hospitals. Among the anonymous testimonies shared with the unions were accounts of patients waiting up to three days for a bed, being examined in corridors, or remaining on ambulances due to a lack of space. One healthcare worker said: I have seen patients where diagnoses have been missed due to inadequate places to examine them. Another reported: I routinely see patients on the back of an ambulance, patients whose treatments are delayed due to no beds or cardiac monitoring spaces. Helen Whyley, National Director of RCN Wales, said: We remain committed to working with policymakers and stakeholders to ensure patient safety is placed at the heart of NHS reform in Wales. We will continue to champion the rights of patients and staff, pressing for urgent action to address the corridor care crisis. The closure of the corridor care petition marks not the end, but the beginning of renewed efforts to restore dignity, safety, and high-quality care to all patients in Wales. We call on the Welsh Government to listen to healthcare professionals and the public, and to act decisively on these clear demands. The petition makes four key demands of the Welsh Government: Record and report all instances of corridor care to ensure transparency and accountability. Pause any further reductions in hospital beds until safe alternatives are in place. Invest in community-based care to reduce pressure on hospitals. Prioritise prevention and early intervention to keep people out of hospital. The petition has now been formally presented to the Welsh Government, with a debate scheduled in the Senedd in November. Former nurse to scale Iraqs Mount Halgard for homeless veterans christmas meals A former nurse in Wrexham is preparing to scale one of Iraqs highest and most perilous peaks in a remarkable bid to provide Christmas meals for homeless veterans with vital support once again coming from Rhug Estate. Dr Richard Mottershead, now a Professor of Nursing from Llangynhafal, will take on Mount Halgard, an 11,834-foot summit in Iraqs rugged Kurdish region, to raise funds for Adferiads veterans charity Change Step. Ive been involved in supporting the development of Change Step from its very beginning 15 years ago, said Dr Mottershead. My goal is to provide Christmas meals for homeless veterans, but the climb will be anything but easy. Its a perilous journey of endurance and heart, with freezing winds and razor-sharp ridges an ascent not just for the summit, but for those who once faced their own battles. Dr Mottershead is self-funding the expedition, ensuring every penny raised supports the Change Step Christmas Meals Challenge. This years goal is 650 to fund 50 festive meals for veterans across Wales. Once again, Lord Newborough owner of Rhug Estate, near Corwen has stepped forward to support the cause, donating their award-winning organic produce for the second consecutive year. He said: Its a privilege to once again support Richard and the Change Step Christmas meals challenge, helping to provide a sense of warmth and belonging for veterans who have given so much. At Rhug, we believe food has the power to bring people together, and there is no better example of that than this initiative. Were proud that produce from our estate can play even a small part in such a meaningful cause. Richards remarkable journey in healthcare began 25 years ago when he started working within the mental health services as a nurse auxiliary, now called a Healthcare Support Worker. Inspired by the compassion and dedication of colleagues, he decided to train as a mental health nurse. Their passion and knowledge of mental health was incredible, he said. Their compassion for those they cared for was a legacy that is still very much alive in North Wales today. Richard trained in Wrexham before gaining experience across North Wales, Powys, and England. Then came a voluntary role at a Transylvanian asylum in Romania. The festive meals funded through the climb will be prepared by Sue Kerby, landlady of the Golden Lion Pub in Llangynhafal, who has been described as the beating heart of the campaign. Sue will lead the Change Step elves in delivering hearty Christmas feasts to veterans across the region. Adding to the community spirit, Ruthin Tesco has joined the campaign this year, pledging to provide fresh vegetables and Christmas puddings ensuring that every plate served is a true taste of home and gratitude. Now a visiting professor in Iraq, Dr Mottershead said the countrys people have embraced his challenge with pride. People here are so happy and proud that their national mountain is the focal point for this challenge, he said. To support Dr Richard Mottersheads challenge and donate to the Change Step Christmas Meals campaign, visit his Justgiving page here. Wrexham University honours five outstanding community champions for local contributions Four outstanding individuals and one community organisation, who have made remarkable contributions to the community, have been recognised with Honorary Fellowships by Wrexham University. During this weeks graduation ceremonies, the University conferred Honorary Fellowships to: Renowned poet and author Aled Lewis Evans for his contribution to the Welsh language, arts and culture in the region and his longstanding support of the University. Huw Jones MBE, Jones Bros Civil Engineering UK chairman, in recognition of his services to North Wales, business and green engineering. Liam Evans-Ford, Executive Director of Theatr Clwyd, to recognise his contribution to arts and culture in the region and his longstanding support of the University. Critical Care Practitioner, Kate Humphries for her dedication to advancing the development of the Universitys Paramedic students, and commitment to trauma informed practice. North East Wales Multicultural Hub in recognition of their work in promoting and celebrating the diversity of cultures in our community. Honorary Fellowships are prestigious awards bestowed upon individuals and groups in recognition of their significant commitment to the University and the wider community. The first Honorary Fellowship to be awarded this week was presented to Mr Lewis Evans on Monday afternoon during the first graduation ceremony of the week. Mr Lewis Evans, a Wrexham-based writer and minister, has made a distinguished contribution to Welsh literature and culture through decades of poetry, prose, and broadcasting. Since 1982, he has published numerous collections in Welsh and English, including Driftwood, Someone else in the audience, and Afterglow. A former presenter on Marcher Sound, he regularly contributes to BBC Radio Cymru and today serves as Minister in Wrexham and Chester, following two decades as a lay-preacher across Wales, and continues to engage audiences through literary events and cultural reflection. In recent months, he was interviewed at the Wrexham National Eisteddfod by Bethan Gwanas in the Literature Tent about his life and publications, and organised a special event at Maes D to look back at the eight National Eisteddfodau that have taken place in the Wrexham area between 1876 and 2025. On receiving the honour, he said: I feel deeply honoured and humbled to receive this recognition. Writing has been a lifelong journey for me, through poetry, radio, and ministry, so to be acknowledged in this way, especially here in Wrexham, is profoundly moving. Im grateful for the opportunity to share stories that connect us, and I hope they continue to inspire peace, reflection, and a sense of belonging. On Tuesday, it was a special moment for Mr Evans-Ford as he became an Honorary Fellow in Theatr Clwyds sister venue, the William Aston Hall based on campus at the University. He was recognised for his work at Theatr Clwyd, Wales largest producing theatre, where he has led transformative growth since 2016 increasing turnover from 5m to 12.2m, delivering more than 72 world premieres, and securing major UK Theatre, Olivier, and Stage awards. He is currently leading on a 50m redevelopment of Theatr Clwyds Grade II listed building and has positioned the theatre as a national leader in social impact, with pioneering partnerships across health, housing, and education. Mr Evans-Ford said: I feel deeply proud to be recognised by Wrexham University and to now hold the status of Honorary Fellow, in recognition of my nine years as CEO at Theatr Clwyd. To be responsible for the biggest-producing theatre in Wales and one of the biggest in the UK is, in itself, a huge privilege. However, the most important thing to me is the impact Theatr Clwyd has on people, and the care, insight, ambition, and world awareness that the arts can offer for communities. I am proud of the referral partnerships we have with the NHS, social services, refugee charities, care homes, and housing associations. Im proud of the lives weve impacted, the young people weve helped inspire, and the social change we continue to work towards to realise our mission To Make the World a Happier Place. The values of Theatr Clwyd align perfectly with those of Wrexham University, making this Fellowship an even greater honour and privilege. I look forward to continuing to support the Universitys work even more in the future through partnership working and within this new ambassadorial role. The third Honorary Fellowship awarded this week was to Huw Jones MBE, who has led Jones Bros Civil Engineering UK for more than 50 years, including 40 years as Managing Director and the past decade as Chairman, driving its growth to a 155 million turnover and one of the UKs largest privately owned plant fleets. A champion of young talent, Mr Jones established an award-winning apprenticeship scheme that now accounts for 40 per cent of the 550-strong workforce. He is a Fellow of the Institution of Civil Engineers, serves on CECA Wales and CBI Wales committees, and was awarded an MBE in 2020 for his outstanding contribution to the sector. Mr Jones also has a long-standing relationship with Wrexham University, having completed his studies at our predecessor institution, North East Wales Institute of Higher Education (NEWI). Jones Bros Civil Engineering UK also runs full degree apprenticeships, partnered with the University and Coleg Cambria, which includes a BEng (Hons) in Civil Engineering and a BSc (Hons) in Quantity Surveying. Mr Jones MBE said: Personally, Im absolutely thrilled to be recognised with this prestigious Honorary Fellowship. As a North Wales native, its fantastic to see the positive impact weve had in the area. From upskilling young people through our apprenticeship scheme, to engaging with local suppliers on our projects, Im proud weve contributed to enhancing the economic and social status of various communities through our work. The firms growth is down to the dedication of our team members, many of whom began as apprentices or trainees before entering senior positions. Im very thankful for their commitment. Looking ahead, I hope we continue to establish our presence as a leading civil engineering firm by delivering high-quality schemes across the UK, especially within North Wales. Ms Humphries, who is a Critical Care Practitioner (CCP) with the Emergency Medical Retrieval and Transfer Service (EMRTS), working in partnership with the Wales Air Ambulance, was the penultimate recipient of an Honorary Fellow as part of the Universitys autumn 2025 graduation ceremonies. Ms Humphries joined the Wales Air Ambulance service back in 2017, bringing with her a strong background in paramedicine, having previously worked with the West Midlands Ambulance Service and the Welsh Ambulance Service. She is involved in the education and training of advanced life support courses for adults and children to a wide range of healthcare professionals and developing Advanced Practice MSc modules for Helicopter Emergency Medical Services (HEMS) and Retrieval and Transfer Medicine. She leads on development of internal training for Emergency Medical Retrieval and Transfer Service (EMRTS) and Adult Critical Care Transfer Service (ACCTS) colleagues, including expanding the scope of practice of paramedics and nurses within the service to ensure the best possible care for the people of Wales. She has provided valuable support to the University, through giving students real-world experiential learning opportunities, and helping to drive the institutions work to improve trauma education within Wales. Ms Humphries said she was honoured to have been awarded an Honorary Fellowship from the University. She said: In my day job I work for a pre-hospital critical care team, delivering some of the most advanced paramedic-led interventions to the people of Wales. The rate at which the role of a paramedic has developed is incredible, and the scope of practice and opportunities available for graduates is huge, but with that must come a sound knowledge base, and the ability to provide evidence-based care to those requiring our service is integral to patient safety. This is gained through education, and it has been my privilege to deliver enhanced and advanced critical care practice sessions and run trauma-based workshops for Wrexham University students. Paramedic education and the development of paramedic practice is so important to me, and I am grateful for being able to support the next generation of paramedics. The enthusiasm and dedication of the students and staff at Wrexham is outstanding, and I am confident that they will provide immense benefit to the populations they serve. It is a privilege to play a small role in that process, and I am immensely humbled by this recognition. The final Honorary Fellowship of the week, which was awarded yesterday (Wednesday), was to the North East Wales Multicultural Hub. This was only the second time that the University has presented a collective award to a group. The Hub has been recognised for its outstanding support of North East Wales diverse communities, creating inclusive spaces for cultural events, learning, and intergenerational engagement. Through its work, the group has fostered greater understanding of different traditions, strengthened regional pride, and inspired a shared commitment to the future of the area. Speaking on behalf of the North East Wales Multicultural Hub, Iolanda Banu Viegas, Project Coordinator, said: We at the North Wales Multicultural Hub are truly honoured and delighted to receive this Fellowship from Wrexham University. It is a meaningful recognition of our teams tireless efforts to create spaces where people from all backgrounds can connect, share, and thrive. This award inspires us to continue fostering a more inclusive and vibrant Wales for everyone. Prunella Scales' son Samuel West last had a "proper conversation" with his late mom two years ago. Prunella Scales died on Monday (27.10.25) after a long battle with dementia The Fawlty Towers actress died at her home in London, England, on Monday (27.10.25) after a long battle with vascular dementia. Prunella was diagnosed with the degenerative condition - which causes a decline in thinking, memory, and reasoning skills - in 2013, but she suffered memory difficulties in 2001. And it caused the late star to ask Samuel how old she was in 2023 - which marked their final real discussion. He said on the latest episode of 77-year-old broadcaster Gyles Brandreth's Rosebud podcast - recorded before Prunella's death: "The last proper conversation I had with her was a couple of years ago, where she said to me, 'How old am I?' "And I said, 'You're 91, mom.' And she said, '91? F***.' "Beautifully, beautifully enunciated, beautifully timed. And it's not quite the last conversation we had, but it may turn out to be the last one that made any sort of sense." Despite her health deteriorating, Prunella was able to chat with Queen Camilla, 78, during an event at Lamb House, Rye, East Sussex, England, last year, and the celebration's host, Gyles, told Sam that Prunella's condition was not clear to others. Speaking about the event - which was held at the home of E. F. Benson, who penned the Mapp and Lucia stories, which were adapted for TV, with Prunella being a star in the drama - Gyles said: "Last year, she very sweetly came with your father. "They came down to Rye because I was hosting an event at Lamb House, once the home of E.F. Benson, who wrote the wonderful Mapp and Lucia stories that your mother, Prunella Scales, starred in the television version with Geraldine McEwen and Nigel Hawthorne. It was a wonderful series. "And we went down there, and your father read from the books, and he was in very good form. "Queen Camilla came, and what was interesting is that your mother seemed to recognise Queen Camilla. Certainly, they kissed and they had a happy chat. "And if you hadn't known [about Prunella having dementia], you almost wouldn't have known ... she laughed at the jokes." However, Prunella needed "constant care" following the death of her beloved 90-year-old husband, legendary actor Timothy West, in November 2024, but she still went out and about. Sam said: "She saw my eight year old sing at the same church where my father's memorial was, St. James's [Church] Piccadilly, only a couple of months ago. "We've had a stairlift fitted, so now she sleeps upstairs and is looked after at home. She needs constant care, but she gets out. "And the pictures I have, I couldn't make the show, unfortunately, but the pictures I have of them together show them absolutely enjoying each other's company." He added: "She's never really been angry or anxious, as a person with dementia. She's quite content, I think, which is fairly extraordinary because it could be a lot worse. "We're solvent and have been able to afford drugs that slow the onset of the disease for nearly 25 years. "The most difficult thing is my father losing his best mate, and her wit going. They were always able to make each other laugh. "There were two great blessings in my parents' marriage. They worked about the same amount of time, they were unemployed for about the same amount of time. "They were roughly as famous as each other, and they always made each other laugh - that's three things. "He couldn't sort of understand where that person had gone. My father's died. They probably went in the wrong order. "She's not very responsive, and we have to be honest and say she's not well enough to know that he's gone, which sort of sounds sad, but then she's not mourning a 61-year marriage, which at her age is pretty cool, I think. "She's in love with her carer, who is a very nice young woman." And Sam said Prunella - who also has a son called Joseph - was never happy with herself in her younger days. He added: "I think my mother didn't love being herself and that was one of the hardest things about her dementia, because as soon as she couldn't pretend to be somebody else she got rather upset." Go for big eats and high spirits this week. Try fresh sips from Long Weekend and Candelaria via Bar Crenn, or make your own fun on the San Francisco Martini Trail and at the Fall Cider Fest. Then dig in to barbecue at Stateline Road Smokehouse, Dandelions 12 Nights of Chocolate, and La Cocina's Street Food Festival. Jump ahead to this week's top events: Dig into a multi-course barbeque feast in Napa. Lace up for the return of the Union Square Ice Rink. Support independent print at launch part for the Alameduh zine. Cozy up for the San Francisco Fall Cider Fest. Have a good one. Go grunge, but make it gay. Join Peaches Christ and Edwin Outwater for Smells Like Queen Spirit, a night of the iconic genre performed by the Bays legendary drag queens; Monday at 7:30pm. // Roar Shack Live, 34 7th St. (SoMa); tickets at eventbrite.com Trek the San Francisco Martini Trail as you check off the list of nearly two dozen of the citys best cocktail destinations from classy hotel lounges to dimly-lit dives. // Details at sftravel.com Honor Movember sans-facial hair. Try the bourbon-forward November cocktail lineup at Mastro's Steakhouse and support the Movember Foundation with a Date Night or a Moustache in Flight; through November 30th. // Mastro's Steakhouse, 399 Geary St. (TenderNob); reservations at mastrosrestaurants.com Dig into a multi-course barbeque feast with chef Darryl Bell of Napas Stateline Road Smokehouse and guest chefs Joe Hou of SFs Angler and Burt Bakman of LAs Slab BBQ at a dinner hosted by Salty Magazine; Tuesday at 5pm. // Stateline Road Smokehouse, 872 Vallejo St. (Napa); reservations at statelineroadcom.as.me Clock out early to visit Long Weekend, a new immersive cocktail bar that takes you to a different destination every nine months. Go now for a taste of Havana; Tuesdays through Sundays. // Long Weekend, 270 Columbus Ave. (North Beach); reservations at longweekendbar.com Celebrate 30 years of KQEDs The California Report with a live showcase of California storytelling, food, and music with hosts Sasha Khokha and Madi Bolanos, plus other local guests; Tuesday at 7pm. // The Commons at KQED, 2601 Mariposa St. (Mission); tickets at kqed.org Drink like a Parisian at the Bar Crenn Candelaria pop-up. The acclaimed Paris cocktail bar will be stopping by to sling a special trio served with sweet and savory plates; Wednesday at 4:45pm. // Bar Crenn Lounge, 3131 Fillmore St. (Cow Hollow); tickets at exploretock.com Lace up for the return of the Union Square Ice Rink. Because its never too early to get in the holiday spirit; Wednesday through January 19th. // Union Square Ice Rink, 333 Post St. (Union Square); tickets at unionsquareicerink.com Double dip your art forms at the San Francisco Dance Film Festival. Catch everything from in-depth feature documentaries to engaging shorts programs; Wednesday through Sunday. // Tickets and details at sfdancefilmfest.org Indulge in 12 Nights of Chocolate. Dandelion Chocolates multi-day affair brings brunches, dinners, curated tastings, a musical performance, and movie screenings to their factory to highlight the Bay Area food community and benefit the SF-Marin Food Bank; Wednesday through Sunday, November 16th. // Dandelion Chocolate, 2600 16th St. (Mission); tickets at dandelionchocolate.com Support independent print at launch part for the Alameduh zine. Meet creator Corinne Avganim Wilk, nosh on local eats, and shop a 100 percent Alamedan pop-up market; Thursday, 5pm to 8pm. // Two Marys Mercantile, 2021 Alaska Packer Pl. (Alameda); details on Instagram Head to the streets for another First Thursday full of outdoor dancing, drag, and drinks, plus beats from special guest INJI; Thursday, 5pm to 10pm. // Natoma Cabana, 90 Natoma St. (SoMa); RSVP at eventbrite.com Catch an evocative performance of My Obsession with Hamletmachine, an evening-length dance performance inspired by choreographer Amy Lewis long fascination with the German playwright and theater director Heiner Mullers play, Hamletmachine; Thursday through Sunday November 16. // Dance Mission Theater, 3316 24th St. (Mission); tickets at dancemissiontheater.org Raise a glass to the sky at a stargazing experience on the Hamel vineyard grounds. Wines and light bites make the night; Friday, 5:30pm to 8:30pm. // Hamel, 15401 Sonoma Hwy. (Sonoma); reservations at exploretock.com Do some nighttime shopping at the Fort Mason Night Market. Grab dinner from more than 25 Off The Grid vendors and browse wares from 50+ artists, designers, and craftspeople; Friday, 5pm to 10pm. // Fort Mason Center for Arts and Culture, 2 Marina Blvd. (Marina); details at fortmason.org Lose yourself in the San Francisco Electronic Music Festival, with three days of shows in a lineup curated by local artists; Friday through Sunday at 7:30pm. // Gray Area, 2665 Mission St. (Mission); details at sfemf.org Witness the hype at Mercurys new fresh off-the-Met-Opera show. Kavalier & Clay from composer Mason Bates brings together sweeping classical, DJ grooves, and a visually-rich dance experience at Grace Cathedral; Friday at 7:30pm. // Grace Cathedral, 1100 California St. (Nob Hill); tickets at mercurysoul.com Take on part of the Crosstown Trail with Manny's Hiking Club. This weekends four-miler covers GGP, iconic stairs, and plenty of stunning city views; Saturday at 10am. // Forest Hill Muni Station, Laguna Honda Blvd. (Forest Hill); register at eventbrite.com Eat your heart out at the San Francisco Street Food Festival. Jam to live music from Noise Pop and choose from more than 25 La Cocina alumni vendors ranging from James Beard nominees to emerging chefs; Saturday, 11am to 8pm and Sunday, 11am to 6pm. // China Basin Park, 1 China Basin Park (Mission Bay); tickets at tixr.com Cozy up for the San Francisco Fall Cider Fest. Sip more than 30 craft ciders as you enjoy games, live music, smores and autumnal vibes; Saturday and Sunday at 12pm. // Spark Social, 601 Mission Bay Blvd. (Mission Bay); tickets at eventbrite.com See Felicia Chiaos debut work for Heath. Home: Works on Clay showcases the artist's hand etchings on iconic Heath shapes; opens Saturday through Sunday, November 16th. // Heath Ceramics San Francisco2900 18th St. (Mission); details at heathceramics.com Tap into your creative side with a guided, beginner-friendly intuitive painting class that emphasizes color, movement, and creative freedom; Saturday, 10am to 12:30pm. // The Center for Creative Exploration, 300 Chenery St. (Glen Park); register at intuitivepainting.org Enjoy a pint-sized art show with paintings, drawings, prints, photography, and mixed media from local artists sized at 12 inches or less; Saturday and Sunday, 12pm to 4pm. // Hayes Valley Art Works, 295 Oak St. (Hayes Valley); details at hayesvalleyartworks.org Go all out for brunch with croissant French toast topped with fried chicken, boozy shakes, and decadent smash burgers at PLS on Posts new brunch lineup; daily 11:30am to 3pm. // PLS on Post, Hotel Zeppelin, 545 Post St. (TenderNob); reservations at zhotelssf.com Take a trip to Sicily sans-passport with a fall feast at Toluma Farms. Enjoy a farm tour, Sicilian wines, and a multi-course lunch with celebrated chefs and cookbook authors; Saturday, 1pm to 4pm. // Toluma Farms, 5488 Middle Rd. (Tomales); tickets at eventbrite.co m A haunting stretch of crumbling hotels just 12 kilometres from Dubrovniks beaches offers a glimpse into Croatias war-torn past. New holiday destination Dubrovnik Kupari, once a glamorous military holiday resort, now lies in ruins after being severely damaged during the Croatian War of Independence. The coastal complex, once dubbed the Bay of Abandoned Hotels, was originally developed in 1911 when Czech businessmen Jaroslav Fencl and Jana Masa bought the land to build a resort. The first hotel, The Strand, later renamed the Grand Hotel, opened in 1921, followed by a string of luxury hotels built under Yugoslav leader Josip Tito Broz for military personnel and their families. At its peak, the complex featured six hotels - Pelegrin, Kupari, Goricina, Goricine II, Mladost and Galeb - and a large campsite that could host up to 4,000 soldiers. Tito himself was said to have spent holidays there and, according to Metro, hosted Hollywood icons Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor during their 1971 visit. The resorts success came to an abrupt end in the 1990s when the Yugoslav Peoples Army attacked Kupari during the war, leaving the area devastated. Though it briefly served as a Croatian army base between 1998 and 2000, the hotels were soon abandoned and stripped for materials by locals. Despite decades of decay, the site remains a magnet for urban explorers, with visitors drawn to its bullet-scarred walls and eerie silence. The BBC named Kupari among the worlds most fascinating abandoned sites in 2024, while YouTuber MrBeasts video: 'Survived 7 Days in an Abandoned City' has been viewed over 300 million times. Now, redevelopment plans worth 150 million (130m) could transform the area. The Guardian reported that Singapore-based investors, in partnership with the Four Seasons group, aim to turn Kupari into a luxury resort. Speaking to the Guardian in March, architect Marko Dabrovic said: It has been an eyesore for 30 years, so everyone is pleased it will be developed and it will offer local employment. But after 10 years of on, off, stop, start, will it, wont it happen, they are waiting to see if it really does. by Natalie key for www.femalefirst.co.uk As of 6 p.m. Thursday, the map on aguas-nm.com showed five unverified U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement encounters in New Mexico. The website was launched this week by Rep. Marianna Anaya, D-Albuquerque, who has encountered blowback from conservative leaders in the state. Marianna Anaya Source: New Mexico Legislature State Rep. Marianna Anaya believes a legislators job isnt just to make laws. Sometimes, she says, lawmakers need to take action to encourage everyone members of law enforcement included to follow them. Anaya, D-Albuquerque, said on Thursday that is the motivation behind her new website, aguas-nm.com, which she launched this week to allow people to report U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity using an interactive map. The new website allows anyone to make an anonymous report of ICE activity, which is often difficult to verify since immigration agents can wear plainclothes and masks and travel in unmarked vehicles. Users can upload a description of alleged activity, as well as photos and videos. Every entry is logged as unverified until Anayas staff can confirm it through a community partner, the legislator said. As of Thursday evening, five entries had been logged three in Albuquerque, one in Socorro and one in Las Cruces, none of which had been verified. Anaya said she and her staff began conceptualizing the website a few months ago as the Trump administration carried out its unprecedented deportation effort, which has at times swept up American citizens in its dragnet. We have a lot of people who do have documentation, who do have status in this country, who are U.S. citizens, who are being detained, Anaya said. And so for me, it was really important to make sure that our community was able to document these things. The website contains a lengthy disclaimer on its homepage, describing aguas-nm.com as a community resource for information purposes only, as well as a resource section with a link to the New Mexico Immigration Law Center. We welcome efforts that make information and resources more accessible to immigrant and mixed-status communities, a spokesperson from the Law Center said in a statement. Access to accurate and reliable information is essential for families to make informed decisions about their safety and rights. Anaya, who was elected last year, said she wants to be clear that the website isnt meant to interfere with ICE activity or immigration laws. She said its also not meant to endanger or thwart officers in the course of duty. Ad This is a documentation tool for things that have happened in the past and not things that are happening in real time, she said. And so to me, thats the distinction. I think someone could argue that TikTok could do the same thing, that any sort of live streaming platform could do the same thing. House Republican Leader Gail Armstrong, R-Magdalena, condemned Anayas new cyber initiative on Wednesday in a statement that said she had crossed a line. Launching a website to monitor and report ICE operations endangers officers, compromises investigations, and could obstruct federal law, according to the statement. New Mexico is already battling drug trafficking and illegal border activity, and we dont need lawmakers helping criminals hide from accountability. This is what happens when far-left politics come before public safety. Armstrong said lawmakers have a duty to protect New Mexicans, not to undermine those who are sworn to enforce federal law. Coleen Nolan has become a grandmother for the third time. Coleen Nolan's daughter Ciara Fensome has welcomed a baby boy The Loose Women star's daughter Ciara Fensome, 24, has revealed on Instagram that she and her fiance Maxx welcomed a baby boy earlier this week. Ciara penned on the social media platform: "Sidney Ray Innes. 29/10/2025. "So proud of all 3 of us. I have carried him for 9 months but @maxkerrines you have carried us all this whole time." Coleen's celebrity pals expressed their delight at Ciara's joyful news in the comments section. Reality star Charlotte Dawson said: "Congrats babe he's beautiful." Former Loose Women panellist Saira Khan wrote: "Ohh my god guys!!! Congratulations so happy for you the coolest parents on the planet! Can't wait to visit and have a cuddle xx." Ciara replied to Saira: "Genuinely think our chat in Bali is the reason why we're here right now. We miss you xoxoxo." The 55-year-old star then replied: "That beautiful baby is lucky to have you both as parents will come and visit soon with lots of skincare goodies x." The birth is a happy development for Coleen who turned to therapy after being left heartbroken when her older sister Linda Nolan passed away in January at the age of 65 after a long battle with cancer. The 60-year-old star who has sons Shane Jr., 36, and Jake, 32, from her first marriage to EastEnders actor Shane Richie and Ciara with her second husband Ray Fensome told Bella magazine: "I started therapy after my sister Linda passed away; I was really in a bad place. "I just lost my mojo, I didn't want to do anything. I didn't want to go back to work and put a face on and smile and be funny. I was doing everything on autopilot. "My management were telling me all these amazing things I was being offered and I just thought, 'I don't care.' I was so overwhelmed and just needed help." Nolan added: "Therapy is absolutely the best thing I've ever done, I still go now. "I've got a beautiful family, my sisters and brothers, nieces and nephews, my own kids, but they were all grieving as well. I just needed someone that I didn't have to be strong in front of. "Obviously I still miss Linda, but I'm in a really good place." By Jennifer Caldarella, Managing Director, Global Large Account Strategy, WTW and Lucy Stanbrough, Head of Emerging Risks, Willis Research Network Amid this environment, the term Black Swan still circulates widely as leaders are surprised by what feel like overwhelming emerging risks and shifting global trends, and find themselves looking for answers and that next big shock event in the aftermath. Yet in todays interconnected world, many so-called emerging risks are neither unpredictable, unknowable or deserve the Black Swan label. They are risks that have been modelled, analyzed, and repeatedly warned about but too often remain underprioritized, siloed or disconnected from strategic planning. Emerging risks remain underprioritized on many risk registers. Why? Because emerging risks feel misaligned with priorities, are hard to own by a single team, feel diffuse and or havent happened yet. Despite detailed modelling and scenario tools, many organizations remain underprepared. We might suggest that rather than compiling lists of risks or modelling likelihood and impact in isolation, organizations must focus on building resilience by going beyond understanding individual risks on the register to mapping their interconnections, assessing their implications for organizational capacity, and implementing frameworks that enable effective response and recovery. Disruption isnt the surprise as revealed in the findings of WTWs Emerging and Interconnected Risks survey its the standard. The real risk is failing to evolve beyond traditional risk approaches that consider risks in silos. Its time to stop mythologizing risk and start mastering it. So, in this insight, we examine: Why traditional Black Swan thinking is no longer sufficient The limitations of siloed approaches The evolving landscape of emerging risks Putting interconnectivity front and center: three actions to prepare for the emerging risk landscape Why traditional black swan thinking is no longer sufficient Nassim Talebs definition of a black swan requires unpredictability, extreme impact, and retrospective rationalization. However, most recent high-impact disruptions that have driven attention pandemics, geopolitical crises, record breaking wildfires all fail to meet this definition. Misidentified swans in two large events. Consider systemic cyberattacks, an event described as a black swan event because it hasnt happened yet. Research by the Cambridge Centre for Risk Studies demonstrates that a sustained global attack on payment systems could inflict $3.5 trillion in economic losses over five years, rising to $16 trillion in a worst-case scenario. While many would see this as a black swan and the value at risk unthinkable, its not just a hypothetical the likelihood for that worst-case scenario is 1:1,000 years. As soon as you identify and prepare often for a systemic level risk, it's no longer unknown, and no longer meets the definition. In truth, many of these so-called black swans werent unpredictable they were unattended. They reveal more about organizational readiness and governance failures than randomness. Consider this: one persons Black Swan may be anothers Grey Rhino, Elephant in the Room or Black Jellyfish. Its not just about the event or risk label, its about who saw it coming, who didnt, and why. Across August and September, a swarm of jellyfish caused major disruption twice at one of France's largest nuclear power plants. This has been the classic Black Jellyfish risk case study, but after multiple incidents across the world since the 1990s this risk is now the elephant in the room. Lucy Stanbrough, Head of Emerging Risks, Willis Research Network Labelling disruption as unforeseeable can become an excuse. It paralyzes decision-making and shifts accountability away from foresight and toward fatalism. This framing matters. Organizations that cling to the myth of unforeseeable emerging risks miss the opportunity to integrate resilience into strategy, rather than treating risk as a set of isolated items to be documented and monitored. The limitations of siloed approaches Traditional risk management remains rooted in approaches that no longer reflect the reality of todays interconnected world. Risk registers continue to capture threats in isolation, often as static lists, with little consideration of how they connect to wider business strategy or interact with other risks across the enterprise. Probability and severity modelling still dominates decision-making, prioritizing the most frequent or individually impactful events, but neglecting the complex, systemic interactions that can transform moderate risks into existential threats. Even when controls are in place, they tend to focus on prevention rather than building the adaptive capacity needed to withstand and recover from disruption. This reliance on traditional approaches leaves organizations exposed in four critical ways. First, it creates strategic blindness: risks may be documented, but they remain disconnected from capital allocation, operational planning and long-term business strategy. The consequences can be severe: when those risks materialize, losses mount far beyond expectations, and standard insurance or hedging arrangements prove inadequate. Second, it leads to protection gaps, as conventional insurance solutions are rarely designed to cover cascading, multi-domain risks that cut across functions and geographies. Using publicly available data on total geopolitical risk premiums and comparing them to reasonable estimates of global exposure, we estimate that approximately 94.5% of geopolitical risk exposure is uninsured. Third, it contributes to operational fragility, with efficiency-driven structures optimized for cost but leaving brittle points of failure when stress-tested by systemic shocks. Research by Siemens shows the worlds largest 500 companies lose about $1.4 trillion annually (11% of revenue) due to unplanned downtime and similar operational disruptions. Finally, it results in missed opportunity. Too often resilience is treated as a cost to be minimized rather than a strategic lever, overlooking its potential to drive growth, innovation and competitive advantage. The evolving landscape of emerging risks Emerging risks are no longer discrete, independent events. In our interconnected risk survey, research showed that 333 executives shared 752 emerging risks and mapped more than 1,606 connections between the 48 survey risks. The top themes illustrate both scale and interconnection complicating decision making: Hardwired into the organization Technology requires enterprise-wide alignment across risk and strategy. Developments in AI are reshaping the risk and opportunity for large and complex organizations, while cyber risks continue to evolve and more digital touchpoints are hardwired into your assets. These trends are triggering changes in cybersecurity requirements, talents strategies and investment opportunities. Specialized expertise, robust cybersecurity and real-time visibility of your risks is critical to protect sensitive information and maintain stakeholder trust across timezones. 42% of global respondents see AI as one of their top 5 emerging risks. 74% believe technology will remain a key source of emerging risk in the next 10 years. Geopolitics of everything Running a complex global business involves navigating the geopolitical shifting geopolitical alignments, political instability and regulatory fragmentation. These risks can trigger sudden changes in laws, tariffs or even asset expropriation directly affecting operations, profitability and strategic planning. A clear understanding of geopolitical and political risk enables more informed decisions, enhance resilience and maintain a competitive edge in dynamic global markets. Respondents identified 259 geopolitical connections covering 36 of the 48 survey risks. Intensifying and amplifying Natural catastrophe insured losses have exceeded $100 billion annually for the last six years, environmental volatility is growing and regulatory expectations continue to evolve. These risks have always been present but the impact of their reach into social stability, workplace wellbeing, supply chains and economic security is becoming increasingly apparent. For large and complex organizations with assets across the world, these risks require coordinated action to safeguard people and capital while balancing competing strategic priorities. For some, this will mean a new realism. 1 in 5 (18%) global respondents see natural catastrophe events as one of their top 5 drivers of emerging risks in the next two years An uncertain financial outlook In just the past five years, large and complex organizations have had to think about and try to finance risks ranging from AI, climate change and cyber, to geopolitical developments and societal shifts in labor. These trends are disrupting supply chains, altering capital flows and challenging strategic planning, creating a complex web of interconnected financial risks that affect everything from operational continuity to shareholder confidence. Understanding the full risk picture, including insurance gaps and regulatory exposure, enables more informed decisions and supports sustainable growth in uncertain markets. Economic outlook was the #1 risk chosen most often as part of a risk combination. People matter From determining how work gets done and how its valued to considering population dynamics and what that means for talent strategies, people risks are a critical factor for large and complex organizations. Securing the right skills, maintaining wellbeing and adapting to societal changes underpin the ability to respond to other risks. Strategic workforce planning, inclusive culture, and investment in skills and wellbeing are essential to build a resilient, future-ready organization. Human capital perspective threads throughout the reasons why risks were chosen. Respondents chose AI and described the impact of genAI knowledge as a potential flight risk. By only focusing on single risk labels organizations miss opportunities to enable internal connectivity. Lucy Stanbrough, Head of Emerging Risks, Willis Research Network Risks are visible but disconnected from action and leaving organizations exposed. The survey revealed key strategic vulnerabilities: Only 50% of leaders feel their business model is fit for todays emerging risks. Confidence falls to 20% when looking ten years ahead, leaving close to 8 in 10 of your peers concerned their approach to the emerging risk landscape will need to radically change. 84% lack a consistent definition of emerging risk, causing misalignment across functions. 70% lack sufficient insight to act decisively. 90% report insufficient data or models to quantify exposures. 70% cannot access appropriate insurance solutions for emerging risks. Putting interconnectivity front and center: three actions to prepare for the emerging risk landscape If disruption is now the baseline, the question for leaders becomes: how do we prepare for the inevitable, and adapt when events collide? Resilience must be the organizational lens through which emerging risks are viewed. This requires three shifts: 01. Define and embed a strategic emerging risk framework The importance of building an emerging risk process linked to your business model cannot be emphasized enough. Involve a broad range of internal and external stakeholders in risk identification and management processes, with an emphasis on cross-sectoral communication and identifying improvements at an operational and strategic level. Ensure that these stakeholders are engaged early and regularly in the risk management process. Begin your process by understanding the risk profile, appetite and tolerance of your organization. Jennifer Caldarella, Managing Director Willis Large Accounts. Does your organization define acceptable risk and are the thresholds consistent? How your organization thinks about cyber threats and its effect on supply chain and business interruption but what about the effect on people and performance? Defining your risk appetite is essential to a resilient and optimized strategy. Reviewing emerging risks is also about considering opportunities and your competitive advantage. Changing markets, designing new products and prioritizing strategic growth are all activities taking advantage of emerging risks. 02. Model interconnected scenarios, not isolated risks Just as no risk operates in isolation, leaders increasingly need to have a wider understanding of impacts beyond their function that requires shared understanding and an approach that brings risk management decision making and financial priorities together. Tools such as risk reporting dashboards populated with live risk information can help you more easily filter risk information based on risk category, impact and other categories can help you identify and develop connections between risks. Consider more creative approaches, such as surveying relevant stakeholders to capture insight into underappreciated or unforeseen risk connections or creating scenario exercises simulating one or more risks to explore any potential domino effects. You can also consider multi-layered models that explore cascading effects, use backcasting to learn from past failures, analyze second- and third-order impacts, and leverage generative AI to simulate edge cases. 03. Operationalize learning loops. Dont just survive; adapt and thrive Design a framework with built-in repeatability and continuous review as new risks and interdependencies emerge, possibly owned by a steering group with clear responsibility for keeping on top of interconnected risks in a systematic way and developing an adaptive risk management strategy to remain on track. Conduct After Action Reviews to learn from events that impact your business in a positive and negative way. What happened? How did we react? What can be learned? Ensure concrete actions and consider where controls may need to be updated mid-risk lifecycle, centralize insights, and align lessons with capital protection and innovation. This shifts resilience from reaction to design. Proof in the present: enhancing data center resilience through interconnected risk assessment What does this look like in practice? A leading global technology and internet services provider faced significant challenges in assessing the risk of downtime across its extensive network of data centers. Traditional risk assessment tools were inadequate, as they failed to account for the interdependencies among data centers and the potential for simultaneous disruptions due to shared vulnerabilities. Challenge: The company needed a comprehensive understanding of the vulnerabilities within its data center clusters to make informed decisions about operational planning, risk mitigation, and to provide due diligence to its customers. The primary concern was the risk of a single event impacting multiple data centers simultaneously, leading to widespread service interruptions. Solution: WTW specialists developed a bespoke shared fate resilience assessment tool tailored to the company's needs. This tool utilized advanced models, including the Global Peril Diagnostic and catastrophe models, to assess current hazards, and the Climate Diagnostic to evaluate the potential impact of chronic hazards such as drought and heat stress on water resources and utilities. The assessment considered various threats, including natural catastrophes, utilities and power outages, proximity to high-risk locations, and geopolitical risks. The solution provided detailed insights into the vulnerabilities of each data center, generating numerical risk scores that allowed the company to prioritize and allocate resources effectively. Additionally, cluster risk scores were developed to understand and compare the cumulative impact of a single event across multiple data centers. Outcome: By adopting this interconnected risk assessment approach, the company enhanced its ability to anticipate and mitigate potential disruptions. The insights gained enabled better strategic planning and more effective responses to interconnected and emerging threats, ensuring greater resilience and uptime for its data center operations. From lists to foresight Disruption is now standard; the real differentiator is resilience embedded into strategy, systems, and culture. The question for boards is no longer: which risks can we insure? it is: where do we need to build resilience and how quickly can we adapt? Organizations that master this mindset will not only survive shocks, but they will also define the future beyond them. Beyond Alliances and Egos: Fadnavis's Quiet Game to Reclaim Maharashtra 2 Maharashtras politics is once again entering a decisive and intriguing phase. The rallies planned by Uddhav Thackerays Shiv Sena and Raj Thackerays Maharashtra Navnirman Sena are not just shows of strength they mark an attempt to recapture the emotional and linguistic core of the Marathi voter. Behind this visible mobilisation, however, lies a quieter but far more complex political design being shaped by Devendra Fadnavis, the real strategist behind the BJPs enduring influence in the state. Fadnavis has, over the years, mastered the art of weakening regional parties not by frontal confrontation but through calculated fragmentation. He first worked to break the strongholds of the Congress and NCP, then turned towards the Shiv Sena when it began drifting away from the BJPs fold. What appeared to be a setback after the 2019 election when Uddhav Thackeray chose to ally with the Congress and NCP was, in fact, the beginning of a new game. Fadnavis used the moment to split the Sena, elevate Eknath Shinde, and reclaim power for the BJP through an alliance that appeared secondary but was deeply tactical. It allowed the BJP to maintain its dominance while letting the Sena fight its own identity battle. Now, that same strategy seems to be entering its next phase. With Shinde having served his political purpose, the BJPs focus appears to be on shrinking his influence and isolating him from both ends emotionally from the Marathi base that sees him as a betrayer, and politically from the BJPs core that views him as a temporary ally. Several of Shindes key associates, once aggressive and vocal, have quietly lost ground or public relevance. The initial enthusiasm of the breakaway faction has faded, replaced by an unease that Fadnavis seems to have calculated perfectly. In contrast, Uddhav Thackeray, despite his diminished numbers, retains emotional legitimacy among a section of traditional Shiv Sainiks and the urban Marathi electorate. This makes a potential future understanding between BJP and Uddhav Sena not just possible but strategically advantageous. For the BJP, this would mean a return to the traditional alliance that once anchored its rise in Maharashtra but this time, on its own terms. The Thackeray faction, exhausted by isolation, may be more amenable to negotiation, and Fadnavis, with his ability to combine tactical patience with political timing, would be the natural architect of such a reunion. At the same time, Fadnavis has maintained a deliberate silence over Uddhavs recent outreach and the growing restlessness within Shindes camp. It is the silence of a chess player who knows the next few moves are his to make. His strength lies not just in electoral management but in controlling the psychological tempo of Maharashtras politics. While others react, he plans. While others campaign, he reconfigures alliances. His ability to dismantle power structures without overt conflict has made him the states most formidable political operator in decades. If this trajectory continues, Eknath Shindes faction is likely to fade into political irrelevance too estranged from the Thackeray legacy to reclaim its roots and too dependent on the BJP to claim independent identity. The Marathi vote that once split between pride and protest may again consolidate, and the BJP, under Fadnavis, would emerge as the stabilising force capable of bridging both ends. India, US Seal Historic 10-Year Defence Pact in Malaysia to Boost Strategic Ties 2 India and the United States on Friday signed a landmark 10-year Defence Framework Agreement in Kuala Lumpur, strengthening their strategic partnership and reaffirming their commitment to regional security. The agreement was exchanged between Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, outlining a long-term roadmap for the USIndia Major Defence Partnership. The new framework marks a major milestone in bilateral relations, providing policy direction across the entire spectrum of defence cooperation, including technology sharing, coordination, and strategic planning. Calling the pact historic, Hegseth said it reflects unprecedented defence collaboration between the two democracies. This advances our defence partnership a cornerstone for regional stability and deterrence. Were enhancing coordination, information sharing, and technology cooperation. Our defence ties have never been stronger, he wrote on X. Rajnath Singh echoed this sentiment, describing his meeting with Hegseth as fruitful and the agreement as a new era in the IndiaUS relationship. The framework will provide policy direction to the entire spectrum of the IndiaUS defence relationship. It signals our growing strategic convergence and will herald a new decade of partnership, Singh said in a post on X. The meeting took place on the sidelines of the ASEANIndia Defence Ministers Informal Meeting in Kuala Lumpur, ahead of the ASEAN Defence Ministers Meeting Plus (ADMM-Plus) scheduled for November 1. The forum will focus on regional cooperation and security in the Indo-Pacific region. Ahead of his visit, Singh had said that Indias engagements with ASEAN member states aim to deepen defence and security cooperation under the Act East Policy. The agreement cements the momentum in IndiaUS defence relations, highlighting shared goals of maintaining a free, open, and rules-based Indo-Pacific. Justice Surya Kant Appointed 53rd Chief Justice of India, to Assume Office on November 24 2 Justice Surya Kant has been appointed as the 53rd Chief Justice of India (CJI) and will assume charge on November 24, succeeding Justice Bhushan R. Gavai, who retires a day earlier. The Department of Justice under the Union Law Ministry issued the official notification announcing his appointment on Thursday. Justice Kant will serve as CJI for nearly 15 months, demitting office on February 9, 2027, upon attaining the age of 65. In exercise of the powers conferred by the Constitution of India, the President is pleased to appoint Shri Justice Surya Kant, Judge of the Supreme Court of India, as the Chief Justice of India with effect from November 24, 2025, Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal stated on X, extending his congratulations and best wishes. Born on February 10, 1962, in Haryanas Hisar district, Justice Surya Kant was elevated to the Supreme Court on May 24, 2019. His judicial career spans over two decades and is marked by key judgments on constitutional matters, democracy, corruption, environmental protection, and gender equality. Justice Kant was part of the historic bench that suspended the colonial-era sedition law and directed that no new FIRs be registered under it until further review. He also pushed the Election Commission to reveal details of 65 lakh excluded voters in Bihar, underscoring his stance on electoral transparency. He made history by mandating one-third reservation for women in Bar associations, including the Supreme Court Bar Association. Justice Kant also served on the bench that formed a committee headed by Justice Indu Malhotra to probe the 2022 security breach during Prime Minister Narendra Modis Punjab visit, emphasizing the need for a judicially trained mind in such matters. Justice Kant upheld the One Rank-One Pension (OROP) scheme for defence personnel, terming it constitutionally valid, and continues to hear cases on granting women officers permanent commissions in the armed forces. He was also part of the seven-judge bench that overturned the 1967 Aligarh Muslim University ruling, paving the way for reconsideration of the universitys minority status. Additionally, he played a key role in the Pegasus spyware case, where the court appointed a cyber expert panel to investigate alleged surveillance, asserting that the state cannot get a free pass under the guise of national security. Kimber Mills, an 18-year-old Alabama high school senior, was shot in the head during an Oct. 18, 2025, shooting at a party in a Jefferson County wooded area known as The Pit. (GoFundMe) Two people have been charged with assaulting the 27-year-old man who is accused of killing a high school cheerleader at a party in the woods. Hunter McCulloch, 19, and Silas McCay, 21, were booked on third degree assault at the Jefferson County Jail on Thursday and are each being held on $6,000 bond, according to the booking log. They are charged with the assault on Steven Tyler Whitehead, 27. Whitehead was charged with four counts of attempted murder after the shooting. One of those charges was upgraded to murder following 18-year-old Kimber Mills death. Mills died after being shot at a party and bonfire in the Jefferson County woods on October 18. McCay was among those injured in the shooting. Levi Sanders, 18, and 20-year-old Raelen Norris were also transported to a hospital by a personal vehicle. A juvenile was also grazed in the gunfire. Whitehead, a national guardsman, had been held since his arrest. The shooting happened shortly before 1 a.m. that Sunday at The Pit, which officials said is a clearing in a wooded area where people mostly ages 18-22 gather for bonfires and maybe some drinking. An investigator said there were about 40 to 50 people at the party that night. The party began about 8 p.m. Saturday, and the shooting happened at 12:20 a.m. Sunday. Video showed a group of people two of whom were identified in court as McCay and McCulloch, assaulting Whitehead after he placed his hand around a girls hip and she pushed him, a detective has testified. The video, a detective testified, showed that Whitehead was punched several times and then the person on top of Whitehead was separated from him. Whitehead could then be seen pulling a gun before firing multiple times. At an Aniahs Law hearing last week, Jefferson County Judge Kandice Pickett set Whiteheads bond at $150,000 on the murder charge and required him to have electronic monitoring if he makes bond. The murder charge was bound over to a grand jury. Whiteheads bond including the murder charges totals $330,000. As of Thursday he remained held. Jefferson County deputy district attorneys Joe Hicks and Lauren Breland are prosecuting the case. White is represented by Caty Swindall and Lauren Presley of the Jefferson County Public Defenders Office. Sheriffs Det. Jonathan McKinney testified at that bond hearing about his interview with an 18-year-old girl who told him she was talking with her boyfriend near his vehicle as he was getting ready to leave the party. They were approached by Mr. Whitehead. Upon learning that (the girls) boyfriend was leaving the party, he (Whitehead) said something to the effect of I could steal your girl or I could take your girl, McKinney said. The girl told the detective that throughout the course of the party, Whitehead offered her open beers which she saw as a red flag. She didnt know what his intentions were with an open beer, McKinney said. She advised that she told him she would accept a closed beer just to get him to leave her alone. The girl told the detective she was standing near the bonfire, and Whitehead placed his hand around her hip. She said she kind of pushed him off and immediately began to be upset and cry, McKinney testified. McKinney said she relayed the information to her boyfriend, who had already left the bonfire, and in turn he asked a couple of guys at the party to address the situation. A portion of what happened that night was captured on cell phone videos. McKinney said there were a number of individuals in close proximity to Whitehead and, with profanity, they asked him what he said to the teen girl. The argument ensued and turned into a physical altercation. A video, one of several shown to the judge and being circulated on social media, showed Whitehead walking away followed by a group of young men. Whitehead is hit and pushed to the ground and several people are on top of him hitting him, the video showed. Its fair to say the group or someone was getting the better of (Whithead) at the point, right? the prosecutor asked the detective. McKinney agreed. Mills was seen in the video trying to break up the fight. The video, McKinney testified, showed that Whitehead was punched several times and then the person on top of Whitehead was separated from him. You also see Ms. Mills, he said. It appears shes trying to break up the fight. Whitehead, the detective said, then retrieved a gun from his back waistband. Still on the ground, McKinney said, Whitehead extends the gun straight out and appears to be sitting up. He then fires 11 shots, McKinney said. Theres a brief pause and he fires two more shots. McKinney said investigators found 12 shell casings in those early morning hours and then returned later in the day with K-9s and found the remaining casing. McCay, the detective said, was shot multiple times in the abdomen area. He is expected to be released from the hospital today. Norris was shot in her arm. Sanders, he said, was in serious but stable condition. A portion of his colon was removed in one surgery, and he has also had to undergo a second surgery. Mills, he said, was shot in the head and the leg. Under questioning from Hicks, McKinney said the only other gun present at the party was secured in a vehicle. Whitehead, authorities contend, was not threatened with any weapon. Mills sister, Taylor Mills, told the detective that after the first 11 shots were fired, Whitehead stood up, pointed the gun at her and said, Bitch, youre next, and fired shots near her head before fleeing the scene in an SUV. McKinney said Whitehead was identified as a suspect because people at the party were acquainted with him. Presley, under cross examination of McKinney, noted that by the time the detective arrived at the scene, roughly half of the witnesses had left. By the time you got there, you werent able to talk to almost half of the people who had been there that night to determine whether they had a gun or their ages? Presley said. McKinney said that was correct. Also under cross examination, McKinney testified that he does not have the phone of the teen girls boyfriend, so he does not know the context of the text messages that prompted the other young men to approach Whitehead, or exactly who the boyfriend was texting. Presley said the video showed several people following Whitehead until McCay grabbed Whitehead and took him to the ground. McKinney testified the video showed McCay on top of Whitehead, hitting him. While Mr. Whitehead is on the ground being punched, there is a group of people surrounding him, right? Presley said. It was a crowd of people around him. Presley noted that Whitehead had been repeatedly struck in the head. Prosecutor Hicks questioned the detective about his interview with Whitehead, who waived his rights and spoke with McKinney. He did in fact tell you he shot his gun that day? Hicks asked. McKinney said that was correct. McKinney said Whitehead told him he had fired about three rounds into the air. He did not admit to shooting anyone, testimony showed. In arguing to keep Whitehead behind bars, Breland said, This is a situation where the defendant brought a gun to a fist fight. Despite the fact theres no evidence that anyone at that location threatened him with any kind of deadly or lethal force, Breland said, Whitehead fired into the crowed. Whiteheads attorney argued this was more than a fist fight. Mr. Whitehead was being attacked by multiple people on the ground surrounded by a group of people, Presley said. Thats more than a simple fist fight between two people. I think the video shows he was acting in self-defense, Presley said, attempting to get away. A 28-year-old has been convicted in the 2020 shooting death of a man who was ambushed on the porch of a Birmingham home. A Jefferson County jury on Thursday convicted Raynod Cortez Sistrunk of murder in the slaying of 20-year-old Naqwaun Torez Garner. Sistrunks trial began Monday before Jefferson County Circuit Judge Michael Streety. The case was prosecuted by Jefferson County Deputy District Attorneys Blake Owens, Isabella Colombo and Olivia Dinning. Sistrunk is represented by attorney Bobby Davis. The deadly shooting happened shortly before 1:30 a.m. Dec. 7, 2020, in the 1300 block of Pineview Road in western Birmingham. Birmingham responded to the location on a Shot Spotter call. They arrived to find Garner on the back porch suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Garner was pronounced dead on the scene at 1:48 a.m. Garner was attempting to enter the back door of his residence when he was ambushed by the suspect. The judge set sentencing for Dec. 10. Botswana hosts cultural event celebrating five decades of friendship with China Xinhua) 08:34, October 31, 2025 GABORONE, Oct. 30 (Xinhua) -- Botswana hosted an event Wednesday featuring speeches and Chinese talent show to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties with China. The event, at Maru-a-Pula School, a secondary school with an international enrolment in Gaborone, the capital, was organized by the Confucius Institute at the University of Botswana and the Chinese Enterprises Association in Botswana. It also included performance of martial arts, tongue twisters in Mandarin, poem recitations, and songs and dances. Under the theme of "My Stories with China," the speeches covered the speakers' experience of learning the Chinese language, their travels in China, and their work at Chinese enterprises, with some terming China as "my home," "my second home." Some shared their marvel at China's modern infrastructure such as high-speed rail, delicious Chinese food, and the convenience of mobile payment in China. Chinese Ambassador to Botswana Fan Yong said that the relationship between China and Botswana has evolved into a strategic partnership. "Our nations have become good friends who treat each other as equal and good partners." "China and Botswana are both important members of the Global South," Fan said, adding that the two countries should "seize new opportunities and work together to enhance the synergy of our development strategies." He encouraged more and more Chinese enterprises to participate in Botswana's projects to create more jobs for local people, expressing confidence that more and more Botswana people will love China and Chinese culture, which will in turn enhance mutual understanding between the two peoples. Maria Nnyepi, deputy vice chancellor at the University of Botswana, said "learning the culture of China sharpens the talents of our people in Botswana," and the growing partnership and cross-cultural exchanges between the two countries over the past 50 years have benefited people with skills sharpened and respect shown toward each other. About 300 people attended the event, including Botswanan government officials, college and school staff, as well as representatives from the Chinese embassy, the Chinese medical team, and Chinese enterprises in Botswana. (Web editor: Huang Kechao, Liang Jun) Georgia Harrison won't miss partying when she becomes a mother. Georgia Harrison has given up on partying The former Love Island star is expecting her first child with her boyfriend Jack Stacey and admits that she will be relieved to leave wild nights out behind. Georgia, 30, told Closer magazine: "There's nothing in my old life that I'm really worried about letting go of. I've partied so much, it's actually concerning I'm surprised my liver is even still inside my body! "I feel like I've well and truly done it all. I was getting to the stage, as I approached 30, where I didn't enjoy going out like I used to. If I go out drinking now, I'd rather go home early. I'm ready to move into motherhood and just have a completely different purpose." Georgia's baby is due next month and she says that motherhood has come at the "perfect" point in her life. She explained: "My biggest fear would not be being a mother in this lifetime. Having it happen at this stage in my life has just been divine timing it's perfect." The star who was awarded an MBE in King Charles' Birthday Honours earlier this year for her work on online privacy and cyber crime after she was a victim of revenge porn when her ex-partner Stephen Bear shared a private video of the pair online without her consent is grateful for the advice from her social media followers about her pregnancy. Harrison said: "I actually feel really lucky that we have social media, because I've learned everything that I need to know from other mums sharing stuff. "I can put an Instagram Story up and ask a million people what they think, and I've really taken advantage of that. "I'm like, 'What do you think are the best wipes? What nappies should I get? Where's the best place to get a baby bag from?'" Georgia has more documentaries and a podcast planned in the future but her main priority at the moment is parenthood. She said: "I'm concentrating on the baby at the moment. "I'm going to take a little bit of time off, but once I'm back in the swing of things, I'd love to do more documentaries and look into doing a podcast. I feel like a podcast would be a great fit for me, or even maybe radio one day." Alabama is scary. And its movies are, too. We kid, but not so much about our states contributions to the horror genre. Actors who hail from around these parts have enjoyed distinguished careers, winning Oscars and Emmys, plus genuine frights from those watching their scariest performances. We found a handful of hair-raising executions of acting brilliance, found in even more films, because if you know anything about horror, then you there are sequels and lots of them. Read the list of some of our favorite Alabama actors in some pretty chilling works below. RELATED: 5 scariest movies made in or about Alabama Courteney Cox in the Scream franchise Born and raised in Birmingham, Cox became a scream queen during her peak Friends run in the mid-1990s, starring as cutthroat TV reporter Gale Weathers in Wes Cravens meta-slasher flick that spawned four sequels. Coxs popularity on the NBC sitcom gave this movie a needed boost when it hit theaters and helped change the genre forever with its horror movie references nestled into the genuine terror Craven unleashed. She proved a worthy foil to Neve Campbells Sidney Prescott and shared real chemistry with David Arquettes Deputy Dewey. Shes since appeared in each sequel, including the fifth entry bookending the series, aptly titled Scream. Oh, and theres another coming soon, Scream 7. (Streaming on Disney+, Hulu, Peacock, Paramount+, Pluto TV) Michael Rooker in Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer The Jasper-born character actor now best known as Yondu from the Guardians of the Galaxy movies co-starred in horror fare like Slither, The Dark Half and The Belko Experiment. But Rookers first-ever film role in 1986s Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer earned him widespread acclaim (and an Independent Spirit Award nomination) in a truly haunting performance. When Henry arrives in Chicago, he moves in with ex-con acquaintance and starts schooling him in the ways of the serial killer. Hard to watch but beloved by gritty horror fans. (Streaming on Amazon Prime, Tubi, Plex, Pluto TV) Octavia Spencer in Ma The Montgomery native and Auburn graduates horror pedigree runs deep. Before she won an Oscar in 2009, Spencer suffered an inevitable fate at the hands of Michael Myers in Rob Zombies Halloween II, and shed later co-star with Anne Hathaway in Robert Zemeckis adaptation of Roald Dahls The Witches (set in Alabama!). But she earned acclaim in the creepy thriller Ma, in which she plays a lonely woman who befriends a group of teenagers and decides to let them party at her house. Just when the kids think their luck couldnt get any better, things start happening that make them question the intention of their host. (Streaming on Amazon Prime, Disney+, Hulu) David Howard Thornton in Terrifier series Born in Huntsville, actor David Howard Thornton plays Art the Clown in the popular (and gruesome!) Terrifier series, a new favorite among die-hard horror fans. In fact, Art has become an almost-instant fixture in the genres newly iconic imagery. The success of Damien Leones franchise has propelled this bloodthirsty clown and his little top hat into the all-time slasher conversation with Michael Myers, Freddy Kreuger and Jason Vorhees. And it couldnt happen to a nicer guy. Read our interview with Thornton, and maybe skip the popcorn when you watch his work. (Streaming on Peacock) R.G. Armstrong in Children of the Corn Born in Pleasant Grove and raised on a farm near Birmingham, R.G. Armstrong attended Samford University before heading to the Actors Studio and pursuing his career that spanned 40 years. In this Stephen King adaptation co-starring Linda Hamilton) about a young couple is trapped in a remote town where a dangerous religious cult of children believes that everyone over age 18 must be killed, he plays an elderly mechanic and last adult in town. (Streaming on HBO Max, Hulu, Plex, Pluto TV, Tubi) Louise Fletcher in Firestarter This lesser-hyped Stephen King adaptation follows a couple who participated in a potent medical experiment gain telepathic ability who have a child (Drew Barrymore) who is pyrokinetic. Fletcher, the Oscar-winning star of One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest, turns up here as Norma Manders, one half of a couple who take in the family with the unlikely talents. (Streaming on HBO Max, Peacock) Sarah Catherine Hook in The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It Paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren investigate a murder that may be linked to a demonic possession. Montgomery native Sarah Catherine Hook, best known now for playing Piper Ratliff on season three of The White Lotus, plays Debbie Glatzel, the sister of young David, who needs an exorcism early in the film. More terrified than terrifying here, Hook plays the petrified girlfriend of Arne, who willfully inherits Davids demon. This marked the eighth installment in The Conjuring franchise, and a sequel to the original film. (Streaming on HBO Max) Reg E. Cathey in American Psycho and Seven I would say blink and youll miss the late great Huntsville native Reg E. Cathey, best known for his roles on House of Cards and The Wire, but the deep-voiced, Alabama-born actor always makes an impression. He plays a homeless victim of Patrick Batemans in American Psycho, and the coroner Dr. Santiago during one of the many disturbing sequences in David Finchers serial killer thriller Seven, starring Brad Pitt and Morgan Freeman. (Streaming on Amazon Prime, HBO Max, Paramount+, Peacock) Operation UpLift, a partnership between the Birmingham Airport Authority and the Community Food Bank of Central Alabama, provided food assistance for federal workers on Thursday, Oct. 30, 2025. The food bank to support affected federal workers at the airport served about 250 people. courtesy of Birmingham Airport Authority Airports are supposed to hum with purpose, from the precision of control towers where air traffic controllers guide planes to safety to Transportation Security Administration agents who keep passengers moving through security. Each role is vital to keeping the skies and terminals running smoothly. But when the federal government shuts down, the rhythm goes off kilter. With the current shutdown reaching record territory, worries have crept in over paying for groceries and meals. Across Alabama and the country, airports have become microcosms of the broader shutdowns impact as they turn into makeshift local food banks, with airport authorities and businesses stepping in to sustain the workforce that keeps air travel moving. At airports in Birmingham, Mobile and Huntsville, partnerships with local food banks have delivered hundreds of meals to federal workers. In Birmingham, a special pop-up food bank called Operation UpLift joined the Birmingham Airport Authority with the Community Food Bank of Central Alabama. On Thursday, 250 people received food during a drive-through distribution. Right now, these workers are coming in and getting the job done even though their paychecks are on hold, said Ron Mathieu, President and CEO of the Birmingham Airport Authority. Like many of us, they have families to support and bills to pay. A food distribution event takes place at the Mobile Regional Airport on Wednesday, Oct. 29, 2025, in Mobile, Ala. photo provided by Feeding the Gulf Coast In Mobile, the Airport Authority worked with Feeding the Gulf Coast to host a food distribution event for federal employees Wednesday at the Mobile Regional Airport. It was a simple way to support those who have continued to report to work during the government shutdown, said Devon Sellers, the airport authoritys spokesperson. Feeding the Gulf Coast has organized similar efforts for TSA workers in Pensacola and Panama City Beach. Amanda Young, a spokesperson for the organization, said the Mobile distribution included 4,300 meals made up of fresh produce, shelf-stable items and protein. Huntsville-Madison County International Airport is also considering an on-site food bank to reach directly to federal workers. Mary Swanstrom, spokesperson with the Port of Huntsville, said that airport officials are coordinating with the TSA and the Federal Aviation Administration by directly delivering meals and supplemental meals with drinks, snacks, etc. She said several restaurants and local businesses have also provided meals and assistance to local federal employees. The North Alabama Food Bank is also offering assistance to furloughed federal workers, she said. Smaller airports are also looking to bring meals directly to the TSA workers. In Gulf Shores, Airport Director Jess Fosnaugh said his team is in contact with the TSA workers to ensure that they have what they need to continue operating during the shutdown. They are remaining in good spirits and Im hopeful that the government shut down comes to an end soon, Fosnaugh said. He said the airport is looking to do a meal drive for the airports 15-20 federal workers, as well as a canned food donation. The activities at Alabamas airports are similar to what airports nationwide are doing as the government shutdown is now on its 29th day. Airports in Detroit, Las Vegas and elsewhere are pushing forward with creative arrangements to find ways to develop meal programs for federal workers. The Wayne County Airport Authority in Detroit, for instance, teamed up with concessionaires at the Detroit Metropolitan Airport to create a federal meal program where employees can spend up to $20 a day for food and drinks at restaurants and stores within several terminals, according to the Washington Post. Pilots are also delivering food to air traffic control workers in San Francisco and Los Angeles. Food banks are also arranging for grocery pickups for TSA works in Indianapolis, the Washington Post reports. CEO Nicole Williams walks into a bare cooling unit, though more food is expected soon at the Community Food Bank of Central Alabama in Birmingham, Ala., Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2025. (Will McLelland | WMcLelland@al.com) Will McLelland First came the federal cuts, which ended programs connecting farmers with food banks and others that helped senior citizens, resulting in the loss of three million pounds of food for Central Alabama alone. Then came the government shutdown, which led to an influx of federal employees who needed food assistance. In the 12 county region covered by the Community Food Bank of Central Alabama, that accounts for 16,000 people who have gone without a paycheck since Oct. 1. Now looms the suspension of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, commonly known as SNAP. Come Saturday, 14.5% of the states population will lose the benefits that help them buy food. On top of going into the holidays and people worrying about food already, now we have what I would call a crisis or a disaster situation, Nicole Williams, CEO of the Community Food Bank of Central Alabama, told AL.com. According to the Alabama Department of Human Resources, the United States Department of Agriculture issued a guidance last week saying SNAP benefits would be suspended effective Nov. 1 until federal funding is provided or until states are directed otherwise. SNAP benefits are 100% federally funded; therefore USDA (FNS) controls the issuance of these benefits on EBT cards, said Alabama DHR Commissioner Nancy Buckner. We know SNAP benefits are vitally important to the more than 750,000 Alabamians who depend on the more than $140 million in support each month. Alabama DHR, along with many others, hopes Congress will come to a quick resolution on the federal government shutdown. Last week, the USDA announced they will not use their contingency fund to pay for SNAP in November, though that decision is currently being challenged in court. For every meal a food bank provides, SNAP provides nine. CEO Nicole Williams speaks with AL.com at the Community Food Bank of Central Alabama in Birmingham, Ala., Tuesday, Oct. 28, 2025. (Will McLelland | WMcLelland@al.com) Will McLelland Were here to stand in that gap and make sure people have food on their table, Williams said. We serve a lot of people already on SNAP, but that line is definitely going to get longer. She said they will try to meet the growing need, but most of the food they have in their warehouse is already allocated to be sent out to their partners, like churches and food pantries across the region. Every month, they move about two million pounds of food, which equates to about 1.8 million meals. In November and December, when Thanksgiving and Christmas roll around, that amount needs to double. But with the loss of three million pounds of food after the USDA cuts to food bank programs earlier this year, their budget is already stretched thin. Williams said to make up for that loss alone, it would cost $6 million - their annual budget is $2.5 million. Were a nonprofit, so our food budget did not change. We still spent the 2.5 million that was in the budget to buy food, and thats all we have, she said. So we already knew we were going to have less food and wed be feeding less people than we did last year. And now were even more less. Already Williams is seeing more people come through their lines for food. One of her partners in the region told her they had an additional 100 people in their line Tuesday morning. Theyre trying to help federal workers by doing distributions at their places of work, like airports. But to stay afloat as the SNAP suspension hits, food banks in Central Alabama and across the state will need community support. Weve added a bunch of people to our lines, and we dont have quick fixes for getting more food or for funds. So I think at this point, were asking the community to help us by donating food or donating funds, Williams said. She said theyre already going out on faith as theyve had to order more food even though the moneys not really there. So were really hoping that the community steps up, she added. The Community Food Bank of Central Alabama has a network of 300 partners across the region they cover, which spans from Winston County through Jefferson and Talladega counties, up to Cherokee County. You can donate directly to the food bank or any of their partner organizations here. You can also volunteer with the food bank or organize food drives. For those in need of help, you can find free food using the organizations Food Finder tool. The United Methodist Church won a victory on Oct. 31, 2025, when the Alabama Supreme Court dismissed a case against the Alabama-West Florida Conference over control of church property in Auburn. Auburn United Methodist Church The United Methodist Church scored a victory on Friday when the Alabama Supreme Court dismissed a case against them over control of church property in Auburn. The state Supreme Court ruled in favor of the Alabama-West Florida Conference of the United Methodist Church, dismissing a lawsuit filed by a group of disgruntled group of members from Auburn who had asked the court to force a vote allowing the congregation to leave the denomination. Auburn Methodist Coalition, made up of members of Auburn United Methodist Church, sued the Alabama-West Florida Conference of the United Methodist Church two years ago, asking a court to order a vote of the church membership on whether the church should disaffiliate. In 2022, members of Auburn United Methodist Church began to discuss disaffiliation with the denomination, but said that the administrative board voted not to pursue disaffiliation in April 2023 without allowing a congregational vote. Those in favor of disaffiliation formed the coalition and in October 2023 asked a trial court to order a vote of church members on disaffiliation, and declare that the conference did not own church property and that it belonged solely to the members of the local church. The Lee County trial court denied the conferences request to dismiss the case. Members of the coalition admitted that a vote of the congregation was required to determine who was authorized to hold the title. The threshold issue in this case is, thus, not who holds title to the local church property, the Supreme Court wrote. rather, it is who is authorized to act on behalf of AUMC. The Coalition insists that only a court-mandated disaffiliation vote can resolve this threshold issue. The Supreme Court ruled that it was not in position to force a congregational vote, since under the ecclesiastical abstention doctrine, Alabama courts may not adjudicate disputes that are ecclesiastical in nature, including matters of church doctrine, polity, or internal governance. The court cited its previous ruling against 44 churches that had sought a court-mandated disaffiliation vote. Our court determined that the First Amendment prohibited the trial court from ordering a disaffiliation vote, the court wrote. The Auburn church was founded in 1837 and the property deed dates to 1843. In 1939, the Methodist Episcopal Church merged with other Methodist denominations to become the Methodist Church. In 1968, the Methodist Church merged with the Evangelical United Brethren Church to form the United Methodist Church. The church filed incorporation documents in 1953 as Auburn Methodist Church, but in 1988 changed the named to Auburn United Methodist Church. The ruling is the latest in a long line of court rulings both for and against the conference, as dozens of churches have filed lawsuits against the Alabama-West Florida Conference, alleging they were denied a chance to leave the denomination and take their property with them. United Methodist leaders in Alabama say that insurance will cover most of the cost of legal battles that the denomination is involved with, as the Alabama-West Florida Conference resists efforts of churches hoping to leave the denomination and take their property with them. More than 40 churches in Alabama and the Florida Panhandle sued after their requests to leave the denomination were stalled before a Dec. 31, 2023, disaffiliation deadline. Paragraph 2553, a special provision allowing disaffiliation due to disagreement over issues such as gay marriage, expired at that point. The United Methodist General Conference voted in May 2024 to reverse its longstanding bans on gay marriage and ordination of LGBTQ clergy. Birmingham firefighters are battling a massive blaze on the citys Southside. The fire erupted shortly before 6 a.m. Friday in the area of the 1300 block of 20th Street South, near Cobb Lane. The initiall 911 callers reported seeing at least one person running from the vacant building before the blaze erupted. Fire officials said they have not confirmed whether they believe someone was inside the building, perhaps trying to keep warm. BFRS Lt. Catina Williams said the fire was reported at 5:53 a.m. Crews began working the fire at a commercial building and two small apartment buildings. Both apartment buildings have been evacuated. Birmingham firefighters battle a massive blaze on the city's Southside. (Contributed) According to fire radio communications, firefighters asked Birmingham Water Works to increase the water pressure for the Southside to help fight the flames. No injuries have been reported. Fire Chief Cory Moon said the fire has spread to four structures. Roughly 18 fire units have responded for a total of 50 to 75 firefighters. Williams said the blaze began in a vacant commercial building and then spread to the buildings on either side. One of those buildings was a mixed-use building of commercial and residential. In that building, there were 14 units, seven of which were occupied. The building on the other side was Cobb Lane Condominums with 18 units. Williams said it wasnt immediately clear how many of those were occupied. Red Cross workers are on the scene, and fire officials are asking onlookers to stay away from the area. Birmingham City Councilwoman Crystal Smitherman released this statement about the fire: Like many others, we saw the massive plume of smoke early this morning coming from Southside. First, wed like to thank the Birmingham Fire Department for their quick action and efforts to prevent the spread of this fire that engulfed several structures on historic Cobb Lane, some of which are still actively burning. As of this moment, we do not believe anyone was injured in this fire and that is a blessing and a testament to our first responders Our citys emergency services exemplify the best of public service, and we owe them a great debt of thanks. Our offices will continue to work closely with city officials and the affected residents to assess the damage, support recovery efforts and explore every possible avenue to restore one of our iconic cobblestone streets." This story will be updated. Artist rendering of the front of the new Montview Elementary and Magnet School in Huntsville. Huntsville City Schools Construction is expected to start in January on the new Montview Elementary and Magnet School in Huntsville. Bridgewood Engineering engineer Russ Roberts said the new two-story, 10,000-square-foot facility will be open to students in August 2027, with completion of the three-phase project the following December. The school will be west of North Memorial Parkway and east of Callahan Drive, with entrances along Greenhill Drive. The schools construction is part of Huntsville City Schools 10-year, $600 million capital plan. The Planning Commission approved the project on Tuesday. The school will be Huntsvilles third magnet school for elementary school students, joining the Academy for Academics and Arts and the Academy for Science and Foreign Language. Details on the Montview magnet program have not been announced. Huntsville City Schools offers two programs for elementary school magnet programs - STEM Pathway and Arts Pathway. The brick and metal building will include 36 classrooms, including six flex classrooms. It will also have a gymnasium, storm shelter and a new track and recreational field. There will also be an outdoor classroom in an area of mature trees on the northern part of the nearly 20-acre campus. Roberts said as many of the trees as possible will be saved during construction. There will also be four new playgrounds, including one for children with special needs. The new school will be south of the existing school, which was built around 1960, Roberts said. The existing school will be demolished. The existing school will continue to be open during the first part of construction. The existing parking lot will be demolished. A temporary lot will be put in while construction is ongoing. The existing playgrounds on the south side of the current building will relocated and fenced in during construction. The current track will continue to be used as long as possible. Perimeter fencing will be placed around the site for the new building at the beginning of construction. McMillan Pazdan Smith Architecture designed the new school. Artist rendering of the bus entry for the new Montview Elementary and Magnet School. Huntsville City Schools Other Planning Commission action Last month Leonardo Garcia Venegas, a U.S. citizen, arrested twice at work by immigration agents, filed suit against the government. This week he is asking a judge to stop immigration arrests at work sites. Immigration agents are making broad arrests of anyone who looks Latino, regardless of their status. The policy is even to reject peoples government-issued ID, his lawsuit alleges. The challenged policies are sweeping up innocent U.S. citizens and lawful residents, said a filing in the suit on Monday. A spokesperson for the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement did not respond to a request for comment about the suit. The Department of Homeland Security also did not respond to a request for comment. Earlier this month, Security Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin said the agency does not make arrests based on race or ethnicity. Allegations that DHS law enforcement officers engage in racial profiling are disgusting, reckless, and categorically FALSE, she said. Jorge Estrada is a U.S. citizen from Galveston, Texas, who was arrested at work on a construction site in Baldwin County on July 23, according to the suit. The site where Estrada worked had posted a sign that read No Trespassing and was partly fenced in. Estrada was at work, installing a roof, when he saw a motorcycle, drones and a helicopter arrive, the lawsuit alleges. About 15-20 officers stormed the site. The officers immediately began physically detaining people, tackling several to the ground, and handcuffing them without identifying themselves or asking questions. As far as Jorge could tell, the officers appeared to have a strategy of arrest first, ask questions later, the suit states. Estrada told the officers he was a citizen, but they ordered him to the ground anyway, the suit alleges. Officers took his REAL ID out of his pocket and scanned it with a device. The officers questioned Estrada about where he was from and how he got his ID, releasing him after about 10 minutes, the suit alleges. He asked the officers if they had a warrant and to identify themselves, but none responded, the suit alleges. One officer in an FBI vest told his wife that the officers receive a bonus for every undocumented worker they catch, and offered her a $200 cut of that bonus if she said which workers were undocumented, the suit said. Estrada knows at least three other workers with lawful permission to work in the country arrested the same day, the suit alleges. Gehovani Alvirde-Ruiz, a Mexican with a Green Card, was arrested by immigration agents at his home in Jefferson County, the suit said. On February 1, he found federal immigration officers parked outside his home waiting. Alvirde-Ruiz, a construction worker, tried to exit his car but an officer blocked him in, pointing a gun at him, and demanded to know his name. Alvirde-Ruiz told them he had papers. Rather than promptly release him, the officers noted his license was not a STAR ID and said, We got one and that they were going to deport him, the suit alleges. It alleges the officers told him his Green Card and Social Security Cards were fake. They drove Gehovani to a detention facility, where an officer said Gehovani had the best fake papers he had ever seen. He was released three hours later, the suit alleges. King Charles III, Princess Anne and Prince Andrew join the procession of Queen Elizabeth II's coffin from the Palace of Holyroodhouse to St Giles' Cathedral, in Edinburgh, Monday, Sept. 12, 2022. King Charles III arrived in Edinburgh on Monday to accompany his late mothers coffin on an emotion-charged procession through the historic heart of the Scottish capital to the cathedral where it will lie for 24 hours to allow the public to pay their last respects. (Andrew Milligan/Pool Photo via AP) AP King Charles III on Thursday stripped his disgraced brother Prince Andrew of his remaining titles and evicted him from his royal residence after weeks of pressure to act over his relationship with sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Buckingham Palace said the king initiated a formal process to remove the Style, Titles and Honours of Prince Andrew. After the kings rare move, Andrew will be known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor and not as a prince, and he will move from his Royal Lodge residence into private accommodation. It is almost unprecedented for a British prince or princess to be stripped of that title. It last happened in 1919, when Prince Ernest Augustus, who was a U.K. royal and also a prince of Hanover, had his British title removed for siding with Germany during World War I. Demand had been growing on the palace to oust the prince from Royal Lodge after he surrendered his use of the title Duke of York earlier this month over new revelations about his friendship with Epstein and renewed sexual abuse allegations by one of Epsteins victims, Virginia Roberts Giuffre, whose posthumous memoir hit bookstores last week. But the king went even further to punish him for serious lapses of judgment by removing the title of prince that he has held since birth as a child of a monarch, the late Queen Elizabeth II. These censures are deemed necessary, notwithstanding the fact that he continues to deny the allegations against him, the palace said. Their Majesties wish to make clear that their thoughts and utmost sympathies have been, and will remain with, the victims and survivors of any and all forms of abuse. Giuffres brother declared victory for his sister, who died by suicide in April at the age of 41. Today, an ordinary American girl from an ordinary American family, brought down a British prince with her truth and extraordinary courage, her brother Skye Roberts said in a statement. Andrew faced a new round of public opprobrium after emails emerged earlier this month showing he had remained in contact with Epstein longer than he previously admitted. That news was followed by publication of Nobodys Girl, by Giuffre, who alleged she had sex with Andrew when she was 17. The book detailed three alleged sexual encounters with Andrew, who she said acted as if he believed having sex with me was his birthright. Andrew, 65, has long denied Giuffres claims, but stepped down from royal duties after a disastrous November 2019 BBC interview in which he attempted to rebut her allegations. Andrew paid millions in an out-of-court settlement in 2022 after Giuffre filed a civil suit against him in New York. While he didnt admit wrongdoing, he acknowledged Giuffres suffering as a victim of sex trafficking. Although Charles was involved in discussions with Andrew before he announced he would relinquish his dukedom two weeks ago, the king had largely managed to steer clear of the scandal until this week. After attending an event at Lichfield Cathedral on Monday, the king was heckled by a man who shouted questions about how long he had known about his brother and Epstein and then asked: Have you asked the police to cover up for Andrew? The king did not respond and it wasnt clear if he even heard the man, who was shouted down by others and eventually pulled from sight. But video of the incident made the evening news and was the source of embarrassing headlines the next morning. The move by the king means Andrew will no longer be a prince or be known as His Royal Highness, the Duke of York, Earl of Inverness or Baron Killyleagh all titles he held until now. Also gone are honors that include Order of the Garter and status as Knight Grand Cross of the Victorian Order. Andrew is expected to move to a property on the kings Sandringham estate near the northeast coast and receive private financial support from his brother. His ex-wife, Sarah Ferguson, who had been living with him in the 30-room mansion, will have to find a new home. Candice Hale says she was fired from the University of Alabama after the schools president saw and didnt like her Facebook post about Charlie Kirk. Hale was fired from a part-time instructor role at Alabama, and put on leave from a similar role at Auburn University, after she posted about Kirks death in September. Historically, American academics, particularly those at public university, have had broad speech protections. Hale is one of a number of people fired or sanctioned after Kirks death, according to Inside Higher Ed. Her termination sends a chilling message: those who dare to voice their views on political matters do so at their own peril, the complaint states. This case seeks to vindicate not only Ms. Hales constitutional rights, but the principle that no American should lose their livelihood for engaging in the kind of political discourse that democracy requires. Hale claims she was exercising a First Amendment right when she commented on Kirks death, and that a public university should not limit her speech. AL.com reached out to the University of Alabama for comment but did not receive a reply before publication. The lawsuit was filed in the Northern District Court of Alabama, requesting monetary damages and renewal of Hales position at UA. Hale told AL.com the events have caused her mental and physical stress. My body is dealing with the stress of everything that has happened, Hale said. Hale was hired by UA in July 2023 and had no previous disciplinary actions, according to the complaint. On Sept. 12, the day after the killing of Republican activist and Turning Point founder Charlie Kirk, she made the following post on her personal Facebook profile: I do not mourn oppressors, she wrote. I do not show them empathy. I dont give a damn about evil racist, fascist, misogynist, homophobic, transphobic, xenophobic, mediocre white men who claim to be Christian individuals and then do everything Christ would not do on Earth. We are getting closer and closer to the real assignment. Hale told AL.com that Utz McKnight, chair of the gender and race studies department, called a few days later to say the president saw your post, referring to the universitys President Peter Mohler. He didnt like it. When Hale asked McKnight to be more specific, he said the Charlie Kirk post. McKnight informed her she would be terminated. Hales attorney, Kira Fonteneau, told AL.com shes not aware of any social media policy her client signed before she started employment. Within about an hour of the conversation, Hale received a termination email, she told AL.com. The email mentions the social media post, according to the complaint, but didnt contain any university policy. We do our society a disservice if theres one prevailing view, and thats the only one that can be expressed, Fonteneau said. And so thats what this lawsuits about. Its about whether or not some persons conception of whats right and proper to say can hold sway, and we dont think it does. Hale remains on administrative leave with pay from Auburn, which she also has sued. Auburn does not comment on pending litigation, Jennifer Wood Adams, vice president for public affairs, communication and marketing, told AL.com. A federal judge ruled Friday that the Trump administration must release the money for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program in its contingency fund as soon as possible for the Nov. 1 payments to be made. However, it is unclear at this point what the ruling means for Alabama. In a statement to AL.com, the states department of Human Resources, which administers the program, said: We are aware of todays news regarding this issue, however the SNAP program is 100% federally controlled, so we await guidance from the USDA Food and Nutrition Service on when or if they will lift the suspension. The ruling comes a day before SNAP benefits, commonly referred to as food stamps, were set to be suspended due to the ongoing government shutdown. Last week, the United States Department of Agriculture said they would not use their contingency fund to pay for SNAP in November, meaning Alabama wouldnt be able to send benefits to the 750,000 recipients in the state. SNAP benefits are 100% federally funded; therefore USDA (FNS) controls the issuance of these benefits on EBT cards, said Alabama DHR Commissioner Nancy Buckner. We know SNAP benefits are vitally important to the more than 750,000 Alabamians who depend on the more than $140 million in support each month. Alabama DHR, along with many others, hopes Congress will come to a quick resolution on the federal government shutdown. The fund has $6 billion in it, while it costs about $8 billion a month to administer the food assistance program, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. U.S District Judge John McConnell ruled in favor of a group of cities and non-profits, saying that the USDA must use the contingency fund as well as other funding sources for next months benefits. The Trump administration argued that the contingency fund shouldnt be used in the event its needed for a natural disaster. Its clear that when compared to the millions of people that will go without funds for food versus the agencys desire not to use contingency funds in case theres a hurricane need, the balances of those equities clearly goes on the side of ensuring that people are fed, the judge ruled. In the ruling, which could face an appeal, McConnell asked the administration for an update on the SNAP funding by Monday afternoon. John Pienaar battled prostate cancer. Political journalist John Pienaar has been successfully treated for prostate cancer The 69-year-old journalist has revealed that he was diagnosed with the disease last year before being successfully treated and given the all clear earlier this year, after a study found that routine screening for prostate cancer could save thousands of male lives. Speaking on his Times Radio Drive show on Thursday (30.10.25), John said: "Massive evidence has landed showing routine screening of all men over 50 with prostate cancer would save lives in Britain - thousands of lives. "That's seriously good news if it leads to change in NHS policy and a national screening programme. And I'm not just saying that because one of the lives that may well have been saved by screening happens to be mine. "I come to think of it, the fact I'm sitting here and not worried about the cancer doctors found in my prostate earlier last year, which they told me was gone - not just in remission but cured earlier this year. "But it's rather persuaded me that early screening for men like me is a very, very good idea." Pienaar explained how he was quickly reassured by his doctor that his diagnosis wasn't deadly and described how the treatment was "rather less of an ordeal" than he was expecting. The former BBC political reporter said: "I haven't, incidentally, discussed my own case on air before now or, for that matter, with many people anywhere. But today seems a good time to share a bit about my own experience of early diagnosis of prostate cancer and early treatment, which turned out to be, well, rather less of an ordeal than I am guessing a lot of men on radiotherapy, drugs or after surgery, vaguely imagined beforehand. "One of the first things I said in that consulting room when the medic gave me the news was, 'Well, if this is going to kill me' - and he quickly interrupted me and said, 'This isn't going to kill you.' "And it sounded, as if to him, that was obvious, which to him it absolutely was. And after that moment, everything that came afterwards somehow felt easier." John added: "I didn't actually have my prostate removed, I had daily radiotherapy for a few weeks and hormone pills for a few months. And I'd have happily lived without either one of those. But none of it was really a big deal I felt in my case. "I did at one point, by the way, ask my producer Sandra to forgive me in advance - she was one of the people I told - if I seem grumpy than usual around the office. Maybe she thought I was just grumpy anyway, that's just what I'm like." The co-developer of a prominent downtown Birmingham property says he hopes to fill the vacancy left by the departure of a national franchise quickly. Developer Dick Schmalz of RGS Properties said the decision by Outback Steakhouse to leave the 20 Midtown development at 20th Street South was not specific to Birmingham. The restaurant, along with Outbacks Inverness location on U.S. 280., closed Sunday, as well as other Outback restaurants in six states, according to Restaurant Business Online. Two Outback locations, in Hoover and Fultondale, remain open, as well as another 12 throughout Alabama. The closing was unusual, as Outback opened the 20 Midtown location early last year. However, an Outback Steakhouse in Silver Spring, Md. closed this week only 17 months after it opened. Closing a restaurant is never easy, a company statement released on Monday stated. This was a business decision that is not a reflection of the management or staff. Some employees will have the opportunity to transfer, and all will receive a transition bonus. We appreciate the communitys support over the years and look forward to serving them at our Fultondale and Hoover restaurants. Outback signed a 10-year lease with 20 Midtown, according to Schmalz, and has committed to continue paying rent and maintaining the property until it is once again under lease. Marketing materials are being prepared for the site. We look forward to getting the space refilled as soon as possible, he said. Outback occupied a 6,650-foot space at the development. Any other restaurant tenant would have to prove a good mix with the existing commercial tenants, which include Milos, Panda Express, Toasted Yolk, Cava and Chipotle, as well as Publix. The rest of the development remains healthy, Schmalz said. The City of Irondale is inviting families to enjoy a Halloween evening at its annual Tracks & Treats event on Friday, Oct. 31, 2025, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Presented by Mayor James D. Stewart, Jr., the celebration will take place by the tracks at Irondale City Hall, located at 101 20th Street South, Irondale, Alabama 35210. This years event will feature a variety of family-friendly activities, including train rides, a smores station, and plenty of candy for trick-or-treaters of all ages. Costumes are encouraged, and admission is free. City officials say the event is designed to bring the community together for a safe, fun, and festive Halloween celebration. For more information, residents can visit the City of Irondales official website or social media pages. CANADA - 2025/07/04: In this photo illustration, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) logo is seen displayed on a smartphone screen. (Photo Illustration by Thomas Fuller/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images) SOPA Images/LightRocket via Gett This is a guest opinion When my older sister was five years old, her pediatrician sat down with my parents and told them what no parent wants to hear: Your daughter has a brain tumor. The doctor explained that while removing the tumor wasnt possible, it wasnt malignant. Still, they cautioned that she would likely never walk. Thanks to medical advancements, her doctors were able to closely monitor the tumor and develop a care plan that gave her the best chance of a normal life. She not only learned to walk, but she also became a dancer and eventually taught dance to kids in our hometown of Mobile. Her story is one of resilience, but its also a story of what happens when we invest in medical research. Every discovery begins with research. Every new treatment, improved diagnostic tool, and therapy that gives a family more time together starts with an investment in science. And yet, funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the backbone of our nations medical research enterprise, is at risk. That uncertainty doesnt just affect researchers in Washington or scientists in faraway labs. It affects people here at home families in Birmingham, Mobile, Huntsville, and across Alabama. NIH-funded research supports jobs from the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) to smaller research programs tackling everything from Alzheimers and Parkinsons disease to kidney disease and epilepsy care. With rising chronic disease rates, growing mental health challenges, and emerging infectious threats, we cant afford to take medical research for granted. Federal investment in the NIH fuels lifesaving discoveries across every field of medicine, and it ensures that those discoveries reach patients who need them most. These investments dont just save lives; they also save local economies. Every dollar spent on NIH research yields a $2.56 return for taxpayers, meaning Alabamas research community generated over $1.4 billion in economic activity in 2024. The benefits of this research are all around us. In Alabama, weve seen decades of NIH-funded progress in HIV prevention and treatment transform what was once a death sentence into a manageable condition. At AIDS Alabama, where I serve as director of policy and advocacy, I see firsthand how continued investment in research helps people live healthier, more productive lives. For my sister, medical research made all the difference. Because of decades of work supported by the NIH, when she was later diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS), effective medications were available to manage her condition. Today, she works as a behavioral technician for children, which would not have been possible without breakthroughs in medical research. My sisters story, while miraculous, is not unique. It is just one among millions across this country, and each one is a testament to whats possible when we choose to prioritize science and the people behind it. Congress has a responsibility to ensure the NIH has the funding it needs to continue this vital work. These arent abstract investments: Continued federal support for the NIH is an investment in a better future for every Alabaman. Medical research saved my sisters life. And for families across Alabama, continued investment in the NIH deserves our full support. Elizabeth Torrance, MPH, is director of policy and advocacy at AIDS Alabama. Democratic State Rep. Napoleon Bracy of Prichard is chairman of the Alabama Legislative Black Caucus, which has called on Gov. Kay Ivey to call a special session to find emergency funds for SNAP. John Sharp/jsharp@al.com Alabamas Legislative Black Caucus on Friday asked Gov. Kay Ivey to call the Legislature into special session starting on Monday to find emergency funding for SNAP. The letter follows up on one released earlier this week by the Alabama Senate minority caucus calling for a special session to allow the governor and lawmakers to find emergency food assistance funds. The federal government shutdown has caused the suspension of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program for November. About 750,000 people in Alabama receive SNAP benefits, an average monthly benefit of about $190. The situation is uncertain in Alabama and across the nation as the shutdown reaches the one-month mark. A federal judge ruled Friday that the Trump administration must release the money for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program in its contingency fund as soon as possible for the Nov. 1 payments to be made. However, it is unclear at this point what the ruling means for Alabama. In a statement to AL.com, the Alabama Department of Human Resources, which administers the SNAP program, said it is awaiting guidance from the federal government on whether it will lift the planned suspension of SNAP benefits. The Legislative Black Caucus, which includes 28 representatives and seven senators, wrote that the loss of SNAP would affect not only the ability of hundreds of thousands of households to keep food on the table, but also the grocery stores and businesses where those customers shop. A lapse in these benefits would create a devastating ripple effect, draining spending power from communities and jeopardizing jobs, the lawmakers wrote. Gina Maiola, Iveys communications director, said earlier this week that the governor has no plans to call a special session on SNAP. As Alabama DHR noted, SNAP benefits are 100% federally funded, and therefore, U.S. Food and Nutrition Services controls the issuance of these benefits on EBT cards, Maiola said. While the state does not have extra money to do Congress job, Governor Ivey hopes to see U.S. Senate Democrats get on board to reopen the federal government. Federal funds pay the full cost of SNAP benefits, although the state pays some of the administrative cost. In August, 730,000 Alabamians received SNAP benefits that cost a total of $142 million, an average of $194 per person. Some states are stepping in to find temporary funds to keep SNAP going. Lawmakers in Louisiana authorized $150 million in state funding for SNAP, the Associated Press reported. Republican Gov. Jeff Landry supported the plan to help most of the states nearly 800,000 SNAP recipients, the AP said. Alabamas Black Legislative Caucus said it is ready to work with the Republican governor and lawmakers to find a solution. We remain ready to work across the aisle to develop a responsible and temporary funding plan that will uphold the dignity and wellbeing of the citizens of Alabama, they wrote in the letter to Ivey. Collective leadership at this critical moment will demonstrate our commitment to ensuring every family in Alabama retains access to food. Two judges could rule as soon as Friday on whether President Donald Trumps administration must replenish SNAP food aid benefits for November despite the government shutdown. The grocery-buying ability for about 1 in 8 Americans could hinge on the outcomes. Even if a judge rules the benefits cannot be suspended for the first time in SNAPs 61-year history, many beneficiaries are likely to face delays in getting the debit cards they use to buy groceries reloaded. That process can take one to two weeks, so its likely too late to get funds on cards in the first days of November. In a hearing in Boston Thursday on a legal challenge filed by Democratic officials from 25 states, one federal judge seemed skeptical of the administrations argument that SNAP benefits could be halted. U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani told lawyers that if the government cant afford to cover the cost, theres a process to follow rather than simply suspending all benefits. The steps involve finding an equitable way of reducing benefits, said Talwani, who was nominated to the court by former President Barack Obama. Talwani seemed to be leaning toward requiring the government to put billions of dollars in emergency funds toward SNAP. That, she said, is her interpretation of what Congress intended when an agencys funding runs out. If you dont have money, you tighten your belt, she said in court. You are not going to make everyone drop dead because its a political game someplace. Government lawyers say a contingency fund containing some $5 billion cannot legally be used to maintain SNAP, a program that costs about $8 billion a month. The states say it must be used for that purpose and point to more money available in a second federal account. Talwani said her ruling would apply nationwide, not just in the states that are part of the challenge. That could defy the intentions of the U.S. Supreme Court, which has limited the use of nationwide injunctions, though it hasnt prohibited them. A hearing on a second, similar challenge filed by a coalition of cities and nonprofit organizations is scheduled before a Rhode Island-based federal judge for Friday. Any ruling in either case is likely to face an appeal. Meanwhile, states, food banks and recipients have been bracing for an abrupt shift in how low-income people can get groceries. The majority of states have announced more or expedited funding for food banks or novel ways to load at least some benefits onto the debit cards used in the program. Advocates and beneficiaries say halting the food aid would force people to choose between buying groceries and paying other bills. A push this week to continue SNAP funding during the shutdown failed in Congress. To qualify for SNAP in 2025, a family of fours net income after certain expenses cant exceed the federal poverty line, which is about $31,000 per year. Last year, SNAP provided assistance to 41 million people, nearly two-thirds of whom were families with children, according to the lawsuit. A high-profile GOP congresswoman lashed out against pathetic Republican men who criticized her upcoming television appearances on shows with liberal audiences. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., also denied suggestions that she has gone rogue amid her recent criticisms of President Donald Trump and some Republican policies. There are pathetic Republican men (mostly paid social media influencers) attacking me for going on Bill Mahers show and The View, Greene tweeted Thursday night. There are pathetic Republican men (mostly paid social media influencers) attacking me for going on Bill Mahers show and The View. Here is my voting card and nothing has changed about me, Im 1,000,000% America ONLY. Sorry Im not sorry I dont obey Republican mens demands pic.twitter.com/Y29SqL0M1b Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (@RepMTG) October 31, 2025 She then shared her Liberty Score from the Conservative Review, which rated her congressional voting record as 100% conservative as proof of her MAGA bona fides. Here is my voting card and nothing has changed about me, Im 1,000,000% America ONLY, Greene tweeted. Sorry Im not sorry I dont obey Republican mens demands that I, as a woman, dont remain seen but not heard. Catturd, a conservative social media influencer with nearly 4 million followers on X who earlier this month called Greene a sellout fraud, claimed the criticism against the Georgia congresswoman was not due to her gender. Just like a Liberal, If you disagree with MTG now, she accuses you of being paid to do it. Then of course, she calls you sexist, just like a liberal would do too, tweeted Catturd, whose real name is Phillip Buchanan. Its not that she went out with Democrats on the White House steps with them holding signs behind her calling Trump a child rapist No that couldnt be it. Or shes constantly on CNN now giving Democrats talking points against Trump, Or completely changing her stance on deportations (its on video) and I can go on and on, he continued. Its because youre all sexist, paid pathetic men who just hate her because shes a woman. On Thursday, Greene tweeted that she would be appearing on The View on Tuesday, Nov. 4. The show is known for its liberal-leaning cohosts and their biting criticisms of Trump. On Friday night, Greene will be one of the panelists on Real Time with Bill Maher, an HBO debate show popular with liberals. Greene has been critical in recent months of Trumps policies, including the strike on Irans nuclear facilities over the summer. The Georgia congresswoman said the military operation feels like a complete bait and switch to please the neocons. Earlier this month, Greene said on the Tim Dillon Podcast that the Republican Party has failed the American people on economic issues. When we are not doing anything to address the cost of living, we arent doing anything about Blackstone buying up houses where most young people cant buy a house and are having to compete in bidding wars, and were not doing anything about health insurance premiums, then for the love of God what are we doing? Greene said. Greene also appeared to take a softer stance on illegal immigration, saying she has spoken with business owners in her northwest Georgia district who are being crippled by Trumps tariff and immigration policies. We have to do something about labor, and that needs to be a smarter plan than just rounding up every single person and deporting them, she said. The former Republican leader of the U.S. Senate on Friday slammed the head of a conservative group who stuck up for Tucker Carlson after Carlson hosted white nationalist Nick Fuentes on his podcast. Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., was responding to Heritage Foundation President Kevin Roberts statement denying that the organization was going to distance itself from Carlson after Carlsons interview with Fuentes. The intellectual backbone of the conservative movement is only as strong as the values it defends, McConnell tweeted, repeating the phrase Roberts used to describe the Heritage Foundation in his statement. The intellectual backbone of the conservative movement is only as strong as the values it defends. Last I checked, conservatives should feel no obligation to carry water for antisemites and apologists for America-hating autocrats. But maybe I just dont know what time it is https://t.co/FxfhJxbZw2 U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell (@SenMcConnell) October 31, 2025 Fuentes, a Holocaust denier, was described by McConnell as an antisemite and apologist for America-hating autocrats. Last I checked, conservatives should feel no obligation to carry water for antisemites and apologists for America-hating autocrats. But maybe I just dont know what time it is," the senators tweet continued. Fuentes followers see themselves as trying to preserve Americas white, Christian identity. Roberts video drew sharp rebukes from some prominent Jewish leaders from both parties. Democratic Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, the highest-ranking Jewish member of Congress, called the Heritage Foundation heads statement deeply disturbing, an embrace of antisemitism and white supremacist conspiracy theories, all while trafficking antisemitic conspiracy theories of globalist powers that control US policy. He urged anyone aligned with the foundation to disavow the mainstreaming of these hateful ideologies. Carlson, one of the most powerful voices on the right, has been critical of U.S. support for Israel in its war with Hamas and has come under fire for his own far-right views, including the white-supremacist theory that says whites are being replaced by people of color. He began his career working for the Heritage Foundation in the early 1990s, has a broad online following and is often mentioned as a potential future presidential candidate. Roberts post alluded to a rift among conservatives over how far the U.S. should go in its support of Israel, saying they should feel no obligation to reflexively support any foreign government, no matter how loud the pressure becomes from the globalist class or their mouthpieces in Washington. He went on to characterize Carlson as a close friend of the think tank. The Heritage Foundation didnt become the intellectual backbone of the conservative movement by cancelling our own people or policing the consciences of Christians, and we wont start doing that now, he said. This is an opinion cartoon.Got JD Crowes free weekly newsletter, Crowe Jam? Sign up for it here. Sadly, the government shutdown hasnt stopped the constant flow of ignorance from Tommy Tuberville. Aside from his SNAP judgment about how much his own constituents will be harmed by the loss of benefits, this week Tuberville also mused about how Trump could go around the Constitution for a third term in 2028. Thats up to him, he said. (That thought is too scary even for Halloween.) From Heather Ganns AL.com story: The hosts of MSNBC show Morning Joeon Wednesday reacted to U.S. Sen.Tommy Tubervilles, R-Ala.,recent comments on Alabamians losing SNAP benefits as the government shutdown continues. The shows panel expressed shock and outrage at Tubervilles stance that a lot of young men that are on SNAP that should be working. Tuberville told reporters this week that Democrats are getting a little bit tight right now. Its their constituents, a lot of them, in some of these inner cities, that are going to need SNAP to survive, and theyre getting a lot of calls, he said. Morning Joe co-host and former U.S. Representative Joe Scarborough said Tubervilles stance showed the ignorance of a lot of these Republican leaders. They think that theyre owning the libs when in fact, its their constituents who disproportionately take from the government, Scarborough said. Its his people that are just going to be completely hammered by [a loss of] SNAP benefits. On Monday, the Alabama Department of Human Resources, which administers SNAP, said food stamps will be suspended in November. About 15% of the states population (roughly 750,000 people out of 5 million) is enrolled in the program, which provides food benefits to low-income families to supplement their grocery budget so they can afford the nutritious food essential to health and well-being. There are a lot of good people in Alabama that need Medicaid, that need SNAP benefits, and a lot of them are people that voted for Donald Trump, Scarborough continued. Thats the ignorance of all this. Read all of Ganns story here. JD Crowe is the cartoonist for Alabama Media Group andAL.com. He won the RFK Human Rights Award for Editorial Cartoons in 2020. In 2018, he was awarded the Rex Babin Memorial Award for local and state cartoons by the Association of American Editorial Cartoonists. Follow JD on Facebook, Twitter@Crowejam andInstagram @JDCrowepix. Give him a holler @jdcrowe@al.com. Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., is seen during votes in the U.S. Capitol on Thursday, October 23, 2025. (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images) CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Imag U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville said he hopes Republicans stand their ground in the federal government shutdown even though he said the suspension of SNAP benefits is hurting needy Alabamians. Tuberville, who is running for governor, also said there are probably people in Alabama who are receiving the food assistance who should not be. In an interview on The Steve & DC Morning Show on 95.3 The Bear radio in Tuscaloosa on Thursday, Tuberville said Democrats are to blame for the shutdown because of their refusal to approve a continuing resolution to temporarily fund the government. As a result of the shutdown, which started Oct. 1, about 750,000 people in Alabama will not have Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits for November. The average monthly benefit in Alabama is about $190. Two federal judges on Friday ruled Trumps administration must continue to fund SNAP, but the rulings are likely to face appeals. I feel for a lot of people, Tuberville said. A lot of people deserve the SNAP. We need to help the elderly, the sick. People that really deserve it. Theyre out of a job. All those things. In Alabama, we have 700,000 people on SNAP. Now thats probably way too many considering our percentage. But again, its hard to distinguish between the good and the people that dont need it. But at the end of the day, we cant let our people go hungry and especially just simply for the fact that theyre doing it politically on the Democratic side. Democrats, on the other hand, say they are holding out because millions of people will lose health insurance unless Republicans agree to extend subsidies that are set to expire in January. That includes an estimated 130,000 people in Alabama. Tuberville said he believes Senate Majority Leader John Thune of South Dakota is doing a good job putting pressure on the Senates Democrats. Thune spoke out angrily on the Senate floor this week about the Democrats position and blaming them for the consequences, like the SNAP suspension. Im keeping my fingers crossed that as Republicans, we dont cave, Tuberville said. Because the history shows that Republicans just cant handle the pressure for some reason. But this time, the two people that have really stood up to the plate on all this is John Thune, the leader of the Senate, who Ill have to give it to him, I didnt think he had it in him, but he does. He come out swinging yesterday - Hey, yeah, dont point fingers at us. Y all vote for this thing. Lets get it over with. The other guys Donald Trump. I mean, he doesnt take anything off anybody. Democratic lawmakers have pushed for stopgap funding of SNAP during the shutdown, including a request for the U.S. Department of Agriculture to tap a contingency fund. U.S. Rep. Shomari Figures, D-Mobile, posted on X that he had signed onto a letter urging the USDA to extend SNAP funding. SNAP funding runs out this week and over 750,000 people in Alabama - including CHILDREN - will lose the benefits they rely on to put food on the table. This is a choice by the Trump Administration to let families go hungry, Figures wrote on X. Martin Kemp is reportedly in talks for this year's Im a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here!. Martin Kemp might be headed Down Under next month The Spandau Ballet star and former EastEnders actor, 64, is said to be close to inking a deal to take on the creepy crawlies in the Australian jungle when the show returns in November. A source told The Mirror: Martin is a household name having been top of the hit parade with Spandau Ballet in the 80s and then in EastEnders in the early 2000s hes a great signing and everyone is very excited at the prospect of getting him Down Under. He wouldn't be the first member of the famous family to head into the jungle. His son, Roman Kemp, 32, competed back in 2019, and later backed his dad to follow in his footsteps to get his own back after his tweet landed him a trial. He told the same outlet in 2022: "Listen, I would do anything to see my dad eat llama anus. "Ill tell you why, because when I got nominated the first time, it was the eating trial. "When youre in there, you get so paranoid about why people are voting for you, because youre like am I coming across as a d*** and people want to see me suffer. "When I got out, I was looking through some of the headlines, and it turns out the only reason I got voted to do that trial at the beginning was because my dad tweeted: 'Lets get my son to eat kangaroo anus. So, my God, I'm very up for him going in." Martin's former Spandau bandmate, Tony Hadley, 65, also competed on the survival reality series back in 2015, finishing in sixth place. The I'm A Celeb report comes after Martin suffered a nasty injury while using a chainsaw. The musician took to Instagram last Friday (24.10.25) to update his fans on how he is doing - a week after he almost severed his digits and required hospital treatment after he chopped wood at home and then picked up the tool by the blade and switched it on. Showing off his bandaged fingers, Martin said in the clip: "Hey guys, just a little message. You might have seen in the papers that I had a terrible accident with a chainsaw, which I did, but it was last week. "I'm a lot better now. And just to let you know, if you were worried and you are going to Lincoln Cathedral tonight for the DJ gig, it is still on. "But I appreciate your concerns. And listen, it's getting better by the minute." Laughing, he continued: "I will explain how it happened another time, but just to reassure you, I am alright." Martin concluded his message with: "Lots of love, bye." Cocodp has become a go-to option for gamers who need to buy in-game currency and credits across different platforms. But with so many top-up services out there, one question keeps coming up. Is Cocodp actually safe for your gaming purchases? The short answer is yes. The platform uses several security layers, holds official payment licenses in key regions, and processes millions of dollars monthly. But a simple yes doesn't tell you much. Understanding why Cocodp is safe means looking at how it actually protects your transactions and personal information. Security Infrastructure That Actually Works Digital payment safety depends on systems running properly behind the scenes. Cocodp uses advanced security protocols that monitor transactions from start to finish. These systems work constantly to maintain security and protect users. The platform's risk controls operate on multiple levels at once. Your payment data gets encrypted when it moves through the system. Multiple fund security and risk control measures work throughout the payment process. All of this happens automatically while you're checking out. This layered approach means if one security measure runs into trouble, others keep protecting your transaction. Multiple safeguards working together provide way better protection than relying on just one method. Official Licenses Show Legitimate Operations One of the clearest signs of a real payment platform is whether it holds official licenses. Cocodp maintains local payment licenses across Southeast Asia, Latin America, and Central Asia. These aren't easy to get. Authorities in these regions make companies meet tough standards before they can process payments. Having these licenses means the platform operates under real oversight. Authorities monitor whether the company follows local payment laws and protects consumers properly. This external accountability adds trust that goes beyond what any company promises on its own. For users, these licenses give you options if something goes wrong. Licensed payment operators have to maintain certain standards and typically offer ways to resolve disputes that unlicensed services don't provide. Major Gaming Companies Trust This Platform Sometimes the best way to judge a platform's safety is by looking at who works with them. Cocodp has partnerships with major gaming companies, including Moonton, Giant Network, and 7Road. Most recently, it became Bigo Live's first third-party top-up provider in the United States. These companies guard their reputations carefully. They wouldn't partner with a payment provider that puts their users at risk. When established gaming platforms trust Cocodp with their payment processing, that says a lot about its reliability and security standards. Monthly transactions exceeding $5 million also show sustained user trust. People don't keep using a service they feel unsafe with, especially when money is involved. This ongoing usage demonstrates real confidence in how the platform handles security. What Separates Safe Services From Sketchy Ones Not all top-up services operate with the same level of security. Here are some warning signs that flag potentially unsafe platforms: Missing or unclear encryption in the payment process No visible licensing information or proof of regulatory compliance Vague company details or contact information that's hard to find Payment flows with strange redirects or unnecessary extra steps Overly complicated checkout processes that seem suspicious Cocodp avoids all these red flags. Security information is easy to find and publicly available. The company operates transparently with clear contact channels. Payment processes stay straightforward without weird redirects or suspicious additional steps. Another safety aspect is not requiring account creation for basic purchases. This might seem odd, but it actually reduces certain risks. You're not creating another account that could get hacked. You're not storing payment details on yet another platform you need to monitor. You complete your purchase and move on without leaving unnecessary data behind. Supporting 150+ Payment Methods While Staying Secure One impressive thing about this platform is how it maintains strong security while supporting over 150 different payment methods across 180 countries. Each payment method has its own security requirements and integration challenges. Managing this complexity while keeping everything secure requires sophisticated systems. The platform handles payment information from diverse sources like credit cards, digital wallets such as PIX and GCash, and regional banking gateways. Each type processes through secure channels built specifically for its requirements. This variety actually helps keep you safer. You can choose payment methods you already trust and use regularly instead of being forced into unfamiliar options that might make you uncomfortable. What You Should Do to Stay Protected Even with strong platform security, you play an important role in keeping your transactions safe. Some basic practices help protect you no matter which top-up service you use: Double-check you're on the real website before entering any payment information Look for the lock icon in your browser's address bar to confirm the connection is secure Stick with payment methods you already trust and check your statements regularly for unexpected charges Be careful about sharing gaming account details beyond what the top-up actually requires Legitimate services only need your user ID for top-ups. Your account password should never be required for a proper transaction. While platform security helps prevent problems, staying alert on your end adds an extra layer of protection. Track Record Demonstrates Reliability Over Time Safety becomes clearer as time passes and operations continue. A brand new service might promise excellent security, but you can't really judge how it performs until it faces real-world challenges and fraud attempts. Cocodp has processed significant transaction volumes and maintained partnerships with major gaming companies over extended periods. This track record matters because it shows the security measures work in actual practice, not just in theory or controlled test environments. Sustained operations without major security incidents or widespread user complaints show that systems function as intended when tested by real usage patterns and potential security threats. Comprehensive Risk Management Throughout Transactions Good risk management goes beyond just preventing unauthorized access. The platform's multiple fund security and risk control measures work to protect users throughout the payment process. These risk controls operate continuously to maintain transaction security. The systems work in the background to identify and address potential issues while keeping the checkout process smooth for legitimate users. The Bottom Line on Cocodp Safety After looking at how Cocodp works, it's clear that the platform takes security seriously. It uses strong encryption, holds real payment licenses, and partners directly with major gaming companies like Moonton and Bigo Live. These are solid signs that it's a legitimate and trustworthy service. Cocodp also keeps things simple for users. You don't have to create extra accounts or go through confusing checkout steps, which helps reduce risks. The platform has been running smoothly for a long time and continues to process large volumes of payments without major issues. Final verdict: Yes, Cocodp is safe to use for buying in-game credits and currency. Its combination of secure systems, proper licenses, and trusted partnerships makes it a reliable choice for gamers who want to top up without worrying about their personal or payment information. Overnight, YouTube TV emailed all of its subscribers to let them know that ESPN and ABC channels are no longer available on the platform, as of October 30, 2025. Why is that? Well, Disney and YouTube TV are in the middle of a carriage dispute, likely about fees. You see, every time one of these contracts come up, the content provider (Disney, NBCU, Paramount, etc) all try to squeeze as much money as they can out of the carrier (YouTube TV, Comcast, Spectrum, etc). And YouTube TV is looking to get fair rates, versus paying what bigger companies like Comcast would have to pay. YouTube TV and Disney will likely come to an agreement pretty soon. This happened the last time the contract was up, though it was later in the year, in late December, so a bit surprising that the contract is up for renewal now. But that outage only lasted about 2 days. So wed expect a similar time-frame here. Keep in mind that theres more for Disney to lose here versus YouTube TV. YouTube TV, for its part, is going to offer customers a $20 credit if the channels are off of its platform for an extended period of time. Why do these disputes keep happening? Lets clear up some myths here. While it seems like these carriage disputes only happen to YouTube TV, that is far from the truth. This happens with every single cable company and live TV streamer. YouTube TV has a louder audience, however. Google has noted that they are not going to agree to terms that disadvantage our members while benefitting Disneys own live TV products. Which is a problem in the industry now. NBCU and Disney both make the content and also deliver it with Hulu + Live TV and Comcast Cable. YouTube TV doesnt make the content, they simply deliver it. Content providers like Disney continue to overpay for content, and try to pass those costs down to the carrier like YouTube TV, and Google wont have it. Good for Google for sticking up for the consumer here. Here are the channels that will be removed until a deal is reached: Maps is one of Googles most convenient and useful services. Street View, one of its most popular features, is extremely popular. With a few quick clicks, we can virtually drop into any neighborhood, scouting a vacation rental or checking out a new restaurant. But that same convenience comes at a cost to privacy: anyone in the world can virtually stand on the curb outside your home. Fortunately, there is a way to ask Google Maps to blur, or ghost, your home. This is ideal for homeowners uncomfortable with this level of exposure. This action is not about deleting your homes existence from the map. However, it will minimize the information available to strangers. Here are the two primary ways to request a permanent blur. You can do it from your computer or the mobile app. However, one of the two methods is simpler and more convenient. Method 1: From a desktop web browser (recommended) Google Maps is available on every mobile device. That said, the process for requesting a blur is significantly easier and more precise from a web browser on a desktop computer. Find Your Home: Open Google Maps in your web browser and search for your home address. Enter Street View: Click the photo of your home to enter the Street View mode. Report the Issue: Look toward the bottom-right corner of the screen and click the small link labeled Report a Problem. Frame the Area: Use your mouse to adjust the red and black box so it clearly frames your house, driveway, or any other private object you want hidden. Select the Reason: Under the options, select Your home. Submit Details: Provide any necessary clarifying details, enter your email address for follow-up, verify the captcha, and click Submit. This action will take you to a dedicated form where you must define exactly what needs blurring. Use your mouse and the zoom controls to adjust the image view. You need to ensure the red and black box clearly contains your house, driveway, or any other private object you want hidden. You then should select the reason for the blurspecifically, Your Home. Method 2: From the Google Maps mobile app While slightly more challenging for precise framing, the mobile app (iOS or Android) allows you to submit the request on the go. Find Your Home: Open the Google Maps app and search for your home address. Enter Street View: Tap the photo thumbnail to enter the Street View mode. Report the Issue: Tap the three-dot menu () or a similar icon, usually located in the corner, and select Report a Problem. Complete the Form: This step will likely open a web view of the reporting form. Complete the form by selecting your home as the item to blur and adjust the framed image as needed. Submit: Provide your email address and submit the request. A permanent decision Google requires that only the property owner or tenant submit a blur request. This is because the decision is final and irreversible. Once Google approves the request and processes the blur, that digital distortion is permanent and will apply to all future Street View updates. Therefore, you must be absolutely certain about your choice before moving forward. After providing a few clarifying details and a valid email address (necessary for status updates), submit the form. Google will review the report and respond via email, though the processing time can vary from a few days to a few weeks. By taking these steps, you successfully regain more control over your homes digital footprint. The annual competition for the smartphone crown often boils down to subtle refinements in display and processing power. However, the latest leaked specs for the Samsung Galaxy S26 lineup suggest significant upgrades in a key area: photography. Apparently, Samsung will finally implement better and larger sensors for the Galaxy S26 series 3x zoom telephoto camera. Camera-wise, one of the areas that has evolved the most in recent years is optical zoom. Several Android brandsespecially Chinese onesare implementing powerful lenses. However, Samsung has maintained a much more conservative approach. The company has focused primarily on software and processing improvements. But what happens when the hardware is so old that it simply cant offer notable quality improvements? Samsung may bring bigger 3x telephoto camera sensor to the Galaxy S26 This has been happening with the Galaxy S models of recent years. For reference, the latest Galaxy S25 Ultra uses the same 10MP 3x optical zoom lens as the older Galaxy S22 Ultra. Were talking about a pretty small sensor for 2025 premium flagship standards (1/3.52-inch size). However, it looks like thats finally about to change. According to Alchemist Leaks, the Samsung Galaxy S26 series will receive a big 3x zoom telephoto camera upgrade. The change would be present in all models, from the base variant to the Ultra model. More specifically, the devices would boast a new, larger 12MP sensor with a 1/2.55-inch size. The leak mentions that the Galaxy S26 Ultra could have an even bigger telephoto camera. However, they note that the latter is not confirmed yet. If true, this change could be the most important camera update in the entire series. After all, a larger physical sensor dramatically increases light capture, leading to cleaner details, less noise, and superior results when you use that common 3x zoom function. Other camera improvements Continuing with the camera upgrades, the Galaxy S26 Ultra will have an upgraded 200MP main sensor. The 50MP ultra-wide lens will also receive improvements, although no further specific details are available. The 50MP 5x zoom telephoto lens may be the same as the current Galaxy S25 Ultra. On the other hand, the upgraded 50MP ultra-wide sensor would also be coming to the Samsung Galaxy S26 and S26 Plus. This would represent a big improvement compared to the Galaxy S25 and S25 Plus 12MP lenses. Potentially bigger battery for the Ultra model Beyond the optical improvements, the S26 Ultra is chasing endurance. Leaks mention the possibility of a 5,400mAh battery cell. Such an increase would give the phone a nice daily battery life. However, the source mentions that this may be subject to change. This is because its a last-minute change, so Samsung must conduct tests to confirm the feasibility of its implementation. In terms of processing, every model is set to receive the next-gen Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 Elite or Exynos 2600. Lastly, the entire lineup, including the S26+ and the standard S26, will also benefit from QHD M14 AMOLED displays. Overall, Samsung seems to have realized it was falling far behind Chinese brands in terms of camera technology. So, the company appears ready to implement some significant improvements in this area. Lets hope the rumors are true and we see these camera updates in the Galaxy S26 series next year. For many US citizens at this particular moment in time, smartphones have become a valuable tool in the pushback against ICE, in hopes that surveillance of their actions will result in ICE agents reducing their use of force during raids to detain people. In some cases, video recording and what could almost be viewed as verbally shaming these agents in public has resulted in them leaving the scene of attempt to detain someone. Almost like they know they werent supposed to be doing it in the first place. These sorts of recordings, as well as images related to the same subject taken with smartphones we carry with us every day, are being spread all across social media. Making them more of an important thing to have around these days. The sharing on social media shouldnt be surprising. Its become a main form of spreading news on current events. Situations that might otherwise get little media attention from big outlets and networks. Outside of social media, apps like ICEBlock and similar offerings have made their way onto app platforms this year. These apps have served as a way for citizens to share active locations of ICE agents. All in hopes people could avoid those areas. Like users of Waze do when they crowdsource information on speed traps. But smartphones and social media, however much theyve been useful to the average user, are double-edged sword admist these problems with ICE. ICE and the Trump administration are also able to use smartphones and social media for surveillance As much as both smartphones and social media have been useful for citizens to share whats happening, theyve also been a method for ICE and the Trump administration to use surveillance against the populace. This unfortunate two-way street has and never likely will be a closed-off or one-sided beneficial piece of technology. That is to say, now more than ever, people should be careful about what they say or post online. Whether or not thoughts of political dissent is something that enters your mind on a daily basis or crops up in conversations with friends, its one thing to think about that stuff and discuss with people close to you in person or in personal chats. Its another thing to outwardly share those thoughts with the world at large onine. Be careful about what you share online This isnt to say you shouldnt talk about or share these things. Just that sharing these current moments require more contemplation. The launch of a new app that shares real-time locations of ICE activity to alert others, an opinion about ICE and what theyre doing, a video of excessive force during a detention. All of these should all be done with forethought and tact. As ICE also have their own tools. As noted by Kyle Chayka in The New Yorker, ICE has been seen using digital tools created by Palantir to gather information on people its detained. These tools scan social media accounts, government records, and bio-metric data of detainees. At the same time, the Trump administration has put pressure on app stores like Google Play and the Apple App Store to remove apps that work against ICE and its goals. ICEBlock and similar offerings have all been pulled down. Other apps, such as Eyes Up, went live on September 1 of this year to archive recordings of excessive abuse and abductions by ICE, only to be pulled down in early October. So far there havent been any widespread (let alone any that are known) instances of people being targeted for what they post about the current situation with ICE raids and the Trump administrations use of them online. That doesnt mean that these things wont happen, however. The further it gets into Trumps second term, the more that things happen that people probably wouldnt have believed just a few years ago. The United States has signed important new technology deals during President Donald Trumps visit to Asia. As per an agreement, Japan, South Korea, and the US will help each other develop their technologies, including AI chips. The main focus areas of the deal are artificial intelligence, semiconductors, quantum computing, 6G, space research, biotech, and more. US, Japan, and Korea plan long-term cooperation for AI chips and other technologies The United States, Japan, and South Korea want to join forces to build better technology for the future. Japan is already strong in terms of robotics, material science, and other tech, while South Korea is a leader in memory chips and advanced manufacturing. With the newly signed agreement, the countries promise to share knowledge, support each others industries, and stay ahead in global competition. The major part of the agreement is to set common technology rules and standards. The US and Japan will work together to expand AI exports, protect sensitive technology, and develop policies to support technological growth. At the same time, the United States and South Korea will focus on reducing hurdles for tech companies, including making data storage and data movement easier across borders. The agreement aims to improve security and boost the global tech leadership of the countries One of the key parts of the agreement is to help the US reduce its reliance on China for importing technology and its materials. By strengthening ties with Japan and South Korea, the US wants to build a secure and stable supply chain for chips, AI systems, and future communication networks. All three countries want to lead in setting rules for new technologies like quantum computing. Thats not all. The countries will also help each other support research groups, improve cross-border technology sharing, and build a safe environment for new technologies. Here in the US, were pretty limited on what phones we can buy. Were mostly stuck with Samsung or Apple. There are a few options from Google, Motorola and OnePlus as well, but for the most part its Samsung and Apple. They both make good phones, but when you get the chance to play with some phones available in other regions like the new Find X9 Pro from OPPO it really makes you realize how far the US government has overstepped. As a phone reviewer for the past 13 years, Ive had the chance to review hundreds, actually probably thousands of phones. Many of which are not available in the US. While its true, we do get OnePlus devices here in the US, which is mostly the same as what OPPO launches, its not entirely the same. And thats especially true for the OPPO Find X9 Pro and OnePlus 15 OnePlus doesnt even have Hasselblad anymore. Whenever I use some of these phones, I really want to switch to them full-time, but then I remember that they wont work fully on the US networks. If you do have T-Mobile, itll work mostly on their network. But youll miss out on features like VoLTE, WiFi Calling and more. And if youre in an area where T-Mobile already has spotty service and uses a band that the phone doesnt have, you wont have service. What does the US government have to do with limiting smartphone players? Its not all on the government; a big part of why these Chinese companies dont sell here is the carriers. Which Ill touch on in a bit. But, back in 2019, the US banned Huawei. Not only did they ban Huawei from selling in the US, they also could not work with US companies. That meant they couldnt use Qualcomm chips, they couldnt use Microsoft Windows on their laptops, nor use Android on their phones. They also struggled to make their own chips because they couldnt work with ARM (despite not being an American company). This really set Huawei back, but because of how large they are, and their resources, they were able to weather the storm. And now theyre back like they never left. Their Kirin chips are still pretty far behind the competition, however. But they do have some of the best cameras on the market. Now, Huawei is very paranoid about doing anything related to the US or even Europe, for the fear of being sanctioned even harder. Because of this, they sold off HONOR, though we can still tell they have a heavy influence in that company. They also dont invite US media to a lot of events. I was able to go to one last year, but it was really hard to make that happen. Other Chinese companies, such as OPPO, Vivo, and Xiaomi, have seen this happen and are now not looking at the US at all. Surprisingly, though, they do have a presence in Mexico, but not the US and Canada. The graph above is from Statcounter, showing market share in Mexico. Youll notice that Xiaomi and OPPO are both listed here at around 10% market share. Of course, Samsung is a big chunk here, which is the case in most countries. Carriers control the market Unfortunately, in the US the majority of buyers go to their carrier and buy a new phone. Instead of buying unlocked, like is the case in Asia and Europe. Carriers in fact, will give you discounts for buying through them, versus unlocked the complete opposite versus Europe. And because of that, if you are not selling your phone on a carrier, youre not going to sell very many. OnePlus and ZTEs Nubia are prime examples of this. Now OnePlus is available in more places, and available in Best Buy stores, but you cant get it from T-Mobile, AT&T or Verizon. Which greatly affects how many units they will sell. A big reason why OnePlus doesnt sell on carriers is the cost, which then gets passed down to the customer. Many years ago, their phone was on T-Mobile for several hundred dollars more than directly from OnePlus. That was a very bad look, since the phone was identical. Some OEMs are working to make buying unlocked more feasable and attractive, like Samsung. Who offers more colors of their phones through their website, cutting out retailers and carriers. But to get a major chunk of Americans to buy unlocked, that wont happen for quite some time. Americans need more choice Choice is always good for consumers. It also drives innovation and competition. Looking at the US smartphone landscape, its pretty boring. Actually, its incredibly boring. Most phones look the exact same every year, with nothing more than a processor upgrade. Meanwhile, looking at Europe with things like the vivo X300 Pro, OPPO Find X9 Pro and the Xiaomi 17 Pro/Pro Max, those are some pretty big upgrades in almost every area. Just imagine walking into a Verizon store and seeing the vivo X300 Pro, OPPO Find X9 Pro, Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra, and iPhone 17 Pro Max on display. How many do you think would still choose Samsung or Apple? Likely quite a few, because of the brand recognition, but people would be interested in the vivo and OPPO, especially seeing the specs. The government needs to stay out of what companies can sell in the US, and carriers need to make it easier to use unlocked phones here. Then, we might be able to get some of these more interesting devices. The Mayer Parry Bridge would connect the Leaway footpath in Canning Town with Leven Road in Poplar (LDRS) A long-hoped-for footbridge across the River Lea could be built in 2027 after nearly 10million was put up by two councils to fund it. The Mayer Parry Bridge would connect the Leaway footpath in Canning Town with Leven Road in Poplar, with plans to build it having been in the works since at least 2021. The bridge would span the borough boundary between Tower Hamlets and Newham and is a joint project between the two councils. Tower Hamlets Council told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) this week it had now found 4.8million to pay towards building the bridge. Newham Council leaders voted to commit the same amount last week. Newham mayor Rokhsana Fiaz said the bridge would be a vital piece of infrastructure that will connect a really significant part of Tower Hamlets with Newham to create opportunities of growth and access to jobs. Council leaders in Newham voted to approve the funding at a cabinet committee meeting last Thursday (23rd). Papers presented to the cabinet said there is currently no way to cross the River Lea between the A13 at Canning Town and Twelvetrees Crescent at Bromley-by-Bow a distance of over a mile. The papers said: Along with busy main roads such as the nearby A12and A13, the river forms a physical barrier for the local community. This same area is poised for significant residential and commercial growth, and without connections along and across the river, many future pedestrian and cycle journeys will be forced to share space on busy roads with vehicular traffic. Newham and Tower Hamlets councils have been considering building three bridges across this section of the river since at least 2021, when they both agreed to share costs and carry out enabling work. Pages on both councils websites indicate they hoped all three bridges would be built and in use by this year, but a feasibility study presented to Newham Councils cabinet last week suggests it can only commit to funding one of them Mayer Parry Bridge. It said funding the other two bridges would require substantial borrowing or the use of money that could pay for other critical infrastructure across the borough. A presentation to Tower Hamlets Councils transformation advisory board in September 2024 said that the authority would seek an innovative funding approach towards Mayer Parry Bridge. Both councils have now agreed to pay 4.8m each using money secured from developers of other projects as part of planning agreements. Another 2.4m will come as a grant from the Greater London Authority. A Tower Hamlets spokesperson told the LDRS this week its contribution would be finalised by its cabinet in January 2026. Plans approved by Newhams cabinet last week said 1m of its portion would come from the developers of a planned new data centre in Bidder Street. They say developers would pay this in two instalments of 500,000 once construction work on the data centre reaches two trigger points in 2027. Both councils expect to enter into construction contracts to build the bridge at this time. Papers presented to Newhams cabinet say there is a small risk that construction work on the data centre doesnt reach the two trigger points in 2027. However, they say that safeguards mean that the council would be able to suspend the project or seek alternative funding if this happens. The council will also need to secure an agreement with a private landowner in Canning Town to build and access the bridge. But officers told the cabinet that talks with the owner have been quite positive. Papers also said cost, funding and land ownership meant the two other bridges Lochnagar and Poplar Reach were less feasible. Thats despite planning permission for Lochnagar Bridge being granted in May 2024. The papers said the two bridges may become feasible in the longer term if conditions change and further funding becomes available. Massive delays caused chaos for airline passengers yesterday, as the air traffic controller staffing crisis, exacerbated by the government shutdown, continued to worsen. Vice President J.D. Vance has now warned of a looming disaster if the devastating government shutdown drags into November. Some airports were even forced to order an entire ground stop for their services, according to reports. Orlando International Airport, which regularly welcomes tourists heading to Disney World, was the hardest hit by the closures. According to an advisory board seen by The New York Times, no arriving flights were able to land for an extended period on Thursday, as there were no certified traffic controllers available. Delays at Orlandos airport averaged 2 hours and 40 minutes, with some lasting up to 12 hours. Travellers sleep on chairs at Orlando International Airport as delays of up to 12 hours were reported (AFP via Getty Images) Similar controller shortages also caused chaos for flight schedules at Ronald Reagan National Airport. Air traffic controllers have been going without pay since Tuesday, as the holiday season approaches and worsening weather conditions lead to soaring household bills. A lot of our people can go through the miss of one paycheck, Sean Duffy, the transportation secretary, added. None of them can get through two paychecks. Meanwhile, Trump has ordered Republicans in Congress to play their TRUMP CARD, to eliminate the filibuster, prolonging the shutdown. Ominously, Trump referred to this as the Republicans Nuclear Option, although it could present the GOP with major problems if they eventually lose power to the Democrats. The government shutdown has dragged into its 31st day as it barrels towards becoming the longest closure in history (EPA) The filibuster is a Senate rule that requires 60 of the chambers 100 members to approve a piece of legislation for it to be signed into law. Since the Republicans hold a majority of 53-47, legislation can be stalled if Senators vote along party lines. If the Republicans ditched this agreement and cashed in on the ability to force through bills, it would hand a massive amount of power to the Democrats, if they won the Senate in 2026, since they would be equally free to ignore the filibuster. The filibuster is currently allowing the Democrats to block any bill proposed by the Republicans, in a bid to force the GOP to the negotiating table. The Democratic Party has said it will not approve any spending bill that includes cuts to Affordable Care Act subsidies. They are also looking to reverse cuts to Medicaid, which were included in Trumps Big, Beautiful Bill. The shutdown has been ongoing for 31 days. The most extended government shutdown, which ended after 35 days, unfolded during Trumps first term. It is unlikely that Margaret Thatcher was concerned about receiving unequal treatment from the Carlton Club - The Print Collector/Getty Images In the past couple of days, friends with military connections have copied me a letter just sent by the deputy chief of the general staff, Lt Gen David Eastman. It is addressed to all the colonels of Corps and Regiments. Lt Gen Eastman wants the army to be modern, inclusive and forward-thinking, committed to equality. So it is imperative that our practices, partnerships, and affiliations reflect the values we uphold. It has come to my attention, he continues with headmasterly menace, that some Corps and Regiments maintain historical associations with private members clubs whose rules, policies, or cultural practices may not align with the Armys commitment to inclusivity. Oh, dear me. This concern extends beyond clubs that exclude women entirely, the number two of the British Army goes on, to include those where membership rights, access, or participation differ on the basis of gender, for example, restrictions on the rooms that can be accessed If access or treatment is unequal, the effect is to diminish the agency of some members. (Male soldiers excluded from women-only clubs get no mention.) So the deputy CGS wants action this day. He directs a review of associations, engagement with clubs to make them see the error of their ways, and dissociation where necessary. I trust in your leadership to approach this matter with the seriousness it deserves, he warns his colonels. No doubt Lt Gen Eastman is being pestered by diversity (as opposed to Army) officers and legal advisers. The poor mans bonnet must be buzzing with bees inserted by the collective forces of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). No need to get into the details here. I just want to fasten on the generals desire to approach this matter with the seriousness which it deserves. I would suggest it does not deserve much seriousness at all. I say this with feeling because today there is more external danger to our country than at any time since the end of the Cold War. Perhaps not coincidentally, our Army is at its weakest since the age of the musket. For the recent centenary of Margaret Thatchers birth, I have published a one-volume edition of my authorised biography. So I am asked to make a good many speeches about the nature of leadership. As it happens, I delivered two this week in clubs which, for all I know, may be on Lt Gen Eastmans blacklist (although both, I am pleased to report, included many ladies in the company). Audiences urgently want to learn from leadership in her time and apply it to leadership now. In answering them, I emphasise the need for leaders to understand the nature of threat. There will be more than one threat at any one time of economic failure, the breakdown of law and order, interrupted energy supply, pandemic, systemic computer collapse, and military attack from land, sea, air or hybrid warfare. Good leaders identify and prioritise these. In the famous 1976 speech after which her Soviet opponents sarcastically called her the Iron Lady, Mrs Thatcher said: The first duty of any Government is to safeguard its people against external aggression. She spent a good deal more time thinking about that than she did about whether, as a woman, she was receiving unequal treatment from the Carlton Club. When she became prime minister three years later, Mrs Thatcher began to discharge that safeguarding duty through Nato nuclear rearmament, followed by negotiations with the Soviets from strength. She succeeded, working with President Reagan to bring about the peaceful demise of Soviet communism. In the very week she fell from power in November 1990 she attended the CSCE conference in Paris which formally ended the Cold War. Margaret Thatcher worked alongside Ronald Reagan, then US president, to end Soviet communism - AP Photo Yet this year, this month, this week, we have a Labour Government in this respect little different from the recent Conservative one which dare not identify the current threats. For this reason, the planned trial of two men accused of spying for China recently collapsed. The prosecuting authorities could not get the relevant government officials to confirm that China is a threat of our national security. Currently, a British carrier strike group is on its way back from the Far East. The purpose of its presence there was to warn China not to threaten our allies and trade routes. Yet our policy-makers cannot unambiguously state such threats, contenting themselves instead with the Three Cs, cooperate, compete and challenge, a formula which disables decision-making. And although we are clearer about the threat posed by Russia than that from China, our declared readiness to do whatever it takes for Ukraine to fight off Vladimir Putin is heavily qualified by our undeclared unreadiness to produce what it actually does take. If I were a high official or general sitting in Beijing or Moscow, I would clearly see that Britain is not, to apply Lt Gen Eastmans phrase about womens club rights, approaching the matter with the seriousness it deserves. I would notice that Britain was passionately concerned about shunning clubs which women members can access only by the back stairs, but seemingly content to let China access the cables running through the heart of London by building a massive, partly subterranean embassy there. So I would laugh, and press forward. As in the 1930s, we cannot quite bear to contemplate just how dangerous the situation has become. Obviously, this is related to our failure to succeed economically and to the greed of major British institutions, businesses and individuals to accumulate Chinese money (gosh, it was so much easier when communist countries were all poor). But there is another factor as well. In 1945, Nazism was comprehensively defeated, so we all found out its horrors, and worked to prevent repetition. The same process never happened with communism except in the eastern European countries which threw off the Soviet yoke from 1989. Even today, for example, it is not well known in the sense that the Holocaust is well known that Stalin deliberately starved millions of people in Ukraine in the early 1930s. Joseph Stalin starved millions of Ukrainians - Bettmann With China, the problem is even more extreme. Unlike Russia, which sloughed off communism though not tyranny, the rule of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) has been continuous and all-powerful from 1949. The people of China do not know the truth of Chairman Maos Great Leap Forward, in which more than 30 million people starved, or his Cultural Revolution, in which perhaps two million people died. In public at least, Mao remains the hero, despite being the biggest killer the world has ever seen. Whatever the regimes private thoughts, their propaganda stance still vindicates him. This week, I finished Fly, Wild Swans, Jung Changs sequel to her world-bestseller, Wild Swans, which revealed her familys suffering in both those man-made catastrophes. In it, she describes how Mao died disappointed with his ambition for China to overtake America. In Xi Jinping, the current president, she sees Maos ghost walking once more, watching everyone, arming up, preventing her from seeing her dying mother, banning writers like her who, as Xi revealingly puts it, blindly seek truth. She believes Xi shares Maos global ambition and seeks a showdown with the US before America is ready to hit back. This weeks meeting between Trump and Xi displayed the difference between a man from a democracy who merely jostles for temporary advantage and a tyrant who seeks long-term world domination. The latter is ultimately the more formidable, especially when we refuse to face the threat. An influencer family is leaving Australia to save their daughters career as a content creator as the country prepares to enforce a ban on social media for under-16s. The Perth-based family, which goes by their social media name of The Empire Family, is looking to move to London. Australia enacted a law last year banning children under 16 from social media, putting in place one of the strictest such measures in the world by mandating age limits on the use of the internet. The ban takes effect in December. Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X, and YouTube can face fines up to A$50m (25m) if they fail to prevent under-16s from opening and operating accounts. For some minor content creators with millions of followers, accepting the ban is not on the table, but leaving Australia is. The family of Beck and Rebecca and their daughter Charli, 14, and son Prezley, 17, say they do not want to lose their millions of followers and continue sharing their lives on social media. The two children started on social media in 2018 and the family together amassed six million followers across platforms over the next seven years. Australia has been our home for so long, its where The Empire Family began, where our kids grew up and where so many of our memories were made. But sometimes, life takes you on a new adventure you never expected, the family announced on YouTube. The relocation to the UK is intended to ensure Charli can continue her online career. When we heard that it was actually going to happen, we were like, Okay, we need a solution because Charli loves being online, Ms Rebecca said. The ban was championed by prime minister Anthony Albanese, who presented it as necessary to protect children from the harmful effects of excessive social media use. Platforms now have a social responsibility to ensure the safety of our kids is a priority for them, he said after the law was enacted. We are making sure that mums and dads can have that different conversation today and in future days. The ban is absolute, unlike similar measures in EU countries where minors can still access social media with parental permission. Two women sitting on a bench look at their phones in central Sydney (AFP via Getty) Ms Rebecca says her children are well aware of the risks of using social media. We always have a bit of a discussion about what we would like to share. We dont share anything that is even remotely private, she said. Its stuff that you would share on Facebook or something like that. The Australian age restriction is a polarising subject, with some experts warning that the changes will protect children but also harm them. More than 140 Australian and international academics signed an open letter to the government last year opposing the 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. Celebrities have gone all out for their Halloween costumes this year. From the slightly more wacky and unusual costumes to classics like Pamela Anderson, celebs have already been dressing up for the big occasion. Jade Thirlwall is no stranger to making the effort for Halloween, and usually includes her boyfriend, Rizzle Kicks star Jordan Stephens, in her outfits. But, this year, Jade opted for a solo outfit - and went as a Gremlin. (She added if only Greta had a groom, which suggests Jordan might also be dressing up asap.) Meanwhile, Love Island star Millie Court opted for a slightly more unusual Halloween costume, and dressed as a Subway order, complete with red gloves and green heels. Millie went for a tasty costume (Will Ireland/PinPep) (Will Ireland/PinPep) Gemma Collins will clearly be going to the cinemas to watch Wicked For Good when its out later this year, as she filmed a fun transformation turning herself into Ariana Grandes Glinda. Praying @arianagrande sees this, she wrote in the caption. Helen Flanagan went 90s - with a look inspired by classic film Clueless. Helen got one of her daughters involved in the costume, and they went as Cher and Dionne. Georgia Toffolo decided to go for a very sexy look as Pamela Anderson from Barb Wire. I never usually go all out for Halloween, she wrote on Instagram. Georgia Toffolo as Pamela Anderson (Instagram) (Georgia Toffolo /Instagram) But this year, well, here we are. Barbed wire and all. And no before you ask, its not AI (though at this point, it probably shouldve been). She added that she got most of the bits for the costume from Amazon. Amanda Holden got her daughters involved to dress as her mate Alan Carr on Celebrity Traitors. Amanda and her daughters as Alan Carr (@noholdenback/Instagram) (@noholdenback/Instagram) A trait(or) trick for you, Amanda simply captioned a reel on Instagram. Alan himself commented on the post: This is brilliant!! Megan Thee Stallion is known for her love of Halloween, and this year is no different. She also loves anime - and this year, Megan stunned as Choso from Jujutsu Kaisen. Myleene Klass went to work at Smooth Radio in her Halloween costume - and surprised London commuters as Rumi from K-Pop Demon hunters. Myleene as Rumi from K-Pop Demon hunters (@myleeneklass/Instagram) (@myleeneklass/Instagram) Fashionista Julia Fox went for a pretty in pink look, complete with splashes of blood. Julia Fox attended a Halloween party last night (Getty Images) (Getty Images) 2003 film Cat in the Hat has had a bit of moment on TikTok, and Janelle Monae went as the Mike Myers cat for her appearance on the Jennifer Hudson Show. Jaysley Beck (left) with her sister Emilli (centre) and mother Leighann McCready (PA) A mother has warned that the British Armed Forces are still not a safe place for young women, four years after her daughter took her own life after she was sexually assaulted by a former sergeant major. Royal Artillery Gunner Jaysley Becks body was found at Larkhill Camp in Wiltshire on 15 December 2021 five months after the 19-year-old was sexually assaulted by Warrant Officer Michael Webber, then 39. He was sentenced to six months imprisonment at the Court Martial Centre in Bulford, Wiltshire, on Friday. Becks family blamed her death on the combined impact of the assault and the way it was later handled by the authorities, including the pressure put on Beck to not make a police report, which shattered her faith in the system that was supposed to look after her. The court heard a service inquiry conducted in 2023 also found that Beck had been subject to a number of inappropriate behaviours by senior personnel in months before her death, of which Webber was only one. The court heard a service inquiry conducted in 2023 also found that Jaysley Beck had been subject to a number of inappropriate behaviours by senior personnel in months before her death (PA Media) But almost four years later, Becks mother, Leighann McCready, warned little had changed in the army since her daughters death. Asked outside the courthouse if the British Armed Forces are currently a safe space for young women, she told The Independent: Clearly not, as they protect their own. Is it a safe space? No. This is still continuing Im still inundated by young women saying what happened to your daughter is happening to me, and theyre still being disbelieved... [But] we are giving them the strength to continue and speak up. She said the familys heartache is indescribable, but they are continuing to battle for justice for her bubbly, kind, caring daughter, with the sentence passed on Friday marking just the start of their fight. We cant bring our daughter back, but we will keep fighting, she said. Theres been no evidence of change as of yet, and thats what Jaysleys voice is now about. We dont want to be on another side of this and see another soldier failed as our daughter was failed. Ms McCready claimed the army has been protecting [Webbers] identity throughout. No custody image of Webber was released to the media after he was sentenced. The Independent has contacted the Ministry of Defence for comment. People deserve to see the man he deserves to be out there, he deserves to be shamed, said Ms McCready. The family are calling for independent bodies to be introduced to handle complaints, warning: The army cant keep on marking its own homework. In the meantime, Ms McCready said in a message to young women: Until real change has been made, dont join the army. Theyre still failing us. McCready speaks to the media outside Bulford Court Martial Centre after Michael Webber was sentenced (Ben Birchall/PA) She called statements issued by the army in response to Becks death empty words and said she would not accept their apologies. To stand here and say were making these changes its four years on. How long does it take for changes to be made and real action to be made? she said. Real change needs to happen now. Real change needed to happen after my daughters passing. The family blame Webbers assault and how it was subsequently handled by authorities for Becks death. What he did and how it was handled afterwards cost our daughter her life, said Ms McCready. She did everything right, but was failed by the system there to support and protect her. She followed the rules, but those responsible failed to follow theirs... She would still be here had she have been listened to. They branded her as a female troublemaker. Even to this day, theyre failing us as a family. Becks body was found at Larkhill Camp in Wiltshire on 15 December 2021 (Ranger Steve/Wikimedia) She added that Beck should have been in court on Friday to watch Webber face punishment for what he did to her. Major General Jon Swift, assistant chief of the general staff (ACGS), said on Friday: We will always be profoundly sorry for the failings that were identified at Jaysleys inquest in February. The end of this court martial is another traumatic step in the journey for Jaysleys family, and we acknowledge that todays outcome has come too late for their beloved daughter. We are sorry we didnt listen to Jaysley when she first reported her assault. We are determined to make sure the same mistakes dont happen again. Since Jaysleys death, we have introduced a significant cultural reform programme, alongside the Raising our Standards programme. We are making improvements in how we train our people in appropriate behaviours, how we assess and select our leaders, and to build the trust our people place in us to address every complaint. 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 Rape Crisis offers support for those affected by rape and sexual abuse. You can call them on 0808 802 9999 in England and Wales, 0808 801 0302 in Scotland, and 0800 0246 991 in Northern Ireland, or visit their website at www.rapecrisis.org.uk. If you are in the US, you can call Rainn on 800-656-HOPE (4673) Emily Jane Coates (left), 44, of London, Mary Reape (centre), 65, an Irish national and Catherine Jane Wilson (right), 53, of Reigate were stranded in the Himalayas for days Two British women were rescued on Friday after they were trapped for three days in a remote Himalayan valley. Catherine Jane Wilson, a 53-year-old from Reigate, and Emily Jane Coates, a 44-year-old from London, were left stranded while hiking in Nepal on Tuesday alongside Mary Reape, a 65-year-old Irish national, and 12 Nepali guides. Efforts to find the missing group were initially unsuccessful because of the severe weather conditions, a Nepalese police official told The Telegraph on Friday. Heavy snowfall has swept across much of the Himalayas in recent days, leading to the temporary closure of several popular trekking routes, including those in the Everest, Annapurna, Manaslu and Makalu regions. Security forces eventually located the group near what is known as the Hidden Valley, an isolated high-altitude basin beneath Tukuche Peak on the Annapurna circuit route, Det Supt Chhiring Kippa Lama of police in the Mustang district told The Telegraph. Im hugely relieved that everyone is back safe. Im amazed and deeply thankful for the strength and kindness of the Nepali people, Emily Jane Coates told The Telegraph. Mary Reape receives treatment after being rescued by Nepalese troops Because of poor visibility, severe weather and communication difficulties, the rescue team set up a temporary base at Yak Kharka, in Nepals Manang district, and reached the stranded trekkers on foot, she added. Lt Col Gaurab Dhoj Khand Thakuri, an army battalion commander in Mustang, told The Telegraph that the group was rescued on Friday. They were barely able to walk, but were really happy when they saw us, Lt Col Thakuri said. An army truck took them directly to a military hospital for medical check-ups in and they were served hot soup, he added. Binay Lama, director of Sacred Himalaya Trees and Expedition, which organised the trip, said his team had been sheltering in tents for three days. We had enough supplies to last for two more days, he said. Rescuers reached the stranded trekkers on foot and helped them navigate back through the blocked valleys The group had contacted the organisers on a satellite phone for help on Oct 28 when it started snowing heavily in the area. The organisers then informed the police, who mobilised rescue teams to locate the hikers. The trekkers told us it was hard to walk and move because of poor visibility and heavy snowfall, Ms Lama added. The Nepalese army could not use helicopters to rescue them because of the snowfall, said Rajaram Basnet, an army spokesman. The group had been trekking from Mudi village in Myagdi district, crossing the Italian base camp on their way to Marpha in Mustang, when the sudden snowfall blocked the trail. The team of rescuers set up a temporary base and reached the stranded trekkers on foot The area, one of Nepals most isolated trekking regions, is renowned for its beauty but notorious for extreme and rapidly changing weather. October is Nepals busiest trekking month, drawing thousands of hikers and climbers to routes such as the Annapurna base camp, Manaslu and Langtang. Officials have warned of possible avalanches, landslides and road blockages as inclement weather continues to affect the country until at least Saturday. In the neighbouring Manang district, around 1,500 trekkers, including about 200 foreigners, were rescued on Wednesday from areas around Tilicho Lake after heavy snowfall trapped them at high altitude. Business Secretary Peter Kyle has pledged his support for British industries with an announcement of 420 million energy savings, but declined to comment on whether they would face tax rises in the upcoming Budget. On Friday, the Government confirmed it was going ahead with plans to increase the discount on electricity network charges for businesses in the most energy-intensive sectors from 60% to 90%. The move, which was proposed earlier this year and has been subject to a consultation, will see about 500 businesses save up to 420 million a year. Business Secretary Peter Kyle speaks with Paddy ODoherty during a visit to Encirc Glass in Chester (Peter Byrne/PA) Making the announcement on a visit to the Encirc Glass factory in Elton, near Chester, Mr Kyle said: This is targeted support for energy intensive industries, so well be injecting into this 420 million worth of savings. That means that British businesses from today are going to be 420 million more competitive. When asked whether he could reassure businesses in the run up to the Budget next month, he said: Dont go on my words, go on my actions. Mr Kyle said the Budget, which will be delivered on November 26, would build on progress made by the Government since Labour came to power. Asked whether the Government would stick to manifesto promises not to raise taxes in the Budget, he said: The Budget will be in a couple of weeks time. But dont just think about what might happen in the future. Take us at what we have actually done planning reform, regulatory reform, a 10-year industrial strategy. We are making sure that we are targeting support to those high energy industries. Were making sure were getting the infrastructure of our country, with 1.5 million homes, right through to the AI infrastructure that businesses will be depending on in the future right where it needs to be. Asked again by the PA news agency if he could confirm whether manifesto pledges not to raise taxes would be kept, he said he would not comment publicly on the Budget. Peter Kyle speaks with members of staff (Peter Byrne/PA) He said: There are quite severe market sensitivities around conjecture about the Budget, so we are trying our best to focus businesses on what we are already doing, because that is a very good indication of how we will approach situations like this when we make decisions about the future. The Budget will come in a few weeks time and we will be building on all of the great achievements that this Labour government has had since we came into office. Mr Kyle was given a tour of the Encirc Glass factory, where bottles for a range of brands, including Guinness, WKD and Yellow Tail wine, are made. The companys managing director Sean Murphy said the announcement would be a major boost for the company. He said: By cutting the costs of energy in this way, the Government is helping our industry to support thousands of jobs across the country whilst we make the transition to renewable sources of power. We welcomed the opportunity to engage with the minister on the pressing challenges facing our sector. Continued government support for vital industries like glass manufacturing is essential to safeguarding jobs and unlocking investment across all regions of the UK. UK Steel welcomed the announcement, but director general Gareth Stace said it was frustrating that it would have to wait until 2027 for the savings. He said: The Governments welcome move to uplift network charging compensation to 90% is a necessary step in the right direction, which will eventually save our sector 14.5 million a year. But a price gap will remain, and the wholesale price element must also be reformed next, or the UK steel industry will continue to decline. Mr Kyle said the Government was bold in supporting the British steel industry and he planned to release a steel strategy later this year. Chinese leader Xi Jinping has told Asia-Pacific leaders that his country will help to defend global free trade at an annual economic regional forum snubbed by US President Donald Trump. Mr Xi took centre stage at the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation (Apec) summit that began on Friday in the South Korean city of Gyeongju, as Mr Trump left the country a day earlier after reaching deals with Mr Xi meant to ease their escalating trade war. This years two-day Apec summit has been heavily overshadowed by the Trump-Xi meeting that was arranged on the sidelines. Mr Trump described his Thursday meeting with Mr Xi as a roaring success, saying he would cut tariffs on China, while Beijing had agreed to allow the export of rare earth elements and start buying American soybeans. Their deals were a relief to a world economy rattled by trade tensions between the worlds two largest economies. Mr Trumps decision to skip Apec fits with his well-known disdain for big, multi-nation forums that have been traditionally used to address huge global problems, but his blunt dismissal of Apec risks worsening Americas reputation at a forum that represents nearly 40% of the worlds population and more than half of global goods trade. The more turbulent the times, the more we must work together, Mr Xi said during Apecs opening session. The world is undergoing a period of rapid change, with the international situation becoming increasingly complex and volatile. The Chinese president called for maintaining supply chain stability, in a riposte to US efforts to decouple its supply chains from China. Mr Xi also expressed hopes to work with other countries to expand co-operation in green industries and clean energy. South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, right, welcomes Chinese President Xi Jinping to the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation Economic Leaders Meeting in Gyeongju, South Korea (Yonhap via AP) In written remarks sent to a CEO summit held in conjunction with Apec, Mr Xi said China was open for investment and would uphold the multilateral trading system. Facts have proven that whoever gains a foothold in the Chinese market will be able to seize the critical opportunity in increasingly fierce international competition, he wrote. Investing in China is investing in the future. Chinese exports of its solar panels, electric vehicles and other green tech have been criticised for creating oversupplies and undercutting the domestic industries of countries it exports to. It is Mr Xis first visit to South Korea in 11 years. On the sidelines of the summit, the Chinese leader had bilateral meetings with new Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul. In his meeting with Ms Takaichi, Mr Xi said he hopes the two countries will commit to building a constructive and stable relationship fit for the new era. Chinese President Xi Jinping, right, shakes hands with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi ahead of their meeting in Gyeongju, South Korea (Kyodo News via AP) Ms Takaichi expressed hopes to ease what she called a variety of challenges facing the two countries. She said she also hopes to deepen her personal relationship with Mr Xi. On Saturday, Mr Xi is to meet South Korean President Lee Jae Myung for another one-on-one meeting expected to touch on North Koreas nuclear programme. US secretary of the treasury Scott Bessent, who attended the summit on Mr Trumps behalf, said a US move to rebalance its trade relationships would ensure that each country operates on fair and reciprocal terms. He added that the US is investing with its trading partners to build resilient production networks that reduce dependence on vulnerable sectors. Established in 1989 during a period of increased globalisation, Apec champions free and open trade and investment to accelerate regional economic integration. But the Apec region now faces challenges such as strategic competitions between the US and China, supply chain vulnerabilities, ageing populations and the impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on jobs. The US strategy has been shifted to economic competitions with China rather than co-operation, with Mr Trumps tariff hikes and America first agenda shaking markets and threatening decades of globalisation and multinationalism. Leaders and other representatives from 21 Asia-Pacific Rim economies are attending the Apec meeting to discuss how to promote economic co-operation and tackle shared challenges. Opening the summit as chairman, Mr Lee called for greater co-operation and solidarity to overcome new challenges. Its obvious that we cant always stand on the same side, as our national interests are at stake. But we can join together for the ultimate goal of shared prosperity, Mr Lee said. I hope we will have candid and constructive discussions on how we can achieve Apecs vision in the face of the new challenge of a rapidly changing international economic environment. Despite Mr Trumps optimism after a 100-minute meeting with Mr Xi, there continues to be the potential for major tensions between the countries, with both seeking dominant places in manufacturing and developing emerging technologies such as AI. President Donald Trump, left, and Chinese President Xi Jinping shake hands before their meeting at Gimhae International Airport in Busan, South Korea (Mark Schiefelbein/AP) It is certainly a contribution to bring the leaders of the two largest economies together for a meeting where they agreed to withdraw their most extreme tariff and export control threats. As a result, worst-case outcomes for global trade were averted, said Leif-Eric Easley, professor of international studies at Ewha Womans University in Seoul. However, Apec is meant to be more than a venue for a trade war truce, Prof Easley said. Greater multilateral efforts are needed to address the regions most pressing economic challenges, including resisting costly and destabilising protectionism, harmonising regulations for sustainable trade, and co-ordinating standards for digital innovation. South Korean officials said they have been communicating with other countries to prod all 21 members to adopt a joint statement at the end of the summit so as not to repeat the failure to issue one in 2018 in Papua New Guinea due to US-China discord over trade. South Korean foreign minister Cho Hyun said last week that issuing a joint statement strongly endorsing free trade would be unlikely because of differing positions among Apec members. He instead anticipated a broader declaration emphasising peace and prosperity in the region. As host nation, South Korea places a priority on discussing AI co-operation and demographic challenges such as ageing populations and low birth rates, under the theme Building a Sustainable Tomorrow: Connect, Innovate, Prosper. South Korean officials say Apec members will share exemplary cases of responses to AI and demographic issues, explore common steps and formulate new growth strategies during this weeks summit. Double murderer Shaine March admitted killing his pregnant girlfriend (Met Police/PA) (PA Media) A double killer who murdered his pregnant girlfriend when she refused to abort their unborn baby has been jailed for life. Shaine March, 47, stabbed and slashed his partner Alana Odysseos with a knife at least 24 times at her home in Walthamstow, east London, before walking off as she lay dying on the pavement. Ms Odysseos, 32, had just discovered she was expecting a child with March, while neighbours overheard furious rows before the stabbing as March demanded she have an abortion. March, of Surrey Quays in southeast London, was jailed for life at the age of 21 after fatally stabbing a man in the neck at a McDonalds restaurant in January 2000. He was set free on licence in early 2013 but was recalled to jail later that year after an assault on another partner. He was then set free again in 2018. At the Old Bailey on Friday, March was sentenced by Mr Justice Murray to life in prison with a minimum term of 42 years. In the early hours of July 22, 2024, you stabbed Alana Odysseos to death, killing her when she was pregnant with your child, leaving her then two-year-old daughter an orphan and devastating the lives of her family forever, said the judge. You killed Alana knowing she was pregnant, he said. Clearly you intended to kill her and her baby would, at that early stage of pregnancy, have no chance to survive the attack. The judge set out that Ms Odysseos had confided in friends and family that March was violent and abusive, but had not left him at the time she was murdered. She was afraid of you but she loved you still and she hoped you would change, he said. The senior judge rejected a call from prosecutors and Ms Odysseos family for a whole life order, but told the court it is unlikely March will ever be set free again. Mother Karen Cronin said: Alana, my beautiful kind and loving daughter, left this earth in the most callous and brutal way imaginable. The person who has done this to my daughter who I dont think deserves the respect of using his name is evil and a coward. Why did he have to resort to the level of violence he used? The anger I feel towards him doesnt feel Christian so I can no longer go to Church. I will never have forgiveness in my heart. I want him to die in prison. He should never be let out. Father Alan Yates said his daughter was a happy-go-lucky much-loved mother who was kind and considerate, and would stick up for what she believed in. He said something changed after she met March and she became a timid vulnerable person who was not our Alana. He said: I hope a sentence is given that means Shaine March will never cause another family the pain and loss we are suffering. It is unimaginable and we will never get over our loss. Every day I wonder why he didnt walk away. Alana was pregnant with his child. This meant nothing to him. The court heard statements from her three sisters, including Lorraine Schofield who said March was a monster and evil, disgusting coward. She told the court: All Alana wanted was to be loved. The baby she so desperately wanted to protect that night was taken away. Sister Jasmine Yates told March: You took more than one life that night. You took Alana, you took the baby she was carrying, the child she was excited about. I fear if you are ever released you will kill again. At the start of the sentencing hearing, March was absent from court after telling prison guards he would refused to leave his cell. His barrister, Sandip Patel KC, said March was woken by prison guards at 6.30am and told them he would not be travelling to court, remarking: Its only sentencing. Prosecutor Louise Oakley urged the judge, Mr Justice Murray, to try to set up a videolink to the prison, or order guards to use reasonable force to drag him to the hearing. Alana Odysseos was in the early stages of pregnancy with her third child when she was killed by Shaine March at her home in Walthamstow, east London (Family handout/PA) (PA Media) Its an important part of this criminal process, she said. Its important to the family that he is present during the sentencing hearing, and hears the affect his actions have had. The judge delayed the sentencing hearing so that March could be brought to a videolink hearing at HMP Belmarsh. The trial heard how Ms Odysseos withdrew from friends after she started dating March, as he controlled her behaviour and movements. She told a friend how March banned her from talking to people, threw away her childs toys, and once smashed a glass in her face. Her sister urged her to leave March after she revealed he had accused her of cheating, forced her to delete male contacts from her phone, and hurled verbal abuse at her, the court heard. But they were still in contact on July 22 last year, when, in the early hours of the morning, Ms Odysseos was fatally stabbed. At approximately 3am on July 22, 2024, members of the public who lived in and around Lynmouth Road in Walthamstow began to ring 999, said Ms Oakley. They had found Alana outside her home address. She was wearing her nightie and a dressing gown. She was clutching her right side. She was bleeding from multiple stab wounds to her body. She was shouting Shaine stabbed me, he stabbed me, and Shaine stabbed me, he stabbed me, help, help. The court heard Ms March was pointed out Ms Odysseos at the scene, and he walked away while efforts were ongoing to save her life. Ms Oakley told jurors: By July 2024, she had been in a relationship with the defendant for approximately four months on the date of her death, and had recently discovered she was pregnant. She was someone who had experience huge personal loss following the death of two partners who were the fathers of her children. She was vulnerable and all she wanted was to be loved. She desperately wanted to create a family environment for her two-year-old daughter. Ms Oakley said Ms Odysseos had told friends in the months before she died that there was trouble in her relationship. She disclosed to a friend that she was not allowed to talk to people, and that she had to answer the telephone to him at all times, day or night, including video calls to prove where she was, who she was with, and what she was doing. That they would also argue constantly. In other conversations she also divulged that the defendant had destroyed or thrown out all of her daughters toys and that they had argued about the fact she had recently discovered she was pregnant. She admitted that she was scared of the defendant and had been assaulted by him. Ms Odysseos complained that March had interfered with and caused distance between her and her loved ones. She told her sister that the defendant accused her of cheating on him, that she had had to delete all the telephone number of any male contacts in her phone, said Ms Oakley. On one occasion, Alana showed her sister voice notes on WhatsApp that the Defendant had sent her, they were of Shaine shouting, threatening to get (her daughter) taken away from her, calling Alana all sorts of derogatory names, saying their unborn child was not his and telling her to get an abortion. As a result, her sister tried to persuade her to leave him. But Alana said she loved him, even after that short period of time they had been together. He promised Alana he would change. The day before the fatal stabbing, Ms Odysseos told her sister in a messaging conversation that March was acting up. Her sister told her: U deserve so much better, but Ms Odysseos replied: Cant help who u love but he dont love any of us. At around midnight, neighbours overheard a lengthy argument, the court heard, with a male voice shouting pregnant and female voice pleading come back and I dont want to kill my baby. March had gone around to her flat to help move some furniture, and an argument broke out over a pair of trainers. Jurors heard neighbours recorded some of the row, while Ms Odysseos also filmed some of the unfolding incident. But Ms Oakley said March destroyed her mobile phone before the footage could be seized. The judge took into consideration that March had lived in the community for six years without committing a crime, and he had ultimately pleaded guilty to murder, when deciding not to impose a whole life order. He also highlighted that March had put forward in mitigation evidence of an anti-social personality disorder and depression. FOUNTAIN VALLEY, Calif., Oct. 31, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- California Prime Recovery, a Joint Commissionaccredited and DHCS-certified behavioral health center, has announced the statewide expansion of its virtual mental health, behavioral health, and addiction treatment services. Adults and teens across California can now access high-quality, evidence-based care through a confidential, HIPAA-compliant telehealth platform designed to remove barriers to treatment. According to the California Health Care Foundation, nearly one in five Californians experience a mental health condition annually, yet only one-third receive treatment. Telehealth has become vital for those facing geographic, financial, or stigma-related challenges. California Prime Recovery's expanded virtual programs address these gaps by providing licensed clinical care directly to clients' homes, ensuring equitable access to recovery support. Founded in 2016 and headquartered in Fountain Valley, California Prime Recovery has built a strong reputation for treating mental health, substance use, and co-occurring disorders. Its statewide virtual expansion extends this continuum of care to underserved and rural communities, making treatment more accessible than ever. "Our mission is to make quality mental health and addiction treatment accessible to everyone who needs it," said Karynne Witkin, Chief Executive Officer of California Prime Recovery. "By expanding statewide, we're removing distance, transportation, and stigma as barriers to careempowering more Californians to receive compassionate, personalized treatment from the privacy of home." Accessible Virtual Care for Mental Health and Addiction Each virtual program is designed to fit seamlessly into daily life, supporting work, school, and family schedules. Treatment integrates evidence-based modalities such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Trauma-Informed Care, Mindfulness-Based Therapy, and Relapse Prevention. Recent DHCS data shows that telehealth participation for behavioral health has tripled since 2020. Studies confirm that Virtual Intensive Outpatient (IOP) and Partial Hospitalization Programs (PHP) yield engagement and relapse prevention outcomes comparable to, or better than, in-person care. Statewide Virtual Teen Programs (Ages 1217) As part of this expansion, California Prime Recovery has launched Virtual Teen Mental Health and Substance Use Programs for ages 1217. These programs blend individual and group therapy, family participation, and skills training to build emotional regulation, resilience, and healthy coping skills. "Our virtual teen program helps adolescents stay connected to school and family while developing tools for emotional health," said Catherine Edelstein, LMFT, C-EMDR, C-DBT, Lead Therapist. "By integrating family therapy and real-time application, we're helping teens and parents grow together toward lasting recovery." Key Features of California Prime Recovery's Virtual Programs Comprehensive Assessment & Personalized Care for mental health, substance use, and co-occurring disorders for mental health, substance use, and co-occurring disorders Evidence-Based Modalities including CBT, DBT, trauma therapy, and mindfulness including CBT, DBT, trauma therapy, and mindfulness Holistic Focus on life skills, wellness, and sustainable recovery on life skills, wellness, and sustainable recovery Flexible Scheduling around work, school, and family routines around work, school, and family routines Aftercare & Alumni Support for continued relapse prevention for continued relapse prevention Licensed Clinicians with expertise in behavioral health and addiction recovery About California Prime Recovery Founded in 2016, California Prime Recovery is a Joint Commissionaccredited and DHCS-certified behavioral health and addiction treatment center based in Fountain Valley, California. The center provides in-person and virtual treatment for adults and teens, offering comprehensive, evidence-based programs designed to promote emotional wellness, resilience, and long-term recovery. Since opening its doors, California Prime Recovery has helped thousands of individuals achieve lasting recovery through compassionate, clinically guided care. Program Access Virtual programs are available statewide for adults and teens (ages 1217). In-person services are available at: 17330 Newhope Street, Suite A, Fountain Valley, CA 92708 To schedule a confidential assessment, visitcaliforniaprimerecovery.com or call 844-349-0077. Media Contact Karynne Witkin, Chief Executive Officer [email protected] 24/7 Admissions: 844-349-0077 17330 Newhope Street, Suite A, Fountain Valley, CA 92708 Meta Description: California Prime Recovery expands statewide virtual behavioral health and addiction treatment programs, offering PHP, IOP, and outpatient care for adults and teens through secure telehealth across California. SOURCE California Prime Recovery There was a dramatic start to the action at Down Royal, as Gordon Elliotts pair of Theflyingking and Kazansky both came down at the final flight, to leave the race at the mercy of Henry de Bromheads Some Song. Jack Kennedy aboard 1-3 favourite Theflyingking looked to have shaken off his stablemate on the run to the last but stepped at the final obstacle, bringing down the pursuing Kazansky who was at least booked for second. That left De Bromheads 7-2 second-favourite to take advantage and make a winning hurdling debut in the Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden Hurdle that Elliott had won nine times in the last 10 years. Remarkable scenes from an eventful opener at @Downroyal pic.twitter.com/OasOQuKwdI Racing TV (@RacingTV) October 31, 2025 De Bromhead said: We were fortunate winners, obviously, but hes a nice horse. Darragh (OKeeffe) said he just got a bit tired after he jumped the third-last and they just quickened away from him. Delighted for (owner) Mike Roden, its his first winner and he is one of the owners of the racecourse. We said we would come up and give him a run, we didnt think we would be winning, but there you go happy days, we are delighted! Some Song was a fortunate winner of the opener (Brian Lawless/PA) When asked if he could roll on to Navan for the Grade Three Monksfield Novice Hurdle, he added: Well see, we will enjoy today definitely. The plan was to find a horse that could hopefully win up here, one day not on the first day! Well see how we go after that. There was a sting in the tail for jockey Sam Ewing however, receiving a one-day ban for remounting Kazansky after being brought down. De Bromhead also claimed the Grade Three Irish Stallion Farms EBF Feathard Lady Mares Novice Hurdle with Full Of Life. However, usual service for Elliott at the Lisburn venue was soon resumed when he won the feature Listed bottlegreen Hurdle for the fifth straight year with 1-4 favourite Casheldale Lad. Casheldale Lad won the feature (Brian Lawless/PA) He joins the likes of Irish Point and Brighterdaysahead to win this race in recent years and was cut to 12-1 by Paddy Power for the Greatwood Hurdle at Cheltenham next month. Elliott is keeping options open and said: He is (going the right way) and Jack (Kennedy) said he has actually gone so laid-back from a horse that was very keen. He said he won with plenty in hand and was actually idling in front. He enjoyed himself, but he wasnt doing a whole lot in front he was very idle. Well get him home and see how he is and well make our mind up. He has entries in them all (including the Morgiana Hurdle at Punchestown) and well see what we do. The Cullentra House handler ended up with four winners on the day and saw his Grade One-winning novice hurdler Romeo Coolio make a successful start to life over the larger obstacles, albeit in a BetVictor Beginners Chase without plenty of fences due to low sun. Romeo Coolio made a successful chasing debut (Brian Lawless/PA) Paddy Power make him an 8-1 chance for the Arkle at the Cheltenham Festival and Elliott said: It couldnt have been more straightforward. Jack said hes one of those horses that you would love to have the last three fences in, he was that good. Jack said he was very good. I thought it was a good performance, he couldnt have done any more than he did so we are absolutely delighted. I imagine we will probably head for the Drinmore at Fairyhouse now. Well enjoy today and see what happens. You have the Drinmore and you have Christmas, well talk to the lads (owners KTDA Racing) and see what they want to do. They are great supporters of Cullentra. Prince Andrew pictured with Virginia Giuffre in London in 2001 - AFP The family of Virginia Giuffre said she had brought down a prince after Prince Andrews public life as a royal was effectively ended by the King. Charles has made the decision to formally strip his brother of his Prince and Duke of York titles and HRH style, while Andrew has also agreed to leave the Royal Lodge in Windsor. The disgraced royal, whose friendship with convicted paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein led to his downfall, will effectively have the status of a commoner and will be known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor. Andrew had tainted the reputation of the Royal family with his association with Epstein and, for many years, was dogged by allegations he sexually abused Ms Giuffre after she was trafficked by the financier. He has strenuously denied the allegations. In a statement given to the BBC, Ms Giuffres family said she had never stopped fighting for accountability. The family said: Today, an ordinary American girl from an ordinary American family brought down a British prince with her truth and extraordinary courage. Virginia Roberts Giuffre, our sister, a child when she was sexually assaulted by Andrew, never stopped fighting for accountability for what had happened to her and countless other survivors like her. Today, she declares a victory. We, her family, along with her survivor sisters, continue Virginias battle and will not rest until the same accountability applies to all of her abusers and abetters, connected to Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell. Virginia Giuffre, with a photo of herself as a teen, when she says she was abused - Miami Herald / TNS Ms Giuffre, who died by suicide at her farm in Western Australia in April, had campaigned for sexual abuse survivors after coming forward with her own story. Speaking to BBC Newsnight, Ms Giuffres brother, Sky Roberts, thanked the King for the Buckingham Palace statement that mentioned thoughts and utmost sympathies with victims and survivors of any and all forms of abuse. He added: But its not enough, its not enough, we have to have some sort of investigation that goes further into this. I mean, hes [Andrew] still walking around a free man. I commend the King, I think hes doing an amazing job as a world leader, setting a precedent, but we need to take it one more step further: he [Andrew] needs to be behind bars, period. The monarchy was coming under increasing pressure to resolve the issues around Andrew, foremost his property arrangements, amid growing calls for him to give up Royal Lodge after it emerged he was paying a peppercorn rent. As the eyes of the world remain fixed on the 30-bedroom mansion, it is unclear when Andrew will leave. He is to move into an undisclosed private residence on the Sandringham Estate in Norfolk as soon as practicable, it is understood. It is understood that the unprecedented decision was taken by the King in light of the serious lapses in judgment his brother made and Charles was supported in his decision by the Royal family, including the Prince of Wales, with Andrew not objecting. Prince William was put in an untenable position when he appeared to be ambushed by Andrew during the Duchess of Kents funeral last month, with the disgraced royal trying to talk to his nephew, who barely acknowledged him. The King spoke with his brother at the Duchess of Kents funeral - Toby Melville There have been reports that William wanted the matter resolved quickly and his uncle out of Royal Lodge by Bonfire night on Nov 5. The Prince is due to move his young family to Forest Lodge, near Royal Lodge, in the coming days. Andrew will live on the Kings Sandringham estate in Norfolk, with the accommodation privately funded by the King, who will also make private financial provisions for his brother. The former prince had a cast-iron lease for Royal Lodge and only after negotiations with the Kings representatives did he agree to serve formal notice on Thursday to surrender the lease, which had more than 50 years left to run. Andrew Mountbattern Windsor and Sarah Ferguson will move out of Royal Lodge - Shutterstock Any funds Andrew is due for the early surrender will be a matter for the Crown Estate and may be affected by the 7.5m he spent renovating the home. Sarah Ferguson lived with her ex-husband, Andrew, at Royal Lodge but will not be housed by Charles and will have to find a new home. Buckingham Palace said in a statement: His Majesty has today initiated a formal process to remove the style, titles and honours of Prince Andrew. Prince Andrew will now be known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor. His lease on Royal Lodge has, to date, provided him with legal protection to continue in residence. Formal notice has now been served to surrender the lease and he will move to alternative private accommodation. These censures are deemed necessary, notwithstanding the fact that he continues to deny the allegations against him. Their Majesties wish to make clear that their thoughts and utmost sympathies have been, and will remain with, the victims and survivors of any and all forms of abuse. The letter issued on Thursday The latest development in the long-running controversy comes after focus intensified on Andrew following his attempts to draw a line under Ms Giuffres allegations by giving up his dukedom and other honours earlier this month, ahead of the publication of Ms Giuffres posthumous memoirs. But Andrew was instead swamped by criticism that has focused on his property, with some MPs eager to debate the issue in Parliament. There has also been a series of damaging newspaper allegations, including that Andrew tried to get the Metropolitan Police to dig up dirt for a smear campaign against Ms Giuffre. The force said previously it is looking into the allegations after the Mail on Sunday claimed Andrew passed Ms Giuffres date of birth and social security number to his taxpayer-funded bodyguard in 2011 and asked him to investigate. With further revelations likely, the Kings decision could be seen by commentators as the Royal family distancing itself from Andrew. A former senior army sergeant major has been jailed for sexually assaulting a teenage soldier who later took her own life. Warrant Officer Michael Webber, who was 39 at the time, last month pleaded guilty at the Court Martial Centre in Bulford, Wiltshire, to assaulting Royal Artillery Gunner Jaysley Beck in an attack that left her severely frightened and feeling powerless and betrayed, according to her family. The 19-year-old soldiers body was found at Larkhill Camp in Wiltshire on 15 December 2021 five months after the incident, following which, her mother said: I saw the change in her with my own eyes my bright, confident daughter became quiet and withdrawn. But Becks family stressed that it was the combined impact of the assault as well as the way it was later handled by the authorities, including the pressure put on her to not make a police report, that shattered her faith in the system that was supposed to look after her. A court heard a service inquiry conducted in 2023 also found that Beck had been subject to a number of inappropriate behaviours by senior personnel in months before her death, of which Webber was only one. Webber was sentenced to six months imprisonment at the Court Martial Centre in Bulford, Wiltshire, on Friday. He has already left the army, so the judge said he could not be dismissed, but Webber was also sent to the ranks, which means he has been demoted to the lowest possible rank in the military. Becks family stressed that it was the combined impact of the assault as well as the way it was later handled by the authorities that shattered her faith in the system that was supposed to look after her (PA Media) In a victim impact statement read to the hearing, Becks mother, Leighann McCready, said: I truly believe what he did and how it was handled broke something inside her that she couldnt repair. Her sister Emilli Beck added: I feel my sister was shamefully manipulated by Michael Webber, then by those who protected him, encouraging her to think about the impact a formal report would have on Michael Webbers family and career and discouraging her from taking it further. Describing Webbers behaviour as leaving him sick to my stomach, Becks father, Anthony, said: What he did didnt just hurt Jaysley, it tore through our family. It will haunt me for the rest of my life. The world keeps moving, but mine has stopped. Whatever sentence hes given, it will never come close to the life service Im serving without my daughter. During an inquest into her death, coroner Nicholas Rheinberg ruled that on the balance of probabilities Beck had been sexually assaulted by a senior colleague, and the armys failure to take appropriate action more than minimally contributed to her death. The coroner added that Becks complaint about being sexually assaulted on a stay during a training exercise at Thorney Island in Hampshire should have been reported to police and the failure to do so breached army policy. Jaysley (left) with her sister Emilli (centre) and mother Leighann McCready (PA) On Friday, the court heard Webber told Beck she was beautiful before he put a hand on the back of her head in order to kiss her and also touched her thigh while at the adventure training exercise in July 2021. Despite her asking him to stop, he continued, the hearing was told, leaving Beck too afraid to return to her accommodation and forced to hide from him in the toilet, before later sleeping in her car that night for safety. The court heard Beck, who joined the army at 16, made a number of reports about the incident in the immediate days afterwards, including to her mother, friends and chain of command. However, the latter chose to deal with her complaint as a minor administrative issue, prosecutor Commodore James Farrant told the hearing. Im sure the court will find that whatever its justification, it was not appropriate this issue was dealt with administratively, he said. It meant no police involvement could take place. Becks body was found at Larkhill Camp in Wiltshire, five months after her death (Ranger Steve/Wikimedia) Webber admitted to his unacceptable behaviour in an interview and wrote Beck a letter of apology, shortly after which he was promoted, the court heard. Beck later told her mother that I got a letter, he got a promotion, words Ms McCready said had echoed in my head ever since. Emilli Beck said Webber should have been stripped of his rank immediately and a proper investigation should have been launched the morning after the incident. I wholeheartedly believe that wouldve made all the difference and we would not be here today if that had happened, she said. Emma Norton, a solicitor from the Centre for Military Justice (CMJ), which has been representing the family, described the behaviour and lack of appropriate action taken by the army as outrageous and unconscionable. The court heard Beck, who joined the army at 16, made a number of reports about the incident in the immediate days afterwards, including to her mother, friends and chain of command (Centre For Military Justice/AFP) Lucy Baston, another lawyer at the CMJ, which supports women in the UK armed forces, said: Many of the women we support have been harassed, raped or sexually assaulted during the course of their service. These women tell us about the barriers which they continue to face when they try to speak to their chain of command (CoC) in the aftermath of these incidents, just as Jaysley did in 2021. In many of our cases, we see that the CoC has not followed the relevant policies that are in place to safeguard and support victims of sexual crimes. The result is that some women suffer in silence, they do not report serious sexual offences to the police, and they do not complain about sexual harassment. This can have devastating consequences, which is what Jaysleys family have helped to highlight in the aftermath of her death. Webber is devastated and accepts his actions contributed in some way to the tragic outcome when Beck took her own life five months after he assaulted her, his lawyer Matthew Scott told the court. He makes no excuse for what he did. Major General Jon Swift, assistant chief of the General Staff (ACGS), said: We will always be profoundly sorry for the failings that were identified at Jaysleys inquest in February. The end of this court martial is another traumatic step in the journey for Jaysleys family, and we acknowledge that todays outcome has come too late for their beloved daughter. We are sorry we didnt listen to Jaysley when she first reported her assault. Leighann McCready speaks to the media outside Bulford Court Martial Centre after Michael Webber was sentenced (Ben Birchall/PA Wire) We are determined to make sure the same mistakes dont happen again. Since Jaysleys death, we have introduced a significant cultural reform programme, alongside the Raising our Standards programme. We are making improvements in how we train our people in appropriate behaviours, how we assess and select our leaders, and to build the trust our people place in us to address every complaint. Louise Sandher-Jones, minister for veterans and people, said: The death of Jaysley-Louise Beck was a tragedy and her loss continues to be felt across the army and wider defence community. My thoughts are with her loved ones and we remain profoundly sorry for the failure to protect her. She stressed that there is no place for criminal or unacceptable behaviours within the military and said the government is bringing about crucial reform to prevent what happened to Beck from happening again. 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 Rape Crisis offers support for those affected by rape and sexual abuse. You can call them on 0808 802 9999 in England and Wales, 0808 801 0302 in Scotland, and 0800 0246 991 in Northern Ireland, or visit their website at www.rapecrisis.org.uk. If you are in the US, you can call Rainn on 800-656-HOPE (4673) FBI and DOJ fume at Kash Patel for revealing foiled ISIS-linked terror plot before details were clear, report says The FBI thwarted a potential terrorist attack linked to ISIS extremism planned for Halloween weekend in Michigan, according to FBI Director Kash Patel and reports. This morning the FBI thwarted a potential terrorist attack and arrested multiple subjects in Michigan who were allegedly plotting a violent attack over Halloween weekend, he wrote in a social media post Friday morning. More details to come. Thanks to the men and women of FBI and law enforcement everywhere standing guard 24/7 and crushing our mission to defend the homeland. Its not immediately clear when or where in the state the suspects were planning to carry out the attack. Patel also didnt specify the charges the suspects are facing. Five people from Dearborn and Inkster, Michigan, were taken into custody in connection with a plot linked to ISIS extremism, law enforcement sources told NBC News. However, officials at the FBI and the Justice Department are allegedly frustrated that Patel posted about the Michigan terror investigation before a criminal complaint was prepared and details were clear, MSNBC reporter Ken Dilanian reported. Kash Patel says FBI thwarted a potential terrorist attack planned for Halloween weekend. (Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.) The Independent has contacted the FBI for more information. Agents in Detroit were present in Dearborn and Inkster early Friday conducting law enforcement activities, a spokesperson for the FBI office in Detroit told The Independent, noting that there is no current threat to public safety. Local police also mentioned that the FBI conducted operations Friday morning in Dearborn, a suburb of Detroit and home to Ford Motor Company headquarters. We want to assure our residents that there is no threat to the community at this time, authorities wrote in a Facebook post. The Dearborn Police Department remains committed to the safety and security of all who live, work, and visit our city. Members of the FBI Joint Terrorism Task Force search a home in Dearborn, Michigan, after foiling an alleged terrorism plot. (AFP via Getty Images) Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer remarked on the foiled attack and thanked federal and local officers for their swift action. This morning, I was briefed by Director Patel on the thwarted potential terrorist attack in our state. As details continue to develop, I am grateful for the swift action of the FBI and MSP protecting Michiganders, she wrote in a social media post Friday morning. In Dearborn, residents told the Detroit Free Press that they heard loud banging noises around 4 a.m. Holly Kemp, 36, told the outlet that she lives two houses down from a home that was searched. She and her husband heard banging noises early Friday, prompting them to look outside, where they saw local police officers as well as SWAT and FBI agents. Kemp and other neighbors told the outlet they knew little about who lived inside the home that was searched, but Kemp believed two men had moved in over the summer. She described the community as tight-knit and quiet, noting she couldnt think of any other incident prompting such a massive law enforcement presence in the neighborhood. We should scrap this policy, and avoid the decades of harm it will bring - Eliano Imperato/Anadolu via Getty Images This past week, the news has been full of stories about migrants. Last Friday brought Epping sex assaulter Hadush Kebatus accidental release from prison and the conviction of an asylum seeker who murdered hotel worker Rhiannon Whyte. On Monday in Hillingdon an Afghan asylum seeker was arrested after Wayne Broadhurst was killed, while another man and a 14-year-old boy were injured. Then on Wednesday a Channel migrant who had committed crimes in four European countries was found guilty of the senseless murder of a total stranger in a bank queue. This is all against the background of 37,000 illegal migrants having crossed the Channel in 2025. Given all of this, it would be easy to have missed the news that at least 75 Gazan students may be allowed to bring their families to Britain. Does it matter that such a tiny number of students may bring some relatives over? Denmarks example would suggest that it does matter and we should care. In March 1992 it granted residence to 321 Palestinians. Between 1992 and 2016, over 63 per cent of those Palestinians were convicted of at least one crime, with 67 of them being jailed. Almost 60 per cent of them are in receipt of benefits. So there is evidence that Palestinian migrants to the West could turn to criminality and/or end up being supported by the state. And if anything, Palestinians, especially Gazans, are likely to be a far worse bet now than in 1992. Hamas has been in control of Gaza for almost 20 years. In that time it has ensured that children grow up radicalised and ready for violence. In 2019 the Institute for Monitoring Peace and Cultural Tolerance in School Education found that Palestinian textbooks contained a systematic insertion of violence, martyrdom and jihad across all grades and subjects. Indeed, children as young as eight learn verses such as: I vow I shall sacrifice my blood, to saturate the land of the generous and will eliminate the usurper from my country, and will annihilate the remnants of the foreigners. In the context of two decades of such propaganda, it is no surprise that even highly culturally compatible neighbouring countries have struggled with Palestinian refugees. In Lebanon they largely failed to integrate and developed Hamas-controlled terrorist networks within refugee camps. Last month the Lebanese state moved to disarm the Palestinians in these camps. So, 75 Gazan students may not sound like a problem. But, considering there is no cap on the number of children brought here and the average family size in Gaza is 5.6 people, we might easily see 420 Palestinians being granted the right to live in the UK. It is also strange that while most international students are no longer allowed to bring dependents over, we are making an exception for Palestinians. The Government has insisted that Palestinian students studying here will have to show they support their children financially, but this raises its own concerns. In a society as rigidly controlled and poor as Gaza, we have to wonder how they have the means to fund lives in Western capitals. Once here, there is nothing to stop these families from applying for asylum, and no doubt a great chance that such an application would be approved. At that point, the new British residents would have the right to be housed and to depend on taxpayers funds. Further, if they are merely as criminal as the Danish cohort, we could see hundreds more crimes, and victims as a result, as well as the great cost of imprisonment. Even worse, if these children have been radicalised by Palestinian education then we may well be importing a new generation of terrorists, who will strike out, perhaps when the Israel-Palestine conflict next erupts into violence. We are fools to allow these Palestinians to saturate the land of the generous. Every single future crime committed by these Palestinian migrants is the choice of the politicians and civil servants who have permitted this scheme. Its time for us to be realistic about migration. Not all migrants, not all nationalities, are the same. Some populations are far more likely to be a drain on our country and people. British values will not undo decades of propaganda and hate. We should scrap this policy, and avoid the decades of harm it will bring. Jimmy Wales: Im just a geek. Photograph: Pal Hansen/2025/www.palhansen.com Dear readers, doesnt it feel good to be at the tail-end of a week in which perhaps the dumbest #auspol talking point of all time delivered this gift from the headline gods. The stories outside the news cycle have been just as memorable. Read on. 1. Surviving an oil rig disaster When the Piper Alpha oil rig exploded and collapsed in 1988, 167 of the 228 men on board (plus two rescue crew) were killed. Joe Meanen had been enjoying some downtime in the cinema when the first explosion erupted, partially collapsing its roof. He followed his safety training, but as the explosions continued it became clear he would have to improvise to survive. So he threw a lifejacket into the North Sea and took a leap of faith. How long does it take to plunge 53 metres? The time between burning wreckage and freezing sea, Meanan recalls, was about six seconds that seemed to last for ever. How long will it take to read: Four minutes. 2. From a smile returned to an inside joke co-created As more and more users log off dating apps, singles are seeking novel ways to meet. But making a connection in real life means levelling up ones game. The good news, experienced flirts and experts agree, is that the lost art of flirting can be relearned. Step one: Dr Elizabeth Laugeson, a clinical psychologist, has a simple rule for pre-approach eye contact: hold it for a beat, look away, then look back dont stare or body scan. How long will it take to read: Four minutes. 3. Is Jimmy Wales the last decent tech baron? There are tech billionaires like Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk and then theres Jimmy Wales, the Wikipedia founder who decided to make his encyclopedia for the people a non-profit venture. With his utopian online destination under threat from artificial intelligence and Musk, who uses his X platform to deliver such stinging barbs as Wokipedia, Wales discusses the creation and survival of his almost 25-year-old venture and how Musk is much nicer to him in private than he is in public. *** I cant speculate about what goes on in Elon Musks head. I have no idea Im as at a loss as anybody. Jimmy Wales How long will it take to read: Nine minutes. Further reading: Could the internet go offline? Inside the fragile system holding the modern world together. 4. The stories behind a war photographers greatest shots Over his seven-decade career covering wars, famines and disasters, the photographer Don McCullin has been captured, and escaped snipers, mortar fire and more. How does it feel to be a survivor? Uncomfortable, he says, as he reflects on pain, pride, regret and 19 of his greatest pictures. The Cyprus civil war: McCullin took the above shot beside a cinema on his first day on assignment in Limassol in 1964. It looks like a Hollywood still, McCullin says. The man is far too well dressed. How long will it take to read: Eight minutes. 5. The Rushmore story is hard to tell In 2004 Gerard Baker became the first Native American superintendent at Mount Rushmore, a lightning rod of political and historical interpretation then as it is now. During his tenure at the US national memorial, he reintroduced Indigenous history including the slaughter and displacement of tribes before the four presidents heads were carved into the granite. Most people want to come to a national park and leave with that warm, fuzzy feeling with an ice-cream cone, says Barker, who retired in 2010. If you do [Rushmore] the right way people are going to be leaving pissed. From little things big things come: In 2005 Baker set up a singular tipi to the left of the sculpture. A few days later her went to adjust the tipi when he noticed a small crowd form around him. He gave an impromptu interpretive talk about Native history and culture. Two decades on that singular tipi has grown into a heritage village representing three Native American peoples. How long will it take to read: Four minutes. Sign up If you would like to receive these Five Great Reads to your email inbox every weekend, sign up here. And check out out the full list of our local and international newsletters. Patients have submitted requests relating to life-threatening conditions on non-urgent forms following changes to online access to GP surgeries, family doctors have said. Since 1 October, general practices in England have been required to keep an online consultation platform open during working hours for non-urgent appointment requests, medication queries and admin issues. However, family doctors told Pulse magazine they have received reports from patients experiencing difficulty breathing, rectal bleeding and severe vomiting via these forms, which are designed for non-emergencies. A new poll of 431 GPs and practice managers, carried out by Pulse, found that more than two-thirds (67 per cent) are concerned about patient safety since the change. Dr Caroline Delves, a GP partner in Norfolk, said she has had one clinical query about a six-week old baby with a growing red lump, and another about a five-week old who was lethargic and vomiting. Another patient, who filled in a non-urgent medical form saying he could not breathe, managed to go to A&E, but could have been left waiting longer to be signposted, according to Dr Delves. She said: Thats on a form thats supposedly non-urgent he could have sat there until wed got through the other 70 forms we had to look at, which would have been unsafe. One patient filled in a non-urgent medical form saying he could not breathe [file photo] (Getty/iStock) We had someone who disclosed they had been vomiting blood all weekend, on a Monday morning, via a change-of-address admin form. I think theres probably a level of health literacy expectation in the policymakers that doesnt exist for everybody on the ground. One GP from the West Midlands said the change has caused a surge in demand for staff. They told Pulse: Were doing 340 to 400 medical triages on a Monday, and other days, 200 to 300. Its overwhelming and unsafe. Patients are dealt with quickly, often through further symptom questionnaires, but it will burn us out. By the time 5pm comes and admin needs to be done, its hard to concentrate on the septic, suicidal or end-of-life patients that we try to prioritise between all the queries that are overwhelming us. A poll by Pulse magazine found that 67 per cent of GPs are concerned about patient safety since the change (PA) Another GP warned: Processing online requests and triaging after a 13-hour intensive clinical day is unsafe and unsustainable. It comes after the British Medical Association (BMA) entered a dispute with the government over changes to online access. The union argues that certain safeguards have not been put in place to support the change, and no additional staff have been hired to manage the requests. It claims that this could risk patient safety as staff try to identify the most urgent cases, amid concerns that reviewing online requests takes up too much time. More than two-thirds of GPs raised concerns about patient safety in a new poll (PA) Dr David Wrigley, deputy chair of the BMAs General Practice Committee, said: Its deeply worrying and sadly unsurprising that GPs are concerned for patient safety as a result of these contract changes. We warned the government repeatedly, in the past six months, that allowing unlimited online consultation requests without the necessary safety measures or additional resources would overwhelm already stretched teams, divert doctors from face-to-face appointments, and risk urgent cases being missed. General practice is not against the use of technology, and has been embracing it for over 30 years, but innovation without safeguards is dangerous. We believe there is significant risk to patients and to our practice teams from this new initiative, and the government must provide the protections it committed to back in February. Dr Amanda Doyle, national director for primary care and community services at NHS England, said: It is right that patients should be able to contact their GP practice online in addition to by phone and by walking in which is why it was agreed by the BMAs General Practice Committee in February. In the many practices already offering this service, patient satisfaction is higher. Patient safety remains our priority, and guidance and support has been provided to practices to help them put the necessary safeguards in place for urgent clinical requests. Greg Lynn leaving the supreme court in Melbourne last year. The former pilot is appealing his conviction and sentence for the murder of Carol Clay, who died alongside fellow camper Russell Hill in Victorias Wonnangatta Valley in 2020. Photograph: Joel Carrett/AAP A Victorian court of appeal judge has described the prosecutions conduct during the trial of high country killer Greg Lynn as extremely unfair, indefensible and egregious, as the former pilot tries to overturn his murder conviction. Lynn, 59, was found guilty in June last year of murdering grandmother Carol Clay but acquitted of murdering her fellow camper and lover Russell Hill. He was sentenced to a minimum of 24 years in prison for murdering the 73-year-old. The court of appeal heard on Friday that Lynn was contesting his conviction on four grounds. He is also appealing against his sentence. According to written submissions filed in the appeal, Lynn argues a substantial miscarriage of justice occurred in circumstances where the prosecutor launched a sustained attack on the credibility of [Lynns] account without putting that information to the former Jetstar pilot when he was giving evidence. The jury travelled down an impermissible pathway in reaching their verdict, his submissions allege. Lynn submits that the prosecutions approach to the evidence of a police ballistics expert, Paul Griffiths, was a further serious departure from the rules that govern the fair conduct of criminal trials, and that the guilty verdict is unsafe and unsatisfactory. Sign up: AU Breaking News email On Friday, Dermot Dann KC, for Lynn, told justices Karin Emerton, Phillip Priest and Peter Kidd that the prosecution broke the rules from start to finish: the start being the police interview, and the finish being the closing address. He told the court of two warnings given by trial judge Michael Croucher to prosecutor Daniel Porceddu about breaching what is known as the Browne v Dunn rule during the trial. The rule requires the prosecution to question a witness about evidence they intend to rely upon. Dann also referenced comments, made by Croucher, that Porceddu had seemingly chickened out of questioning Lynn about the alleged murders and his subsequent conduct. He told the court of appeal that Griffiths, a ballistics expert who was a prosecution witness, had found Lynns explanation for the deaths was plausible on the evidence. According to Lynns version of events outlined during the trial, he was wrestling with Hill for control of a shotgun when it discharged, shooting Clay. According to Lynns version, Hill died after a subsequent struggle resulted in a knife going into his torso. Priest, one of the judges hearing the appeal, said it was particularly egregious that the prosecutor failed to raise the potentially exculpatory gunshot trajectory evidence with Griffiths while he was in the stand. In relation to the treatment of Griffiths evidence, Priest said: I need no persuasion what the prosecutor did there was indefensible. He said it was extremely unfair that the prosecution suggested, before the jury, that Lynn may have effectively executed Clay at close range, despite there being no evidence to support it. But Priest also said that even if it was assumed that all Danns complaints about Porceddu are well made, that doesnt affect the ultimate analysis of whether it was open for the jury to convict your client for Mrs Clays murder. During Fridays hearing, Dann acknowledged that, despite such concerns, Lynn had made no application for the jury to be discharged during the trial. He said there had been previous cases where an applicant had succeeded on appeal despite not having made an application for the jury to be discharged. Its two evils that hes facing, both of them are unfair, Dann told the court. Hes not saying Ive got the trial of the century here why would I even think about a discharge. Hes trying to choose the lesser of two evils that have been visited upon him. Brendan Kissane KC, for the prosecution, said that Croucher had been wrong to identify at least 17 breaches of Browne v Dunn rules. Kissane also said he disagreed with Danns analysis it was the most serious breach of Browne v Dunn that hes ever seen. Well he may not be alone there, speaking for myself, Priest quipped. Kidd asked why Porceddu hadnt qualified Griffiths evidence in a less forceful way, such as telling the jury to keep a sense of proportion when considering it. Instead, he said that it was flawed, giving the sense it was no worth at all, at any level. Kissane agreed that Porceddu had over-egged it a bit. But Kissane said that Crouchers directions to the jury alleviated any possible miscarriage of justice that could have arisen from the Browne v Dunn breaches. The hearing finished before any submissions could be made regarding Lynns appeal against his sentence. It is now expected those submissions will be made on Thursday. The family of Prince Andrew's accuser have hailed the King's decision to remove his royal titles and have him leave his Windsor home after weeks of renewed scrutiny over his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein. Now simply known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, the former Duke of York will move from Royal Lodge to the Sandringham estate in Norfolk - with his future accommodation to be privately funded by the monarch. Andrew loses royal titles - latest Buckingham Palace announced the King had begun the "formal process" of removing his brother's titles and honours, with notice served for him to surrender his lease, on Thursday night. Royal historian Kate Williams told Sky News it was a "huge moment in world history", with only two major previous examples where people have had such titles removed. They were the daughters of Henry VIII - the latter queens Mary I and Elizabeth I - and British royals who fought in the German army during the First World War. 'An ordinary girl brought down a prince' The family of Andrew's accuser Virginia Giuffre, whose posthumous memoir published earlier this month brought her sexual assault allegations back into the spotlight, said "an ordinary American girl from an ordinary American family, brought down a British prince with her truth and extraordinary courage". Andrew - who gave up his Duke of York title earlier this month - has always denied Ms Giuffre's allegations. Ms Giuffre, who took her own life earlier this year, has claimed that - as a teenager - she had sex with Andrew on three occasions after being trafficked by billionaire paedophile Epstein and his ex-girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell. Ms Giuffre sued in 2021 and the case was settled outside court for a sum believed to have been around 12m. Sigrid McCawley, a lawyer for Ms Giuffre during the case, said she had "changed history". Andrew caused 'real reputational damage' The statement from Buckingham Palace made a point of sharing the King and Queen's "thoughts and utmost sympathies" for the "victims and survivors of any and all forms of abuse". The King took action due to serious lapses in Andrew's judgement and has the support of the royal family, including the Prince of Wales, it is understood. Sky News royal correspondent Laura Bundock said his associations "risked real reputational damage" to his family and the continued scrutiny was overshadowing their work. Full analysis: Andrew finally pays the price Government backs 'powerful' move Andrew has not objected to the process, which will see him officially stripped of titles including His Royal Highness. Honours impacted are his Order of the Garter and Knight Grand Cross of the Victorian Order. Sarah Ferguson, who lost her Duchess of York title when Andrew gave up his other titles, will make her own living arrangements, but their children, Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, will retain their titles. The government is understood to have been consulted on the King's decision and supported it. The culture secretary, Lisa Nandy, said it sent a "powerful message". "I really support the step that he's taken," Ms Nandy said on BBC Question Time. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch also paid tribute to the King's "very difficult" decision to move against his brother, while the Liberal Democrat leader, Sir Ed Davey, said Andrew had "disgraced his office". Regarding the practicalities of the decision, it's understood Andrew will move out of Windsor as soon as practicable. Read more: Everything we know about Andrew's future Pressure remains over Epstein links There is no sign of the pressure on Andrew subsiding, however, with calls from America for him to give evidence to Congress about his links to Epstein. Democrat Suhas Subramanyam said: "He owes it to the victims to share everything he knows about Epstein's criminal operation and come before the Oversight Committee." The release of the so-called "Epstein files" by the committee, revealing details about the sex offender's various relationships, led to the downfall of Britain's former US ambassador Lord Mandelson. It's also continued to dog President Donald Trump. Like Lord Mandelson, he was named as having allegedly written notes for Epstein in a "birthday book" released by Congress in September. Lord Mandelson has said he regrets his relationship with Epstein. Mr Trump has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing. On Monday, the Cabinet Secretary - and head of the civil service - Sir Chris Wormauld will be among those giving evidence to the Foreign Affairs Committee on what checks the government did - or didn't - undertake before appointing Mr Mandelson to the role as the UK's most senior ambassadorship. Japanese authorities are setting aside funds for hiring hunters amid a rise in wild bear attacks. The environment ministry said it was launching a programme to hire licensed hunters and other personnel to help tackle the problem. Bears have attacked a record number of people so far this year, killing at least 13 and injuring more than 100. In recent months, reports of bears breaking down school doors, attacking tourists at a bus stop, and venturing into supermarkets have made international headlines. On Thursday, various ministries and agencies organised the first high-level meeting to address the problem. We will use the additional budget to hire more government hunters and other people who can aid in the response," environment minister Hirotaka Ishihara said. Billy Halloran from New Zealand survived a bear attack in Japan (Billy Halloran) The additional funds, initially part of the 3.7bn ($24m) budget request for fiscal 2026 that covered projects for managing designated wildlife, would instead be incorporated into this fiscals supplementary budget, officials said. Authorities are also considering legal changes to allow police to shoot bears with rifles. The environment ministry is looking to include this and other initiatives in a package of measures being prepared with the agriculture ministry and other agencies to curb bear attacks. Weve asked the police to respond with as much urgency as possible to allow the use of rifles to remove these bears, chief cabinet secretary Minoru Kihara told reporters after the meeting. Wildlife experts attribute the rise in bear attacks to environmental and demographic changes. Climate change has caused a shortage of natural food sources like beechnuts in some regions while depopulation has left rural areas emptier of people, prompting bears to wander into former human habitats. Photo taken on 7 October 2025 and released by the Gunma Prefectural Police via Jiji Press shows CCTV camera footage of a bear walking inside a supermarket in Numata (Gunma Prefectural Police) Populations of the Asiatic black bear and the brown bear seem to be on the rise in Japan, leading to more frequent sightings in residential areas and even near Tokyo. Experts note that bear attacks usually increase in October and November, ahead of the hibernation season. The problem is particularly acute in Akita prefecture, home to nearly 880,000 people and a large bear population. Bear attacks here have killed at least two people and left more than 50 injured. An amendment to the Wildlife Protection, Control and Hunting Management Act that came into force last month allows emergency hunting when bears are spotted around populated areas. Discharging firearms in residential zones was largely prohibited earlier. Now, though, local municipalities may permit it under specific conditions. As a result, several emergency culls have already taken place near cities in the countrys northeast. The government announced this week that Japans Self-Defence Forces would support the Akita prefectural authorities in efforts to capture and repel bears. "The lives and livelihoods of people are under threat," defence minister Shinjiro Koizumi said on Tuesday, according to Kyodo. Princeton University Spinout Led By World-Class Innovators in Computational Imaging SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., Oct. 30, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Cephia, a startup building products using advanced AI computational imaging technologies and silicon sensors made from advanced metamaterials, formally launched today with several pilot customers and $4 million in seed venture capital funding. Led by Radiant Opto-Electronics Corporation (ROE) and co-led by Incharge Capital, with participation from MetaVC Partners, NRM Partners and SOSV, the funding will accelerate product development, hiring and sales growth. Cephia AI founders Felix Heide, Bo Dong and Ethan Tseng. Cephia sits at the forefront of machine vision, robotics, and edge AIaddressing a vast and rapidly expanding physical AGI market that spans numerous industry verticals. Building on computational imaging software and hardware developed over the past decade at Princeton University the company will introduce a range of superhuman vision sensor products built from biological concepts that are capable of detecting what traditional sensors and the human eye cannot. The sensing technology developed by Cephia uses novel silicon metamaterials that can bend optical signals in unusual ways, allowing for unique sensing functions that are difficult to achieve with current technologies today. "This funding marks a pivotal moment in the evolution of multimodal sensing," said Bo Dong, Founder and CEO of Cephia. "Our metamaterials-based technology is inspired by nature drawing from creatures like mantis shrimp, dragonflies, and cephalopods, whose remarkably complex eyes allow them to perceive worlds invisible to us. Even more exciting, we can fit this capability into the palm of your hand, unlocking countless possibilities." Cephia is engaging with partners and customers across industries, including consumer electronics, manufacturing, and precision agriculture. Cephia's founders are pioneers and engineers who have worked closely as researchers at Princeton University's Computational Imaging Lab and further established themselves in major roles in industry. They include: Bo Dong, Founder & CEO former computer vision lead at Disney Research Imagineering who also worked as a senior computer vision researcher at SRI and computer vision lead at ESPN advanced technology group; Ethan Tseng, Founder & CTO a recent Ph.D. graduate from Princeton University who developed the world's first full color metasurface cameras; also conducted research at Carnegie Mellon University and Adobe; Felix Heide, Founder Professor at Princeton University; Head of AI at Torc Robotics, formerly Co-Founder and CTO at Algolux (acquired by Torc Robotics, an independent subsidiary of Daimler Truck). "We see great market potential for Cephia technology that will redefine metasurface-based multimodal vision systems, and we are pleased to announce our lead in Cephia's seed round," said Justin Wang, President, Radiant Opto-Electronics Corporation. "With our investment Cephia gets access to and can deeply engage with the portfolio companies of Radiant Opto-Electronics Corporation." Theodor Nielsen, founder and CEO of NIL Technology, will serve as ROE's representative on the board of Cephia. "Multimodal sensing is being redefined with Cephia's proprietary hardware-software co-design approach," said Aleksej Mitrjaschkin, Partner at Incharge Capital Partners. "Their multimodal sensing solution is unlocking new use cases across massive markets, such as automotive, manufacturing and consumer electronics. We are thrilled to support their mission to meet the growing global demand for this technology and are encouraged by the significant early traction with pilots and active partnerships." About Radiant Opto-Electronics Corporation Radiant Opto-Electronics Corporation, founded in 1995, is a global leader in the design, manufacturing, assembly, and sales of backlight modules and display technologies. With a commitment to innovation and quality, ROE serves a diverse clientele, including major technology firms worldwide. Read more about ROE here: www.radiant.com.tw. About Incharge Capital Partners Incharge is an early-stage investor backing deeptech founders rethinking how people, goods, and industries move. Incharge invests in defensible technologies that will define how trillion-dollar markets evolve over the coming decades. Incharge is backed by Porsche SE and Deutsche Telekom, giving our founders access to industrial networks, technical expertise, and partnerships that turn technology into impact. Learn more: www.inchargecapital.com About MetaVC Partners MetaVC Partners is an early-stage venture fund investing in new startup companies using metamaterials for applications in renewable energy, high-performance computing, imaging, and next-generation wireless communications and sensors. More information can be found on MetaVC Partners' website. About NRM Partners NRM Partners is a Munich based boutique law firm focusing on Corporate, Litigation and Tax. For more information, visit NRM-Partners.com. About SOSV SOSV is a multi-stage venture investor focused on "human and planetary health" that aims to be the First Check in Deep Tech. It operates the startup development programs IndieBio, with facilities in New York City and San Francisco, and HAX, which is headquartered in Newark, New Jersey, with a satellite office in Tokyo. The SOSV ecosystem spans the globe, with 800+ startups operating in 40 countries. SOSV is the most active deep tech venture investor, ranking highly on the leaderboards for climate and health categories. For more information, visit sosv.com. About Cephia Cephia is pioneering a new era for multimodal sensing. It is building all-in-one sensing solutions that could enable the next generation of physical artificial general intelligence. Cephia is backed by Radiant Opto-Electronics Corporation, Incharge Capital, MetaVC Partners, SOSV, NRM Partners and others. For more information, please visit www.cephia.ai. Media Contact: Tim Turpin [email protected] SOURCE Cephia AI Inc. Donald Trumps administration will only partially fund a critical food assistance program that supports nearly 42 million Americans after a federal judge ordered the federal government to tap into emergency funds to keep it afloat. But its not clear how quickly states will be able to distribute Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) funds, which could take up to two weeks in some states and potentially months to process, according to officials. The Trump administration stopped funding the program on November 1. The administration had initially intended to freeze funding for the program entirely during the government shutdown, claiming that it did not have legal authority to tap into billions of dollars in emergency funds. Two federal judges last week disagreed and urged the government to quickly dispense the money to states to prevent millions of Americans from going hungry. In court filings Monday, the government said $4.65 billion can be used to cover 50 percent of SNAP benefits for people who are currently enrolled, which could leave many low-income families empty-handed. No funds will remain for new SNAP applicants certified in November, disaster assistance, or as a cushion against the potential catastrophic consequences of shutting down SNAP entirely, officials wrote. The Trump administration agreed to keep funding SNAP after two federal judges disagreed with the USDAs resistance to tapping into emergency funds to keep it afloat (REUTERS) After last weeks court rulings, Trump blamed Democrats in Congress for the impasse over a short-term funding bill to reopen the government and continue funding SNAP, but even if we get immediate guidance, it will unfortunately be delayed while States get the money out, he wrote Friday night. If we are given the appropriate legal direction by the Court, it will BE MY HONOR to provide the funding, he said. In a ruling from the bench Friday, Rhode Island District Judge Jack McConnell said, there is no doubt, and it is beyond argument, that irreparable harm will continue to occur if the government stops funding SNAP. Families are already experiencing terror at the prospect that they will lose access to benefits without urgent congressional action or the Trump administrations intervention, he said during a virtual court hearing. In a parallel case, Massachusetts District Judge Indira Talwani said last week that the governments suspension of the program is likely unlawful. Were not going to make everyone drop dead, she said during a hearing in the case Thursday. A lawsuit from Democratic leaders from 25 states argues that the Department of Agriculture is legally required to continue funding the program as long as there are contingency funds to support it. A separate lawsuit brought by nonprofit organizations and faith-based groups in Rhode Island similarly argued that the administration was illegally pulling the plug on SNAP by resisting those contingency funds. USDA chief Brooke Rollins appeared to concede October 31 that the end of SNAP benefits was at least partially due to the administrations failures (AP) The USDAs emergency plan, outlined in a September memo, said the agency could tap into a multiyear contingency fund to continue supporting SNAP if funding came to a screeching halt. But the document was removed from the USDA website, and a follow-up memo now claims USDAs contingency funding was not legally available to cover regular benefits. In court filings, the Department of Justice argued that keeping SNAP running would deplete emergency funds in a blatant violation of federal law that prohibits the government from spending money that Congress hasnt appropriated. USDA claims that those funds were earmarked for natural disasters and other emergencies, not in the event of a government shutdown. The administration which has unilaterally claimed to find funds to pay troops and keep nutrition assistance programs afloat now claims it reached a legal dead end when it comes to SNAP. The USDA, echoing a recent wave of partisan attacks on government websites, is explicitly blaming congressional Democrats for the shutdown and the suspension of SNAP funding. Bottom line, the well has run dry, according to a notice on its website last month. At this time, there will be no benefits issued November 1. We are approaching an inflection point for Senate Democrats. Judge Talwani ordered USDA to keep the money flowing, not find excuses for why the agency claims it cannot. Thats lawyering, she said. I want agency action, not lawyering. SNAP, the nations largest anti-hunger program, provides an average of $188 per person per month, or about $6 per day, which is administered on prepaid cards that can be used for grocery store staples (AP) SNAP funds, which are distributed by the federal government to states each month, support the nations largest anti-hunger program, which serves millions of households, with a vast majority of recipients being children and seniors. Recipients receive roughly $188 per person per month, or about $6 per day, which is administered on prepaid cards that can be used for grocery store staples. The program provides roughly nine meals for every one meal provided by a food pantry, according to anti-hunger advocates. Last week marked the first time in SNAPs 60-year history that the federal government had let funding lapse. USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins appeared to concede that the expiration of SNAP for millions of Americans was, at least in part, due to government failure. My message to America is first, the fact that your government is failing you right now, she told reporters Friday. That poverty is not red or blue, it is not a Democrat or Republican issue, she said. Doesnt matter who you voted for or even if you voted. That if you are in a position where you cant feed your family, and youre relying on that $187 a month for an average family in the SNAP program, that we have failed you. Trump, hours later, falsely claimed that SNAP supports largely Democrats. I want to help everybody. I want to help Democrats and the Republicans. But when you're talking about SNAP, if you look it's largely Democrats, they're hurting their own people, he said Friday. Kate Winslet was revealed as a celebrity ambassador for The Kings Foundation in June - Ian Jones Photography Kate Winslet will narrate a new film celebrating the Kings efforts to save the planet. The Oscar-winning actress, 50, has been announced as the voice of a new Amazon Prime documentary, Finding Harmony: A Kings Vision, charting the monarchs championing of the natural world. Winslet, who was revealed as a celebrity ambassador for The Kings Foundation in June, said the film would offer a fascinating insight into the Kings work as an environmentalist. She said: It is a both pleasure and a privilege to be a part of this film. I share His Majestys passion for protecting our planet and building sustainable communities, so its been really rewarding to work with The Kings Foundation on this exciting project. I know audiences will learn, laugh and feel inspired by whats featured in the film, and I hope the impact of Harmony will be felt in years to come. Kate Winslet in the recording studio - The King's Foundation / Courtney Louise Photography/PA Wire King Charles, a lifelong advocate for sustainability and the environment, previously spoke of his fondest hope that the documentarys message would encourage a new generation to adopt his philosophies. The film will be released in early 2026 and will show the monarch reflecting on his commitment to promote a sustainable world, including looking back over archive footage of his speeches and engagements. It will showcase projects inspired by his 2010 book Harmony: A New Way of Looking at Our World, which aimed to revolutionise humanitys attitude toward the natural world. Speaking when the film was announced earlier this month, the King said: Nature is our sustainer; we are a part of nature. Therefore, what we do to her, we do to ourselves. For much of my life, I have sought to promote and encourage ways we can work with, rather than against, nature. In other words, to restore balance to our planet, which is under such stress. King Charles has been a tireless advocate for sustainability and the environment - MILLIE PILKINGTON/The King's Foundation/AFP via Getty Images He added: This film will, I hope, demonstrate just some of the remarkable work being done around the world to put harmony into practice, from the forests of Guyana to sustainable communities in India and, closer to home, through the work of my Kings Foundation at Dumfries House and Highgrove. Nicolas Brown, the films director, said working with Winslet on the project had been transformational, adding: She has the perfect blend of intellect and star power to tell this story like no one else could, he added. The actress joined the King at the foundations awards ceremony in St Jamess Palace in June this year, where she told him: Dont worry, Ill be all in Ive got your back. Mr Brown concluded: His Majesty King Charles III has lived such an incredible life, striving to bring humankind into harmony with the natural world for over half a century. Its an epic tale, full of drama, and Kate has turned it into a story that any one of us will relate to. CHRIS RATCLIFFE/POOL/EPA/Shutterstock When Sir Keir Starmer flies out to Brazil for the COP30 climate summit, he will do so arguably as the leader of Britains third most popular political party. YouGov recently recorded Labours lowest ever poll rating, just one point ahead of the third-placed Greens; on Thursday, Find Out Now became the first pollster to put the Greens ahead of Sir Keir and company. While this is partly the result of the precipitous decline in Labours popularity, it speaks equally to the sudden surge in popularity for Zack Polanskis party. The rise in popularity of the Greens is a shock to Britains political system, but not an unforeseeable one. The success of Jeremy Corbyns Labour Party in 2017, in contesting a closely fought general election proved that there is an appetite among a large number of voters for a full-fat version of the eco-socialism advanced by this iteration of the Labour Party. Combined with an uncompromising adherence to identity politics, and a platform without the burden of any track record as a party of government or serious opposition, it is unsurprising that Mr Polanski and company have managed to attract the attention of Left-wing voters at a time when many are disenchanted by Sir Keirs inability to provide the sort of spending they might desire, or by his occasional compromises with reality on matters of gender identity. Sir Keirs decision to fly out to the COP summit can be seen as a recalculated act of triangulation. In September, we heard that the Prime Minister had no plans to attend the summit, with Sir Keir reportedly eyeing the potential response among Reform voters. His renewed interest appears to be a response to the pressure mounting to his Left. Mere attendance, however, may not be enough to regain their support. The risk is that Sir Keir will now feel compelled to offer Britains moral and more pertinently fiscal support for the latest in a series of grandstanding summit commitments. It was reported earlier in the week that Brazilian president Lula hopes to raise a major new fund for the preservation of forests, with the Cabinet split over whether to support the scheme. History suggests that if Britain chooses to partake, it is unlikely to prove good value for money for the taxpayer. As a Telegraph report shows today, British aid funds intended to help the climate are currently paying for a 52m road to nowhere in the Amazon jungle and a youth-led storytelling scheme to reduce ocean plastic pollution in landlocked countries, alongside other such endeavours. Sir Keir should not add to this folly with a rushed commitment while panicking about polling figures. The only silver lining to such an outcome would be the provision of yet another warning of what true Green politics might look like. Katherine, a former nurse, shared her ordeals with corridor care in Norfolk (Age UK ) Elderly patients have been left languishing in their own excrement and puddles of urine for hours on end in NHS hospitals, a major charity has said. Corridor care is a crisis in plain sight in A&Es across the country, charity Age UK warned ministers, as it described truly shocking incidents of poor care of elderly people waiting days on end for attention. In a report, published on Friday, Age UK revealed heartbreaking incidents of poor care, including a woman dying from a heart attack after being left to wait; a patient who was lost after being put on a disused corridor; and a man left hooked up to an IV drip in a chair for 20 hours, who soiled himself because he was unable to get to the toilet. People told the charity about puddles of urine on the floor as immobile patients are unable to go to the toilet, and patients are being forced to use bedpans in corridors. Another person said their 86-year-old family member was stuck in a disused corridor for 36 hours while staff kept saying he hasnt been admitted by the ambulance crew. A 79-year-old woman from south London told the charity: The corridors were lined with patients on trolleys, hooked up to drips, some moaning in pain. It reminded me of war films, with queues of stretchers and people suffering. Age UK warned that many patients are unwilling to go to A&E, even if they are in a life-threatening situation, because of their past experiences. It called on the government to urgently tackle corridor care as it warned that older people are disproportionately affected. Caroline Abrahams, charity director of Age UK, said: Whats happening to some very ill older people when they come to A&E is a crisis hiding in plain sight which the government must face up to and take immediate action to resolve. No one should have to spend their final days in a hospital corridor where its impossible for the staff to provide good, compassionate care, and its truly shocking that this is what is happening to some very old people in some hospitals, today and every day. And as we head into winter, we fear that an already very difficult situation in and around some A&Es will get even worse. The report comes after The Independent revealed warnings from top medics over a potential armageddon facing the NHS this winter, with rising Covid and flu cases alongside staffing cuts. Health minister Karin Smyth said in response to the Age UK findings: The stories in this report are heartbreaking. No one should receive care in a corridor its unacceptable, undignified, and we are determined to end it. To tackle a problem, youve got to be honest about it. For the first time, the NHS will measure and publish the number of patients waiting in corridors. Sunlight is the best disinfectant. She said the government is investing 450m to build same-day urgent and emergency care centres, buying 500 new ambulances, and building 40 new mental health crisis centres. She also urged families to get vaccinated. Floods of tears Katherine said she was left in floods of tears following one hospital visit (Age UK) Katherine, a retired NHS nurse from Norfolk, told The Independent how she was left in floods of tears after being forced to sit in a chair for hours in pain as she waited in A&E. Two years ago, Katherine, now 77, underwent surgery for colorectal cancer. Since then, she has faced repeated trips to A&E, often arriving by ambulance due to the severity of her symptoms. On one occasion, Katherine was admitted to hospital after attending A&E over heart problems, where she was placed on a trolley in the corridor for several hours directly outside the only toilet serving the entire A&E department. The former nurse described the situation as an absolute nightmare, with the smell, the noise of people constantly passing, and staff using a nearby changing area. During this time, Katherine says she was not offered any food or drink and, eventually, after getting the all clear, was left disoriented trying to find her way out of the hospital on her own. In another distressing experience, Katherine attended A&E with bowel problems and was left to sit in a chair for hours. She said the lack of privacy and proper facilities left her in floods of tears. I can feel that things are going to happen, and Im sitting right next to other people, which is very unpleasant, as you can imagine, she said. The former nurse said her A&E experiences have left her frightened of hospital admission after seeing older people sitting on the floor, and on one occasion, a woman bleeding heavily in the waiting room with no one to attend to her. Years ago, when you went to the hospital, you felt safe. Now you dont, you feel absolutely frightened, she said. It was just like a third world country. The basic nursing skills that I remember being taught and would employ seem to have gone out the window. Now its all about ticking boxes, she said, adding that patients are now treated as figures on a conveyor belt rather than as human beings. According to the latest figures for England, some 75 per cent of patients were seen within four hours in A&E in September. The number of people waiting more than 12 hours in A&E departments in England from a decision to admit to actually being admitted widely recognised as corridor care stood at 44,765 in September, up from 35,909 in August. Professor Nicola Ranger, chief executive and general secretary of the Royal College of Nursing, said: Corridor care is a moral stain on our health service, and this report is yet more evidence of its devastating consequences. No elderly or vulnerable person should be forced to endure these conditions. It is unsafe, undignified, and unacceptable. Overstretched and understaffed nursing teams work hard every day to deliver the best care, but they face an impossible task. You simply cannot provide good quality care when patients are lining corridors or are pushed into any other available space. A co-founder of Leon has bought back the healthy fast food chain from Asda, four years after it was taken over by the billionaire Issa brothers. Asda said it had sold the business to John Vincent, who was one of three Leon co-founders in 2004. The sale incorporates 46 Leon restaurants and 20 UK franchises, along with three franchised sites in the Netherlands and one in Italy. Around 1,120 staff across the chain will transfer to the new ownership as part of the deal. John Vincent was one of three founders of the healthy fast food chain (Leon/PA) The Times reported earlier on Friday that Mr Vincent could pay between 30 million and 50 million for the chain. This would mark at least a 50% discount on the 100 million reported purchase price in 2021. Asda did not disclose the sale price, and declined to comment on reports the brand was being bought back at a large discount. The grocer said the sale reflects efforts to focus on its core retail operations, which incorporates its supermarkets, cafes, pharmacy, and fuel business. Mr Vincent created Leon with Henry Dimbleby and chef Allegra McEvedy to focus on healthy fast food. It was sold to Mohsin Issa and Zuber Issas business EG Group in 2021 before becoming a part of their Asda business in 2023. Mr Dimbleby recently warned that the Leon brand could be destroyed under Asdas ownership. In an interview with The Telegraph, he said the company was abandoning its original goal of selling food that is convenient and healthy in favour of cheap, unhealthy alternatives. I didnt need to run away from those young ingenue roles. Honestly, Id love to go back! (Ben Trivett/Shutterstock) By her own admission, Lily James wanted her life to hurry up. After Cinderella, I longed for parts that werent the ingenue, that werent the young heroine, that werent always in historical films, she explains, casually running through the cliches that tend to engulf the young, white actresses who at one point or another are deemed to be Britains next big thing. She told Kenneth Branagh, her director on that live-action Disney revival, all about it. He just said, Lily you dont need to rush, its all gonna happen. But I was so impatient. Looking back now, at the age of 36 and exactly 10 years after Cinderella made her a star, James knows that Branagh was correct. As a woman, it happens inevitably as you grow older, the roles are going to be different. But I also just didnt need to run away from those young ingenues. Honestly, Id love to go back! She lets out a massive, enveloping hoot. She might regret it now, but the chances are that Jamess career wouldnt have been half as interesting if shed kept the corsets on. Now, years removed from princess-dom, and from the early series of Downton Abbey she was the rebellious Lady Rose and the inexplicably titled Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, James has quietly carved out one of the most all-over-the-shop careers of her generation. Edgar Wrights frenetic actioner Baby Driver led to her role as a young Meryl Streep in Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, then as Zac Efrons saintly wife in the weepie The Iron Claw. She most recently played the Bumble founder Whitney Wolfe Herd in Disneys Swiped. And things are going to get even wackier. When I connect with James over video call, shes in Australia, shooting a submarine thriller with Chris Hemsworth. Before that she was filming a drama about cults with The Last of Us star Bella Ramsey. And before that she was playing an absolutely wild character in the new film from Japanese maestro of shock Takashi Miike, and the lead in a gender-flipped remake of the 1993 Sylvester Stallone movie Cliffhanger. Oh, and shes a voice in Angry Birds 3. 2026 will clearly be the year of Lily James: Endearingly Unplaceable Movie Star. I crave challenges, she explains. I want my life to be an adventure and my work to be an adventure. I want to do things that, on paper, people cant really imagine me doing. The part she plays in the Miike film, she teases, was something she couldnt believe she was actually offered. She compares it to getting the chance to play Pamela Anderson (James starred in the vaguely contentious limited seriesPam & Tommy back in 2022). She knows your first thought is... Her? Really? Then, smack! You end up feeling bad for ever doubting her. Theres so much to this job that isnt about acting. Sometimes that overwhelms me James admits that signing up to Relay, which is out in cinemas today, initially gave her pause, too. Its a chilly conspiracy thriller, in which Riz Ahmed plays a fixer who helps corporate whistleblowers detangle themselves from potentially dire outcomes. James was eager to work with Ahmed, and the films director David Mackenzie the confusingly underrated Scotsman behind movies such as the neo-western Hell or High Water and the prison drama Starred Up but was also terrified about performing so many solo scenes. Ahmeds character talks with his clients via a message relay service intended for the deaf community, meaning huge swathes of Jamess role in the film involve her sitting nervously in her apartment on the phone. I hate acting on my own, she says. Youve got no one to bounce off, no ones eyes to look into. Acting is at its best when its like a dance between two actors and you forget yourself. It was really hard. On watch: James studies her surroundings in her new thriller, Relay (Heidi Hartwig) There are moments in conversation with James when she becomes a bit of a ham she leans in close to her Zoom camera whenever I ask a question, bobs her head enthusiastically, flexes her arms around herself in a hug, shimmies her shoulders. She trained in musical theatre as a teenager at the Tring Park School for the Performing Arts in Hertfordshire and while shes only been able to properly utilise her dance skills in Mamma Mia, its obviously still there in her bones; shes a big mover. Naturally, Relay felt a little static at least until the film sent her speeding out into the world, tied up in the backs of vans, or wielding pistols. Her character in Relay is being closely monitored by representatives of a vaguely nefarious corporate entity, and James spends much of the film peering nervously out of her window. I wanted to explore that part of myself thats always looking over my shoulder, she says. Its no surprise that its a bit of a default mode for her. There was a period of time, around five or six years ago, when she never seemed to be out of the gossip pages, blurrily photographed with actors she may or may not have been dating and there was that strange period during the pandemic, when everyone was talking about pictures of her and Dominic West riding an electric scooter together in Rome (It was a lot, she once said; An absurd situation, he once said.) I definitely havent evaded being surveilled, James says now. Im a person in the public eye, and its a very real fear youre being watched and photographed so often that its not just paranoia in the slightest. But she thinks thats true for everyone today, even if youre not a celebrity. A few days ago, she was telling a friend about a song she loves, and then that song was suddenly plastered all over his Instagram For You page. Our phones are listening to us, its just our reality, she says, sadly. Nothing is private now. I think its a very frightening time. Shes a little nostalgic in general. She says she misses the ubiquity of radio plays, which formed some of her earliest work after she graduated from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in 2010. And she pines for the glamour of stardom as it used to be. Her grandmother was an American actor named Helen Horton, who moved to Britain to find work in the Fifties. Her voice was magic, James remembers. She had one of those beautiful, rich, almost-British voices that all of those iconic movie stars of that time had. Itll also be recognisable to fans of Ridley Scotts Alien, as Horton gave voice to the spaceship in the film. I was watching it recently because I was thinking of Sigourney Weaver as an inspiration for a role I was hoping to play, she says. And I do just stop in my tracks every time, like, My God, this is crazy, thats my grandma! James is hardly a nepo granddaughter, but she admits to having fully exploited this bit of trivia while auditioning for Baby Driver. The only time Ive really played that card was to impress Edgar Wright, she laughs. Like, I dont know if you know, but my grandmother... And being the biggest film obsessive, and having seen everything, he just thought it was so cool! Lovers on the run: James alongside Ansel Elgort in Edgar Wrights Baby Driver (Shutterstock) I tell James that I still think her best work in its sense of transformation and its ingrained empathy was in Pam & Tommy, despite the controversy that surrounded it. The show recounted the very high-profile courtship between Baywatch-era Pamela Anderson and the rock star Tommy Lee (played here by Sebastian Stan), which was followed by their stolen sex tape scandal, Lees addiction struggles, and Andersons ill treatment by the press. Upon its release, rumours swirled that Anderson who was not involved in the shows production was privately upset by its existence, which was later confirmed by Anderson herself in a documentary about her life released in 2023. She insisted, though, that she bore no ill will towards James herself. Theres always a sensitivity around playing someone real, and rightly so, because thats a huge responsibility, James says. And then you have to navigate that in terms of how you put it out in the world... She trails off. I reached out to Pamela, and we were never told not to make it, and if there were certain things that could have been different... She pauses. I knew we were championing and honouring her story, and I know it was made with such love and integrity and a commitment to truth. Im proud of the story that we put out, and Im so in awe of Pamela Anderson and the woman that she is. Uncanny: James as Pamela Anderson in the 2022 limited series Pam & Tommy (Erica Parise/Hulu/Shutterstock) She apologises. Im probably not talking about this with much eloquence, but only because it still feels very fresh, she explains. The thing about my characters, whether theyre real people or not, is that they really live inside of me. I dont just rock up and say my lines; theres a feeling of heaviness, and protectiveness, and at times fear around these roles that Ive played. Its not always easy for me to talk about them. She adds that she knows it was crazy casting for her to play Anderson, but that it feeds into her ethos overall. Ive tried to always be brave in the choices Ive made, she says. And Ive come to learn that when youre lucky enough to be doing this for as long as Ive been doing it, theres so much to this job that isnt about acting. Sometimes that overwhelms me. Ive definitely felt at times like, My God, this is all too much all this other stuff. She punctuates the word with force. But then you get in a rehearsal room, or you act opposite a brilliant actor like Riz or Sebastian Stan, and everything else falls away. Im so lucky that I get to show up and do this. It seems that Lily James, reformed speeder-upper, is finally sitting down and taking it all in. Relay is in cinemas Some 662 people in the capital died after taking drugs in 2024 (ES Composite) London has recorded its highest number of drug poisoning deaths since records began more than three decades ago, new figures show. Some 662 people in the capital died after taking drugs in 2024, a 32% rise compared with the previous year when 500 deaths were reported. The city saw the largest increase in England and Wales, according to data from the Office of National Statistics. Both inner and outer London boroughs had spikes in the number of deaths linked to illicit substances. Camden recorded the highest number, with deaths rising from 16 in 2023 to 36 last year. Islington saw 35 drug-linked deaths in 2024, compared to 17 the previous year. Enfield had the biggest increase overall, with deaths rising from 11 to 33. Westminster also saw a significant increase in people losing their lives, from 10 in 2023 to 26 last year. Drug deaths in London are now more than twice the rate of 2012, which was the lowest number recorded at 283, the data shows. The number of deaths in each London borough can be viewed in the interactive map below. Zaheen Ahmed, Director of Therapy at addiction treatment provider UKAT, described the figures as a national tragedy. In the heart of our nations capital, drug-related deaths have surged by a staggering one-third in just a single year, he said. This isnt just a statistic - its a national tragedy. Every number represents a life stolen too soon: a parent, a child, a neighbour, a colleague, a friend. Behind every figure is heartbreak that didnt need to happen. Enough is enough. The curve is climbing, and so too is the human cost. This crisis will not fix itself. We need urgent, coordinated action now. It comes after warnings were issued by police, nightclubs and Ealing council earlier this year after two people died from drug overdoses linked to highly potent synthetic opioids. A 28-year-old man and a 20-year-old woman died in Southall in May. "This is following reports that the individuals allegedly passed away after taking an illicit substance in the form of a green pill," the Metropolitan Police said. Drug testing charity The Loop had said the tablets contained synthetic opioids called Nitazenes, which can be "50 to 500 times stronger than heroin". Ealing council issued a statement describing the green pills as having a number 80 on one face and an "OP" on the other. Emails reveal Lord Mandelson told Epstein to seek an early release from prison - WPA Pool/Getty/Toby Melville Lord Mandelson should not lose his peerage over his links to Jeffrey Epstein, a Labour minister has insisted. Sir Chris Bryant said the Labour peer should remain in the House of Lords despite welcoming Prince Andrew losing his titles over revelations about his own ties to the convicted paedophile. Sir Keir Starmer sacked Lord Mandelson, the former British ambassador to the US, last month after emails revealed that he had encouraged Epstein to seek early release from prison. Documents showed that Lord Mandelson had described him as his best pal and urged him to fight for early release, stating: Your friends stay with you and love you. On Friday, Sir Chris, the trade minister, was asked by Times Radio why Lord Mandelson had kept his peerage despite his own connections to Epstein. He replied: As I said earlier, I dont think that just having known somebody is the issue. Lord Mandelson, left, with Jeffrey Epstein. It is unclear what year the photograph was taken - Pixel8000 Challenged on the contents of Lord Mandelsons emails to Epstein, Sir Chris replied: When I read of all that, honestly my stomach turned. Because I just thought what on earth were you thinking, Peter? And I think a lot of us who know Peter just felt very angry with him, very genuinely angry with him. Asked for a third time why the former Labour cabinet minister remained a Lord, Sir Chris said: Personally Ive always been in favour of an elected second chamber. I know you keep on calling me Sir Chris, I dont use my title very much, but I think we probably have too many titles in this country anyway, ironically said by a knight of the realm. In September, The Telegraph also revealed Epstein brokered a billion-pound deal with Lord Mandelson after the financier was convicted of child sex offences. On Friday, Downing Street refused to be drawn into the discussion on whether Lord Mandelson should remain a Labour peer, with a spokesman telling reporters: Its a question for the whips and I think the position might have been set out recently. Asked whether Sir Chris was speaking for the Government, the spokesman added: He was the minister on the morning round but I would refer you to the statement that we set out. Challenged on whether the Prime Minister agreed with Sir Chris, he added: Id refer you back to the statement. We fully support the decision by the Palace yesterday. Our hearts go out to the family of Virginia Giuffre and all the victims who suffered from Jeffrey Epsteins despicable crimes. We echo the statement that our thoughts and utmost sympathies have been and will remain with the victims and survivors of any and all forms of abuse. Sir Keir Starmer sacked Lord Mandelson after revelations about his links to Epstein came to light - Carl Court/PA On Thursday night, Buckingham Palace announced that the monarchs younger brother would now be known simply as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor. It confirmed that Andrew had agreed to give up the lease on Royal Lodge, his Windsor home, after weeks of allegations over his friendship with Epstein. These included the revelation that he had remained in touch with the paedophile longer than he had admitted. It also emerged that Andrew had passed his abuse accuser Virginia Giuffres date of birth and social security number to his personal protection officer in an attempted smear campaign. Andrew has continued to deny sex abuse allegations made against him. Sir Chris struck a different tone when asked whether the Government supported the decision made by the King to strip Andrew of his remaining Royal titles. We do support what the King has done and weve taken our lead from the Palace, he told Sky News. I think lots of voters up and down the country will think this is the right thing to do at this stage and everyones hearts will be going out to Virginia Giuffre, and, for that matter, all the other victims of Jeffrey Epsteins appalling misdemeanours. The truth is whenever one of these stories comes back into the headlines, all the victims, they have to live with it all over again. So we support what the Kings doing and obviously its going to be done fairly quickly. In 2008, Lord Mandelson reportedly told Epstein I think the world of you the day before the sex offender began his sentence for soliciting prostitution from a minor. The Labour peer, who is currently on a leave of absence from the House of Lords, has previously said he continued his association with Epstein for too long. Since quitting his government role, he has faced ongoing calls to give up his peerage, while Sir Keir has come under pressure to suspend him as a member of the Labour Party. Marks & Spencer is to shed more light on how its shoppers reacted to the retailers online shutdown after it was hit by a damaging cyber attack earlier this year. The high street stalwart stopped all online sales for around six weeks after hackers targeted the business around Easter. Next week, the retailer will fully report its sales and profits over the period when its systems were hit for the first time. On Wednesday November 5, the company is expected to reveal that revenues were broadly flat over the half-year to September, despite losing customer sales online. The cyber incident blighted the business during a period of strong recent trading, with sales across both its grocery and clothing and home divisions delivering significant growth after turnaround efforts led by boss Stuart Machin. The retailer was targeted by cyber attackers in April (Yui Mok/PA) Shares in the company remain close to a nine-year high as investors have kept confidence in the positive trajectory of the historic brand. Nevertheless, they will be keen for information how progress may have been disrupted by incident. M&S halted orders on its website and saw empty shelves due to disruption to its logistics systems after first reporting the attack on Easter Sunday. Customer personal data which could have included names, email addresses, postal addresses and dates of birth was also taken by hackers in the attack. In May, Stuart Machin said the attack, which was caused by human error, was expected to cost the company around 300 million, before insurance claims or cost reductions to offset the impact. Shareholders will therefore be keen to see if there is any adjustment to this guidance, amid hopes that the business may be able to claw back some funds through insurance. However, there is also uncertainty over how the groups customers will have reacted to M&Ss online sales shutdown. M&S reported a surge in activity after its clothing, home and beauty sales returned online but some competitors such as Next saw market share grow during the period of disruption, suggesting some online shoppers went elsewhere. Russ Mould, AJ Bell investment director, said: Investors seem to have plenty of faith in the power of the brand and the food offering, plus the ongoing operational improvements in the clothing business, so the interim results will be a good test of whether shoppers and customers feel the same way. Analysts have predicted that M&S will reveal half-year adjusted pre-tax profits of around 111 million, which would represent a significant drop as it books the cost of the attack. It is expected to report a profit between 600 million and 685 million amid a recovery in the second half of the year. Shareholders will also be keen to see how the company is being impacted by other cost pressures, such as labour cost and tax increases which came into force in April. M&S has been pushing forward with significant cost efficiency and store investment plans over recent years. There will also be focus on whether these programmes have been disrupted or in fact accelerated as a result of the hack and its response. A man released from prison under the Governments early release scheme has been charged with murder, it has been reported (PA Archive) A man released from prison under the Governments early release scheme has been charged with murder, it has been reported. The man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was charged over the offence in London. He had previously been imprisoned for knife offences and was released due to prison overcrowding. It is reportedly the most serious offence committed by a prisoner freed under the scheme, which was introduced by the Labour Government last year as an emergency measure after prisons approached full capacity. At one point, there were around 100 places remaining across the male estate. The then-Justice Secretary, Shabana Mahmood, said at the time: In short if we fail to act now, we face the collapse of the criminal justice system. And a total breakdown of law and order. The emergency programme allows certain inmates to be released after serving 40% of their fixed-term sentence, rather than the usual 50%. It replaced an earlier scheme introduced by the previous Conservative Government. Prisoners serving sentences for sexual or domestic abuse, national security offences, or violent crimes with terms longer than four years were excluded from the scheme. Then-Justice Secretary, Shabana Mahmood, said at the time: In short if we fail to act now, we face the collapse of the criminal justice system. And a total breakdown of law and order (PA Wire) Government figures show that more than 38,000 offenders were freed under the programme between September last year and June, an average of 129 per day. The charging of the man is expected to prompt a serious further offence review, to determine what might have been done differently before his release, The Times reported. Between January and June this year, over 21,000 people were recalled to prison, with 11,041 recalls in the April-June period alone. This represents a significant increase on previous years, with a 36% rise in recalls between April and June compared to 2024 and nearly double the number of recalls in the same period of 2023. A report by the Institute for Government last week warned that further early release measures for prisoners may be necessary to prevent prisons from running out of space again. It described the criminal justice system as being in a slow-motion collapse, with issues particularly severe within the prison system. The total prison population of England and Wales stood at 87,465 on September 30, up 1% year on year from 86,966 but below the monthly peak of 88,439 at the end of February 2024. HMP Humber in Brough, near Hull, has released the highest number of inmates so far under the early release scheme (1,126), followed by Berwyn in Wrexham (1,064); Fosse Way in Leicester (1,037); and Parc B in Bridgend (830). Some 10,879 of the 38,042 early releases (28.6%) were serving sentences of six months or less, with a further 5,241 (13.8%) serving sentences of between six and 12 months. Info-Tech Research Group has confirmed the next group of featured speakers for LIVE 2025 in Montreal, taking place November 2526 at Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth. The global IT research and advisory firm's newly announced lineup will deliver research-driven sessions on IT strategy, security, architecture, and professional development under the event's theme, "Transform IT. Transform Everything." TORONTO, Oct. 31, 2025 /PRNewswire/ - Info-Tech Research Group, a global leader in IT research and advisory, has announced the next round of internal speakers for its flagship conference, Info-Tech LIVE 2025 in Montreal. Marking its Canadian return this November 25-26, 2025, at Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth in Montreal, the popular IT industry event will feature new sessions led by the firm's senior research and advisory executives, covering essential IT priorities such as cybersecurity, enterprise architecture, IT financial management, and workforce development. Info-Tech Research Group has confirmed the next group of featured speakers for its premier IT conference, Info-Tech LIVE 2025 in Montreal, taking place November 2526 at Fairmont The Queen Elizabeth. (CNW Group/Info-Tech Research Group) "Canadian IT leaders are balancing global innovation with uniquely local challenges, from talent retention to data sovereignty," says Info-Tech Research Group's Chief Research Officer, Gord Harrison . "The lineup of speakers at Info-Tech LIVE in Montreal will equip attendees with actionable insights on the issues that matter most: aligning technology with strategy, developing adaptive teams, and delivering secure, data-driven innovation. These conversations are about preparing organizations across Canada to lead confidently in an era of exponential change and uncertainty." Confirmed Speakers for Info-Tech LIVE 2025 in Montreal Jack Hakimian, SVP, Research Development, Info-Tech Research Group Jack Hakimian has more than 30 years of experience in technology and management consulting, having served global organizations across industries, including financial services, telecommunications, and consumer goods. Before joining Info-Tech, he held leadership roles at Accenture, Deloitte, EY, and IBM, where he led enterprise-wide digital transformations and AI strategy initiatives. Hakimian holds a master's degree in Computer Engineering and an MBA from the ESCP European Business School. Session: Run IT by the Numbers: How to Inject Real Meaning Into the Decisions You Make In this keynote, Hakimian will outline how IT leaders can take control of their budgets, mature their financial management practices, and use data-driven insights to align technology investments with organizational priorities. Attendees will learn how to strengthen IT's financial accountability and elevate the strategic role of technology spending. Isabelle Hertanto, AVP, Training & Development Products, Info-Tech Research Group With more than 20 years of experience in cybersecurity and intelligence operations, Isabelle Hertanto leads the commercial design and delivery of Info-Tech's Training & Development products. A former federal officer with Public Safety Canada, she has also held consulting roles across multiple industries and serves as an instructor at the University of Toronto's School of Continuing Studies. Hertanto brings a unique perspective on cybersecurity, governance, and professional learning. Session: IT Learning & Development: Build an Adaptive Training Plan for Your Team Hertanto's session explores how targeted upskilling strengthens functional capabilities and builds a more adaptive IT workforce. Participants will gain actionable guidance for developing tailored learning programs that accelerate both personal growth and organizational resilience. Andy Neill, VP, Global Services & Chief Enterprise Architect, Info-Tech Research Group Andy Neill oversees Info-Tech's global services organization and serves as Chief Enterprise Architect, helping members strengthen their data and architecture capabilities. He has held senior leadership roles with Siemens Consulting, the UK NHS, BBC, UK Parliament, and Loblaw Companies Limited, and spent a decade teaching enterprise architecture at the University of Toronto. Neill's expertise spans architecture, data strategy, and large-scale digital transformation. Session: Enterprise Architecture Trends: 2025 and Beyond In this keynote, Neill will highlight the emerging enterprise architecture trends that will define 2025 and beyond. Attendees will learn how to position architecture functions as drivers of innovation and agility while preparing their organizations for evolving business and technology demands. Kate Wood, AVP, Research Development, Info-Tech Research Group Kate Wood brings 25 years of experience in IT and cybersecurity, with deep expertise in risk management, compliance, and governance. Prior to joining Info-Tech, Wood managed the information security office for a global insurance and investment enterprise, overseeing governance, threat intelligence, and security assurance across multiple jurisdictions. Wood holds a master's degree in Cyber Security from the University of Essex and numerous industry certifications, including CISSP and CISM. Session: Build a Business-Aligned Security Roadmap During this interactive session, Wood will guide attendees through the process of developing a security strategy that aligns directly with business goals. Participants will explore how to move beyond traditional operational frameworks to design security programs that deliver measurable organizational value. Info-Tech's LIVE 2025 in Montreal will feature two full days of keynotes, workshops, and one-on-one analyst meetings, offering IT leaders access to research-backed insights and practical tools to accelerate transformation. Info-Tech's 2025 global tour has provided a unique opportunity for CIOs, CISOs, and technology executives to connect with peers, explore emerging trends, and gain actionable strategies to prepare for the exponential future of IT. For more information about the event, please visit Info-Tech's LIVE 2025 in Montreal page. Further details on speakers and agenda highlights will be announced soon. Follow Info-Tech Research Group on LinkedIn and X for updates. Media Passes for Info-Tech LIVE 2025 in Montreal Media professionals, including journalists, podcasters, and influencers, are invited to attend Info-Tech LIVE 2025 in Montreal to gain exclusive access to research, content, and interviews with industry leaders and analysts for their audiences. Media professionals can apply for complimentary in-person passes by contacting [email protected]. Exhibitor Opportunities Exhibitors are also invited to showcase their products and services to an engaged audience of IT decision-makers at Info-Tech LIVE 2025 in Montreal. For more information about exhibitor opportunities, please contact [email protected]. About Info-Tech Research Group Info-Tech Research Group is the world's leading research and advisory firm, proudly serving over 30,000 IT, HR, and marketing professionals. The company produces unbiased, highly relevant research and provides industry-leading advisory services to help leaders make strategic, timely, and well-informed decisions. For nearly 30 years, Info-Tech has partnered closely with teams to provide them with everything they need, from actionable tools to analyst guidance, ensuring they deliver measurable results for their organizations. To learn more about Info-Tech's divisions, visit McLean & Company for HR research and advisory services and SoftwareReviews for software-buying insights. Media professionals can register for unrestricted access to research across IT, HR, and software, and hundreds of industry analysts through the firm's Media Insiders program. To gain access, contact [email protected] . SOURCE Info-Tech Research Group Credit: Reuters A drive through McDonalds steered by a pair of babies stole the show at the White House on Thursday night as Donald and Melania Trump played host to an army of trick-or-treaters. The US president smiled and joked while passing out Hershey chocolate bars wrapped in custom blue boxes emblazoned with the presidential seal alongside the First Lady. Dozens of carved jack-o-lanterns filled with lights decorated the White Houses sprawling staircases while a military string ensemble played an array of spooky covers. Just two hours after returning from a trip to Asia, Donald and Melania Trump emerged at the White House to greet children on Halloween - Reuters Mr Trump emerged from the White Houses southern entrance to Michael Jacksons Thriller just two hours after returning from a gruelling trip to Asia. For more than an hour, the president, dressed as himself, handed out chocolate bars to children in a range of costumes, including mini-Trumps and a secret service agent. But it was two infants in a buggy designed as a drive-thru McDonalds that stole the show, delighting the president and his wife, who laughed as the pair wheeled before them. Credit: Reuters Other guests included Karoline Leavitt, the White House press secretary and her husband, Nicholas Riccio and their young son, who was dressed as a pumpkin. They were joined by top aide Stephen Miller and his wife Katie, who dressed as a skeleton along with their children. Donald and Melania Trump hand out Hershey bars in custom presidential boxes as they greet a long line of costumed children outside the White House - AFP Mr Miller dressed a White House staffer, wore a suit and tie. The president revived one of his favourite tricks from the 2019 event when he placed a chocolate bar on the head of a small child dressed as EDM DJ Marshmello. The child walked away balancing the candy on top of his head, much to the enjoyment of the First Lady and press gallery. trump just recreated his iconic minion trick or treat gaffe lol pic.twitter.com/8iNV6JtgAF Alec Carey (@MrsDCtheCapital) October 30, 2025 Mr Trump went viral during his first term for playing the same game with a child dressed in a minion costume from the film, Despicable Me. The songs played by an Air Force string band included the theme tunes from Game of Thrones, Harry Potter and The Pirates of the Caribbean. Around halfway through proceedings, the president took a look at the long queue of young guests and yelled to the press, Its a long line. Its almost as big as the ballroom. Satellite view shows the obliterated East Wing of the White House in Washington DC. Photograph: 2025 Planet Labs PBC/Reuters More than half of Americans disapprove of Donald Trumps demolition of the White Houses East Wing and the construction of a new ballroom, according to a new poll from the Washington Post, ABC News and Ipsos. The survey was conducted between 24 and 28 October and indicates 56% of the respondents disagree with Trumps recent move while 28% are in favor of it. Most of the surveys respondents were white, one-third of them voted for Donald Trump and another third voted for Kamala Harris in the 2024 election. By 24 October, the East Wing, historically the home base for the first lady and her staff, had been reduced to rubble to make way for a $300m ballroom that Trump says is being paid for through his funds and private donations. Related: Trump news at a glance: Four Senate Republicans join Democrats to reject global tariffs The East Wing was first known as the East Terrace and was built in 1902 during Theodore Roosevelts administration. In 1942, Franklin Roosevelt created the East Wing in its current form to add working space during the war, and conceal an underground bunker that had been constructed for the president and his staff. Its demolition marks a reversal of the presidents earlier promise in July that none of the White Houses existing infrastructure would be torn down during construction of the ballroom. It will be beautiful. It wont interfere with the current building. It wont be it will be near it, but not touching it. And pays total respect to the existing building, which Im the biggest fan of. Its my favorite, Trump said at the time. The ballroom, which is set to be 90,000 sq ft, nearly twice the size of the White House, will accommodate nearly 1,000 people, according to Trump. The White House has said the ballroom will be ready for use well before Trumps term ends in January 2029. Thursdays poll echoes a Yahoo/YouGov poll that was released earlier this week which found 61% of respondents saying they did not support Trumps ballroom plan while 25% backed the move. Reactions to the ballroom have stretched far and wide and escalated since demolition began. Elaine Kamarck, a former official who worked in the building from 1993 to 1997, told the Guardian earlier this month that its an abomination. Its typical Trump and its going to look awful. Theyre knocking down the entire East Wing of the White House. Its not the end of the world but its just one more reason that Americans are getting sick of King Trump, she said. The best public interest journalism relies on first-hand accounts from people in the know. If you have something to share on this subject, you can contact us confidentially using the following methods. Secure Messaging in the Guardian app The Guardian app has a tool to send tips about stories. Messages are end to end encrypted and concealed within the routine activity that every Guardian mobile app performs. This prevents an observer from knowing that you are communicating with us at all, let alone what is being said. If you don't already have the Guardian app, download it (iOS/Android) and go to the menu. Select Secure Messaging. SecureDrop, instant messengers, email, telephone and post If you can safely use the Tor network without being observed or monitored, you can send messages and documents to the Guardian via our SecureDrop platform. Finally, our guide at theguardian.com/tips lists several ways to contact us securely, and discusses the pros and cons of each. The nuclear option: How the worlds media reacted to King Charles stripping Andrew of his titles In a historic move, King Charles announced he is to strip all remaining titles from Prince Andrew and will evict him from the Royal Lodge. Buckingham Palace said Andrew was given notice on Thursday to leave the 30-room mansion and he will in future be known simply as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, effectively living as a commoner. It comes after weeks of intense pressure as the Kings brothers links to paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein continue to embarrass the monarchy. It is understood that although Andrew denies all Epstein accusations, Buckingham Palace considers that there have been serious lapses of judgement. A live audience on BBCs Question Time burst into applause as they were told the news on Thursday evening, with many around the world expressing similar strong reactions. Buckingham Palace said Andrew will in future be known simply as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, effectively living as a commoner (AP) Here is how the worlds media reacted to the news: Andrew believed the worst was over... the King had other ideas Newspapers in Australia have been following the Andrew-Epstein story closely. The King is still the head of state of Australia, and Andrews accuser, Virginia Giuffre, lived in the country for much of her life. The Kings announcement on Thursday became the lead story on several news sites, including The Australian and The Sydney Morning Herald. Analysis in The Sydney Morning Herald highlights that Andrews attempt to draw a line under the accusations by relinquishing Duke of York titles was not enough. It says Charles never had any doubt that more had to be done to protect the royal family. The Kings announcement on Thursday became the lead story on several news sites, including The Australian and The Sydney Morning Herald (The Sydney Morning Herald) The Australian said the royals had taken the nuclear option, but criticised the palace, saying in its analysis: Until now, Buckingham Palace had dished out mostly symbolic punishments against Andrew. This demotion is unprecedented in scale for the House of Windsor. The Australian said the royals had taken the nuclear option (The Australian) In the US, multiple papers and broadcasters covered the story. CNN called the move extraordinary but asked whether the Kings decision was too little too late. Calling it the ultimate humiliation for Andrew, the broadcaster described how he will now be exiled to the countryside to live in obscurity. It said the news cements the deepest split in the British royal family in decades. The question now: whether King Charles and the British establishment have done enough to prevent Andrews association with Epstein from engulfing the monarchy. CNN called the move extraordinary but asked whether the Kings decision was too little too late (CNN) The Royal formerly known as prince The New York Post dubbed Andrew as disgraced and highlighted the palaces reference to the victims and survivors of abuse in their statement. The statement says the King and Queens sympathies have been, and will remain with, the victims and survivors of any and all forms of abuse. The New York Post dubbed Andrew as disgraced and highlighted the palaces reference to the victims (New York Post) The Washington Post said the King had taken decisive action against his brother in what the palace said was deemed necessary. It said the move underscores the kings determination to protect the monarchys reputation, even at the cost of permanently stripping his younger brother of the titles and privileges he has held since birth. It said the removal process represents the most vigorous royal intervention in a scandal that has plagued the family for years. The Washington Post said the King had taken decisive action against his brother (The Washington Post) The Prince is no longer German paper Der Spiegel also led with the story, saying King Charles has had enough and is officially holding his brother accountable. The paper said this is primarily thanks to a courageous woman, Virginia Giuffre, whose posthumous memoir achieved what would otherwise likely have been swept under the rug time and time again. The paper wrote: Giuffre fought bravely and persistently to transform the very dark chapters of her young life into brighter ones. German paper Der Spiegel also led with the story, saying King Charles has had enough (Der Spiegel) Elsewhere in Europe, French newspaper Le Monde said it is almost unprecedented for a British prince or princess to be stripped of that title. It last happened in 1919, when Prince Ernest Augustus, who was a UK royal and also a prince of Hanover, had his British title removed for siding with Germany during World War I. French newspaper Le Monde called the move unprecedented (Le Monde) How The Independent covered the news The Independent presented the story on the front cover of Fridays edition, referencing the Kings bombshell decree and writing that Andrew had paid the price for his contact with Epstein. The family of Virginia Giuffre described her as a strong warrior who refused to back down. Photograph: Bebeto Matthews/AP The historic statement from Buckingham Palace stripping Andrew Mountbatten Windsor of his title is an acknowledgment that something happened to the late Virginia Giuffre, her family has told the Guardian. In its announcement on Thursday, the palace said Andrew Mountbatten Windsor as he is now known will also leave his mansion in Windsor, Royal Lodge, as his links to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein continue to cause controversy. The statement concluded: Their majesties wish to make clear that their thoughts and utmost sympathies have been and will remain with the victims and survivors of any and all forms of abuse. Asked whether this suggested King Charles believes Virginia over Andrew, her brother Sky Roberts said: Absolutely, I think that hes speaking very clearly in that statement when he says hes with survivors out there. Its an acknowledgment that something occurred, something has happened. There has been a shift, he said. Giuffres sister-in-law, Amanda Roberts, said: To put that acknowledgment out for survivors is huge. We havent seen that from anyone, and to acknowledge that there are survivors in this situation is an acknowledgment that abuse did occur. It is the very first step for that justice for survivors. It is first the acknowledgment that something went on here. There was real trauma that happened to these young girls. In a posthumous memoir, Giuffre who died earlier this year repeated allegations that, as a teenager, she had sex with Mountbatten Windsor on three separate occasions. He has always denied any wrongdoing. He settled a civil case with Giuffre for a reported 12m with no admission of liability. Amanda described the statement by the palace as a victory and vindication for our sister. Were just so exceptionally proud of her, but then the sorrow hits because you wish she was here to share this moment together with her a moment that she has been waiting for, for a very long time, she added. Womens rights campaigners and advocacy groups also welcomed the move by the royal family, with some saying it sent an important message to survivors of abuse. Gemma Sherrington, chief executive of Refuge, said it was incredibly powerful to see survivors recognised so directly in a statement from the palace, adding that it sent a message that survivors matter, that their experiences are believed, and that they deserve to be at the heart of national conversations about abuse. Penny East, the chief executive at the Fawcett Society, said it is a welcome acknowledgment that the real victims here are not embarrassed politicians or disgraced princes, but the women and girls who were sexually assaulted by entitled, misogynistic men. However, she added: Removing a title, or moving house can never be viewed as true accountability or sufficient punishment. Indeed, one brave woman, Virginia Giuffre, has lost her life. It was a terrible tragedy, and a reminder of the profound impact sexual assault has on women and girls. Describing Giuffres character and fight for justice, Sky said she was a strong warrior who could also be cheeky and goofy. This is an ordinary girl from an ordinary family that did something extraordinary and I think this is something the world should be proud of. She was this strong warrior who refused to back down and refused to stay silent and we are finally getting that acknowledgment that she truly was a world hero. The palace declined to comment. In the UK, Rape Crisis offers support for rape and sexual abuse on 0808 802 9999 in England and Wales, 0808 801 0302 in Scotland, or 0800 0246 991 in Northern Ireland. In the US, Rainn offers support on 800-656-4673. In Australia, support is available at 1800Respect (1800 737 732). Other international helplines can be found at ibiblio.org/rcip/internl.html Arthur Berryman died after being stabbled multiple times (PSNI/PA Wire) A fresh appeal for information has been made for the savage murder of Arthur Berryman 24 years ago. Mr Berryman was stabbed by attackers who forced their way into his home in east Belfast at around 11.30pm on October 31, 2001. The 46-year-old suffered from a number of stab wounds and died at the scene. Police said he had been at home with his wife, on Imperial Street in the Woodstock area of Belfast, when she answered a knock at the door before being confronted by a masked man wielding a knife. The masked man pushed her to the ground before entering and stabbing Mr Berryman as he sat in the living room. He was described as wearing a dark coloured jacket with the hood up and had his face covered with a light coloured mask. He was believed to have fled on foot into an alleyway beside the house after the attack. The PSNI have launched another appeal for information about the murder (PA) Detective Inspector Ailish McCrissican said it was a savage and sustained attack on a defenceless man in his home. She said they dont believe it was a sectarian attack and urged that anyone with information to speak to police from the Legacy Investigation Branch. We are exploring a number of potential motives for the murder, however, we do not believe the attack on Arthur was in any way sectarian, she said. While two people, a man and woman, were charged in connection with the murder, the charges were later withdrawn and no one has been convicted to date. I am appealing to anyone who may have been on Imperial Street or the surrounding streets before or after the murder and who may have seen the attacker please speak with police. She added: In line with our Case Allocation Model, detectives are carrying out a number of enquiries and speaking to witnesses again. In the years since Arthurs murder, peoples circumstances and allegiances may have changed. If you have any knowledge of what happened that night, but have not spoken to police previously, please do so now. You may have heard accounts of what happened, either in the immediate aftermath or over the following years. Despite the amount of time that has passed since the murder, it is not too late. If anyone now feels they are able to talk to us, we are ready to listen. Twenty-four years have passed but Arthurs family continue to suffer the devastating effects of this senseless murder. Anyone with information can contact detectives in Legacy Investigation Branch on 101. Direct line is 028 9258 9258 or via email at L&DSec@psni.police.uk. Widely purported to have been the late Queens favourite child, Andrew has suffered a sharp fall from grace over the last decade - with the King now having formally started the process to strip him of all his titles. The controversy has since deepened as new emails leaked from paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein appear to have confirmed a now-famous photo of Virginia Giuffre with Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor is real and that the former prince had pleaded with him to deny his involvement in any allegations. Andrews links to the disgraced financier continue to cause controversy and he has since he agreed to leave Royal Lodge. The Palace said he will now be known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor. Here, The Independent takes a look at a timeline of Andrews fall from grace and his retreat from the public eye. Queens favourite The Queen with her son in 2019 (Neil Hall/EPA) The Queen stood by Andrews side even when he was caught up in the Jeffrey Epstein scandal in 2019 and stepped back from royal duties for the foreseeable future. In October 2021, it was claimed the monarch intended to spend millions of pounds privately funding her sons defence against allegations of sexual abuse made by Epstein victim Virginia Giuffre. She also signalled her support for her disgraced son by arriving alongside him for Prince Philips memorial service in March 2021. Andrew provided a steady arm for the Queen as she walked into Westminster Abbey to remember the life of her husband, just a few weeks after he reached a multimillion-pound out-of-court settlement with Ms Giuffre. Friendship with Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell Ghislaine Maxwell and Jeffrey Epstein (Channel 4) During his 2019 interview with BBC Newsnight, Andrew said he had known British socialite Ghislaine Maxwell, the daughter of media magnate and former MP Robert Maxwell, since she was at university. She introduced Andrew to her then-boyfriend Jeffrey Epstein in 1999. The trio enjoyed a close friendship, even after Epstein was convicted of procuring a child for prostitution and of soliciting a prostitute in 2008. Andrew is alleged to have personally invited the couple to Balmoral, the Queens Scottish residence, in 1999. Maxwell was sentenced to 20 years in prison in June this year following a New York sex-trafficking trial for procuring teen girls for Epstein for him to abuse. An image shown during the trial appeared to show Maxwell and Epstein lounging on a bench outside a log cabin on the Balmoral estate. Andrew continued to visit Epstein in New York after the financiers conviction for child sex offences in 2008. Jeffrey Epstein was convicted of child sex offences (New York State Division of Criminal Justice/EPA) Epstein received an 18-month sentence but was allowed to go on work release to his office most days and was released on probation after 13 months. Andrew faced criticism when pictures emerged of him opening the door of Epsteins palatial East Side townhouse in December 2010 and the pair strolling through Central Park. In his 2019 BBC interview, the royal claimed he had gone to New York to break off their friendship and regretted staying at Epsteins house while there. 2019: Virginia Giuffre sex abuse case Andrew pictured with Maxwell and Virginia Roberts (US Department of Justice/PA) In 2019, Epstein accuser Virginia Giuffre, formerly known as Virginia Roberts, filed a lawsuit in Manhattan alleging she was trafficked by Epstein to have sex with Andrew on three occasions when she was 17 and a minor under US law. While the royal has always strongly denied the allegations, going so far as to settle in court over it, accusations of sexual abuse reared their head again after Ms Giuffre died in 2025 when her memoir was posthumously published. Ms Giuffre described Andrew in the book, Nobodys Girl: A Memoir Of Surviving Abuse And Fighting For Justice, as friendly enough, but entitled as if he believed having sex with me was his birthright. She had sex with him on three separate 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! 2019: BBC Newsnight interview The former Duke of York speaking about his links to Epstein in an interview with BBC Newsnight's Emily Maitlis (Mark Harrison/BBC/PA) Andrew was criticised for a car crash BBC Newsnight interview that aired on 16 November 2019. During the interview, he denied he slept with Ms Giuffre, saying an encounter could not have taken place because he was at a branch of Pizza Express in Woking with his daughter Princess Beatrice. He also said Ms Giuffres claim he was sweaty at a nightclub was untrue because an overdose of adrenaline in the Falklands war had left him unable to sweat. The royal faced a public backlash, with equality campaigners claiming he was too stupid to even pretend concern for Epsteins victims. 2019: Step back from public duties Four days later, Andrew announced the Queen had given him permission to step back from public duties in the wake of the interview. He said it had become clear to him in recent days that his association with Epstein had become a major distraction to the royal familys work. The royal said he regretted his association with Epstein and deeply sympathises with his victims. 2022: Stripped of royal titles and military affiliations Andrew is not expected to return to public life (John Thys/AFP via Getty Images) In January 2022, the Queen stripped Andrew of his military titles and royal patronages in the wake of a US judge allowing Ms Giuffres civil sexual abuse case against her son to move to trial. He stopped using his HRH (His Royal Highness) style his roles including Colonel of the Grenadier Guards, one of the oldest regiments in the British army were handed to other members of the royal family. His other military titles included honorary air commodore of RAF Lossiemouth; colonel-in-chief of the Royal Irish Regiment; colonel-in-chief of the Small Arms School Corps; commodore-in-chief of the Fleet Air Arm; royal colonel of the Royal Highland Fusiliers; deputy colonel-in-chief of The Royal Lancers (Queen Elizabeths Own); and royal colonel of the Royal Regiment of Scotland. 2022: Out-of-court settlement In March 2022, Andrew paid Ms Giuffre a multi-million-pound out-of-court settlement, meaning both sides avoided the case going to trial. As part of the agreement, he was due to pay damages to Ms Giuffre and a donation to a charity in support of victims rights. Andrew has faced calls to confirm how he funded settlement - which is reported to be as much as 12m - and whether the Queen or even King Charles, then Prince of Wales, contributed to the sum. Andrew allegedly met Cai Qi three times (Foreign Affairs Office of Beijing Municipal People's Government) December 2024: Confidante banned from UK over Chinese spy allegations An email exchange between Andrew, Epstein and Maxwell was published on Wednesday (US House Oversight Committee/PA) In December 2024, it emerged a close confidante of the royal lost an appeal over a decision to bar him from entering the UK on national security grounds. The man, Yang Tengbo, 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. January 2025: New messages reveal ties with Epstein continues for months after New York visit Newly surfaced messages revealed the Duke of York remained in contact with Epstein until February 2011 despite having claimed to have cut him off in December 2010. Emails between Andrew and Epstein handed to a court in London reportedly show they were still exchanging messages until at least late February 2011, when the duke wrote: Keep in close touch and well play some more soon. Messages were exchanged between the pair on the same day a photograph of Andrew with 17-year-old Virginia Giuffre and Ghislaine Maxwell who is currently behind bars for recruiting and trafficking underage girls for Epstein was published, Bloomberg reports. The emails were obtained by Bloomberg after being disclosed in a filing by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), defending an appeal by former Barclays boss, Jes Staley, who is challenging its decision to ban him from the finance industry for misleading regulators on his ties to Epstein. Prince Andrews sex accuser Virginia Giuffres posthumous memoirs shine a further spotlight on his association with paedophile Jeffrey Epstein (Kirsty Wigglesworth/PA) (PA Wire) October 2025: Repeated meetings with Chinese spymaster In October 2025, it was reported that Andrew met with a senior Beijing official at the heart of the China spy scandal at least three times between 2018 and 2019. 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, 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. He 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. Early October 2025: Andrew forced to renounce Duke of York title Andrew was forced to end his use of titles, including the Duke of York and Knight of the Garter, as his former friendship with Epstein threatened to overshadow the work of the royal family. Andrew gave up his title as Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order and his Garter role as a Royal Knight Companion of the Most Noble Order of the Garter. He also agreed to stop using his Duke of York title, although he can only be formally stripped of it by an act of Parliament. He released a statement saying that he, the King, and his family have concluded the continued accusations about me distract from the work of His Majesty and the royal family. Late October 2025: King starts formal process to remove Andrew of his prince title and he moves out of Royal Lodge Andrew is set to move to Sandringham (REUTERS) Buckingham Palace announces that the King has begun the formal process to strip the titles from Prince Andrew who will move out of his Windsor home to Sandringham. The statement said Andrew has agreed to leave Royal Lodge as his links to paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein continue to cause controversy. In a statement, the Palace said: Prince Andrew will now be known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor. His lease on Royal Lodge has, to date, provided him with legal protection to continue in residence. Formal notice has now been served to surrender the lease and he will move to alternative private accommodation. These censures are deemed necessary, notwithstanding the fact that he continues to deny the allegations against him. The statement added: Their Majesties wish to make clear that their thoughts and utmost sympathies have been, and will remain with, the victims and survivors of any and all forms of abuse. It is understood that although the King initiated the process of formally removing his titles and honours, Andrew did not object to it. Formal notice was given to Andrew to surrender the lease at the Royal Lodge on Thursday and it is understood that his move to Sandringham will take place as soon as practicable. November 2025: Fresh emails leaked reveal Andrew pleaded for Epstein to deny his involvement Emails between Epstein, Maxwell and Andrew have been published (US Congress Oversight Committee/PA Wire) A fresh email chain released in November from March 2011 saw Andrew pleaded with Maxwell and Epstein to make it clear he was not involved in any allegations against them. The documents show Maxwell was forwarded a press inquiry from the Mail On Sunday on March 4 2011, by somebody named Mark Cohen, who told her: FYI, following up on my email of this morning. Again, I have no intention of responding unless you direct otherwise. After Andrew asked Epstein how he planned to respond to a press inquiry, Epstein can be seen responding: Im (sic) not sure how to respond, the only person she didnt have sex with was Elvis. At one point the former prince said: Please make sure that every statement or legal letter states clearly that I am NOT involved and that I knew and know NOTHING about any of these allegations. I cant take any more of this my end. Epstein appeared to follow up with the former duke two days later, saying: You OK? These stories are complete and utter fantasy. I dont know and have never met Al Gore, he added. Clinton was never on the island the telephone book is not mine, it was stolen by my houseman that is currently in prison for doing so. Epstein also appeared keen to ask a journalist to investigate Andrews accuser because Buckingham Palace would love it. In his email in July 2011, Epstein can be seen talking about Andrews accuser and asking someone to send a reporter or reporters to investigate. Epstein encouraged the journalist to investigate Ms Giuffre (BBC) The email reads: same as strauss khan (sic) is Andrews accuser, criminal record, total liar. It continues: Send a reporter or reporters to investigate the palace would love it, the girl in the photo, was nothing more than a telephone answerer, she was never 15, according to her version she worked for trump (sic), first at that age, at Mar-a-Lago. Its ridiculous. He said that the girl who accused Prince Andrew could be proven as a liar, later cited as Virginia Roberts, who he called a fraud, saying that she had fled the country with an outstanding arrest warrant. The validity of a photo of Andrew with Giuffre was seemingly confirmed in the new emails, after he said: The da (sic) after she accused others, said in writing that she has no credibility, she was never 15 years old working for me, her story made it seem like she first worked for trump (sic) at that age and was met by ghislaine maxwell (sic). Total horses***, the daily mail (sic) paid her money, they admitted it, with the statement that it took money to coax out the truth. Yes she was on my plane, and yes she had her picture taken with Andrew, as many of my employees have. Rachel Reeves rented out her family home when they moved into 11 Downing Street. Photograph: Wiktor Szymanowicz/Zuma Press Wire/Shutterstock Keir Starmer appears to have escaped the huge political damage of potentially losing his chancellor weeks before the budget, after 24 hours of intense scrutiny over whether Rachel Reeves broke the law when she rented out her family home. The Conservatives said Reeves must be sacked if she committed an offence by not obtaining a council licence before letting out her four-bedroom house in south London when the family moved into 11 Downing Street. No 10 was initially unable to explain why Starmer believed an apology from the chancellor was sufficient. But after a chaotic day, the lettings agency employed by Reeves said it was to blame for not applying for the licence, and apologised for the error. Emails subsequently released by Downing Street between the agency and Reevess husband, Nicholas Joicey, a senior civil servant, supported this version of events. Kemi Badenoch, the Conservative leader, argued that this did not close the matter and called for Starmer to hold a full investigation. But with Southwark council saying it had no plans to take action against Reeves, her position seemed secure. Starmer confirmed there would be no further action after consulting with his independent adviser on ministerial standards, Laurie Magnus. In a letter to Reeves, he said: I still regard this as a case of an inadvertent failure to secure the appropriate licence, which you have apologised for and are now rectifying I see no need for any further action. The departure of Reeves would have been a devastating blow for Starmer. The chancellor is pulling together a budget, to be announced on 26 November, that is seen as crucial to the prospects of his government. It would also have been the second loss of a key minister in recent months, after Angela Rayner stood down as deputy prime minister and housing secretary in September over another property-related controversy, in her case the underpayment of stamp duty on an 800,000 seaside flat. The row over Reevess property affairs began on Wednesday evening with the publication of letters between her and Starmer about her failure to pay for a 945 selective licence before she let the home, as required in some parts of Southwark. In her letter, Reeves said she had been unaware of the need for a licence, and that she had applied as soon as she was made aware. In his reply, Starmer said that, having consulted Magnus, he was satisfied the breach was inadvertent and that given her prompt action once she knew about the licence, an apology was sufficient. Downing Street refused to say whether Magnus had seen any evidence to support Reevess claim of having made an inadvertent mistake, or had taken her word for it. No 10 declined to say whether Reeves contravened the ministerial code or had potentially broken the law. Badenoch argued that if Reeves was fined she should be dismissed, citing Starmers argument after Boris Johnsons fine for breaching Covid rules that lawbreakers cannot be lawmakers. In an early piece of good news for Reeves, Southwark released a statement saying that while it could not comment on individual cases, it pushed for enforcement action such as fines only when someone did not apply for a licence within 21 days of being warned they needed one, or if a property was found to be in an unsafe condition. No 10 later announced that Magnus had reopened his examination of the case after new information emerged in emails to and from Joicey. Shortly afterwards, Harvey & Wheeler, an estate and lettings agency based in Dulwich, south London, said it took responsibility for the lack of licence. While owners of properties usually applied for these, it said, in this instance a now-departed staff member offered to do so on Reevess behalf and then did not. In a statement, the company said that in an effort to be helpful the then property manager offered to apply for a licence on behalf of Reevess family, but did not and then left the company just before the tenancy began. Unfortunately, the lack of application was not picked up by us as we do not normally apply for licences on behalf of our clients; the onus is on them to apply. We have apologised to the owners for this oversight, it said. We deeply regret the issue caused to our clients as they would have been under the impression that a licence had been applied for. The emails released later by Downing Street between the agency and Joicey supported this narrative. A message from the agent to Joicey read: I will do the selective licence once the new tenant moves in as I wont need to do this just yet. At the moment as we are only applying for a council licence. In response, Joicey asks the agency to please, do go ahead and obtain the licence, plus an electrical safety test, asking if any more administrative tasks needed to be completed. In a new letter to Starmer, Reeves wrote that the agency had accepted responsibility, adding: Nevertheless, as I said yesterday, I accept it was our responsibility to secure the licence. I also take responsibility for not finding this information yesterday and bringing it to your attention. As I said to you today, I am sorry about this matter and accept full responsibility for it. A Tory party spokesperson said: Last night Rachel Reeves said she had not been made aware of the licensing requirement. Today, we find out that Reeves was alerted to the need for a licence in writing by the estate agents. Having been caught out, the chancellor is now trying to make the estate agents take the blame With more information coming to light every few hours, the prime minister needs to grow a backbone and start a proper investigation. Christophe Soumillon is determined to get it right when he takes the reins aboard Minnie Hauk in a mouthwatering Longines Breeders Cup Turf in Del Mar. Aidan OBriens three-times Group One-winner was thwarted by the barest of margins in her quest for Prix de lArc de Triomphe glory, but will be a warm order to make a quick return to winning ways in California, with her rider in no doubt about her top-quality credentials. In the Arc she ran an amazing race from her draw and Mickael (Barzalona, on Daryz) rode a perfect race to shadow me. The ground didnt help us and the draw in stall one put us in a bit of pressure to ride close to the pace and not get stuck on the inside, said Soumillon. Minnie Hauk in Del Mar (PA) We got caught on the line and thats it, take Daryz out and she would have been one of the amazing Arc winners. But the Arc is in the past and I need to concentrate on making sure she wins on Saturday. Shes top class. Another relishing the pressure to perform is William Buick aboard the defending champion Rebels Romance, with Charlie Applebys globetrotting star having the opportunity to become the first three-time winner of the $5millon event. Rebels Romance is a horse I always look forward to riding, especially at the Breeders Cup in which he was superb last year, said Buick. Hes going for a third Breeders Cup win which has never been done before, and its hard to believe hes a seven-year-old. William Buick celebrates aboard Rebels Romance (PA) He went on: Hes drawn inside (stall one) but he could equally have been posted in 14, I really dont think its that bad for a horse whos looking to be forward-placed around Del Mar. On a ground-saving trip from a low draw you would always be happy. In the King George it was a complete mess and he never got the chance to land a blow, but on Saturday he sets a very high standard. He enjoys fast ground and that is one of the keys. He won a pretty good Hardwicke and has won in Hong Kong, Qatar and Dubai. Not many horses can do that. Also taking his place in a stellar line-up is Goliath, who after returning to the Group One winners enclosure in the Grosser Preis Von Baden bids to become the first French-trained winner since Talismanic in 2017 and cap a fine year for his Arc-winning trainer Francis-Henri Graffard. It cost majority owner John Stewart $200,000 to supplement into the race and he said: Hes been training great and of course Francis has had an unbelievable year with all his brilliant accomplishments. Weve been monitoring the situation with Goliath from the beginning of the year and Francis thinks the horse is in top shape to compete and were excited to have him running at Del Mar. The (stall) two is a good spot for him and I like how we have Rebels Romance on our inside. Once Goliath gets out in front he is really hard to overcome as he builds his speed as he runs. Once he gets out on the lead he is really hard to overcome hes not like you see a lot and hes in the lead then gets overcome. Its usually he cant get out to make his run and ends up stuck in the pack when he doesnt win. Ralph Becketts Amiloc has taken his connections on a dream run this season and the Royal Ascot winner is another among the raiding party from Europe with claims, along with James Owens Wimbledon Hawkeye. The Nashville Derby hero will be the final mount of Frankie Dettori in a race he has won a joint-record five times, while two of those victories came for Brian Meehan aboard Red Rocks (2006) and Dangerous Midge (2010) and the Manton handler now gives champion apprentice Joe Levey a first taste of Breeders Cup action aboard Rashabar. Frankie Dettori will be aboard Wimbledon Hawkeye (John Walton/PA) Meehan said; The Breeders Cup is like the Olympics and its great to be back, the event has always caught my imagination. All is well with Rashabar, the team is very happy with him. Hes got a big task on Saturday, but Im sure hell give it a good go. There are few lands left to conquer for Willie Mullins, but a Breeders Cup victory is one of them and he saddles Ethical Diamond, with the Ebor winner posted widest of all in stall 14. Mullins said: Hes come out of the Ebor very well. Ive been very happy with him over the last few weeks. Hes in great shape and the Breeders Cup Turf might suit him. Hes had a few setbacks through his career, and hes just come right now. All he has done is kept on improving and weve figured out how best to ride him, too. He was very good at York. Completing the list of travellers is Rebel Romances stablemate, the consistent El Cordobes, and Canadian International winner Silawi a first Breeders Cup runner for Wathnan Racings Hamad Al Jehani. Juan Carlos barely sees his wife, Queen Sofia, after seeking exile in Abu Dhabi - Juanjo Martin/Getty The exiled former king of Spain has been excluded from official ceremonies to mark the 50th anniversary of the end of the Franco dictatorship and his ascension to the throne. The coronation of Juan Carlos on Nov 22 1975 marked the restoration of the Spanish monarchy and the beginning of the countrys transition to democracy. Spains royal household announced on Friday it will be holding a ceremony in Madrids Royal Palace to mark the anniversary and that King Felipe, Queen Letizia and Princesses Leonor and Sofia will also attend a commemorative session in Congress, the lower house of parliament. But Juan Carlos will not be invited to participate in either of those two events on Nov 21, the eve of the anniversary of his coronation. Juan Carlos, who is a keen sailor, is seen returning to the marina in Sanxenxo, Galicia, in September after visiting from the Gulf - Europa Press 2025 Juan Carloss wife, Queen Sofia, who has barely seen the former king since he took up exile in Abu Dhabi in 2020, will be present at the ceremony. She is renowned for her charity work and is to be awarded the gold collar of the Distinguished Order of the Golden Fleece by her son. The next day the royal family will hold a private lunch outside Madrid in the Pardo Palace essentially to celebrate Queen Sofias accolade, a royal household source told The Telegraph. Juan Carlos has been invited but we dont know if he will come, the insider said. For 87-year-old Juan Carlos, who led Spains transition from General Francisco Francos dictatorship to a vibrant democracy in the second half of the 1970s, the snub is the latest humiliation since his reputation was tarnished by a series of scandals. Juan Carlos is made King of Spain on Nov 22 1975 with his wife, Queen Sofia at his side on his coronation - Gianni Ferrari After Franco died on November 20, 1975, Juan Carlos inherited absolute power but launched a democratic transition that led to free elections in 1977 and Spains current constitution one year later. But Juan Carloss star fell in 2012, when he was caught enjoying an elephant-shooting holiday in Botswana in the company of Corinna zu Sayn-Wittgenstein, a German businesswoman who was among his long line of lovers. He abdicated in 2014 but his reputation suffered further when it emerged he had hidden a $100m (76m) gift from the King of Saudi Arabia in an undeclared offshore account. He had passed the money over to Ms zu Sayn-Wittgenstein, who later accused him of harassing her because he wanted the money back. Having told friends he did not just want to be remembered for shooting an elephant and being Corinnas lover, Juan Carloss memoirs are being published in France next week. Juan Carlos, seen with Franco in the 1960s, was chosen to restore the monarchy after the dictators death in 1975 - Bettmann In an interview with Le Figaro, he expressed his annoyance about his role in the post-Franco transition being glossed over, exclaiming: Democracy didnt just fall from the sky! In one leaked excerpt from the memoir Reconciliation, Juan Carlos reveals that, contrary to rumours, he did not have an affair with Princess Diana, who he described as cold and taciturn. In another, he tells how Queen Elizabeth II scolded him over his decision to abdicate, saying: A king dies with his boots on. Spains foreign minister has expressed regret over the pain and suffering caused by its colonisation of Mexico. Jose Manuel Albares made the comments on Friday at the opening of the exhibition of Indigenous Mexican art in Madrid, just days after Claudia Sheinbaum, the Mexican president, renewed calls for a Spanish apology. Mr Albares said relations between Spain and Mexico were a very human story, and like every human story, full of light and shadow. There has also been pain pain and injustice toward Indigenous peoples, to whom this exhibition is dedicated, he added. There was injustice it is only fair to recognise it today, and fair to regret it. Because that is also part of our shared history, and we cannot deny or forget it. The comments mark one of the clearest acknowledgements by a top Spanish official of the suffering endured by Indigenous communities in the Americas during the colonial era. For years, the issue was a source of diplomatic tension between the two countries. Jose Manuel Albares made the remarks at the opening of the exhibition of Indigenous Mexican art in Madrid - JESSICA LEE/POOL/EPA/Shutterstock In 2019, Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, Mexicos president at the time, sent a letter to Madrid demanding an apology from Spains monarchy over Spains 1519-1521 Conquest of Mexico and the ensuing three centuries of colonial rule. The request, rejected at the time by Spains foreign ministry, strained relations between the two countries. Spains King Felipe VI did not issue a public response to Mr Lopez Obradors letter, while the Spanish government defended the nations shared history and dismissed the idea of an apology. Ms Sheinbaum, Mr Lopez Obradors political ally and successor, revived the call earlier this week, saying reconciliation requires acknowledgement of past wrongs. No relationship has been broken... There are economic relations, political relations, tourism relations, she told reporters on Monday. However, she added: We never agreed with the way they responded, and furthermore, we agree with the letter that President Lopez Obrador sent, and we are still awaiting this response. Mesoamerica, a region that comprised parts of Mexico and Central America, had an estimated population of 15 million to 30 million people when conquistador Hernan Cortes arrived with an army of several hundred men in 1519. After a century of battles, massacres and plagues, only an estimated one million to two million Indigenous inhabitants remained. Agreement Delivers Major Gains in Wages, Health Care, Job Protections, and Retirement SMITHFIELD, R.I., Oct. 31, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Members at DATTCO Smithfield, represented by Teamsters Local 251, have overwhelmingly ratified a three-year successor agreement that secures significant wage increases of over 30 percent, access to Teamsters health care, stronger job protections, and entry into the New England Teamsters Pension Fund. The 44 school bus workers first organized with Local 251 in 2020, winning their first contract in early 2022. When DATTCO took over the transportation contract in 2023, the company honored the existing deal. The newly ratified agreement marks the second for these members and the strongest yet building on the foundation of gains achieved in their first union contract. "Teamsters at DATTCO Smithfield have once again proven what collective power can deliver," said Matt Taibi, Secretary-Treasurer of Local 251 and Director of the Teamsters Passenger Transportation Division. "Teamsters in the passenger transportation industry continue to raise standards and fight for the respect they've earned while providing safe, reliable transportation for children." The Smithfield unit is part of a growing wave of victories for DATTCO Teamsters across Rhode Island and Connecticut. In the last year alone, workers at DATTCO locations in East Hartford, Bloomfield, and Middletown, Connecticut at Teamsters Local 671, as well as Smithfield and Burrillville, Rhode Island at Local 251, have won stronger contracts and increased benefits. "This new agreement is a significant win for everyone involved," said David Malone, a bus driver and member of Local 251. "It's a clear acknowledgement of how essential drivers and attendants are to students and our community." Teamsters Local 251 represents over 6,300 workers in a wide variety of industries throughout Rhode Island and southeastern Massachusetts. For more information, go to teamsters251.org. Contact: Lena Melentijevic, (347) 208-2279 [email protected] SOURCE Teamsters Local 251 The King leaves Sandringham House in Norfolk on Friday - Bav Media 06:03pm This blog is now closed Thank you for following The Telegraphs live coverage of the removal of Andrew Mountbatten Windsors royal titles. 05:47pm Change our streets name, demand residents of Prince Andrew Road Calls to change Prince Andrew place names and street signs have intensified after the Kings brother was stripped of his titles. In Northern Ireland, councillors are set to debate a proposal in November to change the name of Prince Andrew Way in the coastal Co Antrim town of Carrickfergus. Mid and East Antrim councillor Aaron Skinner said he would like to see the road named after the late Queen Elizabeth II instead. A number of roads across the country are named after Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, including Prince Andrew Road in Maidenhead, Prince Andrew Road in Broadstairs, Kent, Prince Andrews Road in Norwich and Prince Andrew Drive in Malinslee, Telford. One woman who lives in Prince Andrew Road in Maidenhead said she would change the roads name to stick two fingers up at prince Andrew. 05:16pm Public overwhelmingly backs Andrews downfall The vast majority of the public supports the Kings decision to remove Andrew Mountbatten Windsors titles, a poll has found. A YouGov survey of 4,739 adults found on Friday that 79 per cent supported the decision, with 6 per cent opposed and 15 per cent saying they did not know. It also found that 58 per cent believed the Royal Family had dealt with revelations about Andrews relationship with Jeffrey Epstein too slowly. Just 28 per cent said they had done so at about the right speed, and three per cent said too quickly. 17 per cent did not know. 04:59pm Listen: The Daily T on Andrews brutal sacking First he was a prince. Then he was a duke. Now he is just Andrew Mountbatten Windsor. In an unprecedented move, King Charles has stripped his brother of all titles and forced him to leave his Royal Lodge residence. The announcement comes after months of revelations about Andrews relationship with Jeffrey Epstein, the convicted paedophile, and sex abuse allegations by Virginia Giuffre. Mr Mountbatten Windsor will now live in a private residence on the Kings estate, while Sarah Ferguson, his ex-wife, will be forced to make her own arrangements. Tim speaks to Victoria Ward, The Telegraphs Deputy Royal Editor, for a look inside the talks that preceded this decision, plus what life will look like now for Mr Mountbatten Windsor. Plus, Tim is joined by a Royal historian to explain the legal nitty gritty of this change, and later by Telegraph columnist Annabel Denham who asks: should we be feeling sorry for Andrew? Listen to the episode here. You can also listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your podcasts. 04:31pm Watch: Meet with us, Virginia Giuffres family urge King. Credit: Sky News 04:01pm Think of your children, Virginia Giuffres family urge Andrew Virginia Giuffres sister-in-law has urged Andrew Mountbaten Windsor to think of his daughters and come clean. Asked what she would say to Andrew, Amanda Roberts told Sky News: I would say, and I said this earlier, Think of your daughters. They were the same age. Think of what you would do had something like this happened to them. What would you want their perpetrator to do? I think its far beyond time to come clean. You were best friends with this man and there are so many things that you could help bring to light. Virginia deserves that and every single survivor that has been entrapped in that sex trafficking ring deserves that from you. 03:34pm Its about time Andrew left, say Royal Lodge neighbours b' ' Pitched up on a short ladder underneath a tree, a lookout with a long lens trained on the Royal Lodge alerts the gaggle to coming vehicles. The hubbub fades with each false alarm until the outpost by the white gates is abandoned altogether. Chimney sweeps, parcel delivery vans, cheesemongers, park security, horses, butchers and others pass through the gates but there was no sign of Andrew and his DOY personalised number plates. It would be good to see him go, one of Andrews neighbours said. I think it is about time, the King has made the right decision. Its outrageous, his reputation is in tatters but he is still living the life. 03:10pm Pictured: Princess Anne at Murrayfield Princess Anne meets Scottish rugby players at Murrayfield, Edinburgh, on Friday - Jane Barlow/PA Wire 02:50pm Meet us, Virginia Giuffres family urge King Virginia Giuffres brother said he would welcome a conversation with the King with open arms. Asked about what he would say if he was contacted by the palace about meeting the King, Sky Roberts told Sky News: I welcome that conversation with open arms. I would love the opportunity to tell my sisters story to the palace, because when you see somebody face to face, its one thing to see somebody on a camera, but when you see them face to face, we could really express that emotion and really get across the story that not only she holds, but also so many survivors out there. If the King is saying he stands with survivors and their victims, then meet with us, have a conversation with us. Were real people with real stories that can affect real change and I think my sister did something unprecedented that says advocacy can affect change, advocacy can lead to justice, and it may take a long time, but I would welcome that conversation with the King with open arms. Id be in London tomorrow. Sky Roberts, Virginia Giuffres brother, and Amanda Roberts, her sister-in-law, speak to Sky News 02:27pm We will not let Virginia Giuffres voice die, say siblings The siblings of the late Virginia Giuffre, who accused Andrew Mountbatten Windsor of raping her, have said they will not let her voice die. Speaking to Sky News following Andrews downfall, Sky Roberts, Giuffres brother, said: She should be sitting on his camera with you right now celebrating this but also demanding more justice. I think its a mixed bag of emotions over the last 24 hours but we are just hell bent to not let her voice die. Andrew has always denied the allegations. 02:22pm Whats next for Beatrice and Eugenie? What of Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie, formerly known as the York sisters (ninth and 12th in line to the throne respectively)? With their own names untarnished, they have managed to glide over the surface of the choppy waters drowning their parents. But a question mark hangs over how they move forwards, given the toxicity now surrounding the family brand. For both, there will be a careful line to tread between avoiding more association with their parents reputations than strictly necessary by dint of birth, and the natural loyalty and familial love that would deter most people from actively throwing their mother and father under a bus. Until now, neither have made a public comment on their familys affairs. Read the full story by Rosa Silverman and Victoria Ward here. 02:08pm Opinion: Theres only one possible reaction to Andrews titles being removed So, after nearly a fortnight of damaging, embarrassing speculation about Prince Andrew or, as we must now call him, Andrew Mountbatten Windsor the previously unthinkable has happened. It was announced tonight that the King has not only evicted him from his home of Royal Lodge in Windsor, but has formally stripped him of his royal titles, including his royal status as prince. He has been persona non grata or, as we should call him, persona non garter for a considerable time already, but this represents the final coup de grace, a level of shame that has never occurred to any member of the Royal Family in living memory, let alone a man who is the kings younger brother and eighth in line to the throne. To describe it as humiliation is too mild. This is history in the making, an event that future generations will look at with fascination, but it is also a long overdue response to a situation that has been the greatest existential threat to the monarchy imaginable. Read the full opinion article by Alexander Larman here. 01:48pm Delivery driver arrives at Royal Lodge with Andrews leaving drinks b' ' A steady stream of bemused visitors passed through the press pack on their way to Windsor Great Park on Friday. Dog walkers filmed as broadcasters went on air for pieces to camera, while a dozen photographers rallied excitedly with every van that approached. One driver of a delivery van exiting the gates to the royal residence poked his head out of the window and joked: I just delivered Andrews leaving drinks. Andrew once opened the pub at the entrance to Royal Lodge and a photo of the occasion hung proudly on the wall of the Fox and Hounds for many years. The Telegraph was informed that the framed memory has since been taken down and placed out of sight and out of mind in a back office. What a disaster, a local resident said of Andrews demise. Once, when my friends and I were doing Nordic walking with poles he rode up next to us on his horse and said: With four legs you lot should be going faster. I couldnt care less about him, but I do wonder who will be living in the Lodge next. I always liked Harry. He is a character. 01:25pm Analysis: Back to plain old Sarah, this is the end of the royal road for Fergie b' ' When the late Queen Elizabeth II gave her favourite son the title Duke of York on his wedding day in 1986, she was entrusting him with a dukedom that was cherished by her more than any other. Her beloved father and mother were the Duke and Duchess of York before they became George VI and Queen Elizabeth. She herself was born Princess Elizabeth of York and her grandfather George V had also held the title. It was the greatest of gifts and a compliment that Andrew and his wife, Sarah Ferguson, returned by demeaning and degrading the titles for nearly 40 years. Following the exposure of their lies about their friendship with paedophile Jeffrey Epstein and the ongoing furore, the King has decided that the dukedom must be formally stripped before it can be sullied any further. Read the full article here. 01:15pm Royal family threw Andrew under bus, says biographer The Royal Family threw Andrew Mountbatten Windsor under the bus to save themselves from the controversy surrounding his links to Jeffrey Epstein, his biographer has said. Andrew Lownie, author of Entitled, said: Ive been saying for some time theyre going to throw Andrew under the bus to save themselves and this is the first indication of that. This should have been done years ago. I think its been Virginia Giuffres book that kind of made the Palace realise that there is a big problem here. 01:00pm Analysis: What life will be like for Andrew as a commoner b' ' Asked to sum up what life will be like at Sandringham for Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, one former courtier needed just one word: bleak. While the Kings Norfolk estate is bustling with life at Christmas, when the royal circus moves to the edge of the fens, for much of the rest of the year, Andrew will only have farmhands, household staff and the whistling of the wind to keep him company. Its going to be a lonely life for him, one source who has spent time at Sandringham said. Its a working farm, so there are always people around, but they are staff, and hes not someone who has a track record of being friendly with servants. I wouldnt want to live there the whole time. Its remote, there is the wind whipping in from The Wash, its cold and he will be pretty much stuck there. It does have a certain beauty, but life will be bleak for him. Read the full article here. 12:43pm Andrews life in Sandringham will be grim and lonely Andrew Mountbatten Windsors new life in Sandringham, Norfolk, will be grim and lonely, a royal biographer has said. Anna Pasternak told BBC Radio 5 Live that being shut up in a 20,000 acre estate in Sandringham in Norfolk is going to be a pretty grim and lonely life for him. Speaking of Sarah Ferguson, she added: I do think its been very tough on Sarah. And my main ocean of sympathy is actually for the daughters. 12:31pm Starmer backs Andrews downfall Sir Keir Starmer supports the Kings decision to strip Andrew of his titles and evict him from Royal Lodge. A spokesman for the Prime Minister said: We fully support the decision taken yesterday by the Palace. Our hearts go out to the family of Virginia Giuffre and all the victims who suffered from Jeffrey Epsteins despicable crimes. 12:24pm Government refuses to remove Andrew from line of succession b' ' The Government is refusing demands to change the law to remove Andrew Mountbatten Windsor from the line of succession. MPs across multiple parties, including a Labour minister, have backed new legislation that would prevent Andrew from ever becoming king. But a No 10 spokesman said: There are no plans The Government is committed to using parliamentary time to improve the lives of working people. Asked if the Government would seek to block a private members Bill, the spokesman replied: There are no plans to make legislative changes. Obviously the provisions for MPs to put forward legislation are well-established. Those would be decisions for MPs and Parliament. Despite having been stripped of all his royal titles, Andrew is still eighth in line to the throne. An Act of Parliament would need to be introduced to change this, in addition to consent from all 14 Commonwealth countries. The view in Downing Street is that it is so unlikely for Andrew to ever become king that the law does not need changing. 11:53am Minister backs removing Andrew from line of succession b' ' A Labour minister has told The Telegraph that Andrew Mountbatten Windsor should be removed from the line of succession. Asked if they would support such a move, they said: In principle, yes. However, they added: Its a lot of effort for someone who in reality will never be King. Joe Little, managing editor of Majesty magazine, earlier said: Im sure at some point quite soon, somebody will ask, if theyve not already done so, why he hasnt been moved from the line of succession. 11:40am Revealed: Andrew will not leave Royal Lodge for months b' ' Andrew Mountbatten Windsor will move to his new home on the Sandringham estate early in the New Year, The Telegraph can reveal. The former Duke of York has already surrendered the lease on Royal Lodge in Windsor, but the relocation process will be protracted, sources said. The delay will ensure that the Royal family avoids a potentially awkward encounter during their traditional Christmas get-together at Sandringham. Rather than being just a stones throw away, alone in his new cottage, Andrew and his former wife, Sarah Ferguson, will likely be some 130 miles away in Windsor. Read the full story here. 11:32am Beatrice left Britain before Andrews downfall Princess Beatrice left Britain before her fathers downfall. Andrew Mountbatten Windsors daughter visited Saudi Arabia this week. She visited an investment summit in Riyadh, the Saudi capital. Sunil Sharma, a podcaster, with Princess Beatrice in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, this week 11:20am Axe Andrews remaining roles, MP demands b' ' An MP has demanded that Andrew Mountbatten Windsors remaining roles be axed. Rachael Maskell, the independent MP for York Central, said the former prince should be removed as counsellor of state and also from the line of succession. Whatever the eventuality of this occurrence ever happening, it would be appropriate to change the line of succession, and remove the Counsellor of State, although he could not be called upon to fulfil this role, she said. Counsellors of state can act as stand-ins for the King when he is overseas or unwell. Buckingham Palace has previously said Andrew would not be asked to perform the role, even if he technically still holds it. 11:13am We dont want Andrew here, say Sandringham locals Members of the public living near Sandringham have said they do not want Andrew Mountbatten Windsor to move to the estate. Susan Larkins, 70, said the former prince was not welcome in the area. Hes a horrible man, the retired office worker said. We dont want him up here. Jackie Cruickshank, 72, said she feared photographers trying to picture Andrew could ruin Sandringham. The retired carer said: Hes got to go somewhere hasnt he? I just hope when he does come here they dont ruin it with all the photographers, because theyre not going to let him go, are they? 11:05am Andrew must be removed from line of succession b' ' Andrew Mountbatten Windsor must be removed from the line of succession, an MP has demanded. Jon Trickett, the Labour MP for Normanton and Hemsworth, said the former prince should no longer be eighth in line to the throne. He told The Telegraph: In the event of an unimaginable family catastrophe, Andrew could inherit the throne. The British people would not put up with it and this ought to be resolved so that he isnt in line at all. 11:00am What will happen to Princesses Eugenie and Beatrice? Princesses Eugenie and Beatrice, the daughters of Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, will retain their royal titles despite their fathers downfall. Sarah Ferguson, Andrews ex-wife who was also living at Royal Lodge, will have to make her own private living arrangements. 10:55am MP to press on with Bill to revoke honours b' ' An MP has said she will press ahead with efforts to introduce a law that allows the monarch or Parliament to revoke honours. Rachael Maskell, who currently sits as an independent after being suspended from Labour over the welfare rebellion, told BBC Radio 4s Today programme: Sadly it seems that there was need for a legislation and indeed there still could be a need for legislation. Weve been learning overnight that the Lord Chancellor has been given permission to issue these Royal warrants and of course that will strike Andrew from the peerage roll. But ultimately we know that peers, for instance, have ended up in jail, so I think we need to look at the whole system. And my Bill would have enabled people with all forms of peerages, baronets and dukes and princes and princesses, to have those titles removed. 10:53am When will Andrew move out? Andrew Mountbatten Windsor will be evicted from Royal Lodge as soon as practicable. There is no fixed date for his removal from the 30-bedroom property in Windsor, Berkshire. 10:41am Analysis: Andrew believed the worst was over... the King had other ideas b' ' Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, as he is now known, had believed the worst was over when he agreed to stop using the title Duke of York. He had taken his punishment, he thought, and by digging his heels in and waving his cast iron lease at courtiers, he at least had a sporting chance of keeping his Royal Lodge home. The King, though, had other ideas. Whether or not Andrew knew it, there was never any doubt in the mind of his older brother that more had to be done, and it was always a case of not if, but when he was forced out of the stately pile. After days of tortured negotiations, it was only on Thursday evening that Andrew finally agreed to the terms of his banishment, leading to an announcement from Buckingham Palace at exactly 7pm. Read the full story here. 10:36am What Telegraph readers think of Andrews downfall 10:31am Analysis: Scrubbing of Andrews titles is a humiliation for the history books b' ' There will be a moment, in the near future, where the name of the Duke of York will be scrubbed out of existence. In a humiliation visible for the history books, it will be crossed off the Peerage Roll and, along with his alter egos of Prince and His Royal Highness, will not be heard in an official capacity again in his lifetime. Prince Andrew becomes Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, and his downfall has reached its nadir. The word unprecedented is overused in royal reporting. This, finally, is the definition. Read the full analysis here. Press outside the gates of Royal Lodge, Andrews former home in Windsor, Berkshire - Peter Nicholls/Getty Images 10:29am Andrews demise will take mental toll on him Andrew Mountbatten Windsors demise will be taking its toll on him mentally, a royal expert has said. Joe Little, managing editor of Majesty magazine, said: On a personal level it must be pretty devastating and the ultimate humiliation for him, and we know him to be rather an arrogant character, but this has got to be taking its toll on him mentally. It would be very strange if it werent. But nevertheless, the future, its not looking particularly bleak. I mean, he will no longer be in Windsor, but hell be on a private royal estate in Norfolk, and will have accommodation provided and he will be supported in other ways by his brother, the king, for whom its been, equally, a very difficult time. No brother would want to do this to another sibling, but clearly this sanction has become necessary, and some would argue should have been taken a long time ago. Andrew remains eighth in line to the throne but has been stripped of his prince title and evicted from Royal Lodge, his home in Windsor, Berkshire. 10:27am Watch: Prince Andrew stripped of royal titles 10:24am Where will Andrew live now? Andrew Mountbatten Windsor will move to a small property on the Kings Sandringham estate in Norfolk following his eviction from Royal Lodge in Windsor, Berkshire. The former princes upkeep in Sandringham will be funded by the monarch. Andrew had faced scrutiny over his living arrangements at Royal Lodge, a vast 30-room property for which he has paid no rent for two decades. Buckingham Palace had applied pressure on him to move out of the lodge but Andrew resisted because the 75-year lease he held on the property was not due to expire until 2078. The terms of the lease, as part of which he paid an initial investment of 7.5 million to fund repairs, meant he could not be forcibly evicted from Royal Lodge. Instead, he had to agree to serve formal notice to surrender the lease. 10:16am Andrew should accept extradition to US, says minister Andrew Mountbatten Windsor should go to the United States if he faces extradition requests related to the crimes of paedophile financier Jeffrey Epstein, a minister has said. Sir Chris Bryant told BBC Breakfast that the former prince should comply with any such requests because he is now an ordinary member of the public. I think that just as with any ordinary member of the public, if there were requests from another jurisdiction of this kind, I would expect any decently-minded person to comply with that request, he said. So I feel exactly there same in this situation. He added: What Im basically saying is that I think that if Andrew is asked to do something by a Senate committee, then I would have thought that he would want to comply. Andrew walks in Central Park, New York City, with Jeffrey Epstein in 2010 - Jae Donnelly 10:13am Andrew struck from official roll of peerage Andrew Mountbatten Windsor has been struck from the official roll of the peerage, Buckingham Palace has confirmed. The roll, which contains all peerages in England, no longer features Andrew after he was stripped of his prince title on Thursday. He voluntarily gave up his Duke of York title earlier this month. 10:11am Andrew abused power and should be forgotten, says minister Andrew Mountbatten Windsor abused his power as a member of the Royal family and should not be remembered at all, Sir Chris Bryant has said. Asked about the Kings decision, the Labour minister told Times Radio: Youve only got to read, and you could have been reading many of these stories for more than a decade ago now, the stories of Virginia Giuffre and many others and to see the changing accounts that Andrew has come up with on Epstein to realise there has been an abuse of position, an abuse of trust. On being asked by LBCs Nick Ferrari how Andrew should be remembered, he said: I guess I prefer not to remember him at all I applaud what the Kings done today, I think its the right thing to do. I think the vast majority of people will go, Great, lets close that chapter. On Thursday, the King stripped the former prince of his remaining titles and evicted him from Royal Lodge Food assistance for 42 million Americans is set to run out as soon as Friday due to the ongoing shutdown but one Republican Congressman didnt express much sympathy, telling those reliant on food benefits to stop smoking crack. Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, provides tens of millions of low-income Americans with an average of $187 per participant per month, according to the Department of Agriculture. Due to the government shutdown, which has dragged on since October 1, the department has said it doesnt have the $8 billion needed to fund the program in November. Democratic leaders from 25 states have sued the Trump administration to prevent aid from being disrupted and members of Congress on both sides of the aisle have introduced legislation to keep SNAP, also known as food stamps, benefits flowing in November. But Louisiana Republican Rep. Clay Higgins took a different tack, seemingly placing blame on SNAP recipients. There are 22 million American households receiving SNAP benefits for groceries, at $4,200 per year on average. Try to get your head wrapped around how many pantries you can stock with $4200 dollars in properly shopped groceries, he wrote on X Thursday. Any American who has been receiving $4,200 dollars per year of free groceries and does NOT have at least 1 month of groceries stocked should never again receive SNAP, because wow, stop smoking crack, Higgins added, posting a photo of a fully-stocked pantry. Republican Louisiana Rep. Clay Higgins points fingers at food assistance recipients as the shutdown threatens to cut off aid next month for 42 million Americans. (Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved) The program is meant to alleviate poverty and reduce food insecurity. There are strict eligibility requirements as well as limitations on what recipients can buy using food stamps. Using SNAP benefits, recipients can purchase fruits and vegetables, meat, poultry, fish, breads and other grocery items but they cannot buy alcoholic beverages, cigarettes, or marijuana, among other things. Social media users criticized the Louisiana Republicans post. Sarah Stogner, the district attorney for the 143rd Judicial District of Texas, slammed Higgins finger-pointing. Stop smoking crack. Way to play to old stereotypes. How much do you spend annually on food? I bet you have no idea. When was the last time you personally did the grocery shopping for your family? Stogner wrote in an X post. People in Miami wait in line to receive groceries from Curley's House Food Bank days before SNAP benefits may expire due to the government shutdown (Getty Images) Hours after Higgins post, President Donald Trump urged members of his party to end the shutdown by using the nuclear option, doing away with a filibuster that requires 60 votes for legislation to advance in the Senate. This will hurt American citizens, and Republicans will not let it happen. It is now time for the Republicans to play their TRUMP CARD, and go for what is called the Nuclear Option Get rid of the Filibuster, and get rid of it, NOW! he wrote on Truth Social Thursday night. Senate Majority Leader John Thune has previously said he wouldnt touch the filibuster rule. A federal judge overseeing the case brought by 25 Democratic state leaders indicated Thursday that she would order the Trump administration to tap into a contingency fund to at least partially fund the food assistance program during the shutdown. Congress has put money in an emergency fund, and it is hard for me to understand how this is not an emergency, Talwani said at a Thursday hearing, according to the Washington Post. Strictly Come Dancings Karen Hauer has spoken out on the harsh criticism she received from the judges over her choreography. Appearing on It Takes Two on Friday (31 October) with her celebrity partner Harry Aikines-Aryeetey, the professional dancer said it was a shame that the judges werent impressed with their Argentine tango during Icons Week as she loved it. Both Craig Revel Horwood and Shirley Ballas criticised the bump and grind moves used in the Usher song, with the former saying: I wasnt entirely fond of throwing all the groove stuff in there. Hauer suggested if the judges wanted her to choreograph a classical Argentine tango, then give me the music and Ill do it. That was the assignment, Karen said. I was just a bit like, she said, pulling a face. Theo Von says he was paranoid about reaction to DHS using his video after Charlie Kirk shooting Theo Von has admitted it was scary when the Department of Homeland Security used his video to promote their immigration crackdown without asking him first. The podcaster and comedian, 45, shared his reaction to the promo video in the latest episode of his podcast, This Past Weekend. The government put out this DHS video that made me really scared, Von told guest Andrew Santino, saying he was overwhelmed with hateful comments and threats online. Santino replied that the clip appeared to be taken out of context. Von continued, revealing that he got so much hate stuff. I mean, a lot of it I didnt see. But I would just see enough where it was like, f*** this is scary. He added that Charlie Kirks assassination had happened weeks earlier, which only heightened his concern for his own wellbeing. And so I just started getting real paranoid, Von said. I started getting real paranoid at home, I was paranoid about the show, that there could be someone in the audience you know, he said, likely referring to his stand-up comedy shows. Popular podcaster Theo Von admitted he was scared when the DHS used his video (Getty Images) Theo Von attended Donald Trumps presidential inauguration (AP) I think it made me really scared, to be honest with you. Vons worries about his life potentially being in danger came as several public figures including lawmakers and late night hosts increased their security after Kirk, a conservative activist, was shot to death while speaking at a public event at Utah Valley University. In late September, the DHS posted a video including a brief clip of Von on his podcast saying, Heard you got deported, dude bye. It then touted the number of immigrants who were kicked out of the country under President Donald Trump. At the time, Von responded to the clip on X by saying, Yooo DHS i didnt approve to be used in this. I know you know my address so send a check. And please take this down and please keep me out of your banger deportation videos. He added, When it comes to immigration my thoughts and heart are alot more nuanced than this video allows. Bye! DHS eventually took down the video. The social media stars dispute with the federal government caught some of Vons listeners by surprise as hes previously been open about his support for Trump, even attending the presidential inauguration. Vons This Past Weekend, the fourth-largest podcast on Spotify in the U.S., has attracted politicians, including Senator Bernie Sanders and Vice President JD Vance. About five million people listen to Vons podcasts each month, and hes particularly influential among young men and Trump voters. Trump revealed earlier this year that he went on Vons podcast during his re-election campaign after his teenage son, Barron, recommended it. Barron, said, Dad, you got to do an interview with somebody I hadnt heard of, but my son knew very well, Trump said, during a speech in May. This is before the election. You know, we won in a landslide, in case you hadnt known, but he said, Dad, you got to do an interview with a guy named Theo Von, Trump added. I said, Who the hell is Theo Von? He said, Dad, hes such a big guy. You got to do an interview. So he knew all the names. Globally, humans consume more than 7m metric tons of chocolate per year, and our appetite is only growing. Composite: The Guardian/Getty Images Would you eat lab-grown chocolate? I requested a sample from California Cultured, a Sacramento-based company. Its chocolate, not yet commercially available, is made with techniques that have previously been used to synthesize other bioactive products like certain plant-derived pharmaceuticals for commercial sale. Related: Im terrible on the field. But my amateurism might actually have benefits A few days later, it arrives. The morsel, barely bigger than a coffee bean, is supposed to be the flavor equivalent of a 70%-80% dark chocolate. I tear open its sealed packet and a chocolatey aroma escapes so far, so good. I pop it in my mouth. Slightly waxy and distinctly bitter, it boasts those bright, fruity dark chocolate notes. Im no expert, but I enjoyed it and found it basically indistinguishable from regular dark chocolate. Globally, humans consume more than 7m metric tons of chocolate per year, and our appetite is only growing. In the US, chocolate demand surges in October in advance of Halloween; the National Retail Federation estimated a $3.9bn US spend on Halloween candy this year, with chocolate options like Reeses Peanut Butter Cups and M&Ms dominating. But the chocolate market has grown volatile in recent years. Cacao trees which provide chocolates essential ingredient are particularly vulnerable to drought and disease. Additionally, unpredictable weather related to the climate crisis has caused production shortfalls and inconsistent harvests in key chocolate-producing regions in west Africa. Chocolate prices reached a historic high of $12,000 per metric ton in 2024, though the rising costs have not truly deterred consumers, explains Bloomberg Intelligence market analyst Ignacio Canals Polo. Big confectionery companies like Mondelez, Mars and Nestle are most heavily affected by price hikes. Canals Polo says they are trying to adjust their portfolios to rely less on cocoa by shrinkflating their products; reformulating recipes to use cheaper ingredients, such as vegetable oil instead of cocoa butter; and promoting non-chocolate confections, like biscuits, gummy candy or chocolate-free spins on classic products think KitKats enrobed in flavored cream coatings. This volatility represents an opportunity for the lab-grown product. California Cultured takes cuttings from regular cacao plants and cultivates the cells on plates containing a nutrient-rich medium made mostly of sugar and plant extracts. The company then grows specific cell types, such as those that produce cocoa butter or cocoa flavanols, explains Alan Perlstein, the companys CEO. After that comes harvesting, fermenting, drying, milling and packaging the product into, functionally, a lab-grown cocoa powder to be used in confections like bars and drinks. Other companies, such as Nukoko and ChoViva, are developing chocolate alternatives made from ingredients including fermented fava beans or sunflower seeds. Scientists are experimenting with chocolate made from ground cacao husks typically discarded in the conventional chocolate-making process. California Cultured is still waiting on Food and Drug Administration approval to launch its chocolate to market. But it has established its first commercial partnership with the Japanese confectionery company Meiji, which makes Hello Panda and Chocorooms. Perlstein says California Cultureds processes can facilitate more interesting flavors, aromas or experiences. Initially, lab-grown chocolate may be more expensive, but Perlstein hopes the price difference will disappear within three years of becoming available. If scaling these processes up is feasible, Americans could be seeing chocolate products with a lab-grown designation on shelves as soon as next Halloween. But will people buy them? I think in certain niche sectors, like tech, its going to be very, very cool to be like, Its lab-grown chocolate you can have more control, you can geek out on the very fine nuances, says Eagranie Yuh, a former chocolatier and chocolate educator. But Yuh also thinks most people have a visceral response to the idea of lab-grown food. A 2023 German survey of 727 people found that foodtechnology neophobia a fear of the new strongly influenced attitudes about lab-grown meat, though even the wary were at least willing to try it. Emphasizing adjustments to chocolate, such as tweaked levels of caffeine and health-supporting polyphenols, also adds a rational element to what is a largely an emotionally driven product, says Yuh. Chocolate is very human. For instance, we commonly prefer the tasty but lower-quality bars of our youth. Yuh says the human narrative behind products can also be important for chocolate consumers, such as knowing that ingredients were responsibly grown and processed by people who were fairly paid. Related: I tried to not procrastinate for a week. Heres what helped the most Its unclear how consumers will react to lab-grown products or when they will become available. But chocolate lovers will probably face questions of cost financial, ecological and ethical. There could be ecological benefits to lab-grown chocolate. Cacao trees are often farmed on deforested land, degrading soil and requiring heavy doses of fertilizer and pesticides. But the socioeconomic consequences of rolling out [lab-grown chocolate] at large scale could be huge for the smallholder farmers in West Africa, who rely on cacao sales for their livelihood, says Sophia Carodenuto, a political geographer specializing in global food systems at the University of Victoria. Lab-grown chocolate may be innovative, but it cant replace the heritage, livelihoods and soul behind real cocoa, says Shirley Temeng-Asomaning, founder and CEO of Chocolate Mall, a Ghana-based confectionery company. My hope is that science will complement and not compete with the farmers who built this industry, and that technology helps make chocolate more sustainable, not less human. For his part, Perlstein believes the demand for chocolate is infinite and big enough to support new players. The demands of cocoa are just so ravenous even if every single cocoa farmer were to expand production constantly year after year, which would be impossible, there would still be a huge demand, he says, citing the growth of newer chocolate-consuming markets such as China, India and Africa. Demand may exist, Carodenuto says, but what is needed is for the market to pay more for ethical and ecologically sustainable cocoa. A rally for Snap in Boston, Massachusetts, on 28 October 2025. Photograph: Brian Snyder/Reuters Two federal judges issued back-to-back rulings on Friday in separate cases ordering the Trump administration to use contingency funds to continue paying for food stamps during the government shutdown. A federal judge in Rhode Island on Friday afternoon blocked the Trump administration from suspending all food aid for millions of Americans, in a case brought by a group of US cities, non-profit organizations and a trade union. At almost the same time, in a separate but similar case, a federal judge in Massachusetts ruled that the government must continue to fund the program that helps low-income households stave off food insecurity, in a case brought by the Democratic attorneys general from 22 states and the District of Columbia and three governors who sued the administration. Without intervention, the US Department of Agriculture said it planned to suspend payments for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, known as Snap or food stamps, on Saturday, 1 November, putting millions of low-income households that rely on the benefits at risk of food insecurity and financial hardship. Related: New York declares state of emergency to award food banks $65m amid shutdown John McConnell, a US district judge in Providence, issued a temporary restraining order in the Rhode Island case at the behest of those plaintiffs. They had argued that the US Department of Agricultures suspension of Snap benefits due to kick in on Saturday was unlawful. Snap, the nations largest anti-hunger initiative, provides assistance to nearly 42 million one in eight low-income Americans each month. The USDA has said insufficient funds exist to pay full benefits, as issuing food stamps costs the public purse between $8.5bn and $9bn every month. The Trump administration contends the agency lacks authority to pay them until Congress passes a spending bill that will ending the enduring government shutdown, which began on 1 October. Trump lambasted the decisions on Friday, writing on Truth Social that he does NOT want Americans to go hungry just because the Radical Democrats refuse to do the right thing and REOPEN THE GOVERNMENT. I have instructed our lawyers to ask the Court to clarify how we can legally fund SNAP as soon as possible. It is already delayed enough due to the Democrats keeping the Government closed through the monthly payment date and, even if we get immediate guidance, it will unfortunately be delayed while States get the money out, he wrote. If we are given the appropriate legal direction by the Court, it will BE MY HONOR to provide the funding, just like I did with Military and Law Enforcement Pay. The plaintiffs in the civil case being heard in Rhode Island are represented by the liberal legal advocacy group Democracy Forward. The group argued that the federal governments decision to suspend the nutritional benefits was wrong and unlawful, as the USDA still had funds available to fulfill its obligation to fund the Snap program. Such available funding includes $5.25bn in contingency funds that Congress has previously provided for the USDA to use when necessary to carry out program operations, the plaintiffs said. Aside from the contingency funds, the plaintiffs argued that a separate fund with about $23bn in it could also be utilized to avoid what would be an unprecedented suspension of Snap benefits. In the Massachusetts case, the US district judge Indira Talwani in Boston gave the administration until Monday to say whether it would partly pay for the benefits for November with contingency money or fund them fully with additional funds. It wasnt immediately clear how quickly the debit cards that beneficiaries use to buy groceries could be reloaded after the ruling. That process often takes one to two weeks. The rulings are likely to face appeals. In their challenge, the Democratic-led states argued that the agriculture department has the legal authority and available funds to at least partly maintain the program during the shutdown. Because of [the] USDAs actions, Snap benefits will be delayed for the first time since the programs inception, the states said in their complaint. Worse still, [the] USDA suspended Snap benefits even though, on information and belief, it has funds available to it that are sufficient to fund all, or at least a substantial portion, of November Snap benefits. The Trump administration has maintained that the departments contingency fund is intended for natural disasters such as hurricanes, tornadoes and floods, not government shutdowns. The government has acknowledged that it has billions of federal dollars left, including emergency funds especially marked for Snap, but top officials have maintained they are unable to tap into those reserve funds. The administration warned that a court order requiring it to use emergency reserves to fund Snap would be operationally fraught, arguing it could take weeks to deliver benefits and might leave families with less than half their normal monthly allotment. In court filings, officials noted that such a partial payment has never been made and for good reason. The argument appears to contradict the departments lapsed-funding plan, released in late September, which stated that Congresss evident intent was for Snap operations to continue during a government shutdown and pointed to multi-year contingency funds that could be tapped in the event the closures dragged on. The plan has been removed from the departments website. The USDAs website now carries a strikingly partisan notice, accusing Senate Democrats, incorrectly, of shutting down the government to provide healthcare to undocumented immigrants and trans Americans. Bottom line, the well has run dry, the notice says. At this time, there will be no benefits issued November 01. The administrations refusal to intervene underscored a broader strategy during the shutdown, now the second-longest in US history. Throughout the impasse, Trump has selectively reprogrammed federal funds to protect priorities central to his political agenda such as paying troops and law enforcement officers, including those involved in immigration enforcement while allowing other programs like Snap to starve. Bracing for the loss of federal nutrition assistance, food banks and pantries, already stretched thin amid rising food prices, were bracing for a surge in demand. Officials in states such as Virginia, Maryland, Louisiana, Hawaii and Minnesota have announced plans to tap state and local funds to provide food aid and assist food banks in the interim. The governors of New York, Delaware, Oregon and Virginia have declared the looming crisis a state of emergency, while states set aside millions to help offset the lapse of federal benefits. Unlike Washington Republicans, I wont sit idly by as families struggle to put food on the table, New Yorks governor, Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, announced on Thursday. In California, the Democratic governor, Gavin Newsom, said he would deploy the California national guard under his command to support food banks and announced $80m in state support to fill the Snap gap. Reuters and the Associated Press contributed reporting Donald Trump has replaced the original suite, installed in the 1940s, with white marble Donald Trump has given the White Houses Lincoln Bathroom a Mar-a-Lago-style makeover. The US president complained the sage green tiling that had been installed in the 1940s by Harry S Truman was totally inappropriate, replacing it with a white marble instead. Mr Trump, a former real estate developer, has extensively remodelled the White House in the nine months since he returned to office, notably demolishing the East Wing to make way for a new $300 million (228 million) ballroom. The president previously announced plans to redevelop the bathroom, telling NBC News in July he wanted to make the terrible design more accurate to Abraham Lincolns period. I renovated the Lincoln Bathroom in the White House. It was renovated in the 1940s in an art deco green tile style, which was totally inappropriate for the Lincoln Era, Mr Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. I did it in black and white polished Statuary marble. This was very appropriate for the time of Abraham Lincoln and, in fact, could be the marble that was originally there! The Lincoln Bathroom is attached to the Lincoln bedroom on the second floor of the White House. The suite, which includes the Lincoln sitting room, was originally used as an office and cabinet room by Americas 16th president. Pictures released by Mr Trump show the original bathroom decorated in green tiles, with a white sink and toilet with chrome taps. Pictures released by prosecutors in a case against Mr Trump, alleging he mishandled classified documents, reveal the design of Mar-a-Lagos bathrooms Updated photos show the tiles have been replaced by a white statuary marble with black veins covering the walls, floor, shower and bathroom. A golden hook, which matches the tap, holds a white dressing gown bearing the presidential seal. Pictures of the bathrooms in Mar-a-Lago, which were released by prosecutors as part of a case alleging Mr Trump mishandled classified documents, show the rooms decorated in a dark marble, with gold accents on the taps, mirror frame and door handle. Mr Trump has also put his stamp on the Oval Office, installing golden ornaments and picture frames in a style that seemingly takes inspiration from Mar-a-Lago and his Trump Tower apartment in New York. President Donald Trump has demanded that Congressional Republicans use the nuclear option to unilaterally eliminate the filibuster and end the ongoing government shutdown. It is now time for the Republicans to play their TRUMP CARD, and go for what is called the Nuclear Option Get rid of the Filibuster, and get rid of it, NOW! Trump wrote in a lengthy Truth Social post late Thursday evening. The filibuster is the Senate rule that requires 60 of the chamber's 100 members to agree to pass most legislation. Republicans currently hold a 53-47 majority in the Senate, meaning that legislation can be stalled if members vote along party lines. Republicans could eliminate the filibuster using their simple majority, though many have historically been opposed to the move, arguing that it would ultimately benefit the Democrats when they return to power. Trump has demanded that Congressional Republicans use the nuclear option to unilaterally eliminate the filibuster and end the ongoing government shutdown (AP) The Democrats are currently using the filibuster, which allows them block any bill from coming up for a debate or vote, to prolong the government shutdown, which is now entering day 31. Democrats are demanding a reversal in Medicaid cuts laid out in Trumps massive spending bill, which he signed in July, and an extension of Affordable Care Act subsidies for their support of a funding bill. Republicans have baselessly claimed Democrats want to give free healthcare to undocumented immigrants, despite the group not being eligible for federal healthcare programs. There are exceptions for emergency care. In his posts, Trump insisted that he wanted to remove the filibuster to take advantage of the Democrats. Never have the Democrats fought so hard to do something because they knew the tremendous strength that terminating the Filibuster would give them, he said. Well, now WE are in power, and if we did what we should be doing, it would IMMEDIATELY end this ridiculous, Country destroying SHUT DOWN. He added: THE CHOICE IS CLEAR INITIATE THE NUCLEAR OPTION, GET RID OF THE FILIBUSTER AND, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! Trump has long-since held disdain for the filibuster, telling Fox News in 2017 during his first presidency that it was not a good concept to start off with and not fair. Trumps call to end the filibuster came at a moment when certain senators and House Speaker Mike Johnson believed it was time for the government shutdown to come to an end. It is unclear if lawmakers will follow Trump's lead, rather than finding ways to negotiate with Democrats (Getty Images) But as the government shutdown stretches on, other Republicans have appeared to be reconsidering their previous opposition to abolishing the filibuster. Trumps call to end the filibuster came at a moment when certain senators and House Speaker Mike Johnson believed it was time for the government shutdown to come to an end. It is unclear if lawmakers will follow Trump's lead, rather than finding ways to negotiate with Democrats. Georgia Congresswoman and MAGA acolyte Marjorie Taylor Greene said she had called for scrapping the filibuster from the very beginning. Since Democrats REFUSE to fund the government, Senate Republicans need to use the nuclear option and override the filibuster!! she wrote on X, in response to Trumps post. Enough of the drama. Stop forcing people to suffer and LEAD the country!! "My thought is that I'm not willing to see children in my state go hungry, which is literally happening now, over some Senate procedure," Montana Rep. Josh Hawley told The Independent previously. The federal government shutdown could cost the U.S. economy between $7 billion and $14 billion, the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office said Wednesday. As many as 20,000 Ukrainian soldiers desert or go absent every four weeks - Justin Tallis/AFP/Getty Images Ukraines young men are fleeing the country, and thats potentially fatal news for its increasingly desperate war effort. In August the Kyiv government allowed men aged 18 to 22 to leave the country for the first time the invasion, and since then some 100,000 have crossed the border into Poland. At the same time increasingly violent Ukrainian army press gangs are helping to recruit some 30,000 new recruits a month, according to MP Fedir Venislavskyi. But thousands, perhaps as many as 20,000, desert or go absent every four weeks. Since the beginning of the war Ukrainian prosecutors have launched some 290,000 formal criminal cases for desertion. The result is a desperate shortage of men on the front lines, meaning that there is often no manpower to confront small probing attacks by small Russian reconnaissance and sabotage units. Ukrainian military blogging sites are filled with officers complaints. Our frontline units operate at about 50 per cent strength, Major Yegor Checherinda recently told Voennoe Delo. Many positions remain undermanned because the army lacks sufficient recruitment and mobilisation. Bogdan Krotevich, a former officer of the Azov regiment, complains that frontline units currently operate at only about a third of their required strength. By some estimates, the Ukrainian army is some 200,000 soldiers short of the strength it needs to resist far larger Russian forces. The manpower crisis presents not just a military, but also a political dilemma for Zelensky. So far, the army only conscripts men aged between 25 and 60 (until last year it was 27). Officially, thats in order to protect the future of Ukraine. Unofficially, its to prevent a backlash from parents wishing to save their teenage sons from the meat-grinder of the Donbas. And even with the military age set at 25, tensions surrounding forced mobilisation are reaching a breaking point. Ukrainian social media is full of daily videos of men desperately resisting violent press gangs, often aided by nearby women or passers-by. This week in Kremenchuk in Ukraines Poltava Oblast a man opened fire on two recruiting officers, wounding them seriously. And the day before in Odesa an angry crowd tipped an army recruitment van on its side. The exodus of young men is not just draining Ukraines military manpower, but also putting pressure on its European allies. There is already a growing backlash in Poland and Germany against special benefits extended to Ukrainian refugees, while politicians have begun to question why their countries should fund a war that many Ukrainian citizens evidently do not wish to fight. Laurynas Kasciunas, the Lithuanian defence minister, has suggested fixing Kyivs urgent need for new recruits by sending Ukrainian men of military age back to their country. In Germany Markus Soder, leader of the CSU party, also argues that it is entirely legitimate to consider sending Ukrainians fit for military service back to their homeland to ensure their countrys security. Friedrich Merz, the German chancellor, has pledged to crack down on immigration, but the numbers of young Ukrainian men arriving each week has jumped from 19 in January to between 1,400 and 1,800 by October, according to Bavarian TV station BR24. Putin is also clearly seeking to once again weaponise human suffering by forcing a major flight of Ukrainian civilians into Europe. By systematically targeting electricity and heating infrastructure, the Kremlin is attempting to make many Ukrainian towns and cities uninhabitable. According to two senior official sources, Germanys security services have already officially warned Berlin to brace for a major influx of Ukrainian refugees fleeing cold and darkness. All in all, Zelensky and his remaining people face the grimmest winter of the war so far. That Ukraine has held out for so long is already a military miracle, as is the feat of fighting a far larger and better-resourced adversary almost to a halt. But battlefield losses and a fresh mass exodus now threaten to drain away the most precious asset that Ukraine has, its people. Without young men there can not only be no victory for Ukraine, but also no future. Displaced families from el-Fasher at a camp in the Darfur region, Sudan - The Norwegian Refugee Council via AP For the past 18 months, the city of el-Fashir in Darfur has endured a brutal siege. Over two hundred thousand civilians are trapped, cut off from basic supplies, as the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has seized control from the army. Hundreds of unarmed civilians have been murdered in ethnically motivated attacks. Many are being held hostage for eye-watering ransom payments. Some are being hunted down by armed militias. Researchers at Yale believe that the level of violence is comparable to that of the first day of the Rwandan genocide. It is impossible to estimate the death toll. Satellite pictures of el-Fashir show blood-stained sands and piles of burnt vehicles. The UNs assistant secretary-general for Africa Martha Pobee says that no one is safe. We may be witnessing a a true genocide. In 2023, when el-Fashir was besieged, an estimated 15,000 people were killed and displaced. So where are the protests? When I walk down Whitehall, there is almost nothing about Sudan. The pavements outside No. 10 are still dominated by Palestinian activists and keffiyeh-wearing students. Activists have spent two years marching on the street every Saturday complaining of an alleged genocide in Gaza. And yet a civil war has been raging in Sudan for decades and nobody seems to care. Some aid groups believe it to be the worlds worst humanitarian crisis. So why does nobody care about Sudan? The attention paid by activists to certain conflicts clearly has nothing to do with severity otherwise the BBC would lead on Sudan every day. So how do the Left determine which wars merit a weekly march? The truth is that foreign conflicts have always felt very remote. Disasters unfold across the world every day. Most are deeply complex, with fault on both sides. Consequently, Western activists have chosen a select few tragedies to focus their attention on. Fashionable conflicts all have a few things in common. Firstly, they need to be clear cut (or at least, advocates need to believe they are clear cut). In the case of Gaza, Israel has been branded the villain, and the Palestinians the victims. In Sudan, its hard for progressives to pick a side. The Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces have both inflicted harm on civilians. Neither group can be branded colonisers, and the whole saga has been buried in complexity far too confusing for the average student politician to understand via one Instagram infographic. Progressives also like to fashion foreign wars into proxy battles about British politics. The Israel-Gaza war serves these ends perfectly. The Jews in Israel are seen by most of the Left as a privileged group. Palestinians are cast as the persecuted ethnic minority. Fashionable assumptions about racism in the UK map perfectly on to the issue. There are also around four million Muslims in the UK, and many of them have come to interpret the war in Gaza as an assault on their faith. These factors have kept activists on the streets, week after week, regardless of positive developments like the recent ceasefire in the region. The civil war in Sudan lacks these dimensions. It is not one ethnicity against another, or one privileged group against a minority. One of the most consistently targeted groups has been the small Sudanese Christian population, who have seen constant attacks on their churches, confiscation of property and the persecution of key religious leaders. But while one in seven Christians across the world live in situations with at least a high level of persecution, domestic protesters refuse to identify the group as one worthy of support. For two decades, Darfur has been the crisis progressives chose not to see. The silence of activists when faced with its tangled realities exposes a truth closer to home: the unrest weve witnessed in Britain these past two years was never about foreign policy. Some wars become fashionable. Those that resist neat slogans or Left-wing talking points are quietly abandoned to burn in the dark. Lara Brown is The Spectators Commissioning Editor Mariner Finance, LLC allegedly discriminated against and wrongfully terminated an employee, based on her medical condition and/or reproduction health decision making. Plaintiff was, allegedly, let go from her position with the company after requesting additional time for her leave of absence. **THIS IS AN ATTORNEY ADVERTISEMENT** SOLANO, Calif., Oct. 30, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The San Francisco employment law attorneys, at Blumenthal Nordrehaug Bhowmik De Blouw LLP, filed a class action complaint alleging that Mariner Finance, LLC violated the California Labor Code. The Mariner Finance, LLC class action lawsuit, Case No. CU25-09280, is currently pending in the Solano County Superior Court of the State of California. A copy of the Complaint can be read here . The Law Office of Blumenthal Nordrehaug Bhowmik De Blouw LLP According to the lawsuit filed, Mariner Finance, LLC allegedly (a) failed to pay minimum wages, (b) failed to pay overtime wages, (c) failed to provide legally required meal and rest periods , (d) failed to provide accurate itemized wage statements, (e) failed to reimburse for required expenses, (f) failed to pay sick wages, and (g) failed to provide wages when due, all in violation of the applicable Labor Code sections listed in California Labor Code Sections 201-203, 226, 226.7, 233, 246, 510, 512, 1194, 1197, 1197.1, 2802, and the applicable Wage Order(s), and thereby gives rise to civil penalties as a result of such alleged conduct. Mariner Finance, LLC allegedly discriminated against Plaintiff and wrongfully terminated Plaintiff from her position with the company. Defendant allegedly conducted a violation of FEHA and Government Code Section 12900, et seq. Plaintiff met with her medical provider while she was on maternity and/or pregnancy leave. She was due to return to work from her leave of absence. However, after meeting with her medical provider, she was advised by her doctor that she would need additional leave, due to her condition. Plaintiff advised both Defendant and additional parties involved of the additional time for leave needed for her condition. However, Plaintiff was, shortly after notifying Defendant, wrongfully terminated from her position with the company. For more information about the class action lawsuit against Mariner Finance, LLC, call (800) 568-8020 to speak to an experienced California employment attorney today. Blumenthal Nordrehaug Bhowmik De Blouw LLP is an employment law firm with offices located in San Diego, San Francisco, Sacramento, Los Angeles, Riverside and Chicago that dedicates its practice to helping employees, investors and consumers fight back against unfair business practices, including violations of the California Labor Code and Fair Labor Standards Act. If you need help in collecting unpaid overtime wages, unpaid commissions, being wrongfully terminated from work, and other employment law claims, contact one of their attorneys today. **THIS IS AN ATTORNEY ADVERTISEMENT** Media Contact Nicholas De Blouw Blumenthal Nordrehaug Bhowmik De Blouw LLP (800) 568-8020 [email protected] https://www.bamlawca.com/ SOURCE Blumenthal Nordrehaug Bhowmik De Blouw LLP The Kings unprecedented move to strip Prince Andrew of his titles and evict him from Royal Lodge has caused shock around the world. Andrew, who will now be known merely as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor, is widely seen as having tarnished the Royal familys global reputation over his ties to Jeffrey Epstein. New allegations of Andrews emails to Epstein about his abuse accuser Virginia Giuffre and the revelation that he had shared her social security number in an attempt to dig up dirt for a smear campaign have forced the King to act. Here is how the worlds newspapers reacted. The nuclear option In Australia, where the King is the head of state and where Giuffre lived for much of her life, the scandal dominated the morning news websites. It was the lead story on ABC, The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald. The Australian said the House of Windsor had taken the nuclear option by exiling the Kings brother but that it had been a long time coming. The Australian said the King had taken the nuclear option The newspaper criticised Buckingham Palace, which it said had until now dished out mostly symbolic punishments against Andrew. In a commentary, the paper asked: Has the King done enough to rid the House of Windsor of his brothers stench? The Sydney Morning Herald said public opinion seems to have swayed the King. Last week an Ipsos poll found that more than four in five of the British public (82 per cent) now have an unfavourable view of Andrew. The homepage of The Sydney Morning Herald ABC, the public broadcaster, featured an interview with royal commentator Juliet Rieden, who claimed that the Queen may have had a hand in the decision to remove Andrews titles. The Queen has been a longstanding campaigner against domestic abuse and violence against women. Andrew was accused of sexual abuse by Giuffre, which he has always denied. In the statement on Thursday night announcing the removal of his titles, the palace said the King and Queen wanted to make clear that their sympathies had always rested with the victims of abuse. On the Continent, Belga, the national news agency of Belgium, said the story marked a new stage of the disgrace of the black sheep of the British Royal family. Meanwhile, Euronewss French edition ran an unflattering photograph of Andrew on its front page: Euronews featured the former Duke on the front of its French edition Unheard of in the annals of the Royal family Andrews punishment also featured heavily in the US media. The New York Times called the Kings action an extraordinary move that is unheard-of in the annals of the modern British Royal family. Not since King Edward VIII abdicated the throne in 1936 over his proposed marriage to a divorced American woman, Wallis Simpson, has the Royal family experienced such an abrupt and visible downgrade of one its most senior members, a report in the paper said. It adds: Now, he will live in internal exile bearing the title of a commoner, in a house on the grounds of the castle where the rest of his family gathers. The Mirror outlines how Andrew could face a police probe CNN, which led its site with the story, said the Kings statement was shorn of the usual royal niceties and cements the deepest split in the British Royal family in decades. The question now: whether King Charles and the British establishment have done enough to prevent Andrews association with Epstein from engulfing the monarchy. CNN led its news coverage with the Andrew story The Washington Post said the news marks the latest setback for the embattled royal whose relationship with Epstein continues to cast a long shadow. The New York Post said the King had no choice to punish disgraced Andrew after Giuffres posthumous memoir revealed further disturbing details of her allegations against the former Duke of York. The New York Post honed in on Andrews family In the book, published last month following Giuffres death in April, she claimed Andrew had behaved towards her as if he believed having sex with me was his birthright. Giuffre repeated the claim that she was paid $15,000 (about 11,000) by Epstein for servicing the man the tabloids called Randy Andy. Hes just plain Andrew Mountbatten Windsor now In Canada, where the King is monarch, The Globe and Mail said the move was one of the most dramatic moves against a member of the Royal family in modern British history. The Globe and Mail said the Kings decision was supported by the wider family The newspaper notes that Andrew was once regarded as a dashing naval officer but was forced to surrender his titles. It also cites a source who claims that the King had the support of the wider family, including heir-to-the-throne Prince William. The Toronto Star, Canadas biggest newspaper, said the former prince is just plain Andrew Mountbatten Windsor now. The paper said that after renewed attention on his living arrangements, Andrew will now be forced to give up Royal Lodge. While this is being seen as clear action by the palace to shut down the Andrew problem once and for all, its worth noting that the King will now be covering the cost of Andrews accommodation. The paper added: Andrew, who maintains his innocence, didnt object to any of these changes. Given that his brother is now paying his rent, its also not clear he could say otherwise. How The Telegraphs front page covered it Troops were urged to advocate for change and reflect a modern Army - Ilbusca Army officers have been ordered to disassociate themselves from private members clubs that refuse to allow female soldiers to join. Lt Gen David Eastman told regiments to review their affiliations with exclusive organisations that restrict women from joining or bar them from accessing certain rooms, urging troops to advocate for change. In a letter seen by The Telegraph, the deputy chief of general staff said it was critical to assess the links between Army units and the clubs to determine whether they were still appropriate. The presence of women in all aspects of Army life is not only a reflection of societal progress but also a central component of our operational effectiveness, Lt Gen Eastman wrote. Where affiliations are maintained with clubs whose rules or practices treat members differently based on gender, we risk undermining the inclusivity and cohesion we strive to foster within our ranks. The marching orders, believed to be the first of their kind seek to determine whether the rules and culture of the traditionally male-only clubs matched the Armys values and the principles of equality and respect, the general said. Writing to troops, the military chief said it had come to his attention that some corps and regiments maintained historical ties with clubs whose rules flew in the face of inclusivity. The letter was sent out to regimental colonels and senior leaders on Tuesday. Inclusivity must be visible In the letter, Lt Gen Eastman expressed his concerns not only for organisations that barred women entirely but those whose membership rights, access and participation varied based on gender. The British Army continues to evolve into a modern, inclusive, and forward-thinking organisation, he wrote. It is imperative that our practices, partnerships, and affiliations reflect the values we uphold. He added: Our commitment to inclusivity is vital, and it must be visible. Affiliations between the regiments and private members clubs are informal and membership is funded by individuals rather than by units. However, the links for some have been historic and long-standing. Lt Gen Eastman warned that endorsements of such groups carried weight and must now be reviewed in an effort to better promote inclusivity. It creates an environment in which service personnel may feel an implicit expectation to join to fully participate in social or professional life, he said. Where access or treatment is unequal, the effect is to diminish the agency of some members, restrict their participation in opportunities that may be professionally advantageous and risk sending a mixed signal about the armys stated commitment to inclusion. The senior officer gave three orders, calling for units to review affiliations to ensure clubs align with army values; carry out engagement to fight for change; and for disassociation where necessary from a clubs policies or practices are found to be fundamentally incompatible with the Armys values. An Army spokesman said: Ensuring every member of our Armed Forces can participate fully in Army life without facing barriers based on gender is fundamental to building the capable, cohesive fighting force. This review addresses informal affiliations that risk creating two-tier access to professional networks. Where clubs affiliated with corps or regiments maintain different membership rights based on gender, it sends a message inconsistent with how a modern Army operates. There is never a wrong time to address practices that limit the potential of our people. This review requires no diversion of operational resources, it asks senior leaders to assess affiliations and engage in dialogue. News of the letter comes days after the Telegraph revealed the Army was facing a major probe into the alleged sexual abuse of recruits at medical testing centres. Wiltshire Police launched the investigation, with detectives saying the abuse spanned between 1970 and 2016 and involved multiple perpetrators across several locations. Serena Worley, Maeve Halligan and Thea Sewell: the founders of the new Cambridge University Society of Women - John Lawrence Serena Worley was 21 when she went to the University of Oregon in 2022 to study journalism. Then, she was a strong supporter of trans ideology and adopted the mantra trans women are women. But after sharing a room with a trans woman a biological male who she says was not a very nice person, she suggested creating a women-only or lesbian group on campus and quickly found herself ostracised by her friends. She was quite suddenly utterly alone and eventually dropped out of university. It was only after taking a year out that she decided to apply to Newnham, a womens college in Cambridge, because I wanted female-only accommodation. Newnham, founded in 1871, was one of the first colleges to admit women, and remained women-only until 2017, when trans women were first allowed to apply. The situation at Cambridge, though, wasnt vastly better. I joined the rowing team, and there was a trans-identified man on my boat, so I quit. Trans activism was everywhere. I thought I was just going to be able to avoid talking about it, keep my head down and focus on my degree. One of the attractions of Newnham was that Germaine Greer, the feminist firebrand, had taught there. But amid the prevailing pro-trans ideology, she appears to have been almost completely scrubbed out. Worley is far from the only female student at a British university to feel that feminism on campus has been consigned to the dustbin, with women joining so-called feminist societies that now seem focused on worshipping at the altar of transgender ideology. At Cambridge, she found kindred spirits in Thea Sewell and Maeve Halligan, both of whom had similar concerns. This week, the trio came together to form the Cambridge University Society of Women (CUSW). University culture is obsessed with gender ideology, says Halligan, 22, when I join the three women on a video call. In Cambridge, Halligan, Sewell and Worley have found friendship and purpose in launching a new womens society on campus - John Lawrence All you can see are pronoun badges, rainbow flags, literature about transgender issues Are you feeling gender distress?, and trans flags bearing slogans such as My existence is not a threat. Often talking over each other, and gathered around a laptop in a well-lit room in Cambridge, all three are fizzing with energy and have that particular rapport of close young female friends. Halligan is clearly the main driving force, but not in any leadership way shes just steering the ship until it reaches cruising speed. While Sewell and Worley are second-year undergraduates, Halligan is doing her masters, having graduated from Bristol University earlier this year with a first in French and Russian. They keep in touch by WhatsApp, phone calls and face-to-face meetings. I first met Halligan briefly at the Oxford Literary Festival in April, during a session with Helen Joyce, the Irish journalist and director of advocacy at the Sex Matters campaign group. Then nearing the end of her undergraduate degree at Bristol, she asked a question about what to do about the ideological capture of university students. While students are aware of the existence of terfs (trans-exclusionary radical feminists), the pejorative term for those who reject trans activism, they dont see enough dissent from trans ideology to realise that it represents the majority view outside the university environment, says Halligan. She tells me that the Oxford event was really inspiring and this is where the three of us first met. Sewell was educated about the harms of gender ideology by her sister, when she was 16 years old. At Cambridge, I built up lots of friendships, including with trans rights activists. I didnt think it was going to be a problem. I thought if I could tolerate their views, then hopefully they could tolerate mine. But like Worley, she quickly felt inundated with trans ideology around campus. Meanwhile, during her third term at Cambridge, Sewell, 20, showed a friend some newly acquired books, including Material Girls, a feminist work by Kathleen Stock, the academic hounded out of Sussex University by trans rights activists. The friend, she said, wasnt a trans rights activist herself, but she went out of her way to contact the biggest trans rights activists in my college because she thought they deserved to know what my views were. The incident led to complete ostracism, pointedly hostile receptions in public spaces, terf being scratched into my door. The few friends who did continue speaking to me refused to meet in public and said they were too scared to be seen with me. Halligan came up with the idea of this society that Id like to start. I said, Lets stick it to them, says Halligan, laughing. I was scared, though, Worley admits, wandering around college freaking out. When I was cancelled in Oregon, nobody supported me. Its the worst feeling, and its going to happen again. The women announced the new group on Monday, with social media posts stating: As the only openly and proudly single-sex society for women at the university, our mission is to facilitate women speaking freely in an all-female environment. We will be campaigning and fundraising to help womens sex-based causes. We are the Cambridge University Society of Women. As the only openly and proudly single-sex society for women at the university, our mission is to facilitate women speaking freely in an all-female environment. We will be campaigning and fundraising to help women's sex-based pic.twitter.com/TDSnCZqDQW The Cambridge University Society of Women (@CUSocOfWomen) October 27, 2025 There was no suggestion of causing any detriment to trans students just protecting the rights of women. But the backlash began. On social media, the three students have been targeted with countless hateful messages. Every other feminist society is denouncing us and mobilising against us, adds Sewell. The undergraduate population of Cambridge has turned against us, as we were expecting. They band together in group chats, parroting the usual slurs against us, says Halligan. Im shown one of the many Instagram posts: Cambridge University joint statement from college Femsocs [feminist societies] and associated womens societies: Transgender and gender-queer individuals have been and will continue to be crucial to our cause as feminists. Worley called Halligan in tears. I said there has to be a veto where anyone at any time can say I cant handle this, says Halligan, meaning anyone can drop out if needed. Its really sad that thats the case. And its not her fault its because of these horrible external factors. Beyond the hate, Halligan describes an outpouring of support. They have been inundated with membership applications, including from female alumnae. Theyve also received support from the Free Speech Union, which campaigns against cancel culture, and anonymous women have made private donations. Within a few hours, donations reached 400. It means such a lot, says Halligan. A few years ago, what these three women have done would have been seen as fairly pedestrian. Now they are viewed as revolutionaries or, for those imbued with trans ideology, akin to fascists. When I came to Cambridge, I thought that would have died down, says Halligan. But oh my God, the opposite is true. Universities are totally doubling down. In Bristol it was everywhere. I thought going to Cambridge, maybe itd be less woke and thered be a difference after the Supreme Court ruling. Again, I was wrong. What were trying to do is take the insane identity politics out of biological sex. The backlash against the society has been matched by solidarity, with alumnae and supporters donating hundreds within hours of the launch Once weve paid this horrible price of having to deal with trans rights activists flak because I do believe it will be temporary well generate support and be able to do what we actually want to do, which is get young women back on track in this country, says Halligan, and do some actual work thats beneficial instead of having to fight the fire of the trans stuff. Sewells bravery is well evidenced. Having experienced a serious sexual assault as a child, she spent her teenage years helping police track down the perpetrator. He was eventually sentenced to eight years in prison. When I ask why they think it is that women appear to be the ones leading this assault on womens rights, Worley tells me she can speak from experience, as a woman who formerly led an assault on womens rights. She thinks a lot of it comes out of misplaced empathy. I think most of these women have never actually met a trans-identified male. That was what shattered the illusion for me, because I was sharing a small space with a 6ft 5in male who identified as a woman. Sewell reads out a message she received from a female friend on her philosophy course on the day of the launch: Ive heard and read about your society and associated views. I disagree wholly with them, which I must make clear, and Im profoundly hurt. I need some time to think about what this means for our friendship and what I want to say to you. At that moment theres a knock on the door. Its a porter, telling them to keep the noise down. We laugh. Ladies, know your volume. This is the 1950s, they joke. We get swiftly back to business, albeit with slightly lower tones. I think this is a continual problem of feminism, says Worley, in that we cant seem to build on what we already have. It keeps getting torn apart, then you have to start again. The way some young women talk about older women its misogyny and ageism. And I find it so arrogant, says Halligan. It makes me literally cringe at my generation. Between women, when we unite across generations, if were going to unite over something, let it be this. Despite knowing the pushback ahead of them, the mood among the three is buoyant. JK Rowling has followed us [on social media], which is obviously so exciting. We had a fangirl moment. What do they want the group to achieve? I dont want what happened to me in Oregon ever to happen to any other young woman, at Cambridge or anywhere, says Worley. Women should be able to speak without the fear of retribution or repercussions. Whether Cambridge University will protect these young women from the inevitable attacks and harassment remains to be seen. I get a lot of rape and death threats, says Halligan a problem that began when she became openly gender-critical while at Bristol. Either way, as their numbers grow, they will become harder to silence. For now, they sit in the war room and plan their work. Alana Odysseos was pregnant with her third child when she was attacked by Shaine March - Central News A double murderer who stabbed his pregnant girlfriend 19 times after being released from prison on licence refused to attend his sentencing at the Old Bailey, where he was jailed for life. Alana Odysseos, 32, was in the early stages of pregnancy with her third child when she was attacked by Shaine March, 47, at her home in Walthamstow, east London, on July 22 last year. March, of Surrey Quays, south-east London, admitted her murder on the seventh day of his trial after defence experts refused to support his claim of diminished responsibility. Jurors in his trial were not told that March had been convicted of murdering a 17-year-old boy in 2000. On Friday, members of Odysseoss family returned to the Old Bailey for his sentencing by Mr Justice Murray. However, defence barrister Sandip Patel KC said March had refused to leave his cell and had told prison staff: Its only sentencing. Prosecutor Louise Oakley said March was required to attend and, if he did not take up the offer to appear by video link from prison, the court had the power to compel him. She said: At the moment, I do not have information to suggest he is unfit or unwell. He could be brought using reasonable force. It is important to the family he is present at the hearing to hear the effect he has had on that family. Mr Justice Murray adjourned the hearing briefly for further inquiries to be made, saying he was reluctant to give March the option of attending by video link. Later, the court was told that March would appear by video link from prison and he was jailed for life, with a minimum term of 42 years. Relatives of Alana Odysseos returned to the Old Bailey for the sentencing of her killer - Family Handout/PA Following his release on a life licence in early 2013, March was recalled to jail later that year after he stamped on the stomach of another pregnant girlfriend in July. He was released again in February 2018. March also had convictions for assault and criminal damage in 1995. The court was told Odysseos knew about Marchs murder conviction, and safeguarding checks had been made by probation services. But when the defendant said their relationship had ended amicably, no further checks were made. Hours before killing Odysseos, March had argued about whether to abort their unborn child, with the victim heard to say: I dont want to kill my baby. The senior judge rejected calls from Odysseoss family and the prosecution for a whole life order but noted that, given his age, March may never be released. March did not react as members of Odysseoss family told of the devastating impact of her murder. Karen Cronin, her mother, said: Alana, my beautiful kind and loving daughter, left this Earth in the most callous and brutal way imaginable. The person who has done this to my daughter who I dont think deserves the respect of using his name is evil and a coward. Why did he have to resort to the level of violence he used? The anger I feel towards him doesnt feel Christian, so I can no longer go to Church. I will never have forgiveness in my heart. I want him to die in prison. He should never be let out. We will never get over our loss Father Alan Yates said his daughter was a happy-go-lucky much loved mother who was kind and considerate and would stick up for what she believed in. He said something changed after she met March, and she became a timid vulnerable person who was not our Alana. He said: I hope a sentence is given that means Shaine March will never cause another family the pain and loss we are suffering. It is unimaginable, and we will never get over our loss. Every day I wonder why he didnt walk away. Alana was pregnant with his child. This meant nothing to him. The court heard statements from Odysseoss three sisters, including Lorraine Schofield, who said March was a monster and evil, disgusting coward. She told the court: All Alana wanted was to be loved. The baby she so desperately wanted to protect that night was taken away. Jasmine Yates, another sister, told March: You took more than one life that night. You took Alana, you took the baby she was carrying, the child she was excited about. I fear if you are ever released you will kill again. Exceptionally high level of offending Prosecutor Louise Oakley argued for a whole life order meaning Marsh would never be released given the exceptionally high level of offending. Previously, the court had heard how police were alerted by members of the public in Lynmouth Road who found Odysseos outside her home wearing a nightie and dressing gown and clutching her right side. Bleeding from multiple stab wounds to her body, she pointed at the defendant standing nearby and shouted: Shaine stabbed me, he stabbed me. Help, help. March walked away as Odysseos died on the ground outside her home despite the efforts of police and paramedics, jurors heard. She had suffered stab wounds to her chest, stomach, pelvis, shoulders, buttocks, right arm, thighs and lower legs. Before throwing his mobile phone in a drain, March recorded a voice note saying: Mum, I just killed a woman, and Im going back to jail. At 4.41am, staff at Creams Cafe in Walthamstow called 999 to report finding a man covered in blood who told them he had killed his wife and child. Following his arrest, March told police: I did it. I killed her Alana Odysseos. I killed her, hahahaha. As he was put into a police van, he asked to be put in jail where I belong, saying he was scum and deserved it. The defendant later told a prison officer that he saw red and stabbed his girlfriend with a knife from the kitchen after arguing about a pair of his trainers. While in handcuffs and accompanied by two officers, he kicked the head of a fellow detainee, knocking three of his teeth out, the court had heard. Earlier this year Shabana Mahmood, then the justice secretary, vowed to change the law so prison officers have a legally enforced right to use reasonable force to bring convicted offenders to the dock to face justice. Tourists from all over the world are drawn to the white cliff faces of the Seven Sisters - Jeff Overs/BBC via Getty The National Trust is locked in a row over plans to close one of the South Easts most popular walking routes. Ramblers have criticised the charitys proposal to close and flood two paths on Cuckmere Haven, a walking route which runs via the Seven Sisters from Seaford to Eastbourne, East Sussex. The plans, which are part of National Trust conservation efforts, could see the permanent closure of the riverside path to allow flooding of the western floodplain. The main path, which carries part of the King Charles III England Coast Path, could also be restricted under plans to flood it for 173 days per year. Cuckmere Haven footpath could be permanently closed - Open Spaces Society The charity said the proposals aim to restore intertidal habitat, increase biodiversity and improve the hydraulics of the estuary in Cuckmere. The trust has suggested revellers use a new alternative path that would run along part of The Avenue Verte, a cycle route which links London and Paris via a ferry. But residents have hit out at the charity, arguing an alternative route would cause collisions with cyclists and highlighting the historical significance of the paths believed to have been coast guard or smugglers paths from the 16th century. b' 0111 Cuckmere Haven footpaths ' Chris Smith, a local representative of the Open Spaces Society, told The Telegraph: We have discussed at great lengths the proposals from the National Trust with local walking groups and Seaford Ramblers. It is an incredibly popular walk, in fact it is one of the most diverse walks in the country as people all over the world have got it on their apps as a walk you can do. It is becoming more and more popular and the National Trust doesnt seem to have realised this. What we feel the trust is doing is a major undertaking and it has not been thought out. I suspect both paths are old coastguard paths and smugglers paths, they could be as old as the 16th century. Large looping meanders on the River Cuckmere can be seen on the path - Universal Images via Getty Mr Smith added: It is going to make walking the Seven Sisters more inconvenient and throw in conflict with an iconic cycle route. We dont feel their alternative options are good enough. We think the National Trust ought to go back and think again about it. The second path is the route of the King Charles III England Coast Path and it is a path which runs down the Cuckmere valley which is one of the most popular areas for walking in the whole of south-east England. The National Trusts planning application for the paths argues the development would improve biodiversity and restore intertidal habitats to the existing reclaimed farmland. The path to Cuckmere Haven from Seaford Head takes in breathtaking views - Open Spaces Society A Cuckmere community spokesman said: It is a very very busy footpath and sometimes walkers dont even realise they cant cross the river there. It would be very hard to use another pathway and walkers would have to backtrack quite a bit to find the new path. The signs are really bad along there too. It is a shame that they couldnt think of a more imaginative scheme to keep the path, it is the only way along the river really. A National Trust spokesman responded to concerns by claiming the embankment path is increasingly prone to flooding and erosion, and if we do nothing, it will soon be lost. They added: As part of a project to restore the historic wetland and adapt to the changing climate, were proposing to create a new circular path a little further up the valley. This will afford spectacular views of both the estuary and an increasing array of wildlife. Measures to help walkers and cyclists share the path safely will be included in the design. Weve worked collaboratively with the community on these proposed plans. Royal British Legion volunteers said they were abused while attaching poppies and remembrance flags to lamp-posts in Penarth, South Wales Veterans volunteering for the Poppy Appeal were called racist while hanging Remembrance Day flags in a Welsh town earlier this month. Paul Galsworthy, an ex-Navy diver, and Patrick Stanton, a former Able Seaman, said they had been working together to raise the flags and place poppies in Penarth town centre when they suffered the abuse. The volunteers had finished their work and sat for a coffee when a man allegedly said they were racists and threatened to take the emblems down. Mr Galsworthy, 60, told The Telegraph: This gentleman came up to us and said you are all Reform racists and you can f--- off. The veteran added that he had been shocked by the mans approach, but had responded by saying that it was not racist to raise flags in remembrance. The ex-Navy officers raised Lest we forget flags, the White Ensign and flags for the Army and Royal Air Force, alongside Union flags and the Welsh flag. They also hung poppies on lamp-posts. However, the alleged abuse continued, Mr Galsworthy said, adding: He wouldnt have it and then he said, We won it, we won in Caerphilly. The mans comment came after Plaid Cymru claimed victory over Reform UK in a Welsh Parliament by-election. The Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal caravan in Penarth - Wales News Service Insisting that the flag-raising was nothing to do with politics or racism, Mr Galsworthy said: Me and Pat were in the Navy, joined up in 1985. So we both fought for our country, and we are very proud of the fact we have. An awful lot of people in the country are proud of the people who have done that as well. And it is nice to have that feeling through the towns and the cities and the country. It gives us a rest from all the rubbish thats out there. Mr Galsworthy, who has been raising the flags for six years, was worried they would be stolen. He contacted other Penarth Poppy Appeal members to warn them and they suggested that he get in touch with the police. South Wales Police confirmed that it was investigating the incident, which happened on Windsor Road on Oct 26, as an alleged public order offence. A Welsh flag put up in the town by veterans volunteering for the Poppy Appeal - Wales News Service Karen Jones, a fellow volunteer, wrote on social media: In a small, friendly town such as ours, you do not expect Poppy Appeal volunteers to get abuse when putting up memorial lamp-post poppies and flags for the remembrance period. The Royal British Legion Poppy Appeal is not political it is to remember the men and women who paid the ultimate sacrifice so that people have free speech. Please do not hesitate to report any person attempting to take down the flags and poppies to the police. Lets remember this was hopefully an isolated incident and doesnt represent the lovely people of this town who, every year, get behind the Poppy Appeal. A spokesman for the Royal British Legion said: We are concerned to hear of this incident, and the safety of our Poppy Appeal volunteers is our utmost priority. The incident is being investigated by the authorities therefore, it would not be appropriate to comment further at this time. Just Stop Oil protesters at Stonehenge during last years action. Photograph: Just Stop Oil/PA Three Just Stop Oil protesters have been cleared over a protest at Stonehenge during which orange powder was sprayed on to the prehistoric circle. Rajan Naidu, 74, Niamh Lynch, 23, and Luke Watson, 36, targeted Stonehenge the day before last years summer solstice. JSO said the action brought more attention from around the globe than any other of its protests. The three argued their peaceful protest was justified because of the focus on the climate emergency that flowed from it. Salisbury crown court heard the protesters used colour blasters to spray the stones in Wiltshire. It cost 620 to remove the powder and there was no lasting damage. Related: No regrets: activists who sprayed Stonehenge orange proud of magic trick The three faced charges including causing a public nuisance, which has a maximum jail of 10 years. The law has been widely criticised as an attack on the right to protest. During his summing up, Judge Dugdale said that to find the three guilty, the jury would have had to be satisfied a conviction would be a proportionate interference in their rights to freedom of expression and protest. He said: If individuals disagree with what our government is doing on certain matters they are entitled to protest. For any of the defendants to be convicted, you have to be sure not just that they had committed the elements of the offence but you also have to be sure that a conviction would be a proportionate interference with their human rights to express their opinions and protest against government inaction. The prosecution argued the protest did not need to take place at Stonehenge, which it said had no connection with the climate emergency. Naidu, who describes himself as a campaigner for human rights, social justice and peace; Lynch, a University of Exeter ecology student; and Watson, a carpenter, denied damaging an ancient protected monument and causing a public nuisance. Other protesters and lawyers have been watching the case keenly, especially the use of the public nuisance legislation. Speaking outside court, Naidu said: Its highly repressive legislation, its retrogressive, its going back to the times of the suffragettes when women were being treated appallingly, having their human rights violated. Were going back to those times. All three said they were proud of the action and one another. Naidu said: I feel privileged to be with people like this. They are people of great integrity. Im very proud to be part of this and blessed. Thanking the jury, the judge said it had been an important case, with issues about freedom of expression and the right to protest at the centre of it. He said: This was an important decision for the issues about the right to protest, the right to freedom of speech compared to the right of a world heritage site to sit unmolested by members of the public. Its a difficult one to gauge. The judge said for centuries juries had been asked to decide on allegations of serious crime in their communities. Its people from the community chosen at random who should decide if someone has committed that offence or not. Theres 12 of you, each of you brings something completely different to the decision-making process so we have a good cross-section of society. The jury said they wanted to flag up the brave and selfless actions of a worker at the site, Man Chu Zah, who tried to intervene in the protest. The judge said he would recommend the worker for a high sheriffs award. Francesca Cociani, criminal defence lawyer at Hodge Jones & Allen who represented the protesters, said: My clients are incredibly relieved by todays verdict that exonerated them of any wrongdoing. The public nuisance charge in this case, which argued their protest could have caused serious distress, annoyance or inconvenience to the public, was wholly inadequate and in our view, should never have been bought and amounted to an affront to their right to protest. It is a relief that the jury has decided to uphold the right to peaceful protest. It is a right that has long been, and should remain, an essential pillar of our democratic society but we are seeing time and time again that this right is being eroded. Foxes in Portchester are chewing on the fats that car manufacturers use to coat brake wires - Solent News & Photo Agency A gang of foxes that have terrorised villagers by wrecking cars are being deliberately poisoned and killed, animal rescuers have claimed. Residents of Portchester, Hampshire, are setting the elaborate traps after the animals destroyed the brake wires on vehicles and ruined paintwork. Pest control experts said foxes have started to attack brake wires after car manufacturers started coating them in animal fats. One resident said he was driving to work when he realised he couldnt brake at all because the animals had chewed his brake lines. Second Chance Fox Rescue, a Hampshire-based sanctuary, said heartless people were setting down bait with anti-freeze, which is poisonous to the animals. At least six foxes have been killed by the poison, while other are being shot by air rifles, a charity has claimed - Katrina Catling/Solent News & Photo Agency At least six foxes have been killed by the poison, while other are being shot by air rifles, the charity claimed. Victoria Leonard, a rescue volunteer, said: To the heartless humans who think it is OK to put poison down to kill them, you seriously need to look at yourselves. We believe people could be putting anti-freeze in bait that the foxes will eat. Anti-freeze is very cheap to buy and it is a known fact that the likes of cats will die if it is ingested as it affects the internal organs and renal system. She added: We are aware that foxes are being targeted in Portchester as we have rescued foxes and fox cubs that have also been shot with air rifles. Sadly, foxes are very strongly blamed for various things and the sad fact is they are in massive decline. Ms Leonard said the charity is carrying out patrols in Portchester. The correct authorities have been notified and we have invested in some very good equipment so we can bring these people to justice, she said. Katrina Catling, another resident, said she saw the dead body of a very big, healthy looking fox on her way home from work. She said: Its such a shame as we have a lovely cul-de-sac of people who I presume love them as Ive seen them being fed on multiple occasions... I dont understand the vendetta against the foxes, why cant we just let them live along with all the other amazing wildlife? In September, motorists said they faced heavy repair bills to fix their vehicles. Some drivers began lathering their brake wires in chilli powder, and others are using Vicks vapour gel to deter the animals. Terry Stroud, a window cleaner, was driving to work when he realised foxes had damaged his van - Solent News & Photo Agency Terry Stroud said he was driving to work when he realised he couldnt brake at all because foxes had chewed his brake lines. Mr Stroud said he was lucky not to have killed anyone and said the repairs cost him nearly 350. A garage in the village said it had 10 customers in recent weeks all with damage caused by the animals. Hampshire Constabulary has been contacted for comment. FILE PHOTO: A staff member attends to a customer at an air conditioner booth at a home appliance mall in Beijing, China October 19, 2025. REUTERS/Tingshu Wang/File Photo By Kevin Yao BEIJING (Reuters) -China's over-reliance on investment and exports to power its $19 trillion economy appears to have reached a limit. Chinese leaders are signalling a sharper shift towards supporting consumption over the next five years as limited investment room and slowing exports have exposed vulnerabilities, though measures may take time to yield results. While the goal to expand domestic demand has been a longstanding one, and will not trump high-tech manufacturing as a priority, analysts say the proposals in the 2026-2030 plan are more explicit. "The suggestion explicitly pledged to raise the consumption share in GDP. The philosophy of consumption policy also seems to have shifted from almost supply-centric to supply-and-demand balanced," Citi analysts said in a note. Structural imbalances have certainly deepened amid China's property market crisis and a trade war with Washington. This week, the Communist Party leadership pledged to "reasonably raise the proportion of public service expenditure in fiscal spending to enhance residents' consumption capacity." They pledged to step up consumer-focused policies, improve income distribution to boost household income, and increase the central government's share of social spending to better support households. "China's next five-year plan will give more prominence to households and consumption than ever before," Andrew Batson, China research director at Gavekal Dragonomics, said. The five-year plan recommendations reaffirmed last week's official remarks that China will increase the proportion of government investment for people's livelihoods and raise the percentage of household consumption of GDP "significantly" over the next five years. "The allocation of resources will shift more towards consumption, as large-scale expansion of traditional industries and infrastructure has reached its limit," said a policy adviser who spoke on condition of anonymity. "Future investment will focus on high-tech industries and new infrastructure." China may aim to increase the household consumption rate by about 5 percentage points over the next five years, but policy advisers say it is unclear whether the government will set a specific target in the upcoming five-year plan. Attempts to boost consumption and related reforms over the past decade have been slow to take root in the real economy. Consumer confidence has remained low because of inadequate social welfare, slowing income growth and a property crisis that has eroded household wealth. The services sector has also taken time to develop. Currently, household consumption accounts for about 40% of GDP, far below nearly 70% in the United States. Some government advisers suggest China should aim for a consumption rate of 50% within the next decade. "The key to boosting domestic consumption is resource distribution," ANZ analysts said in a note. Analysts and investors are watching for measures that redirect funds and resources from businesses and government investment to households, which will be crucial for unlocking consumer demand. Alongside the consumption focus, the leadership reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining a reasonable manufacturing share in the economy, prioritising emerging industries such as new energy, aerospace and advanced materials. Manufacturing accounts for around a quarter of GDP. China unveiled its outline for policy goals for 2026-2030 last week, prioritising manufacturing and technology reliance while also pledging to boost consumption. The full five-year plan, with detailed economic targets, will be released at the annual parliament meeting in March. "INSUFFICIENT DEMAND" Capital Economics analyst Julian Evans-Pritchard said that fiscal policy will be key to boosting consumption, and the share of fiscal spending on investment - now at a three-decade high - could decline in the coming years. The government spends over 6% of GDP annually on investment, excluding significant funding from quasi-fiscal agencies like local government financing vehicles and policy banks, he said. "But the wider policy agenda will limit how quickly this happens, and it will take a long time for the imbalances in China's economy to be fully addressed," he said. Of the 1.3 trillion yuan ($182.5 billion) in ultra-long special treasury bonds planned for this year, 300 billion yuan will be allocated to support a consumer goods trade-in scheme, with the rest for equipment upgrades and investment projects. President Xi Jinping, in remarks published on Tuesday, underscored the focus on boosting consumption, citing "increasing downward pressure on the economy and insufficient effective demand." China's economic growth slowed to its weakest pace in a year in the third quarter as soft domestic demand left it reliant on exports amid U.S. tariffs. Economists are increasingly calling for social welfare and other reforms to address supply-demand imbalances and persistent deflation. "Whenever we face international economic instability, we always rely on the domestic economy to respond to 'black swan' events," Yang Ping, head of the investment institute of the National Development and Reform Commission, the state planner, told reporters on Monday. "We will promote a significant increase in the consumption rate through income distribution reform and other measures." ($1 = 7.1230 Chinese yuan) (Reporting by Kevin Yao; Additional reporting by Ellen Zhang; Editing by Jacqueline Wong) UN Security Council voices grave concern over escalating violence in Sudan Xinhua) 08:38, October 31, 2025 UNITED NATIONS, Oct. 30 (Xinhua) -- The UN Security Council on Thursday voiced grave concern over escalating violence in and around El Fasher in Sudan's North Darfur state. In a press statement, the members of the council condemned the assault by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on El Fasher and its devastating impact on the civilian population. They also condemned reported atrocities being perpetrated by the RSF against the civilian population, including summary executions and arbitrary detentions. They expressed grave concern at the heightened risk of large-scale atrocities, including ethnically motivated atrocities. The council members called for all perpetrators of violations to be held accountable. They demanded that all parties to the conflict protect civilians and abide by their obligations under international law, including international humanitarian law, and to allow and facilitate safe and unhindered humanitarian access. The council members reiterated that the priority is for the parties to resume talks to reach a lasting ceasefire and a comprehensive, inclusive and Sudanese-owned political process. They urged all UN member states to refrain from external interference that seeks to foment conflict and instability, to support efforts for durable peace, to abide by their obligations under international law and to implement relevant Security Council resolutions. The council members unequivocally reaffirmed their unwavering commitment to the sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity of Sudan. In this regard, the Security Council reaffirmed its rejection of the establishment of a parallel governing authority in areas controlled by the RSF. (Web editor: Huang Kechao, Liang Jun) Among other allegations, Stanford Health Care exhibited acts of retaliation, harassment, and discrimination towards employees. These alleged actions are direct violations of Public Policy. **THIS IS AN ATTORNEY ADVERTISEMENT** SANTA CLARA, Calif., Oct. 30, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- The San Francisco employment law attorneys, at Blumenthal Nordrehaug Bhowmik De Blouw LLP, filed a class action complaint alleging that Stanford Healthcare violated the California Labor Code. The Stanford Healthcare class action lawsuit, Case No. 25CV477482, is currently pending in the Santa Clara County Superior Court of the State of California. A copy of the Complaint can be read here . The Law Office of Blumenthal Nordrehaug Bhowmik De Blouw LLP Stanford Health Care allegedly (a) failed to pay minimum wages, (b) failed to pay overtime wages, (c) failed to provide legally required meal and rest periods , (d) failed to provide accurate itemized wage statements, (e) failed to reimburse for required expenses, (f) failed to pay sick wages, and (g) failed to provide wages when due, all in violation of the applicable Labor Code sections listed in California Labor Code Sections 201-203, 226, 226.7, 233, 246, 510, 512, 1194, 1197, 1197.1, 2802, and the applicable Wage Order(s), and thereby gives rise to civil penalties as a result of such alleged conduct. According to the Complaint, Plaintiff provided a doctor's note along with other documents to Defendant and then went on leave. Defendant claimed her leave was unapproved so Plaintiff returned to work. After already returning to work, Plaintiff received a threatening termination letter from Defendant, due to her being "absent" even though Plaintiff had already been back to work for some time. After returning from her leave of absence, Plaintiff allegedly faced various instances of retaliation and discrimination from Defendant. For more information about the class action lawsuit against Stanford Health Care, call (800) 568-8020 to speak to an experienced California employment attorney today. Blumenthal Nordrehaug Bhowmik De Blouw LLP is an employment law firm with offices located in San Diego, San Francisco, Sacramento, Los Angeles, Riverside and Chicago that dedicates its practice to helping employees, investors and consumers fight back against unfair business practices, including violations of the California Labor Code and Fair Labor Standards Act. If you need help in collecting unpaid overtime wages, unpaid commissions, being wrongfully terminated from work, and other employment law claims, contact one of their attorneys today. **THIS IS AN ATTORNEY ADVERTISEMENT** Media Contact Nicholas De Blouw Blumenthal Nordrehaug Bhowmik De Blouw LLP (800) 568-8020 [email protected] https://www.bamlawca.com/ SOURCE Blumenthal Nordrehaug Bhowmik De Blouw LLP CHICAGO Detainees held by Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Illinois have filed a lawsuit saying the conditions they were held in were "filthy," "cruel" and aimed at "coercing" them to leave the country. The federal lawsuit in the Northern District of Illinois comes as the Supreme Court weighs whether to allow President Donald Trump to deploy troops to the city. Since the president launched his crackdown on the region, known as Operation Midway Blitz, Homeland Security officials say they have arrested 3,000 people during immigration enforcement. The facility at the center of the lawsuit is the site where new detainees are taken before being removed from Illinois. Pablo Moreno Gonzalez and Felipe Agustin Zamaconas lawsuit against Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem and others acting at her direction offers the most detailed account yet of the conditions detainees experience. Journalists, members of Congress and clergy have not been given access to the facility located in the Chicago suburb of Broadview, Illinois. Homeland Security "created a black box in which to disappear people from the U.S. justice and immigration systems," the lawsuit says, adding "the facility is a breeding ground for illness to spread with poor sanitation, clogged toilets, and blood, human fluids, and insects in the sinks and on the walls." Federal agents and protesters speak through a fence outside a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Broadview, Ill., on Sept. 29, 2025. The facility is at the heart of President Donald Trumps Operation. Midway Blitz, an effort to crackdown on immigration enforcement in the Chicago area. Federal officials use dire conditions as a way of "coercing people to sign immigration paperwork that many detainees do not understand" including agreeing to be sent out of the country without seeing a judge, according to the lawsuit. The lawsuit asks for conditions to be improved and for attorneys to be allowed to contact clients inside. Chicago immigration attorneys have said for weeks that they cannot reach detainees at the facility. Attorneys for the MacArthur Justice Center, the ACLU of Illinois and the Chicago office of law firm Eimer Stahl are representing the plaintiffs. Homeland Security officials called the account of conditions at the facility "false." "This type of garbage about ICE facilities is contributing to our officers facing an 8000% increase in death threats against them," said Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs Tricia McLaughlin. Agency officials have also transformed the site in recent months. Plywood panels cover the windows and officials erected a large metal fence around the site until a federal judge made them take it down. Chicago protests push back against increased federal immigration raids A pastor reads the Bible during a standoff with police officers outside the Broadview ICE facility, after U.S. President Donald Trump ordered increased federal law enforcement presence to assist in crime prevention, in Chicago, Ill. on Nov.1, 2025. Accounts of the state of the facility have in part made it a hotbed of protests and between Oct. 3 and 19, 68 people have been arrested at protests outside the site, according to Cook County Sheriffs Office data shared with USA TODAY. Department of Justice lawyer Eric Hamilton said at an Oct. 9 hearing in federal court in downtown Chicago that agents had deployed $100,000 of non-lethal weapons to stop "rioters" from hindering immigration enforcement at the site since the launch of the blitz crackdown on Sept. 8. Judge orders immigrants in lawsuit returned to Illinois Moreno Gonzalez is an immigrant who was arrested on the North Side of Chicago on Oct. 29, according to the lawsuit. Zamacona is an Illinois resident who immigrated to the U.S. over 30 years, according to the lawsuit. He was arrested in Wheeling, Illinois, while at his job as a delivery driver. Immigration authorities moved the pair out of state to Kansas but U.S. District Judge Robert W. Gettleman ordered them back to Illinois on Oct. 31 at a hearing. Gettleman said he wanted the pair either back at the immigration enforcement facility in Broadview or the federal jail in downtown Chicago, and that he wanted them to appear in person at a hearing on Nov. 4. Attorneys for the pair said they have not been able to contact their clients. Gettleman ordered that immigration authorities reconnect the attorneys with the pair of immigrants named in the lawsuit. The judge ordered immigration authorities to allow the immigrant pair to call their attorneys if they cannot be returned to Illinois immediately and if returned to the Chicago-area immigration enforcement facility, attorneys be allowed to visit their clients. Gettleman noted he has seen similar complaints in other federal cases in the Northern District of Illinois that attorneys cannot reach clients at the facility. An attorney for the government said that he could not respond to the descriptions of the immigration enforcement facility detailed in the lawsuit. Alexa Van Brunt, an attorney for the plaintiffs, replied that "there is a human rights emergency unfurling outside the city." 'Warehousing people for days on end': Lawsuit details conditions The facility in suburban Broadview named in the lawsuit is an Immigration and Customs Enforcement "processing center," where new detainees are registered before being moved elsewhere. Processing centers are not supposed to hold people for longer than 72 hours, experts have previously told USA TODAY. According to the lawsuit, immigration authorities at the facility "are now warehousing people at Broadview for days on end." The lawsuit says dozens of people are being held in overcrowded cells and left to sleep for up to weeks on plastic chairs or a concrete floor; they lack food and water; and cannot clean themselves, including being denied access to menstrual products, or change clothes. Temperatures at the facility are extreme and only some people receive foil blankets or sweatclothes, the lawsuit says. Detainees are not given medical screenings and are denied access to medicines, including prescription medications brought by family members, according to the lawsuit. Bathrooms lack privacy, allowing men and women to watch each other use the toilet, the lawsuit says. McLaughlin, Noems top spokesperson, denied the lawsuits account of the facility, saying there is adequate food, water, privacy and medical care. The spokesperson said detainees have access to phones to communicate with family and lawyers. She said the facility is not used to hold people long-term. "Any claims there are subprime conditions at the Broadview ICE facility are false," McLaughlin said. "Some of the worst of the worst including pedophiles, gang members, and rapists have been processed through the facility in recent weeks. The ACLU should just change its name. Its clear they only care about criminal illegal aliensnot Americans." 'Attempt to silence dissent': Congressional candidate indicted for ICE resistance in Chicago U.S. Congressional candidate Kat Abughazaleh stands with anti-immigration enforcement protesters outside an immigration detention facility in Broadview, Illinois. Abughazaleh has been charged in connection with her protest efforts. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Chicago ICE facility is a 'black box,' detainees say in lawsuit A large screen shows news footage of the bilateral meeting between Chinese President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in South Korea's Busan, outside a shopping mall in Beijing, China October 30, 2025. REUTERS/Florence Lo By David Kirton GUANGZHOU, China (Reuters) -For William Ying, whose company has been making colourful wooden toys in China's Zhejiang province for 20 years, a thawing of trade tensions between Washington and Beijing is a welcome sign and one he hopes will get orders rolling again. Ying, vice president of Shiwanxin Technology which makes toys such as block jigsaws and dial-up telephones, said around 30% of his U.S. orders were put on hold in April over crippling tariffs that led many customers to adopt a wait-and-see attitude. "Now that the two leaders have met, its clearly moving in a positive direction," Ying said of talks between U.S. President Donald Trump and China's Xi Jinping on Thursday, when Washington agreed to cut tariffs on Chinese imports to 47% from 57%. "Our long-term clients have already begun placing orders for next year. We dont expect a sudden boom, but stability itself is good." Ying was among thousands of exporters in the southern city of Guangzhou for the biannual Canton Trade Fair, China's largest trade exhibition and an important gauge of retail demand with more than 32,000 exhibitors selling everything from electronics and home appliances to clothing, toys and health products. China's exports to the U.S. fell by 27% year-on-year in September, trade data showed, while shipments bound for the European Union, Southeast Asia and Africa grew by 14%, 15.6% and 56.4%, respectively. HIGH-STAKES GAME Ying's optimism was echoed by Audrey Ning, sales associate at sporting goods maker Yomee, on the side of a hall packed with sellers of stuffed snow lions, foosball tables and water pistols. "We were all very excited when we saw the news (of Trump and Xi's meeting). It feels like a very positive starting point that could break the nearly year-long stalemate, so we are full of hope for the future," she said. Chinese manufacturers have borne the brunt of tit-for-tat tariff escalations that have upended supply chains and forced some businesses to seek new markets to replace U.S. demand. The trade outlook now depends on how the high-stakes game of threats between Beijing and Washington unfolds in the coming weeks and months. Other exporters at the sprawling fair were more cautious, given the tariff rollercoaster they have had to deal with this year. Some are still factoring tariff-related uncertainty into their business plans. Tim Xu, a manager at glowstick maker Zibo Dexing Industries, said his company derived half its sales from the U.S. market and had already seen orders cancelled due to tariffs. "It's good news overall. But nothing is certain, he said of the latest talks. "They keep shifting back and forth, so its probably temporary." Xu said his company had been turning its attention to Europe, although it was a smaller market. "We couldnt lower our prices any further, they're already at rock bottom." Jojo Zhong, sales manager at childrens electric car maker Shenzhen BBJ Toys, said the U.S. made up 15% to 20% of her sales, and had been hurt by tariffs. Her company was focusing more on Latin America, now one of its main markets, as the situation with tariffs remained uncertain. "We had planned to expand in the U.S. but its still in an unstable stage, so we dont know how things will go," she said, standing next to a two-foot tall Audi model. "Latin America ... is now about 30% of our business. Well continue to expand it." (Reporting By David Kirton in Guangzhou; Writing by Anne Marie Roantree; Editing by Kate Mayberry) "Hearst Magazines and Yahoo may earn commission or revenue on some items through these links." Earlier today, Buckingham Palace announced that King Charles is formally beginning the process of removing his younger brother Andrew's titles and honors. Included in the statement was one key detail: "Prince Andrew will now be known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor." Here, the long and complicated history of that royal last name. Who gets to use the last name Mountbatten-Windsor? WPA Pool - Getty Images According to the royal family's website, when male or unmarried female descendants of Queen Elizabeth need to use a surname (which is what Americans would more often refer to as a last name), Mountbatten-Windsor is available to them. It's unclear why the statement regarding Andrew listed the name without a hyphen. "For the most part, members of the Royal Family who are entitled to the style and dignity of HRH Prince or Princess do not need a surname," reads the royal family's website. "But if at any time any of them do need a surname (such as upon marriage), that surname is Mountbatten-Windsor." Notably, when Prince Harry's children were born, they used the surname Mountbatten-Windsor; upon the accession of their grandfather, King Charles, Archie and Lilibet became entitled to use the titles of prince and princess respectively as the children of the son of a monarch. Prince Edward's children, Lady Louise and James, Viscount Severn, also use Mountbatten-Windsor as their surname. Max Mumby/Indigo - Getty Images As naming traditions in the United Kingdom are patriarchal, Princess Anne's children, Zara and Peter, used the surname of their father, Mark Phillips, growing up. Following her marriage to Mike Tindall, Zara started to use Tindall as her surname. Peter and his wife and children use the last name Phillips, and Zara's children use the last name Tindall. Some royals choose to use the name of their Dukedom as a surname. For example, growing up Prince William and Prince Harry used the surname Wales, with Prince Harry going by Captain Wales during his time in the military. The Kennedys and the Windsors: The Story of Two Dynasties, One Born, One Made $35.00 at amazon.com Why do some people use the surname Windsor, without the Mountbatten? David M. Benett - Getty Images The last name Windsor is available to be used by all male and unmarried female descendants of George V. That explains why, for example, Prince Michael of Kent's son Freddie uses the last name Windsor. (Prince Michael is Queen Elizabeth II's first cousin, and a grandson of George V.) "In 1960, The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh decided that they would like their own direct descendants to be distinguished from the rest of the Royal Family (without changing the name of the Royal House), as Windsor is the surname used by all the male and unmarried female descendants of George V," reads the royal family's website. The Privy Council then decided that the Queen's direct descendants would use the last name Mountbatten-Windsor, so that's when the split occurred. Where does the name Mountbatten-Windsor come from? Keystone-France - Getty Images The original name of Windsor dynasty was the House of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, but following World War I, Queen Elizabeth's grandfather King George V was concerned about anti-German sentiment in the United Kingdom. He changed the name to the House of Windsor, after Windsor Castle. In doing so, members of the royal family adopted Windsor as a surname as well. The "Mountbatten" portion of Mountbatten Windsor comes from Prince Philip. Philip was a Prince of Greece and Denmark, but he gave up those titles when he became a naturalized British citizen in 1947, and took the surname Mountbatten, his mother's family name. Phillip was quite close to the Mountbattens growing up, and even lived with them for a period of time. You Might Also Like As a little girl, Egypt always fascinated me. While a lot of my friends were gobbling up American Girl books (dont worry, I was too), I took a hard left and became mildly obsessed. Egyptian culture and history are utterly fascinating, and despite being heavily explored, they still hold dozens of mysteries waiting to be uncovered. If you're taking a bucket-list trip to visit some historic Egyptian sites, you can now add one to your list: The Grand Egyptian Museum. According to The Guardian, it is located just a mile away from the Pyramids of Giza. The enormous site was proposed in early 1992. While in 2024 they did a "soft launch" of parts of the museum, it is now officially open and accessible to the public. Related: 10 quirky museums in the U.S. you have to see to believe What awaits inside the museum There are several permanent exhibitions in 24,000 square feet of the museum, which also boasts a childrens museum, educational and conference facilities, and a large conservation center. There are 12 main galleries that have been open since last year, containing a wealth of art, antiques, and artifacts covering centuries of cultural evolution. Patrons can expect a modern take on information, including multimedia presentations and mixed reality shows. The coolest feature? There is a giant connecting walkway from the museum to the pyramids, which, after exploring the massive number of artifacts, will be the perfect cherry on top of the experience. Related: Long-awaited Egypt museum slated to open this fall What to do once youre done The adventure doesnt have to stop there. Giza is full of attractions, sites, and foods worth exploring. After your history lesson at the museum, visit the Great Sphinx of Giza or explore the Solar Boat Museum, a reconstructed wooden boat believed to have carried Pharaoh Khufu's soul into the afterlife. Make the most of your trip by exploring all the ancient city has to offer: Enjoy a Desert ATV or Jeep Safari Guided off-road excursions into the Sahara around Giza provide a mix of adrenaline and unforgettable sunset views. Take a Camel or Horseback Ride Around the Plateau Locals offer guided camel or horse rides that let you view the pyramids from panoramic desert vantage points. Perfect for the amateur photographer on holiday. Visit the Valley Temple of Khafre An often-overlooked temple near the Sphinx built for mummification rituals, offering an up-close look at 4,500-year-old limestone and granite work. Take a Hot Air Balloon or Drone-View Tour Some operators in Giza and nearby Cairo offer balloon rides that provide breathtaking sunrise views over the pyramids, a truly once-in-a-lifetime experience. Shop and Dine in Gizas 6th of October City A modern suburb with upscale malls, authentic Egyptian restaurants, and cultural centers, serving as a good place to unwind post-sightseeing. Of course, if you've done all you can do in the city, you could take a simple 30 minute drive to Old Cairo and explore all it has to offer from museums to more historic sites. Fuel your wanderlust with our top travel storiesjoin our newsletter today. This story was originally reported by TravelHost on Oct 31, 2025, where it first appeared in the News section. Add TravelHost as a Preferred Source by clicking here. Elise Stefanik at the annual CPAC DC conference at the Gaylord National Resort in Oxon Hill, Maryland on Saturday, Feb. 22, 2025. - Dominic Gwinn/AFP/Getty Images GOP Rep. Elise Stefanik plans to launch a bid for New York governor in November and has hired a number of key senior aides, a source familiar with the planning told CNN. Stefanik, who served in House GOP leadership, is one of President Donald Trumps key allies on Capitol Hill and has long been foreshadowing a challenge to New York Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul in 2026. The New York Republican has told allies that she plans on formally entering the race shortly after New York Citys mayoral election on Tuesday. Axios was first to report on Stefaniks plans. With more than a combined $13 million cash on hand, Stefanik has tapped a number of former Trump advisers and longtime aides who worked in finance, communications and operations roles to help launch her campaign. Trumps 2024 campaign strategist, Tony Fabrizio, will be Stefaniks pollster; the senior adviser who ran a key pro-Trump super PAC, Chris Grant, will serve as an adviser for Stefanik; and another Trump 2024 campaign official, Tim Sale, will also join the campaign, the source told CNN. Stefaniks longtime adviser Alex deGrasse will serve as the campaigns chief strategist and CFO while Stefaniks chief of staff, Patrick Hester, will also be involved, the source added. Earlier this year, the Trump administration pulled Stefaniks nomination to be US ambassador to the United Nations amid concerns over slim margins in the US House of Representatives. Fellow New York GOP Rep. Mike Lawler had been weighing a gubernatorial bid as well but ultimately announced his plans to remain in the House after Trump had made it clear that he would prefer for the two-term congressman to remain in the narrowly divided House rather than risk losing his competitive GOP seat. As she has prepared for a gubernatorial bid, Stefanik has positioned herself to take on Hochul on multiple fronts, from her views on immigrants to her endorsement of Zohran Mamdani for mayor of New York City. In a congressional hearing in June, the pair clashed over Trumps deployment of the National Guard to California. Stefanik questioned Hochul over New Yorks sanctuary policies for undocumented immigrants, providing a potential preview of next years gubernatorial race in the Empire State. In May during a CNN interview when asked about a potential match up against Stefanik, Hochul said, I look forward to that fight. No matter who it is, its not settled yet, but I say bring it on. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com FILE PHOTO: The podium for the director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation is seen at FBI headquarters in Washington, U.S. June 14, 2018. REUTERS/Yuri Gripas/File Photo By Douglas Gillison and Chris Prentice NEW YORK (Reuters) -The FBI last month searched the offices of a California real estate investment firm Continuum Analytics, which is linked to bad loans recently disclosed by Zions and Western Alliance, according to legal correspondence seen by Reuters. Continuum Analytics is an affiliate of the little-known Cantor Group funds which Zions and Western Alliance have said defaulted on about $160 million in loans, spooking markets already on alert for signs corporate credit is weakening. On September 11, FBI agents searched Continuum's Newport Beach, California, offices, law firm Paul Hastings wrote in a September 12 letter seen by Reuters. Representatives for Continuum did not respond to emails and calls seeking comment. The FBI is an enforcement arm of the Justice Department. Spokespeople for the agencies did not respond to requests for comment. An attorney for Cantor Group said the firm upheld the terms of the Zions and Western Alliance loans and did not provide comment on the government scrutiny. Allen Matkins, a law firm that represents other entities linked to Continuum, wrote in an October 2 letter that it learned on September 11 that certain of its clients were the subject of search warrants "in connection with a pending criminal investigation," and that a grand jury had been convened in the case. Prosecutors typically convene a grand jury when they intend to gather more evidence. The letters did not say which specific criminal authority was leading the case or what potential misconduct or individuals it was focused on. Criminal investigations do not necessarily mean any wrongdoing has occurred and many do not result in charges. Reuters is reporting the FBI search and probe for the first time. The government scrutiny could have ripple effects for what legal filings and public records show is a complex web of investors and lenders tied to Continuum's real estate dealings, some of which are entangled in civil litigation. Paul Hastings and Allen Matkins are representing parties embroiled in a complex real estate dispute. The letters relate to those proceedings. The Allen Matkins letter was disclosed in a California court. When asked about the letter by Reuters, a lawyer for Paul Hastings said the firm was "working to unravel multiple levels of alleged fraud," but did not provide more details. Allen Matkins did not respond to calls and emails seeking comment. PASSIVE INVESTORS Zions on October 15 sued Cantor Group fund guarantors Andrew Stupin and Gerald Marcil, among others, to recover more than $60 million in soured commercial and industrial loans. The next day, Western Alliance flagged that it had sued the pair and a different Cantor fund in August to recover nearly $100 million. Both suits allege key information was misrepresented or not disclosed, breaching the loan terms. Western Alliance also alleges fraud on the part of the Cantor fund. Continuum acquires and manages distressed real estate assets for groups of investors, and its largest investors include Stupin and Marcil, according to a February arbitration ruling related to the real estate dispute. That ruling found Cantor "consists solely" of Continuum's legal owner, Deba Shyam, and shares the Continuum offices. Shyam did not respond to calls and emails seeking comment. Cantor upheld its contractual obligations and was transparent with its lenders, while the loans were audited and independently reviewed multiple times over the years, said the Cantor attorney Brandon Tran, who also represents Stupin and Marcil. The pair are passive investors in Cantor and held no operational roles, he added. Cantor in legal filings has disputed that the Western Alliance loan is in default. In a statement, Marcil said he had invested in several of Continuum's properties. He denied wrongdoing and said that he was a victim. Spokespeople for Zions and Western Alliance did not respond to requests for comment. (Reporting by Douglas Gillison and Chris Prentice; Editing by Michelle Price) By Che Pan and Wen-Yee Lee BEIJING/TAIPEI (Reuters) -Dutch chipmaker Nexperia has suspended supplies of wafers to its Chinese assembly plant, according to a letter addressed to its customers that was reviewed by Reuters, which could exacerbate a supply squeeze that is worrying automakers worldwide. The letter, which was dated October 29 and signed by Nexperia interim CEO Stefan Tilger, said the company imposed the suspension on supplies to its plant in Dongguan, in southern China's Guangdong province, on October 26, saying it was "a direct consequence of the local management's recent failure to comply with the agreed contractual payment terms." Nexperia has been locked in a dispute with its Chinese unit after the Dutch government took control of Nexperia from its Chinese owner Wingtech Technology on September 30. It also removed its Chinese CEO, citing concerns that its technology could be appropriated by Wingtech. Nexperia's move came after the Dutch chipmaker's Chinese unit resumed supplying semiconductors to local customers but stipulated that all sales to distributors would need to be settled using the Chinese yuan. Previously, transactions had been settled with foreign currencies like the U.S. dollar. LARGE VOLUMES OF CHIPS The company produces large volumes of chips in the Netherlands that are widely used in the automotive and consumer electronics industries. Some 70% of the Netherlands-produced chips are packaged in China and sold mostly to distributors. "While we have maintained shipments for as long as commercially feasible, continuing the current flow of supply from our front-end sites is no longer justifiable," the letter said. "Unless these contractual obligations are fully satisfied, we cannot resume wafer supply to the site. Nexperia is developing alternative solutions to ensure (that) supply (is) continuing to our customers." Nexperia added that the decision did not reflect an intention to withdraw from its site in Dongguan or from the Chinese market as a whole, adding that it remained committed to finding a resolution to the problem. Nexperia said it is financially independent of Wingtech and it does not raise capital from Wingtech, the letter showed. A spokesperson for Nexperia confirmed it sent the letter and the company could not comment further. Nexperia China and Wingtech did not immediately respond to requests for comment. A spokesperson for the Dutch government referred questions about the wafer shut-off to Nexperia, saying the move had been a corporate decision while state intervention "concerns the preservation of production capacity and is not aimed at the company's day-to-day operations". The Netherlands is in discussions with European governments and the European Commission, as well as Chinese authorities, "to work toward a constructive solution," the spokesperson said. IMPACT ON PRODUCTION Court filings showed that the seizure by the Dutch government came as U.S. pressure was rising on Nexperia after Wingtech was placed on a restricted-export list, though Dutch authorities say governance shortcomings were the trigger. On October 4, China's commerce ministry blocked Nexperia from exporting chips from China. Industry bodies have sounded the alarm over the possible impact on production, with Stellantis saying on Thursday that it had set up a "war room" to monitor the situation. Japanese automaker Nissan said it had enough chips at the moment to last until the first week of November without disruption. Some Nexperia products that used to cost just a few Chinese cents have gone up in price to two or three yuan each over the past two weeks, more than 10 times their original cost, according to a source familiar with the matter. (Reporting by Che Pan in Beijing and Wen-Yee Lee in Taipei; Writing by Brenda Goh; Editing by Jacqueline Wong and Thomas Derpinghaus) jeffrey epstein,ehud barak,emails,diplomacy,israel,russia,syria Left: (Photo by ALEXEI BABUSHKIN/POOL/AFP via Getty Images) Right:: (Photo by JACK GUEZ/AFP via Getty Images) Hacked emails alleged Jeffrey Epstein facilitated efforts to open a backchannel between Israel and Russia during the Syrian civil war, according to multiple reports. Leaked emails allegedly between former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak and Epstein reveal multiple exchanges during the height of the Syrian conflict between 2013 and 2016, according to Drop Site News. The Handala Hacking Team, a hacking group, leaked the alleged emails and Distributed Denial of Secrets disseminated them, the outlet reported. The communications purportedly included a private meeting arranged by Epstein between Barak and Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss a potential joint effort to end the conflict. (RELATED: UK Fires Ambassador To US Over Relationship With Epstein) Epstein was a crucial asset for Barak by relaying insider information from Russias elite, insights on Putins international contacts and guidance on the Israeli intelligence service Mossad, the hacked materials alleged. After stepping down as defense minister, Barak allegedly expanded his global business ventures and investment network with support from Epsteins advice and contacts. Discussions explored securing Russian support for removing former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and pressuring the Obama administration to act in line with Israeli interests, the materials alleged. Assad fled to Russia on Dec. 8, 2024, after rebels captured Damascus, the Syrian capital. The deposed dictator now lives under strict Kremlin-imposed conditions and is barred from political activity and public appearances, Russian ambassador to Iraq Elbrus Kutrashev said, ARK News reported. (RELATED: Former Syrian Dictator Bashar al-Assad Reportedly Spends His Days Gaming It Out) Epstein communicated with Barak on Feb. 21, 2014, writing, with civil unrest exploding in ukraine, syria, somolia [sic], libya, and the desperation of those in power, isnt this perfect for you, according to the alleged emails obtained by Drop Site. Youre right [in] a way. But not simple to transform it into a cash flow. A subject for Saturday, the politician allegedly replied. Epstein allegedly voiced irritation in the exchanges over the Obama administrations failure to contain the Islamic Republic of Iran as he and Barak looked for ways to push Washington toward military action against the country. Together, they sought to pressure the administration to either directly involve itself in Syrias war or offer concessions to Moscow in return for Assads departure, the materials alleged. Although they managed to arrange a meeting with Putin in the summer of 2013, the effort to win Moscows backing for Assads removal failed, the emails allegedly revealed. The talks purportedly helped lay the groundwork for U.S.-Russia collaboration on dismantling Syrias chemical weapons later that year, Drop Site reported. After their unsuccessful bid to oust Assad, Barak and Epstein revisited their Russian backchannel in 2015 as Barak lobbied for U.S. military action against Iran and opposed Obamas proposed nuclear agreement, the materials alleged. Barak was purportedly unable to sway the administrations position. One cornerstone of Baraks covert diplomacy with Moscow was his alleged connection to Viktor Vekselberg a Russian-Israeli oligarch and head of the Renova Group, Drop Site reported. Seeking to position himself as a global power broker, Barak allegedly pursued a consulting role with the company that promised both a generous payout and deeper access to Russias political and business elite. Barak reportedly kept Epstein closely informed throughout the process. As the deal with Vekselberg advanced, Epstein advised him on his negotiations, including on compensation, the materials alleged. Epstein allegedly helped Barak write an op-ed aiming to help push for a transition in Syria led by Russia that would be in the interest of Israel, according to Drop Site. When former President Barack Obama called for a red line in Syria following reports of chemical attacks in August 2013, Epstein allegedly emailed Barak soon after suggesting that he get a shelved narrative on Syria published, Drop Site reported. Barak purportedly pushed back on it before agreeing that it may be right. Epstein allegedly offered Barak tactical advice on pushing the U.S. to strike Iran in the same email thread. I would use the opportunity to compare it with iran. The solutions become more compelx with time not less. i think many people would like your views on egypt. syria, etc. russias role.? i think you might point out the gassing of women and children is an expressions from the 20th centry. women are no longer equiv to children,. civilians. vs combatants . only, the convicted sex offender wrote, according to a screenshot obtained by Drop Site. (RELATED: Oversight Committee Obtains Epstein Birthday Book At Center Of Trump-WSJ Dispute) He allegedly went on to express the hope that Congress would approve military action against Iran after Syria by writing, hopefully someone suggests getting authorization now for Iran. the congress woudl do it Drop Site claimed the materials suggest he was a fixer who used backchannel diplomacy with Russia to secure access to senior officials and advance Israeli national security concerns even when it conflicted with the national security policies being pursued by the U.S. Barak is a former Israeli commando who rose to become Chief of Staff of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) before serving as the countrys Minister of Foreign Affairs, Prime Minister and Minister of Defense. He reportedly met with Jeffrey Epstein multiple times, traveling on private flights and visiting his Florida and New York residences, according to 2023 documents obtained by The Wall Street Journal. The Daily Caller reached out to Barak for comment but did not receive a response prior to publication. With an estimated 3.3 million saunas for a population of just over 5.6 million, in Finland sauna is a way of life. - Visit Tampere/Laura Vanzo EDITORS NOTE: If you have any health issues, you should consult your doctor before using a sauna. For some, the idea of sweating among semi-naked strangers in a small wooden box as hot as 100 degrees Celsius (212 Fahrenheit) might sound more like a sadistic form of torture than rest and relaxation. But others just cant get enough of the sauna. Im addicted to it, says Taeko Takahashi-Williams, 22, who works at the Community Sauna Baths in the Hackney Wick neighborhood of East London, as she emerges, beaming, from one of its seven sauna cabins. I get so high from the sauna. Around the world, people are getting the hots for sauna. In the UK, the number of public sauna sites has jumped from 45 in 2023 to 147 so far this year, according to the British Sauna Society; and in New Zealand, the US, and Australia, demand for sauna experiences is reportedly also increasing. Charlie Duckworth, 36, co-founded the Community Sauna Baths in 2021. The not-for-profit business offers wood-fired and electric saunas, and cold plunges, as well as events like sauna meditation and breathwork sessions, yoga, and queer poetry readings. The site has proved so popular that, over the past four years, Duckworth and his team have opened five more locations across the city. He thinks the growing popularity of saunas is coupled with other wellness trends, like the decline in alcohol consumption by younger generations. Especially in our core demographic of 25 to 40, people are more focused upon health, wellbeing and connection, he says, adding that in the UK, the sauna is one of a few places you can hang out as an alternative to the pub. London's Community Sauna Baths offer sauna and cold plunge facilities, as well as events like sauna meditation sessions and yoga. - Liz Seabrook While some research has warned of the potential risk of heatstroke, and that saunas may not be suitable for people with unstable heart disease, other studies have suggested saunas can have physical benefits, including reduced risk of cardiovascular disease and dementia; and those who use saunas regularly are more likely to report improved mood and higher levels of happiness. London is certainly no stranger to new-age wellness fads: ecstatic dance, sound baths and guided sensory walks have all had their moment. To the capitals trendy 20 to 40-somethings, a sauna might just seem like the newest bandwagon-worthy health trend. But in Finland, the practice has roots stretching back 10,000 years. The sauna is so central to the Finnish lifestyle that, in 2020, it was inscribed on the UNESCO list of intangible cultural heritage of humanity. Saunas were once the cornerstone of Finnish rural life, as a site for delousing farmworkers, drying grain, and curing meat. But today they have found a place in modern living. With an estimated 3.3 million saunas for a population of just over 5.6 million, saunas are everywhere: in apartments, workplaces, and even, at one point, a Burger King. If you have to name one element of Finnish identity, sauna definitely would be the most recognizable, says Visit Finland representative, Sergei Shkurov. He describes the sauna as a sacred place for Finns, explaining that it was traditionally the site of childbirth and where the dead were washed before burial. That means, basically, that sauna was in [a] persons life from its beginning to its end, he adds. In Tampere, southern Finland, the so-called sauna capital of the world, there are now over 70 public saunas, and according to the citys tourism board, visitor numbers are on the rise. Specialty saunas are also increasingly appearing across the country, catering to the tastes of modern Finns and international tourists who have caught the sauna bug, from a floating sauna restaurant to sauna tents on the frozen Arctic sea. Finnish saunas are typically wood-lined spaces, where water is poured over heated stones to create steam. The Serlachius Art Sauna, in southern Finland, is unusual for its round design. - Serlachius/Sampo Linkoneva Serlachius Museums, in Mantta in southern Finland, opened its Art Sauna in 2022. While artworks are not present in the heat room itself, visitors can combine their trip to the museums with a spell in its strikingly designed sauna complex. We dont consider ourselves only as a cultural institution, but very much as a travel destination, says museums director Pauli Sivonen. He says the sauna has hosted sauna freaks, people who travel to unique saunas around the world, from 23 different countries this year alone including Japan, Australia and New Zealand. The main thing, of course is the basic feeling of peace of mind that you always look for in sauna, Sivonen explains. But what makes it special is this very considered architecture and art and design that we have. Unlike a typical square Finnish sauna, the steam room of the Serlachius Art Sauna is round, and the complex uses hard materials like stone and concrete, in addition to wood. Designed by Mexican and Slovenian architects, Sivonen says the project has met with resistance from some Finns who see its modern twists as a break with Finnish sauna tradition. But I think thats kind of the beauty of it, he says, that its a mix of cultures. Sivonen nevertheless recognizes the importance of protecting Finnish sauna culture. Its actually quite beautiful that we have a sauna in [a] museum, he says. Museums, after all, are about preservation of traditions. The striking Serlachius Art Sauna uses hard materials like stone and concrete, in addition to wood. - Serlachius/Sampo Linkoneva It is also a hub for those in the surrounding areas, and Sivonen says he enjoys seeing what kind of interaction happens between these very local people and sauna tourists. Community is also at the heart of the sauna experience for Duckworth. He says he often sees older people socializing with younger people in his London saunas, adding that saunas can break down barriers in terms of age, gender, class. Anthropologist and psychologist Martha Newson, of the University of Oxford and University of Greenwich, who is studying the mental health impact of saunas, thinks that these wellbeing improvements are due to the social connections formed by having a sauna with other people. In Finland, the sauna has roots stretching back 10,000 years. - Visit Tampere/Laura Vanzo Its all about how sharing an experience together helps us feel like were one with others, she says. Just being in your swimwear and sweating with other people is very intimate. And I think it can do a lot for self-esteem to see other real human bodies and being (in) a pretty un-judgmental space to do that, she adds. At the Community Sauna Baths in Hackney Wick, friends Millie Monks and Raychel Myara are taking a break from the heat and sipping orange and cinnamon tea by the outside fire. Myara has visited only a few times, but really like[s] the energy of the place. Its really body-affirming to see all these women just relaxing, chatting and laughing with each other, she says. Monks started using the sauna regularly two and a half years ago, finding it a nice way to warm-up after cold-water swimming in Londons outdoor pools, and quite a nice way of finding community. Duckworth hopes the growth of saunas in the UK is more than just a passing trend. I think it should be a completely normal thing to do, he says. Fundamentally, it feels really good if you come twice a week, youre going to feel happier. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com In the ruins of Black River, which the Jamaican government has described as Hurricane Melissa's "ground zero," people are scrambling for relief. "People are hungry," said Monique Powell as she stood watch over a stash of groceries and household items for herself and a group of residents from another hurricane-torn community nearby. Melissa came ashore just west of Black River on Tuesday as one of the most powerful Atlantic hurricanes on record, leaving up to 90% of all structures in the town without roofs as it snapped power lines and toppled concrete structures. The storm was being blamed for at least 51 deaths, mostly in Haiti and Jamaica. It also hit Cuba hard. Authorities said 19 people were killed in Jamaica, at least 31 in Haiti and at least one in the Dominican Republic. Melissa was over the open waters of the Atlantic after racing past Bermuda early Friday, packing 90 mph maximum sustained winds, the Miami-based U.S. National Hurricane Center said. It became a post-tropical cyclone by late Friday morning, the center said. In Jamaica, helicopters hovered over isolated communities, dropping food as crews rushed to reopen roads. "You are not forgotten," said Daryl Vaz, energy and transport minister. Residents gather amid debris in the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa on a street in Black River, Jamaica, on Oct. 30, 2025. / Credit: Matias Delacroix / AP Christopher Boxe, a restaurant owner in Kingston, Jamaica, noted the stark differences in how various parts of the island fared. "This morning has felt like we live in two Jamaicas, you know, Jamaica, where, like most people are going to work in Kingston and their homes have minimal damage, and then you have the other half, which looks just devastated. And it's heartbreaking," he told CBS News. More than 7,000 people remained in shelters, with 66% of the island without power and around half of the nation's water systems offline, officials said at a news conference Friday. People clutched cash as they formed long lines at the few gas stations and supermarkets open in affected areas. Officials said the dead in Jamaica included a child, and they expected the death toll to keep rising. In one isolated community, residents pleaded with officials to remove the body of a victim tangled in a tree. On Thursday, dozens of U.S. search-and-rescue experts landed in Jamaica along with their dogs. No reported deaths but Cuba far from spared In Cuba, heavy equipment began to clear blocked roads and highways and the military helped rescue people trapped in isolated communities and at risk from landslides. No deaths were reported after the Civil Defense evacuated more than 735,000 people across eastern Cuba ahead of the storm. Residents were slowly starting to return home Thursday. A man stands next to a damaged house after Hurricane Melissa passed Boca de Dos Rios village, Santiago de Cuba province, Cuba on Oct. 30, 2025. / Credit: YAMIL LAGE / AFP via Getty Images The town of El Cobre in the eastern province of Santiago de Cuba was one of the hardest hit. Home to some 7,000 people, it is also the site of the Basilica of Our Lady of Charity, the patron saint of Cuba who is deeply venerated by Catholics and practitioners of Santeria, an Afro-Cuban religion. "We went through this very badly. So much wind, so much wind. Zinc roofs were torn off. Some houses completely collapsed. It was a disaster," said Odalys Ojeda, a 61-year-old retiree, as she looked up at the sky from her living room, where the roof and other parts of the house were torn away. Even the basilica was hit. "Here at the sanctuary, the carpentry, stained glass and even the masonry suffered extensive damage," Father Rogelio Dean Puerta said. A televised Civil Defense meeting chaired by President Miguel Diaz-Canel didn't provide an official estimate of the damage. However, officials from the affected provinces Santiago, Granma, Holguin, Guantanamo and Las Tunas reported losses of roofs, power lines and fiber optic telecommunications cables, as well as roads cut off, isolating communities, and heavy losses in banana, cassava and coffee plantations. Many communities were still without electricity, internet and telephone service because of downed transformers and power lines. In an unusual statement on Thursday, the U.S. State Department said Washington was "ready to assist the Cuban people." It said the U.S. "is prepared to provide immediate humanitarian assistance directly and through local partners who can deliver it more effectively to those in need." The statement didn't specify how the cooperation would be coordinated or whether contact had been made with the Cuban government, with which it maintains a bitter conflict that includes six decades of economic and financial sanctions. Haiti reeling Melissa also unleashed catastrophic flooding in Haiti, where authorities reported at least 31 people killed and 21 others missing, mostly in the country's southern region. More than 15,000 people also remained in shelters. "It is a sad moment for the country," said Laurent Saint-Cyr, president of Haiti's transitional presidential council. Jules Marcelin, who says he had two family members die in deadly flooding caused by Hurricane Melissa, shows the damage to his home in Petit Goave, Haiti, on Oct. 30, 2025. / Credit: Egeder Pq Fildor / REUTERS He said officials expect the death toll to rise and noted that the government was mobilizing resources to search for people and provide emergency relief. Haiti's Civil Protection Agency said Hurricane Melissa killed at least 20 people, including 10 children, in Petit-Goave, where more than 160 homes were damaged and 80 others destroyed. Steven Guadard said Melissa killed his entire family in Petit-Goave, including four children ranging in age from 1 month to 8 years. Michelet Degange, who has lived in Petit-Goave for three years, said Melissa left him homeless. "There is no place to rest the body; we are hungry," he said. "The authorities don't think about us. I haven't closed my eyes since the bad weather began." Trump wants Senate Republicans to scrap the filibuster to end the government shutdown House lawmakers told their paychecks are delayed until government reopens Video shows massive damage in Jamaica from Hurricane Melissa CALGARY, AB, Oct. 30, 2025 /PRNewswire/ - Frontera Energy Corporation (TSX: FEC) ("Frontera" or the "Company") announces that the Company will release its financial and operational results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2025, after markets close on Thursday, November 13th, 2025. A conference call for investors and analysts will be held on Friday, November 14th, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time. Participants will include Gabriel de Alba, Chairman of the Board of Directors, Orlando Cabrales, Chief Executive Officer, Rene Burgos, Chief Financial Officer, and other members of the senior management team. Analysts and investors are invited to participate using the following dial-in numbers: RapidConnect URL: https://emportal.ink/3JtQJjw Participant Number (Toll Free North America): 1-888-510-2154 Participant Number (Toll Free Colombia): +57-601-489-8375 Participant Number (International): 1-437-900-0527 Conference ID: 20437 Webcast URL: www.fronteraenergy.ca A replay of the conference call will be available until 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on November 21st, 2025. Encore Toll free Dial-in Number: 1-888-660-6345 International Dial-in Number: 1-289-819-1450 Encore ID: 20437 About Frontera: Frontera Energy Corporation is a Canadian public company involved in the exploration, development, production, transportation, storage and sale of oil and natural gas in South America, including related investments in both upstream and midstream facilities. The Company has a diversified portfolio of assets with interests in 22 exploration and production blocks in Colombia, Ecuador and Guyana, and pipeline and port facilities in Colombia. Frontera is committed to conducting business safely and in a socially, environmentally and ethically responsible manner. If you would like to receive News Releases via email as soon as they are published, please subscribe here: http://fronteraenergy.mediaroom.com/subscribe. Social Media Follow Frontera's social media channels at the following links: Twitter: https://twitter.com/fronteraenergy?lang=en Facebook: https://es-la.facebook.com/FronteraEnergy/ LinkedIn: https://co.linkedin.com/company/frontera-energy-corp. SOURCE Frontera Energy Corporation Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker speaks with supporters at a Kamala Harris for President campaign phone bank in Phoenix, Ariz., Sept. 28, 2024. Photo: Gage Skidmore / Flickr /CC BY-SA 2.0 / Cropped from Original Pritzker to sign tax, toll increases to bail out transit Gov. J.B. Pritzker says he looks forward to signing public transit legislation into law. The General Assembly passed the Northern Illinois Transit Authority Act in the final hours of the fall veto session early Friday. The bill authorizes the Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) to raise sales taxes by a quarter of a percent in Cook County and the collar counties outside Chicago. It also increases tolls on Illinois tollways and takes gas tax money from the states road fund. Prisoners to get personal phone calls The Illinois Department of Corrections has announced a new pilot program providing phone calls to individuals in custody at correctional facilities statewide. Beginning Nov. 3, each individual in custody will receive 775 free domestic phone call minutes, or approximately $6.20 per month, to call loved ones. The program utilizes a phone dialer application on tablets that have come under scrutiny for delays in scanning inmate mail to prevent contraband from entering IDOC facilitIes. Reminder to inspect smoke, CO alarms The Office of the Illinois State Fire Marshal (OSFM) is reminding residents to test, inspect and replace any broken or expired smoke and CO alarms with the end of daylight savings time. According to the National Fire Protection Association, working smoke alarms reduce the risk of dying in a home fire by about 60%, while the majority of civilian home fire deaths occur in homes with no smoke alarms or no working alarms. The state fire marshal says smoke alarms have a life span of 10 years before they need to be replaced. ### Were it not for a traffic violation, a murder-for-hire scheme plotted in July 2022 on behalf of the Iranian government might have taken the life of an Iranian-American journalist and human rights activist living in New York. Instead, two men described by federal prosecutors as Russian mob leaders were sentenced this week for their roles in the failed plot to kill Masih Alinejad, who had been a harsh critic of Iran and its human rights abuses before leaving the country in 2009. Rafat Amirov of Iran and Polad Omarov of Georgia each received 25-year terms, the U.S. Justice Department said Oct. 30. They were found guilty in March after a two-week trial of murder-for-hire and attempted murder in aid of racketeering, among other charges. The defendants and their criminal associates came chillingly close to gunning down an Iranian-American journalist on the streets of New York, said Assistant Attorney General for National Security John Eisenberg. We are committed to holding accountable those who join forces with this vile regime. Alinejad, who had publicized Irans discriminatory and oppressive treatment of women, repression of political expression and killings of Iranian protesters, has been the target of multiple Iran-ordered plots to harass, intimidate and/or kidnap her, the Justice Department said. The plot exposed at trial involved actors on three continents, culminating with a hitman with an AK-47 outside Ms. Alinejads apartment, said Jay Clayton, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York. According to court papers and trial evidence, the most recent plots prior to the murder-for-hire scheme took place in 2020 and 2021, when Iranian intelligence officials and assets conspired to kidnap Alinejad from the U.S. in an attempt to silence her ongoing criticism of the regime. "I am grateful to FBI for foiling the Islamic Republic of Iran's Intelligence Ministry's plot to kidnap me," Alinejad said after the plot was exposed. "We have been scared of the Islamic regime for a lifetime, but now the Islamic regime is scared of me." The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps turned to Amirov and Omarov when those efforts failed, court documents said. Both were high-ranking members of the Bazghandi Network, an Azerbaijani faction of the Russian Mob: Amirov was a so-called vor, the mobs highest rank, while Omarov, who aspired to be a vor, was the cousin of one. The guard corps offered Amirov $500,000 to carry out the crime and provided him with personal details about Alinejad, including her home address in Brooklyn, according to the documents. Prominent New York-based Iranian-American dissident and journalist Masih Alinejad makes a witness statement in this courtroom sketch next to Polad Omarov and Rafar Amirov, who were convicted of involvement in an unsuccessful Iran-backed plot to kill her. Each were sentenced to 25 years in prison at a federal court hearing in New York, U.S., October 29, 2025. Around July 2022, Amirov sent the information to Omarov. Omarov then shared it with Khalid Mehdiyev, another mobster who lived in Yonkers, New York, so that he could monitor and ultimately kill Alinejad. Amirov and Omarov arranged delivery of $30,000 to Mehdiyev, a portion of which he used to purchase an AK-47-style assault rifle, two magazines and 66 rounds of ammunition, the documents said. Mehdiyev repeatedly traveled to Alinejads neighborhood to stake out her residence, sending photographs, videos and updates on his activities to Omarov, who passed them on to Amirov. According to the documents, the events in late July 2022 unfolded as follows: On July 24, Mehdiyev told Omarov that he was at the crime scene. Three days later, Omarov told Amirov that Mehdiyev was ready to execute the order: This matter will be over today, he wrote. Iranian-American journalist Masih Alinejad celebrates outside the courthouse in New York on October 29, 2025 after a judge jailed two men for 25 years each for a plot allegedly hatched by Tehran to kill her. Rafat Amirov and Polad Omarov, both members of an eastern European criminal gang, orchestrated a failed plot to assassinate Alinejad, who has been highly critical of Iran and its human rights abuses. The next day, July 28, Mehdiyev sent Omarov a video taken from inside his car of him with his rifle. We are ready, he texted. However, as he drove away after staking out the residence, Mehdiyev was stopped for a traffic violation. Inside the vehicle, officers discovered the assault rifle, ammunition, gloves, a black ski mask and about $1,100 in cash, the documents said. A bullet was in the rifle's chamber. Mehdiyev was taken into custody, and before long the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps was demanding return of its money. Law enforcement officials said the case was part of a disturbing rise in plots involving criminal networks paid by Iran to target dissidents in the U.S. and around the world. The plot, orchestrated by the Iranian government to assassinate a dissident living in America, demonstrates the lengths to which authoritarian actors will go to silence voices of freedom, said Roman Rozhavsky, assistant director of the FBIs counterintelligence division. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Two mobsters sentenced in Iranian plot to kill NY journalist Two young children sit together on a schoolyard surface surrounded by colorful backpacks. Photo: Allison Shelley / EDUimages / CC BY-NC 4.0 / Cropped from Original (The Center Square) Colorado is experiencing a significant shortage of out-of-school programs, according to a new report. The survey found that, while parents of 463,000 children in Colorado want them in an after-school program, 75% of those children are not. While still significant, that is 2% lower than the national average. This should be a priority for lawmakers, according to Kelly Streck, director of the Colorado Afterschool Partnership. She spoke with The Center Square in an exclusive interview regarding the report. After-school programs are a must-have for Colorado families because it keeps kids safe, Streck said. We have the long-term data. That data shows that after-school programs are better for our kids across the board. Because of these programs, Streck explained parents are able to stay at work longer, while children are cared for during those gaps before school, after school, on the weekends and even during the summer. I have peace of mind knowing that my kids are safe and engaged and learning while I am continuing my job into the afternoon, she said. The fifth annual America After 3PM survey was conducted by the Afterschool Alliance. It found the number of Colorado children participating in an after-school program has increased only slightly since 2004. In 2025, 116,141 children were enrolled in an after-school program. That means 347,343 children were not able to attend those programs, according to the survey. It pointed to a variety of reasons for that gap, including program cost, availability and inaccessibility. Streck said this is a broader issue affecting both parents and children, especially in Colorado where there are more school districts that have four-day school weeks than those with the normal five-day school weeks. In fact, the survey found 90% of Colorado parents said after-school programs allow them to keep their jobs or work more hours, and 97% said theyre less stressed knowing their child is safe at an after-school program instead of being home alone. Many of these programs were bolstered by COVID-19 era funding, according to a 2024 report from the Afterschool Alliance. That funding is now dwindling. As American Rescue Plan and other pandemic relief funding expires, many Colorado youth will lose their programs and families and communities will lose essential supports if action is not taken, the report said. Streck said her entire job is to support after-school programs throughout Colorado while advocating for them to receive sustainable funding. Some of that funding includes $3.5 million approved in 2024 for a three-year Out-of-School Time Grant Program. So many of the Colorado congressmen were supportive of that bill, Streck said. She is hopeful she can successfully garner support to expand funding for that program, which is set to end in the 2026-2027 fiscal year. While lawmakers were very supportive of that program, their constituents hope to see that funding go even further. The America After 3PM survey found that an overwhelming 89% of Colorado parents support taxpayer funding for after-school programs. The Tennessee women's basketball team is days away from tipping off its highly-anticipated 2025-26 season, but senior guard Ruby Whitehorn has found herself in some more legal trouble. Whitehorn was arrested and charged with simple possession at 4:31 a.m. Thursday morning, according to the University of Tennessee Police Department's online crime logs. The arrest happened hours after Whitehorn scored 18 points in the Lady Volunteers' 148-48 exhibition win over Columbus State at Food City Center on Wednesday. Whitehorn transferred to Tennessee last season after spending the first two years of her collegiate career at Clemson. Whitehorn averaged 11.6 points, 4.0 rebounds and 1.7 assists in 34 games (28 starts) for Tennessee in the 2024-25, shooting 46.3% from the field and a career-high 29.8% from the 3-point line. Tennessee guard Ruby Whitehorn was arrested and charged with simple possession. It was Whitehorn's second issue with law the offseason. Whitehorn was suspended in August after facing felony charges of domestic assault and aggravated burglary. Whitehorn pled guilty to two lesser charges of aggravated trespassing and vandalism and was sentenced to probation and anger management classes, WVLT reported. Whitehorn, 21, is a little less than two months removed from the suspension following the arrest on Aug. 8. She was reinstated the week of Sept. 8. It's not clear if Whitehorn will face further discipline from the program following her latest arrest. "We are aware of the situation and awaiting additional information," Tennessee associate director of strategic communications Eric Trainer said. Tennessee tips off their season on Tuesday against NC State. The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Tennessee's Ruby Whitehorn charged with simple possession NATO and some of America's allies in the transatlantic alliance have sought to ease concerns over the Trump administration's move to reduce the U.S. military's presence in Europe amid Russia's ongoing assault on Ukraine and as it's accused of ramping up hybrid warfare against NATO nations. The Pentagon announced Thursday that it was reducing the number of U.S. troops deployed in Eastern Europe. U.S. officials told CBS News that around 700 U.S. airborne troops who have been deployed in Germany, Romania and Poland would come home and not be replaced. In a statement, the U.S. Army Europe and Africa said it was part of Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth's "deliberate process to ensure a balanced U.S. military force posture," and "not an American withdrawal from Europe or a signal of lessened commitment to NATO and Article 5. Rather this is a positive sign of increased European capability and responsibility." U.S. soldiers operate pusher vessels and a transportation barge on the Danube river, during Saber Guardian 25 military exercises in Frecatei, eastern Romania, June 13, 2025. / Credit: DANIEL MIHAILESCU/AFP/Getty "Our NATO allies are meeting President Trump's call to take primary responsibility for the conventional defense of Europe," the Army said. "This force posture adjustment will not change the security environment in Europe." NATO and allies stress "U.S.'s continued commitment" to Europe On Thursday, appearing keen to ease such concerns, Estonian Minister of Defense Hanno Pevkur said in a statement that the U.S. had "made a significant decision to maintain its military presence in Estonia, reaffirming the U.S.'s continued commitment to the defense of the region and NATO's entire eastern flank." "We are working to further strengthen the U.S. military presence in our region," he added. In September, Estonia said Russian military jets had violated the country's airspace for 12 minutes, just days after Poland said more than 20 Russian drones entered its airspace. This week, Lithuania closed its border with Russia's close ally Belarus, after accusing both countries of a "deliberate escalation of hybrid warfare." NATO says deterrence measures along its eastern flank have been "massively reinforced" over the last decade "as a direct result of Russia's behavior." That boundary runs from the Arctic Sea in the north to the Black Sea in the south. A map shows in dark blue the European nations which, along with the United States and Canada, are members of the transatlantic NATO defense alliance. / Credit: brichuas/Getty The reinforcements include U.S. troops, but the Trump administration has pushed its European NATO allies hard to take more responsibility and bear more of the financial burden for their own security, announcing earlier this year that it would make the Indo-Pacific a primary foreign policy focus, rather than Europe, despite the ongoing war in Ukraine. "The decision was expected," Romania's Ministry of Defense said in a statement Wednesday, referring to the announcement of the U.S. troop reduction. U.S. Ambassador to NATO Matthew Whitaker said in a social media post that America's partnership with Romania "remains stronger than ever," and reiterated the Pentagon's message that it was in response to European forces' increased capacities. The reassurances have not quelled debate about whether the move could be just the beginning of a wider U.S. withdrawal from Europe. The Ukrainian newspaper Kyiv Post reported Friday that further American troop reductions are expected, with troops to be pulled from Bulgaria, Slovakia and Hungary by the end of the year. There was no immediate public response to the report from the Pentagon or the Trump administration. NATO has also sought to ease concerns, with a senior military official from the alliance telling CBS News on Thursday that, "even with this adjustment, the U.S. force posture in Europe remains larger than it has been for many years." "U.S. commitment to NATO is clear," the official said. "President Trump and his administration have reiterated this time and again. NATO has robust defense plans in place and we are working to ensure we maintain the right forces and capabilities in place to deter and defend each other." Concern in Washington, from both sides of the aisle The announcement drew bipartisan criticism in Washington, with some senior lawmakers warning it could embolden Russia and undermine the NATO alliance. In a joint statement issued Thursday by the U.S. House Armed Services Committee, the chairmen of that committee and the corresponding Senate body both Republicans said they strongly opposed the change in the U.S. deployment in Romania, which they said "appears uncoordinated and directly at odds with the President's strategy." Senator Roger Wicker and Representative Mike Rogers, in the statement, also indicated that they believed the Pentagon could make further reductions to the U.S. deployment in Europe. "We strongly oppose the decision not to maintain the rotational U.S. brigade in Romania and the Pentagon's process for its ongoing force posture review that may result in further drawdowns of U.S. forces from Eastern Europe," said the Republican lawmakers. "On March 19, we stated that we will not accept significant changes to our warfighting structure that are made without a rigorous interagency process, coordination with combatant commanders and the Joint Staff, and collaboration with Congress," said Wicker and Rogers. "Unfortunately, this appears to be exactly what is being attempted." On Thursday, Rep. Mike Turner, also a Republican and the head of the U.S. delegation to the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, said he was "concerned by reports of reductions of US forces in Romania." "Congress has been clear that US force posture across Europe must remain robust and resolute. Russia's aggressive actions against Eastern Flank countries through intentional airspace incursions underscores Russia's ambition beyond Ukraine," said Turner. "It is in our national security interests to support our NATO Allies as they rightly ramp up their investments in their defense capabilities." Democratic Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, called the decision to reduce the U.S. presence in the region "deeply misguided" in a statement released Thursday. "This decision sends exactly the wrong signal to Vladimir Putin as he continues his murderous campaign in Ukraine and tests NATO resolve through provocations against other frontline states," she said. Trump wants Senate Republicans to scrap the filibuster to end the government shutdown House lawmakers told their paychecks are delayed until government reopens Video shows massive damage in Jamaica from Hurricane Melissa FILE PHOTO: The logo of computer chipmaker Nexperia is seen in Nijmegen, Netherlands April 12, 2024. REUTERS/Piroschka van de Wouw/File Photo By David Shepardson WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The White House plans to announce that Dutch chipmaker Nexperias China facilities will resume shipments, a source familiar with the situation told Reuters, in a key boost for auto manufacturers worldwide. The company produces large volumes of chips in the Netherlands that are widely used in autos and consumer electronics. Some 70% of the Netherlands-produced chips are packaged in China and sold mostly to distributors. Since earlier this month, Nexperia has been locked in a dispute with its Chinese unit after the Dutch government took control of Nexperia from its Chinese owner Wingtech Technology on September 30. It also removed its Chinese CEO, citing concerns its technology could be appropriated by Wingtech. On October 4, China's commerce ministry blocked Nexperia from exporting chips from China. Reuters reported Friday that Nexperia suspended supplies of wafers to its Chinese assembly plant, according to a letter addressed to its customers, which could exacerbate a supply squeeze that is worrying automakers. The White House is expected to release a fact sheet later on Friday offering more details on its Chinese trade agreement. Court filings showed that the seizure by the Dutch government came as U.S. pressure was rising on Nexperia after Wingtech was placed on a restricted-export list, though Dutch authorities say governance shortcomings were the trigger. Industry bodies have sounded the alarm over the possible impact on production, with Stellantis , which makes Jeep SUVs, saying on Thursday that it had set up a "war room" to monitor the situation. Japanese automaker Nissan said it had enough chips at the moment to last until the first week of November without disruption. (Reporting by David Shepardson; editing by Chris Sanders and Scott Malone) An image collage containing 5 images, Image 1 shows Erika Kirk speaking at a Turning Point USA event, Image 2 shows An attendee tearing up at a Turning Point USA event, Image 3 shows Erika Kirk, Charlie Kirk's widow, wiping a tear from her eye at a podium during a Turning Point USA event, Image 4 shows Erika Kirk backstage, wiping tears from her eyes, being introduced by an old recording of her husband Charlie Kirk, Image 5 shows Charlie and Erika Kirk with their two young children at a party with balloons The everlasting future of Charlie Kirks legacy was on full display Wednesday night as 10,000 people turned out to an emotional Turning Point USA campus event headlined by Vice President JD Vance and featuring Kirks widow Erika. The mom of two was overcome with emotion as a recording of her late husbands voice introduced her on stage at the University of Mississippi, the schools Sandy and John Black Pavilion so packed to the rafters that over 3,000 additional supporters had to be turned away at the door. The mom-of-two was seen crying softly backstage as she steeled herself to address the charged-up crowd. Erika Kirk fights back tears as she speaks at a Turning Point USA event on Wednesday, October 29, 2025. AP Erika Kirk tears up during a Turning Point USA event at the University of Mississippi on Wednesday, October 29, 2025. POOL/AFP via Getty Images Erika Kirk wipes away tears before she goes on stage at a Turning Point USA event. X/Michael_McCoyy You guys have no idea how helpful it is to have all you in my life you make me feel even more connected to my husband, Erika Kirk, 36, said as she dabbed her tears with a tissue as thunderous applause broke out. He didnt leave us empty-handed. He built a machine. And all of you are a part of that. It was the first time the widow who wore a white T-shirt emblazoned with the word Freedom, similar to the one Charlie Kirk was wearing the day he was killed took part in a TPUSA event since his Sept. 10 assassination in Utah. As she addressed the crowd, cheers of we love you echoed through the arena. Love you guys, too, she said with a broad smile. After a rousing address lasting nearly half an hour, Erika Kirk introduced her very, very dear friend Vance, who was one of Charlies pallbearers as his casket was placed aboard Air Force Two to be transported from Utah to Phoenix for the funeral. When our team asked my dear friend, Vice President JD Vance, to speak today, I really prayed on it because, obviously, its a very emotional, emotional day, Kirk told the capacity crowd. But I could just hear Charlie in my heart. I could just hear him say, Go reclaim that territory, babe. The battles already won. Gods love conquers. And thats why Im here today, she continued. Erika Kirk embraces Vice President JD Vance at a Turning Point USA event at the University of Mississippi. POOL/AFP via Getty Images Vance received a rockstars welcome as he took the stage, telling the assembled spectators that they represented the future of Charlie Kirks legacy. The VP dispensed with his prepared remarks, opting instead to speak from the heart because it was so often what Charlie would do. He remembered Kirk as the most effective person in politics that I have seen, and revealed that the late Turning Point USA founder called him to express concerns before President Trump ordered airstrikes on nuclear facilities in Iran. He was mad, Vance said of the phone call. Some attendees were seen crying during the TPUSA event. Getty Images He said Charlie Kirk told him: JD, Im really worried really worried that what is happening in the Middle East right now is going to lead to a protracted military conflict. Vance touted that the strikes on Iran did not result in a prolonged military conflict with Iran, and he credited Charlie Kirk with reminding him how important that issue is to Americans. Charlie and Erika Kirk seen together in an undated photo. Instagram/mrserikakirk I really believe that one of the reasons why the president of the United States knocked out the Iranian nuclear facilities, but never got the United States into a protracted military conflict and never lost a single American in a Middle Eastern conflict is because we had the wisdom and the good sense to recognize that the American people are done with American troops dying in unnecessary foreign conflicts but Charlie Kirk reminded me of that, Vance said. At one point, the crowd erupted in chants of 48! 48! in a clear endorsement of a Vance presidency. The veep spoke for over an hour, and even took audience questions in the mold of Charlie Kirks famous Prove Me Wrong events held during TPUSA campus events around the country. Please dont be nervous if you need to work through a question. Think through it, speak it, he said after inviting students to come up to take the mic. Were all here to have a nice conversation, and were all supportive of it. Charlie and Erika Kirk with their two children. Instagram/mrserikakirk A pair of students, Lucy and Ellie, who identified them as part of Ole Miss Turning Point USA Chapter, asked Vance how his faith helps him in his role as vice president. I grew up in a generation where even if people had very deep personal faith, they didnt talk about their faith a whole lot. And I grew up in a country where you just didnt hear political leaders talk about their faith, he said. But the reason I try to be the best husband I can be, the best father I can be, the reason I care so much about all of the issues were going to talk about is that I believe Ive been placed in this position for a brief period of time to do the most amount of good for God and the country that I love so much. Erika Kirk is emotional as she speaks at a Turning Point USA event in Mississippi on Wednesday, October 29, 2025. AP Erika Kirks speech drew heaps of praise on social media, where users lauded her bravery and poise in the face of such emotion. I cannot imagine how difficult this must be for her. What a strong & courageous young woman. God bless & protect her and all of TPUSA, one X user wrote. I dont know how shes getting through this, added another. Im crying hearing Charlies voice introduce her. Dont know how she can hold herself together. Just incredible, a third wrote. Erika Kirk on the Ole Miss stage embodies leadership under loss. May Charlies memory guide the room and keep the focus on service and principled governance as the VP is introduced, a fourth added. Donald Trump and Xi Jinping's exchange has been uncovered by a lip reader.MEGA Donald Trump was caught on camera whispering a telling four words to Chinese President Xi Jinping during a high-stakes meeting that could spell big implications for U.S.-China relations, RadarOnline.com can reveal. The subtle exchange didn't go unnoticed, as lip reader Nicola Hickling decoded what was allegedly said, revealing Trump also offered pleasantries, dubbing Xi a "great leader of a great country." Hidden Meanings Behind the Whisper Trump's whispered words to Xi sparked a firestorm of global speculation.MEGA Hickling highlighted the deeper nuances at play, adding, "Xis glance down, hesitant nod, and pursed lips speak volumes about the tension in that moment." She described the off-mic interaction as a rare glimpse into the raw dynamics at the worlds highest level, "a sharper global angle on power dynamics, personal tone, and unfiltered dialogue at the worlds top table in real time. Despite ongoing friction between the two superpowers, including heavy U.S. tariffs on Chinese imports and blame for the worsening American opioid crisis, the meeting opened with an air of flattery. Xi expressed his appreciation, stating, "It feels warm" to see Trump, even as he acknowledged the "frictions now and then" in their relations. Xi's Message of Cooperation Xis tight-lipped reaction spoke louder than Trumps whispered praise.MEGA "We should stay the right course and ensure the steady sailing forward of the giant ship of China-U.S. relations," Xi told Trump, emphasizing the importance of cooperation amidst global challenges. "I always believe that China's development goes hand-in-hand with your vision to make America great again. Our two countries are fully able to help each other succeed and prosper together." But as the world watched the power play unfold, tension was palpable. Trump reciprocated with praise, once again calling Xi a "great leader of a great country," adding optimistically, "were going to have a fantastic relationship for a long period of time." Power and Pressure Behind Closed Doors Body language analysts called the off-mic moment 'a masterclass in power theater.'MEGA However, the backdrop of Trumps aggressive tariffs and China's retaliatory export limits on rare earth elements gives this meeting an urgency that cannot be ignored. The possibility of an economic collision looms large as both sides recognize the stakes involved, along with the dire consequences that could threaten global stability. A Whisper of What's to Come Behind closed doors, Trumps whisper carried more weight than his speeches.MEGA As tensions mount and both nations pick their paths forward, one thing is clear: the whisper between Trump and Xi may just be a whisper of things to come. FRANKFURT, Germany, Oct. 31, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- From October 28th to 30th, Kexing Biopharm participated in CPHI Frankfurt 2025, one of the world's most influential pharmaceutical exhibitions, presenting its key product portfolio and international commercialization solutions to partners from global markets. During the event, Kexing Biopharm's international business team held productive meetings with industry representatives from multiple countries. Discussions focused on topics such as product registration, market access, and localized collaboration strategies. The company also showcased its full-cycle pharmaceutical capabilities - from APIs to finished dosage forms - supported by internationally compliant quality and regulatory systems. CPHI Frankfurt not only a platform for showcasing products and services, but also an important bridge for industry information sharing and resource integration. To this end, our company team actively visited competitor booths, scheduled meetings with clients, and exchanged information with industry partners on global pharmaceutical industry trends and overseas market policy dynamics. This accumulated valuable experience for optimizing our company's subsequent overseas expansion strategy, while also identifying potential clients. In recent years, Kexing Biopharm has advanced its "Global Selection + Global Coverage" strategy by identifying and introducing high-quality products across oncology, autoimmune, metabolic, and specialty therapeutic areas. Through this platform-based internationalization model, Kexing aims to accelerate the commercialization of high-quality Chinese medicines around the world. Looking ahead, Kexing Biopharm remains committed to expanding its presence in global markets through open collaboration, professional operations, and a patient-centered approachbringing accessible, high-quality healthcare solutions to patients across more regions. Kexing Biopharm (Stock Code: 688136.SH) is a multinational biopharmaceutical enterprise that engages in the R&D, manufacture and sales of innovative medicines of distinct modalities including recombinant proteins, antibodies, and cellular/gene therapies. Through building cutting-edge technology platforms to advance the development of novel targeted therapies and drug delivery systems, Kexing strives to address unmet clinical needs in the areas of oncology, autoimmune and antiviral treatment, creating a significant and meaningful positive impact on patients' lives. By adhering to the platform development model driven by the twin engines of "Innovation & Internationalization", Kexing is committed to becoming a world leader in high-quality biopharmaceuticals, improving the health of patients worldwide. SOURCE Kexing Biopharm Have you ever watched a movie that changed the way you think about a phrase forever? For me, that movie is Sling Blade, written, directed by, and starring Billy Bob Thornton. He won an Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay and snagged a nomination for Best Actor, too. But the award I'd give him is "Best Way to Say French Fries," because to this day, I can't read those two words without hearing Karl Childers' slow drawl saying, "French fried potaters." You know exactly what I mean. Now, yes, Sling Blade isn't exactly the kind of movie you throw on for a feel-good escape. It's dark, a little heavy, and full of moral tension. Still, there's something undeniably comforting about the film's small-town rhythm: the way time stretches just a little longer, conversations meander, and everyone knows whose cousin you are. You can find that same feeling right here in Benton, Arkansas and that's no coincidence. Benton is where Sling Blade was filmed, and walking its streets today feels like stepping right onto the set. Benton sits just off I-30, about halfway between Little Rock and Hot Springs, which makes it an easy stop for anyone exploring central Arkansas. Founded in the 1830s and named for Missouri Senator Thomas Hart Benton, this town has roots deep enough to make even Karl Childers nod with approval. Back in the day, Benton was known for its bauxite mining, the ore that made aluminum for World War II airplanes. Today, the town mines something else entirely: Southern charm and local character. Fans of Sling Blade can actually visit several of the original filming locations. Start with Gary's Slingblade Drive-In, where the grease smells right, the burgers are big, and you half expect Karl himself to shuffle up to the counter. Then head to The Fix-It Shop, the old-school garage where he worked as a mechanic in the film. The air smells faintly of oil and sawdust, the kind of place where time hums quietly along with the machinery. Over at C.W. Lewis Stadium, you can practically hear the echoes of small-town pride from the bleachers: Friday night lights, Arkansas style. And don't miss Edison Avenue or the Gann House area, where the film's slower, quieter scenes captured the heartbeat of Benton life. Between sightseeing, Benton's got plenty to feed your body and your nostalgia. Locals swear by Salem Dairy Bar, a retro drive-in that still serves thick milkshakes and crispy fries (yes, French fried potaters). For something heartier, Olde Crow General Store dishes out comfort food so good it could make even Doyle smile (and that's saying something.) Once you're good and full, explore the Gann Museum of Saline County, housed in a building made entirely of bauxite blocks the only one of its kind in the world. Inside, you'll find stories of Benton's past, from the bauxite boom to Niloak pottery, the town's famous swirling ceramic art. It's the kind of place Karl might've wandered through, curious and quiet, taking in history one artifact at a time. When it's time to rest your head, Benton keeps things delightfully weird with a Harry Potter-themed Airbnb. Because really, who doesn't want to go from Sling Blade to Sorcerer's Stone in a single day? The mix of whimsy and Southern hospitality fits Benton perfectly a place that embraces both tradition and imagination. Modern Benton feels cinematic in more ways than one. Its historic downtown, revitalized with new shops and cafes, hums with energy. Decorative banners wave over restored sidewalks, trees line the streets, and every corner feels like a potential movie scene. Folks still say "hey" when you walk by, and no one's in much of a hurry. Around here, the sweet tea's cold, the stories are long, and the sense of place runs deep. So if you're craving that Sling Blade atmosphere-the Southern cadence, the charm, the kind of town where life unfolds at its own pace-Benton, Arkansas, is waiting. Visit Gary's Slingblade Drive-In, grab some French fried potaters, and soak up the movie magic in real life. You might not win an Oscar, but you'll definitely walk away with a good story or two and maybe a new way to order your fries. Go on and visit Benton, Arkansas. Make your movie dreams come true, minus the murder plot. As Karl would say, "Mmm-hmm, reckon you'll like it there." Find some other vacation spots we reckon youll like using our new Trip Planner! An ICE Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) officer during an operation. US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Federal agents arrested an undocumented woman from Guatemala in Woodbury on Monday, Oct. 20, in connection with a homicide and a planned murder in Guatemala, authorities said. The woman, who was living in Woodbury, was taken into custody on an outstanding Red Notice warrant, according to a statement from the Woodbury City Police Department. Her identity was not released. Police said the Woodbury City Police Department had no involvement in the arrest but was initially involved in the investigation of the case. The Woodbury City Police Department does not give advanced notice or warning of any Federal Agents location or arrival in the city who are serving valid warrants for an arrest, officials said. The Woodbury Police Department has always followed this protocol (for officer safety) whenever the United States Marshals Service, the Gloucester County Prosecutors Office or even Woodbury police officers are serving a valid warrant within our jurisdiction. Anne Jakrajutatip is no longer Miss Universe's CEO. Josh Brasted/Getty Images Anne Jakrajutatip has been replaced as CEO of Miss Universe, which she bought in 2022. Mario Bucaro, the organization's vice president for international relations, will take her place. Jakrajutatip has been involved in numerous scandals over the past few years. Beauty queens from around the world are soon set to arrive in Thailand for the start of the Miss Universe pageant, which will take place from November 2 to 21. And in the days leading up, there's been a major leadership shake-up behind the scenes. On Wednesday, the organization announced that Anne Jakrajutatip was replaced as CEO. Jakrajutatip made history as the first woman to own the 74-year-old pageant when her Thai-based company, JKN Global Group, purchased the organization from Endeavor for $20 million in October 2022. She's being replaced by Mario Bucaro, a former diplomat who most recently served as the Miss Universe Organization's vice president for international relations. Bucaro has previously worked as the ambassador of Guatemala to Israel, Mexico, Bulgaria, and Cyprus. He also served as Guatemala's Minister of Foreign Affairs for two years before joining Miss Universe. Jakrajutatip and the Miss Universe Organization didn't immediately respond to requests for comment. A new regime Mario Bucaro previously served as Guatemala's foreign minister. He is pictured here at United Nations headquarters on October 26, 2023 in New York City. Eduardo Munoz Alvarez/Getty Images The organization said Bucaro will work alongside Raul Rocha, who will continue to serve as president, a title he has held since Jakrajutatip sold a 50% stake of Miss Universe to his company, Legacy Holding Group USA Inc., in January 2024. Rocha didn't immediately respond to a request for comment. Miss Universe said in its announcement that Bucaro helped the pageant expand "its presence to over 130 countries." As the new CEO, he will continue to focus on global outreach and "enriching the candidate experience while upholding integrity and fairness." "The Board of the Miss Universe Organization expresses its full confidence in Mario Bucaro's leadership to guide the organization into a new era of growth and global influence," the organization added. "His vision of Miss Universe as a worldwide movement that celebrates authenticity, transformation, and empowerment will continue to unite cultures, expand opportunities for women, and elevate the values that define our brand." A troubled predecessor Anne Jakrajutatip bought Miss Universe for $20 million in October 2022. LILLIAN SUWANRUMPHA/AFP via Getty Images When Jakrajutatip took over Miss Universe in October 2022, it was heralded as a historic new era. She gave a rousing speech at her first Miss Universe in January 2023, telling fans that the pageant was "going to be run by women, owned by a trans woman, for all women around the world." Financial issues quickly followed. In September 2023, Jakrajutatip's company missed a payment on a multimillion-dollar loan. In a letter to the stock exchange president, the company said, "The financial liquidity management of the company is not in line with the expected forecast." JKN Global petitioned Thailand's bankruptcy court at the time and said it planned to restructure its debt. By June 2025, rumors began circulating that Jakrajutatip was stepping away from the Miss Universe Organization after Thailand's Securities and Exchange Commission filed a complaint against JKN Global. The complaint alleges that Jakrajutatip and her sister, Pimauma Jakrajutatip, included false or misleading information in the 2023 financial statements for the fiscal year and in the Q1 2024 accounting documents. On June 6, JKN Global sent a letter to the president of Thailand's Stock Exchange confirming that the sisters had resigned and that a special audit was underway. The same day, the Miss Universe Organization said Jakrajutatip remained in charge of the pageant. "We categorically deny any reports suggesting a change in leadership within the organization. Anne Jakrajutatip remains the chief executive officer of the Miss Universe Organization," the statement read. However, in the new statement announcing Bucaro's succession, the Miss Universe Organization said Jakrajutatip had stepped down as CEO on June 20 and was now turning her focus to her family. Jakrajutatip with (from L-R): Miss Universe 2020 Andrea Meza, Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray, and former Miss Universe president Paula Shugart and former Miss Universe CEO Amy Emmerich in 2023. LILLIAN SUWANRUMPHA/AFP via Getty Images Before the 72nd Miss Universe competition in El Salvador, Jakrajutatip promised fans that the pageant was always "my first priority in life." "Our universe must go on, must be great and must stay on top as the legendary Beauty Olympics in the World! I will sacrifice and do everything for the great success of OUR UNIVERSE!" she wrote in a statement posted to Instagram in November 2023. Jakrajutatip then became embroiled in several scandals of her own. Jakrajutatip with Miss Universe president Raul Rocha and Miss Universe 2024 Victoria Kjr Theilvig. Hector Vivas/Getty Images A video from an October 2023 Miss Universe staff meeting, obtained by Business Insider, showed Jakrajutatip telling staff that diverse contestants "can compete, but they can't win." She later said on Facebook that she was discussing a potential Miss Universe reality show. Weeks before Miss Universe 2024, Jakrajutatip and advisor Osmel Sousa judged contestants' photos on Instagram Live. Sousa, who once told The New York Times that inner beauty "was something that unpretty women invented to justify themselves," was seen laughing and making faces with Jakrajutatip at some contestants. After Miss Denmark Victoria Kjr Theilvig was crowned Miss Universe in November 2024, Jakrajutatip told reporters that she didn't believe the pageant needed to evolve anymore. "We have blond and blue eyes," Jakrajutatip said, referring to Theilvig's appearance. "We already got the best here." In March, former Miss Universe judge Denise White told Business Insider that Jakrajutatip had pressured longtime Miss Universe president Paula Shugart to ensure Miss Thailand made the top five during the 2023 pageant in El Salvador. White said Shugart told her, "I can't believe Anne is telling me that, no matter what, we have to make sure Thailand is in the top five." Shugart, who resigned during the competition, refused to comply. Thailand's contestant ultimately placed as first runner-up. Jakrajutatip didn't respond to a request for comment at the time and never publicly addressed the allegation. Miss Universe has shared similar struggles with the Miss USA pageant, which it oversees. Following two years of scandal under former CEO Laylah Rose, the organization announced in September that Thom Brodeur was taking over Miss USA and Miss Teen USA. Brodeur told Business Insider he had four weeks to plan the 2025 pageants, which took place on October 23 and 24 in Reno, Nevada. Now, pageant fans are waiting to see what's in store for Miss Universe. Read the original article on Business Insider AWS CEO Matt Garman this week announced that Amazon is significantly expanding its cloud infrastructure investments in the Asia Pacific (APAC) region with plans to invest more than US$40 billion in 14 APEC economies by 2028. The strategy aims in large part to support the large-scale deployment of AI agents at companies throughout the region. AWS CEO Matt Garman emphasized in his keynote speech at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) CEO Summit held this week in Gyeongju, South Korea, that AI agents are the core of next-generation innovation that will fundamentally change the way businesses operate. At the event, Garman explained that generative AI is driving a new wave of technological innovation, and AI agents are becoming a key driver in translating this innovation into tangible results. He also explained that the introduction of AI agents can go beyond the efficiency improvements of existing generative AI and more than double the productivity of overall corporate operations. AWS announced in a press release that Japans Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group (MUFG) has introduced AWS-based AI agents to automate financial analysis and proposal writing processes, expanding the number of potential clients tenfold and increasing deal completion rates by 30 per cent. Citing this case, AWS explained that the effectiveness of AI agents is already evident across various industries, including finance and telecommunications. Meanwhile, AWS announced plans to invest an additional US$5 billion in expanding its data centre infrastructure to support AI and cloud computing technologies in Korea from 2025 to 2031. AWS has invested over US$4 billion in Koreas cloud infrastructure to date, and Amazons total investment in Korea is expected to exceed US$9 billion by 2031. ARLINGTON, Va., Oct. 31, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Six leading military associations pressed congressional leadership to restore federal funding and end the month-long government shutdown today in a letter to House and Senate majority and minority leadership. Warning that continued inaction is jeopardizing military readiness and the well-being of service members, defense civilians, and their families, the six associations, which represent a combined 1.8 million members, include: The Air & Space Forces Association (AFA) The Association of the United States Army (AUSA) Marine Corps Association (MCA) National Guard Association of the United States (NGAUS) Reserve Organization of America (ROA) Enlisted Association of the National Guard of the United States (EANGUS) Addressing Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, Senate Majority Leader John Thune, and Senate Democratic Leader Charles Schumer, the six military associations highlight the growing impact of the funding lapse across the defense community. "America's Airmen, Guardians, and their Families should never have to shoulder the burden of political gridlock. Every day this shutdown continues; readiness erodes, morale declines, and the people who keep our nation safe face mounting uncertainty. Congress must act now to restore full federal funding and ensure our troops are paid and supported," said AFA President and CEO Lt. Gen. Burt Field, USAF (Ret.) The letter warns that as the shutdown continues, the situation will worsen. Military members received their pay Oct. 31, but Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has indicated that funds may not be available to cover Nov. 15 paychecks. That puts military families at risk of not getting paid mid-month, while federal civilians are at risk of missing a third consecutive paycheck. "At $8.5 billion a month, the military payroll crisis is too large for charities or public generosity to overcome," the letter adds. "Were every American to contribute $20 to offset the cost of military payroll, that would still be too little to cover a month's military pay. Only restoring federal funding can solve this problem." Media Availability AFA President and CEO Lt. Gen. Burt Field, USAF (Ret.), is available for media interviews. About AFA The Air & Space Forces Association is an independent, non-profit 501(c)3 association dedicated to advocating for investment and support for the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Space Force, and for supporting Airmen, Guardians, and their Families. Founded in 1946, AFA is the single largest entity of its kind focused on air and space power. With more than 130,000 members and 200 chapters spread around the world, our mission is to promote dominant U.S. Air and Space Forces as the foundation of a strong National Defense; to honor and support Airmen, Guardians, and their Families; and to remember and respect the enduring heritage of the Air and Space Forces. SOURCE Air & Space Forces Association Reports from the Busan summit are only about trade deals. While the trial of Lee Cheuk-yan and Chow Hang-tung (imprisoned for more than 1,500 days for Tiananmen vigils) is further postponed in Hong Kong, another independent newspaper is closing in Macau, and Radio Free Asia has come to a complete halt, stifled by cuts in US government funding. Is there still room for the fight for freedom in the era of transactional negotiations? Milan (AsiaNews) Geopolitical analysts around the world are discussing the outcome of the highly anticipated meeting between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, the first in six years, held yesterday in Busan, South Korea, on the sidelines of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation summit. Beyond the usual rhetorical declarations of collaboration (Xi Jinping even went so far as to say that the slogan "Make America Great Again" closely resembles his mantra on Chinas renaissance), the meeting, which lasted an hour and forty minutes, produced no joint statements or signed agreements and appears to be nothing more than a truce in the trade war between the United States and China. In short, Washington is putting on hold the additional 10 per cent tariffs for one year in exchange for Beijing lifting its ban on rare earth exports and resuming imports of US-made soybeans. Trade issues aside, Trump's "12 on a scale of 10" rating at the summit with Xi Jinping had nothing to say about human rights in China. The US president had promised to raise during the talks the issue of Jimmy Lai, the pro-democracy Catholic businessman held in a Hong Kong prison for nearly five years. Recently, Washington had harshly condemned the wave of arrests in the People's Republic, such as that of Rev Jin Mingri and other leaders of the Zion Church, one of China's largest house churches, who have been held since 10 October. The coming weeks will show whether anything has come out of the Trump-Xi meeting, beyond the silence. The fact remains that in the era of tariff and trade wars, the issue of human rights seems to have completely disappeared from Sino-US summits. Yet the crackdown on dissent is getting worse every day. While the world's attention was focused on the Xi-Trump summit, 92 international civil society groups and prominent figures appealed to the governments of the G7 countries (including the United States) and European Union member states regarding the fate of trade unionist Lee Cheuk-yan and lawyer Chow Hang-tung, who have been detained in Hong Kong for more than 1,500 days. The two have been charged with "inciting subversion of state power" under the national security law imposed by Beijing in 2020 for their role in organising every 4 June (along with local lawmaker Albert Ho, also detained since 2023) the vigils that, until 2019, commemorated the victims of the Tiananmen Square massacre. Set for 3 November, their trial was postponed for another two months without any explanation. Chow, a distinguished barrister and an Amnesty International-recognized prisoner of conscience, and Lee, a prominent labour leader and fellow pro-democracy activist, have been unjustly imprisoned for over 1,500 days simply for exercising their rights to freedom of expression, association, and peaceful assembly. We call upon the governments of the Group of Seven (G7) and member states of the European Union (EU)/European Economic Area (EEA) to closely monitor the trial and exert diplomatic pressure, both bilaterally and multilaterally, on the Hong Kong government to immediately release Chow Hang-tung and Lee Cheuk-yan, and to drop all criminal charges against them. Freedom of information is another issue. The Hong Kong Free Press one of the last remaining independent voices in the former British colony after the 2020 crackdown that led to the closure of several newspapers due to economic strangulation, including Jimmy Lai's Apple Dailyreleased the results of months-long random audits conducted by the local tax agency, which sifted through seven years of accounts. Having underpaid the tax authorities by 3,020 Hong Kong dollars (US$ 390, or 0.78 per cent of its revenue), the Hong Kong Free Press was forced to pay a fine of HK$ 57,692 (US$ 7,500), almost 20 times the original ammoung in order to continue operating. Meanwhile, in Macau, a former Portuguese colony, which came under Chinese sovereignty in late 1999, All About Macau, a local independent media outlet, announced its closure today after the authorities denied its journalists access to official events and cancelled its registration. It is striking that in this context, the Trump administration now seems indifferent to the demise of Radio Free Asia, the media funded by the US government that for nearly 30 years reported on dissent and human rights violations in China and other authoritarian regimes in the region. After significantly reducing its activities in March following the White House's cuts to funding, Radio Free Asia on Wednesday stopped updating its website entirely, coincidentally on the eve of the Trump-Xi summit, warning that independent journalism is at risk. In an era of grands summits, overshadowed by trade agreements resulting from transactional negotiations, is there still room for the fight for freedom in China? This is the real question left unanswered by the Busan summit. 31 October 2025 15:09 (UTC+04:00) Akbar Novruz Read more The Baku Military Court continued its proceedings on October 31 in the criminal case against citizens of the Republic of Armenia accused of committing war crimes and other grave offenses, Azernews reports. According to Azernews, the session involved the announcement of documents and several procedural motions. The lawyer of the accused Levon Mnatsakanyan, Ogtay Madatov, requested a meeting with his client during the break, which the judge approved. Another defendant, David Manukyan, filed a motion to separate the charge of creating an organized criminal group from his case. His lawyer, Valeh Gurbanov, supported the motion; however, the public prosecutor, Fuad Musayev, noted that it was not appropriate for the current stage of the trial. Following deliberation, the court rejected the motion as unfounded. Later, Madat Babayans lawyer, Leyla Namazzadeh, filed a motion to exclude certain episodes from the charges against her client, which Babayan supported. Public Prosecutor Tarana Mammadova opposed the request, and the court stated that the motion would be reviewed in deliberation. The trial concerns Armenian citizens accused of crimes against peace and humanity, including war crimes, terrorism, financing terrorism, genocide, and other offenses stemming from Armenias military aggression against Azerbaijan. The hearings are ongoing 31 October 2025 17:03 (UTC+04:00) Akbar Novruz Read more For the first time, an event dedicated to Belgian colonialism is being held in Baku, bringing together representatives, diplomats, and officials from Belgiums former colonies, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, and Burundi. The conference, attended by specialists in international law, historians, researchers, civil society activists, and experts on reparations from eight countries, focuses on one of the darkest and most neglected pages of global history, the crimes of Belgian colonialism and its lasting neocolonial legacy. The discussions, organized within the framework of the Baku Initiative Group (BIG), shed light on the atrocities committed during Belgiums colonial rule and emphasize the urgent need for reparations and international recognition. The Baku Initiative Group has taken the lead in raising these demands to the global level, calling for the establishment of mechanisms within international law to ensure accountability and justice for the victims of colonialism. The historical facts discussed during the conference are shocking in scale and cruelty. Under the rule of King Leopold II, the Congo Free State became a site of unprecedented human suffering. More than 10 million people perished, while tens of thousands were mutilated, and villages were burned to the ground in pursuit of rubber and ivory. Severed hands, a gruesome hallmark of colonial control, became symbols of the brutality inflicted upon the Congolese people. Belgiums policies in Rwanda and Burundi also left a lasting wound. The colonial administration institutionalized ethnic divisions by issuing 600,000 identity cards in 1933, directly sowing the seeds of future genocides 800,000 murders in Rwanda in 1994 and 150,000 in Burundi in 1972. In the 1940s and 1950s, some 20,000 Metis children were forcibly taken from their families and sent to Belgium, another example of systemic dehumanization under colonial rule. Cultural exploitation was no less severe. The Tervuren Museum in Belgium currently holds 180,000 artifacts looted from African nations during the colonial era, including more than 40,000 objects taken from Rwanda alone. These cultural treasures, now showcased in European museums, remain a haunting reminder of historical plunder and the continuing injustice of unreturned heritage. According to a 2019 UN report, Belgium should be held accountable for the crimes committed in its former colonies, with recommendations to open archives, investigate abuses, and provide reparations, estimated at 500 billion for the Democratic Republic of the Congo and 36 billion for Burundi. Yet, despite these recommendations, Belgium continues its neocolonial exploitation, maintaining control over strategic resources, including more than 80% of cobalt mines in its former territories. Speaking at Baku State University, Congolese journalist and researcher Dieudonne Kwebe-Kimpele praised the initiative: While this issue is not being discussed in the international community, the Baku Initiative Group is re-examining 140 years of colonial history, he noted. His words captured the essence of what Baku represents today a platform for truth, justice, and moral leadership. The Baku Initiative Groups commitment to addressing historical injustices reflects Azerbaijans consistent moral stance on global issues. Having itself experienced occupation and double standards, Azerbaijan deeply understands the value of independence and the pain of historical injustice. By supporting the struggles of formerly colonized nations, Baku has positioned itself as a voice for those silenced by history and ignored by global powers. At a time when many European capitals prefer to rewrite their colonial pasts, presenting themselves as champions of human rights, Bakus message is clear, true justice begins with truth. Colonial empires may have fallen, but their legacies persist through economic dependency, cultural appropriation, and systemic inequality. As Africa reclaims its narrative, Azerbaijan stands as a partner in solidarity, proving that moral leadership lies not in rhetoric, but in action. 31 October 2025 20:47 (UTC+04:00) Akbar Novruz Read more US President Donald J. Trump has reignited global debate after announcing on TruthSocial that he has instructed the Department of War to begin nuclear weapons testing, marking a major shift in US defense policy. In his post, Trump stated that during his first term, the United States not only expanded but also fully modernized its nuclear arsenal, making it the strongest in the world. Although he claimed he hated to do it, the president said he had no choice given the ongoing nuclear activities of Russia and China. In parallel, President Trump approved a new agreement to purchase agricultural products from China, a move viewed as both a gesture of balance toward US farmers and a signal that he intends to manage US-China relations through controlled interdependence rather than direct confrontation. Yet, his decision to resume nuclear testing has raised alarms among global security experts, who warn that it could pave the way for Russia and China to legitimize similar tests and potentially trigger a new arms race. This development also coincides with Russias successful test of the Poseidon unmanned underwater vehicle powered by a nuclear reactor, which President Vladimir Putin hailed as a great success. As the worlds major powers test both their weapons and their influence, analysts suggest that the global order is entering a new cold peace, an era without open conflict but defined by strategic rivalry, technological competition, and military deterrence. But, what message is President Trump trying to send by resuming U.S. nuclear testing at this stage of global competition? What implications does this hold for U.S. alliances, particularly NATO and Indo-Pacific partners like Japan and South Korea? How might the resumption of US nuclear testing affect the global arms control framework, particularly the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT)? Azernews asked experts to weigh in on these questions: Ukrainian military expert Vadim Tryukhan believes Trump's statement is not surprising and indicates his frustration. Nothing surprising. Donald Trump needs to show strength. Apparently, he's fed up with all these ostentatious performances with the so-called Oreshnikov, Burevestnik, and Poseidon tests, and he's decided to slam his fist on the table. When and in what form the tests will take place a nuclear explosion, an atomic bomb, or a launch vehicle is still completely unclear. We only know some general intentions on the American side. But the fact remains that Donald Trump is thus demonstrating to the world, especially Putin and Xi Jinping, that he has been, is, and intends to remain the most powerful player on the international stage and that his nuclear weapons his nuclear arsenal are in good shape. Putin has threatened, threatened, and threatened that's how one can characterize the current moment. What are the implications for US alliances? Well, I believe they will strengthen both in NATO and in the Indo-Pacific region. US allies will breathe a sigh of relief, perceiving this situation as Washington's return the US's return to the grand geopolitical game. Now, as we've seen, Donald Trump has conducted a rather successful Indo-Pacific tour, so to speak, concluded lucrative agreements with Japan and South Korea, and held a rather successful meeting with Xi Jinping, where it's clear that not all issues were resolved, but nevertheless, it was clear that both sides intend to treat each other with respect, and a relationship of constructive competition is gradually developing between them. But, on the other hand, this could be called a kind of unwritten non-aggression pact. That is, they don't want to interfere with the relationship between Washington and Beijing. So, the world is bracing itself for an escalating confrontation, primarily between Washington and Moscow, while China is currently determining its position. In any case, knowing the traditions of Eastern diplomacy, it will slowly, like that Eastern dragon, watch as its rivals wear each other down. British political analyst Neil Watson, however, argues that if Washington moves forward with real nuclear tests, it could undermine the long-standing taboo and provide Russia, China, and emerging nuclear powers with a pretext to justify their own tests in the name of strategic balance: President Trumps announcement to resume US nuclear testing is both a strategic and symbolic act that projects strength when Washington perceives itself to be in a tightening great-power competition. By reviving nuclear testing, Trump is signalling three key messages: the United States intends to reclaim technological dominance in deterrence; that it will not be constrained by international norms that its rivals openly disregard; and that US defense posturing under his administration will be driven by capability demonstration rather than treaty-based restraint. It will also appeal to the right wing of the US electorate. From a geopolitical perspective, this move is as much about perception as policy. Trumps rhetoric that he hates to do it but has no choice is calculated to frame the decision as reluctant realism in the face of apparent Russian and Chinese assertiveness, although the real connections between Trump and both of those powers are muddied and possibly stronger than the rhetoric leads us to believe. It fits a broader pattern of alleged deterrence, appearing to show resolve through decisive, even controversial, actions. However, the decision fundamentally challenges the global arms control framework. The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty (CTBT), although never ratified by the US, has functioned as a de-facto moratorium on testing since the late 1990s. If Washington proceeds with actual tests, it risks eroding that taboo, potentially giving Russia, China, and emerging nuclear states political cover to conduct their own tests under the guise of strategic parity. Such a chain reaction could mark the effective end of the post-Cold War arms control era and possibly a return to MAD (mutually assured destruction). For US alliances, the implications are complex. Within NATO, allies may publicly express concern but privately welcome the renewed deterrence signal amid growing insecurity in Europe. However, it could also strain transatlantic unity by reviving anti-nuclear movements and complicating European disarmament diplomacy. In the Indo-Pacific, partners such as Japan and South Korea will face sharper dilemmas: both rely on the US nuclear umbrella but also have strong domestic anti-nuclear sentiments and proximity to potential fallout zones. Washingtons move may push Tokyo and Seoul to seek stronger strategic assurances or, in the longer term, reconsider their own deterrence capabilities. This is particularly the case for Seoul, which sees a more confident Pyongyang in light of a possible Russian semi-victory in Ukraine. The resumption of nuclear testing would not simply mark a shift in US defense posture; it would signify a psychological and diplomatic turning point. The world may be entering what some analysts call a cold peace, an era where deterrence replaces dialogue, and power projection and sabre rattling become the language of stability. 31 October 2025 16:14 (UTC+04:00) Akbar Novruz Read more Azerbaijan continues expanding the Alat Free Economic Zone (AEZ), with nearly all available land allocated to investors, Azernews reports. Valeh Alasgarov, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the AEZs Authorized Body, said during a business meeting with members of the Istanbul Chamber of Industry (ISO) Assembly in Baku that around 200 hectares of land are currently under the zones management, of which approximately 138 hectares have already been presented to investors. According to Alasgarov, construction work on the remaining areas will be completed within the next two weeks and offered to new investors. Currently, 23 hectares of land have been presented for factories producing solar panels. The last of the three factories will operate exclusively for this purpose, while the other two will produce silicon crystals and other materials used in panel manufacturing, he noted. He added that companies from China, India, Russia, Israel, and Turkiye have already registered in the AEZ. Four of them are conducting construction work. Two companies will begin production by the end of this year, and the remaining two plan to present their products in the coming years, Alasgarov stated. The AEZ is seen as a cornerstone of Azerbaijans industrial diversification strategy, attracting foreign investment and promoting renewable energy technologies. 31 October 2025 14:58 (UTC+04:00) Full digital access to all news for 1 year Full digital access to all news for 6 months Full digital access to all news for 3 months Full digital access to all news for 1 month Find the plan that suits you best. Azerbaijans trade turnover with Slovenia has shown solid growth in the first nine months of 2025. This growth demonstrates the strengthening trade partnership between the two countries, supported by increasing interest from Azerbaijani exporters and Slovenian manufacturers. Exports from Azerbaijan to Slovenia amounted to... Here we are to serve you with news right now. It does not cost much, but worth your attention. Choose to support open, independent, quality journalism and subscribe on a monthly basis. By subscribing to our online newspaper, you can have full digital access to all news, analysis, and much more. Subscribe You can also follow AzerNEWS on Twitter @AzerNewsAz or Facebook @AzerNewsNewspaper Thank you! 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Azernews reports, according to the Embassy, the event brought together Azerbaijani and foreign professionals working in leading UK companies, representatives from the City of London Corporation, government institutions, and economic experts. The session was moderated by Cemal Ismayilov, Partner and Head of Azerbaijan at Oliver Wyman, who noted that Azerbaijan had achieved a major milestone this year with its sovereign credit rating upgraded by international rating agency Moodys from Ba1 to Baa3 investment grade. He emphasized that this decision reflects the governments consistent and goal-oriented economic strategy over the past decade, which has strengthened the countrys fiscal resilience and long-term competitiveness. Ismayilov added that the positive assessments by Moodys and other rating agencies demonstrate strong confidence in Azerbaijans ongoing economic reforms. This achievement should further inspire Azerbaijan to deepen institutional reforms, expand the private sector, and strengthen economic partnerships worldwide including with the United Kingdom, he said. During the panel discussion, Moodys Vice President Daniela Re Fraschini and Oppenheimer & Co. Senior Analyst Gabin Levy shared insights into Azerbaijans sovereign credit rating and economic stability. They highlighted key factors behind Moodys decision, including fiscal discipline, sound macroeconomic indicators, efforts to reduce oil dependence, diversification initiatives, investor confidence, institutional reforms, and the countrys strategic role as a transport and logistics hub in the South Caucasus and Central Asia. Experts also noted that the postAugust 8 Washington summit normalization process between Azerbaijan and Armenia has had a significantly positive impact on Azerbaijans investment outlook. Addressing the event, Azerbaijans Ambassador to the UK, Elin Suleymanov, said the countrys achievements were the result of President Ilham Aliyevs visionary political, economic, and social reforms. He underlined that the initial peace agreement and normalization process between Azerbaijan and Armenia open new opportunities not only for the two countries but also for the broader South Caucasus and Central Asia regions. Peace and cooperation will enhance the efficiency of regional trade and transport corridors, expand energy and logistics projects, and create a favorable environment for economic cooperation and investment, the Ambassador stated. At the conclusion of the event, the establishment of the AzerbaijanUK Business Council was officially announced. The Council aims to strengthen trade and economic ties between the two countries, support business-to-business connections, promote bilateral trade and knowledge exchange, represent the interests of the business community, and foster cultural cooperation. 31 October 2025 17:18 (UTC+04:00) Nazrin Abdul Read more On October 30, a delegation from the State Oil Fund of the Republic of Azerbaijan (SOFAZ), led by Executive Director Israfil Mammadov, paid a working visit to Abu Dhabi to hold a series of meetings with leading investment institutions of the United Arab Emirates, Azernews reports, citing the SOFAZ. According to information, the main purpose of the meetings was to expand international partnerships, explore opportunities for cooperation in mutually beneficial investment areas, and discuss prospects for future joint initiatives. During the visit, Israfil Mammadov met with Ahmad Al Jalili, Chief Sustainability and Risk Officer of Mubadala Investment Company. The sides discussed enhancing collaboration in the field of sustainable investments, promoting the exchange of expertise and knowledge, and identifying opportunities for potential joint projects. In a separate meeting with Khalifa Al Suwaidi, Managing Partner at Lunate, discussions focused on investment portfolio management practices, approaches to investing in alternative assets, and long-term partnership prospects. The meetings were viewed as an important step toward strengthening the relationship between SOFAZ and the UAEs leading investment organizations, fostering mutual trust, and defining future areas of cooperation. 31 October 2025 18:50 (UTC+04:00) Full digital access to all news for 1 year Full digital access to all news for 6 months Full digital access to all news for 3 months Full digital access to all news for 1 month Find the plan that suits you best. Overall, visitors from the Gulf countries particularly Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and the UAE showed higher spending compared to other regions. According to the statistics, the average expenditure per tourist was... Here we are to serve you with news right now. It does not cost much, but worth your attention. Choose to support open, independent, quality journalism and subscribe on a monthly basis. By subscribing to our online newspaper, you can have full digital access to all news, analysis, and much more. Subscribe You can also follow AzerNEWS on Twitter @AzerNewsAz or Facebook @AzerNewsNewspaper Thank you! 31 October 2025 18:30 (UTC+04:00) Nazrin Abdul Read more The final stage of the CyberCell Hackathon competition, jointly organized by Azercell Telekom LLC and Baku Engineering University (BEU), has concluded, Azernews reports. The event provided young talents with the opportunity to demonstrate their knowledge and skills in cybersecurity, while offering innovative technological solutions to real-world challenges. A total of 17 teams presented their projects to a jury consisting of experts from Azercell and BEU. The projects were evaluated based on criteria such as innovation, market and revenue potential, code quality, technical reliability, cybersecurity measures, and user experience. In the end, three teams were named winners of the competition. During the closing ceremony, Dilara Huseynova, Director of Human Capital Management at Azercell, congratulated the participants and emphasized the companys ongoing commitment to supporting the development of young specialists and enhancing human capital in digital fields through initiatives like the CyberCell Hackathon. Fuad Safarov, Director of Azercells Security Department, praised the high level of innovation displayed by the participants, noting that the projects were based on well-thought-out and practical cybersecurity approaches. Aghasi Malikov, Vice-Rector for Science and Innovation at BEU, highlighted that such initiatives contribute to strengthening youth innovation and teamwork skills, and affirmed the universitys continuous support in this direction. The first place was awarded to the Reportcell project a system that enables users to evaluate and verify calls in real time, offering protection against fraudulent calls and voice-cloning attacks. The second place went to Z-SIFR, a cybersecurity platform that detects cyber incidents in real time and transforms complex data into reliable reports for legal and analytical purposes. The third place was claimed by S.W.I.S.S., an AI-powered solution that identifies cyberattacks in real time and provides predictive, adaptive protection based on user data analysis. The winning teams were awarded cash prizes of 4000, 3000, and 2000 AZN, respectively. Azercell congratulates all the winners and wishes them continued success in their future endeavors! 30 October 2025 23:37 (UTC+04:00) Laman Ismayilova Read more On the initiative of Mehriban Aliyeva, President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, new musical instruments have been purchased for music schools under the Azerbaijan Culture Ministry, Azernews reports. The project aims to support the development of music schools, provide young talents with higher-quality education, and ensure the transmission of musical culture to future generations. The presentation ceremony was held at the Heydar Aliyev Center, where the musical instruments acquired within the project were showcased. Vice-Presidents of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, Leyla Aliyeva, Arzu Aliyeva, and Alena Aliyeva, attended the event. As part of the project, over 70 musical instruments across 11 types were acquired for a number of music schools not only in Baku but also in the regions. These include traditional Azerbaijani instruments such as the tar, kamancha, qanun, and naghara, as well as violin, cello, grand piano, upright piano, and others. These instruments include both locally handcrafted pieces and instruments ordered from leading manufacturers worldwide. Among them are "Carlovy" cellos and violins, "Petrof" grand pianos from Europe's leading acoustic piano manufacturers, and "Yamaha" pianos. During the presentation, Culture Minister Adil Karimli highlighted the importance of the project, implemented on the initiative of Mehriban Aliyeva, First Vice-President of Azerbaijan and President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation, in supporting the development of education in music schools both in the capital and the regions. He expressed gratitude to the Heydar Aliyev Foundation for its consistent support of culture, cultural and art figures, and especially the development and education of young talents. The event concluded with a concert performed by students of music schools under the Culture Ministry. 31 October 2025 01:28 (UTC+04:00) Laman Ismayilova Read more On October 30, the "Ancestors" exhibition opened at the QGallery in Icherisheher, Azernews reports. The exhibition is included in the Art Weekend, which is organized by the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and the IDEA Public Union, with the support of the Azerbaijan Culture Ministry. Vice-President of the Heydar Aliyev Foundation and founder and head of IDEA Public Union Leyla Aliyeva, along with Arzu Aliyeva and Alena Aliyeva, attended the event to familiarize themselves with the displays. The exhibition showcases contemporary Azerbaijani artists - Faig Ahmed, Rashad Alakbarov, Orkhan Huseynov, and Farid Rasulov, who strive to bridge the past and present through their art pieces, allowing visitors to connect with the deep layers of the national spirit. Faig Ahmed presented human portraits in mostly minimalistic forms. While the pieces appear simple at first glance, they invite viewers to introspect and explore their own emotions. Rashad Alakbarov focused on the concept of "Proverbs of the Ancestors," translating the profound wisdom of the people into visual art. He believes that many proverbs remain relevant across generations, carrying timeless meaning. Farid Rasulov centered his works around sheep, which he views as a totemic symbol. In his perspective, sheep and lambs have been integral to life since ancient times, and his work emphasizes the symbolic and cultural continuity passed down from ancestors to the present day. Orkhan Huseynov explored history through everyday life details often overlooked today. His works depict the homelands landscapes, native lands, soil, lakes, and inhabited spaces, allowing viewers to rediscover the places marked by previous generations. The "Ancestors" exhibition encourages visitors to reflect on their place in the chain of generations, emphasizing that each individual contributes to shaping the future. It also highlights that land is not merely a cradle of life but a silent repository of ancestral memory, preserving the traces of those who came before us. 31 October 2025 10:19 (UTC+04:00) Qabil Ashirov Read more An international conference titled Belgian Colonialism: Recognition and Responsibility is being held today under the organization of the Baku Initiative Group, Azernews reports. The event is dedicated to examining Belgiums colonial past and the severe consequences that continue to affect its former colonies. Representatives from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, and Burundi, all former Belgian colonies, are attending the conference, alongside diplomats and government officials. The gathering brings together experts in international law, historians, researchers, civil society activists, and specialists on reparations from eight countries. Participants are expected to discuss the historical injustices of Belgiums colonial rule and explore pathways toward recognition, accountability, and restorative justice. Belgiums colonial history centered above all in the Congo remains one of the most controversial and brutal episodes in modern European imperialism. Though often overshadowed by the colonial legacies of larger empires like Britain and France, Belgiums rule in Central Africa stands out for its extreme violence, exploitative economic system, and enduring social and political consequences. Belgium entered the colonial race relatively late. King Leopold II, frustrated by his small nations lack of global influence, personally acquired vast territories in Central Africa in the 1880s under the guise of humanitarianism and anti-slavery efforts. At the Berlin Conference of 188485, European powers recognized Leopolds claim over what he called the Congo Free State, a territory nearly 80 times the size of Belgium, ruled not by the Belgian government, but as the kings private domain. When independence came in 1960, it was sudden and chaotic. Belgium had done little to prepare the Congo for self-rule; at independence, there were only a handful of Congolese university graduates. Within days, mutinies broke out in the army, Belgian troops intervened, and the mineral-rich province of Katanga seceded with Belgian corporate backing. The legacy of Belgian colonialism is visible across many dimensions of Congolese life: 31 October 2025 12:55 (UTC+04:00) Qabil Ashirov Read more Agricultural development continues to stand at the forefront of strategic priorities for both Bulgaria and Azerbaijan, Azernews reports. According to the Bulgarian Ministry of Agriculture and Food, Deputy Minister Lozana Vasileva made the remarks during the 7th meeting of the BulgariaAzerbaijan Intergovernmental Commission on Economic Cooperation held in Sofia. Vasileva emphasized that agriculture is not only a traditional but also a promising sector, noting that both countries can achieve tangible results through the exchange of knowledge, technologies, and best practices. We can combine our efforts in several areas, including agricultural science and technology, aquaculture, sustainable fisheries management, and the development of fish product trade, she stated. The deputy minister also underlined the importance of active participation by Bulgarian and Azerbaijani companies in international exhibitions and fairs hosted in both countries. An important element of our bilateral relations is the deepening of cooperation between the Bulgarian Food Safety Agency and the Azerbaijan Food Safety Agency. This partnership envisions exchanges of expertise in food safety, plant and animal health, as well as coordination of imports and exports of goods under veterinary and phytosanitary control, Vasileva said. She concluded by expressing confidence that such forums will give new impetus to economic and agricultural cooperation and lay a solid foundation for future success. 31 October 2025 11:29 (UTC+04:00) Akbar Novruz Read more Ambassadors, military attaches, and representatives of international organizations accredited in Azerbaijan are visiting the liberated Jabrayil and Zangilan regions on October 31, in accordance with the instructions of President Ilham Aliyev, Azernews reports. The delegation includes over 100 representatives from 51 countries and 12 international organizations. The visit is being led by Hikmet Hajiyev, Assistant to the President of Azerbaijan and Head of the Foreign Policy Department of the Presidential Administration, alongside other senior officials. Throughout the visit, participants will familiarize themselves with the ongoing reconstruction and development projects in the region, including large-scale infrastructure works and the restoration of settlements. This marks the 20th such visit of the diplomatic corps to the liberated territories since the 2020 Patriotic War, reflecting Azerbaijans ongoing commitment to transparency and regional development in the post-conflict phase. 31 October 2025 15:57 (UTC+04:00) Akbar Novruz Read more Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov met with Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjarto during his working visit to Samarkand, Uzbekistan, Azernews reports citing the Foreign Ministry. During the meeting, the sides discussed the prospects for deepening the strategic partnership between Azerbaijan and Hungary, cooperation within regional and international organizations, as well as plans for future projects. Minister Bayramov underlined that the political dialogue, reciprocal visits, and mechanisms such as the strategic dialogue and political consultations between the two countries have played a key role in advancing bilateral relations. The ministers also reviewed opportunities for enhancing cooperation in various sectors including economy, trade, investment, energy security, renewable resources, education, and culture. Particular emphasis was placed on the growing potential for strengthening economic ties, with both sides highlighting the important role of the Joint Commission on Economic Cooperation in exploring new avenues for collaboration. The discussion also covered renewable energy development, with both ministers reaffirming the significance of the Black Sea Submarine Cable and Green Middle Corridor initiatives as central elements of the AzerbaijanHungary strategic partnership. Minister Bayramov expressed appreciation for Hungarys contribution to the reconstruction and development efforts in Azerbaijans liberated territories. The meeting concluded with an exchange of views on regional security and other issues of mutual interest 31 October 2025 11:57 (UTC+04:00) Full digital access to all news for 1 year Full digital access to all news for 6 months Full digital access to all news for 3 months Full digital access to all news for 1 month Find the plan that suits you best. Azerbaijans crude oil and related product exports to Greece have more than doubled in both value and volume terms during the first nine months of 2025, according to the State Customs Committee, Azernews reports. In JanuarySeptember, Azerbaijan exported over... Here we are to serve you with news right now. It does not cost much, but worth your attention. Choose to support open, independent, quality journalism and subscribe on a monthly basis. By subscribing to our online newspaper, you can have full digital access to all news, analysis, and much more. Subscribe You can also follow AzerNEWS on Twitter @AzerNewsAz or Facebook @AzerNewsNewspaper Thank you! 31 October 2025 14:34 (UTC+04:00) Nazrin Abdul Read more Bulgaria has emphasized Azerbaijans key role in diversifying natural gas supply sources and enhancing the energy security of Southeast Europe. As reported by Azernews, this was noted during the BulgariaAzerbaijan Business Forum held in Sofia as part of the 7th session of the Intergovernmental Joint Commission. The event included B2B meetings aimed at expanding economic cooperation between the two countries. Deputy Minister of Energy of Bulgaria, Iva Petrova, said the forum provided a new opportunity to further strengthen bilateral relations. "The spirit of cooperation and productive discussions developed during the 7th meeting of the Intergovernmental Commission on Economic Cooperation with Azerbaijan are now continuing in this format. Our strategic partnership with Azerbaijan has entered a new phase," Petrova noted. She underlined that the energy sector remains a key priority in the effective cooperation between the two countries. Boyko Takov, Executive Director of the Bulgarian Small and Medium Enterprises Promotion Agency (BSMEPA), highlighted additional promising areas for collaboration including industrial equipment and engineering solutions, food and agricultural processing technologies, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, consumer goods, logistics and transport, as well as information technology and digital transition. Our common goal is to develop relations from trade to partnership from import and export to joint investments, innovation, and value creation, Takov added. The forum brought together representatives of 80 Bulgarian and 25 Azerbaijani companies. Bulgaria currently imports Azerbaijani natural gas through the GreeceBulgaria Interconnector (IGB), which has an annual transmission capacity of 3 billion cubic meters. 30 October 2025 23:55 (UTC+04:00) By Nur Banu Aras Turkiye has formally signed an agreement to purchase Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jets, a deal long anticipated by Ankara. The signing ceremony took place yesterday, with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer putting their signatures on the collaboration agreement regarding the Eurofighter program. The event followed a private bilateral meeting and a working lunch with delegations at the Presidential Complex before moving to the formal signing ceremony. Speaking at a joint press conference with Starmer, President Erdogan noted that the signatures were finalized during inter-delegation discussions. We have just signed the declaration of cooperation with Prime Minister Starmer here today. I see this memorandum as a new emblem of our strategic relations as close allies, Erdogan said. He also expressed gratitude for the UKs efforts through the Eurofighter Consortium, saying, I thank Prime Minister Starmer and his team for their work throughout the process. I also extend my appreciation to the leaders of other consortium member countries for their constructive approach. I believe this collaboration with the UK will open doors to joint projects in our defense industry. Erdogan highlighted that todays discussions focused on trade and defense relations. As you know, the United Kingdom is one of our largest trade and investment partners. We are determined to raise our trade volume first to $30 billion, and then to $40 billion. Our institutions are taking various measures, including updating the free trade agreement. We are also exploring opportunities for joint investments in third countries. We aim to establish new partnerships in energy and the defense industry. Moreover, we are pleased that many UK citizens consider Turkiye their second home. To leverage this potential, we have also begun negotiations on signing a bilateral cooperation framework document. I believe these steps will rapidly elevate our relations and strategic partnership to a much higher level. President Erdogan further noted that he and Starmer had the opportunity to review developments in Gaza. Regarding the UKs recognition of the State of Palestine, Erdogan said, We regard this decision as a courageous step toward a two-state solution. Considering the approaching winter, it is crucial that humanitarian aid reaches the people of Gaza. I believe we will take steps together with the UK in this regard. We all have responsibilities to maintain the ceasefire in Gaza and prevent violations. In this context, the current government in Israel must be restrained. The leaders also discussed the situation in Ukraine, with Erdogan stressing the need to resolve the ongoing conflict, now entering its fourth year, with a just peace. On Syria, he emphasized that lasting stability depends on supporting the Syrian government and preventing internal and external actors from destabilizing the country. During the conference, Prime Minister Starmer remarked, Though our countries are at opposite ends of Europe, we now work together far more closely than before. Starmer confirmed that the UK will supply Turkiye with 20 Eurofighter Typhoon jets, with the option for additional purchases in the future. This will deepen NATO security and enhance bilateral defense industry cooperation, he said. Starmer also noted their joint efforts for peace in the Middle East, adding, I want to underline the role you have played. The first phase of the Gaza peace plan is taking shape. We are now moving to implement this agreement as quickly as possible and strive to bring the region to a much better position. 31 October 2025 21:50 (UTC+04:00) By Alimat Aliyeva The team behind Character.ai announced that it will soon restrict access to open chats for underage users as part of a new safety policy set to take effect on November 25, 2025, Azernews reports. Character.ai is a platform that allows users to create and interact with custom chatbots, where each AI can be given a unique personality, behavior pattern, and communication style. However, according to the latest statement from the project team, minors will soon lose open access to chatbots on the platform. Starting October 30, Character.ai began gradually reducing the amount of time underage users can spend chatting with AI from two hours a day to a complete ban by late November. At the same time, the developers are working on a new safe zone section, which will feature approved chatbots suitable for younger audiences. The company will also introduce an age verification system in collaboration with Persona, a digital identity verification service. In parallel, Character.ai announced the creation of a nonprofit organization called the AI Safety Lab, which will focus on developing innovative methods to ensure safe interactions between humans and artificial intelligence. According to the company, the policy shift reflects growing concerns about the potential psychological impact of AI conversations on children and teenagers. The decision was made after consultations with regulatory bodies, legal experts, and parents of underage users. The move follows several tragic and high-profile incidents. In February 2024, a 14-year-old teenager, Sewell Setzer III, took his own life after prolonged interactions with a chatbot modeled after Daenerys Targaryen from George R.R. Martins A Song of Ice and Fire series. The teen had reportedly sent romantic messages to the bot and shared suicidal thoughts before his death. In October 2024, his mother, Megan Garcia, filed a lawsuit against Character.ai, which the company sought to dismiss but the court allowed the case to proceed. In September 2025, the developers faced another lawsuit, intensifying public debate over the ethical responsibilities of AI platforms. As AI technology becomes more deeply integrated into everyday life, Character.ais policy change may mark the beginning of a broader industry-wide shift toward stronger safeguards for younger users balancing innovation with responsibility. 31 October 2025 22:23 (UTC+04:00) By Alimat Aliyeva American authorities are reportedly considering a complete ban on TP-Link Wi-Fi routers, one of the most popular brands in the U.S. market. The initiative has already received backing from more than six federal agencies, including the Departments of Commerce, Defense, and Justice, Azernews reports. The investigation into TP-Link began in late 2024, following a Wall Street Journal report detailing federal inspections over potential national security risks and alleged links between the company and the Chinese government. The proposal to restrict TP-Link products has now been approved at the interagency level and forwarded to the U.S. Department of Commerce for review. According to sources cited by The Washington Post, officials concluded that TP-Links devices could pose a threat because they handle sensitive user data and might be vulnerable to foreign interference or data-sharing with Chinese authorities. TP-Link has strongly denied the accusations, stating that TP-Link Systems, its U.S. division registered in California, operates independently. The company was originally founded in 1996 in Shenzhen, China, but underwent a corporate restructuring in October 2024, creating the American-based TP-Link Systems to oversee operations in the U.S. The company employs roughly 500 people in the United States and about 11,000 in China. According to The Wall Street Journal, TP-Links market share in the U.S. home router segment has surged from 20% in 2019 to 65% in 2025, though the company disputes these figures. Currently, more than 300 U.S. Internet service providers reportedly supply TP-Link routers to their customers. Meanwhile, the U.S. Department of Justices Antitrust Division is also investigating whether TP-Link engaged in dumping practices to undercut competitors and dominate the market claims the company rejects, insisting that its pricing strategy aligns with standard market competition. The final decision on the potential ban has not yet been made. However, according to The Washington Post, the likelihood of harsh restrictions may be declining amid ongoing negotiations between Washington and Beijing. TP-Link has stated that it is ready to cooperate fully with the Department of Commerce to address any identified security concerns. Industry experts warn that a complete ban could disrupt millions of American households and small businesses that rely on TP-Link hardware, potentially driving up prices for alternative networking devices. If implemented, it would mark one of the most sweeping tech restrictions since the Huawei and ZTE bans, further escalating the U.S.China tech standoff. Naomi Seibt was acclaimed as the "anti-Greta Thunberg" back in 2020. Now her very outspoken conservative views have led her to ask for political asylum in the United States. Naomi is everything Greta is not - conservative, intelligent, and beautiful. She has been outspoken against the CO2 climate cult and mass migration, and a stalwart for free speech. This has led her to be a victim of surveillance by the German government and death threats from ANTIFA. The German police refuse to do anything about the death threats because no physical harm has happened yet. She now describes the EU and her native Germany as a breeding ground for tyranny. https://twitter.com/i/status/1983554347158868037 https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2025/10/german-conservative-young-woman-tgp-contributor-naomi-seibt/ https://www.zerohedge.com/geopolitical/german-activist-seeks-asylum-us-after-antifa-death-threats Meanwhile, freedom of speech is also under attack in Finland, where a member of parliament who is a former cabinet minister, and a Finnish bishop are under prosecution for posting Bible verses that describe the differences between men and women. Prosecutors say this is "hate speech" and a "war crime". In Finland, prosecutors can appeal a not guilty verdict. Both were found not guilty by the trial court, and that was affirmed by the intermediate appellate court. Now the prosecutor has taken an appeal to Finland's Supreme Court. https://thefederalist.com/2025/10/30/nato-members-top-court-considers-whether-saying-men-and-women-are-different-is-a-war-crime/ https://europeanconservative.com/articles/commentary/the-last-trial-of-paivi-rasanen/ And, here is an interesting video of a young Brazilian woman now living in the US commenting on how crazy it is that we subsidize people with our welfare system: https://rumble.com/v70zlwm-based-brazilian-lady-compares-home-to-america-...-and-a-bunch-of-dumb-peopl.html Politically corrupt Obama Judge James Boasberg has been in the spotlight as a key player in the judicial coup against President Trump. He has been playing partisan politics even before the Trump administration, being the judge who gave only a slap on the wrist to the deep state lawyer who lied under oath to get FISA warrants to spy on Trump in the early days of the Russia hoax. Now Boasberg has been caught violating federal law. Not only was he the bent judge who issued subpoenas against a list of Republican US Senators in a political witch hunt called Arctic Frost run by Jack Smith, but he issued a gag order to keep those senators from even knowing about it. One of those senators illegally surveilled, Senator Ted Cruz is now calling for Boasberg's impeachment. A judge who violates federal law to help a politically motivated partisan witch hunt does not deserve to be on the bench. This is just one example of the highly partisan politically motivated rulings that have come from Boasberg. https://thefederalist.com/2025/10/31/boasbergs-senate-spying-gag-order-violated-federal-law/ https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2025/10/2-6-29/ https://www.breitbart.com/clips/2025/11/01/blackburn-arctic-frost-a-violation-of-first-fourth-amendments-separation-of-powers-stored-communications-act/ https://thefederalist.com/2025/10/30/arctic-frost-is-100-times-worse-than-watergate-but-corporate-media-refuse-to-cover-it/ https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2025/11/01/exclusive-attorney-john-lauro-jack-smiths-arctic-frost-probe-was-takedown-of-a-political-movement/ A move by Northern Irelands largest farmers union to issue a vote of no confidence against Stormonts agriculture department has been described as a seismic moment. The Ulster Farmers Union (UFU) made the move on Thursday after mounting frustration from the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA). The vote came after a meeting between senior members of the group after it determined there was a deep dissatisfaction on how DAERA was managing farming issues. UFU president William Irvine said the watershed moment followed the announcement of Nutrient Action Programme (NAP) consultation in the summer. The proposed scheme pledges to improve water quality throughout the region by introducing measures such as the regulation of slurry spreading and fertiliser products. However, a report conducted by AgriSearch, a Northern Irish research body, suggested that NAP could foot an annual bill of over 1.5bn for the agri-food sector. UFU deputy president William Irvine on his Co Armagh farm Mr Irvine told the Belfast Telegraph his organisation feels the lack of consideration for the potential economic impact is out of order. He said: In over 100 years of our organisation, we have never done anything like this. We have had many times when we had individual issues for whatever reason. But over a range of issues at this point in time, we are not seeing a DAERA that's willing to grasp what agriculture can do in these situations and facilitate us moving forward. The mood among our membership grassroot farmers across the board is that the current DAERA does not understand us. But we're not targeting the minister specifically here. This is a vote of confidence in the department. UFU deputy president William Irvine on his Co Armagh farm Blue-green algae returned to Lough Neagh for the third summer in a row A DAERA spokesperson said: The department is disappointed to learn of the UFU vote. Our door is always open to discuss issues with them. The senior farming figure explained that the executive decision also came about due to a lack of direction in dealing with bovine TB as well as the approach to Lough Neagh. The [Lough Neagh] problem is a historic problem. Agriculture has reduced phosphate emissions by 29% over this last five years. We are still on that journey, the science and industry are actively looking at ways to progress that reduction and do more. But the biggest obstacle to a lot of this at this moment in time is an inflexible DAERA. Alliance MLA John Blair However, Alliance MLA John Blair whose party hold the DAERA ministry slammed the UFUs stance as counterproductive and disingenuous. This latest move is neither constructive nor acting in the interests of the farming community longer term, especially given that many of these challenges have mounted under previous inaction by former DAERA Ministers, the South Antrim MLA said. Mr Irvine argued Mr Blair is not actively grasping the issues at stake. He added: "Our frustration is here where we want to deliver for the environment and deliver for society while maintaining a sustainable food production system, which the country needs. UUP MLA Robbie Butler said the vote of no confidence is not just a warning shot, it is a seismic moment. The Stormont agriculture committee chair added: The priorities of farmers have been sidelined, and the Alliance Party has turned its back on rural Northern Ireland. This is a clear and unambiguous message from the farming community, they feel abandoned, ignored, and betrayed. Castle Leslie Estate, where Noel McMeel worked for seven years and oversaw catering at the 2002 wedding of Sir Paul McCartney and Heather Mills Lough Erne Resort, where chef Noel McMeel spent 16 years of his career - including catering for world leaders during the G8 summit of 2013 Mike Gatt, general manager of the Bedford Hotel in Belfast, on 30th September 2025 (Luke Jervis) Well-known chef Noel McMeel has been hired by a new luxury boutique hotel in Belfast after two years at a Londonderry venue. Mr McMeel, who is from Co Antrim, has been appointed executive head chef at The Bedford Hotel in Belfast, joining from the Ebrington Hotel in Derry. Lough Erne Resort, where chef Noel McMeel spent 16 years of his career - including catering for world leaders during the G8 summit of 2013 His career has included a long stint at Lough Erne Resort in Co Fermanagh, as well as seven years at Castle Leslie in Co Monaghan. At Castle Leslie, he looked after the catering for the wedding of Sir Paul McCartney and Heather Mills in 2002. And in Lough Erne, he catered for world leaders when the resort hosted the G8 summit in 2013. Castle Leslie Estate, where Noel McMeel worked for seven years and oversaw catering at the 2002 wedding of Sir Paul McCartney and Heather Mills The Bedford Hotel said Mr McMeels appointment marked a bold new culinary era, with the chef overseeing all food operations, from its restaurant to fine dining and events. The hotel, which is owned by Derry-based Martin Property Group, is due to open next year at the Scottish Mutual Building, on the corner of Donegall Square South and Bedford Street. Mike Gatt, general manager of The Bedford Hotel, said: Noels appointment represents a cornerstone in our vision to make The Bedford Hotel a culinary landmark for Belfast. "His reputation for excellence and his deep respect for Northern Irish ingredients align perfectly with our ethos. Together, we will set a new benchmark for food and hospitality in the city. Mike Gatt, general manager of the Bedford Hotel in Belfast, on 30th September 2025 (Luke Jervis) Mr McMeel said: Joining The Bedford Hotel is about more than a kitchen, its about creating a movement. "Were building a destination that celebrates Irelands food story, from the soil to the plate. "My mission is to craft a culinary experience thats honest, sustainable, and bursting with local character while creating an environment that inspires and nurtures the next generation of talent. The hotel said Mr McMeel will also establish a training and mentorship programme for emerging chefs. In an interview with the Belfast Telegraph in 2016, Mr McMeel reminisced about developing a love of home cooking and baking while growing up as one of six children on a farm in Toomebridge. He said: As a family we always sat around the table. Everybody had to eat together. I remember on Saturday mornings coming down and the smell of coffee as my mother was doing two big sponges and then the small jellies were set around it. "It looked like a bakery and everything was stacked - potato farls, potato cakes, soda bread, treacle bread. And we grew all our own vegetables. Chef Noel McMeel is joining the Bedford Hotel in Belfast Watch: Look inside newly reopened Anchor Bar in Newcastle And he also paid tribute to the influence of his parents, Owen and Maureen. I was privileged to have such great parents who gave me the tools for life. And he talked about the pressures of cooking for world leaders including then-Prime Minister David Cameron and US President Barack Obama at the G8. "The pressures of a kitchen can be great when it comes to serving food at that certain time and place. With the G8 there was no screaming because they were just next door... And I was invited to Downing Street about three weeks after the G8 as a thank you, which was amazing. High-flying Eagles show their Premier class in first half blitz to see off Shels Claire Hinds and Catherine Hufton from London with kids Jack and Mia Hinds at Derry's Guildhall for Hallowe'en. Mario Panipucci and Debora Ercoli from Puglia in south Italy with Mindaugas and Azuolas Lucka, orginally from Lithuania but also living in south Italy, who brought their children to Derry to enjoy Hallowe'en. All the way from Salem to Derry for Hallowe'en - Brian and Melissa Peace, their son Skyler and Melissa's parents Susie and Richard Gabutt. There are not many places in the world that can capture the haunting imagery of Halloween like New England in Fall. But for one family, Londonderry is proving the perfect alternative to a place famous for the Salem Witch Trials in a state which has long been the spiritual home for the novels of the worlds leading horror writer, Stephen King. Melissa Peace is donning a witches hat for the occasion, having brought her family over from the US city of Salem to experience a Derry Halloween in all of its gory glory. Yeah, she says, we have the Salem Witch Museum back home near where were from, and the Salem Witch Tours. We feel right at home here in Derry today! For Melissa, husband Brian, her mum Susie, dad Richard Gabutt, and son Skyler, the trip is a double experience as theyre also immersing themselves in the history of Derry, with great-grandfather Ethan Alan Corey having set off for a new life in the States. Lena Hachler from Cologne and Caroline Schmidt from Berlin. Were all Coreys at heart, said Melissa. My son Skyler even has Corey in his name. This was a great opportunity for us not only to explore the city where our ancestry lies, but to experience the way they have embraced Halloween. Were here for the week and will be around until Sunday, so hopefully, if the weather sorts itself out, well see the real Derry Halloween on Friday. We were over in London before coming to Derry and honestly, this place might be made to look scary this week but its been so much nicer and so much more friendly than we ever expected. The family are taking in a bit of that Derry history at the citys Guildhall. Other events may have been cancelled due to the weather, but the heart of Derry is still very much alive with a monster mash of children and parents. Theres magic in the air, with a show for the kids about to start. Faces are being painted. Little werewolves and witches, and a cheerleader or two, are being held tightly as the events are proving massively popular. And helping Melissa and her family feel right at home, one little girl, face as pale as death, stands on with her family wearing a hooded, frilly 17th century black dress. She could have risen straight from the grave in Salem. Mario Panipucci and Debora Ercoli from Puglia in south Italy with Mindaugas and Azuolas Lucka, orginally from Lithuania but also living in south Italy, who brought their children to Derry to enjoy Hallowe'en. Weve all been really impressed with the street etiquette in the city. Everyone has been so accommodating when were not sure where were going. And were fascinated at the way the city has taken so much of the old culture of Ireland and blended it in with what we know as a modern Halloween. Seeing all the kids dressed up like this and having such a fun time is wonderful. Derry owes a debt of gratitude to Margaret Thatcher. And to Ronald Regan. The Incredible Hulk with a Caveman thrown into the mix. The year was 1985. Stranger Things have rarely happened. A city centre pubs fancy dress for Halloween was evacuated due to a bomb scare. It spilt into the street and continued, and the party hasnt stopped since. Now married corpse bride style to the ancient Celtic harvest festival of Samhain, the city attracts thousands from all over the world to its Halloween festival, billed the biggest in Europe. Its no idle boast either the news has reached plenty of places around Europe. All the way from Salem to Derry for Hallowe'en - Brian and Melissa Peace, their son Skyler and Melissa's parents Susie and Richard Gabutt. Airy Fairies Dead & Breakfast Halloween house raising money for Co. Down boy with cancer A group of nine from Southern Italy are also in town for the show. It was my husband who said we should come, said Debora Ercoli, who is with family and friends from the Italian region of Puglia. Its all his fault! He saw stories about how Halloween is celebrated over here and we just wanted to come over and see what its all about, bring the children and have some scary fun. Were having a great time, and so are the children. Theyve just got candy apples, so theyre very happy! We dont really do Halloween like this at home, she added. Were here for the week though, so we have been really enjoying ourselves, she said, with husband Mario Panipucci and their children and their friends, originally from Lithuania but now living in Italy, Mindaugas and Azuolas Lucka also bringing their young family on the trip. Read more Spooky house transformation in Co Down dedicated to boy with rare cancer Germany was also in the building. Student teachers Caroline Schmidt and Lena Hachler have been based in Belfast for the last couple of months, where theyre working as language assistants as part of their training. Were loving the decorations, said Caroline, who comes from Berlin. Every shop has something in the window and its a shame we cant come back tomorrow (Friday) as we only have today free. But we wanted to come to Derry and see if it was as good as people tell us. I know its a shame some of the events arent happening today because of the weather, but we love history too, so were taking in a few of the museums as well and were learning so much about the city. Lena is impressed with the way Derry celebrates Halloween, having seen nothing like it back home in Germany, where she lives near Cologne. Ive never seen a Halloween celebrated like this, she said. We dont really have it to this extent in Germany. We might do a bit of trick or treating, but were really enjoying seeing the costumes everyone is wearing. Theyre all really getting into the spirit of it. While they may not have travelled quite so far, Claire Hinds and Catherine Hufton have made the trip over from London with their children - Jack and Mia Hinds and Harry Hufton - to enjoy the Derry atmosphere. Theres so many things going on, said Claire. Theres plenty to keep our children entertained. Claire Hinds and Catherine Hufton from London with kids Jack and Mia Hinds at Derry's Guildhall for Hallowe'en. And Catherine has been most impressed with the friendly atmosphere. Everything has been made to look so scary but really, the people here could not have been more welcoming. We only arrived late last night. We were delayed a bit and when we got to our hotel we were out of baby milk. We thought there was no chance of finding anywhere open, but one of the security men at the hotel said to leave it with him. Five minutes later, he was back with just what we needed. Nothing has been too much of a problem for anyone here so far and the kids are now really looking forward to the magic show. While some of the outdoor events scheduled for Thursday had to be cancelled due to the high winds and rain. And everyone piled into Derrys Guildhall, where a feast of Halloween activities were taking place as history and horror merged into one, will be expecting the howling of the wind around the old city walls to be replaced by the shrieking of banshees for the now famous parades through the streets on Friday night. Despite the stormy weather, over 100,000 visitors are expected to be in the city over the four days of the festival. Aeidin McCarter, head of culture at Derry City and Strabane District Council, said: Its a little bit like Christmas morning for us. Theres lots of excitement around today. Therell be about 600 participants in full fancy dress taking part in the parade on Friday evening. This is their opportunity to show off on an international stage. The main parade is set to begin at 7pm with fireworks expected to light up the skies around 8.15pm. The UK Government paying millions to defend Soldier F flies in the face of former prime minister David Camerons apology to the Bloody Sunday victims, a family member has said. Mickey McKinney, whose brother was one of those killed in the shootings in Londonderry in 1972, described as hurtful learning that the UK Government paid more than 4 million to defend Soldier F. That money flies in the face of David Camerons apology, it was really hurtful, he told the PA news agency. He was speaking after it emerged that the UK Government has spent 4.3 million so far on the defence of the former paratrooper. The veteran, known as Soldier F for legal reasons, was found not guilty of two murders and five attempted murders in Londonderry in 1972 following a judge-led trial at Belfast Crown Court. Thirteen people were killed when members of the Parachute Regiment opened fire on crowds following a civil rights demonstration in the city. Judge Patrick Lynch said the evidence presented against the veteran fell well short of what was required for conviction. Minister for Veterans and People Alistair Cairns revealed the figure following a parliamentary question (PQ) asked by SDLP MP for Foyle Colum Eastwood. Mr Eastwood described it as a double injustice for the families of those killed during Bloody Sunday. In his response to the PQ, Mr Cairns said the Ministry of Defence is committed to supporting veterans and their families. He said the 4.3 million includes legal fees from when Soldier F was initially charged in March 2019 and costs associated with a judicial review taken against a decision by Northern Irelands Public Prosecution Service (PPS) previously to stop the proceedings. It includes legal and welfare support. Mr McKinney told the PA news agency that he was very surprised to hear the total and was left feeling shocked. He said family members, many of whom are now elderly, spent hours every day of the five-week trial travelling from Derry to Belfast each day it sat. They had pressed for the trial to be held at Bishop Street court house in Derry. Mr McKinney also hit back at those who had countered their reaction to the legal bill, by pointing out the 190 million cost of the Saville Inquiry into the events of Bloody Sunday. The inquiry was something that should have happened immediately after Bloody Sunday, he said. It should have happened over 50 years ago. Trouble kept at bay as rival paramilitaries clash in tight-knit loyalist estate There have been recent rising tensions between the UDA and UVF in the Tigers Bay and Shore Road districts Tiger's Bay in north Belfast Hugh Jordan Fri 31 Oct 2025 at 10:27 Trouble was avoided at the weekend after rival paramilitary organisations clashed in a tight-knit loyalist estate. The Ulster Unionist Party is searching for a new councillor to sit in Ards and North Down after a former policewoman who joined the party under Doug Beatties progressive leadership quit. Linzi McLaren, who had been a serving officer for 18 years before moving into politics, made a reputation as a liberal within the party ranks on the council, but said concerns over Irish language policy and the absence of female voices in the UUP motivated her decision. Gardai confirmed the man died in hospital following an assault in Kildare (PA) A man has died following an assault in Kildare at the weekend. The man, aged in his 20s, was found unresponsive on McGee Terrace in Kildare town at approximately 3.15am on Sunday. On Thursday evening, gardai confirmed he has since passed away in hospital. The Garda spokesperson said the coroner has been notified, and a post-mortem examination will take place in due course, the results of which will determine the course of the investigation. Gardai are continuing to appeal to anyone with information in relation to this incident, they said. Any road users who were in the area between 2am and 4am and who may have video footage (including dash-cam) are asked to make this footage available to investigating Gardai. Anyone with any information is asked to contact Kildare Garda Station on 045 527730, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111, or any Garda Station. Just Stop Oil protesters sit down after spraying an orange substance on Stonehenge (Just Stop Oil/PA) Three Just Stop Oil activists who took part in a protest in which Stonehenge was sprayed with orange powder have been found not guilty of criminal damage after citing human rights law in their defence. Rajan Naidu, 74, and Oxford University student Niamh Lynch, 23, had been accused of using two colour blasters filled with cornflour, talc and an orange dye to spray the ancient monument. Salisbury Crown Court was told the pair together with a third activist, Luke Watson, 36 targeted Stonehenge as part of an ongoing fossil fuel protest by the Just Stop Oil group the day before last years summer solstice where around 15,000 people were due to gather and celebrate. Naidu and Lynch, then an Oxford University student, crossed the boundary ropes and trespassed into the area around the monument before launching the attack. Watson had bought the equipment used in the attack and had driven his co-accused to Stonehenge that morning. Prosecutors alleged the protest had been carefully planned and was filmed by other Just Stop Oil supporters and released publicly afterwards. Just Stop Oil activist Rajan Naidu arriving at Salisbury Crown Court (Andrew Matthews/PA) Simon Jones, prosecuting, said: Putting it simply, we say they were all in it together. The prosecution say that this is an act of blatant and clear vandalism. The intention is undoubtedly to make a statement. After the attack, Naidu and Lynch, who were both wearing white Just Stop Oil T-shirts, sat down in silence in front of the stones until they were arrested by the police. The court heard the stones were promptly cleaned and the costs of removing the powder totalled 620. Mr Jones added: Stonehenge is arguably the best recognised and architecturally sophisticated prehistoric stone circle in the world, built around 5,000 years ago. The site in Wiltshire is visited by members of the public from all over the world, providing both an education and spiritual experience. The stones are a protected ancient monument. The three defendants each denied charges of damaging an ancient protected monument and causing a public nuisance on June 19 2024. Niamh Lynch arriving at Salisbury Crown Court (Andrew Matthews/PA) The latter is a new statutory offence created by the 2022 Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act, which sparked a wave of Kill the Bill protests across the country. They each accepted taking part in the protest and cited in their defence reasonable excuse, and their rights under Articles 10 and 11 of the European Convention on Human Rights to freedom of speech and freedom to protest. The defendants argued it was a peaceful protest, that the rights of others were not greatly interfered with, that care had been taken in choosing the type of powder to use, there was no lasting damage to the stones and that protesting about fossil fuels was a legitimate cause. Judge Paul Dugdale told the jury in his legal directions they had to assess where the balance lies in the case and whether a conviction would be a proportionate interference with the defendants rights. In any society there will be those whose opinions we agree with and those whose opinions we disagree, he said. The essence of a free society and freedom of speech is that everyones entitled to express their opinion even when we disagree with what they say. If individuals disagree with what our Government is doing on certain matters they are entitled to protest about the Governments actions or inactions. All of this is the essence of our free society. Its how our society has developed over the centuries and the reality is we are very fortunate to live in a free society. There are times when protecting the right to freedom of speech and freedom to protest can mean that activity that would otherwise be unlawful would be regarded as lawful by the court to protect those rights. The jury found Naidu, of Gosford Street, Birmingham; Lynch, of Norfolk Road, Turvey, Bedford; and Watson, of The Street, Manuden, Essex, each not guilty of the two charges after deliberating for six hours. After the jury returned its verdicts, the three defendants hugged each other in the dock before leaving and celebrating with family and friends sitting in the public gallery. Solicitor Francesca Cociani, of law firm Hodge Jones & Allen, who represented the protesters, said: My clients are incredibly relieved by todays verdict that exonerated them of any wrongdoing. The public nuisance charge in this case, which argued their protest could have caused serious distress, annoyance or inconvenience to the public, was wholly inadequate and, in our view, should never have been brought, and amounted to an affront to their right to protest. It is a relief that the jury has decided to uphold the right to peaceful protest. It is a right that has long been, and should remain, an essential pillar of our democratic society, but we are seeing time and time again that this right is being eroded. Speaking after the verdict, Lynch, who is now a masters student in ecology and conservation at the University of Exeter, said: I just want things to be better, I just want things to be fair and right. If you see something you love being hurt, you do everything you can to help. Its quite simple. Its totally natural. I might not be able to do much but I categorically refuse to do nothing. I refuse to stand by and watch as our world burns around us. Watson, a carpenter, added: Im glad of the verdict but feel the last two weeks have been a complete waste of public money, and that a case involving 620 of damage should have been dealt with in the magistrates court. Gillian Martin will represent the Scottish Government at Cop30 in Brazil (PA) Scotlands Climate Action and Energy Secretary has pledged to push for more ambitious action to tackle climate change when she attends Cop30 in Brazil. Gillian Martin said Scotland has a unique opportunity at the UN summit in November as Regions4 president and European co-chair of the Under2 Coalition. The Scottish Government said the minister will attend events alongside members of both organisations to help strengthen the influence of devolved, state and regional governments within international climate discussions. Scotland hosted Cop26 in Glasgow in 2021 which saw world leaders, including the US president, descend on the city. At the summit next month, the Government said Ms Martin will share what has been learned from Climate Justice Fund programmes such as the often-overlooked non-economic impacts of climate change, including the loss of biodiversity and indigenous knowledge. Ms Martin is expected to take part in panel sessions on climate justice and human mobility with the International Organisation for Migration and the Brazilian Ministry of Environment and Climate Change. She will also meet with youth activists and civil society leaders from the global south, including participants in Climate Just Communities Programmes, to hear how they are being impacted by climate change She said: We have a unique opportunity as Under2 European co-chair and Regions4 president to champion the essential work taking place across the globe to support vulnerable communities who are at most risk from the impacts of climate change. Glasgow hosted Cop26 in 2021 (Andrew Milligan/PA) I will continue to use these leadership positions at Cop30 to advocate for accelerated action to tackle the devastating impacts of our warming planet, and for greater inclusion in international climate discussions. Scotlands commitment to ending our contribution to global emissions by 2045 at the latest is ambitious, but it is achievable. We will shortly be publishing our draft Climate Change Plan setting out the policies needed to meet our first three carbon budget targets, while supporting people to adjust to the changes required. Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund advocacy and communications manager Line K Christensen said: It is vital that Scotland has a strong voice at Cop30. The challenges we face are global, and Scotlands presence ensures that our values of innovation and climate justice are part of the international conversation. The Cabinet Secretarys participation will allow Scotland to continue its leadership on loss and damage, and to demonstrate that we are a nation standing shoulder to shoulder with countries around the world on the frontline of the climate crisis. Government publishes the Gibraltarian Status and Immigration(Amendment) Bill 2025 HM Government of Gibraltar has today published the Gibraltarian Status and Immigration (Amendment) Bill 2025, a further measure aimed at refining the criteria for residency and associated benefits for Gibraltar belongers and residents alike, while addressing systemic abuses. This Bill responds to mounting pressure on Gibraltars institutions caused by a rapid influx of individuals in recent years. Left unchecked, this trend risks creating an unsustainable situation for the community. The Government is therefore taking decisive action to protect the integrity of its systems. The Bill, if approved by the Gibraltar Parliament will amend 2 Acts of Parliament. The Gibraltarian Status Act determines who is entitled to be registered in the Register of Gibraltarians. Only persons who share a deep and significant relationship with the Rock should be registered. The Act dates back to 1962, when the prevailing conditions were markedly different to the situation today. In general terms, a person has been able to acquire Gibraltarian status by descent without much qualification. This has led to persons being registered despite them (and in some cases their predecessors) having little or no connection with Gibraltar. In most cases it will limit applications to persons who have a parent that is also a registered Gibraltarian. Currently Gibraltarian status can be obtained by a person whose grandparent was merely entitled to registration. That means that the grandparent did not even have to have been a registered Gibraltarian for the status to flow to a grandchild. Additionally, the provisions referring to a child will be amended so that it is clear that a child is someone who is under 18 years of age. We have seen how this generous language has been exploited by persons who have claimed status for adult children, and that loophole needs to be closed. The eligibility criteria in section 9(f) is also being amended so that 20 and not 10 years of continuous residence is required where a person seeks registration on the basis of Ministerial discretion. The Bill also amends section 55N of the Immigration, Asylum and Refugee Act and increases the qualifying period under that section from 5 to 10 years. The Amendment to section 55N, however, does not apply to anyone within scope of the withdrawal agreement, the EEA EFTA separation agreement or the Swiss citizens rights agreement. As previously mentioned, these changes are a proportionate and necessary step that will help secure Gibraltars institutions for Gibraltarians and for non-Gibraltarians who have made the Rock their place of business and their home. The Bill, if passed by the Parliament, will take effect as from today. A Red Cross vehicle carrying the bodies of two people believed to be dead hostages handed over by Hamas make their way toward the Kissufim border crossing with Israel on Thursday (Abdel Kareem Hana/AP) The Red Cross said it transferred the unidentified remains of three people to Israel late on Friday but they were still being examined and may not be those of missing hostages, an Israeli military official said. The source said the remains had earlier been turned over to the Red Cross by Hamas in Gaza. The handover follows Israels return on Friday of the bodies of 30 Palestinians to authorities in Gaza. That completed an exchange after militants turned over remains of two hostages, in a sign that the tense Israel-Hamas ceasefire agreement is edging forward. The incremental progress came despite Israeli strikes on Gaza this week that killed more than 100 people following the killing of an Israeli soldier. The bodies were also transferred with the Red Cross serving as intermediary. The return of the Palestinian remains was confirmed by a doctor at Nasser Hospital in the southern city of Khan Younis, where medical workers were striving to identify them. Photos showed the remains, in white body bags, arranged in rows inside the grounds of Nasser Hospital. Health officials have struggled to identify bodies without access to DNA kits. The handover brings the number of Palestinian bodies returned by Israel to 225, only 75 of which have been identified by families, according to Gazas Health Ministry. It is unclear if those returned were killed in Israel during the October 7, 2023, attack that triggered the war, died in Israeli custody as detainees or were recovered from Gaza by troops during the war. The bodies returned had been torn apart and exhumed, Munir al-Bursh, director general of Gazas Health Ministry, said in a post on X. Their flesh had melted, their faces erased by fire, leaving behind only bones and teeth, he said. The Israeli military has previously told The Associated Press that all bodies returned so far are those of combatants, a claim the AP was unable to verify. The military has said it operates in accordance with international law. Mr Al-Bursh said recently that many of the bodies handed over appear to be fighters or others killed during the 2023 attack. Several relatives who have identified the bodies of family members said they were not fighters. In Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahus office said late on Thursday that the remains returned by Palestinian militants had been confirmed as those of Sahar Baruch and Amiram Cooper, both taken hostage during the 2023 attack. Hamas has now returned the remains of 17 hostages since the start of the ceasefire, with 11 others still in Gaza and set to be turned over under the terms of the agreement. On Friday a small crowd of Israelis gathered in the plaza known as Hostages Square, praying together for the return of the dead hostages still in Gaza. We cannot give up until everybody, all the bodies, will be here, said Rimona Velner, a Tel Aviv resident who joined the gathering. Its very important to the families and for us to close this circle. A senior US official and a second source familiar with negotiations said that in messages passed to Hamas by mediators on Wednesday, Israel warned the militant group that its fighters had 24 hours to leave the yellow zone or face strikes. That deadline passed on Thursday evening, after which the senior US official said Israel will enforce the ceasefire and engage Hamas targets behind the yellow line. Hamas did not respond to a request for comment. On Friday, Shifa hospital director Mohamed Abu Selmiya said that one person had been killed by Israeli gunfire in northern Gaza. Israels military said its troops had fired after the person approached troops in a way that posed a threat. In a new assessment released on Friday, the United Nations said satellite photos taken in early October show that 81% of all buildings in Gaza have been destroyed or otherwise damaged in the conflict. Government officials from eight Arab and Muslim nations will gather in Istanbul on Monday to discuss the next steps for Gaza, Turkish foreign minister Hakan Fidan said on Friday. The talks follow a meeting between the countries leaders and US President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the United Nations Security Council, preceding the ceasefire agreement. They mark the latest effort to create an International Stabilisation Force in Gaza, outlined in a 20-point US plan. The ceasefire, which began on October 10, is aimed at winding down a war that is by far the deadliest and most destructive of those ever fought between Israel and Hamas. In the October 2023 attack on Israel, Hamas-led militants killed about 1,200 people and took 251 others hostage. In the two years since, Israels military offensive has killed more than 68,600 Palestinians in Gaza, according to Gazas Health Ministry, which does not distinguish between civilians and combatants. The ministry, which is part of the Hamas-run government and is staffed by medical professionals, maintains detailed records viewed as generally reliable by independent experts. Israel, which some international critics have accused of committing genocide in Gaza, has disputed the figures without providing its own tally. In the central West Bank town of Silwad on Friday, mourners thronged the streets for the funeral of Yamen Hamed, 15, who Palestinian health officials say was shot by an Israeli soldier overnight. Samed Yousef Hamed kissed his son goodbye. Mr Samed said his son left home on Thursday to meet with friends. Soon after, he learned the teenager had been injured and Israels army was preventing an ambulance from reaching him. Ahed Smirat, the ambulance driver who tried to reach Yamen following the shooting, told the AP that troops held him up multiple times. By the time they let him through, troops told him the teenager had died, he said. Israels military called the teenager a terrorist and said troops had fired believing that he was holding an explosive, but did not provide any evidence to support that characterisation. Yamens funeral was on Friday. The shooting is the latest in a surge of military killings of Palestinian children in the West Bank that has accompanied a general upswing in violence in the territory since the start of the Israel-Hamas war. Some were killed during Israeli military raids in dense neighborhoods, others by sniper fire in peaceful areas. The killings have risen as the Israeli military has stepped up operations in the occupied West Bank since the wars onset in what it calls a crackdown on militants. Emergency personnel work to extinguish a fire in Sumy, Ukraine following Russian drone attacks (Ukrainian Emergency Service via AP) Russia has deployed around 170,000 troops in Ukraines eastern Donetsk region, where they are trying to capture the stronghold of Pokrovsk in a major push for a battlefield victory, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said. The situation in Pokrovsk is difficult, Mr Zelensky said, while also rejecting recent Russian claims that the devastated city is surrounded after more than a year of fighting. He acknowledged that some Russian units had infiltrated the city, but insisted that Ukrainian defenders were weeding them out. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said the Russian forces were being gradually destroyed (Ukrainian Presidential Press Office via AP) There are Russians in Pokrovsk, Mr Zelensky told a media briefing in Kyiv. They are being destroyed, gradually destroyed, because, well, we need to preserve our personnel. In previous sieges during the almost four years since Russia launched its all-out invasion of its neighbour, Ukraine has pulled out of some places to avoid losing troops. Ukrainian forces are desperately short-handed against Russias bigger army. Russian President Vladimir Putin has recently claimed that Russian forces are making significant advances on the battlefield, though their progress has been slow and costly in troops and armour. Mr Putin is trying to persuade the United States, which wants him to seek a peace deal, that Ukraine cant hold out against Russian military superiority. He has also stressed what he says is Russias improving nuclear capability as he refuses to budge from what he says are his countrys legitimate war aims. Ukraine has been fighting back by hitting targets inside Russia to disrupt military logistics and make Russian civilians feel the effects of war. Since the beginning of the year, Ukraine has conducted more than 160 successful long-range strikes on Russias oil extraction and refining facilities, the head of Ukraines Security Service, Vasyl Maliuk, told reporters. In September and October alone, Ukraine conducted 20 strikes on Russian oil facilities, Mr Maliuk said. A Russian tank rolls to fire towards Ukrainian positions on an undisclosed location in Ukraine. (Russian Defense Ministry Press Service via AP) He claimed that the strikes had brought a 20% drop in oil products on Russias domestic market and temporarily halted the operation of 37% of Russias oil refining capacity. The claims could not be independently verified. Mr Maliuk said: Clearly, we are not resting on our achievements. There are many fresh perspectives and new approaches in this work. These include new equipment, new combat units, and new methods and means of communication. He said that over this year, Ukraine has destroyed nearly half of Russias sophisticated Pantsir air defence systems, which have stopped Ukrainian long-range drones. He also noted that last year, Ukrainian forces destroyed one of Russias advanced new hypersonic missiles that can fly at 10 times the speed of sound, striking it on the ground at a military base inside Russia, The Oreshnik missile, touted at the end of last year by Mr Putin as invulnerable to air defence systems and a game-changing weapon, was hit at the Kapustin Yar military firing range near the Caspian Sea in southwestern Russia, roughly 500 kilometres from the Ukrainian border, according to Mr Maliuk. Mr Putin said a year ago that the missile was used in an attack on the central Ukrainian city of Dnipro, some months after Mr Maliuk said Ukraine destroyed one of them. Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, talks with Russian servicemen who fought in Ukraine (Vladimir Gerdo, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP) Meanwhile, Russian drones struck apartment blocks in the north-eastern city of Sumy overnight, injuring 11 people, including four children, and also hit the southern Odesa regions energy infrastructure, authorities said. The war this year has been deadlier for civilians than in 2024, with a 30% rise in casualties so far, the UN humanitarian co-ordinator in Ukraine, Matthias Schmale, said. Russias almost daily aerial attacks on Ukrainian energy production and distribution facilities are especially worrying because the winter is forecast to be much colder than last year, Mr Schmale said at a briefing in Geneva. Ukrainian cities have centralised public infrastructure to run water, sewage and heating systems, and the UN fears that denying those services to people in high-rise buildings in cities near the front line could turn into a major crisis, according to Mr Schmale. Destroying energy production and distribution capacity as winter starts clearly impacts the civilian population and is a form of terror, he said. Also, the UN humanitarian operation is short of money to respond to acute needs, as its Ukraine funding has declined from more than 4 billion dollars in 2022, the year of Russias full-scale invasion of its neighbour, to 1.1 billion dollars this year, Mr Schmale said. He added that the conflict feels increasingly like a protracted war, as US-led international peace efforts this year have come to nothing. We have been through phases this year where there was cautious optimism that it might end, Mr Schmale said. Right now on the ground, it doesnt feel at all like its ending any time soon. Maura Lyons was smuggled to Scotland by Free-Presbyterians after converting from Catholicism The courts eventually forced the girl's return home on the condition she was to have no contact with the Rev Ian Paisley The Rev Ian Paisley rose to prominence as the face of hard-line unionism and later as the First Minister of Northern Ireland. But for some, the first time they would have heard of him would have been in connection with Maura Lyons. In 1956, he made headlines after the west Belfast teenager Maura Lyons was smuggled illegally to Scotland by members of the Free Presbyterian Church. Maura Lyons was 15-year-old Catholic girl who converted to Free Presbyterianism, in the face of the strong objections of her family. Maura was missing from her home for over six months fleeing her family and religion. They accused the Rev Ian Paisley of abduction, whatever the term involved should be, there is no doubt of his involvement in the case. At one point, he gathered his supporters in the Ulster Hall to listen to a recording of Mauras voice at the Ulster Hall. On the tape she renounced her Catholic faith as a religion of fear and dread. Eventually the courts forced her return home but with some conditions her family couldnt convert her back to Catholicism, and she was to have no contact with the Rev Ian Paisley. Ciaran Dunbar is joined by journalist Malachi ODoherty, who grew up in west Belfast. The Rev Ian Paisley and the 15-year-old abducted from west Belfast The courts eventually forced the girl's return home on the condition she was to have no contact with the Rev Ian Paisley Belfast History Explained: The Story of the River Farset Bennington, VT (05201) Today Mostly cloudy with a few snow showers this evening. Low 12F. Winds W at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of snow 30%.. Tonight Mostly cloudy with a few snow showers this evening. Low 12F. Winds W at 10 to 15 mph. Chance of snow 30%. When Claire Griffin couldn't get the story of George Denison Morgan and Yuki Kato out of her head, she knew she had to write a novel based on them. Her research took her to Japan. Gibraltar National Museum Director awarded the William King medal Professor Clive Finlayson has been awarded the William King Medal by the University of Galway in Ireland. In his medal presentation citation, Professor David Burn, President of the University of Galway, stated that the William King Medal was awarded to Professor Finlayson for exceptional contribution to the history and understanding of human evolution. He continued, As a leading international expert on Neanderthals, the granting of the medal, here in the institution where their scientific name was first coined, represents a fitting completion of the scientific circle. The presentation was made prior to the William King Annual Lecture, which Professor Finlayson had been invited to deliver on Wednesday 22nd October. The lecture series was established after a symposium held in 2014 to mark the 150th anniversary of the naming of the Neanderthal people by William King, who had been Professor of Mineralogy and Geology in Queens College Galway (as the University of Galway was then known). In introducing Professor Finlaysons lecture, Professor Burn said that The concept of deciphering the mysteries of our closest evolutionary relatives, the Neanderthals, has been an important theme of Professor Finlaysons research for many years. He is a leading exponent of the relationship between climate change and species distributions. He compared his broad range of research interests to those of William King himself. Referring to Gibraltar specifically, Professor Burn added, The site at Gibraltar is now part of the Gorhams Cave Complex, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This is one of the last places that Neanderthal people are known to have lived on Earth, and it is of immense importance for all humanity. Professor Finlayson directs the archaeological excavations there. The discoveries his team have made have been astonishing and inspiring in equal measure. His work literally forced us to reimagine our preconceptions of Neanderthal people, and addressed one of the most fundamentally important questions we can ask in science what does it mean to be human? The lecture was delivered to a full house composed of professors, lecturers, students and members of the general public. At the end of the lecture, the students presented Professor Finlayson with a glass tankard from the University. Commenting on the event and the award, Professor Finlayson said that he felt overwhelmed by the honour conferred on him by the University of Galway and by the incredible welcome that he and his wife, Professor Geraldine Finlayson, had received. It is absolutely wonderful to see the level of interest in our work, with some people having travelled far to be there, and to see the enthusiasm in the faces of students in particular. For me, personally, the event has represented, as Professor Burn stated, a fitting completion of the scientific circle. Pittsfield city councilors are calling for a comprehensive review of how the Shannon Grant is being used and whether longtime partner 18 Degrees is effectively reaching the youth most at risk of gun violence as the grant approaches renewal. A new bill filed by state Rep. John Barrett and state Sen. Paul Mark would exempt small districts like Hancock which lack their own middle or high schools from paying costly tuition for school choice students who continue on to other districts, potentially allowing Hancock Elementary to reopen to out-of-district families. GREAT BARRINGTON Buying a pizza from Berkshire Mountain Bakery today will do more than feed trick-or-treaters it will help local residents who rely on SNAP benefits that arent being distributed this month. On one of the bakerys busiest days of the year, it will donate a portion of its sales from its Housatonic location to Berkshire Agricultural Ventures Match Fund, said Dennis Iodice, director of operations at Berkshire Mountain Bakery. The goal is to raise at least $1,500 People want pizza after they go trick-or-treating and we need to help people who are losing their SNAP, and so one of the ways that we can do that is by offering a dine to donate, Iodice, said. Local businesses in the Berkshires are stepping up in their own ways to support the 22,000 people in Berkshire County who appear poised to not get their monthly Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits on Saturday due to the ongoing federal government shutdown. Though benefits will not come through next month, for the first time in the history of the program, the Massachusetts Healthy Incentives Program, which uses state funds to purchase fruits and vegetables with an EBT card, will still be available to SNAP users who have any balance left on their EBT card. The BAV match gives SNAP users $30 to spend on SNAP-eligible foods at local farmers markets. Any SNAP user with a EBT card showing at least a penny is eligible for this funding until the shutdown ends. Food pantries and similar organizations are expecting a major increase in attendance, according to multiple food insecurity organizations in Berkshire County, as those in need scramble to make up for the loss of SNAP funding. They need money to give people the SNAP match money, Iodice said. And its a win, win, win because not only are people getting money, but farmers are selling food, producers are getting business revenue that they wouldnt otherwise have and were keeping it local. Similarly, Bigg Daddy's Philly Steak House in North Adams is launching The Bigg Heart Meal, where every Monday and Thursday, kids under 18 can get a free meal, no questions asked. Kids just have to ask for The Bigg Heart Meal and can dine in or take out. Mondays are mini cheesesteak and fries and Thursdays are hot dogs and fries. We here at Big Daddy's are just trying to support the community in any way possible with the division and financial devastation that we're facing with no [SNAP] benefits being provided for [42 million] Americans, said Bigg Daddy's owner Xavier Jones. Also at Bigg Daddys, local people will be giving out food on Monday and Wednesday. To support that initiative, supporters are welcome to donate money, fruit, bottled water or their time. We want to make sure that the kids have a nutritional value, Jones said. We're giving cheesesteaks and french fries on Monday, but we want to make sure that they have something to drink, so we're looking for bottles of water or fruit. Throughout a typical year, Bigg Daddy has different ways of supporting the community, like feeding 25 families on Thanksgiving, but this year, Jones said he is hoping that number will be closer to 50. So we're always supporting the community, Jones said. It is something that sits in my heart as a kid who came up in poverty, who used to be homeless. I always love to give back. Hand Crafted Catering also is providing meals, owner Justin Carafotes said. Starting Monday, the company will drop off prepared dinners once a week to a small and growing list of families who have requested it. To request a meal, email hello@handcraftednyc.com. Quote 'Business has a responsibility to give back to the community.' Hand Crafting Catering owner Justin Carafotes Business has a responsibility to give back to the community, Carafotes said. It's a basic human right to have some food and so I'd urge any company that's in the financial position to do so, to help out, because it affects the community as a whole. As someone who grew up with a mother who put herself through law school and once relied on assistance, Carafotes said he is motivated by a sense of corporate responsibility and personal experiences. Anyone in the position to help out should, because there are all kinds of circumstances in life that can be why someone needs it, he said. Iodice, of Berkshire Mountain Bakery, says supporting programs like Market Match is important the bakery is owned by the community we feed, as owner Richard Bourdon likes to say. Other businesses are stepping up, its fantastic, but we need to keep doing what we can, Iodice said. Its a small piece of the whole puzzle. To Jones, this is a critical time during which people need to put aside their differences and come together to support one another. We just got to rise up as a community, Jones said. Where there is no common ground, there is no community. So we've got to just come together. That's always been my message from the first time that I opened up a business here in the Berkshires. Quality local journalism needs your support Access this story and all of our stories with 24/7 unlimited access. Subscribe today. Cancel anytime. Subscribe now for 99 Subscriber Sign In | Return Home Breaking Ground in Clinical Trials: Indias Innovation Imperative October 31, 2025 | Friday | Views | By Khushbu Jain Associate Director, Healthcare & Life Sciences Growth Advisory, Frost & Sullivan For decades, India has been a global powerhouse in pharmaceutical manufacturing. Yet in clinical trials, the crucial bridge between laboratory discoveries and patient access, the countrys performance has lagged behind its industrial capabilities. Home to nearly 1.46 billion people in 2025, or 18 per cent of the global population, India bears a proportionately high share of the worlds disease burden. In recent years, the country recorded 212 million diabetics, nearly 25 per cent of the global diabetic population, accounted for a quarter of global DALYs due to ischemic heart disease, 28 per cent of all TB cases, and 1.46 million new cancer cases (representing 4 per cent of global incidence), according to WHO data. These numbers underscore the urgent need for robust clinical research, both to meet domestic healthcare challenges and to contribute meaningfully to global drug development. The Current State of Play Despite its demographic and disease burden , Indias clinical trial market was valued at only $1.51.6 billion in 2022, according to Frost & Sullivan, just 23 per cent of the global market. Most of this activity is concentrated in Phase 2 and 3 trials, where Indias ability to enroll large patient cohorts is an advantage. Early-phase trials, critical for cutting-edge drug innovation, remain underdeveloped. Momentum is building, however. Frost & Sullivan projects a 1415 per cent CAGR over the next decade, supported by cost competitiveness, with trials 3050 per cent cheaper than in Western markets, and a strong base of scientific talent trained in international standards. Yet cost arbitrage alone will not secure Indias future. Drug development today is more complex than ever, with attrition-adjusted R&D costs exceeding $2.8 billion per novel drug. The industry is under immense pressure to reduce failure rates, improve trial efficiency, and accelerate access without compromising ethics or patient safety. Global Innovations Reshaping Clinical Trials Around the world, the clinical trials industry is being reshaped along four dimensions: technology, regulation, business models, and value chain architecture. Technology innovation has opened new possibilities. Wearables now capture real-time patient biometrics, artificial intelligence accelerates recruitment and trial design, and genomics enables precision medicine with therapies tailored to smaller, genetically defined populations. In the United States, in some cases, AI-driven recruitment has reduced enrollment times by nearly 30 per cent, while wearable monitoring has improved remote oversight efficiency by 40 per cent. Real-world evidence has also become a cornerstone of trial design, and blockchain is enhancing data integrity. Regulatory innovation is accelerating trial speed and transparency. For example, the FDAAA 801 Final Rule, the US Diversity Action Plans for pivotal clinical trials, Chinas Circular 53, the EU Clinical Trials Regulation, and Japans PMD Act revision aim to accelerate trial timelines, expand site access (beyond tier-1 cities), increase data transparency, and create more predictable approval pathways. Regulators globally are moving toward harmonisation, stricter reporting, and more predictable pathways for sponsors. Business model innovation is broadening trial reach. Decentralised clinical trials (DCTs), powered by telehealth, home-based diagnostics, and remote monitoring, are reducing costs and improving accessibility. In the United States, across some studies, DCTs have cut trial expenses by up to 25 per cent and improved retention by 20 per cent. Value chain innovation is reconfiguring who participates in the clinical trial industry. Non-traditional players such as Apple, through its Research app, and Walgreens are integrating trial participation into everyday consumer interactions. In China, digital ecosystems built by Tencent and JD Health integrate recruitment, monitoring, and data management in a seamless, patient-centered model. These global trends illustrate that clinical trials are no longer just about recruiting faster or cheaper, but about being smarter, more inclusive, and more data-driven. Indias Path to Adoption India is uniquely positioned to adopt and adapt these innovations, but doing so requires addressing local realities and leveraging its own strengths. On technology, Indias extraordinary genetic diversity and vast treatment-naive patient population make it a natural destination for precision medicine research. The rapid expansion of digital health infrastructure and smartphone usage in Tier 1 to Tier 3 cities provides fertile ground for AI-driven site selection and intelligent patient recruitment. Clinical research is increasingly as much about data generation and analysis as it is about patient recruitment. Wearables, electronic health records, and real-world evidence are already shaping regulatory decisions worldwide. India has an underappreciated advantage here: it generates a vast amount of health data through government programmes like Ayushman Bharat, disease registries under NPCDCS, and the growing use of health apps. The challenge is fragmentation. If India can establish interoperable health data platforms, it could leapfrog other countries in producing population-scale insights. The innovation pathway does not lie in importing Western trial models but in leveraging Indias own digital public infrastructure, perhaps even the same architecture that powers UPI, Aadhaar, and CoWIN, as the blueprint for a national clinical data spine. This could position India as a global laboratory for data-driven trial innovation. On regulation, India has made important progress. The 2019 Clinical Trial Rules shortened approval timelines to about 90 days. More recently, the New Drugs and Clinical Trials (Amendment) Rules, 2024, effective April 2025, introduced faster test licenses, waiver of local clinical trials in certain cases, simplified BA/BE studies, mandatory CRO registration, and digital submissions. These are steps toward a more predictable and investor-friendly environment. The next step could be more towards harmonisation, which will allow companies to use results generated in India for global approvals. Around the world, patients and regulators are increasingly skeptical of trial conduct, data integrity scandals, underreporting, and pharma mistrust have made transparency a priority. Technologies like blockchain and mandatory reporting platforms are emerging as solutions. For India, this challenge is even more urgent. Past controversies around informed consent and adverse event reporting in the early 2010s continue to cast a shadow. The real innovation opportunity can be harnessed by rebuilding trust through patient engagement platforms, open-access registries, and community advisory boards. If India embeds trust-by-design into its trial ecosystem, it can shift perceptions from being a low-cost destination only to a credible and ethical global partner. On business models, decentralised trials are a natural fit for Indias geography and healthcare disparities. DCTs are usually described in terms of virtual visits and telehealth. But in India, decentralisation must mean more than replacing site visits with video calls. The deeper innovation lies in meeting patients where they are- physically, digitally, and socially. Connectivity gaps, affordability barriers, and literacy challenges require protocols tailored for Indias landscape. Trials that integrate ASHA workers (community health workers), local pharmacies, or mobile diagnostic vans could unlock participation at scale- beyond urban centers and ensure participation from Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities and rural areas, making trial cohorts more representative of their population. The scope of innovation does not stop here, but can definitely serve as a starting point. The Road Ahead India has already proven its ability to transform global health by becoming the pharmacy of the world through generics and vaccines. The next frontier is to become the laboratory of the world for clinical research. The opportunity is not simply to increase trial volumes with undeniable cost advantages, but to reposition India as a trusted, innovative, and indispensable partner in solving the global R&D productivity challenge. By embracing global innovations, adapting them to local realities, and embedding ethics and transparency, India can help bring therapies to patients faster, more efficiently, and more inclusively. Khushbu Jain Associate Director, Healthcare & Life Sciences Growth Advisory, Frost & Sullivan When domestic and global players stand together, it strengthens the entire diagnostics ecosystem October 31, 2025 | Friday | Views | By Sanjiv Das The Association of Diagnostics Manufacturers of India (ADMI), the apex body representing the countrys in vitro diagnostics (IVD) industry, has announced the election of Jatin Mahajan, Managing Director of J. Mitra & Co., as its new President recently. In an interaction with BioSpectrum India Mahajan explains how ADMI can create inclusive working groups and open forums within the association, allowing MNCs and Indian firms to share perspectives and align on goals. Being the newly appointed president of the ADMI, how do you foresee the future of India's diagnostic sector? I am optimistic about the future of Indias diagnostic sector. Were at a juncture where diagnostics are rightly being recognised as a cornerstone of healthcare. In the coming years, I see India becoming a global hub for affordable, high-quality diagnostics. Our industry is growing at a double-digit rate, and I anticipate that momentum will continue. More Indian companies will move up the value chain not just making basic kits, but developing sophisticated molecular diagnostics, AI-driven testing tools, and even exporting lab automation systems. The Promotion of Research and Innovation in the Pharma-MedTech Sector (PRIP) will catalyse increased spending on R&D, and we anticipate the resultant positive outcomes in the years to come. With initiatives like the PLI scheme creating global champion IVD firms out of India, we will have a stronger manufacturing base and innovation pipeline. Domestically, diagnostics will penetrate deeper: I expect a laboratory or point-of-care facility in every small town, enabled by cost-effective tech developed here. From a global perspective, Indias reputation as an exporter of reliable diagnostic products will be solidified were already seeing our export growth outpace imports. This trend should enable us to become net exporters by the end of the decade. As ADMI President, I plan to push for all the necessary enablers to realise this vision. The future is one where Indian-developed diagnostic tests and devices are used worldwide, and every citizen has access to timely and accurate tests at home. In short, the outlook is of robust growth and innovation, with Indias diagnostics sector attaining a position of global leadership while saving millions of lives through early and precise disease detection. How big and diverse is the IVD market in India? The Indian IVD market is currently valued at roughly $1.52 billion and is growing steadily. This growth is fuelled by rising healthcare needs, greater preventive testing, and government incentives (like the PLI scheme and the PRIP scheme). Within this market, we have a mix of global giants and homegrown leaders. Multinational players, including Roche Diagnostics, Abbott, Siemens Healthineers, and others, have a strong presence in the country. Notable Indian companies making their mark include J Mitra & Co., Transasia Bio-Medicals and Agappe Diagnostics (long-standing domestic leaders), as well as innovators such as Molbio Diagnostics and Trivitron. These Indian firms are rapidly expanding their product portfolios and exports. In short, the IVD space in India is sizeable and growing, with global firms bringing in advanced technologies and Indian firms leveraging local expertise to compete and collaborate in meeting Indias diagnostic needs. How many members are currently on board with ADMI? What's your strategy for the unification of both domestic and global players under a common industry platform? ADMI currently has around 8090 member companies on board, representing the gamut of Indias IVD industry. This includes both domestic manufacturers and Indian subsidiaries of global companies with manufacturing sites in India, all under one platform. As the newly elected President, Im committed to uniting both domestic and international players in our sector. We will lobby with a single, strong voice on common issues whether it is regulatory reforms, quality standards, or tax rationalisation. My approach is to create inclusive working groups and open forums within ADMI, allowing MNCs and Indian firms to share perspectives and align on goals. By presenting a unified industry front, we can more effectively engage with policymakers and regulators. The aim is to ensure a level playing field and growth opportunities for all. In practice, this means engaging in regular dialogues with the government as a unified team, jointly advocating for supportive policies, and sharing best practices across the membership. When domestic and global players stand together, it strengthens the entire diagnostics ecosystem. Having stiff competition with the MNC IVD players, Indian players are falling behind. How do you plan to leverage local capabilities to gain ground in the market? The opportunity is clear: a large domestic market, strong biotechnology talent, and a maturing regulatory framework. Indian firms can win by owning core reagents, engineering dependable CLIA/ELISA systems, and offering service footprints that multinationals struggle to match in tier-II/III India. There has been an increase in the number of vendors available for critical components due to various government policies implemented in recent years, which have created a conducive vendor ecosystem. The challenge is to compete on reliability, not just price: tighter process controls (QMS), robust validation data, and on-time service. Globally, customers look for standards compliance, predictable supply, and transparent documentation. Indian manufacturers must invest in global registrations (e.g., WHO PQ where applicable, country approvals), post-market surveillance, and EQA participation. Suppose we continue to build strengths in design for manufacturability, cost-efficient scale, and field service. In that case, India can become a trusted second source and increasingly, the first choice for many healthcare systems. Which Indian IVD firms are investing more in R&D and automation? Several Indian IVD companies are heavily investing in R&D and automation to gain an edge. For example, Molbio Diagnostics has pioneered the Truenat platform a portable, battery-operated real-time PCR system that brings complex molecular testing to point-of-care settings. Established players like Transasia Bio-Medicals have established advanced manufacturing and R&D centres (e.g., a new plant at AMTZ) to produce millions of test kits and analysers using indigenous technology. Companies such as J Mitra & Co. and Agappe Diagnostics continually invest in developing new reagents, rapid test formats, and automated analysers. In summary, Indian firms are pursuing R&D in areas such as molecular diagnostics, AI-driven analysis, robotics for laboratory automation, and novel immunodiagnostic techniques. The goal is to develop innovative, cost-effective diagnostic tools ranging from next-generation test kits to fully automated laboratory instruments that can compete globally. In India's IVD sector, importing raw materials is often more expensive than importing finished products. What efforts would you like to have to overcome this challenge? An inverted duty structure has indeed been hurting us often importing raw materials is taxed more than importing finished IVD products. This creates a cost disadvantage for Indian manufacturers. To overcome this, we are advocating on multiple fronts. Firstly, we urge the government to rationalise import tariffs: reduce or eliminate duties/GST on critical raw materials (such as antibodies, enzymes, and chemicals) and, if necessary, consider a higher import duty on fully assembled diagnostic kits. This will make local assembly and manufacturing more competitive. Some of these have been partially addressed in September. Secondly, we need to boost domestic production of raw materials. That means incentives for companies to manufacture reagents, plastics, and electronic components in India, reducing our dependence on costly imports. ADMI is striving for policies that encourage the creation of local raw material vendors. We are also advocating for newer manufacturing sites and MedTech zones with shared facilities and infrastructure. We promote R&D collaborations to develop indigenous alternatives (for example, developing native enzyme production). In short, by correcting tax anomalies and establishing a local supply chain, we can reduce input costs. These efforts, combined with government support, will make Indian IVD products more cost-effective and globally competitive. What will the export scenario be by 2030? Indian diagnostic manufacturers export widely today depending on the size of the Indian IVD company, most Indian players ship to anywhere between 40 and 100 countries worldwide, spanning Asia, Africa, the Middle East, Latin America, and more. In terms of value, Indias overall medical device exports (which include diagnostic products) were approximately $3.8 billion in FY2023-24 (as per IBEF data), and IVD kits are a growing share of this total. Currently, Indian companies export a range of products, including immunoassay kits (for diseases such as HIV, hepatitis, and dengue), rapid test kits (for diseases like malaria and COVID-19), ELISA kits, molecular diagnostic tests (like TB PCR kits), and even some equipment (e.g., glucometers and small analysers). By 2030, I expect our export footprint to expand significantly likely doubling or tripling from current levels. With India becoming a medtech manufacturing hub, export revenues from diagnostics could reach $56 billion or more by 2030 (with the proper policy support). The export destinations will also broaden we aim to enter more developed markets in Europe and the Americas with high-quality, affordable products. Overall, the scenario is very optimistic: by 2030, Indian IVD products are expected to be a fixture in laboratories worldwide, renowned for their quality and value, and exports are projected to form a substantial portion of our industrys revenue. The focus will remain on test kits and reagents (our forte), but well also export more analysers and innovative point-of-care devices as our capabilities climb. What's your take on steep tariffs on medical devices, including IVDs? Frankly, the steep tariffs being imposed by the US on Indian medical devices (including IVDs) are very concerning. Weve seen reports of 50 per cent aggregate duty on Indian device exports after successive tariff hikes this is punishingly high. In my view, such tariffs are unfair and counterproductive. They make our competitively priced, high-quality products more expensive in the US, undermining our exporters. We strongly urge a re-evaluation of these tariffs. We are working with industry bodies and the Indian government to make representations on this issue. Ideally, wed like to see a restoration of normal, lower duty rates through bilateral talks or inclusion of medtech in trade pacts. If high tariffs persist, Indian manufacturers may need to pivot to other markets or even consider localised assembly in the US but thats not the optimal solution. The bottom line is that free trade benefits both countries. We appeal to the US to reconsider and roll back these steep tariffs, so that patients arent deprived and Indian exporters can compete on an equal footing. Your thoughts on the recent GST announcement for the diagnostics market. The recent GST announcements for the diagnostics sector are a big positive. The GST rate on various diagnostic kits and machines has been reduced to 5 per cent, down from the previously higher slabs. I must say, this is a welcome relief that we in the industry have been lobbying for. Lowering GST on test kits, reagents, analysers, etc., will directly reduce the cost of diagnostics for laboratories and patients. It also helps manufacturers by easing cash flow (since less tax is locked in input credits). Overall, this reform will boost the sector: affordable pricing can drive higher demand for diagnostic tests, and domestic companies will find it easier to compete with imported products (which also now carry 5 per cent GST). I appreciate the governments move it shows they recognise diagnostics as an essential service that merits a concessional tax rate. These tax benefits are reflected in our latest pricing. In summary, the GST reduction is excellent news it makes diagnostics more accessible and supports the Make in India vision by levelling the field for local products. What types of policy reforms and investments are you seeking in India's diagnostic sector? We are seeking several policy reforms and investments to strengthen Indias diagnostics sector. One key request is to address the inverted duty structure as mentioned, raw materials for IVD should have minimal import duty. In contrast, the import of finished devices could be taxed slightly more to protect local manufacturers. This will encourage domestic manufacturing. We also seek a simplified regulatory environment, including faster approvals, single-window clearances for setting up manufacturing or conducting clinical trials, and overall ease of doing business for diagnostic companies. Another area is R&D support; policies that provide grants or incentives for research in new diagnostic technologies (for example, indigenous development of advanced tests or analysers) would be hugely beneficial. Promotion of Research and Innovation in the Pharma-MedTech Sector is a highly promising scheme launched by the government, and we hope it will yield significant dividends in the years to come. In terms of investments, we welcome schemes like the Production-Linked Incentive that incentivise local production of IVDs, and wed like to see those expanded. The creation of medtech parks and common infrastructure is also vital shared facilities for testing, calibration, and other purposes can help startups and smaller manufacturers grow. We are also advocating for easier access to capital perhaps low-interest loans or innovation funds so that diagnostic companies can scale up production and automation. Finally, a significant reform would be in public procurement: if government healthcare programs prioritise Make in India diagnostic products, it will give the industry a considerable boost. Overall, we aim for a policy ecosystem that reduces costs, fosters innovation, and accelerates growth with the government serving as a facilitator and investor in the diagnostics space alongside us. Sanjiv Das Sanjiv.das@mmactiv.com Absence of specific safety standards for printing inks used in pharma packaging is a critical issue October 31, 2025 | Friday | Views | By Sanjiv Das Siegwerk, a German leader in printing inks and coatings for packaging applications and labels, with annual Indian revenue of over Rs 1000 crore, has recently announced an investment of Rs 350 crore over the next three years to expand its operations in India. Further, the firm is making a foray into the pharmaceutical market in India with mineral oil-free inks, designed specifically to reduce health risks associated with ink migration in medicine packaging. In an exclusive conversation with BioSpectrum, Jatin Takkar, Head, Product Safety & Regulatory, Siegwerk India, talks about how these inks are making pharma packaging safer, and about the companys growth plans in this space. What are your key investment strategies for the Indian market? We have announced a strategic investment of Rs 350 crore over the next three years to expand its operations in India, placing the country at the centre of its global innovation and manufacturing strategy. The investment will primarily be directed towards scaling up the Global Innovation and Capability Center (GICC) in India. The GICC will function as a unified platform driving end-to-end innovation, regulatory compliance, digital operations, and customer support. With enhanced R&D infrastructure, the facility aims to develop next-generation ink solutions with a strong focus on performance, safety, and sustainability. Funds are also being channelled into manufacturing and supply chain enhancements, including the establishment of a National Distribution Centre in Tauru and the strengthening of 14 Colour Matching Centres (CMCs) across the country. These upgrades will boost production capacity, reduce turnaround times, and improve inventory management, enabling faster, more efficient service delivery for customers. The investment supports our expanding portfolio of solvent and water-based inks for all major packaging applications, known for their high colour strength, print efficiency, and recyclability. We have also upgraded our blending facility in Pune with advanced automation, reinforcing supply chain agility and responsiveness to rising demand. This multi-city expansion reflects our long-term commitment to Indias industrial growth, aligning with national priorities in sustainable manufacturing, innovation, and talent development. The India GICC is set to become a global engine for responsible innovation, supporting the evolving needs of the packaging industry worldwide. What will be your plans for the India market five years down the line? Any new capacity expansion plans or initiatives on the latest technologies? We anticipate our current growth trajectory will continue for the next 5 to 10 years, with a goal of doubling our market within the next five to seven years. To support this expansion, we are making a significant capital expenditure to build a second, larger manufacturing plant in the west of the country. In addition to this new facility, it will continue to invest in new colour-matching and blending centres. We are also actively seeking acquisitions in India. We have made the pharmaceutical sector a priority for technological investment. We are directly engaging with pharmaceutical companies through a dedicated brand-owner collaboration group to educate them on critical issues like the presence of mineral oils and benzophenone. This direct partnership approach aims to raise awareness and promote the adoption of safer packaging solutions across the industry. Your outlook for the pharmaceutical segment, including revenue targets and projected market share. Our outlook for the pharmaceutical segment is highly optimistic. We view the pharmaceutical segment as a critical and strategic part of our business for several key reasons. While the quantity of ink consumed is small compared to other segments, the pharma business is an absolute niche segment which needs a high degree of technological expertise. Due to the high barrier to entry and risk of failure, it also offers much better margins. However, our focus on the pharmaceutical segment is not just about market share, but about strengthening our position as a leader in safe, high-performance inks and coatings. We are committed to continued investment in this area to drive innovation and ensure that we are at the forefront of packaging safety. What are the critical issues plaguing the pharma packaging industry in India? A critical issue is the absence of specific safety standards and regulations for printing inks used in pharmaceutical packaging, unlike those for food packaging, where there is a standard like IS 15495 that guides the industries on ink safety aspects. This gap in regulation can lead to the migration of harmful substances from the packaging into products such as Toluene, Mineral oil, Benzophenone and others. Additionally, some smaller printers may not be fully aware of the technological challenges and might use substances like dye-based inks, which are globally considered a no-no for pharma. This highlights a need for greater awareness and education within the industry. How do you see the Indian pharma packaging market growing over the years? While there are no specific numbers for the growth of the pharma packaging market itself, there is an indication that the packaging industry as a whole in India is expected to grow. The industry typically grows at 1.2 to 1.5 times the countrys GDP. With Indias GDP growing at 6-6.5 per cent, the packaging industry is projected to grow by 8-10 per cent annually. Since industrial ink is harmful to health, what kind of safety, compliance, and regulatory measures does Siegwerk follow in pharma packaging? Siegwerks approach to packaging safety in India, particularly for the pharmaceutical industry, is defined by its proactive measures and self-imposed standards, which exceed the current regulatory requirements. Siegwerk proactively addresses the lack of specific regulations in India by engaging directly with brand owners to educate them on safety issues. The company voluntarily adheres to the EuPIA Exclusion Policy, which prohibits the use of chemicals classified as carcinogenic, mutagenic, or toxic to reproduction (Cat1), and recommends inks that comply with the Swiss Ordinance, widely regarded as the most stringent globally. Siegwerk is a leader in developing safe inks for the Indian market, demonstrating a strong commitment to consumer safety. The company was the first ink manufacturer in India to achieve 100 per cent toluene-free operations, and it has maintained a toluene-free manufacturing environment to prevent cross-contamination. Additionally, Siegwerk has taken proactive steps to address specific health concerns, such as introducing nitrocellulose-free inks to combat nitrosamine contamination in pharmaceutical packaging. For its sheet-fed offset inks in India, the company has replaced mineral oil with vegetable oil and phased out dye-based inks decades ago, further emphasising its dedication to safe products. How cost effective are these inks that are being used in the packaging sector? The cost-effectiveness of inks is a function of various parameters, with the final applied cost being the most crucial factor. While Siegwerk is committed to offering safe inks at competitive prices, it places a strong emphasis on providing comprehensive customer support to ensure a smooth transition between different ink systems. This dedication helps customers manage the overall cost and complexity associated with adopting new, safer technologies. Sanjiv Das sanjiv.das@mmactiv.com GHA anti-tobacco campaign encourages smokers to drop their habit The Gibraltar Health Authority, in partnership with Public Health Gibraltar, encourage smokers to give up their unhealthy habit. This is part of a broader coordinated effort by the GHA under a very simple but powerful message: if you give up smoking today you will very quickly notice benefits to your personal health. In fact, within just 48 hours of stopping smoking, carbon monoxide levels in the body drop, your blood pressure regulates and lung function begins to improve. Over time, quitting reduces the risk of heart disease, stroke, and cancer, and improves overall quality of life. The GHA is committed to supporting individuals who want to quit smoking and has various resources available to help, including podcasts that have been recorded for this purpose. Participants in Gibraltars anti-smoking campaign will also receive access to: Free one-to-one support through the GHA Smoking Cessation Service Nicotine replacement therapy and quitting aids Educational materials on healthy habits and relapse prevention Community support groups and success stories shared through social media Smokers who want to take part can register by contacting the GHA Smoking Cessation Service or by visiting the GHA website https://www.gha.gi/public-health/smoking/. Updates, success stories, and motivational tips will also be shared on the GHAs official social media pages. Available medical evidence and public health advice suggests that if you can stop smoking for 28 days, youre five times more likely to quit for good. Director of Public Health, Dr Helen Carter said: This is not just about giving up smoking- its about taking back control of your health and setting a positive example for your loved ones. Were encouraging every smoker in Gibraltar to take this challenge and discover the life-changing benefits of quitting: you are more likely to quit for good if you have the correct support. If you want to stop smoking contact the smoking cessation clinic on 20052241 or speak to your GP about getting referral. GHA Director General, Kevin McGee, said: The smoking cessation clinic successfully brings together a combination of different strategies and a multidisciplinary care approach which isyielding good results. Active engagement with the community is vital and our Mobile Health Unit has proved invaluable in this respect. The results are encouraging as an increasing number of smokers who have been able to quit their habit, are now bringing friends and relatives to the clinic. Stop smoking now for a healthier life and future, and engage with the Smoking Cessation Clinic, we are here to help. That is the message we are putting across. The Minister for Health and Care, the Hon Gemma Arias-Vasquez, said: This campaign is about giving people the encouragement and support they need to make one of the most important decisions for their health, to stop smoking. Quitting is not easy, but it is possible, and the benefits begin almost immediately. We want to help every person in Gibraltar who decides to take that step. The Smoking Cessation Service offers practical tools, personalised support and the reassurance that you are not alone on this journey. Borsa Italiana non ha responsabilita per il contenuto del sito a cui sta per accedere e non ha responsabilita per le informazioni contenute. Accedendo a questo link, Borsa Italiana non intende sollecitare acquisti o offerte in alcun paese da parte di nessuno. Sarai automaticamente diretto al link in cinque secondi.